Ever since the beginning of time, human beings have nurtured big dreams, high hopes and the desire to make a difference in the world (think Columbus, Versace or Carrie Bradshaw). Their stories are not only exciting, but serve as inspiration, so that the next generation can follow their big dreams and desires.

Case in point: 24-year-old Ranya Batal began making inspirational T-shirts back in December 2011 to inspire her friends. What she wasn’t expecting was that her friends, their friends, family members and the world at large was also going to want to get their hands on these motivational T-shirts. Soon, Batal couldn’t keep up with the demand, and had to expand. Continue reading →

So…in case you weren’t aware, Christmas is Tuesday.

And if you’re like me, you probably still have more shopping to do (just when I think I’ve got everyone, more appear!). In fact, if you’re like me, you’re probably trying to figure out exactly what to get some of these last-minute folks.

Am I right? Yeah, I’m right.

Deloitte released an annual holiday survey filled with good news and some great gift ideas for those of us still on the hunt. Not only did they find that consumers are more confident about the economy (50 percent of consumers expect the economy to improve within the next year), but they also found that while most folks are buying 12.8 gifts (please, I exceeded that in November!), the value of their gifts are increasing. Continue reading →

Happy Holidays!

Have you gotten all your Christmas shopping done yet?
Yeah. Us either.

If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the possibilities (would she rather have a hip scarf or a cool drawing from a local artist?), you’re not alone.

And, if you’re in New York City, you know that those possibilities have dramatically increased with the onslaught of pop-up stores that seem to be popping up literally everywhere. Actually, if you’re anywhere in the United States, you’re probably noticing these pop-ups more and more.

Cool Hunting recently featured a great overview of some of the super coolio pop-ups that are gracing NYC’s presence. Continue reading →

Well, New York, you had a nice run. Sure, for 11 years you were the cream of the crop, the tip of the top, the end all be all.

But those days are—sadly—over.

According to Cushman & Wakefield that is. The firm recently reported that for the first time in 11 years, New York’s 49th to 59th streets no longer held the title for most expensive retail rents worldwide. It’s a pity, eh?

Even so, you might be surprised to discover that it is Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay that stole said title from NYC, and now offers the highest priced retail rent on the planet (at $2,630 per sq. Continue reading →

I’m pretty sure we just entered the future. You know, the future we’ve been seeing in movies (i.e. The Matrix, Cloud Atlas, etc.) for years. A future where we just have a small device that scans codes and then what we want magically appears.

Yes, that future.

And it’s here now.

Walmart and Mattel recently teamed up to create a 17-mile underground walkway in Toronto that is also a virtual toy store. This way, commuters can walk through while using their smartphones to scan QR codes for the toys they want to buy little Johnny or Susie for Christmas. From there, Walmart ships said toys to their residence—for free. Continue reading →