A Foundation For Perfection

Hey gals - love that pricey foundation? Hate to see it dwindle to an empty bottle quickly? So do we. Here's a tip we have for you. As you are using your liquid foundation each morning, blend it with a small dab of oil free, no fragrance moisturizer (we love Mario Badescu oil free SPF 15) and apply to your face with a foundation brush. By mixing your foundation with the moisturizer, not only will you make your foundation last longer by using less each day, your makeup will surely go on smoothly and cake-free. One of our favorite foundations is MAC's Studio Sculpt with SPF 15. Save money and look flawless - what could be better? 

Photo courtesy of macys.com

Perfectly Polished

There's no denying that having freshly manicured hands and feet in an of-the-moment color lets you fully revel in summer's hottest sandals. But let's face it, you pay a pretty penny for this service and the polish always chips the second you leave the salon. Instead, take advantage of your friends! Invite your girls over for a mani/pedi party. Have them bring over all of their nail polish colors and supplies such as nail files, base and top coats, and cuticle cream to give it a professional touch. It's a great, low-key way to catch up and gossip with friends and maintain your style at the same time.

Photo courtesy of  philliswheatley.wordpress.com

Yummy Little Pockets

Our taste buds have been treated to something very special: arepas. What is an arepa? you may wonder. To put it as simply as possible, it is a corn - pitalike pocket filled with different ingredients such as avocados, fried plantains, jalapenos, or chorizo. The Caracas Bar in the East Village has many delicious varieties. Alright... we're pretty sure these aren't that healthy but they are on the smaller side so as a treat in moderation, we approve!

Keeping It Fresh

We all know that eating a variety of fruit and vegetables is key to keeping healthy. Fresh produce can add up quickly, and pre-cut varieties found in supermarkets are even more pricey. The trick with produce is to purchase it from the stands you see on almost every corner. Often these stands offer incredible bargains (2 boxes of blackberries for $3.00!) and are usually much cheaper than supermarkets or specialty food stores. Try finding a fruit stand close to where you live, so that you can "buy as you go" - in other words, only purchase produce for one to three days at a time. This way, you don't kick yourself when you realize those weeks-old peaches are inedible. Not only will you save money with the inherently cheaper prices, but you will also only buy what you need and will actually eat.

A Charming Idea

We think a great way to accessorize any outfit is to add a cute piece of jewelry such as big earrings or a necklace. Buying a lot of necklaces to switch up your look can get pretty pricey, but if you take our tip, you can cut your spending in half. Instead of buying numerous full necklaces, make sure you have one or two thin chains (maybe one silver, one gold) and just buy the necklace charms. This way, you only have to spend money on the charms and can use them interchangeably on your one or two necklace chains. You will allow yourself to have the ability to switch up your necklace style whenever you want at a more affordable price. Look out for good jewelry deals at outdoor jewelry stands or cute boutiques, such as Laila Rowe.

photo courtesy of evesaddiction.com

Early Bird Special?!

Dining out is fun: the ambiance and vibe of a restaurant adds to the experience of a meal enjoyed somewhere other than at home. The excitement of trying new places and experiencing innovative or exotic dishes while in the company of friends keeps New Yorkers always on the hunt for great restaurants. But we run into a huge roadblock when it comes to being amateur restaurant critics - it can get very expensive! A great tip that allows the money-conscious to be in the know about restaurants and be a part of the scene is to have brunch out instead of dinner. Many places offer brunch specials; often a cocktail, coffee, and meal is included for $15.00 or less. While eggs or pancakes aren't everyone's cup of tea, most places also offer things like salads and sandwiches on the same menu. So throw on a summery dress, a pair of shades, and sit outside and enjoy a great late-morning meal.

Free Ride

Want to enjoy a cool breeze and great views of the New York City skyline? Take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry! It's free, and makes a cute date or a fun way to spend time with friends. Grab a beer and head upstairs to the upper outdoor deck to enjoy spectacular views of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. When you dock in St. George, simply reenter the terminal and get back on! The ride takes about 25 minutes each way - plenty of time to relax and people watch. (Summertime boasts a huge number of tourists from around the world!) Simply hop on the R,1, or 4 train to experience this relaxing journey!

Photo courtesy of wirednewyork.com

Morning Cup

As we bet many other city dwellers can't get their day started without that morning cup of steaming hot coffee, neither can we. Every morning, we all spend two dollars or more on a cup of coffee (and that's the  basics, nothing fancy). Since relocating to the Upper East Side, we've decided to be thrifty and only brew our own coffee. Plus, we're being green by eliminating the use of paper or styrofoam cups. We got our "Mr. Coffee" coffee pot for around thirty dollars. Think about this - buying coffee at places like Starbucks, you spend forty dollars a month or more. That money could better be used to take care of your weekly manicure! Many coffee pots come with a feature that self times the pot to brew at a specific hour in the morning. Therefore, no lazy morning excuses for this one! Happy brewing!

Photo courtesy of goodhousekeeping.com

Forever Young

Being a city girl, you always need to be in style. But with the way money is, it’s understandable that most of you aren’t willing to shell out $250 for that designer item anymore. We feel that if you spend less money on clothes, you can still get really cute pieces and dress them up with great accessories. For example, our favorite store these days, Forever 21, is chock full of amazing bargains on really stylish pieces. Check out their selections of summery dresses, tops, purses, and jewelry. You won’t even believe some of their prices. We’ve recently purchased fantastic dresses for as little as $12! You can even get started on your fall wish list. Happy bargain shopping!

http://www.forever21.com/

Did You Know?

With all of the people living in Manhattan, you can imagine all of the energy that is used up all throughout the day. We've come up with some easy energy saving tactics that city dwellers can use - just a few small things to help the planet! 

1. Never leave unused appliances plugged in - that drains a lot of energy.

2. Limit showers to under ten minutes for girls, under five for guys (Sorry to be biased here, but let's be realistic).

3. Use real dishes, not paper to reduce waste for your dinner gatherings.

4. Instead of buying water bottles, get a plastic or metal one and refill it every day so you stay green AND hydrated!

5. Turn off your AC when you leave your apartment!

Well, even following just one or two of these "green ideas" will put you one step closer to being earth friendly!

For The Love of Theater

The Uptown Girls have always been HUGE theater lovers, way before moving to the city. Lately, it seems like Broadway ticket prices keep escalating! Who can afford to spend over one hundred dollars on a ticket? We’re going to let you in on a little known fact that we’ve been doing for years. Many Broadway shows offer tickets at a discounted rate. Some theaters offer a nightly lottery where for small prices ($25 a ticket), theater lovers can play to win a great seat at a Broadway show. One example is Hair, where all you need to do is show up two and a half hours before the scheduled performance time and put your name in a bucket, literally. Then names are pulled from the bucket and you have a one in 28 chance of getting a ticket. Some theaters also offer student rush tickets, where hopeful play goers line up hours in advance to purchase highly discounted tickets. If all else fails, you can always line up at the TKTS booth and hope to find a discounted ticket price if you feel like waiting on more lines.

To find a list of student rush tickets, visit http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/82428-Broadway_Rush_and_Standing_Room_Only_Policies for more information.

The Cutting Edge

Living in Manhattan means you have to look chic at all times. Part of what makes or breaks your look is your hairstyle. Volume and shine signal that you are healthy and happy. Of course, regular maintenance at home is essential to achieving great hair, but it is also important to get your hair cut a few times a year. Unfortunately, being in one of the most expensive cities in the country makes it tough to upkeep a fashion-forward style. But let a student cut your hair and you can have a great new 'do for free! Don't be nervous, the students are supervised during the session so that you won't end up with a mullet. High-end salons like Bumble and Bumble provide this free service as well as many other places around the city. Not only are you getting a free haircut, but you are also helping a future hairstylist of America!

Photo courtesy of studio291.com

Cheap Splurge!

Nutrition is of utmost importance to us, but we cave every so often because everyone needs a treat. With that in mind, there is also the issue of money; we don't want to spend a lot of it! Crocodile Lounge on 14th Street between 1st and 2nd avenue offers the perfect solution. For every beer you order, you get a free pizza. The pizzas are small, yet satisfying and quite good. The back of the bar offers skee ball and other games as well as an outdoor garden. It's a laid back environment that is ideal for hanging out and you can have dinner for free!

Working on Our Fitness

We love working out at the gym, but let’s be honest – Manhattan gyms are insanely expensive. We’ve grown very fond of outdoor (free) exercising. As Upper East Siders now, our favorite spot to power walk or jog at is along the river that overlooks the beautiful (ha) East River. We enter the walkway on 63^rd and York and travel along the path up to either 90^th Street or jog even further up the stairs where there are dog play areas and benches for relaxing and looking at the water. This is also another great place to people watch and see New Yorkers in action!

Central Park

One way to enjoy a nice day in the summer in New York is to do what the masses do – hang out on the grass in Central Park! It seems a little cliché, but hey, it’s free and it’s a break from the busy city streets. Here are some of our favorite Central Park routines: pack a big towel and a snack and chill out and read a magazine; hang out with friends and pretend it’s the beach; or take a long walk through the tree lined pathways and enjoy the scenery. There are so many people to watch at the park (we love people watching) so just enjoy the city’s weirdness!

A Tip To Save the Planet

These days, staying green and eco-friendly is the growing trend. It’s also necessary for our planet’s future. An easy way that everyone can pitch in to help the world is to bring tote bags when they go food shopping. This saves on using endless plastic bags that you get from your local supermarket. If tote bagging isn’t a feasible option, another great planet saving option that we do is to use our plastic bags for garbage bags or reusable lunch bags. Save the planet!

Photo courtesy of cafepress.com

Enjoy a Sweet Treat

Although we advocate healthy eating, it is definitely necessary to indulge in a sweet treat every now and then. We recently taste tested cupcakes at Butter Lane, located in the East Village. Their unique touch is to list the cake flavors and the frosting flavors separately. Then, customers can pick the cake flavor they want and the frosting flavor they want for a customized cupcake that is iced fresh right in front of you. Some standout combinations: Vanilla cake with cinnamon frosting, banana cake with chocolate frosting, and chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. 

photo courtesy of butterlane.com

A Yummy Healthy Lunch Option

We’re all about healthy eating. Of course, we all need to splurge once in awhile and give in to our sweet tooth. As an inexpensive place to eat in our neighborhood, David’s is a great pick for delicious vegetarian options. Located on Second Avenue between 62 and 63 streets, we’ve enjoyed yummy sandwiches including a Vegetarian Chicken patty and a Falafel/salad variety. Also, this summer they offer a free iced coffee with a lunch option. You can’t go wrong when you go vegetarian!