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Tuesday, March 18, 2025

#FashionAlert Saks Global Luxury Pulse Finds Increasing Interest in Personalization and AI Our Coverage Sponsored by Hallak Cleaners the Couture Cleaner @hallakcleaners @hallakcouturecleaner

For over fifty years, Hallak Cleaners the Couture Cleaner has been entrusted with Manhattan’s finest wardrobes. The official cleaner of Whom You Know since 2012, Hallak is the only cleaner Peachy Deegan would ever use and we are honored to work with them. New York’s fashion boutiques have been recommending Hallak to their loyal customers for years. They understand the importance of quality fabric care and protecting their client’s investment. While Hallak is known for their expert handling of couture and other precious items, they also make it a point to give your more casual garments the same level of attention. Their representatives are always on the look out for the hard-to-notice stains, loose seams, missing buttons, etc. You can trust Hallak Cleaners with your entire wardrobe and then some. A sample of some of their specialized services:

Tables & Bed Linens 

Suede, Leather & Furs 

Couture & Casual Wear 

Custom Interior Services 




Expert tailoring department located at both locations. 

Complimentary Pick Up and Delivery Service 6 Days a Week. 

Hallak Cleaners 
1232 Second Avenue (near 65th) 
New York, NY 10065 






If you have any questions or would like to schedule a pick up, please feel free to email us at info@hallak.com

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Reveals continued engagement in luxury shopping despite declining luxury consumer confidence in the economy

Saks Global, the largest multi-brand luxury retailer in the world, has unveiled its Saks Global Luxury Pulse survey with insights into consumer sentiment towards the economic environment and preferences for personalized shopping experiences. Overall, the survey revealed that the luxury consumer is feeling less optimistic about the economy, however, they remain engaged in luxury shopping. The majority of respondents (58%) indicated plans to continue spending the same or more on luxury, and 94% said they are likely to engage in activities that will help to better personalize their shopping experience.

“At Saks Global, we’re working to reinvent luxury shopping by delivering luxury fashion and experiences perfectly curated for each customer. Our deep understanding of the luxury consumer–bolstered by this survey–strengthens our ability to do just that,” said Emily Essner, President & Chief Commercial Officer, Saks Global. “In the Saks Global Luxury Pulse, we’re pleased to see that the luxury consumer remains engaged in the luxury shopping experience, despite a dip in their optimism about the economy.”

Luxury Consumer Priorities & Spending

Fielded from January 16-22, 2025, the Saks Global Luxury Pulse found that luxury consumers’ confidence in the economy is trending downward, while the majority remain optimistic about their personal finances.45% of luxury consumers reported feeling calm about the economy, a decrease of 12 percentage points compared to the same time last year and a decrease of 7 percentage points compared to the prior survey fielded in October 2024.
43% of luxury consumers are feeling optimistic about the overall economy, a decrease of 5 percentage points compared to the same time last year and to the prior survey.
Despite declining optimism about the economy, the majority of luxury consumers (65%) remain optimistic about their personal finances. However, this is a 5 percentage point decrease compared to the same time last year and to the prior survey.
Respondents indicated that their decreasing confidence is primarily due to global conflicts and general instability, which is more pronounced among those with an income of $200k or more.
Feelings about the economy have influenced luxury consumers’ priorities for 2025, with financial security being one of their top three focuses for the year. Their other two priorities are their physical health and embracing travel or new experiences.

Despite declining economic optimism, 58% of luxury consumers said they plan to spend the same or more on luxury in the next three months compared to the previous three months.This is a 7 percentage point decline compared to the prior survey fielded in October 2024, which is in line with expectations, given consumers are coming off of the holiday spending season. The decline is attributable to the consumer segment with less than $200k in income.
63% of those with an income of $200k or more said they plan to continue spending the same or more on luxury, which is a 4 percentage point increase compared to the same time last year.
Of those with an income of less than $200k, 52% are planning to spend the same or more on luxury, a decrease of 5 percentage points compared to the same time last year.

Luxury Consumer Shopping Preferences

Essner continued, “A key insight from the Saks Global Luxury Pulse is the luxury consumer’s increasing willingness to embrace personalization and AI, recognizing the potential to further enhance their shopping experience. The more receptive customers are to these innovations, the better we will be able to serve them across Saks Global’s retail brands.”

Luxury consumers increasingly value personalization, engaging more with tailored features and showing greater willingness to adopt them compared to the same time last year.When asked where they prefer to engage with personalized content such as product recommendations, the majority of respondents said online or on an app, followed by in email marketing.
At a slightly higher rate than the same time last year, the luxury consumer continues to find the most value in personalized content and recommendations that provide exclusive access to limited stock products, rewards and offers, as well as reminders of these offers.
The majority of luxury consumers (94%) are likely to engage in activities that will further enhance their shopping experience through personalization, with the top activities being creating an account, generating a wishlist, answering questions about their shopping preferences and providing feedback on features.

66% of luxury consumers said they are using AI features when shopping for fashion online, an increase of 2 percentage points compared to the same time last year.Respondents shared that they most commonly use AI for online shopping through providing body measurements to receive size recommendations or to visualize a product on various body types.
However, respondents indicated that they are increasingly unlikely to upload pictures of themselves for virtual try-on.

About the Saks Global Luxury Pulse

The Saks Global Luxury Pulse is a quarterly online survey of luxury consumers’ attitudes towards shopping, spending and the economy. It is based on responses from 1,688 U.S.-based luxury consumers over age 18 and was fielded from January 16-22, 2025. Formerly known as the Saks Luxury Pulse, following the completion of Saks Global’s acquisition of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, the survey’s scope broadened and it has been rebranded as the Saks Global Luxury Pulse.

About Saks Global

Saks Global is a combination of world-class luxury retailers, including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks OFF 5TH, as well as a portfolio of prime U.S. real estate holdings and investments. Saks Global is deeply committed to helping luxury consumers discover the most sought-after established and emerging brands from around the world. Powered by data-driven technology and centered on the customer, Saks Global is on a mission to redefine the luxury shopping experience through highly personalized service, with greater opportunities for product discovery across all channels.

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#PeachysPicks Peachy Picks Bagel Point Upper East Side #TerrificTakeout #BagelPoint @bagel_point by #Owners #SamKaplan #OmarDahbali #AhmedZaid and Team! 787 Lexington Ave between 61st and 62nd Manhattan


It's never been who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know Sam Kaplan and his superior bagelsPreviously, they earned an esteemed position of being the only venue in Brooklyn at all to earn Peachy's Picks status, and equally impressive is the newer post on Manhattan's storied Upper East side, previously featured last spring.  They are currently Peachy's favorite bagels anywhere, both locations and other ilks we have tried don't compare qualitatively.  Ahmed Zaid and Omar Dahbali are also owners of this location, and we were delighted to see diligent worker Ceren again too.
Bagels are made fresh until 1pm and they close at 4pm seven days a week, eight if you're a Beatle!
The fruit salad is entirely fresh and a welcome accompaniment to balance out your essential bagel carbs.  Unlike the Brooklyn location, there are not green salads.
However, just like the Brooklyn location, the freshly squeezed fruit juices are a spectrum of splendor devoted to embellishing your Bagel Point experience in every way.  Even if we could find bagels as great as these elsewhere, juices as competitive as these simply do not exist anywhere else in tandem with bagel quality.
They are Peachy's second favorite element of this menu.
Orange Juice is the quintessential classic.
Green juice is nutritiously dominant with apples, cucumber and kale.
And the Hangover Helper of pineapple, orange, green apple and red apple is alcohol's best friend!
This varies seasonally with the season's fresh bounty.
All juices are made fresh every morning and we can taste it.
Also this last one is the most inventive in flavor and name...

Chicken Noodle Soup is triumphant in warming you up with natural goodness and if you are more of a lunch bagel eater, it's perfect.
The Manhattan Special Hand Rolled Bagel, With Fresh Sliced Nova Lox, Cream Cheese, Tomato,Capers & Onion is a surefire hit for your appetite in the morning and we had it on a uberfresh Egg Everything Bagel, which is a luxury in this day of egg scarcity. The components were brilliantly assembled for a taste victory.
You'll feel like a kid in a candy store venturing to see all the bagels asserting their fluffy freshness, smiling at you and you cannot pass go and collect $200 without choosing an assortment to feed your inner bagel monster; we suggest getting two of everything you covet because one is not enough.  The scallion cream cheese is the ideal companion for onion, garlic, egg everything and the bialy bunch.  
The joy of cutting open a rainbow Bagel cannot be overstated; we're told there is a touch of vanilla around 10%, however it tasted the same as plain to us, evocative of the freshness and total quality evident in the quintessential Bagel point bagel.
The building blocks of this business confirm on a standalone basis the foundation for their success.
Mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato sauce rest upon a bagel to make all of your pizza and bagel dreams come true in one single swoop on a pizza bagel!  And for those of you that all really know Peachy, you know of her close relationship with the Bacon, Egg and Cheese!  Here, there is not the traditional pig bacon which we know and love however they have us sold on the beef bacon which you should try.
Garden Omelette is joined by equally amazing hashbrowns which totally hit the spot.  This is a bevy of vegetables: mixed peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomato and spinach all expertly chopped successfully punctuate a perfectly composed omelette!  And if you are an avocado toast person, Bagel Point has thought of you, too.  On seven grain bread topped off with a sensational halo of sprouts, Green Fit extends your St. Patrick's Day successfully with arugula, tomato and balsamic.
Peachy Picks Bagel Point!

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Monday, March 17, 2025

#Daylight #PeachyandtheCity @StPatsParadeNYC #KeepingIrelandonTop #IrelandPeachy #StPatricksDay #Parade #NewYork #Manhattan #Monday #March172025 #FifthAve

 


Photography by Peachy Deegan 

All material is property of Whom You Know. Copyright 2025 Whom You Know. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Friday, March 14, 2025

#PeachysPicks #CatholicPeachy #LentDinner A Peachy's Pick Since 2024, #BuonaNotte Winter 2025 Since 1985 by #SalEsposito and Team #LittleItaly #Manhattan 120 Mulberry Street Little Italy Manhattan

Manager Betul Cinar and Owner Sal Esposito
Sal Esposito leads Little Italy with not only Il Cortile but also Buona Notte!
Pesce del Giorno Marechiara e Gamberetti, perfect for Fridays in Lent

It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know Sal from Il Cortile, a Peachy's Pick for many years.  It has a baby brother, Buona Notte across the street!
It has been previously featured:


This is how Peachy feels about Buona Notte!  
(and Il Cortile obviously.)
There are 60 coveted seats inside plus a private courtyard in the back!
We were delighted to work with Manager Betul Cinar, and although we were giving them a virtual A before, they achieved an A in December of 2024 from the Board of Health:
Of course they have a tremendous wine list but their pomegranate juice is also amazing!
The pastas are truly outstanding and the Fettuccine Alfredo is Peachy's personal favorite, made fresh every other day and perfectly al dente.  The flavor is divine and the fresh pasta is a revelation in deliciousness as it luxuriates in parmigiano reggiano, butter and cream.  We chose chicken to come to the party, and you should know shrimp is also an option and equally desirable.  
Not all Lasagnas are created equally: some are just superior.
This layered creation boasts homemade pasta with a 50/50 equal ratio of pork and beef in the tantalizing bolognese, ricotta cheese, basil, parmigiano, and truly outstanding mozzarella.
We also show you inside to illustrate how intelligently crafted this beauty is!
Of course we have a lot of opinions, but we are at no place all the time.  So, sometimes when we feel someone also has superior taste that works there we might ask them what they think is their best item and then see what we think.
We only tell you about this when we agree!
Betul Cinar, Manager, shown with Peachy above, tells us that Tortellini with Spicy Vodka Sauce is her favorite and we quite concur.  We had burrata added to it and suggest you do the same as it brings it to another level of amazing.  The day we visited, it was crafted with ricotta however because of the outstanding freshness exhibited in these dishes it may vary depending on how it is made fresh that day.  Tomato sauce, vodka, a touch of cream chili pepper and basil team up to score a hat trick in your stomach whether you like the Rangers, Islanders or Devils!  Or the Whalers in Peachy's case...of yesteryear.  Click the picture of Peachy and her friend Gordie to read NHL Peachy on the right.
Six pizza choices salute you on the menu and we opted for Funghi: tomato sauce, mushroom, mozzarella fior di latte and basil were uber-fresh and boasted a brilliant pillowy crust.  We have future pizza ambitions at Buona Notte!
The Branzino, other than Sal and his ice idea in the video, was the highlight of this visit!
It was fish of the day, and it might be Halibut on another day as Buona Notte sources whatever is the freshest available.  The Marechiara means fresh chopped tomato broth which is ambrosial and is further highlighted by manila clams to the left, shrimp on top and mussels on the right.
Pesce del Giorno Marechiara e Gamberetti is a winner any day but especially on Friday in Lent.
A green salad is a must and the Tri-Colore of Radicchio, Endive and Arugula is the perfect balance for everything you might eat at Buona Notte and they listened and put the dressing on the side the first time we asked because at Buona Notte, they are flawless and that's why Il Cortile and Buona Notte have earned rave reviews for years.
Peachy loves to eat ice cream in winter too, and the chocolate and pistachio were the final home run by this stellar Peachy's Pick, Buona Notte!

Buona Notte continues to be Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.










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#BostonPeachy #ArchitectPeachy Boston Society for Architecture Celebrates 2024 Design Award Winners

Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library Renovation designed by Utile, Inc. awarded prestigious Harleston Parker Medal

The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) held its annual awards gala last night to celebrate the people and projects that advance excellence in architecture and design in and around Boston. The BSA and its juries bestowed a total of 23 design awards that collectively recognize the power of the built environment to empower communities, promote change, and build a more sustainable and equitable Boston.

The winner of the prestigious Harleston Parker Medal to recognize "the most beautiful piece of architecture, building, monument, or structure built in the metropolitan Boston area in the past 10 years" is the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library Renovation, designed by Utile, Inc. The jury found that "this building demonstrates a good model for how to transform brutalist buildings, of which Boston has so many. Its 'outside-in' experience is enhanced by the view of the canopy of the interior 'trees' from outside. One can see how the community is involved in this space. Overall, the project required a lot of community engagement, evident in its community-driven programming, like the Nutrition Lab." This was Utile's first time receiving the Harleston Parker Medal.

"Architecture isn't just about buildings—it's about people. It's about shaping environments that bring us together, foster equity, and create opportunities for everyone. Exceptional design has the power to redefine what's possible," said Danyson Tavares, executive director of the Boston Society for Architecture. "The annual BSA Awards gala is an opportunity to celebrate that power—the creativity that fuels it, the brilliant minds who drive it forward, and the community that makes it all meaningful."

Projects were evaluated by a jury of architects, designers, artists, public servants, planners and more from Boston and across the country and three levels of design awards were bestowed – Honor, Merit and Impact Advancement Commendation. Additionally six annual BSA awards were conferred including the Harleston Parker Medal, the Harleston Parker People's Choice Award, the Commonwealth Award, the BSA Award of Honor, BSA Honorary Membership and the Earl R. Flansburgh Young Designer's Award.

For images and details on the winners, please visit designawards.architects.org

2024 BSA Award Winners:

Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library Renovation (2020)
Firm: Utile, Inc.

Project: Harvard University District Energy Facility (2021)
Firm: Leers Weinzapfel Associates Architects

Project: Aliki Perroti and Seth Frank Lyceum at Amherst College
Firm: Bruner/Cott Architects

Project: Bowdoin College, Barry Mills Hall and the John Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies
Firm: HGA

Project: Jackson Hole Workforce Housing
Firm: Merge Architects, Inc

Project: Downtown Cary Park
Firm: Machado Silvetti

Project: Land's Sake Farmstand
Firm: Payette

Project: Church Street Residences
Firm: Studio Luz Architects, Ltd

Project: The Point House
Firm: Studio Hearth Architecture + Design

UMass BRUT
Rose Kennedy Greenway

Maryann Thompson, FAIA

Calvin Boyd-Morlani, AIA

Chris O'Hara, Founding Principal, Studio NYL
Anthony Flint, Senior Fellow, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

The BSA would like to recognize and thank the sponsors of this year's BSA Awards Gala, most notably, Ground, Inc the Impact Sponsor for the event.

The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) is a non-profit membership organization focused on improving the quality of life for Boston-area residents by championing innovation in the built environment, with particular emphasis on sustainability and social equity. We achieve this by connecting our diverse and passionate network of over 4,500 architects, firms and allied members through collaborative initiatives that create solutions towards a more equitable and sustainable future. We extend and deepen these efforts philanthropically through our BSA Foundation, with donations and hands-on work in our community. The BSA is one of the oldest and largest chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). For more information about the BSA and the BSA Foundation, visit architects.org.

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#InauguralReview #RC109 by #RobertChen #109MulberryStreet #Manhattan #NewYork

FINALLY PEACHY HAS FOUND RIBS TO RAVE ABOUT!
It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know Robert Chen, whom we met in 2024 and he earned accolades twice for his brainchild, New York Vybes first in September 2024 and again in November for his Peking Duck skills.  As we alluded to before, Robert has the BEST PERSONALITY rarely discovered by us with such friendly exuberant enthusiasm at venues of this ilk plus we understand his English which is key.
Executive Chef Mr. Tan and Owner Robert Chen
FINALLY Peachy Deegan was able to order the BBQ Spareribs, which at other places might be called just ribs as they are in Connecticut or Roast Pork.  They are Peachy's most favorite Chinese food and we can assure you we hardly ever feature them because we cannot find great Chinese food in Manhattan, until we met Robert anyway!  
You should book ahead to order these premium beauties.
We were greeted with PEACHY flowers!
RC 109 is Robert Chen's brand new spot downstairs at 109 Mulberry Street in downtown Manhattan, and the full menu is imminent.  There's a dragon on the ceiling which is a Chinese reference but the bar is all Western; it seats 110 here.  (Upstairs, New York Vybes seats 200).
It's all underground and elevator-accessible.
Friday nights feature jazz, hip hop and more artists, all booked ahead of time.
Note the personalized fork!
We look forward to telling you more!  
Stay tuned.


Email: robert@newyorkvybes.com

Call: +1 (646) 255-3870 / (917) 645-0211

Address: 109 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013

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