4/8/2013

Suzanne made me feel at ease from the moment we met and conveyed such enthusiasm for the tour ahead. Her experience and expertise with the best boutiques in the Nolita and the surrounding districts meant that she was able to tailor the shopping day to my needs, as well as be able to suggest some of her favourite stores. My timing and financial constraints were also taken into consideration, and we discussed that the purpose of the trip would most likely be one where I'd become educated about the types of stores available in the area and then return on a later date at my own leisurely pace. As such, the tour felt both prepared as well as flexible.

Each store we went to, Suzanne made sure to provide an overview of the types of items available, pricing and what the shop assistants were like. She also made sure to grab a business card from each store and mark the number on the map so I would be able to locate it should I wish to return. Her passion for fashion and the best high-end boutiques was loud and clear through how she descibes the clothes and businesses. The fact the originally planned 3 hour shopping day turned into a 6 hour saunter was testament to this! It was also clear Suzanne had built a great rapport with so many of the store owners, which is testament to how long and how effectively she has been in this business. You will soon discover that the service ZTrend provides is one that is far superior to its competitors.

I found the shopping day successful (as I walked away with the most gorgeous fedora hat I will treasure for quite a while!) and most importantly enjoyable - Suzanne's knowledge and upbeat attitude meant that the day was laden with witty personal anecdotes. I had such a delightful day and felt I learned so much more about the NoLIta shopping district in New York, and I'm confident YOU will too! Thanks Suzanne!

Vanessa B.
London, England
(ZTrend Review)

2/10/2013

I had such a great time with Suzanne shopping! She is so passionate about shopping, quality pieces and the different styles these great designers have to offer. Suzanne quickly determined exactly what my style is and knew where to take me. She went above and beyond my expectations because not only did we go to clothing stores but gift shops, chocolatiers and she pointed out great places to eat. Her knowledge of Manhattan is fabulous! I felt so comfortable like I'd know her a long time because Suzanne is so easy to talk to. I would highly recommend ZTrend for the serious shoppers and those who want to absorb the culture and atmosphere of NYC.

Jodie T.
Bisbane Queensland, Australia
(Yelp Review)

2/5/2013

The Guided Shopping day was awesome! My 3 au pair friends and I met Suzanne at the Cafe and then the shopping tour started. All the shops were very unique! I live in Connecticut since one year but I haven't really payed attention to SoHo and Little Italy so this was perfect. I wouldn't have gone to all that nice little shops if Suzanne wouldn't have shown us where to shop and where are the best sales. My favorite shops were the jammies shop and the really good smelling French perfume shop. Also the last store, a chocolate shop, was delicious! I never have had noticed that shops at all if I wouldn't have been on that shopping day! Thank you so much!

Julia S.
CT
(ZTrend Review)

1/27/2013

Suzanne is an extraordinary shopping guide. I met my 21 year old niece in NYC for a weekend and wanted to give her a unique and different experience. Suzanne nailed it. As a 50 year old retired military guy, I didn't have a clue. As a 21 year old florida girl, my niece had never been to the "big city". We met Suzanne at a small cafe in SoHo and the rest of the afternoon was a blast. We were made to feel very comfortable and never pressured to buy a thing. It was like daughter and aunt out for an afternoon of window shopping and I was along for the walk. Even so Suzanne was enjoyable company for me as well. Suzanne educated us in fashion, boutique shopping and lower manhatten in general. The time with Suzanne was well spent, Much more enjoyable than the crowds in Times Square. As a success coach, I encouraged her to diversify her market. What a great way for a bridal party to spend an afternoon before hitting the town. Convetion goers get away from times square and enjoy an afternoon with Suzanne. Outstanding!

Anthony T.
Hokendauqua, PA
(Yelp Review)

1/13/2013

Why was our shopping Tour to the Lower East Village so fabulous? We had one week in New York and we planned to see and do as much as possible. Our tour was tailored to my daughter's specific style and our budget. Clothing for my daughter was a high priority on the list because we are from Mississippi, and we live in a very rural area where unique clothing is difficult to find. Our tour guide assessed my daughter's fashion style, her clothing interest, and monetary budget, and instantly came up with a neighborhood and a plan of stores she couldn't wait to show us. She explained the shops we would visit, the type of clothing we would likely find, and the area we would be visiting. We were guided to a vast array of clothing stores. We started out in a small owner operated business where hand sewn blouses and tailored lined skirts in vibrant colors with complimentary colored linings covered the walls; where the owners find what you're interested in and then bring you various articles and appropriate sizes to try on so that you do not have to spend time looking, all the while carrying on a free flowing conversation with each of us. The clothing was inexpensive and beautiful. As we continued on our walking tours we went to consignment stores where our tour guide would help hand pick articles of clothing for my daughter. Her sense of my daughter's style was spot-on. She was also able to tell us when something was just too expensive and could be found elsewhere for less. We spent four fabulous hours, and found an entire wardrobe for my daughter. Yes, this was a shopping tour, but we got so much more. As we walked around the Lower East Village, our guide pointed-out and gave us a well versed history of the area. At the beginning of our trip our guide gave us a beautiful hand made business card holder and at each store we visited she asked for a business card and gave one to my daughter to keep so when we visit New York in the future we will know where to go. Our guide was funny, smart, knowledgeable, had a great fashion sense, and excellent report with my seventeen year old and myself. It is one of the best things we did in New York; and we did a lot.

Leaf G.
Brooksville, MS
(Yelp Review)

8/12/2012

I visited New York from Berkeley, California in the beginning of June to blog about vintage and consignment shops in the city.  My blog is called Toni’s Vintage Trips and you can find it at tonisvintagetrips.blogspot.com.  I had an agenda before I arrived, but the ZTrend vintage shopping tour was a delightful surprise.  My sister and I met Suzanne at a very cute cupcake shop/café in SoHo and spent the first 45 minutes or so planning out our shopping adventure and getting to know each other over wonderful coffee and pastery.  Then we headed through the teeming shopping district to our first stop, Allan & Suzi home of retro and modern fashion (237 Center St., New York, NY, www.allanandsuzi.net).  Since it was morning and the store was just opening, we had a chance to chat with Allan who is a most interesting person.  His store was large and full of vintage and modern clothing on the outrageous level, including a hand-painted wedding dress hanging from the ceiling.

After our visit to Allan & Suzi, we stopped by Amarcord Vintage Fashion (252 Lafayette St., between Price & Spring, New York, NY, amarcordvintagefashion.com).  The sales rep behind the counter used to work at Labels in Walnut Creek, so I had a Bay Area connection with this store.  Traveling down Prince Street, we stopped in at Ina (21 Prince St., New York, NY, www.inanyc.com), a small boutique with some beautiful designer clothes and shoes.  It was too expensive for me, but I enjoyed photographing individual items.  Next stop was Housing Works (130 Crosby St., New York, NY) a vintage clothes and thrift shop that had a little bit of everything, including furniture and books.  Proceeds from this store go towards fighting HIV/AIDS and homelessness, so I felt good buying something here.  I bought a beautiful vintage fur muff for only $15.

We also visited an amazing perfume shop and I am still enjoying mine (Acqua Di Colonia) as well as several other shops.  One was up some stairs and very hidden from the street.  If it hadn’t been for ZTrend, I never would have had noticed it or had such an intimate shopping experience in SoHo.  I would definitely book another shopping tour with ZTrend and plan to have Suzanne take me to the East Village the next time I visit New York, which I hope is soon.

Toni C.
Los Angeles, CA
(ZTrend Review)

6/15/2012

Came to New York and met our tour guide at a cool little bar on the Upper East Side. She wanted us to specify our retro desires, making us cognizant of the refinements between thrift, funk, artsy, vintage, haute couture, etc. Having mapped the perfect tour for us in SoHo and NoLita, she brought us to places we never could have found or recognized on our own. ZTrend's greatest strength is the versatility and cheerful ease with which we passed through stores, stairwells, and parts of New York City unknown to most of the locals. Knowing so many of the shop owners and street artists made us feel like we were really in the know. It was icing on the cake when we sat for late lunch in a 1922 landmark tavern.

Kathryn W.
Los Angeles, CA
(Yelp Review)

12/19/2012

My husband and I visited NYC in November and in preparation for Christmas, I wanted to do some lite shopping.  But where to go??  I have Macy's and Bloomingdale's in my hometown - it seemed a shame to shop at the same old stores during my limited time in NY.  Enter Suzanne!  I found Suzanne on the internet, and signed up for her SoHo - NoLita tour.  What a find!!  As others have said, there was no pressure to buy anything.  She is adorable, knowledgeable, experienced and intuitive about our need for a break now and then.  We never could have found the adorable (some pretty well hidden) shops with a wide array of offerings without her help and guidance.  While she is quite willing to tailor the expedition to your interests, we were clueless.  Nonetheless, she managed to make our experience a delight and one of the most memorable days of our trip.  I highly recommend Suzanne to anyone who is looking for a fun-filled day in a trendy (and otherwise intimidating) NY neighborhood.   You won't be sorry!

Ann C.
Nanjemoy, MD
(Yelp Review)