September Stroll in the East Village

Shops We Know on
Ninth Street
Last week I took a stroll on Ninth Street in the East Village, having as my destination the vintage shop, Spark Pretty. I know the Spark Pretty ladies as fans of Advanced Style, and from seeing them at the Manhattan Vintage Show.

Their exuberant new shop is next to the eyeglass purveyor Fabulous Fanny. As if you were going to view the eclipse, you could buy some outrageous sunglasses in which to view Spark Pretty. They have decked out their shop in psychedelic decor befitting the electrifying style of 1990's fashion.

 Proprietors, Megan and Amanda, with Barbie jacket.

 Hand-painted corset dresses.

 The produce department on a

voluminous jacket.

 Bejeweled denim for the

lover of New York.

 Eye-popping color and patterns at

Spark Pretty.

Further down the block, it was dèja-vu for this

shop, D.L. Cerney. Years ago, the owner, Linda St.

John, had a shop on 7th Street.  Then she moved to

Tribeca, and when that shop closed she

disappeared from sight. So I was surprised to see

this sign over a shop door.

 Far from the crazy -color world of Spark Pretty,

is the more quiet world of D.L. Cerney. Vintage-inspired 

pieces are carefully constructed with beautiful fabrics.

 A lovely summer dress for the

woman with a perfect figure.

A real treat at D.L.Cerney are Linda's tiny dolls.

She has been making these girls for years.

They are not for sale, explained her daughter, Suzi.

In 2001 a show of Linda's dolls,"50 Girls in Feed Sack

Dresses," was shown at the Santa Monica Museum of Art.

Ballgowns in gingham and tulle.

 Every walker deserves a sweet. 

 There should be a bakery on every block.

 And every block should have a florist.

Here a cornucopia of blossoms at

Libby Myer's Beetle Bug.

I first met Libby in the shop she owned

in Soho called The Smiths. Oh did I buy some

wonderful clothes there.

The beautiful lady in white minding the

shop at Beetle Bug.

À Bientôt!