Sheckys Girls Night Out Spring 2007

Sheckys Girls Night out is one of those things you anticipate and mark off the days for. It's just a girl's dream: shopping at a discount, cute (and polite) guys offering free drinks, plenty of restrooms without long lines, and the bonding experience girls only get from shopping en masse. If you've read this blog for a while, you know that I've been covering Shecky's Girls Night Out for a few seasons now. I know you, my readers, are looking for information about Sheckys as well.

I just got back from the latest Sheckys Girls Night out at the Puck Building in Manhattan. It was suggested that I not only get there early, but try to come on Monday or Tuesday, because as the week continued, the event would only get more and more crowded.

The doors open at 4:30, and I was there 15 minutes later. Already, there was a line, but it was still quiet. By the time I left after 7pm (it goes until 10 pm. every night March 12-16th), the line was constant, and getting longer.

Inside, two rooms of "girl stuff" tempted shoppers of all ages and interests. This season, cute spring dresses and tops, jewelery, handbags, and some more unique items (such as vibrator.com (that's Keith Levinson with a staff member posing in a photo at the top of this page...the large, pogo stick vibrator that he is holding is mostly cut out of the photo---shucks!). I was surprised to see a bunch of young women actually trying the vibrators on themselves (over their jeans, but still...). I guess you could call vibrators a "beauty item." Keith showed me one that is the size of a lipstick tube. This silvery mini-vibrator would be discreet enough to put in a makeup bag. In fact, The Advice Sisters will be including the first-ever review in our MAY "What Works" Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column, so watch for it the first week of May.

Meanwhile, back inside, the girls with wristbands allowing them to get a Shecky's Goodie Bag, were waiting at the elevator to go to the 7th floor, where more vendors, were waiting. I have a photo of the shecky's bag, but for some reason blogger isn't allowing me to upload photos tonight, so I'll have to add them later. Inside the bag there were a number of things, worth more than the $20 plus $10 general admission you have to pay. Actually, you can attend for just the $10.00, but most of the women I saw had the bags on their shoulders, and seemed fairly pleased with the contents. I didn't get to see all of the items in the bags, but from what I recall, there were several magazines, a chic-lit-type paperback, a hairbrush, softLips lip balm (really good stuff), some makeup from Revlon, a lip gloss from "Little Black Dress" (that's a winery in California that also had a bar set up with three types of wines to try in tiny bottles), some hair elastics from i/M Active (we have reviewed these nifty, stay-put hair accessories in our "What Works" columns), some mints, skin care from Caudalie, a set of mini-sized SunSilk hair products, and there was more, but I didn't quite get to see to the bottom of the bag because I wasn't getting one on my press ticket and I didn't want to hold up the line for the women who were waiting to claim their bags.

One of the highlights of the evening for me was meeting Sabina from Red Branch PR, and Jen Groover, the creator of the Butler Bag. We reviewed this unique handbag in our 2006 Holiday What Works column , and I named it as one of my "must-have" items for Fashion Week. Actually, this nice leather bag is more than just a fashion accessory, it has a rigid, internal organizer system that finally makes it easy to look in your handbag and find exactly what you want, in seconds. I have dozens of handbags, but for me, The Butler Bag is the most functional, go-with-everything bag I've ever seen, and it's the one I wear nearly every day. I think Jen was happy to see that I was actually using her bag. There are new colors for this season, and we'll be re-reviewing the Butler Bag in one of our upcoming "What Works" columns, probably MAY's column (it would make a great gift for yourself, but also for "mom"), so watch for it!

I wandered through the rooms, taking in the scene. I was there alone, to report on the event, but the women who were there in groups were having an amazing time. And, while free drinks and social bonding might make you overspend a bit, everything really IS discounted at Sheckys Girls Night Out. There was a jewelery designer there with a specific type of signature necklace. Two hours later, as I was meeting my husband for dinner and we passed a boutique not far away from the Puck Building, I saw the very same necklaces from the very same designer, for about $20-$40 more!

It is clear that girls LOVE Shecky's Girls Night Out. There's just something so relaxing and silly and girly about all of it. I even love the fact that the mens room on the first floor is marked "Ladies" for the event, even though the restroom right next door is the actual ladies room.

I don't know if I have ALL the names of the vendors, but just in case you are interested, here's at least a partial list: Allison Corey Fine Art
Anavaa Kisasa
Annette's Angels
Arbonne International by Angela Giadone
Arbonne International by Christine Egan
Arbonne International by Juliana Gannon
Ayazakura
B'atchi Intimates
Baci Jewelry Designs
Bella Oro
Crunch Fitness
Finlandia Vodka
Little Black Dress Wines
IN:NYC® Card
PEELS
Revlon® Beauty Bar
SkinMilk
American Laser Centers
Dip
Dr. Rizk
i|m
Institute Beauté
It's A Treat Pet Boutique
Laser Cosmetica
LiteTouch
Mussio DeGroot
Nini Montifiore NYC
Pharmaskincare
POM Wonderful
smartwater
Stýli-Style
Universal Music
Vibrel
-------------------------------- 25 Lexington
Acme Media
Aiko Designs
Alâra
Allison Corey Fine Art
Anavaa Kisasa
Annette's Angels
Arbonne International by Angela Giadone
Arbonne International by Christine Egan
Arbonne International by Juliana Gannon
Ayazakura
B'atchi Intimates
Baci Jewelry Designs
Bella Oro
Bijoux By Belle
Blakely Ink
Butler Bag
Chameleon
Charmed & Dangerous
Conchi New York
Corrente
Delicate Raymond
Ditty Inc.
Eda & Betty Couture
Erin Swietnicki
EyeSave
Fashion Doll
Girlfoolish
Goodlooking Clothing
Harriet's Alter Ego
Hip Chic Couture
Initial Reaction
InnaSense
J Rosen Showroom
Jahanna Martinez
Julie Brown Designs
K Lewis
Kacey K Fine Jewelry
Karen Fairborne
KC Signatures
Kismet Boutique
Krina
LaMaide Designs
Lauren DiNardo
Levity Designs
Linda de Taxco Jewelry
Lolabean
Lucid Studio
Madison Kelly NYC
Madrigal Designs
Michael Darouiche
Nabi Med Spa
Nobel Leather
Pearls and Crystal
Perfume River
PJ Cobbs Arts
Pondür
Pretty Little Thing
Primo Luxe
Rebecca Lorraine Designs
Rocksandfame.com
Ruth Mikos Charms
Selective Search
Soul Star Underground
StayStylish.net
Tarte
Terry Ross
The Runway
Tracy Vanderbeck
Trends
Tudor Jewelry
uncooked
Unie
Very Cool Jewels
Village Pourhouse
We Wear It
Yumi Chen Designs

Guitar Shorty Rocks the House in Rockland County!

Last night my friends and I went to see Guitar Shorty at at club in Piermont New York. We have been following Shorty for more than 14 years. In fact, when we all had "important" birthdays, we hired Shorty and his band to play for us at a private party, amazing our guests and winning him dozens and dozens of new, instant fans. That's me next to Shorty, laughing hysterically. It was such an amazing experience! We hope to repeat our private concert with more friends and fans, in the not-too-distant future.

*photo by Alison Blackman

Guitar Shorty, whose real name is David Kearney, was born in Houston, Texas. He began playing guitar as a young boy, and when he moved to Tampa, Floria, when he was just 17, Kearney won a slot as a featured guitarist and vocalist in Walter Johnson's 18-piece orchestra. Since he was young and shorter than the rest of the band, the club owner dubbed in "Guitar Shorty," Soon, Shorty was playing with many of the greatest-of-the-great blues musicians, but he credits Willie Dixon with having a huge influence on him and his recording career. The photo above is Shorty performing by walking around in the crowd, last night.

In the early years, Shorty met guitarist/vocalist Guitar Slim, famous for his his athletic antics onstage. Shorty started doing backflips and other showy moves onstage. In fact, you can see a young Shorty on the Gong Show (which he WON) doing backflips and standing on his head. Watch celebrity judge Jaye P. Morgan's face while Shorty is performing, and hear her predicition that Shorty will be a star "if your head holds out!"


Shorty's life hasn't always been a bed of roses, but it hasn't just been "tough breaks and bad decisions" as the "Story of his life", either." He moved to Seattle and married Marsha Hendrix, Jimi's stepsister. Hendrix loved his Shorty and it's common knowledge that while Jimi was in the army (believe it or not) he would go AWOL from his Army base in order to catch Shorty's area performances. Shorty was a big influence on Jimi. "I hear my licks in Purple Haze and Hey Joe. He told me the reason he started setting his guitar on fire was because he couldn't do the back flips like I did." recalls Shorty.

*photo by Alison Blackman

In 1990, while on tour in England, Shorty recorded an album called: "My Way Or The Highway" which received the Blues Music Award for "Contemporary Foreign Blues Album Of The Year" He received a W.C. Handy Award nomination for Blues Album of the Year for WATCH YOUR BACK in 2005. His latest album, "We the People" incorporates a new band and more rock rhythms featuring Shorty's signature "screaming" guitar. The latest interest in Shorty has landed him on Itunes and other online points of purchase where new, younger fans can learn about Shorty's music.

The photo above shows Shorty with his new bass player.

Shorty's new band has only been playing together for less than a dozen gigs. They all expressed their enthusiasm about what an honor it is to with with the great, Guitar Shorty. It was interesting to me to see the way he queued the various band members and how the personality of even some of his biggest hits have changed with the infusion of new views and talent in his backup band.

Last night, Shorty played a few songs from We The People, including the title track, "We the People," along with favorites such as "Hey Joe" and "Jody." After listening to some of these songs for years, it was evident that his new band members, all from Texas, added a more "Texas roadhouse" sound to the blues numbers, and make the more rock-oriented numbers fresh and modern, but still blues-y.

Shorty played until way past midnight, and even though it was a Wednesday and a work or school day for nearly everyone there the next day, virtually no one left the building. Shorty still walked around the crowd, playing in front of them. We have seen him actually leave the building and not come back for 15 minutes, while the band and the audience wonders: "where's Shorty?" We once witnessed Shorty leaving the building in a snowstorm, walk around the place, and come back in covered with snowflakes! Last night it was cold, and Shorty didn't go outside, but he still played the guitar with his teeth and other body parts!

Shorty has three web sites. The oldest is http://www.guitarshorty.org but the new one is even better: http://www.guitarshorty.com and he is also soon to launch, http://www.guitarshorty.biz You can get his tour dates, news, and purchase cds and T-shirts (the newest, featuring the "We The People" Tour is great)!

If you haven't ever heard of Guitar Shorty, now you have...so go out and get his albums and check him out in person if he comes to your town. You'll be very, very glad you did.