Keeping up Appearances in NYC

Denim Therapy
Clothing alteration service · Midtown West
Because you shouldn't have to get rid of your favorite jeans just because they have a giant hole in the crotch. These experts will reweave 'em so you can wear them at least until they go out of style. (Miss u, skinny jeans.)
Jesse Parris-Lamb
Interior designer · Prospect Heights
Work-wife interior designers who manage to make things feel fresh and modern without ever relying on trendy, of-the-moment tricks that end up feeling dated.
Tova has an incredible gift for organizing that goes beyond just knowing all the tricks and understanding the discipline—she has instinct and emotional intelligence that make her services like therapy...but with quicker payoff?
Vanessa Pena, M.D.
Obstetrician-gynecologist · Tribeca
To be fair, this has little to nothing to do with keeping up appearances, but I love my OB-GYN. She deserves a spot on this list.
Bridgestone Cleaners
Laundry Service · DUMBO
I have traveled long distances with large bags of dirty clothes just to have them cleaned by Bridgestone. They are great at what they do and have outstanding customer service—you (and your clothes) feel really cared for.
Rescue Spa
Spa · Gramercy
Occasionally, I'l try a facial somewhere else, and it only ever serves to remind me of how standout this place is. They use Biologique Recherche products, and every single aesthetician nails it every single time.
Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa
Salon / Barbershop · Upper East Side
Rudy Pena does an excellent defrizzing treatment that has made my hair infinitely more manageable without damaging it.
Bed Stuy Acupuncture & Massage Therapy
Acupuncturist · Bedford-Stuyvesant
Nothing fancy or design-y about it—just really good acupuncture and massage.
Jin Soon
Nail Salon · Tribeca
The best of the best for your paws.
Silhouettes & Profiles
Clothing alteration service · Upper West Side
An institution for 50-odd years that’s hidden inside an Upper West Side apartment building. It’s full of master seamstresses working their magic on everything from bridal gowns to suits to looks that are about to be headed down a runway for fashion week. Their wall of thank you notes is fun celeb-spotting.
The Way
Hair salon · SoHo
Illeisha gets curly hair—and you know not everyone does.
Beam Laser Spa
Laser hair removal service · Midtown West
It's a big claim, but I feel like I can back it up: Laser hair removal is the most life-changing beauty treatment I've done. The team here is top-notch, and the space is gorgeous and calm. I felt wildly comfortable with them pointing powerful lasers at deeply private and sensitive parts of me.
Leather Spa
Leather Goods Store · Financial District
These people work absolute magic on beat-up shoes and handbags. It's not cheap, but it's usually less expensive than replacing something entirely. Regardless of the shape your stuff is in when you leave it, it always comes back looking nearly brand-new. It's always fun to be nosy and look at the names on the bags waiting to be picked up—you'll spy some fancy folks, some fashion editors, definitely a few fashion houses, and maybe a celeb.
Sania's Brow Bar
Salon / Barbershop · Chelsea
Sania's been in charge of my brows since I was in high school and did such a hack job on them myself that my mom marched me into the beauty level at Bergdorf and told me I was no longer allowed to handle tweezers myself. Now Sania has her own salons and the best brow products in the biz—the pencil is my desert-island beauty pick.