Bend and Stretch

Setting aside time to work out on the weekend is always a bit of a drag. There's only about 948 other things we'd rather do than hit the gym. Especially in the summer when we're sipping Dark & Stormies poolside in the Hamptons. But Erika Bloom Pilates Plus has figured out a way to make exercising (slightly) more enjoyable this season. From July 4th through Labor Day, the studio is offering at-home services in the Hamptons so you can do Pilates, yoga and Thai massage at home, poolside or on the beach. If you've ever been to the studio on the Upper East Side you know Erika Bloom instructors have some of the hottest, most enviable bodies in town, which means you should sign up for classes immediately. Click here to do so.

Clothes Call

Now that June's upon us, we're officially welcoming the warm weather by moving all of our winter clothes to the back of the closet. That's it, fifty degree days. We've had enough of you! To celebrate the fashion transition, we're stopping by Gen Art's shopping event—aptly titled Gen Art Shop NYC —this Wednesday evening to purchase wares from super cool emerging local designers like Sally Tseng (left), Whistle & Flute and Cloak & Dagger (right). Come out to support up-and-coming talent and  score some pieces by designers that your friends haven't even heard of yet. Oh, did we mention there's complimentary beer and wine while you shop? We'll see you there.

Are you kicking yourself for not buying a home in 2001 or 2002 before the city's real estate market went super nova? Well, you still missed the boat, but now is definitely the time to buy in Manhattan. Home sales in the Northeast are down, down, down, and with many new-construction condos from Midtown to Downtown sitting half empty, perspective buyers have their choice of location, location, location. But not all new construction is created equally, which is why you might want to check out the latest trend in building: brick. It's back, don't ya know.

Conversation Pièce de résistance

Chatter as of late seems to revolve around the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, the Lakers' quest to reclaim the title, and obtaining the secret number for Minetta Tavern.

But when you head out to Montauk or the Hamptons this summer, plop down one of these unconventional beach towels to spark a fresh conversation.

Art world fixture Yvonne Force Villareal rounded up four artist pals—Julian Schnabel, Karen Kilimnik, Ed Ruscha and Raymond Pettibon—and asked each one to submit an image of something that personally inspired him/her.

Pettibon, a real-life water baby known for his iconic wave series, illustrated his desire to literally "wrap" the water around him. An annotative quote imparts the sentiment: "Later he could be seen in the beach parking lot, behind his van, a towel wrapped around his middle, changing out of his wet summer suit."

The man clearly hails from southern California.

Then there's the infamous Mr. Schnabel. His circa-2007 "Navigation Drawings" are done in oil on vintage nautical maps, mounted on stretched linen. With great flair, his rendering of Martinique is reborn on 100% cotton.

Be on the lookout for Tracey Emin's print come Dec. 2009.

$50; available exclusively at worksonwhatever.com

Best Hotel in the World?

An engaged friend recently asked for seaside honeymoon suggestions since I am a tropical beach junkie. I immediately said she should go to Jade Mountain in St. Lucia, undoubtedly the greatest place I've ever been to in my entire life. (We mentioned it in our recent Caribbean travel package in the May/June issue.) The rooms only have three walls, and the fourth one is just a wide open view of the Piton mountains and the sea, which you can gaze out from your room's personal plunge pool. The picture here is of the actual room I stayed at two years ago, just as it opened. (No, I am not in the photo, and yes, feel free to hate me.) But honestly, as I told my friend, this is truly a place worth marrying for. One caveat: The toilet in the room only has three walls as well. (Weird!) But the lobby has very nice facilities, just in case you're not that close to your betrothed.

Hotel Heaven or Hell?

As you may have heard—literally and figuratively—a few très-très hotels have recently opened in the city. For the most part, their arrivals have had been highly anticipated in the blogosphere, but not so much in the actually neighborhoods in which they went up. As reported by curbed.com this morning, the boisterous fanfaronade constantly emanating from the Cooper Square and Thompson LES's outdoor areas, in particular, is starting to drive the locals nuts. Still, the question remains: Where should you recommend your out-of-town friends stay? Decide for yourself.

An alternative to Terminator...

Fans of the Dardenne brothers won't want to miss the retrospective happening now at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center. Last night we caught a screening of Rosetta, the 1999 Palme d'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival. In true Dardenne style, the focus was on the gritty, lower-class side of Belgium—in this case a young woman who's constantly searching for work and who shares a trailer park with her drunk mother. It's intense, philosophical and once you see it you won't be able to stop thinking about it.

Film junkies take note: The series continues with a screening of La Promesse Friday evening—it's the story of a slum landlord and his teenage son who rent tenements to immigrant workers—and will be followed by a conversation with the Dardennes at 8:30pm. Trust us, you won't want to miss it.