For fashionistas, October means that we only have a few more weeks to get into shape for those holiday parties! New York has any number of shops to equip you properly for your sport of choice.

When you visit as many stores as I do (note to accountant -- it's retail research, not shopping), you begin to see patterns and trends emerging, and New York this year is no exception.

We may have a while to go before the spring thaws come, but a number of retailers can give you the sense of a quick break in the tropics -- and spas that are a vacation in themselves.

Recreational Equipment Inc. has signed a 39,000-square-foot lease for three floors in 295 Lafayette Street, at the corner of East Houston and Soho. It...