The magical backyard of this Chelsea hotspot is the perfect backdrop for brunch with the gals. Enjoy French-Asian dishes like a fried oyster omelette, crepes with crab and sauce gribiche, and "Hong Kong Style" French toast. If that's not your bag, you can also get things like pancakes and a cheeseburger.

After Montmartre, gather your crew and head to Housing Works Thrift Shop. The Chelsea location is widely regarded as the best of the bunch, which sell used clothing and furniture to benefit homeless New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS. The space looks like a designer store, and it's a really good place to find deals on great furniture and clothing while supporting a good cause.
[Photo: Brian Harkin]

Lafayette's cushy dining room is an ideal place to start your weekend. It's not a mob scene in the morning, and the menu includes many of the standout dishes from the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. You can get a foie gras terrine, salads, soups, omelettes, steak frites, pastries, tripes Bourguignon, and fancy pressed juices.

After a big brunch at Lafayette, stroll over to Warby Parker's first stand-alone shop in Soho. The space was inspired by classic-yet-modern libraries, with rows of glasses piled up to the ceiling like books. There's even a photo booth in the back so you can get the full effect of your new frames.

Jimmy Bradley's Tribeca charmer just started serving brunch for the first time in its 12-year history. In addition to egg dishes, the menu has a duck and bacon terrine, a falafel sandwich, several salads, and a cheeseburger. After all these years, The Harrison is still a crowd-pleaser.

Parish Hall is the perfect stop in Brooklyn to take a group of gals to. The changing menu is seasonal and preparations are simple, making it a crowd pleaser for all palates. Don't sleep on the Bloody Mary—it's one of the best in the neighborhood.
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Start your day inside the beautiful, airy L'Apicio. The brunch menu has a little something for everyone. You can get Italian pastries, salads, pancakes, fried chicken, pastas, and egg dishes.

After filling up at L'Apicio, venture just a few blocks down Bowery to Dagny+Barstow, which has now become an eclectic neighborhood staple for womenswear. With a collection that highlights up-and-coming designers as well as established contemporary brands, this Nolita shop is a great bet for an easy wardrobe makeover.
[Photo: William Chan]

Round out a classic Upper East Side afternoon with a stop at Barneys. This go-to sets the standard that all other designer department stores have to live up to. Barneys's decidedly unstuffy approach to high-end style makes it a favorite of fashion types from ladies who lunch to downtown hipsters and everyone in between.