Leah Faye Cooper

Like throngs of young women before her, Peche Di came to New York chasing runway dreams. “I’d drop off my portfolio and never get called back,” says the Thailand native. She faced standard model criticisms (her just-tall-enough five-foot-seven stature, for example), but if you ask her, the rejection likely had to do with being transgender. So last March, Di teamed up with two friends—artist and interior designer Dorothy Palmer and sociology lecturer Roi Ben-Yehuda—and founded Trans Models, an agency solely for transgender talent, one of only three in the country. The company first recruited Di's trans friends, but now it has 19 signed models, two makeup artists (one does hair, too) and a stylist. “I don’t need a lot of models,” says Di. “We’re looking for people who understand our goal.” The models have landed campaigns for Budweiser and Smirnoff, and Di is working on a TV channel and an all-trans fashion show in November. On a breezy Friday afternoon, we join the team in Palmer’s sprawling Union Square loft, which doubles as Trans Models’ office. Beneath high ceilings and huge windows, there are racks of Alice + Olivia, Helmut Lang and Topshop duds and a table covered in a rainbow of eye shadow. The six star models handpicked by Di for our shoot groove to Katy Perry, Drake and Beyoncé, but they’re total professionals. Next, Di & Co. will be heading to New York Fashion Week in February, and there are even whispers of an upcoming reality series. Not bad for an eight-month-old

Aside from the most gorgeous parks in the city, New Yorkers are pretty deprived of greenery. That’s why so many of us turn to the best plant stores NYC offers to bring a bit of the tropics indoors. Adding leafage to cramped, dimly-lit NYC apartments isn't so easy when you don't have many windows, or when you forget the most important step: watering. But stop by any garden store and experts will advise on what type of potted plants, low-maintenance succulents, cacti and other selections are best for you and your surroundings. From flower shops to massive green houses, here’s where to buy plants in NYC. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to shopping in NYC

Mark your cultural calendar now–these 16 exhibits already have us excited for 2016. The exhibits, found in museums and galleries that are New York's top attractions all by themselves, have everything from Fischli and Weiss’ citywide art scavenger hunt of sorts to fantasy high fashion. And we also already rounded up this year’s 20 best theater shows and new films we’re excited about, too. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best of 2016

After visiting the city’s best gift shops, you need to find the right stationery store for you. Whether you’re on your way to pick up a birthday cake for your BFF and forgot a card or you’re looking for über-professional new business cards, these quirky stores will have exactly what you need to inject some pizazz into your paperwork. Print isn’t dead, we promise. RECOMMENDED: Best places for shopping in NYC

So you missed the best happy hours. New York is still a great place to find good booze, especially since it’s tough to walk more than a few blocks without passing liquor stores. Many of them do just fine serving the passersby en route to a party or offering a cheap alternative to pricey cocktails at the best bars in NYC. But collectors and spirit enthusiasts might turn their nose up at such “luxuries,” which is why we’ve singled out the liquor stores that go the extra mile with exceptional service and extensive collections of rare bottles, from Irish whiskey to tequila. Whether you’re interested in a quick-stop shop for cheap alcohol or an old-timey store that offers tastings and pairings, these liquor stores are worth the trip.

Psh, who goes shopping in NYC in actual stores anymore? Browsing online shopping sites is the way to go, and these are our favorites for nabbing big-name brands, basic essentials, affordable party dresses and one-of-a-kind vintage accessories. (They also offer discounts and deals that will make your drunk-shopping purchases just a little less regrettable tomorrow morning.) Get ready to join the list of the most fashionable New Yorkers.

We live in the fashion capital of the world, but much like everything else in New York, shopping can be expensive. Although the city’s best sample sales help us save a few bucks on trendy designer threads, the long lines and no-mercy shoppers can be overwhelming. Your wardrobe is probably well stocked with basics from chain stores and throwbacks from thrift shops, but if you’re itching to add some brand-new sartorial flair to your look, check out the most affordable women’s boutiques for stylish pieces that won’t max out your credit card.RECOMMENDED: Best places for shopping in NYC

If you’ve been wearing an endless rotation of the same 10 items in your closet, these personal shopper services will be your saviors. Whether you need a knockout dress to wear to your ex’s wedding or you want to start wearing color instead of New Yorkers’ uniform of head-to-toe black, grab a personal stylist and head to the best shops in the city. Your closet will thank you.

While we all like to brag about how NYC is the greatest city in the world, the cost of living has exponentially sky-rocketed in recent years. Finding affordable apartments in NYC is near-impossible these days—not to mention finding compatible (or, at the very least, sane) roommates. Spare yourself a panic attack and take advantage of 21st century technology! We tested out the below real estate apps for your convenience. RECOMMENDED: The complete NYC apartments guide

Here’s what we know about apartment hunting in New York: It sucks. Competition is insane (8.5 million of us are crammed into this city’s bedrooms, which can be as small as 80 square feet), and flawless credit and an annual salary that’s at least 40 times the monthly rent are standard leasing requirements. Plus, spending $1,000 a month for a windowless room in a sixth-floor walk-up is (somehow) considered a steal. The thought of writing a rent check that doesn’t reduce you to tears sounds nice, right? Believe it or not, it’s possible. We rounded up a few shrewd—and admittedly very lucky—local New Yorkers for the dish on how they scored these affordable apartments in NYC.Photographs by David WilliamsRECOMMENDED: See our full NYC apartments guide

New York City is a tough place to find an apartment, as we all know. People panic about not getting enough for their money, which is why we take a weekly look at what you can get in this town for around $1,000 per person (and we promise, there’ll be no nightmare apartment listing). No one wants to end up in the world’s most depressing apartment (and equally, not everyone has the cash to get the kind of place Obama could afford to rent if he moves to New York), so take a look at these affordable apartments in NYC—but do it quickly, because they will be gone before you know it. Come back next week for more of our top picks from real-estate site Zumper’s inventory. And if you’re still struggling, try our NYC apartments guide.RECOMMENDED: A full guide to affordable apartments in NYC

Mold. Crazy roommates. Bed bugs. Neighbors who may or may not be harboring a fugitive. The list of gripes with NYC apartments is endless. Throw in complicated, vague housing laws and a lack of cooperation from your real estate agent, and it can be nearly impossible to understand your rights as a tenant (or know whom to turn to when you keep getting stuck in the elevator). To help you navigate the madhouse of renting in this city, we enlisted a few experts to chime in on how to deal with rental nightmares.1. Bed bugsFew things are worse than discovering you have bed bugs. It’s every New Yorker’s nightmare, and likely something you never had to worry about before moving here. But the good news, financially at least, is that it’s not your problem. “It’s your landlord’s responsibility to rid the apartment of bed bugs under the Warranty of Habitability and the NYC Housing and Maintenance Code,” says attorney Sam Himmelstein, partner at Himmelstein, McConnell, Gribben, Donoghue & Joseph. If you complain and your landlord isn’t responsive, you can file a complaint online at nyc.gov, or call 311. “The Department of Housing Preservation and Development will come to your house with a bed bug-sniffing dog (yes, an adorable beagle!) and conduct an inspection,” says Mariela Quintana, real estate editor of StreetEasy.com. “If bed bugs are found, HDP will issue a ticket to your landlord, who then has 30 days to address the problem.”2. Elevator nightmaresGetting stuck in the elevator falls r

Buckle up—the Professional Bull Riders’ Built Ford Tough series starts this Friday, with the world’s top 35 riders competing at Madison Square Garden. We recommend leaving the real sport to the pros (keeping your bones intact sounds nice, right?), but you can still get a thrill on one of the city’s mechanical bulls. When you do, rider Ryan Dirteater (yes, that’s his real last name) says to “keep your chin down, bow that chest out, keep your hips on the rope, and don’t get too wild with your free arm.” Ready to ride? Here’s where to go. The Stewed Cow This bull is revved up in a padded ring every Friday and Saturday for brave New Jersey bargoers vying for glory. Bring your A-game—grabbing the horns, using two hands and riding in pairs are strictly forbidden. 400 Adams St, Hoboken, NJ (201-706-8589) Johnny Utah’s Sign a waiver, get a stamp on your hand, and enjoy free bull rides all night at this kitschy Southwestern-inspired bar. The midtown haunt promises a “challenging” experience, so you might want to hold off on those loaded nachos until after your turn. 25 W 51st St (212-265-8824) Viva Toro  For five bucks, you can channel your inner rodeo king or queen at this Latin-Caribbean restaurant, where the mechanical bull is a perennial crowd-pleaser. The spot reserves the right to deny riders who are belligerently drunk, however, so don’t overdo it on the liquid courage. 188 Berry St, Brooklyn (718-384-2138) Slate On special occasions, this sleek Chelsea lounge amplifies its Sun

The end of the year inevitably means a host of markets, art exhibits, holiday-themed pop-ups, Broadway shows and more will shut down soon. Don’t drop the ball before the ball drops! Here's what you should squeeze in this month.   1. See the spellbinding holiday windows at department stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel and Saks Fifth Avenue. Through Mon 4. 2. View “Barbara Rossi: Poor Traits,” a collection of Rossi’s Chicago-style Pop Art, which is marked by Surrealist imagery and a hint of gore. New Museum, 235 Bowery (newmuseum.org). Through Thu 31. 3. Delve into dance through Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 45th season at City Center. 131 W 55th St (alvinailey.org). $25–$150. Through Sun 3.     4. Get buzzed on pine-needle gimlets ($14) and other holiday cocktails at pop-up bar Miracle on Ninth Street. 649 E 9th St. Through Thu 24. 5. Pop into Brookfield Place for Luminaries, an installation of color-shifting lanterns hanging above the plaza’s winter garden. 230 Vesey St (brookfieldplaceny.com). Through Jan 10. 6. Feast your eyes on Teresita Fernández’s concrete, bronze and ceramic landscape portraits. Lehmann Maupin, 536 W 22nd St (lehmannmaupin.com). Through Thu 31. 7. Take in over-the-top holiday decor at Rolf’s. (Sensory overload is a given, but it’s so worth it.) 281 Third Ave (rolfsnyc.com)     8. See beautifully wrought family drama The Humans while you can still snag Off Broadway ticket prices. Laura Pels Theatre, 111 W 46th St (roundabouttheatre.org

After weeks of rehearsals, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater begins its monthlong winter season tonight. And to mark its 45th anniversary season, the company is presenting a lineup that blends beloved works from its past with highly anticipated, never-before-seen dances. “For five weeks, we try to give New York everything we have,” says artistic director Robert Battle. “You don’t just see an Ailey performance—you feel it.” This year, those feelings will come via a revival of Blues Suite, the first masterpiece founder and choreographer Alvin Ailey created for the company, which premiered in the group’s 1958 debut performance on a tiny stage at the 92nd Street Y. Audiences will also be treated to the world premiere of Kyle Abraham’s Untitled America: First Movement, the first piece in a three-part series that examines the multigenerational impacts of incarceration. Battle, who was picked to lead the company in 2011 by his legendary predecessor Judith Jamison, will present his first work as artistic director, set to a score by John Mackey. “It’s called Awakening because it reflects my own creative awakening,” says Battle, adding that it was important to settle into his role before focusing on his own creative pursuits. “This just seemed like the right time. I’ve had enough time to simmer, as they say, and I care less about whether the piece is a success or failure, because I made a dance that comes from my heart.” This winter, Ailey fans will also experience Open Door, a world

Former Uniqlo employee Paolo Bitanga describes working at the clothing chain on Black Friday as “a scene from a war movie.” After starting his shift at 3:30am in Soho, he watched waves of shoppers stampede toward discounted cashmere sweaters. RECOMMENDED: A full guide to Thanksgiving in NYC “I pretty much closed my eyes in prayer as I was swarmed by customers,” he says. The country’s biggest shopping day—which kicks off the holiday season and accounts for a major boost in many retailers’ quarterly sales—saw 87 million people hit store floors last year. Many retailers even open in the afternoon on Thanksgiving Day (looking at you, Macy’s and JCPenny), and those that don’t (Nordstrom, Barnes & Noble) seem practically revolutionary by comparison. But there’s one big chain you won’t find open for the mad rush this year. As part of a campaign dubbed #OptOutside, REI is closing all 143 of its locations on Black Friday, encouraging people to spend their time outdoors instead of their money on price-slashed merchandise. “We talk a lot about what we can and should do in the best interests of our members and the outdoor community,” says REI spokesperson Bethany Hawley. “[This] is an opportunity to lead with our values and express something that we believe: That a life outdoors is a life well lived.” Hitha Herzog, retail analyst and chief research officer at NYC’s H Squared Research, says REI’s bucking of the trend may signify a shift in how Black Friday operates. “You’re seeing retaile

At the 13th annual Open House New York next weekend, more than 300 sites will open their doors to the public. The annual celebration of urban design gives the public access to a myriad of civic buildings, historic homes, gardens and more across the five boroughs. And best of all? Entrance to all of them is absolutely free.  Registration for OHNY tours that require a reservation went live at 11am this morning, and many of the most popular tours have already sold out. But not to fear! There are plenty of fascinating interiors opening their doors to the public that don’t require a reservation. All you need to do to catch a glimpse of these jaw-droppers is show up. Happy exploring!  RECOMMENDED: The best of Open House New York 2015 Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom HouseConstruction on this Beaux Arts beauty was completed in 1907, and it’s been used to collect taxes on imports (and confiscate illegal contraband) ever since. The ornate, Tiffany-designed Collector’s Office is mesmerizing. 1 Bowling Greene; Ongoing tours Sat, Sun 10am–5pm   The Renee & Chaim Gross FoundationCheck out the former home and studio of late sculptor Chaim Gross and his wife Renee, which is filled with the couple’s extensive art collection, as well as Chaim’s works, tools and unfinished projects. 526 LaGuardia Pl; Open Sat, Sun 10am–4pm  Jefferson Market Library Up for some exercise? Climb 149 steps to the top of this Venetian Gothic landmark for sweeping views of the Village. 425 Sixth Ave; Sat noon–4pm  Kin

Betty Boop is not just an old cartoon, its a show representative of a character who's inspired chic style everywhere, especially in New York. Saturday you can jam out to toons from the infamous animation at Gary Lucas's Fleischerei: Music from Betty Boop for free! We sat down with the man behind the show, Gary Lucas, to talk about his inspirations for such an idea. New York–based guitarist Gary Lucas has 27 albums, all a testament to his skills on the Gibson. He’s strummed genres ranging from psychedelic rock to 1930s Chinese pop, and collaborated with rock legends like Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave and Lou Reed. Lucas’s latest project is a revival of songs popularized by Max Fleischer’s Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons. The axman shared with us how the tribute—featuring trombonist Joe Fiedler and Broadway singer Sarah Stiles (Avenue Q)—came about, and what to expect when he hits the stage. Have you always been a Betty Boop and Popeye fan? Absolutely. Anything that Max Fleischer and his brother dave put out I thought was amazing. I love the surrealist sensibilities; they’re very trippy cartoons. There’s an urban grittiness about them that appeals to me. How did your collaboration with Joe Fiedler and Sarah Stiles come about? I played with Joe in a Captain Beefheart tribute and we’d discussed doing a Fleischer tribute years ago. He was pretty gung ho about it. He did the arrangements for the horns and I did the guitar arrangements. My wife is a casting director so we went on the hunt