At long last: The perfect daytime bag.

When I lived in Phoenix, I drove a four-door sedan that functioned as a walk-in closet on wheels. It could carry magazines, newspapers, books, a change of clothes and shoes for the gym, water bottles and a variety of snacks worthy of a top-notch vending machine. Once, while working as a  breaking news reporter, I assembled a formal outfit from the contents of my trunk to interview Dick Gephardt at a swanky fundraiser.

Of course, one thing my car didn’t often have room for was passengers. But the trade-off seemed worth it.

In NYC – and any city where public transportation is king — cars are replaced by big bags. When I moved here this winter, I began a mad search for something that could replace my car-closet, or at the very least handle the weight of a Harry Potter tome.

At a craft fair I discovered Yukiko Sato, a line of purses made by a Japanese designer in Long Island City. These totes are as stylish as they are reliable. Many of the bags are lined with colorful kimono fabrics (the designer also offers kimono fittings). A drawstring keeps pickpockets at bay, and the materials are fire- and water-proof. Mine has survived many a rain and snow storm. Luckily, I haven’t had a chance to test the fireproofing.

The most ingenious part of Yukiko Sato’s line is that it includes “inserts” that hold all your stuff and can be transferred from one bag to another.

Plus, the website lists five reasons to buy the product, including: ”Be Smart Lady!” and “Learn Sophisticated Japanese Way of Organizing Skill.” It is hard to argue with this.

A couple things can be improved upon, like sturdier straps and drawstrings. While sizes vary, mine is big enough to carry an entire evening ensemble – and maybe even Dick Gephardt himself.

Mad Men's charming, sad and mysterious Betty and Don Draper. Photo by Frank Ockenfels 3, courtesy AMC.

The AMC series Mad Men may be about advertising’s golden age, but it’s also illustrating the power of the industry’s digital age.

It seems fitting that a show about ads should woo us with, well, ads. No marketing blitz in recent memory has been so multifaceted and successful.

Actors promoting Mad Men in Columbus Circle, NYC.

First there were Facebook promos hawking the season premier, which Tivos across the country recorded Sunday. Then, there was the viral marketing of MadMenYourself.com, a site that lets you dress up as a Mad Men character and post the illustration to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

In New York, the show went a step further this weekend and hired actors to parade around Columbus Circle in 1960s garb. Other PR reps passed out fliers on street corners, and the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) projected mid-century advertisements on the side of a building. Enthusiastic viewers then gathered to watch the premier together in Times Square.

I’d never had an inclination to watch the show. But all this prompted me to buy the season 1 DVDs to see what the fuss was about. For all its clever advertising, so far Mad Men has succeeded in making me mad at men. I know it’s fiction, and I tend to take my TV shows too seriously, but the unflinching look at life and, especially, sexism in 1960 makes me want to run out and reread The Feminine Mystique.

Actresses promoting Mad Men in Columbus Circle, NYC.

I’m pushing through the episodes because Donald Draper is such a mystery, and I’ve heard characters in the current season, set in 1963, will start to seek liberation after some awful events like JFK’s and MLK’s assassinations. (This New York Times article does a good job of explaining why a show about a time so antiquated is so relevant right now.)

As the show suggests, the sales department can only get you so far. In the end, viewers will stay tuned if Mad Men’s creativity lives up to the hype.

Tonight, reels start rolling at the Central Park Film Festival and the first movie up is Sex and the City. I’ve already seen it, but who can resist the chance to watch an homage to NYC on an outdoor screen in the heart of Manhattan? The only thing better would be Annie Hall (note to organizers). 

Bloomberg L.P. is sponsoring a movie every night this week, 8 p.m. at Rumsey Playfield near Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. The gates open at 6 p.m. so you can stake out the perfect picnic spot. Pack a dinner, bring a blanket and the rest is free.

Today’s the last day to vote on the viewer’s choice movie, which organizers will show on Saturday. The options aren’t spectacular, but I’m pulling for Desperately Seeking Susan starring Madonna, or the James Bond classic Goldfinger.

Other films showing this week are:

Wednesday, August 19: Shaft (1971), 100 minutes

Thursday, August 20: Ocean’s 11 (2001), 116 minutes

Friday, August 21: Twilight (2008), 122 minutes

Saturday, August 22: it’s up to you!

One thing missing from my life since relocating to Manhattan is foliage. Yes, Central Park is nearby and there’s a hearty tree outside my apartment. But I have no plants to call my own, to nurture, neglect, over-water, kill, resuscitate.

But a trip to the Columbus Avenue farmers’ market at 77th Street this weekend garnered some seeds of inspiration. The market, which sported hot apple cider and a tortured pile of fingerling potatoes in winter, is bursting to life this summer. New stands are overflowing with seasonal plums, berries, tomatoes, sunflowers, lilies and herbs.

One vendor sells 14 types of basil. (Fourteen!) Lemon, cinnamon, Christmas and thai basil … you can pick up one-fourth of all known varieties right here on a lazy Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at $2 a pop.

I want to adopt a few of these plants, but where to grow them? I’ve been collecting ideas for a windowsill garden, and so far, these are my favorites:

Apartment Therapy, a go-to source for decorating small spaces, featured a vintage take on windowsill plants. The gardener punched drainage holes in the bottom of old tea canisters for a shabby chic look.

Better Homes and Gardens suggests cutting plants like angelwood begonias, gardenias and Swedish ivy, and rooting them in water. You could collect an assortment of glass vases from antique shops and flea markets to create this chic look.

And IKEA, a reliable standby for such dilemmas, stocks cute pots and planters (as well as exotic plants). These simple, modern planters would dangle nicely in front of a window.

After I figure out the vessel, I plan to consult these tips for keeping an indoor herb garden alive. Afterall, my green thumb is a little rusty. 

On a recent trip to Boulder, Chris and I set out to do something completely new: climb a mountain pictured on a beer bottle. Because, why not?

Such an adventure is befitting a state like Colorado. You might taste beer at the Guinness factory in Dublin or buy a keg at the Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam. But in Boulder, you climb the freaking mountain. That’s how these high-elevation folks roll.

The iconic Flatirons, a symbol of Boulder Beer and other area businesses, is a popular destination for rock climbers and hikers. The striking formations are said to resemble the metal irons that pioneers used to press clothes. Out of five irons, at least one has been a popular site for University of Colorado graffiti over the decades.

There are enough trails that inexperienced climbers (like me) can find a challenging but do-able path. We hiked up high enough to get a gorgeous view of the city and watch a few rock climbers at work.

The view from below is just as lovely. In spring and summer, the outlying park is so green and lush with wildflowers and dandelions, it’s worth a visit even if you don’t hike.

Then go home and crack open a cold one because, seriously, you earned it.

Click here for maps, closures, picnics and dog policies. And click here for a live webcam of the Flatirons.

Who could argue? It spreads out along Central Park — Boulderites have one, too — with more homegrown flowers, veggies, dipping sauces, chocolates, and meat-, dairy- and gluten-free products than any hippie could hope for.

On a Saturday morning, it’s the unofficial capital of Three Bs: Birkenstocks, bicycles and babies. Young, environmentally-conscious families and passionate, chatty vendors create a welcoming vibe. We got a true taste of the city, plus some tamales and cocoa-dusted almonds. Only downside: these treats aren’t cheap.

Hours: Saturdays; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.;  April 4 through November 7, 2009 

Wednesdays; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.;   May 6 through October 7, 2009

Location: 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue

Parking: Free city lots or metered street spaces

Nearby attractions: Dushanbe Tea House, Boulder Central Park and Boulder Creek,  Downtown Pearl Street Mall

Website: boulderfarmers.org/boulder/boulder.html

Almost too beautiful to eat.

Dipping sauces, great for a dinner party.

Little heads of lettuce.

You need these cocoa almonds.

Dietary restrictions? You are among friends.

Party like it's 1969.

Picnic at the other Central Park.

Boulder's Three Bs: Birkenstocks, bicycles and babies. How cute is this one?

Potter strikes SoHo.

I might argue that advertising is a blight on New York City. That billboards have no place hanging from lovely, historic buildings. That flat-screen TVs needn’t obliterate us with products outside subway stations, which are tedious enough as it is.

But if I’m honest, I don’t mind the Harry Potter franchise’s advertising blitz on our city. We could do worse than Goliath-sized teen heart throbs.

And it worked on me, because against my better judgement, I stood in line with hundreds of overzealous teenagers to see the movie on opening day. I even sent out TwitPics of the theater. Oh the shame.

Flat-screen ads at the subway station.

One of six barges prepares to launch fireworks over the Hudson.

After weeks of rain, the sky cleared up. Six barges floated imperceptably along the Hudson River, preparing for the country’s biggest pyrotechnic spectacle. I sat perched on the rooftop basketball court of my husband’s office building. A small group of coworkers brought red, white and blue cupcakes.

Four hundred years ago, Henry Hudson sailed down this river.

And 233 years ago the U.S. was born.

These tributaries of time and place created one of my favorite New York moments: watching the Macy’s fireworks show with a group of journalists perched high above the city. Check out the videos below.

The show typically is held over the East River, although this year it graced the Hudson to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage.  Although Macy’s ad credits him with the river’s “discovery,”  that distinction went to Giovanni da Verrazano in 1524.

Henry Hudson

But Henry led a fascinating life that led him to explore the river west of Manhattan. He helped establish Dutch settlements and fur trading along the banks by sailing through on September 11, 1609.

Years later, on another expedition, his crew endured a rough winter and wanted to head home. When Henry insisted on continuing the mission, the crew mutinied and sent him, his son, and several sick men off to sea in an open boat. He was never seen again.

New York fireworks are reputedly grand even without an extra reason to celebrate. While next year’s show might return to the east side, this suggestion holds: avoid the street crowds, find a rooftop with a view and bring cupcakes.

Star Trek look-alikes plan a Sci-Fi restaurant.

Soon, there may be a new reason to visit San Jose. The website io9 reported today that two entrepreneurs, who look stunningly like a couple Star Trek characters, have hatched a plan to open a restaurant called Captains Table.

The eatery would target science fiction junkies, with screen memorabilia and costumed waiters. The website promises the Captain will cater to geek weddings, plus geek parties, and general geeks who just want a good lunch.

The look-alike owners might be the biggest novelty. Hello Jean-Luc Picard and Benjamin Sisko. They haven’t announced an opening date; chances are they are fishing around for funding. We’ll see if this enterprise gets off the ground.

If it does, I can only imagine the Conan O’Brien skit that will ensue.

I wrote an article for Phoenix Magazine this month about Hotel del Coronado, a legendary resort off San Diego’s coast.

My grandparents started a family tradition of vacationing in San Diego. And while they always chose more affordable accommodations, we would cross the bridge to Coronado, ride bikes and walk around the 121-year-old hotel grounds.

I was fortunate enough to stay at The Del while researching this article last year. Trip highlights included cheese plates with chocolate and honeycomb, a bonfire on the beach with root beer floats, and a room with turquoise ocean views.

I discovered many truths on Coronado Island, like: people with puny arms shouldn’t kayak. That became apparent on a trip around the bay when an instructor had to pull me along with his paddle; bike riding is a fun way to explore streets lined with glorious, historic mansions; and I will never afford to live on Coronado Island. That luxury is reserved for military officials who bought property early, and the McCains.

All photos courtesy Hotel del Coronado

At least The Del lowered its summer prices so the rest of us have a shot at beach luxury.  You can stay five nights for the price of three, with rates starting at about $250. These prices aren’t cheap, but they’re better — one bonus of a bad economy.

Also special this year, the hotel is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the film Some Like it Hot. The story is set in Florida, but actually, Marylin Monroe gallivanted along the Del’s beach. It’s a good time to revisit a classic.