The fashionable, downtown girl began the www.julib.com lifestyle column in march 2002. The site - which has quickly grown to over 10,000 subscribers in the past year — is well regarded as one of the best resources for recommendations on almost everything new and luxurious in the city, including restaurant openings, nightlife, fashion and beauty, travel, home design, and just about anything cool and simple. Today the juli b column is widely read throughout New York, and also has a following in Miami, Los Angeles, London and Paris.

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October 3, 2003
So you're out with a new friend at a really nice restaurant like the brand new Biltmore Room on 8th Avenue and 24th Street and we're talking great-review-in-the-Times, food-that-is-out-of-this-world-good. So what could go wrong? The answer: a lot. In an upscale place like this understanding restaurant etiquette can be key to a great night out. No cell phone calls at the table, having your guest order first and making a simple toast could be the difference between a potential disaster evening and a we-must-do-this-again great dinner.
The Biltmore Room, 290 8th Avenue 212-807-0111.

Previously
If chardonnay and white zinfandel are the only wines on your "i'll have this one" list - you might need a little help. It's time to say goodbye to asti spumanti and wine coolers. Grab a pack of friends and it's off to wine tasting class you go. Before you know it you'll be reciting vintages like Giuseppe from Tuscany. Italian Wine Merchants, 108 East 16th St.; 212-473-2323.

Think about how much better you'll look to each other after a few days of physical activity. Yoga is a great thing to do together. At Broadway's Om Yoga Center the two of you will be perfecting your oojai breathing in no time.
826 Broadway, 6th fl; 212-2549642; www.omyoga.com.

Consider a spa treatment for the both of you. You can go for the facial while he's getting those knots massaged from his back - anything to release the toxins from one too many martinis and fried dinners. Find a place like SoHo's Skincare Lab and you'll be on your way to two better you's.
568 Broadway, Suite 403; 212-334-3142.

It's important to put some good fuel in your b-o-d-y. Yes - you know your sweet thing loves you - cellulite and all but wouldn't it be nice to shed those few pounds you never lost before the summer? Consider feasting on healthy treats like some sashimi or Vietnamese summer rolls at Charles Street's Hue. 91 Charles Streeet 212-691-4170.

There are a few outdoor spots where Gotham takes on a more golden hue. Now, you can't get hitched on the roof of the Gramercy Park Hotel like Humphrey Bogart did in the 1930s, but you can romance your sweet thing over a few martinis there. What could be better than sharing a toast 18 stories up? Gramercy Park Hotel, Lexington Ave. at 21st Street; 212-475-4320. Continue the outdoor thing and dine a la sidewalk. No matter where your are on the romance meter, Da Silvano is a great spot for Italian food. Da Silvano, 260 Sixth Ave at Bleecker St.; 212-982-2343. Finish up with the summer dessert, two home-made scoops on the sidewalk corner of Bleecker and West 11th at Magnolia Bakery. Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleecker St.; 212-462-2572.

If you're looking for a little adventure and are tired of the same old same old, then check out the Trapeze School of New York, located at Vestry Street and the West Side Highway, 917-797-1872, www.TrapezeSchool.com. Follow up your aerial entertainment with some spicy Indian food at Surya, 302 Bleecker St. at Grove. 212-807-7770.

Guy Stuff
Guys love sports. If you don't know what his fav is, it's the perfect time to ask. If his answer is golf, cool. Head over to the range at Chelsea Piers for a little fun. (Chelsea Piers Golf Range, Pier 59, 18th Street at the West Side Highway, 212-336-6400.) Wait till you see the look on his face when you take him over to F&B on 23rd Street. Sure, you can order the tofu dog but make sure he gets two with everything and a large order of fries. (F&B, 269 West 23rd Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, 646-486-4441.) A great spot to hang out is Tavern on Jane, where the beer's on tap and the Mets are on the tube. Try their tuna club -- it's fantastic. (Tavern on Jane, 31 Eighth Ave, at Jane St., 212-675-2526.)

Sailing on the Hudson
You're a star. Why? You've come up with one of the best ideas for an afternoon escape in a long time. You're going sailing on the Hudson on your own private sailboat, and planning it was simple. You called up captain Tim Wolbert and asked if he could take you out on his 47 foot beneteau for a while...
Captain Tim Wolbert, on the Marialo; $600 for a half day sail; reservations and additional info: 917-453-6425

City Club Hotel
If you need a break but can't afford to take the time and leave the city why not stay a night at a boutique hotel. The City Club Hotel is small, low key, and you'll feel like you're really stealing away in style.
55 W. 44th St., between Fifth and Sixth Aves.; 212-921-5500

Bowlmor Lanes
110 University Pl., 212-255-8188

Bao 111
This Vietnamese inspired hotspot is a best bet for sharing adventurous and spicy dishes and toasting until two with a variety of flavored sakes. Check it out as a sensual and seductive spot for either a romantic first date or fun night out with friends who are willing to frolic. 111Avenue C, near 7th St., 212-254-7773.

Punch and Judy
Check out his great little wine bar on the lower east side with over 200 selections of wines from around the world and a cool late-night vibe of old school hip-hip and latin jazz. It's quickly become one the newest hot spots for Montrachets, chocolate fondue and lounging with a hip downtown crowd.
26 Clinton Street, between Houston and Stanton Sts., 212-982-1116.