We’re guessing if leisure shopping was ever one of your most active sports, the days where you could really devote serious hours to it are past… (sigh)… But whether you shop now out of love or pure necessity, whether you consider yourself a dilettante or a true pro, the ultimate resource has arrived to lay out the options.

From the master of restaurant surveys, hitting the city streets now is the ZAGAT SURVEY ON NEW YORK CITY SHOPPING

From apparel to appliances, bed to bath, toys to toiletries, the guide covers 2,193 of the city’s retail shops, rated and reviewed by 7,176 avid shoppers (who must have had a little more time on their hands than the rest of us). As with the Zagats’ now eponymous restaurant guides, it’s compulsively entertaining to read those witty quips on the places you love, the ones you hate… and best of all, the ones you never knew existed before.

Every retailer is rated for merchandise, presentation, service and estimated cost. (Incidentally, their survey found “service” to be the thing we find most lacking in our NY shopping experiences).

As with the other Zagat guides, head to the rear for the really useful indexes

You have to do a lot of cross- referencing between the indexes and the specific entries that fall under them, but the guide’s 80+ lists, including ones for the city’s most popular stores, best stores by category, best by location, and best values are a true resource.

By the way, some of the TOPS from those lists: Most popular store: Bloomingdales * Best maternity : Liz Lange * Best Children’s clothing: Catamini * Best hardware store: Simon’s * Best home accessories: Moss * Best discount store: Century 21 (2nd in overall popularity to Bloomingdales only– as New Yorkers also love a steal).

Go shopping for the Zagat’s Shopping Survey, $14.95 at www.zagat.com

Okay, one last reminder: RSVP Now for next Thursday’s “Executive Mother’s Day Spa Fest!”

We’d love to see you there!

Sincerely,

Executive Moms