OFF DUTY

Survival of the Fittest


2 NYC eyewear gurus deliver Vision Expo endurance tips plus their favorite après-show hotspots

in advance of this month’s Vision Expo East trade show in New York, we checked in with Selima Salaun, an optometrist and owner of Selima Eyewear and Selima Optique with seven stores in New York, LA, and Paris, and Robert Marc, owner of eight stores in New York and the Robert Marc Eyewear line.


Here, these two NYC-based optical retail trendsetters divulge the details on their favorite après-show hangouts, their best trade show survival tips, and their time-earned advice for surviving days of concrete trade show floors, networking, and evening festivities.

Selima Salaun




Selima Salaun




eb: How do you tend to approach these big two- and three-day marathon shows?




ss: Well, we know we’re not going to sleep much! For me it’s very important to exercise a little bit. I try to go to a yoga class early; it makes me more focused and a lot calmer. Then [in the evenings] we always have a great meal, a lot of drinking, unfortunately. [Laughing]


Doing the show in New York is actually amazing. The Javits Center is located right downtown…there are so many things you can do. A couple people I know even go to see a show on Broadway or the opera.



eb: Do a lot of people go out at night?


ss: I’m always amazed at that, actually. I’m the one who would love to go to bed! [But] lots of people go out nonstop.



eb: When you do go out, is there a neighborhood that you like to stay in?


ss: I try to take [clients] to the new, hip places. Like, for instance, The Standard [Hotel in the Meatpacking District]. It looks like a “Barbarella” setup.



eb: For the folks who are not as lucky to be able to dine with you, where would you suggest?

ss: I adore Daniel Boulud; his food is amazing. DBGB is much cheaper than his places uptown, and if you go see a show at Lincoln Center, just across the street is Boulud Sud. I also love Mercer Kitchen, Locanda Verde, and Momofuku.



eb: How do you pace yourself? At events do you just have one glass of wine and hold onto it?


ss: I don’t have that much willpower! But it is important to try and eat a little bit because very often people, when they go out to events, they don’t eat—they only drink, and that’s murder. [Laughing]

Robert Marc

Robert Marc


eb: What’s your advice for folks coming to Vision Expo? Do you have a strategy?

rm: Well, I think first you should definitely have a game plan before you even come to the show. Do some research…[and] make appointments. [It] will make your time much more useful. After that, at the end of the day, make a list of follow-up things. It’s much better when it’s fresh in your mind.



eb: Sound advice.


rm: I also think that you should give yourself a half-day to not have appointments, and use that time to walk the floor…[to] see things and be inspired. It’s very important, I think, to come back…refreshed, energized, and excited…about your business and your industry.



eb: How about the evenings after the show?

rm: RELAX and enjoy a pleasant night out. I think the West Village has so many small, chic, fabulous places to have a great dinner. It’s just a charming, wonderful part of the city with cobblestone streets, townhouses, [and] small, quaint restaurants.



eb: Are there places that you really love there?

rm: Sant Ambroeus. Great little place. And I Sodi. Both are small Italian restaurants, so I’d recommend reservations. Another great place is En, a fantastic Japanese restaurant. It is very glamorous, big, fun, and really wonderful.



eb: Any New York “must-visit” spots for you?


rm: Right now? The High Line and the new Whitney Museum of Art. Absolutely spectacular. Because the show is later this year, the weather is going to be nicer. Which is great, [because] the High Line starts at 34th Street and 12th Avenue, really right next to the Javits Center, so you can walk down the High Line all the way to the Whitney at the other end.



eb: Sounds like a great way to spend a little time outdoors.

rm: It’s an incredible experience…views of the city and in a way that you cannot get them any other way…it should not be missed while you’re here. It can be crazy at times, I suppose, but New York City is like no other place in the world.

—Emily Teel


Emily Teel is a regular contributor to Edible Philly and Foobooz, the food blog for Philadelphia Magazine. While she has a soft spot for all things gastronomical, she is also a devoted eyewear aficionado and fan of opticians near and far.