1.30.2008

ALERT! West Elm Sale

West Elm has a small but rather pretty good sale going on right now – an additional 25% off sale items. And pretty good is getting a comforter for $30 + an additional 25% off or a room diffuser for $9.97 + an additional 25% off. Much cheaper than the online sale they are having.

I learned they are refreshing the sale section every other day so check in as often as you can.

For your savvy knowledge: West Elm is just one of several brands under Williams-Sonoma, Inc. Others brands include Williams-Sonoma of course and Pottery Barn.

West Elm is considered to be the affordable luxury modern style of the brand family.

Locations:
Chelsea
112 west 18th street (bet 6th and 7th – take the F,V to 23rd or 1 to 18th St.)
new york, ny 10011
212.929.4464

Dumbo
75 front street
brooklyn, ny 11201
718.875.7757

...because getting yor home all dressed up is just as nice.







1.29.2008

Hunter Classic In MANY Colors

There is something about the Hunter Wellington Rain Boot I always loved. It has this classic feeling of a brand from back in the day, but able to make the female version in just the perfect amount of femininity. It is basic but yet girly and sexy and the same time - all in the details.
In my opinion it is worth to get these or something very close in version as the basic style and non-glossy shine, like many wellies we see out there, will transcend time.

I have always searched to see if these bad boys will ever go on sale. Currently I had no luck but I know there still must be a way. The typical price for these wellies is $98.

Right now ShopBop.com has them in a plethora of colors - I counted 11. Personally if there is a color you see that is not a common one to find such as Black, Green and Navy Blue, you may have to just go ahead and grab them while you can.

...plus if you buy through ShopBop.com they are offering free shipping and a free pair of welly fleece socks.

1.28.2008

Stack Up on Sacco - IF you can

There is a very good reason I don't frequent Sacco Shoe stores - the prices.


But this past weekend I learned why they can charge such high dollars. Their shoes are super comfortable and and are the cutest. The designers definitely have a way of mixing current trends with timeless designs, so you can easily walk out with $200+ shoes that are very comfy and wearable for the next 10+ years.

SALE - Go Now If You Can!

They are having a decent sale, my friend just score two boots for a bit over $400. Definitely not cheap, but for someone like herself who has been in search for boots that fit her tiny tiny calves - no way could she pass up the two pairs of best fitting boots.

The online sale is not as good as the in-store. Also if the sales person says the shoe is not available elsewhere, I recommend to call or visit another location on your own. Sales people, they want the commission.

The big "IF" in the if you can means you should definitely have the disposable income necessary for such a splurge.


There are 5 Sacco locations:
324 Columbus Ave at 75th 212-799-5229
118 E 59th St bet Park & Lex 212-207-3151
Opening Soon!6 E 23rd 212-777-3414
14 East 17th off 5th Ave 212-243-2070 (we went to this one and they were super nice - take the train to Union Square and walk over)
94 7th Avenue at 16th 212-675-5180 111
Thompson Street at Prince Street 212-925-8010

Observed Sacco Benefits:
- Soft comfortable and quality Italian leather
- They stretch your boots for free (calve area and the actual shoe width)
- For other shoe services like taps, they have a cobbler to recommend

Store hours Mon – Fri 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sat 11:00 am - 7:00 pm Sun 12:00 noon - 7:00 pm


Knowledge is Power - Info on the Sacco owners and their vision
Thanks to JS who originally recommended this place for those with smaller legs:)

1.27.2008

ALERT! Getting Pass J.Crew Final Sale

So by now a good number of you have been watching/stalking the jcrew.com final sale. The problem is no one wants to a make a purchase they can't try on, touch or feel and on top of that can't exchange or return later.

GREAT NEWS!!! I found a way around it. As I went to clean out my online shopping cart I noticed that items that were "not available" in the current final sale listing were still listed as available in my shopping bag.....that made me go hmm.

So this is how you can buy a Jcrew.com final sale item with out the red tape:

  • Get the exact name of the item you want ex: "Solid merino boatneck sweater dress."
  • Take that style name and Google it just as it is written. Don't add additional words like J.Crew to the search terms.
  • The first link you see will be a Jcrew.com link - click it.
  • This link will take you to the site and the exact page of the item you are looking for AND it will list it at the sales price. The best part you may even see sizes and colors you thought were sold out.
  • Select the size and color and add to your shopping bag. What you will notice is the ship date is much later. Most will say available in early March
  • Better yet - you will see that that small red writing of "Final sale, no exchanges or returns" is NOT THERE.

Verification - I called a customer service person and said that I had an item in my shopping cart from before the final sale, although that item is currently listed as final sale, can she confirm I won't have any problems returning or exchanging and she said - YES!

What's happening? - Looks like most of jcrew.com items are on sale but not on the current site pages. You will have to know what you are looking for and Google it. Also it seems many items are being reproduced or being brought out of inventory for a major March availability.

Good luck and if you have any successes please do share.

1.24.2008

I'm Hooked...So Is My Bag

Do you have a purse hook? If not when are you getting yours!?!


A co-worker had one hanging from her desk, holding her beautiful bag above the floor and off of her desk = space galore in these days of suitcase size bags.

The Purse Hook is one of those As Seen On TV products that make SO much sense. You wonder why it is not available everywhere and what took so long for it to come about. Well actually Starbucks use to install hooks under their tables, but who wants to touch and feel for that - gross.

No need to pay a bunch of dollars for this necessity, just $9.95. You can order online or purchase at Bed Bath & Beyond. Call before you go to BB&D because they were sold out for a good minute.
It comes in packs of 2 - one gold and one silver so no need to worry about you bag clashing.

FYI: there is a As Seen On TV store ( (212) 420-7647) in the indoor South Street Seaport mall - I only know this because I stalked the crap out of this hook. The owner doesn't have it yet, but it's just good to know there is a store.
So say hey!!! to yet another thing to travel with...LOL.

1.13.2008

Board Member *insert your name here*

Many of us like to volunteer our time to charity, but have we ever thought of combining our love of giving with professional goals and ambition?


Business Week had a resourceful article on how to take your talent and skills and apply them to a nonprofit board.

Yes, imagine you on a board! You don't have to be a 60+ year old man to get a seat these days. think about an issue you're passionate about and how you can lend your professional skills and experience to an organization that can really use your help. In such a situation you get to give and also grow your career - sounds like a perfect mix.

There are so many resources out there to guide you in this process.

So consider this opportunity; it can bring a kick to your career that you've been looking for.

1.08.2008

DIY - The Prettiest 9 - 5

Walking into work this morning, I dropped by a co-worker's desk to make small chat and saw that her area was just darn cute.




What caught my eye was the dozen yellow tulips that just brought life to an environment we probably list among our top three stress factors.



Of course the first thing I asked was "Who gave it to you?" and I loved the response "I did." Now how about that, when was the last time you did something beautiful for yourself?



So here is a non-traditional beauty tip (courtesy of Elizabeth *insert smile*):


- Stop in a local Whole Foods, they sell Tulips at $6 (most of the time) or a local grocery store and grab yourself some gorgeous flowers. No need for the fancy places that break your wallet.


- Drop a penny in and they will last even longer (that I also learned today).


- Voila you have an instant beautiful smile.

Thanks E. :)

1.06.2008

ALERT! - Brooklyn Industries Crazy Sale

Time if of the essence in my book.

Go to Brooklyn Industries site because they are having a Mega Sale for men and women. I don;t know the details for in-store promotions.
Why I think you should move quickly is they have this cute blazer that I scored on sale, but now is $26 and was originally $128 - OMG is the word.

Down coats are going for $94!!!!!!!!!!! (The shorter version is $79)
There is so much more. Definitely check the site out ASAP. This can be a great way to use those Amex/VISA gift cards.

Restaurant/Loundge: Girl, Date or Group Chat

The quest continues and will forever go on to find those perfect places to get a good bite and soothing drink in an inviting environment without paying too high a price.


Just last night two friends introduced me to the restaurant and lounge Aspen, and I LOVED it!

The run down and tips:
  • Located on 30 West 22nd Street (bet 5th and 6th aves.), you can take the F, V, Path, R, W to 23rd street and walk over.

  • The design takes after a ski lounge that you will expect to come across in - Aspen! Casual dress, so there is no fashion stress.

  • Reservations recommended if you know you're going, but the front bar/lounge area is good for walk-ins. Still ask to be seated in the dining area. Here's the number: (212) 645-5040.

  • If you love a warm fire place ask to sit at the large somewhat communal table that has the fireplace as the center piece. It's gorgeous and brings warmth to the meal.

The Experience: For my first visit I had the Bison Sliders (you get 2 for $12 - these are really tasty) with a side of Fries ($6 and comes with a chipotle ketchup - yummy) and to seal the night with sweetness, the Snow Capped Cupcakes ($5 - 4 really tiny but perfect tasting cupcakes).

So if you ever need to go out on a date, have some girl talk with a friend or two, or catch up with a few buddies this is an easy place to go.

1.05.2008

Sex and the City...It's finally coming!

I am uber exited about the coming of the Sex and the City movie. I'm saying...we were teased for years over the possibility of the movie being filmed, and now its only a few months away. I will be there with bells on May 30th for the premiere and I hope Carrie and Co. won't disappoint. Who am I kidding, of course they won't!





My girlfriends and I are going to make it a day event including a mani/pedi at Dashing Diva, dinner and other goodies. Me, I'm preparing by ordering my "Carrie" necklace (In my name of course) from Limoges Jewelry. Oh..the excitement!!!

1.03.2008

Cool Personal Finance Web Tool

When your finances are staring you in the face, you can't ignore it.


It's safe to assume that one of your top resolutions for this year, which is probably a carry-over from last year, is getting your finances to the point to achieve goals like buying a car, purchasing a home, paying off student loans or taking a trip overseas.

While reading through a ton of mags over the holidays, I just learned of this cool site: Wesabe

The site's description:

Wesabe is a community site that makes managing your money easy. Enjoy secure access to all your accounts, painless tools for taking control of your money and reaching your goals, and members’ tips and discussions to help you find the best values.

It's a pretty neat tool that let's you upload bank or credit card accounts to see everything one time on one page, BUT you also set financial goals. Based on your goals and on the type of transactions you make it gives you tips from other users; don't panic no one can see your account info.

Think of this as social network like citysearch/yelp meets financial savvy-ness.

If you are worried about the security of your accounts, the site boasts making that a top priority. The way I look at it too if you have proper protection on your cards and FDIC insured...you should be just fine.


ALERT! J.Crew Final Sale + 20% Off

Simply put J.Crew is having their final sale online with an extra 20% off these items. Just note that you cannot return or exchange so this is a serious commitment. If that scares you a bit just stock up on accessories.

You can also hop over to your nearby J. Crew store and get 25% off sale items! What is even better: the sale is not final and if your item is under $110 no taxes NYC (sounds way better than the online shipping cost).

Good luck!