November 15, 2007
Trend Setter
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Looking for a dining room table? Or have some extra space you need to fill in your apartment? Look no further. Dining room tables are overrated. Let’s face it, when is the last time your roommates all sat down together and ate dinner? Exactly.
What you need is a table-o-fun. I think we could all agree that at one time or another we have yearned for some sort of game table, but it just never fit into the college-budget. Well now that we have moved on to our entry-level budgets, it is time to reexamine this need.
Good news — we are all in luck. For the month of November, Costco (the best place on earth) is having a sale on one of the sweetest game tables I’ve seen: The Minnesota Fats Redmond™ 7.5′ Billiard Table with a Prince Table Tennis Conversion Top. That’s right, billiards and ping-pong. Plus it’s a great-looking table–very classy–would go perfectly with those leather bound books of yours. And the best part? It’s marked down from $999 to $699. A whopping $300 dollars off through November 26th. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
At last, your dream of having a pool table can come true. Now go get’er… I’ll race you there.
November 15, 2007
Gadgets & Gismos
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If you are like me, then you have been trying to find a Wii since the day they came out. I’m never in the right place at the right time so of course it came as no surprise to me when I would show up at Target 5 minutes after they had just sold their last Wii. After weeks of hearing, “I’m sorry, we’re all sold out,” you start to lose your ammo.
Well guess what? Not only do we now have a chance at getting a Wii, but we can get one for only $79! Amazon is starting a huge sale on Thanksgiving Day and all you have to do is go vote for the Wii over the PS3 and 360. Of course there is a slight catch, as with all good things in life, but it is still a great deal.
Check this out…
November 14, 2007
The Job Hunt
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Yes girls and boys, the real world awaits. College is over. Everyone around you is starting to disappear from 9-6. You have to wait until 5pm for happy hour. You have no clue what you want to do. Mom and Dad are threatening to cut you off. I know, it’s scary.
But I am here to tell you that it’s not that hard. There are plenty of jobs out there, one of which has your name on it. Time to get yourself out of that state of denial and be proactive.
To ease yourself into it, wander over to Craig’s list while your putting in your daily Facebook-stalking time. Browse through the section of local job opps. You will be pleasantly surprised how many opportunities there are all around you. Bookmark anything that looks interesting.
Once you feel comfortable with this, move on over to job finder sites. I have found that the industry-specific sites are much more helpful than the monster sites, which don’t really match you up with the best finds, but more so just add to your pile of spam mail.
So check out the following sites, update that resume of yours and get to goin. Take the plunge.
Here are some helpful links to get you started:
For All You Entry-Level/Recent College Grads:
CollegeRecruiter.com
CollegeGrad.com
EntryLevelJobs.com
AfterCollege.com
Interested in the Advertising/Marketing Industry?
TalentZoo.com
NationJob.com
AdWeek.com Classifieds
AdAge Talent Networks
Online Marketing Jobs
Interested in Business/Consulting?
Vault Consulting Job Board
Interested in the Fashion Industry?
ApparelSearch.com
FashionNet
ApparelSearch.com
FashionNet
StyleCareers.com
Well Threaded
November 13, 2007
Scene, Wine & Dine
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In the mood for a cocktail party/hour/night alone…check out these festive (and easy breezy) Champagne cocktails brought to you by Whole Foods Market:
Champagne Framboise
You’ll Need: Champagne or sparkling wine. Raspberry liquer or framboise. Rasberries.
What to Do: Fill the glass with champagne or sparkling wine, pour in a couple of teaspoons of raspberry liqueur or framboise, and float some raspberries in the glass for decoration.
Kir Royale
You’ll Need: Champagne or sparkling wine. Cassis. Strawberries.
What to Do: Fill the glass with champagne or sparkling wine, pour in a couple of teaspoons of cassis, and float some strawberries on top.
Bellini
You’ll Need: Champagne or sparkling wine. Peach nectar. Peach slices.
What to Do: Fill the glass about two-thirds full with champagne or sparkling wine. Top with peach nectar and garnish with a peach slice.
Champagne l’Orange
You’ll Need: Champagne or sparkling wine. Lillet rouge. Orange slices.
What to Do: Fill the glass two-thirds full with champagne or sparkling wine. Top with Lillet rouge and garnish with an orange slice.
Easy Mimosas
You’ll Need: Champagne. Orange Juice. Orange slices.
What to Do: Fill the glass two-thirds full with champagne. Top with orange juice and garnish with a orange slice. Or try our Whole Foods Market 365 Italian Tangerine Soda with a splash of champagne.
And if you need some affordable festive glassware to go with this cocktailjubilee, check out ZGallery’s Rio Flute collection, 4 flutes for less than $30. Now all you need is the perfect champagne, which can be found at Whole Foods Market for less than $10.
November 13, 2007
Scene, Wine & Dine
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With the holiday season and new year approaching, there will be a lot of cork popping. We can all agree that it is nice to splurge on a nice bottle for those special occasions (when you’re with the family and not buying), but for all those other occasions, you just want for some affordable bubbly that gets the job done.
Well, you’re in luck. I have recommendations for both… and both have distinguishing orange labels that will help you pick them out wherever you are.
For all you fancy-shmancies, go for the Veuve Clicquot. This is–in my opinion–one of the best out there. They have a few different selections, depending on what the occasion/what your price range is, starting at $40.
If you want the almost-as-good spin-off to the Veuve, go for the Presto Prosecco Brut. This is the best affordable sparkler around and is only $8!
You can always count on finding both the Veuve and the Presto Prosecco at Whole Foods Market–just look for the orange labels!
November 13, 2007
Style, Trend Setter
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Welcome back to the ‘Fashionista on a Budget’ series, teaching you how to be stylish on a budget. Today’s topic: accessorizing for cheap. The trick here is not finding cheap accessories, but rather finding cheap accessories that don’t look cheap. The key? Don’t try to overdo it–just keep it simple
Trust me, there is a plethora of accessories under $10 out there that would never give off the “I cost as much as a diet coke” impression. Allow me to introduce you.
First, I’d like to introduce you to the classic Teardrop earring. On our left
we have the Filigree Teardrop Earring and on our right, we have the Oriental Earring, both brought to you by Forever 21. These are great urban earrings that you can wear with anything. Guess how much? A whopping $3.80 (Filigree) and $4.80 (Oriental) respectively. Yep, that’s right. Hurry to Forever21 now though because these babies are on sale for a limited time only.
Next, I’d like you to meet the everyday textured earring. This is that earring that literally will look good with every outfit. Check out Forever21’s Filigree Earrings–great example The bronze detail dresses up the earring, disguising the fact that these are only $4.80! What a steal, huh?
Now, I’d like to introduce you to the Cheap Bangle. The trick to not giving off that “cheap-o” look with these is keeping it basic. Black and gold is a great color combo that will not look like it’s only $9.80, like this Lacquered Metal Bracelet.
Also, try the Trio Bangle set for $5.80. Oh yea.. a set of three bracelets for less then six dollars. See how easy this is?
These are only a few great examples of cheap in price, but not in look, accessories. Now get out there and see what you can find!
November 13, 2007
Trend Stopper, Wine & Dine
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I’ll be the first to admit, that when Pinkberry made its first appearance in Westwood, Los Angeles, I was all about it. Never fully obsessed, but I definitely waited in line and paid $7 once or twice for this new phenomenon. Why? I’m not quite sure. I guess I heard somewhere that it was good for you. Plus the taste kinda grew on me (the sourness goes away after awhile).
After awhile however, I started to hear the rumors that were circulating around about the Pinkberry controversy. Was it really frozen yogurt? What was in that white powder that it’s made with? Does it even pass the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s definition of frozen yogurt?
So here’s the truth: Pinkberry ranted and raved about how good their yogurt was and constantly marketed its health benefits. Well, this is a blatant case of false advertising. As it turns out, Pinkberry was sued for making false claims of being frozen yogurt, when in fact it is merely powdered milk, chemicals, flavoring agents and sugar.
So apparently all you need to do these days to be successful is sprinkle in a ‘low cal, low carb’ every now and then and people will be lined up around the block.
If you really want a delicious low-cal desert, head to Baskin Robbins and check out their lighter options. I recommend either the Rainbow Sherbert (only 160 calories per serving) or the sugar-free Cafe Mocha Yogurt (only 90 calories per serving). Sometimes old-school is just that much more delicious.
November 8, 2007
Style, Trend Setter
1 Comment
“Almost ready… just trying to find a purse to go with this outfit….”
Sound familiar?
Having a few solid, versatile going-out clutches for your nightlife attire is key. The clutch is definitely one of those “less is more” accessories. You really only need two, three at most trusty clutches in your wardrobe and you’ll be good to go.. fashionably late, of course.
What makes a quality clutch? 3 things: Space, Style, and of course, Cost.
1. Space - Not sure about you, but when I go out, this is what’s in my purse: Phone, camera, lip gloss, wallet, gum, other lip gloss, and at least one of my friend’s phones, wallets, and ID…or passport, depending on who has lost their license most recently. As I’m sure you know, that stuff can add up. A lot of going-out purses couldn’t handle it. You need a sturdy clutch that not only has room for all the extra baggage we carry around with us, but is also able to conceal the bulk and appear to be low-maintenance and dainty (just like you, of course).
If you haven’t discovered these gems already, check out the all-powerful Hobo Gwyneth clutch.
These babies are built for durability, versatility, and practicality. They look small, but what you can’t tell is that they fold out into almost a full-size purse. I can fit everything I need comfortably and with room to spare! Try the black, white or navy–depending on what suits your closet best. You won’t regret it.
They are usually $124, which isn’t exactly that $15 bag you saw at Forever21 last Saturday, but trust me, this will last you years.
2. Style - The perfect clutch must of course be stylish, but nothing too crazy. In my opinion, simple is best for small handbag accessories. Where I like to see the spice is in the material. I am a huge fan of metallics, and if you find the right shade, I swear it will go with everything.
My personal favorite is pewter - you know that dimmed rusty/silver color? Good stuff. My current obsession in the metallic clutch genre is the Ron Herman Minx. 15 inches of Silver metallic snakeskin with lime green lining? Sold. While these sexy minxes are slightly more spendy–around $200–I guarantee you will get your money’s worth. This will last you for years.
3. Cost - Of course it always comes back to cost. You can absolutely get a quality clutch for under $100. Just make sure you’re not sacrificing quality for cost–even thought it can be tempting. If you invest in a few quality clutches, you will save money in the long run. Trust me on that one!
This is a great deal. Check out Nordstrom’s Patent Leather Accordian clutch for only $78. Olive patent leather..it’s calling your name.
So remember, less is more here. A simple black leather Hobo for your basic nights out and a pewter metallic for your edgier self are all you need in the clutch department of your closet. If you want to throw another one into the mix, add in a snazzy patent leather of some sorts.
Stay tuned for the next episode of ‘Fashionista on a Budget’ where I’ll fill you in on the secrets cheap accessory shopping… riveting, I know…
Until next time ladies…!
November 8, 2007
Style, Trend Setter
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There are a lot of things you have to sacrifice when you’re living on a budget, I get it. I’ve been there. Hell, I still am there. But much to your surprise, fashion does not have to be one of them. Yes, that is correct. You can still own nice things and not go broke.
This is the start of the ‘Fashionista on a Budget’ series. Be sure to keep an eye out for the rest of the entries throughout this next week. I’ll be covering every aspect of your closet and how to maximize the minimum. No one will even know you’re on a budget!
It all starts with these three cardinal rules:
1. Balance is Key - Know what to splurge on and what to buy at Forever21.
2. Know Where to Go - The first day of a good sale can go a long way!
3. Less is More - The cost of three pairs of cheap shoes can equal the cost of one pair of quality shoes. And guess what? Those quality shoes will outlast your cheap shoes tenfold.
Stay tuned for the next episode of ‘Fashionista on a Budget’…
Upcoming episodes:
Clutch and Go
Accessories Under $10
Winter Essentials
November 8, 2007
Gadgets & Gismos, Tech
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Hold the phone (no pun intended)… you mean my iPhone isn’t self-cleaning after all? Gasp. I could’ve sworn I heard that somewhere. Or maybe it was self-healing… yes, regeneration, that was it. Silly me.
Of course. Why wouldn’t you put two black rubber sleeves on your fingers before touching your phone? I am so relieved that someone finally thought of a solution to prevent scandalous and promiscuous finger prints from touching the blessed iPhone screen in all of its innocence.
My question is, do people just always have these on? Or do they whip them on as the phone is ringing… Because that would be just so convenient to have rubber fingers on all the time. In fact, maybe we can learn to limit all finger contact to the pointer finger and thumb. Imagine–driving, sipping a cup of tea, petting your dog–these rubbers really have the potential to change the world.
Although, maybe they should make skin-colored rubber fingers… or maybe they should invent a surgery where you can rubbertize the skin on your thumb and pointer finger so that you don’t leave a smudge on anything!
Discuss amongst yourselves…
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