Sunshine Purchased An iPad Today!

Sunshine purchased an iPad today.  I am really looking forward to playing with it.  I just may have to "borrow" it for awhile.  He doesn't know this yet.  Hee hee...

Update: No...he didn't wait in line for hours like these poor souls (nor did he pre-order):

He bought it at Best Buy!  That's my quick-thinking Sunshine!

AsterAlice - Easter Egg Sale

AsterAlice.com is having an Easter Egg Sale this weekend.  Sale ends on 4/4/10.  Click around the website to find easter eggs!  One "egg" per customer.  The prices are fantastic!  Here are the easter eggs that I found and liked:

• Linea Pelle Dylan Tote ($295) in black:

• Botkier Howard St. Satchel ($315) in magenta:  This is for all you pink girls!  (Don't forget to check out my video review of this bag in cement: Video Review: Botkier's Howard St. Satchel.) 

• Botkier Logan Satchel ($345) in moss: (Don't forget to check out my video review of this bag in black:  Video Review: Botkier's Logan Satchel.)

[Images Courtesy of AsterAlice.com]

For those of you who don't like easter egg hunts, here is your basket already filled with all the easter eggs:  AsterAlice.com Easter Eggs.

Food Therapy: Free Scoop of Ben & Jerry's!!

As the temperature rises, my sweet thoughts turn from cakes and cupcakes to ice-cream and Pinkberry.  One of my favorite ice cream brands is Ben & Jerry's.  Last week, I was browsing the various ice cream flavors on B&J's website (I am contemplating trying every flavor listed as one of my summer goals!) and decided to sign up for "ChunkMail," B&J's e-mail newsletter.  To my happy surprise, I received a "Welcome" e-mail from B&J's today that contained a link to a printable coupon for a free scoop of B&J's ice-cream.  This is probably one of the BEST "Welcome" e-mails ever!  :)  (Note that when you sign-up for ChunkMail, you have to choose your local B&J's store; the coupon only works at that particular B&J's store.)  I will be swinging by my local B&J's next week for my free scoop of ice-cream.

Random Thought: Wawa Wishing

I wish that Wawa would open up in NYC.  I would be there every day!  For those of you who have moved away from a mid-atlantic state, you know what I'm talking about.  Sometimes, there's nothing quite like a Wawa hoagie and cappuccino.  And the chocolate eclair ice cream flavor.  And the warm pretzel stuffed with sweet cream cheese.  And...

Discount For Your Cellphone Plan

Have you checked if your company or school participates in a discount program with your cellphone carrier?  VerizonWireless, T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint all offer monthly discounts through various employers and colleges/universities.   Do a google search first (keywords: "[cellphone carrier]", "[employer/school]", discount).  Then check your cellphone carrier's website for more information.  

Usually, the discount will be 15-20% off your monthly plan only.  The easiest and most painless way is to join via your cellphone carrier's website.  There will usually be a webpage that allows you to apply for the discount.  Note, however, that this will require your work e-mail address or your school e-mail address...so all you graduates, it's time to re-activate your almuni e-mail account!

Random Thought: iPad Is Available Tomorrow...

Did you pre-order one?  As some of you know, I pre-ordered an iPad, felt like an idiot and then cancelled.  Now I feel like a bigger idiot for canceling.  What was I thinking?  Sunshine is getting me a Macbook Air but it's not quite the same as playing around with the iPad.  Sigh.

Do You Know The Interest Rates On Your Credit Cards?

While you should avoid carrying a balance on your credit cards, it happens.  And when that happens, you get charged interest on the balance.  Do you know the interest rate on ALL of your credit cards?  The Credit Card Act of 2009 went into effect this past February.  As a result, most (if not all) credit card companies have hiked up interest rates significantly.  And they're hoping that (a) you won't read the notices that they send you or (b) even if you do read these notices, you will forget the contents of them shortly afterwards.  

For instance, I just received a notice from one of my cc companies notifying me that my current promotional rate has been extended.  Umm...I didn't know that my cc was on a promotional rate.  The notice referenced a prior notice that was supposed to let me know that my then-purchasing rate was turning into a promotional rate.  Well, I certainly missed that particular notice.  After my "promotional" rate expires, my new purchasing rate jumps by an additional 10%.  That's not a good thing.

Another little trick that cc companies like to do is convert your fixed rate into a variable rate.  Interest rates are low right now but when they go back up, it will hurt your pocketbook in a major way.  If you're counting on a certain rate, make sure that you don't get surprised by this type of interest rate switcheroo.

So what's a hardworking girl to do?  I will most definitely be calling my cc company when my "promotional" rate expires to see if they can lower my new purchasing rate.  I actually do this once every 6 months or so.  Most of the times, the cc phone rep will tell me that I'm already at the lowest possible interest rate.  But sometimes I get lucky, and the cc phone rep will tell me that a lower interest rate is available.  And presto, the interest rate of that particular cc drops.  On my cc's that have variable rates, I will also ask if I can convert my variable rate into a fixed rate.  That's usually a big fat no, but you gotta ask, right?

One more thing:  If you have a cc that charges an annual fee, double check that fee as well.  Most likely, annual fees have gone up too.  These are easy to forget about because they are automatically billed and not really disputable.

Food Therapy: Breyers Rocky Road Ice Cream

I usually go for Ben & Jerry's ice cream (Phish Food or New York Super Fudge Chunk) but for some reason, I decided to go old school and pick Breyers, my childhood ice cream brand.  I chose Rocky Road, an oldie but still a goodie!!  It's not as rich or dense or creamy as B&J's ice cream but there's something about Breyer's Rocky Road ice cream that makes me smile.  The chocolate ice cream tastes like Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa mix (a huge plus for me; see why below) in ice cream form and the chocolate covered almonds are addictive (I ended up digging around for them).  So instead of spending $3.00 for a scoop of gourmet chocolate ice cream, spend $2.79 for a 1.5 qt of Breyer's Rocky Road ice-cream.

How I like to eat Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa mix (yes...I said "eat") :  I like to mix Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa mix with cold milk.  A portion of the hot cocoa mix will dissolve into the milk (making chocolate milk) and the remaining portion of the hot cocoa mix just kinds of pebbles together at the top.  I scoop those pebbles up with a spoon and eat them.  This may sound not-so-appetizing but try it.  It's really, really, REALLY good.  :)  It's a quick and readily available fix for a midnight chocolate craving.

Bye Bye Shu Uemura...Sniff, Sniff.

Shu Uemura is closing up shop in the States and will slowly be phasing itself out. This means it's time to really stock up on eyelash curlers (and then some)!! I will be hitting up DF&CCO (see this post: Attention Make-up Lovers: Designer Fragrance & Cosmetic Co.) and buying up their supply of discounted Shu Uemura eyelash curlers, mascara, and eyeshadow.

Random Thought: Kicking the LV Habit...

Last year, I kicked my LV habit (for the most part). It was a completely unintentional result of my trips to Hong Kong. If you want to kick your LV habit, take a trip to Hong Kong. Every other girl seemed to be carrying an LV bag. If everyone has one, what's the point?

Calypso: Dreamy Silk Dresses

Now that spring is truly here (yay!) and I can start wearing dresses without freezing my a** off (double yay!), my thoughts have yet again turned to Calypso's dresses.  Here are four dreamy silk dresses on sale at Calypso-Celle.com:

• Phillipa Dress ($69) in swan:

• Iowa Dress ($29) in bldyma:

• Gathered Dress w/Roses ($99) in grey:

• Gabrielle Dress ($99) in dusros:

[Images Courtesy of Calypso]

Random Thought: I Would Make A Bad Lab Rat

Neiman Marcus has these Mid-Day and Evening Dashes a few times a week where a set number of items are on super sale (but not always...).  The items tend to be crappy, or in the rare case that it's something that I like, sold out.  I know that there's no real point in checking but like a bad lab rat, I always do.  Bad lab rat...bad lab rat!

Tobi: My Sale Outfit For The Day!

Today is a beautiful day!!  The sun is out and the temperature is a nice 74 degrees.  Which got me thinking...what would I wear if I had Tobi.com's new sale items at my personal disposal?  Here's my sale outfit for such a lovely day:

• James Perse Drawstring Shirt Dress ($146) in black:

• Botkier Trigger Clyde Bag ($487) in antique silver:

• Shoes For Lovely People Leo Studded Sandals ($63) in black:

[Images Courtesy of Tobi.com]

Sadly...no rings were on sale.  I guess I would just have to wear one from my own collection!  And earrings you say?  The usual...my diamond studs, of course.  :)

Loehmann's: 25% Off Coupon (4/1/10 - 4/4/10)

From now until April 4, Loehmann's has a "25% off any single regular priced item" coupon for you (and me) to use.  Ahh...it must be a sign for me to buy that purple Tart dress for next weekend's bachelorette party!  And guess what?  Sunshine actually liked it...at first.  He thought it a nice top that happened to be longer in length.  He wasn't as enthused after he learned that it was a dress that happened to be shorter in length.  Ha!

Click here for the coupon: Loehmann's 25% Off Coupon

Video Review: Treesje's Port Travel Tote

Here's my video review of Treesje's Port Travel Tote!  It's a great travel AND laptop bag.  I did a great zoom-in/close-up shot so that you get a feeling of what the anchor motif looks like IRL.  Enjoy!

iPods Are On Sale this Week!

If you need an iPod right now, you should get it.  They're currently on sale at Target.com, Walmart.com and BestBuy.com.  Even with shipping fees, this is cheaper than your local Apple Store.  I'm going to focus on the pricing of Nanos.  Personally, I'm thinking about the purple 8GB Nano...

• Target.com:  The 8GB Nano is selling for $134.99 and the 16GB Nano is selling for $162.99.  Get an additional $5 off with code "TC5W31BE".  And with Ebates.com, you can get 3% cash back!  
• Walmart.com:  The 8GB Nano is selling for $123.54 and the 16GB Nano is selling for $149.54.  If you ship to the store, the shipping is free.  And with Ebates.com, you can get 1% cash back.
• BestBuy.com:  The 8GB Nano is selling for $133.99 and the 16GB Nano is selling for $159.99.    If you ship to the store, the shipping is free.  And with Ebates.com, you can get 1% cash back.

Getting Reimbursed for Gym Fees

Did you know that certain health insurance companies will reimburse your gym fees up to a certain amount?  I learned this recently while looking for a new gym.  While this will barely put a dent in the monthly fee for those of you who are Equinox members, this may cover one or two monthly fees for others.  Call up your health insurance company or do a search on their website to confirm.  For those of you who have Oxford/United Healthcare, there's a gym reimbursement form available on the website.  The requirements for reimbursement are on the form and it's not that complicated.  It requires you to keep track of your gym visits and go for a certain number of visits within a 6-month period.

Sissi Rossi: Zip Tote

I'm not sure why but Sissi Rossi bags are terribly hard to find.  I adore this Italian brand.  The leather used in Sissi Rossi bags is THE softest and smooshiest (as you'll see in the video review of my Sissi Rossi bag)!!  The Sissi Rossi Zip Tote is my second leather travel tote.

I'm not as fond of using this with my laptop b/c the leather is too soft and smooshy.  My MBP ends up moving around too much (which is why my Treesje Port Travel Tote is perfect - the leather is stiffer in a good way).   I had to semi-stuff this bag so that the shape would hold, otherwise it would just collapse into itself.  This is a big bag so don't let the slouchiness fool you.  It's 19" wide and 18" tall.  The handle drop is a very shoulder-friendly 9".  I use this bag when I go on vacation as a carry-on and I don't need to take my MBP with me.  The leather can really take a beating.  It's virtually scratch/mark proof!!  What makes this bag even more fantastic?  It's only 1.9 lbs!!  And no, the leather is not thin at all.

• Overall view:

• Back view: 

• Side view:

• Handle Detail:

• Hardware Detail:  (Yes, they use a weird-looking bug as their logo.)

Note:  You can buy a similar Sissi Rossi bag (that I've been eye-ing) at Otteny.com:

[Image Courtesy of Otteny.com]

Soon To Come: My First Olivia Harris Bag!!

Yes! Yes! Yes!  I re-ordered the Olivia Harris bag (obviously not through Bloomie's; if you don't know what I'm talking about, click here:  Bloomie's Dilemma).  I am very excited and cannot wait to share it with you.  :)

Treesje: Port Travel Tote

There is no doubt that Longchamp's ubiquitous Le Pliage Large Tote is great for traveling but sometimes, you want something a little different.  I find that I've been using my two leather travel totes with increasing frequency because, well, it's no fun when every girl is walking around with your bag.  KWIM?  I'm sure you do!  One of those leather travel totes is my Treesje Port Travel Tote in gunmetal:  

Yes, the mortale version (skull motif rather than anchor motif) is more popular but I'm just not a skull motif kinda girl.  Plus, the anchor motif will be perfect for my next cruise!  The bag is made from a soft matte grey leather with embossed silver anchors.  It's slowly becoming more smooshy.  The hardware is a beautiful gunmetal.  This is not a huge bag but it's large enough for a weekend trip (or for use as a gym bag).  It's 17.5" wide and 14" tall.  I like to use this bag as my carry-on when I fly...it's perfect for my 15" MBP.  (I use a neoprene sleeve for added protection.) The handle drop is a very comfortable 8" but if I end up stuffing this bag to the max, I like to use the shoulder strap with a 10" drop.  When you use the shoulder strap, it feels like it takes pounds off the bag!   Here's a better look at this bag:

• Overall view:

• Side View:

• Bottom View:

• Shoulder Strap:

• Hardware Detail:

Note:  At approximately 2.5 lbs, this isn't the lightest bag but it isn't the heaviest either!

To: The Girl Wearing the Sheer-ish Black T-Shirt

I know that a lot of stores currently carry super thin sheer-ish t-shirts.  And it's pretty obvious that you really like you're bra.  But I don't really need to know that it's hot pink.

Returns/Exchanges: Following Up

By now, most of us have done a return/exchange with an e-tailer.  Sometimes it goes smoothly and sometimes it's a nightmare that won't end.  To help your return/exchange to be more painless, it is up to you (unfortunate but true) to keep track of the return/exchange.  Ideally, you send back the item and everything gets processed smoothly.  However, in many cases, that's not reality.  Someone once told me that person who makes the most noise, gets the most attention.  While agree I with this, make nice noise, not nasty noise.  You'll get better attention (and receive better service).

Here are a few "follow up" tips:

• Track your package.  If you use a mac, add the Delivery Status widget to your Dashboard.  It makes tracking one-click away.  Don't wait for the e-tailer to confirm delivery of your package.  It may be sitting in the warehouse.
• E-mail the e-tailer to confirm receipt of your package.  Again, it may be sitting in the warehouse.
• E-mail the e-tailer to confirm the processing of your package.  They should be able to tell you when you can expect your new item (in the case of an exchange/replacement) or when your cc will be credited (in the case of a return).  Some e-tailers process returns/exchanges weekly, rather than daily.
• Check your cc activity to confirm that you have received credit for your returned item.  Just because they say they're doing it doesn't mean they do it immediately.

I tend to send a follow up e-mail every other day, so as to be not too annoying.  Think about it this way:  if they can charge you immediately for your purchase (and yes, in some cases, they won't charge until they ship), you shouldn't have to wait for forever (okay, weeks) to get your new item or a credit back on to your cc.  And if it still takes forever, you'll know never to shop there ever again.  Customer service does make a difference.

OldNavyWeekly.com: Gone Forever In 2 Days!

I love games and OldNavyWeekly.com offered a great one:  searching for coupons!  I am sad to report that Old Navy is closing shop on OldNavyWeekly.com.  Coupons will be available through other means:  Twitter, Facebook, Google Alerts and phone texts.  That'll do, Old Navy, but it won't be quite as fun...

TheOutnet.com's 1st B-Day Sale...

I received an e-mail from TheOutnet.com (the sister sale site for Net-A-Porter.com) promoting the site's 1st Birthday Sale that will happen on 4/16/10.  On that day, everything in that sale will be $1.  The catch is that you can only purchase one item.  One lucky lady, however, will be able to purchase 5 items for $5.  I'm not holding my breath that I'll be that lucky day, but I will be hoping that (a) the site doesn't crash and (b) there will be something that I want in my size in stock.  There are too many junk mid-day and evening pop-up sales these days (hello...I'm talking to you Neiman Marcus and Saks).  You have to RSVP to gain access to this sale, so if you're going to make a mad dash (figuratively speaking, of course) when it starts like I am, rsvp now!  The start time of the sale has yet to be released.  Good luck!!

Random Thought: Buffets

When you go to buffets, do you "plate" your food or does your food just look like mish-mash of stuff?  Apparently, I plate my food because the guy next to me told me that my food looked really good.

Loehmann's: Bachelorette Dress?

I'm attending a bachelorette party in two weekends so I decided to head on to Loehmann's because I need (fine, I want) a new "night out" dress.  I am seriously considering the following dark purple Tart dress ($49.99):

  
It's a person-dress rather than a hanger-dress.  By this I mean that it looks better on you (or in this case, me!) than on the hanger.  I'm sure you've already noted that it's a jersey dress...which makes it seem not very dressy for a "night out" dress.  However, the deep dark purple color and the purple crystal detail in the back makes it dressier IRL.  It's slinky, sexy and slighty saucy.  What else could you ask for in a $49.99 dress for a bachelorette party?  Hmm...maybe Sunshine won't approve of this dress.  If you don't tell him, I won't!

Bonus 2:  Today was the last day for Loehmann's "25% off all denim" sale.  And boy did I luck out.  I picked up a pair of Ernest Sewn jeans for my mom. They're mid-rise with a slight boot cut.  I found them on clearance for $34.90 but after the 25% off denim discount and my 10% Insider Club Gold discount, they were only $23.61!  I think I earned some brownie points with these jeans.  ;)

Bonus:  I ran across another purple dress but it's got me planning for a beach vacation.  At $24.99, you can't afford not to buy this 2-in-1 beach cover-up/dress.  It's comprised of two layers: an inner cotton slip and a gauzy outer silk/cotton dress.   If you only wear the outer dress, you can use it as a beach/poolside coverup.  When you wear the inner slip and the outer dress, you're ready for a stroll and a casual lunch!

Capital One: The ONLY Credit Card You Should Be Using Abroad

Now that credit card companies have re-characterized the "foreign exchange" fee into a "foreign transaction" fee, you're going to get smacked with a "foreign" fee no matter how you charge a purchase when traveling abroad.  All cc companies are now charging you for simply using your cc in a foreign country whereas many cc companies used to only charge you when they were required to calculate your international purchase from foreign currency into U.S. dollars.

So cc's that I used to use when I could get a foreign merchant to charge in U.S. dollars are now gathering dust (Citibank - cough, cough).  With many foreign transaction fees equaling 3%, it really adds up fast.  The ONLY exception to this foreign transaction fee lockdown is Capital One.  They do not charge a foreign transaction fee.  If you're taking a vacation abroad, make sure you apply for a Capital One credit card beforehand.  Capital One is the ONLY cc that you should be using abroad!

AsterAlice - Cross-Body Bag Deals!

Lately, I keep on reaching for my cross-body bag.  It's a random no-brand bag that I picked up from one of my travels last year.  It's convenient and cute.  And now I'm hooked.  I'm looking for another one and these three cross-body bags from AsterAlice.com are on sale and have caught my eye:  (Note:  Use code "SPRING" for an additional 15% off sale items!!  Code expires on 4/1/10.)

• Treesje Nude Crossbody Stud ($284) in grey (also available in white, bluette, black and red):

• Botkier Trigger Moto Clutch ($206.50) in silver (also available in washed denim (light blue) and hot pink):

• Rebecca Minkoff Beloved Mini ($288.75) in marshmallow:

[Images Courtesy of AsterAlice.com]