WinkNYC.com: Raffia Tote Anyone?

WinkNYC.com is offering 30% off all merchandise with code "DCWINK10" (excludes Hunter, J Brand and Sue London).  After my trip to Fire Island last weekend, I realized that I'm in dire need of a raffia tote for the beach!!  I'm liking these two options from Hat Attack and the prices are looking pretty reasonable to me after the 30% discount:

• Extra Large Raffia Tote ($99.40):

• Mixed Straw Texture Tote ($81.20):

[Images Courtesy of WinkNYC]

Video Review: Rebecca Minkoff's MAB-Mini

I've been getting requests for video reviews of Rebecca Minkoff bags...so here's my 1st one!  This is the Morning After Bag Mini in concord.  It's a GORGEOUS PURPLE!!  This is a fantastic, stuffable, medium-sized satchel that you can bring to work, take to drinks/dinner, and hang with over the weekend.  It's a no brainer in this color.  The MAB-Mini in black is nice, but this purple version is wayyyyyy better!



Special Thanks To Our Sponsor:  Luna Boston


Here's a pix of the front of the MAB-Mini...and a side view (so you can see the dog-leash clasp):

Tobi.com: Dress Appropriately For A Heat Wave

Tobi.com is currently offering 25% off all regular-priced dresses with code "JULYDRESS" (expires 07/09/10).  I guess that means that I'll have to take a break from the sale section, right?  This heat wave has been unbearable and I'm sure more are to come.  So with 100F temperatures in mind, I chose four very different but heat wave appropriate dresses.  They are all, however, light and loose-fitted; the last thing you want is a dress that sticks to you.

• Velvet Shaylen Cami Dress ($81) in silken:  I'm thinking romantic dinner date with this dress...

• Theory Jaylyn Asymmetrical Washed Silk Dress ($236.25) in watermelon:  I LOVE this dress!  It's very downtown chic but with a kick of color.  I would wear this to brunch, shopping, parties, drinks, dinner, etc...basically, almost everywhere.  :)   It's all about accessorizing!

• Mason by Michelle Mason Multi Strap Minidress ($255.75) in black:  This dress screams "Take Me Drinking/Dancing"!!

• Alice + Olivia Butterfly Seamed Dress ($222.75) in cream/black:  This dress is perfect for a casual day...

[Images Courtesy of Tobi]

Today Only: $6.99 Magazine Subscriptions!

I subscribe to tons of magazines because if I didn't, I would end up buying them from newstands...and it ain't cheap off the newstands.  It adds up.  For today only (7/8), select Hearst magazines are on sale for $6.99.  Most are 12 month subscriptions (Harper's Bazaar and Marie Claire) but some are only 6 month subscriptions (Elle).  (Note: This deal is for new subscriptions only.)

Use this link: $6.99 Magazine Subscriptions.

Breaking Out From The Heat: Home Facial Time!

Maybe it's the heat.  Maybe it's the trip to the beach (sand?).  Maybe it's my sunglasses.  I'm not sure of the exact cause, but I'm 100% sure that my face is breaking out.  I don't have huge angry mountains.  I have tiny scattered hills running parallel to my nose on the right side of my face.  They just appeared like magic, (black magic!) this Monday morning.

I'm not a huge fan of salon facials because for the most part, they're not much better than my home facials.  Plus, I don't like getting pressured into buying facial products at the end of the session.  I already buy more than enough facial products on my own.  KWIM?

I was hoping that the bumps would go away but last night, they were just screaming at me.  It was time for a home facial.  I've been using Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate and Malin + Goetz's Detox Face Mask.  Both are great products, but I'm starting too think that they're too gentle for the craziness that is my summer skin.

So I decided to bring out the big guns and really clean my face.  What does that mean for me?  I used Natura Bisse's Glyco Peeling 50% Pump and Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque.  And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised this morning when I looked in the mirror.  The bumps are most definitely tinier.  Hmm...I may have to adjust my summer skin care routine and do more home facials.

Note 1:  If you don't regularly use NB's Glyco Peeling Pump, the actual pump will jam up.  Don't forget to pump the NB Glyco Peeling Pump a little every so often to keep to keep it from jamming.

Note 2:  Make sure the cap for Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque jar is screwed on tightly when you're done.  Otherwise, the next time you open the jar, the masque will be dry, dry, dry!  (And then you'll be mad, mad, mad!)

Food Therapy: Frozen Finger Food

The current heat wave is driving me to want to eat lots and lots of ice-cream, gelato, sorbet, fruit bars, etc.  All of which I love eating but it's not helping my weight one bit.  And so I finally remembered the healthy alternative: frozen grapes!   It helps that grapes are currently abundant at the supermarket and more importantly, super sweet.   The frozen seedless red grapes below were purchased from Whole Foods:

The white film is just frost, not wax.  The great thing about frozen grapes is that you don't have to worry about them melting and creating a big mess.  Basically, they're sorbet balls you can pop into your mouth with your fingers (a frozen finger food?).  All of the taste and sweetness of a sorbet or fruit bar, and none of the guilt!!

Some websites have "directions" for freezing grapes, but let's be real.  You're freezing grapes.  It's not that hard:  wash, shake to remove excess water, put in tupperware and stick tupperware in freezer.

Note:  Some people have you roll your grapes in sugar.  If you have to do that to make the grapes less tart and thus edible, then your grapes are not sweet enough to be frozen (at least for me they're not).  Find sweeter grapes or stick with a fruit bar.  Frozen grapes become too messy to eat when coated with sugar...your fingers become sticky.  And for me that's the whole point of frozen grapes - they're a frozen finger food.

ShopBop.com: Not Your Basic Blues

ShopBop.com is having its "Up To 70% Of Everything Summer" sale!  There are literally thousands of items to choose from!!  I instantly zoomed in on these four head-turning blue pieces on sale: (Note: Available sizes are as of this posting.)

• Herve Leger Signature Essentials Strapless Bandage Dress ($696.50) in blue violet: (Available in L)

• Herve Leger Novelty Essentials V Neck Cocktail Dress ($896) in ultramarine: (Available in L)

• Chris Benz Oasis Short Dress ($247.50) in navy: (Available in size 6)

• LaROK Summer Love Romper ($173.60) in crushed wave: (Available in M/L)

[Images Courtesy of www.ShopBop.com]

Food Therapy: Turducken In A Can?

Every time Thanksgiving rolls around (and I know it's only July), I have one thing on my mind:  turducken.  I've never had the pleasure of tasting turducken but that hasn't stopped me from fantasizing about it.  Seriously...a chicken in a duck in a turkey?  At some point in my life I will try it!!  I just need to find someone to cook it for me.  My de-boning and stuffing skills are most definitely not up to snuff for this bird masterpiece.

Can you blame me if I was excited to see the following:

Turducken in a can?  It would be so bad that it's good!  In my excitement, I failed to read anything else but the word "turducken."  I also blame it on the tree that you see on the left.  It's covering up an important part of the ad that my friend had to point out to me:  "Pet Food Of The Year".  Yup....turducken for puppies.  Who knew?

Manhattan Sailing Club: Find Some Breeze On the Hudson

It's sweltering hot and you want to be active, but really, it's just too damn hot!  So what's a girl to do?  Go sailing!!  Last week, I went sailing with a friend (I'm calling her Skipper from now on...I'm crazy impressed with her sailing skills), who's a member of the Manhattan Sailing Club.  It's located at the North Cove Marina, which is basically in front of the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center.

Even though you're out in the sun it's much cooler on the water than it is on land.  Plus, the views are just spectacular!

• Downtown Manhattan:     

• Lady Liberty:

• Jersey City:

If you don't have a friend you can call Skipper to take you sailing, don't worry.  You have two other options:

• Basic Sailing:  You can take basic sailing lessons!  It's offered as an intensive weekend course or a 5-week weekday evening course (lessens are once a week).  For $390, it's cheaper than going away for the weekend and you'll have much more fun!!
• Clubhouse:  If the Basic Sailing course is too much of a commitment but you still want to be on the water, you can always visit MSC's floating clubhouse.  Transportation to the clubhouse is provided; the launch leaves from North Cove Dock F.  There's a $10 launch fee for guests and non-members.  There's a bar aboard the clubhouse but no real food; so if you want something to eat besides chips, it BYOF.

For more info, check out MSC's website:  www.myc.org.