Reverse-Reverse: 2 Inhabit Knits For You!

It's rain and cold outside.  All I think about are plushy pajamas and cozy knits.  Thanks to RevolveClothing.com's Reverse-Reverse.com website, I can satisfy my longing for cozy knits!  Here are two super-discounted Inhabit sweaters:

• Cashmere Drape Cardi ($141) in lichen:  I love cardigans like this Drape Cardi because you can throw it with jeans and a tank, and you're out the door in a second.  It's not just an effortless chic look...it really is effortless and chic!

• Chunky Hooded Pullover ($90) in flannel:  Wear a long-sleeve t-shirt underneath this pullover and it becomes an all-winter pullover!

[Images Courtesy of Reverse-Reverse]

Food Therapy: Hill Country Chicken

The other weekend, for Foodette's B-day dinner, a group of us headed on over to Hill Country Chicken.  Given my love for Hill Country's smoked chicken wings, I had high expectations (too high?) for Hill Country Chicken.  I wasn't completey disappointed but I wasn't overly impressed.  The fried chicken was good but not the best.  (My personal favorite is still Rack & Soul near Columbia University at 258 W 109th St.)

The setup at Hill Country Chicken is similar to Hill Country: cafeteria style.  You wait in line to order and pick-up your food.  Then you make a mad dash to find a table (if someone from your group hasn't already "saved" one).

You have a choice between fried chicken with skin (Hill Country Classic) and fried chicken without skin (Mama Els').  As a person who immensely enjoys fried chicken skin, my gut reaction was to order everything with skin.  Foodette convinced both Big Buddha and me that we should also try the fried chicken without skin.  Since it was her B-day, we reluctantly agreed.

To my surprise, Mama Els' fried chicken was good!  The meat was juicy and the coating (albeit skinless) was crispy and tasty.  To my disappointment, Hill Country Classic fried chicken was just okay. The skin was crispy but not as tasty as Mama Els' version and the meat was drier.

I did, however, fully enjoy the blistered corn salad.  We also ordered the cheesy fried mashed potatoes and the creamy coleslaw.  They were good but not great.  I would have appreciated mac-n-cheese as a side order.  I also would have enjoyed sweet tea, like they have at Hill Country!!  Instead, they had mint iced tea.  As a lover of sweet tea, it just wasn't the same.

Hill Country Chicken is a good addition to the neighborhood but if you're craving for really, Really, REALLY great fried chicken, troop it up to Rack & Soul (Note: It's not the hippest/newest/friendliest/well-maintained restaurant, but after one bite of the fried chicken, you're not going to care.  Plus, they have sweet tea!)

Loehmann's: 20% Off Entire Purchase!!

It's been a while since I've been pleasantly surprised by Loehmann's and I'm pleased to say that I was pleasantly surprised today due to the following: Loehmann's 20% Off Entire Purchase Coupon!!

The coupon expires on 10/4/10 (Mon), so use it before you lose it.  ;)

ShopBop: Facing Fall

Thanks to the heat waves last month, I've been in denial about the arrival of Fall.  Now that it's October 1, cool and rainy, I've come to accept that Summer has ended and Fall is here.  I'm looking forward to my cozy sweaters and plushy blankets!  With that in mind, I found these 3 Fall-appropriate items on sale at ShopBop.com:

• Ugg Sweater Knit Scuffette Slippers ($40) in navy (only Size 6  is available):  Comfy slippers for the house/apartment!

• Elizabeth and James Myla Deep V Cardigan ($185.30) in black:  The zipper makes this cardigan perfect for lounging/errands.

• Haute Hippie Dolman Sleeve Cardigan ($137.50) in light heather grey:  Oversized and slouchy-chic, throw this cardigan on over skinny jeans and a tank and you're good to go! 

[Images Courtesy of ShopBop]

Stefanibags.com: Happy 3-Yr Anniverary Sale!!

It's Stefanibags' 3-Yr Anniversary and in celebration, they're offering a One-Day Sale (30% off) on all Kooba, Botkier, Linea Pelle and Treesje bags (good for both regular priced and SALE). Use code "PARTY30" (expires 9/27/10).  Here are three bags to snap up (2 of which are on sale!): (Note: Prices reflect 30% discount.)

• Treesje Crimson ($256.20) in black:  If you need a little more info on this rocker chic cross-body bag, check out my video review of it (Video Review: Treesje's Crimson)!

• Botkier Uma Satchel ($349.30) in black:  A classic Botkier bag at a great price (Video Review: Botkier's Uma Satchel)!

• Linea Pelle Dylan Medium Tote ($301) in black:  Gunmetal hardware...need I say more?

[Images Courtesy of Stefanibags]

White + Warren: Drape Neck Cardigan

I was able to nab this White +Warren cashmere Drape Neck Cardigan for $100 on NeimanMarcus.com:

It was on sale for $150 (and still is), but thanks to a $50 promotional gift card from Neiman Marcus, it brought the price down to $100.  Throw in free shipping, how could I not get it??  My old dry-cleaners had shrunk my previous White + Warren cashmere cardigan, so I'm happy that I finally found a replacement at such a great price!

Note: Even if you didn't receive a $50 promotional gc from Neiman Marcus, $150 for this cardigan is still a great deal!  Use code "NMSEPT" to get free shipping (expires 9/27/10).

Prescription-Strength Hydroquinone: Not Covered By Insurance But Still Cheaper Than Whitening Beauty Products

Last week, I went to a follow-up appointment with my oral surgeon.  I went in knowing that he was going to admonish me for getting a tan on my recent trip to Bermuda.  And yes, he did admonish me.  He re-stressed to me that tanning and scarring don't mix.  Basically, he was thinking, "What the hell was she thinking??"  

I was really good the entire summer.  I avoided tanning and I used sunblock every day.  But when I'm on vacation, I just can't help it.   I like to tan when on vacation.  I still use sunblock but when you're on the beach, you tan.  KWIM?  

So what did this mean for me?  Before I could start my laser resurfacing treatment to correct the scarring below my lower lip, I had to lighten up the scar area.  My doctor prescribed to me prescription-strength hydroquinone (4%) - the generic version.

Much to my surprise, prescription-strength hydroquinone - even the generic version - is usually NOT covered by insurance.  Cash price for generic hydroquinone cream (4%) was $43.  Okay...this is not a huge amount of money, but what the heck am I paying my health insurance company for?  Per the pharmacist, hydroquinone is considered a cosmetic prescription, so most health insurance plans do not cover it.  I argued that I needed it for corrective purposes, not cosmetic but it fell on deaf ears.

I've been using the bleaching cream for a few days now... and not just on the scarring below my lower lip but also on a dark spot on my left leg.  I don't know about the scarring below my lower lip, but the dark spot on my left leg has lightened in a most dramatic manner.

What's the point of this post?  If you're out there buying over-the-counter bleaching products to lighten darks spots, consider going to your dermatologist for prescription-strength hydroquinone. Even at $43, there's a good chance that it's still cheaper than whitening beauty products from a department store.

Food Therapy: Simply Lite's Dark Chocolate Bar

I am an unabashed chocolate lover (addict?) and I LIVE for dark chocolate!  For me, it's all about the taste and not about the sugar, carb or calorie content. This means that if there's a dark chocolate bar in the house, I eat first and ask questions later.

Usually, the chocolate in the house belongs to me but a few weeks ago, I found this dark chocolate bar lying around:

I didn't really look at the label except for the part that reads, "Dark Chocolate" and immediately, I started eating away.  It was actually pretty good and I took a second look at the label.  I was surprised to find that its was low carb, sugar free and gluten free.

Simply Lite's Dark Chocolate bar is sold at Trader Joe's and I'm pretty sure that I've bypassed it many times due to the "Sugar Free" labeling.  (Have I mentioned that I'm a sugar addict too?)  This is a good option if you're trying to be healthy but still need a chocolate fix.

Would I buy this myself?  Maybe...I do feel significantly less guilty when eating a Simply Lite Dark Chocolate bar than when eating a Vosges Dark Chocolate bar.  But it feels a bit too healthy for me.  Dark chocolate should be a luxury and an indulgence.  However, if I find another bar lying around the house, I will most definitely eat it again.

Note:  People have stated that they've had some issues with the maltitol, a sugar substitute, in Simply Lite's Dark Chocolate bar (think Olestra), but I haven't had any problems.  Maybe I have a stomach of steel?