Deals, Steals, & Indoor Diversions 11/1 - 11/7

The last few days have been horrendous.  I've been wanting to blog, primarily because I've been working from home this week due to being displaced by Hurricane Sandy, but unfortunately, work responsibility and figuring out where the hell my best friend, my sister, and my boyfriend kind of took precedence over JET.SET.GO.  Looks like this jetsetter is going to be landlocked for a little bit to say the least.  I'm happy to say that I finally got in contact with all three by this morning.  My heart pours out for those in the hurricane-affected areas, especially having it hit so close to home.  It's crazy to think that a week ago, New York was so sunny and bright like this.  I'm only posting a couple sales that I've seen around.  It appears Sandy's caused a bit of a snafu as far as deals go, but I've also posted a couple of diversions as well as a plea to give back!  Give back, ya'll!

Online & In-Store

• Anthropologie - 30% off fall furniture, 
• Banana Republic - The Anna Karenina Event, 25%-35% full priced items in store and online, on 11/1.
• Last Call by Neiman Marcus - Up to 50% off on online merchandise, ends 11/7.
• Madewell - Extra 25% off sale merchandise online with the code YIPPEE, and extra 30% off sale merchandise in store, ends 11/4.
• Neiman Marcus - Presale event in store

Diversions

• Ways you can help Hurricane Sandy Relief at New York Magazine
• Garance Dore on how to shop at Zara.
• Mini fashionistas Bryan Boy, Man Repeller, and Rachel Zoe on the Coveteur's new relaunch ad.
• Cat Bounce!  Your new favorite addiction.

Enjoy.

Eats & Treats: Rainy Day Afternoon Brunch at West Egg

It appears I'm stuck in Atlanta for the week, due to Hurricane Sandy ravaging the Northeast.  As such, it's a sweatshirt, hipster glass, rainbow shorts wearing kind of day while I sit on my kitchen table and ponder when is a good time to fix lunch.  It's 4:44 PM.  Hence, blogging and catching up on Gossip Girl seems to win ahead of making food.  While today appears sunny and cloudless from my window (this girl still has to work), Atlanta faced the lesser brunt of Sandy yesterday with strong winds, cold weather and misty skies.  One of my best girl friends from college Kyra was in town for our alma mater's homecoming game.  To commemorate her return, we brunched at one of the greatest Sunday Atlanta establishments of the last decade, West Egg Cafe.

Left to Right:  Coca Cola Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes, Oreo Cake & Pecan Pie; Banana Pudding

Located at the recently gentrified west side of Midtown at West Foundry Provisions, West Egg is not an easy miss on weekend mornings with a line ebbing out into the rest of the shopping center.  And naturally so. Any meal at West Egg combines southern comfort food with an East Village charm.  If you're looking home style breakfast and are willing to wait upwards of an hour and a half, then this is your place.  Like most Sunday mornings here, the scene was packed into the bakery and cafe area with Atlanta's fair share of fashionistas and hipsters, avoiding the chill.

West Egg Cafe at 1100 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, GA

To read more, click to the next page!

Travelogue: Musings on a Sunday in SoHo

At this point, I can probably go around traipsing like I'm a real New Yorker -- whatever that means.  I'm a fake New Yorker.  It's been a while since I've been back in this fair city.  So much so, that I acted like a deer in the headlights the moment I hoped into the taxi from the airport as my usual address slowly came back to me.  For a moment, I forgot where JZ lived, which would have in turn made for a homeless start to the weekend.  Fortunately, the ease and knowledge of the city crept back like the feeling in your fingertips when you just wake up.  It's like riding a bicycle.  Only, that bicycle is more like a state of mind.

Outdoor Market at Prince St. in SoHo; Manhattan Map cuffs.

Closing a successful weekend of rooftop welcome-back parties (aw shucks, you shouldn't have) and eating my feelings (bloat), we took one of my good girlfriends from home out to a New York Sunday brunch.  Given this is New York on a Sunday and us being early 20-somethings, no one showed up on time.  Not a single person.  This fortunately gave way to some exploration through right south of Houston St., or what you may know as the neighborhood of SoHo.  Yes, glorious SoHo.  The land of designer/hipster boutiques and where I assume pretty, famous people go to buy their goods.

While there were no pretty, famous people to be found, we did manage to stumble upon some amazing little shops and a street market on the way to the Tumi store to replace this monstrosity:  see "monstrosity."  For further elaboration of what we found, click the next page.  Click!  It's something interesting, I swear!

Deals & Steals 10/22 to 10/29

Here's the way I see it, by posting these sales, I'm helping spur retail sales by other people.  By helping spur retail sales by other, I'm helping improve the economy?  Nonsensical pish-posh, I know, but one, I'm in a political mood and two, this is what I happen to tell myself when I rock myself at night knowing that I can't spend too much money this month.  Then again, that promise never actually comes to pass.

Club Monaco Celine Cropped Parka, Anthropologie Onyx Scalloped Blouse; J. Crew Edie Calf Hair Wallet; Jewel Mint High Noon Necklace

In-Store

• Anthropologie - 25% off all sale clothing
• Ann Taylor - up to 60% off original prices
• Bloomingdales - 25% to 50% select sale merchandise, ends 10/28.

Online

• Anthropologie - 25% off all sale clothing.
• Ann Taylor - up to 60% off original prices
• Bloomingdales - 25% to 50% select sale merchandise, ends 10/28.
• Forever 21 - 50% off select outerwear
• J. Crew - Extra 30% off sale items, ends 10/26
• Jewel Mint - $15 off your first piece of jewelry with code JMFALL15
• Lord & Taylor - 25% of select merchandise and 10% off cosmetics with the code FRIENDS, ends 10/23
• Tory Burch - Private Sale, up to 60% off merchandise.

New York - Sales

• Club Monaco - Sample Sale, prices below $65 for apparel, 10/23 - 10/25, 261 W. 36th St. between 7th and 8th Ave.
• YSL - Sample Sale, bags, heels and apparel on sale, 317 W. 33rd St., between 8th and 9th Ave, 10/23 to 10/25
• Zadig & Voltaire - Sample Sale, up to 80% off apparel, 260 Fifth Ave., between 28th and 29th St, 10/25 to 10/28

Deals, Steals, & an Early Christmas Wish List

The good news?  I'm going to New York this Friday!  The bad news?  By the time I get there, most of the sample sales are almost done or picked over, which is terribly unfortunate since I've been gunning for new work clothes for a while.  There is a silver lining however.  Along with your usual rundown of sales and deals going on for this week, Target's blog "A Bullseye View" just released preview photos of their latest collaboration with Neiman Marcus.  First off, what?  Target has a blog.  Yes, I'm surprised too, darling.  Two, Neiman Marcus?  That's amazing.  Why yes, I agree as you probably tell by my deep obsession.  Target is working with designers like Jason Wu, Diane von Furstenberg, Lela Rose, Tracy Reese, Marc Jacobs and heaps of other designers in designing everything from Rodarte gift wrap to Oscar de la Renta dog bowls.

Left to right, Top to bottom:  Neiman Marcus for Target Rodarte Christmas Ornament, DVF Jewelry Box, Tracy Reese Sequin Blouse, Rag + Bone Flask, Lela Rose Dress

You can read more at A Bullseye View here.  The collection is supposed to be released to Target on December 1st, and I could not be any more excited.  I'm in love with the Rodarte Christmas ornaments and the Lela Rose dress.  Not to mention, the Rag & Bone flask would make a great gift for any special gentleman.  Maybe it's a good thing I'm not shopping too much this weekend after all?

Oh well, click the next page for a taste of what's going on in the sale world today.  I'll probably add more as the week progresses or if things turn up.  There aren't terribly much as far, but I'm sure with some digging starting Thursday, there will be much more.

Travelogue: A Champagne Wedding Day

Much to the point of mockery from some of my friends (and even a bit of point of avoidance by a certain someone -- I jest), I love weddings.  Then again, it's probably the Disney princess in me talking, but I love the dresses, the decorations, the flowers, the mustaches on sticks, lit up mason jars,and photobooths... alright, scratch that, I love a good hipster wedding.  While it wasn't quite that hipster, my cousin played bride to a gorgeous wedding at the B.R. Cohn winery in Sonoma Valley California.  For the sake of respecting their privacy and that I want to watch the debate, I'm just going to post some pictures of some knick-knacks from the wedding that I particularly enjoyed.  Enjoy the pretty, fall romance of it all.

BR Cohn Winery

Travelogue: Adventures in Hipstergram

Starting earlier this week, I'm going to be away from home for three weeks.  Of course, there's the obligatory trips to New Hampshire for work, but I'll be headed to California, Boston and then New York before the month's end.  Part of me is thinking it's about time since I haven't been outside of my normal routine for more than a month now.  Then again, I could use another weekend living in my own apartment.  It also didn't hurt that last weekend was my birthday.  In any case, here are some super hipster pictures made even more super hipster from Instagram from what could have been deemed a super hipster weekend that consisted of the Neiman Marcus Sale, a birthday plane ride courtesy of my friend Salvador, and a coincidentally stumbled upon food truck fair in the hipster part of Atlanta (Inman Park).  Oh, did I relish in it...

Left to Right, Top to Bottom:  (1) J. Crew Factory Camp Shirt and Joe Jeans; (2) Black Vince Sheath Dress at Neiman Marcus; (3) View of Spaghetti Junction on Sal's plane; (4) Work dress line-up at the Neiman Marcus sale; (5) My friend Eric and I looking chic in our air-wear; (6) Filipino street food and bubble tea from FlipOne; (7) Hello Kitty band-aids; (8) Inman Park's "Atlanta Streets Alive" festival; (9) View from the plane of Lake Lanier Islands

To check out my of my hipstergrams (if you are at all interested, which I'm guessing you're not), check out my Instagrid.  Also, if you have any good recommendations for places to check out in NorCal, Boston, or New York, let me know.  I'm all ears.  Holler at your girl down below in the comments!

Weekly Deals and Steals 10/6 - 10/12

I know, I know.  Technically, the window of shopportunity (yes, that's a pun and yes, I'm ashamed I just pulled that one) has not ended since the last post, but there are way too many deals going on for me to be silent. Alright, well, not terribly many, but some really good deals if you search hard.  I think the best I've seen is Ann Taylor Loft's jewelry selection, with earrings and necklaces as low as $12.  Check it out.

Online

• Ann Taylor - Extra 25% off sale items
• Ann Taylor Loft - Extra 50% off sale items
• C Wonder - Extra 50% off sale items
• French Connection - 25% off any purchase with code AW12CD, ends 10/8
• Neiman Marcus - 40-65% off sale items, with 10% off two select sale items and 20% off three or more select sale items, ends 10/9
• Tory Burch - Extra 25% off with the code TBFRIENDS, ends 10/8

In-Store

• Madewell - Extra 25% off sale items, ends 10/8
• J. Crew Factor - Extra 40% off pants at J. Crew Factory stores

Travelogue: Inside the Spanish Shopping Scene

In retrospect, I realize that writing about a 10-day trip chronologically more than a month after the trip occurred can get a bit strained.  One, because I never had very good memory to begin with.  Two, because it's almost October so what really is the point to talk about summer clothing when the leaves are changing colors and the days become shorter?  As such, why not change how to approach the situation and jump around by what's most interesting.  As a mentor in the paper biz once told me (yes, college newspaper now officially counts as "the biz"), "write about what you know and what you love... the rest will flow from there."  As evidenced by about 70% of this blog, you know what I'm talking about.

Zagora in the Alfalfa neighborhood of Sevilla.

About seven days into the trip, we finally had some time to do some real-honest-to-blog shopping in Sevilla, which is this gorgeous, romantic city in the south of Spain.  Known primarily for its winding roads and beautiful Islamic-influenced architecture, Sevilla also had quite the shopping district, almost unmarred by the pickpocketers and riff-raff commonly found in other major European cities.  While wandering through the streets of Sevilla, you can encounter any standard international brand like Zara, H&M, and MANGO, but I think my favorite part was finding little gems like the ones in the Alfalfa neighborhood of Sevilla.

Inside of Zagora

Zagora had to be one of my favorite picks as far as small independent shops go in Sevilla.  Filled with enough vibrant fascinators to make Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice a little jealous.  Not to mention, the dresses had a fun Anthropologie style to them, and were rather nicely priced at about 40-60 euros a piece.  My favorite had to be the tote bags on the right, straight from Japan.

I've got more where that came from.  Looking for the Spanish version of Zara or Mango?  Wait... Zara and Mango are already Spanish?  Darn, well, I've got some more.  Just click the next page.