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February 20th, 2009
Recently a bestie was in town from Portland, which meant a much-needed shopping spree. We were in the moment and totally splurged on an over-priced purse. We were convinced by the bestie we would use this glorious butter leather purse with a splash of 1970s Bowie cool for the rest of our recessionista life. The truth is, our glorious purchase has been tucked away in the trunk of our car because of our shopper’s remorse. When we finally had the balls to pull it out of hiding we oohed and ahhed but quickly hid it in the back of our closet where it remains unused and with tags. Interestingly, we learned something new about ourselves with our latest guilt-ridden splurge. As punishment, we’ve decided to torture ourselves with Cup-O-Noodles for lunch for three weeks and deprive our very being from enjoying our lovely new purchase—kind of like the mother from “Flowers in the Attic” depriving her children of sunshine. Oh dear! |
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| Phoenix Picks: | |||
| 1 | Perfect to the T “Ho-hum, another boutique,” we thought as we eyed the shop from the inside of our car. We confess: lately we’ve become a little jaded, especially when it comes to finding a unique store that will have us salivating with lust and want. We were beginning to call it a lost cause until we got out of the car and made it inside. Located in (drum roll, please) a Scottsdale strip mall, T’s Accessories proved to be filled with all kinds of wonderful. Ed Hardy shirts on super discount and lots of great baubles like peace symbol rings and necklaces, zodiac-sign necklaces, gold and silver cuff bracelets, and leather studded bracelets. Suddenly, we were reconnected with our old days as a bartender at a rock n’ roll bar on Sunset Boulevard. In a good way. We longingly eyed a Betsey Johnson clutch purse and a few jewels to complement our spring wardrobe. With dresses, sweaters, jeans, and so much more, this is the place to go if you’re in need of something hip, sparkly and totally now. T's Accessories |
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| 2 | For Heaven's Cakes As a bride-to-be in less than two months, we're a little on edge. There are details to obsess over, pounds to lose, hair and skin to primp… we have quite the full plate. You can only imagine the poop storm that hit the fan when our cake-baker disappeared off the face of the earth just the other week, leaving us with nothing. In a panic, we frantically searched the 'net for bakery options. We went to several, but the dust bunnies rolling around on the floor and the cockroaches chasing them sent us scurrying out. In near tears, we dramatically flung ourselves at the doors of My Goodness Cakes. Brian, the owner, could not have been sweeter, his store couldn't have been cleaner and his cake couldn't have been moister. He very graciously agreed to do our cake (even though it was so close to the date) and helped us plan down to the most minute detail (he understands the bride's need to obsess). Now, with all that taken care of, we can focus on other things, like how to drop 40 pounds in eight weeks. My Goodness Cakes |
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| 3 | It’s Not a Conspiracy (or Is It?) “Project Runway” and the economy have made us into DIY designers. But it seems few of us actually do it well. We can't even begin to describe the botched hemming job we did on a pair of jeans. Why do designers make them so long anyway? |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Knickers, Eh? There was a point when we were into the frilly girly underthings. Now we’re sensible. We hate to call them granny panties, but let’s be realistic here. They aren’t saucy, that’s for sure. Turning pieces out in luscious silks and bamboo, designer Gabrielle Adamidis brings lingerie to adoring new heights—without being tacky. Her pretty-in-pink meets sex-kitten Willow Camisole is original and daring, yet tasteful and refined—and adds needed flair to our boring third-drawer basics. |
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| 2 | Pretty Up the Planet We readily admit to being a bit of a nerdy-bird, and we definitely subscribe to the philosophy of “waste not, want not,” so we were immediately smitten with the strangely alluring plantable papers we spied at Botanical Paper Works. Every paper on this eco-friendly site, from stylish wedding invites to birth announcements and thank yous, is made to be lovingly planted in the earth, magically transforming what would be garbage into beautiful blossoms. |
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| 3 | Way of “The Shrimp” If we had endless gobs of money we would be dressed head to toe in designer duds and John Galliano would be our BFF. We especially get weak knees for those old-school designers: Halston and YSL, Ossie Clark, Emilio Pucci, Biba, Thierry Mugler and Jean Varon leave us filled with desire and envy. Shrimpton Couture is just what the doctor ordered when we need a dose of vintage spectacular. The price is right, the picking is good and owner Cherie updates her offerings often. Seriously, one of the best kept secrets on the Web! |
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| Event of the Week: | |||
The Native You We're suckers for art parties. The scenery is fetching, the catering is delish, the champagne flows to our liking, and the crowd boasts some of the best-dressed mavens in the Valley. The Heard museum especially knows how to throw a party! Swing by the museum's new evening series called NU (Native + You) to enjoy the good things in life—an awesome vibe, browsing the museum and the salon featuring artists Will Wilson and Steve Yazzie, and cocktails, all while lounging to music from local band Dear and the Headlights and DJ Fienx. What: Heard Museum’s NU (Native + You) evening series |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | A Red Hot Trading Post Gather up your couture toy doubles and some trade bait such as ugly dolls, momijis and pecandpals because it's time for another Red Hot Robot trading party! Bring in your trade, see what everyone else has, strike a deal and go home happy! It’s how we like to do business. What: Red Hot Robot’s Trading Party |
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| 2 | Massage Your Stimulus We’re glad we’re not the only ones suffering from a serious financial crunch. During these tough times we get to know who really cares for us—like Just Breathe! Just Breathe has reduced memberships starting at $39/month. Stop by now to see if you qualify, or take advantage of some other price-saving goodies, like their Community Sundays. What: Just Breathe Stimulus 100 Programs |
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| 3 | Fashionistas, Save the Date The FGI group is hosting its annual Fall 2009 Fashion Fever, which is perhaps one of the most quintessential events for Valley fashionistas. You’ll get a taste of what’s coming off the runways in New York, London, Milan and Paris, and enjoy an evening of fashion discussion. It’s a wonderful reason to dress up! |
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BTW, if you haven’t made it out to try the metro light rail, we highly recommend you do so ASAP. It’s a great way to see our growing city, and be sure to swing by your local boutiques and restaurants for an additional taste of Phoenix and Tempe! |
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