More Coffee Talk

As you may have noticed already I am a bit obsessed with coffee. I like coffee served in a variety of ways. Somedays a sweet skim latte does the trick, somedays a robust Americano is what I crave. At home, my Senseo Pod Coffee Maker is my new faithful companion, always ready, always supportive, always home. But I think I've reached a new level of caffinated bliss. Now I can combine the convenience of my Senseo with my taste for Starbucks roasty goodness. While checking the ShopLocal Web site at work, I came across the Starbucks Espresso Roast Pods. The hits just keep on coming. Now all I need to do is get a sleeve of paper cups and plastic lids.

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

Special Bulletin: Luella Bartley at Target

After years as a fashion editor at Vogue and The Eveneing Standard, Luella Bartley started her own line and achieved great international success with her energetic designs that combine a punk rock sensibility with appealing girlish shapes and colors. Her clothes are the kind that entice the eye and terrify the wallet, until now. This weekend I happened to be at Target while they were unloading the first shipment of Luella , Bartley's new line of cheap and fashionable clothes. Wow! What luck! Unlike Stella McCartney's designs for H&M, Bartley's clothes are well shaped with flattering lines in lively colors and whimsical patterns. I couldn't wait to start trying on pieces and collecting my favorites. There was a little of everything, tops, bottoms, jackets and accessories. Pants were pretty straightforward, nothing too inventive, but there was a darling green tulip skirt and a checked, strapless dress with a full skirt that looked great with a black leather motorcycle jacket. Several items featured an adorable cherry pattern, a theme found in everything from jacket linings to canvas bags and wallets. The accessories were bold yet sophisticated in easy to wear colors like savory orange and inky black. My favorite was an elegant cuff that was just $12.99. Overwhelmed by so many good things I limited myself to one purchase, a little navy jacket with white stitching and that great cherry pattern lining. I’ll wait till after payday to go back for more. Hurry up and get to Target before it’s all gone!

Check out Luella at Target!

Back from the Riviera

Hurray! The sun finally showed up in Tulum and I was able to get appropriately tanned. The tip of my nose is a little red, but nothing a little moisturizer can't fix. I feel refreshed and very relaxed.

It was a bit challenging to wake up for work this morning, not because it was early, but because it was so dark and grey. We had been waking up early to a sun filled room every morning and enjoying a cup of coffee on the beach. There was no coffee on the beach for me today.

Once I pried my head off the pillow and found my way to the bathroom in the darkness of January in Chicago, I got in a hot shower and tried to figure out what to wear. My Senseo coffemaker offered me some comfort in the shape of a frothy mug of java. After a week in flip flops and shorts, I felt a pang of sorrow as I selected a turtleneck. With a sigh I checked my email before leaving the house. The little grey mailbox was stuffed with a dozen yellow envelopes. What could these be? Suddenly my screen was awash with emails heralding end of season sales from every clothing store imaginable, from J.Jill to the cute boutique down the street. Everyone is getting rid of fall and winter clothes to make way for spring fashions! This is how I can cushion the blow of returning to a Chicago winter. Defensive shopping!! A pair of boots at 70% off, a cozy jacket for half off , cashmere sweaters at two for one! The options are endless.

Follow my lead! Tough out these last weeks of winter by shopping for great deals on clothes. Picking out the perfect new summer sundress is fun, but you can find super savings on a lot of great winter clothes that you can wear right now.

Good luck and Good Shopping!

Still Raining

Since it´s been raining on and off since we got here, my husband and I have been talking about where our next vacation should be. We both love beach vacations (when there is some sun involved). But for our next trip I want to go somewhere with great indoor activites, like museums and shopping. Maybe we can plan a trip to Paris or Barcelona.

It looks like the sun might come out sometime today, but in the mean time I think I´m going to surf the net, maybe buy a cute skirt or a pair of pretty flats. That will cheer me up. Now if I could only order some sunshine online.

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

Tulum: Traveler´s Paradise

I´m blogging from one of the many internet cafes in Tulum, Mexico. For a little town with only one main street, access to the information super highway is cheap and easy.

It´s hot and humid and I love it! My husband and I are staying in a charming cabana on the beach shaded by palm trees and surrounded by the roar of the surf. It was rainy yesterday so we did a lot of eating, drinking and shopping. I bought a beautiful beaded cuff and a colorful necklace of polished stone. I also have my eye on a light linen sundress.

Even in the remote reaches of the Yucatan I can still shop in store or online. I love it!! Maybe ShopLocal can open an office in Tulum...hmmm...

Just 40 More Hours!

The minutes crawl by as I try desperately to stay focused at my desk. In two days I'll be in the tropical embrace of Mexico's Mayan Riviera, soaking up sun and sippin' on icy margaritas. I've been packed and ready to go for a week, stumbling over my luggage every morning, prepared like a colonial minute-man ready to charge to the airport when the time is right. My husband thinks I'm nuts. He waits to pack until the last possible moment. Amateur. I like to pack early and then take time to reflect on how I've packed, what I've packed and what I've forgotten. Sometimes I even take some things out of my suitcase. I'm trying to travel light on this trip, go with the beach bum theme. I've rolled up a few stretchy sundresses, lined my bag with flip flops and stocked about five bathing suits (they're small!)

What I never skimp on are toiletries and sundries. We're staying in a very rustic place, just a handful of thatched-roof bungalows powered by generators and wind, so in preparation, I went to Target and stocked up on everything. In addition to the usual mini- toothpastes and shampoos, I also found a small first aid kit, handi-wipes, travel size toilet paper (who knows how rustic it'll get), Kleenex, little candles (no electricity after 8pm), bug spray (someone said they saw a tarantula one year), lots of suntan lotion (SPF 1500), Imodium (it's Mexico you know), trail mix to snack on, and a waterproof camera. I'm bringing moisturizer but no make up, some color from the sun is all I'll need. Whoa! I almost forgot to make room for our snorkeling equipment. Whew.

Stay tuned because I'll be blogging from the Caribbean!

Good Luck and Good Shopping!!!

Food! Glorious Food!

On my way to the office today, I took a detour through a newish gourmet food store here in Chicago called Fox and Obel. It's been around for a few years, but today was my first visit. It's fantastic! It reminds me of the great places in NYC like Dean and Deluca and Citarella. Clusters of savory spreads and sweet preserves from around the world huddle next to boxes and bags of specialty snacks and crackers. Bins of artisan boules and baguettes look tempting next to rows of infused oils and tangy vinegars. The deli counter is stocked with beautiful, imported smoked meats and seafood as well as prepared dishes like succulent beef roulade, plump twice-baked potatoes and herb crusted ahi tuna. Around the corner I found a huge international cheese selection full creamy blocks and wedges of the finest fromage right next to racks of great wines. Thankfully, there was a little cafe in the store as well so I could assuage my then ravenous appetite. The menu presented a gauntlet of delectable choices from fresh omelets to grilled paninis. I settled on a bowl of chunky gumbo and a crusty French roll. So often I lunch on humdrum salads and lackluster sandwiches out of convenience and cost consciousness. But, for just a little more, I can choose from a wide variety of wonderfully prepared foods and enjoy a nice walk and some fresh air. Local specialty grocers provide great lunchtime dining options. The next time you're in danger of sitting down to a fast food lunch, find a gourmet grocer and enjoy. You're body’s worth it!

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

In Between Days

January finds us adrift in shopper's purgatory, a retail limbo in between seasons, a place where shopping has lost its purpose. After Christmas sales are a fading memory and winter sale items are running out of stock. It's too late to buy a pair of boots and too soon for sandals. Department stores offer some comfort with white sales and clearance racks but that's weak subterfuge for the aisles raked barren to make way for the coming spring merchandise. Garish Valentine's Day merchandise tries to distract us with sweets and love notes but we know better. There's no good shopping for a few more weeks. Some shops even try to tease us with previews of warm weather clothes, knowing that a crocheted dress would languish in our closet for months.

Times like these that are about planning not action. This is a window of opportunity to explore our coming style options, make some choices and save accordingly. Will you revamp your whole wardrobe in the spring? Or will you just get a few pieces to update your old favorites. In any case, you'll probably try to find your way back to the gym as well. After a few weeks of holiday cocktails and rich meals I made my way back to the gym along with most of Chicago I think. It's been bumper to bumper on the stationary bikes and getting into a cardio-kickboxing class is like waiting to see Star Wars in '77. But hang in there my fellow shoppers. Get some exercise and build up your endurance for the coming shopping season.

Next time I'll give you the lowdown on spring/summer fashions.


Looking for ways to get back in shape? Start here!

Good Luck and Good Shopping

PS Just 4 more days until I leave for sunny Mexico!

As if things could get any better...

So I'm browsing the grocery aisle at Target and what do I see? Right before my eyes appear rows of coffee pods for my Senseo in a myriad of flavors including a rich, delicious French roast. Hurray!

4:30 am is Actually Nighttime, Right?

This morning my alarm went off at 4:30am rousting me from my beloved slumber so I could go downtown and put people in wedding gowns. Before I landed this cushy job, I freelanced as a fashion stylist. This means that on sets and photo shoots I was in charge of ironing, pining, hemming, steaming, taping, gluing, stitching, tacking, and assembling just about anything and everything. It was fun for a time but I am grateful for the safety of my cubby and trusty computer. However, yesterday my former agent asked if I would help her out and do one tinier job. Pushover that I am, I said okay. The job was only a few blocks from my office and I thought, why not. So, at 5:05am I left my house under the cover of night and took the train downtown. It turns out things are very quiet and clean at that hour. The station smelled of Pine Sol, the train car was spotless, and I distinctly smelled air freshener as I walked under the "L" tracks. Nothing was open, but at least things smelled nice.

I am sleepy so I digress.

At the TV studios I found four women, four dresses and a lot of white. The dresses were from a fancy wedding dress shop called White Chicago that specializes in once worn designer dresses. I think a wedding dress is like a car. It's great to have a new one if you can afford it, but it depreciates so fast it's really best to get one used. Wedding dresses are outrageous, beautiful and wildly impractical. That's what makes them so great! Getting the dress of your dreams at a big discount makes them even better.

I lucked out. My mom made my wedding dress and I love it.

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

Squidley Diddley

My husband is kind of a media junky and he likes to keep our home WiFi-ed, HiFi-ed and TiVo'ed at all times. I would be lost without the internet and Uncle TiVo is the best, however, I really hate the cords and wires that nest in the corners of my house. I'm sure there are many very expensive high tech ways in which we could trick-out our home and hide/eliminate these unsightly connections; however we probably shouldn't dispose of anymore income on home entertainment.

So while we wait for our winning lotto numbers or that great stock market windfall, I found something called the PowerSquid. First of all the name is terrific. I'm a big fan of snorkeling and I love grilled calamari so, needless to say, the concept goes a long way with me. In fact, it does look a lot like a squid. It seems our old friend the power strip has evolved into a dynamic power delivery device that I can use for a lamp, a TV, my laptop, and my DSL. The flexible design and power surge protection makes the cords and wires much easier to manage and much safer. Now if I could just figure out what to name it.

Good Luck and Good Shopping

Becoming the Favorite Aunt (Vol.1)

When I was growing up my Aunt and I had a great game where I would refer to myself as her favorite niece and she referred to herself as my favorite Aunt. Though it was for fun at the time, she truly has grown to be my favorite auntie. She's mischievous and merry and we share the same name, really what's not to love. So needless to say, since becoming an auntie about a year and a half ago, it's been my goal to become my nephew's favorite Aunt (sorry Emma). Too young to appreciate monetary bribes, not quite capable of being wowed by my superior sense of humor and impervious to flattery for now, my nephew is subject to my only available weapon - toys. Until recently my gifts received acceptable yet not quite glowing receptions. Then I make a breakthrough with the Steer and Stroll Tricycle from Radio Flyer. He flipped! As soon as he saw the red and blue box he knew right away what it was. "Bi-cle! Bi-cle" he kept yelling as my husband struggled to assemble the trike. With glee my nephew scooped up the seat, placed it on his head and squealed with delight. His parents seemed to like it too. My nephew hates to sit in the stroller for too long and the trike is a nice compromise. It has a long handle in the back that allows an adult to navigate as the child pedals away. Its only downfall is the little bell on the handle bars that is somewhat headache inducing. I'm not sure how to top it, but I'll keep you posted.

Check out more Radio Flyer goodies!

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

Mr. Senseo (Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?)

I had my first cup of coffee when I was 7. (Perhaps that's why I'm not very tall) My Austrian grandmother poured a splash of fresh brewed coffee into a speckled blue tin cup and filled it to the brim with warm milk and a bit of sugar. From that moment I was bewitched by the toasty aroma and obsessed by its creation. My grandma made the coffee in a percolating pot on the stove top. Later, my mother made 12 cups at a time in the automatic drip and in college the deep caramel colored liquid flowed from giant coffee urns into Styrofoam cups. In search of my preferred method I've tried a French press (not enough coffee for the effort), an automatic drip with a separate coffee grinder (kinda messy) and once, in a pinch I used a paper napkin over a mug (not ideal). My counter top espresso machine was a disaster to say the least, too expensive, slightly dangerous (steam is hot!)And it broke after a year.

With a Starbucks around every corner I have neglected my search in recent years in favor of fast convenient coffee to go. In fact, I was quite happy with my $5 coffees until yesterday when I met Senseo. Phillips Electronics has brought Douwe Egberts coffee from the Netherlands to the world with a super fast and clean coffee maker called Senseo. Using petite pods of Douwe Egberts coffee the Senseo quickly and cleanly produces a fine frothy cup o' jo in under a minute just by pushing a button. Gone is the brutal noise of grinding beans in the morning, gone is the trail of grounds on the floor, no more are the stubborn stains on the counter. It's simple- load the pod, push the button, drink the java. There are also several coffee pod flavors to choose from. I started with Dark Roast and French Bistro Vanilla. Is it my favorite coffee of all time? No. However, it is quite tasty and the speed factor is huge especially when I really need the wake up call like Monday morning.

Senseo search on ShopLocal

Diagnosis: Indecisionitis

So this afternoon I took a trip to Sephora to use a gift card I received. A simple enough errand, right? Wrong! I was stricken by a severe case of indecisionitis. This is when you’re in a store and suddenly you are rendered helplessly incapable of choosing anything for an interminable amount of time and the sales people just make it worse. This happened to me today. I spent 40 minutes encased and sweating in my winter coat and hat standing before an array of Tarte Lip Gloss Duos asking myself "Do I want Rhett and Scarlet? Or am I more of a Johnny and Baby kind of person?" It was insane. At one point I tried to take a breather over by the bronzers and I nearly lost my mind altogether. So what brought this on? Was it the odd Hawaiian Punch smell that assailed my nostrils at the door, was it my elevated temperature or was it the battalion of sales people asking me every 36 seconds if I was doing okay? The answer is simple. Some things should be bought in person and some should be purchased online. You should try on jeans , you should lay on a mattress, and you should see a paint color. My downfall happened before I entered the store. My original plan was to buy my favorite face cream (Dr. Hauschka Rose Cream) and had I followed my plan all would have gone well. However, I chose to browse with a gift card in a store filled with things I like when I was short on time and on a budget. Had I unlimited time and a willingness to spend extra cash, there would be no problem. Unfortunately, I was on a lunch break and I had put myself on a spending freeze until my trip to Mexico. What I should have done use the gift card online to purchase the one thing I really wanted, avoiding the store entirely. Luckily, I didn't loose control and use the gift card and whatever plastic, paper or coin currency I had on me to buy everything in sight. Let that be a lesson to you. When in doubt, go online.

Good Luck and Good Shopping

I Sing the Kettle Electric

Through the ages, Americans have received so many good things from our brethren across the pond- English muffins, English Breakfast tea, English toffee, English language, England Dan and John Ford Coley, English Leather (well maybe not that last one). One of the more recent imports, though not much of a technological wonder, happens to be one of my favorites just below English muffins (and that's saying a lot). The electric tea kettle, common for years in most British homes has finally made its way into the hearts and kitchens of many Americans. I was given mine by my Englishwoman sister-in-law who makes the most perfect cup of PG Tips I've ever had. In 70 seconds this ingenious appliance brings a cup of water to boil. Gone are the days of piercing whistles and scalding metal kettles. But it's not just good for tea. In 70 seconds I can have a cup of soup, Hazelnut International Coffee or a creamy cocoa.

Its greatest feat, however, came on Christmas Eve.

Before my family was due to arrive, I jumped in the shower and lathered up my hair at the very moment the plumber was working on a leaky pipe downstairs. Just as the suds were at their peak, the water ran dry and all I heard was the hollow groaning of empty pipes. Cold water was plentiful, but I am not that strong. Once upon a time, I would have boiled water on the stove top and waited, shivering in the kitchen for lukewarm bath water. But not this time. In no time at all, I was filling up the tub with steamy water courtesy of my electric tea kettle. Christmas was saved. I love you Electric Kettle.


Good Luck and Good Shopping

To Thine Own Self Be Dewy

It's common knowledge that Chicago bears the brunt of some of Mother Nature’s worst temper tantrums. Yes, thankfully we are safe from disasters like tornados, hurricanes and earthquakes. However, what we get instead are harsh winters spiked with skin-numbing winds of damp, cold air and weeks of concrete grey skies.

Though born and bred here, my skin has never adapted. Every year when the weather snaps all moisture leaves my skin and I am desiccated like a piece of old shoe leather. But, try as I might to take preemptive measures, I'm left scrambling in January, hunting for more moisturizer. I usually begin my search at a fancy department store like Neiman Marcus or Barney's. There I'll let the people at the counter guide me through the maze of products as I collect little tubes and tubs of samples to try. Invariably, find something I like that my wallet detests. So, I move on to Walgreen's or CVS look for the basics. Aveeno in general makes really great low-cost products. I like their Bath Moisturizing Packets and my husband uses one of their facial moisturizers. Keri and Vaseline Intensive Care make nice fragrance-free lotions that aren't too greasy. My favorite body lotion has always been Jergen's Original Cherry-Almond Scent. It's rich enough to keep my skin hydrated, light enough to use everyday and the delicate fragrance reminds me of my Grandmother.

Don't delay! Protect your largest organ and get some good moisturizer.

Look for face and skin products here!

Good Luck and Good Shopping

Introducing The Merch Report

Every week I put together a snapshot of buying trends and product innovations for my co workers. Now that I have the blog I thought I'd share it with everyone!




Cool Internet Stuff

This week I discovered Google Earth, the latest ingenious service brought to us by those crazy kids at Google. Google Earth provides satellite maps of the entire globe. You can type in your address or an island in the Indian Ocean and it will show it too you. It also shows you every Starbucks. Wow.


The other fun site I visited is called The Name Voyager a. The site ranks the 1000 most popular baby names since the 1800's. You can type in your name or your co workers name (like Fred) and find out that his name hasn't been popular for over 100 years!

Geek Alert

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has been going on all week and a lot of cool new products have been previewed. Samsung presented both the largest LCD screen ("82) and the first Wireless Broadband (WiBro) phone. Pioneer introduced the "inno", the first portable XM2go radio.

Some Things are too Small

There are now three miniscule Bluetooth headsets available. Nokia's is 9 grams, Motorola's and the Bluespoon's are both 5 grams. These little tiny wireless buds fit into your ear and are so compact they are sure to be lost in under 60 seconds.

Okay, that's all for this weeks Merch Report

A Shopping History Lesson

While looking for a space heater last weekend (our house is a little drafty) my husband and I traveled to Sears. Though not as sexy as Target, Sears still has everything that you need including an inspiring history.

Around 1887 Mr. Sears opened a shop in Chicago and hired a watchmaker named Roebuck. Soon they began producing the first large general catalogue. Today, over a century later, Sears sells and services everything imaginable all over the country. It's kind of amazing that some guy opened a shop at the turn of the century and today the second tallest building in the world bears his name.

Our trip to Sears was pretty good, we got what we needed and browsed the aisles of large appliances for fun. Who knew washers and dryers could look so cool?

However, the Sears of my youth was way better. The Sears of my youth was all about hot nuts. At the main entrance was a huge circular concession stand with great troughs of warm cashews, peanuts and pistachios (the red kind) on one side and bins of candy on the other. Near the register was a popcorn maker, a jumbo pretzel warmer, a soda fountain and a hot dog roaster. It was like Mecca. A rapturous, salty sweet aroma filled the air the moment we slipped through the revolving door. Back then, shopping with my mother was not yet the pleasure it is today, and nothing quelled my impatience like a bag of warm cashews and a waxy paper cup filled with Coke.



Ah, shopping memories. Does anyone have a cool, old school shopping memory they'd like to share? I've got a million of them. I'll try to jot down a few more later.

Good Luck and Good Shopping

Here are some space heaters I looked at!

NYE Recap

For those of your intested, I chose to go with the simple black dress and the big wavy hair. Not particularly creative but relatively low impact. For my hair I needed to get a set of hot rollers. So in order to prepare for the party and look like I was actually working on Friday, I used my company's Web site to research the rollers. I really didn't want to spend very much money on them but I didn't want to destroy my hair. So, I looked for some sales at familiar stores and found a nice set of Conair (no, not like that terrible movie with Cusack and Cage)Hot Rollers for $19.99. What do ya know! Our Web site works!

Here's a link to the site if you want to see what I do all day. Right now I'm working on some copy for a gift guide page. If anyone has gift occasion suggestions let me know.

This is where I work: ShopLocal.com