Category: Shopping

Posted in Events, San Francisco, Shopping

Fashion Bargains: Spring/Summer 2007

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

At the end of every major sale season, I like to look back at some of the loot I was able to score at more than half off the original price.  Smart shopping takes work and I like reaping the rewards.

And I’ve also included some shopping tips to help you score the best bargains during next season’s biggest sales:

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*Kate Spade Elan Handbag in Black / Original price: $365 / Sale price: $170

WHERE: www.katespade.com during their special “Sample Sale”

TIP: I know getting spam that clogs up your inbox is a drag, but theirs is one email list you REALLY want to sign up for!

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*Molton Brown London Shower Gels / Original price: $25 / Sale price: $6.25

WHERE: Bath and Body Works Stonestown Galleria, S.F. (I got three bottles and should’ve gotten more!  Hey, if they’re good enough for Madonna, they’re good enough for me.)

TIP: Eventhough they’re all part of the same chain, certain stores carry some items that others don’t.  Check often during the sale season and go to different locations.  And items like this make great gifts for any occassion, so buy extra.

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*Theory Silk Brocade Deep Purple Cropped Jacket / Original price: $425 / Sale price: $40

WHERE: Jeremy’s Department Store, S.F. during their massive spring clearance in May

TIP: If you’re in the Bay Area, this is another email list you REALLY want to be on!

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*J.Crew Linen Middy Jacket / Original price: $148 / Sale price: $22.50

WHERE: J.Crew Stonestown Galleria, S.F.

TIP: No matter what the sale price is online, it pays to get out of that chair and haul your ass over to an actual store.  And with some chain stores, eventhough there may be several locations in your area, their sale prices can easily vary from store to store.

It’s hard, but I try not to buy something just because it’s on sale or ridiculously cheap.  The key is to actually like what you’re buying. 

Otherwise, it’s just a waste of money.

Posted in Events, San Francisco, Shopping

Last Chance, Kids!

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

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Okay bargain shoppers, if you haven’t hit the stores yet, you don’t have much time left.  Astute shoppers know that most stores have ended their summer sales, already.

The final wave of big markdowns begins with the Neiman Marcus Last Call Sale (free shipping with code: NMSHIP) and the Saks Fifth Avenue Final Cut Sale (free shipping code with $150 purchase: SFATREAT).  Both retailers have already begun these sales online.  In stores, the sale goes from July 13-18 for Neimans, and July 12-15 for Saks.  Get their early because the best stuff will be gone by the second day of the sale.

Also, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale begins on Thursday, July 20th.  This is the chain’s “truly” biggest and best sale of the year.  I say this because the sale merchandise is all NEW for Fall and not on clearance, like at all their overhyped Half Yearly Sales.

And other chain stores have also begun further markdowns, like Banana Republic (up to 60% off) and BCBG (up to 70% off).

Once August hits, it’s all over, and you’ll have to wait until December 26th until you can score some truly amazing deals.  So get out there!

Posted in Food, San Francisco, Shopping, Travel

Gourmet Foodie Heaven

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

One of my favorite places to visit in San Francisco is the Ferry Building Marketplace, and there are several reasons why.

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1.)  The building itself is architecturally beautiful.

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2.) Many of the vendors sell some of the best gourmet food out there.  Everything is grown, made, and sold with love and care, and much of it is local.  Delectable Japanese delicacies at Delica rf:1, fabulous Peach Preserves at Frog’s Hollow Farm, the best in Asian teas at Imperial Tea, nitrate free organic meats and hot dogs at Prather Ranch Meat Co., the best roast chicken at Mistral, and the list goes on and on.  These vendors are known for producing some of the best food available anywhere in the world. 

I love walking by the Acme Bread shop as the scent of freshly baked bread stops you in your tracks, or being enticed by the heady smell of a good stinky cheese at Cowgirl Creamery.  And you can even enjoy some tasty fruit sorbet or Italian gelato at Ciao Bella.  A foodie can get truly spoiled here. 

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3.)  And of course being a ferry building, it’s location by the water allows for some spectacular views.  You can get some fabulous snacks or a meal at one of the many gourmet food stores mentioned above, grab a table or a seat by the water outside, and enjoy what makes San Francisco’s views so famous.

The Ferry Building isn’t just a tourist destination, it’s a must for all foodies who live here.

Posted in Food, Shopping, Travel

Japanese Bargains

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

Flickr photo by ibison 4

Downtown San Mateo has turned into a charming little area, as long as you don’t have to hit the movie theatre on a Friday night.  What a mess!

That’s why an evening after work is the perfect time to stroll along 3rd and 4th Ave.  Especially if you’re in search for a really cheap Japanese meal.  Really cheap!

At 6:30pm, every weekday night, Suruki Japanese Supermarket (71 E. 4th Ave.) slashes the prices on all their fresh sushi rolls, nigiri, and sashimi by 50%.  And their selection and quality are very good for the price.

What’s the catch?  ARRIVE BEFORE 6:30!  Preferrably at 6:20 pm on a weeknight.  The minute the clock strikes 6:30 (and there is a big clock on the wall), the crowds that will have formed will be fighting for all the half-priced Japanese food they can carry!  You’ll see the herds form at about 6:15 pm and continue to grow until the staff gives you the green light to go. 

But is it worth all the pushing and shoving?  If you think spending $18 on Japanese food for a party of three is a good deal, then absolutely!  So bring your game face, or the little Asian lady in front of you just might beat you to all the good stuff!

If supermarket Japanese sushi isn’t your thing, then take a seat at Ni-mo Japanese restaurant (73 E. 3rd Ave).  They have bargain bento box lunch specials on weekdays ($7.95 for a nice full bento box meal), and 20% off all sushi and rolls on Tuesday and Thursday nights!  Now mind you, this won’t be the most authentic Japanese meal you’ll ever have (the owners are Chinese!), but the food is fresh, the portions are healthy, the service is attentive, there’s hardly ever a wait, and best of all, the food is very good for the price.

And to complete your Japanese themed evening, stop by Ichiban Kan (98 E. Third Ave).  It’s a dollar discount store, Japanese style.  You’ll find the cutest items you never knew you needed, like housewares, food, gifts, and all other trinkets from Japan.  It’s a fun experience and you’re sure to walk out with more than a few items to show for it.

Posted in Food, Shopping

Cupcakes Make People Happy :)

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

Cupcake

There’s something both magical and playful about a cupcake.  I know, I know, they’re about as trendy right now as skinny jeans and platform peep toes.  But let’s face it, even someone like me who doesn’t have a big sweet tooth can’t pass up a well frosted cupcake.

Maybe it’s the fact that Carrie Bradshaw was known to chomp on a few while talking to Miranda on the corner of Bleeker and West 11th St. in New York City.  But I suspect the real appeal of a cupcake lies in the fact that they are a perfectly sized piece of portable cake, so cute and pretty with their little colored sprinkles and swirled buttercream frosting.

There’s no chance of a visit to Magnolia Bakery in New York City today.  So I had to settle for the smell of sugary baked goods wafting through the Bay Street shopping area in Emeryville.  It was coming from Teacake Bake Shop.

I immediately ordered two cupcakes: red velvet with cream cheese frosting and a chocolate devil’s food cake with dulce de leche frosting.  The huge chewy snickerdoodles sprinkled with cinnamon would have to wait for another day.  (Though I now regret not buying the huge five pack of “less pretty” cookies for a mere two bucks.)

The red velvet was first up.  The frosting was as delicious and luscious as it looked.  Creamy, sweet, and a noticable tang from the cream cheese.  But the cake itself wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.  It had a nice subtle, yet noticable chocolate flavor (red velvet is basically just chocolate cake with red food coloring).  But in order to fulfill my visions of grandeur for this cupcake, it would’ve had to be a lot moister.  It wasn’t dry, but it should’ve been a lot moister.  True red velvet always is.  And if it weren’t for that frosting, I might’ve been able to do better with a box mix.

The devil’s food chocolate was better.  The cupcake itself was moister and had better flavor than the red velvet.  The chocolate was rich and satisfying without being overly dense or sweet.  Much moister than the previous cupcake and better texture.  But again, it was the creaminess of the frosting that made the cupcake complete.  Individually, the frosting and the cake couldn’t stand alone.  Together, they were heaven.

But one complaint…  The dulce de leche frosting on the chocolate cupcake didn’t taste like caramel.  It tasted more like a mocha!  Very strange.

Was it tasty?  Yes.  Was the whole esthetic of the place cute and trendy?  You bet.  Does it warrant a repeat visit?  If I’m in the area, sure.  Besides, I’m still jonesing for a snickerdoodle…

Teacake Bake Shop – 5615 Bay St. – Emeryville – 510.655.0865

Posted in Events, Shopping

Great Spring Sale Offers

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

Two great sales/special offers to tell you about… 

H&M is offering a Friends and Family discount of 25% off ALL your purchases!  The catch is you MUST register online before Monday, May 21st to receive the special discount offer.  Just go to this website and fill out the form: http://www.hmfriendsandfamily.com/  You will eventually be emailed your discount offer.

And secondly, BCBG’s first phase of sale markdowns starts Thursday, May 17th.  Select items will be 50% off, but as usual, the longer you wait, the deeper the discounts may get.  This chain will sometimes mark items down to 75% off by the end of the season.  But of course, some of the best items and sizes will be long gone by then.

Happy shopping!

Posted in Events, San Francisco, Shopping

I Heart a Good Sale

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

I’m not a fan of finding the same selection of merchandise at every department and chain store (Gap, Macy’s, etc.).  And I don’t like thinking about whether someone at the office will end up with the same purse I got over the weekend because I found it on sale at a big department store.

Well there’s a remedy for that.  I love finding “secret” sales to ensure a different shopping experience, and I Heart Independent is a different kind of shopping experience.  

A good friend of mine is putting on this shopping event.  And unlike most sample sales, you don’t have to have an invitation, sign up for anything, or pay up the wazoo for “premier” status.  Admission is free!

You’ll find high-end, handmade products like jewelry, clothing, handbags, all at discount prices.  The event will support Bay Area artists and designers and help them reach a larger audience through their one of a kind merchandise.

This shopping event will be on Saturday, May 19th, at Jillian’s restaurant in the Metreon.  The Fifth and Mission parking garage is right across the street so it’ll be easy to get to.  For more info, visit their website at www.iheartindependent.com. 

Have fun!

Posted in Events, San Francisco, Shopping

A Jeremy’s sale, again?!?!

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

In the words of my pal J. Lo, “For the love of god….does it ever stop?” 

Apparently not.

Seems like I’ve been heading to Jeremy’s Department Store every weekend in April and May with all the sales they’ve been having at both their San Francisco and Oakland locations.  Now I get word that, yet again, they’re marking down all their sale merchandise another 40% off! 

I was already so proud of my last purchase there.  A beautiful eggplant colored silk brocade Theory jacket I’d gotten for just $40 last week.  It had been marked down, not once, not twice, but three times!  (Retail price was $400!)  I don’t even want to know how much it would be if I’d waited until this weekend to get it.

But lucky you because my loss is your gain!  I have to admit the sales have been phenomenal each weekend I’m there, but this may be your last chance to find a few gems, May 12th and 13th.  I’ve noticed the pickings have gotten slimmer and slimmer each weekend…

How much do you want to bet they’ll be having another sale NEXT weekend?  (By then all they’ll have left is damaged goods, literally!)

Posted in San Francisco, Shopping

Some boutiques, a nail spa, and a sale.

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

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Photo of nail salon within Azalea boutique from www.azaleaonline.com.

I love the fashions you can find at boutiques.  The stuff is different from what you’d find at Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s.  But boutique shopping can be expensive.  

However, there are the occasional exceptions.  There’s Find Outlet in Manhattan (gotta check it out if you’re there!), Pearl Wonderful Clothing in Larkspur (great deals in their Sale Annex), Red Dot in Marin and My Roommate’s Closet in SF.  (I’ll write more about those places some other time.)  But there are two that are worth mentioning this week.

Jeremy’s is the best in bargain boutique shopping.  Their South Park location in San Francisco and College Ave. in Oakland are both having a huge sale worth talking about.  On April 14 & 15, they’re marking down their already hugely discounted prices an additional 30-60% for women’s fashions, shoes and accessories.  And that’s definitely worth mentioning because their prices are already more than half off to begin with.  It’s only for one weekend.  Then the following weekend will be the mens’ sale, and then the weekend after that (April 28 & 29) they will mark everything down again for the final time, just for that weekend.  You’ll risk a limited selection by then, of course, and that’s the trade off for waiting till final markdowns. 

The Oakland location has lower priced items from stores like Barney’s, J.Crew and Anthropologie.  Some items can be slightly damaged, so make sure you inspect before you buy.  The store in S.F. has stuff that’s higher end (and therefore a little more expensive) from major expensive department stores.  I’ve even seen Prada bags there for way cheaper than usual just because they’re a few seasons old.  Either way, they’re both a hotbed of major bargains, especially with their sale.  It’s not to be missed.

The second store worth mentioning is Azalea.  It’s a bustling boutique in Hayes Valley in SF and it’s on a great street where you can do some fun shopping on a weekend afternoon.  And Azalea even has an adorable nail salon WITHIN the boutique that takes walk-ins.  It’s a great concept.

But what may be even better is their online store.  If you go to www.azaleaonline.com, just check out their Sale section.  There’s a “Bargain Bin” full of great distinctive fashions, some even as low as just $20!  And they even have free shipping, so you don’t even have to be in SF to enjoy the bargains!  I can’t confirm if they have the same bargain section in the store (if they do I haven’t noticed it yet), but if you get free shipping online anyway, you can’t loose.