Life as I know it from Memphis

For sale: Chanel, Kors, Nicole Miller, T-bags, A+O, Coach, ADAM, Ralph Lauren, Tracy Reese

2011-10-27T12:10:00.008-05:00

My yearly blog sale. I currently have the following items, most new with tags, for sale on eBay.

Nicole Miller Gravity dress, NWT, size 4, orig $330

ADAM Lippes Sunburst dress, NWT size 6, orig $395

Michael Kors Gansevoort platform sandals, NIB, size 7, orig $165

Coach wristlet, orig $78

Chanel bracelet, orig $449

Plenty by Tracy Reese dress, sz M, NWT

T-bags dress, sz M, NWT, orig $164

Ralph Lauren corduroy blazer, sz 6, orig $398

Alice and Olivia Voloshin Aliska dress, sz 6, NWT, orig $396

French doors

2011-03-18T12:54:00.002-05:00

Something I really love and wish I could have are usable french doors on my house. (Note: I actually DO have french doors on my house...but...) I love the idea of opening them up and letting a rush of air into the house. Of course, living in Memphis having anything wide open like this is a bad, bad idea. Not only would the air rush in, but a herd of bugs as well :) But in the right setting, it would be nice to be able to use them. I also like the way they look, more classy than the typical screened sliding door that most people are forced to use here instead.

Frugal shopping

2011-03-14T17:58:00.003-05:00

I have been trying very hard to not purchase random clothes lately. (Note: I find things like gym shoes, workout clothes, etc to be necessary!). I give in sometimes but lately I've made some purchases at places like Steinmart and TJ Maxx - places I've never considered shopping at before. (No issue with them, but I HATE pawing thru racks and racks of clothes just to find one good item.) I try to make every 'larger' purchase on one of the shopping websites I use; Gilt, Ruelala, and most recently, Hautelook.

Hautelook works the same way, but hey tend to have a LOT more options everyday. Things for men, women, kids, makeup, vacations, house items, etc - all one one site, with multiple sales in each area everyday. While they also have expensive items, they tend to list more inexpensive brands than Rue or Gilt do. They also do "Deals of the Day" where they will have one item at an extraordinary discount.

I wrote about this dress on a blog post a few weeks ago. It's the Sondra dress from Lilly Pulitzer. It retailed about $200-250. I loved it and had been wanting a black one shouldered dress for a while. I just didn't think I'd get enough use out of it to justify paying that much.

Today on Hautelook was a designer called Sugarlips (yeaaaaah...idk) but they had a couple black one shoulder dresses that are very similar to the Sondra dress. I ended up buying this one - in black, but you can see the detail better on the blue model. $18!!! Repeat - $18!!!! I will DEFINITELY get $18 worth of use out of this dress.

It was my first purchase from Hautelook and I'm anxious to see how shipping and communication goes with them. Gilt has always been stellar; I've had problems with Rue over the years though. Rue has shipped me the wrong item on a number of different occasions. They've also emailed after a purchase to say SORRIES J/K BUDDY your item wasn't available after all. But Gilt has always been great.

If you want an invite to Hautelook, just leave me a comment with your email address and I'll send you one. I'm not sure if it's 'invite only' like Gilt and Rue are, but when I log in I see the 'invite friends' button so I'd be more than glad to send anyone an invite :)

New raincoat

2011-03-14T14:06:00.002-05:00

I don't mind the rain today, as I purchased this Kenneth Cole raincoat for about $30 this weekend...at...wait for it...Sam's Club! I had never been in a Sam's Club before! It has some pretty good deals. Regular deals, not just deals for families of 10 :)

As per my wardrobe policy, one new coat in means I have to take one old coat out and get rid of it. Which is fine, I have plenty that probably need to be trashed.

Love this dress

2011-03-10T11:48:00.001-06:00

Shopbop, I love this dress! Looks a little better here than on the sales page, but still. So pretty. Wish I could pull something like this off (and had the $$ to)! :)

Malene Birger dress on Shopbop

Awwwwwwwww

2011-03-10T10:45:00.000-06:00

Cutest idea ever for a baby's room.

Random kitchen pic

2011-03-10T09:37:00.002-06:00

This is one of my favorite kitchen inspirations. Although it's nothing fancy and obviously a pretty small kitchen, I like it because - well, it resembles MY kitchen. It's something that I could totally pull off at my house with little effort.

I already have white cabinets. I would just need to add a backsplash - and although I do like the white subway tile here, I'm not sure if that would be my#1 preference. White subway tile seems more like a bathroom tile to me.

Regardless, I have also been wanting to purchase stainless appliances for my kitchen. Not because I am on the "stainless bandwagon" (ahem) but because I think they look best in small kitchens like this. My current black appliances are too heavy for a small kitchen, they stand out and are the first thing your eye is drawn to when you walk in. Stainless would blend in better, and also reflect light which is important in a smaller kitchen.

The countertops look like some sort of stone or quartz maybe...less expensive but they still look very nice. I think granite is again too heavy for small kitchens and completely unecessary.

Overall I just love this kitchen and with a few tweaks I think I could get mine to look strikingly similar.

NM mid-day dash mistake

2011-03-07T12:43:00.004-06:00

Neiman Marcus does these "Mid-day dash" things around lunch time several days a week.... I've never bought anything off of them, but they do have okay deals sometimes (most of the time they only have very expensive items).

Today, however, I must say - WTF is this? Some sort of latex suit, in case we need a $1600 Batgirl costume for next Halloween? I know it says "knit" but that does NOT look "knit" to me!

McQ zebra sweater dress

2011-03-02T13:37:00.003-06:00

It's amazing how different a piece of clothing can look....

I saw this sweater dress on shopbop over the winter and really liked it. I did not like the price tag, however. I have been stalking it on eBay and one finally popped up this week! However check out the difference in stock photos for it:

Nice looking McQ dress:

Super scary - yet the exact same - McQ dress:

I mean seriously who wants to buy something that a literal clown is showing off??

Gilt.com

2011-03-02T11:03:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I like to guess what the items for sale on Gilt.com are.... is this a sale for shoes, or a sale for lamps? :) Furniture? Dead flowers? :)

I am proud to say that I haven't been spending any money lately on gilt, ruelala, or hautelook. I've actually never purchased anything from hautelook despite browsing daily for months.

Lilly P items

2011-02-28T12:59:00.004-06:00

I am not a huge Lilly Pulitzer fan - I don't like florals or pastels that much. However, a friend recently pointed out to me their new line of sorority items, including ones for Delta Zeta, which I was in college. I'm not one for wearing sorority junk post-college, and again - I don't like the florals, but they are cute.

Check them out here.

I do, however, LOVE THIS SONDRA DRESS from Lilly. In black, of course, more my style. And one shoulder, which I love. It has been sold out on their website for a while, but I do keep an eye out for it on eBay.

Dear Gap:

2011-02-23T14:43:00.001-06:00

Stop. Just stop. This looks ridiculous. No one wants to wear Hammer-pants type sequin shorts. In garbage bag black. With a ribbon around the waist.

Landscaping ideas

2011-02-23T09:10:00.002-06:00

For whatever reason I've been in a decorating/home renovation mood lately. I saw this house for sale in Memphis a while back (still for sale) and I fell in love with the landscaping and the outside of the house. I'd love to have my home this exact color and have landscaping just like this. Without giving away the exact address, it's on Philwood in the High Point area. My little house is very similar to this in structure, so I honestly think I could make mine looks eerily similar if I tried. Just need the $$$ !

Gigantic artwork

2011-02-22T18:15:00.002-06:00

I've been on the hunt for big artwork. And by big, I mean giant canvases that sit on the floor and prop up on the wall. While I like abstract art and used to paint random stuff myself, I think for a giant piece like this I would prefer something like the photo below - an actual photograph or some words.

My next dining room

2011-02-21T12:35:00.003-06:00

My current dining room is a bright red color, which I do like. However, it's hard to match ANYTHING to red. Green around the holidays looks good, but outside of December I don't want my dining room looking like a Christmas tree.

I saw photos of this room in the latest publication of House Beautiful magazine and I really love it. (The photo in the magazine is actually a lot prettier and shows of the room better, but I can't find it online.) My dining room looks very similar; same style of old chandelier, same type of curtains already up, I have a wood table with wood chairs, and I have a darker brown rug on the floor with hardwood flooring. The only thing lacking is the bright white/ivory paint on the walls. I think my room will look a zillion times brighter and cheerier with ivory walls instead of the harsh red.

So by the time spring is here, and after I purchase a whole lot of good primer - I hope my dining room will resemble this one below!

Stolen Italy photos

2010-11-30T22:00:00.003-06:00

So I know I shouldn't steal other people's photos and not give credit, but I also don't want to give out people's identities without permission. So, moving on - here are a couple photos I saw on a friend's facebook page, from her trip to Italy. I absolutely love these photos!! Not only do they look professional, but how gorgeous is this place?! It's amazing how people in other countries live. I had to save these pics and share.

U of Memphis...football?

2010-11-27T12:35:00.003-06:00

I saw a 'friend' (read: random person I haven't actually spoken to in years) post this pic on facebook, apparently said friend is at the game right now.

We're talking U of Memphis football, and we're talking about...what do you think? 1,000 people are at the game? And this isn't pre-game, like an hour beforehand. This is right now, in the first half.

This is really embarassing, how is a football program and school so bad that NO ONE cares about going?! UM is a very large university, not some tiny little directional school. This is as good as their alumni can do? (Note: I too am an alum, but only for grad school, so that doesn't count - undergrad is where you learn to love your school.)

Why does no one care about their team?

Dressing for real life

2010-11-26T12:57:00.003-06:00

I see items online that look super cute, but I realize that in real life - they may look ridiculous. (Besides the fact i would have no where to wear the things.)

Such as this Alice + Olivia feather skirt. I saw it on shopbop.com a bit ago and I think it's really neat. But...you know. Seems like a goofy thing for an actual regular human being to purchase. :) There's one available on ebay right now however!

Stuff for sale

2010-11-26T12:21:00.003-06:00

Stuff for sale on my ebay:

Gap leather jacket in whiskey brown color
Nicole Miller shimmery silver/purple tank
Diane Von Furtenberg chiffon tank in multicolor
Colin Stuart knee high boots in black
Ralph Lauren oxford shirt in red
Banana Republic turquoise dress
Banana Republic turquoise clutch
ABS trench coat in yellow
North Face pullover fleece in light green

Check it out if you're interested!

Happy Thanksgiving :)

2010-11-25T19:44:00.001-06:00

OTK boots FTW

2010-11-24T20:53:00.002-06:00

The boots are to die for!!! They came today and I could not be happier. I read this in a review of the boots before I bought them, and I agree - I think these will last for many seasons, they aren't so 'trendy' that they will only last this winter and then look goofy.

Now I just need some places to wear them :)

Ruelala and Gilt websites

2010-11-24T17:56:00.002-06:00

I try to offer this every once in a while, and now especially with Black Friday looming and everyone in shopping mode, what better time to bring it up! Because really, the holidays are all about shopping for one's self ;)

Ruelala.com and Gilt.com are 'invitation only' boutiques that sell luxury brands at huge discounts. Ruelala 'opens' daily at 10am central, it's an online free-for-all where you log in and try to snap up designer items. The sales last 3 days, but you want to be there at 10am to get your pick of the goods. Gilt.com works the same way, only they start at 11am central.

Both are good sites...Rue tends to have about 5 options a day, while Gilt has dozens - including women, men, children, house items, and vacations. Rue has been having more men's, house, and vacation sales too however. One thing I love about Rue is that they change their main log-in page about once a month to cute colorful pics, as seen below. :)

Examples of upcoming sales for Rue: Lucky brand, NFL gear, Nicole Miller, Juicy, French Connection.
Gilt: 3.1 Phillip Lim, Miss Sixty (gilt lately has been holding off on advertising many brands til last minute)

If you'd like an invite, just leave me a comment with your email and I'll send one your way. Don't worry, it's not as "exclusive" as it sounds....it's not THAT cool :)

My rant: Cake at Minglewood Hall

2010-11-21T18:25:00.003-06:00

I have to go on a quick rant - I saw that the band Cake is coming to Minglewood Hall here in Memphis. I actually like their music. But I HATE the band. I have seen them twice before, both here in Memphis. I don't remember which was first, but I saw them at Beale St Musicfest one year, and also when VooDoo Fest did a day in Memphis after the hurricane in 2005.

Both times, the lead singer was a whiney little girl, complaining about the weather, about the sound, about how crappy everyone working at the facilities were.... he should have been embarassed. At VooDoo they came on an hour late because apparently he was upset about the microphones or something ridiculous. I remember standing like sardines in the crowd thinking "THIS is what we were waiting on?! Them to come out, bitch, and then leave the stage?!" At Musicfest they refused to play any of their famous songs, instead they said they'd only play "songs with a 2-3 beat" (or something, I don't know anything about music, but it was something like that). It was raining, and no one in the audience had the patience for their BS.

I vowed to never see the band again. Yet I have a Cake station on my Pandora - but I only listen to it at last resort, out of spite.

I mean, really, I don't want to pay $35 plus tax to hear them NOT play "Short Skirt Long Jacket" again. :/

Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines, IA

2010-11-21T11:19:00.008-06:00

Recently I had the chance to visit a new outdoor sculpture park in Des Moines, Iowa. I really enjoy places like this, after having visited the massive outdoor Laumeier Sculpture Park in St Louis, Missouri.

The one in DSM isn't nearly as big - not even close - but still worth a visit if you are in the area. It was funded by the Pappajohn family (no, not the pizza people); John Pappajohn was a businessman in Iowa who has donated millions of dollars to things all over the state, including this sculpture park, as well as tons of money to the U of Iowa.

The downtown DSM area has gone through a large renovation over the past decade or so. Once only used for businesses and corporations, it now is full of condos, a large arts area, and tons of green space. The riverfront has walking paths and lots of festivals and concerts are now held in the area. Too bad it's freezing cold 9 months out of the year there! ;)

Pappajohn Sculpture Park

I gave in to the OTK boot craze

2010-11-21T10:48:00.002-06:00

Thanks to the 35% off sale that Piperlime was having the other day (that I found out about via the Chloe Conspiracy blog and her See Chloe Shop blog) these over the knee boots are on their way to me.

For months and months, I have been dying to own a pair of OTK boots that Ann Taylor Loft had for sale, however I could never find the right color in my size at any given time. (They must update their website daily with new stock.) With the 35% off, these Sam Edleman boots were the same price, and I liked these even more. I know it's a big trend right now, but screw it - I like them! I don't really care about what's 'in style' right now or what the trends are, if I like something I'll wear it forever. Fingers crossed they fit and look okay on me! :)

Online shopping obsessions

2010-11-05T08:31:00.010-05:00

I'm TRYING to get back into this, even though I don't have too much to say, and not sure if I have any followers left over!

I do a ton of online shopping - or maybe I should say "online looking." I've tried to cut back my spending on clothes and junk for various reasons lately. But lately I am obsessed with Michael Kors. MK was just on the big Ruelala.com sale, however by the time my crummy office computer loaded up the website, half the items were gone. Probably for the best!

Last spring I saw this ad in a magazine and became obsessed with the photo. I knew I had to have these shoes. And now I am the proud owner of two pairs! (Because lord knows I dirty up shoes like you've never seen...)

Here's a close up:

Some other items that are currently for sale on the MK website:

The buckled gladiator sandal. A liiiiiiiittle pricey at $1295!

The Heidi platform - a more reasonable $150.

The Zanzia over the knee boot for $450 - not sure if I could pull this off, but I'd love to try.

I really like this ombre sequined dress. I had a similar Alice + Olivia one once that turned out to be too big, so I sold it, and I really wish I had another to wear.

I love this belted trench dress....but $1500???? I think not.

They have some great items on sale right now as well:

I love zippers and hardware...this zip dress is $91.

And this zip dress is only $69!

New Banana Republic clutch for sale

2010-10-29T10:08:00.003-05:00

One more item for sale... and then after this I am promising myself I will somehow get back into blogging. :) Actual blogging, not just "buy my crap" blogging.

Brand new, never used leather clutch from Banana Republic. Originally $98. I have it on ebay right now for $29. It's sat in my closet unused because I purchased another turquoise clutch that I ended up using instead.

Check it out.

Clothing for Sale

2010-09-24T12:10:00.006-05:00

Not sure if anyone still looks at my blog, since I haven't posted anything in months. Ehhh..probably more like a year :) BUT just in case, I am posting pics of items I have for sale right now on ebay. If you're interested, please check them out. Maybe one day I will get back into the full-time blogging thing!

http://shop.ebay.com/ehawk22/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

Diesel "Lowky" jeans

Eva Franco "Firecracker" Tilda dress

ABS yellow trenchcoat / rain jacket

Tracy Reese chiffon blouse

BCBG ivory and gold chiffon dress

Banana Republic dress

Coach bag for sale!

2009-12-06T17:01:00.002-06:00

I am selling one of my beautiful Coach bags on Ebay. Very pretty apple green canvas, patent apple green and white leathers, and straw. Very pretty, I love it....I just never use it. It's lonely in my closet, it needs a new home :)

Check it out!

I also have a few other items still up - a diamond and white gold ring, a designer Shulami dress, a Liz Claiborne teal croc purse, and a designer Sweet Pea ruffle halter top.

Join Rue La La and get a $10 credit

2009-12-04T13:38:00.003-06:00

From now until December 24, if you join Rue La La thru one of my invites, you will automatically get a $10 credit to go towards your first purchase.

If you want an invite, leave a comment with your email address and I'll forward one on to you! I won't publish the comment, so no one else will see your email.

Rue has some great sales, from well known designers to lesser known, to regular department store type clothing. You can great deals for $30, or spend $3,000 on a necklace :) They have men's items, home decor items, and other random things - right now they have wine for sale. (Unfortunately wine cannot be shipped to Tennessee!)

My mailman loves me

2009-12-01T18:49:00.004-06:00

These just came in the mail...and let me tell you, they are just as awesome in person as they are in the picture. 50% off at Nine West right now. I also had a $25 off coupon to use, so these were super cheap. I love NW, they have the best sales. They even have a "Seriously on Sale" page, for all shoes 50% off.

When the ankle boot trend came out (last year? earlier this year?) I wasn't too keen on it. I was scared they would make my legs look like chopped off tree trunks. But I have changed my mind. As long as the heel is tall, I think they elongate the leg.

My ebay items

2009-12-01T14:29:00.002-06:00

Just a reminder of some of the things I have on Ebay right now - go bid! :)

Diamond ring / band for sale on my Ebay

2009-11-29T10:41:00.004-06:00

I'm selling a diamond ring/band on Ebay right now. Go look! Given to me by an ex, it is white gold, I believe a size 6, and has 11 round diamonds on the band. The photo below is a stock photo from Kay, but I have plenty of pictures online of the actual ring.

I am also selling a yellow gold ring with a heart-shaped amethyst, surrounded by 6 tiny diamonds. Has "I love you" engraved on both sides. Go bid!

All outer wear 55% off today at Banana Republic!

2009-11-28T18:47:00.002-06:00

You have a few more hours... today at Banana Republic, all outer wear is 55% off! Everything in the store is 25% off today, plus outerwear is an extra 30% off. !!

I saw the 30% online, and went to the store to try on a coat to see what size I would need - and saw not only was it 30% in the store too, but also 25% off today as well. So lucky. I saw this "lady coat" on the website and really liked it. I've been wanting a longer, black thin wool coat for a while. It just doesn't get very cold here in Memphis (to me) so my big bulky black wool coat is a little much a lot of the time. Plus, the one I already have is shorter, so the breeze can blow up it at time.

Anywho, if you are looking for a new winter coat or jacket - today is the day to buy!

$142 (orig) Shulami designer dress for sale

2009-11-26T09:04:00.002-06:00

For sale on ebay - brand new with tags designer Shulami dress. Purchased myself at a boutique here, never wore it. $142 originally! Gorgeous dress. Check it out!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

CC Skye, J Crew, Sweet Pea items for sale on Ebay

2009-11-25T17:40:00.002-06:00

I have plenty of items on Ebay right now!

Including a couple brand new CC Skye jewelry items. It's the hottest desinger right now, as seen on all the cutesy celebs - Hillary Duff, Rhianna, Nichole Richie, Kim Kardashian, Lauren Conrad. etc. Love the designer! I buy too much stuff though, so I need to sell some and try to make money off of it.

The Sweet Pea halter (seen below) was ordered in black - but I got green and cannot return it :( Brand new, great top. I love it. But I don't like green.

I own 3 of these CC Skye leather and gold wrap bracelets. I don't know why I bought another. Brand new. Gorgeous!! $200 retail.

And this is a brand new CC Skye mirrored ring - very cool.

I have a few J. Crew items up as well, matchstick capri jeans, some City Fit khaki pants, and a brand new baby blue classic pique polo.

Check it all out!

Learn to decorate and party at Pottery Barn

2009-11-18T13:06:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wanted to take a class to learn how to decorate and entertain for the holidays?

Yeah, me neither.

But now that I think of it, it would be sort of fun. Pottery Barn is sponsoring in-store classes on Nov 29 and Dec 6 to teach people how to decorate for the holidays and how to throw a good holiday party. Call your local Pottery Barn store to sign up. You will also get 10% off all merchandise featured in the class (let's hope it's something good!).

Here's the address and phone # for the local Memphis 'Barn:

WE'RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:2760 N Germantown Parkway, Memphis, TN 38133 Phone: 901-937-1787

Great sales on ruelala.com

2009-11-17T13:47:00.003-06:00

The most awesome mass sales are going on at Ruelala.com today and tomorrow! I logged on right at 10am today to see what all was on it - tons! I ordered some jewelry, I wanted a few clothing items but by the time my wishy-washy self decided on things, they were sold out of what I wanted. Oh well!

Tomorrow is another day though, they don't list ahead of time who the designers will be, but here is what they had today:

Hope you can see that! I expect tomorrow's list to be just as long. Lots of great items!! Adam, Alice + Olivia, Calvin Klein, Theory, Marc Jacobs, Citizens of Humanity, Rock and Republic, Halston... the sales will be going thru tomorrow.

If you want an invite, leave me your email address and I'll send you one!

I had to break out just one...

2009-11-15T20:01:00.003-06:00

Despite the fact that it was almost 80 degrees out today - I couldn't help myself. I had to break out ONE holiday decoration. My new Pottery Barn twig reindeer has been camping out in my closet for a month. He was about to suffocate. :) He is glad to be at his new home - next to the tv in the living room.

(Note: pic is of the twig guy in my closet, not by the tv. My living room is not covered in purses, jewelry, and perfume bottles.) :)

Nine West heels for sale

2009-11-15T15:47:00.005-06:00

I have these shoes on Ebay right now, if anyone is interested. Size 7. Nine West's "Fender" heels. Not sold anymore - I bought 3 pairs at once, and I have never worn these. Might as well try and sell them!

Check out the listing if you're interested.

Why hello, lovely ladies...

2009-11-11T18:32:00.003-06:00

I saw these online and had to buy them!

They are the Avallon Pumps by Harajuku Lovers. Grey suede, with a cut out heart, and patent purple platform heels. (Harajuku is Gwen Stefani's clothing/shoes/accessories line.) I found them on one of my new favorite websites - Luna Boston. It's an actual store (in Boston) but they have a great website. I found them on twitter, via Rebecca Minkoff's twitter page. They sell RM bags, which I like a lot. If you follow them on twitter, they seem to send out some great sales and discount promos.

I got them on sale, $50. I must say - this store has great customer service. I was being a dingbat and couldn't figure out the discount promo; I emailed the store and someone wrote back immediately. When I placed my order, I got a phone call within 15 minutes from the store, saying unfortunately the size I ordered had just sold out and they wanted to know if I could fit a size up. I took that as a sign and I'm glad I did. The size up fits perfectly. So A+ on customer service for them.

They website is Luna Boston - check it out!

And here are the actual shoes on my ottoman :)

Anthropologie coming to Memphis

2009-11-06T12:39:00.002-06:00

I have heard this before, but saw from a few different other people online - Anthropologie is coming to Memphis! Well, Germantown - into the Saddle Creek shopping center. I've become a big fan recently, so this is cool.

Probably without the palm tree, however :)

Lost dog in High Point Terrace area

2009-11-06T08:30:00.003-06:00

This dog was also found, in the High Point Terrace area. This dog is obviously lost - you don't see many itty bitty foo foo strays :) If you know anyone who has lost this dog, please contact the people below...

I just found this small, brown dog a few minutes ago on Summer Avenue between N. Graham and Highpoint Terrace. It was traveling with a male boxer. When I pulled over to get their attention, the boxer ran off and this small dog jumped into my car. I have 4 other dogs that do not get along with small dogs like this. He/she is in a cage in my garage. Please pass this email along. Thanks! Jennifer Owens (901) 832-7175

Dog found in South Main area

2009-11-06T08:07:00.004-06:00

Cross posting this from Memphistanista's blog.... a dog was found in the South Main area. VERY cute dog, some may have lost this guy, he doesn't appear to be a an obvious stray. If you know where his owner may be or if you'd like to keep this dog for yourself, please contact the people at the address below.

"There has been a stray dog around S. Main probably not for too long but at least a week. My wife spotted her last night in the lot next to Harry's Detour and was able to get her to come over. She was a little timid but was obviously a people lover, not a born stray. She almost immediately offered up her belly, and took to a leash immediately. Our friend Mikey took her in last night and cleaned her up, got her fed and safe, and now we're trying to spread the word and find this little girl a home or reunite her with her original owners."

Email inquiries to tazzking37@gmail.com.

Etsy find - gorgeous clutches

2009-11-05T17:58:00.004-06:00

I found this Etsy store and absolutely love their clutches. Perfect for weddings, nights out, any event where you need a cute clutch. Check them out - Davie and Chiyo's Etsy store.

Lovely holiday clutch

2009-11-04T19:02:00.003-06:00

Got my new Anthro catalog today.... love this clutch! Perfect for the holidays.

Anthropologie
Iced Rosettes Clutch
$298

For sale - AG jeans, J Crew matchstick jeans & women's pique polo

2009-10-29T17:20:00.005-05:00

I put a few items for sale on Ebay today, seen here.

AG Jeans - plum corduroy

Bought here in Memphis at the Isabella boutique. I love the color, just too big for me now.

J. Crew matchstick jeans

These are too big for me now, which is upsetting. The color is no longer made, nor are the capri style. They are awesome jeans.

J. Crew NWT women's classic polo

New with tags, never worn. I bought it but never worked it into my wardrobe. Great classic shirt.

Halloween parties/costumes and South Main Trolley Tour

2009-10-29T13:01:00.004-05:00

The montly South Main Trolley Tour is tomorrow night. I'll be attending a Halloween party downtown, on North Main actually, so I am hoping to make it to the trolley area beforehand. That is, if it's not storming out - like it is supposed to be doing nonstop thru Saturday :/ The Trolley Tour goes rain or shine, 6-9pm, the last Friday of every month. The stores stay open late, and most of the art galleries and stores have free wine and snacks. The weather is supposed to be warm enough, so if the rain stays away, I think there will be a good crowd.

I actually made up a costume this year for Halloween, which I never do. A party Friday night, and one Saturday (waaaay out in what Memphistanista would probably call the Ridiculous Far Far Far East of Memphis - see her wonderful city map here), so actual things to do for once! I am hoping to hand out some candy at the house Saturday before we leave, too. I know there are a lot of kids in the neighborhood...although I rarely see them. Of course, I'm usually never home til 7pm or later. My costume this year will look something along the lines of this, only less whore-y.

What is everyone else dressing up as? Anything creative? I am bad at picking out costumes, so I'm always interested in hearing what other people do.

Grizzlies home opener

2009-10-29T12:33:00.006-05:00

(image outside the Forum before the game)

Despite feeling like poo, I had a good time at the Grizzlies game last night. I've always been a "sickly" person, but rarely am I actually sick enough to call into work. I guess I have a shut up and deal with it type of mentality, plus I hate sitting at home all day. It's currently 12:30pm and I already want to rip my hair out, I'm so bored. I'd go outside, but it's storming out (I know, in Memphis?! No way!! *eyeroll*)

But I'd been looking forward to the Grizzlies game for so long, I wasn't going to miss it. Went to Bluefin beforehand for some sushi, I like the place but I prefer any other of Jimmy Ishi's places in town. The couches/beds at Bluefin annoy me. You can't eat sushi while laying on a bed, sorry. Unpossible.

Triple Six Mafia did a little song before the game, which was short but cool. The crowd was really into the game...until the game got underway. Then the Grizzlies started sucking it up like usual, and people became less interested. It's hard to stay excited about a game when your home team performs so, so poorly. Not just losing - but performing like a high school squad. It was fun nontheless though. Will be going again many times this season, hopefully!

Already, V.S.?

2009-10-28T11:46:00.001-05:00

Victoria, come on. It's just now starting to get cold in 2009. But 2010 summer swim wear is already online?? It's like cars now, bikinis start coming out a season/year ahead of time.

Grizzlies Opening Night - Tonight!

2009-10-28T11:08:00.002-05:00

Opening Night!

Tonight is opening night of the Memphis Grizzlies' season! I bought tickets a while back, and I'm so excited to go.

What I'm not excited about - getting sick! I felt bad yesterday, went to the doctor today. I'm feeling a little better...I will not miss this game! Just have to take it easy I suppose.

While the Grizzlies are (still) a pretty crummy team, I wish the city would be more supportive of them. Take a lesson from Cubs fans - just because the team sucks, you can still support them and come out to the games. It's fun, good food, the arena is top-notch, and so what if they win or lose? it's still a great time. Tickets are very, very cheap too. Of course they have expensive courtside seats, but you can still get into the games for $5. !!

Allen Iverson is new to the team this year. I'm pretty sure he's not playing tonight, he got hurt a few weeks ago, but it's still something new and refreshing for the team.

Tonight the team is debuting a new uniform, in the color "Beale Street Blue," and will be giving away free similar t-shirt to the first 10,000 fans tonight:

And what could be better - the pre-game concert is none other than Memphis' own Triple Six Mafia :) Here's a shot of Juicy J and DJ Paul with Paris Hilton - haha.

Victoria's Secret Collegiate Collection

2009-10-27T18:34:00.003-05:00

Victoria's Secret FINALLY started selling U of Iowa clothing - only in stores!! So on my last trip to Iowa, I was able to buy a shirt. Well, I noticed they are now selling it online too, but the stuff online is different than what was in stores. Go figure.

I bought this in the store, grey with a sequined tigerhawk (I was able to find the image off someone's craigslist ad):

And I want these sweats too:

They sell almost all SEC, Big 10, etc schools online now, for anyone who is interested.

Alaskan king crab at The Blue Fish

2009-10-27T13:01:00.002-05:00

Check out this dining review for the seasonal Alaskan king crab meal at The Blue Fish in Memphis (Cooper Young area). More specifically - check out these photos! Article and pictures via the Commercial Appeal.

I'm not a big seafood person (too messy) but I think it would be awesome to get this once. It's $240, but feeds 4 to 6 people. Comes with salad and sides as well. So, if it's split 5 ways, it would be around $50 a person with tax - which isn't bad at all for some really good food. They don't sell this stuff at Kroger :)

What time does trick-or-treating start?

2009-10-23T12:58:00.001-05:00

Does anyone know what time trick-or-treating is? Obviously it's next Saturday the 31st...but what time of day does it start (specifically, here in Memphis, or is there a national start time)?

I know I sound like an idiot, but I've lived in a condo for so long, that I don't know about these things. Now with a house...I might be home early in the evening to give out candy.

It seems like when I was a kid, we went til real late at night. But I'm sure in the warzone of Memphis ;) that they don't want kids roaming the streets late in the evenings.

Sue Wong on Rue

2009-10-23T10:06:00.002-05:00

So Pretty!!

I don't know where I'd wear things like this though :/

First down - Ooooole Miss!

2009-10-23T09:49:00.002-05:00

Ole Miss game tomorrow! Bright and early, 11:30am kickoff which is odd for SEC teams (it seems to me). They play Arkansas, which is an interesting game because Coach Houston Nutt left Ark for Ole Miss a couple years ago.

I have an actual Ole Miss shirt to wear, too! Of course, I will feel very out of place no matter what I wear - I refuse to wear a dress, heels, sequins, pearls, etc that the rest of the ladies wear to the games. It's football - no one should be in heels and pearls. :)

I got these off the web - pics of what typical women wear to Ole Miss games. No thanks.

I want this!

2009-10-22T08:38:00.001-05:00

Gorgeous!!! I've got a couple years to go (at least) before putting the addition on the house, and adding the big master bath...but I'd love to have this someday!

RiverArtsFest this weekend

2009-10-21T09:50:00.002-05:00

River Arts Fest is this weekend, in downtown Memphis. A 2-day festival to support (duh) the arts in Memphis. Apparently this is one of the largest festivals in Memphis now, definitely one of the fastest growing.

Their website is apparently down right now - hope they get up and running again, sort of helpful :) But it should be riverartsmemphis.org

It's a nonprofit organization to support the arts in Memphis. Here is a little blurb from AmericanTowns.com :

Mission Statement:
The mission of River Arts Fest is to expand and enhance the reputation of Memphis as an arts-oriented community. Traditionally, this event has attracted a sophisticated buying public to interact with talented, nationally recognized artists from across the nation.

History: While the RiverArtsFest organization itself is new, its roots can be traced back many years in the life of the City of Memphis. The RiverArtsFest as it exists today is a collaboration between two very strong arts centric organizations; Experience Art in Memphis (formerly Arts in the Park) and the South Main Association which is home for some of the city's finest art galleries. The synergies created in this collaboration along with a location in the heart of a revitalized downtown will make this event one of the premier art events in the Mid South.

Experience : Art in Memphis (Formerly Arts in the Park) In 1984, Arts in the Park began in Overton Park as a program of Art Today, an organization of the Brooks Museum under the leadership of Richard Wilson Sr. The objective was to bring together the visual and performing arts for a weekend of dance, music, sculpture, song, paintings, fine eating and participation; a fine arts exhibition. The success of the program led to the formation of a 501(c)3 corporation which came to be the Memphis Arts Festival. In 2003, the name was changed to Experience Art in Memphis to reflect an expanded mission to include literary and culinary arts. The invitation is to experience the art, to understand how it came to be, to enjoy all aspects of its creation, and to celebrate its existence. Since 1984, Memphis Arts Festival, through Arts in the Park and related events has involved over 500,000 citizens of the community in all its programs.

To coincide with the festival, local liquor stores are selling a RiverArtsFest wine, with proceeds going towards the fesival. Read more about it here on the Memphis Flyer's food blog.

This weekend is supposed to be sunny and warm (around 65 degrees) so it is a great weekend to come down to the South Main area and take in a little art :)

Don't you just love Memphis sometimes?

2009-10-20T12:47:00.001-05:00

Oh, Memphis, you never fail to amaze me...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Screams filled the evening sky as family members try to cope with what happened Monday in a South Memphis community. Two children, 2-year old Catareon Dunn and 3-year old Ladareon Dunn, were left home alone shortly before a fire broke out.
Officials responded to a house fire call at 1236 Effie Road off Mt. Moriah.

The two boys were left unattended while their mother and aunt left the house to go drop off a friend. Sometime after that, 911 received a call from neighbors saying the house was on fire.
Neighbors say they heard screams coming from the house and rushed to the back door to try and rescue the children. However, when they got there, the flames and smoke were too powerful for them to enter.

When the children were finally pulled from the house, onlookers described them as looking like "rag dolls." Both were rushed to the Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in critical condition. Ladareon died shortly thereafter. Catareon remains in critical condition.

The children’s aunt, Marilyn Wilson, who left the house with the mother, said she had no regrets about leaving the children home alone, “No, I really don’t because if they had been there by themselves, I don’t know if the boys set the house on fire or somebody threw something in there to set it on fire. I really need to get in there to see if my purse burned up. I had my Food Stamp Card and everything in there.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Memphis Fire Department.

Ready for the holidays! Pottery Barn and West Elm items.

2009-10-19T15:21:00.006-05:00

I usually do not get into the holidays, but I do like putting a few decorations up. Nothing gawdy and nothing TOO holiday-y, but some nice modern decorations are nice. I've bought a few pink/red decorations from Pier 1 in the past. With the recent cold weather, I've been thinking about the holidays. Of course, I think it is supposed to be in the 70's tomorrow. So much for cold weather!

I recently bought a couple things from Pottery Barn:

This wreath, it's a little pricey, but now that we have a house (instead of a condo) I think it will be cool to have a wreath on the door.

Pottery Barn outdoor pine wreath, $79

And I also bought the large version of these silver reindeer. :) I think they are cute, to be placed on a table. The large one was neat with it's sprouting leaves coming off the antlers.

Pottery Barn Twig Reindeer, $14-$67

They have an extra large version of the reindeer, but my god! Who wants this hazzard in their home? I could see me tripping and falling and puncturing a lung on this thing. It's taller than the couch in the picture!

Huge gigantic Pottery Barn Twig Reindeer, $99

I also bought some new curtains for the dining room, to brighten the room up a bit. Right now the curtains are a darker brown. I normally do not like curtains, period. But the room has a huge curtain bar installed on the windows, so either I'd have an emtpy bar hanging, or I'd have to dismantle it and patch the holes in the wood frame. I got these from West Elm, the cheaper little sis' of Pottery Barn :)

West Elm opaque linen window panel, $49-$69

And on Ebay, I bought this lovely Pottery Barn duvet. It's a little frilly for me, but I like the colors a lot. I buy so much on ebay, but I really need to get back into selling! It's a great way to make some money.

Pottery Barn Woodland Organic duvet cover and shams, $25-$99

Marc Gasol - Upgrade or Downgrade?

2009-10-16T08:24:00.006-05:00

Marc Gasol - younger brother of former Grizzlies player Pau - got a bit of a makeover in the off season. He lost a bit of weight, but more noticeably he got a haircut. And sorta-kinda-but-not-really shaved his beard. The Gasol brothers both seem to have an aversion to the scissors and often look homeless despite their multi-million dollar paychecks.

What do you think for Marc - Upgrade or Downgrade?

Before:

After:

Dwight, Polamalu, Anthropologie

2009-10-15T20:18:00.005-05:00

I don't know what it is, but I simply don't like The Office this season. It seems too forced now. Which blows!! I love the old shows. Diversity Day? Classic.

I do however like Troy Polamalu lately. I've never like the Steelers, even though I love the black and gold :) But he always "looked" like an obnoxious hardball football player. How stereotypical of me, because I saw an interview with him recently and he was like a big teddy bear. Super nice guy. Then he got hurt in that first game and hasn't played since :/ One day he'll be back!

And I love Anthropologie now too! I got my new shirt, dishcloth, and napkins in the mail and now I want more! Just something cool about the colors and dyes maybe?

Japanese maples and Macy's

2009-10-13T12:42:00.005-05:00

Has anyone ever planted and grown a Japanese Maple?

I really love these trees, they are so beautiful. I've heard they can do poorly in the heat and sun - which Memphis gets a lot of. Not to mention, this would be our first tree in the yard, so it would be the pioneer of shade :) They are pretty expensive if you buy ones that have semi-grown, so I'd hate to spend the money and then immediately kill the thing.

Not much else to report, been busy with work lately. Macy's is having good sales right now (is there ever a time when Macy's DOESN'T have 3/4 of their store on clearance?!). I used a coupon and got this dress over the weekend - originally $160 and I got it for $65. Don't ask me the designer...I can't remember :) Just thought it was pretty!

Downtown Dining Week

2009-10-13T12:38:00.002-05:00

Just read about this....

Downtown Dining Week (in Memphis) is coming up in November. At the restaurants listed, they will offer a 3-course meal for $20.09 (corresponding to the current year). I've eaten at most of the participating restaurants, and they are all great. Great price too - doesn't include tax or drinks though, but it's still a great deal. November 8 - 12.

Check out this link to Downtown Dining Week to learn more.

I'm baaaack! :)

2009-10-09T11:32:00.005-05:00

I haven't blogged in...ohhh.... months. People are starting to admonish me for it. I joined Twitter and I think that has been taking the place of the blog :)

Not sure where to start back, since I've missed out on a lot of time. And after being on Twitter, I'm used to containing all my thought to 140 characters, so blogging again might be difficult. :) If I still have some readers out there, thanks for sticking with me!!

Some randoms:

I ordered something on Anthropologie for the first time ever yesterday. I have gotten their catalogs for years (who knows how) and I've always loved their clothes, but my wallet has not had the same feeling. I picked a few sale items though.

Anthro "Blurred Blossoms Top"

These napkins, as well as a similar dish rag:

Anthro "Suzani Sprig Cocktail Napkins"

What else, what else. Oh yes, football!

We have season tickets to the Ole Miss games this year. Why? To watch all the other teams play :) This is the good year, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, and LSU all come to Oxford this year. Tomorrow is the Bama game - go Bama! If you are going to be in Oxford tailgating, let me know. We plan on going down early but I don't think we know anyone else going, so we'll probably end up walking around. It's a monsoon outside right now, but tomorrow is supposed to be great football weather - 60 degrees and partly sunny.

Dog & cat "twins" need adoption - please help!

2009-07-13T11:06:00.003-05:00

At work we have an electronic bulletin board to post things on, as well as a separate one for Animals. I never re-post things on my blog, because if I did, I'd spend 10 hours a day doing it. :) however, these two are too cute to pass up.

The owner recently died and this gorgeous look-alike couple are up for adoption. They want to be adopted together, as they are both 2 yrs old and were raised together. They are at the Memphis Animal Shelter on Tchulahoma. I think the fee for adopting them together is $75, but don't quote me on that. Regardless, it's worth it and the shelters always need donations no matter how big or small.

Ebay listings and a case of the Sundays.

2009-07-13T09:52:00.003-05:00

I listed a couple more pairs of Seven for all Mankind jeans on ebay today. Click here to see.

I really hate Sundays. I think Sunday night is the worst part of the week, by far. The impending doom of the following morning gets to me. I don't mind going to work, it's the waking up part that stinks. I never get any sleep on Sunday nights. I'm always running late on Monday mornings.

My gym is only open 12-5pm on Sundays, which is ridiclous to me!!! It's open 24/7 the rest of the week. So on Sundays, I never make it to the gym. I've already started my day in the morning, and I don't feel like interrupting things to work out, then have to come back, shower again, and re-start whatever things I was doing before.

I also have a terrible habit of over-eating on Sundays. It's like subconsciously I know that during the week I eat a strict diet and have a strict work-out routine, so on Sundays I stuff myself to make up for it. By the end of the day on Sunday, my stomach is killing me from over eating.

So really, I don't have a case of the Mondays, I have a case of the Sundays. :/

And I have yet to make it to the Farmers Market downtown on Saturdays this summer!!!! They seriously need to change their hours. Who wants to wake up at 7am on Saturday and go downtown?? :)

Sevens for sale on Ebay - Flying A

2009-07-11T17:30:00.002-05:00

For sale on ebay again...my $225 "Flying A" jeans - Seven for all Mankind

I think I might relist another pair, if the buyer falls thru (imagine that, happening on ebay?!) *eyeroll*

Click here to see my auction

MacGruber!!!

2009-07-08T14:50:00.000-05:00

But in better news, I heard they are making a movie out of the MacGruber character!

Random workplace rant

2009-07-08T12:26:00.003-05:00

This mug does not represent me.

I really hate being a supervisor. Frankly, my role is pretty useless. I do the crap work that the upper level managers don't want to do. It's like Office Space. So I get to deal with the annoying direct supervision issues, but I have zero power to actually fire anyone or do anything more than just write them up and have uncomfortable performance meetings with them. When it comes to actually having to take it further, upper management does nothing, and basically tells me to "fix it."

I'm not good at dealing with these situations. I come to work, I do my job, I do it correctly and in it's entirety. I don't understand why other people can't do the same. It's not like I work at Burger King, I don't supervise a bunch of 17 year olds. I work with people who have years of education, experience, graduate degrees, are older adults, etc. I have no strict rules, I don't care - as long as people are doing their work on time and doing it correctly, I couldn't care less what else goes on. But that seems to be too much to ask for 75% of the population. Not just in my office, but everywhere.

Years ago a co-worker and I had these same issues with people in a former department. We started to use the Nike phrase "JUST DO IT" all the time when talking about people. Your work - just do it. Showing up on time, everyday - just do it. The things I met with you about 42352343 times already this year - just do it.

Sigh. What I need to do is call the Bobs in to help out.

I Twit, do you Twit?

2009-07-05T14:09:00.004-05:00

Just for kicks and to see what it's like, I joined Twitter.

If you're on there, give me your name (screen name? handle? whatever it's called...) and I'll add you on there! You can leave it in a comment, or email me at esbaum1@gmail.com I'm still getting the hang of it, so I'm not too swift with it yet.

It's neat to follow some of my favorite celebrities, however most of them appear to be almost as boring as I am. I think Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute) posts about 392039023 times a day. That's the main thing I've seen so far. :)

New Kids on the Block had a bunch of hits...

2009-07-03T23:32:00.008-05:00

Thursday night was the most awesomest concert I've been to in a while (that's a word, right? Awesomest?). New Kids on the Block, NKOTB. I never got to see them when I was a kid, so it was pretty darn cool to see them now. And frankly, how much could a 10 year old really get out of a concert? I think I appreciated it more as an adult.

It was here in Memphis, at Mud Island. An outdoor venue, in the middle of the Mississippi River (seriously).

You can see here, the arena is on an island in the river, between TN and AR. Part of the Memphis skyline is in the background. (Note the unusually high percentage of neon colors seen in the audience...)

Joey and Donnie talking about how awesome we were. Joey used to be my favorite when I was a kid, probably because he was the closest in age to myself.

Donnie pointing me out in the crowd.

Group shot as they came out on stage.

As an adult though, my favorite is Jordan. Did you ever hear the song "Give it to You" that came out in 1999/2000? I was in college then. We used to listen to the song at full blast in the car as we did "drive bys" of the fraternities on campus at UI. Ahhh, to be in college again. And that was 10 years ago! Even at almost 40, Jordan is still pretty darn good looking and a great dancer. He was singing "Give it to You" in this photo. *sigh*

It was a fun night! I went with my friends Jen and Sara. We had a good time reliving our childhoods together :) I took 421 pictures and videos. I obviously did not post them all here :)

Now when is N'Sync going to go on tour???? (No worries, I already saw them in concert, in college. We tailgated in the parking lot before the concert. We were the only ones who could legally drink there, too. Other than the parents.)

P.S. - Kembree and Megan - I think I saw you both there! I was in a bit of a daze though and I've always been bad at walking up to people and doing the "Hey are you....?" thing. If I did see you, I'm sorry I did not say Hi!

Happy 4th of July weekend!

2009-07-02T08:14:00.003-05:00

I took the day off work but somehow managed to wake up earlier than I normally do when I have to go to work. I tried to fall back asleep but I only made it to 8am. :/

Busy weekend.....first of all, and most importantly is the New Kids concert tonight. Here they are now:

And here they were back in the day:

Back then, Joey was my favorite. Probably because he was the youngest, and the others seemed almost weirdly old to me (they were maybe 15? 16?) But now, Jordan is the best. I think his song "Give It To You" sealed the deal for me on that one.

The concert is outdoors, but luckily the weather has cooled down a little, it's only supposed to be 92 today. I know, you're laughing - at least those of you who don't live down here are :) But compared to 100, it's a cold front. And there is a big difference between 100 and 92. By the time the concert starts, it should be in the lower 80's. Brrrr! :)

I got my Rue La La purchase in the mail - a sequin Alice + Olivia dress. It unfortunately did not fit my husband, so I'll be forced to wear it.

I think I might wear it out to dinner Friday night. But, as with most nice clothes I have, I get scared that I'll spill something on it and it sits in my closet, unworn, collecting dust. I am determined not to do that with this dress.

Saturday my neighborhood does a 4th of July parade and potluck. The parade starts right outside my house at 10:45, so I suppose I have to go :) Just need to figure out something to do for the potluck.

That evening we're going to a friend's house. They just moved to a lakehouse outside of town. I don't think this photo is their house, but it is a picture of a house on the lake out there. I guess there is some sort of boat parade and fireworks over the lake. Should be a busy weekend for once! Of actual fun things, not just working on the house. I'll finish with a random photo of one of my cats. They love to sit, stand, and lay on my treadmill. I've never been able to get them to walk on it though.

Does my blog format look screwed up to you?

2009-07-01T09:54:00.002-05:00

Question -

when you look at my blog, do my side items actually appear at the side? Or at the bottom? Like the Profile, my designergals girl, the "Follow Me" thing.... ?? When I look at my blog at home, it looks correct, but when I look at it at work, all those things get smooshed down to the bottom for some reason. Maybe because of the monitor size (but my monitor at work is bigger, so that makes no sense).

If it's not looking right to other people, I need to fix it....

Pink Palace Museum

2009-06-30T20:38:00.002-05:00

I went to the Pink Palace for the first time in years this weekend. They are doing free memberships this summer, if you want to check it out. Membership to the Palace also gets you in to the Lichterman Nature Center, as well as a couple other places (I think).

Due to financial stain, the planetarium is now closed on Sundays and Mondays. We'll have to go back to see that. They also have several Imax movies playing now, but we didn't go to any of them. Next time!

For anyone not in Memphis, the Palace is a museum now. It was originally built as a house by the founder of Piggly Wiggly. (The last picture explains it all....) It now houses permenant Memphis related exhibits, as well as traveling exhibits. The house still has a pink hue to it, although the stones have faded some. It's set on a huge treed lot in the middle of Memphis (near my home) and is sort of a forgotten about museum for a lot of Memphians.

Check out all the details on their website here.

Ebay listings - Seven for all Mankind, Rock and Republic jeans

2009-06-28T16:52:00.006-05:00

I have listed 4 pairs of jeans on ebay - Seven For All Mankind and one pair of Rock and Republic. Great jeans - but I've lost weight and these are a bit too big. I'd rather make some money off of them, and also it's great motivation to not gain the weight back when I get rid of these :)

Here's the link to the ebay listings (click here)

And here are pics of the 4 pairs:

New "Poppy" Coach line

2009-06-26T14:47:00.003-05:00

First of all, to anyone who works for Coach: I hate the new website. I consider myself to be exceptionally internet saavy, yet I can't manuever around that crap they call a site. Too many flash players all playing at once, you can't turn the Intro off...I just want to look at the bags!! Not see photos of what I could potentially look like carrying the bags if I was 50 lbs skinnier and a foot taller. And carrying a dog in the bag, while wearing large pink sunglasses and jumping in a puddle.

I digress.

Here's their new "Poppy" line. I find it fun, yet more classic than some of the other crap they've come up with recently. (For the most part.) (Okay for maybe part part.)

That rhinestone thing at the end though....yikes.

Non-permenantly re-sizing wedding rings?

2009-06-24T09:39:00.003-05:00

I've lost a little weight recently, and have noticed my wedding rings are a bit loose. Not so bad that they are falling off, but especially when I wash my hands they get rather loose.

I really do not want to re-size them professionally (inevitably I will regain weight, then they'll be too small), so does anyone know of something out there to temporarily resize them? Other than doing something goofy like tying string around it to make it smaller. :) Maybe jewelry stores make some sort of thing to attach to the back of the ring?

Ooh la la, until I get the bill.

2009-06-23T08:26:00.003-05:00

I think joining Gilt and Ruelala was a mistake :-/ They have such good sales.

Alice + Olivia dress. I buy all these dresses to wear on fancy nights out. Then I never have any fancy nights out.

Mind you - I bought this about 3 hours before finding out my condo that I rent out had an A/C explosion and water leaked all over, caving in the ceiling and buckling up the hardwood floors. So lord knows how much money this is going to cost me. Not sure how a person can see this much water flooding through a ceiling, down the walls, and onto hardwood floors and not think to do something about it (put a pot down? a towel?) - something other than call and tell the property manager he "saw a leak in the ceiling." To me, a "leak in the ceiling" does not equate to 30 gallons of water caving in a ceiling and sitting on wood floors long enough to buckle them. Actually I believe the words "slow drip" were mentioned. But hey, what do I know.

Edit: let me add, I realize the A/C breaking was no one's fault. But if I saw a ceiling caving in with water, I would be on the phone screaming at someone to come help, that it was an emergency. It was not til my husband randomly went over there yesterday to meet the floor repair guy (our question - why do we need a floor repair guy for a 'small drip'?), that we realized the extent of the damage.

Hace calor en Memphis!!!

2009-06-21T19:08:00.004-05:00

Memphis has been rocking the near-100 mark in temps this week. And will continue to do so for ohhhhhhhh about 3 or 4 more months. Which leads me to look online for pools. I love this one. I wouldn't want a massive pool that takes over my entire backyard. Just something small that I can sit in and use to cool off. This is the perfect example, seen on the Memphis Pool's website.

Of course, I don't have a pool (yet!) so I had to do the 2nd best thing - put the sprinkler next to my lawn chair.

My new bff

2009-06-19T09:04:00.005-05:00

I saw this post from The Choloe Conspiracy, and knew I had to have this bag.

Last weekend - I bought it. Yesterday, it came in the mail.

<3>

The inside is gorgeous too, I didn't take photo of it, but it looks like this:

Apparently Chloe has other people addicted to it too, including Lindsey here. Chloe has the best blog when it comes to fun fashion. And she takes, hands down, the best photos.

My ideal bathroom

2009-06-17T21:28:00.002-05:00

I know there is no shower in the photo, but this bathroom would be perfection to me:

I'm sure something like this would be reasonably cheap to build, right? :)

Address yard signs

2009-06-17T10:24:00.003-05:00

Does anyone have something like this in your yard?

One of the heavy aluminum yard signs. (Note - that's not my address) :) You can get them at Lowe's or Home Depot, or on ebay for 1/2 the price ( I <3>

I'm terrible at picking out colors though. And if it's even worth it. Only $80 or so on ebay, almost $200 if you get one thru a store. Any thoughts on colors? I like the red or maroon and silver. It seems like it would stand out. But then again, do you really want it to stand out? To look at your yard/house and see WOW THAT'S A BRIGHT RED SIGN. :) The black/gold is the standard, like in the above photo. But that combo almost seems like it would fade away and be hard to notice.

Losing weight and gaining clothes

2009-06-16T09:31:00.002-05:00

Before I put my condo for sale, we packed up a ton of junk and stuff we never used, and put it all in a storage unit. This included a TON of clothes that I didn't fit into, therefore there was no point in keeping them around, taking up space. This was...the end of February maybe?

Fast forward to last weekend. My husband went and got 3 huge containers of clothes out of storage for me. I finally started emptying them out last night, and I was so happy to find out that all of the old pants, jeans, skirts, dresses, etc that didn't fit me back in February now fit again. I have plateau-ed on the scale since the move, however apparently I'm losing fat (and gaining muscle? Who knows...) But whatever is happening, I'm happy. I had sooo many clothing items that didn't fit and I was so upset; you spend a ton of money on clothes and none fit, that sucks. I pulled out at least 10 pairs of Banana Republic slacks that I'd wear to work; all fit now. Also my former favorite pair of Rock & Republic jeans - the Victoria Beckham crowns line. Still a bit snug, but they fit.

It was like going on a shopping spree for free :) I'm very excited to FINALLY get some new outfits into the weekly rotation.

Also, I need to sell off some old jeans and other items that are a bit too big now...motivation for me not to gain the weight back! I'll post the items on here, via links to Ebay soon. Several pairs of jeans and pants, all used, but in good condition.

Hein Park house for sale - Memphis - FYI only!

2009-06-15T14:21:00.003-05:00

I have to blog about this house for sale. I am in no way, shape, or form affiliated with the owners, or the realtors, or anyone. But this is a house we looked at months ago when purchasing our new home. It needs some work - but it's a real steal for anyone who can A) afford the pricetag and B) has about $20,000 (or more) to spend on making it a true gem.

It was purchased for $365,000 in 2007, and is now on the market for $275,000. It's in probably the most exclusive neighborhood in Memphis, Hein Park. (Poor economy? Check. Good deals for new home buyers? Check.)

Whoever bought it for $365k was a real idiot. Let's get that straight right now. But with a little work, I think it could easily be worth over $300k. It currently has 2 bedrooms, and 1.5 bathrooms. And one "bedroom" is a joke, it's tiny with no closet. So really, 1 usable bedroom, 1 full bath. Um, we're not in San Fran, so the price is a joke. BUT.

(outside view...huge front yard, has a small backyard but also has a "back house" that needs work, but has been used as an apt in the past, or could be a garage with no work needed)

Beautiful kitchen with all upgrades (except the ridiculous white microwave). Subzero fridge/freezer and a huge range. It has a separate eat-in area with a built in bench, and there is also a formal living room elsewhere in the house.

Okay. This is the "den." However, it could EASILY be converted into a master bedroom. Just wall it up and put a door on it, and voila you have a huge master with french doors leading outside to a private patio. (Doors on either side of the fireplace.) The 1/2 bath is also next door, with a little desk area next to it, right off the kitchen. Who needs a desk room off the kitchen? Take that out, close it up, and convert it all into a large master bath, accessible only to this new bedroom. The main living room looks similar to this, and has a 2nd fireplace.

Main living room.

This is the little back building. We didn't go in it, but looking in, it's set up as an apartment, however it needs a lot of work to be used as such. Otherwise, shove your lawnmower in there and call it a day.

Again, I have no affiliation with this house. I really loved it and at the time, we considered putting an offer in. However, it's at the top of our budget, and it would need some work to get to where we'd want it. The backyard is also a bit small (see above) but if you take the old brick/stone patio thing out, it could be an okay sized backyard. The front yard, otherwise, is massive.

So check it out at this website. It's a great neighborhood, very old and exclusive. The house is cute as a button. Don't get me wrong - the thing could be falling apart inside the walls for all I know, but just touring it and seeing inside, and seeing the potential - it's a steal. All you really need to do is pay to have the 1/2 bath turned into a master bath, which means putting up a couple walls and adding a shower/tub. Then wall up the den into a separate bedroom. Not much money at all!

New Coach "Tattoo" line

2009-06-15T10:23:00.003-05:00

While I love Coach, I always have to post about their iffy new lines. The latest Bonnie line, while cutesty, isn't really something timeless that you can carry with any outfit. Much like their new Tattoo line...

I like tattoos...on people. This, I'm not much of a fan. What do you think? Yay or Nay?

Bathroom ideas

2009-06-12T14:31:00.003-05:00

Does anyone have any recommendations for websites where I can get bathroom ideas? I like modern baths with mosaic tile, like below. Just looking for a site where I can get some ideas!

It's not funny, Crew.

2009-06-11T09:29:00.002-05:00

J. Crew, why do you have such a mean sense of humor?

I just received my order in the mail yesterday. And today I get emails offering me 20% now, as well as free shipping. I think they do this on purpose. Do I order more? :-/

I read about this on another blog, but didn't put 2 & 2 together til I got my package. The Crew is doing elastic waistbands on some of their items now, including the 2 skirts I bought. Not all elastic, but part of it is. Very odd. It's sort of nice and comfy...but I also do not want to look like a 1980's mom. This is one of them (I didn't get this color, FYI) and the other must be sold out because I can't find it online now.

Gilty purchase

2009-06-08T11:13:00.003-05:00

I just bought this Tracey Reese shirt on gilt.com, today's sale. I love it! I'm infatuated with bright colors, rainbow, and tye-dye-ish designs right now.

Pardon the poorly cropped photo....gilt doesn't let you copy/save their pictures! I had to print screen and I didn't want to mess with cropping.

On Wednesday....7 for all Mankind jeans are on sale on ruelala.com! Women's and men's. I need to buy some actual cropped jeans (instead of doing the rolling up thing all the time) so I'm hoping they have some for sale.

If anyone wants any invite to ruelala or gilt, let me know (leave your email address in a comment) and I'll send out an invite. It's "members only" but don't worry - it's not as fancy as it sounds. :) You just have to be invited and sign up.

Today is National Donut Day

2009-06-05T12:17:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the Main Street Journal, I saw that today is National Donut Day! What a better way to end the work week by stuffing a few (errr....30) donuts in my mouth. Because really, lord knows I cannot eat just one donut. One dozen maybe. (If we aren't supposed to eat the whole box, why do they come in dozens?)

What is your favorite type of donut? I could name a baker's dozen of my favorites (har har). I like the regular ol' Krispy Kreme glazed a lot. Although anything with icing, or lemon filling is also great. I don't like sprinkles much though. It's hard enough to eat a donut without getting goo all over my face/hands, I don't need sprinkles falling all over me.

Ombre!

2009-06-04T22:10:00.002-05:00

I love this bag!

I found it on ebay...the only one I could find, however, is for sale because it has some red stains on it :( The seller said they are embedded in the leather, not cleanable. Sigh.

I just love the ombre look.

J. Crew credit card?

2009-06-03T11:26:00.001-05:00

Haven't posted in a while...been out of town, laptop died, blah blah.

Anywho... I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get a J. Crew credit card. :-/ I spend so much money there, might as well get some benefits from it. Any thoughts? Anyone have one and have opinions? It's free, just the benefits (supposedly) of having access to other sales, as well as getting cash back.

The dress mess - pt 2

2009-05-26T18:18:00.003-05:00

I stayed home sick from work today....went to the MD earlier and got some antibiotics for a sinus infection. I used to get severe sinus infections a few years ago, one after another. I haven't had one in years...great timing with the trip and wedding coming up this weekend! *eyeroll*

So, I think I have decided to wear a totally different dress. I really liked #1 from my other post, but I could not find any sort of slip deal to wear under it. I tried several options, but all of them screamed "HI I AM WEARING A SLIP UNDER THIS DRESS." :) Stupid sheer clothes. I may make one last trip to Target and see if I missed anything.

Anywho, otherwise I think I'm going to nix the blue shoes that I really wanted to wear, and wear this blue dress instead. While I love the dress #3 (the pink and white deal with the aqua ribbon around the waist).... I also have a very pale and pink complection - so wearing white and pink tends to make me also look white and pink :) I'm thinking more of a tan is needed before wearing that.

So this dress is also BCBG. It's aqua and chiffon. I sort of like it without the straps. Problem is, the straps are not removable, so I'd need to iron them down to make sure they don't keep popping out all night. But either way, I think it looks okay.

Then I can wear the blue shoes with some rolled up jeans, which is probably more appropriate anyway. I have a thing for rolling up my jeans lately, especially if the seam has a little color in it to make it interesting. These jeans are a weeeeee tight, but they button, which is more than I could say about them last summer! :)

I appreciate everyone's input on my other post though - my husband gets a deer in headlights look when I ask him his opinion. It's always so nice to get honest feedback from people in blogworld.

Now if I can just get my sinuses to straighten up so I can enjoy the weekend more!! :)

Can I get a little dress help?

2009-05-25T19:24:00.004-05:00

A little wedding dress help? Not MY wedding, I'm a guest. :) I want to wear the blue shoes, let's get that out there first. My friend is getting married this weekend, one of my best friends from junior high.

This is not a super traditional wedding....it's not in a church, it will be in a ballroom at the top of a hotel. While it's a "normal" wedding/ceremony, my friends are not the typical "cutesy" type of couple. They would not be expecting guests to wear Lilly Pulitzer, for example :) Nor would they know what or who that is. They are more about music, bands, rock/metal, etc. After the reception, the plan is for the "young" people to go out downtown and party together (it's not in Memphis). So I'd want a fun dress to wear to the wedding and then go straight out afterwards. I'm not big into changing outfits...if I'm dressed up, I stay dressed up for the rest of the day/night.

So anyway.....please also keep in mind I'm currently sick and had not showered yet when I took these pictures :)

1) First dress is French Connection UK. It's off white...is that okay for a wedding? It's a little short...and see thru, but not terrible. I could go by a slip if need be. Low cut, and has ties on each side (decoration only). But I think with some colorful jewelry, I definitely won't be competing with the bride and it won't look like a "white dress" so to speak. I like this, because it's so simple, cotton, comfy, and easy. And I can wear a bra under it, which I can't for 2 of the others.

2) Next is also French Connection UK. While I like it, it is VERY low cut and does not fit a bra. And given my...."slimness" up there, it makes for a dangerous combo. I don't want to bend over and have the neckline slip down to my waist. It also makes me look pooofy, like I'm 8 months pregnant. Okay it's not that bad, but it's a lot of material that I end up pulling around me and smooshing around when I have to sit, stand, etc.

3) Next is BCBG. I think this is the most "wedding" type of dress. Pink and white, with an aqua tie that wraps around the waist. I like this, it's probably the most appropriate for both friends and grandmas, but the aqua is a liiiiittle off from the blue shoes. I know it's completely impossible to tell, but I notice it. I do like this a lot, but again...I can't wear a bra under it, and so I run the risk of flashing everyone if I lean over without preparing myself.

4) Okay. This is my ideal dress. It's Adam Lippes. It's also too small. I bought it almost a year ago, when it was WAY too small. I've lost weight, but really I need to lose maybe another 1/2 inch around my butt to fit this correctly. And it does not stretch...sort of silk and chiffon. So when it's too tight, it's very obvious. Like the fabic pulling and about to rip around me, you know? You can tell in the photos where it fits and hangs off me around my waist, but is tight around the hips/butt. From a distance, you can't really tell, but I don't want to sit down for dinner and rip my dress in half. Can I lose 1/2 to 1 inch around my butt in.....5 days? :-/

Memphis Sunset Symphony tomorrow

2009-05-22T21:39:00.004-05:00

I have my fingers crossed that the weather is okay for tomorrow's Sunset Symphony! I have never been before, and am planning to go with some friends. The forecast calls for thunderstorms for the next week or so....typical Memphis weather in the spring. Rain everyday!!

The SS is the final weekend of Memphis in May, I think the park opens at 2pm, random music is at 3pm, an air show is at 6pm, the symphony is playing with Three Dog Night at 7:30pm, and then the fireworks are at 9:30. It's on the river, sunset is around 8:30ish here right now. Bring anything you want - blankets, lawn chairs, food, beer, wine, liquor, etc. I think tickets are $8 at the gate.

The rain date is Sunday, so if it rains tomorrow...I guess they announce if they are cancelling and will try the next day. So we'll see if we make it this year!

Memphis dogs need a home

2009-05-21T09:03:00.003-05:00

Passing along some info on a couple dogs - 1 needs a home, and 1 that was found and needs a home, a foster home, or to find it's owners. I do not know these people, just passing along info from my neighborhood association. Contact them if you are interested....

-------------------------------

A friend has moved and is in a live-in caretaker situation. She must find a home for her dog. If you or someone you know would like a house-broken older dog, who is also pretty and a good watch dog, I have attached two photos - email the owner directly if you are interested at the following:sonsong8@hotmail.com

Black Lab Found:

Attached you will find a photos of a black lab that appeared in our Midtown neighborhood this morning. I live off East Parkway on the East side of Overton Park and one of my neighbors found this sweet baby this morning. Could you please post this on our website to see if by chance anyone may know who he belongs to? They said the pup is really in good shape despite obviously being on his own for a while. The family who found the black lab has had his gash treated and he is a step closer to finding a home. One of the rescue groups is going to help the good samaritan family with him, but he needs temporary foster care first. Sam and Mary Tickle found him and have him right now. Mary's cell is 517-6633 and Sam's is 389-8656.

J. Crew deals

2009-05-20T11:48:00.005-05:00

Sometimes J. Crew has some good deals, even without a sale. This dress is $78 (new) and I believe the cardigan she has on is a merino cardigan that is on sale for $49.99. A pretty good deal if you're looking for a cute outfit for a summer occasion.

They are also doing 20% off any purchase of $175 or more, using the code "Summer."

I am ready for the sun!!!

2009-05-19T22:39:00.003-05:00

My baby finally arrived!! It was all sun today too, when I got home. Let me add - I left work early to be sure and be home to meet the guys. I pull up - they are there, waiting. Just sitting in the delivery truck. I guess they'd been there a while, because they had already put the furniture together. I asked "What happened to calling 30 min ahead of time?" Ooops, they forgot. "Were you trying to call me since I wasn't home?" Nope. I guess they were just going to sit there til I got home :)

Some random shots of the house...

The red dining room, not my doing. I think I like it.

Backyard shot. My husband is very happy to have a grill.

I have NOT killed these flowers. I planted them, and they are still alive. I am super stoked.

The bathroom I spent 3 days painting. I should have used primer...it was all black and grey before.

Photos I love

2009-05-18T21:55:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I see a photo and I simply love it. Like this one!

Seen on Pink Lemonade's blog, which is a beautiful blog about fashion, design, books, etc. Check it out.

(Loeffler Randall dress)

Shoes! Shoes! Shoes!!

2009-05-18T20:40:00.002-05:00

Yeah, I'm addicted.

Nine West had some good sales recently. I own about 302039023 pairs of shoes, but I barely wear any of them. I'm afraid I'll step in a mud puddle, scrap one against a rusty nail, or (what is more like it) walk so fast in them that I wear the heels out after a month and they get all knarled up. Narled? That can't be spelled correctly. You get my point.