
I love setting the table. (For company.)
Here’s one I put together recently–a casual dinner with friends…
 Brought these coral-etched plates from www.zgallerie.com a few years ago. So happy I have them.
It’s not unusual for me to set the table days in advance of my party. There’s a practical reason (one less thing to do on the day-of); and a not-so-practical reason (it gives me lots of time to fuss and fluff, make butterfly-shaped place cards, or figure out how to turn a cloth napkin into a rosebud).
Lately, I’ve been scanning Pinterest for tablescape ideas. (Warning: If you do this, you will not be able to peel yourself off the internet long enough to set the actual table.) Saw a few beautiful place settings and challenged myself to recreate them without spending buckets of money. Here goes….
BOLD, GOLD…AND COSTLY:
 A pricey proposition: L'objet Aegean dinner plate, $220; set of four Jonathan Adler dinner plates, $75; and monogrammed chevron placemat, $45
My version…
 Glass Reef Gold Charger Plate; $28.49, www.kohls.com
 The same Jonathan Adler Greek Key Dinner Plate; $16, www.macys.com
 Chevron placemat with custom monogram (mine!); $19.95, www.zazzle.com
Or recreate the look with doppelganger dinnerware…
 Pebble Dinnerware, set of four chargers; $79.80, www.zgallerie.com
 Zig Zag Dinnerware, set of four plates; $27.80, www.zgallerie.com
FLIRTING WITH FRILLY:
 Love the serene shade of aqua, textural mats, and feminine feel....
My version…
 Berry and Thread five-piece place setting; $131, www.amazon.com
Or sub in this ruffled dinner plate…
 Aqua dinner plate, set of four; $11.99, www.target.com
 Romanesque Salad Plates, set of four; $50, www.jcp.com
 Flutter Round Placemat; $3.95, www.pier1.com
TRADITIONAL DINNERWARE DONE UP IN A COOL COLOR COMBO…
 A fiesta of coral-and-sea colors...
My version…
 9-Inch Fiesta Luncheon Plate in Scarlet; $29.77, www.amazon.com
 Fiesta Four-Piece Place setting in Turquoise; $50, www.macys.com
 Fiesta Four-Piece Place setting in White; $50, www.macys.com
 Tyler Florence by Mikasa Rustic White 'Baroque' Dinner Plate, 11-1/4 inches; $22, www.amazon.com
And an idea that, price-wise, can’t be “beat”…

Next thing I want to master for my dining table:

Bargain bonus: Asparagus is now in season.
What kinds of tables have you set recently? Were raw vegetables involved?


The Tory Burch vs. Chris Burch battle has all the makings of a really good Lifetime movie–minus a murder and/or abduction.
For those folks who have no idea what I’m talking about, a brief Cliff Notes rundown….
This golden-haired designer–born Tory Robinson–hailed from Philly, graduated from Penn, headed to NYC, worked at Harper’s Bazaar, followed by Polo Ralph Lauren, and then Vera Wang. In 2004, along with her husband, financier Christopher Burch, she launched her own fashion label–a Hamptons-meets-Manhattan look complete with an instantly-recognizable geometric logo. Oprah raved about Tory’s tunics on the air…and I needn’t tell you what happened after that, as a word from Winfrey virtually guarantees instant superstardom.

So the line took off, but the marriage failed. In ‘06, Chris and Tory parted ways (maritally speaking); though he remained, until last month, on the Burch board. He also got busy starting his own fashion brand, C. Wonder.
As in, I wonder how much I can make my products look like Tory’s without pissing her off.
 Tory's logo...
 Chris's logo...
 A Tory store...
 A Chris store...
Rumor has it, she’s pissed. And after doing a side-by-side comparison of the two lines, understandably so. But here’s where my moral dilemma comes in: As a person who hates paying top dollar just because something has a big-name logo on it, I find myself (how best to put this?) empathizing with Chris’s desire to launch Hampton’s-meets-Manhattan goods at non-Eastern-seaboard prices.
Have a look and decide for yourself….
 Tory Burch Roslyn Stripe Tote in canvas; $395
 C.Wonder Collegiate Stripe Zip Top Tote in cotton canvas; $88
 Tory Burch Brigitte Mini Dress; $325
 C. Wonder Belted Shirdress; $128
 Tory Burch Brigitte Blouse; $195
 C. Wonder Printed Band Collar Blouse; $98
 Tory Burch Nylon Robinson E-Tablet Sleeve; $135
 C. Wonder Nylon Tablet Case; $68
 Tory Burch Hinge Bracelet; $117 (on sale)
 Elva Fields for C. Wonder Resin Hammered Bangle; $48
Copyright infringement?
Disgruntled spouse?
Brilliant marketing?
Cool-affordable-fashion-so-who-cares?
I wonder what YOU think….


Despite my antenna for bargains, there are a few items that routinely cause me to throw caution (and sanity) to the wind. I am not the least bit apologetic when I put these babies in my shopping bag….
* A great, big bottle of Jo Malone cologne (the 3.4-ounce size, $110). Preferably: Orange Blossom; White Jasmine and Mint; Nutmeg and Ginger; or Grapefruit. A collection of these heady bottles is like being greeted by your very own delicious fruit salad each morning

* Those to-die-for, crunchy, juicy, oversize green grapes that my local grocery store has been selling of late, shamefully priced at $5.99-a-pound. A whopping $16 later, a big bag is in my cart. 24 hours later, they are history.

* Jeans that fit. (Read: Your thighs and booty look smaller.) There are few styles that deliver this service, save for Mek’s Oaxaca Bootcut Jeans. For these, I will gladly walk on coals and put $138 on my Amex card. They are a bit distressed; but I am more distressed when I can’t find them.

* Great chocolate. Preferably with nuts. Preferably See’s. Those who read this blog regularly already know about this fixation. Some readers have actually bought boxes of See’s chocolate for me. This is perfectly fine.

* A really beautiful Dior eyeshadow palette. The colors are unparalleled…the compact is a work of art. The price tag is something like $60.

* Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner. The stuff retails for $150; I buy it cheaper online…it’s worth every penny.

I am still waiting for Kohl’s to carry the grapes. Or for someone to sell them on eBay.
What are YOU willing to pay more for? The things that make you say, “To hell with the price tag….”


I’m a bit focused on bracelets these days. (Actually, I’m a LOT focused on bracelets these days.) And it all started when I saw a photo on a fashion blog showing a gal wearing an entire stack of jewelry on her wrist…a chunky watch, a few chains, some charm-y pieces, bangles, the works. I would have thought it to be overkill…but it’s not. It’s just really chic.
Initially, I assumed that I’d just stumbled across a particularly creative fashionista; turns out, I may just be slow on the uptake. A little Googling here and there and I was soon viewing dozens of stacked-bracelet shots. Many of them are now proudly pinned to my Pinterest board. (Do not get me started on this latest craze. It’s a dangerous pastime. Very dangerous. Makes Facebook look like a fleeting fancy.)




So now I’m on a hunt to collect my own jangly jewelry. These are just some of my favorite picks. Brace yourself….
 Anaya's Intricate Turquoise Beaded Stacking Bangle Set; $49.95; www.fantasyjewelrybox.com
 Syria's Matte Gold Flower Cluster Stretch Bracelet, $39.95; www.fantasyjewelrybox.com
 Black Rope Cuff, $52; www.baublebar.com
 Floral Trio Hinge Bracelet, $10.80; www.forever21.com
 Selia's Ribbon Wrapped Gold Chain Link Bracelet, $49.95; www.fantasyjewelrybox.com
 Reyna's Pearl Accented Coral Reef & Starfish Gold Bracelet, $34.95; www.fantasyjewelrybox.com
 Goldtone Green Enamel 3-strand Bracelet, $30.99; www.overstock.com
 Alekta's Allure, $42; www.pinkpineapple.com
 Tressa Silvertone CZ Turquoise Enamel Buckle Bracelet, $19.99; www.overstock.com
 Rill Cove Treasure, $24, www.pinkpineapple.com
 Sunset Bangle, $69; www.stelladot.com
 Carrie Bangles Trio, $59; www.stelladot.com
Worth arming yourself, don’t you think?


Have you noticed lately that whenever a new shopping center goes up, its name always begins with the words The Shops At…? (Go ahead: Google the phrase and you’ll see what I mean.)
I think the marketing strategy has something to do with the fact that The Shops At sounds a hell of a lot swankier than Mall. Let’s try it….
“The Shops at Wailea”
“Wailea Mall”
Which one do YOU think has a Gucci?
Because I’m as swayed by the swank factor as everyone else, I took notice when I received a press release announcing Target’s latest designer partnerships with Cos Bar (luxury bath items), Privet House (antique-y home goods), Webster Miami (tropical resort wear); The Candy Store (famous San Francisco candy “boutique”), and Polka Dog Bakery (one-stop shopping for man’s best friend). Guess what they’re calling this mega launch?
The Shops at Target.
I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peak at what I think is a crazy-cool collection of affordable clothing for men and women…home accessories…and treats for humans and canines. I’m sharing it here with you– even though that may mean a fight at the Target doors when the introduction launches on Sunday, May 6th.
From Webster Miami…
 Two-Way Deco Print Shift Dress, $39.99; Cap-Toe Wedge, $29.99
 Colorblock Cardigan , $32.99; Palm Print Tank, $19.99; Jacquard Skirt, $29.99; Ballet Flat, $24.99; Sand Dollar Earrings, $14.99
 Shoes: $24.00-$29.99
 Palm Drop Earrings; $14.9. (You'll have to fight me for these. Sorry.)
I made the mistake of sending the Look Book to my son, Adam, from whom I received the following email shopping mandate:
Mom–
THINGS I LOVE
Tshirt in Look 29
Shorts in Look 30
Shirt in Look 31
Tank and Shorts in Look 33
Shirt in Look 34
Shirt in Look 35
Love, Adam
 Dip-Dyed Shirt, $19.99; pants, $29.99; printed belt, $19.99
 Jersey Polo; $19.99; swim trunks, $29.99
 Navy and Natural Fedoras; $19.99 each.
From Privet House…
 Canvas totes; $19.99 each
 Ceramic cheese board; $14.99
 Wooden storage boxes; $29.99-$34.99
From Cos Bar…
 Soaps in Orange Citrus, Blueberry White Tea, and Cucumber Melon; $4 each
From The Candy Store…
 Necco Wafer and Round Swirl Lollipops; $3.49 each
 Tins of Almond Butter Toffee, Peanut Brittle, Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate Pretzels, and Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels; $9.99 each
From Polka Dog Bakery…
 Dog collars in small, medium, and large; $5.99-$7.99
 Sweet! Latex and rope toys; $4.99 each
And that’s just a sampling, folks.
See you on May 6th. I’ll be the one at the front of the line. (Unless that woman who scooped up all the Missoni stuff decides to turn up again.)


I’ve never been one of those people who use the word “craft” as a verb. As in: “We’re doing some crafting this afternoon.” Or as a noun to describe a person. As in: “I am a crafter.”
To me, the word craft always conjures up those first-grade projects in which we were directed to glue various pantry staples—usually dried legumes and pasta wheels—onto some sort of base; which were then gleefully presented to parents on various holidays; and then gleefully displayed for a while; and then gleefully (and surreptitiously) dumped into an outside garbage can.

Recently, I’ve softened my stance (though I draw the line at anything that involves an empty egg carton). On an occasional basis, I make:
- Lobby displays for my kids’ theater activities. This frequently involves die cuts, glue, props, and, unfortunately, glitter.
- Homemade invitations.
- Scrapbooks. (Let me clarify: for special occasions only—like a 40th birthday or graduation.)
- Centerpieces.
A couple of lobby displays in progress:


In some ways, my home office has morphed into a part-time craft room. I have a wrapping “center;” a place for my Cricut cartridges (if you don’t know what those are, it’s best not to find out); and a closet full of paper and envelope bins.

What’s more, I’ve become envious of those over-the-top model homes that actually have a dedicated craft room (with architecturally-designed gift-wrapping center, sewing station, and art-supply drawers) built into the plans.
I no longer make fun of Candy Spelling, either. (She had a Wrapping Room. Not a center. Not a station. A room. She now lives in a 16,000-square-foot condo. Not sure where she wraps presents in the new digs.)

Because of all this, I sort of fell in love with Martha Stewart’s Craft Collection for Home Decorators (my very favorite low-cost furniture source). They offer an entire line of affordable pieces designed specifically for craft-happy neatniks who want to store their goods in the most organized way possible.




A few of my favorite pieces to mix and match :
 Gift-Wrap Hutch (top), $169; Eight-Drawer Flat-File Cabinet (bottom), $399.
 Space Paper Organizer; $59.99
 My sewing is limited to buttons and an occasional pathetic hem, but I'm dying for this Spool and Bobbin Storage; $69
 Storage Hutch (with blackboard!); $279
 Corner Table; $399
Everything is available in three colors (all of which sound perfectly Martha): Picket Fence; Sharkey Grey; and Rhododendron.

So let’s turn the (craft) tables over to you.
a) Do you “craft?”
b) Do you consider yourself a “crafter?”
c) Are you crafty?
d) Will you, at the very least, cop to dabbling in crafts?


I think Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point, would have a field day examining the force with which Kate Middleton’s fashion habits have been shaping the world since November 16, 2010, the day the Palace formally announced the royal engagement. It’s become a forgone conclusion that anything Kate wears in public will a) fly off store shelves and become extinct within 48 hours and b) be knocked off by everyone and their mother so the rest of us can get in on the trend.
I am thankful for B, because no one should have to spend more than $30 for a pair of orange pants that really only flatters about three percent of the population’s backsides.
And yet, just like my bright-yellow painters’ pants from the 80’s, I’m kind of digging these coral-y skinnies and actually took the plunge and brought home a pair from JCP last week. (BTW, thanks to a brilliant new ad campaign, that’s what we’re officially calling my favorite store now. Cooler, don’t you think?) Sadly, I can’t show the pants on this page because—big surprise here—they’re sold out.
Fear not: I have plenty more for you–at every price under the rainbow.
 Emilio Pucci Legging Jeans; $450, www.bergdorfgoodman.com
 Burberry Brit Dusty Brights Power Stretch Skinny Jeans; $250
 Rag & Bone Orange Skinny; $176, www.rag-bone.com
 Ava Ultra Skinny; $59, www.ardenb.com
 Paris Blues Colored Skinny Jean; $30, www.alloy.com
 Tinseltown Skinny Jean; $29.99, www.loehmanns.com
 Vero Moda Super Stretch Skinny Jeans; $19.70; www.asos.com
I haven’t yet worn my JCP skinnies. (It’s been 41 degrees in my town, okay?) But I’m really curious to know how many of you in more normal climates have bought into this colorful trend for spring….
Thoughts? Comments? Complaints-about-orange-pants?


When I went through sorority rush (“You mean,” as my daughter would say, “When the dinosaurs roamed the earth?”), I ended up pledging Delta Gama.
There were several reasons for this choice:
1) I liked the girls.
2) I wanted to live in their big, white, Colonial mansion.
3) The girls seemed to like me. (Always good to feel welcome when you’re about to have 112 female roommates.)
But perhaps most influential was the fact that their logo was an anchor, and I was/am/will always be… a sucker for anything nautical.
To wit:
My favorite high-school boyfriend was–and still is–a boat fiend. (I mean, he’s still a boat fiend; not still my boyfriend.)
One of my all-time favorite movies is Something’s Gotta Give—set in the Hamptons and styled to perfection.
 I designed the interior of my home after the look of this movie set. Imagine my euphoria when a friend told me my house reminded her "of that Diane Keaton film."
My favorite coat is a yellow-and-navy sailing slicker that I bought in Newport one summer. (And Newport is as nautical as you can get.)
 Newport, RI....
Beach houses are my idea of heaven.
I’ll take a lobster roll and a lime-y gin-and-tonic over a burger and beer any day.


Nothing is as fabulous and enduring as wearing navy and white on a warm, spring day.
 Winging its way to me via Fedex as I speak: the Zigi Soho Khloe Striped Sandal; $79.95, www.dsw.com
 Coral Rope Cuff; $52, www.baublebar.com
 St. John's Bay floral Print Peasant top in Navy; $20, www.jcp.com
 Kelly & Katie Straw Clutch; $29.95, www.dsw.com
 Now, happily in my closet: the Jones Wear Solid Tape Trim Skirt; $37, www.jcp.com
 At $98, I thought it to be highway robbery, but now that it's 50% off, I'm reconsidering: Kardashian Kollection Rope Halter Maxi Dress; $48.99, www.sears.com
 Betsey Johnson Yacht Club bracelet; $50, www.zappos.com
 Kids' Stripe Rainboot; $16, www.joefresh.com
 Couldn't help myself, but I did...to the BP Contrast Trim Jacket; $58, www.nordstrom.com
 Oops...did I mention I bought it in white as well?
 For the nautical newborn; $6, www.joefresh.com
 Men's Marine Sweater; $39, www.joefresh.com
 Doppelganger for Kate Middleton's LK Bennett wedge...lower in price and lower in height: Franco Sarto Year Wedge; $89.95, www.nordstrom.com
 Marmellata Kids Nautical Striped Dress; $36.40, www.macys.com
 Striped scarf; $14, www.joefresh.com
 What goes around comes around: Anna & Avy Navy Rope Necklace; $28, www.dillards.com
They say Nautical is back in style this year.
Yeah, right. Like it ever left…..
It’s my go-to look season after season. Yours, too?


Ever since I wrote the pantry post last week, friends and readers have been sending me requests for help with their out-of-control kitchen stockpiles. (Seriously, I was offered a plane ticket by one, a cup of coffee by another.)
Please note: It will take more than one trip to Starbucks to get me into your kitchen.
But in an effort to be a Good Samaritan, I’ve been scouring the internet for baskets, bins, and gizmos of all shapes and sizes, then sending the info to my favorite hoarders. The result of this is that I went on a bit of a binge, myself, this weekend, as the family was out of town and I was left alone with my organizational urges.
Some people binge and purge…I purge and bin. Here’s how I brought order to my court….
JEWELRY…
I thought having a jewelry organizer in my dresser drawer was sufficient, but since I get dressed in my closet, where accessories are nowhere to be found, nine times out of ten, I walk out of the house unadorned.
Fortunately, oversized, hanging jewelry organizers were on sale for $12.99 at T.J. Maxx this week, so I grabbed one and it’s already changed my life. (I wore three different pair of earrings plus a necklace in the last few days. Not all at once.)

BELTS
For the past few years, I’ve kept them in one of those long, under-the-bed bins…except it was on my closet floor. And the belts were a jumbled mess.
Guess what was right next to the oversized hanging jewelry organizer at T.J.’s?

WINE
In trying to help a friend figure out a place for extra water bottles, I got the idea of using a wooden wine rack in lieu of tripping over Costco packs. I realized that if I turned one on its side in my own pantry, it could work for me, too. And it did.

 Pine 44-bottle wine rack; $69.99, www.costplus.com
COOKWARE
My builder followed my husband’s suggestion to “use all that under-the-stair-space” when crafting the kitchen cupboards. That means a large bank of cabinets—in which I store all my pots and pans—measures a full 44 inches deep. This may sound like storage heaven to some, but imagine them stained a dark shade of espresso (like, really dark)…and now imagine that your 13-inch fry pan has somehow been pushed to the back of the cupboard. For the last few years, I’ve been employing a technique I’ll call “Use A Flashlight And A Long-Handled Kitchen Spoon To Find Lost Pans And Coax Them Into Reach.”
The brilliant salesman at my local Storables shop had the solution: Take a 35-inch-long under-the-bed bin (What a coincidence! I’ve got one that no longer holds my belts), and fill it with cookware, so finding a pan simply means pulling the bin towards you. Done, done, and done. I store the most-reached-for items separately, though.

 Under-Bed Box; $12.95; www.storables.com
LITTLE GADGETS IN A DRAWER
The corn holders you use once a year…that darling butter spreader in the shape of a peapod…the crazy-cool strawberry slicer that impresses the guests. I’ve got them all. Only now, they’re resting in their very own compartmentalized drawer dividers.
 Every cutting tool imaginable: from garlic to apples, herbs to olives.
 Spreaders that won't "spread" all over my kitchen....
I feel much better now, thank you.
If you read the pantry post, and felt inspired, please tell me about it. (Can this be considered “paying it forward?”)

I will admit, I have one.

The pantry of my dreams.

Or maybe this one.
To be more specific: I have a clean-pantry fetish.
My sister-in-law will attest to my fixation, because—on one extended trip to her house in Boston—I basically took apart the contents of her entire kitchen, which involved placing 1,000-plus groceries in the living room and dining area while I analyzed the goods.
Her stockpile looked much like this.
And this.
I decided she did NOT need 7 different jars of ginger. Even the ginger seemed happy to be freed from the back of a very high, very ignored kitchen cupboard.

The problem in SIL’s kitchen is the same problem I see in a lot of kitchens: Because people stash groceries in every available nook or cranny, they don’t know what they have and keep re-buying the same things over and over. Worse, they get a hankering for brownies and find themselves opening every cabinet in search of baking powder or cocoa.
Without wishing to sound like someone’s grandmother, I’m a believer in the old adage, “A place for everything and everything in its place.”
It is for this reason (and, perhaps, some deeply-rooted OCD issues) that I line the shelves of my pantry with an assortment of airtight food-storage canisters, baskets, and old-fashioned glass jars.
 My pantry. I mean, REALLY my pantry. Not perfect, but happy-making.
 My glass jars. (Would you believe I don't own a label maker?)
 Baskets hold baking goods. (And the water just looks cool when stacked. Unless you move the basket--in which case, they roll everywhere.)
 I use this slim, little basket on the left for sauce packets and such. (Got it at an estate sale 20 years ago. For $1.)
 My very favorite OXO Good Grips Pop containers...
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them because they close beautifully, provide an airtight seal, and I no longer have marshmallows stuck together in a plastic bag…
Nor petrified brown sugar…

Or stale cereal…

Collecting these storage goodies can add up—especially if you go to a dedicated “organization” store, where you’ll likely spend so much money on specialized containers that you’ll no longer be able to afford the groceries that go in them. (Problem solved, I guess.)
So I tend to hit up a few different stores for my favorites:
 Heritage Hill 2-gallon glass jar; $14.19, www.target.com
 OXO Good Grips Pop 10-Piece Set. $188 at Sears.
But the same 10-piece set sells for only $99 at Zappos with free shipping. I can’t explain the crazy price difference, but who’s arguing?
 Lined Isabella baskets in varying sizes; $12.99-$19.99, www.costplus.com
My husband would say that if I could put the family in a basket, I would.
And his point is?
Any other organizational fetishists our there? I’d love to hear your brilliant ideas…please share!

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about this blog
Okay, so here’s my motto:
Anything worth buying...is worth buying cheaper.
And that’s where this blog comes into the picture. I’ve been a national magazine writer and editor for more years than I care to admit. During that time, I’ve researched, written about, and played with the hottest, newest, trendiest things under the sun - from lipsticks to lampshades, denim to doorknobs (I'm not kidding... I actually had to write a story about vintage doorknobs). And while I know plenty of people who pay big bucks for the latest designer handbag, I actually get a bigger thrill out of finding really cool, obscure items for a song: a brilliant leather coat at Target, say, or a drugstore lipgloss straight from London.
So hang out with me here and we’ll go shopping together for the best beauty bargains, fashion finds, brilliant home décor and more.
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