Ask and You Shall Receive

With the New Year begins and sale season coming to an end, the retailers are doing everything they can to push their inventories out of the door, making room for the new season. It’s my favorite time of the year…bargain shopping!

Everyone enjoys a good bargain, and in this economy, you don’t have to hunt for one, you can simply ask for one.

Ask for your money back

Scenario: You bought a sweater a week ago, but just found out it has been marked down further.

Tip: Most retailers such as Nordstrom, Banana Republic, Macy’s, or even Neiman Marcus have a price adjustment policy. It’s usually between 7-14 days. So, bring your receipt back and ask for a price adjustment. If you bought it online or too shy to ask in person, call the customer service number.

Match this!

Scenario: You found a pair of shoes that are a must have at retailer A at regular price, but saw them at a lower price online or at retailer B. You could purchase at retailer B but only retailer A has your size.

Tip: Most large retailers have a price match policy. As long as you can bring in a printout with another direct competing retailer, they usually honor the lower price. I find the price match policy most effective over the phone with customer service representatives as they have internet access and can directly assess whether the item presented matches the policy criteria.

No could mean 'Yes'

Scenario: You found a coat on a large retailer website but the screen shows the item is no longer available.

Tip: Don’t give up! Call the customer service number and ask the representative to do a storewide inventory search as some of the online stores have separate inventory system from the retail stores. I find this most effective calling one of the stores directly and work with a sales associate as he/she wants to make a sale and would go the extra mile to find you the item.

Sizes that fit

Scenario: You found the perfect dress at a large department store, but the only problem is you need a different size.

Tip: Ask the sales associate to do a storewide inventory search. If another store has your size, most of the time they will ship the item to you at no extra charge.

Remember, you have every right to ask as a consumer, and the worst thing that could happen is someone telling you ‘no’. But if you don’t ask, then you’ll never get what you deserve!

Please note that information provided above is not heavily advertized, not all retailers have same policies, and only applicable to most large retail chains.

Shop Like You Give A Damn

It has been a while since my last post…mostly due to being laid off in early November, then the holidays… blah, blah, really no excuse for not up keeping my blog. My original intent for this post was to publish it prior the shopping season begun in early November…but it’s better late than never!

The movement of ‘buy local’ is nearest and dearest to my heart as a former small business owner. When I first learned about 3/50 project a couple of months ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the magnitude of the supporters in amount of time this organization has been in place - since March 2009.

The mission for 3/50 project is simple:

3 Visit 3 independently owned businesses on a monthly basis that you would miss if they disappeared.

50 If you spend $50 each month in local owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.

68 For every $100 spend in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays local. Spend it online and nothing comes home!

Aren’t the numbers shocking to how much one can make a difference with just $50 a month? Though I know that locally owned independent businesses include wide range of businesses, but I think it’s much easier to go to a locally owned coffee shop, restaurant, or farmer’s market, as the ‘eat local’ movement has been around much longer. But what about the retail shops? With retail sales hitting record low and large chain stores able to slash prices, cut costs and other expenditures, small independent businesses are facing more challenges than ever to fight the price game. Just in the past 6 months, I can name 8 locally owned stores closing…that’s more than 1 store closure a month!

So, resist all the online advertising of ‘free shipping’ and ‘extra xx% off’ this holiday season. Go visit your favorite locally owned stores and shop like you give a damn!

Shower Me Beautiful

I first fell in love with Elizabeth Showers’ bowl stackable ring design about a year ago and have been a fan of her jewelries since. My love for her design is simply put – approachable. Every piece that I have seen from her touches me with geniality. Little did I know that the purpose of her design is to “empower all women to feel beautiful” because of her battle and recovery from anorexia.

Elizabeth is best known for her Hope Star Collection that she started in 2005 benefiting The Elisa Project and later also for the National Eating Disorders Association. She created the Hope Star as a reminder to all women to feel beautiful inside and out on a daily basis when wearing her jewels. Today, many of her 18Kt gold Couture Collection pieces are placed with the Hope Star design.

The 18Kt gold Couture Collection is comprised of diamonds and colorful semi-precious stones set in 18Kt gold. As gorgeous as these jewels are, with the off the chart gold price (over $1000/oz recently), price of these pieces are certainly not ‘approachable’. Until I discovered her sterling silver and vintage collections…

You can find a limited selection of sterling silver collection on QVC.com with pieces range from $43-$156. The real treasure though is imbedded in Elizabeth’s own website: http://www.elizabethshowers.com/, under ‘sale’ tab, where you can find a good selection of sterling silver and vintage collection of her intricate beading and wiring work, range from $22-$325. The prices on her sterling and vintage collections are amazingly inexpensive for the quality of stones, material and work…it’s only matter of time before the word gets out.

My Picks

Faceted semi-precious yellow opalite with sterling silver twisted earwire - $28

I like how these go with lots of fall colors...great for everyday wear.

14kt yellow gold over sterling silver scroll chandelier with faceted moonstone and peridot - $98

The dramatic affect of these chandelier earrings are perfect for the holidays.

Five strand rhodium over sterling silver choker with pink tourmaline, grey freshwater pearls and moonstone - $225

Luscious and expensive look, without breaking the bank.

Rhodium plated sterling silver ring with 18kt gold detail balls, a large emerald cut white topaz stone and small diamond accents on the side - $325

The ring is by far the best deal, too bad there’s only one size left (7)!

It’s Friends & Family Time!

With the economical downturn, sales are starting earlier and earlier each year. Retailers are doing everything they can to lure the shoppers in by winning the discount race…and the real winners are…shoppers!

My rule of thumb on discounts is same as fashion industry: always look 6 months ahead. I have a running list in my head on events (birthdays, weddings, holidays, etc.) that are coming up, though putting on a calendar would probably be easier to track... When sales arise, I check against my list and fulfill the gifts/items on my list. For makeup and skin care, I also keep a 6 months supply in my cabinet, when sales like Sephora comes up, I replenish my supplies to make sure I have enough for the next 6 months.

One could argue that this method may not work as sale items are often past or close to passing the season trend. Sure, it could be hard to be in the mood to purchase a heavy winter coat when it's 90 degrees out and not knowing if it would still be in trend when the fall/winter season begins, but a good basic cotton shirt, a light cashmere cardigan, or good pair of flats are timeless and never goes out of style.

Ok, enough prep talk...

First up, Sephora twice a year F&F Event! (usually happens in November, but this year has been moved up to October)

http://sephora.com/

Duration: 10/19-11/2

Promo code: FF2009

Deal type: Online only

Discount: 20% entire purchase

Plus: free shipping orders $50+, free samples with each order

Shopper’s trick: 1) split up the orders for each totaling $50 to get as many samples as you can, 2) use MSN Bing to get additional 10% cash back

My favorites: Talika eyelash lipocils, Bliss clog dissolving cleansing milk, Cosmedicine primary care multi-tasking moisturizer SPF20, Kinerase intensive eye cream, Kinerase lip treatment

Calvin Klein F&F Event

http://www.calvinklein.com/home/index.jsp

Promo code: FF1009 or printable coupon: http://f.chtah.com/i/27/2070758575/20091022_FnF_PVHR_COUPON.jpg

Duration: 10/22-10/25

Deal type: Online & In-Store

Discount: 30% anything

Plus: free shipping on orders $150+

Shopper’s trick: discount also good for sale items

Kenneth Cole F&F Event

http://www.kennethcole.com/home/index.jsp

Promo code: FF2009

Duration: 10/19-10/22

Deal type: Online, In-Store, & Phone Order

Discount: 30% anything

Plus: free shipping on orders $100+

Shopper’s trick: discount also good for sale items

My favorites: good leather goods - good time to stock up on shoes, luggage, and accessories

Shopbop.com F&F Event

http://www.shopbop.com/

Promo code: INTHEFAMILY15

Duration: Now-10/21

Deal type: Onlline only

Discount: 15% entire purchase

Plus: free shipping

Shopper's trick: discount also good for sale items

My favorites: good jeans selection - good time to stock up on jeans

What are you waiting for? Shop shop!!

New Urban Eats @ The Georgian

My very first food & wine pairing experience was at a private event in the Petite Georgian Room about 7 years ago. It was amazing...I still remember the perfectly poached lobster, tender and juicy with hint of natural sweetness. One of the best I have tasted to date. And the layered tropical sorbet dessert with each layer divided by paper thin dark chocolate sheets, topped with edible gold foil. Though I hadn't started my appreciation for wine then, I recall enjoyed the wines served. Yes, I was a fan to say the least!

Over the years, The Georgian remains one of my favorites in town, but not my wallet's... So, when it joined one of the 3 for $30 promotions for the first time last year, we jumped right on it. Since then, it has become a ritual for us to visit The Georgian at least once during the 3 for $30 promotion. The main reason attracting us to return is the attention to detail on each plate being served. From my past experiences, margin is quite low on joining these types of promotions. Besides balancing the food & labor costs, there's an upfront fee for marketing & advertizing for joining the promotion, forcing most restaurants to focus on pumping out the volume and pay less attention to detail as they normally would on the regular menu. Somehow, The Georgian plays this balancing act with such a grace, serving each plate beautifully.

Before I begin the food talk here, I want to make a note about the off beat service that night. Normally, the service at The Georgian is not exceptional, but courteous at the very least. Our server clearly did not have any interest in serving us. She did not explain the wine nor the food, were no where to be found most of the time, and didn't serve us bread until we were almost done with our entrees. But I’ll digress…

My dinner menu

Appetizer: Wild Game Bird Terrine

Entree: Wild Mushroom Ravioli

Pairing: Rex Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Dessert: Sugar Pumpkin Soufflé

As usual, I decided on the dishes first, and then ordered my wine. (Be aware that one might be in for a bargain treat on the food, but wine could break your bank here...$15/glass for my Rex Hill Pinot!!)

First comes the amuse bouche...

Duck confit on almond pastry topped with honey and duck fat

A good balance of sweet & savory - opened my palate wanting for more!

Appetizer

Wild game bird terrine with truffle micro green salad on a fried potato chip finished with a streak of quince slaw (what's indicated on the menu, but more jam like)

The texture of the terrine was inconsistent with large chunks of meat in between the terrine. The micro green salad topped with truffle had a great flavor, I want to say that here’s micro cilantro mixed in. Overall flavors of the terrine along with the salad and quince worked very well together. The fragrant of truffle, lightness of the terrine, and the sweet quince jam with a hint of tartness, paired well with the berry flavor and slight acidity of Pinot Noir.

Entrée

Wild mushroom ravioli with caramelized cauliflower and sage

The filling of ravioli was so fluffy…and wait, no cheese!? Mouth full of mushroom joy with caramelized cauliflower won me over wishing I had a good glass of Burgundy. A slight imperfection to this dish would be the overblanched asparagus.

Dessert

Sugar pumpkin soufflé with crushed cranberry anglaise
The soufflé at The Georgian NEVER disappoints! Need I say more?

Still a fan…7 years and counting!

3 days after turning 33...

Years ago, I asked a friend to describe me in one word, he said 'resourceful'. Yes, not an expert nor a critic, but resourceful. People that appreciate my perspective often ask 'when are you starting a blog?' I had many legit excuses not to start one, but as my mailing list grew and memory deteriorates, I feel that there must be a better way to share my thoughts with people who care.

One of the main reasons that I had been dragging my feet about starting a blog was my painful past experiences with bloggers, as a small business owner. So, I want to do something a little different...no venting or bashing of any kind in this blog. My vision for this blog is to offer information that one finds useful, and not trying to run anyone out of business. Please keep me in check!

As I packed on another year of experiences to my life: closed restaurant, filed for bankruptcy, escaped financial industry meltdown in the nick of time, started a job in a new industry...I finally feel that I am in a good place. A place where I can sit down and think about what I want to do next. After much soul searching, I finally realized that I want to do something that I am passionate about and good at - taste! Whether it's biting into something delicious or finding a juicy deal, I'd love to share my thoughts.

There is nothing I love more than eat, drink, and shop. So my blog will focus mostly around these 3 categories. Food & beverage is pretty straightforward - reviews, pairings, recipes, etc. Shopping is very broad in my book (anything from clothing to investments) but I will most likely do product/shop reviews, bargains, and tips to beat retailer tactics.

So here I am, 3 days after turning 33, blogging! :D Hope you enjoy my blog!