Missoni Madness

September 13th may not mean much to the average person, but Target sure won't forget that day in history!

For years, Target has been pairing up with high end designers to deliver a discounted line for those whose budget simply can't afford a $1500 dress. A few from the past: Isaac Mizrahi (my mom, sister and I still mourn the day he stopped designing for Target), Calypso St. Barth, GO International Designer Collection (which featured Proenza Schouler- in fact, they re-released the most popular dresses from this line in early 2011), Liberty of London, and McQ Alexander McQueen. The most recent to that line of big names, Italian designer, Missoni.

If you haven't already heard: This. Was. Big.

The morning of the 13th, shoppers were lined up outside of the stores ready to pick up any of the 400 item collection from Missoni for Target. In fact, the demand was so high, target.com actually crashed for several hours both Tuesday and Wednesday. Many Target officials reported 9/13 was bigger than most Black Fridays, traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year.

eBay now is selling pieces from the collection for some 3 or 4 times the amount Target sold it for. I tried to buy a Missoni scarf on eBay, sold for face value at $19.99, and in the last 20 seconds of the sale, literally saw the price jump up $30! Madness.

So, if you were lucky enough to get a piece from this collection- hang onto it! That may be the "it" piece of the season. Score one for Target!

New York, New York

In honor of all that still holds true, strong, brave, and good: Here's to you, New York. You've endured much in the past decade, and while I root for the Red Sox rather than the Yankees, I hold the events of 9/11 dear to my own heart.

So, as a tribute to the city and my favorite designer, Kate Spade New York, I found a little treasure for the New Yorker who boasts "city love" or someone who adores KSNY as much as I do. This cosmetic case would be the perfect gift, and not to mention could serve as a map in a pinch :)

Manage Your Mint

We all have our favorite methods for managing our "mint"~ finances often bring out the worst in me, but I am committed to making sure I spend and save a little smarter these days.

Here's the trick: I refuse to deny myself shopping trips (after all, where would the blog be??), but I do have to track my monthly intake and outtake with a closer eye for detail. And since I'm already trained for subtleties (fashion is all about that), I was pleased to discover a personal finance software that helps me manage my mint better:

Mint.com (click here to see the overview video) really gave me a comprehensive understanding of all my assets and how I spend. The main page features, especially for visual learners like me, gave me a clear sense of where my money goes and suggests ideas for smarter spending. I also liked that it evaluates my total worth, including my home and car.

Some people may struggle with the security of providing all your personal account information into one site, but I researched the security measures, and it's top notch. While internet security may make us all a little uneasy (identity theft is just too prevalent these days), I rested easy knowing this is a "read only" system, where you cannot move monies. They equate the safety measures to those of banks, and 90% of us utilize online banking sites for personal accounts. Watch this video for their security information to help ease your mind too.

In the end, I'm smart enough to know shopping also involves money management, so be smart shoppers out there and protect your mint through knowledge and organization!

So Long, Irene

After talking with my sister, who lived through Hurricane Katrina in 2005- thinking of all of those impacted 6 years ago today- I didn't mess around about hurricane prep. She was very calm, patient, and clear about how I needed to prepare well- not to freak me out, but to say this COULD be bad. And if bad was the name of the game, then I was going to beat Irene!

(N.B. Irene did little to no destruction to little ol' Brighton, MA- but prayers for those who were very much impacted!)

Hurricane Kit 101:

• Have cash on hand ($100-$150 recommended....banks could shut down)
• Fill up that tank of gas (even if you aren't driving, use the power to charge your cell phone!)
• Buy water (don't go crazy- 1 case per person is fine)
• Flashlights & batteries
• Non-perishable food/snacks (think protein to fill you up, don't just get carbs)
• Have a First Aid kit handy
• Bring valuable documents in a waterproof folder w/ you

Needless to say, much of this probably was common sense, but since it's STILL hurricane season, I'll keep this list handy in case Tropical Storm Jose blows up to something noteworthy!

Right on Point

Thanks to my good friend, S- I came across a spectacular find today at Williams-Sonoma: free knife sharpening! Evidently, once a month, a rep from Wusthof (fantastic knives, people- definitely one of the best things I ever bought myself) comes to WS and offers free knife sharpening for a couple hours. I know it sounds like such simple pleasure, but let me assure you, we picked up some great tips while waiting for the very kind rep to sharpen away!

Here she is doing her magic...

And she showed us the technique called the "pinch grip" to help utilize larger knives, like the chef knife shown here: It allows for the knife to remain stable while you push through the item being cut. So simple, but really brilliant.

And a few short minutes later, my knives were like new again!

Just a few key points: they have to be Wusthof knives, and there is a limit of 3 per sharpening session.

Check out your local WS to see when your sharpening workshops are available! If you live here in town, the Natick store is hosting one Friday, September 16th from 12-2pm, Saturday, October 8th from 2-4pm, and Saturday, November 19th from 11am- 1pm.

This little tidbit was just a gem of a find, thanks S!