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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Los Angeles: Get Free Tickets to the Sassy City Chicks Shopping Party on Nov. 1


The Sassy City Chicks LA Fashion Bash is back in Los Angeles on Nov.1 with the perfect opportunity to score all-new Fall/Winter designer trends, pampering spa treatments, feminine-chic cocktails, and fabulous, NEW, girly swag bags! The Petersen Automotive Museum will once again play host to the one of the best Sample-Sale events of the season, The Sassy City Chicks LA Fashion Bash Event!  Last year I scored some amazing deals from Jessica Elliot jewelry, Excess Baggage and Brit Boy.

Pictured: Shopping one of my favorites from last year's event, Brit Boy
 Guests can expect to find deep discounts, up to 80% off, on designer clothes, handbags, and accessories all across the show floor. Top runway brands such as BCBG, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and many more can find their way into your closet at only a fraction of the retail price!   I enjoyed shopping Renee Vintage, BritBoy, Shop Excess Baggage & Jessica Elliot at last year's event. Event sponsors Pixi, POP Beauty will also be showcasing their newest products for sale – there will be no shortage of goodies to be found at great prices!  Need a ticket? Be one of the FIRST 25 fashionistas to enter code RECESSIONISTA at checkout and you’ll get a FREE Sassy Tote Ticket! Includes admission, swag bag, open bar, & more. CLICK TO ENTER


WHO:        Sassy City Chicks Los Angeles Fashion Bash

WHAT:    Designer clothing at discounted prices, complimentary cocktails, free spa services, and fabulous girly swag!

WHEN:        Thursday, Nov. 1, 5:00-10:00 PM

WHERE:       The Petersen Automotive Museum,
                      6060 Wilshire Blvd (at Fairfax),  Los Angeles CA 90036

Thursday, October 25, 2012

A Guide to the Hot Tickets at the Big Sur Food and Wine Festival 2012.



The 2012 Big Sur Wine and Food Festival kicks off next week on Nov 1st with a full roster of delicious food, wonderful wines, cheese and even auctions.  Now in its fourth year, the Big Sur Food and Wine Festival promises to be a frugal foodie's dream come true.  For the price of a flat rate ticket, attendees can enjoy some of California's best wines and dishes from some of California's best Chefs. Some events are sold out, while a few tickets still remain for other events including tastings and dinners. To help inform visitors and potential attendees,  I sat down with the festival organizer, Toby Rowland-Jones, to get the inside track on the festival.  With 22 events over 4 days, there's plenty going on along the rugged Big Sur coast.

Q.  How much has been raised for charity in the past?
 In 3 years, we have raised over $65,000 for local Big Sur nonprofits in areas of  Health, Safety and Education and the Arts, as well as sponsored a local Big Sur  resident to attend the CIA in Hyde Park, NY as part of her ongoing culinary education.  It's a great achievement given the current state of the climate and that we had very few sponsors in the first three years.

Q. I believe the auction lunch event  at the Post Ranch Inn on Saturday is sold out correct? What other events do you think wine and food lovers should consider snapping up tickets for?
Yes, the Auction lunch is sold out, but for those interested in calling in during the Auction, we will have operators standing by! The best events/hottest tickets will be:
  • The Gateway to Big Sur - Presented by the Hyatt Carmel Highlands - which is, in a way, an homage to the past Masters of Food and Wine - the finest food and wine festival in the world during its peak. 
  • The Pinot Walkabout - traditionally not many attendees due to the Friday afternoon time slot, which means guests get a truly great opportunity to actually chat with the winemakers instead of just asking for whatever they are pouring. The Pinot Walkabout, is not actually a hike, as some might think, but instead a stroll around the Post Ranch Inn's small but glorious kitchen garden with 30 of the top Pinot producers we admire and know.  
  •  Pinot and The Muse -  the concept of this is also SO unique to us - winemakers presenting their current vintages, but also showing and talking about the wines that  originally inspired them to become winemakers. The actual value of the wines being poured is FAR in excess of the ticket price - $50, as some of them are pouring some very rare wines that have been sponsored by a local Big Sur resident.
  • The Hiking With Stemware tour takes guests on to magical and very private private properties for guided hikes with lunch included. For those who do not wish to be so "exertive", the Magical Mystery Tours will be luxury shuttles ferrying people to other private and exclusive, well-hidden homes here along the coast, with wine and tapas at each stop.

Q. What are some of the items that we be featured at the Auction that are unique?
Our Auction, we like to think, is among the finest one could imagine. It doesn't raise the largest sums, such as Auction Napa, or the Central Coast Wine Classic, but where else would one be able to find a private guided walk in Big Sur with the co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Aubert de Villaine? Or the once in a lifetime chance to be on a Turn Boat during the America's Cup, courtesy of Lexus?  Then there's a dinner at some of the most extraordinary architectural gems with winemakers and great chefs here in Big Sur. How about an ornately carved Indonesian Teak Hutch filled with 36 different magnums of wine, each signed by the winemakers? Just a small sampling. This Lunch is now sold out, but we have the capacity to take phone calls for off-site bidding.  If you would like to be an absentee bidder, please contact Toby at toby@bigsurfoodandwine.org.


Q. Can people do "walk ins" to the events and register at the last minute?
Yes, they could, but honestly, they'll be extremely disappointed if an event is sold out - which will happen in most cases.

For up to date information on events and remaining tickets, check the Big Sur Food and Wine Festival Website for details.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

City Target Opens in Los Angeles at Fig and 7th

The new City Target Store Open to a Festive Reception of Seventh and Fig.
The new City Target Store Open to a Festive Reception of Seventh and Fig
Target  previewed their new store opening last week in Los Angeles to press and VIPS.  The store will officially open to consumers on Oct. 17th in  Downtown Los Angeles at Seventh & Figueroa. The Target in Downtown LA will be part of a new retail area called 7thandFig featuring shops and restaurants.
CityTarget will offer commuters, tourists and urban dwellers the convenience of one-stop shopping with urban living essentials, on-trend fashions and exclusive designer collections. The Beverly Connection store will create approximately 200 local jobs and will provide a convenient one-stop shopping option for this busy central Los Angeles area. Target currently operates 58 stores in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

The Downtown Los Angeles Central CityTarget will be the second of three (Beverly Connection, Westwood & DTLA)  CityTarget stores opening in Los Angeles. The store’s grand opening is Sunday, Oct. 14.  That’s good news for all the folks living in downtown where there is not a convenient big grocery store or big box retail store.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Los Angeles: Oct. 17th Celebrating Women Runway Event at 7 pm, Ontario Mills, CA





The Celebrating Women Runway Event hosted by E! News co-host Giuliana Rancic is coming to Ontario Mills Mall on Oct. 17, 2012.  Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz of Ontario on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 7 pm, this is a MUST ATTEND EVENT, hosted by Giuliana Rancic and produced by James Campbell.  The dazzling show under the stars, features top professional models strutting the over sized catwalk, will highlight a collection of the best that Ontario Mills has to offer for less!

“Celebrating Women is the perfect platform for us to showcase our unique brand of shopping as one of California’s most popular shopping destinations with more than 200 fashion forward outlet and value retail stores,” said Masa Liles, area director of marketing at Ontario Mills. “We are thrilled to have Giuliana return as our special guest of this signature event, which only magnifies the excitement of our growing designer collection of fashionable stores.”

Ontario Mills’ Runway Event will be a dazzling show under the stars with top professional models strutting the oversized catwalk wearing a collection of the best that Ontario Mills has to offer for less. Designer brands will be sure to turn heads such as Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Elie Tahari and more found at select stores at Ontario Mills.

Ontario Mills’ Celebrating Women Runway Event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (909) 484-8300, visit http://www.OntarioMills.com or check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/OntarioMills and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ShopOntario.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Los Angeles : City Target Stores Coming to Downtown LA and Beverly Connection



Target has announced that they are expanding their stores in Los Angeles.  New stores are scheduled to open at Beverly Center and on Oct. 17th in  Downtown Los Angeles at Seventh & Figueroa. The Target in Downtown LA will be part of a new retail area called 7thandFig featuring shops and restaurants.

CityTarget will offer commuters, tourists and urban dwellers the convenience of one-stop shopping with urban living essentials, on-trend fashions and exclusive designer collections. The Beverly Connection store will create approximately 200 local jobs and will provide a convenient one-stop shopping option for this busy central Los Angeles area. Target currently operates 58 stores in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

The Downtown Los Angeles Central CityTarget will be the second of three (Beverly Connection, Westwood & DTLA)  CityTarget stores opening in Los Angeles. The store’s grand opening is Sunday, Oct. 14.  That's good news for all the folks living in downtown where's there not a convenient big grocery store or big box retail store.