Things I Luuuuurve

Preparing for Jump Back Ball!

2012-02-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

So I want to make some pre-Jump Back Ball comments following my turn as Tim Gunn this weekend:
1. Personally I prefer Michael Kors- I already have a natural perma-tan, and I can be a little snarky. That said, the words "pooping fabric" did not come out of my mouth in relation to either Allison or Alexa's dresses.
2. I will NOT be walking around JBB judging people for their outfits!! However, I will be taking lots of pictures in preparation for the "Best Looks of Jump Back Ball" post, so if I come up to you and ask you to let me take your picture, please please please let me do so!!
3. I've had my dress and shoes for a while, but I'm having a small crisis as far as my purse goes. I'm also completely undecided on jewelry, so that's going to be a game time decision. I'm leaving my hair in the capable hands of my stylist (I'm not giving her any direction), and I'm trying some new things with my makeup. Of course, I will share ALL of this with you on Monday!! Also, shockingly, I'm NOT wearing sequins!!!
4. If last year was any indication, Saturday is going to be an absolute blast. And no, I will NOT be drinking gin this year *shudder*
5. For all those attending: I can't wait to hang out with you. Please don't drink and drive!!

Keep an eye out for my tweets from the event, and see you all on Monday!!!

Product Testing: Foundation Primers

2012-02-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

So, a few months ago, I was shopping at Sephora, looking for some concealer, when I decided to do one of their mini-makeovers. The makeup artist started off by using a foundation primer- a product I was completely unfamiliar with. Turns out, if you're looking for your makeup to look flawless, and stay all day, then foundation primers are key! Essentially like a paint primer, the foundation primer smooths out your skin and creates a base for your makeup. Sounds pretty good, no? The makeover looked really nice, and I decided to pick up the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. Then a little while ago, I received the Benefit Porefessional in my Birchbox, and so I decided it might be interesting to compare the two.

Smell: Neither one really has a smell to it

Texture: The Smashbox primer is a clear liquid. It feels a little tacky on your fingers, but goes on your face very easily. I was told to wait a minute or two after I put it on my face before I put on my foundation, so I do that with both primers. The Benefit primer is lightly tinted, although I'm not sure the tint really does much, at least not for my skin tone. It feels powdery, and almost feels like you've brushed mineral powder or pressed powder on your face.

Results: Honestly, I can't tell the difference between the two.

Price: The Smashbox product comes in a to-go version (0.5 oz) that ranges from $16-$17 and a full size version (1 oz) that's between $36-$42. The Benefit product is $29 for 0.75oz. There really isn't much different in the price per oz. Please note that all these prices are from Sephora.

Animal Testing Policy: Smashbox explicitly states on their packaging that they do not test on animals. On their website, they go on to further state that they do not ask other to test on their behalf, except where required by law. Benefit does not state that on their packaging, but provides more information on their animal testing on their website. And no, they don't test on animals either although they cannot make the same claim for the raw materials used in the products.

My preference: At the end of the day, I personally prefer the Smashbox primer for two reasons: (1) It comes in a small enough package that I can slip into my purse-makeup bag, and (2) I prefer the texture over the somewhat powdery feeling Benefit product. Either way you choose, you won't go wrong!

I will however, leave you with one warning about ALL primers: you HAVE to wash your face and remove your makeup before you go to bed if you're using a primer. By its nature, its supposed to block your pores, so lack of makeup removal will result in zits!!!

Do you use makeup primers? What's your favorite brand?

Cranky Shopper

2012-02-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

I'm usually a very happy shopper, but not so much yesterday. Let me tell you why:

Late last year, I bought a gift certificate for an online handbag store via one of these daily deal sites. Now, I will say that I know that these daily deals are not always the best decisions for a small business- done incorrectly, these can cause severe financial hardships. Done correctly, its a great way to introduce a lot of people to your brand. Anyway, this was not a brand I was familiar with, but with the deal, I figured it was worth a shot.

I placed my order for 3 handbags on the 10th of this month. This past Friday (a week after I placed the order), I received a phone call from the company to let me know that Purse 1 was sold out. I initially asked for store credit, but it appeared to be a complicated if not impossible process and so I decided to swap out the handbag with another bag of same value (Replacement Purse 1). I was a little disappointed, but not a huge deal. Then yesterday, I received another phone call. Purse 2 was now sold out. Apparently, when they called me last week, they had Purse 2 and 3, but they didn't pick it at the time, because they we were trying to figure out Replacement Purse 1. When they went to finally pick all the purses, they had now run out of Purse 2 as well. SO, of the original 3 purses I ordered, I'm only getting ONE!! So far the company has made no gesture of goodwill to rectify this situation- no store credit, token discount, waiver of shipping fees, NOTHING! I'm really annoyed. I fully understand and appreciate that this is a small business, yet, I'm incredibly disappointed by their customer service- not only do they not have the inventory management to fulfill the order I placed with the products I actually ordered, but they're not owning up to this shortcoming at all. Its like they don't care if I ever shop there again!!!

Am I in the wrong in expecting something here? What would you do?

Listening Now: We Are Augustines

2012-02-21T20:11:00.000-05:00

Before I get into what I'm listening to these days, may I please take a moment and do a VIRTUAL SQUEEEAAAALLLLL for Florence and the Machine who will be in CLEVELAND on July 30th!! Tickets go on sale this Friday, and you can be sure that I will be logging in at 10:00 am to get mine!!!

Now, to get back to our regularly scheduled programming, lately I've been spending a lot of time listening to the new album by We Are Augustines. If you want to learn more about the band and their origin, I suggest you go to their website- there's literally a 14 page paper that will tell you about their origins. In the mean time, they're making their debut on Letterman on the 24th, and here's one of my favorite songs on their album!

Rules for successful dress shopping

2012-02-16T21:27:00.002-05:00

For those of you attending Jump Back Ball next weekend, I really hope you already have your dress! However, if you don't, and are planning to go dress shopping this weekend, I have some tips to help you have a greater shot at success! (And really. these rule apply to all dress and jean shopping occasions).

So here goes:
1. No salt, sugar, carbs or alcohol for 24 hours prior to your shopping excursion. If you're allergic to dairy, avoid this as well. This is crucial. Consuming these items will result in bloating, which in turn means your will likely feel like crap and consequently hate everything.
2. Drink green tea for a few hours before your excursion. This will help with any inadvertent bloat, and may help you go potty (something about the warm fluids and your digestive system. I'm not making this up- its ancient Indian wisdom. For real).
3. Wear your Spanx. Look, let's be honest- we all have parts of our body that we feel could use some work, and for most women its their tummy/hips. Spanx help smooth the jiggle. Don't fight it. If it works on the Hollywood red carpet, it works on YOUR red carpet. Embrace your Spanx. And then take them off the minute you get home.
4. Do your hair and makeup. You may be feeling lazy on a Saturday/Sunday morning, but DO NOT miss this step. 90% of dressing rooms have terrible lighting and result in shadows, particularly on your face. If you go make-up free, you will end up focussing on your dark circles and splotchy skin and hate everything you try on.
5. TRY STUFF ON!! If you're not comfortable trying stuff on in the aforementioned poorly lit changing room, check the stores return policy and take them home to try on. Make sure you leave all the tags in and keep your receipts so you can return things appropriately. AND, make sure you try at least one item you wouldn't normally try. Step outside your comfort zone. You never know what you may find.

My 6th tip is optional: Personally, I prefer to shop alone. However, if you're the kind of person who likes to shop with other people, make sure you take a friend who will be HONEST with you. Don't take Yes-men/women. You need honesty. And, if all else fails, just email me pics at cleshopaholic@gmail.com. I promise to respond.

Well, there you have it! Happy Shopping!!!!

A little sparkle for your wrist

2012-02-15T19:58:00.000-05:00

Did you have a good Valentine's Day? N and I didn't exchange gifts or anything, but we spent a lovely low-key evening at home! I've been quite the whiz in the kitchen over the past few days: I've made homemade biscuits (from scratch) and gravy, a whole roast chicken, and last night's steak with peppercorn sauce with parmesan mashed potatoes and simply cooked asparagus! Its been a long time since I've actually ENJOYED cooking, so I'm going to make the most of this streak while it lasts!!

Lately I've been really into gold-tone jewelry and I will be sharing some of purchases and obsessions with you over the next few weeks. My latest purchase has been this gorgeous pair of bracelets that I ordered on Etsy from The Altered Chain

Aren't they just adorable?? So simple and delicate and perfect for everyday wear. I will say that the gold coating on the bar has started to fade, but that's my fault for not taking them off AT ALL since I received them a few weeks ago. The packaging is really adorable too, and if you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, then you know I'm a total sucker for packaging! Add sparkles to that equation, and I'm a goner! LOL.

Do you have an everyday piece of jewelry that you never take off? Besides my engagement and wedding rings, and now these bracelets, I also have Maya Brenner initial pendant that I never take off!!

Product Testing: Aveda Invati

2012-02-08T12:00:00.000-05:00

I've waited almost three weeks to write this post- I had to make sure I gave the product enough time to live or not live up to its claims. The product in question is the Invati system by Aveda. The claim? To help reduce hair fall and to promote healthy hair growth using all natural ingredients. Now, I've been trying to grow my hair out since 2009, and while it has grown in length, it has lost a LOT of its volume. This seemed like the perfect product to help restore volume, and so I decided to try it out.

First off, I was advised that I need to use the whole system- the shampoo, conditioner AND scalp revitalizer, and the scalp revitalizer needs to be used twice a day.

photo credit

The downside is the whole system together will cost you $108+ tax. I decided to bite the bullet in the name of science (and a good blog story). So after three weeks of testing, here are my thoughts:

1. Smell: the whole system smells a little like an earthy eucalyptus. N did compliment me multiple times on how good my hair smelled. The bonus of the scalp revitalizer is that it does help mask food/smoke smells that may get in your hair.

2. Texture: You spray the scalp revitalizer straight onto your scalp, and it does leave a cool, tingly sensation. The shampoo is very liquid- its not like any shampoo I've tried before, so you have to be careful that you don't spill it everywhere. The conditioner is less thick that most others I've used, and doesn't leave your hair quite as slippery and slick as normal conditioner. That said, you have to be a little careful with tangles. Towel-dry GENTLY!

3. The claim: The most important part- does it live up to its claims? And I'm happy to say- YES!! My hair fall is much less, and my hair is definitely feeling a lot more full that in has in a long time. It does take about two weeks to really see results though, so don't get discouraged too soon.

Was it worth the $100+ price tag? I would say most definitely yes!! In addition to the fact that it works, its natural and isn't tested on animals!!

Have you tried this product or are you curious to try it?

Listening Now: Niki & The Dove

2012-02-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

I first heard this song by Swedish duo Niki & The Dove last week, and I'm COMPLETELY OBSESSED, and it upsets me no end that I can't find it online yet (probably because its not released until Feb 27th), but you can be CERTAIN that I will have it as soon as its available.

Without further ado- DJ Ease My Mind

The weekend I didn't know I needed

2012-02-06T21:26:00.000-05:00

I LURVE my weekends! I usually schedule my weekends to the max, only leaving open time for a few naps. This weekend was completely different. About half way through last week, I decided I needed a break and some alone time. N had a poker game scheduled for Friday night, so I made plans of my own. My evening started with some Hot Yoga, which included me getting into my first ever headstand, and then promptly falling over. It was an incredibly difficult and sweaty yet strangely rewarding class, and I followed it with some spicy Indian takeout, and some movies, during which I promptly fell asleep.

Saturday started with a nail appointment, a lovely chocolate-mint massage, a nice walk in the sunshine with the dogs, more yoga, and finally, a really great dinner at Light Bistro. We tried to get to Velvet Tango Room, but I was not about to wait 45 minutes for a drink, despite the amazingness of their Moscow Mules!

Sunday began with an awesome ride, and a run-in with Alexa (I love living in the same neighborhood as my friends) as we Wu'd together.

My in-store Jason Wu for Target haul

A little lunch and nap followed, and the day ended with a Superbowl Party (for which N made these yummy buffalo chicken balls, and I won the prop bet contest). Overall, it was a weekend filled with "me-time", and I didn't even realize how much I needed it!!

Do you ever take a time-out from your busy social schedule? What are your favorite ways to restore and recharge (besides vacation)?

Brunch for a Great Cause

2012-01-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Hump Day all!! This week is going by too fast, and yet not fast enough. I'm SO ready for the weekend already, especially because I have really great brunch plans for Saturday. Yes, Saturday! Now Sunday is the "real" brunch day, but sometimes you don't feel like cooking for yourself on Saturday either! For this Saturday only, you could eat delicious pancakes (choice of blueberry, chocolate chip and plain) and breakfast meats (sausage! bacon!) for a whopping $12 per person. And while you're enjoying your meal, you would helping a GREAT cause: you'd be helping support two heart worm positive pups at Secondhand Mutts who are receiving treatment as they await their forever homes!

Secondhand Mutts is trying to get to 400 attendees this year, so I really hope you will consider attending. I will be volunteering at the event from 9-11, and will likely be serving food, and I would LOVE to see YOU!!!

Listening Now: The Wombats

2012-01-24T20:14:00.001-05:00

Wow. What a weekend! I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm still recovering, although to be honest, part of that might be a result of having a sick puppy and therefore being up for most of the night letting said pup in and out of the house. Seriously, its like having a kid.

Anyway, over the past two days, I've been listening to a fun album I discovered last year - This Modern Glitch. Its by The Wombats, a band from Liverpool, England. There is just SOMETHING about their sound that makes me so happy!! I think its because some of their songs are vaguely reminiscent of 80s music! I have a bunch of faves on the album- Tokyo, Jump into The Fog, but my LATEST favorite is this song: 1996

In 1996, I was a sophmore in high-school, but in India, its the year you actually leave high school and go to "junior college" where you pick your major for the next two years- your choices are science, business, and liberal arts. I was a science major, and my biggest concern that year what how I was going to spend my extra long summer, how I was going to convince my parents to let my go to the clubs 3 nights a week and stay out past midnight, and making new friends. I skipped class a lot that year, and would end up at the movie theatre with friends where there was air-conditioning (its ok, everyone was doing it).

Where were you in 1996??

Jump Back Ball: Discount Code and More outfit ideas

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

So, I've been waiting to do this post ever since I first heard about the Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass theme for Jump Back Ball. Perhaps you've taken a look at my outfit ideas and want to embellish them a little, or perhaps you already have an outfit, and are looking for a little something to add to it- something that reflects this incredible theme. Well, what better way to interpret the theme, and make a head-turning entrance, than with a fabulous hat?!?!

Top row: Red wool fascinator, Queen of Hearts mini top hat, Custom Mad Hatter hat
Bottom row: House of Cards fascinator, Lace Bunny Ears, Classic mini Mad Hatter

I will hopefully be wearing a fascinator. I say "hopefully" because it all depends on how my hair ends up that day!!

In any case, I really hope I see you at Jump Back Ball this year! It is SUCH a fun event, and supports such a great cause that you REALLY should consider attending. If you haven't bought your ticket yet, I have good news!! For ONE DAY ONLY on Friday January 20, 2012, you can purchase your Jump Back Ball ticket for $165 (a $5 discount from the original price), AND NO HANDLING FEES. The promo code is LURVE. There is a limit of 4 tickets per order, and is valid ONLINE only. Tickets may be purchased by using THIS link.

In addition to all the fabulous Cleveland party people, there will be plenty of delicious nibbles and drink-worthy beverages (I really hope they do a special shot named "Drink Me"), and of course fabulous bands: This year's bands are Radioactive and Tricky Dick and the Coverups! Can't wait to see you there!!!

Disclosure: I received two VIP tickets to Jump Back Ball in exchange for blogging about the event. As always, all opinions are my own!!

Designing my Home: The bedroom

2012-01-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

So, N and I have lived in our "new" place for almost two years. It may surprise you to know that its taken me this long (and lots of Pinterest inspiration) to finally make some decisions on how I want to decorate our bedroom. Our walls are a grayish brown, and this time, N let me pick the rest of our colors!! Although, I'm not sure he was quite prepared for this:

Organic Cotton pintuck duvet cover in Light Amethyst, courtesy West Elm

So I've decided that our bedroom is going to be in shades of purple and white!! The duvet cover and our new down comforter (Thanks Mom and Dad for our Christmas present) arrived late last week. Wow. It is SO ridiculously comfortable, that I've not only been sleeping like a baby, but I've been finding it even harder than normal to wake up in the morning!! ACK!! Unintended side effects. LOL. Seriously though, I absolutely LUUURRVEE our new bedding! Now I can't wait to tackle other rooms in our house!!

What's your next re-design project?

Listening Now: Starry Eyed

2012-01-17T20:39:00.001-05:00

Today's Tuesday Tune is a special song for my friend Allison, who is celebrating her 29th birthday tomorrow. Allison and I finally met in person in late 2010/early 2011, and I can't believe we didn't meet sooner. We have very similar taste: we LOVE shopping and fabulous parties, are obsessed with sparkles, and really enjoy pop music. Besides Lady Gaga, Ellie Goulding is one of the first artists we discussed, so in honor of her birthday, today's Tuesday Tune is the first Ellie Goulding song I ever heard back in 2010- Starry Eyed. I adore this song- it makes me want to turn the volume up and jump around. Also, for the record, Ellie did a private performance at Will and Kate's wedding last year. So clearly, she's no slouch.

ENJOY!!!

And Allison, you know that if Ellie ever comes to Cleveland, we are SO going to that concert together!! Hope you have a magical birthday!!

Jump Back Ball- How will you wear the theme?

2012-01-16T16:09:00.002-05:00

Are you as excited about Jump Back Ball as I am? This year's event is coming up so fast, and I for one, can't wait!! As I've mentioned before, its some of the best people watching around, and I can't wait to see what everyone wears!! There really are no rules- cocktail attire is appropriate, but I really hope that women don't take their cues from last night's Golden Globe awards. BOOOORRRINNGGG. Nude dress after nude dress, with far too few flashes of color, the predominant one being blue. I just want to point out that I wore blue at New Year's Eve, so I'm patting myself on the back for effectively being ahead of the trend. LOL

Besides going with a cocktail dress, I thought I might highlight some ways to "wear" this year's Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass theme with a few dress options.

1. Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

2. Queen of Hearts

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

3. White Rabbit

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

4. And of course, Alice

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, there is still time, although tickets are selling fast. I will also have a very special discount code for my readers later this week, so stay tuned!!!

I'm not planning to wear any of the outfits above (I already have mine), but if you're looking for something to wear and are stumped, feel free to click through the links and get any one of these- with the exception of the white sparkly one (which is around $225), the other dresses are all under $200.

Disclosure: I'm receiving two tickets to Jump Back Ball in exchange for blogging about the event. As always, all opinions are my own.

Tuesday Tunes: Turns out I have a "thing" for Irish bands

2012-01-10T19:41:00.000-05:00

For the second week in a row, this week's Tuesday Tunes is an Irish band! It must be those foxy accents or the fact that I love their lead singer's name (Gary Lightbody), but I'm OBSESSED. The object of this week's obsession is Snow Patrol, who just released a new album TODAY!!! I've been listening to it on repeat all day (obviously), and I'm yet to decide which song I like best.

Snow Patrol should not be new to you- I'm pretty sure they've been on Grey's Anatomy/Gossip Girl-type shows (you know, dramatic, lots of songs), and one of their songs played on the TV previews for the movie Dear John. If you're not into the sappy, don't let these instances turn you off- they throw around a few F-bombs too. Without further ado, I bring you the first song that I listened to (and downloaded in advance of the album), Called Out in the Dark

S

So, in conjunction with their new album, Snow Patrol will be touring the U.S. this Spring/Summer. And although they're going to most of the major cities, Cleveland is sadly not one of them. SO MUCH SADNESS!!!!! However, if you're in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Chicago, or any of the other cities on their tour, make sure you catch them live!! And then let me know of the awesome time I'm missing...

A Weekend Spent Eating Well in CLE

2012-01-09T21:16:00.000-05:00

Wow, so much for being on a "diet". Lucky for me, that was NOT one of my New Year's Resolutions, although I am trying to generally just eat healthier. Didn't particularly accomplish that this weekend, but considering how AMAZING my dinner's were, I don't even care.

Friday night, N and I headed out to Crop to celebrate JV's Birthday!! Also in attendance were Allison, Alexa, Tiff, Tim, and Michelle. I can't say enough good things about this meal- the food was really really good, and the staff at Crop were so incredibly accommodating and kind- they really took excellent care of us. Along with the libations and laughter flowing freely at the table, it made for an absolutely WONDERFUL evening.

CLE cuties: Tiff, JV and Allison

My amazing figs with goat cheese, and the incredible dessert bonanza they brought out for us to share. The chocolate cake-thing in the very back was DIVINE, and I LUUURRVVEED the waffles and berries.

Then, Saturday night, N and I went to dinner with Wes and Danielle at Dante in Tremont. While the decor is not particularly one of my favorites, I absolutely LUUURRRVVEEEE the food. I cannot gush enough about the pasta carbonara (TO. DIE. FOR), which I get absolutely EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. I go there. My favorite part is that you can get tastings of the pasta dishes, which is about a cup of cooked pasta- a perfect serving, and one that doesn't make you feel like you're about to go into a carb coma. A must if you have plans after. Unfortunately, we were all so hungry when we got there, that we did the whole "eyes-bigger-than-stomach" thing, and ordered waaaaayyyy too much. Needless to say, I had some SUPER yummy leftovers the next day!!

I love these little culinary weekends in Cleveland, as much as my jeans don't!!

What restaurant's are you looking to try in 2012? I know Bite Buff has a pretty awesome list to discover in her "Year of Fun"- which ones would you add? ( I LURVE Marotta's btw- super cute, cozy and incredibly romantic!).

My TV obsession - Downton Abbey

2012-01-08T19:57:00.001-05:00

I only have a short time until Season 2 begins, so I'm going to get straight to the point. DOWNTON ABBEY. If you're not watching this show, you are seriously missing out. I watched Season 1 via Amazon Prime late last year, and I was instantly hooked. Its a British period piece, set in a fictional town in Yorkshire. The series follows the story of the aristocratic Crawley family, including their household staff. It's so interesting to see the difference in lifestyle between the upstairs of the house and the downstairs (servants quarters), but both are filled with drama and intrigue. This show has everything- compelling story, great cast (including the awesome awesome Maggie Smith), drama, war, period costumes, family intrigue, star-crossed lovers, social change-- EVERYTHING!! Did I mention its part of the Masterpiece Classic on PBS, so you can feel intellectually superior as you watch it?

Just look at these costumes!!!! So glamorous, and people even got dressed for dinner at home!!! In the meantime, I will be watching in my PJs. The complete opposite of glamor. It happens...

Season 2 begins tonight on PBS at 9:00 pm EST.

A new bangle contest winner

2012-01-05T14:00:00.000-05:00

So, unfortunately the original winner of my bangle contest did not contact me yesterday. SO, I had to pick another winner, and this time, the winner, as chosen by random.org, is #3,

HEATHER!!!

Heather, please email me at cleshopaholic@gmail.com with your full name, mailing address and email address by 5:00 pm on Friday, January 6th, and I will make sure you get your bangles!!!

Twin Laptops

2012-01-04T16:00:00.000-05:00

So when I made my big Black Friday purchase last year, I ended up buying a MacBook. The EXACT same one that N has too. Needless to say, I have accidentally picked up his computer more than once. Sick of this inconvenience (first world problems, I know), I decided to get a decal for my new baby. And what would be more appropriate than paying homage to our fabulous city of Cleveland??

There she is!! My lovely Cleveland skyline decal courtesy urbandecal on etsy!!! Its really easy to transfer, and comes in a bunch of colors. So if you have matching laptops, or iPads or even if you just want a decal of CLE (or any other city- there's a decent selection), check out the urban decal store on etsy! In case you're wondering, now N wants one too, although I think he's going to get his in white.

Listening Now: Two Door Cinema Club

2012-01-03T21:17:00.000-05:00

I can't believe its taken me this long to bring you this band, considering how much I enjoy them!! Hailing from Northern Ireland, Two Door Cinema Club released their first album "Tourist History" in early-2010. I didn't learn about them until late 2010, and took a listen based on a recommendation from a friend.

WOW! This band is so ridiculously catchy that I immediately found myself wanting to buy the album! Apparently, I wasn't the only one, since Two Door Cinema Club has been winning all sorts of awards in Europe and even played at Coachella and Lollapalooza last year! I was lucky enough to see them at The Beachland Ballroom last fall, and they were SO.MUCH.FUN!! The concert is basically just the band, singing in front of pretty basic set- just a lot of BIG lights that pulsate with the music. It's a great effect, one that I think works best at a small venue like Beachland. That said, I'm pretty sure the next time they're here, they'll probably be at a larger venue, which may not be a bad thing either!!

So, here for your Tuesday Tune, is MY favorite TDCC song- Undercover Martyn. If you have Sirius XM, it may sound familiar to you-- they've been playing this for a little while now. ENJOY!!!

A Great Look to Start 2012

2012-01-02T15:51:00.001-05:00

So I spent NewYear's Eve at a wedding. Double the need to come up with a TRULY fabulous outfit. And what better way to go fabulous inexpensively, than Rent the Runway! I had used RTR before, my had an odd case of reverse body dysmorphia, and picked a dress, that quite frankly, looked like sausage casing. Luckily, since then, I've discovered the true shape of my body, and picked a dress that was absolutely perfect: the Badgley Mischka draped dream dress, pictured here.

Sadly, I don't think I have a picture of me standing in the dress, but it was absolutely gorgeous on, and I felt like a princess!! Incidentally, if you want to rent your own dress, say for Jump Back Ball, use the RTR link above. In any case, here are some pictures from the wedding (you may have seen them already on Twitter/Instagram, so I apologize).

I will offer you one warning about RTR: it is possible that despite reading the reviews, and carefully picking your outfit, you may not like your dress. Therefore, always make sure you have a back-up that you are satisfied with, so as to avoid last minute wardrobe-induced panic!!!!

Bangle Winner!!

2012-01-02T13:22:00.001-05:00

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Hope 2012 is a SUPER SPARKLY YEAR for you all. And now, for the winner, of the sparkly bangles (as chosen my random.org)

Moonshyne4all!!

Please email me at cleshopaholic@gmail.com, with your name, email, and mailing address by the end of day on January 4th, so I can have the bangles mailed out to you!!!

Listening Now: Flo Rida + Sia

2011-12-28T21:16:00.000-05:00

So, I was supposed to this on Tuesday, but I spent the evening coloring my hair (its v. dark with a hint of red) and painting my nails (pink with LOTS of glitter) instead. It happens. But I listened to this song again at the gym today, and I LURVE IT SO MUCH that I just have to share it with you. Its Flo Rida's new song featuring Sia- Wild Ones.

I'm SUPER excited because my MOST FAVORITE psycle instructor Jenn is playing this song in her class tomorrow. Incidentally, if you're thinking new workout programs for 2012, you should give psycle a try. There's a bunch of CLE tweeple that attend a variety of classes, and frequently we'll coordinate to meet up and workout together! Sometimes it happens at 5:45 am on Tuesday, which may be a little early for some of you, but there's a number of other classes. Its a fun time to hang out, listen to some great music, burn 600-800 calories per session, and clear your mind. And really, who doesn't need that?? So, if you're up for a challenge and some fun, sign up! Maybe I'll see you there!!!

Tis the Season.... for weddings

2011-12-26T21:52:00.001-05:00

Hello all!! Hope you had a very Merry Christmas- I certainly did!! I had to go silent for a couple of weeks there because I was so panicked I was going to accidentally reveal the presents I was giving people!! I'm not the best at keeping secrets, and given the secret engagements and babies (not mine) that I had been keeping, my "secret" quota was full up!

While its been the Holiday season here, its actually wedding season in Mumbai. If you've ever been to, or seen an Indian wedding, then you know that the outfits are extremely ornate, and can get quite warm and heavy. And so, for the very practical reason of comfort, December = peak wedding season.

Ritu Kumar and Ritu Beri's bridal collections

Indian weddings can also go on for days... The average is probably 2-3 days, but I've known of a whole week worth of wedding events. Of course, with a different outfit for each event, this can add up to a closet-full of outfits with limited wear!! This is where Didi's Wardrobe comes in... founded by my friend Dina, Didi's Wardrobe provides a forum for people to buy and sell gently used South Asian clothing.

Now, you may be wondering, what this has to do with me and this blog... for one, starting in the new year, I will be doing a post a week on Didi's Wardrobe's blog, so if you feel so inclined, check out those posts too. Now for where you come in... if you're attending an Indian wedding in 2012, you should check out the site for some inexpensive but unique outfits. You should also check out the site if you like dramatic jewelry-- you can find some really amazing pieces for some incredible prices!!!

In honor of the Holiday Season and the New Year, Dina has very graciously offered to sponsor a little giveaway on the blog. The giveaway is for this set of 4 pretty, silver bangle bracelets.

To enter the contest, you must be a resident of the U.S.

1. "Like" Didi's Wardrobe on Facebook for one entry (leave me a comment letting me know you did), and/or

2. Follow Didi's Wardrobe on Twitter for one entry (leave me a comment letting me know you did), and/or

3. Tweet the following: "I want to win @cleshopaholic's jewelry giveaway from @didiswardrobe" and link back to this post for yet another entry. You can tweet twice a day.

The deadline for entry is 5:00 pm on December 31st, and I will announce a winner on New Year's Day!! Good luck!! I hope you win something shiny to bring in your new year!!!

Absences

2011-12-11T19:57:00.001-05:00

Super busy with work and travel over the next week so I won't be blogging for a little bit. Follow me on twitter @cleahopaholic and on facebook to see what I'm luurving while on hiatus!!

Beauty Junkie Heaven: Birchbox

2011-11-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

So last month, sorta on a whim, I signed up for something called Birchbox. Essentially, you pay $10 per month and receive 4-5 customized samples of high-end beauty products. The thought being you have the opportunity to try something new that you may not normally buy, and then you receive rewards points if you decide to purchase a full-size of something via birchbox. The brands include stuff like Smashbox, Stila, Kiehl's, and NARS, and at $10 and no long-term commitment, I figured it might be fun!!

So, a few clicks later, I was member, and a couple of weeks ago, I received my very first box

The packaging is so cute and fun- its like receiving a little prettily wrapped up present!! November's box included:

Sample of Shalimar parfum: not my favorite scent for me- it reminds me of someone much older

Anastasia Lip Gloss: this was pretty good, but a little goopy

Kerastase hair product: I did not like the way this smelled

Two Paperdoll coasters: cute, but obviously not beauty related

Thymes body lotion: I liked this. Smelled very earthy

So overall, this was a 50-50 box. That said, I can't wait for December's box!! Incidentally, if you have a beauty junkie on your Christmas list, you can gift her a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription to Birchbox: a gift any beauty junkie will surely luuuuurvvee!!

Listening Now: Mona

2011-11-29T17:00:00.000-05:00

So, I know that the majority of my Tuesday Tunes have been from across the pond, so this week, I've decided to change things up and bring you music from a stateside band. This week's pick is band named MONA. This foursome is from Nashville, although various band members are from Dayton and from various parts of Kentucky. Three of the four members got their start in church groups, although MONA is very far from a gospel band.

Mona's debut album will be released in early January 2012. In the mean time, there is an EP available on iTunes. Here is one of the songs from their EP which was a Discovery Download on iTunes earlier this year: ENJOY!

Get in the Holiday Spirit (locally): Urban Home and Garden

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, I was at Beachwood Place with clefoodgoddess for the Compassion from Fashion Event, when I happened to noticed a wonderfully decorated store that I had never noticed before: Urban Home & Garden. Lucky for me, the wonderful staff were more than happy to let me take pictures! I found out that the store is Cleveland-based, and there are two locations- one at Beachwood Place, and the other at Beachcliff Plaza in Rocky River.

Seriously, this store is really cute, and has some adorable little gift ideas and stocking stuffers. Not only can you enjoy the Christmassy spirit, but you can get some of your shopping done, and support a Cleveland business while you do it!!!

A Very Merry CLE Weekend

2011-11-27T18:53:00.001-05:00

Hello!! Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend, and are recovering from all the indulgences this weekend! Of course, I pigged out T-day, but spent a relatively low-key Black Friday. JV and I decided to meet up for lunch- 1 bottle of rose and some gossip later, we were ready to shop. My big Black Friday purchase was a brand-spankin-new MacBook Pro!!! YAY!!! I luuuuuurrvvveee this thing. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing with it yet, but it hardly matters- it seems pretty intuitive so far!

This weekend, I took the opportunity to experience the parts of Cleveland that I had never explored before, starting with Polka Happy Hour at Happy Dog on Friday night. Wow! What a ridiculously fun happy hour- if you haven't been yet, you should definitely check it out!! It was absolutely PACKED, and it was SO fun to see people of old ages (including a well-reprensented 80-something population) dancing and having a great time!

DJ Kishka in action

Saturday, N and I headed downtown for Winterfest, and to witness the tree-lighting ceremony- something I had never done in person before. It was SO AWESOME to see so many people downtown- the atmosphere was incredible- it definitely felt like the holidays!

The Higbees window. Its sorta weird to think there will be a casino there next year! I hope that means more windows like this one!!!

Tower City. I like the fuzziness.

The tree!!!

A very merry Terminal Tower

After seven years of living in CLE (including two actually living in Tremont), I finally made it to the Christmas Story House! Shame on me, but definitely better late that never. The house was so cute, and although part of the movie was filmed on a sound stage, it was fun to imagine that the whole thing was filmed in this house. I went with Jess and her sister Nicole, and we would all agree that its SO worth the trip and the $10 admittance fee!

So there you have it- it was a very merry CLE weekend indeed!!! Just the weekend to get in the holiday spirit!!!!

Tight Fight

2011-11-16T10:30:00.000-05:00

As the temps drop, tights become an absolute necessity in every woman's wardrobe. Of course there are endless options to try, and I have tried a wide variety of them. A few weeks ago, I found myself in need of a pair of black tights, and instead of purchasing regular black ones, I decided to go with the SPANX Reversible Tights (black/navy, if you're curious).

And then last weekend, I found SPANX's less-expensive sister Assets (available at Target), who also offers a reversible option. So, in the name of research (and of course, you can't ever have too many tights), I decided to buy a pair of these too (black/grey).

So how do they stack up?
1. Price: The SPANX tights will run you about $34 vs. $13-15 for the Assets version, a little more than 50% savings.
2. Comfort: They are both really comfortable, but I will say that the SPANX are a little softer around the abdomen and hips, which is key when you're going to be wearing tights all day.
3. Overall look: The SPANX feel a little thicker especially around the abdomen and hips. The Assets version is more panty-hose-like on top than the SPANX, which I thought were like leggings with the all the SPANX sucking-in features we've come to know and love.

WINNER? Definitely SPANX, but if you don't wear tights a lot, the 50% price differential may not be worth it. The Assets brand is definitely a solid second choice!!

What's your favorite brand of tights? Do you have different preferences for "fun" tights vs. basics?

Listening Now: Unabashed Boy Band love

2011-11-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not even ashamed to admit this- I LURVE boy bands. Not all boy bands- please- I have standards; but I was a huge fan of *NSYNC and The Backstreet Boys (but not so much 98 Degrees). I went to the NKOTBSB tour earlier this year, and happily SCREAMED MY HEAD OFF for like 3 hours. Sadly, the boy band phenomenon has met its demise, but its alive and well in England.

And with that, I introduce to you, The Wanted- A British/Irish boy band based in London, England. The sad news is that you can't really buy their entire albums on iTunes (yet), but you CAN buy the full version of their performance at the iTunes Festival in London earlier this year. And so today, for your Tuesday Tunes, I will leave you with not one, but TWO songs:

All Time Low:

Glad You Came:

See, I told you I had varied taste in music!! I hope you enjoy my not-so-secret guilty pleasure!!

Come for the shopping, stay for the eye-candy

2011-11-14T21:14:00.001-05:00

Wow, I can't believe Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK!!! That time of year is creeping up faster than I can handle, and you know what that means- HOLIDAY SHOPPING!!! Last year, I got a really good head start to my shopping with the Compassion from Fashion event at Beachwood Place, and this Saturday, Beachwood will be playing host to this awesome event for the THIRD straight year.

If you haven't been before, here's what you should expect:
$20 (in advance, $25 at the door) gets you a wrist band that entitles you exclusive fashion discounts at a number of Beachwood Place Stores. If you're one of the first 750 to buy your ticket, you will receive a $10 mall gift card AND a $10 dining certificate to McCormick and Schmick's, making your ticket essentially FREE!! 100% of the proceeds go to The Gathering Place which provides invaluable services for those affected by cancer and their loved ones!

Shopping + a GREAT cause?!? How could this get better??? BUT WAIT, IT DOES!!!
Not only do you get to snack on delicious offerings by Maggiano's Little Italy, but at 7pm, Beachwood plays host to a celebrity fashion show, featuring cancer survivors and local celebs including:

Maureen Kyle

Ryan "Mickey" McLean, from Cosmo's Bachelor of the year 2010 and Bachelorette fame

As hot as Mickey is, I am a married woman, so I'm obviously MOST excited about the shopping. Here's the discounts I WILL be taking advantage of:

BRIGADE: 10% off entire store (N is probably getting some of his Christmas presents from here)

AVEDA: spend $50 get $20 personal blends "purefume"- I need some more hair products, and their hand lotion is a lifesaver in this weather!!

MOOCHIE & Co: 20% off regular priced merchandise- I can't leave the pooches out!! They get Christmas presents too!

BANANA REPUBLIC/THE LIMITED: Need stuff for work

The full list of discounts is available here. You can purchase your tickets here, and if you buy online and use the discount code "266727", you will receive $5 off your ticket price, making it an even better deal for $15!!

So if you want to avoid the Black Friday crowds and get a head-start to the shopping season, I hope you will consider joining me at Beachwood Place this Saturday. Happy shopping all!!

Full disclosure: I received two tickets to this event in exchange for my support via this here blog. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Listening Now- Ben Howard

2011-11-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

Hello all,

So its a little late on Tuesday, but I haven't forgotten about my Tuesday Tunes. This week, I bring you Ben Howard, a singer-songwriter from England. I first heard the song "Keep Your Head Up" over the summer, and had been stalking both Amazon and iTunes waiting for the U.S. release of his first album (Every Kingdom) which was finally released on October 3rd. For the past month, I've listened to at least one song from the album every.single.day, I LUUUUUUURRRVVEEE it so much. So, in honor of Tuesday Tunes, I decided to share the very first song that started my Ben Howard obsession. Enjoy!!

3x the LURVE- a little luxury

2011-11-04T07:19:00.000-04:00

So my top 3 this week, in descending order were:
1. The Jump Back Ball Kickoff party! I LURVED hanging out with some of the people who will be attending next year's soiree including Jess, Allison, Charity, Christina, and new friend Carli. There were some adorable mini hats on display, and I can't wait to see what people wear to the main event!!

2. This week I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly via private plane. IT.WAS.AWESOME!!!

3. And finally, my most FAVORITE discovery of the week:

There is a scarf named after me (by luxury brand Buelah), and Pippa Middleton is a fan!!! A portion of the profits from the sale of this scarf go to charity!!! Now comes the not so fabulous part- including shipping to the US, this little gem costs almost $150- not quite what I want to spend on a scarf. Ah well, maybe I will just have to let this one go...

Have a wonderful weekend, and see you back next week!!!

Listening Now- Lana del Rey

2011-11-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

Late last week, I happened upon on of the most haunting songs I've heard in a long time- The song is called Video Games by Lana del Rey.

I'll be the first to admit I don't know a whole lot about Lana, except that she has an EP available on iTunes which I promptly purchased. She's expected to release her first full length album in 2012, and in the mean time, she's generating A LOT of buzz. She has this 60s bombshell look going that I absolutely adore, and this song is on heavy rotation on my iPod this week!! So take a listen, and let me know what you think!!!

Mad Hat(ter)s all around

2011-10-31T21:33:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween all!! Hope you had a lovely weekend/day trick-or-treating/handing out candy or however you celebrated! N and I handed out 16 lbs of candy, AND we ran out!! Is that normal or does our neighborhood just get more kids?

This week, I'm really looking forward to Thursday night. Why, you ask? Well, its because is the Kickoff Event for one of my most FAVORITE parties in Cleveland, Jump Back Ball!!! If you remember, N and I attended JBB 20 earlier this year and had an ABSOLUTE blast!! This year I'm even more excited because (1) JBB turns 21, and who doesn't love a 21st birthday celebration, and (2) I absolutely LUUUUUURRVVEE this year's theme- Through The Looking Glass!!

Whether your inspiration is the Disney version or the Tim Burton version (LOVE LOVE LOVE), I'm envisioning some exceptional outfits- lots of white, red, suspenders, stripes, blues, headbands, and of course, my FAVORITE- HATS!!! I can't imagine a more perfect opportunity to debut an absolutely stunning headpiece!!!

Although Jump Back Ball 21 doesn't happen until February 25th, 2012, trust me when I say that its NOT TOO EARLY to plan your attendance. There's a limited number of tickets, and they absolutely do sell out (and have done so for the past few years!). So if you would like to attend, here's how you can get your tickets:
1. Starting Friday, November 4th, you may buy them online here . VIP tickets are $200 each, and General Admission Tickets are $150 ($125 for Partners)- Information on the difference between the two categories is available here.
2. And I HIGHLY recommend this- Join me at Market Garden Brewery in Ohio City on Thursday November 3rd from 6-8 pm to buy your tickets in person. General Admission tickets will be $130 (that's a 13% savings) AND no handling fee. The kickoff event will be the ONLY time Playhouse Square will be offering the tickets at this price (there is a two ticket limit per person). And besides, the event will feature complimentary appetizers, drink specials and prizes. What's not to luurve about that?!?

Full disclosure: Playhouse Square has offered me two VIP tickets in exchange for my help promoting the event on my blog. However, you should know that had I not received this offer, I would be at the Kickoff Party bright and early at 6:00 pm to secure my tickets!! I did just that last year, and it was totally worth it. The Kickoff Party was fun, and Jump Back Ball was a RIDICULOUSLY fun evening!!! I hope to see you on Thursday, and then again in February!!!

3x the LURVE

2011-10-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

So the other little feature I'd like to continue with moving forward is "3x the LURVE"- a weekly post featuring my Top 3 from the preceding 7 days. My plan is to have this be a standing Friday post, so fingers crossed that I'm disciplined enough to stick with it!! Without much further ado, I offer you my first EVER 3x the LURVE:

1. Coming back to a beautiful day in CLE:

I absolutely LURVE fall in CLE!! Maybe its not as pretty as fall in New England, but then again, I don't live in New England, and there's no place like HOME!!!

2. Spending Monday cuddling with these two sweethearts:

They loved spending time with their grandma and grandpa, but they LURVE hanging out on the couch, and I LURVED spending Monday doing just that with them.

3. And last, but certainly not least, I LURVE my shiny new iPhone 4s. Its SO much faster than my old 3GS, and asking Siri to do things for me!! yay!!

So there you have it! What did you LURVE this week??

A little buzz

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things in Costa Rica was the AMAZING coffee we enjoyed several times a day. It probably has something to do with the volcanic soil, but Costa Rican coffee is DELICIOUS!! So delicious in fact, that N and I are having some shipped to us!! And I'm happy to say that if you'd like to try some, Amazon carries a whole selection of the Cafe Britt coffees.

With the holidays coming up (this year is going by waayyy too fast), I've been thinking about gift ideas. If you have a coffee lover on your holiday list, you could always gift them some Cafe Britt Espresso with a stove-top Espresso maker and/or Espresso cups!

As a coffee lover myself, there is nothing better than a GREAT cup of coffee on a cold winter morning (yes, I said the "W" word. I'm mentally preparing myself for the inevitable). Do you have a favorite coffee? Do tell!!!

Planning Ahead

2011-10-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

I know its only the end of October, but turns out my social calendar has now extended out to March 2012. In the coming weeks, I will be telling you more about the things I'm looking forward to in Winter/Early Spring of next year, but in the mean time, I'm trying to figure out the best way to get all this stuff on my schedule. Now I could use the calendar on my shiny, new iPhone 4s (Yes, I LURVE Siri, and no, she will not marry me), but I still enjoy the good old fashioned paper versions. And oh so conveniently, yesterday I received my Kate Spade email featuring this:

Kate Spade 2012 Desk Top Spiral Calendar, $38 katespade.com

Speaking of iPhones and Kate Spade, I picked up a cute iPhone case, but I think I may want this one too...

Kate Spade Le Pavillion iPhone 4 case $40 katespade.com

After all, polka-dots are totally ON TREND for fall, and this is SOOOOOO adorable!!!! BTW, these would make great gifts for the stylish tech-lover and traditionalist alike!! Hmmm, I might just have to add these to my ever-expanding Christmas list.....

Listening Now- The Joy Formidable

2011-10-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

So while I was on hiatus, I started to think about ways to tinker with the blog. One of the ideas is a weekly feature on music that I'm listening to and that I absolutely LUUURRRVVEE. Now, it may not all be new music, but my hope that perhaps I will introduce to some music that you may be unfamiliar with, or remind you of something you haven't listened to recently. I hope that you will share some of your recent favorites with me as well!!

With that, I introduce my first ever Listening Now feature- The Joy Formidable. They're originally from Wales, and opened for The Foo Fighters on a few Foo tour stops this year. They're touring the U.S. in November and December, so if you live in, or are planning to visit these cities, you will have the opportunity to check them out live. I will say that I have NOT seen them live, and I'm more than a little bummed that they will be in Pittsburgh but are skipping over Cleveland. *sadness*

Of course their music is available for download on iTunes, but here is a little peak at one of my FAVORITE songs, Whirring.

I hope you enjoy the song and this new little feature, and I can't wait to hear your recommendations as well!!

Hello again

2011-10-24T12:21:00.001-04:00

Hi again!! It's been a while since I last posted anything- blame it on lots of work-related travel and some vacation!! This past week, N and I enjoyed some R&R in Costa Rica!!! We stayed at the Westin, an all-inclusive in the Guanacaste region. The rooms were very nice and comfortable, but I would say that if I had to do it over, I would only go the all-inclusive route for part of the vacation, not the whole 7 days. Costa Rica is known for its eco-tours and adventure offerings, and staying at an all-inclusive for the whole time is just sorta a waste when you end up leaving on tours that last the whole day!

Here are some pics from vacation. You will notice that it looks very cloudy in the pictures- we knew we were going in the "wet" season, but I was expecting the usual hour or two of rain. However, thanks to a hurricane that ran through Mexico, we had LOTS of rain everyday. From what I hear, a lot like Cleveland last week! However, it was nice and warm, so N and I spent time hanging out in the hot tub and at the swim up bar.

The waves were pretty rough thanks to the hurricane

The resort critters. Both the birds and the little mongoose/raccoon-type animals (Caoti) would come right up to you for food. There was a huge pack of about 20-25 of them around the pool, although only 1-2 of them were social. The little babies were really cute!

Beautiful tropical flowers

N and I took a day-long tour that included the Arenal volcano (you can't go up to the mouth of the crater- poisonous gases etc), a boat ride, a walk through the rainforest, time at the hot springs, and a delicious dinner at a restaurant overlooking the volcano.

The Rainforest. Honestly, I was more afraid of the rainforest than the zipline tours!! I'm allergic to everything, and I was so nervous that I would get bitten by some crazy tropical insect and swell up!!! It was beautiful though, and I made it out unbitten, which made it even better!!

N and I also did an ATV tour (I rode my own ATV- yay!!), and a zip line tour which was a MAJOR adrenaline rush!! Essentially, you fly through the rainforest harnessed to cables, and a lot of times you couldn't even see the other end. In case you're wondering, I didn't look down once, but I did keep my eyes open as I was flying across the cables!

Overall it was a really nice vacation- some touristy stuff, and a LOT of relaxation!!!

Surviving the Seasons: One Coat at a Time (The Essentials)

2011-09-19T20:38:00.000-04:00

Wow, September is FLYING by!! I've been on hiatus for the past week, mainly because I've been having too much fun, and then realizing that late nights don't work for me and then promptly falling asleep at 8:00 pm on the couch. Yes, sometimes I'm VERY LAME!!

Anyway, as September ends, we are DEFINITELY into fall, and I thought it might be fun to do a review of what I consider seasonal ESSENTIALS to make it through a year of living in Cleveland (or anyway in the Northern U.S. for that matter).

So here goes:

1. The Trench Coat: It rains in Cleveland. A LOT. Well, not as much as Seattle, say, but its still enough to be inconvenient. And if you work downtown (or any place by the lake), an umbrella is pretty much useless because that wind is just going to whip that umbrella upside down. And so, I consider a trench an absolute necessity. If your trench has hood- BONUS! Now you can go find your trench at pretty much any department store, but I recommend you try Overstock or TJMaxx or Marshalls. As much as I consider the trench a necessity, I firmly believe you should save the big bucks for the REAL winter essentials.

Trench Coat: Overstock.com

2. The Wool Coat: This is your everyday-everywhere coat for the winter. You can wear it to work, out to a nice dinner, somewhere where you want to have a dressy look and still stay warm. Now, you could go with the traditional black pea coat, but have you tried to find your coat in the middle in winter, in the midst of all the other black pea coats? And so I recommend going for a color. It will brighten your winter day (when the sun disappears for weeks on end), and will make it (and you) easy to spot in a crowd. This is where I really recommend the splurge-- my favorite is the J.Crew double cloth with Thinsulate. It's a little early for all the styles, but if you wait a couple of months, you will see the whole Thinsulate collection. If you have a backup coat from last year and have the patience to wait until February or March, you will get a FANTASTIC deal when these go on sale, but buyer beware- you may not find your size.

Thinsulate Coat: J. Crew

3. The Parka: Done incorrectly, you could end up looking like the Michelin Man. However, there are a few brands like North Face and Michael Kors that have nipped in waists, and while they're still puffy, they do have SOME shape. Now, I fully recognize the parka is not exactly fashion forward, but when its snowed for entire month of February, with 6 blizzards in between, including days of the dreaded wintry mix, you will thank me for this recommendation as you stay warm and dry, even when you're outside. Again, I'm a big fan of color here, and this eggplant is adorable!!

North Face Metropolis

So there you have it-- my Cleveland weather essentials. Later this week, I will bring you the optionals!

Head over Heels for Hoodies

2011-09-07T20:38:00.000-04:00

OMG, seriously how amazing is the pseudo fall weather we're having!! Now, I will say that I would like for there to be more sunshine, but these lovely cool temperatures are really getting me in the mood for long walks with the pups, fall foliage, and hoodies. Yes, I said hoodies. They're my go-to for dog-walking, heading to the gym, running to the grocery store, and general coziness when I'm at home!

I'm cleaning out my closet and getting rid of some of my hoodies that have seen better days. I'm looking to replace them with a longer hoodie- something that looks somewhat like a sweater coat but is in plush sweatshirt material. Sadly, lululemon has nothing that fits the bill for now, so I've been looking elsewhere:

Namaskara Jacket- Athleta

Statement Tie Fleece Jacket- Etsy

Be Cozy Hemp Jacket- Etsy

As you can see, I've found some worthy options, but I'm very torn on which one I want!! The most interesting one is the Statement Tie, but I'm not such a fan of the price tag on that one. So what do you think? Should I get one of these, or wait a little while to see what other places bring in as their full fall collections are available?

Planning for the Weekend: Fabulous Friday

2011-09-06T21:49:00.000-04:00

Do you live for the weekends? I certainly do, and sometimes, with the amount of stuff happening in Cleveland, its a little difficult to get it all in. Take this weekend for instance- on Friday (9/9) alone there are not one, not two, but THREE events that I really want to attend. Unfortunately, I can't be three places at once, but as it turns out, I will certainly be attending two of the three events.

So, the first event is one that happens the first Friday of every month- The Tremont ArtWalk. If you STILL haven't been, you really really should consider attending- art galleries and boutiques open late, yummy cocktails on the fabulous patios, not to mention the absolutely delicious food at any one of the restaurants on Professor Ave. If you end up visiting, I highly recommend a stop at Banyan Tree. At this month's ArtWalk, Banyan Tree will have a very special visitor- The Canton Box Company. I've picked up their creations before, and they may make excellent gifts for weddings, bridal showers, or even housewarming presents!

Unfortunately, I will miss the ArtWalk this month though, because instead, I will be attending F*SHO 2011! I missed it last year, and based on reviews from those who attended, I missed an amazing opportunity to see the work of some incredibly talented Clevelanders. I don't usually make the same mistake twice, so I won't miss it this year. Besides, I'm still in the market for dresser and some sort of linen closet (I'm leaning towards a chest, but I'm open to ideas) and I'm hoping I find some stuff at F*SHO.

That said, this Friday I'm MOST excited about the Dredgers Union End of Summer ROAR ALONG the SHORE!! $28 gets you a 2-2.5 hour tour on The Goodtime III, libations, live music by not one, not two, but eight (EIGHT!!) bands, and of course, time well spent with some fabulous Clevelanders!! Seriously, if you haven't seen the view of our city from the lake by nightfall, you are definitely missing out. Besides, if you're on foursquare, and haven't gotten your "I'm on a Boat" badge, this is a great opportunity to take care of that!! And finally, one more reason to go this party- if you take your ticket into Dredgers Union on Friday September 9th, you get 25% off all men's and women's denim!!! Tickets are available at Dredgers Union, Room Service, and online!!

Well Cleveland, if you STILL don't have plans for Friday, you should be ashamed of yourself ; ). Just kidding!! But seriously, I hope you will take advantage of the last few days of summer and enjoy our city this weekend!! Maybe I will see you around!

Fashion's Night Out Cleveland

2011-09-05T20:34:00.000-04:00

Happy Labor Day all!! I can't believe its September already- this year is going by entirely too fast. That said, September is an exciting time of year- football, clam bakes, fall- weather, fall fashions, and last, but certainly not least, Fashion's Night Out.

Last year, I was very disappointed that I didn't hear about ANY Cleveland retailers hosting FNO events, and it was certainly not for lack of looking. This year, I'm happy to report that there are a few retailers celebrating the event on Thursday September 8th, particularly on the East Side. Lilly Pulitzer at Legacy Village will be celebrating, as will BCBG, Eddie Bauer, and True Religion at Beachwood Place. Personally, I will be spending the evening at Saks Fifth Avenue at Beachwood.

This year, Saks has partnered with Stylelist, The Aids Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Innovations, and Positively Cleveland to bring FNO revelers the Burberry Fashion Show on big screen, a designer treasure hunt, live music, TONS of prizes, drinks, and of course, SHOPPING!! To attend the event, you must purchase a $50 ticket; however, you will receive a $50 Saks gift card in return. And if you've been to Saks, you know that its not hard to spend $50 there- at the high end, you could purchase some designer baubles, or even pick up a new fall fragrance! No matter what your budget, the skilled staff at Saks will be available to guide you as you make your purchases! You can either purchase your tickets in advance at this link, or purchase it at the door!!

If you're unable to make it to the FNO event at Saks, fear not. Our northeast Ohio retailers have launched their own ShopHop NEO from September 9th-16th. All you have to do is purchase your ShopHop pass for $25 here, plan your shopping trips using the store directory, and receive exclusive ShopHop discounts!! This event would be the perfect time to go explore the shops in Chagrin Falls and get some Jeni's icecream, or even make a downtown-Tremont visit, followed by dinner or drinks at any one of the fabulous establishments on either East 4th (downtown) or anywhere in Tremont!!

So Happy September Shopping all!! And I hope you've been inspired by the many September issues out now!

Disclosure: I am receiving a special media pass to attend the Saks Fifth Avenue Fashions Night Out event. That said, I would be attending the event media pass or not. I can't wait!!!

A lovely first weekend back

2011-08-29T21:07:00.000-04:00

So I got back from India last Saturday with a nasty, nasty cold. That combined with jet-lag, and I wasn't in the mood for much last week. Of course, I HAD to make up for it this weekend, and what a great weekend it was!

Friday evening, N and I joined Sarabot, AJP, JV, Lara, Jon, and Alex to celebrate Sarabot's birthday with the Indians game and the return of Thome!! Now I wasn't here in '95, so the significance was lost on me, but it was was great time either way!

JV and Sarabot

N and I

I love this pic!!

The Tribe won, and N and I ended the night with some wine and late evening munchies at Greenhouse Tavern. Incidentally, the very last item on Greenhouse's dinner menu is something called Kitchen Coffee, where you essentially buy the kitchen a round of after-service canned beer-- a great little way to directly thank the kitchen staff that cook up with the deliciousness that is Greenhouse!!

Saturday morning started with an early morning spin class, a haircut, and then HOURS of yard work. I really hate yard work, especially weeding. BLECH! A short nap and long walk with the dogs followed, and then N and I scooted over to Luxe to enjoy the gorgeous weather while getting some dinner. It was an absolutely beautiful evening, although for some reason, there were an exceptional number of 15-50's in attendance that evening. Must have been the weather... Anyway, we had plans to meet friends at Market Garden later, but oops! we fell asleep on the couch cuddling the pups!!!

Sunday, clefoodgoddess and I took the furries for a nice long walk in the Metroparks. We explored a part of the Rocky River Reservation that neither of us had visited before, and had a great time with the pups, until I was violently assaulted by a bunch of mosquitoes. Seriously, they bit my EYELIDS!! And of course, I'm super sensitive to mosquito bites and ended up with giant swollen eyelids, and huge welts on my face and my arms, and even my back!! Stupid bugs bit me through my clothing!!! THIS IS WHY I DON'T CAMP, PEOPLE!! That and the whole lack of electricity and running water. I'm a city girl through and through. We followed up our walk with a lovely little dog-friendly brunch at the Wine Bar in Rocky River. If you haven't tried this spot for brunch yet, I highly recommend it. The food is very good, and very reasonably priced, and best of all, your well-behaved, leashed dog is welcome to join you on the patio!! The rest of the day was pretty low key, and then before I knew it, it was all over!!

Lucky for me, I have a 4 day week followed by a 4-day weekend!! And even though this means summer is ending, I think I'm really ready for fall!!

Glimpses of Mumbai: Ancient Wellness

2011-08-14T03:47:00.000-04:00

As you may know, India is a very old country, with ancient traditions and forms of medicine that may seem very strange for those of us used to more modern drug-based form of healing. One of those forms of traditional healing is called Ayurveda, which stresses the use of plant-based medicines. One of the many aspects of Ayurveda involves massage as a form of wellness and healing. Having never had a massage in Mumbai, I decided to take the plunge and get a Kerala Ayurvedic massage.

Having had the massage, I honestly have very mixed feelings about the whole thing. Unlike the Swedish Relaxation massages I'm used to at home, this massage was very very very oily. They use heated herbal oils that have various medicinal properties, and they use A LOT OF IT. I was a little panicked that I was going to slide right off the table at one point. And because of the quantity of oil used, the massage table is literally a table, not the plush cushy things I'm used to! Its so oily in fact, that you literally HAVE to shower before you leave. All this together, and I was convinced I hated the massage. But now that its 4 hours later, I'm not so sure. Why, you ask? Well, for one, I feel amazing; rejuvenated and relaxed, and my skin is soft like a baby's bottom!!!!

Would I do this again? Honestly, I'm not sure. I didn't like all the oiliness and lack of plush comfort at all, but I do like the end result!

P.S. If you're interested in learning more about Ayurveda, the Agni Yoga Studio offers an Introductory workshop.

Product Testing (in Mumbai): Thermal Reconditioning

2011-08-14T03:20:00.000-04:00

I've been terrible at keeping you updated. To be honest, I've been doing pretty normal stuff, so there hasn't been much to write about, except that I'm doing it in a different country. However, I have been taking advantage of the relatively inexpensive services offered in Cleveland.

You may remember that in early June, I had the Brazilian blowout. Since then I've been sorta obsessed with the idea of wash-and-go hair, which is something I've never had. I have no problem with having to blow dry my hair, but I would really LUUURRRRVVVEE to retire my flat iron. While I was back in Cleveland, I had my mom investigate getting the Brazilian Keratin treatment done in Mumbai. I figured that like most beauty services, this would be way less expensive that then $400+ price tag in Cleveland. Turns out, while the Brazilian Keratin is available and popular (and around $150-$200) in Mumbai, a lot of friends and family have chosen to go the route of hair rebonding, which is effectively similar to the Japanese hair treatment available in Cleveland. The Japanese treatment in Cleveland costs about $100-$150 an hour and takes 4-5 hours on average. In Mumbai the cost is less than $200 and includes a hair wash and deep conditioning treatment 48-72 hours after the treatment!!! SOLD!!! I had the hair treatment done on Wednesday, washed professionally on Friday, and have been enjoying wash-and-go hair since then!!! My hair looks like its naturally straight and has a lot of body. If I chose to have it pin straight, I can flat iron it, and it will stay absolutely pin straight until I wash it (even if there's crazy humidity)! Overall, I absolutely LUUUURRRVVEEE it!!! The best part? It lasts for a whole year!!!!!

Couple of caveats-
1. Like a perm, this is a chemical process, so if you are pregnant etc. you should probably stay away from it.
2. If your hair is damaged, color treated, or highlighted, please please check with a stylist before pursuing this treatment. This is a different treatment than the Keratin treatment and may not work for you.
3. Make sure you're going to a reputed salon with an experienced stylist and ask to see lots of before and after pictures.
4. Above all, do your research!!!

I have sucked at taking pics lately, but keep an eye out for my straight hair in future posts!!

Glimpses of Mumbai: Day 4 and 5

2011-08-10T08:32:00.000-04:00

So although Mumbai is 9.5 hours ahead of Cleveland, I'm a little behind getting you caught up on what I've been doing! I've been hanging out with friends, and doing some shopping- not nearly as much as I would like because I'm having some sticker shock!! In the past two years, prices in Mumbai have risen quite dramatically, but there are a few things that remain a good value- jewelry, leather, and scarves! Lucky for me, I love all those things, so its not so bad : )

Monday night, I went to dinner with some girlfriends from high school. In Mumbai, we graduate from high school at 16, and then enroll in Junior College (for 2 years), at which point you pick the broad discipline of your major: Art, Science or Commerce. In any case, I hadn't seen some of these ladies in 15 years!! As soon as I booked my trip to Mumbai, I emailed my friend Shivani (who I try to see on every trip), and she organized a mini dinner-reunion at Olive Bar & Kitchen. I had never been to Olive before, but it has a really fun and relaxed atmosphere, and is reportedly a hotspot for the Bollywood crowd. Note: Mumbai is both the New York and L.A. of India. No, I did not see any celebrities, although I'm not sure that I would have recognized them anyway.

I had SUCH a FABULOUS time with these ladies- loads and loads of laughs and catching up. And the best part was that we picked up right where we left off- it was like we'd never lost touch at all!!

Tuesday I spent the day hanging out with my mom; we had a fun time and I learned that in India, you can either exchange your gold for cash OR other jewelry at the same value!! Tuesday night, I went to dinner with my parents to my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE seafood restaurant in Mumbai: Trishna. Trishna is a MUST-EAT when I'm in Mumbai, and although the tables are very close together (if you're 6' tall like N, you will be a little uncomfortable), the food is absolutely DIVINE!! Their specialty is the butter-pepper-garlic calamari, and it is TO-DIE-FOR (and not one bit spicy. The pepper is just black pepper). If you make it to Mumbai, Trishna should be your must-eat too!!!

As you can see, I'm enjoying some really great meals here. I'm sure I will pay for this when I'm back home and back on my bike! But in the mean time, I'm luuuurrrvvving EVERY SINGLE BITE!!

Glimpses of Mumbai: Day 3

2011-08-09T01:14:00.000-04:00

After a busy Saturday night with family, I spent Sunday hanging out with my parents at some local art galleries. The art scene is BOOMING in India and art is the new "must-have", which is a great development for India's artist community! We looked at some really beautiful pieces and some that were just mediocre (you'll have that), but unfortunately I wasn't permitted to take any pictures.

We also stopped by one of my favorite home stores, Fabindia. I have to admit, I did have some sticker shock here! It's no where near as inexpensive as it used to be!!! That said, its all relative, and I did pick up these cushion covers for way less than what I've seen in Cleveland. Fabindia does ship international, so take a look if you're in the market for home furnishings!

Here's some more pictures from around Mumbai:

A different part of the Mumbai skyline.

N's favorite building in Mumbai- an apartment building designed by Charles Correa

The Haji Ali Daragh- Mumbai's most famous mosque. For more on this landmark including legends surrounding is origin, go here

Pretty buildings constructed pre-Independence

Yes, that is a silver horse drawn carriage. Probably one used at weddings.

Indian food carts. This one sells raw pressed sugarcane juice.

So back in the day, before malls were all over Mumbai, shopping for clothing meant (1) you traveled internationally/waited for friends and family to bring you clothing from their international travels or (2) scoured the city looking for "finds" often in places like "Fashion Street" in the next two pictures below.

There's an art to shopping at fashion street: (1) You MUST have patience (2) You must also have a poker face. (3) Haggle, haggle, haggle. It usually goes something like this: You find something you like. You ask how much it costs. You're given price. You feign outrage at the suggested price and start to walk away. You are then presented with another price. You go back and forth for a few minutes and leave with a sense of immense satisfaction having successfully negotiated the transaction. The piece will then promptly fall apart 2-3 washes later.

So, if you make it to Mumbai and decide to tackle fashion street, you've been warned! : )

Mumbai Day 2

2011-08-06T21:19:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a particularly dreary day in Mumbai- it rained on and off all day, and as a result, I didn't end up taking any pictures. The day began with a quick trip to the mall- I saw an absolutely darling pair of animal print flats at Charles & Keith, but sadly, I was the wrong size and they didn't end up coming home with me. I did however, pick up this little piece at Cheemo for the equivalent of $34.

An interesting note about shopping in Mumbai- if you're looking for apparel and some shoe brands, you will find a number on international brands like Zara or Mango. However, the price differential is the exchange rate plus some, so you're much better off buying clothing in the U.S., unless you're looking at Indian or Indian-inspired clothing, in which case you should certainly shop your heart out. Also, if you're looking for leather goods, or even "vegan" (read: pleather) handbags, jewelry, and scarves, this is the place to shop for excellent quality at a very reasonable price. Now you're not going to find brands that you're familiar with, but you will find very unique pieces that you're HIGHLY unlikely to see on anyone else in Cleveland (or the rest of the U.S. for that matter).

Saturday evening, my mom (who is an EXCELLENT cook btw) was hosting family for dinner, so in preparation, I went ahead and got a blow-out, that cost a whopping $12 (tip included). It was a great blowout, but sadly Mother Nature won the day with her CRAZY humidity and my hair starting curling a half hour later. Seriously, I don't know what I did with my hair when I lived here full time!!! I definitely didn't have bangs (now I remember why), and I think for the most part I just didn't fight it and let it do whatever it pleased.

Its Sunday now as you read this (Mumbai is 9.5 hours ahead), and I'm hoping for some sunshine today. I don't have anything planned for the day, but I'm fairly certain I'm meeting up with friends tonight! I'll keep you posted!!

Mumbai Day 1

2011-08-05T09:35:00.000-04:00

Here's a little feature that I will call: Things you will see in Mumbai that you probably won't see in Cleveland.

Exhibit 1: Ceiling Fans in the bathroom. I think this is an absolute genius idea, and granted, Clevelanders would only use it for 4 months out of the year, but it would be an awesome bathroom amenity for those 4 months.

Exhibit 2: Cows on the sidewalk. The term Holy Cow comes from India, and as a sacred being, the cow is allowed to roam pretty much undisturbed wherever she pleases.

Day 1 in Mumbai is typically my day of relaxation and jet-lag recovery. It usually involves a FABULOUS mani-pedi at a posh hotel spa for a whopping price of $30!! Of course this is a premium to the more normal, non-posh mani-pedi cost which is usually under $15 ("Maintenance" is so much more affordable in Mumbai!!!). On the way to my appointment, I took a few pictures to give you a glimpse at the city...

If you lived in Mumbai, you would do shop for fruits and veggies at a series of stores like this:

Its monsoon season in Mumbai- ominous clouds rolling in over the Arabian Sea with part of the skyline in the distance. Its rained on and off in the past 18 or so hours that I've been here, but its usually a short sharp shower, followed by general cloudiness. It is however, VERY humid!!!! My fading Brazilian blowout is no match for this crazy humidity!!

Tonight I'm having quiet dinner at home with my parents and my grandma, and hopefully getting to sleep at a normal bedtime in an effort to erase my jet-lag induced dark circles and bags under my eyes!!!

Mumbai Day 0

2011-08-04T15:53:00.000-04:00

So about 24 hours after my last post,I'm finally in Mumbai and unpacked. There's nothing like spending time on a plane with a kid throwing a tantrum and then proceeding to speak in a very very LOUD voice to convince me that I am in fact, NOT AT ALL READY TO HAVE KIDS! Luckily, my flight was fairly uneventful other than the periodic child-tantrum interruptions, and I watched a couple of totally light silly romantic comedies, Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging, and Valentine's Day (what can I say, I can't resist a Bradley Cooper movie).

As you walk off the plane at Mumbai, you're first hit with a waft of heat and humidity and an unmistakable Mumbai smell. Its a split-second thing before you're back in the cool arms of airconditioning, but it always reminds me that I'm back. One tip: if you're flying to Mumbai, don't bother buying Duty Free at your origin. Once you're past customs, you literally have to WALK THROUGH the Duty Free shop to get to baggage claim, and you're permitted to buy stuff there to take out of the airport. Just make sure you save your boarding pass. I picked up my two bottles of Jameson (for my dad) and was off to baggage claim, where of course, my bag was THE LAST ONE on the belt.

I always enjoy the drive from the airport to my parent's place. Like much of India, Mumbai is in the midst of a construction boom (and has been for the past 5 or more years), so every time I'm here the city looks different, especially at night. So as I try and get some sleep and hopefully get over this impending jet lag quickly, I leave you with this, my first pic in Mumbai, of the sea-link bridge that connects one part of the city to the other, literally over the Arabian Sea.

CLEshopaholic travels

2011-08-03T13:59:00.000-04:00

If you've been wondering where I've been for the last week, I've been busy packing and getting organized for my trip to India. As I type this at Hopkins airport, I'm about ready to board leg 1 of a VERY long journey to Mumbai. Later today I will be on a 15 hour flight (gag!). But not to worry, I'm taking you with me (virtually)! I will be blogging about my adventures in Mumbai so you can get a taste for my second home without leaving the comfort of yours!!

Stay tuned...

Reading for the love of it

2011-07-26T18:50:00.000-04:00

I'm sorta sad that Borders is going, going, gone. I hadn't been to a bookstore in a while, but I stopped by Half Price Books on Saturday, and it reminded me of just how much I love books and bookstores! All those colorful book jackets, and the smell of paper.... I've been reading on a nook I purchased early last year, but there's nothing like the touch and feel of a real book.

In my zeal of book buying, here's what I left with:

Its all fluffy and fun, and I absolutely luuuurrrvveee it!! Light summer reading- perfect for a beach, poolside, or on a plane!!! What are you reading this summer (I'm looking for more ideas)?

A very happy birthday indeed

2011-07-25T20:44:00.000-04:00

Thank you all so much for your tweets, facebook posts, calls and texts wishing me for my birthday!!!! I celebrated ALL weekend!!

Friday night, N and I had date night at Dante in Tremont. If you haven't been there, you should definitely check it out- the Pasta Carbonara is TO.DIE.FOR! Seriously, it is so so so so SO good!! N ordered the tasting as an appetizer, and I ordered the appetizer as my entree!! We also tried the shrimp and calamari (so deliciously salty), the cheesy polenta, the bolognese, and N had the duck. What an incredibly perfect meal, although we were so full that we didn't have room for dessert.

Saturday, I headed over to Saks where I got a mini makeover courtesy Chanel! My makeup artist Lauren chose a very natural look for my face (just some bronzer), and played up my eyes with some gorgeous purples (of course, I forgot to take pictures!!!). I seriously fell in love with everything in the fall 2011 collection, and I will definitely make a trip back to pick up some more goodies (especially the eyeshadow quads). A quick trip to a few more stores, and it was time to head home! Later Saturday night, N and I met up with D&J, clefoodgoddess and burningriversports for some drinks, frites, and sunnyside pizza.

Sunday was a super low-key day, hanging with the pups, grabbing some beers at cropicana, and eating my weight in ice cream. A perfect birthday indeed. I received some fabulous birthday presents: jewelry, gift cards to Dredgers Union (they know me so well!), and my darling N got me this little beauty (but mine is an F).

I luuurve this necklace!!! Its incredibly delicate, and its probably going to be something I wear every day!!!

Today I woke up another day older, with a few more grey hairs (that LITERALLY showed up overnight), but happy having spent another FABULOUS weekend in CLE!!!

A weekend recap... on a Tuesday night

2011-07-19T21:25:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm recapping the weekend today. I realize its a little late for that, but I was so tired from my weekend that I fell asleep on the couch at 7:30 last night. I'm turning 31 this weekend (gag), but seriously, some days I feel like a much older person!!! Anyway, this past weekend was incredibly busy. Sunday, I joined thousands of people at the Taste of Tremont.I don't know what it is, but I swear that every year the Taste seems like THE HOTTEST DAY of the year. This year the Taste was a little different for me. I kicked off the event with a 2-hour volunteer spot at the Secondhand Mutts booth where I chaperoned the SUPERCUTE Frida Marie (she's still available for adoption btw. She's really cute and sweet, but she is a puppy and has puppy energy. She'd make a great addition to an active home that has the time to take her to obedience school to help her focus).

Anyway, after my shift, I made my way over to our usual spot on the Flying Monkey Patio, where I got the one and only thing I ate at Taste, the PBLT at Dim and Den Sum. Yes, I fully recognize I could have gotten this at any time, but I was REALLY craving a PBLT.

Saturday, I took the pups for a long walk, and ran some errands, before I RAN the Winking Lizard Shot in the Dark 2-mile race. I know its only 2 miles, really not that big a deal, but honestly, I've run maybe 10 times ALL YEAR!! Needless to say, I hurt BAD all day Sunday and Monday. Saturday evening N and I headed over to the Wolstein to watch the Burning River Roller Girls in action, and cheer own our very own Rolling Pin-Up Lulu, who just so happened to be celebrating her birthday. The night continued with drinks at Garage Bar, fun times with friends, and late-night Gyros at Nikos Greek Grille (don't ask. I was REALLY hungry).

Lulu in the Zebra pants. I can't even tell you how much admiration I have for these ladies!! They KICK ASS!!

Lulu's so fast she's just a blur

Sara, AJP, Lulu, JV, and me!

Which brings me to Friday night. N and I headed over to the Ingenuity Fest Speakeasy, an event we absolutely LUUURVED last year. This year, not so much. And I'm not sure it had to do with the event itself, I think it had more to do with the numbers of people. This year was not as well attended as last year, and that made it less fun. I think part of it has to do with the fact that us Clevelander's may be suffering from a touch of event fatigue. There have been so many FABULOUS events this year, and I end every weekend absolutely exhausted. I guess this is where Cleveland's relatively small population is a negative: you can't always fill an event! On the plus side, there were WAAY more people in costume this year, so people-watching was way more fun!

There would've been way more people in this picture last year.

N walking the shadowy tunnels!!

N and I on some 3D plotter thing. This was really cool.

We were joined by more people!!! Who also thought it was cool!!

Old Subway sign. This would look awesome in my house btw. *sigh*

Vintage subway!

Fabulous 20s attire!!

I really hope that you attend Ingenuity Fest this year! They had the whole bridge open for this last year, and since its a September event, I'm hoping there's no event fatigue this time around. If for nothing else, come for the VIEW!! Look how fabulous!!!

I LURVE CLEVELAND!!!

Hunting for Vampires

2011-07-11T22:06:00.001-04:00

Are you intrigued by the title? : ) This is a slightly longer post than normal, but please stick with me: its fun and different!

So back in the days when my life wasn't quite so busy, I used to read a lot. Mostly fun fiction, and always before bed. Its something my parents have always done, so it was a tradition I followed from childhood until quite recently. Part of the allure of fiction was the ability to immerse myself in a different time and place, and the best part was that reading before bed always gave me REALLY interesting dreams!! I hadn't read a book in quite some time, until I was contacted by the fabulous Adrianne Ambrose: a former Clevelander who just so happened to have written a work of fiction, with Cleveland as the lead character. Obviously, I was intrigued. I immediately purchased the book, and started reading. And I was hooked! Fangs for Nothing is the story of teen vampire hunters, who stumble upon vampires in our VERY OWN CITY!! I'm not going to ruin the story for you, but lets just say if features awkward teens, beautiful people, touches of a cult, and of course vampires. Its a really easy read, and like Twilight, it moves pretty quickly, but unlike Twilight, it has a almost self deprecating sense of humor (a little like Clevelanders).

Of course I had to learn more about Adrianne and her writing of this book, and she graciously agreed to a blogterview, which I will share with you below:

So why a book about vampires and vampire hunters?
I write video game dialogue and I was going to make a Choose Your Own Adventure game called Suck It! with a friend who is a programmer. He wanted to set it in San Francisco, NYC or New Orleans and that just felt really tired to me. I wanted to set it someplace unexpected like Cleveland. Well, he got lured away by a high paying gig, but I was still charmed by the idea of a vampire romantic comedy in Cleveland so I decided to write it as a novel.

Talk about your creative process: did you have an idea about the whole book before you wrote it or did it just come to you as you went along? Did you experience writers block, and if so, what got you through it?
Some of my friends who are writers insist that an entire book must be outlined in detail before they even write chapter 1. That’s good writing theory, but for me it doesn’t leave much room for the characters to take over and do their own thing. I set out knowing my three acts and the conclusion but then I like to see what the characters are going to do on their own once I know who they are. This does sometimes lead to rewriting so that the structure of the book is solid, but is a lot more fun for me to write.

If I get stuck, I go on a long walk and think about the story. That usually loosens things up. If I’m really stuck, I’ll go to hear an orchestra or go to a really long, really boring movie allowing my brain the opportunity to wander. I’m also lucky to have a creative husband. I didn’t really need to tap him for help on Fangs for Nothing, but he does have a lot of great ideas that I’ve used in other works.

As a Clevelander, I love all places you discuss in your book. But for the non- Clevelanders, why did you pick Cleveland as the setting for your book?
In addition to what I said in the first question - Cleveland is a great city with a bad reputation. I’m always surprised when people make snarky remarks about Cleveland. They obviously don’t realize it’s clean, it’s inexpensive, the people are nice, there’s tons to do, and you can actually park when you get there.

I know the city very well so I didn’t have to do a lot of research, I love the cool old history of Cleveland, plus I wanted to give my hometown some well-deserved love.

What do you miss most and least about Cleveland?
I miss everything about Cleveland. I visit for about six weeks total throughout the year and am always so happy to be home. I miss all the trees and grass and vegetation. You don’t realize how green Cleveland is until you live somewhere else. I miss the lack of hassle that is Cleveland. Whenever I’m home, I run around and do a ton of stuff because it’s just so easy and fun. I miss how you can go out for a cocktail or some really good food and not have to sell a kidney to pay the check. (I could go on but I’ve got to stop, this question is making me homesick.)

Okay, I guess I don’t miss everything about Cleveland because I don’t miss the winters. ;)

Are you going to write a sequel?
I have not decided about a sequel. I really like my characters so I’d be happy to make them run around Cleveland a bit more and get into trouble, but this is my first foray into ebooks so we’ll see how it goes. The short answer is – Probably yes.

What's your next book about?
I have another story coming out as an ebook within the next two weeks called Confessions of a Virgin Sacrifice. It’s a parody of the barbarian genre and came out with a small press several years ago. Oni Press has also contracted to put it out as a graphic novel and we’re on the hunt for an experienced illustrator with a hint of Frank Frazetta.

And finally, if your book were turned into a movie, who would be your choices for the main characters?Wow, this is a weirdly tough question. Back when I was first writing Confessions of a Virgin Sacrifice, (10 years ago…?) I knew who I thought would be good in each role, but I haven’t given it much thought to casting for Fangs for Nothing. But let’s see…

Sherbie – Hmmm – Someone like a slightly younger Joseph Gordon Levitt. Now who would that be…?

Xander – This is a tough one. Xander is tall, well built with black hair and electric blue eyes. Zack Efron’s got the dark hair and blue eyes, but not the stature. From back several years ago I’d say Michael St. Gerard, who has completely disappeared from Hollywood. To compensate for my lame answer I’ll share a little glimpse of Hollywood story – I was nominated for a WGA award for my work on a video game. (Lost to Star Wars) There weren’t any mega-big A list celebrities at the award ceremony, but there were plenty of A-/ B+ celebs. What’s funny is that everyone was much, much shorter than I expected. At least 2+ inches shorter than what is listed on their IMDB bios. I felt like there should be a disclaimer, celebrities may appear 2/3rds smaller than shown on TV.

Rini – Chloe Moretz maybe - ? – She’s way too pretty to be Rini, but doesn’t Hollywood always do that? Anyway, she’s saucy and she’s got a good voice so I think it could work. Abigail Breslin might also be good.

Lana – Can I say Emma Stone? I’m not sure she’s exactly Lana, but I think she’s fabulous and am glad she’s getting work.

Short Vincent – Romain Duris – French actor that was in Heartbreaker (there are subtitles, but well worth it – super funny)

Aerony – Okay, this one is easy – Aisha Tyler – Gorgeous and great voice. She does the voice of Lana Kane on Archer.

So in addition to graciously answering my questions, Adrianne has also agreed to host a fabulous little contest. She will be giving away not one, not two, but FIVE Fangs for Nothing ebooks!!! I'm not gonna lie, one of my favorite parts about reading the book was picking out how many CLE places I had visited!! And I'm proud to say I have been to quite a few!! The contest will run until Friday. You must have access to Kindle, either on your PC, iPhone, etc, or Kindle itself.

Here's how you enter:

1. Leave a comment about your favorite place in Cleveland (one entry). If the spot has a creepy past (which you must also share), you will get a bonus entry.

2. Follow me and Adrianne on twitter for another entry.

3. Tweet about the contest and link back to this post for another entry.

AND FINALLY (see, I told you it was a long post), if you want to hunt your very own vampires under the Detroit-Superior bridge, you should definitely consider attending the Ingenuity Fest Speakeasy Party, THIS Friday, July 15th. I attended last year, and it was such a ridiculously fun event that I naturally scooped up tickets for this year's event! So, hopefully, I will see you there!!

Good luck with the contest, and Happy Hunting!!!

Made in the 216

2011-07-10T13:30:00.000-04:00

So this weekend, East 4th played host to Made in the 216. The events takes place twice a year- once in the summer, and then again starting right around Thanksgiving, giving Clevelanders the opportunity to purchase unique items made by other Clevelanders!! There's usually a wide selection of T's celebrating CLE pride, scarves, paper goods, candles, art work, beauty products and of course, jewelry. This year's summer event was no different:

The decor reminded me a little of an Indian wedding: lots of bright colors and lights: LOVE!!! If you're reading this on Sunday afternoon, you still have time to make it to the summer event: it runs through Sunday evening (see the link above for details). And if you missed this one, have no fear!! There will be another one later this year!!

All that Glitters...

2011-07-07T18:05:00.000-04:00

Every summer, I go through a phase where I favor gold tone jewelry rather than the silver I usually wear. Now while I would luuurrvveee for my pieces to be the REAL THING, its just not a budget friendly option. So instead, I've been filling out my jewelry collection with brass instead!! One of my FAVORITE recent purchases is this bracelet (on the right), that I picked up at Dredger's Union last week (I have a serious problem; I've been in this store 4 times already, and its only been open like TWO WEEKS!)

Its a measuring tape!!! How cute is that?!?!?!?

The bracelet is part of Monserat De Luca's jewelry line, and Dredgers is carrying quite a few pieces from the collection, and you should definitely check them out. There's a bunch of really cute, whimsical necklaces, that would make the PERFECT gift for a woman in your life. Some of my favorites include the paper planes and the fork and spoon (great gift for a foodie!). Sure, you could look at them online, but its SO MUCH MORE FUN to go see them in person!! Coincidentally, this weekend is also the Made in 216 festival AND OFFICIAL Grand Opening of Dredgers, so really, you now have multiple reasons to make it down to East 4th this weekend!! Happy Shopping my FABULOUS friends, and hopefully, I will see you around this weekend!!

What's Round on the ends and High in the Middle?

2011-07-06T21:20:00.000-04:00

OHIO!!! And that's a new little slogan, courtesy Ms. Katy Perry, who's concert I attended last night with seanski, AJP, Valarie, and Kelly!! Pre-concert we gathered at Zinc for some happy hour adult beverages, and then made our way over to East 4th. As with any fun pop concert, East 4th was filled with people (ok, it was mostly women and girls) dressed up for the occasion. While it was amateur-hour compared with Lady Gaga, it was still fun to see everyone dressed up, and I especially enjoyed the number blue, pink and purple wigs!! As I'm sure you've read by now, the stage was a cross between the Yellow Brick Road, Alice in Wonderland, and Willy Wonka, meets Hello Kitty. I only say Hello Kitty because it was VERY pink and perky, but you get the general idea. I SWEAR the whole arena smelled like sugar; I've never wanted a cupcake so bad in my life!!! Katy is actually quite the singer, and her performance was SUPER fun and energetic and happy!!

AJP, seanski, and Valarie

Katy making her entrance

I wanna see your peacock

Katy with Mike (or was it Matt?) from Avon Lake. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Katy's karaoke, where she covered Rihanna, Jay-Z, Rebecca Black, and Willow

Katy floating on a giant pink cotton candy cloud (that you can't see) above the crowd (which you also can't see). It was high up, and the thing wobbled. Honestly, I would have barfed. So kudos to Katy for keeping it together!!

I was very jealous of all the people she invited up on stage!!!

All in all, a great concert!!! I would definitely go to another Katy Perry concert!! So Katy, please come visit us again!!!

The Fashions of Summer Solstice 2011

2011-06-27T21:04:00.002-04:00

As you almost certainly know by now, Saturday was one of my FAVORITE parties of the year: The Summer Solstice Party at the Cleveland Museum of Art. I could do a recap, but really, just one word sums it up: FABULOUS!!! So instead, I've decided to show you some of the fashions of Solstice. Of course this isn't a comprehensive guide, just some of the people and outfits I saw and lurrrrved.

N rocking a Dortmunder and his new Dredgers Union tie.

I fell in love with this couple. They were so cute!! I can only hope that N and I look this fabulous when we reach that age!

N and DBB being "Thunder" and "Lightning"

Wes and Danielle (who is also wearing one of my favorite Dredgers dresses!)

Val in her FABULOUS and oh so sexy tights!

I loved the coral and stripes combo!

AJP is a vision in white with a supercute baby blue purse!

Hallie and fiance!! I LOVE that dress and that hat!!

I know this picture is blurry, but I really like it, and the outfits too!

Sara in vintage

JV in print!! LOVE!!

So there you have it: a little taste of the fabulousness that was Solstice! If you missed it this year, you should definitely put it on your calendar for next year. BE FABULOUS!!!

Product Testing: Brazilian Blowout!

2011-06-21T20:50:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago, I bought a Groupon for a Brazilian Blowout at Studio 247 in Chagrin Falls. I had it done about two weeks ago, and OHMYGOD, why in the world did I wait so long?!?!?

The Brazilian Blowout is different from the Brazilian Keratin treatment (which I have not had, but I've done some research) in a few ways:
1. The Blowout only takes about 90 minutes from start to finish, vs. a reported 2.5-3 hours for the Keratin
2. With the Blowout, you can wash your hair as soon as 12 hours later, although they recommend that you wait as long as possible. The Keratin treatment requires 4 days of no hair-washing, no clips, no hair ties, etc.
3. The Blowout typically starts at $200-$250, while the Keratin has a higher starting price point of $300-$350. For both treatments, most salons will require that you receive a consultation before you get the treatment, which is when they give you your estimated cost.

Now, both products are designed to smooth your hair and decrease frizz, but if you have curly hair, it has the added benefit of making it easier to straighten. Since I have wavy hair, the Brazilian blowout made mine pretty darn straight, although I've been told (by people who've tried it), that the Keratin works better as a straightener than the Blowout if you have curly hair. Both fade out in about 3-4 months, and both require that you use sulphate-free shampoo and conditioners. Both treatments will last longer the less you wash your hair; so if you're an every-day-shampooer, it will not last as long as someone who shampoos only 2-3x a week.

Overall, my hair looks much healthier (even though I'm WAAAYYY overdue for a haircut), is much straighter (and therefore looks longer), has a much shorter drying and styling time, and best of all, its unaffected by humidity!!! I will ABSOLUTELY get this treatment again, and highly recommend it for all of you who have naturally curly/wavy hair, and fight it to straight submission every day!!

Crazy for Prints (AND a giveaway)

2011-06-20T07:16:00.001-04:00

Lately, I've found myself drawn to prints, especially when it comes to dresses and skirts. In the past month, I've purchased two print dresses and one print skirt, which is quite unusual for me considering I tend to stick to solids. Prints can be such a fun addition to one's wardrobe, although, if like me, you typically stick to solids, accessories are a great way to get started!

It just so happens that on June 23rd, Beachwood Place is celebrating the grand opening of Northeast Ohio's first Vera Bradley store, a place KNOWN for its fun and girlie prints. If you're not familiar with Vera Bradley, the company was founded by two friends in 1982. The Cleveland store will be one of only 43 Vera Bradley stores in the U.S. (yay! for Cleveland!! Another retail "get") and will carry the full line of Vera Bradley accessories, handbags and gift items. Two of my favorite prints in the line are the Deco Daisy and Baroque, shown in the handbag and duffel below!

Deco Daisy (the daisies are on the inside of the bag)

Baroque

As with any of its grand openings, Beachwood and Vera Bradley are offering some opening specials. If you're so inclined, you can be one of the first people to visit the store from 5pm-8pm on the 23rd. For the grand opening on June 24th, shoppers will receive $20 off a future purchase when they spend over $75 or more through July 3rd! AND, in honor of the grand opening, Beachwood Place has been kind enough to host a giveaway on this blog!!!

Contest Rules:

1. You must be able to claim the $50 gift card (YAY!!) at Beachwood Place Guest Services by July 1st (you must show photo ID to redeem the gift card).

2. You may follow @BeachwoodPlace and @cleshopaholic on Twitter for 1 entry (please leave a comment saying have done so).

3. Tweet the following message" only @cleshopaholic: I entered to win a $50 gift card to the Vera Bradley store opening @BeachwoodPlace 6/23 http://bit.ly/j9juLH " You may tweet up to 3 times a day, and each tweet counts as an entry!
4. Visit Vera Bradley online and leave me a comment with your must-have item and must-have print for one additional entry.
5. Don't forget to leave me your contact info if I don't have it already

The contest will end at noon on Friday June 24th, so good luck!!!

Shopping Local: Dredgers Union (its FINALLY HERE!!!)

2011-06-19T22:10:00.000-04:00

If you follow me on twitter, then you know that I was SUPER EXCITED for the opening of Dredgers Union, which had its soft opening at 11:00 am this past Friday. Obviously, I was there by noon. WOW! What an incredibly beautiful space!! Sean and Danielle have done a fabulous job with the store: I WANTED EVERYTHING IN THERE!!! The store carries a little bit of everything: women's apparel, men's apparel (a nice sized selection), jewelry, accessories, home goods, girlie stuff like candles and soaps and diffusers, kitchen items, and even stuff for kids!! Dredgers carries over 100 different labels, including their very own Dredgers Union label! Prices are set to meet every budget, ranging from $20-ish up to over $250. Seriously, I wish I describe this store in words, but I honestly wouldn't be able to do it justice, so I will just give you pictures!

Walking up to Dredgers (its on East 4th, sorta across the street from La Strada and Greenhouse Tavern)

IT'S OPEN!!!!

A little bit of everything: something for the garden enthusiast is your life

Pretty little things: I fell in love with the smoky topaz rings on this table...

I fell in love with these little pendants too

Dredgers very own label: I lurve the style of this dress

Men's apparel (there's more in the back)

Men's accessories. Great gift items!!!

I luuuuurrrrvveee this couch!!! so so much!!!

More pretty little things. The hand lotions are really really moisturizing without being greasy!

I bought this!!! I thought it was a dress, but turns out its more like a tunic! I wore it Friday itself (no sense in waiting, really), styled with cuffed boyfriend-esque jeans (boyfriend with more structure), red heels, and a black belt. It would also make a fantastic swim suit cover-up!

More gift options for the domestic goddess and travel enthusiast. I just LUUURRVEEE how pink this table is!

A fantastic option for you Solstice attendees who haven't picked a dress yet!!!

So, if you can't tell, I LUUURRVEEE LUURRVEEEE LUUURRRRRRVVEE this store!! You really should visit, as soon as possible, but at the very least for the grand opening party on July 8th. Congratulations to Sean and Danielle! I hope its the start of a retail reneaissance in downtown Cleveland, and I'm so happy it starts with such a FABULOUS store!!!

Swap it out!

2011-06-14T19:59:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, my fabulous friend Sara invited me to a clothing swap with some of our mutual friends. The premise was this: we were each to bring gently used items of clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes, etc (stuff you could wear in the spring/summer) that we were no longer wearing for whatever reason, and then we would swap clothes with each other. Whatever remained would then be donated to a local women's shelter.

While I eagerly accepted the invite, I was skeptical about what I had to contribute: turns out I had quite a bit of stuff!! Blazers, handbags, shoes that were a size too big that I never wore and never returned, jeans, jewelry... the list went on and on. I hauled my stuff over to Sara's, where she had some incredible lavender lemonade, yummy munchies, and of course wine. After some socializing and catching up, the swap began.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I had SO much fun shopping: it was great company, and I found some really really fun pieces: a pair of boyfriend jeans, a silk top, a bright orange top, a few belts, a really fun turquoise blue chain link necklace, and a couple of skirts! Over the past two weeks, I've managed to wear everything except one of the skirts: and the best part about it? All that shopping cost me ZERO DOLLARS!!!!

If you have fabulously stylish friends, or friends whose style you admire, I highly recommend you organize a swap party. It was so fun to shop someone else's closet: I ended up with new stuff (new to me anyway) that I may not have picked out myself, and even if I wear it only this season, it doesn't matter, because it was FREE!!! So thanks so much for inviting me, Sara, and I can't wait to do it again for fall/winter!!!!!

Product Testing: Dust It

2011-06-13T21:40:00.000-04:00

Back when I made my trip to Chi-town, my dear friend T introduced to me to a fabulous dry shampoo: dust it. Now I've used dry shampoo in the past, but its mainly been in the form of the foam, which takes out the shine and greasiness, but doesn't even come close to dry shampoo. Not only does dust it mattify and take away shine, but it also gives you incredible volume and hold when you dust it onto your roots. I usually dust some onto my bangs so that they don't get greasy, and then also when I work out at lunch.

All this may seem really mundane, but I really do have a point here: I've been talking about the Summer Solstice Party lately (can you tell I'm really excited about it?). I really want to try a fun, dramatic hairstyle that I wouldn't normally do: I'm thinking bouffant, just like they had on the runways this Spring, and I'm planning to use dust it to get the volume I need. I'm thinking something like this:

What do you think? Too much???

Art and Puppies: The Crocker Bark Festival

2011-06-09T18:19:00.001-04:00

This weekend, I will be out at Crocker Park, supporting a cause very near to my heart: shelter dog adoption! Specifically, N and I will be chaperoning a pup each for Secondhand Mutts at the Crocker Bark Rescue and Adoption Event!

This is quite the unique event, pairing Art and Dog Rescue, and will feature over 130 artists and over 10 animal rescues!! The Art will feature jewelry, ceramics, photography, painting, leather and more, and the rescues will include G.R.I.N, Love a Stray, Fido's Companion, Rowdy to the Rescue, North Coast Greyhound Connection, Wiggle Butts Bully Rescue, Erie Shores, Cleveland APL, Friendship APL and of course, Secondhand Mutts!!!

The Secondhand Mutts booth will be located right in front of the Apple Store/DSW, so you always say hello to some pups, maybe even fall in LLLUUURRRVVEEE with one of them, buy some shoes, maybe an iPad... you know.... Anyway, the event runs from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm both Saturday and Sunday; N and I will be chaperoning our pups from 10:00am- noon on Saturday!! Hope to see you there!!

G-Star: Now in CLE!!!

2011-06-08T20:04:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, N and I were invited to the official launch of the VERY FIRST G-Star Q-Store concept in one of our very own FABULOUS, locally owned boutiques: Brigade. If you're familiar with Brigade, then you know that they've carried pieces from the G-Star line for many years now, but the Q-Store is something very different, and quite the unique opportunity for us CLE shoppers: its a dedicated store within a store, dedicated solely to G-Star, with fresh merchandise rolling in EVERY.DAY!!!!

Now, I hadn't been to Brigade since its recent move to Beachwood Place, and WOW! I was not at all prepared for the new look- its ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!

Mingling... did I mention it was packed??? Needless to say, I didn't get any real shopping in, but don't worry, I'll be back very very soon!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

OMG I LUUUUURRRVVVEEEE J Brand Jeans. Love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love. Have I mentioned I love them?

Fun shoe wall

And finally, the whole reason we were there: G Star!!!!

Even the check-out space is beautiful. Makes you feel better about handing over that credit card. I'm seriously in love with this light fixture...if only our house had high ceilings!!!!

So there you have it: another coup for our very own local entrepreneurs and CLE shoppers!!! I hope you will go check out Brigade and the G-Star Q-Store very very soon!!

Playing hookie aka an afternoon well spent

2011-06-07T16:05:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday, I took the afternoon off to go to the zoo and check out the elephant exhibit with my 1-year old nephew who was visiting for the week. N and I LUUUURRRVVVEEEE the zoo, and we end up visiting at least once a year, but it was definitely a different experience seeing it through the eyes of a curious, animal loving 1-year old!!

The elephant exhibit!!!

"A" really really REALLY wanted to get close to the animals, so.....

...Grandma took him on a camel ride!!! "A" really did love it, although you can't tell from this picture. Trust me, there was a lot of smiling and happy babbling.

His gift from his shopaholic aunt!!! He picked it out all by himself!!

I highly recommend picking out a sunny weekday afternoon to play hookie from work to go visit the zoo. Even if you don't have a child, or niece or nephew, its so nice to get out of the office and go do something fun in the middle of the day for a change!!!

A weekend recap

2011-06-06T22:06:00.000-04:00

OMG you guys, I am SO behind on blogging. Although I only have myself to blame: I've been having way too much fun in this amazing city!!!! I'm going to recap the last couple of weeks sorta piecemeal over the next few blog posts, but I'm going to start with a recap of this past weekend.

Friday night, AJP and I had a fun little date at the Indians Game! A few weeks ago, I'd applied for a spot at the Cleveland Indians Social Suite, and Friday happened to be my lucky day to be at the game. AJP and I started off the evening with a quick beer and some ~~gossip~~ catching up at Flannery's, and then headed up to the suite to watch the game. The game itself was a disappointment, BUT I did find a vendor that sells, among other things, fried cookie dough, funnel cake, and funnel cake fries. In case you're wondering, its sorta across the way from the Cleats. After much debate between the funnel cake and funnel cake fries, I panicked and just went with regular fries instead. DARN IT!!! Should've got funnel cake! Anyway, at the end of the game, AJP, my fellow Social Suite attendees and I were escorted DOWN TO THE FIELD to watch the fireworks from the visitors dugout.

My foot hovering over the field. I may/may not have touched it.

AJP gets lucky

AJP somehow ended up with a ball from the game, and we enjoyed some fabulous fireworks, set to the music of today's very own tween stars. Sorry Biebs, I'm just not that into you (and cue the hate mail).

After a very busy Saturday morning which included some much needed shopping, Jess and I headed out to Chinato for some pre-concert dinner. Seriously, if you haven't been to this restaurant yet, I don't know what you're waiting for! The seafood misto appetizer and lemon polenta cake are TO.DIE.FOR! Post-dinner, we headed over to the House of Blues to see watch Grace Potter and the Nocturnals perform live.

She is so so so so SOOOOOOO good live! Incidentally, she has a new album coming out on June 8th, so you should definitely give it a listen. I LUUUUUURRRVVVEEEE HER!!

Sunday began with a yoga class, followed by watching N play softball, lots of napping, cuddle time with the pups, and my continued introduction to the fabulous world of Mad Men (we're on episode 4, season 1). All in all, a WONDERFUL CLE WEEKEND!!! And, I'm already gearing up for the next one!!!

A Touch of Sunshine

2011-05-25T14:42:00.000-04:00

FINALLY! Mother Nature has graced Cleveland with some real springtime weather: cool nights, pleasant, sunny days. Its been a long time coming!! And, its just in time for summer. ; )

Speaking of summer, I've found myself really drawn to the color yellow lately. And I'm madly in love with this beauty:

Look how gorgeous!!! And it would look fabulous at the Solstice Party. AND would make a fabulous anniversary present (hint, hint N).

Do you find yourself drawn to particular colors at different times of year? Mine was purple through the winter. What's your color lately?

Summer Solstice

2011-05-24T19:01:00.000-04:00

This year is going by a little too quick for my taste. I'm really not ready for it to be June already, although with June comes nicer weather, and one of my absolute favorite parties of the year: The Summer Solstice Party at the Cleveland Museum of Art on June 25th! N and I attended last year, and for some unknown reason, I have ZERO pictures!!!

You will just have to trust me when I say that this party is ridiculously fun, and is THE BEST PEOPLE-WATCHING in Cleveland. Seriously.

The Summer Solstice Party attracts a very diverse crowd, and with it, come some very diverse fashions. Last year, there were some incredible outfits, ranging from casual, to very formal, although my favorites were the "fashion forward" pieces, especially the head-wear (you know I LUUUUURRRRVVEEEE a great hat!!). I wore a white embellished tank with a black bubble skirt, black braided belt and yellow wedge heels; this year I think I'm going the maxi dress route. There's great bands, a fireworks show, and of course, you can tour the museums as well!!

Here's what I recommend:
1. You should really really really REALLY consider going. Last year N and I went at 10:00 pm, when the admission price dropped to $20. We had so much fun that this year we're going to the 7:30 admission.
2. Ladies, it is almost inevitable that you will end up on the lawn. As you well know, lawn = no pointy heels, so definitely consider wearing flats or wedges
3. Wear something comfortable, but don't be afraid to try a new look that may not necessarily be "you". You never know how great you will end up looking, and this is an incredible event to test it out!!
4. Unlike me last year, take a camera and make sure you take loads of pictures!!!!!

Hope I see you there!!!!

...And the winner of the $25 Legacy Village gift cert is....

2011-05-23T21:32:00.000-04:00

....#22 Rosy Girl Baked Goods, who follows me via Google Reader!!! (picked via Random.org)

Rosy Girl, please email me at cleshopaholic@gmail.com with your mailing address so I may have your gift certificate mailed to you!! Happy Shopping!!!!

Product Runway Cleveland 2011

2011-05-18T22:28:00.001-04:00

If you haven't signed up for your chance to win a $25 gift card to Legacy Village, please do so here

Last Friday, N and I went to a Fashion Show hosted by iida cleveland/akron. The theme of the show was Product Runway, and like some of the prior Project Runway, the purpose was to create fashion using uncommon products, in this case: interior design products. And wow! What a show!! It always amazes me that there are so many incredibly talented Clevelanders, and I love the opportunity to see their work!!! This is going to be a post filled with pictures, and when you look at them, I want you to remember that all these outfits are made with products used in interior design: upholstery, cork, paper, rubber tile, carpet backing, carpet, l.e.d lights and even chairs!!! Enjoy!!

I can't wait to go to the next one!!!

Charming in Black and White

2011-05-17T05:11:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday, I was invited to a blogger shopping event at Legacy Village, hosted by Charming Charlie and White House Black Market. If you read my blog, then you know that I absolutely lllluuuuurrrrvvvveeee accessories, and I've already discussed my love for WHBM, so the event was a no-brainer!! It was so fun to meet other Cleveland bloggers in person, and to shop uninterrupted! If you've never been to Charming Charlie, its a really great accessory store with the products displayed by color selection, and nothing is over $50!!! Seriously, it reminds me of playing dress up as a kid: fun shiny baubles and SO much color!!

Two of my favorite colors for the summer!

The event began with a little styling: WHBM LBD's paired with various accessories. All the looks were very sweet; I personally like to go more dramatic with mine, so I think I would've paired the looks with bigger earrings, more dramatic headbands, and more bracelets (I was surprised none of looks included bags...hmmmm).

I fell is love with the hat selection, and if you follow me on twitter, then you know I really really really want hats to come back this year. Come on Cleveland: you can do this with me!!!

The kind folks at Legacy also gave us a swag bag, which included a $50 gift certificate, that I promptly used to pick up a cocktail ring and an animal print clutch (not pictured).

Swag

All in all, a great way to spend a Sunday evening!! But the fun is not over yet! Legacy Village is also sponsoring a giveaway for a $25 gift card, which you can use at ANY Legacy Village Store. Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. Must be a U.S. Resident

2. Tell me which store you would pick at Legacy to spend your $25 (one entry)

3. Tweet about this contest with a link back to my blog and leave a comment telling me you tweeted (second entry)

4. Add me to your blog roll and leave me a comment telling me you did (third entry)

Good luck!! I will announce a winner on Monday, May 23rd!

Disclosure: As I've mentioned in this post, I received a swag bag that included coupons for various Legacy Village stores, miscellaneous items such as water bottles, candy, cookies,AVEDA products, a gift card to Starbucks, and a $50 gift card to Legacy Village. Legacy Village is also sponsoring the $25 giveaway that is part of this post.

PSYCLE: a new beginning

2011-05-16T07:19:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned before, I'm SUPER excited about the opening of the new spin studio PSYCLE in Westlake. The studio is hosting its grand opening on May 20th, between 7-9 pm with an open house. You will have the opportunity to check out the space, meet the instructors, sign up for lessons, and have a chance to win giveaways.

In preparation for the grand opening, I asked the founders Jenn, Scott, and Ed some questions on the studio and the philosophy behind the rides. So here goes:

1) What prompted you to start PSYCLE?

We’ve been riding for years and have literally changed our lives on a bike. We started PSYCLE as a way to give back by creating an indoor cycling sanctuary that would help inspire others to transform their lives and manifest their dreams. There’s nothing like PSYCLE in Cleveland and we are happy to be the first to deliver it to this market.

2) How is PSYCLE different from spin classes offered elsewhere?

The rides at PSYCLE are so much more than just a workout. Sure, you’ll sweat and change your body, but you do it by working from the inside out first and the physical change happens along with it. Our instructors are taught to teach about the power of intention, how to create goals and work with focus and discipline to achieve them. It’s about learning to take your personal power back and transform not just your body but change your whole life.

Consistency in class quality is another key difference at PSYCLE. While all instructors will bring their individual personality, the fundamentals in the message, flow and energy will be consistent between all the instructors.

3) Why should people try PSYCLE?

Anyone who isn’t finding total fulfillment in their life, from personal, career, family, money perspectives may benefit from PSYCLE. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, stay in shape, get in shape, work through a difficult emotional time in your life like the loss of a loved one or a divorce, you will find a safe harbor in PSYCLE. By taking the time for you, participating in an active mediation and learning to create the life you’ve always wanted are the fundamental reasons to share in the experience of a PSYCLE class.

4) What should a new student expect from class?

When you come into PSYCLE you will immediately notice the difference. No judgment, all welcoming, great energy and friendly faces. We celebrate the courage of new students beginning their journey and everyone will help you along the way. The instructors will help you get set up on a bike and get settled. Once the music starts, your role is simply to follow along to the rhythm. You will get lost in the music and time will fly by. When class ends, you should feel energized, empowered and ready to go create your day.

5) Tell me about instruction style and differences between each of you:

We feel that consistency in the fundamentals of the classes are extremely important, but there are ways that the instructors personality will come alive in class. Music selection is probably the most noticeable area of difference between instructors. While the overall flow of class will be similar, the music used to create the rhythm will vary. Some like more dance type music, others prefer popular music and some will rock it out! We’ve made a significant investment in a dance club like sound system that will enable the riders to feel the beat (don’t worry, we provide free ear plugs for those with sensitive ears!) We’ll even do some themed rides like 80’s or a certain artists. Almost every single class will have a brand new playlist so you’ll never get bored hearing the same ride over and over again.

6) Favorite song to ride to?

The founders certainly have signature songs that contain significant meaning and you’ll find each instructor has their own favorite. Some examples include songs like Drive by Incubus and Fix You by Coldplay. It’s not always so serious and we enjoy playing some hard driving songs from Linkin Park and cranking up the energy with some old school hip hop.

Editors note: If you ask nicely, they will even take requests. Adele is one of my favorite rides!!

7) Details on opening and how people can reach you:

Our grand opening party will be held on Friday May 20^th from 7-9pm at the studio (24945 Detroit Ave in Westlake – just off I-90 between Columbia and Clague). People can visit www.psycletherapy.com to find details about classes, making reservations, and directions to the studio. We also encourage people to like us on Facebook to get tuned into the dialogue among the riders and get the latest updates.

I hope you will check out the studio either on Friday or some time in the near future. It really is a fun experience, and if you end up going more frequently, you will meet a great group of people that enjoy riding together!! I hope to see you sweating on a bike real soon!!

Neighborhood Gems: Clifton Martini & Wine Bar

2011-05-15T21:50:00.000-04:00

When we first moved to our new house, I was a little concerned at the lack of eating/drinking establishments within walking distance. We used to live in Tremont, one block from Professor Ave, so I was hoping for something in the new 'hood that was as close. Turns out I really didn't need to worry, because we have a really fun establishment literally a 1 minute walk from our place: Clifton Martini & Wine Bar!

Reasons I luuurve Clifton Martini & Wine:
1. I can stumble home
2. Great Happy Hour specials
3. The food is delicious!!
4. Dog friendly patio!!!!!!!

Last time we were there, N and I ordered the Garlic Parmesan Wings, Arrabiata Calamari, New England Clam Chowder, and Lobster Ravioli. The wings were AH-MAZING!! The sauce was so so so good!! To be honest, all the food is really good; the portions are well-sized, and the food tastes really fresh and home made, They take care to make sure all the veggies in the Clam Chowder are evenly sized, which I LOVE!!! And now, the food:

Garlic Parmesan wings

Calamari Arrabiata

Clam Chowder

Lobster Ravioli

So the next time you're in the Clifton/Edgewater neighborhood, you should definitely check out Clifton Martini & Wine Bar!!!

Walking For Health

2011-05-11T05:41:00.000-04:00

So since the beginning of this month, my work has been trying to encourage its employees to pursue a healthier lifestyle, including working out more. As part of this initiative, they have given us pedometers and we've set up teams for some healthy competition between groups. An "active" person takes 10,000 steps a day, and to be honest, I never gave my activity level much thought until I started wearing the pedometer. I consider myself generally fit; I spin 2-3 times a week and do yoga another 1-2 times a week, and I walk the dogs, so I figured the 10,000 steps would be no problem at all.

Turns out, its harder than it looks!!! I usually walk the dogs for 20-30 minutes in the morning, spend the next 9-ish hours at my desk, with breaks to walk to conference rooms and the printer and the bathroom. All this only amounts to 5,000 or so steps a day!!! To get 10,000 steps, I need to walk for at least an hour and fifteen minutes a day, AND take the long route to the furthest printer at work!!! Needless to say, the pups are going to get lots of walks while I've got this pedometer on!!

Have you ever measured the amount of steps you walk per day? What do you average in your everyday life?

Form to Fashion

2011-05-10T08:04:00.000-04:00

So you know how malls have a reputation for only housing national retailers? Well, luckily for us CLE folk, we have a few malls that defy this perception, one of which is Beachwood Place. In addition to local stores like Brigade and Style Lounge, this weekend, Beachwood Place is playing host to a really fun event that is a great opportunity for the area's budding designers.

The event is called Form to Fashion, and the event challenges 14 finalists from Ursuline College and the Virginia Marti College of Art and Design to construct pieces for their own collection. Themed "Be What's Next", the even encourages students to create garments using up-and-coming techniques to showcase fashion's next big trend! The 14 finalists were chosen from a panel of five "celebrity judges" that include Valerie Mayen (of Project Runway fame), Kimberly Criado (personal stylist manager at Nordstrom), Maria Pujana (with Fashion Group International), and Susan Smith (a fashion blogger; sorry I don't have the link to her blog!).

The 14 finalists creations are displayed at the mall and online, and the finalist receiving the most votes will win a $500 gift card!! The live fashion show is FREE and open to the public from 2:00pm-3:00 pm on 5/14/2011, so if you're in the area, you should definitely stop by and take a peek and enjoy some hors d'oeuvres provided by Maggiano's. Voting ends on May 12th, so if you have a second, please go ahead and vote!! My vote is going to #12, the cape by Rochelle Beres! What's yours?

Celebrate your 'hood

2011-05-09T20:05:00.000-04:00

This past Friday, N and I stopped by Room Service for the launch of "The District" series of art by Arterx. The series celebrates the unique Cleveland neighborhoods, however, for all my De-Sho (thanks seanski)/Gordon Square-dwellers, I will warn you that it is not one of the featured neighborhoods, but please don't shoot the messenger.

N and I picked up the black and white poster of the Guardians, since (a) we love the Guardians, and (b), N has one of them tattooed on his forearm. We're planning to have the walls of our dining room filled with unique posters! I can't wait to show you pictures of the finished product (when I eventually get around to it). Anyway, these posters are great gifts for a long time CLE resident, a new CLE resident, a former CLE resident, or someone who just plain loves CLE!!

PSYCLE de Mayo

2011-05-05T22:09:00.000-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!! Hope you had a super fun time, because I certainly did. Although, instead of margaritas and guacamole, I was sweating my behind off at the VERY FIRST RIDE at the newest spin studio in the Cleveland region: PSYCLE. Its so new in fact that the construction isn't even complete. But, we're a dedicated group of spinners, and damn it, we wanted a class with our favorite instructor, the fabulous Ms. Jenn Sommers! PYSCLE is founded by Jenn, her husband Scott, and the a**-kicking Ed Meyer, and in a few weeks, they will have a full roster of classes and instructors available for you to experience.

I will have a more detailed post on PSYCLE early next week, including a CONTEST, so say tuned!!! In the mean time, here are some early preview pics:

Brand new bikes ride oh so smoooooooth

The fabulous JV and soon-to-be PSYCLE instructor Michelle!

I'm seriously so excited about this place! I can't wait to share more details with you. It will CHANGE you.

Don't call it a wig

2011-05-05T06:51:00.000-04:00

So this past weekend, N and I attended the wedding of clefoodgoddess and richness. It was a beautiful wedding, held at Mon Ami. But that's not what I'm going to blog about since I know that clefoodgoddess will be blogging about that soon. Back to this post: for fun, I decided to try the Jessica Simpson hair extensions. I know, I know, its Jessica Simpson; but hey, she sold a billion dollars worth of merchandise last year so she must doing something right!!

Here's what they looked like:

I absolutely loved having the super long curls for the night! I had them professionally put in, and to be honest, I'm not sure how I would put them in unassisted. That said, I kinda suck at doing complicated hair do's anyway, so if you are skilled at them, you may be able to do them yourself. I also had a bunch of bobby pins holding up the 'do, and I would certainly recommend the extra assistance. I had the 'do in for over 10 hours, and it did get a little heavy towards the end of the night, but it wasn't that bad at all! So there you have it! I would definitely try these again; it was a fun little change with absolutely no commitment.

Weddings!

2011-04-29T10:07:00.000-04:00

So today, I joined millions of people in waking up at a crazy hour to watch the Royal Wedding. I had so much fun tweeting and facebook chatting with friends and blends who were also up doing the same thing! Can we spend a moment to talk about the dress? OMG STUNNING! The lace, the sleeves, the gorgeous veil, the tiara....

She looked so breathtakingly beautiful and regal; it makes me want to get married (again!).

Tomorrow, I will be at the wedding of Clefoodgoddess and Richness, and unlike today, I won't be live-tweeting the event, although I will have pictures next week! Congratulations to my very close friends, Clefoodgoddess and Richness; may your lives together be filled with love and happiness and endless special moments!!

Lady Gaga in Cleveland - Part Deux

2011-04-28T20:46:00.000-04:00

If you follow me on twitter (and if you don't, you should. I'm @cleshopaholic), then you know that I was at the Lady Gaga concert last night; my second one!!! And since this WAS my second one, I decided to step it up a notch, costume-wise. Alas, my lack of craft skills meant that although I had intentionally planned to make a Meat Dress, I ended up with a Meat Skirt.

Last night, I also received my favorite text of all time, courtesy the fabulous JV, who unfortunately was unable to attend. Here goes " Spotted: T, M, S and Little J on East 4th flaunting their best Poker Face. Sources say we will find M Starstruck and T will Dance in the Dark with Alejandro. S will likely be trapped in a Love Game with those Paparazzi. And Little J? Well, we all know she likes it rough because baby she was Born This Way. Paws up, Little Monsters. XOXO"

Seriously, how awesome is she?!?!?! So here's the rundown. Gaga was an hour and a half late, but its ok, because like always, she PUT ON A SHOW! And here's the part you've been waiting for: PICTURES!!

And there's the meat skirt....

Gaga takes the bus!

Lychee-tini

Disco-stick!

And the costumes...

AND GAGA!!!

Another fabulous concert; the first one of many I will attend this year!!!

Product Testing: John Frieda Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight

2011-04-21T11:55:00.000-04:00

So while I was in Chicago, I found out that my friend Aneesha has been doing the Brazilian hair straightening. Her hair looks AMAZING!!! She has naturally super curly hair, and now its straight (with a slight wave when she dries it but doesn't flat iron), glossy and so bouncy! Needless to say, its got me SERIOUSLY contemplating the same thing myself. I don't need it as much in the fall/winter, but the spring/summer humidity gives me some interesting hair days to say the least!!

Anyway, in the mean time, I've been testing the Frizz-Ease 3-day Straight (available at drugstores).

The claim: Transforms curly, frizzy hair into a straight, smooth style that lasts up to 3 days (or until your next shampoo).
The process: Spray 7-15 times into wet or damp hair. Comb through to spread evenly. Blow dry straight, and flat iron for best results.

So, I tested this twice. Once over my rainy Chicago weekend, and then when I got back to rainy Cleveland. The first time, I sprayed about 15 times, which ended up feeling like 5 sprays too many. My hair felt very tacky (but didn't look greasy), and I think it might have been just too much product. BUT, it held its straightness really really well, through a Chi-town downpour (I was under an umbrella), so in retrospect, maybe it was the right amount. The second time I tried it, I sprayed only about 10 times, and while it didn't feel as heavy on my hair, it did start to wave a little when I walked the dogs (it had stopped raining, but you could definitely feel the moisture in the air).

Conclusion: It works. You should try it a couple of times to figure out how much product is right for your hair. You may also need to re-straighten if your bangs get damp, or if you sweat around your face, but it stays pretty smooth, even in the midst of some crazy Midwest rain!! If you're not quite willing to go all the way with the Brazilian treatment, or if you like changing up your hair, I recommend trying this product!!!

Happy Hour to benefit Secondhand Mutts

2011-04-20T13:21:00.001-04:00

Happy hump day!!! If you're like me, you're already making plans for Friday, especially if you're one of the lucky ones that has this Friday off!! If you're looking for something fun to do, come join me at a Happy Hour to benefit Secondhand Mutts, hosted at Kenilworth Tavern in Lakewood.

I had never been to the Kenilworth until last week, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised!! Its a townie bar, SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF LAKEWOOD!! You know the kind of bar I'm talking about: you may have had one in your college town, or even your own home town (not my home town tho; no townie bars in Mumbai); they're a little rough around the edges visually, but have a great jukebox, fun people, cheap drinks, huge food portions, and are SO MUCH FUN!! Kenilworth has been kind enough to set aside their side room for us, and it has a pool table, darts, Golden Tee, and old school bowling (like the one at ABC The Tavern). Their happy hour drink specials are ridiculous: $1.75 well drinks, $1.75 domestic beer, discounts on imports and other drink specials. I literally had to ask twice when they told me my beer was $1.75!!!! Except for PBR, I can't remember the last time I payed under $2 for a beer!!!

So if you're not up to anything else, come join me at Happy Hour this Friday!! The festivities begin at 5:30, although I will be participating in Spin for Strays until 6:30, so I will be there after I'm done riding!! Hope to see you soon!!

The Best Baby Shower. Ever.

2011-04-19T20:48:00.000-04:00

Bad Blogger!!! I'm figuratively slapping myself on the wrist for leaving you for so long. On the plus side, I've been doing a lot and shopping a lot, so I have plenty of material for the next few weeks!!

This past weekend, I was in Chicago visiting some of my friends (T, CJ, and Aneesha) from my very first "grown-up" job. We were fresh out of college, in the real world, making a ridiculously small salary, and for the life of me, I can't figure out how we managed to pay rent, have fun, and eat!! Anyway, we're all grown up now, and one of our very own, the very fabulous CJ, is expecting a baby in June!! Seriously, CJ is THE cutest preggers person I know (not counting Victoria Beckham)! If you look at her from behind, you can't tell she's preggers. You also can't tell she's preggers if she's sitting at a table, and it covers her belly. Its ridiculous. I don't think I want kids, but if I do, I only want them if I can look like her when preggers.

CJ is definitely the type of person that wants a non-traditional baby shower, so T planned an afternoon at the spa, filled with mimosas (not for the mommy-to-be obvi; she stuck to sparkling grape juice). Off we went, 10 women at Reina Spa, getting pampered with mani's and pedi's. Here's what I love about Chicago: you can get a mani and pedi for $40!!!! Come on Cleveland, get it together!! I hate that the pedi itself costs $40!!! Maintenance in Cleveland gets really pricey!!! Amidst lots of laughter and catching up, I got myself a manicure with that new(ish) shatter/crackle polish, that I really really love!! About 4 hours later, we were ready for some food, and headed to dinner at Club Lucky. More wine and some delicious food followed, and we called it a night.

Seriously, such a FUN baby shower!!!! Its funny, none of my Chi-town girl friends, myself included, make much effort to keep in touch; We'll email every now and then, but by and large, we're pretty bad at it. And then I make my annual visit to Chicago, and its like nothing every changed. The distance and lack of contact is nothing; its like we never missed a beat!! Do you have friends like that? I really hope you do. Everyone deserves that sort of effortless, drama-free, endlessly fulfilling friendship!!

A Blogaversary (and contest!)

2011-04-03T20:48:00.004-04:00

Hello!!! I'm so sorry I missed all of last week! Work got really really crazy, and unfortunately, it took away from my blogging time! But I'm back now!! And I have some fun news!! A year ago, this week, I posted my very first post. So, in honor of my Blogaversary, its celebration time, and YOU (yes YOU!!) have a chance to join the celebration with me!!!

But, before I get to that, I want to let you know of a few changes on the blog. Starting next week, I'm going to start a weekly Looks I Luuuuurve feature, where I will feature regular people (mostly Clevelanders, obviously, but I will try and feature looks from other places when I travel) dressed for their normal lives, in looks I love! So if I walk up to you with a camera, will you please please let me take your picture??

One of my places to pick up fun, trendy, inexpensive looks is Forever 21. Which, conveniently brings me back to my Blogaversary celebration. On April 9th, a brand spankin new Forever 21 is celebrating is grande opening at Beachwood Place. And to celebrate, the kind folks at Beachwood Place are sponsoring a contest where one fabulous reader will win a $50 gift certificate to Forever 21!!!!

Contest Rules:

You must be able to pick up your gift card at Beachwood Place Guest Services on Saturday April 9th, or Sunday April 10th. Here's how you enter!

1. Follow @BeachwoodPlace and @cleshopaholic on Twitter, and tweet the following message (each tweet gets you 1 entry, so tweet early and often):

I entered @cleshopaholic's giveaway for $50 gift card to the new F21 opening @BeachwoodPlace 4/9 Enter here: http://bit.ly/hL8Zo2

2. For an additional entry, go to Forever 21 and leave a comment with a link to the F21 Look that YOU Luuuuurve (and your name and email).

Good Luck!!! Contest ends at 5 pm on 4/7 and I will announce the winner on my Blogaversary 4/8! I hope to see you in your fabulous Forever 21 outfit so I can take your picture and post in on my Looks I Luuuuurve feature!!!!

A Balancing Act

2011-03-22T21:22:00.000-04:00

Lately I've sucked at life. And by that I mean that I've spent most of 2011 stressed out, irritable, and frequently overwhelmed. For the most part, I only have myself to blame: I over-schedule my life and then get overwhelmed when I can't take care of stuff like laundry, or cleaning our house. Most of the time, this overwhelming feeling is all in my head, and all I need is a little perspective. In an attempt to find this perspective (on what is hopefully a more regular basis), I have restarted my yoga practice (yet again!). Seriously, I've stopped and started so many times, but as a yoga instructor told me, I'm not the only one that does that, so at least that's something, right?

Anyway, as part of my attempt to reintroduce yoga to my life, clefoodgoddess and I joined a 3-week beginners yoga class at Puma Yoga. Our 3-week series ended a couple of weeks ago, but there is another series beginning in early April, so if you think you might want to explore yoga, you should definitely try it out.

Having been to a number of studios in Cleveland, here's what I really like about Puma Yoga:

1. Its not very big, so it has a really intimate feeling. And by intimate, I mean personal, not cramped.
2. Love the orange and yellow color scheme.
3. Its a hands-on studio, so if you're not comfortable with people touching you, this may not be the right space for you. That's not to say that they will not accommodate your no-touching request, but you don't get the same impact as a hands-on adjustment.
4. Minimal chanting. Maybe one per class. I'm not big on the chanting.
5. The studio is warm but not hot. You will get sweaty, but you're not going to feel like you're going to pass out. Also, it helps you stretch deeper.
6. The studio smells really good.
7. The instructors. Here's my thing about yoga: I like it for exercise and peace of mind. I'm not big on the "the universe is sending you a message" type spirituality. And I'm not big on excessive talking (shocking! I know, but its true). I like the instruction and direction, and maybe some explanation on the how/why of a pose, but that's about it. The instructors at Puma Yoga have a really nice verbal balance, and I REALLY REALLY like that.

So if you've been stressed out and generally feeling not like yourself, give yoga a try, and let me know what you think!!!

Another fabulous Playhouse Square Party

2011-03-20T20:59:00.000-04:00

If you read my blog last week, then you know that I was SUPER excited to attend the Lexus Dark Ride Event at Playhouse Square this past Saturday. It was everything I expected and more!! Jessi, clefoodgoddess and I walked in and were immediately ushered onto a red carpet for pictures. That set the tone for the rest of the night, and keeping with that theme, I have to warn you that this is a picture-heavy post!

Above and below: The scene that greeted us as we walked in. There were two platforms with dancers performing interpretive dance while a DJ played in the background.

Above: with contest winner Hungry in Cleveland

Above: my fellow fabulous Cleveland bloggers that hosted giveaways on their blogs: Allison, Alexa, and Alana. I felt left out not having my name start with the letter "A". : )

Below: The Absolut Wild Tea Ice Sculpture. They had this peach cocktail that tasted exactly like peach iced tea!

Above: The whole reason we were there; the Lexus CT 200h. And Below, me in the car. It smelled like glorious "new car" and had a really comfortable drivers seat. That was pretty much the extent of my car-exploration; I was ready for some MUSIC!!

With the always fabulous JV

And, the Talent, Dev (who was so fun!!!). I will be downloading her music ....

...and Jay Sean

Not to be outdone, Seanski decided to get in on the act...

And so the night ended with me hobbling on my excruciatingly painful feet, which I continue to nurse back to normalcy today. The night was SOOOOOO worth the pain. I CAN'T WAIT for next year's event!!

Things I Luuuuurve

Preparing for Jump Back Ball!

Product Testing: Foundation Primers

Cranky Shopper

Listening Now: We Are Augustines

Rules for successful dress shopping

A little sparkle for your wrist

Product Testing: Aveda Invati

Listening Now: Niki & The Dove

The weekend I didn't know I needed

Brunch for a Great Cause

Listening Now: The Wombats

Jump Back Ball: Discount Code and More outfit ideas

Designing my Home: The bedroom

Listening Now: Starry Eyed

Jump Back Ball- How will you wear the theme?

Tuesday Tunes: Turns out I have a "thing" for Irish bands

A Weekend Spent Eating Well in CLE

My TV obsession - Downton Abbey

A *new* bangle contest winner

Twin Laptops

Listening Now: Two Door Cinema Club

A Great Look to Start 2012

Bangle Winner!!

Listening Now: Flo Rida + Sia

Tis the Season.... for weddings

Absences

Beauty Junkie Heaven: Birchbox

Listening Now: Mona

Get in the Holiday Spirit (locally): Urban Home and Garden

A Very Merry CLE Weekend

Tight Fight

Listening Now: Unabashed Boy Band love

Come for the shopping, stay for the eye-candy

Listening Now- Ben Howard

3x the LURVE- a little luxury

Listening Now- Lana del Rey

Mad Hat(ter)s all around

3x the LURVE

A little buzz

Planning Ahead

Listening Now- The Joy Formidable

Hello again

Surviving the Seasons: One Coat at a Time (The Essentials)

Head over Heels for Hoodies

Planning for the Weekend: Fabulous Friday

Fashion's Night Out Cleveland

A lovely first weekend back

Glimpses of Mumbai: Ancient Wellness

Product Testing (in Mumbai): Thermal Reconditioning

Glimpses of Mumbai: Day 4 and 5

Glimpses of Mumbai: Day 3

Mumbai Day 2

Mumbai Day 1

Mumbai Day 0

CLEshopaholic travels

Reading for the love of it

A very happy birthday indeed

A weekend recap... on a Tuesday night

Hunting for Vampires

Made in the 216

All that Glitters...

What's Round on the ends and High in the Middle?

The Fashions of Summer Solstice 2011

Product Testing: Brazilian Blowout!

Crazy for Prints (AND a giveaway)

Shopping Local: Dredgers Union (its FINALLY HERE!!!)

Swap it out!

Product Testing: Dust It

Art and Puppies: The Crocker Bark Festival

G-Star: Now in CLE!!!

Playing hookie aka an afternoon well spent

A weekend recap

A Touch of Sunshine

Summer Solstice

...And the winner of the $25 Legacy Village gift cert is....

Product Runway Cleveland 2011

Charming in Black and White

PSYCLE: a new beginning

Neighborhood Gems: Clifton Martini & Wine Bar

A new bangle contest winner