Peppermont Park sooper sale site yo

Designer discount site Peppermint Park is totally endorsed by Oprah and may even be a HARPO business, who knows, hardly stealty on the homepage. Some lame no name stuff but this cool burgundy Prada bag is a real steal at $466. www.peppermintpark.com

Retulled Bridal & Prom

Continuance of formalwear coverage straight aheadRetulled has opened in underrated Irvington. Amy Lee has oodles of excellently priced dresses that have never been "married" (Insider term:"new with tags") as well as party frocks of every color and length. I am personally on the short list for all the vintage tiaras so DON'T EVEN ASK Grand opening Sat Jan 28 5607 E Washington 358-8802

Coach & Duquette

When perusing jewelry at estate sales and dusty shops, one always looks for the signed pieces as even the most uninspired design is probably collected. I would pee my pants if I came across a Duquette piece. Always lush and lovely, this eccentric designer produced fantastical costume jewelry that was a riot of colors and shapes. His name and compnay lives on and Coach will be releasing a collab with the house on Feb 1st. Expect Coach quality, a break on pricing (as far as original TD costs) and trust me on this, investment value. This collection is very limited and I guarentee you can sell this stuff for for more in a few years. Not that you would want to but y'all know how I think.

Get Back

What do you do when garments fabric does not match the functionl? This antho dress is sweater knit with lace overlay but it is sleeveless, what the heck am I supposed to do with that? No one wants a sweater knit in the summer so I am forced into the poundage adding yet hugely popular according to Glamour layering . A good suggestion for keeping it trim is to wear a net or mesh shirt under this, I do not mean like the Bud Light kind, more of a long sleeve tee that will add coverage but not bulk. Neesh does a lot of these and my nail girl swears by the ones she buys one eBay from japan. I chose not to do this and went sporty with a blue, grey and black trimmed cardi from Old Navy. I don't are for this brand, the quality is pretty crappy and work force sketchy but it will do for basics and I liked the color juxtoposition. That pom pom belt about drove me crazy, very long and testicle-ish

TURF

Accidentally wandered into TURF after the farmers market and oh baby what a delight. With my ice cream from Lick melting in my Boat N Tote, I explored gallery after gallery of art installations. Located at 202 Alabama in some old city bulding (Sorry Tiff! I just can't remember.....)it is an amazing, immersive wonderland of experiences from the obvious to the sublime. Even the children were enchanted, (perhaps there is hope for those philistines!)oddly, it reminded me a bit of a book I just read called the Night Circus, with all the rooms and sensations (too much to explain here, just get it, K?) My faves: Jeff Martin: Switch: tho' I have seen this party trick before, it never fails to delight with it's interactive shadow chasers Greg Hull: Mediated Terrian: video waterfall: Just fun Kipp Normand: Fanfare for Mayor Charles Bookwalter: the amount of detail Kipp puts into his pieces is amazing yet never feels contrived. Every item he uses is imbued with history and lost stories Holly Streekstra: Step on this Side of the Curtain: I have to admit this delight is purely personal. Quite frankly, this Victorian parlor simulation with it's odd dusty patina, flickering lights and eerie sounds is a lot like my house. I am ok with that Nick Allman: Coffee Table: K, I had to explain to the children why indeed this was so amazing.("Look at the floor, the sputtering life light inside! Oh, just forget it") Looking merely like a floor joist rebellion, this crashed vintage frige brings to mind Maurizio Cattelans "Pope & Meteor" work with it's damaged heart of the kitchen. While Nick is a great designer for modern commercial spaces his personal works are about deconstrction and demoliton and the beauty of transition. Lovely Really I like every bit of it quite a lot. And it's FREE

I hate patchouli

Yet another fragrance infusion post. Lisa Hoffman has designed these little basket charms that are filled with "fragrance balls" and attached to your choice of beaded bracelet ($65). Like, totally custom. Seems more like a personal air freshner to me. I'm not a hater but isn't that whole point of personal scent the way it combines with your body chemistry for a unique smell? Well, they are cute at least and she gets points for creativity. www.lisahoffmanbeauty.com

Wow. You know winter, not only cold but dry, like crispy chips on my lips dry. In my house the remedy is a thrift store crock pot filled with lemon peels, ginger powder and any close to expiring herbs I have in the produce drawer the is set on low and uncovered at all times. Just keep the water level up and you are golden. (Stop turning it off Fox! It will not combust!) Ok so now what about your face. I just CAN'T to the major peely AHA retinol etc in the winter but I can do the dissolving oil thing for sure. Armani has a really great one but for a better price go to www.dhc.com. Rub this delicious DHC oil on your face and all makeup, grease and unsightly stains will totally dissolve. Splash some warm water on after your rub in and you are squeaky clean yet not taut. That is a good thing really.

LICK

As bizarre as this sounds, I am recommending you mark next Saturday on your calender "LICK". Even more crazy it is so you eat, on this 12 degree weather, some ice cream. Yeah. Some Coconut Curry, Salted Caramel Sage, Fennel Bean Vanilla, Burbon Bacon Maple or Candy Pecan Gorgonzola frozen deliciousness. Check the Winters Farmers Market downtown and after you get some bison or handmade tamales, the girls from Lick Ice Cream will let you sample and choose the flavor you will smuggle home and tell no one about lest you must share. TO DIE. Photo stolen from their facebook page

OOTD

Foofy pastels were all over the runway: Chanel had a sugary sweet pink fuff a thon that just made me hungry for macaroons, but I kinda get it. Maybe its all the bridal mania, I know about 8 people who got engaged (I hope that ring was a SEPERATE present, otherwise you are doomed) but I think it may be just needing a bit of a break from the relentless fall greys and holiday reds. In winter, I love to crisp things up with white pants in the form of casual jeans, cords or leggings. No matter that they are instantly smudged, they are a nice foil to pretty much all colors. Choose a black topper for elegant, orange for poppy fun and fuzzy pinks if you are feeling sweet and cuddly. This velvet Boston Proper tunic has some interesting detail in the form of gold embroidery with hints of Tiffany blue silk and beading, these Elizabeth & James leggings are like, my favorite pants but the shoes were a problem. I didn't want to be too matchy matchy with a color and in the end went with a moc croc (too dark le sigh) platform peep toe. More perfect would have been a Louboutian nude heel but I am fresh out

America Reclaimed Salvage

After the hideous descecration that WAS at 22nd and Broadway, I needed some balm on my history soul.America Reclaimed architectural salvage opened a new showroom in Fletcher Place where Harloh's Vintage used to be. The old bank buiding with it's huge windows serves to be a perfect backdrop for just a sampling of the door frames, ornate hinges and stained glass that is available. The varietal factor is amped up with pockets of vintage clothing (What?? I heard that) and old postcards so even if you are not in the market for a bar back from the Vollrath, you can still come home with a treat. Hours TBA, 630 Viginia Ave

The sweatshirt thing just kills me

Gosh feels likes ages since I've been on here. I actually, for a moment, thought I was so over it but my malaise has lifted so "Oh Hai!" A quick trip to Chicago for Christmas yielded a lovey pressie from Fox in the form of a little AllSaints Spitalfiels shopping spree. I am delighted in general to just hang out in the cavernous hall with all the old repurposed printing presses and sewing machines (and fab frocks of course!) but Patience let me try on everything, and that I did. I was sad to leave behind a long knit dress with a leather harness (boobs too big) and an all over fringed leather number which must have has a magic invisible zipper because there was no way that could even fit over a human head but I did get a few really great dresses (see one above) to be debuted at later events. See that? Even the safety pins are terribly detailed in the steampunk tradition. All the childrens clothes were marked 75% off as they were being discontinued. Yes you heard me, no, not about the 75% off but that they have kids stuff. For E. Gorey offspring I guess