Fashion Show Alert!

Heidi Story's fall fashion show is this weekend at the Byrd. Be there and be prepared to find new fall cravings!

Wanderings in Carytown

So, a few weeks ago I made it to Carytown for a day of browsing. I had my usual fun checking out the new merchandise in all the shops and found a few surprises along the way. One of my most exciting discoveries were the new jewelry lines at AlterNatives. To be honest, I haven't been in for a while so I don't know how "new" these lines are, but if you're like me, it's definitely worth a stop back in.

I usually think of AlterNatives as having a great selection of the Southwestern-meets-hippie jewelry with lots of sterling silver and semi-precious stones. Always beautiful, but expected. As stated, on my last walk-through, the selection had added pieces from designers. These were new, different, gorgeous.

My favorite designer was Dori Csengeri. This jewelry is hand-embroidered. As the Web site states: "Dori's unique jewelry is entirely hand sewn at her atelier, by experienced embroidery craftswomen, in an ancestral technique of assembly be needlework of silky cotton cords." To put it in laymen's terms, these necklaces and earrings are colorful and feature eye-catching patterns that look exotic and one-of-a-kind. You'll see Asian, Turkish, European and Indian influences all in each piece. Think of a chunky neckpiece (necklace can't begin to describe it) with an intricate design in lilac, lime green and moss green accentuated with matching beads and semi-precious stones. Each piece elegantly combines colors and textures for a totally original look. Faceted shiny and rounded earthier stones also mix together in many pieces.

The items looked a little pricey, but once you see the jewelry you'll understand why. It's totally worth it for a necklace everyone will covet when they see it.

Ross Dress for Less: Success and Randomness

So, if you asked me to name the most random store in Richmond, I'd probably come up with Ross Dress for Less. Since this store opened at Willow Lawn, I've stopped in occasionally to varying success. One an early trip, I picked up a glamorous metallic sea-foam-green Calvin Klein leather purse for about $70. On subsequent trips I've found no name brands I recognize with the exception of teeny-bopper lines like "Hot Kiss."

It was with a wary eye that I dropped in earlier this week. It was after work, I didn't feel like making the drive out to the good TJ Maxx or Marshall's, and I needed shoes for a wedding I'm in next weekend. It's about 3 minutes from my office so I decided on a walk-through. First off, I found a super-cute and elegant pair of Nine West satin slingbacks for $17.99. Perfect! The issue I was having with other shoes I'd seen around town was that black satin tends to go toward matronly or juniors department. These hit the middle of the road with a touch of upscale. Read: I will actually wear them again. Hooray!

With one good find in hand, I couldn't leave without a loop around the rest of the store. Other checkout-worthy inventory included an entire rack of BCBG sweat suits priced at $21.99 per piece with the original $140 price tags still attached; brown leather Banana Republic handbags; white leather Francesco Biasia handbags; Calvin Klein work-ish clothes, Tahari suits and Nine West suites. What a great selection. I guess Ross may have to become a regular on my bargain-hunting rotation.

Amuse Bouche Spoons: So Cute!

One of the things I actually did get for my friend were these fabulous stainless steel appetizer spoons from Crate & Barrel. How cute are they?! For a look that exceeds my iffy photography skills, search "appetizer spoon" on the Crate & Barrel site. Whether she decides to cook herself, or get bite-size treats from a caterer, these spoons will make any soiree stylish.

For those who are unfamiliar with the amuse bouche or tasting spoons, the package gives a great description. It says:
"12 Tasting Spoons (The other 11 wait neatly below). Just a taste: Inspired by the restaurant trend to serve a culinary amuse bouche ("amuse the mouth"): a one-bite tasting sent compliments of the chef as a little unexpected extra to greet the table, preview the talents of the kitchen, and spark dinner conversation. Part dish, part spoon, these clever servers offer a creative way to present a playful first tiny bite to entice the appetite. Or a final sweet something to add surprise after dessert. Use your imagination to spoon up: soup, caviar, pate, tartare, seafood, ceviche, crostini, salad, sushi, pasta, polenta, sorbet, chocolate mousse, creme brulee, truffles and various delicacies, entertaining miniatures."

I hope she loves them as much as I do!

Saxon Back Room Never Disappoints

I got two pairs of shoes for less than $100! Yes, I was supposed to be shopping for a wedding present. Yes, I wasn't supposed to be spending money on myself. But hey, in my defense, had I bought these babies at retail, I would have paid $264 plus tax. My total came in at $101.54. I didn't have any coupons. My secret: the back room at Saxon. Any time I hit Short Pump Town Center, I end up walking through this hidden gem, and today there were diamonds aplenty.

My two pairs: Luichiny gold strappy sandals with thick, sculptural heels that will go perfect with a one-shouldered dress I'm wearing to a rehearsal; and a pair of black snakeskin A B S by Allen Schwartz sling backs with hidden platforms that make me feel very Lauren on "The Hills." The Luichiny sandals were 70 percent off and the A B S kicks were 60 percent off. With those deep discounts, I just couldn't leave them behind.

Other brands on super sale that I managed to skip included Nanette Lepore, Chinese Laundry, Stuart Weitzman, Coach and Betsey Johnson. I don't know if it's just because fall's coming, but it seemed like the selection of super-cute must-buys were extra plentiful.

Also on a shoe sale note, Que Bella is having an end-of-season sale as well. I haven't made it in yet, but this is usually one of my favorite sales to hit as it's one of the few times I can afford to load up on the oh-so-stylish and comfy shoes they sell. With shoes marked between 50 and 75 percent off, you'd better stop in soon before all your size is sold out. I'm hoping to make it in soon!

Has Anyone Tried Row House Soaps?

Yesterday I headed to Cooper Vineyards for a wine tasting and Mini Cooper rally. Alongside the wine, there was a host of vendors, one of which was Row House Soaps. I've always been intrigued by this brand as in love the packaging and love the varieties, but have never picked one up. Today the Kitchen Soap in particular caught my eye. The package said it would remove garlic and onion scents from fingers. I didn't pick up a bar as I'd already spent enough on Cooper wine to take home, but am wondering if anyone out there has given it a shot, and if I should, in fact, head to the Row House Soaps store or to Nicola Flora and pick up a bar.

Tastefully Simple was the other vendor that caught my eye. To be honest, I'm usually kind of turned off by direct sales companies, but this time the name attracted me. The idea behind the gourmet foods sold by Tastefully simple is that they all can be eaten straight from the jar or prepared with less than two ingredients. While I love cooking from scratch, sometimes you need something tasty in a pinch. Okay, sounds good. Then I sampled a few of the products and fell in love with the Black Bean Salsa. It was chock full of creamy black beans and tangy, smoky flavor. I've had black bean and corn salsas before, but this one seemed to have the perfect flavor blend. It would be a perfect snack as it felt a bit more substantial than your average tomato-based salsa, or it would taste great in a quesadilla. At $7.99 for a 16-ounce jar, it cost a bit more than your average salsa, but the standout flavor was worth the price tag.

Why I <3 Susana Monaco

So, a few months ago, I walked to Carytown and was feeling super athletic and all when I decided to cool off and browse through Heidi Story. I wasn't planning to buy anything, but saw a cute halter dress on sale and decided to try it on. On the way to the dressing room, I happened to pick up a black Susana Monaco dress. It was a simple dress, gathered at the top, a-line from under the bust, thick tank-style straps. It was made from a nylon-lycra blend that just felt like a thicker version of the simple, stretchy dresses you see in every store come summer.

When I put this dress on, it was like magic. If I wasn't sure about cut making a difference on simple dresses, this proved it. All of a sudden I went from short and slightly pudgy to long, curvy and busty. Since then, I've worn this dress to work with a jacket, out with heels and a glitzy necklace, and casually with flip flops. I've wadded it up on the floor, and can always pick it right back up and put it on wrinkle-free. I love it. I can't remember the exact price, but think it was somewhere around $160. For a simple dress, that's a little high, but right now I think it was totally worth it. This dress is so versatile and flattering. In fact, I can't wait to get back in to Heidi Story and get another fabulous Susana Monaco dress.