We love, love, LOVE the Deal Divas, of the St. Pete Times, even though they love the chain stores :)
Check out all the nice things they had to say about us here at www.localshops1.com!!
Click here: Deal Divas blog on localshops1.com
My personal favorite part, of course:
Our friend Ester Venouziou, a Times designer and writer, is the master of the universe when it comes to local shopping. ... Want to know where to buy funky jewelry in Manatee, an odd teapot in Pasco or trendy beachwear in Pinellas? She's got you.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Party pictures
Like you've read on our web site, www.localshops1.com, we dropped by Designers Consigner in downtown St. Pete Wednesday for a super-awesome party with owners Julie Karikas and Michelle Bahen, and their equally awesome shoppers. Here are some party pictures:
Michele Bahen, left, with our very own TheOldGoldLady and store manager Debbie.
Michele Bahen, left, with our very own TheOldGoldLady and store manager Debbie.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Showing off that perfect necklace
It's a question older than the trees .. .Which length necklace do I wear with this shirt?
I have necklaces in all lengths. When I buy one, it is because I like it, not because I need a certain length. So once I actually go to wear this new, beautiful necklace I end up sometimes having to change my shirt, just so you can see it.
So here is a little advice on how to choose the right length.
If you are wearing a button down shirt, let's say for work, you can either go with a nice neckline necklace, or even go with an extra long one and wear it outside the collar of the shirt. If you choose the neckline one, you cant go wrong with a chunkier type necklace.
Now if you are wearing a V-neck it is probably best to go with a "Y" necklace (depending on how low the V is) or you can even try a nice pendant type necklace.
Now if you are going to show a lot of neck and possibly have an off the shoulder youre probably safest to go with a choker, or something closer to the neck.
And when putting that necklace on, please think about where you are going and how it will match, or clash, with your other jewelry and outfit.
If you are going out for a night on the town and your outfit is flashy and hot! then maybe tone down the necklace a little. Don't let it take away from your gorgeous outfit.
And if you have a really awesome, but somewhat loud, necklace, maybe pair that with a more mellow monotone outfit.
And please try to avoid the big giant necklace, with the big giant matching earrings. Everything in life, even your necklace, is all about moderation. :)
Your Local Shopper
Jenn
www.localshops1.com
I have necklaces in all lengths. When I buy one, it is because I like it, not because I need a certain length. So once I actually go to wear this new, beautiful necklace I end up sometimes having to change my shirt, just so you can see it.
So here is a little advice on how to choose the right length.
If you are wearing a button down shirt, let's say for work, you can either go with a nice neckline necklace, or even go with an extra long one and wear it outside the collar of the shirt. If you choose the neckline one, you cant go wrong with a chunkier type necklace.
Now if you are wearing a V-neck it is probably best to go with a "Y" necklace (depending on how low the V is) or you can even try a nice pendant type necklace.
Now if you are going to show a lot of neck and possibly have an off the shoulder youre probably safest to go with a choker, or something closer to the neck.
And when putting that necklace on, please think about where you are going and how it will match, or clash, with your other jewelry and outfit.
If you are going out for a night on the town and your outfit is flashy and hot! then maybe tone down the necklace a little. Don't let it take away from your gorgeous outfit.
And if you have a really awesome, but somewhat loud, necklace, maybe pair that with a more mellow monotone outfit.
And please try to avoid the big giant necklace, with the big giant matching earrings. Everything in life, even your necklace, is all about moderation. :)
Your Local Shopper
Jenn
www.localshops1.com
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
We're in the news!
Alex Pickett of Creative Loafing writes about us in his blog. Excerpts:
You’ve heard it from us before: shop local. .... Now, you have another website to help you shop responsibly: Localshops1.com. (Not sure what the “1″ is for.)
Check out the rest, post comments -- and find out what the "1" is for. To go to his blog, click here.
Comments always welcomed!
You’ve heard it from us before: shop local. .... Now, you have another website to help you shop responsibly: Localshops1.com. (Not sure what the “1″ is for.)
Check out the rest, post comments -- and find out what the "1" is for. To go to his blog, click here.
Comments always welcomed!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Gas prices!
I really have about had it with all this "gas price" talk. I have been driving around looking for the lowest prices so I could save a little bit of money. But after this horrible Ike disaster, things seem to have gotten out of control again.
Driving home from work yesterday I saw prices ranging from $3.60 to 3.99.
I was a little upset, thinking it was impossible for the price to have been effected in under 12 hours of the hurricane hitting.
But I digress.
I looked on BayNews 9's Web site and found they have a link to low gas prices in your area.
The link is http://www.baynews9.com/GasPrices.html You can choose your county and it will have updated prices as the days go along.
I hope this will help some of you out there. Now maybe I will even save some gas by looking at the site instead of driving around? Good luck to everyone. And my prayers are with all of the families effected by Hurricane Ike.
Your Local Shopper,
Jenn
www.localshops1.com
Driving home from work yesterday I saw prices ranging from $3.60 to 3.99.
I was a little upset, thinking it was impossible for the price to have been effected in under 12 hours of the hurricane hitting.
But I digress.
I looked on BayNews 9's Web site and found they have a link to low gas prices in your area.
The link is http://www.baynews9.com/GasPrices.html You can choose your county and it will have updated prices as the days go along.
I hope this will help some of you out there. Now maybe I will even save some gas by looking at the site instead of driving around? Good luck to everyone. And my prayers are with all of the families effected by Hurricane Ike.
Your Local Shopper,
Jenn
www.localshops1.com
Monday, September 15, 2008
How to choose the right wine
OK, so I was invited to a dinner party. I asked what I could bring and the host suggested wine. Well, I don't know much about wine, other than it can be pretty potent. So, I find out what is being served and start doing some research on the Internet.
If there is anyone else out there that has been confronted with this type of dilemma here are some clues:
The first suggestion I found was to pair heavier more robust food with a heartier wine and vice-versa. The reason you should not have a heavier wine with, let's say fish, is that the wine could overpower the taste of the fish.
And of course my dinner was going to be chicken. So I had to do some more research. I did find that for chicken it was actually suggested to use a Chardonnay. Off I go to the wine store (an independent one, of course.)
Hope this helps someone! Wish me luck.
Your Local Shopper
Jenn
www.localshops1.com
If there is anyone else out there that has been confronted with this type of dilemma here are some clues:
The first suggestion I found was to pair heavier more robust food with a heartier wine and vice-versa. The reason you should not have a heavier wine with, let's say fish, is that the wine could overpower the taste of the fish.
And of course my dinner was going to be chicken. So I had to do some more research. I did find that for chicken it was actually suggested to use a Chardonnay. Off I go to the wine store (an independent one, of course.)
Hope this helps someone! Wish me luck.
Your Local Shopper
Jenn
www.localshops1.com
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Lecture: Does Wal-mart have a soul?
On Oct. 14 we'll be at Eckerd College, to hear a lecture by Charles Fishman, investigative journalist and author of The Wal-Mart Effect. Admission is free. Lecture starts at 7:30, at Fox Hall, 4200 54th Avenue South, St. Petersburg.
If you're interested in joining Local Shopper, please visit us at our Web site, and check for contact info.
As for the title of the blog ...
Well, you can probably guess our opinion in the matter. We understand Wal-mart offers low prices, and we understand that in some cases that might be the only option, or the best option.
What we DON'T understand is people who clearly have the means to shop elsewhere still go there. Is saving a few pennies, or even a few dollars, worth it?
We're all for saving money, too. But we think we need to weigh in other factors, and perhaps the answer sometimes might be buying fewer things?
Now, we're not saying to skip on essentials, we're not saying don't go shopping. (we're definitely not saying that ... we LOVE shopping!) ... What we ARE saying is to consider the effects of what you buy, and where your money goes.
Some excerpts, from the book, from http://www.walmarteffectbook.com/
‘The Wal-Mart You Don’t Know’
The giant retailer's low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart's relentless pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. Are we shopping our way straight to the unemployment line?
[the original story that inspired the book, from chapter 4]
‘The Man Who Said No To Wal-Mart’
Every year, thousands of executives venture to Bentonville, Arkansas, hoping to get their products onto the shelves of the world's biggest retailer. But Jim Wier wanted Wal-Mart to stop selling his Snapper mowers. [from chapter 5]
And about the author, also from the book's web site:
Charles Fishman is an award-winning investigative and magazine journalist, who has spent the last 20 years trying to get inside, understand and explain important organizations, from NASA to Wal-Mart. Fishman was the first reporter ever permitted inside a Tupperware factory, and he was the first reporter in 30 years allowed inside the nation’s only bomb factory.
Fishman grew up and graduated from high school in Miami, Florida and received a BA from Harvard University. He is married to a journalist.
Fishman has visited dozens of Wal-Marts in 25 states, and has spent several months of his life in Bentonville.
“The Wal-Mart Effect,” his first book, made the bestseller lists of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek.
If you're interested in joining Local Shopper, please visit us at our Web site, and check for contact info.
As for the title of the blog ...
Well, you can probably guess our opinion in the matter. We understand Wal-mart offers low prices, and we understand that in some cases that might be the only option, or the best option.
What we DON'T understand is people who clearly have the means to shop elsewhere still go there. Is saving a few pennies, or even a few dollars, worth it?
We're all for saving money, too. But we think we need to weigh in other factors, and perhaps the answer sometimes might be buying fewer things?
Now, we're not saying to skip on essentials, we're not saying don't go shopping. (we're definitely not saying that ... we LOVE shopping!) ... What we ARE saying is to consider the effects of what you buy, and where your money goes.
Some excerpts, from the book, from http://www.walmarteffectbook.com/
‘The Wal-Mart You Don’t Know’
The giant retailer's low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart's relentless pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. Are we shopping our way straight to the unemployment line?
[the original story that inspired the book, from chapter 4]
‘The Man Who Said No To Wal-Mart’
Every year, thousands of executives venture to Bentonville, Arkansas, hoping to get their products onto the shelves of the world's biggest retailer. But Jim Wier wanted Wal-Mart to stop selling his Snapper mowers. [from chapter 5]
And about the author, also from the book's web site:
Charles Fishman is an award-winning investigative and magazine journalist, who has spent the last 20 years trying to get inside, understand and explain important organizations, from NASA to Wal-Mart. Fishman was the first reporter ever permitted inside a Tupperware factory, and he was the first reporter in 30 years allowed inside the nation’s only bomb factory.
Fishman grew up and graduated from high school in Miami, Florida and received a BA from Harvard University. He is married to a journalist.
Fishman has visited dozens of Wal-Marts in 25 states, and has spent several months of his life in Bentonville.
“The Wal-Mart Effect,” his first book, made the bestseller lists of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek.
Frugal shopping: second-hand stores
Now I know that it is hard to walk into a second-hand clothing store for the first time, but if you choose the right one, chances are you will be hooked. In the beginning I would never even think of going to one of these stores. But my sister dragged me into one a few years back and I was hooked.
I found a brand new pair of Sketchers for just $10. There can be some of these stores that are kind of scary, but take a look around your neighborhood. I am sure there are at least a couple that are clean and nice. For some help on that you can check out www.localshops1.com for some good stores. There are some things you should do when going to a second-hand store. Here is a list of helpful hints:
#1 Set a budget. As always with any type of shopping, you should set a budget before you leave the house. With these types of stores it's hard to figure out a budget at first, but you will find your footing quickly.
#2 Try things on. You should do this anytime you are clothes shopping, but in these cases it is a wise choice. The clothes you are looking at have many different manufacturers and they all have a different cut. (plus it is great exercise)
#3 Look the item over very closely. Sometimes a stain or hole will slip through the cracks and there is nothing worse then getting home and finding a hole in the shirt you couldn't wait to wear.
#4 Great place to find accessories. I am always amazed at the awesome jewelry I find in these stores. And as for shoes, well I already told you about that. And I have found that they usually have a great selection of purses.
#5 Don't buy it if you wont wear it. Now this may sound like common sense, but sometimes you will find this beautiful shirt for only $5. And it is hard to resist since it is so cheap, but really think about whether you will wear it or not.
These are just a few suggestions, but the most important one is this one ... WASH THE CLOTHES BEFORE WEARING THEM. And preferably as soon as you get home, especially if you have any kind of allergies. The stores might not wash them, so please be sure that you do. Hope this will help some of you bargain shoppers out there.
Your Local Shopper,
Jenn
I found a brand new pair of Sketchers for just $10. There can be some of these stores that are kind of scary, but take a look around your neighborhood. I am sure there are at least a couple that are clean and nice. For some help on that you can check out www.localshops1.com for some good stores. There are some things you should do when going to a second-hand store. Here is a list of helpful hints:
#1 Set a budget. As always with any type of shopping, you should set a budget before you leave the house. With these types of stores it's hard to figure out a budget at first, but you will find your footing quickly.
#2 Try things on. You should do this anytime you are clothes shopping, but in these cases it is a wise choice. The clothes you are looking at have many different manufacturers and they all have a different cut. (plus it is great exercise)
#3 Look the item over very closely. Sometimes a stain or hole will slip through the cracks and there is nothing worse then getting home and finding a hole in the shirt you couldn't wait to wear.
#4 Great place to find accessories. I am always amazed at the awesome jewelry I find in these stores. And as for shoes, well I already told you about that. And I have found that they usually have a great selection of purses.
#5 Don't buy it if you wont wear it. Now this may sound like common sense, but sometimes you will find this beautiful shirt for only $5. And it is hard to resist since it is so cheap, but really think about whether you will wear it or not.
These are just a few suggestions, but the most important one is this one ... WASH THE CLOTHES BEFORE WEARING THEM. And preferably as soon as you get home, especially if you have any kind of allergies. The stores might not wash them, so please be sure that you do. Hope this will help some of you bargain shoppers out there.
Your Local Shopper,
Jenn
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