One of the benefits of writing this column is the mail I receive from readers.  I’ve been surprised, however, by a recent spate of missives from folks seeking my counsel in their personal affairs.  After all, I’m not an advice columnist.
            Or am I?  
            As I see it, there are really just three requirements for an advice column:  (1) Space in a newspaper.  Check!  (2) Questions from people seeking guidance.  Check!  (3) A self-righteous, didactic crackpot to answer those questions.  Check and double check!  Let’s light this candle!
 
            Dear Jimmy,
            I’m a 38-year-old man.  While I was at the SciFi Expo last year, I met the Padmé to my Anakin.  But recently, she made the jump to hyperspace and is hinting hard about marriage.  The thought of moving out of the Jedi Temple (Mom’s basement) gives me tummy bubbles.  The walls of this relationship are closing in like the garbage compactor in a Death Star detention block.  Help!  –Jittery Jedi
 
            Dear Jittery,
            Help you I can, yes.  A sewing room in her basement your mother desires, but in her way your bed with Ewok sheets is.  Always in motion is the future.  Of doing your laundry, tired is she.  Adulthood and marriage, fear them not, and a momma’s boy, be no longer.  Choice of you by girl I will understand never, but die alone you will, with action figures as only companions, if this one chance you miss.
                    
Dear Jimmy,
            Please settle an ongoing dispute my wife and I are having over the upbringing of our only child.   We both love our son “Roger” very much, but we have vastly differing ideas about how he should be raised.  I want him to try out for football and engage in other manly pursuits like mixed martial arts cage matches, ding-dong-ditch, the Sun Dance ritual, and belching the alphabet.  My wife, however, is adamant that Roger must spend all his free time doing nothing but scherenschnitte, collecting Hummel figurines, and perfecting his Trout Almondine recipe for the state fair.  He recently refused to watch “True Grit” with me because the Bravo Network was airing a “Project Runway” marathon.  His classmates have started calling him “Baron Dainty Von Prancengiggle.”  Now, I don’t know what that means, but I’m certain it’s not a compliment.  I’m scared.  Am I too late to raise him into swarthy, high-fiving, NASCAR manhood?  Is there anything I can do?   –Desperate Dad
 
Dear Desperate,
            You’re too late.  There’s nothing you can do.  Sorry.
 
Dear Jimmy,
            After a whirlwind courtship, I recently became engaged to the man of my dreams.  The problem is that my parents despise him.  Whenever I try to emphasize my fiancé’s good qualities, they only point out his flaws.  For example, when I describe him as a courageous man of action, Dad mocks him for his fear of flying.  When I praise him for serving our country as a member of a crack commando unit, my mother condemns him for being sent to prison by a military court.  “But it was for a crime he didn’t commit!” I’ll say, only to have Daddy immediately remind me, for the millionth time, how my future husband and his three friends promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground, how they’re still wanted by the government, how they survive as soldiers of fortune, blah, blah, blah… 
            All the conflict is stressing me out, and my fiancé is growing tired of all this jibba-jabba.  How can I persuade my folks to give this marriage their blessing? –Wanna-Be Mrs. T
 
Dear Wanna-Be,
            Simply arrange to have your parents abducted by a band of ruthless Bolivian drug smugglers (check Craigslist.com) or a bizarre mind-control cult (check Scientology.org) and instruct the kidnappers to hold Mom and Dad hostage in a heavily-guarded desert bunker.  Then have your fiancé and his friends infiltrate the compound by posing as renegade arms dealers with military-grade weaponry for sale.  After the enigmatic, sinister leader of the cult/cartel sees through the ruse, his army of henchmen will chase your Mr. Right and his three confederates to an abandoned mine nearby.  Once barricaded inside, they can use a rusted mining cart, some pipes, and a crate full of discarded dynamite to construct a crude tank.  Blasting their way back into the villains’ lair, they free your parents and bring them home.  Having won your parents’ blessing, you and their now-beloved son-in-law-to-be jump in the van and go get on the bridal registry at Pier 1 Imports.  Your mother prepares a baked custard with a layer of caramelized sugar on the bottom to give to her rescuers as a thank you gift.  This is sure to delight their cigar-chomping leader; he loves it when a flan comes together.
            Next week’s column:  Jim’s Graceland diary!

Welcome to the Accent Table edition of Buy This, Not That!  I found some good bargains on almost identical tables — see if you can tell some of them apart! 

LOVE THIS?

[Garden Stool, Gumps, $275]

BUY THIS!

[Chinese Garden Stool, Wisteria, $129]

LOVE THIS?

[Vista Console, Crate and Barrel, $599]

BUY THIS!

[Peekaboo Clear Console, CB2, $349]

LOVE THIS?

[Old Vine Round Side Table, Napa Style, $994]

BUY THIS!

[Driftwood End Table, Crate and Barrel, $399]

LOVE THIS?

[Treasured Sage Chinese Console, Wisteria, $849]

BUY THIS!

[Manet Console Table, Pier 1 Imports, $249]

LOVE THIS?

[Alessi Blow Up Table, Unica Home, $399]

BUY THIS!

[Geo Side Table, West Elm, $199]

LOVE THIS?

[Venetian Bamboo Leg Table, Wisteria, $399]

BUY THIS!

[Venetian Cigarette Table, Wisteria, $199]

LOVE THIS?

[Natural Tree-Stump Side Table (19"), West Elm, $229]

BUY THIS!

[Rustic Wood Accent Table (18"), Pottery Barn, $199]

Happy Bargain Hunting!

Quick! Print this coupon and zip over to the nearest Pier 1 Imports store… It is good for $10 off your in-store purchase of $30 or more, and it expires TODAY. Can’t think of anything you need at the moment? How about Christmas ornaments? They always have fabulous, unique ornaments and by the time the holiday invitations arrive, the good ornaments are always gone!

Find a Pier 1 Imports near you.

Expires: TODAY, 9/29/09

Thanks, FatWallet!

This ad was an insert in one of the local papers in Austin, TX and is for Pier 1 Imports.

The text reads:

Pier 1 Imports

Creature Comforts

Hey critter, scamper in today for acorn-ucopia of savings!

up to 25% off

“Hey critter”?  I have to wonder if this ad is really aimed at humans or if Pier 1 Imports has a new division of products aimed at squirrels and chipmunks, because I can’t really think of any humans I know who identify themselves as “critters”.  And if Pier 1 has started selling products for squirrels, why are they advertising them in a human newspaper?  It doesn’t seem like very well-targeted marketing.  Of course, I’m not really sure how you would advertise to squirrels…  Anybody have any ideas?

No longer about fabrics and patterns, Bouclair has reinvented itself as a home fashion and decor store.

With prices comparable to Home Outfitters or Home Sense, Bouclair avoids looking too “department store” and instead looks quite luxurious and inviting.

The store offers original pieces for your home; from bedding, to lighting, to accent decor, you will be able to find what you’re looking for at this store. I also like their selection of candles and table decor, including vases, tablecloths and placemats. They offer a wide variety of styles and colors.

Their shelves are very nicely stocked, even if you don’t have anything to buy, you’ll enjoy just going through their store. I do. It reminds me a little of Pier 1 Imports, but not nearly as expensive.

Here is their website. I think they’ve made a good choice to alter their business line.

~Darleya~

Happy Monday, y’all!  I am blog-squatting again today over at one of my fave blogs – My Little Happy Place.  I prepared a “Buy This, Not That” featuring accessories for her 2 year old’s “big girl room”.

Please CLICK HERE to check it out!

As a companion to the post, check out these other great finds that I discovered while putting it together.  I had so much fun!

This feminine and sparkly mirror from Ballard Designs would be perfect in a little girls room hanging over a dresser with a pretty vintage brush and comb set.

I love this neutral, but not at all boring, textured Garden Party Rug from PB Teen.  It would look great just about anywhere.

I *heart* this mirror!  It is from Pottery Barn and on sale right now for $249.99.  Isn’t the curvy shape so sexy and striking?

This irresistibly sweet lamp from the Land of Nod is perfect proportion for a bedside table or a bathroom light.  This would look great in a kitchen or eating nook too.  Adorable!

Bargain alert!  This fun pillow from Pier 1 is a mere $22.  It looks like an artist’s doodles on a newspaper.

I love this darling pillow from — wait for it – Target!  I especially like her swing coat and oversized handbag slung over her shoulder.  Too cute.

And finally, these head-turning beauties may find their way into my home office.  Who doesn’t love this chic, leggy, blonde gal next door?

Thanks again to Alison from My Little Happy Place for hostessing me for the day!

Happy Friday!  You can have chic, modern and fabulous lighting for less.  Enjoy!

LOVE THIS?

[Porcelain Pearl Lamp, Williams Sonoma Home, $495 + $20 additional shipping = $515]

BUY THIS!

[Alexis Ceramic Table Lamp, Pottery Barn, $105 for base, $39 for shade = $144]

OR THIS!

[Bubble Up Lamp Base and Ribbon Trim Shade, PB Teen, $49 for base, $35 for shade = $84]

LOVE THIS?

[Marlene Table Lamp, Crate and Barrel, $279]

BUY THIS!

[Black Crystal Table Lamp, Pier 1 Imports, $149]

LOVE THIS?

[One-Lump-Or-Two-Lamp Base Only, Anthropologie, $198]

BUY THIS!

[Teacups Lamp Base and Penelope Shade, PB Teen, $69]

LOVE THIS?

[Jamie Young Luna Floor Lamp, Layla Grace, $712 for base, $175 for shade = $887]

BUY THIS!

[Bristol Floor Lamp, Pier 1 Imports, $150]

OR THIS!

[Floor Lamp with Red Shade, Target, $59]

LOVE THIS?

[Pearl Lotus Flower Chandelier, Viva Terra, $329]

BUY THIS!

[Knappa Pendant Lamp, Ikea, $29]

Happy and Bright Bargain Hunting!

Ten lucky winners will receive four place settings of the Carynthum Dinnerware Set from Pier 1 Imports.

Entry period: Thursday September 03 2009 – Tuesday November 03 2009

]]> http://thedailyholiday.com/2009/08/23/happy-national-spongecake-day/ Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:05:14 +0000 the calendar girls http://thedailyholiday.com/2009/08/23/happy-national-spongecake-day/

we decided to forego the food part and make an actual sponge-cake. get it? we’re funny.

the calendar gods weren’t so impressed. even though we did it for national s’mores day, we decided to light our fire outside on the balcony this time. did you know we have an elderly neighbor whose window we can see in who likes to wash her dishes in the nude?

yeah, neither did we. we’re staying inside from now on- even our favorite chair can’t coax us out.

totes! sponge!

- the calendar girls

This year we gave our annual sofi Awards the star treatment they truly deserve. They’ve always been a highlight of the Summer Fancy Food Show, but we felt they deserved much more considering how important a sofi Award is for our members. So we staged our most glamorous Awards Ceremony ever. And we decided to capture the entire sofi process on video so we could try to capture the essence of the sofi Awards, the highest honor in the specialty food trade. sofi stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation.

The NASFT is typically very “hands on.” But this time we wanted to do it right. So we left our personal cameras to our family vacations, and brought in professional videographers, David Horvilleur and Patrick Sasso of Loop Seven in NYC.  Both are true “foodies” and they said this was a dream assignment. We engaged them right before the first phase of judging last spring at our offices on Wall Street. (sofi awards are open to members of the NASFT). The finalists are picked by a nine-member panel of specialty food experts who meet at our offices to evaluate all the submissions. Then to pick the gold winners, the finalists are judged by retailers and foodservice buyers at the Summer Fancy Food Show.

During the initial judging David and Patrick arrived ready to shoot. They interviewed several of the judges, who were great about taking a break from their huge task of tasting and evaulating close to 2,000 specialty foods and beverages. Our final video features these interviews, including with Julie Wyrick of Pier 1 Imports and Tim Calderone from Meijer in Minneapolis. Once the finalists were selected, the video team visited a few including Rick’s Picks, Sarabeth’s Kitchen and Gustiamo.

Then the big event was the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center last month. Loop Seven arrived ready to roll. They set up an interview room off of the huge show floor and interviewed 100+ exhibitors and shot 15 + hours of footage. They had two crews blanket the 316,000 square feet of exhibit space that was filled with was filled with 140,000 specialty foods and beverages from across the U.S. and 70-plus countries.

They captured everything from the final sofi judging (more than 260 retailers sampled 125 finalists across all 33 awards categories) to the dazzling red-carpet awards ceremony hosted by noted Boston chef Ming Tsai. Chef Tsai delivered an inspiring and in-the-know keynote address about taste and innovation. Then he announced the winner in each category, alongside NASFT president Ann Daw and Vice President Ron Tanner. The video crew was there to capture the excitement. The next morning, the last day of the 55th Summer Fancy Food Show, Loop Seven raced through the show to capture many of the gold winners at their booths, who were still dazzled by their gold wins.

Then Loop Seven got to work again. The team spent four full days reviewing the footage, and another five in the editing suite. The fruits of their labor is our first ever sofi Awards video. We hope you enjoy it. Please let us know what you think.

–Betsy Schwartz (bschwartz@nasft.org), NASFT Creative Director

.

Jonathan Adler Chippendale armchair, don’t even click, it’s $795

..I got a letter in the string’s mailbox from my sister, that read:

hello sister!!

i would love for you to do a little research and feed my hunger for two faux bamboo chairs that are not as pricey as jonathan adler’s perfect perches!! i am dying to snag a pair of chairs to paint raspberry pink for the new living room.

HELP!!!

love,

little sissy

OK, LS, this is what I’ve got for you (PS this was going up on Monday, but she begged for it sooner):

To start, this is not a pair of chairs, but it’s a bamboo bar for $80 that you MUST buy, paint bright pink and put somewhere in your new bachelorette pad. It’d be a shame to let some lesser girl snag this:

via Dallas Craigslist

Besides the bar, there are a number of moving sales – get a pen and Google maps and spend your next free Saturday cruising for junkers. THINK PINK – you can turn a real dud into a masterpiece with enough bright paint and lacquer finish.

(You may also find yard sales by sites like Weekend Treasure and Yard Sale Treasure Map.)

Pearl River Natural Tone Bamboo Bench, $37.50 each

OK, so it’s not a chair either, but it’s a bamboo bench you could sand, strip and paint for about $40.

Steal a set of chairs from the next outdoor wedding you attend, or grab these from Overstock ($105 for set of 2). You could actually order a Chiavari Ballroom Chair (what you see at weddings), unfinished, then paint and reupholster

Or throw a tie cushion on them:

Paint by Benjamin Moore

Cushions from Pier 1 Imports

Lastly, I think ebay has a few sweet choices (click through images to auctions):

starting bid: $80 for the set

starting bid: $199 for the set

Old news by now but I can’t get over the embellished Marchesa dress Taylor Momsen wore to the AIDS Research Foundation Gala in New York last February. A satisfying mix of old school glamour and 15-year-old-multi-tasking-rockstar.

I totally dig her half-snarl dark-circle bleached out prom queen appeal. I think she is one of the best dressed celebs careening around the city these days, giving ladies twice her age a run for their debit cards.

Linens 'n Things

Stores Closing: 120

Why? The bedding- and home-furnishing retailer said it plans to close 120 underperforming stores in its chain of 589 locations as it filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May.

Disney

Disney Stores

Stores Closing: 98

Why? The Mouse wants control. Disney is taking back its stores from a subsidiary of Children’s Place and is scaling back as it restructures because sales have been dropping over the last year.

Stock Quote & News: HD

Foot Locker

Foot Locker

Stores Closing: 140

Why? With income down 78 percent in 2007, the shoe retailer is running for the hills. It’s putting 140 more of its 3,785 stores on the chopping block in addition to the 274 it closed last year.

Stock Quote & News: FL

Wilson's Leather

Wilson’s Leather

Stores Closing: 160

Why? With “substantial doubt” about its ability to stay in business, the company is hoping women will bail it out. It’s shutting the majority of its mall-based stores, laying off employees and turning the remaining 100 mall stores into accessory boutiques called Studio.

Stock Quote & News: WLSN

Home Depot

Stores Closing: 15

Why? In December, Home Depot said it would cut 950 jobs and close three call centers that handle orders for home installation. The next month, is said it would cut 500 jobs at its headquarters. Now, amid a slumping U.S. economy and housing market, it announced in May it will close 15 underperforming U.S. stores.

Stock Quote & News: HD

Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor

Stores Closing: 117

Why? Times are tough for luxury clothes brands and Ann Taylor is finding it hard to compete. Last December sales were down 9.4 percent, leading to the closing of 16 percent of the company’s store count by 2010.

Stock Quote & News: ANN

Pac Sun

Stores Closing: 154 Demo Stores

Why? In Jan. 2008, Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc. said it will close its 154 Demo stores as a result of a a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. This follows the closure of 74 underperforming Demo stores last May.

Stock Quote & News: PSUN

Lone Star

Stores Closing: 27

Why? Slow sales and rising utilities costs put the crunch on these peanut-loving restaurants, especially in Florida where the company closed seven out of eight locations, which had been performing poorly since the 2004-2005 hurricane season.

Zales

Stores Closing: 105

Why? Diamonds may be forever, but maybe not so Zales. The poor economy is taking its toll on luxury vendors and so the jeweler is closing 50 kiosks and 55 full-size stores — leaving it with 2,145 locations — by the end of July and trimming its headquarters staff by 20 percent to weather the economic storm.

Pier 1 Imports

Stores Closing: 25

Why? After shedding 79 stores in 2007, sales are still declining. So the furniture and home accessory specialist is planning another cut back – this time closing just 25 more stores and selling its corporate headquarters.
Stock Quote & News: PIR

Friedman's Jewelers

Stores Closing: 120

Why? Everything’s for sale as this jeweler closes up shop. It’s liquidating $400 million in baubles, closing 473 stores and laying off employees as it goes through bankruptcy proceedings.

Dell

Stores Closing: 140

Why? Dell keeps losing market share to As Hewlett-Packard — it has slipped into second place in PC sales behind HP — so the company that pioneered direct sales is turning away from the strategy and refocusing its efforts on sales in big box stores, so the mall kiosks had to go.

Stock Quote & News: DELL

Urban Interiors & It’s Gotta Go

Stores Closing: 2

Why? The company that owns two Seattle-area stores thought the itshome furnishing stores weren’t performing as well as its other holdings, Continental Furniture and Thomasville Home Furnishings, so it’s closing time. That puts $5 million worth of inventory for sale at its other locations.

84 Lumber

Stores Closing: 12

Why? Due to a difficult year in the nation’s housing market, the Pennsylvania-based building materials company closed a dozen stores in December.

Sharper Image

Stores Closing: 90

Why? Things are not looking good for the 31-year-old company, which just filed for bankruptcy protection. The New York Times reported that the retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but about half of all its outlets are performing poorly and should be closed “as soon as possible.”
Stock Quote & News: SHRP

Pep Boys

Stores Closing: 31

Why? The auto parts company laid off 550 employees as it shut down stores in November as part of a five-year strategic plan that will include a change in its mix of automotive products and adding “smaller neighborhood service shops.”

Stock Quote & News: PBY

Ethan Allen

Stores Closing: 12 of 300+

Why? As part of a cost-cutting plan, the manufacturer and retailer of high-end home furnishings is closing 12 of its retail centers.

Stock Quote & News: ETH

Rite Aid

Stores Closing: 28

Why? The drugstore chain announced in January that it was exiting the Las Vegas, Nev. market because the stores there had not been contributing to overall results. The company hasn’t opened a new store in the Las Vegas area since 1999.

Sprint Nextel Corp.

Stores Closing: 125

Why? As the nation’s third-largest wireless carrier struggles to compete with AT&T and Verizon Wireless it has announced that it will reduce stores and cut 4,000 jobs.

Stock Quote & News: S

Movie Gallery

Stores Closing: 400 of 3,500

Why? The video rental company said it plans to close 400 Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the bankrupt video rental chain closed last fall. Movie Gallery said the company will work with customers to try to transfer accounts to nearby locations.

Stock Quote & News: MOVIQ

Saks

Saks Stores Closing: 1

Why? The Saks Fifth Avenue store in the Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale is the only one of 54 on the sales rack in this round of cutbacks – the company hasn’t shed stores since it closed eight in 2004.

Stock Quote & News: SKS

Wickes Furniture

Wickes Furniture Stores Closing: 38

Why? Furniture stores may be the canary in the cave for this recession. This regional retailer is in bankruptcy and so is closing stores and selling off $75 million in inventory.

More Furniture Stores

Retailer: Sofa Express
Stores Closing: 44
Why? The Ohio-based furniture retailer sent notice in Dec. to stores saying the company was shuttering headquarters, closing stores and laying off workers due to their financial situation.

Macy's

Stores Closing: 9

Why? According to a Dec. 28 2007 press release, Macy’s is closing 9 locations due to declining sales. However, it expects to open 5 new stores in 2008 and 6 to 8 new locations are currently planned for 2009.

Retailer: Levitz Furniture
Stores Closing: 76
Why? Also in Dec., Levitz Furniture announced it is liquidating its assets and closing all 76 of its stores.

Stock Quote & News: M

CompUSA

Stores Closing: 103 stores will be sold or shut down

Why? In Dec. 2007, the Computer and electronics retailer announced it would start winding down its retail operations after being acquired by an investment firm, which is looking to sell the company’s business and assets. The retail stores that don’t sell will be shut down.

Kirkland's Home

Stores Closing: 30 to 130

Why? Management of the national home-decor chain told analysts it intends to close 30 underperforming stores during the fourth quarter, which ended in January. It is considering closing even more stores (up to 100) in the next 18 months, saying it wants to focus on stores not based in malls.

Stock Quote & News: KIRK

Big Dollar

Stores Closing: 10

Why? The 21-year-old discount chain based in Minnesota finds times too tough to sell even dollar buys, despite the conventional wisdom that people shop at these stores more in bad economic climates. The costs of goods and fuel are just too expensive, and customers are cutting back.

Fashion Bug, Lane Bryant & Catherine's

Stores Closing: 150

Why? CoStar.com reports that Charming Shoppes, Inc. is closing 150 underperforming stores, laying off 150 employees and reducing the amount of stores it will open in 2009. The closures will leave Charming Shoppes with approximately 900 Fashion Bug stores, 923 Lane Bryant stores and 471 Catherine’s stores.
Stock Quote & News: CHRS

Talbot's & Sigrid Olsen

Retailer: Talbot’s Kids, Mens
Stores Closing: 78
Why? As sales continue to disappoint, Talbot’s will close 78 children’s and men’s apparel stores to focus on its core middle-aged female customer.

Retailer: Sigrid Olsen
Stores Closing: 54
Why? Part of parent company Liz Claiborne Inc., the 20-year-old line that began as resort wear has been losing money over the past several years.

jasmine Sola

Stores Closing: 23

Why? According to the Boston Herald, New York & Co. is shutting its chain of 23 Jasmine Sola upscale women’s clothing stores that got its start in Harvard Square in 1970. The decision follows a battle over sexual misconduct charges at the company.

Stock Quote & News: NWY

Lillian Vernon

Stores Closing: No Physical Outlets

Why? The holiday shopping season wasn’t bright enough to keep afloat Lillian Vernon, which filed for bankruptcy in February. While the online and catalog retailer doesn’t have any stores to maintain, rising shipping and inventory costs cut into profits.