Is it just me?!!

Preparing for every weather-related fashion eventuality...and a rant about The Killing.

2011-09-18T01:31:00.000-07:00

We're at that depressing point in the year when you know that summer is never going to materialise and the one day that you could have finally got some use out of the barbecue, had you realised this, was way back sometime in May. Yep, that ship has sailed. Every day presents a new challenge - what to wear??! I mean, will it be sunny/cloudy/rainy/windy/snowy...there's a good chance it could be any - or all - of these. Hmmmm.
First choice would be a quilted jacket. Not too heavy or thick, but warm enough for when you're too old to pretend you're too hard to need outerwear. My favourite is the Philmore Crest Quilted jacket by Joules -£99.95.

Also check out Zara for similar, but less preppy styles.

Next it's the boots. Boots are my pivotal summer to autumn purchase, mainly because there's nothing that upsets me more that a lonely pair of fabulous boots sitting unworn in the bottom of the wardrobe. If you choose the right pair, they can go with everything. My current boot of choice called to me as I was passing the Marta Jonsson boutique on the King's Road on a recent jaunt to London with the husband. Soft leather, slouchy detail, and a special insole that makes it feel like you're walking on marshmallows. LOVE these. Marta Jonsson black buckle over knee boot - £159.00

It's also the time to stop labouriously rubbing fake tan into your calves and pull on some Falkes. I've never been a fan of coloured tights - they've gotta be black and opaque - but pair them with a cute colour-pop frock from Dotty Ps and things instantly seem sunnier. I've spotted these - instore now. Pink ponte circle dress, £35, green wrap dress, £25, colour block ponte dress, £30.

And there concludes my depressing-period-when-you-know-summer's-over-but-it's-not-quite-autumn-wardrobe.

*****TOTALLY SEPERATE AND UNRELATED RANT*****

Right, who killed Rosie Larsen? Seriously?? I only ask as I've spent every Thursday night for the last few months LOVING Channel 4's The Killing - the best thing on tv for aaaaages, and now it's finished, and I STILL don't know who did it. My money was on Senator Eaton, Gwen's father, as part of some elaborate plan to frame Richmond. (This was largely but not completely based on the fact that Senator Eaton was played by the bloke who also played Jim in Neighbours, and that every US drama I've seen him in since has had him as some sort of VIP baddy).

I've invested so much time and thought into who dunnit, and not finding out who the culprit is feels a bit like that time I ordered a Marc Jacobs bag for £100 down from £400 in the Harrods sale then got an email days later saying there was no stock. You build yourself up, then.....nothing. Any help gratefully recieved.

Jumping on the Kindle bandwagon - stylishly :-)

2011-09-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have been considering buying a Kindle for a while, for the following reasons:
1) It's new and shiny
2) it looks infinitely more stylish than a dog-eared copy of Hollywood Wives
3) it will make me appear intelligent - I mean, for all they know I could be reading something complicated and fashionable, when really I'm engrossed in 'Who Do You Think You Are, Charlie Brown?'
4) You can buy a variety of purdy cases to keep it in.

It was the final one that swung it. I spent a total of 8 minutes deciding to buy a kindle, and approximately 3 days trawling the web for a suitable case. I whittled it down to the best three I found.....

£
JAVOedge Poppy book case for Amazon Kindle - £19.98, Amazon.co.uk

Not exactly cheap, but the cheapest of the three, this cover is bright and eyecatching. It's not leather, but it's pretty sturdy and has interior storage pockets for....those things you might need pockets in your Kindle case for. Nice.

££
Amazon Kindle apple green leather cover - £30.99, Amazon.co.uk

This one has the advantage of patent pending locking hinges to hold your Kindle firmly in place, plus it's real leather. And most importantly, it's apple green. What's not to love?

£££
Diane Von Furstenburg clutch for Kindle - £70, Amazon.co.uk

If there was ever a Kindle case that was made to be whipped out at every opportunity, this is it. The bright berry print makes it stand out, and, although it's cotton canvas, it still manages to look super glamorous. And they call it a 'clutch'. I NEED this.

For the love of bargains.....

2011-01-16T11:28:00.000-08:00

There's sales on, incase you hadn't noticed. I've listed my best top tips as well as my fave sale finds......

Tip 1:
Before hitting the shops, peruse the web for the best deals as soon as the sales start. I am blessed with a husband who is a snorer, and therefore regularly find myself wandering around the house in the early hours looking for something to do other than muffle him with a pillow. Shopping on the net is the answer.
Tip 2:
If you like it, buy it. Might sound obvious, but how many times have you picked up a handbag then put it back on the shelf, muttering 'I don't NEED it.....'? STOP. You DO need it, and your life WILL be better as a result. If you don't you'll only regret it. And regret is for the weak. FACT.
Tip 3:
Ignore your bank balance. It will only hinder your shopping experience and force you into making bad, bad choices which could result in feelings of bitterness. Purdy things make us happy, and at the end of the day, what's more important - money, or happiness? I think you know the answer.
Tip 4:
Always ensure you have somewhere at home to 'store' your purchases, away from prying spousal eyes. Does he really need to know how much you've spent? And that when, with only a fiver left in your purse, faced with the choice between the cough medicine he asked for and the bargain priced Tangle Teezer (see below - miracle item!!) you went for the latter? Probably not.

My best purchases this year so far.........

1. The aforementioned Tangle Teezer. When wet, my hair makes me look like an extra in The Dark Crystal. Unlike my usual brush, this little beauty glides through locks without taking most of the hair with it. I would never have paid a tenner for it, but after finding it for £3 in the Amazon sale thought it was worth a punt. http://www.tangleteezer.com

2. Radley's Partridge boots. Now, I do love my shoes, and have been searching for the perfect day to evening shoe boot for some time. These fit the bill. And as a bonus, they don't make my feet bleed. Winner. £49 down from £149 http://www.kurtgeiger.com/online-shop/179909-radley-partridge

3. Marc Jacobs Lola 50ml EDP gift set. Do I ever need an excuse to buy MJ? And at half price! I nearly peed a little. £24 from £48 http://bit.ly/fYGhzm

4. Monsoon Fusion meadow print dress. I heart this. I think it has kind of a Mad Men meets Ugly Betty vibe. And they featured it in the Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine so it must be posh. £16.50 from £55. http://www.monsoon.co.uk/fusion-sale/fusion-meadow-print-dress/invt/75212127/

Dear Marc Jacobs.....

2010-09-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

OK, here's the thing. I am having regular and uncontrollable compulsions to spend huge amounts of cash on your latest creations. I don't feel you're helping the matter. The hot pink Little Ukita satchel?http://www.marcjacobs.com/#/en-us/marcbymarcjacobs/women/fallwinter10/bags?lookId=77 £350 on Net-A-Porter. I'm sure it will be a sell-out soon, but until then I'll have to go on the website every day, wondering if I can survive on crumpets and cereal for a month so I can buy it. The Catty Q printed Hillier hobo?http://www.marcjacobs.com/#/en-us/marcbymarcjacobs/women/fallwinter10/bags?lookId=34 What will my life be like if I don't buy it? Much less stylish, for a start. And don't even get me started on the mouse shoes.

I hope you understand, this is affecting my everyday life. One of your staff members in the Caesars Palace store actually hid in the back of the shop when he saw me coming on the last day of our most recent Vegas trip. The look of terror on his face suggested he suspected me of stalking him. He'd be wrong of course, I was actually stalking the to-die-for Twyla bag on the shelf behind the till http://www.marcjacobs.com/#/en-us/marcjacobscollection/women/springsummer10/bags?lookId=12. Still, it's not an ideal situaton, is it?

I'm all out of solutions, to be honest, and I'd appreciate it if you could look into this for me. I know you're a very busy man, what with New York fashion week and all, so I don't expect an instant reply - I'll keep myself busy in the meantime studying the fabulous advert for your new men's fragrance, Bang. No hurry.

Many thanks, and kindest regards,
Lisa
x

Oooops I did it again......

2010-06-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

Right, I really do have a proper excuse for not keeping up with my blog recently...I have actually gone and got a new job! Technically I haven't actually started it yet so I can't really blame that....but the point is, I catually did something I said I was going to, which is one huge step forward in my book!

Also, I have re-started my internet sales empire, slightly tweaked (great word) since last time it was up and running and I was investigated by paypal for money laundering, hence got frightened and gave up for a few years, but now I'm BACK, with a brand new cosmetic business, which I'm just starting out at the mo but am hoping will grow and grow!! More money in the holiday pot, I'm hoping!

Anyway, beyond that, I've gone all cosmopolitan recently and been doing lots of lunching with the girlies and huge glasses of rose, which although very grown up and extremely fun, does present me with a dilemma....what does one wear out to lunch (in toon)??!! You can't be too dressed up, but then again I don't want to be under-dressed....anyway, my answer has been the fabulous maxi dress, my current wear-all favourite. Hides everything, and looks fabulously on trend at the same time.

Warehouse have my current favourites:
www.warehouse.co.uk

Failing that, check out F&F at Tesco for total bargain buys (but shhhh...if anyone asks, it's a small unknown label from Fenwicks). Nice.

2010-02-21T08:02:00.001-08:00

Well, I haven't posted in a while, mainly due to the post holiday blues that have kept me under my duvet for most of the last 3 weeks. I think it's something called SAD - suddenly acutely depressed - or something.
Anyway, what I HAVE done, is made some life plans. Plans that I intend to follow!!!
In no particular order, my plan includes:
- finding a new, rewarding, interesting and hopefully well paying job.
- getting my book off the ground - for this I need patience and LOTS of it....
- possibly investing in a new Marc Jacobs bag.

Wish me luck!! Speaking of the whole book thing, I am currently reading I Heart Hollywood by Lindsay Kelk, a girl after my own heart (see the many MJ references in her books) she has inspired me a bit with the whole book thing - check it out.
www.ihearthollywood.co.uk

Right I'm off. I'll keep you updated on progress - WE ARE REALLY GOING TO DO IT THIS TIME!! T'ra for now x

2010-01-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

Well yesterday we touched down back in Newcastle after 5 nights living it up (well, if you can call eating huge cheesecakes and drinking copious amounts of raspberry lemonade 'living it up') in Vegas for 5 nights. The depression has now started to descend. (Nooooooooooo!!!!)

I swear it's not just me, but there was another 'air rage' incident. This time, it was 2 60 year old shellsuit wearing Germans (I assumed they were German) who decided to shout loudly to one another throughout the whole flight while flicking the metal tabs on their beer cans to make an extremely irritating clicking noise for approximately 72 minutes. The husband lost his temper and told them to shut up. Considering the husband was almost twice their size, this had the desired affect. (Well, it did after a bizarre argument in which neither us nor them could understand what the hell was being said). And once again I was heartened to see Karma doing it's bit when they were hauled into a side room at customs for questioning while me and the husband skipped off to our cab to Caesars with our cases.

Anyway, enough about that. We had a brilliant trip, and there were a few highlights....first (see pic) we met Matt Goss, who is going to be performing at Caesars Palace's Cleopatra's Barge from March. He was very nice.

Second, we got upgraded at Caesars to a fab room with a TV in the bathroom mirror and automatic drapes (we are from Newcastle, this was like the height of luxury). I chickened out of doing the '$20 trick' I'd read so much about (http://www.thetwentydollartrick.com/Hotels/CaesarsPalace.html ) and just asked the guy if we could have an upgrade nicely instead. He said yes. Then I gave him $20.

Thirdly, I got a new Tiffany necklace, DKNY bag and loads of treats from Marc Jacobs. Result.

I'm gutted to be back, tired and a bit jetlagged, so I think I'll leave this for now. I might pop back later if I get a sudden rush of positive energy. Alternatively, I might just lie on the sofa and watch all the Corras/CSI/American Idol I've missed. Well, it is Sunday. T'ra.

This week......

2010-01-17T09:53:00.001-08:00

...I'm loving:

* The new series of CSI (the original Las Vegas one, natch). OK, so it'll never be the same without Grissom, and I don't know exactly why, but Lawrence Fishburne creeps me out ever so slightly....however,they have ditched that useless Riley character and Nick's been promoted, so it's not all bad. Yay! I can resume spending my Tuesday nights pretending to have a job that doesn't make me want to slip into a coma. God bless CSI.

* Shopstyle.com. Shop, or browse at least, and don't part with a penny. It's mint. You can see my looks at http://shopstyle.style.com/users/starsky21. It's like fashion porn. In a good way.

* Holiday anticipation. You know, that week or so before you go, when you're thinking of what little bottles you need to stock up on in Boots, what you'll wear to travel in, how many dollars should you take....(LOTS, plus the Mastercard, just FYI). Yes in one week we will be jetting off to Vegas Baby!! Yeeeehaaaah!!

So this week I am NOT loving.....

* The last week at work before holidays. Frankly, it's hell. You know the end will come, you just can't see it. It's not even on the radar yet. *** breathes deeply into paper bag whilst repeating 'Vegas, shopping, Cheesecake Factory' mantra over and over in head ***

* Celeb Big Brother. I won't even say any more, because you are all thinking it. End of.

* Panic-buying grocery shoppers. Listen to me. THE SNOW IS GONE. YOU CAN SHOP NORMALLY NOW. So please stop nabbing all the Warburton's Crumpets. I'm starting to get withdrawals.

An update. And other random stuff.

2010-01-06T05:40:00.000-08:00

I've been MIA for the last couple of months due to being really busy....no, actually, that's a lie - I haven't been any busier than usual, I just forgot I had a blog, and therefore didn't bother writing anything. I remembered agin this morning, though, so here I am.

Currently, I'm holed up indoors with a chest infection while there's at least a foot of snow outside. It's literally been snowing for almost 3 weeks now. I feel like I live in Alaska. The novely of the snow has worn off somewhat. I've been out stylishly trudging up the hill to the village in my bright duffle coat, leopard print anogra hat and (now ruined) Uggs, I've scraped the car approximately 37 times, I've drank hundreds of cups of tea (Ringtons, recently discovered by me and suprisingly nicer than Tetleys...I never thought I'd say any tea was nicer than Tetleys), and this morning I watched a TV movie called 'Seduced by Madness - the Diane Borchardt Story'. It was 4 hours long. Yet I still watched it from beginning to end. I then Googled Diane and found she has a web page asking for money towards her appeal (she's currently serving a life sentence for arranging the murder of her husband). I stopped short of donating (watch the movie - although you could probably fast forward from around 24 minutes in to, say, 35 minutes from the end). Anyway, I digress.

Happily, since my last post, the husband and I are booked to go to Vegas in just over 2 weeks. It was an impulse booking. We started out looking for a cheapo shopping break - I priced the mid range Imperial Palace hotel and looked for the cheapest flights (you know the ones - 18 hour journeys with stop offs in Killadelphia - I mean, Philadelphia - there's a story attached to that but I'll leave that for another time). Somehow, though, we've ended up with direct BA flights from London and a room at Caesar's Palace. Ho hum.

Since booking, I've been thinking about what I'm going to wear. Yes, wear. To travel in, to shop in, to stroll down the strip in....I need to look stylish yet be comfortable. (Well, I am 31 now). I'm thinking skinny jeans, warm, drapey knits and slouchy leather boots. And big sunglasses. And my Marc Jacobs bag. (Which is so heavy that it actually hurts to carry anything of any weight in it). Hence the need to shop for the holiday. The holiday we are going on to go shopping. Yes, I am well aware of the irony, thank you.

It's not like I can even avail myself of the January sales, being snowed in and all. All those lovely cheap as chips bargains are sitting unloved and un-purchased on the shelf while I'm sat here eating Quality Street (only the coconut ones left - bleurgh), watching 15 year old TV movies that got 2 out of 5 stars on Youtube and saluting at magpies (unrelated, but true). If I can't get out soon I may have to go to Vegas in last year's jumper and trousers.

I'm off to scrape the car.

A little extra note though, I don't know if I've ever mentioned it but I have a horrific aversion to Twitter, and have refused to use it. Nobody's daily 'tweets' can be that interesting. However, someone pointed me in the direction of this Tweeter (is that the right saying?) and it made me laugh.

http://twitter.com/Shitmydadsays

Enjoy. xx

Living in a holiday fantasy world (with a fabulous handbag)

2009-10-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

I've convinced the husband that we need to go to Vegas again very, very soon. To be fair, he didn't need much convincing, the suggestion was barely out of my mouth and he was planning his shopping list.
This was when I realised that I literally live for my holidays. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but it's quite disturbing when events in your life are measured according to the nearest holidays - for example, it's not 'The husband's last birthday', it's 'the trip to LA and Vegas we did for the husband's last birthday'. And our 1st wedding anniversary - well, I'm sure the husband would agree that I can't really remember the actual day - what I can remember is the trip to Toronto shortly after. I'm literally wasting away months of my life waiting for the next holiday.
This applies to shopping too. On friday, noticing that my bottle of Clinique makeup is almost half empty, I thought, I'll just get another next time I'm in the US. Or a few weeks ago, when I got a craving (yes, an actual craving) for a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag. I'll wait until I go to Vegas and hit the Forum Shops, I thought. Plan was to go in March, and that's not that long, is it?
One thing I didn't bank on - which is daft really, considering I've known myself my entire life - is that I'm possibly the most impatient person ever.
I don't want to bore you with the finer details, but suffice to say I type this now wearing my new Clinique foundation bought yesterday, and sneaking glances at the utterly fabulous (so fabulous it deserves a blog all of it's own, which will probably happen very soon) Marc by Marc Jacobs bag I bought this week. Oh, and planning a Vegas trip for January. It would have been sooner, but the husband's work are miserable so and so's when it comes to holidays.
Having/stroking/staring at my MJ bag makes waiting for my next holiday slightly more bearable. For now.
Laters. x

The nightmare of holiday flights - a rant.

2009-10-03T02:18:00.001-07:00

Ok this has nothing to do with travel guides although it is about holidays so it just about fits. I have just returned from a week in Cyprus with the husband. All good, lovely holiday etc, but then we got on the plane to come home. Now, this was a late flight, leaving at midnight, and a 5 hour journey too, so I was hoping - no, EXPECTING to be able to doze off happily and wake up back in Newcastle. Sadly, this was not to be.

Firstly, Thomas Cook seem to think all humans flying from Larnaca to Newcastle are approximately 4 feet tall and 6 stone in weight. That's the only conclusion I can come to, considering the seats are just about big enough to comfortably seat a 7 year old child. I'm not particuarly tall, but my knees were jammed so hard into the seat in front that I'm sure the bloke sat there felt like he was getting a complimentary deep tissue massage. I would have felt guilty had he not continuously pressed back in his seat for the entire journey, pushing my knees back so that they were actually almost touching my chin.

Secondly, and best of all, someone at the check in desk must have been having a laugh when they sat the most annoying woman in the ENTIRE WORLD in front of the husband. I am not exaggerating when I say that for 5 hours, this woman talked - nay, SHOUTED her way through every single solitary experience she had on holiday to some poor unsuspecting woman next to her, who, actually, I have no sympathy for really, as, if you are reading this, you did encourage her with your stupid agreeable nods and 'mmms' every few minutes. Grow a backbone, woman. Even though the rest of the plane was sat in total silence, said big-mouthed woman persisted in her loud, shouty manner until we touched down in Newcastle. It's a good job both my arms had gone dead from being cooped up like a chicken, or I may have been forced to take physical action.

As we got off the place, my eyes red raw and limbs aching like I'd run a marathon, the blimmin woman kept bleating on until we got through passport control and into baggage claim, where there was sufficient room to ensure we were nowhere near her and - thank god - couldn't hear her.

So, 1 week on, the photos are developed, the tan has faded, my limbs have just about regained normal feeling, but guess what? That damn woman's voice is burned into my brain for most probably eternity.

Thanks for the holiday memories.

Rant over x

Vegas, baby!

2009-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Vegas is not all about gambling, all-you-can-eat-buffets and Tom Jones…the shopping there is the best I have found in the USA by a mile. Much has already been written about where to stay, where to gamble, comps and shows….but what I’m really interested in are the best places to shop, see a few sights and grab a bite to eat. This guide is for anyone who loves to splash the cash and bag a bargain as much as I do!!

Fashion Show Mall

Right on the Strip heading towards the north end is the Fashion Show Mall, which houses all of the usual US labels and a bit more! Forever 21 is one of my favourite US stores, it’s a bit like Topshop but with Primark prices. Expect to find the latest trends ridiculously cheap - dresses can be anything from $12 upwards, jewellery and accessories from as little as a dollar! The Fashion Show Mall store isn’t huge, but it’s the only one in Vegas so beggars can’t be choosers! You’ll also find a Guess for gorgeous jeans and handbags, a Macy’s (if you can catch it at sale time there are great bargains to be had here), an Ed Hardy store for those tattoo style tees worn by the celebs and of course the staple Abercrombie & Fitch for fab casual wear. For shoes, try Steve Madden, Aldo and Nine West – all have a great selection and are pretty similar in price. If you’re after something a bit different and don’t mind splashing the cash, try Betsy Johnson. This cute boutique stocks kitsch dresses and accessories by the designer – the handbags are especially tempting (although at $350 each….)!!

TIP! Here’s a good photo opp - Abercrombie & Fitch have a habit of using half naked male model types who stand at the doorway to lure you into their stores. Works for me!

Forum Shops

Stroll a little further down the strip and you’ll come to the Forum Shops at Ceasar’s Palace. This has to be my favourite place to shop in Vegas. Mac, Foot Locker and Victoria’s Secret are nestled amongst Dior, Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs. And don’t walk by these designer stores thinking they’re out of your price range – I picked up a cute clutch bag from Marc Jacobs' diffusion line for a gleeful $30. The Juicy Couture store is another highlight - again if you can catch the sale you could get very lucky; I grabbed a gorgeous leather bag marked down from $350 to $90 – who could argue with that??!! Walk towards the large tropical fish tank and you’ll find Express – this is a bit like H&M but better quality. Don’t miss Victoria’s Secret loungewear collection, named ‘Pink’ – kind of like Abercrombie for the super girly – expect to pay around $10 for flip flops, $40 for a hoodie and $30 for track pants.

TIP! Not strictly shopping but next door to Express is the Cheesecake Factory, and I defy you to look at the menu and not go in to eat! Although, if you have eaten in the last 72 hours you may want to go for the lunch menu as opposed to the full dinner option – the portions are huuuuge!! And of course you want to leave plenty of room for cake!!! (I recommend the choc chip cookie dough).

Miracle Mile

The newly remodelled Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood is another great place to shop – you’ll find a Sephora, which is a fantastic cosmetics store stocking all the major players (Clinique at half the UK price, anyone?!) and other hard to find brands like Too Faced, Philosophy and Sephora’s own extensive cosmetic and body care range. Alongside all the usuals – Steve Madden, Victoria’s Secret and Gap etc, there is Frederick’s of Hollywood for posh pants and nice honeymoon goodies, Urban Outfitters for the super trendy and Herve Leger for red carpet dresses (OK, so I could only look, but…!).

TIP! – stay at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in one of the fabulous Hollywood Hip rooms, overlooking the Bellagio Fountains (if you ask nicely when checking in!!). These have been recently refurbished during the hotel’s conversion from the Aladdin and are decked out with king size beds, flat screen TVs and enormous bath tubs. The hotel and casino itself is definitely the most young and trendy on the strip, there are several eateries including a Starbucks and the casino area is massive….but most importantly, you don’t have far to walk to your room with all your shopping bags from the Miracle Mile!

Bellagio Shops

It’s definitely worth a wander through the stores at the Bellagio, even if you are too terrified to go in to any of the stores (just don’t ask the price of anything!!). Gucci, Fendi, Chloe and Louis Vuitton are just some of the names you’ll find here – this is definitely an upmarket sort of place! This is one of the reasons I love Vegas so much though – you can wander into Dior in your shorts and t-shirt and browse and no-one bats an eyelid. This hotel is also home to my favourite Vegas attraction – the Bellagio Fountains. I don’t know how jets of water coming out of a lake can be so mesmerising, but they are, take my word for it!

Las Vegas Premium Outlets

You’ll need to take a cab here from the strip, but it’s only a ten minute journey. Basically there are around 150 stores here selling a wide range of stuff – mostly last season, but who would know?! Recent highlights for me have been Fossil sunglasses for $10 and a DKNY purse for $20. The Ralph Lauren store offers some good savings, as does Guess and Adidas. There is also a Juicy Couture here, but I found the store in the Forum shops to have a better selection and better bargains! It’s definitely worth a visit though.

TIP! If you have a man in tow whose shopping skills aren’t as finely honed as your own (not me – my other half’s shopping habit is worse than mine, but that’s another story!) dispatch him at Starbucks with a Vente Vanilla Latte for an hour so you can browse in peace!

My best Vegas Buys 2009:
Juicy Couture large leather bag - $90
Marc Jacobs clutch purse - $30
Clinique Mascara - $12
Guess Sunglasses - $20
DKNY purse - $20
Aldo leather peep toe heels - $25

Thrifty girl’s tips:

If you are planning to see a show in Vegas, you’ll find a few Tix 4 Tonite booths along the strip – these sell tickets for that same evening at discounted rates. Definitely worth a look – we managed to bag Tom Jones tickets for his lounge show at the MGM for half price– unforgettable!!

Pick up as many Vegas brochures as you can (errr…not the ones being handed out by Mexicans in the street though!!) – you will probably also find a couple in your hotel room. These will often contain discount vouchers for various attractions in Vegas – sometimes even for shopping!
The best things in Vegas are free!! No, really! I’m biased, as I LOVE the Bellagio Fountains, but there are tons of other attractions that don’t cost a penny either – check out the lions at the MGM, the volcano at the Mirage, the canals at the Venetian and the Sirens at Treasure Island. There is plenty more to see just by walking through each hotel and casino on the strip.
Wear comfy shoes! Heels are best left to the showgirls in this town. Even when you are just wandering around your hotel, if it’s one of the strip’s themed resorts you will literally walk miles!

Even if it’s warm outside take a cardi or jumper –most of the casinos will have the air-con on full blast, so if you stop anywhere for drinks or a nibble you’ll probably need one.
Take a trip to the Stratosphere and grab a burger in Roxy’s Diner. ‘50’s styled waiters and waitresses serenade you while you drink shakes and tuck into fries and a foot-long dog…totally kitsch, but brilliant!

Cabs are pretty cheap in Vegas, but if you stay central on the strip you can walk just about everywhere. I recommend Planet Hollywood as it’s smack bang in the middle of the action. The deuce bus and the monorail are both inexpensive ways to travel up and down the strip, too.
If you love nature, visit the flamingos and terrapins at the gardens at the Flamingo Hotel, which are a relaxing haven just off the strip. Not free, but definitely worth the $10 admission is Seigfreid and Roy’s Secret Garden at the Mirage. You’ll get to see dolphins, big cats and other rare animals here.