$32 glass of Champagne!

I spent the holidays this year in London, Paris and Brussels. I love traveling between Christmas and New Years. Everything is so beautifully decorated, everyone's in a great mood, the world feels magical. Lights, trees, ice skating under the stars. Being from socal it's fun to be somewhere a bit colder, fun to dress in sweaters, coats, gloves!

One fabulous discovery I made this year is that there are amazing post xmas sales abroad as in the states. I spent gobs of money on gorgeous clothes and accessories in Paris and London! 50% off Mui Mui, Alexander McQueen, Claudie Pierlot!

After all the hard shopping we stopped by the Harrod's Veuve Clicquot bar. It was a posh little space that was super inviting. Two glasses of rose champagne cost a whopping $64 dollars. It doesn't help that the exchange rate from pounds to dollars is frighteningly weak.

Now I'm back and saving my pennies, so I can afford the next adventure - Vietnam in February!

Ready, Set, Go!

Next week I'll be living in Argentina, albeit for a month, but a resident none the less. This marks my longest trip outside the US and away from work. Somehow I think I'll adjust just nicely :)

Hoping to eat amazing food, find unique fashions and relax like a local! Adios + Ciao! Here I go on my jetset adventure.

Adventures in...Underwear?

I like to think of myself as someone with an adventurous spirit, willing to try new things. On the fashion side, I love the latest trendy item as much as the next gal...spikes, animal prints, tie dye, maxi dress, etc. This past weekend I was shopping for a few things for my Argentina trip when I came across these "give and go" briefs. Sadly,  my openness and sense of adventure stop here. "17 countries, 6 weeks, One pair of underwear"!

I hate to be a wimp...I'm just not sure this is a good idea, and don't know that I have the stomach to find out if it works. I partly blame the copywriting..."control odor causing bacteria"! Ummm that doesn't sound too attractive to me.

On a separate but equal note, I don't want to sacrifice style over function. I will make the necessary room in my luggage for pretty panties!

No Foreign Transaction Fees Please!

On my recent trip abroad I noticed the credit card transaction fees rack up on my credit card bill.

Heading into a month long adventure in South America I knew I needed to do something. All the big banks charge a few for every purchase, Amex, Chase and Citibank, 2% or more.  So this morning I took to the internet to see if there is any relief and voila, I found an amazing credit card deal from Capital One.

This is not an ad for Capital One, but this is a fantastic deal:
Capital One offers a credit card with 0 international transaction fees! The card also provides 1.25 points per dollar spent, no annual fee, 0 interest until June 2012 and 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months.

Fellow travelers this deal is a steal! Hope I get approved...

Seek and she may find...

One of my favorite shops in San Francisco is Aria Antiques. It's a treasure trove of strange curiosities...doll parts, old scientific equipment, vintage botany posters and maps, etc... It's fun to get lost in the fascination of it's other worldly relics.

On my recent visit I was so excited to find an ex-voto of a knee + calf (smaller one.) It's the perfect companion to my newly formed collection. I became interested in ex-votos both as a decorative item and as a talisman. Specifically I'm collecting the lower leg because my left calf often has knots in the muscle (source unknown). I thought it was time for divine intervention. 

An ex-voto is a votive offering to a saint or divinity after the fulfillment of a vow or promise. The offering is often made in a church where the person wants to give thanks or seeks grace. 

I have arrived...

At least that's what FourSquare said this weekend. I finally unlocked my JetSetter badge! Went up to Sonoma, via SFO, for some wine tasting and relaxation and presto FourSquare put the icing on the cake. Sadly in our digital age it took a social network to validate me!

For my flight I used my gorgeous new silver Hunter bag to carry on all my essentials: water, Vogue, bran muffin, mac book air, Burt's Bees lip gloss, lotion, etc. One key learning for me has been that travel is much better when you have the right essentials. It increases the pleasure 10 fold.

And oh Sonoma was amazing. What a beautiful spot! We saw rows and rows of vines. Bucolic is the word that best describes the region. Farm to food restaurants throughout the valley. It was amazing. 

Back to my new standing....many years ago I decided I want to be a Jetsetter...figured it's best to aim high!

The mantra "fake it til you make" keeps me booking trips, hoping it will take :)  Here's my vision board I created to support my efforts. There is a school of thought that says you can attain something by visualizing it. I put this together to hasten my Jetset fantasy into reality.

Seems I'm finally getting this off the ground one flight at a time! Thanks FourSquare for another visual cue towards my goal.

Hi, I'm a Compulsive Shopper

At the beginning of April I made a resolve to abstain from buying anything new this month. When I came up with this idea I thought it would be pretty easy to do. Just say no! I'm capable. Well it's April 4 and I’m faltering.

Let’s just say I came across a few things I had to have:

1. Pillows for my couch from onekingslane.com. 

RATIONAL: i've been looking for a while now. My couch really needs them!

2. Lemon pitcher from italy: onekingslane.com. 

RATIONAL: Hey we are heading into summer...and it's so cute....FROM ITALY!

3. Seersucker scarf from Japan: New High Mart, Los Feliz. 

RATIONAL: IT'S SO CUTE AND CHIC! AND FROM JAPAN!

4. Beaded necklace: New High Mart, Los Feliz. 

RATIONAL: This is a work of art. So unique. I'm supporting this store and the artist who made this!!

I think it's time to get down to brass tacks. I'm a compulsive shopper! Yesterday I went to the library and checked out "Confessions of a Shopaholic." One chapter in and it's a pretty fun read. The character is very familiar. It's amazing what we can justify as we buy something...i need this, it's such a great deal i'm actually saving money, i'm helping drive the economy, it's downright patriotic! On it goes!

As any good addict will tell you it’s one day at a time with this stuff. So today I pledge to not to buy anything new. Wish me luck!