February 21, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Watching: The Book Of Mormon

I debated over writing this review. Mostly because I like to keep things light on this blog. Also, I did not want to invite a debate over this play. Because it is not worth my time. I have all ready wasted money on it. I hate to waste time even more.

I also never want to discuss religion on this blog, because it is just not something I care to discuss.

I also choose not bring up sex on this blog for much the same reason. When my children are out of the house, I might loosen up a bit. But for now those are my rules.

And in talking about this play, I would unfortunately have to bring up both of those words.

So, I decided not to write a review.

Only…

Every time I turn on the television, there is a commercial advertising this production with words it does not, in my humble opinion, deserve.

I would feel I am not being true to myself to not put this review out there. This is simply my opinion of the play. I am quite sure based on the laughter in the theater many people would disagree with me. However, here it is. Just this once. Me breaking my rules:

In one word, I would describe The Book Of Mormon play as puzzling.

And not in a good way.

I had been wanting to see The Book Of Mormon, the musical, for years. I am not a fan of South Park, but I absolutely loved the musical Avenue Q.

I did not really know what this play was about. I just knew everyone seemed to love it. It had won multiple awards. It was heralded as funny. Probably a little raunchy. It sounded like a great date night pick.

Idiotically, I did not read any reviews. I wanted it to be a surprise.

And it was.

Just not in the way that I hoped it would be.

I naively thought the play would be about Mormon boys knocking door to door and the funny capers they would witness and be subject to at different people’s homes. That just made the most sense to me.

I was entirely wrong.

This play does not want to make sense.

It simply wants to break down censors.

I knew I was in trouble from the beginning. Everyone was laughing and whooping throughout the beautiful Pantages Theater. And I was sitting there stunned. Because, to me, it was incredibly offensive. I looked at my husband and he had the same disgusted look on his face.

It was unbelievable. I felt like I was on Candid Camera. Or as if I was in a tent where everyone had smoked the magic fungi and I had only managed to contract a fungus.

I found this play to be very degrading to a great many people. It is immature. It relies heavily on shock value. As an adult who never felt the need to make up pretend words for genitals for a dialect with my children, I could not find the humor. Add in some sentences strewn in concerning random maggots and frogs. And those were the extent of the “jokes.” If I were to describe this play, that is what I would say it is about. Sentences with genitalia shouted out streamed with a random object and the f-word.

I would say it wasn’t really about religion. Maybe a bit. A little background about me: I am not Mormon. When I first heard about Mormon boys (when I was a Junior in high school) going on a two year mission, I was incredibly excited. I thought they were going to go search out treasure. Or fight dragons. I was very disappointed when I learned what they would really be doing. Boys in white shirts are incredibly different than knights on white horses. However, as a mother, my heart is softened when I see these young men far from home. In their handsome starched button down shirts and ties. They tug at my heart strings. I might not believe in what they are doing, but I can emphasize with how homesick they must feel. And I always give them water or a snack when they come by. I do not let them in. Most of them just want to pet my dogs. They miss that little bit of home. I would want someone to treat my son the same way if he was in their shoes.

I also feel we should be respectful of everyone’s religion, no matter what we think of it. A little poke is fine. A giant shove is another thing entirely. With all of that said, I found the song with the chorus, “F*** You God!” extremely unnecessary.

And their betrayal of Africans… I just could not believe it. I could not believe they found actors willing to play the roles. They made Africans a sad caricature of a race. It was horribly degrading. The reason this play got a 2 from me out of 10, and not a 1, is simply because the female lead was incredibly talented. Her voice. Probably the best I had heard in any musical. It is a shame it was being wasted on f-bombs and frogs.

Other offenses were the jokes about raping babies and female circumscion. Maybe I took too many Ethics Classes in college (one topic that happened to be discussed over and over again was female circumcision), but I am ashamed that this play is so highly revered in America. What does that say about us?

I kept imagining I was in the middle of a split screen. On one side you have us Americans watching this play and rolling in our seats at the man pronouncing that he is going to go rape a baby to cure his AIDS. And then I imagined the other side of the screen being the mother that this actually happened to that very day. To her baby. And her watching us laughing at the play. And her grief increasing tenfold at the plight of the human race.

It made me furious.

According to statistics, in the time period that I sat and watched this play, 655 more people contracted HIV. I am sorry, but to me, that is not funny. Nor is the thought that people are so desperate to cure themselves they will resort to raping children. Even babies.

My husband and I both agree that this production should be giving back some of their proceeds to the plight in this world that they so easily and carelessly mock.

And even if the play was not offensive, the music was forgettable. The jokes were flat. The storyline dragged on and was unbearably boring.

There were children there! Children! You guys, one song had the entire African male cast each strap on a giant three foot… hose…On stage. And act out…acts. And use the f-word for the act. What the heck were those parents thinking?

However, the cast got a standing ovation. We stood… And we left. As I was leaving I overheard a young man say to someone else, “I love this play! I have seen it three times this week! I have the whole thing memorized.”

I just don’t get it.

Thank God.

I am in no way a prude. In my circle of friends I would be described as a good time. The one that almost always has to make a few phone calls on Sunday mornings to apologize for my behavior the night before. I also am not bothered by curse words. So, for me to find this play offensive, well, it should not be taken lightly.

But neither should AIDS.

Or rape.

Or the perils of the third world.

Now I’m off to go get some cream. This fungus is itchy. I would hate for it to spread.

February 16, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Reading: “The Magician’s Elephant”

I love reading children’s books. There is something comforting and familiar about them. They almost never have a bad ending. They just make me happier. “The Magician’s Elephant” is no exception.

For the last two weeks, I have read a bit of this children’s book at night to my son. And to my husband (he says he likes to listen to me read). I realized recently that the last book I had read out loud to my son was when we read a Harry Potter book together almost two years ago. Two years! I could not believe it had been that long. I made a lazy conclusion in my head that insisted that if my children could read chapter books by themselves, they no longer needed me to read to them. And that is a shame. And a pity.

I started this children’s book by myself. But the writing was so marvelous, I had to share it. So, I began reading a bit to my son and husband every night. My daughter would have none of it. But she and I read the same teen fantasy books and discuss them, so I was okay with it. A little sad, but okay.

“The Magician’s Elephant” is the tale is a story about a magician who brings an elephant crashing down through the roof of an opera house and cripples a noble woman in the process. He did not mean to. He only wanted to provide her with lillies. But he also longed to do real magic.

In a different part of the city, little Peter has sought out a fortuneteller whose prediction to him was that he must follow an elephant to find the sister he believed to be dead.

And so it began. The intersecting lines of many lives all interwoven around and through and to the elephant.

The words in this book are gorgeous. It is only 201 pages long. Or two hundred and a half pages long, as my son would say.

The book is illustrated by Yoko Tanaka. The illustrations are a bit dark. But because Kate DiCamillo’s words are so descriptive and beautiful, I liked that the drawings were murky and dreamlike. The illustrations did not mess with the pictures that Ms. DiCamillo had all ready painted in my head.

I would be reading aloud and a sentence would catch me off-guard with its eloquent beauty. I would find my voice cracking and my vision blurred not by sadness but with the great emotion that her words brought forth.

Now this. This is a beautiful writer. And this. This is a beautiful book.

It is a book that will become a classic. I am sure of it.

The true magic in this book are in the sentences. She put words that I never thought to pull together and made them harmonize and sing. It was the music my soul did not know it longed to hear.

You cannot rush through this book, even though it is an easy read (actually there were surprisingly large words used for a children’s book). To rush through this book would be to miss the magic resting on each page.

My son turned to me when it was over moved beyond words. When I prodded him, he responded, “that was the best book I have ever read.”

I am glad he enjoyed it as much as I did.

I also have ordered “Flora and Ulysses.” It is a book also by Kate DiCamillo and I plan on beginning to read it to my whole family (my daughter is not getting out of a great book again) later in the week. I am making it a goal to read out loud to my children more. I had forgotten how enjoyable it was. Just because their ages are now in the double digits, doesn’t mean they are too old for it.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Do you have any other marvelous children’s books for me to read?

November 17, 2013 by gn0mel0ver

Anthropologie November Reviews

Is it fair to call this “November Reviews” when I took these pictures in October? Hmmm. Well, I have never been one for technicalities. When I went to the two holiday workshops in the stores last month, I figured I might as well try on a few things while I was there. You know, if I must. Cause I had to, of course. Not because there were so many lovelies calling my name. Of course not.

I will warn you. You know how I’m lazy? Well, in one of the reviews, I could not be bothered to put on pants. That would have involved taking off my boots. And, even though I brought pants into the dressing room just for this reason, I did not use them. Life is more exciting this way. And lazy is what lazy does. Or rather does not do. So, you’ve been warned.

Here we have a pretty top. It is called the Brocade Peplum Top. Do you know I brought some pants into the dressing room to try on with this, as well? But I didn’t. I just used what I wore that day.

I don’t know about this top. I love the parakeets used in the pattern of this top. But I am not a fan of the shiny fabric. The peplum is cute. I think it is flattering. This shirt is not for me, but it would be cute for the holidays for someone who likes shimmer. I am wearing a size 6 here. It fits well.

This was all I tried on that day. I was hungry.

Hence the parakeets.

They had this wrap on the last chance rack. I thought it was lovely. I cannot find it online. ~~If you know the name of it, please let me know.~~. Updated: Thank you Amles! Here is the link to the wrap. But I have no idea how to style this. I feel much older than I am in this. The pattern is beautiful, though.

Okay. Here we have Jenni wearing the Humboldt Tunic. It is a lovely shirt meant to be paired over leggings or jeans. Or, you know, the bright neon pink tights you had hiding under your dress because you thought no one would see them and you couldn’t find any socks. And if someone did catch a glimpse of them, well, maybe they would think you were edgy. Yea. Cause that is the word always used to describe you, “edgy.”

But you wore them and now you are too lazy to put pants on. So, there you stand in all your glory. Nice.

Ahem. Sorry.

I really like this top. To be fair, I thought it was a dress before I put it on. Once it was on, I just did not have the energy to rework it as a top. I am on a purchasing-sale-only kick right now, but if it is under $75 and it is a whole outfit, I might consider it. Unfortunately, this top fits neither of these categories at this time. But I will definitely reconsider it on sale. I am wearing a small here.

Also, in the red color on the site, the model is wearing the most amazing pair of blush colored pants. Does anyone know what pants those are?

Um, ’cause maybe I need some.

Update: Thank you, Angela! Here is the link for the velvet leggings I crave.

Please imagine I am not wearing bright pink tights with this dress? That question mark was a typo. But it fits this scenario. Try to imagine I am not wearing bright pink tights. Question mark. As in, how is that possible?

I know it’s hard.

This is a size small in the dress. It is called Ribboned Peasant Dress. It is on sale right now. Oh man, busty gals are going to love this dress. I have this tied as tightly as I could. I would have needed an XS in this and it still would not have fit me right. This is going to be phenomenal on the right body type. I cannot wait to see how some of the ladies are going to rock this. I am so jealous. This is a pass for me due to sizing issues.

I LOVED this dress online. It is called Galina Dress. I saved it in my wishlist along with some reddish boots and I would just stare at the combination side by side. Sigh.

Oh, you know you do it, too. ; )

But I am not in love with this dress on me. This is a size small, which I believe is the right size. The color is gorgeous. This seemed to be the hot item of the day, because I saw many ladies taking this dress into the dressing room with them.

I do not know what it is that doesn’t work for me. What do you think?

I removed this dress from my wishlist. The boots were heartbroken.

If you can’t tell, I love me some bright fun tights. I like a neutral dress I can play with to wear all of my happy colors throughout the winter. Because of my weight loss, I was down to one easy long sleeved neutral dress for the winter that worked in that category. I needed another one.

This fit the bill. In all ways, really. Including the actual bill.

It is a lounge dress. This is the Chiara Chemise. I do not know what exactly that means. “Lounge.” I guess I am supposed to lounge around the house in this.

But, we all ready know I will post pictures of myself sans pants on the internet, so it stands to reason that I would of course wear this out of the house. Everywhere. Fully standing. As in, not lounging.

Rebel. Hey, maybe I am edgy? Question mark not a typo here.

This dress is grey thermal. It is thin. It has cute little buttons on the shoulders. It was $68.

Oh man, you guys are not going to be happy with me. The pictures above are of me in the small.

But I was not comfortable in it. How could I lounge in something not comfortable?

I like to twist the word “lounge” to fit into whatever manipulation I am pulling at the time. It’s a fun little trick.

I tried on the medium, and I just liked it better. So, that is what I purchased.

I know! But it is so comfy.

I have all ready worn this three times with three different colored tights. And I am thrilled with this cute little number.

Let the “lounging” commence!

Have you tried on anything you like recently? And do you wear your “lounge” clothes out of the house (gasp!)?

October 21, 2013 by gn0mel0ver

My Shopping Tips And Reviews Of The Stores I Love

Okay. I admit it. I am a shopaholic. Thankfully, I am also practical. Otherwise, it would be easy to go overboard. I made a shopping guide and critique for the four stores I frequent most often based on my experiences. With that said, your experience might be different. But I hope it helps! Warning: this is a very long post!

Shopping Free people:

The good:

Exclusives
Free Shipping over $100 (always)
Free People Me Community
Fantastic App
Customer Service is amazing
Online Customer Service is also fantastic
Your birthday discount is good for any time in the entire year
Price adjustments within 14 days
Respect (I genuinely feel the people behind this store care about their customers)
They know their layering
Their clothing is cut beautifully to drape in a flattering way

The bad:

30 day return policy (after being used to Anthropologie’s amazing no restrictions return policy, this took some getting used to.)
Other retailers sell a lot of their merchandise. Sometimes, it is much cheaper elsewhere.
First cuts on merchandise are often small
Do not have online additional % off sales (but do have in store)
No alternative sizing (petites and plus sizes)

This store has my whole entire heart. This is because they have the best customer service out there. If there is a problem with your order or item, they go above and beyond for you. An example: I received a dress. It sat in my closet for over a month unworn because I was waiting for the weather to change. It finally did, but when I went to put it on, I discovered a gaping hole in the seam. I had not noticed it before. The dress was sold out (exclusive). Even if I had wanted to return it (and I did not), Free People has a 30 day return window. I was out of it. I emailed them pictures of the item and explained that I would have to get it fixed, but I still loved it. They gave me 25% off the item. I took the dress to be fixed. It cost $8. It looks brand new. They more than compensated me for the fix and they made me feel good that they understood the inconvenience. They created a loyal customer for life in me with a simple act of understanding and generosity.

Another example of them wanting their shoppers to be part of their brand is their Free People Me category. Shoppers (like me) upload pictures of how they styled the item. It is helpful. It is fun. And for participating last year, they sent me the sweetest gift in the mail. It was a handmade “Free People Me” flag and a beautiful necklace.

They truly appreciate their customers.

With that said, I do have some shopping tips I stick to. If it is not “exclusive” (an item will say this in the description if it is. This means it is only sold through Free People), I always hold out. This is from experience. It will probably either go on clearance there or show up at Nordstrom Rack. I cannot tell you how many Free People items I have purchased for 60% off or more from other retailers that were still showing full price on Free People’s website.

I will say, though, if you love it, and it is an exclusive: The item will usually hold out much longer for sale or completely sell out. That is a dilemma you have to wage with yourself. The “waiting game.” I think exclusives tend to sell out at full price rather quickly. So play at your own risk.

I also think they have some fantastic pieces of clothing for under $100.

Free People does markdowns sporadically. I had thought they were usually on Saturdays (that I had noticed). But then they will do a random markdown and blow my theory. Usually they do not mark an item down as generously as Anthropologie does. It is typical for an item to just be marked down 20-25% at first.

I am not thrilled with them for not having alternative sizing. I think it is something they need to work on.

Shopping Nordstrom Rack:

The good:

Consistently amazing deals
Merchandise changes constantly
Huge selection
Name brands

If you have a Nordstrom Debit or Credit Card: you earn points when you make purchases towards $20 Notes (store credit).
Free tailoring! ($100-300 worth of yearly alterations on clothes that did not have to be purchased there. Amount allowed depends on your rating. Your rating is based on how much you spend a year.)

The bad:

Overwhelming
Must make quick decisions
Strict 30 day return policy
Competing with resellers
You have to look and you have to compromise (check sizes not your own. I will repeat what I have said before: Oftentimes an item of clothing made it to sale because it was sized wrong. I just scored an amazing Free People top 61% off. It was an XS. It fits me like a dream. The XS gals had passed it up, because it was too large. Score for me! This has worked for me with larger sizes as well.)
They do not hold items
You need a lot of random luck
They do price adjustments, but it would be next to impossible to figure out if your one item got cut more (without being annoying and super persistent. I am guessing if you took your items in every 14 days, they could rescan them to check. But I have no idea. They are very crowded and very busy!)

A confession: when our Rack opened, I did not “get it.” It was overwhelming. Row upon row of, well, racks. Then a friend of mine took me shopping with her. And it has never been the same for me. She informed me that if you see a rack with tons of the same thing on it, it is not special. That is just Nordstrom’s brand of clothing. Yawn. Move along. A lot of times, things will hit sale. There are exceptions. Think my favorite: “Free People.”

As I mentioned above, Free People has its own large rack at our store. It is always in the same place (so if there is another designer that you love, look for that rack. You will always know where to look when going to the store. It will be less overwhelming). Sometimes there will be an additional rack of Free People dresses in the dress section. Right now, there is an additional rack stocked with Free People winter coats and sweaters. Free People items are generally marked 60% off or more at Nordstrom Rack.

If you like something, get it. It probably will not be there when you go back for it. I am always shocked how quickly things sell at Nordstrom Rack. There is such limited stock, it is next to impossible to play the sale guessing game. I went there last year and saw three displays of tall Hunter rain boots in a multitude of colors. I believe they were $75. They were awesome. I decided to go home and think about it. I realized I wanted a pair. I went back the next day, every single pair was gone. It was a great price and savvier shoppers (or eBay sellers) than me, knew that, too.

That’s right. Not only are you competing against other fashionistas, but you are also competing against resellers. And they know their stuff. And they will buy it. And they will sell it… For a profit.

Now, there have been many, many instances where I walk into Nordstrom Rack and there is absolutely nothing “good.” That’s okay. There are far too many times that they have awesome stuff.

Keep checking!

They do not get new shipments in on Sundays and Mondays. They get new merchandise in every day Tuesday-Saturday. Once, they forgot to give me a dress I paid for (it fell out of the bag). I called when I got home. They held it for me. I went back five hours later. There were more items out on the floor. They are constantly pulling things from the back all day. Often there is just one of that item from a particular designer or franchise.

You have to be lucky.

Nordstrom Rack is an excellent place to purchase designer jeans. I got a pair of Mother’s jeans (my favorite) for 75% off. And some Paige corduroy skinnies for 50%. They consistently have Joe’s (which I have not had luck with for my body).

It is also a wonderful place to purchase designer sun glasses. I am always losing my sunglasses. It is just not something that I care to invest money in. But I want good ones for eye protection, especially as I get older. I have bought both pairs of my sunglasses here for $17 and $33 and they both retailed for over $130 a piece.

Shopping Anthropologie:

The good:

Unique items
Fantastic home selection
Store displays are enchanting
Great sale prices
Amazing return policy
Wonderful in-store customer service
Price adjustments within 14 days
Used clothing can generally be resold for a decent price
Petite sizing

The bad:

It is hard to buy something full price, when you know it will almost always hit sale.
Shipping prices are outrageous
Online and phone customer service have not been good for me
Items are frequently cancelled after ordering (so do not get your hopes up. Do not expect sympathy or an apology either.)
Long wait for shipping
Competing with resellers
No plus sizes and lower stock of larger sizes
Their website needs some work

Anthropologie is magical. It is wonderful. Their merchandise is like noone elses. And neither are their sales.

Anthropologie has a sale almost every Monday. Sunday night, Roxy of Effortless Anthropologie plays a Sales Guessing game with her readers. Everyone (other girls who also love the brand) waits up Sunday night to snag the first of the deals. It is usually 12:00 a.m. for west coasters and 3:00 a.m. for east coasters (although lately they have been an hour and a half early).

I think most of Anthropologie’s items I have watched have made it to sale. The exception to this for me was the Ping Maxi Skirt. I purchased it with a discount (thankfully) and it had sold out in my size long before it hit 50% off. 50% off is generally what the item goes immediately to on sale. This is called first cut. The next cut would take it to 50% off of the sale price. This is called second cut. And then it goes is 50% off that price. This is the rare third cut. Pieces almost always get marked to this. But by that time, the item has usually all ready sold out. Items can even get as low as $9.99 and $19.99. Add that to their additional % sales and you can score big savings.

This is when having a GIGANTIC wishlist pays off. I have a 10 page wishlist on Anthropologie’s website. I check it daily. People return items every day. You can sometimes get things from your wishlist for amazing prices. I got a cardigan a couple of months ago for $8. Normally $89. And I just snagged a shirt I had been watching for months for $20, originally $120. Roxy also does a post on this once a week called “Friday Popbacks.” Awesome readers post the finds that do not fit them or they do not want from their wishlist with a link. This allows someone in the “community” to grab it.

Sound easy? Well, it is! Not to mention thrilling.

I will admit that I very rarely buy an item not on sale at this store. My exception is something unique or something I think is going to sell out. Like the Sketchbook Shirt Dress or the Toadstool Blouse. I splurged on both of these with the 15% discount (I never wore the first two I purchased and returned them). They were both so unique and whimsical, it was worth the splurge for me. An example of something I am holding out on would be the Wonderland Tunic. I am waiting for sale on this. And I think it will sell out before it hits sale in my size. We will see! But on this, I am holding firm.

I will also splurge on things that do not have a high price tag to begin with like two of the Creature Feature Tops. Sure, they are spendy for a t-shirt. But I will get so much wear out of them for the small amount of difference between the sale price that it will eventually go to and the starting point. It is not worth it to me to wait.

If something hits sale and it is not on my wishlist, I always ignore it. If I did not like it at full price, I will not even look at it on sale. I always stick to my wishlist. My exception to this are pants and jeans. There are just so many of them. I could not possibly put them all on my wishlist. Last week I scored three pairs of JBrand Moto Zipped Crops (2 for me and 1 for my daughter). They retailed for $242 each. I scooped them up at $19.99 a piece.

This does not mean I purchase everything on my wishlist. Today a dress “popped back” on my wishlist. It retailed for $188. It was now $29.99. I just did not want it any more. This happens quite often. I would say I end of purchasing 10-15% of the items I save in my wishlist. I am fickle. And I like to gamble. I like to play “how low will it go?” The house usually wins. And I move along.

Anthropologie has an amazing home section. To me, this is their strongest asset above the other stores. Their items end up in fashion magazines and home magazines. The home pieces are amazing. So quirky, fun and beautiful. I could spend hours in their home section.

Also, I am not petite, but I am ecstatic that not only does Anthropologie offer petite sizing in many items now, but that they are also opening petite stores. Good for them!

However, Anthropologie’s lack of understanding in regards to the larger-than-average sized girl is high on my peeves. Anthropologie frequently sells out of size XL and size 14-16 first. Plus sized gals almost always have to buy things full price from Anthropologie (I know from experience. Waiting for sale seemed so odd and wonderful to me when I started shopping for smaller sizes). Usually the larger sizes will not hit sale. There is not enough inventory. It is not fair. Anthropologie has not “gotten it” yet. See my Modcloth review to learn how a company does it right.

Shopping Modcloth:

I love the quirky items at this store. Sometimes they can be a bit too quirky for me. I have found I do not wear my items from this store as often as I do items from other stores. This leads me to not shop here very often. But when I do, there are things I have learned.

The good:

Unique, fun pieces of clothing
Plus sizes!!!
Stylish Surprise
FREE SHIPPING AND RETURNS OVER $50! Sorry to shout. But that is so fantastic. Again they know their customer and they respect them.
Clothing arrives in a whimsical blue printed box with some sort of product sample (eg: Tom’s toothpaste).

The bad (very few. It really is a great company):

I sometimes find the quality is not on point with the price of an item.
Very rarely will an item make it to sale from my wishlist (good for them!)
30 day return policy

One of my main reasons for supporting Modcloth is their respect for women of all sizes. I can not express how much it irks me that other franchises do not respect the larger girl. Think the petite line at Anthropologie (which is so great for petites, but sizes should also go the other way). As a former plus size wearer, I feel so much gratitude towards this company for “getting it.” Women come in all forms. I love that they embrace this. They always show beautiful plus sized models along with the petite and average models. I realize this is rather long. But it is something that is very close to my heart.

Modcloth stocks XS-3X in many items of clothing. For the petite gals, there are many pieces from Europe that are sized for smaller bodies. And for the plus size there are exclusives. I love this!

Bravo Modcloth!

They also do a fun thing called “Stylish Surprise.” For $15 they will pick out an article of clothing (it could literally be anything) for you. The item you receive is guaranteed to be priced at $29.99 or more. It is not returnable. Think “mystery bag.” I read one girl got an amazing winter coat! I am not very brave. I have only done this once. I got an amazing dress that I love. These surprises happen every couple of months throughout the year.

There are so many things that I adore about all of these stores. And some things I would love to see changed. I strive to be honest with my opinions and my tips. I hope my long post helped! I want people to score amazing deals. What is the best deal you have gotten? What is your favorite store to shop at? Do you have additional tips to share? Feel free to comment.

Gnome Lover

Stumbling through life while still having fun

reviews

Watching: The Book Of Mormon

Reading: “The Magician’s Elephant”

Anthropologie November Reviews

My Shopping Tips And Reviews Of The Stores I Love