Hope you had a fabulous Christmas. Mine was top-notch and especially festive.
Whatcha doin' today? Lounging? Working? Gorging on turkey sandwiches?
I'm going to attempt some shopping later. Wish me luck. I imagine it will be horrifically crowded. Ew. Yeah, perhaps I'll stay home.
Buy Local & Save!
Many businesses are open late and having 1 Day Sales.
Nob Hill Retailers need your help!
The 17th annual Nob Hill Shop and Stroll happened on December 2nd as planned, but hurricane-strength winds and brutal cold kept most shoppers at home. It was bad for business, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time for Nob Hill.
Your Nob Hill neighborhood is struggling. Shop and Stroll is usually one of the biggest sales days of the year for most area retailers. For many merchants, 2011 has been the most challenging year they’ve ever faced.
Jay Steinberg, owner of Birdland shares, “for the first time in 17 years I’m on the verge of going out of business.”
He is far from alone. Many stores have closed over the last few years in Nob Hill. Matie Fricker, Co Owner of Self Serve Sexuality Resource Center, and lead organizer of Park and Shop explains, “We’re about to celebrate our store’s 5th anniversary, and it should be a time for celebration. But it’s never been harder just to stay open. When I started talking to neighbors, I realized that we are not alone.”
Martha Somerville, the owner of Papers for 15 years has seen the neighborhood change. “I grew up going to mom and pop stores--I always loved the creativity and individuality I found there. It feels very different shopping in a store that is locally owned. You can feel the passion of the owner, their heart is in the business and you really feel the love in how you are treated.” Unfortunately, Martha has been forced to move Papers into a smaller space in order to save her shop. “The sales just aren’t coming into support the cost of doing business.” Martha fears that without a change Nob Hill could end up looking like a ghost town.
What's happening in Nob Hill is happening all over America, and through Park & Shop, the merchants of Nob Hill hope to make it easier for folks to keep their money in their local community. According to Wayne Story, VP of Communications & Marketing for the Albuquerque Independent Business Association (AIBA) “Albuquerque area consumers and businesses are spending too much of their money on businesses with ownership in other states, and the money is flooding out of New Mexico. It's filling the pockets of out of state internet businesses and national companies whose profits leave the state and never return.”
Whether or not you can shop on Thursday, December 15th, Nob Hill merchants hope that you will choose to support locally and independently owned small businesses. By choosing to support Nob Hill and other locally owned businesses you can effectively keep vitally needed resources here in New Mexico.
For sales & details, go to:
Nob-Hill-Park-Shop-Event-Info on Facebook
Nob Hill Park & Shop Sales & Specials
The list of businesses offering big sales on December 15th is growing.
Some participants are: Revolver, Kosmic Trading Post, Self Serve, T ‘n’ A Tobacco, The Herb Store, Cowboys and Indians, Birdland, Gearwerks, Olo Yogurt Studio, Stone Mountain Beads, Terra Firma, Rhythm Dance Company, Rockit Hair Studio, Toad Road, The Yarn Store, Tres Boutique, Sole Art and Antiques, Bath and Body Distro, Stilo, Ecco Gellato, Bath and Body Distro, Astro Zombies, Papers, Zap..Oh!, Form Gallery, Aqui-Nob Hill, The Barber's Shop, Stone Circle Massage and more.
The mighty Wes Naman and I stopped by Sukhmani Nob Hill and met the new resident cutie, Samosa the Champ, a 12-week-old French Bulldog.
Perhaps you're familiar with Jen Yates' blog, Cake Wrecks. Now, she and her husband, John, have released Wreck the Halls, featuring hundreds of holiday cakes gone horribly wrong. This book definitely earns the Fabü seal of approval. You or someone you know might desperately need it.
All images: Cake Wrecks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=450FiZ3Fapc
Lots of fab things happening today, dahling. 1. First, mi amiga, Kimberly, and I are getting our palms read. Cue creepy music! Ooooweeeoooo!
2. Next, we fetch mah huzzbun, then we're off to the grand opening bash at new downtown men's clothier, Dressed to Kill.
3. Then it's over to Nob Hill for the Bollywood Bash Grand Opening at Sukhmani Nob Hill.
4. Last stop: the Aux Dog Theatre for The Dolls' annual Halloween play. This year, it's Satan's School for Girls -- The Reunion.
Actually, that's probably not our last stop. Might need a little nightcap before heading home. It's is Saturday night, after all.
Hope your Saturday is fabulous!
It was a lovely and wholesome weekend, dahling. Happy fifth birthday to my pal, Addison. She's the boss with the hose. Get 'em, girl!
Addison's mom, event planner Sheli Armstrong, receives five stars for the fab cake.
Next, DJB and I took the dogs to the always-fantastic Mariposa Gallery in Nob Hill for their annual pet portrait fundraiser. For a mere $15 donation per pet, we received on-the-spot, one-of-a-kind portraits of Mr. Fynn and Miss Mary.
The final products are quite different. Fynn's is classic, while Mary's is straight-up cartoony.
I liken Mary's portrait to Wile E. Coyote in a sailor dress. She will blow up your world with dynamite and unceremoniously drop anvils on you, all whilst looking fabulous in festive, themed frocks.
Next, we strolled around Nob Hill Summerfest. Central was blocked off from Girard to Washington. Great music, street vendors, food, bevvies and most of the boutiques were having great sales. Check out this snazzy little number from Off Broadway. It's a funky, late 60s dress with abstract blue/green print, flared sleeves and tied belt.
I can almost guarantee this year's birthday dress will come from Off Broadway. It's a big birthday, my friend. It starts with a four and ends with an ohmygawwwd. Sigh. Fabulous. The dress MUST rule.
This little dancing diva wins Coolest Chick of the Day award. She was hoofing it like there was no tomorrow, totally solo. She was so composed and focused. I was crabby until I saw her. Then I felt lighter and happier. Thanks, girl.
How was YOUR weekend, leisure lovah?
Shoe shopping was successful. Miss Ella got her first pair of Chuck Taylors. So proud!
After a tasty lunch, we stopped by the pet supply store to grab some goods for Romper the rabbit. The girls disappeared around a corner. Here's where I found them.
We left without any new creatures. Close call.
Preparing to head home. Adios and much love, fam. Thanks for a goofy-great time, as always!
Topic: Santa Fe fabulousness with DJB.
Dined with friends, then headed to Santa Fe Brewing Company for the Yo La Tengo show. Al fresco, intimate, awesome. The weather, the venue, the sound, the people... the whole package receives five stars.
After a good night's rest, we kicked around town for a while. If you've not been there recently, fair warning: they're all calling it Fanta Se now. Vendors and residents alike. My vote: thumbs-down. It's Santa Fe. Stop it. Love your city, but knock it off. Thanks in advance.
Naturally, we had to visit Cos Bar for a high-end, luxury cosmetics fix.
Lunch and cockies on the Coyote Cafe rooftop = yum.
DJB = cute.
There's more to be had, but we'll dive deeper into all that in an upcoming Fabü dedicated to Santa Fe fabulousness.
Hope the weekend's been good to you, dahling.
I might need to move to China, eat pickled frogs and lounge around in antibacterial underwear, because I'm officially über-ashamed of our country right now.
Why? Are you ready for this? I'm not sure that you are. Pause and take a deep breath, because you're about to hear some seriously stupid news.
The most-photographed attraction in New York City is......
The Apple store on Fifth Avenue.
Yes, the computer store. Not Rockefeller Center... not Times Square... not Central Park... the g.d. Apple store. Shamefully, shaaaaamefully true.
It feels like somebody stepped on a butterfly inside my heart right now. I'm gonna go barf... or listen to Morrissey... or both. Too bad there isn't a recording of Morrissey barfing. Efficient.
Via TechNews Daily
Etsy vendor, Plaid Pigeon, makes awesome planters out of repurposed safari animal toys. Click here to check 'em out.