Coffee Snob No More

One rainy day, I decided to go to my local Walgreens instead of my full blown grocery store. In search of my favorite Peet's coffee, I came across Mr. Coffee "Cozy Classic" for only $3.99 a 12 oz. bag. Keep in mind, Peet's is usuall about $9.99.

I decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise, Cozy Classic was quite smooth, but robust. The perfect start to a cold morning. These days, when every dollar counts, sometimes we can't always afford to be a coffee snob.

I know, it sounds crazy. How can Mr. Coffee compete with Peets. I'm not saying it's similar or better, but I am saying it's pretty darn decent. Give it a try!

Google Nexus One Phone- Unsubsidized vs. Subsidized

The Google Nexus One phone is here! Jan 5, 2010, Google launched their highly anticipated unlocked phone. Subsidized with a T-mobile plan: the phone is $179 with a $79 phone plan (500 minutes, unlimited data and web, 2 year contract). Unsubsidized the phone is a somewhat daunting, $529, but the payoff is in the freedom of finding your own plan.

The fact of the matter is, unsubsidized phones will always be cheaper than buying a subsidized phone and being tied to a contract (at a higher rate). After some research and talking to T-mobile, my best option was buying it unsubsidized with a family plan:

• 1000 shared minutes (500 each)
  
• Unlimited data and web

Despite the unsubsidized phone's initial cost of $529 (a difference of $385), you make up the costs in 15 months. At that point, 9 more months of the subsidized contract will cost you $192 more than if you bought the unsubsidized phone and got a family plan. After 2 years, you save $306 every year, over the $79 plan. Of course, once your 2 year contract is over, you should shop around and find a better plan. Still, $192 in savings in 2 years isn't too shabby.

Take a look at my spreadsheet for details.

Bring in the New Year - On a Budget

As the new year approaches, we all like to celebrate in style. But with style, often comes a high price tag. New Year's Eve prix fixe dinners, brunches and all those sorts of things are marked up for the occasion.

Instead, consider a quiet and romantic evening enjoying some appetizers and bubbly with you loved ones.

On the menu:
-Cristalino Cava
-Stuffed dates wrapped in bacon
-Smoked salmon on crispy potato chips, garnished with sour cream and dill

Cost Plus Imports has two varieties of Cristalino (Brut and Extra Dry) at a mere $5.99 per bottle. A longtime favorite of Wine Spectator as far as value, this is a bargain bottle with lots of personality. Check out this amusing review of both the Brut and Extra Dry.:
----------------------
Cava, Spain

Cristalino Cava Brut is a sparkling wine from Spain, made from the grape varietals Macabeo 50%, Parellada 35% and Xarello 15%. Produced by Jaume Serra, this lovely sparkler offers a fine alternative to Champagne at less than half the price.

Cristalino Cava Brut has a bright green-gold color and shows fine bubbles. It has a pleasant nose of green apples, peaches, toast, flowers, cinnamon and herbs. Crisp and bright, dry with medium-full body, this sparkler offers rich flavors of apples, figs, lemon, roasted almonds and pie crust. It is fruit-forward and balanced, with a clean, lemony finish.

Enjoy Cristalino Cava Brut as an apéritif and with chicken salad, shellfish, paella, filet of sole and fruit desserts.
--------------------------
For appetizers, here is your shopping list:
-Dates (buy the bulk ones at Whole Foods, they're fresher and larger)
-Blue cheese crumbles OR you can stuff them with a whole almond instead
-Bacon
-Smoked Salmon (Trader Joe's has an excellent one in the small black package)
-Lightly salted potato chips
-Sour Cream
-Fresh Dill

Preparation
-Slice dates in half lengthwise, stuff dates with a bit of blue cheese. If you don't like blue cheese, substitute parmesan or mozarella. You can also just stuff it with an almond for a bit of crunch. Cut bacon in half crosswise. Wrap the date tightly, place seam side down on a broiler pan. Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes and (remember to turn after 20 minutes), watching closely.
-Place pre-sliced smoked salmon on a potato chip top with a bit of sour cream and garnish with fresh dill

VOILA! Happy New Year!

$3 in free Amazon Music

So Black Friday has come and gone, as have the big deals and bargains. Rather than compete with the excellent deal forums like Slickdeals.net or Fatwallet.com, I waited until the dust cleared.

Get $3 in Amazon MP3 music by clickign this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000455181&ref_=pe_67050_13524000

500 Days of Summer Soundtrack, the entire album is $5, with this your final price is only $2!

Magic in a Bottle

I've never been a big fan of make-up and typically I go for a natural, naked look (at least on my face). The closest thing to lipstick that I will wear is a dab of lip gloss. At any rate, I may have converted to a make-up junkie, all because of a wonderful San Francisco-based cosmetic line, Benefit.

I've tried their touted Benetint, but I hated it. Stains are just not for me. Stains are for wood.

Last year, I found "Brow-zing," their eyebrow kit that includes a handy mini-tweezer, brow grooming wax and a nice brow powder and brush. It is the dandiest thing, all in a small mirrored compact. Next, I discovered their blush and bronzer all-in-one, "Dallas" (which replaced my stash of Hoola bronzer). Their packaging is youthful and fresh, a bit retro, pin-up girl like. Their products are generally light and not at all goopy or unnatural looking. Instead you look young, fresh and radiant.

Just recently, I fell in love with an array of must have beauty products:

• Ooh La Lift: a pinkish, shimmery, undereye cream. It de-puffs and gives a nice subtle radiance that makes your eyes look younger. I know it sounds weird. How can pinkish shimmer help my eyes? But trust me, you won't look like a clown and will be happy. And if you do look like a clown, you'll be a happy clown.


• High Beam: great to accentuate the brow bones and cheeks. They call this supermodel in a bottle because it gives you an ethereal glow. I wasn't exactly Giselle Bundchen, but at least my brow bones and my cheeks looked awesome. I'm a convert.


• Lemon-aid: wakes up the upper eye lid with a subtle yellow tint that blends in to reduce any redness and give you a fresh glow. I was dubious, but I liked the effect.


• Erase Paste: a rosey colored pot of concealer that magically covers up blemishes, but most importantly dark circles under the eyes and brightens them.

I've tried the run-of-the-mill concealers and eye gels and I can confidentally say these are tops. You may be thinking of your usual skin colored concealers that look chalky over dark circles. Oddly Benefit's undereye products have strange tones to them, but they blend and just work somehow.

Available at Sephora, but also on the Benefit website with free shipping for over $50 and google "Benefit coupon" for coupon codes for 10% or 15% off your first order.

My order arrived in just 2 days to Los Angeles. It was beautifully wrapped, they threw in 3 free samples and a catalog. I LOVE these products! The closest thing to magic in a bottle. Turn back father time without seeing a plastic surgeon.

Updates on My Online Orders

A few updates:

• Make Me Chic's shipping is fast and their clothes are super cute. I ordered the navy blue romper and a few other sundresses and they are all ADORABLE. They arrived neatly folded up and packaged in a clear plastic pouch.
• My Halloween Costume arrived today, super fast shipping (almost overnight in California). I ordered the Autumn Fairy costume in my post below and it looks better than pictured. I'm going to skip the wings and make it more like a Circus performer outfit, since this year, Jackaroo is going to be a clown for Halloween. 25% off and shipping, the outfit was about $30.
  

Halloween Costumes - Men and Women

The old joke goes that Halloween is a holiday for women to dress in provacative outfits. Take any occupation, any character, any personality and add "sexy" before it and voila - the perfect ladies Halloween costume.

Rather than weather the crowds at specialty Halloween shops and trailblazing your way through disheveled aisles, make life a lot simpler and Halloween shopping a lot more affordable by checking out this website:

http://sexycostumestore.stores.yahoo.net/

Typical Leg Avenue Halloween costumes are about 50% less at this site than Halloween Specialty shops like Spirit. They also offer FREE SHIPPING. Tip: If you find an outfit you like on another site, hit this site and do a search to find it for less. SEXY25 code gets you 25% off and free shipping until October. See website for details.