RSS this is life in austin/aspen
You let me go shopping in your giveway clothes a few weeks ago.
… and you gave me a Ralph Lauren down jacket. I have worn it every single day I have been in cold weather since.
I cannot thank you enough!
Friends are awesome 
Love,
Me
November 1, 2010
HELP! Random Shopping – I Need Your Advice?
I found this for only $80! Should I have bought it?
Turns out you need a lot of warm boots in snowy places. Which of these should I get? Or do you have other (not TOO expensive) faves I need to know about? Don’t tell me UGGS!!
Snow boots by lifeinaustin featuring sporto shoes
Also, I spent FOREVER and a day researching this article, and I love it. It makes me want to hug my computer screen. Check out EndlessBeauty’s 15 Fave Empowering Goods, a roundup of beauty goods and accessories that benefit their makers and empower women to get out of poverty.
October 22, 2010
Wow, more shopping/deal sites!
Yo, did you guys know about SteepandCheap.com? Because I sure didn’t, but apparently everyone else within 1,000 vertical feet of snow did. It flashes a new item every 30 minutes or until it sells out, whichever comes first, and its got tons of mountain-y gear like skis, accessories, clothes, hiking gear, shoes, packs, camping stuff, you think REI and they have it.
Also new to my life are Left Lane Sports and 118 Boardshop, both “invite-only” shopping sites more akin to RueLaLa, ideeli, or Gilt but with less frequent sales that sit on the site longer. They also focus on the outdoorsy stuff, though 118 Boardshop is a skate-culture shop.
You know what else is cool? My first ski boots:
They go really well with my hot pink skis. OF COURSE I got hot pink skis!!
September 29, 2010
Aspen: Shop and Eat in New Places!
New places to shop (I still love Susie’s):
WeSC, which stands for “WeAretheSuperlativeConspiracy”, opened its Aspen concept store this August. The Swedish born street-fashion brand is designed “For intellectual slackers,” it means for hipsters with cash to spend and attitude to spare (461 East Hopkins).
Courage. B boutique will open “soon” and specialize in fashionable women’s apparel and accessories. From ballet flats to Hermes-inspired Kelly bags to knit shifts with matching cardigans, you’ll find everything you need to update your wardrobe … if you’re a tourist, probably.
Yoga studio 02 Aspen is opening a retail store in the Aspen Square building by Thanksgiving … while I think it’s amazing a lululemon hasn’t opened here yet despite the fact that you can’t GO to a yoga class in Aspen without seeing the silly om sign, the luxury yoga line is just one of many carried at 02′s main street store, but lulu’s shorts are marked up 150%. Unless there are some serious sales, I still have my fingers crossed for a local lulu (and you know my loyalty lies with King Yoga).
Dannenmann-Pure was such a hit during Aspen Fashion Week this year that German fashion designer Petra Dannenmann is bringing her signature 100 percent organic pure boiled wool fabric produced with no chemicals to the little ski town that could (525 East Cooper).
Eating
Some of us are stuck with the off-season deals (though I can hardly say stuck when Matsuhisa offers $5 rolls), but for everyone else there are some new grub-gettin’ places in town:
The Silver Queen opened in September 2010 occupying the former famous Syzygy space. Chef Jamie Flatt, formerly of Willow Creek and known for some incredible use of truffle in his sweet potato fries, is overseeing the kitchen. The cuisine is American-eclectic with an Aspen-reasonably priced bar menu (520 E. Hyman).
Pitkin County Steakhouse & Pitkin Tavern opened in August of 2010 replacing Double Dog and Steak Pit on the corner of restaurant row. The steakhouse serves dry aged steaks, fresh fish, and a salad bar stocked with local produce, while the tavern is a classic locals’ hangout with a full menu, shuffleboard, and 12 beers on draft (305 East Hopkins).
Casa Tua restaurant and private club is slated to open mid-December across from Belly Up. Can another “private club” make it in a Caribou Club town? Look for the restaurant to offer fine Italian fare with French and Swiss influences, while the upstairs club will offer an “Italian oasis” for members only. Do we have that many Italians visiting Aspen?
Hopefully C & P Burger will fill Aspen’s much-needed quick-n-dirty dining scene. Austin has its food trailers, why can’t Aspen have some grab-and-go options? Lunch, dinner, and adult beverages, will include locally grown beef burgers (yum!), LuLu Wilson’s famed Kale salad (better than Peaches?), truffle parmesan fries (sign me up), soft-serve yoghurt with seasonal fresh fruit (ha! it was only a matter of time…). It opens “soon” so keep your eyes peeled!
September 10, 2010
Giveaway! WIN $75 from thisislifeinaustin/aspen!
Cross your fingers for me … we’re looking at a fab apartment in Aspen with a high bar-table … what some call “bistro sets.” Even if we don’t snag that apartment (apartments in Aspen are IMPOSSIBLE, btw), we could buy a sweet table (or at least part of one) IF we won the lifeinaustin/aspen giveaway from CSN Stores!!
To enter to win $75!!, simply leave a comment with what you’d buy with $75. Winner will be chosen at random. Unless you’re boring, in which case I will run the random again.
You win: a one-time-use $75 gift certificate (the card does not cover any shipping costs) for use on 200+ websites, including www.cookware.com, www.allmodern.com, and www.luxebycsn.com.
Contest ends NEXT Friday, September 17, 10am MST. Winner announced after that!
July 13, 2010
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Rich Rocks NYC
… and so does Serena! Me and my fave Gossip Girl gal now share a pair of FABULOUS earrings:
I rocked these Rich Rocks NYC ‘Oversized Hanging Smokey Faceted Dangles’ earrings–fancy talk for smoking hot faux-crystal huge sparklers–to a birthday party this weekend and got a TON of compliments. Everyone loved them.
They’re only $75! I mean, could I love anything more?! I now have them in this smoky color AND the clear version, which I rode biking to town. Gotta look glam no matter what you’re doing, I say.
Here are the other goodies I got in the mail:
The necklaces are the super hip collar-style but are really, really lightweight. They’re both statement pieces, perfect for glamming up a simple tank or tee. (Left, $100, Right, $75)
Plus check out the bedazzled ring and earrings, which look super expensive but are actually totally affordable at $45 and $75, respectively!
I love how all the earrings are dangly and sparkly, which elongates the face and shows off cheekbones!
One of my most glamorous and amazingly sweet friends turned me on to these goods. She says: “Me and all my friends literally live in Rich Rocks. It’s the best stuff and so affordable. Perfect for every day and going out. I even wear some of her fancier stuff for black tie and everyone thinks they are real. When I tell them they’re like $80 they have me email them the website on the spot!”
I love this stuff! Snag some under-$100 jewels for every day and for special events!
June 16, 2010
#omg @hippest
I had a “Lyssa” nameplate necklace at 16 (that’s before Sex & The City, for anyone who’s counting) and still own a faux-blinged-out platinum chain with “Lyssa” on it.
So when I read about Survival of the Hippest, where they make TWITTER NAMEPLATE NECKLACES, I couldn’t help but post. Only $49.95! Check it out.
I want want want @lifeinaustin and #beatitnerd. And #giantsquid.
June 3, 2010
Flash Sales – $$$
Deals sites, sample sales, flash sales, designer sales … it’s all about getting the limited-edition hot deal these days. Below I’ll list the companies I have invites to if you want to join, but first, some nerding-out business news about these sites.
According to WWD, the leading four members-only shopping sites are HauteLook, RueLaLa, Gilt Groupe, and ideeli. Today, HauteLook reveals that they are receiving $31 million in a third round of funding led by Insight Venture Partners, bringing total funding to $41 million (Gilt Groupe has raised $83 million in funding). The company launched in 2007 and became profitable earlier this year. It does not buy inventory, but has 175 employees (2 of which are recent hires in Arthur Lewis, former SVP of adult merchandising for Old Navy, and Tim Lewis of Neiman Marcus) and more than 2.5 million members.
ideeli also has around 2.5 million members (it has more than doubled from one million base in December ’09), largely from households with an annual income of upward of $100,000. They have 100 employees and expect to surpass $150 million in revenue this year.
Envite.com is the most recent one I’ve signed up for, and it aims to stand out by shipping items within 24 hours.
There’s also the site for wine, which, if I had more money, I’d buy and never have to the leave the house. Winery Insider.
Invite to Hautelook
Invite to RueLaLa
Invite to Gilt Groupe
Invite to ideeli
Beyond the Rack: enter code NLA09083B57 at Registration
Invite to Billion Dollar Babes
Invite to Envite.com
[UPDATE] Here’s a link to join Daily Candy’s Swirl!
The flash sales trend is crazy … beyond shopping for clothes, accessories, and other luxury gear, there are tons of companies doing it by city, with restaurants, salons, and adventures like whitewater rafting. Even Aspen is getting in on the action with a mobile coupon that texts you a deal once a week! Aspen Deals
Groupon and Living Social are the big dogs, with deals in Austin, Denver, and more. In Austin-only sites, there’s Adealio and Localiter.
If you know more I haven’t heard of, post in the comments!!
May 3, 2010
Peacock Plume
Lately the world has seemed pretty small–a former job applicant turned freelance writer and friend of mine in Austin is best friends with the roommate of a girlfriend of a friend of my boyfriend’s in Aspen who was in Austin this weekend for his birthday party. What the what? Then I got an email about a new boutique from a former roommate and high school friend of mine, and later got an email from a basketball teammate’s little sister who I CrossFit with now whose cousin opened a new boutique … and it was the same girl!
Peacock Plume is a new online-only boutique started by besties Holly and Cara, who have this to say for themselves:
Think of us as your personal fashion spam filter! We’ll sift through miles of racks filled with absurd prices and pieces you’d never wear so you don’t have to…
Our site is unique in that we are offering a boutique style shopping experience but we cut out the snobbery and high prices.
I think their site is unique because they offer super cute outfit combos and actually tell you where to wear them and how to buy them, for around $140 for everything: top & bottom or dress, shoes, purse, accessories. Think:
The ladies do have an eye for fashion on the cheap–women after my own heart.
And, they launched on Tuesday and by Friday had a D Magazine mention … no small feat for a startup company!
Check it out. Peacock Plume.
March 2, 2010
How to Buy a Man’s Suit
I don’t post so much on men’s fashion because it’s sort of boring. And the Vermonster is frankly uninterested. My brother still wears his Ghanaan caftan thing on stage when he performs. My dad tries, but loves puffy vests more than stylin’ suits. So when I found a fantastic guide to buying a super-hot men’s suit, I figured it’s better to share the love than recreate my own guide …
Also because, for the aforementioned reasons, I couldn’t enumerate these points, though I happen to AGREE WITH THEM ALL. Men: read and love. Women: read and implement.
Here are the top ten tips, for elaborations, hit the original post at Fitness Black Book.
Tip #1: Don’t Assume A Suit Salesperson Has Good Taste
Tip #2: No Pleated Pants
Tip #3: Get Pants With a Lower Than Average “Rise”
Tip #4: Don’t Cuff Your Pants
Tip #5: A Proper Fitting Coat Will Feel Slightly Constricting
Tip #6: Buy Fitted Dress Shirts or Have Them Tailored
Tip #7: Dry Clean All of Your Tailored Dress Shirts
Tip #8: 2 Button Suits Are Best and Never More Than 3
Tip #9: No Long “Zoot Suit” Style Suits
Tip #10: Buy a Suit That Doesn’t Need Too Much Tailoring
Showin' the love