Weekly Wish – a decent affordable department store in Toronto

With news today about NRDC Equity Partners purchasing The Hudson Bay Co., the national retail landscape is about change, especially where designer fashion is concerned. NRDC purchased Lord & Taylor in 2006 – the historical U.S. fashion department store chain – and it seems to be thriving under their ownership.

I for one was very disappointed when The Bay moved into American hands a couple years ago but since it’s already there, I have no problem with it being in the hands of a company that has the potential to provide fashion-conscious shoppers with options at affordable price points. Speculation is it will give Holt Renfrew a run for its money. Could be interesting...

I love the purple merino sheath dress (pictured) Lord & Taylor is showing for fall and it seems like good value at $144. There’s also speculation about Fortunoff - also part of the Lord & Taylor-NRDC family joining the mix in the Great White North.

As for whether or not they should change the name to Lord & Taylor, I’m not sure. The Hudon Bay Co. represents such an imporant part of Canadian history, I’d hate to see it go.

Whether or not I’ll get my wish, only time will tell. What do you think?

Weekly Wish – a new cell phone (and so much more)

When it comes to the digital world, I’m pretty comfortable. Sometimes the computer keyboard feels like a natural extension of my body. I’ve been living online since 1995 and loving every minute, even in the days of dial-up (yawn!).

Okay, I have a confession to make. There’s one big exception. When it comes to mobile technology, I’m still a bit of a luddite. I don’t have a Blackberry but I know how to surf the web and tweet with one. I have a plain old utilitarian cell phone. And, guess what I use it for? That’s right, making phone calls. I barely even use text. If I do, it’s usually because one of my friends has sent me a text message and they know better than to expect a reply. Shh! Please don’t tell anyone!

I’d love a mobile device with all the bells and whistles but I’ve never paid more than $30 for a cell phone. I got my current one for free as part of a 36-month plan. It has another 13 months left and I don’t want to pay the penalty. Besides, the monthly charge is only $20!

Well, old habits die hard, but with the launch of the iPhone in Canada tomorrow and Samsung’s Instinct next month, I’m wishing to get in on all the fun. Both these devices have all kinds of great features and are much easier to carry around than my treasured MacBook. I’m having a great time chatting with @theinstinct on twitter too.

As much as I’ve been an Apple lover and owner for almost 20 years, with the lower data rate plan, The Instinct seems like more of a bargain but in all fairness, I want to see for myself by comparing it with the iPhone and decide which one offers the best value. (I’ve decided not to bore you with the details because they’ve been posted all over the ’Net and you can read about them elsewhere.)

Will you be lining up for the iPhone tomorrow? Waiting for the Instinct? Doing neither? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Weekly Wish – Wii Fit

Okay, so you’ve heard me spouting off about my weight loss for months. Tamsin and I have been focusing on maintaining our new-found bodies. (You’ll be hearing more from her about that in another post very soon.)

In addition to eating properly, there is another important aspect of maintaining a healthy body weight and helping turn that flab firm. Yes, it’s exercise. I’m active. I love long walks and bike rides. I know this may sound unpopular but I HATE formal exercise. I’m not afraid to admit it!

I’ve been ogling and anticipating the launch of Ninetendo’s Wii Fit since last fall. I waited around to see if any one would see the link between my recent weight loss, love of gadgets and possession of a Wii. No such luck. I contacted Ninetendo myself and ended up connecting with their PR agency. They were nice enough to invite me to a media event last week. Unfortunately, it was during the day. I work downtown at the opposite end of the city. Things just didn’t work out.

Other than the convenience of having a fun workout in my own home, what’s so special about Wii Fit?

Have a look...


Wii Fit has 40 activities. Sounds like there’s something for everyone and I’m sure I’d find somethings I like doing on a regular basis like twirling a virtual Hula Hoop, yoga and downhill skiing.

And, it comes with the Wii Balance Board (see photo above) - an interesting device connecting wirelessly to the Wii – it senses weight, shifts in movement and balance. Wii Fit can also track your progress and BMI. Plus there are lot of instructional videos.

At $89.95, Wii Fit is a lot less expensive than joining a gym and I wouldn’t need to worry about travel time or communal showers. Bonus!

So, this week you guessed it. I’m wishing for a Wii Fit. Wish me luck.

What’s your favourite exercise routine?

Weekly Wish – Come sail away with me

Last week I received an invitation from none other than Stuart MacDonald, founder of Expedia.ca, also affectionately known as one of the meshies, to the pre-launch of his latest adventure – a new kind of cruise company – tripharbour.ca/tripharbor.com.

Before last Thursday, I’d never considered taking a cruise. The idea of being stuck on a big ship in the middle of the ocean with a whole bunch of strangers and shuffleboard with Julie and Captain Stubbing at the helm was all way too Love Boatish for me. Besides I’m an outdoorsy kind of person and the thought of not having my feet on the ground wasn’t very appealing. Not to mention having no idea how to choose the right cruise at the right price.

Well after seeing the Tripharbour.ca beta, all that’s changed! I spent the entire presentation wishing I were on a ship at sea in the middle of some exotic body of water. If you’re a cruise newbie like me, Tripharbour.ca makes it easy, every step of the way.

The site itself is friendly and inviting. If price is your major concern, you can just click on the sale! tab to find the latest bargains. By far, the most appealing feature of Tripharbour.ca is the community. And, believe me there are many other appealing features with this online travel company. As the site grows, more people will be sharing their experiences, photos, tips and other important bits on information for cruise lovers and prospective cruise guests like me.

The geek in me loves the filters – or sliders as they were called at the launch – you can use to refine your search. They make playing around with various scenarios to help you choose the right vacation just so easy.

So this week, I’m not hiding it very well. I’m long overdue for a real vacation and I’m wishing for a cruise. Of course if and when I go I’ll be checking out Tripharbour.ca, now available for boarding.

Weekly Wish – Sharp Aquos HDTV

Until Wednesday night, I knew a fair bit about computers but my knowledge of HDTV was limited to flat screens, clear pictures and knowing it was far better quality than the TVs I have at home.

Mr. B. works in broadcasting and has always been the a/v expert in our house. So when I was asked if I'd like to attend Sharp Aquos Ladies Night in High Def, I said “Hell, yes!” Honestly, the fact they were trying to lure me there with the prospect of wonderful door prizes didn’t hurt but I rarely pass up an opportunity to learn something new. And that was what this event was all about.

Did you know? Women make something like 80% of all purchasing decisions in the home, yet only 2% feel knowledgeable about HDTV, according the invite. This event promised to demystify HDTV in plain language. No marketing gobbledygook or tricky technobabble. Until last night, I fell into that 98% group. Not any longer. I’ll be sharing my new found knowledge in the next edition of Tip of the Week.

Back to the event...
The more I looked around the room at the incredible picture quality across the screens of the multiple Sharp Aquos HDTVs in different models, sizes and colours around the room, the more my jaw kept dropping. I wanted one. I wanted one bad.

Two very knowledgeable Sharp reps told us everything we could ever want to know about HDTV. They patiently answered all of our questions – and believe me, some of the questions asked by the journalists and bloggers in the audience really tested their patience.

After the presentation, there was lots of mingling too. It was great meeting some smart women who were outside of my typical circle of digipals. I think this was the first time I was invited to an event with a mixed crowd of bloggers and traditional journalists.

While mingling, I learned I could request a loaner and test it out at home but I was somewhat afraid my family wouldn’t want to give it up at the end of the trial period. The best of the best HDTVs was just not in our budget this year.

So this week, I’m guessing you’re thinking I’m going to wish for a new Aquos LCD TV from Sharp. Wrong!

Why, you ask?
Well, you remember I mentioned something about prizes? You’ll never believe this but… I WON the grand prize:
• 32” Sharp AQUOS TV – the perfect fit for our compact den
• Sharp Blu-ray DVD player – it’s backwards compatible – I had no clue
• HD PVR from Rogers – I’ve wanted one of those (or TiVo) for a long time – and I understand it’s a life-changing experience
• Rogers is also throwing in one year of digital cable with all kinds of extras

I don’t have the goods just yet, but this time round I’ll get my wish. Yipee!

By the way, thank you Sharp (and Rogers) for the awesome birthday gift. How did you know? ;)

Weekly Wish – Attending L’Oréal FashionWeek

Last week I attended a special TFFB where everyone was preparing for a week of fashion excitement, as Toronto’s finest designers were getting ready to debut their fall-winter ’08 collections. Most of them had press passes because the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC) is enlightened enough to realize the value local bloggers bring to the community.

If you’re like me, chances are you didn’t get to L’Oréal FashionWeek. I really wanted to see the Pink Tartan show – I love Kimberly Newport-Mimram’s Pristine Punk collection. The Joe Fresh show always amazes me too – how does Joe (Mimram – yes, he’s Kimberly Newport Mimram’s other half) pull off such an incredible show while keeping prices so affordable?

Fortunately, there’s a lot of coverage online. Fashion Television assembled an incredible multimedia archive. And if you want to get a behind-the-scenes look at the make-up, check out what Henna from Canadian Beauty had to say.

Enough of this virtual view of L’Oréal FashionWeek, next fall I’m wishing for my own press pass so I can share the details first hand. Wish me luck!

Weekly Wish – Nicole’s diamond necklace

Okay, so I’m a little freaky when it comes to diamonds. Yes, I know they are every girl’s best friend but only us girls with April birthdays can say diamonds are also their birthstone. Well, I’m one of those girls.

When it comes right down to it, I have pretty modest tastes and nowhere to wear all the incredible frocks and jewels bedazzling celebs at the Oscars – or anything remotely like them. ;) But that doesn’t mean I can’t drool over incredible diamond necklaces.

I barely watched this year’s Oscars but when Nicole Kidman walked across that stage, I couldn’t help but notice. She looked stunning in her lovely, long, black Balenciaga dress but it was that necklace that made my eyeballs pop out of my head. She wore a 1399-carat, rough and polished handmade diamond sautoir (with a mere 7,645 diamonds) designed by L’Wren Scott.

So, that’s it for my wish this week. I want one! A close knock-off will do.

Weekly Wish – Pretty in Pink

Okay, so truth be told, I have no business buying new clothes right now. I just started a 12-week weight-loss plan. Besides, I haven’t been terribly inspired by affordable fashion over the past six months or so.

All that’s changed. I have a new motivation and a new outlook. I also have a bunch of family and business functions this spring and I’ll need some new clothes.

Club Monaco’s spring line has given me some hope. I think their current collection is incredible. The colours caught my attention – they’re my favourite – raspberry, black, grey and white. I fell in love with the raspberry “Celine” dress – perfect for an evening out. Everything seems to mix and match too. It’s crisp, it’s fresh, it’s me. Well almost.

Right now I don’t like how anything looks on me. So this week, I’m wishing I’ll lose enough weight on time to fit into their smaller sizes and more tailored looks. And if this collection is any indication of the things to come, I’m feeling pretty inspired. ; )

Which spring collections inspire you?

Weekly wish – grey-haired beauty

I’ve been colouring my hair for a long time. I’m currently a brunette. I’ve gone as light as strawberry blond (but don’t tell anyone) and used to have brown hair with highlights in varying shades of chestnuts and reds. I didn’t always colour my hair to cover the grey but I’d be lying if I told you that wasn’t the case today.

I got to thinking, how much money do I spend on hair colour in a year? Rough guestimate: $800. How many more years do I expect to colour my hair? 20? In today’s dollars (without factoring in the inflation rate) that’s roughly $16,000! When Mr. Bargainista reads this, he’s gonna flip!

“Damn straight!” says Mr. Bargainista.

Last week I was chatting with David Jones aka “the silver fox” who was nominated as one of Toronto’s sexiest PR & Marketing bloggers in 2006. Unless he’s lying about his age, he’s gone prematurely grey and loving every minute of it.

I asked David how men are able to get away with grey hair when women are shunned for doing the same. His answer was simple: George Clooney.

My friend Alexa Clark of Cheap Eats fame told me how she took the plunge and decided to let her silver hair shine through. Some of her friends thought she was making a political statement. That simply wasn’t the case. She’s got gorgeous locks and she’s showing them off. C’est tout!

So this week, my wish is a bit different. I’m wishing for a female celebrity of Mr. Clooney’s stature to stand up and be a role model for prematurely grey-haired women everywhere.

The current Hollywood writers’ strike presents the perfect opportunity for a talented and beautiful actress or two to grow out her locks. Several mature, sexy women actors are starring in TV shows and films and aren’t letting down their hair and showing us their true colours.

Just think, what if the Desperate Housewives returned with their natural silvery or salt and pepper manes? How ‘bout Mary Louise Parker or Holly Hunter? She’s turning 50 this year – surely she’s not a natural brunette anymore. ; ) Of course if/when Julia goes grey she’d be the perfect candidate.

And to those of you who think I’m making a political statement, that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’ve been visiting here for a while, you’d know this wish is all about saving money. ; )

photo credit: Andrea Busse using Lex 's camera on flickr

Weekly Wish - MacBook Air

This week I’m doing something a little different. I’m giving a member of the community a chance to share his wish. Mario Parisé blogs at Happy Pixels, publishes Second Slice and is currently conducting a job search experiment.

For as long as Mitch Joel’s been bragging about his tiny long-lasting Vaio, I’ve been wondering when Apple would come out with something similar (but with OS X, not Windows, of course). Well now Apple has come out with MacBook Air and my dream is close to coming true. Check out these mouth-watering specs:

At its thickest, Air is only 0.76 inches thick.
• 80GB hard drive
• 2GB RAM
• 1.6 GHz Intel Core Duo processor
• Up to 5 hours battery life
• Plus the usual iCam, back-lit keyboard, 13.3" display

Many people have criticized that it doesn’t have its own CD/DVD drive. You need to either:
(a) buy an external one; or
(b) wirelessly connect to the drive of another computer.
This to me is a feature. I love the idea of carrying only what I need, and the truth is I rarely use discs. Beyond installing basic software (a one-time thing), I don’t carry CDs around with me as I work. Heck, most of my files are stored online.

In short, as the name suggests, the MacBook Air takes full-advantage of wireless technology. It’s built with people like me in mind: those whose primary concern is with getting rid of the extras. And yet it does this without sacrificing speed, memory, or battery life. It’s brilliant.

On top of how cool the Air is, my wonderful 2 1/2 year old daughter spilled a whole glass of cranberry juice on what was once my laptop. Which means I have more than a simple desire. I have a need.

So my first (perhaps not the last? Eden?) Weekly Wish here at Bargainista is for a new MacBook Air. Because this is a HUGE wish, I’m completely willing to reciprocate somehow to anyone who grants if for me. For example, I’m not averse to trading ads at Happy Pixels and/or in Second Slice (hey, I publish it for free), sponsored guest posts, product reviews (honest and transparent), consulting, or whatever else might appeal to your tastes.

Any takers?

Weekly Wish - Check out ChickAdvisor at Third Tuesday

When it comes to the communities in the social media space, my memberships divide pretty neatly into two categories:
• fashion/shopping
• marketing/PR/communications

These days, my favourite communities are the ones where I can meet with other members both online and in person. So you can imagine how excited I was when I learned these two groups were mashing together for the next Third Tuesday Toronto (which is going to be on a Wednesday but don’t get hung up on details).

Third Tuesday, for those of you who don’t know, is a free monthly event for PR and marketing types interested in learning more about social media in business.

ChickAdvisor founders Ali and Alex de Bold are this month’s guests. They will be sharing the secrets of their success about their thriving online shopping community. What I really admire is their determination and risk-taking. And, you know how I feel about ChickAdvisor Shop Crawls and their adventures in social shopping.

If you can’t make Third Tuesday, don’t despair. ChickAdvisor will also be featured on CBC’s Fortune Hunters starting Saturday, Jan. 19.

So this week, I have wish for you: check out ChickAdvisor at Third Tuesday and who knows, you may even see me there too!

What?
Third Tuesday Toronto with Alex and Ali de Bold on starting a Web 2.0 site: ChickAdvisor

Where?
Fionn McCool’s Irish Pub
181 University Ave. (map)
Toronto

When?
Wednesday, Jan. 23
6 p.m.

How?
It’s free but you’ll need to register first!

Eight new things you didn’t know about me...

Mish tagged me about a year ago. I suspected when I read Maggie Fox’s “Eight things you (probably) didn't know about me” yesterday, I’d be tagged again. My only questions were when and by whom. It didn’t take long. Kate Trgovac tagged me last night. What a way to usher in the new year. ; )

1. I was born in Halifax, moved to Toronto when I was five and back to Halifax when I was 15. At 18, I moved back to Toronto for university and I’ve been here ever since.

2. The first self-serve grocery store in Atlantic Canada was started by my great-grandfather. My grandparents owned various shops in downtown Halifax. I guess you could say the seeds for Bargainista were planted many years ago.

3. As a geek, I hate to admit it but I don’t do much else with my cell phone but make phone calls and store phone numbers. Okay, so the cat’s out of the bag. To be honest, my current cell phone has a fickle key pad and my contract runs ’til August ’09. I’m too cheap to buy a new one. An upcoming Weekly Wish perhaps? Cell phone companies, are you listing?

4. Recently I’ve been diagnosed as lactose intolerant. No more decaf low-fat lattes for me. Yes, you read that right: DECAF!

5. Two events changed my life in 1995: I gave birth to my first son and I started using the Internet. Both still challenge me on a daily basis.

6. I’ve been married to my husband for almost 17 years.

7. During and following university, I worked in fashion retail, merchandising and buying before moving into communications.

8. I launched a successful online community for kids in 2001. I gained a deep knowledge of Internet safety and privacy issues. Now I help parents navigate the ’Net so they have a better understanding of what their kids are doing online.

So, I’ve come up with eight new things you may not have known about me. And now to keep this thing going, I’m tagging Michelle Tampoya, Kathryn Lagden, Kim Vallée, Saul Colt, Jay Moonah, Dave Fleet, Ali de Bold and Vasta.

Weekly wish - tag, you’re it!

Hanukkah ended today so for the most part, gift giving and receiving is over in my household. We don’t usually go all out and gifts are mainly for the kids. They both get a little something each night.

This year the gift that excited them most was choosing new t-shirts from Threadless. Lucky for me, I was able to take advantage of Threadless Holiday Sale and buy the t-shirts for $10 each. Hurry up and you can too! The sale continues until Dec. 16.

I got my wish too! A brand new hot pink FinePix Z10 digicam. It’s nice and compact and designed especially for bloggers and other people into digital photo sharing. It comes in 7 flashy colours too. You can bet I’ll be snapping more of my shopping pics from now on. I even found a sleek pink case on sale at Black’s for $6.

As for Mr. Bargainista, he didn’t ask for much. Just some nice home cooked meals and a movie. Yes, I cooked for him but we haven’t seen the movie yet.

Enough about us, this week I’m turning the wishes over to you!
What are you wishing for this holiday season? Please let me know and leave a comment. You never know, maybe you’ll get lucky and someone will grant your wish too. ; )

Tags: camera, digital camera, Fuji, FinePixZ10, photoblogging, Threadless

Weekly Wish - winter pedicures made easy

Monday night four of us decided to forget the winter blahs and indulge in an evening of pampered fingers and toes at Cozy Nails. Three of us even spiced up our lives and went for the hard-core red polish.

Only one problem. Unlike the sandal days of summer, we had to put on socks and boots before leaving the shop. Since Cozy Nails is so customer-service oriented, they wrapped up our toes in appropriately-sized baggies and we were told to come back if we needed any touch-ups. One of my toes got a little bit smushed, so if I have time this weekend, I’ll go back and have it fixed.

Thanks to the ever-brilliant Connie, I learned a trio of ingenious sisters from New Jersey invented a boot to protect your post-pedicure tootsies in the winter. Bootie Pies are pedicure-friendly, lined suede boots with a toe flap. Think UGGS with a patent leather toe cap.

Bootie Pies look like regular winter boots but they’re special. They have removable toe caps. You put them on just before your toes are polished so you don’t have to wait at the spa until they are completely dry.

Bootie Pies are sold online for $128 U.S. and come in four basic colours. They’ll sure keep your feet a lot warmer than flip flops. Think fingerless gloves or only warmer. If it’s really cold outside, you can wear them with your Toes-eez.

As you probably know by know, I’m not a princess but when it comes to my hands and feet I like to be pampered all year round. So this week, I’m wishing for a pair of Bootie Pies, preferably in black but I’d settle for bayberry. So sisters, if you’re listening...

Special Shout Out
I can’t thank owners Jenny, John and the wonderful estheticians at Cozy Nails for staying open a bit later than normal and indulging me and my gal pals with a little TLC on an otherwise cold and blustery night.

I was also very flattered when I learned they are regular Bargainista readers. John monitors the web regularly for references to “Cozy Nails” – how impressive – with a little investigating, he realized I was the person behind the blog. ; )

Tags: Bootie Pies, Cozy Nails, esthetician, manicures, pedicures, spas

Weekly Wish - TiVo...

TiVo is finally coming to Canada. I want one! ’Nuff said.

Am I still living in the dark ages or what? Do you have a PVR? Can you imagine life without it?

Tags: digital video recorder, TiVo, PVR

Weekly Wish - a new digital camera

I’ve been wanting a new digital camera for a while. In my house we share a Canon PowerShotA550. It’s fine and easy to use. My only beef is that it’s heavy and doesn’t fit easily into my purse. I’d like a smaller and lighter camera to carry with me wherever I go so I can take pictures more often.

I’d been giving serious thought to the Casio Exilim Zoom then last week I learned about the new Fuji FinePixZ10. It comes in several smashing colours, including hot pink. I thought they made it just for me. ; ) What I like best is it’s blogging feature - it let’s you upload photos directly to your blog. Just think, I could take pictures while I’m shopping and share them with you almost instantly. How awesome is that? It also has IrSimple wireless technology so I could share photos with other friends who have IrSimple-enabled cameras.

I’m guessing some of the photo bloggers were sent samples of this camera back in July when the Z10 was launched. Only thing is, the photo bloggers probably use much more sophisticated cameras, not the simple point-and-shoot styles. If I worked for Fuji’s marketing department, I’d follow the lead of the KRZRBloggers and put it in the hands of some influential bloggers from several different communities.

This week, I’m wishing Fuji (or a competitor with an equally compelling camera for us bloggers) will step up to the plate and offer me a compact, sleek digicam I can use for the blog. And if so, in return, they can be sure I’ll give their camera credit every time I post a pic.

Tags: camera, Casio Exilim Zoom, digital camera, Fuji, FinePixZ10, photoblogging

Weekly Wish - bangles and more pics from Holts

Two brochures arrived on my doorstep this week. Both filled with beautiful photographs of luxurious jewelry. What great escapism. As I flipped through each of them looking at the shiny and sparkling designs and soaring price tags, I fantasized about which ones I wanted. For five minutes, I could pretend I was a member of the rich and famous... price was no object.

And now, back to reality...
Okay, so even a bargainista is allowed to be out of the loop on occasion. Since when did Holts get into the luxury jewelry business? I hadn’t noticed they started carrying the real thing and not just the upscale costume stuff.

I wanted to share links with you from their website ’cause this week, I’m wishing for either any of the stunning diamond and Celtic noir cable bangles from Charriol or the Judith Ripka sterling silver ($1,550-$2,750) and 18-karat-gold chandelier earrings with diamonds and canary crystals ($1,095), both Holts exclusives. (Not only are diamonds a girl’s best friend, they’re also my birthstone!) Unfortunately, they aren’t on the website - you can only see them in stores. So, instead I’ve shared the only bangles pic I could find, the gold, onyx and diamond bangles ($630-$8,095). They are lovely just not what I’m really wishing for this week.

And if you think I’m wishing for just for the jewels, you’re only partly right. This week I’m also wishing stores would realize their websites were just as important as their bricks and mortar stores. Holts already spent a fortune on photos, ad copy and printing costs for the fancy brochure. Why couldn’t they leverage the photos and text by adding them to their website too?

What do you think? When you visit a store’s website, do you want to find an online catologue or are you satisfied with just a hint or a tease of their offerings?

Tags: diamonds, Holt Renfrew, Holts, Tiffany,

Weekly Wish - jacket from Rudsak

Most billboard advertising has become a blur for me lately but not the new one on Mount Pleasant north of Bloor with stunning power couple Chantal Kreviasuk and Raine Maida. They’re all decked out in Rudsak. Rudsak, a Montreal-based firm, has been around since 1994 but only hit my radar recently.

Last Friday night, Jenny and I took a quick detour from our shop crawling and checked out Rudsak’s Queen St. W. location. The luscious red buttery leather bag in the window was calling my name. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it inside the store so I have no idea of the price but I’m guessing it’s around $250 or so.

The bag wasn’t the only thing in the store calling my name. There were some stunning jackets and anyone who knows me, knows I’m severely lacking in the fall outerwear department. Although I didn’t dare to try it on, I was salivating over a brown wool jacket with leather trim. It’s about $400.

Unfortunately, Rudsak’s website puts all emphasis on fashion instead of function so I have no idea how much the jacket really costs - I’m just going by memory. Regardless, it was a little pricey for the Barganista’s wallet that night. But that’s not stopping me now. So this week, you guessed it, I’m wishing for a new fall jacket or car coat. The smart Rudsak jacket pictured above, or anything dressier than down-filled will do.

Tags: Chantal Kreviasuk, Raine Maida, Rudsak

Weekly Wish - checking out L’Oréal Fashion Week

This week I wanted to do something really decadent... I wanted to head downtown to Nathan Phillips Square and check out L’Oréal Fashion Week. It’s the first year they’re trying something new and making local fashion more accessible to the general public.

I even had plans to meet some of my cool TFBB friends today. They’ve been hanging around down there all week - some have even been lucky enough to attend some of the “By Invitation Only” events.

As they say, some of the best laid plans...

So, instead of going there myself, this week I’m wishing for something a bit different. I’m wishing for those of you lucky kids out there who schmoozed with Toronto’s pretty people at the shows, parties and just hanging around, to share your stories and links to your photos, right here at Bargainista. Leave a comment. Send me a guest post, send me a link to your flickr album. I’m there!

Tags: L’Oréal Fashion Week, TFBB, Toronto Fashion Week

Weekly Wish - the green challenge

My friend Kim Vallée of the wonderful home decor and entertaining blog called At Home with Kim Vallee, invited me to participate in The Green Challenge on Blog Action Day. The challenge is for me to let you know what I’m doing to introduce environmental sustainability in my daily life.

Here’s what I’ve been doing lately to reduce, reuse and recycle:

• I’ve always reused plastic bags but now I take reusable bags with me when I grocery shop. I've also skip the bag when my purchases are small enough to fit in my purse.

• When I edit (that’s a fancy way for saying clean out) my closet, I donate clothes I no longer want to charity.

• I often shop at stores withing walking distance or on the subway line and leave the car at home.

• I traded in two old jackets for one new one at West 49 as part of their Coats for Kids initiative. As my son outgrows his winter jackets, it’s a great way to recycle while helping kids who otherwise may not have one.

• Recently, my son needed a semi-formal wear for a party. I bought his suit and accessories at a consignment shop. A little altering and dry cleaning made the outfit look as good as new. When it no longer fits him (believe me, it won’t be long the way he’s growning), I’ll return to shop and get some cash back when they sell it to another boy. Not only is this an example of reuse and recycle but it saved me a ton of money. A brand new comparable outfit sells for about $400 while I paid $139 ($89 outfit + $25 for alterations and +$15 for dry cleaning).

So you see, you can help save the environment while saving money.

As for my wish this week, I want to learn new ways to be green. I’m even thinking about starting a regular “green” column like Kim did! What about you? What are you doing to introduce environmental sustainability in your daily life?

Tags: At Home With Kim Vallee, Blog Action Day, Coats for Kids, environmental sustainability, Kim Vallée, recycle, reduce, resale, reuse, The Green Challenge, West 49