Favorite Things

Here are a few things I've been majorly crushing on lately that you should probably be aware of. 

How did I not hear about The Skimm until last week?! Kind of amazing. I always enjoy receiving in digest form anything I don't have time or patience for, and appreciate when it can be done in a humorous way. If The Skimm can make me chuckle about the DOJ violating the AP, they're worth a shout out. The only mistake I've found so far was their questioning why Bea Arthur posed for a controversial topless portrait, when the very article they linked to stated that she didn't actually pose for the painting. I'm not sure who spends their time imagining what old ladies' boobs look like, but to each their own, I suppose, and I'm not mad at The Skimm for such a tiny oversight.

I bought my Ray Ban Folding Wayfarer sunnies last year, but am still appreciating them to the fullest this year. I swoon for the big Jackie O throwbacks as much as the next girl... they're just so chic! But they come with massive cases that are only portable when carrying a massive purse, which I also swoon for, but recognize as impractical in certain situations. Have you tried to go on a sailboat or to a fair or on a bike ride with a tote large enough to be confused with carry on luggage? Sometimes you need something more like a small cross-body messenger, and if you also need sunnies, you need small sunnies. These fold up. Twice. And fit in a tiny case that also fits in your tiny bag. It's love.

I'm forever discovering wonderful services, places and things on Living Social, but this particular discovery was via Gilt City. I paid $40 for $80 worth organic groceries from Luke's Local, and it was worth every penny! Orders are placed through Good Eggs, where you can purchase goods from a variety of local suppliers. I got the seasonal veggies, fruit, salad greens, herb mix, honey, gluten free sourdough bread, pizza dough, cheese of the month, lunch and breakfast burritos, and a meal kit for chicken enchiladas. While some of the produce wasn't stuff I'd normally choose, it was all fresh and beautiful. My favorite was definitely the gluten free sourdough warmed up and smothered in the honey... so, so tasty. I opted to pick up my goods, but for just a couple bucks they deliver as well. Pick up sounded more practical but trying to park on Mission Street to pick up groceries from a bar was not ideal, especially considering the fender bender I endured. Not Luke's fault. Just not ideal.

Gilt Warehouse Sale

A girlfriend and I went to the Gilt Warehouse Sale at Fort Mason on Saturday. Any serious online discount savvy fashionista is familiar with Gilt, so naturally the thought of a Gilt warehouse sale was thrilling! I have been to a zillion trunk shows and fashion events in the city, but this was my first real warehouse sale. I expected it would be some cross between other events I've attended and a day-after-Thanksgiving Nordstrom Rack rush.

We scored free curbside parking a few blocks down and eagerly paced over to the Fort Mason Fleet Room. Our wave was 12-2pm, and at ten till noon there was a line of fifty or so shoppers leading up to the door. Around a quarter past we got to the entrance where we were asked to check our coats and purses, and then were let loose on a relatively small and heavily packed room full of racks of clothing; women's on the right, men's on the left, and an assortment of other items on tables down the center. Just inside the entrance was a complimentary Veev cocktail bar, a display of Vita Coco waters and a Benefit table. At the far end of the room was a table pouring La Marca Prosecco and a tented off "dressing room." The promised KIND bars, Popchips and Fiji Water were nowhere to be found, but everyone was too busy rabidly thrashing their way through piles and racks to even notice.

We started with the clothes racks, which, to our grave disappointment, were filled mostly with damaged dresses. I found three to try on while my friend, still empty handed, moved on to the shoes. I headed toward the dressing room. The attendant brushed aside one corner of the large heavy curtain and I stepped inside. There were two dozen half naked women guarding mounds of clothes on the floor while fighting for space in front of two large mirrors propped up against the wall. I made my way to the back of the dressing room and used my foot to clear away some space. Unable to squeeze into the mirror, I abandoned one dress and carried out two others, hoping they looked as good as they felt. If I'd been able to think more strategically at the time, I should have rummaged through the layers of clothing covering the entire dressing room floor, as no doubt that's where the most desirable items were tucked away.

My friend and I reunited at the La Marca table and rejuvenated ourselves with two glasses of sparkling wine before diving back into the chaos. Our second sweep of the clothing racks was more fruitful for her, but I stuck with my previous finds. Perhaps some of those hidden gems from the dressing room floor had made their way back to the racks by then. We picked through the accessories table before getting in the checkout line, but considering it was a mound of mismatched oddly sized bikinis, underwear and broken jewelry, we came up empty handed. 

I suppose I can't complain, having scored over $300 worth of dress for $95, but the event certainly didn't meet my expectations. I mean, come on, it's Gilt! Too bad the selection was more like along the lines of a Beverly Hills Goodwill. I think I'll stick to my trunk shows filled with high quality local designer's wares.