Items tagged with 'shopping'
Comparing Capital Region dry cleaners
Four shirts. Five stains.
So you spilled something on a dress shirt -- does it matter which cleaner you take it to? Will one place do a better job than another at getting the stain out?
We were curious if the cleaner made any difference. So we bought four identical white dress shirts, stained them with five different substances, and took one each to dry cleaners around the Capital Region.
Buying the whole cow
What if you want to buy a whole one of these?
For a few years now I've heard of people who buy a whole beef, that is, all the beef from a single cow, at one time. It takes a pretty sizable freezer because we're talking more than 300 pounds of meat.
How hard could it be, I figured, to find a butcher to order my whole cow through?
A lot harder than I thought.
Let's get ready to rummage!
There will be bargains here... you'll just have to rummage for them.
This weekend is the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany's fall rummage sale: clothing for adults and kids, holiday decorations, bed linens, towels, and table linens. Sale dates and times are Friday, Oct. 3 from 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday, Oct. 4 from 9 am to 3 pm.
It helps to do a little pre-game planning for this kind of sale. Here are a few things to keep in mind...
Getting the girls the support they deserve
Stylish? Not really. Effective? Definitely.
Fashion guru Tim Gunn and other, er, women's icons like Oprah claim a large majority of women are wearing ill-fitting bras. Don't laugh guys, a poorly-fitting bra can put a total crimp in your day, not to mention increase the likelihood of back problems later in life.
Seriously, keeping the girls up high and proud is a largely underrated achievement.
Luckily for us 518ers, we've got an old-school bra store where the fittings are thorough and accurate. The Madame Pirie Famise Corset and Lingerie Shop is so old-school in fact, that they don't have a web site. It does have two older ladies who know what they're doing and aren't shy with a tape measure.
Holding tight to just a few things
Cool Britannia
George Carlin once pointed out that we have stuff... and then we have stuff.
When you need to bring along lots of stuff, bring the tote, messenger or shiny jewel tone purse. But for those times when a just little stuff will do, check out this fun little purse our friend Liz spotted at Target.
It's an ultra thin, hard shell clutch, just big enough for some cash, a few cards and
your license. There are a bunch of different colors and designs, but we're partial to the London street scenes with red double-decker buses.
And at $13, you'll even have a few pounds left to put inside.
A few more pics after the jump.
Central Restaurant Equipment
Whether you cook for an army or you're just a culinary commando, you may have heard about Central Restaurant Equipment on Central Avenue in Albany. They sell new and used restaurant goods -- and they're open to the general public.
Five Fall Finds: men's edition
Always in style: button-down shirts.
Last week, we ran down five fall styles for women popping up in local stores. Here are five finds for guys...
Back to basics at White House | Black Market
The rumor is true: White House | Black Market, a higher-end women's clothing store located in Stuyvesant Plaza, carries exclusively black and white items. Full of pants, shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, and all manner of accessories from shoes to scarves to clutches to jewelry, shawls, the style is contemporary and elegant for casual, work and dressy occasions.
While you might think that a store full of only black, white, and black and white clothing could be boring, the variety of styles ensures that it's not.
Five Fall Finds: ladies edition
Among the trends: cardigans, peep toe shoes, shiny bags and ruffled blouses.
It's interesting to note that as the weather is getting cooler, fall fashions are getting shorter this year -- 3/4 length sleeves, peep toe shoes, cropped jackets. That means it's prime time for some of these great fall fashions before the wintry weather sets in.
Here are a few examples I found at local stores...
The food section at Target
The cereal shelf.
If someone just sort of randomly told us that there was interesting -- fun, even -- food shopping buried deep in the back of the local Target, we're not sure we'd believe it.
But it's true.
Meet Amy
You might have noticed someone new posting on the site this morning. Her name is Amy Brozio-Andrews and she's AOA's new shopping person. We're really excited about getting Amy involved with AOA -- if only because we've been rotating the same four outfits for what seems like forever.
To help us all get to know Amy a little better, we asked her a few questions about her personal style and favorite local shopping spots.
Three ways to get good buys at Goodwill
It's like a box of Cracker Jack.
If you're hooked on fashion but your wallet's not cooperative, you can
pick up some great bargains at the Goodwill Store in Colonie (think Gap, Ann Taylor, Jones New York, Abercrombie and Fitch, Dockers, J Crew, and more -- some stuff still with store tags!).
Thrift store shopping takes a different mindset, though. Here are a few things to keep in mind so you can make the most of your Goodwill trip:
Paper Dolls
Paper Dolls co-owner Sarah Keefe.
With mobiles, email, IM, texting, Facebook, and all the other digital whatever, it's become so easy to keep in touch with other people and never touch a piece of paper.
But people are still putting pen to paper. "It's unbelievable how much stationery we sell," says Sarah Keefe, the co-owner of Paper Dolls in Saratoga.
And a quick browse through her store will make you realize why: paper can be fun.
Antara Home Sale
Cute. Reversible. And less than half the price.
If you've ever stood outside Antara Home and whimpered at the high end bedding that could cost you weeks salary, this could be your lucky day. Antara is having an end of the season sale that's worth popping a few quarters in a downtown Albany parking meter to check out.
The best bang for your library buck
You're paying for all the good stuff in here. Whether you use it or not.
We're all about supporting authors and musicians and stimulating the economy when you can, but with prices going up on basics like fuel and food, it's harder to justify splurging on extras like movies, magazines or the latest best seller.
But here's the thing: we're all paying for that stuff already. Whether you live in Albany, Saratoga, Guilderland or Schenectady you're paying for these things with your library tax. And no, renting doesn't release you from paying library taxes. Your landlord just builds the tax into your rent.
So if you're paying this tax anyway, how can you make the most of your library tax dollars?
Taste testing Rachael Ray Booscotti
Not content to merely take over the human world, Rachael Ray -- and her brand -- recently expanded into the world of dog treats and dog food. The Rachael Ray Nutrish line features "premium" dog food, chewy "Grill Bites," and crunchy "Booscotti" (as in Isaboo, Rachael's dog).
Here's how the Booscotti are described on the RR site:
It's fun to watch my Isaboo start her tail waggin' the minute she sees these treats. I'll bet your dog will go crazy for them, too.
Well, we'll just see about that. We put the Booscotti to the test with Otto, the AOA office dog.
The Pass It On Summer Sale
That's 20,000 square feet of bargains on kids stuff.
The semi-annual Pass It On Sale at Albany Academy's field house opens to the general public tomorrow (Wednesday). This consignment sale is loaded with good deals on "gently" used kids clothes, toys, furniture and baby items. Seriously, the stuff is cheap.
We got in Tuesday afternoon during the private pre-sale to check out what's available this time around. Pictures, and a rundown of how much some common items are going for, after the jump...
The EPCOT of supermarket aisles
The only thing missing is a monorail.
The almost-finished makeover of the Price Chopper on Central in Albany includes a new international aisle -- or to be more exact, two aisles that form a whole section. And it's fun! Really, it is. It's like the EPCOT of supermarket aisles. Here are a few things that caught our eye as we were browsing recently...
Ask AOA: internet service providers
We got an email from Meg this week with a question:
I'm moving to Albany next week from [way out West], and have been reading your blog since March to learn about my new city. I thought you guys would know of other internet providers in the area besides Time Warner/ATT/Verizon. Any suggestions??
We were kind of stumped, but we thought you might have some ideas. Does anyone know of any options for Meg? Good/bad experiences?
Crazy cheap CFL bulbs at Price Chopper
Someone tell Al Gore.
Price Chopper has a great deal on GE Energy Smart CFL bulbs from now until the end of the year. Single bulbs are only $1.99 (with AdvantEdge card, of course). The Chopper usually sells them for $6.49. Even at a big-box discount store like Target, they're usually about $5.50 for a single bulb. Even the Wal-Mart six pack isn't as cheap per bulb.
We've used a bunch of these bulbs in the past, and as CFLs go, they give off pretty nice light. And now they're a bargain.
Borders on Wolf Road closing
It's a prime location, you gotta figure someone's going to snap up this spot.
The Capital Region's oldest Borders will close September 6, according to a company spokeswoman. She says the bookstore chain will try to find the Wolf Road staff jobs at the other area locations.
It's a shame to see this location closing. We've always liked the store, especially the central stairway with skylight. But the Borders spokeswoman tells AOA that the Wolf Road location has been "under performing expectations." Given the new store at Crossgates -- and the new Barnes & Noble next door at Colonie Center -- maybe that's not a surprise.
(Thanks for the tip, C!)
What to wear to the ballet at SPAC
Sure, these are fine if you're on stage, but what do you wear if you're more the spectator type?
Maybe you haven't been since your childhood, but the ballet is where it's at this month in Saratoga. And, since our Mommies and Daddies won't (typically) be picking out our clothes this go-round, Violet's of Saratoga and owner Laura Ferrar has a plan.
The one-year old boutique on Broadway is filled with some hip little delicacies that would leave a sophisticate with a stimulus check breathless. Perfect for ballet dressing, whether you're lawn-bound or reserved for an amphitheater seat.
The Silver Birch Trading Post
Fair-trade art and gifts at The Silver Birch
A-Town's Delaware Avenue is home to a handful of gems that are adding to its up-and-comer image. Count fair-trade advocate The Silver Birch Trading Post among them. A hybrid of an art gallery and a boutique, the store's goal is to help support starving artists both around the way and around the world. So if you're a lawyer by day and pillow stuffer/wood ring carver/hot shot photographer by night, release your artsy output right here.
Top Steve & Barry's deal makers/breakers
Steve and Barry's cave of bargains.
With all the hype from local Yelp lovers, we had to see what this $8.98 shopping "secret" was really offering. So it was off to Colonie Center we went, and into the cave at the end of the second-floor.
Which supermarket has the best deals?
Our last supermarket price check was so popular, we decided to give it another go. But to shake things up a bit this time around, we decided to find out which store has the best bargains.
So we picked a "basket" of 20 items that come in both name brand and store brand so we could find out how much we could save by going generic. And to make things a little more interesting, we tossed discount market Aldi into the mix. Here are the results...
5 easy (and affordable) ways to pamper your dog
"A dogs life isn't as easy as it looks. I need a little pampering too."
It's summer, it's hot and frankly you're not the only one who could use a little R&R. Yep, it's time to pamper your pooch. Sure, there are pet spas, pet manicures and doggy day cares but many of us can't justify those for ourselves, let alone our dogs. So here are a few local ideas to help you and your favorite canine through the dog days of summer without breaking the bank:
Last Vestige- Saratoga
It's a more-hit-than-miss kind of beat-up musical boutique thing that makes Last Vestige in Saratoga an essential weekly stop. Every trip is different because most of the stock is a rotating bundle of used media. So while you might not find the season three DVD of Weeds this week, there's a likely chance you'll stumble on a coveted Black Flag album or even a Tommy James and The Shondells cassette.
Still, in the age of Amazon, why bother with a vintage record shop?
Susan Merrick
Check out these cool note cards, prints and tote bags by local graphic designer Susan Merrick. These elephant cards are especially fun.
We think we have a new design crush.
Vintage sale at Elissa Halloran
The spot for vintage finds on Saturday.
You know what you're wearing to the fashion shows at Art on Lark this Saturday (Upstate Magazine providing the parades), right? No? Well, Elissa Halloran will have her door open for whatever unique and timeless look you want to go for. From 10 am to 6 pm that day, "lots of vintage coats, suits, and dresses" will be on sale. There will even be beads on the back deck, for all you crafty hands.
Go check it out, and get dressed up with some pre-loved and new-to-you duds.
Changing it up at Clifton Park Center
It's inconspicuous from the outside, like an Indiana Jones cave.
So is Crossgates feeling too corporate for you? Colonie Center just a bit too deja vu (except for the heaven that is Sephora)? Then maybe it's time you head on over to Clifton Park Center.
Albany is eggciting
It's also eggcellent.
One of these can be yours for only $10. You'd be crazy not to buy two.
(Thanks, Heather!)
photo: Etsy seller exlibrishandmade
Handbag sale at Some Girls
It's June, so isn't it bag-changeover time? Until Wednesday the 18th, every Some Girls Boutique (that's Albany, Troy, Syracuse and Ithaca) is having a 20% off handbag sale. So avoid a Coach disaster and save bank with a new designer they haven't even heard of yet.
The little wine shop on Lark
Everyone's excited about the wine store opening--even big giant hands.
It's coming--really it is. The wine shop on Lark Street just got the thumbs up from the liquor board. Empire wines, a popular neighborhood shop, outgrew the space at the corner of State and Lark about a year ago. New York State liquor laws prevented them from owning two stores, so they were forced to shut down the Lark Street location. New owner Mark Brogna has been waiting for approval since January. He's been keeping the neighborhood updated on the progress with signs in the window. Today we noticed that the crossed fingers switched to thumbs up. Hang on to your corkscrews, Mark says there will be wine before the summer is out. (Thanks Colleen!)
Summer stock for the guys: 5 things you can buy right now
There's no reason the guys should be left out.
Earlier this week, we went summer shopping for the ladies. Now, a little something for the guys. And, gentlemen, it's time to ditch the denim shorts and "How to Evade Police When You're Drunk" tee. Luckily, an (almost) one-stop pop into the mall can keep your summer duds updated and won't leave your wife, girlfriend, partner, mom -- whoever -- embarrassed to be seen with you. Here are a few things you can score right here in the Capital Region.
Summer stock for the ladies: 5 things you can buy today
Cool, but hot.
When it gets this gross outside, shopping just seems to swell with probable cause -- new clothes so you don't suffocate in jeans; wandering around air-conditioned shops; you've finally seen every movie in the Regal Cinema Megaplex 18 and it's only Tuesday. Ah, but what to buy to keep you cool in every sense of the word. Here are a few "fundamentals" that we found shopping around the Capital Region that will live through the trends and actually induce a kind of warm and fuzzy nostalgic feeling:
Bargain hunting at the Linens 'n Things closeout
It wasn't exactly mobbed when we were there on Wednesday.
When we heard that the two local Linens 'n Things are closing, and the merchandise being liquidated, we thought it might be bargain time. So we stopped by the soon-to-be closed store at the Northway Mall in Colonie (you know, at Central and Wolf) to see what kind of cheap housewares we could score.
Shopping Albany on Etsy
Check it out: you can search Etsy, the online marketplace for cool craftiness, by location. So we punched in Albany, NY. Here are a few things that caught our eye.
Can we get 3, can we get 3, can we get 3?
Here's a short clip from the Mangia auction this week. The items up for bid are the emergency exit signs (yep, it really did all have to go).
The auction was actually kind of fun. If you have the chance to go to something like this, you should check it out at least once.
The Mangia auction: everything must go
"Don't bid if you don't have any money."
What remained of the Mangia at Stuyvesant Plaza was auctioned off this morning. And everything had to go. Literally. They started at the front door (it went for $2) and methodically worked through everything that was left in the restaurant: picture windows, wainscotting on the ceiling, exit signs, the hostess stand, booths, stoves, grills, pots, ovens -- it was all up for sale to the highest bidder. Here are a handful of the items and what they sold for...
An iPod vending machine at Macy's? What?
For when an iPod craving just hits you out of nowhere.
We saw this on a swing through the Colonie Center Macy's this week. It's a vending machine for iPods, cameras and other digital media gadgets -- like a little piece of Japan right next to the cosmetics department.
It looks like Macy's has been rolling out these vending machines over the last few years. The company pretty much dumped selling electronics back in the late 90s and is hoping the iPod-o-mat (our name, not theirs) can help them get back in the game.
OK, but why a vending machine? Couldn't you just sell iPods at, you know, a counter or something? It seems the vending machines are supposed to help spur impulse buys and... wait for it... attract younger shoppers.
Earlier on AOA:
+ The Wal-Mart. Has. An Escalator.
Passing Fashion: Meaghan
Comfort, meet style.
Who?
Meaghan, a U Albany Student from Saratoga.
Where?
On Broadway in Saratoga.
Behold, "The Rachael"
One more reason it's good to be Rachael Ray: your friends design shoes just for you. And then sell them on QVC.
Taking over the world apparently involves being on your feet a lot, so Gretta Monahan says she designed "The Rachael" to be extra comfy and practical. Because her Rachaelness is (circular hand motion) just like all of us.
Passing fashion: Michelle's awesome coat
Black and white and cool all over.
Who: Michelle, a UAlbany student from Long Island
Where: Crossgates Commons
The Caftan? Really?
And a floral print is somehow supposed to make it better?
I think the only person I have ever seen look gorgeous in a caftan was Jackie O in a photo from the 70s. And that's because Jackie O was magic and looked good in absolutely everything. Regular woman generally look pretty foolish in these things. Still, this frightening 70s trend is back, and it's popping up in stores all over the Capital Region.
Talking with Tim Gunn at Macy's
"Make it work!"
Well, we did it. After a week of agonizing over our respective wardrobes, we finally selected our outfits and set out for the "good" Macy's to meet fashion guru Tim Gunn.
The first thing you need to know is that, seriously, this guy is just as nice in person as he is on TV. In fact, he may be the nicest celeb we've ever met (because, you know, there have been so many). Tim was in town for a Liz Clairborne fashion show at Macy's (he's now chief creative officer for Liz Claiborne) and he set aside a few minutes to answer some of our questions -- and some of yours. Here's how it went...
Found: one alternative wedding dress
The good news is AOA friend and bride-to-be Renée has found her alternative to the traditional wedding dress. The bad news is that her local boutique shopping experience was a little less than all that.
Renée's report -- and picture of the dress! -- after the jump.
Make it work! Tim Gunn's coming to town!
There was squealing at the AOA satellite office this afternoon when we found out that Tim Gunn -- the best thing to come out of Project Runway -- will be at the Colonie Center Macy's (you know, the "good" Macy's) April 26 at 2 pm. It seems that Tim, who's now chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne, will be demonstrating "how to build a versatile wardrobe with a couple of key pieces."
And maybe he can explain to us why Victorya seemed like such a pill on the last season of Project Runway.
UPDATE: You'll need reservations for the event. Call 1-888-622-9769 and apparently you can leave a message to reserve your spot. Probably. The reservation process seemed a little unclear.
(Thanks, Aja!)
photo: Bravo Company
Trader Joe's -- the saga continues
Shh. Don't tell anyone.
What do Trader Joe's and the National Security Agency have in common? On the surface not much, but try asking them a few questions. With all the buzz about getting Trader Joe's to come to A-Town, we thought we'd just give them a call and ask, once and for all: are they coming or not?
The hunt for an alternative wedding dress
For the bride-to-be with a taste for the non-traditional, the Albany area presents a few obstacles. The Capital Region is nothing if not traditional, especially when it comes to the contemporary tradition of finding a wedding dress.
So when AOA friend and rebellious bride Renée wanted my advice on where to find a dress for her upcoming nuptials, I had a significant challenge on my hands. The ceremony will be outdoors later this Spring, so she wants something on the shorter side. Also, she's hoping to wear, in her own words, "Kermit Green."
I know this is probably a surprise, but there is no abundance of Kermit-hued dresses at Crossgates (who knew?). She's already tried the usual suspects at Stuyvesant Plaza with no luck and now she's moving on to Saratoga. So, here are some good Spa City shopping bets...
The Brunswick Goodwill: a great place to score new, or nearly new, stuff cheap
Pants, pants, pants! And cheap.
My experience with thrift shops is admittedly small. This is mostly because I'm lazy. I love fashion and I love all of those great vintage pieces I see on celebs. But I also love merchandising. Pretty displays always make shopping a more pleasant, navigable experience. And that's why I generally avoid places like Marshall's and thrift stores.
I love the idea of cheap, awesome clothes. But at the mall, "cheap" and "awesome" are usually in the same company as "poorly made." This is not necessarily the case at thrift stores. So after Eileen mentioned how great the Goodwill store is in Brunswick, I decided to have a go.
The Pass It On Sale for kids stuff
It's something like 20,000 square feet of kids stuff on sale at the Albany Academy Field House.
The semi-annual Pass It On Consignment Sale starts tomorrow at the Albany Academy Field House. We've heard this sale is absolutely jammed with good kids stuff at cheap prices. Here's how the sale's site describes the event:
Pass It On is a twice-yearly children's consignment event in Albany, NY held in March (Spring/Summer items) and August (Fall/Winter items) We offer you the opportunity to sell your children's outgrown items and shop for new and gently worn items at bargain prices.
At Pass It On you will find clothing (sizes newborn to juniors and maternity) toys, books, videos, baby equipment (strollers, car seats etc.), sports equipment, children's furniture and more! All of our items are inspected to ensure the highest quality and our sales floor is extremely organized for the best shopping experience.
The good stuff goes quickly, apparently. So if you're looking to find something specific, you might want to stop by Wednesday. Here are the times:
Wednesday: 9 am - 7 pm
Thursday: 9 am - 5 pm
Friday: 9 am - 5 pm (half-price day)
(Thanks for the tip, George!)
Finding a local stylist -- and products -- for curls
Katherine looked all over for the right stylist.
The only thing I'm more envious of than people with a great sense of personal style, is people with great hair. You can wear the most uninspired clothes in the world, but a hair cut and/or style can make the clothes a moot point.
Katherine, a former colleague and good friend of mine, never has that problem. Not only is Katherine's hair always great, but it's curly AND great. The two do not have to be mutually exclusive (I just straighten the hell out of my African-American hair to avoid having to style it in its naturally curly state).
Here's how Katherine found her style in Albany.
The art of transition
Classic and versatile, a trench coat can handle whatever March has to offer.
So it's finally (barely) March, and the Spring clothes are out in full force. The rest of us have finally caught up to the retailers, and we're itching to purchase and wear them (unlike January). The problem is that with March comes this lion/lamb business. We could be wading through the snow straight through Easter, or we could be in sandals before St. Patrick's Day.
The key to surviving and enjoying the early spring months is transitional dressing. Here are three things that I think everyone should have to bridge the gap from Winter to Spring:
The "good" Macy's just got better
Stylish crocodile sighting at Colonie Center.
The Macy's at Colonie Center (also known as the "good" Macy's) just got a little better.
There is now a BCBG MaxAzria section at the store. It's definitely edited, but it's also the real deal; not a watered-down department store version.
The saleswomen told me that the "boutique" is brand new, and the company is experimenting with select stores on the East Coast.
Another new development : Lacoste.
A year or two ago Macy's got a men's Lacoste section, and I remember complaining because they conveniently left the ladies out to pasture. Well that's been addressed as well. There is now a women's Lacoste table. They have both the classic boxy cut and the more modern fitted version in maybe 7 or 8 colors.
It's not much people, but a little goes a long way.
Smart dresser
We all know people that we envy a little because being awesome is so effortless for them.
In college, it was that person on your floor who was a super-busy do-gooder. Somehow, despite never being around (due to saving the world), he or she would mysteriously make 20-page papers appear out of thin air and, of course, get an A. You on the other hand spent two weeks in and out of the library, and a couple of very late nights, to eek out a B.
At work, it's that person who, despite having 12 projects going at once, never breaks a sweat, and always manages to smile.
And then there are the smart dressers.
I like to look nice, but a really good outfit for me usually requires actual thought and planning. The best dressers I know just throw outfits together without a second thought. They also mysteriously acquire the most coveted pieces. Here's an excerpt of a typical conversation with a smart dresser:
Me: "I love your Boucle jacket! Very Chanel-esque. Where'd you get it?"
Smart Dresser: (without any smugness) "This old thing? I found it in my grandmother's closet."
Me: "All I ever find in my Grandmother's closet are floral Mumus."
I know quite a few. And over time, I'll be profiling them here. The first is my co-worker Eileen.
Which supermarket has the lowest prices?
We were curious, so we decided to find out. AOA put together a "basket" of 40 items that we thought could reasonably end up in most shopping carts in any given week. Then we checked the prices of these items at Price Chopper, Wal-Mart and Hannaford. Here are the results:
Troy's got moxie
Shopping in Troy. Really.
Here's the thing people forget about Troy. It's a lot more than RPI, Russell Sage and antiques. Troy has great restaurants like The Brew Pub, Daisy Baker's and Revolution Hall. And if there are colleges, good food, good music and a little history within a stone's throw of each other, there's a good chance there's some decent shopping in the mix as well. Here's what I found on my last trip...