My Self Fulfilling Prophecy

A lady came into The Candy Bar last week and told me a story.  She said that she had gone to New York for the weekend and forgotten her makeup bag. She was devastated and after swearing at her husband for not checking with her to make sure she had all of her bags, she had to think fast.  The friend she was visiting was not a makeup wearer, so the option of borrowing makeup for the weekend was out the window.  She told me she went to the local mall and had her makeup done at the Bobbi Brown counter where she spent $150 on makeup products that she really didn't need.  Having just posted about makeup products I bought at CVS, I told her if it were to happen to me, I would have gone to CVS.

The reason I tell you this is because I kept repeating during her story "that would be my worst nightmare".  Well guess what? My worst nightmare came true!  In what I'm calling my self fulfilling prophecy, I did exactly the same thing this weekend when I went to Cape Cod.  Imagine my surprise when unpacking my bags I realized I had forgotten my makeup bag.  I swear I willed it to happen. So what did I do? I went pronto to CVS to replace what I needed.

I had managed to take with me a bag filled with my moisturizers and serums, so I was missing the complexion components in my makeup regimen. I had no foundation, no mineral powder, no bronzer, no mascara, no brow pencil, no blush and no eyeliner. My little experiment turned out to be a blogging blessing which allows me to share with you my findings. 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Foundation: 

This was a complete surprise to me because I got to tell you, I really like this!

Why I like it:

• Great coverage and finish which makes the easy to use foam applicator a breeze. 
• Gives a complete application and the coverage is build-able which I needed
• True to color 
• Natural finish with long lasting wear-ability

What I didn't like:

• Sheer application of product did not last all day

L'oreal True Match Mineral Powder:

This one didn't have a chance, I'm completely and totally obsessed with my Smashbox Halo powder so I knew this one was going to fall flat. 

Why I like it:

• Set my foundation
• Easy to use brush comes attached to product
• Finish gave my a skin luminous appearance

Why I didn't like it:

• Very Messy
• Screw top reveals sifter top
• If too much product on top of sifter, creates a messy storage and not ideal for a neat and clean application.
• Packaging is not luxe. Not even close.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara:

I have blogged about this product before, safe to say it's possibly my favorite mascara ever.

Why I like it:

• Wand is longer which allows a complete application on whole lash line.
• Formula is wet and thick which leaves lashes defined, lengthened and voluminous 

Why I didn't like it:

• There are no reasons why I don't like this product. Did I mention that it's my favorite mascara ever?

L'oreal True Match Naturale Blush 

This looked easy and the color was pretty, so I thought why not?

Why I like it:

• Natural plum color
• Gave me a luminous glow
• Lightly pigmented for natural finish so it wasnt a strong statement blush

Why I didn't like it:

• Very messy
• Screw top reveals sifter top
• If too much product on top of sifter, creates a messy storage and not ideal for a neat and clean application.
• Packaging is not luxe. Not even close.

Maybelline Eye Studio Brow Define and Fill Duo:

I'm someone who has been using the same eyebrow pencil for about 6 years. I have to say, this was the best purchase because it helped me realize it was time for a change.

Why I like it:

• Precision crayon allows for exact application, 
• Foam tip powder applicator on opposite end creates a thickened natural looking brow without too much product

Why I didn't like it:

• No spoolie brush to groom brows afterward

Maybelline Master Kajal Eyeliner:

Thought this would be an easy no-brainer but was pleasantly surprised

Why I like it:

• Super soft creamy black liner
• Coned shaped tip applicator creates easy line, 
• Waterproof

Why I didn't like it:

• Not opaque, to get opaque black line you have to compromise the longevity of your liner by using the fine point tip

Bottom line, my friend spent $150 at a mall makeup counter and got 3 products she kind of liked. I spent about the same, got a ton more and was truly surprised at how many of the products I really liked. I also discovered that cheap drugstore makeup isn't that cheap after all. 

The moral of this story is even though I enjoyed this little experiment, I doubt I'll ever forget to check, and then double check whether my makeup bag is with me again!

Price Wars

Being in retail, my ears perked up when I heard about the newest level of price wars between fast food giants McDonald's and Burger King. Last week Burger King announced a dramatic cut in the cost of it's Chicken Nuggets. Burger King is now offering a 10 piece chicken nugget for $1.49. This comes on the heels of McDonald's ultra popular Monopoly game, which has proven to be a traffic driver for the food mecca. So what does McDonald's do? McDonald's "sees" Burger King's $1.49 10 piece Nugget and "raises" with a $5.00 20 piece nugget, plus offers the fan favorite Monopoly game to boot.

What does all this mean?

It means that in the proverbial pie of fast food sales, there are only so many pieces. The loss leader in competitive sales has become an every day thing. So what does all this mean for a little guy like me? It means a heck of a lot and here's why:

• Retailers make 30% of annual revenues during the holiday season. WHAT THAT USED TO MEAN: Shoppers will shop. Period. WHAT THAT MEANS NOW: Retailers need to attract the customer. Even loyal customers.
• For most retailers, the Internet has changed the way we do business. Heck, the internet has changed the world but for retailers that means there is a World Wide Web of competition out there for goods. We must stay competitive to stay in the game. So how do we do that?
• Black Friday used to be the busiest shopping day of the year! Thanks to "Door Busters", Black Friday sales and deep discounts, retailers have to have a strategy to make their numbers and that spells out DISCOUNT. 
• More sales and discounts are a necessity and are now commonplace in a sales plan. And more frequently that ever before.  

It's amazing to me that even the big guys like McDonald's worry about market shares.I'm aware that they, of course, worry about staying on top and I know that we all worry about the bottom line, but I am surprised to find that the biggies and I share a common ground. It's the new age of competitive sales and in this Internet world, nothing is for sure. Service and reputation are a big part of it, but the facts are what they are. If you can't attract the client to your location or your website or your restaurant, you are all done.

The bottom line now means that they won't buy if they don't come. 

Lil Poopy Got Some Gangsta Swagga

Meet Lil Poopy. A nine year old from Brockton, MA, his Lil story is all over the morning papers.

Seems this nine year old rapping prodigy created quite a stir on youtube a few months back, singing about being a "coke boy". Seems Lil Poopy raps about being a "cocaine cowboy", Gucci, Louis Vuitton and other nine year-old staples like guns and "hoes".

Lil Poopy was discovered by rapper French Montana, and claims to be his mentor. Poopy is one of his Coke Boyz posse, and is on his  label, Cocaine City Records.  So was he the one who taught him to slap the buxom bottoms of women and flash large wads of cash with his bling bling? Cuz whoever did that is in big trouble today.

Brockton Police put their "pimp hand" down when they flagged the family to the MA Department of Children and Families with a child abuse claim. Lil Poopy's dad, Luie Rivera of Brockton is under investigation for neglect and abuse. And get this, the guy thinks that "there aint nuthin wrong with what he's doin". Daddy told the Boston Herald last night. "Hip-hop is like the WWE- it's all fake," Rivera said. "Back in the beginning what you were rapping about you were really doing. Now it's all an act."

An act that turns out is a dangerous play date. As the Boston Herald's Margery Eagan brilliantly points out this morning, "Lil Poopy calls himself a "cocaine coyboy". How long until he asks to sample the product?"
Indeed. It's inevitable.

Good thing Johnny Law is on the case. At least there's a slight chance they may save this kid.

I doubt it, though. The money and the fame and the drugs are all too real.......in this fake act.

It's Way BEYOND The BED And BATH

So I take Frick shopping yesterday for college, cuz you know, first year and all, and we are not quite sure exactly what she's going to need. I know it's hard to believe, but it wasn't that long ago that I was in college. So we make our list and we go off to college dorm headquarters: Bed, Bath and Beyond.

We already got all her bedding at Pottery Barn Dorm, (a GREAT deal btw) and now we needed to find all the extra little things she will be needing. Upon entering Bed Bath and Beyond, we were immediately greeted with huge signs announcing their college program. You can sign up. like a registry, and scan all of the items you want, then pick them up and pay for them at a Bed, Bath and Beyond near your college. They even had a print out for your specific college (NYU) and a list of what to bring and what not to bring.

This was great! But completely overwhelming to say the least. They provide check lists for college dorm room and the options? Holy cow, you can pimp a college dorm room out to your heart's content if not your wallet.

We spent over three and a half hours pouring over the items, and they get you with all of the special little things. Take for example the bed bug thing. Since Frick is going to New York city, I have to consider the fact that bed bugs could turn out to be an issue. Bed, Bath and Beyond has the solution, of course, with special mattress protectors, pillow protectors and bed bug spray. Yes, please. We added them to our cart. Then she needs organizers for the closet, her shoes, the bathroom, her desk top, and don't forget kitchen and cleaning supplies and now we are just getting started. A safe? For valuables, yes of course. Then she needs wall coverings, towels, and a bean bag chair. Why not?

When we were done we spent way over $1000.00. Crazy? I have been going over it in my head. Does she need it? I decided it is all necessary, but here's the thing: Some we took home with us but most we left on the registry to be picked up in NYC. Now I'm thinking that if we pick it up there and pay for it there, we will be paying a much higher sales tax rate. Is it worth it for the convenience? Or will we be loading the car down with more stuff, thereby using more fuel? You see my conundrum?


There is but one saving grace.

Bed, Bath and Beyond will accept as many coupons as we have items. This is a very good thing and may save my sales tax dilemma.

So help a blogger out and please send any and all coupons for BB&B my way, because I forgot to mention that at the exact same time we have begun all this madness......the tuition bill arrived.

Lord have mercy.

Money Matters

This is what my kids think I am. A fricken money machine.

I swear, this is all that they see when they look at me. Money, money, money. And here's the thing, THEY BOTH HAVE JOBS! Their best excuse? "Oh, I deposited my paycheck and I left my wallet in my room." Really? How stupid do they think I am?

Here's how stupid. They always say it's for food because if they say it's for food, they know I will give it to them. Usually it's a 5 dollar bill or a ten dollar bill but those $5.00 to $10.00 hits really add up after a while, and the next thing I know, I have not a dollar in my wallet.

So here's a newsflash for them: I'm not a money machine and the good times stop here! Use your own hard earned money, and eat at home before you go out. I don't care how "un-cool" it is to eat at home. If you're so worried about how cool it looks then use your own money.

And another thing, any money I find in the washing machine, including $20.00 bills, will now be going into my pocket. Finders keepers. If you aren't responsible enough to keep track of your cash (or mine for that matter) then I will take back control of said money. Just like the cruel world, there will be no money mercy.

The tribe has spoken...

Sucking It All In

That's right, she's a billionaire.

I'm sure most people have no idea who Sara Blakely is. I certainly didn't until Sunday, but I know her product.

I know her product oh so well, as it has become a staple; a must have, a do or die fashion element in any smartly dressed woman's wardrobe. Men, ask your ladies because they know what we are talking about. Sara Blakely can count on women all over the world knowing what we are talking about-all the way to the bank.

Sara Blakely created Spanx.

At 41 years old, she is the youngest woman and self made billionaire to ever make the prestigious list. Sara Blakely did something so simple, so brilliant that I couldn't believe that there was one person behind the idea. She re-created the girdle. She modernized a device from our great-gtrandmother's era that was villified and lothed for it's torture.

Sara Blakely changed all of that. She gave us a new name, "shapers" and make them seamless with her own two hands, then patented them with a patent book she bought at Barnes and Noble. Her first account was Nieman Marcus and soon a star was born. Today the Spanx empire boasts hundreds of styles of undergarments like: Booty Booster, The Bra-llelujah, Slim-Cognito, Skinny Britches and Trust your Thinstincts.

Women all over the globe wouldn't dare to get dressed without them. Red Carpet event atendee's have even confessed to "doubling up" on Spanx, and Hollywood regularly includes Spanx products in it's various swag bag events. I, myself will admit that I cannot live without my one, coveted Spanx favorite: The Bra-llelujiah. This garment changed my life, and honestly I will not be without it. It's comfort alone is the sole reason I choose to spend $62.00 on a bra. I have almost every color imaginable and I plan on never facing a day without my Bra-llelujiah.

Herin lies the key to Sara's sucess. She tapped into something that was taboo, forbidden and shameful and she made it modern, chic, comfortable and necessary. She made sucking in our sins a shared ritual for millions of women and in the process she made millions. Or more like billions,

Selling girldles. Who would have ever thought it possible?

Crack is Wack Part II

I have to admit that since Whitney's death I have been reading everything and anything that pops up about the tragic and troubled diva. I didn't even know that I cared that much, but apparently I do. What's even more tragic is that I'm about to admit that I have recently been watching YouTube episodes of Bravo's now defunct reality show, "Being Bobby Brown". It's like research and I just need to get a glimpse into what went on in their lives so that I can make sense of the train wreck of it all.

And you do get a glimpse of it, if not all of it on that show. So when Yesterday's news came out about Bobby Brown being homeless, broke and living out of his car, it just didn't sit well with me.

Ok, so Bobby Brown was broke and homeless after Whitney kicked his broke-ass outta her house and went to rehab to clean up her act. Why is this big news? We didn't just go to school to eat lunch cuz we all know where the $$ came from. The fact is that Whitney's fortune, at one time estimated to be $240 million, was dwindling. (cuz $240 mil can buy you a lot of rock for a real long time)Which means that Whitney cut him loose to try and save her sinking ship.

I am not saying that Bobby was the degenerate drug addict in the relationship or that Whitney's life was ruined because of his influence on her drug use. On the contrary, I fully believe that Whitney was the real addict here and that Brown was a man who did what he always did to get by. He smoked, he snorted, he ingested, he drank, he ate and he did it all on his wife's dime. It was Whitney who had the real love affair with the pipe. We may never know what the whole truth is and who says we need to.

But the fact that Brown's money troubles and homelessness after his divorce are big news today puzzle me. We already knew this, and if you live in Boston like I do, its no surprise. In the past decade, Brown has been sentenced to jail for non support of his children who live here at least twice and he was always in the news for being in court to answer deadbeat dad charges. Bobby and the Massachusetts court system are like peas and carrots, so why the sudden, "woe is me" PR. What's his motive?

While Whitney isn't around anymore to tell him to, "kiss my ass!" and refute the crap he will undoubtedly be spewing, I'm betting the business man in Brown ain't no fool. He sees $$$ all over this because of people just like me. We have absolutely no right to know the truth, yet we have the deepest desire to know the truth and we comprise a market that will spend money on it. Sad but true.

I'm thinking that Bobby Brown's homeless days are over, and I think he has his deceased x-wife to thank for a big part of that. I'm also hoping he cleans his act up and does something good beside impregnating women and then leaving them broke and penniless. But that might be too much to ask for a guy who just does what he does to get by. I also pray that his daughter, Bobbi Christina gets the help she needs to clean up her act too. According to Bobby Brown he was her primary caretaker.

Is there a pattern here?

Fashion Frenzy

I am a nut.

Many of you who have been hanging around The Daily Dandy for long enough know this to be fact. You also know that I am a fashion nut. Fashion speaks to my soul, and nothing makes me feel better than the feel of fine fashions against my skin.

But today I am a SMART nut.

Today I made some mean fashion decisions and hit the mother load.

Italian designer, Missoni, (my most very favorite designer) hit Target stores across the country today with low price, fabulous signature zig zag goods designed for the masses. I have been counting the days till this fasionista's dream came true ever since I saw the ad on TV a week ago.

"Shut UP," I found myself saying out loud to no one in particular when I saw it.

Missoni and low price are two words you would almost never see in a sentence together, so imagine my excitement when I learned of this offering. I had my strategy all planned out too. I was going to go right at 8am when the store opened, and I even called last night to confirm the sale. Myself and 10 other women stool outside the huge store this morning, ready to enter. Piece of cake, I thought, this is going to be easy.

You never saw 10 women turn on each other quicker in your life.

It was a fricken free for all. The section where the inexpensive Missoni fashions hung was small, but those 10 women weren't fooling around. Most were grabbing hangers of clothes, 4 and 5 at a time and stuffing them into their carts. I some how managed to grab 3 dresses, a jacket and a skirt for Frick and move on quick. I knew there were shoes.

I got to the shoes just as one woman had about 15 boxes in front of her and she defensively hovered over the boxes. I grabbed my size in the two pairs that I wanted and was herded out of that section by the masses that had moved on from the clothing. Steering my cart over to the housewares section with the intensity of a Brinks truck driver, I then scored some of my favorite items on my menu. I got a two tired appetizer tray, a set of three nesting bowls, two mugs, a candle tray, a serving platter and two bath towels. I almost didn't even know what I was doing. Almost.

The looks on the other shoppers faces as we navigated throughout the store was priceless. I caught a section for men's ties. I had to buy My Guy something. I scored a cute winter scarf, I grabbed a multi colored throw for the house and I found the perfect duvet and shams for my guest room. I was delirious with adrenaline, and I knew I was done. At the check out line the woman in front of me telling me her shopping cart story, was almost pathetic.

"That lady rammed into me with her shopping cart, ON PURPOSE."

I was almost embarrassed to have been a part of it. Almost.

It was exactly 8:34 am when I started my car and pulled out for my departure with the treasures. Thirty four minutes from start to finish. I'm not even going there with how much I spent, but I can tell you that the most expensive item was $79.99.

And I'm a smart shopper who, today, is in zig-zag heaven.

Marry The Geeks

So if the old saying is true, "Be nice to the geeks in high school because one day they will probably be your boss," would it be WRONG to tell my daughter, "Honey, you can date the jocks while you're still young, but you want to marry the geeks."

Heck, geeks are chic! They even have their own fleet of pimped out, black and white "Geek Squad" Volkswagen's and are the savvy, technological superheroes who make house calls! The super geeks even make serious bank, like the dude who pioneered Facebook. With the dawn of the movie which tells the story of the mega-social networking-vehicle that changed the world, "The Social Network", which opens this Friday, Geek Chic, is certainly in the main stream.

Mark Zuckerberg, the whiz kid at the helm of Facebook, co-founded the billion dollar conglomerate from his Harvard dorm room on February 4, 2004. According to wiki":

"The idea for Facebook came from his days at Phillips Exeter Academy, which, like most colleges and prep schools, had a long-standing tradition of publishing an annual student directory with headshot photos of students, faculty and staff known as the "Facebook".

There are those who would disagree. Many of those, claim that Zuckerberg stole the idea for Facebook from them. Many who filed law suits and received multi-million dollar settlements. But the one thing they all agree on is the irony that Zuckerberg, who was known to be more than socially handicapped, created the vehicle that revolutionized the way people interact with one another, and the world. And it has made him a ridiculously wealthy man at the young age of 26.

Geek's tend to stick together too. Like the guy who co-created Napster, Sean Parker. Napster is arguably one of the reasons that record companies are no longer rolling in the dough, which arguably signaled a new era of how we buy and share music. After the Fed's shut down Napster, Parker went on to become VP of Facebook. See how geek attracts geek? Which leads me to the point of my post here, which is; geek is chic. I tell my daughter all the time: date the football players but marry the crew guys.

Seriously, and even though she looks like a mini-movie star and acts and sings like one too, she's got the brains and the grades to be a geek with the best of them. I tell her to embrace her inner geek. Who knows? She just could end up piloting her own media empire, all by her geeky, little self.

The Loss Of My Good Friend $Bill

I went to the beach yesterday. We had a great time. I took my daughter, (my son is away at camp) and we met my cousin and her children at Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA. It was an awesome beach day. The sun was shining, the temps were in the 80's and all was well. My cousin expertly packed a cooler full of good stuff; sandwich meats, bread, fresh fruit, Doritos, Fritos, soda, water, juice bags and other assorted snacks. We had lunch and spent the afternoon fighting the rising tide. You would think that we had everything we needed for a perfect day right at our finger tips. Almost everything.

Across the street from the beach parking lot there is a board walk with lots of ice cream stands, gift shops and clam shacks. So what's a trip to Nantasket beach without an ice cream cone to complete the day? And I always say,"When in Rome...". We decided the time for ice cream had come, so I wrapped a towel around my waist, put on my flip-flops and went up to the car to grab some money. I took a $20 dollar bill from my wallet, and since I was wearing a bathing suit, flip flops and towel, I folded the $20 and put it into the bra of my bathing suit for safe keeping.

Yes I did. This is something I have done a thousand times before.

I stooped at the bath house to go to the bathroom, washed my hands and as I was staring into the mirror, I noticed the money just barely peeking out of the top of my bathing suit, securely. I came out, met the group and off we went to get the summer treat. We walked a mere 1/4 of a mile to the ice cream stand and when I got there I reached down for the $20 dollar bill and it was GONE!!!!!!
I know it wasn't lost in the top of my bathing suit because there was no hiding anywhere in that suit, so I un-wrapped my towel to see if it had somehow fallen in between, but there was no such luck. It was then that I realized that it must have fallen out somewhere between the bath house and the ice cream shack and that with all the people walking around I could be more than sure that someone had picked it up in the few minutes since I made the walk over.

Now I know what you're thinking, no big deal, right? Yeah, there were a few moments of the "no big deal" thinking going through my head, but those were quickly replaced with feelings of complete loss. I was pissed. I was more pissed at myself for being so irresponsible. What a dumb-ass!! Granted, I had more money in the car, and that on the walk back to the car the lost money was no where to be found, but I couldn't help feel bad about it. What would I tell my daughter? What kind of example am I as a mother??? Most of all I missed my friend, Mr. $20 dollar bill.

We got the ice cream, but somehow it wasn't as good as should have been and I couldn't get my mind off my good friend $Bill. I though about $Bill while I swam with the kids in the big waves and rode the surf, laughing. I thought about $Bill as we watched an awesome Tall Ship (they were in Boston over the weekend) sail by on the horizon. I thought about $Bill as we sunbathed and my cousin and I told funny stories to our kids about our childhood. I thought about $Bill as I watched an old man in dirty, tattered clothing retrieving bottles and cans from the trash bin and I suddenly realized that $Bill was probably in a better place.

I decided that I didn't need to beat myself up over my irresponsibility any longer. Maybe $Bill became someone else's good friend. It's possible $Bill helped someone through a tough time or provided them with an essential they needed. Maybe $Bill fed a hungry child or made someone happy. I can live with that. I wont think about the other possibilities. I'll just think about my good friend $Bill doing Gods work, helping someone in need. It's the best way to deal with the loss of such a good friend.