AccessAtlanta > Shopping > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November
November 2007
Bottled Water Beauty
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Aquafina's wrinkle cream is part of the new line of products
Aquafina (a trademark of PepsiCo), has a new address…the skincare aisle.
The brand known for bottled water launched a new line of skincare that claims to give users a supreme level of hydration with patented QuSomes. Products include moisturizers, wrinkle cream and cleanser, and are available locally at Wal-Mart.
Does a bottled water brand (other than Evian) belong in the skincare aisle?
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Shop Project Runway
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bluefly.com
Dress by Wendy Catlen, $168 is comparable to the challenge winner's design on episode 2 of Project Runway.
Here’s another reason to tune in to Project Runway every Wednesday…
If you see something you like, log on to Bluefly to shop the look, which isn’t exactly the clothing and accessories from the show, but similar styles from other designers.
The winning designer this season will however, earn the chance to sell his or her actual items on Bluefly. Stay tuned…
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Wardrobe Registry
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Marciano
"Monte Carlo" Dress, $118 by Marciano available at Shopstyle.com.
These days you don’t have to be getting married, or moving, or having a kid to create a gift registry.
Shopstyle.com lets you make a wardrobe registry of clothing and accessories you want. Forward the link to friends/family and never get another gift you hate.
The site routes to retailers ranging from Saks to quirky online boutiques such as Fashion Chateau, so there’s lots of merchandise to choose from.
Would you use a wardrobe registry or does that seem to be going too far?
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Cyber Monday?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Black Friday has really become THE day for holiday shopping.
But Cyber Monday (as in today), not so much.
New data from Yahoo! Shopping debunks the Cyber Monday myth. The most popular online shopping days this year are predicted to be Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 and shoppers are expected to look for merchandise such as LCD & Plasma TVs, Apple iPhones, and apparel.
Do you think there’s any truth to Cyber Monday?
Will you be shopping online today?
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Black Friday in the books
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was a day of early-morning fever and early afternoon fatigue for shoppers throughout the Atlanta area on Black Friday. Reporters and photographers (and readers) were out documenting this sale-induced holiday fever - from long and cold lines before dawn to hungry shoppers braving an outside chill so they could find a seat at the Mall of Georgia. To get a feel for the day as it unfolded, check the chronological blog below. Readers can comment below on their experience — whether out and about or cozy at home. Check out the photos here. Story. Video.
2:30 p.m. Like many of the early-morning shopping shoppers, AJC shopping and fashion reporter is calling it a day out at the Mall of Georgia. She said many of the shoppers who had been out since 6 a.m. (or before for those waiting in lines) have hit the wall, so to speak. “There wasn’t like a second shift,” she said. But really, six hours of crowded shopping and walking and carrying bags can get tiresome. Nedra said many of the stores will continue with sales (not the “doorbusters”, but the typical buy one thing get another half off) throughout the weekend.
1:43 p.m. Well, we won’t know for sure if $2,000 was the most spent today by one person (surely it wasn’t) but staff photographer Vino Wong talked to a gentleman from Nashville that dropped two large at Gwinett Place Mall. Vino took the man’s photograph with all of his merchandise. Check the gallery soon.
1:27 p.m. New photos keep coming in from AJC reporters, freelancers and staff photographers. Check the gallery here.
12:19 p.m. The food court at the Mall of Georgia is packed, and there is limited seating indoors so hungry diners are outside in frigid temperatures balancing bags and food trays as they try to chow down on some French fries. — Nedra Rhone
We want in Some service stores can’t exactly offer the same sales but are still taking advantage of the larger audience at the malls. Doctor’s Vison Works at the Mall of Georgia has a big sign that reads: “Don’t Let Your Vision Insurance Benefits expire on Dec. 31. Come in today.”
Noon Chad Evitts of Lawrenceville said he and his family didn’t get out early enough to get the big deals. The 15 to 25 percent off — which is pretty standard for all stores today — “was just enough to make you feel like you had to buy something,” he said. — Nedra Rhone
Sale update Old Navy at the Mall of Georgia has $30 to $40 cashmere sweaters, which is a huge deal. The 15-to-20 minute wait in line suggests others feel the same way. — Nedra Rhone
10:32 a.m. Take cash, says AJC shopping and fashion reporter Nedra Rhone. She’s partially joking, but that’s how she cut time from standing in line at JC Penney’s at the Mall of Georgia. A credit machine broke at a register and the woman behind the counter called for Cash Only, causing an obvious uproar. “JC Penney was a madhouse,” Nedra said. The store had 40 to 60 percent off almost everything. Nedra said the catch to many of these sales is there is a time limit, which is why so many shoppers get an early start. The JC Penney sale ends at 1 p.m. American Eagle’s 15 percent off everything in the store runs until noon.
10: 30 a.m. A two-for-$30 sale on NCAA fleeces is causing a madhouse at Finish Line at the Mall of Georgia. — Nedra Rhone
9:45 a.m. What better place to experience Black Friday than Georgia’s largest mall? The 40-minute drive from downtown was uneventful. It seemed like everyone decided to get off at the exit for the Fry’s Electronic’s in Duluth (see below). It did take about 10-15 minutes to find parking at the mall, but it wasn’t much different than an average Saturday at Lenox. — Nedra Rhone
7:30 a.m. In the Fry’s parking lot in Duluth, a few shoppers struggled to get all their purchases in the trunks and backseats of their vehicles. The challenge became a puzzle, as they turned some bags sideways and piled boxes on top of one another to make all the pieces fit. Other shoppers yelled into their cell phones. They spoke in English, Vietnamese and Spanish as they coordinated with friends and family members. Ken Le from Lawrenceville picked up a set of speakers at Fry’s for a friend who was trying to buy a laptop computer from Best Buy. Le didn’t plan to buy anything for himself, but the speakers were so cheap he got a pair for himself. “You see all the sales while you’re waiting in line to buy stuff and you get more than what you planned,” Le said. “That’s how they get you.” — Laura Diamond
7:30 a.m. David Jones of Snellville last slept Wednesday night. He started chugging caffeine about 8 p.m. Thursday to stay awake for Friday’s shopping. His quest was to find “geek stuff for cheap.” He and two friends searched for hard drives, flash drives and digital photo frames. By about 7:30 a.m. Friday, the group was getting ready to walk into Fry’s electronics in Duluth. They already hit Circuit City, Staples and OfficeMax. Jones said he already spent $357, including $50 worth of gifts for others. Jones reasoned that because he’s young, single and has no kids he can afford to splurge on himself. “If that means I have to go without eating for a month I can handle it,” Jones joked. — Laura Diamond
DeKalb County Police boost presence, warn shoppers In a release, the DeKalb County Police Department said it’s stepping up patrols at Perimeter, North DeKalb, Stonecrest, Northlake and South DeKalb malls. Basic idea here is to deter theft targeting shoppers. Here are some of tips they give. 1. Place purse, valuables in the trunk. 2. Keep aware of surroundings. 3. Walk in groups. 4. Pay attention to other vehicles to see if you’re being followed.
6:45 a.m. The shopping complex at Edgewood wasn’t as crowded as I figured. Best Buy’s parking lot was mostly filled but there were still some spots and I expected more of a zoo. There were about seven to eight people lined up outside GameStop. And it’s always a little unsettling to see someone crossing a major street with a huge boxed TV in the dark of night. Felt like I was watching “The Sopranos.” — Mike Benzie
6 a.m. Suzanne Bishop and her sons McClain, 12, and Mills, 16, were leaving the Buckhead Ritz-Carlton headed for area shops at 6 a.m. Friday. It was their second outing of the day. The trio, in town for Thanksgiving from St. Simons Island, went out the first time at 4:30 a.m. They burst back into the lobby about an hour later carrying shopping bags from Belk, across the street at Phipps Plaza. They saved big on items from digital photo frames to Hannah Montana gear, and were eager for another round of bargain hunting. “We’re going to Circuit City next,” Bishop said. Lynn Youngblood, a Ritz guest in town from Easley, S.C., was headed out close to 6 a.m. “We’ll probably start at Target, then we’ll hit Macy’s,” she said. “A little something to stimulate the economy. “I’m not planning to buy a condo, though,” she continued, in jesting reference to Atlanta’s housing market, “although I understand that’s what y’all need.” — Jennifer Brett
5 a.m. Duluth resident Lynda Ashby starts her pursuit at Gwinnett Place Mall. “Some people like to get up early to go hunting,” Ashby said. “This is my version of hunting. I’m hunting for deals and I’m finding them.” Ashby, dressed in a comfortable sweat suit and sneakers, expertly balanced arms full of shopping bags. She bought clothes at Belk. She picked up bathroom slippers, cologne and perfume and other items from Macy’s. She bought gift cards from other stores. Ashby finished her day at about 8 a.m. — Laura Diamond
4:45 a.m. Circuit City employee Josh Jones made his way along the line of 500 outside the store on Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw, announcing a few basic ground rules to the anxious, cold shoppers. “No running over people, no chaos” Jones told shoppers. “If you run over people, we’re going to shut the door.” Jones, who assured shoppers that everyone would get in, said that the line wasn’t quite as long as last year’s line on the morning after Thanksgiving, which overflowed into the adjacent Carmax parking lot. — Mike Morris, Patti Bond
4:30 a.m. Sometimes you have to spend money to save money. Jeff Delgado and his 18-year-old son Shane, drove from Cartersville to Kennesaw at 7 p.m. Thursday to secure their places near the front of the line at the Circuit City on Barrett Parkway. Both Jeff, who works in construction, and Shane, who attends Shorter College in Rome, were purchasing Compaq laptop computers for $299.99, a savings of $350 on each computer. But with overnight temperatures dipping into the 30s, the father and son discovered they had come ill prepared to spend the night on the sidewalk outside the store’s front door. Luckily for them, the Wal-Mart just down the road was open on Thursday night. “We’ve already spent 150 bucks,” Jeff Delgado said 30 minutes before the Circuit City opened at 5 a.m. “A tent, two sleeping bags, chairs.” - Mike Morris
Thanks for reading. Tell us your story by commenting below.
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Dressing a Preg Celeb
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/WIREIMAGE;ALESSIA PARADISI/ABACA
Mandy Moore vs. Halle Berry in Dolce & Gabbana corset dress
The Hollywood baby boom has inspired a revolution in maternity wear. No more shapeless frocks for these soon-to-be moms. Many are still wearing designer gear, instead of hitting the maternity racks.
Check out our list of pregnant celeb style below.
Should pregnant women stick to maternity wear, or is it cool (or possible) to completely avoid it?
Halle Berry, 41 Due Date: Spring 2008 Berry has been spotted in her standard designer gear including a form fitting strapless Dolce & Gabbana dress (readers preferred her look over Moore’s) Berry recently stated to People Magazine that she would try to avoid maternity clothes until her eighth or ninth month.
Nicole Richie, 26 Due Date: January, 2008 Maybe it’s the rocker influence of boyfriend Joel Madden, but Richie has held on to her trademark skinny jeans during her pregnancy paired with hip T-shirts and comfy shoes.
Christina Aguilera, 26 Due Date: January 2008 Aguilera may have been outed by Paris Hilton, but she’s now wearing clingy knit sweater dresses to show off her belly.
Jennifer Lopez, 38 Due: Spring, 2008 Lopez just announced her pregnancy earlier this month which may explain her more demure look. She’s appearing on stage in flowing gowns and on the street in dresses with forgiving shapes.
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Stores open on Thanksgiving
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We hear that Kmart and Bass Pro Shops (5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville) are open on Thanksgiving, which got us thinking…
When you need last minute items on turkey day, where do you go?
What other stores are open on Thanksgiving?
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Unsafe Toys on Shelves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Popular Heelys made Keenan's 2007 list of unsafe toys.
The latest news in dangerous toys includes Don Keenan’s just released list of unsafe toys for 2007. Keenan, founder of Keenan’s Kids Foundation, is a local child advocate and attorney.
Keenan’s Top 10 list of dangerous toys on shelves follows. Have you had an experience with one of these toys or do you have other toys to add to the list?
Magnetix 75 Piece Assortment Collector’s Tin $19.99 by Mega Brands Ages 6+ Purchased at Toys R Us HAZARD: Potential for choking injuries. Magnets that are swallowed can connect in the intestines, resulting in tissue damage, infection, and death.
Rocket Pocket Miniature Electric Motorcycle $183.22 by Razor USA, LLC Ages 12+ years Purchased at Wal-Mart HAZARD: Potential for severe bodily injuries or death
Heelys $29.99 - $79.99 by Heeling Sports LTD Ages 5+ Purchased at Kids Foot Locker HAZARD: Potential for severe head injuries and injuries to others
Creepy Crawlers Bug Maker $19.99 by Flying Colors Ages 8+ years Purchased at Toys R Us HAZARD: Potential for electric shock and burn injuries.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End Sensor Sword with Magic Ring $17.99 by Zizzle Ages 5+ Purchased at Target HAZARD: Potential for eye and other bodily injuries.
Disney Princess Small Dolls - Favorite Moments $19.99 by Toys R Us Ages 3+ Purchased at Toys R Us HAZARD: Potential for choking. Small Pieces.
Lil’ Snoopy $7.99 by Fisher Price Age 1+ Purchased at Toys R Us HAZARD: Potential for Strangulation
Elmo’s World: Talking Cell Phone $9.99 by Fisher-Price Ages 18+ months Purchased at Toys R Us HAZARD: Potentially dangerous levels of noise.
Yo-Yo Squeeze Toy $1.29 by Ja-Ru, Inc. Ages 4+ Purchased at KB Toys HAZARD: Potential for strangulation injuries.
Hello Kitty Flavored Lip Balms and Nail Polishes $7.99 by Sanrio & Townley Cosmetics Age 5+ Purchased at Toys R Us
HAZARD: Contains the potentially toxic chemical Phthalate. Children can ingest toxins put on lips and fingernails.
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Private Holiday Shopping
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Get a jump on Black Friday at a private shopping event at Lenox Square.
On Sunday, Nov. 18, Simon “Evening of Giving” allows ticket holders to shop from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. without the usual crowds.
There will be fashion shows, musical performances, a silent auction and more.
Tickets cost $35 at www.EncoreAtlanta.com and the proceeds go to various arts organizations in Atlanta.
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Project Runway’s GA connection
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Webber showing Sistahs of Harlem style
Yesterday marked the start of Project Runway Season 4.
Anyone desperately seeking a Georgia connection will find it in contestant Carmen Webber, 37 of North Carolina. Webber is a SCAD alum (BFA, illustration, 1994).
She also has a clothing line called Sistahs of Harlem.
Are you supporting the (close) to home team or do you have another early fave?
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Black Friday Frenzy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
According to a recent survey by Maritz Research, members of Gen X & Gen Y are more likely to shop during Black Friday madness.
Maybe they’re the only ones with the patience to endure long lines and crowds.
Do you plan to shop on Black Friday?
What stores will you hit and what promotions are you most excited about? (And don’t forget to tell your age).
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Getting the Lead Out
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some Dora the Explorer products have been part of recent toy recalls.
Exposure to lead used to come from two sources: Paint and gasoline. But in the 1970’s the government banned the use of lead in those materials.
So why do we keep hearing about lead levels in children’s products including everything from toys to jewelry to baby bibs?
It can make holiday shopping a nightmare.
What are your plans for buying safe items this holiday season?
Are there local stores that give a “lead-free” guarantee?
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Happy Kiehl’s Day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kiehl's Pear Candle
Visit Kiehl’s in Lenox Square this week and get a free hand salve (if you’re among the first 100 visitors today), or a free lip balm with every purchase.
Kiehl’s, an apothecary founded in New York’s East Village in 1851, will also offer champagne and pears (the store planted a pear tree on its corner in New York).
While you’re there, enter to win $1,851 worth of Kiehl’s products.
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Norsah knits Trunk Show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bracelet by Angel Court
Meet Sarah Hudson Moore, designer of Norsah knits, at a trunk show, Saturday Nov. 10 at LUXE Atlanta, 1000 Marietta Street, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Moore’s designs include scarves, hats and dresses that sell from $100 - $389 at chic L.A. boutiques such as Fred Segal and Lisa Klein.
LUXE also debuts Angel Court Jewelry, known for vintage and reconstructed designs.
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Stop Pouting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pout "Bustier"
British indie cosmetic brand, Pout, is going out of business.
The brand, known for its plumping products and fun packaging such as a lip plumper in an inflated plastic pouch and a bust enhancing cream in a lacy box, is available through the end of the year.
Look for some stuff on the shelves near the register at Victoria’s Secret in Atlantic Station.
Apparently, it’s getting tough out there for independent cosmetic companies.
Do you buy indie cosmetic brands or do you stick with the biggies?
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Underpinnings for the augmented
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
David Brothers, an Atlanta based plastic surgeon, is gaining fame for his sideline gig.
Brothers was recently featured in Allure magazine for the line of bras he’s created.
“Le Mystere No. 9” is an underwire bra “designed to fit the rounder and more projected contour of augmented breasts.”
Is this a case of fashion frivolity or is a real need being met?
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