Last Five

Songs I downloaded on iTunes.

  1. You Don’t Own Me by Grace feat. G- Eazy. This is a fantastic cover of the classic Leslie Gore tune. I actually know this best from the infamous trio of Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn in First Wives Club. I can just picture this being performed at the Grammy’s next year with some really glowy lighting. It’s perfect. Get it, now!
  2. Formation by Beyonce. Duh.
  3. This is What You Came For by Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna. I thought this was a no brainer because of the people. After listening to it about fifty times, I don’t think it’s my all time favorite, but it’s a good addition to the workout playlist.
  4. Messin’ Around by Pitbull feat. Enrique Iglesias. This song samples Take it on the Run by REO Speedwagon, you’ll recognize it right away. Frankly Pitbull + Enrique = money in the bank.
  5. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga. I realized I didn’t have it, and I needed it ASAP.

Sadie Dishes- Last Five

Easter Weekend Sales

Another holiday, another weekend of sales. Since most of the stores are closed today, here are the online sales that you should check out:

Ann Taylor is 40% off almost everything with the Code March40. Stock up on basics.

Gap is 40% off with the code PEEP. This is cute.

Lands End is 40% off spring essentials with the code Fit402, pin 6210. I like it.

Banana Republic is 40% off (exclusions apply) with code BRSpring. I love this pencil skirt. I believe you can also get one item at 50% off in stores.

J.Crew is 25% off orders of $125 or more with the code SHOPMORE. I love a chambray blazer.

Loft is 40% off almost everything plus free shipping, with code SHIP40. Hello coverup.

Boden is up to 40% off mid season sale (prices as marked), plus 10% off full price items with code 9U5U. I need this dress.

JCrew Factory is 50% off prices as marked. Need it.

Anthro is an extra 25% off sale items with the code XTRAXTRA. Love it.

Macy’s seems to be having super sales on everything. Get out those wedding registries and take advantage of the sales! Same goes for Bloomies!

Sadie Dishes- Easter Sales

Gift Guide 2015: Part 5

Today we’re brainstorming gifts fir the couples on your list.

Kitchen

Bouchon Bakery

Depending on the culinary skills of your recipient, a fancy baking mix with a pretty mixing bowl and/or spatula is a fun and useful gift. For “fancier” baking mixes, I look to Williams Sonoma. It will look great paired with some of their seasonal or standard accessories like whisks, spatulas, cookie cutters, baking tins, or mixing bowls. If your recipients are already pro bakers or chefs, you might want to replace the baking mix with some premium ingredients like fancy vanilla extract, salt, olive oil, etc. and a tea towel. If you want to show of your culinary skills, consider making your best cookies and packaging them in gift worthy containers that they can reuse.

West Elm Bowls

Depending on how full you think the recipients kitchen cabinets are, I think it’s fun to gift a small set of pretty bowls, mugs, or a serving platter. It’s great to find unique items in boutiques and specialty kitchen stores, but if you want a short cut I think West Elm, Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Sur La Table, and Williams Sonoma all have good options. If you can spare a few days, most of these retailers have personalized serving trays as well!

Home and Car

Address Stamp

A personalized set of notepads for the kitchen counter or a custom address stamp is a thoughtful and useful accessory for most households. As we know from my post on personalized gifts, Paper Source is my go-to for my stationary needs. You can pair this with a calendar a bottle of wine for a more substantial present.

faufurPB

I think one of the most thoughtful ways to gift is to upgrade something that gets a lot of use. One of these things is a throw blanket because, 1. people tend to accumulate  cheaper fleece or those sweatshirt blankets, and 2. blankets wear out over time and it’s nice to get a fresh one. And God forbid I have a blanket that actually compliments my living room (don’t forget, faux fur, like metallic, is considered a neutral if you’re from New Jersey)! This is another thing that you can get from your favorite home boutique, but I also like the options at Pottery Barn (above) and West Elm. And if it’s a family with young kids or pets, do them a favor and go for something machine washable.

AmazonEcho

My brother cannot stop talking about the Amazon Echo and apparently Oprah agrees with him. It’s basically Siri on steroids. It’s a speaker, it answers questions, and it can even turn your lights on and off (if you get the right light bulbs). Plus they are apparently adding functions every day. It’s a little pricier, so it’s for the people you really like.

Frost Guard

If you’re game to gift something extremely practical, take a look at the Q. QVC sells this thing called the Frost Guard. It’s a windshield cover that is perfect for those in colder climates. Instead of spending time cleaning off your frosty, snowy windshield, you just take off the Frost Guard and get on your way! This is great for people who park outside, and have to rush off to work in the early mornings! Pair with other cold weather accessories or some hot chocolate mix for a bigger present.

Experience

Tickets to a show or sports events, or a gift card to a restaurant is the perfect alternative to a material gift. The trick is catering to their interests and making it convenient for them logistically. Here are a few ideas: