Containing Your Inner (or Outer) OCD

For those of you whom are clinically and/or self diagnosed, this is the store for you. The Container Store is a 'can't live without', 'how did I manage before this existed?' store. Aside from the fact that it is always a pleasant shopping experience and I rarely leave the store without something I don't need. This store is there to make my home and my life stay organized. 

Every room, every closet, drawer, shelf, cabinet and... piece of luggage is covered at this store. With the holiday season in full swing the Container Store has a wide range of stocking stuffers and small gifts for all of your family and friends needs. The luggage ID handle tags are pretty ingenious. The most popular luggage color is black and there is always the 'is that one mine?' question at baggage claim... let's just hope everyone does not get the same ID handle tag for the holidays! There is the gift wrap section that puts Hallmark to shame and a shipping supplies area that will help you get what you need to prepare the gift for mailing... (they should consider a post office kiosk!)

All of your travel needs are covered, your office, your kitchen, the laundry room, the dorm room... have you not been to this store? There is a website, so if this store has not yet reached your hometown... consider the ISH.

Get organized! 

www.containerstore.com

What's in the bag?

Move over tin foil, there is a new kitchen accessory in town! Behold the pizza storage bag! And why did no one think of this sooner? I mean really. We had the plastic, we had the copyrighted and the knock-off Zip-lock mechanics, we have the education in geometry... what was preventing the invention of this bag until now?

So here is how I found it and then I will tell you how to find it. Yesterday I was walking through Soho doing some research on a few different subjects in my personal and professional life. I was able to cross pollinate some store visits to satisfy multiple subjects (something I learned from my college advisor!). 

SIDE NOTE: If you do not have an Urban Outfitters within a 10 mile radius of you, then I truly apologize for the absence of joy that this store brings to almost everyone that I know. With that being said, sign up for their email distribution and be sure to visit the nearest location the next time you travel. I will be happy to help you find that location, should you need assistance. 

My preferred location, and the one that I have frequented and been apart of the many transformations since my early college years, is the Broadway and Houston location in NoHo. It is now 3 floors (use to only be 1) of romantic and cavernous merchandise. They have really expanded beyond the apparel and accessories realm. They are not afraid of offending anyone about anything and they are consistently trying to bring you back to your youth while keeping up with every uber hip trend. On the third 3rd floor, which is mostly about making your home look the way you dress... is where is found the pizza bags... tucked away in a corner. With no fault to the merchandising team for hiding this small wonder... this is a HUGE store and if you have ever been in it or in any UO, you know that they are chalk full of gadgets and gizmos a plenty (hello Little Mermaid!). With that being said, not everything can be front and center, highlighted and item of the day. BUT... these, these are something else in my book... or blog. At first I grab one pack. They were 6 for $6. The one to one ratio was not great, but come on... great idea. I could find a way to re-use there right? So I grabbed a pack for me, a pack or my mother-in-law (because I have seen that refrigerator all too many times full of leftover pizza) and a pack for my sister-in-laws new boyfriend... because he is going to need a gift under the tree from us and he is a dude... who has a roommate... so they have leftover pizza, right? 

So where else can you get them? I Googled these little wonders and it looks like people are selling them on eBay of course. But the company that is making them is Mama Fresco's Pizza Saver. They have a website that lists the many stores that they are selling them to, but here are a few that maybe in your area in case there is not an UO, let alone an UO that sells the pizza savers.

www.mamafrescos.com

or check your local Bed, Bath and Beyond, Gracious Home or Fortunoff.

Can you stocking stuffer for the college student? Single guy? Newly weds? Family? 

Pizza Pizza!

The Master of Tickets

I love a live concert. I think that I always will. Summers are for concerts! I began this past summer going to see Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd and began 2008 seeing the Spice Girls. Last week I took some friends to see the New Kids on the Block Reunion concert... jealously will get you nowhere! This Holiday season I am taking my husband to see The Dan Band and Matisyahu (The Dan Band is your favorite cover band performance, you just don't realize it... remember the wedding band in Old School?). In my opinion, a concert is a great date night, fun for a group of friends and has more to offer than going out to dinner/drinks. 

Where to begin? Ticketmaster.com of course! This website has made leaps and bounds improving their service for ticket purchases. I have no advanced purchase privileges, I am just the average ticket buyer. I am never disappointed. Ticketmaster.com has been available for quit sometime now and I have been a returning customer for many years. I can finally say that I am satisfied with process by which I can search for concerts, view the seating charts (with virtual views of your seats- so fun!) of the venues and purchase the tickets. The security codes are a little annoying, but what's one more step? I seem to be able to find exactly what I am looking for. Additionally, the choices for receiving your tickets have greatly improved. In fact, this may be the most improved option on Ticketmaster.com. You can print you tickets at home! The option to still have them mailed to you is available, but who does not want to save money on postage and timing (especially is you are purchasing at the last minute and have limited time!). The printing at home option is $2.00 I believe and the postage involves more than your average 42 cent stamp. 

Like purchasing anything on the ISH, be patient and read all of the fine print (if you want)... and see some live music! I have not purchased tickets to anything but concerts, but sporting events and broadway shows are also available.

There are other websites for ticket purchases that I am not as familiar with, but have heard mostly positive feedback about like StubHub.com and RazorGator.com. Give them all a try and let me know what you think!

I can't wait for Britney to make her come back!