Things I Love Buying in Thrift Stores, Part 1

Quirky pins!

Focus on the pin, friends, and pay no attention to the fact that I wore this blazer (sans pin) a few days ago...it's toooootally different now...

Two Irresistable Things

1.  Enormous glasses.  Gigantic, Carl-from-Pixar's-"Up" spectacles.  I lose all self control.
  That's why I love those Asian glasses websites, which allow me to buy 5+ pairs a year for less than $100.  The glasses below are from Warby Parker, though, and boy how I love them, too:

 

I'm wearing these, purchased almost a year ago.  They are extremely well-made!

My inspiration, of course:

2.  Jumpsuits.  Creators/Highlighters of the FUPA.  Why do I love thee so, when you are arguably one of the worst inventions in clothing history?  Perhaps it's because you allow me to get away with putting on only one piece of clothing in the winter, when otherwise I would be forced to wear (shudder) TIGHTS.  Tights are always my last resort!  (I have hated since since I was a wee babe!  One of my earliest memories is my mom struggling to put me in a pair of white tights for temple.)

 

Sorry about the messy room.  I'm wearing this jumpsuit -- my first Anthro purchase in months!

 

* (affiliate links)

Look what I found!

I found myself browsing a flea market in Dover, Delaware this past weekend when I stumbled upon this:

Remember the Anthropologie Stormy Seas necklace?  I joined the Cult of Anthro about a year too late to buy this in stores, and I always coveted it on others.  I found similar necklaces, but always sort of wanted the original.

Now, $5 (and quite a few years) later, here we are, together at last.

Serendipitous finds like this are a big part of the reason I love flea markets!  (The other reason:  totally bizarre and quirky treasures.  See, e.g., here.)  Have you ever had something like this happen, where you found a long-awaited object second-hand?  Do tell!

My Biggest Sale Haul Yet!

Have I told you all yet about how much I love the city of Baltimore?

Well, I absolutely adore it.  Baltimore is homey, quirky, and completely lives up to its nickname of "Charm City."  Baltimore has utterly charmed me thus far.  In fact, I'm hoping to start blogging more about some of the fantastic activities this city has to offer.  I believe this is a city on the rise, for sure.

I love Baltimore so much, that I bought this:

AHHHH!!!  I'm a homeowner!!

There are a bunch of reasons I decided to plunge into homeownership in Baltimore.  First, the real estate market here is pretty good for buyers.  The city has hit its stride but it hasn't quite boomed yet, so real estate generally moves relatively slowly and there are decent deals to be had.  (Plus, interest rates are still extremely low, and those low rates won't last forever.)  Second, the rental market has far outpaced the buying market; you pay substantially more in rent than you would to buy the same house.  Third, I signed a four-year commitment letter with my job, and I'm getting loan repayment assistance from my law school (given to people who take a public interest or government law job and earn below a certain threshold) that is 100% forgiven after five years...so I'm likely going to be in Baltimore for a while.  Plus, I figured if I bought a place in a neighborhood with a strong rental market, I wouldn't be forced to sell whenever I moved; I could just keep the house as an investment property and rent it out to cover my mortgage and expenses.

I started looking at houses in May, before I moved here.  I looked at about 25 houses and I actually put an offer in on this house (how freaking beautiful is that place???), but when the sellers countered for $1500 higher than my offer, I suddenly got cold feet and backed out.  I can't explain why it didn't feel right to buy that house...my parents did not seem particularly enthusiastic about pitching in for a down payment, and there were multiple buyers for the relatively-new-on-the-market house, which made me feel nervous and pressured.  And perhaps on some level I was concerned about buying before I even knew if I would like living in Baltimore.

In the end, I'm glad I didn't buy back in May.  It helped a TON to live here for a few months, get to know the neighborhoods, and get a better sense for where I like to hang out.  I realized in the time I lived in Fed Hill that I loved being close to the harbor, but wanted to be in a neighborhood with a population my own age.  (Fed Hill is fantastic but the average age there is approximately 23.)

When my Fed Hill landlords informed me that they were selling the house I'd been renting a room in and that we'd all have to leave, it seemed like as good of a time as any to resume the housing search!  I had two months before I needed to move out of my old house, so I figured I'd look at real estate for a month, and if I didn't find anything I loved I would just rent again.  I decided to focus on houses with two to three bedrooms, and at a price point that would allow me to cover at least 75% of my mortgage with rental income.  I figured a house of this size would lower my expenses and would give me room to grow if I started a family and we ended up staying in the city.  (The middle schools in the city aren't great, but the elementary school in the neighborhood I ended up buying in is pretty decent and would probably be fine (and would delay the inevitable move out to the better school districts of the suburbs).)

I looked at more than thirty houses in October.  I found a lot of very cool, great houses that seemed promising.  But the moment I walked into the house I ended up buying, I immediately felt a warm, cozy, homey feeling.  It wasn't perfect, and I wasn't blind to the things that weren't perfect about it (I would have loved an open kitchen with different finishes --- like that first house --- or a full bathroom for each bedroom (my house is a 3/2.5)), but I still loved it.  The neighborhood is awesome, the neighbors are chill, and the rental market is strong due to the proximity to Hopkins.  On the whole, it was perfect for me given my price point.  PLUS, the house had been on the market for more than 100 days,* meaning no pressure to bid high to beat out competition!  I was swooning.** 

* I'm not sure why it was on the market for so long --- although in Baltimore 100+ days on the market is not that unusual --- but I think it was because the owners accepted an offer on it after a few weeks, and three days later (without any kind of home inspection) the buyers got cold feet and pulled out.  The house was relisted and essentially became a "back on the market" house.  Often BOM houses face a stigma from new buyers that hurts their market value.

** An indicator of how well my excellent real estate agent got to know me and my taste:  We walked into my house, I immediately oozed, "Oooh, I love it..." and my agent said, "Wait until you hear how long it's been on the market and you'll love it even more."  Srsly, he was great.

The period from contract to purchase was stressful, filled with multiple unnecessary dramas and last-minute crises.  But with the help of a fantastic real estate agent and very supportive parents, we were able to get to closing on time!  I also got the maximum seller cash contribution allowed, so not only did I get a pretty decent deal, but the purchase price on record is higher than the final price I paid (because of the seller contribution), which will hopefully be good for increasing property values in the neighborhood.  Of course, the seller contribution is on record, too, but to the extent that the sale price is a more visible/accessible measure of property values than final sale price, that's gotta be good for property values.

I've already found roommates for the other two bedrooms, and my rental income will almost completely cover my mortgage payment, taxes, and insurance.  This will help me put more money away for loans/savings/home repairs!

I'm still in the process of moving in and decorating, and I have one reasonably big redesign project on the immediate horizon (a contractor is coming in to add a wall and a door to the master suite --- right now, it's not closed off at all so it lacks privacy).  I'll post photos once things get more settled!  I couldn't be happier with the place.  Sometimes I look around the house and feel so overwhelmed with love for my surroundings.  It's my HOME.

So, there you have it!  Do any homeowners read my blog?  What was your buying experience like?  Are you glad you bought?  Any tips or tricks for me?  What websites do I need to know about?

Welp, this was a disaster.

I have not checked into the blogs lately, but I can only assume that you have already heard about the enormous sale going on at Piperlime (affiliate link).

I came out of shopping retirement to buy this jacket (affiliate link), along with a bunch of other stuff, for basically $15:

Anyway, this sale was simultaneously awesome and a disaster, as all good things are.  Go check it out while the getting is good.  Plus, use eBates (referral link) to save another 2%.

And happy Friday!  Any fun weekend plans?  Mine involves lots of college friends, poker, and animals -- just not at the same time.

[Thanks @LolaNicole for the heads-up!]

Welcome Back, Me!

Hi Friends! Apologies for the long absence; work has been busy and I've been in a bit of a funk. I took a loooong vacation in December and now I feel refreshed and mostly back to my old self. Here's a quick catch-up of what has been going on with me:

I went to China!

Work matters brought me there and I was able to extend my trip by a day to do a little bit of sightseeing! I went to the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Hutong District (a traditional Chinese neighborhood). Plus, the amazing office manager of our China office took great care of me while I was in town, going above and beyond the call of duty to stay up late and take me out to various local restaurants pretty much every night!

The food was incredible. My favorite meal by far was a night of Peking Duck (not pictured). The duck was delectable and it was served with the most air-light pancakes I have ever tasted (similar to the pancakes that come with muushuu, but thinner). The Great Wall was probably the highlight of the sightseeing trip. Never in my life did I ever expect to see the Great Wall in person. Plus, did you know you have the option to take a ski lift down from the wall OR A TOBOGGAN? A TOBOGGAN. DOWN FROM THE GREAT WALL. OF CHINA. Who are these people who are opting for the ski lift in that situation????

Plus, I went to the "silk market" where I bought lots of fun stuff, including "Beats Audio" bluetooth speakers for $10, an "Alexander McQueen" scarf for $10, and "Hermes" wallets for $20! (Note the air quotes...)

Silk Market Sale Haul. Note that the bike helmet above HAS EARMUFFS BUILT IN!

I Went on Winter Vacation!

This Jewish Girl experienced her first Christmas in St. Louis, and then I went to Vegas to ring in 2014!

My favorite part of the St. Louis trip was our visit to the City Museum. For those who haven't been, it's this odd collection of stuff inside what is essentially an enormous playground. There are slides everywhere (including a ten-story slide!) and you can climb on basically everything. It's a great place to entertain your inner child.

Our Vegas trip was fun as always. No big wins to report, but I enjoyed staying on both the strip and Old Vegas. We checked out the new "Container Park" that's out in Downtown Vegas, and it is a very cool scene. If you want to get away from the strip and have a chill night outdoors, it's a great place to go! (The giant cricket above sits outside of the park.)

I BOUGHT A CAR!

Let's just consider this an early 30th birthday present to myself!

It's a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. I did a lot of research about this car before taking the plunge. It's diesel, so it gets amazing highway gas mileage (50 mpg!) and feels incredibly powerful to drive. Here's hoping the maintenance and repairs are not outrageous! (I read a decent number of horror stories on the internet, but I have a few years of warranty coverage to figure out how much I like the car/how high the costs are, after which I can sell at a small loss if necessary.) Diesel engines can last past 400,000 miles (although everything around the engine may have to be replaced several times over)!

What should I name it?  One of my friends suggested "Shirley," which I like because I secretly/publicly still drink Shirley Temples sometimes.  Another friend suggested I give it a German name, like Brunhilde or Astrid.  Yet another friend suggested "Firecrotch."  Thoughts?

There, you're caught up!  Now, please tell me what I have missed with you! I have not been reading anybody's blogs in my absense so please fill me in on the haps!

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OOTD: Remember When

Remember when I used to post outfit photos?

 

 

It seems like so long ago now. I feel like I'm struggling a bit just to keep my head above water. Have you ever had one of those stretches where you are pretty unhappy with something (or with nothing, I suppose) and you have a hard time making your way out of the negativity? Lately it seems as though all I want to do IRL is complain, to the point that I am even annoying myself. It's been difficult to reframe and focus on the positive.

 

At least this dress is pretty cute. It was a Black Friday purchase from Macy's. It's a comfortable ponte and the faux leather accents add a bit of toughness to it.

 

(The sleeves are also pleather!)

 

The military green color inspired me to break out my commander (commando?) stars with these fun peekaboo tights:

 

 

It's fun to have a secret accent in your outfit that only you (and a few thousand of your closest internet friends) know about.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Damn it, Anthropologie.

1.  I don't drink much tea.
2.  I don't drink tea out of pots.
3.  I have never felt the desire to have a teapot.
4.  I still bought this because EFF, it's cute.  And maybe now I will host tea parties?

I feel like this is the very definition of an "aspirational brand."

The Newest Member of the [Bag] Family

If you couldn't tell from the, oh, SEVEN MILLION bags I have purchased in the last month, I'm going through a bit of a bag phase. At some point perhaps I will document the bag binge I went on this month, but I'm not sure I want photographic evidence.

In any case, I visited an outlet mall this weekend with the intention of ridding myself of a Cole Haan gift certificate* that's been burning a hole in my pocket for about a year. Is anyone else like this with gift certificates? Sometimes I worry that if I don't just force myself to spend it, I will forget about it and it will expire. (This is of particular concern for stores I don't shop at as much, like Cole Haan.)

* I got the gift certificate after complaining to Cole Haan customer service that a bag I'd purchased at the outlets a year prior had become faded/discolored on only one panel. To Cole Haan's credit, they let me send the bag back, they inspected it and determined it was defective, and then gave me a gift card for the purchase price, even without a receipt. Even more, the gift card was good not only at outlets, but also online and in retail stores. Things like this make me much more likely to continue shopping a brand, so thanks for that, Cole Haan.

Sad; the bag had such promise.

Anyway, here's one of the things I got with the gift card:

The Cole Haan Haven Tote (available here in yellow for $119 (affiliate link) or here in mint for $160)

Things I was not kidding about: my love for big bags.

What I like most about this tote, aside from the great texture on the outside of the bag (the inside is rough) is that it's super smushy so it does not look too imposing from the front and it also smushes perfectly underneath/behind a second bag, if you want to use this as a gym bag/lunch bag/secondary bag of whatever purpose.

The added bonus is that there are these nice pockets and a key clip on the side so you don't have to fumble around for your phone or keys.

You can see the rough unfinished qualities of the interior leather here.  It doesn't bother me but if you prefer a more refined lining then give this a pass.

Anyway, it's a cute bag and it's definitely worth the "free" that I paid for it, although it's also probably worth the $125 outlet price if you're in the market for a good leather tote bag.

What the WHAAA? (a.k.a., An Interesting Sale Find)

Good morning.  Happy Monday.  For the record:  I don't care what your intentions are, but leaving a dozen chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting in the breakroom on a Monday morning is just cruel.  LET ME RECOVER FROM AN EAT-Y WEEKEND IN PEACE.

Anyway, just a quickie this morning to share a shopping find I stumbled upon while returning several of my purchases this month.  (INCLUDING the MBMJ bag approximately half of us, including myself, loved.  I just found myself gravitating towards other bags and couldn't justify the full sticker price.  Also, this other MBMJ tote (the lavender one) in the same style seems to be filling the void for a slouchy but professional-ish neutral leather bag.)

Did you know that Ralph Lauren makes a Prada-style saffiano double-zip tote??

Lauren Ralph Lauren Newbury Double-Zip Satchel ($298 at Piperlime*)

NEITHER DID I.  I'd been toying around with the idea of setting money aside for a Prada tote in December, using some of my bonus money and directing my parents to provide Channukah gifts in the form of purse-money or gift cards, but I was frustrated with the fact that you seemingly have to choose between a larger Prada or a shoulder strap.  (Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like shoulder straps are only offered up to a certain size?)  Anyway, we know I like big bags so this bothered me.

The size of this bag is perfect.  Definitely big enough for a laptop and then some.  I stupidly did not take a photo of the bag on me, but here's Zappos' photo of it against a model:

The leather feels rich and the construction looks solid for a bag at this price point.  My biggest problem with it (and I actually find this SUPER annoying) is that there is a RLL monogram on the front center of the bag instead of a logo (not visible in the first photo, but you can see it in the second).  My initials are not RLL so when I look at this it irks me a bit.  But I'm willing to overlook it given the bag's other great qualities and the reasonable price.

Even better, if you buy the bag at Macy's*, you can ask to purchase the bag as a "presale" item.  I guess Macy's is having some big sale starting on September 18 in which everything will be 20% off.  If you are willing to wait to possess this bag until the 18th, Macy's will let you buy it for 25% off today and then you can go pick it up on the 18th.  I'm not sure how presales work online (try calling customer service?) but I was able to arrange for my presale in the store.  With the 25% off, the purchase came to a very reasonable $223 before tax.

FYI:  It also comes in tan, red, and pink (or purple?  The Zappos photo* looks purple but the Macy's photo* looks pink).

I'll post a live photo once I pick it up next week!


*  Affiliate links.

OOTD Catch-Up

Hi everyone! I got a major haircut last week, but before I show it to you I wanted to catch you up on a couple of outfits I wore in Vegas with my old hair. I'm trying a new format for today's outfits; let me know what you think. (I suspect that individual photos with product links are more helpful, but those are also more time-consuming and I am not always able to hunt down names and links.)

 

Random work outfit (work days are casual on the trial site):

 

(Also, I feel like the above photo is a perfect illustration of why I needed a haircut. When I "style" my hair for a month by pulling it into a messy ponytail I know it's time...)

 

Work Dinner:

 

Pool Outfit, plus some miscellaneous shopping bits:

L-R, top to bottom:

Pool outfit (free people dress, bathing suit, sunglasses from bonnaroo, Kate Spade tote)

New earrings from Anthro

Damn it Kate Spade, stop making such obnoxiously cute but impractical clutches that I will eventually be forced to buy on sale.

Debating which purse to buy at the Michael Kors outlet. I went with black, but I regret not buying the brown color, too! Buying the same purse in two colors is a mistake, right? Tell me it's a mistake.

 

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Catching Up

Here's what you may have missed in the life of Jewish Girl:

*  Only a few days after getting back from Bonnaroo, I moved out to Las Vegas as part of a trial team.  Trial began in late June, but then settled a few days into jury selection.  I've mentioned a few times in the last several months being SUPER excited about a work assignment that I couldn't talk about in detail --- well, this was it!  It was pretty much my dream come true:  not only did I get to go to trial, but I got to go to trial in MY FAVORITE DOMESTIC VACATION DESTINATION EVER.  Of course, there's not much spare time on trial, but Vegas is a great place to spend three spare hours a week.

*  Despite being SUPER bummed that the case settled (not only do I love trial and did I want to see the whole thing through, but I was also looking forward to spending my whole summer in Vegas), I took a week of vacation in Vegas and treated myself to a pool/spa day and a shopping excursion.

At the Wynn pool, which is beautiful and feels like sitting in the Italian countryside.

...It was my professional duty to go on with my life, you know?

*  After my two days of relaxation, I played in a $1,000 buy-in poker tournament at the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

A small glimpse of the room.

This was the biggest event I'd ever played (almost 2900 entrants with a three-day long structure) and it was the most I'd ever spent on a tournament entry by FAR, but playing in the WSOP was a bucket-list item and something I'd always wanted to do.  When my case settled, it was like the clouds parted and left nothing standing between me and this poker tournament.  Not only was I already in Vegas, but I didn't even have any other active cases at the time!  The timing was just too perfect, and I figured playing in the WSOP would be a cool enough experience that it would be worth my buy-in as long as I could last at least a few hours.

Me with my entry ticket, the day before the first day.

*  The tournament was SO fun.  I played with poker pros (many of whom I didn't recognize, but figured out were pros either because the poker news guys talked to them a lot, or because other players at my table seemed to care an inordinate amount about the random guy to my left or right) and minor celebrities (including the executive producer of Weeds, who was at my table briefly on Day 2, and the guy who played Marshall's dad in How I Met Your Mother (and who also voices Patrick the Starfish on Spongebob), who sat a few tables away from me on Day 1).

*  On the first day, I got my photo taken for this cool souvenir:

I asked the poker photographer to show up early because I had no idea how long I'd be able to survive, and she arrived at my table on the very first hand of the tournament!  It was a bit embarrassing to have my photo taken so soon but I love the result.

*  We made it into the money at the end of Day 1 at around 1:30 in the morning.  Right before we broke the money bubble (meaning that only one person remained to be eliminated before we would all make money), the tables all went "hand for hand," which means that the dealers only dealt one hand at a time before stopping and waiting for the other tables to finish.  Once the dealers were done with the hand, they had to stand up and wait for instructions from the tournament director.  It was crazy and chaotic in the best way; the mood was so amped up that you could feel it in the air.  I think I probably would have folded aces on the bubble just to make sure I made it into the money.

*  Eventually, the bubble broke (I think the bubble boy had pocket jacks, but I don't know what his opponent had --- I saw him walking away disorientedly and heard him tell someone, "I knew I should have folded those jacks") and everyone started cheering.  We'd all made our buy-in + 80% back, at least!  We played for another half an hour on day one and then came back for Day 2.  Despite accumulating a ton of chips on day one, I spent most of day two with very few chips relative to the blinds (or forced bets), so I mostly sat tight, waited for good hands, and then stuck with them as long as possible.

*  I sat directly in front of the poker news desk for all of Day 1 without being noticed, despite having a bigger chip stack at the time than several of the female pros who were being blogged about (note: the news updates focus entirely on pros and celebrities --- regardless of how big your chipstack is --- until you get down to the final few tables, when amateurs have lasted long enough to matter; the poker news services reported on tournament "chip leaders" who had fewer chips than less well-known players sitting at my very table, but the purported chip leaders were more visible pros).  Not that I was bitter --- I didn't mind flying under the radar and I figured, probably similarly to the reporters, that I could bust out at any moment.  However, I stayed in the game and very late in the day on Day 2, once we were down to four tables, the news guys asked for my name.  Shortly afterwards, I doubled up on a big hand and noticed this on the website:

Love the title!  (Also, now you know why I don't use my full name on the blog --- the spelling is unique enough that a first-name-only Google search will get you to me more often than not.  I like to maintain some anonymity here, to the extent possible...)

*  As more and more people got knocked out, I could hardly believe my eyes as we continued moving up in the payout structure.  After every few people, we all made a little more money.  It was so exciting!  Once we got down to three tables, we moved into a smaller, better-lit area to facilitate photography.

The new area had spectator seating!

*  Towards the end of Day 2, when we broke into the final two tables (20 people), the ESPN guys handed out this form for us to fill out, should we make it to the TV-table (final 9 people) on Day 3:

*  I was very short in chips at this point and felt the questionnaire would be a bit short-lived for me.  (Spoiler alert:  I did not make it into the final 9.)  But beyond my most reasonable expectations, I managed to make it into Day 3, and as Day 2 came to a close, I was greeted by this article:

"Two women, Dana Castaneda and [me], still remain and are both looking for a World Series of Poker bracelet to add to their collection of jewelry."

Hoping-to-Win-a-lot-of-Money-on-Day 3 OOTD?

*  I came into Day 3 with the shortest chip stack of the 14 remaining players and did not have supremely high hopes that I would last very long.  Luckily, I managed to double-up with a small pocket pair to stay in the game.

Great photo, no?  Also, you can see how small my chip stack is given that I am holding it in one hand.  Haha.

*  While my double-up was enough to take me into the next level of payouts (good for an additional $6,000!) I was unable to make the final table.  I busted out when my AQ ran into a pair of tens in the big blind.  My opponent's tens held up and the tournament went on without me.

Yes, this is the same guy who doubled me up when I had aces on Day 2!  Luckily, my chips did not ship in vain, as Jason went on to take second place in the whole tournament.

But $26,128!!  Not a bad payout for my first WSOP if I do say so myself!

I like to think that Hellmuth is holding up two ones for "11th Place."

And awesomely, the other woman in the tournament with me, Dana Castaneda, took first place!  It's very rare for a woman to win a WSOP bracelet in a "mixed" event (meaning both men and women), so this is an amazing achievement for her!

Overall, I had SUCH a fun time.  Winning money was obviously a huge plus, but just getting to play for longer than a couple of hours with such skilled opponents was fantastic.  I would love to do this again next year, work permitting.  I set aside some of my winnings already...

...and the rest went to student loans!

So, that's what I've been up to lately.  Now that trial is over, I'm looking forward to what I hope will be a more reasonable work schedule with more time for blog-posting.  I left the office in time to have dinner with a friend yesterday, and I realized I'd almost forgotten what it felt like not to eat take-out at my desk!

Bonnaroo Sale Haul

I survived Bonnaroo!

*  Note:  I did not wear flip-flops during the actual festival.  I wore these (affiliate link, but product is sold out), which are awesome.

I had a very good time at the festival...the camping went off without a hitch, thanks in part to your suggestions and in part to the fact that we joined forces with a very experienced group of Bonnaroovians before heading to the festival, and the group we joined up with had all of the basic camping necessities covered.  I think we could have gotten by with a minimal number of food-related provisions, though; food at the festival was delicious and reasonably-priced.

I can do a fuller run-down of the festival if folks are interested, but in the meantime (and given the somewhat clothing- and shopping-based slant of this blog) here's what I bought at Target on my way down to Manchester, TN to wear during the weekend:

Because obviously matching bralettes was top on my list of camping necessities :-D