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I am Dear Abby meets MacGyver! I have been known to fix things in clever ways, make three outfits out of one, find deals & discounts so you never have to buy ANYTHING full price, turn fattening recipes into low-fat dishes, track down items that were thought to be discontinued, the list is endless! I would love to hear your questions or thoughts. Email me at: askthegotogirl@gmail.com and I will post your question and the answer right here on the Blog!

3/25/13

Hey Go to Girl, Spring may have officially started but it sure doesn’t feel that way…it’s still soup weather, do you have any healthy hardy soup recipes you can share?

I do have a great recipe that I would love to share! Its super easy and it's made all in one pot!

I call it...

Carri's Turkey Sausage Soup
What you need:
1 package of turkey sausage- I used the spicy but you can use the sweet
14 or 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
14 or 15 oz can of chick peas
2 zucchinis chopped
14 or 15 oz can of chicken broth -I use fat free broth
1 clove of chopped garlic
One white onion chopped or sliced
1 large pot


In your med/large sauce pot put in your onion, garlic and sausage -but first remove the sausage from its casting- let these three items cook together. Mash up the sausage while its cooking so its in small pieces. Once it’s mostly cooked add the other ingredients in no specific order, adding the stock last. Then fill up the broth can one and a 1/4 times with water and add.
Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 5 mins.
That’s it one pot and done!

Email me if you have any questions!

1/18/13

Hey Go to Girl I love dinning out but it can get so expensive, any cost cutting suggestions!?

I understand where you're coming from there are so many delicious restaurants in NYC and some can be so expensive you need a piggy bank to collect spare change just to go out to dinner!
There are some great sites out there that help you cuts costs or get points before you even walk into a place! Don't forget to check out the groupons, livingsocials, and Gilt Cities of the cyber world. There may be a place you have been dying to try!

Here are my other go to discount dinning sources:

Scoutmob- this site/app is GREAT! Its discounts are similar to other sight offer but they are free and everyday new discounts are offered. Just sign up and search by location and cuisine. They even have a deal for my FAV coffee place in NYC "My Way Cup." All you need to do is dine at the places they offer and when you get your bill show the server the discount they change your bill and you save!
The site/app also has a shoppe filled with unique items from jewelry to mustache cookie cutters, interesting articles about your city, and pretty cool local events. Its ALL FREE, so download the app and check it out for yourself.

Savored- This site/app is a great place to get a discount for up to 30% at select restaurants. All you do is go to their site and play around to find the place you have been dying to try, make a reservation and dine. You can search by location, cuisine, most popular, and what's HOT! Savored is live in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C- so spread the word.

Restaurant.com - This site offers $10-$100 gift cards from all around the country for a small fee. AND if you sign up for their emails they will send you discount codes to use on top of these already discounted gift cards. I've gotten a $25 gift card for $1.50 before. I'm a fan!

I bank with Bank of America and they have something called Cash Back Deals where if I just click on deal that I think I may use I get cash back for using it!

Check out your favorite airline carrier. Some airlines have miles incentive programs -United has a great dinning program called Mileage Plus Dinning, just by registering your credit cards with the site you get miles for dinning at the participating restaurants! Jet Blue, American and USAir have similar programs.

Bon Appetite



11/8/12

Hurrican Relief- shop for a cause!!!

Sandy has taken a toll on the east coast to say the least. I hope that you and your family & friends are safe!

Parts of NJ including the beaches where I, and many others, have spent countless summers are destroyed. I have decided to host a shop for a cause event with my Stella & Dot business. I will donate 100% of the profits to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.

This is a great way to get some of your holiday shopping out of the way and feel good about it too! 

The jewelry is beautiful, as are the scarves and bags! Shop here.

Please please please pass this link http://www.stelladot.com/ts/mjcl5 on to anyone you know who would like to shop for a cause.

 

8/9/12

Hey Go To Girl...I have a friend who is coming to NYC to shop for her wedding dress and I was wondering if you knew of any good places she can go?

YOU SAID YES...now it's time to find that perfect dress!

For wedding Dresses try RK Bridal. When you go there you need to know what you are looking for its organized by designer. They also carry bridesmaid dresses if you are at that point.  

The Bridal Garden  is a place that designers donate dresses to and all the profits to go charity. Just a warning I've heard it not that well organized and its a lot of small sizes.  

Of course go to Kleinfeld’s for the experience.

Jcrew bridal its only in NYC 769 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10065  

Bloomindales has a bridal shop as does Macy's.

*Make appointments for these places most do not all take walk ins.
*Look at the websites for the brands that you like and see if they are having a trunk show anywhere close by.
*If you find something you LOVE - I suggest not buying it right away, unless of course it’s an AMAZING deal, google the dress and see if you can find it for less online.

THE KNOT also has some great shopping tips!

CONGRATS!!


  

7/25/12

When I find a great deal I need to share it!!! This is a great deal!

Shop here for $55 for Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses and Leather Case ($150 Value).

I love these sunglasses and always have- this is a sick deal for these! You can choose between gold frames with brown lenses or silver frames with mirror lenses- or get both!

6/27/12

Go to Girl, there are so many fun, free activities in NYC in the summer but where do I find them all?

You are right- there are so many fun things to do and see in NYC in the summer.  Here are a bunch of the sites in one place. I hope this helps!

Vanity Fairs Summer Guide- my FAV!
Bryant Park has great free events from movies to ping pong tournments!
The City Parks Foundation does its best to list the park activities in one place.
River to River
Book Report
Events on the Hudson
Get fit outside - Summer of Fitness
Is live music your thing?
I love showtunes what about you!? Broadway in the Park is for you!

These activities are not just in Manhattan so make sure you check out the other burrows!

6/20/12

The Go to Girl has an announcement...Today, June 20th is National Vanilla Milkshake Day!

If you ever needed an excuse for a milkshake, today is it! Also the high for the NYC area today will be 100 degrees - so there are 2 excuses :)
We give thanks to the 1922 Walgreen’s employee from Chicago who created the milkshake as we know it today.
Head to McDonalds, White Castle, Friendlys, Shake Shack, etc for your favorite vanilla treat...
My quick low cal suggestion is...
Go pick up some vanilla flavored almond milk and the low cal/low fat vanilla bean ice cream of your choice, throw that and some ice in a blender or magic bullet top it with some light cool whip or fat free reddi-whip and go for it gilt free...don't forget the cherry!
Hungry Girl also will share her recipe with you!

6/7/12

Hey Go to Girl do you know of any good, fun bars that might do champagne or wine Happy Hour?

Flute Bar has a 2-for-1 happy hour every Tues 4p-8p, other days a $25 Bubbly open bar from 6p-8p with unlimited sparkling wine and Kir Royals. They also have other fun wine/bubblie events on their site.

NY Mag has an AMAZING list of happy hour specials- with fun places, great deals, and some  include wine/champagne.

Since we are approching the summer months don't forget about...
The Vanity Fair Agenda Summer Guide 2012
or
The Summer Guide 2012 by Book Report

5/24/12

Hey Go to Girl any tips on storing your clothing for the summer?

It’s that time again!

Time to put that winter stuff in the back of the closet or under your bed and move the spring/summer stuff to the front!

Before you do all the shifting take this opportunity to go through your fall/winter clothing and get rid of stuff. If you didn’t wear it this past season, chances are you will not wear it next. Make a pile and donate it to the nearest goodwill and get a tax refund or try to sell it at a consignment shop

While you are in there, vacuum the bottom of the closet, dust off the shelves and wipe out the drawers, get rid of the dust, hair balls, dirt and dead insects that may have accumulated. Before you pack your heavier not visible now can become larger and more difficult to remove the longer it sits. Try to avoid storing things in the plastic bags that your get your dry cleaning back in- they can trap in moisture which can lead to mildew stains. 

I personally LOVE the stackable hangers they save so much space and it’s a great way to condense things that you aren’t wearing at the moment. You can find these anywhere, Bed Bath and Beyond to TJ Maxx. Make sure you get the ones with the hook in the middle so you can hang them on each other.

Wipe off your shoes and boots (for leather shoes brush away the dirt with a cloth and give them a quick wipe down with a leather wipe ).  Check your shoes to see if any pairs need new tips, soles, or heels and take a trip to the shoe maker-it will save you the effort in the fall when you need to wear them right away.

MY FAV Shoe TIP….Get ready for it!!!!
Stuff your boots with magazines so they’ll retain their shape all summer long…this is great especially for all of your knee high boots!


Happy storage and sunny days!

4/3/12

Hey Go To Girl, I wear jeans every day but almost all of my jeans have a lower rise. In the workplace or when I'm running around I am self-conscious that the jeans are riding too low and they are showing too much skin…..do you have any suggestions to prevent this?

Get an Invisibelt! It's "all belt and no bulk".
I love mine!! Invisibelt is a belt with a flat buckle so it holds up your pants and creates a smoothness so your shirts lay better!  Since its adjustable you can wear it with any pair of pants or skirt. This belt has changed the way that I shop and how I dress!

It comes in clear, black, and embellished. Sizes are even available for expecting mothers...genius!

3/23/12

Hey Go to Girl, I love hanging out with my friends but sometimes it's just so hard to pin down a date that works... any suggestions on how to organize everyone?

Oh boy! Picking a date for more than 2 people to plan something can be so hard. There are all the back and forth emails, and people not responding, it can go on for weeks and you end up picking a date 1-2 months away.

Well I found this great website that enables you to aggregate everyone's available dates- it’s called Doodle, and it’s my new best friend. AND IT'S FREE!

With 4 easy steps you can pick a date that works with everyone!
1. Create an event
2. Send it out to your friends
3. Confirm a date that works for everyone
4. Enjoy each others company!




3/14/12

The go to girl wants you to Win a little and Give a little…Its March Madness which means is Grant Madness!!!!

March Madness is here! If you're going to participate in a pool this year, I hope you'll enter the One Percent Foundation's Grant Madness competition. Grant Madness works like any other March Madness pool, except that the money goes to non-profit organizations chosen by the winners...isn’t that great!!! It's only a $10 donation to participate, and anyone can enter. The more people who participate, the more winners. The more winners, the more grants!


Here's the deal:
1. Donate $10 to enter (or give more if you're feeling especially generous). The first 500 entries will be matched dollar for dollar by MerchSource!
2. Fill out your bracket here. Create a CBS Sports username and password, then use the group password givemore.
3. Should you prove yourself worthy and win this thing, you get a slice of the winnings and get to choose your favorite nonprofit to donate to!

Get ready. Don your sweatbands. Create your Grant Madness playlist. Visualize your success. Sharpen your pencils. Practice your swagger. Get stoked. Sign up now!

It’s a Win Win!!

2/2/12

Hey go to girl how can I make sure I get something that I actually like for Valentine's Day....


Instructions on how to get what you want for Valentines Day...

Step 1: Go to www.stelladot.com/carridolce and pick out something gorgeous that you LOVE!
Step 2: Write down or print out what you like and give it to your husband/boyfriend/fiance/lover/significant other with the email address StyledByCarri@gmail.com
Step 3: Tell him/her "Please buy me this, Carri will help you with the details"
Step 4: Sit back and relax until Feb 14th when you open that great Stella & Dot box.

This is a great way to get what you want for any holiday and with any gift. Sometimes we need to be a bit more direct to get what we want ;)

Happy Valentine's Day <3

1/25/12

Hey Go To Girl, any suggestions of places to get a blowout?

There are so many places to get a blowout in NYC...on every corner there is a salon.

For a blowout experience try THE DRY BAR, they have a style menu with 9 different blowout styles including a look for little girls. Their blowouts are a flat fee of $40 no matter the length or texture of your hair. Join them for Brunch Blowouts on Saturday or Sunday 10am- 2pm and enjoy complimentary croissants and bagels during your blowout.

Now if it isn't the experience you care about and you just would like a blowout for a great price there are other deals out there. Remember to keep your eyes opened when walking down the street!

aZa on Lexington between 23rd and 24th streets offer $23 blowouts!

My FAV inexpensive place is Top Nail Salon formally known as Nice Beauty on Lex between 27th and 28th streets. Its is a nail salon ($7 manicure) that also offers blowouts for $25-30 depending on your hair length. So you can get your nails done and while they are drying get your hair did :)

For a $29 blow out try Bleu Sur Bleu they have 4 locations 2 in the UES, one in the Flatiron District and the other in the West Village area.

Amour de Hair has multiple locations and at select locations offers blowouts Mon-Wed for $29 additionally they have coupons on their site.

Make sure you also check out lifebooker...select the tab hair and then the blowout drop down and make an appointment in your area,. I just saw a $20 blowout on there!

To my fellow curly hair girls...just don't get stuck in the rain!

10/19/11

Hey go to girl...I see girls walking around with feathers in their hair...I want one, where can I get a hair feather!?

Hair Feathers are the latest craze, even the New York Times picked up on it! Its a great way to express yourself in a non-permanent way!

I know that some malls have kiosks that sell the feathers and also will put them in for you.
If you are looking in NYC or the surronding areas for a hair feather get in touch with Stacey Gersten from Birds Flock Together. She will come to you or you can meet her- she charges $10 per feather and has a great selection.

Just be careful how many you add to your hair you dont want to end up looking like a turkey!

10/12/11

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there are so many ways to Shop for the Cause!

I love shopping as much as the next girl but I espically love when it's for a good cause. Its a great feeling to know that a persentage of my purchase went towards raising awareness or funds for a cause.

There are so many great things to buy when shoppping for a cause this October... and just because it's for Breast Cancer Awareness doesn't mean it needs to be pink-soooo start shopping!

FIRST Click Here to help provide free mammograms

During the month of October the below retailers are going to make you feel good about your purchases.

Take a look at the beautiful Tribute Bracelet


Hanae Mori No.4, my new FAV fragrance, will donate a portion of the proceeds from this fragrance to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

EOS* Lip balm in Strawberry Sorbet will donate 5% of the sales to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in support of breast cancer treatment and prevention research. *eos lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free!

Edible Arrangements is even in the game with their Stomp Out Breast Cancer campaign, 10% of the purchase price will go towards the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

A portion of the proceeds from the limited edition "Anna Sui Celebrates Hanky Panky" collection will benefit Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.






Fergie created the Awareness Pump especially to support breast cancer awareness...Fergie Shoe and Brown Shoe Company will be donating $20,000 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Mix and match your favorite fresh pressed juices from the Healing Cooler and they will donate 25% of their proceeds to the Young Survival Coalition.

GET YOUR WINE ON with One Hope. For every bottle purchased a percentage of the sale goes to The One Hope Foundation which encompasses causes from Breast Cancer to Autism, half of all their profits go to charity all of the time!  For a limited time for $40 get $100 to spend at One Home at Bloomspot.

10/5/11

Wanna get pampered!?

It only comes two times a year and ladies and GENTS its here!!!
October 10th-16th

Spas across the nation participate so check out  the website to see the spas in your area. 
With $50 a treatment you can't go wrong!

I already made my appointments at Bunya CitiSpa

9/27/11

Hey Go To Girl, I have all of these great pieces of clothing that I just don’t wear anymore. I don’t want to just donate them, is there a place I can sell them and get some bucks back? I want cash for my clothes!

I feel your pain, I have so much great stuff that I don’t wear anymore and I don't want to just drop at Goodwill.

Your local consignment shop is always on option. However, the down side to that is you will only receive money for your stuff if it sells, and then they will take a commission from that sale.

Here are a few great alternatives to get that cash for your clothes. You deserve it for having such great fashion sense!

Buffalo Exchange which has locations across the country

Tokyo Joes which buys back designer brand items

Beacons Closet which has 3 locations, 2 in Brooklyn and a new location in Manhattan

Just be careful when you go in to swap your digs for dollars, as you might find yourself shopping!

9/7/11

Hey Go To Girl, maybe you can’t wear white after Labor Day but you can still eat frozen desserts, can’t you? Any new suggestions...I'm getting sick of the Pinkberry's of the world!

Of course you can eat frozen treats after Labor Day...SUMMER ISN'T OVER YET PEOPLE!

Here are Three of my favorite places:

Ralphs's which of course you all know...I actually went to the original location this weekend!
The NYC location is always posting deals on their Facebook and Twitter @ralphsicesnyc

Andy's Italian Ice Carts Give them a call to find out where they are 516- 972 -7959 or hire them to come for your next party!

Last but not least, my new fav Soft Serve Fruit Co...OMG!! Cholesterol Free, Fat Free, Dairy free, Gluten free and ALL NATURAL PRODUCTS!

8/10/11

Big news for all Keurig® users!!!!!

Attention Keurig® Users.....

Dunkin Donuts FINALLY came out with K-Cups for your machine.

Found only at Dunkin' Donuts locations. Packaged in a 14-count carton these long awaited K-Cups are available in the 5 favorite flavors...Original Blend, Dunkin' Decaf®, French Vanilla, Dunkin' Dark® Roast and Hazelnut.

GO GET 'EM!!!


Become a DD Perks Member! "To celebrate the introduction of Dunkin' K-Cup® Packs, the DD Perks Team will be randomly selecting 25 DD Perks members to receive a Keurig brewing system along with a package of Original Blend Dunkin' K-Cup® Packs. "-DunkinDonuts.com

7/28/11

Hey go to girl, I LOVE my summer weekends in Fire Island but I HATE what it does to my wallet, any suggestions to make a weekend a bit more affordable?

Hey Fire Island goer I feel your pain!

First if you are looking for a place to stay and are OK with not having to fill a house go for the apartments at The Palms Hotel or Fire Island Vacations. You can rent them for the weekend and not the week, which can save you some money. The apartments have a full kitchen, an outdoor grilling area, beach chairs, linens and towels.

When it comes to food, place an order on Shoprite.com and get all of your needs covered for a great price!!! You can't get beer or liquor from Shoprite so call Nicole at Emporium Wine Liquors for liquor and Discount Beverage Barn for beer.
All three of these places deliver to the ferry (be sure to be clear as to which part of the island they should be going to) and your items will meet you on the other side.  If you are staying at one of the hotel you can arrange for the hotel to pick up your party supplies and put them in your apartment.  If you are renting a house the fright ferry closes at 3:30pm so be sure to get there before they close or you will have to go the next morning.

Have a Great Summer!

6/29/11

The Go To Girl has a great deal for you!!!!!

You can get THE Official Hampton 4th of July gift bag which includes $15 to Stella & Dot and a bunch of other FREE goodies... go to http://www.hamptongiftbags.com/ to reserve yours now!
You don't have to be going out to the Hamptons, live in NY or be a female for this amazing deal so go for it!!!

* This is not the actual bag!

When it asks you how you heard about this program say Carri.

6/22/11

Hi Go to Girl! I'm the Maid of Honor for one of my closest friends and she is VERY hard to please. She is adventurous and extremely well-traveled, so nothing too ordinary. It will be an all-day- all night event with girls from several different countries coming to NY for the event! Ps- we are trying to do this on the less expensive side…HELP!

Well, sounds like a very unique bride!

On a budget...
Try a Spa party at someones apartment! Anna from BeautiControl will come over and set up a mini SPA day in the comfort of your home. The party starts with a heated neck roll and hand treatment, and progresses from there. Anna provides this service for FREE the only costs for you are the refreshments you provide and if the girls care to purchase some of the AMAZING products that they carry. Anna gives her host a small gift- instead of keeping it give it to the Bride-to-be! BeautiControl also has a men's line which is good to keep in mind for groomsmen gifts or for the groom.
To keep with the Spa Day theme, head to a near by nail place for mani/pedis, be sure to bring a long a bottle of bubblie to keep the party going and maybe head to a heath food place for lunch or dinner before you hit the town.

Some other ideas:
A cooking class, the The Social Table is reasonably priced and you don't have to worry about dinner because this is the activity.

Pole dancing- any place is fine and I heard its a good time!

Make your own pottery, is defiantly a different bacherloette party idea. Little Shop of Crafts has two locations one on the Upper East Side and one on the Upper West Side.

Wine tasting is always fun, NY Vintners offers all kinds of classes! The Bubble Lounge is also a great spot that could put something together for you.

The Top of the Rock or Empire State Building, good for those non- NYers or NYers who haven't seen the sights, its a great excuse to go!

I've heard shooting some gun down at the Westside Rifle & Pistol Range is a different activity to do for that more "country" girl.

If you are OK with leaving the city for a hike or other adventure, check out Outdoor Bound for some ideas.

If you have a larger group I recommend a Chiva Buses that goes around the city! La Chiva Rumbera offers customized packages --you can have an open bar or do a BYOB and they provide a DJ for the night. They have a great route, but you can also tell them if there is a specific place you want to stop. Custom make your night from the music, to the booze, to the stops!
Have fun and I can't wait to hear what you decide to do!

5/23/11

Dear GoToGirl: I love to look polished and refined at work, but I usually hit the gym in the am and my clothes end up getting all wrinkled in my bag. Any suggestions on clothes I can bring to change into that won't get creased?

To all my working girls and guys out there...

The Brooks Brothers NON- IRON "Miracle Shirt" button downs are great! It can be rolled up in a ball in your gym bag or the back of your closet and look perfectly pressed when you take it out- not a crease, not a wrinkle. Best part is, they are machine washable so you don't need to bring them to the dry cleaner!

They are available in three fits for women -Tailored, Fitted, and Classic and four men's fits- Traditional, Regular, Slim and Extra Slim.

Want to save a penny or two? Head to the nearest Brooks Brother Outlet to find your Miracle Shirt. (Woodbury, Jersey Gardens, and Tanger are just a few in the NY/NJ area.)
 
Not a Brooks Brothers person, don't worry, I have a solution for you as well:
Downy Wrinkle Releaser is where it’s at! Spray this stuff on your wrinkled shirt, pants, dress, or skirt and give it a shake- it smoothes clothes out in seconds. Get the travel size to throw in your gym bag.
Here is a dollar off coupon.

4/20/11

Dear Go To Girl, where can I get dressed up and celebrate the royal wedding of the century?

This is THE event of the century you've got that right... April 29, 2011 will be a day to remember. There are many options out there with a range in price, here are just a few...

The Paley Center For Media is hosting a FREE Royal Wedding Viewing Party starting at 5:30am. Tea, scones, and champagne will be served along with some serious TV wedding trivia. Show up in your most unique bridesmaid dress for a special prize! Again the event is free but you must reserve a ticket!


Dumbo Improvement District and The BBC are also hosting a Free viewing in DUMBO in the archway below the Manhattan Bridge plainly called The Royal Wedding, dressing up is encouraged.

The Dumbo Loft is hosting a Royal Wedding Party, with events going on throughout the day starting at 6am. Activities include renewing your wedding vows, getting married, stand-up comedy acts, live music and much much more. A VIP all day pass is $60.

The Peninsula Hotel is celebrating the nuptials by hosting a Rooftop Royal Wedding Breakfast. A lovely English Breakfast Wedding Party from 5:30am-10:30 am, morning coats and gowns are encouraged! $130 per person includes champagne cocktails, an English breakfast buffet, live broadcast from Westminster Abbey and of course a party favor!

The Palace Hotel will have a “Royal Wedding Sunrise Breakfast.” You will feel like a real wedding guest with personalized place cards and the room set up for a wedding reception. This $150 per person English breakfast includes, tea/coffee, breakfast, a champagne toast slippers, pillows and blankets will be available throughout the breakfast to ensure the “coziest” of dining experiences, and of course a lovely favor.
 The London Hotel is offering a Royal Engagement Package for private celebrations of the big day.

The Trump Royal Wedding Experience enjoy an overnight stay at the Trump Hotel, an exclusive breakfast at Jean George, and a piece of official Royal Wedding china commissioned by The Royal Collection, packages start at $1075. If the overnight stay is too much for you, you can join The Royal Breakfast for breakfast for $149.

Alice's Tea Cup is celebrating in the evening with "A Very Mad, Through-the-Looking-Glass Royal Wedding Celebration!"


CHEERS!

4/12/11

The Go to Girl LOVES Ice cream, so, I want to share something with you!

Today (April 12th)  is Ben & Jerry's FREE CONE DAY...Hurry!!!!
There are some great new flavors that you need to check out!

For those of you out there watching what your eating check out Skinny Cow Perfect Cup, its just as good as the stuff from boys in VT (maybe not but it does fill the void)!! They sell them in the freezer section of Duane Reede and CVS as well as your local grocery store.  

Also those of you that are in Manhattan....Ralph's Ices is on there way here, the underconstrustion location is on 24th street between Lex and 3rd ave.

 I am soo excited, I LOVE Ralph's!

3/17/11

Hey go to girl I would love to make my friend a fun and different B-day cake, do you have any suggestions?

Yes I do, my friend made me the cutest rainbow cake for my birthday this year. It was so creative, thoughtful, and delicious, thanks Lauren! 
She got the recipe from Martha Stewart but put a twist to it. Martha tells you how to make the cake from scratch, which you can do, but she just used a box of white cake and follow the dirctions from there. Martha also ices it with homemade buttercream icing but Lauren used store bought...although she used vanilla you could use chocolate. It was a delicious cake!
By all means if you have the time and the tools to follow Martha's recipe than go for homemade but I know I don't have the time or patience. :)

2/7/11

Hey go to girl, I want to make a candy buffet for a bridal party I am coordinating, do you have any suggestions where I can get bulk candy for a good price and ideas on how to display it?

This suggestion is good for any event: a wedding, bridal/baby shower, bar/bat mitzvah, the list is endless. The company, Sweet City Candy sells candy by the pound for wholesale prices. They have everything you can think of and then some. Not only that, the owner is super nice!
Her inventory includes movie theater candy boxes, bulk wrapped candy, kosher options, loose candy that you can put in pretty glass candy jars, etc.  Provide your guests with scoops and cello bags so they can help themselves- maybe this is part of the dessert table and they can take this as a parting gift or spruce up that regular cocktail bar with a variety of candy in martini classes. Bottom line...have fun with the candy!

If you need more suggestions I am here to help.