Save the Date: Art Basel is coming to town.

This is Your Go-to-Gal again.

And as usual, I'm all about bringing you the most accurate, up-to-date information on anything and everything. This week, I want to get you a jump start on Art Basel 2010, which as most of you know is the most important art show in all of the country. It's also the sister event to Switzerland's Art Basel, the world's greatest art exhibition. This year, the event will take place from December 2-5th, 2010 in and around all of Miami, so save the dates.

Besides, all the cool and free events that you can enjoy during the four day affair, what I truly love about Art Basel is the focus on arts and culture from all over the world that is brought into our hometown.

Last year, I was completing a school assignment and enjoyed participating in Miami's Sleepless Night, which coincided with Art Basel. There is something outrageously cool about seeing our city transform into a cultural post. Every where you go during this period, you will see people creating art, music playing in the background and people just taking all of it in.

I'm sad to inform you that this year's edition of Sleepless Night is catching up on some rest, but will be back in 2011. I will be sure to bring you all the details.

With so much to do in so little time, any one can feel helpless and scared. But that's why I'm here. Even if you want to do other things, which I highly encourage, try to make some time and at least check out one of these 5 uber fantastic events.

This is the official "Your Go-to-Gal's Must Do's" at Art Basel guide:

• Primary Flight at Wynwood Art District -Daily from December 1 until December 5. Primary Flight features more than 250 world class artists who collaborate on high profile walls throughout Miami’s urban landscape.
• Art of Basketball at PWD Warehouse
  -Daily from December 2 until  December 5.  Celebrated graffiti and street artists will be putting their interpretation on the iconic and  official NBA Game Basketball and Backboard.
• Full Circle: Before They Were Famous at 55th Street Station-A documentary that chronicles the early works of artists like Warhol in the 1960s.
• BUBBLES: Drinking Champagne in a Sleep Pod in Design Miami, Meridian and 19th St.
  -Nov 30-Dec 3. Must book a session for this event. Ever dreamt of having a model read you a bedtime story while you sip on some bubbly? Well your dream is now a reality--well for a limited time anyways! But this sounds like too cool of a thing to do to not mention.
• Breakfast in the Park at Frost Art Museum
  -Sun. December 5: 9:30am-12:00pm. Enjoy a complimentary outdoor breakfast, informal lecture and guided tours of The Sculpture Park and other exhibitions in The Frost Art Museum.

I know exactly where I'll be going. Do you? I hope my little guide lets you enjoy the finer things in life for little to no cost. And even if you aren't into the arts, I hope this can open the door to a new experience. BTW-all events listed are free, so go out and breathe some culture into your life.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." -Pablo Picasso

Hope to see you all on the beautiful streets of Miami from December 2nd-5th!

After Thanksgiving dinner...

Hi guys & dOlls,

Thanksgiving is only 2 days away!!!! And this is my absolute favorite holiday: food, family and more food! Can you say yum? There's really nothing that can top this holiday for me.

But after your third Thanksgiving dinner, you realize that you have eaten way too much and need to do more than just sit on the couch watching TV. So, I, your Go-to-Gal have assigned myself the difficult task of finding things for you to do for after your Thanksgiving dinner(s.)

• You can get an early start on Black Friday by hitting  Sawgrass Mills Mall or Dolphin Mall, at 12:01 A.M. midnight on Friday, November 26th. Make sure you check out the super new Bloomingdale's outlet stores at both malls. I'm a Bloomies lover, so I cannot wait to check out their outlet stores! There are only 4 of these stores nationwide and if they do well, more will be opening in 2011, so how lucky are we that two of them are right in our cities. (Shopping just gets me too excited!)
• You can also catch the loveable musical, Oliver! at the Actor's Playhouse in Coral Gales. Tickets are on sale now and are very affordable starting at only $15 and go up to $48.
• There's always the tradition that some carry to go watch holiday movies with their families, as Thanksgiving Day is the beginning of the holiday movies seasons.

Last week, I asked the question: What do you guys do after Thanksgiving dinner and here's what you guys had to say:

• Geraldine said:  My family sits in the living room & sing songs, reflect on the past year, & plan for Christmas.
• Joanna said: Look up which stores are having sales and plan the attack. :)
• Javier said: FOOTBALL!!! LOL!
• Ashley said: We do a gift exchange for xmas- so that night, we all pick who we are gonna get gifts for :)
• Jessica said: We always go to the movies n watch whatever Christmas flick that's out, then go back home n eat leftovers! :)

Regardless of what you guys do, I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving.

"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action."  W.J. Cameron

Enjoy this weekend for nothing ...

So while, I'm out on my road trip this weekend to bring you all an insider look at the new H&M store in Palm Beach, I also want to share with  you a few cool things for you guys to enjoy this weekend.

Starting today, Friday, November 12th from 4-8 p.m. you can enjoy dinner on the new Lime Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant opening in Downtown Miami, which is located at 7 West Flagler, Miami. Aside from free food, drinks and music by DJ Cardi, you’ll also have an opportunity to get your picture snapped in their famous “Puckerface” photo booth and the chance to bid on tickets to an upcoming Miami Heat game!

Free food + chances to win tickets to Miami Heat game = the perfect Friday night!

Sunday, November 14th: Publix Jerk Cook-Off and Celebrity Quick Fire Competition  from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Celebrities, chefs and aspiring amateurs are perfecting their jerk recipes for the famous Publix Jerk Cook-Off and Celebrity Quick Fire Competition at the 9th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival.  Celebrity Chef Ron Duprat will be pleasing palates with cooking demos, and the legendary Jamaican crooner John Holt and the Caribbean's number one Calypso band, Byron Lee's Dragonaires, will be the headliners on the main stage.

Don't miss this yummy jerkalicious event at Markham Park: 16001 W State Road 84, Sunrise, FL.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

xO'x
your GTG

H&M: An inside look at our very own slice of the Swedish pie.

I went. I saw. And now I'm bringing you an all exclusive look at the new H&M store at Palm Beach Gardens Mall, as promised.

Hmmm. Where do I start? The drive to this particular mall was a long one, so long in fact, that I was very tempted to drive the remainding 100 miles or so and just gone to Orlando. Luckily I kept my focus and made it all the way to the mall.

Now I love malls because I love shopping, so I made sure to explore it in its entirety.

The mall can be best described as more upscale than Avenutra Mall, but that's the mall it mostly reminded me of, so you can have a mental image.

Ok, on to the good stuff! H&M is an entire two floors!!! That's two floors for you to go on a hunt for great items at reasonable prices.

I know a lot of people have probably never set foot inside an H&M, so I want you to think of this store as being like a Zara. It also has a lot more chic items at around the same price point as Zara.

Main entrance of H&M on the second floor

Women's Display window #1

Women's window display # 2

I was very impressed with the window displays at this store, more so than the entire store itself. I think display windows are very important. At least for me it is the determining factor of whether or not I go into a new store that I've never seen or been to before.

Once, finally inside H&M, I felt so overwhelmed. And I don't like feeling that way when I'm trying to shop. I couldn't even get as many pictures as I liked because every time I tried, I was either being walked into or having someone come out in the picture.

 Wall painting between the first floor (men's) and second floor (women's.)



Semi-overhead shot of the men's floor (which wasn't as full as the second floor.)

H&M is a great store to visit if you're looking for trendy pieces or even statement pieces such as party dresses or lace skirts (which are a huge trend this season.)  The holidays are upon us and you'll be needing a few cocktail dresses for the occassions, so I highly recommend this store as an option to find great party pieces for less than $30 for both men and women. One of the best things about H&M is that the clothes are really good quality, and remember you get what you pay for. It doesn't look cheap and it's also very fashion-forward.

Another reason I really wanted to visit this store was to check out their new Lanvin collection. I just ♥ ♥ ♥ Lanvin, which is one of the most luxurious and innovative fashion houses in Paris, and yes their clothes are exactly what you'd expect to see in Paris. I had already caught the fashion show and I wasn't too crazy about it, but if I can find one Lanvin piece for a mere hundred dollars versus thousands of dollars, I'll take it. I read about the collaboration between Lanvin and H&M, and it was stated that the goal of this collab wasn't to offer a high-end brand at cheap prices, but it was to bring high  fashion to the establishment. So the pieces start at $39 and go up to $299. All worth it too! Now it's a little loud, but it has that Lanvin essence that you see on the runways, and not those crappy collections from Target that you can clearly tell the brand has had to sacrifice its name to reach affordability (don't get me wrong, I always get excited about those collabos too because I just hope they get it right one day.) And Lanvin got it right!

Below is a picture of my favorite item of the collection at this location.

Lanvin ♥ H&M collection- coat $199

This coat is to die for! I literally had a petit-morit when I saw it.

The second floor also houses  the children's department, which has some great pieces for beyond reasonable prices. My little nephew, Jake Ryan will so be rocking a Rolling Stones tee thanks to H&M.

As for the men's section, I was underwhelmed. A lot of the store for men carries basics, again at amazing prices. And I can't stress enough what a great place this is to pick out your holiday attire and coats.

I hope you guys enjoy this post and please let me know if you have any other questions for me regarding H&M. Below are a few questions that I thought I'd ask if I were reading this blog.

How does the first South Florida H&M stack up to the other H&M stores in big cities?

I fell in love with H&M about three years ago,during one of my visits to NYC. I found so many things during that first visit and I didn't even break the bank. That experience was enough to keep me visiting H&Ms any

chance I encountered one in any city I visited. I also went to the one in Chicago, which wasn't great. But before I voice my opinion, let's just say that you can't compare apples to oranges (although, both are round sweet fruits, go figure) but the shopping in NYC and Chicago just can't be compared to the shopping in Miami or South Florida. Having said that, this store stands very well on its own.

Should I drive close to 100 miles to visit H&M?

Yes and no.

Yes, if you are an H&M lover and need to buy some cool, one of a kind pieces that no one else will be wearing at your company's holiday party then you must go. (Also, feel free to take the drive if you want to experience a new mall. You will also love the sights as you're making your way there.)

No, if you don't know the franchise and don't feel like my visit there was helpful. This is the type of store that has its ups and downs, meaning you'll go in one day and walk out with more than 10 items, but you will

go in the next time and absolutely hate everything.

*** I want to take a second and thank my awesome boyfriend for not only taking the time to accompany me there, but for helping me take pictures. You rock!

TTFN dolls. I'll be posting a new blog by Tuesday-- just in time for Thanksgiving.



" I don't shop because I need something, I just shop for shopping's sake."-Cat Deely

Before You Go Shopping this Holiday Season...

Read my blog! Just kidding. Well let's face it you really should!

Welcome back to our little corner of the Web.

So, who is excited about shopping for the holidays? I am I am and so should you because I'm going to do my best to make it easier for you. If you've been to your local mall just after Halloween, chances are you've already been bombarded with all the holiday decorations, along with Santa posters and wish lists that go on and on.

With all the money you spend on gifts, holiday flights and parties, it's no reason this is the time of jolliness for retailers. But before you go out and spend all you're savings, here are a few things you should know that are sure to help you save money, time and keep your credit in tact, all in time for the new year.

The first rule of thumb for holiday shopping:  pay in cash for as many things as you possibly can. Paying with money, frees you from credit card interests, increasing your debt, but most importantly it keeps you in the know of how much you're spending right at the moment. Say you have $300 worth of merchandise before you check out, you might be inclined to take out a few unnecessary items, while waiting in line if you are paying with money instead of with a charge card. It's quite simple folks, letting go of actual money from your hand is harder than handing over plastic.

Guess what's back? Layaway plans are! These things are making a comeback just like the Republicans did during this past mid-term election. Now I'm not saying there are layaway plans available at Bloomies or Nordstrom, but you sure can find them at Kmart, Toys "R" Us and Burlington Coat Factory, which are great places to pick up toys and electronics. Before you layaway, make sure you clearly understand the terms of each stores' policy, as it does differ. And be sure that you can afford what you are putting away. Layaway isn't a shortcut to getting everything you want, but can't afford.

The second most important thing you should do is review all the interest rates on your cards, before you hit the streets. Winning half the battle against debt is knowing what you're best options are.

The next two tips go hand in hand, well sorta. As you're going over your list of who's been naughty or nice, try to do all your shopping in one store and if you can apply for a charge card that allows you to save up to 20 % like Macy's does, go for it. Don't get charge happy though, use credit cards responsibly and pay it off as soon as possible. That can even be one of your New Year's resolutions.

If you feel like you can't condense the majority of your shopping to one store, then pick out the credit card with the lowest interest rate and try to keep all your holiday spending on that one card. This helps you track  how much money you've spent and if the card has a low interest it will help you from paying those crazy interest charges later on. Pretty simple, huh. I'm not professing rocket science here, all these things are very simple and plain, but a lot of the time are forgotten.

Holidays and parties are like the white on rice. They just go together. Just don't charge your card, while you're partying. Do not, I repeat do not use your credit card to pay for anything after midnight. Creditors have completed extensive research that indicates most charges made by Americans after midnight are made by people who are under the influence.  As a night of celebration progresses, you begin to lose your good judgment and are more prone to making poor decisions, such as buying a round of drinks for everyone at the bar. Public service announcement # 2: don't drink and drive this holiday season or ever. Thanks!

Additional money and time saving tips:

• Be sure to make a list of people you need to buy gifts for, as well as a  couple ideas of what you'd like to get for each individual and finish the list by including a budget of what you'd like to spend (by budgeting your money you are really saving your precious time, which should be spent with your loved ones and not in the jungles that are shopping malls.)
• Always ask stores, if they offer gift boxes or free wrapping services in order to save you some money on these items because wrapping your gifts gets pricey. If you're a creative individual make your own gift wrapping paper by drawing your own designs on recycled brown paper.
• Start your shopping now! Don't wait until the last minute when items are out of stock and stores are in a frenzy.
•  Black Friday isn't your only option for the biggest sale of the year. Go viral on Cyber Monday  and save just as much money from the comfort of your home or office.

I hope that all of you have a pleasant shopping experience. And as always, if there is anything that you do every holiday shopping season, please let me know, it can make it onto next year's list.

Stay tuned for more things to come these upcoming months and keep your peepers open for the debut of my next blog coming very soon!

"Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice."

Sweet November

November marks one of my favorite times of the year-- the holiday season! Family get togethers, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, vacations, shopping, cool weather ( yes, even us, South Floridians get a few cold fronts during this time) and the new year which brings new beginnings. It really is the best gift that we can receive.

I have some amazing ideas and tips to bring you this month: must shops on Black Friday, a Thanksgiving cheat sheet and so many other tid bits of helpful information, as only I can deliver them.

I'm also starting a new blog that will help me in molding my book, which will be a satirical take on my life. I'd love to write the next Harry Potter or Twilight, but for now i'm going to stick to some non-fiction and humor, and write about life, which every single person on Earth can relate to. Trust me, you don't want to miss it because it's unlike anything that you've heard me write before.

Also, please keep a look out for this week's installment, which I promise will be useful for every one. :) I'm so excited for all the great things to come. And my only hope is that you will all come on this extraordinary voyage with me.

Your GTG needs your help!

Hi friends of GTG,

I hope you are all doing just fab!

I spent much of this week racking my brain to come up with a topic for this week. I had a few ideas, but while talking to a co-worker, whom I recently directed to my blog, he said he couldn't appreciate it because it was more driven towards women than men.

It left me wondering if I should incorporate more manly topics. So should I or should I not?

If I do, I need my male readers to help me with the content.

So are you men up for the challenge?

Stay tuned to see what the new post will be about.

TTFN,
Your GTG!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4