xoxo, lm

Move over, winter: Tulips on the Mag Mile is here!

  Photo by Lisa Marie

An outdoor art exhibit is headed to the Magnificent Mile in the form of colorful, mood-elevating, divine flowers - a sign that we can pack away worn-out winter boots and uncover our bright-colored rain gear!

Workers endured today's weather to make sure City Beautiful: Tulips on the Magnificent Mile is prepared for its Wednesday unveiling. Tulips arrived by the thousands along Michigan Avenue and they will be on display from Wednesday through May 31.

There also are retail, dining and hotel discounts on and near the Magnificent Mile to commemorate the event, including a free tote when you spend $50 or more at Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave., and a specially priced prix-fixe menu at The Restaurant at Conrad, 521 N. Rush St.

Is anyone else planting flowers this year? Kate and I want to hang a flower box on our balcony and my green thumb seems to be broken. Does anyone have tips for a novice gardener?

Think spring!
xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Showcase your skills at Women for Hire Career Expo

Prep your resume and press your suit, the Women for Hire Career Expo has recruiters and hiring managers looking for talent!

Join the expo from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Thursday at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. Admission is free and registration is conducted on-site. The fair requires event-goers to bring resumes and wear business attire, so make sure you're prepared!

There will be free seminars and resume critiquing during the fair, and New York Life, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Benedictine University and Wolters Kluwer are a few of the exhibitors.

The expo also has an early morning seminar from 8:30- 10 a.m. with Women for Hire CEO Tory Johnson, who will offer advice and allow time for networking. Registration for the seminar is required and costs $20, but participants receive priority admittance to the expo.

Don't forget a firm handshake and a smile - you'll do fabulously!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Sample Bare Escentuals, Everyday Minerals cosmetics

There are few things worse than buying make-up and then figuring out the color makes you look more like a Oompa-Loompa than a human being. Lucky for us, Bare Escentuals and Everyday Minerals are providing free samples of make-up so customers can try before they buy (thanks, Col!).

Bare Escentuals is offering a Peace and Love Sampling of its i.d. bareMinerals line. The sample comes with a small foundation and a Premi Buki Brush - yes, a free brush! There are six shades to choose from and if you're having trouble deciding on a shade, you also can pick up a sample at the Water Tower location, 835 N. Michigan Ave., or in the 'burbs. If you order it online, you have to pay $3.95 for shipping, but they estimate the product will last 10 days and the brush should last much longer!

Everyday Minerals is an Internet-based company that sells mineral make-up. Their free sample kit consists of five sample-sized products: three foundations, a blush and a concealer that retail at $2.50 each. A little tip to save you time: after you add the kit to your cart, it's time to pick out colors. Look under the toolbar on the top in base, cheeks and conceal, and then drag your color choice to the checkout area on the right-hand side of the screen. If you click "add to cart," you will be charged for the item. Shipping for this kit is a little more than $3, but you're getting $12.50 worth of product!

Both manufacturers promote the use of natural ingredients, which means your skin will thank you for using less chemicals and additives. Another perk? You can reuse the make-up containers once you're done. They can be used for earring backs (most of mine fall into a black hole somewhere) or traveling purposes.

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Earn free money with Ebates.com and Cashbaq.com

It's a Laid-off Lady's dream - earn free money every time you shop online.

Well with Ebates.com and Cashbaq.com the dream has come true!

It's really quite simple, first you go to either the Ebates.com Website here, or the Cashbaq.com Website here and sign up using your e-mail and a password. You've already made $5 for signing up! Next, all you do is shop! You can browse the Website to see the week's best coupons and offers for your favorite stores.

The percentage or dollar amount you save from the store will turn into cash and be kept in an account for you through the Ebates.com site. Once you've made at least $10 you can have the money deposited into your paypal account or you can have a check sent to you in the mail.

I can't believe how easy this really is! I had to share right away! I was really impressed with all the different stores they have, too!

Check it out and let me know what you think of earning free money!

Kate

Get cultured with Bank of America

If you use Bank of America, you're in luck! The financial institution's program, Museums On Us, offers free admission to more than 70 museums.

To explore the arts for free, just bring your Bank of America card to participating museums during the first weekend of every month in 2009. In the city, participating museums are the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago History Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Institutions across 18 states joined the Museums On Us program, so if some of your clan is in a different state, share the good news with them!

April 4 and 5 are the next Museums On Us free days, so pencil it in and get cultured free of charge!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

March Madness, economista-style on Division

Although men in uniform are enticing (and Thursday's Pitt vs. Xavier game was nail-biting entertainment), my kind of March Madness is the Division Street March Madness Sale.

Get your best shopping roster ready at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday because five boutiques on Division Street between Hermitage Avenue and Wood Street are marking down apparel and products up to 90 percent off. Even a die-hard UNC fan would ditch the game for this sale.

According to Kristy at the paper goods store Anjenu, 1747 W. Division St., customers can expect up to 90 percent off her merchandise. At Ouest, 1751 W. Division St., a trendy women's boutique with a French-flare, shoppers will get 15 percent off already-reduced sale items (most are discounted 50 to 60 percent off) and 15 percent off new merchandise.

March Madness fanatics can expect similar discounts at Strut, 1744 W. Division St.; Bonnie & Clyde's, 1751 W. Division St., where shoppers can receive 20 percent off apparel; and Pour Vous, 1750 W. Division St., who will have end-of-the-season discounts, including pajamas.

While you're in the area and if you're in the mood to shop (sensibly) 'til you drop, stop by the row of resale shops around 1470 and 1500 N. Milwaukee Ave. (Crossroads Trading Company, Buffalo Exchange and Recycle all have shops in the neighborhood).

I don't know about you, but sales can turn on the inner shop-aholic in me and I always remind myself of my mom's advice: "Just because it's on sale doesn't mean you need it."

But you can still want it! To make sure you don't indulge too much, set aside a pre-determined budget and keep yourself from exceeding it. It's also wise to think of items you need to complete your wardrobe, and then keep your eyes peeled for those pieces. In other words: Step away from the oversized, teal cocktail ring.

A dash of restraint sprinkled with discount smarts make a well-prepared economista! How do you keep yourself from over-shopping at sales? Do share!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

I'm not afraid to admit ...

... that when I find a song I love, I play it until I can't stand the sound of it anymore. It's a habit I wish I could break, but sometimes you just find a song that you CANNOT go a second without hearing. Right now, for me it's "Make You Crazy" by Brett Dennen.It's the perfect song to play with your car windows rolled down on a beautiful spring day. Check it out and you won't be disappointed.

What song can you NOT live without right now? Can't wait to check out your picks!

Kate

Go dark for Earth Hour

83 countries, 2,398 municipalities, 5,481 organizations and 18,783 businesses already have committed to supporting Earth Hour on Saturday, and it's easy for you to help the cause, too!

At 8:30 p.m. Saturday, turn off your lights and leave them off for one hour (or longer if you're feeling generous!). By doing so, you're helping the global conservation organization WWF take action against global warming. 

Earth Hour started in 2007 with 2.2 million participants and quickly jumped to 50 million in 2008. This year, the organization hopes to have 1 billion people participate, and those who turn off their lights and "vote" for earth will aid WWF's presentation to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference, which will determine government policies against global warming.

We all know how important it is to take care of our main lady, Mother Earth, and if you join Earth Hour, you'll be part of a much larger effort to save the planet.

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

I'm not afraid to admit ...

... that I'm a responsible and independent adult when handling most tasks, but when it comes to laundry, I revert to my college years. Most weeks, my laundry basket is full of delightful duds and the last two times I brought laundry to my parents', their washer and dryer broke. Not only do I dislike laundry, but the cleaning devices agree: Laundry is my kryptonite.

xoxo,
Lisa Marie 

Invite your friends over for an "Incognito Party"

My friends and I were brainstorming recently about some ways to freshen up the same night life scene. And then it came to us: an "Incognito Party."

First you invite a group of your friends over for a BYOB (bring your own beverage) happy hour before you actually go out on the town.

Have your guests sit in a circle and have each person write down a fake name on one piece of paper, and a fake job on another. Time to really use your imagination and make sure to make your choices exciting and different - but not too obscure that it won't be believable.

Pass around the bowl of names and the bowl of jobs until all your guests have one of each.

Once you have your new name and occupation ... you have a new identity for the night! Before you go out, you can spend time developing everyone's back story so you really walk and talk the part.

Example:

Name: Roxanne Hartley
Occupation: Writer for Rolling Stone Magazine
Back story: I'm in Chicago for the weekend to interview U2 (or insert well-known band you know is in town) until I go back to New York where the Editor-in-Chief is using my story for the cover! (To make it even more believable, you could look in a copy of Rolling Stone and glance at a few of the editor's names in order to fake name drop).

Once you're confident you have your stories straight, head out to the bars: Incognito!