Open to the public and free to attend, early holiday shoppers can expect more vendors, shops and retailers participating than ever before, with a total of 53, which includes 19 shops from The OC Mart Mix, 26 independent vendors who will set up tables in the walk ways and common areas of The OC Mart Mix, and eight SOCO retailers.

“We are beyond excited to offer more companies to shop from,” says Joy Ward, the Shopping with a Heart Chair, who expects over 500 to attend the event. “Shoppers will be able to find something for everyone on their holiday list and feel good about supporting over 30 charities in Orange County.”

In total there will be 26 Independent Vendors, plus 19 Shops at The OC Mart Mix and 8 SOCO Retailers. All are Giving Back 15% of Sales to Local Orange County Charities

The complete list of the participating retailers, shops and vendors, include:

SOCO Retailers:

The Gear Co-op

Granola Babies

Rolling Greens

Fixtures Living (will give back 15% thru 12/31/12 as long as you mention you are a friend of NCL)

88 Orange

Lee Stanton

Robert Westley Designs (will give back 15% thru 12/31/12 as long as you mention you are a friend of NCL)

Uni Design

THE OC MART MIX SHOPS

Alexander Gray

Apples and Oranges

Briana Rene-Briana Ellison

Dear Lovely/Whiskey Tango 1977

Eva’s Trunk

Heirlooms and Hardware

Local Fare

KCGee

Milk and Honey Baby

N’IceCream Costa Mesa

Portola Coffee Lab

Lollipop Nail Studio

Savory Spice Shop

Shuck Oyster Bar

Smocking Birds

Stoned Jewelry-

The Cheese Shop

Birdie -The Juice Bar

We Olive & Wine Bar

INDEPENDENT VENDORS:

Ars Antigua

B Candy

B. Toffee

Button up Wraps

Cascas Imports

Christa Favreau jewelry

D’Amore Designs

Del Mar Blu

Diane Cotton Jewelry

Hadley’s Hair Access

Hilary for little sophisticates

Jacqueline B

Jules gifts and accessories

Just Cashmere

Kiki Bean & BedHead PJ

Lavender Blue, Inc.

Little Relics by Caitlin

M-Kai

Moonlight Imports

Ornate Home

Patina Antiques

Ring Ching Ching (see above photograph)

Silver Garage

Suzan

Timree

Zicari Creations

This month, September 2012, Target will launch the fall installment of The Shops at Target, with collections from four shops timed perfectly for the fall season: New York City’s Kirna Zabête and Odin, San Francisco’s The Curiosity Shoppe and Boston’s PATCH NYC. Each feature unique and adorable finds.

The collections reflect each shop owner’s unique perspective, you can experience each shop simply by visiting their local Target store or Target.com. Check out these fun finds. I love the hurry up bell.

www.ksugarandspice.com

Orange County you are in for a real treat. C. Wonder has come to town. It is a retail concept and lifestyle brand straight from New York from entrepreneur Chris Burch.  The new store is Grand Opening this weekend in Fashion Island. Right next to the Koi Pond. I felt like I was shopping in the Hampton’s at their media sneak peek event this week.

The store offers women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories, housewares, home décor, and personal electronic. All at the chicest possible level. Their wide-range of beautiful, versatile and spirited products for all areas of life are, well, wonderful. You will find unexpected touches at every turn: pillows to die for, silver flying piggy banks, jewelry (oh the jewelry), and did I just see a bike perfect for riding along the Newport Beach boardwalk?

With the belief that luxury should be a feeling and not a price tag, perhaps the best part of this store are the prices. The average item in the store is under $40. I was ready to see a High-End price tag on these button down shirts. Say $250, they were that nice. How thrilling that they were only $125. Funny, all the items in the store have the same effect. I would prepare for sticker shock, then was delightfully surprised to see a price that made complete sense.

Here are a few items I fell in love with:

A chic and simple way to turn your notepad to a laptop on the go. Comes in three colors $80.

A whimsical winged piggy for a stylish “When Pigs Fly” piggy bank. Only $44.

How about this one for tailgating the fall? A Wicker Picnic Basket. Includes everything needed for a feast for four. The bottom of the basket includes two built-in ice packs for keep your wine chilled. I cannot wait to bring this to the Rose bowl for football season. ONLY $128.

Finally, the home décor. Incredible. Pillow covers begin at $34 and can be found in every color under the rainbow. While examining the adjacent flatware, I wished this store had a gift registry. Absolutely everything in the store would be a dream to receive.

Get ready to shop this Saturday. Check out what is in store for the Grand Opening Gala!

Gift cards for the first 250 customers with prizes of $5, $25 and $250.

A Tower of Wonder Sweepstakes – one lucky customer will win $1,000 worth of C. Wonder products.

Free Gift with Purchase – receive a limited edition C. Wonder Tote Bag with every purchase of $50 or more!

Wheel of Wonder – Spin to win! Every hour, one lucky customer gets to spin the Wheel of Wonder for the chance to win C. Wonder products and VIP perks.

Live DJ, Dance Party, Sweet Treats and Beverage and much more.

When: Saturday, August 11th – 10am to 7pm and Sunday August 12th 11am to 6pm.

C. Wonder – Fashion Island, 347 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

(949) 644-4376

If you can’t make it? Check out their online store

www.CWonder.com

See you there, I’ll be in the jewelry section.

www.Ksugarandspice.com

Chevron!

The top is only $39 and comes in a variety of colors. Dresses too, which run $49.

Wait there is more.

What a great combo, the salmon and light blue.

This Eden top is only $32 while the

Waldorf Necklace is $21. Move over Forever 21.

The necklace was sold out. However, when it comes back in stock, Shop Sosie will email me.  If I miss the email, that’s okay, their website has a section for ‘Back in Stock’ items. Those sold out items come back quickly.

And you can also pay via PayPal.

What is not to love.

The sizing runs a touch small. I am typically, across the board, a 6/8 in most tops. Therefore I ordered the Medium. The medium worked, but was a slightly small in the shoulders and I am no volleyball player. My advice would be to order one size up.

Enjoy!

www.shopsosie.com

Gone But Not Forgotten.

When Bobbie Brown decided to drop this gem. Mind you, not only was it a newly launched product, but extremely popular as well. I was hopping mad, as well as devastated. The daunting task of scanning eBay and engaging in bidding wars was weighing heavily on my vanity.

After openly weeping to the Bobbie Brown customer service operator, she shared that along with other Estée Lauder brands, Bobbie Brown sells their discontinued items {if still available} directly to the consumer via ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’. If your favorite shade of nail polish is in a warehouse somewhere in Kalamazoo, they will find it and ship it to you. You pay upfront with a credit card in hopes they will find your request. If so, the item will usually arrive in 10 days. If the product cannot be found, your credit card will not be charged. They will search for products that have been discontinued within the last 24 months. You may request 6 at one time.

Can I get a Hallelujah?

To find products from Estée Lauder brands, i.e., Clinique, Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, MAC, La Mer, Origins, Jo Malone, American Beauty, Good Skin.

Just call: Gone But Not Forgotten

(800) 216-7173

You may be on hold for a few minutes, but it’s worth it.

Six of these babies arrived today.

No longer shaking from withdrawals.

From

www.ksugarandspice.com

Photo Credit: Ashley Rose Photography

Sweet and Saucy Shop, a favorite dessert shop of celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey,  , LeAnn Rimes and Tori Spelling, has opened its first Orange County location at Crystal Cove Shopping Centerin Newport Coast.  Sweet and Saucy Shop isknown for its beautiful, modern-looking custom cakes and mini desserts for weddings, parties and other special occasions.

All of their desserts are baked fresh with the finest ingredients possible. Custom cakes are available in 15 different flavors, and cupcakes are available with or without filling and fondant accents on top.  Cookies are hand decorated and are available in custom shapes and colors, as well as with corporate logos or photos for a personal touch at weddings, birthdays or other celebrations.  Some of the dessert bar specialties include mini key lime pies, cake lollipops, mini s’mores tarts, and assorted shot glass desserts filled with chocolate mousse, lemon cream and berries, and more.

Photo Credit: Sean Walker Photography

Melody Brandon, co-owner and head pastry chef, realized her passion for desserts and stopped pursuing a career as a teacher and headed to pastry school.  She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu and started Sweet and Saucy Shop three years ago with her mother, Eileen Francabandera.

In addition to its cakes, cookies and mini desserts, Sweet and Saucy Shop sells beautiful cake platters, bowls, and cake stands.  The bakery also ships their cake lollipops and cakeplatters, bowls, and cake stands anywhere in the country.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have our first Orange County shop at Crystal Cove Shopping Center,” said Brandon. “It is a beautiful center and we wanted another coastal location. We have many customers from Orange County and are thrilled to have this new location to serve them our signature sweets.”

Sweet and Saucy Shop is located at Crystal Cove Shopping Center,at 7922 East Coast Hwy., at Crystal Heights,in Newport Coast.  Sweet and Saucy Shop is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.sweetandsaucyshop.com or call (949) 715-0920.

Knowing that I needed a few new additions to the make up drawer repertoire, I felt a make-over was a good idea, to try things out. Since Bobbi Brown’s signature look is light and natural, this is where I landed. I requested a light ‘daytime’ face to make doubly sure a Geisha look would not ensue. My fingers were crossed.

The result resided somewhere between, full coverage – but natural. Mind you, I am not the type to don full coverage for my average day. Makeup application MTWThF is few and far between. Totally cool with that. This Bobbi Brown application would be great on a weekend night out on the town. Want to see what I found whilst having my make over? Here are a few finds I’m swooning over. Some are old finds, some new!

Addicted to this one. Brightening SPF 50 UV Protective Face Base It shields your skin from the sun with both broad-spectrum UVA and UVB shield. That means super good protection. Lightweight and quick-absorbing. You and your make up of choice will never know it’s there. Promise.

Next up, an eye liner that gives you the look of liquid liner with the ease & feel of a gel formula. It is long-wearing, water-resistant and let’s you get it just right before it dries. Then stays without a smear or crease. Awarded ‘Best of Beauty’ by ‘Allure’ Magazine (2011). Awarded best liquid liner by ‘The Knot’ Magazine(2010). I love Sepia Ink, but found a new one to hoard Espresso Ink.

On that note, if you are more of a pencil gal and don’t care to apply with a brush. Bobbi Brown just introduced Bobbi’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in pencil form. Don’t be surprised if they have already sold out of them at your local department store. They are flying out the door.

This one was a surprising, Treatment lip Shine SPF 15. It is a lightweight, soft shine lipstick that doubles as a moisture treatment. It instantly comforts dry, chapped lips. Really all the colors are beautiful – Raspberry, Papaya, etc., but for me, I settled on Plumberry and Desert Rose.

Lastly, Bobbie Brown Lip Balm SPF 15. Okay. First hand. It feels non-greasy as well as comforting, while strangely lip plumping. It is now the very first thing I grab in the morning after my coffee. I think it is magical and will never be able to live without it.

FYI, the first week of June, Bobbi Brown at Nordstrom is offering a gift with purchase. This is a RARITY! Bobbie Brown it NOT a gifting cosmetic line. The make up artist let me peek at it. If you send $150 you will receive a gift set that is beyond cool. The eye shadow palette sold me.

Saving my pennies,

www.ksugarandspice.com

FIG & OLIVE and the Irvine Company today announced a lease agreement that brings FIG & OLIVE to Fashion Island. With restaurants in New York and West Hollywood, FIG & OLIVE’s presence in Orange County will be exclusive to Fashion Island.

Scheduled to open in 2013, executive chef Pascal Lorange – who began his training at a young age with three-star Michelin Chef Georges Blanc in Vonnas, France– will introduce a menu of refined elegance with classic flavors and the highest quality of ingredients inspired by the Riviera and coastal regions of the Mediterranean. Just look at the photograph above.

Fashion Island will be FIG & OLIVE’s sixth location nationwide.  The industrially chic French Riviera-inspired eatery boasts five big-city locations, including three restaurants in New York City’s trendiest neighborhoods – the Meatpacking District, Uptown, and Fifth Avenue– one location in Westchester, NY and a sophisticated West Coast flagship location situated on Melrose  Place, which opened in March 2011.  The wildly popular NYC and West Hollywood locations have attracted high-profile guests including President Obama, Heidi Klum, Reese Witherspoon, Mila Kunis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Depp, John Krasinski, and David Beckham to name a select few.

FIG & OLIVE will be located on the South side of the Center in a new standalone structure.  FIG & OLIVE’s elegant and warm design, with limestone stucco walls, terracotta ceiling, and green rosemary and olive trees will exude the essence of the French Riviera and compliment Fashion Island’s fresh Mediterranean look.

“FIG & OLIVE’s crisp and unique menu and ambiance will continue to transform Fashion Island as a premier destination for unique culinary experiences,” said Dan Sheridan, President of Irvine Company Retail Properties.

I am counting the days,

ksugarandspice.com

The All-American Rejects will be performing at Tilly’s at the Irvine Spectrum Center TODAY at 7 p.m.

The first 300 customers at Tilly’s who buy the new All-American Rejects album, “Kids in the Street” will receive VIP wristbands, an autograph signing and in-store band performance.

And, while you’re there you can shop for surf, skate, moto, and street clothing, shoes and accessories from Volcom, DC, Fox, Billabong, Roxy, Quiksilver, Hurley, Etnies, Vans, Levi’s, and more.

Tilly’s is open 10 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Tilly’s is at Irvine Spectrum Center at 81 Fortune Drive in Irvine. 949.788.0781

Kiehl’s President Chris Salgardo will be making a stop in Costa Mesa with other riders on motorcycles from the company’s first Desert Run for amfAR from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, to raise funds and awareness for amfAR. The event will take place at Kiehl’s in South Coast Plaza on SUNDAY from noon to 1 p.m.

The celebration will include refreshments and Kiehl’s President Chris Salgardo, motorcycle designer Paul Cox (who designed a custom-made Kiehl’s chopper), photographer Timothy White, and actor Grant Reynolds, will present a $25,000 donation to amfAR.

You can to pick up Kiehl’s Limited Edition Desert Run Set, an assortment of Kiehl’s best-selling travel size products, proceeds will benefit amfAR.

Kiehl’s is open:

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday;
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday;
11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

Level Two at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. 714.427.0998

Have a great weekend,

www.ksugarandspice.com

Wow.

The collection, which ranges from newborn to age 14, is so chic!  From a youthful play on the wrap dress, to jersey rompers for toddlers, and a navy stripe seersucker blazer complete with the DVF mantra “Love is life,” the pieces are classic DVF.

The line will be in Gap stores US, and Gap.com on March 28.

Like Mother, Like Daughter.

Cannot Wait!

www.ksugarandspice.com