Going, going...gone!

Don't miss out. If you've opted for a staycation this holiday weekend, step away from the grill and take a little shopping break. Everyone's having big sales; some notables are Ginger's sidewalk sale, which includes a $10 bin and 30% off shoes, and Urban Chic's the more you buy, the more you save extravaganza. If you get to downtown Bethesda in time, you'll run smack into the Red Hook Lobster Truck's lunchtime stop near Barnes & Noble. And, don't miss the big Montgomery Mall event: Nordstrom's annual half-yearly sale.

Urban Chic Coat Drive Starts Dec. 1

Bring a new or used coat to any of Urban Chic's four locations (Bethesda Row, Annapolis, Georgetown, Harbor East) to help The Women's Housing Coalition. The fourth annual coat drive starts tomorrow (Dec. 1) and runs through Dec. 8. Shoppers will receive a discount off Urban Chic merchandise for each coat they donate. Men's, women's and children's coats are all needed. This event is a great way to help others stay warm, declutter a closet and snag a discount on a holiday gift (or a little something for yourself).

Shoshanna, with a side of window and Chic P salad

Last spring my daughter Maddie and I jaunted to Georgetown to meet designer Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss at Urban Chic's trunk show. Last night we set out for the Bethesda location to see the latest from the designer and visit with fashion blogger Betsy Lowther as part of Bethesda Row's Boutique Week. The dresses were a classic mix of fem with a subtle touch of sexy. Shoshanna doesn't do plunging necklines or slit up-to-there skirts. Her bright florals have more subtle details--off the shoulder, ruching, and gathered skirts. Betsy looked great dressed in a flowered ruched number we all love.

But stay with me...there are two more parts to the story. The Before:

... the fantastic window display we passed at Ginger. We love this dress made of book pages--perfect statement of book + fashion (see my prior Devil Wears Prada post)

and After:

...amazing salad at Sweetgreen. I've already had the "bondi" and "guacamole greens" with shrimp and I love them both. Because I'm a falafel lover I tried out the Chic P... The best. I loved the crunch of the spinach and pita chips combined with soft, warm, spicy falafel. The salad also has roasted yellow peppers, mesclun and chickpeas all dressed with a light tahini/hummus lemon dressing. It was a bowl full of my favorite tastes. The textures worked splendidly as well--not too salty, mushy, hard or crunchy. A home run--especially paired with their deliciously chewy brown bread.

Boutique Week moving on...today's stop Urban Chic!

Today Boutique Week highlights Urban Chic, who is hosting a Shoshanna fall 2010 trunk show. Drop by to see the fall collection and receive 15% off Shoshanna. Tonight enjoy some bubbly and meet Betsy Lowther of popular fashion blog fashionisspinach.com.

Meet Stacy London today in Bethesda

Stacy London at Puro Cafe, Georgetown

The famous Stacy London of TLC's "What Not to Wear" is in D.C. and Bethesda today launching her new nationwide company, Style for Hire. I have been a fan of the show for years and especially love the emotional transformation many of her former fashion victims experience when they clean up their look.

She will be appearing at the following Bethesda/Chevy Chase shops. Bring a garment that you don't know what to do with and have Stacy's team build an outfit around it.

2:30 - 2:45 Piazza Sempione, 5471 Wisconsin Ave.
2:45-3:00 Sylene, 4407 South Park Ave.
3:30-3:45 Urban Chic, 7126 Bethesda Lane
3:45-4:00, Sassanova, 7134 Bethesda Lane
4:00-4:15, National Jean Co., 7301 Woodmont Ave.
4:30-4:45 Denim Bar, 4939 Cordell Ave.
4:45 - 5:00 Daisy Too/Zelaya Shoes

(FTC disclaimer: yes, I received a gift certificate for a service; no I haven't used it yet and would recommend Stacy with or without said cert.)

Friday Night Lights in Georgetown

MoCo residents can cross the county line Friday night Sept. 10 and shop at the Georgetown outposts of their favorite Bethesda Row boutiques during Georgetown's Fashion Night Out. Over 60 stores, restaurants and salons will hold special events, trunk shows, giveaways, raffles, drinks and nibbles. The Georgetown locations of Bethesda Row faves Urban Chic, bluemercury and Georgetown Cupcake will all be participating with giveaways, trunk shows and more. Urban Chic will have a style discussion with CityShopGirl's Kelly Collis, hairstyling and a Halston Heritage Trunk Show. New shop M29 will offer fortifying bubbly, and don't forget to stop by Juicy Couture for a greeting by the "Juicy Boys." And the best part, the members of the new Cirque du Soleil OVO show will be roaming the streets during the extravaganza, which runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. For more information and a complete listing of store and restaurant events click here.

Friday Night Lights at the Front Row

We had a great time Friday night at the Front Row fashion show on Bethesda Lane and the cocktail reception at Redwood for special guests designer and author Laura Bennett of Project Runway and Tinsley Mortimer of High Society. I watched Project Runway when Laura was on and couldn't believe she actually had time to raise six kids AND design some of the most elegant clothes on the program. She blew us away Friday night not only with her elegance but her graciousness as well at the cocktail party. Plus she looked amazing in a silver beaded dress and satin pumps. Though we saw lots of great shoes, Tinsley M's Fendi pumps with see-through platform were a highlight. We loved the prom-goers in their gowns and tuxedos milling through the crowd to the restaurants. As the sun went down, the lights on the runway came on, the music thumped and the crowd, which filled Bethesda Lane, had a great time watching the models strut their stuff, modeling summer garb and a fall fashion preview from Bethesda Row boutiques, including City Sports, Wear It Well, Pink Palm, Ginger, Urban Chic, Luna, LouLou, J. McLaughlin, Waygoose, and Lucy.

Laura Bennett, Lindsay Buscher of Urban Chic, designer Lauren Leonard of Leona

Shannon Siriano

Paige Ralston Fromer and Rachel Cothran of Project Beltway

Tinsley Mortimer and Amanda Taylor

Jill Chamberlin Powell of Federal Realty

Jared Rager of Redwood and Gretchen Hitchner of Ginger

The paparazzi

Great view from Upstairs at Bethesda Row

The Runway:

Bethesda Row does Black Friday!

Bethesda Row Restaurant Week!

Another can't miss!! There is so much going on around town my head is swirling, so I'll calm myself with food. A primal delight we can get for much less during Bethesda Row's Restaurant Week, which runs Sept. 21-27. Bethesda Row has no shortage of great restaurants. Check out this list of participants: Assaggi Mozzarella Bar, Austin Grill, Delhi Dhaba, Lebanese Taverna, Le Pain Quotidien, Mon Ami Gabi (a fave), Raku (another huge fave), Tara Thai...plus a fall makeover party at bluemercury and shopping happy hour at Urban Chic. A two course lunch is $12; three-course dinners are $30. Amazing. Book at individual restaurants or when available at opentable.com.

Tibi Trunk Show

Looking forward to fall? Stop in Urban Chic at Bethesda Lane Aug.28 from 11-8 for a Tibi trunk show, bubbly, a discount and a free gift with purchase.

There's a (garden) party going on

As of right now it finally stopped raining and that’s a good excuse to celebrate. One way might be to check out Urban Chic ‘s garden-party/ spring trunk show in Georgetown tomorrow from 3 to 8. As designer Shoshanna showcases her spring and summer collection (which just arrived at Urban Chic yesterday), guests can nibble goodies, sip cocktails and receive a gift bag with their Shoshanna purchase. Food, drinks and goodie bags say party to me. If that’s not enough, keep going at Midtown on Connecticut Avenue for an after-party with an open Grey Goose bar at 8. If you can't make it, we'll fill you in right here. It’s party time.

www.urbanchiconline.com