Sunday Funday! Bright Pink and Bears

Bright Pink Gals

On Sunday, I spent my day walking around the city and checking out events held by two great organizations! First, I payed a visit to The 900 Shops on North Michigan Avenue. Bright Pink was hosting its charity shopping event, and I stopped by to grab some pictures and say “Hi!” From the giant sign out front to the smiling volunteer wearing a pink shirt, there was no mistaking the point of this day. DONATE…SHOP…SAVE…ENJOY!

Participating stores featured signs in the windows to highlight the deals AND also had a pink arrow leading patrons in. When I arrived, lululemon was hosting a free yoga class on the first floor while makeup artists beautified some faces under hot pink umbrellas.

Makeup and Yoga!

DJ Rock City played a great mix of music including a MJ tribute, which still makes me light up. Guests made their way throughout the stores grabbing great deals and taking advantage of all the free treats. Williams-Sonoma had a run on their free pink cupcakes, and guests enjoyed free mini-manicures courtesy of the Mario Tricoci Hair Salon (amongst all the other goodies). Look at all those cute pink colors below!

ZOYA Nail Color in shades of pink

Afterwards, I mosied on along to Erie Park for the Taste of River North. Bear Necessities, a great pediatric cancer foundation here, had a booth at the riverside festival. While children played on the hill and live bands entertained the crowds, we volunteered at the booth signing up people to help Bear Necessities’ programs. During my shift, I worked alongside two gents, one an intern and the other was a great volunteer like myself!

BN Table!

All in all, I had a great day seeing the city and meeting new people. Another summer Sunday Funday entered in the books

How were your weekends?

-kb

L*Space Unveils Swimwear Line for Charity

"Stardust Fringe" Swimsuit, $97

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim kicks off tomorrow in sunny Miami and runs until Sunday, 7/19. The five day extravaganza will feature shows from swimwear’s hottest designers, parties, and many star-studded events. L*Space by Monica Wise will be this season’s “Mercedes-Benz Presents” designer. The Mercedes-Benz Presents program provides “support the designers that demonstrate dedication to quality materials, unique style, and innovative design.”

During the presentation of her 2010 designs, Wise will unveil a collection of swimwear in partnership with OmniPeace, a brand of clothing which raises funds for charities which promote peace, human rights, education, and the end of extreme poverty in Africa by 2025. The designs, named after African villages, are inspired by the natural landscape and beauty of the continent. The collection will retail for about $130 and 20% of all proceed will be donated to OmniPeace.

The design featured above is just a peek at some of the great pieces created by L*Space. Check out www.lspace.com to browse other items!

-kb

A Day of Pink at the 900 Shops

On Sunday, July 19th, The 900 Shops Mall will host a MAJOR charity shopping day all to benefit Bright Pink, a national non-profit providing support and education to young women at risk for breast and ovarian cancer. When you purchase a $20 ticket, you receive access to tons of amazing deals and treats.

Shopping discounts include:

• 30% off Adidas, Original Penguin
• 25% off Banana Republic
• 20% off Caché, Frankie’s Neighborhood Italian Restaurant, Ootra
• 15% off other participating retailers including, J.Crew, Club Monaco, and UGG Australia

Attendees will also enjoy treats such as:
• Bloomingdale’s: Laura Mercier mini-facials, Bobbi Brown make-up applications, small pink frozen yogurt from b. Café
• Mario Tricoci: Pink mini-manicures
• Lululemon Athletica: Yoga classes at 11 am & 2pm
• Williams-Sonoma: Pink mini-cupcakes

For all more details and to purchase your ticket, please click on the flyer below. Don’t miss out on this AMAZING opportunity to be bright pink!

-kb

SoLUXE and The Junior League

Hot Dots Note Cube, $30

Every adult should have a set of stationary for sending notes, Thank You cards, etc. As I get older, I find myself spending hours in Papyrus or the stationary section at Borders and Target. I’m now the proud owner of 3 sets of Thank You cards, 2 boxes of note cards, and some cute invitations. I’ve tried to curb this habit, but I fear that it’s only going to get worse!

While researching the Junior League of Chicago, I saw a little icon in the bottom right corner that caught my eye. All I remember seeing was “SoLuxe store.” With a name like SoLUXE, I figured that there had to be some goodies in store. *nods head* I was absolutely correct!

SoLUXE carries stationary, gift tags, coasters, plates and more! The best part is that you have the option to customize your design to best fit your style. Some items can even be monogrammed. I’ve always wanted something with my initials on it!

After doing some digging (read: Googling), it appears that SoLUXE is in cahoots with Junior League chapters across the country to help raise funds for the great work being done in the respective communities! To shop and support your local Junior League, just visit the webpage of the JL nearest and there should be a link to the SoLUXE site!

-kb

Help Fight AIDS at Banana Republic

On July 7th, Banana Republic (744 N. Michigan Avenue) will host a private shopping event from 7-9p to benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Guests will receive 25% off their purchase and Banana Republic will also donate 5% to AFC!

To join the festivities, you will need the coupon at the right. Just click on it, print it out, and bring it to the store with you.

As the event will be catered, make sure that you RSVP! Send an email to Katie O’Malley by Sunday, July 5th!

-kb

Jessica Matrasko Jewelry Collection

Another great jewelry find via Twitter! The Jessica Matrasko Jewelry collection is not only beautiful but it’s creative as well! Jessica often uses stones, leaves, minerals and other natural elements to feature, often times preserving the items in 24k gold. Her designs are all named after a friend or family member who has inspired her, and she regularly donates proceeds from certain items to charitable organizations.

Take the beautiful necklace below…Twenty percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Dionne Necklace, $170

To browse more items from the collection, head on over to www.jessicamatraskojewelry.com.

-kb

NYC Event: Shop Kenneth Cole for Charity

The Kenneth Cole store in Grand Central Station will be hosting a summer shopping event on Thursday, June 25th to benefit Making Books Sing’s S.A.F.E. Program. The S.A.F.E. (Shelter, Arts, Family, Education) program is a two-year old initiative designed to “engage homeless families in creative experiences that foster self-expression, literacy development, and family time.”

From 6-9p, guests will enjoy an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and shopping! And, a generous portion of the evening’s sales will be donated in support of the S.A.F.E. Program.

When I walked past the KC store on Michigan Ave (Chicago) last week, I saw some great sandals in there for the ladies and very nice bags (of course) for the guys. If you’re in NYC, you should definitely join the summer soiree on your way home from work!

-kb

Chic Meets Social Good at Peters Path

Twitter introduced me to Peters Path last month ago, but this online boutique has been active for a lot longer than that. The store uses its online storefront to bring eco-conscious styles to individuals while also raising funds for different charities on a monthly basis.

Nick & Mo Samantha Blouse, $38

After serving on various mission trips, the owner, Christine Peters, knew that she wanted to do something on an ongoing basis to assist various charities. Originally, she thought about just creating a line of t-shirts but decided that she would open an online store instead. And, that brings us to Peters Path.

Every month, Peters Path donates a portion of their proceeds to non-profit organizations that promote equality and empowerment, fight poverty, aid those less fortunate and foster community service. Christine believes that we can all do our part to make a difference! “Helping people can be as simple as buying clothes,” says Christine. I wholeheartedly agree!

Nick & Mo Ruffle Dress, $48

This month’s featured charity is Kate’s Club, a non-profit organization that empowers children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling by creating friendships with kids and young adults who share the experience. Participants go on buddy outings, enjoy time at a Clubhouse, and attend support groups where they are encouraged to discuss their feelings in an open, yet safe environment. Kate’s Club is an amazing organization, one which I may not have ever learned about if it wasn’t for Peters Path, so kudos to Christine and team for not only raising funds but building awareness!

Peters Path carries women’s clothing, accessories, and even home decor. Check out the cool salt and pepper shakers below! To learn more about the company, visit their website at www.peterspathstore.com!

Jimmy Choo Rolls Out Project PEP

In partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Jimmy Choo is launching Project PEP, a collection of limited edition items, to benefit the Simelela Center in South Africa. You can find more information over at Flypaper, the official blog of Bluefly.com.

-kb

“Fashion Against AIDS” Returns to H&M

The second coming of the “Fashion Against AIDS” collection will hit H&M stores on May 28th! The tees feature designs from artists including Katy Perry, Dita Von Teese, Cyndi Lauper (left), Pharrell Williams/N.E.R.D., Estelle, Yoko Ono, and more!

25% of percent of the sales will be donated to HIV/AIDS prevention projects of Designers against AIDS, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation and YouthAIDS.

In a tip to the growing eco-concious movement, the collection will consist of 100% organic cotton! BTW, I really love, Cyndi’s shirt!

If (for some odd reason) you don’t know where your nearest H&M store is located, then get the info at hm.com!

-kb