Monday Moods: I feel... nailed.

In my final moments in the States,

I took the time to indulge in a luxury 

that I miss out on living in England.

I got a pedicure.

Sure, we have pedicures here in England...

but they just aren't the same.

The salons don't have the big massage chairs & a decade of gossip magazines,

the leg massages are a bit skimpy,

and I have yet to see any customer be offered

a plastic cup of {boxed} wine.

Almost all of these could be overlooked-

but the real trouble is

that pedicures cost about twice as much here in England

than they do in the States.

In the midst of hugging loved ones,

chowing on Mexican food,

and shopping at Saks & Nordstroms-

I spent an hour in pure US nail salon bliss...

complete with all the standard elements:

Hobby Lobby Decor...

Customers who couldn't say no

to the hard-sell for eye-brow waxing...

Scary mannequin hands decked out in air-brushed nail art.

A well-attended Buddhist shrine.

Boxed wine from a mini-fridge.

This was the 2nd of 3 glasses a woman next to me had... 

{Easy there, mama!}

The sweetest women who can do nails

like nobody's business....

While bar-be-que and 100 degree heat make me feel like a Texan,

something about getting a pedicure

sure did remind me that I was back in America.

It also reminded me of this stand-up sketch 
by Anjelah Johnson...

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Italian Prada Outlet: How & Where

While my parents were here,

my mom & I got a bit fixated 

on the notion of finding some good Italian outlets.

We had heard through legend that these buried retail treasures exist, 

but other than this luxury folklore-
 we had no other information.

We googled and we searched...

and we found a few clues.

With only a few random addresses

and our trusty Fiat Panda we had been loaned,

we set off in search of some great deals.

And fortunately-

we got lucky!

So, in case any of you ever find yourself in this same spot-

here is my breadcrumb trail

in hopes of helping you on your retail journey.

The Prada Outlet

This was a result of trying to find a Williams Sonoma outlet.

Apparently, the vague address we found in Montevarchi, Italy

was for only  their buying office

-which though full of very nice people-

didn't have any pretty finds available for purchase.

Luckily, our new friends at the buying office

pointed us down the street in that same small town

to the famous-yet-elusive Prada outlet.

We went.

We loved.

We cried.

{Not really, but it was amazing.}

The Prada outlet shone like a luxury oasis

in the midst of a remote, industrial dessert.

Here's what to expect:

Glossy retail displays and high security.

Prada's last season goods.

Previous merchandise from sister brands like Miu Miu, Jil Sander, Church's

(though Prada & Miu Miu make up 90% of the store)

Prices about 1/2 of retail.

Most handbags are priced around £400/$750

Shoes range from £50/$75 to £300/$500

Clothes range from £30/$50 to £600/$900

So will you be scraping through dirty shelves finding rare steals?

No.

But will you be able to find a great pair of shoes for $100 that would have cost you $400 at Saks?

Yes...


and you will also squeal with delight!

Here's how to get there:

There were taxis waiting for shoppers, 
but I'm assuming that you'll be coming with your own car.

So these are my directions.

Google Montevarchi and start trucking that way.

Drive the most goregous drive ever
through the Tuscan hills.

Google maps will get you the correct address,

but the tricky part is that the store is unnamed.

It used to go by the original name

"i pelleteria di Italia"

but has since changed to

"SPACE."

{I know, this may sound a bit confusing, but it's actually easy.}

Look for the random signs that point you to "SPACE"

and drive all the way back to the end of the alley,

park your car,

and sprint walk through the cement walls around the end of the building.

It's important that you notice the ticket dispenser by the door.

You must have a ticket number in order to purchase anything,

so grab one on your way in.


From that point,
it's all up to you...

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

How To Make Espresso

via

Just in case you were ever too embarrassed to ever ask...

... Or have forgotten how to use it after 

a few years of pulling through the Starbucks drive-thru,

... Or maybe you were just lucky enough to have always had 

someone else make your espresso for you & never had to learn.

Whatever your excuse may be

for never learning to navigate one of these contraptions-

you now have your own guide

to making your own pot of espresso.

Here's a more detailed tutorial:

Fill the bottom up with cold water

Fill the middle section with espresso.

Screw all the pieces together.

Sit the pot on a hot stove for about five minutes.

You should hear some faint bubbling and see steam appear.

Once the bubble subsides, take a peek inside.

Your espresso will be done when the coffee stops pouring out of the center.

Remove the pot from the heat immediately.

Serve and enjoy.

Easy, delicious, cheap,

 and the perfect "shot" of Italy for your day.

April Binging Brings May Penny Pinching

Looking back at April, 

I would have to describe the month as

well... extravagant.

Between trotting around the UK with my in-laws,

cruising around the mediterranean,

and enough formal dinners to make you feel like a politician...

we really lived it up.

Sadly, this month brings a dose of reality

(and a hefty stack of bills to pay),

so these Aspiring Kennedys are cutting back 

to compensate for the non-stop party

we will fondly remember as "April 2011."

(note to self: it was totally worth it.)

I'm cutting back on the little things...

as they do seem to add up.

Things like buying the whole chicken

versus buying chicken breasts are some ways

I'm finding will save me some big chunks of change.

And I'm also waiting.

Waiting to make sure I've actually used my body wash completely

before buying another container.

Waiting to get home before I grab something to eat for lunch.

Waiting for my lottery check to arrive in the mail.

{Sigh}

It's not exactly fun to be on a budget,

but it seems to make the "big" events better 

when they come around, doesn't it?

What are some simple ways you cut back 

when you need to save up?