Top 10 Black Friday Shopping Tips | Chevy Haul

Posted on December 26, 2011 by *Geekette*

For an entire week, I had the luxury of driving around a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, courtesy of Chevrolet’s Driving in the Heartland team, dedicated to the heartland of America! You can check out their website or follow their tweets, @ChevyTexan, for their latest adventures, offers, fantastic finds, and more.

As a savvy deal finder, I definitely wanted Chevrolet to get their money’s worth, I tweeted #chevyhaul like crazy and during Black Friday I managed to make it to 20 different stores, starting at midnight with my friend and fellow blogger Gita of the uber-fashion blog, Mimi and Chichi.

Top 10 Black Friday Shopping Tips

In preparation of Black Friday 2012, here are 10 things that every savvy Chevy Haul shopper should know:

1 – Do the math! It is very easy to think you’re getting a good deal on Black Friday. You wait the entire year for sales like these. The only day of the year Apple deems worthy of offering a discount…but to feel good at the end of the day, make sure you’re getting a good deal on quality items!

Walmart was offering an Emerson 32? 720p LCD TV for $188 but who could beat the quality and discounts offered by Best Buy’s Sharp 42” 1080p LCD HDTV for ONLY $199.99. Plus, with the Walmart horror stories on the news and talking with other shoppers in line, I doubt I’ll ever visit Wallyworld on Black Friday.

2 – Map it out! With many stores opening at midnight (and some even opening on Thanksgiving day — too early if you ask me…) you’ll not only want to make sure you understand where you’re headed but WHEN you need to head there. Before I hit the road in my Chevy Equinox, I made a list of all the stores that opened early, in the order they opened here. There tends to be a gap between the stores that opened at midnight, and the next round that opens at 4-5am…this will keep you busy.

*Another thing to consider, visit stores more out of the way. Although the drive might be longer, the wait will be shorter and more variety will be left untangled. Especially for high demand items, go the extra 20 miles to a remote location that you know won’t be as hectic!

**Many stores open earlier but end the incredible sales before 11am or noon. Get there early if you want to get the best deals!

Click on the Foursquare image below to see the stores that I stopped at and the deals at the time.

3 – Bring a snack! If you’re always snacking like my friend Gita and I you’ll want to bring some holiday leftovers (brusselsprouts and cookies) as well as some water and energy drinks. At every store we visited, people were complaining of hunger pains, impatiently waiting for the food courts and other restaurants to open. Crabby people make impatient shoppers who are more willing to just buy things they don’t want. Give your wallet a fair chance.

4 – Leave the kids at home! We were waiting in line at Old Navy, for 30 minutes outside (so many people showed up for the free digital camera, fire hazards limited the number of shoppers allowed in at one time…) and it was fairly cold for us Texans. In front and behind us were were sobbing toddlers, begging to go home. Finally, seconds before being let into the store, the mothers staggered off with their children. MAKE CHILDCARE ARRANGEMENTS! There are a lot of children friendly daycares, gyms, and play places that offer moms and dads Black Friday shopping drop offs, starting early in the morning until the afternoon.

*With the new midnight shopping time, I also noticed a LOT of tweens running loose at the mall. Apparently their parents dropped them off with friends, while waiting for their stores to open, you could see some inappropriate makeout sessions going on. PARENTS – shopping is not the only thing that goes on at the maul…I mean mall.

5 – Go big or go home! Some of the best deals that I saw being offered were in department stores! For all your houseware needs, Macy’s and Sear’s were the way to go!

KitchenAid Pro 500 Series Mixer for $199.99 at Sears
Macy’s offered 20% off additional Black Friday sale prices! Gita got amazing sheets, retailed at $600 for less than $250!

6 – Fight the Crowds! With the explosion of online Black Friday sales, who in their right mind would consider fighting the crowds when all of your shopping can be done from the comfort of your own home? I’ll give you one reason why. Every year, without fail, there are significant online outages or slowdowns because of the crazy amounts of traffic generated from the 20 million other people who want to shop from the comfort of their own homes.

I remember one year I spent 3 hours painfully fighting Kohls website, adding things to the shopping cart, trying to checkout with them, being told they were sold out or having my cart emptied prematurely. In 2.5 hours I probably could have fought the masses, tried on clothes, AND checked out! Never again!

7 – Keep it social! Above was a list of all my foursqaure check ins. Make sure you take advantage of all the social and in-store promotions being offered! Many Foursquare venues offered additional discounts to shoppers. At Old Navy, Gita won an additional coupon for being the first to bring up a nail file during a contest. Many retailers on Twitter offered their followers Twitter only coupons AND additional #hashtag contests. With everyone else busy shopping, the chances of your winning is increased greatly!

8 – Chevy-sized vehicle for haul! This year I was blessed to have a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox to haul around all our deals! Buy a new car, borrow a friends, clean out your trunk before hitting the road!

Our Equinox offered:

great gas mileage so we could go the distance
plenty of storage space for our shopping haul
comfy seats when we needed to give our feet a rest
hiding places so we didn’t get mugged (always be wary of your surroundings, don’t be sitting ducks…)

9 – Additional tips and tricks! Here are some more helpful tips and tricks for making the most out of Black Friday:

Sign up for email alerts from your favorite stores ahead of time
Buy the newspaper on Thanksgiving for printed coupons and tons of store ads (nice consolidated view for the last minute shopper)
Download a Black Friday mobile app like BF Ads that gets updated with new ads all the time, is easy to use, and works without an internet connection (mall 3g can be shady)
Shop the off hours! Old Navy was CRAZY and had a long line at midnight, but everywhere else we visited between 2am to 7am had virtually no lines! Traffic starts to pick back up around 7am…
Make sure you get a place in line. If you’re battling it out for the best Best Buy offer, get there early and get the ticket. Ask for one. You need proof you were there at 24 hours before midnight and not some random person who waltzed up when the clock struck 12.

10 – Shop with a buddy! Bring a willing and able friend (one who won’t make you feel rushed) to:

Stand in line while your searching for clothes
Run to the car to get coupons or snacks while you’re waiting to check out
Give you a second opinion on impulsive purchases
Let you borrow your phone if yours starts to die
Think of stores you might not have gone to
Keep you safe in numbers!

+1 more – BEST tip of all! I almost didn’t want to share this secret. I’m afraid that once it gets out EVERYONE will take advantage of it. But because I love my readers so much, I will share the best Black Friday shopping tip in the entire world:

This year, on the Wednesday BEFORE Black Friday, at my leisure, I went to several retailers and tried on the clothes that I wanted to buy on Black Friday. Waiting to try on clothes during Black Friday, especially at busy stores like Old Navy, Kohl’s, etc. is adding an additional hour to each store, at least. I tried on all the close that I liked, at my leisure, without them being picked over…and then I *gasp* placed them on layaway. On Black Friday, I waltzed into the store, headed straight to the counter, asked for my clothes, and walked out in about 15 minutes (the time it took to wait in the long line.) I received glares from other shoppers and looks of envy from others.

*There are some risks. Only one store that I went to had better deals the Wednesday before than the Friday of, but it did happen. Also, the people can always accidentally put the clothes back on the shelves (happened once on a non-Black Friday shopping trip…)

Driving in the Heartland invited me to:

So, what better way to ease some of that holiday shopping stress than by taking a brand new Chevy for a spin to get all of your shopping done in comfort and style? This year, Chevrolet will be giving five fabulous bloggers a Chevy vehicle to drive while they take on their holiday shopping throughout the Heartland. Three bloggers from Texas and two bloggers from St. Louis, Missouri, will be riding comfortably in Chevy cars and crossovers in the next few weeks, and you can follow along as they navigate the madness on Twitter using the hashtag #ChevyHaul.

Check out all the details here.

12 Days of Christmas Sales and Giveaways

Posted on December 2, 2011 by *Geekette*

Although the “12 Days of Christmas” normally occurs the day after Christmas, December 26 leading to the Feast of Epiphany, on the twelfth day, on January 6, the following retailers and talk show hosts are offering 12 days of giveaways, discounts, and prizes to get you in the holiday spirit!

Check back daily from now until the 12 of December (depending on the website…) and take advantage of their that day only sale or surprise. Enter to win giveaways or use special coupon codes! Online only.

FOODIES

Godiva

Starbucks 12 festive holiday gifts

RETAILERS

Dell

Netted

CELEBRITY GIVEAWAYS

Ellen Show Tune in to see these fantastic prizes and watch all show long to see the names of the 25 lucky winners.

Oprah Twelve lucky readers will win the Favorite Things chosen by Oprah

TRAVEL

Norwegian Cruise Line

Thai Airways 12 days special fares

2011 Black Friday Store Hours

Posted on November 14, 2011 by *Geekette*

Don’t forget to check out my 2009 Black Friday post and my 2010 Black Friday posts for my past Black Friday shopping plans and favorite websites. I read through them and both still absolutely apply!

Based on the stores listed by Black Friday 2011, I sorted the stores by open hours (a LOT of stores are opening their doors at midnight this year!!) so that you can strategically forgo sleep and pace yourself like I plan to from midnight to 10am (at which point the major deals are mostly over…)

After spending one year fighting Kohl’s website outages (let’s performance test people!!) I have been paranoid about doing all my shopping online. Where do you plan on shopping? The list of over 40 stores below link to their Black Friday newspaper ad.

*I’ll update this list the week of Black Friday with more stores and store hours!

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BlackFridayFans

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/BlackFridayFans

iPhone App:
http://www.blackfriday2011.com/app

Black Friday Store Ad	Black Friday Hours
Bealls	12am
Best Buy	12am
GameStop	12am
Little Tikes	12am
Macy’s	12am
Old Navy	12am
Shopko	12am
Walmart	12am
Toys R Us (Holiday Express)	12am-10pm most stores
Target	12am-11pm
Kohl’s	12am-12am (open 24 hrs)
Sears	4am-1pm
Avenue	5am
Fred’s Super Dollar	5am
Gordman’s	5am
Lowe’s	5am
Michael’s	5am
Sam’s Club	5am
A.C. Moore	5am-10pm
Babies R Us	5am-10pm
Electronics Expo	5am-10pm
Burlington Coat Factory	5am-11pm
Radio Shack	6:30am
Five Below	6am
Jo-Ann	6am
Office Max	6am
Tractor Supply Company	6am
Gander Mountain	6am-10pm
Fashion Bug	8am-9pm
Walgreens	9am-6pm
La-Z-Boy	9am-9pm
Bon-Ton	Sale hours: 12am-1pm
JC Penney	Sale Hours: 4am-1pm
Kmart	Sale hours: 5am-11am
Sports Authority	Sale Hours: 5am-3pm
Menards	Sale hours: 6am-11am
Cabela’s	Sale: 5am-10am
Dick’s Sporting Goods	Sale: 5am-2pm
Bass Pro Shops	Sale: 6am-11am

2011 Back to School Coupons

Posted on August 6, 2011 by *Geekette*

Looking for some back to school coupons? Below are almost 50 coupons at various clothing and office retailers to help meeting all your back to school clothing needs while staying within your budget!! Let me know if you’d like to see coupons from particular stores in the future, this is a list of stores that I found currently offering discounts.

*Click on the store image to be taken directly to the offer page or coupon.

Notice that some coupons expire soon and some don’t expire until the end of the year!

Retailer	Discount	Coupon Code	Expiration
	15% off + Free shipping on $50	SCHOOL	08/08/11
	$20 Off $80 purchase	20SCHOOL	08/07/11
	$10 off $50 \| $15 off $75 \| $20 off $100 Purchases	KIDSBTSPrintable Coupon	08/06/11
	$10 off coupons	Printable Coupon	09/25/11
	$10 off $50 Kids School Uniform Purchase	12DOCKERS10Printable Coupon	09/17/11
	Free Amazon Prime for college students for one year	Online Offer
	25% off Your Entire Purchase	10071	08/07/11
	Free Shipping on Any Order (No Minimum)	FREESHIP711	08/08/11
	20% off purchase	29756561	08/07/11
	15% Off Any Order	79361031	09/01/11
	20% off purchase	39456721 Printable Coupon	08/07/11
	30% Off Any Order	FRIENDSFB	08/07/11
	30% Off Any Order	FRIENDSFB	08/07/11
	20% Off Entire Order	AUGUST20	08/31/11
	20% off $100, 25% off $150, 30% off $200	BRNEW	08/07/11
	15% off entire purchase	ENTXB24	12/31/11
	40% off entire purchase	AUGFLASH11	08/09/11
	20% off entire purchase printable coupon	Printable Coupon
	$15 off $30, $30 off $100, $60 off $200 or $90 off $300	1605	08/07/11
	25% Off Entire Purchase (Regular Priced Items)	124864343Printable Coupon	08/25/11
	15% off $89	LKS1TCB3	10/29/11
	$10 off $60	EXTRA60	10/15/11
	30% off entire purchase	30OFF	08/07/11
	25% Off Your Entire Purchase	30180	08/06/11
	20% off $60+	HTA20AUG	09/02/11
	10% off purchase	DBGAFF10	01/26/12
	20% off entire purchase	CCAUG62	08/09/11
	Various Michaels coupons	Printable	09/30/11
	$25 off $75+ purchase	1290	10/31/11
	$10 Off $50	15863609Printable	08/09/11
	20% off purchase	42565	08/31/11
	$25 off Your Purchase of $100 or more	SASV815	09/05/11
	15% off entire purchase	H3E2011	09/05/11
	20% off + Free Shipping	465	08/18/11
	$15 Off $100,$30 Off $150,$75 Off $250,$150 Off $500	FA1127349	08/15/11
	$15 Off $100,$30 Off $150,$75 Off $250,$150 Off $500	DIVEIN20	08/07/11

2011 President’s Day Sales and Coupons

Posted on February 20, 2011 by *Geekette*

Ready to shop until you drop? Check out the 44 printable coupons and promotional codes for in-store and online savings at your favorite retailers! Hurry thought because more expire at the end of President’s Day although a couple don’t for a couple days, weeks!

Let me know if you’re looking for something in particular, it looks like a great time to do a little retail therapy!

Retailer	Discount	Promo Code	Expires
	Printable President’s Day Coupon, 8am-12pm	ETNZF	02/21/11
	Online, save $10 Off a $60 Purchase	PRESIDENT10	02/26/11
	44 styles already marked up to 44% off; save an additional 30% w/promo code	GAPSALE30	02/21/11
	20% OFF Sitewide; free shipping >$65	president65	02/22/11
	Everything 50% off Sale; in-store printable coupon here ($10 off $50 purchase)		02/27/11
	25% Off Your Full-Price Purchase; Free shipping on all orders $125 or more	PRESIDENT	02/21/11
	Save 35% Off Your Entire Purchase; Free Shipping >$50	PRESIDENT35	02/21/11
	15% off your Entire Purchase (online & in-store)	THINKSPRING	02/21/11
	$30 Off a $150 Purchase	LHD30	04/30/11
	Extra 40% off entire order (in-store,and online)	733	02/21/11
	$30 Off $75, $70 Off $150 + Free Shipping	3306 ($30 off $75) 3303 ($70 off $150)	02/21/11
	$5 Select Styles + 30% off already reduced items (Online + In-Store); free shipping >$50	FSPRESIDENTS	02/21/11
	33% off List Price of 1 item	BAX3447N	02/21/11
	20% off Everything; Free shipping on orders $50 or more	PDAY11 & PIN 2162	02/21/11
	Extra 50% off clearance (online & in-store)		02/21/11
	An Additional 30% Off Sale Items		02/21/11
	$5 Off your purchase of $25 or more (in-store only)		02/21/11
	70% off Gift Certificates	EAT	02/21/11
	20% off Entire order & Free Ship + $10 off Button down shirts (Online)	29864001	02/21/11
	20% Off Entire Purchase plus 6 more coupons; 40% any one item 2/22-2/26		02/21/11, varies this week
	Extra 25% Off All Sale Merchandise	PRESIDENT25	02/22/11
	15% Off $50, 20% Off $75 (Online + In-Store)	ONPDAY	02/21/11
	15% off Select Items	makeover	02/21/11
	Extra 20% Off Clearance Boots, Coats & Sweaters	20SHOP	02/20/11
	Extra 25% Off Alreay Reduced Items	BRPRES25	02/21/11
	30% off your entire order	CHIEF30	02/21/11
	$10 Off a $50 Purchase (In-Store)		02/21/11
	Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store – 20% Off Your Entire Purchase		02/21/11
	25% Off Your Full-Price Purchase; Free shipping on all orders $125 or more	PRESIDENT	02/21/11
	Extra 15% off all clearance items	SAVE15	02/21/11
	20% Off Women’s Items on Orders of $150+	FABFEB	02/21/11
	20% Off Entire Purchase		03/06/11
	20% off $60		02/21/11
	$10 off $50 or $25 off $100	SAPRES10E	02/21/11
	$10 Off a $40 Purchase	28264592	02/21/11
	$25 Off $75 or more (Online + In-Store)	5521	02/21/11
	Extra 10-15% Off Regular, Sale, & Clearance (Online + In-Store)	PRESIDENT	02/21/11
	Extra 40% off Entire store		02/21/11
	20% Off Any Purchase; $15 Off Every $50 Purchase (Online + In-Store)	664; 241
	$10 Off $50 (Online & In Store)	62601225	02/21/11
	50% Off Sale Items + Free Shipping		02/21/11
	20% Off Online Price for Kids’ and Teen Books	A8T7C7M	02/21/11

2011 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo

Posted on February 1, 2011 by *Geekette*

The 2011 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo starts this Thursday, February 3, 2011!

Website: http://www.sarodeo.com

Twitter: @SanAntonioRodeo

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarodeo

Download Schedule of Events.

Calendar of Deals and Special Offers:

Legend	Date	Special Offer
	Feb. 3	1^st day of the rodeo!
	Feb. 4, 11, 18	Dollar Days! Every Friday, $1 admission from 8am-5pm. Rides, hot dogs, and soda only $1 all day!
	Feb. 8, 15	Senior Day – FREE admission for seniors! 55+
	Feb. 7, 14	Free nachos w/ purchase of 2 tickets for Monday performances. Must pick up at ATT Center Southwest Ticket Office.
	Feb. 3, 10, 17	College days! Free grounds admission w/ college ID.
	Feb. 4, 11, 18	Military Days! Free grounds admission w/ valid military ID.
	Feb. 20	Family Day! $1 ground admissions, $5 discount parking, $25 carnival wristbands, discounted food!
	Feb. 20	Last day of the rodeo.

*Additional details here.

Special Offers on Food:

Driving Directions here:

Dust & Bubbles

Valentine’s Day, Monday, February 14

Treat someone special to a VIP rodeo:

Dust and Bubbles includes a ticket to the Party Suite on the Terrence Club level
Rodeo and concert
Reserve parking pass
Brunch served in party suite catered by Levy Services
Premium champagnes and Sparkling wines will be served

Best Wedding Registries Offers

Posted on January 24, 2011 by *Geekette*

Congratulations! You’re getting married! Stores want to reward that as well! By taking the time to create registries in their stores or on their websites, here are some popular ways retailers want to help celebrate your wedding:

1 – Bonus gifts: If you register for a certain number of items, certain items from specific brands, etc. you’ll get gift cards or freebies! If your gifts spend a combined $200 you’ll get a $20 gift certificate (from JCPenny)! Register at Bloomingdale’s for $200 worth of Emeril Cookware and get a 2 piece set of Ramekins, valued at $39.99!

2 – Discounts for Guests: Kohl’s hit it out of the park, not only do they offer FREE announcement cards to slip into wedding invitations but they also offer wedding guests a 15% discount for purchasing items on registry! To me this is a no brainer.

3 – Discount Post-wedding: After the dust has settled from the wedding, the newlyweds are offered discounts ranging from 10-20% off the remaining items. Most post-nuptial discounts are offered through email notifications; make sure you watch out for them. Some are offered regardless of time, some expire after a month to the first year.

4 – Gift Card and other Freebies: Some companies offer $25 gift cards just for creating the registry. JCPenny also offers a free engagement portrait. Lots of retailers offer online wedding tools, free printable planners, magazine subscriptions, and other benefits.

5 – Mingle and Scan: Macy’s and a couple other companies offer events throughout the year where engaged couples can come for an evening of FREE drinks and refreshments while scanning their registry with other smitten couples.

6 – Mobile Apps: Some stores offer mobile versions of their sites or mobile apps for quick updates, checking on registries.

These were the most important aspects to notice about gift registries that I found. It’s pretty standard to offer the tools/online resources so I didn’t include the links to those. The images are links to the wedding registry home page for each retailer. Happy Scanning! Let me know if you find any others!

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for ALL your favorite retailers, restaurants, and travel sites with your anniversary. You’ll get more freebies and gift certificates then!

Retailer	Benefits	Discounts Post Wedding	Other Special Offers
	Bonus Gifts – register for specific items for additional freebies, list here.	The Completion Certificate gives you two separate opportunities to acquire the remaining gifts on your registry for 10% less (once in-store/online).
	FREE announcement cards Tuesday night registry workshops	10% off remaining items in registry Add desired items registry after wedding Doesn’t expire until 6 months after wedding
	Traveler’s Joy is an online honeymoon registry. Friends and family visit your page and use their credit card to give a gift toward part or all of your trip.
	Sign up and create your own unique registry full of amazing wines.	Email registry@bottlenotes.com after your wedding for 10% off all wine purchases.
	$25 gift card for registering	10% off purchases + 2 events w/ 20% off in the first year (no brand exclusion) 0% financing first year for purchases over $300
	Offer the choice of either: Traditional Registry – gifts are mailed within 2-3 days Consolidated Registry – gifts aren’t mailed until requested, if you no longer desire item, exchange before item is shipped	15% completion discount Registry Rewards program – rewards if purchases from your registry exceed certain amounts
	$25 gift certificate w/ registries values $2500+ Registry Rewards program FREE wedding portrait just for registering Free wedding organizer	10% off remaining items in registry for up to a year!
	Option of selecting pre- and post-event shipping addresses for gifts
	$100 giftcard from reward points program Points from purchases made and gifts received		Search for local events to like this one 1/26/2011 at Macy’s La Cantera FREE refreshments, drinks, and gift
	Free monogramming Bonus gifts program Registry guide Test drive table settings app	10% off remaining items in registry for up to 6 months after wedding date
		10% off items purchased from store (on registry or not…) for 6 months after wedding
	Request announcement cards for invitations Vendor offers if you register for certain items Facebook app
	Additional gifts if guests purchase certain items Free announcement cards by request Refer a friend, $25 a friend Bridal book	Completion discount (amount unmentioned) once online and once in a store – anytime up to three months after your event.
	Free gifts for registering for certain items Announcement cards Bridal shower resources	15% off remaining items on registry for up to 3 months after wedding	Guests receive 15% off entire purchase
			Give gifts as a group of people
		20% off the remaining regular priced items in registry, 60 days after wedding, for 2 months
	Welcome Kit

Pike’s Place Restaurant

Posted on December 31, 2010 by *Geekette*

On our way to go horseback riding in Bandera, TX (a.k.a. “Cowboy Capital of the World“), we wanted to enjoy a nice lunch beforehand. After going through the list of restaurants on the city of chambers’ website, we thought that Pike’s Place sounded fabulous!

We were not disappointed. A quick 20 minutes outside of 1604, off Bandera Road (behind an antique store, Country Accent Antiques, in Pipe Creek), we were greeted by the owner, Kurt Pike. We learned that Kurt and his wife, Suzanne (whom we didn’t get a chance to meet yet) had spent a couple months renovating the farm house they fell in love with into a cozy restaurant that opened in October of this year, 2010. Both very experienced in San Antonio’s local restaurant scene, Kurt worked w/ Andrew Weissman for the past six years at Le Reve (which skyrocketed to success in San Antonio). With all the pieces falling quickly into place, they sold their house in San Antonio before even finding a new place in Bandera.

Kurt prides himself on selecting the freshest seafood from Groomer Seafood and ingredients from local farmers and vendors for their Executive Chef Aaron Gonzalez’s (previously executive chef with Neiman Marcus in Michigan) creations. This translated deliciously in the dishes we devoured, see pictures below.

You’ll fall in love with Pike’s Place as quickly as we did. Impossible not to.

Website: http://www.pikesplacerestaurant.com

Hours: Open for lunch from 11 am until 2 pm, Wednesday through Friday; from 5 pm to 9 pm, Wednesday and Thursday, 5 pm to 10 pm, Friday; 11 am to 10 pm, Saturday; and for brunch from 11 am until 3 pm, Sunday.

Facebook Fan: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pikes-Place-Restaurant/111806992218418

NOTE: BYOB right now.

Why pictures sugar packets? At Pike's Place, no attention to detail was too small or irrelevant. Selection, down to the sugar packets on the table or made to order food is important.

Pike's Place Restaurant now open in pipe creek

Going north on Highway 16 (Bandera Road), Pike's Place was easily found on the left side of the highway behind Country Accents Antiques.

Fabulous and tender, flat iron steak w/ hand cut fresh fries and a garlic aioli.

Pike's Place Restaurant chicken sandwich

One of the lunch specials, chicken sandwich w/ avocado was an instant hit.

Pike's Place Restaurant kids meal chicken strips

Hearty kid's meal of chicken strips and fresh cut fries.

Hearty bowl of mushroom soup served w/ a crisp slice of French bread for dipping.

Restaurant filled with antiques and painting for purchase, each telling their own story..

Beautiful place for indoor/outdoor casual dining, celebrating special occasions, and private parties.

Pike's Place Restaurant

Windcrest Christmas Lights | San Antonio, TX

Posted on December 25, 2010 by *Geekette*

So, I should be ashamed because after living in San Antonio, TX since 2001-ish, I have never been to drive through the Windcrest Light Up (link to official website…) and marvel at the Christmas lights. This year’s Light Up theme was “A Star-Studded Christmas” and there were tons of “stars”! One yard boosted everyone from the Beatles to basketball players and everyone in between! One house had music that you could tune into while you watched the lights flash in time w/ the music.

WARNING: I went on Christmas night and it was pretty bumper to bumper. Some people walked through the neighborhood which was fairly good sized. I know though, the people walking made GREAT time and although they may have been chilly, they would have enjoyed the lights far more quickly than anyone sitting in traffic. I’m not sure how residents deal w/ the traffic, Fenwick was bumper to bumper for 45 minutes! Bring snacks, activities, and don’t go before the kids have gone to the restroom. The lights were incredible and even the side streets w/o winners had many neighbors in the holiday spirit.

Check out the google map below, based on the winners list found on the website, I have plotted where each of the houses is for easy Garmin GPS entry.

According to their website, the City’s official map of the lighted neighborhood is here.

View 2010 Windcrest Christmas Lights – San Antonio, TX in a larger map

City of Windcrest

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CityofWindcrest

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Windcrest/356850095710

2011 Day After Christmas Sales

Posted on December 25, 2010 by *Geekette*

Last year I wrote a Day After Christmas Sales post on my blog and got over 1500 visitors that day after Christmas. Here are the deals, sales, and coupons I found for 2011 to start the post-Christmas, ready to save money season off right. As I find more deals I’ll add them to this post, check back frequently!

*Post-Christmas is one of the BEST times to buy large electronics and appliances…just saying…

Crabtree & Evelyn Ticket now after christmas coupon Hancock Fabric Christmas After Christmas Sale Restaurant.com coupon Red Box blu-ray coupon Cafe Press christmas coupon half price books sale dillards after christmas sale JCPenney After Christmas Sale Saks Fifth Avenue after christmas sale nordstrom after christmas sale big lots after christmas sale

Retailer	Promo Code	Description
Dillard’s		Sale and Clearance items in-store and online
Macy’s	HOLIDAY	Extra 15% off, FREE shipping w/ purchases > $99
Kohl’s	HOHOHO15	Extra 15% off, FREE shipping w/ purchases > $75
Party City	PCTCYM	FREE next day air, > $65; 50% off New Year supplies
Big Lots		Clearance, holiday sales, 20% off w/ initial email sign up!
Saks Fifth Avenue		instore and online, prices increase online 12/27 and instore 12/26 at noon.
Nordstrom		instore and online, double reward points and savings start 12/26 at 8am
JCPenney	SHOP4FUN	$10 off $25 purchase, 12/26-12/27; 75% off clearance and seasonal items
Café Press	MYNEW	$10 off iphone & iPad cases
Half Price Books		20% off ENTIRE purchases 12/26-12/29
Red Box	BETTERINBLU	1st Blu-Ray is only $1!
Restaurant.com	HOLIDAY	$25 gift certificate for $2
Hancock Fabrics		Online exclusives on 12/25
Tickets Now	HOLIDAY10	10% off ALL tickets
Avelle	50GIFT	50% off all in-stock rentals, expires 12/26
Crabtree & Evelyn		25% off storewide plus $10 hand therapy
GAP	LBKVWFXN8R4X	20% off ENTIRE purchases 12/25
Urban Outfitters		50% off in-store purchase, 12/26-27!
Anthropologie		25% off sale items
The Limited		Up to 70% off!
New York and Company	6322	Up to 70% off w/ an extra 20% off, today!
Borders	BRW9132V	25% off entire purchase, today ONLY!

Ann Taylor Loft	HOLIDAY	40% off entire purchase today and tomorrow
	GIVEMP3S	$2 in MP3 Downloads
Express	9877; 9882	$75 off $250 purchase! 12/25-12/27

Added 12/26/2011:

Brooks Brothers – save up to 40% off

Golf Galaxy – additional 25% off (WINTERSALE)

Crate & Barrel – up to 60 % off

Bed Bath & Beyond – 50% off

Newegg – tons of electronics on sale

Sephora – extra 20% off (EXTRA)

Puma – semi-annual sale, 40% off

Give Best Gift Ever | UNICEF Charity

Posted on December 21, 2010 by *Geekette*

Did you wait until the last minute to purchase a Christmas present this year? No fear! UNICEF is here.

The best gift is a gift that keeps giving…and what could be better than a gift that literally saves lives, natural resources, and makes the world a better place!

A couple of Sundays ago, at my church Oak Hills in San Antonio, Max Lucado quickly showed a video of missionaries from our church sent to different parts of Africa to build fresh water wells w/ money raised from the Bibleland Children’s Sunday School classes. Not only were the children there laughing and thanking us, they are now able to enjoy clean, fresh water without worrying about contamination, disease, and travelling many miles to fetch a tiny amount.

Check out all the ways to give back to children around the world:

About UNICEF:

Working in over 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, protection, emergency relief, and more.

22,000 children die EVERY DAY from preventable diseases. Imagine being able to buy a gift that saves the life of one or many children in poverty stricken parts of the world! Several, charitable organizations like UNICEF let you do just that! Dedicate the purchase in the name of a loved one or friend and send/print notification.

Right now the featured gift is a “Winter Child Survival Pack” that includes:

supplies to sustain child for 6 months!!
vitamins and minerals to grow healthy
measles and polio immunizations
enough water purification tablets for 50,000 liters of water!!

ALL of that is possible w/ a small donation of $81.35! And if that’s too much they take general donations of $5 and more.

Education & Play - school supplies, soccer balls, and more give these children a chance for quality educations!
Immunizations – vaccinations for diseases that don’t even exist in modern countries ($20 buys 412 tetanus shots)
Water – water pumps, purification, and family water kits
Nutrition – baby scales, ready to eat food, vitamin powder ($18 buys 604 individual doses of vitamins and minerals!)
Emergency – high energy food, water kits, tents and more to help during emergencies
Health - first aid kits for field workers, mother/baby packs, for $80 save 1000k from deadly diseases

Did you know that as you’re shopping for people on other sites you could still be helping children fight preventable diseases?!

Click on the links for more details! American Airlines is fighting diseases w/ incentives to donate to UNICEF by offering 2 AAdvantage miles in return for EACH dollar donated. Donate right now!

The special edition “Gucci for UNICEF” Sukey bag, designed by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in grey “La Pelle Guccissima” leather, is being sold in Gucci stores in over 20 countries and from April 15, 2010 through February 28, 2011, Gucci will donate 25% of the retail price!

UNICEF Social Media

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UNICEF-USA
Twitter: http://twitter.com/unicefusa

TeachUNICEF is a portfolio of UNICEF-focused resources designed and collected by the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s Education Department for educators, afterschool instructors, and parents. The units, lesson plans, stories, and multimedia cover topics ranging from the Millennium Development Goals to water and sanitation.

*Teaser for my next blog “Teach UNICEF”

Frost at the Westin La Cantera

Posted on December 21, 2010 by *Geekette*

The holidays are sweeping the Hill Country by storm. First stop on Santa’s sleigh? The Westin La Cantera!

Legendary Holidays

December 13 through December 24: Join Bandera-native and storyteller and singer “Makin’ Dust”. When: Nightly, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Where: Gather in Tio’s Lobby Lounge, outdoor walking tour.

Celebrando Navidad

The Esparza library converts into a folkloric-themed gathering spot for holiday story book readings.

When: Monday – Friday at 3:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm

Enjoy light refreshments like Mexican Hot Chocolate and Churros!

Frost

November 18 through January 8, enjoy outdoors ice skating from 11am through 8pm.

“Is it real ice? No. The skating surface is constructed of a unique, environmentally sound, Hybrid-ice®. It is made of a non-toxic mixture of recyclable plastics and polymers.”

You can bring your own ice skates or borrow a pair while you enjoy the magic of Christmas. The cost is $10 for 45 minutes!

Westin La Cantera Frost Menu

Look for my blog post about Frost’s Tasting Menu!

Family Activities

Trip to the “North Pole” – Westin Kids Club converts to the North Pole from 11/18/10 to 1/8/11, where kids can create seasonal arts and crafts. Daily from 10:00 am – 9:00 pm

Santa’s Workshop (in the San Augustin room 12/13 to 12/24) to make a personal keepsake holiday toy with the elves.

North Pole at Westin La Cantera

Visit Santa (San Lorenzo room 12/13 to 12/24 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm).

Decorate cookies (San Jacinto room 12/13 to 12/24).

Nutcracker

A holiday comedy performed by The Magik Theatre. 7:30 pm on November 20, 27 and December 4, 11 and 18. Cost is $5.00 for adults; children under 5 are free. Cash or room charge only.

Toys for Tots

The Westin La Cantera Resort is proud to be a drop off location for Toys for Tots again this year.

Bring a new and unwrapped gift to The Westin La Cantera Resort for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to collect and distribute as Christmas gifts to needy children in our community.

Westin La Cantera Social Networks:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/westinlacantera

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/westinlacantera

Christmas Gift Card Rewards

Posted on December 12, 2010 by *Geekette*

Back by popular demand (from this article last year), here’s all the gift card purchases you can buy for loved ones (or yourself!!) that are accompanied with extra incentives to buy. Gift cards can still be an incredibly thoughtful gift without taking up too much space or time. Since you’re going to be getting the gift cards anyways (or if you want to save additional money when you make purchases for yourself…) check out these great seasonal offers that will not only bring a smile a friend to the person receiving the gift, but also the one giving (FREE stuff for you!!):

*For those gift cards that I missed, here’s a link to 54 more gift cards w/ a comparative checklist.

Maggianos gift card reward

Retailer/Restaurant	Gift Card Reward
California Pizza Kitchen	Purchase $100 in CPK Gift Cards and receive a $20 Rewards Card.
Kids Foot Locker	Through 12/24, get $10 rewards card w/ gift card purchases >$50
DSW	Through 12/24, get $10 rewards card w/ gift card purchases >$50
The Palm	For every $250 you spend on gift cards, you’ll receive a $50 thank you card that can be used at The Palm from January 1 to April 30, 2011.
Godiva	FREE $10 gift card w/ every $50 purchase
IHOP	$5 rewards with every $25 gift card purchase
L.L.Bean	FREE $10 gift card w/ every $50 purchase
Morton’s Steakhouse	Buy $300 gift card and get $50 or buy $500 to get $100
Outback Steakhouse	FREE $20 gift card w/ every $100 purchase
Hancock Fabric	For every $100 or more single transaction between 12/11/2010-12/24/2010 you will receive a $20 BONUS BUCK card towards your next purchase between 12/26/2010-1/12/2011
Maggianos	FREE $20 gift card w/ every $100 gift purchase
The Children’s Place	Receive a $10 coupon when you purchase $40
Amazon Gift Card	Spend $50, get $5
Roaring Fork, Wildfish, (Eddie V Restaurants)	FREE $20 gift card w/ every $100 gift purchase
Brunswick Bowling Alley	Free $5 Brunswick bonus certificate with every $25 gift card purchase
Dave & Busters	Spend $25, get $5; spend $50, get $10
Chucke Cheese’s	Get 20 free tokens for every $25 gift card purchased
Benihana	Spend $50, get $10
Fox and Hound	Spend $25, get $5
Sky Mall	Spend $100, get $50

2010 Unknown Black Friday Deals

Posted on November 24, 2010 by *Geekette*

Although there are a lot of popular Black Friday websites (check out my post from 2009 to see my favorites), I wanted to post some ads that I have found that I don’t think have gotten enough attention.

Black Friday Tips

Never Assume – Although I’m a HUGE online shopper, last year there were several websites not prepared to handle the traffic generated by Black Friday. Don’t assume the website will work, if there is something you really want, go in-person.
Store Hours – Check out that link for common stores and their shopping start times. Know if the store if offering Thanksgiving hours, Thanksgiving online hours, Black Friday hours, and Black Friday online hours. No two stores were created equally.
Research – Check out that inclusive link to the left! Includes tons of stores and their Black Friday offers. Know how much something is worth before you look at the discounted price. It might not be a great deal after all.
Confident Purchases ONLY! – If there is something that you have second thoughts about buying, DON’T buy it. If you don’t know if it’s really that good of a deal, don’t buy it! You’ll be able to get great discounts again as soon as Christmas is over. This is not your only chance…don’t sweat it.
Location, Location, Location – When planning my in-store purchases, I consider the demographic of the different store locations. Is there going to be a bigger demand for the XBOX Kinetic at the Walmart off I-10 and 1604 or Fredericksburg, TX? If there’s a huge deal you know is worth it, save purchase time by going to the less busy store, even if the drive’s a little longer.

Good luck and remember that there’s always post-Christmas sales!

Hot Destination Deals:

Southwest Vacations – offers “great prices for limited time” (Black Friday through Cyber Monday) and includes Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, Ski resorts, and more!

Southwest Air Fare – With prices starting at $59, one-way, purchase starting 11/23/10 through 11/29/10 for travel 01/04/11 through 03/09/11! Check out the extensive list, here.

Starwood Resorts – Check out this massive hotel line’s Cyber Monday deals!

BroadwayAcrossAmericaBlackFridayDeals

Broadway Across America – Ticket deals available too! Check out a list of shows offered at discounted prices at a theater near you!

Educational Deals:

The Scholastic Store – Take an extra 20% off w/ FREE shipping when you use “ssbf20” at checkout, now until 11/29/2010. Enjoy up to 75% off!

the Houston Museum of Natural Science – Save $10 off $50, $25 off $100, and $50 off $200 purchases with this printable coupon. Offer valid 11/26–11/28.

Retailers:

Vera Bradley – Spend over $100 at this retailer and get a FREE holiday tote! ($48 value!)

The Limited – 40% off EVERYTHING, in-store and online! Don’t forget you’ll also get a FREE mini-bag w/ $75 purchase (also both online AND in-store!)

Haverty’s – The first 50 get $50–$250 off certificates, sale starts at 8am so you’ll have time to hit a couple other stores first.

Crabtree & Evelyn – FREE shipping of orders over $25 with incredible lotions 50% off, buy one get 50% off site wide, 50% off select gifts and fragrances!

Smart Home – Ever want to completely automate your home? Preheat your over w/ your cell phone? Lights controlled by remote? Take a look at their exclusive savings, NOW through the end of 11/26!

Golf Galaxy – Starts online Thursday, 11/25 at 12AM ET. Save big on clubs, gear, and more! $1.99 flat shipping rate!

Bed, Bath, & Beyond – Shop early and save 20% off your ENTIRE order, including clearance items!

Overstock.com – not only will you enjoy severely discounted items, you’ll save 10% off your entire purchase and enjoy $1 shipping!

Dining Deals:

Denny’s – Enjoy 20% off your entire ticket, the entire day at Denny’s!

Tags: shopping, seasonal, holidays, coupons, black friday

Choicolate Artisan Chocolates

Posted on August 19, 2010 by *Geekette*

After running errands all day, my sister and I decided to treat ourselves to lunch at Auden’s Kitchen, one of our new favorite restaurants. Located in the same shopping center, we noticed a sign nestled in called “Choicolate | Artisan Chocolates”. We decided we wanted to check it out after lunch.

Website: http://choicolate.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/choicolate.fb

We discovered that this hidden gym not only featured hand-crafted chocolates including fun flavors like:

Mango & Habanero
Hazelnut Latte
Strawberry Balsamic
Milk Vanilla

but also had a delightful story behind the sweets store as well. As husband and wife pair, last name Choi…decided to follow the wife’s dream of opening a chocolate store where everything was handmade, in small batches for the ultimate taste and presentation. Wrapped individually with great detail, these chocolates make an adorable gift for someone you barely know or know very well. We sampled the incredibly intense and more traditional flavors before settling on the chocolates pictured below. The box also includes a guide so you’ll not be surprised (unless you want to be!!) and receivers can match the chocolates with the pictures.

Visit frequently as the menu and chocolate designs always are changing. I bet they would be open to suggestions and requests you might have too – I could imagine these being an incredible party gift at showers and celebrations, both intimate and large! Contact information here.

Check out this specialty bittersweet piece inspired by the winter holidays:

handmade Choicolate Artisan Chocolates gift san antonio

More Pictures:

Stores Offering Crafts and Activities for Kids this Summer | 2010

Posted on June 5, 2010 by *Geekette*

There are tons of FREE and discounted things for your kids to do this summer! Take advantage and don’t pay retail! This blog post consists of all the fun activities we do during the week and on the weekends! Most of the programs we participated in last year. Also make sure to check out my blog post about 2010 Summer Reading Programs for Kids (to learn how to get free books, t-shirts, and gift certificates to reward your children for reading over the summer!) Some of the activities were mentioned in my blog post, 6 Kid Activities for the 6^th Day of the Week!

Bass Pro Shop

I hope you have one nearby, they offer great activities over the summer (and throughout the year!) They will be offering FREE/Fun activities and make your own crafts! EVERYTHING is FREE! Activities include crafts, shooting galleries, casting ponds, family workshops, making s’mores, photo opportunities (FUN!!), shooting range, merit badge workshops, and more!

When: June 5 – July 11

Time/Day of the Week(s): Tues/Thur (at noon) OR Sat/Sun (at noon) { Schedule }

Cost: FREE

Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinics

Make sure you check out my recent blog post about these quality activities that occur every other week! Your child will enjoy getting the free Lowe’s apron, goggles, and hammering away at the wood craft of the week!

When: Indefinitely, not just for the summer!

Time/Day of the Week(s): Every other Saturday, next event is 6/12/2010, after that is 6/26/2010 – starts at 10am and supplies go FAST! { Schedule }

Cost: FREE!!

Home Depot’s Kids Workshops

Another fun, FREE activity, Home Depot activities are very similar to Lowe’s. Really quality crafts! Have made a wooden airplane, treasure box, pirate ship, and more!

When: Indefinitely, not just a summer thing!

Time/Day of the Week(s): First Saturday of EVERY month, starts at 9am – get there EARLY! { Schedule }

Cost: FREE!!

Lakeshore Learning Store

Another really quality craft activity, this one is fun and can kill a couple hours! After making the craft, walk around the store and play with all the displays set out on Saturday for kids to experiment with. A fully stocked kitchen, put on a puppet show, go fish, and much more!

Also, on special holidays they sometimes offer multiple crafts! Great gifts for grandparents! They also encourage parents to participate if you’re feeling particularly crafty.

When: Indefinitely, not just summer!

Time/Day of the Week(s): Every Saturday from 11-3pm…try to not just show up at 2:45pm when they’re trying to clean up. The San Antonio location brings out supplies as long as there are kids which I’ve always appreciated. { Schedule }

Cost: FREE!!

Target Arts + Cultures

Target is supporting the Arts by offering over 2,200 FREE and reduced-price events sponsored by Target! Click on the link to find events near you!

Pottery Barn Kids Book Club

When: Indefinitely, not just for the summer

Time/Day of the Week(s): Tuesdays at 11am-1130am { Schedule }

Cost: FREE, after 5 visits get a FREE gift!

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Tag Archives: seasonal

Top 10 Black Friday Shopping Tips | Chevy Haul

Top 10 Black Friday Shopping Tips

12 Days of Christmas Sales and Giveaways

FOODIES

RETAILERS

CELEBRITY GIVEAWAYS

TRAVEL

2011 Black Friday Store Hours

2011 Back to School Coupons

2011 President’s Day Sales and Coupons

2011 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo

*Additional details here.

Special Offers on Food:

Driving Directions here:

Dust & Bubbles

Best Wedding Registries Offers

Pike’s Place Restaurant

Windcrest Christmas Lights | San Antonio, TX

2011 Day After Christmas Sales

Added 12/26/2011:

Frost at the Westin La Cantera

Christmas Gift Card Rewards

2010 Unknown Black Friday Deals

Choicolate Artisan Chocolates

Stores Offering Crafts and Activities for Kids this Summer | 2010