Hermès Sample Sale
Weds. 9am to 6pm
Thurs. 9am to 8pm
Fri. to Sun. 9am to 6pm
Metropolitan Pavilion: 123 W. 18th St. @ 6th Avenue, Credit Cards Only

Get a free pastry on the morning of March 23 with the purchase of a handcrafted beverage.

Come to participating Starbucks on Free Pastry Day, March 23. Choose a delicious pastry to pair with your beverage and that tasty item is free.

Better yet, it’s free in another sense – free of all this stuff we removed from our recipes:

• No artificial flavors
• No artificial dyes
• No artificial trans fats
• No high-fructose corn syrup

To get your free pastry, print out the coupon below and present it to your barista. Or simply show them the coupon on any mobile device. But Free Pastry Day ends at 10:30 a.m. – so don’t miss out!

One of my favorite go-to retailers for shoes is Cole Haan. The shoes are high quality, comfortable and the soles last very long. The styles are very classic and with a little maintenance, the shoes can be worn for a few years.

If you are looking for a Cole Haan outlet, may I recommend the one at Woodbury Commons? The shoes at the outlet are usually priced slightly lower than retail price. In addition, the stores usually have signs that say 50% off the sticker. With the additional 40%, you can find some real deals here. Last year around Memorial Day, they had a similar offer. Both my husband and I found buttery leather shoes for under $75.

Click image to enlarge and print:

Click image, discount will be reflected at checkout

Image via Luxor LLC

I can’t be the only one out there that’s a little confused about the home buyer tax credit so I decided to do a little research. The tax credit signed by Obama applies to home purchases made on January 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010. As long as a binding sales contract is signed by April, 30, 2010, the buyer(s) have until June 30, 2010 to qualify for the tax credit.

Important Home Buyer Tax Credit Facts:

• Qualified first time home buyer(s) can receive a tax credit of up to 10% of their home value or $8,000, whichever is less.
• The tax credit is refundable. Not only can it be used to offset taxes you owe, it can also be refunded. That means, if you and your spouse filing joint owe $1,000 on your taxes this year, you will receive a check for the difference, $7,000 in this case.
• For homes purchased on January 1, 2009 through November 6, 2009, the income limits are $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.
• For homes purchased on November 7, 2009 through April 30, 2010, single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit. Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.
• Homes priced above $800,000 are not eligible for the tax credit.
• A repeat buyer is defined as a person who has owned and resided in the same home for at least five consecutive years of the eights years prior to purchase.

This website helps answer many important questions referring to the Home Buyer Tax Credit:

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com

Image via www.alexandermcqueen.com

The store is aggressively clearing out all of its sale inventory to make room for spring and summer home decor. In the past, I’ve been able to find great items including display furniture, bedding, mirrors and candles marked with steep discounts. May I recommend this red lacquered jewelry box marked down to $39.99 from $79?

I went through a phase not too long again where I was obsessed with Pinkberry. I would eat it almost every day. Meet my friends at one of the modernist shops. Have dessert there after dinner. Sometimes I would even order a second round after I devoured my first. And I even attempted to make my own Pinkberry Froyo at home with my icecream maker. I’m glad to say I have that all under control now.