LAST POST: It's Not Goodbye, Just See You Later

Dear Urbanistas & Urbanistos,

It's been said that without change/evolution we die. After much deliberation I have decided to close one chapter in order to begin a new one. Therefore, this will be my LAST post as "The Urban Heiress." I'd like to thank all of you who have been entertained by my commentary since I launched the blog in 2009. It's like my baby (a sometimes neglected & malnourished baby but still mine nonetheless). LOL! However, as I'm sure you can all relate we go through seasons in life and I'm ready for something fresh & exciting, a clean slate... With that being said, here's the good news!

Join me on my NEW and IMPROVED (at least I think so) blog site: WWW.FORTHELOVEOFGUCCI.COM

It will feature the same insights on living the "fabulous" life holistically. It's still in it's infant stage but there will be a lot of exclusive and engaging content to come!!!
Click HERE to check it out!

"Shelby aka The Urban Heiress OUT!"

"Oh Yes!" vs. "Oh No!" - 1st Edition

So we all have those moments when we see something along our daily journey that either makes us say "oh yes" or very emphatically "oh no." I'm convinced (as we all are) that I encounter these moments more often than the average person. In an effort to start sharing my happy,happy-joy,joy & WTF experiences with you, this is the first of many posts which highlights candid snapshots of my personal eye-catching occurrences.

So should I start with the good or the bad? We always tend to enjoy the bad a lil bit more so I'll start there...



There's so much wrong with this picture I don't even know where to start. Some parts of the anatomy just shouldn't be consumed for ANY reason. The fact that people are spending their hard earned $$$ on this "food" is even more disturbing. This isn't even worthy of an "Oh No," how about "Just NO!"

Now, for a bright moment...the Italian Fiat is BACK in the US for the first time since 1984! I've seen several Fiat 500s cruising around LA & every time I see one I say to myself "Oh YES!"



Check out THIS review of the 2012 model which ranks the car 11 out 33 for affordable small cars. The Fiat 500 retails for $15,500 (almost $5k less than the Mini Cooper!) & the convertible is on its way! Get on this trend early.

TOMS Goes Hollywood

A-list mogul twins Mary Kate & Ashley have partnered with TOMS shoes to launch a new swagged out collection of the socially conscious shoe line. The 3 shoe designs in the collection are made w/ cashmere & wool. But this upgraded line will cost you a lot more than the regular pairs of TOMS kicks (Try $150 vs. $50). Hey, but it's all for a good cause. Get your shop on here.

Team Louboutin vs. Team YSL

Two of fashions hautest names are exchanging jabs in court. Get the courtroom play by play here.

Shopping for a Cause

So this is the one instance where I break one of my own commandments (See Commandment #7.) The fabulous non-profit HerShe is sponsoring this fantastic opportunity to give back while upgrading your wardrobe. See deets below & I hope to see you there Angelenos...

Countdown to Car-mageddon! = HOT Deals on Shopping, Dining & MORE!

For those of you outside of the L.A. area you're probably wonderin' what the heck I'm talking about. Well, the city of Los Angeles has decided to shut down a 10-mile stretch of the 405 freeway this weekend. Any1 familiar w/ Los Angeles knows about the torturous traffic-ridden freeway which is a main & vital artery to navigating this expansive city. Angelenos are in sheer panic over this ordeal. On a good day you can spend hours in bumper to bumper traffic just to drive the exact 10 miles that will be shut down so one can only imagine how awful this is going to be. And the city's best advice...(drum roll) STAY HOME! HA!!!! LOL! Like really? That's the best the gov't can offer! And of course this weekend I begin a project in the OC which is located where...(surprise) off the 405.

In the wake of disaster, one of my fave airlines JetBlue offered a glimmer of cheer by offering $4 YES that's $4 flights from Burbank to Long Beach. I would have jumped on it immediately, but of course I was 15 minutes too late. The tix sold out in hours! This is gonna be VERY interesting.

To cop your own "Carmageddon" swag, phone app (ridiculous), find out about other cool alternatives like air taxis & helicopter tours of the empty 405 & learn about amazing "Carmageddon" deal offers, like 5-star meals for $4.05 CLICK HERE & HERE.



Say a special prayer for every1 in SoCal this weekend...

Viva (No) Lost Wages! Stuntin' on the Vegas Strip on a Budget...

Greetings Urbanites!

I hope every1 enjoyed a fantastic July 4th celebration, if you're here in the U.S. For those abroad, I hope you had a very Happy Monday.

I'm finishing my holiday celebration in America's playground, Las Vegas. I'm proud to say that this entire trip only cost me $200! How did I manage that you say? Keep reading for my personally tested travel tips:

1. Frequent Flyer Miles = Spontaneous Jetsetting
Using my miles, I was able to book a last minute flight for only a $2.50 processing charge. I advise each of you to sign up for a frequent flyer rewards account for EVERY and I mean EVERY airline you ever fly. If you don't you're simply cheating yourself b/c the airline is gettin' your $$$ either way. It's not too late to repent for past sins (metaphor seems appropriate given my current locale). Most airlines will allow you to apply past trips up to the past year to redeem credits towards your account.

2. Discount travel sites
I've been luxuriating at one of the most popular 4-star resorts on the Las Vegas Strip for a whopping $94/night. How do you ask? HOTWIRE! I can't sing enough praises about this site. I've booked hotels all over the country & haven't had one bad experience. Plus, they've even issued me "Hot Dollars" for future use on a few occasions when my travel plans changed at the last minute. Yes, it's true that you don't find out the hotel until post-purchase, but that's actually part of the fun for me. The trick is searching by a zip code in your desired location, checking the appropriate star-rating (3+ stars) and voila...you're living the glamorous life for a fraction of the cost.

But I must say, the highlight of this trip has been my helicopter tour of the Hoover Dam & the Grand Canyon. Def a must do the next time you're in these parts. Get away from the debauchery of the Strip & enjoy God's majesty. Here are a few aerial pics I'd like to share w/ you from the experience...

Hoover Dam


Lake Mead


Grand Canyon

Where in the World is the Urban Heiress?

Many of you have asked, where in the heck are you? No worries, I will be returning with daily posts before you know it. So enjoy some fun in the sun & I'll meet you back here very soon...

2011 has proven to be crazy, busy and adventurous. Life has taken me to every corner of the U.S. Not only have a racked up a ton of air miles, but I've learned even more tidbits along the way to help you live the good life w/o breaking the piggy bank that I look forward to sharing with you.

Here are just a few of the places (some more once) where my travels have taken me in the past 6 months:

"Real Housewife" Taylor Armstrong Joins BeautyTicket.com

Last night on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live," (following the dramatic season finale of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - I'm obsessed!) cast member Taylor Armstrong let us all know that she's got beauty AND brains. Unlike many of the other housewives (from all the franchises) Taylor has a new 9 to 5 as Chief Creative Director for BeautyTicket.com. Now if you recall we were JUST singing praises about this site. Check it out!

Chic & Cheap "Couture"

I stumbled across this gem randomly on Facebook. There seem to be more and more designer resale boutiques popping up all over, but only a handful offer quality/desirable pieces. After further inspection of Couture Designer Resale Boutique's online store I must say that this is one of the few.



Couture is an upscale designer resale boutique located in the trendy West Park Village retail district of Westchase in Tampa, FL (Address: 9904 West Linebaugh Ave.). Couture offers a wide selection of woman's apparel, handbags, shoes, sunglasses, and jewelry from top-name fashion designers at 50-70% below retail cost. Inventory features premier fashion designs from Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, St John, Hermes, Armani, Valentino, Fendi, Prada and numerous other preferred labels.

Urbanistas, you can keep the fashion/retail cycle going by selling last season's pieces that you no longer want either on consignment or directly to this boutique. Couture takes a VERY low & uncommon 30% retail fee on sales. If you're familiar with consignment then you know that this a great deal. For more info or to get your shop on, CLICK HERE.

Happy New Year!

Ok, so I've been M.I.A. & I'm a little late with the New Year wishes but I'm BACK! I don't know about you, but 2010 decided not to leave without beating up on me a lil' bit more. Anywho, it's a new day, a new month & a new year! Let the good times roll!!

I did manage to enjoy a fantastic holiday season. I rang in 2011 wearing a DVF find from Rue La La just as the Urban Heiress should.

Now that the new year is here, the party is just beginning. There are tons of fabulous events coming up from coast to coast.

To help you prepare for your one-of-a-kind occasion check out Rent the Runway FIRST EVER clearance sale HERE! Get designer looks for up to 85% OFF! Kah-razy good deals :-)

To complete your look, head over to Beauty Ticket to shop up to 85% off premium cosmetic products! You can thank me later

Countdown to Black Friday: Deals on Blu Rays, TVs & More (Oh Mee Gee!)

Check out this guide to find out 10 of the best Black Friday deals on electronics and computers.

For a comprehensive list of deals/steals, click here.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting in some extra exercise & endurance training to get ready for the biggest day of consumption of the year :-)

Happy shopping!