RETAIL DETAIL | So the temporary walls standing afront the new J. Crew location in Walnut Creek say the store is supposed to open in “August 2006.” Well, I hate to be a stickler, but there’s one day left in “August 2006″ and the place doesn’t like it’s going make deadline. Oh well, do we really need another store in the Dub-C that sells “I’m about to get on the yacht” outfits? I think we can wait.

In other news, we are four weeks away from the opening of Bloomingdale’s in San Francisco. The chain already has a locale in Palo Alto, but us East Bay types are probably more likely to hit up Union Square. The official open date is Sept. 28. Watch for more coverage as the Brown Bags get closer.

A PENNY SAVED | A whole shower in one bottle… kind of. Bath and Body Works is selling 3-in-1 body wash, shampoo and bubble bath for $5. The line is called Temptations and comes in Daiquiri, Tropical Colada and Pomegranate (my personal favorite — the scent is unbelievable!). Bath and Body Works in Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek said the $5 sale will end soon.
You normally don’t see 3-in-1 products like this in the United States, whereas they are commonplace in Europe. In France, those type of products are called “shampooing.” I think it’s an interesting concept that could save time and money.

RETAIL DETAIL | H&M, the retailer known for trendy clothes at low prices, is adding its third East Bay location in the Bay Street shopping district in Emeryville. The store is expected to open next spring. H&M, which self-professes that it brings haute couture to the masses, will be a nice addition to other shops such as Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft, Old Navy, Gap, Apple Store, Barnes and Noble and P.F. Changs. The downside: parking there is a pain. I only stop if I’m luckly enough to nab a meter spot, but then I have to worry about it expiring.

RETAIL DETAIL | I had to do a double take when I read that Vera Wang made a deal to design a line for Kohl’s. That’s like saying you are going to wear diamonds with a t-shirt or drinking Champagne with a ham and cheese sandwich. Regardless of the odd pairing, the move is brilliant on Kohl’s part. They operate in a sort of retail no-man’s land in between discount and high-end. Having Vera Wang’s name associated with Kohl’s will definitely give them some fashion and retail mileage.

Here’s a snippet from the WSJ:
“The new line, which will be introduced at Kohl’s more than 749 stores in fall 2007, will be called “Very Vera by Vera Wang” and will include moderately priced clothing, bras and underwear, handbags, jewelry, shoes, bedding and bath products.
For Kohl’s, the exclusive collection is aimed at setting it apart from rival department stores. The agreement calls for Vera Wang Group to be responsible for the style of the products, while Kohl’s will outsource its manufacture. “The Vera Wang name has incredibly high brand awareness,” said Kevin Mansell, president of the Wisconsin-based chain.
The deal continues Ms. Wang’s efforts to expand beyond her already well-known bridal-gown and ready-to-wear businesses into more high-volume licenses. Over the past several years, Vera Wang Group has expanded into lingerie, jewelry, stationery, eyewear and mattresses. It also exposes Ms. Wang, known for her $5,000 evening gowns, to an entirely new category of middle-income shoppers.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115638503132544130.html?mod=us_business_whats_news

It’s My Money | Here’s a sampling of some of my favorite buys during my trip to Mexico:

Huaraches, leather sandals. $12 in Guadalajara. A previous pair has lasted me three years!

Embroidered dress for my Mom. $25 in Guadalajara. My mom loves bright colors and the embroidery is beautiful!

Obsidian figurines. $17 from Teotihuacan. I couldn’t resist buying a keepsake at the foot of some amazing pyramids even though they might have been cheaper elsewhere. The one on the left represents the sun and the other represents the moon.

Silver necklace. $48 in Guadalajara. The piece is all silver with an easy to use toggle closure. At $48, it’s a steal — take that Tiffany’s!

Adidas bag. $60 from the Polanco district of Mexico City. It’s hard to find items like this in the U.S., so I was psyched when I saw it!

Tortilla warmer. $3 in Guadalajara. This piece has a dual purpose: souvenir and utility item in one! I can remember my trip each time I warm up tortillas.

IT’S MY MONEY – Vacations are never long enough, but the longer they stretch, the more you spend. I returned Sunday from a two-week excursion to my parent’s home country of Mexico. I hadn’t been there in more than seven years except for a five-hour stint in Tijuana a few years back, which really doesn’t count. I love many things about Mexico: the people (especially the ones I’m related to), the food and of course, the shopping.
I decided to save the major shopping for the end of my trip so I wouldn’t have to lug stuff around. I visited six cities and traveled hundreds of miles to get from place to place.
Here are some of my shopping highlights:

• Mexico City: Centro Comercial Coyoacan shopping mall is in a trendy and affluent neighborhood in the southern part of the city. This upscale mall included hip stores selling goods at American prices, but the selection reminded me more of European stores.

• Teotihaucan: This pre-Hispanic archeological site, famous for its Sun and Moon pyramids, is littered with some of the most aggressive vendors I have ever encountered. I was suckered into buying a pair of obsidian figurines representing the sun and the moon for $17, a price I bargained down from $35.

• Zacatecas, Zacatecas: This city was founded in the early 1500s as a mining center and is famous for silver jewelry, of which I am a huge fan. The various Platerias or silvershops have cooler pieces than what I see in the U.S. and the prices are decent.

• Guadalajara, Jalisco: Mexico’s second largest city was my favorite on the trip for it’s hip fashion outlets and traditional goods ranging from charro outfits (traditonal mariachi garb) to huaraches (leather sandals). The market at San Juan de Dios, located near the city’s center, was a multi-level, flea-market style locale. In a few hours, I found something for everyone on my list, but I could’ve been there for days. Next door is a large modern and elegant jewelry hub where I found several nice pairs of silver earrings for about $5. Surrounding streets are packed with any kind of store you can think of including trendy clothing stores like the one where I bought a leather belt with a faux-rhinestone and pearl studded buckle for only $6.50!

Tomorrow: a list of my favorite vacation buys.

A silver goods shop in Zacatecas.

DAILY DOLLARS: In planning my upcoming trip to Mexico, for which I methodically packed for days, I was confronted with the difficult question: travel or regular size. I am going on a two-week long vacation and some of those travel size equal one to three uses, so longer than a weekend maybe out of the question.
Here are some tidbits on what to carry travel size:

I love Targets’ travel size aisle. It’s so convenient and adequately stocked with a variety of products like eye make up removing pads.

I have found that tubes of toothpaste seem to last for several days while others like shampoo are gone before a weekend is. I tried to quantify how much of what product to use to justify whether I needed the mini-version. For stuff like shaving cream, I went regular size because the travel version was still bulky. For contact solution, I went travel size because the big econo-size bottles I get from Costco are just to heavy. (Tip: I got the travel size from my eye doctor. They get free samples, so don’t be afraid to ask.)

For shampoo and conditioner, I bought refillable bottles because they are two or three times the size of those little travel ones and then I can use the same brand I use everyday. That’s one thing that can be a pain about travel size — not finding your usual products.

Other travel size finds: Ponds face cleansing cloths, individualized packaged wipes, body wash, lotion, face moisterizer and toner.

After six days, I think I’m all packed. Look for updates from Mexico in the days to come.