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Bag bonanza

bag-bonanza.jpgJennifer’s my new best friend.

When I spotted a must-have bag on Bag Borrow or Steal, I got her on the phone and she assured me that I’d have it the very next day, in time for my overseas flight. That’s what best friends do.

Another reason Jennifer’s my BFF: She has access to a closet brimming with designer styles. And she lets me borrow whatever I want, whenever I want it, for as long as I want to wear it.

She’ll let you do it, too. Choose from 3,000 bags with names like Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Prada. Keep them for as little as a week, or opt for a longer get-to-know-you-better session. There’s a modest price to pay, but you won’t even think twice. Just consider it a thank you gesture for your new best friend.

First, I borrowed a stunning red lizard clutch by Kara Ross, which would have cost me upward of $2000 to buy. My price: a mere $51 a week. I wore it to a charity event and then blissfully returned it to its owner. It made the outfit, and it was such a smart way to accessorize a one-night stand.

Today, I’m enjoying the Exception tote by Lamarthe in black leather. It’s buttery soft and oh-so-chic. We’re en route to Europe, and if the first day of our relationship is any indication, I think I’ll end up stealing this bag so we can travel together more often.

Icing fight

german_chocolate_cake.jpgEveryone has a childhood favorite.  Cake, that is.  Mine’s German Chocolate.

When I went home this weekend to celebrate my mom’s birthday, I wanted to present her with one.  Trouble is, her recipe is so fabulous, I was a bit hesitant to bring someone else’s to the table for fear that it might not measure up to the memories.  But when a friend tipped me off to Jean-Jacques Bakery, and I discovered they do a German Chocolate, I rolled the dice.  Good roll.  We literally fought over the extra dabs of icing.

The bakery’s on a fabulous strip of Richmond’s Cary Street, a stylish swathof one-off shops known as Carytown.  I picked up a reverse-painted Robert M. Weiss Shih Tzu coaster at Janet Brown, oogled a Rebecca Minkoff bag at Que Bella, and lunched at Can Can Brasserie. — Hats off Skirts up to their Parsnip Soup with Apple Butter, Hazelnut, and Rosemary Oil.

Take the cake

zebra-cake.jpg Every party deserves a fabulous bag. Here’s one that’s sure to claim center stage at your next soiree. Once you open up the handles of this delicious little number, everyone will be digging in to see what all the fuss is about.Lipstick and liner pale in comparison to the contents of this zebra-striped beauty. Layers of chocolate decadence, caramel toffee buttercream, and silky chocolate buttercream come together to create an accessory that will be the talk of the town long after the party platters have been whisked away.