the blog is BACK!

Hi Everyone:

If you are a subscriber to this blog, or just a regular reader, you know that it has been off-line since about July 14th. Although the technology that runs blogger.com (my blog site of origin) I upload the url so it shows up under my advicesisters.net web site. The software works, but somehow, I managed to bungle the settings, and just couldn't seem to get them "unbungled"

This morning, with some help, I think I've finally solved the problem. If you are still subscribed, I thank you for your loyalty and patience. I hope to begin blogging again on a regular basis and your patience will soon be rewarded! If you are new to this blog, please subscribe!

It has been a frustrating couple of weeks, but on the plus side, I hope it's given everyone a chance to think about what they like and what they don't like on my blog. I am not writing it just for ME, you know (grin)! I'd really love to hear from some of you who DO read this blog. What kinds of things would you like to hear more of, from me? If you can't get into the comments section, please let me know....email: advicesisters (at) advicesisters (dot) net! I'd really like to know that someone is out there, reading, reading, reading....?

Ah, Technology-July 24-blog is still not working--but I'm working on it

Somehow, I managed to erase my blog...but I'm working on getting it back. Please be patient! Meanwhile, this is just a test. If you can read it, please leave a comment and let me know--and thanks in advance for this.

Ah, technology! *Monday July 17th--still working on it.

*July 24th...STILL working on it...thanks for your patience. we'll be back up, soon!

ALISON

What A Great Contest! And YOU Choose the Winners

In our latest contest, The Advice Sisters asked you to share share theway you like to entertain or honor the special people in your life, during the Spring season. We received hundreds of amazing entries, but there can beonly five winners---and YOU get to help choose them! Go to: [url]http://www.advicesisters.net/springcontestsemifinalists.html [/url]andselect your five favorite entries from our semi-finalists. Email your choices to The Advice Sisters by August 1st at: advicesisters@advicesisters.net We'll be posting the winners in September with a brand new contest, including exciting, "Devil Wears Prada" oriented prizes from Dior Beauty! Help us pick our winners with an email now, and you'll get advance notice of the next contest, too!

*feel free to send this post around, or put it on your own blog. And don't forget to vote for your favorites!

Caravan Opens on Great Jones--GREAT STUFF

Claudine Gumbel's Caravan was not a store at all, but a unique, store-in-a-van, that roams the streets of the Big Apple, enticing women and men with fashion, fantasy, and fun. All that changed on June 29th, when I and my colleague, Charu Suri (of fashiontribesLA.com) dodged the raindrops to attend the opening of the Caravan boutique on at 2 Great Jones St. near Broadway (212-260-8189). Although the Winnebago was parked right outside the sotre, those who want to buy unique, Barneys-type fashions whenever, can walk right in to 2 Great Jones, and walk out with something, fabulous.

Unlike a Winnebago, this store would look spacious, without the admiring crowd that crammed in to the walls. Greg Finney, a founder of 2Modern (www.2modern.com), helped to make this space a show-stopper by decorating it with items for sale, from the line. Well done!

The beautiful space is modern and sophisticated, spare, and puntuated by racks and shelves of eye candy content--belts, hats, bags, jewelery, and of course, clothes, including some indie lables we couldn't get enough of, including the absolutely gorgeous (and I mean, truly beautiful) designs by Design Director Natasha Ulyanov. For men there are also unique items, including T-shirts from "hip" brands that are meaningful to men who follow fashion. Although many of the items may not be in the reach of budgets of the beer and peanuts crowd, there were plenty of things within the reach of the average, budding and eager fashionista, including some clever "key" necklaces that I'm planning to go back and get for, well...yours truly!

The food, caterered by Butter Restaurant and Lounge, looked delicious, but we were so buy oogling the fashion booty, and making our way slowly through the very impressed and appreciate crowd, that we didn't eat a bite.

Reluctantly, actually, I left without a purchase, but I intend to go back. I hope I'll see you there!

ALISON

Good Advice?

Over the weekend I went to visit my father in his assisted living facility. Dad's memory has been going....going...well, it's nearly gone. He doesn't remember my mother, with whom he had a 52-year, loving relationship. He doesn't remember his own mother. He doesn't remember his sister, or MY sister, who died a few years ago.

In an effort to keep him somewhat in the loop of our shared memories, I tell him stories. I feed him information about basic things he's completely forgotten about.

"How do you know so much?" he said.

"You told me many of these things," I gently replied.

"Oh, he said...."was any of what I told you, GOOD?"