This year, I’m resolving to save for a true worthy splurge. I’m still narrowing the field, but leaning heavily toward a Chanel bag for myself (don’t panic – consignment is just fine by me). Or a trip to Paris (with my new Chanel bag…).

Saving, as opposed to hemorrhaging money every time Sigerson Morrison shows up on Gilt Groupe, can be a tricky business. Especially once you get a hefty chunk of change in the bank – all of a sudden, that $200 Inhabit cardigan on super sale at The Outnet feels like a steal. So, to help me keep my resolution, I’ve scoured the interwebs for photos of my dream bag, made myself a little inspiration board, and will be printing it (on actual paper), and hanging it somewhere within easy view of my computer screen.

Images: 1 (c/o Sony Pictures) / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

This way, whenever temptation comes calling, I’ll have an immediate reminder of the greater good – and, hopefully, at least allow myself a moment to prioritize.

Now, does this mean I’m squirreling away every spare cent until my goal is reached? Or that I’m not spending a dime on other purchases until it happens? Of course not. Deprivation is not a virtue in my book. Telling myself I can’t have anything only makes me want everything. This applies in shopping, in diets, even in life.

But it means I’m going to take a breath before I type in those credit card numbers. It means I’m going to look at those gorgeous photos of my dream bag, and decide if the purchase in question is worth setting me back on my goal just a bit. To put it in Buddhist parlance, I’m hoping to be a bit more mindful. And if this splurge takes two (or ten) years to make, I’ll be just fine. Chanel, however lovely, is not an emergency.

So, here’s a fun question: If you resolved to save for a worthy splurge, what would it be?

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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached my vacation destination and wish I had packed more. Or less. Or different. It never seems quite right, am I right? Last weekend I zipped down to San Diego for a girls’ weekend. It was awesome. The sun shined, the birds chirped and I actually packed properly for once. I was shocked until I thought about all of the packing adaptions I’ve made over the years. It’s a precise art, people. I’m here to share a few ways to pack properly and skip the outrageous fees you’ll incur if you check your luggage.

Tips for getting it all to fit:

1.  Choose black or brown. This may be a personal preference, but I can’t live with combining blacks and browns in my outfits. I’ve found that if I choose one or the other for my weekend trip my packing process is much more enjoyable. Part of my wardrobe is automatically out of consideration. And, mixing and matching once you’re away is oh so easy when everything can go with everything else. Simplicity at last!

2.  Layer, layer, layer. This should go without saying, but layering equals flexibility. If the forecast is wishy-washy or your activities are varied, layering is the answer. Your daytime strolling outfit of denim and a tee can quickly and easily become a evening outfit when you throw on a cardigan and heels. This is where a scarf comes in, too – I always make a point to bring two scarves. Not only can they can change up an otherwise identical outfit, but they double as a shawl, a swimsuit coverup or a blanket on the plane. I’ve even been known to spread my scarf out in a park for a picnic. How’s that for versatility? On second thought, a scarf really deserves it’s own tip…

3.  Scarf it up. See tip #2 (and yesterday’s fabulous find).

4.  Roll up and roll out. If you roll your clothes, you really can fit more in. Plus, you can squeeze a few of the rolled items in tightly between those obnoxious sections made by internal framing. Don’t forget to stuff your shoes! (My husband thoughtfully contributed this tip. He’s an expert packer since he grew up in a military family.)

5.  Bring a big purse. My family (lovingly) calls some my favorite handbags “duffle bags”. Admittedly, they’re about big enough to qualify as such, but their size is exactly why I find them indispensable. If you have a duffle…er…big purse, you can use it to maximize your carry-on potential. Airlines are serious about their two bag rules; you get one carry-on and one personal item. And that’s it. Last weekend I saw someone pulled out of the line and forced to consolidate her kettle corn into her carry-on. She was not a happy camper. Stash overflow items (such as kettle corn – really?) in your bag to get through security. The same bag can give you peace of mind by housing essentials and valuables, and keeping them by your side during the flight.

6. Pack an extra bag, just in case. Just kidding! You can do this, I promise.

Bonus points (AKA afterthoughts):

*  Leave the blowdryer at home. The blowdryer is the enemy of the carry-on. Almost every hotel has them. I know, I know…your blowdryer might be tourmaline-infused and eliminate frizz, but I assure you it will be patiently waiting for you at home. Skip it if you’re serious about sneaking through without checked baggage fees.

*  Keep your bathroom bag packed. Just the thought that a pre-packed bathroom bag lets you grab and go makes it worth buying two of everything (toothbrush, toothpaste, night cream, cleanser, etc). Just do it.

*  If you’re cutting it close and have an expandable bag, zip it up with the expansion open; once it’s closed, place pressure on the top of the bag and zip that extra section back up. (Channel the same strength it takes to zip up those skinny pants after the holidays!)

Zzzzzzzip! Done. Let me know how it goes, fellow jet-setters! –Megan Clark

1. One thing every traveler has in common is dry skin and hair. Fix it in one fell swoop with this genius travel set packed with argan oil-infused essentials. Moroccan Getaway travel set, Josie Maran, $39
2. This trim tote packs flat, holds a ton, and the baby soft leather is stylish enough for any adventure. Baggu leather tote, $150
3. Every good traveler needs a page-turner novel to get them through those Atlanta layovers. Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay, $15
4. This clever gadget is a surge protector, USB charger port and phone cradle all in one – pretty impressive for under $20. Portable charging station, RCA, $19
5. Heats up in an instant, seriously delivers on style, and comes with a trim, ultra-glam case to keep your clothes safe when you have to throw this in your bag while it’s still warm. GHD Scarlet styler, $225
6. Borrow from the boys and get her a dopp kit that will actually hold all her beauty essentials in one bag. Hammocks & High Tea dopp kit, $50
7. So big you could stow a greyhound inside (I’ll never admit to how I know this), but so light, it makes carry-on a breeze. And I love the mod plaid print. LeSportSac large weekender, $108
8. The stuff deskside daydreams are made of. 2012 Paris calendar, Little Brown Pen, $22
9. Oh, the places you’ll go – these are tiny enough to stow away in the smallest suitcase, and comfy enough to save your travel-weary feet. Ballasox foldable ballet flats, $60
10. Stylish and feminine, but not girly. Portola Valley passport holder, Kate Spade, $65

* If you happen to be one of my Portland readers, my sweet aesthetician at Portland Spa and Boutique is offering my readers a huge 40% off laser hair removal packages! That’s as good as a Groupon, but at the spa you actually want to go to (and without the mad rush of people). To get the deal, just call and mention Shopping’s My Cardio – they’ll hook you right up.

* Have you signed up for the iVillage “Get Organized For The Holidays” challenge yet? Today’s the kickoff – be there or be square! I’m telling you, my tips (well, everyone‘s tips, really) are pretty darned awesome…you won’t want to miss out.

* I’m working away like a busy little elf on Shopping’s My Cardio’s legendary holiday gift guides this week. They’ll be here the week after Thanksgiving (what can I say, I’m a purist), and I can’t wait for you to see them! In the meantime, though, it means I’m getting by with a little help from my friends, so you’ll see some guest posters here this week. This is a crop of seriously stylish ladies – I know you’re going to love each and every one! And I’ll still be around…you know I can’t stay away long.

Because you were good enough to suffer through the minutiae, I think it’s only fair you should be rewarded with something pretty:

I’m 100% obsessed with these beautiful (and reversible!) new clutches from Hammocks & High Tea. Each one is more gorgeous than the last. They’re simply the perfect rendering of the folded clutch trend you see absolutely everywhere right now – I’m so glad I held out! The size (11×7) is just right, the leather is sumptuous, and the pattern on the reverse is classic H&HT loveliness. I was lucky enough to nab the cobalt blue, since you know I can’t resist that color. Plus, how perfect for holiday travel?! Store your lingerie inside for the trip, and when you get there, you have two different clutches in one, that work for day or evening. Genius, I tell you.

Have fun with my guests this week, friends…give them a warm welcome, won’t you?

I’d always wanted to stay at the Huntington when I lived in the Bay Area, but – well, it’s hard to justify a serious hotel splurge when you live in the same city. But now, we’re tourists! So splurge away, right?

The Huntington is located on the very tip top of all those hills for which San Francisco is so famous, with a picture-perfect view of the city below. But don’t worry about the hills – they’ve thought of that. The hotel has a courtesy sedan with the kindest driver, ready to whisk you nearly anywhere nearby without breaking a sweat (or a stiletto). It’s all very Pretty Woman.

Walking into their bright, beautiful lobby, I knew I had something special on my hands. The feel of the entire property is so warm and cozy, but ultra-luxe…like you’re staying at an incredibly rich relative’s mansion. And it makes sense – the property is one of the few family-owned luxury hotels left in San Francisco, so that intimate/decadent feel is entirely intentional. When I walked in, my first sight was a guest chatting with the concierge, and the guest was wearing sky-high Prada heels and carrying a Birkin. I’m home!

Once I stopped drooling and made it to the front desk, the hubs and I were greeted with hot towels to wipe away our travel grime – such a nice touch after our long day of travel.

Then, it was off to our room:

In case you missed that, here’s another look:

How much do you love that artwork? I couldn’t stop staring at it for our entire trip. That is, when I wasn’t looking out the window. With a view like this, can you blame me?

{Just to clarify – that really is a photo of our view. I just got a little carried away with some of the filters in Camera+.}

Yep, our actual view. It was just as fabulous as it looks. I’m now utterly ruined for other accommodations. Beyond the hotel itself being absolutely beautiful, every single member of the staff made our stay amazing, and I am one picky customer when it comes to these matters. Plus, they have turn-down service, and I’m always a sucker for that.

Also, did I mention the spa?

As wonderful as the Huntington was, I have to admit, it’s the spa that blew me away. I’m a spa girl at heart, and the Nob Hill Spa has become such a favorite of mine, it really belongs on my Top Ten of All Time list, not just for San Francisco. To wit:

Yeah, that’s just the waiting area. And this photo leaves out the cozy fireplace off to the left, the hot tub, and the 270-degree view of the city from the balcony on the right. Are you getting the picture? The spa even has a nap room (okay, it’s called a Zen Room), in case your massage was just so relaxing that you can’t muster the strength to leave the premises. And it would be understandable. My therapist was a genius, and my massage was definitely one of the best I’ve had. I was more blissed out after that fifty minutes than I’ve been in a long, long time, and that nagging ache in my shoulder has entirely vanished.

Post-massage, the hubs and I spent some time lounging poolside. (Those chairs you see right up front, with the wine glasses? Yeah, that was us.) We dawdled for two hours in our picture-perfect, climate-controlled paradise. We took a dip in the hot tub, read books, and indulged in a delectable lunch that the staff delivered to our lounge chairs. No clock, no crazy dogs, no deadlines…it was a dream, friends. And I’m not the only one who thought so: just before we headed to the sauna, my darling hubs looked over at me and said, with the happiest look I’ve seen on his face in ages, “This is the best spa in the world.” Endorsements don’t get much better than that.

A huge thanks to the Huntington Hotel for making my stay so utterly unbelievable…though I get the feeling that’s all in a day’s work for their incredible staff. Tearing ourselves away from that beautiful room when it was time to come home was more of a challenge than I care to admit. Fortunately, there are a bevy of other SLH properties still to check off my list in the meantime. But something tells me we’ll be back!

{The view from my room at the Huntington Hotel. I couldn’t stop staring!}

While I was thinking about what to share with you about the trip, it occurred to me I’ve never even given you a list of my must-see destinations in San Francisco. Shame on me! And so, forthwith, a completely incomplete Top Ten list of some of my favorite things in what is quite possibly my favorite city in the States (there’s no competing with Paris).

{Clockwise, from top: Old Fashioned cupcakes at Miette, a much-enjoyed cappucino
at Emporio Rulli, and a peek at Dish, my new favorite SF boutique.}

1. Shop in Union Square. I know, there’s nothing exactly novel about Neiman Marcus, Saks, Barneys(!), Zara or Madewell, but when you live in a city without access to any of them, I can assure you that the site of that particular square block of real estate is intensely satisfying. While you’re there…

2. Treat yourself to a crab louie salad at the Rotunda restaurant in Neiman Marcus (really just an excuse to have them serve you piping hot popovers with strawberry butter). And, though it’s tempting to splurge on an order of their famous chocolate-chip cookies, skip it and instead…

3. Have a cappuccino and a sfogliatella at Emporio Rulli, right in the heart of Union Square, for the best people-watching ever.

4. Gorge at the Ferry Building. Or, more specifically, have an Old Fashioned cupcake and a pistachio macaron at Miette, brave the line (or try the secret window around the corner) for a(nother) cappuccino at Blue Bottle, then grab a pack of S’mores Bites from Recchiuti, and a pot of olive oil lip balm from McEvoy Ranch to take home. Sit on a bench outside, watch the ferries go by, and take in a postcard-perfect view of the oft-overlooked Bay Bridge. Speaking of gorging…

5. Gary Danko. Lobster risotto and a cheese cart…what else do you need to hear?

6. Fillmore Street. Any time you see Marc by Marc Jacobs, Jonathan Adler and a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on the same block, go there. Follow up with some great window-shopping (or thrifting, if that’s your thing), a stop at Heidi Says Shoes, and a leisurely browse at Browser Books.

7. Hayes Valley. This ‘hood has grown by leaps and bounds since I last visited, and it might just be my new favorite shopping spot. Besides Miette’s Confiserie (best candy shop ever!), there’s serious fashion to be had. The vintage selection at Ver Unica and Reliquary is unprecedented – even I couldn’t resist (as evidenced by that fly leopard coat that followed me home). Then there’s Dish, which is so much my perfect boutique that I could have closed my eyes, pointed to literally anything, and bought it without looking, knowing I’d love it forever. Nida (why don’t these stores have e-commerce?!) is pretty wonderful too, if only for their selection of Isabel Marant and Athe by Vanessa Bruno.

8. Eat in North Beach (aka “Little Italy”). Preferably at Sodini’s, my personal favorite for old-school Italian charm. But wherever you dine, finish at Mara’s for a cannoli.

9. Palace of the Legion of Honor. Nothing whatsoever to do with food or shopping (are you shocked?), but still one of my favorite places ever. It’s all peace, calm and beauty, as far as the eye can see…with a stunning clifftop view of the bay and that big red bridge.

10. Stay at the Huntington Hotel, and spend a day at the Nob Hill Spa. But more on that awesomeness tomorrow…

I’d love to know what you’d add to the list!

Want to see a few outtakes? Of course you do.

Don’t worry…I left the real photography to the professionals, as it’s obviously not my strong suit. Hopefully seeing all of those clamps and assistants and positioning craziness will help you remember that the way models look in magazines is an utter fiction. Most of those girls couldn’t move at all once we got them rigged up!

But then, after all that madness, there was the beachy weekend I was so looking forward to. No internet, no email, no makeup even. Just husband, dogs, empty beaches, blue skies…absolute perfection.

How was your weekend?

The hubs and I have some fun travel plans over the next few months, and I can tell you there’s nothing I’d rather be toting my travel gear in more than this bold blue weekender bag. I love the bright hue, the tribal vibe and the leather trim, and I have a feeling it’d be light as a feather.

It’s still a little early to be thinking fall trends, but this ladylike silk blouse from Madewell will be just the thing with those below-the-knee skirts this fall.

After spotting this beautiful street style image from Atlantic-Pacific…

…I can’t stop thinking about adding a chic pair of bright pants to my denim-centric wardrobe. While I’m normally terrified by the idea of a capri, these candy-colored versions from J.Crew look more like an ankle-grazing length than a mid-calf affair, rendering them infinitely more stylish. Now, to pick a color!

And, now that I think about it, that emerald blouse would look pretty amazing with any of these – especially the blue. Be bold, friends!

While I was never a big fan of Gretchen Jones while she was on Project Runway, I have to admit that her new line of jewelry for Piperlime is good. A lot of the pieces miss the mark by *that* much (a spiked earring that would be so much more amazing if the post weren’t dead center, and a long necklace that would be strikingly perfect if the pendant pieces were a bit further down the chain), but there are some styles I’m seriously contemplating. But…no returns allowed on these pieces, so I’m proceeding with caution.

I almost never swoon over baby/kiddie goods (I’m pretty sure I’m missing a gene), but these prints from Heather Ross are a little too perfect. They’re called “Cranky Princesses” – hysterical! Now I just need some little girls to buy them for…

And now, I’m off to spend a fun, relaxing weekend with my BFF, who’s coming to town. I can’t wait! Hope you have something equally fun in store.

I’m just crazy for these designs – they feel so special and carefully crafted.  I love the bright colors in the Navajo-inspired cardigans, and that fisherman’s sweater is such a unique take on a timeless style.  Can’t you just see yourself wearing it with cuffed jean shorts on a beach somewhere, without a care in the world?

You can buy a few of their pieces on their website (be sure to check out the “Shop Gossip Girl” link to see that yummy wrap cardigan, above, which was featured…well, you know), or on Calypso St. Barth, a perennial favorite of mine.  Pricing is a little steep, mostly in the $300-400 range.  But these pieces are so special, I could definitely see myself taking the plunge.

last week, for example, i succumbed to the “less” version of an hermes notebook i lost long ago (some little punk that broke my car window is now carrying hermes…can you believe it?!).  it’s a style i showed you in this year’s gift guides, and it’s lovely – in fact, in person, it’s better than the photos made it look.  it’s a dead ringer for my beloved hermes…but it’s just not the same.  still, in this case, when we’re talking $265 plus $60-80 for a refill, versus $35 including two refills (!), my frugality won out.

you can see how my bargain-buying tendencies have been pushed to the max.  so, i need some help if i’m going to brave the “luxe or less” debate yet again.  that’s where you come in, dear readers.

i’ve been looking for a great, ultra-slim laptop tote for months (hmm, probably more than a year, actually), and have now come across two that would work.  when it rains, it pours.  first, the luxe option – this divine tory burch “alice” quilted laptop case:

i go into palpitations just looking at this one!  the quilted leather, the slim profile, the subtle logo…it’s somehow professional and chic at the same time.  but at $195, for something i’m essentially using to tote my macbook over to starbucks to blog, it’s giving me pause.

in the “less” corner, we have this chevron-embossed version from acme made:

cute, right?  and not nearly as perfect as the splurge.  i know.  but it’s only $30, which helps immensely with the cute factor, i think.  still….oh, that tory burch version is just so lovely.

so, help me out, dear readers:  luxe or less?