I have a passion for fashion. While I tend to go all out on shoes and bags, and the occasional designer dress, sometimes I like to incorporate less expensive pieces into my wardrobe that work with clothes I already have, to freshen up my style - without breaking the bank.  I don't expect these trendy pieces to last for forever; but that's ok because they are worth the mileage they get before they go out of style.  Longevity is what I have my high quality wardrobe staples for anyway.

In the past, I've found trendy pocket book friendly pieces at Tidestore http://www.tidestore.com, and they have given me the opportunity to select two items to "try and tell" about.  I made my wish list and checked it twice, now it's up to you to pick which ones you think Tidestore will select for me to try.  They'll be sending their choices to me in the coming weeks, and I'll give them a whirl, and report back on which items I received as well as the comfort, wearability, and my opinions of them, too!

So check out my wish list below and then vote for the two items you think that Tidestore will bring to my door.  Pick two and comment below with their outfit numbers and your email address.   Or you can tweet me two numbers @ladyinredblog and I'll record your guesses.  If you are the first person to guess right, I'll send you some goodies, too, from the RED hot store!

PRESS RELEASE:  Holmdel, N.J. (May 21, 2014) –The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation will hold its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 26, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial located at 1 Memorial Lane in Holmdel, NJ (off Garden State Parkway Exit 116). The guest speaker at this year’s ceremony will be Governor Christine Todd Whitman. The ceremony will also include the presentation of scholarships to two New Jersey high school seniors and the induction of four Vietnam Veterans into the Memorial’s “In Memory” Program.

At the ceremony, the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation will present scholarships to New Jersey high school seniors Michael Lehman of Leonia High School in Leonia and Dylan Flynn of Watchung Hills Regional High School in Watchung. The Foundation will also induct four Vietnam veterans into the Memorial’s “In Memory” Program, which honors those who served in Vietnam, returned home, and later died as a result of their tour but whose names are not on the Memorial. The inductees are Thomas J. Gorski, Jr. of Kearny, Richard Hull of Toms River, Thomas J. Kelley of Sayreville, and Stanley C. Slusarz of Holmdel.

Guest speaker Governor Christine Todd Whitman is the President of The Whitman Strategy Group (WSG), a consulting firm that specializes in helping leading companies find innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Governor Whitman served in the cabinet of President George W. Bush as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from January of 2001 until June of 2003. She was the 50th Governor of the State of New Jersey, serving as its first woman governor from 1994 until 2001. She is the author of a 2005 New York Times best seller, “It’s My Party Too.” Governor Whitman serves on the Board of Directors of S.C. Johnson and Son, Inc., Texas Instruments Inc. and United Technologies Corporation. Governor Whitman serves a number of non-profit organizations including heading the Trustees’ Executive Committee of the Eisenhower Fellowships. She co-chairs Clean and Safe Energy (CASE) with Ambassador Ron Kirk and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Security Project and the Center for Sustainable Shale Development.
 
Governor Whitman’s support for the Memorial was immediate, marked by her inaugural committee’s $25,000 donation. Governor Whitman’s husband John, a Vietnam Veteran, stepped forward and quickly to organize a committee of business leaders, and in six short weeks raised the funds needed to complete the Memorial. The plan was to dedicate the Memorial on May 7, 1995 to coincide with the 20th anniversary commemorating the end of the Vietnam War. On September 27, 1998, Governor Christine Todd Whitman joined a large crowd to dedicate the Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center.
 
The Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center, located adjacent to the Memorial, will be open to the public free of charge from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information about the Memorial or Museum, call (732) 335-0033 or visit www.njvvmf.org.
 


About New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Foundation

The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation offers a meaningful and engaging experience that recognizes the sacrifice, courage and valor of Vietnam Veterans and encourages and fosters a thorough understanding of the Vietnam Era including the political, historical, social, cultural and military aspects, which affected the United States, and especially New Jersey. To support the Foundation, visit www.njvvmf.org.

The bi-coastal bad boy of comedy, Mike Marino, is back in Jersey!  And with him come comedians Sunda Croonquist, Mike Parise, and Ronnie Marmo in an extravaganza of laughter at the UCPAC (Union County Performing Arts Center) in Rahway, this Saturday, May 17, at 8pm.

Mike Marino at the Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ

“Four comedians, all from New Jersey, one night only!” shares Mike Marino.  All will be performing and Ronnie Marmo is your host for the evening as well.

The comedy concert is sponsored by The Wilshire Grand Hotel, K9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel, Mike Marino, Marino Paving, Krenkel Food Stores and Paul Capurso Design.

While in Jersey, the fabulous foursome are filming a TV pilot for four days and four nights based on an Italian family in the construction business called “Reconstructing Jersey”.  They’re filming in Scotch Plains.  Mike Marino plays himself, Sunda Croonquist plays his cousin (which I can’t wait to see how a black, Jewish woman plays the part of an Italian Jersey boy’s cousin!), and Mike Parise and Ronnie Marmo play Mike’s buddies.  They are hoping that the pilot will be picked up by a network this year so everyone can view it in 2014.

The name Sunda Croonquist is one you’ve heard before.  This Jersey gal is the longest running woman comedian at The Laugh Factory. 

Since you last saw her she’s working on a book coming out in September called Kosher Soul Food, and also starting her book tour at the same time.  Earlier this year there was buzz in the Huffington Post that Sunda could have been a replacement for David Letterman.

So come hob nob with some of Jersey’s finest on the 17th!  It will be a red hot night full of laughs!  Hope to see you there!

Tickets priced starting at $18.50 at the UCPAC and are going fast.  Purchase them here.
Or contact the Box Office at 732-499-8226

Follow Mike Marino on Twitter

Keep up with what’s going on with Mike Marino here

Follow Sunda Croonquist on Twitter

Like Sunda Croonquist on FaceBook

Follow Ronnie Marmo on Twitter

Note:  I found this to be a very interesting perspective on casino fashion from the male point of view.  It seems as though many have lost the desire to get dressed up and go out over the past few decades, and this is apparent in the casinos, too.  It’s become common place to see a sea of jeans in Atlantic City.  In Vegas, once known for its glitterati, it’s also become very dressed down. For me, I love an opportunity to put on something new or slightly more formal and dress it up with a pair of heels. You’ll never feel out of place if you’re overdressed, but you can definitely find an uncomfortable zone if you are too casual.  When you put more effort into your appearance, you’ll be surprised how an ordinary night out becomes something special.  Fashion affects the way you feel, the way you move, and even the way you carry yourself.  It seems that the US isn’t the only place where casual has become too mainstream. The UK has also seen a decline in dress.  Check out this more global view. ~ The Lady in Red

Most women will have enough different outfits in their wardrobe to be able to find something suitable for any kind of night out. Going to a casino certainly presents a bit of a challenge, because you need to be conscious both of the dress code (which almost all casinos operate at night to some extent) and what you are actually looking to do while you are there. These are the two main things that any woman should bear in mind when selecting her clothes for the casino.

With more upscale brands of shoes, even high heels can be comfortable, and they certainly dress up a denim look.  Things to avoid would be bulky, obtrusive accessories that can get in the way of gambling or become a nuisance to carry around. You don’t have to wear something expensive to be chic.

Some women visit casinos to party, usually at a bar, club, or a private room. Your outfit for this kind of night is likely to be strikingly different, because making a real visual impression is more important
than it would be if you were there to play the casino games. The dress code is likely to prohibit you wearing anything as revealing as you could wear to some nightclubs, and full-length dresses will be far too formal for most women – which requires a compromise.

Many women opt for a little black dress here, because it is sufficiently classy to pass the dress code, and lively enough to indicate that they are there to have fun. Again, skip a bulky bag which would just get in the way of dancing or holding drinks.