I'm an American Idol junkie, and Adam Lambert was one of my favorite contestants ever. I could watch his performances over and over, and did, thanks to Tivo. Not only was he a good singer, but what a showman, and too charming...that smile...swoon. :)

It must be the teacher/mother in me. I literally had tears in my eyes watching grumpy Simon give him a standing ovation...so cool to see these talented young folks realizing their dreams.

His long awaited album's scheduled release is late November, but they just disclosed the cover art. Can you say controversial?

What do you think? Like it? And...the big question...are you going to buy his album? Kris Allen's will be released the week before...who's buying? --Super Saver Kathy

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You don't have to be a tennis fan to like Maria Sharapova.

What a role model. She's not only gorgeous, she's also a triple Grand Slam winner. You can meet her in person and get her autograph from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 at the Cole Haan store in the Village of Merrick Park.

Why is she there? Because she is the face of Cole Haan Sporting, the new Spring 2009 collection.

And what other reason is there to go? While you are there, you can register to win tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open (March 25-April 5) and a Cole Haan handbag. You can get there early to register. One entry per person from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Cole Haan is located on the first floor, near Nordstrom, at 320 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables.

XOXO -- Shopper Girl

Left: Maria Sharapova with the Genevieve Plaid Triangle Tote from Cole Haan.

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Does a one shoulder white gown ring a bell with you?

If we thought Michelle Obama's inaugural gown had a lot going on, then get a load of the one shoulder Monique Lhuillier white number Teri Hatcher wore to the SAG awards.

She was chosen as one of the worst dressed in the Yahoo poll. What do you think?

To have a look at some of Yahoo's choices for best and worst dresses click link below:

Yahoo Movies: SAG Best and Worst Dressed

For more pictures and descriptions of the dresses and SAG award celebrity gossip, have a look at justjared.com

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It didn't take long!

The LATimes reports in 'All the Rage' that edressme.com will be ready to ship their version of the one shoulder white gowns as of March 15th. They are available for pre-order and will be $320.

Okay, now, you have to tell us what you think!!

Would you wear a copy of such a recognizable dress? or better yet...what would you think if someone else did?

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When I heard that Miami-based Michele Barouh was going to make an appearance at Boca's Bloomingdale's my reaction was a big yawn.

Mea culpa. I shouldn't have let my subscription to W lapse. How can I be your fashion guide if I miss a watch designer whose designs are worn by celebs such as Jennifer Aniston and Paris Hilton?

Michele, namesake of Michele Watches and Creative Director for the brand, will be at Bloomie's today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Fashion Accessories on Level 1. She will help you design your own Michele Watch and she'll sign your watch purchases during the event.

Bloomingdale’s Boca Raton is located at 5840 Glades Road in Town Center at Boca Raton.

Better hurry. She's there is a few minutes

XOXO-- Shopper Girl

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You probably don't watch Gossip Girl. But betcha your teenagers are watching the perils of Serena, Blair, Chuck and the gang every Monday night at 8 p.m. on the CW. I'm not the demographic, but I just love these underparented, overfunded Upper East Side kids.

But I digress -- once again. Sorry. Anyhow, if you don't want to spend a fortune, but want to make your kids happy in their Gossip Girl fantasies, check out this link.

One of my fave items is Blake Lively's Sky Blue Cocktail Ring. It features an attractive smoky chalcedony blue hue surrounded by pale blue enamel. It contains small clear, aquamarine, and sky blue colored rhinestones in the enamel. And the cost is only $40.

Tell your own Gossip Girl that you wish her only blue skies like the ring. XOXO -- Shopper Girl

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Looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend? To kick off the official launch of FAO Schwartz within Macy's locations there's a big grand opening celebration at Macy's Dadeland this weekend.

Celebrated author and mother, Jenny McCarthy, will be there on Saturday September 27th at 2:00 p.m.

Children and families are invited to join the fun and activities. There will be balloon making, face painting, and other family festivities.

Children will be invited to create their own version of the FAO Schwartz Toy Soldier hat for a chance to win $1000 shopping spree. Contest held on site and all decorating materials will be provided.

Heck, I want to win $1000 shopping spree!! Can adults play too?? What would you buy if you won a $1,000 and HAD to spend it?

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I'm ashamed to admit I was watching the 60th anniversary Emmys' red carpet last night. What a waste of an evening just to see "who" celebrities are wearing. Let's chalk it up to guilty pleasure.

I was not impressed by most dresses. What I did notice is that nearly all of them, young and old, had luminescent skin -- it just glowed. This was especially true on Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon and others who wore strapless or off-the-shoulder gowns.

No doubt they spent all day at a spa -- in fact celebrity admitted it in a TV interview.

So what are we non-celebrities to do for such skin? An occasional spa visit helps.

"Spa Chic" treatments for $99 are available until Sept. 30 at Fort Lauderdale area spas. Some of the ritziest spas are included such as the Contour Spa at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood.

Check it out at Spa Chic. It's a promotional event through the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Maybe you can look like a celebrity, too -- Marcia "Bargain Hunter" Pounds

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I've never been much for yard signs and bumper stickers at election time. But this is the most passionate election I can remember. The buzz in the newsroom gets so loud on occasion, I'm considering noise-reducing headphones so I can get some work done.

I try to keep my opinions about politics and religion to myself. But if you are one with the yard signs and the bumper stickers, and you're still not satisfied, you are in luck.

You can support your candidate with these Swarowski crystal embellished sunglasses decorated with your candidates name.

These and other candidate supporting items can be seen at Ann Hand

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I met famed shoe designer Stuart Weitzman once. I was a young mother who wasn't too concerned about fashion at the time. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know who he was.

Now, a bit more fashion savvy, I yearn to own even one pair of his magnificant shoes.

Weitzman does his part to find a cure for ovarian cancer with his annual "Celebrity Shoe Auction" each September. He entices movie and TV stars including Brooke Shields (Lipstick Jungle) and Blake Lively (Gossip Girls) to design shoes for the cause.

Most are pretty wild featuring shells and studs while others such as Serena Williams and Jessica Simpson who have design companies, a bit more wearable. Check it out yourself at Stuart Weitzman Celebrity Auction

The shoes are crazy, but the cause -- women's cancer research -- well worth the price. -- Marcia "Bargain Hunter" Pounds

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Well, I mentioned Cindy McCain and her gazillion dollar wardrobe, gotta keep things equal here, in an effort to remain unbiased.

This beat is shopping, not politics!!

At Urban Outfitters you can get a Barack Obama action figure, "complete with a very hopeful pointed finger and 8 points of articulation for unlimited Presidential posing."

Don't think I'm implying anything about his celebrity status, I'm not comparing him to Britney Spears!! Nope, DO NOT go there! Maybe I should, that might at least encourage some comments from you all.

Is anybody going to buy one?

urbanoutfitters.com

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Sarah Palin, no matter what you think of her, apparently has energized the race for prez of the U.S. Indeed some folks I have talked to are mezmerized by this Alaskian who is anti-abortion, a member of the NRA, for drilling in Alaska and against saving the polar bears. Go figure.

Anyhow, the race is tight. And the important thing, besides really studying the pros and cons of each candidate without emotion, is getting out the vote. And here's a great way to spread the message -- wearing a "I Love My Nation" vote T-shirt like Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester, who plays Blair Waldorf.

The T-shirts are $35 are $35 at www.nationltd.com.

And here's a cool Interactive idea: Send in a photo of you or you and your friends wearing the tees and they'll put it up on the site.

XOXO-- Shopper Girl

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Instyle.com is a must for any of you looking to find where to buy what the stars are wearing.

Here's a great tip for those who want to channel hot Blake Lively. Lively filmed a scene for Gossip Girl (my guilty pleasure, I must admit) wearing these skinny jeans from the Rich & Skinny trendy denim line.

Don't you wish you could look long and lean like Lively? Me, too. Sigh.

They typically sell for $156, but much of the line is on sale from 33 to 60 percent off at nordstrom.com.

For more and to find your fave star's clothes, bookmark Instyle.com.

XOXO -- Shopper Girl

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By now, we all have seen the People magazine cover with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and their new twins. Sexy parents. Adorable babies with Angelina's pouty lips. How perfect can you get? Can you stand it?

But, wait, what is the nightgown the sex symbol Jolie is wearing? According to WWD.com, it's a bargain. She is wearing a $78 Victorian-inspired nightgown by Eileen West, whose designs are sold at Macy's Nordstrom and Dillards.

“What fun," the designer told WWD.com. I was so surprised to see my La Stella gown on Jolie. It’s a really pretty cotton garment with supersoft heirloom crisscross lace insets, tucks and a floral-vine burnout treatment. It’s a nice full-length gown for maternity and breast-feeding, and it was perfect for first baby photos.”

Ah, but what wouldn't look perfect on Angelina. Sigh.

-- Shopper Girl

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If you love the Gossip Girl cast and Jennifer Hudson, you will crave this lamp autographed on the base by Blake Lively (Serena), Leighten Meister (Blair) and Hudson. The lamp, which sells for $1,600 on www.deeplymadlyliving.com, has a starting bid of $800.

Two signed versions of this cool lamp, which has a shade made of 40 pairs of aviators, are available

When its turned off, it looks like a silver sculpture. When on, the lenses turn transparent and it casts oval shadows on the wall.

The auction benefits Hudson's charity, Vday (anti-female violence), and Gossip Girl's choice, The Children's Defense League. It ends June 16.

Ever since I first heard about it last week, I have been trying to find a link to make it easy for you guys to bid. The PR person finally came through. Click here for it.

XOXO -- Shopper Girl

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The Sex and the City movie is out today. Will you be there?

The girls are back! When you see Miranda, aka Cynthia NIxon second from right, on a getaway with her Sex and the City gal pals in Mexico, she'll be wearing this red hot swinsuit from Norma Kamali.

Just love that sexy style that reminds me of something Marilyn Monroe would have worn. I found the info in an email from InStyle.com.

The magazine Web site says the Mio swimsuit is $350 (kind of pricey) from normakamalicollection.com.

Wonder how many gals will be seen on SoFla beaches wearing this number? What do you think?

XOXO-- Shopper Girl

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Celebrity worship has gone too far. Even for shoppers who will buy anything.

This just in: Items from the trash can of Britney Spears are up for bid on eBay. When we checked a few minutes ago, the bid was $117.49 with three days to go.

The trashy stuff includes an Ed Hardy thong (size small), fan mail, a receipt for the Hustler store, a dog leash and a discarded toothbrush.

The trash collectors are the folks at HollywoodStartrash.com. If you are really starstruck, you can watch the mask-wearing dumpster divers m on the Website collecting the trash.

These are the same guys who dove into trash of other celebs such as Paris Hilton, Jennifer Gardner, John Travolta, Ben Affleck, Jim Carrey and Nicole Richie. An email from these folks claims that a piece of used floss found in the trash outside Paris Hilton's Hollywood home sold for $1,000 to GoldenPalace.com last year.

Also up for auction on Ebay.com is an entire bag of Paris Hilton's trash. The last bid was $50 with three days to go.

What do you think out there in blogland? Is this sick or slick? I vote for sick.

XOXO -- Shopper Girl

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We girls just love to shop, don't we? But gas and food are eating into disposable income.

Well, if your budget is tight, get some vicarious shopping through this video.

An aspiring Ford model, Desiree, and her friend shop vintage at Zachary's MIle in Soho.

Even a fashionista can learn something. Did you know that anything before 1980 is considered vintage? News to me.

Enjoy!

-- XOXO Shopper Girl

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When I was a pre-teen, I craved a bookcase bed because my idol, Annette Funicello, had one in her room. Back then, celebrities didn’t license their names for furniture brands. I was lucky to have a talented grandpa, who built me a bookcase that fit around my twin bed.

Kids these days don’t have to depend on grandpa’s cabinetry skills. Disney has done the work with them with licensed collections, including one for Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus’ hit TV character.

Three style bedrooms are available – a sleigh/day bed, a twin post bed and, my fave, a brushed metal canopy bed in full or twin. The bedrooms come with coordinating pieces that range from a vanity with full-length mirror to an entertainment console with a special drawer to store a gaming system. And this furniture doesn’t cost a fortune. The 4-piece package with the full-size brushed metal canopy bed is $1,299. The collection is currently available at Rooms to Go. For more information, see roomstogokids.com.

XOXO -- Shopper Girl

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Just love this video of figure skating champ Johnny Weir shopping for jeans with holes in the knees. Check him out showing us how they fit in the dressing room.

Only wish it was a longer video.

XOXO -- Shopper Girl

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