This is what I found on Amazon.com for sales right now! Books: Up to 45% off bestsellers • Music: Hot 100 as low as $9.99 • DVD: Top hits as low as $14.99 • Save up to 30% on thousands of toys • Save up to 20% on our Top Toy Picks of 2006 • Great prices on the hottest video games • Low prices on hot cameras • Free case with iPod purchase • No interest/no payments financing on select HDTVs

Gymboree is giving an extra 20% off sale items right now. They are also doing Gymbucks so for every $50 you spend you get $25 off but it will apply to your next purchase! Yopu can earn as many Gymbucks as you can. The savings can get really good with those. Gymboree is pricey on some stuff but they have the cutest clothes. Take advantage of saving all you can at Gymboree!

Shop online at JCP.com or shop in the JcPenney catalog, 800-222-6161 and get the associate discount! The associate discount is 20% on most sales, clearance items and some regular priced items! A 10% discount applies to small appliances, personal care, floor care, strollers and car seats. A 15% discount applies to Portrait, Optical and Salon products. Discounts do not apply to furniture, mattresses, made-to-measure window coverings, video and electronic games/accessories/gadgets, video storage systems, Outlet Stores, Gift Cards/e-Gift Cards, prior purchase or in combination with any other offer, including regular Associate Discount. For catalog/Internet orders use code 44FRIEND. Offer is good only on Sunday, December 3rd.

-Kari

I found this site that gives you good suggestions based on whether the person you are looking for a gift for is anywhere from a movie buff to someone who is always cold. This site picks gifts from around the web and compiles them here to find the perfect gifts for anyone in your life. Everyone has that person that is hard to buy for or maybe they have everything, this site can point you in the right direction without having to individually search each site. It seems to be fairly good at giving the kind of results that would actually be something your gift receivers would want. For example, I have a friend that is a total movie buff. She is very serious about her movies and what she likes and what she doesn't. I saw alot of things under movie buff that she would like. So, go check it out! You may find the right gift for your loved one! Here is the link: http://www.surprise.com/

--Kari

So, yesterday, I was out and saw one of those guys on the corner with a sign about Copelands closing and it says up to 30% off right now. We all know that as the next few weeks go by that the discounts are going to get better. The thing to gauge would be when would be the best time to go, get a great deal and still have things left in the store to choose from. I will be keeping an eye on the discounts and will update you as we go. This is perfect for Christmas deals!

--Kari

It seems this year, as it is every year, that there are those toys that are hot! People wait for days on end to get these toys outside of a store or even fight for some of them. I keep track of the trends for hot toys and these are the toys that are big this year!

• Playstation 3-Featuring Sony Playstation 3, PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system unleashes a brilliant, high-definition entertainment experience. As its digital soul, the Cell BroadBand Engine represents a tour de force in parallel processing, which means a gaming experience that is beyond what you know today. Its built-in Blu-ray Disc drive delivers a whole new generation in high-definition gaming and unmatched digital media storage

• TMX Elmo-Over the years, Elmo has tickled America's funny bone, rocked out on his guitar and even performed his own version of popular songs as Chicken Dance Elmo, Hokey Pokey Elmo, E-L-M-O and Shout! What's the next Elmo? On the 10th anniversary of Tickle Me Elmo, the furry, red phenomenon returns like never before as "T.M.X." Elmo, which will have kids rolling on the floor with laughter. 6 "AA" batteries required (included). Ages 18 months and up.

• Wii-The evolution of videogames begins in November with the Nintendo Wii videogame console. Featuring a compact design that easily connects to any television, Wii is ready to become part of every family's home entertainment system. New, intuitive controls challenge everyone to compete in any game through physical motion. And, as an added bonus, the system is backwards compatible with Nintendo GameCube and offers players downloadable access to 20 years of favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo and the original Nintendo Entertainment System. This item will be available beginning November 19. No batteries required. Ages 5 and up.

• Furreal Friends Butterscotch pony-Every girl dreams of having her very own pony! With realistic animation, movement and sounds, this incredibly lifelike pony is a very special, once-in-a-lifetime friend. This adorable pony stands over three feet tall, and really "comes alive" as she moves and responds to your loving care! Touch or talk to your pony and her head moves! As you continue to interact with her, watch her ears wiggle and her eyes blink! Be sure to take extra-special care of your pony. "Feed" her the carrot and groom her with her brush. Watch her swish her tail back and forth! She even whinnies and snorts, and will sniff your hand! Sit on your pony for a pretend ride and she makes walking sounds! Bring home BUTTERSCOTCH pony and make your little girl's dreams come true!
  

• Baby Alive-This Baby Alive® doll "comes alive" in incredible ways, allowing little girls to really be the mommy! Girls will love that when they feed their Baby Alive® her "real" doll food, she goes potty and they get to change her diaper! She also speaks, has facial expressions, and her eyes move.

• Kid Tough Digital Camera-Combining kid-friendly controls and a tough exterior, the Kid-Tough Digital Camera is ready for every preschool photographer. The first digital camera with toddlers in mind, the camera offers two-eye-viewing, sturdy dual handgrips and big buttons, making it the perfect fit for small hands. After taking a picture, the color LCD viewing screen lets kids instantly see their photos. 4 "AA" batteries required (not included). Ages 3 and up.

Do you know of a hot toy not on this list? Feel free to add some!

--Kari

If you're looking for some unique, handmade, and locally crafted gifts this season, check out the Bakersfield College art department's semi-annual Ceramics and Glass Sale tomorrow.  You can find all kinds of student-made pottery and blown glass pieces, from planter pots to bowls and everything in between.  I've given a few small decorative pieces to relatives as gifts in past years, and display a vase I found there in my living room.  Happy hunting!

What:  BC Student Ceramics and Glass Sale
Where:  Bakersfield College Horticulture Lab
When:  Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

--Jason

Looking for something for someone that has everything, is sentimental or loves bears? Go to http://www.bearsinchairs.co... and design your gift for a special person in your life. It is a neat website, check it out. There is something for everyone there.

Since moving here three years ago, one of the seasonal things I've learned to look forward to is bakery/boutique Sweet Surrender's annual holiday open house.  Three years ago, they had folks go back into the kitchen to grab samples of cake and cookies to munch while browsing the holiday decor.  Two years ago, we missed it, at home with a newborn.  Last year, they moved it to their new downtown home furnishings boutique, Urban Chateau, complete with towering trays of sweets under a candle-lit canopy.  Last week, Sweet Surrender's holiday displays inside were complemented by beautiful arrangements of cakes, cookies, and old-fashioned candies, all free for the snacking.  They even had champagne flowing from a fountain.

Bummed that you missed all the free samples of the locally-made goodies you can order for your upcoming gift-giving and party-throwing needs?  Well, the generous folks behind these open houses have renamed their downtown shop Fiorini: The Art of Home, and they'll be hosting another open house, complete with their famous baked goods and bubbly, tomorrow, Thursday, Novemember 16, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 1918 19th St. (just west of F St.).

If that's not enough browsing and nibbling for you, The Gourmet Shoppe, Cafe Med's retail and catering shop, will be hosting its Open House Holiday Party almost at the same time (Thurs., Nov. 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.), at 4809 Stockdale Highway.

Nothing goes with holiday shopping like free food and drink, right?

--Jason

The New York Times wrote an article today about a new search engine, Like.com, that takes pictures of celebrities and lets you shop for the items they are wearing in the picture.

The Times article says:  "Ssers may browse through selected items in the wardrobes of about a dozen celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Simpson and choose, say, a pair of the dangling silver earrings Ms. Johansson wore to the premiere of the Wood Allen  movie “Scoop.” The site then searches for similar earrings, returning more than 8,000 pairs ranging in price from $40 to $8,000."

There's some type of image-matching technology at work here that zooms in on a particular item, like a purse, and then searches the images in Froogle and other shopping engines to come up with matches. It's not perfect, but it's fun!

--Mary Lou

Today, I drove to the Horizon Outlets in Tulare. Every store is having a sale. Some of the stores having sales include: 

Ralph Lauren has quite a few clearance racks with prices starting at $4.99. (I got a $4.99 deal - a scarf.)

Izod - Everything was on sale anywhere from 30% to 50%. They had some nice pullover fleece sweaters for $16.99. Plus, you can get an additional 10% and 20% off coupons.

Stride Rite is taking an additional 25% off their clearance shoes. (I found three pairs of shoes, and paid less than $15 for each pair.)

Paper Factory has 75% off their Halloween goods. And 50% off selected Thanksgiving items. If you're in the market for some Christmas wrap, they've got a deal buy two, get one free. 

Van Heusen has men's shirts as low as $3.95. Farberware has additional 10, 20 and 30% off discounts. Liz Claiborne has some great stocking stuffers for less than $10. Book Warehouse is closing; they've got an additional 40% off.

If you're heading to the outlet to grab some of those deals this weekend, don't forget to coupons for Izod, Van Heusen and Bass. 

A list of stores located at Horizon Outlet.  

Happy Shopping!

Christine Benavente
Operations Manager
Bakersfield.com

Shop Disney's Veterans Day Sale and receive up to 50% off! Great for Christmas gifts and more! Go to disneyshopping.com and shop now!

You can also receive 20% off personalized holiday cards with promotion code: Cards20
Also, free shipping on $75 or more with promotion code: Ship75

We will be updating with more deals! Come back soon!

--Kari