Best Buys -- Greer Wylder

Local watercolor artist and teacher Julie Ann Herrmann is busy selling

her popular 2002 Bloomin’ Years calendars, teaching at the Oasis Senior

Center in Corona del Mar, lecturing for the Art Masters Program in local

elementary schools and selling her “on location” watercolor note cards

with scenes from her world travels. Herrmann began making calendars for

family and friends a few years back, and since it has grown into a

popular calendar, with 600 sold last year. She paints “on location” while

traveling and has note cards with paintings from Africa, Russia, Panama,

Hong Kong, Italy and France. Herrmann’s classes at the Oasis Senior

Center include “Master Artists” -- a program in which students will get

an art history class and will do art projects to go with each artist. The

classes will begin Feb. 7 and will last through March 21 from 9 to 11

a.m. Thursdays. The cost is $45. Artists covered will include Winslow

Homer, Georgia O’Keefe, Vincent VanGogh, Pablo Picasso, Frank Lloyd

Wright and Roy Lichtenstein. Calendar refills sell for $12, calendars

with Lucite frames are $16, calendars with magnets are $16, easel frame

with calendars are $20, six small floral note cards (3 by 5 inches) are

$6, six medium floral note cards (5 by 7 inches) are $12, and six large

“on location” note cards (6 by 8 inches) are $12. Herrmann can be reached

at (949) 760-6693.

A big shoe, handbags and women’s accessories sale is happening at

Garys Per Donna at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Designer shoes

included in the sale are from Cole Haan, Donald J Pliner, Stuart

Weitzman, Pollino, Fieramosca, Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Fendi, Richard

Tyler, Gianni Bravo and Kate Spade. Sale merchandise is reduced up to

60%. (949) 721-5730.

B. Magness Fashion will have its semiannual sale today through Jan 31.

The women’s clothing and accessories store has reduced all sales

merchandise 30% to 50%. It’s in the Newport North Center at MacArthur

Boulevard and Bison Avenue in Newport Beach. (949) 644-4477.

Nordstrom Rack is having a 50%- to 75%-off sale on men’s and women’s

apparel from Nordstrom. Nordstrom Rack is at Metro Pointe Shopping Center

in Costa Mesa. (714) 751-5901.

The Container Store also at Metro Point in Costa Mesa is having a sale

on all Elfa closet organizing equipment. Elfa products are the store’s

best-selling products, and the 30%-off sale happens only once a year. The

products can be easily installed and are guaranteed to cost a fraction of

what professional closet built-ins might cost. Also, the Container Store

offers a free closet planning service. (714) 556-2333.

Saks Fifth Avenue’s finale sale is ending soon. All sale merchandise

is marked down an additional 50% -- for total savings of 60% to 70%.

Included in the sale is women’s designer clothing, sportswear and men’s

clothing. Saks Fifth Avenue is at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. (714)

540-3233.

Shape-Up Fitness Center is offering a six-week trial membership for

$89. At Shape-Up Fitness Center, there are more than 50 group exercises

offered weekly, including Pilates, spinning and yoga. It also offers

child care, free weights, strength training equipment, steam rooms,

micro-dermabrasion and a body and skin center. Shape-Up is at 2101 E.

Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. (949) 760-9335.

The semiannual sale at At-Ease also includes merchandise at the

At-Ease Women’s & Home Store at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

Merchandise is reduced 30% to 70%. On sale are clothing from Zanella,

Barry Bricken, Corbin, Foxcroft, Cutter & Buck, and more. (949) 759-7985.

Ka Hale Tiki (House of Tiki) is a new home accessories store that

specializes in exotic furniture, Hawaiiana, bamboo pieces, tropical decor

and tiki bars. It’s at 878 W. 18th St., Costa Mesa. (949) 642-8454.

* BEST BUYS appears Thursdays and Saturdays. Send information to Greer

Wylder at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, or via fax at (949)

646-4170.