Photo: Thinkstock

Besides the obvious benefit of getting designer clothes on sale, the best part about these discount destinations is that you don't even have to get out of your pajamas to get in on the action:

Newly launched this week is Clique To Know, a flash sales website dedicated to luxury brands sizes 10 and up. You'll find high-end labels that will hug your curves in all the right places at prices you can afford. Something to note: these sales last 48 hours (and items only stay in your digital cart for 10 minutes).

One of New York City's best-kept shopping secrets is now available anywhere you can log on. Century 21--a department store and fashion destination for tourists and native New Yorkers alike--features a new set of designers online every Monday and Thursday at a major discount. Need a shopping alert? This site allows you to add future sales to your digital Outlook or iCal calendar with the click of your mouse.

Will you shop these sites? Tell us about your all-time favorite bargain.

For more great deals keep reading:

Find More Deals at Oprah.com's Great Buy of the Day.

Photo courtesy of the Reeve Foundation

After a debilitating injury, most patients want to recover as much of their old life as possible. The desire to buck expectations and prove experts wrong is what keeps many patients committed to rehab.

That's what motivated John Carson, a triathlete who was struck by an SUV during a training ride just a mile from his home in Long Island, New York. He suffered a serious spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic. Carson threw himself into rehab, and (you know where this is going) within a few months, he stunned doctors by slowly, carefully putting one foot in front of the other. Carson still lacks sensation in his feet—his spinal surgeon refers to him as a "walking quadriplegic"—but just one year after his accident, Carson competed in the 2010 Lake Placid Ironman. He then raced in this year's Boston Marathon and, last weekend, in the Coeur d'Alene Ironman in Idaho.

Carson's near-miraculous recovery story provides inspiration for anyone facing insurmountable obstacles. But what really struck us was what Carson decided to do after he exceeded the expectations of his doctors, his family and himself. Carson told The New York Times last week that he was planning to retire from Ironmans after the Coeur d'Alene.

"Racing used to be the most important thing in my life," said Mr. Carson. "But ... this is a very selfish sport. I've done enough. That five or six hours I spend on a bike Saturday mornings, the run on Sunday, I want to take that time I'd be spending out there and put it to better use."

Carson, now 30, told The Times he would rather devote his energy to his wife, his family and his fundraising work with the Reeve Foundation.

It sounds as if his epiphany came not when he lost his physical abilities, but when he regained them. He reminded us that even when we go beyond where we thought we could...we still might need to go a little farther to get where we want to be.

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Photo: Lomography

Celebrate the holiday weekend early with something special just for you...

La Sardina Camera, $59. The nautical packaging is inspired by vintage sardine cans, but instead of fish you'll find 35 mm film inside. Perfect whether you're on land or at sea this summer.

Violent LIps American Flag Temporary Lip Tattoos, $14.99 for 3. Red lipstick is always festive, but for a very patriotic pout come Monday press on one of these.

Simeli Dress Guards, $85. Not only will these colorful crocheted (crocheted!) wheel guards keep your clothes from getting splattered with mud, but they'll instantly dress up your bike. [via Honestlywtf.com]

Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunblock SPF 50, $10.99. No more excuses--now you can reapply every two hours without even drying off. Earning a gold star from your derm has never been easier.

Photo: Thinkstock

Dread walking onto a crowded beach? The typical advice for an uncomfortable situation is to imagine the other people in their underwear. Not so useful when everyone is already practically in their underwear. Luckily, we discovered a new way to get inspired to slip into that bikini or one-piece in time for the holiday weekend. And no, it doesn't involve crunches or a giant coverup.

We found this unique gallery of literary bathing beauties, which includes everyone from blond-blond bombshell Sylvia Plath to the always-debonair Truman Capote (who appears to have accessorized his Speedo with a headband). Next time you get the jitters staring at your itty-bitty bikini, channel your favorite smart (and sexy) writer—after all, Ernest Hemingway obviously wasn't afraid to let it all hang out! And of course, don't forget to pack your favorite beach read.

[via Flavorwire.com]


For more confidence-boosting bathing suit tips, keep reading:

Find the perfect swimsuit for your shape; plus, snag one that's affordable and flattering.

Photo: Thinkstock

You may not have 3,600 people coming for dinner, but Carnival Cruise Lines corporate executive chef Peter Leypold and Cunard executive chef Jean-Marie Zimmerman, whose fleet includes the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth, are used to feeding the masses. Here's what they do when they're staring down 73,180 slices of bacon and 23,600 potatoes.

Cruise ship kitchen: Zimmerman begins cooking some foods a couple of days in advance, such as short ribs.
Your kitchen: Consider making long-braised or roasted meats. They can be made ahead and reheated the day of your event.

Cruise ship kitchen: Leypold knows 70 percent of his guests will order lobster if it's on the menu.
Your kitchen: Most people will splurge at a party, so if you're offering a choice of chicken or steak, prepare by having more steak on hand than chicken.

[After the jump, what you can learn from making soup for 1,100]

Photo: Thinkstock

We always knew Cheetos, those guilty-pleasure snacks which always leave behind telltale orange fingers, were good, but we had no idea they had such potential (and we're nothing if not all about reaching one's potential). Lately, Cheetos have become a darling of the culinary world. First, Saveur magazine put the crunchy, cheesy sticks at the top of its annual list of chefs' favorite tools, ingredients and recipes for 2011 (they ranked ahead of oysters and green coriander seeds). Then, Cheetos started showing up on menus in cities around the country. I'm thinking high-end Cheetos made from artisanal Cheddar can't be far behind.

Here, four restaurants that have been bitten by the Cheetos bug—plus a recipe from one of them.

Restaurant: The Blue Piano, Miami
Cheeto dish: The Chester Cheetah
What it is: Mac 'n' cheese made with Fontina, Edam, burrata and Cheddar topped with a Cheetos crumb topping.

[Next: More ways chefs are using the vending-machine classic]

I have this idea. I've had it for a while. It's a good one. Are you ready? A trampoline amusement park. You're probably thinking, "I want to go there." And you might also be thinking, "Lawsuit waiting to happen." And to that I say...well, it's possible that you're right. The thing about my trampoline amusement park is that I think it would be a fun place to visit, but that doesn't mean I have any desire to invest in real estate or equipment or liability insurance or even, for that matter, the time it takes to do a Google search showing me I would apparently have a number of competitors.