Stila's Cherry Crush

For years we've kept Stila's convertible color in poppy in our bag. It quickly brightens up your cheeks and lips and wakes up a tired face mid-day (or at the end of a long flight). In fact, we intended to pick up a replacement when we stumbled upon the new cherry crush lip and cheek stain. It too has that marvelous double personality. The application is slightly less messy (at least for your lips you can use the brush alone). It contains cherry and pomegranate extracts and has a sweet scent and slight taste as well, both are pleasant. The results: sheer and bright on the apples of our cheeks and similar finish on our lips. We use a gloss over the lip stain since the finish is a bit dry. (Stila recommends using the cherry mint plumping lip glaze, we used Kiehl's Lip Balm #1.) Want to finish the look? Wear liquid black liner in your upper lid only and a healthy amount of black mascara.

Free shipping at Stila on any order that contains Cherry Crush with the code: CHERRYCRUSH.

On Our Radar: Lavo at the Palazzo Las Vegas

The new Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas, the Venetian's sister property, opened the Lavo Nightclub this week. From the people who brought us Tao, Lavo is a three part space, from the lounge which is suited for early evening drinks and bites, to the restaurant specializing in Mediterranean fare from LA star chef Ludo Lefebvre, and finally across the bridge to the second floor nightclub. Open every night except Monday, closing in the wee hours and featuring hot DJ's like Vice, Berrie and Reach, Lavo is on our must list next time we're in town. Better yet, we'll be able to wear some of our fave gold sequin outfits and JSG Anne can have a reason to get that sexy number from Cusp she found.

The Sugarcane Boutique Nightclub also opened this month at the Palazzo. Located adjacent to the Sushisamba, Sugarcane has Latin and Asian influences- think Brazilian graffiti art and Japanese pop music in an industrial space. This one will have to pass inspection before we recommend it.

Have you been to these yet? If so, give us the scoop!

Cusp Gift With Purchase

One of our all-time fave stores, Cusp, is offering an organic tote bag filled with goodies from designers like Tina Turk, Nanette Lepore, Havianas and more (each bag is filled with different treats) when you make a purchase of $400+ now through September 2. Sure beats carrying a plastic bag!




We've been eyeing this Mint Jodi Arnold dress. We love the ombre, the traffic-stopping color, the flattering cap sleeves and the skinny belt.

Charla Krupp Has a Chic Twist on Traveling Outfits

At the launch party for Tide Total Care 7 Signs on Tuesday night, not only did we get to see celebs, including Jamie Lynn Sigler, Vanessa Minnillo and Lindsay Price, up close and personal, and check out the Empire Hotel's roof top bar (by far the coolest NYC hotel bar we've been to this summer with breathtaking sunset views)



we also got to mingle with celeb stylists and designers including Tim Gunn and Richie Rich. Each of the stylists showed off an outfit that was washable.

Our fave? Charla Krupp's. Charla is the author of How Not to Look Old and a frequent contributor to the Today Show.



Charla caught our attention when she explained the outfit she picked was a chic update on the tracksuit and ideal for wearing on the plane. Charla picked this particular Tory Burch sheath dress because, as she says, "Purple is hot for fall." But you don't have to tell us that!

The outfit is available at Bloomingdale's. For more on the event, check out our friend and fellow blogger, Felissa's take.

Lip Gloss That Lights Up

Forgive us the pun, but this truly is one of the "brightest" ideas we've heard of in the world of lip gloss. The Model Co. Lip Lights lip gloss actually lights up as you unscrew the top! The LED light stays lit until you close it up. Not only that, but it has a mirror on the side, so you can actually see how you're applying your lip gloss, no matter how dark the club you're in.

We tried this ourself the other night at NYC's Green Fairy Garden. Not only did it work perfectly, leaving our lips with the perfect hint of shimmer and color, it garnered lots of attention from male and female admirers alike.

We love the Indian Summer, a very wearable, nude color. Available at Sephora.com and on ModelCo.com.au.

A couple of seasons back we gave all our friends, neighbors and stylists Diorshow mascara for Christmas, because we loved it so much. Wouldn't this make a great Holiday 08 gift?

White + Warren: New Carry On Bags

We love White + Warren for their soft and warm, and truly functional cashmere wraps and sweaters. Now, they're entering into the carry on bag market. Our pick is the Traveler (to the left) for its quality and classy looks. Details include a detachable shoulder strap, 5 interior pockets, exterior zipper pockets, tasseled pulls and metal feet.

While the Traveler is the largest of W + W's offerings and the most accomodating for all our airplane goodies, we're also intrigued by the Commuter with its detachable magazine pouch, detachable zippered pouch and separate ID case. Plus, at 19 x 15 in., it's still roomy enough to hold a laptop. The smallest is the Daily with its fair share of bells and whistles.

We were excited to learn that all three bags will be available in October in six bright shades for holiday travel: red, yellow, orange (our pick), turquoise, white and blue.

Prices range from $295 to $495, free shipping on orders over $175. Check out the sale section while you're there for steals and deals!

Remedy for Dull Hair

As much as we love salt spray to create our beach-y waves, what we don’t love about it is how dull it makes our hair. Apparently it’s not just us who has this problem. When we saw our stylist last week, the fabulous Travis at NYC’s Bumble & Bumble, he complemented our tousled, wavy hair (which is a nice way to say air-dried and messy) and asked if we used Bumble & Bumble’s Surf Spray. We responded, “No, because, it makes my hair too…”

“Dull,” Travis replied before we finished the sentence.

So how to beat those doldrums?

Travis recommended we try a dollop of Bumble & Bumble’s Grooming Crème (though any finishing cream will do.) Six days later, we’re still rocking the killer blowout with bend Travis gave us, but we’ll give it a shot this weekend.

Fake Eyelashes for the Stage

Last week we went to see the fabulously naughty Desir. It's the latest offering from the Spiegelworld crew down at NYC's South Street Seaport. (We dare you to say that 5 times fast--a tongue twister if we ever heard one!) It's like a grown up version of the Olympics with gymnasts doing all sorts of sexy risque things that you never saw on the mat in Beijing.

We were super-excited to sit behind Alan Cumming whom we last saw in Cabaret as the Emcee. He would have been equally at home here. We thought it was a bit odd that one of his companions filmed nearly the entire show, but we digress.

Our favorite skit in the show was the Hula Hopper wearing a Josephine Baker-esque skirt of bananas. She's no ordinary hula hooper--she could make that thing go around while suspended in air. For her grande finale she shook 10 at a time! Somehow we managed to take our eyes off of the mesmerizing vision of this hula hooper's hips to notice her gorgeous full lashes. (Well, we are obsessed.)

Lucky for us, we got to mingle with the cast afterwards. Forget the hot gent dressed as a sailor or the other one costumed as a genie. We wanted to find the hula hooper and have her teach us a thing or two.

Turns out her name is Marawa, she is Australian and totally friendly. First off, she told us she uses Ardell lashes that come packaged on a curve band and her favorite models are #101 and #111. Marawa is super-allergic to traditional stage makeup, but likes these lashes as they're made of human hair. She says that because they're curved, they're super-easy to apply. JSG also wants to point out how totally affordable they are: 2 pairs only cost $4.50!



While we were totally enamored of Marawa's lashes, we were at least able to hold it together to get some tips on how she keeps her hula hoop spinning. The secret is to move your hips forward and back NOT side to side. Give it a try--when you do it right, hula hooping can burn as many calories as jump roping and makes your waist tiny!

Review Part 3: Obaji ZO Skin Health

We're set to embark on week 4 of our try out of the new Obaji ZO Skin Health, and...we're starting to see results. The biggest plus is that our brown spots are noticeably fading. (We have 2 on our temple and one near our jaw line.) This is a great improvement for us--we've been considering pricey laser treatments and are thrilled to see them fade. Our skin continues to be as soft as it was in week one. The flaking and breakouts we experienced early on have subsided as well.

What is the jury still out on? Well, our skin tone is still a little reddish (we're Irish/German and have that tendency). And we haven't noticed any improvement in our fine lines.

Our biggest complaint? We do miss a cream moisturizer. The Obaji program includes a gel. We first longed for something thicker after our trip to the beach and that desire for something rich hasn't subsided. There's something so soothing about massaging a luxurious moisturizer into our face and neck before bedtime. Perhaps Obaji could include a complimentary moisturizer. It would help too to have it on those occasions when our skin feels thirsty.

We'll be testing this out for at least one more week, so be sure to check back for updates.

A Peek Inside Madonna's Stylist's Carry On Bag

Fresh from the opening night of Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour, we checked in with Andy Le Compte to see what's in his carry on bag. (He's also Lindsay Lohan's go to mane man and the Sunsilk spokesperson.)

Andy's a traditionalist and carries all of his hair essentials in a traditional brown and white striped makeup bag from Henri Bendel's. The bag was created more than 100 years ago by Mr. Bendel himself, back in the days when travel meant hopping on an ocean liner.




He also uses Bendel's bottles you fill yourself to make all his must-have hair products, including Sunsilk's 24/7 Hydra TLC Creme, travel- friendly.



Both bags are available at HenriBendel.com

Andy always travels with a 1" Chi Ceramic Flat Iron. He likes that it's versatile and he can use it to straighten or curl Madge's hair.

For his personal items, Andy prefers a Smythson of Bond Street Travel Wallet. "I store extra credit cards in here, because you never know when a credit company might put a hold on your account because of suspected fraud. It happens when you travel as much as I do." He also keeps a variety of foreign currency in the zippered wallet. "That way, I always have cash for the taxi when I land."

Not that he's above taking public transportation. Andy relies on the London Tube and carries an Oyster Card with him at all times.

For entertainment, Andy likes to catch up on TV shows. "I'm always getting on to things a little late. Two years ago I discovered Will and Grace. Now I like Gossip Girl and 24." He also likes to watch the movies that the airline is showing.

To watch those episodes or to tune into the plane's movies, Andy prefers Dr. Dre headphones. "My VJ friend, Samantha, gave these to me after my Bose set broke."

Madonna photo from Rolling Stone (tour dates available there as well).

Jet Blue's New Food Court at JFK

New York Magazine gives us a sneak peek at the new food court at JFK's long-awaited Jet Blue terminal that is set to open on October 1. We love that the restaurants are after security--we can't relax till we've gone through that whole rigmarole with our liquids and laptop. This makes getting to the airport five hours early and delayed flights a little more bearable and may just be enough to get us to switch our allegiance from Virgin America for our cross country trips.

Our faves are the modern Deep Blue:



and La Vie, which looks like Pastis in Queens:

Vintage Airline Commercials and Ads

We're glued to Mad Men with the rest of you on Sunday nights and were just as bummed as Don and crew when Sterling Cooper didn't win the American Airlines account. For those who can't get enough of the sexist times or don't really believe it was as bad as the show makes it out to be, check out this compilation of humorous airline commercials from Travel and Leisure. Fortunately, enough time has gone by that we can laugh at the once offensive "Take Her Along" ad from United Airlines where women plead with their hubbies to be allowed to go on the trip. Really? We mean, REALLY? Thank God we live in a time when women can travel--with and without their men!

American Airlines poster courtesy of Allposters.com.

On Our Radar: Vancouver Olympics 2010

Hard to believe, but the Beijing Olympic Closing Ceremonies are set for Sunday. While we've adored watching Michael Phelps and his proud mom, cheering on Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh (They deserve another gold medal for not having a wardrobe malfunction playing hardcore beach volleyball in bikinis) and felt Nastia Liukin's pain at not getting the gold in the individual floor finals, we're the types to look forward, not back. Especially when we're looking at one of our all time favorite cities: Vancouver, host of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

First off, unlike Beijing, Vancouver is pristinely clean. You know Bliss's oxygen facial? Try that times 10. Not only is pollution low, they practically invented the idea of local and organic produce. We shopped at the Granville produce market where we bought cherries as big as peaches (actual photo below) and raspberries so wonderfully organic we were advised not to even rinse them.



We were first introduced to our all time fave Lululemon in Vancouver, before it hit the States. It was love at first site for their comfy and stylish yoga clothes and those oh-so-chic multi-purpose bags.

We stayed at the Pacific Palisades (a Kimpton hotel, of course!), which is handily situated on Robson Street near the shopping. The hotel is connected to the Art + Soul Gallery, which hosts the signature Kimpton complimentary wine hour.

We would also love to stay at the Opus Hotel. We had dinner at its Elixir restaurant, a modern French bistro that uses local ingredients and were suitably impressed. It has been on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List since 2005, so we're pretty confident their rooms pass muster, too.


Vancouver is the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, but don't wait two years to go check out all it has to offer! There's a reason it lands on every list of most livable cities world wide.

Michael Phelps photo courtesy of Hot Jocks of the Day.

Botox on Cruise Ships: Don't Do It!

First a confession: We're committed fans of Botox and Restylane and other fillers. There's nothing like 'em to make you look refreshed and well rested.

Now that we got that out of the way, we can tell you one place we would not get injected: On a cruise ship. Norwegian Cruise Lines introduced the ill-conceived concept at the start of the summer on three of their ships and are due to roll it out fleet-wide this fall. Why is this a bad idea? Well, consider that you need a glossary when getting a blowout from a new stylist. And that's just your hair. A bad blowout can be fixed with a quick shampoo. A bad injection can take months to fix.

But don't take our word for it. We checked in with Dr. David Bank, founder and director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, New York to get his take:

With all injectables,you are creating breaks in the skin. The moment you put a whole in the skin you create potential for something to get in there and get infected. In the doctor's office you’re cleaning with sterile circumstances and are being instructed by your physicians about what to apply, what not to apply, how to make sure nothing gets into openings that could cause infections, etc. It seems like it would be hard to control that on a ship where you have a large number of people in close quarters which is a breeding ground for bacteria. Whether you’re on the ship in the sauna, pool, gym, deck or dining area all of which can be tight quarters with lots of people, or going ashore to islands or new cities, you’re constantly being exposed to bacteria and other infectious agents. [JSG note: Remember the norovirus epidemic of 2003, anyone?]

Dr. Bank continues:
Are there medical charts for each patient? Is the doctor performing the injections? What’s the level of training and supervision? If you’re in international waters whose laws do you apply? Who’s licensed in the middle of the Atlantic ? (I'm licensed in New York ). What happens if something isn’t right after a few days? You may be OK if you’re still on the boat and can go back to the person who you originally saw but what if your trip is over? Who do you go to? There’s no medical follow up. These are still medical procedures that carry with them the standard risk of swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, but you will have no appropriate follow up care.

Consider that you won't even see the effects of the injectables while on your vacation and it becomes obvious what a bad decision this is. Botox takes about 2 weeks before you see full effects. While you can see the effects of Restylane and other fillers immediately, they can cause minor bruising and swelling and can take a few days to settle in.

A better decision? Visit your home dermatologist two to four weeks before your vacation. You know you'll be in capable hands, have somewhere to go for a follow up visit and will be able to enjoy the full results on your vacation.

Fall Shoe Shopping

This is the time of year when we start our fall online window shopping--where we look for items online, usually after 11 at night, that inspire us to mosey on down to the actual store during normal hours. (We've learned the hard way that if we're doing this with a glass of wine in hand, we better be shopping somewhere that accepts returns!)

One item on our list for fall is new knee-high black boots. We stumbled across the above Nanette Lepore shoes (Did you know she designs shoes? We didn't!) These obviously don't fit the bill, but caught our attention, nonetheless. We kinda dig how they feel like a natural extension of this summer's gladiators paired with some granny chic. We see these working with a plaid school girl skirt, anything from L.A.M.B. or a pair of wool shorts and tights. Plus they're called, "Nearly Naked Cut Out Booties", which makes us giggle. Then again, maybe it's the pinot grigio!

Available at Saks.

e.l.f. Cosmetics and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

At the Jo Bros concert Sunday night (no kidding, we were there!), our 10 year old charge, Alex, was applying e.l.f. lipgloss from the handiest little mini tube attached to her cell phone. It was so cute we decided to check out what else they had to offer.

We found this adorable train case designed for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 which comes stocked with 6 shades of lipgloss. Surely there's one to suit each of your girlfriends on your next trip. Better yet, the Sisterhood Travel Kit only costs $15.

We also found this comprehensive Weekender Kit for only $34:

From now until August 31st, you can enter to win a dream trip for two to Greece inspired by the Sisterhood movie worth $4,500!

Discount on 7 Jeans, Tibi, Rebecca Taylor and more

How refreshing: Clothes on sale at the start of the season! Now through August 30 you can get 30 percent off at NYC's Owl's Labs online store. The chic Union Square boutique is a fave of Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jessica Alba and Mariah Carey.

We're crushing on this ruffle-y top from Hanii Y

Simply enter HC08 at checkout. Happy Shopping!

The Best Little Black Dress Ever

We've finally had time to sit down and start reading those fall fashion mags (finishing them is another story--we still have about 2,000 pages to go through!). All the ones we've read so far keep touting the LBD as the look of the season (as if it ever went out of style!). And for good reason--it looks good in every setting, in every city.

We'll let you in on a little secret--the LBD that looks amazing on everyone, we swear! What is it? The Jackie O dress from Black Halo. It has been around for a few seasons, but the classic dress is still being made, if that tells you anything.

Something about the fabric (5% spandex), the cap sleeves, the belted waist and slit up the back makes it a universal winner. Not to mention the juxtaposition of a 1940's classic with a modern asymmetrical neckline.

We've had ours for close to a year and have only worn it twice. We've come to think of it as our "lucky" dress and don't want the charm to wear off.

It's a celeb fave, seen here on Jenny McCarthy, Kelly Ripa and Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz, proving that it does look good on a number of body types from busty Jenny to tiny Kelly to hourglass Ana.

Just be warned: if you put this on, be prepared to cause a commotion when you walk down the block. It's that sexy! Available at edressme.com.

Miu Miu Bowler Bag at a Discount

We're totally jonesing on this Miu Miu bowler bag which looks like it would make the perfect carry on or overnight bag. The small type at the left informs us that it's:

* not widely available until October.
* was featured in the Harper's Bazaar Runway Report Special Issue.
* Is available for $898, a discount from its $1460 retail price at Brooklyn's Consignment by Eva Gentry.


How they got it early and for less, we don't know. What we do know is that if you want it, you should act fast!

Free Mini Zagat's Guide

The only thing we love more than getting something on sale is getting it for free, like the Zagat Out & About with Allergies Guide from GlaxoSmithKline. It has write ups on outdoor dining, nightlife and activities in 20 cities across the country from Atlanta to Chi-Town to L.A., plus tips on how to make traveling with allergies a little more bearable. The guide includes places that are a little off the beaten path, like Chicago's Citizen Bar, shown above. To request a free guide, click here. They're available through the end of the year.

Kiehl's and Derek Lam and Kiehl's and Brad Pitt

Just when we thought we couldn't love Kiehl's anymore, out comes news of not one, but two partnerships we totally support.

First up: Designer Derek Lam designed the above limited edition Travel Kit. "I was thrilled to collaborate with Kiehl's - I've been a fan since I first moved to New York City," says Derek on the Kiehl's website. "Their products blend the traditional and the innovative, and embrace luxury and functionality. When designing the travel kit, I was inspired by Kiehl's elegant simplicity and created something to help make traveling as effortless as possible.”

The kit contains Derek Lam’s favorite travel size products, including Creme de Corps, Creme de Corps Nurturing Body Washing Cream, Amino Acid Shampoo, Formula 133 and Lip Balm #1. The bag has a special pocket for the lip balm. Genius! No more searching at the bottom of the bag for this tiny must have.

The kit costs $225 and is available online and at select NYC, LA and San Francisco stores.

Brad Pitt and Kiehl's



In case the Derek Lam collaboration isn't enough for you, WWD reports today that Brad Pitt has hooked up with Kiehl's to make the new Aloe Vera Biodegradable Liquid Body Cleanser. The body wash, due out in October, is paraben, sulfate and dye free and the bottle is readily recyclable plastic. According to WWD, "100 percent of the net profits from sales of Kiehl’s will benefit JPF Eco Systems, a charitable foundation created by Kiehl’s and Pitt to support global environmental initiatives that 'minimize impact on the environment through thoughtful design.'”



Brad will not appear in any advertising nor is he getting paid. He did contribute his handwriting to the bottle (above). We'll be first in line in October to buy this wash!

Lindsay Lohan's Stylist Gives JSG Hair Tips

By now you’ve probably picked up on the fact that we love ourselves a good blowout. There’s nothing like long, flowing, gorgeous hair to boost our confidence before a girls’ night out or even just an ordinary Monday. We do our best to squeeze an appointment in with one of our favorite hometown stylists, but between mani/pedi appointments, trips to the waxer and a few minutes in a spray tan booth, that doesn’t always happen before we hit the road.

Which means, we often end up with a brand new stylist blowing out our hair. Communicating with someone new about how we want our hair to look can sometimes be a bit tricky. We checked in with celeb stylist and Sunsilk spokesperson Andy LeCompte (he regularly does the tresses of our hair idols Linsday Lohan and Madonna, whose hair he did on Saturday for her 50th birthday party, shown below) for a blowout primer.

It helps to speak the universal language of stylists. So first up, a few words of stylist speak:

Bend: Think Lindsay and her long locks that have wave and bounce at the ends. It’s like a wavy hair, but only at the bottom

Movement: A loose blowdry without any curl, not so bouncy. This blowdry is done with a big round brush. Think Penelope Cruz’s gorgeous locks on the cover of September Glamour, which Andy styled.


Flick: Like movement, depending on how much of a flip you want. Andy recommends doing this with a flat iron.

Now that you’re speaking the same language, a few guidelines about directing your stylist, according to Andy:
1. You’ve heard it before, but bring in pictures. Not just of celebs whose style you like, but also of the outfit you’ll be wearing that night. It’s easy to snap a shot on your iPhone or Blackberry. That way, the stylist can get an idea of what look you’re going for.
2. If you are familiar with the product line the salon uses, it’s great to ask the stylist to use your faves, after all, you know your hair better than he or she does. That said, don’t be afraid to try new things and listen to what the stylist suggests.
3. Give suggestions as to the techniques you know work for your hair. For example, Andy says his sister has naturally curly hair. When she has her hair blow out straight, she knows it comes out better if the stylist starts straightening her hair when it's totally wet—there’s no rough drying for her. So she always asks the stylist to do it this way.
4. Halfway through the blowout if you feel like you’re not getting the look you want, vocalize it. Say something like, “I was hoping for a straighter, sleeker style.” But if the stylist says your hair is going in that direction, chill out and wait to see the results. Odds are, you’ll be happy.


Lindsay photo courtesy of People.
Madonna photo courtesy of The Daily Mail.

ROK Las Vegas to Offer Half Bottle Service

USA Today reported on Friday that ROK, the new club at the New York New York Casino in Las Vegas that opens over Labor Day will offer bottle service with half bottles, starting at $175 plus tax and tip. We love this idea--not only is it great for a small group, but you're no longer tied down to one spot all night because you're broke after paying for one $400 bottle of Kettle One. Here's hoping the idea catches on across the nation.

Surf Lodge Review

As promised last week, we went to the Surf Lodge for dinner on our recent trip to Montauk to see if we sided with the haters or its fans. Well...we loved it! Even our SO, aka the Cranky Gourmand, enjoyed it—and he hates going anywhere entrees crack the $20 mark.

We got there at 7 on Monday and the adorable hostess offered to seat us inside right away (they don’t take ressies). We opted to wait for a table outside, despite her warning that it would be 40 minutes-ISH in a way that made it sound like it could easily be twice that. We weren’t starving and the idea of watching the sunset over the backdoor pond was too appealing to pass up.

Following the advice of a fellow patron, we ordered a “Summer something or other”-- a delicious (and deceptively strong) concoction of Snow Queen Vodka, chardonnay, muddled grapes, simple syrup and lime juice. Our bar tab of the cocktail plus a Corona was $18, which seems perfectly normal to us. We settled in our comfy, deep-backed chairs to watch nature do her thing—and people watch. It definitely has the most interesting crowd in town (read: no families or guys in muscle tees and cutoffs).

Our table wasn’t ready til about 9—so our wait time was close to two hours before we were seated. We had guessed with the hostess’s 40-ish minutes it would have been 90 minutes, but we were in vacation mindset and the extra time didn’t get to us. It helps that we were prepared to wait, and did we mention those Summer-something cocktails?

The food was delish. We wanted to order every salad and appetizer listed on the menu. The entrees didn’t sound quite as appealing. In the end we went with 2 salads (they use the term loosely), one appetizer and an entrée. Our fave was the salad of local roasted corn with nectarines and crab meat.

As for those who complained about the service, our question is: Does any place in Montauk have good service? To whit: We left our Amex at the check in desk of our hotel. We didn’t realize it until a few hours later. After a frantic search, we checked with the front desk. They had it waiting for us. A phone call from them to let us know it was there would have been nice!

Sadly for us, there were no celebs at the Surf Lodge and we didn’t have a chance to check out a room. We do want to point out to those that are thinking of going there for din din, that we went on a Monday. We could see how the place could go off on a Saturday night and potentially be obnoxious. If you ask us, this is just what Montauk needed!

That's Annie, above, after many of those summer cocktails posing with the hotel's vintage Land Rover shuttle. The hotel provides complimentary rides around town to guests.

On Our Radar: (Vicky Cristina) Barcelona

We haven't returned to Barcelona since college when we went to see the Olympics. While we had a fantastic time seeing track, volleyball, water polo, and much more, we saw very little of the city. We chalk it up to an Olympic experience as opposed to a Barcelona vacation. What we do remember is the late (late!) dinners and nights out, the long afternoon siestas, and the red wine and tapas. We've always longed to go back for more of the gorgeous Catalan city.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, the new movie by Woody Allen, opens today starring Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, and Rebecca Hall, and promises to light our interest in Spain once again. Vicky and Cristina are two Americans spending their summer in Barcelona who meet and follow Javier Bardem (who can blame them?) to his home. Penelope Cruz, whose roll in Volver inspired us to take Spanish language classes, is Bardem's ex-wife and crazy, sometime lover. We're hoping Vicky Christina Barcelona proves to be as good on screen as it does in the trailer.

When we make it back to Barcelona, we'd like to stay at the boutique Casa Camper Hotel in the stylish Raval neighborhood close to great shopping and the contemporary art museum. Started by the hipster, Spanish shoe company, Camper, the eco-friendly, non-smoking hotel offers amenities like a 24-hour healthy self service snack bar, the rooms come equipped with separate lounging areas with hammocks, and free bike rentals (one of our fave ways to explore European cities).

Check back for our review of Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

The Best Summer Beach Read

Two days on the beach in Montauk flew by thanks to Tan Lines by J.J. Salem. Seriously, our SO even commented on how non-fidgety and low maintenance we were with our nose buried between the pages. This is definitely the dirty must-read of the summer. We picked it up because our first love, summer must-read author, Jackie Collins, wrote the book jacket review and Cindy Adams called it "smut from the gut".

We stayed with it because it has one of the most attention getting first lines ever. (We know we have some readers under 16, so we won’t reprint it here.) The story line about 3 late 20-something women is not without its flaws, but it’s a confirmed page turner! Just do yourselves a favor and buy the book.

To find out our other summer beach reads, click here.

Review Update: ZO Skin Health from Obagi

Last week we told you how we were starting a new skincare regimen, the new Anti-Age Jump Start Kit, ZO Skin Health from Obagi. The initial results were good: Our skin really was soft as a baby’s-you-know-what, just as Dr. Obagi had promised. This, despite the fact that we were a little flaky around days 3 and 4 and that we had a few breakouts. We wondered if this is what Dr. Obagi meant when he said we might not like the short-term results? To be fair, our skin does tend to get flaky and those breakouts could have definitely been from stress, our hormones or both.

We were at the beach for the weekend, so fell off the wagon a bit when it came to our skincare. We still followed the Obagi regimen in the evening, but somehow, washing our face and applying two other products in the a.m. seemed like a hassle when all we wanted to do was slather on our SPF and hit the beach.

Speaking of the beach, after a day sitting underneath an umbrella on the sand, his products didn’t have enough moisturizing oomph for us. We recognize that not every product is formulated for every situation (that’s why we have a medicine cabinet packed full of different moisturizers and serums), but this left us longing for something richer that would truly hydrate our thirsty post-beach skin.

Now that we’re back from the beach and wanting a pick me up for our skin for fall (our hair, too, but that's a different post), we’ll get back to our Obagi Zo Skin Health Regimen, and continue to let you know how it goes!

Juicy Couture Sleepwear

One of the items we’re most likely to forget to pack on a girls’ getaway is a comfy nightie or PJ’s. Probably because we don’t own much that’s not lacy, frilly or otherwise meant to seduce our man. Either that or we just love lounging around in hotel robes that much. Juicy Couture to the rescue!

The girls who made track suits chic are now taking on the world of sleep with a line called “Choose Sleep”. They’ve launched the line with a bunch of adorable camis

and PJ pants.

We do love the robe, too, but can’t see it fitting in our luggage.

If you’re in NYC tonight, stop by Bloomies for the Juicy Couture/Teen Vogue launch party with sweets and surprises! It’s from 6-8.

Which magazine has the best fall fashion?

It’s that time of year again, when magazines as big as phone books land on our doorsteps chock full of the best fall fashions. Yesterday, both the NY Post and the NY Daily News reviewed the various September issues. We’re a little behind on our magazine reading (our mags have yet to catch up with us after our recent move), but we know from our Twitter friends that Lucky deserves more than the 2.5 lips and 2 hangers it got from each paper respectively.

What do you think? Got a favorite September issue?