Christian Louboutin and Havaianas

Who would have thought that Christian Louboutin, mastermind behind all those teetering red stilettos would have such affection for Havaianas? That's just what he divulged to Brazilian mag Veja when interviewed before the opening of his first store in San Paolo. He has a staggering 30 to 40 pairs of his own.

When asked, "How many pairs of shoes does a woman need?" He responded, "Every woman should own three pairs of shoes- high heels, flat shoes, and Havaianas." We agree, at least if you're referring to packing for your girls' getaway!

On Our Radar: Prime Italian Miami

We can't remember a trip to South Beach when we didn't indulge in a great steak dinner at Prime 112. It has everything: good decor, celebrity sightings and people watching, a crowded bar, and most importantly fantastic food. The people behind P112 have opened another restaurant just across the street, Prime Italian. They still offer up plenty cuts of beef; but this spot has a definite Italian lean: Kobe beef meatballs, brick oven pizza with Maine lobster or ribeye, prosciutto with honey crisp apples, blue cheese and walnuts, and chicken parmesan soup.


The interior resembles its big brother's with masculine furnishings and dark wood; but takes on a more modern feel, especially with the prominent red leather chairs. The bar looks like the perfect spot to order up dirty martini-pickled onions hold the olives.

Is a restaurant alone enough to pull us down to Miami? We'll let you know when we book our plane seats.

101 Ocean Drive
South Beach, Fl.
305/695-8484

photos courtesy of thrillist (also a great review)

Celebrity iPods for Sale

As anyone who went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras earlier this week knows--the city is recovering, but still has a long way to go. That's why we love the Tonic's iPod Auction series to benefit Music Rising, a non-profit that supports the musical culture of the Gulf Coast. The group has partnered up with an impressive list of designers, rock stars, actors, supermodels and dignitaries to autograph an iPod and upload a personalized playlist. New iPods will be up for auction each week, now through August. A few of the many A-listers participating are: Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Madonna, the Edge, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Affleck, Bill Clinton and Warren Buffet.

Here's what's on Marc Jacob's Playlist. The auction on his iPod (shown above) ends next week and bidding is already past $300. Can't wait to see where it ends!:

1. Poker Face (Lady Gaga)
2. Circus (Britney Spears)
3. Bounce (Timbaland)
4. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
5. Borderline (Madonna)
6. Goo (Sonic Youth)
7. Tears Dry On Their Own (Amy Winehouse)
8. Suzanne (Leonard Cohen)
9. Kool Thing (Sonic Youth)
10. No Scrubs (TLC)
11. Big Pimpin (Jay Z)
12. Fell In Love With A Girl (White Stripes)

Michelle Obama Goes Sleeveless

We love the Narciso Rodriguez dress Michelle Obama wore on Tuesday night, it's our favorite color afterall; but she's gotten criticism for going sleeveless in D.C. in February. Yes, Michelle Obama was at the Congressional Address and yes, most everyone there was in a boring Washington power suit (kudos to Nancy Pelosi for choosing that cool shade of green); but she's doing a great job of picking what looks great on her. Ladies, we all know that means showing off your best assets and she has great arms. Better yet, we hear they come after hard work and sessions with a trainer, not good genes alone. Let's face it if she were showing too much cleavage or too much leg like Jill Biden at the Inauguration there would be a lot more uproar. Let's not forget Mrs. Obama got tons of slack for wearing a sweater over another Narciso Rodriguez dress on election night and she was outside in Chicago in November. She's got it hard trying to please everyone.

Photo courtesy of Instyle.

You'll find us going sleeveless in ridiculously cold weather, after all, that's why we wear coats and on really cold nights, layered underneath with a cardi we take off once we arrive at our destination. And our arms don't come close to Michelle Obama's either. Check her out wearing Tracy Reese on the cover of People. It's another great shot of her guns.

A Peek Inside a Flirtexter's Carry On Bag

JSG has gotten in trouble a few times over a text message--for drunk texting boys we shouldn't, for slurring over a text message (Yes, it's possible. Don't ask how we know.), and most recently for not sending a text message to check in with the SO on our most recent girls' trip. So here's a book on our must-read list: Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart. We suggest you study up on it too!

We checked in with co-author Debra Goldstein to see what she has in her carry on. Not surprisingly for the author of a book on flirting in the digital age, she's heavy on the technology:

My Lanvin Padova tote is super chic and the perfect size to throw all of my various forms of entertainment in. I hate being bored. My biggest fear is being stuck at the airport with nothing productive to do. That’s why I fill my carry-on with lots of different things that can keep me entertained if my flight gets delayed.

Deb keeps her iPod fully loaded. Here's a small sampling of what you'll find on it:


For music, I like Kings of Leon, Jazmine Sullivan, Kanye, Coldplay, T.I., M.I.A., Michael Jackson, Jay Z, Beyonce, Raphael Saadiq, Akon, U2, Adele, Usher, Citizen Cope.


Besides music, my favorite thing to listen to on my iPod when I travel is Mitch Hedberg. I’ve listened to his stand-up comedy routine’s hundreds of times and continue to laugh hysterically.


Recently I’ve become a huge fan of political comedy. Right now I’m obsessed with the Colbert Report and the Daily Show with John Stewart. I always download their latest shows before going on a trip.

For movie’s, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is an underrated classic. Hawaii, humor, hot bodies. What more can you want from a comedy? I also like Transformers. I’m a big Shia Labeouf and Optimus Prime fan. What can I say?

When inspiration strikes I like to have my laptop around so that I can write about it. So if you are a hottie-bo-body and sit next to me on a plane, beware. I may be blogging about you as we fly.


My Blackberry 8830 is great for flirtexting, bbm’ing, e-mailing, facebooking, and making calls…and in that order.

I just started reading a book that came recommended to me called The Luxe by Anna Godberson. I was told it’s like a Gossip Girl set in the 1900’s in NYC. Very excited to delve in!



Cocoa butter lip balm is by far my favorite beauty find of all time! It leaves your lips super- moisturized and with a glossy glow. I end up buying 20 at a time because whenever I let someone borrow mine they end up taking it. But I don’t mind since they only cost 99¢ at the drug store!



I’m a warm weather kinda girl. I try to travel to tropical places as much as possible. These Tom Ford's sunglasses are my favorite because they never seem to go out of style.

Check back next week, when we peek inside the carry on of Olivia
Baniuszewicz, the other half of Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart.

Lippmann Collection Start Me Up Set

From JSG's Hope: It's hard to believe that I haven't had my nails done since Christmas. Between the two of us, I'm the one who loves to have a weekly mani/pedi (Anne's the one who gets the blowouts). But in an effort to be more economical I've been doing my own nails. Let's just say, it's pretty obvious to anyone who's seen them. That's why I was so excited to get my hands on this all-in-one Lippman Collection Start Me Up Set. It features everything you need for a do-it-yourself manicure. I start with the 4 sided Smooth Operator Nail Buffer, then the Cuticle Remover, the 2 Second Nail Primer (which rids the nails of oils that might sabotage a good paint job), the Rehydrating Base Coat, the easy to wear but light-for-me Baby Love Nail Lacquer, and the super shiny On a Clear Day Top Coat. I finish with the Cuticle Oil which is out of the recommended order; but it works for me and I love the tropical smell from the jojoba oil.

I just learned Kate Winslet was wearing Baby Love at the Oscars. There's one more reason to covet the set.

I'll definitely be bringing this along on our next girls' trip. The entire kit including the buffer is housed in a cute light blue striped bag and the small bottles fall under TSA volume requirements.

At $39, roughly the cost of a budget salon's mani/pedi, or a manicure alone at a fine salon, you get all of these products. Considering how many times I've used the set, I think I've saved up at least enough for a new pair of boots, no?

You can find the Start Me Up Set at Nordstroms or Lippmann Collection.

Salma Hayek's Wedding Lingerie

While we're on the subject of stores we plan on visiting on our next travels, here's one more we'll definitely hit on our next trip to Paris: Vannina Vesperini. Rumor has it that no other than sultry Salma Hayek shopped at the sexy lingerie boutique prior to her Valentine's Day wedding to Monsieur Francois-Henri Pinault. Hey, if it's good enough for Salma...


Available stateside at Faire Frou Frou. Word of warning: All that seductiveness ain't cheap!


For other risqué stops in the City of Lights, check out Naughty Paris.

Salma Hayek photo courtesy of People.com

Penelope Cruz in Balmain from Lily et Cie

When watching the Oscars the other night, all our twitter friends were aghast when Penelope Cruz said, not only that she was wearing a 60-year old Pierre Balmain dress, but she had first spied it in a store 8 years ago! LizaJane411 tweeted: 8 years and that dress was still there, where in a museum? and how did she still fit into it I mean she deserves an award for that! JSG, too, was solidly in the camp of doubters on that story, until now.

Thanks to the investigative work of Sxy Fashion Queen, we understand the history of both the stunning Balmain dress and Lily et Cie, a store we are putting on our itinerary of our next west coast jaunt. Yet even though we now get the history of Penelope Cruz's frock, it doesn't change our opinion of it (which several of our Twitter friends shared): It looked like a wedding dress, but we give Penelope major props for the eco-friendly dress.

What to Pack for a Cruise

We met our friend Steve over ten years ago when we lived in San Francisco. He's a true cruise expert, logging 13 trips in the past eight years and recently becoming a cruise travel agent. We asked him to let us know what to pack for a 7 day cruise with the caveat that his wife Elaine pitch in. Here's what he had to say:

Packing for a cruise is a little different than packing for a land vacation. One big distinction is that for a cruise, you’ve got to pack both casual clothes for daytime wear and dressy clothes, including formal wear, for the evenings. For a 7-night cruise, most mainstream cruise lines will have two formal nights. So ladies will need to dress to the nines, which means packing your best cocktail dresses or floor length gowns. Also, my wife always brings a wristlet purse, just big enough to fit her lipstick and her room key (which is used for all onboard purchases).

For men, you’ll need a nice suit, or you can do what I do – bring the tux! I realized right after my first cruise that I should add a tuxedo to my wardrobe for all of my future cruises. The tux really impresses the wife, and you feel like James Bond after dinner when you sit down at the blackjack table. I recently added the white dinner jacket to my repertoire, which gives me a different look on the 2nd formal night. For the rest of the cruise, the main dining room will have a “smart casual” dress code, which means no jeans or shorts. If you must wear jeans or shorts, you can eat at the lido buffet. So you’ll need to pack clothes that are appropriate for the casual nights in the main dining room. And I do highly recommend going to the dining room on most every night as it is by far a better alternative to the buffet.

So that handles the clothes, but what else should you pack? Here’s my list of other not-so-obvious things that I suggest you put in your suitcase:
Alarm clock. The only clock in the cabins is on the phone, and in the middle of the night, it is impossible to read the clock. This is especially important if you are booking an inside cabin, as there will be no sunlight coming into the room at all and you have no idea what time of day it is.
MP3 player and speakers: It’s nice to bring along your own tunes to enjoy in your cabin. I like using mine while the wife is putting herself together on formal nights.
Power strip: If you need to plug in your iPod, video camera, cell phone, or any other electronic gadgets, this is especially helpful as most cabins only have two plugs you can use at a time.
Drinks: The cruise line will usually allow you to bring on some sodas or waters. So if your favorite brand is not available to purchase on the ship (or if you want to avoid paying $2 for a can of Coke), bring your own onboard. Also, although it is definitely not allowed by the cruise lines, some of you might be inclined to bring onboard some alcohol that you can enjoy on your private balcony during sail aways. Now I am not suggesting you do this, but if you must, be sure to put your alcohol-contraband into your checked luggage, otherwise it will likely be confiscated from you if you attempt to carry it on. (One JSG bought liquor at the duty-free shop on board and kept it in her room.)
Costumes: This one is recommended for groups. Cruise lines don’t have official costume parties, but my friends and I have enjoyed creating our own theme nights. Pirate night was a lot of fun, and Gilligan’s Island won me a free trip to Mexico.
Your Passport: This is a given, you will need this for every cruise or else you will be denied boarding.

So now that you know what to pack, what are you waiting for? Gather you girlfriends, significant other, or whoever and plan a trip on the high seas. Bon voyage!

You can contact Steve at cruisersteveh@gmail.com if you're interested in booking a cruise, have some pressing questions or want more information on cruises in general.

Kate Winslet's Hair and Makeup at the Oscars

We're constantly in awe of Kate Winslet's style and beauty. For the Oscars on Sunday night, Frederic Fekkai's Renato Camporo gave Kate "a modern day Grace Kelly" look.

To recreate her hair: Start by applying Fekkai More All Day Density Styling Whip on wet hair. Blow-dry smooth with the Fekkai Extra Large Round Brush to create some volume. Then use a one inch curling iron and let it set for 20 minutes. Brush it through and use the Fekkai Coiff Magnifique Ultra Light Finishing Creme at the ends to help roll hair under. Finish with Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray.

Products are available at Frederic Fekkai.

Her makeup: Jillian Dempsey used Lancome and Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro products to create a classic, natural look. First she used Lancome La Base Pro Primer, then brushed Lancome Brow Expert in Naturel on her brows. She used Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro Eyeshadow Trio in Ice Shimmer on her eyes and Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro Mascara in Black on her lashes. She finished by using Lancome Color Fever Lipstick in Old Flame for a soft, matte finish.

Angelina Jolie's Hair at the Oscars

We have a love-hate relationship with Angelina. She's so undeniably gorge we love her. And that's exactly why we hate her, too. Does she always have to look so effortlessly fab? Well, here's some good news: She did put some effort into her hair last night--or at least celeb stylist David Babaii did. And JSG got the dish straight from David:


I sprayed Angie’s entire head with David Babaii for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray and scrunched it into the hair (this gives just the right texture and hold).

Next, I dried her hair by dividing her tresses into 3 sections: top, sides and back leaving the nape area free. Taking small sections starting at the nape, I used the David Babaii for WildAid Blow Dryer with the nozzle attachment and finish the drying process with a large round brush to smooth hair straight. At the crown area, I sprayed David Babaii for WildAid Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier to the root area and down the hair shaft. Then, I dried this section with a jumbo round brush to add lift and volume.

Once dry, I sectioned the hair again using the same sectioning process as I did for blow drying. Using the David Babaii for WildAid Styling Iron, I once again sectioned the hair into 3 sections: top, sides and back leaving the nape area free. To curl, use the Styling Iron to create “ribbon curls” by taking small “V” shaped sections. To achieve, I wrapped the hair around and inside the styling iron close to the scalp area and pull the iron down (similar to curling ribbon).

After curling the entire head, I smoothed some of the curls with a brush while leaving some intact. At the crown area, I back-brushed the hair at the scalp area only, sprayed some additional Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier and gently smoothed the surface not to remove too much of the back-brushing. Next, to create her half-up, half down look, I brushed the sides up and back and secured with pins. To complete the back, I ran my fingers up several curls to create volume and variations in texture. For a long but natural lasting hold, I used David Babaii for WildAid Mise en Plis Light Styling Spray.

To complete the look, put on 115 carat Lorraine Schwartz emerald earrings, grab your equally stunning hubby and go!

Oscar Fashion

Red carpet fashion didn't disappoint last night. The Best Actress winner and our favorite was Kate Winslet (why save the best for last) wearing a two tone, steel blue and black, YSL dress. Her hair was back and off her face in a "modern Grace Kelly" coif. Check back later today for the details of her hair and makeup.

A close runner up was Natalie Portman in an orchid Rodarte gown. The photo doesn't do justice to the perfect fit and color that was pink without being too sweet.

There was a good amount of red last night. Amanda Seyfried's hair and chunky necklace complemented the clean lines of her Valentino dress.

Amy Adams balanced this huge Fred Leighton necklace with her pulled back hair and sexy Carolina Herrera dress.

Heidi Klum has been wowing us this awards season; but not last night. Her modern Roland Mouret gown was too hard and the slit too high. Her chunky jewelry (huge earrings and too many bracelets) was over done and the matchy shoes looked prom-ish.

The were a lot of light colored dresses as well. Anne Hathaway, who knows how to work the carpet, wore a silvery Armani Prive gown covered in little silver paillettes which fit perfectly and flattered her pale skin and dark hair.

Taraji P. Henson wore a Cavalli gown with small soft tiers of fabric. Her perfect bob and chunky necklace (which looks the same as Amanda Seyfried's) were a great match.

Jessica Biel caught serious slack on Twitter for the sloppy hair; but at a distance and in pictures we think it looks good. Her Prada dress is attractive; but has just a bit too much volume and covers her fab figure, which sparked preganancy rumors throughout cyberspace.

Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP

Poor Gwyneth Paltrow. She just can't seem to catch a break with her GOOP blog. The NYTimes is the latest to join the list of detractors for her blog. As for JSG, we're on the fence. Gwyneth is undoubtedly a style icon: We're both still fawning over her sequined dress at the Grammy's and the boyfriend sweater she paired it with and we need to know where/how she got that fabulous tan in the most recent Tod's ad that's running in W and other magazines this month. Not to mention that we're envious over her marriage to the increasingly good looking Chris Martin (Let's hope the rumours of trouble in paradise aren't true....On second thought, let's!)

But back to GOOP. While we do appreciate some of her travel advice, her pick of cashmere socks for a Christmas gift was a little lame, and we're still not going to try the master cleanse no matter what Gwynie says.



We think Julia Roberts in the March issue of Allure got it right. She expressed interest when the reporter told her about Gwyneth's blog, but said dispensing that kind of advice "Would be my last instinct on the planet." That's right Julia, leave blogging to the regular people!

Pamela Anderson and Richie Rich

We had a request for more shots of Pamela Anderson at the Richie Rich show. Here's the only other one we got of Pam sporting that gold sequined bathing suit. For a few more, look at NY magazine's recap of the Richie Rich Show.

Richie Rich Fall '09

Pam Anderson made the final walk with Richie Rich, only we thought she was an impersonator. Sorry Pam!

Hope and June backstage before the show:

Hair by Tresemmé's Jeanie Syfu
Makeup by MAC. We asked why they used a bold eye and lip (usually it's just one or the other) and their response was that in times of recession, women tend to wear more makeup. You can have a richer face even if your not so rich yourself. This means more foundation, more blush contour, darker eyes, and bright lips. It looks very 80's to us.

Creative Nail Designs Hot Hop Pink and Wild Fire.

.

On Our Radar: Fairmont Pearl Acapulco

Those close to us know that we've been craving a beach getaway badly. While it's easiest to hop a short flight to Miami; we're contemplating Mexico instead. We've been tempted since we watched Sex and the City and can imagine ourselves in the sun with a few of our besties. Our friend, Deana, just returned from the Cancun/Riviera Maya area and her flight was only 3 hours and direct from Dulles. You can expect to read more about our planning in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, we found a great deal from the Fairmont Pearl in Acapulco (not as close to Eastcoasters, but a quick trip for our friends out West) courtesy of Travel + Leisure. The Hip to Hip Spring package is a 50% savings and includes 5 nights for the price of 4 and a 60 minute couples massage (we assume they'd extend that to girlfriends too) for $1,200. Just add some margaritas and a couple of pool-side lounge chairs and we're sold. Check the Fairmont website or call (866-540-4401).

Marchesa Fall '09

The Marchesa show is always one of our faves: It has gorgeous Oscar-worthy gowns, celebs galore and the best champagne. It no doubt helps that designer Georgina Chapman (below right, with co-designer Keren Craig) is married to Harvey Weinstein.


The presentation featured lots of tulle and ballerina-inspired looks:

Hope would like to top her next Christmas tree with this:

Happy to see that purple is still in play for next fall. We still love it--and this fur-trimmed coat.


The models were fed peanuts throughout the hour long presentation, so the girls didn't pass out.


Marchesa's clothes are tailor-made for a presentation and the designers have been doing it that way for years.

We love that you can get close enough to see the gorgeous detailing--like the lace on the above dress.


And these Cinderella-inspired Louboutin's:


Annie was most excited to see Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen:


While Hope appreciated the more old school Helena Christensen:

A Peek Inside Plush Junkie's Carry On

One of our favorite new blogs is Plush Junkie, where they, "believe that life is delicious and should be indulged daily." We're not going to argue! Edited by Jules and Jahnel, the ladies always leave the wittiest comments on our blog, so we had to know how they travel. Jahnel Curfman (above) is a professional dancer (a former Laker Girl)! and an actress. She just returned from New Zealand where she was working on a feature film, and is headed to Telluride next week to snowboard with her man. Here, Jahnel's must-have for her travels:

My See by Chloe Charlie Weekend Bag loves to see a vacation as much as I do because it works just as hard during the week. When I'm running around to auditions, rehearsals, and meetings it holds outfits, shoes, make-up, portfolios, you name it. I call it my Mary Poppins bag because it really does hold THAT much stuff.

* Passport. Even if it's a short flight to Vegas I have it. Because one never knows when they'll be whisked away to some exotic, foreign locale. Call it being prepared.

* Mustela Hydra Bebe Hydrating Cream. It's extremely light but, keeps my skin hydrated for hours in the high altitude air. (JSG note: Mustela's Hydra-stick is one of our all time fave lip balms.)

*Evian Mineral Water Spray. A quick spritz and I feel refreshed, even after the red eye.

*My Molton Brown Cashmere Travel Throw is the next best thing to Frette linens at The Four Seasons. It's luxurious and warm and (the best part) I'm not wrapping myself up in someone else's germs. Ick!

* Stacks of fashion mags, The L.A. Times, and a book or two. I'm always reading several at a time but, right now I can't get enough of Sophie Kinsella. I love mindless chick lit, like Remember Me?, that let's me indulge my girly side.

*My ipod, a silky sleep mask, and Tylenol for when I fly first class because I can never resist the yummy (free!) champagne.

Miss Sixty and No Frizz Backstage Fall '09

Stylist Ward Stegerhoek used No Frizz products backstage at Miss Sixty on Sunday to create a Rocker Chic look. "Ward wanted body but no frizz. Funky yet fashionable." First he used NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl Defining Shaping Spray to style the hair and NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl Defining Shaping Cream to twist the hair and make it appear rough and stringy.

We're still using NO FRIZZ products weeks after first testing them. If you haven't heard about Living Proof's products (in Allure, Lucky or JSG), the company was formed by MIT scientists and the frizz fighters use a technology new and different from the silicone stand-bys. We use the Straight Making Styling Cream most days and the wave-shaper when we're looking for a beachy look (curly, messy but no frizz). NO FRIZZ is available at Sephora.

Halston Fall '09

Can't make it to New York Fashion Week? You can still check out the Halston Video presentation of the sexy fall line. Now, if only we could live in a world where it rains shoes!

New Bus Service DC to NYC

Tripper Bus began service this weekend from DC to NYC, specifically from Arlington, Va. and Bethesda, Md. to 34th and 7th Ave (across from the H&M, shoppers). We've already tested Vamoose with mixed results. Tripper promises new buses, comfortable seats, outlets, and WIFI; not to mention $1 fares. Unfortunately, when we poked around the website, fares available for the next two weeks ranged from $5 to $25, still a good savings over the train or plane. JSG's Hope is headed to NY to join Anne for Fashion Week and this may be her easiest way there. Check back later in the week for a review.

Three As Four Fall '09 Backstage

ThreeAsFour is known for its curve and spiral fashions, so when designer Adi Gil wanted to go with linear designs, MAC makeup artist, Gordon, was inspired. "We originally discussed doing asymmetrical eyeliner with Gil, the designer, where every model would have a different look on each eye." But that was too crazy, so we pulled it back, says Gordon. Instead, he opted for an "other worldly image. A futuristic angel with highlighted mineralized sink finish." Gordon used the MAC Pearl Cream Color Base on lids, brow and even the cupid's bow of the lip. "Wherever you want the face to be highlighted." His idea for modern makeup is to skip the shading with concealers and instead, opt for highlighting. "The new `no makeup look' is highlighting the good parts of the face'".



Gordon was also dealing with the challenge of a presentation versus a show: "At a presentation, people get up close with the models, so the look needs to work from that angle." (Below: one of the MAC makeup artists preps a model.)


For the hair, Ashley Javier, was emphasiszing the sleekness of the clothes. "We used mesh hoods with Swarovski crystals". To create the modern look, he wrapped hair around the skull in a spiral, using Kerastase cream. He then added a blond or stark black pony, cut on an angle. "It was very asymmetrical, very 80s."

Vena Cava Fall '09

As bloggers, we appreciate the presentation concept because it allows us to take better photos and get up close and personal with the models. We love the striking Silky Orange Liquid Shadow Vincent Longo used on the model's eyes.

The British Racing Green polish by Butter London is on our must get list. Too bad it's not available until fall, exclusively at Beauty.com.

Stylist Ted Gibson (shown below with our friend The Makeup Girl) created a Rockabilly Chic look for the hair.


"I want it to look like the girl went out one night, goes to work the next day, then is going out again. Except she wants a different look--wants to be someone else. So she teases it and gels the sides back."


More of the looks from the presentation:



Anything sparkly always catches our eye. Love how the cardigan makes this dress work for daytime:


Cutout dresses are a disturbing trend we've seen at many of the shows. JSG does not approve.

Charlotte Ronson Fall '09

Over at Charlotte Ronson the vibe was very 1940s with "wartime looks" mixed with lots of black leather and occasional splashes of plaid.

For the nails, Dashing Diva nail expert Alisha Rimando offered up three choices of dark red shades to Charlotte, who went with the aptly named "Jet Set". "Charlotte wanted something with some shimmer, but not too much," says Alisha. "Jet Set was the perfect choice." (JSG couldn't agree more!)




For the hair, Sebastian lead stylist Thomas Dunkin (below) wanted to bring the 40s feel into the hair. He did that with a super shiny ponytail using Sebastian Shine Define flexible hold hairspray and Liquid Gloss for added shine. We would have liked to have seen 40s finger waves, but understand that the show is more about the clothes than the hair.




We didn't have a chance to interview MAC makeup artist Luc Bouchard, but we're told he pressed Chestnut and Nightmoth Lip pencils onto the lips to stain to get that striking burgundy hue.

Since this was Charlotte Ronson's show, the celeb quotient was high. Lindsay Lohan (pictured below) was there with girlfriend Samantha Ronson, who spun 40s swing tunes for her sister's show.



Peaches Geldof and hubby Max Drummey were there:


Charlotte's sister Anabelle Dexter Jones walked the show and her brother Mark and mom, Ann Dexter Jones, were also there to show their support.



For the complete Charlotte Ronson Fall '09 line, check out Style.com. For more affordable fashions from Charlotte, take a peek at her I Heart Ronson line for Penney's.

Rag & Bone Fall '09

Backstage at Rag & Bone, Revlon artistic director (and spouse of Rag & Bone designer David Neville) Gucci Westman filled us in on the "Samuri Storm Tropper" makeup she did for the show (seen above on a pre-outfitted Sasha Pivovarova):

"I wanted luminous skin and enhanced natural features," Gucci (shown below) says. To create the look, she used Revlon's cream blush in Rosy Glow and Blushing Mauve after applying a skin brightening Shiseido mask. For the lips, she used a tomato red lipstick that will be out in the fall (we need to double check the spelling, but we believe it's Moiré Red). "I dabbed it on with my fingers, like a stain." On the eyes, she used Revlon Creme Shadow and 3D Extreme Mascara.


For the hair, Frederic Fekkai lead stylist, Teddy Charles, aspired for a no fuss, no muss look. "I want it to look like the girl came in from outside, I open up my pin box, put her hair up. Then she puts on the clothes on and goes out to the runway," Teddy (shown below) says. To create the look, Teddy styled the hair into a lose pony, twisted the tail around in a messy bun with the tip out and finished with Fekkai Sheer Hold Spray. "I didn't tease or curl it. It looks like the girl did it by herself."




We drooled over the Manolos that were featured in the show.



Here's Sasha with her finished look walking down the runway. For all the looks from the show, check out Style.com.

Abaete Fall '09

We love when shows feature makeup and hair that we can actually wear. Beauty.com's Makeup artist Tina Turnbow was inspired by 18th century equestrian men and used Tarte cosmetics to create the bare faced look seen above.

"This is the first time I used a man as inspiration," says Turnbow (below). "It's a soft, feminine, no makeup look."


Look like you've been horseback riding
She gave models a glowy look by applying Claudalie beauty elixer all over the face, before using Tarte's tinted moisturizer. Tarte's Blushing Bride Cheek stain gave models the slightly flushed cheeks of a woman who had just been riding a horse. To create more of a glow on the face, she used Tarte's Borba Liquid Sunshine gloss on the brow bones and lids. Tina assured JSG that this is a look we can all try at home: Apply the gloss with a thin brush very close to the lash line and add a teardrop in the corner of the eye. This will add a nice shimmer. Because the gloss is sticky, it won't move and get in your eyes.



Rock a 200 year old hair do
David Cruz for Redken styled the hair using a photo of an 18th Century French dandy. "I recreated the hair do of a portrait I saw," he says. David teased the hair in the front and styled a french braid with a bow in the back. "The teasing is all in the wrist--you need to do it really strong at the root," David says.



As for the clothes--our favorite was this gray and sequined dress.

For all the looks from the collection, check out Style.com.

Alexander McQueen for Target Pop Up Store

Our favorite party of fashion week is always the one that Target throws--and last night's for the Alexander McQueen for Target Pop Up Store was no exception. The store at 330 West Street at West Houston (just south of Houston Street on the Westside Highway) is open today an tomorrow from noon til 10 pm. Last night's party featured a performance by Duke Spirit, the Brit punk band that inspired the collection.



The large warehouse was tricked out with chain link fences and graffitied walls to tie in with the theme of the rocker clothes.


We bought the much sought after one shoulder dress. Though in the light of day, we're not so sure about the fit. If you're looking for the dress in a size 5, let's talk.



We LOVE the T-shirt dress. We plan on wearing it with a big black waist cinching belt, bright pink tights and black booties. The T-shirt with the same print was definitely the hottest item of the night. JSG couldn't even get our hands on one.




Here's the tattoo t-shirt. We heart the print, but the fit is nonexistent. We plan on slicing and dicing ours up into a more flattering halter top.



One last photo of JSG's Annie and friends on the red carpet for good measure. We saw January Jones at the party and heard that Whitney Port and Amanda Bynes were in attendance as well. Not quite up to last season's A-List sighting, but still pretty good!

Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum

When the venerable Mario Badescu launches a product, you know it has to be good. The 40 year old skin care company doesn't just change up its packaging so it has something new on drugstore shelves, it actually spends time researching and creating something of quality. That's why we can't wait to try out the new Mario Badescu Vitamin C serum. As you've probably heard, Vitamin C is an excellent free radical fighter that brightens and tightens skin. The serum is so potent, you only need a few drops every other day. Sensitive girls can use this, too: it has soothing aloe, cucumber and lavendar.

Available at Mario Badescu.

Diane von Furstenberg Show and American Express

Yes, our love affair with DVF continues. This time because she's making her fashion show available to regular people--or at least regular people with an an Amex Card and $150 to spare. Our favorite designer is re-showing her Spring/Summer collection along with pieces from her Fall '09 collection in Bryant Park on February 19 at 9 pm. Before the show, she'll have a sit down with Vogue's Andre Leon Talley.

For tickets, log on to American Express.

Cusp Giveaway

On Saturday, you don't have to wait for a guy to hand over something sweet, just head to Cusp! Neiman's hip little sister is handing out special gift boxes (while supplies last) from 1:00-4:00 Saturday when you mention this blog post. Five lucky ladies will receive gift cards worth $250 in the boxes. Use yours to snatch up this Vera Wang top:

a fresh pair of white Joe's Jeans:


a new dress in hot-for-spring cobalt blue by Rag & Bone (we want this for fashion week!):

Cusp has stores in Century City, Georgetown, Northbrook, Il., Chicago, Tysons Corner, and Chestnut Hills, Ma. Happy shopping and good luck!

Discount Fashion from J.C. Penney

Tuesday night we stopped by the J.C. Penney Spring Fashion Show. No, that's not an oxymoron--J.C. Penney's has some totally covetable and totally affordable styles this spring.

Our faves of their designer lines were the Nicole Miller and I Heart Ronson.

Here are a few of Nicole's beach-y looks, perfect for South Beach:



And Charlotte's Rocker Girl Style, which we may try on our next trip to L.A.:




And at J.C. Penney's prices, we'll still have enough left over to take those trips!

Confessions of a Shopaholic Movie Review

We saw Confessions of a Shopaholic and were surprised that is was actually pretty sad. (Of course everyone loved Sex and the City and it was a major tear jerker.) Maybe if the movie was released last summer before all the depressing economic conditions, we'd be able to make light of Rebecca's compulsive shopping habits; but instead the movie hit too close to home. We covet designer handbags and great shoes and struggle to keep our purchases in line with our budgets. Confessions is less of an escape and more of a timely commentary.

Things we did like: Rebecca's wild outfits, her trips to Bendel's and Barney's, Rebecca's getaway to the Hotel Victor in Miami and the lesson of financial responsibility. Isla Fisher has an amazing energy and was great in Wedding Crashers; so we look forward to seeing her in future starring roles.

Confessions of a Shopaholic-Get the Look

JSG is headed to a screening today of Confessions of a Shopaholic, courtesy of Bluefly.com. Bluefly whetted our appetite for the movie with an advance peek at the clothes from the movie, styled by the always fab and outrageous Patricia Field. Bluefly features "Rebecca's closet" where you can listen to Patricia discuss the looks and shop the funky fashions Isla Fisher rocks in the film. Though, since it's Bluefly, they're at affordable(ish) prices. We're already in love with this Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent tank

and these green satin Louboutins.


Don't live in NYC? The city's Roosevelt Hotel is offering the Shophalic Experience, complete with a guided tour of top designer showrooms and major discounts. Also included is a 3-course lunch, chocolate martinis and other goodies. Prices start at $453 per person for a 2-night stay.

Check back this weekend and we'll let you know what we think of the flick!

Win a Trip to L.A.

Specifically, Beverly Hills, courtesy of the Beverly Hills Convention and Visitors Bureau and Essie. The two teamed up to create the must-have nail polish for the awards season that we're currently in the thick of. The result: Love, Beverly Hills xx, a gorgeous red with real 24K gold flecks. As Essie says, "This is what happens to red in Beverly Hills." JSG's Annie is currently sporting the flashy, 80s throwback color as it will undoubtedly go with the dress she wears to Friday's Red Dress Fashion Show.



Now back to the contest. Enter on Essie.com to win airfare for two to L.A., two nights at the Beverly Wilshire, dinner and a mani at the The Lea Journo Salon. Standard rule applies: If you win, you MUST take JSG!

Salon Reviews Frederic Fekkai

JSG was treated to a blowout at the SoHo New York Frederic Fekkai Salon Tuesday during a beauty blogger breakfast. The salon is on the second floor and is light, airy and open. For the month of February, all Fekkai salons are offering a Valentine's Day special: a blowout, mani and makeup application for $160. That's a surefire way to blow your date's socks off!


The shampoo chairs allow clients to recline fully back so they can watch movies. The Girl Can't Help It with Jayne Mansfield was playing while we were there.


There we are with our adorable stylist Cosma. She's sporing the blue button down that is the staff uniform. She gave our hair unbelievable volume without using a curling iron, or a ton of products. We felt like we should be wearing Versace to pull off our full-bodied look. Cosma did say that the sexy French man himself, Frederic, is rarely in the salon. Quel dommage!

On the upside, Fekkai launched a new Au Naturel Dry Shampoo, so we can keep rocking this for the rest of the week. The dry shampoo, available at the salon and Sephora, contains cotton fibers and corn and rice starch to absorb oils. We'll let you know how it compares to our current faves -- Ojon and Bumble -- after we've tried it.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and the Grenadines

OK. OK. So we're probably the only people who get more excited about the exotic backdrops of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue as we do the scantily clad models. Though we do give full on props to the gorgeous Bar Refaeli who already made our BF's morning when he saw the photo of her from the mag on the cover of the NY Post. ("Holy S--t!" were his exact words.)



But enough about Bar. This year's issue gives new meaning to vacation porn. It was shot on location at the Raffles Canouan Island in the Grenadines, 110 miles south of Barbados. It's a location more appropriate for a honeymoon (or a swimsuit photo shoot) than a girls' getaway, but that didn't stop us from entering the contest to win a 3-night "Photo Shoot" trip to the stunning resort sponsored by Sport's Illustrated. Though if we win, we'll definitely need to invest in a new bikini!

Camille Belle in Lucky

Brazilian bred, L.A. raised Camille Belle is so gorgeous, we would love to hate her. But in the March issue of Lucky, she comes across as fun and approachable when she talks about the high she got from kicking guys' asses during the filming of Push. Another thing we love about her, Camille confesses, "While I'm traveling, I pick up jewelry. I was just in China and bought a bunch of jade bracelets." Though given how down to earth she is, we're fairly certain she didn't spend $479 on a single jade bracelet, like the one featured in Lucky.

Here's hoping we see a lot more of her...

D.C. Versus NYC

We got a kick out of NY Mag's D.C. Vs. NYC: The Poll. (A refresher, one half of JSG lives in suburban DC the other grew up there and now lives in NYC.) We find it amusing that 22 out of 50 of Washingtonians think NYC is more morally bankrupt, while 34 NYCers say that award goes to DC. Another telling answer, only 8 NYCers say they would move while 34 percent of Washingtonian's would. Both sides think that DC is a more powerful city right now, not surprising then that both think DC is to blame for our current problems.

If JSG were doing the asking, we would have thrown a few more questions in. Please weigh in in our comment section:

If you won an expense paid trip, where would you rather travel: NYC or DC?
If you had $5,000 you MUST spend on clothes, in which city would you rather shop?
Which city is better for dating?

Where would rather go out to eat?

Crest Giveaway Winners

Thanks to all who entered! The winners of the Crest sets are Madelyn N. from Woodbury, MN, Jenny Y. from Chicago, IL, Sandy M. from Woodland Hills, CA, Marzena K. from Burke, VA, and Georganna B. from Dallas, TX.

Remember a portion of Crest and Oral-B sales through the end of March will go to fund Operation Smile and help children with facial abnormalities all around the world.

The Perfect White Blouse

We're not exactly Lilly Pulitzer type girls--or so we thought. Her bright colored prints are a little too preppy and seem more appropriate for a kindergartner more than anyone past the legal drinking age. Then, a few weeks back, WWD ran a story on this queen of resort wear. The title, "It's Always Summer Somewhere" was enough to catch our eye, and the story was so riveting we read it word for word. We love that Lilly got her start selling oranges as a bored housewife, married to Mr. Peter Pulitzer (he of the newspaper prizes). Her clothes got stained with the juice of the oranges, so she designed her colorful shifts. She had it made when the first lady, a Ms. Jaqueline Kennedy, wore one of her shifts in Life magazine. (We're sure Isabel Toledo can relate.) What cemented our appreciation of Ms. Pulitzer is, as Sarah Haight writes in the story, "She considers underwear as much as a nuisance as shoes and lined her Lilly shifts with muslin to encourage women to go au natural." Maybe we are Lilly girls, after all.

When we were in Florida last week, we dragged our friend S. into the Lilly store so we could check out the goods in person. What we found? A gold puffer vest on sale (alas, not in our size). Lined in hot pink, it was definitely more Missy Elliot than Buffy. We also spotted several white blouses that we would like to own, including the Corbett shirt.



The accessories also caught our eye, like this sparkly cuff, designed from vintage Lilly lace.



A hot pink clutch that makes us wish it were summer:



And sandals that are anything but a nuisance.


We encourage you to give Lilly a second look, too!

Grammy Awards Fashion

No doubt that the Oscars are the premier event for red carpet fashion watching; but we've always been partial to the Grammy Awards for the rocker vibe and sexy hem lines. This year was a little disappointing in that regard. Yesterday the red carpet was much more conservative and elegant and Hollywood fashionista than rocker chic. Kate Beckinsale is always gorg and her hair and makeup were perfect; but the long black dress with the pleated fish tail looked out of place. Katy Perry did too with her floor length bubble gum pink gown (yeah we know "you kissed a girl," so what?).

Gwenyth scored points with us and not just because she was in sequins. This Versace dress showed off her legs, which she's been doing a lot lately; but we also like the steel tights and ski high heels. Kudos for not stumbling.

Taylor Swift wore the best hair and makeup; and even though her dress was long, the black hardened up the Grecian look. Her seventies diamond shaped mesh earrings are hot too. Word about the do: Enzo Angileri used a medium sized curling iron all around and Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream to smooth, define and hydrate. Then he twisted her hair up and pinned in place and finished with a mist of Moroccanoil Gold Glimmer Shine Spray.

Audrina Patridge wore the best color. Teal looks great with her hair.

Finally, could someone tell Paris, there's short and then there's too short? This is really just a camisole.

Photos by Larry Busacca/Getty Images and Instyle.com

Sula Paint & Peel Nail Polish

One member of JSG used to bite her nails as a girl. The other, has always had nails that grow so fast she routinely has to clip them so they don't get in the way of her typing. Guess which one now won't leave for the night without a perfect 10 and which one was recently embarrassed over her chipping mani while trying to pass the look off as edgy this past weekend in Florida?

If you're more like JSG #2 and occasionally get a bit lax about your manicure, Sula Paint & Peel Polish is the nail polish for you. You peel the polish off, no remover required. So regardless of if you're on vacation sans remover or are just too busy in your everyday life to keep up, you won't have nails that rival Lindsey Lohan's. Available on SulaBeauty or possibly at Ulta Stores and Anthropologie. (Both are listed on the Sula website as carrying the line. Neither offers the product online.)



Speaking of remover, we don't usually cover such an un-sexy item, but the SEPHORA by OPI Nail Colour Remover 4 oz is so seriously amazing, it bears mentioning. Unlike our cheapie drug store brands, it removes even our Nars' Jungle Red without us breaking a sweat. It's worth the extra coin.

Booty Parlor Intimacy Kits

If you're looking for something spicy on Valentine's Day for you and your partner, we love the intimacy kits from Booty Parlor because they're fun and not too intimidating (compared to say- leather and chains). Our favorite is the Tickle Me Intimacy Love Kit which includes a marabou feather duster, sparkle dust, massage oil and (um) lubricant. We bet he'd rather unwrap this on the 14th than a new pair of slippers!

If you're lucky enough to jet away for the V-Day weekend and find yourself at Nikki Beach in Miami or the Hard Rock in Vegas, check the mini-bar for Booty Parlor products. We caught onto this trend of hotels stocking the rooms with adult-toys last year on our trip to Phoenix. Like Sheryl Crow says, "If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad." Happy Valentine's Day!

Turn Down Service: Total Beauty Style

Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog is giving away a pair of ICE.com diamond stud earrings valued at $250. Enter for a chance to put a little sparkle in your Valentine's Day!

Viva Woman shows you how to use Aloe Vera juice for DIY facial masks.

Neon Bible looks at Lush's adorable bath products in the Valentine's Day Gift Guide

In celebration of its first anniversary, Bare Budget Beauty is having great giveaways all month long! This week, win some Johnson's Body Care 24 Hour products!

The Jet Set Girls are supporting Operation Smile and giving away 5 sets which include Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, Crest Pro-Health Rinse, and Oral-B Power Toothbrush.

Alison (aka. "Advice Sister Alison" has discovered a bracelet that can help you lose weight without any effort at all!

Beauty Anonymous reviews Shiseido's Integrate Nail Polishes.

Boutique Flair reviews the new Kiss My Face Sheer Organic Shimmers and Sheer Organic Shines line. And, they're giving away $50 Worth of Kiss My Face Swag! Good luck!

Daily Dose of Coffee is loving the new Make Up For Ever High Definition line. See which products we've tested out recently!

Beauty Junkies Unite became pretty amazed with the new AmazeMint lipglosses and Outlast Lipstains from CoverGirl! Check out the swatches!

Enter to win a Marc Jacobs Star Charm Watch Necklace over at The Makeup Divas.

At Fabulous Over Forty learn how to maintain your hair coloring longer.

Kendra Wilkinson Beauty Secrets an interview by Marta Walsh-Talking Makeup.

Indian Girl is celebrating her Blog's First Anniversary with MONTH LONG GIVEAWAYS !

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings shares her love for a face cream that contains real liquid gold! Read about it here.

Beauty411 is captivated by the Givenchy Spring Makeup Collection inspired by the colors of India. Gorgeous!

Makeup Files has a brand new look! Head on over and see the sleek and beautiful new design.

Frappelattes highlights special Valentine's Day womens fragrance deals on Amazon, including discounts on Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker fragrance and more.

Check out Glossypink's Valentine's Day Get Glam Guide!

MissWhoever You Are takes you through the foundations she has, needs, and gotta have!

Face Candy gives you a sneak peek at Laura Mercier's new Gilded Garden Collection.

Mineral Makeup Reviews discusses the Benefits of Mineral Makeup.

Suzanne at RN Guide to Skin Care reviews Tinted Moisturizers.

Valentine’s Day is a big perfume holiday.

The Beauty Blog reviews theBest Selling Romantic Perfumes.

Get CLEAR SKIN with Beauty Blvd. & Phisoderm! Enter the GIVEAWAY and win a facial cleansing bar two pack, anti-blemish body wash, anti-blemish cleansing pads, and nurturing toner!

GIVEAWAY ALERT! Enter for a chance to win Kenzo BELLE DE JOUR at Makeup Bag.

Still battling with dry skin? Hot Beauty Health discusses known foods that will help treat your dry skin.

Blaq Vixen Beauty wants you to take advantage of Pretty City's Love You Campaign!

Did you remember to wear red in honor of National Wear Red Day?One week left to enter the contest to win a 12-piece makeup brush collection from More Than a Pretty Face and Beauty Strokes.

Have you entered?Visit Spoiled Pretty and enter to win a "Love Enamel Bangle" from Cynthia H Designs (retail value $65) and KENZO Belle de Jour Face Cream (retail value $105)

Jennifer Hudson sure looked gorgeous at the Superbowl! Find out how to get the look at eye4style!Bobbi Brown has done it again.

Butterflydiary shows you how to do the "Blushed Pinks" collection.

makeup loves me exposes the white hot nail trend.

Beauty Blogging Junkie chats with The City's Jay at the MAC Hello Kitty party! Click here to read about the event and learn about the new collection.

Days of the Week Underwear

There's something so kitschy about these Stella McCartney days of the week underwear, we just can't help ourselves. They come in all grown up black, come with their own storage case and are even on sale for $88 at Neiman's.


Prefer a thong? Mary Green's days of the week underwear are colorful with lace trim. They come in a silk bag and are $110 for set of seven. Both make a fun Valentine's Day gift for your favorite Jet Set Girl.



For something a little less racy, there's always Mary Green's Candy Heart Sleep Mask. Hey--if nothing else, you'll have some sweet dreams.

Hello Kitty Launch Party

It takes a heck of a lot to entice JSG out on a 18 degree evening, but the MAC Hello Kitty launch party that promised a fashion exhibit of Hello Kitty creations was the only motivation we needed last night. And much like the highly anticipated new cosmetics line, the evening didn’t disappoint.

We were greeted by the gentleman above, serving up bowtie shaped chocolate cookies. The answer to your question is, "Yes!" In all our years of attending parties in NYC, a male, tatooed, nail polish-wearing, dominatrix Hello Kitty ranks up there as one of the strangest things we've ever seen.

From there, we walked into a room filled with mannequins and models in the promised Hello Kitty designer creations ranging from Marchesa to Catherine Malandrino to Zac Posen:




The frisky Rosa Cha model had all the guys in the house purring:



Here's a sampling of the MAC cosmetics that were the excuse for the party. The line is scheduled to go on sale on February 10 online and in stores on February 12:



That’s Tamar, JSG’s Annie and Amber, below. Annie is sporting shadows from the Hello Kitty Lucky Tom palette. Lucky Tom is a sparkly, chocolate-hued shade that MAC makeup artists report rationing at the Spring ’09 shows. Be sure to read Amber's recap of her meeting with Jay from The City. He, along with Lindsay Price, her BF and How I Met Your Mother star, Josh Radnor and Zac Posen were the celebs we saw in attendance.




The Lucky Tom eye shadow palette features Creme Royale, Paradisco, Stylin' and Lucky Tom:


We can only hope the 50th Anniversary Barbie Fashion Show on Valentine's Day lives up to the high bar Hello Kitty set!

On Our Radar: Vacation Rentals

A few weeks back, JSG took a different kind of trip. See, usually we’re the cruise director for our group—making dinner ressies, mapping out the shopping itinerary and generally running the show. This time, we were along for the ride, and we gotta tell you, we kinda liked it.

For starters, we ended up in the sleepy beach town of Anna Maria Island, Florida (about an hour from Tampa). We stayed with our friends in the gorgeous Tidemark Beach resort.


With 14 suites, it was practically built for a large girls’ trip—think reunion with your best college buds. We’re typically the type to bunk up in swank hotels—but the Tidemark had all the amenities of a Four Season and then some: It’s situated directly on the beach and the heartbreaking views (see above), comfy beds, Aveda toiletries, iPod docks and Bose sound system had us longing to trade in our Manhattan digs. The kitchens (below) are fully stocked with everything from pots and pans to margarita glasses and a blender to a full complement of spices, should you get the urge to cook—JSG even fired up the grill one night. (Well, actually our friend J did. As an avowed city girl we have no clue how to work those things.)

The only downside to the property, there’s not a full length mirror in the joint. We found ourselves going outside to look at our reflection in the glass door to make sure our shoes matched. (This isn’t the only new property with this problem, as the Standard New York reportedly is lacking mirrors. Obv a man designed these rooms.) We have it on good authority that this situation is being rectified ASAP.



One of Florida’s top restaurants, Beach Bistro, is conveniently located across the street. According to Wine Spectator it has “one of the best wine lists in the world,” so it’s especially key to be able to walk home. Be sure to try the addictive lobster escargot.

There’s not much nightlife to speak of within easy driving distance, so JSG recommends you bring your own (good friends, good music and lots of booze at the beach always add up to a good time). This trip was an attitude adjustment for us: We’re not about to start trumpeting a staycation, but perhaps a more low-key trip without red velvet ropes and $20 drinks is exactly what we all need right now.

Payless Abaete Gladiators

We have a confession to make: We recently bought our first pair of shoes at Payless. Granted, they are the Abaete Gladiators, which the style divas over Elle and Lucky feature in their February issues. With 4" heels, these babies are so undeniably hot, they may be to blame for some trouble we got ourselves into this past weekend.

But beyond the sexy stillettos, we gotta give props to the friendly and helpful sales clerks at Payless. When the first branch we went to was sold out of our size, the kindly sales girl looked up to see who did have them and even gave us a $3 off coupon for the $38 shoes. In addition, the stores have both carpet and wood on which to test drive the shoes, a complaint which we recently shared with ShoeSmitten. If Payless keep sexy styles like these coming, we may just ask, "Jimmy who?"

Island Michael Kors Bermuda

Much as we would like to get away from 13 degree temps to some island locale each and every weekend, sometimes real life does get in the way, even for JSG. Enter the new Island Michael Kors Bermuda perfume, a scent that "captures that carefree feeling of lounging in a cute bikini at a fabulous destination," said Kors in February's InStyle. With a blend of hibiscus, cassis, passion flower and cedar wood, we really can picture ourselves wearing our madras bikini and sipping a G+T while sitting on the pink sands of Bermuda. Michael Kors Island Michael Kors Bermuda 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray is available at Sephora.

L'Oreal and Trish McEvoy Mascaras

For the past few days, we've been wearing L'Oreal Double Extend mascara. We were excited to get our hands on one of the mascaras that work by fusing around each lash creating tubes. The L'Oreal is a two step process, first you apply a white lash conditioner, then the mascara. The L'Oreal lived up to the promises of lengthening our lashes, they were longer than with any other product, and no flaking or smudging. We have problems with raccoon eyes, and this product stayed put all day long. While our lashes were long and separated, we still prefer the thick feathery look that we get from Benefit's Badgal lash mascara. But another point for the L'Oreal Double Extend is that at night, a few handfuls of warm water and a very light touch were enough to remove the mascara which comes off in tubes. There's no smearing, and no messy towels or pillows. A possible drawback is the application is tedious especially when we're rushing in the morning. Overall we'll keep this mascara in our rotation. Mascara is like lip gloss, it depends on the day which one we feel like wearing. On sale at Ulta for $9.49.

For another look at the tube mascaras, our girlfriend, Meghan, has been wearing Trish McEvoy's High-Volume mascara for six months, loves it, and has been encouraging us to write a review for a while. Like the L'Oreal it stays on all day (and even all night when she's slept in it) and comes off with water and no smudging. She'll apply a coat or two but any more than that and it gets clumpy. Available at Nordstroms for $28.


Curiously, if you research reviews for these two products, you'll find that women either love or hate the L'Oreal Double Extend. The complaints are that it clumps and doesn't thicken your lashes. We could only find one person who complained about the Trish McEvoy product (again the clumping). We suspect that what makes the mascara form tubes and stay put, can have a tendency to clump if the product ages. If you have used one or both, we'd love to hear your opinion.

Atlantic City Train

Atlantic City just might be the Vegas of the East Coast yet. Now that AC has a cool place to stay, it finally has a way for New Yorkers to get into town that does not involve the indignity of that armpit Port Authority to hop on a bus and fight traffic. The long awaited Aces Train begins service this Friday. The train, which runs Fridays through Sundays only, costs $100 round trip and takes about 2:40 minutes. Once you arrive in AC a free shuttle takes you to the Borgata, Caesar's or Harrah's, the same three hotels who are sponsoring the train. Our suggestion: Head down on Saturday to catch John Legend's concert at the Borgota. He's sexy enough to get even the most jaded New Yorker excited for Valentine's Day.

Hanky Panky Thong -- a Twofer

Spice up your Valentine's Day with these two naughty offerings from Hanky Panky.



For your single friend, Benefit's Justine Case is just the thing for those unexpected sleepovers. The $38 overnighter kit comes with minis of everything you need to disguise a walk of shame:

• California Kissin--a breath freshening lip gloss
• Eyecon -- a brightening eye cream
• Benetint--the cult favorite lip and cheek stain
• Some Kinda-Gorgeous--a cream to powder foundation that won't leak in your bag
• Last but not least, a fresh pair of Hanky Panky thongs

Give your guy a preview of what's in store with the Hanky Panky's Mail a Thong. The leopard print panties come in a ready-to-mail envelope that will spark his interest in advance of your Saturday night date. Available for $20 at Saks.

Eucerin Calming Body Wash Review

My skin gets so dry and itchy in the winter, especially around my torso. It was particularly embarrassing this past weekend in Florida when I put my pasty body into a bikini. I’ll try anything I can to soothe my dry skin — I use baby oil after the shower, am religious about using a humidifier at night, and slather myself with the thickest creams I can find before going to sleep. So when at my last visit, my dermatologist, Dr. Day, offered me a sample of Eucerin Calming Body Wash, I practically ripped it out of her hands.

The body wash is labeled as “Daily Shower Oil, mildly cleanses with omega oil for dry itchy skin.” And, that’s accurate -- as far as the label goes. It cleanses, though I wouldn’t use it after say, a day at the beach or a night out dancing. It also promises — and delivers — to sooth dry skin.

What the label doesn’t tell you? It has a slight fish-y odor. It’s not on par with opening a can of tuna, more like walking by your pet fish’s aquarium. But it is enough to turn me off the product. For now, I’m sticking with my favorite Dove Cream Oil Body Wash.

Do you have a favorite body wash for dry skin? Please share!

Crest Giveaway

This week we're teaming up with Crest and Oral-B for a "Beauty that Gives Back" campaign. From now until the end of March, with any purchase you make of Crest and Oral B, they will make a donation to Operation Smile, the organization that travels the world helping children with facial deformities, and ultimately will fund new smiles for 100 children.

In addition, we're excited to giveaway 5 sets of the products pictured above: Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, Crest Pro-Health Rinse, and an Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean power toothbrush. Their study shows that using these together makes you much more kissable on Valentine's Day!

Please send your name, email, and address with the words CREST GIVEAWAY in the subject line to JSGgiveaway@gmail.com. We'll pick 5 winners next Tuesday, February 10th. Good luck!

Visit the Crest Operation Smile site for a coupon.

ghd Travel Dryer Giveaway

The fabulous women of madberries are giving away the ghd Travel Hair Dryer Introductory Set valued at $185 that we reviewed last week. Check out their other giveaways while you're there. We're interested in the Bobbi Brown mini-brush set, the Laura Mercier eye kit, and Rock Band 2 for Wii. Why not enter? You can't win if you don't play!

How to Fix Hat Hair and Other Winter Problems

As we discovered on our recent ski trip, winter is a great time for hair because there's no humidity; but it also comes with a couple of major issues- namely static and hat head.

We checked in with our favorite stylist, Sarah Rappolt, at the Bumble and Bumble Salon in NYC. Since static is caused by dry conditions, Sarah recommends shampooing less frequently in the winter. If it freaks you out not to wash everyday, try rinsing your hair with water, condition if you want and use your fingertips to scrub your scalp. When it's time to wash your hair use something gentle like Bb Seaweed. After washing, the key is to layer on products. First towel dry, then use Bb Prep which evens out your hair's porosity, detangles and conditions, then towel dry again. Use a styling spray like Bb Styling Lotion for hold and shape and blow dry. Finish with hair spray and de frizz like Bb Does It All and you'll be static free. For hat hair, you'll be fine if you do the above steps, then flip your hair over and shake it out at the roots.

Photo courtesy of I'm Not Obsessed.