Web Snob December 31st, 2010

Stiletto Jungle is showing the best ways to spend your Zappos.com gift cards, from $25 to $250.

Allie is Wired has the scoop on the new Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom reality show.

This Marni Satchel at Bag Snob is chic, summery looking and with its large size, is super functional.

The Lancome Artliner has a foam tip pen that is the easiest applicator Beauty Snob has ever used with liquid liners.

Coquette loves how the Louis Vuitton Speedy Bag is still trendy since it debuted in the 1930's!

Celebrate your New Years's with a Champagne Cocktail from The Jet Set Girls!

Second City Style interviewed designer Roland Mouret about his SS/11 collection and store opening in London.

Shopping and Infobought these amazingAlexander Wang black platform boots on sale for 50% off.

The Beauty Stop has a picture of the new sequined Chanel ad adorning the iconic Musée d’Orsay in Paris

What to Wear for New Year's Eve

Sequins and metallic may have no better event to shine than New Year's Eve. Here are a few of our picks:

The Plisse Metallic Drape dress by Halston Heritage would flatter a variety of shapes and is perfect for the girl in the middle of the dance floor. We've worn a couple of Halston Heritage dresses this year and both made us feel sexy with a 70's vibe. Reasonably priced at Cusp for $325.

If you're headed to a laid back house party (or maybe you're just more of a jeans and sequin tank girl) try this beaded number from Adam. The ruffle makes it more interesting than your other tanks and the racerback will show off your shoulders. Originally $425 but on sale for $159 at Bluefly.com.

Burlesque left its marked on fashion this season with black lace and dance-y frocks, which is how we picked the BCBG Max Azria Lace Bodice dress. It's available at SAKS for $378.

5 Skin Care Questions on Mario Badescu

Thank you to Mario Badescu for asking us to answer five skin care questions on their website. See Hope's responses which were posted last week, or Anne's early this fall. The site is a great skincare resource, with many articles on the causes and treatment of acne, melasma, sun damage, anti-aging and more.

New Airline Fees

United and American announced new fare increases of $10 on one-way trips and $20 on roundtrips in response to rising fuel prices. Boooo! We're reasonable people; but it's frustrating considering the airlines have made billions on checked bag fees, exit rows fees, and more. The worst part is these fees don't show up on the fare price on most search engines, it's only on checkout that you'll see them. Our best advice is to book your tickets as early as possible- 21 days if you can- and grab a cheap seat as soon as you see it. Because it you go back later, chances are someone will have snatched it.

New MAC App Store

Apple is launching its new MAC App store on January 6th. You'll be able to get those nifty apps just as easily on your MacBook as you do on your iPhone or iPad. Better still is you can port them from one platform to another (iPod to desktop for instance) so you don't have to buy anything twice.

Champagne Cocktails

While we don't usually promote the drinking of Champagne cocktails--because when you drink the good stuff, there's nothing you can do to make it better--these recipes from Moet + Chandon are tempting!

Winter Quiver
1 oz Skyy Infusions Cherry Vodka
½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
4 frozen Bing cherries
Splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Moet + Chandon Imperial Champagne

Gently muddle the Bing Cherries with Skyy Infusions Cherry Vodka in a mixing pint. Add ice, Maraschino Liqueur, and lemon juice and shake.  Strain into a champagne flute and top with Moet + Chandon Imperial Champagne.  Garnish with lemon zest.

Cherry Berry Delight
1 oz Skyy Infusions Cherry Vodka
2 tbsp raspberry preserves
4-5 frozen raspberries
Moet + Chandon Imperial Champagne

Gently muddle the raspberry preserves and frozen raspberries with Skyy Infusions Cherry Vodka in a mixing pint.  Add ice and shake.  Strain into two champagne flutes and top both glasses with Moet + Chandon Imperial Champagne.  Garnish with lemon zest.

Wintery Ginger
Created by Alex Straus of Suite 700 at the Hotel Shangri-La in Los Angeles
1.5 oz. Skyy Infusions Ginger
Sliced fresh kiwi

3 large slices of Anjou pear
Moet + Chandon Imperial Champagne 


Muddle kiwi and pear in a cocktail shaker.  Add Skyy Infusions Ginger with ice and shake vigorously.  Strain into a champagne flute and top with Moet + Chandon Imperial Champagne.  Garnish with a slice of kiwi.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Really Last Minute Ideas

You still have a day to choose pricey overnight shipping for your gifts (unless you find a free offer); but an easier option is to give an electronic gift certificate. We wish Santa would bring us an airline gift certificate. Virgin America and American, among others, offer gift cards and virtual gift cards via email.

American Airlines No Longer on Orbitz

We've all got our go-to search engine for booking airline tickets: Travelocity, Orbitz, Expedia and others. It's a convenient way to find the best deals; but only because the major carriers participate with the sites. It seems American Airlines and Orbitz couldn't agree on their partnership terms so for now, don't expect to see American's offerings there.

If you've already bought tickets for AA through Orbitz, those tickets are valid and if you need to make changes to your itinerary, do so with AA reservations, not Orbitz.

Since we often use American for our jaunts down to SoBe; we'll check out a rival comparison site for now. Our pick? Try Kayak.com which locates good deals on different sites then redirects you there. Looks like finding cheaper plane tickets just got more complicated. We're hoping other airlines don't follow American's lead. 
photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

Holiday Gift Ideas: Bobbi Brown Free Overnight Shipping

If you're looking for those last couple of gifts, don't worry Bobbi Brown is offering free overnight shipping with the code OVER6. She has great choices, including:

For your little sister or your car pool mate, the Lip Gloss Trio for $40.

For your best friend, the Modern Classic Palette for $75. She'll bring it our your next getaway together!

For your mother, the Deluxe Travel Kit for $115, because she deserves something special this year and will think of you each time she uses it.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Vintage Travel Calendar

Need a last minute gift for your always organized friend and travel buddy? We love this vintage Cavallini Around The World Desk calendar, available at Anthropologie.com. It features 12 months of Vintage travel adds--all for $12.95.

A Peek Inside the Ladies of 3floz.com Carry On, Part 2

Last week, we looked inside the carry on bag of Kate Duff (right), co-founder of 3floz.com. This week, we've got our eye on her partner's Alexi Mintz (left) carry on. Here's what Alexi, who recently got back from a four day getaway to Bardados takes with her when she's on the road:

My carry on bag is organized chaos! I travel with two carry on’s- my luggage carry on and my work carry on. All my clothes are rolled in my luggage carry on and my purse is emptied and put in my luggage carry on. My work carry on is the big Marc by Marc Jacobs tote that holds everything- my computer, ipod, blackberry, wallet, magazine’s, snacks, socks- my feet always get cold on the plane! etc.

What are some of your must have beauty products?

On the plane I carry my must have’s in my work carry on: Archipelago Milk Lip Balm and Soy Lotion, Air Repair Facial Mist, Yes to Carrots towelettes. In my toiletry bag I carry: Somme Mobile Kit, Alterna Shampoo/Conditioner, Jonathan Dirt Hair Spray, Blow Weather Girl (came in super handy in the humidity of Barbados), Philip B Nordic Wood Body Shampoo and Conditioner and David Kirsch Vitamins.

Any current or fave plane reads?
My guilty pleasure is to purchase all the trashy magazines at Hudson news before I get on the flight. I pack all the magazines I haven’t had a chance to read (Inc, Fast Company, New York Magazine, Business Week) and will read one serious magazine followed by one trashy magazine. Lately I’ve been working during flight so I don’t read books- just my magazines.

What do you have on your iPod when you travel?
Music keeps me sane so I’ve got a lot on the IPod- lately I’ve been listening to: the XX, MMJ, Phoenix, LCD Soundsystem, Prince, Cold War Kids, Tallest Man on Earth, Friendly Fires, Interpol, Band of Horses, Arcade Fire, Biggie Smalls, Kanye, The National…

Do you have a favorite wrap or sweater?
Yes, I have a long black open sweater that I always wear on the plane- where ever my destination is- it doubles as a warmer cover up if needed. I travel with a scarf as well.

Any fave plane snacks?
I pack an apple and a Cliff Bar and at the airport I always buy a water

Best Cities for Shopping

If shopping is on the top of your "Must-Do" list when you're on a girls' trip, you won't want to miss this list of Top 10 Destinations for Shopping via MSNBC. While New York, Paris and Los Angeles make the list, there are a few surprises that we'll have to work into our 2011 travel itinerary! Read the Top 10 Cities for Shopaholics.

DKNY for Clicquot in the Snow boot

Bubbleholics who love to ski take note: DKNY partnered with Clicqout in the Snow to create these limited edition snow boots. They come in the signature Veuve Clicqout yellow and like the Champagne, pair with apres-ski and other winter time events, like the Veuve Clicquot-sponsored Tube-a-Thon in Vail next February.

The boots are $98 and are available at DKNY stores and online.

On Our Radar: Montage Laguna Beach Shopping Spree Special

We'd love to finish our shopping (and take the edge off the holiday stress) by spending a couple of nights at the posh Montage Laguna Beach. Their Shopping Spree Special includes:

• An ocean view room for two nights
• Transportation to the nearby South Coast Plaza with its 200 stores including Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Bloomie's
• $50 breakfast credit with in-room dining or their restaurant The Loft
• Passes to the VIP Suite at South Coast Plaza with complimentary refreshments and package check
• Daily lunch for two at Quattro Café
• The best part: complimentary gift wrapping!

Rates start at $545 per night.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Sephora Favorites Kits

Last year we had a great time with the Sephora Favorites mascara sampler; but this season we're coveting the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip deluxe lip gloss sampler. This set is packed with ten great glosses from Tarte, Smashbox, Lorac, and more. It's a bargain at $40 (a $134 value). The only problem with this gift is giving it away, when there's so much in here we love for ourselves!

Another great set we've got our eyes on is the Glitz and Glam Shimmer and Shine makeup kit. It's full of great products that will amp up your look (or your best friend's) including a few of our faves like the Nars Orgasm Illuminator, Josie Maran's Bronzing Argan Oil, and Tarte's cheek stain in Glam.  The Glitz and Glam is $39 (a $121 value).

If you have a perfume lover in your life, consider the Sephora sample sets of perfume which come with a coupon for a full size perfume of their choice. With ten different perfume samples, their likely to find one they love. Happy shopping!

Lauren Merkin Sample Sale

One of the many reasons we love living in NYC is that we're able to hit all the best sample sales. But good news for those of you who don't live in the Big Apple: One of our fave sales, Lauren Merkin, is now happening online. We basically got all our girlfriends gifts at last year's (and maybe an item or two for ourselves). You'll find great bargains, like the Tatum Glossy Croc bag (above) for $125 marked down from $325. The sale runs through December 19.

Holiday Giveaway! Nintendo Wii and Monopoly Streets

We spent hours as kids playing Monopoly with our friends and family. These days you're more likely to see people playing the Wii together. This year Monopoly celebrates its 75th anniversary with the release of Monopoly Streets by EA Sports, a virtual world where you build your empire by the same rules as the original boardgame with the benefit of seeing it all come to life! Our modest gaming advice: buy everything you land on, no matter how small.

We're excited to be giving away two copies of Monopoly Streets and a Nintendo Wii (up to a $300 value) on Twitter. Look to Retweet our giveaway this morning starting at 10:00 a.m.

Monopoly Streets is available on Wii, XBox, and PS3. Visit EA.com to learn more. Monopoly Streets would make a great gift for just about everyone on your Christmas list!

A Peek Inside the Ladies of 3floz.com's Carry On

They're the founders of 3floz.com, a site dedicated to travel sized products, so who better to ask than Alexi Mintz (left) and Kate Duff (right) what they stash in their carry ons. Here's what Kate had to say (check back later this week for Alexi's carry on):

My carry on bag involves a lot of small bags. I like everything to have a place so I have a lot of those Toss s/3 bags in different sizes with my toiletries, beauty products, socks. I use shoe bags for my under garments and roll my clothes. I will take a picture one of these days because the organization is impressive.

What are some of your must have beauty products (lip balm, hair products, moisturizer)?

I never leave home without my Air Repair Beauty Balm I use it for my cuticles, lips, hands, feet, cuts it is truly an all purpose salve. I always have my Somme Institute Mobile Kit, Herban essential sanitizing towelettes and I have recently added Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Dry Shampoo to my must haves, it is a LIFE SAVER when I have to look fresh after a long flight.

Any current or fave plane reads?

Where do you think Alexi got her trashy magazine habit?

What do you have on your iPod when you travel?

I always have audiobooks on my ipod, I know I am a geek. I recently finished Delivery Happiness-A Path to profits, passion, and purpose by Tony Hseih the CEO of Zappos.com, INC, talk about inspiration.

Do you have a favorite wrap or sweater?

My favorite sweater/wrap (it’s a wrap with sleeves) is from Club Monaco. I stole from Alexi when we were traveling on business 3-4 years ago. SHHHHH don’t tell her!

Any fave plane snacks?

My favorite plane snacks are BBQ Pop chips, peanut butter Lara Bars and LOTS of water.

Where are some place you've been to recently or have planned?

I just got back from the horse races in Kentucky and went home to Chicago for Thanksgiving!

New Year's Eve at the W Hotel Washington, D.C.

The W Washington, D.C. is the hot spot for New Year's Eve in the nations capital. Just a block from the White House with the best views in the city, the W is throwing an exclusive soiree including an appearance from Doug E. Fresh, premium open bar, hors d'oeuvres and more until 3 in the morning.

There are a limited supply of tickets to the party on the POV terrace for $140. Room packages including tickets to the festivities start at $499. There's also an option available that includes dinner at the J & G Steakhouse. We're big proponents of a steak dinner before a big night out and here it's all under one roof! Best feature about all of the overnight packages is the 2 p.m. checkout.

Find out more information at the W's website.

Travel Trends 2011

Pauline Frommer shared her top travel trends—some good, some bad—for the coming year. What can we expect? Hidden fees, personalized trips, a growth in home rentals (as shown above) and more. Read Pauline Frommer's Travel Trends 2011.

The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas for New Year's

If you don't have New Year's Eve plans, and have a spare $5,000--this is the deal for you: Head to the brand spanking new Cosmopolitan Las Vegas and welcome in 2011 at the Jay-Z and Coldplay concert. The deal on Jetsetter includes:

• 2 nontransferable invitations to the live New Year’s Eve concert featuring Jay-Z and Coldplay at 10PM at the Chelsea Ballroom (attire: black tie);
• A Terrace studio room for three nights

• Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub Preview Party at the Cosmopolitan on December 30th at 10PM (including exclusive nightclub performance by Florence and the Machine)
• A $300 gift card for a NYE dinner at either Blue Ribbon Sushi, Comme Ca, Scarpetta, Jaleo, STK, and Estatorio Milos
• A $50 dining food and beverage credit to any signature bar or lounge on property (applied at hotel check-out); 
• A buffet breakfast on New Year’s Day at Wicked Spoon
• A New Year’s Day barbecue on the Boulevard Pool deck from 1-4PM (featuring a performance by Mavis Staples).

A Very Milly Holiday

Today is day three of a Very Milly Holiday on Facebook, where designer Milly is sponsoring 12 days of giveaways. Included are sunglasses, a hat and glove set, a bikini and more—the grand prize on December 23 is a New Year's Eve dress of the winner's choice. Enter on Milly's Facebook page.

Rent the Runway Sale

One of the worst things about Rent the Runway is when you fall in love with a dress and then have to send it back. We both experienced that this past summer with our rentals (above). But, finally! The Rent the Runway gently used dresses and accessories are for sale. The prices are up to 75% off the original and the site lists the current condition of the dress (missing beads, picked/pulled etc.) and all sales are final. A few or our faves:

This Catherine Malandrino is $248, marked down from $495.

 This Proenza Schouler is $450, marked down from $1,950.

 This Robert Rodriguez Collection is $325, marked down from $650.

And this Kenneth Jay Lane necklace is $50, marked down from $100.

On Our Radar: the Montage Deer Valley

The Montage Deer Valley opened this month. Located near Park City and its charming and fun Main Street and just a mere 36 miles from Salt Lake airport, it's easy to get to and loaded with action.  The Deer Valley ski resort boasts the smoothest runs anywhere (always groomed) and the best chili and salad bar we've ever tasted on the slopes. The new Montage resort sits mid-mountain with true ski in/ski out access via the three lifts outside its doors. The lux rooms and suites start at 600 square feet and many have fireplaces and patios. When you go, spend some time (and check out the dudes) at Daly's Pub & Rec, a new American gastro-pub which sports bowling, billiards, darts, Wii  and 80's arcade games. Check out the spread at MontageDeerValley.com.

Web Snob December 10th, 2010

Stiletto Jungle has 3 tips for what to wear to a winter wedding.

Allie is Wired previews pics from Lady Gaga's 2011 Viva Glam campaign.

Bag Bliss has the details on the new Nancy Gonzalez exotic Luggage and Travel Bags!

We are going to see a lot more of you, Falabella (at Bag Snob), cuz this is a classic that is here to stay.

Don't know what to get the females in your life? Read our Beauty Snob Gift Guide!

Getting cozy with a DKNY cozy gets even better now that they are on sale! Coquette is ready to collect them all.

Fashion Pulse Daily picks the best looks from Michael Kors' Pre-Fall 2010 Collection

Looking for a warm New Year's getaway? The Jet Set Girls check into the W Scottsdale's Carnaval party!

KRISTOPHER DUKES is wearing Rubber-Belgian-Shoes.

Second City Style shows you how to incorporate a festive palette into your wardrobe without coming off like a Christmas tree in Happy Holidaze: Finding Stylish Answers To Holiday Fashion Faux Pas.

Shopping and Info loves the cozy and fuzzy cream wrap sweater seen on Angelina Jolie at The Tourist premiere in New York City.

The Beauty Stop covers the latest news about unexpected Botox side effects.

The Shoe Goddess loves the combination of denim and studs as seen on Christian Louboutin's Pigalle 120 Studded Denim Pumps!

Taylor Swift and CoverGirl

CoverGirl announced that musician Taylor Swift will be their latest spokesperson. Taylor will be promoting NatureLuxe products, CoverGirl's introduction to natural cosmetics. Our friend, Megan McIntyre, at Daily Makeover, sat down with Taylor for an interview on all things beauty including who are Taylor's beauty icons and what she did with a sharpie on a flight to Japan. Read more at Daily Makeover.
Photo by Rick Diamond Getty Images at CMT.

New Year's Eve at the W Scottsdale

Scottsdale was our first girls' getaway that we featured on The Jet Set Girls exactly three years ago. Sadly, we haven't been back for another visit; but it's in consideration for this winter. We'd love to stay at the W Hotel Scottsdale which opened since our last trip (the Mondrian where we stayed before has closed). The W has a Wet deck, their take on poolside fun; a Bliss Spa for pre party primping or post party detox; Sushi Roku  for the sushi we always get on our girls' trips; and Shade, their nightclub. We also like the Farewell Kiosk where you can check out of your room and print your boarding passes. The only thing we would change is the $9.95 fee for WiFi  in your room. We hoped that hotels were phasing that out by now.

They're also throwing a private party for New Year's with a Carnaval flair which is included in their New Year's Eve package. Here are the details:

• Insider Access to a Carnaval Celebration (tickets are $50 for women)
• One masquerade mask and one feather boa (one per bed)
• One split of champagne to toast the night away
• Hosted reception in the Living Room from 7 to 9 p.m. to get the party started on December 31, 2010
• Complimentary Wheels parking
• A Wonderful Room from $499

By the way, the high in Scottsdale today is 76. That sure beats East Coast weather!

A Caribbean Twist on Egg Nog

What's better than egg nog to get you through the holiday season? The Coquito, a Puerto Rican cousin to the traditional version, which has coconut for that Caribbean flare. Cheers!

DonQ Coquito
2 cans (30 oz.) coconut cream
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 or 2 cups DonQ Cristal
1/4 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tbsp. ground nutmeg

Holiday Gift Ideas: Lancome Juicy Tubes Gift Set

If we were featured on an episode of Hoarders, it would most likely be for our collection of pink lip glosses. This Lancome Juicy Tubes Gift Set, available at Sephora, only feeds into our addiction, with six mini sparkling pink lip glosses, including Butterflies, Sweetheart, Pink Bling, Raspberry Ice, Miracle and Dreamsicle. Hey, at least they're minis!

Chateau Marmont Is Getting Ready for the Spotlight

Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere is her latest hotel-based drama and is rumored to do for Chateau Marmont what Lost in Translation did for the Park Hyatt Tokyo. Not that the Chateau Marmont needs the help—it has regularly made the gossip columns since the days of Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe. And as Sofia told the New York Times about the Andre Balazs hotel, “When I started writing my script I thought of this bad-boy character, and thought, ‘Of course he has to live at the Chateau.’ ” We can’t wait to see the movie, which opens on December 22.

Tory Burch Resort Blogger Contest

Last week, we were invited to the Tory Burch store to preview the Resort collection. We got to style our own model in the clothes--either ski or beach (not a hard decisions for JSG's Annie!). The collection features a lot of khaki with hits of neons, as out outfit on model Veronica shows—our fave pieces are all those bright accessories. Vote for Jet Set Girls in the Tory Burch Blogger contest on Facebook.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Warm and Toasty Hats

The temps have been hovering around freezing for a week so there's no wonder we're for surfing for toasty hats that would make excellent presents for our besties. Here our a few of our favorites:

The Sasha hat by Mad Bomber hat may be the warmest of the bunch and is sweet and sexy too with the blue fox lining and the dangling pom poms. At only $36.40, this one's a real bargain!

Ugg Australia's reputation was built on keeping buyers comfy and warm. The Ultra Bucket hat will keep the sleet and snow off her head. $135 at Saks.

For the girl on your list who hates to wear a hat; but tries to protect her ears from the wind: the Wintermallows Headwrap is a good fit. We like the trio of woven flowers. $24 at Anthropologie.

The Joy of Being Single in December

Forget the Bridget Jones' stereotype of adults being forced into reindeer sweaters! There's a lot to celebrate during the holidays when you're single. JSG's Annie was interviewed by Canada's Canoe about how to make the most of the weeks between now and New Year's. Read Single During the Holidays.