I re-learned a lesson today in the art of perfume appreciation. When I was 18, my father was working in Cannes, France for the summer and my mother and I had the good fortune of joining him there for six weeks. It was a transformational trip for me… my first time in Europe and the beginning of my life long love affair with European culture. During our time in the South of France we visited the perfume laboratories in Grasse, the perfume capital of the world. I knew little to nothing about perfume back then and was fascinated with the tour of the facility at Fragonard, where I learned about the art of appreciating fine perfume.

Today I tried a sample of Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle based on several positive reviews I read in books and over the internet. My initial reaction was neither positive or negative. The top notes seemed to linger for a long time and were very heady and spicy. I dismissed it as not being “for me” and almost washed it off my wrist when I arrived home an hour and a half later. Something stopped me, however, and I am so glad I let the fragrance linger! It has since developed into an intoxicating aroma that has mixed with my body chemistry like a heavenly match. I am so glad I gave this one a chance!

Of course, they suggested this at Fragonard so many years ago… but I somehow forgot that one must have patience when waiting for fine things to develop.

Coco Mademoiselle has top notes of orange, bergamot and grapefruit. Middle notes of Litchi, rose and Italian Jasmine; and base notes of Indonesian Patchouli, Hawaiian vetiver and Bourbon Vanilla.

www.coco-mademoiselle.com

Fall is on our doorstep and soon it will be time to bust out those cashmere sweaters! Although living in sunny, Southern California, it might be a little longer before I can bring them out from their cedar-lined drawer, but a girl can dream! When it comes time to clean your most luxurious knit, please forgo the dry cleaners- in my experience, the texture of the sweater is never the same and they often pill- instead, reach for The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo!

About a year ago I read an article about The Laundress in Real Simple Magazine. It was a New York based company run by two women who wanted to bring glamour and luxury back to the mundane task of doing your laundry. With an entire range of products (that I now can’t seem to live without) from stain solution to delicates wash to crease release spray; The Laundress provides a stellar product in beautiful packaging (you’ll actually want to display the bottles!). They offer three different scents: classic- a clean, fresh scent; lady- a more feminine, alluring scent; and cedar- perfect for the cashmere shampoo to keep those moths away!

The first time I used the wool & cashmere shampoo I was petrified. I couldn't believe I was actually going to wash my cashmere sweater by hand! What if I ruined it and it was never the same? Needless to say, I picked my least favorite sweater- a cheaper cashmere v-neck I got at Bloomingdale's. There was no way I was going to risk ruining my all time favorite cashmere sweater- a heather grey Vince cardigan that I received as a present from my parents years before. So I proceeded to wash the garment by hand using the delightfully smelling cedar cashmere wash. I did not wring the sweater when finished but patted and “rolled” it dry, as suggested. Then I laid it flat to dry. The following day, I went with nervous anticipation to check the status. It was amazing! The sweater seemed softer than when I got it! The “shampoo” actually conditions the material, and it had a divine, slight scent of cedar chips- not overpowering.

The bottles aren’t cheap, especially compared to the bargain basement laundry detergent you could find at say, Target. But with almost 30 washes per bottle, it is a steal! Just remember, you are saving money on dry cleaning!

www.thelaundress.com

Our society encourages consumer spending- especially in the beauty and fashion industries. Let’s face it. There’s a new fragrance, make up or skin care line launched and touted what seems like every other day! And I am guilty of buying into it just as much as the next woman. But on my path as a daily connoisseur, I am starting to look at the world a little differently.

Have you ever taken FOREVER to get dressed in the morning? Trying on several outfit combinations before coming out with what you’re going to wear? I do this all the time! It inevitably goes like this: I try on an old favorite (black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt from Vince or C&C California, for example), and then take it off thinking that it is boring and I wear it too much. I then proceed to try on a number of different clothing combinations from that dress I bought last season that just doesn’t quite have the right neckline (but I will make it work!) to the more stuffy option of a high-waisted skirt with a blouson top tucked in (Let’s face it, I will never wear this choice). A half hour later and a lot of clothes strewn about my bedroom, I go back to my number one choice. My skinny jeans and t-shirt. I feel comfortable in this. I feel chic in this. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

The same holds true for my favorite nail polish, Essie Mademoiselle. I love this color. It looks amazing on my nails but without fail, when I visit my manicurist twice a month, I always think “How boring to wear the same shade all of the time”, and I pick out a different color that ends up having too much beige or pink in it. And without fail, I wish I had stayed with my Mademoiselle. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Now I’m not saying that I'm never going to try anything new. Mais no! But what I am suggesting is that sometimes our egos are not satisfied with what we have (especially mine). We want more. We want better. There is a Kanye West song with the lyrics, “I only like it if it’s brand new”. I think a lot of us, including myself, feel this way. I must remember, before I go out and buy that outrageous fashion item or start to feel restless with a certain beauty regime, if what I already have is working for me- why stray?

Spiritual Practice: Practice gratitude and appreciation for what I have and what works for me.

My first few posts were on the adventures of air brush tanning and the small fiascoes that therein ensued. I did promise to keep you updated on my quest for the perfect self tanner. Alas, I now have my review for Bare Mineral's "Faux Tan". I'm pretty impressed with the color that it gives you. It is very subtle and not orange at all. The lotion goes on in a dark green color so you can see where you have applied it, which is nice. Also, the initial smell is delightful- it has a heady almond scent. A few hours later, the "self tanning smell" does arise, however, due to the DHA in the product. I think next time I am going to try the application with gloves. Applying the product with my bare hands has given me very tan palms (eek!). And then there is the catch22 of washing my hands after I have applied the product. The color seems to stop at my wrist. To avoid this, I tried applying a little of the cream on the tops of my hands and somehow only wash off the palms of my hands without getting water on top (a very difficult maneuver indeed!). I am still in search of the perfect facial tanner to avoid the look of having a pale head and tanned body- not chic! L'Occitane apparently makes a fab self tanner for the face from their new Brazil collection. I vow to try it and let you know how it goes. Would love to hear about your self tanning stories and / or favorite products!

In my on-going quest to be fully in the present moment I do several “exercises” throughout the day involving the five senses. My favorite sense (if there can be one) is smell. I love to pause during my day and smell things. It may sound odd, but it is a sensory experience that I believe is very powerful. I’ll smell the ground coffee before I put it in the pot. I’ll smell the beautiful rose that I see on my way to work. I’ll smell my shampoo before I wash my hair. I love taking in scents! After all, I don’t want my nose to think I take it for granted!

When it comes to personal scent- it’s a very personal thing. Up until now, I happened to be very loyal, using the only perfume that worked for me: “Stella”, by Stella McCartney. I LOVE this scent! It is evocative of roses and works so well with the chemistry of my skin. I would try samples of other perfumes when I went to Sephora or a department store but nothing ever got me like Stella did.

I was, however, fascinated by those women who seem to have several perfume bottles displayed on their vanity. Did they wear each and every one? My question was answered the other day when speaking with a co-worker of mine. We greeted each other and she mentioned that I smelled delightful. I told her it was “Stella”, the only perfume I wear. She was in shock. “How could you only wear one perfume?” she asked me in earnest, “What about the changing of the seasons? Or going from day to night?”

These were things I had never though of before with regard to scent. I guess Stella, if it were to be classified into seasons, would be a spring/ summer fragrance. I have worn it year round for the last four years! Even in England in the dead of winter! My co-worker, who happens to be fashionable, fabulous and European, went on to tell me she is addicted to perfume and collects it. She changes perfume depending on the occasion and feels like a different person with each scent.

This really got me thinking. Well it wasn’t as if I hadn’t tried new perfumes. I had. Actually a few months ago I bought Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Lovely” because I had smelled it in a magazine and was impressed. I never thought I’d buy a perfume by a celebrity but alas, I had. I only wear SJP’s scent about once a month. It is, in fact, lovely, but it isn’t the type of scent that moves me profoundly. And as a daily connoisseur, I need to be moved profoundly.

Then, a few days ago I finished reading a book on beauty that I HIGHLY recommend. It is called “Beauty Confidential” by Nadine Haobsh. She is a former beauty editor, turned beauty blogger and I loved everything she had to say as well as her style of writing. In fact, I realized that she and I had a lot in common when it came to products. Some of her personal favorites are also mine! So when we got to the chapter on perfume, I was interested to see what she had to say. She gives a thorough and comprehensive list of modern classics as well as classic classics. She also goes on to list the qualities that these perfumes have (woodsy, vanilla, floral, musk).

Her all time favorite perfume is Narciso Rodriguez, “For Her”. So seeing as how I tended to agree with her other beauty choices, I went to Sephora yesterday to try it out. I knew I couldn’t just buy it online because scent is such a personal thing. For example, so many people rave about how they love Chanel No. 5. I’ve tried it so many times wondering if I’m crazy but I can’t stand it! So I knew I couldn’t go on recommendation alone. I sprayed my wrist and then walked around the shop for a half an hour (which wasn’t hard. I LOVE Sephora). I kept smelling my wrist and it was amazing how this scent evolved. Needless to say, I bought it and smelled my wrist for the rest of the day. It is my new favorite! This doesn’t mean I’m kicking “Stella” to the curb! I’m going to find room for both in my scent library.

I would be interested to hear what perfumes you daily connoisseurs wear. Let me know!

Spiritual Practice: Smell! Smell! Smell! Smell things throughout your day. It will calm your nervous system and bring you into the present moment.

Exercise is a tricky topic for me. I'm not the type to go to the gym everyday for two hours. I prefer to spread my movement throughout the day- like the French do! When I lived in France in 2001 I became the ultimate lifestyle detective. I noticed that French women preferred to walk to the market or work- or up 9 flights of stairs in lieu of hitting the gym. And I never saw a French woman in sneakers. Quelle Horreur! I took what inspiration I could from them and ran.

Here is what a typical day for me is like- exercise wise:

When I first wake up, I do yoga for a minimum of 10 minutes. This is more for my peace of mind than anything else. I love stretching and breathing deeply. This really starts me off on the right foot. This is usually followed by 5 - 10 minutes of meditation- which is more exercise for my brain in how to quiet down! Then later in the day I usually take my dog, Gatsby for a 40 minute power walk. Good for me, good for the dog! Lastly, my husband and I live in a three story town house so usually late at night, right before I go to bed, if it strikes my fancy, I usually walk up and down all three flights of stairs 10- 15 times. You get the idea.

This was all great but I became concerned that I wasn't toning my upper body and using weights. Well, as you can imagine, all of these mini exercises that I fit into my day leave room for little else, so I've developed a plan. On weeknights my husband and I watch between one and two hours of TV- a girl's got to keep up with her shows! So I now do reps while watching our favorite shows or during commercials (if I'm not watching our dvr). I'm starting out small- 20 reps of each arm move with 5lb weights. I am loving the results and don't feel guilty just collapsing on the couch!

We'll see how long this goes. I do tend to get bored doing the same thing all the time. I would be interested to find other ways to incorporate exercise into my day...

Spiritual Practice- Incorporate movement and exercise into as many parts of your day as you can. It will help you stay present and remind you to breathe!

Last night my husband and I went to see Woody Allen’s latest film, Vicky Christina Barcelona at the Loews theatre on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Firstly, I must say I am not very fond of this theatre- it never feels clean and there is not very much legroom. I must prefer the Landmark at Westside Pavilion. It is a beautiful, brand new complex with stadium seating in its larger arenas and leather love seats in its smaller venues. The best thing about the Landmark is that you can pick your seat! No waiting in line or guessing where you’ll end up sitting! Love that!

Now back to Vicky Christina Barcelona. I love this film. I knew I would. I am a big fan of Woody Allen and I think that he is highly underrated. I’m not sure what people expect from this man but he has written and directed over 40 films in his career and has produced some of the most humorous scenarios and witty dialogues I have seen on the big screen (2005’s Match Point directed by Allen is one of my favorite films of all time).

Love, lust and intrigue against the sun-drenched backdrop of Barcelona. Who wouldn’t love that? The casting was spot on, the actors were pitch perfect and the directing was polished. My only complaint with the film was with the clothes. I wasn’t sure why Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall, two beautiful women, were traipsing around Barcelona in frumpy, wrinkled linen pants and baggy button down shirts. I know that was a choice but am unclear as to what it was meant to convey.

Let’s move on to movie etiquette. There is an on going joke amongst my friends and me that I have a curse when it comes to the cinema. I only go to the movies if it is a movie that I am dying to see (otherwise why waste my time). And whenever I go, I always sit next to “that person” that talks throughout the film. The movie going experience for me is a sacred one. I love getting there early and securing my seat. (Unless, of course, I am at the Landmark and it has been selected beforehand). I love popcorn, the previews and totally submerging myself in the world of the film. If I am sitting next to someone who talks periodically, I am taken out of the world of the film. I usually try to implement my spiritual practice during these moments, and rather than stressing out and getting testy, I take a deep breath and accept the moment as it is.

There was a period of time, however, where I was sitting next to the “groaner”. This man, who loves to frequent movie theatres in Santa Monica, and groan loudly during the best parts of the film. Lucky for me, other patrons of the theatre yelled at him to “shut up or die”, and I didn’t have to.

I hadn’t seen the groaner for a long time… until last night. My husband and I had ideal seats in the middle of the theatre. It was slowly filling up, when a very disheveled man with a baseball cap and earphones in his ears, sauntered up to the front of the theatre and leaped into an available seat. The whole way, he was talking to himself. Loudly. Not like on an earphone headset- but to himself. Then he proceeded to take off his shoes and splay his feet on the seat before him. Not groomed feet.

Oh no, I thought, this for sure was the groaner. And why, was he in my viewing of Vicky Christina Barcelona? I had been waiting to see this film for 6 months! Concerned moviegoers looked around at each other. Was this a homeless man that had found his way into the theatre? Was he going to talk the whole way through? I started to panic. What did I do to deserve this curse?

At that point, my husband reminded me to be in the moment and accept the circumstances as they were. I took a deep, cleansing breath and even started laughing. The previews came. The opening credits rolled. And sure enough, Mr. Bad Movie Etiquette got up and left the theatre! It was a miracle! And I was left to thoroughly enjoy, the love, lust, mayhem and intrigue that was Vicky Christina Barcelona.

Spiritual Practice: Pause when agitated. Take deep cleansing breaths and accept the moment as it is. Things just might turn in your favor!

I had dabbled in self-tanners and tanning beds. Now it was time for the ultimate experience. The custom airbrush tan from Portofino Sun Spa! Luckily I walked up to the salon to make my appointment because I got to dish with the girl at the counter and find out exactly what I needed to do before my sunless tanning experience. She was very friendly and helpful and didn’t seem in the least bit shocked that I had never gotten a spray tan before.

Here were the particulars I needed to know before my appointment. I needed to:
- Exfoliate my entire body the evening before
- Shave my legs for smoothest application
- Not wear lotion, deodorant or make up the day of my appointment
- Wear loose, dark clothing and open toed shoes

Who knew? Whenever I had seen people getting spray tans on TV, like on E!’s Sunset Tan, for example, I had seen women with full-blown make up getting a spray tan. I’m glad I came in beforehand to learn that that is not done at Portofino.

Anyway, the next day, I came fully prepared for my custom tan experience. I was shown into a back room with my tanning associate- I’ll call her Brigit. I told Brigit I had never gotten a spray tan before and I wasn’t sure what the protocol was with regards to what to wear (or not to wear as the case may be). She said most women are naked while they get their tan. I, being modest in nature, opted to keep my undies on. This whole experience was foreign to me anyway and I felt more comfortable with my pants on.

I was instructed to step into the elevated booth that had fabulous faux croc leather wallpaper. Brigit then asked me which scent I would like in my custom tanning mix. The options were vast and varied from cucumber melon, to lavender. I opted for coconut, as I wanted to smell like I just got back from the Virgin Islands. She proceeded to spray on my new faux glow for the next 15 or so minutes. They are very thorough in that you must do a number of yoga-like positions in order for the tan to be evenly distributed across the body.

When it was all through I couldn’t believe how dark I was! My first reaction was not necessarily a good one. I thought I looked good but it didn’t look like me. I was EXTREMELY dark. Brigit informed me that I would be dark for a few hours and then it would go down, especially after I took my first shower, eight hours later.

It probably wasn’t wise for me to schedule a meeting for 11am (only a half an hour after I had gotten my tan). I was interviewing a girl for my husband’s shoe shop. He and his family own a fabulous European shoe business and they have a store on Montana Ave., just a few blocks down from Portofino.

I assumed that I would just walk out of the Sun Spa with a fabulous tan. It took a few hours to get to that fabulous state… in the meantime; I was incredibly dark, verging on orange.

It was probably in my imagination but my interviewee kept eyeing my skin in a suspicious manner. Later that day, my tan still dark and fierce, I went to see my husband at the warehouse. “Why are you orange?” Is the first thing he said to me.

Great. My worst tanning fear was realized. I holed myself in our townhouse and texted my fab actress friend. This was a beauty crisis. We traded lol’s between tanning anecdotes as I mused that this must be normal. I mean EVERYONE in Los Angeles gets a spray tan, don’t they?

My worries were in vein. Eight hours later, I washed my face and the bronzer in the tan came right off. I had the perfect glow to my skin. And the next morning, after my shower, my tan looked perfect and really natural! It is now five days after having gotten my custom spray tan and it is still going strong. The whole experience was a little harrowing and even more expensive (when all was said and done after tip, it was over $100). But the experience was positive.

Due to the price I probably wont get a spray tan too often (I am a recessionista after all). But I will try out some self-tanners as we head into fall. The next one I’m going to use is “Faux Tan” by Bare Escentuals.

What I gained from this whole experience? Don’t take beauty too seriously. Have fun with yourself and remember that laughter gives you the best glow!

PS- I do wish, however, that I hadn’t worn my Victoria’s Secret boy shorts during the tan because now I have the funkiest tan lines! I don’t know what I was thinking! Should have worn bathing suit bottoms.