This is what I'm wearing today.

I'm fairly certain that Jo Malone Vetyver cologne is intended for men, but so what. The first time I got a sniff I was in New Orleans wasting away a wonderful Saturday afternoon with friends by wandering around Saks Fifth Avenue and dream shopping. I love how the Jo Malone fragrances are displayed in stores (and previously online as an interactive menu, though I was irked that as of late this is no longer so) as a semicircle spectrum grouped by category, with the florals blending into the citrus, etc. There's something about it that makes for a great learning experience in terms of discovering what it is about certain scents that appeals to you. I was looking for something of a Statement Scent, a night out type of thing that would in no way be mistaken for my shampoo, baby powder, etc. I thought I wanted a heady floral, and wound up with Vetyver instead. The website touts it as "a modern interpretation of a spicy, aromatic classic. Vetiver, the legendary scent of India, is blended with sweet orange, nutmeg and tarragon to create this powerful, mysterious fragrance."

And it IS powerful. Be prepared. It's definitely not one of those scents that will smell lovely but blend in with those of other females around you. The website Now Smell This (a must for perfume lovers) seems to have only one complaint regarding most of the Jo Malone scents, which would be staying power. It IS a cologne, anyway. However, the first time I wore it around my fella he commented on how great I smelled AFTER dinner and an evening out at the bar, and actually gave a pretty accurate description that DIDN'T involve cigarette smoke. So as far as I'm concerned, that alone makes it a winner.

As for wearing it to work...I'll let you know.

I Can't Go Without...

Smith's Rosebud Salve. This stuff is one of my favorite things. To the point that it's one of those few things I find myself doing a mental check on as I leave the house for a trip. "OK, I packed my contact case...glasses...underwear...Smith's Rosebud Salve..."

I mainly use it as lip balm, but the company isn't lying when they boast about how multi-functional it is. I've found that it's great for softening cuticles, and the scent is so soft and pretty that I've been known to dab a little bit at my neck and behind my ears in a pinch when I need a little perfume. I doubt it has lasting power in that capacity, but why not. And one tin lasts FOREVER...supposedly it's also great for diaper rash. Guess I'll have to have my sister test it out...

10 Essential Websites, according to Time Magazine

Check out the following linked story...I for one can attest that Facebook, Wikipedia, and ESPN are sites I have definitely never gone more than a week without visiting...if that...

Necessity Rules-10 Essential Sites

Guilty Pleasure Television Shows...

In honor of the beginning of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance, the following is a listing of my personal guilty pleasure TV shows. Are there any that might constitute legitimate, OK-to-admit-that-I-love programs? Let me know.

1. Gossip Girl. I once told a friend that I only watch this show for the clothes and the accessories. And that is...mostly true. Maybe.

2. The Hills. Same as above. Except that, in all honesty, the clothes and accessories usually aren't that great. And, as with most people (I hope) Spencer and Heidi make me break out in hives. I try not to think about the fact that I'm 28 and am entertained by rich spoiled idiot brats whose dialogue is about as fresh and witty as your average telemarketer phone call. OK, the more I write, the more I wonder why exactly I watch this show period...and yes, I am perfectly aware that it isn't REALLY a reality show.

3. What Not To Wear. This one I think at least BORDERS on being legit. Some people have told me they find Stacy and Clinton to be mean, but (perhaps indicating that I am mean as well) I think they're hilarious. Come on, they just say what we're all thinking anyway. I've also been told that they try to turn everyone into the same preppy hip mommy, but in the past couple of seasons I've noticed that the end results have become much more varied depending on personality, lifestyle, etc.

4. So You Think You Can Dance. Come on, people. This show is GREAT. Better than stupid Dancing With The Stars, which features a cheesy band covering J Lo songs and lower grade celebrities who can't really dance and have no business doing so.

So have I lost your respect now?

White Wine Season.

I'm not a wine expert. In fact, I know virtually nothing about them other than the names of the varieties, their colors, and their respective standard flavors. I can tell you what I like and what I don't like, but all of it is based entirely on whether I truly enjoy sitting around and drinking it. There's no rhyme or reason, no explanation behind it...just that most basic gut reaction that indicates to me whether or not my tastebuds approve. Here's what I do know. During the winter months I tend to almost exclusively drink red wine, pinot noir for the most part, and during the warmer months I'm always excited to shift into drinking primarily sauvignon blanc. It's just so light and refreshing...usually with a great citrus kick. However, since I often find myself in stores with limited options (and sometimes find myself with limited funds), over the years I've found various blends and table wines that always do the trick. Much less embarrassing to show up at a dinner party with these than with a jug of Carlo Rossi, and infinitely more enjoyable to drink.



The Big House Red has been a longtime favorite of mine, since I first developed a taste for reds, in fact...this could be because it was the house red upstairs at City Grocery in Oxford, my second home. And, because I'm girly, I have to throw in the fact that it has a great label...hip but not stuffy or pretentious. Not that it would be pretentious, since it's a great $10 a bottle. It's also fruity (not in a sweet way, of course, but a tart cherry way), just spicy enough, and still smooth and drinkeable.

I introduced this wine to my fella shortly after we began dating when we found ourselves one night wandering up and down the aisles of a local package store, with little to no knowledge of what the other would and would not drink, looking for an appropriate bottle to suggest. When I spotted a lone bottle of Big House Red tucked away at the end of the aisle I gladly lunged for it. As aforementioned, it fit the bill perfectly, allowing me to avoid all the standard obstacles one faces when trying to impress a boy who is about to purchase a bottle of wine that you've suggested. It wasn't exorbitantly expensive, but while it DOES have a screw top, it didn't resemble a bottle of Boone's Farm either. It didn't look dull and stuffy. And since it was a blend (Carignane, Sangiovese and Charbono, in case you care), I didn't run the risk of getting a tepid response like "Oh...so you drink Pinot, huh?" He bought it. He loved it. He's now a regular purchaser.

But then spring came, which in Alabama lasts two weeks at best before hot, sticky summer sets in. I was over red wine. The next time we were at what by now has become "our" package store, I wasn't so thrilled when he immediately and casually swooped up yet another bottle. But then I spotted, thrill of all thrills, one single bottle of Big House WHITE just beside it. I bought. I drank. I was immediately pretty ok with the fact that my significant other preferred to stick to his own bottle instead of horning in on mine. I'm now a regular purchaser. All my (limited) research will turn up is that it is a blend of "at least nine varieties." But the web site's description of "a riot of citrus, flowers and peach" is right on target.

A couple of weeks ago I was flipping through a Real Simple article and spotted a page of wine suggestions which included the Big House Pink, a rose. Having (for the most part) gotten over my crippling fear of drinking anything which might look to the uninformed observer like a glass of white zinfandel, I immediately asked my nice package store owner if he'd order a bottle or two for a taste test. I'll keep you posted...

A few thoughts on dry shampoo...

I was never the kind of girl who didn't wash my hair. In high school, in fact, I washed it every single night, then rose early enough in the morning to painstakingly spray and curl every strand with a scalding hot curling iron. Naturally, this daily ritual fell apart when I got to college. At some point during this hazy period of late nights followed by classes attended with greasy hair smelling faintly of the odd combo of Febreeze and bar smoke, I was introduced to the baby powder trick. Just sprinkle a tiny amount on your scalp around your part, tousle your hair, shake out the excess, pull hair into ponytail and go. The amount bit was tricky with my dark hair...too much and I looked like I'd made a lame attempt at looking like Cruella DeVille. However, it worked well enough to chase away any concerns that I'd receive looks of disgust from everyone I passed.

Flash forward to the present day, wherein I have a full time job with a little extra money to burn and what could safely be called a nasty Sephora.com habit (free shipping for orders over $50! Three free sample with every order!). As I was perusing the hair products I noticed a tab labeled "dry shampoo." Now, I work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or later every week day. My drive to work takes 10-15 minutes. I am not a morning person, for the most part. I think I COULD be, but that's a different story. Bottom line, I abhor waking up early enough to wash, dry, and style my hair. So when I saw the smattering of dry shampoo products I seized upon them.



For my first try I went with the Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray. Initially I was concerned that the scent would be too overpowering...and it IS pretty lemon-citrusy smelling, but overall nothing strong enough to clash with a perfume or make you smell like a house cleaning product. And it WORKED. A nice misting at the roots, a good tousle, and voila, hair that looked as though I'd JUST put down the blow dryer and curling iron. I was obsessed. I also drained the can within two weeks. Pretty sure it should last longer than that at $21 for 3.2 ounces. Right?



So with that thought in mind, I decided to try the Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser. $24, but 4.5 ounces. At first I didn't like it as well. Then I followed the instructions clearly indicated in the name. No one said I was the brightest crayon in the box. So as opposed to Blandi's tousle and shake and go procedure, Ojon requires you to spray the product onto your roots, rub it in with your fingers, and then brush out any excess. Initially this seemed to work. Plus, the smell was a little more up my alley: soft, powdery and unobtrusive. However, after using it a few times I realized that I had to be pretty careful when it came to getting the excess out...I think the rubbing procedure has a way of flaking off the product somehow, so that if you aren't cautiously observant you might walk out the door with what appears to be a mild case of dandruff. Not good. Plus, again, I went through the product entirely too quickly for my taste.




So what, am I a dirty hippie, you ask? Well, I admittedly found the products a little TOO effective, using both at least three times a week...maybe more. I decided to spend a few weeks without before ordering yet again...and then I happened upon a new product, Frederic Fekkai's Summer Hair Wash & Wear. The packaging was orange and rich looking and hip and fabulous. I knew that being a Fekkai product the scent would undoubtedly be divine. I also assumed that it would WORK. So I ordered it. Granted, I was a little confused as to how a spray, as opposed to a dry powder mist, would, as the product description states, "refresh limp or overworked locks without water." This seemed to be in direct contradiction to the name, Wash & Wear, which seems to assume the use of water. Was it a shampoo alternative or not? The directions instructed me to spray sparingly onto my roots and then brush and restyle. So I sprayed. I brushed. And I was horrified when my hair looked greasier than it had before. A couple of days later I tried again, only to get the same result. So now I'm left with a nearly full bottle and no intention of using it on the mornings where I just haven't bothered to wash my hair. Thankfully, I was dead on regarding the scent...it's lush and summery with a hint of coconut and just generally delicious. I think I'll spritz some on for days when I'm out on the boat with wet hair pulled up...especially since the product boasts UV protection.

In the meantime...a couple of mornings ago, as I stood dejectedly in front of the mirror staring at my slightly greasy hair with the realization that I had nowhere near enough time to wash it, my eyes drifted down to the large container of baby powder I've had literally for YEARS on my countertop. I picked it up, deposited a bit at the roots, leaned over and tousled, brushed, and pulled my hair back. It looked...decent. Not great. But decent. Looks like I'll be holding off on any further orders for the foreseeable future...