Pink Rain Boots

I just saw two sorority girls (I'm guessing) walking past my office, both wearing adorable pale pink rain boots! So cute! I want 'em!

But they probably paid more money for them than I would be willing to spend on rain boots. I did a search online and found these even cooler hot pink DKNY rain boots. Even marked way down to $99, that's still more than I would pay. (For regular boots, yes, but not for galoshes).

If I did own these boots, I'd be tempted to wear them all the time, not just in the rain.

The Siren Song of the Cranberry Mold

The holiday season is fast approaching, which means that Williams-Sonoma will now be tempting me with all of their amazingly-cute-but-largely-unnecessary bakeware. I bought a bunny cake mold for Easter a few years back, and now it's this gigantic pan that I have to store in my small kitchen, and how often do you really need to make bunny cake?? (I mean, in a perfect world, the answer to that question would be ALL THE TIME, but in reality, I think I've used it maybe twice, tops.)

Anyway, now their new cranberry mold is calling to me with its siren song. I have never before considered the idea of making a cranberry ring. With Thanksgiving coming up, it's tempting. Williams-Sonoma also helpfully provides a recipe to use:

"Decorative sculpted molds have been popular in American kitchens since colonial times. Modeled after vintage pieces, this round mold with a wreath pattern is made of durable stoneware that recalls creamware crockery of the 18th century. The mold turns out a beautifully formed cranberry sauce or cakes with a garlanded top for presenting at the holiday table or buffet. Recipe included. Microwavable; oven and dishwasher safe. 30-oz. cap.; 7" diam., 3" high. A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

"A delicious alternative to traditional cranberry sauce, this mold makes a beautiful presentation at the table. It is a natural partner for the Thanksgiving turkey and also makes a wonderful accompaniment to roasted pork.

"Ingredients:
1 jar (18 oz.) cranberry relish
1 1/2 cups cranberry juice
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

"Directions:
Lightly coat the inside of a 32-oz. decorative mold with nonstick cooking spray. Put the cranberry relish in a bowl. Set aside. Pour 1/2 cup of the cranberry juice into a separate bowl. Sprinkle with the gelatin. Let stand until the gelatin softens, 5 to 10 minutes. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the remaining 1 cup cranberry juice to a simmer. Pour into the gelatin mixture and whisk to combine. Pour into the bowl with the cranberry relish and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared mold and let cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to overnight. To unmold, set the mold in a large bowl of warm water so the water reaches almost to the rim of the mold. Let stand for 1 minute, then remove from the water. Carefully insert a small spatula along the side of the mold. Gently pull the gelatin away from the mold, then remove the spatula. Place a platter upside down on top of the mold, invert the platter and mold together and shake gently. Lift off the mold. Serves 14 to 18."

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/cw493/?pkey=cbakeware-new

Momoko

After my last post, I couldn't resist posting some Momoko photos here (found mostly at Flickr). These dolls are so impressive in their variety and attention to detail. And of course, the artfulness of these photos (painstakingly arranged by obsessed collectors) is impressive too!

http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/momoko

Liv Dolls

Could they be the next Bratz?? After Barbie jealously murdered her rival last year, there hasn't been much new competition. But these dolls look pretty cool:

"Spin Master Ltd. is launching Liv dolls, a line of teenage fashion dolls. Spin Master says the girls are targeted at girls aged six to ten. The dolls include Daniela, Sophie, Katie and Alexis.

"Spin Master says some features of the dolls include 14 points of movement, easy to change wigs, insertable glass eyes and detailed fashions. Accompanying the retail launch of Liv is livworld.com, which offers a daily narrative of each doll's life to anyone who's purchased the doll. Liv dolls have a unique access code that opens an online world and invites girls to learn more about each Liv doll and play wth the Liv doll's virtual closet.

""Liv shines because it looks amazing and is incredibly realistic," says Nicole Perez, Senior Marketing Director helming Spin Master's new girls' division based in Los Angeles. "Not only do Liv dolls stand out because of their outstanding design and features, but they are deeper than your average fashion doll. Each teen has a detailed, relatable story that girls will love to follow." Liv dolls are in stores now and retail for $19.99 and accessory items range from $5.49 to $19.99."

Well, I don't know if I need a doll to be "deep" but the removable hair/wigs really appeal to me, and these dolls look more jointed and pose-able than Bratz dolls. And they look cuter and less insipid than Barbie.

They actually remind me quite a bit of the Japanese Momoko dolls which are absolutely amazing but also prohibitively expensive...unless you are a Japanese collector with quite a bit of disposable income, in which case you probably have a good-sized collection of these dolls which you enjoy by: taking them on vacation with you, photographing them / posting your photos online, and sewing, knitting, and designing your own fashions for them. I'm not even kidding. If you do a Google Image search using the key words "momoko doll," you will find the most impressive assortment of photos lovingly posted by Japanese adult collectors of the doll.

It's about time somebody produced a cheap American Momoko doll rip-off which we Americans can enjoy in our own non-committal, non-intense, non-Japanese way. Why should the Japanese have all the fun (just because they commit more fully to their weird hobbies)?

http://www.shoppingblog.com/blog/731099 and www.livworld.com.

Blush

Zooey Deschanel is a girl who really knows how to wear make-up. Of course it helps that she's a natural beauty, but her retro hair and eyeliner always look great. She wears Lancome's Definicils mascara, which is my favorite too (but Zooey usually wears hers along with big false eyelashes. Fabulous!).

Currently, the make-up I'm most fascinated with is blush, specifically pink, flushed cheeks. Zooey truly excels in this category. She usually wears bold bright pink color on her cheeks, liberally applied, which could never exist in nature, yet she somehow makes it look innocent and fresh.

I think Lancome's Color Design Blush in Petticoat Pink would probably mimic Zooey's look quite well. This color would work on very fair skin (like mine or Zooey's) but Lancome offers a full range of shades for darker complexions as well:

Design your cheeks with a creamy touch of color. Blendable. Lasting. Sensational Effects.A beautifully blendable, silky cream blush that gives cheeks even, lasting color. Smooth and non-greasy, it glides onto cheeks softly and evenly. Perfect for all skin types. In 3 finishes: sheer, shimmer and riche.

http://www.lancome-usa.com/

O.P.I.

My favorite nail polish brand is O.P.I. The quality is excellent, they offer a huge range of colors, and the price is a bit splurge-y but still acceptable (especially if you buy it online or at Fred Meyer--don't buy it at a salon because salon prices are ridiculously inflated).

But the best thing about O.P.I. is that they are constantly launching new collections which always have a theme--like "Psychedelic Summer" or "Garden Party" or "Holiday In Toyland." And every color within each collection has a doofy name that is usually some kind of tortured pun in reference to the theme.

For example, the "French" collection offers: Louvre Me Louvre Me Not, Parlez-Vous OPI?, You Don't Know Jacques!, Tickle My France-Y, Bastille My Heart, I'm Fondue of You, A Oui Bit of Red, We'll Always Have Paris, and Eiffel for This Color.

The Indian collection includes: I'm India the Mood for Love, ElePhantastic Pink, Black Cherry Chutney, Keys to My Karma, MonSooner or Later, Moon Over Mumbai, Yoga-ta Get This Blue, Get Me To the Taj On Time, and Curry Up Don't Be Late!

The Russian collection (shown below left) includes: Boris & Natasha, Siberian Nights, An Affair In Red Square, Russian Navy (Guy bought me this one), Vodka & Caviar, Ruble for Your Thoughts, Catherine the Grape, Cosmo-Not Tonight, Honey!, Midnight In Moscow, Suzi Says Da! (I used to have this color too, it's a very pretty brown, but I gave it to a friend who loved it even more), Kreme De La Kremlin, and St. Petersburgundy.

Well, you get the idea.


The newest innovation in nail polish this season is a completely matte, unshiny nail (photo below right). O.P.I. launched the "Matte" collection in July. I've read online that it was a huge success, but I haven't actually noticed anyone wearing it. Maybe it's just because Seattle isn't a fashion town. The company is following it up this Fall with the "Suede" collection. While I admire their risk-taking, I'm just not sure if I'm really onboard with this. To me, nails should be shiny. But maybe I'll change my mind.

O.P.I. is constantly discontinuing collections and inventing new ones. But luckily, it's very easy to buy discontinued colors online. The official O.P.I. website doesn't do any online selling--and it's not very easy to find a big selection in stores--but there are many, many online vendors selling the old shades. If you're worried about ordering from someplace you've never heard of, just do a search on Amazon and order it through them instead.

The colors that are next on my list to buy are: Parlez-Vous O.P.I.? (smoky lavender), and 2 shades from the Princess Charming collection: Pink-Ing of You (light pink), and I've Got a Date To-Knight (slightly lighter pink).

Perfume of the Day

Florence is scented with the sophisticated essence of the old European garden rose known as Centifolias or "cabbage" rose.

Bred in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Dutch, Centifolias are noted for their highly fragrant blossoms. In the Florence collection, Tocca combines this delicate flower with iris root to anchor the scent.

Notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit Leaves, Orris Iris, Violet, Blonde Woods, Skin Musk 2000.

Style:Sophisticated. Romantic. Feminine.

www.sephora.com

Cookies

I was just reading one of my favorite cooking blogs (see link below) and I saw this cookie cutter set that looks so cool, available from eBay. When I feel more flush, I might buy it. You can arrange the letters however you want to create any words you want! Fun!

(http://www.thekitchn.com/)

Lavender Lipstick

Gaga looks so great with the purple lipstick, it almost tempts me to buy some, even though I know logically that while on her, it reads as "fabulous," on me it would probably read more like, "recently drowned."

I still might buy some and wear it around the house while listening to Just Dance. It's Mac Creamsheen Lipstick in Lavender Whip.