You're My World

Fellow nerds and nerd lovers: I've found the perfect stocking stuffer for your honey. From Havok Designs, the cosmic design is crafted from cherry wood. Swoon!

Fright Night

Happy Halloween! What are you doing to celebrate? We talked carving a pumpkin on our terrace (my brilliant husband procured an impressive outdoor heater!) and watching a to-be-determined scary movie (safely assuming we will have a bevy on TV).

Curious about the manicure? Incoco Fright Night nail appliques. Have you tried these? I'll go ahead and admit I've avoided appliques like the plague! I'm convinced that will require an installation skill outside of my resume. At $9, they are the cost equivalent of a drugstore bottle of polish which offers exponentially greater use. However, the designs are fun and unique...

For those curious, here is the official How-to tutorial.


Image: Inococo

Coast to Coaster

Choose your coast or select all three! The Coast to Coaster coffee table condoms are crafted from Baltic wood and come in sets of four. Purchase and further details at Poketo.

Shalva Dead Sea Minerals Skin Care

After a margarita brunch (a dangerous time to be schlepping around SoHo), I skipped towards C. Wonder and found myself being coaxed into Shalva. The clean lay-out lends itself to the name, which translates to tranquil, calm.

The sales woman cleansed my hands with Deja Vu scrub formulated with "sought after" Dead Sea Minerals. I'll admit my hands were immediately transformed to a silky, youthful feel. Following the exfoliation,  a pea-sized drop of Deja Vu body butter was thoroughly applied. The sales woman promised that the cream would last a year, as only a teeny tiny portion is needed 1-2x per week.

***

Ok, I drank the Koolaid. I purchased the special of one cream, one scrub and choice of "free" additional scrub or butter and choice of "free soap". Having later Googled and found scads of terrible reviews, I'm a wee bit surprised. The truth is- yes, the products are a bit pricey- however, they are highly concentrated and produce noticeable youthful results after a single use. To boot, you don't need to use them on a daily basis for continued results.

This makes my day!

Roogla Pastries

A buddy at work surprised me with an assortment of sweet and savory pastries this morning! From the shelves of roogla in Brooklyn, these puppies are buttery and decadent. The savory with leek is my favorite, but the sweet and spicy cinnamon does not disappoint. I'm going to need to take a field trip to Brooklyn pick-up more. Wouldn't they be perfect for hosting a brunch?

Petra by Everlane Black

Petra is here. Well, very nearly here. According to Everlane, she's making her way from Italy to myself right now...

***

Only 1000 were made and the last count on the wait list was the lion's share of 10k. I was pleasantly surprised to have the opportunity to be among the first to invest in  a Petra.  I selected the Market Tote in Kiwi. 

Want more? Check out these tees and this lovely cashmere.

Images: Mashable.

Update! A reader requested an image of my Petra to show the size:

State Personalities

Which state is your personality match? TIME has created a fun quiz to determine your match! Take it here.

According to my results:  I belong in  Florida. Hey now, my Dad was born in Miami! And myself and my husband have been tossing around the idea of investing in a Florida home for some time. Which state are you?

Wet n Wild Finds

Dirty little secret: I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to beauty. I prefer boutiques and Sephora to Drugstore brands. Wet n Wild was a childhood staple. Cheap, bright and accessible, I had shunned it as I aged and relied on a career rather than monthly allowance from Dad....

And then I got off my high horse and discovered two fantastic beauty staples:

Wet n Wild Megalast nail lacquer- Wet Cement
This polish is no joke! The formula is thick, fast-drying and ridiculously chip proof (take it from the Queen of Chipping herself- my husband is constantly reminding me to ask him to open things to save my manicure- a good man indeed). The bottle comes with an amazing brush designed to carefully and evenly distribute color. True to my New York tribe, I chose the neutral hue Wet Cement.

$1.99 at Duane Reade or $2.29 at Drugstore dot com

Wet n Wild Fergie Eye Shadow Palette-Desert Festival

The packaging is cheap, but the colors are extremely pigmented and will last for some time. The palette features two shimmers and three mattes. I'm in love with the earthy, southwestern colors. Tip: use your own high quality brushes, rather than the applicators they provide.

$4.99 at Duane Reade and Drugstore dot com.

Images: Drugstore dot com.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

I'm back from Paris! And...already thinking about our next trip in November! We'll be exploring Hungary and the Czech Republic, which adds a peppering of additional excitement for the The Grand Budapest Hotel film coming to theaters. The trailer is tremendously amusing!

Pre-Paris C. Wonder Haul!

Oh Paris! I'm headed back to the City of Lights to accompany my husband on his business trip. I've been jetting around Lower Manhattan running last minute errands- and I just had to dip into the C. Wonder SoHo Flagship Store. I had my sights on a pair of black suede pumps with metallic gold heels...then I saw these...

Blue suede with toes dipped in black and navy glitter- these pumps feature a interior metallic gold wall on the thick heel, which will offer extra support when loafing from museum, to cafe, to boutique. I'm crazy for the navy/black pairing which will compliment many of my handbags and take me from day-to-night.

While dipping my little piggies into various sizes of pumps, I caught this quilted jacket out of the corner of my eye. Deep pockets, mid-weight lining and snap-buttons- the New Yorker in me began darting my eyes around the looking a black model. I resorted to the sales guy holding my next pair  of shoes and asked. To which he responded, "Everyone asks that. We only sell bright colors." Wait, what? I see plenty of colors...but beaucoup de noir as well! It was fate though...the navy compliments my pale complexion with dark features.

 How could I resist a good elbow patch on a season transition jacket with vibrant lining? It seems that I was having a blue-themed day. Do you do that?  I've noticed that I tend to purchase of handful of a color group at a time.

To seal the deal, I invested in a few pieces of costume jewelry from the sale section. Costume jewelry is a timeless and playful way to accessorize and catch eyes. You know, if that's your thing. If you're not local to New York, check out C. Wonder's website.

Borghese for Kirkland Signature Anit-Agining Serum

Hey New Yorkers...have you ever been to a Lot-Less? It's typically moderately disorganized route for purchasing reasonably priced Cholula or Colgate. I'm a sucker for a good deal, so I'm into it.

I schlepped over to the near my apartment in search for good quality, discounted sheets (an attempt to put off laundry until after I return from Paris- I booked my father to come out and stay in our apartment to take care of our Pug, Pilgrim).

Greeted by a display of Borghese for Kirkland Signature Anti-Aging Serum for $9.99, I was a curious. Did I possibly find a treasure chest? Growing up, Costco translated to bulk packages ideal for birthday parties/little league snacks, endless sampling booths and Kirkland Signature jeans that we made fun of our Dads for wearing (not my Dad! He was Levi's cool...which when you live in western Washington, is pretty dang cool). Any who, I digress...

I purchased a tube and headed home. After testing a pump on my hand, I cleansed my face and applied. The texture is velvety, instantly nourishing and lightly scented. I sampled the serum a few more times over the next 48-hours and did a little Google research. Borghese serum retails for around $80, the  Kirkland Signature pairing for $20. I resolved to head back to Lot-Less to pick-up a few more tubes. Why not? Great deal for a natural, effective product.

(Psst...how about that Ruffian Manicure decorating my fingers?)

Goodwinn Tote

When I first caught wind of J.Crew's Goodwinn Tote, I was hooked. I wishlisted and patiently waited for the gorgeous carry-all featuring color blocking and (trending!) zipper detail to go on sale. The time has come. Discounted and further 40% off and free shipping with promo EXTRA40, the beauty is now mine. I hope she arrives before I jet set to Paris next week!

Bobbi Brown Beach

When I picked up Bobbi Brown's Beach fragrance, my first whiff lead my down a nostalgic path of childhood adventures growing up on the coast. It's that good. With scent elements of sand, mandarin, jasmine and sea spray- you can close your eyes and go on a mini vacation in your day dreams. Purchase at Bobbi Brown.