NWPosh

Tigers in Tennessee October 31, 2007

Earlier this year, I spent three weeks in Memphis, Tennessee. I saw Graceland. I visited Beale Street. I went to the casinos in Tunica. One place I did not know about, but I wish I had, is the Tiger Haven in Kingston, TN.

Just thirty miles west of Knoxville, the Tiger Haven is home to 275 Big Cats. The Haven is not a zoo and it is not open to the public but it is a sanctuary to a plethora of cats, ranging from circus retirees to rescued exotic cats.

The website provides a lot of information and photos. For $53 a year, you can adopt a cat of your choice. Included with the Adoption Package, once you select the cat you want to sponsor , you get a 8×10 photo of the cat and the biography of the cat.

I have already asked for the Adoption Package for Christmas, which my husband mistakenly thought meant I wanted another animal. “I just bought you a Yorkie.”

Visit www.tigerhaven.com to view the incredible facility and the Big Cats.

Ali Stephens October 27, 2007

After the end of each Fashion Week, the powers that be select the new group of fresh faced top models that have graced the catwalk and left their marks. Recently, Style.com put out its newest selection of the chosen few (selected from the chosen few). Out of the list, Ali Stephens leaps from the crowd.

Stephens, a sixteen year old, from Utah has an incredible face with a youthful, healthy innocence that is gaze and awe worthy with an equally svelte body that glides down the catwalk with the ease of a seasoned pro.

She signed with Elite Model Management mere weeks prior to landing a lucrative spot on Prada’s runway. Smart move on the part of Elite as this new comer has serious staying power.

Expect this to be the first time (of many) you will hear the name Ali Stephens mentioned among fashion circles.

It Puts the Lotion On Its Skin October 25, 2007

OK, so you won’t get the hose again but it will make you say, “My Precious.” Lancome’s new Precious Carat Lip Gloss Jewel currently comes in one shade, appropriately named Diamond Splendour. My guess (and hope) is that there are more shades to come.

Go Go Goddess October 24, 2007

The Goddess makes several return appearances in the Spring 2008 Ready to Wear (RTW) Shows. Grecian takes on asymmetrical cuts were seen at several shows.

Is this look here to stay? Hard to say, fashion is a fickle creature. One major influence might be that it’s doubtful women mind dressing in the way of the goddess. It is flattering and easy to wear. The style is romantic and yet this season, even modern.

What is your take on the return of the goddess? Do you think it is breathtakingly beautiful? Or are you gasping in horror?

Here Kitty, Kitty…. October 22, 2007

The Jaguar XK8/XK is one of the sleekest, sexiest cars on the road. It was produced from 1998 to 2006 and was greatly influenced by Jaguar’s old XK-E or E-type sports car of the 1960’s. The XK8 replaced the XJS design that had been around for 21 years but the two cars are remarkable similar. Both are based on rear-drive platforms, identical suspensions and indistinguishable wheelbases. In 2006, Jaguar North America released info and images for the upcoming XK8 replacement and it proved to be an updated take on the stylish XK8.

Visit Jaguar.com and build your own XK. I selected the Jaguar XK Coupe with 20” Senta-Style Wheels, in a sensual yet powerful Ebony exterior color with an absolutely delicious Caramel with Poplar trim interior. Meow!

Ulta October 21, 2007

“As the decade of excess, the ’80s, drew to a close, busy women wanted to pare down — to simplify their lives. In 1990, we saw a perfect opportunity to do just that by combining the best of three worlds under one roof — Salon, Department Store, and Drug Store. ULTA was born –the first ever one-stop-shop for lipstick, performance hairspray, luxury perfume, and a lot more. By marrying salon expertise with prestige and popular brand cosmetics, ULTA became a single beauty destination that goes above and beyond other retail stores — it’s a community where women interact via the salon, and experience outstanding beauty advice in a relaxed help-yourself shopping atmosphere.”

Nyberg Woods the latest shopping center in Tualatin houses several large stores, including Best Buy, GolfSmith, PetsMart, Office Max and Old Navy.

Located off I-5 at the Tualatin/Sherwood exit, Nyberg Woods is also the third location of Ulta Cosmetics and Salon in Oregon which opened on Friday, October 19th.

The store is well laid out and products are easily accessible. Store employees are helpful, even if not they are not knowledgeable. One customer asked for Shalimar, a dated request in itself; however the employee who was helping her did not know who made the perfume and continued to scan every aisle up and down. The employee then stated, “Oh, I know it’s by that Gautier (pronunciation of course butchered).” Hmmm. Close, Guerlain.

The store carries over 400 brands, although not all were present in the Nyberg Wood location. There is a wide range of hair products that spans from lower end lines, such as L’Oreal and Freeman to luxury brands, like Frederic Fekkai and Ojon.

Sign up for complementary “the club at Ulta” and receive valuable coupons, special offers and the latest product and beauty news. Upon first purchase, an Anastasia eyebrow gel, an Ulta lip gloss and an Ulta Vanilla body lotion were tucked inside my shopping bag. Another feature of the Club at Ulta is the different shopping levels, ranging 1 to 6, that correlate with a free product. For example, if one spends $100, then an Ulta eye shadow or a Neutrogena skincare product (among others) can be selected.

Posh Fashion Flops October 18, 2007

Usually when you go shopping and you decide not to buy something, for whatever reason, you do not continue to think about it years after the fact. My greatest fashion regret continues to haunt me, seven years later.

I remember it clearly, it was my 21st birthday. The plan was a group of my closest friends and my parents were going to go out to dinner and then we were going to go out to the bars. I had gone shopping for the special occasion earlier that week.

It came down to two outfits, a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress in a sage green OR a pair of dark denim William B pants with rhinestones on the front (cuter than its sounds) and a ivory color suede and snake skin vest top (I think it was cuter than it sounds). It scares me to type the description of the outfit as it sounds truly hideous but… there it is.

Guess what outfit I choose, me, 21 with Jack and Cokes on the brain. Yes, that’s right, the showgirl pants and snake skin vest top.

Today, as I am currently in the process of starting my Diane Von Furstenberg dress collection, I kick myself daily. How could I have been so stupid? So Naïve? How could I have passed up the classic DVF wrap dress? Never again. Thats all I can say, Never again.

Model; The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women October 16, 2007

On my recent honeymoon to Curacao, I was in the health club/spa waiting for an island massage when I stumbled upon a book I had been searching for since its release in 1995.

I do not think it was an incredibly successful book and it is unlikely that one would find it at the local Borders or Barnes and Noble either.

The book is Model; The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women by Michael Gross.

I have always been fascinated by models since I was young. I recall recording every talk show, movie premiere and any other televised event that featured the enticing creatures known as models.

I remember Michael Gross with his glasses and thick, dark hair, although I do not recall the last time I saw him on TV.

Model was an interesting lesson on the history of modeling with incredible interwoven tales of models turned US Presidents and models turned alleged CIA operatives.

At certain times, Gross becomes a little too detailed with his explanations of all of the key players and it is easy to get bogged down with the who’s who, who sleeping with who, etc.

Overall, this book was well worth the wait. I finished all 580 pages in two days and had a hard time returning it to the health club library.

Some interesting facts I came across…

In 1940, Clyde Matthew Dessner coined the term “Supermodel” in his “how to” modeling books. So the term was not, in fact, created by the crass, big mouthed model Janice Dickinson. And seriously, if I see another picture of her not wearing her underwear and flashing her crotch, I think I might scream. She is worse than Britney. Is she a grandmother yet?

1914 was the birth of the catwalk. This seemingly uncomplicated structure was first showcased at a trade show in Chicago changing the very existence of fashion shows forever.

Model is full of interesting pieces of history and upon finishing the book, you feel like you know Christy, Cindy and Veruschka a little better.

Beauty Superstores October 15, 2007

Major beauty retailers, such as Sephora, Ulta and of the recent, Bath and Beauty Works, are the Shangri-La for beauty product fiends. October 19, Ulta will open its second location in the area at Nyberg Woods, which is fortunately and unfortunately (for my wallet), mere minutes away from my house. Expect a full review of the store by the beginning of next week! As for Bath and Body Works, where I recently went this past weekend….Wow!! Seriously, I had no idea that they carried Frederic Fekkai, Patricia Wexler, Murad and Mustella, some of my favorite lines.

Until this last weekend, I had always assumed that all they carried was fruity soaps and lotions. The foam pump soaps are great but no one woman in her twenties, thirties, forties, plus should want to smell like a combination of strawberry and melon. Come on, go find some real perfume…

Bath and Body works has upped the ante and secured their position amongst the likes of Sephora and Ulta.