POCKET LINT.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TUESDAY [THE BEST BATHING SUIT]

Okay, I'm truly sorry not to be posting a Bachelorette recap today, but I'm off on a trip - first to San Diego and then to Vancouver and Victoria - and will be watching it late.

I'll report back on all that when I return, BUT, in the meantime, I thought I at least owed you some kind of nugget.  Above, behold the Natalie One-Piece from Anthropologie, which I KID YOU NOT is the best fitting, most flattering bathing suit that I have ever encountered in my entire life.

Seriously.

It comes in multiple colors (I have the polkadots!) and it's all old Hollywood and stuff, but best of all, it seems to be on sale right now.  I feel like I should buy 10 to wear over the next decade.  That's how good this thing looks on.

I'm sure you'll get on swimmingly! (Couldn't resist.)

xo - N.

SANTA MONICA: MY LAPTOP TRAVELS IN STYLE [ro bags]

Yesterday, I became a woman.

But how is that possible, you might wonder, since my Bat Mitzvah was more than a few moons ago?  Didn't I get my child bearing hips that very "beshert" Saturday in November so many years ago?

Well, this is a different kind of development.  On this fine spring day, I bought my first true laptop bag.

Can you hear the bells chime?

Previously, when I had to carry my computer around, I used a sad giveaway backpack from some random StriVectin product launch luncheon.  That earned me audible snickers from my "best" friends.  (I haven't forgotten, girls!  You will feel my wrath!)

Then I moved onto using my beloved Leigh & Luca tote, which I managed to rip after adding too many hardcover books to the mix.  (Yes, I am the one person in America who still buys actual books).  I found myself sans functional carry on in the middle of the Miami airport.

Clearly, it was time for an investment in the real thing, instead of turning perfectly lovely totes into destroyed laptop bags.

I arrived at Fred Segal Santa Monica for a party celebrating the launch of Daily Candy LA Deals and suddenly remembered that - amidst gratis Stila makeover and O.P.I. manicure stations - sat design store Zero Minus Plus.  And I had a credit I'd been meaning to use.  Suddenly remembering that you have a store credit is like finding cash in the pocket of an old jacket or pair of jeans - genius!

Once I walked into the store it only took a moment for the above ro bag to seduce me.  In the past, most other computer bags had looked too masculine, corporate or, well, heinous, but this one - in bright green leather with sweet polka dotted lining and pockets galore - screamed my name.

Actually, so did the company's summer "Wave Bags" (LOVE! See below!), but I figured one bag was enough per day.

See, women, unlike girls, show self-control.  At least for now.

xo - N.

P.S. This Wave Bag below is called the "Meg Tote" and I think my friend M. should buy it immediately!

 

SD (AND BEYOND): SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION [BEAUTY, FASHION, FITNESS ETC.]

Just wanted to post links to a few of my latest on-line stories, as they may be of interest (or at least, it may be of interest to me for you all to read, re-tweet, FB etc.).

Yeah.  I said it.

Impressed?  I'm working with my therapist to make my needs known.  And, by therapist, I mean facialist.

So, here goes:

Persephenie (formerly of natural perfume shop Blunda) just launched her inaugural beauty product line and, at the end of May, will launch her first signature fragrances.  Style.com

Chloe Sevigny and Michael C. Hall teamed up with Kiehl's to create special labels for a new white clay masque to raise money for charity!  Style.com

Maya Yogev (creator of Grai) just launched her new bag line, MK Totem.  Daily Candy

I'm clumsy.  Are you?  Read my essay on being athletically-challenged. MyDaily.com [AOL]

Take a hike - through Topanga Canyon!  Vital Juice LA

Get an ice cream manicure at The Painted Nail.  Vital Juice LA

Nursing a bruised ego.  Embarrassing moments from the workout room.  Vital Juice LA

Read away!

xo - N.

NYC (AND BEYOND): SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION & A FREE TRIP [VALENTINE'S GETAWAYS}

First of all, you all should totally read this story, if only to put your name in the hat to win a free trip to Malpais, Costa Rica.

That's kind of all I need to say, right?

Here's a story I wrote for AOL's My Daily (or is it now Huffington Post Media Network?) about girlfriend getaways for Valentine's blues.

I'm married and I don't even like Valentine's Day.  Maybe I should go to Costa Rica?  Pura Vida, man.

xo - N.

LA (MALIBU): DETOXING IN STYLE [THE RANCH AT LIVE OAK MALIBU]

Not to be repetitive, especially when tooting my own horn (get your mind out of the gutter), BUT a couple months ago I blogged about an article I wrote for C Magazine about new luxury holistic escape with a gourmet chef, The Ranch at Live Oak.

Well, now the story is online, so I wanted to offer it up!  I think you actually get karmic detox points just for reading.  Seriously.  You're burning calories and becoming a better person as we speak.

xo - N.

LA (MALIBU): SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION TIME [RANCH AT LIVE OAK; C MAG]

You may think you're healthy, but you're not.  After all, when was the last time you hiked a canyon, ate only 1200 calories in a day or had an afternoon stress-reduction massage?

Seriously.  You might as well be Lindsay Lohan, you're so toxin-filled.

Oh, wait.  That's me.  You probably HAVE taken a canyon hike lately, especially if you live in LA.

Still, we could all stand to be a little more health conscious, so--with that in mind--check out my story in the new C Magazine on the brand new Ranch at Live Oak retreat, which opens in Malibu in September.  This is a super exclusive 6-day/7-night program on the most beautiful sprawling property and is meant to help you recalibrate physically and mentally.  C Mag was lucky enough to get the regional exclusive.

You know what else makes you recalibrate mentally and physically?  Alcohol, drugs and jail time.  But not in a good way.  Just ask Lindsay Lohan.

I think I'd rather visit The Ranch.  Wouldn't you?

xo - N.

LA (AND BEYOND): THE BEST RESCUE (AND I'M NOT TALKING FACE CREAM)

Okay, not to tug at your heart strings ...

BUT I got an email about this adorable three-month-old lab/pit puppy yesterday and I just had to share. Partially, I'm posting this because I hope someone will see it, contact me and take him home and partially because nothing is better than waking up to a face that cute.  I mean, how cheery are you now that you read PL today?

Not that I'm not always a ray of sunshine, but you know.

ANYWAY, if you're looking for the cutest puppy this side of the Mississippi, just shoot me a message and I'll get you in touch with the right peeps.  Apparently, his temperament is as sweet as his face.

I know this is a bit unorthodox for the blog, but sometimes cute stuff is just cute stuff.  Speaking of cute stuff, have you seen this new Charlotte Ronson/Shoshana collaboration bag?  I think it's kinda good for the beach this summer (at least in the picture).  It's practically sold out on Shop Bop right now, but don't be sad (or if you do feel sad, look at the puppy again).

I have a feeling that it will be reappearing soon.  And I will let you know when that happens.  Just as soon as I secure one for myself.

Yeah, I said it.

xo - N

SHUT UP!  SHUT UP!  How cute is this dog???

 

LA (AND BEYOND): THE BEST NEWLY LAUNCHED LOCAL STYLE BLOG

To announce that I'm a BIG fan of local Third Street style blog, Blackburn + Sweetzer would be a major understatement (not to mention an insult to the intelligence of any regular PL readers).

Over the oh so long year of writing this . . . thing . . . this behemoth beast (swoon from exhaustion), I've constantly referenced my pal Tasha Nita Adams' blog as a daily "Crumpled Twenty" or even just as a resource.

Well, now her "little sib" blog is all grown up and part of a newly launched larger style website called Mondette.  With fashion world partners in crime Lilliam Rivera and Christina von Messling, the new website also covers the entire Melrose area (Rosewood + Martel).  Well, the parts worth knowing.

As the name Mondette suggests, these ladies translate this sprawling urban (and sometimes weirdly suburban) jungle into a small world, highlighting truly local happenings and finds in these central enclaves.  LA can be a hard city to get to know, but this is like a short cut to finding your favorite neighborhood spots and characters.

It's a cheat sheet, if you will, to making LA your style-centric home.

xo - N.

PALM SPRINGS/VA/MT/VT: THE BEST ARTISANAL RESORT PRODUCTS AND THE BEST WAY TO SAY ADIEU TO A YEAR WELL DONE

I know.  I know.  I keep apologizing and then being bad again, but I'm off on yet another jaunt and will not be LINTing Christmas week.  Actually, that's sort of not true.  I'll be LINTing in the sense that I'll be scouting new finds to share (though I still owe some Pittsburgh and NYC stuff), but I won't be posting regularly until January 2, 2010.

Anyway, I thought I'd leave you with a link to my latest little story in Travel & Leisure (see above) about resorts that farm or crush and create their own beauty and food products.  Short and sweet, just like me and my attention span.  And my patience.  And my fuse.  And my family.  And the time it takes me to devour french fries.  And the time it takes me to read a trashy detective novel.  And the time that will pass between now and my next post in 2010.

So, happy holidays of all kinds, folks.  Good tidings to all and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  (I know I already have my sequined number picked out).  Well, I mean one only has so many sequin dresses from which to choose, right?

Love ya.  Mean it.

xo - N.

PALM SPRINGS: THE BEST HANGOVER CURES

At the risk of sounding like some desert tweaker (rambling a mile a minute about cacti, magic shrooms and Burning Man), I'm going to rave about my mini-trip to The Viceroy Palm Springs.  I know. I know. I'm like Palm Springs obsessed lately, but each spot is so different that the trips really differ.

But I promise to keep it short.  Not POCKET LINT short.  Like actually short.  Or at least mostly pictures. Shit, I'm already rambling. Maybe I am a tweaker?

(My Comfy, Pretty Bed)

My traveling companion (okay, my mom) and I arrived in the late afternoon to discover our lovely room and a delightful yellow package of Estrella Spa products: Lemongrass, Lavender and Sage Body Scrub, Body Lotion and SPF.  We grabbed that handy sunblock and hauled ass to the pool for the last hour or so of light, where I waded in literally a bath water warm pool.  Heaven.  I mean, sigh.

That evening we headed over to the spa for a cocktail party (pineapple, rosemary and ginger vodka drinks) with a mini-sampling of spa treatments from Kinara's Red Carpet Manicures (the beloved LA spa has a new partnership with Viceroy Palm Springs and my hands have never felt so soft as after their sizzling, Alka-Seltzer-like skin treatment) to the most amazing reflexology.  I ask you: Is there anything in life better than a foot massage? I really think not.

(CLICK TO EXPAND: Burrata and Five Tomato Salad, Hanging--Post Outdoor Dinner Party--With The Viceroy's Chef James Bailey, and a Lovely Meyer Lemon and Raspberry Dessert)

The dinner party was delicious, fresh and surprisingly light (prepared largely with local ingredients). Not only did we get to chat with Olga from Kinara (who is hilarious and charming), but, afterward, we also got to pick Chef James Bailey's brain, always a treat for me. He dished about one of his go-to Palm Springs haunts: Matchbox Pizza.  But he also mentioned this place called Cheeky's, where they offer an entire Bacon Flight from honey-cured to jalapeno.  Hmm . . . bacon.

(The Estrella Spa's Fireplace Room)

The next morning, my mother and I both had spa fab treatments.  I luxuriated in a massage and scrub with Estrella's signature aromatherapy blend (made in-house), while my mother had the Lava Shell Massage (where they heat smoothed shells and drop a tea bag-like sack inside).  Did that sound dirty?

(CLICK TO EXPAND: Pizza, Signature Parmesan Truffle Fries, My Mother Lounging poolside at Citron)

Next, we grabbed lunch poolside at Citron and started with the signature juices like the Asparagus, Lemon and Cucumber combo (like drinking a salad) and the tastier Hangover Helper with Apple, Carrot and Ginger (featured in that initial picture above).

Soon, we were off on a hike and to check out the new Ace Hotel (very cool--I LOVE the Portland one too) and then, finally, to The Desert Premium Outlets.  I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that The Outlets have crazy stock right now because people haven't been shopping.  Think Prada. RUN. DON'T. WALK.

I guess I didn't really keep this so short, but such is life.  Sue me:)

xo - N.