even if you’re not a rabid fan of dooce.com, like bazillions of us out there are, you have to admit that the book title has you sucked right in.  if you don’t know dooce, go – click over right now, check it out (just remember to come back here!).  the blog, generally considered the most popular personal blog ever, chronicles the lives of author heather b. armstrong, her husband jon, her daughter leta, and her crazy dogs chuck and coco.  they live in salt lake city, so i admit – the constant references to my hometown do add to the charm.  but it’s just a funny, clever, well-written, smart place to be.  everybody’s doing it.

so now, she’s written a book called “it sucked and then i cried:  how i had a baby, a breakdown and a much needed margarita” – come on, you love her already, right?  the book is all about her experience being pregnant, having a baby, having a nervous breakdown and getting through it all.  now, for those of you that know me, you know i’m not so into the gory pregnancy/baby details.  in fact, the more i hear, the more i’m convinced we’re a dog-based family unit.  so it should say something to all of you that i finished this book the day it arrived.  it’s every bit as readable as her blog – endearing and laugh-out-loud-until-you-embarrass-yourself-at-the-coffee-shop funny, even in the gross, cringe-worthy bits.  i read, voluntarily, about post-baby details that i won’t let my closest friends share.  but it’s good…my DINK status has been considerably bolstered by this book.

i was lucky enough to find two square inches of standing room for her reading in portland last night (literally, they had to close the room.  for a book reading).  and can i just say…i think i might have a bit of a girl crush on heather.  she’s hysterically funny, she’s warm, she’s completely open about her life with total strangers (a frightening prospect, don’t you think?), and she has crazy dogs…just like me!  plus, i admit, i love people who can say “y’all” and pull it off!  so, despite the fact that she’s one of those impossibly adorable pregnant girls who looks perfect, skinny and glowy, except for the cute little basketball under their shirt, i think she’s pretty freaking fantastic (though yes, if she were walking down the street, i’d jab my husband in the ribs and complain about how it’s not fair when pregnant girls look that cute).

even though she didn’t call on me to ask her a question at the reading (it’s okay, i’m over it…really), i’m still pretty smitten by the book and its author.  for those of you with kids, or for those of you who know people having kids – i guarantee you will identify with nearly every page of this frighteningly honest, gut-wrenchingly funny book.  heather said at the reading that she wrote the book so that women going through what she went through would know they’re not alone.  i plan to buy it for every pregnant woman i know…just so that i can give them the same message.  there is, after all, safety in numbers.

i spend, well, a lot of time trying beauty products.  so, i have many “favorite” products – basically anything that makes the cut on my bathroom counter for longer than a week.  but there aren’t very many companies whose products i adore across the board – in fact, i could easily count them on one hand.  but i think it’s time to add a new company to the list.

the science behind caudalie is that all of their products contain nutrients extracted from grape seeds.  the details involve big words like polyphenols, but i figure, since wine is supposed to prevent heart disease, and grapeseed oil is even better for you than olive oil, that’s as far into the chemistry side as i need to delve (plus, i once promised my chem professor that i’d never, ever do anything science-related).  

i’ve spent the bulk of my time with their vinoperfect line, which is designed to make your skin bright, radiant and generally happy.  and it does just that, beautifully.  i have yet to meet a caudalie product that i don’t love – and, in fact, their radiance serum is maybe my favorite serum of all time, which is saying something (i’m a pretty serious serum addict).  and their foaming cleanser is literally the most gentle cleanser i’ve ever tried – it’s like cetaphil, but with better results.

so!  there are a couple of budget-friendly ways to give caudalie a go this week.  first, this fab set at sephora is deeply discounted, and a great way to pick up a sample of everything i love best (except the cleanser):  day cream, night cream, serum and beauty elixir,.  (oh yeah, and use code NATURALBAG to get a mega-sample goodie bag at sephora this week.)  or, if you’d prefer to pick and choose your goodies, the quite wonderful people at caudalie just offered to extend their friends & family discount to you all….but it’s ending today, so shop fast!  just use code VINESALE at checkout, and you’ll score 20% off caudalie’s site plus free shipping!

(oh, and ps…the brand is set to launch a new line called “1st wrinkle” in april – i admit i haven’t spent much time with it yet, but i’m pretty freaking excited about it.)

it must really be spring!  today through wednesday, take 20% off all sandals at shopbop with code SANDALS20.  it’s a tough call, but these are the styles making the cut for my shopping cart:

matt bernson’s baracuda sandal is looking to be the hot gladiator this summer – i’ve seen it absolutely everywhere, so this is a great chance to score the style for a steal!  i personally think i prefer the styling on this version from frye…and i sort of love not following the pack.

speaking of frye, i admit they’re not the most avant-garde style out there, but don’t these frye softie sandals just look so comfortable?

after my j.crew metallic flipflops disintegrated in hawaii earlier this year, i’m desperate for a replacement.  this dkny seaford sandal is simple, stylish, and less than $50 with the magic code.  sold!

it’s no shock that loeffler randall can do no wrong in my eyes.  this ruffled raspberry sandal is the perfect flat version of a style i was after last fall…but infinitely more versatile.

and i realize these sweet navy suede heels from coclico are “sandals” only in the most technical of terms, but they’re still 20% off…and they’re positively lovely!

last, and probably on the “pure eye candy” shelf (when did sandals get so insanely expensive?!) – i’m crushing pretty hard on these alexandra neel twiggy wedges.  i normally don’t go in for the wedge at all, but i love how well these balance the strappy styling.  they’re part punk, part retro, and thoroughly chic.  whether you can brave a 3.75-inch heel and a $770 pricetag is entirely a personal question.

so, share!  even if you’re not actually shopping these days, let’s have some virtual window-shopping fun – which are your favorite pick for summer?

multi-chain necklaces are huge this year, no question about it.  and i admit, it’s one of the few spring looks i’m really loving – it’s kind of refreshing, actually, after all of the trend-bashing i’ve had to do this season.  when you’re breaking out those sweet spring dresses and tanks, what better way to keep the cute and the preppy from getting out of control than by adding one of these necklaces.  part rocker, part just good sense (layering jewelry is always ultra hip, and ultra hard to successfully accomplish), i’m dying to pair one of these multi-chains with everything from a tee to an evening dress…i love nothing more than a little versatility.

after an exhaustive search (just like with every trend, there are a thousand incarnations of this one), i’m pleased to report i think these versions from designer katharine sise are, by far, the best of the bunch – and i’m not alone.  lucky magazine used her designs in three separate styling pages in their march issue, which is all but unheard of!  normally, katharine is my go-to designer for much sweeter, classic styles, but her venture into multi-chain territory is sheer genius.  not only are these the perfect combination of tough and sweet, but check this out:  each necklace is built to be worn multiple ways.  i asked katharine to explain, and she kindly obliged:

I wanted to create something “tougher” and more substantial.  For me, putting on one of these multi-layered pieces makes me feel like my look is complete.  I love that these pieces can be worn in different ways, depending on your mood or what you’re wearing.  You can wear them short and chunky, or, you can remove the pin, pull a strand (or two) behind your neck and wear them long and loose.  In that long and loose position, you can pin the pin through the front so that the piece is in the shape of a men’s tie, with the chains cascading down the front.

i can hardly wait to get my hands on one of these lovely pieces.  at first glance, i was wholeheartedly in love with the version above on the left…but the more i hear her talk about how many ways there are to wear the other version, well, it makes the decision much harder.  hmm…i may just have to have both.

head to katharine’s website and view the “mary tea” collection to see all of the variations on this lovely theme.

i’m always wary of the celeb-turned-designer, but justin timberlake’s william rast line is definitely an exception to the rule.

this twill blazer is the ultimate go-to for the season – unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know that blazers are back in a big way.  i absolutely love the oversized collar, the asymmetrical overlapped closure and the not-too-cropped length.  and the military inspired patch on the shoulder keeps the look casual, a nice added bonus.

best of all, the blazer – and most of the william rast line – is 60% off at nordstrom this morning, making this piece a steal at $129.  so, go forth and spend!

i admit – these are pretty far from my normal prep-tastic tastes.  every time i try to pull off punk, i just end up feeling old.  but for some reason, these studded leather cuffs from hayden-harnett are just rubbing me the right way.  i love the ’80s vibe, which is just subtle enough to work perfectly.  and i love the color combos.  that purple/black version is my fave, but the brandy/gold is a close second.  if the cuff isn’t really your style, the ramone is a slimmer version that buckles on – so you wear it like a watch.  it reminds me an awful lot of an hermes medor watch, but with a little more edge (and a much smaller pricetag).  if you’re looking for more subtle still, check out the celina, which feels a bit like a very hip, very updated id bracelet.

accessories like these are a new venture for hayden-harnett, a line i sometimes think of more for the younger fashionistas among us.  but i love this new direction – it’s sophisticated enough to let your inner punk come out, without compromising on chic.  if this keeps up, i’m going to have to start investigating the rest of the line!

whichever style you’re feeling, you can snag one for $80-90 over at HH’s website – a steal once you see the fantastic leather quality and design detail on these.  these are definitely high on my list for hot spring accessories!

there is really very little that comes out of the kiehl’s lab (and by “lab,” i’m envisioning a giant kitchen, since so many of their products are made of “good for you” treats) that i don’t end up loving.  their products are always just perfectly gentle, do what they claim, and make my skin happy.  so, when i got the word that a few new things were going on, i couldn’t resist trying them out.

for those of you with the fair skin/red cheeks/freckle combo, i cannot recommend their new “highly efficient skin-tone corrector” enough.  the name pretty much says it all (yes, they’re not creative with the naming, i’ll admit).  their press release says to expect results within six weeks, but i have to admit, i’ve been using it under my daily moisturizer for a week, and my cheeks are definitely, definitely less red.  keep this up, and i’m going to have the perfect “snow white” complexion in no time!  normally the highly-potent skin products equal serious irritation for my sensitive skin, but they’ve done some science-y thing to make the glycolic acid much, much more gentle.  and trust me:  if i can use it, you can use it.  

and, for my fragrance devotees, kiehl’s just launched their original, cult-classic fragrance oils in a roller-ball vial.  i normally have to steer clear of fragrance – if it doesn’t give me a headache, it makes the hubs sneeze.  plus, i’ve never been a big fan of overly-complex fragrances. what i love about these is that the fragrance is so concentrated that it sticks where you put it all day, without turning into a cloud of scent that follows you around.  it’s just a subtle note that you can put anywhere, to give yourself (and those spending time very close to you) a little “something extra.”  choose from four of their original scents:  musk, vanilla, coriander and (my favorite) grapefruit, which is just perfect for spring.  i could also see these being great mixed – definitely an option worth exploring at your local kiehl’s counter.

i have to admit, i was crushing pretty hard on these metallic pumps even before i saw the price.  my favorite heel heel height (2.5″), goes-with-everything rounded toe, slightly lowered vamp for just a bit of toe cleavage…perfection!  my favorite is that bronze shade on the left, which i may have to pick up even though i have no earthly use for them here in granola country.  but the silver is going to be fantastic for spring (they’ll go perfectly with all of those pastels).  tough call.  

then again, at $19.99 (don’t you just want to give the fab people at old navy a great big kiss?), i think you could pretty safely pick up both colors.  for those of you living in more cosmopolitan parts of the world, this one should be a no-brainer.

much as i’m loving the gladiator trend on others, i’m having a hard time pulling it off for myself.  i’m not sure what it is…i think maybe there’s just too much leather, so it’s like a half-shoe, half-sandal thing, and i’m having flashbacks from bad birkenstock episodes in the ’90s.  or it could just be that i only ever see the flat sandal looking hot on supermodels…and i’m scared that on me, they’re going to just look awkward.  either way, it’s nerve-wracking. 

but when i saw this classic gladiator from oh…DEER, all my fears went out the window.  i realized that, when you use a light, almost flesh-toned leather (yes, my legs are that white), the style becomes less of a standout, and more a cohesive part of your look.  after giving these a try, i’m a new convert to the gladiator!  so, if you’re nervous, i highly recommend this version – plus, they happen to be on sale!

oh…DEER janet sandal, $119 on sale! 

(all photos courtesy of taschen)

it’s getting to that time of year when i’m restless, and just desperate for a vacation.  but, times being what they are, i’m relegated to daydreaming about fabulous locations.  for me, it’s not so much about the sightseeing (though i do that too).  it’s about the shopping (duh), the food, and the people-watching….just relaxing and “being” in a city.  if you’re the same, you’re going to love taschen’s paris.  

this is quite possibly my favorite “picture book” of the year (though i know it’s only march).  it’s essentially the perfect marriage of a coffee table book about a city and a guidebook – you get the best of both.  rather than the traditional travel book about cathedrals and museums, taschen’s paris is devoted to three things:  hotels, restaurants and shopping.  the book is broken down into those three categories, and is piled high with gorgeous photos of the best in each group.  it’s exactly what i wish every guidebook could be…though it’s definitely not portable.  you get photos of rooms, lobbies and salons in the best hotels in paris.  you’ll see fantastic plates of food and the most perfect sidewalk cafes for people-watching.  and the shopping section…le sigh!  you’ll get photos of every stunning flagship store in paris (hermes, louis vuitton, etc), but you’ll also find out about the little hidden gems – sometimes so hidden, they don’t even have a storefront!  

if you’re craving a vacation, but paris isn’t in your budget this month, taschen’s paris will get you as close as you can get without boarding a flight. splurge on a box of macarons (the next best thing to sitting in the laduree tea salon), brew a lovely cup of tea, and curl up in your favorite chair with this book.  you’ll be transported, i can promise you that.

leaf through some of the amazing photos at taschen’s website (warning – you’ll become a fast addict to the rest of taschen’s publications!), or at amazon.  and stay tuned…i predict more wanderlust ahead!