I’m in the market for a new pedicure shade, friends. The coral I was relying on all summer (surprisingly neutral, and made my legs look almost tan) is definitely not en vogue for fall – but after exhaustive research, I’ve found a few serious contenders.

I tried out a bevy of fashion-forward shades – greens from emerald to olive to military, browns and grays galore, even black. They all made me feel more like I’d dipped my toe into something I shouldn’t have. A good pedicure should make you feel pulled together and glamorous, not nervous…don’t you agree? And so, I settled on a few more traditional colors.

- Single Ladies by Deborah Lippmann looks like a typical deep, dark burgundy in the bottle, but in reality, it’s so perfectly light, it almost feels like a lip stain for your nails. It’s a perfect match for your favorite glass of cabernet, and the formulation means you can make the coverage as light or dark as you want.

- Brick House (also from Deborah) is as bold as I get for fall – a deep, burnt orange the color of changing leaves or crackling fires, complete with loads of iridescence to keep the color fresh.

- Street Swagger from Jessica Cosmetics is a fantastic, deep, inky plum color that goes on dark as night.

- Just a Little Rosti at This from OPI is that perfect fall red we always search for. Deep, creamy color, and just dark enough to be sophisticated.

Are you ready to change up your fall pedicure?

So, I promised yesterday that I’d fill you in on all of the details about one of my Top Ten San Francisco items: the Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa (part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, so you know it’s going to be amazing). Friends…oh, I almost hate to tell you how wonderful this experience was, because you’ll be so tempted to get up from your desk, ditch work and hop the next plane to San Francisco. Truly, it’s that good.

I’d always wanted to stay at the Huntington when I lived in the Bay Area, but – well, it’s hard to justify a serious hotel splurge when you live in the same city. But now, we’re tourists! So splurge away, right?

The Huntington is located on the very tip top of all those hills for which San Francisco is so famous, with a picture-perfect view of the city below. But don’t worry about the hills – they’ve thought of that. The hotel has a courtesy sedan with the kindest driver, ready to whisk you nearly anywhere nearby without breaking a sweat (or a stiletto). It’s all very Pretty Woman.

Walking into their bright, beautiful lobby, I knew I had something special on my hands. The feel of the entire property is so warm and cozy, but ultra-luxe…like you’re staying at an incredibly rich relative’s mansion. And it makes sense – the property is one of the few family-owned luxury hotels left in San Francisco, so that intimate/decadent feel is entirely intentional. When I walked in, my first sight was a guest chatting with the concierge, and the guest was wearing sky-high Prada heels and carrying a Birkin. I’m home!

Once I stopped drooling and made it to the front desk, the hubs and I were greeted with hot towels to wipe away our travel grime – such a nice touch after our long day of travel.

Then, it was off to our room:

In case you missed that, here’s another look:

How much do you love that artwork? I couldn’t stop staring at it for our entire trip. That is, when I wasn’t looking out the window. With a view like this, can you blame me?

{Just to clarify – that really is a photo of our view. I just got a little carried away with some of the filters in Camera+.}

Yep, our actual view. It was just as fabulous as it looks. I’m now utterly ruined for other accommodations. Beyond the hotel itself being absolutely beautiful, every single member of the staff made our stay amazing, and I am one picky customer when it comes to these matters. Plus, they have turn-down service, and I’m always a sucker for that.

Also, did I mention the spa?

As wonderful as the Huntington was, I have to admit, it’s the spa that blew me away. I’m a spa girl at heart, and the Nob Hill Spa has become such a favorite of mine, it really belongs on my Top Ten of All Time list, not just for San Francisco. To wit:

Yeah, that’s just the waiting area. And this photo leaves out the cozy fireplace off to the left, the hot tub, and the 270-degree view of the city from the balcony on the right. Are you getting the picture? The spa even has a nap room (okay, it’s called a Zen Room), in case your massage was just so relaxing that you can’t muster the strength to leave the premises. And it would be understandable. My therapist was a genius, and my massage was definitely one of the best I’ve had. I was more blissed out after that fifty minutes than I’ve been in a long, long time, and that nagging ache in my shoulder has entirely vanished.

Post-massage, the hubs and I spent some time lounging poolside. (Those chairs you see right up front, with the wine glasses? Yeah, that was us.) We dawdled for two hours in our picture-perfect, climate-controlled paradise. We took a dip in the hot tub, read books, and indulged in a delectable lunch that the staff delivered to our lounge chairs. No clock, no crazy dogs, no deadlines…it was a dream, friends. And I’m not the only one who thought so: just before we headed to the sauna, my darling hubs looked over at me and said, with the happiest look I’ve seen on his face in ages, “This is the best spa in the world.” Endorsements don’t get much better than that.

A huge thanks to the Huntington Hotel for making my stay so utterly unbelievable…though I get the feeling that’s all in a day’s work for their incredible staff. Tearing ourselves away from that beautiful room when it was time to come home was more of a challenge than I care to admit. Fortunately, there are a bevy of other SLH properties still to check off my list in the meantime. But something tells me we’ll be back!

Happy Friday, friends! Are you relishing these last few summer weekends? I’ve been woefully neglectful of my barbecue, which I’m hoping to remedy this weekend. Also, we finally have a backyard that’s habitable, and I can hardly wait to bust out our patio set. Here’s hoping we get a few more rain-free weekends to put them to good use.

And, with that, on to this week’s Finds!

First, I have to tell you about the two beauty products that have been saving me this summer. I didn’t quite realize their collective power until I spent a weekend at the beach, and had not even a trace of a sunburn on my alabaster (well, pale, at any rate) skin. Honestly. No sunglasses tan lines, no new freckles…nothing. Considering how much my hair bleached out over those two days, I think that’s pretty impressive. So, first, props to DDF Weightless Defense UV Moisturizer SPF 45 (wow, that’s a mouthful).

Yes, it smells like sunscreen – but only for a second when you first put it on. No, it didn’t make me break out, not even a little. Not even when I first switched over. That, friends, is impressive. If you have sun in your future, switch to this immediately.

Second, Sue Devitt’s SpaComplexion tinted moisturizer with “hydrating marine minerals”. I’ve actually had this on hand to try for a few months, but my skin was still too pasty pale from the winter. (Yes, their lightest shade was still too dark for me. Don’t judge.) But my skin finally colored just enough for me to start using this about a month ago (before I’d switched to the mighty DDF sunscreen, mind you), and I’m completely infatuated. It looks and feels like there’s nothing there at all (so you can claim that “no makeup” look), and does a masterful job of glossing over the bad, and generally evening out my skin tone. And again, no breakouts…unlike the 4 other tinted moisturizers I tested.

But enough about my trip, right? This has been a huge jewelry week for me – possibly because I’ve had samples from some of my favorite designers lying around my house all week. Sadly, they have to go back. But in their place, I’m thinking very seriously about some new little bauble for myself. This stunner of a statement necklace from DANNIJO is unbelievable. Cocktail dress? Sure. But just picture this with a grey tee and cutoff shorts. The design is exclusive to my friends at Charm & Chain, which makes me want it even more! I do love a little exclusivity.

And speaking of jewels, Lulu Frost’s collection for J.Crew just debuted. Isn’t it pretty?

It’s possible I’ve been reading too much of The American Heiress (fantastic guilty summer read, by the way), as I’m clearly craving an awful lot of sparkle these days. Speaking of, have you seen all the gorgeous mirrored and sparkly shoes at Topshop right now? They remind me of a grown-up version of Dorothy’s ruby slippers. I’m envisioning them with jewel-toned tights and a great 1940s-inspired dress…unbelievable!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend in store, friends – as for me, I have a huge pile of SEPTEMBER ISSUES staring me down. Best time of the year! I can’t wait to curl up at Peets with my trusty cappuccino and dig in. What do you have planned?

Wow, this week is running away from me at lightning speed, friends…forgive me if I’m a bit more absent than usual.

As we’ve previously discussed, I’m slightly concealer-challenged, particularly when it comes to application methods. I’ve tried brush after brush, and have finally decided that a fingertip is really the best tool. But of course, fingers are tricky – they can add oil to an area that really doesn’t need it, and it’s hard to get a flawless application with a less-than-flawless tool.

Enter the BeautyBlender.

Isn’t it cute? I kept the packaging for a week after I started using it, because I was so taken with the cuteness. Fortunately, this baby isn’t just about looks. It’s literally changed my world when it comes to concealer application. Because the surface is so smooth, and so perfectly contoured to the shape of your face’s natural curves, it’s translated to the end of smeared, uneven concealer jobs at my house. Plus, I’m quite glad to no longer be dipping my fingers into my concealer pot every day, which will keep it from getting grimy over time. It also, by the way, does a seamless job of applying and blending eyeshadow, and I would imagine it does a bang-up job on blush, if I used it. I’m still too lazy to try using it for my foundation and powder, but I have a feeling it’d be perfect there too.

The only snag in all this perfection is the storage situation. You’re supposed to let the Blender hang out on top of the bottle of cleanser that comes in the set, which is great in theory, but since the Blender is built like a Weeble, it doesn’t always stay where you put it. Plus, of course, it means one more thing on the counter, which none of us really need. Maybe I should have kept that cute packaging a bit longer. Ah, hindsight…

Still, though, I think it’s worth that little bit of effort to reap all of the BeautyBlender’s benefits – and, though I’m loath to spend $20 on a sponge, I know I’ll be buying a replacement when this one bites the dust (in about 3 months, says the package insert…which I’m translating to mean 6). The BeautyBlender solo is $20, but your best bet is this $40 set that comes with two blenders and the cleanser you need to keep it clean.

Happy Friday, friends? I know you’re ready for the weekend…but how many of you got up early (or stayed up late) to shop the Anniversary Sale this morning? Sadly, I had a very tragic (and upsetting) experience pre-ordering my beloved St. John wrap dress, but I’m happy to report it was still available online this morning, so I circumvented my salesperson and nabbed double points in the process. That’ll show ‘em.

Digressions, they plague me…

To get you started for the weekend, a few things that have been making me happy this week:

Summer is always the time of year when I want bright, colorful jewelry, but something that’s still light and easy to wear. I spotted this utterly charming necklace from Nicola Yoon, and have been imagining it with different outfits ever since. It reminds me quite a bit of my beloved Marco Bicego, but not so much as to be upsetting. And it’s about 1/10 the price. Hard to beat that!

I cannot stop thinking about this beautiful Blaise loafer from Loeffler Randall. Every so often, designer Jessie Randall concocts a delight that completely takes over my brain. This is one of those times. Ikat calf hair? Yes, yes, I think so. Now if only it’d go on sale.

I’m having a big jewelry week, apparently. Isn’t this piece from Taylor Kenney wonderful? So unique and eye-catching, but simple and easy to wear. And you know how I love me some druzy action.

And last but not least, I recently made a bargain beauty discovery, and since those are pretty rare in these parts, I had to share. Yes to Carrots! It’s wonderful. I’m particularly smitten with their Intense Repair Body Lotion which has a not-at-all unappealing (and extremely mild) herbal scent, goes on much lighter than my Eucerin standby, absorbs faster and works as well. Oh, and it’s $9.99 at your neighborhood Target. Score!

Now it’s time for a little Friday Finds action from you, my friends. What did you score at the Anniversary Sale? Anything finds you’re especially excited about? I’m dying to know!

Have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend, everyone! I’m taking the hubs to his very first rodeo…I’m pretty excited about it. With plans to spend an entire day out in the sun, I couldn’t help thinking that it might be the perfect time to remind you to bust out your sunscreen this weekend…and, if it’s more than a year old, replace it!

A few of my favorites to slather on every 3-4 hours over the next few days:

From left: Clinique Sun SPF 50+ face cream, $18; Tocca SPF 30 sunscreen towelettes (bonus: they smell unbelievable!), $28; Phyto Plage L’Originale Protective Beach Spray, $22, and
Hair & Body Wash (both do amazing things for your hair, sun or not), $18.

See you back here Tuesday!

{Entries now closed, but thanks for looking!}

I can hardly believe we’re already at the last day of our Birthday Bash! What an absolutely amazing week it’s been – I’ve had so much fun celebrating the blog’s fifth birthday with you all. In case you’re late to the party (way to make an entrance), here’s a quick look at all of the presents we’ve announced so far – and which you can still win!

Amazing, right? We’ll be giving each of those away on Tuesday, 6/14, and you can enter at the end of this post. But we’re not quite done. I still have to tell you about the last present of the week…a serious win for the beauty buffs among you.

You all know that Clarins has long been my go-to brand for skincare. I test a lot of products, but Clarins is the brand I rely on every single day. They just have a way of making my skin look happy and healthy – all while keeping wrinkles, spots, and other bad things at bay. When I decided we needed a beauty brand included here, they were the obvious first choice – and they responded by offering you so many goodies, I could hardly contain my glee! And so…

Today’s present is an entire summer’s worth of skin care and beauty from Clarins!

This pile of products includes Clarins’ UV Plus HP Day Screen SPF 40, my new favorite and one that’s been sweeping all the editors’ beauty awards; Sunscreen for Face Wrinkle Control Cream and Sunscreen Care Milk-Lotion Spray, both from their SPF 50+ collection; Instant Smooth Golden Glow self-tanner; and two of their new Blush Prodige Illuminating Color palettes in Spiced Mocha and Miami Pink, so you can perfectly customize your bronzer shade to match your tan all summer.

Retail for all of these amazing products is $188…but one of you is going to be set all summer long, because they’re sending the whole collection to you for free!

TO ENTER:

You can enter up to three times today, and each of those three entries qualifies you to win any of the five prizes announced all this week, not just today’s prize. How to do it? Simple:

Entry 1. Comment on the post. Easy peasy.

Entry 2. Facebook: “Like” Shopping’s My Cardio (if you haven’t already), and repost the contest on Facebook, using those brand new, handy-dandy little buttons at the bottom of the post. Use your imagination, but something like this would work well:

I just entered to win a pile of summer skin savers from @Clarins in @Shopping’s My Cardio Birthday Bash! http://www.shoppingsmycardio.com

…then come back and leave a second comment telling me you did so.

Entry 3. Twitter: “Follow” @ShoppingsCardio, and tweet about the contest using those same fancy buttons. Just as a suggestion:

I just entered to win an amazing collection of summer beauty goodies from @ClarinsNews in @shoppingscardio’s Birthday Bash! http://www.shoppingsmycardio.com

…then come back and leave a third comment letting me know you got that done.

For the rest of the rules and details, head over here.

Entries are open until Monday night, 6/13, but they say the early bird gets the worm. Good luck, friends!

Yesterday was all about the eyes. I took a little detour from my usual brow maintenance routine to try out the Anastasia Beverly Hills method (they have departments at nearly every Nordstrom – who knew?). Hands down, best brow wax ever, even if it was a little pricey ($30). My brows are perfectly shaped and symmetrical (thank you, stencil method), and I’m feeling very Brooke Shields this week as a result.

Naturally, when I came home, the first thing I wanted to do was continue playing in the beauty aisle, and I just happened to have a few samples from one of my favorite cosmetic lines here waiting for me. And that’s how I spent the afternoon with Giorgio Armani Beauty’s latest and greatest, Eyes to Kill.  It’s this amazing new hybrid powder/cream shadow with intense, multi-toned pigments that are smudge-proof, and wear flawlessly right until you take them off.

{From left: Khaki Pulse, Champagne, Rock Sand}

Most of the colors look like they’re a bit too much in the box, but seeing them on is believing. These rich, saturated hues can be light as a feather if you use a shadow brush and a delicate touch. Or, go full-force with a damp eyeliner brush, and prepare to be dazzled.

For once, I found myself loving the warm, bronzey hues, instead of the pastels I always favor. Khaki Pulse (#6), for example, terrified me in the pot, as I am in no way a fan of warm tones, generally. But I fell in love at first swipe. When you apply it, it becomes this beautiful, tawny bronze that does wonders for bringing out your eye color, whatever it is. Apply a bit to the base of your lid, then try my wet brush/eyeliner trick with the same color – the saturated version turns a rich, earthy brown that’s perfect for lining (or smudging). It’s the ultimate evening look, in 30 seconds flat.

For day, I really wanted to like Champagne (#8) – it’s the color palette I’d naturally gravitate toward. But when I tried it on, I found it a little too “Britney pink” for my taste. Rock Sand (#9), on the other hand, was love at first try. It feels like an eyeshadow version of your favorite bronzer – warm, easy, and just shimmery enough to draw attention, without being too young or too much. It’s going to be my daytime go-to all summer.

These are definitely colors to try on – they’re hard to judge from the pot. But it’s so, so worth your while. Pick up your favorites for $32 each at Giorgo Armani Beauty‘s site, or play with the whole lot at your neighborhood Nordstrom counter.

And, with that, I’m giving myself a long weekend, friends – I hope you can do the same. I’ll see you back here Tuesday!

I am so positively ready for this weekend, friends…it’s been one of those weeks.  And my mom’s coming to town tomorrow, so I’m especially looking forward to one of those fun weekends of shopping, eating out, and being just a little bit spoiled that we all look forward to when our parents come to town.  So, forgive me if this week’s list is a bit more succinct…I still have to clean the guest room.

Since we had such a serious beauty splurge this week, I thought I’d make it up to you with a steal.  These new spring treats from Sonia Kashuk for Target are just as sweet as can be.  I particularly love the Gold Mine brush set ($25) – the wooden handles give the brushes a luxe feel, and the holder could easily double as a minaudiere for outdoor summer parties.  And the Spring Awakenings makeup palette ($20) is packed with useful colors, and so complete, it could be the only thing you pack in your overnight bag.  Plus, it has that same adorable woven wicker on the outside.

I literally just received an email from Le Train Bleu, a favorite shop of mine, letting me know about a new arrival, and it’s too good not to share.  Every single thing I buy there garners oodles of compliments (in fact, my mom once stole a Le Train Bleu cardigan right off my back!), and I never see it being worn by someone else.  These enamel lockets are brand new in the shop, and I’m completely smitten.  If only I could figure out how to choose between coral and cobalt.

To say that I don’t need more plates in my life would be an understatement…in fact, I think I’d have to start storing them in the fireplace (hey, that’s an idea…).  But the new spring dishware at West Elm is so beautiful, I’m having a very hard time resisting.  They’re also on sale.  Quel torture!

That’s it, friends.  Have a wonderful weekend, whatever you’re doing. I hope there’s sun in your Sunday this week…my mom will never forgive me if Portland doesn’t see a bit of spring sunshine while she’s in town!

Friends, I almost didn’t even test this product.  Partly because I couldn’t believe my eyes when i saw that it was $250.  And partly because I knew you wouldn’t be able to believe your eyes either.

But, it’s La Mer, after all, so eventually, my curiosity got the better of me, and I pulled the sample out of my testing bin.  I had high hopes, friends.  I highly hoped it would be mediocre.  I hoped it wouldn’t be any better than any of the other serums I test, so that I could come back and say:  $250?  Not worth it, people.

Sadly, this was not the case. It’s completely, 100%, totally worth it.  Because La Mer’s new The Radiant Serum (you know it’s special because they call it “The”) did amazing things for my skin.  And not after a week, or a month.  After one use.  One use, and my skin was suddenly all glowy.  Three uses, and the redness on my cheeks is almost gone.  I hardly know what to expect after a week, but I’m thinking I’ll look exactly like Christy Turlington.

The press release talks about things like “dark spots, hyperpigmentation, dull texture and tone, and a loss of firmness.”  I have all of those things!  It tells me this serum will “recapture the visible glow of youth,” and that it’s Brightening Ferment will “generate an explosion of activity that remarkably plumps, firms, and lifts the skin’s appearance.” It also mentions diminishing redness, reducing dark spots, and “gently promoting an even and bright complexion.”  For the first time in my writing history, a press release is actually understating things.

What I do know is that I am going to cry when I run out of this serum.  But here’s what I’m thinking: maybe we all chip in and buy one bottle to share, and we pass it around to whichever of us has a special event coming up, and they can use it for the week leading up.  It will be like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Serum.

No?

Fair enough.  But, I do have a serious question for you.  Being the wonder potion I’ve found it to be, would you ever consider splurging on a bottle of The Radiant Serum for yourself?  It’s a pricey pill to swallow, I know, but when you break it down, it amounts to about $50/month to look quite amazing.  Would you pay it?

(Incidentally, if you do decide to splurge, I strongly suggest splurging at Nordstrom.  Their lovely return policy will come in very handy if, by some weird twist of fate, it doesn’t work for you.)