Happy Thanksgiving

Charlie Chaplin always makes me laugh.

What Is Your Favorite Christmas Music?

It’s time to start listening to our holiday favorites. Here are some of the best:

A Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi Trio

Simply the best Christmas music ever. It brings back fond memories of childhood and has a cool jazzy vibe.

A Partridge Family Christmas Card

OK, I know what you’re thinking: Who wants to listen to this goober Christmas music? But give this one a chance. This is a really good albumn. The slow, sad Frosty the Snowman is killer. And after all these years, I still have a crush on Keith Patridge.

Christmas With the Rat Pack

Mix the martinis and chill with the coolest Christmas cats ever. Dig it, babe.

Simply the Best Christmas Album

I haven’t bought this one yet. This will be my new music this year. I like to listen to classical Christmas music while I wrap my gifts. Try some of the samples. This one sounds really nice.

What is your favorite Christmas music?

I Want Purple Hair

I’ve always wanted purple hair. I was just reading a post about the many hair looks of Betty the Geek and it reminded me that I still want purple hair.

One time I had it accidentally. I colored my hair at the last minute for a Christmas party with a temporary Clairol kit that was supposed to rinse out in 6 shampoos. It looked great for the party, but after one shampoo I thought I noticed a purple glow. Not the punk purple I had always dreamed of.

I remember facing a mirror with a friend and she quietly asked, “Is your hair purple?” My response, “IT IS, ISN’T IT? OH MY GOD.” I immediately called Clairol and pleaded for help. The colorist told me to buy color remover and Clairol refunded my money for the color, the remover, anything I needed to correct it. But it didn’t work. I ended up just coloring over it with dark brown permanent color.

Now, I’m afraid I’m too old to have purple hair. Perhaps a few stripes in the front?

Top 10 Things I Need For Fall

As a Virgo, I like to make lists. Here is my list of 10 things I need for fall.

1. black turtleneck sweater – preferably with dolman sleeves (I love Dolman sleeves!)
2. new black ankle boots – I can never have enough. I have a pretty pair with a stiletto heel. But I need a pair with a thicker, more casual heel.
3. black pashmina – to keep me warm at my office. (hmm, black is becoming a theme) I’m tired of wearing jackets. Shawls make me feel more feminine, like I’m in a Jane Austen novel. I guess Elizabeth Bennett wouldn’t wear black unless she was in mourning though. Maybe, I’ll get a second one in a bright fuchsia.
4. new lipsticks – I’m tired of glosses with little or no color. I want strong lips this fall, probably from Chanel, because Chanel is my life.
5. high-waisted jeans – I’m so glad to see the high waist come back. I’m tired of the low-waisted androgynous look. It only looks good on models and teenagers.
6. something shiny – perhaps a satin blouse or bias-cut satin skirt.
7. wide patent leather belt with a big buckle – this will look great around my black turtleneck dolman sleeve sweater.
8. houndstooth skirt – I love black-and-white houndstooth. This will look so cute with black tights, my black turtleneck dolman sleeve sweater and black booties.
9. a new haircut – My hair is really long right now. And while I enjoy having it halfway down my back and the male attention it attracts, I’m tired of fixing it. I’m thinking of the Katie Holmes cut, a not-too-short bob. Always the debate: Do I want pretty hair accessories, or should I just cut it off?
10. Wolford tights – a modern, sexy way to dress up your leg for fall and add texture to your wardrobe.

What do you want for fall?

Images courtesy of Wolford.

Covet: Maloles Bottine Moccasin Bootie

Handmade in Spain, these adorable purple patent leather booties have a pink velvet tie and a suede cuff. The 3.25″ heel is also covered in purple patent.

So so so cute.

$495 at shopbop.com

Hero Worship: Hayden Panettiere for Dooney & Bourke

Dooney & Bourke has teamed up with everyone’s favorite cheerleader and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere to design a new bag for its upcoming ad campaign.

Following in the footsteps of other female celebs like Mischa Barton and Lindsay Lohan, Panettiere wanted to design what she described as “a large leather shoulder bag with puffy pleats, a buckle closure and great style.”

Peter Dooney and his design team translated her dream into the limited-edition Hayden Bag, which will retail for $500.

The bag will be available at Dooney & Burke boutiques as well as Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s and online at http://www.dooney.com.

You’ll start seeing the ads in December, just in time for holiday shopping.

Chanel Holiday Beauty for 2007

If you’re wondering what to get me for Christmas, here’s Chanel’s makeup collection for the 2007 holiday season.

The hallmarks of CHANEL holiday beauty: quietly shimmering silvers, warm bronzes and delicate twinkling pinks to create a refined richness, a subtle polished glow.

4 Camelias De Chanel Levre-Lips
A limited-edition lip pallette with four tres French shades: rose, sheer rose, white and plum.

Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour
Beautiful satin lip color in 7 new shades: Dazzling (true red), Flash Quartz (beige rose), Pink Saphir (tender rose), Violent Diamond (amethyst pink), Rubis Siam (ruby red), Absolu Topaze (sheer peach), and Garnet Fire (red brown).

Levres Scintillantes Glossimer
Two shimmering shades of gloss: Iris (peachy pink) and Hibiscus (shimmering plum)

Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Colour
Shiny, intense color in two pretty hues: Violet Sapphire (soft plum) and Amber (warm nude)

Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow
Two limited-edition eye pallettes in Radiant Gems (cool tones) and Winter Nights (warm tones)

Irreelle Blush Silky Cheek Colour
Chanel cheeks are always youthful and pretty. Try Neroli Rose, a silky light pink.

Poudre Universelle Libre Loose Powder
Dust away flaws with this fine translucent loose face powder in Merveille, a light gold.

Le Vernis Nail Colour
Two long-wearing nail colors in Dazzling (true red that matches the lip color) and Delice (soft sparkling pink)

Here’s hoping you find something lovely under your tree.

Stress Release: Power Napping

A short nap in the middle of the day can reduce stress and invigorate you for the remainder of the day.

Quick napping for 10 to 30 minutes a day can relieve stress on your heart and increase your effectiveness at the office.

Of course, it’s not always possible to nap at work. But no one will miss you if you sneak off to the ladies room for a few minutes. Close your eyes for 5 quiet minutes and try meditating as a substitute.

Instead of reaching for a midday coffee, try the oppositie approach. Shut down for a few.

Beauty Stocking Stuffers

Here are some tiny-sized luxury treats to give as sets or divide into individual stocking stuffers.

Bourjois Kisses From Paris Set – $18

A set of 4 mini lip glosses and a keychain so you can clip them to your cell phone or house keys.

Set comes with 4 colors: Beige Elastic 1 (nude beige), Brun Galactic 2 (beige shimmer), Rose Idyllic 3 (frosty pink), and Rose Symphonic 20 (pink pearl with glitter).

Prada Coffret – $50

A set of four mini Prada fragrances. Set includes three scents for women and one for men.

Women: Intense Eau de Parfume, Prada Eau de Parfum, and Tendre Eau de Parfum

Men: Prada Pour Homme Eau de Toilette

Little Luxuries Coffret Set – $45

There is also a mini Dior fragrance set, which includes 4 feminine scents:
Miss Dior Cherie, J’adore, Pure Poison, and Dior Addict.

Sephora Nail Polish – $4 each

Sixty (yes, 60!) glossy shades in a range of classic to funky colors.

Grace Magazine favorites include 07 (red with gold shimmer), 10 (iridescent deep red), 12 (black), 18 (iridescent pink-gold), 37 (rose with silver shimmer), and 58 (clear fuchsia).

My advice is buy yourself everything. Tee hee.

All products available at Sephora.com

Leonardo Da Vinci Was Really Cool

Not only could he paint and invent stuff but he was a great self-promoter.

He invented PR. Hundreds of years later we’re still fascinated by the tiniest details of his works because he left clues behind. And he obviously had a great sense of humor.

An Italian computer technician claims to have found a 40-second musical composition hidden in Da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper.

Click here to play the music.

Read the full story of Da Vinci’s hidden music at this BBC News link.