Tokyo Storm Trooper and Dance Vader

This makes me smile.

I Need a Vacation

I don’t know where this is, but I want to be there.

It looks so peaceful and clean and calm and like it smells like salt air and sea breezes.

I think it is Australia. So golden and serene.

I could meditate and swim and unwind.

Take me away.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Have you ever seen those funny shaped multi-colored tomatoes in the market?

Heirloom tomatoes come in many varieties and are full of flavor.

I picked up a giant, juicy red one this week at the supermarket. It was so big, it looked like another tomato was growing out of its side.

I sliced it up, sprinkled on a little salt, and it was perfect.

Run to your market and enjoy these ugly beautiful tomatoes while they are in season.

Mistresses on BBC: My New Favorite Show

Four Friends. Four Careers. Four Love Lives.

Sound familiar? Well, it’s nothing like Sex and the City.

Mistresses is about four women who are in various states of having affairs. It’s sexy, stylish, a little spooky, and very entertaining.

Here is the BBC promo.

There have been two seasons on BBC America. But I could never figure out when it was on, so I ended up downloading the episodes from iTunes.

Product Review: Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF 40

Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF 40

is the ultimate natural, non-chemical day screen. It has anti-UV and anti-pollution protection with 100% micronized, microdispersed mineral filters that guarantees optimal tolerance for even the most delicate skin

Clarins Day Screen is a mineral-based sunscreen with the consistency of a thin lotion. It’s part of the suncreen sampler I bought from Sephora.

The lotion spreads easily on the skin and leaves it with a matte finish. I prefer a dewier look but I was glad it didn’t leave that greasy sunscreen shine.

I wore my usual bare minerals foundation and powder over it. I thought the matte lotion made my skin look a little dull, even with the subtle brilliance of the bare minerals.

This white lotion has a pleasant scent, more like a moisturizer than a sunscreen. It was a hot, sunny day here today and I spent a lot of time in my car. I am happy to report I made it home without a sun burn. The lotion washed off easily with facial soap and water.

I like the idea that this sunscreen is a high SPF but I’m not sure I would reach for it again.

However, if you like a matte finish and want to control shine, this could be the product for you.

Puppy Adopts Pandas

This is so cute.

The Sun reports that two panda babies, who were abandoned by their Momma, were adopted by a doggie.

Two rare red pandas were born at a zoo in China. The zoo apparently did not know the panda mommy was pregnant. After giving birth she abandoned the babes. But luckily, a dog at a neighboring farm was happy to take them in as his own.

Read the full story here.

Sonia Sotomayor, Girl Detective

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has cited Nancy Drew as one of her role models.

She’s in good company. Many other modern, powerful women have said the same, including the Supreme Court’s other two female members.

I loved reading Nancy Drew books. When I was young, my mother signed me up for the Nancy Drew book club. I got two books every month and would instantly devour them. I couldn’t wait for the next delivery. She was my childhood heroine. She was only a teenager and she solved crimes!

Nancy Drew was an intelligent, independent woman, who went after a case no matter what. Fear didn’t stop her, bad guys could not deter her. She was determined and clever. Nancy Drew was a modern woman at a time when stories for girls were filled with princesses and faeries.

And she drove around in really cool roadster.

Read more about Nancy Drew, Girl Detecive and Role Model on abcnews.com.

Product Review: Korres Watermelon Sunscreen

Korres Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30

A while back I mentioned I was buying the Sephora sunscreen sampler so I could review the products for you.

This weekend I went to an outdoor party so I needed to slather up. My first choice was Korres Watermelon Sunscreen for the Face. It has broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB/IR) SPF 30 and contains no phthalates, parabens, triclosan or other toxic ingredients. Its main active ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

The cream has a delicious watermelon scent that is light and pleasant with no sunscreen smell at all. It is very thick but blends in easily and doesn’t look greasy. I wore it under my bare minerals foundation and powder. It lasted all day and never gave me a shiny sunscreen face.

When I got home that night and washed my face, the product came off clean and my skin felt soft. Most importantly, I had no sunburn. Sometimes, sunscreens clog my pores and I get small pink pimples on my forehead. But I had no adverse reactions to this cream.

I will definitely use it again.

You may remember last year when I reviewed 10 mascaras as part of my Mascara Wars segment, I chose Korres Deep Colour Mascara as my favorite and have been using it ever since.

Korres is an interesting company that uses natural ingredients. I have used several of its body lotions and shower gels, too. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve tried so far. Its scents are always wonderfully subtle and the prices are reasonable. Korres is a company worth exploring.

Chanel’s Face for Fall 2009

I feel like summer is just beginning. But Chanel is already showing its face for Fall 2009 inspired by Venice, Italy.

Here is the Fall 2009 Collection Venise de Chanel

Exclusive Creation: Eye Gloss
Luminous Cream Quadra Eye Shadow in pearl, gold, black and red black.
Sounds very modern and sophisticated.

Les 4 Ombres
Quadra Eye Shadow in Murano, a moss, pink, seafoam and green shimmer.
I’ve always been partial to green eye colors so this collection really excites me.

Stylo Yeux Waterproof
Long Lasting Eyeliner in espresso, a deep brown, or celadon, a rich emerald.
I love green eye liner.

Exceptionnel de Chanel
Intense Volume and Curl Mascara in Smoky Noir, a smoldering black with a six-sided brush.
Can’t wait to try this innovative brush.

Poudre Douce
Soft Pressed Powder in Peche Caresse, a creamy peach.
You must have soft cheeks to balance the strong eye colors.

Les Tissages de Chanel
Blush Duo Tweed Effect lumination powder blush in New Tween Sienna, an earthy bronze.
I’m not into bronze powders, but I like the presentation.

Rouge Allure
Luminous Satin Lip Colour in six shades: Instinctive, a pink nude, Comedia, a pink rose, Intuitive, a pink brown, Amusing, a rich rosewood, Captive, a red brown, and Clandestine, a red brick.
I want them all.

Levres Scintillantes
Glossimer in Arlequin, a nude gold and Courtisane, a red pink.
Red pink sounds intriguing and I love the names.

Le Crayon Levres
Precision Lip Definer in Praline d’Or, a brown nude.
I don’t do lip liners but this sounds like a pretty shade.

Le Vernis
Nail Colour in Intermezzo, a white pearl and Gondola, a maroon shimmer.
I love pearl nail colors, and the dark red sounds great for my toes.

Lemon Love

I bought a lemon tree for my yard. Yay!

Or as I like to call it, a cocktail fruit tree.

A long time ago when I was planning on moving to California from New York, I had a dream that I rented a house with a lemon tree in the yard. Well, I have rented a house but no lemons.

On Saturday I went to an Armstrong Nursery and wandered around wondering what type of lemon to buy. They had all kinds, even one called a pink lemonade tree, which is supposed to have a light pink flesh. I was intrigued by this but thought I should start off with a classic lemony lemon.

After much debate, I chose a semi-dwarf Meyer lemon. It has real-size lemons on a tiny little tree that you can grow in a large pot. A very large pot. I’ve replanted it into something four or five times the size of what you see in the photo. I don’t want to plant it in the ground because I am only renting this property.

If you’ve read any of my gardening posts before, you know I have a dangerously black thumb. So, wish me luck!