Got GOOP?

I am a Gwenyth Paltrow lover.




I know not everyone is. But I am and always have been.

I know she has a life unlike many, but for some reason, she is easy to relate to.
For me at least.

I love her taste.

And I do like her new(ish) newsletter/blog called GOOP.

It addresses various subject matters: MAKE, GO, GET, DO, BE & SEE.

She talks recipes, shopping, health and travel to name the subjects I've read so far in my subscription to GOOP.

You can subscribe at http://www.goop.com/. It's kinda fun to get a note each week.

Think pre-prohibition.

Sometimes I have a cocktail. Luckily, my husband is a mixologist in training.





Also, luckily, he likes a vintage cocktails that are super complex and interesting.

This weekend was M's brother A's birthday. M was designated mixer and I was his assistant.

The drink: the Aviation. The ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Plymouth gin
1 1/2 oz Lemon juice
1 teaspoon creme de Violette
2 teaspoons Luxardo Marachino liquor

(in my version I upped the Violette by double and added 2 teaspoons of simple syrup)

The color is a marvelous pale, pale periwinkle. And J & A have the most fabulous crystal cocktail glasses that we served them in. We put a Luxardo Marasca cherry in the bottom.

Most delicious. And very elegant.

Jest kidding.

So my new thing is my hair scraped back into a messy bun, sunscreen all over my face, Tarte Flush Cheek Stain and sheer red lip tint (my favorite--Dirty Girl Pomegranate Lip Lustre--discontinued,) no mascara (my eyes need a break) and lots of MAC Jest eye shadow.

The look is flushed, dewy and a bit French. I like it. It takes no time and still looks done but not overdone.

Jest by MAC is a satiny, brightening, peachy oyster. It brightens the inside corners of my eyes like no body's business. And I like the no mascara look, sort of.

With my legwarmers on and black tights I feel like a ballerina. Fun.

MAC eyeshadows are $14.50 and last forever. Purchase at a MAC store near you or at http://www.maccosmetics.com/.

Amendment.

The new mascara I wrote about is cheap, does make for an amazing look and does work.






However, it makes me incredibly allergic (i.e., watering eyes, sneezing, cold-like symptoms.)

Generally not good for a mascaraphile.

So, Mama J. , you're right as usual.

Leggings, again?

Yes, leggings. Again. From American Apparel.











But these are different. They are cable knit sweater leggings. Indispensable for the NY winters!!

For this climate they are perfect, super stretchy, long in the rise, long in the inseam. Love them!!

My preference is to use light layers for the rest of the outfit--like today--poplin bubble dress, tissue cashmere boyfriend cardigan, cashmere scarf.

They do add texture to a somewhat smooth outfit without adding bulk to the leg.
They are a bit sexy, too, which can't be bad.

Retail pricing, $38, available at http://www.americanapparel.net/.

Run for it...seriously.

So you may have heard, OPI has teamed up with Sephora to create a new line of nail color.

I of course, have been looking for the perfect grey nail polish since, oh I don't know, forever.

Run for it! is the name of the color and I'm at a loss on how to describe it accurately. Sparkly cement? Shimmery sidewalk?

Anyhoo. It's not quite silver, definitely not gunmetal.

Nice for fall. Subdued and somewhat odd...like my mood.

Want to get yourself a bottle? Run, don't walk to your nearest Sephora, or go to http://www.sephora.com/. It' s$9.

Golden state.

I know, I know.

Usually it is all about the item, but I am going to come out of my shell a little.





I was so happy with my look for the cocktail party the night before M.'s brother's wedding in LA that I had to post a photo of us overlooking the ocean. Plus, M. looks so husband-like, doesn't he? Handsome.

Gold and cream together is so decadent, don't you think?

And I decided, even thought the neckline and hemline of my dress are sequined, to layer on lots of luxe accessories: camel cashmere wrap from S., "Van Cleef" necklace from a street vendor and the Louis Vuitton scarf A. gave me, purrr. I went heavy on the black kohl liner and gold shadow and wore gold wedge peep toes.



Very Grecian, said M. of the dress. Very California, thought I.

My eyelashes+The Colossal Volum' Express=LOVE

I know I just wrote about mascara, but I am a bit of a mascaraphile.

This one has a fat, fat brush and collagen in the formulation. Application is easy. This one smells a little weird, not sure about that, but the resulting effect is HUGE.

And you can apply and apply without too much clumping.

Maybelline does it again. $5.39 at www.drugstore.com.

Forever 36.

I like a whole lot of look for a little bit of money. And generally I wear fine jewelry, but when it comes to trend jewelry, there's nothing like Forever 21.

Not that it lasts forever, nor would one want it to.




But for my winter look, wouldn't this one be fab?

I'm picturing it with a heather grey v-neck t-shirt and black leggings. Possible layering items would be my cropped denim jacket and camel cashmere scarf/wrap tied at my neck.

On the other hand, it could work well with a crisp white shirt and black pencil skirt with flats.

I used to work at the Gap in the early nineties and I remember this woman named Liz, who was a regional something or other, who had high/low dressing down to a tee (no pun intended.)
Anyhoo, she wore the heather grey Gap sweatshirt with an Hermes scarf.

To this day I love the combination of dressing down with dressing up--on the cheap with upscale--feminine with masculine--perfect and put together with dishevelment.

As a matter of fact, today I am wearing one of M.'s white undershirts with my Louis Vuitton scarf draped around my neck. Why not?

The composite necklace is $5.80 at http://www.forever21.com/, at that price, why the heck not?

White hope.

Y'ever have a favorite sweater that is so perfect and white that you don't want to wash it because it will never look the same?

I am a re-wearer of things. I am obsessive about keeping them clean, spot-cleaning and laundry in general.




I worry about missing buttons, bleeding mishaps, shrinkage.

And so, I am a re-wearer.

The aforementioned white sweater is a new item. It is really a sweater jacket, which normally is not my bag. White, also, not my bag is so fresh right now. And the button detail is super cute. They are a little oversized and white enamel. Ooooo. A nice higher end detail. But what this coat has done is make me want to revamp my look.

The item is double breasted but is adorable open. I wore it on the plane to go to M.'s parents home in LA. It was the perfect weight for the plane ride, but the whole time I was leery of getting dirty, especially when the flight attendant insisted on holding the drippy garbage bag over my lap. But, to my knowledge, no spots. Plus, she was very appologetic about the dripping on my bare leg.

I'm going to take that sweater into fall and perhaps winter. But first, I am doing a closet overhaul. I'm a little nervous about it. I'll let you know how it goes.

You can get this cuter than cute sweater coat from http://www.oldnavy.com/ for $39.50.

No.

Because of the buzz. Because of the price. Because, well, it's weird, I bought Yes to Carrots shampoo and conditioner.

I like the packaging. I like that it's made in Israel. I like that it's different.

But it is not for me.

The shampoo made my hair a tangled mess while in the shower and then the conditioner was not help. It literally dried my hair.

Yes, my hair is highlighted but gosh, it was like hay.

You know who does say Yes to Carrots now, though? It works for M., as his hair is short and not color treated.

Added bonus: Yes to Carrots has a very "men's cologne" fragrance that works well on his noggin. He thinks it works just fine. Whew.