My guy friends can’t seem to understand that sometimes there are shoes that just beg you for a home. They look all pretty and innocent on the shelf, somehow convincing you that five inch stilettos are a great choice for everyday wear.
By the time you get them home, the shiny allure of the newness is starting to wane…which means that now you have to be extra sure to get your money’s worth and take these puppies for a spin.
But most heels weren’t made for walking. Especially when they’re brand new and not so broken in. So after a long day …read more

There’s nothing much that I like better than a nice visit to the spa. The atmosphere, the treatments, the relaxation, the pampering, the decadent feel of taking time just for myself. In my early days of visiting a spa, I neglected some of the little details that could have made a great experience even better. Not so anymore!
Here are a few tips that can make your spa visit a wonderful experience:
Arrive early. I think at least half an hour is best. There will be some paperwork to fill out, you’ll want to get undressed and into a robe, and …read more

How do you indulge? Are your weekends packed with social activities, catching up on chores or continuing to work? Hopefully you do get a chance to set aside some quality time for your own personal pampering. It doesn’t have to be every day, but even just thirty minutes or so on a Saturday will have you feeling rejuvenated for all that late night debauchery…or, go for a quiet Sunday evening to start your week off right.
Here are some ideas and recommendations for turning your bathroom into your own personal area for spa-like indulgences.
Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Collection
First step is to …read more

This has been one of those weeks that I can’t wait to have over and behind me!
After returning from vacation, I expected to put in a couple of days playing catch up with everything that went on while I was gone.  I made a good dent in that, and even took on an extra project, since I was well on my way to being back up to speed.  And that’s when things started to go wrong.  From computer crashes to program crashes and lost information to having to re-do major documents to having by beloved iPhone get smashed, this has …read more

Last night, I was in heaven. Okay, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but for a girl who usually has about ten minutes worth of patience for her hair on a daily basis…the kind of pampering I received at the new Blo Blow Dry Bar in Toronto (officially opening next week) was a serious treat.
I know you girls with the pin straight hair are raising your eyebrows and wondering why the heck someone would pay to have their hair blow dried if there wasn’t a haircut happening along with it. Well, not all of us are blessed …read more

Today is a very important day here in the U.S.  It’s Tax Day.  April 15th is the day when we all must have our incomes taxes filed and paid.  Oh sure, you can go the extension route, drawing it out a few more months, but the check still needs to be sent today.
So what do you do after you’ve been all responsible and gotten your taxes taken care of for another year?  Here are some suggestions:

Have a glass of wine.  It doesn’t have to be expensive to be good.
Buy a piece of classic jewelry.  You can always wear it …read more

Bad day, bad week, bad month.  Sometimes you just need to shut out the real world and have a day to yourself and forget about all the bad that came before.
That’s exactly where I find myself this weekend.  I know that a day of treating myself gently, and indulging in a few treats, will make facing next week a whole lot better.
Based on personal experience, here’s how to spend a “ME Day.”

Wear pajamas all day.  Get up, take a shower, and then put on your comfiest pajamas.
Give your hair a deep conditioning treatment.  Let is soak in extra long while …read more

I think we’re all getting pretty tired of winter and it’s getting harder and harder to imagine that spring is just around the corner. 
Take care of your body, mind, and spirit this month with these 28 ways to pamper yourself:

Take a bubble bath
Enjoy a really great glass of wine
Spend an afternoon with your favorite reading material
Deep condition your hair
Take a nap
Get a massage
Discover some new music and spend time really listening to it
Eat dessert first
Find a wonderfully scented body lotion and use it
Sleep in
Savor a cup of coffee or tea
Allow yourself some uninterrupted time to daydream
Light a candle and …read more

There are some days when the blues just come up and smack you in the face!  If you know why’s it’s happening, you have the ability to deal with it.  But sometimes it’s just all our crazy emotions at war with one another.
It happens to all of us at some time, so to help you out when you need it, here are some of my sure-fire ways to beat back the blues:

Take a long bubble bath.  Turn down the lights, light some candles, put on some music.  Or take a book along with you, and read till the water …read more