My New Obsession - Inglot

European cosmetics store Inglot opened its first location in California a few weeks ago. There are several reasons Inglots is head and shoulders above other cosmetic stores such as Mac and Bare Minerals. First, the quality of the cosmetics is excellent, especially the nail colors. (but then again, there are lots of high quality cosmetics)... At Inglot you purchase your choice of a tray and then fill it with individual cosmetic colors of your choice. Each shadow, blush or cosmetic item is in a magnetic cup that fits into your tray. You can customize the colors and, if you use one color more than the rest of your palette, you can replace just that cup. Brilliant!

BUT, the best thing about Inglot are the eyelashes. From crazy feathered lashes to bejeweled lashes to colors and lash extenders. Inglots exploits one of the last frontiers of cosmetic customization in a huge way. Available in full lashes or individual lashes. Love it!

 

 

A Moto-Rant

Motorcycles are made for men. There is no other method of transportation that is so biased towards a single gender. I get it… female riders only make up 10% of the total motorcycle market. It is a very much male dominated market and industry.

Still, the number of female motorcycle riders is increasing at a higher rate than male riders- 28 percent versus 7 percent. (source: Ohio DOT) This is in spite of the fact that bikes are overwhelmingly designed and marketed to men. Untapped market anyone?

               Ideally, you want both feet firmly on the ground. Studies have shown that the average female rider has an inner leg dimension of just over 29 inches. (This is about 2 ½ inches shorter than the average male inner leg dimension). Also, a rider should be able to comfortably reach the handle bars but at an average reach of 23 ½ inches, many women have to lean. (Compared to the average male reach of 26 inches). My biggest issue is the distance from the brake/clutch to the handlebar. I have smaller hands and on most bikes, I can only get a couple of fingers around the levers.

               Like I said, I understand that bikes need to be manufactured to fit the largest number of potential riders- or else the company will not be profitable. Still interchangeable clutch/brake levers, lowering kits and other after-market accommodations are hard to come by and sometimes expensive depending upon the make and model.

She probably fell off because she could not reach the handle bars.

IT Help Desk… How May I Assist You?

In the middle of summer, I headed east for business which included a stop-over in Chicago. Living in Southern California for a couple of years had erased the memory of sticky-hot summers but as soon as I stepped onto the jetway, the humidity immediately hit me- and my hair. See, my hair is a finely calibrated psychrometer, and judging by the frizz level that day- there was enough water vapor in the air to take a shower. To make matters worse, my laptop decided to crap-out (technical term). I shuffled to my next gate and called the company IT help desk.

               As the IT guy worked his magic on my dead-weight Dell, we chatted during the long pauses waiting for signs of digital life. I mentioned that I needed to buy a souvenir hat to cover the mess on my head. IT guy mentioned that when he had long hair, he discovered Moroccan Oil- a cure all for hair woes. The expensive, yet potent hair oil smooths, shines, and repairs all types of hair. I skeptically forked over the $17 for a tiny 1.7 fl.oz. glass bottle and tried it out. This product delivers what it promises. One of the best hair products I have ever tried- I am completely hooked. It is pricey but a little goes a long way. The company has a full line of hair products but if you can only swing the cost of one, choose the original oil treatment.

               Smooth hair AND he got my laptop working. Thank you IT guy.

http://www.moroccanoil.com/

UNIQLO

UNIQLO is a Japanese casual clothing label that stacks wardrobe basics sky-high in a dizzying array of colors. Stock up.

uhuru

uhuru.

Simple, useful and beautiful furniture hand made in Brooklyn.

Cyclone Lounger, Coney Island Line

 

 

Wonder Coffee Table, Coney Island Line

My Perrenial

NYC Pretzel Bag

 Naughty Bunny Bucket Hat

Super-cute handmade felt accessories by My Perrenial make unique gifts for the holidays. Made in Chicago by a former science teacher, it proves that traditional craft is alive and well.

Under Glass

Late last year, terrariums started to emerge as the latest floral trend. And why not? Low maintenance, low water, creative and interesting, these plants are forgiving for those of us with indoor black-thumbs. Lots of style in a little package. Easy how-to instructions.

Dunk vs. Dunk

Create your own designs with  Nike Kicks Creator. Change the pattern, color combinations and graphics and then share your designs with friends. Feeling like a designer? See how your creation compares in the court of public opinion. Post your design to the gallery to let others rate your style.

2010 LA Auto Show

What's new in automotive aesthetics? Try red leather. Red leather and two-tone leather (red/black, red/white, red/natural) could be found in the interior of a number of makes and models. Last year's show was dominated by achromatic exteriors- but this year's show welcomed back color after 2009's black, white and gray. (Finally. Although the custom rides never disappoint... I wish the manufacturer's would take a queue from the creativity of after-market customs). Last year- Matte exteriors. This year- matte with metallic flecks or high-gloss color shifting iridescence. Also spotted this year, metal grills with organic patterns- honeycomb, lattice etc... Show link

Santa- Make A Note

I wish you could smell this. My all-time favorite soap is Pacifica from Portland OR. The perfume is so intense and REAL- natural florals and spices. I usually buy several bars of Tahitian Gardenia whenever I stop by Pharmaca (I hoard it like a miser). This time I did branch out a little and added Egyptian Bergamot Rose and   Malibu Lemon Blossom. I hope Santa puts a few bars in my stocking (Hear that SANTA?) Pacifica Website

Nike Headquarters, Beaverton OR

No matter how plush your office is, it's hard not to have workplace envy when you visit Nike's 200 acre campus. Sometime between touring one of the several state-of-the-art fitness facilities (equipped with a climbing wall) and dropping in on their employee pub, I found myself dreaming of two hour lunches spent jogging around their running trails and meetings held belly-up to the bar. Of course their top-secret design lab is strictly off-limits, only adding to the mystique. Some day. www.nike.com