I spy with my little eye....

some very chic champagne flutes, no?

I love this video. It never gets old.

Time to put some stamps on the new passport.

florida.

Beach sand. The number one enemy of pedicures.

So, I've discovered the world of the beauty blog.

As a former (recovering?) product junkie, this is like manna from heaven for me. The news and product reviews are fun (and okay, a little useful - now that I live in Baltimore, I'm no longer a stone's throw from great shopping.)

Many of them have done a nice little 'Best of 2006' roundup. In the spirit of the inspiring blogettes, I'm posting my year's greatest hits.

Without further ado --

OPI nailpolish, Black Tie Optional - worked perfectly in keeping on the black(ish) nail polish trend (ahem). I actually like this better than Chanel's Black Satin. Deepest purple that looks jewel-like in the sun. Discontinued; found it on Ebay.

Urban Decay Primer Potion- critical for keeping your eye makeup from migrating. Now an absolute essential.

Lorac eyeshadow in Jade - Latest acquisition. Love this shadow - blackened olive green. A new favorite.

Nars eyeshadow in Kiki - a great basic for smoky eyes - simple, matte dark grey.

Aveda Rosemary Mint hand/body wash - most likely, the highlight of the bridesmaid gift bags I put together back in June. So well suited for the occasion of an outdoorsy summer wedding.

Z. Bigatti Restoration Delicate face cream - yeah, so I'll never buy this again, way too pricey. But very nice while it lasts.

Lothantique shea butter soap in Vanilla Sugar - I love this little soap so much. Subtle, rich scent that is never cloying.

Phyto 7 - back in the highlighting days, I went for Phyto 9. But my hair's current incarnation is longer, more natural, and overall more well-behaved, so Phyto 7 is the perfect light conditioning leave in.