Just plain brilliant!

Like me I'm sure many of you are flying to see friends and family for the upcoming holidays. Also like me I'd bet you return with "almost enough" mileage for that valuable free ticket. You spend your time online researching black out dates and planning your escape when you finally earn those last needed miles.

Well here's a brilliant alternative. United airlines has started an auction site where you can use those 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 miles you do have to bid on experiences. Wine tastings, private cooking lessons, even time in their flight simulator learning to be a pilot. You must check it out!

United.com/auctions

Happy whore-a-ween

What is it about Halloween that causes independent, stylish women to want to dress like on-duty hookers? I've spent the past week being bombarded by "adult" Halloween costume options. They are in the stores, on my e-mail, and even on USA Today.com. What woman in her right mind thinks it's a good idea to dress up as a hoochie Grim Reaper?

I know, I know. Paris Hilton does it, Lindsay Lohan does it. Sure, but they don't look good! They dress like the drug toting, fire crotch whores on a daily basis. It isn't even a stretch for them.

This was the year of Marie Antoinette, and while the movie blew, the costume options it presented are a lot more attractive than anything on BuyCostumes.com. Go as Rachel Ray, Angelina Jolie or Queen Elizabeth II. Halloween costumes are supposed to be clever and fun, not slutty.

Tarjay boutique

or Target to the uninitiated has managed another designer coup. Joining the ranks of Isaac Mizrahi, Paul & Joe and Liz Lange is Behnaz Sarafpour. A mentee of Mizrahi, and former designer of Barney's private label, Sarafpour is famous for creating beautiful red carpet gowns for Selma Blair (sweet 50's cocktail dress), Jessica Simpson (gold fade v-neck halter gown) & the Olsen twins (Ashley's white bat wing cocktail dress). Her sleek, classic asthetic is perfection on a young actress.

Now you too can look as good, and for a lot less. My Target pick is her black & white cocktail dress. Gorgeous for the office holiday party or here in SF for the Black & White ball.

I guess working for Target is the designer equivalent of licensing in the 80's. You go girl!

Beauty booty

Fashion Girl has been on work hiatus lately. Lots of hours in the day to find and test new beauty products. Some fabulous finds:

- Gilchrist & Soames spa therapy detoxifying sea kelp shampoo & seamoss conditioner (perfect for thick or thin hair types)

- Frederic Fekkai glossing cream (makes hair so shiny & soft it's insane!)

- Saucy Girl soft as silk hand & nail cream (yummy grapefruit scent that won't hang around)

- Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil perfume (smells like gin & tonic then mellows to a warm floral)

Ta for now

The right accessories can make your look

I love those quizzes over at Glam.com that determine what kind of handbag you would be. Well I stumbled across an article over at Socialite Life this morning that went one further. It sent me to an article on Radar that matches handbags with their movie character counterpoints (i.e. the Preditor and a Sedona slate bag) Pure genius!

p.s. Socialite - I'm so behind you with the Crocs horror

Lady Madonna, children at her feet

in her private plane, in her nanny's arms, in her London home. Yes we've all borne the media assault that is Madonna's adoption. Yesterday she went on Oprah via live video to give her side of the story (a.k.a. defend herself).

Frankly I was curious what she had to say. First, why in a village where she endowed an orphanage would she choose to adopt a child that still has a parent? It seems strange doesn't it? All those other children without a mother and a father that she just breezed by. She insisted that the child just captured her attention immediately. I guess you should decode that as "he's really cute", which in fact he is. Madonna mentioned that she and Guy hadn't received special treatment because they are rich and famous. Um, sure. Whatever. And I guess it was just coincidence that you chose to adopt in a country with "no adoption laws"?

My other question is where are her defenders? When Mel Gibson engaged in a drunken rant against a cop his friends were all over the airwaves apologizing for him. Where are the other celebrity adoptive parents? Brad & Angelina, Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman - huh? Why haven't any of you spoken up to defend adoption?

Wax on, wax off

As Samantha once said on Sex and the City, "there's an entire industry devoted to the care and maintenance of pubic hair!". True you are my friend, but no one does it with the panache of Flying Beauticians. These spacy chicks provide such hilarious services as the U.F.O. (unidentified furry object). If you can point it out, they can wax it. And for those more adventurous souls, they also have Nonna on staff to create "designs down under". A naughty treat for those of you looking to perk things up south of the navel.

The City of Lights

Ahh...Paris. The City of Lights, gay Paree. Apparently it's so beautiful it can turn you into a nutter. I came across a hilarious article today at ABC News about how Japanese tourists are being pushed into psychosis by visiting the fair French city. It turns out their idea of Paris and the reality are so far apart that it just drives them insane.

Now I've been to Paris. Many times. Yes the people (shop girls, waiters, etc.) can be rude, but no more so that in New York or any other large city. In fact in the 15 years I've been traveling there Parisians been getting friendlier, and more helpful. I was absolutely shocked the last time I was there by how solicitous everyone was. I was traveling alone, and each night at dinner I had wait staff swarming all over me trying to keep me entertained.

I can only imagine what a trip to America will do to these poor people.

Marie Antoinette

It's the film we've all been waiting for. Sophia Copella was going to fuse an eclectic soundtrack onto French revolutionary history and voila! - create a masterpiece. She hired the best, Kirsten Dunst to play Marie Antoinette, Manolo Blahnik to create the candy colored shoes, but to no avail. While this movie is phenomenally beautiful, it's freakishly dull. I can only describe the pace of the film as glacial.

I honestly can't recall ever being so bored. And people, let's be clear about this the French Revolution was nothing if not exciting. It's like Sophia was parsing a sentence and emphasizing all the wrong words. The idea is that teenagers were running France, and doing it badly. They were cutting curfew and blowing off protocol. However, in the film this doesn't come off as rebellion or even teen angst it's just a yawn. Party scene after party scene all insufferably dull. I'm surprised MA didn't off herself!

Taking the twins out...

Okay, what is going on? I've seen three, count them three horrific pictures of starlets with their boobages hanging out today. Scarlett Johansson is usually so chic, so stylish. Why is she torturing her boobs in this little doll's dress? Did they lose her luggage? Youch!

And Patricia Arquette. You've had some funky fashion moments, okay many, many funky fashion moments, but dear God what were you thinking?!!!

And Jessica Simpson, well we' expected this from you. 'Nuf said.

So what is going on here? Has Janet Jackson started a clothing line that I haven't heard about? Is there some sort of corseted revolt in progress? Anyone? Anyone?

Land of 10,000 lakes

I've been away for weeks it seems. Right you are. I've been traveling recently. Was just in Minneapolis enjoying the Fall weather. Blue skies, vibrant colored leaves and cool, crisp days. It's heavenly. Some discoveries (and rediscoveries) of note:

Eat

112 Eatery - A tiny nook of a restaurant situated near the newly hip warehouse district. The food is organic and unique. I had an excellent gnocchi dish. Service is friendly. At 10 p.m. on a week night the restaurant was still full of patrons. Always a good sign.

Drink

Cue - Located the new Guthrie Theatre complex Cue offers a sophisticated menu of cocktails and a very industrial/mod space in which to see and be seen.

Chambers Hotel - It's like they dropped a piece of New York into downtown Mpls. Posh, white (tres Scandinavian), retro and full of multi-million dollar art. This is a hip sip if I've ever seen one. The vodka thyme lemonade is divine. There is no better place on a cold, rainy night and in front of the fire in the upstairs bar. Go quick before the Hooters next door runs them out of business.

Shop

Ridgedale -A nostalgic favorite for me. I lived in Mpls. when this was the newest mall in town. For those who want to avoid the Mall of America crowds, and have a sophisticated shopping experience this is the place. I recommend lunch at the Boundary Waters cafe in Macy's. You get fresh popovers before lunch and their wild rice soup is delicious stick-to-your ribs food that Minneapolitans favor for winter.

Wayzata main street - I'd forgotten how scenic this place can be. Shop the boutiques and watch the sailboats lazily drift across the lake. Definitely go on a sunny day so you can have lunch or tea at one of the outdoor cafes.

Indulge

Weisman Museum - This Gehry designed museum of contemporary art is right on the Mississippi river. Now only one floor of art, an exhibition was being staged and should open any day. Don't miss the wall sized Motherwell. Also, be sure to expierience the apartment living exhibit. You place your hand over a hole outside each apt. door and can hear what is going on inside.

St. Paul Cathedral - With its commanding view a showpiece of churches. It sits high above St. Paul in a ridiculously wealthy neighborhood. Surrounded on all sides by robber baron houses from the turn of the century. The church has undergone a multimillion dollar renovation. Look for Minnesotan quarried stone, a gallery of saints, and don't miss the green marbled side entrances.

Summit House - If you've headed to the Cathedral you're right in the neighborhood for this house. It contains one of the most gracefully decorated double staircases I've ever seen. There's also a wonderful art gallery with a huge, working pipe organ. You are taken through 4 full floors of the refurnished house. Take especial care when viewing the dining room, the "wall paper" is leather!

Minneapolis Institute of Arts - Target recently funded the Institute with an endowment to expand. They've done a beautiful job. With a new cafe and extended galleries it's worth a half a day. This museum has always had more art that it could display, though now you see much more on offer. Don't miss the American Indian wing, and the Frank Lloyd Wright lake house.

Guthrie Theatre complex - Also on the river the original theatre has moved from near the Walker Art Gallery. The new building shoots out like a knife point and you can walk all the way to the end. With submariner windows and a concrete patio it offers million dollar views. Open to the public even during performances it's an amazing space and a must see.

I have achieved shoe-vana

I was out wandering around our new mega mall in San Francisco yesterday. Hit the Bloomingdales and discovered in their in-store Jimmy Choo boutique shoe-vana. Yes, they had the black, patent leather Mary Jane that we all love so much!

Mark my words. This is going to the be "It shoe" of the season.