Tocca 'Cleopatra' Solid Perfume

I loooove this charming Tocca solid perfume! It comes in a pretty gold-decorated compact, much like a lip balm, and that's housed in a gold foil-accented box inspired by Italian candies. According to Tocca, "lush greens fade into accords of sensual white jasmine and tuberose, leaving an exotic, rich dry down of warm patchouli, golden amber and rich vanilla musk." It's a dramatic description, but it's pretty spot-on. A darling, exciting little holiday gift, I think. You should really have this.  

Underneath it All: A Girl's Guide to Buying, Wearing and Loving Lingerie

Most of the books I've been getting lately are related to health and fitness, but I did get this cute little guide. It's actually a pretty comprehensive manual on finding the right lingerie and underthings for your style and body type — from tights to bras. It breaks down every type of underpinning imaginable, too, so it's perfect for gals who have no idea what a balconette bra or a tanga-cut pair of undies are (myself included).  Check it!

The Cocktail Primer

Happy Thanksgiving! I've been off for a couple of days, which is why postings have been non-existent. I imagine others are out as well, so I haven't received much stuff of interest. I did get this hardcover book, The Cocktail Primer. I always tend to like the idea of cocktail books better than the actual books themselves. I think it's because most folks that come over for cocktails are fine with beer or wine, so I never really feel the need to concoct snazzy drinks, though I always want to (and now that I've recently become enthralled with "Mad Men," maybe I will).  This book stood out because it's written by Eben Klemm, a pretty notable mixologist who now works exclusively for BR Guest restaurants (Dos Caminos, Blue Water Grill, 675, Primehouse, etc). There's nothing groundbreaking in the book, but it's a solid overview of the essentials of classic cocktail making. Here it is. 

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 2

So,  last year Urban Decay came out with the Book of Shadows — a lovely purple palette with pop-up flowers and a drawer filled with several of their top-selling eyeshadows. I had it, and liked it, although I rarely wear eye shadow.  Now, due its apparent cult following, they've introduced a new version for the '09 holiday season. When this was delivered, I was reading the press release and apparently, according to UD, the first volume was so immensely popular, it's going for $100 on eBay. Seriously. I checked it out and while I didn't see any going for that much,  I did see some for about half that. Wowza. Get yours now, since they're limited editions.

Monster Heartbeats by Lady Gaga

Much like the rest of the planet (and probably parts of space), I've jumped aboard the Lady Gaga train because I'm digging these headphones (designed by Gaga herself and worn in her extravagant vid for "Bad Romance"). Does this make me a pitiable slave to pop culture? Probably. Especially since I'd get behind them even if they sounded like dime-store finds. But these "hi-res" earbuds — the latest addition to the Beats by Dr. Dre headphone series from audio-video accessory company Monster – will no question be a huge holiday gift this year and I intend to feature them. I was sent the chrome 'phones for review, but they also come in black and red. Embrace your slave!

Life NK collection

Adding to the arsenal of cult products that Brit import spa Space NK already has, this new signature line is all about simplicity and minimalism. The collection is comprised of daily essentials in various scents and purposes (wake up, wind down, soothe muscles, etc) and everything is free of parabans, silicones and sodium lauryl sulfate. Check out the whole collection. 

Chantecaille Les Petales Collection

It's been a truly busy week at work, and a week of parties at night, which is why I haven't posted in the last few days but I've gotten some cool stuff. My favorite just might be these stunning Chantecaille petal-shaped mini compacts, introduced specifically for the holiday season. For some reason, they strike me as charmingly old-fashioned and feminine and as soon as I opened the velvet pouch they each come in, I imagined my grandmother or one of the gals from "Mad Men" powedering their noses at some elegant affair. There's only three — a silky pressed powder, a sheer lip gloss and a highlighter (which I didn't get)— and they're so tiny, you can slip one into even the smallest purse. Looooooove these. $36 each. Get them!