Beauty. By Dooney and Bourke.

Next to my desk is a three tiered metal sheet holder. For a few months now a fairly harmless page, torn from the Nordstrom's Catalogue, has occupied the second shelf. Not urgent business, just a red bag and an inkling that this was possibly the One. Made for me. Perfect. The stuff of fairy tales.

Upon visiting the local Nordie's there were no samples of this specific model in the large size. There was one medium brown version. Yuck. Being a fairly curvy girl, I like my bags big. With well cut lines and leather that reminds me of my first horse's dressage saddle.

After my glorious Sunday at the Spa at Pinehurst (story forthcoming) I strolled with one of my besties through the shops inside the Carolina. That's where I spotted her. In red. In the large size. Full sentences are escaping me. I nearly knelt down to pray but instead shouted "Oh my god you have it! Nordstroms doesn't even have it." All told I spent about twenty minutes with Dooney and Bourke's Large Hobo bag in red. It is ridiculously large, covering the majority of my torso but the absurdity of carrying a piece of luggage as a day bag is as endearing to this laptop totting blogger as well, a straight man who can talk skincare. At $265 there is no way I can justify buying it, unless of course banks start accepting editorial product samples as currency. (Given the Times article about Annie Leibovitz borrowing $15 million against her life's work, I'm thinking beauty banking may not be too far off.) For those of you who do invest in this, the most beautiful bag ever, enjoy!

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Beauty's Fashion: Nordie's Catalogue - How I Covet Thee.

Every season when the Nordstrom catalogue arrives it is our tradition to earnestly study each page and select one item worth coveting, possibly even saving for. This season, because of the equisite nature of our selection we've decided to share. Also if you do not already recieve the graphicly stunning revelation, you can sign up for the free catalogue (and an endless coffee cup rumination) here.

Dooney & Bourke 'Flowers - Medium Cindy' Tote
Bright and beautiful, life-like flowers pattern a roomy tote fashioned with lightly hued leather trim. Slip-bridge closure with interior snaps. Interior zip and cell phone pockets; key clip. Coated cotton with leather trim.

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Anastasia Brow Studio: Perfection All Over the Country

It is obvious at this point that I have an Anastasia obsession. I am obsessed with her personally for a number of reasons (her penchant for perfection, desire to help women of all financial means feel beautiful, and well I think she may be part goddess.) But on a beauty note, how else can you spend $30 and highlight every beautiful facial feature and contour to the extent that you surprise even yourself in the mirror?



I was in D.C. for a brief visit recently and found myself at the retail Taj Mahal otherwise known as Tyson's Corner. I raved about my experience at the Nordstroms in North Carolina so I wanted to test out another studio. I am, not surprisingly, equally pleased with the studio in Tyson's.

Every technician at Nordstrom's Anastasia Studios across the country (see a full listing of participating Nordies here) has been trained by Anastasia herself or one of her senior staff members. In fact the wax will go cold for months waiting for the next Anastasia-trained brow magician to arrive. Most businesses I assume would carry on but Anastasia demands perfection and this is why I love her brow studios which bring stellar brow shapes to women across America. In checking out these old before and after pics I realized how thick and full my brows have gotten since faithfully using the Anastasia Brow Kits. More on that soon!

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Alert! Nordie's pre-sale starts today! Chanel, Dior, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown Exclusives on Sale!

Where can you get MAC, Chanel, Juicy Couture, NARS, Kiehl’s, Laura Mercier, Marc Jacobs, Dior, Bobbi Brown and Philosophy on sale? Nordstroms of course. Or on your couch while visiting Nordstrom.com.

On July 18th through August 3rd, shoppers nationwide will rise with the sun and rush to their nearest Nordstrom. This ritual signifies the beginning of the two week period where the limited supply of coveted Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusive items become available. So, what is the best way to guarantee a successful shopping mission? The answer is easy: PRE-ORDER!



Beginning June 23rd, Nordstrom is pre-selling your favorite exclusives both in stores and online at Nordstrom.com, allowing consumers to reserve these limited-edition offerings from their favorite brands. On July 18th the race to the cosmetic department will begin, as devoted beauty junkies can seize the opportunity to get a hold of these unique items.

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Anastasia's Five Piece Brow Kit

Anastasia's Five Piece Brow Kit is now on my list of must have beauty products. I have been using it almost daily for the past few months and I can't imagine living with out the tweezers, Brow Powder, four Brow Stencils, one Duo Brush (Angled Cut / Spooley), and Brow Gel that come in the lovely, pink, satin-lined case. The case also has room for an extra mascara and lash curler.

I came across the add below in a magazine this weekend and realized I had forgotten to tell Beauty's Spot readers the sad news. The brow kit is now even more indispensable because Stephanie has the left the only Anastasia Brow Studio in the triangle (at Nordstroms in Southpoint.) Nordstroms has promised to call as soon as the new esthetican trained in the Anastasia Method arrives.

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Anastasia's Eyebrows: Nordstrom's Beauty Booty

I was wandering around Nordstrom's the other day waiting for my nails to dry when I noticed a small, unassuming room in the back of the cosmetics department labeled "studio". "This is it!" I thought. I heard a myth years ago that there is eyebrow waxing at Nordstrom's but whenever I asked various store employees they stared blankly at me as if to say 'um this is a department store'. I would apologize profusely and say "I know it sounds weird that you would have brow waxing but..." - and then stop short of explaining that I had a hunch and I was on a treasure hunt. Not unlike real seafaring buccaneers who had gone before me, someone had promised me there was eyebrow gold here and I wasn’t going to let protective, illusive natives deter my expedition. (Don’t they understand? I've been living here for four years and not one superb brow shape yet!) In fact until the moment I stumbled upon this small unassuming door I thought maybe Nordstrom’s brow waxing was a myth created out of pure desperation by women like me who have been unable to find a good dependable eyebrow waxer. But on this day the stars aligned and I found a knowledgeable employee who had the missing piece of the treasure map, The Anastasia’s Brow Waxing Appointment Book. She booked my first appointment. It is tomorrow at 5:30. I'll let you know if I've found gold.

Like any good treasure hunter, I’ve done my research. I found nothing but promising information. Everyone from Oprah to Elle Macpherson swears by this woman, who has syndicated her method to Nordstrom's department stores across the country. (Her actual store is in L.A.) She sells an inordinate amount of brow products, most of which I have never even imagined existed; brow scissors, brow stencils, after-tweezing cream, and brow pomade, to name a few. Also here is why I am really in love with this woman: she studied Architecture and grew up as the daughter of a tailor.

"Anastasia grew up in Constanta, Romania, on the banks of the Black Sea where her mother owned a tailor shop. Her mother's sense of style and esthetics influenced a young Anastasia who pursued interests in drawing and design. She later enhanced this inherited talent while attending the Romania College of Architecture, and her skills ultimately led her into a career in beauty."

She is an artist whose medium happens to be women. This to me is the ultimate attraction of the beauty industry. I have always been hypnotized by beautiful things: men, flowers, sculpture, painting, my mother’s photographs, butterflies, oceans, mountains. There is something fascinating to me about offering my body to the artist’s pallet. Also, a bad brow wax can turn me from a Helen Hunt look-a-like into an Angelica Huston look-a-like in about 2 seconds. I'm desperate for a good professional. If Nordstrom's has syndicated this eyebrow sorceress's recipe for beauty (and it includes the use of error proof stencils) then maybe I'll get eyebrows just as nice as Oprah's even though I'm not the world's first black female billionaire.

For good measure, here is a before picture:

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