Saint Lucia’s Bay Gardens Resorts Introduces La Mer Spa

St Lucia's famous Pitons were named by O Magazine as one of the places you must visit in this lifetime. More than any other location in the Caribbean, they have always called to me. Now, when I visit I'll know where to get my favorite OPI colors after roughing it up with Bay Gardens Resorts in house dive shop and scaling those majestic peaks.

After fifteen years as the island's favorite four star resort, Saint Lucia’s Bay Gardens Resort has opened the full service La Mer Spa featuring OPI, Creative Nail Designs and Pevonia Skincare products. In other words, I'll see you in Saint Lucia.

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Sissy Toes by My Little Sis!

This will be my most favorite blog post ever, mostly because it was written by my little sister who is the cutest 8 year old on the planet. She has decided she wants to be a writer and a blogger. I decided she didn't have to wait. She has also had more mani-pedi's than most women will ever have in their entire life time. For this one she chose OPI Blue My Mind. She is the cutest!!!

My sister is the best sister ever ! This weekend we had the my half b-day weekend! My sister picked me up from school Friday afternoon. We did: go and eat custard - it was amazing! We had movie night! The next day we got sissy toes it was so fun and relaxing! Then we went to this amazing sushi place now we watch Alvin and the Chipmunks! I'll write some time soon again!

-Sissy, also known as the best sister ever!

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OPI Teal the Cows Come Home

Picking a nail color used to be like picking a good apple. Based on defined set a parameters (trend, availability, and texture) I'd always end up in season but in a way that was emblematic of my personal taste (matte/Audrey for nails; Pink Lady, Granny Smith for apples).

Then my yoga obsession changed everything. OPI's Teal the Cows Come Home has nothing to do with my historic personal style. It is NOT matte. It is sparkly, metallic, teal like the jewels of northern New Mexico's native's wares laid on Mexican blankets in the town plaza. And I'm thinking of stock piling it in case OPI ever ..well let's not even talk about that.

I will never wear anything else. There was only one criteria for picking this color. In yoga, we do a lot of reaching for our fingertips and toes. I would follow this color to the ENDS of the Earth. I feel inches taller when reaching towards this mermaid, yogini, native American sparkly teal. OPI - I HEART YOU. You can also get your new Dell in Teal the Cows Come Home or any other member of the Hong Kong Collection. No Really.

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Beauty's Product RAVE: OPI La Collection de France

Parlez Vous OPI? Well, I most certainly do. I picked up this model's color from OPI's La Collection de France (launched on August 5) yesterday and J'adore. A muted lilac with grey undertones, it can appear completely grey with no natural light but the second light touches the surface it is a soft lovely purple. Very romantic and feminine. Louvre me Louvre me not is next on my list.

About Faces: You can go home again.

You know the old saying - you can't go home again. Well I say you can go home again. Briefly. If the visit includes a trip to About Faces at Kenilworth. I am in my hometown for about 24 hours this weekend and I've had a wonderful time. Mostly because I got to go back to About Faces. This was my very first day spa. At 16 years old this was the first place I got my eyebrows waxed. Eventually it was also the site of my first leg wax. First bikini wax. First favorite massage therapist. I had no idea how spoiled I was by About Faces until I left my hometown of Baltimore. If I could create an About Faces in every city and college town in America I would. Their approach is simple: excellent products, professional accommodating staff, the highest quality services available, but with out any of the odd pretense that can so easily gather like mold in the highest quality day spas. Maybe a place like this can only exist in Baltimore, which is one of the more humble American cities. It's as if every woman in About Faces knows, 'We are lucky to be here, this is an outstanding day spa and it's simply where we come to relax, play, and be women'. My mother and I decided to get Spa Manicures. While in the waiting area we ran into a former school mate of mine and her mother who were just leaving their mother daughter mani-pedi. In fact we had the very same nail technicians, Isabelle and Joanne, as my former school mate and her mother did. It was a nice moment to be home, at About Faces. The last mani-pedi I had in North Carolina was terrifying. This manicure was the complete opposite. Sitting down for a Spa Manicure with Joanne Stoner, my manicurist for the day, completely erased any traces of terror remaining from my previous experience. Joanne's spa manicure was rejuvenating, relaxing, well-executed, and fun. She reminded me why I frequent day spas in the first place. Joanne is a professional who has been doing this kind of work for 30 years. After a bit of nail maintenance she massaged each of my hands with Creative Nail Design's Exfoliating Crystals. Then she had me wash my hands and rub in Creative Nail Design's Solar Manicure, a puddle of thick heavy salt crystals from the Dead Sea.
Finally she applied Creative Nail Design's creamy thick Solar Butter and wrapped my hands in plastic bags and towels to let the moisture soak in. Joanne also took the time to massage my shoulders while my hands were absorbing copious amounts of moisture. At this point I asked if she was also a massage therapist, to which she replied no. She was just doing her normal Spa Manicure. In truth she could also be a successful massage therapist. She rubbed away all the stress of traveling and a very busy work week in about 5 minutes. I miss About Faces. This is how every spa manicure should be. After all the spa-ing was finished she skillfully colored my nails with OPI's Kennebunk-port red. I seem to have an addiction to red nails this winter. It is also a wonderful gift to be able to get this manicure at About Faces on this weekend. I knew I would need the best manicure available and there is no where else I would rather get it. Next Saturday morning I'll fly to L.A. to bring you all the best of L.A. Fashion Week. It's only fitting that my very first day spa did my nails and gave me the reprieve I needed to set out on such a big project. Maybe it's not that you can't go home again but that you can't move on with out going home to first remember where you came from.