The Friday Forum - April 27

Yesterday, when I was at my mother's house to lay out her medication for the week, I put peanuts in the shell out for the birds, squirrels, and, of course, foxes. I had seen mama fox when I went inside, and I wanted her to have a treat. When I went outside later, there was our new baby! He was about the size of my cat Charlie, and he was absolutely adorable.

Although he has a red fox mother, he has a lot of grey in him. I'm not sure whether his red coat will develop or whether he will stay a combo color. I'm going to take my camera with me each time I go to try to get a photo of him. This photo came from a greeting card.

I had a great time last week at the By Kilian event at Saks Tysons Galleria. I still need to write up my experience. I'll do that this weekend. Mid-week, I attended the Kiehl's grand opening at Tysons Corner Center. They sure know how to throw a party! Tomorrow, I've got another beauty event on tap. What a fun week for beauty!

I also paid a visit to "my neurosurgeon," a really nice guy who happens to be among the most talented neurosurgeons around. We talked about the recurrence of my pinched nerve symptoms, which include pain that radiates from my neck to my fingertips, along with tingling that's almost as annoying as the pain. If I spend more time with symptoms than without, I may end up having to have surgery. That will be a last-ditch move for me! The whole idea of having a "basket" and metal plate in my cervical spine is creepy. Supposedly, the surgery is a piece of cake (for the patient), but still.

This was quite a week for Le Métier de Beauté fans who wanted On the Coast. It was posted at Saks.com earlier than expected - Saturday, rather than Monday - and it sold out by Sunday morning. Those who had read here or on Facebook that it would be available on Monday were furious. Le Métier de Beauté listened to its loyal customers and worked with Saks.com to make more Kaleidoscopes available. It was once again posted as a "back order," and it sold out quickly - again. Then, interestingly, after showing as unavailable/sold out, it became available a third time. A friend in France wanted one. When I checked to attempt to order for her the first time, the second batch had sold out. Then I went back the next day, and it was available again. Unless something weird happens, I expect to receive it "before May 22" so that I can send it on its way to France.

There are many lessons here - for brands, retailers, and customers. From a customer perspective, I'd recommend you check early and often when you expect a product launch. I always do that at Sephora, and I always find the product I want at least a day before Sephora notifies me that it's in stock. Speaking of Le Métier de Beauté, did any of you attend the special events at Saks San Francisco or Short Hills?

It's time for The Friday Forum, our open chat. What new products did you discover this week? Did you find any deals you couldn't resist? Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Do you have a question others might be able to answer? Want to talk about skin care? What's new in your life? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By early the next week, most (not all) readers will have moved on.

Don't forget this week's giveaway contest for Bobbi Brown's gorgeous Lip & Eye Palette. The deadline for entries is tomorrow, April 28, at midnight.

Photo courtesy of fineartamerica.com