Happy Mother's Day to All the Animal Mothers!

Charleston sends his love to all the cat, dog, turtle, bird, horse, and other animal mothers on Mother's Day! He wasn't too sure about mice or hamsters; he has an inherited tendency to see them as prey. Here he is above, goofing around with some tissue paper that came with a lovely, new coconut-based body oil.

Photo by Best Things in Beauty

The Friday Forum - November 12

Even weeds can be pretty! Look at the berries on this wild grapevine. What a gorgeous color! I'm not sure why the birds haven't gobbled them up. Wild grapevine is an incredibly invasive weed, and I hate it. Even so, I love these pretty berries. I will have to go out cutting and ripping this weekend - a task that's overdue. Wild grapevine can smother trees and shrubs; it has to go.

This has been quite a week, with lots of activities I hadn't anticipated. After spending last weekend at the hospital with Mom, I tried to catch up on my rest. I also took her to a cardiologist on Tuesday, and he was stumped. She's stable and fine now. I'm very thankful. She likes Red Lobster, so yesterday I took her about 15 miles away to the closest one. We had a mid-afternoon dinner with all the blue-hairs. Now here's the surprising part. It was pretty good! As a foodie, I'm a bit of a snob about restaurants, and I routinely avoid chains. I loved my meal. Maybe I was starving.

Charlie has his annual vet appointment this morning. He will be getting his immunizations and a once-over. When we go to the animal hospital, Charlie screams at the top of his Bengal lungs all the way there and the whole time in the waiting room. He only quiets down when he goes into an exam room, where he can get out of his carrier and onto the exam table for love and adoration (by just about every member of the large hospital staff, since they have anointed him the best-looking cat in the practice). He is so loud over his dismay at being in a "cat carrier" that sometimes they give him an exam room early, just to shut him up. It's pretty funny watching him, as one after another doctor or technician peeks in to say hello. He goes into his "I really am gorgeous - too gorgeous to be jailed in a carrier" mode. He's such a character! Oh, and he broke through another porch screen this week.

I've got plenty of new makeup to show you, plus some new items for skin care. I'll be taking photos and writing after I get Charleston Sumter back from his short trip. Right now, he's sitting next to me purring, blissfully unaware of what's to come.

That's my life in a nutshell! How's yours going?

It's time for The Friday Forum. We use the forum to share information and chat. 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? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By Monday, most readers have moved on.

We have busy weekends and slow ones on the forum. Last week, we had a great exchange. I loved it anyhow. I'm always happy if even one reader stops by. Leave a comment, and say hello - even if you don't want to comment on beauty products. As I always do, I'll leave news of some great beauty offers (great, not just good) in the comments of this post. If you want to know where to find nice gifts with purchase, free shipping, and other deals this weekend, make sure to check the comments.

Thanks for reading Best Things in Beauty! Got anything you want to talk about? Tell us about your pets if beauty isn't on your mind.

A few reminders...

The Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie focus on beauty continues, with a Le Métier de Beauté event through Saturday. If you are local to DC, you really should stop by Saturday to get your makeup done by Dustin - then get a photo! Feel free to send me JPGs, and I'll post them.

If you are a Sephora VIB, Sephora is enticing you to spend money with a 20% discount. Despite my annoyance with them, I ordered yesterday. Use code VIB20 at checkout.

Don't forget the fabulous NARS Sweet Disposition Mini Multiples Giveaway Contest here at Best Things in Beauty. The deadline for entries is tomorrow, November 13, and not all of you have entered. Why? It's a must-have set. I bought two.

Eyewear designer and expert Corinne McCormack will provide Bloomingdale's Chevy Chase customers with personal eyewear makeovers - just like she did this fall for Kelly Ripa on LIVE! with Regis and Kelly. Founder of Corinne McCormack, Inc., a line of her own eyewear and eyeglasses accessories, and Vice President of Fashion at FGX International, the largest sunglasses and eyewear designer and manufacturer in the country, Corinne will be on hand to help consumers select the right styles for them, a process based on face shape, color palette, and highlighting an individual's best facial features. She will be in the eyewear/accessories department Saturday, November 13, 12:00-2:00 pm at Bloomingdale's in Chevy Chase.

Photo by BTiB

The Friday Forum - October 22

It's hard to believe it's time for The Friday Forum! This week has flown by for Charlie and me.

I started my week when Charlie exploited a break in the screen on the porch (see screen behind him in photo). The break was created when a hawk flew into the screen, breaking it away from its frame near the top of the panel. Charlie had been using the porch for about a month since, without discovering (or exploiting) the vulnerability. He's very clever, so it was only a matter of time.

On Monday night, he found it, tore the screen away from the frame closer to his level, and took off to explore the property and eat grass (probably the real reason he always wants to go out so badly). I was upstairs working on the blog when it occurred to me that he hadn't checked in for an unusual amount of time. I went down to look for him, and my indoor buddy was gone - it was clear from the torn screen.

When he breaks out, he usually hangs around nearby and answers me when I call him. Bengal Boy is chatty, and he always likes to say, "Yep, Mom, I'm right here." This time, there was no answer, and I freaked. I ran (to the extent I can run these days) around the neighborhood calling him for about 30 minutes. No answer. Then I enlisted a neighbor's help, and about five minutes later, Meow Man answered me. He was afraid and was huddled up against the porch trying to figure out how to get back in. That would have been a super-cat feat, propelling himself about six to eight feet into the air and onto the porch through the break in the screen. So, after eluding my grip for a few minutes, he ran to the front door and said, "Let me in!"

That escapade almost killed me - from anxiety bordering on panic and from the knee pain that I have endured ever since. I can't run around as adeptly as he can, now that I need to have both knees replaced. Running, tennis, racquetball, cheerleading, gymnastics, and "who knows what else" took their toll on my knees.

So, how was your week?

We use The Friday Forum to share information. 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? Just use the comments. Don't be shy.

We have busy weekends and slow ones on the forum. Last week, we had a great exchange. I'm always happy if even one reader stops by. Leave a comment, and say hello - even if you don't want to comment on beauty products. As I always do, I'll leave news of some great beauty offers (great, not just good) in the comments of this post. If you want to know where to find nice gifts with purchase, free shipping, and other deals this weekend, make sure to check the comments.

I made my first trip to Saks for Friends & Family, and I'm going back. I've got some pretty things to show you.

Thanks for reading Best Things in Beauty! Got anything you want to talk about?

Charleston Sumter: Glamour Puss

You asked for a photo of Charlie. I promised one. Here is my darling jungle boy!

You have no idea how hard it is to get a portrait of Charlie. My not-so-little buddy is often in constant motion. I took these two photos in the dimming light of dusk on the screened porch this evening.

Charlie is a snow marble Bengal - a cat with more personality than you can imagine. Bengals are very "dog-like." They follow you around, come when called, and talk a lot. They love to walk on a leash. Charlie even plays fetch, just like a dog. The photo of Charlie with his mouth open is a normal occurrence. He holds conversations and responds verbally with an extensive vocabulary of words and sounds.

Bengals are muscular, acrobatic, and energetic cats. They are confident (hence Savannah's annoyance with him), curious, and love to run and climb. They can destroy Steuben glass candlesticks with ease. They also love water. Charlie likes to sit on the tub when I bathe or shower.

Bengals crave attention. Unless Charlie is enjoying his porch time, he will always choose to be with me, moving from room to room as I do. If Charlie wants to be pet, he uses his paw to guide my hand to his head. He's quite a character - my best friend.

Don't you think he belongs on a beauty blog?