International competition is alive and well this weekend - and you can participate! The Nike+ Human Race kicks off Sunday in 26 cities around the globe, including Austin, TX; Buenos Aires; Chicago; London; Los Angeles (now sold out); Melbourne, Australia; Mexico City; New York City; Paris; Portland, OR; Shanghai, China; and Vancouver, Canada.
If the programming at the Democratic National Convention is any indication, women are the star players this year, both on the dais and, potentially, at the ballot box. On the heels of stirring prime-time speeches by Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton, a panel of U.S. Representatives including Lois Capps, Hilda Solis and Maxine Waters of California; Kathy Castor of Florida; Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut; and Nita Lowey and Louise Slaughter of New York will sound off on issues ranging from equal pay and consumer safety to health care and affordable housing at the convention Wednesday night.
We’ve spent many a night rooting for our favorite Olympic athletes over these last couple of weeks, shrieking at our TV as we experienced the highs (Michael Phelps’ unstoppable gold-medal streak) and lows (Nastia Liukin’s heartbreaking tiebreaker fiasco) with the rest of America. And witnessing 38-year-old Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania and 41-year-old Dara Torres of the U.S. kick ass during the marathon and swimming competitions, respectively, has inspired us to get off of our duffs.
Turn a casual dinner party into a sophisticated soiree by breaking out new plates and bowls from Bottega Veneta. The luxury Italian leather purveyor teamed up with German porcelain powerhouse Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur to unveil its first-ever line of handmade dinnerware.
The famously French Guerlain Spa has recently opened its pearly gates pour les Américaines at the Regent Bal Harbour just north of Miami Beach. Renowned for its customized treatments and immensely indulgent therapies, such as the two-hour Exceptional Orchidée Impériale anti-aging facial ($390) or 45-minute 5-Senses Hydrotherapy bath ($125), the 10,000-square-foot spa exudes glamour and Gallic sophistication.
Now you can forgo the desire to drop your hard-earned greenbacks on those cashmere pajamas and instead indulge in a much more affordable cashmere treat. True Blue Spa, available at Bath & Body Works, launches its new Shea Cashmere Collection, which includes shower cream ($15), body cream ($17.50), body lotion ($16.50), bubble bath ($18), hand cream ($14.50) and foot cream ($15).
“Spa” and “Hawaii” are two of our favorite words, so when we were invited to Maui to experience the spanking-new spa at the just-remodeled Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (from $395 per night), we couldn’t resist. The 17,500-square-foot space is called Waihua, a Hawaiian word that refers to the rainwater caught by the large heart-shaped leaves of the taro, an edible plant that has a revered place in Hawaiian life and lore.
When people ask us “what are you wearing?” they typically aren’t curious about our jeans (J Brand, for the record), but our fragrance choice. “Tropical Vial,” we tell admirers, a heady mix of mango, jasmine, basil and botanical musk, from Strange Invisible Perfumes.
This election year, exercise your right to a sexy red pout with Stila’s Rock the Vote Red ($17, stilacosmetics.com), a limited-edition lipstick launched this summer in a very patriotic fire-engine hue.
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