We recently stepped foot into a David"s Bridal for the first time (full disclosure: it was for a press event) and we"re impressed with what we saw. One of the things that struck us most was the selection of bridesmaids" gifts. These would also make festive bachelorette party favors—and they all cost less than a golden retriever puppy. A few of our favorite items:
Bridesmaid"s rhinestone tanks Pink camo flasks Personalized cozys Travel jewelry box Bridesmaid"s picture frame Check out David"s Bridal for the full selection.
On Our Radar: Beach Shack in Cape May, New JerseyThis past weekend we lost our Cape May virginity. We had been wanting to check out the southern tip of New Jersey for some time now and with a heat wave raging in the east, it was the perfect excuse to take a trip to the beach. Cape May is an easy 2 hour drive from Philadelphia and 3 hours from New York.
We opted to stay at the Beach Shack. That"s the hotel"s famed Rusty Nail bar (above) and is the main draw of the property. During the summer, they have live music daily and a reggae all day on Sundays. The bar serves $3 Red Stripes and Coronas on Sunday funday, so there"s really no reason to go anywhere else.
The rooms at the hotel are nothing to write home about—it is called the Beach Shack, after all. But they are clean and quiet. The biggest downside is that on a 100 degree day the wall unit A.C. barely cooled our room.
Overall, Cape May has a very laid back vibe. The town caters to tourists, so you won"t get any attitude—all our servers were super-friendly, even when we sat down to eat at one restaurant 20 minutes before closing. Another plus is that there are numerous places to eat and drink so we never had to wait in line, even at the famous Uncle Bill"s Pancake House where we had the best blueberry pancakes of our life. (Admittedly it helped that we were only a party of 2.)
Another plus for the budget-conscious is that many of the restaurants are BYOB. There"s a liquor store conveniently located right off the Washington Street mall (an outdoor pedestrian shopping area), so you can pick up your booze before heading to dinner. We ate at Gecko"s, a Mexican place. Be sure to ask for the homemade habanero hot sauce. There"s so much to do in the quaint Victorian-style town, we barely scratched the surface. Cape May does cater towards families and couples, but there were groups of guys and girls out—the Ugly Mug was the place to be the weekend we were there. Cycling and miniature golf are just a few of the activities that are popular in the town. A fancier place to stay is Congress Hall, which has the same owners as the Beach Shack. Check back next week for photos from our tour of the hotel.
Bachelorette Parties - Idea #29: New York"s Gansevoort MeatpackingFor first timers to New York, one of the easiest ways to tackle the city is to stay at a chic boutique hotel where you can party, eat and sleep all in the same location. The Gansevoort Meatpacking offers all that and more.It features a rooftop pool bar, Provocateur night club, Tanuki Tavern for sushi and an on-site Exhale spa.
Sign up for the Gansevoort “Night Owl” package and you"ll get:
· Early check-in - 2pm
Deluxe Room or Suite accommodations
Pool access and a complimentary poolside beverage
Complimentary in room 750ml bottle of Belvedere Vodka, Johnnie Walker Black, Bombay Sapphire or 375 ml Patron Tequila (one bottle per stay)
Two VIP passes to La Pomme, Marquee, or Cielo
Two VIP passes to Red Market, the city"s premiere late-night salon, good for 25% off hair styling services.
Kate Spade"s Lillian Bassman Capsule CollectionKate Spade"s capsule collection features Lillian Bassman, the brilliant fashion photographer of the 50"s and 60"s who produced black and white images. "Touch of Dew" was taken in 1961 of model Lisa Fonssagrives. The photo"s movement and female power is a perfect addition to our carry on totes. The capsule includes this tote, a small zippered wallet and a scarf. The tote and wallet are printed on leather with a cream and gold woven lining.
Rachel Zoe"s Jet Set Summer SeriesWe"ve been loving Rachel Zoe"s wardrobe picks for her Jet Set Summer Series. St. Tropez (above) is our favorite—guess it"s time to plan a trip! Zoe also featured the Hamptons, Malibu and Capri. Want more? Check out our guide on how to pack for a beach weekend.
Hawaii would be a long way to go for us Eastcoasters for a bachelorette party; but you lucky gals on the other side can hop over without too much trouble. Where would we go? Ian Schrager"s newest venture with Marriott the Waikiki Edition. His latest brand will be spreading around the world; and this first "Edition" is a winner. The restaurants and bars are intimate and modern:
The views are TDF!
The rooms are fresh and clean:
Rates begin at only $195 per night with the Anniversary Offer!
Travel Friendly Clothes CareNo matter how carefully we pack our carry-ons there"s always a top or dress that looks worse from the travel. Next thing you know one of us is dragging out the ironing board, and really, who wants to do that on vacation? Downy"s Wrinkle Releaser in TSA approved three ounce travel size is just what we need. It"s small enough to pack in your vanity case and strong enough to get out tough wrinkles.
Other handy new products worth checking out for your next trip are the Dryel Pen for knocking out a red wine stain before it sets and the Bounce Lint Roller that does double duty removing lint and leaving a fresh scent behind. If you like to exercise on the road and don"t know where to put your stinky clothes, try the Tide Travel Laundry Bag which absorbs odors and keeps your damp clothes away from the rest. All products are available at Walmart, Target and retailers nationwide. Happy travels!
Kellan Lutz"s Sexy New Advertising CampgainJust when we thought we were getting some relief from the heat wave, we caught sight of these new sizzling Kellan Lutz shots for Abbot + Main by Dylan George denim for the fall 2011 campaign. Enjoy!
Anne V is the lucky model for Dylan George. All photos by Yu Tsai
Bachelorette Parties- Idea #27: Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah, like Charleston, is a great town for women travelers. They both have great boutiques and restaurants and both are close to beautiful beaches. They also have convenient airports which make flying in for a short trip nice and easy.
We"re planning a trip to Savannah in late September and chose the Bohemian Hotel on the riverfront. The Bohemian Hotel boasts Rocks on the River restaurant, Rocks on the Rooftop lounge and guests have access to its sister property, the Mansion on Forsyth Park, with a pool and the 700 Kitchen Cooking School. We"ll drive to Tybee Island for a beach day as well.
Rafael Nadal"s New Emporio Armani AdsWhile the start of the U.S. Open may get rained out thanks to Irene, at least we have these sexy images of Rafael Nadal in the latest Emporio Arman ads to drool over in the meantime.
Beach Weekend by Barbie Girls featuring a sheer tunic Headed to the beach this weekend? Here"s everything you need to pack: A bikini like the Diane von Furstenberg vintage style bathing suit is a no brainer. For a coverup, try the Tie-Dye Babydoll Cover-Up Dress from Kohl"s or pair with jeans shorts, like these from Express. If you"re headed out aprés-pool or beach, top with a tunic-style sweater like this one from Anthropologie. For nighttime, opt for one short and one long dress, because you always want to keep "em guessing. Our picks are from Shopbop (short red) and Free People (gray strapless). Don"t forget a great pair of nude sandals and a crochet tote.
Bachelorette Party Ideas #26: Sedona, ArizonaIf your bride is on the nervous side, take her to the serene Enchantment Resort in Sedona, AZ. It recently underwent an $11 million upgrade of the rooms including new furniture, linens and decor. For large groups, a full Hacienda with six Queen beds, full kitchen, living room, fireplace, and 3 outdoor patios, is ideal. To further calm her nerves, take your bride to the Mii amo destination spa and sign her up for the Anasazi Ubtan, a combo of a wrap and massage that is a traditional beautification ritual for brides in India. Bachelorette parties should consider the Enchantment Resort Girlfriends Getaway Package that includes:
Two nights at Enchantment Resort
One breakfast entrée or breakfast buffet each morning, per person at Yavapai Restaurant, Mii amo Café or Room Service
One 60-minute private group session once during stay, choose from yoga, tarot card reading, tennis clinic, or red rock hiking tour
One 60-minute spa service per person, once during stay
Gossip Girl FashionFinally—after a long, long summer, we get to find out if Blair is really marrying her prince and who is pregnant this time... Eh—who really cares? We gave up on the plot a few seasons ago and like everyone else, we"re only watching for the clothes.
Now those fashions are easier to get and more affordable than ever. Romeo and Juliet Couture launched a line of Gossip Girl-inspired clothes and they"re going on sale at HauteLook today at 40% off retail. After that, you"ll find the looks at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Kitson.
Check out the sale today, starting at 11 EST and be sure to watch Gossip Girl at 8 EST. We"ll be tweeting along at JSGAnne. See you there!
A bachelortte party scavenger hunt gives your friends a mission and will help girls that don"t know each other bond—not to mention you might just find yourself in a little bit of trouble. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Remember the JK wedding dance that turned into a YouTube sensation? Recreate the dance. In public.
Take a photo at a romantic spot in your city, like the top of Empire State building, or the Buckingham Fountain in Chicago.
Find a t-shirt or other paraphernalia from the groom’s college.
Ask a couple who has been married for 25+ years for advice.
Find a penny from the year the groom was born.
Bring back a pack of matches/cocktail napkin from the bar or restaurant where the bride and groom had their first date.
Karaoke to “their song”.
Crash a wedding that’s going on tonight. Bring back proof.
Kim Kardashian"s Bachelorette Party at TaoKim Kardashian celebrated her bachelorette party this weekend at Tao Las Vegas with her sisters, Khloe and Kourtney, her mother and friends including Brittny Gastineau. They had dinner beforehand in Tao"s private dining room and were entertained by dancer Mighty Mike:
Afterwards Kim and her friends headed up to the club and took over a few tables on the dance floor.
Meanwhile Kim"s fiancé, New Jersey Nets basketball player Kris Humphries, was partying at the Palazzo"s Lavo with friends including Kourtney"s boyfriend, Scott, Kim"s brother, Rob, and Khloe"s husband, Lamar Odom. The boys made their way over to Tao eventually to see the girls and bring them back to Lavo.
New L"Oreal Mascara and Lip GlossL"Oreal Voluminous, one of our long-time favorite mascaras, needs to move over to make room for one that"s better, the new L"Oreal Voluminous Million Lash Mascara. It gives lashes the same volume and coats them individually so there"s no clumping. Each lash gets its own little helping of love. It"s now available in a waterproof and carbon black for extra intensity. $8.99 at drugstores.
Another new fave from the L"Oreal fall line is the L"Oreal Colour Riche Le Gloss. Though it looks like a candy-flavored kiddie gloss in the tube, it"s strictly for grown ups. The gloss packs serious color punch, with less tackiness than other glosses. Plus it contains Argan oil, omega 3 and conditioning Vitamin to keep lips super smooth and kissable. Available in 16 shades. $7.95 at drugstores.
Bachelorette Parties - Idea #24: Hotel Jerome in AspenUse your bachelorette party as an excuse to ogle hot, sporty guys in Colorado. The “Blazing Adventure” packages offered at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen includes three nights of lodging at the historic hotel and your choice of adventure, ranging from the following:
Blazing Trails-Sunset Dinner Tour-- includes a 4-wheel drive tour and dinner
Blazing Paddles - ½ Day River Rafting Adventure
Blazing Pedals- Downhill Bicycle Tours down Maroon Bells Wilderness or Ashcroft Ghost Town
Blazing Trails- 4-Wheel Drive Backcountry and Scenic Excursions along the the Gold Hill Mine Route or the Elk Camp Wilderness Tour
BlazingTrails- Wilderness Hiking Excursions--½ day guided wilderness hike
After your adventure, you can chill out at the hotel"s famed J-Bar, which has been the place to have a drink for the past 100 years.
The package is offered through October 2, 2011. For more info, log onto HotelJerome.com.
Bachelorette Parties- Idea #23: Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds PlantationJust over an hour from Atlanta, the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation is a great fit for the bachelorette who"s looking for a laid-back but lux getaway. Located on Lake Oconee, The Lodge has a spa, an infinity pool, a bistro, a steakhouse, and a golf course for our sporty friends.
The Lodge’s Girlfriend’s Getaway includes:
Overnight accommodations in resort-view guestroom American Breakfast for two in Georgia’s Bistro including tax and gratuity $100 spa credit (one per room, single or double occupancy) 10% off additional spa treatment purchases Complimentary Cosmo Cocktail (one per person, single or double occupancy) One complimentary in-room movie with popcorn
Starting at $385 per night on weekdays and $465 per night on weekends. Valid through December 30, 2011.
