On Our Radar-Chelsea Hotel Atlantic City

Just because our budgets are stretched tighter than we've been known to pack out suitcases doesn't mean we're going to quit traveling all together. We've already shared our best budget tips for travel and here's one more to add: Look to a destination that's close to home. Those on the east coast should give Atlantic City a second look. JSG is -- with the holidays seconds away and airfare makes Vegas a no go. We visited Atlantic City last year and had a mixed reaction on the city. So why would we go back? To check out the recently opened Chelsea Hotel.

Situated on the boardwalk, the Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City is a non-gaming hotel (in regular parlance that means it doesn't have a casino). Why is this a bonus in a gambling town? Because unlike Vegas, the casinos in AC draw a primarily, um, older crowd dressed in tracksuits. Not the type of people you want to be doubling down with.

The man behind the Chelsea Hotel is Curtis Bashaw of Cape Advisors. He consulted with Matthew Abramcyk and Paul Sevigny (Cholé's brother) of Manhattan's still swinging Beatrice Inn, when designing the hotel's chic 5th Floor club. Like the Beatrice Inn, the 5th Floor has a variety of rooms to wander through, like the Living Room, the Bar, the Game Room and the Terrace Lounge. This would be a great after party spot if you're in town this Saturday to see Madonna.



And between now and March 31st, you can book the special recession buster- Rescue package. It includes:
* Overnight stay in Chelsea Luxe room
* Breakfast special at Teplitzky’s for two — a Stephen Starr restaurant
* Two rolls of quarters to be used to try your luck at the slots at the nearby casino, save, or just enjoy “Free Parking”
* Gas re-imbursement (a $50 gift card redeemable for gas for the return trip)
* Unexpectedly pink slipped and need to cancel? “Rain-check” and re-book for another date without penalty
* Priced at $199 per night Sunday-Thursday; $249 per night on Friday and $299 per night on Saturday

We'll meet you at the bar with the martinis!

Celebrity Solstice and Riedel Wine Glasses

Our favorite event on the Celebrity Solstice was a wine tasting guided by Max Riedel, whose family has been making crystal for over 250 years. Most notably, the Riedel wine glasses are of such quality and function that they are used almost exclusively for wine tasting and competitions world wide.

He entertained us with stories of his grandfather escaping the Russian army and falling in love with Italian women; but he also opened our eyes to the importance of the shape of the glass as a functional way to enjoy wine. We tasted four varieties from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet each in its appropriate glass but also in the wrong glass for that wine. It truly smelled, tasted and felt different in our mouth depending on the glass.

Mr. Riedel was so convincing that we're investigating the best places to find sets for our own homes. Williams-Sonoma has a large selection ranging in quality and price which we could use for special occasions. For Thanksgiving next week, we're going to stock up on the Pinot Noir glasses from Target. They aren't as high quality; but buying them in bulk is easier on the wallet and we usually break one between now and New Years.

Riedel Vinum Sauvignon Blanc from Williams-Sonoma (2 for $64):

Riedel Vivant Pinot Noir glasses from Target (4 for $40)

In the spirit of full disclosure, it's only fair we tell you what else we learned on the Celebrity Solstice. Bud Light is good drinking. Hear us out: one of the reasons JSG's Hope has never been on a cruise is her uncanny ability to get queasy by simply turning her head too quickly and riding in the front seat of a car definitely does it; so boats pose a serious problem. Short of the wine tasting, the only beverage that she could drink was Bud Light which was in fact a recommendation from our girlfriend Abby (2 Bud Lights and you'll feel better). You can imagine it was embarrassing to sit at the Solstice's Martini Bar and order a can of Bud Light ("in a glass please") when what we'd really like is Grey Goose martini. Life is full of compromises and surprises. Cheers!

Urban Decay Primer Potion--Two new tricks

We already know you love Ubran Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion, it earned the Best of Sephora award for a reason, after all. It helps all those vibrant Urban Decay shadows stick to your eyelids like glue! But did you know it's more than just an eyeshadow base?

We learned from Lyn Lynch, Education Market Trainer, that it can also work as a base for your concealer. Who knew your concealer even needed a base? But as Lyn explained it, it helps prevent your concealer from settling into fine lines, a problem we've struggled with for longer than we care to admit!

Magic trick #2: Urban Decay's Primer Potion triples as a lipstick base. Dab a little on your lips and your gloss will last a few precious hours.

Now you'll really want to buy it in the handy .34 oz size created exclusively for Sephora's 10-year anniversary! For free shipping on purchases over $25, follow the link on the lower right of this page.

Twilight the Movie

The Twilight book is one phenomenon that took us by surprise, even though we'd like to think we're up on pop culture. The book which Hope finished on the cruise and passed off to Anne this weekend, is a vampire story set in the Pacific Northwest-the perfect climate for vamps who can't hang out in bright sunny weather; but not for the reasons you think. The book is fun, and the love story is engaging and easy to believe. Our biggest complaint (or should we call it drawback) is that it takes place in a high school, with too much adolescent angst and not enough heat like Harry Potter.

In contrast, we're obsessed with the HBO series True Blood which is definitely geared for a mature audience with more gore and sex to go around.

The Twilight movie opens this Friday, November 21st. We think they did a great job casting Robert Pattinson as Edward and Kristen Stewart as Bella. Ashley Greene, who plays Edward's sister Alice, is smokin' hot in Maxim this month (yes, the SO has a subscription). We're planning on catching the movie this weekend and will give you our opinion on the rebound. Watch the preview here.

Kristen Stewart- with her gorgeous shiny auburn hair:

Ashley Greene (picture courtesy of Maxim) scores another point for brunettes:

Finally, there was some hoopla about Robert Pattinson not being as good looking as he's depicted in the book. We think the casting gurus did a fine job. What do you think?

Celebrity Solstice Review

We're back--and finally recovered--from our 2 night preview cruise from Ft. Lauderdale on the brand new Celebrity Solstice. It was a blast and certainly two days of bottomless banana daiquiris and Bud Lights (more on that later) had a lot to do with it. Freebies aside, we are now converts to the idea of cruising, particularly the idea of cruising with a big group of girls.

Annie has done these 2-night cruises before, but always with a SO. This trip was by far the best, because she had Hope, Julia and Eric (Hope's husband, who did his best to sit through conversations on gray nail polish and the like) to hang out with. There was always someone who wanted to do what I wanted to do--lie by the pool, get another round of daiquiris or snack on nachos.



Speaking of the food--it was good, but not fantastic. We were happy we were one of the chosen few to eat in Silk Harvest, the Pan Asian restaurant. We could have eaten the Solstice Roll (with salmon, cream cheese, and avocado) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's the Murano restaurant below, where we sampled the silky mushroom cappuccino with Calvados. Delish!

We took a tour of the fitness center and the AquaSpa and though we don't workout on vacation; the 180 degree view of the Atlantic was an inspiration even to us. We didn't have a chance to get a spa treatments on this trip; but we're sure it's decadent because AquaSpa uses Elemis products. They also offer medi-spa treatments including Botox and Restylane; but we still advise against doing that on a ship.

Best of all, on a cruise, you never have to worry about drinking and driving or even taking a taxi for that matter. All you have to do is get yourself to an elevator, press "7" and you're home! It's easy for those who want to call it a night early and those who want to see the sun rise.

To book a cruise on Celebrity Solstice, visit the Celebrity site.

Victoria's Secret Miami

Seems like everyone's abuzz about this past weekend's Victoria Secret show and 2-day long party at the recently renovated Fountainebleau in Miami. We personally loved the rumors that Kate Hudson was flirting with A-Rod, who then called her "trouble". (Madonna, watch your back!)

Your invite lost in the mail? (Ours, too!) Catch some highlights from the OTT weekend on YouTube, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Parish Hilton on the Red Carpet.

A Peek Inside Their Carry On: Keep Me's Ali Kay and Anne des Barres

We spend a lot of time traveling but also a lot of time at the desk writing about it. Keep Me, an uber-stylish line of lounge wear stands out because we can wear it for both. It's made of super soft fabrics and it's flattering (like the set on the model above) and fashionable. With Christmas on the horizon, a set from Keep Me would make a great gift.

The designers, Ali Kay (below on left) and Anne des Barres (on right), were introduced by Diane Von Furstenberg (our icon!) when Anne was working for DVF and Ali was dating Diane's son. The women moved to Malibu and designed their first line which launched this spring. They travel weekly to Miami and New York and they dished about what you'll find in their carry ons.

Ali Kay (pictured below) carries Hunting Season's Oversized Weekender Tote. She fills it with:

A good book, currently The Snowball, a biography of Warren Buffett:

Favorite magazines like Fortune and Portfolio.

A Keep Me lounge jacket to keep me warm and cozy like the Skaya Lounge Jacket:

A Clout baseball cap, all black with black Clout Malibu stitched into the back.

Hand Sanitizer (a small one so that I can get through security with it!)

And her partner, Anne des Barres:

carries the Longchamp medium size black tote:

The things that are always in my carry on: my planner, the Daily Journal from Graphic Image: my blackberry, cozy socks for the plane, my Macbook Pro and my Keep Me Jordy Lounge Jacket: