Shang Cocktails

Now that we've been to Shang at the Thompson LES, we can't get enough of their dreamy cocktails. The Shang Caipirinha (above), made with Agua Luca Cachaça and fresh lime, lychee and tarragon, was the perfect fusion between sexy Brazil and spicy Asia. Too bad it was too cold the night we were there to enjoy it at the Above Allen bar. Word of warning: This drink is stronger than it tastes. Proceed with caution!

Ali Larter at In Style Hair Launch Party

We've flipped through our copy of InStyle Hair the Special Issue three times already. We're overdue for a cut and color and this issue is a great combination of helpful summer hair tips and celebrity hair shots which we can bring with us to the salon. There's even a section on how to talk to your stylist.

Ali Larter, who stars as a modern day Glenn Close opposite Beyoncé Knowles in Obsessed, attended the launch party for the Hair issue last week. She's shown here wearing a gorgeous fuchsia Marchesa party dress and flanked by the designers Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman. We were smitten by Marchesa's collection at Fashion Week this winter and it isn't surprising to see how well their dresses translate to the party circuit. A handful of the dresses from the fall '09 collection were on show at the party.

Harry Josh of John Frieda International styled her hair that evening. Josh comments on his handiwork:

“The look I created for Ali emphasizes how naturally healthy and vibrant her hair is. I started by spritzing hair with Root Awakening Detangling Spray, then blow dried in sections using a natural bristle brush to maintain her hair’s own health and shine. I finished the look with a styling crème to add polish to her naturally sleek, full hair.”

We don't think summer is the best time of year to cut bangs because humidity is no friend to short layers; but Ali Larter's laid-back style makes it a tempting proposition.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out the endless celeb hair shots on Daily Makeover, our new partner!

Photo courtesy of InStyle.

Asian emo girl

Asian emo girl - emo fashion in China
Emo also pop in China, especially the 90s' asian emo hair

How to Pack for Your Honeymoon

While we don't usually cover what to wear on a trip with your guy, we did get a special request for advice on what to pack on a beach honeymoon. How could we say no?

In general, on your honeymoon, you want to keep everything pretty, flirty and romantic. After all, you did just get married a day or two ago--give your husband a few extra reasons to be overjoyed that he married you. While you don't need a whole wedding trousseau, your honeymoon is still a good excuse to splurge on a few new outfits.

For day, we love this casual, gauzy cotton tunic from What Comes Around Goes Around. You can wear it when you're exploring the town with some smokin' gladiator sandals (ours are from Bottega Veneta) or over a bikini to the beach. The gold trim on this Kate Spade Tortola Kei bag makes it chic enough for town but since it's straw, you won't mind taking it out to your ocean side cabana. And just because you're in the tropics doesn't mean you should skip the jewelry--these wood and jade earrings from Sand Jewelry scream "Beach Goddess!" Finish the look off with a pair of tortoiseshell over-sized Dior shades to leave the locals guessing if you're famous.

Honeymoon Daytime by The Jet Set Girls featuring Bottega Veneta shoes

Dressing sexy at the beach can be a challenge. You want to flaunt some skin, but not too much and wear color without looking too sweet. This one-shoulder Tahari dress has it all going on, thanks to a print that will have you looking like you stepped out of a Gauguin painting. The zebra print Kate Spade straw clutch adds a surprising, flirty touch. As much as we love what stilettos do for our legs, they have no place at the beach. Wear those spikes and you'll sink in the sand. Wedges, like these DVF gold ones with jeweled strap, on the other hand are tailor made for the beach. The Rebecca Norman cuff has smokey quartz and green tourmaline to bring out your tan.

Honeymoon Night by The Jet Set Girls featuring kate spade handbags

Of course on a honeymoon it's just as important what you have on underneath your dress. Show off your new status with these Hanky Panky Mrs. Thongs.
Bedtime? You can't go wrong with anything from La Perla. Our pick is this Wild Forest Chemise.

Diet Cookie?

I know. I know. It sounds too good to be true. I met with Dr. Sasson Moulavi, M.D. (aka Dr. Sass), founder of Smart for Life diet cookies a few weeks back. He extolled the benefits of his company’s meal replacement cookie: They are preservative-free, made with 60 percent organic ingredients and – Dr. Sass claims – are a perfect balance of fiber, protein, and complex carbs that suppress hunger. According to the label, each 80-calorie cookie has omega-3 fatty acids, 30 calories, 2 grams of fat and 1 gram of fiber. He recommends you eat 6 cookies a day (breakfast, lunch, and snacks) and top off the day with a healthy dinner. He claims you can lose up to 15 pounds a month – far more than the 1 to 2 pounds a week the FDA and hundreds of other weight loss experts recommend for safe weight loss.

So let’s set aside for a moment that the diet plan may not be the healthiest. How do the cookies taste and do they fill you up? I sampled the chocolate chip cookie and…meh. First off, its texture is more like stale Entenmanns than a fresh Mrs. Fields. The cookie is on the dry side, so you’ll definitely want to have a glass of water nearby. It also left a slight film on the top of my mouth. On the upside, the drizzle of frosting on the top is sweet enough to satisfy the most intense craving and it was solidly edible. In terms of taste, I would put it slightly ahead a Kashi Go Lean Bar and behind a Luna Bar.

The cookie—make that 1 and a half--definitely filled me up. I dug in around 8 a.m. and was stuffed. I couldn’t even finish the second half of my, ahem, second cookie. That was until 12 o’ clock rolled around. I was ravenous for lunch and no cookie, not even two, was going to fill me up. I can’t imagine eating nothing but cookies until dinnertime for an entire week, much less a month.

Final verdict: The cookies are good if you need an easy, on-the-go snack. But as a miracle weight-loss effort, the dream of a diet cookie is too good to be true. (But we knew that already, didn’t we?)

Read about our experience with the Blueprint Juice Cleanse.

On Our Radar: Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville

Tomorrow morning we're headed to one of those cities that we've been wanting to go to for years, Asheville, North Carolina. (Like Austin, we're sure it won't disappoint.) We're meeting our mom there for a Mother's Day girls' getaway.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville first caught our eye after being named a top destination by Southern Living for several years running. The town was founded in the 1700s, then truly came to prominence after the Vanderbilts built their vacation home there, The Biltmore, in 1895 (shown above). At 250 rooms, it almost puts their other family vacation home, The Breakers, in Newport, Rhode Island, to shame. We'll be touring the grounds and house on Sunday where we'll get to see the Festival of Flowers--we're told the azaleas are in all their spectacular glory right now.

The downtown area has gorgeous art deco buildings, plenty of shopping, from chic boutiques to art galleries to craft fairs, and food that rivals New Orleans for the crown of best in the South.

We'll be staying at the newly opened Grand Bohemian Asheville (below) where mom and I will take part in the hotel's "Girlfriend Getaway" package. Included in the package is a spa treatment, a cocktail at the Red Stag Grill and tickets to the Biltmore. We'll also be eating dinner at the Red Stag on Sunday night to celebrate Mom's Day.

Photo: Mark File

Also on the itinerary is lunch at Laurey's Catering and Gourmet-to-Go. We hear that Laurey is more than an amazing chef, she just got back to town after a cross country bicycle tour to raise money for ovarian cancer. We're looking forward to meeting her! Saturday night's dinner is at The Corner Kitchen. (Yes, we love to eat!) Check back next week to see how our trip was!

Poplar Springs The INN Spa

We visited Poplar Springs The INN Spa about a week ago and spent a gorgeous, albeit hot afternoon, enjoying the spa, pooldeck, grounds and gourmet restaurant nestled on 200 acres in Virginia's countryside. This hidden gem and boutique hotel was designed by the chef and owner, Howard Foer, of the on-site Manor House Restaurant only 7 years ago. Historic buildings are scattered around the cush lodging which is home to a mere 21 rooms- intimate enough to guarantee personal service. The rooms incidentally are some of the largest we've ever seen, each with a view of rolling hills and gardens and many with private balconies.

Approaching the property down a dirt road, around ponds and over a small bridge, Poplar Springs resembles a spot you could stumble on in Sonoma. The town of Casanova is only an hour outside of Washington, D.C. in Virginia's wine country. Poplar Springs uses its location to the fullest by outfitting guests with picnic baskets, maps and limos upon request, en route to wine tastings at nearby cellars.

Summertime brings special events like the opening of the Garden Terrace, Live Music and Friday night flights, Virginia is for Lovers packages, Date Night: dinner and a movie (screened on the side of barn in the lawn), and 3rd Thursdays at the spa. Guests have all-access to fitness equipment including bikes, fly-fishing equipment, lawn games and tennis rackets. During your stay, plan on spending a good part of your evening at the Manor House for one of the most creative and impressive dinners you can find south of NYC. Enjoy their wine selections, we certainly did!

We're looking forward to our overnight stay at Poplar Springs Inn this summer; but with whom: our girlfriends, our mothers, or our SO's? What do you think?