To Die For {Close Second} Design

A gorgeous Pearl District showroom full of to die for pieces, EWF Modern, was dubbed by one reviewer as "...what West Elm wants to be when it grows up." I routinely drool when walking past its windows on my way to West Elm.From ewfmodern.com

But I must say I am relieved that West Elm has not yet grown up. Our living room is looking so good with the addition of a new rug and coffee table. And we managed to do it for a song! When we purchased our couch, we used the West Elm credit card and got 100 Design Dollars in the mail. The rug was on sale, plus a 10% discount for being a hanging (not on the floor) store model. We loved West Elm's white coffee table, but the Lack model from IKEA for just $12 is a perfect fill-in. So modern, yet cozy enough to call home. That's what I call good design.

To Die For {Close Second}

While out shopping and strolling with my friend Samantha along 23rd Avenue a couple of months ago, I discovered this body cream which is no less than to die for! It has a subtle yet heady scent that is comforting while almost exotic. I'm no stranger to Santa Maria Novella, having a bottle of their luxurious rose water my brother gave me as a gift following his sojourn in Florence. On a hot summer day, nothing beats splashing rose water all over my arms, neck and decollete. It makes even the stickiest summer days feel fresh and intoxicatingly rosey.

But even Italian prestige coupled with that je ne sais quoi scent can't justify the $88 price tag on this covetous pot of cream. Then I happened to be poking around in Anthropologie yesterday when I came upon a {close second}.

Tocca solid perfume in Stella is very similar to the scent of Idrasol and at $30 is much more affordable up front. It is much, much smaller than the Idrasol and it's just a perfume solid, not an extravagant, silky cream. However, the Tocca solid contains sparkles (!) and it's small enough to get through airport security.