myretroperspective

It’s time for some sun and relaxation… so I’m headed to Curacao this week. I’m super excited because I’ve never visited the island before and I love exploring new places. I’m also thrilled to call the new Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina home for a week! The 27-acre resort, also known as the “centerpiece of the exclusive Santa Barbara Plantation,” sits on beautiful beachfront (private) property nestled between the Caribbean Sea and Spanish Water Bay. The resort also features three new restaurants with menu items that are all about seafood and farm-to-table ingredients. But my favorite spot, besides the beach—the Atabei Spa. I’m a girl who loves to indulge with a great massage, pedi, facial or body scrub. A full service salon, 24 hour Hyatt StayFit™ fitness center, three pools, four tennis courts and an 18-hole Pete Dye championship golf course also make this new resort HAUTE. My week will also move to the beat of smooth jazz with music from John Legend and Lionel Richi...

Something new to add to my travel bag to boost moisture in my skin and provide UVA/UVB protection! AMBI® Essentials Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 This daily moisturizer helps protect your face from damaging sun rays, while replenishing moisture to dehydrated skin. It also helps to minimize the appearance of uneven skin tone and dark spots. Price: $4.50 / 2 oz. tube Are you using a moisturizer with sun protection? Disclosure: I received a sample of Ambi to test.

Laura Mercier Cosmetics believes one answer to what is flawless is being charitable and giving back. To that end, beginning September 1, 2010 to December 1, 2010 every time a response is submitted on the LAURA MERCIER website, $1.00 will be donated to the Gulf Relief Foundation (gulfaid.org) to help restore the Gulf to its previously flawless state. “Women have lots of choices, it’s no longer about trade-offs, but trade-ons. So, when it comes to beauty, it’s less about rules, and more about giving women the tools they need to express themselves and create who they want to be in that moment.” Says Ellen Greewald, Chief Marketing Officer at Laura Mercier. “The Laura Mercier brand philosophy, and its Flawless Face product line, so clearly aligns with today’s modern woman, we thought, what better time to take the lead in cultivating a conversation around these new ideals?” says Sharon Collier, President and CEO of Laura Mercier Cosmetics. To Submit, Visit: http://www.lauramercier.com/s...

When socialite-types travel to Chicago they often check-into one of my favorite haute spots—The Ritz Carlton. I had the pleasure of staying in one of the new re-designed suites fit for a girly girl… it came with a dressing room! And the skyline view of the windy city wasn’t bad either. Recently, The Ritz Carlton Chicago, a Four Seasons property, unveiled a $25 million renovation. It’s been called the “largest restyling in the hotel’s 33-year history!” A haute new restaurant, dramatic lobby and luxurious suites with sweeping views of Chicago’s gold coast makes this the ideal location for travelistas in search of stylish escapes in Chicago. The Presidential Suite is where I’d like to set up camp the next time the property managers invite me in for an overnight stay. The new re-imagined suite has a spiral staircase with floor-to-ceiling windows with breath-taking views of Lake Michigan. It also includes a kitchen, dining room, study and living room. There are also three full baths and two...

Have you ever thought about getting up from your desk, quitting your job and traveling the world? It’s something that many people think about, but few actually do it! Most people are not risk-takers. They prefer to dwell in an unhappy life rather than take a chance on something new. In the coming weeks, the new film Eat Pray Love based on the book by Elizabeth Gilbert will have women everywhere planning a career break. In 2005, I did just that… after many years as a TV news producer, I thought about walking out and traveling to Paris to study photography. Well, a friend not only supported my dream, but he encouraged and financed part of it. He bought me a 35 mm camera to photograph life in Paris. Unlike Gilbert, I wasn’t in a position to just get up from my cubicle and quit leaving a pay check behind. However, I did get smart about it. I found out that my company (a major cable TV network) would reimburse me for a photography class. So I jetted off to France for a vacation or mini ca...

Guess what girls... I got the ultra-sheer, blendable Bonne Mine Healthy Glow Crème Colour Palette from Laura Mercier today! I really like the way the color looks on my sun-kissed skin. When I told the folks at Laura Mercier that I wanted a palette that complemented the glow to my cheeks, eyes and T-zone area they suggested a universal compact inspired by Laura’s work with celebrity clients.   They were right… the colors in this compact “wake up” the skin and offers an “immediate healthy glow.” This palette really does help you achieve a natural look that softens the skin. It also comes with a built-in mirror and instructions. It’s something Haute for my travel bag! Price: $48, available August 2010 exclusively at Sephora Would you buy this palette by Laura Mercier?

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas opens its reservation line in anticipation of its grand opening. This stylish and luxurious sin city resort seeks to attract guests with its adventurous and welcoming spirit. The rooms are accented with modern touches, but it's the Japanese soaking tubs that make me want to check-in tonight! Guests can expect a night club, pool with cabanas and haute restaurants! But my favorite haute spot--the spa! Sahra Spa and Hammam draws on the desert for its striking contrasts in offering strength and beauty as inspiration in providing a path to total well-being. It offers 18 massage rooms, four body treatment rooms with steam showers, four facial rooms and a Penthouse spa suite! Just think a great place to find rejuvenation is right along the Vegas strip! If you want to try something different check it out the next time you’re in Las Vegas. The resort is set to open December 15, 2010 with a grand opening gala on New Year’s Eve. To learn more visit http://www.cos...