Charles & Marie

Massachusetts-based Ame and Lulu is the cure for the common girlie-girl conundrum: Where to find chic, chichi golfing accessories? The line actually goes beyond tee bags and stands to include yoga bags, tennis totes, everyday duffels, and basic apparel like tees and visors. Stylish fabric and dulcet colors are ideal for sporty females who want to turn heads on the course, in the gym, or on the street.

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We’ve got the heads up on in-spa holiday services from our friends at Bliss San Francisco. Weary, shopped-out soles will love the Mistle-Toes treatment. This 60-minute pedi involves a hot milk, sweet orange oil, and cinnamon stick soak, plus a paraffin wrap. Or treat your fingers to Santa Paws after a gift wrapping marathon. It’s an orange-scented hot cream wrap and soak that includes cuticle clipping, pushing, and perfecting. Festive holiday finishes are de rigueur (think sheer silver, gold, or red glitter polish, with diamond detailing).

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Monday mornings call for a shot of espresso, and a luxuriant body wash that will leave you smelling like grapefruit ginger. Waterworks makes a softening skin elixir we love. Grab your loofah and repeat this mantra: shower time is precious, so your products should be as well. Lather up, lovelies!

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For fluttery, flirty lashes, get a quickie lash tint at any of the nationwide Benefit boutiques. A bluish-black hue will make the whites of your eyes pop, and especially bring out hazel and green tones. Tints generally last from four to six weeks, depending on a number of factors like how often you wear mascara and what kind of eye makeup remover you use. One look in the mirror post-treatment, and you’ll be feeling dreamy and looking doe-eyed. Benefit boutiques also offer lash application for big events. They supply the lashes—either full or half clusters—which typically last one to three days, depending on wear, of course.

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Tie one of Jessie Steele’s vintage-inspired aprons around your waist and no one will notice if you happen to overcook the turkey. Vibrant colors, flirtatious patterns and figure-flattering shapes make them a must-have, whether you enjoy cooking or not. Open the door wearing one of these (with nothing else but stiletto heels and possibly some cocoa powder sprinkled in strategic places) and the man in your life will hang onto the happy memory for years to come.

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For lovers of ostentations luxury, Chanel has launched a hand-finished cruiser bike as part of its spring/summer 2008 offerings. This “ultimate accessory,” accented with the brand’s signature quilted leather and logo, celebrates the iconic heritage of the fashion house and Coco’s love of sport. Now if only Chanel would make a tricked-out Vespa, we’d be in heaven.

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Mark your calendars, power shoppers. Appel & Frank’s “Stockings & Stilettos” annual holiday shopping event, benefitting Friends of the Urban Forest, kicks off December 6, from 5 to 9 p.m., at the Regency Center in San Francisco. Peruse the latest in jewelry, clothing, handbags and accessories (like these Absolutely Audrey shoe clips by East Bay designer Crisa Mitrou), while enjoying complimentary sake cocktails and beauty treatments.

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Fyve by Dora features handmade accessories born from its creator’s adoration for art, style, and beauty. The lovely line of scarves, wraps, ponchos, caplets, and hats are as comfortable as they are fashionable, each one made of the finest Euro yarns. The mighty Madeline scarf shown here is a blend of colorful microfiber yarns that add color to any foggy foray. If you see something that sparks your interest, don’t commit. Instead, bear in mind that you can custom design something to work within your wardrobe.

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Beauty-obsessed? Join our clique and consider this the ultimate collectors piece: Limited Edition Jeweled Skin Caviar Luxe Cream by La Prairie (it retails for a whopping $2,000). The refillable crystal-encrusted jar is handmade, a process that takes 48 hours, and holds 1.7 ounces of Skin Caviar Luxe Cream. A certificate of authenticity included. Did we mention Marie owns two of these self-indulgent designs? She also bought one for her mother-in-law.

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Molton Brown’s classic weekend bag, Ember, is ideal for a jaunt to a quiet countryside, or a big, beautiful, bustling city. The entire luggage line is handmade with traditional Italian leather. Fab features? Comfortable double handles, end pockets for passports and tickets, mobile phone holder, leather pad lock with key fob, and durable studded base. Also check out the marvelously mod make-up bags, overnight holdalls, travel wallets and washbags to make jet setting a cinch.

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