We just happened to catch one of Dr. Mehmet Oz's new shows a couple of weeks ago.  We'll tell you right now: We love Dr. Oz.  Whenever  we heard he was going to be on Oprah, we always tried to watch - or at least Tivo the show that day.

Well, on the last show we caught, Dr. Oz listed common household items that he said were major agers.  In other words, if you were using these products on a regular basis, you were causing your own premature aging.

Yikes!  No one wants to inadvertently age themselves!  And lo and behold, one of the agers was soap - that's right - the regular bars of soap that millions pick up every day in the supermarket. 

Well we say, "Phooey on that!"  We have the solution: our fab Nesti Dante soaps from Florence, Italy.  After all, the big draw of Nesti Dante is the fact that it's made with natural ingredients.  And besides those natural ingredients, it's fragrances are wonderful (natural, of course) and it's packaging is sublime.

So what are you waiting for?  If you haven't tried Nesti Dante, try it today!  And your soap will no longer be a major ager.

We saw this Ralph Lauren wrap in a ad and were charmed by it - love the cut, the way it sets of the neckline, accentuates the shoulders.



The Vivian Wrap - $2998.  Yeah, just shy of $3000 it's a pretty steep price.

Now consider our own Circle Wrap.  Granted, the Vivian is more of a "stole," and the Circle Wrap covers you anywhere from hip to knee length - so they're not interchangeable pieces by any means.

But with the Circle Wrap, you get an evening wrap that doubles as a cape when you encounter more inclement weather, plus you get multiple ways of wearing the wrap (many looks in one.)  And compared to the Vivian, it's a steal at $1550.



Same great neckline, same great attitude.  Yes, an interesting comparison!

Just a note:  yesterday, we published a fantastic video over at Travels With Bella Figura USA, of Istanbul, Turkey.  It's the best  video we've seen yet; and one of the places it takes you to, is a goldsmithing shop inside the Grand Bazaar.

We loved that, since we carry some gorgeous Turkish necklaces.

And besides the Grand Bazaar, the video takes you all over the city, including the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, and the beautiful Topkapi Palace.

If you love spectacular places, be sure and watch the video.

Oh yes, another video, and this is just charming: a video loaded with photos of celebrities looking chic and glamorous, wearing their shawls and scarves.  We love to see the many  ways to wear these fabulous, must-have accessories.

I was talking with a friend recently about a beautiful bath we'd seen in a design show house.  She mentioned the collection of perfume bottles the designer had displayed on the counter, then said, "You have lovely perfume bottles in the boutique, but I've never considered getting any because I don't like the thought of pouring expensive perfume into another container."

Well, I totally understood her reasoning.  If you've paid dearly for that favorite scent, you're loathe to transfer it, just to be transferring it.

So, here's what I suggest.  First, you can simply group several together (as the designer had done) directly on the countertop or on a tray, and  show them off  as a striking collection. 

Or, take some of your less expensive fragrances (or perhaps a perfume you were given that just isn't to your liking) transfer them to wonderful bottles and place them in your guest baths for your friends and family to use.  After all, the scent that you don't care for might be one of their favorites.

Then my favorite option: use them as miniature vases.  On a vanity table (if you're lucky enough to have one) a bedside table, or again, atop  your bath vanity, take the stopper out of the bottle and lay it to the side.  Then place a single, beautiful rose - or lily, or even a smaller orchid blossom - in the bottle.  (Of course, fill the bottle with water first.)

It's a charming way to display one perfect blossom - and the pretty bottle - all at once.  And who doesn't like fresh flowers in their bath and bedroom? 



Some of our handcrafted perfume bottles from Egypt - Queen Cleopatra would have loved them!

You know that we love, love, love our all natural soaps from the wonderful Italian company - Nesti Dante.

Well now, we're happy to announce that we can offer you another fabulous soap collection from the renowned Tuscan family: Emozioni in Toscana.

Say it out loud - Emozioni in Toscana - it's almost like singing, it's so lyrical.  And we are singing this latest collection's praises.

Just read the names of the individual bars: The Golden Countryside (nourishing) Mediterranean Touch (invigorating) Thermal Water (therapeutic) Blooming Garden (intoxicating) Villages & Monasteries (relaxing) and Enchanting Forest ( re-oxygenating.)

Six wondrous bars - six delectable fragrances - six options for serene, luxurious bathing.  And remember: the soap is all natural, no animal fat is used, no synthetics are added, and the packaging?  Well, see for yourself -



Florence, Italy is known for its exquisite Florentine paper.  And yes, that is finely crafted Florentine paper covering each bar.  Each bar - a little piece of art.  Hm...  another reason these sets make fantastic gifts!

We say, live La Dolce Vita!  Put Emozione in Toscana in your home.

Awhile back, we posted a video on making Turkish coffee.

But since then we were alerted to this second video.  In this one, the coffee guide is none other than Mustafa Arat, the founder of TurkishCoffeeWorld.com.

Mr. Arat makes it look easy, easy easy!  And yes, the coffee is rich, strong and much simpler to make than espresso.  Plus, we like his quote about the coffee: "It should be black as hell - sweet as love."

So check out this video from the Los Angeles Times:

Last week we posted a video that gave home decor tips and suggestions.  Of course, we were enamored of the decorative pillows in the piece, as we LOVE pillows.

After all, adding decorative pillows to a sofa, bed, chaise - even placing them on top of radiator covers - is one of our favorite (and easiest) ways to change up the decor in a room.

So, we were thinking about our own pillows in the boutique (the glorious antique pieces and the bold Turkish textiles) and decided to take an informal survey on the popularity of decorative pillows.  Well, our unscientific poll gave us a resounding "Yes" to the question: Are you a pillow fan?

Then we found this YouTube video, and just smiled.  The questions is: How many pillows are on your bed?

Watch and enjoy (and do you see yourself in this video?)

Here's a great little video giving easy, chic decorating tips.

We especially liked the use of the decorative pillows.  In the video, they showcase Moroccan themed pillows (which we love) but our Turkish designed pillows would work just as beautifully.

Enjoy:

We just couldn't resist posting this video - all scenes of the majestic Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

After all, we recently posted an article about where to stay on your next trip to Istanbul; and one of the sites that everyone visits when touring the city: the Blue Mosque.

Watch the video, and if you've never been, you'll understand why it is a must see.