Love Mixology Cocktail Class at The Westin St. Francis
February 4, 2010 If you haven't set up a date night plan for V-day, here's your chance to do something neat. To stage a romantic mood, the Westin St. Francis is offering a special “Love Mixology” cocktail class for couples next weekend.
Lead by their resident “Love Mixologist,” you'll get to shake, stir, and blend your way through three cocktails (with tastings of course). You'll then choose your favorite cocktail to create together in the class. Cocktails include “Agave Kiss,” “Cupid’s Arrow” and “Love Potion #9.”
Don't worry, you won't go hungry. There will be some “love bites” (edible treats) for you to nibble on as you soak up the libations. A copy of all three drink recipes will also be provided for you and your lovey to recreate at home.
“Love Mixology” Cocktail Class
Saturday, February 13
4 – 5 p.m.
The Westin St. Francis
Caruso’s (Tower Lobby)
335 Powell Street
$50 per couple
To make reservations for the “Love Mixology” class call (415) 774-0264.
The aphrodisiac truffles within are sexy and stimulating - you and your valentine get to try flavors like Absinthe (Chinese star anise, fennel, and pastis), Bronte (Sicilian pistachio paste & rose water), Mamajuana (Mamajuana & chamomile) and Edith (Piper Heidsieck Rose Sauvage Champagne & rosebud tea). For me, the most intriguing truffle was the white chocolate Kumamoto (pearl dust & Kumamoto oysters). You'd be surprised, but a tinge of oyster essence adds an interesting taste experience to white chocolate.
To make things even more romantic, Vosges teamed up with boutique hotel expert 
Vosges Aphrodisiac Hatbox
There are a few new items on the menu since my last visit. The Moroccan Chicken and Red Thai Curry Turkey Bowl (with organic coconut milk) are my new favorites, and I love the fact that their meats are hormone-free. The Polenta Fries and Farro Risotto are also very good. For dessert, they have a chocolate chip cookie made with whole grains and flax seed. The 'chips' are actually cacao nibs, so it's lower in sugar and healthier for your body.
The best thing about their healthy menu? The food doesn't taste like diet food and it is so nutrient dense that I was pretty full for a long time. I didn't need an afternoon snack and ended up eating a lighter dinner.
Check out the entire menu at 
The Eye Shimmer Duo consists of two separate products. The first item is a liquid shimmer base. You start with a thin layer over the eyelid, then finish with a swath of sparkling powder. You can actually wear the liquid base by itself for an alternate look, but the finishing powder amps up the glam factor. It also has an interesting texture - it looks like a grainy powder but as you blend it into the lid it has a smooth feel that you expect from a solid cream-to-powder eyeshadow.
I liked the Glint Blue (brown base & silvery blue powder) and the Starry Violet (grey base & lavender-pink powder) shades. They're completely buildable, so you can use it for either day or night looks. This product will definitely draw everyone's attention to your eyes.
As for the face, the creamy Satin Radiant Stick comes in two shades. The Highlight stick adds a very light pink-white shimmer to the forehead and upper cheekbone, while the Blush color brings a natural and healthy glow to the 'apple' of the cheek. It's totally user-friendly - you can't over apply since it's so light. You also don't have to worry about using it in natural light. It would be pretty hard to end up like a kewpie doll with this product.
Katie White of The Ting Tings was smokin’ at the Grammys with the Egerie colors. The indie-rocker, whose band was nominated for the “Best New Artist”, rocked a sultry look created by celebrity makeup artist Amy Chance. Incorporating Katie's signature mod look, Amy worked her magic and shared her tips:
“I prepped Katie's skin with shu uemura’s red:juvenus revitalizing retexturing cream. I then used their new UV Under Base Fluid underneath her eyes and to her cheek bones. I used Armani Luminous Silk foundation to even out her skin tone, and then applied shu uemura’s Glow On blush in M Pink 31 on the apples of her cheeks. I highlighted the top of her cheek bones with Glow On in P Gold 94.
Credit: Getty Images
On Katie's eyes, I used shu uemura's new Eye Shimmer Duo in Glint Blue so her eyes would sparkle under the lights on the red carpet. We then used the Pressed Eye Shadow in Black 990 IR in her crease to deepen her eyes and give her a "mod", vintage look. I lined her top lids with Painting Liner in Black, and then lined her lower lid with the Drawing Pencil in ME Black. I accented her lashes with Individual Flare Lashes and Precise Volume Mascara.
Katie loves pink cheeks and lips, so to give her a final pop of color, and stay with her retro mod look, we finished her lips with Gloss Unlimited PK 344, a gorgeous bright pink. We finished her skin with Armani Fluid Sheer foundation to even out her skin tone and give it a bit of shimmer.”
If you want to give something more playful, the Valentine edition of the Candied Hazelnuts will win his or her heart. These toasted burnt caramel hazelnuts are coated in milk chocolate and finished with a satisfyingly crunchy candy shells. Don't underestimate these little treats - big things do come in small packages.
From now until 2/14, the website is offering an automatic 20% discount on all products on 
After a cold, wet, and harsh winter, you just want to dive into these beautiful colors. The Ombre Eclat 4 Couleurs eyeshadow palette in Jeu d'Ombrelles is a kaleidoscope of purple, blue violet, pearlescent pink and white. The purples look dark in the image, but it actually goes on lightly, so it's easy to build up to a nighttime look.
The Blush Eclat in Cherry Blossom resembles an intricate part of a geisha's silk kimono. Isn't this just gorgeous? The light pink and coral shades are accented with shimmering rose to create the perfect flush on the cheeks. This is fairly pigmented, so don't slap this on.
It's all about the lips this spring, at least according to Guerlain. Replacing the Maxi Shine formula, the new KissKiss Strass delivers maximum sparkle to your lovely lips. Available in ten permanent shades, I'm particularly in love with the shimmery Rouge Broderie 321 shade (bright raspberry) and the Rose Strass 361 (sheer pink).
For the Rouge G addicts, there is a new Rouge G Le Brillant formula. Yes, ladies, this coveted lipstick collection now features ten additional colors for you to play with. I like Bella B63 (deep rose) and Bianca B21 (pink-coral). It has the same creamy texture as the original formula but this one adds a shiny finish, giving you more flirting power. C'est jolie, n’est-ce pas?
Sadly, for many women suffering from violence across the world, they won't be celebrating V-day. For this very reason Linnea's Lights will be donating 10% of sales to 
Of course, if fruit-based scents aren't your lover's preference, there are other scents to ignite the flames of desire. The Amber is sensual but not too overwhelming - it's definitely magnetic with Egyptian Musk blended into the formula. Linden is a clean and fresh floral scent for those who like an everyday fragrance for their home.
Online retailers that sell Linnea's Lights candles: 
As their first organic product (certified by ECOCERT) it contains 83.5% organic ingredients (shea butter and hazelnut oil) and has less air than traditional soaps. This means it has a greater mileage for you and it lathers up wonderfully. The light citrus scent is uplifting and works well as a body and face soap, so you can also wash your face in the shower.
If you prefer a liquid cleanser, the popular Gentle Foaming Cleanser will remove dirt without drying the skin out. Enriched with cottonseed and katafray bark extract, it'll protect the skin from the drying effects of hard water. The tamarind fruit acid also helps clear blocked pores by eliminating dead skin cells.
For best results, Clarins recommends their unique suction cleansing method, which was developed by founder Jacques Courtin Clarins:
-Squeeze cleanser into hands and apply to face using quick, tapping motions working from inside out. You will hear a slight suction sound as the cleanser removes dirt and impurities.
-Rinse cleanser off the face with cool water and follow with toner. This is more effective than rubbing cleanser into the face as the dirt will create microscopic tears on the skin's surface which lead to breakouts and irritation. It also is gentler than tugging at the skin which causes wrinkles by stretching the skin.
To start your new year off to a bright and healthy start, Hotel Healdsburg has an extremely relaxing Winter Cleansing Spa Package to rejuvenate your body and soul. The road to bliss starts with a gentle dry brushing to increase the body's circulation. A detoxifying seaweed body wrap is then applied.
To enhance the purification process you get a nice soak in the spa tub. Using detoxifying massage oils, a full body massage follows (so relaxing I almost fell asleep at this point). To end things on a beautiful note, a custom Eminence Organics facial will revive fatigued skin. The facial also includes a refining glycolic acid or a gentle enzyme peel to ensure a radiant visage.
The hotel itself has a light modern feel without being cold. The entire staff is very warm and accommodating, so you're in great hands. Upon entering our room we were greeted with a cheese plate and chilled white wine. The bathtub is really deep so you can also take a nice long soak while enjoying a glass of wine.
The adjoining restaurant, Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen, is just as inviting. We started off with a citrusy Fennel Crusted Flash Seared Hamachi appetizer and the Dungeness Crab Tempura. The Crispy Veal Sweetbreads + Chicken Confit Agnolotti was also delicious. The killer entree for the evening, however, was the Crispy Skin Local Black Cod with a lemongrass and ginger consomme. The flesh was so milky and soft. If I could buy bottles of the consomme I'd use it on all my cooking.
The desserts were also nothing short of amazing. We had the famous Chocolate + Peanut Butter Bar and the Valrhona Chocolate Budino with Guiness Ice Cream (yes, beer-flavored ice cream).
Sommelier Drew Munro is really knowledgeable about the local wineries and he did a great wine pairing for our dinner. We're now fans of the Lime Stone 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and the Williamson 2007 Chardonnay.
If you can't make it to Hotel Healdsburg this month, not to worry. They have a great Valentine's Day weekend package that includes a two nights in a Deluxe King room, spa treatments for two, and a decadent six-course dinner. Dry Creek Kitchen also has an exciting food celebrity-studded