I guess I’m the last person on earth to hear about Lush, the maker of “fresh handmade cosmetics,” born in the UK. I was at a pal’s house last week, and she — and her incredibly hip daughter — already had a bagful of bath bombs, creams, etc. The good news: They bought them here in town; Macy’s at Oak Court has opened its very own Lush boutique, and you won’t want to miss the grand opening party. Stop by Saturday, Jan. 19, from noon until 3 pm, for free facials, prizes, and to check out the products (that’s the Sex Bomb in the picture … mmm). Oh yes, and you’ll get a free goody bag with a $45 purchase, but supplies are limited, so come early. For more Lush at Macy’s scoop, e-mail oakcourt@lush.com or call 901.767.1003.

The search for a Wii for the perfect Christmas surprise has reached fever pitch for lots of the people in my life. I listened this afternoon to a co-worker talking to a friend who is driving to North Carolina and stopping at every Wal-Mart on the way to see if they have one. (My idea of the perfect nightmare.) But evidently they can be found, even if in Jacksonville, NC.

Or can they? Where have you looked for a Wii? And why is this the gift of choice this year? Weren’t they around last year?

Signed, Game-impaired Diva

It happened again yesterday: I took off my coat and sat down to talk, and the woman I was meeting instantly said, “You got that sweater at Target, right?” Well, yeah, though I was reminded once again about my Target Ambivalence (TA). Yes, the clothes there are surprisingly fun (and wildly cheap), though the downside is that EVERYONE wears them. And though I also shop Macy’s, Dillard’s and some expensive boutiques that I feel too guilty to name, the truth is that I find myself at Target more often than not.

Has this happened to you? Should I work harder to disguise my TA, or should I just concede that Isaac, Michael Graves, and the others have got me in their spell? 

So I’m going to a snazzy affair this weekend, and although I’m wearing a dress I have, carrying a purse I already own and didn’t get any new jewelry for the occasion, I thought I might get new shoes.

<>So for the first time ever, I went to Joseph’s, and saw, for the first time ever… Manolo Blahniks. You know, the shoes Carrie Bradshaw of “Sex and The City” favored. I held a shoe in my hand, and not so discretely flipped it over to see the price. Close to $400.

I could probably buy a pair of $400 shoes and still pay my mortgage and keep the all-important cable on… but there’s no way my Marshall’s-clearance-rack- searching, Macy’s-coupon-carrying, everything-eventually-goes-on-sale self could bring myself to do it.

<>So you Divas who actually own Manolos - did you cringe when you buy them? Did you have to work up to $400 kicks, starting with ones that were $200, then $300? What’s the most you’ve ever paid for shoes? (Me, it was $98.)

I’ve always wanted to take a two-week vacation. One week just doesn’t cut it. You arrive with all kinds of hopes and plans, and all of the sudden it’s Wednesday, and you’re staring at the end of the week and starting to think about packing up.

But this year, we did it. Two weeks at the beach. Two weeks of island living. No McDonald’s. No chain hotels. No traffic. No alarm clocks. Who needs a watch? Who needs a hair dryer? We slathered on 50 sunscreen and spent most of our time outside. Yes, it was hot on Dauphin Island, Ala., but not as hot as it was here. And if it’s going to be hot, I’d rather be at the beach.

Re-entry has been a little rough.

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