*have been hearing a lot of talk about collagen lately. picked up the St.Ives "Timeless Skin" Collagen Elastin Moisturizer- which promises to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

then there is the M.E.L.T. Method classes I've been taking at my gym, created by Sue Hitzman which, through massaging certain key points on the body, hydrates the connective tissue. there are so many benefits to this- relief from pain, better posture, a sense of well-being, reduction of wrinkles and cellulite (!) and stimulates collagen production. this is definitely worth checking out.

last but not least is the silky Illuminage Skin Rejuvenating Pillowcase, available at Bergdorf Goodman, which is woven with copper oxide fibers that claim to boost collagen and elastin production while you sleep.

try all three to stop the aging process in it's tracks!

from a show a few years ago

so today is the sunday that I drive up the saw mill river highway, along the hudson, and go visit a property in yorktown heights that hosts an annual art show. there are always seasonal food offerings amidst the displayed items and a beautiful home with gorgeous sweeping views of the hudson valley that are especially lovely now with the bright autumn colors.

heading downtown to fifth avenue for a blow-dry with a student at the sunny

 butterfly salon. they always make my hair long and glossy, perfect for all the window shopping afterwards.

                                             tim walker vogue italia


lovely autumn is back! the cool, crisp weather, the harvest holidays, dressing-up for halloween....the candy rush and the pumpkins and apples! one of my favorite activities is going to one of the last remaining cider mills in my hometown of croton-on-hudson, new york. out here in the vast wooded area behind the croton dam is an orchard on a sloping property with a home and a small cottage in back where they sell the cider and pastries.http://www.thompsonscidermill.com/

did some research into this grand lady and it is said that she was "ambitiously" mistressed to the likes of julius caesar and mark anthony- two of the most powerful men of rome.

                                  Cleopatra's Needle, Central Park, NYC


 was in the namaste bookshop down on 14th street when the metropolitian museum of art liked my cleopatra pin on pinterest. i was flattered at being noticed by them (maybe they did notice me, maybe they did not) and told the guy who was helping me explore and look for answers. then he mentioned this obelisk, the first time i had heard of this version, and that standing in front of it was mystically cleansing and gave you good vibes.

the courtney akai eyelash salon

 followed my instincts that this was really a top place and made an appointment with vivian. the salon was in an apartment building downtown, a cute little space with pink walls and chandeliers and an all-over girly feel. vivian was great and i sat on a comfy table while she applied the extensions. for weeks i felt gorgeous and needed no mascara. my new beauty-go-to.

Lashes at Chanel

have always wanted to play around with fake eyelashes- they were such a beauty enchancer and very sixties chic- had bought myself a pair of "andrea" ones at the pharmacy but never tried it. then the day came that i was called out to jones beach for the film "men in black" and for my role as an astronaut's wife circa 1969 I wore a gridle beneath an orange fitted dress, had my hair teased halfway up into a beehive, and big, heavy black lashes on my eyelids. was so happy to be that dressed up, and got some nice headshots afterwards. 

next came my photoshoot with a local photographer for my portfolio- i brought little ones that extended the last lashes by shu uermura. 

around christmas i felt like treating myself and searched for the deal that gave you a sleek black case with a mirror compartment along with two refills of the mascara by guerlain, eventually finding it at saks fifth avenue.

but by far the best experience was getting extensions. i had received many groupon deals for places in the city so did some research and found the reviews  were shaky at best. then i came across a place and had great recommendations across the board.

Dry-Bar: a must-go

so was stretching in yoga when I got an email, could I come for in a wash, style and curl at 3:30 pm? had been in communication with different salons since using salonapprentice.com and sometimes would receive messages like this to be a model. had a day off and went for a stroll in central park, making it through the last humidity of the season across town to 76th street on the east side. 

the salon was a like little buttercup- with colors of white and yellow and little sweets and candies everywhere. it got more lush as you made your way back amongst the bunches of yellow roses, gilded mirrors and black and white photos of classic movie stars like grace kelly, catherine deneuve and marilyn monroe the hung, framed on he walls. diamonds are a girls best friend and alicia silverstone's clueless playing on the big flat tv screen. 

jachelle was practicing her technique and blew my hair then curled it with a curling iron, all the while my ipod was charging in a socket. was offered water with lemon and chamomile and then given a yellow umbrella when I left to preserve my movie-star styled hair. for a hour i was in high hair heaven.