August 27th, 2008 — , Fall 2008, O.P.I., limited edition, nail polish from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I’m not ready for summer to be over. But there’s something about fall collections, fall fashion and September editions of all the magazines that even I find exciting. OPI took it to the max with their fall/winter La Collection De France, which (unlike …
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Continue reading → The Color Of French Lingerie: OPI Ticle My France (Fall 2008)
August 26th, 2008 — , Etat Libre d'Orange, Fragrance, Henri Bendel, Paris, Perfume, shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Our last full day in Paris (or actually, our supposed last one. We ended up staying another day because of a cancelled flight and airline delays, not that it did us any good, being stuck in an sub-par airport hotel that had no wireless connection) was …
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: Etat Libre d’Orange
August 26th, 2008 — , Essie, Fall 2008, limited edition, nail polish from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
There are several innovative new nail polish collections for fall, but the one from Essie is not one of them. Don’t get me wrong: it’s very pretty, the quality is great, they all have a nice glossy finish and look great. The colors are very classic and…
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Continue reading → Essie Nail Polish Fall Collection
August 25th, 2008 — , Fall 2008, Smashbox, lip gloss, makeup from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Smashbox Wicked Lovely series has beautiful, goth-inspired packaging. If you overdo it it can get very Elvira very fast, but I’m sure we can all show the required restraint. I chose to focus on the lips.The sexy dark look can be difficult to achieve, a…
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Continue reading → Smashbox Wicked Lovely Gloss in Sultry: Making It Work
August 24th, 2008 — , Celebrities, Charlize Theron, Fashion, nail polish, shoes from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I don’t know how I feel about this black (or is it the darkest navy? I looked at several photos and it mostly looks black) nail polish Charlize Theron was sporting yesterday at a Tokyo event. I’m also not crazy about the black bra under a sheer beige t…
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Continue reading → More Celeb Nails: Charlize Does Black
August 22nd, 2008 — , Barneys, Fall 2008, Sue Devitt, makeup from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
What inspires designers when working on a fall collection?Autumn leaves, darker days, harvest colors.And, apparently, the sea.The image above (click on it for a full size view) is taken from Barneys newsletter about Sue Devitt’s fall makeup collection….
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Continue reading → Fall Inspiration: Sue Devitt Sea Spray Fall 2008 Collection
August 21st, 2008 — , Fall 2008, dior, lipstick, makeup from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
We’re back to discussing the new fall collections in all their dark lip glory. Before we go hardcore with the vampy colors, there’s still an elegant option from Dior, even if many of you thought that the Dandy look, at least the way it was officially i…
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Continue reading → The Darker Lips Of Fall- Rouge Dior Fiction Brown
August 16th, 2008 — , About me, Currently from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
BookRequiem, Mass. by John Dufrense. The tragi-comic story of a dysfubctional family. I haven’t read his previous novels, but now I absolutely have to find them. This book takes you places.SongWhite Winter Hymnal- Fleet Foxes. Their album is the one ne…
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Continue reading → Currently
August 14th, 2008 — , ask the non-blonde, makeup from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Lynn from Philly is asking:” I’m about to spend a couple of weeks on the Jersey Shore, and while I’d hate to look tacky and overdone, I’m no longer comfortable walking around all day with bare face. At my age it’s more frumpy than cute. What ca…
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Continue reading → Ask the Non-Blonde: Makeup For The Beach
August 14th, 2008 — , Estee Lauder, Media, yahoo news from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
From Yahoo news.http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080814/earns_estee_lauder.html?.v=1Edit: The link now shows that they fixed their typo. My screen capture above is how it appeared originally.Copyright ©2006-2008 The Non-Blonde, under the author’s name. Content…
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Continue reading → Let’s hope the people at Lauder have a healthy sense of humor
August 13th, 2008 — , Sebastian, Tyra Banks, hair care, styling products from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Sorry. I just had to post this picture of Tyra Banks and her crazy crimped hair. Suddenly it’s 1984 all over again.For those of us who prefer their hair untoasted, there’s something better.I haven’t used any curl enhancing products in a very long time….
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Continue reading → Good And Bad Hair Days: Sebastian Whipped Creme
August 12th, 2008 — , Bergdorf Goodman, Donna Karan, Fragrance, Perfume from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
A brief history of Chaos Theory:Once upon a time, before Donna Karan perfumes became an endless chain of Be Delicious flankers, each one with its own plastic fruit note, there were some original and interesting creations in unusually beautiful bottles….
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Continue reading → So… - Donna Karan Chaos, Old And New
August 12th, 2008 — , Cinquième Sens, Perfume from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
The New York branch of Cinquième Sens, the Paris-based perfumery school is officially opening next month. The first class, a two-day introduction to perfumery technique and the language of scents, is described as a “Complete immersion in the perfumery…
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Continue reading → Back To School
August 11th, 2008 — , givenchy, makeup, mascara from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Not that the fabulous Ms. S needs much help: She might not have eyelashes, but a) she has a polyamorous relationship that includes a husband and a younger man, and b) she knows George Clooney.Those of us with less interesting personal lives can, at lea…
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Continue reading → Tilda Swinton, this mascara may change your life
August 11th, 2008 — , Donna Karan, Fragrance, Perfume, coming soon from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Copyright ©2006-2008 The Non-Blonde, under the author’s name. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.
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Continue reading → Tomorrow We’ll talk About This:
August 10th, 2008 — , Bergdorf Goodman, Donna Karan, Fashion, Perfume, colette, shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
1) In case you missed the news, Donna Karan has relaunched the legendary discontinued scents, and is making some eBay sellers cry: Chaos, Black Cashmere, Fuel, the Essence series and the original Donna Karan. They’ve been repackaged in plain bottles, b…
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Continue reading → Two Little PSAs
August 9th, 2008 — , FAQs from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I’ve been getting more and more questions and inquiries regarding the behind-the-scenes of beauty blogging and the way I do stuff. I figured it’s about time to post something official and try to put all the answers in one public place. Here goes:Who wr…
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Continue reading → The Non-Blonde: FAQs, Policies, Guidelines
August 7th, 2008 — , Balmain, Evody, Fragrance, Le Bon Marche, Niki de Saint Phalle, Paris, Perfume, Printemps, Sephora, colette, shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Living right next to the Paramus malls and 15 minutes away from Manhattan makes one a bit jaded and hard to impress when it comes to shopping. There are very few things you can’t find around here, fashion-wise, but when it comes to perfume shopping I …
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: More Perfume Shopping
August 6th, 2008 — , Fashion, Father and Sons, Paris, for men, shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
One of our many discoveries (other than a dangerous devotion to pain au chocolat) in our previous visit to Paris was Father & Sons, a smallish brand (about twenty five stores in France and Belgium) of menswear. We stumbled on their original store r…
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: Father & Sons Menswear
August 5th, 2008 — , Alison Raffaele, Besame Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, Fragrance, Giorgio Armani, Katie Holmes, Perfume, lancome, makeup, skin care from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Good Reads:The new face, according to the NY Magazine. I don’t know if I should run to find a plastic surgeon or just hide under my bed.The nose doesn’t forget, according to the NY Times. A scientific explanation to why smelling Colours by Benetton sti…
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Continue reading → This And That
August 4th, 2008 — , bath and body, eos, shaving, shaving cream from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I haven’t shaved my legs in 20 years.Before you take my Beauty Ninja badge away, the reason for it is that I’m a devoted user of those electrical gadgets that pluck the hair and the roots, resulting in a smoother skin and a less frequent need for touch…
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Continue reading → In which I shave a leg
August 3rd, 2008 — , Fragrance, Hermes, Jean-Claude Elena, Perfume from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
There’s a stage in the perfume obsession journey when one becomes acutely aware that behind every bottle there’s an artist, the professional nose. It happens sometime after you get confident enough to say which notes and accords are more likely to plea…
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Continue reading → The Aquatic Melon And The Disgusted Husband
July 31st, 2008 — , Paris, Taratata, jewelry from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
When I was in Paris three years ago, I came across a cute jewelry store specializing in enamel work. I adore enamel jewelry both for the beautiful colors and for the fact that no two items are exactly alike. I bought a necklace, the one you see here on…
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: Taratata Bijoux
July 31st, 2008 — , Henri Bendel, e-commerce, e-marketing, online shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I considered writing a long rant in which I’d question the genius business minds behind Henri Bendel, and their decision to keep their online presence to an absolute minimum. Yes, there’s a web site, but you can only buy the store brand signature items…
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Continue reading → Is Henri Bendel Owned By Young Mr. Grace?
July 30th, 2008 — , advertisement, e-marketing, lancome, makeup, mascara from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
A first edition tube of mascara. Seriously.I probably shouldn’t be speaking, considering I attended three Harry Potter parties when the last books came out. I couldn’t wait for the morning and had to get my paws on a copy at midnight (and spend most of…
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Continue reading → Ôverhype- Lancome Ôscillation Mascara
July 29th, 2008 — , Chanel, Fall 2008, limited edition, lip gloss, makeup from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Before we move on to the other lip color trend for fall, deep brown, let’s have a look at one of the limited edition glossimers: Amberlight (114). The other colors were too light for me (Delight is a pale, silvery lilac and Gold Light is a perfect matc…
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Continue reading → Chanel Fall 2008 Glossimer Amberlight
July 28th, 2008 — , Fragrance, Paris, Perfume, Serge Lutens from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Stepping into the Salons du Palais-Royal is a perfumista’s rite of passage. Just like facing the mysterious scented cloths at the JAR boutique, learning to identify civet and buying your first vintage Guerlain on eBay.I had a case of the stomach butter…
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: Serge Lutens at the Salons du Palais-Royal Shiseido
July 27th, 2008 — , Benefit Cosmetics, Travel, beauty emergency, makeup, primer from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
On my second day in Paris, I discovered to my horror that I’ve run out of eye primer. I had a travel size one in my cosmetics case, but apparently I’ve done just enough travel in previous months to use every drop of it. So there I was in front of the m…
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Continue reading → Beauty Emergency- Running Out Of Eye Primer
July 24th, 2008 — , Bobbi Brown, Fall 2008, blush, eye shadow, limited edition, lip gloss, makeup, palettes from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I doubt Bobbi Brown would release any numbers, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the Mauve collection is the biggest bestseller since the Chocolate palette of fall 2006. It’s practical, wearable, flattering on just about anyone and looks very c…
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Continue reading → Bobbi Brown Fall 2008 Mauve Collection
July 24th, 2008 — , Chanel, advertisement, e-marketing, makeup, mascara from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Regular readers of this blog know I’m usually a big fan of Chanel makeup. Getting me interested in a new product shouldn’t be hard, right?But watching the ad on Chanel’s new Exceptionnel mascara mini-site (turn the volume way down if you’re at work) wa…
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Continue reading → Exceptionnel de Chanel: An eMarketing Campaign
July 23rd, 2008 — , Chanel, Fall 2008, eye shadow, makeup from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Chanel Ombre Essential eyeshadows have the softest, smoothest texture and always make me wonder why I don’t just stick with them (the answer is that we, beauty ninjas, are both brave and reckless when it comes to new products. We just can’t be satisfie…
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Continue reading → Chanel Fall Makeup Collection: Ombre Essential Eyeshadow
July 22nd, 2008 — , Cinquième Sens, Paris, Perfume from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
A few days before my Paris trip I got an email informing me the French perfume school Cinquième Sens is about to open a NYC branch and will begin to offer classes this fall. This was very exciting to know, since there are very few other programs avail…
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: A Visit To Cinquième Sens Perfumery School
July 21st, 2008 — , Huggable Hangers, closet organization from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
My dream closet is the one Nick Lachey had built for Jessica Simpson in an old Newlyweds episode from the good old days when both of them had careers. However, it’s not happening any time soon, and I’m dealing with very little room to hang my dresses a…
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Continue reading → No Wire Hangers, Ever!
July 20th, 2008 — , Diane von Furstenberg, Fashion, counterfeit items, eBay, online shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Early last month I did a stupid thing. I was browsing eBay and somehow wandered from my regular browsing for vintage perfume into the dark realms of apparel. I did a quick search for Diane von Furstenberg and was happy to see a large selection of items…
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Continue reading → Buying DVF On eBay- A Cautionary Tale
July 17th, 2008 — , nail care, nail file, tools and gadgets from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
From the “what took me so long to find this?” department.I have my mom to thank for introducing me to the wonder of crystal glass nail files. She got me a small one, made in the Czech Republic that looks like the OPI one, and I was hooked immediately.T…
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Continue reading → Crystal Glass Nail Files
July 16th, 2008 — , Suave, bath and body, body wash, shower products from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
The good news is that your drugstore has body washes that are actually kind to your skin. The bad news is that the scents still leave a lot to be desired.I had some hope for Suave Exhale body wash in lavender-vanilla. The packaging reminded me of the l…
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Continue reading → Suave Body Wash
July 16th, 2008 — , Celebrities from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I rarely care to comment on the mating habits of the rich and famous, but Dlisted had two stories today that got my eyebrows raised so high, I might be able to put off the botox another decade.Miranda Kerr, who until recently dated Orlando Bloom, has m…
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Continue reading → Celebrities On The Rebound
July 15th, 2008 — , Fall 2008, dior, eye shadow, limited edition, lip gloss, lipstick, makeup from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Among the more interesting options for fall 2008 we have the ‘Dandy’ collection from Dior. It’s interesting, and can be made wearable with a few adjustments. Nordstrom debuted it and within days (and before I made up my mind if I really need more pearl…
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Continue reading → Another Fall Look: Dior Dandy Collection
July 15th, 2008 — , About me, Currently from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
bookCleopatra’s Nose: 39 Varieties of Desire by Judith Thurman. It’s acollection of essays that appeared in the New Yorker. So much for my resolution to read more fiction.songInvasion by Eisley. “Something’s not right, I can feel it inside”. Apparently…
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Continue reading → Currently
July 14th, 2008 — , Don't Try This at Home, hair care from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Last week I told you about a beauty oopsie I made while traveling. I asked you about your own beauty horror stories and was glad to see there weren’t that many. Apparently my readers know better. The best (or worst,depending on your point of view) come…
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Continue reading → Stink, Stank, Stunk
July 14th, 2008 — , Facebook, twitter from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
It’s all about social networking, isn’t it? You’re welcome to follow me on Twitter, where you’ll be able to see what I do throughout the day and get a little sneak peak on future review as I test the products.Also, you can add The Non-Blonde to your fa…
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Continue reading → More Ways To Stay In Touch
July 13th, 2008 — , Fragrance, Perfume from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
One of the hottest (and most frustrating) perfume discussions is about the discontinuation and reformulation of dearly loved scents. You can see it on the blogs (I collect Lost Perfumes and often write about them) and on the various forums, and you can…
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Continue reading → Top 25 Perfumes You Can Actually Find!
July 11th, 2008 — , About me, Fashion from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I don’t think I qualify as a fashionista, since I have a preference for classics over trends, but this little survey (copied from Jack & Hill who took it from here) is fun.What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?A pair of platform knee-high Em…
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Continue reading → The Fashionista Questionnaire
July 10th, 2008 — , Chanel, Fall 2008, limited edition, nail polish from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I’m posting pictures of my own nails here is neither because I’m proud of either my one-hand photographing skills (I’m definitely not), nor is it because of my nail polish application expertise (I’m a known klutz). The reason I’m doing this is because …
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Continue reading → Goldfinger- Chanel Facettes D’Or Nail Color Gold Fiction
July 9th, 2008 — , Fragrance, Guerlain, Paris, Perfume, shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
The Guerlain boutique on 68 Champs-Elysees is my happy place (I considered calling it a perfumista’s Disneyland, but that would be so very wrong). It was the opposite of my wretched Caron experience, both in terms of the wonderful gracious and patient …
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: Guerlain
July 8th, 2008 — , Bergdorf Goodman, Fashion, Peter Som, missoni from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
I saw this Peter Som dress in a Bergdorf newsletter. I liked it, which is no surprise considering I have the two piece Missoni (I never wear them together. The sweater is great with jeans, while I usually wear the skirt with a brown t-shirt or a tank) …
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Continue reading → Peter Som Is Inspired
July 7th, 2008 — , Fashion, Fendi, Neiman Marcus from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Someone at Neiman Marcus thought this Fendi jacket was worth an email newsletter. I agree, but for another reason altogether: it shows all that’s wrong with this shape.Have a look- What part of the model’s body appears the smallest? Which part is the w…
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Continue reading → The Shape Issue
July 6th, 2008 — , Don't Try This at Home, Travel, care, skin care from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
This falls under “I really, really should have known better”.After spending a couple of days walking all over Paris and riding the Metro, it seemed like my face could really use some serious de-griming. It’s not that my makeup remover and a mild cleans…
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Continue reading → Things you shouldn’t do when traveling
July 4th, 2008 — , 4th of july from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Copyright ©2006-2008 The Non-Blonde, under the author’s name. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.
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Continue reading → Happy 4th of July!
July 3rd, 2008 — , Caron, Paris, Travel, luca turin, shopping from Gaia, The non-blonde @ The Non-Blonde
Or: Luca Turin Was RightWhile I was living in vintage heaven, something bad has happened to the house of Caron. It’s not that I was completely oblivious. I knew that the house has changed hands, I’ve heard that scents were reformulated and I read Perfu…
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Continue reading → An American Blogger In Paris: Visiting The Caron Boutique