SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Dear Mama: 2009 Mother's Day Gift Guide

Listen: she carried you for nine months, dealt with swollen feet, an aching back, unbearable flatulence, and the horror of labor — and that was just the beginning. After that, your mama had to change diapers, burp your greedy milk-guzzling behind, bathe you, feed you.... Yes, parenting is the hardest (albeit most rewarding) kind of work. The least you can do is show some appreciation for the woman that's had your back like chiropractic (to borrow Andre 3000's term) since your first reared your dopey little head!

With Mother's Day coming up on Sunday, here are a few suggestions on what to get for the most powerful, magnificent queen in your life.

Paula Crevoshay E504K Earrings with Moonstones, Tsavorites, Zircons and Opals, $80,772. Visit Crevoshay.com

Okay, so clearly, these cost more than a year of college tuition but, for those of you who've got it like that, you can't go wrong with these opulent drop earrings.

Tom Ford White Patchouli Spring Collection, $125. Visit TomFord.com

The most bohemian-luxe of Tom Ford fragrances, White Patchouli is now also available in a luxurious set that contains a white Touch Point rollerball fragrance, a Hydrating Body Lotion and, of course, the White Patchouli Eau de Parfum.

 

Beautiful People Design "Little Rose" in Strawberry, $338. Visit BeautifuPeopleDesign.com

Roses wither and die, but this adorable clutch, expertly pleated to mimic the overlapping of rose petals, can stay with you for a lifetime.

 

Mighty Leaf Abaca Spa Box, $19.95. Visit MightyLeaf.com

What mom can't appreciate a nice box of fancy teas that she can offer to her friends when they come over for an afternoon of catching up? The Abaca Spa Box is a fantastic option containing two Oasis bath pouches filled with Dead Sea salts (so your mom can treat herself to a nice soak in the tub) and eight Artisan Whole Leaf tea pouches in African Nectar, Chamomile Citurs, Ginger Twist and Rainforest Maté.

Dannijo Whilhelmina Necklace, $318. Visit Dannijo.com

Whilhemina Slater wishes she had a necklace as fly as this Flapper-esque Dannijo brass and pearl beaded necklace, with its whimsical tassels and coquettish vibe.

Ahava Spa Beauty Gift Set, $28. Visit AHAVAUS.com

While surprisingly affordable, this Ahava gift set delivers plenty of pampering goodies: an 8.5 oz. Mineral Body Lotion, an 8.5 oz. pouch of Unscented Mineral Bath Salts, a 3.4 oz. bottle of Mineral Shower Gel, and a Chenille Bath Puff — all housed in a colorblock, terry cloth pouch.

Little Rooms Stork Scissors Necklace, $65, and Stork Scissors Ring, $45. Visit LittleRooms.com

These adorable jewelry pieces allude to two things mommies can relate to: storks, of course, and dainty scissors (like the ones your mom used to sew buttons on your shirts). The combination is as funky as can be!

Nancy Gonzalez Soft Patent Croc Satchel in Aqua, $2950. Available at BergdorfGoodman.com

This dreamy bag, courtesy of Colombiana Nancy Gonzalez, will make any mom feel like she can walk on water.

Carol's Daughter Limited Edition Pearls Gift Set, $48. Visit CarolsDaughter.com

Just in time for Mother's Day, Carol's Daughter Lisa Price (a proud mom herself) is unveiling this limited edition set, which includes her delicious Pearls Eau de Toilette (which features jasmine, violet, rose, vanilla, lemon verbena, apricot and peach notes), a Body Cream sample, and an adorable jewelry box in which your mom can store all her lovely pearl strands.

Miss Oops Critical Care for Moms-to-Be Kit, $18. Visit MissOops.com

You can always count on Miss Oops to solve some of those tedious, everyday fashion and beauty problems, and this kit is no exception. Aside from her popular Rescue Sponge (which removes deodorant stains from apparel) and her Pedicure in a Bottle (which softens even the roughest of feet), this kit also includes her Popper Stoppers, meant to conceal the popped-out belly buttons of pregnant women for a  smoother belly.

Paula Crevoshay R208AA 18K Yellow Gold Ring with Watermelon Tourmaline, Diamonds and Pink Tourmaline Accents. Visit Crevoshay.com

This luxurious ring feels like it should belong in some museum devoted to royal jewels... What better to bestow upon your queen?

 

Estee Lauder Private Collection Solid Compact in Amber Ylang-Ylang or Tuberose Gardenia, $175 each. Visit EsteeLauder.com

Not only are these fragrances the creme de la creme, but they're housed in golden compacts embedded with semi-precious stones.

 

Carolee "Mother" Bracelet Engraved in Five Languages (English, German, French, Spanish and Italian), $115. Visit Carolee.com

Honor your mom in five different languages with this simple, sterling silver Carolee bangle bracelet, which features the word "mother" in English, German, French Spanish and Italian.

Timi and Leslie "Marie Antoinette" Quilted Nylon Convertible Diaper Bag, $189. Visit BlissDiaperBags.com

Know a new mommy who is always carrying around a huge diaper bag AND a purse? Well, help her get organized and look chic with this quilted Timi and Leslie tote.

 

Thymes Goldleaf Set, $34. Visit Thymes.com

Featuring jasmine, rose, hyacinth and lily of the valley notes, Thymes' Goldleaf fragrance oozes femininity. This yummy bath set includes a scented bofy wash, body cream, roller ball, and bath envelope — all your mom needs for some R&R.

 

Dannijo Callouge Ring, $188. Visit Dannijo.com

This oversize ring from Dannijo's Eve's Garden collection, features rounded, lily pad-like motifs and a beautiful, amber-colored stone.

 

 

Glam Noir "The Stud" 2GB USB Drive and "The Starlet" 2GB USB Drive, $45 each. Visit GlamNoir.com

Who doesn't need more storage space, right? And why carry around an unsightly USB drive when you can get one that also doubles as a sassy keyring or charm?

 

Tarte Lip Couture Set T5 Super Fruit Infused Lipstick Sets, $32. Visit TarteCosmetics.com

This adorable set features four unique lipstick shades (Aura, Eden, Paradise, Utopia) and a chunky lip liner — all in a fancy quilted box.

 

Catherine Angiel 14K gold black rhodium and white diamonds "Mother" Necklace (from Renegade Collection), $2900. Visit CatherineAngiel.com

Unconventional moms will appreciate this tattoo-inspired 14k gold necklace with black rhodium and embedded white diamonds. Give her a bit of tough love!

 

Estee Lauder Sensuous Mother's Day Gift Set, $75. Visit EsteeLauder.com

Help your mom turn her swag up with this indulgent set, featuring a 3.4 oz. Sensuous Eau de Parfum Spray, a 2.5 oz. Silken Shower Creme and a 2.5 oz. Satin Body Lotion.

 

 

TOUS "Mama" Pendant 18k Yellow Gold Pendant with Diamond Pave, $911. Visit Tous.com

This delicate, engraved pendant will make a welcome addition to any mother's chain.

Sneak Peek At Brooke Shields' Kentucky Derby Hat

If you're hosting a Kentucky Derby party tomorrow, May 2nd, and you tune in to watch the races, you'll probably notice Brooke Shields wearing this oh-so-fab hat while cheering the horses on at Churchill Downs. Shirred, tapered and ruched to create an oversize rosette-like shape and featuring a white veil, this elegant hat is the result of a unique collaboration between fashion designer Rachel Roy and Grey Goose Vodka.

After the races, Brooke Shields and Rachel Roy will autograph the one-of-a-kind hat and auction it off on the Clothes off Our Back Foundation website. All of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the Barnstable-Brown Foundation, which is dedicated to diabetes research.

The auction will take place from May 3rd through May 16th. Visit ClothesoffOurBack.Org for more information.

Leaves of Change Celebrity Auction

Starting today, April 20th, The World Gold Council is unveiling the "Leaves of Change" collection of celebrity-designed jewelry. All of the piece will be auctioned off on May 7th as part of a charitable New York City gala, which will feature a simultaneous live and online auction (the online auction will take place at Proxibid.com/Leaves of Change). Each of the jewelry pieces currently on view at LeavesOfChange.org was imagined and sketched by a Hollywood celebrity who, in turn, paired up with a renowned jewelry designer to properly execute the design — and, more importantly, the proceeds from each item being auctioned will benefit the corresponding celebrity designer's charity of choice. Among the celebrity designers involved, you'll find Debra Messing, Marcia Gay Harden, Susan Sarandon, Christina Applegate, Chris Noth, Paulette and Denzel Washington and Whoopi Goldberg.

Pictured above are some of my favorite pieces. At top, you'll find a brushed 18k gold olive leaf necklace with 1.5k of diamonds designed by Marcia Gay Harden in conjunction with Ariane Zurcher (valued at $24,000), the proceeds of which will benefit the Waterkeeper Alliance. Next, you can admire the Debra Messing/Robert Lee Morris design (which has an estimated retail price of $25,000), a chunky, bold 18k gold hinged cuff bracelet lined with diamonds (totaling 3 carats), the proceeds of which will benefit Youth AIDS. Or if you prefer a more classic, understated style, you might like the simple 18k gold movable leaf pendant designed by Pauletta and Denzel Washington in conjunction with Leslie Greene (valued at $2,780), the proceeds of which will benefit Jewelers for Children. And lastly, you'll find a very free-spirited 18k gold necklace with moonstones (valued at approximately $5,350) designed by Susan Sarandon and Mattioli for Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.

Three pieces were created per design: one was gifted to the celebrity designer, one will be auctioned off on May 7th, and one will travel to various events throughout the U.S. from July to December to raise awareness about the charities involved.

Want to own a jewelry piece designed by your favorite actress and help a charitable organization in the process? Want to admire the original sketches on which the designs were based or check out all the selections? Then log on to LeavesOfChange.org for more information.

Green in NYC: YogaWorks and Stewart + Brown Shopping Event

Next Thursday, March 19th, esteemed yoga chain YogaWorks and 7-year-old, Los Angeles-based organic apparel company Stewart + Brown will be holding a special Yoga & Shopping event, hosted by actress, socialite and environmental activist Annie Churchill. Guests can shop the Stewart + Brown collection of comfortable and stylish organic fashions and the YogaWorks Private Label, which includes practice camis, racerback tops, yoga pants, and other workout necessities —10% of all the proceeds will benefit New Yorkers for a Green New York (NYGNY), a non-profit organization that seeks to transform the city into a sustainable metropolis. Guests can also hear tips from Stewart + Brown co-founder Howard Brown on living a greener lifestyle in the Big Apple and learn quick yoga poses from the folks at YogaWorks, all moves that can be incorporated into their daily routines and help release tension and increase alertness.

And that's not all. The Sak will be raffling this Pax Eco Tote, a funky bag with an exterior made of 55% jute and 45% cotton and an interior made of 100% organic cotton. Measuring 18" in length, 8" in width and 13" in height (plus a 10" strap drop) and featuring a unique "peace print" design by Parisian artist Gilles Jourdan, the Pax Eco Tote is just one example of how being green doesn't mean sacrificing style. The Pax Eco Tote retails for $99, so here's your chance to win it for free!

Need another incentive? JetBlue is raffling off two round-trip tickets to anywhere they fly as part of its One Thing That's Green campaign.

YogaWorks and Stewart + Brown shopping event, March 19th from 7-9 p.m. at YogaWorks' temporary Soho studio (78 Grand Street). Call 212.929.7979 for more info.

The Somaly Mam Foundation's Fashion and Beauty Ebay Auction is Live!

Today, March 8th, is International Women's Day and, in the spirit of advocating women's rights everywhere, the New York Chapter of the Somaly Mam Foundation kicked off a fantastic fashion and beauty Ebay auction — 25% of the proceeds of will fund the Cambodia-based Somaly Mam Foundation foundation's outstanding work in raising awareness about human trafficking and rescuing victims of the sex trade, and 75% will benefit the newly-founded NYC Chapter's efforts to create more awareness programs.

Those of you who are unfamiliar with the foundation, here's some background. Somaly Mam is a heroic activist who herself survived the sex trade: as a young girl in Cambodia, she was sold into sexual slavery and subsequently taken to live in a brothel an forced to engage in sexual acts with customers. After many years of being beaten, raped, tortured and abused, Mam managed to escape the hellish world. In 1996, she created the Somaly Man Foundation, which rescues victims of the sex slave trade and provides them with counseling, work training, work placement opportunities and more.Over the years, Mam has emerged as one of the strongest, most passionate advocates of the often forgotten masses of men and women who are kidnapped, sold and traded as cattle and forced to live as sexual slaves. Seriously, watch this NY Times video — it'll make the hair on your arms stand up.

This is an incredibly important cause since human trafficking is a vile crime that's rarely addressed. To put things in perspective, check the stats: human trafficking is the second largest form of organized crime, generating over $12 billion yearly. Twelve billion dollars. Imagine that. And we don't live in a world where what happens in Taken is the norm — a Liam Neeson lookalike with extensive mercenary training won't be coming to rescue all these victims. It's up to us, collectively, to raise global awareness about this heinous underground trade. This charity auction will help the Somaly Mam Foundation in Cambodia raise the funds it needs to continue its work. By participating, you, too, are becoming a human rights advocate.

Up for the taking are quite a few A-list prizes: over $1000 worth of Givenchy products (like the Givenchy Prismissime palette, Givenchy Le Soin Noir and Givenchy Radically No Surgetics cream pictured above); tickets to Diane Von Furstenberg's Spring 2010 runway show, a complete assortment of products from Dior's L'Or de Vie skincare line; an autographed Anya Hindmarch purse, a free three-month membership to Equinox Fitness; VIP tickets to a live taping of the Rachel Ray Show; a gift bag from Sephora; a Guerlain gift set; a Fresh Sugar gift set; an assortment of Frederic Fekkai hair styling products; and more.

The auction is up now, so make sure to check it out at Stores.Shop.Ebay.com/TheSomalyFoundation.com