An Appetite for: Good Stuff - RapidLash

Do you have skimpy eyelashes? And maybe thinning eyebrows? One of my sons is fortunate to have the longest, thickest eyelashes - tops and bottoms - lucky guy! My eyelashes, not so much... Then I saw this stuff at Costco and decided to give it a try. I was skeptical, but in the mood to try it. You just apply it like eyeliner close to your lashes (and over your eyebrows if desired) each night. I was surprised and delighted to see my eyelashes get super long and a bit thicker after about 4-5 weeks. Amazing.

When I bought RapidLash from Costco, it came with two tubes, but after I finished the first one, I couldn't find the second one in my house. (And I was too cheap to go buy more, knowing the tube was somewhere in my house - the principle!) Like Cinderella, the magic didn't last, and within a few weeks, my lashes were back to their sad, skimpy state. Luckily I just found the other tube and four weeks later, I'm back in business! I apply it to my eyebrows too, but not sure if it's doing anything (but who wants long eyebrows anyway?).

An Apppetite for: Books - Love, Loss, and What We Ate

I had the pleasure of hearing Padma Lakshmi read from her book at the recent Cherry Bombe Jubilee, the annual conference from the fabulous Cherry Bombe magazine. (Both the conference and the magazine celebrate all things women and food.)

Most of us know Padma Lakshmi from her role as host on Top Chef. I learned so much about her from her memoir, from her childhood spent in the US with her single mom along with summers in India with her large extended family in a two-bedroom apartment to her marriage to Salman Rushdie to her diagnosis and surgery for endometriosis to her ultimate pregnancy and the birth of her beloved daughter. She is a good writer and I admired her candid generosity—there is no other word—as she shared the details of her life. I only wished for more behind-the-scenes scoop on Top Chef - maybe a sequel? I also noticed she mentioned meeting her biological father once in her twenties (her parents split when she was a baby), but didn't share that story - maybe too personal. I loved reading about her love of food throughout her life—probably not a coincidence that I ate Indian food twice this week while reading the book!

For another terrific memoir, this one with more scoop on Top Chef, check out Gail Simmons' book, Talking with My Mouth Full - loved that one too.

An Appetite for: Books - Boss Life

How can this non-fiction book about a year in a small business's life, written by its owner, be so exciting? 

Paul Downs wrote a blog for The New York Times about life as a boss.  In his book, he takes us through his experiences and financial ups and downs in his wood shop over the course of a year.  I didn't want it to end and found it truly suspenseful. Each chapter (month) starts out with an open look at his revenue, cash, and profits—and sometimes it was touch-and-go if the business would last. Paul Downs would be the first to admit he is not a perfect boss. Though he shows growth and an admirable level of self-awareness throughout the year, there were still times when I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and tell him what to do. He was aware of certain issues with his staff, but would sometimes just complain (in the book) without taking any action. This only made me like him more! When was the last time you read a book where the narrator was truly open to sharing his flaws and they weren't all overcome at the end? Dreaming of a sequel, please.

I could relate to this book, having been a boss and having had many bosses in my career. I've learned from the best of them and the worst of them, but my favorite bosses were always the one who told me stories from their own career, especially their mistakes and how they lived through them. I've had a few bosses who never shared a story from their own lives or careers, no matter how much I tried to draw them out. When I've been a boss, whether to one direct report or to many, I've tried to emulate the good ones by sharing stories and showing vulnerability. I wonder how this trait is perceived by others—is it the positive trait I so admire? I think sharing stories builds connections (and after all, we spend most of our days at work, so why not build relationships?).

An Appetite for: Good Stuff - Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

I was eager to try this stuff, but a little apprehensive since I tend to have sensitive skin. I've tried upteen skin wipes to remove make-up and no matter the brand promise, they always burn my skin. But I gave this mysterious "micellar cleansing water" a shot and it was love at first swipe. I happened to have a face full of make-up—I had color-sampled a foundation at Ulta—and figured this would be a good test. I soaked a cotton pad and rubbed it all over my face. As promised, the pad attracted all the make-up like a magnet. It was so satisfying to see the dirty pad and my clean face. And best of all, no burn! Supposedly, this stuff even works to remove daily dirt from one's face, even for those make-up-free days—that will be my next test. (By the way, I bought the one with the pink cap. I think the one with the blue cap is for removing waterproof make-up, but not exactly sure.)

An Appetite for: Books - The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty

This was an unusual book - a little bit of fairy tale, a little bit of satire (a bit Fay Weldon-ish in tone), completely entertaining.

Imagine a woman so beautiful that she hides her beauty under a disguise and she hides the shape of her body under a fat suit. Imagine her best friend Lily, a pianist extraordinaire whose music is pumped into stores and creates buying frenzies for books or clothes or staplers - and who is able to bring her stunning inner beauty outward by playing some magical music. There is even a threat of murder to keep the suspense - and the hope of love for the lead characters.