Fashion Board 4-6-04 to 5-7-04

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Alex_de_Large
Speaking of dildoes, I listened to argument today in a med mal case where the female plaintiff suffered severe genital scarring as the result of post-partum surgery. The surgeon recommended that she use a steroidal cream to soften the scarring. He also suggested that she insert foreign objects into her vagina at least once per day in order to soften and loosen up the tissue. The appellate panel hearing this case was blushing collectively.

In that situation, I think the possibility of sharp edges would make pizza crusts unsuitable for her. Not that you were suggesting it. I just don't want to get sued or anything.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Maybe so. Though those typically have the one arm thing going on. I think that I'm looking for something curvy and sexy, but not for anything remotely like the traditional ones that Burger has been posting (no offense and etc.). I'm not looking for something that my grandma would like (though I am using some money from her to buy it, so I guess that makes me ungrateful).

curvy is much more comfortable. When it is a flat surface, you cannot get comfortable on it. Those traditional ones are a comfort nightmare.

What I would want is a curvy chaise longue, leather, but stuffed with temper-pedic mattress material. So it has to be really really soft leather. Of course, I would fall asleep on it.

[Dualit]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
What I would want is a curvy chaise longue, leather, but stuffed with temper-pedic mattress material.

This reminds me. The SO and I are in the market for a new mattress set. Any recommendations? Is this "Tempur-pedic" product all it's [note proper apostrophe] cracked up to be?

Edited because I'm braindead today, and now have to endure the humiliation of Burger's quote. I need a drink.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Dualit
This reminds me. The SO and I are in the market for a new mattress set. Any recommendations? Is this "Tempur-pedic" product all its [note proper lack of hyphenation] cracked up to be?

I couldn't stand sleeping with a tempurpedic pillow. It retained too much heat--no cool side of the pillow. and i sure as hell don't want to sleep on the warm side of the mattress.

Since you're in NYC, give Charles Beckley beds a call. I believe they have a showroom in the D&D building (is that the name, around 53rd st?). You have to go through a decorator to buy because that's the way the fuckers in albany have set things up.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Alex_de_Large
Speaking of dildoes, I listened to argument today in a med mal case where the female plaintiff suffered severe genital scarring as the result of post-partum surgery. The surgeon recommended that she use a steroidal cream to soften the scarring. He also suggested that she insert foreign objects into her vagina at least once per day in order to soften and loosen up the tissue. The appellate panel hearing this case was blushing collectively.

"Sort of like a baseball glove, counselor?"

You got any openings over there?

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by Not Bob
I have an anniversary coming up, and decided that diamond stud earings might make a nice gift. (I'll try to go estate diamonds to avoid any blood diamond issues, etc.)

I am an idiot about this stuff, and know nothing about diamonds. Any advice on the grading process or whatever they call it would be especially appreciated. Opinions about what is an appropriate size and estimates of likely cost would be welcome.

Having helped (supported? encouraged? taunted? bullied? goaded?) the Mr. go through this a while ago, I have the following general advice:

(i) Online help: http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/ has a good online tutorial (see the "education" link). They also sell (and say they have not conflict diamonds), but you may not be comfortable with doing it online. Or you may. However, their price lists reflect good "not getting fucked in the ass" diamond prices.

(ii) Earrings are not an engagement ring. There is no "two months salary" bullshit here. There just isn't the same sentimental puffery about "perfection." In this case I'd say color matters a hell of a lot more than clarity. I'd look for GH color in the SI range of clarity, but generally just but be sure they face up nice and white and the SI-level flaws aren't carbon. In fact, for earrings I'd say you could even consider something with an I clarity, depending on how the stone itself actually looks - you can find Is that have only white inclusions that aren't directly under the table that look almost completely clean unless you have them out of a setting and are looking at them from all angles.

(iii) Size depends on your wife's innate flashiness and the size of her face. Neither stud should be larger than the central diamond in her engagement ring. In any event, anything over 2 carats total (one per ear) can safely be dismissed as "excessive." Generally, 1 ct. total (.5 per ear) is a nice "conservative but not too dinky" size, I'd take that as my default and work from there. Note that if you made $400K last year off Fenwick's back, and your wife knows it, you should probably take that into account.

(iv) Try not to get screwed. This means not only avoiding buying at Tiffany's, but probably most bricks & mortar jewelry stores. Remember - This is not an investment, you are buying a pretty bauble that's gonna drop in value about as fast as your car. Keep it in perspective, and don't let the jewelry sellers' spin distract you.

(v) Going to 47th street or the local wholesaler haunt is a way to not get screwed, but only if you sort of know what you are doing. Hitting the bricks & mortar jewelry stores is good for building up that experience - they tend to do a good job on "education" if they think they might sell you, and that is worthwhile.

(vi) Unless you want to do a lot of leg work (or are an irrationally obsessive bargain hunter like me), do not buy the diamonds loose and try to match them and get them set yourself. Don't even think about it. The Mr. and I did this, and it saved us a bundle but was a big pain in the ass and took months.

(vii) Oh, and get screwbacks. If the earrings you want don't have screwbacks, get them reset with screwbacks. If you don't, 6 months from now your wife will have lost one and you'll be thinking "goddamn it, why didn't I get screwbacks!!!"

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Bad_Rich_Chic
(vii) Oh, and get screwbacks.

I think they're the whole reason he's getting the diamonds...

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Dualit
This reminds me. The SO and I are in the market for a new mattress set. Any recommendations? Is this "Tempur-pedic" product all it's [note proper apostrophe] cracked up to be?

Edited because I'm braindead today.

I think we will get one when our current one dies, but so far I just have the tempur pedic pillow and leg pillow (I am very particular about how I sleep - I have to be on my side with a leg pillow between my knees, and socks, hat, earplugs and sleep mask. It's quite a production.)

I have slept on the tempur-pedic mattress before, and slept like a little baby. But I'm a side sleeper - it may not be as comfortable for back or front sleepers. And it retains heat, which is good for me because I like a freezing cold room and a warm bed. But may not be good for others with different needs.

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
I think they're the whole reason he's getting the diamonds...

I cannot believe I walked into that one unintentionally.

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I think we will get one when our current one dies, but so far I just have the tempur pedic pillow and leg pillow (I am very particular about how I sleep - I have to be on my side with a leg pillow between my knees, and socks, hat, earplugs and sleep mask. It's quite a production.)

Wow, that's pretty high maintenance. Quite a production indeed.

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by Dualit
This reminds me. The SO and I are in the market for a new mattress set. Any recommendations? Is this "Tempur-pedic" product all it's [note proper apostrophe] cracked up to be?

The SFC and I took naps on Tempur-Pedic beds at a relative's house recently (we're also thinking of buying one). It felt great. One was an actual Tempur-Pedic, and one was a knockoff "memory foam" job. The knockoff was hotter than the name brand, but the support was similar. Also, sleeping with a Tempur-Pedic pillow didn't make my head perceptibly hotter.

I'm thinking I might need to try to bed at DWR (they have a store here), since it has channels in the foam designed to let body heat escape.

Some friends have the Sleep Number bed, and have liked it. If they had a free trial period offer like the Tempur-Pedic, I might consider it more seriously.

tm

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Dualit
This reminds me. The SO and I are in the market for a new mattress set. Any recommendations? Is this "Tempur-pedic" product all it's [note proper apostrophe] cracked up to be?

Edited because I'm braindead today.

Agree with Burger. It's hot. We bought a mattress 3 weeks ago with a temperpedic topper. (Regular mattress with pillow-top filled with the temperpedic stuff). We were warned of the full temperpedic mattress - how the only complaint was the heat. And I'm usually cold. The sales pitch was that the thinner layer with the mattress underneath had better airflow. I can't imagine less airflow. Sucker was hot. And not much support. So we exchanged it for a mattress with a thinner layer of the foam and much firmer mattress - is way better.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
I think they're the whole reason he's getting the diamonds...

Just wanted to see that one again.

[Dualit]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I think we will get one when our current one dies, but so far I just have the tempur pedic pillow and leg pillow (I am very particular about how I sleep - I have to be on my side with a leg pillow between my knees, and socks, hat, earplugs and sleep mask. It's quite a production.)

I have slept on the tempur-pedic mattress before, and slept like a little baby. But I'm a side sleeper - it may not be as comfortable for back or front sleepers. And it retains heat, which is good for me because I like a freezing cold room and a warm bed. But may not be good for others with different needs.

You have similar sleeping habits to the SO. I, on the other hand, sleep on my back and throw off a lot of heat. I'm concerned about the heat retention. I am constantly trying to cool off in the middle of the night -- during the winter, I usually sleep with one leg uncovered, even in a freezing room.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Dualit
This reminds me. The SO and I are in the market for a new mattress set. Any recommendations? Is this "Tempur-pedic" product all it's [note proper apostrophe] cracked up to be?

Edited because I'm braindead today, and now have to endure the humiliation of Burger's quote. I need a drink.

I tried the Sonna Versa mattress in the DWR showroom in Miami in November. It was the first memory foam mattress that I've ever tried and I was very impressed. I'm a little hesitant to get one for myself, due to the price tag, though. I'm told that it's delivered all rolled up. I think that there are several DRW show rooms in NYC.

And NCS, there's one in Dallas. 4524 McKinney Ave, Suite 103

Alarmingly, the website says one is coming to Houston soon. I'm very concerned for my wallet.