Girls' Day Out

A couple of girlfriends and I went to West Hollywood to have a bit of a girls' day out -- facials, lunching at Urth Cafe, shopping on Robertson Boulevard etc. I was really looking forward to it, especially since we were going to indulge in a facial at Raya Spa. Besides providing one of the best European facials I've ever experienced, Raya is also one of the most affordable spas I've ever visited. Believe it or not, their prices haven't changed since 2006. The price for a one-hour, full-service facial is an incredibly reasonable $67!!! Crazy deal, right? And no, they don't cut corners. They do the whole shebang -- head, neck and decollete massage, full facial (mask, extractions and all the good stuff that comes with a facial), hand moisturizer with warmers etc. I emerged from my session relaxed, glowing and dewy-skinned.

Afterwards, we strolled down trendy Robertson Boulevard for a bit of shopping. I gawked at all the designer clothing stores and I drooled over the beautiful interior design showrooms. I really wish I brought my camera cause there were so many cool things to see.

In the end, the one and only store from which I actually bought something was a retailer marked simply, "1969". It featured cute, modern clothing for children. I was immediately smitten with a ruffled blouse printed with a skull and crossbones pattern. I peeked at the price tag and was surprised to find out that I was actually inside a Baby Gap! There were no signs whatsoever that tipped me off to this. And the layout, styling and clothing selection were unlike any Baby Gap in the mall. Turns out the Robertson location is strictly a "1969" concept store featuring all their available children's denim plus some hand-selected items from other Baby Gap collections. It was a totally cool kids' store with a hip and modern sensibility.

Apologies for the iPhone photos. It's very rare that Mia would gamely model outfits for me. I just grabbed whatever was near so I could capture the moment. From L-R: Adorable black, ankle-zip skinnies paired with a beaded, heather blue, quarter-sleeved shirt and denim band jacket. The band jacket was on sale for $13 bucks! Who doesn't love a great deal like that? Middle photo shows Mia in the same black skinnies, skull and crossbones blouse and chunky-knit cardigan. For the record, these pics were taken on what had to be the hottest day in 2010. I don't blame Mia at all for sticking her tongue out at me. Last pic shows Mia in purple skinnies and a Rolling Stones tee adorned with glitter. Shoes are blue suede ballet flats with flower embellishments. All by Baby Gap.

Here are some photos pulled from the Baby Gap website. Pretty cool stuff. I always appreciate it when brands surprise me with something new and different.