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Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Mar 6, 2008 at 5:28pm

I declare tonight Fish Night. It’s been awhile, and with a bikini calling my name starting Sunday (I’m so outta here, to Mexico with my long-time, KK-friend Michelle – thank you Michwheat, thank you Caribbean!), I’m definitely thinking dinner on the uh, lighter side. I tried on a pile o’ summer clothes to figure out what on Earth I’m going to pack, and well, it was the annual Post-Winter Bummer. Let’s just say that afterward I hit the self-tanner pretty hard, and rushed out for a pedicure, both of which helped a bit. And of course, I keep in mind that ’tis the season; I mean, it’s more than a bit shocking for any of us Minnesotans to go from wearing turtlenecks and sweaters and thick socks and jeans and boots and hats and scarves and gloves to…(gasp) almost nothing! Which is what a tank and skirt feel like right about now! I know that by the end of the trip, I’ll be sporting a pareo and flip-flops like it’s no big damn deal. (Just in time to come back to turtlenecks and sweaters and thick socks…sigh…) Not to mention, I’ll be hitting the poolside tortilla chips, guaaaaahcamole, and beer (one of my uber-favorite, vaca-indulgence combos) without much prompting. Ole, baby! So until then, I’ll just close my eyes, strip down (sort of), and dive in… (Eeeek!)

Of course it helps that Spring Break these days is a mellow, relaxing, luxurious affair. You know, clean, comfortable, healthy. Basically nothing in common with my first Spring Break vaca, Daytona 1987. First of all, no tanning beds before I leave (oh how I wish I had never done that)! Cami Sue, where are you? (Just kidding, I know where you are, mourning the loss of Brent Favre, sorry man…) But Jenny, Elizabeth, and Sigma Chis, where are you? (Yes, that is me with the uber-tacky blonde hair, what can I say – it was the ’80s and I loved it that horrific, ridiculous way.) Hopefully wearing more sunblock (as in some?) and drinking a lot less beer (Budweiser sponsored our trip, ew), than on that raunchy trip. I’ve never been that sickeningly tan, or lived off worse food (Burger King and donuts, yuck), or slept in closer quarters (three-to-a-bed, yuck again) in my life. (I’d bet the smell of Panama Jack tanning oil would take me right back, or something…) If nothing else, it was mos def a Very Memorable Experience!

Soooo, anyhoo, back to Fish Night (got a little off-track there, reminiscing again, sorry). A take on the roasted halibut with aromatic broth I posted a while back. Cod tonight (looked fresher than the halibut), plus I’m adding artichoke and capers to the broth since, well, they sound good to me. I picked up a nice-looking, whole-grain baguette at Whole Foods, and that should do us. Hey, no matter what, it sure beats Burger King, donuts, and beer…

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Older Comments

  1. By Anonymous on March 10, 2008 at 7:18AM

    Nice -- product names and personal application instructions!! Thanks for the response. If all goes well, beachgoers will only need to shade their eyes from the sun, not the glare from my brilliantly white body.

  2. By Stephanie on March 7, 2008 at 8:23AM

    Fluorescent gams - perfect description! Aaaagh!

    Two brands:

    I use mostly St. Tropez (I linked to it in the blog post, the word "self-tanner"), which is very darkly colored (it looks dark, purplish brown out of the bottle). It gives a, smooth non-orangey color, but the trick is to dilute it with body lotion - one squirt St. Tropez to one squirt body lotion, mix in your palms, spread. That combination prevents it from "grabbing" the skin on heels, knees, and elbows and the finish is smooth and nice. And, since the tanner has color right away, you can see where you're applying it. By diluting it, you can control the color and build it up over time (but the end result is a nicer color than the Jergens daily glow stuff).

    I also use it on my face - I mix a small squirt (not a full one) of it with facial moisturizer.

    I use a nail brush to scrub the palms of my hands afterward - it's intensely colored! I apply plain lotion to my hands before I start as well, it makes my skin less absorbent. I've not had any problems with orange palms.

    I buy it online, but I've noticed they sell it at Spalon Montage in Edina.

    For my back and hands, I use Neutrogena micromist - it doesn't require rubbing, it's easy to mist lightly, and it doesn't streak. It's not as perfect as the St. Tropez, but it does the trick for those hard-to-reach spots. I buy it at Target or Walgreens.

    Hope that helps!

  3. By Anonymous on March 7, 2008 at 6:37AM

    What brand of self-tanner do you use? I'm sporting some rather fluorescent gams myself but don't have a non-orange, non-streaking product to remedy the situation. Help!