No-Cal Mom Storms New York

My Northern Californian mother came to see New York for the first time since 2003 last weekend—and then proceeded to ignore the city entirely. Emboldened by her pink-slipper success, she busied herself doing all the rather adorable parenting things that can't be done remotely: darning the pockets of my winter coats, raking soggy leaves off my stoop, buying me wheat germ ("toasted, not raw") from the bulk bins at the natural foods store, and even bleaching my porcelain kitchen sink ("You see the pink stains around the drain? That's salmonella, sweetie").

By the time she left on Monday, she'd missed every museum, but had thoroughly transformed my kitchen/bathroom/overstuffed closet. I am so grateful—and am so making her come back in the spring (perhaps she can actually visit the Met/Central Park/Museum of Natural History). Along with all her other services, she left me with important winter style and beauty tips that I will now share with you:

1) Carmex lip balm is less than two dollars, works better than anything else—and doubles as a cuticle healer. She feels that the version in the squeeze tube, though less cute than the tiny glass pot, is superior, because it stays closed in your bag.
2) No newsboy caps. I was amazed at her vehemence on this topic.
3) In the winter, keep at least three blister packs of Sudafed in your makeup bag; there's bound to be a sick person around you who will be grateful you've got them.

—Cristina Mueller, senior beauty editor