
Dear Casa,
I have seen posts on pet-friendly vacuums, but my problem is not just dog hair. It is massive amounts of sand that my beautiful Chow Chow drags in from Crissy Field [in San Francisco]. I need a recommendation for a vacuum for wood floors and carpets strong enough to pick up the sand.

All pets have baffling behavior of
one kind or
another but, until our weekend beach excursion, I'd totally forgotten North's peculiar propensity: He won't go potty on the sand!
My best guess is that the sand confuses him because the moment we get back to solid, paved ground, he promptly pees (and poos). For those of you lucky enough to have sandy spots nearby, what do your pets do .

Time to ditch the sarong and stop hiding behind the cover-ups.
For a beach body, like Kelly Brook, Kate Moss or Cameron Diaz, just follow these results-orientated exercises, plus beauty treatments, for an A-list body you'll want to show off.
Legs like Kate Moss
The vibrating
power plate is the ultimate leg toner and has also been shown to help prevent and reduce cellulite.

Su Casa member
Scolls1583 recently snapped some photos at a friend's beach house party in Boston, and was so impressed she decided to share! She says that the host basically built his backyard area "from the ground up . .

Last night at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles, the overall beauty look on the red carpet was casual chic. Although I'm sure the gals took a long time
primping for the big night, they managed to create an effortless, age-appropriate effect.
One of the hottest hair styles of the evening was quintessential summertime
sexy beach waves.

Whatever you may think of
Lily Donaldson on this month's
Vogue cover, I was more distracted by the promise of models and beauty insiders revealing their top holiday grooming tips, in the magazine.
Here are just a few of the highlights, as told to
Vogue.

Last year I talked to you about how to create the ever-popular
sexy beach waves hairstyle, and this is a modification on that look. It's slightly more polished for a casual evening dinner or party that doesn't make you look like you've just come straight from the surf.
When I think of this hairstyle,
Camila Alves,
Jessica Simpson and of course Rachel Bilson come to mind.

OK, it's time to get something straight right off the bat. The chlorine in pools isn't what is causing your hair to turn green; it's the copper in the water that's making you look like you've just been slimed.
Chlorine is a chemical that kills germs, and when mixed with the natural copper in the water, it can turn dark blonde hair yellow, make highlights brassy, or turn light blonde hair green.

Over the years, I've noticed that the sand and sea tend to deteriorate my pedicures more quickly than just about anything else. That's why I love this easy-to-achieve quick and
simple pedicure that can be done in about ten minutes flat. It's easy to master, so it can keep your feet looking groomed all summer long.

Sunshine is a natural source of vitamin D, which is great for your bones, your organs, and your mental health. (It's true,
the sun makes people happy.) But as you well know, it's also dangerous, and it's a top cause of skin aging. Below is my seven-post roundup on noteworthy SPF-enhanced beauty products (there's even a DIY recipe in there too) so that you can safeguard your skin, your hair, and your lips at all times.