The stars of "Sex and the City 2" try their hardest to outshine their clothing in this sequel, but fail miserably. Get ready for goose bumps, New York."Sex and the City 2" is as shiny as the top of the Chrysler Building - flashy, pretty and a long way from the reality of the street below.The long-awaited sequel opens with soaring shots of that skyscraper, set to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' love letter to N.Y.C., "Empire State of Mind."Hot and sexy as they are, all that glitters is not gold, and our four favorite bawdy broads may need to retire before wearing out their welcome.We've missed these girls though, haven't we? They always made life feel a little more fabulous, and through their lens we got a sneak peek at their notoriously unrealistic fantasy life.The action starts in New York - where else? - two years after the first installment.You remember, that's where we saw Big (Chris Noth) and Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) get married, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) recommit to wedded bliss with Steve (David Eigenberg), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) get the gift of not one but two babies and Samantha (Kim Cattrall) break things off with her young stud Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis).

Our first shot of Carrie's shoes reveal them to be luscious, gold-sequined Christian Louboutin pumps - as in, Dorothy's ruby slippers, only way more blinged than the pair Judy Garland wore.buy sailor jerry shower curtainThe trailers give a certain bit away but viewers will still get a kick out of the gay wedding where Judy's daughter Liza performs an awesome song and dance in a black sequined mini.spacing for grommets in curtainsThe dress is just one in a cast of sparkly clothes that belie the doom and gloom of the last two years, when a tanking economy sucked the luster out of our lives.primitive gathered swag curtainsCarrie is worried that Big has settled into married life, preferring to spend his evenings snuggling with her on the couch instead of out on the town. curtain shop whakatane

Miranda hates her boss, who makes her talk to the hand every time she opens her mouth.fireproof blackout curtainsCharlotte's kids won't stop squawking and Samantha is desperately trying to stave off menopause. ikea spotty curtainsThe antidote is an all-expenses-paid trip to Abu Dhabi, thanks to Samantha, who has been asked to rep a hotel there.made to measure curtains loughboroughWhile the rest of us deal with our problems by, well, dealing with them, these women get a grand escape. You'll need to suspend disbelief a bit and give in to the fantasy to walk down the yellow brick road with Carrie and company. The clothes, naturally, are the real stars of this film, but it's hard not to scoff when Carrie sets off for a day of shopping at the souk, dressed like Glinda the Good Witch in a "J'Adore Dior" tee and a ball gown skirt.

It's what she's wearing when she bumps into Aidan, a meeting that causes a storm, as does the inevitable clash between four of the most liberated women on Earth and a conservative culture whose females are veiled.The resulting drama is, unfortunately, reduced to a mishmash of goofy hijinks. When the "SATC 2" quartet finally bonds with their Abu Dhabi counterparts it's through - seriously - fashion.Still, audiences will be thrilled to see their favorite foursome in action when the flick opens May 27. It may be easier for the franchise's myriad fans outside of New York to digest, because so many of them believe this is how we really live. Send a Letter to the EditorFive years ago, I wrote a post titled Tortitude: The Unique Personality of Tortoiseshell Cats. The post describes some of the unique traits that many of these beautifully colored cats seem to share: they tend to be strong-willed, a bit hot-tempered, and they can be very possessive of their human. Other words used to describe torties are fiercely independent, feisty and unpredictable.

They’re usually very talkative and make their presence and needs known with anything from a hiss to a meow to a strong purr.The post gets 200-300 views every single day, and has generated close to 14,000 comments to date. It’s become a place for people to share stories about the torties in their lives.As someone who has been owned by four torties at this point, not counting my first office cat at the animal hospital I managed, who was also a tortie, I feel that I’m somewhat of an expert on these special cats. And while Virginia, Amber, Buckley, Allegra and Ruby all had or have some degree of tortitude, their personalities were and are also  very different. This appears to be true for the torties whose guardians have commented on the post as well.Contrary to what some people think, tortoiseshell cats are not a breed. They are named for their distinctive coloring – a combination of patches of black, brown, amber, red, cinnamon and chocolate. The size of the patches can range from a speckled pattern to large splotches of color.

Tortoiseshell cats have have very few or no white markings, as opposed to calicos, who are tri-colored cats with larger areas of white fur. Sometimes, the colors are more muted. These torties are known as dilute torties. Very dark torties with a lot of black in their fur are often affectionately called “chocolate torties.” Occasionally, the typical tortoiseshell colors are also seen in a tabby (striped) pattern; these cats are referred to as “torbies.” Tortoiseshell markings appear in many different breeds.In addition to their unique personalities, torties also have unique genetics. The vast majority of tortoiseshell cats are female, because two X chromosomes are required to produce black, gold and orange coloring. Male cats only have one X and one Y chromosome, so technically it’s genetically almost impossible for a male to inherit the tortoiseshell coloring. A male tortoiseshell has an extra X chromosome, making it an XXY. According to a study by the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri, only 1 in 3000 tortoiseshell cats is male.

Speaking from personal experience, it appears that no two tortoiseshell cats display the exact same amount of tortitude. Virginia had definitely read the book on tortitude. The first time I met her, during my interview for the hospital manager position, she greeted me by walking over to me, looking up at me, and then digging her claws into my legs to use them as a scratching post.  Amber was the “anti-tortie” – she was a gentle, calm, almost shy cat, but she was a bit headstrong. Buckley’s tortitude manifested in her exuberance. She loved everything and everybody. Allegra is highly sensitive to the world around her, and often quick to react to something that she perceives as a threat. Ruby is the most high-spirited cat I’ve ever had. Of all my cats, she is the one with the highest dose of tortitude.I decided to check with some other experts to get their thoughts on tortitude. “I often tell clients that torties are the redheads of the cat world,” says feline veterinarian Dr. Fern Crist, who practices at Just Cats Clinic in Reston, VA.

“They are beautiful, but short-tempered and quick to wrath. Of course they are not all like that, any more than every redhead is – but I always approach a tortie with a tad more circumspection than any other coat color.” While Crist takes a cautious approach to her tortie patients, she adds “I’ve always thought that the price you pay in tortitude, you get back tenfold in love.”“There is no evidence that there is a link between color gene and personality,” says Dr. Elizabeth Colleran, a former president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and owner of two cat hospitals, Chico Hospital for Cats in Chico, CA and the Cat Hospital of Portland in Portland, OR. “It is true though, that almost all tortoiseshell cats are females, and some people perceive females as being more headstrong than male cats. However, the real determination of personality is naturally a combination of genetics and environment.”Jackson Galaxy has worked with his share of tortoiseshell cats in his decades of helping cats with behavioral challenges.

“In my experience, tortitude is a very real thing,” says Jackson. “And now that there is a a study correlating coat pattern with behavior, our characterizations have been validated. Of course, anyone who knows me, knows I try not to talk about cats in generalities.” Jackson feels that torties and calicos are more energetically sensitive. “I think that’s part of the reason why their personalities are always on full display,” he says. “I’ve always said that cats are energetic sponges. Torties, however, just seem to soak up more, which is why they’ve got so much to say.”Those of us who love torties embrace their unique personalities. It is important to remember that every cat, regardless of coat color, is an individual. Not every tortie will exhibit the traits attributed to these beautifully colored cats, but the majority seem to live up to their reputation. As far as I’m concerned, tortitude is real. And while torties may, at times, seem like they have split personalities, going from purring away in your lap to suddenly racing around the house like a crazy kitten, those of us who love them wouldn’t want them any other way.