We went to Downtown Crossing yesterday to do some very last minute Christmas shopping at Macy’s and Filene’s, when we came across a fancy-looking device at the Shiseido counter with the semblance of a short endoscope but used to examine one’s skin. Before I knew what was going on, I found myself being interrogated by the saleswoman as she probed me with the device and asked what kind of products I used on my skin. I proudly replied, “Oil of Olay“, thinking how only a year ago, I would’ve answered “water”. With a look of disgust as if I had just told her that I smother dog feces on my face, she repeated my answer, “Oil of Olay?!”. Before long, I was learning all about the nuances of skin care, how I’m supposed to use night cream at night and sunscreen in the day, and the subtle differences between softeners and moisturizers, but not before surrendering our credit cards for a couple of holiday gift sets for our loved ones. The week has otherwise been the same old thing, with the exception of a couple of college friends visiting, one for residency interviews, and the other for an interview at Novartis. We also got to finally use the Restaurant.com gift certificate I bought a while back for a taste of some heavenly foie gras, lobster risotto, and halibut at the 33 Restaurant and Lounge on Saturday night.