Anyone who’s a regular at JCK Las Vegas knows what I mean when I say some years are kookier than others. This was one of those years. I had more random run-ins, chance meetings, and offbeat conversations at the show than I’ve had in the past three years combined—a consequence, I suspect, of my decision to embrace a “say yes” philosophy to anyone who requested a meeting with me before the show. Among the kookiest people I encountered—and I mean that with the utmost affection—was Liza Urla (aka @Gemologue), the statuesque blonde with the dramatic pearl headdress swanning around Mandalay Bay, snapping selfies with reckless abandon. During the hour I spent with the Russian-born, London-based blogger and Instagrammer, I learned the key to a top-notch jewelry selfie is a winning combination of light, color, and a great manicure. Read about Urla in our annual “Best in Show”