Author: MS

friday travel picks – le meurice hotel, paris

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I love to travel and probably can do so six to ten months out of a year, if I had the chance. Having also had the wonderful opportunity of being a travel agent, I was fortunate enough to have access to most anything related to travel I can possibly imagine in order to plan other’s dream holiday or just fantasize about mine. So, in light of my love for travel,  I have decided to set aside  Fridays to include my vacation picks, whether hotels, spa’s or destination around the globe. For my first choice of quality hotel, I have included here the website to Le Meurice Paris (***** hotel) for that special anniversary, birthday celebration or honeymoon. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

straight or wavy long hair for the woman over 40

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What can I say, I am a fan of long hair and will stay with it for as long as I can get away with it. But the funny thing is that I have naturally curly hair and as a result, spend my entire youth trying to run away from the curls and the waves without much success. However, in the last decade or so, I have been able to straighten my hair thanks to all the tools available to make it work successfully. But now, everywhere I turn,  women in my age group with long hair are going wavy or curly once again and I am fighting with myself to make the switch, because although I can do it naturally, I feel better with my straight hair. So, I am throwing this entry out there to all the women who are in the same boat as me. Let me know where you are with today’s “hair style pressures”.

french women diet plan, take 2

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I had written an entry back on June 22, 2010 here about how I planned to follow the recipes in the book French Women Don’t Get Fat to see if I am able to shed a few pounds and improve my  somewhat healthy  eating habits. Now, I consider myself a pretty disciplined individuals and when I put my mind to something I normally or usually do it. But in the case of this “diet” plan, I somewhat put it on the back burner for more reasons than one.  So, as I began to strategize for the Fall to Winter season meal plans for myself to avoid gaining the holiday pounds, I decided to check out the website for French Women Don’t Get Fat  as well as flip through my copy of the book in order to chart my meals for the next few months. So, here is one that I will use over and over again, I guarantee it. My favorite soup,  Buttersquash. I have included the recipe here just in case you are a …

colorful door knobs in decor

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I can’t stress the fact how much I enjoy walking through an Anthropologie store, ANYWHERE,USA and playing with their display of door knobs. They are colorful, creative, interesting, somewhat antique and “in my opinion” can be used for more than just door knobs. They are a great enhancement to the old boring key holder rack  in a home. A fun costume necklace, bangles and scarf  holder rack (which is easy to make) for your daughter’s room, AND as a rack  in the kitchen to hold  recyclable grocery bags and umbrellas.  They are make a wonderful personalized gifts for the holidays and even Mother’s Day (if you happen to be into making your own gifts).  So check them out and let me know what you think? Also, if you have your own suggestions of using these wonderful door knobs, please feel free to share them with us.

casual weekend sweaters

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On the weekends, I like to revert back to my tomboyish ways by dressing  as casual as possible and while doing so, I want to simply be able to throw on my favorite pair of comfortable jeans and a sweater and call it day. Since I agree with  fashion advisers in suggesting women over 40 stay away from bulky sweaters, I  found a few which I think will do me just find this winter season. The cool thing about these sweaters is that they are border line between dressy and casual, which means I can wear them over slacks or a skirt to work or with jeans over the weekends. I call these sweaters transition sweaters from mid fall to early winter and then from late winter to “almost” spring in some places. I found these at J. Crew (in store and online) and although sometimes it’s really intimidating to walk into the store if you aren’t twelve years old, the sweaters are well worth the effort nonetheless. Let me know what you think?

fashionista or sarah jessica parker?

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One word, which took me a while to get used to, is none other than the word “fashionista” and after looking it up in the dictionary to get the true definition of it, I discovered that EVEN this word’s meaning has evolved through time as a result of shows like “Sex In The City” and Sarah Jessica Parker. I am certain that most any woman is aware of the show, the movies and Sarah Jessica Parker and of course there are some of us who admire her style and others who question it.  But I must say, although eccentric and sometimes over the top, her sense of style is most unforgettable and  a challenge for most anyone else to pull off. So, here is hoping we can duplicate her conservative look as a woman over 40 and do our best to avoid the rest.

there are jeans and then there are j-brand jeans

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Wow, I never thought I would consider looking at jeans over the 100.00 mark, but I guess we all need to raise the bar “sometimes” to feel good about ourselves while trying to look good.  I wonder if  being over 40 has something to do with it. Anyway, the truth of the matter is, women over 40 and sometimes under 40 have trouble finding a good pair of jeans. What I mean by that is, ones that fit, those that compliment “one’s assets” and feel fashionable at the same time. So while in search of  “THOSE JEANS”, I came across J-BRAND Jeans‘ website. I decided to find  a local retailer who carries the line and took a trip to check them out. I know what you are thinking, pricey buggers aren’t they? But, in my opinion, jeans are an investment and can be worn for more than one season, so if you were to consider buying a pair say for 200.00 divide that into 24 months = that is 8.00 a month  and believe me women …

photography inspired must have books

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Coffee table books and one’s used throughout the home as inspiration for cooking, daydreaming and falling asleep to is a must in any home. Collecting the right one’s sometimes may be difficult for some and finding the best one’s is most rewarding for the addicts. I happen to be the addict and love to have stacks of  oversized hardcover books all throughout my home.  I normally settle for museum themed ones, or black and  white photography of mostly European cities and some vintage items as well.  So, I was happy to have come across PARIS TANGO by photographer Carla Coulson and wanted to share it with my readers just incase they are in the market for collectible coffee table books or just a gift idea for Christmas. The theme of PARIS TANGO is described as follows: Published by Penguin, “Paris Tango” is a portrait of the City of Lights as you have never seen it before. From the African street markets of Chateau Rouge to the penthouse suite of the Paris Ritz, Coulson and her camera …

burberry london coats wish list

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When I am ready to shop for coats, I often look through what’s been dubbed “in Style” for that particular year and then check out my old favorite Burberry London coat website for their selection and make my choices, then I head out to department stores which carry similar styles at a much more affordable price range and try to duplicate them for everyday wear. Although, like many women, I love quality work and have an expensive taste for most things, but when it comes down to it, I also know that I don’t  necessarily need to own the most expensive clothing lines to look my very best. So, I have included photos of my favorite Burberry London Coats from this Fall season and if you can run out and purchase them, then more power to you, but if not, then feel free to visit your local shopping malls or department stores and boutiques and see if you can duplicate the best of the best in coats. Also, if you want to share your findings, …

for the love of cooking

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While in transition, I had to sacrifice having a kitchen in order not to complicate the process.  In the meantime, I have had to scramble around and find creative ways to eat and believe me, not only is it challenging but downright depressing. Why you may ask? Well it is because I love cooking and enjoy nothing more than a home cooked meal on my own terms. So in order to get my fix for  kitchen gone missing, I often walk through specialty stores for  kitchen  gadgets and cooking supplies. One place I enjoy is a a store (perfectly named in my opinion) called  Sur La Table.  The store is not much different from any other kitchen related specialty store but it is a fun one to experience no less. Okay, I admit the French theme has something to do with it. Anyway, since I am considering creating a more French inspired theme throughout my next place of residence, I walked out with a list of items to include when it comes to organizing or furnishing …