All posts tagged: women over 40

fashion: my favorite spring 2011 handbags

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One of my weaknesses is handbags, the other are shoes but handbags I tend to shop for every chance I get more so than shoes or maybe equal, can’t keep up anymore. That doesn’t mean I own a hundred of them, I just like shopping for them. But this year, it seems the bags are even more “dreamer” (for lack of a better word) than the years past.  Or maybe the color red is enticing me, again I can’t keep up. Can you sense the excitement in my tone? Anyway, I have included below my top ten picks for Spring/Summer 2011 (believe me there are more but I had to stop somewhere). Let me know what you think?

valentine’s day romance – suggestion 3 – spa day

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Cliche you might say, but couples over 40 tend to mostly dream or talk about a spa day, more so than actually do something about it. Either because, they are too busy or just, don’t consider to include it in their budget. So don’t laugh when I suggest a couples spa day as a  Valentine’s Day gift for one another. Either the weekend before or on the actual day – again depending on work and kids. For example, just outside of San Francisco, in Napa and Sonoma county we have dozens of spas ranging in price and techniques to consider.  And although we  have them all over the bay area,  for some reason I feel on this special occasion, it is more romantic to go to the wine country and have a spa day then just around the corner from where I live. However, planning for this day takes alot of work. A partner has to be willing to take the time to research and organize it in order to surprise their loved ones properly. …

healthy eating: understanding champagne

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I admit I am one of those women who have converted from drinking wine to drinking champagne. The funny thing is it took me a while to learn about wine and by the time I finally got a clear understanding of wine types and pairing, I decided to convert to champagne when I made the decision to eat healthy. So now I am trying to understand and learn about what makes for a good or excellent champagne or since I am from California – sparking wine.  I know, I know there is no comparison and the two are not the same. But, now that I am able to address the beverage by its proper title based on what part of the world it’s from (California, USA or Europe), I want to understand how to choose quality “bubbly” so that I am in line with my healthier eating agenda. I found my answer here, from one of the best (French of course) wine conesuir I can think of 🙂 and based on what she says, these are …

boutique hotel pick – parco dei principi – roma

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As promised I am including some of my favorite luxury and also boutique hotels for Italy. This particular five-star property, the Parco Dei Principi,  is located in the heart  of  Rome, near the Villa Borghese park and in my opinion a wonderful place to stay in order to detox from the realities of every day life. To me, as I have stated before, hotels must be romantic or charming in order for me to feel like I am truly on vacation or holiday (as some would say) and although some of these properties are a bit pricy, the experience of staying in this particular one will be  most memorable – take my word for it. Have a great weekend!

healthy eating – beef stew with red wine and dried plums

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For some  reason I love beef stew, I suppose because it is the American version of Boeuf Bourguignon, which happens to be one of  my favorite French dishes (yes I said French again).  The wonderful thing about beef stew is that you can actually make it a day in advance and in a large quantity for a fun meal, for the entire family or while entertaining friends during the winter months. Now, although I enjoy traditional beef stew with potatoes and carrots, on occasion I am always looking for “out of the norm” recipes to make the meal exciting and yet weight watcher friendly and thankfully I was able to do just that with the beef stew recipe that I found here. It has no potatoes or carrots, instead it’s made with dried plums and celery celeriac. I actually made this version minus the vanilla bean and it was pretty good and I didn’t feel guilty about watching what I ate.  I paired it with a  *robust Cabernet and sliced, *rustic French (yes I said …

wedding shoes for the woman over 40

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In yesterdays blog entry I suggested some beautiful gowns here for that special day for the woman over 40. Along with choosing the right gowns, it is also very important to select the right type of shoes and although I am not loyal to any particular  shoe designers and their products, I have included an online catalog here from Badgley Mischka Spring 2011 footwear collection for you to consider, when shopping for your special wedding day, or “renewing wedding vows” or simply to match with a dress you plan to wear to a wedding in 2011. Tell me what you think?

wedding gowns for the woman over 40

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Selecting the right gown for a second marriage or “renewal of vows” is probably the most challenging for women over 40. But, if tastefully chosen, it can be the most rewarding experience ever. With that said, now is the perfect time to consider the options for a spring, summer and even fall weddings or “renewal of vows” ceremony. In my research I have come across some amazing gowns to consider and yes they are all from Oscar de la Renta. Enjoy!  

elle decor you inspire me

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I can honestly  tell you that I cannot pass up the magazine section at any bookstore, especially when I come across Elle Decor. In my opinion, it is the most resourceful, user-friendly, esthetically pleasing  and well-organized interior decorating magazine and I love the fact, it is published globally with  U.K., Australia and French versions to booth. Anyway, I tend to keep most of my Elle Decor magazines because I feel, like fashion, interior decorating is recyclable and what is considered old news will most likely be new trend in the coming years. Besides my eclectic taste in decor is another reason to keep the magazines. Here are some of  my favorite Elle Decor photos from years past which I think can most certainly be included in today’s design styles. Tell me what you think?

golden globe gowns for the over 40 crowd

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You know I actually was going to leave this topic for my other blog here, but since the fashion introduced on the red carpet is pretty influential and vital to the fashion industry and trend followers, I decided to include some of my favorites and not so favorites from this year’s Golden Globe for the over 40 crowd. My list of picks for best dressed: 1. Jennifer  Lopez  – Zuhair Murad gown – best dressed winner in my opinion 2. Nicole Kidman – Prada gown – safe and flawless 3. Kyra Sedwick – Emilio Pucci gown – gorgeous in my opinion – vibrant colors and riskee but truly gorgeous. 4. Melissa Leo – gown unknown – safe, beautiful in a sequence  gown. 5. Julie Brown – Tadashi Shoji – elegant and glamorous and very age appropriate My list of picks for the worst dressed: 1. Helen Bonham Carter – Doesn’t matter what gown – disaster 2. Tilda Swinton – Doesn’t matter what gown – with her model like features, she could have dressed better. 3. …

healthy eating – arugula salad recipe

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I actually got tired of eating the same leaves day in and day out, so one day while shopping at my favorite grocery store,  I decided to bring home a box of freshy cut and washed arugula to test out. Although I have had them many times in restaurants, I never considered consuming them at home. Don’t ask. Anyway, I brought them home and decided to experiment and to my surprise I was able to create a great tasting salad from a recipe I found here and now arugula has become my choice of leaves. Ingredients: 6 cups arugula leaves 1 mango, peeled and cut into long slices 1 avocado, peeled and sliced ½ red onion, sliced 1 tbs lime juice Spicy orange vinaigrette 1 tbs champagne vinegar 4 tbs orange juice, about ½ orange 2 tbs lime juice, about ½ lime 4 tbs olive oil ½ tsp cumin 2 tbs finely chopped cilantro 1 red chili or hot pepper, sliced Salt and pepper Preparation: Combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a …