Going To The Movies.......alone?!?

By Wendy Joy


I just wanted to see "Marley & Me"  No big deal.  I love Jennifer Aniston and I love dogs. I would pass by the theatre and see the big juicy movie poster and the big bold letters up on the marquee.  "Marley & Me."
I had no one to see this movie with and my boys are well past the age of seeing movies with me.  "Marley & Me"  yup!   

I was walking home one day from the health food store with a couple of light bags.  Of course I walked right by the theatre on 64th and 2nd and there it was! I checked the time and it was starting in a few minutes!  Fate!  I needed to make a move!   I went numb... and before I knew it my feet were taking me into the theatre......ALONE!   I had never seen a movie alone before.  Isn't that for people who are alone?  There I was with my grocery bags (nothing perishable) on line at the theatre.  There were a few people in front of me and I already knew I had to take action.  I looked at my cell phone and pretended I was meeting someone there!  Perfect plan!  Getting up to the ticket booth is the most difficult...."one for Marley & Me"  I wanted to tell the person in the ticket booth  that my invisible friend would be coming in a second and paying for her own ticket!  





Omg!  I was busy........I had to go to the bathroom (with grocery bags...how disgusting), buy popcorn and find a seat alone!!!  Luckily the movie was just starting so the lights were low and people were seated......no one could take pity on me and I could find a seat away from the crowd.  (Five people.)   I took my aisle seat, put my jacket next to me and there I was....at the movies!  Should I call people and tell them??? 

 I needed to share the news with a few people while the previews were on ....I texted my best friend and said "I'm at the movies alone!"  I'm sure she was thrilled beyond belief, completely blown away....... I know I felt it! I acted confident and cool in case anyone looked my way.  I was strong!

As soon as the movie ended my jacket was on so fast I didn't know what happened.  You can't sit there alone and watch the credits.......Unless you are going to pretend that your friend wrote, directed or starred in the movie and that is the reason you had to check it out with your grocery bags alone in the middle of the day.  Otherwise you bolt!

You are supposed to leave Marley & Me in tears, but I was smiling because of my huge accomplishment.

   Now I get to see every chick flick there is! 

Basic tips are as follows:

• Don't go opening weekend. (you need to have no more than 20 people in the theater with you)

                                       

Perfect!
                                      

• Go when the previews have started. (low lights and seat positioning) 
• Bring a sweater or stuffed animal in case you have to use the bathroom. (leaving nothing behind could look like a total exit) 
• And if you see someone you know on the line just tell them you are there to check out the times for you and your husband/friend/date for later that evening!!!  Then leave and try another day.

Opening Weekend...for professionals only!

  

My New Cell Phone!

It's like I was Amish!

    By Wendy Joy




It's like I was Amish! All of you have had your blackberry's and your iphones for a long time now. I've seen you with them on the street and at restaurants! I would pick up your phones and look at them with a combination of fear and excitement. Truth be told I was completely intimidated by you and your phones! I would get mad at myself and others(what's up with that?) for not having an updated version even though I was asked by my husband to go for a new phone every Saturday for the past three years. "I'll go I said".....but I love my phone and it works just fine. Truth be told again I felt like a non-person because I could not get e-mail on my phone. I would rush home at the end of the day or in the middle of the day to check my e-mails! Sick! I was pissed off that my phone was not a smart phone but I still loved it and I was afraid of change.

My phone was so cute!

 My phone had a nice keyboard that was big and easy and perfect for a toddler.  It was mine. I defended it when people made fun of it and they only did that because I brought it up.....or when we went out to eat and everyone put their phones on the table and I put my dinosaur down. It was like "omg what phone is that?" Sometimes for a second someone actually thought it was a new phone that they had missed but that was a short lived moment and then I was a loser again with the oldest phone in the world. I didn't even get the updates on this phone....you know, newer versions of the kiddie phone.....



Yup.....it started to fall apart!

  Then it started to fall apart. It was somehow locked and I could only dial it when the flip top was open......then I had to close it fast to talk so it wouldn't be on speaker. Or if I was fidgeting with it and it was open and someone called it was like they were just beamed in and could talk to me......omg! Get a new phone!  So last Saturday I was out for lunch with my husband and once again he asked me to go get a new phone and I said that I would look to see if the store was busy. I would just go and see if there was a line....if there was a line I was out of there!  We got there.....no line.

I was hoping for a line like this!

With fear I walked up to the salesman and I could tell he was not going to have much patience for my "omg I'm so used to my old phone kind of crap." No, I had to be strong right off the bat. I could not show any sign of weakness. I pretty much made up my mind before I went in (only because I had 100 years to think it over and question the entire universe) that I was going to get the iPhone. I bit the bullet and just bought it. I asked the not so patient salesman to tell me the basics and he told me that I could take a course at the apple store! I don't want to take a course. I just want to use the phone. He taught me a few things and the rest I taught myself. I had to go back once or twice for things I absolutely had no idea of but for the most part I've got it down now. The keyboard can be rough at first... when typing to my friend about her daughter "Nicole" I wrote "Mickey" or as my sister told me she asked her friend to do "weed" for dinner instead of "Wednesday" for dinner. Spell check can be tricky and dangerous. Besides that I am in love!
                                                              

iPhone

 I don't know how I lived without this phone!!! What was wrong with me? One week later and I am obsessed! I can't live without taking a picture of everything that is going on during the day and sending it to my friends, father and mother-in-law. "Look I'm wearing the new earrings you bought me" picture! And can I just flip out now all over this page about "Face time"!!!! There are no words. My sister was in florida for the winter (OY!)  Right before she left to come back to N.Y. I got my new  iPhone and she asked me to "Face time". Face time...what is Face time..... omg! It was like holding her little head in my hand and talking to her! Are you kidding me???? I can take that little cutie head with me everywhere I go now.....ok maybe not, but the possibilities are endless. I love my new phone. Love that I can get stock quotes, get on the web, check e-mails, and basically just live in this century.

My new iPhone can do anything!

                                                    

Kiwi

I had a Kiwi this morning!  Okay, it's not the most exciting news that you are going to hear today but following is some good info!

Kiwifruit has a history just as unusual as its appearance.  Kiwi was discovered in ancient China.  It grows on vines like grapes.  By the mid 1800's Kiwi was known as Chinese gooseberry.  The fruit arrived in California in the 1960's and was named "Kiwifruit"  because it was imported from New Zealand.
Okay, let's get to the really important part!
Kiwi is low in calories and naturally fat free.  Kiwifruit offers:

•  Two and a half times the recommended daily allowance of immune system booster vitamin C.
• More fiber (in two Kiwis) than a bowl of bran cereal.
• More potassium than a banana.
• Nearly 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance of folate, a nutrient vital to fetal development and maternal health before, during and after pregnancy.  (this one we will tell our children about!)
• Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that is found in just a handful of fat-free sources like Kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit is great in salads, pies, smoothies, cocktails, etc.  I love just cutting it open and scooping it out with a spoon.  

Like many fruits Kiwi comes in varying stages of ripeness.  If you will be eating your kiwifruit after three or more days, choose fruit that are firm to the touch.  If you plan to eat them in just a day or two, select softer fruit.  If you want to eat your Kiwifruit right away, choose ones that give easily when gently pressed.  These little fuzzy fruits are so good for you!

some of this info was taken from "Long Island Trends", edition 410

Catherine Canino Jewelry

By Wendy Joy

Don't think I'm weird, but I was never that into jewelry. Whenever I was with my friends, and they would freak out over a beautiful bracelet or ring in the window of a jewelry store, I could have fallen asleep. I didn't really think about it that much and bought myself the occasional fun piece just to feel like i was co- existing with the rest of the planet. An awful necklace here.....a semi-cute pair of earring there and voila ( I say that a lot when I write) I was a jewelry person. But in fact I was a fake, a fraud,  a phony. A successful day of style for me when I was young, was when I got to wear my best friends old overalls to school. Really, I'm not kidding. That combined with a T-shirt underneath and my black clogs and I was good to go!

As I got older my style evolved....thank goodness. If not for that I would be on a makeover show for sure. I moved to NYC when I was in college and that alone is a crash course in "getting your act together".....and I did. I was about 20 years old when I had it figured out and I began to understand style and more specifically my own personal style. Don't get me wrong, I am forever learning and forever evolving, but I was good.

OMG!!!  Why do I have to write my whole life story when all I want to tell you is that my cool friend (beyond cool...in the fashion industry cool!) bought me a necklace for my birthday two years ago. Where do I begin? First of all, let me tell you that I got very excited!!! What was happening??? It was a silver and black leather (yes, I said black leather) necklace with a pearl and leather clasp. The necklace itself is intertwined in a box sort of stitch that is beautiful. When I wear it I get stopped on the street. I live in New York City and I am certainly no trend setter (my friend is) but when I wear this necklace I get comments from everyone. Everyone meaning, managers at Barneys, models that I meet in restaurants,  or the random person that literally stops me in my tracks!  And yes, I give it all up and tell everyone that  my friend gave it to me as a gift....I should just smile and say thank you and feel like I'm the coolest,  even if it's for a moment.

Well of course I told my friend how much I loved this necklace and she could kind of tell because I literally never took it off (still don't). So being the nice person that she is, she bought me another one for my next birthday. Actually, she came to my house with two for me to choose from and I couldn't. So she gave me one as a gift and I bought the other one for myself. This is not the kind of jewelry you can walk away from. The style and quality are amazing and every piece is fun and exciting! One necklace was a rawhide rope with dangling sterling silver charms. The rope was knotted in such a way that you can adjust the necklace to any length you want. Beautiful!!! The other necklace was two silver charms dangling from a silver beaded chain. My son's girlfriend was here that day and couldn't take her eyes off of it....I love her....so it was hers! She doesn't take it off either and she is a 21 year old fashion forward kind of girl.  She always looks beautiful so for me this was the ultimate compliment.       

Here's the deal. Every piece is a work of art. The designer, Catherine Canino makes it all by hand along with her staff in Long Island and New York City. Her attention to detail is remarkable and I can promise you from a converted non jewelry person.....you will love every piece. Of course you will find your favorites, but you can't help admire the style and uniqueness in all of her work. When you wear Catherine's earrings,  necklaces,  bracelets and more....your cool factor will go way up! You can wear your plain tee shirt and jeans and put on one of her ultra cool leather and silver bracelets and your whole look changes in an instant. Or you can be so on top of your game style wise and totally appreciate how her jewelry shakes things up a bit. Either way....you have to check it out!!!

Now I'm off to buy another pair of earrings......oh and the prices are reasonable!

You can visit Catherine Canino's Website here!  

Thyroid Cancer.....Be Safe!

Ladies.....this was e-mailed to me......if this is true than we should definitely take note of this info!

 Subject: Dr Oz Info

On Wednesday, Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, thyroid cancer.  It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that the increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms.  He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck.  Many dentists don't bother to use it. 

Also, there is something called a "thyroid guard" for use during mammograms.  By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little silly, but I asked about the guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn't routinely used. Answer: "I don't know.  You have to ask for it." Well, if I hadn't seen the show, how would I have known to ask? 

Strong Core.....Strong You!

Ladies......It is so important that we have strong core muscles.  A strong core gives you the ability to perform everyday activities with ease of movement and with much less chance of injury. Everyday activities means something as simple as carrying a bag of groceries, reaching for a plate in the cabinet, bending down to pick something up, lifting a child or keeping yourself steady on an unsteady surface, etc.  Your core is the center of your body.  Think of your core as your body minus your extremities.    Without a strong  core your extremities will not perform well.  This means that you might have trouble moving around easily.  So, it is so important that we strengthen our core muscles.  Doing abdominal exercises alone is not good enough.  We must also strengthen our back which consists of different muscle groups. Please watch the following video with Martina Navratilova showing us some great core exercises!

No More Gray!

Hi Ladies......

I know that I just did a post on embracing our gray hair.  Well, I do embrace my gray hair when it arrives, but then I have to unembrace it.  I can't look at it and I must get rid of it!  I know many women that really embrace their gray hair. And it is beautiful!   But I can't.  I have to color my hair.  I either go to the salon or color at home.  The salon gets costly.  Seems that I need to have my hair colored every three weeks.  Actually sooner, but I can let it go to three weeks.
  Enter......a pill to get rid of my gray hair?  Sounds crazy and too good to be true.  No more salon visits?  No more being asphyxiated in my small bathroom as I put that dye on my head?!?  Well, ladies, it does exist and many people, both women and men, are using it.  And seeing amazing results!  It is called "Go Away Gray" by a company called Rise and Shine.  The developer of the product is Cathy Beggan.

The following words are from the website of Rise and Shine.
Go AWAY Gray is specially formulated to prevent and reverse unwanted gray hair. Based on recent scientific studies, low levels of the enzyme Catalase in your body can turn your hair gray. Hydrogen peroxide is naturally produced by the body and Catalase breaks it down. If you are not producing enough Catalase, the hydrogen peroxide cannot be broken down. This causes the hydrogen peroxide to bleach the hair from the inside out, making it gray. Go AWAY Gray contains the enzyme Catalase, along with other special nutrients to reverse and prevent gray hair and to also promote thicker, healthier hair! Take Go Away Gray today and watch your gray go AWAY! 


With ingredients like Vitamin B6, folic acid, saw palmetto and L-Tyrosine, Beggan claims it's "absolutely 100 percent safe". 
The verdict is still out on that claim!  
Jay Foster, a nutritional biochemist of Body Chemistry Associates in Miami says that  too much L-Tyrocine can be a problem for people who take medication for high blood pressure and thyroid disease.

I am reading that people are loving this product.  But even all natural can be harmful to your body.  I wouldn't take these pills without clearance from a medical professional.  Something that is going to be strong enough to turn my gray hair brown or blonde again,  (or whatever color it really is, I can't remember),  sounds a little scary to me!  But who knows, maybe one day we will all be popping these pills and gray hair will be a thing of the past!  

LA Indulgence.........Indulge Yourself!!!

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RoseGoldBRG111

Look at this new and exciting line out of LA!    Shower in style in one of these beautiful shower caps!  Each shower cap has the signature satin rose of LA Indulgence.  The shower caps are bouffant size, hand washable and hang dry.  They are either  made of a light weight vinyl or satin with a plastic lining and all have the so stylish polyester satin Signature Rose.  What an amazing gift!  Each shower cap comes in its own gift bag!
Ladies......these gorgeous shower caps were designed by one of us......a lady over fifty!   How creative she is!  These shower caps are not only so stylish and different they are also so durable and protective that not a strand of hair will get wet!
To view and shop these fabulous shower caps visit LA Indulgence here!  
        Don't get caught with a wet head!

My Gray Hair

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avanté garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?  I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 and 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.






I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get older.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.



I've even earned the right to be wrong.


So, to answer your question, I like being older.  It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).








P.S.  This was sent to me in an e-mail.  I do not know who wrote it.  I thought it very appropriate for us ladies over fifty.    I added in the pics (hope you like them) and I changed the word old to older because we all get older but I don't think that we have to get old.  I think that old is a state of mind.  Remember, we are the boomers.......we are forever young!!!  

My Day With Tim Gunn by Barbara Newman

Before…

"I work in a youthful, creative business," Barbara Newman, 55, explains. "I know I dress too young, but I don’t know how to choose things that are more sophisticated without feeling like I’ve lost my sense of self." Gunn instructs Newman to limit the prints, try fitted tops and look for "jacket alternatives" that are stylish but not stuffy. "You can look youthful," he says, "but still have polish."

	  Barbara before Tim Gunn 

P.S.  This is a very good friend of mine!  We actually know each other since the 7th grade!  Please see my post on our reconnecting after so many years!!!! (Friends From The Past).  I think that Barbara looks great in her before and her after!  They are two different looks.  I think that we should wear what we feel comfortable in and what looks good to us when we look in the mirror.  If we truly want help with what to wear then it is fine to look for guidance but if you are happy with what you choose then wear your clothes proudly!  

Barbara After Her Day With Tim Gunn
(Very chic.......but this is not how I see my friend Barbara dressing every day, or myself as well)

After-Work Chic

Newman’s own leopard top is too sheer for day, but under a jacket it gives "just the right punch of print," Gunn says. The trench is a classic style, but this shrunken version "is more youthful, in keeping with Newman’s personality." Lacoste jacket, Jones New York skirt, Lauren by Ralph Lauren belt, Urban Posh earrings.

Barbara told me that Tim Gunn was amazing!  She was treated like a princess for the day!  Hopefully she will comment!

Avon.........and Jacqueline Bisset!

Jacqueline Bisset is the New Spokeswoman for Avon's Anew Platinum Line.  Jacqueline Bisset is 66 years old.  Finally a  major brand that got it right!!!  This is what us ladies over fifty want to see.  This is what we can relate to.  Not an ad showing a thirty year old using anti-aging skin care  products.  How does that tell me that a product is going to work on my almost  57 year old face.  Jacqueline Bisset has already said that she sees a difference in her skin from using the Anew Platinum Line.  That makes me want to try it!  It's real!  If It works for someone in my age category then it could work for me!

Avon ......you are sending a great message........Ladies over Fifty everywhere applaud you!!!

 “I am excited to be working with Avon on the ANEW Platinum Collection , as it specifically addresses the needs of women with my skincare concerns,” reveals ANEW Platinum spokesperson Jacqueline Bisset. “I want a skincare product that makes my skin look as young as I feel. ANEW Platinum helps recapture the definition and tone of younger skin.”