Are You There Retailers? It’s Me, Cathe!

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Catherine

In my never-ending quest to carry out some phase of exercise, I’ve been getting into my car and driving Chippy to downtown Phoenixville.   Truth be told. I don’t like walking in my neighborhood of townhomes because it’s boring.  I pass by the same brick front homes and there’s not much shade.  I love me a shady street.  I’m basically a tree-hugger at heart. Downtown Phoenixville and the Borough are more fun!

Now that I’m home, Chippy the Wonderdog treats me as his chauffeur.  He loves going bye bye’s in the car and his walkies! (Yes. I speak that way to him)

And walking is the one bit of exercise I happen to like. 

This morning I took Chippy to Reeves park so he could practice being a good canine citizen.  I explained to him about the Vietnam war and how our current president is a cowardly draft-dodger.  Then we walked some more and took a rest.  Overall, Chippy and I had a good time!

However, this past Wednesday found the weather to be a bit too hot to take my little rascal out for a long constitutional.  And so, I left him home while I went out to run errands and have a walk at a local outdoor shopping center.

Providence Town Center in Collegeville. The local Wegmans that we shop at is in this Center and I thought it would be a good thing to change up my routine.  No. Seriously.  Other than taking Chippy to downtown Phoenixville, my only exercise is wheeling a grocery cart up and down the aisles of the supermarket.  Even when I only need one item, I’ll stretch it out to 30 minutes of speed walking nearly bruising every shopper who crosses my path.  I’m that pathetic.

I have been known to use produce as the weightlifting part of my grocery store exercise program!

Anyway, in changing up my routine, I decided to visit a few stores in the shopping center.  I had pen and pad in my oversized purse and my iPhone’s camera at the ready.  Perhaps an engaging conversation between a kind and helpful sales assistant and me would create a blog post about how great the store and the service is. Right?

Um. No. That never happened. In fact, quite the opposite occurred.  And when I left to return home, I felt like a cross between Quasimodo and a circus freak.

Thank you sales assistants!  Thank you for assisting in making me feel like a complete freak!  I’m changing my name to Quasimotress!

Let’s face it.  I’m older.  And my resting bitch face could come across as one to rival the woman who was once known as “The Queen of Mean”, Leona Helmsley. However, when I enter a store, I put my smile on and it transfers me to a rather sweet-looking, if not utterly cross-eyed, older beauty!

Ouch!  I don’t even think MY “RBF” (resting bitch face) is as severe as The Queen of Mean!  Mrs. Helmsley is wearing the wrong lipstick..and that eyeshadow. And the brows. How can a woman who had this much money be so awful at the art of makeup application?

So then, what is wrong with me? Let’s try to figure this out!

Hey Joe, that’s what I’m trying to figure out!

My first stop was Ulta.  This is the weirdest store.

My Collegeville Ulta experiences make me long for the Ulta in Lawrenceville, NJ.  Now THAT Ulta had great sales assistants. Shopping there was so much fun!

Although the offerings are very good—both higher end and drugstore brands, any time I’ve been here I’ve practically had to beg for help.  At Sephora, the staff is great, friendly and always willing to help. At Ulta, it is a bother.  It is a chore. And quite honestly, I think the sales help would rather be somewhere else. Sales assistants stand around and convene with each other and literally give customers the side-eye.   You would think a shop specializing in all things beauty would be an empowerment for women.  Instead, it’s more of a “why is that woman even here” type of vibe.

Ummm. Hummmm.  Those Ulta assistants gave worse side eye than Rihanna.  And Riri is the only one who can do it well!

I ended up making a purchase of a $7.00 eyeshadow palette by Revolution.  I’m a fan of this brand and needed a backup to the one that I hit pan on big time.  With all due respect, the young woman at the cashier was the only worker in the store with a smile and kind eyes.

Too bad other stores in my area don’t sell Revolution makeup. I would have made this purchase elsewhere. Oh well, the girl at the cashier was very sweet, kind and adorable!

Next stop was Charming Charlie.  This is a store with an interesting mix of accessories and some apparel.  The selection of clearance costume jewelry is wonderful and this is the store you want to go to if you are invited to a big event or wedding and don’t want to spend a ton of money on a metallic purse or accessories.

I didn’t find Charming Charlie too charming the other day.

As I entered, a sales assistant looked up from arranging a display and I smiled at her. She turned around and went back to work.  No return smile. No acknowledgment.  I was wondering if I had spinach caught in the ever-expanding space between my front teeth.  Teeth age too! Perhaps she had never seen a cross-eyed person in real life.  Whatever the case, I went on my merry way perusing the goods.

There must have been four to six people working in the store while I was there. Not one person approached me to see if I needed assistance. And at one point I did. I tried a bracelet on. It was nice—a cuff bracelet.  And I couldn’t get it off. The little clasp got stuck and I had visions of the store manager either accusing me of trying to steal an item or worse, having to take the bracelet off with a plier! And breaking the merchandise—all eight dollars’ worth!

All I needed was to be accused of trying to steal a bracelet that I couldn’t take off my wrist!

After the bracelet debacle, I figured I was better off leaving Charming Charlie alone.

Loft.  I can’t even with this store anymore.

I walked over to Loft.  God only knows why I even bothered because this store has, hands down, the worst sales staff I’ve ever—or rather never encountered in my life.  Since I’ve moved to this area, I’ve been in this Loft location about 5 times—and all five times, you would think I had the ability to give the staff a serious case of The Cooties! Loft must give applicants a test in ignoring rather than engaging!

Yeah. The help at Loft figured me out. I got the Cooties.  Just like when I was a little girl and boys had the cooties.  Boys back then thought I had the cooties.  

Knowing when I am not wanted, I made a quick exit and crossed the path over to Chico’s.

This Chico’s is a pretty large store.  But in all honesty, the clothes just don’t speak to me except to say. “We are overpriced”.

Chico’s has always intrigued me because I’ve never shopped there. In fact, I’ve never been inside a Chico’s store. I’ve seen some cute leggings on the website, but at $69.00 for a pair of leggings—that will eventually pill at the thigh’s inside—No. Not now. Not ever.  Never.

These leggings are adorable. ADORABLE. But not $69.99 worth of adorable.  No leggings are worth that.  

The only people in the store when I arrived were the salespeople.  I was greeted and asked if I needed help, which was very nice.  I said, “No thank you, I’m just looking” and that was that.  The saleswoman who asked me was very intelligent because she could see that I was completely trustworthy and wouldn’t make off with any merch because she went into the back and I never saw her again.

I liked the Chico’s lady.  She was nice enough to acknowledge me then made a beeline to the back of the store and hid from me.  Did she think that I was trustworthy? Or did she think I was  smelly?

At this point, my self-esteem was slowly crawling into the gutter.  I could understand if these stores were haute couture shops that thousands of dollars and upwards.  One look at me and they would know my J. Crew tastes lay in the local mall.  But we aren’t talking haute couture.  Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs wouldn’t think of even setting foot where these high and mighty sales assistants work—so please don’t behave as though you are above the average customer.

I would have better luck with Mr. Karl and Marc Jacobs. I could be their charity and get nice clothing from them.

So, like, what’s the deal?

 

This little experience made me appreciate Nordstrom more than I ever have before.  Although I didn’t enjoy working retail because of the hours, Nordstrom instilled in us, as staff, the importance of great customer service.

I may not have been crazy about working retail hours but Nordstrom taught me a valuable lesson in great customer service. And, my boss, Michael Lopinto was the kindest, sweetest best bossman I ever worked for!

And for the most part, the people who come into a shop are nice and many do need a bit of help. Some know off the bat what they want, but will ask for help when they have a question.  And there are the very small percentage of difficult customers. But the good ones outweigh the not-so-good ones.

The great majority of us customers are NOT Mrs. Home Alone! We’re nice!

And so, here’s a few tips for those sales assistants in customer service.

Don’t give someone the side eye. Don’t look down at anyone who comes into the store. Don’t judge someone based on the clothing they are wearing either.  Perhaps they don’t care about clothing but still have mo’ money in the bank than any of us do.   Be kind—you don’t know what sort of day that person is having.  Respect everyone who walks through that door.  Treat everyone like gold. Your customers are your paycheck.  People depend on you to help them.  Rather than stand around gabbing with each other, turn that smirk into a smile.  Bring the side-eye to the front and look at the customers straight in the face. Tell them, if they are just browsing that if they need assistance you are there for them.

True. Don’t judge me. Don’t judge any customer. 

It’s funny—because I was pumped. I had every intention of writing a fun post about shopping locally. it totally backfired because people were not welcoming.   But worse, I left with a feeling that this is now the norm.  People just aren’t nice anymore.  Thoughtlessness and insensitivity seem to be the new normal.

And as much as I truly believe that people are good, these days I’m encountering more and more of the opposite.

OK. So I need to do my roots. But that doesn’t make me unapproachable when I enter a store.  Be nice!

I want kindness back.  Don’t you?

BTW.  When I finally returned home, look what Chippy did!  He was upset that I didn’t take him on his walk. Is this guy spoiled or what??????

How could that adorable little Chippy take the garbage bag out of the garbage can, drag it across the floor and onto my oriental rug?  And the Burger King trash?  That’s Bonaparte’s. Not mine!!  

Thoughts people. Thoughts.  Have you noticed this new normal?  How have your shopping/browsing experiences been as of late?

I’ve been thinking about this song for a while.  Remember it?  The Youngbloods. Get Together.

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Hey Guys!!!!! Wanna Read A Really Nice Interview/Article About Me?

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Catherine

OK. I’m not braggy, nor am I full of myself.  I’m merely self-centered.

Here’s the photo from the Vivant Skin Care Blog!!! I’m getting emotional!

But–a few weeks back, Vivant Skin Care approached me for a little interview.

Honestly, I was thrilled because the products are ones that I use–and when you read the article, you’ll see which ones. (Hint.  I have a back up of the toner and I am on my second face wash….)

Anyway, I’ll be working on a “my skincare” post that should be up and running sometime next week.

In the meantime, enjoy the post featuring yours truly (and feel free to comment on their site!)

Vivant Skin Care Blog:  Meet the Professionals, Catherine Urbanski Wants You To Be Your Own Beauty Icon!

I hope you enjoy my words!  Thank you for reading!  As you know, I’m trying to market my blog and I am not the greatest at marketing myself so this is great for me!  OXOXOXOXOX!!!!

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Just Another “Ordinary” Day! A Second Review!

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Catherine

When we last left off, I wrote a review about The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation.

Today, I am reviewing The Ordinary’s Coverage Foundation. It’s fun to compare the two and I’m looking forward to seeing how the Coverage Foundation lasts and if the coverage is heavier, if the color difference is noticeable…. c’mon with me!

Today’s foundation is the Coverage Foundation. A High-Coverage formulation.

7:15 AM:

Coffee finished.  AM Skin Care routine finished.  I applied the neck solution so I’ll be keeping track!   Again, I applied the same e.l.f. primer as I did yesterday.   And today, I added the Hylamide Hydra-Density Mist before applying the primer.  This is from Deciem’s Core Series.  The price is $18 USD for 4 fl. Oz.   This is a decent price.  Remember—a couple of weeks back, I paid $7.50 for 1.7 fl. Oz. of Evian spray water.

Me. Before any makeup today.  Notice the uneven tone.  The photo on the right truly highlights my gorgeous redness and broken capillaries!

Before I go on, I must address the packaging of the Mist.  If you are a complete sucker for packaging, then this is right up your alley. It put a huge smile on my face!  The box has a pull tab.  And then it opens up like a front-door fridge.  Who doesn’t love that????

This packaging!  I can’t even.  Why can’t all items come boxed like this?  

Once again, I used a small amount of the blur and then added one pump of the Coverage Foundation after shaking the bottle.

The blur. And I have to say, this did manage to make my pores appear smaller. And I’ve got some huge pores.  Seriously.  When it rains, gnats use my pores as swimming holes!

The photo didn’t turn out very well but the blur minimized my pores.  My nose is crooked.

This color is slightly different than the 1.2P of the Serum Foundation.  Let’s compare.

1.1P  Slightly different than yesterday’s 1.2P.

The shades are slightly different but nothing so drastic that it’ll be too dark or too light. This foundation was also a touch thicker than the Serum foundation.  But—it wasn’t thick—it was still light enough for building up depending on the coverage you want.

A little blur and a pump of foundation to be mixed together and blended.

Today’s foundation, the Coverage Foundation, mixed with the blur, is on the left. Yesterday’s foundation, the Serum Foundation, is on the right.  There really isn’t that much of a difference. I would say that the Serum Foundation is more of a pink tone.

I applied with my Real Techniques blending sponge and the application was as smooth as yesterday.

I dotted the foundation on and then blended.

As a professional hypochondriac, I’m excellent at checking my skin for any oddities.  I checked my face like a woman checking 25 Bingo cards and I could not find any caking in my lines or wrinkles.  Again—this was like a second skin.

Two photos.  The photo on the left was taken in natural light indoors. The photo on the right was taken in brighter natural light–by the door leading out to the deck. I wanted to show you how the foundation looks in different light. Both foundations covered the redness. The only flush I have is my blush.

I did spritz with the Hylamide mist after I applied all my makeup.  And I held it about 12 inches from my face.  It not only gave me some extra hydration but also set the makeup nicely.

Here’s how it went during the day.

I went to get my nails done at 11:45. This photo was taken before I got out of the car at about 11:50 AM. Almost four hours after I applied.

Comparing today with yesterday.  The photo on the left was taken after I got out of the nail salon. At 1:00 PM.  The photo on the right was taken yesterday, a little after eleven in the morning.  Both foundations have been smooth as a second skin. No caked up product. That fang of mine loves to photobomb me!

Now. Today was much hotter than yesterday. And I was out and about walking at an outdoor mall in the heat.  The foundation didn’t streak and never caked up.

After 3:00 PM. Wegmans parking lot.  Still going strong!

My thoughts?  In comparing the two foundations, I would say that the Coverage foundation is a bit more matte than the Serum foundation.  Oddly, and this is weird—I think the Serum foundation had more coverage for my skin.  Perhaps it’s because my skin is so dry.  I dunno.

Both were like a second skin.  Both applied and blended beautifully.  Both lasted on my face all day!

4:30 PM.  Nine hours later.  Look at what came off my face!! You couldn’t tell I was even wearing foundation. Right?  The proof is, once again, on the cotton rounds!

I am completely blown away by this foundation.  Look. I’ve written about e.l.f. and Rimmel foundations—both of which come in at $6.00. And for a drugstore foundation, both are a great value.  However, neither has that “second skin” feel or appearance.  You can tell you are wearing foundation. And at some point, the foundations break up.  This does not happen with The Ordinary’s foundation.

It is a fascinating thing.  A foundation that stays on all day but blends in so well that you can’t tell you are wearing it!  And cruelty-free!!! I forgot to mention that!

The Ordinary does not test on animals. None of Deciem’s products are tested on animals. This makes my Chippy very happy!  (And me too!)

The Ordinary truly is an affordable, downright inexpensive, high-end foundation. And this is important. It’s important because there are many women our age—and even younger, who are on a fixed income.  We have single mothers. We have women who have lost jobs. We have women who are disabled and abused and many women just do not have the money to spend on high-end products.

All women should have the right to feel pretty and The Ordinary offers that right.  It’s to be admired!

Well done, you Deciem and The Ordinary!  Well done, you!  And thank you!

I’ll be reviewing the other products that I received in a few weeks.  Since the products are skincare, I like to give them a while to test and report back!

It’s just another day–but delightfully Ordinary!  Sir Paul!

 

 

 

 

 

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The Extraordinary Ordinary

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Catherine

Right off the bat, I need to say something. You all know that I’m always on a mission to find clothing, skincare products, and makeup that’ll work for us “mature” ladies.  And at a decent price.

I will track down any and all products beauty and everything else  for our demographic of the mature woman!!  Even better when those products are affordable!

Have you heard of the foundation from The Ordinary? This foundation has been receiving raves and kudos like it’s nobody’s business.  And the products are  dirt cheap even though the ingredients are high quality.  There has been a ton of press on “The Ordinary” foundation since its debut in 2016—and even had a waitlist.

“The Ordinary” is a member of Deciem, a company with a very extensive offering of beauty and skin care products.  Deciem.  The company refers to itself as “The Abnormal Beauty Company”.  How could I not be intrigued by a company that uses the word “abnormal” to describe itself?  I need a moment here because atypical me is getting choked up.

How could I not be intrigued by a company who’s motto is “The Abnormal Beauty Company”?  And look–offices in my old home city. New York?  I’m getting emotional.

Ever the foundation junkie, I needed to try this.  For me.  And for the women of the “mature” demographic!    Liberté. Égalité. Fraternité. Beauté. Namasté!

And so, I reached out to the company with a few questions regarding the foundation and would it work for mature skin.  Not only did I receive a response, but I was also gifted with a few products that I will be reviewing.   Here’s a peek!

This box was delivered to my door…..

Goodies wrapped securely..

 

Two bottles of The Ordinary Foundation.  Serum Foundation and Coverage Foundation…

Deciem’s Core Series Hylamide Hydra-Density Mist and Finisher Series Hylamide HA Blur…..

A few skincare items–Buffet,  Hyaluronic Acid 2%, 100% Plant-Derived Squaline. It looks like these could be the Three Musketeers of hydration for my face. We’ll see…

And this little lovely.  Neck Elasticity Catalyst from the NIOD (Non Invasive Options in Dermal Science) group of  Deciem. Now that Thanksgiving is just around the corner this is an important product for me. My Turkey neck may have a hunter mistake me for the holiday dinner bird!

The first review ladies.  Is today.  Oh yes.  I couldn’t wait to get my “in-need-of-a-manicure-so-badly “hands on The Ordinary’s foundation.

I received  two foundations.  The Serum Foundation, which is a light coverage, in 1.2P and The Coverage Foundation, which is a full-coverage, in 1.1P.    1.2P is Light—with pink undertones while 1.1P is Fair—with pink undertones.   Click here for SHADE RANGE. I thought it would be a good thing to try similar colors within my range. (Ingredients). The Serum Foundation retails for $6.70 USD and the Coverage Foundation retails for $6.90 USD

Serum Foundation 1.2P. And a reminder to shake before using.  This is a good reminder because a shake, shake, shake will blend the contents and little to no oxidation will occur!

The packaging of the foundation is simple. Nothing fancy—one fluid ounce of product in a small plastic bottle.  The bottle has a pump.  The pump is rubberized and the wonderful thing is that one little shift to the left “locks” the pump in place. This is incredibly useful and pragmatic for traveling.  Yes.  It is.  When I travel, I’m constantly placing cosmetics in little plastic Ziploc bags because I’m petrified that the pumps will begin to leak and it has happened.  I can lock the top of this little baby and not have any worries about leakage.

I love a good pump bottle–and this one goes one step up. A shift to the left and the pump locks!

In addition, I used the foundation with the Hylamide HA Blur from Deciem’s Finisher Series.  This product states that it will blur, minimize pores, hydrate and plump the skin. The directions also state to apply over or mixed with liquid foundation.  The Blur comes in a rubberized tube with a snap top. One ounce.  Pragmatic packaging.  It retails for $19. USD.

Here’s how the blur comes packaged.  Another practical package!

Here’s how it rolled.

At 7:15 AM.

Today I wore the Serum Foundation. I applied e.l.f primer after splashing water on my face and applying serum and moisturizer.

Since I was using the blur, and I had applied serum and moisturizer, I figured to go with this e.l.f. primer.  It works fine.

I allowed the primer to set in for about five minutes then I did my eyes.

I stuck to a neutral eye look but did add some falsie lashes.

I shook the bottle of foundation, as per instructions and pumped one pump on my hand.  When I shook the bottle, the contents sounded very liquidy. But on my hand, the foundation was slightly thicker than it sounded.  Am I making sense here?   I squeezed a bit of the blur on my hand and mixed the two together.

The blur, to the left, a bright white and creamy substance.  The liquid foundation was not runny and this amount was all I used for my face.

When I saw the color of the 1.2P, my first impression was that it may have been a bit too pink.

The mixture of the blur and foundation produced quite a bit of product and the color of the foundation looked a bit too pink at first.

On one side of my face, I applied the foundation/blur with a brush and on the other I applied with a dampened blending sponge.

And as soon as the foundation hit my face, I saw that it wasn’t too pink. I swear this foundation adjusted to my skin!

No streaks on this side with the brush. But I do prefer a dampened blender brush to apply my foundation.

OK—I’m not too fond of applying foundation with a brush because for some reason the foundation application is very “streaky”.  But when I used the brush with this foundation, there were no streaks. WTF? I applied the other half of my face, and my forehead with the blending sponge.  I still much prefer the sponge.

The foundation blended beautifully, the color was fine and –I know this is weird—but it blended so well to the point of being a second skin. I came in close to my magnifying mirror to see if any foundation had crept and caked into my cervices and wrinkles. Look—I’m 62 years old and can’t afford Botox or fillers.  I have wrinkles!  But—the foundation was not caked or baked into my lines.  My skin looked great! A little spritz of setting spray and I was done!

Look at my face. Look. At. My. Face.  There is no residue in the wrinkles in my face.  What just happened here?  It’s like my skin–but better.  The foundation is very light but gives coverage.  

The finish, even though the Serum Foundation is a light coverage, on me, it was more of a medium coverage.  It was beautiful.  Not matte and not dewy, it was a true satin finish.  I’m telling you.  I was blown away. I was so blown away that I started saying naughty words—my gutter mouth was overwhelmed by the ultimate beauty attained with this fabulous foundation!

Ever the skeptic though, I decided to put this foundation to the test while I was out and about.  At 9 AM, I went to my weekly career networking meeting which ended at 11AM.  I immediately ran to the car to check my makeup.

A little after 11 AM and at 62 years of age, getting into the car selfies.  Seriously.  This is natural light and the foundation isn’t caking or clumping. It’s still looking mighty fine!

The foundation was still looking great!

And after running a few more errands I arrived home at about 1:30. The foundation was still intact.

Home and changed into comfortable clothing (See that tee?  Boy’s Department. Walmart. $2.97), I snapped this photo at about 1:45 in the afternoon.  Mamasita is still looking fine in the Serum Foundation. Quite Extraordinary!

And at 3:30, eight hours after I applied the foundation, I decided to walk upstairs to the bathroom and take the foundation off.  I wanted to see if it had faded, because for the life of me, that stuff still looked like a second skin!

 

My crossed eyes can prove to you that seeing IS believing!  I did this backwards. The cotton round in the right-hand photo is what came off with the first wipe.  The cotton round that my crossed eyes are looking at is what came off with the second wipe.  That foundation was adhered to my face for eight straight hours.

I massaged Albolene into my face, and wiped with a cotton round and it all came off.  Nothing had faded within the 8-hour wear.

Foundation wiped off (But eye makeup is still on–I wanted to look fetching for Bonaparte when he came home from work! *wink* *wink*!), but I’m smiling.  

Tomorrow I’ll be trying the Coverage Foundation. I’m excited to see the difference between the two foundations.  And—I’ll also add the Hylamide Hydra-Density Mist to the mix. I’ll use it as a setting spray! I’ll be reviewing.

This is also a wonderful foundation for dry skin.  My skin is dry like the desert  and the foundation, along with the blur, kept my face hydrated.  Something to remember for the woman of a certain age!

It is hard for me to wrap my thick head around the fact that a high-quality foundation can be made for such a low price point. This isn’t drugstore foundation but has a drugstore price.

Yes. I was THAT surprised and  shocked that this unassuming and ordinary little foundation packed such a wallop

Actually, it is less expensive than what many drugstore brands are charging.

The range of shades may not be as extensive as some other brands but after reading many reviews, mixing a couple of shades together works for many users.  I had absolutely no issue with the 1.2 P color.  I think the 1.1P will work just as well.

How much did I like this foundation?  I went on the website and ordered two more foundations and the two primers.  Does that give you a clear idea?

The High-Spreadability Fluid Primer costs $7.90 USD.  The High-Adherence Silicone Primer is $4.90 USD.  Both of these primers are a steal.  I have a good feeling about them.  And I’ve spent as high as $60 for high-end primer in the past.

More reviews to come on the other products shortly.  I’ve got quite a bit of reviews coming up so stay tuned!!!

Seriously. If you are looking for an exceptional quality and inexpensive foundation, you should try this.  It’s crazy good!!  My thanks to the people at Deciem for sending me these products to review.

They went with an older woman on this—proving this company is not ageist.  I got their back!

The Ordinary is extradordinary!

Ordinary is extraordinary!

© Catherine Lartigue-Atypical60

Sometimes ordinary is a good thing-and the BeeGees prove it with this song “Ordinary Lives”—quite a good song by three extraordinary men!

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La Chant des Cigales? Non! Les Chansons des Gens! Or..Some Great French Music You May Be Missing Out On!

Posted on October 1, 2017 by Catherine

As mentioned in yesterday’s blog post, Monsieur Lartigue has asked me to compile a listing of French music, especially French pop music, that his students and clients may find helpful and enjoyable.

A sampling of a few of my French pop music.  There’s just so much!

How could I not turn this into a blog post of its own?

If you’ve ever been to France—whether it’s Paris or Brittany or from other points north down to the Cote d’Azur, you know that something as simple as a song that you’ve heard while traveling will trigger nothing but great memories.

And I’m THAT person who keeps all my French music alphabetized and organized.  It’s about the only thing I’m organized about!

If you’ve never been to France, and are planning a trip in the near or distant future, you may want to familiarize yourself or immerse yourself into the culture to gain a bit of an education about Gallic tastes in entertainment. Or, you just may be interested in the music.

Are you going my way in France?  Yeah, the scenery is gorgeous–but you can’t bring this home.  Buy music instead!

Whatever the reason, there is always a moment that piques your interest in French music.  For me, the “Aha” moment was while on our way to Versailles some years back.  Bonaparte was driving and I was surfing the radio stations.  I came across a station—Nostalgie Radio.  This was the equivalent of the oldies radio stations in the States.  Pop music that spanned decades was offered and boy, were my ears opened wide! The instant I heard that first French pop song, I was hooked.

This station. Solely responsible for my lust of French Pop Music!

From that point on, it was my mission to search out CD’s with every visit to Paris or other points within the country.  In Paris, it was, and remains, Gibert Joseph Musique on Blvd. St. Michel over in the 6th.

And you just never know what surprises lurk in the midst of the CD’s.  It could be live music!

When we are in Theoule, I always check out the CD offerings at Géant Hypermarché in Mandelieu and FNAC in Cannes.  My bag is always full.

True. Not only can you get groceries here, but it is a Pandora’s box of  French music you’ve never heard!

Believe me. Cannes is so much more than the film festival.  It’s a place where you can buy lots of music. Remember the pronunciation is “fnac”–one syllable. Not “Fa-nack”–and I’ve heard Americans say that!

The remarkable thing about French Pop music is that you can learn the language in a fun way.  And the music is a pleasure to listen to!

Anyway, here’s a few recommendations from my collection—not all are “Pop” but the mix is eclectic and enjoyable:

Les Chanteuses

Celine Dion’s French Language CD’s:  This is unusual for me because I can’t stand Celine Dion when she sings in English. For some reason, her voice always sounds a bit strained but when she sings in French, it’s a whole ‘nother ballgame.  Her voice is effortless when she sings in French. It’s just beautiful. If you see any French language CD of Dion’s, don’t think—just buy it.  You’ll see what I mean.

You got it Celine.  I have NO idea what you are saying when you sing. I only know that your songs sound much better in French!

Dalida: Dalida Nostalgie Collection I love Dalida. I love her voice.  I love her hair. I love everything about her. I love the fact that some of her songs—especially the ones recorded in the 1970’s were slightly on the cheesy side. It doesn’t matter.  And her duet “Paroles” with Alain Delon makes me swoon.  If you get the chance, try to watch the bio-pic “Dalida”—it’s incredibly sad.  She was an extraordinary talent and she lives on eternally in France—she’s still a hugely popular singer.  This collection of songs is a great CD to start off with.

I love Dalida so much that I follow her fan page on Instagram. Don’t judge. Dalida is epic. And this Nostalgie compilation is epic too!

Francoise Hardy: Tout les Garcons et les Filles I have two CD’s of hers but my favorite by far is this remix of her first album. It’s a great introduction to the infamous ye-ye girl sound.  The songs are short and sweet. This CD makes me want to get dressed in miniskirts, boots, and fitted turtleneck sweaters.

 

Francoise Hardy.  She’s so …so….so…French!  The epitome of the ye-ye Girl.  And the CD is as adorable as she is!

Sandrine Kiberlain: Manquait plus qu ‘ça.  She’s an actress and I had no idea that she was a singer until I heard one of her songs on a compilation.  I found this CD, in a bin at Gibert Joseph. I think I paid 2 euros and it is one of my favorites. Her voice is soft and the songs have a very middle-eastern sound to them.

Who knew this actress could sing?  And her CD is one of my all-time favorites!  Highly recommended by moi!

Carla Bruni: Comme Si de rien n ‘était. Madame Sarkozy is also a recording artist in her own right.  I’m a huge fan of Bruni.  She has one of those wonderfully raspy voices. Bruni is a talented guitarist and songwriter as well.  This is a beautiful CD. Who knew the former first lady of France, who was also quite the party girl in her modeling days, would be such a fabulous musical talent?

My kids know me well.  My son Jake had this CD burned for me.  Actually, we are a family who appreciates Ms. Bruni’s, Madame Sarkozy’s talent!  This is one fantastic CD!!

Liane Foly: Reve Orange.  Hands down. Foly is my favorite French femme singer.  Her voice is like brandy, it’s so smoky, and deep and rich and enticing.  I have a couple of her CD’s and need to add more.  You want to listen to her as you sip your aperitif before dinner.

Liane Foly.  Wow!  I wish she would tour the USA because I would have a front-row seat.  She is, hands down, my favorite French Chanteuse.

Zaz:  Zaz.  Aka Isabelle Geffroy, is one of the most popular French singers of all time.  She’s hard to pinpoint as far as style goes. She’s pop. She’s jazz. She’s friggin’ talented.  Sometimes she can sound like Piaf. Most times not. Zaz is another one of the gifted raspy voice. This, her first CD is an enjoyable way to meet her!

Zaz on the cover of her first CD. I’m happy that I own this. She’s young but an iconic singer in France.

Les Chanteurs

Michel Polnareff: The Best Of. Ain’t gonna lie. I got chills the first time I heard Polnareff’s voice.  He’s been around for a long time—since the early ‘60s, and like fine wine he gets better.  The Admiral (as he’s referred to) is still making music.   His early pop ye-ye music is sweet and adorable and he’s evolved into a wonderful songwriter.

If you can track this CD down.  Do!!  Polnareff has been around a long time and he’s one of the best talents France has to offer.  I love this guy!!!  

Michel Delpech:  The Best Of.  I’m telling you, these “best of” compilations are the best way to become familiar with the French singers you may not know about.  Delpech had me at the song “Pour en Flirt”.  It is such a catchy song and pure pop.  Many French people I know are enamored of his song “Chez Laurette” which is more of a pop ballad and was very, very popular.

R.I.P. Michel Delpech.  But you live forever in your music. This CD is a great introduction to Delpech. It’s got some of his biggest hits and it does not disappoint!

Yannick Noah:  Pokhara.  Yes.  This is that Yannick Noah. The Tennis champion.  After retiring from sport, he became a singer and a very popular one!  This CD was a find for me at one euro.  It’s a nice CD.

Pokhara has a Marley vibe.  Be warned. If you get this CD, you will be singing the song “ye-mama-ye” all day long. All. Day. Long. It’s infectious in the best way!

Joe Dassin: Les Meilleur de Joe Dassin.  He turned many US hits into French ones through the power of translation. Maybe because he was born in the USA.  He was Brooklyn boy but during the 1950’s his dad was blacklisted and the family moved to France.  He was incredibly popular and this CD is easy to see why.

Joe Dassin.  He’s like SpaghettiOs.  Totally Franco-American!

Daniel Balavoine: Master Series.  Balavoine’s voice has tremendous range.  His records sold over 20 million copies in France and throughout Europe.  He’s one of my favorites. His songs are pop and not necessarily the happiest of themes are covered.  Many are about heartbreak and despair.  Balavoine was killed in a helicopter crash in 1986 on the way to a charity concert.  The song, “La vie ne m’apprend rien,” written and sung by Balavoine went on to be covered by just about every singer in France.  Liane Foly gives the best cover version. Ever!

A tremendous talent who met an untimely passing. I’ve got a couple of his CD’s and his voice is big!  Big and beautiful!

Laurent Voulzy.  Belle Ile en Mer and Belem. This guy.  This guy.  His voice is so gentle and soft and sweet and charming and it is nothing not short of great.  I remember the first time I heard him.  We were driving in Theoule.  We were just winding a bend that overlooks the bay.  Nostalgie was on the radio and this song came on and I started doing one of those sit-down dances. The song was “Rockollection” and put a smile on my face. It’s a friggin’ happy song! One of the best French pop songs of all time. So great, in fact, that it’s been updated.  The Belle ile en Mer CD contains a playlist of his fabulous pop songs—especially poppy is “Bubble star”—another song that’ll put a smile on your face.

Voulzy’s latest CD. Belem.  Oh. How I love this. And you will too!  Go to Amazon right now and order this. That’s an order!

Belem is Voulzy’s most recent CD. It was released last month.  It’s a great collection of songs with a Brazilian flair.  Honestly, if you get the chance, buy this one. It’s one of those CD’s that’ll bring your mind directly to your favorite beach while envisioning the heat hitting your face while you drink a Rum concoction!

Alain Souchon: Comme Vous Voulez.  This is a CD among the five Souchon CD’s that we have.  His voice is soft—very similar to Voulzy.  His songs are easy to understand, his voice is very clear and the melodies are very sweet and easy on the ears! And he is extremely popular in France!

Alain Souchon and Laurent Voulzy.  Collaborators and similar sounds.  If you like a soothing voice–either one will please you!

Georges Brassens:  Best of Volume 2. I wouldn’t call his music pop.  I would refer to it as musical poetry.  Brassens is an iconic figure in France because of his words and songs.  If you really, really want to l, earn the French language through song, then listen to Brassens. His voice is so spectacularly clear and his pronunciation is impeccable.  In fact, after listening to some of his poetry to music, after a while, you’ll be able to understand what he is singing about.  I never get tired of listening to him.

Brassens. Volume 2 and 3.  I’m listening to Volume 2 as I write this now.  The clarity of his voice is sensational!

Hugues Aufray:  Le Disque D’Or.  Hugues Aufray has been around forever.  Two songs on this CD are incredible. Celine, which is one of the most beautiful love songs and Santiano, a song I have no idea what its about but I like it!

This is a remix of an old CD but I dig this guy.  He’s been around for ages!

Les Groupes and Other Pairings:

Suarez:  On Attend  L’indécideur . Every now and then you discover a gem. That’s what happened when I discovered Suarez.  On Attend was in a 1-euro bin and I went for it.  Best one euro I ever spent.  This Belgium/Madagascar group plays songs that are catchy and melodic.  The L’incedideur CD is just as good.  I can’t for the life of me figure out why this group hasn’t achieved world-wide fame. They are that good.  On Attend is one of those CD’s, that if you play it in your car, you won’t eject it for months.  I know this. I have two copies of On Attend and one is in my car’s CD player and has been there for quite a while!

How do I love Suarez? Let me count the CD’s. I have TWO copies of On Attend. Does that give you an idea?

Notre-Dame de Paris. This is a soundtrack of the play.  If you ever get the chance, try to find the DVD because it will make you cry.  I’m not kidding.  The next best thing—the CD.  When we saw this in FNAC, we immediately picked it up and ran to the cashier!  Garou, the incredible French-Canadian singer plays Quasimodo and his voice is that man-raspy voice but it is sooooo good!!  Daniel Lavoi is Frollo and Patrick Fiori is Phoebus—so right away you have three great male singers.  The big hit of the soundtrack is the haunting “Belle”—in which all three men sing their love for Esmeralda.  Oh. I just got the chills!

Double your entertainment. Track down the DVD and watch it. It will move you to the point of tears. In the meantime, if you can get your hands on this soundtrack, by all means do it!!

Amelie.  It’s bad enough that I watch the movie at least once a month.  I’ve memorized half the dialogue.  But I also had to have the soundtrack because of the music by Yann Tiersen.  The soundtrack is quirky and a bit unusual in spots but nonetheless very French!!

The music from my favorite movie of all time. Need I elaborate????

Comme des Freres. Shameless plug for this soundtrack.  Bonaparte’s cousin, Hugo Gelin, directed this film. It was his first major film.  Hugo was also very serious about the music for the film.  The group, Revolver preforms a good portion of the music.  An American hit on the soundtrack is the fun “Shame, Shame, Shame” by Shirley & Company.  Remember that adorable song?

If you look up “Parallel Lines” from Comme des Freres on YouTube, you’ll see Hugo in the video. You’ll also see a very young Pierre Niney!

Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg:  I can’t even with these two. I love them both to pieces.  What a couple!!!  Although I wouldn’t call Birkin the greatest singer, there’s something very charismatic about her voice. It’s so sing-songy sweet. She’s very dreamy to listen to.  And Serge Gainsbourg—he’s got some X-rated songs but for the most part, he’s ridiculously talented.  He kind of reminds me of Leonard Cohen with the voice. The Nostalgie collection of Birkin’s hits and the Gold collection of Gainsbourg are worth listening to if you aren’t familiar with either as singers.

I love Serge Gainsbourg because of his humor and because he always looks like he just woke up.  And Birkin is more than just a bag. OK?  She’s even better as she’s aged. I love her!

Jacques Dutronc/Thomas Dutronc: Talent sure runs in this family.  Jacques Dutronc is Francoise Hardy’s husband, Thomas is their son (not only is he talented, but the looks. The genetics here. Please.) Jacques Dutronc, in my opinion, is the Ray Davies of the French singers.  His songs from the 1960’s are witty and funny and he has that pop garage band thing going on.  Thomas is more contemporary but just as talented on the guitar.  These CD’s are fun to listen to!

Frere Jacques and fils, Thomas.  Those genes.  And yes. Thomas is very talented!

Alain Souchon & Laurent Voulzy:  Oui. Oui. Oui. They made a CD!!  And I have it and it is wonderful.  Please order this on Amazon.  The songs Consuelo and Bad Boys are worth the price.  Both these men have voices that blend so well together, it’s no wonder they tour together and record together!

Oh…this CD. I’m in love with it.  I strongly suggest putting this on your “must buy” list. These guys.  My heart skips a beat when I listen to them!

France –The Greatest Songs Ever:   This is a terrific sampling of some of the best pop songs and then some.  You’ve got your usual—Piaf, Aznavour, Charles Trenet and then you have others. And the others are what got me interested in their CD’s. Liane Foly, Raphael and Renaud were two singers I had never heard before I listened to this CD.  Now they are among my faves! And the cover insert comes with French Recipes!  How great is that?

This CD doesn’t lie.  Some of those songs ARE the greatest!

Chanson Française: OK. This 3-disc compilation was purchased over the summer at Géant Hypermarché. It was all of 5 euros. Grocery shopping in France leads to so many surprises.  Disc 1 is by far the favored, but the other two contain quite a few pop hits.   If you’re ever at Géant in Mandelieu -la-Napoule, might I suggest you saunter on to the back of the store where the books and TV’s are sold and head over to the CD section?  You’re welcome!

Top left–best five euros I’ve spent at a supermarket.  Chanson Francais. A great value and a great listen.  Putamay0’s Acoustic France is readily available at Barnes & Noble and is a great introduction to French music. There’s some good stuff on this CD!

Acoustic France:   This CD is one of the Putumayo compilations.  It was purchased years ago at Barnes & Noble.  And it is a goodie!  Again, it is a reliable source and sampling of various French singers to discover.  I found out that Sandrine Kiberlain was a singer from this CD.  This should be very easy to obtain and I think if you are interested in French music, this is a good one to have in your collection.

Naturally, there’s a lot more music where these came from, and this is just a sampling.  Amazon carries just about these CD’s and you can have them delivered to your door!

Renaud is another much-loved musician.  Mistral Gagnant is oddly, not about the mistral winds but a memory of a candy bar aptly named–Mistral Gagnant!

Hey. Sometimes you can make a purchase that isn’t all that great. I LOVE Jean-Jacques Goldman but this CD was NOT all that and a bag of chips.  Next time I’ll do better!

Julien Clerc is another well-known singer. He’s got one of those very dramatic voices. He’s been around a while!

This guy. Raphael.  He’s great!  His song “Caravane” is absolutely gorgeous and a bit ethereal!

Frero Delavega. I’m a fan of this duo. They were on the French equivalent of “The Voice” and ended up with a couple of very successful CD’s. This is a winna!!

C. Jerome. If you are in the mood for pure pop, the kind of music you remember from middle school, this is the CD for you.  Personally, I’m a sucker for bagpipes and on  the song Himalaya–yes. Bagpipes.  I’m getting the vapors here!  I love this CD!

And if you are planning a trip to Paris or parts in France anytime soon, remember to check out the music.  Purchasing music is such an inexpensive way to bring the best memories home.

What song can I give you as a sample?  Well, it was a tough decision so I picked two.  One. Liane Foly’s version of Daniel Balavoine’s “La vie ne m’apprend rien”

And..the writer of the song above, but he’s singing “Aziza”.  Daniel Balavoine

 

 

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The Swiftness of Saturday—From Running Errands to Discovering a Treasure of Old Books!

Posted on September 30, 2017 by Catherine

Fall has finally arrived on this last day of September!  We woke up this morning to those low clouds—you know, the gray ones that when you look closely, you can see a bit of blue sky but for the most part, the day is a shade of gray.  And the trees were swaying in the wind.  And the temperature dropped down to the point of welcoming today as the first official day of “sweater weather”!

The beginning of the gray weather–with a bit of blue sky peeking through. That’s Fall!

Chippy needed a day with his canine buddies and Bonaparte dropped our little rascal off while I got ready.

Is that smile because he’s going to be with his buddies–or is it because he wants food!

Today was a “drug store” makeup day.  I wanted to do something quick and easy because it was going to be errand day and afterward a relaxing afternoon of baking bread, preparing my Frenchman’s favorite appetizer, Salmon Rillettes, and my writing.

Did I ever tell you what Bonaparte does?  He’s a consultant for companies who want to prepare employees going abroad to live.  He also has private clients.  He’s always looking for ways to keep his clients interested and has created a book—he asked me to compile a listing of French singers and the CD’s that I love and listen to so that he can pass the information on to his clients.  This is actually a great idea and when I finish the list, I’ll be posting it on the blog.

Actually, Bonaparte is a lot of fun!!

Back to the drug store face.  I decided to use Rimmel’s 25 Hour foundation but first applied e.l.f. primer.  This primer, for six bucks, is decent. It does the job and keeps the makeup on.

Two drugstore items worth checking out! 

The foundation is good too. It’s a great match for my skin tone, but I find the difference between drugstore foundation and higher end foundation is that you need more of the drugstore stuff to get coverage.  This is a very liquid foundation and isn’t full-coverage but for a day of “light” makeup—it’s fine!

I applied with a dampened beauty sponge, let it “set” then sprayed fancy water on my face.

For the eyes, I wanted a lighter look too.  I took out my Makeup Revolution palette. This palette.  The seven dollars I spent was well-worth it. These shadows are like silk. I’m not kidding.  They apply so nicely.  I hit pan on a few of the colors and will have to make it back to Ulta to get another one.

This palette may have seen better days, but the shadows are so silky. Best $7.00 spent on a palette!

This look is very similar to yesterday’s but the difference is that the Revolution shadows are so silky and are incredibly easy to blend. 

Dressed and ready to go. I wore my new “Lovebird” sweater.  I’m very impressed with this one. The fit is fabulous. I got it in a “Medium” because I wanted a looser fit.  The length of the sweater is what I like because it isn’t cropped and isn’t too long. It comes just below the belly and at the top of the hips.  The sleeves were a bit long but I turned up the cuff.  Since I’m not big on bright colors, the birds added just the right amount of color-pop. Bright but not over the top.

Isn’t the sweater adorable?  I took my blue suede shoes out of hiding and wore some ladylike fake pearls. A fun Saturday look!

We headed back to J. Crew Factory because I wanted to do some early Christmas shopping but nothing struck me. So, we went to Costco to get some flowers and salmon.  The price on fresh flowers at Costco is excellent and so is the selection.

Oh!  Here’s the finished face with the drugstore makeup!  I do have the Fenty ColorBomb gloss on my lips. It looks very nice and light in this natural lighting!

What shocked me was that the Christmas decorations are out in force. It’s one thing to do early Holiday shopping, but come on—it isn’t even Halloween yet!

Look at this very “special” tree. The lights change color.  I’ll stick to our real tree at Christmas time!

Frosty here comes at a hefty price!  I’ll bet the day after Christmas he’ll be reduced to less than $25!

Our next stop was in Rosemont.  We had to run a few more errands over on the Mainline and Bonaparte decided to make a stop at a shop I had never heard of.  The shop?  The Title Page.

I had no idea that I would be entering the threshold of…

….a truly magical world of….

A shop of used, old, and rare books.  Oh, be still my heart!  You have no idea how much I love old bookshops.  As soon as we entered I was swooning from the musty, musky scent of old books. If I could bottle that scent, I would!

old books…

…used books, and more old books.  I could have spent the entire day here!

As B headed over to the “smart people” books, I made a beeline for the aisle that housed the children’s books.  I almost cried when I spotted old, old copies of Mary Poppins books—the series.  The Hollisters.  The Betsy Books.  Heidi.  Books from my childhood when I spent hours and hours and hours escaping into the world of each author’s characters.

Then I spotted cookbooks.  This was like being in a fantasy land. I had visions of being stuck here overnight with a sleeping bag and a flashlight.  I ended up making a purchase more from sentimental value.

The Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. From 1965.  This cookbook was my mother’s food bible.  My eyes started to mist up as I thumbed through the pages because I remembered so many of the photos in the book. I also remember many of the recipes she made.

While I realize this may have been an odd choice of an older book to make, it was purely sentimental..

I remember these pages!!!

..and even MORE oddly, THIS photograph of a fluffy omelet was the one photo that piqued my interest in cooking. I was completely fascinated that an omelet could look like this.  I know. I’m not quite right but I don’t care.  I could frame this!!  Tommorrow I’m going to make this fluffy omelet for dinner!

The owner, Beverley Potter, is a charming woman who is welcoming, friendly and just plain nice!!

Here’s Beverley Potter!  If you are in the Bryn Mawr/Rosemont area, stop by this treasure chest of literature used and of the past. It’s an incredible bookshop!

I’m going to be revisiting—and perhaps I’ll be able to find a long, lost copy of my favorite childhood book, Little Ballerina!

Before I became hooked on chapter books, there was this.  Little Ballerina was my favorite book–well, besides Madeline it was my favorite book.  I would love to get my hands on a copy of this.  The illustrations alone bring me back to that time….

Hard to believe that when we arrived back home it was well into the afternoon.

And so, I’m sitting here writing this as the rillettes are made, the bread is in the oven, Bonaparte went to fetch Chippy, and I need to clear the dining room table because all my “stuff” needs to be out of sight so I can set the table.

Tonight also marks the first official dinner we will be having indoors. Summer is now officially over!

Boy—did this day move swiftly!

The Costco flowers!  Aren’t they pretty under the photographs that J. H. Lartigue took?

Almost time for our aperitif!  Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!

OK. So Tchin Tchin was misspelled.  It’s the thought that counts!

One of the singers I’m including in my list is Laurent Voulzy.  He had a huge hit in France with the song “Rockollection”  I had no idea that he also made an updated version of the song. Here it is, and if this doesn’t put a huge smile on your face—nothing will!

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How To Be A Savvy Shopper and Make a Bad Purchase Work!

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Catherine

While enjoying the many photos of those I follow on Instagram earlier this morning, I was struck by an ad.  Yeah. The most annoying thing about Instagram is the never-ending parade of sponsored ads.  I hide them all.

My emoji twin and I are quite annoyed over the Instagram Ads. Is everything on this earth sponsored these days?

Anyway, I stopped to look at an ad from RueLaLa.  Are you familiar with this site?  The site has some great deals but the ad this morning was a click and bait for me.  The photo in the ad was a pair of Stuart Weitzman boots.  Stuart makes some beautiful boots—I’ll tell you that.  And the ad contained wording that boots were up to 50 percent off.  Naturally, I thought all the Weitzman boots were 50% off. Then I saw two words “Up to”.  And I knew…..

See–this is where I’m an ass.  The ad doesn’t say  Stuart Wetzman “BOOTS”. I assumed that it was for all boots being 50% off.  Look at the pictures. They aren’t 50 percent off.  And that boot on the left-hand side is on RueLaLa for 599.99

They weren’t.  50 percent off, that is.

Other brands could be found for a very good discount but the pricing of the Stuart Weitzman boots was, pretty much what most stores and sites have the same boots on sale for.

Ain’t gonna lie. The Catherine Malandrino boots are a very good buy–but I would still price them at other sites and stores before clicking.  The price on the Frye boots is very good too. But when it comes to an item like that, I would rather buy in-store because it is more convenient to return if it doesn’t work out.

Prices for Weitzman boots ranged from $497 at Nordstrom Rack up to $800 at Net-A-Porter. Note: the various pricing was for different models but they were all the Over-the-Knee boots. The shoes with the largest discount are the flat 50/50 boots which have been a constant in popularity over the past few years.

These Weitzman’s were at Nordstrom Rack for $497.

This model was $800 on Net-A-Porter’s site.

And this is an example of how to be a savvy shopper.  We all need boots. Right?  Most of us have the obligatory “snow-and-bad-weather” boots which are the ones that keep our feet warm while we are shoveling snow, at a winter’s tailgate or outside during very bad weather conditions.

My Hunter boots. Delegated for only the worst of weather.  These are not the most comfortable boots I own. And yes, I purchased them on sale!

I’m not talking about those boots.  I’m talking about the fashionable boots that we love to wear to work or out on date night or a night out with the girls or when we just want a dressier or more polished look.

Would I enjoy owning a pair of Stuart Weitzman boots?  Of could I would.  But, as I am not of the one percent, I cannot afford to spend upwards to $800 on a pair of boots.  Don’t get me wrong—if you can afford them, that’s great, and I harbor no ill feelings at all. It’s just for me and the average woman, that’s a lot of dough to spend on a pair of boots.

Pretty much the face I make when items are out of my price range!

And considering the cost-per-wear, the price escalates.

Presently in my closet are 12 pairs of boots.  I’ve had most of them for over 5 years. The average cost per pair, as I purchased them all on sale is about a hundred bucks—some a bit higher, some lower in price. I’ve purchased three pairs of these boots at Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

I’ve also purchased a couple of pairs of Stuart Weitzman knock-offs—or dupes.  Here they are and both pairs were considerably less money than the higher end.  The cost-per-wear is great because I don’t wear these boots every day—even in season, I don’t wear them that often.

This is my faux suede pair of boots similar to the Stuart Weitzman ones.  I paid about $79 for these last year at DSW. They are by Charles David, are comfortable as all get out and..

They look great and fit very well up above the knee!

These are my faux leather (pleather)–or rather VEGAN boots from Unisa. These cost me $39.99 almost three years ago and they remain in great shape. 

These are similar to one of the Weitzman 50/50 models.  Extremely comfortable and for the price, they have done very well!

J. Crew and J. Crew Factory have great sales. I don’t think I’ve ever made a purchase that wasn’t a sale item from J. Crew. When the new roll-outs arrive, I check online to see what I like. Then I take a trip to the mall and stop by the store to check the items out to see how they are made, if they fit well, and then I sit and wait.  Because within a few weeks’ time, every item will go on sale. And that’s when I go in for the kill!

J. Crew.  No wonder it’s my favorite store!!!

In fact, today, J. Crew Factory is having a BOGO on sweaters.

J. Crew Factory and I have a special relationship.  I receive emails.

Is this really a good deal?  Yeah. And I’ll explain.  We are getting closer and closer to the Holiday Season.  Let’s face it.  In October the stores will start to bring out the Christmas artillery and the seed to start our Holiday shopping will be planted.

I’ve got my eye on that cute navy sweater with the lovebirds. It’s adorable!

This sweater BOGO is great for those who want to begin their Christmas shopping.  In fact, I know a young lady who would love the little Frenchie dog sweater!   Now is the time to start searching for good buys. And with a bit of research, you can find them!

And I know a certain someone named Oona who would LOVE this little Frenchie dog on a sweater.  See what I mean?  I could start stocking up on gifts for Christmas with a BOGO like this one!

If you are thinking of purchasing more expensive items for your winter wardrobe, wait till summer’s end when the Nordstrom Anniversary sale rolls around.  For coats, boots, shoes, and bags, this sale is fantastic. While I realize it is a bit late to mention this, it is a reminder for next year!

And you don’t have to go high end to find an excellent value.   When it comes to basics, like white tee shirts, besides my beloved white tees from Old Navy, check out the boy’s department for XL or Large packages of white tees or the men’s department for XS or small white tees.  Sometimes you have to think outside the box—or the gift box!!

Same goes for jewelry.  I don’t have much “good” jewelry.  All the good stuff has been from Bonaparte. My engagement and wedding rings, pearl earrings, another pearl ring are just about the most precious jewelry that I own.  Everything else is strictly costume.  I’ve purchased faux pearls at dollar stores.  And my hoop earrings only come from one place—Walmart!

And this is another reason I stick to costume, and cheap, costume jewelry. If you have to hock the good stuff, you’ll get what he gives!

Even my wigs are purchased at a discount price.

My hairs.  All at a cost of less than a wash and blow dry at the salon!  Although I admit, I do miss Adam but I don’t have enough hair worth spending the money!

The thing is, I research before purchase.  Yes. I still make the occasional impulse buy and I’ve made some bad purchase choices—everyone does.  But at least I got them on sale!

And who hasn’t made an impulse buy???

And I think as we get older, our spending priorities change.  These days, I would rather spend the money on travel.  Many of us are on fixed incomes so budgeting is paramount.  But it still doesn’t mean you can’t spend.  We just should be savvier when it comes to doing so.

Speaking of bad purchase choices, a while back I purchased a contour palette by NYX. It was an impulse buy at Target.  For some bizarre reason, the palette was $12 and I’ve seen this palette sold for as much as $24.  When I got around to using it as a contour I realized that the powders were too drying on my skin and just didn’t work for me.

Definitely, an impulse buy!

Then I turned things around and started to use the contents of the palette as eye shadow.  Is it a go-to or “must use” palette?  No. It isn’t. But some of the colors are a desirable choice if I want a very natural look.  I used this today because I wanted a more natural look.

The three colors I used on my eyes….

This works much better as an eyeshadow than contour and highlighter for me!

The natural look was because today I applied for a Social Security card with my new last name. I also went to have my driver’s license changed and thought that I would need a new photograph.  Hence, I wanted a more natural look.

See–the eyes look nice and not overdone!

Suffice it to say, I was a savvy shopper when it came to changing my license.  It would have cost me $47 to have a new driver’s license issued with a new photo.  The other choice was a little yellow card with my name change that I can keep with my driver’s license.  Ever the discount shopper, there was no way I was spending $47 so for $18, I took the license discount!

I wore a lot of discounted clothing this week.  Here’s a look at what I wore on the days I bothered to get dressed!

This is today’s look. I took my plaid J. Crew Lady Jacket out of hibernation. Wore an Old Navy Tee, The torn jeans by Jolt and my Repetto ballet flats.

Yesterday’s look was the ten dollar LBD and patent Repettos.

A repeat on the Repettos and another ten dollar dress–and a wig that cost $11.99!

Tuesday it was stripes, jeans and the black Repetto flats again! I didn’t get dressed on Monday.  

Are you a discount shopper?  Has the way you spend changed as you got older?  Store—or online?  Let’s talk about this!

Enjoy your Friday—it’s almost aperitif time!  XOXOXOXOXO!!!!

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Oy Vey! Hits and Misses for The Mrs.

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Catherine

What a day it’s been.  In a fun way, naturally!

The sky was crystal clear, and even though it was hot, the air was nice and crisp and cool. Just a beautiful, beautiful day!

You know the kind of day I’m talking about.  That perfect weather day. Makes you want to go up in a hot air balloon!

Bonaparte and I were a bit concerned that we hadn’t heard anything from the courthouse about our marriage certificate.  Then we found a missing piece of information.  We never sent a check.

And so, it was my mission to drive to the Courthouse to see if I could remedy the situation quickly since I want to legally change my name!

As I got ready, you know—getting all dolled up, I pulled out an old compact of Tarte’s Face Smoothing Balm.  I couldn’t even remember when I purchased it, and I can’t tell you just why I decided to use it this morning.  Better yet, I don’t even know why I kept it in my artillery because I remembered that I wasn’t crazy about it from the get-go.

This has been hanging around my cosmetics stash for a while.  Unused.  Purposely.

And when I opened the compact, it looked as though I used it more than I thought I did, so I decided to put it to task as a concealer.  And it wasn’t half bad.  As a concealer.  A lot of blending had to be done.  My right arm got a great workout.

CAVEAT:  I did write about this last year.  And I’m sure it’s been discontinued because it’s not a “good” foundation!  She’s Selling Me The Good Foundation!

Tarte is the weirdest cosmetics company for me. I’ve written about this before and the products are either great or a complete miss.

Another Tarte product that I recently “rediscovered” in my cosmetics hoard is the brand’s felt-tipped eyeliner.  Wow!  The tip is so narrow and nicely pointed that it is impossible to mess up a beautifully lined eye.  I need to buy a backup before it becomes discontinued!

A miss and a hit.  I’ve just decided that the Tarte Smoothing Balm will be used  to fill in the parting space on my wigs and to cover that “line of demarcation” where lace part on wig meets my forehead!  It’ll be a great concealer because it’s completely pasty. On the other hand, the Tarte  Lights, Camera, Lashes Precision Longwear Liner is EPIC. Look at that tip. It makes a beautiful line!  

Check out that eyeliner.  Is that not a beautiful one?  This liner is great. I better get on it and buy more before it gets discontinued!!

 I’ll tell ya, today’s weather was making me feel rather good so I decided to get casually dressed. There were more errands to run and why not look nice while running them. Right?

I wore one of the ten-dollar swing dresses from Old Navy that I purchased at the end of last Spring.   Because I am in such dire need of a pedicure, I couldn’t get away with sandals. Instead, I opted for my tan Repetto’s. My  Brown Longchamp bag tied the look together.  Casual but polished!

Ten dollar dress from Old Navy. Boy, those swing dresses were the biggest hit for the summer!  My tan Repetto ballet flats, the Longchamp bag and that Daniel Wellington watch that I love so much made for a hit of an outfit!

Banking had to be done and luckily the bank was empty.  I was in and out very quickly. Maybe there’s a shortage on money!

Next stop—the Courthouse!

Time management was on my side because I was in and out of the Courthouse in record time.  Lisa, the Courthouse Clerk in the Marriage Department, recognized me from last time.  We laughed and talked wigs for a few minutes, I paid and got my copies and I was on my way to the supermarket.

Now I can change my name! Growing up with a “W” last name always put me in the back for alphabetical order.  Then with the “U” I got too steps closer to the top of the alphabet.  Now I’ll be up to “L”.  I’m like George Jefferson. I’m movin’ on up!

Hair is the best way to network—even better when the hair is fake!

Did I ever mention that Wegmans is across from Nordstrom Rack?  Oh. I didn’t?  Well. It is.  So, guess where I went next.

It’s been a while since I purchased shoes.  I thought I would be able to find a nice pointy-toed pair of flats in the clearance section.  And I did.  But they were too wide.  It damn near killed me because the shoes were less than $30.   It also kills me because years ago, back in the olden days when I was a child, it was never a problem to get shoes in a narrow width.  My mother—ever the shoe expert— would make sure that my Buster Brown shoes had that “N’ imprinted on the inside of the shoe.

These guys. Buster Brown and Tige.  I even remember the song “Does your shoe have a boy inside?  What a funny place for a boy to hide”  “Does your shoe have a dog there too”

And she would second guess the shoe salesman.  Remember those guys?  Remember going into a real shoe store and having your feet measured?  I don’t think there are many shoe stores around these days.

The shoe salesman after Tmy mother was finished with him!

Now that my rambling is over, This is  the gorgeous pair of flats that I tried on. Look at how wide they are!

 What killed me is that the suede ties were NOT attached to the suede straps across the foot.  I thought that was the case and the straps could have been tightened.  This proves the shoes were very cheaply constructed. Look at that gap in the straps. Its a shame because this is a beautiful shoe.  No wonder it was in the clearance section!

The remaining shoe selection was not good.  It was a miss for footwear.

What was left?  Why. The jeans, of course!  And I lucked into a pair by Jolt for $26.00!  It was a hit for the jeans!

I’m very classy with the bra straps hanging out.  The dress-as-shirt isn’t bad either.  These jeans spoke to me because they are nice and tight at the bottom hem. Fetching!

When I arrived home, it dawned on me that I hadn’t weighed myself in a while.  Clothes off.  On the scale.  144.  Not bad.  I haven’t been focusing.  Those last 7 pounds are a daunting few to lose and I have to pay attention to my stress levels.

I am in dire need of a pedicure.  And, for the 999th time, I’m back on track with trying to eat healthier and lose those last few pounds!

I don’t want to get into the habit of stress eating.  That’s when the numbers on the scale get higher.

This is me.

Then, in my never-ending ability to screw things up, I tried to link Google Analytics to my blog and screwed up my entire site.  Trying to fix it was making things worse. I gotta give a shout-out to Shane from WordPress for fixing my baby.  Thank you, Shane, for keeping my anxiety at bay and for helping me!

Thank you Shane for keeping me sane!

A glorious end to my day was receiving an email from Susan Ross of Seemingly 60.  I wrote about my experiences with ageism while interviewing for jobs.

Here’s the link to my story:  Out to Pasture.

Photo by Adam Morse on Unsplash

And it seems as though we are out to pasture!

Have a read.  I know you will totally relate!

And so, today was one of those days of little hits and little misses! Overall, it was a very good day!

Did I say, “little misses”?  That reminds me of the song “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”—and that reminds me of the Spin Doctors.  I loved them.  One of the great ‘90’s groups!!!

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My Wardrobe May Not Be Capsule—But I Have Capsule Brands

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Catherine

One subject that I always seem to be reading about is the “Capsule Wardrobe”.  This wardrobe is built around a few essential, classic and timeless items.  Google this term and you will find hundreds of articles and variations of this collection of clothing.

My wardrobe is full of classic and timeless pieces. But I can’t pare down. I just can’t!

It didn’t hit home for me until one of our Atypical60 friends, Angelin2014 (you know her ladies—she gives great replies to the blog posts and is a great friend of Atypical60), wrote about this subject in her blog, Age Is Just A Number. (click on the name of the link to read!)

Reading her two posts about the capsule wardrobe got me to thinking.  Should I pare down to a capsule wardrobe?  Hmmmmmmm.

Well, SHOULD I????

And for me, the answer is that I probably should pare down to this minimalist wardrobe, but I don’t want to.  I love the clothing that I have.  Many of the items, I’ve had for years.  I try to do a seasonal weeding and place summer clothing in plastic bins during the winter and vice versa for the summer. But the way the heat index is still at an all-time high, it looks like my summer clothing will be sticking around for a while.

But as much as the thought of a capsule wardrobe is enticing, I like to think of myself as a person with Capsule Brands. It’s true. I’m loyal like a dog.

It’s true. I’m loyal like Chippy. He’s into my clothes too. When I was taking a photo of my tee shirts, he tried to eat one of them.

These are the brands that I can trust.  They are the brand items that I will have for years.  I just about rely on these brands because of the quality, the construction, the feel, the fit and they never fail me. I’m a minimalist when it comes to brands. I  have few.

Let’s have a look at the brands and what I love about them.

J. Crew. Ain’t gonna lie. I love J. Crew and J. Crew Factory.  In my opinion, both are interchangeable. Sometimes I can find better quality at Factory while most times, J. Crew is the place to shop.   Ordering clothing online is no issue either because the shipping is quick.  The online customer service is freakin’ stellar!!

May I present the latest addition to my J. Crew blazer collection?  The Double-breasted Dover.  It is such a rich, intense dark navy that it can look black. The lining is beautiful. Striped and almost looks like a club tie.  I love the collar popped (Hey. I was in my 20’s during the Eighties. OK?) A bit longer in length and less fitted than the Schoolboy,  it will look stunning both on job interviews and for casual wear.  It’s a winna!!!

The Schoolboy blazers—God knows I have more than enough of them, are my winter staple. If I want to make a pair of jeans look polished, the Schoolboy is worn with them.  And—even though J. Crew discontinued (the story of my life) the Schoolboy, another version that is just as good, if not better is available at J. Crew Factory.

Two blazers in this photo are NOT schoolboys. One is the chambray with the ruffles. The other is the wool camel Regent blazer.  All others are either from J. Crew or J. Crew Factory. And there’s more!

The plaid schoolboy I purchased last year at J. Crew Factory.

Other Jackets—the Lady Jackets are a dressier option, but boy—Crew’s blazers and jackets have always been top quality for me.

What a difference a new phone makes–huh? This black Lady Jacket from J. Crew is another favorite-I’ll have to get a better photo with my new phone at some point!

Rather than pare down, I build up.

99.9 percent of my sweaters are from either J. Crew or J. Crew Factory.  It’s to the point that I’m just not comfortable in any other brand. Call me crazy—but I know what I like when it comes to sweaters and I feel J. Crew knows me.

Same with skirts. I am in love with the Number 2 pencil skirt. Timeless and always looks good.

Three Number 2 Pencil skirts. Both sweaters are also from J. Crew. That yellow skirt is one of my favorites. Wool. Beautiful fit. I love it!

Now—that’s not to say that everything from J. Crew is perfect for me.  I have an issue with Crew’s jeans.  For some weird reason, the brand’s jeans just do not fit me well.  The rise is either too low or, if higher, just looks odd on me.

No big deal because after years and years of searching for the perfect fitting jeans, I found them last year at Nordstrom Rack. AG Jeans.  Yes. They are on the pricey side but at Nordstrom Rack, the brand can be found for a fraction of the price.  I’ve also discovered 1822 Denim Jeans which I purchased at Marshalls but are also available at Nordstrom Rack.

I was introduced to AG Jeans last year at Nordstrom Rack and I now have five pairs. I LOVE this brand!

The fit. The different washes.  The cut. These are perfect for a curvier shape and AG’s jeans hold their shape after a long day of wear!

AG Jeans. J. Crew Breton striped shirt.  J. Crew Schoolboy blazer. I’ll get to the shoes later on in the post!  I’m pretty much a Capsule Brander!

It so wonderful when you find that brand of jeans that fit so well!

Here’s another Capsule Brand look. AG Jeans. J. Crew shirt. Repetto ballet flats and Rondini sandals. I don’t stray too far from my favorites!

Can I just say that I’m also very loyal to Old Navy for their tee shirts? The Old Navy Fitted Tee is one of my very prized basic possessions.  Might I add that I have a penchant for the white crew neck fitted tee?  I am telling you that this tee is everything and a bag of chips! I’ve written about this tee many times. In fact, I was so upset when ON discontinued this shirt I wrote to them and now it’s back—even if it is only back online!

I kid you not. This is just a small number of the fitted white tees from Old Navy. I hoard them. Notice the ones that still have the tags on them. The need to be ironed.  And when these tees get old and stained and wonky looking, I rip them and use them as dust cloths. Multi-taskers these shirts be!  See Chippy’s paws at the top of the photo. He was ready to snack on some cotton!

Word to the wise—for a truly fitted look, order a size down.  I size down from a Medium to a Small and the fit is so beautiful under a blazer or cardigan sweater.   This tee is currently selling for $8.00 on the Old Navy site but watch for sales when you can get the shirt for five bucks.  You’re welcome!

Old Navy’s Tee Shirt dresses are another item I have plenty of.  And their jersey swing dresses– I’m telling you when Old Navy has a winner—they hit gold!

My most-worn dress this summer.  I’m still wearing it.  Ten bucks at Old Navy. I went back and bought four more!

Shoes are another item that I’m brand loyal with certain styles.  You are all well-aware of my love for Rondini for sandals.  Even if I don’t make it to St. Tropez, I can order this brand online because I have the measurements for the custom-made fit.  Honestly, these sandals are the best value for the money.

Check out how well these mold to my feet. I stand with my weight toward the inside of my legs you can tell from the sandals. OMG. I love my Rondini sandals so much.  My Capsule brand for sandals.  My ONLY brand for sandals.

The cost? Comparable with name-brand sandals you can find at higher-end department stores. But the difference is that the sandals are custom fit and made. All leather and they wear beautifully. The sandals mold to your feet and they wear better with age.  It’s become a tradition for me to treat my feet to a pair each summer.

Repetto is another brand I’m loyal to because the ballet flats fit my narrow feet beautifully.  I have three pairs of Repetto’s and am in the market for a new pair, preferably in navy.  These shoes wear well and I only purchase them if I happen to be in Paris during the winter or summer sales because the discount is deep!

Repetto is another favorite brand!  Perfect for my narrow feet, they make my foot look pretty!

Loafers anyone?  The only brand of loafer I will put on my feet is Bass Weejuns. Don’t even try to get me into another brand because I won’t do it.  I’ve been wearing Weejuns since my days at St. Patrick Grammar School. That’s a lotta years.  I love my Weejuns!

My beloved Weejuns. I still lean toward the old, worn, pair to the left!!!!  It would be a sin if I wore any other brand loafer!

I’m not brand loyal, nor is any one heel within the confines of my Capsule brands.  I think it’s because the right heel is so hard to find.

I stick to what works—even with heels!

I did have a brand of heel that I was somewhat loyal to. It’s because the heels had the perfect pointy toe. The perfect height of the heel. And beautiful toe cleavage. The brand…Ivanka Trump.  Hey. I know, I know. I have no idea if her shoes are still sold because everyone knows how I feel about her daddy.   If her shoes are still sold, I would never purchase another pair.  But, I spent good money on the shoes that I do have, so I’ll just wear them until they fall apart—much like…. um.umm. I’m gonna be good.

There are two brands of bag that I’m encapsulating.  Longchamp and Nat & Nin.    I’m especially fond of the leather Longchamp bags because, like Nat & Nin, the bags are soft and pliable. I love me a buttery soft bag.  If you are in Paris, you can make a stop at Sophie Sacs on Rue du Rennes where Nat & Nin bags are sold at a discounted price, or you can visit the Nat & Nin boutique on Boulevard Beaumarchais.

Leather Longchamp bags.  All but one were purchased at deep discount.  The red one was a birthday gift from Bonaparte!

Left side:  Longchamp’s Le Pliage. This brown bag is so worn and so old but I can’t stop using it. I love the color and when we are away, it doubles as a beach bag.  Multitasker!  To the right is the Planetes tote also by Longchamp. This bag is filthy!  I love the orange and I use it mostly in the fall and spring.  I’ve lent this out to friends and co-workers because everyone just loves that color!

I haven’t used this travel bag yet, but I got it at CDG this past summer on sale. I can’t wait to use it. It’ll hold a house for cryin’ out loud!

Remember this deal I got?  The cream-colored Longchamp weekender at CDG for 43 euros?  I’ve gotten more than my money’s worth with use!

See how well my Repettos go with the Longchamp bag?  Now you have an idea of how brand loyal I am!

My nat & nin bags. Yes. I have three of the same kind in different colors. These bags are like butta.  And they are unstructured which is what I like!

One of our friends and readers, Lidia, was in Paris and sent me an email about Groom Paris bags.  I swooned.  I. Literally. Swooned.  There are some strong feelings stirring inside me because I know that if I get my hands on one of these bags, they will be a part of my Capsule Brands.  I had a dream about their website last night. Who does that???????  I do.

This. Bag.  I. Covet.  And I did not know this brand is sold in five stores in the USA. In Florida, San Francisco, DC, and Oregon. Oregon?????? 

So, I may be a few miles short of a capsule wardrobe, but these are my capsule brands.  And note—I am not sponsored by any of these brands.  There is no click and bait.  These are brands that I love and trust and I also buy EVERYTHING on sale!

Brand love.  J. Crew Factory blazer. J. Crew Tippi Sweater. Gap (not AG) jeans and Bass Weejuns.  There’s not much going out of my comfort zone here!

Old Navy Tee. J. Crew Scarf and Loft Jeans (This photo was taken before I discovered AG Jeans)!

J. Crew has sales all the time and so does Old Navy. You can usually get a good deal on some of the Longchamp leather bags during Nordstrom Anniversary Sale—but my favorite leather Longchamp bag was purchased at Nordstrom Rack. You gotta search!  In addition, I’ve gotten great deals on Longchamp travel bags at CDG airport in Paris.  Same with Repetto.

Rondini never goes on sale—but it’s fine because the price for the custom fit is everything—and Rondini’s staff is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and nice!

How’s your brand loyalty?  Do you have Capsule Brands?  Do tell!

I can’t stop thinking about the song “Brandy” since I’m writing about brands.  Remember this trinket of greatness?  Looking Glass and Brandy!

Posted in J. Crew, Longchamp, Nan & Nin, Old Navy, Repetto Ballet Flats, Rondini Sandals | Tagged , , | 27 Comments

Bonaparte’s Waterloo. And Great $12 Eyeshadow Palettes!

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Catherine

It’s Sunday and I ate too much last night.  Add to that and the fact that the summer heat is still lingering like a drunken guest who’s stayed too late at the party and you can guess how the weekend was shaping up.

Bonaparte is hurt.  It happened while playing Tennis.  He must’ve torn a tendon and will be visiting the doctor next week.  In the meantime, he is having a tough time walking.

Tennis was Bonaparte’s Waterloo this time around!  The worst thing about this is that I have to take the dog out.

However, his stubborn nature has not been wounded.

And our dishwasher is on the fritz.  And this just about kills me because it’s a KitchenAid and supposed to be one of the best dishwashers around.  Our home is 8 years old.  Dishwashers are supposed to last at least 10 years.   Let me tell you something.  I lived New Jersey for ten years. When we moved there from Manhattan, the home was a new build—and all the appliances were spanking new.

This. It better die soon so I can have a new one for the Holiday Season–or we’ll be eating on paper plates and using plastic utensils!  

The builder-grade GE dishwasher that came with the house never gave me an issue for the ten years I lived in that house.  With a household of 5 people, that meant a daily wash cycle.  I rest my case.

We do maybe two or three loads a week and this dishwasher is acting up.  My fear is that it’ll break on Christmas Eve—so we need to start looking now!

We took a drive to our nearest Home Depot.  Now understand; my loving French husband woke up in pain.  Me, being the hypochondriac that I am, offered begged him to let me drive him to the ER.  After all, for once, it wasn’t me who had been hurt!

He declined.  I offered to drive to Home Depot.  He also declined my very generous offer.

Did I ever mention to you that I am a fast walker? I walk very fast.  It stems from all those years of living in NYC and having to shove my way through crowds.  I’m also a very aggressive walker. If you enter my private walking space, I shove.

I would say that when I’m walking I’m a cross between this guy and…

a cross between the way Ringo is strutting. But faster!

So, we’re in the parking lot and Bonaparte grabs my hand for dear life. It wasn’t because of Bonaparte’s love for me. It wasn’t because he was going to fall and feared he wouldn’t be able to get up. It was because he was pulling the reins in on me. I needed to slow down. He started speaking in French so I knew he was serious. I think he mumbled something to the effect of

“Tu et fou” “Regardez—marche doucement”!  “You are crazy” “Walk Slowly”!!!

It also didn’t help that I started laughing at him while pointing to one of those huge garden carts and asked him if he wanted to sit on it so I could wheel him around.

Hey. I OFFERED to wheel Bonaparte around in one of these!  BTW, I did not take this photo. Credit goes to I Finished My Basement!

Upon entering the store things got worse. I saw a motorized cart and explained, while still laughing, that it would be fun if he sat on this model cart and took it at a fast speed while I ran after him.

Look!  Bonaparte could have made believe he was racing in the Grand Prix in Monaco!  He coulda been a contenda!!!!

He did not laugh.  Especially when I started to sing the Hoveround song!

I was obsessed with the Hoveround song since the first time I saw the commercial.  On another note, Michael LeLand, the Hoveround singer has sadly passed away. RIP Mr. LeLand. You have made me smile for many years.

We made our way to the dishwashers and there wasn’t much of a selection. I think the complete lineup was 10 various kinds.  Ranging in price from $300 up to $900.

I liked this dishwasher but we may be able to get a better price somewhere else..

Nice interior too!

The thing is—I knew Bonaparte was hurting when I suggested we continue our search elsewhere and he said he would rather just pick up the groceries we needed for our dinner and go back home.

And so, our search came to a halt. That’s ok though because I don’t like that he’s hurt.  He’s resting now and I have the bread baking in the oven.  I’ve sautéed the tomatoes and garlic in white wine and set them aside until later.  The chicken breasts were pounded ever-so-thinly for even cooking and our dinner was a nice one on the deck.

This is the good thing about our lingering summer—we are still enjoying our meals al fresco!

It’s crazy!  Tonight we’ll be returning to the deck for dinner. It’s 91 degrees today!!  

One of our go-to dishes.  Chicken breasts with Roma tomatoes and olives.  I dredge the chicken in a thin coating of rice flour and it seals the moisture in. Try it!  You’ll like it!

Remember the two palettes I bought Friday at Ulta?  The Lorac palettes for $12 each?

Ridiculously low priced Lorac palettes. But did they work for me?

Yesterday as I got ready, I decided to use the Venice Beach palette.  It’s glittery and sparkly but not in an over-the-top way.  I’m sure a talented makeup artist can make it over-the-top because the colors are very pigmented. And that’s a good thing!

The shadows are also nicely milled.  There is no fallout and the lift is good as well. More product on the brush means more product on the eyes!

Here’s what I did.

I brushed Boho Beauty over my lid and up to my brow bone.  The lift on the brush was fantastic and virtually no fallout!

I applied Chill Vibes to my upper lid and swept Freckles in the crease.  Then applied a bit of avaitors to line the bottom lid.

The result was extremely pretty.

The eyes have it!  A nice glow around the eyes. These are NOT matte but they are very shimmery and I do believe they work very well on mature eyes!

Today I used the Malibu palette and love the way the colors look.

I started off with Afternoon Rose on the lid to brow bone-see the product on the brush?  Booyah! Then I applied  Cliffside view on my upper lid and finished with Route 1 in the crease. I also lined my bottom lids with a light touch of Route 1 and I blended with the $2.99 Eco tools blending brush–a most excellent buy!

It’s funny because at first, I thought the Malibu palette was more on the warm toned side and the Venice Beach was cooler.  But now that I see both eyes completed, it’s the opposite!

Venice Beach Palette on top.  Malibu Palette on the bottom.  I think I like Malibu better but then again….. Either way, BOTH of these palettes are well-worth the $12 each!

Even though I don’t consider myself much of a nature girl, I prefer city life to suburban.  The greatest thing about living in the city was being able to walk everywhere.  And the walking never became boring. I lived to walk.

Malibu eyes, Kimmie wig by Freetress, and  a summer outfit at September’s end makes a great “hiking” ensemble–even if the hike is at the mall!

And so, today, I decided to go on a nature hike.  Through King of Prussia Mall.  It was a very intense workout.  I walked fast and furious.   I made a pit stop at Macy’s because a considerable number of this chain has closed stores and I wonder how long the one at KOP mall will be around.   In walking around, I realized why the stores have been closing.  There’s nothing “Wow” at the store.  However, while passing through the cosmetics area, I paused at the Origins counter.  I had a cosmetics flashback.  Some years ago, back in the early to mid-nineties, I was a fan of this organic brand.  Wouldn’t you know?  I found a creamy, peachy eyeshadow.  It’s pretty with a touch of shimmer. I’ll be trying it out tomorrow and I’ll let you know how it looks.

Can you believe it?  Who remembers Origin cosmetics?  Do you still use this brand?  I’m glad to have revisited!

I’m going to watch TV now.  It’s Sunday afternoon and I do believe this princess needs to recline on the sofa and veg out—vegging out is organic!!

All this peachy talk is reminding me of the Allman Brothers “Eat A Peach” album. Remember that one?  “I Ain’t Wasting Time No More”. I’m really not!

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