Look for my post on Monday for my tip 5 gift picks from C-Wonder.
“C.” is
for customer!
Before we even opened our doors, we knew “C.” would stand for customer. Everything we create is designed with our customer in mind, and we’re committed to an incredible service experience that leaves her smiling each time she walks through our doors, visits us online or speaks to one of our cheerful associates.” From their web site http://www.cwonder.com/aboutus
So C = Cute
Such cool people watching at Brooklyn Flea
Fashion, Food, Fun Finds at the Brooklyn Flea
On a recent visit to NYC I found myself on a Sunday at the Brooklyn Flea market (Williamsburg). Being from Chicago I was not really looking for anything inparticular so it made it easy for me to browse, chat up the vendors and enjoy the people watching.
Being a Boomer I love finding the retro, vintage, antique, and cool handmade goods. The view from Brooklyn to NYC is worth the ride over, as you stroll around the flea your also near the water at a wonderful park and it’s an easy ferry ride over for a change of pace. You will also want to try some of the food at the flea, but save room because in the area are many eclectic restaurants for after your visit to the market.
5 Tips for fun and get a good deal
You will get the vibe of the market. Walk it and discover the selections of the objects different vendors offer. Notice that many folks are selling a lot of the same novelty, trinkets, and whatnots. Many are homemade, unique, and items that you may have not seen before, but I bet you will see a few more similar articles as you walk the grounds.
Friendly vendors, interesting finds
Distinctive jewelry made from typewriter keys
This is good for two reasons #1. It will keep you inline and not easily swayed into an impulse purchase. #2. Many vendors will give you a better price if you pay cash, also some of the smaller artists don’t take anything but cash.
Brooklyn Flea Market – Williamsburg
If your just walking to have fun, discover new knickknacks, or just get a feel of the market you will have your best chance of getting a deal if you arrive late, even as a vendor is getting ready to pack up. Also you can pick up some ½ price food items, chat up the vendors or even offer to help them pack up
OK so you can’t go wrong either way. If you’re on the hunt for something you really want, then go early for the best selection. Also go counter clock wise or start near the back. This way you may get to the vendor first and have better luck. Also they may not want to haggle on the price early, but if they know why you want the item, and you touch their heart you may still get a good deal early.
Shoes you can add miles on are a good idea. Clothes you can strip down or layer up also will keep you comfy. If it rains stick around for great deals, and to meet some cool fun people.
You may also be inspired to unpack your old records and up cycle them like this one vendor did, as a boomer it was fun to see many of the items from our past being put to good use again. Finding old pink phones, old school typewriters, the clothing being give a new lease as a purse or wallet.
Take your time, explore the area around the market, bring a camera for the views of the NYC skyline, and feel like a true hipster for a while.
Old Vinyl given a new use
Last week, the nation’s most influential bloggers converged on the Water Tower Place for the Windy City Soiree #WCSOIREE. A celebration of fashion, food, friends and fun. Hosted by MJ Tam and Beth Rosen of ChicagonistaLIVE! and co-hosted by Boomfluent, RoleMommy.com, and Trumpeting Media. THIS was the place to be!
Check out our favorite pics below. To see more official #wcsoiree event photos, click here. You can also click from Pam Katz’s photos.
MJ Tam & Beth Rosen
Guests were welcomed by Raved, Wao Bao, and complimentary issue of Redbook, while they signed in and received their special fashion missions. These missions consisted of visiting stores around Water Tower Place and tweeting/instagraming the photos as well. At about 4 pm, the stage lights lit and the event was kicked-off with Broadway in Chicago‘s The Australian Bee Gees.
But the BIG portion was the fashion show! Bloggers from all around the country dressed in outfits that represented great Chicago landmarks or areas. Let’s take a gander, shall we?
The emcee for the evening was none other than the great Nancy Loo @NancyLoo of WGN News
Betsy Breuer and Kristing Cheuvront @lilstylefile ~ The Magnificent Mile
On Betsy:
Ensemble: @whbm | White House Black Market
Puzzle: @ChiaroArt | CHIAROoScURO
Makeup : @Sephora | Sephora
On Kristin:
Ensemble: @bebe_stores | bebe
Shoes: @Macys | Macy’s
Bag: @ChiaroArt | CHIAROoScURO
Makeup: @Sephora | Sephora
Beth Blecherman @techmama ~ Cloud Gate
Ensemble: @EILEENFISHER | Eileen Fisher
Sunglasses: @sunglasshut | Sunglass Hut
Makeup: @bareMinerals | Bare Minerals
Meredith Sinclair @MeredithPlays ~ Lake Michigan Lakefront
Ensemble: @freepeople | Free People
Sunglasses: @sunglasshut | Sunglass Hut
Boots and Accessories: @BOTASCUADRA | Cuadra
Makeup: @bareMinerals | Bare Minerals
Patrice Yursik @afrobella ~ The Art Institue of Chicago
Ensemble: @Macys | Macy’s
Jewelry: @shopfrancescas | Francesca’s Collections
Shoes: @akirachicago | Akira Footwear
Makeup: @Sephora | Sephora
Jessica Ashley @SassafrassJess ~ Wrigley Field
Ensemble: @TheLimited | The Limited
Jewelry: @shopfrancescas | Francesca’s Collection
Shoes: @akirachicago | Akira Footwear
Puzzle: @ChiaroArt | CHIARoScURO
Makeup: @bareminerals | Bare Minerals
Anupy Singla @IndianApplePie ~ Lincoln Park Conservatory
Ensemble: @JJill | J. Jill
Bag: @verabradley | Vera Bradley
Shoes: @macys | Macy’s
Makeup: @bareminerals | Bare Minerals
Danielle Smith @daniellesmithtv ~ Navy Pier
Ensemble: @akirachicago | Akira Women’s
Shoes: facebook.com/clarksusa | Clark’s
Bangles: @PANDORA_NA | Pandora
Makeup: @bareminerals | Bare Minerals
Joey Fortman @joeyfortman ~ Buckingham Fountain
Ensemble: @macys | Macy’s
Shoes: @macys | Macy’s
Jewelry: @PANDORA_NA | Pandora
Makeup: @Sephora | Sephora
Jim Higley @jimhigley ~ Willis Tower Sky Deck
Ensemble: @ExpressLife | Express
Shoes & Bag: @BOTASCUADRA | Cuadra
Sunglass: @sunglasshut | Sunglass Hut
Makeup: @sephora | Sephora
Andrea Metcalf @Andreametcalf ~ The Cultural Center
Ensemble: @adeledallasorr | Adele Dallas Orr
Jewelry: @adeledallasorr | Adele Dallas Orr
Shoes: @macys | Macy’s
And the hosts: Beth Feldman, MJ Tam, Beth Rosen, Esti Berkowitz, and Nancy Horn
#ChicagonistaLIVE is excited to be hosting a Welcome to the Windy City Soiree (#WCSoiree) at @WaterTowerPlace, Chicago’s upscale and premier shopping place on Tuesday July 23rd at 4pm CST.
The country’s most influential bloggers coming from coast to coast will be strutting down the runway wearing iconic Chicago landmark inspired wear from from stores Water Tower Place’s stores like Macy’s, Henri Bendel, Akira, Vera Bradley, and more from Water Tower Place’s stores! Nancy Loo of WGN News will be emceeing the fashion show and attendees will also get to enjoy Broadway in Chicago performance from The Australian Bee Gees.
The event is sponsored by CBS, Redbook, Raved, and Broadway In Chicago and hosted by MJ Tam & Beth Rosen of our very own #ChicagonistaLIVE show, Rolemommy, and Trumpeting Media.
#ChicagonistaLIVE will be live streaming the stage events and here are different ways to watch the show:
1. Chicagonista Facebook page – Click WATCH tab
2. http://www.ChicagonistaLIVE.com/
3. Ustream App [iPhone] [Android] ChanneL: Chicagonista_Live
Top tips for going to the farmers market. Boomers let’s go have some fun, meet some friends, find some fresh food, and enjoy the summer.
Going to the farmers market is a great way to save money, shop local and support the farmers, it’s great exercise, and you can see your neighbors. I share some simple and easy tips to get you out of the house and out to the market.
1. Bring your sunscreen
2. Grab your sunglasses
3. Bring Cash
4. Grab a bag canvas or nylon
5. Look cute, bring a hat.
It’s also good to go early but not so early that the farmers are still setting up, but enough so that most of the produce and food is on display and you can get the lay of the land. Who is carrying what items on that day, what look best. Feel free to ask the farmers lot’s of questions. If they grown this food they are excited to share information, recipes, stories, and more. Take the time to talk with them.
Have fun and let me know what you find at your local farmers market.
I am, Iam trying to be a mature women without using the ” Botox”..I said trying…
I’m a virgin – stop it – ok, a Botox virgin. Us, older ladies know that
you, younger women, are using Botox to prevent looking like mature older women and it just might work.
See, I grew up in a time when you would look at your canned food to
make sure there were no dents in the can. That was BAD – That Was Botulism.
Back in the day we wanted to make sure the food was in an airtight container. We didn’t buy home canned foods at the fair because of the scare of Botulism. Botulism was known to cause a very dangerous disease. We knew about it and stayed away.
Don’t eat what is in here – but inject it into your face
Then in 1989 a purified botulism toxin was declared a medicine. The
FDA licensed it for treatment in eye conditions. Since then it’s also
be used for many other medial treatments, and then cosmetic purposes.
So this Botulism now known as Botox is being injected into the faces of many. Young, old, men and women. Do they feel no fear as they try to turn back the hands of time?
The Botox is injected into the facial
muscles to cause a limited paralysis, the muscles relax and the
wrinkles release making the skin appear smooth.
I have been filling my cosmetic cabinets with anti wrinkle creams for
years, and many – in fact, all don’t work. THEY DONT WORK –
In fact, many also have harmful chemicals that I’m not sure what the long term danger is. It could even be worse then eating that the old canned food?
As a Boomer, I am not ready for Botox –My face is ready, more than ready.
Yes, I have the wrinkles of a mature women, I’m going to try a detox diet for a month a sort of internal cleansing. I hope this will not only help me on the inside, but show on the outside. If you truly want to bring back your youthful glow, tools like a face massager might be the game-changer for you.
I will document this – starts this week.
I might have to go back to the Bangs – a little while longer – then maybe look at my wrinkles again and decide…
Bangs not Botox
Boomers, we know what looks good on us. Let’s not let the fashion world tells us what we should be wearing. Step away from the summer sales, you know that are trying to move the fashions that have not moved the masses to purchase them. Below are three fashion don’ts – so please don’t.
Heck yes it’s summer, but let’s please do not wear those half hem dresses. You know the one, it’s a dress or skirt – is it business in the back and party in the front?. It’s a fashion no no – in both front and back.
Let’s say yes to single shoulder frocks. They frame your neck and shoulders in a great flattering way. I have found them to make my neck appear longer, and my arms slimmer.
Can we be truthful and please let’s take a pass on the Peplum skirts. What do they hide? I have only found them to accentuate some other areas, that we don’t want to bring attention to. If you want to try on that trend, maybe pick a solid color and dress it up with a simple shirt.
I’m a fan of the color block dresses. Many flatter in the areas that well we would like to flatter, and that make areas appear flatter. You can find the dresses with all different kinds of patterns.
Another look that we should look away from, even if on sale. Can we just say no the overalls – they didn’t look good then and they don’t look any better now. If you do decided to try them out, please keep both straps buckled, and no floral.
Layers are great, you can pull off many different looks have something to keep you cool a layer on top to cover what you might want to camouflage or hide. Feel free to place patterns over solids or patterns over patterns.
Girls – one more thing – let’s double check our bra’s and panties. I have been liking the thongs this summer, because I don’t feel the crease at the top of my tush or around my hips.
What did you buy this summer that has been a fashion no no for your body?
I once read a question “Would you rather have wrinkles or cellulite” Of course neither – I don’t know about you, but I have my fair share of both.
Now that I am over 50 and live in a area where most of the other women all look outstanding, (How do they do that?), could be all be regularly getting some anti aging work done? I think they are. Hey and that’s great for them.
As I continue to wait till I can afford to try the botox, filler, and face rejuvenation (something please soon). I will continue to go the “Over the Counter” counter attack.
Have you tired this attack? What has worked for you?
I have tried to keep up with a good skin routine, but I’m pretty much a soap and water type of gal. A touch of moisturiser and call it a day. Yes I have slept with my make up on more times than I have washed it off.
Oh and I buy it from Walgreens, Walmart, Kohl’s the grocery store, I have also been a believer that cream is cream and spending a ton of money could turn out to be a slippery slide.
Seeing more photos of my face on that, Facebook and lines in that face space, I decided to pull out some big guns and try the Chanel new anti aging cream. It smells great and came in a very fancy container.
Dear Skin Fairy, I will take care of my skin for 30 days, I mean wash off my makeup at night moisture both day and evening, and follow a good routine. I’m also going to drink 5 glasses of water, and try to sleep 6 hours a night in a row. Will you give me better skin in a month? Doctors suggest you to take care of yourself and be aware of pancreatic cancer symptoms.
What do we all think out there in slowing aging land?
Booming Beauty – I saw the Go-Go’s and B-52s perform live on stage this week in Highland Park, Illinois at Ravinia Festival. If you’re a gal of a certain age you too grew up with these bands and with many of these tunes as a backdrop to your memories, the good, bad, and ugly….
The B-52s have been a lively party band for thirty five years, songs like “Rome” “Love Shack” “Rock Lobster” try to read those titles without singing a bit of each of them in your head…and how proud Go Girl Power The Go-Go’s around since 1978 – “Our Lips Are Sealed” “Vacation” just yummy songs.
Why was this concert even more wonderful this time around? Well let’s just say a few reasons first we are all still here, also many of the songs did bring back some old forgotten memories, and it was nice to see that the members of both groups are all aging appropriately, along with ta certain segment of their audience. The audience was filled with multiple generation families, and mixed relationship families so nice to feel that vibe too
I was lucky to see them also perform back in the day, you remember that “Day” yes when we could drink and eat and not have to worry. We could go to a concert stand in line and continue to stand the whole concert and never once think about where a restroom was.
The styles for the most part were decent. Belinda Carlisle looked amazing in a long black lace shirt; sexy but covered the right spots. Still looking rock and roll with long black tights and a long skirt over that, and if you want to find girls like this, you should check the pussy pics app to find great girls.
Jane Wiedlin wearing the same smart look that always set her apart and staying true to her style. Gina Schock who is a kick ass drummer took the stage and even came out from behind the set for a song and some shtick. Charlotte Caffey still has the beat…these boomernistas could show the 20 something’s – something about sticking with it. I felt the gals in the band stayed true to their styles each one looking pulled together with a touch of rock and roll. With real class and ageless beauty
The B52s took the stage in their usual form of funky fifties looks, how could you not love Fred Schneider – all camp and fun, Kate Pierson in a super amazing and tight red dress that was perfectly matched hair fun, funky and looked great. Cindy Wilson more biker looking in black pants, black top and shirt. Belted at the waist showing her well-kept figure. She wore something so smart and I have never seen it before it was a Black Leather Jacket but only the front panels were leather it had sheer sleeves and back. So smart for a hot summer tour. What about Mr. Fred cool with dark jeans – dancing gym looking shoes and a shirt was from a local restaurant here in Chicago know for it’s sassy southern cooking – hum – yes
So rock on you boomers, yes the Go-Go’s sounded great, had amazing energy and brought me back to that happy girl space – B52s with all the camp we remember. Oh but back in the day, I never took the time to listen to the words and kinda glad that I didn’t – very strange lyrics – but nonetheless an outstanding show.
