LUSH Shampoo And Conditioner Bars

Sunday, April 22nd is Earth Day, a time to celebrate and show respect for our environment. One way we can take better care of our planet is to reduce our consumption of plastic. Much on it ends up in landfills.

LUSH, the retailer of "fresh homemade beauty" products, makes scent-sensational, herbal blends of solid shampoo bars and conditioner bars that are also environmentally friendly. The botanical  shampoos and conditioners come in the form of solid pucks. They remove the need for storing product in plastic bottles.

Compact and lathering up well, one small bar lasts for 3 - 4 months, or about 80 hair washings. Costing $10 - $12 per bar, it is the equivalent of a few 8 ounce bottles of liquid shampoo, so you might even save a few bucks. Another advantage, they are easy to take on trips.

Lush offers a variety of different formula's of shampoo and conditioner bars to add shine, volume, calm an itchy scalp, stimulate new hair growth, or just clean and smell amazing. You choose your treatment according to hair type and decide if you want to buy the silver tins for an additional $3.95 to house your shampoo and conditioner bars. At times the tins are given away with the purchase of the soaps. Look for it to happen on Earth Day!

Watch how a LUSH shampoo bar is made.

Jason And The Argon Oil Shampoo Bar and Jungle Hair Conditioner Bar

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The World's Healthiest Cuisines

Photo of Lebanese cuisin: Wall Street Journal

According to Natural Awakenings, a publication I picked up at my local health food store, 5 countries can tell us plenty about good healthy eating. I will sum up the article for you. The nationalities are:

1) Traditional Japanese - 🍴

Their philosophy: Food is medicine (or "Ishoku-dogen").

Practice: Eat simple; foods in season; in small portions. Stop eating when your stomach feels 80% full.

Things to eat/drink: Green tea, fermented soy; and mushrooms (shiitake and maitake); dried seaweed; sushi and rice.

2) South Indian - 🍴

Their philosophy: Plants are our friends.

Practice: Eat small highly flavored, colorful, plant-based food; dry fry or toast whole spices then add them to a dish. (Spices boost health and flavor).

Things to eat/drink: Rice; vegetable/legume curry; split peas with potatoes and turmeric; coconut; dried chilis and spices.

3) Fresh Italian - 🍴

Their philosophy: From garden to table is best.

Practice: Grow your own food; serve it simple with extra virgin olive oil. (EVO fights Alzheimer's.)

Things to eat/drink: Fresh seasonal vegetables; basil; fresh tomato sauce; red pepper flakes, pasta and vegetables drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

4) Lebanese - 🍴

Their philosophy: Like the Japanese, food is medicine.

Practice: "Maza," which means many shared dishes of great variety; mainly plant-based.

Things to eat/drink: Cabbage, summer squash, or grape leaves stuffed with vegetarian fillings, cooked in garlic or tomato broth. Lentil and rice; Bulgar pilaf with caramelized onions; cherries and walnut salad. Lemon, sumac and pomegranate molasses; pickled vegetables.

5) Vietnamese - 🍴

Their philosophy: Borrowed from the French: Eat less and eat together.

Practice: Steam or slow simmer food. Serve fresh salad greens with cooked food.

Things to eat/drink: Fresh herbs; leafy greens; raw green papaya (called "paw paw"); seafood; rice and condiments. (Raw and green papaya contains high levels of vitamins and minerals, which promotes healing and good digestion.)

🍏🌶🍴🍅
The proof is in the 5 international cuisines, healthy can be mouthwatering delicious!


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Would You Buy A CouchBed?

Let's say you live in a small apartment in a big city. Space is always a premium. Would you buy a multi-purpose couch/bed? Not all are equal or comfortable. And ... do you pay big bucks or less for reasonably good quality?

Usually, I side with paying more for better quality, but nowadays there are couches and beds (of decent quality) on the market which might only last for 10+ years, but also cost less, so it's a fair trade off. You pay one-third less, but can replace the piece 3 times as often.

In my own home I embrace minimalism, but still desire quality, comfort, function and good design. I love this CouchBed as a living room couch in a small apartment. As a living room couch, it could accommodate an overnight guest or go into a kid's room in homes with several bedrooms. It is constructed to be used as a primary couch/bed as there's back support to lounge, sit or sleep on it daily and nightly.

Comes in several neutral colors and could be placed on a platform if desired. There are two sizes: twin and queen. Cost: $299 - $399.

I like it! Is it adult enough? What do you think?



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Easter Wishes From THE SAVVY SHOPPER

Here's hoping you enjoy time with family and friends over a festive meal. Hours of catching up. Much laughter. A little reflection. Some sweets. And, a bit of rest and relaxation. 

On the holiest day of the Christan calender, thankfully, it remains a low-key holiday. No gifts to exchange and no commercialization. A quiet, yet meaningful holiday of eternal hope.

  

Easter celebrates perseverance over adversity, which is something all human beings have in common. Whether or not your faith celebrates Easter Sunday, let's all plan to enjoy the day ... and eat a piece of chocolate in solidarity! Happy spring, a joyous Passover to readers who celebrate and ...

Happy Easter Everyone!🌷

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German Empress Victoria: A Book Review And More

After marriage at age 17, Queen Victoria insisted her daughter maintain her Englishness, which made her an easy target for her adversaries in Germany. Since Bismarck could not criticize the Crown Prince directly, he planted unflattering and untrue newspaper stories about his "English" wife. As 2nd in line of a conservative dynasty, Fritz was powerless to dismiss Bismarck, who feared the progressive Crown Prince's ascendancy.

As some of you know, I'm reading bios on the children of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Recently I finished one on her eldest child: Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa, who was born on November 21, 1840, 9 months after her parents' wedding. Soon styled "The Princess Royal," historians consider Vicky the brightest and most precocious of Queen Victoria's 9 children. Starting as a toddler, she received many of her school lessons from her brilliant father, Prince Albert, who also doted on her. The child spoke fluent French at 18 months of age.

Vicky fell in love with the husband her parents selected for her, the liberal, university-educated Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia, and it was hoped their union would bring a liberal, democratic Germany and England close together.

Victoria with Wilhelm (II) and Charlotte

The bio, Uncommon Woman, is thoroughly researched. Its author, Hannah Pakula, knows the era's, as well as, the Prussian Court's complicated history and intrigues; and she uses primary sources, as opposed to, relying on what others have said, to write it, which is a strength. Since Prussia's ultra-conservative politician, Bismarck, methodically plotted to rob Vicky and her liberal-minded husband, Fritz of their rightful places in history (and his Realpolitik diplomacy made the world ripe for WWI) I understand why the author needs to include the German Chancellor as part of the storytelling, but sometimes Crown Princess Victoria gets lost in the book because of it.

Vicky is holding Sigismund.

Relationships you the reader, want to know more about in a Vicky bio get abridged: Prince Albert's love for his eldest daughter; her happy marriage to Fritz; her sometimes challenging relationships with her 3 oldest children: Wilhelm (1859), Charlotte (1860) and Henry (1862); her easier relationships with her 3 youngest daughters: Victoria (1866), Sophia (1870) and Margaret (1872); and the devastating deaths of her two youngest sons {and middle children}: Sigismund (1864) and Waldemar (1868), are all reported, yet are surprisingly not that intimate, lacking the details. Sometimes Vicky's more personal affairs are mentioned in a paragraph, while entire chapters on Bismarck and the diplomacy of foreign countries (France, Russia, and England) go on for several chapters in full detail. 

Victoria, an excellent rider, here with Wilhelm, 1861

Also, I know from other books, Crown Princess Victoria saw her siblings over the years, but the visits and sibling relationships are barely mentioned in this book. And too, her remarkable intelligence, talents, kindness, and perseverance are touched upon, but again leave a reader wanting.

Still Uncommon Woman is a must-read because it's probably the best, most comprehensive, and scholarly book on Empress Victoria to-date.

6 of Fritz and Vicky's 8 children: Waldemar, Sophie, Charlotte, Victoria, Wilhelm and Henry. Margarite was still to be born. Sigi, who died as a toddler, is also missing.

Sadly, after 30 years as heir, Frederick III came to the German throne terminally ill, dying of throat cancer (in 1888) after ruling for only 99 days. Bless him, he devoted himself to signing as many bills as he could prudently push through in his 3 months as Emperor, yet the dream of a democratic Germany was not to be. What might have been had his wait been shorter and his reign longer?

Wilhelm with Vicky (1859) and Queen Victoria (1864)

As a Dowager Empress, Vicky had little influence, and her relationship with her more autocratic and conservative son, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was polite, yet strained and guarded, thanks again in part to Bismarck (along with Bismarck's diabolical son, Herbert) who worked for years to turn young Wilhelm's loyalty away from his parents. Kaiser Wilhelm II both loved and resented his mother. Although certainly not the villain and warmonger that history makes him out to be, according to this book, at times he was a thoughtless son.

Sophia, Victoria, Wilhelm II, Empress Victoria, Charolette, Henry and Margarite

Empress Victoria retreated to Kornberg in Taunus and built a castle, called Friedrichshof, after her beloved husband. There she lived with her 3 youngest daughters (shortly thereafter arranging their marriages), staying in close contact with liberal thinkers and devoting herself to painting.

I wrestle with whether or not to call Emperor and Empress Frederick III a tragic couple. They didn't get to rule long enough to fulfill Prince Albert's great hope of establishing a politically progressive and constitutional Germany, which was, indeed, tragic and with consequences. But since they had a happy marriage and lived an interesting, enlightened life as Crown Prince and Crown Princess, I stop short of it.

Fritz is not given the credit he deserves for turning the Germanies into one unified Germany (due to Bismarck's evil manipulation of the press). Nonetheless, husband and wife were soul mates; both intellectuals and accomplished; and they lived with a sense of great purpose. 

[Christina Croft, the author of several books on Queen Victoria's family, thinks Victoria, the Princess Royal, would have made a great British Queen, and I agree. A pity the era did not give Queen Victoria's most gifted and firstborn child the chance.]

Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1887: In the carriage are Queen Victoria with her daughter Crown Princess Victoria of Prussia. Sitting opposite are Princess Beatrice and Prince Alfred.

Twelve years after her husband, German Empress Victoria died at age 60 on August 5, 1901, of breast cancer. For history, she left behind a lifetime of insightful correspondence with her mother, Queen Victoria. (Her brother, Edward VII on a visit to his dying sister, arranged via his private secretary to smuggle her letters out of Germany into England. The royal family was afraid the new Kaiser Wilhelm II might destroy them.)  

In the 20th and 21st centuries, Empress Victoria's descendants became kings and queens of Spain, Greece, Romania, Yugoslavia and of course, Germany.

At age 14, Victoria, the Princess Royal designed and hand-painted this fan for her mother, Queen Victoria's birthday.  Click the image to see the amazing details.

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Charlotte Tilbury Makeup: One Woman, Ten Looks

1) The Ingenue

Charlotte Tilbury is a makeup brand on the same level as Chanel. The colors and textures are beautiful. Since the retailer is English in origin (not French), it's a few bucks cheaper then Chanel, but still a luxury brand and a splurge for the shopper on a budget. The Limited Edition Face Palettes are a smart entry into the Charlotte Tilbury line. Although not cheap at $75, the palettes are ample-sized, the hues are ultra flattering, and it contains a variety of face products to create a complete look.

The company website is a wealth of helpful information and great fun to explore. In addition to discovering and shopping for new looks and listening to catchy music, you can watch how-to videos featuring professional makeup artists who show you the steps in creating the different looks. Click each image below to enlarge:

2) The Golden Goddess                                       3) The Uptown Girl

4) The Sophisticate                                            5) The Dulce Vita

6) The Bombshell                                                     7) The Vintage Vamp

 

8) Glamour Muse                                                 9) The Rebel

10) The Rock Chick

Which looks are you willing to try? And which ones do you think you could pull off? 

Perhaps because of my pale complexion and fondness for light lip colors, I really like the Rock Chick, the Uptown Girl and the Sophisticate. If stepping out of my comfort zone, I could try the Vintage Vamp look -- love the sultry eyes and red burgundy lips of that one! Now you ...

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Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Photo: Colorbox

Popcorn is a whole grain, low calorie snack. At 30 calories a cup, it is high in fiber. I have owned 3 hot air popcorn poppers. When one burned out I bought another. But as it turns out, you don't need a hot air popper, or a special microwave bowl to make homemade unbuttered popcorn. All it takes is dry popcorn kernels, a microwave and a brown paper lunch bag. Who knew?

I always knew not to buy the commercial microwave popcorn at the supermarket. It contains too much fat, and too many chemicals. Plus it's expensive! That's why I used a hot air popper. But lately, I tried a brown paper lunch bag, and it works too!

Two pounds of unpopped popcorn is $2.49, and 50 brown paper lunch bags sell for $2.99 at the drugstore. If you keep the bag clean, it can be used more than once.

Directions: 

1) Fill the paper bag with 1/4 cup of unpopped kernels. 

2) Fold the opening of the bag over to close it.

3) Microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes. Stay close by to remove the popcorn after it stops popping. When you no longer hear popping, remove quickly so the popcorn doesn't burn.

I love eating the hot popcorn directly out of the bag. But feel free to toss it into a bowl and add melted butter, salt, garlic or cheese if you wish. Easy-peasy, single serving! Cheap too.


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Creole Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

Photo: Southern Living

My father loved bread pudding, but we never made it at home. When my mother made a big weekend breakfast, it was always savory: crispy bacon, eggs, biscuits, orange juice and coffee. If you desire something sweet, you put strawberry preserves on your hot biscuit. My dad ordered bread pudding when we ate out at a restaurant, usually as a dessert after dinner.

Today I'm jazzing up my father's favorite, bread pudding, with pecans. I often add nuts to my pastries, too, to balance the sugar. Here is the recipe:

Creole Bread Pudding

Photo: Simply

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 slices of whole-grain bread
1/2 cup broken pecans (or walnuts)
1/2 cup raisins

Optional: 1 cup whipping cream (I omit it because I don't think to buy it, but then add 1 extra cup of milk as we like pudding.)

Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl whisk together the milk and eggs. Add whipping cream if you use it.

2) Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.

3) Tear the bread into large bite-size pieces and toss into a lightly buttered square 9'' by 13" baking pan.

4) Toss in most of the raisins and about half of the nuts.

5) Next pour in the custard egg and milk mixture and let it soak into the bread - 15 minutes or so.

6) Top with the rest of the raisins and nuts.

7) Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the top is a bubbling golden brown (The bread absorbs the pudding, but the dish shouldn't be dry.) Cool for 10-15 minutes.

Next make the sauce as the bread pudding is baking in the oven. I'll give you 2 possible sauces. Choose one:

Creole Bourbon Sauce 

Ingredients:

Photo: Greyfriars Bobby Bar

1/2 cup butter
1 egg 
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons good Kentucky bourbon

Note: Frankly, I omit the egg, butter, and bourbon, instead I make plain ole Brown Sugar Syrup. Using a 1:1 ratio: One cup of brown sugar to one cup of water. Whisk in a pot over heat until the brown sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat after it begins to boil. Let it cool and store it in a glass bottle with a lid. But 1st pour it over the bread pudding. Extra brown sugar sauce keeps forever in the refrigerator and can be used on pancakes and French toast. I love brown sugar syrup as much as maple syrup and so always keep a batch in the refrigerator (in an empty maple syrup bottle). 

Use the fancy Creole (with egg) Sauce within a week:

Directions:

1) In a large saucepan, melt the butter and let cool for 10 minutes.
2) In a cup mix the egg into the water. Whisk into the cooled melted butter.
3) Turn the heat back on and stir in the sugar. whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves. 
4) When the mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat and stir in the Kentucky bourbon. Let the sauce cool.
5) Serve the bourbon sauce over warm bread pudding ... a little or a lot according to taste.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Good warm or cold!


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