Let's Have A Pillow Talk

How often do you wash your pillows? I checked several sources, and they differ. Some experts say every six months using laundry detergent, bleach and borax, while others cite once a year in cold, warm or hot water and mild detergent. Pillows aren't cheap, so homemakers have two issues: cleaning versus perserving pillows.

What people worry most about is getting rid of dust mites, microscopic creatures that feed on dead human skin and live in your house and in bedding, including your pillows. Dust mites leave droppings causing some people to have asthma and allergies. (Wow, everything poops!) Over time 2% of the weight of a pillow can be dust mites.

Are you alarmed!?! Don't be: The majority of us will be just fine by washing our bed sheets once a week, and our pillows once a year; however only hot water kills dust mites. (AMAZING, if you or I got thrown into a washer filled with water, detergent and spun around for 30 minutes, we'd die, but not those pooping dust mites!) A New York Times' article explains who should be concerned about dust mites and who shouldn't. Bottom line: If you do laundry regularly, no need to worry. You will still have some dust mites, but they won't hurt you.

People are very particular about the type of pillow they like sleeping on. It comes down to different stokes for different folks. For tips on selecting a better pillow click here.

My pillows are 75% white goose down with 25% goose feathers. The down gives a pillow plushness and softness; the feathers structure and fullness. I can sleep on synthetic filled pillows as a guest in someone else's home, but I love my natural fills. They are firm, but soft and supportive.

All the pillows in my home are encased in pillow protectors to guard against dust mites, feather allergies ... and bed bugs. All New Yorkers (including transplanted New Yorkers) are petrified of bed bugs. The local news makes us very paranoid! Don't even get me started: I can't tell you how many times I've nearly freaked over discovering a black speck, which turned out to be a dark piece of lint. (That's normal, right?) I highly recommend pillow protectors to extend the life of your pillows, and why not get the most protection for the buck? (If you think I'm bad, try attending a party in a New York City luxury building. Rich folks don't let guests bring their coats inside their apartments. Coats are hung on a coat rack in the hallway ... far, far away from the host's closets, or bed.)

On Friday I decided to wash my pillows. I used a front load washing machine, hot water, a mild eco-friendly detergent and tumble dried them on hot for 30 minutes. Some people like to throw a few tennis balls into a dryer to fluff  them up. (I didn't.) As of Monday morning, my pillows are still slightly damp.

So be sure to have alternate pillows to sleep on. After a wash, you want your pillows completely dry before putting them back into their encasement to prevent mold.

And as for the saying "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite" ... please!  I perfer, "Sweet dreams."



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Losing Weight: I Want To Zip Up My Jeans

Photo: Scott Snyde

I am trying to lose 15 pounds. Why? I can't fit into my jeans. It is HARRRD and excruciatingly slow going, but I am ever so slowwwly losing about a pound a week.

Here is how I'm doing it.

Breakfast:
Eat a protein (like a Nature Valley chewy protein bar) and a 16 oz cup of coffee with milk. 

Lunch:

Photo: Dreamtime

Eat a low-cal, high-protein smoothie: Consists of a scoop of Whey protein powder (either chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry), one cup skim milk, and 4 ice cubes. Mix the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Once you acquire a taste, it's rich and creamy like a milkshake. At 68 grams of protein, it keeps you going until dinner. (Select a brand without heavy medals.) Sometimes I throw frozen spinach, blueberries or strawberries into the smoothie for variety.

Dinner:
Eat low-fat, regular food, a balanced meal: a protein, starch and two vegetables, plus drink milk. I might also have fruit and/or a side salad with vinaigrette dressing.

Snacks: 
I had to eliminate snacks, except for one: Eat a small late night snack - either flavored soy chips, a serving of nuts or thin slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese on saltine crackers. I could eat the whole freaking block of cheese, but don't let myself!

Free food/beverages: Diet Arizona Tea and/or afternoon coffee or tea with milk: I get tired of just water, but drink plenty of it because often we mistake thirst for hunger. If you eat enough protein, you should last from one meal to the next. I might eat stalks of celery for crunch, or a few strawberries or blueberries in between meals if I buy them.

Just a few years ago, the weight would have dropped off quickly on such a diet. Not anymore.

And of course, if I attend a party and eat a piece of cake, or drink a single glass of wine ... sometimes you have to be a good sport, I can gain two pounds in an evening that took a week to take off. That's why I say I am losing a pound a week. One pound less a week is what is sticking. Arghhh, it shouldn't be so ridiculously HARRRD!

From my experience of losing seven pounds, so far, I find:

1. You lose weight if you burn more calories than you consume in a day. Period. It doesn't matter when you eat most of your calories, morning, noon or night, or if you eat or skip breakfast. What matters is calories in, calories out. 
2. To lose, figure out when you get hungry and plan your meals accordingly. I don't do well eating breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. There's no evidence it matters. So figure out what works for you. I like to eat breakfast like a pauper, lunch like a prince and dinner like a king, and I can't seem to give up my nightly (after 9 pm) snack. For some reason, food tastes AMAZING late at night! So I must work with my appetite, and so do you. (For me, 3 bigger meals and a snack works. Six small meals a day would not. Once I take a bite of food, I turn into a gobbling Pac-Man!)

Photo: Today Gourmet Foods

3. Let yourself get hungry, but not too hungry. Eat when you are hungry (not bored, stressed or gluttonous), and eat nutritious foods (mix it up: protein, whole grains and a variety of vegetables - colors and textures) so you feel satisfied. 

When all is said and done, you need the resolve to drop the pounds. Kate Moss got a lot of flack for saying it, but she is absolutely right. You must have her mindset: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." I don't believe she meant that people should starve, or be bone thin. That is sick, not attractive. She meant, it takes discipline to maintain a desired weight, and it does. People who claim otherwise are lying.

There is no one standard of beauty. Whether you have been slender or large your whole life, we are all the same. Dropping a pound is challenging for everybody regardless of size. It is HARRRD!

This post is part of a conversation Patricia and I had on her blog, The Red Cardinal. Later she plans to write about her recent weight loss, and I look forward to hearing about her success.

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My Impromptu Red Wine Sangria

Photo: A Kozy Kitchen

I've been trying to solve a problem for two days. In the scheme of life, it's not much of a problem. L.A's Second Glass Wine Riot gave me three full bottles of opened Spanish red wine after an event they hosted here in Manhattan on Saturday, in which I participated. Very thoughtful ... bless 'em! The problem ... even with the help of other people, I can't drink 3 bottles of already opened wine before they go bad ... and get much of anything else done.

So to impede the time of expiration, I turned them into a quick, delicious sangria. I'm making one batch at a time, and each batch should last a few days. Drinking sangria was not in the plan, but damn ... is it good, and so simple to make. I used nooo sugar. Here is my recipe:

My Impromptu Red Wine Sangria

Indredients:
one bottle good, red wine
1 lemon
4 ounces premium orange juice
Part of a 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks, with pinapple juice
Dash of organic Stevia extract

Directions:
1. Pour the bottle of red wine into a glass pitcher
2. Roll the lemon on a cutting board, cut, squeeze the juice into the jug, then cut the lemon into sections and throw it into the jug.
3. Add the premium orange juice. If you have an orange, cut it into sections and throw it into the pitcher too. I didn't have one. (What? Am I a supermarket?)
4. Pour the pineapple juice from the can into the pitcher, and throw in several chunks of pineapple.
5. Sprinkle a tiny bit of Stevia into the mixture to sweeten.

Feel free to use whatever you have on hand. If you have a peach, strawberries or an apple, cut them up and add. If you don't have Stevia, use a little bit of sugar, or agave sweetner, or what you like. Making sangria isn't rocket science ... but, it is refreshing and a treat!

Chill with ice. Here are the jugs I am using to store what remains in the refrigerator.

Serve a glass of sangria with dinner, or crackers, cheeses and avocado dip. Cheers!

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3.1 Phillip Lim For Target

Phillip Lim is the latestest fashion designer to collaborate with Target® to bring out a full line of affordable menswear, womenswear and accessories. The items range from $19.99 (for a man's pocket tee) to $299.99 (for a man's leather jacket - wait for it to go on sale), and the goods are available at Target stores and online now for a limited time (meaning they will sell out fast!).

Lim says he strives to put "street elegance" into his clothing. I call his style casual smart since he is known for crossing dressy with casual in his collections. Most of his clothing can go from the office to a night out on the town. His collections are always practical, comfortable and chic, without the fuss.

It's worth a browse to spot a few trendy, budget friendly articles. Mixing and matching cheap and expensive pieces is how you can create your own style. I often do it, and end up getting compliments on my inexpensive pieces, which is fun. 

Many times the quality of the merchandise is surprisingly good. I picked up a Liberty of London For Target® cotton dress (lined and embroodered for $24 bucks), which still looks new after 3 years of wear. So don't be afraid to mix it up.

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A Dream Pumpkin Cake

Photo: tomsfarm.com

Autumn begins on Sunday. Temperatures are dropping making it the perfect time to turn on the oven. A recipe that's traveling around the internet [see The Novice Chef] sounds delicious. As usual, I tweaked the ingredients to make the cake slightly healthier, but don't fool yourself! It's still a gooey, buttery dessert, not an all-you-can-eat leafy green vegetable. However, if you eat healthy most of the time, you can have a slice of cake, unless of course your doctor says otherwise.

Dream Pumpkin Cake

For the cake -

Ingredients: 
3 cups flour (I use half all purpose and half whole wheat.)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar (I reduce it from 2 cups, eek!)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
A dash of cinnamon
1 15 oz can pumpkin
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup buttermilk (Add another ¼ cup, or so, if needed to get a not too dry or runny consistency. Eyeball it.)

Directions:

Photo: The Novice Chef

1. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, one at a time and blend with an electric mixer until creamy.

3. Divide the batter evenly by pouring into 2 greased cake pans.

4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until done in the center.

5. Let cool for about 5 - 10 minutes in the freezer and remove from the pans. Don't let the cakes continue to bake in the hot pans. You want to keep them moist.

For the frosting -

Ingredients: 

12 oz (1 ½ packages) cream cheese, softened 
½ cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablesoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
6 cups powdered sugar 

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the butter and cream cheese until creamy.

2. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. 

3. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth. 

4. Frost the top, middle and sides of the cake.

5. Professional bakers will put the cake into the refrigerator to let the frosting set, then remove it to frost it again. So a second frosting is totally up to you.

Serve with coffee, tea or milk. 

You get some protein, fiber, vitamins A, B, E, D and calcium in this pumpkin cake, but probably not enough to offset the sugar, nor count as a healthy food. So it's a ring-in-the-fall special treat. Enjoy!

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Feast Your Eyes On Cobalt Blue

This year's New York Fashion Week featured lots of cobalt blue on the runways, one of my all time favorite colors. The deep and stable blue pigment is often used to make beautiful porcelain, jewlry and transparent glass, as well as, the most stunning ball gowns, or eye-popping everyday dresses, blazers and shoes.

It is described as this fall's hot new hue, but there's nothing trendy about it. Historically a popular color, it is soothing and grounding. Simply stated, cobalt blue is gorgeous and will never, ever go out of style. Personally, I find it somewhat intoxicating and could wear it every hour of everyday! 

So just for you, my awesome readers ... THE SAVVY SHOPPER's roundup of the many possibilities:

Awww, feast your eyes on even more cobalt blue with ... a runway sampling --

... everyday à la mode

... elegant home decor. (Click here and scroll down. It began life as a sherry bottle.)

... a dose of loveliness, Nine West's Ponte Bodice Dress

... MINE! I called it. What are you having? :)

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The National Academy Museum And School

Photo: Artnet News

Perhaps one of Museum Mile's best kept secrets is The National Academy Museum and School. Located a block away from The Guggenheim on Fifth Avenue (at 5 East 89th Street), it occupies a mansion that was once the home of scuptor Anna and scholar Archer Huntington.

Founded in 1825, the National Academy is an organizaton, a school and a museum. It is a professional organization whose highly esteemed members included Frank Lloyd Wright and Winslow Homer and living members, Frank Stella and Jasper Johns. (The National Academy is the oldest artists' organization in the United States. Members are elected by their peers.) The school offers "studio instruction, master classes, critiques, workshops, lectures" and scholorships; and the museum has an acquisition of over 7,000 "works of American art from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries."

The building, itself, is a beautiful piece of architecture with fireplaces, marble floors and a spiral stairwell. Visitors can get a real sense of Edith Wharton's turn of the century New York. The mansion is fully renovated and intimate, with a charming interplay of old and new throughout.

Photo: NY Press

The National Academy is a place where the past meets the present. There are frequent special exhibits, where American art is examined and appreciated.  The museum focuses on the variety and vitality in American art. There is a blend of fine art from 19th century landscape painters to more modern and comtemporary abstract painters.

The National Academy strives to be a lively community of artists, architects, teachers, students ... and the public. So the next time you come to New York City, stroll up to the Upper East Side to check out their exhibits and permanent collection. You'll be glad you did!

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New Fall Trends

Photo: People Style Watch

By the time Labor Day arrives, you know summer is fading and fall is only a few weeks away. Here are five looks to take you from late summer into autumn:

1. Burgundy lips - It's also a universal color that flatters everyone, regardless of hair color or skin tone.

2. Skinny jeans and legging paints - Too comfortable and polished to ever go out of style.

Photo: nastygirl.com

3. Spiked shoes - They are edgy. Spikes add a "wow" factor to flats, boots and heels. After the summer passes, we'll have to get our socks out again.

4. Utility jackets - It's a great investment that can be layered as seasons change -- when a chilly wind is replaced by a drop in temperatures. Select a waterproof one that can be rolled up to fit into a suitcase.

5. Wrap chain bracelets - A little bling adds pizzazz to any outfit.

Rebecca's turtle - She has two, Morticia and Gomez.

This last picture was taken by Rebecca Keegan, someone I worked with in New York, who now lives in Los Angeles. What she wrote, sums up my attitude perfectly, " Summer is over when we say it's over." Alas ... the attitude is much easiler to maintain in sunny LA. I'm going to miss the taste of watermelon very soon.

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This Belstaff Biker Jacket Is After Me

BELSTAFF Leather Sidney Moto Jacket

Leather motorcycle jackets never truly go out of style. I am seeing them hanging in the windows up and down Madison Avenue. Belstaff, a clothing company best known for making all-weather and waterproof jackets, has an absolutely gorgeous moto jacket in their fall collection. It is expensive and impeccably made. Indeed, I love the eye-catching ridges on the shoulder panels and along the sleeves; and just look at the tracks of zippers and the snaps!

I try hard to be a mindful consumer and not buy what I don't actually need. Although I don't own a classic biker jacket, I already have 3 fashionable leather jackets in 3 different lengths that I bought over the years. Actually, my Mom bought one of them for me -- a short, biker-length, leather jacket, with breast pockets and removable insulation -- while I was still a teenager. So a leather jacket, if you really need a jacket, is a great investment. It is attractive, versatile and holds up for years. A person will probably wear out long before his or her leather jacket does.

During any given week I walk up Madison Avenue many times in order to get home. Usually window shopping doesn't come back to bit me in the ass because I tend not to be an impulse, or over-buyer ... and I am afraid of clutter. Seemingly, this biker jacket was designed by the Belstaff people to flip my values and test me.  But, I resolve to stay strong. No. No. No. No. NO. -- so far so good. 

HELP, I may need to change my route! What temptation are you resisting to buy?

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Vince Camuto ... Thank you!

There's so much I like about fashion designer, Vince Camuto. I walked into his Fifth Avenue flagship store recently (at 667 Madison Avenue across for Barney's), which houses his Signiture and Vince Camuto lines. His stuff, including apparel, shoes, watches, jewlry, sunglasses and jackets for men and women, is classic and modern. It won't go out of style anytime soon, and it's beautiful!! He gives you quality -- great fabric, complimentary silhouettes and expert tailoring combined with extra design details and ultra practical bells and whistles (such as zippers and pockets), and it's affordable! 

Even people who never walk across a stage to collect awards can buy his clothes, shoes and accessories. Vince Camuto creates clothes to flatter and make you look your best. Cher or Bjork may dress to stand out. Remember that weird swan Bjork wore around her neck to the Academy Awards? Be honest, didn't you think "bird strike on her way over to the show?" You don't want to wear clothes to look like that. I think even Bjork would leave her feathered friend at home, if she had a do-over. She's a talented musician who made a fashion mistake.

Which brings me back to Vince Camuto's store. The word for his collection is lovely. It's impossible to make a fashion faux pas while shopping in there, plus you won't have to rob a bank to pick up a few pieces. He also has a hand in designing Jessica Simpson's collection and is available in major department stores like Dillards, Macy's and Nordstrom's. Vince Camuto has a laser sharp eye ... and I love EVERY-fashion-forward-THING with his name on it.

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Tomato Salad, A Summer Favorite

Photo: The Rachael Ray Show

One of the many things I love about August is how big, juicy tomatoes are falling off their vines. If you have a few plants and a green thumb, you have more ripe tomatoes then you can possibly eat about now. 

It leads to neighborly sharing in some communities. There is a rural town in Kentucky, where if you park your car, leaving the doors unlocked, you will find a basket of tomatoes (and other produce) in your front seat upon your return. If you can't eat tomatoes, locals will advise you to be certain to lock your car doors before leaving it unattended in the town.

I love tomato salad in August. The dish is easy, breezy to prepare. My recipe is so forgiving, you don't have to have all the ingredients all the time, and it will still be delicious: 

Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

fresh ripe tomatoes

purple onions, diced (or onion powder)

basil

celantro

extra virgin olive oil

vinegar (cider, or Balsamic, or your favorite)

water (add a 2 [water] to 1 [vinegar] ratio to dilute the vinegar)

salt

pepper (from a pepper mill)

garlic powder

Slice (or dice) the tomatoes and throw into a serving bowl, then eyeball and add the rest of the ingredients to taste. Mix. It's that simple. No real measuring required. Just sprinkle, taste and serve. It's a pull up a chair and grab a fork kind of dish.

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Bring Back My Product, Lancome!

The Dearly Departed : (

Oh, don't you hate when your favorite products are discontinued!?! You're left with the question: Why??? 

Sometimes I'm prepared and can buy a few extras, hoping my stash will last until a company comes to its senses to bring back a perfect product that really works.

This time I didn't see it coming. Why, oh why ... did Lancome stop making Pure Focus T-Zone Powder Gel? It's crazy!

A dab of Pure Focus gel took away all the shine on my oily T- zone: the forehead, nose and chin area of the face. Plus it softened laugh lines and emerging winkles. (Yes, I'm admitting it. Emerging wrinkles. We're all heading in the same direction!) It was better than any BB or CC Cream out on the market today. It has no color, but I used it like foundation. It lasted all day, too, for a fresh face with no shine.

Now I'm down to half-a-tube of this wonder gel and am rationing it like Seinfeld's Elaine Benes rationed her Today sponges when that particular product disappeared. Each time I go out, I must ask, is this activity Pure Focus gel-worthy? 

And you can't order it on the internet either. I checked. Zero. Zip. Zilch. It's ridiculous.

Pleeeease bring back my product, Lancome. And ... next time before taking something I use off the market, ask me!

Meanwhile, I'm trying L'Oreal's Revitalift Miracle Blur to see if it will produce similar results. It's not quite as silky or oil-thristy, but does take away the shine ... sigh. Unlike what I used before, L'Oreal adds SFP 30 to their formula. Well ... at least adding sun protection is a good idea. #whodoItalktoatLancome?

Update: Another similar product to try is Garnier 5 Sec Blur.

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