Ghouls Visit Gotham City On Halloween

 

All photos: By Debra Turner of the Upper East Side's Lenox Hill and Yorkville neighborhoods

The undead have come to Gotham City for the shindig of the year.

Witches, ghosts, and ghouls are very near,💀  

Waiting for darkness to fall to start the Monster's Ball.

On the Upper East Side, behold a sinister sight!🕷

Spreading the Fright all day and all night!

What has convened but a howling scene!

👇Bart the Bartender (at 86th Street Wine) is back! With a new friend, Jack.👇🍷

Among the mainstream, there's a break of routine. 

Bizarre ventures umpteen that have never been seen!

There's a gateway from the spirit world to Manhattan, it's clear,

Heads to roll and evil to flow, they're hereee!

'Tis a rush to the bloodstream,🐺

A peek at the team behind this horrific scene at a brownstone on East 72nd Street. Let's hope you don't meet!

Why, it must be Halloween!🎃

Here's where your chilling tour of the Upper East Side ends.

Happy Halloween to all Spirits & Friends!

On 2nd Avenue in front of Crumbly Bakery*, see Jack stand. Walk by to hear him talk, or shake his hand. *{between East 89th and East 90th Streets}

👹👻🎃💀🧹🐺👹👻🎃💀🧹🐺👹👻🎃💀🧹🐺👹👻🎃💀🧹🐺👹👻

4 Bonus Upper East Side Brownstones to see: If you pass them on foot, be ready to flee!🩸

Click photos to unveil the gory details.👀 Nothing to fear, no charge to enlarge!🔪🧛‍♂️🎃

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Is Jewelry A Waste Of Money?

Photo: Graff - High Jewelry can hold its value if one is rich enough to buy (and insure) it.

Jewelry is an over-priced luxury item I can appreciate. I like leather bags, shoes, and clothes, but I love jewelry😍. Yet due to the great expense, I'm more of a browser than a buyer. First a dreamer then a realist I like to say! I can't afford the big flawless stones that cost 5 or 6 zeros. They're gorgeous and frankly, the cut, carat, color, and clarity I really want! Suffice it to say, I understand the appeal and the temptation, so I may be the perfect person to answer the question: Is jewelry a waste of money?

Photo: Brilliant Earth

In purely a practical sense, the answer is yes! Absolutely! 100%!! Waste. Of. Money!!! Jewelry is always a luxury item and never (or rarely) an investment. We don't need it, we buy it because we want it, but aside from aesthetics, it really serves no pragmatic purpose.

By limiting the supply of diamonds and clever marketing to create high demand {with its famous "A diamond is forever" 1947 slogan), DeBeers, the then monopoly diamond seller, was able to hike up the price of diamonds even though the stones are not rare, but quite common in nature. The high demand and high prices for diamonds are still with us today. Lab-grown diamonds will likely continue to lower their costs in the future.

Photo: Macy's

But it's not just diamonds, the markup on all fine jewelry is significant, however as soon as it leaves the jewelry store, and you own it, the jewelry loses its value. If you try to resale a necklace, bracelet, earrings, or ring, you'll rarely get what you paid for the jewelry. At best, the same jeweler who sold you the piece may offer you its wholesale price. What's more, to recoup a decent percentage of your money, you better be re-selling high-quality jewelry, i.e., flawless stones with substantial, perhaps 18k gold. There's no guarantee you'll walk away with a profit, and certainly not enough of a profit to rebuy the jewelry again. The rare exception is high jewelry (↑top image), as opposed to mid-priced jewelry. There are always high rollers with excessive disposable income looking for top-of-the-line high jewelry. High jewelry (including celebrity-auctioned estate jewelry) is its own niche. Average earners can't afford it.

 

Reselling expensive watches such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, or Tudor Pelagos can also exceed their original value if kept in like new condition (minus scratches) because enough people with deep pockets like to wear these luxury watch brands. 

Photo: Baby Gold

As it turns out, the skimpy a/k/a dainty or light chains, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings are harder to resale at a profit due to less precious metal, demand, and their averageness. To boot, shoppers of 2nd hand markets expect to score bargains.

The true value of jewelry is its beauty along with its sentimental value. A little glitter can complete or add pizzazz to an outfit. Sparkle can make us happy or remind us of the person who gave us a lovely gift out of love ... which is not a waste of money. 

I'd never discourage anyone from buying fine jewelry ... a few curated pieces (within your budget) as things of beauty. Adding some flash to your life should make you feel happy. Just don't tell yourself it's an investment.

Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels 

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#Short: Bad Bunny's Dark and Sparkly Style

Last night Saturday Night Live's host and musical guest, Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) caught my eye with his dark and sparkly style during his performance of the song, Monaco.

His latticework vest made of glittering crystals against his black long-sleeved top and smooth, black, leather, boot-cut pants stood out. The pants were fitted and cozy, as opposed to foolishly tight. 

Then I wondered about his shoes. They were causal smart, black leather boots with pointy (?), narrow toes, and thick elevated heels.

It's a no-brainer, I loved his drop diamond earrings which you can see, as well as, his bracelets and rings which you can't see in the posted photos (but could on a big television screen).

No element was overdone. With the perfect ratio of dark to shimmer, the rapper has an edgy and glamorous style that is Savvy Shopper approved! Not saying Bad Bunny needs my approval, but Savvy Shopper-admired doesn't have the same ring to it, (and spell-check keeps correcting it to the former anyway:). Now where on planet earth can we get Bad Bunny's vest!?!

What's your favorite piece of Bad Bunny's ensemble? 

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Halloween Bags And High Fashion At T.J. Maxx

BETSEY JOHNSON Ginger Pumpkin Crossbody

I love going to my local T.J. Maxx, as well as, browsing online despite not being able to bring up specific designers by typing a name into its search box. Yes, a pain! T.J. Maxx has an agreement with certain designers not to disclose that their commodities, often marketed as exclusive, have landed at the retailer, discounted. Fair enough for the savings!

BETSEY JOHNSON Boo Ghost Crossbody

Moreover, here's thrilling news from the United Kingdom ... its T.K. Maxx, the company name across the pond, has paired with consignment shops to offer haute couture items for folks who buy Chanel, Louis Vuitton, or St. Laurent bags, wallets, or cardholders! Some of these high fashion labels are also landing on T.K. Maxx's shelves under the radar. If going forward you see them, it's not a mirage. Sometimes I see Valentino or Choe leather goods at the USA's sister company, T.J. Maxx, in addition to its Off the Runway section of apparel. The merchandise is still pricey, yet reduced by hundreds of dollars for interested consumers.

As regular readers know, I have an interest in haute couture as a blogger, although I don't buy it for myself. I'm happy with my Coach leather handbags and have picked up non-couture leather goods of excellent (or good enough however usually stellar) quality from T.J. Maxx's shelves. I buy all my leather wallets and cardholders for under $15. Shhhh, don't tell anyone! [I'll have to put this problem child bag identifying information here. BAGAMOUR Made In Italy Leather Baguette Crossbody →]

Now let's end with a bit of spooky fun. I've pulled up some Halloween-themed bags that are available until supplies last from T.J. Maxx's online website to feature throughout today's blog. The retailer always offers super cute holiday-themed home goods, as well as, apparel (including children's costumes) and bags, and shoppers may not have to go elsewhere. No scary prices for Maxximistas to find!

On the ends are ISADORA Made In Italy Leather Phone Holders and in the center a DIVINA FIRENZE Leather Triple Compartment Crossbody.

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Making Healthy Pie Crust

I had a jar of Grandma Hoerner's Pecan Pie Filling in my pantry. It has the bourbon, you add the eggs. I bought it at Whole Foods reduced for about $3 dollars before the pandemic ... it was time to use it! I should have made a traditional flaky pie crust but I didn't want to consume the calories of a stick of butter. Since I'd be the only person eating the pie, I decided to play around with trying to make a healthy pie crust. No visitors to worry about feeding it to! I can eat a less-than-perfect dish but have higher standards for what I serve guests.

I'm not unhappy with the results and yet I'm not quite there. What I produced was tasty and editable and I think if I add a little butter and a sprinkle of baking soda to the dough next time I'll get the missing flaky texture. The following is the recipe for the very editable, yet chewy crust with my next attempt's 2 additional ingredients: 

A Healthy Banana Crust For Pies

2 ripe bananas

2 cups whole wheat flour

I think these 2 additions will make a flaky dough:

2 tablespoons ice cold butter, finely diced

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

 

1) Incorporate all the ingredients and press into a buttered or cooking-sprayed pie pan. I was fine with pressing it flat into a pan. If you wish to roll flat with a rolling pin, just add more flour to counter a sticky dough (and the rustic style:).

2) Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes.

3) Remove from the oven and let it cool a bit before pouring in your prepared pie filling then return it to the oven to bake for the required time.

The pecan pie I'm now eating is good without being too rich, or sickeningly sweet. The bananas do add a mild sweetness without sugar (or a banana flavor) which is a good thing.

 

🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧

Alternate Healthy Pie Crusts from around the web I think would work too:

🥧 Mix uncooked oatmeal and dates in a food processor

until it forms a ball, press it into a pan then add your pie filling. The dough can be eaten baked or unbaked.

🥧 Crispy cereal combined with peanut butter that gets pressed into a pan with no baking. Like a graham cracker and butter crust, it won't be flaky but still good.

I'm aware of almond and other nut or soy flours, but let's keep it simple with ingredients already in the panty. 

Does a healthy and flaky pie crust exist?

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Put Sheglam Makeup On Your Radar

Lightweight Matte Bush - Alice

Stumbling upon SheGam cosmetics is a Where-Have-I-Been moment. Its foundation, blush, lipstick, and mascara are too-good-to-be-true cheap, yet the stellar quality of its formulas is amazing! What more do we want? Beautiful shades ... check!

The brand's price point is no accident! Sheglam began in 2019. Its motto is Gam For All -- and not just for a select few. By capping the middleman and marketing costs, plus keeping profit margins low, this Tiktok sensation can "produce high-quality products at more than half the price of luxury brands." SheGam lipstick is $5 compared to Chanel at $45, Tom Ford at $59, or Charlette Tilbury at $35.

Mademoiselle magazine is featuring SheGam to announce that red is the color trend in makeup for Fall 2023. SheGlam has gorgeous very wearable reds in its color offerings along with other beautiful, very natural and ultra-flattering pink, beige and brown hues. The retailer's blush and lipstick includes a selection of subtle, intense, and cardinal reds. 

The 3 products customers rave about are its Color Bloom Liquid Blush Matt, Dynamatte Bloom Long-Lasting Matte Lipstick, and Lightweight Matte Bush. Also well-liked are its foundation and mascara.

There are several types of lipcolor

The question becomes how do you want to spend your money? With Sheglam, you get 5 items including Fall 2023's in vogue and beautiful shades of red for the price of one of its competitors' lipsticks. Sheglam is a beauty steal without compromise!

Will you be wearing shades of red this fall?

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Food For A Senior Finicky Eater

Photo: clean.png

Oh my goodness, I've never dealt with such a fastidious, hard-to-please eater as my senior mother. In old age, it's her mind and not her inability to chew. Her doctors tell me this is common in patients like her as they lose the ability to taste food. I lower my expectations of her eating a varied diet and simply focus on pumping enough milk and Greek yogurt into her to make up for the meat and protein sources she'll no longer eat. Vegetables have gone by the wayside also. Sometimes she'll eat chicken nuggets or one bite of beef, but it's not enough protein in a steady diet.

Here's what I buy to counter her self-imposed limited diet:

1) low-fat milk - I drink skim, but bumped her up to 1%. She doesn't need to watch her weight.

2) vanilla Greek yogurt

3) multi-grain bread

4) crunchy peanut butter - Toast, pb, and a drizzle of honey every morning is her only daily meal of real food.

5) honey

6) 30-gram protein powder - that I add to milk if she refuses lunch. Sometimes I toss in fruit, or spinach, or walnuts. Sometimes I lose the battle and she refuses to drink it.

7) 20-gram protein bars - She is getting tired of these, so I cut them into 3 smaller pieces and give her one piece. It's better than nothing.

8) cheddar cheese - She'll only eat one bite of cheese but sometimes will eat a grilled cheese sandwich.

9) fruit - apples, oranges, pears, bananas, and berries

10) eggs - She'll only consume one egg for dinner about twice a week. I scramble 2 eggs and scrunch them up on a plate to look like one egg. She is suspicious but eats them.

11) coffee - My mother says coffee is number one. Lord save the caregiver if she is denied her morning coffee! She drinks coffee and about one cup of milk with her breakfast. Great!

12) ice cream and dark chocolate - as treats and for calories.  She only wants a serving. I toss dark chocolate chips on her ice cream for its anti-oxidants. I hear dark chocolate is good for the brain.

I am closer to having an understanding of what it must be like to care for an anorexic child. It's a daily struggle to keep them healthy. I dislike having to put so much thought into the daily necessity of eating. I, myself, have always been a healthy eater and never a problem eater. 

As long as mom looks healthy and is of normal weight I shake off over worrying and just do the best I can by making food available. I always offer her a bite of my meals but don't push her if she refuses a taste. However I'm strict on 2 points -- I do nudge her to have a small taste, and once in her mouth, I tell her she can't spit out such a small morsel of food, as it's not poison, but to please swallow it. I'm nipping a bad habit before it begins!

I'm sure the best nursing homes can't cater to seniors the way families inevitably do at home because it's time-consuming so when seniors become bad eaters they just go downhill.

Life's challenges! If you feed an undereater and have ideas that work feel free to share them.

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