A View of Lower Manhattan

All Photos taken by Carolyn C.

My friend, Carolyn C., spent the afternoon in lower Manhattan, namely Wall Street and the South Street Seaport. Affectionally, I like to call her my Intrepid New Yorker Friend because there is not an inch of the city she does not explore. 

Carolyn has given me permission to share her photos of Trinity Church and the South Street Seaport. This is where New Yorkers who live in Manhattan go when summoned for jury duty. The court houses which make up the Southern District of New York sit several blocks away.  

The tomb of Alexander Hamilton

In recent years developers built residential high-rises in lower Manhattan, but much of it is protected as historic. The neighborhood is a bit separated from Midtown, the Upper East Side, and the Upper West Side requiring subway rides to get here. 

Do you spot the Fearless Girl?

Lower Manhattan is one of the oldest quarters of the city, with little shops, bars/restaurants, and public spaces for music, readings, and miscellaneous entertainment. 

One summer I took the subway down to the seaport to listen to a series of lectures and author talks.

I love living in New York too and Carolyn is a great friend to trek around town with ... from Broadway to Central Park to lower Manhattan and off the beaten path seeing everything from cherry blossoms to art exhibits and old or historical buildings. Thank you, Carolyn, for capturing some of downtown for us on your most recent jaunt.

Have you ever walked from Battery Park or Wall Street back uptown? It's very doable if you have the time to walk.

🌷🌱🌹🌱🌸🌱🌷🌱🌹🌱🌸🌱🌷🌱🌹🌱🌸🌱🌷🌱🌹🌱🌸🌱🌷🌱🌹🌱🌸🌱

Update:

Where did my Intrepid New Yorker Friend, Carolyn, go next? Answer: Up to the Bronx to spend the day at the New York Botanical Garden:  

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Maria Tash Piercings

Although I'm not a big fan of multiple ear piercings for myself, I know where I'd go if I were. Full disclosure, I got my ears single-pieced when I was 22 years old because I looked in my car mirror to change lanes on my way home from work one day to see that I had lost another clip-on earring. That is what it took to get me to pull into a shopping center, enter a high-end store, and have my ears pieced on the spot. Definitely, a sensible move if you don't want to continue losing earrings. 

Nowadays multiple ear piercings are trendy, but I don't want to work that hard, or have to buy so many earrings! However, if you don't mind buying and putting in all those extra earrings on in a given day, having your piercings done by Maria Tash is the smart way to go. It's costly, yet anytime you decide to permanently alter your body THE SAVVY SHOPPER recommends paying the piper to have it done properly by a well-trained professional. It's safer and you avoid mistakes when putting holes in your flesh.

At Maria Tash, you 1st meet with a stylist who examines and measures your ears and then gives you advice and suggestions to make sure your vision matches the anatomy of your ears. The locations of the piercings are determined along with you and marked with a special pen before the needle goes in, so the piercings are personalized, even, and precise.

Every client heals at a different rate. Healing times also depend on the piercing location. The chart below gives you an idea of approximately how long it takes for ear piercings to heal.

The earrings you buy are 14k or 18k gold with GIA-certified diamonds, as well as, colored gemstones. They come in many sizes, shapes, lengths, and styles to fit individual customers.

Maria Tash has locations all over the world including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, London, Dublin, Paris, and the Middle East. Taylor Swift, Naomi Watts, and Helen Mirren are a few celebrity clients.

Save up ... having your ears pieced at Maria Tash ain't cheap, but money well spent!💰💸🤑

Despite not being a fan of multiple piercings, I am a fan of having your piercings done at Maria Tash for the hygiene and precision. You need an expert who'll pierce in the right places. 

One word of caution: For the luxury price, the retailer should offer a lifetime warranty on its jewelry, but doesn't. Often customers must pay for repairs, which IMHO reflects badly on Marla Tash. I mean, how cheap for a business not to stand behind its pricey jewelry!

Extra Tips: Maria Tash earrings are also sold by 3rd party jewelers, which you can look for in your town. James Free offers 20% off Black Friday sales. Other 3rd party sellers, such as Tappers and Millo, offer free shipping and returns. 

The earrings are beautiful and real gold, yet it's the skill of the piercers that drives a Savvy Shopper to pay a premium.  

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Loewe's Popular Puzzle Bag

Photo: Fashionphile

The popular decade-old Puzzle bag was the debut bag of Loewe's new creative director in 2014, Jonathan Anderson, and what a brilliant brainchild it turned out to be, putting a purse from a forgotten heritage brand on top of every luxury fashionista's wish list. The puzzle bag's unique cuboid shape and cutting method create its recognizable geometric lines. It was first conceived as a man's duffle bag. After women began buying it, the puzzle bag was also parlayed over to the women's department.

The Puzzle bag became a hit, not only due to its artistic modern design but also because of its rich and durable calf leather and outstanding craftsmanship. Each bag is hand-stitched together. The bag is fairly practical too. Not only does it hold all your everyday essentials, but it's also super versatile to use: You can clutch carry it, grab its top handle, or wear it as a shoulder or crossbody bag. Plus the bag has no screaming logos. Industry people like to call the Puzzle bag quiet-luxury, an if you know, you know bag. It also folds flat.

The bag is available in 5 sizes: Nano (5.25 x 4" x 2"), Mini (6.75" x 4.5"), Small (9.5" x 6.25" x 4.25"), Medium (11.5" x 7.75" x 4.75") and Large (14" x 8.25" x 5.75"). 

Now there are 2 versions, the Original Puzzle bag and a redesigned version called the Puzzle Edge bag. Here's the difference: (1) The Original Puzzle bag is made of several pieces of leather that are separately hand-sewn together, and it takes longer to make while (2) the Puzzle Edge bag has fewer pieces of leather that are folded into the same iconic cuboid shape for quicker production. (1) The Original has visible black lines where the seams are sewn together (2) while the Edge with leather folds doesn't. (1) The Original bag has metal feet and (2) the Puzzle Edge omits them. I don't know about you, but I favor bags with metal feet to protect the bottom of the bag. Why remove them?

Photo: Fashionphile

Many observers fear the Puzzle Edge is replacing the Original Puzzle bag, but so far both editions are for sell on the company's website at about the same price.

So will the original puzzle bag eventually be phased out? Nobody knows, but it kind of looks like it. More customers seem to prefer the original over the newer puzzle edge.

The puzzle bag still maintains its early duffle bag likeness, and fashion editors think it will be around for a long, long time to become a classic, making it hold its value on the resale market.

So which bag are you? The original or the edge?

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Laura Geller Is Made For Mature Skin

I discovered Laura Geller's makeup at T.J. Maxx, a fabulous place to stumble upon new and innovative beauty brands, whether you're shopping for skincare, haircare, or makeup. A shout-out to T.J. Maxx's beauty buyers for their awesomeness! These buyers bring customers upscale and organic products originating from America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. I've long thought sending inventory to T.J. Maxx is an ultra-clever way for retailers to market their goods! Introducing new consumers to your brand at a bargain price is much cheaper than buying TV spots! For lucky shoppers, Laura Geller's line repeatedly lands in the aisles of T.J. Maxx.

At the time of purchase, I didn't realize Laura Geller targets makeup for mature skin. I simply knew that the colors were gorgeous and the formulas were high-end. As it turns out, the makeup is embedded with anti-oxidants and other good-for-the-skin ingredients. The essential collection -- baked foundation, baked blush, and baked highlighter -- gives you a light to medium natural shading with rosy cheeks, a healthy glow, and a flawless complexion. I highly recommend them!

Laura Geller's website helps clients find products to address individual face concerns such as fine lines, sallow skin, dark spots, redness, or sensitive skin.

When at T.J. Maxx (or T.K. Maxx outside the USA) keep an eye out to spot Laura Geller's line of lipsticks, blush, foundation, and other beauty items to try (full-sized) at a steal! I like everything I bought from the label thus far.

Without breaking the bank, you could start with a lipstick (it's very creamy) and a baked blush (it's richly pigmented) and go from there. Once you get hooked and buy directly from the beauty retailer's website make sure to sign up for customer rewards and take advantage of its promotions!

BTW: I've heard T.J. Maxx is such an important vendor to major names that often a specific quantity of their products are earmarked to go directly into T.J. Maxx's retail stores alongside merchants such as Macy's, Saks, or Nordstrom. It's not simply last year's stock that doesn't sell, but units of new collections going directly to T.J. Maxx.

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A Sugarless Chocolate Milkshake

Photo: Unsplash

I've been making some version of a chocolate milkshake for years. If consumed as a quick meal, I'll toss a scoop of whey chocolate protein powder into a cup of skim milk with ice and drink it. 

Today let's make a healthy, thick chocolate milkshake as a snack. It has the protein of milk and potassium of a banana but for a meal, I need additional whey protein. 

Ideally, a healthy snack should be 100 to 200 calories and not more. The banana gives the milkshake its thickness, but the unsweetened cocoa powder will dominate its flavor. Here's the recipe:

Healthy Thick Chocolate Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 cups skim milk - Start with 1 cup and test the thickness. If you think ahead to use frozen banana slices, you'll need the extra milk.

2 tablespoons of cacao powder, or dark cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 large banana - If you want to slice and freeze your banana ahead of time, you can skip the ice cubes. But who always thinks ahead when you crave a snack?

4 ice cubes

Directions:

Toss the milk, cocoa powder, banana, and ice cubes into a

blender and mix until you get a rich, thick, and delicious milkshake. At this step, you can add the extra 1/2 of milk if the shake is too thick. Pour into a tall glass. If you need to gain weight lucky you, you can garnish with extras like nuts, seeds, chocolate shavings, or whipped cream. I drink my milkshake as is. It's still tasty!

Yes, you can make this milkshake with oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk. My favorite is cow's milk, which has 8 grams of protein per cup.  

Skim milk is 90 calories per cup, the banana is about 100 calories (usually I use a medium banana so 70 calories) and the cocoa powder is 50 calories, so our milkshake is over 200 calories but not by a significant amount, and they aren't empty calories. Personally, I'm mindful, yet not obsessive when counting calories. My aim is to stay in the ballpark. When hungry, I consider vegetables, fruit, or skim milk -- free food, never fretting over the few extra calories they contain. 

Enjoy!

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COACH In Lieu Of Jacquemus

I sound like a broken record, in saying I'm not a luxury bag maven. Instead, I'm loyal to COACH because you can't beat the leather, craftsmanship, or durability of its bags while spending far less money than what you'd pay for similar in-quality, luxury handbags. I hope the fantastic value of COACH continues into the future as Tapestry, COACH's parent company, recently bought Versace. How disappointing if we start seeing steep price hikes on COACH bags! So far, so good!

Certainly, I appreciate a well-made handbag, and can understand the appeal and temptation of procuring the top-tier luxury brands! Yet, even luxury bags that aren't as exclusive, well-made, or insanely overpriced as Hermès are expensive! Let me show you one example that sells for around $1,000 then I'll show you a COACH handbag to consider costing about 1/7 less in price. Wouldn't it be great to keep a tidy sum of your own money in your bank account?

The Jacquemus Le Grand Bambino Crossbody at $1,025 is a stunning classic handbag. If you bought it in a department store like Nordstrom, or Neiman Marcus at the right time, you could shave off roughly $130 from its full retail price. There is nothing wrong with this bag ... it's notable in leather, style, and craftsmanship.

And yet, if you're willing to compromise a tad on style to still end up with a smart, classic, and stellar leather handbag, consider the COACH Large Morgan Crossbody. At COACH's Outlet, the Morgan costs between $135 - $199 depending on color. It comes in black, white, light violet, light blue, dark green, red, and blocked canvas. While stock lasts, the Morgan is offered in either refined calf or crocodile-textured leathers. The workmanship of COACH is impeccable, plus guaranteed for life.

Obviously, the Morgan and Bombino aren't replicas of one another, but both bags have a similar shape, size, and classic vibe. Although I love the top handle and edginess of the Jacquemus, personally I wouldn't pay an extra $800 for it because the bags are enough alike in the ways that matter. You get the effect for far less moola. A true handbag aficionado would likely want the Bombino at any cost. Are you a bag enthusiast who'd part with an extra $800 if you had a similar cheaper option?

COACH is accessible to everyone with a job. I prefer sales to exclusiveness. COACH possesses everything I need: Classic style, fine leather, excellent craftsmanship, and durability at a fair price.

Of the two brands featured, which bag would you buy? Please explain.

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A Cheatsheet: How To Clean Fine Jewelry

 Photos: Macy's except where marked

If jewelry is your luxury of choice, a Savvy Shopper selects classic pieces she'll wear time and again. Keeping fine jewelry in a box is a complete waste of money! Wear it daily and enjoy it.

Take off your jewelry before showering, washing dishes, or cleaning around the house to prevent scratching the metal or damaging any gemstones. Only when traveling do I wear my jewelry to bed (so I don't accidentally leave a piece behind). At home, I remove my necklaces, rings, or earrings before bed so nothing breaks. Put them away in a safe place. Also at home, I remove my rings before washing my hands with soap.

Periodically it's important to clean jewelry so it continues to sparkle. Here's a ...

Cheatsheet on how to properly clean your fine jewelry:

For gold: 

To clean gold, a mixture of soap and warm water is recommended. Soak the pieces first if you wish. Gold jewelry without gemstones can also be cleaned with rubbing alcohol and then raised with water, but soap and water are all you really need. Buff the precious metal dry with a soft cloth.

For silver: Silver is softer than gold. Clean silver with soap and warm water or a silver polishing cloth. You can also safely use a professional silver cleaner like Tarn-x. Don't use paper towels or tissues to clean silver. They are too abrasive and might scratch the silver.

Gemstones

For amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, diamond, garnet, morganite, quartz, certified ruby, sapphire, tanzanite, and topaz: Clean with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush.

For emeralds, jade, onyx, opals, peridot, and turquoise: Clean with a damp cloth and a soft toothbrush. Avoid soaking in water and sudden temperature changes. Heat can damage emeralds, opals, and peridots. (Heat will also lighten sapphires.) Emeralds commonly have jardins (which are inclusions such as cracks or air bubbles). Opals can have from 6% - 10% of water content. 

For pearls: Drop a soft cloth in warm water and mild dishwashing soap to wipe the pearls. Follow with a wipe of clean water. Do not soak the pearls in a soapy solution. Pearls are soft (a 4 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness) and are sometimes strung on a silk thread, so soaking can damage them.

For all of your gemstones, here are some final tips: Avoid rapid temperature changes, steaming machines, and ultrasonic devices. Trust only a trained jeweler to deep clean your gemstones. Avoid direct sunlight, chlorine, perfume, hairspray, and harsh chemicals.

Fine jewelry is too costly to take unnecessary risks. Take care of your precious metals and gemstones by cleaning them gently and safely.

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Flat Top Kabuki Brush

Daubigny's makeup brushes have over 4,100 stellar customer reviews on Amazon, and the brushes sell for under $10, including the entire eyebrush set👇 below!🎯

The dense bristles of the Daubigny Kabuki brush remind me of my more expensive IT Velvet Luxe brushes once sold at Ulta. I bought my set one brush at a time, not knowing they would soon be discontinued before I got the chance to buy my last brush, the IT Kabuki brush. Daubigny's Flat Top Kabuki Brush, won't ecstatically match my IT Velvet Luxe brushes, but reviewers say it blends makeup in all forms -- liquid, cream, or powder -- perfectly. (It appears the lookalike brushes sold by other sellers for a few dollars less are the same exact brushes, but this cannot be confirmed without purchasing them. You take a slight risk they are of lesser quality.)

Like my 7 IT Velvet Luxe brushes, the bristles of this brush are dense, firm, and soft, precisely what I look for in makeup brushes. Makeup brushes on smoothly and evenly to give you a flawless, poreless non-makeup finish. Vitally important, the bristles do not shed! The reason I invested in IT brushes was I got tired of picking the shedding bristle hairs off of my face after applying blush or powder to my face.

The Flat Top Kabuki brush is a steal! It comes with a durable plastic carrying case with a flap and snap closure to keep both the brush and the inside of your bag clean. Nice!

Temptation calls: I'm getting a 2nd chance to buy a superb Kabuki makeup brush. Should I take a bite of the apple and get it? Yes!

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Coach Has Cute Novelty Bags

Bow or bone bag

I'm a huge fan of COACH bags for the brand's quality leather(s), craftsmanship, and price. You get a lot of bag for the money, especially when catching a sale. I don't tend to buy novelty bags but think they're super cute! So I'll feature several of the fun, unconventional COACH bags for the handbag mavens who read the blog. Perhaps you have functions to attend where you can sport a statement bag that is less practical with a touch of whimsy, as well as, have the closet space to store it.

Star bag

Duck bag

Heart bags in Nappa or Glovetan leathers 

A Lip bag in Glovetan leather

Much like an evening bag, you can only carry a few essentials - a cardholder or slim wallet, keys, comb, maybe lipstick, inside these bags ... not your go-everywhere necessities. These fun bags are about the same price as a roomy-sized everyday bag. Some customers have the budget and closet space for such bags, and if so, they need to look no further than COACH for the same stellar quality as you'll find in all COACH bags.

 

Do you have a favorite shape?

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Happy Easter Sunday 2024

Noli me tangere by Simone Cantarini (1612 - 1648), an Italian painter who was born in Pesaro, the then Papal States 

Scholars of theology think Mary Magdalene was an influential figure in the early Christian Church. According to all 4 Gospels, she was one of the women who traveled with Jesus and supported his ministry from the beginning to the end. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John mention her by name 12 times, more than any other woman fellower, as well as, more than most of the apostles. Mary Magdalene was never a prostitute. Blame Pope Gregory IX for a sermon he gave in the 13th century for this wrong perception. According to the Gospels, she witnessed the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and was the first person Jesus appeared to after rising from the dead. Some theologians think she was a leader of the early church. She is declared a saint in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches. In 2016 Pope Francis elevated her status higher calling her the "Apostle of the Apostles." Theologians postulate the reason Mary Magdalene was the 1st person the risen Christ appeared to was due to how highly he regarded her. Some of the unauthorized (called non-canon gospels, the gospels of Thomas and Philip) portray Jesus and Mary as romantically close, which so far is impossible to confirm, but surely will continue to be the source of endless speculation. Easter, the most important date on the Christian calendar, celebrates hope, optimism, and human perseverance.

Enjoy the day and eat the chocolate.

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Sterling Silver Mother Of Pearl Drop Earrings

In 199os innovations in the freshwater pearl industry brought down the prices of what was once a natural gem far too expensive for the masses to buy. Pearls were for royals. Today genuine pearls no longer cost an arm and a leg and are quite reasonably priced. As a general rule,  I recommend not settling for fake pearls, instead buy real freshwater pearls as they're affordable and worth the money.

Nonetheless, every rule has an exception. The exception could well be these dangle pearls selling on Amazon for $16.88. Here's why ...

1)  A pair of 12" round real pearl earrings in 14K - 18K gold costs about $1,000, which is a lot of money! As with other gemstones, the price of bigger gems like pearls goes up exponentially ... because of their rarity. With these, you can enjoy the effect of bigger pearls without the big expense.

2) The metal is 925 sterling silver (like gold a precious metal) coated in 18K gold.

3) Without a doubt, this purchase of fake pearls is 100% fake ... and yet not 100% fake in every way. They are shell pearls -- made from natural Mother of Pearl (a substance secreted by mollusks, the same sea creature that secretes natural pearls.) Cut and shaped into round beads, these are covered with Nacre (the same substance pearls are made of) to give them good luster. So you get manmade fake pearls made out of the same natural substances as real pearls but for less moola!

4) The lever-back drop design is elegant and unlike the usual dangle.

These would never replace a lovely pair of freshwater pearls but are cheap enough to buy in addition to real pearls ...  for fun, for traveling (always leave your good jewelry at home), and for their bigger size and unique design. I wouldn't invest too much money in fashion or inexpensive jewelry, but a single splurge on classic earrings with a ton of 5-star reviews, sureee, occasionally.

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