Uniqlo's Pocketable UV Protective Parka

In 2010 I devoted posts to (1) What Every Woman Should Have in Her Wardrobe and (2) What Every Man Should Have in His Wardrobe. If I did a good job, my recommendations are still relevant. Today I'll add another essential article of clothing you could call an investment piece as it's so versatile. Once you have it, you can't go without it!

You'll wear it all autumn and spring. You'll also carry it if you need a light layer of protection against windy evenings on the beach; rainy days or nights out on the town; or indoor events with air conditioning. And best of all, you'll have it for many years to come since it's well-made.

What is this awesome, indisposable item that should be in every human's wardrobe? 🥁🥁🥁 Uniqlo's Pocketable UV Protective Parka.

I bought myself one 6 years ago for $29 and my senior mother one last week for $49.90. Alas, post-pandemic inflation, yet still worth the higher price. I've gotten six years and counting of wear out of mine.

The parka is boxy yet not sloppy. It complements pants, leggings, skirts, and dresses. The look is sleek and whatever you need it to be ... sporty, casual smart, or dressier than a sweater, which btw, you can wear underneath it to keep warm in late fall, or early spring. It has a hood, zipper closure, 2 generous pockets with zippers, and an inside mesh lining where I put supermarket flyers or newspapers I don't wish to carry by hand. The fabric is 100% polyester and it's machine washable. I have never had to wash my parka as it's never gotten dirty. Every year Uniqlo slightly re-designs its pocketable parkas, and this year's interpretation has a coating of sun UV 50 protection. Often the sizes aren't consistent from year to year so one year's x-large parka (or coat or sweater or bratop) may be the next year's medium. You must try it on to know. Consistent sizing from year to year is the one feature I think Uniqlo could improve upon in its Lifewear Collection of basics to make ordering online a surer thing.

The packable parka is so lightweight you can take it anywhere tied around your waist, on your arm, or rolled up in its very own little included pouch. I have never used my pouch either! Although of sturdy construction, the parka takes up zero space and adds zero extra weight lying on top of clothes inside a suitcase. The best $50 you'll ever spend!

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Are H2O+ Resort Products Any Good?

H2O+ shampoos, conditioners, and moisturizing lotions are familiar beauty products for anyone at a Disney resort. In 2022 after years of partnering with Pola Orbis Holdings LLC to distribute the products to its customers who stay at Disney hotels, Disney villas, and Disney Cruise ships, Disney bought the rights to the formula for the H2O+ products outright.

Freebies are nice, but it begs the question are the products any good? 

Before I answer the question, I'll share that the brand was founded in 1989 and once upon a time had a retail store on Lexington Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Back then, I discovered the brand on a lunch break when everything in Manhattan was new and exciting to a younger me. I sampled the sea-ingredient skincare on repeated jaunts during my lunch hours. The brand provides facial and body skincare and hair care with good clean ingredients.

After 33 years I understand why the company sold itself to Disney. Nowadays in addition to containing cleansers and moisturizers, retail skincare lines tend to be specialized to treat specific skin issues such as acne, rosacea, or aging. Beauty brands must invest continuously to keep up with the science of skincare. Since H2O+'s launch in 1989, the skincare industry has proliferated 1000-fold! You can now buy highly effective skincare in the aisles of your local drugstore for less.

H2O+ is primarily formulated to clean or moisturize, a perfect spa line for Disney to dole out at its resorts. You don't expect spa skincare products to contain industry-forward ingredients such as retinol, alpha-hydroxy acids, or bakuchiol as they wouldn't suit every chronological age or skin type. For a week you can make do with clean, gentle cleansers and moisturizers. 

I have 2 fluid-ounce tubes of 1) H2O+ Body Lotion; 2) H2O+ Sea Salt Hydrating Body Lotion; 3) H2O+ Marine Revitalizing Shampoo; and 4) H2O+ Salt Marine Collagen Conditioner. They all have the same clean, pleasant oceanside scent. No perfume.

The lotions offer gentle hydration without stickiness. The shampoo and condition feel clean leaving my hair soft and bouncy with no residue. If I can put my fingers or a shower comb through my hair in the shower sans tangles after applying a condition, I judge it to be good. This conditioner passes the test. 

If you stay at a Disney resort be sure to take your H2O+ skincare and haircare complimentary goodies home. They're too clean and good to leave behind! If someone else gives you their products, accept and use them. Basic yet quality ingredients!

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Sausage Gravy For Biscuits

Photo by Marg - Caymandesigns

On weekends after sleeping in, my family ate a breakfast (before the word "brunch" existed) of eggs, bacon, juice, coffee, and (I won't lie) canned biscuits. During the week we'd fend for ourselves. Monday - Friday I drank an Instant Breakfast (a protein and vitamin powder) stirred into a tall glass of milk. When I was in grade school my mom or dad had it ready for me by the time I came to the table. Unlike the weekends when we ate breakfast together, nobody was going to get up earlier than necessary to cook or eat a meal. To this day, we aren't morning people. Sleep rules!

As an adult, I learned to make homemade biscuits from scratch and never again bought a can of biscuits. On vacations, I ordered sausage gravy, which my mother never made. Delish! Here's how to make that as an occasional treat for a weekend breakfast.

Sausage Gravy

1 pound of sausage (Pork, beef or turkey)

1/2 teaspoon of fennel

1/2 teaspoon of sage

1/4 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon black pepper (24 turns of the peppermill)

1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups milk (whole or whatever you buy. All work, but the more fat, the creamier)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1) In a skillet, break up the sausage into crumbs. Flavor with the fennel and sage. Brown the sausage until done. No need to drain unless there's an excess of grease. 

2) Toss in the flour, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes.

3) Slowly add the milk and Worcestershire sauce while whisking on medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer while gradually adding all the milk and continuing to whisk. 

4) After the gravy thickens taste and if needed add more salt or pepper. I like the taste of black pepper and a hint of heat in this gravy.

Round out your breakfast with eggs, juice, or fruit, and coffee. Check to see if your biscuits are ready to pull out hot from the oven. Bon Appetite, country style! 

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Timekettle WT2 Edge/W3 Translator

The Timekettle WT2 Edge/W3 Translator is one cool gadget! At $350.00, it's expensive and hard to justify purchasing unless you have a frequent use for it. But if you live, work, or go to school in a foreign country and aren't yet fluent in the language, these earbuds simultaneously translate 40 different languages, so you can use its Al technology to bilaterally understand and converse in a 2nd language in real-time! If you were to speak nonstop, an earbud plays the translation in another person's ear 5 seconds later so the two of you can experience a real conversion as if you spoke the same language. 

The manufacturer of the gadget says, "To make translation even more accurate, "WT2/W3 Edge earbuds use smart noise reduction to filter out distracting background noise, ensuring the message isn’t muddied." Moreover, it uses simul mode -- "share one translation earbuds with your partner, and both of your words will be translated into bi-directional communication," as well as, touch mode -- "tap the force sensor to activate voice pick-up and touch again to translate. Speaker mode: 1 earbud + 1 APP. Only one person needs to wear the real-time translator."

The WT2/W3 Edge portable language translator supports 40 languages and 93 accents for online translation. The technology also enables companies to support group chats and conferences remotely.

Wow, talk about unlocking the world to understand your
fellow humans! You can now debark an airplane across the pond and start communicating in a 2nd language right away. The Tower of Babel is a thing of the past!

I can see buying this device if you have inlaws who speak a different language, or your company transfers you overseas, or you decide to study abroad ... yet are still mastering the new language. For the rest of us, it's a pricey yet impressive and innovative toy to know about.

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Huge Savings With Equate Dupe Moisterizers

As autumn approaches in the Western hemisphere we'll soon exchange the humidity for dry skin. It's time to stock up on moisturizers. Walmart will save you a ton of money with their in-house brand for less under the name of Equate. The label has dupes for many dermatologist-recommended moisturizers. Here's what to buy:

For your face: 

1) Equate All Day Moisturizer - A dupe for Olay with UVA and UVB 15 protection and Vitamin E. Apply it after your Vitamin C and under your makeup. Cost: $4.97

2) Equate Retinol Night Cream - Compare to Olay Retinol Night Cream. Use before bed. New packaging for the same cream and price as the top image. Cost: $17.44

3) Equate Oil-Free Facial Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin - A dupe for Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin. Use on nights you wish to either skip retinol or simply apply additional moisture to your face. $6.67

For your hands ...

4) Equate Ultra Moisturizing Extra Dry Skin Lotion - A dupe for Jerkens ultra healing body lotion with vitamins C, E, and B5 in a generous 32-ounce size pump to keep in your kitchen to mostly moisturize your dry hands during the dryer months. Cost: $6.48

For your face, hands, and body especially in winter ...

The next tubs of moisturizers are listed in the order of their thickness and all are super moisturizing.

5) Equate Moisturizing Cream - Compare to CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. $8.97

6) Equate Gentle Skin Cream - A dupe for Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. Cost: $7.48 {A review of #5 vs #6 is here.}

7) Equate Therapeutic Dry Skin Cream - Compare to Eucein Moisturizing Cream. $9.92

8) Advanced Healing Ointment Skin Protectant - The knockoff for Aquaphor Healing Ointment. Cost: $10.52, or just buy a tub of Vaseline for half the price.

Frankly, #8 is 41% petroleum jelly so next time I'll just buy a tub of Vaseline for $5.48 or better yet Equate Petroleum Jelly for $2.36 instead of #8 which is 2 or 4.5 times the price. In winter you can always rub petroleum jelly over your moisturizing creams if you need extra thickness.

Walmart has additional dupes of leading name brands, but these 10 are the moisturizers I like and use in the fall and winter months. They are identical to their name-brand counterparts! If you have other favorite moisturizers, check to see if Walmart makes a dupe for it.

9) Equate Beauty Eczema Relief Skin Protection Cream -  With colloidal oatmeal and cheap at 6.84 for 8 ounces.

10) Equate Fragrance Free Daily Moisturizing Lotion - A dupe for Aveeno Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion - I smell a mild scent that disappears quickly after application. You get a generous 33-fluid-ounce pump bottle for $7.48. 

Equate makes moisturizers so affordable we can slather them on from face to toe daily without breaking the bank.💵

*Although I've now written 2 back-to-back blogs mentioning Walmart, neither blog is sponsored. I love Walmart!

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Walmart Has Genuine Leather Bags Cheap

Real leather bag by Forestyashe at Walmart - Available in 7 colors on clearance $11 - $15

Walmart may not be the first retailer that comes to mind for finding a smart trendy bag, but you'd be surprised at the stylish deals and steals available on its website. For sure, I am! The styles, hues, and materials are many. I've picked 6 of the genuine leather options that are a fraction of their usual retail prices. There are more! The bags come in up to 7 colors.

HKCLUF Crossbody Hobo Bag

GAEKEAO Small Crossbody Bag

Michael Kors Pebbled Leather Small Tote 

FALAN MULE Clutch and Wristlet 

KAMUGO Leather Handbag with Gold Hardware and Cache

Walmart has quite an online selection of bags of all types. Sometimes the bags are cheaper than what a replacement strap costs elsewhere. By the way, if you like the bag but want to buy a thicker leather strap (look on Etsy, Amazon, or the retailer of your look-alike bag) as you are left with the funds to do so! 

The London Fog bookbag dupe is reviewed here.

Be sure to read the descriptions carefully so you catch the sizes and textures of the bags. Reading every customer review is super helpful in not ordering mistakes, but if you don't like your purchase, Walmart has an easy and inexpensive return policy.

A nice bag on a budget, one that won't fall apart soon. Who knew?

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Suddenly Mayonnaise Is Expensive

Nothing has surprised me at the supermarket more than the rising cost of mayonnaise ... and I'm not alone. A friend complained about paying $12 for a 30-ounce jar. Last week I walked out of Key Food refusing to spend $8 a jar. Before the pandemic, mayonnaise was $2.99 - $3.99 for a 30 oz jar. If I get desperate I may reluctantly accept spending $5 a jar. Time will tell.

I have found Walmart's Great Value in-house brand and Target's Market Value in-house brand as good tasting as Hellmann's, America's leading mayonnaise. Target charges $4.39 for a 30 oz jar, while Walmart's mayonnaise is only $3.38.

Why is most mayonnaise so expensive? One reason given is, an egg shortage caused prices to soar due to the bird flu in 2022 - 2023. Yet it's not the full story. TIME magazine reported that a main culprit for the rising cost of eggs is price gouging by America's largest egg producers. You have to wonder if price gouging has extended to mayonnaise and other groceries, as has been implied by several news sources.

Of course, if you simply need a smear of mayonnaise on a sandwich, a jar will last a while, but what about for American potato salad, tuna salad, coleslaw, or salmon cakes? Undoubtedly, most households will need mayonnaise sooner rather than later. If I use more than 1/4 cup of mayonnaise in a recipe, I like to use a 50/50 ratio of mayonnaise to Greek yogurt. It cuts the fat, still tastes like mayonnaise, adds more protein, and stretches your mayonnaise further. 

Another measure is to make your own mayonnaise until prices fall again, which they inevitably will. Like their in-house mayonnaise, Walmart and Target have kept their eggs at bargain prices. 

The following is a one-cup recipe. Small fresh batches of homemade mayonnaise are ideal. It has a shorter shelf life than commercial mayonnaise:

Homemade Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

Photo: iStock

1 large egg

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white vinegar (or be eccentric and use Balsamic vinegar for a delicious taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt (I use pink Himalayan or Morton's iodine salt.)

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

1 cup of mild vegetable oil (such as avocado, sunflower,  soybean, or safflower, etc.)

Directions:

1) Toss all the ingredients except the vegetable oil into a food processor and pulse.

2) Next pour 1/8 cup of the vegetable oil slowly into the food processor and pulse, then a little more oil and pulse, and a little more oil and pulse. You have to start slow to make an emulsion of air and liquid to turn the ingredients into mayonnaise. If you pour all the oil into the food processor at once or your food processor is too big, you may have a failure since the blades won't touch the ingredients and the emulsion won't occur.

Mayonnaise is a condiment I never thought of making myself since until now I couldn't make it better or cheaper than readymade, but $8 - $12 a jar is a reason to reconsider!

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Happiness Hormones And How To Get Them

This chart came to me by way of Facebook. One of my savvy classmates uploaded it. The graph is a reminder of the importance of friendships to your well-being. You'll be in good mental health, your most productive self, and have the energy to give of yourself to other people. In fact, healthy relationships with family, friends, and neighbors give you an abundance of happy hormones, namely dopamine, oxytocin, endorphin, and serotonin to keep you mentally balanced and active. Decades of studies show that people who have "social ties" live longer lives.

Several things might also put a bounce in your step like reading a good book, wearing the clothes in your closet that make you feel like a million bucks, or filling a vase with pretty flowers. Eat a treat too, whether you're in the mood for an ice cream cone, a bowl of guacamole, or a glass of wine. Your choice is ____?

Enjoy your 3-day weekend by spending time with the folks and things you value! See you on the other side.

❤️📘🌹🌻📚❤️👗🌹🌻📚💎❤️