The Real J. Peterman Company

If you watch reruns of Seinfeld on television, you may recognize J. Peterman as Elaine Benes' quirky boss. (She was once fired by him for her dislike of the film, "The English Patient.") But, did you know the J. Peterman Company is a real business founded by J. Peterman, a living, breathing, flesh and blood entrepreneur?

The clothing, accessories and home goods retailer was launched in Lexington, Kentucky in 1987 by John Peterman, who also traveled the world and played minor league baseball for 3 years.

The upscale, yet affordable merchandise sells mainly online. There is a warehouse type of store in Blue Ash, Ohio, site of its present headquarters. The offerings are luxurious, practical, unique; and yes, sometimes quirky. You will find tailored suits and cotton dresses, fine wale vests and English umbrellas, as well as, Italian leather totes, hooded European raincoats and authentic English pub signs. J. Peterman calls his inventory "uncommonly good." Expertly made apparel, accessories, luggage and housewares that are frequently one-of-a-kind. People will stop you in the streets to ask where you got your articles.

His catalogues are fun to peruse. Product descriptions are written with a cheeky sense of humor, and the items are shown as drawings, rather than photographs.

Like the man, himself, nothing about the J. Peterman Company is run-of-the-mill, lackluster, or ordinary. Take a browse: Like an off-the-beaten-path road trip, it's a glorious idiosyncratic adventure!

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Healthy Real Food Is Not Expensive

Photo: 9 News and Wikipendia

Today I will dispute a common fallacy about the cost of food. It is thought that real food is more expensive than processed food, a/k/a "food like substances." Often this is untrue, which is a very good thing. Sustenance (or food and drink), the source of strength, health and fueling life, itself, takes a big bite out of our budgets. 

A quick way of eating healthy and saving money is to shop along the outer aisles of a supermarket, where real food like milk, eggs, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables are stocked and away from the middle aisles where most of the processed food, such as twinkles, cheetos, chips and boxes of sugary cereals lay.

Photo: oritzgift.com
On sale for $1.99 a pound at local supermarkets.

After I started eating real food over processed food, I spent less (time shopping and) money on groceries, a bonus I didn't expect. I will link a newly discovered website, called Foodfacts From A - Z, which is a handy-dandy encyclopedia of food. Look up the origin and nutritional value of a specific food. Your homework is to browse the alphabet of food, then add a new rarely/or never eaten food to your diet each month. Expand your food horizons.

Photo: blazer76 iStock

While it's normal to enjoy occasional treats, we need to remember what the true purpose of food is, as well as, to care about achieving longevity. Probably we should eat-to-live 95% of the time, and live-to-eat about 5% of the time for overall good health and a long life free of disease.

I notice that all types of anti-oxidant-rich berries are now in season. Priced as cheap as they will ever be. Eat up while inexpensive and plentiful. I posted lucious berry photos throughout the blog to entice you! {Cheeries are not considered berries as they have pitts, but like barries are high in axtioxidants and can be popped into your month.} We all need little nudges once in a while to learn and stick with healthy habits.

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The Southern Cross (Crux)

Occasionally for fun, I blog about Guilty Pleasure Songs; however I'm going to retire the list of songs because the YouTube videos disappear so often, and it's too much effort to go back to old posts for the purpose of finding new videos of a whole list of songs. (Will you cry me a river?) I prefer writing new blogs to revising old ones.🙃

So from now on for amusement, perhaps I will do a Guilty Pleasure Song ... no more lists, just a single. Surely I can keep up with one song if it gets yanked.

Sooo, for my Guilty Pleasure Song, I choose Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills & Nash.♬♪♪♫♪♪

What can I say about it? Only a talented songwriter can write a good story song. Early country music had tons of them. Today, not so much. A good story song sounds authentic -- it says something real and true about the human condition. A listener can hear the song years later and still understand its meaning, as the scenario, or emotions are timeless. Hank Williams, Mere Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Bob Wills and a slew of other artists excel(led) at songwriting ... and thus master(ed) the story song.🎸

Steven Stills is no slouch either. He wrote Southern Cross (with the help of Rick and Michael Curtis) about a long boat trip he took following his divorce. A failed relationship leaves its damage and is filler for the song. Clearly, the protagonist pines for his ex-love. Do you agree? The man sails around the Southern Hemisphere taking solace in the beauty of the sea and the Southern Cross, a constellation of stars in a peaceful night sky. Through his sorrows and loss what endures for him is music. He thinks he'll forget her, and in time perhaps he will. Or not? {One source says: That's as likely to happen as forgetting the beauty of the Southern Cross.} See how clever the story song can be?✨

Crux photo: Space.com

Crux photo: Christopher J. Picking

A wordy song, Mr. Stills must possess a stellar memory and clear head to sing it LIVE, no? Lovely harmony too.

By the way, we can't see the Southern Cross here in America. Have you caught a glimpse of it in your sky?🌝

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Planet Eden Organic Skin Care

Photo: Photo: NewHealthGuide.org

Good skin care is an ongoing topic on THE SAVVY SHOPPER. Although we can't stop the march of time, we can strive to have "glowing, radiant skin'' at every age. And ... we don't want to go broke doing so.

Plant Eden is a company offering the best quality organic serums, moisturizers and treatments without the expense of the luxe brands. What an amazing find!: You get top-notch skin care at affordable prices, which is why the retailer began in 2009. Plus, the products are cruelty free, none are tested on animals.

Here are some of the crème de la crème Planet Eden anti-aging potions to try:

1) Eden Skin Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid Serum - Reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Protects against inflammation and stimulates the growth of collagen. Lightens freckles and age stops. (Apply the serum at night.)

2) Miracle C Serum With Cam Camu Berry - Cam camu berry is a natural source of high potency vitamin C. It improves uneven skin tone and helps your sun screen work better. The serum has ferulic acid which doubles the benefits of vitamin C to protect skin against free radicals, as well as, produce collagen. It also contains hyaluronic acid, a vital component in skin. The serum boosts elasticity and keeps your skin healthy, moist and supple. (Wear it day or night, but not with a retinol. The 2 ingredients, retinol and vitamin C cancel the benefits of the other.)

3) 20% Gly-Lactic Exfoliating Lotion with Glycolic and Lactic Acid - Has 10% glycolic and 10% lactic acid for cell turnover. There are no harsh chemicals, but tons of moisturizers. Your skin plumps up with dewy moisture -- derived from hyaluronic acid and sealed by exotic oils and butters -- while shedding a layer of dead, dull skin over a short period of time to revel fresh skin. (Use day or night.)

4) Antioxidant Recovery Cream for Stressed Dry Skin And After Skin Peels - Loaded with organic botanicals, such as rose hip oil, evening primrose oil, grapeseed oil, caledula, frankincense, macadamia nut oil and many other ingredients, including Anica and vitamin B5. It sooths, moisturizes and heels the skin. (Apply day or night.)

5) Dermaneedle Skin Roller (540 needles) - Using a skin roller reduces pores, acne scars, pigmentation and wrinkles. The motion of the needles stimulates collagen. It can be used on the face and other parts of the body.

The serums, creams and treatments have a pleasant, clean scent (very faint), a smoothing effect and are filled-to-the-brink of their containers. Value without compromise; plus all items ship for free.

With the cash you save on Planet Eden's youth elixirs, you can splurge on a useful tool like the skin roller. In a nutshell: This highly effective brand is a bargain!

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Bean, Avocado, Corn, Onion And Tomato Salad

Phoro: natalieshealth.com

Eating beans helps people to live longer! A fact. In 2009, a Vitality Project lead by Dan Buettner studied the lifestyles of people who live in Blue Zones -- which are areas of the world with the longest life spans. People in the Blue Zones tend to live to be 100+ years old. Along with other healthy habits, it turns out that the people who live in epicenters of old age eat lots of beans. Since beans are healthy and tasty, perhaps we should emulate them. So now I'm looking for ways to eat more beans.

Last night's dinner was a quick and easy recipe I pulled off Facebook. As usual, I made it my own:

Bean, Avocado, Corn, Onion and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

1 15-16 ounce can of beans (Use black, red kidney, pink or your favorite.)
2 ripe avocados, diced
2 cups of corn kernels (I grilled 16 ounces of frozen corn in a skillet, but you can use a can, or fresh corn -- cut off the cob.)

French Tart-FT

1 small onion, diced
1 large ripe tomato, diced (or plum or cherry tomatoes, i.e. any)
seasonings to taste:
salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, Herb De Provence, dried chipotle powder and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
A sprinkle of soy sauce
A sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce

Dressing: You can use lemon (i.e., lemon + extra virgin olive oil); or vinaigrette (vinegar + extra virgin olive oil). I like vinaigrette.

Directions:

Toss everything into a big bowl and mix thoroughly. I made a vinaigrette dressing, adding it to the bean juice that was left in the can of beans. A very adoptable recipe, season everything to taste. 

You can also add other crunchy vegetables like diced celery; carrot, red peppers; an apple; or sunflower seeds to the salad. I made mine with just the 5 ingredients listed in the heading and went the spicy chipotle and red pepper flake route.

Such a simple salad to toss together and picnic friendly. Bon Appétite!

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Uniqlo Partners With Épice

Uniqlo, the innovative Japanese retailer, which makes "Life Wear'' clothing tempted me once again! I have 4 of their bra dresses hanging in my closet from previous seasons. By habit I'm an under buyer, not an over buyer. Sooo. I have no business buying any more of these dresses. And yet, I did!

The first Uniqlo bra dress I got was solid black. Then the collaborations with noted design studios began -- and my wish came true. The bra dress in florals materialized!

This year Uniqlo paired with Éspice, a Copenhagen brand, known for their beautiful, sophisticated floral designs.

I love wearing the bra dress all summer long. So light and comfortable! You don't need a camisole. You don't need a slip. You don't need a bra, as a full bra is built in. As cool and practical as shorts, but more versatile. The style of a grown-up.

For these reasons, I bought 2 more dresses: (1) off-white and (2) blue.😱 In my defense, I did not buy all 4 Épice floral patterns in the bra dress that are available. 

Uniqlo, I warn you: Do not offer your bra dress in anymore pretty floral designs. Just stop it! Because I can't resist!! Plus, these darn dresses roll out near my summer birthday. A coincidence? I think not! How devious of you, Uniqlo!👹

Note to my readers: The Épice collection also includes: maxi bra dresses, t-shirts and shorts. Every article is under $30, plus goes on promotion quite often, making the pieces a steal!

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