Happy Valentine's Day Pretties

Valentine's Day is fun for young and old alike! I first became aware of Valentine's Day in first grade. We glued red hearts on brown paper bags, then walked around the classroom dropping Valentine's cards, which we brought to school that morning, into the festive sacks of each of our classmates. As we were still learning to read, matching the correct names with the intented recipients was hit and miss. That evening I remember my parents going through my cards addressed to schoolmates with names like "Sammy," "George," and "Michael." 

My classmate, Sharon, received a card, but the giver had trouble spelling her last name, "Rhodes," which was misspelled and crossed out. No problem: Sharon "Streets" was substituted. Indeed, it's the thought that counts!

As adults the day is celebrated with all the goodies we still cherish, a heartfelt note, delicious dinner, good conversation and laughter.

Fine chocolate truffles often make an appearance on Valentine's Day. Men ... your mate never gets too old! And ladies, don't be above dropping a few chocolatey hints. It's hard to believe, but not everyone can read minds!

Moreover, every woman deserves to have a few nice pieces of jewelry from time to time. Valentine's Day is an idea time to give and get it.

On my way to work this week, I saw a pink hoodie hanging in a store window. "Love Everybody," was printed across the front of it. Indeed, THE SAVVY SHOPPER loves you!

♥Happy Valentine's Day my precious readers!♥

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The Ordinary Skincare Is Extraordinary

In looking for photos, I stumbled upon the BeautyFrenyBlog, so you can also read what another blogger has to say about the line.

As THE SAVVY SHOPPER, I'm always in search of the best skincare (that works according to science) for less. The more choices, the better for consumers. 

In my ongoing research, I've hit upon another excellent skincare line, called The Ordinary, a brand from parent company Deciem. Their beauty team specializes in chemistry and biochemistry to make effective skin products, with a focus on the latest innovations and keeping prices affordable. 

Moreover, the skincare is free of the usual undesirable suspects, such as "parabens, sulfates, mineral oil,  methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, benzalkonium chloride, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, oxybenzone." 

The line is sold in Europe, Canada, and on Amazon, as well as, various online retailers like ASOS.  There are several Deciem brick-and-mortar stores here in Manhattan including: (1) 611 Madison Avenue; (2) 194 Columbus Avenue; and (3) 26 Prince Street. No animal testing is involved in developing the products.

Here's a cheat sheet of best serums compiled by YouTube's Cassandra Bankson linked here. (Updated Jan. 12, 2023) 

By taking the time to read about the treatments via the Ordinary website, you can figure out what your skin needs and build your custom skincare routine. But instead of paying $40+ for designer brands, you pay $10-$20 or less and receive six times the amount. Is that not savvy shopping?

Here are two products from The Ordinary I recommend starting with: 

1) Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane - Fights multiple signs of aging with quicker cell turnover without irritating the skin.

2) Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 - Hyaluronic acid attracts up to 1,000 times its weight in water and helps the skin retain moisture. Vitamine B5 supports the formula.

Add other skin care essentials as needed, including direct acids, antioxidants, and sunscreen. The offerings include a face foundation in 12 shades with sunscreen as an ingredient.

Customers and their wallets💸 love💘 The Ordinary beauty! So popular, distributors have difficulty keeping the brand in stock.


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The Savvy Shopper Will Take A Short Break

I'm doing something I haven't done since I began THE SAVVY SHOPPER over five years ago. Step away from blogging and social media ... for one week, or more. I imagine it will be hard to do. So I'm declaring it publically. No sneaking back on here to write or post anything!

As much as I adore everything the web offers, I'm glad I was out of school before it came into common use because the internet eats up lots of time! Before it, I read more books. I had lenghty phone conversations with friends, and it seems like I had more patience. (Patience for stories that take longer than 30 seconds!)

Just like we did ... not so long ago, I'm going to spend an entire week talking face-to-face with immediate/imminent people ... family, friends, the guy at the supermarket, the mailman and anyone ... when there's a reason.

Don't get me wrong, I'd never want to go back in time, permanently, but it's important not to lose what we had before the internet came along. Time to think and reflect and to live in the present. Time to pause and time to tinker.

While unplugged, I may read a big fat book also. Any suggestions?

Have fun while I'm away. See you soon.

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The Best Places To Go For Antiques And Home Decor

Photo: pickwickantiques.com

A shoutout to Invaluable for asking a brilliant question -- it's the subject of today's blog: Where are the best places to shop for antiques and home decor?

The word antique comes from Latin. It means old or ancient. An item must be at least 100 years old for antique dealers to call it an antique. According to Wikipedia, what makes an antique "desirable" is its "age, beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection," or uniqueness -- be it the design, craftsmanship, or its reflection of a bygone era.

Photo: www.charlestoncvb.com

So now that you know what antiques are ... how and where do you go to find them? 

Before getting started, think about the type of things you like. Is it old clocks, or telephones? Do you like oil paintings, or old movie memorabilia? Are you an Anglophile, or American Civil War buff? You want to surround yourself with art, furniture and accent pieces that you love. Your home decor should make you happy and express who you are. Moreover, unless you're a collector, it is likely your only goal is to find quality pieces for your home (not so much resale value). 

Once you decide you likes, look everywhere ... starting with your neighbors:

1) Yard sales - One person's junk is another person's treasure and usually at bargain prices. You never know what's been hiding for years in someone else's attic: furniture, art, rugs, china; or odds and ends, and they usually sell for just a few dollars.

2) Estate sales - Often families need to downsize, or simply can't keep everything they inherit from deceased loved ones, no matter how pristine and like-new the home goods are. Check local newspaper listings for estate sales. One of my neighbors has a pricey bedroom set and chef quality pots and pans bought at estate sales.

3) Craig's List - A colleague of mine loves antique furniture. She found a trunk and armoire for hundreds of dollars less by searching Craig's List. When you see high-end stuff at affordable prices pounce!

4) Likewise Ebay, Amazon, Etsy and iOffer are great online sources which link buyers to sellers. Most of these websites have customer reviews of the sellers and merchandise. Read what other customers have to say before buying.

5) Browse second hand stores and consignment shops - for inventory in good condition at the right price. A majority of second hand stores and consignment shops have high standards for what they accept to resale.

Photo: www.dragon-antiques.com

6) Home Goods and sister company, TJ Maxx - are not retailers where you will find true antiques, however each has expert buyers and you will be thrilled by the wide selection of home decor available. Major department stores like Macy's and Kohls also have a ton of stuff that look like antiques (in addition to unbeatable sales).

Finally, don't be afraid to mix high-end with low-end furniture. Your home will be uniquely yours. Buying mass produced decor from the likes of Pottery Barn and Walmart has never bothered me. Set your standard to nice. Nice things can be found in the most surprising places.

And now I'm turning you over to the experts: Invaluable.com put together a fun roundup of the Top U.S. Towns for Summer Antiquing, an informative, must-read for home decorating and inspiration!

Update: January 2017 - 8 Stops for Your Next Antiquing Road Trip

This is my Pottery Barn area rug. Hand-tufted 100% wool, I love it!

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Exercises For Plantar Fasciitis

Photo: Avita Health System

Plantar Fasciitis is heel pain in the plantar fascia, the connective tissue located on the bottom of your foot that connects your heel to your toes. With high arches, a person underpronates (underrolls her foot inward) when walking, so her arches and knees take a pounding on concrete. In doing this research, I learned people with flat feet (who overpronate) can also suffer from plantar fasciitis. How about that? 

According to another source, the condition means there are microscopic tears in the plantar fascia which are slow to heal.

In my 30s I wisely started selecting shoes with arch support and stable heels, as well as, putting insoles with arch support inside my shoes. Years ago a podiatrist also made custom orthotics for my high arches, but they don't fit most of my shoes including my Nike sneakers! They are so wide they only fit my Ugg boots and Croc ballet flats. His answer was I had to buy very big shoes! {Ridiculous! ... clown shoes!?!} I've read this is the wrong solution as custom orthotics can and should be made to fit most of a wearer's shoes, and one shouldn't have to go up more than 1/2 shoe size. Alas, I gave up on the podiatrist several years ago.:) 

Well, luckily I averted heel pain until this November 2023 when suddenly I developed worrisome pain in my right heel. Now I'm on a quest to find an effective drugstore pair of orthotics to fit my other shoes. Recommendations are welcome!

Meanwhile, daily stretching of the foot and calf can help ease pain by helping to decrease the amount of tension in the plantar fascia. Pain is caused by the inflammation of this connective tissue. If you've ever experienced it, you know you can barely walk when you rise from bed, or sit for a while, but moving makes walking and the extreme pain better.

Podiatrists recommend 3 exercises that stretch the plantar fascia: 

Wall Stretch

Photo: The Healing Sole

1) Face and put palms against the wall. Extend one leg forward about 12 inches apart, one leg bent in front with the rear knee straight.

2) Keeping both feet on the ground, lean towards the wall and bend the front knee until you feel a stretch in the back leg. 

3) Stop if you feel pain.

4) Hold for 20 - 30 seconds and repeat with the opposite leg.

Towel Stretch

Photo: Versus Arthritis

1) Sit with your butt on the floor and both legs stretched out in front of you.

2) Loop a towel over the ball of one foot at a time while keeping your leg straight. Pull it towards you until you feel a stretch in your calf and hold for 20 - 30 seconds.

3) Repeat with your other leg.

👠👟👣

UVM Health org

Stair Stretch

1) While holding onto the stair rail, stand with your heels hanging off a step. 

2) Slowly lower the heels until you feel a stretch. 

3) Hold for 20 - 30 seconds.

Other actions to ease the pain include:

The Tennis Ball Roll

I'm also rolling my arches and heels over a tennis ball which brings relief. It's advice I read years ago. Btw tennis balls are multi-taskers. Toss them into the dryer in place of fabric sofer. They work!

Other exercises to gently stretch the foot help too like flexing and pointing your toes up to the sky. 

It's a pity no matter what we do to slow it down, the years inevitably take their toll. We are all destined to fall apart. Teeth, feet, ligaments, and bones, wear out. Aim to slow "it" -- i.e. your state of disrepair down with sensible strategies. :)

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The Story Of Stuff: A Review

The Story of Stuff: 1. Extraction, 2. Production, 3. Distribution

Annie Leonard, a former Greenpeace worker, is fascinated with material things, especially garbage.  She says when she looks at a cell phone, sweater, or paper cup “it's entire life cycle flashes before [her] eyes.”  It's an obsession that lead to a popular animated short and follow-up book called "The Story Of Stuff" [published in March, 2010].  And along the way, she's been accused of being un-American by followers of Glenn Beck and Fox News.

4. Consumption

"The Story Of Stuff” gets you to think about how material things come into your life and where they go after they are tossed.  We are asked to consider the hidden health, environmental and social impact of all the stuff we consume.  The book is a very understandable and entertaining read.  The tone is upbeat and ultimately hopeful, and it raises important concerns like resource depletion, toxic chemicals, worker safety and economic justice.  It also discusses the roles big business, governments and people play in over-consumption.  More stuff doesn't de facto produce greater happiness either.

5. Disposal

The author believes we can make products better without destroying our health or our planet, and corporations can be both profitable and socially responsible.  She asks us to be open to new ways of thinking.  

Although some of her critics accuse her of misrepresenting scientific terms and data, the book is a worthwhile read.  It's good to take stock of what's working and what's not … to question the status quo and to change the way we do things in order to make life better on a global scale. 

There isn't a single solution to ecological problems, but her book correctly advocates sustainability and gets readers to focus on the big picture.

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How to Make Kombucha Tea

Photo: drivethedistrict.com

In recent years I replaced drinking diet soda with diet Arizona tea. Admittedly, I should give up diet drinks altogether, but sometimes a person wants something refreshing to drink besides water. So that's where Kombucha, a fermented, carbonated tea comes in. Reportedly, the drink contains healthy bacteria and yeast that have a myriad of health benefits. Keeping your digestive tract loaded with good bacteria, you get B vitamins and other nutrients also.

The 16 ounce bottle I bought at my local health food store costs $3, and I had to buy a glass bottle to fill, priced at $1.50. So to keep drinking it, the cost needs to come down. For that reason, I decided to try making a batch of the fermented, sweeten (black and green) tea at home.

Before we begin, know that you will need to get a starter kit, which is a scoby floating in a cup of the fermented tea. A scoby is a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast that ferments the sweet tea. I ordered a scoby from a reputable seller at Amazon.com for $6.99. Once you have a scoby, here are the steps:

Homemade Kombucka

Photo: Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

3 quarts + 3 cups water (15 cups total)
1 cup sugar (I cut the sugar to 3/4 cup, but any less stops fermentation from happening. The scopy needs to be feed!)
8 tea bags (I use 4 black and 4 green)
1 scoby with starter Kombucha

Directions:  (They may read complicated, but are fairly simple to follow.)

1) Boil 3 quarts + 3 cups (15 cups total) of water for 10 minutes. Tap water works after boiling it. All water, except distilled water, should be boiled to ensure that it doesn't have any elements that would prevent fermentation. (Heck, I'd boil distilled water too. Why take a chance of the Kombucha not turning out?)

2) Add one cup of white sugar to the water and stir it with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved. (Many sources warn against using a metal or plastic spoon.) Also, there is no need to worry about the calories from the white sugar. The scoby feeds off it, and there won't be much sugar left to metabolize once the sweet tea turns into Kombucha (= 30 calories per cup). The same applies to caffeine -- less then in a cup of coffee.

3) Steep 8 tea bags (I use 4 black and 4 green) for 10 minutes in the water. (Don't use Earl Grey or herbal teas; they have oils that interfere with fermentation. You can use white and oolong tea, but decaffeinated tea will not ferment either.) After you know what you're doing, you can experiment with the amount of tea bags in your brew to suit your taste: You may prefer to cut back to fewer or more tea bags to your liking. You might like to brew all black tea, or a mix of black and green teas, etc. You can also adjust the sugar to your taste, but nothing drastic because the scoby needs the sugar for fermentation. 

4) Let the sweet tea cool to about 98 degrees F (or human body temperature), then pour into a clean glass jar. Next drop the scoby with the starter tea into it. (If the water is too hot, it kills the culture.)  Also several sources stress the importance of using a glass jar, or if you must, a porcelain, or wooden container. You don't want the chemicals from plastic to leak into your Kombucha and ruin your colony.

Photo of a scoby colony: thewholedaily.com.au

5) Cover the glass jar with a coffee filter, or a white cotton towel and secure with a rubber band. (The rubber band stops insects from getting into the batch and laying eggs on the scoby. Yuck!) The scoby needs to breathe in order to ferment. Let it sit at room temperature for 7-10 days. Make sure it is out of direct sunlight. Also, don't mess or jostle the tea while it is fermenting. Wow, what a temperamental little scoby!

6) After the 7-10 days, remove the scoby along with a cup of fermented tea to store in a glass jar. This becomes the starter to make your next batch of Kombucha. As it turns out, another layer of scoby grows with each new batch ... "a mother and baby." So after a few batches, you can give a scoby (culture) starter kit to a friend for free. (If you don't make another batch of kombucha immediately read how to store your scoby here.)

At this stage, you can drink the Kombucha, but for it to be bubbly and favored there are a few more steps ...

7) To flavor Kombucha, fill a glass jar with 1/5 of fruit juice (or crush some blueberries, raspberries etc.). and pour the Kombucha you just made into the jar. Cover up again with the coffee filter (or white cotton towel) secured with a rubber band, letting the tea breathe. After flavoring and bottling, let the komacha set for at least 2 more days to carbonate. 

Here's how I usually flavor my Komacha:

8) Usually a funnel, pour the finished Kombucha into glass bottles with stoppers (like the example to the right) or swew tops. I  cut a wedge of ginger and put it in a bottle with Kombucka, after setting the filled and sealed bottles aside for another 3-7 days for the Kombucha to carbonate. After it has time to carbonate, I put it in the refrigerator to drink cold. You want to refrigerate it after it carbonates because if fermentation isn't slowed down, the bottles might explode. Also it's refreshing as a cold drink.

I don't know if I feel like a chemist; brewer; or earth mother, but it's cool to try new things. And, it's illuminating to discover how cheap and easy a more exotic tea is when brewing it yourself! At 1st Kombucha has an earthy taste. After you get used to it, you start to like it, like acquiring a taste for anything new, brewed and healthy!

Watch this YouTube video if still confused about the process. Extra Kombucha making tips are here. I also love this Tim Anderson video from Instructables (so much fun to watch!)

Extra tips: 

* For some reason, gallon sized canning jars cost $13 - $18, so buy a gallon of pickles for $5 and use its jar.
* Bottle kombucha in old wine bottles and cork it. Saves money!
* Purists will be upset but I sometimes bottle Kombucha in 16 oz plastic water bottles if I intend to drink them soon. I do use recycled glass Lorina sparkling lemonade bottles for long-term storage. Since we can't avoid plastics altogether in our world, I don't worry about the chemicals in plastic for short-term storage. However, I never, ever expose the scoby culture to plastics. The scoby only sits in glass jars. So that's how I do it.

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Amazon Echo Is A Cool Tool

Amazon Echo would be a spurge, since it's more technology than I need right now. And yet, it's a super cool tool at an affordable price. Echo is like having Sari in a room, except Echo is handsfree and responds to the name, Alexa (or Amazon). Ask Alexa all kinds of questions, such as "How many tablespoons are in 3/4 of a cup?" It will answer, "There are 12 tablespoons to 3/4 of a cup."

Echo the gadget is connected to Alexa, a cloud based service, so it can access all sorts of information when you ask; and the cloud is always getting smarter. 

Alexa can pick up your voice from anywhere in a room even with background noise like water running in a kitchen, or a television playing in a living room. Echo fills the room with immersive sound. That means it blurs the line between the physical and digital worlds.

Alexa also responds to commands. It can create shopping lists, provide news, traffic and weather reports, turn on lights, keep your calendar, set timers and reminders, plus reorder items from your Amazon shopping history if you have an Amazon Prime account. (Yikes, spends your money!)

You can play music off the internet from sites like Pandora, iHeartRadio and more; or have Echo read you audiobooks. If you ask, Alexa will even tell you jokes.

It would be easy for a household to get addicted to the convenience of Echo. Like what we saw on the Jetsons, or Star Trek right? Wow, whether you ask questions or give commands, the technology is real and available today. Not very expensive either. Cost: $179.99 with free shipping.

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QBracelet With iPhone Charger

Photo: Bloomingdales

In the coming weeks, THE SAVVY SHOPPER will again feature a few holiday gift ideas in case you're stumped. Here's one that comes at different price points.

Look at this genius and stylish QBracelet. It's really an iPhone charger made of stainless steel, available in 3 colors: rose, white and yellow gold. 

Open the bangle at the hinge to get to a lightning connector that can boost your battery life by 50%. There are 2 sizes: small (to fit most women) and medium (to fit most men). The built-in lightning connector charges Apple iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 7 and 7 Plus. A thoughtful gift for tech-savvy fashionistas who like their bling. Cost: $149. 

Here are several more budget-friendly bracelet chargers (some will also sync your smartphone) for folks who wish to leave their cables and cords at home too. The same idea for under $10.

Beaded ones come in white, naval, black and a rainbow of other colors. The black hue looks elegant and rich, yet bright colors are playful. Paying less, you can splurge on more than one hue to match your outfits.

Here is a lovely pearl charger bracelet to show the variety of styles. Make sure you read all the Amazon customer reviews to ensure your choice works with your device and generation, or else you risk buying a mere piece of custom jewelry. Around $15.

Perhaps a man will want something plainer as we don't see many of them wear bangle bracelets. Below, the Three Legs Flat Bracelets are sleek, colorful bands suitable for both men and women. About $10.

These iPhone charges make fun, affordable and unique stocking stuffers. Stay tuned for more gift ideas!

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