It's always a joy to enter the flagship store (in fact there are 2 stores on Madison Avenue at East 72nd Street opposite one another on the east and west sides of the street), where you are always greeted with friendliness and never stuffiness, disdain, inaccessibility, indifference, or the rudeness of some upscale businesses. Furthermore, RL's price points are neither cheap nor outrageous. They are high-end and expensive, yet not gouging.
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Ralph Lauren Come Decorate My Apartment
It's always a joy to enter the flagship store (in fact there are 2 stores on Madison Avenue at East 72nd Street opposite one another on the east and west sides of the street), where you are always greeted with friendliness and never stuffiness, disdain, inaccessibility, indifference, or the rudeness of some upscale businesses. Furthermore, RL's price points are neither cheap nor outrageous. They are high-end and expensive, yet not gouging.
Monday, February 7, 2022
The Heart Shaped Bag
The heart-shaped luxury purse trend wouldn't have caught my eye had Sophie Shobet not featured it on her YouTube channel (see sidebar for her link) in addition to it being near Valentine's day.
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Drew Barrymore's Valentine To Customers: Lip Kit Duo
Flower lipstick by Drew Barrymore has become one of my favorites. The reason? Because of its stellar quality in addition to its array of natural, gorgeous colors rivals the luxe brands at a fraction of the cost. If you wish to try it, now may be a perfect time because ...
For Valentine's Day, the beauty company is offering a limited-edition bundle lip kit duo pairing a full-sized lipstick with a full-sized lip liner to create cupid-approved lips at the special sale price of only $16 per kit. When I went to the website a promotional coupon also popped up to reduce the final price further, and free shipping was offered, making a purchase that arrives in your mailbox a steal!
Although you can mix and match the hues yourself, Drew has the following guide of complementary colors for those who seek help:
There's absolutely no reason to pay more when you get the quality and beautiful hues, bar none of Flower to create lusciously rich pigmented and moist lips. I have several Flower lipstick shades ... all of them super wearable, not to mention, relatively cheap! Plus the packaging looks as good as the luxury brands.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
A Cautionary Tale: Toe Nail Fungus
Here's a cautionary tale: A savvy friend did a bad thing because she had a momentary lapse of good judgment. At T.J. Maxx she slipped her bare feet into a pair of very cute toe-shaped water shoes. Well, nobody is perfect, however, this one and only time is all it took to catch a nail fungus (a/k/a onychomycosis). She says she never tries on shoes in stores barefooted, but since the water shoes were shaped like real feet, she made an exception because her sock didn't fit into the shoes and she was unsure whether to go up 1/2 size. Still, she knew better!
Her nail fungus began on the big toe of one foot, but since she had zero experience with this disease, at first she didn't know what was the matter with her big toe ... and so repeatedly soaked her feet in a moisturizing foot bath to treat it, thereby spreading her nail fungus from one big toe to all 20 of her digits, fingers and toes. Yikes!
Her doctor says there is no quick cure for nail fungus, and it is very contagious! If the fungus is on the skin or in-between the toes, it is called Athlete's foot.
The remedy to heal a nail fungus is to swallow a prescription drug called Tervinafine, one tablet per day, for 6 months or longer. Although rarely, Terbinafine can cause liver damage. While taking it, a patient must have a blood test monthly to ensure the drug isn't affecting the liver. Holy Moly!!
My friend recommends also painting a coat of liquid solution with 25% undecylenic acid plus sprinking foot powder containing 2% miconazole nitrate on the nail fugus extra remedies before sticking your feet into socks or sandals.
Geeze! A second of error ... 6, 8, 9, ??? months of medicine and doctor visits to cure it. Is it worth it? No.
As of yesterday, this savvy friend who had a momentary lapse of good judgment is not experiencing any problems with Terbinafine, but golly, let the example of her momentary lapse of good judgment stop the rest of us from trying on rack shoes barefooted that other people may have tired on! I'm sure I've done so a couple of times over the years myself. Boys and girls, just don't do it! Never, ever, um, um, um!! Our moms were right!!!
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Black Forest Cookies
I'm still busy away from blogging but I'll jump on as time permits. Today for the first time ever I tasted a soft, chewy, and ultra chocolatey cookie that I never knew existed! The rich dark chocolate (like an Oreo) cookie is filled with chunks of white chocolate (or substitute dark chocolate chips) and maraschino cherry pieces. I think both the taste and texture make the cookie delectable. Here is the recipe:
Black Forest Cookies
Ingredients:
2) Next add the egg and vanilla and beat with the mixer.
3) In a 2nd bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
4) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in portions until just combined.
5) Mix in the white chocolate and maraschino cherries.
6) Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.
7) Scoop the cookie dough (into tablespoon-size balls or globs) and deposit onto a buttered or parchment-lined prepared cookie sheet.
8) Bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees F oven for 9 - 11 minutes or until the edges set.
I like Black Forest Cookies even better than the cake. Delicious paired with a cup of milk or coffee. Down the hatch or freeze a batch!
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Taking A Blogging Break
photo: minsmash.com |
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
The French Slip Dress
Revolve |
The French Slip Dress is a classic. Rumor has it every stylish French woman has a slip dress in her wardrobe and thus the name. The dress comes in different lengths and necklines ... and can be cut or styled to look elegant or playful.
VIR Girl |
ASOS |
Uniqlo |
Friday, December 31, 2021
A Happy New Year 2022
Good Riddance, But Now What?
By Ogden Nash
Come, children, gather round my knee;
Something is about to be.
Tonight’s December thirty-first,
Something is about to burst.
The clock is crouching, dark and small,
Like a time bomb in the hall.
Hark! It’s midnight, children dear.
Duck! Here comes another year.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
Sin’ auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
From A Poem for Every Night of the Year
Thursday, December 23, 2021
It's Nearly Christmas: Come Travel With Me
One of the Christmas trees at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Queen Elizabeth IIs official residence in Scotland. A painting of King Charles II looks on. For more about him go here. His father, King Charles I is the portrait on the right. For our Christmas blog let's travel around the world, as well as, back in time a bit. On my bucket list is a return to Great Britain at Christmas time. With the numbers of the Omicron variant of COVID rising, it won't be anytime soon, so let us rely on the blog for our Christmas visits this year ...
How beautiful are Queen Elizabeth II's 2021 trees in Scotland and Windsor? Her Majesty's trees arrived and were decorated in early December. On to the Middle East ...
One day perhaps tourists will again spend Christmas where it all began in Bethlehem. Maybe this December the locals can enjoy Bethlehem even more without the usual crowds, although sadly when people stay away the commerce won't be there for the town either. Our next stop is New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 9, 2021: Here on the Upper East Side at the Met, my friend Carolyn invited me to see the new Walt Disney exhibit with her. She had an extra ticket for its opening. I had not visited the museum in 2+ years, and her company was the shot in the arm (no pun intended๐) I needed to go again. As it turns out, you do need your COVID shots in the arm, as well as, to show a state ID and wear a mask to get inside. Glad to oblige to keep everybody safe! We very much enjoyed the magic of Walt Disney consisting of footage of its animated films, movie posters, and various artifacts from the productions. As I mentioned to Carolyn, I didn't see Disney's Snow White (1938) or The Sleeping Beauty (1959) movies, but as a child, I had the records of the fairytales which I played over and over again; and the recordings came with Disney illustrated books so you could turn the pages as you listened to actors reading the parts, classical music, and dramatic sound effects. I remember the book images vividly as if I'd seen the films in theaters. Beauty And The Beast (1991) I also missed in theaters ... but I've seen enough Disney clips over the years to know all 3 animated films well. Naturally, we had to visit the 17th Century Christmas tree the Met always sets up at Christmas in the Medieval-Byzantine-Early Modern chamber complete with a soft Gregorian chant in the background. Every year it's become a Christmas tradition to walk over to see it. Like many other activities, I missed doing so in 2020. Our last blog stop is a spot in my apartment. You get music in my home too.๐ I tried to give this Nativity Scene away as I have another one but didn't find a taker, and so I'm displaying it myself this year. Hey, maybe I do need two.:) "Go Tell It On the Mountain" is from my favorite Christmas album of all time recorded by the Ames Brothers (1957), which I reviewed the year I began the blog here. As a young man, my father bought the vinyl album, and it played every Christmas on my parent's {Dad's stuff always became our stuff๐} stereo during my childhood, so when I moved to Manhattan, I bought a CD of it in a record store. Thus, the tradition continues! Unfortunately, record stores are another relic of the past. Another glance at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland with Queen Elizabeth's decorating team. I want to thank you, my lovely readers, for stopping by ... for your continued support ... and I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday in your own faith traditions. I'm happy to include you in mine by wishing you Peace, Love and, Joy. We may be from multi-cultures and traditions, but everyone is accepted and valued on THE SAVVY SHOPPER. Here we are united as one human global family. Free to be a little bit serious and a little bit frivolous ... and spread kindness continuously. On these restricted days apart people need it!๐๐ Merry Christmas Everyone! xoxo You may also enjoy: |