Posted on May 22, 2019
WEDNESDAY WOW – BEAUTY EYE-OPENER!
Hi Boomerbuddies!
For years I thought you had to spend big on beauty products to get big results. Not so! The biggest eye-opener for me – if you’ll pardon the pun – was mascara. I always bought the Lancome mascaras thinking they were the best, and if you know Lancome, they are not cheap! The game changer for me happened on an airplane. I was flying to Malaga, Spain with daughter Ali. She asked if she could borrow my mascara because she had forgotten hers. By divine timing, the air hostess on the Ryanair flight began to announce some beauty deals they were selling at greatly reduced prices, perfumes, lotions, etc. and a special two for the price of one deal on mascaras. I thought as a little surprise, I would get Ali one pack and present it to her later.
The mascara was L’Oreal’s Voluminous Lash Paradise. Ali gave it to me to try and I was amazed at how fabulous it was. In an instant it made my lashes look thick and voluminous – exactly as they promised on the package! I’ve been using it for two months now and it’s still going great! Ali, who knows her beauty products, informed me that when it comes to mascaras, you don’t have to get expensive ones. Well, you learn something new every day! This is what it looks like. Check it out. Half the price of Lancome, and twice as good!
Lipsticks for the Summer:
When it comes to lipsticks, I’m very loyal to Mac products. From experience, I find them the very best. When it comes to lipsticks for older, dryer, lips the cheaper products don’t always work! Mac lipsticks have wonderful moisture and staying power. Also, fabulous colours. I’m not the only one who raves about the Mac lipsticks. I follow some beauty bloggers and many of them say the very same thing. So there must be some magic ingredient contained within them!
My two favourite colours for the Summer are CB 96 which is a gorgeous shade of orange with a nice gloss which make my lips look plumper. The only part of me which I want to look plump is my lips lol! The other shade I love is called Pink you think? Love the name! It’s a lovely warm frosted pink shade, and like CB 96, it makes my lips plump up like birds feathers! Love them! As we age, we still gotta keep that sparkle!
Have a happy, colourful day, friends!
Patricia xxx
Updated on May 21, 2019
VANCOUVER – MY KIND OF FABULOUS!
Hi Boomer Buddies!
Hope you had a fantastic weekend, wherever you were, and whatever you were doing! At this stage of the game, it’s the life in our years – Right? Always good to squeeze in some playtime!
Vancouver is my playground city! It’s like a big kick-ass bolder sister to the more gentle paced Victoria. The two cities could not be more different! When I feel like a buzz of energy, this is where I head. A short skip across the Pacific on a ferry, then a battle with Vancouver traffic, and in 3 hours approx. we’re in our downtown condo, a.k.a. our ‘Urban Cottage’ with its panoramic views over bustling Robson Street. Cars honking, laughter flowing from the Starbucks below, traffic lights buzzing, dogs barking, heavenly aromas from nearby restaurants. I see, smell, and hear it all from my 7th floor eye in the sky paradise. But, after a few days of condo dwelling, I’ll admit I’m ready for my spacious home in Victoria, my garden, and more gentle pace of life. Vive la difference! And they are very different!
It’s the Victoria Day long weekend here in British Columbia, so we have a holiday weekend, another reason for coming to Vancouver – any excuse to see our girls, Victoria and Claudia!! And, did I mention the shops? And of course Vancouver Art Gallery. A visit to the city would not be the same without a trip to my very favourite Cafe – Cafe Faubourg, located right across the street from the Vancouver Art Gallery. I go there every time! Didn’t get to walk by English Bay yet.
I thought I would share some of my favourite photos from the Gallery. Hope you enjoy!
Keep doing what you LOVE!!
Posted on May 17, 2019
FASHION FRIDAY: BIBI HORST
Happy Friday Boomer Buddies!
I can’t believe Friday has rolled around again! How quickly this week has passed. The new Royal baby will be walking before we realize it!
Even though I really love Queen Elizabeth, I cannot really see myself wearing any of her outfits! No offence Queen! However, when it comes to Bibi Horst, I would wear everything – absolutely everything she wears. I did not see one item on her that I would not wear – if I had her figure and bank account that is!
I stumbled upon this lady’s page by accident and fell madly in love with her style and elegance. She’s older, meaning ‘over 50’ and I think she is probably one of the most stylish ladies I have seen in a very long time. Everything about her clothing has a European stamp to it – elegant, colourful, effortlessly chic! I would LOVE to be able to buy clothes like that here in Canada. Massimo Dutti would probably be the nearest to her style that I know of in Canada. After seeing her fabulous outfits, there is NO way I could compete – Ever!!
I hope you enjoy this collage of Bibi Babe Fashion, and that it will give you some ideas on how to put items together for that classic look. No doubt, she will feature again on Fashion Friday! I just love to see older ladies making the most of themselves. Fashion is fun! Bibi sure knows that, and is my new Fashion Idol!
Cheers!
Patricia xxx
Posted on May 15, 2019
RESCUE COOKIES!
This past Easter, my kids looked at me in earnest and said “Mom, you know you’re a chocoholic”. The expression on their faces said it all – I had a problem! “What makes you say that?” I asked in defense, and feeling a mixture of shame and guilt. “It’s just the way it’s all or nothing for you with chocolate.” I could see they had a point. I can go a few weeks without chocolate, and then have a massive craving and devour everything that looks or smells like chocolate and then feel yucky next day!
To quote my wise husband, “There is a solution for every problem.” I began scouring the internet looking for yummy-sounding, sugar-free, healthy and delicious cookies. I found the magic recipe! I love these cookies. One will satisfy the greatest craving. I call them my ‘Rescue Cookies’. Because they really did come to my rescue! I have given them to several people and they all love them! I give them my WOW of the week award!
Hope you enjoy them too – and they are non-bake so easy peasy to make!
Ingredients:
1/3rd cup coconut oil – 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter – 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup – 1 tsp. vanilla essence, 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut – 1/4 tsp. sea salt (I leave out the salt because I find they are salty enough) 1 1/2 cups oatmeal – 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder.
Method:
Gently melt the coconut oil, add in the peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add in honey or maple syrup, vanilla essence, cocoa powder, shredded coconut and oatmeal. Mix together until all the ingredients are blended well. You may wish for a more chocolate dense flavour. If so, add less oatmeal. The recipe called for just one cup but I added more as I like them a little crunchier. Play around with the recipe!
When mixture has cooled, form into little balls on a baking dish, and flatten with your fingers. Leave to cool in the freezer for 20 mins. Then put into a covered container and keep in the fridge. I usually make a dozen, but you can make smaller cookies and probably get 12-16 cookies. Approx. 100 calories for one but well worth it! The peanut butter makes them very filling and satisfying. The oatmeal and coconut give a yummy crunch! If you want less calories, you can do the math on the calories in everything from the oatmeal to the peanut butter and then divide it by the amount you make.
EnJOY!
Patricia xxx
Updated on May 14, 2019
COLOUR YOUR WORLD!
Hi fellow Boomers!
Hope you all had a lovely weekend, wherever you were, whatever you were doing…and that you enjoyed my Fashion Friday blog featuring a huge style icon of mine – Queen Elizabeth. Isn’t she Dee Beez Knees?
By week’s end, I usually have a lot of inspiration for blogging. If you’re out and about mixing, mingling, and meeting folk, you will have lots of food for thought! Talking about food, I have been Celebrating BIGTIME! Three different celebrations recently, which I will share with you, to illustrate how important colour is in our lives!
Firstly, there was my friend Joan’s Blue Birthday party. Blue is her favourite colour, so we decided to celebrate her 80th by all wearing her favourite colour. I was the party planner, so had incredible fun finding blue items for the party. The fabulous blue silk runner I got at a jumble sale for $2. It doubles up as a glamorous shawl! Super find. The Dollar Store was another great source for blue. We had a lovely party and nobody left with a fit of the blues lol!
Next, I had a party on Thursday to celebrate my friend Diaza’s birthday. Her sister Clarita was also visiting from abroad, so I decided to pull out all the stops! Diaza is my good friend from church. So Thursday night was a holy happy affair! I decided to make it a Spring-themed evening, and cobbled together all my Spring decorations, tablecloth, etc. After Easter the chocolate eggs were on 50% off, so I bought little bunches of chocolate flowers which I put on each place setting. Later Clarita informed us of the significance of all the colours. Yellow was for hope, Green for new beginnings, and Pink for love! How sweet!
Friday’s affair was a sombre one. It was a Celebration of Life for one of our Bingo Buddies, Cecelia, who sadly passed away recently. It was held at the Homeless Shelter where I volunteer calling out the Bingo. Cecelia was a very sweet and lovable person. Sadly, like many of the residents at ‘Our Place’ (the name of our Shelter), she had a very difficult life, lots of trauma, substance abuse issues, etc. you name it! Yet, for all the time I knew Cecelia, she always had a smile on her face. Her friends described her as “A light of joy to all who knew her”.
I heard that green was Cecelia’s favourite colour. Being Irish, I have no shortage of green! I assembled my green tablecloths, green candles, green cans of 7-up and Ginger Ale, green bags of treats, green cupcakes, green candies – Lotsa green! Several of us wore green clothing. It was reminiscent of a St. Patrick’s Party! There were a lot of tears shed, but everybody left the chapel feeling Cecelia’s troubles were behind her. Green is the colour for new beginnings… May dear Cecelia Rest in Peace with her beloved Grandma in Heaven.
I have a pink party scheduled for a friend coming to visit in June, and a yellow party scheduled for October d.v. to honour the memory of a friend’s daughter who died. Her daughter loved the colour yellow. So you see my friends, it really is a colourful world! Next time you are organizing a party for a friend, it helps to know their favourite colour. It always adds a little fun!
Hugs Galore,
Patricia xxx
