Touring & Tasting In The Picturesque Streets of Montmartre

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Judi

Bonjour mes amis!

It’s time for the grand finale of my 60th birthday trip to France. I was traveling with my BFF L in honor of our mutual milestone year. We began in Lyon and finished up in Paris. If you missed any of my Lyon posts be sure to check out the links below.

Our stay in the City of Lights was only two days. We booked a cute one bedroom apartment near the 11th arrondissement. It had a balcony and a view of the Eiffel Tower (a teeny tiny view) from the kitchen window. Best of all, it had a working elevator. I say working because most of the time European elevators don’t exist or aren’t working.

Our Paris apartment had a view of the Eiffel Tower.

A Food & History Tour In Montmartre
While L and I had been to Paris before, neither of us had explored the Montmartre district. I was particularly interested in this section of town because it is known for its artist community. Have you seen the National Geographic Genius series about Picasso? Pablo Picasso was a frequent visitor to the cabarets in this hilltop community and some of his paintings reflect its landmarks.

Moulin Rouge cabaret is still popular in Montmartre.

We reserved a Food & History Tour in Montmartre on AirBnb Experiences in advance of our arrival. Our guide Cathy was French-American and was excited to share her passion for this eclectic neighborhood.

Cathy was our tour guide. (Photo: Courtesy of AirBnb Experiences.)

Continue reading →

Why Don’t Women Want To Talk About Menopause?

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Judi

When I read about the AARP Menopause Survey in last month’s AARP THE MAGAZINE, I was surprised to find out that 42% of the more than 400 women between the ages 50 and 59 who participated in the survey, say they’ve never discussed menopause with a health provider.

Really ladies? Why don’t women want to talk about menopause?

The same survey also reported that 84% of women say their symptoms interfere with their lives, with 12% who say they interfere “a great deal” or are debilitating. The most common symptoms of menopause for women: 50% hot flashes (thankfully, haven’t had too many of those); 42% night sweats (yep, still getting those flashes even at 60); 38% vaginal dryness (check, check, check – count me in this percentage).

There we go. Now we’re talking about menopause!

*AARP surveyed more than 400 women between ages 50 and 59 to ask about their experiences with, and attitudes toward, menopause.

An Interview with Dr. Charlotte Yeh
Recently, I had a chance to talk about menopause with Charlotte Yeh, MD FACEP, who is the Chief Medical Officer for AARP Services, Inc. Dr. Yeh has more than 30 years of health care experience. She is an expert in health care delivery in the areas of quality, safety, and efficiency. I asked Dr. Yeh some basic questions that I thought might be useful to women for whom menopause is a new experience. (However, even those of us like me who are post-menopausal may find Dr. Yeh’s guidance reassuring.) Continue reading →

A Wonderful Walking Tour of Vieux Lyon

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Judi

Bonjour mes amis!

I’m back with highlights from my summer trip to lovely Lyon, France. This time I’m going to take you on a wonderful walking tour of Vieux Lyon, also known as Old Lyon.

I was visiting the city with my BFF L for our mutual 60th birthdays. We had booked a Free City Tour online in advance of our arrival. (Note: The tour was in English.)

Vieux Lyon; Lyon, France; Old City of Lyon; Vieux Lyon City Tour

Vieux Lyon is known as the Old City.

Learning About The History Of Old Lyon
Our two hour group tour began in Place Saint-Jean, the square in front of the Gothic St. Jean Cathedral. Before going inside the Cathedral, our guide Paul pointed out Notre-Dame Basilica, atop Fourvière Hill, which was in perfect view from the square. Continue reading →

LOVE, GILDA Documentary Honors A Great Comedienne

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Judi

When I think about the early days of Saturday Night Live (SNL), one great comedienne comes to mind and that’s Gilda Radner. Sadly, Gilda died from ovarian cancer at 42. Thankfully, her legacy lives on in the whimsical characters she created and the many contemporary comedians and comediennes she inspired.

Last week, I had an opportunity to preview the new LOVE, GILDA documentary about the life and career of Gilda Radner. My emotions were all over the board as I watched Gilda reflecting on her comedy through never-before-seen-or-heard footage and journal entries.

Gilda Radner was a great comedienne.

LOVE, GILDA Will Make You Laugh
I laughed when her SNL comic characters came on the screen. Characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna, Emily Litella and Lisa Loopner. I was only in my teens when she graced the SNL stage yet I remember these characters well. Each one was priceless and made me chuckle today as much as it did back then.

(Note: If you cannot see the trailer click here.)

In the documentary, Gilda reflects: “I always felt that my comedy was just to make things be alright,” she says. “I could be people that I really wasn’t.” Continue reading →

Edye’s Naturals Founder Shares Skin Care Tips For Post 50 Women

Posted on September 13, 2018 by Judi

“You’re skin looks so good,” said my daughter A when she was visiting last week. I told her I’ve been using a skin care line I received called Edye’s Naturals, which are made with pure, simple organic ingredients. “Edye’s Naturals were created by a post 50 female entrepreneur,” I said to A, who works in the beauty industry.

During my 10+ years blogging, I’ve received an abundance of beauty products. As a post 50 and now post 60 female, I need all the skin care help I can get. Every day there are more wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles on my face and neck.

Edye’s Naturals is a line of organic beauty products.

Enter the #giveaway for Edye’s Face and Body Butter #beauty #skincare

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And the results say…
Based on my initial trial the past few months, I’m pleased to say that Edye’s Deep Nourishing Serum and Edye’s Face and Body Butter are awesome. However, they are very different than most other serums and moisturizers I’ve used. Continue reading →

Appreciating Centuries of Silk Weaving At Maison des Canuts

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Judi

Bonjour mes amis!

I’m back to share more highlights from my summer trip to lovely Lyon. In case you missed my first Lyon post, be sure to read about my stay in the hip and cool La Croix Rousse neighborhood. I was visiting the city with my BFF L for our mutual 60th birthdays.

While Lyon is the culinary capital of France, it is also well-known for it’s silk industry, where for five centuries Lyon’s talented canuts (silkworkers) have been perfecting their technical, social and creative prestige. In fact, the heart of the canuts district is located in Croix Rousse and the historic Maison des Canuts (now a silk museum) was just a few blocks from our AirBnb apartment.*

Maison des Canuts silk museum is located in Lyon’s La Croix Rousse neighborhood.

We booked a tour in advance of our arrival. At $7.5 euro per person, if you are a fashionista or enjoy fine silks, Maison des Canuts is well worth a visit. Just make sure you book an English speaking tour. Ooh, ooh, ooh, there is a silk shop on the premise where you can purchase beautiful scarves, shawls, blouses, etc.

Beautiful silk scarves can be purchased at the silk shop.

Following In The Footsteps of Lyon’s Weavers
According to Maison des Canuts’ website, “this establishment was created by the COOPTISS (a weaving cooperative founded by Lucie Berger in 1960) and opened in 1970. At the end of the 19^th century, Maison was the head office of the Syndicat des Ouvriers Tisseurs et Similaires (weavers and other similar professions trade union).”
Continue reading →

Bonjour! My Birthday Visit To The Lovely City of Lyon

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Judi

Bonjour mes amis! It’s time to share highlights from my summer trip to lovely Lyon, the culinary capital of France.

Oui mon amis, I bet after I tell you about my first visit to this amazing city, you’ll want to book your next vacation there, especially if you’re a foodie.

Lyon is the culinary capital of France.

Oui mon amis, I went to Lyon with my BFF L for our mutual 60th birthdays. What could be more fun than celebrating 30+ years of friendship and a 60th year with a long weekend in Lyon followed by a few days in Paris?

Celebrating a 30+year friendship and our 60th birthdays with a trip to Lyon and Paris.

We flew from Newark, NJ on Delta to Paris and then took a train from the Paris Gare Lyon Station to Lyon Part Dieu Station. It’s about a 90 minute train ride. Continue reading →

My Foodie Adventure At The 2018 Fancy Food Show

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Judi

My FitBit was pumping as I entered the Jacob Javits Center in New York City for my foodie adventure at the 2018 Fancy Food Show last month. Would I hit 10,000 steps by the end of the day? I had 365,000 square feet to capture with 2,400+ exhibiting companies. Better yet, would I burn off the calories I was about to consume on all the chocolates, cheeses, beverages, snacks, desserts and other delicacies from around the world?

What Are The Food Trends?
As a long-time foodie, I enjoy going to the Fancy Food Show each summer. It’s fun to see the trends and flavors unfold and sample what’s new.

The Fancy Food Show showcases new food products each year.

According to Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) annual research, trends this year include:
♥ Sparkling and functional beverages along with cocktail mixers
♥ Cauliflower (I talked about cauliflower being popular with cookbooks too.)
♥ African flavors and foods from the Philippines (Filipino cuisine is being added to more restaurant menus.)
♥ Sustainability and upcycled products with ingredients that would otherwise go to waste
♥ Tea infusions with tea varieties being used in ingredients
♥ Functional foods, such as cannabis cuisine (this was a popular topic with new books too), collagen infused foods, and foods with hidden or unexpected fruits and veggies

Hemp products and supplements are trendy…even for your dog.(www.metahempsolutions.com)

Are Baby Boomers Big Foodies?
This year’s SFA research showed that baby boomers are not as big foodies as their millennial kids. They aren’t as inclined to order food online and have a below average purchase of specialty foods. However, boomers do cook from scratch and like to use seasonal foods. They are interested in all natural, organic and plant-based foods. And boomers read nutritional labels and desire quality ingredients.

secret spice remedy; superfood, #SFFS2018

Janice Anne Wheeler from Secrets Spice Remedy is a post 50 female who created her own superfood spice blend. (www.secretspiceremedy.com)

Let’s Go Sample The New Products
I think the best way to introduce you to some of the trends is to share the food products I tasted. I didn’t sample from every booth, it’s way too much food to consume. I did make my way around the entire show and did an extensive amount of good eating.

Savannah Bee Company sells honey in honeycomb hand cut from the hive. It makes a nice presentation on a buffet. (www.savannahbee.com)

I was overwhelmed by the number of food products related to health and wellness. Equally so were all the decadent foods for those times one wants to indulge. As I nibbled and noshed my way around the Show, I kept reminding myself that it’s all about “balance, variety and moderation,” the nutritional guidelines I learned when I was younger.

Peekaboo Ice Cream contains veggies! It was one of the busiest booths at the show.

If you want to purchase any of these products, ask at your local supermarket. If they don’t have the specific product, check with Whole Foods or go on Amazon and see if they sell it. Often when I asked providers where I could find their products, they shook their head and said “Amazon” or their company’s website. Continue reading →

An Abundance of New Wellness Books To Better Your Life

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Judi

From cannabis to collagen, ketogenics to cauliflower, clean eating to happy food, mindfulness to more sleep — one thing is for sure, new wellness books and cookbooks to better your life were in abundance at the 2018 BookExpo America (BEA), held in May at New York’s Jacob Javits Center.

Last week, I shared upcoming novels and memoirs I discovered at BEA. This week, I’m focusing on new self-care titles. The following are some of the wellness themes I found trending as I walked the exhibition floor. Note some of the titles are not available until later this year or early 2019.

Wellness and self-care books and cookbooks were trending at the BEA 2018.

Enter the #giveaway for “My Pocket Tai Chi.” #taichi

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Happy Titles That Will Make You Smile
If someone asked me if I’d rather be happy than sad, the answer would undoubtedly be “happy.” I bet you would answer in the affirmative too? Who doesn’t want to be happy? For those who aren’t, you can read these new happiness books:

Who knew you can find happiness at the barber shop?

♥ Short Cuts To Happiness, Life Changing Lessons From My Barber by Tal Ben-Shahar (This title made me laugh. Maybe I should buy it for my boyfriend L.)
♥ 100 Days Happier and The Happiness Code and The Daily Promise, 100 Ways To Feel Happy About Your Life were all written by Domonique Bertolucci (I sure hope Domonique is happy.)
♥ Happy Food – Fast, Fresh, Simple Vegan by Bettina Campolucci Bordi
♥ Draw and Be Happy by Tim Shaw
♥ Spark Happiness (A box of prompts to cultivate joy.)

There are many ways to achieve happiness.

Stop, Breathe and Be Mindful
As a yoga and meditation instructor, I practice mindful living. When I get stressed out I remind myself to “stop, breathe, and be” in the moment. I studied Mindfulness Meditation about 10 years ago and since then it has become more and more popular as the world gets more and more stressful. That’s likely why there are so many books on the subject and related-subjects like yoga and the previously mentioned topic of happiness: Continue reading →

Great Reads And New Novels At The 2018 BookExpo

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Judi

It’s fun to attend the 2018 BookExpo America (BEA) each May where publishers introduce their new novels, memoirs, cookbooks, and non-fiction titles. The event is open to trade (and media) – although I think some consumers can participate if they run a book club. I love to stroll the aisles at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City and see what’s trending.

BookCon, a similar show for avid readers, follows BEA in the same venue and is open to all. It hosts entertaining programs with authors on the weekend after BEA.

I met Tony Kushner, author of “Angels in America,” at a book signing.

Setting A Goal To Do More Reading
I tend to do more reading during the summer months while relaxing at the shore. I find I read more when traveling too. One of my goals during my life after 60 is to do more reading. My boyfriend L and my BFF L are both voracious readers — they inspire me. I like reading on a Kindle because I can load several books at a time.

Book publishers exhibit their new books at the 2018 BookExpo America (BEA).

Being a fan of chick-lit, I just finished Lauren Weisberger’s new bestseller, When Life Gives You Lululemons. If you like The Devil Wears Prada, this is a sequel and a quick read. For those who are fellow Jackie O fans, I suggest the biography by J. Randy Taborelli – Jackie, Janet & Lee – The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill. It’s a fascinating peek into the lives of these glamorous women. For other reads check out my Books page.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz; 2018 Book Expo

“The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is based on a true story.

My next book is The Tattooist of Auschwitz, based on a true story about a tattooist during WWII, who falls in love with a woman from the camp where he is forced to tattoo prisoners’ numbers on their arms. Heather Morris wrote the novel after interviewing Lale Sokolov, a very real person who decided, late in life, to share his experiences. It’s a war story and a love story. I received an advance copy — the book will be available in September.

Igniting A Reading Renaissance
There’s been more talk these days of “igniting a reading renaissance.” Continue reading →