SUMMER SUGGESTIONS

Many of you who know me, know that I love "products" and love trying new things. I rarely stick to a regime for hair or skin care or nails. That said, I do have a few long standing products that remain a constant in my routine. SKINCARE Skinceuticals CE Freulic-This is the one product I use both day and night. An expensive antioxidant addiction, but I must have it. Available on line or at Blue Mercury. $182.00 Oil of Olay Complete lotion moisturizer with sunscreen spf 15-I use the bottle for normal skin because I love the original scent. After all these years, it's still a favorite of mine. CVS $9.99. Eve Lom Radiance Repair Retinol Serum-Retinol is a must for aging skin and avoiding wrinkles. $185.00 at Bloomies. LIPS Evolve Together Hydrating Lip Balm Anguilla-repairs dry lips and feels great-not gooey. $26.00 on their website. Fieldtrip Overnight Hydrating Lip Mask-hydrates and repairs lips. $13.00 Available on Amazon or at Nordstrom. City Beauty City Lips Clear-plumps and smooths wrinkles (but not really!). $35.00 on Amazon. Not a fan. Perricone Cold Plasma Plus Lip Therapy-targets vertical lip lines and lipstick feathering. $29.00 on the Perricone website. SUNSCREEN Coppertone Everytone 50-if you don't feel like spending bucks for Supergoop (which is great), then try this. It blends clear, it's free of chemicals, and there is no white residue. $9.29 at CVS. Coppertone SPF#50 Glow Shimmer-This is hard to find. It adds a subtle shimmer, which is very nice. $24.00 on Amazon. It comes in a spray or lotion. Make sure not to get the one with a gradual tanner! Classic Whip Sunscreen SPF#30-silky and fun to apply on your body. Don't use on your face though-it stings. $22.00 at Ulta. BODY, FEET, BUGS VOESH Sugar Scrub and Bubble Wash Lavender for Scalp and Body-Use this in the shower first. Then use the body cream after. $24.00 On their website or on Amazon. Wonderful exfoliant! Voesh Velvet Luxe Vegan Body & Hand Cream Lavender-super luxurious body cream! Can't get enough of it. Available on Amazon $7.00. Baby Foot Exfoliation Foot Peel-removes unsightly dead skin. Apply. Wait an hour. Wash Off. Your feet start to peel 3-7 days after the initial application. So Cool! $25.00 at Ulta. No Bite Me Bug Repellent and After Bite Relief-all natural herbal formulas that repel ticks, mosquitos and black flies. $9.00-$35.00 available at Sallye Ander. Great for kids. Zevo unscented Insect Killer and Repellent-8 hour non sticky and odorless repellent. $18.00 on Amazon. EYES AND HAIR Physicians Formula Matte Monoi Butter Eyeshadow Palette-Always in search for a matte eyeshadow for aging eyelids. No glitter; great for sensitive and allergic eyes. Very hard to find in stores. $11.98 on Amazon. Love this brand and also love their InstaReady Full coverage Concealer SPF 30. BEST eye concealer ever! Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3-This is not a conditioner. It repairs damaged, over-colored and over-heated hair. Apply a generous amount from roots to the ends on dry, unwashed hair. Leave on for a minimum of 10 minutes. The longer, the better. Then Rinse, shampoo, and condition. It really improves your hair quality. Use regularly. $30 on Amazon. SHAPERS ASSETS BY SPANX-I have worn these smoothing tanks and camis for years. Available on the Target website for $26.00. WOMEN OCEAN-Another great shaper with removable breast pads and adjustable straps. All colors, styles, and sizes. Great boob support! $39.50 on their site. Perfect under dresses or sheer blouses. PERFUMES I like a scent that smells clean and fresh, like soap. My favorite go to scents are: AMAZING GRACE-the original scent. By Philosophy. $60.00 for 2 ounces. Available at Ulta and on Amazon. CLEAN SKIN-By Demeter. No artificial colors or preservatives. $7-$22.00 Available on Amazon PHILOSYKOS-By Diptyque. Eau de Toilette. $125.00 on their website. IRIS EAU DE PARFUM-by Prada. My favorite scent! Clean not sweet. All department stores carry it. $111.00. FAVORITE SUMMER TEE UNIGLO SLUB JERSEY CROPPED TEE-product ID# 455760. Comes in black, white, brown, grey, and lilac. Size up. Now on sale for $9.90 (almost sold out on line). FAVORITE NON-DESIGNER POCKETBOOKS Not in the market to spend thousands on your purse? LAGGO makes great bags. Many colors and styles. Lightweight. Zippers and compartments galore. Check out the Bella or Jess styles. Cream, Sand, and Ivory are on point hues for summer months. And for the fall, I'm loving the British Tan, the Brandy, and the Taupe. Ranging from $200-$455. Reasonably priced and pretty. THE SAK makes hand crocheted purses for the beach.I especially love the "120 Hobo." You can custom the colors and personalize with your initials if you desire. Perfect summer purse for travel and beach. Their bucket hats are adorable, too. $169.00. SUMMER CLOTHING Check out these two websites for FANTASTIC cardigans, dresses, sandals, foldable hats, and accessories. JENNI KAYNE TUCKERNUCK Nicer than anything you can find in the mall! I love these two brands for essentials. FAVORITE SHOW ON BROADWAY I am commanding you-DO NOT WALK, RUN TO SEE SEAN HAYES IN GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR. THIS IS A PHENOMENAL SHOW WITH ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES I HAVE EVER SEEN. The show ends August 27th. PLEASE GO. AND TRY TO GET A SEAT IN THE 3RD-10TH ROW CENTER! I promise that you will not be disappointed. FAVORITE NEW GAME CONNECTIONS-check out this New York Times game. It's like taking the S.A.T.'s every morning! It is much different than Wordle, Waffle, Spelling Bee, Quordle, or Blossom. lots of fun and not so easy. To all the guys who have read this-I'm sorry I bored you! Enjoy the rest of July-stay cool PEACE OUT-ONE B

WORDS MATTER

Lately, I've been contemplating the value of words and why and where they matter most. Do actions really speak louder than words? Maybe; Probably; but words are equally important. All words have meaning, and because they have meaning, they have power. And because words have power, they have consequences. Words aide us in sharing our ideas, telling stories, reliving memories, and in expressing opinions and emotions. In literature, words become essential for creating a memorable plot or an unforgettable character. For me, an author who comes immediately to mind for his proficiency in his descriptive prose was Pat Conroy (Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, Beach Music, The Losing Season, etc.) In Politics, crime and racism increase with the use of inflammatory speech. Divisive language can make a crisis worse and even incite violence. In the context of teaching History, books are now being banned because they don't align with some people's opinions on race, religious values, the actual events of history, their sexual orientation, or gender identity. Shouldn't all available information be taught to help individuals develop reasoning skills and see different sides of a story? Should we, instead, have an inaccurate and cleansed view of these issues? No matter how difficult it may be to discuss an uncomfortable situation, we can't deny or ignore factual information to curious students. We must provide all the facts-we cannot censor information because we don't necessarily agree with it or understand it. In relationships, words are important in the way we deal with other people. Especially people who may hold an adversarial opinion. Words illustrate an acute understanding of the workings of human relationships. They provide what a person's motivation is and why we do what we do. Our words can clarify the feelings and thoughts of those whom we love, or with our friends, and with work associates. In a marriage, words can often cause a misunderstanding. Or should I say, the tone of what you express may sound like a criticism rather than concern. Check yourself before you speak and don't be careless with your words. Communication is key. Sometimes, with the best intentions, when we think we are expressing compassion or empathy, someone might react negatively to our words. Why does this happen? Perhaps they heard you correctly, but for various reasons, they comprehended them in a manner that was completely inconsistent with your intent. Possibly, their bias or current emotions clouded their ability to interpret; or maybe their anger/stress clouded their perspective. You cannot control other peoples perceptions of your spoken words or their reactions, but you should be aware that language is powerful. I guess you can try to clarify what you meant and explain that you were speaking with kindness. Either this will solve the issue, or the relationship will be forever damaged. You won't know until you try. It is important to recognize that positive words can encourage, heal, inspire, and make peace. Negative words can hurt, destroy, cause hate and war. We should all be more cognizant of the repercussions of our words and how we convey them. "WORDS CAN LIGHT FIRES IN THE MINDS OF MEN. WORDS CAN WRING TEARS FROM THE HARDEST HEARTS." (Patrick Rothfuss) "WORDS ARE,IN MY NOT-SO-HUMBLE OPINION, OUR MOST EXHAUSTIBLE SOURCE OF MAGIC, CAPABLE OF BOTH INFLICTING INJURY , AND REMEDYING IT." (J.K. ROWLING) HAPPY FOURTH-BE SAFE! PEACE OUT-ONE B

READ, WATCH, LISTEN, EAT-WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE TONIGHT?

BOOKS ON MY NIGHTSTAND HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano MAD HONEY by Jennifer Finney Boylan THE COVENANT OF WATER by Abraham Verghese ROMANTIC COMEDY BY Curtis Sittenfeld SOMEONE ELSE'SHOES by Jo Jo Moyes WHO KNEW-Steven Katz TELEVISION IN SUMMER IS THE WORST SO ... MAMMALS-Prime. James Corden and Sally Hawkins star. Michelin Chef's discovers secret about his pregnant wife. SEX/LIFE-Netflix. A suburban wife and mother fantasizes about the life she could've had with a past boyfriend. Soft porn! THE IDOL-HBO. After a nervous breakdown, an aspiring pop star gets involved with a self help guru who is bad news. Lily-Rose Depp is GORGEOUS. AND JUST LIKE THAT-Max.Season 2 begins this Thursday. Kim Cattrall is back as Samantha for a few episodes. GLAMOROUS-Netflix on June 22. Damon Waysans Jr.'s new series about a gender non-conforming high school graduate who lands an internship with a cosmetic company. THE BEAR-Hulu. Second season begins June 22. I think this is one of the BEST SHOWS EVER. About a Chef working through personal issues. WATCH!! HEARTSTOPPER-Netflix Aug.22. Season one streaming now about a high school coming of age gay romance. SOMEWHERE BOY-HULU. A boy is isolated from the world by his father for 17 years and then finally gets to venture out on his own. THE CROWDED ROOM-Apple TV+. Amandy Seyfried and Tom Holland star. It's supposed to be amazing but the plot is not revealed in the write ups. LISTEN HELLO MOLLY-A memoir by Molly Shannon, whose life was shattered at age four when her mom, baby sister, and cousin were killed in a car that was driven by her dad, who survived. HONEY BABY MINE-By Laura Dern and her mom, Diane Ladd. A collection of personal conversations between daughter, Laura Dern, and her mom, Dianne Ladd. SMARTLESS-Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett interview all types of interesting people each week. THE ABSOLUTE BEST APP EVER. SOUND BATHS ON THE CALM APP-can't sleep? listen to the a sound bath to lull you to sleep. ON THE RADIO-Listen to Taylor Swift's Karma; The Jonas Brothers Summer Baby; and Dua Lipa's Dance the Night. EAT OSTERIA DEL CORSO-1 S.Orange Ave. South Orange. House made pasta, pizza, and entrees. Cocktails, Wine, Two Patios and a Bocce Court! PASTA RAMEN-6 S. Fullerton Ave Montclair. Chef Robbie Felice makes "wafu-Italian." Shrimp Scampi Ramen, meatball parm bao buns, cacio e pepe gyoza. Sounds amazing. Reservations very hard to snag. BYOB. THE BAR AT THE HIGHLAWN PAVILLION West Orange.-Nightly live music, iconic views of the city from the patio, great cocktails and a light bite menu. FUN! 11 South-11 S. Fullerton Montclair. Formerly Palazzo, Joseph of Teglia Pizza down the street opened this Sicilian restaurant getting great reviews. BYOB. JIANG-NAN-379 Bloomfield Ave. Michelin-recommended restaurant serving authentic Chinese. If you like Peking Duck, look no further. Reservations are a must! BYOB. BOCCONE SOUTH-471 W. MT. Pleasant Ave. Livingston. Silvio, the owner, is a great host and serves delicious food. Some outdoor dining overlooking scenic route 10! BYOB. MOE'S-535 Central Ave. New Providence. Mediterranean cuisine. Outdoor dining and a Bar. People love it-haven't tried it yet. The MADDOX AND MASUKO-193 Glen Ridge Ave. Montclair. In the former Crosby space, there is now Steak, Sushi, and contemporary American Cuisine all in one spot. New and Happening. MEZZA-277 Eisenhower Parkway Livingston. Good Mediterranean. BYOB. TWISTED-18 E. MT. Pleasant Ave. Livingston. New ice cream spot with outdoor seating. An amazing menu of parfaits, cones, and specialty injected inventions. Always room for ice cream! And of course, my usual stand bys: Julios-West Orange. Primavera-West Orange. Davina-Caldwell. Kim's Sushi-West Orange. Mamma Dags-West Orange. La Rocca Osteria-Montclair. Nero's-Livingston. La Foccacia-Summit. Fiorino-Summit. Star Tavern-Orange. Angelonis-Caldwell. Belmont Tavern-Belleville. Miele's-Verona. Zi Zia Trattoria-Bloomfield. Best Chicken Salad-Oscar's, Millburn. Best Diet tuna and Best egg Salad-Bagels-4-U in Short Hills. Best Apple Pie-Ritz Diner, Livingston. Best Bread-Liv Bakery, Millburn. Best Grocery-Uncle Giuseppes, Morris Plains. Buy their fresh pulled mozzarella. Best Subs-Tony Boys, Livingston. Best sandwiches-Millburn Deli, Millburn. Best Flagels-Bagels-4-U in Short Hills. Best Burger-Serenade (Bar Menu) in Chatham. Best Hot Dog-Rutt's Hut. Clifton. Best Cole Slaw-Nana's Livingston. Best Diner-Tops East Newark. Best Bakeries-Sorrentos in East Hanover. Natales in Summit. ENJOY THE REST OF JUNE! PEACE OUT-ONE B