Author: Mstldelano

Digital curator, art enthusiast, creator of daily luxurious experiences.
beauty · culture

Vintage Video: Why Not Be Beautiful?

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I’ll admit: I was expecting to be frustrated with this vintage beauty video. After all, it was created in 1969, and I anticipated a bit of a misogynistic flavor with it. I thought that the entire video would be pushing beauty as a way to “get the guy” and “live happily ever after”.

 

But I was WRONG! I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. This video is filled with so many gems: where should I start?

First of all, kudos for the diversity. There are some modern-day television shows that could benefit from this example. And kindly bypass the terms “Negro” and “Oriental”: at the time this was made, those terms weren’t offensive.

Secondly, there are a lot of quote-worthy phrases thrown in here. Here are some of my favorites from the first 3 minutes of the video:

“Every girl can become beautiful, in the true meaning of the word.”

“Beauty indeed is more than skin deep. The most important part of beauty comes from within: the inner beauty. A healthy mind, being interested in life and the arts … Caring for others and being involved in the issues of the community and your country … Being creative … Being active … The more you’re interested in the world around you, the more interesting you become.”

Fitness as a way of bonding with other women was promoted, and I’m such a fan of that stance. I’d rather take a brisk walk  outdoors with a friend than sweat it out solo.

I’m amazed at how many of the beauty tips are still relevant. The color concepts for increasing and decreasing the appearance of distance between the eyes still works (it’s a trick that I do constantly).

Lastly, I love how there were so many positive comments throughout. I didn’t see any discouraging of a woman’s unique beauty, just encouragement to enhance what’s already there. The video ended on a lovely note (I’m quoting it below):

“Above all remember the beauty that shines through you from within your inner beauty is your most beautiful, most precious possession. Beauty is more than a pretty face, it’s a way of life.”

I hope you all enjoy the video! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

culture

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

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I don’t have many words for this post, because this is a solemn landmark not too far from my job.

I toured the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during one of my lunch breaks. As a habit, I try to go somewhere new and do something different several times a week during the warmer months. Truthfully, I keep up this routine as long as I can, for as many days as I can, each week. But taking walks during the chilly winter months isn’t always my highest joy, so sometimes I’ll skip it.

Anyway, I digress. Here are the photos I took at the memorial. May the officers that have served honorably and lost their lives in the line of duty continue to rest peacefully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

beauty

In Search of the L’Oreal “Zoe” Collection

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I am a regular beauty shopper and I keep up with most of the product launches that occur each season. So I was very excited to see L’Oreal’s Collection Exclusive lipsticks and nail polishes. This collection has nudes, reds and pinks tailored to different skin tones. I’m not sure when the collection launched, but I made sure to check them all out.  I knew that I wanted to try the shades for deeper skintones: the Freida Pinto, Zoe Saldana, and Liya Kebede collections.

My complexion is close to Liya’s, so, naturally, I picked up Liya’s Nude. This gorgeous rosewood brown shade, with just the right combination of sheerness and sheen, instantly became a favorite of mine. However, I made a mental note to try the Zoe and Freida collections, because I didn’t particular like Liya’s Red or Liya’s Pink.

Imagine my shock when I returned to the store a couple of months later and both the collections for deeper skintones were GONE. Worst yet, I couldn’t even remember which actresses were associated with the deeper toned collections (sigh …).

So, I went to L’Oreal’s website to figure out where I can find these discontinued collections. Reading through the comments, I was reminded that Zoe and Freida had collections (thanks to those wonderfully vocal L’Oreal customers!). Their collections were no longer available on L’Oreal and in the stores.

The online hunt was ON.

I went to Amazon, and I wasn’t disappointed. I got ALL of the Zoe shades: the Zoe Red and Pink lipsticks and nail polishes.

I also swatched the shades for your reference.

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(Zoe’s Red lipstick on the left, Zoe’s pink on the right)

Zoe’s Red lipstick is a true merlot color. It starts off semi-sheer and builds to a deep, rich color. Zoe’s pink is a soft, pretty bubblegum shade that also starts off sheer and builds to a nearly opaque finish. Both lipsticks are moisturizing and long lasting, and neither dries down to a matte finish.

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(Zoe’s Red nail polish on the left, Zoe’s pink on the right)

I wore the Zoe’s Red polish – a pure bordeaux red – on my toes. The polish lasted an average amount of time before chipping (about 3 days), without a base coat or top coat. I haven’t tried Zoe’s Pink yet, because I don’t actually like the shade. It has the faintest twinge of coral that doesn’t flatter my skintone, so I’ll probably pass it along to a friend.

If you’re interested in getting these gorgeous shades for yourself, here are the Amazon links (just click on the photos below):

Have any of you tried the L’Oreal Collection Exclusive shades? Please let me know in the comments below!

Uncategorized

Doing What We Can

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I’m deviating from my normal topics of discussion to share something that was on my heart.

This is a post in support of the efforts to assist the people affected by Hurricane Harvey. I have family in the Beaumont, TX area, so I anxiously awaited confirmation of their safety immediately after the storm made landfall. I was fortunate: my family members were all safe and relatively unaffected. But my heart aches for those that weren’t as fortunate.

I kindly ask that any of you look to see what you can do, and then, do whatever you can. I can’t vouch for any particular agency or charitable organization (especially after learning how the Red Cross misappropriate funds designated to help Haitians after the horrific earthquake in 2010). However, if you know of a local volunteer effort that plans to journey to the Houston area to assist, please see if it is possible to support them in any way. Also, please research any organization that may be soliciting funds to assist those affected by Hurricane Harvey: I’m sure many of them are reputable, but it never hurts to verify it for yourself.

And, no matter who you are, please send comforting thoughts and good energy to those that suffered from Harvey’s wrath.

luxury · travel

Review of The Fairfax at Embassy Row

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I’m feeling so much better! A weekend of rest and care really did the trick. Now that I’m back to my normal self, I can finally post this review of my stay at The Fairfax at Embassy Row Hotel, in Washington, DC.

A few weeks ago, I stayed in DC to attend an event hosted by the Embassy of Kenya. Since I don’t live in DC or in any of the surrounding cities, I booked a room at The Fairfax for convenience. Also, I was overdue for a luxe experience, and since The Fairfax is a five-star hotel, I thought I’d be in for a treat.

I arrived the afternoon before my event and I was struck by the beauty of the lobby. I was greeted by the reception desk staff but it was not quite the warm, welcoming experience that I had at other hotels (the staff I encountered when I checked out, however, was far more affable). I received my room key and instructed on the location of the elevator, but that was it. Normally, especially with four- or five-star hotels, the desk staff that checks in guests tends to offer a bit of a concierge flavor: you can expect them to make you aware of any amenities as well as give you one or two local attractions or points of interest. I didn’t receive any of that. I also factored in whether there were other guests waiting to be checked in after me, but no, that wasn’t the case, either. The staff when I checked in was just mediocre: not spectacular but not awful, either.

I arrived at my room and I found it charming. The bathroom was beautifully designed and the rest of the room was classically appointed. It didn’t strike me as particularly luxurious, but it was lovely and tasteful.

I wanted to try the toiletries provided by the hotel, but the smell was overpowering. The scent of the soap, shampoo and conditioner was “Warm Oak” and it smelled like a high quality men’s cologne. I wish the hotel had opted for unscented or more neutral-scented toiletries for the rooms (to be fair, the hotel may offer unscented/neutral-scented toiletries, but I didn’t inquire about the availability).

The shower was heavenly, and the bed was comfortable. The Fairfax at Embassy Row also provided some very handy USB charging ports (I wish more hotels would make this standard in all rooms). However, you will need to bring your hot spot with you, unless you want to pay $12.95 for daily wireless internet usage. I’m still amazed that two- and three-star hotels offer free WiFi fairly consistently, but more luxurious hotels almost always charge for such a basic service within the rooms. However, public WiFi is available in the lobby, restaurant and lounge.

I took the Metro to The Fairfax, so I have no experience with the valet service. I also didn’t dine in The Capital Room restaurant or The Fairfax Grille and Lounge. My experience was pretty much all about the lobby, the elevator, and the room!

I checked out the morning after I attended the embassy event and, as I briefly mentioned, the reception staff that checked me out of my room was delightful. Checking out was easy and uncomplicated.

Would I stay at The Fairfax at Embassy Row again? Sure, especially since it is so close to the embassies. I don’t know that I would recommend it highly to anyone seeking a truly luxe experience; perhaps I missed the details that made this hotel qualify as a Five-Star location (per the Five Star Alliance).

Have any of you stayed at The Fairfax at Embassy Row? Did you all feel the “five-star”-ness of the hotel? If there was something I missed, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you all!

life curation

The Joyful Journey: 7 Things I Do To Activate Joy Daily

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I found this charming mug in a Dollar Tree (of all places!). I saw it and knew it had to come home with me.

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As I reflect on my journey, I noticed that I intentionally inject joy into every day. It wasn’t always this way: I had a little help. Earlier this year I participated in the Joy Challenge hosted by Amina Makhdoom. That experience highlighted how much my daily life lacked joy. Since then, I’ve created a daily practice that makes sure I activate feelings of joy regularly.

Here are the 7 daily practices I engage in order to feel joyful.

1. I listen to my body. I may not always be able to honor what my body wants, but I give my body what it needs as soon as reasonably possible. Maintaining balance and refusing to overextend myself makes each day better.

2. I maintain some organization. I find it hard to remain joyful when I’m surrounded by clutter and confusion. As a result, I use various tools to stay organized. I have a leather-bound daily planner, hour-by-hour planning sheets that I use during days when I need to be extra efficient, and I also dedicate 10-15 minutes to tidying each of the rooms in my home (this never exceeds an hour). This helps me stay organized and makes physical, mental and emotional room for joy.

3. I indulge in at least one self-care practice daily. This can be as simple as taking a nap, reading a good book, or taking a little more care to moisturize after showering, or it can be as lavish as a weekend getaway, a massage, or an exquisite meal. I just make sure that every day includes at least one thing that I do just for the pure enjoyment of it.

4. I wear perfume. Nothing makes me feel as elegant and feminine as perfume. My scents vary, but I always wear one and I can’t help but smile every time I sniff my wrists.

5. I daydream. I allow myself to ponder all sorts of delicious possibilities. I don’t worry about the present, and I don’t mourn any missteps in the past. I just joyfully consider, “What if?” and think about all of the good things that can happy. I ONLY focus on happy, incredible scenarios, and how it would feel to enjoy them.

6. I start every morning with a cup of tea. I used to be a coffee drinker, but I find tea is much more mellow and matches my demeanor much better. I still get my caffeine but in a gentler way. I purchase high quality teas that aren’t bitter or have otherwise overpowering flavors.

7. I count my blessings at night. This is key to ending the day with joy. I have my gratitude journal where I log what went right with the day, but I also make a mental log of how blessed I am. Ending my day with gratitude gives me sweet dreams and sets me up for a positive day to follow.

Those are my 7 tips for a joyful journey. Do you have any daily practices that activate your joy? Please let me know in the comments below!

 

wine

Adventures in Enology: Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club

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Several months ago, I stopped in Cooper’s Hawk Restaurant on a whim. I sat at the bar and proceeded to order to my heart’s content. I chatted with the bartender and decided, at the end of my meal, to join the Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club.

I signed up for the lowest commitment – one bottle per month – just to see if I would enjoy the membership. I’ve since tried 6 of their wines, read several of the monthly newsletters, did a wine tasting, and dined at the restaurant again. I feel pretty comfortable offering an opinion on Cooper’s Hawk.

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This prosecco was delicious when chilled. I had it with chocolate.

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I really loved how well this went with an Indian curry I had.

 

I found Cooper’s Hawk’s wine club to offer fantastic value. Firstly, they offer a plethora of wines for you to try. Also, you have considerable flexibility with your monthly wine selections; you aren’t “locked in” to any particular wine offering.  They offer generous promotional coupons, both for just being a member as well as coupons in celebration of your birthday. The club also offers monthly themed events where members can enjoy exclusive menu offerings and limited edition wines.

However, if you’re looking for a spectacular wine, I can’t really recommend one from Cooper’s Hawk. I found that the wines are not particularly complex or fascinating, but decidedly SOLID. This is not a condemnation of the brand; indeed, the wines are tasty and enjoyable. I just haven’t had one that I found to be amazing.

These wines are a good option for those new to wine tasting and that want something better than most of the variety available at your local grocer. And again, the wine club is still a great way to get some experience with wine tasting.

Are any of you members of Cooper’s Hawk wine club? Do you have any particular Cooper’s Hawk wines that you could recommend?

relaxation

Holiday Weekend Diversions

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Well, as Labor Day approaches, I thought I’d be ready to go out and have some fun, exploring Washington DC and catching up with friends.

Unfortunately, that won’t happen. I caught a cold and I feel like I’ve been hit by a moving vehicle.

 

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(image courtesy of DIYSolarPanelsV)

So I’ll lay low instead, and rest. I’m actually overdue for a few low-key days: my work demands have increased and I won’t be able to get away and unwind until after the new fiscal year begins.

I therefore decree this Labor Day weekend my “Staycation”. I have several lazy-day activities planned, though, if I’m feeling better by Sunday, I may take a stroll in a nearby park (nature is restorative, after all). But until I’m feeling better, I’ll choose to rest up and lay low.

For starters, I’m going to finish reading “Outliers” so that I can post my review sometime in the next week or so. I’m also planning on doing something that I RARELY do: I’m going to watch some movies.

Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely love movies. But after sitting at a desk, and sitting on a commuter van, the last thing I want to do is to sit for 2+ hours and watch a movie. But since I’m going to be in bed anyway, I figured a couple of movies could be fun.

I still won’t watch a long movie, though. I’m going to check out some vintage movies at the Internet Archives website. This site features movies with outdated copyrights that are now part of the public domain. I love seeing the styling and elegance of vintage actresses.

The movies I plan to watch are Gang Smashers, Sepia Cinderella, and Hell’s Angels, because Nina Mae McKinney, Sheila Guyse, and Jean Harlow are EVERYTHING.

Oh yeah, I’ll probably also look at some YT videos and start writing up reviews for the items I ordered and tried out recently.

Hmm. . . As I look at it, my weekend doesn’t look very “restful” at all LOL! My “busy” habit is admittedly hard to break. But I’ll pace myself and not overdo it. After all, I need to feel better.

I hope you all are having a fun, fantastic holiday weekend! Make sure that you go out and do something extra fun!

food

Kitchen Secret: Dalmatinska (Dalmatian) Soup

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I’m still not 100% clear on how I came across this kitchen savior. I suspect this arrived in one of my Try the World boxes, but then again, I can’t remember.

dalmatiansouphistriamarkets

All I know is that I prepared the soup per the directions, and I instantly fell in love. This soup is the perfect basic vegetarian soup: just enough salt and just enough other flavors to make a well balanced base for any food, yet delicious enough to enjoy on its own. When added to boiling water, this dry mix turns into a reddish translucent broth with tiny balls of dough (similar in size and texture to large grain couscous).

The issue with most bouillon products is that they contain animal fat, which I avoid when I’m adhering to a vegetarian/vegan diet. So this vegetarian option is a great alternative to using standard bouillon cubes or packaged chicken or beef stock.

You can eat it prepared per the package, or you can do like I do: add a bag of frozen vegetables, or strain out the dough balls and use the broth as a base for sauces or to season other foods. What I really enjoy about Dalmatian soup is that it has lots of flavor but there isn’t one flavor that overwhelms the others. Also, the soup is generic enough where it could be used as a base for several ethnic dishes without overpowering signature ethnic seasonings and flavors, like curry, coconut or masala.

Dalmatian soup is a Croatian product, and since my hometown doesn’t have a large Eastern European presence, it’s difficult to find this in local stores. I order my Dalmatian soup from Parthenon Foods, which specializes in making European food products available stateside via online ordering.

Have any of you tried Dalmatian soup before? What did you think of it? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

art · luxury

My Time With Yves

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I would love to give you a bunch of captions, but this was an exhibit that had to be EXPERIENCED. Writing about it just doesn’t do it justice.

Yves St. Laurent “The Perfection of Style” was a perfectly balanced exhibition. Gorgeous outfits, lots of his personal notes, video clips, and great biographical information. I’ll post some of my favorite photos from the exhibit, but be warned: photos really can’t capture the genius that was YSL. Enjoy!