jennifer aniston – a woman over 40

I can’t help it, I have to give credit where credit is due and in this case, Jennifer Aniston deserves a hand of applause for making this woman over 40 feel inspired to go from

This boring look

To this sexy look I dream of duplicating

{For photo resources, please click here}

 

leather jackets for spring to summer to fall

Leather jackets and I just don’t seem to mix very well. However, in the past year I have been contemplating on buying one just because the variations or choices, I should say, are pretty enticing.  Besides, leather jackets work well in San Francisco throughout the entire year and  especially (at the rate we are going with the weather) this year.

By the way, leather jackets are great mother’s day gifts as well for the trendy woman who enjoys dressing up a pair of designer jeans or complementing a pair of khakis.

Vince Leather Jacket 945.00

Ilaria Nistri Lambskin Leather Jacket 1448.00

Vince Lambskin Leather Motorcross 845.00

Hinge Leather Ruffle Bomber Jacket 298.00

Armani Collezioni Organza Stripe Nappa 2445.00 - Just Kidding

 

inspirational woman over 40 – Ines de la Fressange

A woman who I have admired for a long time now, is of course a French fashion icon, Ines de la Fressange. I am not going to detail her bio on this blog entry, but will happily give you a link here  so that you can use it to get some background about her.

The interesting thing is that, she became well known around the fashion world as a result of her connection to Chanel throughout most of her 20s. Anyway, she had written a book a while back titled, Parisian Chic, which I have picked up and read from cover to cover, just so I can truly understand Parisian women, their style, even more so than I already do, in order to satisfy my obsession with the French lifestyle, culture, and fashion.

Of course the book validates the fact my core makeup and way of thinking and living  is French and I am very happy about that. The transition to living in France someday soon will be very easy for me.

So, check out the video here for a brief narrative of her book. Meanwhile here is the link if you are interested in buying or uploading her book.

springtime 2011 outfit picks from a woman over 40

As most  of us Americans are programmed to finish preparing our income taxes, to turn them in by midnight the 15th of April, every year, I bet most of us don’t realize that this year we have until the 18th of April to complete them due to some observed holiday technicalities in one of our states.

Either way, the rest of the world could care less and lives their lives as if it was just another day. So for the folk outside of the states and my much appreciated readers, I have  put some outfits together which I, for some reason, have incorporated into my Spring to Summer 2011 wardrobe.  Hope you like.

Have a Great Weekend Everyone!!!

healthy eating: eggs and asparagus

Image: ForTheLoveOfCooking

I love fine cuisine, I don’t deny it, but once in a while I truly appreciate finding a recipe online that is not only healthy but has my favorite ingredients in it.

Now the interesting thing for me about eggs and asparagus is that I  often made a frittata with them with a touch of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, but the recipe here is a much simpler way of incorporating the two together and I have to tell you,  it was amazing!  I loved it and I know you will too. But I am always curious about what your take is on the recipes I provide, so please let me know how it turned out for you?

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus Topped with a Poached Egg:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 5 spears of asparagus
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, shaved or shredded
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray then add the asparagus. Spray the asparagus with a touch of olive oil cooking spray then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the top of the asparagus with Parmesan cheese then place into the oven and roast for 5-7 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and place onto a serving plate.

While the asparagus is roasting, add water to a pan, filling it two thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Coat a poaching cup (or custard cup) with cooking spray then place in the water. Break the egg into the cup then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the whites are firm but the yolk is soft.

Place the poached egg on top of the Parmesan roasted asparagus then season the egg with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

***For a more detailed information about the recipe, please visit  http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/ ***

trendy blazers or jackets for casual wear

I love casual days at work or the chance where I can actually go out on  a Friday night wearing a pair of jeans. However, finding the right jacket to wear with the jeans when opting for a more casual look is often times difficult for the woman over 40.

The idea is not to wear something too dressy and yet not too casual or sporty. Also, often times the jackets suggested are too youthful as well and the best or only choices for the over 40 crowd are  waste length leather jackets.

So for this particular struggle, I have searched high and low and have come up with a few affordable jackets to consider for pairing with a nice pair of jeans. Let me know what you think?

The blazers or jackets below can be found here

oh la la – i want i want

Don’t you ever just walk down the street, especially in the business or financial sector of a metropolitan city or even the French Riviera and say to yourself, I want that, where did she get that?  If you aren’t one of those women, than just turn the page, otherwise take a look at my most recent wants. Oh how I wish money grew on trees – but since it doesn’t I can only dream right?

I want that look

I want that red bag and the camera too

I want that skirt and even the shoes - why not?

I want that watch and the costume jewelry please

I want that bag

I want to dress like that

Oh la la - I want I want

I want a side of George Clooney please - What!

inspiration: daydreams of a photo shoot

Wow, there are two things I am thankful for today: Fridays and the ability to find a momentary escape from the realities of life (even if it comes in the form of a photo shoot).

I sometimes  wonder how it would feel to be pampered and prepped like a celebrity for a photo shoot, even for just one day. In light of this crazy thought I decided to include some of my favorite celebrity photo shoots, in hopes that I would get up the nerve to partake in a photo shoot myself in the near future. Anyway enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

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certified copy – a film for the woman over 40

One film, which has touched me in more ways than one this year, is the film Certified Copy. *Note: please stay on this page if you want to read the girly version and click here if you want to read my review about the filmmaking aspect of the movie.

Also, this special piece I wrote on this site, on  a Sunday no less, is also a reference point  for my fans, from the other blog, to use if they don’t mind me giving away the plot.  So here I go:

After seeing the film, Certified Copy, I walked out of the theatre feeling sad and depressed I just couldn’t believe the subject matter in the film and the impact it could have on most women across the globe, who want to see the film.

The story is  about a 40 something year old woman named Elle (Juliette Binoche), who from the looks of things was a single parent living in a small village near Tuscany, Italy.  A British writer, named James Miller (William Shimell) makes his way to the same village to promote his book about art and artifacts. Since Elle seems to be a fan of the writer,  she attends his book promo event to get his autograph on her copy of the book.

While at the event, her 15 year old bored son insists they leave because he was hungry. After a lengthy argument with her son, she leaves, but only after giving the promo coordinator a note to invite the writer over to her shop.

James  (the writer) accepts her invitation and with luggage in tow, comes to her shop the following morning for a brief visit, before catching a train out-of-town that same evening. (Are you following me so far?)  While she nervously suggests they have coffee in her studio or shop, he asks if they could go for a drive instead. Unphased by her struggle to get her coat, he takes his luggage outside and waits by the car.

The next twenty minutes or so, while driving on a windy road out of the village,  they  argue about his point of view in regards to art, people in general and his and her perception about life. As the story unfolds, the arguments become more intense between the two and although the director tries to show the validity of the topics they argued about, in my opinion the audience became more confused with their erratic discussions.

I turned towards my friends and asked, “What the hell is going on here?” probably a dozen times or so and they occasionally did the same to me. We just couldn’t understand why the two argued so intensely. I mean if they knew each other from before, it would make sense, but if they just met (or so we think) for the first time, why argue so passionately during a first encounter? In my opinion, she was turning the guy off (but the joke was on me).

I finally came to the conclusion that the two had known one another before, but I had no idea until the very end that they were a married couple, living separate lives. While she raises their son on her own, he gallivants the planet in search of art.

I was furious to say the least. My emotions ran rampant, I couldn’t believe that in this day and age, that any woman in her 40s would allow her life to be this way. I began thinking the director made all this up. I blamed him for his  lack of research and one-dimensional view on such matters. But then I put the blog entry in draft mode while I spoke to several other women over 40 and through discussion, I realized that this really does happen. That some couples opt to stay married even if they live separate lives!!! For the life of me, I couldn’t understand (I blamed the writer and filmmaker once again) and then it came to me over night.

What was I thinking, there are plenty of couples  (fishermen, soldiers, doctors, scientists, astronauts, journalists, actors, clergymen, archeologists and film makers) who live separate lives, away from one another for one reason or another, for weeks, months, years on end, even decades and then they get together here and there and consider themselves a couple. But in this film, the way the story was told, the couple should have separated a long time ago. His behavior and lack of concern expressed in the film is not worthy of any woman’s undying devotion. I wonder if that’s the case in all cases?

Now, I don’t know if I can handle discussing this further, because it breaks my heart, so I am going to stop right here unless anyone writes back. But,  although the movie, in my opinion lacked (believe it or not ) substance, I still recommend seeing it. Be prepared however, the film is in three languages and as a result, very difficult to follow.

Thanks for listening.

inspirational outfits for spring 2011 – my picks

We all know most women flip through magazines and retail or designer websites in hopes of getting the insight on putting outfits together. While some, without a second guess, order the suggested ensemble pieced together  by the fashion industry, others, with a more creative flare,  find ways to duplicate the suggestion. I happen to do both.

Anyway, In light of the subject, I  have decided to put together inspirational outfits which, I will either purchase “as is” or try to duplicate this coming Spring. Let me know what you think?

Option 1  - click here for details

Option 2 –  click here for details

Option 3 – click here for details

Option 4 – click here for details

Option 5 – click here for details