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Family Friendly Travel: Dallas Rockwall Hilton

Family Friendly Travel: Dallas Rockwall Hilton

by | Jul 28, 2018 | Travel

We spend a lot of time in Dallas. Between visiting the kids (and now our granddaughter) or escaping the Montana Winters, we like to find hotels that we can call home. We’ve stayed at ALL of the posh places in Dallas but the newly remodeled Hilton Dallas Rockwall Lakefront is our home away from home when we are visiting the family!
Our suite is expansive and just the ticket for us. Between a large living area, a bedroom with a comfortable king size bed, two balconies and 1 1/2 baths it gives us all the space we could possibly need for an extended stay. Here the view from our rooms . Oh.! Did I mention a little bar area with a fridge microwave and coffee set up?!
Working out is part of my routine and this area is large enough with TV and all the equipment you would need. Bonus, the door leading directly to the pool!
The menu at the pool will get you everything you want. From salads to pizza from cocktails to sparking water. There is also a lovely shallow end away from the crowd to play with your grandkids.
Relax and meet friends or work in the newly remodeled living area. Including computers and a printer. You have everything you need.
The dinning room, Heirloom Kitchen, offers a great selection. From a breakfast buffet to a la carte dining. I found everything I wanted for myself and my picky eaters!
A rainy evening and we are off to C&B Scene for a pre dinner cocktail. In my case one of their great selection of wines !
Just outside the door of the this wonderful hotel, the amenities abound. A sunset sail. @sailwithscott is a wonderful adventure. Many and varied restaurants, outdoor entertainment and music are just a short stroll away. If you want to drive. Downtown Dallas can be as close as 30 minutes or less.
Alas! It’s time to go. But stay tuned for the remodel of the hotel rooms to be finished by mid next year. I can’t wait to show you our newly improved suite, the space is fantastic and a modern look will be just the ticket. Can’t wait. See you again soon and thanks for that great Hilton Hospitality!!
Over Fifty Fashion on a Budget

Over Fifty Fashion on a Budget

by | Jul 25, 2018 | Fashion

Recently I took a trip to Dallas and decided to challenge myself.

In light of the fact that I have limited availability near my home in Montana and I had no time to shop on the Internet, I took myself to our local TJMaxx. I spent about 2 hours there and what I was able to put together might surprise you.

For a five day trip I was able to find everything I needed and packed it all in my carry-on.

From swimwear to an anniversary evening out, here are my finds.

The key to packing light is coordinating colors. In this case a choose navy, white and a pop of orange.

Starting with my travel outfit white jeans ( typically I avoid white when traveling for obvious reasons but it was 100 degrees in Dallas ) a colorful tank, a shawl and my sneakers. ( wear your biggest shoes if you are carry on only)

  • Joe’s Jeans from TJMaxx $69
  • Striped Scarf from  TJMaxx $18
  • Silk tank JCrew
  • Sneakers Reebok

 

 

 

 

A quick change of shoes and you are shopping at the Northpark Mall!

Here I am at Lilly Pulitzer!

It’s hot and we are headed to dinner. Sometimes you just don’t want any clothes to touch you. This dress is perfect for that time.

But first: COFFEE! Early morning coffee run!

  • Pants: TJMaxx $15
  • T-shirt: is a classic from Polo Ralph Lauren.
  • Satin Slides: Target $23

Find me by the water! Swimming is my favorite pastime. Taking selfies, not so much. (Busted with my selfie stick)

  • Swimsuit TJMaxx $30.
  • Hat: Eric Javits at Nordstrom $250

This was a well earned cocktail hour!

  • Dress: TJMaxx $25
  • Earrings: TJMax $10
  • Dior purse and strap: Major splurge

Hunting down lunch for Maggie, myself or both.

  • Dress: TJMaxx $30
  • Sweater: TJMaxx $49
  • Hat: Eric Javits $250
  • Sunglasses: RayBan $225
  • Satin slides: Target Style $23

No way around a workout. Might as well look good while doing it!

JoyLab for Target

  • Top: $23
  • Leggings: $35

Our trip to Dallas was a little bit business and little bit pleasure. This jumpsuit works for both moods. Watch me go to my business meeting in my $20 jumpsuit from, you guessed it, TJMAXX!

  • Jumpsuit: TJMaxx $20
  • Shawl: TJMaxx $15
  • Belt Vintage St.John
  • Shoes Steve Madden
  • Dior clutch There is that splurge again minus the strap

Fashion Hack: the lining was too long for me on this jumpsuit so I simply cut it up higher to make the look more balanced to my frame. Don’t let a little thing like lining stop you from this great find!

Mixing prints. The key to a print mix is color coordination and print size. One large one smaller. Same color pallet. Play around with it.

  • Top: TJMaxx $15
  • Shorts: TJMaxx $17
  • Hat: Eric Javits $250
  • Straw bag: Target style $28
  • Tote: Louis Vuitton

A happy wife leads to a happy life! I look pretty happy here on our 15th (maybe 16th) Anniversary dinner!!!

  • Jeans: Joe’s Jeans TJMaxx $60
  • Silk Cami: Polo Ralph Lauren
  • Kimono: TJMaxx $17 shopped in the ladies XXL section.
  • Shoes: Steve Madden
  • Pendant: My mother’s!
  • Clutch: I DIY’d it with the bling
  • Perfume: LeLabo musc25 which was a limited scent for Los Angeles

Well there it is! I packed an entire carry-on with some wonderful deals at TJMaxx and Target. Looking good is not so much about money as it is about thinking outside of the box and not shying away from places you might not readily frequent. Have fun with fashion. Invest in great accessories and look for hidden treasures.

Floatation Therapy

Floatation Therapy

by | Jun 27, 2018 | Wellness

Nothing to fear but fear itself. Unless you’re afraid of small, dark, enclosed spaces. Don’t be! 

While it seems mysteriously intriguing, and to some of my friends even scary or intimating, floating can actually be quite fabulous.

Float therapy is unique, and in my opinion, a very relaxing form of meditation. The sessions are either 60 or 90 minutes. A combination of hydrogen peroxide and Epsom salt keep you totally afloat, so you can rest and let your mind drift away.

Flotation Therapy is said to improve Memory and Concentration. It stimulates creative thinking & problem-solving. And in many cases, it creates extra energy. And in my case, I slept like a baby!

Of course, I needed evidence…

for those of you who doubted my commitment to the work of wellness at hand. (No chickening out).

For those of you who have never done this, here is my advice. Embrace your positivity! Bring a joyful mind and a meditative spirit. It can be challenging to quiet the mind or to stay positive. Floating is the ultimate opportunity to do both.

If you want to know what I mean by this, read my blog, “The Universe Has No Sense of Humor.”

What are bio-identical hormones anyway?

What are bio-identical hormones anyway?

by | Jun 20, 2018 | Wellness

Feeling At My Very Best!

I first heard about bio-identical hormones through Suzanne Somers. Then Oprah got in the act! And they're still both right. Bio-identical hormones have significantly improved every aspect of my life.

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU READ OR HEARD ABOUT HORMONES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS??

Maybe you have a special interest in hormones because of your age or another reason? Well, I am here to tell you that the media lumps all HORMONES into one big basket. All HORMONES are NOT created equal.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF HORMONES.

Bio-identical hormones are one type and synthetic hormones are the other type. Let’s talk about the synthetic hormones first. Synthetic hormones are hormones that are made in a lab from either chemicals or even animal (horse) hormones. These fake hormones are put into pills, injections, creams and patches for human use. Birth control pills, Premarin/Provera, Estrace, Ogen, FemHrt, etc..are some examples of synthetic hormones. These synthetic hormones are NOT a perfect match for a woman’s hormones but hormone starved body sometimes thinks “close enough”.

On Top of the World, my weekend warrior, Dr. Jennifer Hawes,

Synthetic hormones are what almost 99% of all media is talking about especially when the article speaks of the dangers of hormones and hormone replacement. There are several studies that prove negative side effects of synthetic hormones. Doctors still prescribe them and folks still take them. WHY? I think it is because perhaps neither the doctor nor the patient knows of any alternative to synthetics. If you were sleep deprived from hot flashes you might not care what you are putting in your body!

Now let’s talk about bio-identical hormones. These hormones are from plant sources. They are tinkered with in a lab to make them active (you can’t just eat the plant and get active hormone) and then humans can use as a hormone replacer. They can be combined to form the perfect hormone regime for you…creams, gels, sublinguals, lozenges, or capsules. Bio-identicals are termed this because they are a perfect match for human hormones. Under a microscope, one could not tell the difference between plant hormone or human hormone! Doesn’t it make so much more sense to put a perfect match in our bodies? I wouldn’t choose horse estrogen when I could get a perfect human match. In theory, the bio-identicals get into far less trouble than something that looks different to our bodies hormone receptors. Are there studies saying the bio-identicals are safe? Yes, there are studies (mostly out of Europe) on each component of a hormone compound and the studies are anything BUT negative. There probably will never be a study in the USA on bio-identicals because they are non-patentable and customizable. There is NO money in a non-patentable drug. No money equals no study. The other reason they will not be studied in a huge study is that bio-identical hormones are mixed per patient and individualized per symptoms/lab tests.

You can’t put 30,000 women on the same exact mix of hormones…doesn’t that make sense too? So when a woman comes to see me with some hormonal issues, I first listen to her story and symptoms. I take in to account family history, personal history, and of course, lab testing for hormone levels. Then I may try to come up with a recipe of hormones just for her. The mix may contain estriol, estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, or even cortisol. We might do a cream or sublingual drop…the patient gets to pick.

There are many benefits to natural hormone replacement. If you can convince your brain you are 35-40 versus 50-60, you are turning back the biological clock. One heals better, feels better, looks better, and IS better. Antiaging benefits are undeniable. So if you want to live a full, active life with a healthy body, consider hormones! There are medical benefits as well. Your brain and heart health are enhanced. Also, your bones appreciate the hormonal boost.

BIO: Dr.Jennifer Hawes was born and raised on a farm/ranch near Shelby. After medical school in Seattle, she hung up her shingle in the Flathead Valley and has practiced there for 18 years. Her philosophy is what separates her from conventional medicine practitioners: treat with natural things first and whenever possible but understand sometimes pharmaceuticals are required and necessary. Dr.Hawes uses cutting edge testing methods and treats with bioidentical hormones, nutrition, supplements, and much more.

Follow Dr. Jen on her Facebook Page

Why Do Some Aging Women Feel Invisible

Why Do Some Aging Women Feel Invisible

by | Jun 20, 2018 | Lifestyle

Approximately 10 months ago I was taking my first foray into a Facebook and I found a group.

Forever Fierce, The Midlife Revolution. I got in touch with its founder Catherine Grace O’Connell and started on a journey that I could never have guessed would lead me to 24 hours in LA. Catherine was helpful personable and charming. Little did I know that she is so busy that taking the time to talk to me seems now to be miraculous.
I joined the Facebook Group and started connecting with women mainly through my Instagram account, Stylebeyondage. We “like” each other’s pictures and leave each other notes, we read each other’s Facebook posts and share our hurdles and successes. I was driving to LA to see my daughter, creative director and muse. Since I’m her mother, I’ll include a shameless plug to her swimwear line, Evoke Serena.  And it occurred to me, why don’t we reach out to see if any of these ladies would meet us.

What I found was a great gift.

My first meeting was at a Kundalini Yoga class Serena was teaching and plant-based cooking lesson held in Burbank.

My first meeting was at a Kundalini Yoga class Serena was teaching.  I invited Angie Weils, (IG: @theAgelessRebellion) to meet me there. After chanting and breathing routines, we had a wonderful meeting over vegan lunch. We talked about health, children and why women of our age in this culture say they feel invisible. Angie is whimsical, playful and seriously devoted to communicating her own brand of joy. She’s a very smart lady with a lot to say. 

Angie has written an interactive and playful planner which she calls a journey into agelessness. A flashlight to your soul, link to your spirit, and a badass coach for your mind and fab fit body. It’s available on Amazon.

My second meeting was with Wendy Packer

We met at Neiman Marcus (stomping grounds for her) and her mother before her. She has a huge following on Facebook, Instagram, and her blog. Why? Because she is an astute businesswoman, mother of two young men, and a hard-working innovator. Case in point her work with Palm Springs Fashion Week among many other endeavors. Follow her on @fashionoverfifty.wendy to learn more.

We had a great discussion about reinventing ourselves in the age of social media, keeping our identity in the face of obstacles, and yes – why do women of our age sometimes say they feel invisible.  I hope you’ll comment and share your experience or your opinion with us.

My third meeting was with Julie Liams, pictured at the top

We met at Chado Tea House inside the iconic Dolby theater complex in Los Angeles. Beautiful and charming. Down to earth and funny. Julie has managed to work in Hollywood for over 25 years . She has a wonderful husband, three children and a great life attitude. And again, the topic comes up: Why do you think some women in our culture are feeling invisible after a certain age. And again, I ask that you comment, and share any feeling or experiences you have on the topic of invisibility.

Be sure to follow Julie on Instagram, and subscribe to her blog.

In the end, the answer to that question turned out to be remarkably simple and found in our social media feeds.  American culture honors youth above all.  Other cultures honor age and experience.  Here, Women are marketed to by youth and beauty.  There, they are honored and revered as matriarchs.

Luckily, we have some prime examples on how to age youthfully. My personal muse is Dorrie, an 83 year young former Playboy Bunny turned fashion blogger. Check her out on IG @seniorstylebible and on her blog Senior Style Bible.

My question for you is this: How do We, as a society, adapt ourselves in a youth driven culture? I’d love to here your thoughts