Celeb Posts

I wrote a blog posting about A-list celeb females of a certain age, who are aging fabulously! (Phenomenal Famous Females, Over 40 and Fabulous) and then I gave equal attention to the gorgeous celebrity males of a certain age (Phenomenal Famous Males-Living their Best Life Over 40). Well, I thought it only fair that I also do a blog posting  listing a few A-list celeb couples (all married, most with children, all are of various ages) that are not only fabulous in their own right but look absolutely gorgeous together! Remember the calypso song by Buster Poindexter that asked “how you feeling?”— hot!hot!hot!

 Victoria ‘Posh Spice’ Beckham

 and David ’Kick it like’ Beckham

 Entertainment       ~Keep the spice alive~                                                                                                                                                

Beyonce Knowles and Sean ‘Jay-Z’ Carter                 Music                                  

                                                       ~Keep Secrets but not From Each Other~                                

Television        Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos                                                                             ~Laugh together~

                                                                                         

 Faith Hill and Tim McGraw  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                        Music  ~Be Faithful and True~                

 Jada Pinkett Smith

 and Will Smith 

Movies              ~Complement each Other~                             

                                       Stacy ‘Fergie’ Ferguson and Josh Duhamel    

 ~Entice him, Excite her~    Music  Movies   TV  Fashion                     ~Don’t forget about Romance~

~Love each other~          Kimora Lee and Djimon Hounsou  

                                                                   

 

Phenomenal Famous Males-Living their best life Over 40 

Over 40 and Gorgeous …Like a fine bottle of vintage wine, these famous male celebrities seem to mature with time, getting better and better year after year!

 

On July 11th I featured a blog posting titled “Phenomenal Famous Females, Over 40 and Fabulous” which received a lot of views. Many of you seem to find the topic of age and celebrities to be very interesting. Like myself, I am sure you sometimes wonder what are their secrets to looking so good (barring the possibility of a little nip and tuck). 

Although my blog is not about celebrity beauty and fashion trends, I once again decided to make an exception because I was curious to know what keeps these male celebrities looking so young and gorgeous.  Did I mention they are ALL over age 40? and a few are even in their 50′s and 60′s (Denzel Washington, Gordon ‘Sting’ Sumner, Pierce ‘Bond’ Brosnan and David Bowie). Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Will Smith and Antonio Banderas are in their early to late 40′s.

Again, these celebrities prove that Hollywood is not just for the twenty-somethings. What they also have in common besides their various ages and distinguished body of work is a love and deep commitment to family. All the celebrities featured here are involved in long term, meaningful relationships and have been frequently photographed with their spouses over the years (most of whom are celebrities as well).  Here are a few guidelines you can follow to look your best at any age. 

                                       

What helps to keep you feeling young and looking young is having a positive attitude and a optimistic outlook on life

  Doing something you are passionate about with your life   

Maintaining a positive body image and self esteem

Always maintaining a healthy balance between career and family

Believing in a higher power and using your spirituality to keep you grounded        and most Importantly…being in-love and having a stable, committed relationship with your spouse and children

                                 

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 Phenomenal Famous Females

Over 40 and fabulous …What makes these celebrities Seem to be Turning Back the Clock!

                                   

I was never a fan of coveting celebrity fashion or beauty trends; I find it trivial and boring. In fact I find it to be the least interesting thing that I can pay attention to; I am much more interested in everyday people.

Finding out what others are thinking and feeling, how they are living their lives and how I can learn from them or perhaps share some of what I have learned with others. That was and remains my motivation for deciding to start my own blog.

However, I decided to make an exception because I was curious to know what keeps the following female celebrities looking so young and beautiful. Did I mention they are ALL over age 40? and a few are over 50!

In our society there is a huge stigma attached to age especially in Hollywood. There is a misconception that being over 40 years of age is somehow a bad thing, it’s as if no one wants to live that long and if you are fortunate enough to do so you are expected to look like….well, certainly not the way these fabulous ladies look.

These female celebrities prove that being vibrant and beautiful over 40 or even 50 is the norm not the exception. In fact we can all look our best at any age if we follow these simple guidelines. 

What helps to keep you feeling young and looking young is having a positive attitude

                                                                             

Having an optimistic outlook on life 

                                                                                                                                                                                            

 Maintaining an active lifestyle   Following your dreams        

                Doing something you are passionate about    

                                               

Engaging in fun activities like belly dancing

                       Eat healthy and exercise regularly    

        Do not neglect your appearance   

Maintain a positive body image and self esteem

                                                            

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10 Tips on How to be More Photogenic

I came across this article online and I wanted to share the main points of it with you all but I wondered how it would fit in with my general blog themes of film, food, faith, etc. It’s about things you can do to have a more professional looking, photogenic picture of yourself taken every time…..we could all use a few useful tips, right? I know I have a few pictures of myself that I can’t bring myself to destroy but I would gladly pay the ransom fee if they fell into the wrong hands….besides years ago they did refer to films/movies as the pictures so there is some correlation.

 

Tips for Having a Better Photo of Yourself Taken (As demonstrated by these famous fashionistas)

1. Focus your eyes – just slightly above the camera lens, move your face forward a bit, and tip down your chin.  Fashion designer diva Diane Von Furstenberg seems to have the technique down.

2. Put your tongue behind your teeth and smile – it will relax your face.  Professional fashion models Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford looks very relaxed in their picture and so does Victoria’s Secret model Gisèle Bündchen.

3. Keep your arms by your side – but not glued there. To look natural, they should be a little away from your body or in the case of Vogue magazine fashion editor-at-large, Andre Leon Tally; you can keep your arms crossed in a comfortable pose.

4. Test-drive clothing against a white wall – with an indirect, natural light source (under a tree, indoors near a window)—it will show which color really suits you the best.

5.  As a rule, avoid patterns – a solid monochromatic color says it best, as is the case with this top Calvin Klein male model.      

 

 6. Photos exaggerate everything – women, go easy on the makeup.

7. Practice the classic model pose – turn your body three quarters of the way toward the camera, with one foot in front of the other and one shoulder closer to the photographer. When you face forward, your body tends to look wider.  I think former Calvin Klein model turned actress Brooke Shields has this pose down.

8. For standing photos – belly in, buttocks tight, shoulders back, spine straight.  Fashion designer icons Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren (with his wife Ricki), look lovely in their photo-opt.

9. Study photogenic people – as well as photos in which you think you looked best. Look at your best angle. You’ll probably see that you were laughing or having a good time. Capturing someone when they’re relaxed or most animated usually makes for the best results.

10. To feel at ease – try closing your eyes, then opening them slowly just before the photo is taken.

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Some people have a knack for remembering names but for far too many other people names go in one ear and right out the other. Of course if the person has a unique sounding name or perhaps the kind of name that rhymes with something memorable then it may be a little easier to retain (names like actors Joaquin Phoenix, Keanu Reeves and Don Cheadle, model Famke Janssen and singer Shania Twain). I read an article recently about certain ‘tricks’ to utilize to help in remembering names, below I listed the ten things the article recommended.    

                                                                                   

 

1. Repeat the first name or confirm the last name   

2. Ask a question or make a comment about the person’s name

3. Ask the person to spell his or her name

4. Associate the name with a picture in your mind

5. Ask how the person got their name

6. Tell the person what you have heard about them                                                                                           

7. Keep your energy level high- signal with your body language and tone of voice that you are trying to learn their name

8. Always say the person’s name again as you leave them                                       

9. Handle forgotten names with grace

10. If all else fails you can re-introduce yourself and ask their name, chances are the person may have forgotten your name too 

The British are coming, The British are coming…..Is there a London food invasion in New York City?

Lets face it, the British are not exactly known for their tasty cuisine. Popular music, yes, (The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Coldplay, to name a few of my faves). Movie Stars, most definitely (Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Cary Grant, Hugh Grant, Cate Blanchett, Daniel Radcliffe, Kate Winslet….) but gastronomic delights, not so much! Things are starting to change however and there have been a steady demand for gourmet british cuisine, right here in America. Why travel all the way to Great Britain to sample the food and culture when you can have a taste of “Little Britain” in New York  City. 

                                                                

Celebrities such as domestic goddess Nigella Lawson and the ‘naked’ (not nude but basic, simple) Chef Jamie Oliver have done their share to put British cuisine on the map. In New York City there have even been an unofficial renaming of a famous part of the West Village (the vicinity of Greenwich Avenue & West 12th street) to “Little Britain”. 

Among the city’s many ethnic enclaves are Little Italy, Chinatown and Spanish Harlem so why not  a area dedicated to celebrating the many influences of Great Britain.  New York City, like so many other large cities in America is defined by its reputation for being loud, chaotic, vibrant, exciting and even a bit dangerous. What makes it a city like no other however is the cultural diversity that exist throughout. 

 Being able to have a quick nosh with just a few dosh, or spend a quid or two on a couple of pints with your mates is just the thing for a sworn anglophile like myself (one who loves all things British, granted I am a bit biased because of my family connections and in all fairness I am also a francophile too – one who loves all things French).    

                                                                                                

Bubble & Squeak for breakfast? Toad in the Hole for dinner?

Toad in the hole – yorkshire pudding w/ pork sausages and breaded English goat cheese with pickled baby beets

Bubble and Squeak – mashed potatoes w/ cabbage, peas and fried egg

Soft boiled eggs and soldiers – fingers of toasted white or whole grain bread

Shepherd’s Pie – casserole with ground beef, vegetables such as carrots  and peas, topped with mashed potatoes

Yorkshire Pudding – England’s national dish, Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

Welsh Rarebit – farmhouse cheddar w/ mustard on toast

Fresh baked scones w/ clotted cream

Finger sandwiches (crust removed) cucumber and egg salad with watercress

For a late afternoon spot of tea and light repast why not take a trip to “Little Britain” and stop by:

• The Spotted Pig located at 314 West 11^th St., NYC
• Tea and Sympathy located at 108 Greenwich Ave, NYC
• A  Salt and Battery located at 112 Greenwich Ave (fish ‘n’ chips)
• Lady Mendl’s tea salon located at 56 Irving Place (in the Gramercy Park area)

If you reside in England and you are  fancying something a bit more filling than a pack of crisps, why not pop into your local Waitrose market and pick up a few of your favorite ingredients  to prepare yourself one of the delightful British meals mentioned.