How Not To Look Like a Tourist in Paris or Anywhere Else

With summer upon us, I hope that you have a wonderful vacation planned.  If it's a trip to Paris or some other overseas destination, even better.

My experience has been that the best vacations are ones where you blend in with the local culture.  In so doing, you can have some very special experiences.

That said, in order to blend in, you need to do a little homework before you leave.

I spent most of my adult life on the coast of Northern California and no one seems to understand that Northern California has nothing to do with Southern California.  There is a reason why each wanted to secede from the other.  But it's the weather that differs most of all.  I can't tell you how many times I would tell people I was from California and how many times they would extol its weather virtues and I could tell they were talking about Southern California. Likewise, now that I have moved to Seattle, everyone wants to know how I could leave sunny California for the rain and gloom of Seattle.  They can't believe it when I say we came for the Seattle summers.  For two to three months a year, it's warm and sunny.

In Northern California, it is cold in the summer!  Mark Twain once said that the coldest winter he ever spent was the summer he spent in San Francisco. In summer, when the fog rolls in, it's cold.  It's a joke among locals in San Francisco as to how you can spot a tourist.  Tourists are those folks wearing shorts (no one wears shorts in San Francisco) and an "I Love San Francisco" sweatshirt because they didn't bring any warm clothes and were so cold they had to buy one!

That's just a little anecdote to illustrate the pitfalls of not doing your homework.

When I travel, I don't want to look like a tourist.  I want to blend in and hang with the locals.  That often means keeping my mouth shut so I can observe.

Hubby's job used to take him to the U.K. quite frequently and his office was in a small town about 60 miles west of London.  While he worked, I would play.  But occasionally I would head down to the launderette (that's Brit speak for the laundromat) to do some needed laundry.  Unlike many of our laundromats, it had a person running the place, and I could eavesdrop on him and his interactions with the ladies doing their wash. I could feel like I was one of them.  One time I arrived and there was no hot water.  That being the case, the local ladies decided they would have to do their laundry another time and left. They couldn't fathom washing their clothes in cold water. The fellow running the launderette said to me, "Well, I know they do their laundry in cold water all of the time in America."  I responded and blew my cover, but he and I engaged in an interesting conversation.  

The point is, blending in, not proclaiming that you are American (especially talking loudly, which is an American stereotype over there) and seeking out the locals can lead to all kinds of interesting encounters.

So if you want to blend in and try being a local, you need to also look the part.

Nothing screams tourist more than a baseball cap with an American team on it, a windbreaker heralding said team, athletic shoes and carrying a map.

This is an American tourist.

Sorry, Hubby.

Though Paris can be casual, I would say they dress a step up from what we Americans consider acceptable.  You are not likely to see a Parisian wearing flip flops, a fanny pack or a baseball cap, though, of course, there are exceptions.  And scarves are de rigeur.

This is an American tourist who could "pass."  I have actually been asked for directions by a local.

However, if you want to meet other Americans, the baseball cap works well.  Hubby and I were standing outside this crepe shop in the Marais, Hubby with his ever present Mariners cap on, and we were approached by a young woman who noticed Hubby's cap. 

She was not only American, but from Seattle and had been living in Paris for several months and longed to speak English with someone.  We had a lovely conversation and she recommended a wonderful bistro where we dined that evening.

It's also a good idea to at least try to speak the language.  Parisians can't stand you mangling their language, so as soon as you make the attempt, they will usually start speaking English, but they usually appreciate the attempt.  I took eights years of French and my attempts are usually met with, first a look of confusion, then disgust, then English.

However, good manners require that you always say "Bon jour" when entering a shop or encountering a local in Paris.  I learned this the hard way when my ticket for the Metro didn't open up the little gate to let me in.  I scurried over to the ticket taker and said in English, "My ticket doesn't work," to which he replied with dripping contempt, "BON JOUR."  I had skipped the greeting and got schooled!

So when you travel to other countries, do you homework so you have some idea of what the weather will be like, learn a few phrases, dress appropriately, learn the currency and not only don't talk loudly, but sometimes it pays to not talk at all.



If you want to blend in and not look like a tourist, you would NEVER do stuff like this!

 

 

 

But who cares!  Have fun!

 

What are your travel tips? 

See you Friday for

"Top Ten Things to Do This Summer"

and

The Week in Reviews

 Thanks for Reading!

 

And check your local library for travel guides to help you read up on your destination.

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How Not To Look Old

In an earlier post, "Retirement Fashion Chic: or I Know You Are Old But Do You Have To Look Like Crap?" I tackled the issue of how to dress to still look good in retirement. 

What we wear has a lot to do with how good we look, and we have control over that.

What we don't have control over is aging.  We, Baby Boomers, have gotten old. 

But that doesn't mean we give in to it, does it? 

We don't want someone saying as we walk past, "Oh, there goes a 66 year old."  And god forbid, I should walk by and someone says, "There goes a 75 year old."  No, we don't want that.

Of course, we women of a certain age are mostly invisible to the general public, but despite that, why look old?

There are certain things I think we can do to stop the march of time, and I am going to share those with you so you can enjoy whatever age you are. 

When you look good, you feel good.

• The first giveaway that you are old is grey or white hair.

It's a funny thing about that.  On men, it makes them look distinguished.  On us ladies, it just makes us look like grandma.  I had a nice little white-haired grandma, but I don't want to be her. 

I am a grandmother, but I am not Granny, I am "Glammy." 

Now I know for some of you, letting your hair go "natural" is a political statement about feminism and being real and it shows your life experience.  That's fine.  Good for you. But if you don't want to look old, you need to get rid of the old lady hair. 

Another concern people sometimes have is the chemicals in hair dye.  I guess, but we all have to die sometime.  I'd rather go looking fabulous.

Many of you might cite this woman as a symbol of looking fabulous with grey hair as another excuse not to color your hair.

Carmen Dell'Orefice.

Yes, but she's a model - and you're not.

If you let your hair go natural, you are more likely to look like Barbara Bush.

Next on the list is my 75-year-old sister's favorite. 

• Shoes with Velcro fasteners.

Nothing shouts old lady more than sensible shoes with easy on and off fasteners.  Now I am not expecting that you will be wearing Louboutin spiked heels.  I can't even walk in shoes like that anymore let alone afford Louboutins.  But do you really need shoes that scream you are so old you can't even tie your own shoes anymore?  No Velcro!

• Ditch the reading glasses on a chain. 

In fact, why aren't you wearing contact lenses? 

My lenses help me see both near and far (one eye near, one eye far), so I don't need reading glasses. Just because we are old, why is it assumed we must wear glasses?  I recently had to go to the emergency room because I thought one of my contact lenses was still in my eye (long and embarrassing story that we don't need to get into here).  All was well, but I went for a follow-up the next day with the female eye doctor who was consulted that night by the emergency room staff.  When she was examining my eyes, she said she didn't realize I was so old since I was wearing contacts.  Whaaaa?  And she was no spring chicken herself.  But if you don't have a medical reason to not wear contacts, why wear glasses?  Glasses hide your pretty face.

• Spray tans

I think a little glow makes us look younger. 

The only problem with this is I don't like taking my clothes off in front of a teeny-tiny blonde teenager who is no doubt judging my not so teeny-tiny body and wondering what the hell I am doing there.  And the self-service tanning booth scares me. It reminds me of the "Orgasmatron" in Woody Allen's movie "Sleeper."

• Then there is that little issue of weight gain. 

I apologized to Hubby recently for gaining ________ pounds since he met me.  He mumbled something about having gained more than that, but here is some comfort to those of us with big butts. 

Catherine Deneuve supposedly said, "A 30-year-old woman must choose between her bottom and her face."  If this relates to a 30-year-old, what does that say about us 50 and 60 year olds?  Basically, though, it says you want to be really skinny?  Your face will pay the price.  Add a few pounds and it plumps up the face. What did I choose? Let's just say, I don't have many wrinkles.

• Speaking of the "w" word

This post is not going to get into botox or plastic surgery.  If stuff like that didn't hurt and cost so much, I would definitely be all over it, but I am a chicken and don't have any money, so I don't see a face lift in my future.  I will have to opt for looking at myself in the mirror and pulling my skin up and over with my hands and yelling at Hubby to come look:  "See, this is what I would look like if I had a face lift."  Hubby's reply is not worth repeating.

So for wrinkles, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize and hope for the best.

Since this is such an important topic, naturally someone has written a book on it, so I thought I would share some of her points and see what we think.

Charla covers everything here from never cutting your own bangs to make-up do's and dont's to whitening your teeth and not wearing Mom Jeans.  All of her tips include High, Medium and Low maintenance ways to adhere to her admonishments, high maintenance usually involving your hiring a personal stylist or spending big bucks to low maintenance which is pretty much you're on your own.

So my own ideas, aside, let's see how I measure up with some of her tips:

• She lists the top 25 clothes that gotta go:  On the list are holiday sweaters, jewelry with your grandchildren on it, photo handbags and muumuus.

OK I get that but she also says no thin-gold-chain necklaces.
Does that mean I have to stop wearing my little gold chain with a poodle on it that my daughter gave me?  Why does that make me look old? Is that because thin gold chains call attention to my fat wrinkly neck?

• No grannie undies. 

Who's going to see those?

• No backpacks. 

I don't get that one at all.

I mean, how cute is this? 

Maybe she meant fanny packs (and for you Brits out there, I know fanny is a bad word, so do you call then butt packs? That sounds just as bad).

• And on her list of FORBIDDEN items for any woman over 30: 

Tattoos, anything with tie-dye on it and newsboy caps. 

She lost me there. 

First of all, 30?  Is that when old age begins? And doesn't she realize tattoos are permanent (if you have one, it ain't going away and how likely is an old lady to get one?), tie-dye is back in (yes, people, you can find tie-dyed clothes at J. Jill and Chico's, two stores that famously cater to the more mature woman - not that I shop there) and what would I do without my newsboy cap?  Just kidding about the cap.

She goes on to say that nothing ages you like:

Overbling, over-sized earrings, cleavage and bearlike fur coats.

Oops.

But those were her don'ts.

Here are her Do's for instantly taking off 10 years:

• Pink lipstick
• The right bra
• Bike short shapewear
• Wear heels
• Use cream blush, not powder
• Color your toes with a pedicure
• Arch your eybrows and cover any grey brow hairs with pencil

As I write this my toes are painted, my brows are arched, my blush is creamy, and I am wearing pink lipstick, a push-up bra and Spanx.

If only it was that easy.

What do you do to not look old?

Do you care?


See you Friday for

"Where Were You in the 1990's?"

Thanks for reading!

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Check your local library for the book mentioned.

Retirement Fashion Chic: Or, I Know You are Old But Do You Have To Look Like Crap?

 

When you retire and don't have  to be anywhere at any time, it takes effort just getting dressed every day.  You, Baby Boomer, believe it or not, you have gotten old.  You have packed on some pounds. You have wrinkles.

All of those things make it easy to wander around looking like crap. Why bother? you may ask.  Who is going to see me, except Hubby, and he doesn't count.  You just give up on yourself.

But I maintain that it is important to "act as if..." 

You may not have an 8-5 job anymore or meetings at your child's school or even a big social life, but that is the crucial word.  Life.  You have a life and it is important.  It is important to look good to feel good (did I say that or was it Billy Crystal?).

Even when you are retired, your life is still important.  YOU are still important, so you need to LOOK important.

You don't want to be caught dead going to Safeway in pajama bottoms and furry Skechers that look like bedroom slippers. You don't want to wear a robe all day.  Even for quick errands, it is important to look presentable. You never know who you will meet.  And you know what, Hubby does count, especially if you want him to stay interested in you.

"Acting as if..." means forgetting all of that dogma about age, retirement, fat and realizing you are still fabulous.  Or at least, act as if you are. It's all in your head.

So I am going to give you some on trend fashion ideas and tips for all shapes, sizes and ages to get you out of that bathrobe, out of those sweats, out of those sensible shoes and out of those baggy jeans and sweaters and into something ---FABULOUS!

(And for you guys out there who might be reading this, we know you don't  really care how you look anymore, but the same goes for you.  We have noticed that you have let yourselves go a bit too, and that you no longer look like George Clooney).


If you go to the gym, don't just throw on sweats and a t-shirt with an embarrassing slogan on it like "Blink if you want me" or "Drunkin' Grown-ups."  Invest in some cool matching outfits like this Nike combo.  Don't hide your curves.  Be glad you still have some.





In cooler weather, black leggings and a long top will take you all over town and a nice scarf covers up a multitude of sins.




But this spring it's all about color. 

Just because we are old, doesn't mean we can't stand out.  Women over 50 may be invisible to the general public, but you will catch some attention in a shocking pink jacket and printed jeans. 

Roll up those sleeves and add a pocket patch and you can go everywhere from running errands to Happy Hour.

Switch up the same look with some leather and an artfully tied scarf.
 

A good white jacket will go with everything from spring through the summer. 


And dark denim trousers with a little flair looks good on everyone.

And don't be afraid to wear white.

Curvy women sometimes shy away from white, but if you keep it simple and monochromatic, there is no reason why you can't wear white. 

Oversize shoes are also slimming.

And who cares if you are 65? 

If you want to wear some great big fun sunglasses, then go for it!

For dressier occasions, a floral print pencil skirt looks great with boots. 

We curvy gals can wear florals on the bottom, just don't overdo it. 

Make the skirt the focal point and then tone it down with black.

Add a colorful necklace to highlight your face.

 

 

For dressy occasions, you can't beat the LBD. 

And a denim jacket and a fancy low-riding belt gives it some edge.

 

 

 

Or how about a fake flower, big earrings and showing a little shoulder?

 

 

 

 

 

 

And don't be afraid to get your Stevie Nicks on.  If she can still do it, so can you.

 

 

 

 

 

Likewise, who says we can't wear skinnies and gladiator sandals? 

 

**We don't want to invest a lot of money in trends that will be over by next year, so look into Forever 21 and H & M for some fun pieces like these striped skinnies. The prices are amazing (Leggings for less than $7.00, tops for $12, etc.). If you are embarrassed to be shopping there, and the sales clerks say something, just tell them at checkout your items are for your granddaughter.  That's what I do and I don't even have a granddaughter.  They have plus sizes too!

 

Note the leopard bag.  Animal print is always in style in any season.

 

Leopard print is the new black.  I have decreed it so.

 

 

 

 

And if your décolletage is not too crepey (no, I didn't say "creepy"), don't be afraid to show a little.

 

 

Don't forget a bit of make-up either. 

 

Some nicely waxed and trimmed eyebrows, mascara and lippy brighten your face - and big earrings are just plain fun!

 

I am not even going to get into the whole thing about coloring one's hair, but let's just say, I am not sure what my real color is anymore.  But whatever it is or was, it's not going to be gray.  But I know letting one's hair turn gray or white can be a political issue, so I am not going there.  I just choose to be blonde, because you know what they say..."Blondes have more..."  Well, you know.

 

 

And, finally, a great hat keeps those age spots from showing up.

 

 

Well, there you have it. 

 

Just some of my ideas and tips, but it's really all up to you.

 

Keeping up appearances keeps up your appearance. 

Don't let age or a few extra pounds be excuses to not look

 

FABULOUS!

See you Friday for
"My Favorite Concert and Rock & Roll Movies (and they are not the ones you would think)!"

 

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it and/or email it to your friends.

 

 

 

The Week in Reviews: Movie Reviews, DVDs You Might Have Missed, Food and Fashion Tips and More

[I review the movies "Gravity," "Captain Phillips," "Unfinished Story," "The Reluctant Fundamentalist," "Step Up to the Plate," "Cosmopolis," "Henry's Crime" and a bio on Princess Kate as well as doling out tips on food and fashion.]


But First

As you have probably already gathered, I am a huge movie fan. 
It's always been a passion of mine ever since I saw "Gone with the Wind" when I was five.

When I was younger, it was nothing for me to go see several movies per week.  I would make lists of the soon-to-be-released films and plot in my mind how I would get to see them all.  Even when my children were infants, I would find a way to get to the movies.

In those days, if you didn't see the film in the theatre, it was gone forever.

But now, I tend to do most of my movie watching via DVDs.  With movies coming out on DVD within months of their theatrical release, why brave the crowds, the kid kicking your seat, the candy wrapper rustling, teens running up and down the aisles and talkative seat mates when you can watch a movie on the relatively big screen in the relative tranquility of your own home? 

But hey, jolt from the past.

Just went to a matinee with a friend and realized I missed the big-screen experience and being the first to see the latest flick, not to mention my recent foray into IMAX 3-D.

So I now plan to add a "going out to a movie solo" day to my weekly retirement repertoire (which is rapidly filling up - blog day, project day, going out to the movies day, do nothing day...).  And why not?  I am now "one of those people," people you see wandering about on weekdays and you wonder why they aren't at work.

So I am now adding to my blog my new feature...

***In Theatres Now***

Gravity (2013)

Wow. 

When Sandra Bullock says "I hate space" you really, really get it.  Director Cuaron has created a very, very intense space thriller and it is enhanced by IMAX-3-D.  In fact, 3-D is my new favorite thing.  And George Clooney?  Well, he's George Clooney.

Rosy the Reviewer says...

Ring, Ring, Ms. Bullock, Oscar calling.

Ring, Ring, Mr. Cuaron, Oscar calling.

See it in IMAX if you can.

Captain Phillips (2013)

True life enactment of Somali pirates taking a ship's captain hostage. 
Directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Tom Hanks, this is an edge of your seat thriller reminiscent  of "Argo" in that you know how it ends, but it's still excruciatingly intense.  Greengrass directed "United 93," the depiction of the heroes of 9/11 who perished on United flight 93.  I remember seeing the preview for that movie and people booing because it was "too soon."  Boo to them because that movie was an homage to heroes and he told it in a thrilling, yet respectful way. If you haven't seen that one, it's a must.  Greengrass does the same thing here.  Phillips is a man caught by circumstance who manages to not give up.  Greengrass is unflinching and clear in his storytelling which lends itself well to these true life dramas.  Hanks is a good actor but he goes to greatness at the end of this film.  Watch for it.


Rosy the Reviewer says...
Ring, Ring.  Mr. Hanks, Oscar calling. 
Ring, Ring, Mr. Greengrass, Oscar calling. 

It's going to be a horse race for the Oscar between these two films.

You heard it here first, folks.

***DVDS***
Some Movies You Might Have Missed
(And some you will be glad you did)

Unfinished Song (2012)

This is the story of British pensioners singing rock music in a chorus - it's a bit "Glee," a bit "Amour" and a bit "Young at Heart," the latter being a documentary about just such a group. 

I am a sucker for British films and this one has many of my favorite British actors, both famous and faces - Vanessa Redgrave, Terence Stamp (who is aging well, I might add), Christopher Eccleston (an ex-Dr. Who), etc.   Redgrave is dying, her husband (Stamp) is a crusty old fart who doesn't approve of the chorus.  You can probably guess how it all goes, but it's still fun, touching, shows the redemptive power of music and is well done as the Brits always do.

Rosy the Reviewer says...you will cry.







The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012)

Young Pakistani man attends Princeton, gets high-powered, high paying American job only to be radicalized because of profiling and discrimination after 9/11.

It begs the question: what do you expect when an educated Pakistani on the fast track in the financial world is suddenly a person of interest, strip searched, profiled and constantly humiliated because of how he looks? 

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you like a thriller with a message, you will like this.   The main character says, "What was soft inside me fell away and was harder."








Step up to the Plate  (Entre les Bras) (2012)

Documentary about French 3-star Michelin chef Michel Bras passing the baton to his son, Sebastien. 

If you are not a foodie, you might not be interested in all of the foraging and plating.  But if you wonder what it takes to be a 3-star Michelin chef, here it is.  Personally, I can relate as Mr. Bras leaves his profession and passes his restaurant to his son.  I retired from my profession as a librarian at the same time my daughter is entering it.  It is an interesting feeling to turn the reins over to the younger generation and come to grips with your own mortality.

Rosy the Reviewer says...If you liked Jiro Dreams of Sushi, you will like this, though it's not quite as riveting...or if you are a foodie, tres interessant!







Cosmopolis (2012)

Director Cronenberg had me with "The Fly," scarred me for life with "Dead Ringers," and lost me forever with this piece based on the Don DeLilo novel. 

Eric Packer (Robert Pattinson), a financial magnate, is in his stretch limo on the way across town to get a haircut.  Most of the action, if you can call it that, takes place in the limo as it slowly makes its difficult way across town.  It's Kafka in a stretch limo.  

Some critics thought the ride was worth it.

Rosy the Reviewer says...it wasn't.

 

 

 

Henry's Crime (2010)

There is an expression:  Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. 

I

n this film it's the other way around. Hapless Henry goes to jail for a crime he didn't commit but when he gets out he decides if he did the time, he might as well do the crime!  Fun to see James Caan again and Vera Farmiga is great but Keanu Reeves is the king of underplaying.  Never seen anything like it.  Love the Chekov references.

Rosy the Reviewer says...worth it just to see James Caan show his fellow inmates how he gets to stay in prison by acting like a madman to the parole board.  Prison is home.  A fun little gem.

 

***BOOKS***

 

 

 

Kate, A biography by Marcia Moody (2013)

Some insight into the person who will be the future Queen of England. 

Also a fun look at the early lives and courtship of William and Kate. 

Am I a Royal watcher?  Duh.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a must for Royal watchers.

***FOOD***

Recipes: I love to collect recipes out of magazines. 

I read "Cooking Light," "Taste of Home," "Everyday with Rachael Ray" and the Food Network Magazine.  But now I have this huge folder of recipes I want to try.  It's getting the better of me, so I have decided that I will just blindly choose one out of the folder and no matter what it is, I will make it that day.  So far I have made a wonderful Thai Steak Salad and Maple-Glazed Chicken Wings.

Rosy the Reviewer says... Create your own cookbook. My mother kept a little recipe box with index cards of recipes.  I use a photo album and cut out the recipes and stick them under the plastic page. Voila.  A cookbook by Rosy.




Restaurants:  I hate big menus. 

Gordon Ramsay is right.  A restaurant with a 4-page menu cannot possibly cook everything well.  Besides, I can never decide what to order and when I do finally order, it's always the wrong thing!  I like a small menu with about 10-15 things on it, all seasonal and local. 

And when they ask you how you want your meat or fish prepared, say whatever the chef feels is best.  Then you know you are a foodie.

Rosy the Reviewer says...for the best restaurant experience look for small menus and defer to the chef.

***FASHION***

Black and white is always in fashion, especially this fall. 

You will look instantly put together and it's easy to pull off.  See?

Rosy the Reviewer says...If you are scared of print and pattern mixing, which is all the rage this fall, try your pattern and print mixing with black and white and it's almost a gimme (not shown here but a black and white striped shirt would look just as good).

That's it for this week. 

Catch me on Tuesday

when I will be lamenting the

"Lost Art of Correspondence."

Thanks for reading!  If you enjoyed this post, feel free to subscribe and/or share it with your friends