Month: April 2016

VOGUE’S LATEST MODEL IS A 100 YEARS OLD!

Published on by Brigitte Nioche1 Comment

THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE DAILY MAIL IN ENGLAND ON APRIL 30, 2016

If you ever needed proof that style is ageless, look no further than Bo Gilbert – Vogue’s first 100-year-old model who has just landed a covetable modelling gig.

Centenarian Bo Gilbert, from Birmingham, has been chosen to mark Vogue magazine's 100th anniversary in a new Harvey Nichols campaign. The June issue hits newsstands this weekend and will be its biggest edition

Centenarian Bo Gilbert, from Birmingham, has been chosen to mark Vogue magazine’s 100th anniversary in a new Harvey Nichols campaign. The June issue hits newsstands this weekend and will be its biggest edition

The stunning shoot aims to tackle ageism in the fashion industry and prove that ‘the older generation can be fearlessly stylish.’Harvey Nichols picked Bo as their style inspiration for her unwavering commitment to fashion, as someone who wears heels every day and never leaves the house without her make-up on. 

As you can see it is never too late to be stylish or become a model!

Never Forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

 

94 YEARS OLD AND GOING ON 22

Published on by Brigitte Nioche2 Comments

Good Morning Everyone!

There are moments in life which are worth sharing, and the other day there was such a moment.

Leaving the Beauty Parlor near the bus stop the lady using a walker joined the waiting crowd. After a few minutes she asked, “Do you know when the M5 is coming?”

“It should be here by now” I replied. But it wasn’t and did not come for the next 35 minutes. After some chit-chat about the inadequate public service in New York, and how good the hairdresser is she just visited (her white hair was very nicely cut and set) she said, “You know I am 94 years old and will be 95 next month.” She did not wait for an answer but put her hand in her purse and pulled out a 3″x5″  picture of a beautiful girl.

“Look this is me when I was 22 years old, I was a WAVE during the war.” A lady standing close by looked over and remarked, “You should have that enlarged and framed.”

“Oh, I have.  It is hanging in my bedroom.” and the way she looked at her picture seemed like an out-of-body experience, like the young girl in the photo was somebody else. Somebody else who she knows for a long time and who is still around.

“So when is your birthday next month?” I asked

“May 11” and after a moment she continued “I don’t know why I am still here. Maybe because I had a good husband who looked well after me. He was Egyptian but Jewish.You know each week he would go out and buy two cartons of cigarettes,  one for me and one for him……. and see I am still here.”

There was no bus in sight yet and I asked her if she didn’t want to sit down. By now I was ready to sit down, but her answer kept me standing, making me wonder why at my age I wanted to sit down.

“No, thank you I just sat an hour at the hairdresser, and I will sit again in the bus.”

When the M5 came into view, she looked at me and asked, “Do you know what a WAVE is?” When she saw that I hesitated she continued, “The Girl in the photo!”

And while watching her navigate her walker to get into the bus, I suddenly realized she was not 94 – she was still a WAVE!

(Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service during the Second World War)

Never Forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

LOVE HANDLES – DO YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THEM?

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Good Morning Everyone.

What a silly question you will say. Of course I do – but how? I know from experience that with exercise it is very difficult to lose stubborn fat at a specific place. Exercise firms the body but that little pouch or extra fat somewhere does not seem to be impressed by exercise.

So while visiting my dermatologist to have a mold taken care of I found a brochure in the waiting room that talked about Body Contouring. Never having heard of it (maybe I am a little behind) I read on.

No, it is not liposuction. The brochure explained that it is done with lasers, and best of all the 25 minute procedure avoids surgery. If you are interested in learning more go to http://www.sculpsure.com.

I believe in solutions and having choices. This might be one for you to say goodbye to any little extra padding you might have here or there!

Never forget  – A Smile Changes Everything

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Brigitte

YOUR THOUGHTS – it would be interesting to hear from anyone who had it done, or who is thinking about it – please leave a comment

DANCING FEET

Published on by Brigitte Nioche4 Comments

Good Morning Everyone

If you love to dance, love Rock and Roll Music, and live in New York this is for YOU.

While I am sitting here massaging my feet, I want to share my new discovery. Living in New York as long as I do I can’t believe I have just found out about SOCK HOP SUNDAYS!

 

When we arrived around 9 pm, I went with my friend Pat, the place was crowded and jumping. Jumping with men and women dancing. Another surprise was – which is  a rarity in New York City – there were more men than women. Age didn’t matter either – from young to old, to older, to real old everybody was happy to be there. Partners were changed often and it felt like the joy of dancing was the reason for being here.

Not wanting to keep you in suspense any longer here are the details – SOCK HOP SUNDAYS takes place at the Iguana Café on 240 West 54th Street (yes, in the heart of Manhattan) for all other information go to http://www.sockhopsundays.com

No, I am not on their payroll to advertise, but having had such a fun and unusual experience I can’t help but share. And should you be worried that it is a pick up place, like my friend Pat had feared, believe me it is not. – It’s really about the joy of dancing – and we danced all the way home.

Never Forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

YOUR THOUGHTS – If you know of any other places, here in New York or elsewhere in the country, please share here on my Blog. Thank You so much!

 

 

ARE YOU LONELY?

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Good Morning Everyone

Hopefully the sun shines as brightly where you are as it does in New York today.

I went to the movies last night and want to share the experience with everybody who feels lonely sometimes or can’t find a purpose in  life.

The Meddler with Susan Saradon approaches – and solves  –  challenges we face when we lose a loved one, are retired, or the kids have moved on. It is humorous, yet serious in solving the challenges faced with. But above all it is inspiring! It gives hope!

And walking home – no I don’t want to give away the ending – I wished that every lonely woman will find her chicken coop.

Never forget – A  smile changes everything

Brigitte

I HATE MY CLOTHES!

Published on by Brigitte Nioche2 Comments

Hello Everyone!

Have you started to make the switch from winter to summer in your wardrobe?

I have just started….. and I have to admit that I hate everything I see. Why? Maybe because the warm sunshine, the budding trees and flowers give me the feeling of wanting a new beginning, a new start. But looking at my clothes they don’t match my longing for a new look. Instead they make me feel like I am left over….left over from when? That depends on how many seasons I have switched an item back and forth.

There is a chapter in my book  LET GO OF THE CLOTHES YOU  DON’T WEAR ANYMORE  (please believe me I do take my own advice) but this year seeing all the beautiful, bright-colored clothes, including bags and shoes which come in orange, turquoise, yellow and  any shade of pink,  I think I have to read that chapter again and let go of even  more things than I did during my last clean out.

Some of you might say that your clothes are like old friends and maybe they feel that way, but look again – even friends can out-stay their welcome. A few splashes of color will lift your spirits – replace the beige ( we all have plenty of it in our wardrobe) with a bright blue or fuchsia or any other color of the rainbow out there.

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Shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo

The other day I saw this pair of shoes in the window of the  Ferragamo store on Fifth Avenue – wonderful aren’t they? But even if you don’t want to be that extravagant it certainly drives home the message that bright and cheerful is the way to go this summer!

Never forget – a smile changes everything

Brigitte

 

 

 

 

 

 

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

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Follow a Chinese Proverb

                                   EVERY SMILE MAKES YOU A DAY YOUNGER

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And if you can’t find a smile, do like my friend Sue and hug your grandchild – it never fails!

Brigitte

 

 

YOUR BEAUTIFUL MIND – DRESS IT UP

Published on by Brigitte Nioche1 Comment

“You know Terry  is  a beautiful person on the inside” Sally said after her friend Terry had left. I wondered why she was telling me? Maybe Sally was embarrassed how her friend looked? Because the time we spend together did not give me a chance to find out about Terry’s beautiful mind, and her appearance didn’t give a hint.

In our fast-moving, short attention span world we can not hope that others will really see us for who we are. There is not enough time, but if we use the old, we can even say ancient, and proven tool called first impression we can point to the person inside.

With a little attention and effort Terry would not have needed her friend to tell me what a nice person she really is. No, I don’t mean that looks are everything. Or that good looks always go hand in hand with how beautiful a person is on the inside. But when you have a beautiful mind let it shine through by making the outside match your inside  — make an effort – make a good first impression.

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And never forget – a smile changes everything

Brigitte

 

 

GRAY LOCKS – THE WAY TO GO

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For a very long time companies like L’Oréal and Revlon have helped women hide any sign of white hair – a reminder of aging – and who wanted anybody to know that they were getting older? “I must have  my roots done” my friends used to say while pointing to their scalp.

Well, having your roots done is the past, because the latest fashion fad is Gray Hair! And not only for older women, but for women of any age. As for me it is just happening at the right time because lately I have noticed my hair turning white and since I have never colored my hair and didn’t like the idea I was wondering what to do.

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But seeing Helen Mirrem looking so beautiful I found the answer. I am now looking forward to having my hair turn white. And so can you!

Never forget – a smile changes everything!

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REGRETS – keep them out of your life!

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Regrets, regrets – who doesn’t have any? Maybe some people don’t. I call them  the lucky ones, but most of us do regret this or that. The worst kind of course is the self-made kind – the kind we could have avoided.

Well, let me tell you about the time I really screwed up. I missed something I can never get back and the worst is, it was my doing. Mine alone. I say  it was my doing because I when first heard of it I was all fired up to follow my desires and enthusiasm, but then the little devil in my mind (we all of one of those) started talking to me and said:

  • it is not a reasonable thing to do (being too reasonable can spoil a lot of fun)
  • the time for preparation is too short (I had a week – it would have been enough)
  • maybe you won’t  get a ticket (I could have gotten one through a friend)
  • will all that money be worth it (I wanted nothing more than to be there)
  • what will your family and friends say (what can they say – it’s my time, my money, and they are not me)

Yes, the little devil in my head had won. He had talked me out of going to Cairo to listen to YANNI’s concerts which was performed in front of the Pyramids last November.

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Instead here I was sitting in Morristown, New Jersey  last week, listening to YANNI  in a small, rather stuffy theater. His music was beautiful as always, but  all I could think of was where are the pyramids? How could I have missed a magical moment under a star lit sky, listening to YANNI’s music and seeing the pyramids in the background?

The little devil has had a lot of trouble with me since then and the minute he starts to moves around in my mind, my new protection, my buzzword, stops him in his tracks – what is my buzzword?  Morristown!

During his concert YANNI shared a story about his father and the advice he had given him during their walks in the Greek mountains when he a child. He had told him:

“Never forget today is today. The future will also be today, and tomorrow will be today, and if you don’t know how to live today, you have never lived!”

Maybe it will help you to find a buzzword too?

And never forget – a smile changes everything!

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