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I have no excuse. It’s not as if Thanksgiving occurs on a rotating basis. It’s the fourth Thursday every November. Even leap years. Nevertheless, the weekend descends upon me and I wind up in an annual scramble to assemble a side dish with enough picky-eater consensus and stability to be transported across state lines. But even I, with my short-sighted meal planning capabilities, can give friends a family a taste of Dayton with the cooks’ last call known as Stock-Up Wednesday at the PNC 2nd Street Market.

The Market is usually open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays; however, on Thanksgiving Eve, the vendors hoist their booth curtains to accommodate perpetual procrastinators (such as yours truly), as well as home chefs in search of reprieve from meal preparations before they’re saddled with the responsibility of preparing enough eats for the Super Bowl of gluttony. Plucky shoppers will use this special day to pick up their turkeys, appetizers, desserts and other items they pre-ordered from their favorite vendors. Don’t kick yourself if you missed making a pre-order; the vendors will do another round of in time for Christmas.

The Market will be closed on Thursday, November 24, but will re-open on Friday, November 25. Great time to grab some lunch before you head out to MetroParks Ice Rink for opening weekend. Or “dinner” if you hit the department stores almost immediately after snapping the wishbone.

If you’re one of the “lucky” ones hosting out-of-town guests instead of being one yourself, the Market would be a dandy place to bring the relatives. Even persnickety Aunt Pauline will be charmed by the quaint atmosphere, browsing the handmade wares of local growers, producers, bakers and artisans in a restored, century-old railroad freight house.

So whether you’re in need of a loaf of fancy, crusty bread, a bottle of wine (or two) for your host, or just want to avoid your mother’s condescending glare as you meekly set the pizza box down among other buffet options, muttering something about paying tribute to your family’s fractional Italian heritage, get the goods you need to pull a holiday “Hail Mary” during Stock-Up Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. November 23, at the PNC 2nd Street Market.

 

My love of pinup runs deep. I love women who are strong and have curves. I love the nostalgia and what it meant to be a woman in the days of the classic pinup. We stood for something……we were women who could do it all make dinner, have a baby and still have flawless eyeliner and pin curls when the men came home! I am amazed by the women of the 50’s and how they juggled it all plus had an immaculate beauty routine. Do you know how long it takes to do victory rolls? Well I can tell you I have done it and it takes me an hour. How many women can honestly say they would even bother to mess with their hair for an hour every single day?I know I am not the only one who has this passion for the days gone by so I am going to give you some easy steps to have that Mad Men look without actually spending an hour or even 30 minutes to achieve it.

First thing is first you must wear foundation and primer. I don’t care what foundation you use it can be Revlon, Dior or anything in between as long as it actually matches your skin tone. When it comes to primer paying a few extra dollars can make a difference. What is primer and what does it do? Primer preps the skin for the foundation and helps smooth the wrinkles and shrink the pores. Any woman over the age of 25 needs this in their makeup bag. Personally I like Nars but whatever works for you is fine.  So we have the primer and the foundation now to concealer. Concealer is your best friend so be sure and call for its help every day. Under eyes, around the nose and on the eyelids that’s your bare minimum no matter how old you are. The secret to the retro look is the flawless skin so be sure and prep your canvas and give yourself a perfect slate for all the fun stuff.

Step two, you need to create the rosy glow without looking dated. So many women struggle with blush but for this lesson we are thinking retro so don’t think this is the way to do your everyday look. You want to accentuate the cheekbones and create a strong jawline so you will need two colors of blush. You will need a bright pink, red or coral depending on your coloring and then a neutral. Start with the neutral and follow the cheekbone up all the way to your temple. My two favorites are MAC’s Dollymix and Melba. Now don’t get crazy, start off light and build. What we don’t want is you looking like a bad high school play.  Next take your bight color and apply just to the apples of your cheeks and blend with the neutral so they look like they are fading together.  Again start off light you can always add more later. Finish with a face powder all over for a soft glowing complexion.

Next we will move on to the lips. Yes I know you are thinking, “what about the eyes???” we will get there but for this look you need to see what the lips are going to do for your skin. You MUST wear color to get this right. I don’t know how many times I have this conversation with Boudoir clients. Even if you are a gloss kind of girl I promise you this look will fail without color. With that in mind don’t think that you have wear bright red. Revlon makes some great pinup colors that are also 16 hour wearing! Tomato, Tulip and Bare Maximum are a few that I like to use. Have fun and play with lip color you will be surprised how much it changes your skin.  If you are going with the bright red here are a couple tips. One use liner if you are not using an all day lipstick and number two if have trouble with color “feathering” out try a wax product such as Benefits Dr. Feelgood and apply around the lips.

Okay we are finally to the eyes. The eyes are not as difficult as you might think it’s all about precision and keeping it simple. Someone once told me that simplicity is the key to elegance and that is the look we want. Start with a lid primer and there is only one that I will even think about using and that’s Clinique’s touchbase. I have tried everything out there but this one is tried and true. No more creased lids or smeared eyeliner with this little gem. For eyeliner you can either use liquid or cream not pencil. If you are new to this go with the liquid. Lancome Artliners are the easiest to control. You can use dark brown or black and follow the shape of your eye right on the lash line from corner to corner. If you are not used to liquid this may take practice. Next use a light shadow all over the eye, I recommend Shroom by MAC. Apply all over the lid and up to the brow. Now take a mauve or brownish pink and apply to the crease. This you can make as dark or light as you prefer. I like to make the crease darker on the outside of my eye and fade in to the corners. If you like false lashes this would be the time to use them and if you don’t like them use lots of mascara and show off those lashes! Retro women were all about the lashes so use what you have and make them dramatic. The final optional step for the eyes is liner on the bottom. Usually with this look you wont need it but this comes down to preference. Finish up with filling in your brows and setting with powder and voila you have an easy retro look.

(from Five Rivers MetroParks)

The region’s largest outdoor ice skating rink was a hit when it debuted in 2010, and this year, MetroParks Ice Rink at RiverScape MetroPark (229 E. Monument Ave., Dayton) is set to open Friday, November 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Admission is only $5, which includes the cost of skate rentals.

MetroParks Ice Rink will be open every day of the week—even special holiday hours—through Sunday, March 11, 2012. Patrons can take advantage of concessions at Café Vélo, which will be open during skating hours, serving snacks, such as hot pretzels and also featuring healthy options, such as chicken snack wraps. Visitors can warm up with seasonal favorites like hot chocolate and cappuccino.

Work off Thanksgiving indulgence calories on the ice and enjoy holiday music during the grand-opening weekend:

• Friday, Nov. 25, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 26, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 27, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Patrons who bring their own skates can skate for free Mondays through Thursdays when there is no admission to the rink. Rentals are available for $3 on these days. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays cost a $5 admission fee, which includes the cost of skate rentals.

MetroParks Ice Rink will be open during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays as well as several more holidays and special events throughout the season. Visit metroparks.org/IceRink to find the complete schedule. Lessons and other skating programs also will be hosted at the rink throughout the season. Visit metroparks.org/Skating or read the winter issue of ParkWays to learn more.

Season passes are available for purchase: $60 family passes cover admission and rentals for up to five people, and $25 individual passes cover the same costs. Visit the RiverScape MetroPark Facebook page for a chance to win a family pass!

Slots are still available for businesses, church groups, youth clubs and anyone else interested in renting the rink for a private function. Private rentals include 50 pairs of ice skates and 50 cups of hot chocolate for $200. Call (937) 274-0126 for more information and a list of available dates.

To learn more, visit the website or call the skating office at (937) 278-2607.

In a day of age where women not only want to feel beautiful but are expected to it comes as no surprise that we spend lots and lots of money on it. I am sure for most of us budgeting in our monthly beauty habits has become a fact of life. Do I get my nails done or do I buy a bottle of wine? (personally I would like both please) Many women now are sacrificing certain things in their lives in order to look and feel a certain way. Starvation used to be the disorder of choice but have we now developed a beauty disorder?

Everyone talks about the price of beauty – we fake everything from our hair color to our body shapes, so it really shouldn’t be a surprise that it is beginning to cost us and not just in our purses but in our mental stability. When I look at my monthly calendar it is full of beauty rituals, waxing, hair color, hair cut, manicure, pedicure, and eyelash extensions… when did it all become so complicated? I remember when buying a new lip gloss was enough to get me excited and now I can’t possibly live without all things listed above. My husband will often ask me why I need fake eyelashes, why do I need to constantly change my hair? There really isn’t a great answer other than I need them to feel pretty. I shouldn’t need them to feel beautiful and I think that is his point but as women we are expected to look a certain way, especially when you are in the beauty industry. No one wants their makeup artist to show up with one furry eyebrow and skin that looks like its been to the North Pole. You have to represent your product but how do we learn to represent ourselves in a real way that is affordable and also makes us feel special?

For the last few years I have been working on and researching this very issue. Although I am guilty of overindulging in the beauty world, I have also learned to cut some corners. I believe that women have a right to beauty and the answer to your next facial may be in your fridge. In this blog I will continue to discuss ways to cut back your beauty budget but also look and feel beautiful.

… Of course we will also have to talk about all those fun goodies we have seen in the magazines but in the meantime I have to know what is the one thing in your beauty ritual that you can not possibly go without?

Call it the city with a handle… Or MAYBE the city with just a little bit of an identity crisis?

Is it “St. Louis,” as in… oh, say the St. Louis Cardinals (now referring ONLY to a baseball team, now that the pesky “football Cardinals” moved on to some southern hospitality… not to say southern MONEY). Or is it “Saint Louis,” as in… Well, the newscasts who spell out the name. ESPN, for example, when they tell us how things went sports-wise. Baseball and such.

So, yeah. TV spells it “Saint Louis.” Newspapers spell it “Saint Louis.” Only radio sticks with “St. Louis…” (At least, that’s what it sounds like to me!)

Yep: I was born and raised in good ole’ St. Louis… south St. Louis, to be specific. And, yes… St. Louis. Yep: pesky habit, to this day. Still… at one point, my home sweet home when was a kid.

Oh. And I was kind of sure St. Louis was gonna’ be where I lived for my whole life.

Didn’t turn out that way, though. Nope.

If whatever powers that be have decided these days to get real real holy and proper about spelling the name of the place… the LAST batch of “powers that be,” the ones who were in control for most of my life, decided that St. Louis was… appropriate. That’s the word.

Worse… Whoever “they” are… Well: they also decided that St. (or Saint) Louis would grow OUT. Not UP. Out, by the way, as in “way WAY out.” Drive a long way “way WAY out.”

So here’s where little bitty (then and VERY MUCH now) Dayton comes in.

Having graduated with “yet ANOTHER” degreee from the University of Dayton, I was headed back “home,” to Saint (or St.) Louis University to work on a Doctoral degree, to begin life as an even MORE grown up person. First step: become a “teaching assistant” at “SLU.” Pronounced… well, “SLU.”

What it all meant I thought… naive little me… I BELIEVED I was finally home from my life’s travels.

That FEELING of “being home” lasted for exactly ten days: TEN DAYS.. Ten days of going down to to “SLU” from my childhood home in the “suburbs…” and ten days, one after another, in which I witnessed fatal auto accidents on what “we” Saint Louis-ans (I guess that’s correct)… what we called the “Mark Twain Expressway.” Yep: ten days, one after the other. Watching cars crash and people dying.

My home sweet home.

On the “Mark Twain Expressway…” aka: Interstate 70.

That’s when I knew I was NOT going to live there, but that I’d go back to Dayton as fast as possible when the whole education trip was over. Now, it’s not that I suffered or anything for the next two and a half years. Nope: it’s just that I consciously lived as a tourist. I went to Gaslight Square and enjoyed good jazz, went to Hrdlicka’s. and enjoyed a fantastic local restaurant specializing in “deep fried in beer batter chicken,” which did make me think about buying my own franchise (for Dayton, of course). I went to the wonderful “Muny Opera” in Forest Park, enjoyed the free seats as off-Broadway” musicals were presented (in case you’re curious: in Dayton, I would discover, we called this “The Kenley Players”)

Best of all that, though, was that I DID get reacquainted with lots and lots of my huge circle of relatives who had, when I was a kid, lived within blocks of our family “flat” in South St. Louis (from here on in, if you want it to be “Saint Louis,” you’ll have to do the transform yourself). That St. Louis, I think it’s safe to say, was small in size, still small enough for a kid to go VISIT anyone of the friends and relatives by walking.

But when I got back… aunts and uncles who had lived down the block or around the corner or next door in the same flat as my family lived in… well, now these aunts and uncles lived thirty… forty… even FIFTY miles away. Still in “St. Louis County,” but far, far away in the County. Well, you know: none of us, in those wonderful late ’60’s day, knew anything about “urban sprawl.” All those aunts and uncles and cousins and friends had just… moved. And it was never REALLY far… “why,” they’d say, “it’s just off highway 70.”

Of course, back then we didn’t complain about the amount of gas it took to make a hundred mile round trip to visit an aunt or an uncle. Nope: we always had gas wars to keep the “price at the pump” dirt cheap. No, the only thing we decided not to notice was how long an afternoon visit would really take.

But when I’d drive up with my wife and kids to VISIT good ole’ Dayton… well, people were nice and lived close even though there was this thing called “Interstate 75.” Sure, it was there. You just didn’t have to USE IT. The Interstate was for folks going to Florida from Michigan or vice versa.

In St. Louis, a traffic jam on OR off the freeway could take an hour or so to unwind. BUT Dayton… Dayton’s traffic jams?? Back then — and even NOW — traffic jams off the freeway back then and now take ten minutes or so to unwind.

But all in all, in a few very short years, St. Louis drew itself into being a big, big city: even had a new stadium back then — as it does now, as a matter of fact: a NEWER new Stadium — and a good thing back then was I could go see the Cardinals play in the World Series a couple of years in a row. But… the Cardinals and the NEW new stadium. You know what: that’s another story.

Oh. And another OTHER story was living with all those little restaurants in some of the living rooms in neighborhoods of… well: politely now. Italian Heights. Yep: helped my mom even back then kick the cooking habit. But again: you know… That’s another story.

But here in Dayton: it’s the same old story.

Yes sir. Yes INDEED.