| Life and Style |
No Expiration Date for Love |
| There is a new summer television show called the Age
of Love. It pits women in their 40s against 20-year-old
women in a bid for affections of a hunky Aussie tennis star. If that
isn’t distasteful enough, the producers - in true reality-TV
style - don’t miss a stereotype. |
While the 40-year-olds look rather fabulous, sexy and svelte, they
are shown doing the laundry and needlepoint. Meantime, the 20-somethings
hula-hoop and eat junk food. Hula-hoop and needlepoint? How many women
do you know, who do a lot of either?
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Anne Bancroft, The Original Sexy Older Woman
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| The show is predictable. The 40-year-olds have the edge in personality
and stability. The 20-year-olds are perky-breasted, but scattered-brained
and emotional. |
| What is really nasty and distasteful are the bitchy comments of
the 20-year-olds as they remark about how the 40-year-olds have “crow’s
feet”, “saggy breasts”, and “stretch marks”.
They are pretty darned catty to each other, too. It was equally uncomfortable
for me to watch the older women feel so threatened by 20-somethings. |
| This is really not a nice picture of where the world is going -
nor is it realistic, I hope. I have great tolerance for pop entertainment.
I know to take reality programs with a grain of salt. But lately,
the media seems to want to draw lines in the sand between older women
and younger women. I find it disturbing. |
| When I was a very young woman, older women mentored me. They were
kind and wise, and without them I would not be the woman I am today.
I assure you, these women were not dowdy or sexless. Nor were they
threatened by me or my youth, my sexuality, or vitality. On the contrary. |
| Now that I am no longer a nymph, I have many young and very lovely
friends and colleagues. I take great pleasure in their company and
their triumphs. I can't imagine any of them talking about older women
the way the young women on the Age of Love
did, under any circumstances. They are not crude, vulgar, or mean.
But then again, perhaps that is what it takes to go on national television
to find love. I would not know. The very concept of that is so offensive
and damaging. |
| The idea of defining women by age and then pitting them against
each other is offensive and demeaning. I see this as new way of dividing
us. It is also a frightening idea that there would be a preferred
age for love. |
| A man looking to have a large family may not find a woman of 45
or so an ideal mate, whatever his age. Then again, a 20-year old who
doesn’t want to mother a large brood won’t cut it either.
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| We live in an age of unprecedented choice. However, that choice
is not completely unrestricted, as some would believe. Biological
clocks still tick; there is a healthy window for stress-free reproduction.
But never before have men and women had so many options. |
We live longer and we can choose to be healthy and vibrant. I am
not sure that 40 is the new 20 as some claim, but you can indeed look
as almost as young as you feel, if you are willing to work at it.
And, darling, let’s face it - Hollywood looks aside - who really
knows what brings and keeps any twosome together?
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Harold and Maude, Who knows where attraction lies?
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| Why would anybody allow the media, employers, or grown-up “mean-girls”
define us at any age? Among consenting adults, I don’t think
there is an “age of love”. |
| What draws two people together is complex and mysterious, even in
our modern age. Call it animal magnetism or sexual chemistry. It can
happen between a svelte older woman and a younger man, or it can happen
where you least expect it. |
| Let’s face it, darlings, it’s only the mean-spirited
and the spiritually-disadvantaged who don’t think there isn’t
enough of the good stuff to go around, so they resort to this kind
of pettiness. |
| Let’s hear for those unattached adults who take love where
they find and nurture it. Darlings, let’s rejoice in the friendships
of younger women and older women and all the joy it can bring us.
To hell with those who profit by creating divides. We know there truly
is enough good stuff to go around. |
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Louise O’Connor
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| Beauty and Celebrity |
How to Have the Hottest Hair of the
Season – Interview with Louise O’Connor |
| Louise O’Connor, the owner and creative
director of top Manhattan salon OC61, gives
DolceDolce readers exclusive tips for the hottest
hair of the season. OC61 creates catwalk looks for
such top designers as Gucci, Versace,
Nanette Lepore, and Oscar de
la Renta. Known for “sexy hair,” Louise
has attracted a loyal celebrity clientele. At the beautiful OC61
salon, in New York’s elegant East Side, Louise provides the
best in cutting-edge colour, cut, make-up, and body treatments. |
| DD: What are the strongest trends for fall? |
| Louise: Stronger, deeper colors like chocolate
browns. Also, hair that boasts a lot of shine. Blunter definite cuts
are also in, moving away from very layered shags. In the fall you
will also see shorter hair, chin length. |
| DD: What is the best way to grow out your hair?
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| Louise: Make sure to trim it as it is growing out
to ensure your hair is always healthy. |
| DD: How can you grow out your hair if people keep
insisting you get it trimmed? |
| Louise: As you grow out a haircut you can still
keep your hair looking good by trimming it. You can trim into different
styles at different lengths (e.g. bangs can be tapered into side sexy
bangs, growing out layers take up the length to give a blunter look).
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| Keep your hair trimmed to get rid of split ends and to keep your
hair looking styled and defined. Keep in mind that if your hair looks
good you will not get frustrated with the growing out process. |
| DD: What are the strongest colour trends now? |
| Louise: We tend to see a lot of blonde highlights
during the summer months, but as I mentioned, this fall will boast
some deeper hair shades such as chocolate brown. |
| DD: Can you use colour to change the shape of your
face and make it look fuller or thinner and sexier? |
| Louise: Of course you can use color to change the
shape of your face. Highlights can soften the lines of your face and
brighten the skin tone while darker shades allow you to show off jaw
line cheek bones. Color your hair lighter around the face to add a
little more softness. To make fine hair look thicker I would go deeper
in color with soft highlights a shade lighter to add texture. |
| DD: Is there any way besides extensions to make
thin hair look fuller and lusher? |
| Louise: Proper volatizing products to add volume. |
| DD: What is the best red carpet look for hair? |
Louise: Shiny, healthy hair that ties an outfit
and makeup together.
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OC61 Serene Oasis of Style in Manhattan
For more about Louise and OC61 salon visit www.oc61.com
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| TIPS! |
| DolceDolce Reader Recommendation: |
| One of our readers wrote us to rave about Chanel’s
Precision Essential UV, SPF 50. “Goes
on matte, all the protection and no grease,” she
says. How fabulous is that? The same reader, who demands a natural
look from mascara, was over the moon for Maybelline Define-A-Lash.
So if that is your look too, be sure to check it out. |
| Please send us your recommendations, we value them. We know our
readers are smart and discerning women. Also, send us your questions;
we can and will help. We don’t know everything, but we have
fabulous access to brilliant experts. Try us. |
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| Not registered yet to receive DolceDolce’s
free weekly email newsletter? Help us grow; sign-up
today, and forward
to your friends. Because life should be sweet. |
|
| Fashion and Beauty |
Why Don’t You? |
| Sometimes it takes just a small thing to raise the temperature of
your look from almost hot to sizzling. So if you haven’t already,
why don’t you…? |
| · Wear a metallic shoe for day. It looks fresh, especially
with white. |
| · Get a fabulous pair of white jeans or a white jean skirt.
Pencil shape please! |
· Get a gentle and safe glow with no streaks. We love these
gradual tanners.
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|
| · Learn to gently tease your hair into a sexy, poofy- pony
tail for a glamorous and simple day or evening look. Simple, sexy,
and current. Pin the tail in a knot or leave it loose, if your hair
is thick and shiny. Tie with a ribbon or get a lovely clip. So easy
and fresh! |
· Whiten your teeth. White teeth are the best accessory.
Make sure yours are healthy and then go for it. Check our archives,
we have all you need to know!
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· Go coral! The hottest nail polish shade to wear into fall:
OPI Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It in coral. My dancing feet are sporting
it now!
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Cool Off with
a Classic |
| Cold poached salmon with a cucumber dill sauce is a classic. It
is also one of the nicest things to eat on a hot summer's night. It
evokes memories of delicious casual dinners shared with friends in
the south of France, or on patios in Montreal. |
| Pair this dish with cold white wine, steamed green beans, and a
salad, and you have a summer feast. Follow these simple directions
and soon you will have a midsummer’s feast of your own, without
any fuss or bother. |
| Serves 4 |
| Buy 5 or 6 ounces of wild salmon per person. Have the fish monger
cut the fillet into separate portions, or do it yourself (it’s
easy) before cooking. It makes for a nicer looking dish, as the salmon
won’t break into jagged edges. |
| Mix ¾ cup of good quality mayo, use low-fat if you prefer.
Use your knife to remove the fronds of dill from the stems. Discard
the stems. Mix the dill in the mayo. |
| Place your fish on parchment paper big enough to wrap it completely.
Place this package on foil big enough to wrap fish twice. Season the
fish with salt and fresh ground pepper. Coat the fish with one-third
of the sauce and then wrap securely. Reserve the rest of the sauce
in the refrigerator. This may be done in advance. The wrappings will
protect the fish and keeps the fish smell out of your house! |
Bake the fish for 30-40 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven,
if your fish is 1-and-a-quarter inches thick. Try to buy the thick
center cut. Serve this dish cooked through, not rare. Remove from
oven and allow it to cool slightly before putting it in the refrigerator
for several hours. You may do this the night before, or the morning
before, your party.
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| Slice a washed English cucumber thinly. Leave the peel on and salt
lightly. Place in the refrigerator for an hour before you need to
serve the fish. |
| To serve, place the fish on a plate and coat lightly with the reserved
dill-mayo sauce. Cover the salmon with the cucumber, overlapping the
thin slices. Garnish with more dill sprigs. Lightly-dressed red and
yellow cherry tomatoes always look lovely next to this, too. If you
aren’t up to potato salad, try boiled and salted red potatoes.
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| Another week of summer gone - and July is already here. Happy
Canada Day and Happy 4th of July! Both big summer parties
have been barbecued and said and done for this year. Now, on with
the rest of the summer. Make it sweet! Don’t waste a minute!
Get your glow on, get yourself a hot new summer look, and make lots
of memories with friends and family. |
| Until next week please sign-up
if you haven't already – DolceDolce is free.
And forward
us on to your friends. |
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| Gracey Hitchcock |
| Editor |
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