Friday Night Snack Shoes

hats, flip-flops and socks on display amidst the wine selection

Stadiapa Steps Out in Nikeys

My Dad wanted to head out to dinner to “The Steakhouse” on Woodville Road. The eatery sets across the street from an oil refinery and adjacent to an old, no longer existent Kroger store he used to service.

He forgot his shoes.

We ordered and on the way out I surveyed the dining room after washing my hands.

“That’s ok Dad,” I said. (I wore my Nikeys out, too). “One table of guys was seated with their ballcaps on. At the table next to them was a woman wearing her flip-flops with socks.”

I had the salmon with lemon butter sauce.

Anti-Industry Elements on MBI

Hurray! Time to celebrate all that time at the grind. St. Hazards on Middle Bass Island, Lake Erie provides the laid back land for anyone looking to escape the punch of the time clock with a Pina Colada. Make that a Pina Colada with a Captain Morgan Spiced Rum Float. Besides lounge chairs, a full menu, campground and fire pits, the property, nestled a fifty minute ferry ride out into Lake Erie, sells, serves, or rents all of the other fundamentals to make forgetting about slaving away simple.

The anti-slog list is straightforward. A straw hat from the gift shop.

A MBI bracelet from the gift shop, and a coconut to showcase the selection of Caribbean Rum cocktails.

Golf carts and beach cruiser bicycles are also for rent. The Panama Jack hat and ballcap add to the island ambiance of anti-industry.

Banana dress and Sperrys my own. The sweat and servitude can stay on the mainland where they belong. See everyone poolside to mark Labor Day Weekend 2020.

Outfit in Ed’s Gift Shop

While we all wait for the main attraction at St. Hazard’s, the pool, to return to the hue of the Mediterranean Sea; let’s turn our attention to another resort feature: the island gift shop. Inside one can typically not only hear the phone ring with eager travelers wanting to know how to reach the ferry; and even more importantly, potential guests wanting to know “how close is Put-in-Bay,” but the entrance area is loaded with gear to wear on site for an island experience.

A look at the prices of all items shown.

Note there isn’t any sticker shock. Shop away while maintenance shocks the pool. We are anticipating pristine pool water for another wonderful weekend ahead.

Carrying Crocodile

Let’s expand on the black bag I am touting for Christmastide. (I lost track of the days, as always, and don’t remember how many of my favorite goods I’ve already shown readers.) The Epiphany is still on where the three Wise Men bring gifts. My Brahmin Daisy Wristlet is Crocodile Embossed.

Meaning: the fabric is not actual reptile hide, but is instead a stamped bovine leather.

I haven’t taken a purse, wristlet, wallet or phone out with me since oh, I don’t know… 2010 or 2012. There is a reason for this. Here is a rare occasion I had a green wristlet with a gold alligator detail. The style isn’t reflective of any climate north of Orlando.

I realized I needed something to take with me when meeting my girlfriends out to toss my keys and Pure Color Lip Envy into with a compact, business cards, cash, credit card and driver’s license.

The Wristlet from the Melbourne collection also comes in Pecan and sells for less than one hundred dollars.

Is everyone tired of celebrating? I’m glad I have some organic lemon juice chilled in the fridge leftover from making the Limoncello. After all of this eating, drinking, celebrating, decorating, tearing down the Christmas Trees and opening presents I am ready for a reprieve. Even Bosco has been spoiled beyond belief with new toys and treats. Have you seen his new bed?

Buy the Brahmin here. Click here to shop the artisan collection.

Performance Puffer

Photos by Erik Tyger

My love life consists mainly of workout dates, and meatless, cheeseless, dairy-free dates at Chipotle.

Holiday gifts picked out based on a loved one’s passions are always on point. Besides diamonds and import car parts there aren’t many trinkets I treasure more than sports gear and luxury fashion for fitness.

I have a sportaholic one hundred pound puppy, too.

Besides eating a sixty-five dollar MAC Kabuki brush and a Phillips Sonicare Diamond Head Toothbrush, he yanked my VS Black Packable Puffer, perfect for all athletic outings, off of a dining room chair. The zippered pocket transformed into his teething ring.

The Calvin Klein Black and White Performance Puffer is a complement to my Countdown to Christmas Holiday Buying Guide.

Shop the collection. I just stopped writing to wrap one up for a nice Army man who purchased one for his Polish girlfriend.

Pomegranate for the Face

Photos by Me and Erik Tyger

I wrote about a month ago on going rogue to another beauty brand for my face wash, face serum and body oil. I also promised I would give the low down on a favorite face care cleanser and creams which prove oh so creamy and dreamy for Christmas.

Beauty products should excite and invigorate. Switching over to Estee Lauder’s Nutritious line when the calendar screams holiday makes my face smile when the clock reads time to hit the shower. There’s a “Super Berry Ferment” which is oh so festive.

Harvested from the Mediterranean Basin, there are eight whole fruits in this skincare line that invigorate and wrap the skin in moisture. My customers love this line so much they have me order pieces repeatedly.

All of the products are priced below one hundred. The cleanser is only thirty-two dollars. The foam, the scent and the effectiveness make the entire line matchless at holiday gift giving line. I have the cleanser, Radiant Energy Lotion Intense Moist, and both the day Energy Moisture Cream and the Radiant Energy Night Cream Mask. Hoping Santa drops off some of the Radiant Eye Jelly. Right now I’m using this one at night.

Backyard Style

Photos by Erik Tyger

There is a new category of fashion: when we’re outside with our puppies.

Lifestyle truth beats “when it bleeds it leads” every time.

There’s Bosco @LakeEriesLabPup. Owning this one hundred pound Cup of Christmas Cocoa Requires an additional wardrobe.

Some of my colleagues choose North Face for playtime. I’ve been all about the Ugg Loungewear since the brand expanded. Last winter you saw me show off the Poncho and Fur Cuffed Boots paired with the Seam Jersey Leggings.

This season I grabbed the Fluffy Sweater Knit Lounge Cardigan.

This item is the perfect way to wrap in warmth when — for the one hundredth thousandth time — the pleading and reminding are taking place, “Can you go potty. Please potty. Can you potty for mommy? Just go tinkle in the grass…”

For less than one hundred dollars any gift recipient would be happy to unwrap this lifestyle piece. My colleagues bought them for themselves, their daughters and daughter-in-laws.

I compliment the cardigan with the Classic Tall Boot.

All of the pieces are as cuddly as a clean, well-fed puppy at Christmas.

Designer Chocolates

Photos by Erik Tyger

My holiday hit early. One of my customers, whose makeup I have applied over the years for her various grandchildren’s weddings, exclaimed to me, “I wish I could give you a box of chocolates.”

My reply, “oh, you can!”

Michigan born Tobi Tobin has traveled the world as a model and designed spaces for famous names in Hollywood. She recently expanded her L.A. based brand to include unisex fragrances, candles and luxury chocolates.

Her concept is affordable clean luxury.

A six piece, or “Petite” box of chocolates with or without nuts, is $48. Making this an ideal detail to deck the halls with or gift to indulge a hostess with. Shop the candles and fragrances here.

I paired with a glass of Malbec barreled in the Lone Star State another customer gifted me.

How sweet the season is.

Fresh Skin for Fall

As soon as Labor Day Weekend wrapped up I declared: I need a facial.

With that in universe my colleague, aesthetician and former Chanel beauty rep extraordinaire messaged me to please come in and see her.

Former Chanel artist and aesthetician Aida Deeb (left) and colleague Cathy Oswald with Anders Dermatology

Her new digs, Anders Dermatology on Holland Sylvania Road in Northwest Ohio.

She signed me up for a Dermaplaning, a procedure that removes the top layers of skin and reduces the look of fine lines. A tiny scalpel is used to tenderly scrape the skin for an exfoliating treatment.

Only — I truly do not have dead skin cells. After a series of Microdermabrasions from the owner of Westshore Skin & Health in Westlake, and application of Gabriel Correctives Exfoliating Gycolic Gel, souls living where the sun barely shines couldn’t tell I had spent so much time at sea.

Lynn Dellapasta owns a home in Old Town Key West and is trained on exactly what to do to skin stressed from the tropics.

My skin had been slugged like an Atlantic side beach on Matecumbe Key after Hurricane Irma.

For the past two and a half years I’ve been drenching my skin with the world’s number one selling serum Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair. But, with the amount of sunscreen from this summer’s outdoor activities I am sure some pores were no longer perfect.

You can reach Aida, my favorite Northwest Ohio Aesthetician at 419-215-7904 or call the office 419-473-3257.

Bronze Goddess GIVEAWAY !!!!

Photos: Me and Steven Drescher

To celebrate four more weeks of summer, anything and everything cosmopolitan beach and my Number One pick for Lux goods to make those poolside hours and cabana rendezvous all the more intoxicating : the Bronze Goddess Collection by Estée Lauder, I’m hosting a giveaway.

Here is what I am giving away:

This Bronze Goddess Prize Package featuring:

  • 1.7 Ounce Eau Fraiche Skinscent, features Sicilian Bergamot and Juicy Mandarin Pulp making the smell of summer so sweet and all about sun, sand and an umbrella drink
  • The world’s No. 1 Illuminating Powder Gelee in Heat Wave

Here is how to enter to win:

Those are the steps to this sweet summer prize pack.
The winner will be chosen Wednesday, August 28 at 8 a which gives everyone roughly twenty four hours to post those favorite Summer photos.

The official Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess prize will be postmarked and shipped immediately to the winner from a remote island.

Let the Sun Worship You