What women over 40 want

What’s pink and white and jeweled all over? Christian Dior Resort 2010 (below, center). And we likie. While some designers thought the recession memo applied to Resort (um, it doesn’t) and draped their models in drab resort wear that hardly resembles happy vaca attire, Mr. Dior, and a few others, stuck to the classic resort brights. Because if we wanted to wear black, grey and various shades of brown, we would stay in the city thankyouverymuch.

Dior took a bite from Hillary Clinton’s pant suits and decorated his models with blazers and loose fitting trousers. Blousy silks and pink taffeta made cameos in both Dior and Armani resort collections with the latter lowering the hemlines. Loose-fitting formality ran rampant in even the subtler collections, and for the more conservative resort designers, pieces that could transcend St. Tropez prevailed. Even Pucci steared clear of his signature wild on print and opted for an alternative in varying blue hues. Celine, Sonia Rykiel, Just Cavalli, Chloe and more stuck with neutral colors but jumped on the Bermuda shorts and blazers bandwagon.

If you were looking for bells and whistles for St. Barth’s New Year’s Eve, this isn’t your year. Preview Spring 2010 before you buy, and you might just kill two birds with one, er, coconut.
   

(Armani, Chloe, Celine – Resort 2010)

Emma Dinzebach

Today you sit around stuffing your face with more than you normally eat in a week, lie down and complain that your stomach hurts, then eat pie, pie and more pie. And tomorrow you’ll feel like shit. What to do?

Here are our two recommendations for a post Turkey Day Detox. Because honestly, Thanksgiving is a bit a gross, and come tomorrow, you’ll be in desperate need for something a bit lighter.

In BK: Urban Rustic strives to bring Brooklynites grocery items grown locally. They know where their food comes from. Fruits and veggies are never frozen, pesticide free and make your insides say “gracias.” Don’t be tempted by the burritos, although they are delicious. This weekend go for the smoothie and juice bar. Breakfast with a paradox smoothie (banana, vanilla, wheat germ and honey) and lunch with a protein-based sandie on multi-grain or vegan friendly spelt. Don’t be scared of the veggie juices. The Urban Rustic V-8 uses seasonal veggies and can be customized to your liking.

If you are one of the lucky who didn’t cook on Thanksgiving, then Urban Rustic’s grocery store offers deliciouso options to prepare your own healthy dinner and detox through the weekend. Feeling lazy? For the health-conscious couch potato, they deliver!

Urban Rustic 236 N. 12th Street, Brooklyn, 718.

In Manhattan: Liquiteria is a bit more commercial than the cozy BK grocer, but you will learn to love the efficiency. And so will your body. The pressed juices come complete with immunity defenses and kidney and liver detox. The Mr. Green is outta this world; and it might be your answer to post-Turkey sludgery. Think shopping fuel. Smoothies and fresh squeezed juices are made to order, but if stuffing has rendered you indecisive, go for the Power Pina Colada or Berry Powerful. Liquiteria is better for, er, liquids, so skip the sandie. If you aim to try on clothes, you don’t need it anyway.

Liquiteria 170 2nd Ave @ 11th Street  212.358.0300

Emma Dinzebach

Every few minutes there is a new product marketed to smooth fine lines, halt the aging process and basically turn back time. There are creams with Vitamin C, creams with Vitamin B, creams with green tea, retinol, and copper. Anti-aging products vary in ingredients and ingredient strength, and skin’s damage from the sun and air pollution, elasticity and plain genetics effect how well a given product will work for you. So finding the right product takes years of patient trial and error.

For those less patient or with more noticeable aging there minimally invasive cosmetic options. First and foremost, visiting a dermatologist to gauge the severity of your “problem” areas will help you determine which options are best. Your dermatologist will likely first recommend microdermabrasion or a chemical peel for damaged skin that has yet to show more severe signs of aging (lines, age spots, marked discoloration).

• Chemical Peel – Removes damaging layers with Alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) or Trichloroacetic acid (TCA). AHAs are light peels intended for people with less damage who are looking to brighten their appearance. TCA peels are medium peels that vary in strength and take longer for the face to recover.
• [Micro]Dermabrasion – Helps refine the skin’s top layer with fine skin scraping. It helps remove acne scars, small lines around the mouth, minor skin injury and environmental damage.
• Collagen Injections – Replenish your skin’s natural collagen by restoring contour and support in your skin. There are several types of collagen; and your physician can asses which is best for you.
• Botox – Prescription medication injected into facial muscles in forehead, between the eyebrows and severe crow’s feet. Botox is best for deep lines created by muscle use over time not surface lines caused by sun damage, etc.

Age, genetics, skin condition, sun damage, medical history and desired outcome dictate which level of minimally invasive facial treatment is best for you. In all cases, you must consult a physician for a plan of action. For a list of New York City dermatologists recommend by the skin cancer foundation, click here. Most city doctors perform the aforementioned techniques themselves or can recommend reputable doctors.

If you shop around, you can probably find Botox or collagen injections for less. But a botched job is worse than the extra cost you pay for experience and expertise. And it is your FACE aka first and most memorable thing people see, so choose wisely.

Emma Dinzebach

Part of the reason I love Italy more than life itself is the daily array of aperitivo. Italian restaurants provide a savory post-work sanctuary by offering what is basically free food. You are expected to purchase a beverage, and then allowed full reign of the restaurants aperitivio selection, which can range from a full meal to smaller traditional appetizers. For a lad or lass on a budget or someone just looking to snack while they unwind with vino, aperitivo time is amazing.

The millionth reason I love Nolita: with the opening of Emporio last April, I no longer have to fly to Italy to enjoy aperitivo.  From 5-7 p.m. The local Italian joint, modeled after a 1920’s grocery, is packed on weeknights with happy patrons enjoying Aurora (Soho and BK) owner’s latest neighborhood venture. And neighborhood-ish it is. Every night is packed with downtown dwelling expats – French, Italian, Aussie. In addition to providing a nice atmosphere for friendly single mingling, the mixed crowd indicates Emporio got the whole Euro-vibe right.

And the aperitivio – amazing. Stuzzichini, pizzettes and a variety of antipasti taste delicious especially with $5 sangria. They also offer a free drink refill (2 for 1) during aperitivio. And if all of this proves such a great experience you are tempted to go back, go for brunch. The strapazzate (scrambled eggs, goat cheese, smoked salmon on crostini) and the frittate (ham, wild mushroom, mozzarella) are both delicious. The brunch pre-fixe costs $15 and drink refills just $5 for the boozy crowd. Um, that’s me.

Emma Dinzebach