Thursday, 30 December 2010
Saturday, 13 November 2010
A person's eye is the most sensitive part, therefore is inclined to indicate the initial signs associated with getting older. So ways to ensure you don't acquire all those unpleasant looking crow's feet all-around your eyes? The 3 wonderful easy ways to create natural recipes which will take care of your current dilemma.Avocado and Almond Oil Cream:
Avocado along with Sweet Almond Oil will be rich in Vitamin E which moisturise, nurture and reduce lines and crow's feet. Take one fresh Avocado and mix this with 3 tsp of sweet Almond Oil along with the aid of a hand blender. Apply this all-around the eyes and wash off after 15 minutes. Repeat the same everyday just before going to sleep. The mix should be refrigerated for up to Three days.
Citrus Treat:
Vitamin C will help in fading crow's feet therefore why not use it as part of your current anti-aging routine? Get 1 tbsp of Fresh Orange Juice and blend this along with 1 tsp of Fresh Lemon Juice and use this by applying it to the skin around your eyes. Wash away after 10 minutes.
Healing with Oils:
Don't neglect that moisturising is definitely the perfect method in order to reduce lines and crow's feet and also when it comes to the treatment of crow's feet Castor Oil along with Sesame Oil can be a benefit. Sesame Oil has already been put to use in Ayurveda for the past 5000 yrs in order to deal with wrinkles, crow's-feet and dried out skin. Blend 1 tablespoon of Sesame Oil along with 1 Tbsp of Castor Oil along with 1 Vitamin E Gel Caplet and use this all-around your eyes. Carry out this each day just before going to bed, you do not have to wash this off.
Unless you are an inveterate socialite with mounds of dressy shoes for special occasions, there's a good chance that an invitation to a swanky affair will send you in a bit of a frenzy over what to wear. You are not alone. Many women worry in these situations because it's important to put together a complete ensemble. Once you locate the perfect dress for the occasion, there is the big question of what shoes to wear. One point you can settle on right away is that the shoes must have glam appeal. When you think of glamour, I'm sure you can't help but imagine any number of red carpet celebrity award ceremonies and the celebrated catwalk. What footwear is worn more often at these events? Sandals.A pair of $2 million diamond-studded, silver dress sandals by designer Stuart Weitzman may appeal to the celebrity pocketbook, but you don't have to feel compelled to buy expensive footwear to look sensational at your special event. In fact, many of the styles of sandals that are seen on the feet of celebrities are affordable and accessible for hardworking women interested in a glamorous evening look.
The Perfect Sandals
With all the types of sandals on the market, it's surprising that one style stands out as being worn more often than any other type of shoe at posh celebrity events-strappy sandals. The one key element of strappy sandals that make them so popular is their versatility. These sandals can complement just about any type of outfit. At the 2007 American Music Awards, multi-award winner Carrie Underwood chose to mate her sophisticated Georges Chakra dress with a pair of sandals complete with ankle straps. Carrie undoubtedly paid a pretty penny for her fancy footwear. A pair of silver dress sandals like the Anne Klein ankle strap thong sandals can offer you a similar elegant appeal at half the cost.
The good news about elegance is that it doesn't have to mean trendy. Classic black strappy sandals, such as those by Manolo Blahnik are also a big hit with celebrities out on the town. While many stars choose spectacular (and costly) one-night wonders, many desire shoes that they can wear to other functions. The Dallae black dress sandals by Nine West have the long-lasting appeal of the Manolo Blahnik and provide a look that stands out from the crowd.
Of course, you don't have to wear what someone considers fashion. Finding the perfect sandals can be as simple as considering your personality. Are you feisty and flamboyant? Slip on a pair of red dress sandals by Franco Sarto Nobility and you're sure to feel like a celebrity. Maybe you're the quiet silent type. If so, a gorgeous pair of bronze dress sandals, such as Calvin Klein's Rachel sandals may suit you just fine.
Finalizing Your Look
So, you've found the perfect outfit and sandals for your special occasion. Don't forget to finalize your look. If your choice for the evening is a pair of Anne Klein gold dress sandals, a matching handbag is a definite must. Another way to ensure your shoes stand out is to wear accessories that complement the detail of your sandals. A pair of white dress sandals by Bandolino with jewels for a t-strap are screaming for matching jewelry. Whatever you decide to use to complete your outfit, make sure you keep it tasteful so the fashion police don't give you a ticket!
The number of obese people around the world is increasing at an alarming rate. From sedentary lifestyles to lack of exercise and junk food, almost every conceivable reason is being attributed to this rising number. Fortunately these days there is an increased awareness about losing weight among people, thanks mainly to celebrities. In fact celebrity weight and height can act as the much needed trigger for anyone to start off on a program to shed all those extra flab.Not all celebrities were born with the perfect shape or figure. Most of them have worked hard to get that kind of a shape. Take for instance Jennifer Lopez, who is weighs 120 pounds and is 5'7" tall. She is a strict disciplinarian when it comes to regular workouts and her diet. The same goes for most of the macho men of Hollywood too. Sylvester Stallone stands 5'9" tall and weighs 220 pounds, while Arnold Schwarzenegger stands 6'2" tall and weighs 257 pounds. These two legendary stars have been in fact instrumental in people getting more conscious about their fitness and physique the world over. Their brawn has been able to draw crowds to movies along with making them health conscious.
The next time you drool over George Clooney who is weighs 210 pounds and his 5'11" tall or on Brad Pitt who is all of 6 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds, you should also remember the kind of hard work these celebrities have put in for getting into that kind of a shape. Celebrity weight and height is mostly about working out regularly and sticking to a strict diet.
A diet that is rich in healthy carbohydrates and fats is one of the secrets of celebrity weight and height. Most of them gorge on food items that are rich in protein and fiber. Fiber is easily digestible and proteins provide the much needed energy for them to workout. This kind of a diet also ensures that a lesser number of calories are consumed by a person too.
Celebrity weight and height has become a fetish with many people. Although it the vital physical measurements of a celebrity can act as a good motivational factor for those embarking on a fitness program, one should not be carried away with false claims that you may sometimes come across. You must always remember that unless and until you are naturally well endowed, there is no other short cut to celebrity measurements. You will simply need to enjoy your workout sessions and eat right.
Having just returned from our first Celebrity Cruise aboard the Celebrity Century and I wanted to post a review that hopefully others can benefit from it.
Some background on our cruising experience. This is our 6th cruise we have taken in the last 20 years so by no means are we what you would call experts. Nor would you call us rookies either. In the past 20 years we have cruised with Royal Caribbean, Disney, Carnival and Holland (twice). We have been also fortunate enough to attain a financial level where the last 3 cruises have been at the Suite level.
We booked the Celebrity Century out of Miami Florida, as we wanted to take a New Years Eve Cruise. A word of caution if you are looking to take a cruise over any New Year you will want to book very early. For example, the first week of October there were several options on several cruise lines. In the second week of October most all of these choices we gone.
We left the port of Miami on December 30th 2009 and returned January 4th, 2010.
The Good:
In November of 2009, Celebrity launched several "all you can drink" options. These include:
- Water
- Beer
- Frozen Drinks (margarita's; daiquiri's, etc)
- Alcohol (house alcohol)
There were four of us in our party and we purchased one water card and one beer card for the four of us. I cannot recommend these cards enough. On the water you get your choice of Evian stilled and Perrigrino Sparkling. You get bottled water at no charge at every bar, every restaurant and all day everyday. These are not the small bottles either - these are the large bottles of water all the way to the 1.5 liter size. During dinner we easily went through 5 bottles a night.
The same goes for the beer card. The beer card gives you every can or bottle of beer at no charge. This includes both domestic and imports. To make the math work on a beer card you need to drink about 6 beers per day. You can only order one beer at a time, but on the pool deck there are 4 bars in the immediate vicinity. At first we simply each took my card to each different bar and ordered a beer. Then one of the waiters came over and asked told us that we did not need to come to the bar because he would make the bar "come to us". I then told him we were looking for some good service and slipped him a $20 in his pocket. That was it - we never had to make another "beer run" the rest of the cruise. Regardless of the number of beers we wanted - he brought them over and put them on the free card. On every cruise you should always tip your waiter early in cash and I promise you that you will get better service than you ever have had in the past.
A note on tipping. At first I felt a little guilty when the bartender or waiter gave me a bottle of water or beer and the charge slip had zero, but a spot for additional tip. Then I remembered that Celebrity had had 15% to the cost of the card for the gratuity. In essence the gratuity on these drinks was pre-paid.
Also remember to double check your charge slip to make sure the waiter did not charge you. We did have 3 separate incidents where the waiter inadvertently charged us. The good news is as soon as we pointed it out they reversed the charge.
A more professional cruise experience? The cruise on the Celebrity Century felt like it was designed for the more seasoned cruiser. It is highly likely that what I am about to describe is common through out the Celebrity Cruise Line, but since this is my one and only cruise with Celebrity, I can not say this for certain.
Compared to all of the other cruises I have experienced, I never felt "sold to". Unlike other cruises there was not the constant announcements about a jewelry sale, art auction, bingo game, etc. Our mail box / cabin was also not littered with flyers and coupons reminding us of the same. It was a nice break. This is not to say that Celebrity did not keep us informed about what was happening aboard the Celebrity Century. There were occasional announcements and of course the daily itinerary of events was delivered to our cabin nightly. But if you waited to be told what to do next aboard the Celebrity Century you would have missed out on various activities.
Jamaican Waterfall: This was an excursion in Ocho Rios. If you have the physical ability you should not pass this up. Basically you climb UP a 650' waterfall. They have guides to take you up the waterfall safely. It is a true one of a kind experience.
The Bad and the Ugly:
Room size: As mentioned earlier we have been blessed with the ability to cruise with a suite the last 3 cruises. 2 aboard Holland and this one on the Celebrity Century. The suite was less than 1/2 the size of a similar suite about Holland and the bathroom was about 1/3rd the size. We traveled with 3 pieces of luggage. One of the pieces would not fit in the bed or in the closet. The room attendant / butler had no alternatives so for 5 days it sat out. So you take a small room to start with and now have a piece of luggage to maneuver around for 5 days.
The Bed: I have slept on more comfortable beds in a college dorm. The are very flat. Even worse was the length. At 6'3' my feet easily hung over the edge of the bed. I spoke with a gentleman who was under 6' tall and he said he had the same problem. He was not in a suite so the bed length must correspond with the type of room. My assumption is the beds were short to allow people to walk around them.
Recycling: Non-existent. In this day of being green this was a huge shock and disappointment. Aboard Holland there is a recycling trash can in every room. Not aboard the Celebrity Century. The good news is they gave you less paper to throw out in terms if coupons and flyers, but there is still a good amount that could be and should be recycled. I definitely look on this a negative towards Celebrity Cruise Lines vs. the Celebrity Century. The age of a ship should not dictate whether or not you offer recycling.
The Buffet: The food that was offered was more than plentiful and the quality was fine. However, in the evenings the menu remains the same. If for whatever reason you did not want to eat in the main dining room - the choices were:
- Create your own pasta
- Stir-Fry
- Sushi
- Pizza
It NEVER changed. All of the above is also available at lunch. I have never been on a cruise and have had this experience. I can tell you that about Holland whatever they offer in the main dining room is also offered in the buffet line / cafe.
The Murano: Like all other cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises offers a higher end restaurant you can enjoy for a fee. This fee usually ranges from $25 to $35 per person. Celebrity advertises the Murano as an Italian Theme. It is not like any Italian I have ever seen. For example, I have yet to be offer Fuqua (stuffed goosed liver) in any other Italian restaurant. I would call it a mish mash of French, Italian and seafood. The issue I have with the Murano is not the food but the charge. The left hand of the menu is a 5 course food and wine course. At the bottom of the menu it says there will be an $89 charge if you order this meal!
So with Celebrity you can have higher end within higher end? It is one thing to offer a higher end dining experience aboard an expensive trip already, but to then want to charge an additional $89 for a menu selection is absurd. The night we were there we saw no one order the 5 course meal so I wonder why it is really offered. Perhaps they want to limit the offerings in the Murano and this is a way to do it while still making their menu appear full.
7 Mile Beach Excursion - Grand Cayman: Some might say this is not fair to hold this against Celebrity Cruise or include in a review about the Celebrity Century, but I am well aware that the cruise lines keep a significant portion of the money travelers pay for excursions booked through them. Celebrity Cruises is well aware of what they are charging for.
