We read this week that lots of the Royals were at the Chelsea Flower Show, a once-a-year “very British” function! We also read that Catherine, Princess of Wales, when asked for an autograph, explained that she is now allowed to give autographs but, instead, she did a very sweet thing.
Both the quality and quantity of our sleep have a profound impact on our health, and the way we spend the last few moments of the day before we drift off to sleep can impact the entire night’s rest.
Some of our favorite foods are grown in our own states or local communities. But many of them come from places all over the world. Hazelnuts, coconuts, pineapples and so many other favorites come to your market from places you may not expect. We have list of some favorite foods and where the leading producers of them originate thanks to interestingfacts.com. You might find some surprises here.
For nearly a century, the Hollywood sign has been an emblem of the film industry — a glittering embodiment of the L.A. dream, emblazoned high atop Mount Lee in Griffith Park. An iconic photo-op spot in the City of Angels, the Hollywood sign represents the fame, fortune, and glamor many seek out in the entertainment and film industry. A symbol that looms this large over a town is bound to break a few expectations, so here are five things you probably didn’t know about one of California’s most famous landmarks.
In 1970, when Hollywood Reporter film critic Todd McCarthy first met Taylor, he was stopped in his tracks by “a pair of eyes unlike any I’ve ever beheld, before or since; deep violet eyes of a sort withheld from ordinary mortals.”
Novels and opening voiceovers from dramatic movies and shows have been known to allude to “the smell of danger”. But is that just a metaphor or is it a real thing? Actually there are times when you can smell danger and may not have even known that is what it was.
Charles was a little boy and, just like any other little boy, loved toy cars! But he was not just like any other little boy as he was born to a Princess and was, himself, a Prince!
Queen Camilla’s ultimate style moment is almost here, but what can we expect to see on the big day? The Coronation?
Queen Camilla is about to have the style moment of her life as she prepares for the coronation.
On May 6, Camilla will be crowned Queen alongside her husband King Charles at Westminster Abbey, wearing a recycled crown and a ruby ring that dates back to 1831, but what else can we expect to see her wear on coronation day?
The Crown
Camilla will be wearing Queen Mary’s Crown, albeit with some alterations. The inclusion of the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, which belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth (she often wore them as brooches), is the first clue that her coronation style could nod to the late Queen. For a more modern look, Camilla might also choose to remove the arches of the Garrard piece by wearing it as a circlet, just like Queen Mary did for the coronation of King George VI in 1937.
The Dress
Queen Camilla will reportedly wear an outfit designed by royal favorite Bruce Oldfield for the coronation. The British couturier, who was once a go-to for Princess Diana, has been in Camilla’s inner style circle for over a decade and it was his black and silver two-piece design she chose to wear to her first state visit as Queen Consort to Germany last month. While there is a sense of a more low-key ceremony, the dress will almost certainly include symbolic embroidery to represent Great Britain and the Commonwealth.
The Earrings
The crown won’t be the only sparkly element to Camilla’s outfit. The coronation earrings, which were commissioned for Queen Victoria in 1858 and have been worn by every Queen Consort at their coronation since, would be the perfect accessory. However, Camilla doesn’t have pierced ears, and according to a Vogue interview last year that’s not likely to change anytime soon.
“The grandchildren will try to persuade me, but, nothing’s going to pierce my ears,” she said.
Could Garrard, the jewelry house who initially made the earrings, fashion them into clip-ons for the occasion? Or could Camilla break with tradition and wear something from her own personal collection?
The Necklace
While the earrings might prove tricky, the Queen will almost certainly wear the Coronation Necklace. Originally made for Queen Victoria, its coronation debut came in 1902 when Queen Alexandra wore it to King Edward VII’s coronation and it’s been worn at every ceremony since.
The 22.48-karat diamond pendant at its center is known as the Lahore Diamond and was given to Queen Victoria in 1851. Queen Elizabeth wore it to her own coronation in 1953 and for several formal occasions after.
The Ring
Made for Queen Adelaide in 1831 by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, Camilla will wear the Queen Consort’s Ring for the historic ceremony. Featuring a ruby in a gold setting, flanked by 14 diamonds and smaller rubies around the band, the ring has been used by three prior Queen Consorts; Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
The Shoes
Just like Queen Elizabeth, who wore her favorite go-to brand Rayne for her 1953 coronation, Camilla will want a pair of trusty heels she knows she can rely on for the two-hour ceremony. A huge fan of British brand, Sole Bliss (she has worn their Ingrid style with its almond-shaped toe and two-inch block heel over 80 times!), founder Lisa Kay says she would be overjoyed to get the commission. “It’s been a great source of pride seeing Her Majesty wear our shoes over the last five years and the coronation would be the cherry on the top!” she says.
The Coronation promises to be quite the affair!
Grateful to be able to share these details which were originally written by Monique Jessen of Yahoo.
Most people think that it is only the average everyday person who sometimes works up the courage to ask a celebrity for an autograph. Sometimes it’s an actor or sports figure, or a famous musician whose autograph is sought out by someone. But did you know that sometimes one famous person might admire another enough to seek out their signature on a card or photo?
Yes, the ZIP code in the title is for none other than Beverly Hills! Most of us know that, to be sure! But, do we know what the acronym ZIP stands for?
Most homemakers know that keeping an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator will help to absorb and eliminate foul odors. But getting rid of bad smells is just the beginning.
Dolphins are some of the most beloved creatures on the planet. After all, what isn’t to like about these seafaring cetaceans? They’re highly intelligent. They make adorable noises. They’re friendly to humans. They even like to surf. But beyond these crowd-pleasing theatrics, dolphins also boast impressive physiological capabilities and exhibit an array of mind-boggling behaviors. Here are six fascinating facts you may not know about them.
This week both Passover and Easter are being celebrated. As is often the case they fall within the same week. Every spring, Jews celebrate when God led their ancestors out of slavery in Egypt. The commemoration begins with a seder (Hebrew for “order”), a ceremony full of symbolic foods and rituals. Over the following week, Jews may eat matzo, a flat cracker that doesn’t have leavening (yeast, baking powder, or baking soda which is often the Biblical symbol for sin), and strictly avoid leavened flour products like bread and cookies. (Other dietary restrictions during Passover also apply for some Jews, depending on their culture.) The restriction against leavened foods honors the fleeing slaves who didn’t have time to wait for their bread to rise, and ate it flat instead. Christians see that flat bread without leavening is symbolic of Jesus who was also “without sin”.
The seder story comes from the second book of the Old Testament, Exodus, a Latin word that means “exit” or “departure”. It is a story of miracles, acts of bravery, and deliverance from oppression that has inspired people for centuries.
We came across a quote we had to sit on for a minute to let the full weight of it sink in. Today seems like a good time to share it with you our chums.
Many of you will recognize the name, Shel Silverstein, as being a profound children’s author. We so agree and share some quotes from a few of his books. They surely apply to adults as well!
So often when we have family gatherings we miss the opportunity for the children, or younger adults even, to know more about their grandparents or their family history. We can get caught up in the activities and preparations of the holiday or event and miss the treasure that is right there with us…our own family history.
Every year there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who lose one of their limbs. Many of them, sadly, are our veterans. It is a difficult loss for anyone who must have a leg taken off for any reason.
Some philosophical theories are so powerful, they shape the way we think and act without us even noticing. Yet understanding the different philosophies can be daunting. Over the past two millennia, there have been dozens of movements, doctrines, and various “isms,” often described in dense and complex academic texts.
After several years of lack luster gowns and more funky dress and suit styles at Hollywood’s big night, last night was a return to more traditionally glamorous attire at the 95th Academy Awards.
Known fondly as the “People’s Princess,” the late Princess Diana occupies the pantheon as one of the most beloved members of the British royal family ever. Thanks to her kind and compassionate nature and outspoken advocacy for humanitarian causes, Diana was heralded as a relatable, empathetic royal who cared deeply about the human condition.
During Mad Men’s first season, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) gave his protégé, Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), his slogan-writing secret: “Just think about it. Deeply. Then forget it. And an idea will jump up in your face.”
Yesterday was the final day of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and celebrate they did. Colorful and joyful and all sorts of other things, THIS is Mardi Gras!
Once the U.S. finally secured its independence from Great Britain with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the new country had to invent lots of things from scratch, including its form of government, its rules and laws, and even what to call its leader.
It’s Presidents Day as you are surely aware. So today we want to share with you a fun way to help your children, or help yourself for that matter, identify and know a bit more about each of the former gentlemen we have called Mr. President.
Breakfasts seems to come in all sorts of different ways. Some people don’t have any breakfast at all; others have a quick glass of juice and a cup of coffee; still others sit down to a large breakfast that takes them through the day.
Springtime brings turtles out in full force, crossing roads to find mates or a quick meal. Also known as Testudines, turtles and tortoises are ecologically important — in the ocean they eat seagrasses that thrive on coral reefs and clean up dead fish; on land they dine on invasive plants and provide burrow homes for other animals, such as owls and bobcats. Celebrate these slow-moving dinosaur descendants by learning more about them below.
If you want it to be a good week it helps to start off with a grateful spirit and a joyful attitude. We came across this lovely quote from Maya Angelou and thought you might appreciate it as much as we did.
It’s the end of the week and whether it’s been a really good one or a really tough one, we all can use a good chuckle to head into the weekend. So here you go…
There is no denying that honey and oatmeal make a great combination. Also no denying that everything seems to cost more these days. So making your own Honey Nut Granola is both an economical and delicious endeavor, not to mention healthy and satisfying.
This is what a genius looks like. This is Thomas Edison who holds the world record for patents at 1,098 recorded patents. His major contributions include, but are not limited to, the phonograph, the microphone, the first commercial power station, the first industrial research laboratory, an electric railroad, key elements of motion picture apparatus, and of course, the lightbulb. But his genius wasn’t always so obvious.
According to Interesting Facts, while many nutritionists and physicians recommend healthy eating over fad diets, some foods offer more nutritional benefits than others.
As we know, lighthouses these days, because of modern technology, are not really necessary although some still do exist. Here are some interesting points about lighthouses:
Ancient Greek civilization is one of the foundations of Western culture, and its influence still echoes in our daily life. These thinkers gave us the modern concepts of pedagogy, mathematics, democracy, and, of course, philosophy.
The early philosopher Pythagoras is credited with inventing the word “philosophy” in the 5th century BC, referring to a love and respect for wisdom. Over time, the term began to designate a special kind of wisdom, born from the methodical use of reason.
As the only non-President to be honored with a national holiday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. most certainly gave us some words of wisdom which ring as true today as they did 50+ years ago as he was leading the civil rights movement. Today we share a most important quote that comes from a speech he gave when accepting the Nobel Peace Prize.
As the New Year gets into full swing so do some of our New Years resolutions…you know the one about trying to be healthier in our choices and drinking more water? Today we share some infused water ideas for you to try.
“I just went to buy a Samsung washer and dryer from a guy, and he was asking $500. I told him I just had a kid and if he could take $400, I’d be really grateful.
Listening is an important part of how we connect with other people in the world. Being a good listener allows us to better understand those around us, to see through their eyes, to empathize, and ultimately, to understand ourselves better in turn.
What could be more basic in our kitchens as we start a new year, than eggs? And while you may have been eating them, and buying them all your life, we have a few basic things about this basic food and how to buy them that you may not know.
For many of us, the holiday season is a time to set goals and intentions for the new year. But we don’t have to wait for January 1 to hit the reset button on our lives or facilitate change in our communities.
Not sure if all of our chums agree but we have found that 2022 raced, if not sped, by! Here we are, a couple of eves away from a new day of a new year! Here are a few quotes which we think you will appreciate:
Jane Austen was an English author still beloved today for her sharp, witty descriptions of the social life of the landed gentry in the early 1800s. While she only lived to age 42, she wrote at least six novels and other works, most notably Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park.
Austen’s writing centers women’s experiences in an insulated world largely dominated by men. Her father was a country Rector and she had six brothers and one sister. She was close to her older sister, Cassandra, and the relationships between sisters are central to her works.
Importantly, Austen published anonymously as, “A Lady,” which was still a relatively bold declaration in an era when women’s literature was printed and respected much less than men’s work. Women authors often used male pen names at the time. Austen’s brother, Henry, helped her to get published and revealed her identity posthumously.
Austen never married. She accepted one proposal then changed her mind, and there are conflicting accounts that she loved a man who died soon after their meeting. After their father died, her brothers helped Austen, her mother, and her sister with their finances. While she became a successful author, she was still vulnerable to the fates and fortunes of men — a fact that is reflected in her protagonists’ lives.
Austen’s dry humor, engaging dialogue, gift for capturing the absurdities and poignancies of human relationships, and deft storytelling landed her a place in the Western canon of literature. Her works are still read and studied, and her popularity endures — in 2017 she was featured on a £10 bank note, and her works have been frequently adapted for both TV and film, most recently in the 2020 movie, Emma.
Perhaps her most powerful legacy is in helping to establish the value of a woman’s story told by a woman. Here are 20 quotes that exemplify her keen and sensitive voice.
The big day is over but another one, or many other ones, are around the corner. Guests will come for fun times, there will be parties to celebrate the New Year, and there are always those get togethers to watch big games, not to mention just the ordinary weeknight dinners you will prepare. And since there is food involved, we are always on the lookout for ways to simplify the steps needed to serve the food you’ve worked so hard to make. Enter this Savvy Secret!
The official purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, whom the globe’s roughly 2.2 billion Christians worship as the Son of God. The unofficial purpose is to spend quality time and exchange presents with loved ones, preferably near a fireplace. Based on the fact that Christmas (short for “Christ Mass”) takes place on December 25, one might reasonably assume that this is the date of Jesus’ birth. The truth is a little more complicated.
It won’t surprise you to learn that this Christmas cake is popular in countries such as Belgium and Switzerland, but did you know that Yule logs are also served in Lebanon and Vietnam?
The very first American Presidents — George Washington included — led the country through the American Revolution and its earliest days without wearing a single pair of pants!
Words are powerful, capable even of changing the course of history. They can win wars or prevent them. They can impart comforting knowledge in the face of adversity and inspire others to great feats and great discoveries. They can set people free, or at least set them on a path to freedom.
These days, more often than not, you will hear an older person (aka a senior citizen) referencing how they are slowing down, or need to slow down because of their age, or their physical challenges and health. Not so for Clint Eastwood.
With the Holidays upon us, a lot of us are being invited out and needing that extra little bit of “polish” that perhaps we learnt when children…..or NOT! There is good reason for this polish, to be sure. Why?
It is so interesting, culturally, to see how languages differ, are the same, or have something in their language that is very telling about how the culture, as a whole, thinks.
We came across a wonderful reminder for any parent, grandparent or special person in a child’s life. We think it is certainly worth sharing here with our chums.
The story of King George V and his parrot goes as follows: When the future King was serving in the Royal Navy in his youth, he traveled the world. At age 17, he was a midshipman on HMS Bucchante, which docked in Port Said, Egypt. While ashore, the then Prince purchased an African Grey parrot named Charlotte.