Connections

For several years now, my family has been feeding the homeless at St. John's Church every 4th Friday of the month as part of PADS. This has been very rewarding and humbling at the same time for all of us.

Rewarding because we are being of service and helping people that need help, a warm bed and good food. Most importantly they need someone to listen to them, treat them kindly and not feel repulsed by them.

Humbling because, in this day and age, who knows what may be next for any of us. For most of the PADS attendees, it has been a crippling illness, loss of job, addiction to alcohol or drugs, or just bad luck that has sent them on this downward journey.

Now, I am known as the Beverage Lady. I am the second point of contact for them as they arrive. Oftentimes, they are thirsty or cold and want milk or coffee. As usual, I great them with a cheerful hello, how was your day. Many are just happy that someone has acknowledged them, is speaking to them and even asking them about themselves. For others, it takes time to warm up to a do-gooder that they see once a month. I take no offense, but I do give it my all as I serve graciously and without judgement.

Because of my friendliness, caring and concern, I have had my fair share of proposals and date requests. My family finds this quite amusing and my niece and daughter are quite appalled and often lets them know that "She's Married" in their loudest voices. However, I have to explain to them, that they are reacting to kindness. This is something that we really want to instill in our children. It doesn't hurt to be kind for one night. People deserve kindness, no matter their station in life. God expects us to look out for our neighbors in a kind and concerned manner.

To my point, this past Friday, I met a woman who was previously a PADS resident. She has been clean (jail, alcohol, drugs, etc) for 1 year and came back to serve as part of her community service. She had a fascinating story and I of course listened. Because at the end of the night, we go home to our warm house and beds. The residents sleep on cots in a gymnasium. As we were cleaning up and packing to leave, the woman wanted to take the leftover ice cream for her children and grandchildren, but she didn't have a ride. At that moment and before I knew where she lived I offered to take her home. Now had my sister been there, she would be calling me a bleeding heart and soft touch. My sister is cordial and serves gratefully, but she doesn't want to hear any stories, nor would she have let me take the woman home. I was not concerned for my safety, so much as I was concerned for her waiting outside in the cold on a Friday, late at night.

As we drove her and the ice cream home, more of her story unfolded and I was fascinated and saddened. Here was a woman who really wanted to get off the streets and wanted to give back. Who are we, not to help her on her upward journey. Don't get me wrong, I was concerned when she first told me where she lived, but I have faith and that kept me mindful of the task I was about to embark on. This was a woman at night that needed a ride and I had a car.

I am a true believer in connections and trying to learn something from each and everyone. Friday night I learned that it did not cost me anything to listen to this woman's story or take her home. However, I was happy that I kept the faith and served someone else.

Please let me know how a chance meeting or connection helped you or helped someone else.

Peace and love,

Sandals

Real Life, Real Talk , Real Women

Following a dream.....

For years I've thought about training to become an aerobics instructor. Finally I have gained enough courage to go for it. I begin training next month and I already have a sponsor who believes in me more than I believe in myself. People like that are great to have in your corner!

Ladies follow your dreams. They may not happen when you think they should but if you keep believing and doing everything you need to do your dreams will come alive!

Stiletto,
Real Life, Real Talk, Real Women

PPP's Tip of the Week

Ideas for Saving Money on Eating Out courtesy of The Bargainist

Eating out can be tough on anyone's budget, and in general it's best to shop for yourself and eat at home. You can save half or more by cooking for yourself instead of eating out. However, it's always nice to relax, treat yourself (and your family), and eat a meal at a restaurant. Here are some ways to do that without breaking your budget.

Don't order two dinners.
If you go to a restaurant with your partner, order one dinner and an appetizer and split it. Restaurants typically serve way too much, which is costly and unhealthy (if you try to finish it).
Make a second dinner on leftovers. Start by eating the veggies and fries or bread, then eat the actual meat item last. You might be so full from the warmup stuff that you don't eat much meat. Then take the meat home and use it for a second dinner the next night. Two dinners for the price of one!

Go for lunch specials.
Lunch specials will be cheaper than dinners, and breakfasts are even cheaper, generally. Always ask about the daily special, as it can often be a good deal.

Get a discount.
There are lots of ways to find discount coupons for restaurants online. Try Restaurant.com: enter your zip code and see what restaurants offer coupons or discounted gift certificates.

Just order side items.
A salad and an appetizer can often make for a delicious but affordable meal for one.

Special days.
Many restaurants will offer special family days, or will allow kids to eat for free, or have special discount days. Call ahead and take advantage of them.

Choose an affordable restaurant.
While fast food is invariably bad for you, there are medium-priced restaurants that can offer a decent meal without breaking your budget. While there are many ways to save on eating out, one of the best is to start with a restaurant that doesn't charge an arm or a leg.

New restaurants.
Often a restaurant that has just opened for business will want to attract new customers with discounts and specials. These are often advertised in the newspaper or in advertising mailings. Keep an eye out and take advantage.

Drink water.
You go to a restaurant for the good food, not the soda or alcohol. You can get those for much cheaper at a grocery store. Drink water, perhaps adding a slice of lemon for taste.

Fast food.
The cheapest options, of course, are fast food restaurants, and you can find some fairly healthy options at some of them. Subway, Wendy's salads or new healthier sandwiches, vegetarian options at many restaurants these days. Go to a burrito place and order a vegetarian burrito — cheap, fairly healthy, and delicious.

Skip dessert.
If you're eating at a sit-down restaurant, dessert is often a rip-off. Pick up a carton of ice cream on the way home, and save a bunch.

Pumps, Purses & Positivity
Real Life, Real Talk, Real Women

What are the hot colors for Spring 2011?

Fashion's Hottest (And Coolest) Colors for Spring 2011
by McKenzie O'Brien courtesy of

Are you looking for the hottest new trends in color this spring? Look no further, Pantone's color experts find out what's hot for the Spring 2011 season!

Pantone LCC is an internationally renowned color expert. For over 45 years they have worked side by side with the fashion, plastics, home décor, digital technology, architecture, and paint industries to communicate color in a profitable and appealing way to consumers. Pantone has developed the world’s most popular and widely used color standards system, called PANTONE FASHION + HOME Color System to create, match, and coordinate colors.

Representatives from Pantone attend New York Fashion Week and other fashion events to observe designers’ colors- which ones appear and reappear frequently in their collections, how the colors inspire their line, and their philosophy on how their colors are used. Based on the color trends found by Pantone representatives, their finding are used to create the annual PANTONE Fashion Color Report, that helps fashion gurus, reporters, and retailers stay up to date on the hottest and coolest colors of the year.

At New York Fall Fashion Week (September 9-16, 2010), Pantone’s color forecast was revealed for Spring 2011. There were 20 it-colors in total-10 for women’s fashion and 10 for men’s. The theme of the season is exotic lands, where there’s “an interesting marriage of unexpected warm and cool tones,” says Pantone Color Institute’s executive director.

South American, South Asian, and African Color Inspirations
The colors reflect vibrant cultures and colors found in Peru, Africa, Turkey, India, and other far off lands. For women we have:

• Honeysuckle- a warm reddish pink
• Coral Rose- a dark orange with pink undertones
• Beeswax- a honey colored yellow
• Regatta- a bright turquoise blue
• Lavender- a pale purple with pink undertones
• Blue Caracao- a technicolor aqua
• Peapod- a pale green with yellow undertones
• Silver Peony- a nude, beige color with silver undertones
• Russet- a deep brown with dark orange undertones

Men's Colors Include Rich Earth Tones
The men’s spring 2011 list shares five of the women’s colors- Honeysuckle, Beeswax, Regatta, Lavender, Blue Caracao, and Russet. The remaining five colors are:

• Barberry- a deep pink, purple color
• Firecracker- a medium orange with fiery, red tones
• Turf Green- dark green with blue undertones
• Linen- a nude color with pink and beige undertones
• Flint Gray- a light gray

Pantone also asked fashion designers, ranging from Betsey Johnson and Badgley Mischka to Charlotte Ronson and Monique Lhuillier what places these colors reminded the designers of. Responses ranged from Istanbul, Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, Brazil, Southern France, to Lima, Peru with emphasis on “gem tones,” “vibrant mosaics” and “a mix of Old World meets New World” found in all of these exotic and gorgeous locations across the globe.

Consumers take heed, this spring your wardrobe is going to need an update to keep up with Spring 2011’s jetsetter hues.

Stiletto,

Real Life, Real Talk, Real Women

Kitten Heels Recommends.....

Eating! Who doesn’t enjoy eating? In my continuous search for tips on eating healthy, I ran across another great book. Here is info from the back cover of EAT THIS AND LIVE! by Don Colbert, M.D., New York Times Bestselling author of THE SEVEN PILLARS OF HEALTH:

Improve your health and extend your days with simple food choicesToday we have an abundance of options when it comes to the food we eat. But all foods are not created equal. In fact, some food should not even be labeled food but rather “consumable product” or “edible, but void of nourishment.”
In Eat This and Live! Dr. Don Colbert provides a road map to help you navigate this often treacherous territory. Based on the key principles for healthy eating in Dr. Colbert’s New York Times best seller, The Seven Pillars of Health, this practical guidebook to food includes “Dr. Colbert Approved” foods and restaurant menu choices, along with helpful tips, charts, and nutrition information that will make it easier for you to stay healthy and lose weight.
Now is the time to build the rest of your life on this wonderful pillar of health—living food!

Some of the chapters include, Living Food vs. Dead Food, Your Body is a Temple, Tips for Healthy Children, and What to Eat With Caution. I especially liked the chapter, On the Go? – Smart Choices for Dining Out. In this chapter eating in all kinds of restaurants is covered, Fast Food, Italian and Mexican and even Buffet-Style. This was helpful as an Asian buffet restaurant recently opened nearby and I wanted to try it. I did eat a little more than usual, but fortunately, this buffet restaurant has many fresh and healthy options, and with the guidelines from the book, it was really up to me how “good” or “bad” I ate.

This book is informative and easy to follow with charts and tips that can be implemented immediately. Check it out!

Kitten Heels

Real Life, Real Talk, Real Women