It’s Thanksgiving week, and I find myself focusing on many things I can be thankful for. And this Hot Flash Universe column is at the top my list. I really loved most of the adventures I experienced over the past year.
Okay, so the nostril piercing didn’t go so well. A week later, I got a bad cold that lasted for a month. During one of my sneezing attacks, the nose jewel flew out! And, after all the research I did on this, one thing I did not know was that the piercing closed up almost immediately (within a day or two). So much for that.
On the flipside, I experienced five things in Santa Monica that I absolutely loved, and still do today. Check ‘em out!
1) Mink Eyelashes
When I was younger, I had long, lush eyelashes. As I’ve aged, they have fallen out, stopped growing and a few have even gone grey!
The false eyelash strips of yesteryear looked, well, fake. Now, luxurious, long natural eyelashes are available at “lash bars.” The most natural ones I have found are in a salon on Ocean Park and are made out of mink hair (they assured me no animals are ever harmed). They are gorgeous, and make my eyes really pop. I get them done every three weeks. Every time I go, I fall asleep when they are doing them!
2) Organic Tanning
Until I found this place right off of Main Street, I never dared to bare my pasty-white arms or legs. Scary. Now, I go every couple of weeks to get a tan. When I come out, I have this natural, golden brown tan all over my body! It lasts about 10 days and it’s so perfect for summer. Heck, it’s perfect all the time!
3) Eyebrow Frown Botox Injections
I think frown lines are one of the main things that make people look older and stressed out. One day when I was in my car at a stop-light, I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror. OMG, I noticed a deep furrow in between my eyes! As soon as I could, I located an experienced physician in Santa Monica that gave me a few Bowtox injections to instantly get rid of it. It made such a difference. And it lasts at least 6 months! Thank goodness for small miracles.
4) Ice Skating Lessons at ICE Santa Monica
When I was much younger, like 13 years old, I skating all the time. I loved it, and I was pretty good at it. I could skate forwards, backwards, skate around obstacle courses, as well as do a few spins and jumps.
Now, at 50-something, I slipped on a pair of skates on at ICE Santa Monica, the cute ice rink that just opened for the holidays and took a skating lesson with none other than the World Champion and 2-time Olympic skater, Randy Gardner! Within half an hour, I was skating forward, backward, and did an arabesque! So fun. Can’t wait to go again. Randy teaches regularly at ICE. Everyone should take a lesson from him. It’s awesome. And skating is great for your core, butt and legs. Woo hoo!
5) Ballroom Dancing
Again, when I was younger, I was a great ballroom dancer. That was when I was in my 20s. Thirty years later, I’m dancing again. I can dance the Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Rumba, Cha-Cha, Swing, Samba, Mambo, to name a few. I’m not quite ready for Dancing with the Stars, but I’m not bad! There’s a woman that I met there that lost tons of weight and now is a champion competitive dancer. That’s my goal for next year…
Last but not least, I am so grateful to you, my readers! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
l
