The 55 Guide - Houston

HOUSTON TEXAS | VOL. 1

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: FEATURED ARTICLES

RETIREMENT • INVESTING • VACATION READ THIS ISSUE ONLINE. SCAN THE QR CODE

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TRAVEL • LIVING • HEALTH • DINING

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CO NTE NT S FEATURES 4

Destination Vacations

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Investing For The Future

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Saving For Retirement

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Senior Living

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Local Event Guide

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28 Luxury Living 30 Travel In Style 32

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TRENDING LOCATIONS TO VISIT THIS YEAR

Destination

Vacations

If you are looking for an exciting and affordable travel destination, consider the following locations.

1. Hawaii is a tropical paradise loved by all. It offers a rich marine life, unmatched underwater experiences, gorgeous landscapes, volcanoes, and interesting history. Of the six largest islands, Maui has the state’s most beautiful beaches - some with white sand and others with red or black sand. Oahu has Hawaii’s largest city and capital, Honolulu, which is known for Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor’s World War II memorials.

The weather is perfect and there are endless opportunities for adventure.

2. Barcelona is both a beautiful city as well as a renowned beach town. It boasts a lively nightlife, lots of activities, and restaurants galore. There are amazing museums and galleries; Including the Picasso and Salvador Dali Museums, La Sagrada Familia, and other buildings by renowned architect Antoni Gaudi. Las Ramblas, the main walking street ends with a monument to Christopher Columbus honoring his discovery of the new world.

3. The Bahamas, which is made up of a series of islands, has the clearest turquoise water on the planet, as well as white sandy beaches.

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Underwater adventures abound dive for Spanish galleons, seek out the caves, or go sailing or fishing. The Bahamas offers a plethora of Ecotourism options, from bird watching to hiking.

Nassau offers a few cultural sites like Ardastra Gardens and the Conservation center, in addition to being the capital city, but the Bahamas is great for island hopping as well. Or just pick one of the great resorts and relax at the beach.

4. Tel Aviv, known as the non-stop city, is a vibrant and exciting city on the Mediterranean Sea. It offers beautiful beaches, great cafes and restaurants, exciting night life and a 24 hour a day culture.

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History abounds and there are interesting museums including the Tel Aviv Museum and the Eretz Israel Museum which covers archeology, folklore, crafts and features an onsite excavation of 12th century-BC ruins. Tel Aviv is also the technology and financial center of Israel.

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INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE Not many people stumble into financial security through sheer luck: a lottery win, big inheritance, or huge stock winnings.

For most of us the only way to financial security is a long term plan of saving and investing.

Consistency is key to reaching long term goals no matter your income.

The sooner you start saving and investing, the longer your money has to compound and grow.

Set goals for how much of your income you will invest monthly and stick to it. Keep investment money and cash reserves separate so you won’t dip into your investment account when the market is down.

Keep expenses low and spend on what is really important to you whether it is experiences or material things.

Try to avoid the big mistakes, like buying a home that is more than you really need or creating a heavy debt load.

If your employer offers a matching 401(k) contribution, be sure to take advantage of that option and contribute at least enough to receive it. It is essentially 8

extra income that will grow and compound and is not taxed until you withdraw it.

You can do it yourself but it probably makes more sense to work with a financial advisor who is more knowledgeable about financial markets. An advisor will help analyze short term vs long term needs, separate emotions from objectives as well as help with devising a portfolio and strategy suitable for your needs.

Investing consistently over the long term is the best way to grow your wealth as there is no way to time the market.

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10 Year Countdown

To Retirement

Money See Where You Stand - It’s time to assess how prepared, or unprepared, you are financially for retirement.

• Take a quick test: Assuming your retirement is about 10 years away, you want to have roughly seven times your current salary in savings, according to research from Fidelity.

That puts you on the road to having about 10 times your final salary saved by retirement and maintaining your present standard of living. Retire before hitting 67 and you’ll need more saved; after, you’ll need less.

• D . o a deeper dive: Plug your current numbers (such as earnings, savings and future pensions) into an online calculator to estimate your retirement income. Experts say you’ll need 75 to 80 percent of preretirement income to live well — debatable but a good starting point.

• D . on’t despair: You have 10 years to act, by earning more, trimming expenses or delaying retirement. “Whatever you can do can only help,” says George Papadopoulos, a financial planner in Novi, Mich.

Save the easy way If you’re among the 82 percent of workers paid via direct deposit, save more by splitting your pay across accounts. Have your payroll department put part of each check into an online savings account, where it’s out of sight and out of mind. The direct-deposit users who split their deposits save up to $90 more per month than those who use another method to save, according to a recent study.

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Pad your nest egg If you already have significant savings in a 401(k), 403(b) or IRA, open a Roth IRA (in 2019 you can contribute up to $7,000 if you’re 50 or older), or put money into a regular taxable account.

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Why do it? You’re laying the groundwork for lower taxes later. Say you need a new roof on your house in retirement; If you take money from a 401(k) or traditional IRA, it is taxable as ordinary income, and you may end up in a higher tax bracket, explains Carolyn McClanahan, founder of Life Planning Partners. But you can pull your contributions from a Roth IRA tax free (earnings, too, if you’re at least 59½ and have had the Roth at least five years). You can also invest via a basic taxable brokerage account; when you sell securities, you’ll pay only (usually lower) capital gains taxes on the profits.

Pay down the mortgage The problem with a mortgage in retirement is that you may have to sell investments to cover payments. And sometimes that will be when the markets are down - the worst possible time to sell, says Shelley Giordano, chair of the Funding Longevity Task Force at the American College of Financial Services. Her advice: 1. In place of your monthly payments, make half payments every two weeks. Those 26 payments per year are the equivalent of 13 monthly payments, resulting in a faster payoff and lower total interest costs.

2. Got a tax refund? A bonus? A side job? Apply that to your principal.

3. Avoid refinancing your mortgage, since a new loan with a later payoff date means more of your monthly payment goes to interest expense, not an increase in your home equity.

4. Don’t use a home equity loan or line of credit for purchases. The new tax law makes that less attractive, says Giordano. And this is the wrong time to be growing your mortgage debt. (. . .continued on page 12)

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Put new retirement savings to work Not sure where to invest additional money? Aim for growth, somewhere between a trip to Vegas and stuffing cash into your mattress.

The sweet spot •. Balanced mutual funds: Seek a mix of stocks and bonds;

a 50/50 or 60/40 ratio of stocks to bonds is reasonable.

• Target-date mutual funds: These balanced funds automatically adjust investments to lower risk as you age.

Conservative but sound • High-grade corporate bond funds • Money market accounts • U.S. government bond funds • Certificates of deposit and online savings accounts (See bankrate.com for Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.–insured banks offering higher rates.)

• Series I inflation-protected savings bonds (sold at treasurydirect.gov)

Work Prepare Your Plan B - Ask yourself these questions, and be honest.

1. Do I work in a stable and growing industry?

2. Do I work for a stable and growing company?

3. Is my heart still in it?

Have you answered no to any? It’s time to update your LinkedIn profile and see what else is out there.

• Why do it: Only about half of workers cruise their way to a planned, voluntary retirement; the rest of us exit prematurely, often as a result of job loss or burnout.

You still have time to regroup. “With 10 years to go, there is still enough runway to make a mark,” says career and retirement expert Nancy Collamer.

• .How to do it: You know the routine. Tell people who can help you. Sign up for job alerts on the go-to site in your industry. Browse the postings that interest you, and note the skills that employers are seeking.

• .Want to stay put? Get busy anyway. “Whether you drive a bus or work in a store or in a professional occupation, maximize your opportunities by building your capital,” Collamer advises. “Give talks or write articles to boost your profile, or take advantage of short-term training programs.” One option: Go to linkedin. com/learning and get online access to thousands of business, creative and technology courses for $30 per month.

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Miller, Mark and Powell, Robert, AARP (2019, Feb 6). Countdown to Retirement: 10 Years [Web log post].

Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/retirement/planning-for-retirement/info-2019/10-year-countdown.html

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RETIRE WITHOUT CHANGING YOUR LIFESTYLE

Today’s upscale senior communities offer “resort style living” which is hospitality-oriented and resembles a 4-star hotel or cruise ship rather than a hospital or retirement home.

Amenities Some of the more luxurious communities at the deluxe level even feature lively bars with chandeliers and overstuffed pillows. More standard amenities include:

Activities: Education and Entertainment, Fashion shows, Lectures from retired professors and various social and cultural events which are all examples of regularly planned activities for residents at higher-end facilities. In urban settings, planned outings to the city for museums, art galleries or theater visits are frequent occurrences as well.

Grounds-keeping: Luxury communities are beautifully designed on the outside as well, from gardens to ponds to putting greens and walkways. Many include well-appointed courtyards for residents to socialize, relax, or enjoy a meal.

Concierge Service: Offering ‘Concierge Service’ is what makes a Senior Living community a Luxury one. Similar to a hotel concierge, a resident can use the Concierge to arrange hotel flights or tickets to events, a service that makes these luxury communities clearly more desirable to prospective residents and their families.

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Modern Therapies: Assisted living communities offer personal care to their residents, and the best communities often offer top notch therapy on top of standard care. In addition to specialized pet and physical therapy, upscale communities often also provide top notch occupational therapy, and music therapy, and always from trained and certified professionals.

Residences: The kitchen is the focal point of any home and it’s no different when looking at the residence at an Assisted Living community. A standard assisted living apartment has a kitchenette, traditionally including a mini-fridge, a microwave, and a small amount of cabinet and counter space.

The luxury assisted living residences feature full kitchens and appliances plus top of the line finishes, like granite counter tops for instance.

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Dining: An upscale senior living community will most likely retain a registered dietitian on staff and employ experienced chefs who serve gourmet meals. Choice and variety are crucial for the success of a kitchen at a luxurious community and most have more than two restaurants within the community, each with their own menus.

Personal Fitness Trainers and Recreational Facilities: Recreation rooms are always available to use at the residents’ convenience, with computer labs, fitness rooms and cinemas.

Fitness programs supervised by physical therapists and personal trainers are also kept on staff by any upscale community.

High-end assisted living communities also provide full service spa treatments, beauty salons for the women and barbershops for the men. Additionally, no luxury assisted living community would be complete without a heated pool and spa, which are always popular with residents.

allowing residents to have their pets on site. There can sometimes be limitations regarding the size and number of pets.

They frequently provide pet care such as dog walking, nail clipping, grooming and litter-box changes as well as formal, certified pet therapy.

Spacious Apartments: One can expect about 20% more square footage at a Luxury community (approx 600 sf versus 500 sf at a standard community). A Two bedroom apartment at an upscale community can be more than 1200 square feet.

Clearly, senior living is not what it was years ago. And for the retiree with means, it can be a lively, active, and rewarding lifestyle full of growth and fun!

Pet Friendly: Studies have shown that pet ownership has been shown to be beneficial to seniors, and more and more luxury communities are open to 15

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LOCAL EVENTS GUIDE

HOUSTON SEPTEMBER

SEPT 15 | Fiestas Patrias One of the largest and most colorful community-sponsored parades in the Southwest celebrates Mexico’s independence from Spain. Colorfully clad dancers from area ballet folklorico troupes spin down the streets performing to festive Mexican music. The celebration culminates with the crowning of Miss Fiestas Patrias. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-sept15 SEPT 27-29 | Oktoberfest Houston Join us for Houston’s only Beer Fest with a German twist, showcasing the best of German and Texas Culture in one fantastic day! Put on your Lederhosen and Dirndls and enjoy a variety of German and craft beer and the best polka music in Texas. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/hou-sept27

OCTOBER

OCT 3-6 | Original Greek Fest Celebrate the 48th Annual Houston Greek Festival on the grounds of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Authentic Greek food, wine, dancing and artifacts are fun for the entire family. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-oct3 OCT 5 | Grito Fest The Annual Grito Fest is one of the 18

area’s most popular festivals celebrating Hispanic heritage. This family-friendly outdoor concert will feature musical entertainment, mariachis, kid’s activities, contests, food and craft vendors, and more.

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-oct5 OCT 10-13 | Festa Italiana Houston’s Annual Italian Festival on the campus of St. Thomas University features authentic Italian food, wine, music, dancing, arts and crafts and entertainment for all ages. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/hou-oct10 OCT 19-20 | Wings Over Houston Airshow This airshow takes off and lands at Houston’s Ellington Field. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels have wowed onlookers in past years with aerial acrobatics, while aircraft from current Air Force and Navy inventories is on display. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/hou-oct19

NOVEMBER

NOV 2-3 Dia De Los Muertos Festival MECA Houston hosts their annual Día de los Muertos Festival: Honoring our Past, Celebrating Our Future. Recognizing the differences (. . .continued on page 20)

LOCAL EVENTS GUIDE

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in Latin celebrations of Dia de Los Muertos, this event focuses on the common theme of honoring family and friends. Expect music, dance, theater, food, and visual arts from different Latin American countries at MECA’s nationally recognized historic Dow School in the Sixth Ward.

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-nov2 NOV 9-10 | Native American Pow Wow - Texas Championship More than 100 Native Americans from across the U.S. compete in two days of traditional singing and dancing. Indian food, a teepee village, demonstrations, story-telling and education exhibits are all a part of this event. More than 125 booths contain authentic Native American arts and crafts. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-nov9 NOV 14-17 | The Nutcracker Market Houston Ballet Guild’s Nutcracker Market has become an annual tradition to kick off the holiday season.

This shopping extravaganza, held at Reliant Center, features holiday decorations, food, clothing, jewelry, and even furniture. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-nov14 NOV 23-34 | Via Colori - Street Painting Festival Via Colori® has grown into one of the city’s signature art festivals 20

over its 10-year history. Attendees witness the streets of downtown transform into a massive outdoor art gallery. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/hou-nov23

DECEMBER

DEC 13-15 | Tomball German Christmas Market & Festival German Christmas Market & Festival Weihnachtsmarkt Texas Style - Free Admission, Parking, and Shuttle Herzlich Willkommen! It’s a Texas German celebration on the old downtown streets of Tomball, Texas. You don’t have to be German to enjoy this festival! For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-dec13 DEC 14 | Annual Chistmas Boat Lane Parade Every year over 100 festively decorated boats of all sizes parade around Clear Lake and through the Clear Lake Channel in front of the Kemah Boardwalk. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-dec14 DEC (TBA) | Tamale Festival Come out for a day of Great Fun, Good Music and great food! Enjoy a variety of Tamales from varied Latino Cultures as well as great Texas BBQ, Food Trucks, fairground foods and much more! For more info visit: http://tamalefestivalhouston.com

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LOCAL EVENTS GUIDE

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JANUARY

JAN 7-12 | Hello, Dolly - Broadway Across America Broadway at the Hobby Center brings the Tony-wininng musical revival, Hello, Dolly! to Downtown Houston. NPR called it “the best show of the year!” and the Los Angeles Times said it “distills the mood-elevating properties of the American musical at its giddy best.”

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-jan7 JAN 20 | MLK Grande Parade Celebrating! its 26th Anniversary, the MLK Grande Parade is the third largest Parade in the U.S. behind The Rose Parade and The Macy’s Day Parade. During The Annual MLK Grande Parade, there will be a Viewing Audience of more than 4,000,000. The Annual MLK Grande Parade parade consists of 15 Parade floats & 30 Marching bands.

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-jan20

FEBRUARY

FEB 6 | Int’l Piano Festival The University of Houston’s Moores School of Music presents the 37th International Piano Festival, a thrilling series of recitals and master classes featuring some of the greatest performers in the world.

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-feb6 22

FEB 21 | American Mavericks LAGQ One of America’s premier instrumental ensembles, the Grammy Award-winning LAGQ is one of the most multifaceted groups in any genre. Pat Metheny’s Road to the Sun, composed for the LAGQ, is filled with Metheny’s trademark grooves, haunting melodies and rich extended harmonies. The Quartet honors some of this country’s most innovative guitar masters, from rock innovators Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa, to country master Chet Atkins to jazz guitarist Ralph Towner. For more info visit: http:// bit.ly/hou-feb21 FEB 29 | Crawfish Fest Houston Crawfish Season doesn’t officially begin until we name “The King of Crawfish.” Why not have a big Ol party while we find out!!

This is the BIGGEST Event of the Year. We hope you are ready to eat a ton of crawfish - all types of food will also be available at this event.

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-feb29

MARCH

MAR 21 | Space City Beer Fest The Home of Houston’s Premier Beer Festival. Space City Beer Fest will showcase over 100 Beers from Local and National Breweries. Each brewery will have a variety of beers (. . .continued on page 24)

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on tap for you to enjoy throughout the day. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/hou-mar21 MAR 29 | Hermann Park Kite Fest On this day, thousands of Houstonians from every part of the city converge on Miller Hill to fly kites of all shapes and colors. The Free festival will offer entertainment, interactive activities and crafts, kite flying, face painting, food trucks, and much more. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-mar29 MAR 25-29 Shen Yun Performing Arts Shen Yun presents colorful and exhilarating performances of classical Chinese dance and music. A performance by this company is a true representation of traditional Chinese culture as it once was: a study in grace, wisdom, and the virtues distilled from the five millennia of Chinese civilization. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-mar25

APRIL

APR 5 | Tacos Over Texas On Sunday, April 5th, 2020, The Ninfa Laurenzo Scholarship Fund (TNLSF) will hold its second fundraising event, Tacos Over Texas, in collaboration with El Tiempo Cantina and The Original Ninfa’s On Navigation.

Chefs from around the country will share their skills through a friendly 24

competition.Mama Ninfa paved the way for the restaurant industry in Texas with her famous Tacos Al Carbon. The challenge for our Celebrity Chef’s is to create a taco inspired

by Mama Ninfa.. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-apr5 APR 16 | Art Car Parade The Houston Art Car Para​de is an annual event featuring a display of the most amazing and fantastic vehicles you have ever seen. The three-day event draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There are cars, bicycles, motorcycles, roller-skaters, and lots of other motorized and human-powered vehicles decorated in various themes. For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-apr16 APR 18 | Wild West Brewfest Awarded the #1 Event in North America by BeerYeti.comHere is your opportunity to taste some of the best liquid around! Featuring multiple stages, several food trucks, and hang out with your friends in our multiple party zones all while giving back to our community!

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-apr18

MAY

MAY 8-10 | Texas Crab Festival Texas Crab Festival is an opportunity (. . .continued on page 26)

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to celebrate the beautiful sunshine, warm gulf winds and the promise of a weekend filled with music, art and crabs, 5K-1K Fun Run/Walk, the Wiener Dog Races and even so much more etc. For more info please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-may8 MAY 15 | Hot Air Ballon Fest & Polo Match A very limited number of free Friday only night passes are available.

Claim yours today before they’re gone! Balloons. Polo. Fashion. Food.

This event isn’t just a polo match and hot air balloon festival, it’s a networking and social destination drawing thousands.. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-may15 MAY (TBA) | Houston Crawfish, Crab & Grill Festival The Houston Crawfish, Crab & Grill Festival is a family event that celebrates the tastes and cultures of southern cooking, featuring scrumptious crawfish, crab, grilled foods, and more from local restaurants, caterers, and food trucks.

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-hccg

JUNE

JUN 26-28 | Houston Fiber Fest Houston Fiber Festival Inc is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promot26

ing fiber arts in the greater Houston area through our annual Houston Fiber Fest event. Our aim is to provide local fiber enthusiasts with the opportunity to celebrate the crafts they love — knitting, crochet, spinning, and weaving. Learn new techniques from our diverse class list and shop in our carefully curated vendor hall. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-jun26 JUN 20-21 Houston Home & Garden Show For nearly 40 years the Texas Home & Garden Show series has connected home and garden professionals and consumers. These events are Texas homeowners best resource for expert advice, money saving tips, remodeling ideas, landscape features and everything you need for your home and garden! For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-jun20

JULY

JUL 4 | Freedom Over Texas An event of festivities and tradition in Houston for decades. Located in the newly renovated Eleanor Tinsley Park on Buffalo Bayou, it has become Houston’s signature annual Independence Day celebration and attracts nationally recognized recording artists as well as regional and local talent. The event culminates with one of the largest fire-

LOCAL EVENTS GUIDE

HOUSTON works displays in the USA. For more info visit: http://bit.ly/hou-jul4-fot JUL 4 | Star Spangled Salute The Houston Symphony continues it sannula celebration at Hermann Park’s Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Festivities include fireworks accompanied by a dramatic 16-cannon salute. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/hou-jul4-star JUL (TBA) Great Texas Mosquito Festival The Mosquito Festival is a three day fun-filled, family event. There are many booths with a variety of foods, along with arts and crafts and more.

For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/hou-jul-mos

industry for 25 years. This all-ages event at the House of Blues features some of the biggest names in jazz including local, regional, national and international performers. http://bit.ly/hou-aug-jazz AUG | Houston Restaurant Weeks From the first week of August through Labor Day, more than 250 restaurants in the Houston area offer multiple course prix-fixe menus at a special price to give guests a sampling of the best they have to offer and to raise money for the Houston Food Bank, the largest food bank in the United States. http://bit.ly/hou-aug-rest

AUGUST

AUG (TBA) | Houston Int’l Jazz Fest The Houston International Jazz Festival has been celebrating the history, education and music of the jazz

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LUXURY

LIVING IDEAS

Upgrading your home is only limited by your imagination and budget. Is it a luxury bath, fabulous kitchen, incredible master suite or home theatre that you desire?

KITCHEN Your kitchen is probably the heart of your home. This is where memories are made and shared as families love to congregate in the kitchen. The possibilities are endless. White is the most popular color for cabinetry but combining cabinet colors is the latest trend in kitchen design. Blues and greens are also becoming popular. Quartz is the latest for countertops and islands.

Commercial-grade appliances, extra sinks and dishwashers all add to the luxury kitchen.

Also popular are pizza ovens, appliance garages, warming drawers and under- counter refrigerators for wine and other drinks. If you have space, consider a butler’s pantry which acts like a second kitchen - great for caterers or just an extra space for food prep without disturbing the main kitchen area.

BATH For a luxurious bath, create a spa-worthy retreat. Consider heated floors and towel racks, a steam shower and a large soaking tub.

Create a separate water closet for the latest in remote controlled toilets that feature a night light, bidet and self cleaning feature.

Turn a great piece of furniture into your double sink vanity for a sophisticated look. And why not have a sofa and television for added ambiance.

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MASTER SUITE Add a mini-kitchen which includes a small fridge and coffee bar along with a sitting area so that you can enjoy your wine or coffee first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. Fireplaces are another nice touch for a romantic setting. If your home is equipped with gas, they are an easy addition.

LUXURY

LIVING IDEAS

MOVIE ROOM If you have a spare room, create your own private theatre with a high-definition flat screen tv, surround sound and theatre seating. A popcorn machine and fridge for drinks are nice additions.

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Travel in Style – by Bonnie Roseman

If there’s anything I’ve learned in my 35 years as a stylist, it’s to “carry on,” and by that of course, I mean take a carry-on bag!

In order to make travel easier for my busy clients, I’ve spent years developing techniques to make traveling simple and fun.

A carry-on bag is key to making your journey more enjoyable; no more hauling multiple bags, or worrying about losing your luggage, which can ruin your trip before you even begin!

In my most recent trip abroad, I traveled to the Scandinavian countries before flying to Greece for a little sun in the Cycladic Islands. After that, it was off to Italy and over the Alps. All the while, I had just one bag with me.

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To make the most of your luggage space, I suggest you wear your jeans and sneakers, and carry your leather jacket while you travel, to save space in your bag.

Roll all items tightly! It saves space, and keeps everything from wrinkling.

I usually prefer to stuff my undies and socks in my shoes. Select pieces with fabrics that can wash and hang to dry without needing to be pressed – it’s easier to keep things fresh and avoid using foreign cleaners that can be very expensive.

Here are the basics for 6 weeks of traveling abroad across different climates. This short, gender-neutral list includes the basics for a great travel wardrobe. I recommend that your main wardrobe color for travel be black. It looks slimming on everyone, and doesn’t show dirt as easily. A few colorful tee tops can be added to give a little zip to your ensemble. All of these items will fit into your carry-on luggage and provide options for mixing and matching stylish looks while you see the world. You can then personalize your list by adding your toiletries, gloves, hat, or other essential accessories as needed.

TRAVEL WARDROBE Underwear 6 undergarments 6 pairs of socks Pajamas (your choice) Outerwear 2 tee shirts 2 button down shirts (one dressy, one casual) 2 pairs of pants (one jean, one black trouser) 1 pair of shorts 2 jackets (one leather, one raincoat) 1 cashmere sweater (pullover or cardigan) 1 bathing suit 1 basic black blazer (can be worn day or night) Accessories Scarves (colorful, lightweight) Belts (at least one black) Jewelry (a few pop pieces) 1 tie (traditional or bow tie) Shoes One heel or dress shoe One pair of flats (for day or night) One pair of sandals

Feel good, and look even better!

Please contact me personally if you have any questions or would like to see my unique travel collection which can be dressed up or down.

Bonnie@bonnieroseman.com | www.bonnieroseman.com | 917-209-0516 Bonnie Roseman Bio Fashion Designer. Style Consultant. Wardrobe Architect. The press has designated Bonnie Roseman as the ultimate fashion expert over the years.

Featured on the NBC Today Show, People Magazine, and more, Roseman furthered her B-L-T brand by presenting her collection through the Home Shopping Network and Home Shopping Europe.

Bonnie Roseman’s BLT has evolved into a full service boutique for women of all body types and lifestyles, featuring wrinkle-free fabrics and unique accessories that pack well and travel lightly wherever you go. Schedule with Bonnie and she’ll tell you all the secrets she’s been telling her clients for over 30 years.

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