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The Flirtatious Spanish Women

November 11, 2010 by

(photo source)

Spain may be known for Gaudi, tapas, and the flamenco, but the once Franco-repressed country now has a new title to boast about. A recent survey by social networking site Badoo found that Spanish women are the most flirtatious in the world. Badoo surveyed 90 million users in 240 countries and found that Spanish women were, on average, twice as likely than British, French, and American women to initiate contact with men.

Not surprisingly, several other Latin countries also made the top 10 in regard to women’s flirtatious nature, including the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela.

Other countries that made the top 10:

1. Spain

2. Poland

3. Dominican Republic

4. Italy

5. Argentina

6. Brazil

7. Chile

8. Portugal

9. Canada

10. Venezuela

Viva la España!

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Is She French? Check Her Nightstand!

September 23, 2010 by

Savor soap(Photo source)

How can you tell the difference between an American woman and a French woman? Aside from the accent, just look on her nightstand. If a woman has more than 3 facial creams in her bathroom or on her nightstand, she may very well be French, or at least be very in touch with her inner French girl.

When it comes to skin, French women don’t play games. In fact, French women take skin care and, more importantly, wrinkle prevention, very seriously. Although they may never admit it openly or talk about it at parties, French women invest in quality skin care products that help them look younger, more awake, and more beautiful. And they are not afraid to spend money when it comes to face time.

A recent survey by Mintel found that French women spend more on skin care products than their European neighbors. French women spend €2.2 billion (yes, billion) on skin care products, which is more than twice the amount that women in the UK spend in skin care. And within a French woman’s skin care regimen, wrinkle creams get top billing, with 2/3 of the total spending dedicated to wrinkle creams.

But French women are not the only ones concerned about wrinkles. In Italy, 60% of women use anti-wrinkle products, followed by Spain at 55%, the UK at 51%, and Germany at 49%. So, it should come to no surprise that more than 1/2 of the women in France, Italy, Spain, and the UK report fine lines and wrinkles as their top aging concerns.

Other aging concerns among European women include:

  • Dark under-eye circles
  • Sunken eyes
  • Sagging skin
  • Stretch marks

Taking a look at my own skin care products, it’s a wonder I don’t own stock in Clinique. I have a counter full of skin creams – deep wrinkle concentrate, superdefense moisturizer, age decelerator, intensive eye cream, and more. So, you may wonder – is Bistro Chic French? I’ll let my in-home Clinique counter speak for itself – afterall, a French woman never tells!

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Getting Cheeky With Europe’s Customary Kiss

September 2, 2010 by

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Last week, an acquaintance from Italy was visiting my office. I have met Gianni through work functions many times over the course of 9 years. Whenever I see him, he greets me in the same manner – Oh Bella, it’s been too long – he says in his broken English and then proceeds to give me the Italian double kiss or a kiss on both cheeks. I know his intentions are harmless, but no matter how many times this happens, it still catches me by surprise. When I saw Gianni last week, it was actually the first time I had seen him in my office setting, so his actions took me even more by surprise. A man, clearly old enough to be my father, and who I hardly know, sees it as second nature to greet me in such a personal manner – a custom that I am definitely not used to. Oddly enough, when I did a little research, I found that, in Italy, greetings with a kiss are actually reserved for close friends and family. Now I’m even more confused!

Italians are not the only ones who indulge in this more intimate greeting of the double kiss, it’s actually popular all over Europe. Now, I’m not the type to kiss and tell, but in this case, I will make an exception….

European Greetings: Sealed With A Kiss

The Netherlands The Dutch prefer the triple kiss – one that begins and ends on the right cheek. This is such a part of culture that the triple kiss is actually expected. But, lookout – when greeting the elderly or a close family member you are quite likely to get a few more!

Belgium The Belgians have a few rules when it comes to the number of kisses. If a person is the same age as you, one kiss is appropriate. But for someone 10 years older or more, it is a sign of respect to give three kisses, similar to the Dutch. If you’re not sure of someone’s age, I recommended going with one kiss – it’s better to error on the younger side – especially if the person you’re kissing is woman!

Spain, Austria and Scandinavia In all three countries, the two or double kiss rule applies. I saw this quite a bit in Spain, even among men. Also, in Spain, it’s custom to always start with the right cheek. Remember this in order to avoid an embarrassing collision.

Germany Germans tend to kiss only family and very close friends. All business and very little pleasure, handshakes are much more common and are considered the norm.

France The French have the most confusing customs when it comes to kissing because who you kiss and how many times you kiss him/her actually depends on what part of the country you are from. According to The Times, in Paris and central France, most people give two kisses – one on each cheek. But a large portion of northern France, from Normandy to the Belgian border, opt for four. And, in southeastern France, from Marseilles to the Alps, the preference is three. What happens when a Norman greets a Parisian. I’m not quite sure, but I’d love to find out!

If you’re ever unsure of how to greet a new or even old acquaintance while in Europe, watch what the locals do, ie. when in Rome… If all else fails, take your cues from your acquaintance, he/she may automatically lead when it comes to this kissing dance, then feel free to oblige.

Kiss, Kiss, Ciao!

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The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing…

August 5, 2010 by

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A few years ago when Scott and I were traveling around Europe, we had the extreme delight of spending a week in and around Barcelona, an area known as Catalunya. On our last evening in the city, just before dusk, Scott and I were wandering the streets. We were taking in the last few sites and just savoring every last moment of the city (similar to what we did in London). As what frequently happens in a foreign city, my instincts – and nose – led me right to a patisserie, which just happened to be right in the middle of a church square. Apparently, church-goers love their pastries because patisseries can often be found near churches, similar to pubs in Ireland.

I stopped in the shop to sample a few treats, with Scott perched outside waiting for his surprise and, all the while, taking pictures of my pastry-excursion. A few minutes later, we saw a band beginning to set up in the middle of the square. Oooh, live entertainment! We stood anxiously waiting for the music to begin while eating our new Spanish sweets. The music filled the medium-size square like a breeze on a cool summer night, immediately grabbing the attention of the 100 or so people milling about nearby.

We stood, captivated by the music, and seemed content to stay there all night, listening into the wee hours. But to our surprise, the entertainment had just begun. Right before our very eyes, groups of people gathered and started to form circles in the square. Some circles were small, while others were large. Some of the people seemed to know each other while others were meeting for the first time. As the tempo of the music began the change, the people in the circles threw their belongings in the middle of the circle and clasped hands. Then, the circles began to dance! Each circle of newfound friends danced in a similar fashion, kicking their feet and lifting their arms in a choreographed routine. For more than 20 minutes, the music kept playing and the people continued to dance.

As I watched the many groups dancing, I felt like an outsider looking in. I wanted so much to be a part of a circle, to be a part of a culture with so much history and one with so little inhibition that it can just spontaneously dance in a town square. But something told me it wasn’t right to intrude; it wasn’t right to assume I would be welcomed into their circle. Although Barcelena could easily feel like home to me, it wasn’t my home, it wasn’t my culture. It was their culture and I needed to respect their traditions. I realize now, that was the wise thing to do.

We later learned that the community dance we witnessed is the Sardana, a traditional and very patriotic dance among the Spanish Catalan culture. Years ago, when Franco was dictator of Spain, he saw the Catalans as a threat. He imposed many laws that stifled the language, traditions, and cultural practices of the Catalan people. After his reign, the Sardana began to symbolize pride and unity among the Catalan people and a break from Fraco’s rule.

I remember and love so many things about Barcelona – the architecture, tapas restaurants, and the famous Las Ramblas. But one thing I will never forget is the dancing!

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Laver's Law of Fashion

July 29, 2010 by

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When Scott and I went to London a few years ago, we were fortunate enough to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum. I remember it was our last day in Europe and we had walked around London all day long wanting to soak in every last bit of history. We happened upon the V&A by accident. We weren’t even sure what it was at first or if it was open. Come to find out, it was open until 5 PM. We looked at our watches – 4:15 PM!!! Well, it’s now or never, so we headed in. Because we only had 45 minutes to peruse, we decided to split up for 20 minutes. He headed into the paintings area and I into …what else? The fashion and jewelry area of course!

Because it was so late, I was the only one in the fashion history exhibit at the time – well, except for the guard. I spent my full 20 minutes in awe of the beautiful dresses from the 1800′s until present day. The detail in the clothes and how they were preserved and showcased were all amazing. As I ambled through, I couldn’t help but think how styles have changed over the years. From very conservative long wool dresses in the early 19th century, to flapper dresses in the early 20th century, and mini skirts and halter tops in the 70s. This made me wonder – how did fashion trends start way back then? How did people adopt them and why?

Ironically, the former curator of the Victoria and Albert Museum, James Laver (1899-1975), was also a fashion historian. Laver was curator there from the 1930s through the 50s, in charge of prints and drawings. However, his claim to fame has always been fashion. He could actually look at a very old photo and place it within a few years of the time period, just by the clothes the people where wearing. He was also a master at knowing how styles came in and out of fashion. In fact, major department stores bought and sold by Laver’s Law of Fashion, the idea that fashions all have a timeline or lifecycle trend, which could somewhat predict what styles would be hot in the coming year and which would be passé. Take a look…

Laver’s Law of Fashion

Indecent                            10 years before its time

Shameless                          5 years before its time

Daring                                 1 year before its time

Smart                                   Current fashion

Dowdy                                  1 year after its time

Hideous                              10 years after its time

Ridiculous                          20 years after its time

Amusing                             30 years after its time

Quaint                                  50 years after its time

Charming                            70 years after its time

Romantic                           100 years after its time

Beautiful                             150 years after its time

This law applies only to women’s fashion. For, unlike women’s fashion that drastically changed year after year, Laver observed that men’s fashion stayed pretty consistent, with ever so subtle changes through the decades.

As you can see ladies, if you hold onto something long enough, it may take on heirloom status. As they say, whatever is old becomes new again – just give it time. But, in case you’re wondering whether to hold onto your Ugg boots and your jumpsuit – keep in mind, they were never that stylish the first time around.

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