Supermodel Paulina Porizkova gives empowering message about aging

 

 In 2020, supermodel Paulina Porizkova, who recently suffered the loss of her estranged husband, late Cars frontman Ric Ocasek, has set out to extricate herself from the harmful beauty ideals women face as they age. Sharing a makeup-free selfie, silver hair growing in at her roots, the 54-year-old mused on the influence of social media on today’s notions of beauty.

paulinaporizkov

Verified

Today narcissism is king and constant self-improvement is queen. Who wants to see “real” people on social media? No, we want aspirational. We want tips and secrets and shortcuts to how best present ourselves in the most glowing light. We want people to envy us, to copy us, to buy what we sell them, whether it’s our words, our brands, torture or magic.
In this crowded forrest of aspirations, I look for the little meadows of peace. To me, those are the truthful ones, the ones that don’t always look amazing, and don’t always feel amazing, and aren’t just so fucking thrilled to be their awesome selves.
So, this is what I really look like. Not a great photo, early in the morning, no make up no filters, just the real true me. I’ll be turning 55 soon. At first glance, I think - ew. I look so old. Grief is certainly no beauty maker. My eyelids are starting to droop. The jowly bits next to my mouth don’t only make me look older but also somehow bitter. The gray in my hair is an easy fix, although, honestly, I’d love to just grow it out and stop coloring.
Now, how can I help to make all this -what we consider flaws - to be seen differently, to be seen as confidence and beauty of a mature age rather than something that needs to be eliminated? I used to think gray hair was aging, that it was a sign of giving in to being old, but thanks to many glorious and rocking hot women on Instagram, I’ve changed my vision to gray hair being sexy and confident. @themiddleagedgoddess @annikavonholdt
There was a quote by @pink to her little daughter, about how it was not for them to fix themselves to fit the standards of beauty, but rather to help other people discover their beauty. Now, that is something to strive for. Not change yourself to fit in the box, but to blow up the fucking box. I’d like to end this post with a rousing “ let’s blow up the fucking box, ladies”, but although I really want to, and will try my best, the truth is that I am a mid-fifties woman, I’m vain and insecure, and next week I could decide to have surgical help to fit the comfortable and warm and familiar box instead of crusading to blow it up. #selfie #truth #beauty #sexyhasnoagelimit#blowupthefuckingbox

www.vogue.com

Stay focused and keep aiming

 

Bouchon Bakery Coffee Cake

 

Ingredients

For the batter

• 203 g all-purpose flour
• 1⅛ tsp baking powder
• ⅜ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 75 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 210 g sugar
• 75 g eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup crème fraiche

For the topping

• 60 g all-purpose flour
• 60 g almond flour
• 60 g sugar
• ⅛ tsp kosher salt
• 60 g cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 15 g light brown sugar
• 15 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• powdered sugar and cinnamon, to garnish

Instructions

1. First, make the almond streusel topping. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat the pieces in flour. Using your fingers, combine the butter with the flour mixture, breaking it into small pieces until it is no larger than ⅛ inch. Put in the freezer while you prepare the batter.
2. For the batter, whisk together the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla bean paste. Mix for about 30 seconds on low speed, or until just combined.
4. Add the flour mixture and creme fraiche, alternating between the two, in three additions each, beating for about 15 seconds after each addition. Cover the batter and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325. Spray six 4¼-inch round paper baking molds or springform pans with cooking spray. Set them on a sheet pan.
6. Whisk together the brown sugar and cocoa powder.
7. Transfer half of the batter to a pastry bag, and pipe it into a spiral in the bottom of each mold. Dust with about 2 tsp of the cocoa/brown sugar mixture. Transfer the remaining batter to the pastry bag and pipe a second spiral over the cocoa layer. Sprinkle the tops with the cold streusel, about 3 tbsp each.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Set on a cooling rack to cool.
9. Before serving, dust coffee cakes with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

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