Tru Renewal Launch Party...

This past Tuesday, October 20th, I had the pleasure to attend the launch party for Ramona Singer's Tru Renewal Skin Care line. It was held at the Equinox Spa on 2nd Avenue in New York City. I entered the Equinox Gym and was greeted by the friendly staff at the front desk. There was music playing and so much going on that I thought that was the launch party but it was actually their own party celebrating their one year anniversary at that location. I ventured down three levels to the spa where the Tru Renewal launch party was being held. There was a display table with the Tru Renewal products on it that you could sample. The bubbly girl who asked if I wanted to try it was Ramona's assistant, Melissa Klein, who was doing a great job of getting people to let her put some of the cream on their hands to sample.




Melissa Klein and the Tru Renewal Products for sample

I entered into the room where the other guests were and saw the Bravo TV camera crew already rolling. I didn't want to interrupt so I held back a bit until I could go up to say hi to Ramona and congratulate her.


Ramona and friend, Melissa, conversing while cameras were rolling

There were plenty of appetizers for everyone and for drinks they had ice cold water with lemon and what kind of wine do you think they served? Well, Pinot Grigio of course! That's Ramona's favorite wine and I must say she has good taste because that's my favorite wine too! Massages and Tru Renewal facials were available and a percentage of all the spa treatments that evening were going to benefit the foundation "You Can Thrive!" which supports breast cancer survivors. It's great that Ramona could share with others on her big day.


Luana DeAngelis-Halpern, Founder of "You Can Thrive!", Annemarie Davin, FameHampton.com

Tru Renewal Anti Aging Skincare is a line developed by Ramona that has been 15 years in the making and I must tell you that it has been worth the wait! The Ultra Repair Cream with Algae Enzymes is to be used morning and evening. I can only imagine the results of long term use because just trying a sample sent my skin back to its youth. I have never tried anything that worked that fast! This cream repairs and protects your skin. The Oxygenated Algae Boost has many layers to it that when shaken all together, gently exfoliate the skin and regenerate the cells while at the same time smooth out expression lines. Stimulating collagen synthesis, toning and firming are other tasks this formula performs and there are no preservatives or chemicals.

One thing I'm finding more and more with myself and other older women is the puffiness, fine lines and dark circles around and under the eyes. Well I'm happy to tell you that the Ultimate Eye Repair with Retinal will help with these problems as well as firming the skin in the area. The liquid oxygen and micronized pearl for healing are two things that made me really want to try this product. The one complaint I have on my face is my eyes. I'm not 20 anymore but I don't have to look like I'm in my 40's either. I'm so glad Ramona made this one because I was really starting to think of alternatives that I didn't want to try. The great thing about this is that you pat just a little around the eye area. The Gentle Gel Cleanser with Algae Extract is a mild, foaming cleanser for all skin types and I'm even talking about those of you with irritable or sensitive skin. Some people use it once a day and some use it twice a day. It's all up to the individual. Testers were available and this really is a great product. I get complimented all the time!

I really think Ramona hit on every spot and every age with her product and I'm so glad she came out with these products. Throughout the evening you could try the products there and even purchase whichever ones you liked. I think if you're going to buy one, you should just buy the whole line since they all work together. That's how most ladies purchased the product.

And speaking of ladies, all the other New York City housewives were there to support their friend and castmate. Countess LuAnn de Lesseps and Kelly Killoren Bensimon walked in and were not hard to miss since they are both so tall. Jill Zarin floated in with a big smile as she always has on her face and Alex and Simon McCord were on hand as well and I really liked Alex's top that she was wearing. The Bravo TV film crew were there taping for the show and it all ran so smoothly. You would expect some chaos but everything was under control and I was happy to see that.

Kelly and Jill discussing the Tru Renewal products while cameras capture it all

There was one part where all the girls were talking and then someone had brought over a gift wrapped bottle of wine and presented it to Ramona. It was from Bethenny Frankel and Ramona called her to thank her. That's when Bethenny told her she was pregnant and of course that is why she could not attend but everyone was so happy for her.

Countess LuAnn and Alex having a discussion...hmmm...guess you'll have to watch the new season to hear what it was about!

Lots of people showed up for this great event and had a great time! If you want to purchase the line, you can log onto http://www.ramonasinger.com/  and click on the tru renewal link.

Mario and Ramona Singer, a fun and energetic power couple!


Laurie Lombardi, Dr. Sharon Giese, Annemarie Davin



Ramona Singer, Annemarie Davin

"Speed Grieving" Movie with Alysia Reiner...

Every day we hear of someone in the news who has passed away. It could be someone who’s a celebrity or just an average citizen that had a tragic death. We comment how sad it is and move on. We do this because we don’t really know these people and it’s just not close enough to us. But when someone very close to us dies like a family member or good friend, we have a different reaction. Each person is affected in their own way. We wonder who to go to talk about how we’re feeling and what we’re going through because grief and dying have always been subjects that aren’t widely discussed in our culture. It’s avoided when it can be and then we’re left feeling alone and hopeless.

Alysia Reiner, the actress and producer of the movie short “Speed Grieving”, lost her father when he was in his early fifties. To lose her father at such a young age was devastating but then to lose him so quickly within ten days of finding out he had cancer, sent an even stronger shockwave to her soul. Through what happened following his death led her to the idea of making this movie because the issue of death and grief should be talked about and dealt with.


Alysia Reiner in the movie "Speed Grieving"

I had the opportunity to talk with Alysia about the movie and was excited about this because like her, I feel this subject is not addressed enough in our culture as it is in others. She found out that her father had cancer and ten days later he died. She told me that the quickness of it all gave her no time to process what was happening. I really understood first hand what she was talking about. When I was sixteen, my mother had to take my father to the emergency room because he wasn’t feeling right and wasn’t sure if he was having a heart attack. The next day my mom said he was doing great and they wanted to keep him for observation. Later that evening, my mom called me at home to tell me that my father had gone into cardiac arrest and they were working on him. This was his second heart attack in ten years and the outcome wasn’t looking good as forty percent in total of his heart was damaged which is fatal. The helplessness I felt was overwhelming. I wanted to stop the clock and start bargaining with God to save him. I knew there was nothing I could do, so I gathered my sisters together and we started to pray for our father and for strength for all of us to get through this. Alysia and I spoke about our experiences with our fathers and what we felt at the time. You really don’t have time to prepare mentally or emotionally and you can’t process it fast enough. It’s not really happening yet it’s happening too fast. Things that seemed so important become petty. Who do you go to for advice and help?



Alysia Reiner and James Naughton in a scene from "Speed Grieving"



Alysia shared with me that her original idea for this film came to her in a dream with specific ideas of what to talk about. I don’t know about you but when she told me that, I was wondering if she realized that it was divine intervention at its finest that was happening. When something bad or dreadful happens to someone and they turn it around into a positive that will help other people, I believe this was in part the purpose of why they had to experience that situation. I believe that her experience had the purpose to make this film. You cannot understand what it’s like to lose your parent unless you have. The feelings and emotions you go through are unimaginable to someone who hasn’t lost either parent yet. I know that I could never imagine losing either of my parents until it happened. When you lose someone like that, it’s amazing who you can count on. “Sometimes people who you expect to be there aren’t and then strangers who you don’t expect to be there, are there”, Alysia told me and I emphatically agreed. When the chips are down it’s surprising who is there for you. Another thing that she touched on was that as a society, “America is youth based and afraid to talk about death.” She noted that the more we can talk about this subject, the less alone people will feel and how great it is to have a friend who will reach out to you. When funeral arrangements are being made and family and friends attend the services, you feel that support system. But the real challenge is after all of that is gone and you try to get on with your daily life while at the same time trying to deal with your loss. Who’s there then? That’s the time you really need someone and need the support and that’s when it matters who is there.

I am thrilled that this film was made because it’s not just a film that will be watched and then forgotten about. Alysia told me that they plan on using this film at hospitals, hospices and showing it to caretakers. They also plan to work with grief counselors and use this as kind of a discussion guide. This is phenomenal because when they started to go forward with making this film, Alysia couldn’t believe the outpouring of people who wanted to get on board and did come on board to help in making this film in honor of someone they love. So many things were donated from a person’s time to the chocolates that the crew enjoyed during their long hours of work.






James Naughton and Alysia Reiner in a dance scene from the movie

Our world is changing in regards to spirituality and death. There are many shows on television that deal with death as the next step and not as the end. More and more people are coming forward to talk about their experiences and are more open with their feelings. Both of my parents have passed and that was hard. But last December I had a very close friend who died that is the same age as me. That was a whole other situation as my mortality hit me right in the face. I could not imagine not being here right now. I was shocked but I wanted to be there for everything. The first night of the wake, there were so many people there and so many people I had not seen in a long time. My friends know how spiritual I am and that I talk about death and moving on like it’s nothing. There were people there who are the same way that I am and there were also people there who just don’t like to talk about it at all. Those were the people who were just outside the room and talking about what was going on with their lives or anything else but what was happening. Keeping what you’re feeling inside just brews and then one day you have a break down and you don’t know why. I was glad to see so many people inside the room talking about my friend Jeff and memories they had with him. Talking about it is a release and you’re sharing it with others who are going through the same thing as you are. If you have ever noticed that the people who talk about it move on in a better way or faster way than the others. Then when the others are ready to talk, it’s awkward because you have moved on from that stage.

People try to keep themselves busy so they don’t have to deal with the person who has just been taken from their lives. They try to speed through it which is why the title to this movie is so accurate, Speed Grieving. People need to confront their feelings as they’re happening. They need to really feel. That is what makes us human. I was sixteen when my father died and the first time I saw him lying there in the casket, I lost it. It was like the waterworks were turned on full force and they didn’t stop. My mom was so great because she just hugged me as we walked up to casket. She didn’t say a word because she knew I had to just get it out. My aunt on the other hand, ran over to us and wanted to take me to go sit down. It was like she was pulling me away from my dad. Then the words you don’t want to hear came out of her mouth,” It’s ok, come on let’s go sit down. Ok just calm down.” What? Are you serious? I just pulled away and said,”No! Leave me alone!” As much as I couldn’t take seeing him lying there, I had to. I had to because I needed it to sink in. I needed to feel the devastation and the reality that this was it, he wasn’t coming home and no matter that he looked like he was sleeping, he was not going to wake up.

The grieving also can come years later when you least expect it. I had shared with Alysia that about five years after my dad passed, I was watching the news and they were showing shoppers who were shopping for their dads for Father’s Day and out of nowhere I started crying. I guess it hit me all over again that I couldn’t go shopping for him and I wondered how many people took their dads for granted. Alysia knew where I was coming from with all the mixed emotions because with the loss of her father, she had all these feelings happening at once. It’s such a rollercoaster ride that she was on. One minute you could laugh about a memory you’re having and then the next minute you’re crying because you miss that person. We talked about how there are constant reminders around us all the time and there’s no rhyme or reason to things when it comes to death and losing someone who’s so dear to you. There’s no medical research that can say this is how we'll feel or this is how you will get through it. Though the death of her father was the saddest event that could happen, the happiest event took place when she gave birth to her daughter. Imagine dealing with the grief of losing your father and at the same time having such joyous feelings about your baby girl. One thing I really admire about Alysia is that this film is part of her grieving process. And to share this with the world is a gift that she is giving to everyone. When you go to see a movie, you always talk about it afterwards. The same applies here when you see this film. It will get people talking about their experiences and sharing with each other. “The main goal of this film is for people to feel free to feel all of their feelings” she told me because the process never ends.


Lucy DeVito and Alysia Reiner in a scene from "Speed Grieving"


She has done such a wonderful thing by making this film and sharing with everyone. When the day comes when you are confronted with a loss like this, I hope you will see this film. Even if you have not had to deal with a loss in your life yet, you should see this film. Everyone should see this film because it will help in so many ways. I hope that when people are attending the various film festivals that this movie will be shown at, that they will go see this. Death is not an end; it’s a transformation of our journey. Your human life on Earth will come to an end but your soul will go on to the next chapter. As a matter of fact, I’m finding that at the funerals I have attended in the past few years, people are actually smiling because instead of looking at death as a negative they are celebrating that person’s life. I think that is such a wonderful thing because their life should be celebrated through shared memories and speeches where people say good things about that person.

I remember asking my dad one time what kind of funeral he wanted and he told me. He didn’t tell my mother or anyone else so when we sat with the funeral director to make arrangements and the question was posed as to what kind of funeral to give him, my mom was at a loss for words. I looked around the room waiting for someone to say something and when no one did, I sort of started laughing and then all eyes went on me like I was crazy or something. I apologized and then said,”I’m so sorry I don’t mean to laugh but my dad is funny”. They all still stared at me. “I know what he wanted but I don’t feel right doing this”, I said. Then I went on to tell them that he told me that when he died, he wanted us to cry on the way to the funeral and get it all out. Then after he wanted us to celebrate and have a big party for him. He wanted us to have the party to celebrate the fact that he was going to a better place that was far better than any place on Earth. He said that he would be the one crying for us because we were stuck here and he got to check out. The room was quiet and there I was still kind of laughing at my dad’s views on life. Then it hit me that he was right and then I started to cry. Yes, that rollercoaster of feelings was happening again. So you see, it is so important for us to talk about this subject more because it is a release and a sense of healing for our own soul.

Talk more, share more and don’t look at death like it’s something that’s taboo. Youth is a state of mind and the fact is that we don’t remain young forever so enjoy your journey here for as long as you can. Take it all in. Feel the feelings that you’re supposed to feel because after all, you are human and one of the joys of being human is to feel both the good and the bad. Be free with who you are and don’t listen to what people say when they tell you to calm down. Cry your eyes out and feel the hurt because you can’t avoid it so you might as well deal with it. And always remember that there is no speedy process when it comes to grieving. Thank you Alysia for making this film and for sharing it with everyone.

http://www.speedgrieving.org/

"Desert Rose" Movie: True Story of Waris Dirie...

True stories usually make great movies and “Desert Flower” is no exception. This film was adopted from the book “Desert Flower” by Waris Dirie. The book as well as the movie is the true story of her life. Waris became a top supermodel despite coming from a line of Somalian nomads. Her roots had followed a ritual of female circumcision and arranged marriages. When she was thirteen she left her family and everything she had known to get away from marrying a much older man. She wound up in London, England where she worked and lived with her wealthy relatives. After a falling out with them, she tried to go it alone. She tried to make ends meet and even worked at a McDonald’s. She met and became friends with a woman, Marilyn, and through this friendship she realized that women in America do not go through the trauma that she did in her youth. She comes to realizations through being forced to relive her past as she is trying to move forward with a new life.




Fortunately she was discovered by photographer Terence Donovan and he helped her land the cover of the 1987 Pirelli calendar. This was the pivoting point that launched her modeling career and top designers such as Revlon, Chanel and L’ Oreal chose her for their ads. She has graced the runways in New York City, Milan, Paris and London and was in the most elite fashion magazines including Vogue, Elle and Glamour. She even had a minor role in the James Bond movie “The Living Daylights”.



Here is one of Waris Dirie's ads that she modeled for.

In 1997, Marie Claire magazine interviewed Waris where she revealed that she had undergone female genital mutilation, also known as FGM. This sparked worldwide media coverage and this was also the year that Waris became a UN Ambassador for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutation. The following year she wrote her book which became an international best seller. She was at the height of her modeling career at this time and she made the conscious decision to leave her career and concentrate on her efforts to end female circumcision. She also has a foundation that raises money for clinics and schools in Somalia called Desert Dawn Foundation.

The beautiful, brave and inspirational, Waris Dirie


Waris is a woman of inspiration for everyone. Her story is one of courage and willpower. In order to have her book come to life on the big screen, the search to find someone who could portray this fascinating woman was sought out in many different continents, including the United States. After literally spanning the globe, they found her in the talented Liya Kebede. Liya was born and raised in Ethiopia and shares some similarities with Waris. She is a supermodel that has appeared on numerous covers of fashion magazines including Vogue and has been in ad campaigns for companies like Revlon just like Waris. She was also appointed as the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. It’s interesting that she portrayed a woman who she has so much in common with.

One of Liya Kebede's many covers that she was on. This is Vogue Italia.

I thought that both women might have met before filming took place but I found out when I interviewed Liya that they actually met on the last day of the shoot. I also assumed that Liya was called to audition for this part but she informed me that she had heard about the role and decided to audition for it especially because she had read the book. I was impressed by that because this was a role she wanted not just something her manager called her with to audition for. I think that when an actor goes after a role that they are passionate about performing, the movie goers get to truly see that character come to life. This was definitely the case with Liya because her portrayal of Waris is outstanding! They had auditioned actors on every continent looking for the right fit and Liya was the right one for this role.


Liya Kebede as Waris Dirie in "Desert Rose".


I asked Liya how playing the role affected her as far as how she felt about the life of this brave woman. She said that it made her appreciate Waris more and what she went through. “It’s an incredible journey for women and very empowering for them” she told me. “Waris doesn’t become a victim of her circumstances” she went on to say and she also said that the movie raises awareness on an issue of something that has been going on for so long in the country of Somalia.


Another still from the movie of Liya Kebede as Waris Dirie


I asked about the FGM and why do they do it. She explained that marriage is the only way out for these women so when they become of age, this ritual takes place because the husband knows that the wife is clean and untouched. In some places in that country it is changing but it does still take place. Eventually it will stop as the women find other means of getting out besides marriage such as education. I was intrigued as Liya was telling me all of this because living in the country that we do, it’s hard to imagine that these barbaric acts take place. As I sat across from Liya, I really listened to what she was saying and it was sinking into my head that I am sitting with a woman who is giving back to the world in her way and who actually knows the fearless woman that this movie is about and what she went through. I started to think how far apart our countries are geographically but in reality how close we all are in being able to help people who go through such horrific circumstances. I can’t imagine what Waris went through and even though Liya is acting the part in the movie, I have to imagine that actually going through the same actions and motions that Waris did, has to have some impact on her psyche and emotions. That’s why I applaud both of these women; Liya for having the desire to portray this woman and being able to handle the role and Waris for her bravery to lead by example and show women that they don’t have to accept what’s expected of them, they can take a stand and become their own person.

I asked Liya what Waris thought of the movie and if she knew how she felt about it and was it hard to see it out there on the big screen. “Yes it was overwhelming for her to see it because it brought back memories of everything that she went through” Liya explained. I asked her what did Waris think of Liya being the one to play her in the movie and she smiled and said,” Waris told me I was so happy it was you.” Well I have to agree because even as you watch the trailer, you will want to see this movie. Liya’s performance has you believing that you are watching Waris first hand. This is a movie that is a must see for everyone but especially for women. When you find yourself saying that you can’t do something, or it’s too hard, or you can’t figure it out, just think of what this woman went through and you’ll realize that you can overcome anything at any age.

Below you can click on the first link to view the English version of the trailer. The next link you click on is an actual interview with the real Waris Dirie. Watch how Waris Dirie went from walking the sands in the Somalian desert to the catwalks of the fashion world. It will encourage you to go after whatever your dream is or empower you to walk away from your bad situation and change your life forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W3imc7BSzo. (this is the link for the trailer)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojRYxEseWa0&NR=1 (interview with the real Waris Dirie)

Hamptons International Film Festival at Gurney's Inn...

The Hamptons International Film Festival kicked off this year with the opening night film "The Greatest" starring Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon. The annual opening night party was held at Gurney's Inn in Montauk. Everyone had such a great time thanks to the HIFF and Gurney's Inn staff who always throw a terrific event! The opening night is usually held on a Wednesday night but this year it was on Thursday night since the festival is running through Monday instead of Sunday. The music kept everyone dancing and in festive moods. Thank you to the sponsors American Airlines, the Official Airline of HIFF, Altour, The Official Travel Agency of HIFF, Host Sponsor The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Patron Sponsors Silver Cup Studios, Babelgum, Saunders Realty, Roc, Lincoln Mercury and Ford Motors. Patron Media Sponsors Time Warner Cable, Fox 5 New York, Cablevision, 91 East Productions, IndieWire and Founding Media Sponsors WEHM FM, Beach 101.7, WBAZ FM and WVVH-TV Hamptons Television. The Maidstone, the Official Headquarters, Hampton Jitney, the Official Transportation and Regal Entertainment Group, the Official Theater Partner. Here are pictures from the opening night event at Gurney's Inn.

Pierce Brosnan, starring in the opening night film "The Greatest" and Ingrid Lemme, Director of Marketing and PR at Gurney's Inn


Stuart Match Suna, Chairman of the Board of the Hamptons International Film Festival and owner of Silvercup Studios with Director, Shana Feste of "The Greatest"


Venus Yunker and Paul Monte, General Manager of Gurney's Inn

Ingrid Lemme, Director of Marketing and PR of Gurney's Inn and Douglas Harrington


Annemarie Davin, Publisher of FameHampton.com and Terry Ross, Spanierman Gallery and owner of Second City CPR



Michael Wudyka, owner of The Enclave Inn and East Hampton Studios and Paul Fried



Lianne Alcon, Dan's Papers, Nancy Atlas, Singer, Nancy Keeshan, Keeshan Real Estate

Lauren Brodie and Ligia Bennett both of Elie Tahari in East Hampton



Jerry Desmond and Sarah Malone, General Manager of East Hampton House Resort




Annemarie Davin, FameHampton.com, Lianne Alcon, Dan's Papers, Janet O'Brien of Janet O'Brien Caterers

Candice Monte, Fitness Director of Gurney's Inn and Chip Monte, Executive Chef of Gurney's Inn

Amadeus Ehrhardt of Engel & Volkers, Goran Petmil, Producer of "Here and There" movie, Elva Guerra, Darko Lungulov, Director of "Here and There" movie, David Nemer, Producer of "Here and There" movie

Ingrid Lemme, Director of Marketing & PR Gurney's Inn, Annemarie Davin, FameHampton.com

David Lion Rattiner, Dan's Papers and Editor of Montauk Pioneer, Terry Ross, Spanierman Gallery

Annemarie Davin, Publisher of FameHampton.com and Tora Matsuoka, Owner of Sen Restaurant in Sag Harbor

Venus Yunker, Monique Wisniewski, Owner of SpaUnique, Rose Schwehr, Owner of Endz Salon, Wendy E. Reynolds, Sean Chankersingh, Heather Bee

Joyce Fawcett, Brian Carney, Actor Geico Commericals, Grace De Leo

Andrea Shapiro and Nancy Keeshan, Keeshan Real Estate

Herb and Evelyn Mocbeichel, both of The Montauk Sun

Christina Arnold, Charles Monaco of Gurney's Inn, Django Malone of Gurney's Inn, Chris Monte of Gurney's Inn, Dedrick Malone, Patty Collins Sales, Manager of Indian Wells Tavern

Amelina Siekluska, Photographer and Annemarie Davin, Publisher of FameHampton.com

TJ Clemente, Writer of Dan's Papers and Montauk Pioneer and Cindi Sansone-Braff, Author

Click on the you tube link below for a short clip that's posted on www.danshamptons.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onySXH6iTmg

Thank you to the contributing sponsors Bedell Cellars, Book Hampton, Corey Creek Vineyards, Design Within Reach, European Film Promotion, The East Hampton Star, Elie Tahari, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Gurney's Inn Resort and Spa, The Hollywood Reporter, Kodak, Marders, Nick & Toni's, Shine Global, Silas Marder Gallery, Stella Artois, Suffolk County National Bank, Vue, Dior Beauty, Georgica Restaurant & Bar, VISA Signature, Tiffany & Co and Worldwide Biggies.

Supporting Sponsors Amagansett Wine & Spirits, The Alec Baldwin Foundation, Andrea & Charles Bronfman Philanthropy, The Brizzolara Family, Crumpler, Dan's Papers, The Gallery in Sag Harbor, Governor's Office for Motion Picture & TV Development, Hampton Coffee Company, New York Observer, Nespresso, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development, Tate's Bake Shop, The Town of East Hampton, YMCA East Hampton, The Zankel Foundation, The Zicherman Family Foundation and The Jewish Center of the Hamptons.

"How To Live Forever" Movie Review....

If you were given a pill that would give you 500 more years to live, would you take it? Would you want it? This question was asked to several people in the movie “How To Live Forever” by director Mark Wexler. This question really makes you contemplate your life, your accomplishments, your mortality. As I watched the movie, I found myself reflecting on many facets of my life as well as the lives of humans in general. The search for how to live forever or at least as long as we can, was done in a fun and interesting way as Wexler takes us to places all over the world where we meet all kinds of people and are introduced to many factors of why people are living longer.

One major impact is our general belief system and its affect on our health. There are findings all over that whether you have a negative or positive outlook on life does have an impact on your health. Positive people generally live longer than those with a negative attitude. There’s a segment that shows the Ms. Senior America Pagent and every woman that entered it had a positive attitude and a lot of them didn’t look like they were in their sixties at all.

Years ago people thought forty meant your life would soon come to end. Nowadays forty is considered more of the middle of your life and sixty is still somewhat young. Your mental attitude is a big part of staying young. There was another segment where they were showing the people that made it into the Guiness Book of World Records and the people that lived way past 100 years of age all had generally positive attitudes and made the most of their genetic inheritance.

Your health and how fit you are, inside and out, is another factor. Jack La Lanne pioneered the fitness revolution and is still going strong. In the film he says," Exercise is King and nutrition is Queen. Put them both together and you have a kingdom." This is a good way of combining the two together that makes sense. Your body is your temple and the only one you have, so why wouldn't you want to treat your body like royalty? La Lanne just turned 95 years old and isn't stopping. I asked Mark what he thought of La Lanne and working out with him and one thing he loves is Jack's passion for what he does. "Jack is one of a kind and really wants people to be healthy", he explains. Jack continues working out every day and I didn't realize that he was responsible for the design of most of the gym equipment you see in the gyms today.

Here you see Jack La Lanne and Mark Wexler in the movie

Biologist Aubrey de Grey stated that "age is repair and maintenance". He compared the human body to that of a car or a machine. The body is a complicated machine but we are learning more and more every day and with rejuvenation therapies, we can see the chance for extending our lives within the next ten years. I asked Mark what he thought of this and also the fact of over population. "Death in other cultures is viewed very differently than how it is viewed here", he explained. "Our culture is youth obsessed and has a fascination with longevity", he went on to say. Some things that they are looking into are reducing our proportions per meal and calorie restrictive diets. Our society's proportions are out of control, children are even faced with obesity problems and diabetes, and our calorie intake is through the roof. I remember as a kid that we always got balanced meals and you rarely saw anyone overweight because everyone was always outside playing.

The computer age along with video games have made today's youth sloth ridden and all of this needs to change. I work out every day and have found it something that I look forward to. I also have reduced my calorie intake and proportions so I'm speaking first hand when I tell you that there is something to this way of thinking. In fact, Mark told me that even the health insurance companies are looking to increase rates for their obese clients. I thinkk this is a good idea because I think this would force people to get healthy. Now if everyone is healthy and fit and living longer, will we become an overpopulated nation? A good point that both Mark and Aubrey said was that it will work itself out because it always does. When the average life span went from 40 years old to 75 years old, they figured it out so in turn the same will happen as we extend the life span to 100 years old.

Cryogenics was another topic shown in the movie where people are currently having themselves frozen until the day when research can find a cure for whatever they have and bring them back. People are placed in sleeping bags and then are strapped in and stored at the facility. This really had me thinking two things. The first was that for the people that believe we all have souls and that when you die our sould leaves and goes to heaven, how could the cryogenic labs bring you back to life? Is your soul hanging out in heaven with everyone until it's time to go back into the same old body? The second thing I thought was even for people that don't believe that, the question still remains, how do they bring you back to life? If you're dead, you're dead. What if you were a coma patient? Could you take that body and freeze it until there was a cure thus leaving the soul intact? I asked Mark this question and he had a good point that the body would still die due to freezing to death. So again we are back to the same question of how do they bring you back? They still don't have an answer for this but are working on one so for now, people are paying for this and will wait until they figure it out.

The Japanese culture has always been known for having very long lives. Mark took a look at the Okinawan's way of life. He found that they do live longer and are healthier. They have a diet that is low calorie and nutrient rich. They have active lives through gardening, dancing, walking, daily things like this that are just part of their lifestyle no matter what their age is. They have a reason to get out of the bed in the morning and are relaxed and happy go lucky. They go at a slower pace than we do and I think that's one thing we have gotten away from in this country. Everyone's in such a hurry that it affects everything. The rushing itself is stressful, then you don't have time to make something to eat so you get something on the run that is usually not healthy, then you worked so many hours you don't have time or are too tired to exercise. The cycle continues day in and day out. No one stops to smell the roses anymore. Mark told me that he's finding that people are seeking alternative ways to relax and are trying to slow down a bit. He's finding that as people are getting older, they are trying to put things in perspective and slow down. I have to agree with him because as I talk with people, I'm finding the same thing. Maybe our society has found that it has come to a point where we are trying to put on the breaks before crashing. I really hope so. "The formula for longevity used to be 70 percent genes and 30 percent lifestyle", Mark explained; "Now they're finding that it's 70 percent lifestyle and 30 percent genes". Well, I'm not a scientist but this sounds about right to me.

Marge Jetton, 104 years old, shows us in the movie that she still works out every day

My father had his first heart attack at 38 years old and was supposed to be on a program of diet and exercise which he did but then eventually fell away from. At age 48, his second heart attack killed him. My mom had breast cancer and had a mastectomy along with preventative chemotherapy and was fine for five years. Then got lung cancer and died at 52. I was 25 years old and found myself thinking that if someone told me that I'd die at 52, what would I do with the next 27 years? I guess this question is much like the "500 year pill " question that Mark asked many people throughout the film. Well, I work out every day and before I could even do that, it took me four months to get my heart in shape to get on a workout routine. I will continue exercising the rest of my life because I will not die from a heart attack. They have also found that the fatty tissue in the abdomen area contributes to cancer and with breast cancer they are finding the same thing since they are made up of all fatty tissue. I've already made up my mind I am not dying from any kind of cancer so that's another reason I'm exercising and eating right. In fact, I am a very positive person, even in times when I shouldn't be and I have already "told' my body that it will not die from any disease or anything along that line. I will simply decide to check out and just go in my sleep. This is part of that positive attitude that has kept people living well beyond 100 years old.

Laughter and always moving forward are some other factors that contribute to extending your life. You've heard the saying "laughter is the best medicine" but I like to think that laughter is the best vitamin. I am constantly laughing and joking and surround myself with people that are the same way. Laughter yoga is something that is a new type of yoga that is becoming popular and people are finding that it's very releasing. How could it not be? When you laugh, it brings more oxygen to the brain. One of the gentlemen in the movie stated that a sense of humor is key and also don't hold any grudges. I agree on both accounts. I love to laugh and I don't hold any grudges because I deal with things as they come and confront then and move on.

Mark Wexler and Dr. Ellsworth Wareham, 94 year old surgeon still practicing

A 94 year old surgeon in the movie is still driving himself to the hospital every day and loves what he does. He said for him that when a chapter is done, he closes it. So here we see again that moving forward and not looking back are methods of someone who is still practicing medicine at 94 and watching this man, you can see that he is competent to do so.

Eleanor Wasson is a woman who said that life gets better after 50 because you don't care what people think, you're more secure with yourself and who you are. She's not really a believer in God or going to church (she thinks churches are too controlling) but she believes there are three laws you should obey. The first is cause and effect, second is free will and free choice and the the third is the law of love. I found this ironic that she really didn't really believe in God nor was she spiritual yet these three laws are things that I find highly spiritual people believe in. I think Eleanor has an innate understanding on longevity. She still has a drink and a smoke as do some of the other people in the movie that are over 100. Some of the people workout every day and keep themselves busy. Is there really one formula to living forever?

I think Mark did an excellent job in showing various situations with an array of people who share their lifestyles with us in this amazing film. There was not one moment that I was bored with this film and for me that is rare. I liked the segments and the fact that everything was so different. Different cultures, different people, different ways of living. One thing I was aware of is that people realize they have this one life and they try to live it to their fullest. These people are never bored and are always evolving. Moderation seemed to be apparent and I really believe their positive attitudes played a major role.

Like many of us, Mark has often reflected on this subject but when his mother passed away, it really brought this to the forefront and the movie was made. I asked Mark what does he hope people will take away from the film? "I hope it gets them thinking and feeling", he answered. Indeed the film definitely does this. This is a must see film and will affect everyone who sees it. You will think, you will feel and you will take a look at your life in so many ways. You will also be inspired by the many people in this film. There are more segments in the film that I didn't touch on because I want you to see this for yourself and I hope it affects you the same way it has affected me. Reflect on your life and if you aren't living your fullest life, you certainly will after seeing this. I think people will make changes to their lives for the better and you'll be happy you took the time to see this film.

To see the trailer and more information, click on www.liveforevermovie.com