Information - Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

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Vol.4 No.2
Boomers
Risk
Retirement
Supporting
Adult
Children
Auto Show Muscle Mania!
Boomer
Travel:
Find Your
Beach
Old & New
Muscle
Dominate
Top Auto
Shows
Lifestyle
Trendz:
Going to Pot?
Boomers
and
Marijuana
Rx
Boomer
Healthy
Eating:
Kick start
your day
with
Quiche
F– Being Old: ‘The Villages’ People have Reinvented Retirement!
Today’s BoomeR
Featuring The Only B2B -Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!
Up Coming CruisesBook Now!
Romantic Rhine River Journey
Credit Union Growth Forum
June 25-July 6, 2015
Deep Amazon River Exploration
Credit Union Competitive Edge
Forum
August 7-August 16, 2015
Spanish Mediterranean Odyssey
Credit Union Volunteers
Symposium
August 16-August 27, 2015
Canada/New England Fall
Foliage Cruise
Credit Union Winds of Change
Symposium
September 26-October 2, 2015
WWW.EDUCRUISES.COM
2 Today’s BoomeR
This Issue
March / April 2015
Volume 4, Number 2
Boomer Travel
5
Find Your Beach
Boomers Risk Retirement
Supporting Adult Children
9
Boomer Consumer Watch
11
12
Spring into Stress-Free Retirement
Old & New Muscle
13
Dominate Top Auto Shows
Boomer Healthy Eating
18
Start Your Day with Potato Quiche
Lifestyle Trendz
21
Going to Pot?...Boomers and Marijuana Rx
New Blog: F-Being Old
22
’The Villages’ People Reinvented
Retirement
B2B Marketplace
Founders: John Vardallas & Alexandra Maragha
Editor-In-Chief: Alexandra Maragha
5 Senior Discounts to Avoid
Social Security
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Business 2 Boomers Marketplace
Contributing Writers :
Bob Trotter: Social Security
Chef Eben Atwater: Healthy Eating
Advertising: Team
For Letters to the Editor, articles and feedback
as well as advertising inquiries email
[email protected]
The American BoomeR.com
John Vardallas
CEO/Founder Professional Speaker
Business/Lifestyle Strategist
Boomer Sage and Blogger
[email protected]
(608) 577-8707
Alexandra Maragha
Founder & Editor-In-Chief Today’s BoomeR
[email protected]
Today’s BoomeR Vol.4 No.2 Today’s BoomeR is published
six times (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct,
Nov/Dec) a year by The American BoomeR.com
769 North Star Drive (Suite 207) Madison, WI 53718 All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission
is prohibited.
The American Boomer
@American_Boomer
Today’s BoomeR 3
EDITOR’S LETTER
’s
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To
Newton’s Law
Let the ease of warm winds lift you up and into motion this spring.
In this issue, our feature report from The Barrett-Jackson Auction and Chicago Auto Show, two of
the country's most well known and biggest auto shows, again demonstrates that Boomer buying
power and influence are not to be underestimated from American muscle car manufactures. With
an old classic going for a top bid of $5.1 million, the 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake is a
legend that continues as the new 2015 Mustang was voted MotorWeek’s “Best of Year” Driver’s
(feature)
p. 10
Choice Award.
Wherever you decide to move for your spring vacation, we have the best beaches around the
world to help you “Find Your Beach” as you travel. If you are searching for a more permanent
move for your golden years, our boomer blogger John Vardallas took a trip to The Villages, where
retirement communities have been reinvented to active moving cities! Keep your finances moving
with positive numbers as you retire with ways to avoid risk by supporting your adult children,
watch out for senior discounts that may not be all that they seem, and manage your Social
Security stress free. And last but not least, Boomer Chef Eben Atwater has a potato quiche to start
your day and get moving in our Boomer Healthy Eating.
As days get longer, grass greener, and skys clearer, let this time of year bring you to enjoy
something longer, keep your wallet a little greener, have your dreams and goals clear in mind and
p. 4
keep moving forward!
And always remember :
“An object at rest will stay at rest. An object in motion will stay in motion...” -Sir Isaac Newton
p. 12
4 Today’s BoomeR
Alexandra Maragha
Editor-In-Chief
Send Letters and Feedback to: [email protected]
Find Your Beach
Best Beach Awards 2015
travelchannel.com
BOOMER TRAVEL
Just when you’re daydreaming of getting away to somewhere warm, we give you 10 times the
beach inspiration. We sifted though the sexiest beaches and island vacations to narrow down
the nominees for the Best Beach Awards 2015 in 10 categories, including the Best Party Beach,
Best Family Beach and the Best Beach You Haven’t Heard of … Yet.
Each winner was chosen by our expert panel of advisors including Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
Model Nina Agdal, professional kitesurfer Chris DuComb and Travel Channel’s resident beach
host Marianela Pereyra.
Sexiest Beach: Miami Florida
You don’t have to leave the East Coast to slip away to this year’s sexiest beach. An easy getaway from New York,
Miami has everything you need according to Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Nina Agdal. “Soft sand, beautiful
warm water, interesting people, volleyball and fun spots to go to for a bite or a beverage nearby” says Agdal. Plus,
“it’s acceptable to wear tiny bikinis.” Whether you’re reveling in South Beach’s legendary nightlife or sleeping off
the night before in a private cabana, Miami is the place for hot days and nights.
Best Unusual Beach: Santorini Greece
Named the “No. 1 most spectacular getaway on earth” on Travel Channel’s 101 Sand ‘n Surf
Hot Spots,
Santorini’s
Today’s
BoomeR
5
Red Beach is also the Best Unusual Beach, thanks to its striking crimson and black volcanic sands. “Set off by the
and catch an unrivaled sunset over the whitewashed buildings and
blue-domed churches.”
Best Romantic Beach: Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, British
Virgin Islands
“The crescent-shaped beach at Little Dix Bay is the epitome of
barefoot elegance with its palm-lined half a mile of white sand,” says
luxury travel writer and founder of Chic Family Travels Tamala
Prickett. Characterized by pristine, private beaches, exclusive yacht
clubs, hidden coves and luxurious resorts, the island invites romance
– and you’ll find it’s worth the price. Check into the 5-star Rosewood
Resort, originally owned by Laurence Rockefeller, and you’ll discover
why the timeless romantic retreat has earned a fiercely loyal
following. “It’s common to see couples having a candle-lit dinner on
the beach arranged by the excellent hotel staff,” says Tamala. “It’s a
scene right out of the The Bachelor.”
Best Beach for Adventure: Praia do Futuro,
Fortaleza, Brazil
Characterized as one of the
windiest places in the world,
Fortaleza draws extreme
sport enthusiasts from
deep indigo waters, there’s really nothing like it” says Sara Gilliam,
across the globe. “Whether
senior producer for TravelChannel.com. “To do Santorini justice,
you're a kitesurfer,
check in to a chalky cave house built into the lip of the volcanic crater windsurfer or someone who
just wants to be close to the
action, Futuro Beach will not
disappoint,” says professional
kite surfer Chris DuComb. “On
a daily basis, athletes reach
speeds of over 40mph and
boost over 100ft in the air.”
On the off chance the wind
isn't blowing, you'll find
athletes and beachgoers
congregating at the many
sand volleyball courts.
Best Beach Bar: VICE also
known as Nissakia Surf
6 Today’s BoomeR
Club, Artemida, Greece
“In Artemida, Greece, a seaside
town better known to locals as
Loutsa, VICE is an epic beach bar
situated on one of the most
active shorelines in the country,”
says Chris DuComb. Tucked away
20km outside of Athens you
won't find many tourists at VICE,
but you’ll be met with a serene
shoreline and mountainous
backdrop. The bar features local
dishes like grilled octopus and
spins the most current, upbeat
music attributing to the lively
atmosphere. “Local kite surfers
and windsurfers frequent views, but also absorb the vibrant pink, yellow and blue colors of the
this hidden gem for the
surrounding vegetation,” says Sara Gilliam. “In fact, Atitlán is Mayan
warm water, local food, for “where the rainbow gets its colors.”
delicious drinks,” says
Chris.
Best Beach You Haven't Heard
of ... Yet: Lake Atitlán,
Guatemala
The Best Beach You Haven’t
Heard of … Yet does not find itself
alongside an ocean, but the most
beautiful lake in the world.
Situated in the highlands of
Guatemala, Lake Atitlán is Central
America’s deepest lake. “Nestled
in the valley of 3 volcanoes (one
of them still active), you’ll not
only take in peaceful volcanic
Today’s BoomeR 7
Best Beach Boardwalks: Coney Island, NY
If you don’t consider a boardwalk a boardwalk without
kitschy shops and Atlantic Ocean views, than Coney Island
is your quintessential American beach boardwalk. With
extensive renovations in 2010 (Luna Park) and 2012 (after
Hurricane Sandy), Coney Island has returned to its former
glory. “Bring the family and enjoy rides, fireworks, shows
and plenty of food all summer long,” says Sarah Fazendin,
family travel blogger at A Week at the Beach. Coney Island
manages to feel like a seaside escape and yet
quintessentially New York.
Best Party Beach: La Barra, Punta del Este. Uruguay
This lush getaway spot, which used to attract the likes of
Bridgette Bardot and the Rat Pack, is still bringing the party.
“Rage with socialites and celebs alike at Bikini Beach in La
Barra, Uruguay” says Marianela Pereyra, host
of Marianela’s Beaches. “With a name like that expect lots
of skimpy tops and supermodel bodies blessed with perfect
tans.” This small strip of sand in Punta’s trendiest neighborhood is known for its upscale 24-hour fiesta, where no one
finds a siesta necessary and the beautiful landscape keeps
you going long after the sun goes down comes up.
Best Family Beach: Seaside, Florida
“Seaside is a beach community located near Destin, FL, but
could not be more different in its features,” says Tamala
Prickett. In place of high-rise condos, you’ll find pastel
colored houses lined with white picket fences and beach
cruisers. “Families love to vacation in Seaside as it is
commonplace for children to jump on a bike to grab snow
cones from an air stream trailer on the way to the beach,”
says Tamala. As night falls, families cover the
amphitheater with picnic blankets to enjoy outdoor
movies and live music.
Best Exotic Beach: Ihlabela, Brazil
Ihlabela, Portuguese for “Beautiful Island,” is Brazil's largest
island and a coastal Atlantic rainforest filled with more than
400 waterfalls, mountain peaks, incredible wildlife and
tropical fauna. “It's without a doubt one of the most
beautiful natural paradises,” says Marianela. 85% of the
island is designated in Ilhabela State Park, which includes a
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve to protect the ecosystem.
Beyond its natural beauty, tourists revel in Ihlabela’s
popular sailing week, exploring underwater wrecks and the
legends of pirate treasure.
8 Today’s BoomeR
Boomers Risk Retirement
Supporting Adult Children
By Carol Hymowitz, Bloomberg News
?
said
Cathy Egan has been supporting herself since she was 18, Pamela
Villarreal,
when she worked as a waitress in Minneapolis. Her 23year-old son lives at home and relies on his single mother a senior
for transportation, food, and other expenses. Egan, now fellow with the National Center for
Policy Analysis in Dallas. “The more
50, began putting money aside for retirement only five
boomers put out for adult kids, the
years ago, after she started working as a licensed
practical nurse for the Veterans Health Administration — less they can put aside for themselves,
which is scary as they live longer and need savings to last
her first job with benefits.
them into their 80s and 90s.”
More than a third of adult millennials receive regular
financial support from their parents, and one in five still
live at home and pay no rent or expenses, according to a
November 2014 survey by Bank of America.
It isn’t just the unemployed or the low-paid who are
needy. The poll, which had 1,000 respondents ages 18 to
34, found that among those earning more than $75,000 a
year, 25 percent had their parents pay for groceries at
some point and 21 percent got money for clothing.
Brett Goldstein, a financial adviser in Jericho, N.Y., hasn’t
had much success dissuading clients from prematurely
Although she also has a son in high school, the single
mother can’t bring herself to cut off her eldest, who earns withdrawing money from their individual retirement
accounts to cover expenses for grown children.
$8.50 an hour plus tips delivering takeout orders part
time for a restaurant in St. Paul. “Right now, I’m still the
“I’ve learned it’s very hard to get between a parent and
supporter,” she said.
his or her children, even when the parent has very
Baby boomers are putting their retirements at risk by
spending too much on their adult children. With real
wages stagnant and unemployment among those age 16
to 24 running above 12 percent, large numbers of
households continue to dole out cash to children no
longer in school, covering rent, cell phones, cars and
vacations.
A July 2014 survey by American Consumer Credit
Counseling, a Boston nonprofit, found that one in three
U.S. households assist adult children financially - compared with one in five supporting elderly parents.
“This is putting a huge wrench into retirement savings,”
modest savings,” he said. One client in his mid-50s
recently withdrew $32,000 from a $140,000 IRA account
to pay for his daughter’s wedding. Another couple with
IRA accounts totaling about $200,000 cashed out $61,000
to help pay for their daughter and son-in-law’s first home.
Parental largesse doesn’t have to reach such extremes to
be potentially harmful. Consider that couples age 55 to
64 had just $111,000 in savings for retirement in 2013
(the median balance in 401(k) and IRA plans), according
to the Federal Reserve’s most recent Survey of Consumer
Finances. That will amount to a little more than $4,000 a
year in retirement, assuming an annual 4 percent withdrawal rate. If parents have money left over each month,
Today’s BoomeR 9
they should be maxing out their contributions to 401(k) plans or paying down mortgages or other debt, not subsidizing
their kids, financial advisers say.
“You can’t take out a loan for retirement,” said John Sweeney, executive vice president for retirement and investing
strategies at Fidelity Investments. “So the less well-off you are, the more you have to say to grown children, ‘I don’t
have it to give.’ ”
Gillian Anderson, head of Anderson Wealth Management in Westport, Conn., said so many of her clients are helping
their 20- and 30-something kids financially that she advises other parents who consult her to budget for the possibility
that they may have to do the same.
“It runs the gamut from giving regular allowances because millennials often aren’t earning enough to cover rent and
food, to help with legal bills if a child is going through a divorce, to occasional payments for a coat or plane ticket,” she
said.
Whatever the reason, this prolonged support is squeezing even affluent boomers. A 48year-old woman in Westport, Conn., sheepishly admits that she and her husband, a
finance executive, give their 22-year-old daughter tens of thousands of dollars each year
to supplement the $30,000 she earns as a writer at a beauty website. The money covers
her share of the rent on a Brooklyn apartment, her frequent use of Uber car services,
clothing purchases, and regular manicures and pedicures.
“I tell my daughter, ‘We’re going to help you, but do you really need to buy $4 lattes every day and $14 kale salads?’ ”
said the mother, who didn’t want to be named because she doesn’t want to embarrass her daughter or her husband.
“When I was 22, I ate pizza every night.”
Egan is also torn. “I wanted to give my boys more help than I got growing up,” she said. She makes about $23 an hour
working a 5:30 a.m.-to-2 p.m. shift at a VA hospital in Minneapolis and earned about $50,000 last year, including
overtime. Egan puts 3 percent of her income into an employer-sponsored savings plan, which gets matched, and has
accumulated about $15,000 so far. She’ll also be eligible for a small pension if she continues working for the federal
government for at least another five years. She knows she’s a long way from having enough to retire comfortably. “I
don’t want to be a burden on my kids,” she said.
Fidelity’s Sweeney said it’s a bad idea even for affluent parents, to fund their adult kids. “Giving them tens of thousands
of dollars a year for apartments, cars, and restaurant meals sends the message that you’ll keep paying for a lifestyle
they can’t afford on their own-and you probably can’t or don’t want to fund forever,” he said. “Better to teach them to
burn less than they earn, and save all you need for a long old age.”
Top 5 Things to Avoid Further Retirement Risk
From www.TheAmericanBoomeR.com
1. Make sure you have enough money to take care of your long term healthcare.
2. Don’t feel obligated to fund your child or grandchild’s college education. Young people have duration (time on
their side) and resources such as loans, grants, scholarships.
3. Do not enable your children by funding their fun life. ie: Cell phones, happy hours, vacations, etc.
4. Establish financial and social ground rules for multi-generational living in one household.
5. Don’t feel guilty about putting your immediate needs over your children’s potential needs.
10 Today’s BoomeR
BoomeR ConsumeR Watch:
5 Senior Discounts to Avoid
Older adults sometimes can get better deals by opting for rates or discounts that are available to all ages.
By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com
Most money-savvy adults know that they can take advantage of
discounts once they reach a certain age -- starting at 50 but usually 60
and older. Some of these senior discounts represent outstanding
bargains. Take, for example, the National Parks and Federal Recreational
Lands Senior Pass, which costs just $10 and gives adults 62 and older
lifetime access to 2,000 national parks and recreation areas. There's an
additional $10 processing fee if you order through the mail, buy you can
avoid the fee by purchasing your Senior Pass at one of these locations.
But there are plenty of so-called special senior rates that aren't that
special because there are deeper discounts for the same goods and
services available to the general public. Here are five senior discounts
that older adults shouldn't always say yes to because they could be
missing out on better rates. Plus, we've identified a strategy for doubling
up on some other popular senior discounts.
Attractions
Many museums, theme parks and other tourist attractions offer
discounted rates for seniors. However, older adults should check for
other non-senior discounts before flashing their photo ID or retirement
group membership card at the ticket counter. For example, in Boston the
New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Skywalk Observatory,
Museum of Fine Arts and Harvard Museum of Natural History all offer
special rates for seniors. It would cost a total of $89.95 to buy discounted
senior tickets to visit all five attractions. But seniors can visit the same five
attractions for just $54 by purchasing a regular adult Boston CityPASS.
CityPASS, which offers discounted admission to popular attractions, is
available for 11 major North American destinations.
(membership is $16 a year) get discounts of 5 to 20 percent at several
hotel chains ranging from Best Western to Wyndham. The discounts
apply to the best available rates offered by the hotels and can't be
combined with other discounts.
If seniors always default to these discounts, though, they'll at times miss
out on better rates offered by discount travel Web sites and apps. For
example, the senior discount rate for a one-night stay on Feb. 28 at the
Holiday Inn Nashville is $252 -- the same as the advanced-purchase rate
for anyone. But we found a room at that same hotel on Feb. 28 for just
$177 on discount hotel-booking site Hotels.com.
Phone Plans
Some wireless service providers offer plans available exclusively to adults
of a certain age, touting that the price is lower. However, adults that
meet the age criteria might be better off with plans that are available to
anyone. For example, Verizon's Nationwide 65 Plus Plan, available to
customers 65 and older, charges $29.99 a month for just 200 "talk"
minutes. You'll have to pay extra, though, for text messaging and a data
plan. For example, it costs another $20 for unlimited messaging and $30
for 2 gigabytes of data -- for a total of $79.99 a month. However, a
standard single line plan with unlimited talk and text and 2GB of data
costs $75 a month (or $60 if you purchase a smartphone through the
Verizon Edge plan).
Rental Cars
You occasionally also can find better deals than the senior discount rate
for attractions and tours on daily deal sites such as Groupon and
LivingSocial. For example, we recently found a Groupon deal on
admission for two people to tour the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, a World War II
Liberty ship, in San Francisco for $12. That's $4 less than the price of
admission for two with the discounted senior rate.
AARP members can get discounts of up to 25 percent on Avis and Budget
car rentals when using a code provided by AARP and booking through the
rental companies. But book through a deal aggregator such as
Hotwire.com, and you can save even more. For instance, when we
compared prices for a one-day rental from Miami International Airport,
we found that the rate listed on Hotwire for an economy car was 22 to 31
percent lower than the discounted rates offered through Avis and
Budget. Hotwire often offers the best published deals on cars by
collecting rates from its eight rental-car partners including Alamo,
Enterprise and Hertz.
Checking Accounts
A Trick to Double Up on Discounts
Before you sign up for a senior checking account, compare it with the
bank's basic checking option. A Pew Charitable Trusts study of checking
accounts offered at the 12 largest U.S. banks and 12 largest credit unions
found that some senior accounts actually cost more than basic accounts
unless the customer maintained a high balance.
In some cases, the special deals that are available to anyone can be
paired with a senior discount to score even bigger savings. One way to do
this is with discount gift cards. Websites such as CardCash, Cardpool,
GiftCards.com and Raise buy gift cards at steep discounts from people
who don't want them and resell them for less than face value. For
example, you could purchase a $25 gift card for $20 -- an instant $5
savings. Then you can use the discount gift card to pay for something at
the senior rate, so you're taking advantage of both the gift card discount
and the senior discount at the same time.
Hotels
Some hotel chains including Holiday Inn offer discounted rates to
travelers 62 and older. And AARP members who are 50 and older
Today’s BoomeR 11
Social Security:
Spring into a Stress-Free Retirement
By Bob Trotter, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
Spring is around the corner! As we say “goodbye” to winter
address and phone number,
weather hardships and “hello” to gardens budding with vibrant change your electronic payment
color, we welcome the season by celebrating Stress Awareness method, and obtain an instant benefit verification letter and
Month in April.
replacement SSA-1099/1042S.
You can easily sign up for my Social Security at
www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
If you’re thinking about retiring at an age not shown on your
Statement, reduce the stress of the unknown by using our
Retirement Estimator. The Retirement Estimator allows you to
calculate your potential future Social Security benefits by
changing variables such as retirement dates and future
earnings. You may discover that you’d rather wait another year
or two before you retire to earn a higher benefit. Or, you might
see that this is the season for you to kiss that work stress
goodbye and retire right now. To get instant, personalized
estimates of your future benefits, go to
Did you know that stress, also called the “silent killer,” could
www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
cause heart disease and high blood pressure? Recognizing the
When you decide it’s time to start receiving your retirement
sources of stress is the best way to understand how you can
benefits, the application process is far less stressful now that
start eliminating factors in your life that put unnecessary strain you’re prepared. You can securely apply online without picking
on your body and mind.
up the phone or leaving your house. Simply go to
Social Security wants to make your retirement planning as
www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline, and, in as little as 15
stress-free as possible, which is why we have a number of
minutes, you can breeze through our online retirement
online tools available for you. You can create your own secure,
application.
personal my Social Security account from the comfort of your
Our website and online tools are always available. You can
living room and avoid unpleasant traffic and a possible long
enjoy Social Security’s stress-free
wait in one of our field offices. Once you have a my Social
retirement planning tools any time
Security account, you can view your Social Security Statement,
of the year, giving you more time
verify your earnings record, and find out what to expect in
to enjoy these warmer months.
monthly benefits if you retire at ages 62, 67, or 70. Once you
Doesn’t that put a spring in your
begin receiving Social Security benefits, you can use my Social
step?
Security to check your benefit information, change your
12 Today’s BoomeR
Old & New Muscle Dominate Top
Auto Shows for 2015
By John Vardallas, TheAmericanBoomer.com
The new year has started out hot for car loving boomers despite all the cold and snow around the country.
The early year car shows have drawn thousands out of their winter doldrums to gawk and gear up for the new
auto makes, models and trends of the season.
And even though this is the "year of the sheep", baby boomers are anything but sheepish regarding their retro
auto mindset and new vehicle spending.
Today’s BoomeR 13
Barrett-Jackson January 2015
Scottsdale, Arizona
Barrett-Jackson, known as "the world's greatest collector
car auctions", was attended by thousands of baby
boomers who made the pilgrimage to Scottsdale, Arizona
to dream, participate and buy in what can be described as
the Mecca of American Classic Car Shows. By far this is
the most comprehensive nine days for true classic and
retro car lovers and serious car buying collectors from all
over the world.
This year's show broke the record by selling more than
$130 million dollars worth of vehicles, the most in the 44
year history of the show with over 1,600 vehicles sold.
The Ron Pratte Collection brought in over $40 million in
vehicle and automobilia sales. Automobilia sales alone
tripled world records, totaling over $6.55 million. Also
attending were hundreds of auto related vendors, ride &
drive demonstrations, seminars, food and beverage tents,
and least not to mention a live bull riding challenge.
14 Today’s BoomeR
Barrett-Jackson Auto Show
Top Five Cars Sold:
1. 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake
-$5.1 million
2. 1950 GM Futurliner Parade of Progress
Tour Bus -$4 million
3. 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special
Motorama Concept Car -$3.3 million
4. 1949 Talbot-Lago T-26 Grand Sport Franay
-$1.65 million
5. 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 Roadster
-$1.595 million
Celebrities like NASCAR racer Jeff
Gordon and the Gas Monkey Guys
all were spotted checking out rides
during the show. The one stand
out note to self that this observer
took away from the show is Finish
& Chrome is everything…..the
finish and chrome on the BarrettJackson vehicles was truly pristine
and separates a simple sweet ride
from an ultimate classic!
Chicago Auto Show
February, 2015
The Chicago Auto Show is the
largest and oldest auto show in
the USA and has been showcasing
America's new vehicles since
1901.
Held at the McCormick Place, it
boasts the largest square footage
of cars under one roof in the
world.
This year's show was no
disappointment. For baby
boomers, there was plenty of
retro new muscle showcased. The
Big Three Detroit automakers
highlighted some of the coolest rides
ever. Continuing in the return of the
new muscle car theme Ford, General
Motors and Chrysler did not let
consumers down for 2015.
Horsepower was in the air and
permeated all pavilions!
At the top of the muscle car chain
was Chrysler celebrating its 100 year
anniversary by introducing the new
Dodge Hellcats in its Charger and
Challenger Models. These 707
horsepower retro style rides are the
Today’s BoomeR 15
Chicago Auto Show “Best of Show”
fastest production cars ever to roll off an assembly line. At
0-60 in 3 seconds, these auto beasts (along with the SRT
and available in a variety of colors) will really tempt
contemporary muscle car enthusiasts, especially now with
gasoline prices are heading south.
These Dodge "bad boys" are eye catching and will be
rocking the roads of America.
General Motors, not to be outdone, displayed the finest
array of Chevrolets and Cadillacs this attendee has ever

Best All-New Production Vehicle: Ford GT

Best Concept Vehicle: Toyota FT-1

Best Green Vehicle: BMW i8

Best Exhibit: Ford

Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway:
Ford Mustang GT350
Each of the first four winners beat out seven other
vehicles. The eight finalists in Best All-New Production
Vehicle, Best Concept Vehicle, Best Green Vehicle and
Best Exhibit were selected by a jury of automotive
experts. In the fifth category, "Vehicle I'd most like to
have in my driveway," voters could choose from any of
the hundreds of vehicles on the show floor.
According to the results, voters considered the Ford GT
Mustang the Best All-New Production Vehicle. Though the
GT was a run-away favorite, the Acura NSX and MercedesBenz AMG GT also garnered a considerable number of
votes, finishing second and third, respectively.
The BMW i8 took the honors for Best Green Vehicle. The
unique hybrid-electric sports car can reach 60 mph in less
than four seconds, has a top speed of 155 mph and a
cruising range of 300-plus miles.
Best Concept honors went to the racy Toyota FT-1. The
striking coupe is a considered to be a forbearer of a soonto-be announced Toyota sports car. A close runner-up for
Best Concept was the ready-for-production, four-door
Buick Avenir.
Taking top honors as Best Exhibit was Ford. With its new
GT as a centerpiece, the Ford display was consistently one
of the most popular at the show.
Every year the tightest race of all is the pick for “Vehicle
I’d most like to have in my driveway.” This year was no
different as the Ford Mustang GT350 and Bugatti Veyron
battled neck and neck to the last day.
The awards for Best of Show will be presented at the
annual Midwest Automotive Media Association Spring
Rally, held annually at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.
16 Today’s BoomeR
seen. The highlights were the new Corvette Z-06, the
Camaro Z-28 and the Cadillac CTS-V sedan, all showing
off their supercharged high performance engines and
sleek body styles.
Ford was not to be forgotten when it came to their
array of high performance muscle rides. MotorWeek
voted the new 2015 Mustang with the “Best of Year”
Drivers Choice Award. The 6th generation original pony
car packed both with style and muscle really roared
during its burn-out demonstrations.
Also, perhaps the most talked about at the show, the
new Ford GT will be a car to be reckoned with in the
future.
The new trucks from all manufacturers were a huge
part of their offerings, with this year's models
designed to be lighter and more streamlined aimed at
becoming the new generation of family and working
SUVs. The Ford 4 Series, the Chevy Silverado, the
GMC Canyon and the Dodge Hemis have all upgraded
their styling and appeal. The Chevy Colorado was
voted Truck of the Year.
High tech and All Wheel Drive were very much a
highlight for many of the new models. Gone are the
days of CD Changers. Bluetooth, I-Pod stations, WI-FI
hot spots, Self Park and Apps for starting and
unlocking your car are in. Dash display screens do
everything short of driving the whole way for you.
AWD is not just for SUVs anymore. Tons of models
and body styles from all manufacturers were
showcasing this added safety feature on their
vehicles.
Foreign car manufacturers also showcased their high
performance rides. The BMW i8 series, the Jaguar F4
series and the new Mercedes and Lexus Coupes were
all standouts.
Needless to say the Chicago Auto Show gave
thousands who attended a preview of the cool new
vehicles hitting the road this year. This event should
be on all car enthusiasts "bucket lists" for the future!
Today’s BoomeR 17
BOOMER HEALTHY EATING:
Kick Start Your Day with
Quiche
Recipes and Photos from
Chef Eben Atwater
www.urbanmonique.com
Breakfast is the meal we love best here, and that’s where I do some of my best work.
Here's a recipe for a signature dish that I literally worked on for years before offering here.
It is incredibly good, fun to make, very impressive visually and unbelievably delicious. Ladies
and gents, I give you the potato crusted quiche.
Quiche is a member of the custard
family, of course, which
encompasses everything from
crème brûlée to the savory
breakfast variants, like frittatas and
tortas and quiche. Eggs are a
perfect food, and quiche is the best
possible savory application utilizing
them that I can think of.
As with all things custard, there are
a few little touches that will make
the difference between good and
great;
1. Bring your eggs and cheese out
with enough lead time to have
them pretty close to room
temperature before you mix
and cook.
2. Scald your milk before you mix – In a sauce pan over
medium high heat, until tiny bubbles form right
around the very edges of the milk, then take it off the
heat and let it cool a bit; this helps things made with it
to cook quicker and more evenly in the oven.
3. Blend your egg-milk mixture well. the more it is
blended, the smoother your custard will be – Use an
immersion blender if you’ve got one, a stand mixer or
blender if you don’t.
For the Crust:
1-2 potatoes
1/2 Cup shredded Swiss Cheese
2 Eggs
18 Today’s BoomeR
Sea Salt and fresh ground Pepper
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Grate about 2 cups of your favorite hash brown potato;
Russets are most traditional, but any high-starch potato
will do fine. Transfer the grated potato to a mixing bowl,
and cover the potatoes completely with ice cold water.
bottom and sides. Form the sides of the crust over the
height of the pie pan, as they'll shrink a bit during blind
baking.
Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 400° F, until the eggs
have set and the cheese has melted slightly; this is
important, as it forms an impermeable layer for the egg
mixture to come.
Remove from heat and reduce baking temp to 350° F.
For the Filling:
3 large Eggs
1/2 Cup Swiss Cheese
1 Cup Whole Milk
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon fresh Chives
1/4 teaspoon granulated Garlic
1/4 teaspoon granulated Onion
Sea Salt and fresh ground Pepper
Let them stand for about 5 minutes, then strain out the
water, and refill the bowl with ice water again, and allow
a second 5 minute soak.
Drain the potatoes into a single mesh strainer, then grab
handfuls of the shredded spud and wring the water out of
them. Transfer the potatoes to a dry bowl.
Add the grated Swiss and crack the eggs into the mix as
well, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Combine
everything thoroughly by hand or with a wooden spoon.
Lightly coat a pie pan with olive oil, then spread the crust
into the pan by hand and form a nice, even layer on
Today’s BoomeR 19
Bonus: Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars
Bottom Layer:
½ Cup Unsalted Butter
¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
5 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1 large Egg
1 ¼ Cups Graham Cracker
Crumbs
½ Cup Almonds
1 Cup flaked Coconut
Scald the milk and set aside to cool a bit.
Cut the cheese into roughly 1/2″ cubes. Chiffenade the
chives.
Whisk eggs briskly, then add sour cream. Add the milk
slowly, to temper the mixture and avoid cooking the
eggs prematurely. Blend all very well with an immersion
blender.
Add seasoning and mix well.
A classic quiche is simply eggs, cheese, and some
seasoning, but you can certainly add more as you desire.
Avoid ingredients that hold a lot of water, like tomatoes,
as they'll tend to make your final product runny. If you
wish to add things like ham or onion, it's best to lightly
sauté them first, which will concentrate flavors and drive
off excess moisture prior to baking.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350° F, until the quiche has risen
nicely and is golden brown on top.
Remove from heat and allow a 10 minute rest, then cut,
serve and enjoy.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 ounce of butter, then
add the almonds, and sauté until golden brown. Remove from
heat and allow to cool. In a food processor, add graham
crackers and process to a rough crumb. Add the almonds and
coconut and pulse to a fine, even consistency. In a double
boiler over hot, but not simmering water, melt and combine
the butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. Add the egg and stir
gently but continuously, until the blend is thoroughly heated
through and the begins to thicken. Remove from heat, add the
wet to the dry mix, and incorporate thoroughly. Press the mixture into an ungreased 8″ x 11″ pan; your base layer should be
roughly 1/2″ thick. Slide the pan into the freezer while you
work on the next layer.
Second Layer:
½ cup Unsalted Butter
3/4 Cup fresh Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Sour Cream
1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk briskly to a creamy consistency. You want to incorporate enough air
to notably lighten the feel. Taste and adjust proportions so that
you taste peanut butter over sweet for this layer. Spread
evenly over the bottom layer, then return to the freezer.
Third Layer:
4 Ounces 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate
2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
Pinch of Sea Salt
In a double boiler over medium low heat, melt the chocolate.
Cut the butter into roughly 1/2″ squares, add a couple at a time
and let them melt and incorporate before adding more. Finally,
add the sour cream and salt and whisk to an even consistency.
Remove from heat and allow to cool until the blend starts to
thicken. Pour and spread evenly over the second layer. Chill the
bars in the fridge for at least 2 – 4 hours before cutting into
roughly 2″ x 4″ bars. Bars will be good for at least a week
refrigerated, but there’s no way on God’s green earth they’ll
last that long.
20 Today’s BoomeR
New Cannabis Search Engine Targets Baby
Boomers
SAN FRANCISCO, March 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -While US marijuana laws change and society retracts
itself from previous prohibitionist attitudes, the baby
boomer generation is consuming cannabis at a higher
rate than ever before. As of 2013, 44% of adults between ages 50 and 64 reported
using marijuana, up from 9% in
1985, according to the Gallop
Poll. Weedy.com is the newest
dispensary discovery website
specifically catering to the
medical marijuana needs of the
baby-boomer generation.
organized information surrounding medical marijuana
for the common individual. Being a medical marijuana
patient himself, Mr. Hunt states: "I was really sick and
needed another alternative, and there was no
information to be found online for patients. We built
this platform so that patients like me can get the
resources and information they need on how medical
marijuana may help them, and where they can access
doctors and dispensaries."
Weedy specifically caters to the baby boomer
demographic. "The Boomers are an untapped market
especially for the cannabis industry. Boomers are the
80 million people aged 50 to 64. 70% of disposable
income in the US comes from this group," says Hunt.
"The baby boomer demographic is turning to cannabis
for 3 key reasons: Pain Management, Rising Health
Costs, and simply living in an Empty Nest where they
can be free to use marijuana again."
Weedy welcomes patients, doctors, and cannabis
educator as well as general enthusiasts to explore
Weedy.com as a resource and learn all the medical
marijuana benefits. SOURCE Weedy.com
Weedy.com (Weedy) is the first platform released by
Green Web Services, Inc., located in Silicon Valley, CA,
founded by Ryan Hunt, Charlyn McNamara, Trang
Nguyen and Noosphere Ventures. Focused on
consumer education, Weedy allows users to search for
doctors, strains, and dispensaries for medical
marijuana from any geographic location. Medical
marijuana has largely been stigmatized in the United
States especially amongst baby boomers. Weedy was
deliberately created to fill the void in the lack of
education within the medical marijuana space, and to
counter that stigma with information—and an
abundance of it. The education-based platform
connects patients to dispensaries and provides
in-depth information regarding which strains and
methods aid various health problems.
CoFounder of Weedy, Ryan Hunt, created Weedy
because he found there isn't enough documented and
Today’s BoomeR 21
F– Being Old
The Villages People
Have Reinvented
Retirement!
The Villages is
broken into three
themed community
town centers acting
as the maypole of
activity for residents
and guests. Each
town center acts as
its own local
neighborhood hub
for activity offering
By John A. Vardallas
Founder/CEO, TheAmericanBoomeR.com
What has 200,000 legs and thousands of activities a
month? It’s not a retirement center—it’s an active
hometown community called The Villages. This
privately owned and operated community founded by
the Harold Schwartz family is located about one hour
north of Orlando and is an amazing retirement
destination thriving in the heart of Florida s citrus
groves area. Yours truly had a chance to visit this
complex to see first-hand how and why boomers and
retirees are reinventing the aging process as we know
it—and this planned community lifestyle seems to be
working out fine for its residents, families and friends.
shops, numerous
church and religious denominations,
eateries, movie
theaters and town
square types of
outdoor activities.
Concerts and events
with vendors are
weekly common
The Villages is a community of more than 100,000
attractions for all to
retirees from all around the U.S. who have come
partake. The Villages has its own radio
together to form what only can be described as a "back and television station, web page and
to the future" lifestyle for us 50 plus crowd. And you
daily newspaper.
don’t call it a retirement center, it’s an active lifestyle
Residents live in 5 types of home
community with the moniker “Florida's Friendliest
(cottage, patio, villa, designer and
Hometown”.
premier) neighborhoods to choose from
Included in this thirteen by five mile piece of terra firma at a variety of (may I mention affordaare grocery stores, shopping, fast food and restaurants, ble) price ranges. Many of the home's
schools, hospitals, clinics, nightly entertainment and
garages even include a golf cart
recreation activities, all on steroids geared for us older parking stall for those who choose to
boomers and our senior peers. The Villages even has live on a golf course, while other setits own postal zip code.
tings include ponds or cul-de-sac
neighborhoods.
Ages of the residents range from the late 50s into the
90s, so for many, it’s the last stop on the moving train
The real draw to this boomer/senior
of life.
"mecca" is the vast number of activities
offered to fit all types of residents.
There are miles of bike trails and 27 golf courses in The
Villages, with many of them executive championship
caliber and no membership fees to the country clubs.
Residents can golf free for life. Each week over 1000
indoor and outdoor activities and events are offered at
the recreation centers and on property! There is a
performing arts center as well as professional polo
matches and numerous special events offered monthly.
The mission statement of Recreation News, published
every week reads, “To create and implement excellent
recreational opportunities that promote an active &
22 Today’s BoomeR
healthy lifestyle”. And folks take their recreation very
seriously—“motion is lotion” to all who inhabit The
Villages!
There are around 2,000 clubs and more sports teams
that folks could join per capita than any other place I
have ever experienced. So if you don’t find your activity
here, you will never find it. Activities like bocce,
shuffleboard, tennis, pickle-ball, rollerblading, croquet,
lawn bowling, cards, bingo, chess, mah-jongg, ballet,
billiards, badminton, basketball,
softball, horseshoes and hulahoop are plentiful.
Specialty clubs that anyone with a
likeminded interest can join
include: art, dance, Doo-whap,
sailing, cricket, hiking, soccer,
water skiing, woodshop, acoustic
guitar, Beatlemaniacs, baton
twirling, belly dancing, Bluegrass,
Boomer loomers, Bunco, Bonsai,
favorite car and sports team clubs,
Gold Wing, Italian and Greek
American and other ethnic clubs,
polka and Tai-Chi as well as a
Villages Losers club for those that
want to
continue their
weight
watching
activities.
There is even
an outdoor
archery and
shooting
range.
(Romeo) which gave the impression folks were hooking
up for social companionship on a regular basis.
During my visit and having met 65 year old twirlers who
were excited about cheering for their favorite
teams and senior members of the pickle-ball and
softball teams who ride bikes and golf carts to games
on property, I left with the thought The Villages might
be the kind of place where I want to be when the end
comes. For active lifestyle and like-minded Boomers,
The Villages is a one of its kind final living destination.
But watch out for the golf cart traffic jams that can
occur during the happy & dinner hour (4pm) and last
call is 9pm!
For more information check out www.thevillages.com
Upon
observation,
and after
several interviews with
residents one could not
help but notice the higher
percentage of women
living in The Villages. I
was told there was a 7 to
1 ratio of women to men.
Also, there are a good
number of singles clubs
available to join like
Boomers or Jewish
Today’s BoomeR 23
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Today’s BoomeR 25
B2B—BUSINESS 2 BOOMERS MARKETPLACE
The Marketplace for Everything Boomer!
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B2B—BUSINESS 2 BOOMERS MARKETPLACE
(262) 716-4301
Peggy Smithson
[email protected]
The Marketplace for Everything Boomer!
Today’s BoomeR 27
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