Spring ahead with a fun and flattering pair of workout capris from Margarita Active Wear. Color and prints are back in a big way and these are great for running, yoga, the gym or any active wear. Durable Quality, Details and Comfort with a cute daisy logo. This product is made in Israel with a Brazilian style cut for added flair. Once you try on a pair you’ll be hooked.
No small feat to chic. I didn’t say it would be easy. This goes to prove the best body and the best wardrobe is unattainableJ’Adore DIOR
I love books, I love coffee, I love tables, I love style, I love books about style on coffee tables while drinking a cup.
Faking French can be done…with lotsof a little help & a cigarette.Gotta love the Nerve!Well at least I can read. How will I manage to pull off this look with a Sheltie who walks with his nose to the ground? Muses learn to develop style. They are INspirations after all. Think Kate Moss.
RECIPE below. Truffles are a type of subterranean (it sounds alien like) mushroom. Truffles are difficult to find and very expensive as a result! Therefore the oil seems like a less expensive option. I prefer white because it’s not as strong as the black version.
I like this from Alba -approx. $25.00
Truffle oil is a finishing oil not a cooking oil. Truffle oil is created when truffles are soaked (infused) in olive oil & used to enhance foods by adding it after preparation. Before commercial truffle oil was introduced in the 1980s, chefs in Italy and France traditionally made their own by steeping tiny bits of fresh truffles in high-quality olive oil. You can buy a truffle oil for as little as $12 but the best ones will run you a bit more. Prices vary.
Things I’ve grown to love about truffle oil:
First off that it reminds me of something else I really love – truffles (I mean the chocolate variety especially laden with alcohol). I love the word truffle – it sounds fluffy.
A little goes a LONG way. One bottle will last months.
How putting a little on your veggie sandwich or eggs brings on a whole new flavor.
How topping your pasta with the oil makes it just perfect.
How topping your grilled steak with it makes it “just what the doctor ordered” (minus the fat).
How topping your pork chop or roast makes it ideal as you can then use less mushrooms which are wonderful with pork. I think you get the picture!
The ingredients to make the truffle oils are cold-pressed and not chemically treated. This means smaller batches of truffle oils are made, and the oils are rarely processed by heat.
I have one tiny dislike about them – the fact that they use pigs to sniff them out – it sounds dirty.A hunter will use a staff to force the pig to back off, once the pig has located a truffle. Can you imagine doing all that work and not getting a piece of the action?They use dogs too because dogs apparently love truffles. I think they should reward the animal used with at least one truffle treat – I would give them more before saying “that’s enough now, we need to make oil.”
Cost: White truffles cost from about $1000 to over $2000 a pound, and black truffles cost from $300 to over $600 a pound. This is approximately what the better eateries have to pay to get them. Don’t expect to be seeing them in the produce department of your neighborhood grocery store anytime soon…or ever.
Truffle Trivia: Let the dogs do the trick. In Italy, truffle dogs are trained in several steps. First, the dog is taught to retrieve a rubber ball. Next, a small bit of smelly Gorgonzola cheese is substituted for the rubber ball. After the dog has learned to retrieve the cheese, the cheese is hidden, forcing the dog to sniff it out for a reward of food. Finally, a small truffle is substituted for the cheese. The dog is trained to fetch, then dig up the truffle.
What about you? How do you use truffle oil? Do you prefer black or white?
Asparagus with White Truffle Oil Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2 pounds asparagus
For the White Truffle Oil Vinaigrette:
2 Tablespoons White Truffle Oil
1.5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Champagne Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon (preferably Fleur de Sel or Maldon) Organic Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Combine ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Gently steam asparagus until just cooked through. Plate and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Adjust salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serves 6-8.
Fashion fades, only style remains the same – Coco Chanel
Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma
God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on trying other things – Pablo Picasso
Comments below taken from REUTERS reporters…..
at the GLOBAL LUXURY and FASHION SUMMITin fashion capitals ranging from Paris to New York. Here are some memorable quotes from the summit (like being a fly on the wall – we can Yvesdrop a little):
CARVEN CEO HENRI SEBAOUN: On DESIGNERS’ CREATIVITY –
“There has been a big gap between what was done in the studio and clients’ expectations, but a new generation of designers is now trying to reconcile creativity and clients’ needs.”
SOCIETE DES BAINS DE MER CEO BERNARD LAMBERT: ON PROVIDING GOOD SERVICE:
“It’s a smile at reception, calling the guest by their name, serving breakfast on time, not making any mistakes with the bill.”
PARMIGIANI FLEURIER CEO JEAN-MARC JACOT: ASKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF HIRING GOOD STAFF –
“There’s experience and there’s conscientiousness. Conscientiousness is harder and harder to find. It’s the culture of constant channel-hopping.”
FASHION DESIGNER DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: ON FASHION DESIGNER JOHN GALLIANO (previously with Dior) –
“It’s very unfortunate what happened, the state he was in, the stupidity that came out of his mouth, the fall. But it’s not just in fashion that you fall. Strauss-Kahn had a bigger fall.”
“I wanted to be an independent woman and I wanted to be in control. I became that woman through fashion … Everything about my life is all about the same thing. It’s about empowering women.” my side note:I met DVF one night at a nightclub in New York – many eons ago. The friends she sat with offered me some champagne and a seat beside them. She was once on the cover of “TIME” Magazine with her famous wrap dress. One I tried very unsuccessfully to copy in a sewing class. A testament to things that look simple but are not. ALL women look good in THAT DRESS.
LE PRINTEMPS CEO PAOLO DE CESARE: ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY – “Higher-end customers don’t want to trade down. Maybe they delay the purchase a little, but they stay with the brand. Even if times are tougher, they stay with the brand.”
“Russians are coming back. There is a clear correlation between the oil price and the number of Russians coming to our stores.”
BARBARA BUI (BBUI.PA) DEPUTY CEO JEAN-MICHEL LAGARDE – “I have the impression that many brands are re-centering their production in Europe. Many people tried to make shoes in China and it didn’t work.”
YOOX (YOOX.MI) CEO FEDERICO MARCHETTI – “Russia will be a very promising market, probably faster than many other markets like India. I think Russia is probably around the corner, while India is a few miles far from being a really interesting market for luxury goods.”
“Opening in China was a big challenge. We had to check 103 to-do-list items. From big issues to small issues. It’s definitely not an easy job to localize in China.”
Fashion is something that comes after style – John Fairchild quote
chocolate, men, coffee – some things are better rich.
I don’t know about you, but I start all of my mornings with two cups of Bodem (French Press) coffee with 2 tsp. of organic cane sugar (I’m refined until it comes to sugar) and cream. Not going to compromise on the cream. For the added calories I’d rather have that than watery tasting coffee with skim milk anytime. I’ll have to cut calories elsewhere. Maybe ½ tsp. less sugar or honey – but honey doesn’t really replace sweetness in coffee the same way sugar does. Oh well…
And who invented decaf? What purpose does it serve?Decaffeinated coffee is the devil’s blend. It’s not even that the taste of coffee is so amazing it’s only to WAKEUP! But I do like the taste and smell of freshly ground organic coffee beans…..even if it’s a morning ritual while checking mail and catching up on others’ daily blogs while drinking the stuff. I’m not looking to replace that. Even fresh juice or smoothies don’t replace it – it’s just an ad-on to the morning ritual. I know it’s good to switch up the workout routine now and then but NOT my mornings. Typical morning: roll out of bed, quick stretch & brush teeth (can’t even drink coffee without first brushing), lazily make my way downstairs to a Bodem just waiting anxiously for me to press down on. S L O W L Y beginning to wake up. Second cup – finally awake. Then it’s usually off for either a run or yoga class before coming back to shower and start the day……..I’ll spare you all the other amazing details of the rest of my day.
Okay so while drinking my morning java the other day I came across an interesting article on the health benefits of caffeine (and happy I’m so healthy as I sip and read). DID YOUKNOW that for all the potential benefits of coffee – from decreasing your diabetes risk to protecting against Parkinson’s – research now shows that the brew isn’t without its dangers? Luckily there are simple ways to avoid them. So before your next cup…. Spoiler alert:
You should use a paper filter if you have HIGH CHOLESTEROL. Every cup of unfiltered coffee (think my French press daily habit) contains cafestol – the most potent cholesterol-elevating substance we know of in the human diet, according to researcher Marie-Louise-Ricktts, PhD, of the University of Nevada, Reno. One study found that drinking roughly four eight-ounce cups of French press coffee every day for four weeks could increase your cholesterol by about 8 percent. To remove most of the cafestol, brew your coffee with paper filters (single-serve options like Keurig K-Cups, already have them built in), because they’re more effective at removing the compound than permanent metal filters. Ooops……I’ll have to go back to my “one cup” with the natural paper filters at least a couple times per week….just incase.
If you’re at risk for developing HEART DISEASE switch to decaf. Sorry for putting you down decaf. Caffeinated coffee may increase your odds of having a heart attack if you already have three or more heart disease factors (such as being overweight, smoking, or having high blood pressure). Caffeine will cause your blood pressure to briefly spike, and when you already have plaque buildup in your arteries, this can loosen and block blood flow, leading to a heart attack, explains study coauthor Ana Baylin, MD, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Even small amounts cam be harmful.
If you experience ACID REFLUX– brew a darker roast. Dark coffee may taste strong but according to one study, they’re gentler on your stomach. The roasting process produces a compound that slows the production of stomach-irritating acid according to researcher Veronika Somoza, PhD, a professor in the University of Vienna’s department of nutritional and physiological chemistry. Darker brews are roasted longer than their lighter counterparts.
If you suffer from INSOMNIA know when to say when. Conscience keeps more people awake than coffee. The time it takes for half of the stimulant to leave your body is between four and seven hours. Okay now there’s even an app (surprise, surprise) called Caffeine Zone 2so you can enter how much coffee you drink and the app will predict how long your buzz should last. What did we do when we didn’t have apps?
I hope you find this helpful & interesting and that I didn’t spoil your day. What about you? What gets you off and running to start the day?
Also: **Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad King for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST onVoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.
If you were in need of a gift for any person or occasion; didn’t have either the time to spare or the inclination to venture out into the vast shopping universe yourself and don’t mind paying a bit more for the stress-free convenience of having another person do the work for you, then you should hire a professional.
I’m talking about a personal shopper now referred to as your “personal buyer“. Somebody who will care to take the time to carefully choose the perfect gift (be it clothing, jewelry (albeit more personal), chocolate, beauty products, perfume, books, toys….the list goes on – even BIG toys). Everything with a money back guarantee and assurance that any discount or savings will be passed on to you, the customer. Also someone who can choose a card, gift wrap it “even in a brown paper bag” & ship to recipient if need be and remain discreet. Personal buyers are more and more in demand as people’s busy schedules don’t allow for the extra time it takes to go searching. If major department stores like Bloomingdale’s have personal shoppers WHY NOT YOU?
We’re finding out more and more people don’t like to SHOP. Some even break out in hives!
This is done by first filling out a short questionnaire based on your needs and then a follow-up with the P.B. calling or e-mailing you back to discuss & finalize details and making payment convenient with any credit card through secure paypal method.
Both the customer and recipient have to be satisfied.
What do you think guys/girls – would you do it or do you know someone who would? If so, here’s a convenient link:
More and more women are choosing gorgeous underwear as one of life’s little luxuries. Need is debatable, it’s about enjoyment.
From the jf couture collection. With lingerie a woman can feel special every day.
Name me one woman who doesn’t love lace? For every one who does not, there are 1,000 more who do. It’s been in fashion forever. It’s so pretty and feminine that it’s no wonder season after season, lace is featured on catwalks from New York to Paris.
Italian Silk & Tulle with French Lace – handmade in Buenos Aires by jesus fernandez collection
While these exquisite lingerie sets are not your typical everyday wear (but why not?) for most, wearing them brings you up a notch in the glamor department or at least it makes you feel that way which is the most important.
Chantilly Lace and a Pretty Face makes for a winning combo
Chantilly handmade lace is known for its fine ground, outlined pattern and abundant detail. Today’s resurgence in fashion for all things bedecked with ribbons and bows have hip lingerie designers turning to vintage details for their divine INspiration.
Italian Satin & embroidered French Lace. No wonder she’s smokin HOT!
From the jesus fernandez (made in Buenos Aires) RETRO collection – *french sizing. Available in very limited supply at http://www.intrigueimports.com
*Make sure to check the sizing chart on website for the equivalent North American sizes.
We’re celebrating GLOBAL STYLE with elegant ethnic prints. They were everywhere to be found on the Spring/Summer 2013 runways but they mostly remain constant.
The world just got bigger. Remember when you bought that exotic colorful dress and jewelry on one of your faraway travels? Remember once home you couldn’t wait to wear them only to feel they just kind of looked out of place? Now in fashion you can incorporate almost any fabric into your look and not feel too out of touch. Have a look at some recent trends….
Vancouver – Sunday, May 5th
PROVIDING a SERVICE
So, how do you like all the choices? I personally love to incorporate a little something African, Hispanic, Indian or Asian inspired – it makes for an interesting mix and makes the world go round.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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