Who said wearing exposed zippers was not in style?
Cynthia Rowley Double knit and leather, $199; cynthiarowley.com.
Someone in my own family said that. They suggested I get rid of an exposed-zipper skirt when I was last clearing out my closet and it wasn’t because the skirt no longer fit or the material was not good. It was because of the zippers which this normally fashion-conscience person (who will go unnamed) said was no longer in style. I’m happy to say I did not listen to such bad advice from somebody whose opinion usually matters…especially since there are many other exposed pieces in my wardrobe that I think look pretty cool.
Zara Faux-leather, $40; zara.com.
You get the idea. Exposed zippers are where it’s at right now, and how you’re going to make your basics stand out against the crowd.
Rag & Bone Cotton, polyester, and lycra, $253; aritzia.com.Oasis Leather, $160; oasis.andotherbrands.com.
Rebecca Taylor Polyester, rayon, and spandex, $177; rebeccataylor.com.
It’s hard to create a new design element on standbys. So often, stocking up on the basics becomes boring. We try to look out for a different detail, whether that be of color or print, and find the same old same old. So that’s why exposed zippers on everything from sexy minis and shift dresses to blazers and shells give us goosebumps. It’s a way to inject an unexpected element into your looks without having to overthink it.
Ted Baker London Cotton, lyocell, and polyurethane, $325; tedbaker.com.
Take a black romper whose pockets have been highlighted with exposed zippers and you’ve got a piece that can be worn to a cocktail party, the club and to less conservative offices with a cardigan and belt. A zippered ankle on a pair of leggings gives them all that much more credibility in the “Are they pants?” debate.
If you can’t get to Tuscany…warm up to a simple, hearty blend of tangy tomatoes, rustic bread and fresh herbs. This is a classic Italian dish which means to say – not at all fancy. It is all about simplicity and good ingredients. It’s worth splurging on richer olive oil for recipes like this and a chewy, unsalted white bread instead of whole wheat (which has a distinctive flavor that won’t marry well with the ingredients).
I just had a request for making a rich tomato soup. My friend and I were served a delicious sampling from a food truck after our run the other day & I forgot how good something like this can taste. Not reserved for only cold days. This is something I’ve made while camping (in the Eurovan). This delicious Tuscan recipe is originally from the popular restaurant I Sodi in New York (see below).
3 slices day-old White Peasant Bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
3 cups Vegetable Stock (water is okay but I prefer the stock)
Olive oil & basil leaves for garnish
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, basil and sage, and cook for 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bread and stock (or water). Return to boil and reduce heat. Stir, breaking up bread with the back of a wooden spoon. Let soup simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into soup bowls, drizzle with additional olive oil and garnish with basil leaves.
TIP: It makes a tasty compliment to light choices – a tossed salad or grilled fish. You can use canned tomatoes providing they’re a superior brand – organic & peeled are best.
A word from I Sodi
Rita Sodi grew up on a little farm North of Florence, Italy, and almost everything her family ate was made from the farm, prosciutto, salami, wine, vegetables…and this food was very important for the family. They were not allowed to miss any meal. Rita’s mother, Elena, always told her to drink wine because it “makes good blood” and do not eat Prosciutto without bread. When she finished art school she began to travel for her work in the clothing business and at that point she really started to appreciate the simplicity of her mother’s food and the way she cooked. For ten years she traveled from Florence, Italy to New York, Los Angeles, Asia and Australia. Year after year, wherever in the world Rita found a kitchen, she began to cooked her Mother’s food. Friends filled her kitchen and sat at her table, her passion was born.
Address: 105 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014
I’m No ANGELIT’S NO SECRET that Victoria’s Secret represents one of the world’s sexiest and most popular lingerie brands. But it’s more than that.
Now the successful company has opened a Vancouver location at Burrard & Robson – the world’s second largest Victoria’s Secret store after the one in New York City. The store is located inside a historical building that once housed the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library before the library branch relocated in 1995 to its current location seven blocks down Robson Street. Before being converted into a Victoria’s Secret, 750 Burrard Street served as flagship stores for both Virgin Music and HMV.
my kind of dressing room
The two-storey, 35,151 square foot store carries a sexy, glamorous, sophisticated yet classic look. It features over-sized custom chandeliers, lingerie inspired detailing, iconic supermodel imagery, a glamorous mirrored grand stairway and dramatic floor to ceiling video screens.
impressive staircase
The store features all of the chain’s most loved lingerie, body care and scent collections, including Bombshell, Very Sexy, Dream Angels Heavenly, Victoria’s Secret Angel, VS Fantasies, Victoria’s Secret Sport and Swim, as well as the new Body by Victoria Collection. In addition to everything else, this Vancouver store also includes a 7,000 square foot Victoria’s Secret PINK for girls & younger women.
Loved the well-designed layout, friendly staff and lots of things – but walked away with only a few comfy loungewear items…for now. Then for the first time ever, went home to watch the over-the-top but still fabulous VS Fashion Show everyone keeps talking about…wearing my limited edition oversize SEXY (because it says so) sleepshirt.
What do you like the most about Victoria’s Secret?
I tried meditating to reduce stress but realized wine works better & quicker.Sorry for all those weird posts last night. Apparently wine hacked my account!
All in good fun folks….and a little element of truth!
Winter Vitamins and Minerals!Flu season is here, and combined with the holidays, does not make for a great combination. To avoid getting sick maybe we can consider adding a few supplements to our list of what we ‘should’ do to keep from getting colds, etc.
Medical experts recommend that, first and foremost, you meet all your nutritional needs by eating a healthy diet. But that’s not always possible, especially when the chilly weather’s got you craving macaroni and cheese guilty in lieu of fish and salad. Combine winter’s shorter days with less fresh and diverse produce, and chances are you’re just not getting enough of a few key vitamins and minerals. Here are a few important ones that you may be missing out on. Always ask your doctor whether you should consider adding these supplements to your diet.
VITAMIN D – on average only 68% of Canadians have blood concentrations of vitamin D that are sufficient for bone health, according to stats Canada. But in winter, that drops to 60%. This is because Canadians need to be exposed to sun for the body to produce the vitamin, and we simply can’t make enough of it in winter. Vitamin D is a key nutrient that helps the body use calcium and phosphorous to produce strong bones and teeth. It improves the function of muscles and may help to lower the risk of cancer and diabetes. Aside from taking a Vitamin D supplement, also consider boosting your intake with fortified foods such as milk, yogurt and some calcium-fortified orange juices.
CALCIUM – important for keeping our bones and teeth healthy and also helping support muscle and nerve functions. Like vitamin D, calcium is needed to keep bones and teeth strong and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Aside from taking a supplement, try to eat foods rich in calcium which include milk or milk alternatives such as yogurt, cheese, fortified soy beverages and dark green veggies such as broccoli and spinach.
Oops!
IRON – an important mineral to help carry oxygen to all parts of the body. A low iron count can make you look pale and feel weak and irritable, along with many other unwanted symptoms. Our bodies cannot make it so we require it from our diet. Without iron, our body cannot make healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to our tissues and vital organs. Foods rich in iron include fish and seafood (such as shrimp and scallops), lentils, beans, and meats such as duck, liver and beef.
FISH OIL (omega-3 fatty acids) – are healthy fats that cannot be made by the body. We benefit from omega-3 healthy fats for our brain, nerve, and eye development. They also lower the risk of heart disease. Research is being conducted on whether omega-3 fats also play a role in lowering the risk of cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and depression.
The best source? Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, arctic char (similar to salmon) including all the ones I don’t like….like anchovies, sardines, herring and trout. Look for a mercury-free fish oil supplement with a Natural Product Number (NPN). You can also add flax seeds, walnuts, soy products and omega-3-enriched foods such as eggs and milk to your list. AND if you want to have a healthy treat at the office, this seems like an un-messy way to eat an orange for that extra dose of Vitamin C – which can’t hurt either. Of course you need to keep a knife at your desk.
Just saw this on Yahoo. For the ones that are obviously not so easy to peel.
The answer is YES…but WHAT CONSTITUTES A LUXURY WINE?
Melee Grenache 2010. Rated 93 points for 24.99. Napa Valley, Ca. Bought at Costco.
Let me WINE all I want! This was a long read so I condensed it as much as possible (from an article by Rod Philips ‘Into Wine’) so you get the picture.
Being offered a premium wine for $12 a bottle might sound a bit like being offered some prime swampland at a knock-down price. Premium has the ring of quality about it, and many people might well think of premium wines as including first-growth Bordeaux and Super Tuscans, wines that often sell for hundreds of dollars a bottle on release, and much more for older vintages.
Reserva 2007 from Spain rated 93points and a fantastic deal from Costco (in Tucson) for only $9.99. You just can’t beat that!
Infact, a $12 bottle of premium wine is a common proposition in many wine stores because the world of wine segmentation (the division of wines into categories for marketing purposes) often defies common sense. Although premium wine sounds like it would be high quality, it is actually the bottom rung of a ladder that has super-premiumand ultra-premium above it. But there are no standard definitions for any of these categories. See guide below.
Categories make these wines sound like the choices you get at the gas station, and they have nothing to do with quality, but all to do with price. Listen to this: a premium wine that over delivers for its price could be of higher quality than some super-premiums. Now I don’t think that’s the same for gas….just saying so you don’t go filling up your tank with the cheapest quality thinking you’re getting better (but it does make matters confusing).
Luxury is a word with multiple meanings and connotations, and definitions vary socially and culturally. Applied to wine, it is no more easily grasped than when applied to other commodities. Still, luxury is gaining currency in the world of wine segmentation, as demonstrated by a panel on “the future of luxury wine” at a recent New York wine exhibition. Even though it will be deplored by those who resist seeing wine as a commodity akin to other consumer products, luxury seems set to become entrenched as a category within the global wine market.
Tribunal California North Coast Red – bought in Vancouver for $20.00 A delicious tasting wine for great value.
General guideline: Lifford wine agency (one major Canadian wine agency), uses $12 to $17 as a guideline for premium; while a study from Australia’s University of Adelaide defines premium as a wine costing $2.50 to $7.50 (U.S.) before tax – between $4 (U.S.) and $12 (U.S.) retail, including tax and markups, in Australia. Lifford uses $18 – $35 to define super-premium and more than $35 for ultra-premium, while the Australian study sets $12 (U.S.) retail as the starting point for super-premium wines.
I can attest to this because having spent a lot of time in the U.S. (drinking wine of course) I know you can get a damn good bottle for $12 – at Costco or Trader Joe’s no less.
Eyebrows frame the face and can even alter how your face shape looks in some cases. Eyebrows that are too short can make your face look fuller, and eyebrows that are too severe or angled can make your face look stronger and sort of angry! Too high and you always have that ‘surprised’ look.
The key when filling in and shaping your brows is to not overdo it. I’ve seen too many women layering on the dark pencil to create a full brow look, but it just looks fake and severe. Stick to a color as close to your natural brow color as possible. If your brows are lighter than your hair color, go ahead and add some depth to your brows to complement your hair color.
Insta-Brows – the tinted, water-resistant gel in Benefit’s Gimme Brow contains tiny fibers that adhere to hairs and help bulk up skimpy brows on the spot. The Medium/Deep shade matches brunet and black strands, while the Light/Medium is meant to deepen blonde hairs. Here’s to darker, fuller, natural-looking eye frames!
An expert opinion: it has a slight staining effect on your skin so make sure to wipe up any excess with a damp Q-tip. Sweeping the mascara type brush up through strands doesn’t take as much precision (or time) as dabbing on a powder, and the results look more realistic than pencil strokes. However the combination of filling in sparseness with a powder first and then using the brush works best. Benefit makes a good powder as does Bobbi Brown.
BROW-WOW: Benefit Gimme Browin Light/Medium or Medium/Deep, $22.00; benefitcosmetics.com or Sephora locations.
LOVE IT or leave it…these elaborately embroidered, richly patterned, or gilded and encrusted with jewels clothes are pure escapism.
(left to right) Prabal Gurung, Oscar de la Renta, Tom Ford.
Slipping into them transports you to another time and place (China! Italy! Brazil!), and they radiate a sense of refinement and adventure that makes you feel like a member of the jet set.
WORK IT:
Kate Spade New York Coat Cotton-polyester, $785; at Kate Spade New York, 212-988-0259.
Some of the looks are a nod to a nation, while others are a postcard for it.
ML Monique Lhuillier Dress – Embellished polyester crêpe, $448; saksfifthavenue.com for stores.
The subtle references tend to be more universally appealing (and wearable).
Adopt a when-in-Rome (or Beijing, or Rio) approach: Pile on big gold necklaces or long gemstone earrings (as long as they look chic – not like a Halloween costume) with black pants and a turtleneck.
Hair and makeup should have a regal sophistication: Part hair in the middle or pull it back, and go for bold brows or dramatic, kohl-rimmed eyes.
Indian Food is absolutely satisfying anytime of the year but especially now as it tends to be real comfort food. I just tried the recipe below for the first time & really like the results. I hope you do too.
Basmati Rice is an ideal accompaniment and pieces of roti or naan bread can be used to mop up the delicious juices. Condiments like lime pickle & mango chutney are always a welcome addition for added flavour.
What you need:
About 2/4 inch of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ cup of blanched almonds
2/3 cup thick plain yogurt (I used greek)
½ tsp. chilipowder
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ ground cinnamon
1 tsp. garam masala (Indian spice mix)
4 cardamon pods, lightly crushed
14 oz (400 g) tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. salt (try Himalayan pink)
2 lb. 4 oz (1 kg) skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets, cut into fairly large pieces (see TIP below)
BLEND the ginger and the garlic together to a paste in a food processor or pestle and mortar, or crush the garlic and finely grate the ginger and mix them together. Grind the almonds in a food processor or finely chop with a knife. Put the paste and almonds in a bowl with the yogurt, chili powder, cloves, cinnamon, garam masala, cardamom pods, tomato and salt, and blend together with a fork. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat thoroughly. COVER and marinate for 2 hours, or overnight, in the fridge.
PREHEAT the oven to 350F (180C). Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a deep, heavy-based frying pan. ADD the onion and fry until softened and brown. ADD the chicken mixture and fry for 2 minutes. MIX in the fresh coriander. Put the mixture into a shallow baking dish, pour in the cream and stir with a fork.
BAKE for 1 hour. If the top is browning too quickly during cooking, cover with a piece of foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving. The oil will rise to the surface. Just before serving, place the dish under a hot grill (broiler) for about 2 minutes to brown the top. You can spoon off any extra oil by tipping the dish slightly right before serving.
*TIP – I like to first rub the chicken pieces in a mix of some Indian spices like Tumeric, Chat or Garam Masala & Curry powder. You don’t have to do this but it tends to bring out more flavour by doing so.
Don’t make the mistake. Glutton: an excessively greedy eater & a deadly sin. Gluton: the stuff in many foods that a glutton or normal person should try to stay away from as much as possible.
Whatever your reason for being gluten-free, mine is not to judge. If anyone in your life doesn’t support your gluten-free-ness, that’s their agenda at work. Not yours.
Here’s a TOP 10 list (so very David Letterman) of reasons to be Gluton-Free.
It’s a toss-up between #4 & #10 for me – but #10 is what finally convinced me.
1. You have celiacdisease.
2. Your loved one is gluten-free. Solidarity!
3. You have or your child has an autism spectrum disorder.
4. You just feel better since you cut out gluten.
5. No one should eat gluten. Cavemen didn’t eat it!
6. You went to a naturopath who told you, cut out the gluten and your health problems would go away.
7. You have another auto-immune disease, like Crohn’s Disease, that responds well to a diet free of gluten (among other things).
8. You’re allergic to wheat.
9. You have had fertility problems.
10. Because Gwyneth Paltrow is Gluten Free. Enough said!
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
You must be logged in to post a comment.