What to do, what to do…… when you want a natural TAN. We know that we need to protect ourselves from the powerful UVA/UVB rays but at the same time we want that radiant sun-kissed colour too. If we over-protect we don’t get it.
I think it’s fairly safe to use a lesser SPF for body when you’re just out strolling around but still getting sun. Lying full out in the sun is bad enough but I’m surprised to see tons of people still doing it and also going to tanning salons especially using the beds.
whatever you do, try not to get Burned!
There’s lots of lotions out there but for the longest time my favourite has been Australian Gold spray – the one with the natural caramel bronzer that protects you but at the same time it gives you an instant bronzed glow. And it smells delicious – just the right amount of coconut so you feel like you’re already at the beach. It has:
Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB Protection
Exotic oils to soften and moisturize skin for beautiful color
Aloe Vera to provide natural soothing and skin conditioning
This is what I made for a “celebration of life” pot-luck dinner last Saturday.
adding the reserve mixture
Edna (the lovely woman who passed away) had quite the reputation for her love of cooking, doing it amazingly well and of course, she had a repertoire of recipes, many of them Indian. We were requested to cook & bring one of her recipes.
rinsed & waiting
I love Indian but hadn’t made a vegetarian Indian dish in a long time. I must admit that this one didn’t sound especially appealing at first but trust me, the end result was so delicious….especially when all the flavors from the spices melded together. The end result was more like a chickpea stew and you could taste the ginger and lemon which I love. It’s healthy too! I served it alongside cut up pieces of Naan bread. I didn’t change a thing about the recipe (as I wanted to re-create it exactly as she had) but I think it would look nice with a few sprigs of cilantro sprinkled over top for garnish. Oh, when I went back to the buffet table for a second platter (remember, they were mostly her recipes) it had vanished. So Enjoy!
After a bit of research I found out that the origin of this recipe is Delhi street vendor style.
Ingredients:
Use either ¾ lb. of dried chickpeas or 1 x 16 oz. can. If using dried, cover them with water and bring to a boil, and let sit for an hour. If using canned, rinse well and soak them overnight.
3 pints water (6 cups)
3 or 4 very finely chopped onions
2 ½ tsp salt
1 finely chopped hot chili
3 or 4 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
4 tbsp lemon juice (from two small lemons)
1/3 cup cooking oil (preferably coconut, or canola)
2 or 3 chopped tomatoes
1 ½ tbsp ground coriander
1 ½ tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
3 tsp garam masala (see recipe below)
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Bring peas and water to a boil, and let simmer till beans are tender, approx. one hour. This is for both dried or canned.
The reserve mixture should look like this.
Meanwhile, mix 2 tbsp chopped onion, ½ tsp salt, chili, ginger and lemon juice in a small cup or bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil in heavy pan on medium heat and add remaining onions, stirring and frying till they have reddish brown spots (about 10 minutes). Add tomatoes, stir and fry another 4 or 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin and turmeric and stir and cook for about half a minute. Add drained chickpeas, about a cup of the cooking liquid, 2 tsp. salt, the garam masala and cayenne, stir and simmer very gently for about 20 or 25 minutes.
Add the reserved onion mixture and stir to mix. Serve hot or lukewarm.TIPS: onions should be soft & nicely browned. It should turn out quite lemony & very well cooked. I used a 19 oz. can of chickpeas for this and 1 red thai chili (but you can use any hot chili).
I made my own blend Garam Masala (a warming spice mix) from an Indian cookbook so I used that, but of course they sell it already packaged. I just thought it would be cool to make my own. Should you feel so inclined I’ll share the recipe:
Garam Masala from scratch:
8 Cardamon pods (remove the seeds from the cardamon pods).
2 Indian bay leaves (cassia leaves) – break them into small pieces.
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. coriander seeds
5 cm. (2 in.) cinnamon stick
1 tsp. cloves
Put everything into a spice grinder (or pestle and mortar) and grind to a fine powder. Store in a small airtight container until needed.
If Happy Days taught us anything, it’s that life was better in the fifties.
On Friday I attended a Celebration of Life party at the Museum of Vancouver for a neighbour’s mom who just passed away.
With beautiful photos of her life rotating on a big screen and smooth jazz playing in the background (later a live Cuban band) it seemed she was in her element in the 1950’s. So how appropriate that the 50’s interactive exhibit was in the room adjacent to us (and open for us). I thought it would be interesting to post some photos I took. Here’s looking back….
People left their door unlocked at night, kids respected their elders and a guy who lived above his best friend’s garagecould still be cool so long as he owned a leather jacket. Well, turns out The Fonz didn’t lie: despite the racism, and homophobia, the fifties were a pretty good time to be alive.
In Hollywood, setting something in the fifties brings forth things like ‘nostalgia’ and ‘optimism’. But, how do you measure optimism?
Beginning in 1935, Polling Company AIPO spent decades ringing strangers up and asking them how happy they were—a move that actually yielded usable data. According to this, the fifties saw a surge of people claiming they were very happy, peaking between 1955 and 1960 at around forty percent. That’s the highest it’s ever been. Remember this isn’t just ‘happy’ but ‘very happy’—as in nothing could possibly be better.
In 1957 the murder rate bottomed out at four people per 100,000 the lowest in fifty five years.
It sure seemed like a more peaceful, less complicated time than living now in our more fast-paced, stressed out era. But life is still good, worth living and you can have your own reality show…..for even more than 15 minutes!
fyi – hula hoops have made a comeback and they’re a great exercise…..if you can swing it.
Not exactly a prophet, but he did predict the future. Andy was way ahead of his time.
Ready for the Weekend? Happy 4th of July to my American friends and relatives.
Changes are good. I decided to change Friday to a fussfree day (kind of like dress down Fridays) for something fresh & different. It will still be personal but it might be a photo (or photos), a story or a suggestion from a reader or fellow blogger. I won’t know until it’s Friday.
Today I want to begin with
something all us women/girls of all ages love…..BLING!
These photos I took from a little gem of a shop called “House of Jewels”where my last four pairs of earrings, a gold-fill bracelet and a really cute striped t-shirt came from.
Banner taken from website (details below). Whenever possible, go for NATURAL!
I’ve been a fan of Pacifica’s Tuscan Blood Orange, Indian Coconut Nectar and Tahitian Island Vanilla body butters ever since receiving all three (lucky me) as a gift from a friend who couldn’t decide. They were rich and decadent and smelled exactly like they sound….exotic. So you can imagine my excitement over discovering their new lip butters and tints on a recent trip to the U.S. I was drawn to the colored quench lip tint called “sugared fig” for only $7.00. It hydrated my lips without a sticky feeling and left a healthy hint of natural color without too much shine. The scent is incredible. I love it!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT:
All Natural Color Quench lip tints packs major lip moisture, nourishing naturals and gorgeous, sheer lip color into one perfectly portable, 100% recyclable tube. Essential fatty acids from rich and amazing avocadoand coconut oils leave lips luscious and healthy. Natural flavor and 5 perfect shades that are 100% vegan cruelty free and gluten free. Does this mean NO calories?
DETAILS: Free of carmine, beeswax, lanolin, phthalates, parabens, mineral oils, GMOs, triclosan, propylene, glycol and petroleum.
We can’t wait to soak up the sun in our swimsuits and bikinis either at the beach or poolside, but there are times in these settings when we probably want to partially cover up our bod and suit. Times like when we’re walking to and from the car, visiting the restroom, grabbing a bite to eat, strolling along the beach, when it feels a little breezy, or when we’ve just had enough of exposing lots of skin.
Swimsuit coverups are all about looking chic on the sand, whether you opt for beach cover up dresses, a cover up tunic, shorts or a sarong. And if you happen to be in a seaside town, a fashionable womens beach cover up is a must for pre-beach brunches and post-beach cocktails. Depending on the kind of day and my mood, these are several that I like.
I really love the little white crocheted shirts and dresses.
Another one I think is just great is the Saress. I have two – one short and one long that I pack in my travel bag.
This Smoothie recipeis not only very pretty to look at but it tastes good, takes little time to prepare and is the perfect drink for a Canada Daycelebration.
You can turn it into a cocktail by adding a bit of vodka to the mix. If you want a deeper red colour for the first layer, just drop in a bit of red food colouring until you hit the shade you desire.
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Red Layer:
1 cup of ice
1 frozen banana, sliced
2 cups strawberries, halved
½ cup pomegranate juice
White Layer:
¼ cup orange juice
1 cup of ice
1 cup of greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
1 frozen banana, sliced
Topping:
½ cup raspberries
Instructions
Red Layer:
Pour the pomegranate juice into the blender. Add in the strawberries, bananas and ice and blend until fully smooth.
Pour your red layer into the bottom of each glass, tap the glasses gently on the counter to help level out your smoothie.
Now place your glasses into the freezer to allow them to set while you’re working on the white layer.
White Layer:
Rinse out your blender and place the ice, banana, orange juice and greek yogurt into it. Bend until smooth and retrieve your cups from the freezer.
Gently scoop the white smoothie layer into the cups on top of the red layer, again tap the cup on the counter to level the contents.
Topping: Rinse your blender and puree raspberries then drizzle them on top for a red swirl.
TIP: If you want to make this for Independence Day on4th of July – use blueberries instead of raspberries for the topping.
I think it’s fairly safe to use a lesser SPF for body when you’re just out strolling around but still getting sun. Lying full out in the sun is bad enough but I’m surprised to see tons of people still doing it and also going to tanning salons especially using the beds.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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