April 2015 – Page 2 – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

ART Specific: See Sawing around New York Art Galleries

Have you heard about this new ART App, called *See Saw Map that started in New York?

Kiss by Judith Henry — **Kiss** by Judith Henry

It makes perfect sense since NYC has so many great galleries.

Besides the big ones (MoMa, Guggenheim,The Met) there are tons of smaller galleries that are spread across lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Since it’s one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in New York, many people have already fallen for this new app which shows you all of the exhibitions taking place.You can search by locality or artist — and it will also bring up all of the information on each plus flag any exhibits that might be closing soon (so you don’t miss a thing). It covers all of the art happening in New York City and Brooklyn with plans to soon expand to other cities like Los Angeles. What a great idea!

Here is a current showing I find interesting observing the roles people play (similar to the fly on the wall).

ART/Mixed-Media: THE MASKS WE WEAR

Judith Henry April 9-May 16, 2015
Conceptual Artist Judith Henry brings her fascination with humankind closer to home – casting herself as the protagonist of powerful mixed-media compositions that explore the various roles we play.
Judith Henry has spent her career bringing the proverbial “faces in the crowd” into focus, incorporating snippets of overhead conversation or a snapshot of a passerby into her artworks.
**Bravinlee programs is pleased to present two new series of work by Judith Henry; Me as Her and The Artist is Hiding,
For over 40 years, Judith Henry has created evocative multimedia artworks that explore the friction between our interior lives and public selves. Henry’s projects often re-purpose documentary materials like newspapers, telephone books and film clips in poignant explorations of identity and loss.
In a series of black and white photographs, Me As Her, Henry continues her long-standing practice of remaining hidden/masked within her work. She re-imagines herself behind masks of significant and accomplished women who have died.

Henry as Lucille Ball — Henry as **Lucille Ball**

The photo-masks themselves reveal very little about the personality they depict, underlining the truth that there is little any of us can know about who we see and who sees us. The photographs are shot in available light, on location near her home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The appearance of Henry’s hands is itself a reflection of her own aging process and an important signature of each piece.

Sometimes the mask informs the painting; sometimes the reverse is true. Once again, Henry’s hands are the only part of her that is visible and thus the only clue to her identity.

For over three decades, Henry traversed the streets of New York City secretly photographing and eavesdropping (so be careful what you say) on the people she encountered, resulting in her Overheard Book Series published by Universe/Rizzoli (2000-2002). The series consists of four books: Overheard at the Museum, Overheard at the Bookstore, Overheard While Shopping and Overheard in Love. In 2006 Atria published Overheard in America; New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami.

*ART App: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/see-saw–map/id791643418?mt=8
**BravinLee programs is a contemporary art gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. Address: 526 West 26th Street #211, New York, NY
Source: Introspective Magazine on the website 1stdibs.com (luxury re-sale website):
http://www.1stdibs.com/introspective-magazine/judith-henry-at-bravin-lee/

FUN

Contemplating Impressions

Leave a positive footmark on people’s lives by not stepping on their toes.

People are like stained – glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Be aware of people’s patterns. People tend to keep the same patterns. Some make lovely patterns and some make dreadful ones.

“The scariest thing about distance is that you don’t know whether they’ll miss you or forget you.” – Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook (I loved this movie).

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. – Maya Angelou

Relationships are a Merry-go-Round

Right Person, Wrong Time

Right Time, Wrong Person,

Right Time, Right Person, Wrong Ending

And life goes on…

Food + Drink

Health MATTERS: I’ve found my Perfect MATCHA

I’ve gone back to steeping green tea in the afternoon. I know this trend has been brewing (ha, ha) for years now and I don’t mind taking on a trend that I know (if all the consensus is correct) will benefit me in a healthy way.I’ve been putting matcha green tea powder into smoothies for ages and even add it to melted white chocolate (which turns it a pretty green colour as opposed to when you add it to dark chocolate).
Pouring hot water over the tea leaf itself and/or the bright green matcha powder (I like to mix both) rather than steeping a tea bag delivers more of the signature *antioxidants that have powerful effects on the body.

Why GO GREEN?The antioxidants (it’s loaded with*metabolism boosting and hard to pronounce names like polyphenols which contain **flavonoids and catechins) found in green tea battle the free radicals that can alter and even kill cells. Green tea has been shown to help fight a number of diseases, from cancer to diabetes. It is unfermented, whereas black or oolong teas are at least partially fermented. This allows green tea to retain its natural antioxidant levels better than the other types.
One of the more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate ( a type of catechin), which has been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons green tea has such powerful medicinal properties.
As an added health benefit, theanine (an amino acid found in particular plant species) in green tea can help you manage stress and stay relaxed. These relaxing effects, which are usually experienced within 40 minutes after drinking green tea, are caused by the ability of theanine to stimulate the generation of alpha brain waves. The generation of alpha brain waves has been directly linked to mental relaxation.

This is good to know as for the last several weeks I’ve been experiencing what can best be described (by me, not a doctor) as tiny ~~and sometimes not so tiny~~ anxiety attacks. I’ve never had this before and I believe they’re due to a few contributing factors beyond my control that have taken place, that I’m sure over time will come to pass. I don’t believe in taking pills for every little thing (this goes for even taking common aspirin) unless really needed which is extremely rare. So tea time is “me time” in the meantime to help reduce unwanted stress.

To double my free radical fighting strategies I am now adding sliced ginger to the pot. Green Tea & Ginger – any reason not to?

*When your metabolism is cranked into high gear, your body will burn more energy, which in turn can help you lose excess body weight (another benefit we don’t mind).

**Antioxidants, as you may already know, are health-benefiting molecules that slow down aging and guard against disease. According to research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the antioxidant capacity of foods and drinks, green tea is superior to black tea in terms of antioxidant capacity. It appears that the enzymatic oxidation process (fermentation) used in the preparation of black tea leaves is responsible for the weaker antioxidant activity of black tea.

Now I just need to add meditation to the mix.
What do you do to help yourself relax?

FUN

Feel-good Friday: the Simple Life

Here I am leaving my cozy chateau to get into my car to go for a little spin. Do you like my outfit?

In my Dreams. But part of this is not so far fetched, because dreams really do come true.

Am I really that selfish, shallow ~~maybe a teeny bit~~ and self-absorbed? There’s more to life than castles, cars and clothes! Really?

Have a Fabulous Friday!

FUN

beauty: J’aime JOUER

Meet JOUER Luminizing Moisture Tint

Jouer or ‘to play’ in French is the playful name of a beauty line created by beautiful and busy mother of two, Christina Zilber.

I sampled the Jouer golden & pearl tinted moisturizers recently and loved the texture and sheer hint of colour. Infact, these are more hydrating than the one I previously used from Laura Mercier which is surprising since so many people swear by Laura Mercier.

JOUER has formulas filled with serious skincare ingredients like Ginseng and Gingko Biloba Leaf Extract. Christina likes to say it is “beauty with skincare included.” And as a busy mother of two, she wanted her products to do double duty. And I think many people are looking for this effortless approach to beauty while still maintaining consistency.PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This lightweight moisturizing tint evens out imperfections and fades the appearance of fine lines with its light-diffusing multi-mineral formula. SPF 20 protects from UVA and UVB rays while natural ingredients deliver antioxidants to skin, promoting a healthy complexion. Light to Medium coverage. 50 mL / 1.7 fl oz

Oil Free. Hypoallergenic. Non comedogenic. Fragrance Free. Perfect for all skin types.

CHRISTINA’S TIPS

Apply to clean skin to even out skin tone. Layer for additional coverage.

Spotted at Wish List Boutique – 2811 West Broadway, Vancouver. Price: $40.00

FUN

Style – Gladiator Game

I’m not so Glad and I’m not so Game for these Spring 2015 lace-ups which are beginning to reign and growing taller in flat and heeled versions.

I’m fascinated by their bondage-like sexiness but I don’t find them practical. Not that practicality has ever come into play with shoe styles (in the past) but they look like too much work. Plus they’re seasonal and it rains a lot here.

Michael Kors - these are simple and cute — **Michael Kors** – these are simple and cute

Stella McCartney - I like these — **Stella McCartney** – I like these too

What if it’s a sunny day and when you take them off you’re left with a crazy leg tan?

Some of the heels look challenging – like the pair by Alexander McQueen.

Mind you, the more I look at them the more I like them. This is what always happens.

What do you think? Like or not?

Givenchy - now these I would wear! — **Givenchy** – now these I would wear! They remind me of a pair I already have.

Source: HarpersBazaar.com

p.s. – if you’re receiving these posts via e-mail and they’re not displaying properly please click on the “blue” title at the very top which will take you to the original website.

Food + Drink

Food: Quality, Taste & Presentation

There are so many factors that go into a good food item like the three things mentioned above.

Roasted Tomato, Goat Cheese, Olive & Basil Tart. $6.99 slice

Besides dinner… there’s breakfast, lunch & snack time. What appeals to you at one time might not at another.

Like when you crave a simple but well made grilled cheese sandwich or clubhouse and another time something totally different like chicken pot pie (which I personally never crave but some people do).

Sometimes you come across something you see regularly in almost every restaurant or coffee shop but something looks different about it. It somehow looks fresher, more appealing and makes you want to bite right into it. I had that experience recently at Coco et Olive on Main street. I was going for a simple latte and mid-afternoon snack but looking at all the goodies at the counter made it a challenging situation to choose only one thing. At times like this you have to make a difficult decision. You order something, take another thing home and decide to come back again and again to try everything you never thought you wanted. See what I mean?

Best lemon bar & great latte. — **Best lemon bar** & a great vanilla latte

Coco et Olive Cafe – 3707 Main St.

Across the street you’ll find Liberty Bakery – 3699 Main Street

These pastries look so yummy. Liberty used to be in my neighbourhood (it was called Elsie’s then). They moved away and I couldn’t find them for ages until I came across the bakery by accident on Main Street. I spotted the buttercream & mocha petit fours I love and used to buy regularly in their window.

What do you usually crave for snacking?

Photos: d. king

DESTINATIONS, Girl Who Would be King

Travel/Culture – City Unique: Montreal Days and Nights

in the 1940’s and ’50s – PRIME time.

Mordecai Richler at Wilensky’s. Order a “special” with cheese, pickles and a soda. It’s still the same.

The original book would grab anyone’s attention. It was bright red and had infamous burlesque stripteaser Lily St. Cyr on the cover. Inside was filled with information relived from the good old days of a wide open city that I heard about from my parents who recollected them. My dad wasn’t from Montreal originally (he was born in Russia and moved to Manhattan before settling in Montreal) and my mother’s parents were from Ireland although she grew up in Montreal. My dad especially had a lot of stories – I’ll just leave it at that.

City Unique was written by William Weintraub (who began his career as a reporter for the Montreal Gazette in the 1950’s) and who was a friend of my uncle (who used to write a column for the Montreal Gazette). Weintraub looks at all aspects of life in Montreal in what Mordecai Richler called “an engaging, evocative book about Montreal’s prime-time.”

Leonard Cohen looking like Al Pacino here.

After reading this intriguing book I mailed it to my mother’s friend in Montreal who I was sure would appreciate and relate to all the insider innuendos. Unfortunately when I phoned about a year later to retrieve the book (which was an original signed copy) she had no recollection of ever having received it. It was on loan from my cousin. When I phoned to reluctantly tell my cousin the news (that she wasn’t getting her book back) I joyfully received another copy in the mail. Maybe not an original signed version with the same cover but, thoughtful and cherished nonetheless.

About City Unique: Review from Amazon.com

Montreal in the 1940s and ’50s was Canada’s largest, most vibrant and colourful city. It was even more pulsating than New York. No one could foresee that political and economic factors would cripple the city and send it into a long decline. William Weintraub, writing with insight and affection, brings the Montreal of his youth vividly, entertainingly and wittily to life in this remarkable book. The Montreal he describes was a city with two communities, English and French, who lived separate lives. They met along the dividing line that was “The Main” – St. Lawrence Boulevard and the nearby streets, where gambling joints, bordellos and night clubs prospered, and where striptease artiste Lili St. Cyr became the toast of the town and gangsters raked in profits while the police looked the other way. It was the Montreal of the colourful, charismatic mayor Camillien Houde within the repressive and corrupt Quebec of premier Maurice Duplessis.

I think this book speaks to anyone who grew up in Montreal especially those with adventurous parents who were involved and active within the community. You might not have personally known everyone mentioned but you have heard their names. To me, it was extremely provocative and noteworthy. And things have settled down since…but it will never be the same!

This is what a real "smoked meat" sandwich looks like. — This is what a real “smoked meat” sandwich looks like.

Available on Amazon.com

Wilensky’s, Bens, Ruby Foo’s, Schwartz’s – are Montreal Institutions.

What makes this city the most unique in Canada:

1) Montreal is an Island.

2) Montreal is built on a Mountain.

3) Home to the largest Jazz, Fireworks & “Francofolie” (French Music) Festival.

4) Habitat 67 – created by Israeli-Canadian Architect Moshe Safdie, is a structure unlike any other in the world. I didn’t say it was nice looking, just unusual.

5) Montreal has one of the largest underground networks in the world. You could literally live underground.

6) The Metro system is one of the best and definitely Canada’s busiest.

7) Enormous Art & Graffiti Culture.

8) Great Shopping and still has the most Stylish Women in all of Canada (maybe North America and possibly the world).

More at…http://www.mtlblog.com/2013/10/things-that-make-montreal-the-most-unique-city-in-canada/2/#slides

Photos: from images

FUN

Contemplating the ART of a PERFECT BREAKUP

Where were all the *red flags?

Spoiler Alert: there is no such thing as the “perfect breakup.” There is however a better, nicer and more diplomatic way to deal with someone you plan to break up with. It’s all in the handling of the situation. First and foremost, Compassion is key. First you’ve got to let the person down easy (you never know if they’ll throw a tantrum, get violent, or worse, start crying uncontrollably). You never know these things so it’s best for the “breakor” to let the “breakee” know how terrific they are, even though you’ve just met someone more terrific and moved on at the blink of an eye. It’s also a good idea to let the “breakee” know that you’ve been going through your own difficulties…because you don’t want to make yourself look good at this point. Make the person you want to leave feel that they’re better off without you which could end things faster… even though that’s messed up.

Now; a more sensitive way would be to sit the person down and tell them the news face to face, but failing that, there’s always e-mail or texts. Worst case scenario, a simple post-it-note will do the trick (but get the 4×4 size). Remember, the goal is to try to end it ASAP. And don’t forget to make a closing remark in the order of “we should get together sometime.” Yeah; sooner or later the truth comes out.

REALITY BITS. Trying to keep it real…

In spite of disconcerting situations such as a friend who suddenly and unexpectedly turns their back on you with no explanation,

Or worse, someone you thought could turn out to be a life partner decides to dump you for someone else….although you didn’t realize it because they were so good at making it look like they were doing it for your best interests. Then you finally woke up to the realization that they weren’t being considerate of your situation at all, only trying to end it as quickly as possible (with no opportunity to discuss possibilities) in order to begin again with someone they apparently just met. It hurts to know you were not only dispensable but not so special to them after all. And you held this person in such high regard. If they tell you it’s important that you know that they met someone else then yes, it is important that they tell you, especially if you think you’re still in the relationship. Maybe they were faithful while they were with you, keeping in mind they were intimate with you as recently as a week before they were with someone else. To you intimacy is meaningful. You might have been intending to make a lifetime decision and they saved you from doing so just in the nick of time. You thought you were a perfect match? But there’s a damn good chance they would have broken up with you later on anyway.

So look out for those who project onto you what they themselves will ultimately do.

A wise woman I know once said of someone who openly flirted with her husband “if she can catch him, she can keep him.” Which translates into something like: why worry about someone taking away something that is so easily transferable?

And that girlfriend; is keeping it real!

WAIT…I have to share the all-time “Best in Breakup” story. A friend of mine was on a date with her boyfriend at a restaurant. Said boyfriend went to the bar to order a drink and met someone while at the bar that he was very interested in getting to know. When he returned to the table he told my friend he remembered meeting this woman years ago at a party and was interested then, so now he didn’t want to ruin his chance….even though he was already on a date. Without a word of a lie he told my friend this strange woman was the “woman of his dreams”. Let’s give him credit for at least sitting down in person to tell her. But as it turns out this dream woman was happily married. Craazzy right? He spoke too soon without knowing anything about her while ruining his present relationship. Some guys!!!

Do you have a breakup story to top this? I didn’t think so.

*indicates a warning signal that something is wrong. You may have overlooked something or chosen to ignore it. example: nice to you one minute, very cool the next. You chalk it up to a bad day……you know what I’m talking about.

Art + Culture

Health MATTERS: The Power of ART THERAPY – dealing with trauma through art.

Aside from a proper diet, enough exercise and less stress there is the process of creating art, which in itself is proven to be very therapeutic and therefore healthy. It keeps the mind busy and helps fight depression. It could be ART for Arts sake or you can tell a story through your art. This is exactly what young Canadian veterans in Afghanistan have been doing to help tell their story and bring something positive out of a traumatic situation.

A friend of mine first told me about this because she took her son to an opening at the Foster Eastman Art Gallery downtown Vancouver in early February to view works from different mediums such as paper mâché, watercolour & photography diaries by these veterans. They were very moved with the work and the project.

Helping them heal along the way…Squamish master carver Xwalacktun (Rick Harry) helps young veterans carve a Vancouver Tribute Totem Pole. It’s part of a project aimed at telling the stories of the veterans—their tours in Afghanistan and the challenges they face once they return home.

Xwalacktun leads a carving lesson as participants in the veterans tribute-pole project observe. Photo: YOLANDE COLE

“With men, if they’re busy with their hands, they tend to talk more,” local businessman *Foster Eastman tells the Straight in an interview at his studio. “I mean, we’re not here to offer therapy, but I think if it happens, great. It’s almost like a side effect.”

Xwalacktun has been leading the veterans through the traditional First Nations process of creating a totem pole, beginning with the healing song he performed before they began carving. But the materials of this monument aren’t exactly conventional—the tribute pole consists of two coffins.

The caskets symbolize the 158 Canadian soldiers who died in Afghanistan, and the fact that many people who struggle with depression feel like they’re “trapped in a box”, according to Eastman.

Tim Laidler carves the surface of a tribute pole being created by veterans. Photo: YOLANDE COLE

This isn’t the first time the artist has worked with veterans. His previous project resulted in the creation of the Lest We Forget CANADA! mural last year. The 162-panel tribute to Canadians killed in Afghanistan, which raised $120,000 for the Veterans Transition Network, will be kept by the Canadian War Museum as part of its permanent collection.

The process of creating the mural became very therapeutic for the veterans involved, Eastman notes, as the soldiers began to talk about their experiences to civilians who participated in the project.

“The doctors that were treating a lot of the veterans noticed great improvement in their mental well-being,” Eastman says. “So of course it became therapeutic, but that’s not what our intention was. We were just doing art. But it did kind of happen naturally.”

The success of the mural led to Eastman’s current initiative, which is part of a project funded by the Movember Foundation. In addition to the tribute pole, a group of veterans is working on a theatre production with UBC professor George Belliveau.

Once the pole is raised at the end of April, it will tell the stories of the veterans through the carved military ranks across the front, such as captain, lieutenant, and private.

The pole will also display a tribute to the soldiers who didn’t return, with each of their first names carved into the surface of the caskets.

“This is a great project to really bring forward to people to understand where these young people came from in their journey in wartime,” says Xwalacktun. “This is bringing people out and being able to share while they’re working, so it’ll help them grow and heal.”

The tribute pole will be raised at Studio 1398 on Granville Island on April 30, May 1, and May 2.

*Foster Eastman is a local businessman who enjoyed an unlikely debut as an artist last summer at the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art with his exhibition inspired by Mao and the Cultural Revolution.

Other Eastman works to be on display: ghostly silhouettes of Afghan women in burkas cut out of Canadian “guerilla advertising” posters, a series of AK-47s cut from Archie comics—a transformation of familiar objects into sinister instruments that brings the war home in a visceral way. The mural, to be unveiled on April 16, encompasses photographic prints showing Afghan widows in mourning, a funeral procession for a Canadian soldier and a poignant image of a soldier holding a young Afghan boy’s hand, as well as the Pams.

Source: Maclean’s Magazine & Georgia Straight – From Kandahar to Canada:

Other previous blog posts to do with natural therapies for the soul:

https://girlwhowouldbeking.com/2013/11/17/cultureart-therapy-for-the-soul/

https://girlwhowouldbeking.com/2014/04/24/personally-laughter-will-save-you-in-therapy-bills/