Debbie King

beauty biz – skincare will travel

I’m excited to share with you these new product offerings from “Get SpOILed” which are STARTING TO FLY:

Introducing 1st CLASS NATURAL SKINCARE – a 100% natural and effective skincare set that will meet all your necessary skin requirements for travel or home.

1st CLASS NATURAL SKINCARE – an ‘all-inclusive’ Flight Package containing 4 product offerings that will work non-stop to keep your skin in-check & baggage to a minimum. Each hydrating skin product comes in a 50 ml (1.7 oz) bottle or jar (contained in plastic toiletrie bags) & packaged in a cute Chinese take-out lunch box. PERFECT for traveling (or just when your skin needs that extra boost of hydration). Easy for carrying on board (you can always separate them) in your purse or packed away in a suitcase.

You will receive:

“Ready for Take-Off” – a gentle eye + face makeup-remover. One swipe of this blend of Apricot Kernel, Coconut and Avocado oils will completely remove all traces of makeup while helping to condition your skin at the same time.

“Flying HIgh” – hydrating facial mist. This refreshing spray incorporates exotic floral waters of rose and orange blossom with lavender, geranium, eucalyptus and frankincense essential oils. Use as part of your morning and/or evening skincare ritual, just before applying your moisturizer or oil. Can double as a toner. Use it after “Ready for Take-Off.”

“Luxe Lounge” – Facial Oil (same ingredients as in getspOILed – see below). If you haven’t jumped on the facial oil bandwagon yet, now’s the time — not only does it give your regular moisturizer a boost, but it helps your makeup to go on smoother—and the dewy effects of this infused potion of 19 key ingredients makes for the perfect winter beauty routine.

Delight in an exotic blend of essential lavender, geranium, rose, evening primrose, maracuja (from Brazil), jasmine, boabob (from the African tree), argan (Moroccan), chamomile, sweet basil, juniper, clary sage, olive, camellia (green tea seed), coconut, avocado, sweet almond, jojoba and vitamin E oils. A real treat!

“It’s a Balmy Day” – advanced care for eyes/lips/cuticles. This special 3 in 1 balm (which is full size) contains jojoba, rosehip seed, carrot seed, kukui nut & apricot kernel oils with rose water and beeswax – rich in moisture and vitamins to help soften the skin on your eyes, lips and cuticles. It really works!

Plus, we have a frequent buyer program – your 10th order is FREE!

Price for kit: $95.00

DEAL – For the remainder of January 2014, all shipping & handling will be included in the price.

Here’s the link: http://getspoiled.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/new-first-class-natural-skin-care

Website: getspoilednow.com

STYLE

Style on the Streets – MEN in MILAN

If the MEN ON THE STREETS outside the European fashion shows are any indication, the double-breasted blazer is officially back, neon trainers are finding their place amongst the fashionable set, floral prints are popping

Man Jewelry & Bag

up all over, and the man bag is getting chic. Have a peek:

Man Jewelry & Sunglasses

Man – Chic Leather Bags

Man Loafers

Man Peacoat

Men Camo Jacket

Man Floral

And of course there are logos!

FUN

Simply Satisfying – cooking with coffee

Have you ever cooked with coffee?
I’m not talking about coffee cake which doesn’t even have coffee in it – it just tastes better when you have it while ~~dunking it into~~ drinking a cup. With all that coffee has going for it (which in moderation helps to improve cognitive performance, enhance alertness, boost your overall mood and is a rich source of antioxidants) why limit it to only a mug? Cooking with your favorite ground or brewed coffee can bring a whole new dimension to your recipe repertoire. Coffee can enhance the flavor of other ingredients (like in homemade barbeque sauce) while lending a subtle earthy undertone to a dish.

Here’s a healthy & hearty soup for a perfect cold weather lunch or light dinner paired with salad.

Cowboy Black Bean Soup

1 lb. (450g) dried black beans (about 2 cups/500 mL)
1 Tbsp (15mL) Coconut Oil
1 cup (250mL) diced onion
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 large celery stalks, thinly sliced across the stalk
½ cup (125mL) carrot, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (10mL) ground cumin
1 tsp (5mL) smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
4 cups (1L) water
2 cups (500mL) brewed coffee
2 cups (500mL) butternut squash, cut into ½ in (1.25cm) cubes
½ tsp (2mL) salt
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
6 Tbsp (90mL) reduced-fat sour cream
¼ cup (60mL) fresh cilantro leaves

Pick over beans, making sure to discard any stones or broken beans. Rinse well, place in large bowl or container, and cover with 2 in (5cm) cold water. Let beans soak overnight.

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add onion, pepper, celery, carrot, jalapeño and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, and bay leaf, cooking for another minute. Pour in water and coffee.

Drain beans, rinse well, and stir into soup base. Turn heat up to high and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and skim off any foam that accumulates on surface. Cover pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, steam squash until just cooked, about 5 minutes.

Once beans are cooked, remove pot from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup and stir in salt. Purée about half the soup in blender until smooth. Return purée to pot and stir until incorporated.

When ready to serve, warm soup gently over medium heat, stirring often, until warm. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cooked squash, a sprinkle of green onion, a dollop of sour cream, and a few torn cilantro leaves.

Serves 6. Each serving contains 329 calories.

Do you have a favorite coffee recipe you’d like to share?

FUN

Art/Memorabilia/Nostalgia – For What it’s Worth

I’ve only been to two auctions in my life so far. One was an art auction and the other a general auction where I purchased a carousel horse and a diamond tennis bracelet. The bracelet was by accident….~~well~~ ~~sort of~~ as I waved to someone I knew just at the time the bidding ended….with me getting the bracelet. So crazy because I don’t even play tennis. But at least it didn’t cost the person who ended up buying it for me a fortune.

Lately I’ve been watching Pawn Stars and it got me wondering about the many possessions of so-called memorabilia – some of it fascinating, some of it junky. Where does it originate, how do people end up with the stuff they end up with and what is it really worth? More importantly, how do you evaluate what something is worth?

Then I read an article by Shawne MacIntyre for Montecristo magazine on unusual memorabilia and the auction block. It is on the auction block that both Elvis Presley and Justin Bieber have something in common other than hordes of screaming girls and megahit singles. In 2011, clippings of the Bieb’s hair was offered on eBay and sold for just over $40,000 USD. But in case this makes you nauseous (as it did me) be placated by the fact that the proceeds went to an animal rehabilitation organization. This is not the first time a star’s strands have been offered up for sale; Elvis’s locks have been sold for up to $15,000 USD over the years. An enterprising personal stylist had been hoarding the hair. In the hair clipping department I’m surprised that Elvis’s didn’t fetch more money.

It’s well established that baseball card trading has made some people very wealthy although I can’t understand why – mostly because I don’t know the players or the game very well. Now I can see why Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “subway” dress sold for $5.6-million in a 2011 Beverly Hills auction but what I don’t get is Justin Bieber’s hair clippings being sold for over $40,000. While the baseball card market continues to thrive (since the 1800s) star memorabilia has been growing steadily over the last few decades.

Here’s an interesting fact: In 2009 an American widow by the name of Elsie Poncher sold her husband’s burial spot which was in a prime location – directly above film legend Marilyn Monroe (Westwood Village Memorial Park, Los Angeles) so that she could pay off her mortgage. This of course after the exhumation of her husband….and we didn’t ask where he went after that. The ad read:

“Here is a once in a lifetime and into eternity opportunity to spend your eternal days directly above Marilyn Monroe.” It sold for $4.6-million in an eBay auction. In fact the person occupying the address right now is looking face down on her.

There seems to be a healthy market in the trade of everything from baseball cards to paper contracts to antique jeans. If there is a seller, there is a buyer, and often at surprising values. The reasons why people collect sundry objects of daily life vary from investment opportunities to association with greatness to nostalgia and historical value. Sometimes the owners of Pawn Stars have to call in an expert to evaluate an item they don’t know too much about to determine the value. Which brings me to question how anyone can correctly know the worth of a certain item – or is it just a guestimate? It’s very interesting. And people will pay any amount they can afford (or not) to obtain what they want because….

People’s fascination with the lives of others means there will always be a collectibles and memorabilia market.

Now if only I could get my hands on Audrey Hepburn’s black strapless dress (not that it would fit) or even her cigarette holder from Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Jackie O’s Oversize sunglasses. In a perfect world – what joy that would bring!

FUN

Words – how HAPPY are you right now?

Perhaps if one really knew when one was happy one would know the things that were necessary for one’s life. – Joanna Field

I re-discovered this book titled “Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach – “A Daybook of Comfort and Joy” given to me by a dear friend 14 years ago. She inscribed on the inside cover “I hope that each day begins and ends with as much enlightenment and divine guidance as found in these pages. I had read excerpts from the book every day right until the end and just started re-reading through it once more – so much wisdom to be found on every page that I just had to share something for the New Year. Beginning with this paragraph by Margaret Young:

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

Here is a sampling from one of the January pages:

So, how happy you are right now? Do you even know? Most people know what makes their parents, partners or children happy. When it comes to an awareness about the little, specific things in life that bring a smile to our faces and contentment to our own hearts, we often come up short. What is missing from many of our days is a true sense that we are enjoying the lives we are living. It’s difficult to experience moments of happiness if we’re not aware of what it is we genuinely love.

We must learn to savor small, authentic moments that bring us contentment. Experiment with a new cookie recipe. Take the time to slowly arrange a bouquet of flowers in order to appreciate their colors, fragrance, and beauty. Sip a cup of tea, pause for a few minutes to pet a purring cat. Simple pleasures waiting to be enjoyed. Simple pleasures often overlooked.

An good example: In 1926 a young Englishwoman, Joanna Field, began to feel that she was not living a truly authentic life, that she did not know what made her truly happy. To remedy this she kept a journal in order to discover what specifically triggered the feeling of delight in her daily life. The journal, A Life of One’s Own, was published in 1934. It was written, she confided, in the spirit of a detective who searches through the minutiae of the mundane in hopes of finding clues for what was missing in her life.

Joanna Field discovered that she delighted in red shoes, good food, sudden bursts of laughter, reading in French, answering letters, loitering in a crowd at a fair and “a new life when first it was grasped.”

Let us each grasp a new idea this year – the awareness of what it is that makes us truly happy.

even if it's just a happy finger. — even if it’s just a happy finger.

Let us consider our personal preferences and learn how to recognize, then embrace, moments of happiness that are uniquely our own.

FUN

health MATTERS – Winter Whites

Permission to fill your plate with a little less color.

For years we’ve been told to “eat the rainbow,” on the theory that the more colorful our fruits and vegetables, the more nutrient-rich they are. While that advice still holds, research reveals that certain pale foods – like cauliflower and celery root – have a lot to offer too, from helping ward off heart disease to boosting bone health. And because many of these veggies are in peak season during cooler months, now is a great time to lighten up.

Let’s take three for now:

Celery Root – whether you boil it or eat it raw, this root vegetable offers more than twice the iron of a boiled potato, and at least 35 percent more fiber per cup. Also contains more than 70% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin K.

Cauliflower – one cup of this cruciferous veggie packs 68 percent of your daily recommended allowance of Vitamin C. The white florets also contain the nutrient choline, which the brain converts into a chemical that researchers believe may help to slow age-related memory loss.

Parsnips – a cup of cooked parsnips satisfies nearly 30 percent of the daily vitamin C needs and delivers more than 20 percent of the suggested intake of the mineral Manganese. They also contain nearly 6 grams of fiber per cup (more than 22 percent of the daily recommended intake), helping you stay full a little longer.

Other great whites – garlic and horseradish.

So for tonight – mix your greens with white!

Taken from an article by Ashley Gartland – Feeling Good

FUN

Fab Fashion Folios – To Me

THE BEST FASHION BOOKS

In Chinese Astrology, 2014 is the Year of the Horse. In the style world, it seems to be the year of the fashion tome. Penned by It girls and icons, these titles will look lovely on the coffee table of any style junkie.

Know any?

Find more books of interest on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/intrigueimports/under-the-covers-attention-grabbing-books/

FUN

beauty biz – YSL TOUCHE ÉCLAT

WHAT IS IT?

TOUCHE ÉCLAT – Radiant Touch – by Yves Saint Laurent

A luminizing pen that brings light and radiance to the skin, immediately erases any signs of fatigue, and brightens the complexion.

This is what they have to say:

What it does:
Loved by models, makeup artists, celebrities, and women everywhere, the award-winning Yves Saint Laurent TOUCHE ÉCLAT Radiant Touch is like eight hours of sleep and an instant pick-me-up in a magic wand. With a few strategically placed strokes of TOUCHE ÉCLAT, the complexion immediately looks rested, rejuvenated, and radiant.

What else you need to know:
TOUCHE ÉCLAT banishes shadows and tired-looking eyes by adding light and creating an instant lift to the eye area. TOUCHE ÉCLAT widens eyes when used between the eyebrows and along the sides of the nose, and creates fuller looking lips when used in the hollow of the chin and around the contour of the lips. It’s formulated for all skin types and for anyone who wants instant radiance, luminosity, and lift.

And who doesn’t?

Watch the light battle at:

http://www.yslbeautyus.com/Touche-eclat/141YSL,default,pd.html

Have you tried it? Let me know what you think.

STYLE

Style & Substance – some girls

TODAY, instead of focusing on one particular style topic I want to share some photos of women whose STYLE I ADMIRE…..starting with Audrey. Some you will know, some you will not, but they’re all a lovely lot. Each with their own individual style (of course personal stylists & an abundance of cash always helps) but these women have plenty of fashion sense and charismatic personal flair.

Swedish blogger Elin Kling. Her resume includes Fashion Director of Swedish Magazine STYLEBY and Creative Director of Elin Kling, which has evolved from her own personal blog she started seven years ago to a daily fashion journal. Nowhere is her clothing line. I love her clean, simple lines and perfect blond hair.

Victoria Beckham. NO matter what you want to say (jealousy aside) about her – there’s no denying her total put together STYLE package!

Musicians as models…

We have Sky Ferreira and Daft Punk for Saint Laurent, David Bowie for Louis Vuitton and Lady Gaga for Versace.

I like Rhianna because she’s young & fearless. And her mom is adorable! Hers is not my personal style choice but then again, I’m not a rock chick. It doesn’t matter what she wears she always looks beautiful.

Diane Von Furstenburg. She created the wrap dress eons ago that still goes strong but she is still evolving. — **Diane Von Furstenburg**. She created the wrap dress in 1974 & it’s still going strong but her style is always evolving.

Amanda de Cadenet photo: annie levowitz — “The Conversation” Web Host **Amanda de Cadenet.** She’s not a skinny girl but embraces her body type & encourages other women to do so too.
photo: Annie Leibovitz.

**Gwyneth Paltrow** rarely if ever seems to make a wrong move. She looks good in everything.

SJP - because she's quirky a lot of the time but it suits her. — **SJP** – because she’s quirky a lot of the time but it suits her. She somehow manages to pull it off where as other women (like me) wouldn’t dare.

Kate Moss....there's nothing more to say. Save the BEST FOR LAST! — **Kate Moss**….there’s nothing more to say. Save the BEST FOR LAST!

Check out our Style board on PINterest at: https://www.pinterest.com/intrigueimports/style-inspiration/

Whose style do you admire most?

Food + Drink

simply satisfying – gourmet Mac and Cheese

First off…let’s just talk about good cheese in general. There are so many great varieties. Just when you think you’ve tried them all…there’s a new kid on the block (or cheeseboard). Today I sampled a bunch of Beecher’s Handmade Cheese at Pike Place Market in Seattle. So good that I decided to do a whole blog dedicated to only cheese….but then decided I’d post a recipe of a gourmet version of Macaroni and Cheese instead.

You can watch them making Curd Cheese

Sometimes you just want a good old Mac’ n Cheese. This one has a little bite to it and the croutons provide a crispy topping.

To make croutons – 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 4 slices white bread, cut into ½ inch squares, kosher salt, 21 seasoning salute (or something similar). In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bread; stir until golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and season with a pinch of salt & seasoning. Set aside.

Recipe

Unsalted butter, for greasing pan

2 cups elbow pasta

8 ounces each – Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Manchego (or you can use Colby) cheese, all shredded.

2 tsp. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ sour cream

1 large egg, beaten

¼ cup grated sweet onion

1 ½ cups half & half

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9” x 13” baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until almost al dente; drain, then return pasta to pot. In a medium bowl, combine all three cheeses. Then mix 2/3 of the cheese with pasta. Set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne, mustard, nutmeg, sour cream, egg, onion and the half & half. Pour over pasta and mix.

Transfer to baking dish and scatter remaining cheese over top. Bake uncovered until just beginning to brown, about 35 minutes. Top with croutons and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Let sit 15 minutes before serving. Makes approx. 10 servings.

TIP: you can also use store bought croutons and just crumble them in place of the homemade ones.Check out our Food Board for more fabulous recipes on PINterest at: https://www.pinterest.com/intrigueimports/foodsavour-taste-flavor-relish-palate-enjoyment/