Where casual meets elegance, whether it be painted refurbished vintage and antique furniture, beautiful new clothing, La Rochere glassware from France, premium bedding or 100% organic cotton nightdresses. Located at 2005 West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”
“Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read printed words!”— A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, 1943
“Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read.”- — Marilyn Jager Adams
“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.”- Jacqueline Kennedy
“You may have tangible wealth untold. / Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. / Richer than I you can never be – / I had a mother who read to me.” — Strickland Gillilan
“When I was a kid they didn’t call it dyslexia. They called it you know, you were slow, or you were retarded, or whatever. What you can never change is the effect that the words ‘dumb’ and ‘stupid’ have on young people. I knew I wasn’t stupid, and I knew I wasn’t dumb. My mother told me that. If you read to me, I could tell you everything that you read. They didn’t know what it was. They knew I wasn’t lazy, but what was it?” — Whoopi Goldberg
A favorite
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”— Walt Disney
Whether it’s an early-morning fruit-juice fix or pulverized carrots and kale for lunch, may of us are taking our meals in liquid form. But do the health claims justify giving juice a whirl?
You can’t walk down the street these days without seeing someone sipping juice. From trendsetting celebs to health gurus like Dr. Oz and Oprah, it seems everyone is enjoying their salads through a straw. And making some pretty big claims about the benefits. Juicing, they say, can help you turn back the clock, shed unwanted pounds fast and even fight a whole host of diseases.
Doctors, dietitians and nutritionists are divided as to whether juice cleanses have all the detoxifying, diet-transforming and disease-fighting properties their advocates so reverently profess. From a medical standpoint, doctors say our bodies (specifically the kidneys and liver) are equipped to naturally remove toxins from our systems.
One thing most experts can agree on is that juicing in moderation (think a glass a day as opposed to a meal replacement) can supplement an already decent diet or help jump start a range of healthy behaviour, such as more mindful eating in general. The bottom line is It’s fine to occasionally drink your fruits and veggies as long as you eat them often too.
Whole or pulverized, fruit and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet, so if it takes a glass of juice to help you get more of them, then that’s not entirely a bad thing. Experiment with ingredients like ginger for energy, or antioxidant-rich beets, which are high in folate, to help protect your heart.
For a super smoothie try mixing up some high grade protein powder with wild greens, blueberries, yogurt, banana, flax seeds, wheat germ & green tea powder.
Also: **Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host BradKing for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America. Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health
excerpts taken from Health Trends – Chatelaine Magazine
Don’t ask what I was doing perusing the Kid’s bookstore recently but I think it was the princess paraphernalia in the store window that drew me inside. Since I don’t have kids of my own I’ve been out of touch with the recent crop of book titles. Wow…how times have changed! But then when you think about it “Green Eggs and Ham” didn’t really make much sense either. Which brings me to the realization that we might be missing something in the imagination department as we get older. Have a look at some of these intriguing titles:
L’Occitane LOVE: This shine mask not only smells heavenly with 5 essential oils known for repairing dry and damaged hair but it also leaves your hair nice’n shiny, soft and smooth.
Oils: (angelica, lavender, geranium, ylang ylang & sweet orange) formulated with a natural vegetable complex particularly recommended for color and chemically treated hair. You only need to leave it on for five minutes. Your hair will love you for it.
Who doesn’t need to touch up flyaways every now and always?
John Frieda has come up with a Full Repair touch-upflyawaytamer that comes in a mascara like casing and works pretty much the same way but on your hair – specifically on the little buggers that won’t stay put! You just brush the wand over dried hair to smooth flyaways. It really works. Especially great for when you wear your hair up or off your face.
Then when you’re ready for that beachy wavy vibe you can turn to “Not Your Mother’s” BEACH BABETexturizing Sea Salt Spray infused with Dead Sea Salt & Sea Kelp. You just need to spray it onto clean, damp or dry hair, comb through & style. You’ll get sexy, tousled waves and fool everyone into thinking you just left the beach. Now everyday can be a day at the beach!
Alexandra Richards (daughter of Keith Richards & model Patty Hansen) in Paris. Photo taken from Ferragamo Website.
We’re all aware that we can monogram our initials on our plush Egyptian cotton bathrobes and even customize sneakers online but customizing luxury Italian leather goods? – not so common.
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of its famed “Vara skimmers” Ferragamo is introducing L’Icona, a digital DIY experience.
For 35 years, Vara has been worn by style setters around the globe (the go-to classic for style icons like Princess Diana to Alexa Chung to me),and has become an icon in the fashion realm. It is one of the most famously recognized shoes from the House of Ferragamo. I’ve always loved this type of shoe – so versatile and classic.
Vara Classic – from Ferragamo Website
It’s a way for customers to reflect their personalities and so they will be able to e-cobble with choice of hue, ribbon, and plate. Choose from 22 shades of patent leather, 21 colors of grosgrain ribbon, 3 metal options for the bow’s ornament plate and 2 heel heights. You can even have 3 letters monogrammed on the bottom of the shoe. Your perfect pair will arrive in five weeks – flat. FerraGLAMo! (photo)
Trivia: Do you remember the TV series “Laverne & Shirley?” Laverne always had her initials sewn into her tops.
Making SCENTS with Ralph Lauren’s CUSTOMIZED perfume bottles.
Buy one of Ralph LaurenBig Pony women’s or men’s fragrances online, and you can personalize it with a name, monogram, or message of up to 10 characters. Perfect for detailing a signature scent, giving as a gift, or oh-so-elegantly marking your territory.
This delightfully tangy rich recipe is inspired by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s (of “Marketplace” at the Shangrila) recipe for vinegar chicken. He suggests seasoning the chicken with salt a day in advance. Serves six.
3-4 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces, preferably dark meat (like thighs).
2 ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
½ tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 ½ Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 ½ cups red wine vinegar (I substituted about half the vinegar amount for *red wine used for cooking purposes).
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup canned whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained and quartered
6 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs of thyme
3 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 300. Season chicken with 2 tsp. salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 5-to-6 quart Dutch oven or wide, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken by arranging half the chicken in pot in a single layer and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken
Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and cook until much of the acrid aroma has dissipated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth and ½ cup water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook until slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes
Whisk in tomato paste and remaining ½ tsp. salt. Add tomatoes, then arrange chicken in pot, skin side up, pouring over any accumulated juices from plate. Tuck garlic, thyme, and bay leaves in liquid. Cover pot snugly with foil, then lid, and transfer to oven. Cook 1 hour and 15 minutes, until chicken is very tender.
Let rest 30 minutes; discard thyme and bay leaves. Scatter parsley and serve.
*I always keep a vacumized bottle of wine aside for cooking purposes. Usually it’s one I’m not so crazy about drinking so it comes in handy for recipes such as this one or in a hearty Bolognese sauce or Beef Bourgignon. More recipes with wine to follow. Of course I always drink a glass while cooking.
Excerpts from “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle Unhappiness – what is a negative emotion? An emotion that is toxic to the body and interferes with its balance and harmonious functioning. Fear, anxiety, anger, bearing a grudge, sadness, hatred or intense dislike, jealousy, envy – all disrupt the energy flow through the body, affect the heart, the immune system, digestion, production of hormones, and so on. Even mainstream medicine, although it knows very little about how the ego operates yet, is beginning to recognize the connection between negative emotional states and physical disease. An emotion that does harm to the body also infects the people you come into contact with and indirectly, through a process of chain reaction, countless others you never meet. There is a generic term for all negative emotions: unhappiness.
The Secret of Happiness – How to be at peace now? By making peace with the present moment. The present moment is the field on which the game of life happens. It cannot happen anywhere else. Once you have made peace with the present moment, see what happens, what you can do or choose to do, or rather what life does through you. There are three words that convey the secret of the art of living, the secret of all success and happiness: One With Life. Being one with life is being one with NOW. You then realize that you don’t live your life, but life lives you. Life is the dancer, and you are the dance.
ENERGIZE yourself with PROTEINPOWER. You deserve to know what goes into a “perfect” protein powder. One made with 100% pure plantprotein.
THERE’S NO BETTER end to a good workout like drinking a perfectly healthy protein shake. It will bring your energy level right back and help to build muscle. But with all the varieties out there in the marketplace how do we know WHICH PROTEIN POWDER TO CHOOSE? Don’t be fooled! You want the ULTIMATE PROTEIN POWDER – one that will deliver. You want *Brad King’s Ultimate Vegan “TRUE RAW” Energy Protein *Organic Sprouted & fermented Brown Rice Protein – (that’s a real mouthful, literally). Here’s what you need to know:
*Brad King is a highly sought after authority on nutrition, obesity, longevity and one’s health and has been touted as one of the most influential health mentors of our time. Brad is also a Best SellingAuthor (having written several books including “Beer Belly Blues”), Keynote Speaker and Award Winning Nutritional Formulator.
The ULTIMATE VEGAN ENERGY PROEIN is comprised of organic sprouted brown rice protein – the Cadillac of plant-based proteins because it is a non-GMO sprouted whole grain complete protein that is made from the whole rice grain (including the bran, germ, and endosperm). It is processed using low-temperatures (never heated past 90oF) without any chemical additives like hexane. This creates a superior raw plant-based protein with pureamino acids in their most bioavailable forms, which greatly enhances the quality, digestion-rating and bioavailability of the protein as well as ensuring high levels of naturally-occuring vitamins (especially B vitamins), minerals, antioxidants – tocopherols and tocotrienols – and other essential nutrients.
What to expect:
Made from fermented raw sprouted organic brown rice protein
Non-GMO
Complete hypoallergenic plant protein
3 grams of 100% organic maca per serving
No Sweeteners
Natural flavors
Easily digested
Produced with low temperatures and natural enzymes
No chemicals and processed without acid hydrolysis
*Organic sprouted brown rice protein is the highest quality protein among all cereal grains, containing all essential and non-essential amino acids and a good ratio of the extremely important branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are necessary for cellular repair.
Watch your “Peas” & “Q’s”: the next paragraph will make you Question your current formula:
IMPORTANT Note: Many vegan protein supplements on the market cut their products with inexpensiveproteinslikepea (usually the first ingredient in the formulas, to save cost and increase profits), which causes digestive complaints and gas in numerous individuals.
Ultimate Vegan Energy Protein contains the added benefit of a full 3-gram serving (per dose) of the highest quality organic gelatinized maca available today (Ultimate Maca EnergyTM) to ensure maximum energy enhancement, hormonal support and stress adaptation. No other plant protein formula has this quantity and quality of maca in their product.
Suggested Use – Mix 2 scoops (50g) with 250 – 350mL of water or juice in a shaker cup or blender. You can use it just on its own or add fresh or frozen blueberries, organic yogurt and a banana for more of a smoothie.
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 on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.
Oh; did I mention he’s also my brother? Having said that I must say that I am totally unbiased when it comes to what he knows and the integrity of his products. You can find out for yourself. What I know to be true (I sound like Oprah now) is that Brad takes these products himself. I figure if they’re good enough for him then I better take them too. I’ll strive to be my Ultimate self.
Located at 2005 West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano
HEALTH IN A GLASS?
Don’t ask what I was doing
perusing the Kid’s bookstore recently but I think it was the princess paraphernalia in the store window that drew me inside. Since I don’t have kids of my own I’ve been out of touch with the recent crop of book titles. Wow…how times have changed! But then when you think about it “Green Eggs and Ham” didn’t really make much sense either. Which brings me to the realization that we might be missing something in the imagination department as we get older. Have a look at some of these intriguing titles:
L’Occitane LOVE: This shine mask not only smells heavenly with 5 essential oils known for repairing dry and damaged hair but it also leaves your hair nice’n shiny, soft and smooth.
Your hair will love you for it.
Unhappiness – what is a negative emotion? An emotion that is toxic to the body and interferes with its balance and harmonious functioning. Fear, anxiety, anger, bearing a grudge, sadness, hatred or intense dislike, jealousy, envy – all disrupt the energy flow through the body, affect the heart, the immune system, digestion, production of hormones, and so on. Even mainstream medicine, although it knows very little about how the ego operates yet, is beginning to recognize the connection between negative emotional states and physical disease. An emotion that does harm to the body also infects the people you come into contact with and indirectly, through a process of chain reaction, countless others you never meet. There is a generic term for all negative emotions: unhappiness.
You want *Brad King’s Ultimate Vegan “TRUE RAW” Energy Protein *Organic Sprouted & fermented Brown Rice Protein – (that’s a real mouthful, literally). Here’s what you need to know:
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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