Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.
Inspirations on Life/Style/Design/ Recipes/ Health +
A stylish way to stave off a winter chill apart from your warm down coat and gloves is wearing a beanie topper.
Beside the fact that it keeps your ears warm and it’s a good excuse to hide a bad hair day (naturally) I think they look really cute in casually chic sort of way.
The plus factor is they look as good on adults as they do on children!
What do you think?
What can be more comforting than having a savoury crêpe on a country-chic flower decked patio that makes you feel like you’re in Provence, France?
Even though the secluded setting is located behind retail shops in “La Plaza” a Spanish style center off Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.
Farm serves locally sourced, French & Spanish-inspired fare. It was built in the 1930’s as studio residences to house local workers.
The waiter told me Farm restaurant comes with a story…and I always love a good story. Along with a white picket fence.
Liz Ostoich, owner of Farm Restaurant, told us that La Plaza was developed by the wealthy Julia Carnell, of the National Cash Register Company. The story goes that she was friends with Palm Springs pioneer Nellie Coffman, who built the Desert Inn and invited Carnell to visit.
Apparently Carnell loved the village, but lamented that shopping, entertainment and dining was too spread out. So she built La Plaza in the center of town that encompassed not only shops, a theater, probably a restaurant, but also housing for those working in the shops. Automobiles could park in the cobble-stone plaza near the shops; La Plaza was actually the first “strip mall” in California, if not the country.
“The idea of combined residential and retail units [is] not new,” said Ostoich. “Carnell built the plaza for $2 million, which during the Depression was a lot of money.”
For Ostoich, travels in the south of France gave her an appreciation for farm-fresh cuisine and French country living. La Plaza’s human-scale Spanish architecture is reminiscent of European country sides where hand-built farmhouses seem to spring from the ground like the plants around them.
A white picket fence and gate encloses Farm’s outdoor garden dining areas and a worn pavement path leads to the patio covered by a tangle of vines and bougainvillea. The patio bisects two adjoining bungalows on either side; two are the dining rooms, two are now the kitchen.
As the kitchen is small without a microwave or freezer, Ostoich’s Provencal-style breakfast and lunch menu is simple but flexible, based on artisanal meats, local produce and organic eggs. Dishes are made to order with great attention to detail.
Farm Restaurant
6 Plaza, Palm Springs (760) 322-2724 www.farmpalmsprings.com
Source for story: Pamela Bieri “The Desert Sun”
Photos: d. king
The Debbie wishes she always wore loves PRADA
don’t think I’m repeating myself because my last post was about skin serums. I promise it won’t be a weekly event. Well it might; just not on serums every time. But I was excited to share this one with you too because you know…I’m an authority on the subject this is one of my specialties
Last week I mentioned some ridiculously affordable serums from Canadian beauty start-up company Deciem which offered one active ingredient in each bottle. Great if you want let’s say…Vitamin “C”, or Hyaluronic Acid, etc..
You might want to consider the Age-Defying & Skin Clearing Serum from Instanatural for just under $25.
As skincare products go this is a pretty appealing price and name. I mean anything with “age-defying AND “skin clearing” claims must be at least looked upon. This is the holy grail of skin ingredient listings:
Retinol? Salicylic acid? Niacinamide? Vitamin C? Hyaluronic acid? Tea tree oil? Lavender? In one little bottle?
One beauty editor experienced what she referred to as a skincare-induced bout of hyperventilation. These were all the ingredients one could wish for in one product to plump skin, make it brighter, clear blemishes and blackheads, and hide fine lines.
The serum has a milky consistency to it and a lovely citrusy scent.
Granted, I have yet to try it (still trying to get through all the rest of the products that I’ve either purchased or were sent to me for review). But I can tell you that it’s high up on my list.
What are your all-time favorite skincare products?
Cool..Comfy..Casual..Colorful..California Wear.. with a French Twist
While wandering around the usual familiar shops on Palm Canyon Drive a few weeks ago I came across a store that escapes the ordinary.
Who’ S Next (that’s the name of the store) specializes in exclusive French fashion brands with an obvious crush on Brigitte Bardot. I mean who else to better embody a chic laid back St. Tropez resort style than Bardot…Riiight??
I’m not such a fan of wearing images of famous people or slogans for that matter, however I ended up leaving the store with a few items, one of which was a faded image of Bardot on a lovely top with three quarter length sleeves and V-neck back. The other was the kind of shirt I want to live in. A long-sleeved light-weight cotton shirt that comes in 25 colors. Lots of variety.…reasonably priced. I only bought one but I want the other 24.
There were linen shirts a plenty.
What’s next? The pants! I’m told they are a must something to consider.
The owner, Benjamin Perdereau lived in Aix Provence in Southern France, and visited his parents often in Palm Springs. He owned and operated a store in Southern France and believed it needed to be recreated here. Thank you Benjamin!
Unfortunately I discovered the store after the November opening complete with entertainment, fashion show and French crepes.
C’est la Vie!
Photos: d. king
Shop online @ http://www.whosnextpsp.com/
Address: 184 N. Palm Canyon Dr
I’ve rekindled my love for rice bowls. Not only nutritious & delicious but easy to make.
It’s a good way to use up all kinds of leftovers. Energize your meal with protein: chicken, salmon or steak. Substitute quinoa or noodles instead of rice as a base and play with a variety of different veggies and dressings to turn it Mexican, Indian, Asian+ for endless possibilities.
Let’s try unlikely combos. Let’s eat things that are good. Let’s eat things that make us feel good.
Vegetarian Coconut Rice Bowl Recipe
Yield: 4 bowls
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed
* 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
* 1 cup chopped cilantro, divided
* 2 limes
* 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
* 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
* 1 red bell pepper, diced
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 Tbs. freshly minced ginger
* 1/2 cup frozen edamame
* 2 scallions, finely sliced
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Place the rinsed rice in a rice cooker. Add 3/4 cup coconut milk to the cooker, and 1 1/4 cup water & cook.
When the rice is done, add the juice of half a lime along with 1/2 cup cilantro. Stir.
Heat the oil over medium-high in a large sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they become tender and dark brown, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and bell pepper; season with salt and pepper and sauté another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger; sauté for about another minute.
Now add the remaining coconut milk, edamame, remaining cilantro, scallions & another good squeeze of lime juice. Let it simmer 3 minutes, or until the edamame warms through.
Serve over coconut rice garnished with more scallions and fresh lime wedges.
Here’s a growing fast food chain I really like:
Freshii is a (fairly new to Vancouver) fast food restaurant chain that specializes in healthy rice bowls, salads, juices and smoothies. I recently stumbled upon it when I was hangry (that place when you’re really hungry, bordering on the verge of cranky anger) and enjoyed the *Oaxaca bowl very much. I wondered why there were not more fast food places like it. The story behind it is interesting blending fashion & food.
Matthew Corrin is the founder & CEO of Freshii. While working in New York City for fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, Matthew was inspired by “mom-and-pop” delis with fresh food but lackluster branding & service. He sought to “add magic to the fresh food business” & brand the commodity of fresh food not unlike Starbucks branded the coffee bean. He’s a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, Canada’s Top 40 under 40, Inc. Magazine’s Top 30 under 30, and Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals Restaurateur of the Year. In 2005, he founded Freshii.
*brown rice & kale, avocado, beet slaw, black beans, corn, salsa fresca, crispy wontons, lime wedge, spicy yogurt sauce (1927 W. 4th in Kits).
Source for vegetarian recipe: bevcooks.com
This UNUSUAL INSTALLATION by James Turrell is designed to entirely eliminate the viewer depth perception.
Perceptual deprivation is something I struggle with at times all the time when trying to park parking my car but this is completely different. In general his work blends the worlds of art, science, architecture, astronomy, mathematics, archaeology, and spirituality.
Ongoing at LACMA – Los Angeles County Museum of Art
You don little sock booties and walk through a sloping curved room with a strong light source at one end that continuously changes color. A little 60’s psychedelic, a little eerie mixed with some unexpected enlightenment.
About the Artist:
James Turrell was born in Los Angeles in 1943 and attended Pomona College, where he studied art, art history, mathematics, perceptual psychology and astronomy. He took graduate courses at the University of California, Irvine, and received a master’s degree in fine art from Claremont Graduate School.
or; a bear
“What day is it?”
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.” – A.A. Milne
People tell me I smile waaay too much! That’s their problem!
CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.metabolicwarrior.com/
You know what they say; if something seems too good to be true, it probably is…except maybe in this case!
We woman already pay a lot for upkeep and that includes our skincare regime. And our skincare regime usually includes an expensive serum. So if you found out you could buy a serum with a really good active ingredient for only $6 you wouldn’t believe me right?
On average a regular glycolic acid-based serum costs around $42. An antioxidant serum of choice costs about $163. These are hefty prices, sure. But they’re serums. Paying top dollar for high concentrations of anti-aging ingredients is just the way it goes, isn’t it?
If you ask Toronto-based beauty brand Deciem, the answer will be a resounding No. The brand has released a new collection of serums that promises the same ingredients as luxury products, except these SKUs boast prices as low as $6.
The new line is called The Ordinary and offers a total of 10 serums, the most expensive of which is $15. Since launching earlier this month, the brand has sold over 43,000 units. I wonder why?
Self-termed “the abnormal beauty company,” Deciem positions its image on the fringe of the beauty market. What makes The Ordinary’s serums unique is their simplicity—each bottle contains only one or two active ingredients, like vitamin C, hylauronic acid, and retinoid (all of which we’re used to seeing in our pricier serums). Deciem’s founder Brandon Truaxe says that because of the low ingredient count, the products can be manufactured and packaged more affordably.
So where can you buy them? Deciem sells all of its ranges on the company website, as well as choice retailers around the globe (U.S. brick-and-mortar locations are in the works). Though the company is fairly under-the-radar stateside, it has become wildly popular in the UK, mostly due to the success of their hand and body care brand Hand Chemistry.
Want to experience the budget-friendly wonders of The Ordinary? Shop some of their serums below!
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 ($7)
If you’re aiming to give your skin an intense dose of moisture, cart this $7 hyaluronic acid serum.
The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% ($6)
This skin-protecting vitamin C serum miraculously comes in at less than $6 per bottle.
The Ordinary “Buffet” ($15)
At less than $15, this peptide-packed serum is the brand’s most expensive SKU.
What’s to lose? The only bad thing is if you don’t like it you haven’t lost much money trying something new. If you do like it………. GREAT!
Though it took a sartorial break for a couple of decades, it’s back and chicer than ever. The turtleneck is a strong, simple and smart staple if you can refer to an item of clothing as being “smart”
A black turtleneck sweater is a classic that works as a canvas for jewelry or scarves and looks great either super casual with jeans or dressed up with a skirt, jumpsuit or blazer.
Just before leaving on my trip I hummed & hawed for several minutes seconds over buying a tight teal turtleneck but then I bought it. My excuse – I liked the material, the weather was getting colder and it was an unexpected pop of colour. I think they’re pretty practical and nevermind that you are up to your neck in material…it can look quite sexy. Maybe more so than a way too low-cut top. Wear it with:
A BOLD COAT and CROSSBODY BAG
WITH A MOTO JACKET AND HIGH-WAISTED PANTS
WITH COLORFUL PANTS AND A FAUX-FUR TOPPER
WITH A TRENCH AND VELVET BOOTIES (for something right on trend)
Because the point being is you want to stay warm and stylish!
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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