These must-watch Holiday Commercials will bring a smile to your face. They were voted part of the top 12 holiday commercials worldwide. Here are my 3 favourites:
#1 I love a man in a tuxedo:
#2 Closest to my heart:
#3 Perhaps the most heartfelt:
What do the kids want for Christmas?
Jia Jia’s Wish List:
This is what I did with my old cashmere sweatersFeeling a bit blue
Dear Santa, I want a drivers license, a coat that fits and no more hand me downs. But most of all I wish for World Peace.
Where to Jack?
Jack’s Wish List (condensed from a verrry looong one):
Dear Santa, I want more coats, sweaters, toys, treats, live squirrels, an otter box for my phone and a car of my own (don’t really need the license).
I like your coat. I see that your owner tries to dress like you – but can’t pull off the look as well.I want a phone that will take good selfies
Jack, I know it’s confusing but this is NOT the otter box I was referring to. Guess you didn’t hear the word BOX?
I otter keep Jack on his leash more often because just the other day he chased this big guy all the way to the water. Seriously!
What’s on your wish list?
One of the lucky winners was Jia Jia. Last night we picked up a door prize from the Santa Paws Fundraiser – from Love on a Leash in Kits.
A Christmas party is a good excuse to go full on GLAMOUR
with products to help you out
These six will help to put your best face forward so you can go from the desk to the dance floor
1) Show some polish
Dazzle them with this new fabulous glitter crimson shade from Essiethat looks good on everyone.
2) Silver/Gold
Dior’s Grand Bal makeup palette will add some zing to your lids and comes enclosed in a beautiful gold case with a jet-black eyeliner pencil and 2 shimmer glosses. Bonus: it fits perfectly in your purse.
3) Diamond Dust
Guerlain’s Limited Edition Liu Perfumed Body Powder lightly dusts on glitter in a glamorous fashion – in a spray bottle. Looks indulgent and smells fantastic.
4) Smoky Hot
This new limited edition palette from Georgia Armani has a gorgeous silver highlighter, sophisticated grey eye shadow and a red-hot lip to give you a sexy beauty look – in one go. Go for it! Giorgio Armani Moonlight White Palette
5) Golden Goddess
Clarins limited edition Christmas face palette has gold coloured mother-of-pearl to give you a sexy goddess glow.
6) Silver Star
This intense cream formula from Estée Lauder has staying power without creasing so it’s perfect for an all-nighter. It can be worn as a base, highlighter or eyeliner. Estée Lauder – Pure Colour Shadow PaintReally, you don’t need much. You’ll look BEAUTIFUL with just a little extra effort!
It’s that time of the year again: that seasonal conundrum ofWHAT TO WEAR? to the annual office Christmas party.
Leave it to Louboutin (Nordstrom, Vancouver). Sometimes it’s best to start to dress from the ground up!
The first cardinal rule? There’s no need to don the ornamental bells and whistles of a Christmas tree. You can still keep it simple but add a dash of bling & a red lip.
Just remember this
The second? Unless the theme is ugly Christmas sweaters, then make somewhat of an effort. If your party is right after work and you don’t have the time to change then at the very least slip on a pair of pretty party shoes and/or a decorative piece of jewellery.
It doesn’t have to be too much, just something festive. You can keep them incognito until the night kicks off. If you want to up the ante on the accessories, the only thing you need is a simple pair of drop-dead drop earrings to keep in your bag. They’ll add a slight shine to your ensemble if the rest of your look is pared back. Speaking of bags….
How about an elegant evening clutch bag? These are found at KATE FRENCH Wear – 2352 W. 4th Ave. in Vancouver. There is a lot more to this store than what is shown here. Clothing, etc.
Luckily, there are easy one-step tricks to the holiday office party trade. The best thing to do is to keep it simple yet with a little more chic ‘oomph’ than usual. Try a sleek A-line tea length skirt; it has that immediate Grace Kelly effect of polish. If your work place is casual and you usually wear jeans then opt for a black cigarette pant and oxford button-down or lacy blouse.
You can’t go wrong with these made in Canada simple but classy clutch bags which will come in handy after the holidays too. I love the ease of the handle which just slips over your wrist. KATE FRENCH Wear, Vancouver.
Rule #3 – if you’re into glam & glitter then this is the month to pull out all the stops.
Rule #4: no matter where you work, remember you’re still amongst your colleagues so go easy on the liquor.
Think about this old quote that Phyllis Diller once said:
“What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day”
Rule #5 – have fun, make it festive and look and feel your most FABULOUS!
But I didn’t really have a choice. When my freezer had a meltdown last week I had to do some quick thinking as to what would be the best ways to use up lots of chicken, ribs, pork and fish within a short time span. I baked, steamed and grilled but I also put a few things in the slow cooker. Here are two recipes I tried for the first time that turned out extremely well. I forgot how easy & convenient it is to use my slow-cooker. The only thing is that I took it one tiny step further – instead of throwing everything into the pot (which most people tend to do) I advise first browning the meat in another pot. It only takes a few extra minutes, one extra pot to clean and it will give you so much extra flavour. Trust me – it’s worthwhile!
Recipe #1: SWEET & SPICY CHICKEN (slightly adapted from a Martha Stewart Recipe)
TIP: You can serve it Moroccan style in a tagine over cous cous (or cous cous on the side) and add cilantro or green onion for an exotic spin.
INGREDIENTS – serves 4
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 chicken leg quarters (2 1/2 pounds total) *I used boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges (root end left intact)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced into rounds
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup raisins
DIRECTIONS
In a large zip-top bag, combine cumin, cimmamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; add chicken and toss to coat. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until golden, about 4 minutes each side.
In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, place onion, garlic, and ginger. Add chicken, skin side up, then top with tomatoes and their liquid and raisins. Cover and cook on high until chicken is tender, 3 1/2 hours (or 6 hours on low).
Leftovers are always better the very next day
Recipe #2:
MAPLE DIJON PORK CHOPS
serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2-3 large bone-in pork chops *(I used boneless but next time I’ll use bone-in as I think they have more flavour)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 tbsp pure maple syrup
4 tbsp dijon mustard
½ cup cider vinegar
1/2 tsp course salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
Heat up the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the pork chops and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Sear both sides of chops over high heat (about 2 minutes per side) then transfer to your slow cooker.
Lower the heat to medium low and add the onions. Cook until onions are just starting to soften then add the cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes and then pour sauce over chops in the slow cooker.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours (but check after 3 hours – depending on your slow cooker they could cook faster). Serve chops drizzled generously with sauce.
Tip: Try serving it with a side of egg noodles to help soak up the juice. It’s delicious. The only thing is that there was not enough – no leftovers to enjoy next day!
Source: adapted from eat.live.run.com
What kind of food do you take comfort in at this time of year?
It’s one of the human world’s most colourful, modern day, micro-migrations.
In the first week of December of every year, the art world descends on Miami Beach for ART BASEL Miami Beach and the dizzying range of young, wannabe rival fairs that have sprouted up in its shadow. From discreet European billionaires looking out of place amidst the Latino bling, to desperate crowds trying to force entry into exclusive art parties, to the variety of art installations and performances dotted along the ocean front, the spectacle of the art world temporarily grafted onto the hot mess that is Miami Beach is truly something to behold.Buried underneath all that wealth, naked ambition and partying, is the thing-in-itself – the art. Dazed previews the best new art that’s being shown at the best fairs – NADA at The Fontainebleau hotel and Untitled, operating from a vast tent-cum-hanger right on the beach as well as Art Basel Miami Beach itself.
Feeling Moody?
Maybe one of the most interesting art installations to land in New York recently is theMuseum of Feelings.
A first of its kind installation combining innovative technology, scent and art to generate an unforgettable and emotional experience, controlled by feelings from around the world. Crazy, right? And completely amazing…
The mysterious façade of the museum allows audience members to embark on a sensory journey through five distinctive zones that explore the connection between art and emotion in unassuming and surprising ways. Meanwhile, the museums radiant exterior, linked to various social network sites, simultaneously extracts data from news and weather reports, stock exchange and even flight delays and incorporates the various information into feelings, ultimately depicted by a hue of interchangeable colors. Kind of like a giant and interactive mood ring.
The Museum Of Feelings, nestled in lower manhattans Brookfield Place (near Battery Park City) will be free and open to the public until the 15th of December.
As a general rule I don’t like to watch Christmas movies until at least 2 weeks before Christmas. Even listening to Christmas songs…same thing. That’s about the time I begin to get into the spirit. It’s not being bah humbug…it’s just that it feels a bit too much, too soon.
But it’s close enough!
Even though I never tire of watching Christmas Classics around this time like Miracle on 34th Street (the original & the remake), It’s a Wonderful Life, the Grinch (both the cartoon & the film version starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch), Scrooge, Rudolph (the original), Home Alone (always funny) and some more recent ones like Elf and The Holiday… it’s nice to watch something new, light, fun and fresh. Something with Bill Murray.
Miracle on 34th Street – the Original
An entertaining cast, directed by Sofia Coppola (she directed “Lost in Translation” also with Bill Murray which I loved), filmed at a New York institution (the Carlyle hotel where I once stayed with my parents while on a visit to N.Y.) a dash of Clooney and all things combined, I enjoyed this one hour mostly musical very much. New on NETFLIX.
Watch the Trailer:
Which Christmas movies (animated or otherwise) are your favourites?
Jack’s rendition of The Cremation Of Sam McGee by Robert Louis Stevenson
He was always cold but the land of gold
Seemed to hold him like a spell
Though he’d often say in his doggy way
That he’d sooner live in hell
How about NOW? NOW can I chase them?
And there lay Jack, looking cool and calm
In the heart of the furnace roar
And he wore a smile you could see a mile
And he said, “Please close that door”
I think the sweater my grandma knit looks a bit small for you
“It’s fine in here but I greatly fear
You’ll let in the cold and storm
Since I left my home in Bangkok
It’s the first time I’ve been warm”
He’s so clever, that dog! He chased a squirrel right up a tree. Now where did that darn squirrel go? Oh no; not the other tree!
He likes to WINDOW SHOP; literally!
I use him as a sniffer dog – to sniff out the right pairs of shoes. Mary Janes are his faves.
The following recipes come courtesy of my good friend Kaeli Bauman who, as a holistic wellness coach helps women the world over tackle their nutritional demons so that they can live a healthy, vibrant life. Kaeli says:
What you put inside your body for beauty is far more important than what you put on the outside. Breakouts and sluggish looking skin are usually caused by an overburdened digestive system due to less than optimal food choices like heavily processed sugar and rancid fats. This is something that even the most expensive, highest quality skin product couldn’t repair. These quick little beauty elixirs are simple to make and have immediate healthy, beautifying benefits. When taken in the morning on an empty stomach or with breakfast, they absorb right into your bloodstream working their magic – detoxifying, energizing, regenerating, and adding a sweet glow to your skin.
Kaeli Bauman
Glow
(I’ve been making a very close version of this simple recipe every day for almost a year now. Only difference is that I slice a few pieces of ginger very thinly & add less than a tsp. of virgin coconut oil and a little honey. Sometimes I even add a tsp. of apple cider vinegar). Didn’t realize I was concocting a revive/glow mix but in any case it gives a good start to the day & gets me glowing (ha, ha).
Ingredients:
1 Lemon juiced
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 inch of juiced ginger
Dash of cinnamon
Why? Cinnamon controls your blood sugar levels, ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, cayenne revs up your metabolism, and lemon is an awesome liver detoxifier. Together they create a magical potion that will have you glowing all morning.
Revive
2 Tbsp of Apple cider vinegar
Dash of turmeric
1 tsp of raw honey
1 lime juiced
Why? Limes are full of citric acid which help detox the kidneys, raw honey is rich in minerals, turmeric has anti-inflammatory and anti-aging compounds, and apple cider vinegar has a pH similar to skin, which helps restore and balance your skin.
Skin
1 tbsp of raw cacao
1 tsp of maca
1 tbsp of maple syrup
1 tbsp of flax oil
Why? Cacao contains antioxidants which help protect collagen in the skin, maca helps balance hormones (which can contribute to breakouts,) Maple Syrup contains active ingredients which help skin cells regenerate, and flax oil is rich in omega-3’s which help maintain skin’s plump structure.
I’ve been going through all my shoes deciding which ones to keep, which ones to give away but when it comes down to my Mary Janes I have a hard time parting with any of them.
REALITY SHOE (Photo: HBO)
The Sex and the City Moment:
When Carrie Bradshaw sees a pair of Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes for the very first time in a fashion closet and cries out, “I thought these were an urban shoe myth!” From flats to heels, the Mary Jane might just be one of the most iconic and versatile shoes of all time. No other footwear has been through as much evolution as the popular-to-this-day Mary Jane.
Legend has it the name came from a comic strip dubbed Buster Brown in the New York Herald in 1902. In the comic, a little girl named Mary Jane wore flat shoes with a small leather strip across the front. Since then, everyone from Mary Quant to Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and Rei Kawakubo has capitalized on the style. The Mary Jane looks particularly chic —and it seems every designer is putting their own twist on the emblematic shoe.
Here is a TIMELINE of some of her best moments:
THE ORIGINALS
Photo: Getty Images
The Mary Jane played a key role in model-off-duty style during the 60s, as seen on Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton.
THE CINEMATIC ICON
In Clueless, Cher shows her love of the essential style in multiple scenes—whether they’re white patent with a thick heel or flat and metallic, paired with over-the-knee socks.
THE WHIMSICAL CARTOON
Everett
The fictional but stylish Alice in Wonderland sports a pair of black Mary Janes and knee-socks during her adventures with massive caterpillars, talking cats and rude flowers.
Getty Images
RED CARPET WORTHY
Cate Blanchett takes a step out at the Venice Biennale in a long green gown and simple pair of black patent leather Mary Janes.
Speaking of cartoons, I just watched the non-animated film version of “Cinderella” and Cate Blanchett plays a perfectly awful step-mother. Great rendition of the classic Disney fairytale (just had to tell you).
THE NEW CROP – Fresh off the Runway
Today’s versions come in metallic shades, covered in glitter, in lush velvets and with the occasional Lucite heel.
Mary Janes came elegantly gilded at Rodarte, in geometric shapes at Giles and even in the form of sugary-sweet pastel boots at the SS16 collections.
AND here’s another reason to love dancing the TANGO:
Come il Faut – Buenos Aires (I bought shoes there). Soft Black Silk…Ahhhhh
Source: Kristen Bateman for “The List” – Harper’s Bazaar
Except when your freezer goes on the fritz and unfreezes everything which is what just happened to me. (I haven’t experienced a meltdown in a looong time). Not the one in my house but the extra one we keep in the garage, which is used for overflow and is usually chock full of vodka, meats and frozen fruit. What to do with all that food? I don’t like to waste good food so last night I went to work and baked lots of ribs and chicken. Tonight it’s fish tacos. There will also be crockpot stew and leftover ribs & chicken. Everyone’s invited! The dogs get to have more variety than usual and hopefully none of us will pack on extra pounds on account of a few weeks days of over eating. You know; waste not to waist got. How many of you have experienced this most annoying circumstance? At least it was detected in time so that nothing spoiled.
I don’t know about you but in general my freezer is always more full in the winter months.
We tend to use more frozen goods in the winter and thaw them as needed for convenience. Notice how even the quality seafood stores that we rely on to buy fresh fish in the summer now sell previously frozen fish? Things like wild salmon, halibut and sablefish. If they’re out of season, they are sold from having been frozen. It doesn’t sound as inviting but if cooked properly the taste should remain.
Gosh…what a Good Garnish!
I’ve also learned what to freeze, what not to. Most of us are used to freezing meat, sauces, etc. but you might be surprised at some of the things that freeze well that you never thought to stick in the freezer before. Things like butter (I buy in bulk when on sale & freeze it for making desserts mostly), milk (including almond milk), yogurt, guacamole, salsa (although it tends to come out more watery – but if you buy the family size say from Costco you can divvy it up and freeze it – take out what you think you’ll use as required), barbeque sauce, cheese (great for cooking purposes, adding to scrambles or sauces & a little gorgonzola is great for steak or pasta), lemons, limes (freeze the zest separately in another container). Once the lemons/limes are at room temperature they will be softer but the juice will be as good and you’ll find them even easier to juice. You can also freeze them in ice cube trays. You can freeze wine too. It won’t retain it’s original quality but will be great for cooking purposes. That’s if you have any left over of course. FYI: a frozen grape at the bottom of a wine glass is a pleasant surprise – green for white, red for red.
I also freeze some spices and of course fruit for smoothies, crumbles and pies. You can also freeze the whole pie. I recently bought a large pumpkin pie, cut it into individual serving slices and froze them – they thaw out perfectly and good for when you just want a piece now and again and again.
I cannot over emphasize the importance of labelling frozen containers. I freeze a lot of things and for the most part everything is properly labelled & dated. Once in a while I skip labelling – but only when I’m certain that I really know the contents. But here’s what also happened to me the other day:
I placed 2 frozen beef/veggie soup containers in the fridge overnight that I intended to serve for lunch the next day. Next day: left containers out on counter and got pot ready to warm up the soup. Then I opened the first container and dumped the contents of it into the pot and turned on the element. I was about to do the same with the second one but something didn’t smell quite right as it started to heat up.
Well….wouldn’t you know that I unfroze a chocolate/rocky road homemade ice cream container instead complete with little marshmallows & chocolate chips. When frozen it looked dark like the soup so I didn’t even question it. If I had paid more attention I would have noticed there was no orange colour to mark the carrots.
All the improvising in the world cannot improve the taste of ROCKY ROAD BEEF SOUP. Lesson learned!
Here’s a link for a previously posted recipe for a delicious winter crumble using frozen fruit:
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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