Style: Hooray for HOLLYWOOD

Who can blame us for getting sidetracked in Hollywood, the SHOP?!hollywood1

On the way to the Vancouver Home & Design show my sister took me to one of her favourite little boutiques that is sure to become one of mine.  It is chock full with a wide variety of stuff we love. Here are some photos:

289 Davie Street FACEBOOK: hollywood boutique
289 Davie Street
FACEBOOK: hollywood boutique
like beauty products
like beauty products
Clothing
Clothing
Lingerie (on sale)
Lingerie (on sale)

Hollywood8

 

cute perfumy evening bags
cute perfumy evening bags – Milan

 

 

 

Purse
Purse

Which of the perfume bottle evening bags do you like best?  

Foods That Affect Pheromones

What do Pheremones and Food have in common?pheremone1

We know that pheromones are chemicals secreted by the body that influence the behavior of others of the same species. Apparently this also includes insects. Each persons (or animals/insects) pheromones are biologically different, and have a different effect on other people/animals/insects. Scientists believe that human sexual orientation and sexual attraction may be partially based on pheromones.

Humans produce pheromones called aphrodisiacs that affect the sexual behavior of other humans. Though each person produces pheromones with a unique chemical formula, there are certain foods that can affect human pheromones.

pheremone2CHOCOLATE

Chocolate has long been regarded as a romantic gift. Research indicates that chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a stimulant that causes a sense of excitement and well-being.

ASPARAGUS

Asparagus with Tomatoes
Asparagus with Tomatoes

Asparagus is high in Vitamin E, which is believed to stimulate sex hormones. In ancient societies, asparagus was considered to be an erotic stimulant because of its phallic shape.  Next Tuesday: Recipe for Asparagus Soup.
pheremone4RED HOT Chili Peppers

Chilies contain capsaicin, the chemical that adds heat to peppers and other spicy foods. Capsaicin stimulates nerve endings and raises the heart rate, causing the release of endorphins.

RED WINEpheremone6

Burly red wines, evoking the scents of leather, tobacco and earth, are said to act as aphrodisiacs. It is believed that the musky bouquet of red wine imitates male hormones.

             CELERY

Celery Heart
Celery Heart

The nutrients found in celery are believed to stimulate the pituitary gland, which releases sexual hormones. There is also some evidence to indicate that the scent of celery suggests androstenone, a primary male pheromone. In the Middle Ages, celery was advised as a treatment for impotence.

pheremone7OYSTERS

According to legend, Casanova ate oysters everyday, using them to seduce vestal virgins. Oysters are high in zinc, which is used to produce testosterone.

My order of preference for the above would be 1) Chocolate 2) Red Wine (1 + 2 preferably together) 3) Chili Peppers (but not raw) 4) Asparagus         5) Oysters (with wine) 6) Celery (preferably cooked or in a salad).

How about you?

Sources: Lane Madison, Discovery Health, CNN, Eat Something

Images: celery heart by Less Random Imagery

All other Images by Flickr.com

 

ART – Phantom Inspiration

“Energy and motion made visible – memories arrested in space” – Jackson Pollock

Patrice LesickSometimes a painting does not need an introduction. Such is the case with this stimulating “Phantom” abstract by Patrice Lesick (Acrylic on Canvas 77 x 64 inches – 1990).  Elan Fine Art – Vancouver.

Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes.…Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas.” – Arshile Gorky (Armenian-American painter).

Do you GET abstract ART?

Health MATTERS – raising awareness: Key to a Cure for CF

That’s Cystic Fibrosis, commonly known as CF. Last Saturday I attended an event in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada.  It was the 14th Annual 65 Roses Gala held at the Pan Pacific Hotel.  The theme was Oh, what-a-night and it was! cf1

Sisters
Sisters

An all-around great evening met with reception champagne cocktail or pomegranate martini while busy perusing all the silent auction items, then delicious 3 course dinner with free flowing wine (supplied by Okanagan Crush Pad), live auction bidding and finally dancing to the excellent live band – SideOne.

But there was more to this evening.  The intention was to raise awareness for a life threatening disease affecting children and adults to which there is no cure. Also I have a personal connection as a good friend of mine has CF. So I just wanted to let you know about it because it is not so prevalent as Cancer – something we’re all too familiar with.  It is a terrible and fatal genetic disease.

People with CF spend the equivalent of four months of full time work every year on life-sustaining therapies.  Despite this intensive work to stay well, less than half are expected to reach middle age.  I’m happy to report that my friend has reached middle age, looks good and is doing well.

Cystic fibrosis causes various effects on the body, but mainly affects the digestive system and lungs. The degree of cystic fibrosis involvement differs from person to person. However, the persistence and ongoing infection in the lungs, with destruction of lungs and loss of lung function, eventually causes death in the majority of people who have cystic fibrosis.

Typical complications are difficulty in digesting fats and proteins; vitamin deficiencies due to loss of pancreatic enzymes; and progressive loss of lung function.

Since the first 65 Roses Gala in 2001, the Gala has raised over $2.5 million to fund research and clinical care here in B.C. and across Canada.  CF Canada supports the transplant center at Vancouver General Hospital, one of only five centers in Canada.  A double lung transplant is “THE ONLY OPTION” (can you imagine?) for many people with end stage CF.  It is not a cure; it buys time and it is not available to all.  Can you even imagine?  They can always use more support in their desire to find a cure.cf3

CAUSES OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that occurs when a child inherits two abnormal genes, one from each parent. Approximately, one in 25 Canadians carry an abnormal version of the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis. Carriers do not have cystic fibrosis, nor do they exhibit any of the symptoms of the disease.

When two parents who are carriers have a child, there is a 25 percent chance that the child will be born with cystic fibrosis; there is also a 50 percent chance that the child will be a carrier; and a 25 percent chance that the child will neither be a carrier nor have cystic fibrosis.

SYMPTOMS OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Cystic fibrosis is a multi-system disorder that produces a variety of symptoms including:

  • Persistent cough with productive thick mucous
  • Wheezing and shortness of breath
  • Frequent chest infections, which may include pneumonia
  • Bowel disturbances, such as intestinal obstruction
  • Weight loss or failure to gain weight despite possible increased appetite
  • Salty tasting sweat
  • Infertility (men) and decreased fertility (women)

To learn more or to make a donation please visit: http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/

 

 

 

 

 

Beauty biz – a visit to Kiehl’s

20141022_110623

Kiehl’s on Robson St., Vancouver draws inspiration from Kiehl’s New York east village roots as an old–world neighborhood apothecary developed by innovative pharmacists and herbologists.
Kiehl’s has an unorthodox marketing approach, exceptionally large male clientele base (they have a section dedicated to men) and its products’ simple and straightforward packaging.20141022_110630

I remember visiting the original location in New York (they have a Norman Rockwell Holiday Window) where I bought my first bottle of ultra-facial moisturizer and recently on Robson I sampled the new multi-corrective cream. L O V E at first sample!20141022_110707

There’s something else I like about Kiehl’s besides their skincare products:

In 2010, Kiehl’s introduced the Kiehl’s LifeRide for amfAR, an annual, week-long motorcycle ride through major U.S. cities that includes multiple high-profile events at Kiehl’s stores along the way to raise consumer and media awareness about amfAR and the fight against AIDS. In the last four years, LifeRide has raised over $400,000 for 20141022_110609amfAR.

 

Super Multi-Corrective Cream Key Ingredients:

Jasmonic Acid

Inspired by “signal molecules” secreted by plants that begins a self-repair process – corrects wrinkles and fine lines, loss of suppleness and elasticity.                                                                                                                                                                                            Beech Tree Extract

Sugar extracted from Beech Tree which helps improve skins overall firmness.

Fragmented Hyaluronic Acid

A power booster, discovered to enhance Jasmonic Acid’s efficacy, super charging the improvement in skin elasticity and smoothness.

 Have you tried their products?

Photos: d. king

 

 

Style: Artful cutting-edge

MUST LOVE MATISSE!matisse3

To compliment the new “Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs” exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, which opened October 12th, here are some Fall/Winter 2014 looks that evoke some of the artist’s most famous works.RMN108831NUThe masterful combination of contrast, line and color that Matisse was able to create with scissors is no doubt something that fashion designers today strive for as they cut their garments.matisse2

Perhaps these images will inspire you so much that you’ll want to go at your clothes with a pair of scissors…matisse1“Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs,” is on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City October 12, 2014 through February 8,2015 

Maybe a scarf or t-shirt but not the whole shebang for me.  How about you?

Source: garancedore.com

Words…Interpretations

You know that saying…is the glass half empty or half full? By now we all say “half full” even if we really see is as “half empty.”  We know better.  ??????????????????But here’s another test. This one by a doctor (Dr. David Rosen to be exact) who specializes in stress management.

Today in terrorist times we should strive to develop the fighter pilot’s philosophy of “a wealth of optimism and a want of fear.”  I’m sure they would all pass this test:

So here goes; TAKE A LOOK at these letters:

“OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE”

If you decipher the letters to read “opportunity is now here” you will survive disastrous times.  But you flunk the test if you read “opportunity is no where.”

But lighten up, it doesn’t mean your life will end soon……just that you are not as optimistic, or a fighter pilot.

I like this
I like this

Source for test: W. Gifford-Jones, MD (from the book – What I Learned as a Medical Journalist)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health MATTERS: A SHOT at Happiness

Botox for Depression – has it been in our face all this time?

Photo: Ben Hassett
Photo: Ben Hassett

A swipe of lipstick can put a smile on your face, but when it comes to beating true depression, beauty products usually don’t do the trick.  Well maybe very temporarily.

Enter Botox, the forehead-smoothing toxin that can erase fine lines, stop sweating, and even squelch migraines – a true multi-tasker.  It turns out that a vial may have the power to make you happier – and not just because your wrinkles have disappeared.

In a recent study associated with Georgetown University that involved using Botox for depression, one participant who ended up getting botox (not the placebo), described feeling something she could describe only with a word that might seem impossible to anyone living under a cloak of despair: “lighthearted.”

Of the 74 people in the study – half were given Botox and the other half were given saline placebo injections in the “frown” muscles between their eyebrows.  Six weeks later, 52 percent of patients who’d been injected with Botox felt significantly better, compared with just 15 percent who didn’t get the real stuff.

The notion that a grin or a grimace can actually influence your emotions is nothing new, says Maryland dermatologic surgeon Eric Finzi, a co-author of the Georgetown study and author of the 2013 book: The Face of Emotion: How Botox Affects Our Mood and Relationships.

Charles Darwin theorized that our facial expressions don’t just telegraph happy or sad to the world but that they can also create and enhance those emotions.

People suffering from serious depression shouldn’t toss their meds and abandon therapy just yet, says New York psychiatrist and dermatologist Amy Wechsler.  “Depression has always been something that’s best treated by a range of things, and I think this may well be a powerful tool in our arsenal,” says Wechsler.

For the millions who suffer from depression, this could be the biggest thing since Prozac, not to mention a lifesaver, says Finzi.

To that end, Botox’s parent company, Allergen, is currently in Phase II clinical trials for its use in treating major depressive disorder in women.  Botox is predicted to become standard treatment for depression in the future.

In short, if you can’t frown, you can’t feel down.

Have any of you tried Botox?  I have yet to try it not done so and am trying hard to avoid it by trying to keep healthy and happy.

Source: Liz Krieger for Bazaar Magazine

 

 

 

 

 

beauty biz – THE quick FIX

How does a girl-on-the-go get a Glamorous Glow?  I will tell you….20141015_114712

GLAMGLOW was originally designed for exclusive professional backstage use in Hollywood. In 2011, GLAMGLOW became available to consumers worldwide and is now known for fast-acting and innovative mud treatments with patent-pending formulas and high-end technology to deliver instant, visible results.

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I tried GLAMGLOW BRIGHTMUD EYE treatment which is a 3 minute instant eye treatment and found it very refreshing as well as hydrating and softening. It claims to minimize puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines while brightening and hydrating the eyes.  It worked but I can’t tell you how long exactly it lasted.

It’s the world’s first tap-on-wipe-off eye product designed to work for Hollywood actors in just a few minutes, just before going in front of a camera on-set.  So it would work for just before going on a date then??

The package contains 12 ChromeCells and each one provides a single treatment for both eyes.20141015_114719

Aside from the claims and everything else, the packaging will certainly get your attention.

Available at Sephora.  Price: approx $76 CDN