wannabeItalian style is a natural attitude. It is about a life of good taste. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Simple but with good taste. Luxury is possible to buy. Good taste is not. – Diego Della Valle (President and CEO of the Italian leather goods company, Tod’s).
The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you’re hungry again. – George Miller
If your mother cooks Italian food, why would you go to a restaurant? – Martin Scorsese
First off, let me preface this by saying I LOVE SUSHI and tend to eat a lot of tuna especially.
General concern about the levels of mercury in our water and food are coming up more and more so you can imagine my interest to see the article about toxicity levels in my weekly Goop in-box edition .
Goop asked Dr. Alejandro Junger, a Cardiologist and detoxification expert (they claim to trust him with their lives & love his very easy-to-implement program, Clean), just how concerned we should be. And more importantly, they asked him how we can help our bodies unload toxic heavy metals.
IS MERCURY POISONING A REAL THREAT?
Mercury is an extremely toxic element and heavy metal that is increasingly affecting the health of millions of people. It’s a major problem today because our exposure to it is rising, from the air we breathe to the food we eat. One of the primary ways we are exposed to mercury is by eating large fish such as tuna, shark, and swordfish. The bottom line is that we want to reduce our exposure to mercury as much as possible.
One of the biggest challenges is that most practitioners and researchers are not aware of the latest science that shows elevated levels of mercury can take a serious toll on our health. Exposure to this heavy metal has been linked to increased incidents of chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune conditions, ADHD, autism, as well as memory loss, irritability and blurred vision. Even if you don’t have one of the ailments listed above, mercury exposure could still be having an effect on your health. When I see a lingering health issue that hasn’t been cleared after significant lifestyle, cleansing, and dietary changes, I look to see if mercury is one of the causes.
DOES MERCURY EXPOSURE JUST COME FROM FISH? WHAT ARE ALL THE SOURCES?
There are different types of mercury, but most of our immediate exposure comes from just a few major sources:
Fish that are high in methylmercury, also known as organic mercury. Typical examples are the big fish mentioned above, like tuna, swordfish, shark, etc.
Mercury amalgam—also known as inorganic mercury—dental fillings.
We can also be exposed to mercury through drinking water (especially private water systems like wells that are often untested and municipal systems), occupational exposures, and by coal heating in homes.Most of the mercury tht finds its way into the environment is from coal-fired power plants, artisanal gold mining, and processing plants that make plastics and chlorine. The mercury is sent into the air, then rained down on lakes, into soil, and carried off by rivers. It all eventually makes its way to our oceans where the organic compound is then accumulated into the fatty tissue of fish. Finally, it ends up on our plates.
When we eat high-mercury fish, the mercury is distributed throughout our body but primarily takes hold in the kidneys and brain. Once there, the mercury can cause slow havoc to a variety of organs especially the heart, brain, and gut.
In pregnant mothers, mercury is transferred to the fetus through the placenta causing increased risks of poor neurological performance, language skills, and verbal memory.
New cases of mercury poisoning have also been connected to certain skin lightening face creams. I recommend that people check if their products are free from toxic chemicals at the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database.
industrial or environmental mercury sources may require both industrial and governmental assistance to design ways to prevent exposure to forms of mercury.
Mercury Poisoning Prevention at Home
At home, there are a few mercury- containing items (for example, thermometers, medical devices, some disinfectants, fluorescent light bulbs) that potentially can be the source of mercury poisoning. People are advised to read the labels on products to see if they contain mercury, have warning labels about potential toxicity, or have directions about how to dispose of a broken or non-useable product.
Mercury Poisoning Prevention – Vaccines
Another source of concern by people is the use of thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative used in vaccine preparations. Except for some influenza vaccines, it is not being used in most vaccines.
What a major drag it would be to not be able to eat my favourite sushi anymore. Let’s try to clean up our act ASAP! Anyone??
Different cultures have tried-and-true BEAUTY REMEDIES as old as the civilizations themselves.
We always love discovering new methods for achieving gorgeous skin and shiny hair so we looked to countries around this beautiful planet of ours to find out their beauty secrets. Find the “best at-home” treatments from around the world that you can DIY with items from your kitchen.
Beginning with my current (and recurring) obsession:
ITALY
For many generations, Italian women have been flaunting beautiful, glossy hair thanks to a nourishing yogurt and olive oil recipe.
Try now: Mix one cup of plain whole-milk yogurt with one teaspoon of olive oil. After shampooing, comb in the mixture and let sit for five minutes. Rinse the mask out with cool water.
EGYPT
Since the days of Cleopatra, women have been bathing in milk for soft, rejuvenated skin.
Try Now: Add 3 cups of powdered milk to a warm bath to remove dead cells and soften skin. You’ll instantly notice your skin becoming smoother and softer.
MEXICO
Known for their smooth complexions, women in Mexico have long been exfoliating with avocado.
Try now: Make your own face scrub by drying out a clean avocado seed in the sun for one week. Cut into 4 pieces and drop into a blender to grind into a chunky powder. Mix the remnants of the seed with a daily moisturizer and massage into skin while in a steamy shower.
GREECE
According to lore, Grecian gods bathed in rosemary water to purify and thicken hair.
Try now: Boil fresh rosemary in two quarts of water and let cool before pouring over clean hair. This cleanses any buildup on the scalp and stimulates follicles to spark hair growth.
CHINA
Women in Southeast Asia have been using a traditional tamarind skin peel to remove sunspots and acne scars for ages.
Try now: Remove the pulp from three fresh tamarind pods and mix with honey and water until the consistency becomes creamy. Massage onto skin and let sit for five minutes before washing off. Repeat weekly for lasting results.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Women have been using garlic to strengthen their nails for centuries.
Try now: Finely chop half of a fresh garlic and add to a bottle of clear nail polish. Let sit for 10 days before applying to nails. The strengthening and antibacterial properties in the garlic make your nails stronger—but not without a bit of a stench.
CANADA & USA:
recommended by the girl who would be king
For those who don’t like going to the hairdresser or want to experiment at home with a really easy DIY catwalk worthy dip-dye kit.
New Wild Ombré is the first ever DIP-DYE COLOUR KIT by L’ORÉAL PARIS. It may not be natural but it ends up giving your hair a two-tone fashion-forward finish.
The specially designed application brush will apply the lightening crème solely to the desired area of your hair to create the ultimate two tone effect. Maximum waiting time – 45 minutes.
Source: thezoereport.com (because Rachel Zoe is so much more than a stylist)
Unfortunately I’m only kidding….but I can imagine wearing this Quilted Versace Helmut (price upon request). versace.com on my little scooter.
AND then there are the Italian Stallions who Scott Schuman for “the Sartorialist” sums up very eloquently:
A lot has been written about “Italian style.” A number of “facts” have been detailed: the Agnelli-isms of unbuttoned shirt collars, unbuckled monkstrap shoes, ties over the sweater – your general *sprezzatura minutiae. But when it comes down to it, these things border on gimmick. To me, that’s not really about what Italian style is about, or what people relate to in my photographs.
Photos: Scott Schuman for The Sartorialist
What I think people are actually aspiring to is something much trickier to attain. It’s the same kind of thing that you’ve seen in all classic menswear icons, most perfectly embodied by Cary Grant and Fred Astaire. It’s grace.
Why people react to Italian style is the grace with which these gentlemen inhabit their clothes.
Now, some people will discredit this and call it “effortless style,” or write it off by saying, “These Italians are just born with it.”
But it’s quite the opposite. There is nothing effortless about their style, or their look. What’s unique is that they put an extreme amount of effort into their look when they buy the clothes, when they have the clothes altered by their tailor, and when they put them on in the morning. But once they put them on, they don’t think about them until they take them off again at night. It’s that graceful thoughtlessness that is so seductive.
Do me a favour. Look at these photos above. Look at the shoulder line. Look at how relaxed these guys are. Their shoulders aren’t uptight and around their ears. These guys are having fun. Then take a look at your typical Savile Row-tailored gent. Refined (read: restrained) to within an inch of his life, shoulders straight as a board and typically looking like they’re having as much fun as an American wearing a suit.
If there is one piece of advice that I could give to someone who wants to embody, in their own way, the very best of Italian style, it would be: take an extra half an hour when buying the clothes, and extra half an hour at the tailor to make sure they perfectly fit you, and an extra half an hour in the morning to make sure you are confident in your choices.
Then think about food, think about women, think about cars – and only think about your tie when you buy the next one.
*Word of the day: sprezzatura: a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it”.
The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman (Penguin) is out now. £19.99. amazon.co.uk
Looking at my photos from Italy got me thinking about the simplicity of good, fresh, local ingredients.
Many of the farmers markets are open until the end of October so you can pick up a nice selection of fresh tomatoes.
This is a quick, easy, and delicious basic tomato sauce that can be dressed up with spices and herbs for pasta, stews and pizzas. Although the recipe calls for heirloom, you can use any kind of tomatoes you like – it will make an array of prettily colored sauces.
INGREDIENTS:
4lbs tomatoes quartered
4 garlic cloves
1 yellow onion sliced
4 bay leaves
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
¼ cup of fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons smoked Pimenton
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
Selection of sterilized jars with tight fitting lids
PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place all the ingredients in a large ceramic baking dish and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring half way through.
Remove from the oven and take out the bay leaves. Rest the tomatoes for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven heat to 250°F.
Place the tomato mixture in the blender and working in batches, turning the tomatoes either either smooth or slightly chunky depending on your preference.
Pour the sauce into the prepared sterilized jars leaving a ¼” space and screw the lids on. Tap the jars on the counter top to get rid of air pockets and wipe clean with a damp cloth. Place in the oven for 30 minutes to seal.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. You will hear a pinging sound as each lid seals. Check to make sure that the center of the lid is concaved. (If a jar does not seal store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)
Label and enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Valerie Aikman-Smith for Goop.com
It’s pretty straightforward. I want to live like an Italian.
There are too many likes. From the Renaissance paintings and sculptures of artists like Michaelangelo and Botticelli in Florence, to medieval villages, historical towns, castles and country churches scattered all over a vast territory of rolling hills. Romantic architecture abounds.
the house that was used to film “Under the Tuscan Sun”
Simply prepared delicious food: lunch on the terrace overlooking ancient vines and olive groves, wine, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Aceto Balsamicos, and Gelatos.
Vespas and fast luxury cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani & Maserati.
Style in general which includes a well-tailored desire to look alla moda.
I want to live like an Italian.
I’m sure I missed a few things but this pretty much sums it up.
Today is Sunday (which means tomorrow is Monday, a work day for most) but here is why we need Fridays:
ISIS. Ebola. Russia in Ukraine. The world looks like it needs a Friday. But if the UN is looking for a playlist, we’d recommend starting with “a little less conversation, a little more action.” – theSKIMM
On a lighter note:
Fridays are people’s second favourite “F” word.
Friday afternoons are filled with positive anticipation for the weekend.
You can sleep away your hangover the very next day.
For movies like “Friday the 13th“. It would be weird sounding to change the day of the week – something like Monday the 13th doesn’t quite cut it.
Black Friday which is the equivalent of boxing day here in Canada. This best sums it up:
Some people see Black Friday as a much-needed break for their wallet. I see it as retail outlets showing the customers the full weight of their contempt. The frenzy to buy cheap crap from China, the human downgrade of people fighting with each other over items they can probably live without, to me, is an insult. – Henry Rollins
And as for me, I don’t like to wake up at 4:00 a.m. to stand in line or sleep on a cold sidewalk waiting for a store to open. Nothing is ever that CHEAP!
Well that’s all I could come up with because for me, everyday is a Friday!
I must have gluten intolerance because I’m so sick of hearing the word gluten-free. It’s a dirty word and people are using it almost as much (or more) than the “F” word.
It feels like everybody’s going gluten-free these days, but there is quite a bit of misinformation about the g-word. Some people -– even those who claim to follow gluten-free diets -– don’t even know what gluten is. And if you’re one of them, that’s OK. We won’t tell anyone your secret.
We’ll even help you out: Gluten is a word used to describe the proteins found in wheat, rye and barley. You’re welcome!
Here are a few myths that have been circulating lately.
Gluten makes you fat.
The number one myth registered dietitian Kristen Kirkpatrick hears in her office is that cutting gluten will help people lose weight.
“Gluten does not make you fat,” said Kirkpatrick, who manages wellness and nutrition services at the Cleveland Clinic. “Calories make you fat regardless of where those calories are coming from, whether they’re coming from brown rice, which is gluten-free or a wheat bagel.” In fact, sometimes gluten-free bread can have 30 more calories than regular bread, Kirkpatrick said. And if you eat more calories in a day than you use, the extra calories will be stored as fat, she said.
“Some gluten-free foods contain extra sugar or calories to make them more palatable – to make up for the loss of the gluten,” said Dr. Kelly Thomsen, a gastroenterologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
That said, since people who go gluten-free need to do some extra label-reading, it can help them make better choices overall and ultimately lose weight, Kirkpatrick said. But it’s a secondary factor.
Gluten is not part of a “clean” diet.
First of all, “clean” eating is subjective, Kirkpatrick said. The Food and Drug Administration has no official definition for it. But to her, it means something along the lines of eating foods that are as whole and unprocessed as possible. As such, you can eat a clean diet that includes gluten or a clean diet that cuts it out, she said. Gluten doesn’t make a diet clean or unclean.
“You can be on a horrible gluten-free diet, just like you can be on a horrible vegetarian diet,” Kirkpatrick said. Remember, French fries are gluten-free and vegetarian.
Gluten is bad for you.
Thomsen says she often hears people say that they want to reduce the amount of gluten in their diet, but she says that’s a useless (and expensive) choice for anyone who hasn’t been diagnosed with celiac disease. “There’s nothing inherently unhealthy about gluten,” Thompsen said.
Gluten alone doesn’t have many health benefits, but foods that contain gluten – like whole grains – tend to be higher in fibre and have a lot of vitamin B, zinc and iron, she said. As a result, cutting gluten could actually result in nutritional deficiencies.
That’s why people with celiac disease often meet with a nutritionist to make sure there are no holes in their diets, Thomsen said.
You personally can’t eat gluten because you just know it.
It’s true that there are people who can’t eat gluten, but they’re a minority of the population. These people have celiac disease. “Most people don’t have celiac disease, so they don’t need to remove gluten from their diets,” Thompsen said.
When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, it damages the tiny finger-like protrusions that line their small intestines, keeping them from absorbing nutrition from food, according to the National Institutes of Health. The disease affects about 1 percent of the population, and can be diagnosed with a blood test. If that’s inconclusive, a doctor may perform additional tests, like a biopsy.
Symptoms of celiac disease vary and can include fatigue and diarrhea as well as fertility problems, joint pain and seizures. The only treatment is a lifelong, gluten-free diet.
If you think you have celiac disease, do not stop eating gluten before seeing your doctor, Thompsen said. If you stop eating gluten before getting tested for celiac, it could result in a false negative diagnosis.
There are also people who have a gluten intolerance, which Thompsen said is a diagnosis that comes only when all other possible diagnoses have been ruled out. These people do not have celiac disease, but their doctors have determined that they can’t eat gluten. Again, she said people who suspect they have a gluten intolerance should not stop eating gluten before seeing their doctors.
Finally, a gluten allergy is when someone experiences signs of allergic reaction when they eat gluten, Thompsen said. They may have swollen lips, difficulty breathing or diarrhea. Again, people should not self-diagnose or self-treat.
Gluten causes cancer.
Thompson says this one is a myth for the majority of the population.
“For the average person, eating gluten in their diet does not increase the risk of cancer,” Thompsen said.
Long-term complications of untreated celiac disease, however, can include intestinal cancers, she said. Again, if you think you have celiac disease, make an appointment with your doctor before making any dietary changes, she said.
As for me, I will continue enjoying French bread and all types of baked goods…in moderation. Moderation: being within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme. Okay then.
Source: Sydney Lupkin – a health reporter for ABCNews.com. Photos: Getty Images
Italian style is a natural attitude. It is about a life of good taste. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Simple but with good taste. Luxury is possible to buy. Good taste is not. – Diego Della Valle (President and CEO of the Italian leather goods company, Tod’s).
…like going on a big Safari
ITALY
EGYPT
MEXICO
GREECE
CHINA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
CANADA & USA:
Italian. 
As for me, I will continue enjoying French bread and all types of baked goods…in moderation. Moderation: being within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme. Okay then.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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