The two best combinations that strike a perfect BALANCE.
Summer, I will surely miss your warmth.
OTHER THINGSI WILL MISS are the long days, everyone is more friendly, the casualness of flip flops, all the neighbours I never get to see the rest of the year, sitting outside on any great deck in the city, picnics, sunsets, sunflowers, warm evenings, Drinking Rosé (yes, you can drink it after but it’s not the same), bumping into people you know while riding a bike, riding my scooter with a warm breeze and not having to wear a jacket (yes, I can ride it after but it’s not the same), camping in Oregon (yes, I mean it!), meeting for breakfast at the sailing club, sitting outside at the neighborhood bar/restaurant but mostly bar if truth be told around the corner where everyone knows your name (including the ones you don’t want to know) and especially not having to carry an umbrella. I’ll stop here.
Unfortunately the Lululemon Seawheeze half marathon (the company responsible for turning so many of us into clones) didn’t make the cut because I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped although the scenery around Stanley Park was breathtaking and I managed to cross the finish line arm in arm with my sister. That was special since I lost her in a crowd of 10,000 people within the first 10 minutes and met up with her again halfway through. And I’m thankful that I didn’t get trampled on when I stupidly turned around to pick up her water bottle which fell out of her fanny pack.
It’s too fast and too soon but we have something to look forward to. Come on, what’s the best thing about Fall besides all that beautiful foliage falling to the ground….the CLOTHES! So come on folks, Cheer up.
Have a great long weekend. Meet back here in SEPTEMBER….which means Monday.
Solong to Summer
I know that summer doesn’t officially end until September 21st….but it’s not the same.
These versatile silk scarves are beautifully printed on both sides and so easy to wear. It’s longer in length much like a tie and stitched
Chic Headband
on both sides.
They have a playful side. A ladies necktie? A silk bracelet? A chic headband or ponytail holder? Many tie them to their handbags…even if they’re not Birkins.
Tied to a Birkin
It is one of my favourites from the famous french house of style. Now they have a longer version – called the maxi twilly but I prefer the tinier original. And who can resist the little orange box?
Also known as Torta Caprese (named for the island of Capri from which this recipe originates).
If you like chocolate with almonds you will love this flourless recipe. It is simply delicious and fairly easy to make. You might ask, what is the difference between a torte and a cake? The answer is nothing because the word “torte” comes from the Italian word “torta” which means a round bread or cake. So it is in fact a cake. In Europe, most cakes are called tortes.
When comparing tortes and cakes, you will notice that the cake is lighter than the torte. Cakes are made with cake flour which makes them very light because of the gluten content of the flour. You’ll find that tortes are denser and richer therefore a smaller piece should be enough to satisfy.
Ingredients:
1 ¾ sticks (7/8 cup) unsalted butter
7 ounces (1 ¼ cups) blanched whole almonds
6 ounces (170kg) of the finest quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) you can find. I use Callebaut.
4 large eggs
1 cup fine coconut sugar (original recipe calls for granulated sugar)
Garnish with confectioners’ sugar (I sprinkle it over the cake with a fine sieve) and serve with whipped cream & berries. I like using raspberries because they have a sharpness which marries well with the sweetness (but it is not overly sweet) of the chocolate. They also add prettiness to the final presentation.
Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 10-inch cake pan. Line bottom of pan with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
Melt butter and cool. In a food processor finely grind together almonds and chocolate.
Separate the eggs – yolks from whites.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks with sugar until very thick and pale, then beat in almond mixture with butter.
In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold stiff peaks and whisk one fourth into almond mixture. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly and spread batter evenly in pan.
Bake torte in middle of oven for about 50 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from side of pan and a tester comes out with moist crumbs remaining. Cool on rack 5 minutes and then invert onto another rack. Discard wax paper and cool torte completely. Invert onto a plate.
Try a lovely restaurant style presentation with a touch of mint & a chocolate wafer.
Torte may be made one day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
First off, I am no authority on collecting fine art but I admire beautiful paintings and would like expert advice on how to build a worthwhile collection. This means being true to my tastes while acquiring pieces that are of value.
Marc Chagall – I and the VillagePablo Picasso – Girl Before a Mirror
If you’re like most people, you know how to buy art on a piece-by-piece basis, but may not be all that accomplished at formulating a plan for making multiple acquisitions over the long haul, or in other words, building a collection. You can find art you like just about anywhere you look and in an incredible variety of subject matters, mediums and price ranges, but that can be confusing as well as intimidating. So how do you wade through it all and decide what direction to go in? How do you relate one purchase to the next? How do you organize or group your art together? How do you present it? And most importantly, how do you do all these things well? This is what collecting is all about; it’s the ultimate case of controlled purposeful buying.
Great collectors are often as well known and widely respected as the art they collect. Take the Rockefeller collection, the Phillips collection or the Chrysler collection, just to name a few. Collectors like these are famous because they demonstrate just as much talent in selecting and grouping their art as the artists show in creating it. Likewise, each work of art in a great collection commands premium attention as well as a premium price not only because it’s good, but also because of the company it keeps.
Andy Warhol – Ingrid Bergman
What makes a great collector great is his or her ability to separate out specific works of art from the millions of pieces already in existence and assemble them in such a way as to increase or advance our understanding of that art in particular or of the evolution of art in general. In any mature collection, the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts, the collector comes to be accepted as a respected authority and in exceptional cases, goes on to set the standards, determine the trends and influence the future of collecting for everyone.
Regardless of how you view your collecting, whether serious or recreational, there are techniques that you can use to maximize not only the quality and value of your art, but also your own personal enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of that art. Step one is being true to your tastes.This means acknowledging that you like certain types of art regardless of what you think you’re supposed to like or what seems to be the current rage. All great collectors share this trait; that’s one thing makes their collections stand out. When personal preference is ignored in favor of the status quo, one collection begins to look just like the next. A few people dictate, the masses follow, everyone walks in lock-step, and the art you see from collection to collection becomes boring and repetitive.
Collectors who aren’t afraid to express themselves yield exactly the opposite results.
Source: artbusiness.com
A few quotes I really like:
“Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing” ~ Marc Chagall
“Art is literacy of the heart” ~ Elliot Eisner
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance” – Aristotle
It’s a new portable two-in-one stick that delivers a punch of color to lips and (depending on which shade you choose) can also be worn on cheeks.
comes with a sharpener
What it does: This chunky fool-proof pencil glides on effortlessly and delivers a creamy matte finish (my favourite) to punch up your look instantly. It has a blend of emollients & shea butter which creates a rich creamy texture that allows for smooth application and comfortable wear. The enclosed sharpener ensures a precision application.
I lusted after dusty pink.
Who is Bobbi Brown?
A celebrated makeup artist, she became makeup artist to the stars by introducing a palette of wearable natural hues–and along the way became a star herself, with her name on a global brand. Acquired in 1995 by The Estée Lauder Companies, it is now sold in 60 countries and territories at select retailers. Katie Holmes is the first-ever celebrity face of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.
Available at Sephora & Holt Renfew Cost $26USD / $32CDN
“Fashions fade, style is eternal.” – Yves Saint Laurent. YSL was a wise man.
Trends come and go and come back again, many times to haunt us. Luckily, now more than ever, we have so many choices at our fingertips. The fashion gods can dictate and we can agree to either follow them, ignore them, or rebel against them entirely. Today there are no set rules! Except of course you should strive to not look like a complete & utter slob. We can be guided into a current “hot” style moment but if you love something then wear it regardless if it’s a trend fresh off the runway or not.
Digital prints at Mary Katrantzou, Manish Arora and Antonio Marras.
Trends will always be there, always influence and always evolve – that’s the great thing about fashion. Real style is about how you adapt current trends into your existing wardrobe. It’s fun to play. Let’s get started!
A look at what to expect for Fall/Winter 2014: Abstract Digital Pattern – Textured Prints – Ombré Effects – Mottled Pattern Plays – Beautiful Illustrative Designs – Re-Engineered Houndstooth Prints – Sixties Edge – Over Scaled Prints – Painterly Form – Scribbled and Sketched Intense Pattern Mixes – OverLaid Paint Strokes – Pottery Design -Nature & Bird Print References – Dark Muted Tones – High Contrast Prints – Colourful Florals – Animal Patterns – and more.
Bottega Veneta – Pre Fall 2014
The captivating digital prints and patterns adorning nearly every type of silhouette are here to stay. As they progress towards Fall/Winter 2014 they are bound to grow bolder and louder, but in doing so they will still manage to hold on to some gentleness.
Preen By Thornton Bregazzi – Pre Fall 2014
Where Dolce & Gabbana got their INSPIRATION for Runway Fall Winter 2014-15:
Majolica pottery is the most iconic way of decorating pottery in the Mediterranean. Originally a glaze which was imported by the Moors in the early Middle Ages, since then it has become an art of Southern Italy, in particular Sicily.
Majolica is one of the first exports of luxury items made in Italy, with these intricately glazed ceramics taking pride of place at courts of all of Europe in the Renaissance. It is said Queen Elizabeth I was a huge fan of the glazing and ordered many samples to be made for her in Italy during her reign.
Majolica has continued to attract art lovers, and today fashion lovers since its inception, and remains a thriving art in Sicily. The coloured tiles, pots and vases decorate homes, and even roads in the picturesque town of Sicily.
Yesterday’s post got me reminiscing about cooking with wine which is something I do all the time on occasion. Sometimes I even put it in the food (yeah, we’ve all heard that one before).
Visiting wine country (where ever there is a country with a wine growing region to be found) is a fun experience and you learn (or at least taste) something new every time. One of the wine regions I really like to visit in Canada (besides the Okanagan in British Columbia) is Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This recipe is from a cookbook bought at the Hillebrand Estates Winery which I made tons of tasty recipes from. It’s a guide to creating the perfect union between fine wine and superb food. Many people cook with the standby white for seafood and red for meat dishes but how many have tried sparkly?
Sparkling wine is wonderful to drink and this recipe is simple to prepare. The tiny bubbles add sophistication and a sense of celebration to any event. It is also a great ingredient in wine country cooking. The happy little bubbles work magic to transform sea scallops into the most delicate shellfish you will ever taste. This is Tony de Luca’s version of famous Mexican *ceviche.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sparkling wine
1 Tbsp. coriander, finely chopped
1 tsp. lightly toasted mustard seeds
2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp. granulated sugar
pinch of cayennepepper
1 lb. (500g) fresh sea scallops
Add all the ingredients except the scallops to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the scallops and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove the scallops from the marinade. Discard the marinade and serve the scallops. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!
Book Review: the book is organized by wine variety, from light and lively to full-bodied. Each chapter begins with a description of the wine, followed by seasonal menus complete with detailed ingredient lists, thorough explanations of techniques and easy-to-follow instructions. The author displays wit and wisdom from years of international culinary experience. The ART of fine dining in the comfort of your home.
If you don’t know your Pinot Blanc from your Pinot Noir then you should definitely be ashamed of yourself and you probably flunked French.
You cannot become a wine expert overnight but you can find out how to get the most from your Merlot and a few other tips…because most of us (I said ‘most’) don’t know everything! However, SOMM of us have the answers for everything wine.
I watched a captivating documentary called SOMM that was about the taxing process and tireless attempts on how to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world. Put it this way, it seems much easier to become a lawyer. This is a different BAR exam. Luckily the movie theatre I watched it in had a wine list.
Great Doc!
Between trying to remember ‘that one you had last time that you really liked’ (not to mention that one that you really didn’t), and not wanting to reveal your utter confusion over the different varieties of grape, region or age on offer, it’s little wonder so many of us just give up trying to choose a wine and opt either for the house or a fail-safe favourite. How very boring!
Here is advice from Jane Parkinson, resident wine expert on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen, on how to appear sommelier- like and impress those at the dinner table:
Hold a wine glass by its stem (providing it has a stem of course). It prevents the wine from warming up too quickly by the heat of your hands.
Know your regions from your grapes. Chablis is chardonnay; Sancerre is sauvignon blanc; Soave is garganega (white Italian wine grape); Burgundy (red) is pinot noir; Rioja is tempranillo; Bordeaux (red) is cabernet sauvignon and merlot; Chianti is sangiovese.
Be brave about chilling red wine. Serving wine at room temperature was advice given pre-central heating, which means today’s reds are generally served too warm. I generally prefer my reds at room temperature and my whites cold, but the correct way to serve whites is not by being too-cold because you don’t get to experience the true essence.
Get to know the on-trend wine regions. These include Swartland in South Africa, the Etna region of Sicily, the Douro Valley in Portugal and, for sparkling wine, England.
An appetite-whetting Sherry is a great alternative to fizz as an aperitif. Fino and manzanilla are the two sherry styles that are zesty, fresh and always bone dry.
Avoid heavily tannic (chewy) red wine with spicy food because they clash. Instead choose wines that are unoaked and/or made with a low-tannin grape, like barbera from Italy.
If in doubt about what to order off a wine list, go for a versatile food-matching grape. Try pinot noir for red, sauvignon blanc for a lighter white or chardonnay for a richer white.
Screwcaps are less romantic than corks, but they’re not inferior or solely for cheaper wines. In fact, they’re perfect for aromatic and vibrant wines, white or red.
WEALTH without work
PLEASURE without conscience
SCIENCE without humanity
KNOWLEDGE without character
POLITICS without principle
COMMERCE without morality
WORSHIP without sacrifice.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Probiotics are showing up in foods, beverages, and supplements. What exactly are they, do they work, and are they safe for us to be consuming?
A Gut Feeling
What are probiotics?
There are very few people who have not heard about the “new” health miracles called probiotics. Probiotics are organisms such as bacteria or yeast that are believed to improve health and prevent colds or fight a cold once you already have one. Is your body able to handle this on its own or do you need to start including probiotics in your diet?
The idea of taking live bacteria or yeast may seem strange at first. After all, we take antibiotics to fight bacteria. But our bodies naturally teem with such organisms. The digestive system is home to more than 500 different types of bacteria. They help keep the intestines healthy and assist in digesting food. They are also believed to help the immune system.
Let’s start with the facts behind what probiotics are. The root of the word probioticcomes from the Greek word pro, meaning “promoting” and biotic, meaning “life.” There is some debate about how to define probiotics. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines probiotics as “live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” Yes, they are actually alive, and most of these microorganisms are bacteria. Most people think of antibiotics and antibacterial products when you mention bacteria. Both of those kill bacteria so why would you want to consume anything that has live bacteria in it? It’s all about balance.
How Do Probiotics Work?
Researchers believe that some digestive disorders happen when the balance of friendly bacteria in the intestines becomes disturbed. This can happen after an infection or after taking antibiotics. Intestinal problems can also arise when the lining of the intestines is damaged. Taking probiotics may help. “Probiotics can improve intestinal function and maintain the integrity of the lining of the intestines,” says Stefano Guandalini, MD, professor of pediatrics and gastroenterology at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Probiotics and the Immune System
There’s also evidence that probiotics help maintain a strong immune system. In societies with very good hygiene, we’ve seen a sharp increase in autoimmune and allergic diseases. That may be because the immune system isn’t being properly challenged by pathogenic organisms. Introducing friendly bacteria in the form of probiotics is believed to challenge the immune system in healthy ways.
Probiotics may seem new to the food and supplement industry, but they have been with us from our first breath. During a delivery through the birth canal, a newborn picks up bacteria from his/her mother. These good bacteria are not transmitted when a Cesarean section is performed and have been shown to be the reason why some infants born by Cesarean section have allergies, less than optimal immune systems, and lower levels of gut microflora.
Cautions About Probiotics
For the most part, taking probiotics is safe and causes few side effects. “People in cultures around the world have been eating yogurt, cheeses, and other foods containing live cultures for centuries,” says Martin Floch, MD, a professor of gastroenterology at Yale University, co-author of Probiotics: A Clinical Guide, and a consultant for the Dannon Company.
Still, probiotics may be dangerous for people with weakened immune systems or serious illnesses. One study found that patients with severe pancreatitis who were given probiotics had a higher risk of death. It’s always best to consult with your doctor before taking anything new in general, but especially for those that have weakened immune systems.
THE ULTIMATE PROBIOTIC!
Brad King’s Ultimate Probiotic – sold at health food stores & online.
BRAD KING’S ULTIMATE PROBIOTIC contains one of the most research-proven beneficial probiotic species – bifidobacterium – and the main intestinal microflora residing mostly in the colon. Ultimate Probiotic has been proven safe in over 30 years of studies and has been consumed in yogurt in Japan for over 20 years. It is also backed by over 15 years of controlled studies proving its efficacy and is the only probiotic available today to carry the highly proven shelf-stable BB536 strain of bifidobacterium. [VEGI CAPSULES]
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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