I’m No ANGELIT’S NO SECRET that Victoria’s Secret represents one of the world’s sexiest and most popular lingerie brands. But it’s more than that.
Now the successful company has opened a Vancouver location at Burrard & Robson – the world’s second largest Victoria’s Secret store after the one in New York City. The store is located inside a historical building that once housed the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library before the library branch relocated in 1995 to its current location seven blocks down Robson Street. Before being converted into a Victoria’s Secret, 750 Burrard Street served as flagship stores for both Virgin Music and HMV.
my kind of dressing room
The two-storey, 35,151 square foot store carries a sexy, glamorous, sophisticated yet classic look. It features over-sized custom chandeliers, lingerie inspired detailing, iconic supermodel imagery, a glamorous mirrored grand stairway and dramatic floor to ceiling video screens.
impressive staircase
The store features all of the chain’s most loved lingerie, body care and scent collections, including Bombshell, Very Sexy, Dream Angels Heavenly, Victoria’s Secret Angel, VS Fantasies, Victoria’s Secret Sport and Swim, as well as the new Body by Victoria Collection. In addition to everything else, this Vancouver store also includes a 7,000 square foot Victoria’s Secret PINK for girls & younger women.
Loved the well-designed layout, friendly staff and lots of things – but walked away with only a few comfy loungewear items…for now. Then for the first time ever, went home to watch the over-the-top but still fabulous VS Fashion Show everyone keeps talking about…wearing my limited edition oversize SEXY (because it says so) sleepshirt.
What do you like the most about Victoria’s Secret?
I tried meditating to reduce stress but realized wine works better & quicker.Sorry for all those weird posts last night. Apparently wine hacked my account!
All in good fun folks….and a little element of truth!
Winter Vitamins and Minerals!Flu season is here, and combined with the holidays, does not make for a great combination. To avoid getting sick maybe we can consider adding a few supplements to our list of what we ‘should’ do to keep from getting colds, etc.
Medical experts recommend that, first and foremost, you meet all your nutritional needs by eating a healthy diet. But that’s not always possible, especially when the chilly weather’s got you craving macaroni and cheese guilty in lieu of fish and salad. Combine winter’s shorter days with less fresh and diverse produce, and chances are you’re just not getting enough of a few key vitamins and minerals. Here are a few important ones that you may be missing out on. Always ask your doctor whether you should consider adding these supplements to your diet.
VITAMIN D – on average only 68% of Canadians have blood concentrations of vitamin D that are sufficient for bone health, according to stats Canada. But in winter, that drops to 60%. This is because Canadians need to be exposed to sun for the body to produce the vitamin, and we simply can’t make enough of it in winter. Vitamin D is a key nutrient that helps the body use calcium and phosphorous to produce strong bones and teeth. It improves the function of muscles and may help to lower the risk of cancer and diabetes. Aside from taking a Vitamin D supplement, also consider boosting your intake with fortified foods such as milk, yogurt and some calcium-fortified orange juices.
CALCIUM – important for keeping our bones and teeth healthy and also helping support muscle and nerve functions. Like vitamin D, calcium is needed to keep bones and teeth strong and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Aside from taking a supplement, try to eat foods rich in calcium which include milk or milk alternatives such as yogurt, cheese, fortified soy beverages and dark green veggies such as broccoli and spinach.
Oops!
IRON – an important mineral to help carry oxygen to all parts of the body. A low iron count can make you look pale and feel weak and irritable, along with many other unwanted symptoms. Our bodies cannot make it so we require it from our diet. Without iron, our body cannot make healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to our tissues and vital organs. Foods rich in iron include fish and seafood (such as shrimp and scallops), lentils, beans, and meats such as duck, liver and beef.
FISH OIL (omega-3 fatty acids) – are healthy fats that cannot be made by the body. We benefit from omega-3 healthy fats for our brain, nerve, and eye development. They also lower the risk of heart disease. Research is being conducted on whether omega-3 fats also play a role in lowering the risk of cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and depression.
The best source? Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, arctic char (similar to salmon) including all the ones I don’t like….like anchovies, sardines, herring and trout. Look for a mercury-free fish oil supplement with a Natural Product Number (NPN). You can also add flax seeds, walnuts, soy products and omega-3-enriched foods such as eggs and milk to your list. AND if you want to have a healthy treat at the office, this seems like an un-messy way to eat an orange for that extra dose of Vitamin C – which can’t hurt either. Of course you need to keep a knife at your desk.
Just saw this on Yahoo. For the ones that are obviously not so easy to peel.
The answer is YES…but WHAT CONSTITUTES A LUXURY WINE?
Melee Grenache 2010. Rated 93 points for 24.99. Napa Valley, Ca. Bought at Costco.
Let me WINE all I want! This was a long read so I condensed it as much as possible (from an article by Rod Philips ‘Into Wine’) so you get the picture.
Being offered a premium wine for $12 a bottle might sound a bit like being offered some prime swampland at a knock-down price. Premium has the ring of quality about it, and many people might well think of premium wines as including first-growth Bordeaux and Super Tuscans, wines that often sell for hundreds of dollars a bottle on release, and much more for older vintages.
Reserva 2007 from Spain rated 93points and a fantastic deal from Costco (in Tucson) for only $9.99. You just can’t beat that!
Infact, a $12 bottle of premium wine is a common proposition in many wine stores because the world of wine segmentation (the division of wines into categories for marketing purposes) often defies common sense. Although premium wine sounds like it would be high quality, it is actually the bottom rung of a ladder that has super-premiumand ultra-premium above it. But there are no standard definitions for any of these categories. See guide below.
Categories make these wines sound like the choices you get at the gas station, and they have nothing to do with quality, but all to do with price. Listen to this: a premium wine that over delivers for its price could be of higher quality than some super-premiums. Now I don’t think that’s the same for gas….just saying so you don’t go filling up your tank with the cheapest quality thinking you’re getting better (but it does make matters confusing).
Luxury is a word with multiple meanings and connotations, and definitions vary socially and culturally. Applied to wine, it is no more easily grasped than when applied to other commodities. Still, luxury is gaining currency in the world of wine segmentation, as demonstrated by a panel on “the future of luxury wine” at a recent New York wine exhibition. Even though it will be deplored by those who resist seeing wine as a commodity akin to other consumer products, luxury seems set to become entrenched as a category within the global wine market.
Tribunal California North Coast Red – bought in Vancouver for $20.00 A delicious tasting wine for great value.
General guideline: Lifford wine agency (one major Canadian wine agency), uses $12 to $17 as a guideline for premium; while a study from Australia’s University of Adelaide defines premium as a wine costing $2.50 to $7.50 (U.S.) before tax – between $4 (U.S.) and $12 (U.S.) retail, including tax and markups, in Australia. Lifford uses $18 – $35 to define super-premium and more than $35 for ultra-premium, while the Australian study sets $12 (U.S.) retail as the starting point for super-premium wines.
I can attest to this because having spent a lot of time in the U.S. (drinking wine of course) I know you can get a damn good bottle for $12 – at Costco or Trader Joe’s no less.
Eyebrows frame the face and can even alter how your face shape looks in some cases. Eyebrows that are too short can make your face look fuller, and eyebrows that are too severe or angled can make your face look stronger and sort of angry! Too high and you always have that ‘surprised’ look.
The key when filling in and shaping your brows is to not overdo it. I’ve seen too many women layering on the dark pencil to create a full brow look, but it just looks fake and severe. Stick to a color as close to your natural brow color as possible. If your brows are lighter than your hair color, go ahead and add some depth to your brows to complement your hair color.
Insta-Brows – the tinted, water-resistant gel in Benefit’s Gimme Brow contains tiny fibers that adhere to hairs and help bulk up skimpy brows on the spot. The Medium/Deep shade matches brunet and black strands, while the Light/Medium is meant to deepen blonde hairs. Here’s to darker, fuller, natural-looking eye frames!
An expert opinion: it has a slight staining effect on your skin so make sure to wipe up any excess with a damp Q-tip. Sweeping the mascara type brush up through strands doesn’t take as much precision (or time) as dabbing on a powder, and the results look more realistic than pencil strokes. However the combination of filling in sparseness with a powder first and then using the brush works best. Benefit makes a good powder as does Bobbi Brown.
BROW-WOW: Benefit Gimme Browin Light/Medium or Medium/Deep, $22.00; benefitcosmetics.com or Sephora locations.
LOVE IT or leave it…these elaborately embroidered, richly patterned, or gilded and encrusted with jewels clothes are pure escapism.
(left to right) Prabal Gurung, Oscar de la Renta, Tom Ford.
Slipping into them transports you to another time and place (China! Italy! Brazil!), and they radiate a sense of refinement and adventure that makes you feel like a member of the jet set.
WORK IT:
Kate Spade New York Coat Cotton-polyester, $785; at Kate Spade New York, 212-988-0259.
Some of the looks are a nod to a nation, while others are a postcard for it.
ML Monique Lhuillier Dress – Embellished polyester crêpe, $448; saksfifthavenue.com for stores.
The subtle references tend to be more universally appealing (and wearable).
Adopt a when-in-Rome (or Beijing, or Rio) approach: Pile on big gold necklaces or long gemstone earrings (as long as they look chic – not like a Halloween costume) with black pants and a turtleneck.
Hair and makeup should have a regal sophistication: Part hair in the middle or pull it back, and go for bold brows or dramatic, kohl-rimmed eyes.
Indian Food is absolutely satisfying anytime of the year but especially now as it tends to be real comfort food. I just tried the recipe below for the first time & really like the results. I hope you do too.
Basmati Rice is an ideal accompaniment and pieces of roti or naan bread can be used to mop up the delicious juices. Condiments like lime pickle & mango chutney are always a welcome addition for added flavour.
What you need:
About 2/4 inch of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ cup of blanched almonds
2/3 cup thick plain yogurt (I used greek)
½ tsp. chilipowder
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ ground cinnamon
1 tsp. garam masala (Indian spice mix)
4 cardamon pods, lightly crushed
14 oz (400 g) tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. salt (try Himalayan pink)
2 lb. 4 oz (1 kg) skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets, cut into fairly large pieces (see TIP below)
BLEND the ginger and the garlic together to a paste in a food processor or pestle and mortar, or crush the garlic and finely grate the ginger and mix them together. Grind the almonds in a food processor or finely chop with a knife. Put the paste and almonds in a bowl with the yogurt, chili powder, cloves, cinnamon, garam masala, cardamom pods, tomato and salt, and blend together with a fork. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat thoroughly. COVER and marinate for 2 hours, or overnight, in the fridge.
PREHEAT the oven to 350F (180C). Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a deep, heavy-based frying pan. ADD the onion and fry until softened and brown. ADD the chicken mixture and fry for 2 minutes. MIX in the fresh coriander. Put the mixture into a shallow baking dish, pour in the cream and stir with a fork.
BAKE for 1 hour. If the top is browning too quickly during cooking, cover with a piece of foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving. The oil will rise to the surface. Just before serving, place the dish under a hot grill (broiler) for about 2 minutes to brown the top. You can spoon off any extra oil by tipping the dish slightly right before serving.
*TIP – I like to first rub the chicken pieces in a mix of some Indian spices like Tumeric, Chat or Garam Masala & Curry powder. You don’t have to do this but it tends to bring out more flavour by doing so.
Don’t make the mistake. Glutton: an excessively greedy eater & a deadly sin. Gluton: the stuff in many foods that a glutton or normal person should try to stay away from as much as possible.
Whatever your reason for being gluten-free, mine is not to judge. If anyone in your life doesn’t support your gluten-free-ness, that’s their agenda at work. Not yours.
Here’s a TOP 10 list (so very David Letterman) of reasons to be Gluton-Free.
It’s a toss-up between #4 & #10 for me – but #10 is what finally convinced me.
1. You have celiacdisease.
2. Your loved one is gluten-free. Solidarity!
3. You have or your child has an autism spectrum disorder.
4. You just feel better since you cut out gluten.
5. No one should eat gluten. Cavemen didn’t eat it!
6. You went to a naturopath who told you, cut out the gluten and your health problems would go away.
7. You have another auto-immune disease, like Crohn’s Disease, that responds well to a diet free of gluten (among other things).
8. You’re allergic to wheat.
9. You have had fertility problems.
10. Because Gwyneth Paltrow is Gluten Free. Enough said!
Is eliminating this ‘ever-present’ grain the key to weight management – and to curing so much more that ails us?
Decoding the wheat belly diet – taken from an article written by Sari Bottom.
It’s something you see more and more: brunch companions shunning the muffin basket. Houseguests calling ahead to ask if you’ll be serving pasta. Bakeries touting wheat-free goods. A facialist who tells you your bread habit is the reason your skin is blotchy. Wheat has been getting a bad name lately, and not just from those who have eliminated carbs and gluten (a protein found in wheat) from their diet.
The loudest voice in the chorus lately belongs to William Davis, author of the book ‘Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health’ and its companion, ‘Wheat Belly Cookbook’. Davis, a Milwauke cardiologist, points an accusing finger at our most abundant grain, blaming it for (almost) everything including the obesity epidemic, heart disease, diabetes, acne and other skin conditions, and even disorders like ADHD. Not to mention that “brain fog” many of us feel after eating a high-carb meal.
At the heart of Davis’s argument is the idea that modern-day strains of wheat have been genetically (and harmfully) altered to such a degree that they barely resemble the ancient strains or even that of 1950s wheat. Today’s varieties have a higher glycemic index, a factor in blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as new forms of gliadin, a component of gluten that Davis says is bad for everyone. One of gliadin’s worst offences is its association with inflammation, in particular creating a “leaky gut.” It can overstimulate appetite to the point where people eat some 440 more calories a day than they need – usually carbs.
From reports of flattened bellys to alleviated joint pain, there’s no shortage of adherents to the wheat belly diet who’ve reported great results – in as little as two weeks. Yet even with many success stories, Davis has many critics.
When diets are extreme they’re hard to maintain. It is pointed out that some starch carbs can be good for you. People will miss out on fiber and important vitamins and minerals. The biggest point of contention is that the alleviation of so many ailments is not likely wheat related. People cut calories and then lose weight. And when you lose weight, a number of other conditions will improve. It is also noted that a number of food proteins like that from milk, soy and even spinach can break down the same way as the gliadin in wheat and create the same problems. Davis is unfazed by his detractors though. “They don’t have an appreciation for all the issues,” he says. With many happy converts, he will likely keep riding his wave – at least until the next low-carb craze.
My thoughts….I learned a new word – ‘Gliadin’ which is the most abundant protein found within wheat gluten (two really bad words). It is, from a cold scientific viewpoint, a fascinating topic – a protein that is an apparent cause of many health problems. And just one more thing to worry about.
Of course, the “official” response is that the increased calorie consumption, overweight/obesity, and diabetes are your fault because you are a glutton and you’re lazy, eating chips, cookies, and other junk snacks along with sweetened soft drinks while you watch The Biggest Loser.
Okay, a lot a bit guilty here except that I don’t watch the Biggest Loser. I think watching too many reality based TV shows is detrimental to health – but that’s another topic. It’s really hard to quit cold-turkey but over time if we cut out some of the junk food & wheat products little by little we can definitely benefit our health. It depends on how badly you want to work at it. So hard when you love bread, pasta, cake & cookies….. Several years ago for a few months I did manage to eliminate wheat & dairy from my diet and must admit…never felt better!
While we’re on the subject take a look at this best seller – Beer Belly Blues.
All books available on: Amazon.com
**Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host BradKing for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.
Taken from an article by James Dolan in the Technology section of Nuvo Magazine.
It’s amazing that we have the ability to talk to, learn from, and work with people from all over the world – from the comfort of our home. The liberty to exchange opinions, explore new ideas, the freedom to do what you want, say what you want, be who you are, without the government, the boss, or mom and dad getting in the way.In practice, the freedom by the Internet has proven something of a double-edged sword. True, the combination of anonymity and interconnectivity has allowed millions to enjoy unprecedented freedom of expression. Out of that…
Gossip, misinformation, unverified rumour, tall tales, bald-faced lies – all of it can be found in plentiful on the Internet. With the rise of Facebook, Twitter, and other sites as the 21st century’s communication medim of choice, It seems we can all look forward to the badmouthing growing in frequenty and expanding in volume, cached on countless servers until the end of time. Or at least until we run out of hard drive space. Now that the Internet has developed into a powerful tool for the pursuit of wealth as well as happiness, the fabrication of untruths has become a viable business strategy. In an environment where what people say about you (and how they say it) can make the difference between profit and loss, it is easy to imagine how such activity could be used for less-than-pure-purposes: a positive review to falsely promote a brand’s reputation; a negative review to destroy it.
Uncomfortable with the “anything goes” culture of user-generated content, many popular websites have taken their own approach to protecting and policing the reputations of users. Auction site eBay encourages users to leave feedback; tech blog Slashdot has developed the concept of “karma points”; and last year search giant Google launched a toolset to help users request expedited removal of confidential or unwanted content.
There is also professional help. For a fee, a reputation manager will monitor online activity and defend one’s cyberstanding from the slings and arrows of muckrakers and hacks. Part public relations officer, part computer engineer, part private eye, such specialists are quickly becoming essential staff members for celebrities, politicians, high-profile athletes, and multinational corporations looking to cure themselves of bad press.
There is no denying that the Internet at times resembles a giant high school, where mean-spirited children (of any age) can mock, tease, and intimidate without the fear of reprisal. By eliminating our ability to criticize and scold, to bitch and complain, to shake our collective fists at injustice both imagined and real, we lose no small part of that freedom we were once promised. Slowly but surely, truth comes to resemble our reputations: something no longer earned, but “managed”.
IT’S NO SECRET that Victoria’s Secret represents one of the world’s sexiest and most popular lingerie brands.
But it’s more than that.
The store is located inside a historical building that once housed the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library before the library branch relocated in 1995 to its current location seven blocks down Robson Street. Before being converted into a Victoria’s Secret, 750 Burrard Street served as flagship stores for both Virgin Music and HMV.
(because it says so) sleepshirt.
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