Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

Self Care – Spa Diva

SPA like a DIVA!

When I stepped into Montreal’s most luxurious day spa last week, I might’ve been having a bit of a chocolate craving.

This was my first time at Spa Diva, voted the finest spa in Montreal for 6 consecutive years in a row and recognized as the largest and most luxurious full-service day spa in Canada. Now I understand way. The spa is located downtown Montreal on the second floor of the elegant Les Cours Mont-Royal; a prime shopping and dining destination. Such a beautifully decorated mall.

LCMR-Les Cours Mont Royal

To get there I decided to take the metro from my hotel which was located midtown Montreal. I hadn’t taken the metro in years and almost forgot how convenient, fast and super easy it is. I arrived at Peel station in minutes where there’s an entrance to the mall. Once inside I took the winding staircase up to the second floor where Spa Diva is located.

Before my service I was met by a very pleasant esthetician named Yenzy, who escorted me to my very own change room complete with private shower with all the amenities, plush robe and slippers and a key to lock up when ready. Everyone who books a service gets their own room. How nice is that?

I had a tough time choosing from the multitude of services available but finally decided on a decadent chocolate body wrap. It was amazing. I was smothered and scrubbed all over in warm luscious salted chocolate combined with the healing properties of soy. I was then body wrapped and left to rest for about 15 minutes before Yenzy returned. This treatment is a natural detox to satisfy the body’s craving for replenishment ~~and~~ ~~chocolate~~ and revitalization (the brochure was right) while leaving skin hydrated and feeling very very smooth. It’s followed up with a mini tension relieving facial massage. Sooo relaxing.

Then you get to relax in a deluxe waiting area until they’re ready for you on the most comfy sofa beds drinking tea or lemonade and eat chocolate covered strawberries. That is divine enough on its own. They don’t rush you. You’re allowed to spend as long as you like (except for staying overnight of course) after whatever service you’re having too.

If I didn’t have to catch a flight back to Vancouver that same day I would’ve tried to add on something else. But I’ll definitely go back when in Montreal next.

I highly recommend this spa.

Have you been?

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DESTINATIONS

The Charm of Old Montreal

To be fair, this mural of Leonard Cohen isn’t situated in Old Montreal…but since we’re talking about charm I had to include it. After all, Leonard Cohen was synonymous with everything charming about Montreal. The self confessed man who was born in a suit was a true gentleman, poet and all around music legend.

This last trip to Montreal was primarily to attend the wedding of a family member but it would not have been complete without an evening in Old Montreal. Montreal after dark is enchanting.

If Paris is the city of light, Montreal gives it a run for its money! The city beams with artistic light installations. One of the oldest and most famous lights in Montreal is the rotating beacon of Place Ville Marie in the downtown core (not shown here).

**Old Montreal is the oldest area in the city of Montreal**, Quebec, Canada, dating back to New France. Old Montreal itself is a major tourist draw; with the oldest of its buildings dating to the 17th century, it is one of the oldest urban areas in North America. This pic taken from images.

After dark, the city transforms: the bare stone walls of Old Montréal become history projected, while the Jacques-Cartier Bridge lights up in flashes of colour over the St. Lawrence River. Building facades in the entertainment district turn into movie screens, and the power of light to trick the eye gives some of Montréal’s first buildings all new life.

Spanning several blocks near the waterfront of the Saint Lawrence River, Old Montreal is home to historical sites dating back to the 17th century that showcase the city’s indigenous and colonial past. The district also offers a taste of Montreal’s contemporary cultural standing, from art and food to health. Local musicians and dancers entertain in various areas and the place is alive with a European vibe. Actually Montreal is the most European city in all of Canada.

There may be an American flag but we’re still in Canada.

We had just finished watching a flamenco dancer in the square.

I love all the outdoor cafés, restaurants & shops along the cobblestone streets.

And then there’s all the ART GALLERIES – a sampling of some of my favourites here:

Photos of Old Montreal: d. king

Check out this little video clip of city lights:

VIRTUAL TOUR of OLD MONTEAL:

FUN

Montreal Monday Mood

A splattering of photos from our joie de vivre trip in Montreal.

Pre-wedding celebration at the home of the bride and groom – Shanny & Pete.

My siblings and I attended the weddings (plural because our gorgeous Irish/Italian cousin Shanny married a very nice Indian man named Puneet (or Pete as we call him) so there was first a modern Indian style wedding at the Hilton followed by a more traditional wedding at Jardin Royalmount the following day. Jardin is a sophisticated outdoor/indoor venue for hosting private events and special occasions for hundreds of guests. The whole setup is quite beautiful. Prior to these two weddings there was a private party at their lovely home situated across from a lake for close friends and family members.

After these celebratory events we spent a couple nights in the Laurentians at my cousin John’s house in Estérel on the lake. It was amazing. I loved re-visiting the quaint little village of Saint-Sauveur for all the shops and bakeries. I got to also re connect with an old friend at her country home and lastly, my childhood bestie over dinner on my last night there at the Rib ‘n Reef; a Montreal favourite steakhouse. We reminisced about the past, caught up on the present and talked about what the future may hold. I can’t describe how wonderful it was seeing her after so many years. All I can say is that if you’re truly connected with someone, the time and distance doesn’t matter when you meet up again. You just pick up where you last left off. But back to the reason we went to Montreal in the first place….

The catered event had various food tables with all kinds of seafood including lobster rolls, a pizza bar and bartenders hired from the Ritz Carlton no less (the iconic hotel where Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton) serving up any kind of cocktail you can imagine. Also a DJ. So so much fun.

Lisa getting henna on her hand. I did the same. Photo: d. king

Shanny & Pete with her dad John and his *Fiancée* Stephanie. Photo: d. king

Stephanie + Tyaa (Shanny’s sister). Photo: d. king

Indian Buffet (one of several tables with amazing delicious delicacies). Photo: d. king

With Lisa, Stephanie, cousin Liz + Lucia (who married our uncle Chuck and now lives in Florida)

Stephanie + John (Lucia + cousin Frankie behind them) Photo: d. king

The celebrated couple Pete and Shanny. Photo: d. king

More photos and stories to follow including Old Montreal, Barbie Expo and Canada’s most luxurious day spa.

FUN

Summer Breeze

Summer doesn’t last forever so we soak up the remaining sunshine while we can. Ideally with no pressure and no major plans.

My appetite for movies is like my appetite for food – a little bit of this; a little bit of that but with variety. This summer I’ve watched more movies in theatres than any other I can remember in recent history. All the films I’ve seen were good for different reasons. However they all have one thing in common; they’re all about impossible missions achieved by an action hero and a supporting team.

Mission Impossible (part one) for sheer edge of your seat action entertainment, special effects and because Tom Cruise is so good in it. I like his message at the start of the film. He appears genuine in wanting to get people back to big screen movie houses. I can see why. This one is definitely meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

Sound of Freedom, based on a true story, is an excellent film with a powerful message. It’s been sweeping the box office. It’s unfortunately a real life under the radar drama about ruthless child traffickers and a dangerous mission to save a child in the Colombian jungle with time running out. It is not without controversy but then again; what movie isn’t these days? If Barbie has endured some controversy, you can only imagine what this can mean. Anyway, this film sheds a light on a delicate subject most of us don’t give much or any thought to.

An interesting fact is that this film was finished in early 2018, was bought by Fox, but then when Disney acquired Fox it immediately shelved the film. Right away, that gave the movie a kind of forbidden, subversive appeal. Eventually, the distribution rights were sold to Angel Studios, a company in Utah that produced the historical drama The Chosen. Since Sound of Freedom started showing in theaters, some viewers have alleged instances of sabotage intended to prevent them from seeing the film. Good luck with that! Before the end of this month Sound of Freedom broke $100 million in revenue. It’s not as graphic as one might think given the story line as the film maker took careful precaution so as not to incite pedophiles – thank goodness for that. We got the gist of it anyway and it’s not a feel-good movie but it brings awareness to what went on and what’s been going on behind closed doors and open borders for a long time. It’s nothing new but this movie brings attention to an uncomfortable matter.

The real Mission Impossible was to get the atom bomb before the Germans did. My only complaint about Oppenheimer is that it could have been shorter in length. I didn’t expect to like this historical movie as much as I did; but I did – especially in 70mm. It’s not so much about the making of the atom bomb as it is about the man behind the movie title himself. Everything about this film is well executed; the story (the book was about 800 pages long – no wonder the movie is 3 hours!), the directing, the acting, the cinematography, sound and editing. I think it covered all Oscar worthy bases. I suspect it will win at least one award.

Last but not least (okay, maybe least) is Barbie. No; I was not going to miss this movie especially after seeing the trailer. Of course I went with a few like-minded ex Barbie playing women friends and not all of us were wearing pink and yes; it was all women in the audience. There might’ve been a few Kens but if so I didn’t notice any. All I can say is that it was just sheer guilty-pleasure entertaining fun. I think the casting was spot-on – I mean how can you go wrong with Margot Robbie playing Barbie and Ryan Gosling (with a six-pack that didn’t go unnoticed) playing Ken. I’m over everyone making such a big deal about this movie and the messages it represents. Take it for what it is everyone – just a very cute movie with awesome sets and a message that by now should not be something new. Yawn!

As for the rest of the summer, I’m off to Montreal for a family wedding (more on that later) and for my siblings and me – somewhat of a family/friends reunion. It will be a bittersweet trip as the last time we were all there was along with my late husband to celebrate our auntie Ada (our mom’s only sister) with a surprise 80th on a Tiki boat in the Laurentians. She’s since passed as has our uncle Chuck (our mom’s only brother) from a shockingly unexpected heart attack last year. His wife will join us. Instead of being told we should “move on” after a tragedy or death, I prefer to instead move forward because moving on just doesn’t seem appropriate.

Other things I’ve started this summer was a book club over breakfast with a close friend (we’re starting our second book), getting another dog and heading up a monthly cocktail club to explore some new and old Vancouver establishments. Simple pleasures at this time is what I like best. No apologies.

How about you? I hope your summer is going well and I’ll be back here sometime soon. Enjoy! XO

Food + Drink

The Rooted Table

These people will make your catering dreams come true!

The Rooted Table is a one stop bespoke personal chef service in Vancouver, BC. A small but happy team of chefs, nutritionists and food artists who help their clients feel their best through the creation of beautifully plated, healthy, delicious food.

this pic taken from Rooted Table website

One of the recent wine tastings I attended hired “The Rooted Table” to cater their event. I have never before at any casual wine tasting seen such a wide variety of scrumptious looking platters with attentive detail to design, healthy ingredients and taste. Everything was super delicious and as soon as one platter was empty they came back with more.

seared shrimp on cucumber, with grilled corn slaw, chimmichurri, edible flower.

grilled sirloin on focaccia, whipped herby ricotta, balsamic pearl onion _ jammy tomato.

Crispy sesame rice balls with spicy ahi tuna, pickled jalapeno + cucumber.

I was there to blog about a certain region of Portugal known mostly for white and sparkling wines but these special caterers deserved a separate shout out for their hard work which I found out is really a “labour of love.”

super green falafal on maple beet puree with crushed pistachio (vegan).

“Our team takes the stress of cooking off of our clients plates so that they can spend more time doing the things that light them up. At Rooted, we offer a wide range of services that help transform our clients’ lives including a personalized approach to custom meal prep, colourful catering for events and gatherings and gorgeous graze experiences.” – Hilary, Magnus and Paige – aka the team.

Hilary launched The Rooted Table after graduating from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition.

Magnus is a holistic nutritionist with a passion for food. He began his journey with an apprenticeship at a Michelin Restaurant in Germany.

harissa pulled chicken sliders, pineapple relish. cabbage slaw & lime aioli. Next to mini avocado toasts with tomato, radish, cucumber, pickled shallot + feta.

Paige turned her love of throwing fancy dinner parties into a full fledged catering business. Paige moved to Vancouver to attend Northwest Culinary Academy.

Read more about them here: https://www.therootedtable.ca/about

Need to hire a caterer or personal chef? Look no further.

https://www.therootedtable.ca/

Photos: d. king

Art & Culture

Outdoor Art Downtown

Art Downtown is an outdoor summer art festival where both new and established artists are encouraged to create and sell their work in an open setting that will inspire others and change the way quality art is circulated.

While galleries will always be a mainstay, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy the outdoors while appreciating art in the heart of downtown Vancouver while listening to live music.

This initiative encourages artists of all backgrounds in their quest for self-expression with various incentives in an inclusive space to share their creations with the public.

From now until September, artists will be presenting their work Wednesdays & Fridays at Lot 19, 855 West Hastings from 11 AM till 5 PM.

Brought to you in partnership with the Downtown Van (formerly Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association).

Meet the Artists

For more information (this info was taken from the website):

https://www.vanvaf.com/art-downtown

Health + LifeStyle

Feel-good Festival

“Always make time for the things that make you feel happy to be alive.”

Heads up for a blissful one day celebration taking place in Desert Hot Springs this November – something to nourish your soul and rejuvenate your spirit.

Why Desert Hot Springs? Desert Hot Springs is a healing oasis to some of the purest hot and cold mineral springs in the world thanks to an underground aquifer beneath the city. At the festival you can participate in body and mind wellness while immersing yourself in a one-day celebration of nature, wellness, art, and sustainable fashion.

The Feel Good Festival was born from the hearts and minds of 3 desert locals who saw an opportunity to share all the things that they love about Desert Hot Springs. The rich natural beauty, the vibrant and rare wildlife, the sacred hot water, and the beautiful fresh air that abounds here in this secret hidden nook of the Coachella Valley… it truly is the perfect backdrop for people to get together and celebrate all things feeling good.

Founded by Kathy Murphy (of Hampton Flea & Very Vintage, Palm Desert) and Jenn Kubat (Muse, the shop), and led by Angelina Padron (House of Energy), The Feel Good Festival is proud to present their debut show celebrating wellness and sustainability in Desert Hot Springs happening on Saturday November 11th, 2023.

“We welcome you to take a step back from the daily grind of modern life and join us at the beautiful Cabot’s Pueblo Museum for a day of healing, wellness and community, and experience what it means to Feel Good in Desert Hot Springs!”

Updates on this site:

https://www.desertfeelgoodfestival.com/

News

Feel-good Friday: Adele

Introducing Adele; our newest little family member.

Sunday July 2^nd will mark two weeks since we picked up Layla’s sister in British Columbia’s Okanagan wine valley.

What’s extra special about this is that Adele happens to be Layla’s real sister – as in her litter mate from 7 years ago. What are the chances? A beautiful, healthy, well-mannered little delight who follows me around everywhere. And a perfect companion for Layla.

My male sheltie Jia Jia (who I’ll always miss) passed away 3 years ago in May, and I considered getting another companion for Layla about a year after that. We heard about an adult male sheltie up for adoption on Vancouver Island so we went there and when Layla didn’t approve we later checked out a puppy – which she didn’t approve of either.

Suffice to say she was okay as an only child. So that was that and we went on our merry way. Until about two weekends ago when we met Adele through word of mouth and brought her back to Vancouver.

Layla and I are very happy with the decision and we hope Adele feels the same way. Judging by these photos we think she does!

“If you can look at a dog and not feel vicarious excitement and affection, you must be a cat.” – Author Unknown

Food + Drink

Wine Wednesday: Vinho Verde

Poolside wine from Portugal

but you can drink it even if you don’t have a pool

I went to my first Vinho Verde wine tasting recently. I didn’t really know what to expect from these wines which come from the Northwest part of Portugal. The name translates to “green wine” although the wine I’m happy to report, is not green; it’s the area where it originates that is green and there’s green fruit notes on the nose.

These reps and wine makers traveled to Vancouver from Portugal to showcase their distinctive wines that are made primarily from six Portuguese grapes of which the vast majority are white. Their names are Alvarinho, Arinto, Azal, Avesso, Loureiro and Trajudura (see below for their individual descriptions). Vinho Verde wines range slightly in style, but most are a touch fizzy and mostly dry.

The wines are easy drinking, fresh tasting with a higher acidity and lower alcohol content than what we’re normally used to. The wines are usually not allowed to mature as they’re commonly consumed soon after bottling. Now I can see why!

The mostly all white, sparkling and some rare rosé wines are great to pair with most food but especially summer dishes.

Azal: This is the highest-acid grape of them all. Lemonade flavors abound!
Arinto: Also called “Pederna,” it is arguably Portugal’s finest white grape. Expect juicy melon and citrus with some bitter notes on the finish. Great examples can age 7+ years!
Alvarinho: The same grape as Spain’s Albariño and produces wines with grapefruit and floral notes. This is another serious grape to watch.
Avesso: Similar to Alvarinho in its flavors of grapefruit and peach, but with a subtle green almond bitter note there is added complexity.
Loureiro: If there were such a thing as “The Riesling of Portugal” this would be it. Look up winemaker Anselmo Mendes for shocking single-varietal wines from the coastal regions.
Trajadura: This grape is a popular blender with Alvarinho. It adds richness and aromas of pear and citrus blossom.

Photos (including header): d. king

Illustration + Grape Descriptions taken from winefolly.com

Have you tried it? If so; do you have a favorite?

Art & Culture

Bard: Julius Caesar

Friends, Foes, Family, lend me your eyes…

Jennifer Lines as Mark Antony (Julius Caesar, 2023) | Photo & Image Design: Emily Cooper

Julius Caesar is perhaps the most famous Roman ruler in history. His life was full of conquest, lust and betrayal.

Attending the opening night of Bard on the Beach’s first-rate production of Julius Caesar was ruthless. I mean that in the cold blooded meaning of the word, as it was during that particular era. The actors in this production did a superb job in their respective roles.

Granted this is not one of Shakespeare’s feel-good plays, which is understandable since those Romans were pretty violent. But few can argue that this renowned historical story about the lust for power, sold under the pretext of defending virtuous aspirations, is as relevant today as it was in the days of ancient Rome. Historically, Julius Caesar’s assassination transpired at a time when Rome itself was at a turning point, teetering between its achievements as a Republic and its less constrained nascent imperial ambitions.

Gaining Power and influence is a double-edged sword – quite literally.

Andrew Wheeler as Julius Caesar – Photo by Tim Matheson

Most people have heard the name Julius Caesar but may not know the story behind the man. Shakespeare’s historical rendering is about the military genius who overthrew Rome’s decaying political order and replaced it with a dictatorship. Cut to the chase: He triumphed in the Roman Civil War (nothing civil about it) only to be assassinated (no spoiler alert here) by those who believed he was becoming too powerful. Even his closest ally, Mark Antony (played by a woman here), is unable to stop his murder from those he most trusted.

The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you will ever look – Julius Caesar. Does this have anything to do with the phrase “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer?”

*This timeless story, in a modern-day setting, is about the human drive to get and hold on to power – and how order and good government can turn to chaos when personal ambition is unchecked. Julius Caesar is powerfully connected to our world’s political landscape, with its fractured integrity, and it raises profound questions for us all.

Emma Slipp as Cassius and Andrew McNee as Brutus – Photo by Tim Matheson

A few fun and gruesome facts from the past that remain today, thanks to Caesar:

Caesar created the Julian calendar, which is the basis for the calendar we use today!

The term “Caesarian Section” supposedly comes from Caesar’s family; one of his ancestors was reportedly born via this method, which was probably a really gruesome way to come into the Ancient world.

The handsome Caesar was something of a lothario, and his ravenous appetite once got him into deep trouble. (Okay to be fair, this is regarding Caesar but in today’s landscape infidelity still stands).

Caesar frequently engaged in steamy affairs—and one led to an incredibly dark secret. During his youth, he took the beautiful and well-connected Servilia as his mistress. When she later had a child, Marcus Junius Brutus, Caesar reportedly believed the boy was his illegitimate son. If that’s the case, it may be one of the greatest tragedies in history. As we know now, Brutus was the one who helped lead the assassination against Caesar. That’s right, he may have killed his own father.

When it came to affairs, Caesar didn’t stop at Servilia. His infamous tryst with Cleopatra the Queen of Egypt, has gone down in history as a legendary love affair. They lived together for 14 years, and many believed that if Caesar were ever permitted to marry someone who wasn’t a Roman citizen, he would have chosen her.

There are other dark secrets but think we’ll leave it at this for now.

To purchase tickets to Julius Caesar and other “Bard on the Beach” shows please visit:

https://bardonthebeach.org/

This play is adapted by Stephen Drover. Directed by Cherissa Richards (Harlem Duet, 2022).

Content Advisory: Gunshots, murder, suicide, self-harm, non-toxic haze, violence, warfare, flashing lights & video projections.

*this paragraph was taken from the website

Header Photo: d. king

Source for fun facts: factinate.com