What The Italians Are Wearing This Summer

Why does this matter? Because there's a very strong chance it's what we'll be wearing next.

Last year I was in the south of Spain and Paris and observed the trends there only to have them follow me home. For example: the long peasant skirt. This item was literally being sold on the street outside of department stores like Le Printemps in a variety of colours. I noticed the fitted jackets that tied with a bow at Mango in Spain and a few months later, voila! It was everywhere. I also predicted that wedges and flats would be huge for a long time and that white would be THE colour (if you can call it that) this season. I stocked up in advance.

Now I've had a chance to scope out what our Italian sisters are wearing this summer and I'm anticipating we'll see those trends in our stores very soon. Here are the must-haves according to the Italians:

Flirty Fitted Summer Dresses:

The Italian women like their dresses colourful and tight with an emphasis on the bust.


Push-em Up Bras:
You won't find any flannel from Grandma here. The Italians are all about the pushup bra and nice undies. Every third store is a lingerie shop with gorgeous colourful bras with matching panties, ruffles, lace and barely-there bottoms to get your man's pulse racing.


Cute Strappy Tops: Available in every colour, pattern and fabric, these tops are everywhere. Of course we have them here too, but theirs are decidedly cuter.


Wedges:This has been a hot item for a while now. These make walking on cobblestone streets much easier than last year's strappy sandals. The Italians like the ones with ribbon that wraps around the ankles.


Aviator Shades: The fashion-conscious have already been wearing these for a while but in Italy EVERYONE is wearing them. In fact, it's hard to find someone who isn't.


Soft, Slouchy Cowboy Boots:

Ok. Here's where I dropped the ball. I saw these puppies everywhere, in cream, white, black and dark brown and never got around to taking a picture or trying on a pair. I realize this was a huge blunder on my part, but the temperature was 35-40 degrees Celsius the entire time we were there and Italians aren't too fond of air conditioning - even in their beloved shoe stores. I couldn't have put on a pair of boots if someone had paid me. It was just that hot. But watch for cowboy boots with a more rounded toe, made of soft leather that is either slightly slouchy or has cutout patterns at the top of the boot. The Italians wear these with mini skirts - another must have item.


Sparkly Tops:Any kind of sparkle will do. They like t-shirts with sparkly lettering, jackets with shiny detail and tops with sequins.


And finally, the biggest winner of all... Eyelet in White:White eyelet skirts, jackets, tops, blouses... this stuff was everywhere. It looks best as a trim and is a very feminine look.

Happy Shopping!

When Something Goes "Clomp" in the Night

We've just returned from our whirlwind trip to Italy and I finally have a chance to pass on a story or two from our visit.

Two of the hotels we stayed at in Tuscany were former Convents that had been converted into 5 star hotels. The first place had beautiful courtyards, gardens and lavish suites. Each window opened up to a view of the vineyards below and the sound of birds.

Our first night, we enjoyed a fabulous meal in the candelit courtyard and after several bottles of local Chianti - shared between the whole group, not just us - we headed off to bed.

Now I'm a picky pillow person. I can't sleep on just anything. I've often been teased about being the whole Princess and the Pea thingy, but the truth is I have a bad neck from some unthinking redneck in the Praries who side-swiped me when I was 16. My pillows have to be medium soft feather in order for me to sleep. None of those bumpy balled up cotton creations that try to pass themselves off as pillows. Anyway, my pillow was huge and hard and I tossed and turned all night on that thing with my head at a 90 degree angle.

At about 3am I heard a heavy clomping sound that sounded like someone walking slowly above us wearing wooden shoes on a hard wood floor and then opening a very creaky door. It spooked me a little because the steps were so slow, and the creaking door sounded so out of place in this well kept hotel. None of our doors were squeaky. I was also pretty sure there was no floor above us. I decided I must be wrong and that there must be something above our room or it didn't make sense. The noises continued for a bit and then stopped and I eventually fell asleep.

The next morning at breakfast our guides came over to our table to discuss the biking route for the day. I told them I hadn't slept well because someone was clomping around on the floor above us. I described the sound and the creaking door in great detail as they looked at me oddly, then at each other for a moment and said, "Ya weird, anyway, here's your route notes enjoy your breakfast."

We stayed there for one more night before heading to our second hotel but I didn't hear a thing.

Two days later, our guide, Marco told us that they didn't want to mention it at the time, but there was no floor above our room that night. The room we stayed in was supposedly haunted. By a Nun. When they scoped out the trip a while ago, the proprieters told them a few rooms were haunted but they had laughed it off because A: Who really believes in that stuff, and B:None of their travellers had ever mentioned anything about it before.

When I heard that it raised the hair on my arms.

I'm glad to be home.

Nighty night!

Cycling and Feasting Under The Tuscan Sun

Bella Tuscany! Gorgeous rolling hills with birds chirping, bees bumbling around, and the smell of flowers in the air. It is an incredibly beautiful place.

But I had no idea it was all hills or that I would be seeing it all from the seat of a hybrid bicycle going 30-60 km/day in the blazing heat. Not the sort of adventure for a girl who prefers wearing heels, lounging by the pool, shopping in the city and sitting at cafes. I have never sweat so much or worked so hard on vacation in my life. I had planned to make regular posts capturing our adventures, but found myself passed out in the hotel from fatigue or alcohol consumption from the inexhaustible supply of wine we were fed every night.

When my fellow travelers, (all very fit cyclists) agreed it was the most physically challenging trip they had been on, I felt much better about bailing on the biking and opting for the pool on day two. However, it was a great opportunity to push myself and see Tuscany in a way I never would have been able to before. I biked over 100km in 3 days!

I tried to capture the scenery but my camera couldn't do it justice.
Vineyard after vineyard peppered with gorgeous estates with incredible vistas. The never ending rows of cypress trees and quaint little villages with red and pink geraniums on the balcony. The hearty, "Buon Giorno" from a local as we passed by. All these things made me wish I never had to go home.

We visited a local cooking school where we made fresh pasta with incredible sauces followed by the most mouth watering tiramisu I've ever had. We also visited local wineries for tastings where we discovered delicious Chianti's and flavourful olive oils. The greener the oil, the better, apparently!

Though we stayed in incredibly lavish properties (one was a Relais & Chateaux), the most impressive part was the food. We ate until we couldn't move and then ate some more. Course after course of mouth-watering pastas, fish, lamb and t-bone steak. The best experiences were at local restaurants slightly off the tourist areas where the best chefs had us stuffing ourselves into delirium.

We are still here in Florence where we will remain for a few days. Since I haven't been able to shop yet, we'll definitely make some time for that, though Alex doesn't realize it yet (Mwahahaha!).

I'll try to control myself...

Bella Tuscany!

Something incredible has happened and I can hardly believe it. Yesterday afternoon my husband, Alex calls me up and says, “What would you think of going to Tuscany for a week because we’re leaving on Sunday.”

Alex works for a luxury travel company that specializes in active trips around the world. His boss (Chris, you’re my hero!) is sending us to Tuscany tomorrow for 7 days of biking through hills, visiting local vineyards, learning how to make fresh pasta, and eating the mouth-watering confections of Michelin Chefs. Oops! I forgot to mention we will be bedding down in 5 Star hotels. Nice.

Now, you probably all hate me and believe me, I feel just as badly about accepting this trip as you do reading about it. I wish I didn’t have to go, but it is my duty to accompany my husband on his very important business trip so he can fully appreciate the inner-workings of his company. With my moral support and guidance he will become a stronger team player who will gain a better understanding of the core of the luxury travel business. Sampling the local Chianti’s and learning about the different varieties of olives will empower us both with a deep knowledge that we can go out and share with the world. And I will share people. I will make it my um, philanthropic duty to help people learn about Tuscany. I may be asked to speak at conferences or become a motivational speaker: “It could happen to you!” Hmmm… I’ll try and set aside some time for that when I return.

Er,or not.

In the mean time, Ciao Bella!

P.S Pictures coming soon!

www.butterfield.com

Free Makeup! Contest on RedFlagDeals

Attention all ye makeup and perfume lovers. Chickadvisor.com has posted a contest together with our friends at RedFlagDeals for 5 lucky chicks (and/or gents) to win one of 5 $100 gift certificates to Sephora.com. That's right, a few minutes of your time for a chance at some retail glory.

I was thinking of entering myself, just to see what would happen but apparently that's illegal.

If you don't have a Sephora in your city (poor thing), or haven't heard of it, (we really must talk); don't worry, the certificates can be used on the phone so it really doesn't matter where you live.

For $100 you could easily get the new Bvlgari perfume I've been dying to try, or the new one from Prada, which is strong, but sexy. For that matter, I've always liked Lacoste. Whatever you choose, you will still have money left over for Smashbox lipstick or Sephora lip gloss... the possibilities are endless!

If you're wondering when chickadvisor will launch, I can't tell you or I would have to... well it's not important. Just check YES on the form for us to send you an email and we'll let you know!

Good luck!

Chocolate

We all have our weaknesses and mine is chocolate. I adore the stuff. I've been known to pass on any other kind of desert because if there's no chocolate in it, what's the point? If I'm going to get a huge derriere, it might as well be because of flourless chocolate cake or truffles from the local chocolatier.

However, I despise anything with artificial flavors or ingredients I can't pronounce. It has to be pure, unadulterated, rich cocoa-y goodness from a reputable source. I don't eat gas station sub-standard "candy bar" fare, and you'd never catch me scooping up bulk generic brand rosebuds at the grocery store. That's right, I am a chocolate snob... or maybe chocolate connoisseur would be a more appropriate title.

This pickiness stems from my refusal to knowingly eat chemicals, and the fact that pure chocolate just tastes so much better. If you don't believe me, try a bite of dark Lindt Chocolate followed by a bite of your favorite candy bar and taste the difference chemicals make! I don't like carob or fat free/sugar free chocolate. Chocolate is supposed to be fattening, which is why it is for desert. Fat is natural and your body can deal with it in reasonable doses. Chemicals on the other hand, should be reserved for, well, other things such as pepper spray.

Since most of us know that dark chocolate can actually be good for you, we should share tips with each other for, um, health purposes. Here are a few guilt free* chocolatey things I highly recommend:

1. President's Choice Organic Chocolate Ice cream - The creamiest, most delicious ice cream I've ever had. It's available at Loblaws and other stores that carry PC products.

2. Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa (and darker) chocolate. All it takes is a little bit of this super rich chocolate to satisfy the craving, then you save the rest for later!

3. Fauchon dark and milk chocolate almonds. My husband and I discovered Fauchon in Paris and bought some chocolates for our picnic in the park. Protein plus gourmet chocolate = perfection!

4. Chocolate Blackout Cake - Senses Bakery (Toronto and Vancouver) - My husband fed me this the night he proposed. You know the rest...

5. Oma's oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies. They are much healthier than any store bought variety and are made with oatmeal and whole wheat, which are good for you! I can't believe I'm sharing my Grandmother's secret cookie recipe, but it would be wrong to hoard it all to myself. She'll forgive me, she's very sweet!

2/3 C Brown Sugar
3/4 C Butter
1 Egg
2 C Oatmeal
2/3 C Whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp Pure Vanilla extract
Chunks of dark chocolate - to taste

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes

*Guilt free when consumed in REASONABLE doses

Lovin' Elixir Spa

I have a confession to make: I've been eating loads of chocolate, skipping lunch, surviving off lattes, and the lowest blow of all; I've missed 5 of my 8 yoga classes in the last two months. Now I realize that is a recipe for bad skin, and all sorts of health and body issues, but I have a perfectly valid excuse, in that I've been building my own company and that takes a lot of time and effort. I've literally been hooked up to my laptop from 9am until 1am, although admittedly I do squeeze in Y&R and Oprah between 4 and 5:30.

My last physical was ten days ago. My doctor gasped when he saw me, asked if I was purposely trying to lose weight, and started scribbling away this and that on his notepad. Bless his heart. I must admit I didn't fill any of the prescriptions. Instead, I talked to my pharmacist who suggested I beef up the nutrition in my diet and try to cut down on stress. Since the stress comes with the job, I decided I would eat more greens, beens and blueberries and get more sleep. I'm doing great on the blueberries but that's about it. Making a decent lunch and sleeping long hours takes too much time, I'm sorry. So I've been looking rather haggard these days and I know it's all my fault.

Yesterday I was scanning my emails and came across a promotion from my favorite spa, Elixir, for a facial, pedicure and eyebrow wax for the price of a facial. READ: All 3 for $90! It was like the clouds parted and the sun came down. I read it twice to make sure I wasn't dreaming, then picked up the phone and called immediately to book an appointment. Turns out it was all true and this afternoon I spent 2 1/2 hours being pampered from head to toe; exactly the destressing me-time I needed. I chose the Manuka Honey facial since it is designed for acne-prone skin, which I suffer from in the chin area. Everything they use is 100% natural and organic, so if a little bit of your mask happens across your lips and you just happen to lick it just a little bit, it is yummy! They massaged my eyes, face neck, arms and hands to the point where I almost fell asleep.

My eyebrow wax was perfection. I'm always worried when someone new does my brows that I will end up looking over-plucked with an enormous forehead, but I was thrilled with the way they turned out. The pedicure was the best I've ever had. The esthetician really took her time buffing away my uber dry heels, and recommending the perfect polish and organic tropical tea to drink while she toiled.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this deal it's only on for this weekend. If you miss it, get on their mailing list and they will fill you in on these deals about once a month.

Happy pampering!

www.elixirspa.ca

Helpin' the Homeless

Truth be told, I'm a born and bred prairie girl who isn't used to seeing homeless on the streets. I grew up in the country where everyone had a car, a decent house and at least an acre of property.

When I first moved to Toronto I was appalled at the number of homeless on the streets. I knew that some of them had shelters or other living arrangments at night, but it broke my heart to see all of them huddled under shabby blankets on steam grates or toiling under the hot sun with their shopping cart full of discarded treasures in the summer. I used to give them some change here or there or buy them a sandwich if they would accept it, but then I moved downtown and found myself walking past at least ten homeless people on the way to school. If I gave generously to each person that asked, I would have to join them begging for change, but I knew I had to do something.

After many sleepless nights trying to come up with a plan, I suggested to my husband that we buy hundreds of blankets and distribute them; a sweet yet naive and very expensive plan that would have us on the street in record time. He had a much better suggestion. There are hundreds of units in our condominium complex, all of whom suffer from bulging closests and very little storage space. Why didn't I do a clothing drive in the building? Brilliant!

I enlisted a friend and fellow resident, Angela, and together we tackled the board of directors and local charities to make the necessary arrangments. In the end, the Salvation Army shelter, The Gateway, agreed to pick up and distribute the donations to their homeless and other shelters.

Our first clothing drive ran in December, and the most recent finished today. In total, over 100 large bins of donations were collected for the homeless, and it was much more than blankets. Every kind of clothing from designer jeans to shoes to underwear (eww!) made it into our bins. We didn't get to see the reaction of the recipients, but were told by the Salvation Army that people were thrilled.

If it made them smile even for a moment it was definitely worth it. Now imagine what would happen if everyone committed to do something small like that once a year. What would our world be like? All together now... awwww!

Giselle Cleans My Closet

A short while ago I talked about my image consultant friend Giselle, who thought I needed some help in the clothing department. She promised to take me shopping and unfortunately our plans were thwarted by Air Canada, who cancelled my flight home from North Carolina. Well I'm back now, and Giselle finally met my closet.

Now I realize I'm not super organized with my comes to my clothes. My winter and summer things are always meshed together and I could care less if my underwear, socks and t-shirts share the same drawer.

When Giselle came over to start the image consulting process with me, she was horrified. Well first she was pleased. She was horrified when she saw my closet, but she was thrilled when she saw what I was wearing, "Oh, you will be so perfect for the before picture, Aleee!!"

It's funny. I hadn't even thought of that. I was wearing a yellow tank top, jeans and my hubby's super soft black socks. My hair was pushed away from my face in a haphazard ponytail. I work from home and I need to be comfortable. I can't be walking around in heels and a pencil skirt with my hair in a chignon; it's just not going to happen. Giselle on the other hand looked immaculate with matching manicure and pedicure, ("I got them both for $30, Aleee!"), a ribbon-tied pink blazer and cute capris.

She began the consultation with a questionnaire, which I'm sure I failed. She was not impressed when I admitted I've been dressing mostly for comfort: "Oh Aleee, that is sooo bad!"

After a few embarrassing moments there, we moved on to my closet:

"Wow, I can't belieeve it! Your closet is disaster! Hahaha! How do you find anything in here? Hahaha. That's ok! I will fix it!" Giselle took off her jacket and began rooting through my closet. Everything came out and pretty soon I was in there with the Hoover vacuuming up dust bunnies.

Giselle started the discard pile. She was kind, but to the point,"What about this one? For me, it looks very, very old."

"This, I would not wear"

"Can we throw out this one?"

"My mother has this... do you still want to keep it?"

Surprisingly, by the time she was done I only had to throw out 4 things, which happened to be really old and admittedly, tacky - except for my purple boa. That one was a shame.

She then meticulously folded everything and put it back in the closet. I felt really bad that she was doing all the work but she wouldn't let me touch anything: "Don't worry, Aleee! For me, this is fun! I LOVE it!" I told her she was crazy and I could only imagine what her closet looked like. Her response: "It's like 'Sleeping with the Enemy'. Everything is perfect in a row."

Mmmkay....

After about an hour, I couldn't believe the transformation:

One of Giselle's trademarks, aside from freakishly organized clothes, is that she stickers each closet she visits. The stickers signify that she has madeover that closet and that she will be checking periodically to make sure I'm keeping it clean.

Note to self: Hang out at Giselle's place from now on.

The next phase of my image makeover is creating outfits out of the stuff I already own, and then on to shopping!

Apparently, my outfit is already picked out.

Strawberry Martinis and Picnics in the Park

Summer is by far my favorite time of the year. I love wearing skirts, sitting on restaurant patios with friends, wearing open toed shoes (with a french pedi of course!), and; getting some color on my sun-starved skin. I also love the new summer drinks that pop up every year.

Two weeks ago, I met my ultimate summer drink: The Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Martini. It was so delicious, I prefered it over my popcorn shrimp and braised lamb. There I was at the restaurant in my own little martini-heaven world, when the waiter notices my untouched plate and comes over, "Is there something wrong with your meal?" Me: "Hmmmm? Oh yes please! I'd love another one of these! Hee hee! They're soooo delicious! Are the strawberries grown in-house? You're getting a big tip for this one! Hee hee!" My husband cuts in, embarrased, "The lamb's fine. Thank you."


Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Martini:
2 oz Creme de Cacao
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Fresh blended Strawberries. * This can be substituted for 1/2 oz Raspberry or
Strawberry Schnapps

While travelling through Ontario's wine region, Niagara-on-the-Lake, my husband and I thought it might be fun to have a picnic in the park with cheese, baguettes and a little bit of local wine. We had just finished touring Peller Estates where we happened upon a perfect mini picnic set that fit easily in my purse along with the, um, beverage, and two mugs to conceal our illegal activity.

Yes, my bag is huge, but that's irrelevant. Back to the picnic.

This little set, complete with cutting board, cutlery, corkscrew (yes!), and cute napkins, folds neatly together into a little pouch. At just $12.00, it was money well spent.

When we got to the park we saw another couple having a picnic with a portable mini barbeque, huge cooler, large plates and cups and a 2L bottle of coke. I felt bad for them. Their picnic probably took all day to set up with professional movers. Ours fit in my purse and was way cuter. I was going to go over and give them a few simple pointers on how to have a better picnic, but I thought that would be mean.

We ate our delicious picnic, got a little tipsy and then went for ice cream!

Favorite Products Part 1: Hair and Skin

Just as I enjoy a good complaining session over products and services that make me mad, I believe it is equally important to mention those that reflect money well spent. I am constantly reviewing hair and skincare products so this is only the beginning…

1. Bumble and Bumble Styling Lotion

My hair is naturally straight and thick, but my individual strands are very fine. This makes my hair difficult to style because it doesn’t have any natural wave. A few spritzes of this stuff and my hair responds wonderfully to blow dryer and curling iron alike. For once, the label is accurate. It says, “For amazing combability, the perfect amount of volume and hold – excellent for heat styling fine, delicate or processed hair.” Amen.


2. Wild Sage Rose Geranium Face Lotion

Wild Sage creates natural herbal skin care for those of us that don’t want to use chemicals on our skin. I was introduced to this little gem by the owner of Elixir Spa. I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and often found it hard to find lotions that didn’t make my skin gleam in a very bad way within 30 minutes. The Rose Geranium face lotion combines Jojoba oil, rose petals, chamomile, strawberry leaves, geranium, grapefruit seed extract, and a few others into a light delicate facial lotion that makes my skin look fresh and healthy. It is available at Elixir Spa or online.


3. Johnson’s softlotion 24 hour Moisturizer

This moisturizer is by far the best body lotion I’ve ever used. It really keeps my skin soft and smooth all day long. I normally have very skin on my legs and feet but since I started using this lotion my skin has been remarkably moisturized without the oiliness that usually accompanies heavy lotions and creams.


4. SeaVital Aloe Vera Gel made with Dead Sea Minerals

This was given to me by a friend to help with a bit of eczema/psoriasis I get from time to time. Normally I just get a few patches on my torso, but this year I got a bit at the corners of my mouth. It looked like I was eating spaghetti with tomato sauce and forgot to wipe my mouth. Very sexy. I’ve tried steroid creams in the past, but didn’t want to put that near my mouth, plus they are not good for your skin. I wanted to try a natural solution.

SeaVital uses Dead Sea Minerals, plant extracts and vitamins in all of their products, which are natural healing agents.Their Aloe Vera Gel is light and non-greasy with a calming subtle fragrance. I used it every day for less than a week and the red blotches from my mouth disappeared. It’s been 3 weeks and they haven’t come back. I also found this nice to use after sun exposure. It calms the skin and helps take out the redness.

The Product Police Part I: Air Canada, Dish Cubes and Night Cream

Every now and then, I feel compelled to air my 2 cents about things that were a huge waste of money. To be balanced, I will also mention some stuff that I think is great.

But let’s start with the negative, since it is way more fun!

1. Air Canada

Last week I was stranded at an airport in North Carolina over night. Not only did this ruin my planned shopping expedition with Giselle, it cost me a lot of money for a hotel, food and taxi at my own expense. Air Canada, who didn’t even have a representative at the airport, was only reachable via cell phone on their reservations line to book a new flight. I waited on hold for over an hour, roaming charges and all, only to be handled by a hostile telephone representative who informed me I would have to foot all of the related expenses from the cancellation because it was weather related.

If Air Canada had an employee at the airport, they could have rebooked our flights and made sleeping arrangements for all of the stranded passengers, or at least provided us with some guidance on the next steps. Thank you to the United Airlines staff who were the only ones available to answer our questions - even though their response was, “I don’t know. You’ll have to call Air Canada”.

Perhaps the money spent on Celine Dion would have been better invested in smaller things like, I don’t know, STAFF at the airports they service.

What works: Lufthansa, KLM, and Westjet. Good experiences every time.

2. Method Dish Cubes

Now why would I write about something as trivial as dishwasher detergent? Because it ticked me off, people! I bought the grapefruit dish cubes at Shoppers Drug Mart because A: They were cute, B: Their all-purpose glass cleaner is great, and C: They are supposed to be environmentally friendly.

Being the tree hugger that I am, I thought this would be a wise purchase. However, they didn’t work at all. Not only did they fail to clean my dishes, they also left a white film on them along with some mysterious grey sludge. Never seen that before. My dishwasher is only a year old so I can’t blame it on the appliance. I tried the cubes several times because I wanted them to work, I really, really did! But every time the same thing happened.

The label reads, “Pink Grapefruit scent refreshes your kitchen while you have fun elsewhere.” What does that mean? While you have fun at Loblaws buying a better detergent? This product needs some serious tweaking. Let me know when they actually work. In the mean time, I want my money back!

What works: President’s Choice The Clear Choice Detergent. This is the ONLY dish detergent I have tried that never lets me down.

3. Garnier Skin Naturals Lift (Night)

If you can’t tell by the title, this is supposed to be a night cream to visibly reduce the wrinkles that have been slowly appearing on my much-too-young-for-wrinkles skin. They claim I will awaken with smoother skin. All I have to say about this one is thanks for the whiteheads, Garnier! They blossomed into very lovely pimples.

I definitely look younger.

What works: Jamieson Vitamin E Ultra-Rich Moisture Cream. I slather this on my face at night and wake up with visibly softer, smoother skin.

Also: Garnier Skin Naturals Fresh Cleansing Gel. This stuff is great. I’m hooked and it’s a really inexpensive cleanser.

Giselle to the Rescue!

Not to toot my own horn, but I always thought I had pretty good taste in clothing. It’s not like I get stopped on the street and asked where I shop or anything, but I do get my share of once-overs and I’d like to think it’s not because I look like a fool…

My friend Giselle is a fashionable Argentinean import with taste, beauty and a knack for style. A merchandiser by day and an image consultant by night, Giselle is a style guru who is always willing to share her thoughts on how a person should dress.

Over an espresso the other day, Giselle shared some recent photos of a trip to Buenos Aires where she and her girlfriends are swathed in custom made designer dresses for a friend’s wedding. The dresses are stunning and they all look like models. Picture after picture, Giselle and her glamour girls are in flawless hair and makeup wearing one gorgeous outfit after the next.

I look down at my jeans and t-shirt with shame and say that I wished I could put myself together like that. Giselle closes her laptop and looks at me seriously. After a moment she says, (with her fab exotic accent), “You know what Aleeee? You are a pretty girl. Your hair, your body, your face… even your feet ees nice, but your cloths… I would change e-ber-ything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes, I would change it all. You need to learn better how to dress for yourself.” She smiles encouragingly. I stare blankly.

“It’s ok. I will help you!!!”

So that leaves us where we are today. Giselle and I have a shopping date set for May 19. I have a feeling I'll end up donating half my closet to the Sally Ann after Giselle goes through it, but it’s going to be worth it when I see the look on my hubby’s face. Er... before the visa bill arrives.

My Solution to Crocs

Since many of you have been emailing me to find out what I would recommend for comfy shoes instead of Crocs, have a look at these. These cutie patooties from Geox feel like bedroom slippers and make any casual outfit look chic. They are soft leather with tiny holes in the sole, which means they breathe! Unlike plastic or rubber shoes, you never have to worry about smelly feet when you take them off. I just bought a pair on the weekend and have been wearing them with everything. They're about $140, which is obviously a lot more than the $20 something Crocs, but you can wear them year after year, whereas the Crocs will be, like, soo last year next spring.

www.geox.com

The Last of the Mushroom Cuts

It’s hard enough moving to a new city away from friends and family, but leaving an established beauty routine with a specific hair stylist and a killer esthetician is like ending a committed relationship – except a little sadder, because now your appearance is at the mercy of total strangers. I had a certain stylist, who shall remain nameless, when I first moved to Ontario, who clearly had her own agenda when it came to doing my hair. Here’s what I asked for: A richer shade of brown than my natural blah color and a hair cut. I’ve always had long hair and was ready to try something new so I asked for her opinion. She said she would just shorten the length to my shoulders and add some long layers. Sounded good. What I got: A witch-black mushroom cut straight out of 1984. And all the while, she moaned on and on about the last man who dumped her. Thankfully, all I have left of that now is a bad memory and an unfortunate passport photo…

That’s why it is so important to know what you’re getting into when you visit a new hair salon. It is crucial to have a group of trusted girlfriends to point you in the right direction so you can avoid these unfortunate experiences. On a positive note, after five years of embarrassment, the time has finally come to renew my passport. I am now entitled to a much better picture. At last, I can enter and exit our fine country with my dignity intact.

Siesta in Mango

I’m in love with Mango. When the first store opened in the Eaton Centre last year, I almost cried. You see, I had a relationship with that store before they opened in Canada. Yes, I had already familiarized myself with those beautifully fitted jackets, swishy skirts, and flirty feminine tops a long time ago… well actually last May during my honeymoon in Spain. After happening upon it during a late afternoon stroll when all other stores were closed for Siesta, I knew I was in love. Two floors of gorgeous, reasonably priced items… I was in girly girl heaven!

At first my husband played along, giving me feedback on various outfits. We were on our honeymoon, after all! No one bickers during those first weeks of wedded bliss! After that, I was hooked, and every day during Siesta, I casually suggested we take a walk down the street that Mango happened to be on. On about the third day in a row of going to Mango, my husband caught on to my plan, and tried to put a stop to it. Alas! It didn’t work. I reminded him that it’s hard to find deals like that in Canada, and, to think of all the money we were saving by replenishing my wardrobe here… a one stop shop! Who could argue with such a logical argument? My husband. He was like, "blah blah blah... honeymoon... blah blah... should be exploring... blah blah blah... wasting our time... blah blah ...in a store”. Now there is a Mango store walking distance from our apartment. Now, there is nothing he can do to stop us from being together! And that’s what I call sweet revenge!

Say Hello to my Little Friend

Before the silk epil entered my life, I was nothing; I was a shadow of a woman (that is…there was shadow on my legs). A slave to my monthly wax, I spent thousands of dollars whisking those pesky hairs away… only to have them grow back within a week or less. I would have lovely, smooth legs for such a fleeting moment, it was like they were taunting me: “You’d better flirt with your man now, because at the stroke of midnight, your legs will revert back to their natural ape-like state.”

You may wonder why I didn’t just shave? Fools! It is wrong to hurt those you love…and having sharp tiny needles on one’s legs is a guarantee that you will injure your loved one. You could also say, “but, what about laser removal?” Nope… too expensive. Moving on.

One fortuitous day I happened upon the silk epil epilator in the appliance section at The Bay. For under $80.00 I really couldn’t refuse. My monthly waxes were running me $50 a month and this was a guarantee to save money....and hairy embarrassment.

After a couple of glasses of red wine and perhaps, a little bit of Tylenol, it really didn’t hurt too badly. With it’s vibrating technology, it’s like your legs get a little bitty massage while it plucks your hairs out by the root. I was ecstatic to discover it could also be used for the bikini area.

I now use my little friend whenever I want. If I want to freshen up my legs before a night out, no problem. A few minutes later, and presto! Perfectly smooth legs. If you are afraid to try it because you think it will be too painful, fear not. It really isn't that bad… And when you think of the benefits… it’s kind of a no brainer. Isn’t it?

Fabulous Fashion Week

If you like oversized fuchsia cowboy hats, men in midriffs wearing pope hats, and have a thing for pirates, you would have loved last week’s L’Oreal Fashion Week in Toronto… well at least you would have liked the Envers show. The high stiff collared ruffled shirts of the mens collection which made me think of Oscar Wilde at the Mad Hatter’s tea party, and the ringlets and enormous pouf skirts from the womens collection, were reminiscent of those overdressed collectable dolls old ladies buy and display in their china cabinets. Though it was a very entertaining show, the costumesque looks did not appear (thankfully) on any of the other runways.

There was quite a wide array of looks from show to show. Pat McDonagh was a fur extravaganza. The paint throwing must have happened before the show because her neon blue fox fur stole was anything but natural. There was a collective gasp in the audience when that poor dead fox came out. I had my camera ready, waiting to capture the outcry, but alas, it never happened.

David Dixon’s collection had beautiful fitted jackets with feathery blouses and skirts, but seemed to get stuck on some shiny blue fabric with velvet overlay that reminded me of curtains or old lady wear. The big event of the week in my opinion was Andy Thê-Anh’s collection. If I was single, I would propose. The swingy skirts with lace trim, delicately ruffled blouses, and the fur coat with long feathers, were absolutely gorgeous. The dresses were perfection as I’ve come to expect from dear Andy. Pink Tartan put on a great show, which actually included pink tartan! The collection was hip and totally wearable. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to take in all of the shows thanks to some grueling school assignments so I know I missed some of the greats.

Overall, some gorgeous looks for fall 2006. I noticed some definite trends which I will divulge to you: tapered pants, cinched waists with thick belts, a higher waistline in general, a lot of neutrals: charcoal, beige, brown, peppered with rich purples and greens… all in all, a feminine, fitted silhouette. Makeup was not surprisingly all about smoky eyes and a strong red lip ala Grace Kelly.

Café Dweller

I adore cafés. I love the smell of espresso, the sound of the cappuccino machines frothing up delicious steamy creations, and the comfy surroundings. In fact I love them so much, I tend to use them as an office for meetings or for studying. My obsession with cafés and finding the perfect café au lait have led me all over the city of Toronto trying to find the very best. So far, my biggest challenge is finding one with good music, internet access and… nice strong lattés. I don’t like the watered down variety we have in the chain operations in Canada. That is not coffee, my friends. Once you’ve tasted a perfect espresso in France, or a Café Con Leche in Spain, the run of the mill coffee based beverages here are an enormous let down. So far, I have yet to encounter my perfect café. Even if the coffee is up to par, either they have no wireless access or they have the radio blaring, commercials and all, which is anything but enjoyable. However, I love Le Gourmand http://www.legourmand.com on Spadina. The lattes are truly delicious and the fresh baked chocolate chip walnut cookies are the best I’ve ever had. The lattés at Balzac’s http://www.balzacscoffee.com are a work of art. They are poured so skillfully, you get a pretty little design in each rich, velvety cup, and they are closest to the European coffees I have encountered thus far. I’ve also recently been introduced to B Espresso on Queen East and am in love. It’s so cute and the lattés are perfection. So if you see a girl with long brown hair, glued to a laptop that looks like she hasn’t seen the sun in weeks, that’s me… and you know you’ve found a good café!

Spas should be covered by OHIP

I believe spa treatments should be covered by OHIP. It should be a woman’s right to have a flawless complexion and hair free legs. After all, that is what society expects of us! So why not make it all possible by having the government foot the bill? It would make beauty accessible to all women and alleviate so much pressure for all the do-it-yourselfers out there. It wouldn’t cost that much… let’s add it up: Monthly leg/bikini wax = $75, Monthly facial = $80, bimonthly mani + pedi = $120.00, monthly massage to relieve the stress of undergoing extractions and hair removal = $85.00. That adds up to $360 plus tax and tip… not too shabby, considering the results! Think of all the benefits that will naturally flow from a dramatically beautified female population:
1. Increased tourism,
2. Increase in skirt and bikini sightings
3. Increase in female employment, and on that note,
4. FINALLY, equality in workplace pay scales! (on account of the skirts)
5. Substantially lower the divorce rate
And the best part is, this program will actually pay for itself! (See benefit #1). Of course I could go on and on about the many other advantages…The bottom line is, we DESERVE a break every now and then, and if it happens to come in the form of an oxygen facial or a Hawaiian salt scrub, the world will be a better place!

p.s for those of you who thought I was actually planning on lobbying the government about this might I suggest a glass of wine, a massage.... something to take the edge off! Don't worry, your tax dollars won't be threatned by lil' old me!