New York City Firefighters Calendar is Out! I had a rough day!

I'm sorry but I had a rough day today....So I'm posting this to cheer me up..self indulgent?  I don't care!

Go here to purchase calandar and support  at the NYFirestore a portion of the proceeds benefit the Staten Island Burn Center. 

City of the Brave Calendar: A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each calendar benefit the Thomas R. Elsasser Fund.

India Chic

When my grandmother moved to India over 60 years ago she was fresh out of college and newly married to my grandfather, a United Nations diplomat. They settled in Delhi just as the subcontinent began the transition from being ruled by white sahibs and maharajas to becoming the biggest democracy in our world today. While my grandfather filled his days with UN business, my grandmother submerged herself in urban India’s art and culture scene. She aided struggling artists get visas abroad, where they were soon catapulted into fame. Modernist painter M.F. Hussain and Ravi Shankar were amongst her friends. My grandmother helped these artists leave India to achieve their dreams because in India it was en vogue to emulate Anglo culture. So-called positivism art and distinctly Indian music was not chic to the few wealthy Indians who could afford to support the artists. It must be noted however that M.F. Hussain one of India's best known artists is also highly controversial artist. Hussain has been accused of obscenity in several cases filed against him in a number of Indian states. He is alleged to have offended Hindus with a painting in which he represented India as nude goddess. 

Nude 'Bharatmata' Painting by MF Hussain

Photo: This Year's India Fashion Week

I am happy to say that "not chic" is is the case no longer. I recently returned from three months in India, a trip that I had been dreaming of since childhood when I sat enraptured by grandmother’s tales of exotic adventures across the Subcontinent. Having read numerous books about the growing “consumer class” in India and the globalization—or Americanization—occuring around the globe, I worried that I might find Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and other cosmopolitan hubs filled with women in jeans and Wal-Marts. Wealthy Indians are indeed growing in number and in wealth, but I discovered that this does not necessarily coincide with the forsaking of Indian culture and style.  In fact, it has lent itself to a fantastic convergence of Western trends that you might spot at New York’s fashion week and Indian traditions.  Luxury malls not only contain Louis Vuitton and Prada, but also local designers. Wandering around Colaba, in South Mumbai you can stumble upon a number of designer shops. They contain western-styled fashions made from beautiful Indian cut-silks, elaborate wedding sarees, printed cotton kaftans for the beach and beaded gold sandals. What’s great is that these aren’t just exotic finds for wealthy tourists to wear in Goa, but are pieces that you see Indian women wearing out on the street (though she may have a Prada handbag to accessorize…).

For one, you can see this in the case of music. Mumbai has a number of hip, high-end music venues and clubs where you can find a renowned tabla player just as often as an international jazz quartet. Musicians no longer must seek financial stability abroad, but can find a base of support from Indian youth and adults alike. South Indian film composer AR Rahman has been a national celebrity in India for decades and only recently came to international attention, winning a Golden Globe and Academy Award last year for Slumdog Millionaire. He is known for combining rock, pop, Carnatic, Hindustani and Western classical styles to create a uniquely modern—yet Indian—sound. 

Indians have always been adept at creating great hotels (the Taj Mahal in Bombay was established in 1903 after its creator was refused entry into the “whites only” British-run luxury hotel), but this year the ITC group has taken it to a new level. The ITC’s Royal Gardenia Hotel in Bangalore has opened India’s first LEED-certified eco-hotel and is based on the concept of merging luxury and environmental-friendliness, proving that you don’t have to forgo one for the other. Décor is inspired by local Mysore design, and Indian reviews raved that the bathrooms even include Indian-style toilets (a surprising rarity in the country), also proving that you mustn’t trade Indian traditions for Western-style luxury... as exemplified by the unique vertical gardens in the Royal Gardenia's lobby. 

Finally, and what was most exciting to me, was the fashion in India’s urban centres. While I was expecting to find the great fabrics of Rajasthan and chunky Tibetan silver in the North, I hadn’t anticipated the fantastic, rather high-end shopping in Mumbai, Delhi and Calcutta. 

My favorite store was Bombay Electric, where they source hand-woven cashmere sweaters, vintage photos of maharajas, and sequined mini-dresses made from Indian cut-silk (as shown above). 

Guest Post Author For Globally Gorgeous:

Sarah Malachowsky

Organic, Green and Sustainable Anti-Aging Skin Care at Cellular Level

As I have become more and more health conscious, taking supplements and eating as much organic and healthy foods as possible in order to maintain my health, I am also hoping to maintain my youthful appearance. Even as I approach my forties, I still feel 28 and wish to look it too.  In my quest for anti-aging products, I realized that our skin is actually the largest organ in our body and I was not paying much attention to what harmful chemicals I may be absorbing while trying to maintain my healthy glow so I was happy when I stumbled upon Apriori.

The first step that every person has to make when deciding to become more "green" or "sustainable" is to educate themselves - it is impossible to make environmentally or health conscious decisions that you feel are right for your lifestyle and the circumstances, without understanding the implications of those decisions that you make. Unfortunately, terms carry green implications (think organic, natural, etc.) are often misused for marketing purposes; many people see these terms and assume that the product must be good for the environment or their health. The truth is, however, it is not uncommon for companies to mislead consumers in order to make a profit. 

Apriori Beauty offers a systemic approach to beauty with products targeting internal + external anti-aging at the cellular level. Two product lines, Lifeoxylin and Celloxylin work together to create and sustain a Nutrient Reservoir™ to prolong cell life and defy aging. Lifeoxylin is the life-oxygen link for protection and prevention on an internal cellular level via the Cellular Defense Elixir. Celloxylin is the cell-oxygen link for protection and prevention on an external skin surface level via a comprehensive line of skin, treatment and body products. The production of oxidants, together with the ability of cells to respond to oxidative stress is intricately connected to aging and lifespan and is a

focus of the Cellular Age Advantage system of products. Apriori Beauty also offers an in-home skin treatment that compliments and intensifies the benefits of this age-defying system.

"Aging skin is a thing of the past. A youthful appearance can be achieved without a visit to the doctor!" 

The DERMA FIRM ILLUMINATOR™ TREATMENT SYSTEM is non-invasive treatment that combines the benefits of the Nutrient Reservoir from the Precision Skin Rejuvenator with a super skin machine that stimulates with multiple methods, not just one! The topical nutrients synergize with vibration/massage and thermotherapy created by the Derma Firm Illuminator to visibly reduce the signs of aging. Nutrient absorption is improved. Skin's texture and tone is returned to its youthful appearance, cellular nutrition protects from oxidative stress and cell senescence. This patent-pending treatment system delivers beneficial age advantage nutrients into the upper most layers of the skin, visibly smoothes fine lines and wrinkles, increases collagen production to visibly enhance skins firmness, reduces Inflammation,visibly reduces large pores, and improves sun damaged skin.

The Lifeoxylin Cellular Defence Elixir  is "life-years ahead" of common super-antioxidant juice blends, delivering internally via the Nutrient Reservoir™ a unique combination of ingredients that support the four core influences of aging, including:

• Super antioxidants to protect against oxidative stress 

• Endocrine system modulators to protect against system imbalances as we age 

• Energy activators supporting mitochondrial efficiency 

• Longevity gene support to help prolong the life of healthy cells 

It is a comprehensive nutritional supplement that focuses on Nutrigenomics — the molecular relationship between nutrition and the response of genes — to create a preventative approach to aging. Cells are nourished and protected from this proprietary fruit, vegetable and exotic plant blend offering an unprecedented ORAC value, zero artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners. 

Apriori products are formulated to deliver results while adhering to strict guidelines on ingredient safety and quality.  A major goal of Apriori Beauty is to make ingredient source and safety information available so that consumers can make educated decisions about their product choices. It is also a priority to educate and to never mislead consumers with false claims. For example, unlike many companies who use the term organic without proper certification, we only make the "organic ingredient" claim when an ingredient has met USDA certification standards for organic production and processing. To make information easily available, we have developed the "OPN rating system" that focuses on three major ingredient sources: Organic, Natural, and Performance. . Organic - USDA certified organic ingredient that was produced and manufactured according to organic farming regulations . Natural - derived from nature but not organically farmed. These ingredients include those that are plant based, as well as those that are derived from other sources (marine algae, minerals, water, etc.). . Performance - combination of natural and or synthetic produced ingredients that provide specific functions (i.e. Preservatives). All performance ingredients are parabin, SLS, and SLES free. They do not use any synthetic fragrances, dyes, of highly toxic chemicals.

At first I was skeptical by the product being one marketed by networking until I realized that we women always are talking and sharing about the products we love anyway and why not be involved more with a product you feel confident about and see results with.  

This company is also proud to support woman's charitable initiatives.

Crème brûlée For Your Valentine...a Sexy Dessert

Below a Video from the French Culinary Institute on Making Perfect Crème brûlée

Green Games: Sustainability Stories at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games

In Vancouver the VANOC together with the International Academy of Sport Science and Technology (AISTS) based in Switzerland has built and executed a sustainability management system for the 2010 Winter Games.  Their goal was twofold: to produce sustainable operations and events: and to inspire athletes, sponsors and fans to do their part for a sustainable future. See Sustainability in Action.

There will some Vodka Consumed Today on Super Bowl Sunday...Check this Out

This is a film with Thierry Pepin for Belvedere Vodka. We just thought is was fun, stylish, and kitschy.  Also, Check out Pepin's Site. A little diversion from the game for you on  Super Bowl Sunday....;-)..

OHLALAMAG.COM.....FOR A LITTLE ALTERNATIVE SUPER BOWL DISTRACTION.

Sloane's Super Bowl Sunday Chili

Our fitness trainer Sloane has made it a habit lately to talk about all of her favorite food cravings while she is kicking our butts. Given that she is a triathlete, I will tell you that her carb cravings are wide ranging,  chocolate croissants, key lime pie, tamale pie ( my favorite).... Last week it was her favorite chili recipes. She did a lot of research and experimenting and came up with her favorite.  We asked her to post it here for you since Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner.

Posted for Globally Gorgeous by: Sloane Pellegrin

A few years ago a client of mine introduced me to the art of cooking Chili. She was a new resident to Santa Barbara and was previously living in Austin, Texas. Throughout the football season she kept talking about her families tradition of “chili cookouts” for the big games. At the time I was new to cooking and came from a family that ate baked chicken, steamed vegetables and white minute rice for dinner most nights. I had a new boyfriend at the time that was from Montana and I wanted to impress him with my cooking… I finally asked my client for some advice on cooking chili. She introduced me to Carroll Shelby’s Chili kit. It can be found in most grocery stores. She suggests that you add all the “extra” ingredients and any other ingredient you enjoy.

The Chili kit comes with Chili seasoning, salt, cayenne pepper, and mesa flower. First I brown two pounds of ground beef and sauté one large onion and one green pepper. After both are cooked I add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water and kidney beans. The chili kit tells you at this point the chili will be ready in fifteen minutes but I prefer to let mine simmer for three to four hours. In the last hour I add the mesa flower to thicken the chili up and just a bit of the cayenne pepper (I do not like it too spicy).

I like to serve the chili with my favorite corn bread muffins (plopped right in the middle of the chili bowl) and a fresh crispy salad. Enjoy!

By the way, you can also try Chili-Recipe.com for more ideas if your not partial to mine.

TWO CHINESE WOMEN MAKE IT TO SEMI FINALS IN AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Li Na beat Venus Williams to make it to Australian Open Semi Finals. It is the first time two Chinese Players have made the last eight of the same Grand Slam. Zheng Jie defeated Russia's Maria Kirilenko to make the semi final.

LI  NA

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Li_na_2007_sydney_medibank_international.jpg

ZHENG JIE

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-01/27/c_13153325.htm

The expedition was made up of women from Brunei, Cyprus, Ghana, India, New Zealand, Singapore and Britain

Leaving 2009 on a positive note, on December 30 Seven women on 562-mile Antarctic ski trek reached the South Pole 38 days after they began their adventure to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth. The Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition  trekked an average 15 miles a day. Each Woman hauled 176-pound sled of provisions and shelter.

Their destination was the United States operated

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station science base

photo from: La Times "Outposts" blog Outdoors, Action, Adventure...
Whats the Commonwealth? Here's an animated tour...it's cute and educational....

5 Minute Gourmet Breakfast

Here is a healthy Saturday morning favorite in our house, a blend of color and textures, simply prepared, nutritious, and FAST.  This meal looks so good, it could go down in front of great chefs or entertaining in-laws, and they could not help but enjoy it.  The design of this plate is simply beautiful, and this is a great ‘fitness’ brunch meal.

A Perfectly Poached Egg should be just slightly running...31/2 minutes...

Ingredients:

4 Fresh eggs, Perfectly Poached

2 Sourdough English Muffins

2 cups of Mache or Frisee Blend Salad Greens

1 Satsuma tangerines

Herbed Salad Dressing

Fresh Cracked pepper and salt

Tools:

Egg Poacher

Toaster

Preparation: For Two

Simply put, tpoach the eggs in a poacher for 3 to 4 minutes, or more traditionally fill a sauce pan with about 3 cups of water, break each egg into a teacup, drop into the sauce pan after the water has boiled, and let them poach. 3-4 minutes

Meanwhile, toast the muffins to your liking, and dress the plates with the Frisee or Mache greens.  Arrange the muffins on the plate, lightly dress the salad and arrange the tangerines atop the salad or next to it. 

Drain the eggs now, place gingerly on the muffins and sprinkle generously with pepper and a dash of salt. 

All in under five minutes, couldn’t have designed a  faster or tastier meal…

‘Blue Latitudes': Adventuring In The Pacific

http://www.tonyhorwitz.com/

Link to the Book on Amazon

How much do we really know about Captain Cook?  What school has taught us might be that he was an English Explorer, or that he was killed in Hawaii.  Why should we care?  I was blissfully unaware of so many of his contributions to the knowledge of the world and its peoples and his great skills as a map maker, navigator, diplomat, envoy, explorer and sailor.  Three multi-year voyages throughout the Pacifc Ocean and around the world tours bringing him home to England, one starts to realize that this man, Captain James Cook, was nothing short of extraordinary when reading Pulitzer Prize winning author Tony Horwitz's book.

After visiting Alaska and seeing his stamp on the place,  Captain Cook, Hawaii, as well as sailing through Tahiti on The Paul Gauguin, one realizes that to be the first visitor to these locales in the 18^th century was an astounding accomplishment.  I became fascinated to learn more about him.  What Tony Horwitz does in Blue Latitudes, is to retrace many of Cook’s footsteps with an Australian sidekick and at times a historian or two, interspersing the history with real time experiences, centuries later. 

Trying to piece together the life and voyages of one of the greatest adventurers of all time, one realizes what an extraordinary impact this man had on the world as we know it.  Merely look at the styles and trends in art and design in the 18^th century in England, their awareness of Polynesia, and tropical flora and fauna….this all came from Cooks voyages

This humorous and entertaining read is chock full of history, past and current cultural phenomenon and a big dose of reality that we know so little about such an extraordinary and intrepid explorer.  Kudos to Tony Horwitz, this book was just a joy to read.

Inadvertently, we have traced Cooks steps on three separate trips, one to Tahiti on The Paul Gauguin, in Hawaii snorkeling in the very bay where he was killed, and in Alaska where Cook had some of his greatest weather and navigational challenges.  We have been so lucky to see these places in our lifetime, it is just amazing to think what it must have been like to be the very first European visitor to most of the places Cook explored in the 1700's.  

Cook's Cove Moorea, Tahiti

The Paul Gauguin off of Moorea in the Tahitian Islands

The Big Island, Hawaii, Kealakekua Bay the place of Cook's Demise
We like the Four Season's Hualalai

The rocks where Cook was murdered

Anchorage, Alaska on the Cook Inlet

Winterlake and Winterlake Lodge  a short Float Plane Flight from Anchorage

The mode of transport around the environs of the Winterlake Lodge is Helicopter

The only way in to Winterlake Lodge is via Float Plane or Ski Plane 

Captain James Cook

Fashion and Glamour: For the Fashionistas...A Great Gift Idea, Valentino The Last Emperor

This fim by Matt Tyrnauer is one of the most unique opportunities to see inside the world of a great fashion designer. Matt is an editor at large for Vanity Fair Magazine covering Architecture and Design and overseeing the magazines annual new establishment list. Matt and I corresponded via email last spring after the publication of the March 2009 Issue of  Vanity Fair (Obama on the cover)  and just a few weeks before the release of his Film, Matt had written an article entitled "Glamour Begins at Home"

In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, architect John Elgin Woolf and his partner, lover, and, later, adopted son, designer Robert Koch Woolf, gave the Beverly Hills elite a new kind of home, as glamorous as any movie set. The author traces the star-studded rise of Woolf’s “Hollywood Regency” style, and the unorthodox family he created. (excerpt from article).

As it turned out Gregg and I had just completed one of our projects in Montecito, a huge renovation / restoration of a John Woolf Home. I emailed the photos to Matt and he immediately responded very enthusiastically that he had become a lover of the Hollywood Regency Style and John Woolf's designs. He said that he had wished he had known about our project prior to the completion of his article. Me too! I wished him luck with the film and we briefly discussed my experience with Mr. Valentino while working in Peter Marino's office in New York in the late 1980's and about Gregg's and my encounter with Valentino while dining in London at the Ivy , he was dining with Joan Collins. At any rate, check out Matt's film it would make a great holiday gift for any fashionista. 

Valentino The Last Emperor.

Holiday Time - New Underwear Time. Ed Hardy Underwear!

Every Christmas we seem to buy new underwear, Stocking Stuffing (theres a joke there).

A Fresh Pair.

Huge Waves! Waimea Bay Surfing Contest Live Video Stream by Quicksilver

Check out live video stream of the "Quicksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau" Surfing Contest in the biggest waves in Waimea Bay since the 1960's.

Lisa See: Shanghai Girls,an Historical Novel about Life in China - Put it on a Kindle

Conjuring images of luxury, beauty, design and style then tempered by suffering, ugliness, triumph, then ultimately, reality. In a timeless, fascinating read that illuminates so much hidden history in a such a short time. Fundamentally this is a story about Sisters and Family.  This New York Times best seller is a perfect gift for the holidays, Hardcover, Mp3 download or for Kindle. Here's a link to the Amazon Kindle Edition.

One of those books you cant put down, Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, is a very insightful and at times educational read about the phenomenon in Shanghai in the 1930’s.  Set against the backdrop of ‘Paris of the East’ as the Japanese invaded and took control of the region in the 1930’s.  The life of the Shanghainese was likened to those of Paris at the time.  Glamour, style, design and cuisine were key elements to the life in the City at the time.  Lisa See in Shanghai Girls paints the canvas of the beautiful daughters of a successful merchant, whose greatest worry is where to be on a weekend night and what to wear.  These girls were a phenomenon at the time, and LeRoy Shields Orchestra created an international hit in 1930 called ‘Sing Song Girls’ based upon these beauties and the international sensation it created in Shanghai at the time.

The Vintage Shanghai photos on this YouTube Video are terrific!

But as the City falls, and as the Second World War progresses,  the girls are married off to American Chinese and are eventually shipped to Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, where many immigrants landed at the time.  Their families are killed off and they are alone.  Alone with no money in a time when women, particularly Chinese women were only property. Ultimately ending up in Chinatown in Los Angeles at the time of the growth of the film industry in the 1940’s, the ancient Chinese protocol and culture clash with the reality of the times and the two great beauties of Shanghai, whose world is blown up and they must make their way as working class girls.

 How appropriate that given Chinas growth and stature as a nation, that this tale told of the superficiality and shallowness of a pair of sisters who dwell upon appearance and material gain are stripped of everything and are left with only their will and determination.  Set in a post war California backdrop, cast with a poorly educated American populace, these two Shanghai girls forge their way in an intolerant society and illustrate the challenges of women in general, and particularly immigrant women with no education…..how appropriate parallels can be drawn to our current times, of a multinational country foraging for a place in the world society.

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Fitness Training on Cruise Vacation - Lululemon Athletica Ambassador Sloane Pellegrin's Five Day Plan

Sloane Pellegrin our personal fitness trainer in Santa Barbara kicks our butts 3 - 5 times a week depending on how busy we are. We asked and she agreed to guest author a post on workouts she wants us to do while on a cruise ship in Mexico for a week. Sloane is a Lululemon Athletica ambassador.

SLOANE'S FIVE DAY VACATION WORKOUT PLAN:

I am going to give you five workouts to accomplish in your seven days of vacation and you can choose the order and days in which you will accomplish them. Each workout will last between approximately 45 minutes. Don’t forget your goggles!

Workout #1: Cardio/Strength

-       10 minute warm-up on the elliptical, elevate your heart rate and focus on warming up your body.

-       Choose 3 of our daily activation exercises and perform 14 of each

-       10 minutes on the elliptical (30 second sprint/30 second easy x10)

-       Superset: 15 push-ups/14 lat pull-downs (they should have a machine to perform this on)

-       Superset: 15 chest fly (machine or dumbbell)/ 14 back high or low back row

-       Superset: 1 minute plank on elbows/ 30 body weight squats

-       Stretch

Workout #2: Cardio If the ship offers classes look and see if they offer spinning. If so use a class to replace this workout.

-       10 minute warm-up on machine of choice

-       Choose 3 of our daily activation exercises and perform 14 of each

-       Superset: 15 crunches/ 15 bridges (these could be performed on the floor or on a stability ball)

-       On a bike (preferably a spin type bike):

o      1 minute hard standing climb/ 1 minute seated easy spin x5

o      5 minute spin

o      5 minute hard standing climb

o      10 minute cool-down

      -               Stretch

Workout #3: Easy day/Swim If the ship does not provide you with a lap pool you may have to wake-up a bit early and hit the pool before the crowds do.

-       Swim for 30 minutes

-       If the ship has an exercise pool they will provide you with kick boards, hand paddles and pull buoys. Please utilize all available equipment.

Workout #4: Strength

-       10 minute warm-up on the elliptical, elevate your heart rate and focus on warming up your body.

-       Choose 3 of our daily activation exercises and perform 14 of each

-       Superset: 14 squat and rows (cable machine)/ 8 step-ups on each side (with your body weight)

-       Superset: 14 squats (with weights of your choice)/ 14 dumbbell overhead presses

-       Superset: 14 push-ups to a abdominal ball curl (feet on a stability ball and hands on the floor)/ 10 single arm dumbbell row (front hand supporting upper body on a stable surface, flat back, feet shoulder with apart)

-       Superset: 12 hanging leg raises/ 12 dumbbell front shoulder raises

-       Stretch

Workout #5: Strength/ Cardio

-        10 minute warm-up on the elliptical, elevate your heart rate and focus on warming up your body.

-       Choose 3 of our daily activation exercises and perform 14 of each

-       On hands and knees, opposite arm/leg lift, elbow to knee 20 times per side x2

-       On Elliptical: 5 minutes with a challenging resistance maintaining a higher heart rate, not able to say a whole sentence without a break to catch your breath.

-       50 total drop-back lunges

-       30 push=ups

-       On elliptical:  30 second sprint/ 30 second easy x5

-       Side plank with 15 dips per side x2

-       With dumbbells 20 overhead presses

-       On elliptical 5 minutes challenging

-       Using a bench 30 tricep dips (shoulders back and chest tall)

-       30 bridges on the floor

-       On elliptical: 5 minutes easy cool-down

-       Stretch

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