¿What do you think about the revolution of the sweet potatoes?
Sunday, October 26, 2008
PG-31
In just a few days, we'll be flying up to Northern BC for the 32nd annual Studio Fair 2008, presented by the Prince George Community Arts Council. It kicks-off on October 31st where we will spend three whole days living and breathing this marketplace with over 75 artisans from across Canada.
The weather promises to be COLD with light snow, so I've dug out my vintage fur coat to help keep my chattering teeth down to a minimum. Despite facing the sub-zero temperatures (hel-looo winter itch), we're excited to show off our fabulous jewelry to a brand new audience!
If any of you Prince Georgians are reading this, come down and visit us at booth #57#17 - we'd love to meet you.
Next Door Style is a new online shop that promotes Vancouver talent exclusively. Izzy and Buds is proud to be one of the participating designers in what promises to be an exciting marketing venture.
As the value of our Canadian dollar declines, supporting your local designers makes so much more cents.
One of my colleagues overheard my frustration while trying to make an appointment for a pedicure and thought I might appreciate this...
"I tell no lie", this pretty much sums up the experience of a no frills nail salon. Worth the effort if your patience can tolerate it and you take it with a grain of salt :)
Izzy and Buds will soon be available at the Urban Phoenix Wellness Spa located in the historic Galbraith House in New Westminster, BC.
This intimate and ethereal spa setting is the perfect compliment to showcase our goddess jewelry for women with discriminating appetites.
Hey guys, in case you had any doubt, the spa isn't just for the ladies. Manscaping services are also available at the Urban Phoenix.
Summer is the time to attack those tumbleweeds head-on. Furry toes and ears are SO not attractive; go ahead and pamper yourself - go get defuzzed.
Those closest to me know about my eyebrow obsession and how I like them well-manicured. Jesee and I actually have personal grooming days together, which include trips to the barber and getting our eyebrows threaded. Feeling brave? Why stop there? Michael Ford's article in Friday's news brought a giggle to my morning commute.
"The consensus is clear when it comes to the boxer-short region; it definitely needs to be kept under control. There is nothing attractive about a wilderness down there". Those who dare may order a back, crack and sac service, but be warned that this is not for the faint of heart.
Urban Phoenix Wellness Spa 131 8th Street New Westminster, BC 604-523-0016 info@urbanphoenixspa.com
I'll be down there on Friday night getting Naked with my friend Laurel at her booth (#616) in the Health & Beauty section. Come down and visit us for scrumptious 100% natural bath and beauty products handcrafted on Bowen Island, BC.
You may recall a post that I wrote last summer about how a stink bomb was dropped on Naked by the big Lush corporation, who used the word "naked" in their tag-line for their Canadian ad campaign.
Unfortunately, Lush showed little concern that "naked" is a registered TM belonging to Naked Soapworks, so the legal battles began. Read all the gory details at The Naked Truth.
As shown in the Châtelaine 80th Anniversary Collector's Edition (May 2008) under Style Tips.
I've been trying to tell some of you gals this for years - that you needn't a fancy dress or someplace special to wear a gorgeous pair of Swarovski chandeliers. It's all about how it makes YOU feel, so celebrate the goddess within!
I was hugely intrigued by this beauty tip featured in the Fall 2007 In Style Makeover magazine.
Countless numbers of customers have commented that they love our beautiful earrings, but do not want to bring attention to their ear lobes which have stretched out from the big heavy earrings of the 80's. Remember when?
Shame NO MORE! Now everyone can wear our fabulous chandeliers thanks to the Ear Lift. If anyone has tried this dandy invention, I'd love to hear your review of this product.
Here is a somewhat happy ending to the "stink bomb" Lush dropped whey they illegally used the tag line "Get Naked" for their most recent advert promoting package-free goods.
As it happens, "Naked" and "Get Naked" are registered trademarks belonging to Naked Soapworks of Bowen Island.
Written by owner, Laurel Bailey, the text has been edited for length and clarity.
Hello Everyone,
Things have changed a little. I went to the Lush website and found that even though their letter to me refused to concede that they trampled my trademark rights, they removed most of the offending material from their website! The Lush Canada "Get Naked" campaign is now "Lush in the Buff" and they are "baring it all" instead of "getting naked", their naked products are now "unwrapped" and the only reference to naked is now "The Naked Truth", which I can live with.
I wanted to let you guys know that it worked! No apology (which I would really like) and no admission of guilt but IT IS possible to affect change, even in a multinational! Thank you so much for your continued support. Naked people rock!
I came across this article in the Metro News on my Monday commute which I had kept to show my friend Laurel of Naked Soapworks , but it looks like she's already on the ball.
The big musical event happening in Vancouver this weekend is the Virgin Festival held at the Thunderbird Stadium on the grounds of UBC today and tomorrow ONLY. Rain or shine, we're looking forward to catching one of our favourite DJ's, Andrew Pacey, as well as Billy Talent, My Chemical Romance, The Killers and much, much more!
If you happen to be craving a falafel while you're out and about on the West Side, stop by Shawarma Plus at 3134 West Broadway. It's a little hole in the wall, but owner Simon Karsyente does not disappoint with his meticulously prepared pita filled with crispy falafel balls, hummus, pickles, fresh lettuce and tomatoes drizzled with a perfectly seasoned secret sauce.
Speaking of holes in the wall, if you're looking for a no frills Brazilian, for a mere twenty-five dollars, I highly recommend Pari, who is located just a few blocks further down at 3427 West Broadway (conveniently next door to another favourite discovery). Pari offers no nonsense, experienced aesthetic services at the back of Majidian's barber shop. For appointments or information call (604) 222-2281.
As predicted, the rain hasn't let up...so in honour of typical Spring weather in Vancouver, I think we'll leave the sunscreen and bug spray at home and pack a few extra layers of rain gear instead. Onwards and upwards!
I remember when M·A·C Cosmetics first made its 1985 début in Toronto. I had just moved from Vancouver the year before, shortly after I graduated from the now defunct Yvon Bourgeois School of Makeup Artistry. Back in the 80's there wasn't much freelance work available on the Westcoast. Since T.O. was so avant-garde, many of us Vancouverites eventually found our way there in search of a job in the industry where we lived and breathed fashion.
M·A·C was all the rage amongst make-up artists and my über big, hammered silver finish tackle box was filled with every colour one could think of! Is it not every girl's dream to have her very own portable "makeover in a box"? A very convenient accessory for those unexpected sleepovers! *wink*
Twenty-two years later, I am still using M·A·C and although the product quality is lesser, since Estée Lauder purchased the company in 1997, I do admire their flair for keeping it fresh and keeping us hooked.
I was truly magnetized by this photo and applaud the diversity of models they use to represent their philosophy, "All ages, all races, all sexes."
Because I have been out of the industry for nearly two decades, I was unaware of the worldwide boycott by professional make-up artists against the M·A·C and Estée Lauder companies for their unscrupulous business practices with regards to contract undercutting. Has M·A·C become a corporation who is solely concerned with attaining maximum profits while rendering those artists who have made them the icon they are today, faceless?
With all the money they have donated to ACT through the sales of their Viva Glam lipsticks and sponsorship of the annual Fashion Cares fundraising gala, it leaves one in a moral dilemma.
Betty, the nickname for Elizabeth meaning "Consecrated to God". I wonder...does anyone call Her Majesty "Betty" behind closed doors at the palace?
Betty in the snowboarding world refers to a girl who can't ride (a poser who is a girl). Characteristics include: a Roxy snowboard, sideslipping through the park, flirting, being loud and obnoxious, matching jacket, pants, hat, etc.
Ugly Betty an ABC dramedy produced by Latin beauty, Salma Hayek. It's worth a giggle or two, but lacking Stanley Tucci's "Nigel", as seen in The Devil Wears Prada.
Brown Betty, a red clay teapot lovingly hand-made in Staffordshire England.
Apple Brown Betty, an infamous dessert at Toby's Good Eats, a chain of restaurants I frequented during my stint in T.O. back in the 80's. Thanks to a near bushel of apples a dear friend gave me - we've been eating Apple Brown Betties for the last three days!
Betty Beauty a line of hair dyes for "The Hair Down There". Is she REALLY a blond? Now the proof is in the pudding.
There's nothing sacred about pubic hair and it's far too Martha to have the carpet match the curtains, when you can have hardwood. I could be preaching to the converted, but why not partake in the full Telly Savalas? "It's a good thing."
How luxe...the makers of the absolutely fabulous AND my most favourite aromatherapy pick-me-up, Deserving Thyme's Brown Sugar Body Scrub has just opened up a spa in downtown Vancouver!
Indulge and spoil yourself...book your appointment today.
I was such a pathetic sight. I had just received a long overdue manicure and pedicure and was feeling very relaxed and pretty. The fine day had turned into an ugly evening and outside it was a torrential downpour.
As I hit the streets in my gold-beaded flip-flops (carefully planned so that I wouldn't muck up the fresh polish), I soon found out that it was going to be a looong journey home. My feet were covered in rich massage cream and that combined with the rain made for a slippery trek that pretty much left me walking like an injured duckie - a far cry from my usual confident clip.
I seized every opportunity to wipe the oil slick off the bottom of my feet onto my now drenched capris. It was useless. I was so tempted to remove my sandals and walk home in my bare feet, but I had just spent a small fortune getting my tender tootsies pumiced, scrubbed, massaged and wrapped in paraffin wax. Call me stubborn, but there was no way in the nine hells that I was going to let this pedicure go to waste!
As I tackled a slight incline en route, I began sliding backwards right out of my flip-flops. I started "side-stepping", a skill learned from my days of skiing, but even that failed to get me up the hill. Perhaps if I had some frickin' poles? I had no alternative, but to do an about-face and walk backwards up the hill...it was REALLY sad.
Current song in my head: I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
I've literally been walking around with my head in a fog today. For non-Vancouverites, this is all we've seen for the past three days...
As I pondered about safety gear and how one can make themselves be more visible, I thought, why not accessorize with some highly reflective crystal jewelry? There's nothing like a little bling to make your presence be known.
You've heard me rave about it before and now you too can get some fabulous aromatherapy products at discounted prices. Deserving Thyme is having a warehouse sale and almost everything is reduced at 10% to 70% off!
When: October 17 to 21 from 9 am to 5:30 pm Where: Deserving Thyme Outlet Store, 726 Powell Street (between Heatley & Hawkes)
I feel as strong about my testimonial now, as I did the day I discovered their Brown Sugar Body Scrub. At the end of a long day, it's the perfect remedy to renew myself with the benefits of smoother and softer skin!
Don't miss out on this opportunity to stock up your medicine cabinet at great savings. They also have lovely boxed sets ready for gift giving or you can cleverly create your own.
When my dear friend asked me where she should go to buy a new suit, without hesitation I suggested something from the Jacqueline Conoir Collection.
Many of us shop for therapy when we've had a rough day, but if you've had a rough week...a visit to the JC Studio is exactly what the doctor recommends. How civilized it is to sip a glass of Chardonnay, whilst trying on vêtements selected by your own personal style consultant.
We had the pleasure of being assisted by Adanma, a very beautiful woman from Nigeria. Adanma's charming and professional disposition was perfectly suited for my friend's ultra conservative demeanor. Sixty minutes and two and a half gorgeous suits later, we were out the door; sans crowds, sans hassles.
n. Diamonds or high sparkle jewelry worn for personal adornment. "She wore her little black dress, threw on some bling and was set for a night on the town".
Current Music: Sparkling Diamonds - Moulin Rouge Soundtrack
Oh my gawd, I have only just got my hands on a jar of Brown Sugar Body Scrub by Deserving Thyme. Where have I been? Il est le meilleur! Think Herbal Essence telly advert, but so much better. Once you slather this glorious concoction all over your body, you'll want to eat yourself all up!
It was a sauna down in the basement, only it wasn't filled with aging, half-naked men drooling about some hoochie mama they saw walking down the street. Instead, there were hundreds of shoe-crazed women filling their baskets with whatever size and color they could find. Row after row of espadrilles, pumps, slides, flip flops, strappy stilettos and mules.
Of course I'm talking about day one of the infamous Army & Navy annual shoe sale. Masterful shoppers know how to prepare for the crowds; they wear comfortable, lightweight clothing, slip on shoes and if one must, a handbag although, backpacks are preferable. Cell phones are always handy to report that "got to have" shoe to girlfriends, sisters and mothers who aren't able or willing to go to battle.
One often hears, "It's not the right size, but it's such a good deal, I'll make it work". What's up with that? Flopping around in oversized shoes or worse, squeeeezing one's feet into shoes that are too small - I can see all the podiatrists around the world cringing at the thought. Thinking again, perhaps they see their pockets weighing more, daydreaming about all the potential patients they could have. How many women have closets full of shoes that they don't wear because they don't fit properly, are uncomfortable or just plain ugly (purchased at a moment of weakness), but own them because they were "on sale"? I was once a victim, but no more...
Today I found kismet sitting on the shelf and calling out my name. They were exactly what I was NOT looking for, but one doesn't know that until they find it. I felt like Cinderella as I slipped my feet into these Dr. Scholl wannabes by Franco Sarto. My perfectly pedicured Barbie pink toes looked beeeyoootiful embraced by these 6 1/2 black denim slides! As I walked up and down the aisles looking for love in all the wrong places, I found nothing else that I fancied. These shoes were destined to be mine, all mine! Fabulous shoes at bargain basement prices; can life get any sweeter?
There's nothing like a shave and a haircut to perk one up when one is feeling a bit blah. We always look forward to seeing our barber, Nick Mesotopitis and the blokes for our monthly visits. For more than 38 years, Nick has been the icon of The Barber Shop in the West End. I don't know what we'll do when he retires, as most people know, a good barber/stylist is a treasure. Not only is Nick exceptionally deft with a razor, but he's also a very handsome, fine gentleman, whom we are honored to call our friend. I'm quite sure he was an Adonis in his days! I remember the first time I walked into the shop... the growth on my head was about three weeks old, as I had it mowed off to raise funds for Cancer Research. Since it wasn't growing in evenly, it was time for a "haircut". For more than 20 years I had been going to top salons and paying top dollar to get coiffed and primmed and now I was walking into unfamiliar male dominated territory. I raised a few eyebrows and lowered a few newspapers as I sat down in a chair and smiled nervously while adjusting the Hermès scarf on my head. There wasn't a receptionist or a numbering system, so I had to keep track of who was in front of me. Nick was just returning from his lunch break when I gestured to him that I was up next. A quick shave and a haircut and a bit more than two bits later, I hopped out of the big, old-fashioned red barber's chair carefully, as to not trip on my stilettos.
Since that fateful day of meeting Nick, I have indulged in the liberation of shortly cropped hair. He always pays detailed attention to ensure that not a single hair is out of place and without exception I walk out of the shop with an impeccably shaped do! I have learned that he has buzzed the heads of many a person I've encountered and I continue to rave about him to all of our friends and customers. Nick's the best and it's no secret that I have a crush on him. I forever joke about following him back to Greece during his holidays, for more reasons than a haircut. Who wouldn't want to laze on the sunny Mediterranean beaches and feast upon rosemary and lemon basted lamb roasting on an open spit, while drinking copious amounts of Ouzo? Remember Shirley Valentine?
The Barber Shop 1228 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC 604.688.7032
tormented and tired from being in the shadows of the yam, the sweet potato decisively revolted and took control of its identity.
About Me
Name: Tapas and Dim Sum
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
The trials and tribulations of Jesee & Koko, the dream team behind Izzy and Buds Jewelry Designs
...inspiring and unique jewelry that glitter and shout, "Ooh la la!"
The weather promises to be COLD with light snow, so I've dug out my vintage fur coat to help keep my chattering teeth down to a minimum. Despite facing the sub-zero temperatures (hel-looo winter itch), we're excited to show off our fabulous jewelry to a brand new audience!
