A Taste of the Holiday Season

I know this is not a food blog but I just had to post this picture.  And since it is the Holiday Season and we are all most probably stuffing our bellies at some point during this period, I thought it might be appropriate just this one time.

I recently acquired some marzipan from the beautiful city of Toledo (Spain) while I was on vacation there and they are just so irresistible!  I mean I couldn't even wait until after taking the picture to eat them with BFOG!  Just look at them;  all the little bundles all handmade and brimming with joy.  The 3 varieties here come either coated with pinenuts, crystal sugar, or with yolk filling (yema as they call it there).  And these are from one of the most prominent and local favorited shops in town; Santo Tome (since 1856).  Biting into one of these not only make you realize how beautiful something so simple yet so well-crafted can taste; but one also feels like they're biting into a piece of history.  The history books in Toledo tells us a story of local nuns helping to stave off famine during King Alfonso's VIII's battle against the Moors in 1212 with the help of these little 'almond bread'.  Because the nuns had a good supply of almonds (but not much else) in their reserves, they pounded the almonds with sugar and created 'bread' to provide food to the public. 

These are not your everyday variety of marzipan that are usually funnily colored and shaped into a leg of ham or a carrot.  These ones have a PGI status which according to BBC Foods, has "the origin and quality of products that carry this hard-won stamp of authenticity". 

So which foods are you especially enjoying with your loved ones this holiday period? 


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/britishpdos.shtml

Skincare Staples Stash - Part Deux

With so many creams, lotions and potions that flood the beauty market each month, it is really hard to keep track of all of them and, to choose the best out of the bunch. I have personally even found that some products do more harm than good.

In the name of beauty, I tested out a serum that contains a vitamin A derivative. This particular formulation I tried has really done more harm than good to my skin unfortunately. My skin completely flipped out!

To nurture my skin back to its normal condition, I am relying on my trusty Anti-Aging Moisturising Elixir Cream from Alqvimia. This along with this, are the staples in my skincare stash. Not only does this cream smell amazing, the texture is extremely nurturing and comforting. I can also use this around my eyes as well so this product really is an all-purpose one.

The listed ingredients are:

Almond, hazelnut, St. John’s Wort, rosehip and wheatgerm oils; rose and orange blossom water; essential oils of lemon, orange, bois du rose, incense, myrrh and patchouli; glycolic extracts of iris and benjui, beeswax, honey, Xanthan gum, emulsifiers, natural antioxidants, preservative agent and water.

Can you see why I think it smells so heavenly? If you love essential oils and natural products as much as I do, you will totally fall in love with this cream!

Credits: Grayburn, alqvimia.com

Skincare Staples Stash - Part I

To pick up from where I left off last week, it really has been quite a while since I have talked to you about Alqvimia. Lately, I have been experiencing some irritations on my skin; probably due to this cold I have that just doesn't seem to want to go away. My skin feels quite raw because of all the rubbing I have done to my nose and from living in a dry environment.

This is the time when I look to my stash of skincare for help and when I vow to not try another new product on my skin until it is nurtured back to health. In case you don't already know, I have 4 different stashes of skincare products. The first is made up of products that need to be tested, the second is for those that I have tested and do not like (but have yet to toss), the third includes products that I like but that do not quite make it to the fourth and final category: the products that are my absolute staples. The products in this category have their place there because they perform the way they're supposed to and are also the ones that have saved my skin time after time.

Let me introduce you to one of the stars in my staples stash: The Alqvimia Beauty Extract. I use the beauty extract that is designed for combination/oily skin even though I don't have oily skin. Their extracts are made of really high quality plant oils and the plant essences from the very first cold press. This means we are getting the very best quality. This was apparent to me during my first application. It is very nourishing and it forms a protective layer that shields my skin from external stressors. I also really love the pump glass bottle because I prefer these over ones with the messy twist cap. One bottle of this lasts me usually for half a year (if using only once per night). Another benefit of the oil is that its smell puts me in the mood for bed. One pump massaged onto my face each night before bed and I'm ready to doze off!

What is the one skincare product you cannot live without? What is in your skincare staples stash?

Brand Spotlight - Alqvimia

It's been a while since I have talked about what has to be my favorite brand period. I have been known to be pretty obsessed when it comes to skincare. I often search high and low for the next best thing and will basically try anything available on the market. My experience from having tested so many brands and products has taught me that the hype surrounding many products is really just hype. The initial high from trying a newly hyped product wears off pretty quickly, as soon as I realize that it does nothing more than what a regular moisturizer does. But the next day, I begin my search all over again as I pick myself up from the disappointment.

As someone who is constantly testing products, I have come to accumulate a team of products that are staples in my beauty cabinet. Those are the ones I reach for to heal irritations caused by a badly formulated product. They are the ones that give me the comfort in knowing that my skin will not react badly to them.

I looked at that stash of staples the other day and realized that many of the product in there are from Alqvimia! Now some of you may have read my previous raves about Alqvimia (click to read). This is not where it ends. During the next couple of days, I will be sharing with you my personal experience about many of these products. Since each one of them deserve its own spotlight, be sure not to miss out as I give you an exquisite look at Alqvimia.

Picture: Alqvimia.com

Friday Feature: The Alqvimia Approach

The most popular item from my Favorite Things of 2007 list was undoubtedly the Cleopatra Body Oil from Alqvimia . So today as a special Friday Feature, I want to talk about what they are about as well as a new product that they have just launched.

The heart of Alqvimia lies in Catalonia, in view of the Spanish Pyranees, where the plants are still gathered today. Alqvimia believes in empowering and bringing forth the inner beauty of women. The body and soul are treated as a whole and that is why it is a true hollistic beauty approach. Not only does Alqvimia recommend that their products be used for specific issues (e.g. pigmentation), they are also advised to be used for general enjoyment. Alqvimia emphasizes the importance of healthy eating (lots of fruits,veg and grains), and exercises that help to bring out our inner strength (such as yoga, belly dancing and Tai-chi). Now this hollistic approach may or may not appeal to you, their products can surely be enjoyed just because they are each formulated beautifully. Did I tell you that they make some of best quality natural products, in my opinion?













This gorgeous little red bottle is their newest creation called "Sensuality Body Nectar" and it is especially designed to enhance female sensuality (as the name implies). The liquid is a concoction of the essences of Bulgarian Rose, Jasmine from Mysore, Neroli from Morocco, Egyptian Geranium, Ylang-ylang from Indonesia, and Palmarosa from India.

I will surely be picking up a bottle of these soon!

If you missed mine and others' list of Favorite Things of 2007, you can get to it from here!

Read About Caudalie from France

Winter Blues Therapy - Aromatic Body Oil & Belly-dancing!

Now I know I'm jumping continents a little too quickly but today I really want and need something comforting. Today, my thoughts are with Spain. Maybe because the temperature has recently lowered so much in Amsterdam that we had to finally turn the heater on. And because of the dry heat, I'm looking for the comfort you can only get from aromatic oils; to feed my skin and preferably a spicy scent to stimulate my senses. I have long been using and practicing the beauty rituals of Alqvimia. They believe in the female power and that means taking good care of yourself (diet, skincare, exercise). By the way, their recommended form of exercise is belly-dancing and yoga which are said to increase feminine powers.














I crave a brand new bottle of their spicy Cleopatra Body Oil and a little hip swirling, care to join?

What are your own beauty rituals that make you feel empowered?

Read About My Love of French Products



Photo cred: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleda/1589783726/ & alqvimia.com