Thoughts On The New Year

Quickly jotting down something more than just as a reminder for the year to come....

What have we got to lose right?  The only thing left to do is to take more risks in our lives.

In the spirit of that, a look at 15 years of Hussein Chalayan in fashion. 


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

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

Small Update

Hi everyone!

Really sorry for the lack of posts lately.  I do wish to post more often as I have tonnes of products and news laying around waiting to be reviewed and shared.  But not having sufficient time these days and my insufficient knowledge of mobile blogging or mobile internet as a matter of fact has made it rather challenging.

But there are definite things I need to share with you and though I cannot promise when, they are coming!  I recently watched this video of Shakira and felt so taken aback and simply marveled at the way she moves.  Isn't the fight/longing dance between her and the shirtless partner amazing?



Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), youtube.com

He Never Loses The Darkness In His Soul

"He never loses the darkness in his soul"  Tim Blanks on Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy during the label's Spring 2010 show. 

The pieces had a sort of mesmerizing power that drew everyone watching into the center of them.  A complex exterior wanting to be unraveled perhaps.  Somewhat of a romantic notion.

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), style.com

Other-Worldly Queens

Something that I rarely mention about me is that I'm a bit of a science fiction fanatic.  I have had many a weekend when instead of going out to bars or catching a birthday bash, I opt to have a Sci-fi marathon at home.  So it is to no surprise that I was all over it when I saw McQueen's Spring 2010 RTW collection shown in Paris.  Watching the show was like being at a set for a Science fiction movie but with fabulous exhibition-esque clothes.  Braids were woven atop model's heads like tentacles and thorny flesh jutted out of their faces.  However, the clothes and the shoes told a slightly variation on the story.  The clothes had the most beuatiful victorian painting prints merged with reptilian motif.  And the shoes...oh the shoes!  The models were utterly other-worldly Hive Queens that have ruled their domains for eons.


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), style.comhttp://grayburn.blogspot.com

Shu On Halloween

An easy solution to a scary Halloween:  Colored contacts, defining & contouring facial features, and a quick sexy over the eye hand-drawn art.  And of course a pair of fabulous Shu lashes!




Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), youtube.com

A Song For The Weekend!

Have a great one!


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

And Counting....Holiday Gift Ideas Series

We are gonna start looking at some drool worthy gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season.  The first of this series features a book commemorating NARS Cosmetics' 15th anniversary with.  This image rich book will spotlight icons wearing of course NARS' classic products.  The lineup includes Marc Jacobs, Naomi Campbell, Amanda Lepore, Daphne Guinness, Natasha Poly, Olivier Theyskens, Isabella Rossellini, and Shalom Harlow.  The worst part is that we'll have to elbow each other for a copy in the bookstore.  The book will only be available for ONE month only and you can see the counting down to the release date at http://www.15x15project.com/ .



Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), style.com

A Relaunch. Hurry!

OH NO,  HURRY!

It is currently fashionable to look back to the 'good ole days'.  The 80s to be exact.

In line with that thinking, The Body Shop has relaunched for a limited time only a few or their popular products from that time.  The new versions are now more responsible in that they are made with fair trade ingredients and the containers are made with 100% recycled materials.  Plus they almost match their prices in 80s!

I visited the store today and what a trip down memory lane that was.  A sniff of that Banana shampoo + conditioner, the Carrot Moisture Cream and the Cucumber Cleansing Milk was pure nostalgia.  I was a kid again and my mom was buying me my first skin and hair care products.

The range on offer now:

Banana Shampoo 250ml

Banana Conditioner 250ml

Carrot Moisture Cream 50ml

Cucumber Cleansing Milk 250ml

Cucumber Water 250ml

Bath & Shower Gel in 3 different scents - Dewberry, Fuzzy Peach or Green Apple

Ice Blue Shampoo 250ml

Passion Fruit  Cleansing Gel 250ml

Word is that there's a chance some of these products may stay for good if they get enough votes from the public.  So vote for yours (and mine) please!

Vote for yours or request relaunches on http://www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/beauty-lounge/originals/originals.aspx

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), http://trc1.emv2.com/HM?a=A9X7Cq2dpC3F8X_jba35DMPjhg, youtube.com