Baked Kale Chips: An Tastey Indulgence In Under 15 Minutes

Spring is greens season!  Our garden is producing so much kale right now, even a caterpillar like me can hardly keep up!  Today i clipped a bunch and made a batch of baked kale chips.  Takes under 15 minutes and makes another great healthy and yummy snack.  The only problem with kale chips is that they are super addicting and they leave green remnants in your teeth.  Make a big bunch to share and make sure you're eating them with a REAL friend...you know, the kind that will tell you honestly about all the things stuck in your teeth.

Clean the kale and make sure you dry it well
Spray the kale lightly with EVOO
Sprinkle with sea salt or other seasonings
Bake at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes until crispy and edges are just turning golden.

crunch crunch

Click here for another great way to make raw kale chips if you have a dehydrator.  The nutritional yeast and spirulina with agave and salt is to die for....really.

Charity: The Kindness of Strangers

The Kindness of Strangers
Small Independent Registered Charity






Kindness of strangers a new small independent charity established as a result of discontentment with big international charities and their lack of disclosure, inspired the charity to develop an organisation with 100%transparency all monies raised through their appeal will be donated to support global families around the world at risk of illnesses.


The charity follows the platform of the Channel 4 production the Secret Millionaire In this self funded trip, they plan to camp rough and are relying on the kindness of strangers across the globe to help them on their journey whether it be providing a home-cooked meal, directions, or a barn to stay in for the night, which will guide them to families in need of the most support. The Duo Kimmi and Brett are extremely realistic about their challange "Although we understand that we will never raise enough money to change the world, we would like to think that we can change the world for a few". The duo are not restricted as to where they donate the raised funds, but believe they will get more mileage from the pound in areas like Asia. "We are aiming to get to these areas by January 2012 and the finish line in October 2012 in London".

Support Kimmi and Brett as they embark on their self funded journey around the globe to support families whose children are at risk of illness linked to poverty, they start their bicycle mission from London to Melbourne on the 11th June 2011. Help The Kindness of Strangers to raise their Target £5,000 they currently have raised £390.00 to donate visit http://www.thekindnessofstrangers.net/

They will be hosting an event Bar Wars on Sunday 10th April 2011. Entry is a £3 donation going straight to the charity.

Details
The Roadhouse Covent Garden
The Piazza, Covent Garden, London, WC2
7pm-3am

For more information on Kindness of Strangers visit their website http://www.thekindnessofstrangers.net/
Brett Seychell - Kimmi Kifun
Email: smiling@thekindnessofstrangers.net

We will keep you posted on Brett and Kimmi developments around the globe!

Texture Path Rename Script

Here's just a script that deletes everything infront of the sourceimages in the file texture path and then save it as an ASCII file.

If the texture path reads: "C:/Users/Project/sourceimages/texture.jpg"
It changes it to : "//sourceimages/texture.jpg"

When the right project is set, the texture can be found by maya, regardless on what computer your working on.

global proc PS_texture_path_rename(){

// find all the textures in the scene

string $tex[] = `ls -textures`;

string $newPath;

for($each in $tex){

// get the file texture path

string $path = `getAttr ($each + ".ftn")`;

// converts the path in to a string array

string $array[] = stringToStringArray($path, "/");

// get the size of the array

int $size = size($array);

// create the new path by deleting everything but the souceimages and the file name

$newPath = "//"+$array[$size-2]+ "/" +$array[$size-1];

// set the new path to the texture

setAttr -type "string" ($each+".fileTextureName") $newPath;

}

// save the file as a maya ASCII

file -f -save -options "v=0" -type "mayaAscii";

}

Mother's Day 2011

As Mother's day draws upon us I have been trying to select famous quotes which best represents Motherhood. As a mother myself the bond I have with my daughter has grown stronger and stronger with each year. I am aware family models are ever changing and hopefully I have reflected this well with the following quotes ENJOY

Happy Mother's Day.

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

Now that... my kids are grown, I understand how much work and love it takes to raise and to keep a family together. The example of your strength, devotion, and patience is now rippling through the generations. Thank you! ~Forest Houtenschil

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother. ~Oprah Winfrey


Enjoy your day Mother's and for those wanting to purchase some last minute bits for mum look no further we have selected two Wandsworth businesses.


The Flower Sanctuary

Balham, SW12

This delightful independent store opened early this year and can be considered one of South London's secrets.The designs at the flower sanctuary are individually created for you and for any occassion. They have a large variety of the finest fresh seasonal flowers, foliages and potted plants. A same day delivery service is offered if ordered by 3.00pm locally and nationally.The Flower Sanctuary should be considered this Mother's day their wonderful selection of gifts not to mention the fresh cakes and cupcakes from The Cake Embassy would make a wonderful treat guaranteed to put a smile on any mother's face. I found Lisa the owner to be extremely knowledgeable and friendly who is keen to meet the needs her customers and local community. Lisa has future floral and cake decorating workshops planned including workshop activities for children aged 8+, which is what we love to hear! We will keep you posted on the Flower Sanctuary workshop schedule.

Details

The Flower Sanctuary

8 Hildreth Street, Balham, London,

SW12 9RQ

0208 675 3799

http://www.flowersanctuary.co.uk/

Edgewear.uk
Battersea, SW11

Model wearing a bespoke Edgewear.uk Image on Eco Bag.
Image Courtesy of Edgewear.UK

 Freelance Artist/ Photographer Michael Mapp brought Edgewear.uk to the attention of the public in his Exhibition 'Unseen' at Acquire Arts Battersea, the artist's handmade gems needs as much publicity as possible and why not support the Handmade and Craft Industry by promoting key gifts for Mother's day.

Edgewear.UK established in 2005 pushes the boundaries of vinyl plastic onto Cotton, Canvas or Glass. The uniqueness stems from the artists technique, and processes. The images are captured through photography which is transfered to vinyl through a plotting technique. The independent artist skillfully handpicks each item playing close attention to likenesses of the original photographic image which can take up to three hours or more dependent on the detail and number of colours.

Father and Daughter
on a 16" linen cushion

 The processes applied to each article turns a photographic experience into an extrodinary skillfully crafted piece of Bespoke Art.
Edgewear.UK is suitable for all occassions Mother's day, Birthday's,Weddings, Christenings, Fundraising and Events.







Edgewear.UK has a little something for everyone including one off pieces which the artist is happy to promote through CreativeHappen London with 10% off when mentioning this code CH-001. I have been advised the last dates for orders for Mother's Day purchases is Wednesday 30th March 2011 5pm so hurry!




Edgewear.UK Battersea Power Station.
 two colour image on contemporary Directors Chair. 



Edgewear.UK Colliers Sewing Machine Cira 1887.
 A4 image Two colour, black and metallic gold 
on a 16" inch fine linen cushion  rrp £150







Please contact the artist for further details  

Edgewear.uk
Colestown Street,
Battersea
SW11
Artist Michael Mapp  +447950 581 981
info@edgewearuk.com
http://www.edgewearuk.com/
http://michaelmappwordpress.com/



Sniggity Snack That's Not Wiggity Whack: Sundried Tomato Boats

Hollah!!!  And Happy Monday!  I'm once again leading a fabulous group of yogis on an incredible 20 day detox and 'Boy don't you know it', It's snack time!  It can get so frustrating when you are cleansing to keep things exciting.  We often focus on what we can't have rather than what we can, and in that we fall into the routine of the same ol' same ol' trap.  You know how it is, snacking on a celery stick or a carrot stick, a handful of almonds, or a piece of fruit.  So that ain't so shabby but i can see where it gets a little dole-drum.  So here's a fun little fresh and exciting sniggity to hold you over when your cooking up your din-din or hitting a mid day craving:

Sundried (or Sliced Fresh) Tomato Boats:

what's a tomato boat you may ask?  According to MUAH and my new addition to the dictionary a tomato boat is a sliced or sundried tomato stuffed with goodness floating pretty from plate to palette.  Here's my rendition....feel free to stuff yours all crazy with whatever your face wants to get stuffed with and let me know how it turns out.

5 sundried tomatoes (or one tomatoe sliced into five 1/4-1/2 inch slices)
Top each slice with a little fresh basil leaf
top each piece of basil with a small slice of avocado
drizzle EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) over the top
and if you haven't taken salt out of the diet yet, then you should.  ha. Or you can put a pinch of sea salt on the top.

Eat em up.  MMMMMMMMM

For the Family: A Photographic Exhibition not to be missed: Unseen Encore ended on the 5th April 2011

UNSEEN UNCORE


Iconic Subjects and Landscapes by Artist/Photographer Michael Mapp in a remarkable exhibition end April 5th 2011. New exhibition to be announced shortly.

Wandsworth Artist/Photographer Michael Mapp in this rare opportunity will be showcasing his contemporary visual photography at the Exhibit Balham. The exhibition has been running since October 2010, although not heavily publicised this exhibition is one not to be missed. The artist has two collections on display his Iconic music collection and visual Landscapes.

Exhibition preview

Courtesy of MichaelMapptv

THE CRUSH ROOM

 The Crush Room  showcases The Sonic Youth Collection this influential 80s American Indie Band, who gained a reputation through their experimental nature with their instruments and vocals which changed the shape of Indie music in the US. The band are extremely respected in the music and Arts scene here in the UK and around the world and will be in the line-up for The Japan Benefit Concert on the 27th March 2011 (view link) http://www.millertheatre.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?nid=1447
The Japan Benefit Concert raises$33k
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/alternate-take/yoko-ono-sonic-youth-rock-for-japan-in-new-york-20110328

Sonic Youth on stage in London : Countdown to the New Year 2011

Courtesy of MichaelMapptv.

I feel extremely privileged to have personally had the opportunity to have met the band for a number of years including my three year old who Thurston Moore was blown away with! I get a little star struck at times especially when in the presence of Kim the only female band member and Bassist, not to mention a mum she's an Icon i'm such a big fan.Thanks to the artist in question and Daniel Mapp the bands longstanding Tour Manager for making the experience memorable.

The lovely band for many years have given permission for the Artist Michael Mapp to document their UK ATP tours, this exclusive collection is the first of its kind to be exhibited here in the UK. The Sonic Youth Collection allows the UK public an opportunity to gain a different perspective of this Legendary band.

Further to the Sonic Youth collection Mr Mapp has rare work on display of American cult 90s band the Pavement in their reunion tour at Brixton Academy May 2010, its a shame they are still not making music together anymore as a collective, but have solo projects.Therefore grab the rare opportunity to view the whole band together and soak in stunning pictures of lead singer Stephen Malkmus, and the legend Mark Ibold bass guitarist and the other amazing members.

The artist who is very shy about his work and achievements also has on display his earlier work taken at the tender age of 17 of the great 70s Music Pioneers Parliament Funkadelic a touch of luck put him in the position to photograph them on and off stage and of course the main man George Clinton. View Mapp's stunning black and white collection of the full band as unfortunately the band member Garry Shider otherwise known as "The Diaper Man" passed away on June 16th 2010 RIP.This experience many years ago was to be pivotal in starting Michael Mapp's career in Photography.

THE RESTAURANT

In the lovely family restaurant at this establishment view the artists contemporary visual landscapes of London his work highlights the immense talent embedded within London and is something the artist wants to promote in some way for the 2012 Olympic Games, he says 'watch this space'. The Artist informs me on New Years Day the Sonic Tour Manager came down to view his complete collection, which received a big thumbs up! more info on the Artists blog below.

To find out more about the Artist and view his work click on the links below:
http://michaelmapp.wordpress,com/
http://www.michaelmappphotography.co.uk/ - Fashion and events



Posted by Anita.

Easter Activities at the Exhibit Balham

THE EXHIBIT
Jo the Events Manager at the Exhibit has informed me of the following events scheduled for Young Londoners over the Easter Break.

For Young children
Exhibit Funky Kids Club is back! Once again, The Exhibit Cinema is partnering up with Funky Moves to bring you a packed afternoon of fantastic entertainment for your kids. Each date will have a different theme, pairing a film with a dance class provided by Funky Moves. £15 per child including Lunch, suitable for kids aged between 5 and 12.

Older Children
Studio Film school Two days of filmmaking, where each member will get the chance to perfect their acting, camera operation, direction and film crew skills as they work to create some silent movie comedy classic moments. We'll be looking for inspiration from Charlie Chaplin to get our slapstick performances just right!10am-4pm Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd April £95/ child inlcudes a DVD of their work. 10% Sibling discount available.

Monday 11th- Streetdance


Kids Cinema Club
Tuesday 12th - Aladdin
Wednesday 13th- Toy Story 3
Thursday 14th- Hannah Montana

To book
Contact Jo  0208 772 6556 email Jo- exhibit@exhibitbars.com

venue
The EXHIBIT Bar, Restaurant and Cinema, 12 Balham Station Road, Balham, London.

Please don't forget to mention CreativeHappen London when booking, much appreciated from the CreativeHappen London Team xx

Theatre Listing of the Month:The Polka Theatre:World Class theatre for children

THE POLKA THEATRE: WORLD CLASS THEATRE FOR CHILDREN
Wimbledon

Polka Theatre is one of the few venues in the UK which is dedicated to producing and presenting work for young audiences. Since the doors opened in 1979, this unique venue has been entertaining children with resonant, engaging and exciting theatre.

The polka theatre offers amazing theatre classes for children of all ages (including pre-school ) making it a brilliant introduction to drama. The Polka theatre is a theatre worth visiting or participating in with your children. The Polka's inclusive approach to Arts allows children with special eduction the opportunity watch performances dedicated to their needs, please check the Polka website for more details (below).

THE MACHINE GUNNERS
11th Feb-08th April 2011
Saturday 19 March 2011 at 11am Autism Friendly Performance(more details below)
Age 9-13





It's 1940, and Britain is at war. Young Chas McGill has the second best collection of war souvenirs in town but desperately wants it to be the best. Amidst the bombs and air raids, Chas and his friends plan their own war effort in their newly built bunker. Friendships are forged and loyalties tested, in the adventure of a lifetime...

The Machine Gunners won the Carnegie Medal and was recently voted one of the 10 most important children’s novels of the past 70 years. This moving and touching story vividly re-creates life in Britain during World War II, and is guaranteed to resonate with children and adults today.

Autism Friendly Performance
The Autism Friendly Performance of The Machine Gunners will take place on Saturday 19 March 2011 at 11am. These performances are aimed at families whose children are on the autism spectrum or who have sensory sensitivities. The sound will be at a lower volume and the lights will be dimmed rather than a completely dark auditorium. Please go to the Polka Theatre link posted at the bottom of the page to access the Autism Friendly Pack before the show.

Review
"An imaginative and realistic interpretation of a Second World War novel much loved by teenagers and their English teachers for over 35 years". The Stage.

Running time: approx 2 hours 10 minutes including interval.

Tickets
Weekends £12
Weekdays £10
Concessions £8


REMEMBER THE UMBRELLA
26 Mar - 26 Mar
4 - 7 years



Stella the umbrella-seller is a storyteller! Opening and closing her umbrellas, she opens with a story of the seas and sand, and closes with a visit to the moon and stars. A gentle and fascinating shadow show. Artist and musician Su Eaton invites you into her world of light and shadow, drawing in the sand to create and shape stories with accompanying live music, song and audience participation.

Running time: 35 mins.

Tickets £9
Concessions £7

OLD TALES FROM JAPAN
09th April 2011 (One day only)
Age 5-8 years




"Mountains are just like people - they have secrets, mysteries and stories to tell"

Come and hear the enchanting, mysterious and hair-raising stories of Magnificent Mount Iwate who blew hot and cold, the humble woodcutter and his beautiful but strange bride and the snorting, burping 'orrible Ogre of Rashomon Gate. These delightful traditional Japanese tales are brought to life through inventive storytelling, puppetry and music.

Running time 55 mins.

Tickets £9

 Polka Theatre
Tickets and Information
+44 (0)20 8543 4888

Venue details
Polka Theatre
240 The Broadway
Wimbledon
London SW19 1SB

http://www.polkatheatre.com/
Polka is a registered
charity no. 256979
 
 We would you love for you to spread the word about our blog so please don't be shy to mention CreativeHappen London when booking your tickets.
All the best from the CreativeHappen London team.

The Tempest- The Movement Theatre Company

The Movement presentsTHE TEMPEST By William Shakespeare.
Tuesday 22nd - Saturday 26th March. Tues - Sat @ 19:30 Matinee Sat @ 15:00, New Diorama Theatre Camden.

Join the critically acclaimed Movement Theatre Company as they tour their beautiful rendition of William Shakespeare's final tale.

Drawing on the narrative styles of the Commedia Dell’Arte and combining stunning masks, live music, dance and puppetry, this promises to be a fantastic evening’s entertainment suitable for all the family.

Winners of Cambridge University’s Thomas Nashe award, and TCS ‘Play of the Year 2009’ this young company have drawn comparison with the RSC and have been recently featured by the Arden Shakespeare. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Recent Press Quotes:

“To rival the RSC” The Stage


***** “Utterly brilliant in conception and performance. See this!” Cambridge Tab


**** “Something new and wonderful” Broadway Baby

I will surely be there to support my cousin Kaysha Woollery who is playing the role of Caliban click onto the link to read the Varsity review of the outstanding production http://www.varsity.co.uk/reviews/3496
 I have been advised first hand that the director wants to make their productions more accessible for children. So bring all budding drama buds along!

Address
 The New Diorama Theatre-15 - 16 Triton Street,Regents Place, London, NW1 3BF
http://www.newdiorama.com/



posted by Anita.

The Fruit Stand: It May Be A Veggie-Heads Oasis Hidden In Industrial San Diego

Lately i've been taking pilates classes in a very off-set industrial area in San Diego, that unless you live that way not many would charter up.  Along the way i pass signs for kitchen supplies, fine art framing, mattresses, and even noticed a yoga studio tucked in there.  Among all these spaces i always notice a generic sign that reads "The Fruit Stand".  This sign has been beckoning me every time i pass it, however i was intimidated to stop, thinking it was wholesale or just not quality produce that wasn't grown locally.  Wow...could i be any more wrong?!  I finally stopped yesterday to inquire.  I walked in empty handed and ended up having to go back to my car for my wallet.  $23 later i was walking out with two big shopping bags that consisted of:  3 bags of organic spinach, 1 head of organic cauliflower, 1 head of organic cabbage, 1 baggie of snap peas, 1 baggie of grapes (i think around 2 lbs), 2 avocados, one bag of organic tangelos, 1 jicama, and 1 bunch of asparagus.  While not all of the produce was organic (only half of it was), most of it was at least not sprayed with pesticide and all of it they said was grown nearby.  Most of the produce is from north san diego, and in the summer months they said they get a lot more organic produce.  This place has been there 25 years and if you read the yelp reviews people seem to dig them.  It's got a great authentic small town feel with old tin signs hung on the wall and wood crates that showcase the fresh produce. 

picture courtesy of yelp reviewers

If you've ever been here i'd love to hear your thoughts on the quality of the produce.  I've been enjoying the cabbage, the cauliflower, and snap peas, but got super bummed out on the grapes i bought.  While i ventured out of my normal realm and didn't choose organic (perhaps this is the problem), i was disappointed and more-over repulsed to have an ashtray taste in my mouth, followed by a headache.  Psychosomatic?  Possibly..... or maybe it was heavily sprayed with pesticides (aka poison).  One friend of mine loves this place, another won't go back because of mushy strawberries she's bought.  I have only just visited and haven't even eaten my way through my stash, so i'm still on the fence.  Let me know if you've been here before and if you are digging their selection, quality, and prices.  You can visit the fruit stand at: 4330 Morena Boulevard San Diego, CA 92117 (it's in the clairemont neighborhood).  They take cash and credit card.

Into me kitchen for a salad making extravaganza!  Here are two colorful ideas for ya...the first one rocked my world - a little kick of clean eating madness:

green leaf lettuce
sliced orange bell pepper
one zuchini and one carrot grated (in the food processor but you can do by hand)
2 purple cabbage leaves sliced thin
10-15 purple grapes halved
1 tbsp red onion sliced thin
1/2 lemon squeezed
1/4 fuerte avocado
1 tbsp nutrition yeast
1 tsp stone ground mustard
drizzle of flax oil
black pepper
red chili pepper flakes
a couple dashes curry powder

get your hands in there and mush it all together - squeeze to wilt a bit and get that avo on everything!

mixed greens
thinly sliced purple cabbage (just a couple outer leaves)
thinly sliced red onion (about 1-2 tbsp)
6-7 red grapes, sliced in half
1 yellow bell pepper sliced
1/4 fuerte avocado
squeeze of citrus (i used a cut lime i had, but i bet orange or lemon would be just as good)
splash of seasoned rice vinegar
pinch of salt
little pinch of cumin

Put all in a large mixing bowl and massage the avocado into the produce so that all the flavors blend and the greens lightly wilt.

Bookshop Review: Under the Greenwood Tree

Under The Greenwood Tree
Books.Toys. Cafe
Clapham Old Town
SW4
Today I discovered Under the Greenwood Tree based in the heart of Clapham Old Town its an amazing children's hub specialising in books and toys and even has a cafe'with scrumptious cakes yum yum... not to mention good coffee! Under the Greenwood Tree have a good selection products for boys and girls aged 0-11 years with products ranging from rattles to craft sets, with noticible brands on display such as Lego, Sylvanian Families, Meccano and loads more...there is enough floor space to try and test the products. It was a good thing my little one was at nursery at the time as I think I would have had a difficult time leaving the shop without a huge unplanned shopping bill.

I was impressed with their educational range which really supports the Early Years Foundation and beyond. The staff were extremely warm and welcoming, I received a warm greeting from the owners who informed me of their store opening December last year and has been very popular with the locals. I was happy to hear of their weekly story time events which runs every Saturday at 11.am- all ages welcomed. And yes parents they have a baby changing area and space for buggies, we recommend you visit, if you pop in mention our review:-)

Todays purchases

 Lady Bird Superhero phonics rrp £5.99

 Usborne book of Nursery Rhymes rrp £4.99

Under The Greenwood Tree-Books Toys and Cafe. 11 The Polygon, Clapham, London SW4 0JG.

 Tel 020 7627 4557

http://www.underthegreenwoodtree.co.uk/

Origins Brighter by Nature Peel.

AVAILABLE HERE

Being a lover of origins as you are all aware,

On a recent trip to purchase the ginger souffle body cream, these wonderful little pads caught my eye.

Claiming to peel away the dead layer of skin to reveal smooth, brighter new skin, how could i resist? I'm a sucker for anything which claims noticeable results.

At £29 for 40 pads, these may seem a little steep but i use 1-2 pads a week and at this rate they should last me for around 5/6 months, which would be equal to about £5 a month, which is the price of a Starbucks trip, so all in all, not that bad at all!

As i mentioned above you do get 40 pads which is absolutely loads!

Let's begin with the how-to.

Origins recommends using 2 pads, though they're so wet i find 1 is plenty.

You remove a pad from the tub and, on clean make up free skin, work the pad all over your face in circular motions, i generally press a little harder for extra exfoliation on my trouble areas.

They have a slightly medicinal scent but i quite like it as it seems more as if they'll actually work.

They don't feel harsh on your skin, more like using a strong toner but with better results.

They contain Goji berry, blueberry, cranberry, pomegranate, grape seed, fruit acids from coconuts and salicyclic acid.

It wouldnt be very fair if i included a photo with my skin all covered in make up, so heres one about an hour after use with not a scrap of make up, but apart from the absolute corker between my eyebrows my skin is relatively clear, and in my opinion it looks much less dull.
I used these pads then slathered on some e45 and my favourite origins youthtopia eye cream.

After use my skin feels a little 'stripped', they claim not to cause redness but i do find they leave me a little pinker than usual though it dies down quickly.

I've been using these for about 3-4 months now and i can tell you my honest opinion is very positive, and i see no downsides to this product, which may appear quite steep until you break it down.

If you get a chance this is definitely a product to try, and is now an essential part of my skincare routine and i feel my skin is currently the best its been in quite a long time!

I hope you're all well, if you have any similar products please tell me, i love these kind of 'peels' etc!

agent fx: CG Jobs are Hard :`(

agent fx: CG Jobs are Hard :`(

Side-step The Cookie Pusher & 'Skinny' Dip Into This.

Welcome to samoas (thin mint and tag-a-long) season.  There are cookie pushers around every corner and at the door of every market that seem to always find me at my most vulnerable moments.

Yes Scout, you are cute...and yes, you know how to move cookies...but girl, this year i'm not budging.  I don't care if you are 2 boxes away from making a girl scout world record.  I refuse to let a 3 1/2 foot hussler, that doesn't even know what a 'calorie' is, ruin my best efforts at losing these last 5 lbs.

So, I've signed up for bootcamp.  Talk about out of my work out box.  I do yoga.  I don't take to being yelled at well.  Yet, i happily joined Core Power for 2 weeks of double workouts daily: One crazy 1 hour circuit training class with coaches with whistles at the crack of dawn (cock-a-doodle-doo), and one workout later in the day on my own.  I'm 3 days deep and the body is already feeling fatigued.  I'm so out of my comfort zone....but it's soooo what my body needs.  Plus (go figure) its really quite fun!

Because of my determination to be aggressive with my routine these next 2 weeks, my place looks like a bachelor pad.  In the effort to get back into my skinny jeans (my mantra throughout bootcamp) I've hung images of Victorias Secret models all over the kitchen.  Clearly the boyfriend likes the home improvements i'm making.  Having a skinny bitch on the fridge and in the pantry should make me think twice before forging into the crackers, cookies, cheeses, or whatever lies in this hungry girls war path.

But enough about me.  You must be wondering where your recipe is....

Here is another Hara Mara All Star.  It's a simple dip they'd put on the table for us daily to eat with either baked tortilla chips or jicama sticks, carrots, and cukes.  I've adjusted the recipe a bit to make it a little more of a 'skinny' dip.  Chef Hugo gave me the recipe as follows (he used beet for the sample he demoed with us, as pictured above):

Steam about a cup of any vegetable you would like to use (beet, cauliflower, carrot, sweet potato)
Once they are steamed to the point that they are very soft put them into a high speed blender (make sure they are still hot, this is crucial to getting smooth consistency)
Add the juice of 1/2 to 1 lime
1 clove of garlic
and about 1/2 to 1 cup of avocado oil
add salt and pepper to taste and blend

He mentioned that if you make it with sweet potato to try adding a little nutmeg and orange.

He also said this makes a great vegan sauce to top any dish.  Just simply add a little veggie stock to thin it down.

Wanting to re-create my hara mara dining experience again, I went to buy avocado oil and was blown away at the cost.  It's especially a punch in the stomach considering the amount of oil the recipe uses.  Plus....that much avo oil is just straight fattening (2 tbsps of avocado oil has almost 30 g fat while one whole avocado has that amount.  The recipe calls for 1 cup avo oil.  There are 16 tbsp in a cup, you do the math).  So i turned on my ingenuity engine and bought myself a big ol' ripe (soft) avocado and decided to try to make it without the oil, but using the real fruit instead.  It turned out GREAT!  Whipped and delicious and lower in fat than the hara mara original recipe, it didn't last but a few moments before the boy and I devoured all of it's goodness.  The image i took below was made with a yellow beet rather than red and the avocado rather than the oil, so the color turned out to be a yellow green, however i bet if you used a red beet you'd get a darker pink/red end product.

Limited edition No.7 Lipstick in Grace.

Having heard plenty of buzz about this collection, i was eager to get a look at it when in boots recently.

I also noticed that the more popular colour, on blogs at least, tended to be the 'brigitte' shade of lipstick, a bubblegum pink, to me reminiscent of the MAC viva glam gaga. As lovely as those shades are, they do nothing for me, and so i opted for 'grace' a warm rosy pink-peach, my ideal spring/summer shade.

At £10 a tube, it is by no means cheap for a drugstore product, though you can now get a £5 off voucher with any purchase in boots, meaning you pay half price.

It applies smoothly and i would even go so far as to liken it to the application of my rouge coco lipsticks, in that its smooth but not creamy, and it wears reasonably well.

Whilst i do enjoy the cardboard tube, i don't know if it justifies the price tag, though it is fun.

I would describe it as what nars orgasm in lipstick form should be, but a little more sheer for spring!

Available here.

In some lights it appears more pink...
And in others it seems more peachy.

Viva Glam Gaga 2.

I only read about this today, and for a change lately with MAC collections, i am genuinely excited to run out and get mine!

As nice as the original viva glam gaga is, it just wasn't a flattering colour for me, but this reincarnation of it is just divine!

(Just to mention, i'm only talking about the lipstick as i'm not fond of glosses in general!)

It is described as a 'light warm beige' and is an amplified finish.

It's priced around the £13 or $14 mark

Every swatch i've seen of it has been different and it seems to depend on what is used as a base, but it seems to be a lovely peachy shade and im so looking forward to trying it!

Also you can't fault the fact that all profits go to the aids fund. All for a good cause!

Remove, Restore, Replenish, & Rejuvinate: 20 Day Cleanse Core Power Yoga

Time to re-balance our energies as we emerge into Spring.  Join me for a 20 day cleanse at Core Power Yoga San Diego.

You'll learn about Ayurveda, the ancient sister science of yoga, and how to counter balance the innate effects of the spring season with right diet.  We'll discuss herbs, organics, body care, removal of toxins, complimentary therapies, and whole body care and healing.  This program demystifies diet questions and leads you into healthful lifetime habits.

                                                    Introduction to cleanse starts Friday March 18th from 6-9pm

We'll meet the following 3 Wednesdays (23, 30, April 6th) 6-9pm

And share 2 yoga practices on Sundays (27th & 3rd) 7:30-9:30am

Interested parties please email meredith.gnau@corepoweryoga.com

Core Power Members $375 / Non Members $469 (complimentary 1 month unlimited yoga package for non members)

*photos from google images