Fashion, style and taste.

I know it’s all subjective, but at the end of the day, I think we’re all just trying to achieve that Pretty Woman moment when we go from God-knows-what-we-were-wearing to total princesses. Shouldn’t every woman feel like she has red-carpet moments? Just saying, shouldn’t we all live the dream? It doesn’t matter if you’re going to an office party or dinner with your boyfriend. It’s about feeling great in that moment and having a picture you can look at later and say “I looked chic that night.”

Born and raised in the United States, Rachel Zoe is that fashion boho-chic stylist that completes her wardrobe with oversized accessories, loose-fitting dresses and shirts paired with a slim-fit contrasting pant. Don’t hate her because she’s beautiful and you can’t hate her fashion game either.

This American hunny is one of the famous fashion stylists that has worked with some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities. Names such as, Demi Moore, Liv Tyler, Eva Mendes, Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, and more are just some of the A-listers whose wardrobe Zoe has helped style. She has her own unique and exquisite style who’s never had any formal fashion training!

Yes, she’s a born natural.

In 2008, her own reality TV series, “The Rachel Zoe Project,” went on air and was broadcasted on Bravo to millions of viewers. The show, followed the life of the celebrity stylist, her two colleagues and her life partner. Due to popular demand, another three seasons of the show were filmed.

“Rachel Zoe gave me an overdose of glam and then some. I sat in front of the screen transfixed by a woman who was gloriously obsessed with couture,” said one true Rachel Zoe fashion lover.

The motto of The Rachel Zoe Project is “fashion is everything.” Zoe now has a beautiful 21-month-year-old boy who is so far beyond any accessory that can’t be defined, yet somehow redefines everything. Zoe leads a highly stylized existence overflowing with beautiful couture. At times, it’s as if her life is airbrushed like the photo shoots she’s famous for styling.

Rachel is probably the most expensive stylist around because she’s got the most name-recognition and, let’s face it, Zoe is a big reason why people pay attention to who is styling whom these days.

Being quite the triple threat, Rachel makes her life look jolly and exciting, but all in all, it’s not an easy job. That being said, with strict dedication and perseverance, you too can make it happen.

Work it hunny!

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust

The new ad has been leaked and was not supposed to be out until October. Here is the first shot of the actress in the new campaign. What do you think? Does she do it better than Liv?

In with the New

Out with the Old

Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Her legacy has endured long after her death but she left this world with so much success and achievements. She is a fashion icon and will always be remembered for her chic style and everlasting grace but most of all her inner and outer beauty.

What Others Think of Audrey…

“The imprint of Miss Hepburn is absolutely, totally present. Like it or not, she will be the most important look of the twentieth century.” – Manolo Blahnik, designer

“After so many drive-in waitresses becoming movie stars, there has been this real drought, when along come class; somebody who actually went to school, can spell, maybe even plays the piano. She may be a wispy, thin little thing, but when you see that girl, you know you’re really in the presence of something. In that league there’s only ever been Garbo, and the other Hepburn, and maybe Bergman. It’s a rare quality, but boy, do you know when you’ve found it.” – Billy Wilder, director Breakfast at Tiffany’s

“One got a sense that Audrey Hepburn didn’t know how beautiful she was. There was never another movie star like her.” – Issac Mizrahi, designer

“She completely looked the part of a princess. A real, live, bona fide princess. And when she opened her mouth you were sure you’d found a princess.” – William Wyler on her role in Roman Holiday .

“‘Moon River’ was written for her. No one else has ever understood it so completely. There have been more than one thousand versions, but hers is unquestionably the greatest.” – Henry Mancini, original composer of the song

“It’s quite an acheivement to spend that long in Hollywood and not become a product [of it]… She always manueuvered around that, and that takes intelligence.” – Van Johnson

“I couldn’t quite fathom that she was real. There were so many paradoxes in that face. Darkness and purity; depth and youth; stillness and animation. She had a fresh new look, a beauty that was ethereal.” – Anthony Beauchamp, early photographer of Audrey

“What a burden she lifted from women. There was proof that looking good need not be synonymous with looking bimbo. Thanks to their first glimpse of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, half a generation of young females stopped stuffing their bras and teetering on stiletto heels.” – The New York Times

“She’s a lady. When she participates in the academy awards, she makes all those starlets look like tramps. Thank you for your class, Audrey… If any one ever said anything derogatory about her, I’d push them in the river!” – Van Johnson

“Style is a word we use often and for a multitude of purposes. In the case of my mother, Audrey Hepburn, it was the extension of an inner beauty held up by a life of discipline, respect for the other and hope in humanity. lf the lines were pure and elegant it was because she believed in the power of simplicity. If there was timelessness it was because she believed in quality and if she still is an icon of style today, it is because once she found her look she stayed with it throughout her life. She didn’t go with the trends, didn’t reinvent herself every season. She loved fashion but kept it as a tool to compliment her look.” – Sean H. Ferrer, son of Audrey Hepburn

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” -Confucius

A video has been circulating around social media this week. If you haven’t seen it already, it’s worth your time to watch Dove’s new ad. Like any ad campaign, it has sparked a wide range of differing emotions for women all across the border.

The new Dove campaign feels that women view themselves less accurately and the ad offers proof, in the form of forensic sketches. Seven women were recruited for the Dove’s campaign; different ages and backgrounds and had, Gil Zamora an FBI trained forensic artist was hired to create composite sketches of them based on descriptions of their own facial features. In the video produced for the campaign, you can hear remarks such as, “my mom told me I had a big jaw,” or “I kind of have a fat, rounder face,” or “I’d say a pretty big forehead.”

In the video, women are instructed to sit down in a room and to answer questions about them. Gil Zamora asks them to talk about their facial features. Little do they know that they are being sketched by an FBI trained forensic artist. After the forensic artist drew each woman according to their own descriptions of themselves, they were then asked to leave the room without seeing the drawing. After, the same women are asked to come back but this time they are describing another woman rather than themselves. The descriptions suddenly get more positive. She has ”bright eyes that lit up when she spoke” and a “nice thin chin.” The forensic artist uses these descriptions to draw a new sketch of the same women, the results were insanely startling.

The female subjects are shown the two drawings and they cannot believe their eyes. They were flabbergasted. The difference between how others see them and how they view themselves is so shocking that some of them were brought to tears.

“I should be more grateful to my natural beauty. It impacts the choices and the friends that we make, the jobs we apply for and the way we treat our children. It impacts everything. It couldn’t be more impactful to our happiness” says one of the women.

“We spend a lot of time as women trying to analyze and fix the things that aren’t quite right and we should spend time appreciating the things that are right,” explains another.

The tagline of the campaign is “You are more beautiful than you think,” and the video is so powerful the way it conveys this message. Yes, it is true that women are certainly a little too harsh on themselves. In the video the two drawings of each woman were hung side-by-side and the contrast is pretty stark.

Dove’s key message is to tell viewers that you are more beautiful than you think. You are your own worst critic and you should be more confident. Personally seeing ads like this is refreshing because it tackles a genuine societal problem instead of sexually objectifying women, portraying them as housewives, shopaholics etc.

To all my females out there of all races, ages, shapes and sizes, you are more beautiful than you think! Have a little bit more faith in yourselves, don’t be too hard on yourself and never call yourself anything less than beautiful! Just remember the person reading this is beautiful. You were brought into the world for a reason. Nothing can change that. People love you. You have strengths people admire. Your smile makes other people smile. You’re a unique individual.

It doesn’t matter what other people think anymore. All you need to know is that you’re beautiful with every piece of DNA you have in you. Just thought I’d remind you.

Spring has finally seemed to arrive!

This means many garden enthusiasts will be on their knees creating beautiful gardens to enhance the beauty of their homes. Good garden feng shui can attract positive cosmic chi to your environment.

Follow these four tips outlined below for a beautiful and healthy garden that will contribute to the health of your family.

Prune Shrubs and Trees
It can be very depressing to see withered trees and/or lifeless plants in a garden. To prevent unhealthy chi from entering your garden, prune your woody plants regularly and remove all damaged, diseased and dead branches.

Select Positive Plants and Trees
Choose plants that have leaves and branches growing upwards. Choose evergreens that survive during winter. Avoid purchasing trees like the weeping willow with drooping branches for your garden.

Protect Your Home
Did you know that plants and trees can be used as barriers to protect your home from attacking winds? Bushy plants and tall trees should be planted at the back of your house to maintain good feng shui and to protect your family from the attacking chi that these strong winds can bring. Make sure the trees are planted at least five metres away from your home!

Use Multi-Coloured Plants
Multi- coloured plants attract double the chi and oxygen that flowering plants of one colour attract. Choose plants with plenty of large flowers that will bloom for several weeks or months. This will ensure that all occupants receive good loving energy.

Isabel Bader Theatre held the most applaudable event of all time.

On April 7th, 2013, Raise the Rhythm brought together Toronto’s up-and-coming designers, dance companies and performers in efforts to raise funds and awareness for Canadian charities.  This year the show worked with Autism Speaks Canada to help raise funds and awareness towards autism and its research programs.  The evening featured 13 Canadian designers and 10 dance companies and performers brought together an unforgettable evening, filled with enthusiasm, beautiful clothes and top notch performances.

Autism Speaks is North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization. They are dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments, cures, increasing awareness for autism spectrum disorder and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

This year RTR 2013 took place during World Autism Awareness month joining in helping raise awareness. Funds raised were directly to support Autism Speaks Canada’s Family Services Community Grants program to support Canadian organizations that provide innovative programs and services to individuals with autism.

For those who are unsure what autism is, autism is known as a complex developmental disability. Experts believe that Autism presents itself during the first three years of a person’s life. The condition is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, affecting development of the person’s communication and social interaction skills. People with autism have difficulties with non-verbal communication, a wide range of social interactions and activities that include an element of play and/or banter.

“At Autism Speaks Canada, our mission is to change the future of all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders.” – Autism Speaks Canada.

It’s usually a time where you rejoice and celebrate your soon-to-be baby.

But, in some cases, that celebration is short lived due to a miscarriage. I’m one of those cases. I was 6 and a half weeks pregnant when I sat down to eat dinner and suddenly felt something going wrong and had to call 911.

When I was told I lost the baby, I was in a state of shock and it didn’t really set in until the next day. After it did set in, I didn’t want to eat or get dressed, all I wanted to do was sleep. I felt as if I slept all the time. I didn’t want to be awake to think about it or feel the pain of my loss. I didn’t want to deal with it at all. I felt as if I just wasn’t able to stand it.

After a few more days, I began to think about some of the conversations I had with other women who had experienced this, and how they dealt with it, but also I thought about everything else in my life that I’ve overcome. I went on a search for the strength I knew I still had in me somewhere, as we all do.

I still hurt. I still ache. I still feel the pain; but, what I don’t do is dwell on this tragedy anymore. Something I do, and I encourage every woman out there who has experienced a miscarriage is to think about how everything happens for a reason. If it wasn’t meant to happen, it never would have. Maybe it happened to teach me a lesson. To help me appreciate my future pregnancy even more, or to show me just how many worries and responsibilities come along with being pregnant and preparing for a child. Maybe it just wasn’t meant to happen for me, yet. Either way, it happened for a reason.

What we all need to remember, is an experience like this can make us stronger, or it can break us down to nothing if we let it. It all comes down to a choice. You can either choose to let it break you or let it make you. Perhaps make you be a better parent than you would’ve been before. That’s my choice, what’s yours?

Join us on April 7th, 2013 at the Isabel Bader Theatre. Witness amazing local talents and help gather the community for a great cause. RTR 2013 will be raising awareness and funds for Autism Speaks Canada.

Autism Speaks is North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization. They are dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism, increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorder and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

This year RTR 2013 will take place during World Autism Awareness month and will join in helping raise awareness. Funds raised will go directly to support Autism Speaks Canada’s Family Services Community Grants program to support Canadian organizations that provide innovative programs and services to individuals with autism.

For more information about Autism Speaks Canada, visit their website.

Get tickets NOW!



Vote for Elaine Sarantakos as your host for The Biggest Baddest Bucket List! 


What is the Biggest Baddest Bucket List (BBBL)? You leave on your travels in June 2013 and return by the end of December 2013. The winner gets to choose their destination where they would like to visit! Yes, the winner will work together with the team to build their chosen itinerary, taking in the sights that appeal to them the most. In order to get the true ’round the world’ flavour the final itinerary should include a minimum of 25 locations from the My Destination network and at least two destinations from each continent.

The whole trip is paid for! The BBBL will get to experience the best activities whilst they are away, from helicopter rides, wildlife spotting or bungee jumping to learning how to cook the perfect Thai curry. You’ll be required to do at least one local experience in each destination and document it for My Destination readers. Of course the challenges depend on season and availability (and whether you’re up for them) but once we have your dream itinerary, planning will commence!

When returning home, there will be a $50,000USD cash prize waiting for that person! You could spend it on going away for another year, a new car, paying off that student loan, starting a business or buying a home, the choice is yours! You’ll have worked hard for us while you’re away (producing blog posts and video posts) so you really do deserve it! The winner will also receive a camera, phone and any other technical wizardry you’ll need to produce your posts on the road.

Elaine Sarantakos knows what it feels like to be a traveler and enjoys the adventures she goes on no matter what. She created a reality where she would work for three weeks a month, and the last week of every month she went on a vacation. This young traveler has visited many places such in Australia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cuba, England, France, Greece, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States of America and those are just a few to name.

“Not everyone loves to travel which is ok. As long as you are living your life how you want to and in integrity with who you are, then that is all that matters! Although, I am a big advocate of living life through travel,” Elaine Sarantakos said.

Vote Elaine Sarantakos as your Biggest Baddest Bucket List host! Promise you, no regrets. This young vacantionist has what it takes to be your host for The Biggest Baddest Bucket List!

To vote for Elaine Sarantakos, each person can vote through the following social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Stumble Upon.

Vote Elaine Sarantakos to be The Biggest Baddest Bucket List host! Vote Elaine Sarantakos to be The Biggest Baddest Bucket List host! Vote Elaine Sarantakos to be The Biggest Baddest Bucket List host! Vote Elaine Sarantakos to be The Biggest Baddest Bucket List host! Vote Elaine Sarantakos to be The Biggest Baddest Bucket List host! Vote Elaine Sarantakos to be The Biggest Baddest Bucket List host!

Important Dates:


March 31 – Applications close
April 8 – Top ten finalists announced
April 20 – Finalists week in the UK
April 26 – Winner announced
June 2013 – The experience of a lifetime begins!
December 2013 – Winner returns home for the festive season

See Elaine’s Travels and watch her videos: 

http://fabulouslivingcoach.com/

http://fabulouslivingcoach.com/sample-page/

http://www.youtube.com/user/FabulousLivingCoach