Better Each Day

Today Self Magazine is spotlighting a fantastic book that all of us can surely benefit from this coming year. Better Each Day, by Jessica Cassity rounds up tips and advice for making your days, happier, healthier, less stressful and worry free. In her research Jessica determined that often times the smallest changes had the biggest impact. Taking the stairs, adding great music to your day, or slightly modifying your diet, are all things we can easily do to make our days better!

These are five tips taken from the book to get you started:

#55 Good Music:

Listening to music you love is proven to reduce anxiety, lift your mood and help you cope with stressful situations. (We would also like to add that a nice loud sing along makes it that much better. Only if the situation is appropriate, of course) 

#123 Go Outside

We are all guilty of it- getting so caught up in our daily routine, we forget sometimes that the outdoors exist. It's amazing how relaxing a walk around the block after work is for your mind, or even just stepping outside for a moment during the day to clear your head and breathe can make your day much better.

#109 Get a Massage 

This can sometimes be a costly stress reliever, but as Jessica recommends, you can always recruit friends and family to do the job. But don't forget to return the favor, giving a massage has actually been proven to deliver some of the same benefits as receiving one!

#292 Gossip (sort of)

Researchers from Staffordshire University have proven that praising or speaking positively about someone who isn't around actually boots your mood! Keep the positivity flowing!

#305 Sleep well with beautiful smells

Getting at least 7 hours is vital in weight loss, and it has been shown that people who get less tend to consume more calories each day. Also, make sure you have pleasant smells around you while you sleep. They directly effect your quality of sleep and your dreams, so grab some fresh flowers for your bedside table asap!

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Winter Reading

If you are like many of us, now is the perfect time of year to find that extra time between the parties, family and friends to curl up with your favorite blanket and catch up on some of the reading we've been meaning to do all year. Here are a few of our suggestions from the best sellers of 2011 via Barnes and Noble!

The Night Circus: Literary fantasy of magic, love, intrigue and fierce competition of imagination and will. Set to the backdrop of the circus called Le Cirque des Reves that appeared with no announcements, and is only open at night, this is a story the often changes perspective, and will keep you interested until the very end. 

The Paris Wife: Set in 1920, this is the deeply engaging story of the love, life and betrayal between Hadley Richardson and Ernest Hemingway. They pair set sail for Paris, and are quickly thrown into the fast paced life of the Jazz age, which tests their loyalty to one another, all while Ernest is trying to carve out his space in history. All of the events of this time, and their tumultuous life, later becomes Hemingway's famed novel The Sun Also Rises. 

Thinking Fast and Slow: We could talk about this book for days! Daniel Kahneman received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics. For his seminal work in psychology that challenges our rational model of judgment and decision making. He can easily be considered one of the most important thinkers of our time. In this book, he delves into the mind and explores the two systems that drive the way we think. The first system, which is the fast paced, intuitive and emotional side, and the second which is the slower, more deliberate, and more logical of the two. He explores the extraordinary capabilities of the mind and the pros and cons of each of our brain's processes. 

Catherine the Great: Robert K. Massie is the Pulitzer prize winning author of many other narrative biographies, and he has brought us another masterpiece. The story of Catherine the great, from her childhood, to her rise to the throne, this is a vividly told story that brings Catherine's purpose, education and drive to the forefront, while including all of the important, deviant, scheming people in her life. As well as her bevy of lovers, children and heirs. This story brings Catherine back to life and makes it easy to see why she is one of the most captivating women in history. 

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Food For Life

Today we are going to talk about one of the most gratifying practices of cleaner eating. The detox. There is a fantastic E-book that is available at Foodmatters.tv. It is just $20 and is a plethora of knowledge about healing and cleansing your body from the inside out.

"There is an abundance of documented evidence and research on people the world over healing themselves using nutritional therapies. Cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses have been successfully treated by allowing the cells to detoxify and subsequently delivering nutrients to the cells of the body with wholesome life giving foods. If poor nutrition and an accumulation of toxins initiates disease in the body, then the reverse must also be true. In UNderstanding the the body works both ways, it makes sense to conclude that the prevention is the same as the cure." - Andrew Saul, Phd

A three day cleanse is suggested to start off with, as it is a reasonable amount of time for someone who leads a busy lifestyle. If a seven or even 10 day cleanse can be incorporated into your life, even better!

A basic outline of a great three day cleanse:

- Have a large glass of room temp water with the juice of one lemon and a crushed thumbnail size piece of ginger when you wake up.

- Before breakfast have a green drink. Wheatgrass or barley grass powders are an easy place to start. (You will get used to the taste. We promise!)

- For breakfast make a veggie juice. You can use carrots, beetroot, cucumber and a handful of spinach, and parsley. Also take 1000mg of vitamin C and two 1000mg flax seed oil capsules.

- Between breakfast and lunch have a caffeine free detox tea of peppermint, ginseng, licorice root, ginger or chamomile. You can also drink more green drink if you want!

- Lunch will be a small serving of brown rice and raw/steamed veggies. You can season with sea greens, miso soup, lemon juice and olive oil. Also 1000 mg of Vitamin C.

- Have another veggie juice mid afternoon. This one can have fruits and veggies like carrots, apples and ginger to boost your energy.

- Before bed have a relaxing/ detoxifying tea of peppermint, lemon balm, licorice root, ginger or chamomile.

Follow this for as many days as you can and you will quickly see the results. Your body will eliminate stored waste, which will in turn help you lose weight and feel better and your energy levels will rise. If you have heart problems, you will notice a more regular heartbeat and your circulation will improve through cleansing your liver, kidneys and blood.

For the exact recipes above, and ideas and suggestions on ways to keep up clean eating after you cleanse, download the Food Matters ebook. It is filled with information that will help you stay focused and delicious recipe ideas as well! Tweet

A Few Things

It's That time once again friends! A few things that we are loving, that we just cannot keep to ourselves...

Lykke Li, I Follow Rivers. This is her second single from the album 'Wounded Rhymes'. If we could turn it off, we would. 

Remember Shel Silverstein? All of his books are some of our most treasured from childhood. Unfortunately Shel passed away in 1999, but his family is releasing a book of unpublished works titled 'Everything On It'. Can't wait!

Jessica Chastain wearing House of Lavande earrings to the UK premiere of 'The Debt'. She is one of Hollywoods biggest up and coming actresses right now, and we just adore her in HOL!

Mrs. Obama in a House of Lavande belt. To be honest, this isn't even our favorite part about this. Michelle's dress is actually the same Maria Pinto dress she wore back in 2008. A quick hem adjustment and new accessories, and you have an entirely new look. Here's to recycling the wardrobe, Mrs. O!

House of Lavande on Polyvore! That's right fashionistas, we are jumping into the middle of the collaging/styling action. Come on over and join us in getting creative and finding new inspiration!

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Food For Life

This week we are going to take another small step into the world of healthy eating and living. One of our favorite points of reference is The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone. Her website, The Kind Life, in addition to the book are fantastic places to begin exploring a world without meat, and clean eating. Alicia begins simply, touching on the idea of being a 'flirt' with becoming a vegetarian and explaining the monumental effects a cleaner diet can have on our bodies.

Below are recipes that are not only meat, free, but are vegan as well. Don't let the process intimidate you, and don't assume you can only eat lettuce and that you won't have enough protein. We assure you, with a small amount of planning and getting excited about changing your life and your body, it will be an easy process!

Black Bean Burger with Guacamole:

What you will need: 

1 avocado

1 tbsp. of lime juice

salt/pepper

1/4 cup of bread crumbs

1/4 cup of chopped garlic

1/4 cup of chopped onion

1 tsp. of cumin

1/4 cup of chopped tomato

15 oz. (one can) of black beans

For the Guacamole:

1. In a small bowl mash avocado, stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Burgers:
1. In a food processor, or with a potato masher combine black beans, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, cumin and olive oil
2. Form mixture into four or five 1/2 thick patties
3. Cook the patties in a light coating of olive oil on a non-stick skillet. (About five minutes each, until cooked through, and browned on each side)
4. To serve, top patties with guacamole and chopped tomato

*add in a delicious hot sauce for an extra kick, and you can also serve with chips and salsa!

Artichokes with roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato sauce on buttered angel hair pasta:

What you will need:
1 artichoke, peeled and quartered
1 large red pepper, halved and seeded
1/2 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup of tomato paste
1tsp. of brown sugar
1 cup of mushrooms, finely chopped
1 dash of red wine
angel hair pasta
1tsp of butter (we use Earth Balance)
2tbs. of olive oil

1. Roast the red pepper, artichoke, garlic and onion in olive oil until artichoke has burt edges and the peppers are fully cooked.
2. Peel the burnt edges of the artichoke off and set the quarters aside.
3. in a bowl, combine the peppers, garlic, onion and sundried tomatoes
4. Stir mixture and add in tomato paste, brown sugar and left over oil from the roasting try in step one.
(taste the mixture to adjust seasoning)
5. Fry the mushrooms in a skillet using olive oil and one tsp. of butter until they are crispy
6. Add in the red pepper mixture, any herbs you like, and a dash (or two) of red wine
7. Pasta water should have been boiling at this point. Once the pasta is cooked drain and stir in once tablespoon of Earth Balance butter.
8. Top pasta with sauce and a slice of artichoke

A side note for today: What we are snacking on. Throughout the work day it is always good to have treats to keep energy levels up. Here are a few of the healthy things we keep in the store to avoid the candy bar, bag of chips snack attack that we all get.

From left to right:
Superfood raw, gluten free antioxidant filled Grawnola in Goji-Mixed Berry
Himalania all natural Goji Berry Trail Mix
Somersault sunflower seed and toasted grain snacks
Kaia Foods buckwheat granola in cocoa bliss

*All available at Whole Foods

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Food For Life

It can easily be said that being in good health is the most important thing in life. Without it, everything else seems a bit less important. With this exact thought in mind, we have been doing some research, and of course, we would like to share!

There are five very simple rules of thumb we should all try and implement on a daily basis, and they are this:

1. Eat fewer animal products 

2. Eat all the plats you can get your hands on

3. Implement legumes and whole grains into your diet

4. Avoid processed foods

5. Treat yourself 

Small changes in your thought process, and habits will go a long way, we promise. A great place to get started is by reading, and learning about what our bodies actually need, vs. what we think they need. Our first suggestion is the book Food Matters, by Mark Bittman. This is not a become vegan because everything you eat will kill you book, it's not even a become vegetarian book. This is, as they put it, about eating sanely and the effects that animal production and processed foods have on our earth, and our bodies. It's very important and very real, and if we all start paying attention we can make a difference. 

Here are couple of recipes that are easy to make and won't shock you into new eating ideas from the Food Matters Cook Book:

Fennel and Celery Salad

What you will need:

2 medium fennel bulbs. Trimmed, some fronds reserved

3 celery ribs trimmed

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (more to taste)

Salt to taste

Freshly shaven parmesan cheese

1. Cut fennel bulbs in quarters lengthwise and use a mandoline to slice thinly. Slice the celery equally as thin. 

2. Combine fennel and celery into a large bowl and top with olive oil, salt and pepper, toss gently to combine and then top with the parmesan cheese

Roasted Mushroom Quesadillas

What you will need: 

2 whole wheat tortillas

1lb. cremini mushrooms 

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 fresh hot chile (jalapeno, or red chili flakes) minced

1 tablespoon of fresh sage

1/4 cup of shredded mexican style cheese

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees, oil an oven safe skillet and put it in the oven for a few minutes. Once it's hot (not smoking) add the mushrooms, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and stir them up. 

2. After about 20 minutes stir in the garlic, chile and sage. Continue to roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are fairly dry and deeply colored. Total time will be 40 min. (You can make the mushrooms up to a day in advance, refrigerate, and bring to room temp before using in the next steps.)

3. Grease a large baking sheet and place the tortillas on it. Sprinkle the cheese on each, taste your mushrooms to make sure they don't need additional seasoning, then put those on as well. 

4. Bake the tortillas until the cheese melts and then fold each in half and press down gently. Bake for 5 more minutes, then flip (make sure to coat the flipped side in some of the oil). Bake for another 5 or until crisp. cut into wedges and serve. 

Stay tuned every tuesday for tips, recipes and ideas for healthy living!

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Clic It

If you happen to be in East Hampton this holiday weekend be sure to swing by Clic Bookstore & Gallery. This very chic outpost, founded by Calypso owner Christiane Celle, offers up lust worthy fashion and design tomes, plus exhibits a rotating roaster of hip artists and emerging photographers. This week textile designer Lulu de Kwiatkowski has taken up shop displaying some of her very cool collages that are equally as fun and whimsical as her fabrics and wallcoverings. With other Clic locations in the NYC and St. Barths, you really have no excuse not to stop in to check out the coolness.

 Collages by Lulu Kwiatkowski on display at Clic Gallery East Hampton

Clic East Hampton Bookstore & Gallery
23 Newton Lane Tweet

The Luxury Collection Destination Guides

Today marks the launch of Assouline's latest in their travel series, The Luxury Collection Destination Guides, perfect for any jet-set girl on the go. This chic travel set features six country specific guides packaged in a unique vintage inspired travel box, and offers a one-of-a-kind passport to the prestigious Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts located in six different worldly destinations – Italy, Greece, Argentina, India, Spain, and the United States. This unique go-to travel set acts as your personal guide, offering an insider view of each locale’s most unique restaurants, boutiques, and cultural sites. We also love that each book features a passage and recipe from a celebrated chef including Mario Batali for Italy, Francis Mallmann for Argentina, José Andrés for Spain, and Charlie Palmer for the US. If only each book also came with a pair a Louboutin's perfect for each destination!! A girl can always dream.

The Luxury Collection Destination Guides will be exclusively offered as a complete set at Assouline Boutiques in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, as well as shopassouline.com and other major retail stores for $140

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