Mondayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Most days, especially days like today... Radiohead is all I need....

K x  

It's a Family Affair

How Cute is Charlotte Cornfield?
Photo Cred: Courtney Lee Photography

I normally would hold off until Monday to post a music post but I'm still on a high from Charlotte Cornfield's show last night at The Dakota Tavern. She is one special woman and I don't even know her! But for some reason I feel like I do... her lyrics are personal and often times gritty; when matched with her vocals and a band of real musicians (I use the word real intentionally. Truly talented band members can be few and far between but Cornfields band IS a family of musical professionals on their particular instrument(s). We could not take our eyes off her bassist, she was the picture of sweetness mixed with bad ass). The room was filled with love last night. Charlotte's Friends and Family were all there to support her and she is so damn adorable, modest and incredibly humble, your heart breaks a little every time she opens her mouth. I had a small part of my family with me too last night. My little tripod of Toronto bred badass strawberries, oops, i mean sweethearts ;). We certainly enjoyed ourselves with cozy pre-drinks at Foxley's. A certain someone has been belting out 'lovermaaaaan' ever since...

TWO HORSES is available to buy at bandcamp. Support.


Have an Amazing (Safe) Weekend Goonies, and if your getting filthy with a pumpkin save the seeds! Roast them with a little highgrade sea salt and enjoy :)
K x

I can't believe how quickly the trees are getting NAKED! I'm still in the foreplay stages of fall...

After hours sifting through my favourite blogs and magazines, this editorial from Elle France has stolen my fashionable fall heart. krisatomic, whose blog I spotted linked to a friends wall, posted the full editorial last week, I had to share some of my personal favourite images with you. So here it is in all of it's fall fullness!

Swinging Classiques from Elle France
Photographer: David Burton
Stylist: Elissa Cannelle Castelbou
Hair: Bianca Tuovi
Make-up: Liz Daxauer

Three things I'm loving this week:

1) The most beautiful libraries from around the world at Creative Couples (warning: you will spend A LOT of hours on this website & may or may not want to ditch your current partner for someone with a little more creative flare... You have been warned- Creative Couples was co-founded by my friend and style inspiration, oh and she has a heart of pure gold)


Founders, Slava Micic & Megan Williams

2) Image Inspiration OVERLOAD at * Wit & Delight 

Courtesy of *Wit&Delight


3) I simply love everything about Cupcakes & Cashmere - this week I'm obsessing over Emily's Living Room... girl has got style <3


Special shout out to Charlotte Cornfeild ~ Official launch of her new album TWO HORSES is Tonight at Dakota Tavern, Can't wait to be in her presence.

Ciao Lovelies,
K x

Music Spotlight: ZOLA JESUS

Nika Roza Danilova was raised in Merrill, Wisconsin, on over 100 acres of forest...

"When you live around a lot of people in a city and that synthesized stimulation, you can get lost in that's the hustle and bustle. When you grow up in the country you have nothing to stimulate you but what you seek," ~ This pretty much sums up why I have fallen for Zola Jesus and the fact that the goth crooner boasts incredible power behind her anthems.

Zola Jesus - Seekir & Vessel by souterraintransmissions

New music comes to me from various portals: friends, blogs, random stumble upons and other mystical, unpredictable circumstances; this hidden jewel came from a Brooklyn friend who recently saw her live and said some things about the show that I can't even repeat here. I'll just patiently wait until she comes to Toronto. I predict big things for Zola Jesus in 2011...

K x

p.s. I hurt my back, neck & shoulder this weekend at the cottage, this is the only reason I am sitting upright today... it was worth it, trust me ;) and yes Joe Fresh new CANDY lip gloss does help my back... S-bucks spelling my name wrong AGAIN doesn't. I might be teaching a class dedicated to the delicate art of Savasana tonight... Here is something else to make me/you happy on this grey Monday, a picture of the sunset over lake Muskoka on Saturday. A weekend at the cottage is like a hit of Prozac for tree lovers, i love trees. :)

Take it or leave it ~ How to stay healthy through coooold season

In the past two days I have had the following cries for help from friends in need of Nutritional Support:

• The PR professional/Fashion Maven: “HELP! I need you to send me a health plan for Fashion Week so I don’t get sick! Running on no sleep and everyone in my office is sick or has the flu!
• The Singer/Math Guru: “You know what we ALL need? A blog on how to NOT GET SICK - the natural way, like without stupid cold FX. Pump up our f@#*ing immune systems emotionally and physically. EVERYONE IS SICK, it's DISGUSTING.”
• The Yoga Teacher: “My energy is fading. It doesn’t feel as vibrant. I think I may be getting sick. I cannot get sick.”
• The Hypochondriac/Socialite: “My glands are swollen, my throat is sore, I have a sinus headache, my neck is stiff, my joints ache, I’m probably dying but I FOR SURE have strep throat, Sinusitis, Meningitis, Mono, Tonsillitis, DEFINITELY influenza and most likely insomnia. I have to be a million different places this week. Tell me what to do.”

With fear in their voices they want to know what to eat, what supplements they should be taking and how to keep their immune systems strong as cold & flu season descends upon us. Good news: Your body is a super hero. It has the incredible ability to heal and protect itself when given the right nutrients, stress is managed, sleep is prioritized and sugar (get out the tissues) is eliminated. Bad News: It isn’t always easy to change our habits. Being healthy is hard. We are pretty good at forgetting what being sick does to us physically & emotionally when we are feeling great. It’s like child birth. Makes you wonder why women ever have more than one kid. It’s because they forget. Before it’s too late and you are sweating, sneezing, coughing, aching, wishing Kleenex was softer and are paralyzed watching movies in bed for 48 hours straight let’s talk business: IMMUNE HEALTH. The key ingredients to staying healthy this season can be simple. Here are my two cents. Whether you work in an office, at a yoga studio, out of your home or local coffee shop you can adopt a healthy lifestyle, make healthy choices and avoid getting sick this season. Read on:

1. Wash your hands – It may seem like common sense, BUT can be easy to overlook. If you have a friend who is a nurse ask her/him to show you how it’s done - PROPERLY ; and while you’re at it ask them about bacteria...
2. Exercise – almost every time you ask any health care practitioner for advice, one of the first tips they will likely offer you is to exercise! Get up, get out and do something! Exercise has so many benefits to your overall wellbeing AND it boosts your immunity. I used to think you COULDN”T jog in the winter. You can people. I used to work at lululemon - check out their winter run wall. You can jog.
3. Take Vitamin C - (2-3 per day g) – Vitamin C is anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Think of it as your super immune booster! It will help you to avoid getting sick and if you are already sick it will speed up your recovery time. Take it every day - sick or not.
4. SLEEP - need I say more? Seriously, without sleep you simply cannot function at optimal levels. Your body doesn’t get the time it needs to recover from all shit you expose it too during the day.
5. Avoid Sugar – Sugar is empty. No nutrients = No superpowers. It actually suppresses your immune system. One simple teaspoon can suppress your Immune System for up to 4 hours while your bodies’ mineral reserves try to figure out what to do with it. Sugar is in so much of the food we consume on a daily basis in Western society that it is tough to avoid (but not impossible!). Here are some obvious things to avoid: highly refined carbs, candy, chocolate and hidden sugars which are in nearly every packaged food and (sorry) sugar from alcohol. If you’re a label reading nerd look out for sucrose, dextrose and maltose, malt syrup, corn syrup. For the record I love sugar. But I hate being sick. Let this serve as motivation to kick your sugar habit! You’ll benefit with a flu free season, better skin, more energy and maybe even a looser waistband. 
6. Eat a Whole Foods Diet - This means REAL food. That comes from the EARTH not a factory. Fruits, Vegetables, Whole grains, Legumes, nuts & seeds. A whole foods diet alone can provide the body with enough nutrients to stay healthy and strong even through the darkest winters.
7. Supplement with a Probiotic – Without getting to technical with my use of terms here, if we are talking about the body as a super hero then Immune System cells like Macrophages and lymphocytes would be the bodies’ trusty sidekicks. The good bacteria in the gut manufacture these soldiers and keep them fighting off any and all foreign invaders. Healthy gut = happy gut = stronger immune system. When buying a probiotic look for Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterim lactis/bifidum. Generally, the more expensive the better because you will get a larger dose of bacteria. In attempts again not to push brands I will simply tell you that I really like genestra… (found at your local health food store ;)

Mum's Flu Fixes
Mums always seem to know how to make pain go away. I have the best Mum around. She STILL gives the best advice, makes the best ginger tea and gives really good back tickles. If your Mum doesn’t live close to you give her a call, I know for me, even my Mum’s voice makes me feel better. Mum's secrets:

1. Lemon, Ginger, Honey Tea: All-Natural Raw Honey (1-2 tbsp.), Juice of one Organic Lemon, A big chunk of Fresh Ginger Root (sliced). Let steep for 5-7min and drink all day! Add a pinch of Cayenne pepper if you want to ‘sweat it out’ ;)
2. Hot Water Bottle. Instructions: Hug it
3. Sleep. Rest. Sleep. Rest. Sleep.
4. Hot bathes infused with eucalyptus or teat tree oil – clears your nasal passages and is super soothing.
5. TLC <3

A couple tricks to keep in mind in day to day life:

• Don’t Shake Hands – Bring back the bumpies... yup, I know it’s not very becoming but bumping fists is better than a hand shake... at least for the next couple months.
• Don’t ‘kiss, kiss’; UNLESS it’s the Parisian way... air kisses are fine.
• If your partner is sick, fight the urge to snuggle up until he/she feels better. I know those lips are hard to resist but give into temptation and you’ll be the one with the phlegm situation. Instead be a really sweet, loving nurse... it may actually end up in your favour when he/she is healthy once again...* wink,wink*

ENERGENCY – When you just CAN’T stop! Think: Fashion week, two jobs, exhibition, project deadline, exams, CFA’s, report cards, Yoga workshops, huge case load, showings, thesis, etc ., etc., whatever it is for you, there will always come a time where you are just simply busy BUT you can be busy and stay healthy...

 

Remember 3 cardinal rules:

1. Drink LOADS of Fluids- Water & Herbal Teas NOT coffee & red bull
2. Eat Whole Foods 
3. Sleep

The list goes on and on. From yoga and meditation, relaxation practices, meal plans, certain foods for specific conditions, and further supplementation. This is simply a Coles notes guide, an Immune Boosting 101 to help you get your ass in gear!

That being said if you can follow even 3 of the above tips and you will most likely retain most of your superpowers. Do your research. Talk to your friends, your doctor, your yoga teachers. Use your resources and be responsible. And before this rant officially comes to an end remember to put yourself first. Nothing in life is an obligation.

If you have a specific question and don’t feel like airing it in the comments section... e-mail me.

I’m going up to the cottage now to rest, do yoga, drink tea and listen...

K x

Sooo much weekend in two little days... Musical highlight: the best (canadian) band you will EVER see live, YUKON BLONDE (& many more)

YUKON BLONDE

 It is no secret I love live music. On Friday night, Lee's Palace hosted Yukon Blonde, Sandman Viper Command and Great Bloomers. Sweet, sweet line-up and hands down the best live show I've been too since Yukon Blonde was here for NXNE. They are that good live. (I also happened to be with my BF's who are the most fun people in T.O.) Little bit of background; Yukon Blonde is from Vancouver, they are the NICEST guys, hugely talented, super fun & a little scruffy. Also, they seem to be best friends with everyone they play with. It's like a big family and when they are in Toronto we get to join that family and just rock out. Whenever I am at a show, for some reason, I am able to gain clarity on certain situations in my life that have been nagging at me for weeks. There is something about just watching musicians perform that hypnotizes you and all of a sudden things start to just make sense... (right Jon???), by the way, I am on course for a huge post right now so bear with me - lots to look at & listen too.
Between festivals, Yukon Blonde spent the summer in the studio. Which means NEW MUSIC!

They'll be releasing an EP titled FIRE//WATER on September 20th... here is a little taste:
  
Fire by Yukon Blonde by Nevado

Check out their tour dates and if they are passing through your city - go support, you won't be let down.

SANDMAN VIPER COMMAND

Sandman also played but we were across the street eating sushi and missed the entire set (oops). Such a shame.

Here they are on Southern Souls    EPISODE 1: SANDMAN VIPER COMMAND (PART 1) from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.



GREAT BLOOMERS

It was my first time seeing Great Bloomers. They have all the right ingredients. I sometimes like to pick apart band members and give them all made up life stories and quirky personalities based on my own weird imagination - these guys were perfect subjects! In my story, they are the heroes.





This is us AFTER the show... so special.
Photo Cred: the cute guy in the Burrito Place.



There were so many things that made Friday night great. But, one of the highlights happened outside Lee's on the street. Between sets these two guys on saxophones were killing it. We created a sea of plaid and just danced. They were using a car battery for power. savage. love it. Wish I had a clip. (rats) 



UNION DUKE

Saturday morning. Headed over to Saving Gigi (Mmmm Coffee). I had no idea it was the Bloor Ossington Folk Festival, thanks guys, but thankfully I was sitting right in the middle of it. Union Duke sounded so good. Something about playing such an intimate space. I have a clip on my ipad but for some reason I can't pull it over... Anyways, they are playing The Roxton on November 1st. They are so much fun. 



At that point my weekend already felt full. BUT when your girl's visiting from London you can't flake out on a Saturday night dance party. You never remember the nights you went to bed early...

K x

PS ONE MORE ... Coldplay released their new single PARADISE off their new album set to be released October 24th. This has been my anthem for the past week or so, thanks love ;)

I've sufficiently worn myself out... i'm exhausted. Not too exhausted for a new obsession though!!!!



Unpublished Early Works of the Iconic Fashion Photographer Who Discovered Kate Moss http://www.nowness.com/day/2011/8/23/1593/corinne-day-heaven-is-real

  Ok, so it is Thursday of a 'short week' in mid-October. I hate that term 'short week'... (even though it is literal - tuesday was essentially monday, only four days in the work week etc. etc.) Well, so far this 'short week' has been incredibly long, insanely busy and so underwhelming it's overwhelming (I must have heard that somewhere, doesn't feel like my words .at.all.) Anyways it has been three days of frustrating sprinkled with moments that have made me terribly happy. The balance was a bit off BUT today after waiting in line to pick up a package that had to be in the mail by 5pm I realized it was already 6pm, I turned my half dead self around, drove home and slept on the floor for an hour after exhaustion induced waterworks. Yup full on tears for NO reason at all aside from being tired. What a baby.
I am a 9-5'er by day, Yoga Teacher by night, Holistic Nutritionist when I feel like it and in the moments in between, I'm either looking at pretty things, thinking about pretty things or talking about pretty things with my pretty friends. Sometimes I preach (preach a.k.a. talk too much) to my students about how to live their lives. I believe every word that falls from my lips. I believe them in the depths of my heart and speak them with the utmost conviction and often get a little "thanks for that" as people shuffle out of the studio at the end of the night. I know, you're thinking, 'aww that's nice, how inspiring' BUT the problem is these days I RARELY practice what I preach. I do the same thing with Nutrition Clients... "Eat REAL food (but not too much), make time for self-care/love, get outside and move your sexy bod, Breathe deeply, Eat food that is alive! (not animals people - think fruits & vegetables)"... yet these days, it is possible for you to catch me 3 coffees deep by 3pm, eyes half mast, complaining about how much PC (& BlackBerry) suuuuuck compared to MAC (& iPhone). Ugh, those days I don't want to be friends with myself. As this post quickly turns into a "Practise what you Preach" essay, I shall digress... but before I do, two things:

1) It's time to start walking the walk! this is your life for gawsh sakes! So i'll say it and I will give it 110% myself if you do too, here it comes.... Eat for your health! You'll live so much longer. Do more Yoga - it is the key to your true self, your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Quit complaining cause life is simply beautiful!

2) Last night after three solid hours of teaching my amazing/inspiring/rockstar/beautiful yogi students I said something worth repeating- if you happen to be sitting barefoot in front of your computer, you can do this little bit of self love right now - ok, so it went a little something along the lines of: "everyone take hold of your feet... look at the souls of your feet (yes the SOULS), your feet carry you EVERYWHERE, they write the story of your life. Hold onto your feet, massage the arches, the heels, the toes, give your feet some love and thank them for carrying you along your journey.

See, even just writing that makes me a little bit more hopeful and a lot more happy :)

Ok finally. My new obsession (next to unpublished photos of Kate Moss)... I stumbled upon a website full of BEAUTY, INSPIRATION and other goodies that make me want to travel into space and pick up some stars, because reaching for them takes too long and time is valuable. It is a short week afterall.

Go there NOW. Put aside at least 30 minutes or make a cup of honey ginger tea and commit to a full hour:  http://www.nowness.com/
(i'm excited for you)

So far this video has left a lasting impression on me (I have ADD & a super weird quirky side) and I have since developed a little bit of a girl crush on Miranda July, Artist & Filmmaker.

NOWNESS Presents An Exclusive Vignette Inspired By Her Magical New Film: The Future

Miranda July: The Future on Nowness.com.

As the days get shorter and the light in the city seems to fade it becomes even more important to stay connected to the light within you. Hide your distractions :)
Thanks for listening, 

K x

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Things I love about Thanksgiving weekend:

1) Waking up to the quiet, stillness of the lake & rolling out my mat to practice.
2) Swimming until you are numb... and then staying in for another 15 min.
3) Listening to indie/folk while dancing around the kitchen.
4) The smell of Coffee & Cinnamon mixed with bonfire.
5) Snuggling up in a duvet with a stack of magazines on the dock.
6) Layers and layers of amazing knits and wilfred cotton.
7) Walking in the woods, looking up...
8) Football. on mute. all weekend.
9) Kraken Spiced Rum.
10) My family, (you guys are my rock) Can't wait to see you Bean <3

Happy thanksgiving Lovelies, 
K x

You Changed Our World Forever; Thank you

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

-Steve Jobs

 

VIDEO LINK TED.com: Steve Jobs: How to live before you die | Video on TED.com



Steve Jobs (right) with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak on the day they founded the company
(Photo Courtesy of theguardian)

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on."

Of all the creative thinkers in the world, Steve Jobs taught us to think outside the box; to live fearlessly and most importantly, Mr. Jobs gave us all permission to CREATE without boundary.
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish... RIP.

K x



Spotlight: Dan Mangan

I have done my best to stay away from naming names on savageom, so I hope when you think I may be referring to you, I am. One of my girls introduced me to the musical stylings of Dan Mangan a couple months ago. This man is painfully sincere, undeniably witty, provocative & super scruffy. He touches on bold themes in his songs and goes places other singer/song writers often shy away from. 

Dan's new Album "Oh, Fortune" (by Arts & Crafts) was released on September 27th and is available @ http://www.danmanganmusic.com/ohfortune.html. It's fantastic. I love his first album (Nice, Nice, Very Nice) and turthfully, it always takes me a few listens to accept 'new' albums, but this guys voice just draws you in; raspy, pure - truly folk. Can't wait to (finally) see him live. I missed Hillside this summer but the girls gave rave reviews. Mangan's Fall Canadian Tour hits the road October 14th in Ottawa which means he'll be passing through Toronto on October 28th, 2011 @ The Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Dan is orginally from Vancouver, BC. I also happen to know someone he used to have a very serious crush on ;).  

LISTEN & ENJOY!

Oh, Fortune from Oh, Fortune

Silly Git From Nice, Nice, Very Nice

 (still my favourite)

K x

Surprises from the postman

FREE STUFF! 

Who doesn’t love getting mail? Yesterday I received a package from Nature Clean* full of products that are free of parabens, sulphates, pthalates, glycol, silicone, PEG, synthetic fragrances and dyes. Nature Cleans* main goal is to provide the cleanest formulas possible by avoiding all harmful and unnecessary chemicals.

Do you love yourself enough to use safer products while protecting our natural world? Nature clean has a manifesto that encourages you to love your health and your planet, something I can wholeheartedly stand behind. Nature clean is a third generation, family run company dedicated to their passion and vision; AND they are 100% Canadian.

I was first approached by nature clean through savageom. It is always exciting to help promote a product you love and when free samples arrive at your door just in time to share them with all your girlfriends - it is marketing magic (and everyone is happy)!  Nature clean provided me with a generous kit filled with fabulous hair products and soaps. They smell amazing and made for a five star Sunday spa experience. 

Thank You nature clean!

I’ve still got lots of samples kickin’ around so don’t be shy, I’ll keep them in my bag and if you see me… don’t be scared to ask…

K x

Shampoo THEN conditioner... silky smooth hair

FYI: The mint essential oils make your skin tingle! mmmmmmm

http://www.naturecleanliving.com/