Protecting the Health of Women - Because We're Worth It!

Posted on May 21, 2012 | 2 Comments

Reblogged from Cooking Up the Cure:

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From the Summer 2004 newsletter of the Women's Community Cancer Project

c/o the Women's Center, 46 Pleasant Sreet, Cambridge, MA 02139

Cosmetics, Parabens, and Breast Cancer
by Rita Arditti

Early this year the media reported that English researchers identified parabens in samples of breast tumors. Parabens (alkyl esters of
p-hydroxybenzoic acid) are widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in thousands of cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceutical…

Read more… 659 more words

Before you put your lipstick on....please read!

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Posted in READ

The Vastness of Connection

Posted on May 5, 2012 | 1 Comment

Bereft of knowledge before the heavens of my life, I stand astonished. Oh the great stars. Their rising and their setting. How quiet. As if I did not exist. Am I taking part? Do I discount their pure power? Does it rule the movement of my blood? I will yearn for no closer connections and accustom my heart to its farthest reaches. Better it live with the spine-chilling stars than with the pretense of some protection hovering near.

(Rainer Maria Rilke – “Uncollected Poems”)

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Posted in READ

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Looking for Banksy

Posted on May 4, 2012 | 2 Comments

Graffiti  artist, painter, revolutionary, vandal, the name Banksy elicits a variety of attributes. People say he was born in 1975, that he is from Bristol and he moved to London in 2000, that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are big fans, that he has a silver tooth, and his parents believe him to be a painter or an interior decorator.

I came across one of his creations a few years ago and have followed his work ever since because I enjoy the wit, the humor, and even the causticity he employs in order to make his message subtle, yet accessible, simple, yet penetrating.

I do not contest that Banksy is an enigma, one that is also wrapped in a conundrum. But, I don’t really care who he is, or what car he drives and where he buys his groceries. The only matter of concern to me is his art and more importantly, its moral.

Below are a few more of my favorite Banksy works.

Until next time,

Bodhi.

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Posted in SAVOR

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Under the Sea

Posted on May 3, 2012 | 1 Comment

Looking at the ensembles coming down some runways this spring, one could easily think that the designers descended twenty-thousand leagues under the sea for inspiration. Couturiers like Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Olivier Theyskens (Theyskens’ Theory), and Riccardo Tisci (Givenchy), to name a few, mesmerized with outfits that seemed to emanate from a world of fish, shells, scales, coral and black pearls. Their muse must have been an iridescent mermaid or Aphrodite , the Greek goddess of love and beauty, born from sea-foam. Sequins, a sparkling legacy of the 80s, were therefore a popular presence.

I usually shy away from daytime sparkle, but not always. Whenever I make this exception though, I prefer to wear a simple tee emblazoned with a few sparkling details, while playing down the rest of the outfit with muted colors . Simplicity would apply to the accessories as well in this case, as I am trying to avoid looking like my grandmother’s chandelier. The alternative could be to begin with a classic, conservative outfit and to add some shine to it with a clutch or a pair of  glittery shoes, never both.

For an evening out with the girls however, all bets are off and a shimmery top-skirt combination, such as the one below, has the potential to add an extra dose of panache, as long as everything else, from makeup to accessories, is bordering austerity.

1. TopShop – Mermaid Sequin T-Shirt
2. Urban Outfitters – Ecote Pebbled Envelope Clutch
4. Yoox – Lebor Gabala Skirt

Until next time,

Bodhi

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Posted in WEAR

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Land of God

Posted on May 2, 2012 | 1 Comment


~ Marrakech ~

Marrakech, known also as the Red City because of its dusty terracotta architecture, is the most important touristic destination in Morocco. Its name is derived from the Berber words, “mur (n) akush” meaning “Land of God”, a proper title for an imperial metropolis with a rich and glorious past, situated within reach of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains and the white-sand beaches of Essaouira.

The old city of Marrakech (the medina), part of the UNESCO patrimony, is home to winding, narrow alleys, numerous mosques (among which the largest one is Koutoubia), the El Badi Palace (a Saadian imperial residence) , the fresh  Menara gardens, the Ben Youssef Madrasah (disputably the most beautiful building in the area and a perfect example of Islāmic architecture), and last, but not least, Marrakech houses Djemaa El Fna, the largest and most chaotic square on the continent, stamping ground for a vibrant mass of dancers, musicians, magicians, snake charmers, and countless booths selling delicious food.

I grew up reading and enjoying Scheherazade’s one thousand and one stories and after looking at photos from the area for more than a week, I believe that Marrakech would make the perfect place to visit in order to start believing in magic.

Stay: Kasbah Bab Ourika (to counterbalance the sensory overload of the city); Heure Bleue Palais (when in Essaouira)

Eat: harira (lamb, lentil and chickpea soup), kefta (spicy minced lamb), kebabs and merguez (spicy sausage), sweetened mint tea at Mamounia, Café des Livres, Al Fassia or Djemaa El Fna food stalls

See: Koutoubia, El Badi Palace, Menara gardens, Djemaa El Fna, Ben Youssef Madrasah, Essaouira, Ouzoud waterfall

~ Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech ~


~ El Badi Palace, Marrakech ~

~ Menara Gardens, Marrakech ~

~ Djemaa El Fna, Marrakech ~

~ Colorful Spices, Marrakech ~

~ Ben Youssef Madrasah, Marrakech ~

~ Kasbah Bab Ourika ~

~ Essaouira ~

~ Erg Chebbi ~ 

Until next time,

Bodhi.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8, 9, 10

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Posted in TRAVEL

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Peaceful Oasis

Posted on May 1, 2012 | Leave a comment

~ Nostalgic and retro, dark green seems perfectly suited for a bedroom, a place that requires peacefulness and solace. ~

My interior design preferences typically gravitate toward the discreet and minimal. However, once in a while I come across a room in a bold color that I cannot take my eyes off. This is what happened when I saw the image above. I was drawn to the coziness and the serenity of the space, attributes that seem to originate in the dark green primary color.

Generally associated with nature, hence with life, renewal and harmony, green is a positive color that has the potential to generate calm and equilibrium. Given its vegetal connotations, this tone fits nicely on the walls of an open porch or in a bathroom, but the kitchen and the living room are not exceptions as in these areas green tends to create a very chic and indulgent atmosphere.

In order to avoid creating an oppressive space, dark green can be paired with light materials and shades of white, gray and silver. Another helpful element for a dark green room is a mirror, or better yet, a couple of mirrors, which will add volume and confer light.

~ Forest green cabinets create a soothing and de-stressing ambience in this kitchen. ~

~ Dark teal green combined with gold accents transforms this powder room into a baroque – looking jewel. ~

~ Green stimulates productivity and calms the spirits being thus an appropriate choice for a home office. ~

~ A hint of phthalo green confers serenity to this elegant bedroom.  ~

~ Verdigris mixed with charcoal and copper are a gorgeous combination, giving this kitchen a captivating vibe. ~

Primary color: Benjamin Moore – Bavarian Forrest

Until next time,

Bodhi.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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Posted in DECORATE

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Green Harmony

Posted on April 30, 2012 | 3 Comments

“Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge”, painting by Claude Monet

Whenever I think of Paradise, I always imagine a beautiful, lush, peaceful garden, where all my dear ones are present, the trees are bright green, the flowers are full of color and the sound of running water together with the songs of the birds are the only acoustic distractions.

All around the world, in every culture, every religion, there are descriptions of the concept of Paradise. Ancient Greeks painted it as an age of innocence and harmony that was devastated when Pandora opened the box in which all the evils of the world were enclosed. Both the Bible and the Koran talk about gardens of Paradise, and Buddhist teachings pave the way to Nirvana, a state of being free from suffering.

The idea of Paradise has been sketched by many artists in numerous forms, based on either stories or imagination. Claude Monet is among those who painted based on a personal view of Eden, a view that he first applied to his own backyard.

In 1893, Monet purchased a house in Giverny, a locality north of Paris, and being just as passionate about gardening as he was about painting, he proceeded to create his own earthly heaven. This garden became his favorite painting subject and beginning in 1899 he created eighteen images of it, in different weather conditions, at distinct times of the day and in various seasons, regularly in square format. Sometimes he displayed the Japanese bridge and the greenery around the pond, and other times he showed just the flowers floating on the water.

“Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge”, oil on canvas dating from 1899, has the Japanese bridge wonderfully anchoring the composition even though it seems to be gliding above the pond without any connection to the ground.  Its curve divides the image into two sections, the lower part being a blend of soft greens, light blues, pale yellows, with hints of russet-brown and white, while the upper area displays mostly dark hues of green and blue, broken by pale yellows. The sky is barely visible, Monet enclosing the space to create a sense of privacy, secrecy and even exclusivity, so that looking at this canvas I feel lucky to be on this side of the organic wall, admiring this Paradise that stretches before my eyes, luring me into Monet’s magical world.

Until next time,

Bodhi

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Posted in SEE

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