By Myriam Richard

It’s powder-pink, a bit smaller than a shoe box but contains just as much exciting items as a new pair or pumps. Beauty products!

Meet the box of Glossybox!

What is Glossybox? It is a monthly subscription beauty service consisting of sending it’s subscribers five luxury cosmetics a month. With the lack of trial formats in stores, buying without trying is a habit we are unfortunately bound and stuck with when shopping for cosmetics. With Glossybox, not only can you receive samples of already-popular-favorite products, you can also get to discover new ones – and even be delighted by a surprise additional random item.

Oh, and did I mention “free delivery”? Suh-weeeet!

Founded in Germany, Glossybox can call home and success in eight countries such as the UK, France and Italy, and now finds an added residence in Canada. Yeh for us!!

I received my box today actually and was definitely thrilled to know what I received. As peculiar as I am, I waited two hours before opening it, letting the excitement grow (umbelievable, I know). When I got to my box, I delicately lifted the box’s lid as well as the ribbon around the silk paper-wrapped products, without forgetting the sticker sealing the whole thing. (Bear with me, I’m anal when unwrapping gifts).

Here’s a list of what’s in my box:

- Ahava Skincare Mineral hand cream (100 ml/$22.00)
- Skin Care Moisturizing Stick by Elizabeth Arden (5g/$12.00)
- Essie nail polish in Neo Whimsical (13.8ml/$9.99)
- Live in Love body lotion by Oscar de la Renta (200 ml/$54.00)
- Elizabeth Arden Prevage Night Anti-Aging Restorative Cream (50 ml/$160.00)

and the bonus gift…

So Clean Sanitizing Wipes and Mist (48 pack wipes/$12.50 – 125ml/$15,99)

This concept is quite revolutionary and i believe all cosmetic consumers should give it a try. It only costs $15 a month and is delivered right to your door! All info on where to purchase the items are found directly on their website www.glossybox.ca

You can also receive more news and updates by following them on Facebook and Twitter as well on on YouTube and their GlossyThoughts blog found on their website.

So go ahead, create a profile in order for the items sent will be tailored to YOU! And remember who sent (inspired) you

Live. Laugh. Love. Have fun!

M

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by Organik D’Va

It is that time of the year where we talk about love AND the Black History Month. Before I get into the history part, I certainly want to wish you a happy love day (or shoudl I call it gratitude day)! If you have a partner just say thank you. Thank you for having this wonderful person that you can share intense moments with. No need for the whole production if you don’t feel like it, no pressure, my loves! On the OTHER hand – if you guys are into the whole gifts, dinner, movies, sex… Well more power to you!

And for the single ones out there, I can also recommend that you simply say thank you! Thank you for not being with a partner that will make u suffer (if that was the case of the ex), thank you for this opportunity to have fun, get to know yourself, spoil yourself, and think of YOU! YOU! YOU! Enjoy it while it lasts!

This cold month also brings a wonderful cause to celebrate which is the Black History Month. This month marks a once called Negro History Week by Carter G. Goodson, a moment to look at the history of the African diaspora and create a myriad of events that represent the interpretation of history of African-American black people. It is not a moment to look into the past to create or rehash any anger, it is a given that our past plays a major part in our present and our future. We have to know where we come from to understand where we are going. This makes me think of an adopted child who eventually wants to find out who his/her biological parents are. It is just human nature. You have probably taken the time to talk to your grand-parents to know what they went through or you just want the dirt on your parents… lol… It’s priceless!

The Black History Month; Imagine a new world is brought to you by TD Bank and has two notable spokespersons. First we have Dorothy Rheau, a local comedian currently creating an impact in the industry. This haitian woman has chosen the comedy path to talk about any and everything but mostly what us (women) don’t talk about. When you see her on stage you feel the level of comfort and confidence she has as a black woman with curves – pretty inspiring! Dorothy is a woman full of energy with a specific goal in mind, talk about what we do not dare to bring into the light. Remember the name and the pretty face!

Right next to her we have actor Benz Antoine, who has a very notable presence, (ok, I mean that he is very charming) . If you cannot place him well, he made his first appearance on the big screen in Romeo Must Die as the Crabman, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Four Brothers and many more. I just love it when people from the city are doing great things around the world! He did come and play a role in the movie Sortie 67, which talked about gang related issues that we have in certain areas in the city. A man who stops at nothing to reach his goals.

This year I am happy to share the multitude of activities prepared for us to put some warmth in our hearts and celebrate life as we know it. From gospel shows presented by the amazing Sylvie Desgroseillers to art exhibits, you will surely find an acticity that appeals to you. There is a richness to this culture that is worth mentionning and sharing with the rest of the world. There are so many black people out there that are making a difference in the this world that they deserve the moment of recognition. One last important thing, these moments were simply organized to create awareness, a sense of togetherness and a touch of love beyond the skin color. It is like any other cultures that celebrate, we can all pat ourselves on the back for being who we are!

Visit the official website more information: http://moishistoiredesnoirs.com/index.php/en/

Enjoy the month…..spring will be knocking on our doors soon!

Organik D’va

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by Organic D’Va

Have you ever wondered or taken the time to evaluate your mental health?! I have a tendency to ask people around how they feel instead of the good ol’ ‘how are ya’ and it always startles a few. I simply urge my friends to take the second, the minute to ponder on the matter. How am I feeling? Let me start the conversation by saying that I am feeling good – somewhat overwhelmed by my workload but I just got an agenda, so it should work out fine. My situation is that I love A LOT of things and I want to do it all: make-up, modeling, dancing, singing, lol! I need to focus (which is not my favorite word) so I am finding it hard to visualize ONE plan. But all and all, I try to stay in a state of gratitude…always! 

This week, Bell Canada has launched their second edition of the ‘Let’s Talk Community Fund campaign‘; a fundraiser for the Canadian mental health association. For every text messages sent between Bell subscribers, they will donate 5 cents to the cause! Now, it is not your typical ‘I want you’ ‘what  you wearing’ kind of conversation that they want to support but it is truly to push us to talk about mental health to break the stigma that is haunting this issue.

allvoices.com

I am Haitian, and let me tell you that mental illness is not something that we talk about. I can imagine the reaction from my parents if I go and tell them I am suffering from chronic depression or bipolar disorder. They would probably ask me if I’m hungry or something. But all jokes aside, mental wellness is important! I believe we need to find a way to create a balance in our lives all while making  a difference. We want to love and be loved!  Have you figured out WHO you are?!  I mean all these things can be very stressful for some!  For whatever reason (genetics, chemical imbalance or life changing events) one can fall into the realm of feeling helpless and slowly drift away from reality.  Believe me that there is a fine line between being someone who is ‘intense’ with mood swings and someone who has been clinically diagnosed with bipolar disorder..It is a delicate situation. Can we prevent ourselves from falling into a depression?

On the bright side of things, one of the simplest solution is to TALK about IT! I cannot stress it enough, either you turn to a friend, family member, a psychologist, heck a stranger on the bus…OPEN UP AND TALK! You would be surprised, many people have gone through a dark phase – I know I have!

toonpool.com

1 out of 5 Canadians suffer from mental illness. Let’s put the other conversations on hold and talk about what really matters. Open your heart and share your thoughts, stories and comments on the matter…

A date to remember

Bell Subscribers, whatever you decide to share on February 8th will be worth a nickel and will amount to a considerable amount (the amount to beat this year is $3,303,961.8) for sure! For those of you who are not with Bell, you can still text and tweet on the subject because awareness is key.

We can all listen and we can all help. There is nothing wrong with you as there is nothing wrong with me for going through these dark years. How did I overcome it? First my faith on a spiritual level and I am blessed with amazing friends.

Look up, you have support right in front of you.

For questions or to simply talk:http://www.cmha.ca
Information on the February 8th campaign : Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

I wanted to share a beautiful song by Jason Mraz…..All I can say is don’t give up!

Gerardine aka Organik D’va

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Merriam-Webster seems to have not caught up on these addition to the social English lexis yet, but I’ve been hearing people use the words #foodgasm and #foodporn quite frequently these days- sometimes as part of a sentence, and at other times as a punctuation aka spoken twitter hashtag!

When reading the origin of the two words’ suffix, I wonder how accurate these new appellations are? Are they too strong? While I’ll keep it PG, have I ever gotten a “herbal essence” reaction after eating something really good? Or seen a recipe picture looking so good that it got me reaaally excited?

Looking back at my life, I can honestly say, yes! Yes! YES!

I’ve been known to react mildly strongly to things I eat. Once that first bite catches my attention, oh it’s on! I close my eyes so my tasting buds get my full attention, and I go at it slowly, one-Mississippi, chew-Mississippi… and I smile or giggle then my right hand ackwardly covers my right eye and… well you get the picture. I did say PG after all. And while in public, I assure you, I make use of self-control… sort of!

I wish everyone to live such moments with food. Dishes that seem to have been cooked by angel hands or great chefs tend to trigger such reactions. Actually my last public episode was at this year’s and 5th edition of Old Montreal’s Happening Gourmand‘s menu tasting at the Suite 701 restaurant. The Happening Gourmand is our version of New York’s restaurant week.

As guests of the Antonopoulos Group, instigators of the event and owners of the participating restaurants, we were delighted of our presence for the food, of course, but also for the company. The one we know and are always glad to see and the ones we make and want to keep.

This event is “the occasion to discover a new restaurant or revisit an old favorite at an umbelievable cheap price. Montrealers can savor delicious dishes every night of January without breaking the bank”, says Maria Antonopoulos, communication & marketing director for the group. Participating thus, becomes a token to your next foodgasm, as well as a must – so are reservations! For 23$ (reg. 36$) you get to have 3-course meal at either of these five restaurants : Vieux-Port Steakhouse, Modavie, Suite 701, Taverne Gaspar, and Méchant Boeuf and for 27$ (reg. 44$), the same thing at Aix Cuisine du Terroir and Verses. (view menu links at the end of this article)

Here’s a preview of our tasty night!

(1) Onion soup with bone marrow created by Chef Mario Guerrera from Taverne Gaspar

(2) Fried smelts created by Chef Steve Street from Modavie Restaurant

(3) Homemade ravioli stuffed with squash and aged cheddar, sautéed mushrooms and red wine reduction created by Chef Anthony Joyce from Verses Restaurant

(4) Spanish mackerel, carrot rösti and Labrador tea emulsion

(5) Beef mignonnette on potatoes purée with garlic, bacon chips and season vegetables from the Vieux-Port Steakhouse

(6) Chocolate gourmand with maple caramel and fleur de sel created by Chef Jean-François Bélair and Pastry Chef Olivier Michallet from Aix Restaurant

(7) Assorted macarons created by Pastry Chef Jill Saltzman from Méchant Boeuf Restaurant

Of the foodgasm triggering dishes, I will give a notable mention to the spanish mackerel (long time since I’ve had such good fish), the beef mignonnette and the chocolate gourmand. For this last one, all I gotta say is… dig deep

Are you still debating whether or not to go?

Live. Laugh. Love.

M

I N F O + C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Vieux-Port Steakhouse: 39, rue St-Paul Est 514.866.3175 ( menu - reservations )

Modavie : 1, rue St-Paul Ouest 514.287.9582 ( menu - reservations )

Suite 701 : 701, Côte de la Place d’Armes 514.904.1201 ( menu - reservations )

Taverne Gaspar : 89, rue de la Commune Est 514.392.1649 ( menu – reservations )

Méchant Boeuf : 125, rue St-Paul Ouest 514.788.4020 ( menu – reservations )

Aix Cuisine du Terroir : 711, Côte de la Place d’Armes 514.904.1201 ( menu – reservations)

Verses : 100, rue St-Paul Ouest 514.788.4000 ( menu – reservations )

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by Gerardine Jeune

I did not personally talk about the new year and the ‘famous’ resolutions we often take because I somewhat feel there are so many things we could think of but then do we truly make sure we stick to those resolutions?!  I don’t have any resolutions because I simply make the effort of doing my best everyday. I love to eat and it just so happens that I love to break a sweat, so working out is always a treat for me. I could make the effort of being consistant with my workout schedule because sometimes I eat more than I move!  So be it that you truly want to shed a few pounds or acquire a few good habits, make sure you find an activity that YOU LOVE!!! That is MY secret and believe me that it will help you to stick to it.

Now, all of these informations are more geared towards activities and weight loss but what if you simply want to LEARN how to acquire a few good tips that you can hold on to for a years? I am truly excited to share this upcoming event that will definitely make you want to learn, have and take a break. I know the ‘holiday season’ is behind us but between you and I, we dont really relax during that season and we eat like there is no tomorrow. So that is why I am delighted to talk  to you about ‘LES EFFRONTÉS AU MEXIQUE; an organized trip to Mexico that promises to be MEMORABLE!

The styling/image consultation firm, Les Effronté’ president, Marie-Claude Pelletier, has a beautiful way to explain why this trip to Mexico (February 19 to February 26) is a great incentive: ‘I often see men and women who decide to wait until they shed a considerable amount of weight before investing in themselves to update their own personal style, as if they did not deserve to feel good and confident right now’.  This comment does raise a few questions! Why do we wait to treat ourselves?! Everywhere in the world one has to wait until the need to get the right amount of time given, points or credits to get rewarded. Why do we impose that to our loving selves? Why do we put ourselves on hold?

So let’s stop this habit and start off the year by offering ourselves this amazing trip brought to you by Les Effrontés. They invite you to whisk yourself away to Riviera Maya, Mexico, where you will not only enjoy the weather (while we stay here freezing ) but you will have the chance to attend a week full of activities including health-infused conferences brought to you by Julie Milot, a eating habits specialist and founder of Profil Minceur, you get to spend time with Manon Blondin (life coach and motivational speaker) and receive styling tips and tricks on your daily by none other attending stylist from Les Effrontés!

Ponder on the matter but not for long!  There are still a few spots left to make your reservations! So act now and think later! Think of the ladies from Paperplanes while you are on the plane or better yet while you are by the pool socializing and networking with the wonderful beings who will be present that week! Cheers to life! Cheers to you!

Les Effrontes was founded in 1999 by Marie-Claude Pelletier. They offer personalized styling services, conferences, workshops (you can also contact them if you want to become a stylist yourself) to a different range of clients (men and women) in Montréal, Quéebec and Toronto.

For more information:

Ginette Duplessis Voyage Synergia / Vacances Michel Dermers
Tel.: 450-967-6627 Toll free: 1-866-661-6627
Email: ginette@vacancesmicheldemers.com
www.vacancesmicheldemers.com 

Enjoy the pics below!

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P.S.: Flip open the cap, and tell me what you smell. Think nordic spa…

C$18-$27

After going blond this summer and not having carefully maintained the health of my hair afterwards, my mane suffered tremendous loss of natural hydration, softness and shine. It needed salvation. A protein serum and a good hair mask would do the trick. I received the Olive Fruit Oil Deeply Repairative Hair Pakand have been, for the past few weeks, very satisfied. Though directed to leave for 3-5 minutes in your hair, I keep it in under a plastic cap AND hot towel or dryer for a greater thermo shock-therapy for ½ -1 hour, once a week. Since, my hair got back its strength (barely no hair on the comb), shine and moisture.

C$35.00

C$48.00

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By Myriam Richard

iSkin, a world leader and my favorite brand in cool tech lifestyle accessories, launches the Happy Friends Collection, a japanese-inspired print series of covers, folios and carriers for iPhone 4/4S, iPad2 and Mac/PC respectively, designed exclusively for iSkin by Brazillian illustrator Cako Martin.

Some cool features
The snap-on iPhone cover has a camera flash guard to minimize “flash glare” when in dark environment. No more ill-lighted snapshots!

The iPad2 cover is one to be reckon with, with it media display and typing mode, a front/back camera/video cut out, an enhanced identity theft protection, card-holder pockets as well as a magnetic auto-sleep function on its folio cover. Talk about being fully-equipped!

Minimalist and cheeky in its design, the laptop covers are reinforced with quilted lining, microfiber padding. A contort many would envy.

I really like the wide variety of cool designs and art pieces that graces the covers of iSkin products general as they give way to up-and-coming and established artists, all amazing in their own rights and style. And this new collection definitely adds to iSkin’s cool stance. Kudos to them!

Live. Laugh. Love. Have fun!!

M

Click here to purchase items from the Happy Friends Collection.

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by Gerardine aka Organik D’va

I always knew looking back on my tears would bring me laughter, but I never knew looking back on my laughter would make me cry.
Cat Stevens

The purest sense of joy is when we laugh but not just your regular daily chuckle (well I hope it’s regular), I am talking about the one that you have to beg the person to stop because you are out of breath, your abs are on fire…you can’t control yourself! When was the last time you felt that way? If you have to think about it, well it has been too long! I suggest you rent a movie (my suggestion le diner de con or wedding crashers!!!)

There are other ways to get your ‘laugh on’!!!! One word…ok well two words…..Sugar Sammy!!!

There is a new comedy show in town! ‘ You’re Gonna Rire’ brought to you by Evenko and Sugar Nation. This new stand up is all in Frenglish, which is very representative of this beautiful city we live in called Montreal. We are constantly battling between french and english. Certain areas of Montreal are completely English from the signs to the people you bump into. Try to speak English in the east end of Montreal, they will eat you alive! They have no patience for people who don’t understand a word of English. Then you have the center (downtown) where all languages are allowed… go figure! One thing I can suggest, make sure you have a knowledge of both languages when you come to visit and you will be fine! Besides, it’s pretty sexy to know more than one language.

We had the chance to sit down with the mastermind behind the show for a comfortable conversation over hot chocolate and coffee! Everything that Sammy creates becomes a memorable moment, a moment to savour, like when you are having a good dessert… a sweet moment (hence the Sugar in his name).

When we conducted the interview, he was on his way to my parents hometown, Haiti! There was a series of concerts from december 18th to the 23rd for a big Christmas event called Nwèl in creole. There were notable performances from Ne-Yo, Corneille and even Oprah has graced us with her presence. Bringing comedy and music to the mix is always a winning combination! I have a few pictures from the event in Haiti!

Sugar Sammy comes from a good and loving family who has always supported his dreams. Honestly, we tried to find issues or a rebellious attitude that made him become an artist against all odds, but nothing. When he first saw Eddie Murphy’s Delirious stand up show, he knew that he wanted to become a comedian… simple as that! He has mastered the art ever since and it shows during his stand up performances!

We had a glimpse of what he is capable of during the interview and it might sound predictable but Sugar Sammy is hilarious! He is simple and very comfortable in his own skin, no pretentious attitude, you can feel that his momma raised him right!

You still have time to get tickets for his show ‘You’re Gonna Rire’ since there has been a few dates that opened up but they are selling out QUICKLY! Click here for more info and of course on Réseau Admission.

We will be hearing alot more from Sam (Sugar Sammy) for he is on his way to the top! He not only has aspirations to keep making people laugh (which he says is the best job) but also to produce many other things (is he thinking tv/movie?) . All I can say is Remember the face and Remember the name!

Life doesnt have to be complicated. I believe that we all had a moment when our little voice told us ‘exactly what we want to do for a living. Some of us have suppressed it for any given reason and others have listened, pushed forward and put the energy into it to make it happen. You can either listen to that voice or suppress it. Its your life… your choice!

Enjoy the new year, be you!

Organik D’va

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