Saturday, December 15, 2012

New Super Food- Dark Chocolate!

I'm a chocolate nut!!  Although I don't care for sweets in general such as cake, cookies and candy, I do have a weakness for chocolate!  Who can blame me?  It's hard to resist a smooth, silky piece of chocolate with crunchy hazelnut pieces! 

The best part is that chocolate is not only delicious, it's also very healthy!!  Research has shown cocoa to be very high in antioxidants, which is great for fighting off disease.  In fact, chocolate has ranked highest in antioxidants when compared to other fruit juices deemed "Super Foods", with the exception of Pomegranate.

What makes the cocoa bean the new "Super Food"?  The cocoa bean contains polyphenols and flavonols, which are also found in various seeds and fruits.  These components are knows to help against cardio-vascular disease and help keep the arteries clean. 

So, the next time you have a an urge for a sweet treat, reach out for a dark chocolate bar.  It'll make your heart glad!

Check out these dark chocolate, caramels with sea salt.  Yummy!!






Thursday, November 29, 2012

Handmade Women's Fashion Hats - Millinery

Although the style and shape of hats have changed over the centuries, they never seem to become obsolete. Perhaps it is out of necessity as a warm hat protects us from the cold elements of winter, or maybe it's a wide brim hat that will serve to shelter us from the damaging effects of the sun. It might even be to hide the fact that we're having a really bad hair day.

A hat should not only be worn out of necessity.  A well chosen hat, be it the straw hat, the flapper hat, the baseball cap, the beach hat, the garden hat, the party hat, the wide brim hat or the fancy hat, displays one's personal sense of style and adds the finishing touch to any outfit.



As you probably noticed, women's fashion hats practically disappeared in the 70's, but they have since made a huge comeback with gorgeous designs to suit every style and unique personality.

When I hear the words felt hat, I immediately link it to manufacturers such as Stetson or Henschel.  Like me, you might be surprised to learn that the art of hat making or "Millinery", is actually an increasingly popular art form that is taken on by creative individuals with a flair for design.    Anne De Pasquale is such an individual.

"Anne is from New York City, in the USA. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in textiles. She began her career in NYC fashion by working for designers Betsey Johnson, Anna Sui, and Donna Karan, JLO. With a desire to reconnect with artisan craft, she began working under Theatrical milliners creating hats for Broadway, TV and movies.

Acclaimed by the media, Anne De Pasquale’s designs have been included in "The Best Of " issue of Accessories which noted the “Impeccable blocked hats of Anne De Pasquale as a highlight of The Market NYC”. They also have been featured in various media outlets such as: Good Day New York, The New York Times, and WWD. Anne's hats can be seen on celebrities such as Kate Hudson in the Hollywood."

You can shop for one of Anne's beautiful, artisan hats here at her Etsy Shop "Anne De Pasquale Couture Millinery".  No matter where you are in the world,  you can make an original, one of a kind, Anne De Pasquale hat your own, because she ships these little works of art all over the world.

Anne's motto is: "Free your mind and your hat will follow."

Here are a few examples of her creative work: