Finding your own point of view

I am a creativity junkie and while I generally despise reality TV, the addition of creatively-driven shows has been a good thing. Shows like Project Runway have sparked a renewed interest in home sewing. Not to mention all the new designers that have garnered exposure. Breaking into fashion is every bit as difficult as breaking into show business or modeling - and much more expensive. Top Chef  encourages young people to embrace the profession, which is terrific. And there are a host of other shows dealing with photography and design that showcase creativity and professionalism.

Living creatively and finding your own point of view can be life enhancing. It shouldn’t have to be something reserved for top chefs, designers, or artists. Living creatively with a point of view is about having style and a creative inspiration in your life every day.

It’s about taking time to follow up on a fabulous summer trip to the south of France with cooking classes, if Provencal food really got into your soul. Or maybe putting together a wonderful reading list of marvelous old books; think Hemingway, the Murphy’s, the Baekelands, Henry Miller. There was a fascinating mix of expat literati, painters, and thief wealth sponsors that fled to the Med after the war. If Paris and Costa Brava have captured your imagination and you are planning a trip, this type of reading can make the place come alive. Or maybe you are just back, and want to keep something of that wonderful European rhythm and spirit in your life. These tales can bring it alive. The best thing about visiting Europe is all the same old haunts are still there. Trace their steps and  immerse yourself. As you step, stimulate your creatively and develop your point of view.

If you are a woman who yawns at the past, try Trail of Crumbs by Kim Sunee or a collection of short stories by Andrea Lee called An Interesting Woman.

You may prefer cook books.  Buy one by Claudia Rodin and you’ll have history as well as wonderful recipes. Maybe your thing is art books and DVDs, or maybe you are a multimedia woman. The thing is getting exposed to it. So immerse yourself and enjoy!

It’s part of living and learning and taking time to develop your senses. For a special trip collect old pictures, menu cards, maps and books. Scan and copy the sections of books that work best for you. Put together your very own beautiful book, if you are tactile. There is a program that makes this super easy called www.scanalog.com .Use a sumptuous album and beautiful ribbon markers. Or put all of this in a lovely practical and beautiful binder for travel.  I adore creating a gorgeous album.

If you are a practical, techy type, scan it all and dump it into a device. You will know more than I how to do this, but the collection process is the same.

I love books and folders for projects such as cooking, design, and just about anything else, although when it comes to cooking, I am plain and practical. I have a huge collection of gorgeous and beloved cookbooks. I also print scores of recipes - my own and others - off the computer. I stash them all in loose-leaf books. I keep copies in the computer as they get very dirty in my kitchen and need constant replacement. It is a messy place of creativity and inspiration. I wouldn’t have it any other way! Inspiration comes from many places: books, magazines, photographs and even from quick scribbles and doodles. All these things contribute to a finely-honed point of view.

It’s all part of letting things sink in as opposed to just letting them just flow over the surface. It’s taking time to explore the arts you enjoy. 

So many women tell me they used to paint or would like to again. But sadly, they plan to wait until they retire to start again. I know we are all busy. But the benefits of being creative, physically as well as spiritually, are so great. Can any of us afford not to exercise our creative instincts?

Research shows we solve all problems better and faster when we engage in creative pursuits. The mind is nimble. The better versed a person is in a variety of subjects, the wider the knowledge base to draw from when solving complex problems - not to mention all the stress busting benefits. The ancient Greeks were proponents of the well-rounded man and women, as were the thinkers of the renaissance.

Cultivating your creativity doesn’t have to be a big deal. If you don’t sew, paint, throw pots or cook, apply your inner artist to something that does interest you. Perhaps you entertain - there are many interesting books on the art of the table. Some are simple modern books on table-setting such as Colin Cowie's wonderful books Colin Cowie's Chic or Effortless Elegance. Cowie’s books contain simple and elegant table designs and lots of other tips. There are countless books, not to mention designs in catalogs, from elegant shops such as Ashley’s, Tiffany’s and others. Setting a lovely table from casual to elegant can be a study in itself, just ask Martha Stewart.

If you are a budding fashionista with big taste and tiny budget, learning how to care for your clothes, developing an encyclopedic knowledge of fabrics, and even learning how to do simple repairs, are great investments in time.

Maybe this sounds like work to you, and if it does, it shouldn’t. I am talking about finding what is interesting and pleasurable, and getting the good out of it.

Darlings, life is short, so make it rich and delicious. So many people today just graze the surface. Develop your own creative point of view and bring it into all aspects of your daily life. Live life creatively, fully and really get the good out of things!

Learning to love travel again

Even before fuel prices rocketed sky high, it seemed the airlines and almost everyone else involved in the travel industry had conspired to make travel pure hell. Even my beloved business class on most domestic flights is a mere shadow of its former glory. Hotel and travel agents advertised as deluxe often fall far from the mark. As a population, we have become inured. Many young people don’t even know what really good service is; sadly they have never seen it. Dane Steele, owner and founder of Steele Luxury Travel is the real deal: a true lover and provider of luxury travel. His company organizes group trips to exotic destinations. Often the trips coincide with exciting events such as Carnival and Pride in Rio, or an elegant safari in Africa. They can also organize private excursions to any destination, but it is worth noting that most group trips can all be customized. 

In this exclusive interview Dane shares insider tips on how to get the best seat, pack your bag, and find best places to go - as well as his favourite websites. Don’t miss a word. With the euro and ticket prices set to soar this fall, we all will need every travel advantage we can glean. 

DD: If you go on a group trip, how much privacy or independence can you expect?

DS: Steele Luxury Travel has developed a new concept of group travel.  Understanding that not every traveler likes to travel the same as someone else would, we have created group travel with flexible options.  Steele Travelers will travel on the same flights, stay at the same hotels, but for most of our trips, they will have the opportunity to select from a long list of add-on excursions.  These excursions may include guided city jogs, city tours, wine tasting, and sporting events.  It is your vacation: you make the choices, we make it happen.

DD: What can you do when dealing with a travel agency or luxury resort/hotel to avoid disappointment?

DS: As a customer, you should not have to “avoid disappointment”.  You should put full trust in your selected travel agency/hotel or luxury resort.  But, believe me, if something goes wrong, you have every right to kick some butt and complain until satisfaction. 

DD: What are your favourite travel websites?

DS: My favorite travel websites are sidestep.com for searching for comparative airfares and schedules, Starwood.com for hotels, and United.com wins for best airline website.  For airline junkies, you have to check out Flyertalk.com for all the insider tips to mileage, upgrades, and secrets of the airline industry. And to top it all off, my favorite website is www.SteeleTravel.com for what reason, I am not sure…

DD: Are there any tips you can give our readers, when they are traveling on their own, for booking a better seat on crowded airlines. Do you have any other travel savvy tips to share?

DS: One of my favorite websites, which I did not mention above, is called seatguru.com. This website shows you which seats are the best on most major airlines for each jet they operate.  There is another secret website called seatcounter.com.  This website will show you how many seats and which fare classes are available on any flight. Most major airlines and ticket websites now show you a seat map of the flight, so you can select your seat and see how full it is.

DD: Do you have any foolproof packing tips?

DS: Packing tips: Grab your largest bag and start stuffing.  If you’re going to check that one bag, make it a big bag!  You never know if you find yourself one day, lying on Elia beach in Mykonos, and the most beautiful Greek hunk taps you on your tan shoulder and says “want to come with me to a private villa party this evening?"  With your big bag, you will be prepared.

DD:   What are some of your favourite, but least known, travel destinations?

DS: I love Thailand.  It’s affordable, luxurious, and filled with a spicy culture.  Bangkok for excitement then onwards to Phuket to relax.  I am also a big fan of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo in Mexico.  It is a great resort town that is not infiltrated with tourism … yet. 

DD: You have a new trip to South Africa. Africa is an exciting destination, what are some of the highlights for a first-time visitor?

DS: Our trip to South Africa encompasses everything one would want to see in this extremely foreign destination.  For 12 days, Steele Travelers will be treated to the ultimate luxuries of South Africa.  From the private gaming resort of Sabi Sabi to Victoria Falls to Capetown and Johannesburg, all areas of the map will be covered.  Steele travelers will jet from one destination to another while in South Africa and will stay in the most luxurious 5-star hotels and gaming resorts.  Many say that our itinerary is “a life changing experience”

Look delicious

Dark savage tans are things of the past. Chic women know the thing to do is to glow. Tanned summer skin should be as golden and delicious as a ripe Tuscan peach. DolceDolce’s in-house expert on self-tanners, Anne Gravel, tried Sun Sauce.

The secret in Sun Sauce is hemp. It helps to firm and tan at the same time for a luscious look. According to Anne, it delivered. She reported that it turned her skin a light golden colour, left it moist and conditioned, and there was no nasty tell-tale tanner odor. www.sunsauce.com

Bye-bye summer frizzes

One of the fastest ways to control summer frizzes is to lock in your style with a ceramic flat iron. The new ceramic flat irons, when properly used, needn’t damage healthy hair. Even coloured hair can safely be ironed, if you do it carefully. The hot iron locks in the style and locks out the humidity. Be sure to use a thermal protection product if your hair is fragile. Top stylists will tell you that a hot iron used one time quickly over the hair, is less damaging than a cooler iron run over hair repeatedly. Besides darlings, who has all that time?

One well-priced iron we tried and really liked was Prosilk’s Golden Flat Iron for $80. It heats up to 435f/225c, an ideal styling temperature, in seven seconds. It is a small, easy-to-use iron with ceramic plates, a swivel cord, and velour grips. It looks expensive and makes styling a snap. Flat irons are a great way to beat summer frizzes and a must for the fall’s 40’s waves and retro updos. www.prosilkprod.com

Multi-purpose shampoo bars from Lush

We all have had to learn to pack light and avoid packing any liquids over three ounces in our carry-ons. The new shampoo bars from Lush are a fab idea for the traveling fashionista. You can use one to wash your hair, body, and even your undies. You can even stash an extra one in your suitcase. There is no risk of spillage. With three types to choose from we love this easy-pack option. Great for camping too. How much easier is this to carry to the shower area than bottles?

Use the New Shampoo Bar on all hair types.  It’s an excellent stimulant for the scalp as well as an active cleanser that gets rid of all styling product residue, dirt, and grime. The New Shampoo Bar contains a potent blend of mint and nettle infusions with spices to help cleanse the hair deeply and act as a tonic for a healthy scalp. The Ultimate Shine Shampoo Bar is a lovely white shampoo bar with gold sparkly bits that will leave hair shiny and soft. It contains ylang-ylang, coconut oil, and exotic essential oils to keep tresses supple and glossy. Deliciously sweet violet leaf oil is said to relieve anger and anxiety. The Seanik Shampoo Bar is a pretty blue bar containing softening gel made from Pacific coast seaweed, protein-packed Japanese nori seaweed, and softening salt. It also has lemon oil and Orange Blossom Absolute for cleaning and scenting your hair, plus the exotic scents of mimosa and jasmine perfumes. $9.95 each at www.lush.com

My black is beautiful

Procter & Gamble's new initiative, “My Black Is Beautiful”, celebrates the diverse collective beauty of African-American women and encourages black women to define and promote their own beauty standard - one that is an authentic reflection of their indomitable spirit. Recognizing that beauty and self-confidence are intrinsically linked, My Black Is Beautiful is designed to ignite and support a sustained national conversation by, for, and about black women and how they are reflected in popular culture.

The multi-city tour features performances by celebrities including Angela Bassett, Hill Harper, and Tasha Smith. There are also free, hair and make-up services, discussion groups, plus much more. For more information: www.myblackisbeautiful.com

Capturing sunshine in a bowl

Summer soups are a delight. They go in and out of vogue and I am sensing a resurgence. So be ahead of the curve and serve one this week. This week’s recipe is inspired by a creative friend, who served a brilliant, yellow summer squash soup at her party last week.  It was spicy and perfect.

Soup like this is lovely in the summer, as you can serve it hot, cold or at room temperature.  You also can make it without dairy and even without chicken stock, if you have vegetarians (just substitute water or vegetable stock). This makes the recipe endlessly adaptable for family and entertaining needs. Soups like these are low-calorie, low-carb, and full of anti-oxidants. Dr. Michael Roizen, author of the RealAge books, and Dr. John La Puma, author of ChefMD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine have both expounded on the benefits of spices such as turmeric in preventing serious disease. So, every time I make a savory soup like this, I think fabulous, tasty medicine on my table for family and friends. It may sound crazy, but I really do. But with everyone trying to make us afraid of our food, I love feeling good about serving delicious and healthful fare. So darlings, to your health!

Spicy yellow squash soup

Wash and chop 1½ lbs. of yellow summer squash

Chop 1 large onion

Grate an inch of fresh ginger (I sometimes use an extra ½ inch as I like things extra hot)

Chop 1 or 2 large cloves of garlic (often add and extra puree clove at the end of cooking if I find I want a stronger garlic taste).

Sauté everything in ¼ cup of olive oil. Do not brown

Use a larger pot and cook gently, stir, and watch that you do not scorch

Grind in a mortar or clean grinder

2 tsp of salt or to taste

1 tsp. of black pepper fresh ground.

1 tsp coriander seeds (remove from green pods)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

Add to pot with:

1 tsp of turmeric

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1/2 tsp of cayenne

Add 6 cups of stock - chicken or vegetable from a box or homemade. Simmer until the vegetables are tender about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and puree the soup. Use a blender, stick blender, or processor, to purée. The texture should be smooth. Add fresh, finely chopped cilantro and the juice of a fresh lemon to the soup before serving. You also may want to thin the soup with additional stock before serving, it can thicken with refrigeration.

You may top each serving with a dollop of fresh yogurt or sour cream and chopped green chives, mint or fresh mild jalapeños.

I hope you are as inspired as I am by the summer to explore your creativity. It truly is a way to live a richer and fuller life, as well as alleviate the plague of modern life - stress. Creativity brings joy, but also helps us to know the best of ourselves. As always, I will encourage you to make our delicious and very easy recipe of the week and share it with someone you love. A full and happy table - even just for two - is one of the great joys in life.

Until next week, I wish you all a sweet week. Remember: please sign-up to DolceDolce if you haven’t already. DolceDolce is free! And forward us to all your friends. Because life should be sweet.