By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
I became a Social Worker right after I graduated from University.  When my husband was first transferred to the States, I had lots of time one my hands so I decided to try yoga. After my first yoga class I was hooked and became immersed in the yoga community to a point where I was offered a job and soon worked my way up

Where do you start with these folks? They already have everything, they don’t want anything, they’re difficult and picky… We have some in our family too. What to do? Ignoring them is not a sensible option, whether the “impossible” person in question is the mother-in-law or the boss. So, then, we thought that these types should probably be receiving virtual gifts. No, not a virtual Facebook cupcake, but rather something that is meaningful, of interest to them and that, more importantly, won’t gather dust.
Let us know what you think of these ideas…

Catalog Choice Unlisting [...]

By Kristin Fast, Guest Contributor and Mamarazzi
Dear Shoppers,
Well dears, it’s that time of year again… the time of year when one purchase can make or break many a relationship… the time of year when you find yourself desperately succumbing to just any old thing because despite a month of thinking about it, 2 weeks of late night Internet browsing, and 4 days of running out to the local shops on your lunch hour, you’re still empty handed and have nothing to give your mother.
So you buy her a Snuggie and hope she gets the joke. Or maybe actually likes [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
It is Veteran’s Day (Remembrance Day in Canada) today and I think about my nephew fighting in Afghanistan for the British Army (Canadians can do that) and pray for his safe return. I also think about what we all are fighting for. And I’m thinking about the significance of the Nobel Peace Prize. Liu Xiaobo won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for his “long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights in China”. By being a human rights activist Liu Xiaobo called for democratic reforms and the end of one-party rule in China. He is [...]

You’ve probably heard of Tosca Reno. She is the author of the Eat Clean Diet. And she is the woman who, at age 40, decided to transform herself from an overweight housewife and mother of three into a swimsuit model. Which she still is at the age of 50! She is showing us that indeed, Fifty is the new Thirty.
I was sent her latest book, Your Best Body Now, by her publicist and was eager to share it with you. Tosca is a true inspiration.
If you are a late bloomer to the fitness world and/or, like many women, have put [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
I do not consider myself a yogi, but I do practice yoga and also teach it. I feel I have a good understanding of asanas (poses) and their Sanskrit names. I understand the different styles of hatha yoga; Ashtanga, Iyengar, Viniyoga and Anusara to name a few. I understand what pranayama is. I have studied the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Eights Limbs of Yoga. I have read the

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
You may have noticed that I like IKEA. When I need something for the home I think of IKEA. I love their simple, inexpensive ways to freshen up the home, to fill a specific home décor need or to make a simple meatball with gravy dinner. To me, IKEA is for the home just as a grocery store for food. The more I find out about IKEA, the more I like it and what it stands for. I thought you might also be interested in these little known facts about the brand:

IKEA is an acronym [...]

BloggersUnite, in conjunction with WaterAidAmerica and megree.com, has invited bloggers to spread the word about the condition of water in developing countries: 4000 children die each day due to illnesses from lack of clean drinking water.

Clean water is essential for life but 1 in 8 of the world’s population doesn’t have access to it. WaterAid is looking to raise awareness about the need for clean water in developing countries, to convey the message that sanitation is a critical sector in human development outcomes.
Diarrheal diseases caused by poor sanitation and unsafe water kill more children than AIDS, malaria and [...]

This film is not out yet, but look for it to be released this fall. It’s one of those really “important” films, like Food, Inc. and an Inconvenient Truth (same filmmaker Davis Guggenheim) “Waiting for Superman” is one of those must-see movies. Through real-life children’s stories, this documentary tells us how the U.S. school system, once the best in the world, is now utterly failing our kids – to the point of calling the schools “drop-out factories” and “academic sinkholes”. Still, it seems that the documentary offers hope as Guggenheim explores alternative, innovative approaches that could revive the system.
The current [...]

What’s your most, most favorite boutique, shop, restaurant? I bet that it’s locally owned by an individual, not a corporation (if you are here, reading us, I’m confident that this is a correct assumption and that you are not about to answer Ann Taylor or Olive Garden!).
Think about what makes shopping or dining in that favorite place so special. The service? The atmosphere? The unique selections? That they know your name or will order something especially for you?
When I lived in Orange County and Las Vegas, shopping independent small stores was really difficult. The large shopping mall and strip mall [...]