Showing posts with label Luxe Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luxe Life. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Grapes: Japanese Pione

 A trip to Japan is on my Bucket List.  I have seen a couple of videos showing how expensive grapes can cost there.  Why? Are they worth the price? The bunch below by Mrs Paley on Instagram cost $55 back in October 2019.  Don't these plump, purple Pione grapes look appealing though?

I want to see them and taste them first-hand. For now, further research, pictures, and videos will do.  



Pione grapes are a large varietal that grows in short, thick, and dense bunches. Each grape averages 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter and has a uniform and plump, round to oval shape. The grape’s skin is thick, smooth, and taut, appearing in shades of dark purple-red. The surface is also covered in a powdery blue-grey bloom, a protective coating that prevents disease and moisture loss. This bloom is edible and can be easily removed by wiping the fruits. Underneath the surface, the flesh is pale, translucent green, aqueous, and firm with a jelly-like consistency. The flesh may also contain a few small seeds or be found seedless, depending on cultivation practices. Pione grapes are aromatic and have high sugar content, ranging from 16 to 18 Brix. The grapes also contain moderate acidity, contributing to the flesh’s sweet-tart, sugary flavor with subtle fruity and wine-like undertones. - Specialty Produce

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

13The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Song of Solomon 2

Pione Grapes





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Sunday, March 15, 2020

Bathroom Renovation: Shower Niche Trumps Shower Caddy

pc: getclever
Best decision ever to have 5 wall niches put in during our  recent home renovation projects. They're clever, modern, discreet, safe, practical, and of minimal cost. 

So You Want to Install a Shower Niche

Hypothesis: A shower niche (aka a tiny carved-out shelf for shampoo bottles and other toiletries) is the height of bathroom luxury. Whether one is covered in shimmering tiles or coated in Mediterranean-inspired plaster, the tiny nook just feels utterly chic. For one, it also gives you a place to display your pretty products—so long, shower caddy. Plus, building one into your bathing space can make you feel like you’re living in a hotel (housekeeping not included). Convinced yet?
If you’re renovating, it’s a pretty easy add that’ll make even the most cramped showers sing. The challenge isn’t how to implement it; it’s narrowing down the styling options out there to just one look. We pulled a few bathrooms currently inspiring us. 

Try a Two-Toned Look

pc: L Joliet


Go Big or Go Home

pc: CP Summers


Play Up a Retro Vibe

pc: U Gunerkan


Make It Monochrome

pc: Studio DIY


Contrast the Tiles

pc: D Piassik


Pull Inspo From the Greek Islands

pc: M Pilkington


Pay Homage to Your Geometry Class

pc: A Forsey


Don’t Be Afraid to Go Bold

pc: S Busken

Read the full Domino Magazine article H E R E

Raise your hand if your morning routine involves navigating around shampoo bottles perched precariously on the tub ledge, body wash and conditioner piled in a corner, or the sad caddy hanging from the shower head. It's as annoying as it gets, and it's ugly, too. The thing is, when you're renovating your bathroom, it's easy to let this predicament slip your mind as you peruse pretty new tiles and fixtures. But we're here to tell you: Don't get distracted. Ask your contractor to incorporate a shower niche for storage—it will be the best decision you ever made.  - Architectural Digest








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Saturday, July 20, 2019

Brooklyn Decker's Ceiling-tile Decor

Ms Decker's inspiration for her kitchen's ceiling is Biltmore House's tiled pool ceiling.

The guy she hired to do the crown moulding had a great-grandpa employed at the Biltmore's worksite in the 19th-century. The skills and tools were passed on!

The Vanderbilt's residential indoor pool was one of the firsts in the USA. Also, electricity for homes was in its infancy, especially for underwater use.
 Biltmore House had underwater lights in its indoor swimming pool at a time when many homes were still lit with candles, oil and gas lamps. Electricity was in its formative years during the home’s construction, so Biltmore architect Richard Morris Hunt decided to wire the home with both Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC), since at the time no one knew which would become the standard. The latest technology extended all the way to the Vanderbilts’ 70,000 gallon swimming pool. Lights powered by low-voltage direct current lit the pool from under the water.  Located along the sides, the lights were sealed inside glass globes protected by metal cages. ncfieldfamily.org






We need to "fix" our own kitchen's ceiling. The look is not as seamless as I'd like. Will subway tile cover-up its slight imperfections?   How well will the tile hold up?  Or, do we just remove all of the popcorn ceiling to have one smooth ceiling?  Hmmmm, decisions, decisions.













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Thursday, August 2, 2018

Dental Health: Artisanal Toothpaste

I spend 2-3x a day brushing my teeth. Why not get the best product I can afford since, supposedly, the number one source of disease is the mouth?

So, high-quality,good-for-me toothpaste here I come.


My first purchase.  I chose Schmidt's   tooth+mouth paste for the variety of flavours plus it was affordable (need to wean myself of on-sale toothpaste from Walgreens).  Set of 5 for $25.99 + s/h.  Otherwise, $5.99 each.  My next order with Schmidt's earned me a free shipping code.


Per Schmidt's website:

INGREDIENTS FIRST

We prioritize ingredients that are derived from nature. When developing our formulas, we look to innovative botanicals and mineral-derived ingredients that are packed with healthy benefits for our bodies. Everything we produce is manufactured without harming any animals, and we never purchase ingredients from suppliers that test their products on animals — Schmidt’s is committed to staying certified vegan and cruelty-free. Schmidt’s Naturals products are always free of aluminum, propylene glycol, SLS, PEG, parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrance, artificial flavor, artificial colorants, and artificial sweeteners.


looks good!
First up: Wintermint with Activated Charcoal.  Paste not as black as son wanted it to be. Kind of reminds me of bird doodoo, lol.  Refreshing mint taste comes thru.


Schmidt's description:
  • Activated Charcoal, flavored with Wondermint: Enticingly cool, fresh mint, without the bitter aftertaste. A fresh and wondrous take on classic minty flavors.
  • Appealing onyx grey toothpaste color from the addition of charcoal. Not a dark black paste.
  • Helps freshen breath and whiten teeth with regular brushing.
  • With CoQ10, goji and pomegranate extracts, organic aloe leaf juice, magnolia bark extract, and vitamin E.
  • Encourages mouth health, helping combat plaque and tartar with regular brushing.
  • Free of SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), SCS (Sodium Coco-Sulfate), PEG (Polyethylene Glycol), artificial sweeteners and dyes.


After we go through these Schmidt's products, I'd like to buy this very expensive toothpaste ... to match one of my favourite fragrances, hahaha.
pc: Anthropologie
 Lebon toothpaste
Not only is it free of chemicals and toxic ingredients, but it’s also handmade in the same factory as Chanel No. 5. It's the creme de la creme of French toothpaste. And boy has it elevated my teeth game. Not only do my teeth feel clean, they feel French and fancy—très chic. (K Limoges, Domino Magazine)








Top 10 Reasons to Avoid SLS

Activated Charcoal Uses & Benefits

Schmidts: 5-pack

Boka: Science-backed Ingredients

Himalaya Toothpaste




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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Dentist Office: Indoor Waterfall

I like waiting at my Dentists' waiting room, especially if I am doing just that -- waiting for someone else who is several doors away (where I can not hear her), getting her rotten teeth filled with the help of multiple Novocaine shots to deaden the pain. 
So, I wait and wait; and sit on a nice leather chair in a tastefully decorated room. There is free coffee from a Keurig, and a playroom for young children.  I can watch cable TV from multiple screens or read the latest magazines. The indoor waterfall trickling down the floor-to-ceiling glass wall provides a soothing background sound. However, I am aware that since the Dentists' move to this - their new luxurious pad - my family has had to have more appointments than ever. Coincidence, or part of a well thought-out plan on their part?  How much of this luxury is funded, indirectly or directly, out of my own pocket??









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