A few weeks ago, Aeroplan hosted a glass blowing event at the East Vancouver studio of Braden Hammond. I signed up because 1. I've always be curious as to how glass blowings works 2. I like artists' studios and 3. I'm deficient when it comes to any kind of craft/artwork, so I thought a lesson would be helpful.

It's a working glass studio, so walking around barefoot is not advised. Safety goggles are a must (no photos, please!) when using the burners, and snooping was definitely allowed. After a few demonstrations by Braden, we got our pick of glass sticks.

Which you then start turning in front of the very hot burners. It sounds a bit weird to put a glass stick in front of a flame, but you quickly get used to it.

While Braden is a master at turning out perfectly shaped beads my beads were not so... round. But that's what Etsy is for.

We sat down with this Vancouver-based Cosmetic Dermatologist and mom of three, Dr. Shannon Humphrey to discuss a revolutionary way to get rid of muffin tops and batwings, sans surgery.

Vitamin Daily:
Bikini season is fast approaching so we are all interested in the procedure you offer called CoolSculpting. It sounds almost too good to be true. Can you describe how it works in a nutshell?
Dr. Humphrey:
CoolSculpting™ is a safe, non-invasive treatment that uses extremely cold temperatures to kill unwanted fat cells that have proven themselves immune to diet and exercise. (The scientific mechanism is called cryolipolysis, which means frozen fat breakdown.)

V:
The procedure was developed at Harvard and is FDA approved. It has an interesting backstory as to how it was discovered. Can you explain?
Dr. H:
A visionary dermatologist from Harvard took inspiration from a childhood disorder called "cold panniculitis" to develop a procedure for fat reduction in adults. Cold panniculitis can occur when young children are exposed to extremely cold temperatures for long periods of time, leading to the development of frozen pockets of fat in their cheeks. Over time these areas of fat shrink down and may develop a "dent" or "dimple" on the child's skin. It is this same process, cryolipolysis, that can now be applied in a controlled environment to reduce stubborn and unwanted bulges of fat in healthy adults.

V:
You are not only a Doctor but also a busy mom of three girls, one of whom is still a baby. As moms we know that the dreaded "mommy tummy" never completely goes away no matter how many Pilates sessions we attend or how many times we have our dressing on the side. Is CoolSculpting safe and effective for Mommy pouch and muffin top?
Dr. H:
Pregnancy is certainly a risk factor for a "mommy pouch" and muffin top! As time marches on, many patients, including moms, develop fat bulges that will not respond to diet and exercise. Coolsculpting is an excellent option for both of these "problem spots", as long as the patient has a normal and stable bodyweight and pays good attention to diet and exercise. As a doctor and a busy mom of three I have tried the treatment myself and have experienced great results.

V:
The procedure takes an hour (after an initial consultation) and your website says that people work on their laptops while having it done. Really?
Dr. H:
Absolutely. Most patients find the treatment quite comfortable and can easily read a magazine, chat on the phone, watch a movie or work on their laptop while having their treatment.  Following an initial consultation, including taking some photos, etc., each application takes one hour. We have two Coolsculpting devices, which can be applied simultaneously to dual bulges (e.g. muffin top), making the process even more efficient.

V:
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Who is the ideal candidate for CoolSculpting, how much does it cost, and what results can one expect?
Dr.H:
The ideal candidate has a normal (BMI up to 25) and stable body weight with a localized "bulge" of fat. Some of the most common target areas are the belly, love handles, bra fat/back fat, inner thighs, under arms and male breasts. The cost in our practice ranges from $750-$1,500 for the first application depending on the size of the bulge being treated. One can expect a 20% reduction in the size of the bulge with each application. Many of our patients who are satisfied with one treatment opt for repeat applications to offer additional improvement. We expect a similar reduction with each application.

V:
Thanks for your time Dr. Humphrey and see you at the beach!

Dr. Humphrey, Cosmetic Dermatologist, Suite 820-943 W. Broadway, Vancouver, 604-714-0222, www.carruthers.net

For more information on CoolSculpting visit www.coolsculpting.net.

Ever wonder how clothes go from the runway to the rack? The Fashion Buyer, that's how. One of the most interesting and sought-after jobs in the industry (just ask our Editor-in-chief Sarah Bancroft, who used to do it for Aritzia), a fashion buyer's job isn't just about looking at clothes - they have to be pretty handy with the excel spreadsheet, too. (But we'll leave the numbers to them.)

We virtually tagged along with the team from Vancouver's Secret Location, an upscale concept store in Gastown that stocks the international labels rarely found in Canada, on a buying trip to Paris, London and Milan. High style was the order: runway shows, private viewings with designers and, of course, shopping. They shared some photos with us:

Up close at the David Koma show - we love the structure and texture of this look.

Who wouldn't want the Kaiser on their chest? We imagine this Tee on a few off-duty models this fall.

And part of being a fashion buyer is doing lots of research, like perusing iconic international boutique 10 Corso Como in Milan. Gallery, bookshop, boutique, cultural hub - it's truly lifestyle eye candy.

Secret Location owner Carey Melnichuk has her own fashion moment.

Who says fashion girls don't eat? Dinner at Derrier in Paris.

Night falls on the City of Light.

 Secret Location, 1 Water St.,  Vancouver www.secretlocation.ca

Canadian actress Kathleen Robertson is in town promoting her new CBC film Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story. It chronicles the life of hockey legend Gordie Howe, and she plays his wife, Colleen. Gordie loved the game so much he came out of retirement at 45 and continued to play pro until finally re-retiring at 52. A fitting story for a Toronto audience, hot on the heels of the Leafs making the playoffs [Ed note: Welcome to the club! - Sincerely, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal].

It airs April 28th at 8 p.m., on CBC.

I managed to grab a coffee with Kathleen before she flew back to her LA home.

KH: As a Canadian actress when the CBC comes to you and says they’re making a movie on Gordie Howe, do you feel obligated to say yes?

KR: Yes. Yes. Ha- well, I mean I definitely love working here and I try to do a couple jobs a year. It’s probably one of the jobs that my family is most excited about. They can’t wait to see it! A lot of times I get offered Canadian stuff that I’m not into, but in this case the script was really strong.

KH: I know you’re the proud mum of a 4 year old boy right now, did you see your future self in this role? A hockey mom in training?

KR: He’s definitely more cerebral, very into building - I think he might be more creative than athletic, so I don’t really think so - but you never know.

KH: Well, in the movie you proved you have a firm grip on what offside is though- surely that’s half the battle?

KR: Yes, well, that little scene with that little monologue was the hardest scene I filmed in the movie. There’s always that one scene that freaks you out and intimidates you. [Robertson has a scene where she has to explain offside to a classroom full of people] And for some reason that scene was so tricky. So specific - and I knew it was the one scene where people would call me out if I was wrong. I wanted to make sure the sports fanatics were happy with it.

KH: I was surprised by the amount of involvement Colleen Howe [Robertson’s character] had in the film, her level of involvement essentially made her one of the first female sports agents. That can’t have been a very easy job for someone who didn’t sign up for that?

KR: For sure- especially at that time.

KH: The team managers say among themselves, “Did we just get propositioned by a hockey mom?”

KR: Yeah, you can’t just be a hard worker, you have to be labelled a ‘hockey mom’. She was hugely respected by all of those guys. She was very protective of her sons and husband, and I’m sure she would say it was about getting what they deserve and making sure that they weren’t exploited.

KH: She was certainly a strong figure, but also an excellent dresser. Lucky you!


KR: I know! I had 58 costume changes! Unprecedented for me. A ton! Most movies there’s maybe 4 or 5 at the MOST. So for this - I arrived in Winnipeg and the costume designer said: “okay, so we have 58 costume changes, and they’re alllll vintage.” She sourced it from all over Winnipeg costume houses, and rented what she couldn’t find.

KH: Were you able to swipe any of it? Because there was some killer stuff in there.

KR: No, sadly. I wasn’t - the stuff I loved was all rented, so our conversation would go a lot like this: I say - this is sooo cool can I keep it?  And she would say, “Don’t you dare”, and slap my hand. It had to be returned. Every time I would come out in a new outfit the ladies would coo “Ooooh I love it”. The time period echoes a lot of what’s going on in fashion right now. Plus- no one has it, which is even more fun. The guys in the movie weren’t so lucky.

KH: Poor Gordie. As a whole.

KR: Oh and the guys with the wigs- yikes. To be fair- mine was a wig too though.

KH: When I was watching the film I found more than anything it was a story about moving forward with your life when you know your biggest career achievement is behind you. That’s what I connected to in the movie - Gordie pushing himself back into hockey at 45 years old, knowing that he could probably never perform the same as he once did. Have you ever felt there was a time in your life where you went “It just isn’t going to get any better than this.” Or do you feel that it’s still in front of you?

KR: That’s an interesting question. First off- I would agree. I love that aspect of the movie. Anyone who is in a career that is age-related, you have a certain sense of realization that there is a window. Especially for women. So I think it’s something I’ve always been kind of aware of and weirdly looking forward to getting older as an actress, because the roles get so much better. Especially on television. In your 20s you’re the girlfriend, the pretty girl. For me it’s weird, because I feel like now my career is better than it has ever been. It shouldn’t go that way. In my 20’s I felt like I had a deep voice and it didn’t cater to those kinds of roles. Now my roles are stronger. I’ve been really lucky to have it happen later, because I’m able to appreciate it more.

KH: Sadly, your last show BOSS was cancelled, and I know it broke a lot of hearts.

KR: Mine included.

KH: Has that sadness been a bit eased by the huge outpouring on Twitter? People went crazy, they were so upset!

KR: That role for me completely changed the trajectory of my career. It was such an amazing role and it was the role I had been waiting for. We got to do two seasons, which was incredible, we all would have loved to have done more, but when it was cancelled I couldn’t help but feel I was never going to find another role as good as that. I  was in a funk, I read for a new show, and told the producer in the meeting that my show had been cancelled and I was very sad. He said something that I thought was so great - he said, “good work lives on forever.” It was an experience, it was wonderful, and now onto the next.

KH: Plus- people must write you on Twitter everyday to tell you how much they love you right? Surely that’s worth something when you get down on things? Ratings are one thing- interaction is another.

KR: That’s true- one thing I have found about Twitter is that it’s ALL positive!

KH: I think you may be the first person in the world to say that.

KR: Really? Do you find that it’s negative? 


KH: HA! Yes, I would say it’s where everyone goes to hide and rage type. But, maybe not to you, because you’re extremely loveable.

KR: I get a lot of marriage proposals, and me and my husband love it.

KH: So you’re heading back to LA in a couple hours, did you have time to grab a Toronto souvenir for your boy?

KR: I did! Actually, he asked for specifics this time. Kinder Eggs- because you can’t get them there. And he asked for (laughs) My Little Pony. He wants the blue one, for when his girl friends come over. So he is now the proud new owner of a My Little Pony.

KH: I love that.

xo Holland

Photo by Katherine Holland

The Found and the Freed have just opened their most recent pop up store in Gastown. After another buying trip scouring the continent for interesting and beautiful furniture and home accessories, Ainsley and Lindsay have opened (pop) shop at 207 Abbott street until May 10th.

Expect the usual Found and the Freed goods: beautifully aged furniture, industrial home décor, and bizarre found objects, like the taxidermied crocodile head below ($58.)

This old wooden locker ($585) would make a beautiful storage cabinet, possibly to hold your bag and coat?

The metal file tray ($48) will happily hold all of our unwated bills.

And this beautiful standalone globe ($155) will remind of all the places we want to visit.

The Found and the Freed, 207 Abbott Street, Gastown. 11am-7pm weekdays and 11am-5pm weekends. Open until May 10th. www.thefoundandthefreed.com

This week I had the opportunity to try out savvy mother and daughter duo Karen and Kristen Petrovich’s new skincare line själ with specialist Seril James. Själ, meaning spirit, mind, body and soul, goes beyond your typical skincare line with worldly elements (Chinese, Tibetan, Ayurvedic, Homepathic and Vitbrational medicine are all part of the line), with ingredients from give continents.

First Seril used the själ balans (balance) deep pore cleanser to cleanse, brighten and detoxify my skin. The cleanser was super lightweight and smelled delicious! 

Next he exfoliated my skin with the själ pearl enzyme (polish) exfoliating mask, which helped to polish and brighten. You could really smell the organic ingredients in the mask, which means it was working!

After that I was given the själ serum1 (structural) liquid vitamin lift, which really hydrated my skin and helped bring all that puffiness down.

To really meet the needs of the delicate area around the eye, Seril used the själ orbe eye contour crème to reduce the puffiness and really get rid of those under-eye circles we all hate.

Last but not least, I was given the själ Kashmir saphir (restore) perfecting mask. This mask not only had a beautiful color, but it smelled wonderful. The mask is great for evenings, as it really helps to calm the skin.

The great thing about the själ line is that it has been created for all ages and skin types, so even if you’re skin is super sensitive, you don’t need to worry. After getting treated with the själ facial, my skin felt refreshed and was left glowing.

Available at Kiss & Makeup 925 Main St  West Vancouver and online at http://kissandmakeupstore.com/collections/sjal

We are always on the lookout for the next big thing, and after checking out Evan Ducharme's work, we think he is a definite contender. The VCAD graduate's final collection was so promising, he won a spot in Fashion Night Out's massive runway show. Next week, he will be presenting his Fall 2013 collection at Eco Fashion Week so we sat down with him to have a sneak peek at his sketches and ask him a few questions about his collection and customer. Note that the photographs are from his last collection.

Vitamin Daily: Who is the Evan Ducharme woman? 

Evan Ducharne: She is someone with an appreciation for high-end textiles and design, who wants to create a unique wardrobe that is still infused with an air of classicism without losing a modern sensibility.

VD: What can we expect from your collection in terms of silhouette and fabrics?

ED: This season I'm focusing on an elongated silhouette married with the nipped waist/accentuated hip look that my customer really responds to.  I'm also exploring a more voluminous shape in outerwear and skirts. As for fabrics I'm working with recycled Melton wool, reclaimed cotton, and locally sourced silk/cotton blend and double knits for a majority. I am also producing knitwear for the first time with aid from knitwear designer Rhyanna Gathright.

VD: There are constantly new designers trying to break into the fashion industry, what sets you apart from the rest?

ED: I feel like I was given a more realistic education when it comes to running a new fashion business, especially when it comes to choosing your target customer. Most new brands cater to a younger, more trend driven customer who demands an entirely new look every season at a price they can afford, which is hard for a new company to achieve with there being such a saturated market in that area. On the other hand I design for a customer who is more established in their life and in their look, so that they can build upon that by getting a few new pieces per season to revive her wardrobe.

VD: What are the biggest challenges to running a new, small fashion business?

ED: One of the biggest challenges is building a new brand is generating hype and getting people interested in what I'm doing. A large amount of my customer base isn't interested in social media and the usual avenues of generating buzz, so I have to work in a different way towards getting my label known to potential clients.

VD: The Vancouver fashion scene is small but strong. Who are the people you admire and/or look up to in our local industry?

ED: Nicole Bridger has created a thoroughly unique and interesting brand with amazing product, and I really admire that. I also admire the work of the team at Jason Matlo.

Check out Evan Ducharme's show on Tuesday April 23rd at 8pm. Sponsored by VCAD and OPUS Hotel, tickets available online. Photos by Matthew Burditt, styling by Deanna Palkowski, and hair/makeup by Negar Hooshmand.

Spring, blooming cherry blossom trees, Earth Day - the change of season is in the air, which means a clean sweep is in order.

And not just for our closet. This is the perfect time of year to asses the contents of our pantry and let go off all the remaining Easter chocolate and sadly, ketchup chips.

It's also time to stock up on the fresh food, which is where The Juice Box comes in handy. If a straight-up juice cleanse isn't for you (we've tried, and it actually is an amazing reset for the body), then juicing with a combination of whole and raw foods is a fantastic option, too.

The Juice Box dropped off a a series for us to try (because they are uber-fresh, they last about 3 days, which wasn't a problem for us). I loved the glass bottles, which gave it the feel of an old-fashion milk carton and made reusing a snap - we kept a few for water bottles. (The can also be returned for deposit or recycled.)

On the menu: Tumeric Tonic, which definitely had a bite, Deep Green with Lemon (kale, cucumber and celery), Heartbeat (the girls in the office raved about this beet and apple concoction), and my favourite Carrot Orange and Ginger (couldn't get enough of this one).

If you've never tried cold-pressed juice, it's not your run-of-the-mill drink. It's filling and gives an instant energy boost that lasts much longer than caffeine or sugar (minus the yucky crash). I'm terrible at eating breakfast, so found a juice a great substitute for that, as well as the dreaded 3 o'clock hunger pain. An office mate took a green juice to yoga for a post-om refreshment and absolutely loved it.

We're not missing those chocolate eggs at all, I swear.

http://thejuicebox.ca

With the forecast showing nothing but sun I decided to surprise my husband with a spring fling to Whistler for his birthday. We kicked it off with lunch at the newly opened Canyon in North Vancouver and after two delicious chicken ceasar salads paired with a glass of Hatfield's Fuse, we hit the road.

We scored huge with the sun shining down on us at the always peaceful Scandinave Spa. We dipped and dunked and steamed and sauna'd our way into bliss before heading to the Four Seasons Whistler. Forget La Mer, I completely swear by the hot then plunging cold baths as the best beauty product out there. www.scandinave.com/en/whistler

After a blissful sleep in a gorgeous mountainview suite we awoke to California temperatures and hit the Four Seasons pool. It's my family's fave as its heated to the hilt and big enough to do laps.

Suntanning at the Four Seasons Whistler patio during their complimentary wine tasting for lucky guests like us (the Whistler Escapes package is a favourite because it's this plus breakfast, valet and WiFi, perfect for an easy weekend away). We loved the local cheeses and wines from Prospect Point. My husband hasn't seen me this relaxed since before our son was born! www.fourseasons.com/whistler

Spring skiing rocks: no line ups, no cold and plenty of new powder from a fluke snowfall the night before. Here are my boys hitting the slopes (as my three year old is fond of saying) at Blackcomb, their mountain of choice. I hung back style spotting cute talent in for the Whistler Ski & Snowboard Festival on until April 21, 2012.

—Tara Parker Tait

Last two days of Coachella brought all the stars. We rubbed elbows with the always hip Kristen Stewart, newly reunited with Edward Cullen, er, Robert Pattinson, at Hot Chip. However, everyone was distracted by the other sexy vampire, Alexander Skarsgard, who seems to be the band's biggest fan.

Katy Perry, who arrived with an entourage of girlfriends, danced away to Yeah Yeah Yeahs. A major style icon of ours, Chloë Sevigny, checked out The Stone Roses and The Make-Up. Backstage, we caught a glimpse of Lindsay Lohan demanding a lot of attention and Talulah Willis hoping to be recognized (not many people did).

Young or old, no one wanted to stand anywhere close to the slew on models who always seem to move in packs: Alessandra Ambrosio, Chanel Iman, Frankie Ryder, and other twig-legged catwalk faces. Best dressed celebrity award goes to Solange Knowles in her pink Alice and Olivia skirt. The nicest celeb award goes to Kate Bosworth, who kindly agreed to pose for a pic.

All the cool kids like Alexander Wang and Agyness Deyn were at the Revolve Clothing and Henry Holland pool party at the painfully hip Saguaro hotel in Palm Springs. The gracious host was out and about chatting with neon-clad party goers. Vancouver contingent was strong as we ran into stylist Leila Bani and photographer Hana Pesut, who was shooting her Switcheroo series with Henry Holland himself. Palm Springs is a hipster heaven of sorts.

Visit Vitamin Daily on Instagram for more Coachella pics.