Ebony Escort Arianne St. Claire Independent Toronto Escort, Worldwide Companion

Canadian Gold

2010-02-28T15:03:00.000-08:00

Watching hockey is really stressful.. Who knew?
Mind you, I don't watch a lot of hockey but I did catch this game.

Nicely done!

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Arianne St. Claire

Chile

2010-02-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

Thoughts are with those in Chile..

Chile

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Arianne St. Claire

Chanel Outfits Auctions- Some Dating Back to 1920

2010-02-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

By JENNY BARCHFIELD
Associated Press Writer

Images
http://www.apimages.com/

PARIS -- Hundreds of fashionistas, collectors and would-be consumers with a dream jostled for a closer look at some of the more than 800 garments, accessories and shoes by the storied luxury giant Chanel that hit the auction blocks Thursday.

Lots on display included iconic tweed skirt suits, classic chain handbags, 1980s-era ensembles in screaming hues by the label's current designer, Karl Lagerfeld, and vintage haute couture gowns by Mademoiselle Chanel herself.

The organizer, auctioneer Pierre Cornette de San Cyr, said he expected the sale to fetch between euro200,000-euro400,000, though he added there "could be surprises."

Estimates for the lots range from euro20 ($27) for a bunch of buttons emblazoned with the label's hallmark double "C"s to euro10,000 for a 1923 drop-waisted dress in ivory silk - though most of the estimates hover around the couple-hundred-euro mark.

Star lots, which could end up fetching several times their estimates, included a 1935 haute couture sheath gown in fine black lace, its neckline embellished with a black silk bow - estimated at euro3,000-euro3,500 - and a 1929 afternoon dress in verdant leaf print, with a swingy jacket in emerald green - estimated at euro4,000-euro5,000.

While the vintage pieces - displayed on mannequins behind velvet ropes - were off limits to the public, most of the lots could be handled, inspected and even tried on. A hoard of women of all ages - some of them dressed in head-to-toe Chanel in a mark of brand loyalty - swarmed the racks, shimmying into slightly too-small jackets, swimming in oversized trenches, and sometimes, just sometimes, finding that perfect fit.

"This is my first time at an auction," said Francoise Brunet, a 65-year-old Parisian who said her "life's dream" was to own a quilted Chanel handbag. "My kids gave me some money for Christmas, so here I am, to make that dream come true."

The bags she hoped to bid on are estimated at about euro200. New, they go for nearly euro2,000, she said.

It took assessor Francoise Sternbach a year and a half to assemble the 820 lots, which she acquired from more than 120 private sellers. Some of the vintage items were dug out of trunks or rescued from attics where they had languished for decades, she said, adding she hoped those lots would end up going to museums.

With bidders expected from across Europe and telephone bidders calling in from as far afield as Asia and the Americas, the rest of the garments will likely get a chance to come back into fashion in the wardrobes of women from around the world.

"These are dresses which have lived during Mademoiselle Chanel's time, which went to the most famous parties, which were admired and worn by gorgeous women," said auctioneer Cornette de Saint Cyr. "And they will be worn again by gorgeous women. That's what I want: For (the garments) to live again."

Arianne St. Claire

How e-commerce is transforming the oldest profession.

2010-02-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

As I was surfing the net I "stumbled" upon this article. It is very interesting to see how the internet has changed since this article was written. It would be of interest (at least to me) to see or read opinions of how the internet has changed the industry now compared to some ten years ago when this article was written.

To look back to online marketing vs the old fashion way of word-of-mouth and taking out ads in the daily newspapers (although both newsprint advertising and word of mouth still and most likely always will always exist) to me seems similar to watching old films, before there was color.The internet has opened our eyes to color, both good and bad I suppose - "innocence" meets a new world so to speak. This new world came upon us so quickly and has moved forward so incredibly fast..

By Scott Shuger

(Slate Magazine)

Original Article Posted Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, at 3:30 AM ET

Illustration by Nina Frenkel

In the 1990 movie Pretty Woman, high roller Richard Gere is able to secure six full days of Julia Roberts' sexual services for $3,000. Nowadays, (at least here in Los Angeles, where the movie was set) a first-class hooker costs considerably more than $500 a night. One big reason is that, like all other businesses, the oldest one is being utterly transformed by the Internet. And it's changing in ways that ought to transform the way we think about it as well.

Recently, I had the experience of escorting "Veronica" through the main dining room of Spago. She is a dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty, and heads turned as she poured across the room, her dress speaking to every man there in the international language of bugle beads. Veronica is apparently no stranger to Spago. She and the maîtresse d'hôtel exchanged knowing smiles as we were seated. And when she's not there, she says, she's often at the Peninsula, the Regent Beverly Wilshire (the Pretty Woman hotel), the Four Seasons, and so on. She lives at the beach. She drives a Mercedes S420. She doesn't ask what you're having before she orders foie gras.

Actually, Veronica was "escorting" me. In her early 30s, Veronica's been an "escort" for four years now but only recently listed herself on the Web. Her ad featured a picture of her more or less in a black pantsuit, along with this text:

Veronica

Professional intelligent and sexy

I'll make a great impression on your behalf

All with the elegance and grace of a true lady

Available for intimate evenings and corporate affairs

Shopping or a round of golf, I also ride and fly

Whatever your pleasure

I'm happy to be by your side

There was no mention of price. A day or so after I e-mailed a query to the address listed, I got back this e-mailed response:

Hi Scott,

Let me remind you that I am an escort, I require a one time introductory fee of $500.00. $500.00 per hour and $2,500.00 for the evening.

If this is acceptable to you we can set up an appointment.

Yours…..Veronica

Within a few days we were at Spago.

(A note on method: Slate paid Veronica's $500 introductory fee in return for an interview, conducted in public, and nothing else. She's a businesswoman who gives men what they want for a price. I wanted an interview. In fact, I was being paid to conduct it. Why should she give it away for free?)

I discovered Veronica's ad on a site called LA Exotics, one of the most active and extensive in the Web's burgeoning Rent-a-Woman world. When you go there, you find, superimposed over a photo of a naked woman getting a hold of herself, an exquisite menu of options: Massage Outcall [they come to you], Massage Incall [you go to them] (Blonde), Massage Incall (Brunette), Daytime Delicacies, After-dark Angels, Escorts (Blonde), Escorts (Brunette), Entertainers/Strippers, Fetish/Alternative, and Personals. (The difference, if any, between a "massage" and an "escort" is beyond the scope of this article—let alone what "personals" could possibly be in contrast to the other offerings.) There is no category for "interviews," but there are separate listings for redheads, women of color ;-), and tantric sex. To reassure wary horn-dogs, many of the clickable thumbnail pictures carry a little badge indicating that the site has verified that the woman in the shot is really the woman you'll meet. (Except for the digitally blurred eyes, Veronica's picture looks almost exactly like her.)

Veronica paid LA Exotics $100 to list her for a month. She says she got more than 250 phone calls off that, which produced three new men who've hired her at least once, and who, she predicts, will be added to her stable of regulars. In business terms, three out of 250, or 1.2 percent, is her "yield." Apparently this industry is like the magazine business, where a low yield from solicitations can nevertheless be profitable, depending on renewals. Veronica claims that the ad produced several other qualified Gentlemen who are now on her waiting list. She says her regulars are all married, all over 35, and all "high-end corporate," except for some NBA players. Of the newbies, she says, one lives in San Francisco; one in Portland, Ore.; and one in New York. If they come to her, they spring for everything, including one of L.A.'s deluxe hotels and her omnipresent clothes and jewelry needs. If she goes to them, it's more of the same, plus a first-class plane ticket for the trip. She says she only works two nights a week. If true, and if she gets her posted rate, that's $200,000 a year for less than half-time work.

Unlike Veronica, Anne Marie (not her real name either), a late-20s 5'9" blonde with cover-girl cheekbones, had never worked pre-Internet. She has only recently taken up the escort game, as a way of supporting her graduate studies at a top Los Angeles university. Anne Marie pays $100 a month to list with another large Los Angeles-based site called Cityvibe. And she pays a Webmaster about $1,000 a year to maintain a Web page of her own. She also has the San Francisco market on an Australian-based Web site called Worldwide-Escort.com, which gets almost all its traffic from Yahoo's "Adult Services" listing. From all this, she figures she gets about 700 cybervisitors a day. She started out charging $4,500 a day, with a two-day minimum, but the response was so good that she has since given herself a raise to $5,800 a day, still with a two-day minimum. When I met her, she was wearing an expensive-looking man-tailored gray suit and occasionally consulted her brand new Sony Vaio.

Like Veronica, Anne Marie markets herself as providing a complete high-end experience. She calls her Web site "educatedescort.com." The pictures of her there are pretty but fully clothed. Her text is well-written and laced with humor. Her FAQ ("Frequently Asked Questions") page includes: "What are your services for the $5,800 per day? I sit and read Thoreau and eat plums and fresh cherries in the hotel."..

Anne Marie gives good stories, some of which may even be true. She says that before she ever met her very first client, a married Australian decamillionaire in Los Angeles for a few days on business, she got a FedEx package from him: $9,000 in cash. And there's the German investment banker who, unbidden, sent her a gift certificate for a Los Angeles day spa while they were still nailing down the logistics for her week-long trip to see him in Europe. She played me a message left on her voice mail from a self-described Silicon Valley geek about to retire, who wanted to know what her annual fee is.

Just as Amazon.com has gotten people buying hardcover books who previously stuck to paperbacks or didn't buy books at all, the Internet is expanding the high end of the escorting market. It has done this in several ways. First, many of the buyers in this market are spending cybermoney. Anne Marie says that it's not unusual for the initial call to her to come from a woman—the executive assistant of some "dot-com baby"—who proceeds to ask her about her bra size and her height as if she was ordering the boss a new hard drive. It turns out that computer zombies with tons of money and zero social skills are a natural clientele.

Second, Internet marketing promotes an aura of quality: It feels so much more "classy" than cruising on Sunset or thumbing through the "adult services" ads in the free weeklies that litter the floors of video stores and 7-Elevens. And men will pay a premium for perceived specialness.

Third, there's what you might call the eBay effect. Before the Internet, there must have been people who wanted to sell Scooby Doo lunch boxes and Star Wars phaser props, and people who wanted to buy them, but how could they connect? Likewise, 10 years ago, even if I'd had the inclination and the $2,500 to spend on vaginal variety, I wouldn't have had the faintest idea where to turn. But now, thanks to the Web, exchanging dead presidents for live girls couldn't be easier. And if, as I tend to believe (don't you?) there are more men who would pay to be "escorted" than gorgeous women willing to provide that service, then the Internet will pull more buyers than sellers into the high-end market, thereby inflating prices...

In the business world, this is called "disintermediation" or, colloquially, "cutting out the middleman." Somewhere between Alex and his girls, the traditional roles of the pimp and madam have disappeared. There is no violent control of the women, and they don't have to fork over most of their profits. The physical security that the traditional pimp used to provide to his girls has been replaced by the physical security provided by high-end hotels, the traceability of e-mail, and by the generally less violence-prone clients to be found toward the top of the economy. Neither Veronica nor Anne Marie has ever been ripped off or hurt by a client. They get regular checkups, always use condoms and, besides, they both point out to me, at these prices they're seeing a lot fewer men than many of their single "amateur" girlfriends. Indeed, both say that more often than you'd think, the "date" is all about companionship...

Full Article

Arianne

Escort Toronto, International Courtesan Blog

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

2010-02-21T01:10:00.001-08:00

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. ♥ Love the people who treat you right. ♥ The one's who don't, whatever. Everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Life isn't easy,what it brings, is worth it.

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Arianne St. Claire

Toronto Escorts Website Updates

2010-02-21T00:21:00.000-08:00

Spring is in the air... well not quite but some days it feels as though it is right around the corner. So, with that in mind, I decided to do some spring cleaning of my site. Updates and new photos are now online. Have a look and I do hope you enjoy.

New Photos

Arianne St. Claire

Superbowl Ads - Some morning laughter

2010-02-14T06:33:00.000-08:00

Arianne St. Claire

Give me an hour with him.. I'll give you a new man.

2010-02-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

According to Secret Diary of a Call Girl - Season 3, Episode 3 ,

"Ones Reader Does Not Want "Mechanics They Want Sensation....".

hmmm...

I have watched this program since it started. And although, it is yet again another television series, I find it oddly humorous and strangely addictive. Perhaps it is the overly proper dialect of the "English Courtesan named Belle" and those around her... Maybe it has to with its rather witty, campy and ironic originality. I am not sure what it is but for some reason, this character and show intrigues me to the point that at times I feel I can relate to them.

For those of you who have not heard of this series, A Secret Diary of a Call Girl follows Belle through her thoughts, experiences, and challenges of living the life of a London Call Girl ( or, you could call her a prostitute or whore.. "no matter; it’s all semantics" to Belle), a writer and a temp. The series, is based on the works of an anonymous (or rather, a no longer anonymous) Call Girl's writings named Belle de Jour.

A Secret Diary is not necessarily the show for everyone. But then again what is? Some like it, others say it is over-glamorized and unrealistic. The show is a very obvious work of fiction and should be viewed as such, however, there are some really impressive performances from the lead actress, Billie Piper and the rest of the cast. Funny and moving at times, refreshing, raunchy and... addictive.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl

Arianne St. Claire

Ice Hotel in Quebec City Canada

2010-02-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy crisp cold climates, then now is the time to visit the Ice Hotel in Quebec city Canada.

Located just a few minutes outside of the city, the architecturally unique Ice Hotel
is only open from January to April each year

The fully functional hotel is crafted with ice and snow and includes 34 theme rooms, an ice chapel, an absolut bar and the "N'Ice Club.

Take a look at this "sparkling jewel" below.

icehotel-canada.com/index.php

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Toronto Escort Arianne St. Claire

2010-01-13T10:58:00.000-08:00

Thought and prayers to those in Haiti - the victims of the earthquake and their families.

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Arianne St. Claire

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year and all the best for 2010.
It is hard to believe another year has gone by and we are already into a new decade

Cheers to 2010! To hopes and dreams!

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Arianne St. Claire

A Winter's Dawn

2009-12-08T22:49:00.000-08:00

A Winter's Dawn

Cold breeze upon my face.
Dark, yet comforting reminders of youth.
Something in the air tells tales of long journeys, sights unseen, a new day coming.

Yet, experiences I have had before.

I am reminded of the comforts of home, but am at times daunted by the journey ahead.
A long walk with distant memories. The wind blows stronger and yet I am still comforted.

To each season so they say.

A Winter's Dawn.

And what hopes and dreams lie ahead.
I wonder at times where it will go and what it all means and if perhaps I should be wondering at all.
Still night, wind calm, a snowflake here and there.
Comfort. Solace.

A Winter's Dawn.

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Arianne St. Claire

2009-12-06T14:02:00.001-08:00

"Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution."

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Arianne St. Claire

2009-09-13T09:21:00.001-07:00

"Each friend represents a world within us, a world of possibility not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meaning that a new world is born." Anais Nin

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Arianne St. Claire

2009-05-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

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Arianne St. Claire

Where the hell is Matt

2009-02-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

I Stumbled upon a great video on YouTube called "Where the hell is Matt".

It's amazing the amount of travel he has done. The video is comical as he dances (and gets people to dance with him) his way though some of the world's most beautiful locations. He has people worldwide requesting to dance with him when he travels through their city and when you Google Matt, his site comes up first. He now organizes these 'dance' events in different cities around the world.

Please have a look. It can't help but bring a smile to your face. :-)

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Arianne St. Claire

What an amazing talent!

2009-02-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

I am not all that much of an American football fan ( sorry to those of you who are) but listening to Jennifer Hudson sing the American national anthem sent shivers up my spine. She has an incredible voice. After all that she has been through recently.. wow what a strong woman. I welcome this comeback :-). I can't forget to mention that I thought that Faith Hill was amazing too.. she is and always will be stunning.

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Arianne St. Claire

Thirst for Travel

2009-01-30T14:54:00.001-08:00

My thirst for traveling and exploring new places …. The experience of meeting people from other cultures, discovering charming restaurants and the variety of different wines and dishes offered, finding museums and art galleries, and getting lost or perhaps losing myself within the bazaars and markets. The great thing is that one can see the same city over and over, yet have a different experience or perception of it each and every time.

My most recent trip was to the Virgin Islands. Tortola to be exact. My Gentleman friend and I also toured the neighboring islands of Virgin Gorda and St. Thomas (which is 1/2 hour boat ride from Tortola). What a treat! A beautiful part of the world. If you have not had the chance to travel there, I highly recommend it.

Beautiful white sand beaches, glassy turquoise sea, and evening sails marked by glorious sunsets....

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Arianne St. Claire

Tantric Discoveries

2008-09-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm...

Uncover the Mystery of Tantric Sex

Jaela Bernstien

Positions: Daily Devotion, The Scissors, Yab-Yum, The Nurturing Position

The last time you heard about Tantra was likely in American Pie, but it turns out Finch is not alone as a devotee to this increasingly popular form of sex.

To many, it conjures only vague images of hippies impossibly contorting themselves into weird sexual positions. But the truth is you don’t have to be a Taoist from the Far East to take advantage of Tantra’s teachings.

“A lot of people are interested in Tantra, it kind of blows my mind,” Suzie Heumann, founder of Tantra.com, notes.

In Tantric Secrets for Men, Kerry and Diane Riley define Tantra as meaning “to expand, to be free, to be liberated.

“One of my favourite things about Tantra is how it treats sex as something sacred, not just two people bumping uglies.”

It even uses different language. Tantra uses the Sanskrit word yoni (pronounced yoh-nee) for both the vagina and vulva, while lingam (pronounced ling-gum) is used for the penis.

Tantra also teaches sex should be a celebrated union between two people, rather than something taboo or sinful. It’s a way of opening the flow of energy between partners and showing how the role of the mind, body and spirit are all equally important for the sexual experience.

Before you roll your eyes, understand if you take this seriously, you will experience sex like never before; We’re talking multi-level orgasms — full body convulsions for both men and women. It’ll also change your daily life — you’ll see the world through different eyes.

Tantric sex is about channeling your energies. Next time you’re “in the act,” focus on the sensation in your genitals and try to move it throughout your body. It is helpful to imagine it in your head — picture the energy coursing up and down each leg, across your torso, even into your head.

By gaining control over your energy, you are no longer passive to your sexual urges. This can change your life forever — from helping men who pre-ejaculate to allowing both men and women to reach full body orgasms.

Heumann described an amazing technique for massages, where one partner focuses on his or her sexual energy and moves it to his or her fingertips.

“If they can erotize their own fingertips, their partner is having a fucking good time,” Heumann points out.

But Tantric sex isn’t only about neat stunts.

While Heumann admits the neat sexual techniques and positions in Tantric sex can be great, she explains, “The technique is there to learn and then forget.”

When you’ve been practising Tantra for a long time, the techniques meld into your normal sex routine so easily, it’s difficult to remember what old sex used to feel like.

On the other hand, there are awkward moments when you’re first learning. You’ll be sitting naked with your partner, trying to figure out whose foot goes where and how, but if you trust each other and you communicate, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Couples can benefit greatly from Tantra. The level of intimacy partners can reach just from simple positions is astounding.

“If you spend five minutes just gazing into [one another’s eyes], just in silence … that’s an opening of vulnerability that breaks down a lot of barriers,” Heumann explains.

Even those who choose not to have sex can benefit from the teachings of Tantra. Heumann recalled how some people have achieved spontaneous orgasm without even taking off their clothes. Just focusing on breathing, eye gazing and moving sexual energy while sitting in the yab-yum position can be enough.

“There’s a lot there no matter what your situation is,” Heumann notes.

The single male or female can also benefit from Tantra.

Heumann suggested masturbation as a technique for learning more about your body and how it responds.

Focusing on and directing your sexual energy while self-pleasuring, or even sitting and gazing into your own eyes in front of a mirror can increase your love for and comfort with yourself.

A person’s sex life will be heightened by practising Tantra, but your daily life will be altered as well.

In Western culture, people often exist in the past or future, but rarely take the time to focus on the present. Especially in university, where our lives are shaped by the next assignment or exam, we forget to live in the moment.

Heumann explains Tantra acts as a vehicle to help you to fall out of this pattern. Instead of working only for the final moment of ecstasy, in Tantric sex you learn to get pleasure from the build-up as well.

“You’re building your own Chi, your own energy. That fills out in all of your life, your attitude and your presence with everyone ... It’s a life booster,” she says.

And she’s not lying.

When you stop focusing on only the gold at the end of the rainbow, but also take the time for the journey there as well, your sex will never be the same, and neither will your life.

Positions/Techniques:
Daily Devotion

This can be very difficult to master, but is great for healing and gaining greater connection between partners. You should be locked in four places: your mouths, legs, arms and genitals. The key to this position is to master enough self-control to stay motionless.

The Scissors

This begins with no physical movement. According to the Rileys, both partners should envision an orange sphere of energy radiating from their sexual centres. Enter into a meditative state by sending your energy back and forth between each other. Contract the vaginal muscles regularly to help stimulate the male erection. This can be great before or after sex.

Yab-Yum

This is a great position for improving your connection with your partner. Sit like this for up to half an hour. Gaze into each other’s eyes and share your feelings about each other. The Rileys suggest saying things like, “What I enjoy about making love is...” and “What I don’t enjoy about making love is...”

The Nurturing Position

According to the Rileys, this position can be used to bond during an argument. Both your heart and sexual centres are connected, which certainly makes it difficult to stay angry for long. It’s also generally just a very comfortable position and is great for cuddling after sex as well.

Taken from Kerry and Diane Riley’s Tantric Secrets for Men

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Arianne St. Claire

Ying Yang

2008-06-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine established around 2000 years ago was developed on the concept of Yin-yang balance and the theory of Five Phases.

According to the Theory, the life of the human being is based on the balance of the body, circulation of energy – known as ki, and the blood. If the Ying and Yang are balanced then the person is healthy. If not, the imbalanced part is considered either a Ying deficiency or a Yang deficiency.

Having been practiced for thousands of years, Chinese medicine has systematically summarized its experiences and medical theories and has developed illustrations of the human anatomy. Their most simple way of diagnosis is to take the pulse on a wrist and to check the symptoms on the tongue. The treatment then divides two types : internal and external and treats them accordingly through herbal remedies, Acupuncture, Shiatsu and Moxibustion –in which a stick or cone of burning mugwort is placed over an inflamed or affected area on the body. Other preventative measures include Tai Chi and Chi Gong – energy healing.

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Arianne St. Claire

Curried Lamb

2008-05-31T16:03:00.001-07:00

I love West Indian food and thought I would try a new recipe that I found online.

With so many variations of Curried Lamb, of which I believe is a great dish, it was difficult to narrow down which one I should use. Mind you, I have never been one to stick to recipes - always adding my own or extra spices to everything I create.

Here is one of the recipes I found and have followed... somewhat.

Hope you enjoy!

Curry Lamb

5 pounds lamb meat, cut into bite sized pieces
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
3 large onions, chopped
3 Scotch bonnet peppers, minced. (For less heat, seed the peppers and remove the veins.)
1 teaspoon allspice
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
About 6 tablespoons curry powder (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup frying oil of your choice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
Juice of 2 limes

In a large bowl, combine the goat meat, scallions, half of the onions, 1-3 Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, salt and pepper, and 4 tablespoons of curry powder. Mix the ingredients together, coating the pieces of goat well with the mixture. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.

The following day, remove the goat meat from the refrigerator and set aside. Place a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup frying oil. When the oil is hot, add two tablespoons of curry powder to the pot and stir it into the oil. Cook the curry powder for a few minutes, stirring it constantly and taking care that it does not burn.
Add the remaining onions and cook them until they are translucent. Add the garlic and the seasoned goat meat to the soup pot and mix well to combine all of the ingredients.

Add the stock, the coconut milk and the lime juice.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover the pot and simmer the goat meat for 2 or3 hours (or until the meat is very tender), adding water as needed.

Curry Powder

5 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 teaspoons coriander seeds
3 teaspoons cayenne
3 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons whole black pepper
2 teaspoons star anise or aniseed
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 whole clove, minced
1 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon whole allspice.

Combine all ingredients and mix them together well. ( A mortar and pestle are great for blending the ingredients.) Store the curry powder in a tightly sealed jar away from heat and light.

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Arianne St. Claire

La Cravate

2008-05-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

“La cravate, c, est l’homme.”
Honore de Balzac

Being a connoisseur of all things fashionable, the Cravat now more commonly known as the Tie has always been a men’s style accessory that I appreciate; a symbol of male elegance. A well fitted suit paired with a great tie provides a way for a man to show his individuality and good taste.

The Cravat has a long distinguished and stylish past, with a story as colorful as the Cravat itself.

According to history, Croatians popularized the fashion of wearing a scarf tied around ones neck. After the Turkish attacks, a Croatian cavalry was formed under the name Royal- Cravate and became an inexhaustible source for other European battlefields. They were easily recognizable due to the scarves worn around their necks. – a predecessor of the Cravat.

It has been suggested that French King Louis XIV, after seeing them worn on the Croatian mercenaries, switched from the starched high lace collar the French used to wear and started wearing the Cravat, due to its style and practicality. Thereafter, the Cravat’s popularity quickly rose as the style spread across Europe.

The common Cravat was designed in white until the 19^th century when the English introduced color to them giving the Cravat wearer a more individualized style. Soon after, American textile manufacturer Jesse Langsdorf made a revolutionary step by cutting the fabric into three parts and sewing it back together in such a way that it enabled more simple tying techniques and easier development of the product. In 1924, Langsdorf patented his creation, known today as the Tie.

Apparently there are 85 ways to knot a Cravat; however, only a dozen of them suit the usual notions of symmetry and balance when wearing it. The most recognized being the Single or Double Windsor, introduced by the Duke of Windsor, and the most popular shapes of Cravats being the elongated ones, bow ties and the ascot-tie.

My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire

The Buddha Bar Sound

2008-05-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Buddha Bar Paris

Raymond Visan, initially a worker in his family's duty free perfume business found his true calling was in the restaurant and entertainment industry. His culinary career began in the kitchens of some of Paris's finest restaurants, before leaving for Los Angeles to open a franchise of American style diners in 1985. Visan established himself quickly and before too long, opened the popular Barfly in Los Angeles, named after one of his favorite films. Inspired by his travels through Asia and a desire to bring the Asian Pacific Rim dining experience to Paris, Visan opened Buddha Bar in 1996.

As Buddha Bar became wildly popular in Paris, so did the music being played there. The Buddha Bar compilations have become so famous that a series of CD's (Buddha Bar I-X) are sold out of the restaurant and in a myriad of CD stores around the world.

The Buddha Bar sound was created by DJ Charles Challe and further developed by David Visan,who singularly fused deep oriental beats with contemporary rhythms, creating the exotic musical ambiance that is representative of Buddha Bar.

As you enter the warm intimate atmosphere, you will be intrigued by the giant smiling Buddha,whose height reaches just below the Mezzanine level. There you will find the dimly lit, cozy alcove areas where you can dine or enjoy drinks while observing the people gathered around illuminated tables in the open interior court restaurant below.

If you are fortunate enough to have secured a reservation, an attractive hostess will lead you down a spiral staircase to the main dining area. This is the ultimate place for people watching on the background of the open concept restaurant and the bar mezzanine blending above.

The service meets your expectation and the food is as eclectic as the environment is.

If you want to experience the uniqueness of Buddha Bar you will definitely want to explore their Japanese-California inspired menu.

Following your dinner, you can meander back up to the mezzanine level to people watch, sip on specialty martinis and dance the night away, surrounded by the exotic sounds of Buddha Bar.

Buddha Bar is definitely a place to go to enjoy the Parisienne atmosphere.

My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire

Rotterdam Home Design

2008-05-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Eckhart Interior Design Group- Rotterdam (Netherlands)

I truly appreciate quality Home Design, therefore, I must bring to your attention this creative company offering contemporary collections, and notable interior solutions for both home and office, based on professional consultations.

Eckhart has been established in this business since 1842 and is the authorized provider of novel and definitely pleasing design concepts for most of Europe's important furniture lines available on the fine taste market. Their large clientele ranges from Microsoft to architectural firms, as well as collectors.

From Marin Visser to Knoll International, they distribute leading designers. They are located in the heart of Rotterdam's business district.

My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire

Langoustines a la Provence

2008-05-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite travel destinations is Provence and the Côte d'Azur, classically known as the Riviera. It has been the sought after playground for the socially established. It is a tapestry of world class museums, and architectural structures, that blend the traditional with the innovative.

Curious explorers from all over the world travel to the Riviera for the rich, rather exclusive shopping, diverse restaurants, exotic nightlife, history, culture and of course the beautiful Mediterranean beaches.

Two things that I thoroughly enjoy when traveling to the Riviera is the great food and great wine! As I enjoy cooking, I also like to share the recipes that I find. This one is courtesy of Les Société des Bains.

Langoustines a la Provence

Langoustines
(peeled shrimp/prawns)
olive oil
carrots mesculin
onion
celery
tomato
garlic
thyme
bay leaf
flat parsley
orange & lemon zest
salt
pepper
coca beans

Cut Langoustines into small pieces saute in a medium skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil till light brown.

Transfer Langoustines to small platter and keep warm.

Heat garlic, orange and lemon zest in pot over medium heat for approximately. 8 minutes.

Add diced carrots, celery, onions and herbs.
Cook mixture, stirring occasionally

Remove bay leaf and sprig of thyme.
Add diced tomatoes and cocoa beans and simmer.

Spoon ragout over and around
Langoustines.

Enjoy!

My VIP Companion

Arianne St.Claire