Carrie and Danielle

Young, Chic and Fabulous…in the Heartland

2009-02-07T18:37:07Z

[Today's C&D Guest Blogger is Ursula Bamnolker, the editor of Candy Colored Buddha, a design blog that celebrates all things chic, fun, modern, colorful and green]

When you think of the Midwest, what comes to mind? Corn fields? Cows? Beer? How about Jonathan Adler? Chic, sexy design? Lacquered furniture and fun, fabulous colors?

I’m guessing you chose the former…unless you’ve come within 50 feet of St. Louis designer Amie Dupre Corley. Bringing a fresh viewpoint and a wonderfully creative approach to the table, Dupre Corley is a designer who knows how to mix high with low, transform a space that’s feckless into fabulous…all the while staying on a minimal budget.

I sat down recently with her to delve more deeply into her treasure trove of knowledge. Here’s what she had to say:

1) First of all, tell me a bit about your background. You didn’t start out in the design field. What did you study in school?

I am actually a big science nerd at heart. I was pre med all the way through college and while I was getting my master’s degree in tropical medicine at Tulane, I decided that I needed a little creativity in my life and signed up for photography classes. It was then that I realized I was probably more talented in the creative arts than the scientific ones! When my husband and I purchased a one hundred year old home in the Central West End of St. Louis in 2004, I was faced with the challenge of restoring and decorating a 6,000 square foot home on a very limited budget. That was when the decorator in me was born and I have been obsessed ever since.

2) When you first moved into your home, it was in less than ideal shape. How did you tackle renovating it on your own? How did this lead you to start your own design firm?

It was actually a blessing in disguise that I was forced (by a limited budget) to focus on renovating and fixing what was wrong with the house before I was able to actually decorate it. We spent most of our money at the beginning on renovating the kitchen which was in beyond horrible condition.

I spent months burning off layers and layers of paint in the butler’s pantry and my husband and I learned to tile and actually gutted the guest bathroom ourselves. At the time, we had no children and I was working part time so it was doable, but home renovating is really a HUGE job. It is time consuming and requires a ton of patience.

For the rest of the house, I literally took it room by room. Each room posed a new challenge and we just had to learn as we went. We are still nowhere near the end, but that is part of the fun of it. I love having a project and with old houses there will always be something to do or fix! I spent those first two “renovating” years pouring over every design publication out there and knew exactly what my vision was for the house and was finally able to start buying furniture and having fun with it. This past summer, I decided to enter my home in the Jonathan Adler “Happy, Chic Home” contest and when he blogged about my home, I decided that I might be on to something!

3) You have a gift for mixing vintage pieces with modern colors and fabrics. Where do you get the vintage pieces? What is the key to mixing vintage with modern?

I find the vintage and antique pieces on ebay, while shopping in New Orleans and Chicago, as well as at auction houses like Ivey-Selkirk here in St. Louis. I think the key to mixing anything is balance, balance, balance. Modern pieces look more expensive and interesting when paired with some vintage and time worn, and antique chairs seem to come alive when reupholstered with some shockingly bright fabric. I like to create a space that is memorable by mixing things from my past with things that I love now.

Being a southern girl, I love frivolous, french furniture, but only when it’s paired with something simpler and less grand to tone it down. I also take a light-hearted approach to decorating. It should be fun and more than anything reflect your personality. Pairing serious furniture with bright fabrics and punchy prints is my favorite way to transform a stodgy piece into something young and playful yet still elegant and timeless.

4) When working with a client who is on a strict budget, what do you focus on? What do you suggest they do first?

Well, it totally depends on the client as different things are important to different people. Some clients are wallpaper fanatics and are happy to spend 80% of the budget on the walls. I actually love working with clients like that because then we have to get really creative with the rest of the room. That is where my ebay fanaticism comes in hand! I love working with tight budgets because it is so gratifying to see what amazing things you can get on ebay and transform them with a little paint or fabric into something chic.

I also suggest spending money where it matters- walls, floors and lighting. I think that furniture can be found on ebay or in vintage stores and refinished very inexpensively — whether it be reupholstering chairs or lacquering an old buffet. There are quick fixes that can transform a cheap, ugly piece of furniture . Accessories are also great ebay finds and a great place to save money. I always say, “spend your money on the statement piece”, for some, that may be a fabulously patterned wallpaper. For others it is a killer chandelier in the entryway or a great piece of art. Whatever the statement is in the room, then that is where the money should go. I think that furniture can be moved, changed or updated and shouldn’t be thought of as permanent- so have fun with it

5) What are your favorite online resources?

Sadly, I love the domino magazine website which will soon be no longer. I love their resource guide and have clicked on every single link over the years! I am also a 1st dibs addict for vintage and antique pieces. It can be a little pricey, but it is a great resource for finding items and learning good “key words” for ebay searching. Also, I can’t say enough about the value of all the great design blogs out there. They are an invaluable resource for me. I have a few favorite websites that I visit regularly like mecoxgardens.com, jaysohomeandgarden.com, perch-home.com, and 20×200.com for cool, affordable art.

6) Who are your favorite designers?

I would have to say that my favorite is Miles Redd. His work in Shyama Patel’s Gramercy Park home is still one of my favorites as well as the crazy and colorful home he did for Laurie Thiel that was on the October 05 Domino cover. I keep that issue out on my desk.

Others that I love are Todd Romano, Vesta Fort, Anne Coyle, Mary McDonald and of course, I won’t deny that I have been greatly inspired by Jonathan Adler and Kelly Wearstler who really set the standard for design.

7) Do you read design magazines or books for inspiration? What are a few of your favorites?

Fashion was my my first love and I have spent the last eight years working in many different areas of the fashion world, so I am always using fashion magazines for inspiration in designing. I love international design magazines like British Living etc. and Australia Vogue Living. There is something about British style that is so nonchalant yet still refined. I love that. It is a hard balance to achieve, but they manage to do it so well.

As far as books go, I am a collector of photography and fashion books and some of my favorites are Richard Sexton’s books on New Orleans. The photography is beautiful and he captures so well the juxtaposition of elegance and decay in those gorgeous homes.

There is something about fashion and decorating that go hand in hand. One of my favorite artists is Marc Clauzade. His work is only available in a few galleries in the US, one of which is in New Orleans. My husband and I stop in every time that we are there and “visit” our future paintings. Both of his grandmothers were French fashion designers and his paintings look like giant fashion illustrations set on a beach or in a Paris cafe.

8 ) Tell me a bit about your plans for the future. Will you ever offer E-design services

At the moment, my focus is on getting my design business (Amie Corley Interiors) off the ground and running. I am also working on a design blog with a unique twist to it…stay tuned for that. If all goes as planned it will be up in the next month or so. I would love to offer e-design services as I think there is so much great info and resources online that it would be an easy transition. I am currently helping friends all over the country with small decorating projects and it is amazing how much can be done online.

One of the reasons that I decided to start my design business was to offer a more reasonably priced design service that would focus on providing clients with an array of options for decorating their homes- not just the standard to-the-trade furniture, etc. etc. I want my clients to feel that they are getting a room that is totally unique and completely personal with stuff gathered from a little bit of everywhere.

[For more info on Amie, contact her at amiecorleyinteriors@hotmail.com]

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Valentines Day: Why Celebrating Love is the “In” Thing Now and Forever More

2009-02-06T13:51:42Z

[Today's C&D Guest Blogger is Melinda Lewis, the founder of The Get Togetha company; a daily lifestyle blog that features ideas on living quality, spirit musings, home décor, and entertaining from the heart. She lives in Harlem, New York with her husband Regg and their Beta Fish Seymore]

The L word is such an overly used, frustratingly narrow utterance. But like all things American, we learn how to make things user friendly and Valentine’s Day is no exception: Roses at mind-boggling markup prices, kitschy note cards,”who can afford filet mignon” dinners, “I look fat in this” lingerie, and an insanely ginormous amount of drugstore snuggle bears and heart shaped chocolates. It’s all too much. So much so that we want the commercialism of the Red Love Day to fall into the bottom of a Volcano already.

But this could just be me.

Five years into my marriage I was once the “uuugh!” and the “arrrrrrgh!” cynic of commercialized love. But I am now happy to say that my rough edges have softened. My narrow perspective of how I thought love should be acknowledged and celebrated has since been blown out of the water. From the second grader who laboriously Crayola’s hearts for Mommy and Daddy to the career driven long distance couple that divides time between Coasts to the soldier in Iraq who wants to be with his family to appreciating the wisdom in the crow’s feet of your Grandmother’s eyes. Love is omnipresent; it’s everywhere.

I thought what I wanted was the right to define love — when what I really wanted was the ability to experience and recognize love on every level of my being. My cynical mind didn’t think that could ever be possible so I blamed Hallmark for what I saw as it’s squishy consumerism. But when you change the way you look at things; the things you look at change. Who are we to say that love shouldn’t be embellished? Who are we to say that gifts big and small are just hype?

We all want admiration, unconditional acceptance, great sex, a trusted source to depend on, to be doted on and to be forgiven but we’ve been conditioned to be as tough as nails when it comes to embracing vulnerability. I now know this to be true: love will always be the “in” thing, because we all crave it within the fabric of our being.

It’s just up to the individual to create what love will mean for them.

[Photo by Daylight]

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4 Signs That a Guy Is into You

2009-02-04T21:03:39Z

Not only do actions speak louder than words, they also tell us practically everything we need to know when it comes to dating. An “I love you” doesn’t mean squat if your guy rarely makes time for you or if the only form of communication he seems to know is text messaging. Forget what he says–focus on what he does. Should the words and the actions sync better than Justin Timberlake and Lance Bass, then you’ve got a real winner.

1. He Calls For No Reason

When he’s really into you, he calls just for the sake of calling. He likes hearing your voice. He wants to hold a conversation with you about anything and everything. Sometimes he’ll call just to say hi, and at other times he’ll call for a specific purpose. Either way, he wants to be as close to you as humanly possible when he can’t be in your presence. Also, if he calls, you actually get to hear his voice. Text messaging can be incredibly impersonal, especially if he never calls at all. Someone who’s truly into you won’t reduce your interactions to characters on a cell-phone screen.

2. You Are Not an Afterthought

He makes plans with you in mind. When he says he’s going to Myrtle Beach, he’s already planning on your accompaniment. If he’s at the supermarket and he walks by your favorite brand of orange juice and knows you’re out, he picks it up for you. Partying with friends? He’s got you in mind for that, too. Whether it’s something simple or something elaborate, you’re on his mind. That doesn’t mean he won’t cherish his own personal quality time, but when a guy really likes his woman, many of his plans and thoughts include her.

3. He Does Things to Make You Smile

He’s not so fond of that blue argyle sweater you bought for him, but he wears it anyway. He’s not the biggest fan of your special chili recipe, but he eats it because he knows you made it from your heart. When you compliment him on his new crew cut, he continues to wear it that way because he knows you dig it. When he’s truly into you, he makes it a point to see you smile by doing things he knows make you happy. Even if he gets nothing out of it, your smile is reciprocity enough for him.

4. He Asks You Questions

When he’s into you, it’s not all about him. Normally, he couldn’t care less about the historical significance of the July issue of Vogue magazine. Now he wants to know why it’s so important because it’s important to you. He probes you about your family life, your background, and your story. He wants to know why you don’t have a favorite color, why you chose State over Stanford, how you’re preparing for that marathon, and what your spiritual beliefs are. He’s genuinely interested in your life, and these seemingly small bits of information give him insight into how to love you even better.

[Photo by daBinsi]

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The Professional Dabbler: Are You One?

2009-02-10T16:31:46Z

“So, what makes you happiest?”

It’s the first thing out of people’s mouths, and I never know what to say. In fact, usually I make things up. I don’t lie and tell them I’m a neurosurgeon — it’s not like that. It’s just that I’ve spent the better part of the last decade searching for my life’s work, and I have found it. The trouble is, I’ve found it several times, in several different things.

They Call Me A Dabbler

It’s a tough word, with more than a few bad connotations. A dabbler is defined as someone who works at something in an “irregular or superficial manner.” It suggests indecision, and uncertainty. It makes me seem unfocused, or undisciplined, even flaky. It sounds like I don’t know what I’m doing when really, that isn’t the case.

I know that I am on my life’s path. It’s just that my path is not a straight line. In just a few years I have been an actor, a teacher, a play therapist for autistic children, a costume designer, a choreographer, a writer, and an interior designer. My resume is vast and varied. But to me, it’s all connected. I’m not jumping from job to job, I’m just using another medium, another skill set, to do the work I’ve always been doing.

You Are What You Say You Are

Words are powerful that way. My definition of success isn’t different than that of, say, someone who has always been a lawyer. My career is just harder to define. But this inability to prove progress has occasionally caused me to look down on myself. I can’t get promoted. I can’t tell you what my next gig will be. My field doesn’t have a name, let alone a ladder to climb. And this is a world that wants some way to measure a person, to classify them. I can understand that. Labels are useful. I just can’t fit all of mine onto my business card.

Dabblers, Unite

I see my career as something larger than the name of my current job, or the title on my desk. I see it as my identity. My Self (and yes, that’s a capital S). I want to be able to tell people who I am in under 15 seconds, but I can’t, and I don’t really believe anyone else can either.

I don’t have an answer, here. I can’t think of a question to ask instead. I just want to value who I am over what I am. I will, and I hope you will too.

And if someone asks, feel free to make something up.

[Photo by tiffanywashko]

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The Dangers of Toxins in Toys

2009-02-04T19:43:31Z

More than a year ago, there was a huge exposé of the harmful levels of lead in many toys manufactured throughout the world. This was mainly due to poor factory practices in China and other eastern countries. After this information was made public, parents everywhere began switching to American-made or wooden toys for their children. Although that was a good move for many, there’s still a culprit lurking beneath the surface of those toys–plastic. Almost every toy on the market is made with cheap plastics that are full of harmful chemicals. Most bottles, nipples, and other baby products are also made of these plastics.

The Plastic Problem

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), children ingest more than 120 chemicals on a daily basis. Most of these toxic chemicals are absorbed through the skin or mouth. Although the issue has been brought to the FDA’s attention many times, the organization still hasn’t advanced research or increased regulation.

There are currently no restrictions on the various plastics used in everyday products marketed to children. These plastics contain many harmful chemicals that are categorized as carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals). Many also contain phthalate (an additive to make plastic flexible and durable), which can cause reproductive disorders in males.

The Risk Factor

Babies and children develop at a much faster rate than adults, which leads to greater vulnerability and risk concerning these chemicals. An adult’s body is able to resist and overcome many of the toxins found in everyday plastic products, but a baby’s body is a blank canvas, open to everything it ingests. A child’s development can also be directly linked to the toxins in toys. Links have been found between these chemicals and colds, ear infections, allergies, and behavioral changes in children.

These toxins pose the greatest danger to infants who are prone to allergic reactions. The term “toxic overload” refers to the condition of the body when it is at its maximum capacity of toxins. Many children’s immune systems cannot regulate the various toxic chemicals (60 or more on a daily basis) found in toys, and so their bodies go into toxic shock. The bodies will shut down to protect themselves, requiring immediate medical attention.

Keep Your Kids Safe

To avoid these chemicals, buy baby products that are solid wood or are clearly marked “BPA free.” Purchasing 100% organic products is another way to ensure safety. When a product is organic, you can rest assured that it is natural and doesn’t contain any additives.

Many parents believe that just because a product was made for a baby, it is safe. This assumption has lead to many unfortunate issues. Sadly, most major toy manufacturers are more concerned about making money than they are about your child’s safety. You have to be an advocate for your children. Take the time to research and learn to ask the right questions before buying plastics for your children.

[Photo by Antikris]

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Tips on Making the Transition to a Vegan Diet

2009-02-04T18:50:02Z

If you read my previous post about weight control, you know that eating a healthy vegan diet is an effective way to lose weight and keep it off. You probably also know that going vegan is a great way to lessen animal suffering and combat climate change. Of course, knowing that something is a good thing to do and actually doing it are two different things. So, if you’re one of the many people who have expressed interest in going vegan—but haven’t quite gotten around to it yet—these suggestions may help get you started:

“Veganize” Your Favorite Foods

Think about the foods you eat on a regular basis. You may be surprised to find that many of them “just happen to be vegetarian or vegan,” or can be made that way with minimal effort. You don’t have to eat entirely “new” foods; just substitute beans for beef in burritos and chili; use faux chicken instead of chicken flesh in fajitas, stir fries, and sandwiches; have soy sausage and scrambled, seasoned tofu for breakfast instead of pork sausage and scrambled eggs; and make pasta with marinara sauce rather than meat sauce—or make meatless “meat” sauce using ground crumbles from Morningstar Farms, Boca, Yves, or other vegetarian companies.

Than, expand your horizons a little. Before I went vegan, I ate meat and potatoes most every night. Now, I eat falafel, hummus wraps, soy cheese and spinach lasagna, lentil and kale soup, pasta and vegetable salad with Vegenaise vegan mayonnaise, potato croquettes, ratatouille, pad Thai tofu, vegetable curries, and other ethnic dishes.

If you eat a variety of veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and soy foods, you’ll easily get all the nutrients your body needs. (I’ll write more on this in a future post, but be sure to check out the resource section below for nutritional information, recipes, and more.)

Ditch Dairy and Eggs

If you choose to eat cheese, make it cholesterol — and cruelty-free — soy cheese! Depending on where you live, you can likely find a few brands of soy cheese (such as Tofutti, Follow Your Heart, or Sheese) in your local supermarket or health food store. Or, order some from Pangea, listed in the resource section below. (The Leahey Macaroni & Cheese is perfect for people who don’t eat cheese!)

Instead of cow’s milk, pour soy milk in your coffee or on your cereal. Use almond milk in oatmeal for a thick, creamy consistency. Or, if you prefer a thinner consistency, opt for rice milk. If you crave ice cream, choose non-dairy frozen desserts, such as Tofutti, So Delicious, and Soy Dream. If you don’t like the first brand you try, taste another!

If you’re a chocoholic like me, you can savor goodies made with antioxidant-rich vegan dark chocolate, and you can easily bake cakes and cookies with egg alternatives, as well as non-dairy milks and margarine. I recommend Ener-G Egg Replacer cholesterol-free powdered mix, but you can also use half of a mashed banana or 3 Tbsp. of silken tofu for each egg in a recipe.

Vegan Resources to the Rescue

Frankly, there are just too many tips, products, and recipes to list here. Fortunately, there are also tons of helpful resources for vegans and “pre-vegans.” Here are just a few of them:

General Information:

VegCooking.com and GoVeg.com.

These PETA sites offer recipes, product suggestions, nutritional information, vegetarian-friendly restaurant guides, book reviews, animal welfare news, and much more.

VegSource.com

Features recipes, articles, health tips, forum boards, videos, and more

PCRM.org
Nutritional news and health commentaries from The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

“Killer” Cruelty-Free Cookbooks:

The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook
Meatless meals that both ardent meat-eaters and longtime vegans will love

Skinny Bitch in the Kitch
A follow-up cookbook to the popular sassy and irreverent Skinny Bitch “diet” book

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
Decadent desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth

The Compassionate Cook
Easy, everyday recipes that will please your palate and soothe your soul

Shopping Sites:

Pangea
The vegan superstore—chock full of various vegan foods, plus cruelty-free products, non-leather shoes, gifts, and more

PETAMall
Tons of fabulous vegan- and animal-friendly companies all in one “mall.”

[Photo by moria]

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The Single Girl’s Guide To Loving Yourself This V-Day

2009-02-09T23:34:03Z

Have you heard?

Valentine’s Day is coming up…soon. And for those of us without a partner in crime, Valentine’s Day tends to be less than thrilling. Unless, of course, you consider romantic comedies and a tube of cookie dough to be thrilling.

But while everyone else is weeping silently over pictures of lost loves and giving the stink eye to every couple that passes, I am actually quite excited about being single this year. No, I am not some Samantha character who much prefers no-strings-attached sex, but I am someone who has learned to love the single life and I feel it is important to remind everyone out there of the good sides.

Body Maintenance

When I was in a relationship, maintaining my body for someone else was my biggest goal. Sure, I benefitted from the exercising and healthy eating, but being single is about doing it all for me! I work out because it makes me feel good, not because I’m afraid of the jiggles during sex. Plus, I don’t have to shave my legs every time I shower or go through monthly hell in the form of a bikini wax. Score one for single-dom.

Everything is on My Time

Do I feel like taking a 6:30 Pilates class while most people would prefer to be home cooking dinner? I can do it. Do I want to lay around in my underwear all day Saturday reading my books and catching up on my TV? I can do it. Do I want to meet up with the girls for a drink before meeting up with other girls for another drink? I can do it all. And I don’t have to answer to anyone!

Time for the Important People

It is sad but true: when we get into relationships, many of our other relationships fall to the back burner. Whereas we used to spend an hour on Monday nights catching up with with friends, we are now spending that time with the lovey dovey man in our life. Being single, though, has allowed me to focus all the attention on the people who have been there for me the longest. Not only is reconnecting great, but these people are important to me for a reason and having the chance to talk or hang out with them is truly priceless.

I’m sure that being with someone over a romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day would be a lovely experience, but I just don’t know if I’m willing to give up everything else for some roses and a little looove. I love me this VDay, and I’m gonna love me some Romantic Comedies and a tube of cookie dough.

[Photo by rick]

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Dating After Divorce, Part 5: Using Your Network to Find That Special Someone

2009-02-04T19:16:56Z

All right. You’ve had some down time, and you are no longer terrified of putting yourself out there. Or maybe you’re terrified, but you’re still willing to go through with it. Good for you! Give yourself a pat on the back for all the work you’ve done to get to this point. It’s never easy, but it’s certainly worthwhile.

With the help of your new social network, you can now start searching for that special someone. You didn’t build up a network in order to do this, but it’s a good start toward dating again. People always want to help, and who doesn’t like to play matchmaker?

It’s really important that you send out positive vibrations at this point in your life. This is a new adventure and a new start for you.

5 Tips For Finding That Someone

1. Before you can get what you want, you have to know what you want.
Do you want to casually date, or do you want something more? Be honest with yourself. If all you want is a good time, that’s all right. If you want a long-term relationship and feel you have a lot to offer and that you’re up for it, then great. Tell your friends that’s what you want. If they know someone, perhaps they can introduce you. It’s a start.

2. What are your absolutely will-not–comprise requirements?
Even if you’re casually dating, you still don’t want to waste your time. If bald men or hairy women turn you off, be honest about it. Physical appearance might not be the most important thing, but it is important. At a minimum, you want someone you can talk to, so you should have something in common with the person you’re meeting. If you want something more than a fun date, your requirements will probably be somewhat stringent. The requirements might change, but you need to be clear about what you want now. Discuss these things with your friends. Write them down if you’re considering online dating (more about that in Part 7). If you decide that the person you want must love art or climb mountains, then join clubs and groups with those interests.

3. Expand your social network.
Your interests are probably expanding and changing, so go out there and find activities that might interest you. Find out about recreational activities in your area. Get involved in social action, and volunteer with the kind of people who intrigue you. Create a profile on Facebook, MySpace, or other Web sites that encourage local connections.

4. If there is someone at work or in your social network who interests you, don’t be shy.
Approach that person. Ask him or her out for coffee. Don’t throw yourself at anyone, and don’t come on strong, but be friendly and helpful. Wait for them to show interest in you.

5. Spruce yourself up.
Get a new haircut. Buy some new clothes in colors or styles you’ve never worn before. Shows like TLC’s “What Not to Wear” can be useful for changing your look, and so can many books and Web sites. Remember, the new look has to be yours alone. Keep it smart and clean, but have a bit of flare. Go shopping with a friend for feedback. If you plan to use online-dating sites, you’ll need an updated photograph. It’s also a great confidence booster to have one professional photograph of yourself. Put effort into how you present yourself both in the real world and the online world. Having a new look signals to others that you are ready for a new life!

[Photo by GaetanLee]

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Brown Bread or White Bread?

2009-02-04T01:43:05Z

You’ve probably heard that you should eat brown bread as opposed to white. But why? Is it healthier? Better for your digestive system? Lower in calories? It’s time to get to the bottom of this brown- vs. white-bread debate.

Why We Love White

Most of us grew up on white bread. From peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches to grilled cheese, a sandwich just wasn’t a sandwich worth eating if it didn’t come wrapped in white bread. Plus, white bread is softer, easier to chew, and mixes really well with most sandwich ingredients.

You might also say that we just have a love affair with white bread. Why would bread companies try so hard to make brown bread that looks like white if we were okay with the standard brown color? There are a million reasons why we love white, but the fact of the matter is that most white bread isn’t full of anything useful.

What White Bread Lacks

White bread is made from processed bread flour. This processed flour has been literally stripped of all its nutrients during processing. In fact, some flour companies need to add some of those nutrients back into the bread in order to make it semi-healthy.

The enriched flour that goes into white bread doesn’t have any helpful nutrients, vitamins, or antioxidants. In fact, it doesn’t have much of anything…other than that mushy goodness, of course. So, what about those white breads that claim to have all the goodness of brown breads?

Tricky Bread Labeling

If any bread ingredient label states “wheat flour,” “unbleached wheat flour,” or “enriched white flour” on it, it’s no better for you than that regular white bread. Simply put, if bread is not made from whole wheat, then it’s not whole-wheat bread.

It’s also wise to beware of packages that proclaim “whole grain included.” Sure, a company may toss a few handfuls of whole grain into a loaf of bread, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the bread is good for you.

Brown Whole-Grain Bread

Forget about the actual color of the bread. You want to choose bread that is entirely made from whole grain. Bread that is made from whole grain doesn’t contain any processed flour. So the next time you’re looking for a loaf of bread, make sure to read that ingredient label.

Remember, the color of the bread doesn’t matter. What really matters are the ingredients inside. Is brown bread really better for you? Only if it’s 100% whole-grain bread. Otherwise, you’re just another victim of clever marketing.

[Photo by Joi]

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Is A Life Partner Essential To Your Happiness?

2009-02-09T23:55:01Z

“The love we have in our youth is superficial compared to the love that an old man has for his old wife.” — Will Durant

Carrie says: Not essential, but a powerful way to grow, stretch and open your heart. My first year of marriage was painfully difficult; adjusting to being with another, letting go, and at the same time learning to stand my ground. Now, I love being married, having a life partner…we are expanding together.

Jessica says: I think it’s an individual thing. Some will tell you they don’t need another to be complete, some think they can’t be fulfilled without a partner. All I know for certain is that personally, right now, a life partner sounds pretty awesome.

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