Reena’s Tip of the Week:

Psst! If your child has difficulty swallowing pills, coat them in a little butter to help them slide down easier.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

Everyone’s passed a Chinese herbal medicine shop and wondered what all those bizarre ingredients were. Well, wonder no more! Dr. Maryam Mahanian from The Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Clinic of Vancouver took me on a field trip to the Sunny Day Herbal Store in Chinatown to help demystify them. In the first of a two-part series, Dr. Mahanian shows us some commonly prescribed Chinese herbs. She explains what they look like, what they do, their benefits, how to use them, and the disorders they are used for.

There are about 5,000 different species of herbs and of these, about 2,000 are used as medicines. Some are more frequently prescribed than others and a typical dispensary will stock about 500 herbs.

Chinese herbs are very rarely taken as single herbs. Dr. Mahanian presents individual ones in this segment to simplify the introduction of this type of medicine and will explain in Part II how they are combined together in a synergistic way to treat a specific ailment.

Safety Precautions: Consult a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor before taking herbs. It is advisable to get a prescription and not to self-prescribe. Even though it is “natural medicine,” it doesn’t mean that there are no side effects or contraindications. Don’t exceed the started dose for the herbs; start with a small dose and work your way up.

For a detailed summary of the featured herbs, read on… Get the whole story

Movie Review by Perry Pannu:

It’s amazing. A Steve Carell movie without sex and swearing. Wow! Marketed as a comedy, Evan Almighty is actually a family movie. It’s a very funny movie, and luckily, all the funny parts are not in the movie trailer, so you have a lot to look forward to. But, I have to say, Wanda Sykes steals each and every scene she is in. Every line she has is gold. I was disappointed that Lauren Graham, of Gilmore Girls fame, didn’t get much face time, but every scene she was in, she was beautiful. No really, she’s a hottie. Maybe she’ll have more scenes if they do a director’s cut for the DVD (fingers crossed). Overall, I have to say Evan Almighty was ok. If you are looking for Steve Carell circa 40 Year Old Virgin, you will be very disappointed. If you are looking for a nice family film, you will be pleasantly surprised. My verdict is I would wait for it to come out on DVD and rent both Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty and have an almighty movie weekend bonanza (don’t forget the wine). But if you have younger brothers and sisters, nieces or nephews or whatever, take them to see this movie in the theatre, but sneak in snacks (the theatre employees never check the kids, and they can fit a lot of junk food in their hoodies). One final note, my favourite part of the movie was the addition of the 11th commandment. Good times.

If you enjoyed this movie review, then you’re in luck. Dabbler.ca’s new recruit Perry Pannu, will be giving you the lowdown on all the highly anticipated films that come out in theatres so check back and check back often!

Remember when Brangelina had their baby last year? Barely introduced to the world and Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt managed to create massive hype for the Pots & Pans Band t-shirt that she wore in the much anticipated People Magazine photos shoot. Now THAT’s star power.

Kingsley, the designer of the line with the same name, was in Vancouver for the first time this past weekend and sat down with me to chat about the evolution of children’s clothing and life after the whirlwind of publicity.

The brand was formed three years ago after the birth of Kingsley’s son, Zephir. Like any new parent-to-be, Kingsley and Amy were excited to start shopping for their little boy and very quickly realized that there was a very limited selection of clothing that defined their lifestyle. They didn’t settle however. When Zephir came out of the hospital, he was wearing the first ever hand-crafted Kingsley onesy. That got a huge response. All their friends were into it and that is how Kingsley Clothing was created. Their local community was very supportive but they never anticipated celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Johnny Depp, Chris Cornell (their favourite rock star), Seal & Heidi Klum, to turn to them for their children’s fashion needs.

Kingsley isn’t into the habit of sending celebrities clothes. That’s never been his philosophy. “We don’t like to shove it down people’s throats no matter who they are, celebrity or not. We just figured if they like it, they’ll buy it and that’s always been the case.” They send Brad & Angelina a package once in a while now as a thank you for all the exposure they’ve given him but that’s where it stops. Kingsley is confident that the quality of the product speaks for itself. A lot of copycat brands have emerged as a result of his great success but the motives are different. Kingsley saw a need and wanted to fill a void in children’s clothing.

Much of his inspiration comes from his son. The Pots & Pans Band t-shirt came about when Zephir started a band in their kitchen. He was the drummer, banging on all the pots and pans and that sparked an idea. With a background in fine art, graphics, and photography, Kingsley is now expanding the line to pants, wovens, a line of accessories, and larger sizes. Look for an adult line this Fall at Holt Renfrew and if you’d like to carry the brand in your store, click here for contact info.

In today’s ‘Gap’ed world, we all need “a little more style…a little more flavour.”

As those tasseled caps are tossed into the air all across Canada, parents are taking the opportunity to reward their graduates, whether they be finishing high school or university, for all the hard work they’ve put in over the years.

To help proud moms and dads pick the gifts that will get the top grades, Robin Keeler, Yorkdale Shopping Centre’s expert shopper and fashion director, has these suggestions: Get the whole story

In Part II of our makeup series, Beau Nelson of Beauté Cosmetics gives us a lesson on how to achieve those perfect brows. You won’t realize how put-together you can look until you actually pick up a brow brush and apply the simple steps in today’s video. You’ll learn what shade to buy for your individual palette, what to look for in a proper brow brush, and the ‘glue’ that keeps the whole look together. Click on the image above to find out more!

For details on what tools to use, read on…

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Are you thinking of Jack Black’s “School of Rock,” or are having a flashback to a scene from the VH1 series “Gene Simmons’ Rock School”? Take the eccentric teachers out of the equation and you’ve got the Kitsilano Rock School, a rock band rehearsal program that runs three 12 week semesters during the school year, with a live performance at the end of each term. If you have a rocker in your little one, here’s a place where he or she can develop that special noise talent. But don’t take my word for it. Check out one of their concerts tomorrow night and see what the school has to offer:

What: Kitsilano Rock School’s “Kids Wanna Rock 5”
When: Wednesday June 20th at 6:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
Where: Canadian Memorial United Church at 15th & Burrard in Vancouver
Admission: By donation
For more info, contact Dave Danylchuk at 604.737.4984 or email him at daved@noahnine.com

Take your kids! These days, they really need something to stimulate their imagination and get those creative juices flowing!

For more details on this program, read on… Get the whole story

Pole Dancing. Put together, these words are bound to raise some eyebrows. Once the exclusive domain of exotic dancers, you wouldn’t be going around telling people you spent last night spinning around a brass pole. Then there was the introduction of pole dancing as a fitness category and it sent everyone abuzz with excitement at the possibility of a merger between two very different worlds. The adventurous jumped at the opportunity to try something new but it was more giggled than bragged about between close friends. Now, only a few short years since its creation, pole dancing has evolved into a legitimate form of exercise and recognized by the North American business world.

Aradia Fitness is the innovative product of two friends, Christine Boyer and Tracy Gray. Perpetually bored of going to the gym, they decided that there had to be a more interesting way of staying in shape. Pole dancing came to mind but they couldn’t find a single facility that offered any classes. Immediately recognizing the appeal of such an option, they set out to create the first Canadian pole dancing studio. Skeptics brushed the idea off as another fad that wouldn’t catch on but boy are they eating their words now. Since opening up their first location, the two entrepreneurs can’t seem to meet the demand. There are now 17 locations across north America and with professionally trained instructors like Caroline MacGillivray, Aradia has taught over 20,000 women of all ages, sizes and professions.

I sat in on one of Caroline’s advanced level classes and I have to admit, Christine and Tracy have achieved the goal they set out to accomplish back in the summer of 2003. There are plenty of women eager to learn and you may be pleasantly surprised how down-to-earth all the students are. I have to admit I anticipated finding model thin types with a lot of attitude but I got none of that. This class proved to me that every woman has a sexy side that they have yet to unleash. You don’t necessarily need to be an extrovert or have an unbelievably out-there personality to appreciate pole dancing. You’re just as likely to be in a class with a 20-year-old student as you are with a 50-year-old engineer or lawyer. All these women are after is a fun way to work out.
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Aradia Fitness is located at:

#1 – 3195 Granville St (at 16th ave)
Vancouver, BC V6H 3K2
Buzz 0001 to get in after 6 PM
Paid parking at back

Tel: 604.731.8070 or 1.866.731.8070
Email: vancouver@aradiafitness.com

Check www.aradiafitness.com for more locations

Next series of 6 week classes start the week of June 25

For a complete list of classes and prices, read on… Get the whole story

Psst! Have I got a secret for you! Suede fabrics do not need to be a cleaning nightmare. Whether you are faced with water, grease or dirt stains, begin by sprinkling the stained area with baking soda. Dampen a stiff brush and swipe the spot back and forth until the marks are gone, then leave to dry.

This tip is courtesy of Reena Nerbas, the Home Economist with a lab coat. Check in every Monday as she shares more of her tried and tested household solutions and for more secrets, pick up one of her two national bestsellers at www.centaxbooks.com.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user. Test on a small inconspicuous area first!

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