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Diary | Go Grocery Shopping with a Dietician

A sponsored post

Second only to cooking with a personal chef is grocery shopping with a personal dietician. While I’ve never had a chef (because, I mean, come on), for an all-too-brief moment I went grocery shopping with dietician Melodie Yong.

It’s National Nutrition Month, you see, and Healthy Families BC has just launched their Shopping Sense tool. I’ve worked with Healthy Families BC through my former agency (skip 30 seconds into this behind-the-scenes video and I’ll tell you all about that) and through my own creative consulting company Northill

Plus, I love me some healthy eating so I wanted to know what I didn’t know, ya know?

These nine grocery-shopping tips stood out.

1. Shop with a list. It’ll cut down on impulse purchases (like Swedish Berries — those little gummies get me every time.) Need a little help with prepping and planning? You’ll find a few helpful tools here.

2. Eat your veggies. “It’s a boring message,” Melodie says. “But no one wants to hear what they can’t eat — they don’t want to hear they can’t eat cookies — they want to know what they can eat more of.” Besides, you feel like a superfood hero when you actually eat your greens and purples and yellows.

3. Colour your plate. Speaking of greens and purples and yellows, eat a rainbow of vibrantly coloured veggies. Melodie recommends putting at least three colours on every plate.

4. Eat something orange every day. Because beta carotene is good for you.

5. Go easy on yourself. It’s okay to have a couple nights during the week of less-than-perfect meals as long as most of what you’re eating is nutritionally balanced. It’s about balance, people. Balance.

6. Can’t pronounce an ingredient? That’s probably not a good sign. While reading the label is key, understanding what’s on it is just as important. But you don’t have to take our word for it: The New York Times has a fascinating — and frightening — article on the science of processed food.

7. Opt for plain yogurt. Avoid the sugary kind and flavour it yourself. Easy peasy. Greek-style will often — though not always — have more protein so compare labels.

8. Go Mediterranean. Comprised predominantly of olive oil, nuts, lean fish, fruit and veggies, a Mediterranean diet is great for preventing heart disease. Also, it’s delicious.

9. Shop the outside of the grocery store. That’s where the produce aisle, freshly baked goods and dairy are located. It’s also where the heavily processed foods aren’t.

Want to tour the grocery store with Melodie? Or at least her virtual self? Then click on over to Healthy Families BC’s Shopping Sense.

Style | The Fashionably Techy Gift Guide

A post created in partnership with Caya

You know what the holidays are? Major gift-giving pressure. How do you surprise and — more importantly — delight your girlfriends, boyfriends and dog-walker friends? These unexpected finds scouted at Caya should do the trick.

1. Fuji Finepix XF1 ($449.99) Think I take all the photos for The Anthology on my phone? Heck no. You need a proper camera to get proper photos. And here’s a bonus: the Fuji Finepix FX1 looks as sharp as its shots.

2. Diana F+ Camera ($89.99) A modern take on the lo-fi camera Andy Warhol used, the Diana F+ uses real film, which means you’ll actually end up with real prints.

3. PKG Black Crown Collection Case Your laptop deserves better treatment. And so does your iPad. This handmade-in-Canada leather case (available in several sizes, from $124.99) ensconces your gadgets in cushy comfort.

4. X-mini Speakers ($29.99) When I was in New York with my girlfriends we spent our pre-party time in the hotel room sipping champagne and listening to Paul Simon (who knows why) through portable speakers. These X-minis produce a lot of volume for their size so they’re essential for anyone who loves music and traveling (read: everyone).

5. Urbanears headphones A cool, colourful upgrade to the earbuds that come with your mp3 player. I actually have two pairs of Urbanears: the Plattan (pictured, $69.99), which I use when I’m working at a café and trying to tune out those around me, and the Medis (which Caya also carries) that fit snugly in your ear.

6. Jack Spade Computer bags Sure, Jack Spade is the mantastic answer to Kate Spade, but a rugged computer bag like this (from $122.49) will be appreciated by ladies and gents alike.

You’ll find all these picks at Caya. Happy giving, friends!

The Smaller Things in Life

A post sponsored by MINI Richmond.

Ever since The Anthology teamed up with MINI Richmond to give you a MINI (click here to enter!), I’ve been test-driving the Roadster, which is, oh, about half the size of the car I usually drive (and yet still big enough to fit my lankiest friend). And it got me thinking about the smaller things in life. You know, the things that come in small packages yet have a big place in your heart.

Top of my list? My cat Estelle Getty. Underneath all that fluff (and pudge) is a tiny little creature who curls up on my lap and keeps me cozy all winter long. Kind of like a fur-covered hot water bottle. Except louder.

New nail colour. While lipstick is a go-to pick-me-up, you can’t see your bright red lips when you’re sitting at your desk. But you can see a rainbow at your fingertips.

Antique tins. I use them to hold pens, paperclips, pushpins — basically all my small, but key, office supplies.

Paperback books. I’ve been resisting the urge to get a Kindle or iPad because I like the feel of reading something real. I like that they get dog-eared. I like that you can share them. I like that they’re small enough to fit in your purse. And I like to think that if I write a book one day it’ll be made of paper too.

Handwritten notes. The more email I send and receive, the more I appreciate note-writing. Going to the mailbox seems so quaint, doesn’t it? Which reminds me of another one of the smaller things in life: postage stamps.

Want a MINI to be one of the smaller things in your life. (Obviously!) Click here to enter to win a MINI for a year plus a supersized MINI Adventure from MINI Richmond. Then up your chances by sharing your entry on  Facebook  and  Twitter @MINIRichmond (#MINIadventure). Contest ends November 30, 2012 so rev those entry engines.

Good luck!

Style | A Holiday Wish List

A post sponsored by MasterCard.

Black Friday has finally hit Canada. And in true Canadian style it’s very polite — no lines, no early mornings and no fist fights.

Some of the biggest American department stores like Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s have teamed up with MasterCard to offer free shipping, duty-free shopping and deep discounts to those of us who live north of the border. You’ll find all the promo codes here.

What’s on my Black Friday wish list? A heckuva lot of accessories apparently…

1. Marni Metallic Heel Sandal 2. Marni Small Gusset Bag 3. Kate Spade New York Cluster Earrings 4. Marni Cap Toe Platform Pump 5. Marni Medium Felt Saddle Bag 6. Walter Stieger Side Cutout Platform Pump 7. Alexander Wang Trigone Wallet 8. Alexander Wang Kim Boot 9. Timothy Han Wild Rose Candle 10. Givenchy Wood, Strass and Chain Necklace

Happy Black Friday, Canada!

Diary | Vancouver From My Driver’s Seat

A sponsored post. 

Just like Oprah, The Anthology and MINI Richmond have teamed up to give you a car. And not just any car, but your favourite MINI. (Click here to enter to win!) My favourite MINI is the little Roadster pictured above, which I’m test driving before it ends up in one of your hands.

It’s a convertible so I’ve been doing a lot of driving with the top down lately. Roofs are so overrated.

These are a few shots I grabbed of my very pretty city (Vancouver!) as I was cruising around town (don’t worry, mom, I pulled over before I started snapping away).

I might love the beach on sunny fall days even more than during the summer. Kits, at least, is calm — quiet, even. And oh so pretty.

And with a MINI Roadster convertible, you can sunbathe without even leaving your car.

Want to win your own MINI for a year plus a supersized MINI adventure from MINI Richmond? (Of course!) Click here to enter. Then up your chances by sharing your entry on Facebook and Twitter @MINIRichmond (#MINIadventure). Good luck!

Giveaway | Win the MINI of Your Dreams for a Year(!) from MINI Richmond

A sponsored post. 

I never thought I’d feel this way about a car. But this isn’t just a car. It’s a MINI. And a convertible at that. Have you driven a convertible? Have you driven a MINI?

MINI Richmond gave me a MINI Roadster to drive for the next two months. And you know what? They want to give you one for a whole year(!). Click here to enter to win a MINI for a year plus a supersized MINI adventure, and up your chances by sharing your entry on Facebook and Twitter @MINIRichmond (#Miniadventure). You must be a resident of British Columbia to win so if you’re not, this is the perfect reason to move here.

Good luck! And thanks again, MINI Richmond!

Style | The Latest Scoop

A sponsored post.

Part pop-up boutique, part shopping party, the Latest Scoop is a sparkly, sequin-y treasure trove of holiday style and home décor. The three Vancouver boutiques are only open for a few more weeks so I stopped in to their West Fourth location to scout out my favourite holiday looks.

Like this one. Love, love, love the white tuxedo jacket ($79.95) and its black detailing (doesn’t get any chic-er than black and white!) and I got a little too excited about that floor-length sequin skirt (also comes in black). This look would be a stand-out at holiday parties and new year’s eve bashes. I figure when everyone else is wearing black, that’s the perfect time to show up in white. And when everyone else is wearing short, show up in long.

Or just go for sequins and be a sparkly stunner.

And if you’re, say, going to to a charity ball or an office party and you need a dress that’s a little more conservative, then top it off with bold accessories. A classic LBD calls for rainbow bracelets ($44.95).

And if you’re hosting a dinner party, I love the idea of doing so in a dress like this ($89.95). Wear an apron over top while you’re cooking and then, when dinner’s ready, reveal all that sequin drama! That, my friends, is how you earn the title of the hostess with the mostest.

The Latest Scoop Kits: 2372 West 4th Avenue. Kerrisdale: 2138 West 41st. West Vancouver: 1731 Marine Drive.

P.S. Want the latest on the Latest Scoop? Follow them on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for their newsletter here.

Style | H&M Style Face-off

A sponsored post.

It is time, my friends, to exercise your right to vote! H&M has pitted Canada’s top fashion bloggers against one another in the H&M Style Face-off.

kelsey-dundon-hm-style-face-off

We went mano a mano mannequin a mannequin in a competition to out-style one another. (See how tanned I look standing next to her?)

hm-style-face-off

And this is where you come in. Show me how much you love this look by ‘liking’ it on Facebook.

hm-shoe1

You could win a $100 H&M gift card with one little click of your mouse.

P.S. Just so you know, I totally like you right back.

A Super Giveaway by Dr. Nicholas Perricone!

Let’s talk luxury for a second. There’s nothing that makes me feel more spoiled than using fancy shmancy face creams, elixirs and serums.

super-by-dr-Nicholas-Perricone

I want to share the feeling. So The Anthology is hosting a Super by Dr. Nicholas Perricone giveaway! This line features ingredients so tasty — think coconut, green apple and acai — you won’t know if you should eat them or wear them. (Trust me, you should wear them.) Want to add one to your beauty routine?

For one entry: Comment on this post and tell us which Perricone product valued at up to $150 you want and why. (I never get enough sleep so I’m partial to Bright Eyed Flawless Eye Treatment with melon benefits myself.)

For two entries: Write on The Anthology’s Facebook wall.

For three entries: Holler @TheAnthology on Twitter.

The contest is open to readers in Canada and the US. The lucky winner will be chosen on Monday, May 23. Good luck!

Sponsored posts and advertising

Everything featured on The Anthology is chosen, coveted and loved by editor Kelsey Dundon and/or the site’s contributors.

From time to time we will write a sponsored post, which will always be labelled as such.

And even sponsored posts will be a good fit for Anthology readers because we like it that way. So if it says it’s a sponsored post, it is. And if it doesn’t, it isn’t. Plain and simple.

Questions? Comments? Curious about how you can advertise? Send a note to kdundon@theanthology.ca.