The Danish studio Norm created for Menu a luxurious Carving Set and a practical Serving Set. The duo of architects designed four pieces that can be used in many ways. The melamine tray when used in combination with the carving bamboo board, or the porcelain dish and cooling pad delivers handy features.

Simply pop the cooling pad in the freezer in advance. Then, put the cooling pad between the melamine tray and the porcelain dish when you are ready to serve desserts, sushi or any cold dishes. There will be no more mess when you carve the meat thanks to the hole in the middle cross of the bamboo board. The hole allows meat juices to drip down into the tray. The melamine tray can be used as a normal tray to serve drinks. As you can see, these sets are quite versatile and clever.

You can buy the carving set (2 pieces), the cooling serving set (3 pieces) or the 4 pieces together. For the slight difference in price, the 4-piece set is the best buy.

SOURCING:
+ Norm’s Carving Set for Menu $125 USD
+ Norm’s Cooling Set for Menu $125
+ Norm’s Hot+Cold Serving Carving Tray Set $158

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Excerpt from: Norm’s Carving and Serving Sets for Menu

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I know this stuff is definitely a splurge, but honestly? This is one of the nicest shade ranges I’ve ever seen from Chanel (and as a beauty editor, I’ve been exposed to most of their seasonal collections over the years).

This one is super-wearable—I think for any skin tone but most of all for people like me with a cooler, pinker complexion.

Here’s what I mean—check out the visual for the collection:

Link: Video: BeautyEditor.ca reviews Chanel’s Fall 2010 Makeup Collection (“Les Contrastes de Chanel”)

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The stunning white porcelain tableware collection by Dutch designer Aldo Bakker caught me eye. His graceful pieces were studied to fulfill a specific function. He likes his pieces to be tactile. Usually, they take their meaning when you hold them in your hands.

I was intrigued by the oil platter. The two surfaces of the oil platter work together. You pour the olive oil on the horizontal dish. You turn it slightly on the side to brush your bread against the vertical dish. You end up with the right amount of oil on your bread piece.

Although I admire the concept, I wonder how effective the oil platter is in a real-life application. How long are you willing to hold the oil platter on your hand? How well the oil stays on the dish when you put it on the table?

More Serving Ware

The salt cellar seems to be the more practical of the entire collection. I imagine it as an elegant way to serve fleur de sel at the table. His water carafe rests on a table on the side instead of standing tall. You need to hold the carafe with your both hands to serve water.

I am curious. Are they are more than conversation pieces? Have any of you seen and use these pieces? If so, how do they perform?

SOURCING:
+ Oil Platter by Aldo Bakker $169 USD
+ Salt Cellar $129
+ Water Carafe $229
+ Aldo Bakker’s Web site

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View post: Unique Tableware by Aldo Bakker

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Maybe you were the victim of an overzealous colourist (it’s happened to me); maybe you tried to DIY with home colour and failed (I’ve also been there); or maybe you just have too much love for your curling iron, flat iron and hairdryer.

Whatever happened—you need some help to nurse those fragile, damaged locks back to health. Yes?

This question was actually posed by not one but two readers lately. And since I’ve managed to recover my locks from a poorly advised 18-month period of trying virtually every hair colour under the sun, I am perfectly qualified to advise you. So here goes…

More: What to do if your hair is dry, damaged and all-around looking a bit crap

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Robin Burnside wrote a cookbook that promotes a lifestyle from the farm to your table. One aspect of The Homesteader’s Kitchen that I enjoy is her desire to teach people how to make your salad dressings and sauces from scratch. Making your own sauce or dressing is healthier, tastier, and it often only takes a few extra minutes to make your own. You will also learn how to make your own yogurt, crème fraîche, corn tortillas, ghee and ponzu sauce.

You also get recipes for beverages, breakfast, breads, soups, vegetarian entrees, fish, poultry and meat entrees, plus desserts. The Chicken Dijon with fresh dill is a quick and easy recipe to prepare on a weekday. On average, a dozen recipes are presented per category.

The tone of the book is comforting. For example, when she talked about pie making, Robin suggested to start with an open-faced pie. She mentioned where we should be careful when making our piecrust. Her writing style might inspire novice cooks to cook and bake more often for their family.

Robin Burnside was co-owner, chef and baker of Carmel Café in Carmel and Café Amphora at Nepenthe in Big Sur.

SOURCING:
+ For Americans: The Homesteader’s Kitchen by Robin Burnside $14.39 USD at Amazon.com [affiliate link]
+ For Canadians: The Homesteader’s Kitchen by Robin Burnside $23.99 CAD at Amazon.ca [affiliate link]
+ The Homesteader’s Kitchen Web site

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publicist of Gibbs-Smith (the publisher), with no commitments from my part. I featured this cookbook because I like it.

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The rest is here: The Homesteader’s Kitchen | Book review

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But seriously—you should’ve been paying attention in class when they talked about the Order of Operations. Remember that? It’s the order in which you’re supposed to add/subtract/multiply/divide… and goodness me, similar rules exist in beauty!

I’m talking about the order in which you should be apply products to your face. Here’s how it should go. If you’re not doing this, I’m sorry, but—UR DOIN IT RONG.

More here: Remember the Order of Operations in math? Well, this is like that—but for your face

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Elegant buffet servers enhance the look of your table. Holders and caddies are handy to bring the plates and flatware from your kitchen to the table. The pattern of the Britain Buffet Servers is neither truly traditional nor modern. And the beauty of pewter means that this set will never go out of style. I like it to bring a formal sense to your buffet table.

Made of pewter, the Britain Buffet Servers are handcrafted in Italy. The baker and flatware caddies come with dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, and oven-safe glass inserts. They are available at Horchow.

SOURCING:
+ Pewter Flatware Caddy $340 USD
+ Pewter Dinner Plate Holder $240
+ Pewter Salad Plate Holder $200
+ Pewter Single Baker $230
+ Pewter Double Baker $230

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Go here to see the original: Britain Buffet Servers for an Elegant Buffet Table

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* Is she just skinny or is it something more sinister? If you read Blind Items Exposed, it’s definitely the latter…

But anyway! I’ve been trying—and failing, really—to replicate Ange’s feline, winged-out eyes for AGES now.

To the rescue: Toronto-based makeup artist David Goveia, whose concealer trick I mentioned yesterday and who is basically DA MAN when it comes to simple, subtle, easy makeup that is sort of barely detectable but instantly makes you look 1,000 times better.

Read the original: 10 little tips for getting awesomely sexy, feline, Angelina-esque eyes

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I’ve been avoiding my own gaze in the compact mirror lately. The reason? … [visit site to read more]

See the rest here: The Replacements: Stash New Compact Powder Puffs in Your Purse

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