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So far Sarah Walker The Curated House has created 396 blog entries.

Tata Harper | Morning Ritual Part 2 | Rejuvenating Serum + Rebuilding Moisturizer

Good morning, ladies! On this drab and rainy Wednesday, I must admit I’m feeling wide awake. My morning routine does not fail to stimulate my senses and leave me feeling more alive, even on dreary days like today, and I have Tata Harper to thank for that!
You might think my raving about Tata Harper is hyperbole. You might think that no skincare line could be that good. But this is a real thing, girls. It really is that good. 
In Part 1 of my Morning Ritual I shared with you the Refreshing Cleanser and the Hydrating Floral Essence. Today I’m dishing the details on my experience of the Rejuvenating Serum and the Rebuilding Moisturizer.
You may remember that in my frugality, I started with this product lineup just by using the cleanser and the moisturizer. My skin really was immediately happy and I may not have upgraded to the full line for awhile, but now that I have been given the opportunity to fill in the other pieces in the puzzle it’s going to be hard to go back.
Typically I expect a serum to be “too much” for my delicate and sensitive skin, so to layer that with a moisturizer would normally be overkill for me. The thing is, Tata Harper is far from typical. Where other products might just sit on the surface, my skin drinks in the natural goodness of Tata’s products with gratitude. If I had to give the serum one job title, I’d name it my collagen-plumper. Fine lines and dryness seem gently swept away as my skin absorbs this lightweight serum. It is not too rich, so my skin is actually a bit matte but totally silky after it’s gone on. It’s the perfect prep for the moisturizer without layering onto my skin unnecessarily.
Let’s not forget that all of the ingredients in Tata’s products are natural and organic and toxin-free. For someone who is doing everything she can to eliminate unnecessary load on my immune system, this means a lot to me. Here is the {delectable} list of the main active ingredients in the serum.
Next is the Rebuilding Moisturizer. Because I’ve got combination skin, moisturizers have been a tough one for me over the years. They’re either rich enough to address my dryness but leave my t-zone oily, or they’re totally mattifying but dry out my cheekbones and leave me looking a bit windburnt. I think it is the purity and targeted purpose of the ingredients in this moisturizer that must make the difference. After using it my skin looks balanced and has a healthy glow with no greasy zones to contend with. The amazing thing is that my skin seems to be improving over time the more I use it. And P.S., the smell is divine. No fragrances here, ladies! Just the natural aroma of an organic field of flowers.
You may notice by now that Hyaluronic Acid {aka Natural Sodium Hyaluronate} shows up in almost all of Tata’s products. Hyaluronic Acid is actually a component of our connective tissue which is why it does such a great job of helping the skin retain moisture and maintain a youthful glow. Tata’s Hyaluronic Acid – occurring from naturally-derived bacteria – is the highest quality available on the market.

You can purchase Tata’s products directly from their website, on Spirit Beauty Lounge, through Neiman Marcus or at a list of premiere spas throughout North America. Many thanks to Tata for creating these amazing products and allowing me the opportunity to share them with you! It’s wonderful to know that good health and beauty can in fact go hand-in-hand.

xo
s.

By |October 23rd, 2012|0 Comments

Make Something Mondays | Lila Lewis Irving

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to a passionate abstract painter whose process is both emotional and inspiring. Starting with watercolours and woodcut prints in the 1960’s, Lila Lewis Irving’s artistic voice has evolved dramatically over the years. After thoroughly exploring literal subject matter through watercolours and printmaking for decades, Irving broke through to the adventurous world of abstract expressionism in 1990. Since then, she hasn’t looked back.

Irving’s dramatically large canvases – filled with gestural shapes, sophisticated compositions and bold colours – are the result of powerfully tapping into emotions, intuition and creativity while shutting off the “thinking brain” as much as possible. Her life-long commitment to spontaneity is inspirational.

I’ve had the joy of seeing Lila Lewis Irving’s work installed in a wonderful client’s home. Her pieces are at once bold, powerful, harmonious and deeply engaging.

Today I have a real treat for you – a beautiful mini documentary offering a rare glimpse into Lila’s deeply intuitive, private and emotional process. Lila says her greatest achievement is simply being able to paint for 50+ years. Painting for passion and not for profit has certainly served Lila well. Her work has been significantly represented in both private and public art collections.


Appassionata from Joel-Adam Powley on Vimeo.

Director + Producer – Joss Monzon
Director of Photography – Chris van Dijk
Camera + Editor – Joel-Adam Powley

Wishing you a day, an hour, or even a moment when you are able to turn off your thinking brain and immerse yourself fully in your intuition. If Lila is any example, this courageous and creative exercise can offer rather stunning results.

xo
s.

By |October 22nd, 2012|0 Comments

Great Aunt Nan’s Beef Bourgignon

We’ve all heard the idiom: “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” Well, sometimes we are lucky enough to have family we would choose as friends. That is certainly the case with my Great Aunt Nan.
She and my Great Uncle David were spirited adventurers. In their “sunset years,” for example, they flew over from England, bought a small RV and spent years touring all of North and South America together. The first time I met them they were whipping up a marvellous meal in their tiny, one-burner kitchen while parked on the driveway of my childhood home. 
A few years later I found myself the privileged guest at their dinner table once again, but this time back in England. The conversation, the laughter, the good wine and good spirits were all in plentiful supply, and the meal was one I will never forget. Sherried Cream of Mushroom and Great Aunt Nan’s Beef Bourgignon.
I loved the way she pulled the meal together, chatting whilst effortlessly gliding in and out of the kitchen periodically as she checked on progress. It was something of a dance, and an elegant one at that. Beef Bourgignon is a wonderful dish for slow and natural gatherings as it fills up every nook and cranny of one’s home with intoxicating aromas while offering a leisurely pace at getting to the table. Nan impressed upon me a vision of effortless, thoughtful entertaining that day which is perhaps in part the reason this is one of my favourite “comfort food” dishes. After a challenging day and in need of just such comfort, I chose to make this for my family last night and thought I would share it with you today {with only some slight modifications to the original}.
THE INGREDIENTS
6 strips bacon
2 lbs lean top sirloin steak {preferably organic} fat trimmed and cut into cubes
8-12 small cippolini onions, peeled and quartered
2 c. shiitake mushrooms, cut into cubes or sliced
2-4 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsp gluten-free flour {I love Cup 4 Cup}
2 Tbsp brandy
1 bottle organic, full-bodied red wine 
2 c. beef consumé
1 bay leaf
Big pinch of thyme
Salt + pepper to taste
THE METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook bacon strips until crispy and remove from pan onto paper towel to drain. Remove most of the fat from the pan, reserving just enough to fry the beef. Brown the beef lightly and sprinkle the flour overtop. Gently stir in 1/2 of the wine and brandy. Break bacon up into bits and add back along with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and transfer to a french oven or roasting pan. Cook at 350 for one hour then add remaining wine and brandy and return to oven, reducing heat to 325 for another hour. Finish with salt and pepper and serve with your favourite steamed greens and cauliflower purée. Enjoy!!
Wishing you a weekend filled with the wonderful aromas and comforting rituals of Autumn.
xo
s.

By |October 19th, 2012|0 Comments