Wine and Dine your way through this HOSPITABLE REGION

WRITTEN BY ROBYN ROEHM CANNON

If you appreciate contemporary architecture surrounded by unspoiled natural vistas, cuisine incorporating only the freshest regional ingredients, being pampered by spa professionals who are masters at their craft—and if you’re intrigued by the idea of a resort that has integrated more than 3.5 million Austrian Swarovski crystals into its breathtaking design—then you will be thrilled with a stay at Sparkling Hill Resort near the town of Vernon. The resort’s signature 40,000-square-foot KurSpa offers guests more than one hundred traditional European wellness treatments, including North America’s first cold spa, where in a chamber lowered to a temperature of-166 degrees Fahrenheit, guests are carefully monitored for three-minute cryotherapy sessions that improve circulation and offer lasting pain relief.

When you’re ready to taste Okanagan wines, don’t miss these spots, most with remarkable restaurants on the premises:

A few miles down the road from Sparkling Hill is Gray Monk Estate Winery, which dates to 1972. Today, more than one hundred acres of vineyards are under cultivation on the gentle slopes rising up from Lake Okanagan. End a visit with lunch in the winery’s Grapevine Restaurant overlooking this expansive view. Executive Chef Will Franz has presided over fine dining rooms around the world, and his wine country cooking is unpretentious and superb.

Just outside Penticton, Poplar Grove Winery began in a garage in 1993 but has grown into a world-class winery, with 150 acres of new vineyards under cultivation. A new multimillion-dollar production facility and tasting room offers outstanding varietals, including a 2008 Syrah that garnered the only gold medal awarded to a Canadian winery at the 2011 Decanter World Wine Awards, where it rose above more than 12,000 wines from forty-four countries. Enjoy a glass of estate Pinot Gris on the winery’s patio while taking in the spectacular vineyard and lake views.

Summerhill Pyramid Winery produces outstanding organic wines that are barrel fermented and bottle aged

inside ageometrically precise pyramid, including a sparkling wine that has repeatedly taken top honors in France. Summerhill’s Sunset Bistro is headed by Executive Chef Jesse Croy, who has been awarded the Best Chef in Kelowna several years running. His inventive culinary team strives for a true “zero mile” diet, sourcing much of the organic produce from the estate’s biodynamic garden.

Mission Hill Family Estate is one of the most prestigious, innovative, and awarded wineries in all of British Columbia, dedicated to producing world-class wines from classic French grape varietals since 1981. The architecture and surroundings are as impressive as the accolades, and an afternoon picnic on the lawn framing the lake and Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyard views is pure bliss. The winery’s Terrace Restaurant was named one of the top five winery restaurants in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine; dining on Chef Matthew Batey’s “Cuisine du Terrior” is an experience not to be missed.

The Stewart family has Okanagan roots that go back more than a century, and their Quails’ Gate Winery is respected worldwide for sublime dessert wines and a sumptuous estate Pinot Noir.  Be sure to enjoy an alfresco bistro lunch or a leisurely sunset dinner in the gorgeous Old Vines Restaurant, sited directly above the vineyards. Chef Roger Sleiman offers year-round menus featuring sustainable seafood and ingredients sourced from a full kitchen garden and regional British Columbia farms.

The Thompson Okanagan Valley has much to offer, and this is just a sampling of that wine country hospitality. But if you love skiing, golf, hiking, fishing, and just being outdoors, this region will delight you, no matter what season of the year you choose to visit.

[Source: Robyn Roehm Cannon. "British Columbia's Okanagan Valley"  Homes By Design. Homesbydesign.com. October/November 2011.]

A Contemporary Retreat on Copacabana Beach
Showcases the Jaw-Dropping Views

WRITTEN BY MARESA GIOVANNINI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BLUE PARALLEL VILLAS

Sometimes interior designers require remarkable artwork, luxurious fabrics, and antique furniture to complete a living space; other times, all they need is a view.

“This apartment perfectly complements the bustle and fast pace of Rio,” says Emmanuel Burgio, founder and CEO of exclusive travel boutique Blue Parallel. “The natural light, open spaces, and tranquility of the apartment are the perfect counterbalance to the vitality and intensity of the streets and beaches of Rio.” This home, known as The Carnival, was originally designed for the homeowners but is available through Blue Parallel Villas as a short-stay rental.

SQUASH AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
This soup requires a bit of time to roast the veggies, but that’s the perfect opportunity to prep the remaining ingredients. A quick puree in the blender yields a smooth, creamy soup that is utterly satisfying on a cool or rainy evening. I like to serve it with tangy sour cream, cracked black pepper, tender microgreens for brightness, and crackers for a bit of crunch, but feel free to include your favorite soup accompaniments, such as chopped nuts, fresh herbs, or a drizzle of great olive oil.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds butternut squash, halved,
seeds scooped out
2 pounds sweet potato, halved
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sage, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
4–6 cups low-sodium chicken
or vegetable broth
hot sauce to taste
lemon juice to tasteGarnish (optional):
sour cream, microgreens, and crackers

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the cut sides and skin of the squash and sweet potatoes. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Place the cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until tender when pierced with a fork. Make sure to check larger ends. When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and place in a bowl.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery, and stir until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, sage, and remaining spices. Cook until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cooked squash, potato, a nice sprinkle of salt, and 4 cups of broth. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender in batches or with an immersion blender. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Add more broth to reach the desired thickness. If the soup tastes a bit flat, add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten.

HANGER STEAK IN A COFFEE-PEPPERCORN MARINADE
This steak requires a bit of forethought for marinating a day in advance, but the results are entirely worth it, as the coffee adds a depth of flavor that pairs perfectly with dark meat. Be sure to ask your butcher to remove the long connective tissue that runs down the center of the cut.

Serves 4

1 cup brewed coffee
½ cup red wine
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed in a
mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon sambal oelek
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to season steak
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2½ pounds hanger steak, about 3 pieces
freshly ground black pepper

Combine the coffee, red wine, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, crushed black peppercorns, maple syrup, sambal oelek, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and garlic in a shallow baking dish or a large Ziploc bag. Add the hanger steak and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning the steak occasionally.

Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the steak dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive and add the steak when the oil is very hot. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until dark brown. Turn the steak over and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve with the kale and farro salad.

KALE AND FARRO SALAD IN FIG BALSAMIC DRESSING
Hearty kale softens when tossed in a generous amount of tangy, sweet dressing. Tossed with chewy, nutty farro, this salad is a perfect accompaniment to juicy slices of hanger steak. The farro can also be cooked several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Use the extra for other salads or in a vegetable sauté.

Serves 4

1 cup farro
4 cups vegetable or chicken
broth or water
kosher salt
1 large bunch dinosaur kale
freshly ground black pepper
Fig Balsamic Dressing (see below)
1 ounce ricotta salata, shaved

Place the farro and broth or water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and season generously with kosher salt. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 hours, until farro is tender, but still a bit chewy. Drain the farro and rinse with cold water and then refrigerate in a tightly covered container until ready to use.

Roll a few leaves of kale at a time into a bundle and slice the leaves into ¼-inch strips. Transfer to a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of cooked farro and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the Fig Balsamic Dressing. Toss to combine, adding more dressing as needed. Transfer the salad to plates and top with shaved ricotta salata.

Fig Balsamic Dressing:
10 dried figs, stemmed and halved
1 cup water
2 cups dry red wine
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup fruity olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place the figs and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the burner after 2 minutes and let the figs soak for 15 minutes, until soft. Add the wine and simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the garlic, brown sugar, and vinegar. Blend until well combined. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

FRESH FIG GALETTE
In my book, it doesn’t get much better than ripe, luscious fresh figs. I covet their arrival in the markets and think their beauty is best appreciated with simple adornment. I serve this galette with sweetened whipped cream, but it would be equally delicious with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream.

Serves 6–8

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick butter, chilled and cut
into small pieces
½ cup sour cream

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add the sour cream and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Filling:
8 ounces goat cheese, softened
3 tablespoons honey, plus
more for drizzling
1–1½ pounds fresh figs, quartered
4 tablespoons sugar, divided,
plus more for sprinkling
1 egg, well beaten, plus
1 teaspoon water
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the softened goat cheese with 3 tablespoons of honey in a small bowl and set aside. Gently toss the figs with 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium bowl.

Roll out the dough to a ⅛-inch-thick circle. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Spread the goat cheese on the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the figs in concentric circles over the cheese. Fold the edges of the dough up over the outer edge of the figs, gently folding. No need to make it perfect; a galette should be rustic and free-form. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle the top with a light dusting of sugar.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. While the galette is baking, whip the cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Drizzle more honey over the warm galette and serve immediately with whipped cream on the side.

In New York, less-than-large living arrangements are the norm, requiring a keen eye to stretch the aesthetics. For a pair of empty nesters with a nine-hundred-square-foot one-bedroom dwelling, Leyden Lewis, owner and design director of Brooklyn-based Leyden Lewis Interior Design + Architecture, was able to deliver something grand. “I think everyone wants to utilize their space to maximize the program and be practical without making it crowded,” says Lewis in regard to this apartment, located in a prime location near the Museum of Modern Art.
“The space was not very architecturally interesting itself,” explains Lewis, who turned to the intriguing forms of furniture, finishes, and decorative objects to bring in the character that was lacking. His clients were coming from a more traditional house that was surrounded by nature. “This brings back something natural and organic, even without the trees, in an urban scenario,” Lewis says. “They had lived in the city before. I wanted to bring them back refreshed and reloaded.” Lewis likens the style to alchemy. “It’s a kind of magic when you put things in conversation with something else.”
The story unfolds in the entryway with a French confiturier from the ’30s. With the exception of the bedroom, the entire apartment is painted white. The designer compares this approach to serving sorbet during a meal. “I want you to cleanse the palate before you experience the rest of the apartment,” he says. Besides, the key pieces in the entry feature shapes that are more defined against a blank canvas. “The quirky triangular mirror against the chest and the Murano bowl against the white walls are like a watercolor on a white page.”
The coffee-colored floor anchors the space. Lewis’s clever tactics include his imaginative use of peek-a-boo pieces. “You create transparency by using things that are not solid,” he says. In the living room, a shapely bar cart from the ’50s proves that good things really do come in small packages, while a disappearing desk in the corner provides a workspace positioned to face the living room and the views beyond.
Lewis chose a round rug instead of going with the more traditional boxy shape. The boomerang-shaped couch and mahogany chairs with curved arms also fool the eye. “It’s a good way to make a space larger, to not match the angles,” he explains. “By tilting and shifting the furniture off the lines and structure of the apartment and walls, you increase the space visually.”
Lewis refers to this idea as his hovering business, which can go a long way in modest digs. “It’s emotional space that you gain,” he says. “It’s about selecting pieces of furniture that tell you how to walk around and use the space, such as the sensuousness of the chair arms that are without a natural starting and stopping point.”
The tangerine sofa is the most important piece in the living room, says the designer, who doesn’t hesitate to use a variety of hues in tight quarters. “You still want to create a hierarchy, even in a small space,” he says. Deco chairs from the ’30s mix with a modern table in the diminutive dining area. “The light fixture echoes the window treatments and creates a lightweight source of lighting for the room,” Lewis says. “Anything too heavy seems to crowd the mind.”
A table topped with organic shapes adds another sleek element to the space without taking up too much visual weight. Even modern technology gets in on the vanishing act with an adjustable flat-screen TV on the wall. A Karl Klingbiel painting propped on the floor provides another place for the eye to rest.
Lewis commissioned artist and photographer Tony Whitfield to create an assemblage of images taken by the husband, who is an amateur photographer. “These are a series of windows,” says Lewis to describe the artistic arrangement of photos.
Sage green walls envelop the master bedroom, and the bed, whose legs are set back from the corners, seems to levitate, adding an airy effect to the room. A nearby sitting area consists of a Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin chair and ottoman from the ’60s and a polycarbonate side table placed in front of a painting purchased by the homeowners. Lewis turned a narrow niche that was once a vertical void into a tiny library with shelves.
The designer doesn’t mind mixing highbrow with lowbrow for an equally transfixing effect. “Good design is good design,” says Lewis, citing the combination of the polycarbonate mirror above the 19th-century Korean chest in the bedroom as an example. “It’s that juxtaposition.” Every design decision carries weight in a small space, but Lewis is reluctant to take total credit for this impressive dwelling. “The character of the apartment is coming from the people themselves,” he says. “I’m just drawing the magic from them.”

Photography by Michael Rodenbush

In densely populated cities, space may be limited, but style is boundless. People flock to these cultural melting pots for the experience—the art, the cuisine, the shows, the fashion, and the infinite energy. And in the heart of frenzied Midtown Manhattan, surrounded by landmarks and cultural centers such as the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rockefeller Center, and the Empire State Building, stands The Setai Fifth Avenue. This soaring sixty-story tower is a newly established hotel and condo building and the location of this pied-a-terre. The city might never sleep, but eventually the people must.

Joe Fava, ASID and principal of Fort Lauderdale, Florida– based Fava Design Group, designed the one-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath condo as a part-time residence for an Italian couple. “This is the perfect spot to live while visiting New York City,” says Fava of the petite, 750-square-foot space. “It is comfortable enough for a couple to be able to relax and spread out in, but small enough that one can lock it up, head out, and not have to worry about it.”

Because the thirty-first-floor condo is intended for occasional visits, Fava focused on creating an uncomplicated and restive retreat for the couple’s exhausting city stays. A consistent monochromatic color palette of champagne tones produces both a sense of calm and the appearance of a larger space, while pops of orange add a bit of color and drama. The walls are bathed in Benjamin Moore metallic paint with a shimmery effect repeated in metallic fabric window sheers, rich champagne-colored velvet on the sofa and side chairs, and wool and silk shimmer rugs.

“In the master bedroom, we hung a hand-painted screen with an Asian landscape that helped increase the ‘visual’ space of the bedroom,” says Fava. “Like a mirror, this screen helped to make the room appear larger from the minute it was hung.” Actual mirrors were used effectively to create visual space in the bathrooms and in smaller vignettes around the condo; however, there was neither the wall space nor the need for many other large-scale mirrors or artwork with the impressive floor-to-ceiling views.

The faceted windows angle away from the building, creating a full-scale view of the cityscape and the streets below. The distinctive design allows for expansive views, including that of the Empire State Building; the southwest-facing corner windows also welcome in remarkable light, masking the somewhat awkward size and shape of the 260-square-foot living space.

Before deciding how to arrange the narrow main room, Fava assessed how the space would most likely be used by the homeowners. The kitchen, stylishly hidden by two-tone veneer cabinets, is efficiently equipped with a microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, and freezer. “Most New Yorkers do not use their kitchens while in the city—why would they when they have access to some of the best restaurants in the world at their fingertips?” says Fava. “I felt it was more important to have increased living space than an eat-in kitchen.” So the designer created an intimate dining area away from the kitchen on the far wall and near a window overlooking the Hudson River; when the couple chooses to dine at home they still have a posh restaurant view.

The living area is defined with a Stark rug and furniture that fits appropriately. “If the furniture is so small that it is uncomfortable and impractical, then that causes another laundry list of issues,” says Fava. “It needs to breathe while still being user-friendly.” With square footage at a premium, each piece of furniture in a small home must be intentional and multifunctional. Although the builders incorporated a fair amount of existing storage closets in the bedroom and hallway, Fava added a few flexible pieces, such as a wood and leather entry table that secretly houses barware for cocktail hour.

Designing and living in a small space is often a challenge; here, it is ideal. Fava’s calming, low-maintenance design succeeds at creating a luxurious observation deck where the owners can always view the main attraction—the city.

Written by Robyn Roehm Cannon

Winter Blooming Shrubs

It’s relatively easy to have colorful flowers when temperatures rise above sixty degrees, but what about the winter garden, when cold winds blow and the dreariness of November sets in? That’s when it takes a bit more planning to produce a garden that yields delicate flowers for our enjoyment and to urge us on to spring. The good news is there are a surprisingly large number of excellent, readily available choices to add to your landscape for winter excitement.

One of the hardiest flowering plant groups that will thrive in nearly any planting zone is shrubs. These ornamentals are generally disease resistant and will give your garden color and texture during more than one season. Many begin their show while still covered with the white of winter and exude a glorious fragrance into the cold, crisp air. Perhaps best of all, they’ll attract birds with their colorful habit, so your garden will become a wildlife sanctuary, full of activity during a time that is normally very quiet. Keep reading for details on some of my favorite winter-into-spring bloomers.

Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)

USDA zones 5 to 8

These stately plants can grow to be large specimens over time—up to ten feet tall by eight feet wide. They love rich, moist, well-drained soil and can thrive in partial to full shade. You’ll be rewarded with white or pink six-inch pendulous clusters of fragrant, bell-shaped flowers beginning in late winter and lasting through spring. Look for the cultivar ‘Debutante’, a compact selection that grows to three feet at full maturity.

Cassia (Cassia bicapsularis or Senna bicapsularis)

USDA zones 7 to 10 (deciduous north of zone 10)

This shrub has a fountain or draping look to it and can grow into a small tree. It produces deep yellow blooms from late fall into early winter. It likes full sun and sandy soil with good drainage. Be sure to work compost into the soil before planting and water the cassia regularly until it’s established.

Daphne (Daphne odora)

USDA zones 3 to 10

A sunny to lightly shaded area of the garden is preferred for this highly fragrant bloomer. It offers delicate, creamy white, pink, or yellow flowers in clusters in late winter that persist well into spring. The cultivar ‘Leucantha’ is a nice choice when planted in slightly moist soil that is well drained. Its mature size is approximately four feet tall and wide, but beware: daphne doesn’t like to be moved, so find your plant a home where it can be happy for many years.

Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)

USDA zones 5 to 9

This is one of the most dramatic winter bloomers. Clusters of white, pink, or red blooms open on bare stems in late winter and early spring. The cultivar ‘Kingishi’ is especially nice for the home landscape. It is a compact shrub four to five feet high and wide. Quince is not particular about the soil it grows in, as long as the shrub is sited in full sun and watered regularly. It makes a good deterrent against deer because the limbs are covered in very sharp spines.

Laurustinus Viburnum (Viburnum tinus)

USDA zones 7 to 10

Waxy, fragrant white flowers open from pink buds in late winter and early spring. Some cultivars bloom in summer and continue blooming through the winter. Viburnum likes part sun to shade in fertile, moist, well-drained soil.

Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)

USDA zones 2 to 7

Late winter brings powdery-silver blooms popping out from the pussy willow’s bare stems. It is a colonizing plant and may cover an area of twenty feet around the original planting, reaching twenty-five feet tall, but it can be contained through severe pruning after flowering. It grows as a native in swampy areas and is perfect for low spots in the landscape. Any soil type is acceptable. Bees, butterflies, and many bird species are drawn to this plant.

Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)

USDA zones 4 to 9

In late winter and early spring, this weeping shrub is covered with lemon-scented white blooms. It can grow to ten feet tall and wide. Grow it in dry to moderately moist, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade, and prune it after it flowers to control its size

You’ve got a project due at work, Thanksgiving travel plans to book, and kids to help with their homework every night. Faced with such a full schedule of activities and obligations, you’re likely feeling overwhelmed and wondering where all your energy went. And, as you head into one of the busiest seasons of the year, you can only predict that things could get worse from here. That’s all the more reason to start paying attention to your energy levels and finding ways toincrease them now. Doing so will help you tackle your many tasks and, most importantly, enhance your enjoyment of daily life. “The quantity of energy we have determines the quality of our lives,” says Jon Gordon, an energy consultant and the author of The Energy Bus. Fortunately, there are a number of proven tricks you can adopt to help you increase your energy levels and improve the quality of your life. Here’s how to boost your energy today.

REDUCE YOUR DAILY STRESS. According to Gordon, it’s the stress brought on by your busy schedule that truly saps you of energy. The solution is straightforward: you need to get rid of as much daily stress as possible. Start by trimming superfluous activities from your schedule and replacing them with relaxing activities that calm your mind. “You have to find a way to relax your mind,” says bestselling author and lifestyle expert Jim Karas. “If you live all day reacting to stress, your body lives in the stress mode. Find ways to lower your stress, even if it’s just taking a warm bath or shower or [practicing] a few minutes of deep breathing.”

REMEMBER TO BREATHE. When you’re feeling drained, it’s easy to forget to breathe deeply. “We totally neglect breath, and it’s huge for energy, concentration, creativity, memory—you name it,” says Karas. Practice deep breathing by inhaling for two to three seconds and exhaling for two to three seconds to clear the mind and increase energy levels; to further boost your energy, try inhaling the scent of peppermint. A study conducted at Wheeling Jesuit University showed that peppermint vapors helped improve athletic performance among basketball players. Imagine what the invigorating scent could do for you.

EAT WHOLE FOODS. Instead of relying on quick-fix energy enhancers such as caffeinated beverages, sugary sports drinks, and energy bars, Gordon recommends restructuring your diet around wholesome whole foods. In particular, unrefined, minimally processed foods that are high in protein and fiber provide sustained energy by slowing down the release of sugar into your bloodstream. The next time your energy drops, try eating a snack that contains both protein and fiber and watch your energy increase.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP. “You can’t replace sleep with a double latte,” says Gordon. And yet, it’s easy to let distractions such as late-night television cut into your precious shut-eye and then rely on an AM coffee to serve as your energy boost. Karas recommends gradually cutting back on nighttime activities so you can get to bed fifteen minutes earlier than usual. Soon you’ll be getting the recommended eight hours of sleep each night and feeling your energy levels improve. Still don’t feel rested during the day? Take Gordon’s advice and sneak in a twenty-minute power nap on days when your energy lags.

EXERCISE. It might seem counterintuitive to expend energy to create it, but adequate exercise gets your blood flowing and makes you feel more alive, says Gordon. If you can fit a workout into your schedule, Karas recommends timing it for the middle of the day to help you feel your best. “I personally love the energy boost I feel when I do that,” he says. “In the afternoon, I’m on fire because I revved up my body [midday].”

SEEK EXCITEMENT. Participating in an activity that excites you can increase energy levels by stimulating you in the same way exercise does. “We’ve all had the experience of feeling more energized after seeing a musical, listening to a great song, trying a new hobby for the first time, asking someone on a date, or hanging out with great friends,” says Gordon. “You have to get off the couch and experience life, and, when you do, you generate more energy.”

TAKE A THANK-YOU WALK. Extend your sense of gratitude—and increase your energy levels—by taking what Gordon calls “a thank-you walk” when you’re feeling drained. “A thank-you walk is the practice of taking a walk for exercise and, while walking, you say or think what you are grateful for,” says Gordon. “It works [to boost energy] because the act of walking produces endorphins and increases blood flow, and being grateful floods your brain and body with positive emotions that uplift you.”

Price just reduced! This former Grand Model home has a great location in Addison — and is now priced at $269,900.

It is wonderfully situated on a corner lot. It is a single story and has an open floor plan.

The entry is marble tile. There is wood flooring in the family room, kitchen, and breakfast area. Crown molding is through the home as well as designer touches! The walls of windows allow for tons of natural light. The windows are dressed with custom drapes, which make this the perfect home for entertaining!

The spacious kitchen has tile countertops and backsplash, a center island, and plenty of storage. The breakfast area overlooks the landscaped backyard.
The large master bath features a jetted tub and separate vanities. The oversized master bedroom has a bay window, plantation shutters, and a walk-in closet. The garage has built-in cabinets.

The family room has an abundance of built-ins and is open to kitchen, formal living, dining, and breakfast room. The third bedroom will make the perfect office with windows overlooking the front lawn. This mature lot is beautifully landscaped. The gorgeous extended back patio has landscaped beds and trees.

You can easily drive downtown to work or North to Plano and Frisco (for even more great shopping!) as Addison is located just off the Dallas North Tollway!

The address is 14657 Waterview Circle in Addison. Let me know if you are interested!

But with a bit of forethought, you can learn to eat well on the go and keep your waistline in check. Whether you’re forced to grab breakfast on the run or need to snag a snack at the airport between flights, here are the strategies you need to make healthy eating and a busy lifestyle jive.

Start the day off right. When you’re facing a busy day, breakfast is often the first meal you let slip. “A lot of times we wake up and have coffee and that suppresses our appetite,” says Tara Coleman, a San Diego–based clinical nutritionist. “Then you are consumed with activities, and suddenly it’s two o’clock and you haven’t realized you are hungry because you are so busy.” The solution: start the day off with a healthy breakfast. You’ll have more energy and ensure a more balanced diet for the day. If you have time to eat before leaving home, enjoy a quick bowl of whole-grain cereal or a few whole wheat toaster waffles topped with protein-rich peanut butter. For breakfasts on the run, stock options like hard-boiled eggs and small cartons of low-fat yogurt in your kitchen so you can still eat well when you’re in a rush.

Pack your own snacks. Why should you rely on other people to provide your meals when you can take matters into your own hands? If you store healthy snacks like homemade trail mix or fresh fruit in your purse or car ahead of time, you won’t be caught by surprise when hunger strikes on the road. And if you know you’re headed to a healthy-food desert such as the airport or an amusement park, you can pack a well-balanced lunch or dinner in a cooler so you won’t have to turn to on-site vendors to meet your dining needs.

Map out healthy pit stops. It’s inevitable: you will find yourself stuck on the road and starving at some point this month. You can prevent the need to visit the roadside mini-mart for a coke and a candy bar by making a mental map of healthy food choices in your neighborhood or vacation destination. Explore the options in your surrounding environment for places that serve certifiably healthy food. Your neighborhood grocery store might have an extensive salad bar, or the corner coffee shop might serve delicious, fresh-fruit smoothies. Knowing where you can go to get healthy foods any time of the day goes a long way toward eating well on the run.

Have a backup plan. Whether you’re headed out on a midsummer road trip or are just spending the day shopping at the local mall, sometimes a vending machine, a fast-food chain, or a gas station mini-mart will be the only available dining option. In these situations, the educated consumer wins. If you familiarize yourself with a variety of healthy, widely available foods in advance, you’ll be able to find nutritious options everywhere. At convenience stores, for example, fresh or dried fruit, low-fat dairy products, and fiber-rich granola bars are generally good choices, as are whole-grain crackers and satiating nuts. If you’re stuck dining at a fast-food joint, plan to skip the double cheeseburger and select a meal off the healthy-choices menu instead.

Become a label reader. When you’re forced to eat packaged foods to fight hunger, nutritional labels can be your ally. Take the time to study nutrition labels (and nutrition facts on fast-food menus) to better understand the benefits and drawbacks of potential picks. Look at the calories and fat content as well as the serving size and sodium content. And always pay attention to the claims listed on the fronts of packages, which can draw you in with deceptive wording that makes a product appear healthier than it really is. For example, a bag of chips that reads “only 80 calories per serving” on the front might actually contain four or five servings—and far more calories—in every bag.

After my second visit to Northern New Mexico, I began to agree with those who believe that this mountainous high-desert country holds a super-charged energy unlike anyplace else on earth. Many credit this magical quality to the first Native Americans, who lived in the canyons surrounding Santa Fe and Taos thousands of years ago, leaving their indelible spirit behind. Today, there are so many reasons to visit, among them a celebration of Southwestern art, culture, and history; delicious culinary traditions; world-class wellness spas; and the clearest azure blue skies you’ve ever seen.

If you go for the spas, as I did, you’ll not be disappointed—and the experience can actually be life changing. Whether through diet and cleansing, deep-tissue massage, detoxifying body wraps, or yoga and breathing exercises to help you find an inner calm so many of us seek in our hectic world, Santa Fe and Taos have set the standard for spa excellence that is imitated all over the world. La Posada de Santa Fe Resort and Spa is a luxurious place to begin your stay. Adobe casitas scattered throughout the six-acre gardens were once an artists’ colony, and the beautifully decorated public spaces are enhanced by a museum-quality collection of art that’s available for purchase. The hotel was recently fully refurbished, and many rooms now have traditional kiva fireplaces.
A nourishing treatment in the spa will relax and prepare you for an amazing culinary adventure at the hotel’s AAA Four Diamond Fuego Restaurant, where sustainable cuisine is artfully presented in the romantically lit dining room. Begin or end your dining experience in the legendary Staab House lounge, dubbed “Santa Fe’s coziest bar.” And be sure to try a glass of New Mexico’s Gruet NV sparkling wine with dinner—it has deservedly won many awards. You’ll emerge completely renewed after spending a morning at Ten Thousand Waves, an authentic Japanese day spa nestled in the pines just above Santa Fe.

This remarkable spot, with naturalized gardens and private shoji treatment rooms, has more than one hundred therapists on staff. Most have been practicing healing bodywork for at least twenty years, and my herbal wrap, salt glow, and massage were perfectly executed. A luxurious soak in a private outdoor tub facing the garden capped off my visit. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, which will leave you with wonderful insight into local culinary tradition. We learned secrets for making three types of mouth-watering tamales—including sweet dessert tamales—and enjoyed them with our chef afterward.

This internationally renowned school has a full curriculum of Southwest cooking classes, plus a top-notch store with hard-to-find regional ingredients and utensils. BODY of Santa Fe is a wellness spa with a delightful high fashion boutique attached. After yoga and Zumba classes followed by a healing massage or facial with indigenous products, take time to dine in the BODY café, where the delicious food is organic, local, vegan, gluten-free, and creatively prepared—mostly raw. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it will be one of the best meals you’ll eat in Santa Fe. After lunch, an entertaining way to spend the afternoon is a stroll around famous Canyon Road, a district where colorful studios and elegant galleries each have amazing courtyards filled with whimsy and art. Then, head over to the Palace of the Governors on the historic town plaza, where Native American artists and jewelers have sold their handmade creations for generations. Just an hour northwest of Santa Fe is Ghost Ranch, where Georgia O’Keefe painted her iconic works between the 1930s and 1984.

As you mingle with artists, poets, photographers, and others who come here to seek the same inspiration, you’ll began to understand what drew her from New York City to live in near solitude and paint the scenery that envelops you from all sides. You can visit for the afternoon and take an excellent landscape tour, or stay a night or two to fully immerse yourself in the surroundings. On your way into Taos from Ghost Ranch, check in at Ojo Caliente, one of the oldest health resorts in the country and one of the rare places in the world where four different mineral hot springs exist in one spot.

The Native Americans considered this ground sacred, and it’s an indescribable feeling to be surrounded by the massive sandstone cliffs while taking the curative waters. A circa 1868 bathhouse and restored hotel from the early twentieth century are still in use and luxurious in a very unpretentious way. Taos is a charming community filled to the brim with fine art, antiques, fashion, and excellent dining. Weaving Southwest is a mecca for both knitters and weavers, with a contemporary tapestry gallery and walls of handspun and dyed yarn in every hue. An afternoon can easily be spent here, dreaming up projects to take home in your suitcase.

A magnificent place to end your Southwest adventure is at Buffalo Thunder Resort, built in pueblo architectural style on Pojoaque Pueblo tribal land and expertly managed by Hilton Hotels just 12 miles north of Santa Fe. The gorgeous 16,000-square-foot Wo’P’in Spa specializes in treatments that reflect the deep roots of the Pojoaque Pueblo heritage and utilize natural and indigenous healing elements. When you leave, you’ll definitely know that you have visited the Land of Enchantment.