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Designing Women

Fabulous new designers from the Sunshine State

By Carla Canedo Cartier

Florida is filled with shopping meccas throughout the state that rival favorite locales of even the savviest New York and Vegas shoppers. And now with sites like Gilt Groupe, Rue La La and Gilt Fuse, Floridians can even take part in the once envied New York Sample salestyle shopping. But where does the true fashionista seek the unique and non-mainstream fabulous finds that become her favorite pieces? No further than her own Florida backyard, of course.

Our state is filled with exciting designers—not just for fashion, but accessories and jewelry. After all, our state is known to be home to many successful designers, including Michael Volbracht, Rafael Cennamo, Rene Ruiz, Alfred Fiandaca and many more. Stylish accessory and jewelry designers also boast Florida zip codes, including celebrity-favorite jewelry designer and Palm Beach resident Adria de Haume and accessory designer and West Palm Beach native Stephanie Johnson. When it comes to mastering the Florida style, who better to interpret it than one of our own? Here are just a few of our favorite up-and-coming designers that call the Sunshine State home. V

Bonnie’s Vintage Rocks

Who doesn’t long for handmade one-of-a-kind designs? With BVR Bonnie’s Vintage Rocks, that’s just what you get—with one added bonus: instant vintage flair. The Boca Raton resident’s pieces feature amazing varieties of vintage pearls, beads and brooches. Bonnie Koch’s pieces are wearable art at amazing price points. Featured here is a Vive favorite. “Getting Pinned” does dual action as an interesting necklace, or a double-pin embellishment that can be worn on the bib of your favorite top or the back of a low-cut dress. Find it and the entire unique collection at bonniesvintagerocks.com.

Stephie Rockwell

Stephie Rockwell is a West Palm Beach native who knows Florida style. Her custom line of jewelry and handbags has now paved the way for her fashions, too. Her items are a staple among Palm Beach’s social set and her take on Florida dressing is comfortably chic day dresses, stylish separates, colorful jackets and more. Find your fashion fix at stephierockwell.com.

Axi Mines

For the playful fashion lover, Delray Beach designer Axi Mines’ handbags are a true find. The up-and-coming 20- something handbag designer is making her mark this season with clutches that are one part rocker, one part whimsical. Look for heavy hardware accents and unique designs and skins. View the entire collection at Aximines.com or find your favorite at Next, Palm Beach.

Medicines and Miracles

metabolism, synthesis of cortisol and other hormones. Doesn’t sound appealing, right? It has been shown that children who ingest MSG and its derivatives at a critical age in development will be more likely to be of short stature, obese, may suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and suffer some degree of infertility. MSG was removed from infant formula yearsago in the 1960s, but pregnant women still can ingest foods containing these ingredients. In fact, Dr. Russell Blaylock, a prominent neurosurgeon and professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, wrote a comprehensive review of MSG, calling it an “excitotoxin.” He starts his book by stating, “What if someone were to tell you that a chemical added to food could cause brain damage in your children…?” Surprisingly, we find MSG and even worse hydrolyzed vegetable protein (MSG plus three other excitotoxins) and other forms of it in just about everything you can put in a package, box, or on a shelf at the grocery store. Food giants know that there is no way a pre-made packaged replica of something they mass produce and pack in a box is going to taste as great as the real deal, freshly prepared foods. So they fight back by sliding preservative-riddled chemicals into the products. Below is a list of other “MSG aliases” to be aware of from Dr. Blaylock’s research: Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG

• MSG Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
• Hydrolyzed Protein
• Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
• Plant Protein Extract
• Sodium Ca
• Calcium Caseinate
• Yeast Extract
• Textured Protein
• Autolyzed Yeast
• Hydrolyzed Oat Flour

Additives that FREQUENTLY contain MSG

• Malt Extract
• Malt Flavoring
• Bouillon
• Broth
• Stock
• Flavoring
• Natural Flavoring

Additives that MAY contain MSG/other Excitotoxins

• Carrageenan
• Enzymes
• Soy Protein Concentrate
• Soy Protein Isolate
• Whey Protein Concentrate

These excitotoxins have also been implicated in burdening the human brain to the point where it can contribute to long-term mental illness including Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s, to name a few. Fortunately, there are many natural vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements that can help protect the vital brain cells from further toxic load. The Skinny on Artificial Sweeteners A large part of the food industry is using artificial sweeteners to advertise to diabetics and others who are counting calories to lose weight. Ironically, these chemicals have been shown to be problematic as well. The human body always does best with a blend of completely natural sugars, carbohydrates and fat. The biochemistry mechanisms in the gut and liver quickly process these ingredients down major pathways without preamble, but what happens when a foreign substance comes down the pipe? Unfortunately, the artificial sweetener Nutrasweet® contains Aspartame, which can actually cause the same kind of harm as MSG. Aspartate and glutamate both can over stimulate sensitive neurons. Now, research in Italy has shown that long-term consumption in animals can increase risks for various cancers (leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer). How can we possibly think this would be a good idea to place in our food? Compared to natural honey with all of its wonderful ingredients (digestive enzymes, antibacterial properties, etc.) and the fact that it’s naturally, not overly, sweet, artificial chemicals are to be avoided. Sucralose appears safer but no independent tests have been conducted to show safety. Xylitol, a natural birch sugar, is a better choice. It protects against tooth decay seen with other sweeteners and is widely used in Europe. Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol seen in fruits and a relative to natural glucose. It is less sweet tasting then glucose and also doesn’t cause tooth decay. Moderate amounts can have a laxative effect, so avoid it on days when you plan to be physically active—especially outdoors. Stevia is another natural plant sweetener that appears to have fewer side effects. It can be placed in beverages such as club soda to turn them into flavored beverages (i.e. make your own root beer). Some consumers don’t care for it because it has a unique flavor. Some companies are seeking approval to add Stevia into foods. Artificial Coloring How about artificial colorings? For the most part, colorings are placed in foods of little or no nutritional value—think soda pop and candy. It is important to mention that some children can become hyperactive when they eat densely artificially colored food products. Below is a list of common food dyes:

• Blue 1 & Blue 2
• Citrus Red 2
• Green 3
• Red 3 & Red 40
• Yellow 5 & Yellow 6

To Serve & Protect: Keep Your Brain & Body Safe After reading about all the chemicals we see in our foods, how can we trust that anything is safe? I haven’t even discussed Trans Fats, the genetic modification of foods, or the differences between organic vs. non-organic! There are tests such as Spectracell, which reveal how much antioxidant protection you carry and how much further protection you may need. Blood and urine testing such as NutrEval can reveal your exact Omega3 and Omega6 fat ratio, calculating an inflammation score and directly determining a Trans Fat index. Heavy metal exposure to mercury, lead, arsenic, cadium and other key minerals can cause serious symptoms that need to be corrected in the body. Detoxification of inflammation seen in the brain can prevent neurons from over excitation. Certain key supplements added to the diet such as high potency fish oils, NAC (N-Acetyl-LCysteine), CoQ10, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, and Taurine can also be very helpful. Natural phosphatidyl serine (PTS) and cholines (PTC), Dimethyl amino ethanol (DMAE) and Hydergine can stabilize weakened brain cells. It is always best to have a rigorously proven test profile done prior to attempting to replenish your antioxidants, as too much in the body can be pro-oxidative. A health care professional can fine tune your choices guided specifically to treat disease susceptibility on an individual basis. Testing can be done once nutrients have started to further show reversal of deficiencies. Prevention of ingesting additional food additives, of course, is vital to improving health. As part of this article, we give you a portable shopping list that you can carry or post on the refrigerator. The more times you are exposed to the wording, the easier it will be to spot on the ingredient hit list. Try playing it safe by following one of my nutritionist’s credos: “Always shop in the periphery of the store where grocery staff have to replenish fresh foods that easily go bad. Avoid the middle of the store where all the dead food products are. Then hightail it outta there!” Don’t let food giants dictate your “chemical cuisine.” Good luck playing food detective; see you in the fresh food aisles. Dr. Gloria Hakkarainen, MD, FACOG, FASBP, FABAAM is an ob/gyn and also board certified in multiple disciplines and specializes in wellness, weight loss, and anti-aging, all with a focus on prevention. She practices at Palm Beach Weight & Wellness Centers in West Palm Beach.

Holiday Sips

Hip Holiday Sips

5 FAVORITE COCKTAIL CONCOCTIONS to WOW your guests

Banish the plain punch, exit with that traditional egg nog. This year, the swankiest holiday happenings are delighting guests with inventive and tasty cocktails as creative and colorful as the tightly wrapped gifts under the tree.

Spice up your holiday gatherings with non-traditional treats such as a Red Eye Mojito—perfect for beating the holiday party run-arounds— or put a twist on the traditional mimosa at your New Year’s Day brunch with a Pomegranate Mimosa.

Here Vive gives you five hip holiday sips to delight your guests.
They’re sure to add some spark to your caught under the mistletoe alone.—C.C.

Its all Relative

The First Holiday with Your Newly Acquired Family By Nicholas aretakis

You were raised in an observant Jewish family, but you’ve married a Midwestern guy whose family is Lutheran. Guess what his mom is cooking for Christmas? Ham. This is just the beginning! The first holiday with your newly-acquired family is bound to be a minefield of faux pas, etiquette quandaries and eggshell-treading moments.

So here’s my advice: Have fun with it. If your new partner loves you, chances are his or her family will too. (Or maybe they won’t.) But remember: You didn’t choose your new family any more than your partner did.

Consider a worst case scenario: The family is making mental notes about you—the way you look, communicate, your credentials as a potential husband/wife to their precious loved one,

whether they‘d be honored or humiliated to have you as part of their extended family, etc. The best you can do is demonstrate respect and admiration for your significant other. His or her relatives

will observe most closely how you treat their family member, and how happy he or she is with you.

Another thing to remember is that holidays are supposed to be joyful—not stressful—times. Even if you don’t celebrate this particular holiday, or don’t celebrate it in this way, the mere fact

that all these people have come together with you is a tribute to the importance of your love relationship and the holiday itself. Try to see this event in a positive light, and you’ll have an easier time of it. Ask your significant other questions if their traditions are foreign to you, so you can be prepared.

Here are 15 more tips to help you navigate around those landmines at your first holiday with the new in-laws. Don’t pull a Ben Stiller. Avoid calamities à la Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents, like being so uptight that you go overboard, exaggerating details of your livelihood or how wonderful you

are—details that cannot be substantiated. Just be yourself. When in doubt, look at your lover and remember that he or she is your ally and picked you for some very good reasons.

you did was ask questions and listen, most of your in-laws would leave with a very agreeable impression of you.

Mind the parents It may be more fun to chat with that kooky red-headed cousin, but be sure to spend time with your significant other’s parents and siblings; they should be the first priority. Get some backgrounder tips from your partner beforehand so you can begin conversations with, “I understand you and your wife met at a pro football game,” or “I hear you love opera.”

Sniff out the “nosies” There’s always at least one nosy relative who wants to do some fishing for problems in your bloodline or scandals in your past. Don’t fall for it. To avoid revealing things you’ll later regret, make a mental list beforehand of taboo topics, and prepare diversionary conversations to steer the talk elsewhere.

Be moderate Don’t make a slob out of yourself by overeating or indulging in too much alcohol. Limit yourself to one or two drinks, then convert to water or a soft drink.

Watch the time Be sure to stay an appropriate amount of time—you don’t want to leave prematurely, nor do you want to overstay your welcome.

Help the host and hostess Offer to step out and buy more ice, clear the table and help with dishes, or entertain the kids. You could have the wrong education, ethnicity and religion for this new family, but if you’re helpful, then you’ll be perceived as “blending.”

Follow up with a thank-you card or call Make sure to tell your guests or your hosts within two or three days that you enjoyed their company.

Make light—or make nothing—of your own dietary obstacles If you encounter something you don’t like or can’t eat or drink, simply abstain. If you are questioned, be prepared with a neutral—noninsulting—answer, such as, “I’m not a big fan of beef, but I love these side dishes.”

The most important thing is being happy and compatible with your significant other But it can be a real bonus if you genuinely enjoy the company of potential future in-laws and relatives. If you make a good first impression, it makes life so much easier on your partner, and also makes the holidays a time to look forward to instead of dread.

Nicholas Aretakis is a top-selling author whose newest book is “Ditching Mr. Wrong: How to End a Bad Relationship and Find Mr. Right” (Next Stage Press, 2008, DitchingMrWrong.com).