The Healthy Irishman on iFood

Ok so you may think that food has nothing to do with Fashion - but I don't agree.

First of all eating a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle is the best thing you can do to accentuate your BEST accessories. Healthy eating / living helps create beautiful skin and hair, bright eyes and generally a happy disposition - and I think a smile is the best accessory we could ever have!! Not to mention eating healthy keeps our bodies looking great for the fashion we want to wear!

This post is about the Healthy IRISHMAN! Irish / English, ok ok not always the best of friends in history, but it is a new age and can't we all just get along? Here in Los Angeles they all do - so Irishman fits the U.K. thing in my book!!

Finally, this blog is for the most part about my life and the Healthy Irishman is a part of my close circle of friends, seeing as he married into it by sweeping my friend Christy of her Texan feet with his accent, tattoos and mad cooking skills. Thanks to him I eat healthier and healthier every day!

So - here is a video for you to enjoy of their blog featured on iFood.tv





If you haven't checked their blog out yet - you should! Great seasonal recipes! You can always find it here under Brilliant Blogs!



Cheers luvs

X's

Amanda

First Friday S-Factor Event

Madeline Martin - Californication

As many of my friends know I don't watch a lot of television - I am more of a movie person. One of those people who will watch a favorite movie many many times over, however most of today's prime time "reality" TV leaves me cold. (Good thing I got out of the television business then I guess.)

I do have a few favorite shows that are set for season record on the good old DVR - most of them being on Showtime and HBO. Lately Showtime seems to weigh in heavier with my list of favorite shows - with Weeds and Californication being up there at the top.

Californication - a very interesting show I am quite hooked on. Why? Maybe because it is a rather realistic and amusing parody of the shallow and vacuous world that is Los Angeles and the entertainment industry? Perhaps it is due to the fact that I think David Duchovny its the cats pajamas and could not be a more perfect choice to play the self centered, self deprecating angst filled NY transplant writer, disillusioned by the world of Hollywood? Or is it that the majority of the show is shot and centered on and around my neighborhood of Venice California? Well most likely a total combination of them all and much more.

So at the beginning of shooting for this much anticipated new season, one afternoon a young petite brunette with a great sense of style and beautiful smile walked into my store on a day of shopping Abbot Kinney with her mother. As I am a huge fan of the show I did what anyone would do - didn't immediately recognize her! Embarrassing! I figured it out quite quickly though as her voice and her smile sparked recognition in me. Oh yeah and when I asked why they were visiting from NY, her mother told me that Madeline was working out here shooting a show for showtime. I have always been a bit slow in recognizing many of my Celebrity and Actor clientele upon first meeting, sometimes to VERY embarrassing results, but that is another story. Once it all clicked for me, it was such a pleasure to discover how down to earth and fun to talk to she and her lovely mother are. (Being an East coaster myself - I think it is due to the fact that they are New Yorkers and only come to LA when she has to work)

So over the past few months Madeline and her mother have become regular customers and neighborhood friends. I do my very best to quell my desire to beg her for details about the upcoming season so she can enjoy her shopping trips. Madeline at her young age has what I would consider a very keen sense of fashion and unique individual style unlike many of the LA "starlets" in her age bracket who strut the red carpet in various stages of undress. Personally I feel Madeline has an elegance, grace and style I only dreamed of having at her age. (And no I am not just saying that because she shops here!)

So recently I perused the Internet and found some images of her from 2 red carpet events where she is sporting some of her Brick Lane gear. She rocked the Silver dress by Pringle 1815 Scotland for the Californication DVD release party, and her most recent red carpet industry event she is carrying a stunning Black Patent Leather clutch purse by Anya Hindmarch.

Hello! Did I not tell you she has style? I must admit I am quite impressed with and a bit jealous of those shoes! Yes I just admitted that I am jealous of a young woman 20 years my junior for her superior taste in shoes! All I can say is Madeline Martin is a girl to watch! Fashionable and a stellar actress, I think and hope we will be seeing quite a bit more of her talents in years to come.

Best of luck in the new Season Madeline! Keep rocking the fashion! Brick Lane will always be a big fan of you!

Check out Californication on Showtime when season 2 airs this fall, and if you haven't seen season 1 - I suggest you play catch-up, ESPECIALLY if you live here in Los Angeles or Venice.

Cheers Luvs
X's
Amanda

S-Factor Event at Brick Lane

The LA Newsletter for S-Factor posted this about our upcoming event:

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT At The Venice "First Friday" Event

S Factor will be a part of Venice's "First Friday" Event, Friday, August 1st, 6pm 10pm! "First Friday" is an extended shopping hours street fair on Abbott Kinney Blvd in Venice the first Friday of every summer month. Come see us at "S" woman, Amanda Dugan's store Brick Lane, for her annual summer blow out sale. Men's and women's clothing and accessories will be 30% to 75% off. S Factor women get 15% off full price merchandise on this night and all year round!

What a cool event we have planned! If you have ever wondered what exactly S-Factor is all about, now is the time to check it out. We will be giving away FREE INTRO CLASSES as gift with purchase that evening. There will be amazing S Ambassadors on hand to answer any questions and tell you more about this amazing workout that is a favorite with celebrities and regular woman a like. You can even get a little demonstration and try out some of the signature moves that make this one of the most unique exercise classes out there!

Come down August 1st 6PM - 10PM for an evening of pure S!

Hope to see you there

Cheers Luvs

X's

Amanda

END OF SEASON SALE

It's that time again! I can't believe it - while it still feels like summer is stretched out before us - in the world of fashion it is time for Fall arrivals so that means:

END OF SEASON BLOW OUT SALE

30% - 75% OFF

Clothing for men and Women

50% off Purses

by Anya Hindmarch, Billy Bag and Orla Kiely

Come down soon before it all gets snatched up!

Cheers luvs

X's

Amanda

Surf Goddess Retreat - Bali

I have been home and back to work for almost a month now, the glow of the vacation high has sadly faded and all I have left is the pictures and my day dreams of the beautiful Bali water. I wanted to share a little bit about the vacation I so enjoyed last month at Surf Goddess Retreats. Surf Goddess Retreats is located in Bali and getting to Bali is no easy feat from Los Angeles! Of course I DID say I needed to get away from my life for a spell and going half way around the world was about as far as I could get. The flight from LAX was 16 1/2 Hours to Singapore, then a layover at Singapore Airport, definitely one of the coolest airports in the world to have time to kill in! Then 2 1/2 hours to Denespar. At this point my friend Dawn and I, bleary eyed and dazed from a day plus of travel were greeted by a driver with a sign who was dispatched to bring us to the retreat! Easy as that we exited the airport into the bright sunshine, were whisked away and found ourselves driving through an amazingly colorful, tropical and foreign land.

We were the first guests to arrive at the villa and were greeted by Chelsea, the retreat founder and owner. She was so warm and hospitable - showing us around the beautiful villa compound we were to call home for the next 8 days. Afterwards I immediately jumped into the pool right outside our bedroom door took a deep breath and knew I had made the right decision to come here!

The first evening we met our other retreat companions who came from San Francisco, Maine, Tokyo and Scotland. Then we sat down for what was easily one of the most amazing meals I had eaten in a long while. Of course - every single evening we were treated to an incredible and diverse array of dishes that were fresh and healthy. The food was so phenomenal we became quite spoiled and I wish they had a cook book - although we did get to eat some things that I don't think you can find quite so easily here in the states. One of my favorites at breakfast was this odd looking thing called "Jack Fruit" that tasted like bubblegum! Sounds crazy but was amazing!

The next day we began our surf lessons with the great crew at Rip Curl Surf School where we spent a few hours every day for the rest of the week. The water was warm and most importantly shark free! One other girl and I had a bit more experience so we got to have our own instructor the first day and then the second day our Surf Leader Melinda worked with us. They really catered to every ones unique skills. After that the rest of the girls had mastered standing and paddling so we all spent the rest of the next week together. The instructors were great and I don't know how they do it all day, I mean it is a rough job being out in the sun and surf teaching class after class of women huh! :-)

The school has photographers on hand to take pictures of the lessons so at the end of the week you can purchase a disc with your surfing photos. Thanks to that I was able to show my friends and family my surfing moves as well as a few of my spectacular falls and wipe-outs!

I am not really quite sure why I kept doing this whole "Airplane Arm" thing. One of the things about the photos is you could see what you looked like and what mistakes you you were making.

I just thought I would put this one in to show how graceful I am at falling. Yeah right!

In addition to surfing everyday - we also got private yoga at our villa. Quite a different and wonderful experience to enjoy yoga on a patio outside your bedroom door, overlooking your pool and garden while hearing the sounds of birds and other wild life all around you. Our instructor Susan was wonderful and patient with those of us who were not as adept. I am happy to say that through her I have re-discovered yoga and have been committed to practicing it daily since my return and am really feeling the benefits both physically and mentally. Thanks Susan!

In the middle of the week we took a day off from our surf lessons and Susan accompanied us to the town of Ubud. For anyone who has read the book, Eat, Pray, Love - the town of Ubud is featured in the last part of the book, and the people the author encountered and be-friended are real, including Wyan , the woman who owns Traditional Balinese Healing Center.

Our first stop was to the sacred Money Forrest. An amazing place with more monkeys then you can imagine just living among the trees - hanging out with tourists and getting fed and generally Monkey-ing around. (Oh yes terrible pun I know)

This "little" guy was the official greeter as we entered

Just chatting with my new friend about his days in the Monkey Forrest.

A family with a newborn Monkey.

As it turns out - the day we traveled to Ubud was an "Auspicious Day" in the calender for doing all kinds of ceremonies. During the drive Susan educated us on the religion and culture in Bali. Balinese give multiple offerings to the Gods every day. There are shrines and temples everywhere the eye can see as this is a very spiritual culture. The rest of the day we were able to peruse an open air market, have a delicious lunch and then visit Wyan at her Traditional Balinese Healing Center. This is her daughter (also featured in the book) Tutti and her pet rabbit.

The drive home we passed some of the beautiful rice fields that Bali is known for.

The rest of the week was spent doing more surfing and yoga, spending time with and getting to know all the amazing women on the trip, more exploration of this beautiful island and of course more spa treatments!

The end of the retreat and saying goodbye to our new friends was sad - but of course in today's digital age - we are all already connected through Facebook. Chelsea has also set up a Surf Goddess network for us to all be able to stay in touch with our new surf goddess friends. I can't say enough good things about the retreat. The accommodations are top notch, beautiful, safe and comfortable. The food - no matter how much of an appetite you have worked up there is more then enough delicious food to go around. Included in the retreat was a decadent several hour long spa treatment on our first day as well as a Life coaching session which was an eye opener for me. All in all it was an incredible experience in every way.

Dawn and I stayed a few extra days to continue with the rigorous routine of spa treatments, beach, sun, surf and eating. After which we had our last evening of sunset cocktails and prepared for the long journey home.

So for anyone who has ever dreamed of a surf adventure or a trip to Bali, I suggest you check out Surf Goddess Retreats!

Cheers Luvs

X's
Amanda

More Anya Hindmarch

I can hardly keep up with the press hits the company sends me. Now even friends of mine have started taking to ripping pages out of magazines when they see celebrities with Anya Hindmarch Bags! (Thank you girls) The fact that they can now spot them even when not credited is a testament to their fashion eyes - or that they read US Weekly and magazines like that much more then I do!

(The color on this photo is so off - don't know why - the bag is actually a beautiful gold-ish basket.)

Cheers Luvs

X's

Amanda

It's time for MUCH LOVE!

What could be a better feeling then adopting or rescuing an animal and giving them a home? As the owner of 2 animals who were abandoned (as a puppy and a kitten no less) I have to tell you they were the best impulsive decisions I have ever made! Yes - even the cat - which I had NO desire for and was against the idea until I held him. Anyone who has a rescued pet will tell you that the love and adoration they bestow upon you is the best kind of unconditional love in existence! Somehow they know you saved them from a fate of death.

Much Love Animal Rescue is my favorite animal organization out there! Not just because they are local, or many of the volunteers are friends and customers of mine - but because the organization of Much Love Animal Rescue is a 100% nonprofit, no-kill organization dedicated to reducing overpopulation, abuse and neglect of domestic animals. Much Love is run entirely by like-minded professionals who volunteer their time and resources to help save the lives of these animals. Since 2000, they have successfully placed over 2,000 animals in loving homes!!

So why do these busy professional animal lovers with limited free time do it?

Sadly, 12 million animals are euthanized each year in the United States.

That is 1 million a month!!

1,388 animals an hour!!

Much Love works tirelessly to decrease this statistic. Run completely by volunteer staff and supported by animal loving celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Jake Gyllenhaal, Katie Heigl, Tea Leoni and Patrick Dempsey to name a few, they host adoptions and events all over the West Side of Los Angeles and Bricklane is very excited to host an adoption event here in the front yard this Friday July 11th from 6:30Pm - 10PM.

This is the "First Friday" of July (due to the holiday falling on last Friday). Bricklane will have Much Love organization here on site with information, merchandise and some wonderful animals searching for their new home and owner to love! Even if you are not in the market for an animal right now - please take a moment to stop by and learn more about this organization and what we can all do to help them continue to save animals from death all over Los Angeles!

I personally became acquainted with Much Love in a rather odd way that I like to think of as fate. I opened my store on March 17th 2005. Less then a month later on April 12th I had the heart wrenching job of taking my 13 1/2 year old Labrador Ben to the vet for the last time. He had a massive tumour, had suffered minor strokes and his quality of life went from wonderful to terrible in a matter of weeks. Not able to watch him suffer I knew it was time to be put to sleep. Ben was my family dog who was shipped out to me via US Airways back when he was 7. He had lived a good long life split between coasts and was a favorite of many of my friends. Let's just say I was not the only one who cried when he passed.

Not even 2 weeks later, a volunteer of Much Love, and East Coast transplant / new Venice resident was walking a dog he was fostering around the neighborhood and ran into my friend Christy. The resemblance of this beautiful Labrador was so uncanny to my Ben, it made her cry while she demanded that he walk to the other end of Abbot Kinney to my store and introduce the dog to me. When Joe walked up with Daisy - I burst into tears and wanted to take her home! Fortunately, her loving demeanor, as well as the insistence of everyone he met who knew my Ben made the decision for him quite simple and Daisy is now one of our local Venice "Dogtown" dogs, in a loving home!

Much Love Animal Rescue will ALWAYS be my animal rescue organization of choice, and I am happy to get to help them in any way I can!

I hope you can stop by!

Cheers Luvs
X's
Amanda