Creating a Life You Love with Style, Grace and Fiery Spirit

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Little Chunks of Time: How do You Use Them?

by Kena Paranjape on June 18, 2012

courtesy of emily.africaa.tumblr.com via pinterest

Since I've been working on launching a business, I find myself running between meetings all day long. These meetings, unlike those in a traditional office environment, are super helpful and have been essential in moving our business forward. The downside is not in the time lost in the meetings themselves, but in the little chunks of time in between. What do you do when you have 15 to 30 minutes free between meetings or appointments? For a while I found myself surfing the internet, hanging out in a coffee shop (waiting for my next meeting) reading free local papers, or even turning on the TV to catch the beginning or end of random shows. But eventually losing all that time during a day left me feeling frustrated and I started to brainstorm ways to productively fill it.

Read: I bookmark interesting articles when I come across them and when I have a few extra minutes, go back to read them. I've also taken to carrying my e-reader in my bag so I can pick up where I left off from the book I am reading.

Clean & De-Clutter: Do a quick scan of the fridge and clean out anything old, start a load of laundry, sort through mail, clear off your workspace, go through your inbox.

Blog: I have to admit, it has been hard to focus on thinking up post ideas for In Life & In Fashion while so focused on thinking about the business! That's why I've taken to using little chunks of time to come up with post ideas....hopefully this will help me to post more regularly.

Brainstorm: My partner and I have a long list of things we are constantly discussing and brainstorming. I now keep a running list and when I find myself with a few moments, give some time to jotting down ideas and thoughts around some of our key strategies.

Make a Phone Call: I used to avoid making phone calls. They feel disruptive and can be frustrating at times but they are also necessary! I now use little chunks of free time to make calls - even if its to book myself a haircut (finally!!)

Here are some other great ideas on what to do with short time periods during the day:

20 Useful Things you Can Accomplish in 15 Minutes - from PicktheBrain.com

15 Big Little Things You Can Do in 15 Minutes - from Forbes.com

How do you best use your little chunks of free time in a day?

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Technorati Tags: productivity, time management

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Lemon Love

by Kena Paranjape on May 14, 2012

I don't usually write posts about food, but I had to make an exception after this weekend. I made a lemon cake for a dinner party on Saturday evening and my hubs and I made lemon poppyseed waffles the next day for Mother's Day brunch. After slicing, squeezing and zesting lemons all weekend, I kind of fell in love. Lemons are lovely in so many ways! They are fragrant, light, tangy, refreshing and the prettiest shade of yellow. You can add them to sweet or savoury dishes as a humble ingredient, or as the star of the show. You can pile them up in a bowl for a fresh centrepiece. Or use them sliced many ways to decorate a dish. Spring is the perfect time to bring more lemons into your life....here are a few ideas:

1) Pile lemons into any kind of pretty vessel around the house - a glass jar or vase or a silver bowl

2) Make this delicious cake for your friends and family courtesy of Martha (she makes the BEST cakes!)

3) Enjoy more spring salads with the simplest dressing - a squeeze of lemon, lemon zest, a good olive oil, salt and pepper.

4) Brunch with these lemon poppyseed waffles

5) Wear something summery and bright! I love the dress below....

What are your favourite ways to enjoy lemons?

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Technorati Tags: brunch, cake, Lemons, Martha Stewart

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9 Questions with Joanna Track

by Kena Paranjape on May 4, 2012

in 9 Questions with...

Photo courtesy of Toronto Star

Joanna Track is one of my entrepreneurial idols. She successfully launched and sold sweetspot.ca in a time where there were very few Canadian female innovators/entrepreneurs to look up to. Today Joanna runs Dealuxe, an awesome (seriously, go check it out now if you haven't already!) online shopping destination for fashionable, contemporary apparel that she co-founded. She is super smart and savvy but also incredibly genuine and generous. I am lucky to be able to turn to Joanna while I work on launching my own venture! Joanna was happy to answer 9 Questions for In Life & In Fashion, but first I had to ask her about the recent shocking news that Rogers is shutting down Sweetspot.ca! Here is what she said:

"I was shocked to hear the news that Rogers has shuttered Sweetspot.ca. Not only was the brand a trail blazer in the industry, it's strategy was built around women and digital, two areas that are not only highly lucrative right now, but ones that Rogers has publicly stated they are focused on. I am devastated for the incredible team that was fostered over the many years, but I am confident that they will find amazing new opportunities."

I know I'm not the only one to agree with Joanna! Rogers, what are you thinking??

Read on for 9 Questions with Joanna Track:

1. What is your morning routine?

I go to the gym between 6 and 7am (either spin or circuit class), then home to shower, eat and spend a little time with my son, Teddy, before I head to the office.

2. What five items should every woman have in her wardrobe this season? (You can find all of Joanna's picks at dealuxe.ca)

1. Coloured pant - make it a bright colour!
2. An oversized clutch
3. White jeans
4. Bright colour pump
5. Something striped - sweater or even a t-shirt

3. What fashion rules do you follow?

For me, I have to be comfortable first. If I don't feel good, it won't look good. I also stick to and invest in my basics (blazers, shoes, dress pants) and I find trendy but inexpensive trend items to complement my wardrobe.

4. What was the last book you read?

Steve Jobs. I highly recommend it! (Editor's Note: I recommend it too! Read this post for my lessons learned)

5. What inspires you?

The idea of building something. For me, I love building a brand. Taking something that's just an idea in my head and bringing it to life.

6. What are the secret contents of your handbag?

1. Miniature Lollia hand cream - they are the perfect purse size and you never know when you'll have a dry skin emergency!
2. Xyla candies - for a sweet pick me up without the guilt

7. If you could do anything other than what you are doing now, what would it be?

I have always wanted to work for the Four Seasons. i think it's an incredible brand, and Issy Sharp is one of my business idols. I think I could learn so much from him.

8. What are your top 3 pieces of career advice for women?

1. You don't always have to move "up" to be successful. Many times a horizontal shift will take you in a direction that is more interesting, and fulfilling.
2. The only ceiling is the one you put up yourself.
3. Be a consumate diplomat.

9. What are your top 3 pieces of "life" advice for women?

1. Pay it forward.
2. Life is short, don't spend it all working.
3. It all works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out yet, you're not at the end yet!

Read 9 Questions with Joe Mimran, Trish Magwood, Ali DeBold, and Mireille Guiliano.

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Technorati Tags: Dealuxe, Joanna Track, Sweetspot

5 Tips for a Creative Career & Life

by Kena Paranjape on April 3, 2012

Amanada Cherie: http://www.etsy.com/shop/hellocherie

Last night I sat on a panel for the Business Design Club at Rotman Business School along with Helen Pak, EVP and Co-Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi and Mary Jane Braide, a former Boston Consulting Group consultant who is now an independent Brand Strategist. Helen and Mary-Jane are impressive, out-of-the box thinkers and do-ers (I was lucky to be included in this group!).

We were asked to think about some of the lessons we had learned around pursuing creativity in our own lives and careers and share them with the audience, who were all MBA students on the brink of re-entering the work place with newfound aspirations and a little trepidation. Some common themes emerged and I left feeling inspired:

1. Creativity is about taking risks. Most creativity involves some kind of risk - risk that you will be laughed at, criticized, judged or even fired. But there is also no great reward without great risk. So in order to innovate, taking risks is absolutely necessary. Helen called this blind bravery - the idea that sometimes you have to jump without a net and have faith that one will appear if you need it!

2. It is all about the hustle. I heard Gary Vaynerchuk speak at Rotman a few years ago - he is all about hustling in order to create. For those of us seeking more creative career paths, hustling is a pre-requisite to success. It means reading, researching, cold-calling, cold-emailing, meeting with hundreds of people to get the introduction or information you need. Mary-Jane added that as you become more focused you will learn to be more strategic...strategic hustling, if you will?

3. Develop your personal brand. Know who you are, what you're great at, what you love and what you believe in. Weave all that into a fascinating story about yourself and carry it around with you. People want to work and connect with you, not your resume.

4. Seek out like-minded people. It is hard to follow your heart when all you hear around you is "that's crazy - why would you want to do that", "it's not stable", "what if it doesn't work" etc. You spend all your time shielding your resolve from everyone else's point of view. Since I've decided to take the entrepreneurial route I have been in touch with so many entrepreneurs and the support and like-minded thinking has been incredibly invigorating! Make a point to find people who think about life and work like you do.

5. Look at your career and life like an adventure. There is no set path so nobody can tell you exactly what, when and how to do something. Leverage your passion, listen to your gut and have a vision and you will have quite a ride!

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Technorati Tags: career, creativity, innovation, inspiration

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Spring Beauty: 8 Tips to Try Now

by Kena Paranjape on March 29, 2012

in Beauty

Eva Mendes does coral so beautifully

Thanks to my sister, a couple of weeks ago I had the fun experience of a make-up lesson at Gee Beauty in Toronto with beauty legend Miriam Gee herself. Let me say that I am OK with make-up....not a total disaster, but definitely not an expert and I clearly have a lot to learn.

Here are 8 tips I learned during my lesson that might help you to revitalize your spring beauty routine:

1. Choose coral. I love the colour coral and lucky for me, it is IN this spring. My mom has a beautiful gold and coral beaded necklace that I managed to sneak away from her jewellery box and hang on to for a few years. (speaking of which, Mom, can I take it back now?) Wear it on your lips, eyes, cheeks and nails (just not all at the same time!). I love it on Eva above.

2. Use concealer to cover ANY dark shadows on your face. Miriam drilled this into me and I can't believe the difference it has made in a brighter, even toned complexion prior to putting any make-up on your face. Don't forget your eyelids and the very corner of your eyes.

3. It all starts with your skin. Take the very best care of your skin. Not only because it will serve you well in the long run, but also because great skin is the foundation for a beautiful look with make-up. I was told that my skin is dry and that I need a facial. Um, ok will get on that asap!

4. Use eyeshadow to bring out your eyes. I'll admit that eyeshadow scares me a little. I have no idea how to choose the right colours to suit me and struggle with how to apply it. I would recommend asking for a professional's help with choosing the right colours for your eye colour and skin tone and a quick lesson on how to layer different shades to really make your eyes pop!

5. Add eyebrow grooming to your daily routine. Your eyebrows frame and add definition and personality to your face and if well groomed, can give you an extremely polished look. Make brushing them and filling them in with a brow powder a part of your daily routine.

6. You can line your eyes with colours other than black and brown. Miriam lined my eyes with navy shadow and filled in the lower rim with a purple liner. The effect was mysterious and exotic.

7. Sometimes more is more. I tend to take the "less is more" phrase to the extreme. As in, I spend 5 minutes applying make-up and it doesn't look like I've done much at all. Sometimes, like when you're heading to the grocery store, that's no big deal. But if you're heading out to a meeting or an event, you want your efforts to show. Miriam had me apply a few layers of eyeshadow until the depth of colour was just right.

8. Always curl your lashes. I agree Miriam! My basic running errands face includes: concealer, eyelash curl, blush....and go! Curled eyelashes make you look more awake than you feel and younger than you are.

Thanks to Miriam at Gee Beauty for a fun and educational make-up lesson!

If you're looking for more fabulous beauty tips, check out two of my favourite beauty blogs: Beauty Editor and Beauty Geeks.

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Spring Style: What to Buy Now Part II

by Kena Paranjape on March 21, 2012

in Fashion and Style

Last week, I shared my favourite spring picks from Madewell. Today, I've pulled together my shopping list from Anthropologie. When it comes to Anthropologie, my secret dream is to win one of those contests where you race through the store with a shopping cart and 10 minutes to fill it! But sadly, I don't believe they've ever held such a contest (Anthro are you listening?) and I almost never win contests anyway (!) so I am limiting myself to 5 beautiful picks!

Clockwise starting from center:

Gathered Column Dress: I used to have a black knit summer dress with ruching along the sides and it was SO flattering. I wore it all around Europe as it was light and I could dress it up or down. This navy version will be my update to that dress.

Serpentine Cuff: Bracelets take a backseat to necklaces in winter but as sleeves get shorter, bracelets have a chance to shine! This cuff is the perfect accessory to freshly bared arms.

Peacock Tote: Why not choose a colourful, playful printed tote for spring instead of the serious buttoned-up structed leather ones we carry around all winter?

Bettye Mueller Wedges: Another versatile shoe picks! These wedges will look sweet with shorts, denim and all your summer dresses.

Multi-strand Braided Belt: This sparkly woven belt is the perfect complement to flowy summer dresses that need some shape. Because is it stretchy, it is also more comfortable than traditional leather belts.

What do you think? What are some of your picks?

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Spring Style: What to Buy Now Part I

by Kena Paranjape on March 13, 2012

in Fashion and Style

It was a BEAUTIFUL day today in Toronto. I went for a walk in the neighbourhood around our condo and stood, staring slack-jawed for a full five minutes at the sight of crocuses pushing their way through the dry earth in front of my eyes. As I went about finishing my errands and enjoying the warm weather I felt a little pinch and realized....I'd just been bitten by the fashion bug!

Yes, that fever that hits you twice a year, first when you start to feel a little nip in the air in September and then again when you find yourself unzipping your jacket a little come Spring. So I headed straight to some of my favourite sites to check out what's new for spring. Starting with Madewell, here is what I have my eye on!

Clockwise starting from top left:

Navy Short Trench: I personally prefer the colour navy for spring jackets...it is more interesting and seasonally appropriate than black and less blah than traditional khaki...and it goes with absolutely everything you own!

Blue Ink Sweater: I love the "effortless cool" factor of this denim-inspired sweater. So perfect with white denim!

Striped Hoodie: Stripes+Hoodie+Slub Cotton= Casual, comfortable and cute! This must be worn with shorts....too soon??

White Skinny Jeans: A must-have! You will wear these all spring and summer long....

Two-toned Wedges: I'm not a closet-full-of-shoes kind of girl. I prefer a couple of really great pairs per season that I can reach for again and again. These wedges fit the bill - they are modern and versatile.

Leather Skirt: Ok, I admit it. This pick was inspired by Gwyneth (see her most recent style post). This is definitely a "piece" but the silhouette is classic enough to go the distance while still making your outfit!

What are you itching to add to your spring wardobe?

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Technorati Tags: Fashion, Madewell, Spring, Style

A Birthday Wish

by Kena Paranjape on February 21, 2012

Source: Uploaded by user via James on Pinterest

Yesterday was my birthday. When I woke up in the morning and opened my eyes, I thought, wow, 36. But my feelings contradicted the thoughts in my head, because what I really felt was grateful. Not so much for what I have, or for what I've accomplished, but for being able to wake up each day, put my feet on the ground (or in my case, on the floor, 21 floors above the ground) and go into an unlimited, exciting world with my best friend, me. That is what feels different to me this year.

Over the years, I have established trust in myself to make good decisions based on analytical thought and a stiff dose of intuition. And, I have learned to have faith that along with challenges, good things are always coming. I can cheer myself up, calm myself down, and always see more than just a light at the end of a tunnel. Of course I don't have it all figured out, and I still get scared as heck and worry, and I will always need and cherish my wonderful husband, friends and family. But there is something so comforting in knowing that there is someone who always, always has my back. And that's me.

This, my friends, is my birthday wish for you!

Love,

Kena xo

PS. Looking for fun ways to celebrate your birthday? Read: 9 Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday with Style

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Share the Love

by Kena Paranjape on February 13, 2012