I present to you my style picks for New Year's on a budget while looking uber glam from Inn for Women in Cloverdale. The store receives weekly donations from designers in BC and across Canada. I visited the store just after they celebrated their one year anniversary, a chic vintage boutique in the heart of Cloverdale. Inn for Women opened it's doors last December aiming to support women's causes locally. Yvonne Hogenes has dedicated her time and energy over the years to serve women's causes including SAS Surrey and currently SA Foundation. This “Chic Second Hand Boutique” donates all funds to SA Foundation to support women who have been or are at risk of becoming, sexually exploited and/or trafficked. All these looks Yvonne Hogenes helped put together from Inn for Women were under $100 per look including, shoes, accessories etc. Questions:  What inspired you to open Inn for Women? What...

Are you freaking out  because it’s only a week before Christmas and you have not even touched your holiday shopping, and even the thought of making it to the malls makes you want to take a nap? Well, not to worry, I did the homework for you. My Top Picks for Christmas Shopping in Surrey Working on a Budget? I’m a big believer in looking fab on a budget. I frequently surprise people with the amount I paid for my many thrift store finds. One of my go-to places is Inn for Women. The clothing is donated by local designers and shoppers alike. The store, staffed by volunteers, supports SA Foundation, a charity that helps women at locally and around the world who have been sexually exploited or trafficked. So you can feel good about shopping here even for yourself! For more information visit their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/INN-for-WOMEN-317541065119555/ A Gift...

Billy Wickman is a sought-after Canadian actor. The sixth of seven children born and raised on Canada's west coast. Billy was born in Surrey and attended high school on Vancouver island. He has a passion for performing and giving back to his community. Currently he is working on the hit AMC show, Hell on Wheels. Some of his other television and film credits include The Killing, Falling Skies, Psych, SuperNatural, The Five People You Meet in Heaven and The A-Team, among many others. My Question and Answer Session With Actor Billy Wickman Have you always wanted to act, Billy? When did you decide this is what you are going to pursue as a profession? -I have a big family, so I appreciate having the floor. They said I turned everything into a “Hollywood Production”. I took musical theatre class because girls took musical theatre class. I had a friend who...

Zara Durrani, television personality, actress, entrepreneur and yoga teacher shares with us her top picks for Mother's Day. Someone who has an extremely diverse resume and has travelled all over the world, is definitely bound to come up with some exciting ideas for Mother's Day. If you haven’t picked a present yet, for the most important woman in your life, all is not lost. I’m here to help you. Here are my top picks for Mother’s Day. 1. Firma EnergyWear Your mum will seriously love you for for this fabulous gift, that literally just keeps on giving! What do I mean by that? Well it is proven that by wearing Firma for up to 6 hours a day for 30 days women and men have shown to lose inches throughout their body. Obviously, it doesn’t mean you stop working out, but in addition to your workout regimen you can see...

Firma EnergyWear founder Yvonne Hogenes has been in the fashion industry for over two decades. Yvonne has two passions in life fashion and wellness, and she combined them to create this unique brand of clothing that has celebrity fans including Shirley Maclaine. Firma EnergyWear absorbs “infrared” waves emitted by human body and re-emits the absorbed resonance as “far infrared” waves, which then penetrate the human body, promoting blood micro-circulation, vasodilation, and muscle tissue stimulation to a depth of 5cm. “Far Infrared” waves are able to stimulate the human body through the strong interaction they have with water molecules which represent 70% of human body mass. Increased blood microcirculation and enhanced cellular metabolism are the primary benefits associated with FIRMA EnergyWear. By wearing Firma EnergyWear consumers have reported losing inches in less than a month from their mid-riff, thighs etc! It’s a great way in my opinion to get ready for...

I recently sat with the Indo-American Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and talked about her passions and the importance of celebrating diversity. Nina was visiting Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver as part of the Joseph Ribkoff Canada Tour. Watch my exclusive interview as Nina speaks candidly about her family and personal platforms. Zara Durrani with Nina Davuluri On set with Miss America 2014...

Our artist of the day today is Vicki Rae, who currently resides in White Rock, BC.  She received formal training at the Lorenzo di Medici Art Institute in Florence, Italy and is otherwise ‘self taught’.  A Vancouverite with Native Canadian and South African roots Vicki has explored various themes such as safari and other wildlife subjects, dance and human experience, spirituality and psychology. Using a striking, vivid pallet, expressionism and the full spectrum of human emotion Vicki’s body of work honours and embraces the light and the shadow, and en masse, is a captivating visual journal of her life and experiences. "Employing intuition as a guide and raw emotion as fuel, I give all of myself to my Art. I engage with each piece, as if it is dance, and allowing the painting to lead me. I aim to reveal it's unique energy; it's voice and the story it has to tell." “My personal journey is...

Monika Blichar comes across as sweet and a little shy and you wouldn’t guess she is running three businesses while supporting hundreds of artists in the Vancouver area. She is the creative genius behind MAB Ventures Inc, Make and Break Arts Foundation and Art World Expo (coming up May 2). Monika Anna Blichar was born in Latina, Italy in July, 1982. After immigrating to Canada in the early 1980’s, the family lived in Red Deer, where they bore a second daughter, and then moved west to B.C. in 1996. Monika has completed a B.A. in English and French from the University of Victoria and has also obtained a teaching credential with the B.C. College of Teachers. Primarily self taught, she has also studied art several composition and technical classes at Camosun College where she learnt various techniques and strategies in creating contemporary pieces. From my personal interactions with her over...

As we countdown to Art World Expo 2014 on May 2, we continue to feature top artists that will be showcasing their masterpieces at the Telus World of Science. Our artist of the day is the multiple award winning David Naman of Hypnotic Photo. David’s work has been showcased around the world and can be seen in numerous publications.

Art World Expo is produced annually in May by MAB Ventures Inc. and features over 100 artists, body painters, musicians, and performers. Each year, the event brings in hundreds of visitors and allows guests to engage with directly with local and international artists. Visitors can also spot local and international celebrities, enjoy an annual theme, and support creativity and imagination via out of the box and unique art forms. In addition, the event supports Make and Break Arts Foundation via silent auction, raffles and donations. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 1.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height:auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }  Art World Expo is excited to have the fabulous Fiona Forbes from The Rush as the Host of our famous Body Painting Competition. What: Art World Expo produced by Monika Blichar...