Picture yourself lying on a beach in the tropics: the clear blue skies, the warm sand between your toes, the cool, soothing fresh air; the sound of the waves rising and falling along the beach front. Sounds relaxing, doesn’t it? Now, maintaining the same setting, imagine your phone ringing nonstop, responding to emails on your computer, or even scrolling through social media with no apparent purpose. Doesn’t sound as relaxing, does it? Whether you are on vacation or at home a

Stress is one of the most devious things that we as human beings can encounter. Not only is stress linked to depression, mood swings and anxiety, but studies show that it leads to increased fat levels. Stress stimulates production of the hormone cortisol, which is linked to muscle breakdown and increased fat accumulation, especially in the belly. In fact, men with more belly fat stimulate more cortisol production. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced within the adrenal gl

‘The fault lies not in our stars, dear Brutus, but in our ‘selves.’” – Julius Caesar Most people are surprised, and sometimes even amused, when I tell them that one of the issues I’m trying to sort through in becoming a better person is my anger. One common stereotype about anger or rage is that it predominantly affects men, or more specifically, anger is only socially acceptable for men to display, since women must be seen in nurturing roles as altruistic peace-makers. In

Like photosynthesis, which gives us air to breath, fermentation is one of those simple, yet marvelous chemical processes – a natural miracle one might say, which brings us, in one of its interpretations, a gift of life. Or at least a gift of a better life. Wine. The juice of grapes (or any fruit for that matter) is exposed to yeasts. Yeasts, which occur in plentitude in nature, have a bit of a sweet tooth – sugar is what they thrive on and grapes offer an abundance of it. Wh

Years ago, I learned of the Mona Lisa effect – the phenomenon in which portraits appear to direct their gaze at the viewer and follow them almost regardless of where they are positioned with respect to the painting. My initial reaction upon reading about this effect was one of generous skepticism and disbelief. That was until I visited the Musée du Louvre, and locked eyes with the mythical muse who has captured the hearts and minds of countless spectators since she was immort

For years, when critics referenced fashion in the tropics, it all came down to white linen, toes-out footwear and sunglasses. Not anymore. Here in the heart of the Caribbean, we are catching up to high resort trends from fashion's sunny capitals. In the Caribbean, we have our own aesthetics, our own style insight and we’re loud about it. It’s an aggressive and in-your-face kind of thing. We wear bold prints, especially African- and Caribbean-inspired. Some like to either stay

If someone asks me what truly made me fall in love with fashion, my answer would be: one exhibition of over 500 pieces and 200 haute couture gowns. It all began a few weeks ago as I, along with hundreds of other fashion-seeking women, descended upon the world’s leading museum of art and design. With our tailored jackets and classic handbags in arm, we anxiously gathered at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum for an event worthy of a trip across the pond. We were all there for

Featuring Aida Jahic, Mailis Febrissy and Orane Ragot. Photographed by Claire Barrett. Styled by Polo Lifestyles.

The Role of Charitable Giving & Philanthropy in Rebuilding St-Barths You are no doubt familiar with the concept of “It takes a village.” Perhaps your reference point is the originating African proverb. Perhaps its from the 1996 book by former US First Lady Hillary Clinton. Whatever the case, the underlying sentiment is the same: the best problem-solving requires collective action by all members of a community. And in the case of addressing the unprecedented devastation wreake

ST-BARTHS GUIDE: SIX SPAS FOR TOTAL REJUVENATION Sisley Spa Hotel Christopher Spa Le Sereno Le Sereno Cheval Blanc Spa Cheval Blanc St-Barths Isle de France Le Barth Spa & Blow Dry Bar Le Barthelemy Spa by Clarins Le Guanahani (Opening late 2019) In-Room Spa Treatments Eden Rock (Opening late 2019)