Tonight on Shannon Skinner Live: anti-aging secrets with beauty expert Vian Sharef
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO, June 16, 2015 — Tonight on Shannon Skinner Live radio show, host Shannon speaks with beauty expert and owner of Toronto-based Dermedix Laser Clinic, Vian Sharef, about beauty and anti-aging secrets. Tune-in to VoiceAmerica Women at 7pm EST/ 4PM Pacific.
Vian Sharef, owner, Dermedix Laser Clinic
Shannon Skinner Live is a weekly radio show that uncovers the stories and solutions to living an extraordinary life and making this world a better place. It features interviews with experts, visionaries and activists, and more.
About Vian Sharef:
Vian Sharef is a single mother, beauty expert and the founder and owner of Dermedix Laser Clinic, based in Toronto. Born and raised in Iraq, Vian came to Canada as a teenager with her family, after living in a refugee camp for 3 years in Turkey. She would eventually achieve a successful career in the financial services industry – and get married. Later, in 2008, life would have its challenges again. Vian lost her father, job and her marriage disintegrated within 6 months, and, as a single mother to a young daughter, she made the decision to go back to school to study medical aesthetics. Today, she is a successful businesswoman and has helped thousands of women and girls look and feel their best.
About Shannon Skinner:
Shannon Skinner is a Canadian television talk show host, speaker and writer. In 2010, she launched Shannon Skinner’s Extraordinary Women TV, the first of its kind, as a live web TV show, and later developed it into an broadcast television show and online platform that is the ultimate online life-guidance resource for women. She is the author of the Whispering Heart: Your Inner Guide to Creativity; and she writes on a range of topics, including creativity, inspiration, feminine leadership, change and travel.
Horseshoe Resort’s Fit Chicks fitness retreat
SHANNON’S TRAVEL BAG: Travel Tips for Women
Shannon Skinner takes in Horseshoe Resort’s Fit Chicks fitness retreat.
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This Spring, I officially became a “chick” — not a term I would associate myself with since, well, when I was sporting short skirts and Dr. Martens boots many moons ago. That all changed when I joined dozens of women at Horseshoe Resort’s Fit Chicks fitness retreat, organized by Fit Chicks, a Toronto-based, women’s-only fitness and healthy lifestyle company, which took place on March 21-23, 2014. The participants, or “chicks” as we would be called, came from across Ontario and were of all ages, shapes and sizes. From enthusiastic marathon runners to career women to stay-at-home moms, we all became chicks on a journey of health and wellness.
“What inspired us to create weekend health retreats was that there was nothing like this out there,” says Amanda Quinn, co-founder of Fit Chicks, which she founded in 2008 with friend, Laura Jackson. “There are plenty of weekend yoga retreats, but no weekend getaways focused on overall health and wellness for women that encompass a variety of fitness classes, or nutrition workshops and wellness aspects including meditation and yoga. We know from our own experiences that without embracing all areas of wellness, you be left off-balance and not able to fully reach your potential and goals.”
The Horseshoe Resort’s Fit Chicks’ fitness retreat package included: a Zumba fitness party, an outdoor fitness challenge, a guided snowshoe hike, a range of indoor fitness classes such as interval-training, yoga, workshops on nutrition and meditation workshops, healthy “Fit Chicks-certified” meals and snacks, and two-nights accommodations at Horseshoe Resort. At a package cost of $499 (per person), the Horseshoe Resort’s Fit Chicks fitness retreat is great value.
Beyond the retreat, Horseshoe Resort offers adventurous activities such as treetop trekking, Yamaha riding and Segway adventures, Hummer tours, skiing, snow tubing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, and horseback and pony rides. As well, its Adventure Park offers family-friendly activities like a rock climbing wall, a Ogo run (like zorbing), bungy and a zip line, and more.
Says Horseshoe Resort’s General Manager, Sean Billing, a man who speaks passionately about his job and lifestyle choice: “Fit Chicks’ retreats not only align perfectly with the healthy, active life-style that the resort promotes, it exposes our products and services to key decision-makers. The ‘chicks’ who participate bring family, friends and meetings to the resort.”
“Our overall vision for Fit Chicks is to spread our healthy love around the world,” says Jackson, who has been preparing for her first fitness bikini competition. “We want to help every woman feel excited and empowered to take control of their healthy journey.
I had the opportunity to speak with several ‘chicks’ about their experiences. Some came to lose weight; others to get back their fitness mojo after the long winter. Such as Lisa Purves, a 40-year old insurance industry professional and avid marathon runner who lives in Toronto with her husband. This was Purves’s fourth Fit Chicks’ retreat. “I loved the idea of a weekend devoted to fitness, healthy food and wellness, and I had never been to Horseshoe Resort before,” says Purves. “It’s been a great way for me to try some winter activities I hadn’t tried before, like snowshoeing. Although I know a lot of the attendees come for a girls getaway, I look forward to these retreats as the perfect ‘me’ weekend.”
Grace Lang, a Beamsville, Ontario resident who works in Toronto as a chartered accountant, was searching for a fitness retreat when she came across Fit Chicks’ website. For Lang, the highlight of the retreat was the outdoor challenge. “I’ll never forget the ‘building a snow chick’ challenge where one of my teammates used her bra for it. That was teamwork — and we won.”
To complete my fitness weekend, I experienced another gem of Horseshoe Resort: Shizen Spa, the signature spa brand of the resort’s owners, Skyline Hotels and Resorts (all four properties have a Shizen Spa, the name inspired by the Japanese word for nature). I had the spa’s signature pedicure that included exfoliating my skin with a lotion that contained raspberry seeds, a massage with hot stones, followed by dunking my feet in warm, squishy paraffin wax. Sitting in a chair overlooking the resort’s indoor swimming pool area, it was a super relaxing 75 minutes. It is great value for $80 and the perfect ending for a fitness weekend, leaving me with happy feet indeed.
If you are interested in attending a women’s fitness retreat, be sure to check-out Horseshoe Resort’s website for the upcoming Fit Chicks’ summer retreat in June 2014.
About Horseshoe Resort: Horseshoe Resort is an inviting Ontario destination offering four seasons of fun for thrill-seekers and adventurers alike, comprising 29 slopes and 35 km of groomed Nordic trails, two award-winning golf courses, a full-service Shizen Spa, 140 guest rooms, two restaurants, and 13,000 square feet of meeting space. Owned by Skyline Hotels and Resorts, it is conveniently located just an hour north of Toronto, and has newly renovated guest suites, eclectic dining options and outstanding outdoor activities.
Shannon Skinner is the Executive Producer and Host of Extraordinary Women TV, an author, speaker and media consultant, and writes the occasional series of travel articles for women.
* photos of Horseshoe Resort courtesy of Horseshoe Resort; all other photos courtesy of Fit Chicks
Missing lipstick, an ex-Prime Minister and me
On Friday night, I had the privilege of attending a fundraising event — the 86th Annual Boat Race Gala — in support of creating scholarships to send Canadian students to Cambridge and Oxford universities. The event featured guest of honour, former Canadian Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Paul Martin. A scholarship was created in the name of Mr. Martin’s father (also named Paul Martin), who was a Cambridge graduate – also a remarkable Canadian. It was an evening to celebrate.
Hosted and organized by the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Toronto, which comprises alumni from the respective universities, the gala was well-attended by dignitaries, business leaders and many others. Also in attendance (although I didn’t see him) was former Prime Minister, John Turner.
After spending the day at previous engagement, Ignite ‘n’ Connect, where I had the honour of introducing keynote speaker Rona Maynard, former editor of Chatelaine, and led discussions on how women entrepreneurs can get publicity and raise their profiles in the media, I was ready to let my hair down — literally.
Yep, that's me with long hair, photographed with Christine Platt, founder, artVentures, at the 86th Annual Boat Race Gala
Just prior to the gala, a brief stop at my hair salon enabled my hair to miraculously grow six inches in about 45 minutes. Armed with a brand new MAC lipstick that I recently purchased and donning a violet silk dress, I felt ready to take on the world.
I also felt inspired, and humbled, to be part of a mix of highly educated, well-heeled people who are raising funds to send Canadians to these distinguished universities. I had the privilege of attending the creative writing program for the summer at Oxford University a few years ago. It was one of the best things that has happened to me — and I would love for others to have a similar experience. So, I wanted to do my part to give back.
In the Royal York Hotel’s ballroom, everything was perfect: the speakers, the decor. However, after dinner, I found myself in a swirl of a crisis: I discovered my new trusty lipstick was – gasp – missing from my clutch bag.
photo credit: MAC cosmetics
If there is one pet peeve I have it is this: losing a new lipstick (I only wear MAC) and having to replace it, because this means I have to pay twice for the same thing. And, hey, MAC lipstick isn’t cheap. But more than the cost, it means I have to take precious time out of my day to go back to a store, making the trip twice — doubling my efforts. Plus, I usually end up buying something else I likely don’t need, but, I digress.
Okay, so this is not a catastrophe or a crisis that will end the world, but it annoys me. On the flip side, I also know I’ve contributed to helping people living with HIV/AIDS, with MAC’s special Viva Glam line that raises money for the cause ($900 million, apparently), so there is a benefit.
Back to the story…
Where’s my lipstick?!!…
So, after dinner I was on the hunt for MAC Viva Glam V, certain it tumbled out of my clutch and was lying on the floor just waiting for me to find it. On my path, as my eyes searched the carpeted floor for the little black tube in the shape of an over-sized bullet, were a big pair of very nice shoes. When I looked up, waaay up, attached to the shoes stood the man who made news for years and whose face I knew well: former Prime Minster, Paul Martin. Up until this moment, he was surrounded by other guests. Now here I was, a bit surprised that I — suddenly — had him all to myself.
Feeling a sense of panic, I did what any extroverted-introvert –or a shy extrovert — would do: I introduced myself.
I didn’t know what to say, really. So I told Mr. Martin about my platform Extraordinary Women TV, how it is the first-of-a-kind show in Canada, that I’ve interviewed more than 130 women, mostly Canadian, so far. His smile stretched from ear-to-ear, he then reached out his hand and shook mine with the kind of energy that said something like: That’s great! I’m proud you — kinda like a dad might do.
I quickly remembered to not put myself on a pedestal, or the fall will be painful, and that I must immediately humble myself. So, my thoughts returned to my lost lipstick. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, I realized I must not have had any lipstick on, likely having consumed what I did have on my lips along with my meal. Without lipstick, I felt naked standing in front of one of our country’s former leaders.
Where’s my lipstick?!!…
My eyes glanced back to the floor around Mr. Martin’s feet, just in case it was there.
No sign of MAC Viva Glam V.
Now, I know from experience that people in Mr. Martin’s position are in great demand and usually when people approach them it is because they want something from them; either their time or money, or they want to chew them out. Not that there is anything wrong with that, because, well, that’s how we get things done.
Instead, while I had our former Prime Minister in my orbit, my intuition told me to say just two small words that summed up my gratitude for what he has done for Canadians, for my family and for me. So, I said: “Thank you.”
Mr. Martin’s body language told me he felt relaxed (probably more like phew, she’s not hitting me up for anything or wanting to tell me off) and he just smiled and told me he appreciated it, and off he went to speak with other guests.
And so, my search continued for my lipstick.
In the end, I never did find my lipstick. But, I did get a lesson. And the lesson was this: everything happens for a perfectly good reason. Looking for missing lipstick just might land you in the orbit of a world leader.
Have you had any interesting stories about losing, or finding, lipstick?
© Shannon Skinner 2012
