This year give a gift that will not only inspire friends and family, but will help support and spread the word about the hope, healing, and guidance we provide to so many deserving young women…

Butterfly Tears: Stories of Entrapment to Empowerment

Years in the making, this newly released book features the stories of nine young women who suffered childhood abuse, neglect, and much, much worse. Some found themselves in gangs, others in prison. But Pathways to Independence offered them a way out, and they took it. Reading these women’s first-person accounts of their metamorphoses from victimhood to victory will elicit both tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

Butterfly Tears also details the story of Pathways founder Dave Bishop, relating the six key steps in his own life’s journey that led to his founding of this groundbreaking organization.

Butterfly Tears…A Powerful Voice for Empowering Women!

Purchase your first-edition hardcover TODAY at Amazon

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A vino spin on a traditional steak that will impress your guests.

Serves 6

• 2 bottles (750 milliliters each) hearty full-bodied red wine
• 8 ounce apple wood-smoked bacon, cut into ½-inch strips (about 2 cups
• 2 cups ½ inch diced sweet onions
• 2 cups quartered cut button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to state
• 3 steaks, ideally 32 ounces each.

The Sauce
In a Medium saucepan simmer the wine over medium heat for 1 hour or until it is reduced to 2 cups

In large skillet sauté bacon over medium heat until fat has reduced about 10 to 12 minutes. Spoon off the fat. Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until soft.

Add the wine mixture to the bacon and slowly whisk in 8 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, sprinkle in cornstarch and stir until the sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat. Add the tomatoes, and parsley. Cover and keep warm. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Preparing and Cooking the Steaks
Preheat a barbecue or stove top grill to medium heat.

Spread the steaks with the meaning 3 tablespoons of the butter. Season them on both sites with salt and pepper. Place the steaks o the grill and cook until browned about 3 minutes. Turn the steaks and brown on the other side about4 minutes or more. Transfer the steaks to a cooler part of the grill. Cover and cook for 20 to 23mintues more for medium-rare.

To  Serve
Place the steaks on plate and server the sauce on top of the steak.

Fabiola Fleeson Rancho Santa Margarita Resident, talks to Refined-Life about her Laguna Beach Store.

How would you describe your store
Messenger of the Sun?
Messenger of the Sun is our dream of exposing to the world the millenary Inca culture and their talented artisans. Our mission is to create a golden bridge between our customers and our skilled artist who can create beautiful pieces of art in textiles, ceramics, jewelry and paintings.

With over 5000 years of Peruvian history written in textiles, techniques, and iconography where we find a permanent source of inspiration to develop a line in which fusion and research converge.

At Messenger of the Sun we ensure that old textile traditions are not lost by working directly with artisans from the low income regions of the andes and amazon of Peru.  We encourage them to research ancestral designs; and we look for alternatives ways to fusion these textiles with contemporary  world fashion without losing their ethnic identity.

Our business bets for a global lifestyle, where consumers have a deeper understanding of new evolving trends that shape the future of a more open market where the consumers are eager to experience different cultures  through  their clothing with a wide variety of sustainable fibers, innovating home décor, and so forth.

How many years has Peruvian art interested you?
Since my childhood  I’ve been amazed by the talent of the Peruvian artisans. When I moved to the U.S. and married my husband Richard in 2003, we went to Peru on our honey moon and he was truly  captivated by the quality  and abilities  of the artisans in the low income areas of andes of Peru. We were now two persons( a team!) concerned  for their quality of life. We felt the need to help,  we went back often and it became our mission to help sustain their communities and give them a fair trade for their marvelous handmade goods.  Hence Messenger of the Sun born was in July  2010.

What is your family heritage and where did you grow up?
I grew up in Lima, the capital of Peru.  I studied communications science and I always have been wanting to learn more about different cultures , different ways of art and how we express our emotions through it.

For how long have you lived in RSM?
I’ve been living in this beautiful city 2005.

From where do you get your inspiration?
There are so many good people that inspire me, My parents who have always been  devoted to their children.  My In- laws who are truly good and compassionate people, and foremost my husband is  supportive of my goals, and my children  which inspire me everyday to believe in my dreams.

Are there any nonprofit charities you are passionate about or donate proceeds to?
I would like to mention a nonprofit organization called Cedna,  which is a sustainable institution in Cusco , Peru that promotes the achievement of a responsible society  enhanced by the dignity and quality of life of the human person.

Messenger of the Sun Store is located at 332 Forest Ave. Ste 1 Laguna Beach, CA 92651

For more information please visit the store or see the following below.
www.messengerofthesun.com
Email CustomerCare@messengerofthesun.com
Phone 949.715.4814
We are also on facebook.com/messengerofthesun

• It is up to your preference but don’t feel required to carve table side. Though a common tradition in many families, it’s perfectly fine to carve the turkey in the kitchen and bring the arranged platter to the table. This especially holds true if you’re a novice at carving.

Turkey Carving Tools

Use a carving knife or a chef’s knife. The longer the knife, the better it will work, as a long, smooth slicing motion will make for better slices. We used a long carving knife with oval indentations along the blade to reduce friction. Tip: Be sure to let the turkey rest for at least 25 minutes before slicing: this helps the juices redistribute through the meat, making for a better-tasting turkey. (It also makes it easier to carve.)

Make your turkey dinner perfect with these editor’s picks

• Remove the drumsticks and thighs. Start by pulling a drumstick away from the bird and using the knife to disconnect the thigh bone from the body. Set it aside to carve later, and remove the second drumstick.
• Remove the wings in the same fashion to fully expose the breast for carving. The wings on modern, commercial birds contain very little meat, so they’re often used mainly for presentation on the platter.
• To carve the bird, make sure it’s lying on its back, breast-side up. Begin with a long horizontal cut at the base of the breast. You might be able to feel where the breast meat ends and the bone begins–cut as close to that area as you can.
• Begin slicing the breast from the top down, working at a slight angle to cut away from the carcass. The horizontal cut at the bottom provides a convenient stopping point, making it easy to finish each cut. Transfer slices to a warmed serving platter.
• To carve a drumstick, hold one end and slice off one side. Lay it flat on the cutting board and continue carving. Slice each side, turning the drumstick a quarter turn until you’ve removed all the meat.
• Place the thigh on the cutting board and begin slicing parallel to the thigh bone. Cut into even strips.
• Arrange the rest of the meat onto the warmed platter and serve.

We’ve pulled together a list of  rabbit deterrent plants that grow in
Rancho Santa Margarita USDA Zone 9 that will help keep
rabbits out of your yard.

Allium
From the cute 6-inch-tall rock garden types to the 6-foot-tall giants, alliums are great garden plants. Perfect cut flowers and long-lived garden residents, it’s an added bonus that deer, rabbits, and even squirrels tend to pass them by.
Name: Allium varieties
Growing conditions: Full to partial sun and well-drained soil
Height: 6 inches to 6 feet tall
Zones: 3-10, depending on variety

Anise Hyssop
An incredibly rugged North American native plant, anise hyssop bears spikes of violet-blue flowers from midsummer to fall. The flowers and the foliage have a decidedly anise scent, hence its common name.
Name: Agastache varieties
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Height: 2-6 feet tall, depending on variety
Zones: 4-10, depending on variety

Baptisia
One of the toughest plants in the garden, baptisia bears spikes of violet, blue, yellow, or white flowers in early summer. The plants are very heat- and drought-resistant and their blue-green foliage continues to look great all the way to frost.
Name: Baptisia Australis
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Height: 5 feet tall
Zones: 3-9

Bee Balm
Rabbits may not like bee balm, but hummingbirds sure do! This easy-growing plant produces lots of pink, red, violet, or white flowers from summer to early fall. The flowers are long lasting and great for cutting.
Name: Monarda varieties
Growing conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Height: 1-3 feet, depending on variety
Zones: 4-9

Daffodil
While many spring bulbs are rabbit magnets, the pesky critters avoid daffodils. These bulbs bloom in shades of red, orange, yellow, white, and pink and offer a variety of flower shapes. Daffodils are also long-lived garden plants.
Name: Narcissus varieties
Growing conditions: Sun or shade and well-drained soil
Height: To 1 foot tall
Zones: 3-9, depending on variety

Daylily
One of the hardiest garden plants, daylilies bloom in a rainbow of shades and can take all but the toughest conditions. Grow them in full sun and enjoy their easy-growing beauty.
Name: Hemerocallis varieties
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Height: 2-6 feet tall, depending on variety
Zones: 3-10, depending on variety

Fritillaria
Fritillarias are underused spring bulbs. These interesting bulbs offer a wide variety of flower colors, forms, and sizes. Among the best known are crown imperials (shown), which grow 3 feet tall and are one of the most flamboyant plants in the spring garden.
Name: Fritillaria varieties
Growing conditions: Full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil
Height: 6 inches to 4 feet tall
Zones: 3-9, depending on variety

Hellebore
A nearly indestructible shade-garden plant, hellebores bloom in late winter or early spring and produce black, red, pink, white, cream, or green flowers. In many climates, the plants are semi-evergreen.
Name: Helleborus varieties
Growing conditions: Shade and moist, well-drained soil
Height: 1-2 feet tall
Zones: 4-9, depending on variety

Iris
Iris are great,  not only for their rabbit resistance, but also for their gorgeous frilly flowers (that are great for cutting) and for their sweet scent. Plus, the flowers appear in almost every color of the rainbow. Reblooming iris offer the extra advantage of blooming again in fall.
Name: Iris varieties
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Height: 3 feet tall
Zones: 3-9

Salvia
There are a whole host of salvias great for the garden and almost all are nicely rabbit resistant. The blooms range from bright red to shades of purple and blue. Most make great cut flowers, too.
Name: Salvia varieties
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Height: 1-5 feet tall, depending on variety
Zones: 3-9, depending on variety

Siberian Iris
Siberian iris is our favorite of the iris tribe. It blooms a little later than the tall bearded types and features wonderful grassy foliage with elegant blue, purple, rose, or white blooms. The flowers, like most iris, are great for cutting and the plant has especially nice form even when it’s not in bloom.
Name: Iris sibirica
Growing conditions: Full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil
Height: 1-3 feet tall
Zones: 4-9

Yarrow
Lovely yarrow is not just rabbit resistant, it’s also a hardy, drought-resistant perennial. This rugged plant blooms through the summer in shades of yellow, pink, red, and white. The long-lasting blooms are beautiful in the vase and in the garden.
Name: Achillea varieties
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil.
Height: 2-3 feet tall
Zones: 3-9, depending on variety

RSM New Year’s Eve Celebrating Family & Friends

The mission of the Annual New Year’s Eve “Celebrating Family & Friends” event is to produce a safe and fun event that brings the community together in an alcohol-free setting. The event is intended to build community spirit and inspire hope for the future through the broadening and deepening public appreciation of the arts from our community. This event celebrates the arts in this community by providing space and opportunity to showcase local talents through music, dance and fine arts.

This celebration – which commemorates Rancho Santa Margarita’s anniversary of an incorporated City – features fun, varieties of food, a diverse array of live musical entertainment, performers from local performing arts organizations, inflatable rides, interactive crafts and games, and the popular Children’s Art Contest in which all local schools are able to participate and showcase their fine artists. For more information please call 949.216.9700 , we hope to see you there!

Saturday, December 31, 2011
5:00-9:00pm
Civic Plaza
22232 El Paseo, RSM

Blue John Stone is found nowhere in the world but amongst the rocks of Treak Cliff Hill, Castleton and exists in only two caverns: Treak Cliff Cavern and Blue John Cavern.

This mineral, a colour banded form of fluorspar, has been prized for many hundreds of years. Vases found amongst the ruins of Pompeii are thought to be made from Blue John stone. The mineral was much in demand in the 18th century for ornamental vases and columns in some of the finest houses in Britain, most notably Chatsworth, home of the Duchess of Devonshire.

The most substantial veins were worked out so that larger pieces are no longer made. The origin of the name ‘Blue John’ is thought to have come from the French ‘bleu et jaune’, meaning ‘blue and yellow’.

Treak Cliff Cavern is one of only two working Blue John Stone mines in the world and extracts approximately 0.25 tons per year. The stone is now used for small decorative objects and jewellery, and can be purchased from jewellers and craft shops in Castleton and selected other outlets around the Peak District.

Blue John is the rarest natural formation in the British Isles and the only known deposit is found near Castleton in Derbyshire. This mineral only occurs in small masses lining ancient caves or in voids in the limestone and boulder bed of Treak Cliff. Each piece of Blue John has to be extracted carefully by hand as blasting with explosives would open the cleavages effectively shattering the semi-precious stone and rendering it useless. Instead, the usual mining practice is to extract the limestone around the Blue John and so release the latter from its enclosing rock.

Butterfly Tears: Stories of Entrapment to Empowerment

Butterfly Tears reveals the gripping, intimate stories of nine brave women who found the strength
The butterfly symbology is derived from the famous parable The Story of the Butterfly about utilizing life s struggles to emerge a stronger person. These young women’s incredible journeys from darkness into light will elicit both tears of sorrow and tears of joy. to turn their dark, raging worlds around. Women who, against all odds, broke free of the destructive cycle of addiction and abuse to attain love, security, and successful lives. Women who have emerged as lawyers, teachers, and counselors who joyfully give back to society.

From Entrapment… Abuse. Assault. Abandonment. Addiction. These are the histories of these young women. Some found themselves in gangs. Others in prison. Some remained trapped in the confines of an abusive family or a painful addiction. Society had given up on many of them. But they hadn’t given up on themselves. They were ready to take a different path.

…to Empowerment Therapy. Mentorship. Education. Support. These are the bywords of the groundbreaking Pathways to Independence foundation located in Huntington Beach, California led by Dave Bishop, a man who first had to conquer his own internal demons. Pathways motto is to focus on what s right in the world: Caring people. Its all-volunteer network of therapists, doctors, mentors, and even mechanics provides the support these girls have never experienced and allows them to flourish.

These compelling gut-level transformations offer inspiration to anyone who has suffered life’s hardships to the breaking point and beyond. And they prove that there is a way out.

Available on Amazon
Butterfly Tears: Stories of Entrapment to Empowerment

These tasty olives  have become one of our favorites. Found at Sprouts’s Olive Bar the Italian Aglio Green Pitted Olive is a crisp Sicilian cured, pitted olive marinated with robust minced garlic for a harmony of buttery and tart flavor.

Our editors have tried several products from different price points for a month
or longer. Below is a list of product we saw made a difference when using them.

1) Le Mar Moisturizing Cream

2) BioCorneum Advanced Scar Supervision PlusSPF30

3) Kinerase Procedure Recovery SPF10

4) TNS Illuminating Eye Cream from SkinMedica

5) Olay Regenerist MicroDermabrasion and Peel Kit

6) Olay Hydrating Cream, Active, Original

7) Olay Professional Pro-X Hydra Firming Cream