The Book Loft

Need some inspiration for slimming down this year? Get in on the best-kept secret in Grand Cayman: The Book Loft at The Cayman Islands Humane Society on North Sound Road. There are a ton of almost-new books to jump start your healthy lifestyle: books on diets, weight training, fitness and self-help. The super-friendly volunteer staff has even set up a diet and exercise display table with loads of books to get you motivated. All the classics are there, including hardback books like The South Beach Diet cookbooks, The Atkins Diet, Body For Life, The Suzanne Somers books, and The Zone. And each book costs about as much as a fancy cappuccino drink!

The Book Loft is fascinating place to get lost in, and is packed with books on every subject. The cozy little store is well organized and the books are an absolute steal! Books are priced to sell, most under $5.00! If you hunt around, you can find very recent New York Times bestsellers for a fraction of the original price. I found a whole stack of almost-new books today with the Borders bookmarks still in them! Cayman residents are a well-read bunch; and folks cheerfully bring in books by the dozens, each and every day.

In addition to a vast selection of fiction and non-fiction, there is a terrific children’s section (including games), CDs, DVDs, textbooks and loads of international magazines.

Stock up on some quality reading materials and help out a shelter pet today. All proceeds benefit the too-wonderful-for-words Cayman Islands Humane Society. If there is any room in your heart for a new companion this year, visit the shelter downstairs and meet some of the wonderful cats and dogs looking for a new home. Warning…the dogs and cats are adorable and most are extra friendly! Say hello to Miss Sugar, the tireless director of the shelter who is the guardian angel of stray pets in Cayman. If you can’t adopt a pet, consider being a foster home provider or even walking the dogs Monday-Saturday at 9:00 AM.

Every little bit helps, so please visit The Book Loft soon and stock up on some inspiring books for 2009.

The Book Loft        153 North Sound Road        http://www.caymanhumanesociety.com/

Book Loft Hours:

Tuesday-Friday  11:00 AM-2:00 PM   Thursday 5:30-7:30 PM   Saturday 9AM-3PM  

Simba, Pet-of-the-Week

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The Brasserie

We don’t really need a reason to go to The Brasserie, one of Grand Cayman’s most elegant and beautiful restaurants. Locals know that The Brasserie, known as “The Island’s Secret Pleasure”, has some of the finest food and drink in The Cayman Islands. Tucked into Cricket Square, The Brasserie is known for their fresh-caught fish caught on their own fishing boat, as well as succulent salads, decedent desserts and fine wines.

The Brasserie offers a tempting Happy Hour every Friday evening from 5:00-7:30 PM. The “De-Stress Happy Hour” includes:

• Complimentary tapas platters
• Complimentary seated chair massage for shoulders and neck in the patio room, provided by BodyWorks
• Specials on authentic Sangria and select wines   

If you decide to stay for dinner to further de-stress, take 10% off your bill.

Aah, the weekend! Kick it off in style at The Brasserie.

Visit www.brasseriecayman.com for detailed information including menus and directions, or call (345) 945-1815  

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Paperman

Do you know someone who is a coffee prima donna? Someone so ridiculously picky about coffee that they are never satisfied? You can safely take the coffee aficionado in your life to Paperman’s Coffee House in The Strand Shopping Center. The coffee at Paperman’s is positively divine, and hands down the best in The Cayman Islands.The quality is on par with any fine coffee shop in Seattle, and the quality is so exceptional that many of my house guests end up taking a pound of coffee to go.

The fanatic commitment to excellence on the part of proprietor Paul Storey is the simple reason to for the tremendous success of the store. I happened to meet Paul prior to the Paperman’s opening and was impressed with his vision of creating a world class coffee experience in The Cayman Islands. He uses Intelligentsia coffee, a superb brand that has won many awards in the US for superior taste. Paul spares no expense with procuring the freshest beans for Paperman’s; his supplies are flown in weekly. His equipment is top-of-the-line, and his standards of serving coffee brewed within minutes shows in every cup. Being a hard core coffee junkie, I can honestly say that Paperman’s brews the finest cup of coffee I have ever tasted.

The warm, inviting, eclectic atmosphere makes Paperman’s a wonderful place to hang out. Beautifully appointed in Hemingway -style woods and tropical colors, you can snuggle into deep comfy chairs or sit outside and people-watch any time the shop is open. A huge, current selection of magazines, international papers are always in abundance. Wood bookshelves line the walls, stuffed with vacation paperbacks. Paul showcases beautiful local artwork that constantly changes, and pipes in a selection of groovy tunes to relax clients.

The food is wonderful and homemade, with hearty lunch and breakfast fare. The fresh made soups, salads and big crusty bread sandwiches and wraps are delicious. My favorite is the Trinidad style corn soup. Caution Cayman Goddesses who are counting calories…the bakery is to die for! Huge, tender fruit muffins, seven layer dessert bars, palm sized home made oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies, lemon bars, fudgy brownies, raspberry tart bars all tempt even the most committed dieter. My personal splurge is the oversize fresh baked cupcakes with mile-high icing, the chocolate and vanilla versions are equally heavenly. The cupcakes are only offered occasionally but they are worth every sticky calorie.

Count on Paperman’s being packed, any time you go. It’s a who-who of local folks and a wildly popular spot for visitors. Maybe it’s the cool vibe, maybe it’s the coffee, or maybe it’s the food that keep Paperman’s buzzing with customers 7 days a week. It doesn’t hurt that the baristas happen to be drop-dead gorgeous and sweet as can be. You won’t find a prettier staff anywhere in Cayman, and they know how to brew up the best coffee drinks on the island.

Next time you need a boost, visit Paperman’s for a coffee, a bite, some local gossip, and a smile.

Paperman’s Coffee House      The Strand Shopping Center  

Telephone (345) 916-7185

http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/

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GNC 100% Whey Protein

If weight or fat loss is a 2009 goal, consider adding a high quality whey protein powder into your diet. Men’s Health lists 5 reasons to add whey protein to your diet to get lean:

5 Reasons to Pack in Whey 

1. If You Pound Protein, Drink More

A high-protein diet may help you build muscle and burn fat, but it can also leave you dehydrated. Researchers at the University of Connecticut compared groups of athletes eating low-protein and high-protein diets and found that people on higher-protein diets store less water in their bodies. This is an important finding, because dehydration can significantly impair an athlete’s performance and even do damage to his heart. But researchers say high-protein eaters can avoid problems by drinking more fluids, at least two to three glasses more than the recommended eight glasses a day.

2. Got Milk?

What’s the best liquid to have in your shake? “Dairy products aid in fat loss,” says Mary Ellen Camire, Ph.D., a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine and a member of the MH Advisory Board. If you’re lactose intolerant, try Lactaid or Dairy Ease brands, which can be found in most grocery stores. Use your shakes as a vessel to carry aboard the much-needed food group–you’ll get the muscle-building power of protein along with fat-fighting calcium, while improving bone and cardiovascular health to boot.

3. Whey to Lose Weight

Slurping down a whey-protein shake after your workout builds calorie-burning muscle. Now, new research reveals another way those shakes may help you build a better body: Whey protein can help prevent overeating. When University of Toronto scientists presented 22 men with an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, the men who had consumed a whey protein drink 2 hours earlier ate about 200 fewer calories than the men who had chugged soy- or egg-based protein shakes. “Ingestion of whey results in the release of several gut peptides involved in satiety,” says study author Harvey Anderson, Ph.D. Still worried a shake won’t satisfy? Keep adding ice to the blender; it makes the shake more filling without increasing its calorie count.

4. Protein for More Power

Don’t skimp on the protein powder in your postworkout shake. A study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that people who ate 60 percent less protein than another group had 81 percent less “protein synthesis”–the production of protein that stimulates muscle growth.  Biochemical pathways in muscle cells stay quiet when protein intake is low, suggests lead author Irwin Brodsky, M.D.

5. Whey Better

Whey (animal protein) is superior to soy (plant protein) as a muscle builder. And Baylor University researchers found a way to make whey way better: Add casein, a protein found in cottage cheese and milk. When a group of 36 men with at least 6 weeks of weight-training experience were given a whey-casein mixture before their workouts, they built 50 percent more lean muscle mass over 10 weeks than men who took only whey. Casein slows down catabolism, a process in which your body breaks down muscle instead of fat for fuel. “When taken before a workout, casein may slow catabolism enough to help the body build more muscle,” says study author Richard Kreider, Ph.D.

For more information and weight management tips, visit www.menshealth.com.

In Grand Cayman, GNC is the one-stop-shop for high quality protein powders. GNC has over a decade of experience in Grand Cayman, and is now open in three convenient locations: Queens Court Plaza on West Bay Road, inside Kings Sports Centre, and in Countryside Shopping Village in Savannah. Stop by soon to stock up on all your sports nutrition goodies.

GNC  Telephone (345) 945-7690

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Moby Dick Tours

No trip to The Cayman Islands is complete without a trip to Stingray City. 

The Stingray City phenomenon came about by accident. Many years ago, local fishermen stopped in a natural sandbar area to clean their daily catch. The fishermen discarded the unwanted fish parts into the water which attracted hordes of Southern Stingrays to the area. As the fishermen would arrive, the Stingrays would gather awaiting their free meal. The Stingrays began to associate the sound of a boat engine with their free meal. Eventually local divers realized the rays could be fed by hand and were docile.

The southern stingrays are located in the shallow waters of the northwest corner of Grand Cayman’s North Sound. It is just inside a natural channel that passes through the barrier reef and consists of a string of sand bars that crosses the North Sound from Morgan Harbor to Rum Point.  The area is a popular attraction where the rays are found in abundance and visitors can feed, pet, and interact with the animals.

Moby Dick Tours is the friendliest, coolest tour company in Grand Cayman. Rated #1 by Trip Advisor, the Moby Dick staff clearly enjoys educating their guests and will give you the experience of a lifetime. They will teach you about feeding and petting the large stingrays that inhabit the area.  The stingrays will enchant you with their beauty and grace as they fly through the water. 

After visiting the rays, you will go to the nearby shallow barrier reef to snorkel and see the other colorful marine life. The Moby Dick crew is trained to guide and help you whether you’re a new or experienced snorkeler. Snorkeling gear is provided at no extra charge to tour members. Visiting the rays with Moby Dick is a must-do trip designed for the whole family to enjoy. Don’t be afraid to include family members who don’t care to get wet; the stingrays frolicking with the passengers are clearly visible from the comfy seats on the boat. Whether you want to go in the water or not, the tours will be something that you will remember and treasure for a lifetime.  For more information on the tours Moby Dick provides, visit www.mobydicktours.com.

Moby Dick Tours       info@mobydicktours.com          Tel: (480) 626-5429

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Sports Supply

Got a fitness fanatic on your shopping list? Stop by Sports Supply in the Galleria Plaza to get some great pre-Christmas deals. This large retailer carries everything from golf and cricket gear to treadmills. Choose from workout clothes for men and women, athletic shoes, free weights, tennis rackets, water toys and even jet skis. Last minute deals include:  

• Elliptical Trainers from $695.00
• Weight benches from $119.00
• Table Tennis Tables from $425.00
• Skate Boards from $39.00

If in doubt, you can pick up a gift certificate for your favorite fitness junkie.

Sports Supply is open until 10:00 PM Dec 23rd and Dec 24th.

Sports Supply         Galleria Plaza, West Bay Road        Telephone: (345) 949-7884

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Ed Hardy Sunglasses

Sunglasses are essential in the relentless Caribbean sun. Why not invest in a pair that makes you feel gorgeous, too? Hollywood stars and NYC celebs are fans of the sunglasses collection by Ed Hardy. Designed by Christian Audigier, the Ed Hardy sunglasses are funky, original and beautifully adorned with leather, denim, unusual graphic designs, and Swarovski crystals.

In Grand Cayman, Ed Hardy shades are available at Cayman Lenscrafter, in Seven Mile Shops on West Bay Road. In addition to contact lenses and on-site eyeglass services, Cayman Lenscrafters has the sexiest designer sunglasses collection in Grand Cayman. In addition to Ed Hardy, choose a new pair of designer sunglasses from the Prada, Bulgari and Porsche collections.

Trust me, once you try on a pair of the Ed Hardy glasses, you will be hooked. They make anyone look like a movie star. Visit Cayman Lenscrafter soon to upgrade your beach look.

Cayman Lenscrafter            Telephone (345) 943-1515         Seven Mile Shops

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John Atencio Rings

Girls, mark your calendars for Thursday evening. Duty Free Ltd. on The Waterfrontis hosting a special shopping night with champagne and discounts Thursday evening, December 18th starting at 5:00 PM. Sip bubbly, try on Goddess-worthy bling, and find something sparkly to put under the tree this season.

Duty Free Ltd. on The Waterfront is part of the Island Companies Group, Grand Cayman’s premiere purveyor of fine jewelry.  Two stories of exquisite fine and designer jewelry, gifts and more await you. The exceptional collection includes designers such as Honora, Sorrelli, Michal Negrin and Caribbean Hooked Bracelets. If a new watch is in order, choose a well priced selection from Movado, Concord, ESQ, National Geographic and Anne Klein.

For 30 years, Duty Free Ltd. has been making Christmas mornings special. Pop into tomorrow evening and see if your holidays deserve a little sparkle this year.

Duty Free Ltd. on the Waterfront   Telephone (345) 945-2160

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Flow-Therapeutic Studio

If toning up your body is topping your New Year’s Resolution List, consider adding yoga to your workout regime. Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna attribute their long, lean physiques to their regular yoga practices. There are many options for yoga in Grand Cayman, but my personal favorite is Flow~Therapeutic Movement, owned by Kate Dunne. Tucked into a rambling private orchard, the airy studio is just moments away from busy Crewe Road but seems like it’s miles out in the country side. The cork floors, white gauzy curtains and flowing breezes make this inviting studio a haven from everyday stress.

Flow~ offers massage therapy as well as yoga and therapeutic movement instruction. Kate has over 18 years of experience and is a highly trained therapeutic movement specialist. Kate has made a lifetime commitment to bringing the best of ancient and modern techniques of addressing body movement to her clientele.

I’m currently taking an 8 week session of vinyasa flow yoga classes. Dawn Eryou is the talented instructor leading the flow sessions. Dawn hails from Canada, and has been with Flow~Therapeutic Movement for since fall 2007. She earned her Interdisciplinary YOGA certification through the Nosara Institute in Cost Rica. Dawn is a warm, caring instructor who is clearly devoted to helping her students get the most out of their yoga practice. After just three weeks, I am noticing increased core strength. The best benefit is the terrific sense of well being that I get after every single class. Walking out into the fragrant orchard, muscles warmed and mind cleared, I am grateful that Flow~Therapeutic is in the Cayman Islands.

Flow~Therapeutic Movement      Telephone (345) 916-6061       email caymanflow@hotmail.com

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Jacques Scott Wine & Spirits

Busy Cayman Islands hostesses have always relied on The Jacques Scott Group for help with their fine wine selections. For nearly half a century, Jacques Scott has been the leading purveyor of wine, beer and spirits in The Cayman Islands. The company has five retail locations, including a 5,000 sq ft flagship store located at the corner of North Sound and Shedden Roads. This location has a fine wine room with a certified sommelier on hand to assist customers with their wine selections. In addition to the exquisite wine selections, Jacques Scott Fine Wines also carries an extensive range of beers and spirits. It also boasts the Jacques Scott Winebar, a wine dispensing system that allows customers to sample wines before they buy. At any given time there are sixteen different wines available to taste and there is no fee associated with this service.

The Jacques Scott Group constantly strives for new and innovative product lines. The most recent retail addition is the large, luxury store in Countryside Shopping Village in Savannah. Foodies and gourmands will be delighted with the wide array of premium kitchen and tableware. The brands include:

• KitchenAid blenders, hand mixers and stand mixers
• Le Crueset cast iron enameled cookware
• Lodge Cast iron cookware
• John Boos Butcher block tables

There are plenty of other must-have items for your Christmas list, including table linens, cookware and kitchen accessories. Don’t be surprised if your next wine run ends up being a little more expensive than usual! The new Jacques Scott inventory is irresistible! If your schedule is jammed up, consider the unique service provided by the Jacques Scott online portal: www.jacquesscottonline.com . It’s as simple as doing any other online shopping-you can just browse the products, place them in your online shopping cart, checkout, and they will deliver your order free of charge, island-wide! What could be easier than that?

Get prepared for early for your holiday entertaining with the help of Jacques Scott! And don’t forget to tell Santa about the KitchenAid blender. Your next batch of Mango-Ritas will be a snap!

Jacques Scott Wine and Spirits  Countryside Shopping Village, Savannah

Telephone: (345) 947-1536        www.jacquesscottonline.com

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