Working a full-time job can sometimes be hectic and stressful. I try to eat right, avoid any processed or fast food and eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables (oh YUM!). I mean… don’t get me wrong, I love pulled pork, beef brisket and the occasional slow cooked pot roast. Trying to eat healthy and stay focused felt like I was in jail. I mean, who wants to eat celery when your friends are throwing a poolside BBQ! I try to convince myself self that this miniature salad with “chicken breast” is more then enough, while your friends are eating a fully loaded double baked potato, buttery tiger shrimp, and a mouth watering filet mignon with thick cut smoked wrapped bacon. YEAH, eating healthy is easy, I JUST WONT EAT! Bouncing back and forth from nutrition charts, to food menus, and trying to eat “organic”. I just felt like I was I was spending to much of my money, time and effort. Where did I go? Where did I want to go? This is when I decided to stop and rethink for a minute. I needed to reset, I needed to regain my balance and take back my life. I recall having added Belmonte Raw on Twitter a little over a year ago when I heard they were hosting a weekend at the Shops At Don Mills Mark McEwan Grocery Store. I decided to look them up and see if they were still in business. Much to my surprise they were and they were bigger than ever. Reading their website and becoming more intrigued, I decided it was time for my wife and I to go for drive. Their (Belmonte Raw) storefront is located on Queen Street East, Toronto. It is a sophisticated setup with two large glass fridges full with fresh cold-pressed juices and organic raw smoothies. My wife and I were delighted to chat with the staff and learn more about their products. We had many questions and all were answered very professionally. Marco, (one of Belmonte’s finest) was informing us of all the benefits cold-pressed had to offer. We were talking about the “big machine” and the special technique used to extract non-pasteurized raw JUICE. Marco could see the excitement in my eyes and decided to take both my wife and I on a tour of the kitchen (the most organized and immaculately clean kitchen ever!). I don’t know if they do this with all of their customers, however, it was a special touch that made us feel comfortable in knowing that all their creations were hand made and with care and attention. I have tried many juices in the past but have always questioned their 1 – shelf life 2 – freshness 3- are they actually cold-pressed and 4 – their actual health benefits. "To me there was something prestigious about holding a Belmonte, something like holding a Starbucks in L.A." - Dino Having spent a fair bit of time my wife and I was excited to give Belmonte a try!. Let me just tell you, this was the BEST cold-pressed juice ever! The right amounts of ingredients made a world of a difference when it came to taste (this is important when drinking kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce in liquid form!) Right away the taste, combination of fruits and vegetables, the beautiful glass bottle, the benefits of the juice and the TASTE, were just overwhelming. I immediately noticed a difference and realized that this was something I could do on a weekly basis. Since my original purchase I have went back every week. My wife even decided to do a complete body “reset” and purchased a three-day juice cleanse. My wife explains to me that the cleanse woke her up. It cleared toxins, bad fluids and harmful chemicals sitting in her body. While doing the cleanse of strictly juice she did endure cravings. No not junk food cravings but food with substance like grilled chicken and vegetable proteins, very similar to the ones she was receiving with the juice. The juice cleanse relives and terminates cravings giving your digestive track a much needed break. We now have one juice a day which usually replaces our prepared lunch and will be committing to one juice cleanse a month. I have to admit that at first the juice wasn’t enough for me. I did have the same cravings as my wife but this was normal. It was my body fighting off the harsh chemicals and toxins I used to eat. After three of four days of using the juice the cravings stopped and the benefits started to kick in. I was refreshed and had a mid afternoon rebound. The benefits were just to good and to powerful to stop. I mean that pick me up, feeling satisfied, being motivated and refuelling my energy was perfect. With every company deciding to go green and telling customers to purchase bags or go paperless, I was surprised of Belmonte. I mean a beautiful durable plastic or paper bag at no cost. Complementary e-mailed receipts sent instantly at the point of purchase. But no lets get honest here, Belmonte secretly disguised their environmental program neatly into their juices. They understand that they have an excellent product and loyal client base that they offer one fresh cold-pressed bottle free of charge for every ten enjoyed bottles returned. Shh, don’t tell their customers but this is a genius idea. My only drawback or concern with Belmonte would be their price. Starting at $11.50 for the large and $7.50 for the small they are currently at the high end of the juice market. Now before people starting yelling at me I am the first person to tell people you get what you pay for, and in this case you get everything! I give Belmonte four and half cannoli out of five. I love their products and hey, you may even see me in store! Till my next review on Belmonte Raw. Ask for Dino!
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Black clouds, rolling thunder and the roar of 18 or so Formula 1 cars racing around grandstand 33, the famous Hairpin. Before you know it, with about 20 laps to go the drizzle begins. Fans being to pull out their team branded umbrellas, Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and YES even a few Caterham. The roar from the engines begin to get louder,almost piercing my ears. Fans begin to get quiet and the anticipation of rain looms over the track. Then BOOM! Like a firecracker, the flood gates open. Within minutes ,fans flock out of the grandstands leaving the very few die hards refusing to give in. Visibility is near nothing and that roar of engines begins to dissipate. All cars have been called into the pits and the race has been suspended. Or so I can recall.
This was the 2012 Canadian GP. Experiences like this are a once in a life time. I mean my first torrential downpour in 15 years. Who else can say they waited through a three hour downpour and watch the race end with 3 different lead changes. This is one of the best F1 memories I have. It's become apparent that over the years experiences will come and go. They will pop up when you least expect them. You have to be ready to enjoy life, at a moments notice. Whether it be on the race track, a private tour of Saint Paul de Vence, or maybe just maybe it is looking for a Christian Louboutin boutique in New York and finding his American head office! All I know is that you have to be ready and willing. From one of my favourite quotes "Live Big, Live Now" This is a new beginning for me. This is the start, the ignition, the hey start the BBQ! For over thirty years I've had the chance to experience many of life's greatnesses. I will continue to enjoy luxurious and glamorous experiences. This blog is going to be an extension of myself. It will allow people to truly understand who I am and what I stand for. I am going to continue to live up to my expectations and all of yours. After all I would expect nothing less. So if you're ready lets take this journey together. Remember, Ask for Dino! |
Ask for DINO.
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