Living

It was very unusual to find my dog Piper waiting at the front door when I walked into my home. Normally he lounges on his bed until I walk into the bedroom to greet him.

Of course you have to plan for retirement, whatever your age - as the wealth of RRSP advertising reminds us every year around this time.

One sure sign a country’s fortunes are on the rise is when they hold a tasting and half the city turns out.

MUSIC AND FASHION The Lions Gate Sinfonia presents Music and Fashion on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. at Centennial Theatre.

The new 2014 Colourful Collection from Lush Cosmetics will have your bathroom looking like the runways of New York. Based on New York Fashion Week, Pantone created a pallette of the upcoming season's most important colour trends.

A biweekly roundup of automotive news, good, bad and just plain weird: Ford's aluminium F-150 challenges body shops, junkyards Don your tinfoil hats, here comes the 2015 Ford F-150, and it's mostly made from aluminium.

Ikea's tagline, as far as I can remember, is something like, "Ikea: Swedish for common sense." I'd humbly suggest that it might more accurately be: "Ikea: $0.99 hotdogs and $15.99 bookcases, both self assembly, both compressed particle board.

Dear Mattie: How can I keep warm and be fashionable this season? — Chilly in Cypress Dear Chilly: This season, it is very easy to keep warm and be fashionable. Many different styles of outerwear are about making personal statements and staying cosy.

Audiences are invited to step back in time this weekend at a unique mixed presentation of period fashion and classical music. Lions Gate Sinfonia presents Music and Fashion: Signs of the Times on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m.

Jinah Kim, 16, Sutherland secondary Art teacher: Dorothy Foster Favourite art: drawing and illustration Favourite artist: Vincent Van Gogh Her teacher writes: Jinah is a talented art student and shows her creativity through her artwork.