A Dash of Spice December 2015 by A Dash of Spice

a dash of

SPICE |December 2015|

Sashay with

RADJADIN

content: Feature: And life loved her right back The Coach

Interests and Hobbies

Fashion & Beauty

Food & Drink

Money Mine

Seeds of Inspiration

Health & Fitness

Living

Travel

Q&A

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editor’s note: How quickly time flies and here we are nearing the end of 2015. December is one of the favourite times of the year for me as Christmas approaches. I’m not a Christian but growing up in Singapore where we celebrate so many festivals, Christmas time brings that magical feeling that I used to read in all the fairy-‐tales as a little girl. I love the Christmas decorations along b usy Orchard Road and the Christmas carols on the good old Gold 90.5 radio station. Just that magical feeling. In this issue I’m proud to share with you stories of women from Australia, Philippines and United States. Yes we’re truly global! As I read each story and look at the pictures and the stories behind those picture, I feel recharged and get sparks of new ideas. From cooking to handbags to knitting and travelling, we give you stories of women who believed in themselves, overcame challenges and made a decision to live with passion. While some are still on their journey, the fire is still burning. So if you have a story you’d like to share and inspire women, we’d like to hear from you. Drop us an email at magazine@oneasiacoach.com and b e part of the spicy family. Wishing you a joyful year end as you countdown to the start of 2016 and new possibilities. Begin again; Live again; Love again.

Editor, A Dash of Spice

Monique Radjadin-‐Fiorello, 48 years, lives in New York. She h as lived in a few countries throughout her life. She was born in Indonesia to a big family. When she was 14 years old she moved to Singapore to live with her older sister who was married and h ad 2 children. She finished high school in Singapore and moved to New York to pursue her Bachelor’s degree. She graduated from Baruch College in New York, Cum Laude, with BBA degree. Initially her desire was to go back to Indonesia and work for her father who owned a successful business but decided to stay and live as a New Yorker. She has worked in various companies from Investor Relations to h igh end Jewellery Company. Her dream was always to have her own business. Married now with 2 children and was helping run her husband’s business, until recently when she decided to venture out and start living her d ream of owning her own business. Along with her sister Ingrid (on the left in the picture), they started a high-‐end handbag line, Radjadin.

never stop believing in yourself: When I was young someone asked me what I want to be when I grow up, my answer was to be a doctor. Somehow something changed along the way, I saw my father’s business and life style, and I liked it. Something about it intrigued me. However, life has a way of putting you in places where your dream is harder to reach. Being a wife and a mother there is never enough time in the day for EVERYTHING, let alone thinking about your dream. However, even though I am a mother I have managed over the years to work for my husband’s business from home. One day I was doing my routine housework and stumbled upon a beautiful Batik handbag that was given to me as a gift. I looked at it and realized that the design was beautiful but the material was torn at the edges and, an idea came to me. Why don’t I make the Batik design on more durable material like a leather or coated canvas. High-‐end handbags like Louis Vuitton and Gucci came to mind. My quest to make the Batik handbag with a New York twist had begun. I was not alone in the journey; I had my sister, Ingrid Cimmino, who shared the same idea and we

started going to tradeshows in New York and visited handbag manufacturers here in New York.

chasing my dream: Between being a busy mom, running kids to practice, and h ousehold errands that never end, I managed to get a prototype of the bag ready. The vision of my handbag business was to make them in New York. Make it durable so that it can be used daily. Once the prototype was built I started promoting the bags. Before going to the public I wanted to show my bags to family and friends who could give me feedback. I had brought the handbags to London to show them to my nephew and my niece and their friends who are under 30 years old. The feedback was very encouraging. Minor changes to the style of the bags were made to appeal the younger crowds. In mean time, New York has a lot of platforms for new comers in the fashion industry to show their creation. I managed to show my two handbags to a famous store in New York City, Henry Bendel, an American upscale women's specialty store. They were impressed and wanted my bags in their store but required me to

have a collection and I only have two handbags types. But that was good enough for my sister and I to realize that we are on to something. Next thing I knew, I was approached by a French public relations person who wanted to promote my handbags in Paris. There was an event in Paris where we could showcase our p roduct line and also obtain feedback from the Parisians. During the event, a representative from Marie Claire Paris division came to our b ooth. They liked what they saw and wanted to promote At the Paris fashion show with translator and spokesperson Nabawiya Ibrahima. us in Saint Tropez the following summer. It was clear to me that we had of York, thee are new Duchesses in town.” For some of us who to start producing the bags quickly. recognize the batik d esign we use, the design “Batik Parang” Another event that we p articipated in was the New York Trade Show. The timing was not right for us. We had good feedback but the market was not ready for our Batik design. However one good lead for us was QVC, one of the biggest home shopping networks in the U.S. They are always ready for something n ew in the market. I also met a lot of good potential buyers.

Instead of feeling sorry about the job, I realized that this is my time now to shine.

”

the birth of Radjadin: My sister and I thought that in honour of my father, we would name our handbag line “RADJADIN”, his name. He was born of royalty in one of the islands in Indonesia. That made my sister and I, princesses. We used to joke with our friends and said, “Move over Duchess

represents the prohibited motif reserved for the royal courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta. Some Parang were worn exclusively by the King. Even though my father was not from the same island, but the design is reserved for royalty.

the challenges: The first challenge we had was money. We had invested so much on the Research and Development of the b ags that we had very little b udget for production. Thanks to our family and close friends that turned into investors to our little company, we got some financial help. We continued to produce our handbags but another challenge arose. The material that we thought was good enough for the bags, created problems. Thank goodness we have found new suppliers that were able to help us. One of the suppliers is here in New York that I feel so blessed that we have everything now in our home town.

the game-changer that’s creating a buzz: In mid-‐2015, my mother who had been sick for a while, passed away. I went back to Indonesia for her funeral. My sister, Ingrid, was there too and she was wearing one of our handbags. To our surprise a lot of people liked the handbag. They wanted to buy the handbag on the spot. That was a game changer for us. We decided to do a Trunk S how in Jakarta. A date has yet to be determined, but it will certainly happen in early 2016.

my time to shine: Every step of my journey has been coloured by special challenges, including losing my job with my husband’s business due to the downturn in that business. Instead of feeling sorry about the job, I realized that this is my time now to shine. Over the past years I have put a lot of work, dedication and investment into my dream.

Monqiue’s two precious boys, her little munchkins.

I expect that, starting in 2016, I would reap the benefits of what I put in to my dream. Not only financial, but also the satisfaction of knowing that I was able to achieve a lifelong dream of owning my own business.

”

Additionally as my handbags b ecome known and accepted in America, I will have the satisfaction of sharing part of my beautiful h eritage United States. I was living the stereotypical life of a “suburban” wife and mother and never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined being a designer and attending fashion and trade shows in New York and Paris.

So ladies, don’t hold back and don’t ever, ever give up on your dreams and never stop believing in yourself.

”

The Radjadin collection.

To get in touch with M onique and find out how you can get your h ands on the Radjadin collection, you can contact her at: Website: http://www.radjadin.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/Radjadin-‐New-‐York-‐Batik-‐ 718339058247761/?fref=ts Email: Monique@rdlfashion.com LinkedIn: Monique Fiorello Twitter @RadjadinNY

the coach: Why you BREAK your New Year’s Resolution “" Humans have high positive self-‐ regard in that we think that we are above average and better than most of our peers.

”

Why don’t we then follow through with our resolutions and feel only a slight twinge of remorse and n ot consumed b y guilt, year after year?

resolutions, we tend to take risks and make claims to doing things which are a stretch, something outside of our comfort zone or even unfamiliar. And we make this claims at the year-‐end parties and n ow everyone knows and everyone is watching us to see if we can commit to the resolution.

And the very thought that you are being observed, frightens you and you don’t know what to do or how to go Another, logical explanation from How quickly the year has passed. Very social psychology: that the self-‐serving about doing it. Once again, social psychology to the rescue – what you bias kicks in. Individuals will take soon we’ll be ushering in 2016 with experience every January is called credit for any good d eeds or much fanfare and resolutions, which outcomes and for anything adverse or social inhibition, where the ability to we know will have the maximum perform an unfamiliar task diminishes lifespan of seven d ays. Yet, every year unachieved outcome, we will blame external circumstances that got in our when there is an audience or people we make resolutions in the hope to way. So a common lament could be “I observing you. become better human beings. wanted to start running three times a Resolutions, defined as the firm So go forth, enjoy the year-‐end decision to do or not do something. S o week, but everytime I p ut on my celebrations, make the resolutions shoes, it started to rain” or “You know why then do we hastily make and and b reak them in January cos it’s not how it is, I’ve got to fix the meals and break resolutions? your fault. Humans weren’t designed clean the house.” Shamelessly we for resolutions. According to social psychologists, blame everyone else, the world, the humans have high positive self-‐regard dog, the cat, the weather – anything Rachpal has designed an online in that we think that we are above but ourselves. coaching programme for average and better than most of our women in transition. For a Alright, so you’ve been caught. Fret peers. Hence, when we make FREE CONSULTATION, write to not. There’s another reason that we resolutions we are supporting our her at don’t f ollow t hrough a nd p erhaps t his more@oneasiacoach.com or belief that we are committed to being visit her website at one i s n ot e ntirely y our f ault. Y ou s ee, better than others as we recognise a www.oneasiacoach.com most of the time, when making gap in us and we will fix it.

spice up your life

interests/hobbies: I started knitting more than ten years ago when I went through a very difficult time in my life. What it did was it gave me rest and to get through that time in a good way – the beginning of a love affair and passion that would last. It also helped me to turn the potentially severe season of my life into a fruitful time and allowed me to realise something I was only dreaming about. I designed and made unique pieces of throw rugs, cushion covers, neck scarfs, baby blankets as gifts to family and friends over the next few years on special occasions. The desire to create something beautiful and the love for designing and challenging myself continued to grow and finally in 2013, I stepped out in faith and labeled my work. Hence NAtdesigns was born. However I had to change the label to NAt Bydesign as the original label was in use by an American business. But as my passion grew, my thoughts became more concrete and so did my plans.

my transition journey:

Small Beginnings NAt ByDesign by Natalie Paul

the struggles/challenges take and you can never predict what will happen just around the corner – losing your job/income, family issues, sickness, hospitalisation and so on. Endless challenges it seems b efore you realise your dream, move along in a rhythm and start to enjoy the fruit of your labour.

One thing I realise is that anything you do, you have to commit to the process no matter how long or hard

At times it also meant I had to deal with opinionated people who never challenged or pushed themselves to reach for their dreams or goals and are frustrated with everything in their lives. The undue criticisms or personal attacks, they are never helpful. If you can picture it, all these things coming in waves or all at once and at

different intervals, and you wonder when it all will end. But I never gave up and continued to accept new projects and incorporate new ideas, doing what I can during those seasons. I acknowledge that my faith has a lot to do with it and breaking barriers, self-‐doubt are part and parcel of the process. And the encouragement of loved ones and friends are so valuable in such times.

a bigger dream: The dream is not just about running a business relying solely on the income from the business, but humbly I desire to be involved in projects with children. Call it humanitarian or missions, for me the mission is to finance, reach, enable, train and strengthen those who are marginalised in some way or other. (But that's a story for another day.)

Do not despise small beginnings (because it has begun) but do not give up either.

”

I was commissioned by a young mother to design and make a baby blanket for her “very classy” friend who has a taste for Chanel and winter in her country was very cold. I like that! She accepted my proposal, the colours and materials were carefully picked and the design more so for the mom-‐to-‐be’s taste. Both my client and her friend loved the final product called 1 Cor 13 LOVE, made of 100% Australian baby wool. This baby blanket flew across the world to another country to welcome a newborn. How exciting!

The second set was called LOV after the surname of the parents to be who owned a café. Hence the beanie and mittens were coffee brown. The beanie had a handmade coffee cup and the word LOVe sewn in, and a stream of golden aroma twirls around the beanie rising up from the coffee cup.

getting real: I am giving myself ample time with realistic steps. I'm currently thinking through/planning for the timing and considering the best mode of sell-‐ point with low overheads and best reach. These aspects of the business are crucial for its success. And despite the small b eginnings, my motto is, "Do not despise small beginnings (because it has begun) but do not give up either". I'm still working full-‐time as an Executive Assistant and completing my assignments toward a certificate to teach English to foreign students, amongst other commitments and activities. With this in mind, developing discipline, the need to enlarge my capacity, exercise and time-‐outs, eat well, focus on the right things and maintaining healthy relationships, and reaching out to others while letting go of negative ones have become a priority. My focus is honed in so much more.

This set was called ANTARTIC BLUE. The inspiration came from a day in Brisbane where we had a very cold front but the sky was the deepest blue I’ve ever seen, and the day so beautiful and crisp. The beanie and mittens were inspired by the cold front, with the deepest blue yarn and whitest white, trimmings.

winter 2015 collection: I had some wonderful projects this year from May to August, my most challenging and successful year yet, with commissioned pieces/projects I designed and produced. They are all carefully handmade. The concepts, colours and materials were important in delivering the feel and capture the imagination of the client. This collection was made from 100% Australian cotton. Commissioned pieces allow me to get to know my clients and what they are after. It gives me the opportunity to propose my concept, material use and colour scheme in light of their own stories. It brings them along the journey from conception to final product. There’s a sense of anticipation and excitement for the client/s because in some ways, they are involved in the product. So the whole process is not just about selling what I've made in mass without thought. It’s about the gift(s) that are meaningful. As a result, the response has been fantastic.

the future - pre-made NAt ByDesigns: The long-‐term plan is to design and produce unique pre-‐made products for sale in the winter season as well as continue to produce commission pieces. The intention for the pre-‐made products is that they will be made available online for those who are looking for a special gift. You can follow me on NAt Bydesigns -‐ Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NAtbyDesign/ and send m e a message in the Inbox or send me an email at natalieap@gmail.com.

glitter and glam

fashion/beauty:

Sensuous Scarves Growing up in a Singapore and in a Punjabi household, scarves were a common dress item for the women. The Punjabis call it chunni or dupatta and even have songs that have become etched in our memories. There’s the evergreen one by the UK group Alaap, Chunni Udh Udh Gayi, the lover’s lament of his sleepless nights as the memory of her scarf gently blown away by the wind and her long pony-‐tail comes undone and her luscious mane falls over her shoulders. And there is the upbeat one by Surjit Bindrakhia, Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da, again, the lover’s lament of how her beauty was shielded from his gaze by her seven coloured dupatta. The older Malay women in the neighbourhood always h ad scarves, the selendang, covering their h ead when they went out. Unlike the chunnis that were about 2 metres long and almost 1 metre wide, the selendang was a square scarf, folded into a triangle and knotted u nder the chin. From Asia to Europe, the scarf is adorned not just as an accessory but also as part of a cultural or religious d ress code for modest dressing. As society evolved, the scarves began to have multiple uses; mothers use it as sling to hold the babies while the did work around the house or farm, nicely coiled into a disc and placed on the head to support pots, and now, as accessories to perk up an otherwise plain outfit for work or the night out. One of my essential travel companion is a scarf as I never know when the temperature changes or when I’ll n eed to cover myself to suit a dress-‐code. So here are some of my tips on picking scarves.

I like the soft cottons in single shades. The softness of the fabric moulds your body and stays in place. Soft enough to provide some warmth on a chilly d ay. Soft cottons are easy to lug around as you can just twist and throw in the bag or tie to your handbag. Single shades are great to go with a printed outfit and are easy to match with most outfits whether for work or a day out.

Colours and prints can add some excitement to your wardrobe. Know your style; I prefer the earth tones as opposed to psychedelic colours. The designs and p rints should be proportionate with your b uilt. So if you’re smaller built, you might opt for tinier prints while a taller person would do more justice with larger prints and designs.

Love, love, love scarves with embellishments and little trinkets. They’re fun and just add that dash of spice to make your outfit look more interesting. I usually go for trinkets that are at the b orders rather than all over as it makes it easier to d rape the scarf and style it.

So are shawls scarves? Oh well, I’m putting them down as my favourite. Pashmina and woollen shawls are slightly heavier and definitely keep you snug. Absolutely a must for travelling – the airports and planes can get awfully chilly. Love the more solid structure of the heavier fabric and excellent to match with your work outfits.

spice, dice and splash

food and drink: Christmas Special

the rebel chef: Hello again and in this issue, I’m sharing two of my favourite recipes for the season. Growing up in Singapore, there were celebrations throughout the year; beginning with New Year, then Chinese New Year, followed by Easter, then Vesak Day , then Hari Raya (Eid), Deepavali and finally, Christmas. Needless to say it was endless tucking into yummy delicacies. It is perhaps this early cross-‐cultural culinary influence that I often modify recipes to create what is now popularly known as “fusion” recipes. In this issue I’ll share a tandoori recipe that you can do with a turkey or chicken and my all time favourite for the season, fruit-‐cake. With my passion for cooking, it is not surprising that I met the love of my life, Bir, who is a chef and has his own restaurant. And yes, that was a gigantic birthday cake that he got me; enough to feed a village.

To enjoy more American and Indian cuisine, join Satwant and Bir at their flagship restaurant in Woodinville, the wine valley of Washington. There’s also bar music and karaoke for the music lovers. Indian Palace Restaurant 13330 NE 175th Street Woodinville, Seattle WA 98072 Tel: 425 483 6888 www.indianpalacecuisine.com

tandoori chicken with biryani stuffing 14

Tandoori Chicken with Briyani Stuffing Garnish and Serving: Method: Ingredients for Tandoori Chicken: • Serves 8. For Tandoori Chicken: 1 whole chicken (large) • Make incisions on the thigh, breast • As this is a central dish, I like Pre-‐marinade ingredients: to do it it up a little. and d rumsticks – 2 each. 3 tablespoons chilli paste • Use a big dish. Place the • Mix all the ingredients for the pre-‐ 2 tablespoons ginger paste chicken in the centre and add marinade and rub this paste into the 6 tablespoons garlic paste the remaining rice around it. chicken. Set aside for an hour. 4 tablespoons lemon juice You can put some slices of • Mix the ingredients for the marinade. Salt (adjust to your taste) tomatoes, radish, onions and Marinade: • Coat the chicken with the marinade. coriander. 1 tablespoon cumin powder Be sure to rub the inner parts on the • If you find this dish too spicy, 2 tablespoons garam masala (or curry chicken as well. Set side in the you can serve it with some powder) refrigerator overnight or for at least plain yoghurt. 3 tablespoons ginger paste 5 hours. 3 tablespoons chilli paste • Pre-‐heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). • I like to serve it with an “acar” like salad made with chopped • Roast the chicken for 20 minutes and a few strands of saffron then baste with butter. cucumbers, diced onions, 2 cups of yoghurt • Repeat t he p rocess u ntil c hicken i s d one, pineapple cubes and chopped 2 tablespoons thickened cream which i s a pproximately 1 t o 1 ½ h ours. chilli (chilli being optional). Salt (adjust to your taste) • When t he c hicken i s a lmost d one, Squeeze some lemon juice and Basting: remove from oven and add half the you get a sweet and tangy ½ cup butter biryani rice stuffing and continue to bake salad. until chicken is cooked. Ingredients for Briyani Rice: 4 cups of basmati rice For Briyani Rice: 3 ½ to 4 cups water • Heat up the butter or ghee in a pan 6 tablespoons butter or ghee and q uickly fry the cardamoms, 10 green cardamoms cloves, cinnamon and cumin seeds 10 cloves just for a few seconds. Take it off the 1 tablespoon cumin seeds heat and set aside. 2 cinnamon sticks • In a pot or rice cooker, add the rice, 2 bay leaves water, rose water, bay leaves and ½ teaspoon of saffron powder cream and give it a quick stir to give ½ cup cream it an even mix. 5 tablespoons rose water • Add in the fried ingredient and cook ½ cup raisins the rice. ½ cup almonds (roasted and halved) • Once rice is cooked, add the rains, ½ cup roasted cashews almonds and cashews. Fluff the rice gently with a fork to ensure they don’t stick.

Sinfully Rich Fruit Cake Ingredients: ½ cup pitted prunes 1 ½ cups sultanas 1 ½ cups currants ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice ½ cup brandy 125g butter ½ cup brown sugar 3 eggs ¼ cup h ot water ¼ cup p lum jam 1 cup p lain flour ¾ cup self-‐raising flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon mixed spice ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1½ cups glace cherries 1½ cups dates 2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Method: • Combine prunes, sultanas and currants in a bowl and mix in orange juice and brandy. Let stand overnight. This mixture can also be soaked for up to 2 weeks. • Grease a deep 23cm round cake tin with 3 layers of baking paper. • Cream butter and sugar until it is just combined and then add the eggs quickly, one at a time and beating the mixture between each addition. • Stir in the hot water and jam. • Sift in the dry ingredients. • Drain the prune mixture BUT reserve the liquid. • Add the prunes, cherries, dates and walnuts to the cake mixture.

• • • •

• •

Spread cake mixture into the prepared pan. Heat the oven to about 150°C. Bake in the slow oven for about 2 hours. Brush reserved liquid over the cake when it is b aked, cover and leave to cool. You can top it off with some glace cherries. I usually leave it overnight before I cut it as it is more compact and will n ot crumble easily.

common cents

money mine:

Building your Emergency Fund. By now, you all know what a big fan I am on Suze Orman for the financial advice she gives out. So far, none of her advise has gone wrong for me and in this issue I want to share about how to go about getting your emergency fund started. This year I’ve had two clients who have h ad struggles with their finances and neither of them had an emergency fund, which should be about 6 months of your income. As a result, everytime there was a problem, they would spend on the credit card and just incur high interest rates or borrow from family and friends. As we approach the end of 2015 here are FOUR tips to how you can get an emergency fund started if you haven’t already started one.

Set aside 10% of your income every month for the emergency fund. You will need to build a fund of at least 6 months of your current earning power. The 10% is based on your total income before any tax, pension or provident fund deductions. The idea is that, should you not have a job, you should have at least 6 months of savings to help you pull through as it is estimated that it takes up to 6 to 8 months to find a new job or set-‐up a business.

Earning just enough to get by and you can’t put aside the 10%? Find ways to cut down your expenditure every month. Start by looking at your spending habits: food, clothes, coffee, shoes, make-‐up. Where can you cut down? What can you forgo? Preparing food from home and making your own cup of coffee and tea can save you u p to $10 a day.

Put the money in an account that is not linked to any debit, credit or ATM cards. If it easily accessible, there will always be the temptation to spend. Hence, it should be as inconvenient as possible to withdraw the money because the aim is to allow it time to grow and build up for the emergency should you lose your job. Be clear what an emergency situation is. Flying off to your best friend’s destination wedding is NOT an emergency!

Finally, learn to say NO. If you cannot afford to go out with your friends, tell them. Suggest potluck gatherings instead. Stop buying and giving presents. This festive season, if you cannot afford to participate in gift exchanges, tell your family and friends. What other ways can you show your love and appreciation to one another? Perhaps it is time to start a new tradition – a no-‐buying-‐gift season and have a give-‐my-‐love season.

live life to the fullest

health and fitness:

It’s 01 December 2015. In 30 days, we’ll be ushering in the New Year. But before that, there are the countless year-‐end parties – the office lunch, the tea with besties, dinners and drinks with colleagues, more lunches and dinners with the family and of course the big countdown party. But before you get carried away and indulge, may I make a suggestion? Cover all your mirrors in the house with a cloth. Because if you don’t, the next 30 days of December will be guilt-‐ridden where every curve and bulge will be misery in the making while every mouthful will not be fairly judged nor savoured. You will be running around frantically trying to lose the few inches off the waistline while munching on the cookies and fried chicken. The “I wish” laments will start and another year will go by. Another year has gone by.

slow down, pause, breath: Being miserable and lamenting on what could have been will not serve you. I’m going to hazard a guess here that you h ave been rushing around the whole year trying to meet your work goals and your family’s needs that you pushed your health and well-‐being to the last? So now your body is all achy and the odd bulge in the wrong part of the body (as if there ever was a right part). Pushing yourself is only going to make it worse so don’t wait for January to make those changes in your life. Start now. Slow down – walk a little slower, chew a little slower, sip a little slower. Pause – feel your body. Feel the anger, feel the frustration, feel the sadness, feel the overwhelm. Breathe – close your eyes. Take a deep b reath. As you breathe out, release the trapped emotions. Only THREE easy steps to a healthier you.

where women inspire women

seeds of inspiration:

living simply to simply live

living:

Live now... As I looked at back this year, I have many regrets. There were many things I wanted to accomplish this year but alas, as we approached the end of 2015, many of the boxes are still unchecked. I had p lanned for a few hiking trips this year and I did none; I had planned trips the beach and probably only had two to three; I had planned to lose some weight for h ealth reasons, and that too hasn’t happened; I had planned to complete writing my book and well, you know how this one ends too. I will b e lying to you if I said that it’s okay and that everything happened for a reason. I feel sad that another year has gone by and another wish list will be crushed and a n ew one drawn. I am disappointed. As I sit here and lament I know the cause of it all – that I had b een living either in the past or for the future instead of living now. My conversation has been about how things used to be or waiting for something better to happen and in doing so I missed my chance to live in the present. I h ad missed the chances to go for the evening stroll as I waited for the perfect sunset. Am I going to make drastic changes and start living now? Chances are, NO. I know that I will still compare with the past and wish for a better tomorrow. But what’s different is that I now know. With baby steps I will start being more aware of my feelings and my actions. Everyday from now, with baby steps, I will start appreciating the sights, sounds and scents around me. But I know I’m a dreamer. I will always b e.

the spicy route

travel :

The Turtle Island in Guimaras which is known to be the sanctuary of sea turtles or pawikan. It is located in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.

The Secret Jewel of the East by Rachel Reynoso During my childhood days, I was very much fascinated with the diverse stunning places here in the Philippines and abroad. I never thought that I could visit p laces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. These are the three main geographical d ivisions of my beloved country. Way back in March 2011, I joined Navteq, one of the leading mapping company that operates around the globe and the start of exploring the beautiful places I just used to dream of before. As a Geographic Analyst I mapped different places in Philippines and every work trip became a potential for future h oliday destination with my family and buddy.

choosing my next destination: I have a bucket list of places to visit. So when I choose a place to wander, it must be on that list of places that I always dream of; places that will help me renew myself and be refreshed when I got back to the normal routine of my life h ere in M anila. I b ook tickets advance so that airfare is way cheaper than usual. I also book hotels that have excellent ambiance and which can make me feel more relaxed.

Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery. It is located in the town of Laguna province. The only underground cemetery in the Philippines. It has been declared as a National Historical Landmark since 1973. You can go 6ft. under to see the main feature of the cemetery: the catacomb that was arranged on four walls. Flash photography is prohibited.

why i have the #wanderlust: Gratification of new experiences. While there are all sorts of experiences surrounding us each day, there are so many things that you can only do when traveling; like walking on the stunning beach of Boracay until the sunset comes, experience the perfect tropical holiday surrounded by an abundance of pristine beaches that lend a breathtaking view of the horizon at Pearl Farm in Davao. It will absolutely leave a heavenly imprint in the memory. Zip lining through Asia’s longest zipline at Dahilayan Adventure Park in Bukidnon. Climbing up with spelunking in the rocky mountain of Ugong Rock in Palawan; it’s like no turning back because it is really hard going up to the top! Witnessing different kind of festivals in every places like the Ati-‐atihan Festival in Ilo-‐Ilo. Indulging with delicious local dishes served on bamboo dining tables with the sparkling waterfalls as a backdrop with clear spring water running over your feet at Villa Escudero in San Pablo, Laguna… the list of such experiences could go on and on.

To Unwind, Rejuvenate, Refurbish. I work hard most that’s why I need to treat myself by unwinding despite of my busy schedules; sitting on the b each while watching and listening to the sound of the waves crashing on beach , refreshing my mind and keeping me agile and sharp. To have a good time. Celebrating h atch days (birthdays), achievements, anniversaries and any occasion that calls for a celebration. There is something magical about having a good time outside the normal bustle of our lives. To Eat New Food. Yeah, sumptuous food! I love to eat. The more I travel the more dauntless I become to try delicious and unique dishes. Everyone is so delighted about their food or local d elicacies in every place and they really enjoy sharing it with others. We all know food brings people together. To Spend Time with Family and Friends. We build memories when we travel as a family or with friends. Family getaways are so valuable for me. Families need this time together, creating good memories to cherish and treasure forever.

My beloved 92 years old granny. This was her first time since birth going to the beach and we’ were so lucky that her first time was with us in Borawan. Borawan is a beach cove with white sand like in Boracay and surrounded by towering limestone rocks like in Palawan that make the beach isolated from any access road from the town proper of Padre Burgos in Quezon Province, Philippines. They called it Borawan because it is a combination of Boracay and Palawan.

Labasin Lake. Rafting is one of the amenities provided by Villa Escudero in San Pablo, Laguna. Native bamboo rafts are available and is included with the day tour.

Hey there! I am Rachel Reynoso. A happy go lucky person from Philippines. I am 39 years old, single and ready to mingle! As what I always say to all the people who ask my age “I’m always young at heart and I will always be”. I do not feel any pressure at all when they ask me why I am still single? I will just whisper to them, “No worries… I’m enjoying m y life being single”. As the old adage goes, Life begins at 40! So I am looking forward for my hatch day next year and see what will be the most awaited happenings in store for me.

Celebrating my birthday with this big lobster in Josephine’s Restaurant located in Tagaytay. I love to eat!!! I love seafood.

in the hot seed

Q & A: Q

I’ve had a few discussions with both men and women in their early-‐50s that they are frustrated at work because the job they do is routine and there is no p rospect for growth within the organisation. They need their job as they’re not entirely financially independent and are afraid that given the current economic climate and competition from a younger and more qualified workforce, they might not be jobless if they left their current job. What should they do?

In times like this a magic wand would help as I always hear them say, “things were different before and wish it was like the old times.” Yes, it can be really frustrating especially if you’ve been in the job and the organisation for many years. To add to the frustrations, the workplace dynamics have changed drastically with more Gen Ys graduating from school and h ow technology has become an integral part of how work is done. I’m taking a very practical and conservative approach in my advise for anyone in a similar situation, whatever your age and that you really need to keep the job. • Start with gratitude that you have this job and that it fulfils your purpose (for example, it gives you financial security). • There are things that we do that are routine, like brushing teeth, folding the laundry, mopping the floor or washing dishes. We don’t like these tasks, but we have to do them. • Stop making work the central focus of your life and your identity. • Instead, find fulfilment outside the workplace, activities that bring you joy and connect you with your higher purpose. Perhaps it’s time to go back to that hobby you’ve forgotten about for years or look up an organisation where you could volunteer your services during your free time. If you have a question on a life or work transition , write to us at magazine@oneasiacoach.com and we will feature your questions and reply on this page.

â&#x20AC;ŚI specialise in Transitional Transformation Coaching for women in transition; to smoothen the transition period, to give clarity and equip you with skills to move effortlessly to the next phase. My coaching philosophy is to take you from being a blunt tool to the sharpest tool in the shedâ&#x20AC;Ś Rachpal Kaur Tulsi

+ Reigniting Personal Belief; Reclaiming lorem ipsumPersonal Power RachpalAddress] [Street Kaur Tulsi [City], [State][Postal Code] Consultant/Coach [Web Address] www.oneasiacoach.com