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VICEROY HOTELS & RESORTS
With provocative design, intuitive service, and imaginative art encounters, each Viceroy hotel is a reflection of the local culture and a uniquely authentic experience.
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The Art Of Wearing
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The Kaloud® Krysalis® Calix™ is not a Hookah... It’s a Krysalis®. It draws upon more than 500-years of tradition and innovation and emerges reborn as something new; something unknown.
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STATEMENT EARRINGS - QUEEN MARY
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Feathers for each pair of earrings are hand-selected giving each pair a unique coloring. Due to the handcrafted nature of each design, earring dimensions will range between 3” - 3.25” long and 1” - 1.5” wide. 24k Gold Plated stud with post push back. Suitable for sensitive ears (nickel-free and lead-free).
MEN’S BOW TIE - MARSH
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Band collar wrap with an adjustable strap and hook closure - fits neck sizes 11” to 20”. Bow tie dimensions are 2.5” tall and 4.5” wide. Each feather used in production is all-natural and sustainably sourced. Feathers for bow ties are hand-selected, giving each finished piece unique coloring. Each bow tie is hand-crafted in Charleston, South Carolina and takes approximately five hours to make, start to finish.
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celebrating us, the strong, resilient, and radiant women in our communities who inspire the world with our diversity and beauty
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cocoacentric.com celebrating us, the strong, resilient, and radiant women in our communities who inspire the world with our diversity and beauty
The Holiday Issue Winter ’22
We are proud to present troora’s first ever holiday issue. As the founder, creative director, and “editor-in-chief”, i am proud to share this very special issue with you. It was a challenge for me to decide who should grace this issue’s cover. I personally prefer to promote the fascinating subjects we feature and not make the fuss all about me. But… with the influence, advice, and guidance of my husband, friends, family, and team, specifically my long time friend and personal hairdresser Robert Douglas, I am taking the step to share my story and how I arrived at making this dream come to reality. I hope you will enjoy discovering my journey so far, how I was inspired to bring you TrooRa and all the intriguing stories we share with you quarterly.
If you can believe it, we are now in our fourth year going into our fifth. We have seen tremendous growth and change during those four formative years for TrooRa. We hope to continue to evolve in the publishing world and through my unique vision to change the narrative with TrooRa.
In this issue, you will discover my story and some new exciting articles written by our exceptional team of contributing writers.
Apart from my own cover feature we also bring you some exceptional decor ideas for the holiday season in our home design category. With features like “A Christmas Tale” styled by Shelley Street and “the light fantastic” styled by Tara Sloggett team members from our partners Bureaux based in South Africa, we are confident you will be wowed by their modern simplistic styles. In culinary, we unearth the art of Pastry Chef Jeffrey Tan and Chef Gavin Schmidt of the morris shares his journey through humble beginnings in a fantastic article by TrooRa culinary contributor Cary Wong. In travel, we explore holiday celebrations around the world, a visually stunning and beautifully written article by our travel contributor Filipa Araújo. We divulge some additional sensational products, stories, tips and tricks in art, fashion, beauty, health and fitness, technology and science. Overall this issue will bring you the promise of TrooRa, education, beauty, rarity in our meticulously curated pages. Subscribe today and receive six months of our digital subscriptions and other TrooRa news complimentary.
I will take this opportunity on behalf of the TrooRa organization to extend my utmost gratitude to our contributing writers, editorial design, editing, systems, admin, hr, graphics design, web, marketing, press/pr, and legal teams for showing their relentless efforts to this company. It gives me great pride to be the leader of such a sensational team. As you continue to inspire me, I know our advancement and progress is imminent. I see and appreciate everything you do and have sacrificed for the continued growth of TrooRa. The success our organization experiences on a daily basis, would not be possible without your contribution. Thank you for remaining patient with me and each other as we grow. Fantastic job to each and everyone of you; your work ethic never ceases to amaze me. I appreciate your guidance and support.
With that, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart to our team, audience, partners, clients, friends, and family and wish you all the joy of the season. Happy holidays to you and yours and may 2023 bring us all good health, joy, peace, and success.
Trystanne Cunningham Editor-In-Chief Creative Director Founder
Create, Inspire, Grow Discover TrooRa
Our mission is to remake, re-use, recycle, and repurpose for a prolonged life cycle.
sevenstills.com
TrooRa’s Sustainability Efforts
TrooRa is committed to building a sustainable business model promoting and protecting the environment . Our digital platform on troora.com offers a conscious approach, creating an immersive space.
With your help in building robust online support, TrooRa will print fewer magazines to ensure we remain a leader in the industry. However, when TrooRa produces print issues, we will uphold the highest quality in sustainable standards.
The magazine you are reading is:
printed on fully recycled paper
printed with vegetable-based ink and biodegradable laminates
printed in close proximity to our markets in an effort to reduce distribution emissions
Founder TRYSTANNE CUNNINGHAM
CREATIVE ART DEPARTMENT
Creative Director TRYSTANNE CUNNINGHAM
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Editor In Chief TRYSTANNE CUNNINGHAM
Copy Editor AMANDA ORAHA
Editorial Design Director SHERDELLAH ANUNCIADO
Creative Art Director ANDRES MALDONADO
Proofreading CRISTINA DEPTULA
Proofreading MICHAEL DAKS
ART DEPARTMENT
Graphic Design Director SAMMY CAMPANER
Multi Media Graphic Design MUHAMMAD ASIM
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
Global Brand Outreach KATIE LISTER
European Brand Outreach MANSOUR NDIAYE
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
HR Director PETA-GAYE WILLIS
OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT
Operations Director TRYSTANNE CUNNINGHAM
Operations Manager PETA-GAYE WILLIS
ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT
Administrative Director PETA-GAYE WILLIS
Executive Administrative Assistant RONA MAGLINES
Virtual Administrative Assistant INNAH MARIE ALMARENIA
NEHA SURADKAR Fashion and Beauty Contributing writer
9 FILIPA ARAÚJO Travel Contributing Writer
10 STELLA POLYZOIDOU Fashion and Beauty Contributing Writer
11 GEORGE DIKE Technology Contributing Writer
12 JESSE ADUMA Contributing Health and Fitness Writer
13 KEVIN JAMES JEFFERY Sports Contributing Writer 14 ROBYN ALEXANDER Home Design & Decor Contributing Writer
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Plant-based designs bringing the outside in & celebrating the natural world fableandbase.co.uk
72 A CHRISTMAS TALE BY: ROBYN ALEXANDER Christmas with Shelley Street, Cape Town, South Africa
home design & decor
82
DISCOVER THE BEST PLANTS FOR EVERY ROOM BY: KEVIN JEFFERY Making the UK greener one plant at a time
90 A GREEN CHRISTMAS BY: ROBYN ALEXANDER ’tis the season to go green
110
OUT OF THE CLOSET: TOP TIPS TO ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET FOR A CLUTTERFREE HOLIDAY SEASON BY: GEORGE DIKE Top Tips To Organize Your Closet For A Clutter-Free Holiday Season
116 THE POTTERS ARENA BY: JESSIE ADUMA Handmade from Modern Minimalistic ceramics and papiermâché.
120 THE LIGHT FANTASTIC BY: TARA SLOGGETT
Celebrate brightness and delight this Christmas
A Christmas Tale
Christmas with Shelley Street, Cape Town, South Africa
WRITTEN BY: ROBYN ALEXANDER
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: WARREN HEATH
STYLED BY: SHELLEY STREET
MAGAZINE + INTERIORS STYLIST
A small Karoo thorn tree has been painted white to striking effect. The black, white and natural tones of the decorations reflect Shelley’s overall visual theme – one that is pared down, textural and nontraditional.
Christmas decorating
is redefined at the Cape Town home of stylist Shelley Street where South African craft, handmade gifts, traditional elements and a nod to monochrome Scandi style combine for an intriguing festive fusion
“We love this time of the year but aren’t big on celebrating the traditional way, especially here in South Africa where our summer is so hot. We like to make the season feel special though by doing something different with the festive decorations each time.” In this instance the ‘we’ is stylist and creative consultant Shelley Street and her teenage daughter, Phoebe. The ‘something different’ that she’s referring to is a striking monochrome palette that Shelley has fashioned by incorporating cool local crafts with organic elements – a signature that underpins Shelley’s personal decorating style as well.
There’s no more apt a description of Shelley’s home than a sanctuary for the senses. We’re talking the whole checklist: all white sundrenched spaces anchored by a carefully composed black and white palette, soaring ceilings, nubbly textures, a contented cat dozing on a daybed, large sash windows offering glimpses of a milkwood tree and other tangled greenery outside, an artful mix-and-match of furniture, artwork and family heirlooms and, from the kitchen, the pleasant aroma of coffee and lemons –the entire scene set against the hushed backing track of a radio tuned to the local classical music station.
“I love the monochrome look as well as Scandi design and its association with light wood, so decided to do a Scandi-Afri mix,” she says of her Christmas theme. It seems apt considering Shelley’s self-professed reverence for simplicity that the Christmas tree is a Karoo thorn, its stark graphic form enhanced by a coating of white paint. “This wouldn’t be Christmas though, if there wasn’t something enchanting, so the tree has the sweetest hand-carved wooden birds which I am in love with as well as papier-mâché baubles that are a quirky take on the usual bling versions,” she says.
Other adornments reflect Shelley’s affinity for South African and African pattern as well as locally crafted objects with a unique, whimsical feel: a laser cut cardboard nativity scene; a small decorative African Christmas tree made from tin; Christmas crackers that she fashioned together using patterned brown paper and African-print shweshwe fabric; a herd of beaded
Christmas crackers are made from brown Kraft or butcher’s paper as well as South African shweshwe fabric with its distinct dotted circular print. The oversized tea cup is from British ceramist Emma Bridgwater’s iconic Black Toast collection; the dark stained wooden tray is from Country Road (countryroad.com.au / woolworths.co.za)
Hand carved wooden birds from Africa Nova (africanova. co.za) makes the tree feel more of an art installation than decoration.
The dining area, part of the larger open-plan living space, illustrates that a monochrome interior can be warm, engaging and characterful with the inclusion of vintage, organic and rustic elements. The lunch scene is set on a simple turned-leg Oregon pine table – a junk shop find that was lacquered in glossy black – with a mix-and-match assortment of seating (visible are two original Panton S chair). The free-floating shelves (just seen) provide a surface for a display that incorporates black and white photographs, etchings that have yellowed with time, fine art illustrations, clay pots, African pieces and collections of found natural objects such as shells, skulls, nests, antlers and seed pods.
zebra that, in this context, look less ‘curio kitsch’ and more ‘Afro Chic;’ and a black wreath that, from a distance, looks like something designed by Tord Boontje but is in fact made from pieces of fynbos (indigenous bush), wine corks and other natural ephemera shaped together and spray-painted black.
Shelley’s black lacquered turned-leg pine table (a fortuitous junk shop find) is always the focus of the festivities each year. “The starting point of the whole theme was a collection of black and white plates by acclaimed local ceramist Martine Jackson,” explains Shelley. “I just love their loosely stylised African-influenced patterns. I also drew on the beautiful wares at Africa Nova – I think Margie Murgatroyd is one of the finest curators of craft in
The table decorations consist of crisp white items as well as patterns typical to South Africa underpinned by strong black accents, the subtleties to be discovered in the layering of materials, tones and textures. The starting point for Shelley’s mix-and-match approach was a collection of plates by renowned South African ceramicist Martine Jackson (martinejackson.com). Her loosely stylised African-influenced patterns are a graphic pairing with handmade beadwork placemats and a woven table runner (from Africa Nova). With the simplicity of white candles wrapped with utilitarian brown paper the mood is contemporary and fresh. There are additional inventive twists in the form of beaded necklaces as napkin rings as well as cheap drinking glasses that were given a luxe ‘dipped effect’ using masking tape to demarcate a neat line and finished with gold spray paint. The cupboard is an antique South African Railways locker made from Oregon pine.
this country.” Many of the table decorations are an eclectic union of new with old, black and white, solids and patterns typical to Southern Africa, everything underpinned by strong black accents. Here the subtleties are to be discovered in the layering of materials, tones and textures such as beaded place mats, a coarse hand-woven table runner, bone- and wood serving utensils all from Africa Nova with vintage silverware and serving platters as well as creative surprises: beaded Africa Nova necklaces used as napkin rings and simple white supermarket-bought pillar candles of various sizes wrapped in brown paper.
“All the colors work really well within my home and are not out of place amongst my collections of natural objects,” says Shelley. “So even though the Christmas decorations are temporarily here, everything still works together on the eye”.
One of the most enviable features of Shelley’s home is the large industrial-style windows that let in masses of natural light. The wreath hanging from one of them was made by Shelley using Cape fynbos (an indigenous bush) which she found while walking in the veld. To build up the texture, Shelley added bits of wood, old corks and a few pine cones also found whilst on her walks. She spray painted it matt black and added hand carved birds (from Africa Nova africanova.co.za) to give it a whimsical, fairy tale character. Several other Christmas-inspired objects with a local visual identity – a laser-cut paper nativity scene by Cape Town paper artist Pauline Irvine of Artymiss (artymiss.co.za), a quirky laser cut metal African Christmas Tree by Tin Town (tintown.co.za), graphic vases and a handmade black and white festive bauble featuring the ubiquitous gecko (all from Africa Nova africanova. co.za) – also appear in the festive mix along with Shelley’s framed black and white photographs and collected ephemera.
“Christmas is spent with family and friends and I prepare as much as possible the day before so I can relax on the actual day,” says Shelley. Turkey and trifle don’t feature on the menu. Rather, the table is laden with unusual fresh salads, an assortment of meats (lamb, Parma ham, simple roast chickens and gammon), potatoes with rock salt and rosemary, and for dessert “always slabs of dark chocolate, pannetone, Italian panforte, great local wines, enough cheese to sink a ship, fresh cherries and vanilla bean ice-cream. Let’s just say no one goes hungry,” she laughs.
With summer in Cape Town comes an abundance of lemons that Shelley preserves with salt (a few weeks ahead of Christmas day) to eat with fish and chicken. The perfect handmade-withlove gift, the fabric covers are shweshwe and African wax cloth fabric cut into rounds and tied with hemp string.
“Everyone arrives around 12 pm, we open presents, chat and then head to the table around 4 pm. Lunch extends into evening when we light candles, turn on the fairy lights and carry on until we all begin to fade. Sometimes Phoebe (who is a talented musician) treats us to her piano tunes or plays guitar and we all sing along – alarmingly out of tune but with an ‘A’ for effort. The place is a happy mess by the time everyone leaves and I don’t do anything except load the dishwasher. It’s always memorable for being a relaxed day with an abundance of the best sort of laughter – the kind that makes your cheeks ache.”
MY CHRISTMAS STYLE TIPS
Homeowner Shelley Street’s deco ideas for jolly holiday style…
1. Candles. And more candles. Preferably all in white and at different heights and widths. I love smelly candles for this time of the year: cinnamon, vanilla, pine, woody and amber notes as well as really great quality incense and limited edition room sprays (Jo Malone always has the most gorgeous special festive range).
2. Fairy lights are central to my festive decorating. I use lots of them: in the fireplace (December in South Africa is sizzling hot so it’s the only action the fireplace sees) and draped around the large doorframe of my living room. We spend lots of time eating outdoors in summer so there also are loads of solar fairy lights in all my outside potted trees for a magical ambience.
3. Pare down color to neutral tones and incorporate texture where you can – found objects from nature is an effective way to do this. I also love the idea
of using things out of context: a bracelet as a napkin holder, for example. I am also particularly fond of wooden and bone serving utensils and vessels.
4. Think sustainably and give old things a new identity. Upcycle old objects and glass containers using spray paint and wrap gifts in newspaper, brown Kraft or butcher’s paper (I’m partial to newspaper from the Asian supermarkets and the salmon pink tinge of the Financial Times) and fabric the way they do in Japan (called furoshiki). There is so much readily available in our homes and gardens to incorporate into our decorating.
5. Don’t overthink it when styling up your Christmas table and tree. Choose the colors and elements that you love and layer them together. Don’t be too serious about what you are trying to achieve – friends and family always appreciate your efforts and enjoy eating at a beautiful table but, in the end, it’s about relationships, good company and great food more than anything else.
Shelley is inspired by creative low-cost ideas that have big visual impact, like these simple white pillar candles wrapped in brown Kraft / butcher’s paper.
The simple wreath made of twigs was bought by Shelley many years ago and has been reincarnated many times with paint and baubles; here left unadorned and painted white.
ABOUT THE OWNER
A former magazine stylist (she still ‘dabbles on request’) and creative consultant to South Africa’s top lifestyle retailers, Cape Townbased Shelley Street now runs Space Solutions: her own creative branding studio offering art direction, graphic and conceptual design, merchandising and interior styling.
Discover the Best Plants for Every Room
Making the UK greener one plant at a time
WRITTEN BY: KEVIN JAMES JEFFERY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: PATCH PLANTS
Plants made easy, delivered right to your door with instructions on how to take care of them. That’s the mission of Patch Plants, and they’ve been doing it in the UK since 2016. Named the Best Plant Delivery Service in 2022 by the Good Housekeeping Institute, they’ve dropped off 2 million plants to over half a million customers.
So, what makes Patch Plants such a thriving business? For starters, plants don’t need to be watered every day. They don’t need to be moved around much. They don’t need to be replanted often. They don’t die every year like most garden plants. And they make every room feel cozy and bright at the same time. Those are just some of the reasons people turn to businesses like Patch Plants.
But what happens when you go on that one- or two-week vacation every year? Certainly, you’re not going to ask someone to water your plants while you’re gone—that just feels weird. After all, it’s not like asking someone to feed your dog and take them on a walk. So, what do you do? You hope for the best and pray that your plants aren’t completely dead when you get back from vacation.
That’s why the average house plant parent has killed an average of 7 plants. We all like plants because they enhance the space in a room and improve mental and physical well-being, but in the end, many of us neglect them and have to buy more. That’s the problem Patch Plants aims to fix, and so far, they’re doing a pretty bang-up job.
Unlike buying a plant at a nursery with thousands of varieties and little guidance, Patch Plants specializes in selling plants that are sure to thrive even under the worst conditions. They call these plants “Unkillables” because they’re drought-tolerant and need little water. That’s not to say you shouldn’t ever water these plants, but they will be fine on their own while you’re on that long vacation.
To find this area of the Patch Plants website, you have to specifically go to the “Plants” dropdown menu, hover over “Indoor Plants,” and click “Unkillables.” Here you’ll find Instagram favorites that all those plantfluencers post all the time, such as the peace lily, snake plant, marble queen pothos, or mini succulents. These are a great place to start for those who have never been plant parents.
For people willing to give their plants a little more attention, Patch also sells plants that need some love, like the rubber plant and ferns. And if you’re not quite sure what to buy, Patch lets you narrow down your search by “Happiest in direct sunlight,” “Happy in light and shade,” or “Happy in shade.” This way, you won’t have to guess which spot in the house is best suited for a particular plant.
To make things even easier, each plant purchased from Patch comes with easy-to-follow instructions. This plant page will explain the ideal conditions for a plant and its preferred watering and fertilizing routine. If you order an outdoor plant from Patch for a small garden, they’ll also send detailed potting instructions as well as the amount of compost required.
Unfortunately, even with all this knowledge at your fingertips, there are inevitably plants that simply refuse to thrive no matter what. That’s when people can turn to Patch’s free plant care videos, where in-house specialist and author of How to Grow Stuff, Alice Vincent, walks you through ways to keep your plants alive.
If all else fails, you still have one last glimmer of hope. Who are you going to call? Well, the Plant Doctor, of course. Okay, you don’t actually call anyone, but you can fill out a form on the Patch website and provide some photos for the Plant Doctor to diagnose. Then wait up to 5 business days, and a suggested cure from a plant expert will arrive.
“Number one, you can bring a plant back from what might be considered the dead if you underwater it, but if you overwater, it’s almost impossible.”
If you or someone you know has a plant that’s struggling, Patch’s Founder and CEO, Freddie Blackett, has some words of wisdom. “Number one, you can bring a plant back from what might be considered the dead if you underwater it, but if you overwater, it’s almost impossible,” he told University of Edinburgh’s newspaper, The Student.
As you can gather thus far, Patch Plants wants to ensure plants are well cared for and stay alive. They also want to make the world a greener place and make gardening fun and easy, and that starts with picking the right plants for a space and knowing how to take care of them correctly—and that’s exactly what Patch Plants is doing.
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Peruvian Wall Mirror - Crescent Moon
Designed and hand-produced stoneware ceramic table lamps from the Catskill Mountains of New York
A Green Christmas
WRITTEN BY ROBYN ALEXANDER
PHOTOGRAPHED BY WARREN HEATH
Make your Christmas decoration a celebration of rebirth and hope with a generous abundance of evergreen leaves. Style the greenery with subtle simplicity - ’tis the season to go green
BRIGHT LIGHTS
An essential on every Christmas table: candles. There’s nothing like the gleam of candlelight for creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere, even if your festive feast is scheduled to take place at lunchtime.
• Tealights feel a little tired at the moment, with classic, plain white votive candles more on trend. Position a pack of votives here and there among the greenery on your table –ensuring that the flames won’t catch on any dry twigs! – then simply light and enjoy.
• Complement the candles with a strand of fairy lights, which add an extra dimension of appealing sparkle to a greenery-clad tabletop. Battery-operated options are widely available and work best in this setting.
SIMPLE SOPHISTICATION
Light, bright and just waiting to be filled with celebratory toasts and plenty of laughter, this simple Christmas scheme includes vintage furnishings in an eclectic mix of styles, a seductively simple table setting – and lots and lots of fineleaved greenery. The crisp whites add a note of purity and peace, the furniture is all about warmth and nostalgia, and the plethora of greens provide a feeling of harmony, freshness and growth.
• They key to making this paredback scheme feel festive and abundant: add greenery absolutely everywhere. Hang wreaths from the chairs and walls; twine branches on the tabletop as decor; pack into old wooden tubs; and pile into glass vases… More is more!
• Dressing the table with casually chunky wine glasses and simple white crockery makes for an easygoing, laidback feel at table –with romance provided by glowing candles and a touch of whimsical charm courtesy of the vintage silver cutlery.
TOP TABLE
At the table, offset the glimmer and gleam of the glassware and cutlery with handwoven napkins in undyed organic cotton or linen.
• Secure each napkin with a twist of hemp twine, then tuck in a few leafy or flowered sprigs to extend the all-natural feel of the styling of this element.
CIRCLE OF LIFE
Nothing says Christmas quite like a wreath – and they are genuinely easy to make yourself. All you need is plenty of greenery (look out for flexible stems), plus wire hoops in various sizes, floral shears, green florist’s wire (essential for discreetly holding everything in place!) and ribbon for decoration and hanging. You’ll find all the tools you need at florist’s supply stores or garden and hardware outlets online.
• Fine-leaved greenery feels fresh right now, but you can also go with your favourite evergreens – whether that means eucalyptus or fir, ivy or holly.
• Simplicity is key: all-green wreaths have a laid-back, easygoing vibe that complements this subtle scheme beautifully.
• To create your wreath, twist long strands of greenery around the hoop until you achieve a full, even look. Secure the ends in place using florist’s wire, then style and position leaves to conceal the fastenings. Tie a piece of green fabric ribbon firmly around the top of the wreath, and use this to tie it in place, whether that’s on the back of a chair (as seen here), over a lighting sconce or from a hook fastened to a door or wall.
• Alternatively, for a more traditional look, bunch a few short evergreen sprigs together and fasten with florist’s wire, then angle the resulting bundle against the wire hoop and fasten in place, again using florist’s wire. Place additional bunches around the hoop to cover, ensuring that the bunches overlap and hide the wires holding everything in place.
TREE TIME
An abstracted wooden or wire “tree” is an excellent festive decoration solution: they are easy to store away when not in use, and you can easily ring the changes annually to create a fresh look for each new festive season.
• For this fresh yet subtle Christmas scheme, twine strands of greenery around the wooden tree branches and discreetly fasten in place as needed.
• Layer greenery with strands of plain white fairy lights to create a warm glow that’s also reminiscent of touches of snow when the lights are not turned on.
GIFTING GOALS
Restrained gift-wrapping that combines plain sheets of newsprint with pastel green ribbon adds a further dimension of white and green to the overall look.
• Keep it rustic and use ribbon generously, fastening with bold, oversized bows – this aesthetic is all about abundance and ease, so there’s no need for excessive neatness.
• Don’t forget to tuck a few sprigs of greenery into the ribbon for extra textural appeal.
FLOWER POWER
While this Christmas scheme is all about pared-back ease, using subtly colored, long-lasting blooms, seed sprays and a variety of dried or fresh leaves in your wreaths can work beautifully for this aesthetic too.
• Attach sprigs of flowers and leaves to your gifts to extend the floral theme further.
• Choose subtle color tones – such as these pale pinks and creamy whites – when selecting flowers, and use multiple leaf shapes to add yet more visual interest.
• Single sprays of dried seed-heads (hang them up using natural raffia strands) create a delightfully ethereal atmosphere, and like wreaths they can be used throughout the house as subtle visual punctuation – or be suspended from the Christmas tree.
DECK THE HALLS
Don’t neglect the stairway bannisters –these and many other structural elements (think pelmets, curtain rods or rails, for example) – can also be used to add to the festive feel. Simply twine branches and strands of greenery among them, and fasten in place as required using ribbon or twine.
• Evergreens that exude classic Christmas scents such as fir or spruce can be a lovely choice here. Simply give the strands a gentle squeeze in passing to release fresh bursts of their fragrance.
GOOD MORNING
For guests and family members alike, get Christmas day off to just the right start with a tray of tempting treats and a warming spiced infusion. Ideal while watching the little ones gleefully unpack their Christmas stockings…
• Hang an evergreen wreath or two in everyone’s bedroom to extend the Christmas decor throughout the house and add to the festive feel.
• Layer the beds with textured linen and pure cotton blankets for a luxe, natural feel.
• Serve a spiced infusion or tea in a classic carafe and matching glass set on a simple wooden tray (Luigi Bormioli bormioliluigi.com is an excellent source for glassware, including a wide selection of carafes; find similar bentwood and other tray styles at Muji muji.com).
HEY, SUGAR
No Christmas is complete without plenty of sweet treats. Place tempting platefuls of homemade sugar biscuits around your celebration space for anytime snacking.
• To create a similar rustic look, simply make up a batch of your family’s favorite cookies (or try BBC Good Food bbcgoodfood. com for a failsafe recipe) and adorn each one with edible flowers and leaves – lavender is great for a scented touch.
The world’s first highly sustainable and environmentally friendly organic material made of Nopal cactus, also known as the prickly pear.
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sparsandminimal.com
Turn Your Unused Land into a Productive Asset
Cerca Sheds: Eco-Friendly Places to Work, Play, or Exercise
WRITTEN BY CRISTINA DEPTULA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CERCA SHEDS
Cerca Sheds are tiny portable buildings you can order and put on your property as a workspace, craft room, exercise gym, recording studio, or children’s clubhouse.
Cerca uses proprietary building technology that makes their sheds more durable than other similar products and uses eco-friendly materials to minimize waste.
These are designed to be customizable as well as affordable. You can go for sustainable bamboo flooring in a tiny storage area or create an elegant French oak gathering space.
With free shipping within California, this is a great deal that will help you make use of your land.
Cerca also builds elegant homes in various styles and partners with nonprofits to revitalize communities with safe, non-toxic, eco-friendly, and sustainable construction.
“We believe every community has the right to clean water and air and housing.”
DISCOVER A COFFEE YOU WILL CRAVE
tayst.com
Make Coffee Like a Pro from Home
This Slovenian startup is winning awards for its coffee-making products.
WRITTEN BY: KEVIN JAMES JEFFERY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: GOAT STORY
Caffeinated products with sleek designs, bold ideas, and an advanced user experience are what the upand-comer from Slovenia has to offer. The company’s name is Goat Story, and it makes products that coffee lovers can only dream of.
Named as one of the best new products and coffee design award winners at World of Coffee Milan, the Goat Story ARCO Coffee 2-in-1 Grinder keeps the coffee world abuzz. It was awarded the best Consumer Coffee Preparation and Serving Equipment (Electrical), but the machine can also be used as a hand grinder.
Who is this coffee grinder for? If you’ve ever debated whether to purchase a hand grinder or an electric grinder, this might be the answer to your dilemma. The idea behind the 2-in-1 ARCO Grinder from Story Goat is that you can switch between electric and hand power depending on your needs.
The ARCO Grinder provides a full grind range for any preferred brew method—from ibrik and espresso to French press and cold brew and everything in between. With 120 grind settings to choose from, you can prepare your coffee like a professional. Plus, the catcher is the same size as the portafilter on an espresso machine for a convenient transfer of grounds.
Included within the entire cylinder of the device are all the necessary grinding components—the nitrided steel conical burr, setting ring, and magnetic catch/doser. To grind, simply attach the ARCO Grinder Crank handle and manually grind the beans, or attach it to the electric base for a quick pulse. The capacity allows for 50 grams of coffee each time.
The ARCO Coffee 2-in-1 Grinder has certainly made some headlines this year with another win at the Red Dot Design Awards, an international design competition for design concepts, product design,
ARCO Grinder
and communication design. But it’s not the first product of Goat Story to receive the same award. In 2018, the company’s GINA Coffee Maker also won a Red Dot Design Award.
The GINA Coffee Maker has been called “The coffee maker to end all coffee makers” by the Huffington Post. It’s been named one of the best smart coffee makers of 2022 by BBC Science Focus. The GINA Coffee Maker was even named one of the best tech gifts for home chefs by PCMag.
So what makes GINA so technologically advanced? For such a simple and straightforward design, the coffee maker can do much more than people think. It’s an all-in-one device that’s a pour-over dripper, French press, and a cold drip. It also has a built-in smart scale that connects to the GINA app to help you choose your brewing method. The app can also be used to connect with fellow coffee drinkers around the globe to exchange brewing tips.
Now that you have ground your beans and brewed your coffee with two unique products, you can’t just pour it into some boring mug. You need a mug that stands out from the crowd. Goat Story suggests something horn-shaped and meant for a Viking, like their GOAT Mug. If you want a conversation piece, look no further than this one-of-a-kind vessel.
The GOAT Mug is what started it all for Goat Story. In 2014, the GOAT Mug shook the world and became a successful Kickstarter, raising nearly half a million dollars. Now, the product has found its way into the hands of a million customers. That’s not only a credit to its design but also its performance, leak-proof lid, surface stand holder, and convenient strap for easy carrying.
If you’re interested in Goat Story products, check out the company’s website at goat-story.com. In addition to the ARCO Grinder, GINA Coffee Maker, and GOAT Mug, the store carries cold brew kits, bottles, and more. They even sell specialty coffee sourced from around the world for all different palettes.
ARCO Mug
GINA Coffee Maker
nomacollective.com
Out of The Closet Holiday Closet Checklist
Top Tips To Organize Your Closet
For A Clutter-Free Holiday Season
WRITTEN BY GEORGE DIKE PHOTOGRAPHED BY KETUT SUBIYANTO
Our closets are a very important space in the bedroom. They fit everything from shoes to bags and all our shiny jewelry. What this means is that it can get messy. Even those who strive to ensure our spaces are spic and span still struggle with closet organization. If you are anything like me, you will agree that having a tidy closet is the key to a clutter-free room.
Keeping our closets organized is a daily exercise. As you shop the latest trends or receive fashion gifts and accessories, you need to update your closet setup and arrange it to make room for
the new stuff. Still, there are some steps you can take to make sure you never have to spend longer than 15 minutes putting these items in place.
We will be shopping for winter-appropriate clothes and shoes as the holiday season approaches. Well, there’s never been a better time to know the tips and tricks on how best to declutter and make room for the things that matter most this holiday season. These steps can easily be broken down and followed one at a time.
Having a tidy closet is the key to a clutter-free room
Tearing down a wall or spending big bucks on a built-in storage system may not be part of your plans. So, here are some easy closet organization ideas you and your loved ones can follow:
CLEAN AND EMPTY YOUR CLOSET SPACE
The first step to a clutter-free closet space is to take everything out. This gives you a clear view of what you should keep, discard or donate. Once the closet is emptied, you should clean up the space. Before reorganizing your items, ensure you have the proper accessories for hanging and storing all those precious fashion pieces.
Remember to use cleaning supplies made specifically for your closet type. Also, vacuum and disinfect every surface before you proceed to the next step.
DESIGN YOUR IDEAL CLOSET SPACE
If you have the budget and time to go for a fullblown closet renovation, go for it! If you do not, get creative and work with what you have. You simply need to be mindful of your closet’s best features. Perhaps you have a lot of vertical space or several hanging rods or built-in shelves. Try and use these key features to your advantage.
In the areas where your closet does not fare well, focus on eliminating the issue. For instance, if
your closet has too many shelves and only a little hanging space, you may remove some shelves and hang hooks on the walls. There are endless possibilities for the designs you could add or improve on.
ADD SOME DRAWERS
While most closets are outfitted with rods to hang clothes, sometimes the area underneath goes underutilized. Consider adding drawers to have contained spaces for the odds and ends that don’t quite fit in your dresser drawers. Before you select, take inventory of those odds and ends to know the drawer sizes suitable for those items.
STORE YOUR CLOTHES BY CATEGORY
This advice might sound basic, but it makes a big difference if you need to find your warm gray alma mater sweater quickly. Keep similar objects together; hang your sundresses next to one another. Keep your exercise clothing apart from your jammies, and keep all your belts in one location.
MAXIMIZE SMALL SPACE
Evaluate every inch of your closet to maximize its limited space. Over-the-door storage is perfect for items like shoes and belts that take up extra room in the closet. This is one of the greatest closet organizing ideas. Socks and underwear may be quickly and conveniently stored out of the way in bins and baskets. Though a simple detail, uniform hangers help keep your closet tidy.
STOCK UP ON STORAGE BINS
Fabric boxes with lids will go a long way. You can stack them and utilize every inch of vertical space in your closet. A transparent window allowing you to peek into each box is a definite plus. That way, you can quickly remind yourself what’s buried low in your stack of bins without taking them down and looking through them one by one.
HANG ANYTHING DELICATE, FANCY, OR STURDY
If you have ample space to hang every T-shirt you own, that’s okay. Otherwise, stick with the important stuff if you don’t. That means delicate items like dresses, skirts, lingerie, fancy suits, and sturdy, structured pieces like coats and blazers.
Keeping our closets organized is a daily exercise
USE COORDINATING HANGERS
Nothing screams closet turmoil like a jumble of neon plastic and wire hangers attempting to live in harmony. Use matching hangers for your clothes to reduce visual clutter and create a streamlined appearance in your closet.
Just make sure you spend money on hangers that fit your space. If you need to hang hefty suits, use durable velvet hangers rather than flimsy plastic ones, and stay away from wooden hangers if you need to hang a lot of slick silk shirts.
SEPARATE CLOTHES ACCORDING TO COLORS
It might be difficult to sort your clothes by color. Still, the result will make choosing an outfit much simpler, especially if you’re a visual person. There is no need to stress trying to remember the exact order of the colors in the rainbow. Your wardrobe will become Pinterest-worthy and simple to browse by creating the broadest color separation.
USE LABELS
There is no shame in your organization game. No, you’re not being extra by labeling. You are an organized person who knows where everything is. Use labels to keep track of what belongs where. Labeling shelves might be best to keep things organized if you share your closet with someone else. For instance, you can label items on high shelves for easy retrieval.
UTILIZE OTHER SPACE IN YOUR HOME
It’s easy to assume a bedroom closet is your only option for storing clothes and shoes. You may forget how convenient it could be to utilize an office or guest room as a walk-in closet. Look at all available space and shelving in your home to assess your closet potential. Are you using your whole office for work, or could one of its corners be repurposed as a wardrobe?
We hope this guide has been helpful and you now have a resource to turn to when organizing your closet. Did you know that decluttering is step one when organizing any home? Your bedroom would feel cleaner and more relaxing if you removed some clutter.
Now you can relax with peace of mind and perhaps even have some space left for that new dress you wanted. Go on now, and enjoy your clutter-free space.
REGENERATIVE AND JUST.
zero-waste, fair fashion
tonle.com
The Potters Arena
WRITTEN BY: JESSE ADUMA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: SPÄRS + MINIMAL
An arena for creativity and artistry, Spärs + Minimal specializes in the creation of timeless and unique vintage vessels suitable for both homes and offices, sure to introduce an air of renaissance into your life.
Handmade from Modern Minimalistic ceramics and papier-mâché, the artistry, shrewdness of craft, and forethought toward the preservation of the ecology are evident in every vessel.
“In the year 2020, I developed my own sustainable building material made out of recyclable goods and paper to sculpt objects and vessels,” Spärs + Minimal consists of gifted and devoted artisans imbibing the joy of the art into their craft. Created on a custom order basis, each piece is carefully and specially curated to ascertain uniqueness while still offering peak quality.
So if you’re looking to acquire that vintage mid-century-modern vibe, Spärs + Minimal is sure to accommodate your tastes with a homely assortment of vessels for styling your shelves and displaying your favorite ornaments.
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PREMIUM BLEND OF FRAGRANCE OILS & ESSENTIAL OILS HAND-POURED IN SONOMA COUNTY, CA
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The Light Fantastic
WRITTEN BY TARA SLOGGETT
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
WARREN HEATH
STYLED BY
TARA SLOGGETT
Celebrate brightness and delight this Christmas with easily put together festive decor that combines pretty pops of color with natural elements
LIGHTEN UP
Christmas has always been the perfect time to be inventive, get crafty and find new ways to entertain in your space, no matter how big or small it may be. A festive table brimming with colour and texture looks inviting beneath an eyecatching suspended “light fitting” – made by hand from dried branches – while a charming balloon “tree” is a fun alternative to your regular Christmas greenery. Now all that’s needed is the guests!
TAKE IT EASY
For an easygoing twist on the traditional tree, let your ideas float freely...
• We suspended a faux leafy garland from a bobbing, helium-filled balloon to make an alternative “tree” that’s sure to be a conversation piece. Make a simple statement with one, or float several around the dining table to create the feel of a magical forest.
• Don’t overlook tree branches that have been trimmed during a pruning session, or left behind by a seasonal storm. Simply prop the dried branch upright in a corner – swathed in fairy lights – for instant appeal, or to create a really dramatic effect, suspend it over your dining table. Hang your favourite Christmas decorations from it, and for an especially personal touch, you could add little messages to friends and family for them to discover and read during the festivities. Electrified with vintage bulbs, your seasonal decoration can even become a year-round lighting statement.
DINE ON
Every festive table should be so inviting that guests are eager to sit down, and ready to fill your home with chatter, laughter and plenty of cheer.
• To avoid a look that feels too precious or “done”, drape your table with natural linen in muted tones of pink and green. Blending the energising power of all things green with the welcome softness of pink, this is a chic and contemporary colour combo.
• Play with textures: deep pile velvet chairs in a rich jewel green combined with a table “runner” made from layering up pine tree branches with delicate flowers, all on a base of beautiful raw linen, creates an effortless decorative feel that is genuinely easy to put together.
• Floral touches can be dried or fresh favourites, simply displayed in pretty bowls or bottles filled with water so they last throughout the holidays.
• Add a bold contrast to the softer elements using chunky black candle holders – and don’t forget a splash of bling, which is easily provided by bright goldtoned cutlery.
• Each place setting here is a blend of mismatched crockery pieces. Pull out every item of china, ceramics and serveware you’ve collected over the years and enjoy spending time planning a unique setting for each of your guests.
• Top the individual plates with treasures from nature to keep things homespun, then add special Christmas decorations and tealight candles for sparkle.
FAST & FABULOUS
If you simply don’t have the space for a tree, or just want to do something completely different this year, here are a few super quick and easy festive decor suggestions.
• Hang fragrant pine cuttings from string or ribbon to add a special feature to a plain wall, above a mantelpiece or even over your bed. Keep it as simple as nature intended, or add a few hanging baubles for extra Christmas spirit.
• Fill a vase with festive branches. If they threaten to be top heavy, add some stones at the bottom of the vase to prevent it from tipping over.
• Or, if you prefer, choose faux branches of greenery and fill up the interior of the vase with fir cones for an added decorative touch.
• Bring your color palette through to your gift-wrapping picks: use a combination of gold, white and pink papers and ribbons, then tuck in a few pieces of festive foliage as a finishing detail.
GOOD TO GATHER
This time of year is all about togetherness and taking time to relax with loved ones. So, whether your exchange of gifts happens before a Christmas breakfast, after a celebratory lunch or in the evening, consider the space you’ll use for this special time. Will some want to pull up a chair, and others to chill on a fluffy rug? Get the setting just so, then watch the faces of your loved ones light up – and don’t forget to photograph it all as you go!
FESTIVE FINISH
It’s the details that really complete a space and make everyone feel festive, so ensure you create as many celebratory trimmings as you can among the everyday elements in your home.
• Dress up the stair rail or other minimalist features with garlands made from faux pineinspired greenery – they are easier to wrangle and less expensive than the real thing, twisting securely into place, with the added bonus that you won’t be picking up pine needles for days.
• Giant paper decorations always add great impact, whether they’re hanging from the ceiling, perched on the stairs or adding a celebratory feel to a windowsill. Plus they fold down neatly too, so can be safely stored away until next Christmas comes around.
Armenian brandy made from Armenian white grapes and spring water
en.araratbrandy.com
A carefully chosen selection of items for people that enjoy “the finer things in life.”
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152 MIRROR MIRROR ON THE MENU BY: FILIPA ARAÚJO
Chef Pav Taras takes us on a journey through his career City of Love
YOU CAN ALWAYS GO HOME AGAIN BY: CARY WONG
The pastry art of Chef Jeffrey Tan
GO EAST BY: KEVIN JEFFERY Yamt’cha and Chef Adeline Grattard in the City of Love
THE BAYSIDE STORY BY: CARY WONG
Chef Gavin Schmidt and The Morris
Mirror Mirror on the… Menu
on the… menu
Chef Pav Taras takes us on a journey through his career, from the origin of his inspiration to his mirror glaze empire
WRITTEN
BY:
FILIPA ARAÚJO
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: PAV TARAS
Chef Pav Taras’ creations have a way of showing us the point where pastry and art meet and how they blend in a mesmerizing dance that excites all senses.
A CULINARY JOURNEY
Chef Pav Taras was only a child when his passion for the culinary world started to develop. He grew up helping his mum with baking; since he can remember, Taras has always wanted to be an executive chef. He reminisces about his first baking memory: “I baked my first brioche buns filled with blueberries when I was around eight years old. I can still clearly remember the smell of freshly baked pastries. They were for
my grandma!” That was the moment his culinary journey began. Taras went on to culinary school and began working in restaurants. It was the beginning of the exciting career that would soon follow. After graduating from culinary school, Taras moved to London to specialize in fine dining and learn from the best. He moved up the ranks to work in Michelin-starred restaurants owned by renowned chefs like Gordon Ramsay.
Taras recalls these years as some of the most important in his learning journey, where he was able to develop essential skills and where he made the decision to focus solely on pastry. “Now that I think about it, pastry work was always closer to my heart, so I guess moving to the pastry side of the kitchen was just a matter of time.”
Chef Pav Taras
During his time in London, Taras also had the opportunity to work on VIP events across London, where he was truly able to master his fine patisserie skills and fell in love with the concept of mirror glaze and French-style entremet cakes. These years marked the beginning of Taras’ quest to become an expert in this style of patisserie. He reflects on some of his inspirations throughout the years, “Many great chefs inspired me throughout my culinary journey. As for edible art, my biggest inspiration was Antonio Bachour with his stunning petit gateaux work; Dinara Kasko, from whom I first saw web technique, which became my very favorite technique; and Ksenia Penkina, who inspired me in the early stages with stunning and unique color combinations.”
WHERE ART & PASTRY MEET
Looking back, his interest in art was always present. Young Taras was enchanted with color from the beginning. “As a child, I was always drawn to painting and drawing; colors were especially fascinating to me. I think that’s another reason why mirror glaze art became such an important part of my life, especially the modern and artistic style of creating different color combinations and patterns.”
Chef Taras’ cakes are a visual wonder. An explosion of colors mingled in new and exciting combinations, with a unique glossy finished look that will leave you puzzled and make you question whether it really is a cake. But it is not all about the aesthetic; these cakes will not only catch your eye but also make you drool. Inside each cake, you’ll find delicious fusions of flavors that spark your imagination. For Taras, bringing together art and flavor is where the secret lies. “The chance to express my creativity is what draws me to edible art. Not only playing with colors but also with shapes and how they affect the visual outcome of my creations. That said, I also put a lot of effort and focus into how my creations look inside and, of course, the taste and overall experience! Perfect layers, well-balanced flavors, and different textures, all in one piece. Edible art allows me to express my creativity, but at the same time, it allows me to create an unforgettable experience for anyone who tastes my edible art.”
“Creating edible art is one of the most hypnotic and mesmerizing activities. It is so meditative and rejuvenating that it feels like a ceremonious cleansing of the soul.”
Taras’ creations are born before they even start taking form. He describes himself as a vessel for his creative process. “My designs or color combinations for edible art always come from, I guess, my imagination and creativity. I simply foresee it in my mind and then try to bring it to life.”
MIRROR GLAZE ART ACADEMY
Undoubtedly, edible glaze art is stunning. But hypnotizing creations with smooth mirrorlike finishings are not the easiest thing to pull off. It takes skill, knowledge, and a healthy dose of patience to master this art. There isn’t an abundance of information on this technique, and the community lacked a reliable source of information. With this in mind, along with his natural desire to mentor others, Chef Pav Taras came up with the idea of creating an academy that would focus on this specific art form. “I always tried to share my knowledge with others; teaching younger or less experienced members of the kitchen team was something that I would do daily from the moment I became an experienced pastry chef. After I started sharing my edible art on social media, I would always receive many questions and sometimes even requests for private classes. However, later on, with the world pandemic, teaching face-to-face became very difficult, and the idea came to create an online academy with a focus on creating courses that are fully comprehensive on the topic of mirror glaze art to provide my students with all information needed to break into edible art and the mirror glaze world.”
Though challenges were moving into the digital world and finding the perfect platform to ensure high-quality learning, Taras maintained focus and drive, and you can now find his courses on mirrorglazeart.com.
So if you’re looking for the perfect visually stunning ASMR experience, check out the creations of Chef Pav Taras, and prepare to be blown away.
You can always go home again
The pastry art of Chef Jeffrey Tan
WRITTEN BY: CARY WONG
PROTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY: CHEF JEFFREY TAN
As a boy born and raised on the beautiful Malaysian island of Penang, Chef Jeffrey Tan had no idea he would work in the culinary field. As a child, he had zero ideas about food and thought it was only a way to sustain life and keep people healthy. Coming from a business family where his father and siblings are successful entrepreneurs, one would imagine he would have followed a similar path.
Instead, his mother, a tailor, seemed to have the biggest impact on his career. “She was always sewing… she had a great sense of fashion and a passion to create new things,” he says, “I got inspired by my mother and was always amazed by how she could turn a piece of fabric into complete and amazing clothes.”
And despite losing her early in life, Chef Tan inherited her creativity. He also enjoyed baking because he loved sharing goodies with friends and family. It makes him glad to see the joy on other people’s faces doing what he loves.
Armed with that mindset, he started working with pastries. When he first started, he did not find any techniques particularly difficult.. That is because, to him, patience and time can solve most problems. The most challenging things, however, were the need to be consistent, to cope with the repetition of daily preparation, and to continue serving professionally and creatively. Yet another difficulty was dealing with experimental errors. Though mistakes are always frustrating, he finds tremendous joy in the meaningful progress and the improved outcomes.
For the past 10 years, he has worked and honed his skills at many top-notch establishments. He started in Taiwan, working at Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel. He then continued his path in France, Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan. Eventually, he returned to his hometown to develop beautiful creations and savor the joy of baking in the pastry industry.
For his creative and whimsical desserts, he gets most of his inspiration from life. “Whether it is flipping through a magazine, reading a book, or walking down the street, I can always find these little moments or little things… [that I] turn into one of my pastry art piece collections,” he says. For example, the essence of a beautiful rose along the street could be transformed into a seductive chocolate rose in his kitchen.
To Chef Tan, flavor is the main driving characteristic of pastry or food. However, it is undeniable that appearance is usually the thing that draws people’s attention. For his more recent works, the first thing he focuses on is color, then design, and then structure. Finally, he tailors the most appropriate recipe to craft a perfect product.
While he focuses on the sweeter side of things, he loves both savory and sweet dishes. However, pastry is the lifestyle he decided to live in and pour his creativity into. The science behind baking, details, techniques, and creativity all motivate him to keep going. Even in a fast-paced environment, he enjoys pouring his heart and soul into his work.
Having worked in Asian and European countries, he observed different definitions of sweetness due to weather differences. For example, those in the East seem to prefer a more refreshing and lighter taste, while most Westerners like richer and creamier products.
Asian kitchens also often use different methods— such as steaming and infusion—less commonly employed than their Western counterparts. In addition, chefs in the East utilize tropical fruits such as coconut, yuzu, pineapple, and mango to achieve a ‘refreshing’ outcome. In contrast, nuts, chocolate, coffee, and other stronger elements are frequently used by Western pastries.
Apart from making pastries, he also provides consultancy and teaches classes. And all three are connected to his philosophy of achievement. Consultation allows him to help a group, a business, or a kitchen put everything together to achieve their goal. Meanwhile, what draws him to teaching is the moment when the students burst into smiles when they successfully achieve a difficult recipe. “It brings the best fulfillment to my heart,” he says.
In terms of his favorite treats, on the Asian side, he likes Nyonya Kuih. Kuih is Malay for cake; many are sweet, while some are savory. They are often steamed rather than baked and thus have different textures, flavors, and appearances than European pastries. For European pastries, he loves Opera Cake. Despite being probably the most basic entrance-level pastry, he is still amazed at the different layerings and tastes that burst in seconds in the mouth. “It is rich, chocolatey, and perfectly matches with the coffee!” he says.
During the holidays, he prefers staying home for rest, self-discovery, and making pasta with pesto! However, if he was to travel during this period, he loves going to any destination close to the sea. The Pacific Islands, for example, are fascinating to him. The perfect white-sand beaches are enticing, but the rich cultural heritage of this part of the world makes it even more attractive.
He also enjoys exploring different fine-dining restaurants in different cities. This allows him to watch chefs play with their creativity to create amazing experiences for their clients with simple ingredients.
In the near future, he will be conducting more live sessions and classes with different organizations all over the world. He feels these opportunities to connect with different people and chefs are very exciting. And certainly, they will inspire him with more amazing creations!
@JT_PATISSERIE
@JEFFREY__TAN
WRITTEN BY: @DIGITALWONG
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Go East
Yamt’cha and Chef Adeline Grattard in the City of Love
PHOTOGRAPHS
Go East
WRITTEN BY: CARY WONG
PROVIDED BY:
CHEF YAMT’CHA AND CHEF
Not far from The Louvre, Chef Adeline Grattard is in charge of her triptych of businesses in Paris - a tea house, a bistrot (lai’Tcha), and a flagship Michelin-starred restaurant (Yamt’cha) where she serves up creative FrancoChinois fare and is one of the most difficult reservations to get in town.
Her current success notwithstanding, growing up in Dijon of the Burgundy region, Chef Grattard wanted to become a teacher. When she was studying German in Germany, she got a small job in a kitchen. That was the catalyst for her career change. She took a break from studying when she returned to France and later moved to Paris to work at L’Astrance with Chef Pascal Barbot, amongst other greats. After a three-yearstint, she moved to Hong Kong with her husband, Chi-Wah Chan, to learn more about his home, its cuisine, and culture. There, she worked at the two-
Michelin-starred BO Innovation alongside Chef Alvin Leung.
It was a total culture shock. Inside the kitchen, the team’s lower efficiency and language barriers, as well as Chef Leung’s eccentric ideas, made for a difficult culinary transition. As part of the team responsible for making dimsums, she had to work early morning shifts. On top of that, the couple initially stayed on Hong Kong Island with lots of noise and traffic that she had a tough time getting used to.
As time got on, things started to get better. Chef Leung was very generous in sharing his knowledge of Chinese—particularly Cantonese— food. He brought her to different restaurants, and they talked a lot about the food. The education was invaluable. The couple also moved to Peng Chau in the outlying islands for a more peaceful and quieter lifestyle. During that time, they welcomed their first daughter.
In 2009 when they returned to Paris, she decided
ADELINE GRATTARD
Chef Adeline Grattard
to open her own place, Yamt’cha.
That, however, presented its own challenges. With a chef’s long working hours, it was hard for the couple to see each other. So, despite having a career in graphic design with no experience in the restaurant business, Chi-Wah leveraged his love of tea to become the in-house tea expert.
“I think that the tea pairing has become more and more precise. In the beginning, it was not [so], but now we have experience,” she says. “I cook, and he matches.”
For her menu, there are
no formally written recipes. It makes her feel like she is cooking at home or for a get-together with good friends. “If I start to write recipes, [the dishes] are not the same,” she says. “I want to keep it very spontaneous and free. Also, I can change any time.”
In order to create her dishes, she starts by getting the best ingredients. The initial component is almost always fresh produce; then she pairs that with some type of seafood— fish or shellfish. And finally, a few meats. It is all very intuitive; her creations come from what she sees.
As she works through the process, she is mindful not to overseason the outstanding ingredients. To her, Chinese cuisine is often seasoning-heavy. She wants to ensure the produce shines and to mix French and Chinese approaches to keep them as natural as possible.
The popularity of Chinese fusion has been steadily growing for a while. To Chef Grattard, Chinese cuisine is very exciting for Western palates. It is a traditional way of cooking where repetition is emphasized but innovations less so. Due to the size of the country, however, the different regional styles mean that there are countless ways to cook the same ingredients. Elements like cooking with a wok and soy
sauce flavor also gave Chinese cuisine a deep and exciting taste. That applies even to Cantonese cuisine—light and delicate—yet still possesses that unique depth.
In contrast, French food is refined with a uniformity and flatness that can be boring at times. An example is pan frying and baking—the staples of French techniques. They are so ingrained that the excitement has been removed. Meanwhile, the Chinese often use steaming, frying, stir-frying, or different ways to add flair to a dish.
Over on the tea side, Pu’er, Oolong, red tea, and white tea are the common types used to pair with the food. Fermented teas play well with food, so they are higher on the list. At times a few green teas are used, but they are difficult to keep in good condition. The pairing is offered in strongly-brewed small cups, and there are no herbal or fruit mixes. “We are doing very classic [teas],” she says. “We are… looking for the best infusion to serve the clients.”
Though she obviously lives and works in Paris now, she still has fond memories of Asia. Of all the regional cuisines, Sichuanese food made a strong impression on her when she tried Mapo Tofu, a spicy hot pot, among other things. Yunnan cuisine is another of her favorites, with the common usage of rice noodles as well as a variety of mushrooms.
Beijing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Hakka, Teochew, and Cantonese cuisines are also close to her heart.
During the holidays, she loves returning to her parents’ house in Burgundy. They share family time around the table with a meal made with ingredients from the garden. They also pick vegetables and fruits to make preserves. Noodles, whether Japanese ones from Kunitoraya or pasta from Le Cherche Midi during holidays, are her favorites because she gets enough time to digest them!
For the past few years, the pandemic has made it very difficult to travel, and it has become impossible for Chef Grattard and ChiWah to visit tea producers and restaurants in China and Taiwan. She is looking forward to traveling again in the near future—going back to Hong Kong and China for the food and traveling to the United States for chef collaborations.
“I wish for a normal year,” she says. I think we can all raise our tea cups to that.
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The Bayside Story of Chef Gavin Schmidt and The Morris
WRITTEN BY: CARY WONG
PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY: CHEF GAVIN SCHMIDT
Growing up in Bainbridge Island, Washington near the Seattle area, Chef Gavin Schmidt began his culinary career as a humble dishwasher at a hometown bistro. His career continued as he slowly climbed up the ladder in various establishments along the American west coast.
He built a prodigious resume from finedining restaurants, where he worked with great ingredients and cooked with advanced techniques. Regardless of location, the seasonality of nature’s bounty was always highlighted. The product came first and foremost. It was the star of the show, and he made sure it shined brightly.
One of those stints proved important in more ways than one. Working at Coi as the Chef De Cuisine, he met his current business partner Paul Einbund, who was the part-owner and beverage
director. As the two became more acquainted, the idea of opening a restaurant together began taking shape.
“It was not ‘what we want to create,’” he says. It was more about “what do we crave? What restaurant do we want to eat out at right now? When it’s our day off, where do we want to kick off our shoes [and relax]? What’s important to us?’”
On top of that framework came ideas on the techniques, the food quality, the wine, and the service. It was important that this place not be a special occasion restaurant with overthe-top elements and pretentious finedining proceedings. Rather, it should be a comfortable, “Tuesday night” kind of restaurant. The place
should be a bit homier and more familial, where friends can gather spontaneously for some great food and wine.
So, a wide-open restaurant with an open kitchen was important. That transparency should flow through the second a guest walks in.
After figuring out their philosophy, they eventually opened The Morris in San Francisco’s Mission area in 2016.
The smoked duck, one of the signature dishes, exemplifies how Chef Schmidt thinks about food. It is a well-sourced fowl that is butchered properly, roasted, and served on a big plate with fresh root vegetables along with the jus. No over-manipulation, just letting the ingredients speak for themselves.
Another interesting thing on the menu is the charcuterie program. It is rarely seen at other restaurants but is something that he treasures. Getting whole pigs—with all the different parts—playing with them
and doing something great with all those lesser cuts is very exciting to him. He always enjoyed eating cured meats, and his enthusiasm only grew when he started to work at the Campagne restaurant in Seattle, where they had some great charcuterie offerings. As his career progressed, he started doing whole animal butchery. It taught him how to figure out the different parts and what to do with them. Reading, trial-and-error with the art and science of it made Chef Schmidt the charcuterie expert today.
In his mind, it is all a part of the process. The ability to handcraft the food using every single part of an entire animal allows him to highlight and pay respect to mother nature. Even though it takes more work, there is a beauty to it. “It’s very easy to grill a pork chop. It’s not really easy to look at a pig’s head and know what to do with it,” he says.
The Morris is a very beverage-focused restaurant. In that respect, the business partnership turned out to be a perfect union as Mr. Einbund could leverage his great wine knowledge at The Morris. Food and beverage pairing is a huge part of the restaurant, and the menu allows for a broad range of drinks.
“My palate likes exciting flavors. It likes acid, it likes spice, it likes sweet flavors. It likes unctuousness,” he says. “I like taking all flavors and just seeing how much we can crank it up and balancing it at a higher level, making it a lot more fun.”
Chef Gavin Schmidt
It is something that a fine-dining restaurant with a tasting menu format could not execute. If a restaurant serves 10 or more courses, that approach will result in sensory overload. With five or six fun and bright dishes, however, guests can enjoy an exciting and memorable experience. For example, bold wines like Cornas from Northern Rhone, Cabernet France from Loire Valley, and Shiraz work great with the smoked duck. Rich champagnes also make good partners with the dish.
Speaking of alcohol, The Morris boasts one of the bigger Chartreuse wine collections in America. Mr. Einbund travels to the Chartreuse Mountains in France almost yearly, meets producers there, and brings back some fun bounty each time. It is a big part of their beverage program and is also incorporated into a number of different dishes. For
example, the Chartreuse-cured local steelhead with Chartreuse yogurt is one of the big hits. Rabbit terrine mixed with Chartreuse is another item that guests wash down with special Chartreuse-based cocktails.
In terms of his favorite items on the menu, it depends on the season. During melon season, for example, he gets them from a few local farms and makes a salad with California avocados and Rimini buffalo mozzarella made in Tamales, California. Morel pasta, corn, and pizza are also some of the in-season winners.
For the holiday season based all around a grand meal, The Morris has sold roast-at-home duck kits (with or without all the fixins) since the beginning, and many have said that this had become their new holiday family tradition!
When he enjoys his time away from the restaurant during the festive time of the year, he normally spends it in Mexico, where his family has owned a house since his childhood. There was, however, a particularly memorable year when he decided to raise a turkey at a friend’s farm for a grand celebration. When the big day came around, the bird had grown to almost 40 pounds. It did not fit into the oven, so he had to break it down and cook all the parts individually using different methods—confiting the legs, grilling the wings, stuffing, sous vide, and roasting the breasts, and then making a stuffing with gingerbread and all the offal. It was quite the experience.
Being in a food-centric city and state, he appreciates other restaurants in the city, like Anchovy Bar, Nopa, State Bird Provisions, and more. It is no secret that San Francisco has a great chef community where everyone knows each other. They work together and see each other at the markets and other locations. So, there is a very strong sense of camaraderie and support as opposed to cut-throat competition.
The Bay Area generally has great food and is home to many different ethnicities. To him, visiting Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants near where he lives in Oakland is always fun. There is also lots of Mexican food around the city, with taco trucks that serve tasty habanero salsas that would “burn your face off.” There is no shortage of options.
Ultimately, it is a place where people are open to different flavors. And the natural resources around them provide a great canvas to play with. That is what San Francisco food means to Chef Schmidt, and that is his definitive inspiration.
A carefully chosen selection of items for people that enjoy “the finer things in life”.
art, music & film
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LEIGH WHITE, PAINTER AND HOMELESS ADVOCATE BY:
CRISTINA DEPTULA
Southern California painter Leigh White channels her artistic observation into care and compassion and advocacy for those who experience injustice
Leigh White, Artist and Homeless Activist
Southern California painter Leigh White channels her artistic observation into care and compassion and advocacy for those who experience injustice
WRITTEN
BY CRISTINA DEPTULA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LEIGH WHITE
Southern California painter Leigh White’s styles range from cubism to pop art to realism to impressionism.
“For sure, I use all the crayons in the crayon box, and that includes many styles depending on the subject and my mood. I get bored easily, so mixing things up is how I roll. And it’s a good way to keep my skills comprehensive.”
White says that what unites all her work are the color palettes and lines.
“I’m not afraid of color, and there’s a nice variety in my lines. I enjoy creating bold stripes as well as micro-fine lines as if they came from a neurosurgeon. The whole idea is to bring attention to the shapes.”
VARIOUS INSPIRATIONS
She’s drawn to painting portraits of those who have been wronged or forgotten. These include victims of racist killings such as Emmett Till and Breonna Taylor, and the unarmed homeless
man Kelly Thomas, who was wrongfully murdered by police in Fullerton, California.
“When I’m painting portraits of real people, it’s a deep dive, a very intimate thing. I spend a lot of time studying the faces and trying to understand their pain and joy. It’s almost like a conversation, where I listen attentively to what these faces have to say to me. It’s about respect and bringing forth authenticity and something new.”
In her modern geometric pieces, she says she’s trying to understand the complexities of life in our capitalistic society and find ways to navigate it. That’s why many of her geometric pieces have an industrial, architectural feel.
Also, during the pandemic, she found herself painting landscapes and little wild birds.
“I always thought landscapes were a waste of time. But with all that time at home on lockdown, I understand the need to create something where people can feel transported, nurtured, free, and soft.”
CHANGING ARTISTIC PROCESS
White says her process can differ for various paintings. Sometimes, she suddenly gets an idea in her head and can see the final product before paint even touches canvas. Other times, she needs to do extensive research to find reference images from various angles.
“I rarely, if ever, do a pencil sketch prep for paintings. I go directly onto the canvas. It’s messy and imperfect and awesome!”
She begins loosely with the overall shape, then fills in contrasts and refines the nuances. The details are last. She often has to set aside a painting in progress for a week or so, then come back to it with a fresh eye.
“It’s amazing how immediately you can see what needs more love, what needs to be omitted, what needs to be added. Time and space are true gifts.”
She has many favorite artists, but Vincent Van Gogh is her “go-to guy.” As a woman diagnosed with anxiety and depression, she admires his
“artistic badassery despite his mental illness” and how his color palettes are glorious and stunning.
“He found beauty everywhere— in field workers, in fellow patients at his insane asylum, in old ratty shoes on the floor, in all kinds of landscapes and nature. He truly saw
the world. And seriously, what a prolific painter! He just kept painting no matter what. That takes discipline, intelligence, and fire. Vinny was, and will always be, a badass.”
As for her favorite paintings among her collection, White finds it hard to pick a favorite. She particularly admires one she made of her grandparents on their Iowa farm, as she loves oldschool work.
For new paintings, she plans to do more portraits of people of color who have experienced injustice and more modern abstracts, which help clear her head. Also, she wants to finish up her HBO Westworld series, which lets her indulge her fantasy of being a sci-fi illustrator in the 1960s or 1970s.
HOMELESS ADVOCACY:
INSPIRED BY KELLY THOMAS
One major inspiration for White’s life, as well as her artwork, is helping the homeless and stopping the violence and injustice towards them.
In July 2011, police in Fullerton, CA murdered a sober, unarmed, nonviolent homeless man named Kelly Thomas. Thomas had just eaten dinner at a street corner where people regularly brought food for the homeless and hung around afterward, as many other homeless people also did. Someone wrongly, or mistakenly, called the police, reporting that Thomas was attempting to break into cars. Six officers showed up, beating, taunting, and eventually killing Thomas, who had schizophrenia and had trouble comprehending their instructions.
Although the entire incident was captured on camera, only two of the officers were ever brought to trial for the killing, and they were found not guilty. A few of them are still on the force as of 2022. A makeshift memorial has been up at the spot where Thomas was killed since then, and White and others regularly visit
the place, bringing food, blankets, and words of comfort to the homeless.
As someone with a mental illness, White believes that only a few tweaks of inborn brain chemistry separate her from being someone who could be killed on the streets like Thomas. So she has dedicated her life to advocacy for the homeless, including visiting and checking up on people, referring them to available services, and meeting with people and their social workers. She does this as a concerned neighbor, not part of a church or organization.
She ultimately earned the trust of one man, who also lived with schizophrenia, and was able to help him find an apartment and access disability and medical care. Sadly, he passed away a few years later from a drug overdose.
HOW PEOPLE CAN HELP
Many people are afraid to help the homeless because they feel they will enable someone’s drug or alcohol addiction.
“Not everyone who is homeless is addicted to something, and not everyone who is addicted is homeless,” White says. Also, she reminds us that many people who are addicted are in immense physical or emotional pain, and helping them access services to meet their needs will also help treat their addictions.
Also, people think interacting with the homeless is not safe. White acknowledges that some homeless people can be dangerous depending on their state of mind, and local police have commented that she does dangerous work. However, not every homeless person is dangerous; many are vulnerable and afraid of violence. And there are structured environments, such as soup kitchens or shelters, where people can help in safer ways.
White also strongly believes that we need police accountability, reform, and training to deal with people with mental illnesses.
“Yes, there are good cops out there. But we need to stop having this Mayberrylike fantasy about our police, where they are all perfect and charming public servants. If they break the law or use unjustified force, they should be criminally charged and held responsible, the same as anyone else.”
White encourages ordinary people to fight police brutality by filming police in interactions that seem tense and making the footage available. “Also, go to a local Coffee with a Cop or police ride-along and ask what measures they are taking to avoid excessive force.”
As for helping the homeless, White encourages people to give what they can and simply nod and smile and acknowledge the presence of homeless people.
Other measures White urges society to adopt for the homeless include having trained mental health clinicians respond to mental health crises rather than police and building a shelter in every community to house the local homeless. She also supports allowing shelters to accept walk-in clients rather than having people wait to meet with a social worker who will process their referral, and expanding access to mental health care beyond the narrow definition of “lucidity” in the U.S. where a person can be considered not needful of help if they are alert enough to accept so much as a bottle of water.
White hopes that her painting and her advocacy raise awareness of the need to end injustices against people of color and to provide support to the homeless.
If you’d like to support her work at Kelly’s Corner, visit this link: https://gofundme. com/f/kellys-cornerhomeless-help
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HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD BY: FILIPA ARAUJO
We take you on a journey to discover the different ways people celebrate the holiday season worldwide
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YANICK TARGONSKI BY: NIZIE LOKMAN
The visionary entrepreneur who first unearthed Camaya Bali
FROM SURVIVAL TO SUCCESS BY: FILIPA ARAUJO
Gandys unique travel-inspired brand championing underprivileged children across the globe
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GLACIER HOTEL, SWITZERLAND BY: NIZIE LOKMAN
It’s More than a Dreamer’s Love Escape
TRAVEL KINDLY BY: FILIPA ARAUJO
The world’s first socially conscious hotel booking platform that will allow you to give back this holiday season
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GIFT IDEAS FOR OUTDOORS ENTHUSIASTS BY: KEVI N JAMES JEFFERY
New and innovative gear for every adventurer
Holiday celebrations around the world
We take you on a journey to discover the different ways people celebrate the holiday season worldwide.
WRITTEN BY: FILIPA ARAÚJO
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALL PHOTOS ARE COURTESY OF THE BRANDS
Have you ever wondered if the customs and traditions in your family are the same in other families? Eating turkey for Christmas may sound odd to people in other countries, and making a snowman during the holidays wouldn’t make sense in some parts of the world. Check out the different traditions of different cultures, from Dia de Los Muertos to Lunar New Year, and all the celebrations in between!
CHRISTMAS IN FINLAND
Christmas in Finland is one of the most magical celebrations! A northern Christmas like no other, you can immerse yourself in the full holiday experience. While some people argue that Santa lives at the north pole, Europeans will swear that everyone knows Santa Claus comes from Finland, surrounded by reindeer and soft, fluffy snow as far as the eye can see. In Finland, you can visit the Santa Claus village in Lapland, where you can experience the true magic of Christmas and some other wonderful things, like the midnight sun and the northern lights.
On Christmas Eve in a traditional Finnish house, dinner might include pork roast, rice pudding, and lots of mulled wine. After dinner, families pay their respects to deceased loved ones at the cemetery, and some families end their night with a warm sauna to sweat out all of the deliciousness of Christmas dinner.
Lapland, Finland
PhotoS by Maria Vojtovicova on Unsplash
Photo by Mitchell Henderson on
HANUKKAH IN ISRAEL
Hanukkah, or the festival of lights, is celebrated worldwide by Jewish people. The largest celebration, though, undoubtedly happens in Israel. The word “Hanukkah,” meaning dedication, is the commemoration of the rededication of the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem. The festivities last eight nights to commemorate how long the holy light burned, and a menorah is lit each night of the holiday. One of the most beloved traditions of the holiday is all the delicious fried food, among them the “sufganiyot,” jelly doughnuts sold by the millions. These small balls of dough now come with various fillings and fancy decorations and are a must-have. Lastly, the popular game of Dreidel, still played today, involves a spinning top marked on four sides with a different Hebrew letter. Legend has it that after Greek soldiers banned children from studying Torah, they created this inventive game and studied regardless. When the soldiers came near, they simply pretended they were playing games.
Sufganiyot, jam-filled donuts
Photo by Sheri Silver on Unsplash. Menorah
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya.
KWANZAA IN THE U.S.
Kwanzaa is an African American celebration of family, culture, and heritage. The holiday was started by Dr. Maulana Korenga in 1966, based on harvest traditions in various parts of Africa, and was meant to celebrate African culture. The holiday lasts for seven days, each with a different focus based on morals, beliefs, or values. The festivities include storytelling, dancing, African drumming, poetry readings, and, of course, scrumptious feasts called Karamu. You can find anything from one-pot stews to jerk chicken to cajun jambalaya on the menu. People are often adorned with traditional African clothing, such as kaftans and head wraps for the women and dashikis and kufi caps for the men. The word “Kwanzaa” is Swahili, one of the most recognized and unifying African languages. “Matunda ya Kwanzaa” is a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits of the harvest.” The holiday is brought to a close with a day of reflection and recommitment to the Seven Principles and core cultural values.
Photo by Askar Abayev
LUNAR NEW YEAR IN CHINA
The lunar new year is celebrated by an estimated quarter of the world’s population. Countries with official public holidays during this period include China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines, South and North Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. The date of the celebration falls on different days each year and is determined by the Chinese lunar calendar. Every new year starts a new animal’s zodiac year. There are 12 zodiac animals, and 2023 moves us out of the year of the tiger and into the year of the rabbit.
As with most celebrations, certain foods are eaten during this period, many purely for their symbolic meaning. Dumplings represent wealth; the more you eat, the more you make in the new year. Fish is eaten because the word fish in Chinese (Yú / yoo/) sounds like surplus. Originally, the new year was a time to pray to the harvest gods to ensure that the following year’s harvest was fruitful. Today, however, prayers play a role in remembering and paying respect to your ancestors.
Lanterns
Photo by Henry & Co. on
Unsplash. Table
Photo by
HyggeLab Concept on Unsplash.
DAY OF THE DEAD IN MEXICO
The traditions and roots of the Day of the Dead run deep in Mexican history and date back to before the Spanish conquest. Many families honor their deceased relatives by placing “Ofrendas,” small offerings that are placed on their altars. These offerings often consist of the deceased’s personal objects or favorite food, photographs, incense, colorful paper craft, with different colors for different meanings, and salt to purify. They are placed a few days before the 1st and 2nd of November, when the dead are believed to return to visit their relatives and friends. This stems from the idea of the celebration of death in life and is a very festive period. An important symbol of Dia de Los Muertos is the Flor de Cempasúchil, also known as the Mexican Marigold, a bright orange flower that grows during autumn. Traditional meals often include favorites such as tamales and atole; however,
anyone with a sweet tooth will look forward to the desserts during this season. The Pan de Muertos is a classic staple, a delicious, sweet bread loaf coated in sugar and decorated in what looks like a pile of bones.
sculpture and site-specific installations elevating vernacular forms of knots inspiring awe and understanding
the journey of the line
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Artisanal, Vegan, Full-Fat Coconut Ice Cream
Yanick Targonski
The visionary entrepreneur who first unearthed the idea of Camaya Bali, the unique rental bamboo houses that have captivated the hearts of many travel lovers who are looking for a magical getaway
Yanick Targonski, who first coined the idea of the beautiful bamboo houses in Bali, is a 33-yearold travelpreneur from Herdecke, Germany. After traveling to the lesser-known Selat in Bali in 2017, he decided to take action and began putting together Cayama, a unique Airbnb capitalizing on the authentic local experience of Bali, Indonesia. Within a couple of years, travelers from around the world have expressed their individuality by sharing magical moments on social media that made Camaya Bali one of the most sought-after travel Airbnb experiences in South East Asia. Magically, Camaya Bali is not only known in Asia but has also gotten significant recognition across the globe. Camaya has been featured on Netflix as one of The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals. Intrigued by Yanick’s story, TrooRa Magazine decided to dig deeper into how Yanick, his co-founder, Caspar Wasternberg, and the local host, Made, took their unique Airbnb Camaya Bali to a whole new level of authentic local experience. They made a spellbinding mark with the first two letters of each of their names “Ca” for Caspar, “Ma” for Made, and “Ya” for Yanick as Camaya. This magical Airbnb is indeed a dream destination that you should look forward to in the new year 2023.
“Essentially,
a house is a shell. What fills the shell is the extraordinary experiences we create for our guests. From the moment our guests arrive to the moment they leave our property, we share the warmth of local culture that leaves a long-lasting impression from our hearts to theirs.”
– YANICK TARGONSKI, CO-FOUNDER OF CAMAYA BALI
YANICK TARGONSKI
BREAKDOWN TO BREAKTHROUGH
Yanick, who has been traveling since he was young, has a background in hospitality. He forged his footsteps forward in traveling since he was 18. His journey across the world began when he studied hospitality in Switzerland for more than three and a half years before working in hotels in Beijing, China. After studying Chinese for a year, he moved to Leeds in the UK to study marketing. From there, he moved to London to work with a marketing agency before moving to Bangkok, Thailand, where he resides now.
Yanick had a keen interest in entrepreneurship and decided to launch his first brand in the fashion industry from the UK to Thailand. Somehow it didn’t turn out as expected. “My first business failed. So, I had to find a way to recoup my losses after my leather fashion brand. So, I took up a marketing role at Anantara Hotels, Resorts, and Spa, headquartered in Bangkok then. I saw my first brand as a learning curve.” With deep reflection, Yanick says, “I believe failure leads to something better, something more. I realized that my brand had to fail because, without that awakening experience, Camaya Bali would have never been born.”
MANIFESTING A NEW IDEA
In 2017, Yanick traveled to Bali for the first time. Besides his passion for entrepreneurship, hospitality, and marketing, he also has a deep passion for photography. Yanick volunteered to be assigned to shoot a new restaurant that had opened in Anantara, Bali. After completing his work, he took a trip to the less-traveled part of Bali in the east, called Selat. The vibe there is
different compared to the hustle and bustle of traffic in Kuta and Seminyak. Selat was peaceful, quiet, and quaint; her natural beauty was too beautiful to be kept secret. Yanick marveled at the natural beauty of the horizon of Mount Agung from a distance, the rice terrace fields within walking distance, and the spellbinding skies of the tropical weather of Indonesia. He had a few days left in Bali and decided to book a small secluded Airbnb bungalow with zero reviews nearby. He was then hosted by Made, the local host there.
As he explored the vicinity, he was taken aback.
“Oh my God. This is fantastic!” Yanick marveled over the breathtaking view surrounding him. The natural beauty of the striking green rice fields, away from the mass tourism sites and the super secluded side of the east of Bali, took Yanick’s breath away. Made, who was with him, confronted him and said calmly, “I have a dream, and I wish one day I can build this place into something beautiful.” Yanick couldn’t have agreed more, “Let’s do this, Made. We could do something amazing here.”
Yanick’s captivating conversation with Made was the start of the idea of the Camaya Bali.
REALIZING A MEANINGFUL VISION
After signing a lease for 30 years and doing all the legalities, Yanick was clear on the next change in his entrepreneurship journey. He wanted to express his love and passion for his new business. He started reimagining what his ideal holiday home would look like. He believes balance is everything, and the bamboo feel could be the authentic local luxury experience he envisioned for Camaya.
The first villa, Semboya, was put to the test. Although bamboo materials would be central to the look and feel, Semboya was built with a cement foundation. However, realizing most bamboo accommodations are built this way didn’t give Camaya a competitive edge. So the second villa was built with a mixture of wood and bamboo as the foundation. While planning the new Airbnb, Yanick realized he needed more funds and investment to upkeep and grow the brand of Camaya. Unexpectedly, he connected to Caspar Wasternberg, who was very interested in Yanick’s business idea. Meeting Caspar at a coworking space in Bangkok opened more possibilities to materialize this unique Airbnb in the making. Caspar became Yanick’s new business partner.
After brainstorming with Made, Yanick and Casper hired a local fresh-out-ofuniversity architect who was very passionate about structure and designs. After researching bamboo as a subject and how it behaves in different environments and testing its toughness, the next three villas were built with pure bamboo and finishing touches with other natural resources like quality wood and leaves. It is strong and easy to obtain in Bali and Java. Today, the upscale Camaya Bali consists of five one-of-a-kind bamboo houses: Semboya, Butterfly, Lotus, Metangi, and the Pyramid, which became a viral travel destination on social media.
COMBINING CREATIVITY, SUSTAINABILITY, & ARCHITECTURE ON ANOTHER LEVEL
“I didn’t consciously choose sustainability. I fell into it,” Yanick speaks with excitement from the heart. He explained that he wanted to create something simple and unique yet appreciative of mother nature. Bamboo just blends with the magical character of Camaya Bali. All five bamboo houses have a beautiful blend of creativity, sustainability, and architecture in art details, giving his guests an extraordinary experience.
Yanick and his team clearly expressed their creation well. The host and designer of Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, Megan Batoon, said in awe, “Everything here is well-planned. The use of space alone in the house, like just one, accomplishes many things—a full-on closet, a bench as a bed, and the ceiling to the floor. This place is art. In the pool, the lounging net looks like a trampoline. This takes natural design to another level. Not forgetting, even the mosquito net is grand.”
The fine detail could be seen on the walls in the bathroom. It has translucent, parchment-like paper that’s light filtering yet private. In other words, every corner of Camaya Bali is artistically and beautifully created.
UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL CULTURE & HERITAGE
One of the initial challenges he faced doing business in Bali was addressing the cultural gap between him as a foreigner who prioritizes quality and standards, and understanding how the local employees, who live in the nearby villages, express themselves with the work they produce.
“I don’t settle for less when giving the very best services to our guests. It’s not about compromising top-notch services with standards, but meeting halfway in human communication with our employees to ensure we produce quality guest relations that stay true to our brand narrative and values,” Yanick expresses. His past experiences adapting to many cultures while living abroad strengthen his leadership skills in his professional and personal development. His ability to power the human potential to influence and impact lives goes beyond business. He goes to great lengths to understand and respect the local cultures and create value that benefits Camaya Bali including caring for his employees.
He and Caspar invested time in training and educating their employees in their areas of specialization. Together they embrace inclusion and diversity and empower their employees to live up to the Camaya brand’s vision and shared values. Likewise, his employees understand and respect Yanick’s pure intentions in connecting to other hearts extraordinarily, with employees as hosts and travelers as guests.
MADELOCAL HOST
Though Camaya had built a reputation as a unique Airbnb, another challenge came. Yanick was facing competition from other local holiday rentals. As with any business, there were competitors and copycats. However, Yanick saw it from a different perspective.
“If you believe that it is a problem, it will attract problems. However, if one thinks of it as a blessing, you attract blessings,” Yanick says with conviction. He always believes in cultivating good thoughts because our minds are like magnets. Yanick saw these competitions as a reason to evolve. Without it, he probably wouldn’t have crushed his business status quo, and Camaya Bali would just be an ordinary Airbnb that blends in the sameness of the sea of the tourism industry. Today, Camaya Bali is one of the world’s most unique luxury bamboo houses under his leadership.
SHOWCASING THE ORDINARY LOCAL BALI EXTRAORDINARILY
As the business owner of a marketing agency in Thailand, Yanick is an expert in turning nothing into something of astonishing value. Yanick saw the opportunity to preserve local culture and experiences that are becoming rare while blending them with home living that touches the heart. The way he balances the natural resources, the local culture in the house, and awakening the adventure in the wild of what Camaya Bali offers, is something holistic travelers not only want but need to experience. Especially to the guests looking to balance it with their mundane routines in the city.
SUBOYA
Travelers can take memories of the extraordinary local experiences gained from food indulgence, wellness, and relaxation or adventure into the mysterious Mt Agung back with them. One of the favorite activities guests can explore outside Camaya cribs is getting their feet in the mud and exploring the rice terraces, which are picturesque and Instagrammable. The Balinese culture of spiritual healing is something travelers shouldn’t miss. Yanick also shared a story by some of the guests mesmerized by the cultural ceremony. “In a normal ceremony across Bali, 500 tourists would witness cultural activities at one time. But in Camaya, 5-6 travelers will be among the 500 locals who share that culture and heritage and will envelop these tourists to become part of the community during these ceremonies.” Yanick adds, “It’s a life-changing experience that guests who tasted Camaya Bali can’t get in hotels.”
Yanick mentioned, “As the world embraces the future of technology and digital lifestyle, local culture and heritage becomes rarer and could be easily forgotten in the future if we don’t preserve it together.”
METANGI
CAPTURING THE RIGHT TARGET AUDIENCES
Yanick believes that global travel trends are not focused on travel in big groups. “I believe that travel has different definitions for different people. And a lot of our guests come from smaller groups that are looking for unique and personalized local experiences that they can’t find anywhere else in the world, which Camaya Bali is addressing.”
Most of their local and global guests are honeymooners, couples, travel influencers, and a small group of friends that travel together. It’s because of their sharing on social media that Camaya went viral. Jason Derulo, an American singer and songwriter, also experienced Camaya Bali while on holiday.
Whether it’s a moment to celebrate and embrace the fairytale feeling, reimagining a dream as a movie star, rekindling their love, or simply enjoying a slow yet holistic journey, travelers can expect life-changing experiences connecting with the locality of Camaya Bali.
“Essentially, vacation rentals are not only about the house. It’s about what you get access to by staying in the house,” says Yanick.
And at Camaya Bali, you get the best of Bali in one place and bring home the magical experience, sharing the ultimate travel connection with others. You might even have itchy feet to come back to Camaya Bali and feel the sweet balance of your being.
Welcome to Camaya Bali; it’s where the magic happens.
@CAMAYABALI
@YANICKHEREANDTHERE PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
VARIOUS TRAVEL INFLUENCERS WRITTEN BY: @NIZIEXPRESS
METANGI
Photo by Caleb Miller in Unsplash
From survival to success
Gandys is a unique travel-inspired brand championing underprivileged children across the globe. A remarkable idea built from the desire to empower others and make a difference.
WRITTEN
BY:
FILIPA ARAÚJO
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALL PHOTOS ARE COURTESY OF THE BRANDS @FINDING_FILIPA
The story of the Gandys brothers is a story of resilience. A story of overcoming adversity, finding greater purpose, and how a single chapter can change the course of our lives.
A unique upbringing and tragic circumstances helped two brothers create the Gandys brand, a travelinspired brand that is changing the world and empowering underprivileged children. And it all started with a pair of flip-flops.
Rob & Paul Forkan
A UNIQUE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE
The Forkan family, originally from South London, is an atypical and unconventional family. In 2001, they sold all their belongings and decided to embark on a journey around the world. The parents, Sandra and Kevin, removed their four children from school and moved across the world. That’s when the great adventure of the Forkan family started.
You could say the childhood of these siblings was far from ordinary… Without a traditional education system, they learned all the skills they needed from their daily activities, their adventures, and their difficulties. The world was their classroom, and their lives were enriched by all their experiences and the people they met along the way. Being exposed to the real world at such a young age and observing inequality up close helped shape their personalities and develop their sense of responsibility and will to empower others.
“We’d go to children’s homes, play sports with the kids, help them out with cooking, teach them stuff, which was really cool… we helped with fundraising for the local charities as well. We learned some really good life skills. Our parents gave us this confidence that we could do anything, that nothing was hard to achieve.” -Rob Forkan
In 2004, disaster struck. On Boxing Day, one of the deadliest tsunamis in history destroyed nations across the globe. The Forkan family was in Sri Lanka at the time, one of the most severely devastated areas. Sandra and Kevin tragically died in the tsunami, and the four siblings, Rob, Paul, Mattie, and Rosie, became orphans in Sri Lanka.
In the aftermath of the event, the siblings returned to the UK, where they had to restart their lives.
STARTING A BRAND
Fast forward to 2010, the idea of creating a brand inspired by their life story grew for Rob and Paul, and that’s how Gandys was born.
The two brothers wanted to create a brand to give back to affected communities in Sri Lanka, and they came up with the idea of selling flipflops. Closely tied to childhood memories of running around barefoot or in flipflops, the idea seemed fitting. The goal was to sell 230,000 pairs, representing the 230,000 victims of the tsunami.
The Forkan family
With the vision of empowering children and the motto “Don’t just exist,” Rob and Paul started their journey of entrepreneurship. What started as a small project became a movement and spread across the world. The brand started to grow and evolve and, soon enough, they had gained international recognition.
THE GANDYS FOUNDATION
After reaching their original goal of selling 230,000 pairs of flip-flops, Rob and Paul decided to open their charity foundation in 2013. Named the Gandys Foundation: Orphans for Orphans, the foundation aimed to build a campus in Sri Lanka that would support young people at risk. The campus would provide a safe space for children to receive proper medical care and nutrition, as well as quality education and support in their skills development, opening doors for these kids in the future, and providing opportunities for the underprivileged. The purpose of the campus was to give the youth a support system and a chance at life.
In 2014, ten years after the tsunami changed their family’s life, the Gandys brothers were finally able to raise the money to open their first campus in Sri Lanka. A symbolic homage to their parents and the opening of a new chapter in their story. “We believe that every child should have a start in life and that they should be given the tools to make a living, have a career, do good, and change the world. So that’s the reason we do our projects abroad.” -Paul Forkan
The Gandy brothers opening the campus in Sri Lanka
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Eight years later, the Gandys Foundation has built three more campuses, one in Malawi, one in Nepal, and another in Brazil, always adapting the services of the campus to the needs of the community and supporting them most adequately. They are currently working on a campus in Mongolia, where they hope to be able to support children in need and end the cycle of poverty through education.
The Gandys brand has now evolved into something much bigger. What was once a few models of flip-flops has turned into a fully understood concept of travel-inspired fashion. From weather-proof jackets to a cleverly designed luggage collection and travel gear for the eternal wanderer, their vast selection of travel products adapts to every type of traveler and adventure. They have also moved towards an eco-friendlier concept, incorporating sustainable materials into their products. Their new collection of backpacks, the “Namaste,” is making waves. Made from used recycled plastic bottles with a waterproof fabric, this new collection is not only stylish but also environmentally friendly. What’s not to love?
The two brothers also wrote a book called “ Tsunami kids ,” where they tell their story.
In their book, they tell us the remarkable adventure of their family, from losing everything and having to start over at a tender age to creating an internationally known travel brand and supporting young people in need in different corners of the world.
The “Namaste” backpacks
The “Tsunami kids” book, written by Rob and Paul
Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites —
An elemental travel experience in the Aran Islands, Ireland
Nadúr fiáin an Atlantaigh
Glacier Hotel, Switzerland
It’s More than a Dreamer’s Love Escape
WRITTEN BY: NIZIE N LOKMAN, FCIM @NIZIEXPRESS PHOTOGRAPHED BY: @BOUTIQUEHOTELGLACIER
Did you know that the “mega-moon” and romance travel will pave the way for travel trends in 2022/23?
According to Jubilee Travel , almost 5 million weddings are expected to be celebrated in 2022-2023, and happy couples are revisiting their plans— upwards. This is good news for Boutique Glacier Hotel, which welcomes newlyweds, honeymooners, and couples looking to rekindle that spark on a romantic trip together. TrooRa Magazine discovers the labor of love and passion beyond the lobby put together by Justine Pyott, who took over the hotel with her husband, Jan Pyott, in 2017.
“Here at the Hotel Glacier in Grindelwald, the Bernese Alps feel close enough to reach out and touch. You got to be here to experience that feeling.”
– JUSTINE PYOTT, CO-FOUNDER OF GLACIER HOTEL
MANIFESTING THE LOVE
Justine Pyott, the owner of Boutique Glacier Hotel, is from France. A couple of years ago, she came to Switzerland for her love of BASE jumping, mountain jumping from cliffs. It is a well-known extreme sport in the Jungfrau region.
The mysteriousness of the mountain gives Justine the magical feeling of being. After immersing herself in her surroundings, she knew she wanted to work and live in Switzerland. “While working and living in this region, I fell in love and met my husband, who is a professional triathlete,” Justine explains that her Swiss husband was transitioning to the next step
The Glacier Hotel against the spectacular background of the mountains
in business. It was one of those conversations that snowballed into a lightbulb moment. Justine explains that her husband wanted to open a small cafe where bikers could stop by, while Justine, who already had hospitality work experience under her belt, was looking to manage a small Airbnb property.
Unexpectedly, their original plans for tourism turned out bigger than expected. An old hotel located at the bottom of the valley was up for sale. It came at the right time for Justine and her husband, who have hospitality at heart. Together, they have been running and managing the beautiful Glacier Hotel, which has a long history and heritage that redefined the property. They have shaped the hotel with a unique vision to bring it into the 21st century with love. The husband and wife revived what was once sheep stables, then a humble B&B, into a boutique-chic hotel that TripAdvisor listed as the Best of The Best 2022. Top Small Stays in Switzerland in June 2022.
JOURNEY INTO 150 YEARS OF SWISS HERITAGE
This is a hotel with heart and history.
“Looking back on 150 years of history, our name alludes to the Lower Grindelwald Glacier that once reached the valley, ” Justine explains. Hotel Glacier was one of the oldest hotels in the region, dating back to 1864. It’s fascinating how this old hotel radically evolved from the lower glacier used to transport ice in massive ice blocks from a barn for their workers to a hotel for national tourism in the Swiss Alps.
The dream of having a train going up the Jungfraujoch region became a reality in 1896. In the early 20th century, alpine tourism started to flourish, and Hotel Glacier expanded to become a classic English grand hotel. As great things were happening, World War I ended the golden years abruptly with war and crisis. Just when tourism rose again, World War II happened. In the following decades, the formation of the glaciers was faced with climate change. In 2006, two million cubic meters of rock fell on the glacier, creating a 250,000 m³ lake. Since then, the glacier has retreated every summer.
Capitalizing on Grindelwald’s ice workers, history, and tourism heritage that has not been forgotten, the hotel stands by the name “glacier.” It took a step further by embracing modernity, yet it aims to preserve the love for the planet, the place, and the people for future generations.
The tap water is from a Glacier source. A crackle glaze glass door screens off the marble bathroom, with playfully oversized brass mirrors and Ayurvedainspired Rituals toiletries. The look and feel are contemporary, stylish, and understated.
GAZE IN AWE OF THE ONE-OF-KIND ALPINE DESIGN
The 4-star boutique hotel keeps things personal; with only 28 rooms and suites, it strikes a perfect balance between home-style comfort and one-ofa-kind alpine design.
Its concept speaks to the guests. Many good reviews are found online that would make anyone who wants to experience meaningful small stays in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland go to the Glacier hotel.
The rooms and suites consist of the Signature, Eigerview, and Double rooms. The conceptualization and design are a reflection of the intimate connection of the hotels with the surrounding mountains and valleys. “You can feel the ‘glacier theme’ everywhere. The tap water is from a glacier. Fantastic!” A review on TripAdvisor by Heyun. In the bedrooms, the mountain patterns are on bedspreads and backlit headboards. Each room has a home-style ambiance, making guests feel the warmth of home, even away from home. The highlight of each room gives the cozy connection with the COCO-MAT® bed that relaxes two souls with the soundest night’s sleep ever. Made with allnatural materials, these high-quality, generously sized beds are supremely comfortable and can make honeymooners and couples enjoy their time together with a deeper connection.
Although most guests at Glacier Hotel are couples and honeymooners, the hotel caters to guests with families in the holiday apartments called Grindelhomes. With plenty of space and privacy, bigger groups such as families and friends would love that beautiful stay.
REIMAGINE SOUL FOOD MEALS AND WINE
But when it comes to a celebration of togetherness, food and paired wine add to the magical moment. Mike, a guest from Thailand, left a review and said, “My wife and I had a wonderful recent stay at this hip and modern hotel. Our room was well-designed, with a mind-blowing view of the mountains and countryside. The hotel’s restaurant is undoubtedly one of the finest in Grindelwald.”
The hotel is an eco-hotel that puts the priority on sustainability. Inspired by the love for exquisite ingredients, the hotel created a menu with produce grown in their gardens or sourced locally. “Almost all our dishes start with homemade base products and are adapted to the seasons. Several dishes include preparation steps like fermentation, smoking, or dry-aging. These processes often take more than a month, and only then can the kitchen team start their magic,” explains Justine. Glacier Hotel participated in the Swiss Wine Gourmet 2022 and Swiss Wine List Award 2022 .
The earthy brown tones in the restaurant add a warm, romantic feeling
The hills are alive with champagne as a celebration
From every meal, breakfast to desserts, the hotel presents its food and wine with a precision that leaves guests’ palettes wanting more. While enjoying each meal, it’s hard to miss the magical scenery of the mountains that will leave you mesmerized by its beauty.
FEEL THE LOVE & WARMTH IN WINTER
Can you imagine yourself surrounded by the raw nature of the mountains, covered with snow, while basking in the beauty of Switzerland in the Bernese Alps with someone you love in the tub? The couples’ retreats not only have a room with a view, but the private whirlpool in every Signature Room facing the spectacular views of the Eiger North Face amps up the romance.
Albertoobs, a guest, expressed his excitement about Glacier Hotel as a romantic weekend with a great experience. “We took a room package for my partner’s birthday. It includes champagne, a small cake, decoration with petals, and golden balloons. We experienced a 90-minute private spa completely by ourselves, which was the best of the experience without a doubt!” Another couple left a review on TripAdvisor, focusing on the room facing Eiger North Face. “The view is just spectacular. If I could give more stars, I would!” Chris P is from Montreal, Canada.
For those who love ice and mountains, guests can get a glimpse of Eiger North Face through the windows. Most likely, the need to head outdoors and hit the heights of Switzerland can’t wait any longer.
There’s snow all around, and me-time in the tub with a glass of wine
BOUTIQUE GLACIER HOTEL WELCOMES YOU
The Telegraph UK mentions, “Boutique Hotel Glacier has raised the game in Grindelwald, with cleverly designed interiors, a stressbusting spa, a seasonally driven restaurant, and one of the most insanely beautiful settings in the Bernese Alps—right opposite Eiger North Face.”
Justine mentions, “Reopening in spring 2018, following a complete revamp of Glacier Hotel.” Justine and Jan Pyott and their team expanded their brand a few years, called Grindelhuus Hotel. It is a hotel reborn with sustainability in mind that will open the doors to travelers across the globe.
Travelers can also enjoy an experience beyond simple contact with cultures, people, places, or landscapes. It is an opportunity for them to renew a sense of love and connectedness with their loved ones that will be remembered for a long time. Hotel Glacier is the place you want to be this holiday.
The private hot tub overlooking the view is just what lovers need to unwin Glass walls make the mountains feel close enough to touch.
Travel Kindly
The world’s first socially conscious hotel booking platform that will allow you to give back this holiday season.
WRITTEN BY: FILIPA ARAÚJO
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: KIND TRAVELER
Sometimes, the most iconic destinations on every traveler’s bucket list have more to them than meets the eye if you’re willing to take a closer look. The reality of some of these idyllic places doesn’t always match the pictures we see on Instagram.
We don’t always consider the impact when we travel, the carbon footprint we might leave behind, or even the possibility of leaving a positive mark wherever we pass through. We interviewed Jessica Blotter, an entrepreneur with a vision of changing how we travel.
KIND TRAVELER
Jessica Blotter is CEO & Co-Founder of Kind Traveler, a speaker and journalist on sustainable and regenerative tourism, and serves on the Board of Directors for CREST (Center for Responsible Travel). During a vacation to Belize, a Caribbean paradise with crystal blue water and white sand beaches, Jessica and her partner Sean Lrejci were overwhelmed by what was happening behind the scenes. Extreme poverty, polluted waters, and a shocking amount of abandoned, sick dogs were the common sights, right behind the flashy resorts. Moved by a cause so close to their heart, it was impossible for Jessica and Sean
Jessica Blotter & Sean Lrejci, Founders of Kind Traveler
to stay indifferent to this scenario. Instinctively they started feeding the street dogs. This simple action created a ripple effect, and other travelers started to join their mission. When they returned home, they couldn’t shake the feeling that they had to do something about this.
“The feelings of helplessness turned to hope as we yearned for a way for our travel dollars to make a lasting, meaningful impact in the local community. The emotion and feelings that evolved from giving back stayed with us for a long time. We asked ourselves: ‘What if we could create a way for travelers to easily make a meaningful positive impact within the communities they visit and, in turn, be filled up with a greater sense of joy and purpose while traveling?’ and that’s how the idea for Kind Traveler was born. A hotel booking platform that allows travelers
to give back while they’re traveling. Since then, the company has grown a lot and has been able to expand its impact. “We launched in 2016 with around 20 hotels in the U.S. and Mexico and have since evolved the platform to include 140 hotel partners and 150+ charities in 22 countries. In 2022, after becoming a Blue Startups portfolio company, we launched Kind Traveler 2.0, a new web-based platform to optimize the user experience and create an API that will allow us to scale much more efficiently.”
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Kind Traveler is the world’s first socially conscious booking platform. When you book a hotel through Kind Traveler, you’re not just securing accommodation for your holidays, you are giving back to the community.
Six Senses Samui, Thailand
They have created a model based on the idea of “Give + Get,” empowering travelers to leave a positive impact on the neighborhoods and communities they visit.
Here’s how it works: Travelers donate a minimum of $10 to a local charity or another charity of choice, and, in return, they can unlock special rates and other perks from the partner hotels. One hundred percent of the donations go directly to the charity. Blotter explains the further impact besides the donations, “With every booking, travelers have an opportunity to learn about the measurable positive impact they will make and will receive an impact statement, sharing the impact of their donation. Additionally, with every booking, there is an option to plant trees with Arbor Day Foundation: one USD dollar plants one tree in U.S. forests affected by wildfires. Visitors to Kind Traveler can also learn about the Kind Factors of each Kind Hotel—
how the hotel is advancing environmental sustainability, community impact, and individual wellness at a local level.” The platform even goes a step further and provides a list of local volunteering opportunities if you want to donate your time when traveling.
Kind Travel allows you to be an agent of change and leave a positive mark in many different ways, from providing care to rescued animals in Switzerland to providing meals to families in need in the US to providing clean water filters to people with no access to clean water in Thailand, your donations could truly make a difference, and you, too, could be part of the solution. Kind Traveler connects
with a large network of 150+ charitable organizations spread around the world, which are vetted by the company, and cover different areas of impact.
“Each charity on Kind Traveler is aligned with at least one of the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development (Global Goals), which largely center around fighting poverty, increasing access to education, addressing inequality, creating sustainable cities, advancing climate action and efforts to preserve our oceans and wildlife,” says Blotter.
THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORLD
Blotter’s journey through the entrepreneurial world wasn’t your ordinary pathway. Starting as an earth science teacher at a charter school for underserved students, her passion for entrepreneurship only truly developed after she became an associate publisher for various lifestyle magazine startups. The road hasn’t always been easy, as with any new business venture, finding personal balance and passionate investors aligned with their mission takes patience.
North Coast Food Web, Oregon, USA
Na’atik Language and Cultural Institute, Mexico
Jessica Blotter, Co-founder of Kind Traveler
There have been many important moments that have marked Kind Traveler’s journey to success.
Blotter speaks of some of the biggest achievements of the team:
“In 2021, Kind Traveler was the winner of Newsweek’s Future of Travel Award for the startups/travel tech category and a finalist of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Award for the social responsibility category. The awards have served as guideposts to our team, affirming that we are building a product that resonates with others and fills an important gap in the travel industry.” Their team also created the 2022 Global Impact Tourism Report, where they interviewed and collected data from various sources, such as hotels, charities, tourism boards, and survey respondents, and were able to find 10 trends in the travel industry right now. They hope that this report will provide important insights and serves as a tool to guide the travel industry towards sustainability and offer a set of solutions that will make you reinvent the concept of travel towards regenerative tourism, showing that it is possible to use travel as a
way to build long-lasting benefits to destinations, communities, and nature. You can find the report available for free download on their website KindTraveler.com.
Blotter has a clear view of the path ahead:
“The future of sustainable travel should revolve around both the industry and consumers making travel and lifestyle choices that drive positive impact and minimize or eliminate negative impact. Travelers must become keenly aware of how their impacts can help or harm the planet and learn to vote with their dollar by supporting brands and
lifestyle choices that create sustainable, regenerative, and equitable futures for all beings.”
So, if you are traveling during these holidays, consider traveling with kindness, knowing that just a few dollars have the potential to improve the community you’re visiting.
#TravelKindly
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
— Warren Buffett
Gift Ideas for Outdoors Enthusiasts
New and innovative gear for every adventurer
WRITTEN BY: KEVIN JAMES JEFFERY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ASTRID WILD, WEST SLOPE, THESUS OUTDOORS, HIKERKIND, BANDITS BANDANAS
It might be chilly outside, but that doesn’t stop adventure lovers from hitting the trails, slopes, roads, beaches, or mountains. From innovative outdoor clothing to gear and accessories, we’ve discovered new brands that are changing how people experience mother nature. Here you’ll find unique and personalized gift ideas for men, women, and couples to enjoy during and after the holiday season.
ASTRID WILD
With so many outdoor clothing brands focused on men and performance, it’s finally time for stylish, functional clothing for women to wear outdoors. That was the idea behind Astrid Wild, a feminine outdoor clothing brand designed by women for women. Those women, Maria and Jemina, with the help of an all-female product and design team, have created a line of outdoor clothing that fits great and pays respect to female shapes.
Maria and Jemina are two Swedes that started Astrid Wild in 2019. Their high-quality Scandinavian-designed outdoor clothing is manufactured in Europe with recycled materials because nature and sustainability are at the core of their decisionmaking. And while Astrid Wild is based in Sweden, its collections can be purchased from customers across the globe. Popular bestsellers include the Minna Wool Fleece Jacket, Amelia Hiking Pants with Lengths, and the Ingrid Merino Long Jane bottoms.
First, there was the backpack, and now there’s the chest pack from West Slope. If you’ve ever been skiing, snowboarding, biking, walking, or working out with a backpack, you know how inconvenient it is to pull your phone and other items out—it’s awkward, takes time, and gets in the way.
The idea for the front pack came from West Slope founder Ryan Bales after a day of hopping on and off the ski lift in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Every time he got on the lift, he would have to take off his backpack or lean forward the entire ride up. It was a simple fix, but after he and his small team came up with the Slope PRO-180X chest pack, they no longer had to remove their packs to get what they needed.
In addition to the Slope PRO-180X, West Slope now offers the basic Chest Pack, the PRO-180 Slim, and the Terraform that switches from backpack to hydration vest. All models can be found on the West Slope Gear website.
Finally, a boot made for every occasion. Thesus Outdoors (formerly Alice + Whittles) makes a boot that can handle rugged hikes, cold weather, and wet conditions. They can do all that while looking trendy worn around town. That’s the kind of footwear co-founder and CEO Sofi Khwaja-Horekens set out to create, but it wasn’t her only priority. Thesus footwear is also leading the way in using vegan and recycled materials, as well as eco-friendly and sustainable production.
So what’s the trick when it comes to making a versatile outdoor shoe with an urban design? It starts with covering all the bases: design simplicity, material make-up, quality, comfort, functionality, and sustainability. Thesus is a shoe you can feel proud to wear because it’s good for people and the planet. By the end of the year, Thesus is committed to using 100% recycled and natural materials, all while being a climate-positive company— and you can help them get there!
We all know that person who doesn’t like to sacrifice style for the outdoors. And now they don’t have to with Hikerkind, the women’s outdoor apparel company that creates fashionable gear for hikers. Hikerkind believes not everyone has to fall into the “hiker” mold by wearing the same gear everyone buys at outdoor stores. That’s because they make good-looking gear that offers technical performance and style.
Founded by Chelsea Rizzo and Allison Levy in 2020, Hikerkind offers all kinds of hiking essentials made in New York from recycled materials. From bra tops to shorts, shirts, mid-layers, dresses, trousers, and more—you’ll find the perfect gift for that fashionable outdoor friend or family member. And don’t forget to mention Hikerkind’s hike club if your gift recipient lives in New York City. Day hikes are planned for the community to explore and connect multiple times a month.
Bandanas have been in for some time now, but they’re even more versatile outdoors. They can keep hair out of one’s face, cool off on a hot day, wrap a wound, protect against the sun, collect sweat, and so much more.
One brand that has caught on in recent years is Bandits Bandanas. Co-founded by self-proclaimed “bandana enthusiasts” Nicole & Connor Humphreys, they decided to design a bandana after quitting their jobs in 2017 and moving to Bali, Indonesia. The idea was to create a quality bandana that was comfortable to wear when riding motorbikes around the island.
They now have a bandana made from 100% Organic Cotton from a certified Fair Trade partner out of Kolkata, India. By teaming up with original artists around the world, they produce some of the most uniquely popular bandanas on the market—with tons to choose from!
226 NEW FORM OF FEMININITY BY: STELLA POLYZOIDOU Luxury womenswear from England with love
234 HOLIDAY WARDROBE ESSENTIALS BY: GEORGE DIKE Must-Have Fashion Accessories For The Holiday Season
240 BOHEART ART BY: GEORGE DIKE Boheart (Boe-Hart), Adjective, A Little Boho, All Heart
244 THE CORK SHOP BY: STELL A POLY ZOIDOU Byron Bay in Australia, this woman-owned small business brings you the perfect alternative to animal leather All Heart
250 WHEN SCANDINAVIAN MINIMALISM MEETS ETHICAL JEWELRY BY: STELLA POLYZOIDOU TUOHI Jewelry’s collection offers minimalistic shapes and interesting nuances
New Form of Femininity Luxury womenswear from England with love
WRITTEN BY: STELLA POLYZOIDOU
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: NITIN RISHI @NITINRISHI
The Britishbased studio, named after its founder Laura Pitharas, entered the fashion sphere not long ago, in October 2021, and is a contemporary luxury womenswear label. Pursuing elegance, straight lines, sleek silhouettes, and neutral color palettes are the main driving forces behind the Laura Pitharas brand.
“Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do.”
Although its presence in the fashion world has been short, the brand has become known for carefully crafted womenswear, designed in London and produced from wool woven in Yorkshire. Pitharas’s mission is to bring femininity to suits traditionally perceived by masculine forms and to give women a powerful appearance. “I wanted to go back to my roots of menswear tailoring and create a womenswear line that is both feminine, masculine, and eventually comfortable enough,” she declares.
Pitharas offers a new take on the classic, fitted “power suit’’ of the 1920s with relaxed, loosefitting silhouettes and straight lines, taking cues from the masculine closet to give a sense of empowerment and credibility.
Back in the 1920s, it was Coco Chanel who first introduced the power suit to the fashion world. It resurfaced in pop culture and current trends in recent years, becoming one of the most iconic silhouettes of 20th-century fashion. With the rise of women in the corporate workplace and the fourth
wave of feminism, the resurgence of the power suit and, therefore, the appearance of androgynous fashion is more relevant now than ever.
A well-made tailored suit can give a woman a sense of power. However, searching for the perfect suit is a long process that requires time and budget. Pitharas recalls, “For years, I was looking for a women’s suit that I could wear professionally and socially, made of high-quality wool, but I couldn’t find one.” Eventually, the idea was born from the designer’s longing to find the perfect suit for her wedding; she decided to design one herself.
Her studies in luxury menswear design at the London College of Fashion, specializing in tailoring and outerwear, were the stepping stones for a promising career in womenswear. Before starting her namesake brand, she designed clothes for luxury fashion brands in London and Paris. “During my early career, I worked for various menswear designers. I am always borrowing my husband’s clothes and have often bought vintage menswear, as I think many women do,” she says.
Pitharas draws inspiration from her father’s wardrobe and impeccable style. “As I was growing up, my father taught me about the importance of quality and craft,’’ she recalls. With a focus on sharp tailoring and sustainability, she conceived the ideas from her experiences and needs as a modern woman. “I am inspired by drawing art and innovation through colors and textures from everyday surroundings, creating the perfect balance of timeless yet modern garments that can
take you from day to night,” she adds.
Not only does she promote a new form of femininity through oversized silhouettes, but she also produces environmentally conscious products. When asked if the future of fashion has to be centered around sustainability, she answers, “It has to be; we have no choice. The fashion industry is one of the top polluting industries. We have to act, take action, and be responsible.’’ All collections include pieces made sustainably using 100% Yorkshire wool and mills to weave clothes tipped.
“I wanted to go back to my roots of menswear tailoring and create a womenswear line that is both feminine, masculine, and eventually comfortable enough.”
“Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do at Laura Pitharas. Electricity supplied by wind farms powers the mill we work with in Yorkshire for our woolen tailoring fabrics,’’ she denotes. The pieces were made with ecofriendly materials like an organic thread for linings, organic cotton poplin, organic bamboo silks, and non-mulesed sheep wool in the Alfred Brown mill in Yorkshire. The concept of sustainability is applied to the packaging too. “Our delivery packaging is recyclable, eco-friendly, and compostable. We also use organic cotton bags as the packaging for our oversized safety pins,” she says.
The opposite of fast fashion, Laura Pitharas’s motto is the Pursuit of Less. The brand has adopted a zero-waste policy and transparency for all clothing. Everything is made locally within the UK, reduces airline miles to zero, and has a far lower carbon footprint
than most womenswear. “We work closely with all our suppliers to build longlasting relationships. Our manufacturers are based in London, focusing on small production lines and limited runs to avoid waste. I had to build something that spoke to my roots and upbringing,” Pitharas explains.
The founder shares common values with her partners, including Alfred Brown and Kyri Hadjikyriacou, that contribute to the creative process. “All my partners believe in the beauty of the craft, are passionate about their work, are open-minded, and think outside the box,” she adds. As a true entrepreneur, she feels grateful for her team, who has supported the creation of her label.
Like most successful entrepreneurs, Pitharas faced challenges and difficulties during her entrepreneurial journey that only strengthened her. “Building your own business takes a lot of strength, belief, passion, and motivation. You will be tested more than you have ever been before. Ensure you have a clear business plan. Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster journey. Start each week with a strict set of deadlines and achievements. Clear communication is key on all fronts,” she advises.
Among the brand’s future plans is launching a new collection for fall/winter. Some of the tips and tricks Pitharas shared for women who want to feel chic and sophisticated on holidays were to use lots of layering and wear various shades of the same color palette. Her go-to look is minimal yet super stylish—a long
wool coat paired with a full suit and an organic poplin shirt—all with her signature. “For formal dinners or evening parties, a kilt skirt with a silk shirt on top is another great option that adds to the conservative allure,” she mentions.
“Creating a menswear line alongside will definitely be in our future, but this will be in a few years once we have established the womenswear collection,” Pitharas confides.
As an upcoming and up-and-coming fashion designer, Pitharas wishes to leave her mark
on the fashion industry. “I would love our label to continue its journey of making women feel good in our clothing and working with the most sustainable approach to design and manufacturing.
I hope that the fashion industry will be a more inclusive space in the future, for us to have complete transparency about our garments and how they were created,” she concludes.
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Must-Have Fashion Accessories For The Holiday Season
WRITTEN BY: GEORGE DIKE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALL PHOTOS ARE COURTESY OF THE BRANDS
Christmas is all about statement accessories. It could be a standout pair of glittery earrings, an eye-catching pair of hand-made slippers, 2022’s most sought-after handbag, or a show-stealing pair of sunglasses. Whatever the case, we can all agree that it is the season for holiday cheer and shopping galore.
There will be tons of parties lined up for the holidays. So, you need something fabulous to stay stylish while keeping warm. Whether it’s a low-key event, or a full-blown festive soiree, dressing for the occasion is important.
This write-up will pinpoint these accessories and how best to style and maintain them. We bet you will appreciate having these staple accessories in your wardrobe.
Photo by Anna Nekrashevich
WHAT ARE FASHION ACCESSORIES?
Fashion accessories are what you carry or wear apart from clothing. Anyone can use accessories to enhance their outfit, and there is an endless variety to choose from. Accessorizing is a fun way to dress up. You can transform your look by trying on different items in several ways.
Mix up a few accessories, and voila! You have a whole new look, from simple to super
stylish. Remember, accessories draw attention. It is, therefore, advisable to keep it minimal. If you put on a set of jewelry, a scarf, a hat, and a pair of sunglasses, they might appear clustered, with no particular one standing out.
Whether you want low-key, high fashion, or street casual, you can determine the tone of your outfit by choice of accessories. Just remember to keep them on the same level. And when it comes to the face, never forget
that less is more. For instance, choose between earrings and a necklace.
There are countless accessories and several ways to style them. Some fashion combos become a staple for every household during the holiday season. For instance, pairing a stunning cocktail ring with statement earrings and black-tie dresses or worn-in-denim ensembles. These and more make it into our top 10 fashion accessory musthaves for a holiday.
Photo by Marta Branco
TOP 10 FASHION ACCESSORIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Holiday fashion almost always seems limited and cliche with the usual bright red and green colors. Then a whole lot of shiny stuff that we have no use for after Christmas. For this reason, we have decided to make our selection more practical. We want to list accessories that can be festive this Christmas and beyond.
Ahead, we’re showcasing 10 of our favorite accessories that bring a bit of excitement and sparkle, but not just to outfits for the next few weeks. So, consider these when picking out your next outfit, try each one, and then get daring by mixing up a few.
FUZZY SLIDES
Sometimes, doing very little is the best way to celebrate. This does not mean we have
to dress raggedly in worn-out sweatpants and shirts. Whether for a family dinner or a romantic evening, your home wear can become less boring when you put on a comfortable pair of slides.
OVERSIZED EARRINGS
A quick way to look festive is to wear stunning, sparkly earrings virtually the size of your ear. You only need to try them on with some jeans and a t-shirt to notice how they transform any ensemble into something glittery and festive. You may also choose to wear only one earring from the set and pair it with smaller designs for an asymmetrical look for a less noticeable style.
COOL HATS
Apart from providing warmth and protection for your head in the cold winter, hats can easily elevate any appearance. You can never go wrong with hats,
whether a baseball hat or a chic fedora. And yes, they are also great for masking hair when it is messy.
BEJEWELED HANDBAGS
Over the past several years, the beaded, crystal-covered, or shiny metal handbag has remained a popular accessory. This statement bag is ageless and timeless, making it a particular item you’ll want to keep for many future occasions. This is one trend that is accessible to all budgets. So, ensure to add it to your shopping list for the holidays if you do not already own a few.
METALLIC SHOES
There’s no event specific to shiny shoes. You can pair them with your favorite dress, jeans, or shirt, and you are good to go. That is why this accessory stays valid beyond the festive season. As you end 2022 and begin the beautiful new year, grab a pair
by
Photo
Sepideh Doost
by Anna
or two and pair it up with your outfit for work, house parties, vacation fits, and date nights.
STATEMENT BELTS
Whether it is the go-to LBD you’ve had in your wardrobe for a long time or a warm, roomy sweater that you’ll want to wear all winter long, the broad, ornate belt is never out of style. It is also a popular pick for party accessories since it gives a fresh look to whatever you pair it with. Also, it can easily transition your business-casual outfit into a fab dress for after-work drinks.
COCKTAIL RINGS
An antique cocktail ring or one with a vintage aesthetic is a modest but incredibly eye-catching addition to any look. For the holidays, lean more toward the psychedelic ’70s with brilliant enamel and malachite patterns, or draw influence from the ’30s with
an elegant ring covered in crystals and pearls.
PATTERNED TIGHTS
These are undoubtedly the perfect accessory to accompany your favorite party heels or boots. For extra pizzazz and a holiday vibe, skip the classic black, textured look and go for bright-colored pairs or one with sparkly designs.
BOLD HEADBANDS
A spruced-up hairpiece is always the best topper for any look. Go for a pearl- and gemstone-covered one; they look like the star atop a Christmas tree. In essence, they give every ensemble a dazzling effect.
FUZZY ACCENTS
Let’s not forget that the holidays also entail time spent outdoors to choose a tree, take in the neighborhood lights and decorated storefronts, or
browse a stunning Christmas market. Sure, warm scarves and hats seem more like an all-winter need than a party accent. But you can still choose warm accessories with extra-plush materials and eyecatching color schemes for these events.
FINAL WORDS
Wherever you will be this Christmas, you must embrace the jolly spirit. What better way to do that than with Christmasthemed accessories? If you spend it with family, decorate your home with Christmasthemed home accessories.
Even if you are heading to a Christmas party, go all out and get dressed in Christmasthemed accessories for your look. Some candy cane earrings, snowman socks, or even Christmas-themed heels are a great way to add a lively vibe to your outfit.
Photo
Photo by Harper Sunday
VEGETABLE-TANNED VACHETTA
NATURAL, NON-TOXIC CHEMICALS
NEW LUXE LEATHER TOTE BAGS
LEATHER
BoHeart Art
WRITTEN BY: GEORGE DIKE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: THE BRAND BOHEART ART
BOHEART ART 1
Caylah Meek is the brain and hands behind BoHeart Art. Her work is inspired by her inner free spirit, her spirituality, and the beauty in the world surrounding her. She specializes in unique fine art & decor with a plethora of fine crystal jewelry.
“Each piece of jewelry in my shop is created with love and intention. Each item is something I would personally wear. I want jewelry that looks good and can stand up to my accident-prone life, and this is what I want to create for you!” - Caylah M.
ROSE QUARTZ PENTACLE NECKLACE, SELF LOVE AND PROTECTION JEWELRY
Like her many beautiful designs, this crystal jewelry is made with natural materials and colors. The pentacles are created from wire, metal hoops, and rose quartz that dazzle and make you outstanding.
We have selected this piece out of her many colorful gift-worthy items because rose quartz promotes self-love and friendship as it is so gentle and peaceful. It restores harmony and peace in your relationships when it’s needed. It also brings a deep sense of peace within yourself.
Passion for travel and exquisite apparels.
« People come, live and go ».
And we are here to celebrate the diversity of the world.
alledjo.com
The Cork Shop
WRITTEN BY: STELLA POLYZOIDOU
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALL PHOTOS ARE COURTESY OF THE BRANDS
Straight out of Byron Bay in Australia, this woman-owned small business brings you the perfect alternative to animal leather. Ethical, vegan, and eco-friendly handbags, jewelry, shoes, wallets, toys, and homewares—all handmade from cork, sustainably harvested and made in Portugal.
Cork is soft, smooth, flexible, durable, and incredibly lightweight, making it extremely comfortable to wear. It looks like leather, with the same smooth, silky feel as leather, but it is 100% vegan and looks amazing. The creative process includes harvesting the trees and turning the bark into various cork items without harming the trees or the environment. The Cork Shop offers a unique collection of cork products, whether you’re looking to get a gift for yourself or your loved ones. With sustainability always in mind, their packaging is also eco-friendly, with as little impact on the environment as possible. Discover this selection of truly rare gifts carved with intricate patterns and motifs that give a sense of elegance and beauty.
Sourced small batches of materials, with the idea that scarcity is the ultimate luxury.
Each piece of clothing brand is designed and made for women who want comfort and cool in equal dosage.
Breathing New Life Into Antique Fabrics A Sustainable Take On Luxury
When Scandinavian Minimalism Meets Ethical Jewelry
TUOHI Jewelry’s collection offers minimalistic shapes and interesting nuances, with both material volume and quiet beauty.
WRITTEN BY: STELLA POLYZOIDOU
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
TUOHI JEWELRY
STYLED BY: TUOHI JEWELRY
Finnish brand, TUOHI Jewelry, was founded in 2020 by Reetta Tuohi out of her love for timeless design and simple, minimalistic forms. Mixing traditional craftsmanship with modern design cues, her collections are all about intriguing shapes that attract the eye. The jewelry’s unique contrast arises from its metalhard material and light, airy essence. They are suitable for daily wear and festive occasions, as they exude elegance and minimalism.
The founder, Reeta Tuohi, is an inspiring female entrepreneur who dedicates herself to thoughtful sourcing, upholding traditional craft techniques, and committing to zerowaste programs. She worked for a long time as an educational designer before turning to the jewelry industry— this has taught her attention to spaces, shapes, light, and colors.
“Sustainable jewelry is encoded as part of my identity.”
“In my view, I didn’t choose the jewelry; it chose me. It arose somewhere deep from my subconscious; first the shapes, then the surfaces, and finally the movement of the jewelry and its play with light,” she adds.
Reetta Tuohi
“I didn’t choose the jewelry; it chose me. It arose somewhere deep from my subconscious.”
MUOTO Ellipse Bangle cuff
After perfecting her work for years, it’s no surprise her line of sustainable jewels is so delicate. Tuohi’s main sources of inspiration can be described in a nutshell: Scandinavian design and minimalistic landscapes. “Sustainable jewelry is encoded as part of my identity. The clean air and the beauty of Scandinavian landscapes have inevitably left their mark on my characteristic style and design language,” Tuohi discloses.
When it comes to jewelry design, Tuohi is fascinated by the intimate union of clean lines and refined surfaces. “The surface of the jewelry reflects light beautifully and invites you to touch it,’’ says Tuohi, making it clear that the brand equals this timeless touch.
The core values of TUOHI Jewelry and the cornerstone of the entire business are ethics and the ecology of materials. The brand’s sustainability efforts go beyond earth-friendly technologies, as the concept of sustainability applies not only to the products and packaging but also to the mindset. “Our jewelry is handmade in a jewelry foundry and goldsmith’s workshop in Finland and manufactured in a way that their life cycle burdens the environment as little as possible,” Tuohi mentions.
The designer works exclusively with sustainable and ethically sourced materials, while all the pieces in her collections are made from 100% silver that can be recycled, repaired, and reused. Using high-quality recycled materials not only makes the products last much longer but also prevents the emergence of both environmental and human rights problems. As for the packaging, TUOHI jewelry’s shipping boxes are also made from recycled cardboard to offset carbon emissions on every shipment. Therefore, the brand is strongly based on the circular economy, using only certified, conflict-free, and recycled silver, which comes from responsible suppliers, mainly in Scandinavia, and smaller parts from other EU regions.
Finland’s entrepreneurial spirit impacts the ideology of Tuohi, who moves exclusively in this direction. “Our country has a wonderful, brave, competent prime minister, Sanna Marin, who inspires us in many ways. The government’s goal is that Finland will be carbon neutral by 2035 and the first fossil-free welfare society,” Tuohi explains. “Our welfare society takes care of everyone, and in such circumstances, it has also been safe to take my entrepreneurial risks,” she declares.
VALO Signature Ring
VALO Signature Pendant Necklace
Building a business from scratch may seem overwhelming, especially during these turbulent times. This local woman-owned jewelry brand is another example of an ambitious entrepreneurial enterprise. Launched in the spring of 2020, when Finland went into lockdown due to Covid-19, the global pandemic has heavily overshadowed the brand’s first two years. Tuohi has had to deal with the pandemic and the consequences of the brutal war against the neighboring country, Ukraine. Although the beginning of TUOHI Jewelry has been full of challenges, the brand’s future seems promising. Among the future plans is to bring new jewelry sets and supplement existing ones while making them available to a broader international audience.
For this holiday season, TUOHI Jewelry will have you covered in style. Whether it can be seen as a thoughtful addition to your collection or as an heirloom to pass down from generation to generation, this brand offers a unique selection of ethical jewelry to cherish for a lifetime. If you’re looking for ways to appear chic and sophisticated on holidays, there is a beautifully curated collection
of jewels for you to discover. From statement earrings and graphic necklaces to elegant rings and bracelets, TUOHI jewelry offers unique pieces that embody the Scandinavian seasons.
Adding classic key pieces can transform any simple outfit into a stylish ensemble. If you want to create a sophisticated daytime look and add a touch of glamour to your festive morning looks, choose the MUOTO Statement Earrings. For a more festive evening look, style a chic black dress with a VALO Signature Cuff to adorn your wrists, VALO Signature Earrings, and VALO signature rings to make a bold appearance. The personalized initial letter SANA necklace will make an excellent investment to wear years down the road, while it’s also a great idea to gift your loved ones.
When asked what footprint she wants to leave in the jewelry industry, Tuohi quoted Finnish entrepreneur’s Carita Pelkonen words: Sustainable business is the only option for the future. In the same context, Tuohi wishes to be a part of a sustainable future and a radical change. “I want to show that it is possible to create a sustainable, responsible, and beautiful future at the same time,” she concludes.
MUOTO Ellipse Bangle Cuff
VALO Signature Earrings
swim and lounge wear sustainable and inclusive designed for fit, comfort, and versatility
Inspired by a love of vintage pieces, flowing feminine dresses, florals, and life by the sea. cobblerslane.com
beauty
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10 TIPS FOR SKIN REBOOT BY: NEHA SURADKAR
Get your skin refreshed and rejuvenated after the holiday season.
BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER BY GEORGE DIKE The Difference Between Inner and Outer Beauty
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SKINCAREHOLIDAY EDITION BY: NEHA SURADKAR
Keep your Skincare game up during the busy holiday season
10 Tips for Skin Reboot
Get your skin refreshed and rejuvenated after the holiday season.
WRITTEN BY: NEHA SURADKAR
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALEXANDER MILS, ELINA FAIRYTALE, COTTONBRO, KOOLSHOOTERS, ANNA SHVETS
After an action-packed, indulgent, and joyful holiday season, we are now back to the humdrum of life. Holidays were full of food, sweets, drinks, laughter, parties, travel, family, and friends. Unfortunately, hosting parties, shopping soirees, binging on sugar, food, and wine, sleepless nights, sleeping with makeup, and compromised skin care routines often result in dark circles, dull skin, breakouts, and puffy eyes. While you welcomed everything throughout the holidays with open arms, the consequences on your skin become apparent once the excitement has passed. The stress that follows fuels the fire, making the skin even worse.
Let’s look at some easy skincare rituals that can help to refresh your tired and dull skin post-holiday season.
DRINK UP & FILL UP
After binging on alcohol and sugar during the holiday season, it’s time to let your body and skin recover. Alcohol causes damage by producing reactive free radicals, which can result in wrinkles by causing the breakdown of collagen fibers, skin irritation, and skin hyperpigmentation. On the other hand, sugar binds with protein and lipids and creates free radicals, making the skin more exposed to the effects of UV light, pollution, and cigarette smoke.
Reboot Tip #1 - Consume fluids to hydrate your body. Water is a much-needed fluid that will hydrate your body and flush out toxins. In addition, green tea and green juices are rich in antioxidants that combat free radicals and get your skin back on track.
Reboot Tip #2 - Binge on food rich in fiber and antioxidants—try going on a fruit detox for a few days, and you’ll get a happy gut and skin.
GET THAT SLEEP AND EXCERCISE
Lack of sleep due to excessive socializing can result in your skin not being able to repair itself. The skin rejuvenation process is faster when we are asleep. Consistently skipping sleep increases cortisol, which puts the body under constant stress, and the skin is typically where the damage starts showing.
Reboot Tip #3 - Get back to your eighthour sleep routine to give your body enough time to get into the repair process. After the excitement of the holiday season, the body needs to calm down before it is ready to take on routine life activities.
Reboot Tip #4 - Calm and relax your body using pillow sprays infused with lavender, vetiver, and chamomile.
Reboot Tip #5 - Drink chamomile tea before bed to calm your mind and induce sleep.
Reboot Tip #6 - Come back to your exercise routine gradually. Working out will increase blood flow and help eliminate skin toxins.
GETTING BACK ON A SKINCARE ROUTINE
How often have you slept with makeup on or just wiped your face with makeup-removing wipes? The holiday season requires dressing up, but due to crazy schedules, we often neglect our skincare routine and do whatever is convenient. Sadly, not cleansing and exfoliating your skin can result in the clogging of pores, breakouts, and building up of dead skin. All this can make your skin look unhealthy and dull.
Reboot Tip #7 - Get back to your skincare routine. Start by exfoliating your skin to open up the pores and get rid of dead skin.
Reboot Tip #8 - Get a professional face cleanup, which will deep clean your skin and give you some time to relax during the procedure.
Reboot Tip #9 - Refrain from using heavy makeup for the coming days and do with minimal products like a tinted moisturizer, mascara, and lip stain.
Reboot Tip #10 - Do not forget to moisturize your skin to keep it soft and supple during winter.
Following the above tips will help you get your skin and body back after the stressful but fun holiday season and will help you to return to your everyday life feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
The Difference Between Inner and Outer Beauty
WRITTEN BY: GEORGE DIKE PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALL IMAGES ARE COURTESY OF THE BRANDS
We see ourselves when we glance in the mirror every morning. We devote a lot of time to assessing our “beauty,” critiquing our flaws, striving to right what we perceive as wrong, and evaluating how we stack up against others. Nevertheless, is there beauty beneath the surface that we don’t see?
THE MEANING OF “BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER”
It is an expression that means beauty is subjective. Each person can decide what is beautiful. If something is deemed attractive by one person, it might or might not appeal to another.
Beauty is subjective, but society has continued to create beauty standards, especially for women. Often women get judged for their appearance, and this has an impact on self-esteem and confidence. For instance, there will be comments about a woman’s lack of effort if she doesn’t wear makeup to work. However, if a woman puts on “too much” makeup for work, she will be mocked for sending the wrong message.
These judgments from elementary school through adulthood might negatively impact our confidence. “Beauty” works against us. However, when we work hard to boost our confidence, we are criticized for worrying too much about our appearance.
Both inner and outer beauty may be admired, and we can strike a wonderful balance between the two. We recognize that physical beauty comes in many forms and that people don’t lose beauty when their shells change over time. We should strive to see people and love them dearly for who they are, not how they look.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUTER AND INNER BEAUTY
We all know someone who appears attractive on the surface but is unlikable on the inside. When you first meet someone like this, the person often strikes you as attractive, but as you get to know them, you find them very unattractive. One can spend a lot of time making themselves look pretty, but nobody will care if they are a horrible person.
Outer beauty is your physical appearance. A pretty face, nice hair, and a perfect body
contribute to outer beauty, but they don’t last forever. You could get people’s attention with your outward beauty. But if you don’t have a little inner charm, they won’t stick around for long.
The two forms of beauty come from many sources. Genetics determines how you look and what physical traits you have. Your parents passed specific genes to you, making your outward characteristics what they are today.
What lies within emanates from you, specifically from your conscious growth. Simply said, the loveliness you portray reflects your attitude about life, your interactions with others, and—perhaps most importantly— your perception of and attitude toward yourself.
Sadly, in today’s society, outward beauty is valued more than inner qualities such as a kind heart and a loving soul. When did we stop caring for our mindfulness? When did having a lovely face surpass having a decent heart in importance?
Here are some major differences between inner and outer beauty:
Inner beauty is seen by many, while outer beauty is subjective.
PHOTO BY DREW DRIZZY GRAHAM
Outer beauty drives initial attraction, but inner beauty is what makes it last.
Inner beauty can be cultivated, but outer beauty is largely beyond our control.
Outer beauty can change over time; inner beauty is eternal.
Cultivating inner beauty leads to growth, while altering outer beauty may lead to losing your identity.
How you treat and view yourself affects how beautiful you feel on the inside. When you can’t look at yourself in the mirror every morning, it’s difficult to project calm and pleasant energy to others. When you cannot love yourself, it is difficult to radiate loving compassion to others.
HOW DO WE DEVELOP BOTH INNER AND OUTER BEAUTY?
When evaluating beauty, we typically view it from the outside. We invent specialized cosmetic procedures to conceal and enhance our facial traits. We even forego substantial sums of money to let strangers prick our faces once or twice a month.
PHOTO BY ALLEN
Yes, the right cosmetic techniques and outfit choices may change how you seem on the outside. And these two activities by themselves will significantly boost your image. But if you want to be truly attractive, take care of your physical appearance and make sure you’re lovely on the inside. You can’t go wrong if you do that; both are important.
You might not think you have inner beauty, but it might be because you haven’t looked for it. Like your outward appearance, which can only be altered, you can develop an inner beauty that others will find appealing.
Using skincare products and applying cosmetics to make ourselves feel more confident is not wrong. Using makeup is a form of self-care. Making an effort to appear our best, whether in how we present ourselves to others or how we want to see ourselves in the mirror, feels wonderful.
Even while it makes us uncomfortable to admit that we care about our appearance, it is our right. There is nothing wrong with making an investment in or devoting time to our looks. Taking time to put on cosmetics, wear a face mask, or even shop for the newest styles are all acts of self-love.
You’re in a better mood when you feel good about wearing a new eyeshadow or bronzer. When you boost your confidence, many aspects of your life can improve based on your self-image. Also, when you focus on being kind and caring towards others or put effort into making positive changes, you emit an indescribable outward beauty.
Those with an inner beauty that shines brightly also appreciate the outward attractiveness society values so much. Suppose you’re trying to cultivate that inner beauty; you’ll soon discover that you appreciate instead of envy outer beauty. In the end, you’ll feel more assured in every connection. Still, you’ll feel more at ease and confident about yourself.
Do you feel guilty for putting so much emphasis on your appearance? Have you experienced criticism for wearing winged liners or going bare-faced? Remember that what makes you beautiful is you. The most important factor is the confidence that comes from concentrating on your inner and physical beauty.
Beauty is about embracing and celebrating your individuality, whether it be your body type, skin tone, or sense of humor.
PHOTO BY JAMES HUTTON
magnoliawellnessoc.com
A holistic healing collective founded on the principles of Chinese and Functional medicine.
A blend of modern health principles and ancient wisdom, to curate a personalized, multi-disciplinary healing experience.
SkincareHoliday Edition
Keep your Skincare game up during the busy holiday season
The holiday season is so much fun—full of gifts, indulgences, connecting with family and friends, parties, and vacations. But, as much fun as there is, there could be a lot of stress too—planning the gifts (check out TrooRa Gift Guide to reduce your work), late nights, food and alcohol consumption, and so on. All this could lead to your routines going for a toss, be it beauty, wellness, or sleep.
To look good at our parties and gettogethers, the beauty and skincare regime has to be a top priority, which is often compromised due to tiredness and lethargy that creeps in with sleepless nights. How often do you return from a party and get in bed without taking off your makeup? How frequently do you not drink the minimum eight glasses of water due to consumption of other drinks? All this takes a toll on the skin.
Let’s look at some quick and practical tips to achieve your skin care goals during the busy holiday season.
1.
Even if the holiday season equals all-night parties and getting together with family and friends, try to get a good sleep whenever possible. Short naps during the day also help to rejuvenate the skin and make you look less tired.
Never sleep with your makeup on, no matter how late it is or tired you are. Instead, use a makeup-removing balm, oil, or good ol’ cold press coconut oil, or use makeupremoving wipes to remove all makeup. Wipe your face with a tissue or cleanse it with a cleanser before getting in bed. Sleep with clean skin, and your skin will thank you for it.
3.
Drink a glass of water every hour during the day. Drink one glass of water for every glass of bubbly or cocktail you take. This will keep you hydrated, help with hangovers, prevent your skin from looking dull and lifeless, and keep your body free of toxins.
4.
Use a Primer with skin benefits to save time on multiple product applications. For example, you may use a primer for mattifying skin or radiance or one with SPF for sun protection during the day. Primer with a color corrector is also worth trying if your skin requires it.
5.
Face masks are a quick way to hydrate your skin. Get a hydrating face mask with hyaluronic acid or a collagen-based mask, and apply it for 30 minutes before putting on makeup. The skin will get much-needed hydration, and the makeup will sit better on the skin. This time will also give you some rest before attending parties.
6.
The skin tends to look dull and tired with stress and sleepless nights. A serum with vitamin C is your best friend in this situation. Applying a vitamin C serum during your bedtime skincare regime will help restore the skin’s radiance, making it appear younger and brighter. This also helps with the brown spots that appear during summer due to prolonged sun exposure.
7.
In most parts of the world, the holiday season coincides with winter, so concerns like skin dryness and itchiness are common. Moisturize your skin with rich creams and lotions containing hyaluronic acid and aloe vera to combat the issue and keep the skin soft and plump.
8.
Sunscreen is a must in any season. Never go out without sun protection to prevent your skin from concerns like tanning, aging, fine lines, and dull skin.
9.
Consuming vitamins and antioxidant-rich food like berries, nuts, citrus fruits, green tea, broccoli, carrots, etc., during the day will help rejuvenate the skin and be a much-needed detox after consuming all types of food and alcoholic drinks.
The above tips will help you keep up your skincare game and make the whole experience of dressing up and putting on makeup more pleasant during the holidays!
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Uniquely Hawaiian Skincare From Soil to Skin to Soul
Cover Feature
DREAM TO COFFEE TABLE BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA Executive Editor Trystanne Cunningham on the TrooRa Story.
Dream to Coffee Table.
Rare Insight: TrooRa Founder and Executive Editor In Chief Trystanne Cunningham Shares Her Story
WRITTEN BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: CHARLES SCHOENBERGER
HAIR
STYLED BY: EMILY PAYNE
STYLED BY: ROBERT DOUGLAS
MAKEUP BY: FREDY LOPEZ
Troora’s for the “truly rare,” for people who don’t just follow what’s popular or trending. If you’re an innovator anywhere in the world, relish our pages and discover different brands, products, and artists with exceptional stories of individuality and character.
“TrooRa is unique because we deliver a high-quality coffee table-style magazine by meticulously curating its contents and making the stories come to life through our exceptional and glamorous networking and launch events!”
Founder, Creative Director and Editor-In-Chief
Trystanne Cunningham says that when you read an issue of TrooRa, you will always walk away having learned something new, discovering an artist or brand you had never heard of before. You will have unparalleled access to unique products and inspiring stories.
One of these “truly rare” brands is fashion designer Vicnate of Nigeria. He was 17 when Cunningham ran across his work on social media, and she immediately fell in love with his talent and high fashion couture aesthetics.
“I ran across his work and was stunned by his talent. I’ve never met him in person but continue to showcase his stunning work in the pages of TrooRa in support of his growth. I believe he will be one of the next iconic designers. Keep an eye out for him in the pages of TrooRa Magazine and all social platforms!”
EARLY INSPIRATIONS
You might be surprised to know that Cunningham hated dresses as a young girl!
“Honestly, growing up in my native Haiti, I was a tomboy. I had two older brothers and always wanted to wear trousers and jeans.”
She remembers reenacting The Karate Kid with her cousins and always chose to be Ralph Macchio. Riding her green banana seat bicycle with green and white tassels, and sparkles on the seat.
“My mother always chose for me what I think are beautiful dresses now, but I absolutely hated cute girly dresses when I was younger.”
She does remember admiring her grandmother and aunt’s more grown-up fashion looks, though.
“My Grandmother Louise, my mother, Jessie, and my aunt Jacqueline have always been such inspirational figures. From a fashion perspective with their elegant and classic timeless dress styles and looks they had me in awe. Growing up, I would look at them and dream of being like them when I was older and able to pull their styles off!” “My father’s influence would be more on an intellectual level though. We have an amazing relationship, we can discuss anything. As I say he is my consigliere. I consult with him on all aspects of life and am grateful for his advice and wisdom.” Cunningham says he’s always been a sharp dresser as well. She is thankful and feels lucky to have had such prominent leading influential family members that have shaped her life and helped her become who she is today.
Louise Archer Coles (Grandmother) Left, Jessie Coles (Mother) Top Right, Jaqueline Coles Austin (Aunt of Trystanne) Bottom Right
Trystanne’s Father
Trystanne Cunnigham Founder of TrooRa Magazine
WORLDWIDE CREATIVE TALENT
Perhaps because she is an immigrant with friends and family around the world, Cunningham knew from the beginning that she wanted TrooRa to have an international focus and audience.
“I think the more writers you have from all over the world, the more perspectives you can give and the more culture you can bring to the forefront. Having each issue themed to focus on a different country, city, industry, or subject gives us an edge, gives us a wide variety and range of stories to attract readers from all walks of life.”
Towards that end, Cunningham has assembled a stellar global team.
“I have been lucky to have found people from around the world from our admin, design, press/pr, legal and marketing to our editorial teams. A team that truly believes in TrooRa’s vision and understands the significance of what we are working to achieve. The contributing writers are truly exceptional and recognize what TrooRa really is. This is how they suggest such unique stories for each issue!”
The first non-U.S.-themed issue focused on Ireland. An issue on global Black history is currently in the works followed by our Women’s issue and more.
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, OPENING DOORS TOGETHER
In addition to the worldwide style and glamor, TrooRa also positions itself to challenge systemic global financial and gender inequities.
Trystanne and her husband, Michael Cunningham, an electrical contractor in pursuit of his engineering masters and founder of MC² Electric, have privately financed the publication since TrooRa’s inception four years ago. Trystanne has applied for grants and loans and hopes to
attract investors and sponsors to increase TrooRa’s growth through her exceptional events and all of the services they are working to continue to ensure improvement and expansion.
“Financial snags have motivated me to work on developing ways to provide the tools for those with no access to resources or mentors to help them advance in their fields. After the hurdles and obstacles I continue to deal with on a daily basis, I want to use my efforts to serve and help artists, entrepreneurs and minority leaders avoid the struggles I’ve encountered.”
Cunningham points out how there’s a lack of support for minorities in and from the financial industry and the fact that women receive only a minute percentage of all venture capital for startups. She hopes that TrooRa will be a vehicle for change.
The products and services TrooRa offers are above and beyond the print magazine, including Shop TrooRa Showroom, an occasional pop-up shop bringing TrooRa Magazine’s emerging brands products and undiscovered artists work to life; Shop
TrooRa Live, a new live shopping experience through social media channels; TrooSource will provide resources and education for clients, members and subscribers; The TrooChat Podcast coming in early 2023 will provide a further platform for added visibility to brand founders; Conn3cted by Troora, Cunningham’s new monthly networking event born out of her desire to create an event that connects a sophisticated community of high achievers, talented leaders in The Bay Area and beyond. Conn3ted by TrooRa is a private community where successful c-suite individuals and entrepreneurs gather to share their knowledge and experiences; And Club TrooRa, a comprehensive membership for founders, brands, artists and more to take advantage of opportunities and all TrooRa services and products. All of these and more are intended to open doors for fellow entrepreneurs.
“I am working tirelessly with my team to turn TrooRa into the next innovative industry leader as a media agency, creative advertising, and digital marketing firm.”
Trystanne Cunnigham and Husband Michael Cunnigham
FROM LOVING MAGAZINES TO OWNING ONE
Cunningham has enthusiastically collected magazines since her teenage years, although as a teen she never thought she’d be the editor-in-chief or creative director, much less have her own publication!
“As I grew older, they became an obsession. And now, as an adult, anytime I’ve been blessed to travel to visit family and friends all around the world, my first stop at the airport is always still the newsstand.”
As a teenager, Cunningham admired the beauty of luxurious products, stunning supermodels and reveled in reading about the lifestyles of the famous in traditional magazines. “I was particularly fascinated by British model and entrepreneur, the legendary Naomi Campbell,” whom she looked up to as a Black woman and role model.
“Before social media and the Internet, it was difficult to discover new talent who were not already known, so I was a huge fan of the “Top Four” supermodels in the nineties.”
Now with the power of social media, the web, and TrooRa Magazine, it’s much easier to discover creatives from around the world.
While Cunningham has no formal publishing background, various other life experiences have prepared her for this role.
In 1990, she moved from her home in Haiti to Northern California. She found it
difficult to adjust, specifically with her first language being French and having attended an all-girls catholic school all her life. After finishing high school, she briefly attended college, where she focused on Theater and Drama, and worked various jobs. She enjoyed always being in the creative spaces, event planning and interior decorating and staging. She then briefly worked for another magazine and truly enjoyed the process. Specifically writing her first two articles on two of her favorite celebrities, Ayesha Curry and Lewis Hamilton. “I just love their stories and enjoyed diving into the research.”
“That was exciting and along the same lines of my creative brain and got me to look more into how I would start a magazine and what it would be about so it would stand out from the rest!”
In late summer of 2018, she took some graphic design courses and began research on magazine publishing, and the rest was history!
She seeks to emulate the editorial work of Andre Leon Tally, Edward Enninful, Grace Coddington, and Anna Wintour. She admires the grace, vision, style, elegance, and beauty they bring to the fashion industry and harnesses their wisdom in her everyday decisions. One of her favorite movies is The Devil Wears Prada where she believes (Miranda Priestly) a character played by one of her most beloved actresses (Meryl Streep), is simply “misunderstood”.
PERSONAL WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Cunningham pulls the curtain back to share a bit of her life as an executive editor, which is rewarding but not without hard work, grit, and mishaps.
“Managing TrooRa Magazine isn’t as glamorous as some people might think; not yet, anyway. Although, I did get to attend Hamptons Fashion Week this year and meet one of my most cherished designers, Nicole Miller. I got to pour her a glass of wine after an embarrassing moment trying to have a photo taken.”
Cunningham describes her typical day as beginning at 4 am with a workout and a walk with her hubby and pups. Then she gets ready for the day ahead.
“I usually have calls and meetings throughout the day with my team and potential new brands for possible features, collaborations, and partnerships. I work daily with my team to improve and streamline our processes. To continue to grow and improve, to become better.”
Trystanne also educates herself daily with books, videos, podcasts, and motivational resources.
With that challenging schedule, Cunningham speaks to her self-care and work-life balance.
“This is something I try to work on daily. Luckily I have a very understanding and supportive husband, friends, family and furry babies. It’s very hard at times, particularly around issue release and event launch time. Right now, I am answering these interview questions at 11:55pm on a Sunday night, and have a brutal week ahead!”
She does include some personal care routines in her life, including a facial every five to six weeks, a mani pedi every few weeks and a few hours a month watching true crime.
“Sometimes, there’s no way for me to balance work and life. Although I am four years and 16 issues into this dream, we’re still in the beginning stages of building our business and brand. I am willing to sacrifice everything and anything; that’s what it takes to build an empire!”
Still, she’s living her childhood dream, a vision she never thought possible.
“That’s thanks to the beauty of America and my relentless support system of my husband, mother, father, family, and friends. I am grateful to be in the position I am today and I know there is so much more to come.”
PRIDE AND REFLECTION
Cunningham feels most proud of the sustainability efforts of TrooRa.
“We hope to continue to fill the need for print where there is one, but in a sustainable and ecofriendly way. That has always been very important to me. There’s already a shift taking place within publishing, and we’d like to change the narrative through our efforts.”
Towards that end, TrooRa provides vibrant online content and limited and strategically distributed print runs.
Also, starting with the Fall 2022 Technology issue, TrooRa is printed on fully recycled paper (100% post-consumer waste), with vegetable-based ink and biodegradable laminates, and is in close proximity to our markets to reduce distribution emissions.
Cunningham also takes pride in the publication’s partnerships with the Urban Retreats Properties of San Francisco’s Viceroy Hotel Group.
As for TrooRa stories that inspire her, she highlights the work of Iguehi James, designer and founder of Love Iguehi. James has become a friend and encouraged Cunningham to step out of the shadows and be featured on the cover.
Also, she points out Diana Nguyen of Madison Savile, Carla Truitt of Eight Royale, Amanda Lui of Lui Jewelry, LaToya McInnis of Cocoacentric, Tiffany Asamoah of Bold Swim and Bold Skin and many more amazing women.
“Our perseverance and struggles are the same, and we work on creating a robust community to support and guide each other.”
TrooRa’s own labels are also another huge achievement for the Haitian Born woman, LaMarqq is an accessories line that launched with a unique idea, a Vachetta leather bag in collaboration with San Francisco designer and friend Basil Racuk that is exclusive to each issue’s launch event. Each bag is designed with the issue’s theme in mind and gifted as swag to VIP guests and Club TrooRa platinum members . Also, through her newest label, Maison Fortune et Francoise, TrooRa’s founder will collaborate with longtime friend and personal makeup artist Freddy Lopez, founder of Clone Candles (a division of LFV Vineyards). They’ve worked to develop a mini trio of candles for the new label’s first product. The name for the home decor
and wellness brand is an homage to her mother (Marie Fortune Jessie Coles) and her mother’s older sister and her late aunt (Marie Françoise Jacqueline Coles Austin).
Overall, she’s happy with the trajectory of TrooRa.
“I truly believe everything happens when it’s meant to and that mistakes are magic. Without mistakes and failure, there can be no success!”
She thinks TrooRa has come into its own, particularly with devising internal processes to make things work. For this, she credits the whole team, particularly one “superman” who has done incredible work integrating systems to proactively streamline each issue.
The design has also flourished with the help of the editorial team carrying out Cunningham’s unique and consistent vision.
“It’s been amazing to see the growth in our issues, and our systems come to life. It’s a real motivator and keeps me inspired to continue to serve and provide this as a voice and platform for the deserving but unheard.”
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BECOMING A MASTER OF YOUR SELF BY:
GEORGE DIKE
The True Meaning of Self-Love, Self-Expression, Self-Discovery.
LIVING IN AWE BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA Abundance, Wellness, Empowerment
Becoming a Master of Your Self
The True Meaning of Self-Love, Self-Expression, Self-Discovery.
WRITTEN BY GEORGE DIKE
The concepts of self-love, selfdiscovery, and self-expression are all intertwined. When you love yourself, you strive to discover yourself. And as you progress in your journey of selfdiscovery, you become aware of how best to express yourself.
You may think it isn’t necessary, but selfexpression defines who you are. We all have individual characteristics, preferences, and styles for communicating bits and pieces of ourselves with people around us.
Expressing yourself isn’t an option; it’s a necessity. You owe that to your loved ones as well as to yourself. Suppressed emotions lead to worry and stress, more than you realize.
WHAT IS SELF-LOVE?
Self-love is self-awareness, being positive, accepting your flaws, harnessing your strength, knowing your worth, and doing away with negative energy. Psychological research has shown that self-love and compassion are essential for mental health and well-being, preventing depression
PHOTO BY TIM MOSSHOLDER
and anxiety. Self-love has recently become a movement.
As our society and culture become more enthralled with the concept, the idea of fully accepting and loving oneself has become increasingly important. Besides, why shouldn’t you love yourself? After all, you only have one choice: to be yourself. You might as well love yourself.
Before practicing self-love, we first need to understand what it entails.
Self-love is a feeling of admiration for oneself that stems from behaviors that help us grow physically, psychologically, and spiritually.
Self-love implies having great regard for one’s happiness and well-being.
Self-love entails attending to your needs rather than putting others’ needs ahead of yours.
Self-love means refusing to accept anything less than what you deserve.
Our belief controls self-love about ourselves (self-based self-esteem) and thoughts about how other people regard us (other-based self-esteem). You must strengthen your beliefs about yourself
regardless of what others think of you. Only then can you truly love yourself!
Be mindful that self-love does not imply arrogance or futile ego. Instead, it means being authentic and compassionate to yourself.
“How to love yourself is how you teach others to love you” - Rupi Kaur.
WHAT DOES SELF-EXPRESSION LOOK LIKE?
Self-expression enables creativity. When we express ourselves, our minds actively draw inspiration from our knowledge and experiences, generating better ideas and plans. Our features make us what nature intended us to be.
You may fear vulnerability and have difficulty expressing yourself. In that case, self-expression doesn’t come in words; it can also be through art and creativity.
In a society full of conformist doctrines and a deep sense of stereotypes, we must stand out and show the differences that make us unique. Through this expression, we can influence others and, in turn, be influenced.
PHOTO BY ANNIE SPRATT
Self-expression allows others, especially your loved ones, to see you for who you really are. It is a safe and healthy avenue for all your ideas and emotions to be released into the world. The world benefits from diversity when people embrace their unique identities, beliefs, ideas, and practice.
Some benefits of genuinely expressing yourself include:
It helps to build mental health
It builds self-confidence
It helps you find and develop your true self
We should always strive to be the best version of ourselves. When you keep trying, sweet rewards await you at the end.
“Never dull your shine for somebody else.” - Tyra Banks.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DISCOVER ONESELF?
As teenagers and young adults, we struggle to “find ourselves.” Then, as we become older, we frequently revisit these thoughts. It’s common and necessary to look within for self-understanding. We need to understand who we are to accept ourselves and establish a sense of belonging.
“If we’re really committed to growth, we never stop discovering new dimensions of self and selfexpression.” - Oprah Winfrey.
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Psychology defines self-knowledge as knowledge of one’s sensations, thoughts, beliefs, and other mental states. Selfknowledge requires ongoing self-awareness and self-consciousness.
Discovering yourself goes beyond learning your favorite color or food. Beyond those things, there are aspects of ourselves that merit more exploration. These might consist of your prior experiences, your core beliefs, how you make decisions, and much more.
Knowing who you truly are will help you:
Solve problems in life more easily
Become adaptable to a new experience
Build healthy relationships and love with the people in your life
When you truly discover yourself, relationships around you become deeper and more genuine. Self-discovery can also show you which relationships can be toxic and should probably end.
Although it is possible to go through life without a well-developed self-awareness, discovering more about yourself can help you feel freer in life. It can also help you gain a deeper sense of self-discovery.
Self-understanding requires a lot of conscious effort, but the effort is worth it! When you fail to understand your true self, your identity is lost. When you lose your identity, it stirs up some or all of these:
You put everyone else’s needs before your own.
You’re disconnected from your thoughts and feelings.
You feel shame and unworthiness and, consequently, bury parts of yourself.
Understanding who you are may be helpful in so many different ways. Understanding your reactions in particular situations, how you talk to yourself in your thoughts, and other characteristics might help you become happier.
“If we’re really committed to growth, we never stop discovering new dimensions of self and selfexpression.” - Oprah Winfrey.
END LESSONS, WITH LOVE
If there’s one thing you must learn from this, it’s that there are several possible advantages to improving your ability to articulate yourself. Being human requires developing our capacity for selfunderstanding and properly communicating with others.
We’re lucky to have so much influence over how that process unfolds! Accept that fact, and you will avoid looking back with regret as you will be proud of everything you have achieved. Take action today; be unapologetically you!
Remember, your emotions, experiences, and ideas are valid. Stay true to yourself always. There has never been, and never will be, another version of you!
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The
Living in AWE: Abundance, Wellness, Empowerment
WRITTEN BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: MARK CHASAN
Innovator Mark Chasan describes awe as a state of amazement, wonder, love, reverence, and gratitude for all we have the fortune to experience.
“So many people in society have forgotten, or become numb to, the miracle of life.
Each breath, the interactions of our cells, this beautiful planet, and its complex ecosystems that give us life and sustain us are just a few of the amazing miracles we have been given,” he says.
His new book, Living in AWE - Abundance, Wellness, Empowerment , shares how people can improve their mental and physical health and how societies can adopt regenerative ecological and community-building practices.
“The root causes of all social dysfunction are fear and disconnection. To heal this social dysfunction, it is essential that we create a new paradigm based upon loving and connecting with each other and our planet.”
MARK CHASAN’S INSPIRATIONS
Chasan brings a wide variety of experiences to the table that informs his writing. He considers himself a “systems visionary integrator.” He started his career as a professional musician and intuitive healer, which left him feeling fulfilled but making little money. So he became a lawyer, at which he was successful, bought a home and a Mercedes, and traveled. However, he no longer felt fulfilled.
Then, in 1995, he launched the company Emusic, which sold digital music files online. The company went through some dark times and nearly closed.
Through that experience, Chasan drew upon the wisdom he’d learned from his lifetime of studying metaphysics, wellness, and manifestation. “It took me a while to clear all of my limiting belief systems and trust the universe and adapt rather than relying on force and will to get things done, though.”
One morning, when things seemed the most hopeless for Emusic and Chasan was out of money, his body started shaking violently while he lay in bed.
“At first, I thought I was having a nervous breakdown, but because of my Kundalini yoga training, I knew the shaking would cleanse and strengthen me.”
Chasan remembers that this experience dismantled his ego and the beliefs that limited him and healed his old traumas. “I experienced unconditional love and an overflowing heart and was transformed. I felt clear; my heart was open, full, and radiant. I was joyous and in a state of awe.”
Despite the dire predictions of his friends and family, Emusic eventually grew and went public, and Chasan made millions from the sale of stock. However, he later experienced major financial losses and life challenges. He had to learn to feel abundant without physical wealth and money, and develop a connection to nature, acceptance, and compassion.
ABUNDANCE, WELLNESS, AND EMPOWERMENT
Mark Chasan’s book Living in AWE focuses on abundance, wellness, and empowerment.
To Chasan, abundance is a state of mind that doesn’t depend on your financial status. It’s a state of mind where you’re content and happy in the moment, free to share your gifts with others, and grateful for all that you have.
Wellness goes beyond not being sick or injured and involves being in a state of optimal physical, mental, and emotional health. This also includes our relationships with others and with nature.
Chasan now works with eco-social entrepreneurs and executives to achieve breakthroughs in their lives and businesses. He has also developed a health protocol that he has shared with hundreds of people and is advocating for and accelerating principles of regenerative economics devoted to helping people and the planet thrive.
Empowerment refers to having the ability, right, and confidence to take selfdetermined action that improves the quality of life for ourselves, others, and the planet. Individually and collectively, we can transform the world.
“The states of being Abundant, Well, and Empowered are critical to shifting from the Industrial
Age of extraction, scarcity, greed, hoarding, fear, and Darwinistic competition to the Regenerative Age of love, connection, collaboration, respect, regenerability, and living systems innovation in support of human and planetary thriving.”
Chasan urges people who are making changes in their own lives and political and business leaders with the ability to make larger-scale changes to think in systemic, integrated, and holistic ways. To Chasan, some people are very good at maintaining a solid mindset, spiritually or otherwise, and
advocating for positive thinking but hardly ever consider their impact on the environment or less-resourced communities. Others might be completely sold out for social or ecological justice but under-emphasize the role of physical and mental wellness in making their work sustainable.
It will take long-term, concerted efforts towards Abundance, Wellness, and Empowerment, all at once, to effect lasting change.
WAYS TO MAKE CHANGE
“Right now, the U.N. has 17 separate goals for sustainable development. While we are making progress towards these goals, corruption and lack of accountability are getting in the way, and the level of investment is simply not enough for the scale of the challenges we face.”
In his book, he advocates for Core Regenerative Enterprises and Projects (CREPs) that meet established criteria for fixing ecological and societal problems and fostering a thriving society. Many of these CREPs will ultimately become profitable and sustainable businesses, although they will initially require a great amount of public and private investment.
Areas where Chasan would like to see CREPs focused are clean water and aqua technology, nutritious food and sustainable agriculture, renewable and affordable energy, biomaterials and bioscience, regenerative and resilient cities, environmental restoration, optimal human health and wellness, waste recycling, regenerative learning and training, and ethical finance and governance.
He believes that localization and decentralization of the global, fossilfuel-burning supply chain is one of the most impactful places to start. That would involve fostering local agriculture and clean water, clean energy, renewable materials, and localized manufacturing.
“One of the ways I make a difference is by growing food in my own yard. If I pluck an apple off my tree, it doesn’t have to be packaged and transported in ways that use up resources.”
Also, Chasan would love to see the world’s education systems be personalized, practical, and applied. “Let children out of the ‘kid jail’ classrooms. Inspire them, give them real skills that include collaboration, emotional intelligence, survival skills, growing food, the arts, wellness education, and connection to nature.”
He’d like to see children learn biology in the forest and farm, math and engineering in a computer science lab, and every other subject by engaging in the design and development of sustainable infrastructure.
PRACTICING WHAT HE PREACHES
When he isn’t busy saving the world, Chasan enjoys going out in nature. “I enjoy surfing, snorkeling, mountain biking, hiking, skiing, and camping. I love playing and composing music, doing healing work on myself and others, and optimizing my health with yoga, weight training, martial arts, meditation, organic superfoods, fresh juices, vegetables, and low-glycemic fruits.”
natural body care
artisanal, organic body care
self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity for our own well-being
health & fitness
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WORKING OUT AT HOME EFFECTIVELY BY: JESSE ADUMA
Most effective workout exercises that can be carried out at home and how they impact you
GETTING BACK IN SHAPE BY: JESSE ADUMA
Understanding the reasons behind accidental weight gain and steps you can take to avoid them
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STEERING CLEAR OF HOLIDAY WEIGHT BY: JESSE ADUMA
How to avoid gaining weight during the holidays
Working Out at Home Effectively
Most effective workout exercises that can be carried out at home and how they impact you.
Taking time out to exercise on any given day could prove stressful—daunting even—much more so during the holidays. At this time, we just want to sleep in longer than usual, relax all day, steering clear of anything that proves taxing. I mean, it is the holidays.
A huge reason for the apathy associated with exercising is that when the topic
WRITTEN BY: JESSE ADUMA PHOTOGRAPHED BY: LILIANA DREW, MENTATDGT, MART PRODUCTION, LUCAS ALBINO
comes up, people immediately picture workout/strength training exercises used to build muscle, which is what is mostly displayed or portrayed in most fitness magazines.
While this form of exercise may be specifically useful in building muscle, when it comes to burning fat or just getting in a daily dose of exercise, you don’t need a set of dumbbells. There are effective workouts that can be performed right in your home without even stepping foot in the gym!
But before we get into that, here’s why you should keep on your exercise streak even while holidaying.
IMPORTANCE OF A STEADY WORKOUT SCHEDULE
Besides just thicker biceps, fuller pecs or abs, and a more trimmed, ripped, and streamlined physique, exercising also packs a vast number of health benefits to the human body. Exercising/working out can help with weight loss/regulation, muscle development, and even greatly reduce risks or vulnerability to certain illnesses and diseases.
Furthermore, a regular workout plan allows for constant and steady growth. Rather than exercising just whenever you feel like it, constantly adhering to a specific regimen will help you reach your fitness goals much faster.
So while you may want to sit out the holidays, you may be undoing all the work you’ve put in thus far in acquiring your dream body. What’s more, retiring your exercise schedule during the holidays, which is a notorious time of festivity during which we tend to consume more than our regular share of food, could easily result in accelerated weight gain.
Some other benefits of regular exercise include better relaxation and sleep quality—you always rest better after exerting yourself—it raises energy levels, strengthens bones, muscles, and tissue, and helps burn any excess calories, avoiding the hoarding of fat in the body.
Regular exercise also helps boost your mood, brain health, and memory; it helps increase and maintain energy levels, leaving you less likely to be susceptible to depression and anxiety, as it also decreases feelings of stress. Furthermore, exercising increases your heart rate, promoting oxygenated blood flow to the brain. It also stimulates the production of hormones, enhancing brain cell growth, improving brain function, memory retention, and cognitive skills.
Health conditions such as obesity can be effectively deterred by regular adherence to a workout plan. Furthermore, regular exercise has been found to decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels, promoting a healthier heart. Consequently, it helps reduce the risk of or prevents several health conditions,
including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, several forms of cancer, hypertension, anxiety, depression, high cholesterol, etc.
Other benefits of a regular workout schedule include helping your skin health, reducing pain, and it can also boost your sex and social life.
Now that you know why you need to exercise, you also need to know the difference between regular cardio exercises (endurance training) and strength training/workouts.
CARDIO TRAINING VS STRENGTH TRAINING
A major difference between the two is the intensity. While the exercises involved in strength training aim to build muscle by pushing the body to its limits, thereby expanding them, cardio exercises are more low-key.
Cardiovascular exercises tend to focus more on the building of stamina. As the name implies, these exercises deal primarily with the heart. They are usually designed to include a lot of movement to get your heart racing. A common example is running or jogging.
Cardio workouts pack a bunch of health benefits as they promote a healthier heart, serving to regulate your blood sugar levels, thereby reducing
the risk of diabetes. Also, cardio exercises help boost endurance.
First, identifying your workout goal is key, as this would enable you to design a well-thought-out workout plan with a series of optimal workouts that would efficiently guarantee the best results.
Now that you understand the importance of exercising regularly and the difference between cardio exercises and strength training or musclebuilding exercises, here are a couple of exercises you can perform efficiently from the comfort of your home.
MOST EFFECTIVE WORKOUTS THAT REQUIRE NO EQUIPMENT
Some days you just can’t seem to get out of bed. Just the thought of getting up as early as 6 am to go to the gym can be weighty, dreadful even. Maybe your gym is closed for the holidays, and you just don’t have access to the necessary equipment. Well, guess what? You don’t really need them.
RUNNING/JOGGING
As a very popular cardiovascular exercise, running offers many benefits like helping to lower blood pressure and resting heart rate, lower cholesterol, improve blood sugar control, etc.
SQUATS
Squats are considered by many one of the best ways to strengthen your legs. Squats, as a workout exercise, take advantage of your body weight and the gravitational pull in order to deliver effective strain to your leg muscles. For beginners, 10 may be enough, but if you feel it’s too easy, you may increase that to 20 or 30 till your legs begin to feel rubbery.
PUSHUPS
Push-ups are as effective as they are popular, more so even. What makes push-ups such an effective workout is that you work out and build your back, your biceps/arms, and your chest all at once. You can strengthen your entire upper body just by performing one workout. Who wouldn’t love that? Plus, there are different variations from just basic pushups, e.g., crisscross, wide, narrow, clap push-ups, one-handed, etc. So you can always adjust your spec for optimal results.
SIT UPS/CRUNCHES
What’s the best way to work out your core? Or maybe you fancy getting the “Hemsworth” 6 pack. Whatever the reason, crunches are your best bet, and yes, they can be effective even without weights. On average, 10 crunches a day will do your tummy a lot of good, but if you’re looking for a challenge, you can increase this figure.
JUMPING JACKS
Yet another cardio exercise, jumping jacks help work out your entire body and could be an amazing way to warm up your joints before beginning your workout regimen. It is performed by jumping to a position with legs spread, hands touching overhead, and then returning to a position with feet together and arms at the sides.
To wrap up, going on holiday doesn’t mean you should abandon
Retiring your exercise schedule during the holidays could easily result in accelerated weight gain.
your healthy habits. Since your body doesn’t take vacations, you’ll also have to put in constant work. Now no one is asking you to hit the gym on Christmas; sure, you might skip a day or two, but always try to make sure you get in at least three days of exercise every week.
Since your body doesn’t take vacations, you’ll also have to put in constant work.
Photographer: Elias Gurrola instagram.com/eliasgurrola twitter.com/Elias_Gurrola facebook.com/eliasgurroladesign pinterest.com/eliasgurrola/_created eliasgurrola.com
Getting Back in Shape
Understanding the reasons behind accidental weight gain and steps you can take to avoid them.
WRITTEN
BY: JESSE ADUMA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: MART PRODUCTION, KOOLSHOOTERS, CRIATIVITHY, COTHONBRO, ATHENA
So you ignored the warnings and let loose during the holidays, or maybe you’re complying to the best of your ability but still managing to gain weight. Well, you’re not alone. For one reason or another, many of us can’t seem to avoid piling on the extra weight. No use crying over spilled milk. Let’s find
…empty calories, being liquids, your body may not register or feel full, meaning you might be inclined to eat or drink more.
out what you’re doing wrong.
WHY AM I STILL GAINING WEIGHT?
Off the top, the fastest way to add on the weight would probably be to pile on the junk. Junk foods tend to consist majorly of fats and not always enough fiber. A diet based solely or majorly on these is sure to result in the reckless intake of excess calories, which your body tends to hoard as fat, leading
to an exponential increase in weight over a short period.
For most individuals, this is usually the case; with all that surplus sumptuous holiday delicacies sitting just across the table, barely an arm’s reach away, it’s easy to fall into unhealthy feeding habits.
To aid you in your quest to shed weight, here are some foods you
might want to cut down on—and not just for the sake of the holidays:
SUGAR
Beverages such as sodas, energy drinks, and fruit juices can have a very high sugar count, making them calorie dense. These can be seen as empty calories; being liquids, your body may not register or feel full, meaning you might be inclined to eat or drink more, leading to the consumption of even more calories. So unless you are set to eat less food to compensate for the already high intake of calories from these sweetened beverages, it is best to avoid them.
POTATOES/FRIES
The tricky part here is that potatoes are quite healthy tubers, but studies have been shown to support that they do cause one to add on weight. An even bigger problem is the frying. Fries contain a lot of calories because this combines the already calorie-stacked potatoes with literal fats and oil to make for one super dense calorie food.
Furthermore, deepfrying, the method by which they are prepared in most eateries, adds a significant amount of fats and even more calories. Worse, they lack fiber and protein and do not help a person fill up fast nor feel full for very long. As a result, it is very easy to consume a lot as they’re quite enjoyable.
BAKED GOODS
So we’ve established too many calories, fats/oil, and added sugar as unhealthy; now here comes something that somehow manages to combine them all. Besides added sugars and high calories, baked foods such as cakes, cookies— pastries overall—are usually made with refined flour. Also, they contain “trans fats,” which are harmful to the body.
Trans fat is unsaturated and associated with an elevated risk of coronary heart disease. More so, pastries are not very satisfying, meaning, without caution, you are likely to consume an “unhealthy” amount of already unhealthy foods, leading to not just weight gain but also elevated risks of heart diseases.
MEATS
intake, especially during the holiday festivities. So exercising moderation is sure to positively affect any weight loss campaign.
Strength training serves the purpose of building muscle, which could see you putting on weight.
Moving on, here are some of the most effective methods you can implore to help you shed weight.
EXERCISE
Right off the bat, we have exercise. Exercising is one of the surest ways to keep in shape or shed weight, as it helps burn off any extra calories, preventing the hoarding of fat. However, while exercising does burn fat, with strength training exercises, things may get a tad confusing when you hop on the measurement scale.
Processed meats, such as dried, fermented, canned, and smoked, are often low in nutrients while having very high salt counts. Unprocessed meats are a much healthier choice as they have been found to contain fewer calories than their processed counterparts while still being rich in protein.
ALCOHOL
Yes! Alcohol CAN lead to weight gain. With alcohol, a lot boils down to the kind and quantity. While an occasional glass of red wine may be fine, beer is known to cause weight gain. While calorie-dense, alcoholic beverages are generally high in sugar and contain little fiber or protein. It is ok to have a glass or two; however, heavy drinking can and will be disastrous to any weight loss plans.
These are some of the most popular food types incorporated into our everyday food
While strength training provides a set of highintensity workouts that can sear through fat speedily, it also serves the purpose of building muscle, which could see you putting on weight.
Let me explain. Muscle is heavy, even heavier than fat; however, it is much more compact. This means that while two individuals may bear the same number on the scale, the one with weight gained from fat would probably have bloated hips, while the one gained by building muscle would be regarded as fit.
INTERMITTENT FASTING
Intermittent fasting is any mealtime schedule that toggles between fasting and nonfasting over a given period. Taking care to plan your meal times so that you deprive yourself of food (fast) for a specified period and then continuing with your normal routine once said period elapses.
While intermittent
fasting may prove effective, it is regarded as extreme. Newbies to dieting are advised to first consider other methods.
PORTION CONTROL
On its own, practicing portion control will put the reins on your body weight, allowing you to keep track and prevent weight gain. Pairing this practice with regular exercise, however, will serve to multiply its effect and could lead to a dramatic reduction in weight over time without you having to go through rigorous dietary restrictions.
Working toward your body goals may prove taxing. A lot of times, we tend to go astray, give up on certain practices even. You should note, however, that the most important practice for a healthy lifestyle is a healthy diet and regular exercise—even as little as going for a walk or opting for the stairs. That is the basis for a healthy body, any other technique or hack is just a variation, a tweaking of these to boost effectiveness.
Beautiful shoes should be confortable too
alicebow.com
Steering Clear of Holiday Weight
How to avoid gaining weight during the holidays
WRITTEN
BY:
JESSE ADUMA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: COTTON
BRO, MOOSE PHOTOS, NATHAN COWLEY, ROMAN ODINTSOV.
With the arrival of the holidays comes a host of different festivities, which provide the opportunity to kick back and relax with loved ones, with provision for usually enormous amounts of assorted meals. Beginning with Thanksgiving, going through Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year, having a bunch of festivities packed together exponentially increases the tendency to gain weight from all that “face stuffing,” especially since we tend to cut physical activity to a minimum during the holidays.
This occurrence has so efficiently been labeled as “holiday weight”— weight gained from indulging in unhealthy eating habits over the course of the holiday/festive periods.
In an attempt to counteract this, some people adhere to strict dietary regimens, either after to get themselves back into shape, or during the holiday period to stay clear of any extra weight to begin with. While
these methods may be effective to an extent, adhering to strict dietary restrictions may, in some cases, be considered inefficient, as not only will individuals be depriving themselves of their favorite holiday foods, but this could also make one grumpy and irritable—which isn’t an ideal state of mind for the holidays.
Rather than needlessly depriving yourself of the joy of the season, it’s a lot more effective to familiarize ourselves with what exactly causes holiday weight. This way, we may be able to adjust personal habits and practices to individual preferences, so we can enjoy our favorite dishes without coming out the other side with a bloated waistline.
WHAT CAUSES WEIGHT GAIN?
One of the factors with the most influence on weight is diet. The food we eat plays a huge role in deciding the state of our physical bodies. This is because the body requires calories to perform everyday activities and tasks. “What exactly are these calories?” you may be wondering. Well, calories aren’t any special foods; no, calories are just units used to measure the amount of energy the body requires or uses to perform tasks and activities. It is the unit used to measure how much energy is received from the food we eat.
What is of vital importance is that, while the body accepts these calories from consumed foods, and uses them as energy to fuel the body’s activities, the ratio of how many calories come in to how many are spent is usually what determines fat development and bloated waistlines. This is because calories consumed and not burned by the body are hoarded and stored as fat.
As a result, there are two major and very effective measures for weight regulation; one is you make an effort to burn as many calories as possible by performing various activities that help burn calories fast. It is from this concept that Exercise is born. Two, if you aren’t so keen on exercising or just want to double your efforts for maximum effectiveness, you can control the number of calories consumed daily. This way, even if you do not burn many calories daily, you can still keep from having excess by not consuming so much in the first place. From this concept came Dieting.
HOLIDAY WEIGHT
Now that you know the weight gain process and the food most likely to trigger it, here are a few tips to keep you in shape. Amongst a vast sea of techniques and hacks, these two have been proven the most effective means of retaining your figure while still being able to enjoy your favorite holiday foods.
Exercising doesn’t have to be about huffing and puffing while deadlifting
According to Cosmopolitan, some popular holiday foods stacked with insanely high amounts of calories include pecan pie (503 calories per 1/8 of a standard pie), sweet potato casserole (about 400 calories per 200gram serving), eggnog (about 838 calories per quart), snickerdoodle cookies (480 calories in two cookies), and turkey legs (about 334 calories each).
HOW TO STEER CLEAR OF
PORTION CONTROL
So what exactly is portion control?
Portion control is consciousness in meal planning. It is the healthy consumption of food with regards to quantity, exercising moderation in food consumption, helping you get the benefits of the nutrients in the food without overeating.
Unlike dieting, which could mean avoiding certain foods completely, portion control only suggests you mind the quantity. A vital role of portion control is that it helps regulate weight; a little tweaking could also aid you in gaining weight, and it helps keep you in control of your body.
Since a major reason for gaining weight during the holidays is frequent eating, portion control will prove efficient as it will enable you to control your appetite while also allowing you to enjoy your favorites, unlike adhering to a strict diet which is a more severe treatment as it limits food consumption to the bare minimum needed for daily performance.
WORKOUT/EXERCISE
It’s common knowledge that exercising is a key factor in trying to lose weight. However, many people get turned off at the thought because they tend to picture strenuous workout routines and complex workout machinery, when doing as little as taking regular short walks once or twice a day can go a long way in regulating weight gain/loss. Exercising doesn’t have to be about huffing and puffing while deadlifting. Taking evening walks can be most effective because your metabolism typically slows down toward the end of the day.
Besides the piling on of weight due to a low metabolic rate resulting from inactivity, such a lifestyle could also cause you to feel tired and fatigued; it could lead to heart diseases, hormonal imbalances, depression, and other long-term effects.
So as an alternative to regulating your diet, another sure way to prevent the hoarding of calories is to perform more physical activity in order to help burn down these calories. Therefore, the more regularly you exercise, the less likely you are to gain weight and the more likely you are to lose a few.
And yes, with this method, you should be able to eat your fill of your favorite holiday dishes without gaining extra weight, just as long as you balance it out by taking every opportunity to burn extra calories. For example, go on evening walks, opt for the stairs rather than the elevator, etc.
The ratio of how many calories come in to how many are spent is usually what determines fat development and bloated waistlines
Some other health benefits of portion control include faster digestion, weight regulation, helping to regulate blood sugar levels, and allowing you to stay energized throughout the day with enough calories needed for optimal performance.
Whether you choose portion control or working out, committing to any of these is sure to give you the desired results. However, for optimal physical health, merging the two is advised. This will not only help you avoid holiday weight by keeping you in
shape, but adding exercise to your daily routine, no matter how minimal, will also help boost physical health and reduce the risk of health issues.
334 FROM PAIN TO PURPOSE BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA
Shannon Anderson and POP Publishing
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AUTHORS, LARGE AND SMALL BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA
Affordable Publicity Support for Brands and Creatives
346 SHOP THE CHANGE BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA Davis’s Do Good Shop Lifts Artisans Worldwide from Poverty
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REFUGEES ARE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTS AND SKILLS, NOT JUST NEEDS BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA Asylum Access’ Legal Advocacy Helps Refugees Worldwide Live, Work, and Access Education
From Pain to Purpose
Writing Coach Shannon Anderson Helps You Tell Your Story
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
WRITTEN BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA
SHANNON ANDERSON/POWER OF PURPOSE PUBLISHING
Shannon Anderson, from Atlanta, GA, got into publishing through tragedy. In 2015, her partner and music industry manager was killed in a car accident. She’d been in the music industry for a while, and he’d been managing her career.
“As he took his last breaths, I knew my life would never be the same. That’s when I knew that something had to change. I wrote my book, shared my story, then other people wanted me to help them do the same. That’s how I got into coaching and book publishing.”
Anderson is also a survivor of other traumas, including childhood abuse and domestic violence, but has healed and reclaimed her life.
Shannon Anderson
“We all have a story and a message. Our experiences qualify us to be able to share that with others.”
WRITING HER WAY TO WHOLENESS
She says that writing a nonfiction book was her pathway to healing, self-acceptance, and understanding.
“Becoming an author gave me a sense of purpose. It boosted my confidence and allowed me to share my story while teaching about my past experience to help others overcome their own,” she says.
YOUR PAIN CAN BECOME YOUR PURPOSE: SHANNON’S AUTHOR COACHING
She has turned her book writing and publishing experience into an author coaching and publishing business which reflects her personal journey and is called Power of Purpose (P.O.P.) Publishing.
As a Black woman, it’s important to her to amplify the voices of people of color and push the publishing industry toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Also, as a survivor, she wants to help others who have overcome obstacles see the value in and earn a living from their books and stories by coaching and inspiring others. Her new title, The Book Writing Recipe , outlines the procedure she uses to coach aspiring authors to put their books together. She wants to help even more people tell their stories by taking the wisdom and information clients learn through signing up for her company’s online writing coaching services and putting it down in an affordable book.
“We all have a story and a message. Our experiences qualify us to be able to share that with others. We have
all overcome something or learned something that others will pay us to teach them. I help my clients figure out what that process looks like, then package it into a book. This is the blueprint to having a successful author brand and turning it into a coaching business.”
HOW A BOOK HEIGHTENS YOUR CREDIBILITY
Shannon believes that publishing a book based on what you have learned through your life experiences will heighten your credibility as a life or wellness coach.
“Having a book, if you are a coach, to me, is just the obvious next step. Now you can be seen as a top professional in your industry, and others considering hiring you can read your book and see if you’re a good fit for them. It sells you as an expert before they even speak to you.”
“Having a book, if you are a coach, to me, is just the obvious next step. Now you can be seen as a top professional in your industry, and others considering hiring you can read your book and see if you’re a good fit for them. It sells you as an expert before they even speak to you.”
She says that having a book is a great warm-up and introduction to who you are and your way of coaching, and will educate the potential clients who would benefit from your services to know why you are their best option.
MAKING YOUR BOOK HAPPEN IN 90 DAYS
Anderson says that one big reason people don’t write books is that they think they don’t have enough time. “We all have time for the things we really want,” she says. But, too often, we tell ourselves things will be hard when they don’t have to be.
She has created a five-step formula that she details in The Book Writing Recipe t hat has helped hundreds of clients find the time to write and publish their books in 90 days. “People just need to have a formula and sense of steps to get this done.”
FUTURE, PRIORITIES, AND SELF CARE
She has worked with many clients: celebrity bodyguards, doctors, ministers, single mothers, and others.
In the future, she looks forward to hosting more in-person events as the pandemic lessens.
“Reaching and connecting with people on a personal level is so important, especially after living through a pandemic. I think we took for granted how important personal connection is. I’d like to get back to that.”
In her spare time, she enjoys watching TV, traveling, and spending time with her children. She says that simplicity is her self-care.
Authors, Large and Small: Affordable Publicity Support for Brands and Creatives
Find Your Audience Where They Already Gather, Reach Them How They Already Communicate
WRITTEN BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: AUTHORS, LARGE AND SMALL
Cristina Deptula launched Authors, Large and Small from her grandparents’ couch in 2013, just after her grandmother had moved to an assisted living facility.
“I was always close to all of my grandparents, and it was an honor to live with and care for my grandma as long as we could,” Deptula says. “But my professional background was in journalism and communications, and I needed to keep my skills fresh to re-enter the field.”
Deptula had stayed with her grandmother fulltime for over a year and lost many of her professional connections, so she had to start fresh. Also, many of the people she did have in her life were struggling financially, facing barriers to employment, including disabilities, transportation issues, and family caregiving responsibilities.
So, she joined a group of friends and colleagues and started a book publicity venture. She’d worked previously with a publisher who had hired her to work remotely in an administrative position, looking up book review bloggers and inviting them to review their titles. She expanded on that and set up packages of services that included landing reviews as well as contacting bookstores to set up signings, and reaching out to influencers on social media.
made up of their own family and friends. You really have to go out there and find people who are interested in what you’re doing, who already have big audiences, and invite them to share about you. Then, they can bring visitors to your accounts.”
Her software developer boyfriend, Carl Gorringe, made her a stylish website, and she set out to find clients.
“I reached out to people who had sponsored ads on Facebook, as they had products for which they were willing to invest in marketing. Also, I had a friend who had been a publicist for a local press who had gone freelance, and I offered to take the clients who came to her that she couldn’t serve.”
“Too often, people think that social media is only about maintaining your own accounts on different platforms. So they create lovely social sites and get tiny audiences
“We’re realistic with each brand about what services would benefit them, so they don’t end up buying something we offer that they don’t need.”
The business has since expanded to pitch people as speakers at industry conferences, reach out to mainstream news channels, and land podcast appearances. Authors, Large and Small has also gotten books out through unusual venues, including donations to recovery groups and a Meetup group for women facing life transitions.
Past client Roseanne Lentin, founder of New Jersey’s Turn the Page Publishing, says, “How do you keep your fingers in so many pies? You must have three hands!”
STEADY, SUSTAINED OUTREACH
Authors, Large and Small loves to work with emerging and established creative brands. With a more established brand, the challenge may be
to adapt your message to suit changing customer preferences or business needs or to branch out effectively in new directions. With an emerging brand, the goal is often first to let people know that the brand exists!
“We do that through steady, sustained outreach, week after week, to bloggers, podcasters, festivals, conferences, bookstores, gift stores, social media influencers, libraries, nonprofit organizations that could partner with a brand, etc. We brainstorm with each brand and come up with a unique strategy that we keep tweaking as we go along until we find something that works and lands results.”
Another past client, New York-based photographer Lynn Gilbert, says that Authors, Large and Small’s teammates “have an amazing work ethic” and that she’s appreciative of their efforts.
employment herself. “I’m able and willing to work, but I don’t have a car or the ability to drive long distances and live in a neighborhood where it’s considered dangerous to ride the subway alone, especially after dark. And it gets dark as early as 5 pm in the winter!”
“Authors, Large and Small believes in the quirky, the different, the interdisciplinary, the worthwhile but hard-to-explain.”
EMPLOYING HIDDEN TALENT
Authors, Large and Small believes in the quirky, the different, the interdisciplinary, the worthwhile but hard-to-explain.
This approach comes through in how the agency finds the subcontractors who work with them.
“We brought aboard many of the people I knew who were struggling to find work,” Deptula says. “These were people who had definite skills and knowledge, but for various reasons couldn’t get themselves into the right spaces and networks to be able to make use of their abilities.”
Her dream is to expand the business to provide a steady stream of online or in-person gig work for people who need flexibility and find keeping conventional jobs difficult or impossible.
DISABILITY JUSTICE AND HUMANITY IN EMPLOYMENT
As a woman on the autism spectrum, Deptula has had trouble with traditional
She has watched other friends apply for disability income from the government, but in the United States, it’s not as easy or as much money as many think and can prevent people from ever working again, trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
Authors, Large and Small would like to change the system, and the perception of what it means to work, by raising awareness of disability rights and promoting inclusion and by providing work and income that people can access at a flexible schedule, at their own pace, in a model that they hope will take off and be adapted and replicated around the world.
“This will help disabled people, and also parents, grandparents, those who live in rural or remote areas, and those who are providing eldercare, as I was. It’s time to get realistic about the fact that when we work, we can’t just turn off our humanity during business hours.”
Deptula has brought her unique personality and interests to the table to serve Authors, Large
and Small’s clients.
“I think that, for me, my autism helps me stay tenacious and not give up, stay with books and clients for the long haul. And I can get beyond traditional stereotypes and identify new and interesting ideas about what sorts of people might connect with someone’s book or brand.”
BENEFITS TO CLIENTS: RESILIENCE, AFFORDABILITY, AND TRANSPARENCY
The benefits of this flexibility extend to the creative clients served by Authors, Large and Small. “People who have been excluded from the job market are often very happy to be included, to find a way to improve their lives. They translate this energy into creativity and resourcefulness on behalf of the clients. Also, people in poverty often have to be innovative, resilient, and resourceful in order to survive, and all of these are valuable traits in the workforce.”
Many at-home parents, caregivers, and people with disabilities have already gained experience with online work and can translate these skills into book promotion.
Publicity services can be horrendously expensive, often running thousands of dollars a month. No matter how valuable the services, many emerging brands cannot afford them.
So, Authors, Large and Small prides itself on offering affordable promotion services for worthy or intriguing projects that need some work to get off the ground. All of their services are flat fees, and the team keeps working for that amount of money until they land the specified results listed on their site: a certain number of blog reviews, speaking appearances, and social media mentions. Then, clients may choose to renew services.
Also, many vendors claim to sell “author services” or “marketing services,” and each firm offers something different. Some make lofty claims, while others are more down-to-earth, and everyone has a different idea of what brands and writers need.
To lessen the confusion, Authors, Large and Small has a clear outline of each set of services and its cost listed on the website. Clients know what they are getting, when to expect deliverables, and what steps they and the agency will take to promote their work.
“We’re also honest with people right away when their work is not ready for promotion, and recommend our affordably priced editing services to them or help them find literary agents. And if they need something else besides promotion—improved cover design, trailers, etc.—we let them know. We’re realistic with each brand about what services would benefit them, so they don’t end up buying something we offer that they don’t need.”
RISING SUCCESS
Business has steadily grown for Authors, Large and Small since 2013, and the agency now has a presence at several major conferences and events.
“I’m proud of our whole team,” says Deptula. “And I think my grandparents would have been proud, too.”
For more about Authors, Large and Small, please visit authorslargeandsmall.com
Jenni Biggs, a woman in the tree-lined, bicycle-friendly university town of Davis, California, wanted to “stop hurting people with her fashion purchases.”
She credits her Christian faith and her growing awareness of the low wages, long hours, and difficult labor conditions of the people who made her clothes with this conviction.
She began by only patronizing thrift stores but felt she could do even more by researching clothes and jewelry vendors that treated workers (in the U.S. and elsewhere) fairly and paid living wages so employees could escape poverty.
“People should know that sweatshops and labor trafficking exist in the U.S. too, under the table. Just because something’s US-made doesn’t guarantee that it’s fair trade, and just because it’s made abroad doesn’t mean that it’s made by exploited workers.”
TAKING ETHICAL SHOPPING FURTHER
After getting good at vetting online retailers, she took things a step further by researching more ethical vendors and grouping them under one platform: the Do Good Shop website. This makes it convenient for people who want to buy clothes, accessories, and housewares all in one spot.
The business model is also more environmentally sustainable than other international ventures because it cuts down on the carbon-burning transportation needed to get clothes and housewares to consumers. Rather than having items mass-produced piecemeal at different locations around the world, they order handmade materials from one location.
Biggs started the company in 2016 with an initial investment of $12,000, funded partly by an inheritance from her grandfather. Within a few months, she and her teacher husband were pleasantly surprised that they were able to recoup their investment. However, they have since invested more and are hoping to recoup it again soon.
do good shop founder jenni with artisans in tijuana
He, and the couple’s three children, have been incredibly supportive of this nonprofit venture and agreed that Jenni could quit her job as a youth minister to run the Do Good Shop full-time.
Her older son gave up his bedroom for the business when he moved away, and her then-teenage daughter, who loved the clothes and accessories, helped out and came up with the idea of the monthly subscription box, where customers can order a box of different items from vendors around the world for just $24 a quarter. The youngest son was only seven then, so Jenni says he “did his best to let Mom work.”
Jenni’s family continues to be supportive, and her husband is encouraging her to look into corporate philanthropic grants (without any loss of control over the business).
The Do Good Shop partners with international and U.S. organizations hiring disadvantaged workers in different ways depending on the organization. “If they’re just starting out or need resources, we’ll buy them raw materials and mentor them. But if they’re pretty far along, then we just order and ship their products to consumers.”
Although Jenni does not have the budget for extensive international travel, she visits the artisans in Mexico in person and FaceTimes with the women working elsewhere.
Do Good finds and buys the international products first, then ships them, individually or as part of a gift box, when customers order them. That way, the artisans get paid upfront and have some advance knowledge of how much the Do Good Shop will order.
“With the friendly guidance of our board, we’ve had to make some difficult choices about ordering only as many products as we can sell. It helps that these artisans are sometimes selling to other fair trade platforms besides the Do Good Shop and also taking their products to their local markets, so we aren’t their only source of income.”
To find out what will sell, Biggs does impromptu market research, where she approaches groups of people and asks for their input on what they like. “I also have a few friends who are more style-conscious than I am, and they tell me what’s cool.”
Do Good’s prices are relatively low, and Biggs believes offering a decent selection of affordable items is another aspect of social justice. “Our prices may have to change in the future to keep the business going, but affordability will stay a priority.” Educating consumers about how their shopping choices can have social and ecological impact is
do good shop denim backpack
also part of the Do Good Shop’s mission. Lower prices help bring the products, and thus the values, out to more consumers.
Biggs started not taking a paycheck from this venture, although the nonprofit board she put in place insists that she will need to at some point. “I know I need to look at the big picture and maintain a slow and steady pace to make this a continuing success. I always want to do everything and help everyone, and they remind me that our growth has to be sustainable, or we won’t be able to continue.”
She says that, in our society, people can feel their work is optional or less important or have others feel that way if they are not paid for their time. So paying nonprofit managers and workers is as much about signaling the value of their work to others as it is about the money.
Biggs recruited the board of directors from people she knew who had nonprofit experience and had served on boards previously. “By design, our board is all women since 85 percent of artisans we work with are women,” she says. She believes this is because globally, most disadvantaged artisans are female, often with children.
The Do Good Shop works to connect the women with local social services and counseling when needed, and also education on how to run their businesses.
LIVES CHANGED THROUGH SAFE WORK AND FAIR PAY
In the first year of operation, supplier Elegantees, which provides jobs to women in Nepal who have survived sex trafficking, doubled its workforce from 10 to 20 women, thanks to the Do Good Shop and other boutiques serving similar purposes.
Although she gets sad when she relates how Elegantees and other suppliers have to turn away potential artisans who need their help, she’s learning to stay realistic and celebrate their successes.
Currently, the shop’s website introduces you to two artisans. Andrea escaped an incredibly abusive husband and went to a shelter in Tijuana, where she took sewing classes. She makes handpainted bags, pillow covers, and decorative signs and says she would much rather work to support her family than depend on charity. With her increased income, partly due to the Do Good Shop’s promotion of her crafts, she could leave the refugee shelter and rent an apartment for herself and her children.
Marisol, who makes jewelry and other metal crafts, rose above difficult circumstances to begin university classes and is now on the way to becoming the owner of her own business. She’s a mother to three children and has created a lovely home workspace that’s spotlighted on the Do Good Shop’s site.
The Do Good Shop makes a point of fostering safe workplaces where women can earn a living without being in danger. “We encourage women in rough areas where there’s a lot of violence to work primarily from home,” Biggs says. She remembers when they provided extra materials and ordered more clothes from an artisan during a season of heavy gang violence so she could avoid the streets.
Some women partnered with the Do Good Shop believed they could only live free of violence by moving to the United States and leaving their extended families and community. However, at least one family feels confident now that they can safely use their skills to earn a decent living in Mexico.
do good shop spoon
The Do Good Shop is not just a job for Biggs but more of a calling. “This comes out of my faith,” she says. “I didn’t know it would take off, but I knew I was supposed to do this. And I’ve discovered that people do really want to do good.”
CONTINUED, SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
The Do Good Shop continually partners with more artisans and suppliers, ensuring they can sustain the partnerships. Current products on their site include handmade greeting cards, candles, towels, pillowcases, tops, robes, wallets, purses, gifts for teachers and gardeners, gifts marketed to men, women, and children, backpacks, cosmetic bags, and an assortment of clothing items emblazoned with “Love Your Neighbor” listing a wide variety of “neighbors” we should treat with compassion. They took a hit during Covid because much of their income comes from pop-up shops at events, which didn’t happen during the pandemic. However, they survived by repackaging more items into gift boxes to make sure they could sell all their inventory.
After eight years in operation, the Do Good Shop appears to be going strong. Biggs brings various products to community events and encourages people to host pop-up shops or order from the website.
The Do Good Shop is not just a job for Biggs but more of a calling. “This comes out of my faith,” she says. “I didn’t know it would take off, but I knew I was supposed to do this. And I’ve discovered that people do really want to do good.”
In the future, they will offer more custom items, hand-painted bags, or jewelry with people’s names or initials. People can help by hosting events, buying items, or donating to the site. “Bring us out to your birthday party, or your book club!”
do good shop leftover bowl
The new Apoteca collection “Elements” is like the universe – black inside, but full of life and colors outside. It’s abstract, but at the same time clear and understandable. It is wild inside, but feminine and fragile outside. Every ELEMENT in collection is essential like air and water.
Renewing glasses into sunglasses
lunelvintage.com
Refugees Are People With Skills and Rights, Not Just Needs
Asylum Access’ Legal Advocacy Helps Refugees
Worldwide Live, Work, and Access Education
WRITTEN BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
ASYLUM ACCESS
Around the world, there are currently 26 million refugees who have fled their home countries due to violence or persecution.
Most refugees don’t come to the United States or Europe but head to a neighboring country, where they stay in camps or disperse into society in their new location.
The traditional approach to helping refugees involves housing them in makeshift camps and providing them with food and other necessities donated by world governments and nongovernmental organizations. This may have made sense when the refugees could quickly return to their homelands, but Asylum Access estimates that now the average wait before a refugee can go home is 20+ years.
MAKING REFUGEE RIGHTS A REALITY
Many countries have signed international treaties that allow people to apply for refugee status and allow those granted this status to live and move freely within the country, work, start businesses, and access public education. Allowing refugees to exercise these rights can also benefit host countries by enabling them to benefit from the skills and knowledge of refugees, who are often resilient and hardworking, and who can start businesses that end up providing even more job opportunities to refugees and locals.
However, these rights are not always upheld in practice, and refugees have found themselves facing wrongful arrest, incarceration, and deportation.
Asylum Access’s strategy focuses on providing legal support to refugees to enable them to live freely, earn a living, and share their talents and skills with their new countries. They campaign for changes in national legislation or engage in strategic litigation, taking on cases that have the chance to help larger numbers of refugees.
As one client, a Somali mother of three who had
been relocated to Thailand and whom Asylum Access freed from illegal detention, says, “I am a tired mother who faced challenges in life. But there are people who advocate for human rights, the Asylum Access lawyers. They don’t consider money; instead, they advocate for the victims. They advocate for you when you’re a mother who has been jailed and can’t differentiate day from night, who cries because your kids are not with you, who is [sick and impoverished]. Thanks to all lawyers who work at Asylum Access!”
Asylum Access provides legal support to refugees currently staying in Malaysia, Mexico, and Thailand. They chose those locations because those nations are home to large refugee populations and because these countries have signed treaties that give them enforceable responsibilities towards refugees.
“By supporting refugees as they assert their rights, we help restore their power and agency. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity, and autonomy, and empowers them to make choices about their own lives,” Asylum Access states on its social media.
EMPOWERING REFUGEES
Their focus is on empowering rather than simply helping refugees, and they are committed to having people who have experienced forcible displacement active in the organization at all levels, including the board of directors.
“Our Global Leadership Team has committed to transforming its composition so that, by 2024, at least 40% of its members have experience of forced displacement, and the Board has also committed to transforming its composition so that, by 2026, at least 60% of its members have experience of forced displacement. To that end, we’ve dedicated financial and human resources to increasing the number of staff and board members who represent these communities. Recent hires and board candidates reflect the first step in this ongoing commitment.”
They also hold comprehensive advocacy training workshops twice a year in English and Spanish tailored toward and open to any and all refugeeled organizations worldwide. Additionally, they have committed to support at least four
refugee-led organizations directly by 2023 with pro-bono consulting to support their advocacy skills development and positioning. Finally, they are fundraising through a crowdfunding effort to provide direct assistance to refugee-led organizations around the world.
As one Pakistani woman who fled to Thailand at age 13 says, “Before joining Asylum Access Thailand’s Democratic Collective Action group, I was very shy and nervous. But their community outreach program and staff provide me with advice and guidance, so I have gradually started to talk with more and more people. Now I also help people in our community as an interpreter and coordinate our group’s networks.”
NEW CEO SANA ALI MUSTAFA, DISPLACED SYRIAN TURNED HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER
The organization’s new CEO, Sana Ali Mustafa, is a Syrian woman forcibly displaced by Assad’s regime and has become a leader in the global feminist and humanitarian movements.
After fleeing Syria, Sana led the establishment of global efforts for the representation and inclusion of forcibly displaced persons, such as the Global Refugee-led Network. As Asylum Access’s CEO, she leads the organization’s work to dismantle decades of colonialism, fight for selfrepresentation, and build intersectional coalitions to demand human rights for all forcibly displaced people.
“By supporting refugees as they assert their rights, we help restore their power and agency. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity, and autonomy, and empowers them to make choices about their own lives,”
Prior to joining Asylum Access, Sana managed her own consulting business where she helped over a dozen public and private sector organizations such as Oxfam International, Open Society Foundations, United Nations, WeWork, and others establish strategies to operate more equitably in support of refugee rights and refugee leadership.
ASYLUM ACCESS’S IMPACT AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
Asylum Access states that they have impacted over one million lives globally. Recent policy wins for them include contributing to the successful 2020 campaigns to persuade the Mexican Congress to end the detention of migrant children and for the Thai government to implement its own asylum process to grant legal status to refugees in the country. Also, the Thai government’s 2019 signing onto a memorandum of understanding that they would no longer detain migrant children.
While they plan to continue the work they are already doing, they are also speaking out on various issues that impact displaced populations. These include the unequal treatment of people of color versus white people fleeing Ukraine, the displacement of people due to climate change, and the work U.S. president Biden could do to fulfill his campaign promises toward refugees.
They invite people interested in supporting their work to visit them at asylumaccess.org and learn more about donating or volunteering. Law students can also serve fellowships as volunteer legal advocates through Asylum Access, and the organization will assist them in that process.
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AN ERUPTION OF INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS BY:
JESSE ADUMA
A dive into Jabari Group of Companies, an innovative solutions provider, exploring its services, vision, and goals
SCIENCE NEEDS YOU! BY: CRISTINA DEPTULA SciStarter.org, Largest Global Database of Citizen Science Projects
An Eruption of Innovative Solutions
A dive into Jabari Group of Companies, an innovative solutions provider, exploring its services, vision, and goals.
WRITTEN
BY:
JESSE ADUMA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
JABARI GROUP
SCIENCE AND INNOVATION ON THE RISE
Jabari Group of Companies enunciates itself as an “innovative solutions group of companies collectively servicing the commodities industries using creative ideas to develop business strategies and tools for actualizing corporate and national visions.”
As a youth-headed, full-scale business organization, this ambitious scientific startup aims to bolster innovative solutions in Africa and on a global scale by providing fullscale solutions to the energy, commodities trading, and agro & allied industries.
Jabari boasts top-notch service with its highly competent and professional management with over 30 years of combined experience fanning out across various sectors. Growing at an amazing rate, the company aims to claim recognition as the “premier solutions entity, offering world-class services across the entire value chain of the energy, agricultural, and commodities industries.”
MEET THE CEO
Isaac Tumba, Group Chief Executive Officer of Jabari Group, is described as a “serial entrepreneur.” Having served at a number of companies, starting his career in the IT space and then working his way up, Tumba accrued several years of experience in business development and relationship management.
While serving at Arik Air in 2018, Tumba proved indispensable to the organization as he implored his analytical skills and negotiation strategies to secure a significant reduction in airline expenses.
Besides a large network of contacts in the public and private sectors, Tumba also managed to gain knowledge and expertise in business planning, stakeholder engagement, investment appraisal,
and market analysis.
When asked about the company vision, Tumba replied, “What’s important to us is to be a leading innovative solutions provider benefiting the economy of Africa (first), then the world at large, through trade and investment.”
Jabari Group of Companies offers a number of services, among which include;
COMMODITIES TRADING
Jabari simplifies the concept of the supply chain by serving as an intermediary between manufacturers and clients. The company provides top-tier solutions to businesses of all sizes, ensuring the smooth and consistent transition of goods by working out the most favorable and efficient ways to move products between manufacturer and consumer clients.
By taking charge of the entire supply process, Jabari Group helps to not only relieve stress and minimize costs but also serves to foster relationships and trust between producers and end users by ensuring the safety of goods, quality check, and timely delivery.
Some of the services delivered include Logistic Services, Waste Management (recycling), Procurement Services (IT, Engineering, PPE, Office Equipment), Agro & Petroleum Product Supply. With a history of good service, diligence, and efficiency, Jabari strives to maintain long-lasting relationships with clients.
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
Jabari aims to revolutionize energy development in Nigeria by focusing largely on renewable, fossil fuel, and natural gas markets in the energy sector.
“Right now, our aim is using the resources and potential in Nigeria to benefit the lives and businesses within Nigeria,” Isaac Tumba (CEO).
Isaac Tumba, CEO of Jabari Group
Dedicating themselves to a world of new energy, Jabari Group continues to explore even more affordable means of power generation, ensuring quality delivery of natural gas vehicle accessories and storage infrastructure by virtue of a longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship with the original equipment manufacturers.
Aiming to reduce fossil fuel dependency and trigger development, starting in the Nigerian natural gas market, Jabari delivers Solar Energy Systems, Natural Gas Storage Equipment & Accessories, Aviation Lubricants, Petroleum Products, etc., ensuring that products are delivered safely to large businesses and consumer clients.
AGRO & ALLIED
The agricultural sector is a core area of Jabari Group’s investment. As such, the company has positioned itself as an “aggregator in the agricultural industry.” By providing various supporting activities, offering their expertise and good clientele relationships, Jabari Group ensures successful operations for stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.
We believe we are the ideal business partners for project and investment management
Besides specializing in trading finished, unfinished, and processed agricultural products, Jabari Group has also dipped its hands in the cultivation of cash crops within the Middle Belt region of Nigeria. These include sesame seeds, millet, rice, sorghum, groundnuts, corn, soya beans, yam, ginger, etc.
A prime focus of Jabari Groups’ Agro & Allied sector is the provision of services that enables the conversion of agricultural produce into final products ready and acceptable to the consumer. By ensuring great service to its long list of large processors, retailers, importer and exporter clients, the company aspires to provide innovative business solutions and thereby revolutionize the industry.
PROJECT AND INVESTMENT ADVISORY
Besides handling the procurement of goods and all manner of infrastructure for large businesses, Jabari Group also ensures wealth generation, value creation, and risk mitigation for its clients by providing them with well-tailored projects and investment solutions through its advisory services, digital business strategies, and tools.
“From our research, we know the problems, we think of ideas that can be solutions, and then from those ideas we, if we have to, partner with a manufacturer, leverage relationships in order to meet the target.” Isaac Tumba (CEO).
As such, the company accelerates business growth for its clientele, promoting the smooth running of day-to-day office
life, increasing efficiency, boosting productivity, and allowing them to compete on a global scale.
With services that cut across highly prospective sectors, Jabari Group boasts readiness to undertake both established and budding projects and investment opportunities.
Showing exceptional confidence and taking pride in their skill and craft, Jabari proffers you a free project call and pledges to aid in reaching business and/or financial goals while also protecting the interests of its clientele and ensuring profitability.
“We are suited to undertake new and existing projects and investment opportunities. We believe we are the ideal business partners for project and investment management as our services cut across highly prospective sectors.”
Isaac
Tumba (CEO)
Headed and managed by knowledgeable, talented, and experienced young minds, Jabari Group of Companies inches closer and closer every day to its dream of being recognized as “The leading Innovative Solutions Provider for global trade and investments.”
By applying its core values of Commitment, Accountability, Reliability, and Excellence in
the implementation of business models & supply chain management and quality-assured expertise, Jabari Group strives to provide quality and dependable service to its clientele while also creating value for its stakeholders.
Pull Quotes: “What’s important to us is to be a leading innovative solutions provider benefiting the economy of Africa [first], then the world at large, through trade and investment.”
LINKEDIN: JABARI GROUP INSTAGRAM: JABARIGROUP
Science Needs You!
SciStarter.org, Largest Global Database of Citizen Science Projects
WRITTEN BY CRISTINA DEPTULA PHOTOGRAPHED BY SCISTARTER.ORG
Darlene Cavalier, founder of the citizen science website platform SciStarter. org, is a well-rounded person who doesn’t fit the stereotype of a science nerd, although she’s had a lifelong interest in science.
A former cheerleader for the Philadelphia 76ers, she launched an organization called the Science Cheerleaders, composed of over 300 former college, NBA, and NFL cheerleaders pursuing careers in STEM. They promote math and science careers to people, including young women, and have been featured on national and international media outlets.
Darlene has also written for various magazines, including Discover, where she was a senior contributor, Science Progress , and the New York Academy of Sciences magazine. She’s currently a professor at Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society.
SCISTARTER, DATABASE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS
She launched SciStarter while in graduate school, and it has become the world’s largest database of citizen science projects. Citizen science refers to projects where the general public can participate by collecting and analyzing data, observing and counting local wildlife, or taking surveys for research purposes.
Researchers at universities, museums, and government agencies place projects for which they could use volunteers from the public on SciStarter.org. SciStarter’s team of academics review and vet each project before it goes on the site.
SciStarter runs on a modest budget with no full-time employees. People come on board to staff the site as needed. They receive funding from the National Science Foundation and other sources, including universities and private donors. Each April, they host an event at the National Library of Medicine to raise awareness of citizen science.
Sci Starter partners with corporations, libraries, schools, and organizations such as the Girl Scouts to promote the projects and find volunteers. People can also sign up on the website and start doing useful citizen science within a few minutes, although some projects involve tutorials.
“Citizen scientists in Nigeria have been observing oil spills in their country with the same satellite data that enables residents of America’s Gulf Coast to track damage to their wetlands,” explains Nickerson.
There are projects for people of all ages, including kids, and the site has been discussed on Talk of the Nation’s Science Friday and the Weather Channel. Research organizations can also join SciStarter’s new affiliate program for especially active projects where the researchers commit to extra communication with the website’s team and can track volunteer participation.
Many scientists find the assistance from citizen scientists useful and have cited the volunteers in their papers.
EXCITING CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS
Some notable citizen science projects include Stall Catchers, a gamified project where you can go online and earn points by finding the stalled blood vessels in scans of mouse brains used to study different aspects of Alzheimer’s. For their participation, citizen scientists have been cited in published papers in science journals.
Another project is Debris Trackers, where you can sign up to pick up litter and log where you found it. SciStarter advisor Caroline Nickerson, a former Miss Louisiana winner, encouraged people to participate to help protect our environment.
Also, Neureka, sponsored by Trinity College in Dublin, where you can play mental health-themed games and send data to scientists who observe it (in aggregate, without names attached) to help scientists understand depression.
One more intriguing project is Old Weather, where people filled in gaps in the climate record by looking over images of old ship logs and tracking the captain’s weather reports. That project received the volunteers it needed to finish the job.
There’s also a climate-related project called I See Change on the site, where users can log in and describe how rising temperatures affect their neighborhoods. This has helped the New Orleans Department of Health put together guidelines to help people cope with extreme heat.
Projects can be either global or local, and some data ends up being useful for multiple projects. “Citizen scientists in Nigeria have been observing oil spills in their country with the same satellite data that enables residents of America’s Gulf Coast to track damage to their wetlands,” explains Nickerson.
NEW TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERS CITIZEN SCIENCE
The number of people participating in projects on SciStarter.org greatly expanded during Covid. Nickerson explained that people wanted to connect to others and be part of something beyond themselves. There’s a messaging tool on the site called People Finder, where you can message others in your area who have signed up for your projects. (People’s names and data are kept private on the site, so you can talk without revealing personal information).
The SciStarter team says that new technology developed over the past 20 years, especially smartphones, has given people all sorts of new and exciting ways to participate in citizen science. The site continues to grow and attract both volunteers and organizational partners. They hope to build even more partnerships with libraries and media organizations in the future.
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LOVERS TECH
BY: GEORGE DIKE
Technology
Lovers Tech How Modern-Day Technology Has Influenced Our Dating Life
WRITTEN BY: GEORGE DIKE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF
THE BRAND
The rise of technology has been felt in every aspect of our human lives. Smartphones have made it easier to connect with the world. Social media profiles us and announces our dating status, whether single or taken, and dating apps give us a variety of potential partners to choose from.
The COVID-19 pandemic taught us how fast we have progressed from human-to-human connections and interactions in the physical world to online interactions in the internet or virtual world.
No doubt, the digital world has revolutionized dating and romance. Today, the way we communicate and maintain relationships is probably different from what was attainable in high school.
HAS TECHNOLOGY IMPROVED OR DECLINED THE QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIPS?
Technology is advancing quickly, profoundly altering how we experience love. Online dating has become a big part of our culture, with 15 percent of Americans using online dating sites or mobile dating apps. The growth and influence of
technology in the dating sphere have some people wondering if these e-connections come with a price. They argue that the involvement of tech in courtship discards its true meaning.
These days, people would rather text than speak. They’d rather FaceTime than have face-to-face dialogue and peruse through many dating profiles as easily as it would take to order a burger. Tech critics present these new norms as harmful to the future of romance and dating.
However, not everyone subscribes to this school of thought. Some believe technology has made it possible to communicate easily and connect to those we love more. Also, we can start and maintain long-distance relationships with even more resources. No doubt, we can stay in touch better than before, thanks to our mobile phones, apps, and the ever-evolving internet.
THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON TODAY’S DATING SCENE
Today, we have apps that disclose our lover’s location and past dating habits and even predict compatibility. Also, there are tech devices used by those in long-distance relationships that make them feel closer to their partners.
PHOTO BY ROMAN
DATE SELECTION
Before online dating became a trend, people met their partners through friends, family, work, or on a Saturday night out. We all looked forward to weekend hangouts and meetups where there would be potential dates, friends, or lifelong partners.
Today, social media has grown so much that it is almost impossible to be set up for a blind date. There’s almost no need for it anymore. Thanks to social media profiles and online presence, there’s so much you can know about a person in just a couple of clicks.
PLETHORA OF CHOICES
Thanks to dating apps, we have been presented with new means of finding friends and potential partners who match our similarities and interests. For instance, the Tinder app lets you streamline your search to people within a selected area, age group, and even likes and dislikes.
It also makes it so easy to decide whether you like someone. And in instances where you don’t, when you do not feel a similar connection, you simply swipe onto the next available option out of countless more. There’s almost no way you can fail at this, as a hundred more matches are waiting for every 100 people you don’t connect with.
The downside is that one may assume a potential partner can be easily replaced. Even after we meet someone compatible, we may be tempted to keep looking and wanting more because there’s a whole sea of fish at our disposal.
THE EASE OF MEETING POTENTIAL PARTNER(S)
Once upon a time, simply meeting someone was a special experience. A relationship’s initial phase was defined by how we looked at each other, our spark, and the connection. Today, those have been sacrificed for convenience, time, and choice.
Because of how quickly the world moves, thanks to technology, people prefer to find that someone quickly. They want to date according to their schedules and in very little time, removing the natural human need to meet new people in favor of checking the “relationship” box.
3 TECH ADVANCEMENTS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED DATING SMARTPHONES
Smartphones have a great influence on today’s relationships. It has changed the definition and status quo of initiating and engaging in romantic relationships. There’s a lot to suggest our smartphones are bringing us together.
For instance, before smartphones became popular, we had to meet up at bars or on physical dates to stir conversations, hoping it could lead to something. But today, people can have proper conversations from miles away, maintain communication and build connections without meeting physically.
On the other hand, there are downsides as well. One recurring disadvantage is when we get distracted and give more attention to our phones than our partners. This happens frequently and is becoming a major cause of conflict in relationships.
The irony is that while we’re disconnected from our partners, we connect with someone else on the phone. The result is that we become disconnected from our in-person relationships, which, most times, are our most important relationships. Smartphones that are intended to foster and strengthen relationships may hinder said relationships.
Some argue that texts and phone conversations are incomparable to face-toface meetups. Why this may be arguably true, we can not downplay the importance of conversations on the phone. Some people feel uncomfortable with physical meetings. Texts and phone calls have been their saving grace. It has helped them build some form of confidence until they feel sure enough to meet in person.
DATING APPS
One great thing about dating apps is connecting with people with similar interests, characteristics, and hobbies. You can easily find people within your location without leaving the convenience of your home. With dating apps, you are just a swipe away from meeting your potential partner.
Apps also exist for the sub-sects of society that may struggle to connect with people of similar interests or values. This is where niche dating plays a pivotal role. Such apps like Grindr or Catholic Singles create a safe space for persons who feel alien to conventional dating apps.
Finding date interests would have been difficult, especially for people of these sub-sects. Thanks to the advancements in dating apps, there’s a much higher chance of everyone finding their person.
VIRTUAL REALITY
After smartphones and dating apps, virtual reality is considered the next phase in the evolution of love tech. The metaverse describes the virtual space one occupies when one puts on a Virtual Reality headset and goes into the world of Augmented Reality.
Aside from being the internet’s future, the metaverse is projected to also play a vital role in the future of dating. Virtual dating is a new option now that the metaverse is growing increasingly popular and individuals have more time to spend.
As companies increasingly venture into virtual reality tech and find ways to connect people with it, VR dating will improve in the coming years. Soon, you will be able to experience spacewalk dates, or a romantic stroll along the streets of your chosen destination, with live music from your favorite band.
Virtual reality transforms into a low-risk method of fostering attraction by allowing users to share unlimited spaces and one-of-a-kind experiences without spending money. Sharing virtual reality experiences may be equally as powerful as sharing experiences in the real world. This makes it possible for VR users to fall in love if that’s what they’re both searching for.
Virtual reality might become the future of dating and romantic relationships. It has the power to
engage users via many senses, allows you to interact from the privacy of your environment, and allow users to hear, see, and maybe even feel their partners.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
Technology has fundamentally changed how we find and choose our partners. Looking to the future, we know technological advancements will continue to reshape how people meet, interact, and ultimately fall in love.
Along with everything else, dating practices have changed, from in-person encounters to using apps for convenience. Although the metaverse is currently more of an idea, technology is advancing again, and all signs point to virtual dating as a common phenomenon in the near future.
TrooRa Holiday Gift Guide 2022
The Gifts That Keep on Giving
Written by: Jesse Aduma, Kevin James Jeffery, Neha Suradkar, Nizie Lokman, Cary Wong, Stella Polyzoidou.
Photographed by: Douglas Friedman, Jose Manuel Alorda, Suzanna Scott, Drew Altizer, Marc-Antoine Coulon. All other images provided by brands.
Gift Guide
CURRENTLY CLASSIC REGULAR
EDITION: A BOOK ABOUT JONATHAN RACHMAN DESIGN BY JONATHAN RACHMAN WITH DEAN RHYS-MORGAN
Credits: Douglas Friedman (Photographer), Jose Manuel Alorda (Photographer), Suzanna Scott (Photographer), Drew Altizer (Photographer), Marc-Antoine Coulon (Illustrator)
Indonesian-born interior decorator, Jonathan Rachman, opens the doors to the world with love and passion in this volume, illustrating his eclectic, vividly colorful, and markedly refined style through various projects undertaken for prestigious clients.
Born on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, trained in Switzerland, and San Francisco-based, Rachman injects his projects with his wide-reaching, worldly experience, his explorations into provincial flea markets, and his taste for textiles, leather goods, handicrafts, and art objects. In each of his designs, he combines the best materials from the East and the West, devising personalized plans for his clients and creating a timeless approach to interior design.
With a lively color palette, luxurious materials, and incredible attention to detail, Rachman has received multiple awards and acclaim for his work from renowned publications such as Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. This is this first monograph on the Sumatran-born, San Francisco–based interior decorator.
CURRENTLY CLASSIC SPECIAL EDITION: A BOOK BY JONATHAN RACHMAN DESIGN WITH DEAN RHYSMORGAN
Credits: Douglas Friedman (Photographer), Jose Manuel Alorda (Photographer), Suzanna Scott (Photographer), Drew Altizer (Photographer), Marc-Antoine Coulon (Illustrator)
Limited Special Edition: Only 200 copies available. Presented in a stunning de Gournay bespoke custom box in a pink ombré Salon Vert Chinoiserie pattern. Signed and numbered front cover and interior illustration by noted French fashion and interior illustrator Marc Antoine Coulon. This special edition also contains velum paper with the JRD logo. Each copy is personally signed by Jonathan Rachman upon request.
THE
GARLIC PEANUT STORY: A MEMOIR
BY JONATHAN RANCHMAN
Jonathan Rachman, the San Francisco-based interior designer, shares his true story about the pain of being born different and growing up queer in a large and dysfunctional family, where undertones of cyclical and inherited violence lurk in Sumatra, Indonesia. In the hurly-burly of a vast household populated by disparate siblings, sycophants, and hired help, there seems to be no shortage of relatives to care for the family. However, one particularly sensitive child falls through the cracks into his own personal hell while perpetrators remain invisible.
The Juliette Convertible Bag is a fan fave. Wear her as a backpack, crossbody, or shoulder bag. She's ready to move, and is cute too.
Our leather is locally sourced from a family-owned tannery in Haiti and an environmentally friendly tannery in Santiago. We work with full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather, finished cow hides, and goat skin that, with love and care, will last a lifetime.
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This startlingly poignant memoir springs from a desire to pay tribute to a beloved sister.
TECA BAG: 3 STRAPS
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Your perfect picnic/beach/ boat/weekend companion..! Big enough to fit blankets, towels and hats..!
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Waxed Canvas is made from 100% recycled waste.
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TINA BAGUETTE MINI METALLIC RUCHED SILVER
Handcrafted top-handle bag made with supple, buttery Italian pebble-grain leather. Equipped with a chain crossbody strap.
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STONE & MASON
This brand’s idea came to life from a creative duo, mother and daughter Susan and Holly Stille. Always switching handbags and forgetting essential items, these two women entrepreneurs developed Stone & Mason with a simple aim to sell not only beautifully made bags but also a kit of stylish accessories to go inside. From oversized totes to travel bags and mini clutches, you can expect to find a unique choice that will fit your needs!
Each of their bags and travel cases comes with all the on-the-go essentials a woman could want. The Sydney bag collection is a match made in heaven—packed with its own Sydney Bag Kit! Alternatively, you can explore their beautifully curated jewelry collection featuring statement earrings, colorful chunky bracelets, elegant chain necklaces, and so much more! Whether you wish to get a unique gift for your beloved ones or treat yourself, Stone & Mason has you covered for this holiday season!
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Chunky Necklaces Bracelets PRICE- USD 81.00
Chunky Necklaces Bracelets PRICE- USD 56.00
Sydney bag PRICE- USD 340.00
EVA EARRINGS BY HAITI DESIGN CO
Made with love by our jewelry team, known as “Ekip Fanm Djanm” (meaning Team of Strong Women), comprises 12 talented artisans. Their specialization includes leather sequin jewelry, beadwork, and assembly. Leather remnants are saved after production to be transformed into beautiful jewelry designs and packaging because we live by the “waste not, want not” motto.
These are our signature leather earrings. They are made with geometric art for your ears that is ultra-lightweight.
Leather, Goldplated brass, Stainless steel
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DAISY NECKLACE BY HAITI DESIGN CO
Inspired by flower crowns, sundresses, and childhood games of M.A.S.H. The sweetest of details work to honor your inner child.
The jewelry team, known as “Ekip Fanm Djanm” (meaning Team of Strong Women), comprises 12 talented artisans specializing in leather sequin jewelry, beadwork, and assembly. Leather remnants are saved after production to be transformed into beautiful jewelry designs and packaging because we live by the “waste not, want not” motto.
Shop these exquisitely designed jewels by Stella Fluorescent. They love approaching new collections and materials in novel and innovative unique ways.
PRICE-UPON REQUEST
Shop Spanish artisanal & sustainable jewelry maker Lola Mohe’s Unique Pieces Collection. Each piece is unique and Mohe uses a variety of sustainable materials.
lolamohe.com
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Shop AYR TAN’s bold, contemporary, minimal statement earrings, created for everyday essentials but elegant enough for upscale events.
This sustainable jewellery developed out of the founder’s strong interest in materials and circular design. The pieces are versatile and inspired by architecture, nature and urban culture. Additional styles available.
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ayrtan.com
Shope these vintage vibes recycled glasses of all shapes for your sunny adventures. Renewed to last with optician certified new lenses.
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VHERNIER JEWELRY
Vhernier has interpreted contemporary jewelry ever since its founding in 1984. With its pieces entirely conceived, designed, and handcrafted in Italy, the brand equals the luxury, elegance, and exquisite craftsmanship of Vhernier’s master artisans. Be sure you’ll find a vast collection of the most lavish jeweled pieces, including the latest Vhernier collections of 2022.
Ig @vhernier
OLIMPIA
A chic and elegant collection characterized by a sense of lightness. The Olimpia includes a necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings, available in rose gold, white gold with diamonds, and white or black diamond pavé.
PALLONCINO
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A new iteration for one of Vhernier’s most whimsical designs. The iconic single-ear clip Palloncino debuts in a version that combines rock crystal with colored gemstones and gold leaf. They are available in rhodonite, turquoise, black jade, and white mother of pearl.
Innovative designs, shapes, and materials are all combined in these small treasures.
Olimpia ring, bracelet, necklace, and earrings in rose gold
PRICE- USD 5650.00
Palloncino ear clip in rose gold, rose gold leaf, turquoise, and rock crystal.
Palloncino ear clip in rose gold, rose gold leaf, rhodonite, and rock crystal.
Palloncino ear clip in rose gold, rose gold leaf, black jade, and rock crystal.
NEPHELE DROPS
Beautiful and elegant drop earrings made in 14K yellow gold with claw set, organic, rose cut, rainbow moonstones. The moonstone gives beautiful blue, white, pink, and yellow hues. Moonstone is admired for its blue-to-white adularescence— with a billowy, moonlightlike sheen, these earrings are appropriate for holiday dressing.
Made in 3mm, 14K yellow heavy wall beads with a 4mm, 18k yellow gold diamond roundel charm strung on a durable premium band. The bracelet can be worn with other bracelets or on its own.
Our Lula earrings have a nostalgic retro feel. The chubby 2-part drop earring is sophisticated & fun. A perfect for a pop of color, or pair them with a monochrome look to really turn up the style.
Details: Resin Celluose 14K-Gold-plated alloy
Nickel free pin post
Arrives in custom pouch
Size/Weight: 3.33 In’ L 1.69 “W 1.42 oz weight (pair)/ 0.71 oz. (single)
PRICE- USD 44.00
TIYE NECKLACE
The regal large chunky statement collar necklace is the epitome of statement style, and a definite show stopper. Made from high quality tarnish resistance 18K Gold Stainless Steel. The Tiye necklace named after Queen Tiye was a queen of Egypt of the 18th dynasty, wife of the royal pharaoh. 18K Gold Plated over Stainless Steel
PRICE-UPON REQUEST cocoacentric.com
CIELO VELADO BY ALLEDJO
Made with polyester and handmade in Africa, this collection is unique. With an open collar and a languette, Alledjo has it in a long-sleeved blue shirt.
PRICE €129.00
https://alledjo.com/shirts/cielovelado
RUSTED AMPHORA SILK SCARF BY ALLEDJO
In conjunction with the holiday season, the silk scarf is a suitable gift for yourself or the people you love. With dimensions of 70 cm x 70 cm, it is made with 100% silk twill material and can be used daily by men and women.
PRICE €69.00
https://alledjo.com/accessories/design-3
THE VARIOUS COLLECTIONS BY ALLEDJO
Alledjo is a unisex, African heritage brand founded by Kassim Lassisi. His vision was brought to life through his passion for travel and his love for exquisite apparel. Essentially, Alledjo is brought to you to feel the deep interconnected feeling from your heart, mind, body, and soul that sets you free. If you are looking to escape the routine and struggles of life, the various collections listed below have the potential for you to feel serene and peaceful as the material caresses your skin while giving you the flexibility to move more easily. A great gift for this holiday season. Wear it daily or on special occasions and feel the freedom of becoming in these beautiful selections:
SAND AND STONE SET
The Sand and Stone collection is a V-neck shirt with long sleeves and hidden buttons. It’s a mixture of earthy tones with brown and beige patterns.
PRICE: €219.00
https://alledjo.com/shirts/ sand-stone-set
SEA SHELL SET
Long sleeves, regular cut with larger Cuban collars and pearly buttons are made in Africa using 100% silk material. The beautiful patterns of beige and brown give a natural, earthy feeling. It comes with matching pants with an elastic waist.
PRICE: €279.00
https://alledjo.com/shirts/seashell-set
ANKARALOOKS
Add color and fun to your daily looks with the best African fashion designs. The brand blends African heritage with modern fashion, offering a wide variety of beautiful pieces with vibrant prints and bold patterns for the woman on the go. From intricate colored dresses to boho-inspired skirts and tops, Ankaralooks is synonymous with chic comfort and color.
All pieces are characterized by bright colors and unique styles, each with a story to tell. No matter how you hope to bring an air of maximalism into your life, be sure, Ankaralooks has a lot to offer.
Lokal is conceived as an idea of a mother, Connie Macatuno, a wellknown Filipino TV director, and her son, the young artist-musician Caxantino. These two draw inspiration from everything around them, transforming everyday experiences into ultramodern hand-crafted pieces.
There is a stunning collection of well-curated, high-quality, and functional products beautifully crafted in their local home to suit each individual style. Everything is hand painted in Lokal—from paintings and murals to fashion and art pieces, such as shoes, ceramics, home and body scents, furniture, and lamps. Popular themes and calligraphic designs of seasonal landscapes, animals, and floral motifs make them unique. They were intended as special gifts for different occasions; thus, they are the perfect, truly unique holiday gifts! Whether you prefer an unusual painting to hang on your walls or a handmade pair of shoes from upcycled obi fabric and scrap leather, each piece stands out for its delicate beauty.
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@IAMLOKAL
Shop or Gift these one of a kind wood brim hats, Inspired by the 1920s. A revival of sophistication, elegance and confidence in the style of dress. As sole designer, founder Jonathan Thomas aspires to create quality handcrafted goods, that are not only unique but also stand the test of time.
CUSTOM PIECES ARE AVAILABLE AND MADE TO ORDER.
ESSENTIAL OIL UPCYCLED CANDLES - ALPINE MEADOW
Alpine Meadown Candle. This scent is floral and refreshing. This floral blend with woodsy undertones contains a mixture of essential oils and foraged botanicals including geranium, rose, fir tree, lavender, and marigold. Our essential oil candles with natural botanical elements are each hand-crafted in preloved jars and bowls, and no two are alike. Our candles are entirely plant-based. Some candles contain a mixture of wax from candles that have been up-cycled, batches that use upcycled wax are noted in the description. Otherwise, we use 100% natural soy wax. Available in many scents.
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HANDWOVEN COASTERSSET OF 4
Add color and texture to your zero waste home with these beautiful table-top coasters. The upcycled textile is woven from strips of recycled cotton yarns as part of our sustainable production process.
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MALENG SCARF
Add texture to your look with this loosely knit chunky neck scarf. This piece is hand-knit from reclaimed jersey yarns as part of our unique zero waste process. Each piece has distinctive variations that highlight the handmade nature of the piece. Comes in a variety of colors.
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NO TOX LIFE | LAVENDER EARL GREY VEGAN LIP BUTTER
The No Tox Life Lip Butters are packed with moisturizing organic cocoa butter and avocado oil. They also use wildcrafted plant wax instead of beeswax, so it’s completely vegan.
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yoursustainablehome.com
NUDA BOTANICA | LOOSE LEAF TEA BLENDS
Flavors Rise, Rest, Amore, Turmeric Ginger, Chai and Revive
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GENTLY SOAP | HERBAL WHIPPED BODY BUTTER
Replenish your skin to healthiness with this botanicalinfused whipped body butter. Infused with herbs and plants that are packed with soothing and healing properties, this body butter is eczema and sensitive-skin friendly.
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STONE AND SAWYER LAMPS
NOOR PAIR IN SHALLOWS
Pair of handcrafted stoneware ceramic table lamps in Shallows, with White Oak bases, hand-finished Satin Brass hardware and White Linen shades. Shallows is a light blue gloss-crackle glaze with a rich shine to the surface. The lamps are UL listed and come with brown cloth-covered cords.
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stoneandsawyer.com
GIVE THE GIFT OF HELPING OUR PLANET AND MORE.
3 simple steps to plant a real tree with Click A Tree
Select a tree
Choose your preferred project and mission.
If you’re struggling to decide, remember that they all do good!
Place your order
It only takes a few clicks.
We take care of all the heavy lifting.
Order Complete. Give yourself a pat on the back – you’ve just done three good deeds!
clickatree.com
DLISH WINE GIFT CURATION
The DLISH Wine Gift Curation includes a French wine from Bordeaux in a uniquely illustrated bottle, a pair of stylish wine glasses, and a trio of decadent Swiss chocolate bars designed to inspire world change. An indulgent gift that guarantees a relaxing or romantic night in, the French Wine Gift Box is perfect for birthdays, anniversaries or to simply say thank you. Beautifully packaged in a DLISH Signature Collection luxury gift box, for a special unwrapping experience for those dearest to you.
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DLISH BALSAMIC GIFT CURATION
The DLISH Balsamic Vinegar Gift Curation allows you to reactivate your senses with gourmet Balsamic Vinegar and an innovative Camere Olfattive by Astrid Luglio. Immerse in a sensory tasting experience by first smelling, then tasting, your ingredient of choice. A unique gift for all kinds of occasions, the Balsamic Vinegar Gift Set inspires sensory enjoyment while showing how much you care.
Exquisitely wrapped in a DLISH Signature Collection luxury gift box, making it a joy to unwrap before drizzling, dipping, and savoring.
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dlish.us
DLISH PROSECO GIFT CURATION
The DLISH Prosecco Gift Curation includes a lively and refreshing bottle of Prosecco blended by Fiol’s modern-day artisans. Delightful on the palate, enjoy from a statement Ichendorf Kokeshi flute alongside delicious Frisino olives. Ideal for all occasions, the Prosecco Gift Box is a thoughtful way to show your gratitude while encouraging enjoyment.
Elegantly packaged in a DLISH Signature Collection luxury gift box, making it a delight to unwrap before savoring with loved ones.
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DLISH RISOTTO GIFT CURATION
The DLISH Risotto Gift Curation allows you to delight in the Italian ritual of ‘fare la scarpetta’, with a duo of charming plates designed for your piece of bread or little shoe to mop up any remaining sauce. Express your feelings of love, gratitude, or simply inspire an evening of stimulating conversation around the dinner table. A truly thoughtful gift for the foodie in your life, the Risotto Box Curation comes stylishly wrapped in a DLISH Signature Collection luxury gift box.
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farmhouselab.com
BI-ANNUAL FOUR-PACK
SUBSCRIPTION
Save when you choose any 4 dressings to ship to you twice a year.
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Choose any two jars of our real food dressings.
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Easily transform your salads, grain bowls, seafood, meats and more info healthy and nourishing meals. MAKE YOUR OWN TWO PACK
CHOOSE ANY FOUR OF THEIR DRESSINGS TO MAKE YOUR OWN CUSTOM 4-PACK
Choose any two jars of our real food dressings.
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ARARAT NAIRI BRANDY
Nairi — the embodiment of craftsmanship in the blending of cognac distillates.
Nairi is one of the ancient names of Armenia. We also named our 20-yearold Armenian brandy ARARAT “Nairi”, and it became the pinnacle of taste in the ARARAT range. Its noble blend is rightfully considered the pinnacle of Markar Sedrakyan’s craftsmanship.
Characteristics 0.75 L
Alcohol by vol 40%
Aged 20 years
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ARARAT EREBUNI BRANDY
Aged in oak casks, Erebuni 30 has a silky immersive taste, and strong notes of dried fruits are felt in its noble aroma.
A precious blend of 30-yearold ARARAT “Erebuni” brandy is distinguished by its exquisite aroma and unique generous taste. It bears the name of the ancient Erebuni fortress, erected in 782 BC by order of King Argishti I.
Characteristics 0.75 L
Alcohol by vol 40%
Aged 30 years
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en.araratbrandy.com
MONDAY
GIN COCKTAIL KIT
FOR THE GIN LOVER
Monday Gin plus premium mixers from FeverTree is a dream gift come true for that certain someone looking for delicious drinks without the alcohol this holiday season.
Our Monday Gin Cocktail Kit Includes:
Monday Gin
Fever-Tree Club Soda
Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water
Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic Water
Custom Recipe Card to put the goods to perfect use
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MONDAY OLD FASHIONED KIT
FOR THE WHISKEY AFICIONADO
Monday Whiskey plus Hella Cocktail Co. ensures the Old Fashioned lover in your life will have a ball this holiday season (without alcohol).
Our Monday Old Fashioned Kit Includes:
Monday Whiskey
Hella Cocktail Co. Orange Bitters
Hella Cocktail Co. Aromatic Bitters
Hella Cocktail Co. Old Fashioned Premium Mix
Custom Recipe Card to ensure your Old Fashioned is crafted with excellence
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MONDAY
WHISKEY COCKTAIL KIT
FOR THE CLASSIC COCKTAIL FANATIC
Combine Monday Whiskey with Fever-Tree’s premium offerings to truly impress someone special with a (hangover free) gift they’ll never forget this holiday season.
Our Monday Whiskey Cocktail Kit Includes:
Monday Whiskey
Fever-Tree Club Soda
Fever-Tree Ginger Ale
Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
Custom Recipe Card to craft a trio of excellent drinks
PRICE-UPON REQUEST
drinkmonday.co
PATISSERIE AND BAKING COURSE - WITH PASTRY CHEF OLGA NOSKOVA
This is a great online course with pastry chef Olga Noskova. She is famous for her beautiful and tasty mirror-glaze cakes and sumptuous dessert arrangements. Her culinary creations became big hits in 2016 when Chef Noskova’s culinary techniques and appearances of her pastries mesmerized Buzzfeed and other media outlets.
After going viral, she kept creating unique products. Her pastry art has now been featured in international publications, exhibitions, and cooking shows, not to mention they keep collecting likes and follows on social media.
She is now sharing her secrets and techniques with the world via her online course. This is your chance to get a first-hand education and learn how to make these amazing works of art.
This is a perfect holiday gift for someone interested in knowing how to create desserts that are too pretty to eat and take the next step in pastry-making.
CLASSES RANGE FROM $189 - $599 USD
https://noskovaonline.com/
SUPER COMFY COTTON SOCKSBY STATE BIRD PROVISIONS
As one of San Francisco’s most beloved restaurants, State Bird Provisions has a few cool items on sale in its store. These socks, however, are definitely the most fun ones.
Featuring Leah Rosenberg’s artwork of different food, drinks, and restaurant items weaved onto the white and brown fabric, they are eyecatchers for any food lover.
These cute one-size-fits-all socks are the perfect stocking stuffer.
BOOK - CHEF CRISTINA BOWERMAN MEETS EUGENIO TIBALDI
This innovative book explores the interplay between food and artwork. It features the culinary creations of Michelin-starred-chef Cristina Bowerman, who runs her flagship Glass Hostaria restaurant in Rome, Italy, among others; as well as the work of artist Eugenio Tibald, an acclaimed artist who is attracted by the dynamics of marginal areas and is also based in Italy.
This beautifully photographed book has 38 recipes and 38 artworks with text in English and Italian. A perfect holiday gift for someone interested in learning more about how creativity, art, and food mingle.
$40 EUROS
https://glasshostaria.it/gifts-eng-2-2-2-2
HESTAN COPPERBOND
INDUCTION COPPER ULTIMATE SET (10 PIECE)
For ultimate performance and modern elegance, equip the kitchen with a Hestan CopperBond Induction Copper 10-Piece Set. This carefully curated cookware set features an assortment of pots and pans to accommodate a wide range of recipes and techniques. Pots and pans have been constructed from 5-layers of stainless steel and a 100% copper core for quick, even heating and exceptional temperature control. This durable cookware set features flush rivets for easy cleaning and easy nesting storage. Stainless steel lids are interchangeable to fit the frying pans, while resting on the rims of all items to lock in vital heat for rich flavor. Ergonomic handles have been designed for maximum comfort and control, and are secured with flush rivets for easy cleaning and nesting storage capability. Handcrafted in Italy, this innovative, induction-compatible cookware set is oven safe to 600°F for superior cooking versatility.
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Luna Sundara by Sergio Davila is our most recent home decor collection, featuring uniquely designed cushion covers and rugs inspired by the llamas that roam freely among the Peruvian mountains. We collaborated with awardwinning designer Sergio Davila to capture the true spirit of the Andes and bring it directly to your living room or bedroom.
Davila is recognized throughout South America for his cutting-edge vision and non-traditional style. He has developed new hand-loomed techniques, styles and knitwear through his work with various local artisans.
HANDWOVEN WOOL AREA RUG
This handwoven, 100% Peruvian lambswool area rug is both beautiful and comfortable.
Features a zipper closure.
Dry clean only.
Size: 4x6 feet
Color (Habano)
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HANDWOVEN WOOL CUSHION COVER (HABANO)
This handwoven, 100% Peruvian lambswool cushion cover is both beautiful and comfortable.
Features a zipper closure.
Dry clean only.
Cushion not included.
Color (Habano)
PRICE-UPON REQUEST
At Luna Sundara, we utilize wool that is ethically sourced from Peruvian highland sheep, and hand loomed in Lima by artisan women within a fair trade environment. In keeping with the authenticity of our Andean-based products, we collaborate with Peruvian artisans and designers to deliver products that are responsibly manufactured with as little impact to the environment as possible.
PERUVIAN WALL MIRRORBLACK SUNBURST
Brighten up your space and add some artful intrigue to your walls with this spectacular mirror. Peruvian artisans hand-carved the frame using a centuries-old technique once implemented in the creation of religious sculptures. Exquisitely crafted with a sleek bronze and black finish, this whimsical mirror pairs well with a variety of color palettes, and adds a chic look and feel to any home decor layout.
(Available in sizes 8" 10" 12")
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PALO SANTO AND HUAYRURO NECKLACE
This beautiful beaded necklace is made of Palo Santo wood and Huayruro seeds.
The necklace combines the sacred, healing properties of Palo Santo wood together with the colorful Huayruro seeds, which are traditionally used in medicinal rituals and associated with good luck and wealth, to give you a unique and meaningful piece of jewelry.
Each bead is 8mm in size.
Sustainably harvested in Peru. Luna Sundara only works with suppliers who utilize ethical, fair trade and sustainable practices.
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PREMIUM PALO SANTO SMUDGING STICKS SINGLE PACK (8 STICKS)
These long-lasting Palo Santo sticks make perfect smudging tools. Smudging is a ritual through which we cleanse the energy of a physical space, object or person.
These premium sticks of sustainably harvested Palo Santo smudging sticks are handpicked and packaged in 100% recyclable and biodegradable packaging.
When burned, the sticks produce a fresh, aromatic scent. The smoke gives off a purifying, grounding effect that may help promote feelings of tranquility and peace.
To use, light the tip of the stick and allow the wood to burn for under a minute before blowing out the flame. Relight as needed.
Each stick is approximately 10cm (4in) long. Each pack contains 8 smudging sticks.
Sustainably harvested in Ecuador. Luna Sundara only works with suppliers who utilize ethical, fair trade and sustainable practices.
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PREMIUM HAND-ROLLED INCENSE STICKS
Meditate, relax and cleanse to the smoke of these high-quality, hand-rolled sticks, which give off a continuous burn similar to traditional incense. (Available in premium grey copal, myrrh, wiracoa & more)
These incredibly aromatic Palo Santo and Wiracoa incense sticks are hand-rolled by talented Peruvian artisans and made with 100% natural ingredients, including ground high resin Peruvian Palo Santo wood, Wiracoa and natural binding gum from various species of the Acacia tree.
Wiracoa is an ancient plant used to lighten and clarify energy within a room. It is also commonly known as the herb of fire.
To use, light the tip of the stick and allow the wood to burn for under a minute before blowing out the flame. Relight as needed.
Contains 6 incense sticks, each with an approximate burn time of 90 minutes.
SERFOR (National Forest Service and Wildlife) certified
Sustainably harvested in Peru. Luna Sundara only works with suppliers who utilize ethical, fair trade and sustainable practices.
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ESSENTIAL OIL 100% PURE WILDCRAFTED
These essential oils are sustainably extracted through a process known as steam distillation. No chemical solvents are involved. The oil is first extracted by passing a vapor stream through the dry wood, opening its oil gland and allowing the essential oil to mix with steam. Next, the oil is passed through a cooling system to obtain condensation through the plant’s natural essence.
Sustainably harvested in Peru. Luna Sundara works with renowned Peruvian chemists to distill our oils. Our suppliers utilize ethical, fair trade and sustainable practices.
The above information is for informational purposes only, and cannot be considered as expert medical opinion or advice, nor does it compromise our legal responsibility.
(AVAILABLE IN MANY SCENTS)
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KALOUD® KRYSALIS® ANAHATA® EDITION
The Kaloud® Krysalis® is not a Hookah... It’s a Krysalis®. The world’s first. It draws upon more than 500-years of tradition and innovation and emerges reborn as something new; something unknown.
REGULAR PRICE
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KRYSALIS® CALIX™️ FULL SET IN WHITE WITH LOTUS III PREORDER
The Kaloud® Krysalis® Calix™️ is more than a Hookah... It’s a Krysalis®. It draws upon more than 500-years of tradition and innovation and emerges reborn as something new; something unknown.
This Krysalis® Calix™️ Bundle comes with The Krysalis® Calix™️ “Portable Adventure Companion”™️, the Krysalis® Edition Samsaris® Vitria® III™️, the best selling bowl in the World that securely fits atop the Calix™️ to hold your shisha, and the highly anticipated Lotus III™️ the most worthy successor to the World’s first Heat Management Device, which fits snuggly onto the all new Samsaris® Vitria® III™️, heating the shisha to create incredible puffs.
Krysalis® Calix™️ Housing is composed of White Silicone, White Plastic Base, Ultra-Clear Scratch Resistant Plastic, Aluminum, and Stainless Steel.
REGULAR PRICE
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SWIMWEAR
Planning a warm holiday during the winter months, or need some new swimwear for your next trip in the sun? BOLD Swim has a variety of luxury, sustainable, fun pieces, inclusive sizing for all body types.
Swimwear reimagined. Curated collections for lifestyle in and out of the water.
SKINCARE
Beauty by BOLD Swim is a revolutionary skincare line. Formulated without alcohol, barley, corn, oats, rye, salt, spelt, wheat or dairy. Give your body a gift it will appreciate.
Everyday Body Care Set. Perfect for Travel & Gift Giving.
PRICE-UPON REQUEST
PRICE-UPON REQUEST boldswim.com
BATH BLISS SET
Take self-care to the next level with our CBD bath collection. CBD helps to relieve sore muscles and reduce tension. Each bathing ball contains a natural chakra stone that will reveal itself during your bathing ritual. Once you have all seven, store them in your muslin bag for safe keeping. To regain spiritual vitality and restore balance, place stones in your hand and repeat 11 times “my chakras are aligned.”
Additional inspiration and clear quartz are included to help amplify and align all chakras. Considered the master healing stone, quartz opens channels to facilitate the natural flow of energy.
PRICE-UPON REQUEST
Floramye is a thoughtfully-sourced product line using ethically grown, certifiedorganic hemp and essential oils. The Floramye team assembles a group of hemp experts who assist with everything from sourcing to formulation. Shop their unique products to unveil a clearer, more radiant complexion with these artisanal essential nutrient-rich formulas to help calm irritation while enhancing skin’s youthful glow.
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AYLA SEA SOAK
Detoxifying, remineralizing treatment for body, skin, & scalp / Contains one deeply restorative bath with kelp, salt, and organic cotton bag
This, friends, is no ordinary bath. The Ayla Sea Soak is designed to be a profound way to witness the power of individual ingredients in their natural state, at the highest level of quality, and at the peak of freshness — as close to a spa treatment as you can get without having to leave your house.
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AYLA + MYHAVTORN FOOT THERAPY
Exfoliating foot cream with sea buckthorn and lactic acid / 1.7 oz full size or 3.4 oz deluxe size
Foot Therapy was made just for Ayla by MyHavtorn of Sweden, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. Because, if you use your feet a lot (who doesn’t?) and don’t have time for pedicures as often as you’d like (who does?), you may find that they get a little, well, not-sobaby-soft. But most foot creams out there either don’t exfoliate those rough spots away…
AYLABEAUTY.COM
FACE WASH
Palmarosa + Aloe
WHAT IT IS: The purest form of gentle cleanser made with organic foodgrade oils. This is a naturally lathering gel that will remove impurities and makeup without stripping the skin of moisture. Now sold with a metal cap (or with pump sold separately) to better support our planet.
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EARTHTUFACE.COM
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LIP BALM
A pure botanical lip balm formulated with plant compounds and bright cold-pressed organic oils to repair, nourish, and plump lips. Housed in natural seashell compacts, these are hand-poured in small batches at our California apothecary.
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ETTA + BILLIE
If you want to turn your skincare routine into a self-care ritual, invest in good quality, artisanal soaps and natural home and body care products that are carefully curated. Etta + Billie is one of those ‘’hidden gem’’ companies worthy of being discovered. Founded by Alana Rivera in 2009, this San Francisco-based small business is built around the concept of unexpected yet delicious food combinations. Rivera successfully creates artisan skincare for food lovers by blending her love of good food with sustainability and purposeful skin care.
Get in the holiday spirit with this limited edition soap that keeps skin soft while exuding a sweet potato pie aroma—the perfect blend of warm and comforting ingredients from your favorite sweet potato pie recipe.
If you’re looking for unique gifts this festive season, Etta+Billie’s new Chai Tea Collection is all you need. Treat your body or loved ones to this wonderful set of Christmas soap bars, skin balms, and body scrubs. This collection is a match made in heaven—chai encapsulates the warm, spicy aroma of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg while creating an instantly comforting feeling.
Bar Soap PRICE- USD 14.00
THE HONUA RITUAL
Our Honua Ritual Facial Set comes with the four full size products of our core Ritual line.
Experience Aloha Daily and incorporate the HONUA SKINCARE RITUAL into your daily self-love routine. Purchase the complete set and see how they work together to transform your skin!
Step 1: Pa’akai Cleansing Cream; Cleanser and mask (2oz)
Now you can try a selection of our bestsellers in the Discovery Set. This set should last 1-2 weeks depending on how generously you dispense! These make fantastic travel sizes, gifts for friends OR the long-awaited opportunity to give Honua a test run!
Pa’akai Cleansing Cream - 30ml
Hawaiian Beauty Water - 30ml
Aloha Youth Serum - 4ml
‘Ōlena Beauty Oil - 4ml
PRICE-UPON REQUEST
honuaskincare.com
BUTTAH SKIN
Founded by the skincare mogul Dorion Renaud, Buttah is a black-owned business offering highly effective melanin-rich skin products.
This brand is centered around the celebration of Black beauty, meaning that its products are developed around Black people as a subject and not an object of what they create. Each Buttah Skin product targets all the skin issues men and women face daily, such as dryness, discoloration, oiliness, and blemishes. Simple, proveneffective vegan ingredients leave your skin glowing, healthy, and renewed.
If your skin looks dull, freshen it up with a rich body butter moisturizer made with Virgin Organic Unrefined Shea Butter from Ghana, ideal for the driest parts of your body. Give yourself a full body glow with a supreme customizable skin kit consisting of essential products for your morning and night ritual. Get glowing skin as smooth as butter—besides, everyone needs a lil’ Buttah, baby!
BUTTAHSKIN.COM
Supreme
The first device to hack your metabolism
Enhance fat burn, lose weight & boost energy naturally.
Lumen uses a CO2 sensor and flow meter to determine the CO2 concentration in a single breath. This indicates the type of fuel your body is using to produce energy.
lumen.me
BRING YOUR HUMAN TO WORK
A best-selling manual for leaders, managers, employees of all ages and across industries.
$21.39
RITUALS ROADMAP
Transform your company into workplace magic with the power of rituals!
$17.49
Erica Keswin is a bestselling author, internationally sought-after speaker, and founder of the Spaghetti Project, a roving ritual devoted to sharing the science and stories of relationships at work. She helps top-of-the-class businesses, organizations, and individuals improve their performance by honoring relationships in every context, always with an eye toward hightech for human touch. She was named one of Marshall Goldsmith’s Top 100 Coaches in 2020, as well as one of Business Insider’s most innovative coaches of 2020. Her first book, Bring Your Human to Work: 10 Sure-Fire Ways to Design a Workplace That’s Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World was published in 2018 by McGraw Hill. Her second book, Rituals Roadmap: The Human Way to Transform Everyday Routines Into Workplace Magic was published by McGraw Hill in January, 2021. Both books debuted as Wall Street Journal bestsellers.
1-DAY TOUR TO NICOSIA CITY, CYPRUS BY FREEGUIDES APP
Rated 5 stars, a trip to Nicosia City in Cyprus could be what you need this holiday. In the spirit of the long holiday, walking tours are best to guide you through the city of Nicosia. It is recommended to choose the sunniest day and start walking in the old city of Nicosia while taking in all the culture this magical city has to offer. Don’t forget to stop at local places you don’t want to miss! Enjoy!
FreeGuides, a travel walking tour app around the world.
Rated 4.93 for the food and drinks, Redfern, named after one of the suburbs in Sydney, Australia, could be your local oasis. Think of a place where you can be yourself and mingle with the locals.
FreeGuides, a travel walking tour app around the world.
HALF A DAY AT CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK BY FREEGUIDES APP
The walk tours at Central Park, New York, have been given a full 5-rating by global travelers who have experienced this on FreeGuides. Local New Yorkers have called Central Park the city’s “lungs” due to the journey of stepping out of the hustle and bustle of this city and stretching and embracing the fresh greenery outside. You may notice the Central Park Zoo and Gapstow Bridge as you journey through. But did you notice a 4,000-year-old-relic?
For nature travelers, this is a beautiful escape from city travel. Discover Mani in Greece, north of the Peloponnese Peloponnesus, it is arguably the most marveling place in all of Greece. The peninsula is a mix of wild rocky environment, fortress-houses, and crystal clear turquoise, blue, and emerald tone of the sea. You can also swim with turtles while appreciating the spectacular scenery of the ocean.
It means a lot to receive a gift from someone special during the holidays, but it means a lot more when those gifts are still being received months later. After all, who doesn’t enjoy continuous gifts all year long?
With so many great subscription-based offerings out there—wine clubs, clothing clubs, candle clubs, etc.—it can be difficult to decide which is the best for your friend or family member. You also don’t want to gift items someone already has or isn’t interested in. That’s why we curated this list of five niche subscription boxes that are sure to impress monthly or quarterly.
DOUGHP - SECRET COOKIE DOUGH CLUB
Started by Kelsey Moreira in 2017, Doughp is an edible cookie dough company with a thriving e-commerce business and a few storefront locations. Kelsey has made an appearance on Shark Tank and was featured by Forbes 30 Under 30 for her cookie dough that’s safe to eat and bake.
With Doughp, forget your preconceived notions about raw cookie dough. This sensibly sweet treat is made with heat-treated flour, no raw eggs, lower amounts of sugar, real pantry ingredients, and no added preservatives. Made in delicious flavors that include Cookie Monsta, Ride or Die, and Brownie Beast, each pint is 100% cookie dough and can last up to 45 days refrigerated or 1-year frozen.
Here’s what comes with the club: Secret Cookie Dough Club members receive 2 pints monthly or quarterly in unique rotating flavors. That also includes free shipping on every order, as well as surprises and perks from Doughp. Subscribe for $29/month.
Are you looking for a subscription gift for someone that loves cooking and trying new things? RawSpiceBar has created something special with its responsibly sourced, small-batch spice subscription builder. Each month, your gift recipient will receive a 2 oz. spice blend accompanied by a seasonallyappropriate recipe to highlight each blend. Easy and fun recipes include Sazón Rice Bowls, Aloha Pork, Sweet Carolina Grilled Cauliflower Steaks, and many more.
RawSpiceBar began after the search for the most vibrant and freshest ingredients in the world. In 2015, the company was founded on the basis of providing hand-blended small-batch spices that are taste tested to ensure your meals are taken to the next level of flavor. Their spice blends are so fresh that they are hand-blended within 60 days of being delivered.
Here’s what comes with the club: a 2 oz. spice blend (made in the USA), a recipe to highlight the blend, access to RawSpiceBar’s newsletter, eco-friendly packaging, and free US shipping. Subscribe for $12/month. https://rawspicebar.com/ products/the-spice-subscription?sscid=91k6_ys6v0
TRADE - GIFT COFFEE SUBSCRIPTION
Coffee subscriptions aren’t exactly new or innovative. Coffee roasters have been shipping monthly coffee subscriptions for many years. But Trade offers a new kind of subscription plan that allows you to choose from over 400 individual coffees. Instead of making its own coffee, Trade has partnered with 50 of the best roasters in the United States that offer single-origin and blended beans.
Once you select the number of bags you want your recipient to receive, Trade will send them a gift code that can be redeemed on its website. Once logged in, they’ll be directed to a quiz asking how they like their coffee and then curating matches just for them. They will then choose their coffees, grind settings, and order frequency.
Here’s what comes with the club: an assortment of top roasters with coffees delivered at peak freshness based on their preferences, free shipping, and the ability to change coffees and order frequency as they go. Subscribe for $40/2 bags. https://drinktrade.com/giftsubscription/p/1858
ROWAN EARRING CLUB
Looking for the perfect gift for your tween or teen daughter, niece, or friend’s daughter? Well, if they’re an earring lover, you should consider the Rowan Earring Club. Each month, they will receive a new set of hypoallergenic earrings. To get them started, the first month comes with an earring stand, micro suede pouch, journal, stickers, flashlight pen, and discussion questions.
Rowan was founded by Louisa Serene Schneider because she wanted a fun, safe, and affordable earpiercing experience for everyone, especially her kids. If you’re considering this gift for a tween or teen who hasn’t yet pierced their ears, an appointment can be booked through their website. A licensed nurse will come to the house and provide a safe piercing experience. Plus, the nurse gets to keep 100% of the profits!
Here’s what comes with the club: a pair of premium quality (gold or sterling silver) hypoallergenic studs, a unique accessory of the month, an affirmation card, and a new sticker every month. Subscribe for $29/month. https://heyrowan.com/pages/ rowan-earring-club
THERABOX - SELF CARE SUBSCRIPTION BOX
What if you could give someone the gift of happiness in a box every month? That’s exactly what TheraBox has set out to do with its researchinspired wellness boxes to boost joy and improve life. Founded by practicing therapist Ting Ting Jiang, each box is curated by therapists and inspired by positive psychology and neuroscience with thoughtful care products and joy-boosting activities.
“Dopamine and serotonin are often considered our bliss neurochemicals and fire when we do things that bring us pleasure,” says Ting Ting. By incorporating 4-6 wellness products and one happiness-boosting activity in each box, TheraBox hopes to provide a consistent reminder to take care of oneself. Each product is organic, natural, artisan, and crafted by local and independent businesses.
Here’s what comes with the club: your choice of monthto-month, 3-month prepay, 6-month prepay, or 12-month prepay. Each box has a new theme, 7 to 8 products, worldwide shipping, and hassle-free cancellations and skips. Subscribe for $39.99/month. https://mytherabox. com/products/therabox-self-care-subscriptionbox?variant=gift_subscription
Airofit
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
AIROFIT
WRITTEN BY:
KEVIN JAMES JEFFERY
PRODUCED BY:
KEVIN JAMES JEFFERY @AIROFITSOLUTION
Driven by the pursuit of a healthier tomorrow, the healthtech startup Airofit wants to bring better breathing to the world. Used by Olympic athletes and amateurs, Airofit respiratory trainers add resistance to breathing muscles for improved physical performance and overall health.
Respiratory muscle training has been gaining some steam in recent years. Especially with all the difficulties people experienced after contracting COVID-19, the general public is taking their breathing more seriously. But it’s about more than just exercise and fitness; respiratory muscle training has the ability to reduce the effort required for the body to breathe.
With 17 unique training sessions tested by global breathing professionals, the Airofit is perfect for sports performance and health & well-being.
AIROFIT
PRO
The full experience with a personal training plan + live guidance and feedback.
AIROFIT ACTIVE
A simplified version of the Airofit Pro with adjustable resistance levels + training sessions.
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