Skimbaco Lifestyle Issue 1

COFFEE, TEA OR ME?

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST

ISSUE 1 2014

ISSUE123 4567890

VOLUME1234567890 2014

CUPCAKE AND COFFEE FAZER CAFE, HELSINKI, FINLAND PHOTO: KATJA PRESNAL

COFFEE, TEA OR ME? We would like to welcome you to read our very first Skimbaco Lifestyle magazine, a collection of articles from SkimbacoLifestyle.com and special features from carefully selected contributors.

Get a cup of coffee, or tea, and enjoy our first issue.

Fittingly, our theme is “coffee, tea or me� and we bring you the timely recipe of something sweet to enjoy with your coffee, and how (and where) to discover tea in Asia. We feature interesting people who are making their dreams come true, and above all - we hope to inspire you to live life to the fullest.

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CONNECT

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FROM THE EDITOR | KATJA PRESNAL

Hello friend!

The word to describe how I feel about SkimbacoLifestyle.com is PROUD. Our team has worked extremely hard and I feel lucky to work with such a talented team.

Over half a million unique readers read Skimbaco Lifestyle in 2013 and our team reaches over 100,000 people via social media. The actual big number is 3400 - the number of photos tagged with #skimbaco hashtag on Instagram by our readers. The fact that you want to share your best moments in life with us is why we publish Skimbaco Lifestyle. It means that we have evoked emotion and inspired action to enjoy life. Two of our favorite Skimbacoers and their photos are featured in this magazine.

In all simplicity, our mission is to inspire YOU to live the Skimbaco Lifestyle. I hope you will continue sharing what Skimbaco means to you and join us in inspiring people around the world. Happiness is the sum of all things, like the perfect cup of tea.

Katja Presnal Editor-in-Chief / Owner of Skimbaco Lifestyle

PHOTO: PETER MEYER

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44 20 ISSUE: COFFEE, TEA OR ME 13

TRAVEL INSIGHT: Coffee as hotel

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TRAVEL: Tracing the Origins of the

room luxury

richly flavored Ceylon Tea in Sri Lanka

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FASHION: Let’s go for a coffee - out-

fit ideas for a coffee date

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INTERVIEW: Meet the ladies who

baked a cake for Lady Gaga

Special feature: tea around the world from Page 44

DREAM COME TRUE: MY Perfect

Cup of Tea in Maokong

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空, Taipei

CULINARY TRAVEL: Traditional After-

noon Tea or a Cream Tea in England

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CULINARY TRAVEL: Scarlett O’Hara

would be Impressed with Afternoon Tea at Jefferson Hotel in Virginia

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GLOBAL KITCHEN: Semlor, the

sweet almond-filled winter time buns from Scandinavia {with recipe}

IN every issue 7

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BEAUTY: DIY coffee scrub

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FOOD: Banana mocha coffee cake

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recipe

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COMMUNITY: Featured Skimbacoer COMMUNITY: Featured Skimbacoe

92 DRINK: Nespresso cappucino a la

rose recipe

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Letter from the editor

SHOP: 16 shades of Valentine’s Day

gifts from Red Envelope

INSPIRATION: My top Skimbaco mo-

ments

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JUST IN {5 healthy coffee trends}

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Story behind the cover photo

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SKIMBACO TEAM KATJA PRESNAL | editor-in-chief/owner | Sweden Likes cooking big family dinners. Her three children were all born in different countries, within three years. Award winning social media strategist. Unstoppable, making dreams come true.

SATU VÄNSKÄ-WESTGARTH | project manager | Norway Adventure traveling mom. Kayaked around the world. From Finland, currently lives in Norway. Knows travel industry and marketing. Always ready to go to destination unknown and try new outdoor sports.

LEIGH HINES | luxury travel editor | North Carolina, USA Obsessed with luxury hotels and loves the afternoon tea. Former TV journalist. Southern girl who loves everything European. Thinks a good luxury hotel is a destination of its own. Mother of two.

ADRIENNE SHUBIN | fashion writer | California, USA Sonoma chic fashionista who knows how to accessorize. California wine country expert. Visits Paris every year. Lives the rich life on a budget, which is also her blog’s name. She often travels with her dogs.

WES HOLLAND | fashion & men’s lifestyle writer | New York, USA NYU business student. Mover and shaker, champagne lover. Write down his name so you can say you heard about him “already when”. Fashion & luxury lifestyle expert. Preppy jet-setter.

REETA LAAKSONEN | global lifestyle writer | United Kingdom Global luxury lifestyle expert, jet-setter, mother of three. Little known fact: a last minute injury prevented her from being an Olympic athlete. Lived in more countries than most people ever visit. Has extensive business and finance background. ix

Valentine’s Day gift ideas at RedEnvelope.com

FEATURED CONTRIBUTING WRITERS VEERA PAPINOJA | travel blogger | Finland Passionate traveler & a travel blogger at RunningWith Wild Horses, mostly exploring new destinations in Asia. In a few months she will hold a Bachelors Degree in Tourism and will continue working with Destination Management, Aviation & Social Media. Fun fact: she is obsessed with blending vegetables. “Not a day goes by without a fresh healthy smoothie!” says Veera.

Read Veera’s article about finding tea in Taiwan on page 56.

ALLISON CZARNECKI | style blogger | Utah, USA Allison is the founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life. Happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and mother of two. Fashion stylist, traveler, and known for her edgy style, gorgeous inside and out. “I adore everything there is to be adored about fashion and style and am a pro at a good smoky eye, but I can go granola and camp with the best of them” says Allison

Get Allison’s DIY coffee scrub recipe on page 76.

By Leigh Hines

PHOTO: KATJA PRESNAL

COFFEE AS HOTEL ROOM LUXURY

IN-ROOM NESPRESSO MACHINES DEFINE THE NEW LUXURY IN THE HOTEL ROOM COFFEE

I’M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO DESPISE GOING TO A HOTEL LOBBY FOR A MORNING CUP OF COFFEE. More importantly, I want a good cup of coffee to start my day. I’m not alone in my views, but after polling the HinesSight Blog Facebook community, it’s about 50/50 on whether in-room coffee is a necessity when staying in a luxury property. Inroom coffee is not always found in luxury properties because these hotels are all about service, and making mediocre coffee in the room doesn’t meet its service expectations. In-room coffee is a necessity, and without the hefty room service bill.

BY LEIGH HINES W W W. H I N E S S I G H T B L O G . C O M I N S TA G R A M : H I N E S S I G H T B L O G TWITTER: HINESSIGHTBLOG P I N T E R E S T: H I N E S S I G H T B L O G

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PHOTO: LEIGH HINES

I racked up a $30 room service bill, including tip, at the five-star Jefferson Hotel in Richmond this summer for a large pot of coffee, one milk, and one orange juice because I wanted to enjoy coffee in my room.

L E T ’ S J U S T TA L K A B O U T THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, SHALL WE? $30 IS AN ABSURD AMOUNT TO PAY FOR COFFEE IN A HOTEL R O O M , W H E N YO U C O U L D H AV E H A D I T F O R F R E E I N T H E L O B B Y.

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The Ritz-Carlton, a top luxury hotel brand, in the Buckhead area of Atlanta has provided in-room coffee for several years because of the same reasons.

IN-ROOM COFFEE IN LUXURY HOTELS Many luxury hotels that used to provide no in-room coffee are now providing single-cup Keurig coffee makers in guest rooms, as for example all Hilton Garden Inn rooms will be equipped with Keurigs.

The quality has been high enough to suit its guest expectations, at least for now.

The five-star property The Umstead Hotel and Spa, located in Cary, North Carolina, is one of those properties that listened to its guests and decided to give in-room coffee a try, and they furnish complimentary Caribou coffee in the hotel rooms.

The five-star Williamsburg Inn in Williamsburg, Virginia, only serves complimentary coffee in the lobby, just like The Jefferson in Richmond, but the hotel will provide a Keurig coffee maker in the room at a guest’s request. They tell me that they get very few requests for the coffee maker, though. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has equipped Keurigs in all rooms in the Williamsburg Lodge, though, which is their other luxury property, but that hotel is not at the same level of luxury as the Williamsburg Inn, The Umstead Hotel and Spa, The Ritz-Carlton, or The Jefferson.

The Jefferson, on the other hand, says it is constantly evaluating in-room coffee services. Public Relations Manager Jennifer Crisp revealed:

“We have not yet found, however, a solution that provides the consistent quality, variety and convenience that we anticipate that our guests will expect. That said, as products change, we will continue evaluating. We do find, however, that our “It was important for us to listen to our guests enjoy the complimentary coffee guests, and provide both value and con- service in the lobby. It’s a bit more tradivenience to their stay,” remarked Darah tional and does allow us to provide a Whyte, the Umstead Hotel’s Marketing Di- high-quality product and a variety of cofrector, when we chatted about the topic fees, teas and accompaniments so that (over coffee, by the way). guests can concoct their perfect cup.” xv

PHOTO:SHANGRI-LA HOTEL TORONTO

Ritz-Carlton Buckhead is following WILL ESPRESSO MA- The suit with a select number of guest rooms CHINES DEFINE A NEW located near the spa. The new Spa level LUXURY FOR HOTELS rooms are the latest in this hotel’s luxury with special features such as acFOR IN-ROOM COFFEE? portfolio cess to the Spa Lounge, an in-room dining The Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto thinks Nespresso is the latest in luxury. The Asian-founded luxury hotel chain has installed Zenius Nespresso machines in all of its guest rooms. Guests can have complimentary morning coffee in their room with a choice of two regular flavors and one decaf option. Shangri-La prides itself as being the first hotel in Toronto to equip Nespresso machines in all guest rooms for complimentary use.

Spa Cuisine menu, and the luxury of enjoying your own espresso in each room.

Each room has an espresso machine and beverage brewer for complimentary coffee beverages and teas. Non-spa level rooms are still equipped with coffeemakers, just not espresso makers.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, features an in-room Nespresso coffee and tea machine in its rooms for xvi

guests’ complimentary use. The ME Hotel in London, also a Preferred Hotel, offers the same coffee perk.

However, other Preferred properties such as The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond and The Michelangelo in New York City remain more “old school” luxury when it comes to in-room coffee. They will happily brew you coffee for your room, but expect a room service charge. Other properties in the membership may offer some type of single-cup brewing system, if not Keurig.

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IN-ROOM NESPRESSO COFFEE MIGHT NOT BE FREE

I was disappointed that it was not complimentary. However, after experiencing a hoI experienced my first Nespresso machine tel stay with no in-room coffee at all, my for in-room coffee while staying at the Ho- views changed on the espresso mini-bar tel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square in To- concept after that. Even at a charge, one ronto over the summer. In-room coffee at capsule will not set you back that much this luxurious boutique hotel is part of the and is about the cost of an espresso in a lomini-bar, so each capsule comes with a cal coffee shop. For those who could wait, Hotel Le Germain still offered complimensmall charge. tary cappuccinos in the guest lounge area Katja and I were drinking the coffee, not re- as well as complimentary espressos for alizing it was a mini-bar charge. I had breakfast. There are plenty of places to get stayed at some very high-end hotels in your coffee fix, free or not, and that was North Carolina prior to this visit that were nice. equipped with in-room Keurigs, so noncomplimentary in-room coffee never entered my mind. xviii

LET’S GO FOR A COFFEE

by Adrienne Shubin

Dressed in Sonoma Chic style

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CAFÉ CHIC

Meeting up for coffee is almost always a casual event.

Jeans are more than acceptable as are shorts, yoga wear and yes, I have even seen the occasional pajamawearer, usually bleary-eyed and messy-haired, ordering a double espresso to go.

I prefer to leave the pajamas where they belong, in my bedroom, and dress in the casual and relaxed yet stylish way, I call Sonoma Chic Style.

While waiting one rainy day to meet a friend at Basque Boulangerie in Sonoma, I got settled at a table to catch up on emails until she arrived. I wore an ivory silk blouse, black blazer, skinny jeans, classic Hunter rainboots and I brought along my favorite umbrella, a Guy de Jean I bought in Paris years ago. I never let a little rain get in the way of meeting a friend for coffee or looking stylish!

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TEXT AND PHOTOS: ADRIENNE SHUBIN T H E R I C H L I F E O N A B U D G E T. C O M I N S TA G R A M : THERICHLIFEONABUDGET TWITTER: RICHLIFEBUDGET P I N T E R E S T: R I C H L I F E

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I never let a little rain get in the way of meeting a friend for coffee or looking stylish!

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I like to meet up for coffee in the middle of a busy day spent doing errands.

It breaks up the monotony of running around from place to place and it’s nice to sit down, relax and recharge!

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Being on the go around town requires comfortable clothes and shoes but that doesn’t have to mean workout clothing.

A fashionable sneaker, worn with a warm coat and cozy sweater, is the more stylish option. I wore this outfit to meet my husband when he was in between meetings.

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Sometimes it’s wonderful to just sit and have coffee alone in a quiet place. That’s just what I did at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn when I stayed there with my husband last fall for our 13th wedding anniversary. Our room had a Nespresso machine that we put to good use.

On our last day, I dressed in boyfriend jeans, booties and an Australian outback hat, and made myself a hot cup of coffee. I enjoyed it on our patio, in solitude, while my husband packed up his things to leave.

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LOCATION: ROME, ITALY

One of the reasons why I like vacation rentals is that you can take your time on the mornings. You can sleep late, if you wish, and not try to rush it for the hotel breakfast, and you can make your own coffee in the kitchen, just the way you like it.

COFFEE LOVER’S TIP: If your vacation home doesn’t have the type of coffee maker you like, it still might be cheaper for you to buy a simple coffee maker to the rental property than ruining your travel budget by expensive coffees. In the US the cheapest espresso machines go for under $40 and in Europe I recommend getting a Bialetti stovetop coffee maker, which you can find typically for under 20 euros.

Katja Presnal, editor-in-chief of Skimbaco Lifestyle

MY CHOICE FOR VACATION RENTALS: FLIPKEY.COM

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FEATURED SKIMBACOER NAME: Paul T. Tran I’M FROM: Orange country, California PROFESSION: Franchise developer, I work with investors in opening niche restaurant chains all over the world.

LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST MEANS TO ME: Knowing yourself, staying yourself in a world of comfort zones and fear; uncovering your talents and sharing them; doing all things out of love; asking questions and setting out to answer them; exploring and being inspired by the world.

Follow PaulTTran on Instagram!

MY LIFE CHANGED WHEN I REALIZED... that there is more to life than just my career. I don’t need to be a millionaire - after reaching a comfortable level of income level, I can just stop and be with my family and friends, travel, try new things, read good books etc.

The net worth of living life to the fullest is infinite and I don’t have to wait to live. I can take mini-vacations and getaways on the weekends now, because “waiting for the retirement” is illusive - you may not live to that point, your health may not even allow that to happen, and you can always make more money but never more time. Most people spend their health to gain wealth - only to later on spend all their wealth on trying to regain their health.

MY FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS: Sweden and Greece I DREAM OF TRAVELING TO: New Zealand. Pictures and videos of the country blow me away.

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ARE YOU A SKIMBACOER? LOVER OF LIFE ADVENTURER OF THE WORLD DREAMER & DOER Share photos of how YOU live life to the fullest on Instagram with #SKIMBACO and follow Skimbaco to connect!

All of the #skimbaco photos can be viewed at SkimbacoLifestyle.com/instagram

We feature our favorite photos at Skimbacoers Instagram account, on our Facebook page and on Pinterest.

We also feature Skimbacoers in every magazine issue.

DECORATE WITH COFFEE BEANS

MEET THE LADIES WHO BAKED A CAKE FOR LADY GAGA The Pepper Pot is one of Dublin’s many cafés. A very cozy one, I might add, with tastefully mismatched colorful tablecloths, teakcolored sturdy wooden chairs, handwritten menu on the prominent red-tiled wall as the cafe perches on the indoor terrace of the Powerscourt Townhouse.

By Satu Vänskä-Westgarth

The location in one of Dublin’s more Powerscourt Management was looking for unique shopping centers is ideal really, as fresh and innovative entrepreneurs to it goes so well hand in hand with the breath life into the food offering in the censlightly quirky and tre, and the ladies warmly welcoming atjumped into the mosphere of the café. challenge.

TEXT AND PHOTOS Or so I thought, until I Dervla, with whom S AT U VÄ N S K Ä -W E S T G A RT H sat down with Marian I caught up with Kilcoyne, one of the over the phone, T O D E S T I N AT I O N U N K N O W N . C O M two owners, in the never thought she I N S TA G R A M : morning hours of one could cook. But T O D E S T I N AT I O N U N K N O W N Monday last summer one summer job in T W I T T E R : S AT U V W to find out what is a restaurant kitchen P I N T E R E S T: S AT U V W cooking in the Pepper changed that, and Pot Café and what over the years she makes the café so speworked her way cial. through some of Ireland’s most prestigI also wanted to find out how this small ious culinary institutions. café, that both hosts midmorning knitting groups and has catered cakes for such Marian, on the other hand, with business stars as Lady Gaga and U2’s Bono on cou- degree under her belt and years of experiple of hours notice, has been able to set ence from working in the restaurant busithemselves apart from rest of the city’s ness, wanted to change the course of her competitive lunch-time offering. career from administrative jobs to something more meaningful, signed up for an inWhen you see the queue forming in front tensive cooking course in Ballymaloe. Afof café at lunch-time, it is hard to imagine ter getting some valuable work experihow just over three years ago on some ence, she found herself working full-time days there might have been barely ten peoin the same cafe with Dervla in Dublin, ple walking past the place where the Pepwho was then finishing her degree in Bakper Pot Café is now located. This is where ing and Pastry Arts.

Dervla James, Marian’s business partner and Marian herself sat counting the passer- Four days after Dervla’s final exam, the labys day after day weighing the pros and dies’ “when we have our own café” banter cons of setting up their own cafeteria busi- became reality when the Pepper Pot Café ness in the midst of the recession. The opened its doors.

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I wanted to find out how this small café, that both hosts midmorning knitting groups and has catered cakes for such stars as Lady Gaga and U2’s Bono on couple of hours notice, has been able to set themselves apart from rest of the city’s competitive lunch-time offering. Read my interview with the owners of The Pepper Pot.

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H AV E Y O U E V E R DREAMED OF DOING SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T THINK YOU COULD DO? THESE LADIES DID.

When I ask what sets the Pepper Pot café apart from Dublin’s café offering both women hesitate.

“It’s hard to put it down to words. But by not taking the business too seriously, and doing what we love and is our passion, everything comes naturally and is not forced”, Dervla says.

Marian also mentions that their friendly staff is in the core of the business, as noted by their loyal customers.

“We just want to make people happy. Our staff. Our customers. Our landlord. We are just two girls who love to bake and make good food, and have fun while doing it”, Dervla adds.

And the passion and warm-heartiness is evident when you step into the Pepper Pot. From the small design details to the business ethos of home-baked bread, quality local ingredients and seasonal menu, Marian and Dervla 39

have not cut any corners holding on to their values. Everything is made from scratch at the cafe and for two years they even baked all the bread by hand without any use of machines.

“It has been lot of hard work, but it was never so much about making money, but being able to do things our way while maintaining the lifestyles we want”, Marian mentions.

The lifestyle for Marian meaning the possibility to travel for food inspiration and adventure, and for Dervla the chance to balance family and work.

And as the Pepper Pot cafe is on a crest of a wave at the moment, everything is definitely possible for these entrepreneurs in the future.

Still there wondering about those cakes for Lady Gaga and Bono? See Lady Gaga’s gory “wedding cake” from her production team and Bono’s birthday cake from Alicia Keys on The Pepper Pot’s Facebook page!

THE PEPPER POT Address: Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin, Ireland Phone: +353 (0) 1 707 1610 Website: www.thepepperpot.ie Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepepperpot Twitter: @pepperpotcafe

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WHAT IS SKIMBACO LIFESTYLE FOR YOU? “BY NOT LETTING OPPORTUNITIES PASS BY AND BEING OPEN TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES, EVEN WHEN ITS NERVEWRACKING. JUST GOING FOR IT. SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T. EXCEPTING LOT OF CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY AND NOT BEING TOO AFRAID ABOUT IT.” MARIAN KILCOYNE THE PEPPER POT

PHOTO: VEERA PAPINOJA

SPECIAL FEATURE: FINDING TEA IN

ASIA ENJOYING

ENGLISH AFTERNOON TEA

Tea picker working in the former Lipton plantation on the way to the famous mountain-top Lipton Seat, a picturesque location that used to be the favorite place for Thomas Lipton to relax and think.

TRACING THE ORIGINS OF THE RICHLY FLAVORED CEYLON TEA IN SRI LANKA

By Reeta Laaksonen

TEA After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world.

Sri Lanka is one the world’s largest producer of tea.

TEXT AND PHOTOS B Y R E E TA L A A K S O N E N H O U S E O FA N A I S . C O M I N S TA G R A M : H O U S E O FA N A I S T W I T T E R : H O U S E O FA N A I S P I N T E R E S T: H O U S E O FA N A I S

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TRACING THE ORIGINS OF THE RICHLY FLAVORED CEYLON TEA IN SRI LANKA

Ever since I was a little girl Ceylon tea was the one thing that came into my mind when thinking about Sri Lanka, that South Asian island formerly known as Ceylon. So when our family was in a vacation in Sri Lanka, getting to know the tea production and tasting local teas was definitely one of the must-do things on the agenda!

Tea still contributes about 2% of the GDP of Sri Lanka and some 2 million people of a population of 20 million still work with tea, either directly or indirectly.

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The British brought the tea from China in 1820s, but the first plantation was started with Indian tea by James Taylor in Kandy area in 1867. Then later on he worked with Thomas Lipton ,whose brand is still one of the most famous ones in the world.

plant, or rather the leaves. For example the silver tip is very expensive because only the small, young shoots picked at certain time of the year will be accepted.

The black tea is considered the local specialty and it is used for making different We learned that tea picking is very meticu- blends also. lous work – the leaves need to picked at Most of the tea is grown in a region known certain time of the day (usually morning) to as the Hill Country and the tea bushes get the right humidity, and different teas grown often in very steep hills and are (black, green, white – or also called silver manually collected. tip tea) come from different parts of the

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These breathtakingly beautiful views can be seen from the Lipton’s Seat, at a height of 1950m, or 6400 ft – but it’s a bit of a hike unless you manage to persuade the guard to let your vehicle drive all the way to the top. The road to the top is windy, narrow and treacherous with very few passing point and not the faint-hearted – a tuk-tuk would be a much better choice than a car for this journey!

This lookout point is located in the Poonagala Hills, and there is tiny tea-shop where Lipton tea is brewed on wood fire and tea cakes are being served. The changes of getting to admire these beautiful views are rather slim though – on the day of our visit there was a thick fog, which cleared on one side for a while during our stay, but on the other side of the valley we could see just a white wall of fog.

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After seeing the actual tea plantations, leaves being picked and having tried it ourselves, it was great to visit a local tea factory called Glenloch – and yes, if you wonder about the name, it does come from Scotland!

The tour and tea-tasting in Glenloch are free of charge, as is the case in most tea factories. This was a small factory with a shop and a restaurant and I would definitely recommend buying some local tea, as it is not normally being sold under the local labels outside the country.

We were lucky to see fresh tea leaves being brought into the factory and see parts of the whole process of tea production. First the tea leaves are being dried for 12 hours on the belts before being moved to the next phase.

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PHOTOS: REETA LAAKSONEN

During the process the tea is being dried, moistened, shaken, ground and different particle sizes are being separated in processes that are very precise, quite amazing indeed as one gets to see the old machine and latest sophisticated separator machines from Japan.

The tour of the factory was well-loved by the children as they got to feel and smell tea leaves during different phases and at the end they all very enthusiastically also participated in the tasting process.

After our tour it was quite easy to identify some of the teas, which was really exciting. I just love how we all were able to learn something new in such a fun way! We brought home a tin of our favorite, the orange pekoe blend, and remember the day every time we have a cup of tea at home.

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FIND YOUR OWN CUP OF TEA

PHOTO BY KATJA PRESNAL

Get the Green Tea Ginseng Limoncello and the Lipton Palmer cocktail recipes made with Lipton tea from SkimbacoLifestyle.com.

My dream was to travel the world to find the perfect cup of tea.

I found it.

By Veera Papinoja

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MY PERFECT CUP OF TEA IN MAOKONG 空, TAIPEI My dream was to travel the world in search for the perfect cup of tea, and I found it last year from Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan.

The tea leaves for my perfect cup of tea were planted on the hills of Maokong, which is located on a hill in the southwest of Getou Mountains in Wenshan Distric of Taipei outskirts.

Maokong is famous for its tea plantations and scenic views over the city. You can even spot one of Asia’s most well known skyscrapers, Taipei 101 in the horizon. Maokong is ideal for growing tea due to its high elevations, the rich moisture in the soil, and cool temperatures.

Maokong is easily connected to the city’s Metro system and can be approached with an inexpensive and adventurous 15-minute gondola ride that starts near the Taipei Zoo.

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What made my cup of tea so perfect in Maokong?

When you get to enjoy a cup of green jasmine tea made out of what grows literally next to your feet, and you get to drink it thousands of miles away from home –it has that taste of freedom and wilderness.

That was all I needed for the perfect cup of tea.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY V E E R A PA P I N O J A RUNNING WITH WILD HORSES I N S TA G R A M : V E E R A B I A N C A T W I T T E R : V E E R A PA P I N O J A P I N T E R E S T: V E E R A B I A N C A 58

Also worth visiting in Maokong: • Three Stone Teapot Museum for tea • Zhinan Temple • Walking paths • Monkey Mountain

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Champagne tea at Vertigo 42 – lovely afternoon tea with unbeatable views over London.

TRADITIONAL AFTERNOON TEA OR A CREAM TEA IN ENGLAND

By Reeta Laaksonen

When traveling to England, experiencing a proper afternoon tea, or a taking a lovely cream tea break should be on your to-do list. London is the place to enjoy a proper afternoon tea, cream tea, high tea – or my favourite, the champagne afternoon tea.

If you are now wondering what are the differences between the teas, and how is the afternoon tea done “properly”, I have some tips for you - and you will be an afternoon tea expert in no time.

THE TRADITIONAL AFTERNOON TEA The traditional afternoon tea became popular in 19th century and was intended to be a light meal around 4pm – between the lunch and the dinner, which used to be served around 8pm at the time. This tea comes with both sweet and savory bite size treats, usually savory finger sandwiches, maybe quiche, scones and cakes or petit four. lxii

CLARIDGE’S AFTERNOON TEA – I’D PICK THIS ONE IF THERE WA S T I M E O N LY F O R ONE TEA EXPERIENCE

T H E C H A M PA G N E A F T E R N O O N TEA The lovely champagne afternoon tea is just an extension of the traditional tea, where a glass of champagne is serve before the tea. If you like champagne, then a tea option with free champagne refills is what I’d recommend for you.

If you would like to experience one of the classic and famous traditional afternoon teas, I recommend Claridge’s, Dorchester,

Savoy or the Goring Hotel. The Ritz is also another classic favourite for the tourist, but it’s afternoon tea rating has been on the decline.

If you are looking for a different kind of afternoon tea experience, then Vertigo 42 might be best suitable for you – you’ll get a sweeping view over London (window seating only!) with your delicious champagne tea.

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THE CREAM TEA Cream tea is the simplest of the teas – it’s more like an afternoon snack: basically a pot of tea and some scones. Normally there are condiments to go both with tea (milk and sugar) and jam, butter and clotted cream, possibly also lemon curd for the scones. Most cafes will offer this, and if you travel outside London and visit some local castles and gardens, a cream tea is the perfect way to finish off a lovely afternoon in the countryside.

The question, whether to spread first the jam or the clotted cream on the scone is an interesting one, a bit like whether you first pour the tea or the milk into your cup.

The clotted cream question goes back the origin of the clotted cream, or rather creams: Cornish and Devonshire cream.

It seems to be unclear where clotted cream originates, but it’s one of the two regions mentioned above: people from Cornwall spread first the jam and then top with

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TEXT AND PHOTOS B Y R E E TA L A A K S O N E N

the cream, whereas people from Devon do it the other way round.

H O U S E O FA N A I S . C O M I N S TA G R A M : H O U S E O FA N A I S T W I T T E R : H O U S E O FA N A I S P I N T E R E S T: H O U S E O FA N A I S

There is no right and wrong etiquette for the clotted cream. I have tried both ways – and prefer to spread first jam and then add as much clotted cream as possible!

dinner. Whereas an afternoon tea was a social event for the upper class, high tea was a necessary evening meal for the working class consisting of a mug of tea, bread, THE HIGH TEA There is one more tea concept to cover: the cheese, vegetables, and occasionally also high tea. The name high tea is often used in- meat. Therefore places that nowadays offer terchangeable with the afternoon tea, but high tea normally include in the meal sahigh tea actually means the same as what vory items such as pies, omelette or English most people in England call tea-time: the muffins. lxv

PHOTO BY SATU VÄNSKÄ-WESTGARTH

SUPER COOL. LITERALLY. R E A D A B O U T L I F E I N N O R WAY AT D E S T I N AT I O N U N K N O W N .

By Leigh Hines

SCARLETT O’HARA WOULD BE IMPRESSED WITH AFTERNOON TEA AT VIRGINIA’S JEFFERSON HOTEL TEXT & PHOTOS

BY LEIGH HINES HINESSIGHTBLOG.COM I N S TA G R A M : H I N E S S I G H T B L O G TWITTER: HINESSIGHTBLOG P I N T E R E S T: H I N E S S I G H T B L O G

Word around Richmond is that “Gone with the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell stayed at the Virginia’s Jefferson Hotel while writing the famous Southern novel, which turned into the iconic movie classic.

As an avid fan of “Gone with the Wind,” I will go ahead and say, “Fiddle dee-dee, they do look a lot like the stairs in Rhett and Scarlett’s Atlanta home.”

We’ll never really know for sure.

But I do know that at the top of 68

those beautiful stairs is the Palm Court Lobby, where you can have one of the best afternoon tea services in the South.

Seriously, it’s the most elaborate, traditional tea service that I have encountered on my Southern travels, especially for the reasonable price.

A F T E R N O O N T E A AT J E F F E R S O N H O T E L I M P R E S S E S W I T H S E AT I N G U N D E R T I F FA N Y S TA I N E D GLASS First off, the setting for afternoon is exquisite. Dining under Tiffany stained glass takes it up a notch in an elegant ambience.

The original stained glass is impressive,

and so is the marble statue of the hotel’s namesake, Thomas Jefferson.

Like with most afternoon teas, I fill up on the scones with Devonshire cream and strawberry preserves. I can’t help it. I love scones and that rich cream with just a touch of sweetness. Frankly, my dear, I would be fine with just scones, but you get a lot more than that at the Jefferson Hotel.

We had tea service for four, and we had so much food that we ate the rest of it the next day for breakfast. Yes, scones taste delicious the next day just plain. The Jefferson afternoon tea includes assorted tea sandwiches, pastries, and tea breads for $24 per adult.

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Afternoon tea is under the direction of the Hotel’s signature restaurant, Lemaire, and under the culinary leadership of a Richmond native, Chef Walter Bundy. As a special treat, we also sampled a fabulous fruit-and-cheese platter, and a few extra sweets such as chocolate-covered espresso beans and pretzels. Lemaire specializes in a menu rich with Virginiagrown products.

The Jefferson Hotel, located at 101 West Franklin Street in Richmond, Virginia, is a member of Preferred Hotels and is a five-star property. It is one of 45 hotels in North America to hold both the Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond awards for 2013.

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IT’S TIME FOR SEMLORS, THE SWEET ALMOND-FILLED WINTER TIME BUNS FROM SCANDINAVIA

By Katja Presnal

TEXT & PHOTOS: K AT J A P R E S N A L

Mardi Gras and Fat/ little, and semlor are Shrove Tuesday is on eaten more than ever.

SKIMBACOLIFESTYLE.COM March 4th this year, They are available in I N S TA G R A M : S K I M B A C O and while you can get almost every grocery TWITTER: SKIMBACO the king cake in New store and bakery from P I N T E R E S T: S K I M B A C O Orleans, we have late December until something different in Easter, and they are Scandinavia. They are even more popular in sweet, they are huge, and they are filled Sweden than in Finland. It is said that each with cream and almond-paste. They are Swede consumes on average five bakerycalled semla in Swedish and laskiaispulla produced semlor each year, in addition to in Finnish, and these buns appear on baker- all those that are homemade. ies already right after Christmas.

In Finland the Shrove Tuesday is known as Originally this sweet creamy bun was only “laskiaistiistai” and it’s celebrated by playing in snow and going sledding. And eaten on Shrove Tuesdays as the last feswhat’s better after a day in snow, than a tive food before Lent, but Scandinavians don’t observe a strict fasting for Lent any- bun filled with cream? more and semla in a bowl of warm milk became a traditional dessert every Tuesday between Shrove Tuesday and Easter.

Nowadays the traditions have stretched a

Get the relatively easy recipe, and try this treat at home.

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SWEET CREAM & ALMOND PASTE BUNS known as “semla” in Sweden and “laskiaispulla” in Finland INGREDIENTS FOR THE BUNS: 4oz butter 50 grams / 2 oz yeast (one fresh yeast package or 3 dry yeast packages) 2 cups of warm milk 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2-1 teaspoon grounded cardamon 4 1/2 cup wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder + 1 egg for brushing the buns before baking.

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING: 200 grams/ 7 oz almond paste/marzipan 1/3 cup milk Pint heavy cream 3 tbsp powdered/icing sugar + powdered sugar on the top

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1. First melt the milk in a microwave, and pour it into a large bowl. Crumble the yeast into a bowl and let it dissolve into the milk.

2. Add the egg and mix well with the milk.

Add the salt, cardamom, sugar, baking powder and start adding the flour by working the dough. When you have added around 4 cups of flour you can add the softened (or almost melted) butter and work it in the dough well, and you should be able to work the dough to the consistency it won’t stick to your fingers anymore. If needed, add around 1/2 cup more flour.

6. Beat the egg and use a brush to glaze the tops of the buns. Bake the buns until golden.

7. Allow the buns to cool before adding the filling.

8. Prepare the almond filling by warming the almond paste/marzipan in the microwave with the milk and mix them well.

You don’t have to really warm them, but it will make the marzipan softer and easier to work with.

9. Whip the heavy whipping cream with powered sugar.

3. Let the dough rise under a towel in a warm place for 30-45 mins.

10. Once the buns have cooled off, cut a top off and add the almond paste first and then the whipped cream and add the bun 4. Once the dough has doubled, make top back on. Decorate with powdered around 20-25 buns and add them to a baksugar. ing sheet with baking paper. Make sure they are not too close to each others, because they will rise more.

5. Heat the oven to 250C/480F and put a towel on the top of the buns and let them rise again for around 30 minutes or at least while the oven heats.

TIP: you can also do what they do in Finland: instead of marzipan use jam, for example raspberry jam.

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Coffee smells like magic and fairy-tales.

Allison Czarnecki petitelefant.com

DIY COFFEE SCRUB

by Allison Czarnecki

PHOTOS BY ALLISON CZARNECKI

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DIY COFFEE BODY SCRUB Coffee lovers, rejoice! Your ever-lovin-coffee-minds are about to be blown with this DIY coffee scrub. I’ve done citrus scrub, regular ol’ sugar scrub, and strawberry salt foot scrub, and I thought it would be fun to mix it up (wakka, wakka) and try some coffee scrub.

Yes, truly, today I’m going to show you how to make your own coffee scrub.

I trust you love the smell of coffee. When you walk into a bookstore or coffee shop, you lift your head in the air and inhale, deeply. Because coffee smells like magic and fairy-tales, that’s why.

So it makes sense to me then, that you and I would love to wake up with a morning shower featuring a coffee scrub finale before heading out into the world.

Every little bit helps, you know.

The sugar and salt scrubs I make always feature some sort of natural oil. The combination of the exfoliant, in this case coffee grounds, with the oil makes your skin smooth + moisturized, just the way you like it. The way I like it, anyway.

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Coffee Body Scrub

•

1/2 cup coffee grounds

•

1/4 cup coconut or olive oil

•

2 T white or brown sugar / I use one of each

•

vitamin E gel tabs

•

1 T vanilla

Step 1: Mix together coffee grounds and sugars and combine thoroughly Step 2: Add olive oil, vitamin E and vanilla

Your coffee scrub will smell like happiness on a spoon. Put it in the shower, and every time you bathe use a tablespoon or two to exfoliate all over your body.

If you’d like to focus on the areas that have a bit of cellulite (who me? never!) coffee grounds reduce the visibility of all that nonsense, temporarily at least. And, it helps to reduce any redness + inflammation on your skin.

My favorite part of it though is that I end up smelling like a latte, and I’m nice and soft to boot.

Step 3: Mix until all ingredients are completely combined Step 4: Put mixture into a watertight container with a lid.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ALLISON CZARNECKI P E T I T E L E FA N T. C O M I N S TA G R A M : P E T I T _ E L E FA N T T W I T T E R : P E T I T _ E L E FA N T P I N T E R E S T: P E T I T _ E L E FA N T

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Gift idea!

If you’re making the scrub for your friends, use a cute cupcake wrapper to spruce things up a bit. I made mine in a tiny canning jar with a screw on lid, and put a cupcake liner in-between the jar lid and the screw on lid. You obviously won’t take it into the shower like that, but life is all about presentation.

Wrap a little colored string around the top and you’re the new Martha, coffee scrub in hand.

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By Katja Presnal

PHOTO: KATJA PRESNAL

BANANA MOCHA COFFEE CAKE WITH MOCHA TOPPING Makes two loafs or one large Bundt pan.

INGREDIENTS: 2 ripe bananas 4 oz butter 1 cup strong coffee 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 cups flower 1/4 cup cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp vanilla sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger Mocha topping ingredients 3 tbsp butter 2 tbsp strong coffee 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla sugar

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C 2. Smash bananas.

3. Brew some coffee for you & for the recipe. Melt the butter and mix with coffee.

4. Whip the eggs with sugar.

5. Mix the dry ingredients.

6. Mix the dry ingredients, egg-sugar mix and bananas carefully.

7. Prepare two loaf-sized pans or one large Bundt pan with butter and flour and pour the mix in.

8. Bake in 350F/175F 30-50 min depending on your oven and the size of the pan.

9. Prepare the topping by mixing all of the ingredients in a small pan and carefully melting the butter and while mixing it with the other ingredients. The topping will be pretty runny. Once ready, drizzle on the top of the coffee cake.

I hope you enjoy this easy recipe, perfect with afternoon coffee!

Katja

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NESPRESSO CAPPUCCINO A LA ROSE for two!

Ingredients: 2 capsules of Dulsão do Brasil 2 pieces of white chocolate 7 oz. of milk 1 oz. of rose-water Crystallized rose petals

More Valentine’s Day cocktail ideas at SkimbacoLifestyle.com

Instructions: Heat your Cappuccino cups. Add a piece of white chocolate in each cup.

Prepare the capsules of Dulsão do Brasil as an espresso and pour in each cup. Combine the milk and the rose-water. Prepare the flavored milk using the steam nozzle of your Nespresso machine or the Aeroccino milk frother.

Pour the frothed milk into the cups and decorate with crystallized rose petals.

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16 shades of red

Hot gift ideas for the Valentine’s Day from Red Envelope ADVERTORIAL

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT IDEAS FROM RED ENVELOPE

by Katja Presnal

Looking for hot gift ideas for your Valentine?

I picked my favorite Valentine’s Day gift ideas from our sponsor Red Envelope, all very fitting to our “coffee, tea or me” theme.

One of the things I love about Red Envelope is the signature red gift box the gifts arrive in, making gift giving always very special.

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BREAKFAST IN BED 1. Jura Impressa F7 coffee machine for the perfect cup. $1,799.95 2. Personalized puzzle with map where you met $39.95 3. Cashmere robe for the morning moments. $249.95 4. Coffee mugs to share the moment. $20

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TAKE ME AWAY

1. Mercado Global Rosa Brocade weekender bag for her. $279.95 2. Leather weekender bag for him. $299.95 3. Cashmere eye mask and blanket set for relaxing trip. $249.95 4. Love potion aromatherapy candle to set the mood. $14.99 87

JUST.. TAKE ME 1. Hanky Panky set you’ll both like in a heart shaped box. $50 2.Eberjey Millie cami + short set, starting at $96.00 3.Sensual Delights spa set for bath together. $60 4.Rose petals seductions game to heat things up. $30 88

YOU ARE A KEEPER 1. Mabel Chong gold fill garnet leaf necklace to last a lifetime. $250 2. Personalized wall art to daily remind of your love. $79 3. Pillow with your names to cozy up. $52 4. Necklace with special message to carry next to her heart. $69.99 89

FEATURED SKIMBACOER NAME: Angel Constance Eeg I’M FROM: Bergen, Norway PROFESSION: I work as an interior designer, but the past year I have been working as a location scout and done research for a Norwegian TVproducer. My newest project is a website / travel blog, which of I hopefully one day can make a living.

LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST MEANS TO ME: spending time with my two beautiful daughters, TRAVELING, photography and yoga.

MY LIFE CHANGED WHEN I REALIZED that I was working way to much and I prioritizing the material things in life rather than experiencing and appreciating the moments in life. “Happiness is a way of travel not a destination.”

MY FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS: There are so many, but Paris, Provence, Tuscany, Bali and Hawaii will always be destination I will keep returning to.

I DREAM OF TRAVELING TO: Africa, Peru and Cuba are on my dream list.

Follow AngelConstance on Instagram!

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SKIMBACO moment is one which is characterized by no sense of time because it embodies your passions and interests.

It’s a moment of “flow,” or pure enjoyment.

Wes Holland Life Through Preppy Glasses

PHOTO: FRINGE MAGAZINE

I was featured in FRINGE magazine!

MY SKIMBACO MOMENTS

By Wes Holland 92

When I joined the Skimbaco team in 2012 I wrote that for me, the Skimbaco Lifestyle "is incorporating what you are passionate about in as many facets of your life as possible."

While my view of Skimbaco moments has definitely grown more profound, when I reflected on 2013 I realized my initial thoughts were still underlying many of my top moments. My top moments were characterized by things that I love: travel, fashion, design, and friends. While I am known for my love of designer apparel, not every moment was a "made in Italy" or "made in France" moment, some times it is the small moments that are the best as well. Here are my top Skimbaco moments of 2013. Â

Read the full article at SkimbacoLifestyle.com

I learned to ski in Aspen, Colorado.

incorporatE what you are passionate about in as many facets of your life as possible.

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I fell in love with Barcelona.

Spa Day at the Ritz-Carlton.

Touring Southern Europe with a friend. Highlights: city of Dubrovnik, Croatia and the luxury of the Bvlgari Hotel in Milan.

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Many of my Skimbaco moments are characterized by lots of laughing with friends.

Pursuing my interests in fashion, design, and style in New York City.

Weekend escapes to Hamptons, and feeling like a Van Der Woodsen the in the Royal Suite at the New York Palace.

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Fashion Week is one of the most exciting weeks that comes twice a year in New York.

TEXT & PHOTOS

BY WES HOLLAND L I F E T H R O U G H P R E P P Y G L A S S E S . B L O G S P O T. C O M I N S TA G R A M : W E S _ H O L L A N D T W I T T E R : LT P R E P P Y G L A S S E S P I N T E R E S T: LT P R E P P Y G L A S S E S

SAY WHAT?

5 HEALTHY COFFEE TRENDS

3 COFFEE RELATED BEAUTY TRICKS

2 COFFEE DRINKS FOR ATHLETES

Coffee is another item to add to your beauty regime says Amelia Old, the beauty expert of Pretty in the Queen Cityblog. Read her 3 beauty tricks:

Caffeine helps athletes to train longer, concentrate better, and recover faster after workout.

1.

2.

3.

“Coffee is full of antioxidants and can fight off signs of aging. Do I think this will turn back the clock several years? Of course not, but hey, most of us will try anything to rid of puffy eyes, age spots and fine lines.

Two very specific hot drinks are trending among the cross-fit athletes in Copenhagen, Denmark according to Troels Iversen of Riders magazine, the leading freeriding ski magazine of Denmark.

4.

Bullet proof coffee before training is supStudies have shown that caffeine helps re- posed to give you the extra energy to exduce cellulite. Bring on the coffee to your tend your cross-fit training just a little booty cheeks. This is easy to try at home longer. Bullet proof coffee is coffee, cocoby simply adding coffee grounds to your nut water and unsalted butter blended body scrub. well, and this trendy athlete’s coffee is a hit around the world.

I recently read that coffee grounds are great for hair. Seriously! By applying However, I had never heard of chai egg latgrounds to wet hair before shampooing it tes before. You read it - a chai latte with a will help remove buildup and will leave raw egg blended well, and the raw egg hair silky smooth. “ gives you the protein to keep you going for longer.

5.

Did you know there are more benefits to coffee than just giving you a good boost through the day?

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THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER PHOTO

WHAT DOES IT SAY TO YOU? I DECIDED TO ASK MY INSTAGRAM-FRIENDS WHAT THEY THOUGHT THIS PICTURE SAYS. READ THE COMMENTS. AND COME TO OUR FACEBOOKP A G E T O L E AV E A C O M M E N T WHAT YOU THINK OF IT!

monicatorne: That moment when you are thevanwithnoplan: It says waking up in a almost ready to start exploring a place: new city, ready for an adventure. nice breakfast, camera ready, map checkinga_ros: Why not? Let's go!!! ing.. notsupposedto: Ready to explore! susan_vibrantireland: Planning something new & fun, in a relaxed & enjoyable sweetsh36: This makes me feel like *Let way--savouring every moment, not rush- us plan the next trip* .....maybe that's ing through them with stress. what I will do later! technomade: This image = the perfect morning, full of promises!!!

aseedinspired: All kinds of lovely in this shot.

spillingthebeans: Shows power, action and determination. Plus with coffee, we know we can take on anything!! emelancon: This is a slow Sunday morning planning a trip while having a coffee with the love one.

BE A FEATURED INSTAGRAM-FRIEND! FOLLOW SKIMBACO ON INSTAGRAM AND PARTICIPATE.

SHARE YOUR #SKIMBACO MO-

MENTS OF LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST, WE

FEATURE

BEST

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SKIMBACOLIFESTYLE.COM/INSTAGRAM. 99

AT

L O C AT I O N : FLORENCE, I TA LY THE STORY KIND OF GOES LIKE THIS...

I spoke at the TBD-Italy conference in Rimini last fall and I participated on a trip in the Abruzzo-area of Italy as part of the post-conference tours. After the trip, my plan was to travel to Northern Italy to visit a friend, and then head to Venice to meet up with my family. I started having knee pain, and realized that there was just no way that I could travel from Southern Italy to Northern in one day.

utes” and I just needed a coffee break!

Inma and I sat in the cafe, and planned a quick 30-minute walk route by the river before heading to the train station. She had been to Florence before and my travel plan was to come back there the following week. This coffee moment was a perfect break during the crazy travel day of sitting in a bus and train through Italy.

The truth is, most people got the “story” of the image right even without knowing any of this. It does represent a moment of My Spanish friend Inma Gregorio of A calmness while experiencing great advenWorld to Travel was heading to Bologna to tures. It does show action, the camera is stay at Blogville, a blogger house project of ready to shoot, it does show planning and Emillia Romagna area. Another new friend determination to walk the city streets. It Rick Mereki from Australia was traveling does show we love to stop to enjoy the the very skimbacoish way of “plan as you moments (and coffee) and the good comgo.” We all ended up camping at Blogville pany of a friend. It shows we love to travel for a night, and I felt like I was taking back and share our travels with others (via phothose youth hostel nights that I never expe- tos we take). rienced.

This was just one of those perfect travel The cover photo was taken in Florence, in moments. And this is what Skimbaco is all a cafe right next to Duomo. We stopped in about.

Florence before catching a train to Bologna. Rick went to see “Duomo in 15 min-

by Katja Presnal 100

“Let’s go for a coffee” can mean a quick dash for java between errands, a lengthy meeting over cappuccinos on a rainy day, or a solo coffee - just you and your thoughts.

Adrienne Shubin TheRichLifeonaBudget.com

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