If you are a lover of Scandinavian design like I am, you must watch episode 27 of Grand Design. It follows the journey of a young designer’s dream into a reality. Kathryn Tyler has designed and built her very first home at age 30.
If you love Kathryn’s style, check out her interior design company, Linea Studio.
Question: The smoothies you buy at health food stores still contain plenty of grams of sugar. Is that actual sugar or natural sugar that is okay for you? Help!
Let’s assume you’re talking about Naked Juice’s smoothies just for kicks. These smoothies have an average of 20g of sugar (mainly in the form of FRUCTOSE) per serving at two servings per bottle for an average of 40g sugar per bottle.
Now about sugar. Sugar isn’t really “OK for you” in any form with one major exception which I’ll get to in a moment. Sugar is nearly always shuttled to storage (i.e. weight gain). This goes for HFCS (high-FRUCTOSE corn syrup), FRUCTOSE (fruit sugars), and SUCROSE (table sugar) all of which can be as abundant in fruits as they are in many processed foods. The catch with fruit and with smoothies like Naked Juice Smoothies is that there is some dietary fiber in them which slows consumption of the sugars but not by much and they’re still net negative to your health.
Over-consumption of these sugars can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and worse. Not trying to scare you of course – most people just suffer weight gain when it comes to sugar intake though the number of people (particularly Americans) suffering diabetes is climbing last I checked.
Now the exception I mentioned previously is Dextrose (i.e. D-glucose). After intense exercise or athletic performance, Dextrose is a MUST in order to replenish your muscle glycogen stores. Unlike the sugars above, Dextrose (in limited quantities) is actually a critical part of bodily functions including protein metabolism and vitamin production.
More general facts on sugar: http://caloriecount.about.com/sugar-facts-nf269
More on Glucose (i.e. Dextrose): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose
(Guest Writer: Life Coach and Blog Writer, Sean Masters)
Little bit of trivia for you all, I’m Kiwi-Dutch. My grandparents emigrated to New Zealand in the 50’s after the war when my grandfather was given the opportunity to work for Air New Zealand as an engineer. My grandparents held onto their Dutch customs and heritage stubbornly throughout their lives, but much to the delight as a child to experience their rich culture and cuisine – which I’ll always cherish.
Recently my grandfather (grootvader) past away after living a very full and happy life into his 90’s. So after nearly 50 years, my grandmother (or as I call her bonnema, and strangely no its not Dutch!) decided this would be the perfect opportunity to move back her home town in Holland (never too old to global trot, right?!). Earlier last month, I began pondering about my own globe trotting and decided – why not Holland?
So a few frantic nights booking flights, accommodation, transport, hmm maybe a bit of bike touring?, tick – we were set for our trip. Time its time for a quick 101 on Dutch traditions and customs….
The Dutch culture is unique. This can, of course, be said of each culture. However, the Dutch culture is one of the few cultures with many contradictions. The Dutch want to be modern and progressive, but also wish to preserve their standards and values. The following are a number of pointers to help you understand the complex way of life of the Dutch.
The Dutch are known for their professionalism; they like to get down to business straight away and have a no-nonsense culture. At the first meeting hands are shaken. When introducing someone, his/her function is explained briefly and any applicable titles are mentioned. After this, people are called by their surnames only or even by their first names. Titles are not used after the introduction. Many foreigners who come to Holland to work find it surprising that even the managing director of the company is called by his/her first name! It is not done for the managing director of a Dutch company to drive too large a car.
It is a custom in Holland that presents are unwrapped straight away. People in the group are often curious as to what is in the parcel. The person receiving the present is supposed to show it or even hand it around. The person giving the present is thanked on the spot. It is not the custom in Holland, as it is in many other cultures, to give someone a gift in return straight away. A Dutch person who is invited for dinner at someone’s house, will usually bring some flowers or chocolates. The Dutch like to receive items which they cannot buy in their own country.
The Dutch make a clear distinction between their private lives and their business lives. When negotiating they use a straightforward business strategy. They do not spend days getting to know their business partners, in contrast to Asian cultures. The Dutch are used to getting to the point straightaway. It is not done to start negotiations all over again after a contract has been signed. To the Dutch a contract means the end of the negotiations: agreed is agreed. Words, invitations and promises are often taken literally.
Food is, no two ways about it, the motor for everyone’s daily activities, is essential. To the Dutch the social aspect, the being together, is more important than the food itself. Many Dutch skip breakfast on workdays. Lunch, in contrast, is an important meal. To the non-Dutch this is a somewhat simple meal, including bread and coffee, tea, dairy products (very popular) and some fruit. Many people, mainly women, are on a never-ending diet. Most Dutch people like meat dishes, especially beef and pork.
Informal is not the same in Holland as emotional or very personal. At informal gatherings people do talk about more personal topics. However, the Dutch are reserved about their private lives. Some Dutch people consider certain topics too personal, however, there are no specific topics that you cannot discuss. It is not done to ask a Dutch acquaintance how much he or she earns, something which is quite acceptable in some other cultures.
Compared to many cultures, the Dutch are reserved in public and refrain from extreme displays of physical affection, anger or exuberance (except at/after certain sports events). The Dutch don’t tend to strike up casual conversation with strangers, but will respond readily when addressed and always try to be helpful when asked a question. In conversation, the Dutch are very direct, use a lot of eye contact and don’t consider it impolite to express criticism or speak on their own behalf. They allow – and even expect – the same behaviour from the person they’re talking to. This shouldn’t be interpreted as rudeness. Most people in the Netherlands speak English because it is taught from primary school on, but fluency differs depending on age and background. German is also widely spoken.
Stating your name – both first and last or your last name only – when you introduce yourself or are introduced by someone else is considered basic protocol. When introducing themselves the Dutch also shake hands with every person in the room.
As a rule, the Dutch do not like visitors to stop by unannounced. If you know someone well you can call in the morning to ask if you can come by later that day or evening, but normally you should call further in advance. The greater the social distance between you, the longer in advance you need to call. Grown children even call their parents – and vice versa – to see if it is all right to come by. It is considered impolite to enter a house without being invited to. Once inside, people tend to stand around and chat for awhile until the host or hostess suggests that everyone sits down. If you want to sit down right away, ask where first.
Conversely, do not invite Dutch acquaintances to ‘drop by any time’. Set a specific time and date and mention what kind of refreshments or food you intend to serve. ‘Come by next Tuesday at two for coffee’ and they will be there at the stroke of two. ‘Fashionably late’ in Dutch culture is waiting for the bell on the clock tower to stop chiming before you ring the doorbell.
Since the Dutch do not like ‘surprise’ visits, the coffee will be ready to pour when you arrive. Yours should be too. An offer of coffee (or tea) is the absolute minimum expected when someone visits your home. Even the workmen who come to fix a leaky tap will be offered a cup of coffee. Suffice it to say that there will also be biscuits or, if this is a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary, cake or pastries. Always wait to be served. It’s considered very impolite to help yourself. And don’t forget to offer your Dutch guests a second round of coffee, tea or biscuits; they will not help themselves.
A visit to someone’s home invariably calls for a gift. Flowers, biscuits, or sweets are almost always appropriate. If you think that your host or hostess might be dieting or diabetic, take flowers. Flowers are quite inexpensive in the world’s largest flower exporter and are a welcome present.
The arrival ritual for good friends and family members at a Dutch home catches many foreigners by surprise. Ladies begin first, kissing each person there three times – the number is significant – on the cheek (right-left-right). The men follow, shaking hands with the other men and kissing all the ladies lightly on the cheek three times (right-left-right). Foreigners can get by with shaking hands instead of kissing.
Unlike many countries where some form of ‘hello’ is sufficient, the Dutch always identify themselves immediately when they answer the phone. They either use their first name (Jan), or last name (Jansen) or both (Jan Jansen). The caller is also expected to identify him or herself before stating the aim of the call. If you’re using English or some other commonly shared language to communicate on the phone in the Netherlands, you should adopt this custom. It is considered rude to answer or initiate a phone call saying only ‘hello’.
I’m a regular reader of the blog “The Happiness Project” as I thoroughly enjoy Gretchen’s insights and tips on Happiness. Every Wednesday is Tip Day. This Wednesday, she shares: Five tips for improving Monday mornings. Enjoy!
One happiness-project exercise I undertook was to consider the different times of day, and days of the week, to see if any particular dayparts were happiness challenges. In my case, I realized that school mornings were no fun, and I took several steps to make school-day mornings more calm and cheery.
Another common problem time? Monday morning — or rather, the Monday-morning mood, which can strike at any time of the week. Even when you love your job, and especially if you don’t love your job, it can be hard to go back to work on Monday morning. After a few days out of the routine, it can feel jarring and overwhelming to jump back into the workday world. If you take care of kids full time, Mondays can feel easier – or not, depending on what your days are like.
I’ve talked to several people about how they deal with Mondays. Their different answers illustrate a common point: the importance of self-awareness. If you’re aware of the fact that certain times of day, or days of the week, pose a particular happiness challenge, and why, you can take steps to improve them. When do you feel like buckling down? When do you feel like goofing off? Pay attention to your idiosyncratic rhythms.
1. Avoid getting the bends, I. One friend used to hate the frantic rush of Monday mornings, so now she doesn’t try to do any “real work” until after lunch on Monday. She eases into the work week by checking email, reading professional email newsletters, and doing more substantial tasks IF she feels like it, but doesn’t consider herself “at work” until 1:30 p.m. The result? She gets about as much done as she did before – she just feels less pressure.
2. Avoid getting the bends, II. Another friend has a job where he’s deluged with crises from the first minute he walks in the door. By Tuesday, he’s used to the atmosphere again, but on Monday, he feels overwhelmed by it. So for Monday mornings, he found an obscure room at his workplace where he can have a cup of coffee, undisturbed, and adjust to work life again.
3. Look forward to something. One of my former roommates has always suffered from the Sunday Blues. Now she deals with it by making sure she has something to look forward to on Monday: she schedules lunch with a friend, excuses herself from some daily task that she doesn’t enjoy, or figures out some other way to improve the day. Once Monday morning actually comes, she’s always fine – she just suffers from dread on Sunday. Having something pleasant to anticipate lessens the feeling.
4. Set your own priorities. Another friend gets to work at 8:00 a.m. but doesn’t “react” to anything until 10:00.m.—on Monday or any other day. For the first two hours of work, he works only on tasks that he’s set himself. By not answering email, returning phone calls, or working on someone else’s request until 10:00, he takes care of his own priorities first. I would never be able to postpone checking my email for the first two hours at my desk, but I understand why it works for him.
5. Make the most of the morning. Speaking of mornings, studies show that the brain is often better able to tackle cognitive tasks before noon, so Monday morning, when you’re also fresh from the weekend, may be a great time to tackle a challenging task. This is an issue for me right now. I definitely do my best thinking early in the day, but it’s also the most convenient time for me to go to the gym (my gym is in the same building where my younger daughter goes to nursery school, so after I drop her off in the morning, I’m right there). I hate to miss using this valuable brain time, but if I don’t exercise in that slot, I’m much more apt to miss it altogether. I still haven’t figured out how to balance these considerations.
6. Shuffle the schedule. Maybe something is making Mondays unnecessarily tough. Could you suggest moving the weekly meeting from Monday morning to Wednesday morning, so you don’t feel like you’re starting your week by sitting in a long meeting? Could a report be due on Tuesday, instead of Monday, to give you a little cushion?
7. Find some fun. If you really don’t feel like coming to work on Monday morning, can you think of some workplace ritual – that just involves you, or even better, involves some co-workers – to make re-entry more fun? A little bit of fun can make a big difference to making an unpleasant situation more bearable. I once ate at a diner where the wait staff kept a chalkboard where they wrote the names of movies they’d seen, with their brief reviews. “Excellent.” “Worthless.” “Boring but my boyfriend loved it.” This sounds like a small thing, but it looked like they got a big kick out of it.
8. Roll with it. The change I’ve made in my approach to my Monday morning is – don’t expect to have a regular schedule. I love routine and predictability, but the way my life is right now, every day is different. For a while, that made me felt frustrated and inefficient. Now I’m trying to embrace and enjoy it.
Because I’ve always had an officey-sort of job, these tips are best suited for people who work in an office. If you have a non-office job, what tips would you offer for coping with Monday morning — or the Monday-morning mood?
Gretchen Rubin is the author of New York Times best seller “The Happiness Project” . If you would like to sample the book before you buy, you can…
Order your copy
Read sample chapters
Watch the one-minute book trailer
Listen to a few chapters of the audiobook
The desks and inboxes of creative directors are perpetually overflowing with the portfolios of job seekers. No matter how great your portfolio, if you can’t get anyone to look at it, you’ll have a tough time getting hired. The delivery of your portfolio is yet another opportunity to showcase your creative skills.
The method Brownstein employed in his last job search is a great example. He created a $6 Google AdWords campaign to target the chief creatives at Y&R, a tactic that not only landed him his current job, but also resulted in a story on Mashable, as well as CNN, ABC, NPR, The Huffington Post and elsewhere.
Mike Germano, President and Chief Creative at Brooklyn-based agency Carrot Creative, recalls how a candidate at Digital Dumbo’s career fair in July got his attention. The young man handed him a zip drive, “saying I would find his CV and some ‘other relevant work’ on it. The next morning, I popped it into my computer to find, indeed a PDF of his resume, but also a folder entitled ‘Porn.’ I thought, wow, is this guy serious? Curiosity got the best of me and I clicked it. Inside was a document titled ‘Just Kidding’ which had ‘hahaha’ written across the top of the page. It brought a smile, piqued my curiosity and showcased his personality.”
The best job application CCO Chris Clarke said he ever received was from Matt Stafford, “whom I hired immediately and on the spot.” Stafford sent Nasi both an e-mail (copied below) and a tweet with a URL to a “classified video transmission,” which led to a custom video and links to Stafford’s portfolio.
If you’re an aspiring designer or art director, you may want to take note of Ingram’s strategy. She created a series of limited edition art postcards that double as business cards.”Usually I have an array of them that people can choose from, so it’s almost like you’re giving someone artwork instead of a run of the mill business card that will get shoved in a drawer and forgotten. The best part is the people that I give them to often end up displaying them in their work areas,” she says.
reer path for you, read on. We’ve interviewed some of the top creatives in the advertising industry to get their advice on how to break into the business.
Source: Another Brilliant Mashable Article By Lauren Indvik
Last weekend, we came across this amazing little place, Cresent Moon Cafe & Pottery Studio located just out of Manila. You can literally feel yourself relax as you enter this wee oasis, the driveway is overgrown with jungle of tropical vegetation, an abundance of birdlife, insects and flowing waterfalls which drain into the three partnering ponds, teaming with Japanese giant goldfish - ‘oh the serenity’
(classic one line from ‘The Castle).
For p350(pp), you can feast apon a four course meal while gazing out across the waterfall and ponds. Our menu included a delicious creamy mushroom soup, beetle leaves with seven different types of fillings to wrap in the leaves, a box suey, chicken curry, and a delightful sticky rice and mango to cleanse the palette.
After our monster meal, we waddled across to the pottery studio which was piled up with beautifully crafted pieces and molds. I was like a kid in a candy store – what a feast for the eyes. An abundance of colour and choices, and so incredibly cheap. 
Since moving to Manila and setting up my own business, I’ve also used this opportunity to embark on another adventure; blogging. Yup, I’m on the bandwagon with some 126 million other bloggers (as tracked by blog pulse). So naturally, I am trying to learn the best tips to get a great blog started.
Here are a couple of tips from BLOG OUT LOUD co founder and blogging expert Rebecca Orlov:
>>keep it in perspective. you just started!
>>keep your blog set to private and then write a bunch of posts. once you have about 10 – 20 written, announce your blog to the public.
>>email and comment. get out there! if you love a blog, tell the blogger. if you love a product, tell the blogger. we are all doing this to connect and bloggers love hearing from bloggers.
>> don’t worry so much about the “perfect design” of your blog. you will change it. a lot. (see our current Q & A’s for inspiration)
>>don’t give up – part 1. blogging does take time in your day but keep going. like anything, the first few weeks are tough but after a month, it will become second-hand and part of your daily routine.
>>don’t give up – part 2. it will feel like no one is reading your blog and you may feel a little, well, silly, writing an online journal with that feeling. but people will be and probably are already reading. i decided to add a micro-blog to loving. living. small. called i heart living small. i started it 4 days ago and today saw that i had 1 follower. yay! the point – people will read so go for it!
Source: BLOG OUT LOUD
Where: McKinley Hills, Manila
Who: 700 teams
My goal time: 55mins
My actual time: 51mins 28sec
Where: Banapple Cafe, Manila
What’s on my plate:
Hungarian chorizo al ajillo
Hickory smoked barbequed country ribs
Banoffee pie
Menu: pdf
Fellow Kiwi and avid traveller, Maddy recently made a lifestyle change by quitting the corporate world, packed her bags and set up her own business in a foreign country.
Now based in Manila, Maddy provides marketing consulting to clients across the globe while basking in the Filipino sun. And island hops by weekend.
