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This Sydney Life

~ Mostly Recipes & Musings on Health

This Sydney Life

Tag Archives: Lifestyle

The Great Sydney AIP Picnic!

02 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by Joanna in Health, Sydney

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, community, Diet, food, Health, Lifestyle, Sydney

The Three AIP Amigos

The Three Amigos
Rory from The Paleo PI
Jo (me!) from This Sydney Life
Kirstie from The Nutritionista
(Image by TSL)

What do you get when you mix ten followers of the Autoimmune Protocol with five kids and three puppies in the Sydney Botanical Gardens on a Sunday afternoon in March? – The inaugural Sydney ‘AIP Supper Club’ Picnic!

After the success of our first ever Australian AIP Supper Club shindig last November; Rory (from The Paleo PI), Kirstie (from The Nutritionista) and I thought it would be a great idea to extend our group to fellow AIPers in the general Sydney vicinity.

We had no idea what to expect, but we put the call out over social media to join the three of us for our first extended AIP Picnic (and crossed our fingers that it wouldn’t rain)…

AIP Picnic Invitation

The invitation…

What can I tell you?

We had a blast!

Such a great time! I’m not sure about you, but I reckon’ its a pretty big call to turn up for a picnic with a bunch of people you’ve never met, and may have only ‘seen’ on the internet.

So – to those of you who took the plunge and came along to the picnic, we say…

Thank you!

It was so wonderful to meet fellow AIP peeps and swap war stories with others who get it, over food you know you can actually eat without the worry of experiencing a flare.

TSL AIP Picnic

Picnicking AIP Style…
(Image by TSL)

Everybody brought a plate. And, we dined very well!

Kirstie’s AIP Celebration Chicken Salad rocked! Rory’s always popular Bacon Wrapped Dates made the trip up from Canberra with him. We had a lovely selection of meat balls, sweet potato and spinach patties and fruit.

Super special mention and a HUGE shout out must go to the lovely Alaena from Grazed and Enthused.  We had two recipes from Alaena’s fabulous blog featured at our picnic – Avocado Carob Fudge and Cranberry Relish Meatballs. Did you realise you’re so famous in Sydney, Alaena?

Wanna see what I took along…?

Cranberry Relish Meatballs

Cranberry Relish Meatballs
Recipe from Grazed and Enthused
Recommended by TSL!
(Image by LM for TSL)

AIP Gingerbread People

AIP Gingerbread People
Recipe by Tyler over at Primitive Homemaker
Also recommended by TSL
(Image by LM for TSL)

Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend’s success. (Oscar Wilde)

It was heart warming to hear of the successes people are experiencing through implementing healthy and positive changes to their diets and lifestyles. And, for me, it reinforced that the choices I am making are definitely the right ones for my health.

TSL AIP Picnic

Some of the Sydney AIP Picnic Gang
(Image by TSL)

We’ll be holding another picnic and will keep you posted. Do feel free to leave a message if you’d like to be included in the next invitation mail out.

We’d love to see you there!

 

The TSL Soapbox: The One About the Media, Eating Paleo, and Simon Sinek…

16 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by Joanna in Food, Health

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, British Dietetic Association, Diet, Dietitians' Association of Australia, Health, Lifestyle, Paleo, Simon Sinek

TSL Simon Sinek

(Simon Sinek image from here)

Recently, there has been quite the hullabaloo in the press – both here in Australia and in the UK – about the Paleo diet.

In fact, in its annual ‘Top Celebrity Diets To Avoid in the New Year’ list, the British Dietetic Association (BDA) ranked the Paleo Diet as the second worst regime (after ‘Urine Therapy’, which advocates drinking your own urine for apparently supposed health benefits). Incidentally, Sarah Wilson’s ‘I Quit Sugar’, came in at number three (which blows my mind).

Now I’m not a massive fan of labelling the way I choose to eat, but you will know that for the past year I have been following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP). This can loosely be described as ‘Paleo on Crack’! And, it is true that AIP is a restrictive diet.

BUT! The WHOLE point of both Paleo and AIP is that they are healthy and nutrient dense ways of eating

From where I sit, there are many (cynical) reasons organisations like the BDA and the Australian equivalent, the Dietitians’ Association of Australia are not fans of the new wave of lower-carbohydrate style eating. Despite increasing evidence that for many of us it is a more healthful approach to eating. Not least of these reasons is the question of where they get their funding.

What I do find fascinating – in a car crash kind of way – is the vitriol behind their extreme anti-Paleo stance. Is it a case of protesting too much…?

Car Crash

(Image from here)

Sure, you can interpret a Paleo-esque approach as an unhealthy meat-fest. And, there are probably people who do just that.

Alternatively, you can see it as a whole-foods approach which eliminates unhealthy processed foods, refined carbohydrates, sugars and trans-fats while encouraging a more sustainable nose-to-tail way of eating – along with an increased variety of local, seasonal and pesticide-free fruits and vegetables. In my experience, eating like this has increased my vegetable intake by at least 200%. Whichever way you cut it, that has to be a good thing.

And, whether or not you choose to have dairy in your diet depends very much on your body’s ability to tolerate it.

Is this not a good thing?

There is a difference between giving directions and giving direction. (Simon Sinek)

Me – I’m a believer in personal choice. Especially when it comes to what you elect to eat. If you feel better with properly prepared whole grains in your diet, good for you. I really hope that eventually I will be able to indulge in some, too.

And, if you choose to have jam donuts for breakfast every day. That’s your choice, too. I won’t ever think its the best idea in the world, but I’ll defend your right to choose!

I do get that my extreme AIP caper is not for everyone. But, rather than focus on the excesses of a ‘Paleo approach’, can we not acknowledge a more moderate view on the benefits of cutting the crap, increasing veggies AND the other lifestyle aspects of this school of thought – improving sleep, more movement, introducing a mindfulness practice.

Paleo may not be for everyone, but it is equally clear that the average current lifestyle is not healthy, either.

What is Paleo

(Image from Dr Kate)

Did you know that according to the Australian Government, 3 in 5 Australians are either obese or overweight. Scarier still is that 1 in 4 children are obese or overweight.

Professor Alan Lopez, a researcher working in the area of health and weight, says Australia’s numbers should be of concern – “We are at the levels of overweight and obesity as the US is, three decades ago obesity levels in Australia were a half to a third of what they are now.”  And, if you live in New Zealand, the numbers are even worse.

The big picture doesn’t just come from distance; it also comes from time. (Simon Sinek)

I have personally experienced significant health improvements following an AIP approach. I hope to transition to a more moderate ‘Paleo-type’ way of eating eventually.

Along the way, I have come to believe that an holistic approach to my lifestyle, nutrition and exercise choices that are more compatible with my evolutionary past are key to my health. At the same time, it must also be said that I don’t believe that it is possible or even practical for me to exactly mimic life in the Paleolithic in today’s world.

Rather than maligning a style of eating that promotes overall health and well-being, would organisations advising the public on nutrition not be better served in advocating a reduction in the amount processed carbohydrates, sugars and trans-fats available in the majority of packaged food we consume?

Heal Your Gut – Random Thoughts and an Update!

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by Joanna in Food, Health, Random Stuff

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Autoimmune Protocol, Autoimmunity, Detox, Diet, food, Frank Lipman, Lifestyle, the Detox Summit, Toxic Thoughts

TSL Health Reading

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. And, if you want to know why I’m on the sugar-free version of the Autoimmune Protocol, you can read about that here.

In case you hadn’t been paying attention, I’m currently a little bit obsessed with health. Specifically, my health and how my diet and lifestyle choices can improve it.

It’s hardly surprising, really. Up to about 18 months ago, LM and I were considered the ‘foodies’ amongst our friends. We were the go-to people for advice on what was new and good in the Sydney eating scene. We’d dine out 2 or 3 times a week. We connected through our food experiences. And, it was fun!

And then, we started joining the dots around some growing health issues. Our dining out stopped. Abruptly.

I haven’t been out to dinner at a restaurant since 2013.

I can’t safely dine out on the severely restricted diet I have been on since the beginning of this year.

What I have been doing is an awful lot of reading on what it is to be healthy in today’s world. And, what I’m learning is both scary and enlightening.

I’m learning that the rate of autoimmune disease is rising at an alarming rate in the western world. I’m learning researchers have identified between 80-100 different autoimmune diseases and they suspect at least 40 additional diseases of having an autoimmune basis. These diseases are chronic and can be life-threatening. I’m learning that autoimmune disease is now one of the top 10 leading causes of death in female children and women in all age groups up to 64 years of age. And, I’m learning that there is a close genetic relationship that exists among autoimmune disease sufferers which explains the clustering found in individuals and families.

So, there’s a genetic component, which you can’t control. It’s a lottery. And, then there’s a lifestyle component. This, you can – to some extent at least – control. And, if you don’t, there’s a good chance that at some stage it may come and bite you. You just don’t know when.

This week, I’ve been dipping into the Detox Summit, an online event bringing 30 experts together to discuss all aspects of detoxification with the goal of helping you return to a healthy state of wellness.

(Image from here)

(Image from here)

The problem is we are not eating food anymore, we are eating food like products. (Alejandro Junger)

I haven’t had time to listen to all the interviews, but I was particularly interested in hearing from Dr Frank Lipman. I wasn’t disappointed.

Dr Lipman is a New York-based medical practitioner who marries Eastern and Western medicine to facilitate wellness. During an earlier lecture from him, he painted a wonderful picture that resonated for me about how Western medical practices tend to treat the body like a machine – if a part breaks down, we put a patch on it or replace it. Eastern practices, on the other hand, treat the whole body like a garden. Every part of the garden requires attention for the garden to truly thrive.

TSL Karl Maughan Image

(Karl Maugham Image from here)

Even though you may have been given a diagnosis, always ask these two questions with any chronic problem:
1) What is harming you and needs to be removed to permit the body to heal?
2) What is lacking or what does your body need to promote healing? (Dr Frank Lipman)

This time, Dr Lipman was speaking about detoxing and the effects of toxicity on our general wellbeing. Some of the wee pearls that really jumped out for me during his detox session were:

  • There is growing understanding that toxic thoughts – anger, resentment and worry – can have devastating effects on health.  As you fix mental and emotional issues, you become more resilient and this has a snowball effect on health.
  • As a practitioner, if he doesn’t have the answers, he will always treat the gut. Generally, when you treat the gut, you can see improvement relatively quickly and, because of the high levels of serotonin found in a healthy gut, this will have a direct impact on mood.
  • Dr Lipman finds gut dysbiosis in at least 75% of his patients. This is caused by a number of factors – GMO foods, antibiotics (including those in meat), an unfavourable gut environment from illness and/or stress.
  • More and more people are becoming sensitive to – not only gluten, but – all grains. There is a general growth in insulin resistance.

I have written before (here) that I am a worrier of epic proportions. And, that I’m pretty masterful at hiding my amazing ability to worry. For me, this idea that our thoughts can make us physically ill is a difficult pill to swallow (bad pun – sorry!). So, as I enter week 3 of my gut-healing protocol, it is with a firm focus on watching my thoughts and working at being more present. I’ve a couple of wee experiments on the go – I’ll tell you about them a little down the track.

My new mantra is ‘be kind to yourself’! Maybe it should become yours, too?

 

Two Simple Tricks to Be Present (Without Resorting to Yoga)

31 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by Joanna in Health, Random Stuff

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Disease, Breathing, Lifestyle, Meditation, Mindfulness, Paleo, Relaxation Technique, Stress Managemanet, Sugar free

TSL Centennial Park

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. And, if you want to know why I’m on the sugar-free version of the Autoimmune Protocol, you can read about that here.

Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone. (Louis L’Amour)

There’s a lot of talk about ‘mindfulness’ floating around the mainstream media these days.

But what exactly is mindfulness?

Let’s say we all agree that mindfulness is the mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while at the same time acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. That means, it’s all about enjoying the moment you’re in right now without worrying about the past. Or, the future. Or, what you’re going to cook for dinner tonight. Or, if what’s-her-name is offended. Or… or… Just, or.

And, if that is so, I have to admit that it is the one BIG area of this health caper that I particularly struggle with. I worry about EVERYTHING. And, people who know me well are surprised to learn this about me.

So, not only do I worry, I hide it.

I can handle the practical stuff – eat this, don’t eat that; drink more water; get enough sleep; get enough sun; move; play. Let’s face it, I’m a pretty pragmatic kind of girl. Hardly surprising really – my Dad is an accountant and my Mum is German. It’s the slightly more esoteric concepts that I find more difficult. Things like: manage stress.

Sure. Tell me how to do it, and I will…

So, I’ve been on a bit of a personal mission to quieten my mind. And, if you’re like me, and you worry about all manner of stuff, you’ll understand just how difficult this can be.

I tried meditation.

I took a series of personal sessions. And it was great (if somewhat expensive). I would float home.

But, when I tried it by myself, my mind wouldn’t shut up. It doesn’t help that I can think of a million things I’d rather do that just sit and be still. I can honestly say I would rather iron than try to meditate. How sad is that?

Mindfulness | TSL

(Image by TSL)

I tried yoga.

Why they always look so serious in Yoga? You make serious face like this, you scare away good energy. To meditate, only you must smile. Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Even smile in your liver. Practice tonight at hotel. Not to hurry, not to try too hard. Too serious, you make you sick. You can calling the good energy with a smile.
(Elizabeth Gilbert – From Ketut Liyer, the Balinese healer)

I’m just not a yoga kinda girl. I’ve tried to be. On several occasions, in fact. But, I just haven’t found my ‘yoga groove’.

And, I’m quite jealous of those who have. These tribes of lithe and lycra clad, super flexible peeps who comfortably walk the high street in their exercise gear with their yoga mats rolled and slung over their shoulders are part of a ‘cool crowd’ that just isn’t me. Too self-conscious.

I tried Tai Chi.

Since meditation isn’t my thing and yoga doesn’t seem to be either, I thought perhaps the moving meditation that is tai chi might be more my thing?

Earlier this year, the fates delivered me to the wonderfully warm and deliciously quirky Alison of Empower Tai Chi. I started attending her classes of a Monday evening and – because of her, I suspect – was enjoying myself. Tai Chi with Alison was fun. It made me feel good. And, I was getting into it.

But then we moved. And, navigating two Sydney bridges in rush hour traffic seemed counterintuitive to me, given I was trying to manage my stress and all that. So, Alison and her terrific tai chi classes are on hold. I have been investigating an alternative over on this side of the bridge, but I haven’t started anything yet. I miss Alison.

Which brings me to the two tricks I promised you.

Mindfulness classes are all very well and good. But what if a girl can’t wait? What if she needs something immediate? Something she can do on the fly? Every day, even? These two little tricks are mindfulness techniques that anyone can do. Trust me. If I can do them, anyone can.

They’re free and you can do them anywhere, anytime. Best of all, they work.

The only catch is you have to remember to actually do them.

Trick #1: Breathe through your nose.

The next time you take a walk, commit to breathing through your nose for the duration. In AND out. Don’t even open your mouth. That’s it. That’s trick #1.

It’s actually harder than it sounds. But, because you have a focus – on your breath – it’s not so easy for your mind to wander to far. Don’t panic if it takes some practice. Just come back to it.

Here in Sydney, we have a number of fabulous walks around the city. One of my favourites is the Centennial Park circuit. It’s 4 kilometres of parkland and water in the middle of the city. LM cycles while Bella and I walk. No talking. No iPod. Just me, Bella and my breath. It’s a great way to start the day.

Mindful Poodle | TSL

(Image by TSL)

Trick #2: Dr Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise.

I have long been a fan of Dr Andrew Weil and his functional approach to health. The way he marries Eastern and Western attitudes to health appeals to me and I have a number of his books on my shelf.

Dr Weil’s 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) exercise is also simple, free and can be done anywhere (although it is recommended you sit with your back straight when you are learning the exercise.)

Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.

  • Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
  • Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
  • Hold your breath for a count of seven.
  • Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
  • This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

You always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is what is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases.

According to Dr Weil, this exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. It certainly feels like one. He advises to do it at least twice a day. More if you want (or feel the need). He also advises not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little light headed when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass.

Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it becomes a very useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything upsetting happens – before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep. And, everyone can benefit from it.

If you’d like to see a video of Dr Weil demonstration the 4-7-8 Breath Exercise, just click here.

For me, this 4-7-8 breathing practice is one of the best techniques I have come across for being present and getting mindful. And, when you’re present, you just can’t be worrying about anything. Give it a go. What have you got to lose?

The first rule about being mindful is to be mindful about being mindful.

A wee piece of advice… It seems a little illogical to me that I should need to schedule reminders to be mindful. But, apparently I do. I was doing well with my nose breathing and my 4-7-8 exercises. And then it fell by the wayside. Life got in the way. It has a habit of doing that.

It all came to a bit of a head last week. Here’s an example of how that manifested: I sent a shopping list to my dentist via text message. It wasn’t a particularly long list and fortunately, it was fairly innocuous. Obviously, I didn’t mean to send the shopping list to the lovely peeps at Sydney Holistic Dentists. (They don’t offer to shop for their patients as an extra benefit). The text was meant to go to LM.

Don’t believe me? Here’s the evidence.

Dental Shopping List

It was quite an un-TSL thing to do. And it wasn’t my only brain-addled action last week, either. This whole gut health palaver had clearly been weighing a little more heavily on my mind that I thought.

So now I’m onto ‘Operation Mindfulness’. That means 4-7-8 breathing twice a day, minimum. And, trick #1 when I go walking with Bella.

Let’s see what happens!

Sleep and the Autoimmune Protocol

03 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by Joanna in Health

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Lifestyle, Melatonin, Regular Sleep, Sleep, Stress, Thoma Dekker, W.C. Fileds

(Image from here, Graphic by TSL)

(Image from here, Graphic by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. (Thomas Dekker)

So, by now you know about the elimination-style diet that is the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) that LM and I are currently undergoing here. And, the diet is fairly restrictive, at least to someone who is not used to the idea of removing so many tasty, more-ish, addictive, convenient foods from their day-to-day lives!

But, the protocol is about more than just the eating bit. There are a number of other factors that need to be addressed while you are on the protocol. And if you fail to address these, you’re kind of missing the point of the whole thing – which is to heal the gut, regulate hormones, and hopefully put autoimmune issues into remission by identifying any food triggers.

And, one of these extras factors is sleep…

We all know that sleep is important for our health.  Studies that evaluate the physiological changes caused by not sleeping or not getting enough sleep have shown just how critically important sleep is.  And for those of us with autoimmune issues, it is especially important. Sleep plays a critical role in managing inflammation, stimulating the immune system, and regulating hormones – all of which are problems when the immune system is compromised.

And, even if you don’t have any autoimmune issues, while it may seem like losing sleep isn’t such a big deal, sleep deprivation has a huge range of negative effects that go way beyond feeling a little tired. It affects your judgment, coordination, and reaction times. It can also affect your waistline.  There are two hormones in your body that regulate normal feelings of hunger and fullness (ghrelin and leptin). When you don’t get enough sleep, ghrelin levels go up which stimulates your appetite, and your leptin levels go down, so you don’t feel satisfied and want to keep eating. So, the more sleep you lose, the more food your body will crave. 

The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep. (W. C. Fields)

I used to sleep like the dead. Not any more. About ten years ago, I had a home invasion which involved waking up to find three men in balaclavas in my living room. Fortunately, they were more interested in my wallet and laptop than in me, but it affected my ability to sleep. In a massive way. I no longer sleep like the dead. In fact, I wake at the first unusual sound. And, that’s not good.

I’m finding achieving quality sleep is the most difficult aspect of the AIP 

One of the issues has been the heat wave that Sydney has been experiencing recently. It’s hard to sleep when it’s too hot. And then, I get to sleep, but I have trouble staying asleep.  I wake up for whatever reason and have difficulty dropping off again. My brain likes talking to me. About all sorts of things. Most of them can wait until daylight, but my brain doesn’t seem to get that bit.

So, I have made a few changes in the ‘sleep preparation department’ in an attempt to get both more sleep AND better quality sleep.

Keeping a regular sleep schedule – According to the experts, getting your body’s natural sleep/awake cycle in sync is one of the most important strategies for getting consistently good sleep. That means going to bed and waking up around the same time every day. For me, that means doing my best to be in bed by 10pm each night. SUCH a party animal, me!

Trying (hard!) to regulate my sleep-wake cycle – Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. In theory, your brain should secrete more in the evening, when it’s dark, to make you sleepy, and less during the day when it’s light. However, so many aspects of our modern life can disrupt the body’s natural production of melatonin. In particular, bright lights at night — in front of the TV or computer screen — can suppress your body’s production of melatonin and make it harder to sleep.

I’m spending more time outside during daylight. Bella is loving it! We go for a walk first thing to jump-start my ‘awake’ cycle.

And then, at night, I’m trying to steer clear of my computer.

Creating a bedtime routine – Apparently, a peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful message to your brain that it’s time to slow down and let go of the day’s ‘stuff’. So, we’ve implemented ‘operation sleepy time’ here at Casa TSL. LM makes me a mug of herbal tea in the evening. As silly as it sounds, I now look forward to it.

Eating right and getting regular exercise – what you eat and how you exercise plays a role in how well you sleep. I know this is true – I’ve had three weeks with no caffeine or alcohol! We try to eat early here at Casa TSL (at least two hours before bedtime). And, while it’s definitely not my natural inclination, I’m doing some form of exercise every day.

Getting anxiety and stress in check – Residual stress and worry can affect your ability to sleep well. This certainly applies to me. I’m a bit of a stress-head – my brain is a chatterbox! I’ve really struggled to find a relaxation method that works for me in an effort to manage this. I seem to be one of those terribly ‘un-cool’ people for whom yoga is not the nirvana state it is for others. So, four weeks ago I started Tai Chi. I found a great (and wonderfully quirky) teacher. And, even better, my sister comes with me to class.

I’m already practising some of the techniques I’ve learnt to help me relax back into sleep when I wake during the night.

So, it’s a bit of a work in progress, this sleep project. But, I have to tell you I’m pretty committed to improving my quality of sleep. When you start reading about all the health issues that are exacerbated by lack of sleep, it’s pretty scary. Enough to keep you awake at night, even…

 

Sharing the ‘Fifty Shades’ Love…

28 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by Joanna in Random Stuff

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Bible, Books, culture, Damson Dene Hotel, England, Erotica, Fifty Shades of Grey, Hotel, Lake District, Lifestyle, News, Travel

Wayne Bartholomew, Hotel Manager & the book in question

Wayne Bartholomew, Hotel Manager & the book in question
(Image © The Westmorland Gazette)

I gasp, and I’m Eve in the Garden of Eden, and he’s the serpent, and I cannot resist. (Anastasia from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’)

I quite like this wee story that is currently doing the rounds…

Guests staying at the Damson Dene Hotel in England’s Lake District are in for a shock if they reach for the ubiquitous Bible for solace. The hotel has replaced the Good Book in the bedside tables of its 40 guest rooms with E.L. James’ erotic blockbuster ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’.

How titillating!

TSL, Nut Balls and the Art of Zen

24 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by Joanna in Random Stuff

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Diet, food, Green Smoothie, Health, Herbal Tea, home, Lifestyle, Nut Balls, Recipe, Snack

Dairy Free

(Image from here)

I am attempting a dairy free diet for 3 months to see what happens*. At the time of writing, I have been off dairy for 29 days**. I’ve surprised myself – it isn’t quite as hard as I imagined BUT I do miss my coffee. I just can’t drink it black. I’ve tried. And, I’m only allowing myself one soy coffee a week. So, I am becoming an herbal tea connoisseur. Not quite the same, but I have discovered the Byron Bay Tea Company have some really fab’ teas. And, they deliver to your door.

Flat White

I do miss my morning coffee…
(Image from here)

After enlightenment, the laundry (Zen proverb)

Anyhoo, as part of this dairy free gig, I’ve been doing some experimenting. LM is keeping an open mind. The teenager, not so much.

The green smoothies for breakfast are a small mind-shift from my previous breakfast favourite of greek yoghurt with fruit and nuts. My current favourite is a combo’ of frozen mango cheek, banana, a few strawberries, kale, coconut water and ground chia and flaxseed. Looks like a super green fruit cocktail and tastes great (promise!)…

Green Smoothie

Green Smoothie
(Image from here)

I’ve also been making balls. Yes, I did say balls. Nut balls to be precise.

Chocolate Seed & Nut Balls
(Image from here)

LM, the chocoholic, has declared these Chocolate Seed & Nut Balls his favourite so far. They are a doddle to make and quite good for a healthy mid-afternoon pick me up (with a cup of herbal tea!)

Chocolate Seed & Nut Balls

Makes 20

Ingredients:

2/3 x cup almonds
2 x Tbsp sunflower seeds
2 x Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 x Tbsp desiccated coconut
2 x Tbsp flaxseed
2 x tsp sesame seeds
2 x Tbsp cocoa powder (best quality available)
2 x tsp cinnamon
6 x Tbsp almond butter (I use macadamia butter)
2 x Tbsp tahini
3 x tsp coconut palm sugar
3 x tsp sugar, xylitol or sweetener of choice

1. Place all the ingredients into a food processor. Mix until the mixture starts to stick together.
2. Roll the mixture into balls approx. 1 Tbsp in size
3. Keep in the fridge until ready to gobble up

I like to think they make me a little more zen…

*I am allowed a little butter.

**It’s no coincidence I will hit the 3 month mark as we arrive in France!

Veronika Wildgruber Makes Soft Wood…

02 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by Joanna in Design

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Chair, Furniture, German, Home and Garden, Homewares, Lifestyle, Shopping, Soft Wood, Tea Towel, Textile, Trompe L'oeil, Veronika Wildgruber, Wood

'Soft Wood' by Veronika Wildgruber

‘Soft Wood’ by Veronika Wildgruber
(Image © Veronika Wildgruber)

I don’t like things that can be reproduced. Wood isn’t important in itself but rather in the fact that objects made in it are unique, simple, unpretentious. (George Baselitz)

If you are a regular reader of TSL, you’ll know I have a wee bit of a thing for trompe l’oeil. I first read about the extremely talented Veronika Wildgruber and her trompe l’oeil-esque ‘Soft Wood’ project at Anthony Robertson Design.

‘Soft Wood’ is a series of chairs (limited to 250) that appear at first to be made in fabric with the soft appearance of pillows. In reality they are sculpted in solid wood. Veronika says, “The chairs trick the mind because the surface and texture connotes the opposite of what we think and know about the characteristics of wood.”  She has created her ‘Soft Wood’ chairs to illustrate how wood can usually not be both soft and comfortable. The concept plays with reality and shows that you cannot always rely on your perception.

I think there’s a slightly retro-feel to these fabulous chairs…

Soft Wood Chair by Veronika Wildgruber
Soft Wood Chair by Veronika Wildgruber
Soft Wood Chair by Veronika Wildgruber

Detail of Soft Wood Chair by Veronika Wildgruber

‘Soft Wood’ Chairs by Veronika Wildgruber
(Images © Veronika Wildgruber)

I also like Veronika’s very German (in my opinion, at least) approach – her design aesthetic is both clean, practical and efficient; while at the same time a little idiosyncratic. That appeals to my German half!

Check out a couple of her other “simple and surprising” designs:

'Hand Towel' by Veronika Wildgruber

'Hand Towel' by Veronika Wildgruber

‘Hand Towel’ by Veronika Wildgruber
Inspired by the habit to use a dishcloth as an oven cloth. This cloth combines both functions. Produced by Raumgestalt. (www.raumgestalt.net)
(Images © Veronika Wildgruber)

'Colino' by Veronika Wildgruber

‘Colino’ by Veronika Wildgruber
Grandma`s Tea Colino is a tea strainer with a blossom pattern woven in the metal wire structure. -prototype-
(Images © Veronika Wildgruber)

Veronika was born in Germany, and currently lives and works in Berlin. She studied product design at the Faculty of Design and Arts in Bolzano, Italy.  Her work has been exhibited in Milan, Paris, Berlin and London, and she was awarded with the Silmo d`Or in 2010 for her sunglasses VW02 design and the IF Product Design Award 2011 for her seriously cool ‘Wardrope’ design.

If you would like to see more of Veronika’s work, or sign up for her newsletter, you can do so here.

Colporter – For the Opera Lover in Your Life

17 Thursday May 2012

Posted by Joanna in Art

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

Alfie Boe, Art, Arts, Barber of Seville, Bryn Terfel, culture, Georges Bizet, Interior design, La Danza, Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Lifestyle, London, Music, Opera, Sheet music, Shopping, style, Sydney, The Pearl Fishers

It’s a universal truth, I reckon’. Boys are hard to buy for. I will grudgingly accept that some are more-so than others. LM is a ‘more-so’. He may even take the prize. It’s a heavy cross for me to bear.

So, when I first read about Colporter’s vintage opera scores at the very lovely [JustALittleJoy] blog, written by the talented Tessa, I was just a little excited.

Image of Colporter's Framed Vintage Opera Scores - The Barber of Seville and La Danza

Colporter’s Framed Vintage Opera Scores
‘The Barber of Seville’ and ‘La Danza’
(Image sourced from Colporter)

LM is a mad keen music buff and an opera lover. What if I could find the sheet music  for Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers”, containing his most favourite aria in the universe – the show-stopping duet “In the Depths of the Temple”…?

I went off to the lovely Catherine at Colporter in London and she worked her magic for me. She found the sheet music for “Les Pêcheurs de Perles”. She accommodated my desire to have it framed in white. She lovingly packaged it all up and sent it to Sydney. Thank you, Catherine.

Professionally mounted and framed with the sheet music still intact within the frame, these scores make for really unusual wall art. They are perfect for the growing collection of bits ‘n’ bobs we have on a wall of our bedroom. Best of all, LM loves it!

Image of Colporter "The Pearl Fishers" vintage Sheet Music (Framed)

LM’s framed sheet music for “Les Pêcheurs de Perles”
(Poorly taken image by TSL)

And, for those of you who are not familiar with Bizet’s arguably most famous aria, or if you just want to listen to some lovely music, here are Alfie Boe and Bryn Terfel performing it for you…

Colporter have lots of lovely goodies on their website. You can have a look-see yourself, right here.

Postscript: I have been told that if you are to be introduced to this wonderful aria, it must be the Jussi Björling & Robert Merrill version. I stand corrected. Enjoy!

Jonathan Adler – fabulously fun but perhaps not quite quirky!

30 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by Joanna in Retail

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

Arts, culture, Cushions, Design, Dogs, Furniture, Homewares, Interior design, Jonathan Adler, Lifestyle, Peru, Rugs, Shopping, VAses

I know – his work is perhaps a tad too mainstream to be considered quirky, particularly for you Northern Hemisphere dwellers, but hear me out… I spotted these Jonathan Adler Williamsburg vases the other day and added them to my wee list of ‘things I like’.

As with so many things, when you change the context, you introduce a new perspective.  Forget they are a fabulously-fun-yet-not-quite-quirky Jonathan Adler design… NOW, might they look the teeniest bit quirky?

Jonathan Adler Utopia Williamsburg Vase
A little bit of whimsy for US$38 for the pair
(You can buy them here)
His and hers, no less!

Following on from that find, I thought it only reasonable to take a decent squizz at the flamboyant Mr Adler’s site.  You know what? – he’s got some funky stuff. If its been a while since you popped your head in, let me share a few things that tickled my wee fancy….

Jonathan Adler Zebra Rug - in orange
Hand loomed llama's wool rug from Peru at US$995
(You can buy them here)
Who knows where I would put it but its ORANGE!!! (or black, pink, red, turquoise, green...)

Jonathan Adler leather Terrier
Handcrafted from full grain leather at US$695
(You can buy them here)
Or, maybe you'd prefer a hippo' or pig or elephant or rhino'?

Jonathan Adler embroidered 'Specs Case' - in green
Handmade wool needlepoint for US$42
(You can buy them here)
I suspect it makes me officially old that I even need to consider a specs case...

Jonathan Adler Walnut Claude Special Edition Gossip Bench Set
You can stack or reconfigure to your hearts desire. This one for US$1,890
(You can order one here)
These are limited edition collectors editions and - forget the exorbitant shipping costs - I have no-where in my home to put one. DAMN IT!!!

Jonathan Adler Mod Love Cushion
Spread the love with needlepoint at US$175
(You can buy them here)
This design is also available as a footstool. Perhaps not together, though... too matchy, matchy, matchy!

I even quite like the Jonathan Adler manifesto.  Who doesn’t appreciate a brand that has the audacity to state, “We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right. Unless the husband is gay.“? Or, what about, “We believe tassels are the earrings of the home“? What do you reckon’?

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