The Connections Issue '20

THE CONNECTIONS ISSUE

Emerald Green Silk Deju

Photographed by @theginstarp Styled by @isaintlu.co for @lucostudiong Model @officialglitzz @litmodelsng Makeup @jogis_artistry Accessories @zeriluxury

The Art Of Wearing

The Art Of Wearing

Emerald Green Silk Deju Photographed by @theginstarp Styled by @isaintlu.co for @lucostudiong Model @officialglitzz @litmodelsng Makeup @jogis_artistry Accessories @zeriluxury

Emerald Green Silk Deju Photographed by @theginstarp Styled by @isaintlu.co for @lucostudiong Model @officialglitzz @litmodelsng Makeup @jogis_artistry Accessories @zeriluxury

The Art Of Wearing

Randall Wide Cuff Crafted with pheasant feathers. Cuff is 1.5” wide and is 7.88" in circumference. 24k Gold Plated hardware. Randall Thin Cuff Cuff is 0.5” wide and is 7.63" in circumference.

No dyes are used, giving each cuff a unique coloring.

All Brackish pieces are handcrafted in Charleston, SC. Our cuffs take between four and five hours to complete. Every feather is hand selected by our artisans, making no pieces exactly alike. $195.00 brackish.com

Crafted to reflect the natural beauty of each feather

gabs.it

GABS: Bag G3 print

Trip shopper convertible Size L 465 Stockist: Bulo Shoes San Francsico, California

Model: Deja Peters

Photographer: Laura Tillinghast MUA: Celestine Pearl

Stylist: Angelica Garde

Creative Direction: Brian Esterle

Style Curation| Creative Direction: Trystanne Cunningham

Produced by: TrooRa Magazine LLC A Fortunest Group

Imagination will take you everywhere

celebrating us, the strong, resilient, and radiant women in our communities that inspire the world with our diversity and beauty

cocoacentric.com

Palm Springs Earrings

A sweet Patina Gold Hand painted monstera leaf on top, mixed with a toned down cream and green acrylic links

Previous page: Warm Watercolor Tassel Earrings marble acrylic Tribe Tribal Necklace in Feather Bib Necklace, with snake chain.

Model: Deja Peters

Photographer: Laura Tillinghast MUA: Celestine Pearl Stylist: Angelica Garde

Creative Direction: Brian Esterle

Style Curation| Creative Direction: Trystanne Cunningham

Produced by: TrooRa Magazine LLC A Fortunest Group

TrooRa Magazine LLC • A Fortunest Group PO BOX 152 • Brisbane CA 94005 • 833∙755∙7273 hello@trooramagazine.com trooramagazine.com

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Welcome

It is an absolute pleasure to welcome you to TrooRa magazine. As we embark on our third year of publication, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support.

As the founder and editor-in-chief of TrooRa magazine, my vision to create a space for the voiceless has always been a passion. I aspire to provide a platform that amplifies voices that are yet to be heard. My team and I forage the corners of the world for inspiring stories packed with individuality to bring to our exclusive audience in search of their Rare.

By partnering with passionate creatives, artists and entrepreneurs who are looking to gain exposure through an organic lens, we proudly connect the unheard with individuals that admire TrooRa’s diverse inclusive exclusivity. By reading TrooRa and TrooRa Living magazines we hope to motivate your mornings, inspire your afternoons, energize your evenings, and spark your curiosity at the turn of every page. Against the grain of the mainstream, TrooRa magazine features a wide range of lifestyle topics, thoughtprovoking articles, beautifully curated and presented, immersing our readers in a sophisticated and luxurious experience.

inismeain.ie

Alpaca Aran Crew Neck

20% Silk | 80% Baby Alpaca

This Aran island sweater design is inspired by the highly decorated styles that islanders prized as ‘Sunday Best‘ formal wear, and by the pure white knits worn by island boys and girls to their First Communion ceremony.

Our alpaca and silk mix offers a lighter, contemporary take on this much-loved and internationally-renowned classic. Available in lemon and peat brown. Made and hand-finished in our Aran Islands workshop.

Warmth from the edge of the world

Connections Issue

Welcome to the Connections Issue!

In this issue, we’ll be exploring the idea of interconnectedness and how our life and experiences can intertwine with the experiences of others around the world. And when we talk about forming connections, we need to talk about perhaps the best connector of all—fungus.

Yep, seriously. Underneath your feet is perhaps the most elaborate network of connections you’ve never imagined—and it’s all created by something called mycelium. Most people see “fungus” and think “mushrooms,” but mushrooms are actually the “fruit” of the mycelium. The mycelium itself makes up a large majority of the organisms we classify as fungus.

You can imagine mycelium as a neural network or even something akin to the worldwide web. Mycelium branches through the soil and attaches itself to the roots of trees and plants. By forming these connections, one tree is able to communicate with nearby trees and share nutrients with

distressed plants which may not see as much sunlight or have roots that reach far enough for a good water source. In essence, it is the mycelium that allows our natural world to talk, share, and support everything in the precious cycle of life.

Just like the mycelium, we as humans can raise each other up through the connections we make. In this issue, we explore concepts such as the connectedness we feel between our pets and ourselves. We offer a curated playlist of songs that meld into one another with their inspirations and collaborations. We also look at the pros and cons of our social connectedness through technology.

These articles, along with many others, will inspire you to reach out to that old friend you haven’t talked to in years. They’ll get you thinking about what it means to be part of this human world. And they’ll likely make you realize that without quality connections—to people, to nature, to everything that surrounds us—we will not be able to grow and support each other as the mycelium supports natural growth.

So, go. Venture out (IRL or digitally) and start making new connections today!

Born in Jamestown - Accra to Ghanaian parents, Kwame Acheampong is a passionate photographer and artist who captures his images and communicates his artistry through the lens of his iphone camera.

He holds a bachelor of science degree in Agriculture from the University of Ghana, the nation’s premier tertiary institution.

With a keen interest in broadening his knowledge, Kwame’s main hobby is

Story Behind the Cover

reading and researching on Art and Philosophy.

Kwame’s work is a representation of his evolving sense of depiction of ideas and artistic influences, and readily explores experimentation as an approach to aesthetics.

Currently living in Accra, Kwame hopes to become a globally recognised visual artist by pursuing photography and plans to pursue fine art disciplines specifically painting and sculpture.

“Kwame hopes to become a globally recognised visual artist by pursuing photography and plans to pursue fine art disciplines specifically painting and sculpture”

Transform To Transcend

B-D

Delightful Surprises and Cultivating Gratitude

PERSONALIZED GIFTING.

Delightful Surprises and Cultivating Gratitude

PERSONALIZED GIFTING.

KIDDING AROUND

GREAT IDEAS FOR CHILDREN’S ROOMS

Follow these examples of real-life decorating inspiration for little people who are big on character. We promise everyone will live happily ever after…

BOOK NOOK

Take inspiration from children’s library displays and include front-facing shelves—readymade or bespoke—in your child’s bedroom or play area. This is an especially sensible choice for young readers who rely on visuals rather than words to seek out their favourite books. The bonus? These attractive book covers double as a decorative feature.

> Here, simple floating shelves have been made from upcycled wooden planks. Leave them white or paint them in bright shades for a pop of stimulating colour.

> Encourage their reading habits by establishing a cosy corner for kids to lounge around. Denim-covered foam mattresses make for inviting floor cushions that are also hard-wearing enough for rough-and-tumble play or can be moved outside onto the grass for a spot of peaceful cloud gazing.

IDEA WOODEN SPICE RACKS ARE A CLEVER AND CHEAP SUBSTITUTE FOR FLOATING SHELVES. GIVE THEM A COAT OF PAINT BEFORE MOUNTING

ON THE WALL. WE LOVE IKEA’S

BEKVÄM

STATE OF THE ART

A gallery wall is creatively stimulating and engaging— the perfect finishing touch for a stylish kid’s habitat.

> The ideal gallery-wall can include framed prints, pretty plates and ceramics, decorative tiles, lettering and symbols, eco-friendly trophy heads, fairy lights or battery-operated marquee lights, as well as postcards stuck up with washi tape.

> On a budget? Scour the Internet for free-to-use printable imagery. Think of vintage advertising or graphic, contemporary and classical works of art that would suit a child’s room. Make sure anything you print is in the public domain.

> For a contemporary mood, keep the configuration unstructured. Before hanging up anything permanently, however, place the various pieces on the floor or mark out their shapes on the wall in pencil to be sure that the final result looks visually balanced. Pay particular attention to the spaces in between the artworks.

IDEA DON’T SHY AWAY FROM MORE GROWN-UP FABRICS AND STRIKING PATTERNS IN A CHILD’S ROOM. THE FLORAL PRINT AND BLACK BACKGROUND OF THIS UPHOLSTERED BED, FOR EXAMPLE, ADDS A TOUCH OF SOPHISTICATION AND WILL NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED IN LATER YEARS. THE DARK FABRIC ALSO ACTS TO VISUALLY ANCHOR THE OTHERWISE LIGHT-FILLED, PASTEL-HUED SPACE.

TO THE MOON AND BACK

A child’s room does not have to be elaborately or expensively decorated to be inspiring. Something as simple as an oversized map of the world, a ceiling filled with glow-in-the-dark star or dinosaur stickers, or an XXL moon decal is enough to spark big dreams in little people.

> Don’t shy away from a darker palette in a child’s bedroom. Particularly in the case of a smaller space, moody shades such as charcoal, inky blue, and deep forest green will impart a cosy and restful atmosphere.

> Select shelving and storage that allow easy access for kids to get to their toys and books as well as affording them an opportunity to display their favourite items.

IDEA THROW SOMETHING QUIRKY INTO THE DECORATIVE MIX—AN UNUSUAL LIGHT, A PATTERNED OR TEXTURED RUG, OR UNIQUE SIDETABLE (IN THIS CASE A CARVED AND PAINTED

TREE

STUMP). STORED & ORDERED

Make a design feature out of toys, figurines, and books by leaving them on display—a great way to reflect the little occupant’s personality.

> Chunky floating shelves are well suited to a kid’s bedroom as well as in small areas where floor space is at a premium. Place the shelves slightly asymmetrically for a more playful appearance.

> Pay careful consideration to furniture in a child’s room—a lightweight piece such as this hairpin leg desk looks appealing to a child and has a contemporary character that will grow with them into teenage years. A fun plastic-moulded chair adds a pop of colour.

> Clear storage boxes are invaluable in keeping playthings together while keeping the contents immediately identifiable for kids.

IDEA WALL HOOKS KEEP ANY SPACE TIDY AND MAKE A FEATURE OUT

OF COOL PEAK CAPS, CHARACTER MASKS, AND SCHOOL BACKPACKS.

SEEING DOUBLE

Whether your kids share a bedroom out of choice or necessity it usually translates to double the clutter, so aim to keep things inviting, pared-down, and practical without feeling austere.

> Toe-to-toe beds will enhance a sense of comfort as well as independence.

> A low-level bed is safe for kids and easy to climb in and out of. These beds have been raised slightly off the floor on utilitarian bases made from sanded and varnished builders’ palettes. As well as preserving the life of mattresses, putting the beds on palettes gives the room a more finished, thought-through appearance.

> A two-tone wall featuring a minimalist mural in a calming pastel tone adds character, while polka dot wall decals bring the fun and sparkle.

> Plain mix-and-match bedding that plays with the colour blocking trend looks super modern. Layer

for interest with patterned scatter cushions and wall prints.

IDEA CHILDREN LOVE BEING ON THE FLOOR— WHETHER IT’S TO ROLL AROUND, DO HANDSTANDS, STRETCH OUT AND READ, OR SET OUT THEIR PLAYTHINGS. ALWAYS TRY AND LEAVE THEM ENOUGH FLOOR SPACE TO DO SO.

Stone & Sawyer -

Julian Peploe & David Ryan

Julian Peploe and David Ryan are the vision behind Stone and Sawyer. As friends, designers and visual artists, they created the company to satisfy their search for the perfect lamp. Initially inspired by mid-century design and designers like Gunnar Nylund and Otto and Gerturd Natzler, David and Julian produced their first line of Stone and Sawyer lamps in 2014. Learn more in their interview with Michael Daks.

Daks : Hi Julian! When I first met you, you were an art director at Sony Music in New York. Was that your dream job at the time?

Peploe : Hi Michael! It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed. Yes, Sony was definitely a dream job. Oddly it took me several years to realize that without seeking it I had landed my ideal creative position.

The nature of being an Art Director in the music industry is that you have to constantly reimagine yourself creatively so that in turn each campaign you create is unique to the artist or band. So many creative professions require designers to work within narrow parameters. Every day for me at Sony was a challenge,

something new, and I thrive on that. There was also of course the excitement of working with pop stars.

At twenty-three, when I first started, I couldn’t believe I was sitting next to someone I'd only seen in magazines, on posters, billboards, television. Suddenly they were looking right at me for answers! It was terrifying; but quickly that was replaced with a sense of incredible opportunity.

And back then, before Napster and streaming services changed the face of the music industry, there were big budgets. We could create elaborate photo-shoots and packaging, work with pretty much any photographer we chose, it was a fantastic time.

Daks : Who were your favourite artists to work with? Do you have a favorite cover/CD package that you are most proud of?

Peploe : I’ve always found it hard to choose favourite projects. Probably my favorite cover was Fergie’s The Duchess. We created that campaign to reflect 1960’s French movie posters and much of it I handpainted, which I loved.

That being said, the real achievement for a music packaging designer is getting a good idea through the mill without all the edges coming off by appealing to the lowest common denominator. The bigger the artist, the greater the risk of compromise.

As a result, the visual arc I created for Jennifer Lopez over the years was probably one of my most exciting challenges. First, we needed to create a separate identity from Jennifer’s movie career and then, from album to album, we strove to tell new stories, create new characters, reveal different aspects, and create new worlds.

Daks : Obviously, with digital downloading and streaming, the whole music industry changed. Covers became much less important. Is that why you decided to leave Sony?

Peploe : I actually left Sony right before the digital download revolution. I had landed myself the Creative Director position for Epic Records but found that most of my time was spent negotiating between the creative team and the record label and not designing myself.

So in the late summer of 2001, I decided to leave and start my own design firm. This allowed me the opportunity to work in a wider range of fields including publishing, corporate branding, and other record labels.

Daks : How did the idea of Sawyer and Stone come about?

Peploe : Sometime around 2010, I had an ‘Aha!’ moment when a friend in marketing explained to me that I was lucky because I was a content creator. I think I had been so focused up until then on solving visual problems for my clients that I lost sight of the fact that I “make” or “create.” I had become part of the service industry.

David Ryan, my business partner in Stone and Sawyer, had been mulling around the idea of designing some table lamps. Over a number of months, we continued discussing the idea, possible materials, and what our goals would be. David had been a painter and creative in various media so he was familiar with the experience of being a maker, a creative, a content creator. But for me, this was the first time I realized that I could make something that I believed in, that I chose.

In time, the idea began to take form. We would create a small group of ceramic table lamps with wood and metal components and source small studios and workshops to work with to produce component parts. We believed in the idea of American-made from the start, so supporting other small businesses in the process of building ours was very appealing. This didn’t work out so well.

Over three years, we spent our seed money four times over in an attempt

to find reliable studios. In the winter of 2013, it became clear that we either had to abandon ceramics as a material or we had to learn how to make them ourselves. We’d been told repeatedly that creating consistent ceramic forms and finishes was not possible.

But we believed that if we carefully documented every aspect of each test that sooner or later we would be able to achieve perfect vessels that were consistent, refined, and the subtlest element of hand. In two months we had consistency, and two months after that we launched with two designs in two glazes.

Over the last five years, we’ve added over thirty new table lamp designs, fifty glazes, and hundreds of thousands of possible combinations of finishes between wood, metal, shade, and ceramic. Our intent is to create pieces that move people, that the viewer cannot dispute have been made with absolute care, and that will last for generations.

Daks : Tell me a bit about your life now in the Catskills, and your day to day routine

Peploe : We’re in the northwestern part of the Catskills, which is quiet and remarkably beautiful. I grew up on a farm so this feels much more familiar to me than New York City; it feels human-scale. There is, of course, this assumption that country life will be slower than city life, but I find that I rarely stop.

I’ve been doing a modern renovation on an 1860's farmhouse with my partner Roger for the last five years, so that plays a big part in my day-to-day life, as we’re doing the work ourselves. I love architecture, interior design, and landscape, so this project enables me to be creative in all those fields in addition to Stone and Sawyer.

My typical day-to-day starts at 5.30 am to workout, a couple of hours of emailing with clients and processing orders, and then much of my day is in the ceramics studio producing vessels. In the evening, I take the dogs for a run and then tend to work on construction or landscape at the house. Then I crash into bed and start over the next day. I often say that there’s not enough time in life to do everything I want so I tend to live with the intention of doing as much as I possibly can.

Daks : Do you have a favourite lamp?

Peploe : I have two favorite lamps. The first is the Hilo. I love the low-cantilevered ceramic body with the partnering of the wood components. We originally designed this without the wood foot so the ceramic continued to the tabletop, but the weight of the clay in combination with the cantilever caused the clay to warp.

We finally realized that the only way to achieve this was to take the bottom of the ceramic away and replace it with a wood base. Sometimes the problems we encounter create opportunities and in this case, the wood base makes the lamp to me.

My second choice is the Tall Baxter. I love the simplicity of the large hand-turned wood base transitioning into the ceramic body into the shade. It feels timeless and can live in so many contexts.

Daks : What are your plans for the future?

Peploe : Oh, glad that you asked! This fall we are launching a new lower price point line called Stone and Sawyer Studio.

Daks: And finally—what does freedom mean to you?

Peploe : Letting each of us be… with kindness and consideration.

Home Work 10 home office looks to love

These 10 carefully conceived home office setups have equally distinct yet delightfully different personalities.

Working from home is the new normal. Whether you have plans to set up shop in a styled up Mad Meninspired office or need to carve out a corner of any room to call your own, these designer ideas for your desktop, practical ideas to keep things neat and tidy, and slick solutions for even the smallest office spaces will keep you motivated to keep up the good work.

YOUNG AT HEART

This ultra-cool pad could suit the needs of everyone from a teen to a guitar-toting dad. The utilitarian plywood wall detail is a pragmatic, no-frills choice that ticks the on-trend box, while dramatic black details are simple yet so strong.

DESIGN NOTES

• This home office embraces practical must-haves (you can never go wrong with cubular shelving) and marries them with trendy touches like hexagonal cork tiles for real-life Pinterest moments.

• The wallmounted rack is an efficient solution to avoid clutter while a trio of treasured guitars becomes an eyecatching design feature of its own.

TIP THE ANIMAL HIDE RUG AND SCANDI CHAIR ARE A RETROINSPIRED YET THOROUGHLY MODERN DUO.

WORK + PLAY

A contemporary shared office space evokes a private gentleman’s club atmosphere—with none of the snobbery and all of the style cred. Raw timber floorboards, a graphic Persian rug in unconventional brights, and a gallery wall featuring a mix of classical and more modern landscapes, together tell the tale of its owners who make their own interior rules.

DESIGN NOTES

• Love the look? Use vintage finds like wooden tennis racquets to emulate a tongue-in-cheek sports club atmosphere.

• Plywood shelves were used to build the no-nonsense shelves in this private, library-like space. An antique Cape refectory table was stripped of its traditional glossy varnish and given a matt finish instead—bringing it straight into the 21st century.

TIP

WHEN MARRYING OLD DÉCOR DETAILS WITH NEW, DO IT WITH BRAVERY. THE SECRET TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS ROOM IS THE TONGUE-IN-CHEEK OLD SCHOOL NARRATIVE PROPPED UP WITH DETAILS LIKE THE WORN DESK CHAIRS, A VINTAGE GLOBE, AND A VASE FULL OF BILLIARD BALLS.

ALL LINED UP

Two tables of the same height are lined up to form an impressive desktop in this eclectic creative studio. The large room is dotted with furniture and décor items that command attention, from the oversized table lamp to mid-century leather chairs.

DESIGN NOTES

• Creative resources are made easily available in this contemporary library wall where books and design magazines are stacked in artful piles to form an essential part of the narrative.

• A sense of order and organisation is made clear thanks to the customised shelving wall and visual cues like the shutters that mirror the multiple linear details in the space.

TIP

THE DARK PAINT DETAIL OF THE WALL OF SHELVES HELPS PULL THIS OFFICE LOOK TOGETHER, CREATING A SENSE OF INTIMACY AND

CALM. CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC

Charcoal grey walls and a glass-fronted cabinet lined with collectibles and memorabilia are a striking focal point in this smart office space that embraces both classic and contemporary style perfectly.

DESIGN NOTES

• The glass tabletop and no-nonsense trestle legs help this home office embrace modernity, while the patchwork Persian and handcarved chair pay homage to the past.

• Exotic collectibles dotted around the room are a fascinating decorative detail and invite conversation.

TIP

BY PLACING THE DESK ON A RUG OF ITS OWN AND AWAY FROM THE WALL,

AN IMMEDIATE SENSE OF DRAMA AND GRAVITAS IS CREATED.

WORK SMARTS

More and more we’re embracing that a high functioning home office area doesn’t need to be huge. All that’s needed is an area you can call your own, a space to think and sometimes a chance to shut out the world for a while (thank you noise-canceling earphones!)

DESIGN NOTES

• A corner of a bedroom or living room can easily be converted into a discreet spot for work—and one that doesn’t have to interfere with your preferred aesthetic. The sleek desk doesn’t skimp on storage but together with the chair ensures high design standards are met.

• Here, the monochrome palette and the addition of plants as living accessories complete the tasteful, utterly liveable picture.

LAMP IS A STRIKING AND TIMELESS FOCAL POINT FOR THIS STYLISH CORNER WORKSPACE.

WORK POD

This compact sleep-work-play unit has a place for everything and everything has its place. It is a perfectly conceived space with a clearly defined sleeping area and place to work too. A bracketing system with units that slide up and down to form seating or act as storage is at the heart of the design mastery here.

DESIGN NOTES

• The laptop bureau has a folding front that acts as a perfect countertop (or a spot to enjoy a between-deadlines sandwich).

• Tiny homes are here to stay and their success comes down to careful (and hardworking) design and aesthetic considerations. The same philosophies of less-is-more can be applied to working from home in an apartment too.

TIP

A GOOD CABINETMAKER CAN EASILY BUILD A UNIT WITH A FOLDAWAY OR SLIDE-OUT COUNTERTOP THAT CAN BE PULLED OR FOLDED OUT WHEN NEEDED.

GALLERY SHOW

A lifelong collection of much-loved art exhibition posters is elevated to gallery status in this retrofabulous home office and studio.

DESIGN NOTES

• A pinboard crammed with tourist stand and museum shop postcards becomes an art installation of its own.

• The steel-legged, glass-topped desk is a functional choice that embraces this mid-century modern aesthetic perfectly.

TIP

CONTINUITY IS KEY WHEN SHOWCASING A COLLECTION. HERE, COHESIVENESS IS CREATED BY FRAMING EACH AND EVERY POSTER IN THE SIMPLEST WOOD SURROUND.

CREATIVELY CURATED

Cape Town stylist Shelley Street combines her love for a monochromatic colour palette and found natural objects. In her work-from-home studio, form and function are perfect partners in this space that can double up as a shoot location at any time.

DESIGN NOTES

• Floating shelves are ideal for aesthetes who love to play with their favourite pieces and discoveries— no need for nails!

Simply lean prints against the wall and group finds together as you please.

• The simple palette is the perfect canvas for seasonal changes. A textured rug in the winter or blossoms in the spring are just two easy ways to change the mood in a flash.

TIP

HERE, A CHUNKY TABLE WITH HAND-TURNED LEGS IS GIVEN A LICK OF BLACK PAINT AND TEAMED WITH AN EAMES OFFICE CHAIR—A PLAYFUL AND CHARMING COMBINATION.

SPACE MAKER

This tiny corner has been transformed into a hardworking work-from-home zone with enough space for a laptop, stationery, filing, and reference essentials. A simple wallmounted unit provides ample storage space while the metallic touches along with the handwoven chair and sheepskin cover bring in just the right amount of laidback luxury.

DESIGN NOTES

• The simple palette of all-white and wood is a cohesive and uncomplicated choice and a perfect solution for a small space. Painted the same crisp white as the wall, the desk unit melts into the background perfectly.

• Keep clutter at bay in your work-from-home zone by accessorising with coordinating containers for paperwork and other essentials.

• The shelving unit works hard but is anything but corporate. Look for homeware pieces (like bedside tables to slot under desktops) to use in your at-home headquarters.

TIP

A GLASS TOP ELEVATES THE LITTLE TABLE INTO AN ELEGANT PIECE – THE TOUCH OF SOPHISTICATION MEANS THAT IT COULD LIVE AS COMFORTABLY IN THE CORNER OF A BEDROOM OR A SUNNY SPOT OF A LIVING ROOM TOO.

CORNER OFFICE

How to transform a formerly nondescript corner into something seriously impressive? Paint or paper the background in a dramatic colour or print! This teeny space oozes urban smarts and designer appeal.

DESIGN NOTES

• Simplicity is key to the success of this small yet sorted desktop empire. Simple wooden shelves are suspended on black brackets while the shiny stone top is a sophisticated and elegant touch.

• Playful tchotchkes and flashes of metallic are the undeniable marks of a creative mind at work.

TIP

IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE SPENDING HOURS AT YOUR DESK, MAKE SURE YOU INVEST IN THE BEST CHAIR YOU CAN AFFORD. WHILE GOOD LOOKS ARE GREAT, YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT WILL SUPPORT YOUR SPINE WHILE YOU’RE BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL.

Living life forwards

Close your eyes and imagine three years from now. Or five.

Or even ten.

It is fall season. We are able to travel again. The clinking sounds and sweet smells linger in the air of this beautiful restaurant. And 2020 would have been a distant thought. What is the path from here to that hopeful future? Two extraordinary chefs based in Hong Kong shared their views with us.

Chef Calvert started in the industry at an incredibly young age of 16 with The Ivy in London and has not looked back since.

“You could leave school [in UK] when you were 16. And yeah, I left school at 16,” he says. “I immediately started working like a month later in a restaurant called The Ivy… It was… quite a shock.”

He continued working up the ranks in acclaimed restaurants like London’s Pied a Terre, New York’s Per Se (becoming the youngest sous chef at 23) and Epicure at Le Bristol in Paris. Though it was not the fame of these places that attracted him.

“I always chose these restaurants based upon not because they had three stars or two stars or whatever. It was actually what I believe to be the best restaurant in the city at the time, through a lot of extensive research and how I like to look at the food.”

And that trail eventually led him to Hong Kong, where he became the head chef at Belon, a classically rooted modern French bistro where they keep a tremendously high standard.

“I don’t keep anything from the day before… everything is done every single day,” Chef Calvert says. “And it’s an

extremely repetitive environment, but it tastes better. It’s a difficult [standard]… but it’s actually quite straightforward. If it’s good, it’s good. If it’s bad, it’s bad. Nothing in between.”

During the recent health crisis, he has enjoyed a tremendous amount of support from customers. “We have more regular guests than I’ve ever have experience in my life that comes to Belon once a week, twice a month, three times a month,” he says. “They just want to support and give as much as they can, and it’s remarkable… Hong Kong was doing such a great job in containing this pandemic, and [despite a recent third-wave] I believe in a week or two, we’ll be back on track again.”

From an overall food trend perspective, Chef Calvert thinks that people will keep cooking and entertaining more in their own homes. “I’ve probably had people over at my house or been invited to people’s houses for dinner more than I have done the last four years,” he says. “So, I’ve actually rediscovered the joy of being at home, cooking at home and entertaining at home.”

While he does not see sustained success in high-end take outs that cost

the same without the same experience; there may be opportunities for restaurants to provide ready-to-cook options for customers to cook at home.

Being a creative person, he sometimes finds that not giving people what they liked - but instead help them realize what they desired - is an interesting way to move forward. “If you give people what they want, nothing really progresses,” he says. “But you have to [deliver the new ideas] well enough to convince people that’s what they want, something that they didn’t know they that they needed.”

“I think that there has to be a certain level of familiarity for the guests to be comfortable… you never want to alienate your guests,” he continues. “For example, we have a small pasta dish, which is basically tomato, basil and burrata pasta, but it’s presented in a way that maybe they didn’t expect… or a mille feuille… And it’s not so far out there that they don’t have a reference point to it. I think the important thing is you have to have a reference point to what you serve for it to be viable or craveable.”

To him, the relationship between the diner, the restaurant and the chef is very important. “… if you eat at Belon, I think you’ll have a great meal but I believe your best meals will come after visits later where you’ve had certain dishes,” he says. “And now I understand what you like and I’m going to really find something special for you.”

Outside of the kitchen, Chef Clavert has a passion for all kinds of music. He used to attend concerts, shows and festivals all the time. When he hears bands that go in new directions and stop playing the old materials, that also inspire him. “That’s a good reminder for us as chefs, we don’t have to stick with the same stuff all the time,” he says. “We can reinvent ourselves gradually and those people that really support you, they will be there through the meals that maybe weren’t quite as good as the last one but they’ll come back again too.”

Case in point, Belon stopped offering its iconic pigeon pithivier in 2018, but bigger and better things were in the works. A now-beloved drunken pigeon dish, along with a number of new dishes, burst out. “We replaced [the old favourites] with a lot of new dishes and we still remained popular. We climbed to number four on the San Pellegrino [Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants] list. And that was quite vindicating to see.”

Moving forward, Chef Clavert has agreed to open a restaurant in Tokyo’s Four Seasons Hotel in June of 2021 to continue his career theme of learning from the best and challenging himself. “I could easily stay in Hong Kong and continue to be successful… but it’s time to get out of the comfort zone again.”

He hopes to keep providing good food and wine and be influenced by the culture and the cuisine, like he has been everywhere else. “I think it can work very well… A lot of work to do but yeah,” he says.

Having worked with Heston Blumenthal, Alain Passard, Guy Savoy and Pierre Gagnaire among other legends, Chef Ekkebus has since become a superstar in his own right.

Leading not only his brainchild Amber at the Landmark Mandarin Hong Kong, he is also the property’s Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage. In addition, he manages the Fifty 8 Degrees Grill by Richard Ekkebus at the Mandarin Oriental Pudong in Shanghai.

One can only imagine the amount of energy and time needed for all these responsibilities. For him however, it is invigorating to be in such a driver’s position. It allowed him to make dramatic improvements to the hotel group’s sustainability – not only on food and beverage but also the organization as a whole.

“Sustainability has truly been at the core of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s values since it opened 15 year ago,” he says. “We have proven a responsible business case and lead the way in the hospitality scene of Asia.”

A few instances include their elimination of single-used plastic, bottling their own house-filtered water to minimize excess garbage as well managing waste responsibly. And his hard work has paid off as many of his initiatives were later adopted by the entire Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

“We, humans or society, decided that the world would be better if we changed things like… (using) the most ethical and sustainable ingredients whilst minimizing its carbon footprint,” says Chef Ekkebus as he gives an example.

“As a city of almost 8 million people; Hong Kong eats the most meat per capita in the world. Hong Kong is the largest market for industrially-farmed

Brazilian beef, which is blamed for the deforestation in the Amazon,” he continued. “The problems we’re facing aren’t new, but they’ve become more urgent.”

To that end, they have also completely eliminated the use of dairy in their menu as a lot of milk products are not produced ethically.

A gourmand may ask, “how can they do that while keeping the smoothness of a dish?”

“I wanted to ensure our food maintained a richness in the mouth; to ensure the flavor would linger in the mouth. Elytra virgin plant-based oils have offered that solution,” he says, adding that it also effected a “huge reduction in carbon foot print.”

Outside of work, Chef Ekkebus is an avid reader and an accomplished mountaineer who planned to climb the Everest this year until the pandemic changed his plans. He gained a lot of clarity after reading Jonathan Saffran Foer’s book Eating Animals a few years ago. It touched on topical health issues like SARS and MERS,

which were related to the current coronavirus crisis. The book also went into problems that stem from our ever-growing demand of cheap animal protein and the unsustainable industrial farming necessary to satisfy that need.

“I started to eat predominantly plantbased (food) late 2018 when I started to train for Everest,” he says. “And I felt more energized, slept better, had more stamina when working out and at the same time lost fat and built muscle.”

He believes in the importance of health eating and in the quote by Hippocrates, the Ancient Greek father of medicine: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

“I am in a preferred position where… people are interested in what we do. I can be a voice and plant seeds in (people’s) minds,“ says Chef Ekkebus. “We have, as a restaurant and a hotel, a very privileged opportunity to drive consumer change. That is a slow process but I am a man of persistence.”

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Food Tastes Better With Oriel Sea Salt

MAN FROM THE SOUTH

Chef Rodolfo Guzmán’s Journey in Imagination

Chef Rodolfo Guzmán and his restaurant Boragó have gone through tough times before.

“[COVID-19] is far from being the hardest thing we faced at Boragó,” he says. “When we started in 2006, we had an empty restaurant for six years. Almost empty, like we could do a few tables here and there. But it was really really tough.”

Before its economy exploded in the early 1990s, the Chilean restaurant scene was completely different. Since then, the Chilean culinary industry has improved consistently and dramatically. Then the pandemic hit.

“Economy-wise is a big mess,” Chef Guzmán says. “At the moment, we’re not allowed to open restaurants—our restaurants are closed. We are only allowed to do deliveries.”

Before we dive into the details, however, let us take a step back and look at Chile as a country. Chilean climates are very different depending on the region.

In the north where the Atacama Desert is located, it is dry and arid. A Mediterranean climate dominates the central region. Easter Island is a tropical rainforest, while the Andes face alpine conditions. Still, other areas like Patagonia have different climates. And, thanks to the Humboldt Current, the seawater temperature is also much colder than that of the rest of South America.

As a result of that uniqueness, Chile is one of the countries with the most endemic ingredients in the world.

“You get to see a huge amount of ingredients that grow in certain areas or regions in Chile that you won’t see anywhere else in the world,” Chef Guzmán says. “[Some ingredients] are exceptionally seasonal, lasting only two to three weeks.”

In terms of food culture, Chile has suffered from an identity crisis, until recently.

“Since Spanish came four hundred years ago to Chile, we were

pretending to be Europeans. Until the nineties, we were pretending to be Americans,” Chef Guzmán says. “Now [Chileans] are very conscious of the good things in our terrain.”

“At least eighty percent of us have Mapuche blood, who have been in our land for twelve thousand years… Our culture is very deep, especially related to food,” he says.

Chef Guzmán had a difficult time getting Boragó off the ground after returning to Santiago from the famed Spanish restaurant Mugaritz.

“When we first opened the restaurant, we were trying to cook with only native ingredients so we were in big trouble,” Chef Guzmán says. “We did not know anything about the ingredients but we wanted to learn. We always felt deeply attracted to not knowing anything about a subject.”

“We started from zero. We had no partners,” he says. “After five years, the restaurant was still doing very bad. I was trying to sell the restaurant

at least five times and I was very close [to doing so] in the last one because we were totally in bankruptcy.”

Despite all the challenges, the team forged ahead. “We try to move forward learning from all the native ingredients… that only grow in a very specific region in Chile for a very short amount of time during the year,” he says. “It’s an important point. Boragó is not a concept. Our food is not based on technique. We decided in the beginning to erase everything we learned from Europe and start from zero.”

The restaurant’s way of cooking is based on the Chilean flavour of the land, which is very different than the European technique. They also experiment with the cooking methods of the Mapuches.

“The Chilean condiment is smoking—everything is on wood,” he says. “All the Mapuches were doing was based on smoking, preserving, fermenting. At Boragó we didn’t invent anything… but [be] a continuation of the Mapuche culture.”

“I believe that humans move back and forth in time,” he says. “I could show you a cooking method where you say ‘This is amazing, I’ve never seen this in my life. This is the smartest thing I’ve ever seen!’ but it is the same cooking method that was used two thousand years ago. But we retraced it into something absolutely new.”

Boragó has a very simple kitchen that uses a limited amount of technology. One of their signature dishes is the reinvention of lamb on a cross, which is a traditional Patagonian specialty.

“It’s quite amazing what we do on top of the embers. It’s very special. You could see that (we don’t) even have a plancha! Everything is open-fire,” he says.

As they continued to learn the native ways, they started writing down their work.

“How to cut it, who was eating it—Mapuches, Kawésqars or other natives, how to cook it, what we did, what we thought and imagined so we won’t forget next year,” Chef Guzmán says. “You have a very small amount of time during the year experimenting... I knew it was going to be a very long learning process but, in the end, I had the feeling that it was going to be good.”

Suddenly, after five years, he had an epiphany.

“Holy, we have a big amount of information. This is almost like a dictionary. This is amazing!” he says. “We knew nothing about this and now we know how to execute in a totally different way.”

He responded by moving the restaurant to a much larger location, wrote a book called Boragó: Coming from the South, and opened a research center called Centro de investigación para la comida Boragó (CIB).

At the CIB, the work focuses on four main neglected

food groups: seaweeds, halophytes (salt-tolerant plants that can grow without soil), small fishes like Chilean anchovies, and fungi/microbes that Chef Guzmán is the most famous for. And after all these accomplishments, he feels different now.

“It took me a long time just to really realize, really that the restaurant changed [and became successful],” he says.

He is also very confident in their culinary approach now.

“We know exactly what the Mapuches [knew] about our land. What is the difference between that plant in the beginning, the middle, and the end of the season,” he says. “It is the continuation of the Mapuche [culture], because behind the restaurant, there are more than two hundred people between foraging communities and small producers from the entire country. It is just a path to quality which is different.”

It made him realize the truth in what the Mapuches say: when you’re cooking, somebody is cutting from the ground. One is not more important than the other. It also means that Boragó has a lot of tools in its arsenal— one individual ingredient used to represent a single possibility.

“But nowadays, one ingredient means three hundred possibilities at least,” Chef Guzmán says.

Despite all the great Latin American cuisines around Chile, Boragó never tries to stand out.

“We try to be ourselves and to be connected to that learning process,” Chef Guzmán says. “The path of finding new possibilities for every single ingredient, to make it special. Knowledge is probably the most important thing in the world because throughout our history in humanity it allows us to move forward,”

“But there’s one thing that’s even more important than knowledge to us—that is imagination. It is absolutely unlimited. Rather than being better than other restaurants, we believe that Boragó is very unique in the world,“ he says. “What you see here, you’re not going to be able to see it somewhere else.”

“We started from zero to cooking this beautiful rockfish… that took us 10 years to learn how to cook it. For sure you have to cry, come on!” he says with a laugh.

He is equally passionate and optimistic when it comes to our post-pandemic future.

“We have to rethink our operations, [try] to be more efficient economicwise because of the service,” Chef Guzmán says. “We can move forward. It’s still going to be tough but after that, it’s going to be good. We’re gonna re-do it. We love that. For sure, that’s part of our society.”

TO SHARE AND TO ENJOY:

Chef Eduard Xatruch And Creativity

We all aspire to be creative.

And creativity is something all of us wish could be magically conjured up at any moment.

For the fortunate few, it is innate. For others, it is an insurmountable challenge.

Chef Eduard Xatruch sits comfortably in the former camp and Rare is lucky enough to get his insight on this fascinating subject.

His culinary journey started at the legendary elBulli in 1998, under tutelage of the great Ferran Adrià. While raising through the ranks in that famous kitchen, he built lifelong friendships with fellow chefs Mateu Casañas and Oriol Castro.

After elBulli closed in 2011, the three decided to open their own restaurant. After careful planning, their first restaurant Compatir opened its doors in 2012. It was located in Cadaqués, a seaside town near the Spanish-French border.

The establishment reflected its Spanish name (which means “To share”), serving traditional plates with modern

touches meant to be enjoyed among families and friends.

The restaurant became more and more successful. A few years passed and a yearning beckoned.

Missing the excitement of working on the cutting edge at elBulli and a desire to push the envelope, the trio wanted to build something new – a place where customers can enjoy a style of cooking that fully embraces creativity and innovation.

And so Disfrutar - Spanish for “To Enjoy” - opened in December 2014 at the heart of Barcelona; with a completely different approach as that of Compartir.

Instead of a sharing-based menu, diners here are offered 2 tasting

menus, an abbreviated one with 18 courses as well as the complete experience with 25. To quote The World’s 50 Best Restaurant, customers can expect a “thrilling rapid-fire, rollercoaster ride of a dining experience.”

With this new concept, the team also needed a new approach to culinary innovations.

“At El Bulli, Ferran assigned us things to work on,” recalls Chef Xatruch. It drove the team and gave them goals to achieve. Since they no longer have a manager, they needed a new system to keep their creativity going.

“We now have a folder of new concepts. We have a target of creating 120 brand new dishes every year with all new concepts,” he says. “The folder is now our boss and we have to work for it. Sometimes (we create) less, sometimes more.”

The number is less important than the process, as this system is now driving the innovation of Disfrutar. All

creations within the folder are brand new with no repeats or shortcuts like applying same ideas to similar ingredients.

That approach has proved extraordinarily successful. In 2016, Disfrutar was named Best New Restaurant in Europe by Opinionated About Dining. In 2017, Disfrutar reached number 55 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants as well as winning the “Miele One To Watch” Award. It also garnered Three Suns in the Repsol Guide during the same year. In 2018, Michelin Guide awarded it the second star. It rose to number 9 on the list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019, placed fifth in The Best Chef Awards and was awarded Gourmet Award’s Best Restaurant in Barcelona.

However, one may wonder how did someone who grew up in a family that farmed and wholesaled fruits and vegetables end up on the path of an avant-garde restauranteur?

“Ingredients are important no matter

what you make,” Chef Xatruch explained. “For example, if you have tuna, you can use it in a Japanese restaurant for sushi, a dish in a traditional restaurant as well as an avant-garde restaurant. But if the quality is not good, the sushi’s not going to be good, (the product from) the traditional and avant-garde restaurants will not be good either.”

“Also understanding the ingredients give you an opportunity to make things that are different. Growing up with vegetables like I did and fish like Mateu did, we know the products so we can choose the best ones.”

Not to mention that knowledge allows Disfrutar to use great ingredients in a creative way. Case in point, the young almond dish which had a curious jellylike texture was completely natural without any manual process required to create the amazing mouthfeel.

As much as making new things drive the three partners, striving to be better every day is another philosophy they share.

When the three chefs started Compartir, they did not have any excess money. So, they had to do everything including painting and cleaning in addition

to running the kitchen. They slowly started learning more about running the business. Now they have a total of 70 people working under the two restaurants, as well as a consulting business that helps other restaurants.

“If $100 comes in, it’s not like the three owners would get $30 each and travel. The money goes back to the restaurant.” Eduard says. “We are still focused on the 2 restaurants. (We all) go to work in the kitchen every day, it’s very important to us.”

When it comes to business, COVID-19 obviously made a big impact on the restaurant industry as a whole. For Disfrutar, it was relatively easy to handle from an operational perspective.

The dining space was spacious enough that they only needed to remove two tables for adequate social distancing. They bathroom attendants increased from two people to six. Each team member gets their body temperature checked every day. They also had a

lucky/unlucky coincidence when they created something which fit in the post-COVID world.

“We noticed that a high percentage of guests were not able to wash their hands before eating at Disfrutar,” said Chef Xatruch. “So, we started to create a dish that worked like hand sanitizers in November 2019. That was presented in Madrid Fusión in January 2020.”

To be sure, there are still challenges they faced. The business went from 50-50 tourists-local split to a mostly local clientele. It was hard to know whether the customers are all free from the virus.

Not only that, consumer behaviors have also changed. “People want to take care of themselves from a health perspective,” he says. “People cooked a lot more at home and maybe someone that didn’t make omelet before can do that now; maybe (even do) more.”

He also thinks that people think more locally post pandemic, would be more supportive of farmers and going to markets themselves. With these things in mind, restaurants have to be really good and be much better than what people can cook at home, “or they have to offer something not easily replicable in terms of technique,” says Chef Xatruch.

Every guest can rest assure that they will have a happy experience, as that is the team’s ultimate goal. And for Eduard, when the trio opened Compartir and Disfrutar were his happiest moments professionally. “We were very nervous as we didn’t know if we would be successful,” he recalled.

On a personally level, he felt tremendous excitement and joy when his two daughters were born.

So, it seems fair that no matter where one sits on the creativity spectrum, family is always what brings us the most happiness after all.

delight in the details of cooking

Alexandrine & Cass Knives

Founders Harrison

Yu and Chris Carey started their Detroitbased kitchen knife company back in 2018 with a Kickstarter campaign. As the brand’s profile has grown in the media, they have also grown their product offerings steadily to chef knives, steak knives, and paring knives. The two founders share a love of good food and a passion for cooking.

They also wanted to start a business around the Detroit area. Their research led them to realize kitchen knives are something beautifully cross-cultural. And it was something they could develop and mold into their own in a unique and purposeful way.

“Knives are actually like a fingerprint of a country’s cuisine,” Harrison says while offering a couple of examples. “German knives are great workhorses because a lot of the cuisine is big bold meats and potatoes. Japanese knives are very delicate and actually quite brittle; because the typical Japanese cuisine centers around unique textures as well as more subtle flavor profiles.”

“Spanish knives are often overlooked, but are the most well-rounded for everyday use because of their designs and materials,” he continues. “Spanish cuisine is so diverse in its use of meats, seafood, and vegetables. The cuisine also ranges from super rustic to incredible molecular gastronomy and the knives need to match!”

And these nuances mean that every different culture in the world has its own knife traditions. For those who are looking for a good knife, try to find something with a full-tang and riveted construction from a technical perspective “so it doesn’t snap in your hand when you’re using it,” notes Harrison.

Stainless steel is always the easiest to maintain and most durable for

home-chefs in terms of material. However, never put your knives in the dishwasher, as the machine destroys the handle and blades.

Other factors, like weight, grip, and blade shape, are all up to personal preference.

“I actually prefer a balance that’s slightly blade forward because it glides so much easier for everyday use and is the best for cutting techniques,” explained Harrison. “But I know some people with really large hands that prefer a chunkier handle, while others with smaller hands like a more delicate one. Again, it’s all personal preference.”

As with everything else in food, what makes you happy is the most important thing! You can find out more about Alexandrine and Cass knives by following @ alexandrine.cass on Instagram or by visiting them on their website (www.alexandrineandcass.com) of Facebook (www.facebook.com/ AlexandrineAndCass).

Saffron

Eco-Pebble thrives on providing sustainable kitchen and household products from around the globe at competitive prices. Their Saffron is some of the most powerful, aromatic, and highest quality Saffron available globally, which is why they offer a satisfaction guarantee. Read Rare magazine’s Contributing Culinary writer Cary Wong’s interview with Ecco Pebble founder Edward Singleton.

C.WONG: WHAT MADE YOU INTERESTED IN SELLING SAFFRON? WHAT ELSE DID THAT LEAD TO YOU SELLING?

E.S : I spent around 15 years living in the Middle East, and I was always fascinated by the incredible quality of the spices. Especially Saffron which I knew about but didn’t know about the historical and complicated farming process behind it. So when I visited Iran, I went to the Crocus Sativus farms in Mashhad and saw the amazing process of the filaments of each flower being handpicked to harvest the saffron. I was in love with saffron from that point. I then also started supplying damask

Curious about saffron? Who isn’t! That’s why we got the inside scoop on this precious spice from Edward Singleton founder of Eco-Pebble.

rosebuds which are fantastic in tea and have amazing health benefits, as well as cinnamon, and vanilla pods.

C.WONG: WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING YOU CAN SHARE REGARDING SAFFRON?

E.S : Probably the most interesting thing about saffron is that people try to fake it. The value is so high you have to be really careful. We get each harvest internationally tested with ISO certification to make sure it is Grade A. But for people at home wanting to test their saffron, the best way is to add a teaspoon of baking soda to water and place a few saffron strands in it. Saffron should release a dark yellow colour, whereas any fake saffron would have red dyes that would clearly show in the water.

C.WONG: HOW DO YOU PICK THE BEST SAFFRON? ALSO, WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE WAY TO USE IT?

E.S : As I mentioned Saffron can only be handpicked, and it is extremely hard to do so. The filaments should be long and dark red. The rule of thumb is the darker the colour, the better the saffron. And what to cook with saffron? It would have to be a Moroccan Tagine, which also has rosewater in it. I am a massive fan of the incredible combined flavours and aroma—with couscous of course!

You can learn more by following @thesaffronman on Instagram or visiting www.eco-pebble.com

Providing sustainable kitchen and household products from around the globe

throckmortonjones.com

In Partnership with TrooRa Magazine, The House Of Throckmornton Jones is donating all proceeds of the mask sales from the: (Heart Beat and Hearts of a feather masks) to nami.org and prettybrowngirl.com

These masks were created in support to the BLM movement To bring awaress to these foundations and advocate for the affected communities throckmortonjones.com

Eden Dancewear

Eden Dancewear launched in Spring 2017, driven by the ambition to create the most glamorous dancewear, handmanufactured by experts in the UK. Our collections are inspired by what dancers want to wear and be seen in, whilst remaining comfortable and durable.

We are proud to have Eden Dancewear Ambassadors who represent our brand. They are not only accomplished dancers, but they also share our principals and integrity. When you step outside your local dance school into the wider dance community, you can feel part of something special with our brand. Our core values are that we include everyone; we are not elite. Dancing should be fun and dancers should support one another. The Eden Dancewear community is one filled with love and friendship.

As well as designing stunning dancewear and activewear, Eden Dancewear organizes events where dancers of all ages and abilities can do what they love in a safe, friendly, non-competitive environment, alongside talented teachers and choreographers.

Artist Dameon Priestly focuses on times and events of social and cultural change

How Michelangelo Changed My Life

When I was sixteen I saw a movie on late night Television, Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow up (1966), loosely based on the life of the English fashion and portrait photographer (and working-class hero), David Bailey.

In the opening scenes of the film, Thomas the photographer, played as a charming but selfcentered rogue by David Hemmings, is seen leaving a London Doss house (homeless shelter). He had spent the night documenting the lives of these poor souls, his camera hidden in a paper bag.

He leaves the premises and walks around the corner to where he has hidden his car, a Rolls Royce convertible, and then drives back to his studio where sixties supermodel Veruschka awaits his phallic camera. Mayhem, mystery, and murder ensue—not to mention a frolicking Jane Birkin in her second film role.

“Eureka!” I cried metaphorically. He gets paid to photograph beautiful girls! If that job really exists, then I want to do it! The rest of my life has been spent in pursuit of that goal.

How to become a successful fashion and celebrity photographer when I knew nothing about fashion, and next to nothing about fashion photography. It didn’t help that everyone I asked told me that it couldn’t be done.

I left school immediately and, after a twoyear foundation course, I applied to study Visual Communication at Wolverhampton Faculty of Art and Design. I specialised in Advertising photography in my second year. I spent most of my time at Art College either in the library flicking through French Vogue, mainly looking for stories by Helmut Newton and my particular favourite photographer Guy Bourdin. Or I was in the studio trying to create my own style of fashion photography.

The great thing about photography, I discovered early on, is that if you approach a really beautiful girl and ask if she would like to do some modeling for you, she will most likely say yes. This gave me enormous confidence as an eighteen-year-old boy. It may also be the world’s best chat-up line.

Leaving college after my degree, I set up a photo studio above one of my dad’s Chemist shops in my hometown of Southport, on the northwest coast of England near Liverpool. On the weekends, I shot weddings and portraits to pay the bills and ‘tested’ girls from the Liverpool and Manchester model agencies during the week, as well as occasionally shooting ads for some high street boutiques and hair salons.

One day a week, I would drive down to London, a 500-mile round trip, and show my portfolio to the magazines. I started at the top with Vogue and worked my way down to Woman magazine. They gave me my first magazine commission, a Royal Rota press assignment to photograph Princess Diana when she came up to Liverpool to splash some champagne on a new ship.

December 21st, 1981. I was 21 and Diana was 20. The fateful day arrived, and it was raining, I drove to Liverpool’s Cammell Laird shipyard to attend the press briefing, two cameras hanging around my neck with motordrives. If I wasn’t nervous before, I certainly was when I entered the room to meet the Royal Press Secretary and about 150 of the World’s press.

Diana, by now, was the most photographed person in the world, and this hardened pack of sharpelbowed paparazzi all knew each other. They eyed me suspiciously and without humour, especially when they saw that I had the Royal Rota pass, which meant that I could walk around with the Royal party, whereas they all had to stand behind the ropes with their fixed passes.

One guy offered me £10,000 for my pass. A close-up shot of Diana that could be used as a magazine cover or newspaper front page could be sold for a fortune as it meant a huge additional readership. But this was my first professional assignment and worth more to me than mere money. It was the start of my hopefully illustrious career!

Although I didn’t want to be a paparazzi, it was a step in the right direction. After the briefing, Charles arrived with Diana to say a few words before we went to the launch site. I held up each of my cameras and began firing off a few frames. Then we were led outside to the fixed ropes. I had to stand here for this part of the organised shoot.

Unfortunately, here I understood why all the other photographers were carrying aluminium step ladders. Suddenly I was facing a wall of Paparazzi raincoats, all with their backs to me and all three feet higher than me. I jostled for position to find a gap through the crowd. Diana swung the champagne as I raised my camera. Instead of click, I heard a clunk. I had run out of film! The bottle hit the ship but nothing happened except a loud clunk. It did not break!

I quickly raised my second camera. Exactly the same thing happened. The bottle bounced and once again my camera had run out of film.

Diana paused to laugh and converse with the dignitaries just long enough for me to reload one of my cameras as the champagne bottle, with a slightly adjusted ribbon length came swinging down for the third time and—splash! I caught the shot.

The rest of the press were then left outside while I was allowed to follow the royal party around to where some apprentices had built a special barge for handicapped kids as part of the Prince’s Trust. By this time, it was 4 pm and almost dark, it was the shortest day of the year. I quickly turned on my flash.

Royal protocol meant that I was not allowed to get too close to the Prince or Princess, so I had to walk backward at the same speed that they were moving forward. And before autofocus cameras, this made taking a photo that was sharp almost impossible. If I stopped to focus, then a large man in a leather coat with the obligatory Zapata mustache would push me out of the way. It was exhausting!

Finally, we entered a giant hanger where about 50 apprentices stood at attention in front of an enormously long metal work table. I ran to the other end, as I needed to reload again. Perching up on the table, I was oblivious to all else except getting film into my cameras. Just as I finished, I looked up and Diana was right in front of me. I quickly raised my camera and pressed the shutter.

On the third click, I felt my ankles being pulled from under me as I came tumbling from the table. I held my cameras in my hands to protect them, so came crashing down on my elbows on to the concrete floor. My coat ripped, the pain shot through my arms and legs, I saw stars. Diana leaned over the table “Are you alright?”

“Not really,” I replied to the thin air where she had been standing. She had already been whisked away. Returning to my car, I discovered that the other photographers had jammed Police cones underneath it and I had to get down on my bloody hands and knees to drag them back out.

I drove back to Southport, took a shower, changed my clothes, ate some toast, and then drove 250 miles to London to drop my film at a lab as it opened at 8 am. Most of the film looked like it had been taken in the middle of a rugby scrum, or so my editor later told me. But, there were three great shots. One of Diana and the champagne smashing; one of the Royal couple in their Limousine, shot through the car side window; and finally, the close up of Diana that went on the magazine cover.

That was my only attempt at paparazzi until Kate White, the editor-in-chief of American Cosmopolitan, asked me to shoot her coming out of the Four Seasons in New York with Angie Harmon 15 years later.

A few months after the Royal assignment, I was hired for my first fashion shoot for 19 Magazine. I decided that it was now time to relocate to the gold paved streets of London Town. My first few years in London were quite a struggle, as magazines did not pay much for a fashion story and even less for a portrait.

The Tatler was paying me £30 a portrait and I maybe did five or six for them a month. But I had to pay for my own film and processing and travel out of that. I switched to Harper’s Bazaar (then called Harper’s and Queen) when they offered me £75 for each photo published.

A magazine had commissioned a photo of my friend David wearing a beautiful jacket and a trilby. On the day, I was looking for a way to make the image even more memorable and remembered that on a Spike Lee shoot for Harper’s & Queen, I had stolen a bottle of Jack Daniels from his hotel mini-bar.

Spike had been so rude to me that I was looking for a small token of revenge. I stuck this miniature bottle to the front of the Trilby with some double-sided tape. An art director at a very trendy agency in London saw this photo and called in my book for a fashion campaign for a new chain of menswear stores called Radius.

My overdraft at the time was £3000 and the bank letters were piling up in my hallway. The job paid me £5000 plus expenses and a month later I was holidaying in Antigua. The shoot itself was very stressful, as I didn’t have an agent at the time. I had to do all the production myself as well as negotiating all the fees with models, hair and makeup, stylist, and catering, as well as hiring a Winnebago for the location days of the shoot. Although, I told everyone to invoice the agency and not me, thankfully!

The crew all met at my rented house-share in Greenwich about 7 am each morning, and I made them breakfast before we all climbed aboard the Winnebago to go to the location near the river. On the first morning, while the models were having their hair and makeup done and the stylist Vicky was getting them into their first outfits, I grabbed the impossibly handsome Pascal, who was already in his designer suit, and whisked him up a small hill beside the Thames barrier, my assistant Jenny lugging a giant double-bass case behind her.

I didn’t have the patience to wait for his hair to be done so I started shooting. The most famous shot from this five-day shoot was the fourth frame of the first roll of film that I shot that day. As soon as I took the photo, even though it was on film and I couldn’t just look at the back of my camera, I knew I had taken the photo that would change my life, and it did.

The campaign was so successful that the agency went on to book me for almost every campaign for the next four years until the recession hit their business. Other agencies also started calling me, and I finally got a great agent who was a Godsend. The Jack Daniels photo was even bought by the owner of River Island who used it for posters in his Concept Man stores, even though none of the clothes were his.

Six months later I bought my first apartment in Ladbroke Grove just off the Portobello Road where I had photographed Spike the year before. The agency opened their own store—called DAVIES after the owner David Davies—in Covent Garden selling clothes and furniture. I shot the campaign and brochure for that too, and that campaign got me my first trip to NYC where Anna Wintour’s HG (House and Garden) booked me to do a shoot on the roof of the PUCK building.

I was pretty hooked on moving to New York after that. I had spent some time in Milan and in Paris, but there was a recession in Europe and fees were dropping. My friend Mark had just moved over to New York in 1993 when I went over to visit him.

I showed my portfolio to a few prospective clients and they all booked me. Suddenly, I was shooting for The New York Times ‘Fashion of the Times,’ with the inimitable Fashion Director Carrie Donovan, and her stylist Alison Moore. That showcase really put me on the map in NYC.

I went back to Paris where I was now based, packed my bags, and moved to the USA. I was soon reveling in the New York lifestyle, living in Tribeca, hanging out at CBGBs, The ODEON, shooting for the GAP; I even designed some T-shirts for their GAP Athletic range.

As well as fashion, I was also photographing all the Hip Hop stars and shooting CD covers for SONY and BMG. I moved to Greenpoint, just before it became the trendiest spot on the planet, and got a great apartment on the riverside with my own rooftop looking across at the Empire State and Chrysler building and where the MACY’s fourth of July fireworks exploded on my birthday every year.

I was living my dream! However, into every life, a little rain must fall. In 1999, a wannabe gangster in a yellow Sean John wife-beater mugged me at gunpoint in the men’s room of a music industry Christmas party. I had just shot the collection for The Source magazine. Then 9/11 happened. I watched the second plane hit from the corner of 23rd and 6th.

I spent the next few months watching the smoke from the ruins drift across Manhattan from my Brooklyn rooftop. The seeds of doubt were sewn, but still, I lingered. A few years later my lovely girlfriend Ashley was offered a job in Hawaii. So, after almost 15 years, it was time for me to head back home.

STONE AND SAWYER .COM

Designed and hand-produced stoneware ceramic table lamps from the Catskill Mountains of New York

To create and share Interview with Francis van der Riet

Daks : When I first met you, we were neighbors in Paris more than thirty years ago. You are originally from Zimbabwe, so what brought you to Paris?

van der Riet : I grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe and when I turned eighteen, went to study at university in South Africa. There I was offered an opportunity to work and live in Paris. I took it up and that was when I met you. I have lived in France ever since.

Daks : Can you tell me a little about your own art practice?

van der Riet : In Paris, I studied drawing, painting and some printing at night school, les atelier des Beaux Arts de Paris. Paris has lots of facilities to study art. I also spent many hours drawing at the Louvre and in the streets of Paris. I got interested in stone lithography and one year did a summer course at The Students Art League in New York. I was hooked but it would still take a few

more years before I invested more time in the technique.

A couple of years later I did an art residency for seven weeks in Rome. It was tremendous. I lived and breathed art. Rome is an open art museum and every day I would go out sketching. I started an art journal and then got the idea to create some lithographs using the sketches I made as an inspiration. I found a studio where I could create these lithographs and that is where I got the idea to create my own stone lithography studio.

Daks : When did you start your atelier in Charente-Limousine?

van der Riet : I started creating the studio in 2008. It took two years to get it running. I was already sharing my time between Paris and the CharenteLimousine. It is in the center south-west of France; beautiful countryside and very inspirational. I have a barn there and this is where I created the stone lithography studio.

At the beginning, I knew only a little about the technique and I had the idea to invite talented and experienced stone lithographers to come and work in the studio. That way I could watch and learn. I met stone lithographers from Paris, Amsterdam, South Africa, and the United States.

Michael Barnes from Illinois was one of the first visitors and he has been a regular one ever since. He has been an important influence to the studio and thanks to him, other talented printmakers from the States have also come to work here.

Daks : You seem to have a mix of artists but predominantly from Africa and the USA. How do you find the artists that you invite for your residency program?

van der Riet : I quickly realized after creating the studio it was important to invite other artists to come and share it. So I started inviting artists to come and reside in the studio. Because of my African roots, I reached out to artists in

Southern Africa, particularly artists who specialize in printmaking. So by word of mouth, artists got to know about the studio and what we offer.

Each time I meet the artist in person first. It is important and there has to be a click for this to work. The American connection is because of Michael Barnes. Michael is head of printmaking at the Art department at the University of North East Illinois. Thanks to him I have met a few talented American printmakers and I would like to think they have all enjoyed their experience here at Atelier le Grand Village.

Daks : Can you tell me about some of the artists that you represent and who visit the atelier? As you know I am a big fan of Diane Victor!

van der Riet : Diane Victor is South African, and she specializes in printmaking. It is her first love. She is also an excellent drawer and is well known for her smoke drawings. Diane is interested in all forms of printmaking and stretches the boundaries in this field.

I first met her in Johannesburg in 2015. I invited her to come and explore stone

lithography at Atelier le Grand Village. She’s been back every year since then. She loves it here and the potential stone lithography offers as an art form.

I also got to meet two young talented South African artist printmakers when they were in Paris at the Cité Internationale des Arts on a residency program: Bambo Sibiya and Mongezi Ncaphayi. They knew little about stone lithography and I offered them the opportunity to discover it. They have also been regular visitors to the studio.

Daks : Can you tell me a bit about some of your themed exhibitions? I remember the Don Quixote from a few years ago.

van der Riet : I decided that with all these different artists coming here it would be great to create group works. So each time an artist comes, I ask them to create a work for one of these editions. I started with Don Quixote. It is a portfolio of lithographs from sixteen different artists. We also created a portfolio called The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. This is a portfolio of twenty lithographs done by Nina

Kovacheva and based on the works of William Blake. We hope to edition soon a book entitled ‘Apparences’ (Appearances in English). This will be based on works from ten artists that have been here.

Daks : October eighth through tenth you will be at the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair at Somerset House in London. Can you tell me a bit about that?

van der Riet : The studio was invited to participate at 1:54 London last year as a special project. They discovered us and were surprised to find that artists they know had come and worked at the atelier. They asked us to present works from these artists at the fair. This year they asked us if we would like to come again but this time as a regular participant. So we accepted and are now busy preparing for that.

Daks : Which artists will you be bringing?

van der Riet : This year we will feature Diane Victor (South Africa), Mongezi Ncaphayi (South Africa), and Evans Mbugua (Kenya). Evans has been working here this year and this will be the first time we will feature his work.

ART, LOVE. ART, LIFE.

Interview with Susan and Stephen Washington

Daks : I have known both of you for quite some time now, and as this issue of TrooRa is all about connections, I thought it would be interesting to tell the story of how you guys met, and also about your artistic journey from where it all started to the kind of relationship that you have now, making art together and separately. Your story is in a lot of ways an art love story. Your connection was through art and now twenty years later you are still together and both have your own successful art practices.

Stephen & Susan : Yep! Sure, yeah!

Daks : Stephen, can you give me a quick rendition of how you guys met, just for the record?

Stephen : Susan and I met online when she saw my NYC photos, and we corresponded for several months and then started telephoning each other. I came over to the USA to meet her in 1999, and we got married on April 21st, 2001 after Susan got her Congressman involved to expedite my K1 Visa so I could return to the USA as her fiancé.

Daks : That’s great. So, let’s start now with Susan. Can you talk a little bit about your artistic background up to the point where you met Stephen?

Susan : Well, you know my Italian dad and my Japanese godmother were both artists. I have a lot of artists in my family. I did a lot of creating when I very young. I grew up in Brooklyn and we had a Tatami room. My dad would teach me watercolour and my godmother would bring me origami papers that I would cut up and rip.

In high school, I was in the fashion club, and I would make up my own sketches of clothes that I’d want to make. That was kind of letting out my creativity at that point. Then I started painting when I started working for DIOR menswear. The designers were in the backroom and they would show me how to make the patterns, and then I would go home after working in the city and I was drawing all kinds of things and a lot of collage. It was just something that I had to do.

I was painting when I moved to PA, and it was when I got divorced that I decided that this is what I really want to do. I needed to explore this more. I’ll never forget; I got on the Internet and I saw Stephen’s website and his photos of New York City were there, and I was curious to know about that and I messaged him and we started talking.

Daks : Stephen, you were still in London at that time. You came to visit me didn’t you?

Stephen : You’re part of the connection because I came to visit you, and then I went to meet Susan.

Susan : I picked you up at the airport to bring you over to Michael’s.

Stephen : You’re the central connection there, because if you hadn’t been in New York, then I probably wouldn’t have made the journey over and met Susan.

Susan : Oh gee, thanks!

Stephen : I trained as a painter in England but then spent most of my time doing photography projects. I was really into Aaron Siskind and that abstract expressionist type of photography, appropriating marks from my natural surroundings.

I had a few shows in London and then when I moved over here continued that. Susan was painting, and really she got me back into painting again by seeing what she was doing. I remember my dad saying, “Why don’t you do some painting?” when he came

over to visit. I said, “Yeah, I don’t know why I’m not?”

It was looking at Susan’s paintings and the materials that she was working with and combining that with my sensibility for the New York abstract expressionist artists of the fifties and sixties. Interestingly enough, Susan and I have a very similar taste in painters and they all tend to be the New York painters of that time.

Daks : Yes! Even the photographer Aaron Siskind was looking at the painter Franz Kline’s work; they were really good friends.

Stephen : Susan’s work has a lot of graphic influences and mine of late is far more minimalist, more like a Milton Resnick or early Al Held paintings, really thick textural stuff. We bounce off each other. The paintings I’m doing now, which I have been doing for a couple of years now, are to do with rust and corrosion.

Susan : I think the influence between us when we started getting into art together, he wasn’t doing his art, he wasn’t practising, but he really helped push me. Like, we would go to all the museums, all the galleries, and he really helped me grow. It’s like he knew where I was going, and I didn’t, you know? Fooling around for all those years, drawing, cutting, pasting collage, sewing. I had a whole bunch of different things, but I didn’t really have that vocabulary for painting that I needed, and he really helped introduce

me to artists, to textures, and that really helped me learn over the last 20 years.

Stephen : And Susan’s marketing background and productivity and her serious ambition about her art helped me take myself seriously as well. I was doing a lot of other projects, but outside the art world. I think that Susan’s having a studio and working every day for 10 hours, and having success, and building

up a large number of collectors, and having really good shows—that really made me think about what I’m doing and get myself organised and serious about it. Together, we’ve had joint shows and we’ve had solo shows, and we support each other. We’ve got a really good circle of friends who are painters.

Painting really is our life here at home. We don’t share a studio and we’ll talk about that. We live in the house, which is basically a large studio with the kitchen and the bathroom. And every room has got something happening in it depending on what’s going on. When there are large commissions, then I’m Susan’s studio assistant, making canvases, preparing stuff, getting materials, then crating, shipping, and delivering.

So sometimes, when she’s really, really, busy, then I just end up working

for her. And then other times, when I have a show coming up, she will chip in and help me get myself together, get me organised. She’s much better at doing that than I am, but we can’t share the same studio space because we have completely different studio practises; our process is completely different.

Susan : Completely!

Stephen : I’m a guy, so I don’t multitask. I have to do one thing. I can’t have any distractions.

I don’t like music playing or anything else; just me and my materials. I can work in quite a small space, but it’s very organised and my paintings are very methodical. They take a very long time. I’m making my own paint from pigments. I’m laying them down

very methodically, building up surfaces.

Susan : And I’ve got Iggy Pop playing, my bourbon in my hand, and everything really loud and chaotic in the studio. We are completely opposite!

Stephen : Artistically, it’s difficult when you’re living with somebody. There is a point where you want to ask for feedback into what you’re doing, but the danger is you might not get the feedback that you want. But, both are valid.

I don’t think it’s a problem anymore, because I think we’re both confident in our own work now. Whereas early on, I might say ‘why don’t you try so and so?’ and she’d do it. But then she goes down a path and it would be a dead-end and she couldn’t do it, because it’s my vision, not her vision. So I got the point where she looked for feedback and I said ‘I’m not giving you any, because every time I involve myself in your paintings it’s not your vision and then you get lost.’

Susan : Now I’ll ask him, and if I don’t agree with it I just say ‘okay I could see that, but yeah I’m not going that way,’ you know? I won’t do it unless I have that vision.

Stephen : Well, early on we were trying to please each other, it was basically, I want you to like my paintings, and now we don’t really care. There is always competition for wall space. When you’re working on something, you want to put things up so you can look at them over a period of time. It’s like ‘is it alright if I hang this here? You know, coz I need to live with this for a couple of weeks, which means so will you!’

Daks : Exactly!

Susan : Well this commission that I was just doing for Indiewalls, that’s going down to Miami. It was two 15-foot commissions, three panels each. My studio’s too small, so I had to take our sectional and close it together and put it next to the dining table. So we had no couch, we had no table to eat off, and I had all the panels in there because it was a triptych, so it had to line up.

As soon as I got back yesterday, we returned the truck and I came back here and I started rearranging everything, because I wanted my couch and table back.

Daks : How have you both coped with the lockdown, has it affected your sales?

Susan : People are still buying art. I had my best year this year that I have ever had.

Stephen : That’s all down to the several hours a day she spends in marketing and posting on Instagram and talking to collectors. She’s really ambitious and she’s really dedicated to the business side of it. Which again is very different from me, because I have a few collectors buying my work and I’m not very productive, and I like it that way.

I couldn’t work any other way so there’s a complete difference between us. We manage to co-exist in the same life and in the same space together and accept each other’s differences. After 20 years, you tend to figure it out.

Daks : So, I was interested in just how your work has developed over the years. The first stuff I really saw of yours, Stephen, since college, was when you did the West Bay show at the Rocket Gallery in London, and I came over from New York. It was the first time I’d been back in a long time.

I actually came back to get my guitar and my Rolleiflex and the guitar was long gone, I think one of your ex-flatmates sold it for drugs or something. And then with the Rolleiflex, you said ‘interesting you should mention that.’ Then you opened this hamper, in the middle of your apartment living room, and got out this Kodak box and started showing me the contact sheets from West Bay in Dorset, which were absolutely incredible pictures.

As a photographer, I thought, this guy has a good eye. I mean, I always knew you were a good artist, but I’d never

really seen your photographs before, and then you said. “Oh, and I have an exhibition of my photographs at the Rocket gallery in Mayfair next month!”

Stephen : I trained as a painter, but earned a living doing commercial art. So I didn’t have much time for painting and didn’t have a studio. Photography became the output for me and with a painter’s eye, looking for expressive mark making, going to building sites and photographing cement drips and paint spills and all that. I didn’t know Siskind’s work at the time. I was photographing cracks in pavement and going to billboard sites where people ripped off the old billboard posters.

Daks : You did some of those pictures in New York when you were staying with me. You documented where the synagogue is now on the upper west side, and they just had the hoardings up. It was like ‘there’s a battle going on between the bill posters and the construction people,’ because they kept painting everything grey and

every night the posters would come back, and then get painted over again, until finally the posters won.

Stephen : Yeah! Yeah! It was great for me, because that was their canvas basically.

Daks : And then you did the 42nd street series.

Stephen : Yes. They were redeveloping 42nd street and you have not only these fantastic facades, which showed the old architecture, but all these minimalist areas of blue and

orange where people have boarded windows up and pulled down the shutters and painted them in bright colours.

And, just as you say, people fly posting and the grunginess of people cancelling that out, excavating, scratching, and ripping, and painting over—that really emulates the painting process. So that kind of energy was already interesting to me and then when I started painting I just continued that, so really photography changed my painting.

Because of the process I was using, it’s always been about mark making, about surface texture, and about excavation. I have always had a keen interest in the environment and in conservation, so my paintings have become the themes for the way that things get degraded.

My current theme is this rust and corrosion. Which, since the current political climate we have around us, this idea of rust being the colour of the decade. Our infrastructure is failing; all of our institutions are failing; our political systems are failing. Everything basically is rusting away, the corrosion has taken over and the only way to change

something now is to radically get back involved. So my process is emulating that spirit of the surface falling apart and things happening to it over time.

Daks : You almost turn them into Mondrian paintings with the way that they’re all cropped down to panels of colour.

Stephen : I try to remove some of the visual clues to the three-dimensional aspects so the images are broken down to the squares and diagonal areas.

Daks : So Susan, I was interested in the progression of your work from your early series that you did called Threads. The collages that you did

with the French dress patterns I sent you from the flea market in Paris.

Susan : That was a really popular series, but…

Daks : You do something, you get the end of it and then you want to move on? That was what I was interested in. How you went through that process of development because you have got four quite unique styles. They all link and there is an obvious progression.

Susan : Yeah! It seems that every year or so another one comes out. I think the thing is that I feel I explore it to a certain point. I take whatever it’s given me and take out the good things in it and move it on. If it becomes too easy or I could manage the events and

know what’s going to happen, then I just find it boring and I don’t see any reason in going on.

That kind of transitioned with the last series. I started using magazines. I would glue them onto canvas and then just use water, and like Stephen says excavate it all off. I really hadn’t used this technique before. I started doing that last year when I was showing in the Hamptons.

Stephen : Well there is a context there with my New York photos as well because Susan’s current paintings The Subway Sonnets…

Susan : It’s all about 80s New York! I grew up in the projects in New York. None of that gorgeous stuff is there anymore. But that’s what I grew up around, going to the village and Saint Mark’s Place. I started working on a piece for a collector. She was getting married and she wanted to gift her husband a painting of mine for their wedding day. She wanted it on love, and it was really before I started putting any narrative into these works. But I was kind of heading toward this 80’s grunge vibe.

So I met with her, and then I started just getting this narrative together of their life. I put it in and I kind of liked that back and forth, telling a story like someone would post a sticker ‘call this number for a fun time’ and then something stuck over it or scrawled on top. I enjoyed that back and forth. I’ve been doing sonnets on love, on wealth, on health, and it’s just been really interesting because it’s been resonating, especially now.

My lyrics, whatever I’m listening to, it’s written into the painting. So I mean, if you look back at the Thread series and Deconstructed, you can definitely see how it’s travelled and where it’s come from. That’s what I’m exploring.

I just took all the best bits out of all those pieces and I really enjoy where I am now. My biggest selling work by far has been this new Subway Sonnet Series. I am having the best year ever this year.

Daks : Do you want to talk about Saatchi Art at all?

Susan : Well, I guess I could tag them in this! Saatchi has been great. I do want to talk about this. I think the way we show art and the way we sell art is changing and I noticed in March that artists were really freaking out. But, I think it’s opened a door for artists to take even more control or realise that they have to. I think it’s a great time for artists to take advantage and start to learn.

I sell probably 90% of my work online; I sell through Saatchi Art, other online platforms, through instagram and also through galleries. I’d rather focus and sell my work then have to work a part-time job. I look at it like I’ve got two jobs.

I create; I paint whatever the **** I want. But then, for the other three hours every day, I’ve got a different hat on and

I sell my artwork. It works for me. I don’t know why other people are so afraid of it.

I had somebody from New Jersey who’s been following me for about nine months. I didn’t even know it and then one day I posted something and she messaged me. ‘When you posted this it just really resonated with me. I want to buy this! I was looking at your website, I want to buy these two more!’

I went there, I delivered, and as I was leaving, she said ‘I need something for my staircase, can we talk about a commission?’ So I did the commission, and now Stephen has also sold five paintings to her.

Daks : Yes, I saw that photo that you posted with both your work in her house.

Stephen : We have proven that you can sell around

the world. Because now, the Internet and social media and these online marketplaces, means that you can reach a wide audience of art buyers. People are home staring at their walls and not spending money on holidays or anything else right now, so there’s money burning holes in their pockets— and they buy art. All you have to do is make sure that you’re where they’re looking and put yourself out there.

Daks : So how many countries have you sold to internationally?

Susan : I’ve sold to China, England, Portugal, Sweden, Singapore, Germany, Belgium, and all over the States. One collector bought 22 pieces!

Daks : And you had a painting in a movie.

Susan : I’ve had a few!

Daks : I remember you posted the one with Diane Keaton’s The Book Club.

Susan : Artspace warehouse in LA leases my artwork out to movie sets, where a piece from one series was seen multiple times in Diane Keaton’s house. I also do a lot of commissions. I have paintings at a hotel in Palm Springs, Claridge House in Chicago, a hotel in Singapore, an art boutique hotel in Detroit.

I have sold a good majority with Saatchi Art. I’d like to mention them in the article because they have been awesome to work with. It was Rebecca Wilson who recommended my works for the art hotel in Detroit. I have also sold works through Saatchi Art to Jimmy O. Yang from Space Force on Netflix and Jian Yang on Silicon Valley as well as Joshua Conkel, the writer for Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Daks : That must be the dream of any artist, to actually earn a living doing what you love and not having to do some bullshit job just to pay the rent.

Susan : I don’t think there’s a day that goes by, I don’t realise just how grateful I am.

Daks : Thank you both! I think that’s a good place to wrap, and great to see you both again. Let’s do this more often!

“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

— Warren Buffett

TrooRa Stays in South Africa’s Garden Route

The Garden Route is one of South Africa’s hidden gems. Despite being overshadowed by the Kruger National Park and Cape Town for years, I feel this gorgeous coastal route has much more to offer travelers. As lockdown restrictions finally eased and domestic travel was allowed, I knew this would be my first destination. The Garden Route holds a special place in my heart and this recent trip reminded me why I love it so much. From breathtakingly beautiful scenery to the friendliest local souls, the Garden Route always over-delivers. Similarly, the accommodation along this route offers unique experiences along with immense luxury, making them truly RARE stays.

SKY VILLA BOUTIQUE HOTEL

My first RARE stay took me to the vibrant coastal town of Plettenberg Bay. Here I checked into a first-class hotel with an absolutely incredible setting. Sky Villa Boutique Hotel is perched on a hilltop overlooking the town and its stunning surroundings; including the ocean and Keurbooms lagoon. The 360-degree

view from this spot proves that this hotel is aptly named. Full of opulent luxury and special touches, Sky Villa Boutique Hotel is one of the properties in the Cape Summer Villas Collection and is ideal for anyone who loves the finer things in life. Each of the deluxe rooms and suites is kitted with everything a traveler could possibly need during their stay. No expense is spared to ensure the comfort of guests who will find sanctuary in this lofty escape from the rest of the world.

But Sky Villa is by no means distant from the local attractions and I found it to be the perfect base for exploring the region. Turn right on the N2 and you’ll follow the winding scenic route to the foresty coastal towns of Knysna, Sedgefield, Wilderness, and more. Turn left and you’ll head towards the Eastern Cape. I opted to go left during my stay and ended up

at the Tsitsikamma National Park and took a hike to the famous Storms River suspension bridge. On my return trip, I stopped off at the sleepy and secluded little village of Nature’s Valley to dip my toes in the lagoon and enjoy the fresh sea air. There is no shortage of attractions in Plettenberg Bay either and guests are encouraged to enjoy the natural splendor of the area by visiting the beach or hiking the Robberg Nature Reserve trail.

Sky Villa Boutique Hotel consists of a number of Mountain Facing Rooms and Sea Facing Rooms as well as a Deluxe Suite, Presidential Suite, and Honeymoon Suite. Each has a private terrace to enjoy the views and a range of luxury amenities for a comfortable stay. There is a pool area with a view for sunbathing and swimming as well as conferencing facilities. Dining at Sky Villa Boutique Hotel is also a splendid affair that is not to be missed. The dining area is stylishly decorated while also offering amazing views to make your meals even more enjoyable. There are also two bars in the hotel – one near the pool and Sky Bar on the roof for drinks with a view.

DE ZEEKOE GUEST FARM

My final RARE stay during my Garden Route road trip took me to a different, more inland section of the Garden Route. I traveled up over the mountains – along the Outeniqua Pass to the Klein (little) Karoo. De Zeekoe Guest Farm is on a stunning piece of land on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn. There are a variety of luxury accommodation options at De Zeekoe and travelers can choose the option that appeals the most. I stayed in one of their three luxury stone cottages which is some distance from the Manor House. The property is situated in a unique spot surrounded by the famous Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains. It also lies within one of only 17 ‘hotspots’ in the world that

has 3 overlapping flower zones. De Zeekoe Guest Farm forms part of the Cape Country Routes Collection which highlights a number of luxurious countries stay in the Western Cape of South Africa.

Oudtshoorn and the Klein Karoo offer a different type of Garden Route experience. Gone are the ocean vistas, winding coastal roads, and verdant forests. Instead, travelers will discover an arid destination between mountain ranges. However, there is plenty to do in the region known as the Ostrich capital of the world. Local attractions include numerous ostrich farms such as Safari Ostrich Farm across the road, Additionally, hiking, biking, canoeing, bird tours, stargazing, and the 5 Shy Meerkats experiences as well as the Cango Caves and Cango Wildlife Ranch. Having visited the caves on a previous trip, I opted for the wildlife ranch. Cango Wildlife Ranch is a wonderful place to see and learn more about local wildlife. Their conservation programs for a number of different species make the entry price worthwhile. Although there is much to do, I felt such a sense of peace at my cottage that I chose to spend a lot of time here before heading back to the city. Slow mornings were spent sipping coffee before taking a stroll around to photograph the blooming desert flowers. Hot afternoons called for dips in the private pool before enjoying the magnificent sunsets with a drink in hand. Finally, the evenings were spent outside on the balcony marveling at the blanket of stars on display.

De Zeekoe Guest Farm consists of rooms in the Manor House and the Main

House as well as separate wooden and stone cottages. The property is both child-friendly and wheelchair-friendly making it accessible for everyone. All rooms have a stylish country chic décor with all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay. I found the stone cottages to be delightfully secluded yet immensely comfortable and I just didn’t want to leave. However, the main house offers further facilities such as the De Zeekoe Restaurant and Tranquillity Spa which will add an extra layer of luxury to any stay. De Zeekoe Guest is fair trade and has its own school on the farm. They even harvest their own vegetables, olives, herbs, and honey. But the true gift of De Zeekoe Guest Farm is the immersion in nature it offers guests who are looking for peace and quiet in a truly rare setting.

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REINVENTING LUXURY VOYAGES AT SEA

THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL Through Connections

The aftermath of the pandemic has changed us, from our daily habits and lifestyle to how we navigate life from now on. There is a significant shift from user and customer experiences to human experiences in the travel business. It’s about the journey to humanity in deepening the relationship with people, places, and how we view the world.

As part of containing Covid-19 from spreading, we may not be allowed to travel freely across international borders. But, what if it were possible to still enjoy travel experiences to local destinations and even gain unique insights and life-learnings as is common when traveling to new destinations around the world?

On a recent road trip with my family outside Kuala Lumpur city, after an extended national lockdown in Malaysia since March 2020, we found out why the future of travel is all about connections. With the aim to avoid the crowds, we headed off to one of the lesstouristy destinations, Pangkor Island in Perak state.

Interestingly, the island is also listed by Business Insider as one of the 40 most underrated travel destinations around the world. We were blown away with the connection, energy, and the beauty of Pangkor Island. Here are four realizations gained at the latest duty-free island in Malaysia.

Tranquility Is a Choice That Comes from the Heart

Pangkor is known for its beaches, and the serenity of Nipah Bay beach is just too sweet to be kept a secret. With

the low influx of travelers, the empty coastline looks so serene. The public beaches felt more like a private one— clean, calm, and no one else but us. Mesmerized by the tranquility of waves rushing to shore, a new idea emerged.

As a mom and a multi-passionate entrepreneur, I realized that the moment we positively shift our perspective, things fall into place. Life is about making choices, and we need to act on it unapologetically and meaningfully, from the heart.

Sustainability Makes Us Understand the Equilibrium of Life

A visit to a turtle hatchery information center at Ketapang Bay was an eyeopener. Interestingly, this center is a self-funded voluntary local community that began in 2017 without funds from any institutional body. Amazingly, since the lockdown, the turtle breeding broke records from the previous year. The low human activities at sea allowed for a higher rate of turtle eggs hatching. The experience allowed for the realization of the importance of rebalancing life. Pierre Reverdy once said, ”the point of life is to find the equilibrium in what is inherently unstable.”

History Connects with Our Past, Present, and Future

Alongside the scenic beachside fishing village of Kampung Teluk Gedung is a majestic fort that looks like a partially built Lego. Locals had fascinating tales to share about this landmark that dates back to 1670. The ruins and remnants of the Fort are a result of retaliation by the locals against the Dutch, who were attempting to control the mining trade on the island in 1690. The locals defended their natural resources for their people and they all came together to make a change for Pangkor. Likewise, history can change our perspective about our own lives. In other words, it is about identifying why we behaved the way we did in the past, how that made us what we are today, and how we can change to be better people in the future.

Opportunity to Create Something Bigger Than Ourselves

One of the main reasons we chose Pangkor Island as our latest travel destination was to support and promote the island’s tourism industry. The government’s high hopes after announcing Pangkor as the latest dutyfree island since January 1, 2020, resulted in shattered dreams once the global pandemic hit Malaysia.

Just like many parts of the world, the tourism industry has been severely affected and the community strives to build back the economic

momentum. The pain of small businesses in making ends meet was evident, and for travel to recover in the areas that rely on tourism, we all need to contribute. We can promote local destinations and encourage readers to support local businesses by consuming and purchasing local food, travel accommodation, paid entrance for exciting places, and other travel connections. There is hope for the future.

Additionally, if you are looking to visit this island in the future, do visit Perak Tourism for more information. There are indeed so many interesting rare things you can learn and do. Engaging with locals and observing their lifestyle will be a travel experience remembered for a lifetime.

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Mate Masie Curations: Thato Choker Material: Wood Beads and Ribbon Nikki E Designs: The Caté Ear Jacket multi way earring. Wardrobe: White Jacket Charlie Mub Coutoure Stylist: Angelica Garde Model: Deja Peters

Photographer: Laura Tillinghast MUA: Celestine Pearl

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Collections for Men and Women

Nature-Inspired Wearable Health Tech for Women

“Our core mission at Bellabeat is to inspire women to be healthier so that they can be successful at other things. I wanted to create technology specially designed to track the health of women but also to pay attention to the aesthetics of the product. I wanted to design technology that was not just useful but also beautiful, something women would actually be happy to wear and use. I guess women have been widely overlooked as users of technology so far and when we design products that are specially adjusted for their needs, they enjoy that and recognize the health benefits.”

A piece of jewellery that can transform your life may sound far-fetched but is exactly what the team at Bellabeat has created. Their range of gorgeous health and fitness trackers was inspired by Mother Earth and designed with women in mind. Wearable smart tech focused on aesthetics and function is unique in the field. Which is what makes Bellabeat health and fitness trackers truly stand out from the rest.

If like me you can’t stand the bulky rubber bands of the most common fitness trackers, then your solution is Bellabeat. I’ve personally been testing their rose gold Urban Leaf tracker for the past few weeks and love finally having something that is both beautiful and functional. Bellabeat has designed wearable tech that I actually want to wear every day. The sleek and stunning tracker can be worn in multiple ways and goes with just about any outfit. At first I quite enjoyed wearing it as bracelet using their thin rubber band but I find it constricting when I sleep. My personal favorite way to wear my Bellabeat both during the day and at night is to clip it onto my clothes. This offers a comfortable and secure fit that still looks good. Another option is to wear it as a necklace using the chain provided. With so many options to try, you’ll always want to wear your Bellabeat. There are no displays, big buttons or gaudy flashing lights on this wearable and all data can be accessed via the Bellabeat app which syncs to each of their products.

However, the Bellabeat range goes way beyond simple health and fitness trackers. The brand has evolved to include a wide variety of other wellness tech designed to make women’s lives easier.

Bellabeat Product Range

The Bellabeat range consists of the Leaf Urban, Leaf Crystal, Leaf Chakra, Time and Spring. There are also a number of extra accessories as well as bundle offers if you’re ready to go all in with Bellabeat. Here is some more information about each lovely item:

LEAF URBAN

The original Leaf offers the best of both worlds. This wellness tracker combines fashion with function to help you raise your wellbeing to the next level. Leaf Urban comes in different styles. Choose between rose gold, silver, gray rose, black silver and yellow gold. Each tracker is bundled with an infinity necklace and active bracelet so that you can wear it in a way that suits your own style. Become in sync with your body, mind and soul!

LEAF CRYSTAL

Leaf Crystal gives you everything you want to know about your wellbeing in one compact place! This wellness tracker doubles as a gorgeous jewelry piece that can be worn as a bracelet, necklace or a clip. Keep track of your activity, sleep, menstrual cycle, stress sensitivity, and access other exclusive wellness content.

Created with Swarovski® crystals, this smart jewelry piece was inspired by classic elegance and glamour, to help you shine both inside and out. Leaf Crystal comes in either rose gold or silver but has the added benefit of being bundled with a crystal bracelet as well as the active bracelet and infinity necklace.

LEAF CHAKRA

Leaf Chakra is the only wellness tracker made with natural crystals, hypoallergenic stainless steel and wood composite. This design was made with spiritual women in mind. Choose between the rose quartz crystal to call upon the energy of love and the onyx crystal to enhance your personal power. Leaf Chakra Love comes with silver accents to match the rose quartz whereas Leaf Chakra Power comes in rose gold accents to match the dark onyx.

These features make the Bellabeat Leaf ranges unique:

• No screens or buttons

• Optimized for women’s health

• Water resistant

• It’s shower safe

• Wear it as a bracelet, necklace or clip

• Tracks activity, sleep, stress, meditation and reproductive health

• Made of wood composite material and hypoallergenic stainless steel

• Long-lasting replaceable battery

• Enhanced with healing crystals, rose quartz or onyx

• Offers chakra energizing and relaxation techniques

• Created with Swarovski® crystals

TIME

Time is a wellness watch and the latest addition to the Bellabeat range. This statement piece will effortlessly blend into your every day as a luxury hybrid wellness watch that is suitable for any occasion. While it has the appearance of an elegant timepiece, the technology inside of it connects to the Bellabeat app to provide you with insight into your well-being. Just like the Leaf range, Time is equipped with learning algorithms for accurate activity, sleep, and stress resistance tracking. It comes in two stylish editions so you can choose between silver and rose gold.

These clever features make Time better than a regular watch or smart wearble:

• A replaceable battery means no charging

• It wirelessly syncs to the Bellabeat app

• Water resistant

• Tracks activity, sleep, stress, meditation and reproductive health

• Includes an inactivity alarm to get you moving

• Made from hypoallergenic stainless steel

SPRING

Are you drinking enough water? I wasn’t either until I started using the Bellabeat Spring. Hydration is one of the biggest factors to overall wellness and way too many women rush through their day without drinking enough water.

With Spring there’s no more wondering and no more headaches caused by dehydration. Spring tracks your daily hydration and sends you regular reminders to help you establish a healthy hydration habit. It calculates the optimal amount of water for your body based on your activity level, age, height, weight, local weather and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

You can easily view your hydration data through the Bellabeat app and all you need to do is shake your Spring to sync. Spring currently comes in only comes in the Violet ice color and is shipped with a battery.

Check out the smart features that make Spring more than just a water bottle:

• Glass body with BPA-free plastic grip wrap

• Dishwasher safe

• Replaceable battery so no charging required

• Tailored hydration goals

• Set drinking reminders according to your lifestyle

•

•

Hydration tracking

Wireless syncing and data backup

Over the past few weeks of using my Leaf Urban and Spring smart bottle, I’ve come to the realization that wellness is simply a series of good habits. These small habits quickly compound and lead to monumental lifestyle changes. By keeping track of my activity, sleep patterns, stress levels, meditation practice, menstrual cycle and hydration, Bellabeat has made understanding my holistic health much simpler.

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Diarrablu:

Baol Leer Palazzo jacquard printed Wrap Dress & high-waisted pants with elastic waist and side pockets

Accessories: Nikkie E. Designs

Strukk Earrings Large Gold

Model: Deja Peters

Photographer: Laura Tillinghast

MUA: Celestine Pearl

Stylist: Angelica Garde

Creative Direction: Brian Esterle

Style Curation | Creative Direction: Trystanne Cunningham

Produced by: TrooRa Magazine LLC A Fortunest Group

Structural Cuts, Bold Prints, Colorful Accents Sustainable Solids

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Connections

What is a connection, what does it mean to be connected?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as:

A relationship, in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else

Action of linking one thing with another

The placing of parts of electric circuit in contact so that current may flow

From Latin connectere , con - together, nectere - bind.

It’s a relationship, something that links, creates contact to allow flow. We all understand it in our unique way, connecting has multitudes of degrees and meanings for each of us. We seek it, we crave it, we find it, sometimes we lose it and miss it. Most of us (all but the extreme reclusive hermits) believe it to be an essential human need and function. We feel the impetus to connect in order to learn and to grow, to feel comfort and love, and sometimes simply in order to survive.

In my line of work, mainly rehabilitation and sports injury and pain treatment, connections are everything. Sometimes they are obvious, often subtle and at times complex and deep. When proper connections are broken, strained, or unable to re-establish themselves, discomfort and pain appear.

S found me through the network of trainers and

health care providers on the San Francisco peninsula while training for an NFL Combine. He was a Stanford University football star, 6 foot tall and 225 lbs of solid muscles, strong and tough with exceptional reflexes. However, after 2 ACL repair surgeries, he wasn’t absolutely sure he’d have a career in football.

On top of everything, the rigors of hard training in preparation for Combine left him in a bit of pain. His left hip, lower and mid-back were in rough shape, overworked, sore, and aching all the time. His hopes for a professional career were melting slowly as his discomfort and pain level were rising week by week.

As we were running a few simple tests it became rather obvious that the culprit was his twice-operatedon right knee. The range of motion on his left knee was excellent, but the right side was a completely different story. He told me that after his second surgery, one of the PTs at Stanford told him that he’d never have his full range of motion. Unfortunately, S believed the verdict and now his stiff, unbending knee was wreaking havoc on the rest of his body.

One of my teachers, Greg Rose, the founding father of FMS Functional Movement Screen & SFMA Selective Functional Movement Assessment, has repeatedly told his students: The greatest predictors of injury are 1. previous injury and 2. discrepancies in strength or flexibility side to side. It appears he was right because S had both.

After a series of treatments, we were able to even the balance of tissue extensibility between his knees while addressing parallel issues with the hip and spine. S went through the Combine and played professionally for five years, after which he retired. His bad knee wasn’t painful or symptomatic but it created serious compensation in the rest of his body and almost cost him a career in the sport he loved so much.

The human body is one of the most beautiful and sophisticated organic machines imaginable. The degree of precision, grace, and strength we are capable of is astounding—provided all parts connect and function well enough to allow the flow of movement and energy. Any breakages in the system create compensation patterns, and while those provide short-term help, they frequently cause long-term problems.

Bodyworker books are full of anecdotal stories of rolled ankles which, after a while, cause issues with low back and neck, unstable shoulders, and weak rotator cuffs leading to forearm problems. Pain is a symptom of the problem, not necessarily a location of it. Ida Rolf, the founder of Rolfing, repeated regularly to her students “don’t chase pain, find the source of the issue.“

D is one of my regular clients who periodically goes on what I call health binges, starts stringent diets, trains four to six times per week with a personal trainer, goes on long walks and hikes, buys every vitamin and supplement under the moon, and... Well, he eventually gets injured, becomes discouraged, turns to binge eating, and 10 pounds later we are back to the beginning of the cycle.

Unfortunately, this time wasn’t any different. D half limped and half waddled into my office. “What’s going on,” I asked.

“I think it’s sciatica,” was the response. “That’s what the article on Google said.”

“Personally, I wouldn’t trust a medical diagnosis that’s based on a questionable internet article but for argument’s sake let’s test what we can,” was my reply.

Sciatica is a rather complex issue with multiple sources affecting the nerves, sometimes simultaneously. Generally, adequate imaging such as an MRI or X-ray is required to properly diagnose it. I proposed running a simple straight

leg raise test to confirm the Google diagnosis. To both of our surprise, that test was negative. D’s leg flew by 30, degrees all the way to 80 without any signs of pain. Now what? D was a bit perplexed.

“You can have active trigger points in your Gluteus Minimus muscle, they mimic sciatica fairly closely,” I mentioned. And sure enough palpation of the Gluteus Minimus confirmed my suspicion. D had a couple of nasty trigger points that shot pain across her buttocks and hamstring over to the upper calf. Thirty minutes later, after a combination of Active Release Technique, Lymphatic Drainage, and Cupping, D felt much better.

Trigger points are frequently misdiagnosed and a misunderstood cause of both chronic and acute pain, but they can affect practically every muscle in the body. While many trigger points do refer pain around the affected muscle, there are many exceptions to the rule. For example,

trigger points in the scalenes (front neck muscles) can mimic pain and symptoms of a heart attack. Trigger points in the upper portion of the adductors (inside thigh muscles) can refer to the pelvis and appear as UTI infection discomfort. Trigger points in Soleus (intermediate calf muscle) can refer to the Achilles, calf, and sacrum. Everything is connected.

R became my client 11 years ago on the fields of Treasure Island near San Francisco where games and championships of Gaelic Football and Hurling are usually held. I was providing bodywork and first aid sideline services to several Clubs of GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association). Hurling is perhaps best described as lacrosse on steroids. Both sports are very similar, however the Irish play their version without any protection gear (with an exemption of helmet) and the stick is solid ash, no net. It’s a fast and aggressive sport that looks like field hockey in the midair.

R ran towards me across the field holding his right hand to his chest, it was clear that his thumb was dislocated. “Pop it back,” he half asked and half growled in pain. Without losing any time, I adjusted his thumb. “Thanks,” he said and swiftly ran back to his game before I could stop him to ice and tape the dislocated joint.

Through the years, I saw him for many injuries—shoulders, knees, and thumbs. However, the worst one came two years ago. I saw it coming for a while through subtle signs but unfortunately wasn’t able to prevent it. R had three bulging disks ranging from four to nine millimeters, and he was in agony. He was a great natural athlete, strong and fast. He was also about as limber as a brick and stretching wasn’t a word he knew how to spell. After a few months

of rehab, his pain was gone and he was in a much better place, more humble yet flexible than before. Now and then, we’d have occasional episodes of pain but it was easily manageable.

R stumbled into my office for our routine maintenance session. “My back is killing me man, it’s been really bad the last few days!”

“What happened? Did you do something to aggravate it?” I asked. “No, nothing at all,” he claimed then went on. “But my wife went to visit her family and I kind of lost it, binged on junk food and couldn’t force myself to do anything. My back started acting up the day after she left. It’s been depressing and miserable.”

I paused, this sounded familiar. The same thing had happened before, about eight or nine months ago. R’s wife went somewhere and his back went out. “Do you have separation anxiety or abandonment issues?” I mentioned, half-jokingly.

R looked back at me seriously and said, “I don’t know.”

His back didn’t seem any different than normal. The muscle tissue was pliable and had good mobility, but his pain was present and we didn’t make any headway on the issue in that session. The next evening, I got a text from him saying, “my therapist wants to talk to you.” The day after that, I got a phone call from a new number.

“Hi, is this Paul Chmigelski? This is Dr. L, we have a patient in common—Mr. R—he gave consent for me to talk to you about his case.” I was puzzled and perplexed.

“You’ve known R for a long time. I’d appreciate your insight and whatever information you can provide. He’s been seeing me regularly for psychotherapy and we were making good progress for a while, but in the last two months, we hit the wall. That is, until last night, when you suggested to R that he might have abandonment issues. As we explored the subject, it became apparent that abandonment plays a serious role in R’s life.”

Needless to say, R’s pain went away shortly after his psychotherapy session as he got clarity regarding the origin of the fears that’ve been controlling his life since his very early years. Our deep-seated emotional issues and old pains, our heartbreaks can appear in our physical body as palpable pain and discomfort. I’ve got stories of my clients’ backs going out after a major financial crisis or a stressful period of family dramas without any apparent physical reasons. Mind-body connection is a very real, very powerful force that can make us almost superhuman when it is healthy and optimized. But

it can also cripple us when the mind is dominated by negative thoughts or emotions.

Here are more examples: L was experiencing severe pains in her neck, back, and hips that vanished like a bad dream once she was able to end a toxic relationship with her narcissistic and abusive boyfriend.

T came to me with a locked hip,which had no apparent medical cause. He seemed to be at a crossroads and was procrastinating on a major, lifechanging decision that he made inwardly but could not force himself to move ahead with. He literally made himself unable to move physically forward. Needless to say, his hip “miraculously” unlocked once he mustered enough courage to change his life.

N, a gentle and quiet teenage girl, had the worst case of TMJ I have ever seen. Her parents were going through a messy divorce, and she was totally internalizing her fear, pain, and frustration. She blamed herself for the fact that her mom and dad no longer loved each other. N would go for days without speaking. Instead she was clenching her jaw and biting her tongue literally and figuratively while listening to her parents fight in the next room. Her jaw unlocked and the pains went away once she started getting treatments of EMDR ( Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing technique) with her new therapist.

We are extremely complex beings. Some professionals describe human beings as a system of systems. Layers upon layers of billions of cells make up our bodies and connect in myriads of ways to compose each and every one of us. Connections are in the very basic structure of our bodies, minds ,and emotions. We yearn to connect. We learn, grow, love, and evolve through those connections.

DEMOCRATIZE THE LUXURY HANDBAG INDUSTRY

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FASHION POST COVID-19THE NEW NORMAL

The fashion industry is facing the current world situation just like the rest of us are and many a brand and individual are finding ways to adapt the best they can.

From self shot catalogue photos to self shot magazine covers, to remotely controlled photography kits CC Kerry Washington’s cover for the September 2020 issue of Town & Country, to FaceTime/Zoom photoshoots. The fashion landscape is changing, so I decided to explore fashion’s new normal by speaking with two industry professionals in Nigeria. First is one of Nigeria’s top fashion photographers, Lex Ash. Second is model and business owner, Ifeoma Nwobu.

When asked about their initial response to the outbreak of the pandemic, they both offered similar responses.

Lex : Confusion, Paranoia and waiting on all the information. What exactly are we about to experience? Then it was not really clear where and when our next check was coming.

Ifeoma : It was a bitter truth to swallow that fashion wasn’t an essential. There was fear and anxiety about the future but also understanding that it was all out of our control. Of course I sometimes missed being in front of a camera.

About booking jobs, campaigns, shoots and client relations being affected by the pandemic, both responses were largely similar.

Lex : Not as many brands were working especially when the country was on lockdown. After the lockdown was eased it was a gradual resurfacing. A lot of our correspondence and planning was done online and we endeavored to reduce human contact as much as possible.

Ifeoma : A lot of brands were restructuring to adapt to the current situation. They were settling for home

content next to zero campaigns and I feel like that’s not going away, it’s here to stay.

At some point, Lex Ash joined the world in experimenting with FaceTime shoots. Here’s what he had to say about that experience.

Lex : I’d do it again, it wasn’t a special or exciting feeling per say, but it was amazing to create with someone I’d never met and probably would never have, Brazilian model, Rojane Fradique. It felt super natural, it helped that she what she was doing. It was basically us having a conversation, me throwing in a couple directions while we worked. It was really cool.

For a lot of people around the world the matter of income was uncertain especially in fashion. How did these fashion professionals fare?

Ifeoma : It was surprisingly good for me. I got a job I didn’t expect to, plus I run a business, Fru Girls (a thrift fashion business). It showed me that you can have a lot even with little. I am incredibly grateful for what I do have because I know a lot of people are going through a lot.

Lex : I am just really thankful for the bridges that technology builds. I began teaching retouching online as a means of diversifying my income and lot of my students lived in different countries from me. It’s been making me think of creating a full online course.

“The Pandemic made the world feel smaller” - Lex Ash

Photographer, Lex Ash is know for creating his own editorials from conceptualization to execution. Was his creative process affected by the pandemic in any way? Here’s what he had to say.

Lex : Thankfully I have a set up at home that allows me to create with not a lot. It was important for me to reduce human contact as much as possible, so there was not hair or makeup on set, observing social distancing to make sure the model felt safe. Limited locations were available so I began sourcing for locations within my vicinity.

Lastly, I asked them what long term effects changes to the Industry they foresee to come out of the pandemic.

Lex : It should encourage every player to explore alternative means to create for example Hanifa’s 3D fashion show. The pandemic has pushed us to really consider innovation, sustainable and adaptable fashion.

Expressing similar sentiments, Ifeoma says:

Ifeoma : There may be more of an incorporation of digital models. There definitely would be more value placed on the work that content creators to. An effect we may be reluctant to acknowledge but I feel is important to speak on is that payment of creatives, from photogs to models even content creators will drastically reduce.

It’s obvious that in fashion just like with many other industries, people are making adjustments and adapting, moving forward with the new normal. It’s amazing how with a pandemic that has restricted a lot of us to our homes the world feels smaller and closer than ever before. We are all experiencing similar issues and doing our best to continue living.

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My skin’s dry with all this hand washing. What can I do?

Washing your hands is one of the crucial ways we can all help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Regularly and thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, are key steps to reducing the risk.

But with all this hand washing, it’s easy to get dry skin or for existing skin conditions to flare up.

Read more: Yes, washing our hands really can help curb the spread of coronavirus

What’s happening to our skin?

The top layer of our skin (the stratum corneum) is our skin’s key protective layer. But frequent hand washing with repetitive exposure to water, soap and skin cleansers will disrupt this layer.

Over time, this leads to dry skin, further

disruption of the skin barrier and inflammation.

This eventually results in hand dermatitis, or more specifically, irritant contact dermatitis.

Who’s more likely to have problems?

Irritant contact dermatitis is more common in people who perform “wet work” as they wash and dry their hands many times a day.

They include health-care workers (doctors, nurses, personal care assistants), hairdressers, food handlers, kitchen staff and cleaners. They may also be exposed to irritating skin cleansers and detergents.

But now handwashing is becoming more frequent during the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be more affected people outside these occupations.

Health-care workers, who wash their hands multiple times a day, are particularly at risk of hand dermatitis.

People with eczema, asthma and hay fever are also at higher risk of developing irritant contact dermatitis or experiencing a flare of underlying eczema.

Read more: Common skin rashes and what to do about them

How do I prevent hand dermatitis?

1. SOAP, SOAP ALTERNATIVE OR HAND SANITISER?

People with eczema or who have had contact dermatitis before will have more easily irritated skin. While they can still use hand sanitisers, it’s recommended they wash with gentler soap-free washes rather than normal soap.

Soap-free washes contain non-soapbased synthetic detergents (syndets). Syndets have a nearly identical cleansing action as soap, but with the benefit of having the same pH as the skin. This means they’re less likely to remove the oils from the outer layer of the skin and are less irritating.

Soaps have a high pH and are quite alkaline. This disrupts the outer layer of the skin, allowing the soap to penetrate deeper into the skin, thus causing more skin irritation and itching.

Other people who don’t have eczema or a history of contact dermatitis should just use soap. Liquid soaps usually contain fragrances and preservatives, which can cause another type of dermatitis (allergic contact dermatitis), so opt for a plain, unperfumed bar soap.

2. DRY YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY

Dry your hands thoroughly, including the webs of your fingers and under yourrings to reduce dermatitis caused by trapped water. Skin irritation and breakdown can occur when there is excessive moisture, soap residues and water trapped between the skin and underneath rings.

Read more: Coronavirus and handwashing: research shows proper

hand drying is also vital

3.

USE NON-FRAGRANCED MOISTURISER REGULARLY

Moisturisers come in different formulations. While lotions are light in consistency and convenient to use during the day, they will require more frequent applications. Creams and ointments have thicker and oilier texture, are effective for dry hands and are best used overnight.

Fragrances can cause allergic contact dermatitis and are best avoided, where possible.

4. USE ALCOHOL-BASED HAND SANITISER (IF YOU CAN GET HOLD OF IT)

Alcohol-based hand sanitiser will reduce your skin’s contact with water, and so lower your risk of dermatitis.

Research in health-care workers shows hand sanitisers cause less contact dermatitis than washing with soap and water.

Sometimes people wrongly believe that when hand sanitiser stings on a paper cut, this means that they are allergic. But this is an irritant reaction and though uncomfortable, it’s safe to keep using it.

Which sanitiser? This usually comes down to personal preference (and what you can get hold of).

5. USE GLOVES

Use protective gloves when doing household chores, such as washing the dishes or when gardening.

Use cotton gloves when doing dry work, such as sweeping or dusting, to protect your hands and minimise the need to wash them.

Use washing up gloves where possible.

At night, moisturise your hands than wear cotton gloves. This acts like an intensive hand mask and works wonders for very dry skin. It ensures the moisturiser stays on your hands and increases its penetration into your skin.

1. ACT EARLY

Treat hand dermatitis as soon as it occurs, otherwise it will get worse.

2. APPLY PETROLEUM JELLY

If you think you’ve lost your nail cuticle (the protective barrier between the nail and nail fold), water will be able to seep into the nail fold, causing swelling and dermatitis.

Use petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, as a sealant to prevent further water damage. Petroleum jelly can also be used on skin cracks for the same reason.

3. SEEK MEDICAL HELP

If there are any red, dry and itchy areas, indicating active dermatitis, seek help from your GP or dermatologist.

They can start you on a short burst of an ointment that contains corticosteroids until the rash subsides.

Prescription ointments are likely to be

more effective than over-the-counter creams because of their higher potency.

But you could start with buying 1% hydrocortisone ointment, not cream, from the chemist.

Read more: What can you use a telehealth consult for and when should you physically visit your GP?

Sometimes dermatitis can become infected with skin bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. Seek medical advice if you experience symptoms such as persistent soreness or pain.

You should also seek medical help if you have severe hand dermatitis not responding to home treatments.

Most GPs and dermatologists are moving to or have started using telehealth so you can consult them using a video call, minimising faceto-face appointments.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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The top flight of English football, the Premier League, ended on the 26th of July 2020 with Liverpool reigning as champions. This championship was their 18th in total and their first since the 1989-90 season. This was an epic moment that Liverpool fans all over the world had been waiting for for 30 long years. And although this moment was celebrated long into the night on the streets of Merseyside by the Liverpool faithful, the fans weren’t

able to watch their team lift the trophy in person.

As we all know, because of social distancing there are no crowds of any kind allowed at football matches. The matches themselves haven’t suffered one bit as the players seem to be performing to the same level as they would in normal conditions. The people who are suffering are the fans. Even though the fans are happy to have football back on the TV, they’re still unable to enjoy it to its maximum potential.

Stadiums are empty, pubs and bars are at limited capacity, and no one is allowed too close to one another. A lot of people who would normally be at every single match rain or shine are forced to watch the games by themselves at home in their living room. This makes historic moments like your team winning their first title in 30 years a little bit underwhelming, and it leaves fans disconnected.

One of the best things about going to a live game is being able to say you were there. I was there when Wayne Rooney scored that amazing overhead kick against Manchester City to win the game 2-1 in 2011. I was there when Sergio Aguero scored in the 93rd minute of stoppage time against QPR to win Manchester City their first Premier League title ever in 2012. But not one single Liverpool fan will be able to say “I was there” when Liverpool lifted their most recent title. The closest any supporter could get was right outside the stadium. The atmosphere was electric, but it’s just not the same.

What makes football and most other sports great is the fans. Fans will travel from all over the globe and meet up in one place to cheer on their team. People from all sorts of different backgrounds, nationalities, and walks of life all gather and unite together once a week. Football is so powerful it can make two people who don’t like each other personally put their differences aside for a few hours, sometimes even permanently.

On match day, your fellow supporters are your brothers and you’re going to war

with the opposition. You chant and sing on the bus on the way to the game which creates a really fun atmosphere. That atmosphere the supporters create is cranked up when they arrive at the stadium, and it’s transferred onto the players lifting their morale for the game.

Although the games have been just as exciting as they normally would if the fans were actually in the stadium, I can’t help but feel a lot of results would have been different. The phrase “the fans are like a 12th man” is a bit of a cliche, but it’s a fact for some teams. Some teams rely on the atmosphere the fans provide at games to motivate their players, but more importantly, intimidate the opposition.

The relationship between players and fans is a strong one. Some teams have such a strong bond with their fans that players struggle to perform without the crowd cheering the team on. Liverpool is a great example of this; the atmosphere the fans create in an enclosed stadium like Anfield

boots brings the players’ performance to another level. The fans will sing You’ll Never Walk Alone, whether the team is winning or losing, so the players know that whatever happens, the fans always have their backs. That type of support goes a long way.

Now, without the fans at the games, it can leave the players uncertain and without that extra motivation when things get tough. The form of some teams fell right off without any atmosphere from the supporters, and you can’t help but wonder if some teams would have avoided relegation if their fans were there to back them.

Watching a game of football by yourself in your living room is nowhere near as enjoyable as being surrounded by your fellow supporters. I can attest to this myself. Your team scores a goal and you still celebrate, but you feel alone. I know there are thousands of people with the same feeling of elation as myself, but I don’t feel the energy that I normally would if I were watching a game with my mates.

What I miss most is the banter. Having banter with your mates who support rival teams is one of the most enjoyable parts of football. Seeing their team lose and giving it to them for the rest of the week is hilarious. We all know it’s fun and games, and no one takes it too seriously.

Now, if you want to interact with anyone, it has to be online or over text. When you communicate this way, it can get a little hostile because things get misinterpreted on the internet. People don’t understand it’s banter because it’s just words on a screen.

Even sports analyzing has changed now, and you can really feel the loss of connection between the hosts. They’re all live streaming each other from home, and with the delays and technical errors, it completely removes any cohesion the presenters once had. They try their best to keep things as normal as possible and give you the same feeling, but it’s impossible. We can all feel the isolation; you can’t hide it. It’s made for a bit of an awkward experience.

For some people, going to a match is their only escape from the trials and tribulations of their everyday life. One day a week they get a distraction, they forget their problems, and they focus on football and football only. But now that’s impossible. They’re stuck. There’s no escape for them, and it’s going to be that way for a long time into the future.

There are people who are extremely lonely right now. They don’t have a wife or kids, they don’t have many friends. The fellow supporters they

met up with on match day provided them with some company and they didn’t feel as lonely anymore. Sports are great for mental health and wellbeing. Not just because of the distraction it provides, but because your fellow supporters are also your support group. They have your back no matter what, and they may not even know who you are.

On match day, when people see someone in the same jersey as them sitting alone, it’s not uncommon for them to start a conversation with them, and even become friends. There are people who have friends all over the globe because they met at a sporting event, and these sporting events are the only time they get to see their international friends in person.

So whilst the quality of games hasn’t suffered one bit, some of the fans have. They miss the camaraderie with the other supporters, they miss that release from their everyday lives, and they miss that connection to the players. And I know the players miss the fans as well. We’re all hoping this isolation is over sooner rather than later so we can all be at the games live as a community again, cheering on our favorite team.

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As someone who has accrued more than 40K followers in over ten years of music streaming, I know the features to look for that really matter. Most of these apps were inspired by a website called Turntable.fm. On that site, listeners and DJs were represented by dancing avatars. You could upvote/downvote music and chats would appear over your avatar’s head, creating a virtual animation of a concert DJ. Sadly, Turntable. fm is long gone. Today’s apps gather DJs in a room with chat but dispense with the dancing avatars. Rooms can be public or private. If you want to run the show, you can restrict your room such that you’re the only DJ. But the real fun comes when anyone in the room is allowed to DJ, as people choose songs that are inspired by the songs played before.

Throw an Online Music PartyThe Hottest New Music Apps

With so many of us sheltered in place, we are all looking for ways to connect with friends online. Why not throw an online music streaming party? You can share music using Zoom, by doing a screen share, and checking the box to share music audio. However, Zoom isn’t designed for music, so there are better options for online music sharing.

Friends show their reactions via chat, or by voting the track up or down. You can step up and join the DJs choosing songs or just listen and chat. What sets these apart from the previous generation of music sharing apps is that sharing is simultaneous. You’re all hearing the same song at the same time, a shared experience like an in-person event.

The Best Apps for Throwing Your Online Music Party

JQBX Is the Best App for Sharing with Friends Who Pay for Streaming

If you have a particular group of devoted friends who already pay for either of the two most popular streaming apps, JQBX will fit your needs. The catch is it only works with Spotify Premium. The upshot of this is that musicians get paid for every listener in the room. The downside is that your friends who don’t pay for music streaming won’t be able to participate (there is a hack for this at the end of the article).

WHY JQBX STANDS OUT

JQBX is the best app to use if you have meticulous playlist needs, especially if you’ve already built those playlists in Spotify. Not only can you queue up your existing Spotify playlists, but you can also edit your song queue more efficiently because the JQBX playlist is saved in Spotify.

For example, say people are starting to dance but your dancey tracks are mixed throughout your queue. The Spotify desktop app allows you to cut

and paste sections of any playlist. So you could cut and paste the dancey songs in your JQBX Queue playlist into Spotify. Save, refresh the queue, jump back into JQBX, and all your dance songs will be at the top.

Additionally, JQBX has the best interface. You get to choose custom images that show when you upvote or downvote tracks. A light indicates if audience members have been recently active (helpful to get a sense of who in the room might be away from their screen). A tab shows the history of tracks recently played in that room so you can get a feel for what to play.

People share animated gifs in the chat and rooms can have a promo image and a website link. The chat is timestamped with the titles of songs, so when someone in chat says “this is my favorite,” you know which song they were referring to. There are more options for defining rooms, such as having a multitude of moderators or limits to the number of DJs.

JQBX is available for iOS, macOS, Android, and even as a web app. The latter is important because it allows your friends to take a peek at what JQBX is about without having to

commit to installing an app.

BeatSense Is the Best App for Building a Music Sharing Community

If you want to widen your community beyond paid Spotify customers, BeatSense is another great option for music sharing with your friends. Like the other apps, you create a room with a defined genre theme and you and your friends can take turns selecting the music.

Rather than using Spotify, BeatSense allows you to import playlists from YouTube. Because the music is coming from YouTube, a video player fills the center of the screen. Thus you get to watch music videos. The YouTube library is very different from Spotify Premium. There are many rarities on YouTube that can’t be found on streaming apps, but the quality is often lower.

Having YouTube as the music source affects the app’s function too. Since most people’s YouTube playlists are made up of non-music videos, it makes sense that BeatSense allows you to organize crates of songs. This feature wouldn’t make sense on JQBX, because the Spotify playlist features are all you need. But for most people, creating extensive YouTube music playlists would clutter their YouTube experience, so all that is created within BeatSense. You can easily import a YouTube playlist into BeatSense “crates.”

I did find their queue manager more awkward than that of JQBX. You can select songs and move them to the top of the queue, but after each song, it jumps back to the top, which means a lot of scrolling. Despite having a web app, the queue is just as tiny as it would be on mobile—and there’s no scroll wheel. I was able to navigate the queue by clicking on any song and using arrows or Page Up and Page Down. You also can’t grab songs and move them around manually.

WHAT SETS BEATSENSE APART

If the interface isn’t as good, why

recommend it? The reason is that music sharing is best when your friends join you, and BeatSense makes that easier than their competitors. The BeatSense developers put the music at the forefront, and this gives you an advantage when trying to grow your community.

For example, the other apps allow you to share your room, which results in your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram friends getting an ad for an app—not very inviting. Whereas in BeatSense, when you share the room on external social platforms, it shows you an image and title of the song that was playing at that time. You can also share individual songs, and they can be played without forcing the person to install anything.

Friends are more likely to click on a song than an ad for an app, and you’re more likely to share if your posts are about music, rather than spamming your friends to join your channel. The social share has a web player and pulls from YouTube, so your friends can listen without signing up.

BeatSense also has the most expanded gamification system. You get points for logging in daily and the system keeps track of—and gives kudos for— songs that have never been played on BeatSense before. Every room autogenerates a list of the top DJs and most-popular songs for that channel. BeatSense jumps into the chat with little facts about the songs that are being played. All these things get people excited to want to share and participate more.

Finally, BeatSense has the most active support of all the music apps. I can’t stress how important this is. On a site in active development, people have faith that if features are lacking it is just a matter of time before they get them because the experience is actively being improved. A real person responds to feature request emails, and they take them seriously. The community feels heard and supported and that makes them more likely to

keep coming back...and for the site to keep on existing.

Many of the communities on BeatSense are pilgrims from other music sites that didn’t last. Lack of support makes users feel like the site could be close to its end, so why bother? Whereas the first night I was on BeatSense, I made a suggestion in chat, and the woman I was chatting with submitted a feature request on my behalf. BeatSense had updated their site to implement my suggestion the very next day!

If you don’t have a group of friends who are already eager to throw an online music party, BeatSense might be the best app to get your friends on board.

Other Apps to Consider

We looked at a lot of options to research this article, but at Rare we stay focused on people, places—and in this case—apps that stand above the rest. But if either of these apps

isn’t right for you, or if you want to do your own research, here are the other options we considered.

Vertigo is feature-rich and similar to JQBX, but we had technical difficulties with it. More importantly, being mobileonly was a barrier to getting friends to try it out. Qurus also functions similarly to JQBX but lacks most of the features of the other apps. Plug. dj had once been popular, but lack of support means their numerous technical difficulties are not being addressed. Blip.fm is good if you want something that works with both Spotify and YouTube, but the music doesn’t play simultaneously. If you want the best approximation of Turntable.fm (complete with dancing avatars), check out Aux Party.

Tips for Throwing an Online

Music Party Worth Repeating

Regardless of which app you choose, here are some guidelines on how to throw a killer stay-at-home music party.

Set a Date and Make an Invite

Though you can go online and listen to or share music all day and all night, if you want to get your friends involved, it’s important to set a time and date. If your friends are on Facebook, create a Facebook invite. Your friend will be more likely to take the time to sign up if they see it as an organized event. Having an established timeframe will ensure your friends will be there at the same time.

Many people like to mentally prepare if they are going to do something social, even if it is only online. Give people at least a week’s notice. They may want to check out the app in advance as well. Follow up with your besties to make sure they will be in attendance. A great way to do this is to talk about the music you want to share for their particular tastes.

Plan for Technical Glitches

Let people know you’re going to make yourself available to help people figure out the app. If someone has difficulty, share the fix with everyone, without naming the person who had trouble. All of the apps I tested ran into some technical failures at some point. Even if the app functions perfectly, you may have issues with your wifi or your sound that are unrelated to the app. Be patient. The more time people put into figuring out the site, the more likely they are to come to your next music party.

Use the Chat

Comment on people’s songs. Ask questions. Introduce people who may not know each other IRL and share what they have in common. When someone first joins the room, say hello and ask them how their day is going. Ask people what music they’re in the mood for, or what they’ve been listening to. Music is a great

conversation starter.

Choose a Theme

It may be tempting to think that “anything goes” gives people more freedom. But it can be jarring to jump from thumping dubstep to sixties folk to metal. Even if you don’t want to restrict by genre, if you have a theme, DJs can be answering a more specific question than “what should I play next?”

For example, a theme like Your 2020 Favorite Songs or Forgotten Gems will produce better and more interesting playlists than no theme. The theme gives people clear expectations of what they might hear at the party. It makes planning for the party more fun, as you can share song ideas and images to set the mood. Share a surfer gif to remind friends about your 60s garage rock party or images from retro sitcoms for your 80s party.

Finally, having a theme can give the audience a sense of context. Do you want people dancing? Throw a bangers party. Do you want your friends to have a chilled out session with music and conversation? Choose a theme like Chillwave Beach Jam or Cocktails and Chill. Set the scene.

Try Out the App First

Spend a few days getting to know the website you’ll be using for your music party. You want to know what the process is going to be like for your friends getting on board. If they need to install an app, you want that clear from the get-go so they don’t get annoyed and frustrated. Create and customize your profile and your room.

Before you even set up your room, go into some of the public rooms: listen to some tunes, try out the chat, and—if you’re feeling bold—jump into the DJ queue. Add music to your queue. You don’t want to be figuring out how it works while also trying to host your party. And once you start sharing music, you just might get hooked!

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