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Les Rencontres d'Arles 2009: Nan Goldin
The main curator this year at Arles was Nan Goldin who invited many people to participate in the exhibitions. Stepping aside from books for a moment I need to address the main installation of her own work. It took place in a former church where upon entering, one was faced with a set of black stairs leading up to a scaffold and into a balcony-shaped darkened room about 15 feet off the floor and facing out at three projection screens. A dim light shown down on an installation of an actual bed upon which was a nude form that was supposed to be Nan partially covered by a blood spotted sheet. Next to the bed was a night-table covered with cigarettes, papers and cans of diet Coke. The dummy was embarrassingly amateurish and laughable in its realization. So much so that I had a moment where I just wanted to leave but the slides started and the the descent into Nan's personal hell intervened. The story was about her sister Barbara Holly Goldin who committed suicide at 19 and Nan's own later battle with drugs, depression, and dysfunction all narrated in her sluggish monotone.
This was not work from Ballad but mostly photographs from the Goldin family albums aside her more recent work and videos describing her trips to rehab and self-mutilation with burning cigarettes on her arms. Along with the projected photos and narration, Goldin and her collaborators on the slideshow decided to include sound effects to add to the experience. Unfortunately there was NOTHING in this installation that did not reek of trivial art school melodrama - from the use of religious imagery and paintings that opened the show, to the bad videos that littered the screens. The most infuriating of all is that Nan's incompetence at creating anything beyond cliche was actually an offense to the memory of her sister whom she obviously loved and wanted to tribute with this work.
Depression and suicide are very complex issues which in her hands were completely boiled down to their lowest common denominator. This was a piece that used the loss of a life to push obvious buttons and trigger emotion through shock tactics. At times I almost laughed out loud at the points when she was trying the hardest. The soundtrack reenacted argument between mother and daughter (Mother: "You fucking little slut"... Daughter: "You bitch I hate you!") and a father's desperate howl after learning of the death of his daughter amounted to nothing a badly done radio play.
The most obnoxious aspect from which I lost all respect for her and her collaborators were the photos and videos of Nan's self-mutilation by burning her arms with cigarettes. Obviously these people who assisted on the making of this slideshow could care less about her as if someone I cared about came to me asking if I would film or photograph them driving burning cigarettes into their arms I would have the ethics and morals to say NO. I won't partake in documenting self-destructive behavior especially when my participation could be mistaken for encouragement. And just to head off people claiming that these were shot by Nan herself, some were not and certainly the hand-held videos weren't either. If that weren't enough she decided it best to flog her own dead horse with a soundtrack over the images of Johnny Cash's cover of the Nine Inch Nails song Hurt. The Nan Goldin music video of self destruction and idiocy.
At the end, a triptych of overexposed flowers waving in the wind with a photo of her sister's grave in the middle frame and a dedication to all the people who suffer from depression or have committed suicide amounted to a poor public service announcement. This was quickly followed by a roll of credits. CREDITS! Every memorial needs them. Their presence alone robbed this "piece" of the ounce of power it had since it quickly directed the attention of the viewers towards its play-acted triviality. In identifying so strongly its construct, it leaves little at stake for those that actually stayed for the entire length.
Why she feels the need to expose all of her internal pain and suffering may actually derive from a true place such as it did when she was working on Ballad, but I feel a forced strategy at work here that is pointlessly self-indulgent. Her work is a diary of sorts so self-indulgence is acceptably part of the mix but with this later work she seems to have left the circle of collaborators which was so integral to fuel her instincts to document.
Just to be clear, it isn't my difficulty with facing what she is trying to evoke nor a desire to conceal the world's pain but simply her methods are not sound. The difficulty of her current work was that 22 years ago it seemed to be at the forefront of a new direction for the medium but the continuance has never been as white hot as in Ballad. In my opinion, much of her later work greatly tarnishes the former and this 39 minute slideshow / installation does the worst service to her oeuvre.
For all this I say it is truly sad to see that life is so difficult and painful for Nan Goldin and I wish her refuge somehow. Perhaps the trappings of fame add to a desire for acceptance through exposing that pain and this is why she insists on showing us her misery. For us viewers we should ask why is it necessary for us to pay attention, it certainly isn't for the photography which currently is haphazard, repetitive and mostly superfluous when parked next to Ballad. What I saw directed on the screen was an unsophisticated melodrama which cost me 39 minutes of my life and left me no desire to ponder any deeper questions that might have arisen out of this spectacle. The Nan Goldin dummy should have warned me to dash for the exit yet I stayed and will be forever weary of peeking into her disaster of a life.


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The 6th agrofood West Africa all set for growth in 2019
Together with its partner event plastprintpack West Africa the show is scheduled for 10 to 12 December 2019 at the Accra International Conference Centre. Agrofood West Africa covers the entire value chain, from field to fork, consisting of the three sub-brands agroAgroTech West Africa, food + bev tec West Africa and food + hospitality West Africa.
Agrofood is West Africa's 6th international trade show on agriculture, food processing & packaging, ingredients, bakery & confectionery and food & hospitality.
The 2019 event features five official country pavilions, namely from China, Germany, France, Netherlands and Turkey.
In connection with a strong institutional support both in West Africa and internationally as well as an excellent conference program a successful show is guaranteed.
As an exhibitor or visitor you are allowed to communicate and to arrange business meetings before, during and after the event with our interactive platform.
The entrance is free of charge for trade visitors!
Follow the link to pre-REGISTER NOW or book your stand: https://www.agrofood-westafrica.com/agrofood-westafrica0.html
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Mormons and Lutherans wage battle in Woodstock, Virginia
On Oct. 27, members of the Emanuel Lutheran Church of Woodstock, Va., and the local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints waged an epic 90-minute battle on a Virginia field.
But it wasn't a fight over doctrine or dogma, it was a contest of bats, balls and line drives. It was the historic first game of softball between two congregations that learned an important lesson about service, worship and unity.
There are no tryouts on the team of Christianity. All are welcome.
Recently the two churches agreed to play a friendly game of co-ed softball under the inspired leadership of Lutheran Pastor Nathan Robinson and the local branch president of the Mormon congregation, Judson Rex. They set a date, chose a field and began spreading the word throughout their respective memberships.
Because our Mormon congregation doesn't have a regular team, unlike the talented Lutherans, there were some concerns about getting enough players on a busy fall afternoon, particularly with Hurricane Sandy chugging our way. The fears were unfounded; our team had so many players we had to rotate in and out to give everyone a chance to participate.
To our surprise, we didn't just have more than enough players, we also had family and friends who came to cheer on both sides. When we realized the Lutheran team needed one more woman to meet the co-ed rule, one of our ringers, Penny Dalton, volunteered to play for them. She more than pulled her weight at the plate and at second base, catching a tricky pop up Jackie Robinson-style and slugging like Babe Ruth during his prime.
One of our full-time volunteer missionaries, Elder Chanse Dahl from Elko, Nev., pitched the first several innings for the Mormon squad and Pastor Nate pitched for his side. We didn't count balls and strikes, and everyone had as many chances as it took to put the ball in play.
There wasn't one dispute or controversy, and though there were plenty of foul balls, there was no foul language. We enjoyed some good-natured ribbing, but the ribs were doused by countless compliments about long bombs and great fielding.
Every pitch, every swing and every rounding of the bases was the model of sportsmanship.
The Lutherans pulled away in the late innings and won 16-6 on the strength of several monster hits that soared so high they required clearance from air traffic control. After the final out, as is custom, the teams lined up and shook hands across the infield. That's where most probably thought the day would end, but Pastor Nate had other ideas. He invited the teams and their families to reassemble for two quick closing prayers.
He prayed first, eloquently thanking Heavenly Father for the opportunity to play together and enjoy the beautiful day and the earth God has given us. President Rex prayed second, echoing Pastor Nate and recognizing the Lord's role as the Savior of us all.
They were two good men, two prayers but just one God. I was touched at how both leaders ended their prayers in the name of Jesus Christ. With each "Amen," the sweet presence of the spirit was as obvious as the wind that swept across the infield.
After the prayers we took a group photo, shook hands a final time and said our goodbyes. Some of the children stayed and took turns batting and being chased around the bases by their dads and siblings. No one seemed overly eager to let the afternoon slip into evening or slide the memory to the back of our minds.
When the parking lot finally emptied, I drove home and set my hands to other Saturday responsibilities. But my mind remained back at the ballpark.
In a divided world, for a few hours, two congregations witnessed the goodness that lives within all followers of Christ, no matter what pew they choose to sit on. Members of both faiths love their families, cheer for all, pray to the same God in the name of the same Lord and serve their brothers and sisters of all faiths.
Without question, obviously members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and members of Emanuel Lutheran Church do not share identical beliefs, just as neither faith agrees with every single tenet of other churches. But don't we agree on more than enough to love one another, to respect one another and to serve one another?
One day the score will be forgotten and few will remember how many hits they had or what highlight-worthy plays they made in the field. Once again, no one will have counted balls or strikes because, in the end, it's only the effort that matters.
What will be remembered is who showed up to play and, more importantly, that as Christians, we know we're all playing on the same team.
And, honestly, aren't we playing for the same coach, too?


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Other Technical Reports (OSRIN)
The Oil Sands Research and Information Network is pleased to act as the distribution centre for oil sands environmental research and policy reports prepared by other organizations. Providing public access to these important documents allows greater awareness of the scientific and policy work supporting oil sands development and management.
Items in this Collection
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GHG Emissions from Oil Sands Tailings Ponds: Overview and Modelling Based on Fermentable SubstratesDownload
Burkus, Z., Pletcher, S., Wheler, J.
Surface mining of Alberta bitumen is probably the biggest mining operation in the world. It has a significant environmental footprint with about 840 km2 total active footprint in 2012 and 895 km2 in 2013 (Fig 1) (AESRD 2014). Of this area, tailings ponds covered 239.3 km2 in 2013...
1 - 1 of 1


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Christopher D. Carter (born November 25, 1965) is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles (1987–89), the Minnesota Vikings (1990–2001) and the Miami Dolphins (2002).
After starring for the Ohio State University Buckeyes, Carter was drafted by the Eagles in the 4th round of the 1987 NFL supplemental draft. While in Philadelphia, head coach Buddy Ryan helped to coin one of ESPN's Chris Berman's famous quotes about Carter: "All he does is catch touchdowns." He was let go by Ryan in 1989, however, due to off-the-field issues. Carter was signed by the Vikings and turned his life and career around, becoming a 3 time All-Pro and playing in 8 straight Pro Bowls. When he left the Vikings after 2001, he held most of the team career receiving records. He briefly played for the Dolphins in 2002 before retiring.
Since retiring from the NFL, Carter has worked as an analyst on HBO's Inside the NFL, ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown, and online at Yahoo Sports. He also works as an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, where his son plays wide receiver.


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When you spend your life making the world's finest gourmet cheesecake by hand, there's always something special going on. Take a look at what's going on in our kitchen, our shop, our offices, at our Cheesecake World Cafe and — soon, we hope — something going on that you will be a part of, too. To learn about events, promotions, and other breaking news:
Download a printable September 2019 Calendar and October 2019 Calendar for our Chicago Bakery Café!


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OFFICE PROFILE Phikdelphia
In Philadelphia three hundred years
of history are as real as the old narrow
streets in the Society Hill section
with ruts worn in the cobblestones
by the horse-drawn carriages and
wagons of long ago, as real as the
Liberty Bell, Independence Hall or
nearby Valley Forge. On a mild autumn
morning, as traffic builds on the pikes,
expressways and highways leading into
the city, oars dip and sweep, occasionally
catching the sun, as sculls glide
through the morning mist on the
Schuylkill River.
At Penn's Landing on the Delaware
River the wooden-hulled, square-rigged
Gazela Primeiro, built in Portugal in 1883
as a fishing boat and still virtually as
sound as the day she was launched,
dreams under a warm sun of voyages
lasting up to six months on the Grand
Banks off Newfoundland. Berthed
nearby, aging veterans for children of a
newer age to stare and wonder at, are
*• i^- '*J
• m


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Springdale officials decide to build two new roundabouts
Springdale city council met Tuesday at 6pm and decided putting Roundabouts off of Don Tyson Parkway and Hylton in Springdale. A second roundabout will be built off of Don Tyson and Habberton Road. City council members said it's the best option.
The city council was sold on the roundabout idea when they saw Engineer Terry Carpenter's video about roundabouts.
"We have to respect how it's designed and how it's operated if we do that it can be a safe environment," said Carpenter.
Some city leaders said they had questions because the roundabouts will be close to schools.
"People are always concerned about pedestrians especially children especially near a school zone and also because they would remove the stop signs that would allow the children to cross freely," said Carpenter.
Carpenter said roundabouts actually keep traffic going while letting cars yield to pedestrians. With the roundabout Carpenter said pedestrians only have to worry about one direction of traffic instead of two.
A roundabout normally seems dangerous because people at first don't know how to use it said Carpenter.
" The kids, the parents, the people, the drivers they make it to where it's safe or not safe and how they learn and respect the criteria of the usage of the roundabout," said Carpenter.
The next step is for city engineers to come up with design plans for the roundabouts and bring it to the council.
City Engineers said building both roundabouts would cost close to $400,000


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Kumari has taught in private schools, public school systems, museum schools, co-operative artist communities and in her own studio, and ran summer camps for children of all ages.
MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts, Goddard College
Master of Social Work, University of Michigan
MA in Art Education, Rhode Island School of Design
BA in Art, College of Mount St Joseph
Juris Doctor, University of Toledo
Personal Statement
I see vivid connections between the artist and the schools. I see creative intelligence as essential for learning across the curriculum. I have been an art teacher, licensed in K-12, for my 32 years now past college graduation. I have taught in private schools, public school systems, museum schools, co-operative artist communities and in my own studio I ran summer camps for children, all ages.
Artistic intelligence for me embodies who I am and how I hope my Goddard students reflect and develop into professional teachers. Generally, I work with our Goddard students who wish to become art teachers, however, I do advise others who look to integrate learning within the arts into their plans for teaching.
I see teaching as a solid profession where compassion, creativity, sensible values and work ethics merge. The best teachers are those who take time to develop their inner lives and reflect upon their passion. Teachers are called to teach yet the skills to teach can be developed over time, with patience, communication and mentoring. My work in Teacher Licensure allows me to cross lines of structured learning with reflective and individualized student journeys.
I found my way to Goddard in 2002. I came first as a student in Education. I knew that my journey was destiny here in this small central rural area of Vermont. It held promises for me as an educator and artist. I left Ohio soon after I was hired on our faculty in 2006. These beautiful rolling hills of Vermont offered a perspective on self, family and art that I truly needed. It was refuge. There was hope in this landscape. I love my teaching and my connection to art and education and helping my students to become teachers. It was a role I had always imagined I could do but it took Goddard to help me believe in myself.
Now I live in Strafford, Vermont, in the middle of the woods among 50 acres, in the Upper Valley area, a great location to reach all central cities in New England. Yet, I maintain my connection to my former community of Cabot, Vermont, which sits on the edge of the Northeast Kingdom, and it is a place of sustenance and love. I still have my old Cabot farmhouse, always in transition stages where I brought my five children to be raised in a flavor of progressive learning, values and constant change. Now the house is being reconstructed by my older son, in a flavor of re-creating its history, its honor and its sense of place in Cabot.
In addition to my art and Goddard teaching, I teach yoga in my studio in Strafford, Kumari Studios, and look to my yoga practice on and off the mat to guide my mindful attendance in life. My home is my canvas yet I also paint on stretched canvas, wood, walls and any surfaces that allow me self-expression.
I begin with images of the land, the mountains, the skies that go on forever. Then I take those images and distort them with my palette knives. I begin to blend and scrape the paint, layer upon layer. I blend and intersect colors until gradually they lose a singular definition and adopt new meaning in color and space on the canvas. Certain shapes emerge. Other shapes are unidentifiable. The painting screams of a timeless loss of form.
I encourage my Goddard students to share their art with others and me, and I demand that my students, who are becoming art teachers, never forget their own artistic practice. That gift of creative expression, in whatever form it survives, will give them the perspective to work in any setting with students, in a process-based or discipline based art curriculum.
Goddard College will change you if you chose to come here. It has changed me and made me find stronger, more compassionate and courageous paths as an educator. It is about taking risks and going deeper inside your capacities than you were ever asked to reach. Your work here will position you as a teacher who changes the way others think about themselves and learning on local as well as global levels.


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Traveling Highway 20 in Cherry County, Nebraska
An arrow indicates the approximate location of Arabia.
Note: This is another of those long posts that Isaac is always warning me about. He says that people hate to read them. Sorry. I have to write them anyway!
When I was a child, we traveled Highway 20 in and through Cherry County, Nebraska, fairly often. Usually we were going to Valentine to the salebarn or to a tractor dealer, or we were driving across Cherry County on our way to visit my grandma and aunt at Gordon.
To this day, Highway 20 is the main road across northern Nebraska from Sioux City on the east to Harrison on the west. Several years ago, I drove Highway 20 from Gordon to O'Neill with much nostalgia. The miles flew by!
The miles didn't go so quickly when I was a child. It was roughly a hundred long, boring miles from one end of Cherry County to the other, and Valentine was the halfway point. A few tiny cowtowns lay along the way, but the scenery was mostly Sandhills pastures with occasional barbed wire fences, windmills and cattle.
The merchants of Valentine deserve credit for trying to encourage weary travelers like myself. All through Cherry County along Highway 20, they posted red, heart-shaped road signs at two mile intervals. Each sign told the remaining distance to Valentine. The name of the sign's sponsor was posted on a small rectangular sign below the heart.
Going to Valentine, I could read the signs to see how much distance remained, and driving away from Valentine, I could turn around backwards and read the signs to see how far we had traveled away from Valentine. It was a bit of entertainment on a long road.
One of the landmarks along the way between Johnstown and Valentine was the Arabia Ranch. The Arabia Ranch was named for the Arabia railroad station that stood along the CNW train tracks, a mile or two across the meadow from the ranch headquarters.
The Arabia Ranch headquarters looked like a little village. There was a large house where the ranch owner lived with his family. A short distance away, a dozen or more small houses and bunkhouses were occupied by the hired men and their families.
In the 1950's-early 1960's, Johnny Drayton and his family lived in the big house. Johnny Drayton ran Angus cattle on the Arabia Ranch, and when he sold his herd in the 1960's, my dad bought a couple pens of cows at the auction. Those cows was known as "Drayton cows" for as long as they were in my dad's herd. The cattle in my brother's herd still carry some of the genes of the Drayton cows. But I digress.
A bit to the west of the ranch buildings, a small reddish brown building stood by the railroad tracks. That was the Arabia railroad station. The train didn't stop at Arabia unless it was notified to do so, and the station hadn't been staffed for a long time (if it ever had been).
Beside the little building, there was a large set of cattle pens and loading chutes. They bore witness to early days when ranchers drove their cattle to Arabia and kept them in pens until the train arrived. Then the cattle were loaded into boxcars to go to market at the Sioux City or Omaha Stockyards. The rancher might get on the train too, to make sure the cattle received proper care along the way and to see what price they would bring.
I remember that the paint was peeling on the railroad facilities at Arabia. Cattle shipment had been the main function of the Arabia train stop, and those days were drawing to a close by the 1950's. Most ranchers were sending their cattle to local salebarns in semi-trucks rather than to distant markets in railroad cars.
Along Highway 20 in the area of the Arabia Ranch, there were several large signs made of two boards nailed to two fence posts. The top board said "Thro No," and the bottom board said "Cigarettes." The message reflected the fear of prairie fire that every Sandhill rancher shares. A smouldering butt can ignite dry prairie grasses! I don't know why they left off the "w", and I'm not sure if the signs were placed by a rancher or by a cattlemen's association.
When I drove across Cherry County on Highway 20 several years ago, the heart-shaped Valentine signs were gone, and so were the cryptic warnings to careless smokers. The Arabia Ranch is still there, but its village is much smaller than it was in the mid-1900's. The little Arabia railroad station and its stockyards have been torn down, and even the railroad has been completely removed.
Now, the Cowboy Trail follows the railbed of the old Chicago and Northwestern Railroad alongside Highway 20. The 18-mile section from the Arabia Ranch to Valentine is open for hiking. Many of the things I've written of here are just ghosts along its way.
Until I was 6, we lived 10 miles south of Johnstown (north of Lakeland).
Map images in this post were made from an 1895 map of Nebraska I found in a list of maps at the NeGenWeg Project.
Related post:
More about Arabia, Nebraska


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Holiday Inn Manhattan-Financial District
Holiday Inn Manhattan-Financial District
99 Washington Street
99 Washington Street
New York, New York
United States
Check In: 3PM
Check Out: 11AM
Check-in Age: 21
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NYC Skyline Views from Our Financial District Hotel
Discover quiet comfort and well-appointed cozy guest rooms with beautiful city views when you stay at the Holiday Inn ® Manhattan – Financial District.
Located in the heart of New York City, our hotel is located in the Manhattan Financial District and just blocks away from the 9/11 Memorial Museum in Lower Manhattan. Business travelers and guests will enjoy quick convenience to the Wall Street and New York Stock Exchange and tourists attractions like the Statue of Liberty and Battery Park.
Our Manhattan hotel features 50 floors and 492 rooms. Relax in "The City that Never Sleeps" in our magnificently appointed guest rooms, with luxurious bedding, an in-room coffeemaker and flat-screen TV. Guests can also utilize our state-of-the-art Business Center and your very own in-room desk and high-speed Wi-Fi.
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Standard Wireless Internet service is included for all guests.
Shuttle/ Parking
- Self-Parking Fee: 38 USD
- 24-hour off-site parking at GGMC Parking lot at 37 3rd Place for a daily reduced fee of $38 including tax. No in and out access. $15 applies to oversized SUV vehicles. They cannot accomodate vehicles larger than SUV's.
Pet Policy
- No pets allowed
- Service Animals Allowed
- Only service animals are permitted.
Languages Spoken by Staff
Credit Cards
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- Number of Floors: 50
- Total Number of Rooms: 492
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Accessible Hotel Areas
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Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Ramp Access
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- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel


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Fire Union: Proposed budget violates contract
Judge hears testimony in Fire Union-city lawsuit
A Douglas County judge and witnesses heard four hours of testimony and argument Wednesday over a lawsuit between the city of Omaha and the Fire Union dealing with the city's budgeting process for next year.
The Fire Union is asking for a temporary injunction to stop the layoffs and idled vehicles that are part of Mayor Jean Stothert's 2014 proposed budget.
The proposal calls for those cuts to help meet a $90.6 million budgetary target, but the union argues the cuts decrease public safety and violate its contract.
The union argues the cuts would violate National Fire Protection Association rule 17-10, which includes standards for response times.
In court, the union asserted that under the new contract, the city is obligated to comply with that rule, but the city's not complying with it currently. It said the proposed budget would pull the Omaha Fire Department even further from compliance.
The city said it's not meeting the objectives set forth in 17-10, but that doesn't mean it's not complying with it. The city argued that it is taking steps toward compliance and the lawsuit is premature, since the mayor's budget is simply a proposal, not set in stone.
Both Stothert and Fire Chief Mike McDonnell declined to comment on the lawsuit Wednesday.
Judge James Gleason said he will have a decision as soon as possible.
Gov. Dave Heineman said he hopes the Fire Union and Fire Department will work with Stothert. He said he understands the union's claims but hopes taxpayers' money is being used wisely.
"I appreciate where they're coming from, but the taxpayers also have a significant responsibility here. They want their tax dollars used wisely and when their income doesn't go up, then they have to cut back. I think the mayor is trying to do that in a prudent way, and I applaud her for that," Heineman said.
The union filed a grievance with OFD administration, asserting that the city violated the contract by not adhering to NFPA 17-10. It's unclear if that'll have any bearing on the decision.
The City Council will hold a public hearing on each city department Aug. 6 and on the proposed budget Aug. 17.
The council is set to vote on the budget Aug. 27. If Stothert has any vetoes, she will have to submit them before Sept. 10 when council sets the levy.


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Enhanced romance / The G-Shot -- Is it the latest panacea to improve your love life?
Karen Roberts scheduled an appointment with her plastic surgeon at the end of a long day. The 22-year-old student at Solano Community College attended morning classes, caught up with homework and took her 4-year-old daughter to a matinee.
By 4 p.m. she sat inside Dr. Justin Salerno's office, readying to become the surgeon's first patient to receive an injection called a G-Shot, also known as G-spot Amplification. With a 3 1/2-inch needle, Salerno would pump a small dose of collagen into his patient's Grafenberg Spot and make it swell to the size of a quarter.
The G-spot has been the subject of lore and controversy since it was first identified in 1950 by the German gynecologist Ernst Gräfenberg. Some sexologists believe the small area behind the pubic bone and accessible through the anterior wall of the vagina is an erogenous zone that when stimulated leads to heightened sexual arousal and powerful orgasms. Others dispute the zone's very existence, arguing that studies have turned up no scientific evidence of the G-spot's location, or only highly questionable results.
In the case of Roberts (a pseudonym used at her request to protect her privacy), she was unsure whether the G-spot existed, and if it truly held the key to a vibrant sex life. But she was willing to find out.
"If I could come home like my husband, have sex and feel that release," Roberts said before her appointment, "I'd be one happy woman. But instead I come home, I spend all this time concentrating, hoping something will happen and I just end up frustrated."
The procedure, which has been performed on approximately 250 women nationally in the past two years at a cost of $1,850 each, appealed to Roberts because she felt life's rigmarole had left her fatigued by the end of the day, hardly in an amorous mood. Even when she felt the surge of excitement, reaching an orgasm was a time-consuming endeavor that took more effort and energy than she and her husband had to offer.
If the arrival of the G-Shot sounds like an easy fix to an age-old dilemma, it's also viewed by sexologists and academics as a reminder that in today's post-Viagra world, a dynamic sex life has become a cultural expectation. The focus on orgasms -- great, multiple, easily attainable -- has been in full swing since the sexual revolution of the 1960s, but it has reached a fevered pitch in recent years, sociologists and sex researchers say, now that billions of dollars are spent on medical and pharmaceutical remedies that promise sexual enlightenment in a single pill or, in the case of the G-Shot, a single injection.
In Vacaville, a bedroom community of 97,000, Roberts may have been the first to sign up for the new procedure, but she probably won't long be the only woman to have done so.
The G-Shot was invented and trademarked in 2005 by Dr. David Matlock, a Los Angeles gynecologist and plastic surgeon. Matlock had performed every G-Shot injection from his Sunset Boulevard office until early April, when he shipped his trademarked G-Shot kits to 35 associates, including Salerno, across the country. The package included a 30-minute instructional video, the FDA-approved collagen dosages and brochures that hail the procedure as a "revolutionary scientific breakthrough."
Within a week of placing the brochures on display at his office, six patients had scheduled consultations, Salerno said.
Roberts, who has also had work done on her lips and thighs, said the procedure offered her a chance to change her life. The failed attempts at satisfactory sex with her husband had diminished her sex drive overall, she said, and had triggered a deeper tension in the relationship.
"If you have more orgasms, you'll want more sex," Roberts said. "And if you're 22 and your sex drive is going down, then you better do something to bring it back up."
Salerno's office is located just across the street from an immaculate city park. The 52-year-old surgeon from Pennsylvania chose to set up shop in Vacaville two years ago because he saw it as the last affordable suburb in the Bay Area with a high potential for clientele growth.
An ob/gyn for 25 years, Salerno has delivered, by his count, 6,000 babies. But a little more than two years ago, while in bed watching a late-night episode of "Dr. Beverly Hills 90210," an E! Channel show that featured Matlock's plastic surgery, Salerno became intrigued. He was looking for a new career path; the artistry behind Matlock's "aesthetic gynecology" led him to what he now calls, "my true calling."
Within months, Salerno had visited Matlock's newly opened Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of America in Los Angeles, where the doctor, in addition to inventing the G-Shot, has become the most renowned practitioner in a small but incrementally growing field. In 2005, the first year the American Society of Plastic Surgeons kept statistics on vaginal alterations, 79 women had work performed on their genitals. Last year, the number rose to 1,030. Sandy Gart, 56, a Southern California nurse who was one of Matlock's first G-Shot recipients, said she got the injection to rekindle her sex drive. Gart said it worked so well, she's had three more injections; the collagen reabsorbs into the body within four months, and Matlock says 60 percent of his patients have returned at least once.
"It was good the first time, and it's kept on working," Gart said.
Matlock, from his home in Los Angeles, said he'd performed liposuction on women for 19 years while listening to hundreds complain about the appearance of their genitalia. One woman had asked if there was anything he could do to tighten the skin around the vagina; Matlock obliged, and six weeks later, the couple thanked him.
"That's when I modified my thoughts," Matlock recalled. "I knew then I could help people enhance their sex lives, and I said, 'Let's just come out and say it.' "
Matlock opened the institute and has continued his work, enlisting associates such as Salerno, who number 150 worldwide. He has also written two self-published books, "Sex by Design," and the forthcoming "Dr. Spot," which will promote his latest technique. Matlock said he has heard plenty from critics who say his work contributes to an artificial world, in which vanity and inauthentic beauty are promoted.
"Each procedure I've developed was based on the requests from women," Matlock said. "I didn't tell them what I wanted to do. I listened to what they wanted."
As Roberts sat in Salerno's examination room, she felt a pulse of nervous energy. Even though she'd undergone plastic surgery by Salerno's hands before, she knew this procedure called for client assistance. Since the G-spot is a sensitive tissue area, Roberts would need to manually locate it and give her doctor instructions. According to Dr. Beverly Whipple, a sexuality scholar at Rutgers University and perhaps the world's most prominent G-spot expert, the small area cannot be accessed unless the woman is in a state of arousal; when the woman is excited the tissue palpitates, making the G-spot accessible.
Matlock disputed that arousal was necessary to administer his product to patients. Rather, Matlock explained, they needed to be "in tune" with the area to verbally direct the doctor. Roberts said she was relieved when she didn't have to reach arousal; she was able to direct Salerno to the area by explaining where she felt a sensation.
After Salerno numbed the area with a rub-on agent, he administered the collagen injection.
"By the time I could say 'ouch' it was done," Roberts said. "It wasn't even worth the ouch."
Although patients may feel little discomfort from the procedure, some sexologists and researchers are concerned that the G-Shot could further change the cultural standard of what is good sex. They oppose the medical intervention being sold as a "scientific breakthrough" because it is aimed not at people with clinically diagnosed sexual dysfunctions, but those who want to enhance their sex life.
"The G-Shot capitalizes on this assumed reality," said Lenore Tiefer, a psychiatrist at the NYU School of Medicine. "In the post-Viagra world there are escalating expectations, based on false and pseudoscientific information. That in itself creates a cultural insecurity around sex."
Traditionally, Tiefer said, sexual enhancement, as the G-Shot is also advertised, has been the domain of sex stores, via such merchandise as pornography and sex toys. But now, as a glorified sex life has become something of a national obsession, the role has shifted from the sex store to the doctor's office. To gather opposition around the idea that sexuality can be enhanced through medical procedures and pharmacology, Tiefer co-founded a group of academics, medical clinicians and therapists in 2002 called the New View Campaign.
Instead of doctor intervention to promote sex, Tiefer's group advocates that couples open the lines of verbal communication, or turn to talk therapy.
Debby Herbenick, a researcher at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and a New View Campaign member who studies genital health and has performed studies on Viagra, said female sexual enhancers have not been scientifically proven.
"I am open to the thought women may be enhancing their sex lives through medicine, and even surgeries," Herbenick said. "But as of yet, the research to prove any of it works is just not there."
Tiefer and Herbenick question the efficacy of the G-Shot, noting the lack of a double-blind study, which would inject some patients with collagen and others with a water solution. In sex research, Tiefer said, placebo effects are not uncommon. If a doctor tells a client she's going to have great sex after taking a shot, without a double-blind study, it's hard to tell if it's true.
Matlock said he conducted a pilot study based on a 20-person sample. He asked patients, "Did it work or did it not?" and of those who responded, he reported 85 percent said the G-Shot was successful.
But Matlock refused to share the study or make the names of participants available. He also said a double-blind study would be ineffective for the G-Shot, as the client can feel the collagen bump, while a water-based injection would merely dissolve.
To date, Matlock has not published a peer-reviewed study of any kind. He said he's gathering data to offer to medical peers and will release the findings on his Web site in coming months.
Matlock is adamant that the G-Shot is not a cure for sexual dysfunction but only an enhancer. He said Viagra gets used as an enhancement now, and he believes there's a gender-based hypocrisy in the medical establishment's rush to market drugs for males but not push through similar drugs for females.
"Women have been left behind on this," he said. "If this were a male problem, they'd call it serious research, approve it and move on."
Like Matlock, Salerno is familiar with the critics of plastic surgery and expected his new offering to draw similar complaints.
"Is it right?" he asked. "I don't know. As long as you don't become a slave to it, until there's nothing left of you as a person, then why not? Why not give yourself the things you want to be happy?" In late March, Matlock embarked on a mini-European tour to promote the G-Shot to his international colleagues. He gave a talk at the World Congress on Anti Aging in Paris, at the Plastic Surgery Society in Milan the following week and at another conference in Amsterdam the first week of April.
"Everybody is already clamoring for it," Matlock said before he left. He said he was forced to prioritize the initial G-Shot kit shipments to his associates who are registered at his institute, such as Salerno, and resisted selling the product to plastic surgeons whom he doesn't know.
"If I did, it'd be a madhouse," he said.
Gart, the 56-year-old patient who has had multiple G-Shots, said her sex life has been at a "heightened state" for the past two years and she'll gladly get more. "It makes me horny," Gart said. "It makes me want to have sex, like I did when I was younger."
After Roberts returned home, she felt giddy. The healing time for a shot is only a couple hours, and she was eager to try out her "new" body. Roberts said she was mentally prepared to experience no difference from the procedure; she didn't want to get her hopes up.
Yet three days after her appointment with Salerno, Roberts reported that her passion had returned, and then some.
Just as she hoped, she could reach climax within a few minutes, and with little effort.
"Just like a man," she said.


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Most notable additons:
- Very much improved, non-cheating AI. Sometimes experienced 4X players loose.
- Many GUI enhancements and shortcuts.
- Galactopedia expanded with game mechanics articles and many cross-links.
- Batch production of ships now possible.
- Improved sitrep notifications
- Reworked stealth and detection
- Almost everything has been enhanced, reworked, and better balanced.


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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker established a program that has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in merit raises and bonuses to some state workers even as he preached cost-cutting and pushed through a law reducing most public workers' pay and eliminating their union rights.
An analysis of data The Associated Press obtained through an open records request showed Wisconsin agencies have handed out more than $765,000 in bonuses and merit raises this year to nearly 220 employees.
The awards are meant to reward stellar performance. But they come as the state faces a $143 million shortfall and after thousands of state workers took pay cuts through provisions in the collective bargaining law requiring them to contribute more to their pensions and health care.
Walker, who faces a June 5 recall election prompted by anger over the collective bargaining law, prides himself on fiscal restraint.
The Republican governor wasn't available for comment Friday. His spokesman, Cullen Werwie, referred questions to Walker's top aide, Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch, who said the governor established the program because he felt it was important to mirror the private sector and provide rewards for outstanding work.
"It is a tool for a manager to go in and say this person truly set themselves apart," Huebsch said.
Agency managers must find the money within their own budgets, he added; the state doesn't provide money specifically for merit compensation.
Still, Huebsch said he warned agencies run by the governor's secretaries to hold off on issuing bonuses or raises at least until the fiscal year ends June 30. Most did, but the Department of Workforce Development gave raises to two workers, one in January and one in April.
Huebsch said managers asked for special permission to make the moves because they were afraid the workers were about to leave for the private sector.
Marty Beil, executive director of Wisconsin's largest state employee union, said the group has always had problems with merit pay because it smacks of favoritism and Walker's criteria are too subjective and vague. Beil also said he doesn't know where state agencies can find the money.
"If agencies are giving merit out, they're doing it at the expense of something else," he said. "They're all supposed to be in this frugal mindset, which is kind of interesting."
According to the AP analysis, 218 employees across nine agencies received raises or bonuses adding up to $765,195 between Jan. 1, when the merit program took effect, and Tuesday.
The state Department of Justice, which couldn't find enough money to fully fund services for sexual assault victims last year, was the biggest spender, giving out nearly $300,000 to 94 workers.
Assistant Attorney General Maria Lazar, who defended Walker's collective bargaining law in an open meetings challenge and has handled the state's defense of Republican redistricting legislation, got a $1,000 bonus and a $1.50-an-hour raise in March, bumping her salary by more than $3,000 to $104,730.
Deputy Attorney General Kevin St. John, who defended the collective bargaining law in front of the state Supreme Court, got a $2.51-an-hour raise in March that adds up to more than $5,000 per year and brings his pay to $134,307.
Thirty-seven DNA analysts, meanwhile, got raises worth $158,000.
The Justice Department handed out raises even after it warned budget cuts had forced it to reduce grants from its Sexual Assault Victim Services program by 42.5 percent. Walker later reduced those cuts amid an outcry from service providers.
DOJ Executive Assistant Steve Means defended the awards, saying the money came from not filling positions and the agency can't shift money from salaries to cover other expenses. Raises and bonuses are crucial to retaining star performers like Lazar and St. John, he added.
"If people understood why we're doing what we're doing, I don't think they'd be concerned about it. It's a good use of limited resources," Means said. "If Kevin St. John were to announce today he wanted to go work in private practice, he'd have at least a half-dozen law firms on the phone in 10 minutes offering him twice as much as he makes here."
The University of Wisconsin System, meanwhile, also gave out nearly $300,000 in raises and bonuses. Five employees, including a power plant superintendent at UW-Milwaukee and a UW Extension human resources manager, each received $5,520 bonuses, the largest ones anyone in state government received.
The bonuses and raises come as the system absorbs a $250 million cut in the 2011-13 state budget as well as another $46 million in additional cuts this year. Tuition has gone up by at least 5.5 percent across system campuses.
University officials have complained for years about prized faculty leaving for higher-paying positions, but professors and academic staff aren't eligible for Walker's merit program — they're covered under a separate plan. UW System spokesman David Giroux said the merit program is another way to keep other top employees and paying a few workers more isn't the reason tuition has risen.
"You're talking about people who have taken on additional responsibility and expanded work scope and in some cases getting competitive offers from elsewhere," Giroux said. "It's hanging on to the people we need to get the job done."
Former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle suspended a program in 2008 that allowed state managers to give employees bonuses or raises to keep them from leaving or to equalize their pay. Most unionized state workers weren't eligible for that program, however. Walker's program, in contrast, covers almost all other state employees.


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Spring has sprung; the bulbs are popping out of the soggy ground, peeking out of snowy mounds in some parts of the country and the cat's got that certain look in her eye. The poet's tell us in spring a young man's fancy turns to love. Since I'm neither young nor male, I can't really verify that. I do know this is the time for renewal for all of nature when that process fulfills a cycle of new birth. Bears are coming out of hibernation, perhaps stretching and yawning. Young chicks and ducklings are breaking through white and speckled shells, pecking their way into a world which will astound them and we humans are waiting for more rays to warm our fatigued selves immersing from a winter we thought had no end.
We want spring as we want healing life but deep within we wonder if we have another effort left in us. Where do we find the strength to follow this cycle again? We know the process as it has cycled around so many times, annually dependable and usually, welcome. We are tired, worn, chilled and wondering where the next day will provide the strength we need. We don't expect to leap tall buildings, capture fame nor fortune because our expectations have become more basic.
Have we grown accustomed to expecting less as we settle for desiring the basics of life like the next breath, a day or even one hour without pain and just enough courage for half a day of domestic life as it calls to us? Oh dear, the sun is shining and each ray uncovers a dust ball, a spiders web or some other mischief occurring during the winter now melting away. This season of rebirth should excite us as we plan a trip, buy a new patio chaise lounge or plan a garden of herbs or vegetables. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, we have a shorter list of what spring will bring. I often wonder, what is the difference between facing reality and giving up on a dream? I often wonder if the cycles and seasons of life will be altered in some mysterious way, just this season alone. It would prove interesting to see the cycles reversed but we know it will not be. Perhaps God in his wisdom knew we cannot take more cold, more sludge or more mud. It's not really the elements of this world that we dislike, because we know they have beauty in all stages, but it is ourselves who really frustrate us.
Our memories hurt as we recall what we once could do and can do no longer. We no longer build snowmen, stomp through mud puddles or slide down a grassy knoll on our rear pockets painting our blue jeans green and slimy brown. We've lost our childlike wonder at challenge upon challenge and now dread what must be done.
How is that renewal? Just because we have a bucket load of problems both physically challenging and mentally stressful, can't we rise to the season and embrace new life? I don't honestly know. What do you think? Can you? It is a question each of us has to answer for ourselves. Let us look at the choices before us. We can enter spring with the extra few pounds from winter, muscles a bit stale from hovering in the warmth indoors, and our spirits tightly wound; of that we are assured. But what follows is up to us, individual, different from each other and unique. Perhaps there is beauty, hope and renewal when we each search our hearts and find that individual hidden desire, dream and secret joy. What will it be? A new rose blooming on an old climber, a yard of yellow gingham, a new shirt or a trip to see a loved one; the list could be interminable.
Each of us awakened by spring face more decisions as life outside is brighter. Do we look or do we decide it isn't worth the effort. Just one little peek out a window to see a Robin on a branch can yield such a reward for a broken spirit. A fawn following his mother across a vacant forested lot can bring a zing to the saddest heart. The white roots crawling out of a pot that longs to be put into the ground have reaching tendrils like hands reaching for sun and sustenance. All of them spell life and hope.
Renewal comes for nature but will it come for you and me? It could be up to us whether to answer the knocking on the door. We may be weakened by the many forms of misery life has heaped upon us but are we truly pounded down into the floor? I don't think so because we're still alive.
It only takes one spark to build a fire and start its roar. It takes just one root looking for nitrogen to grow into a plant. A wee babe begins as a fertilized ovum and grows into a beautiful human being. I always find it amazing and life affirming to see the power of growth, cell upon cell, multiplying and dividing, building life. I planted a sad looking poppy plant three days ago and as if it was waiting to go on the stage for a performance, this morning its droopy blooms are standing erect, number fourteen in all and one has burst into a riot of orange with an ebony center. If that plant could sing, I think I would hear the Hallelujah chorus.
There is a tiny primrose that is returning for the third year. Covered and protected by brown leaves it waits and is already revealing tiny hot pink buds showing eagerness to have a taste of sunshine so it can bloom larger with each day. I wonder if we have a tiny bud growing within our spirits and painful bodies.
Once again, an effort is required by us. Since we aren't plants, bears or fawns, we have to choose; to move, to reach out, to clean, to smile and to be happy.
I suspect each of have the bud of a dream if we have the courage to look for it. It is easier to stay in the dark and the pain than to make an effort but there is life at the end of that effort…that is the reward.
Are we alive or are we dead? Can you be a little bit alive? Can you be a little bit dead? In early spring when we work in the garden, even if it is to tend only one pot, the question is constantly there. Is this alive or is it dead? We clip away the hollow dead stems, because there is no sign of life in them. Occasionally a stem has all the appearance of being dead but on the farthest end, reaching out is a new leaf or two. Let's agree, shall we, to look for those tiny buds within ourselves and to feed them with love, belief and anticipation. We are alive. Let's act like it and grasp all we can. We may have to do things differently, but that's creative. We may have pain each day, but that teaches us compassion and we may not be as we once were but we may be better.
You and I may not be frisky as a kitten but we can still shake our bootie; once or twice. We may not reach out like a mighty Oak but we can stand as tall as our bodies will allow and do our best to strengthen them. One thing we each can do, of this I am certain; we each can bloom.
Sue now has a Facebook page — check it out and "like" her now!


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Home > Prescription Glasses > Ray-Ban Junior > RY1528 (3581)
RY 1528 is available in 10 additional attractive styles
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Free outbound and return shipping
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RY1528/3581 Eyewear
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SKF Care
Sustainability is one of SKF's strategic drivers, and in our company we define sustainability with SKF Care.
This is the framework of how we operate throughout the Group. The main policy document supporting this is the SKF Code of Conduct. All other internal policies are subordinate this.
Business, Environment, Employees and Communities are the four dimensions of SKF Care. What we do creates shared value between all these dimensions.
What do you think is the most relevant topics for SKF to address? Please provide input with this 5 minute survey.
SKF's dedication to sustainable development
Business Care
Profitable growth without compromising our commitment for the environment and society.
Environmental Care
Integrating environmental lifecycle management into our core business and processes.
Employee Care
To respect and protect the rights of our employees, whilst providing them with equal opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Community Care
Our Community Care programme represents the means for us to actively engage in our communities. We believe when a society grows, SKF grows with it.
External drivers and trends
SKF's strategy is developed and refined through an understanding of the external drivers and trends which have the potential to impact our markets, regions and industries. These are some of the high level external drivers of relevance to SKF.
Including stakeholder views
SKF works in different ways to interact with key stakeholder groups. This allows us to better understand different perspectives and concerns and can respond promptly to external trends. Read here on our stakeholder engagements and materiality process.
What matters?
Sustainability? Triple bottom line? CSR? What does this mean? For SKF it starts and ends with SKF Care – including the dimensions of Business, Environment, Employees and Communities. Long-term success is about balancing these aspects properly. For SKF, all aspects needs to be considered in the decision making process.


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Great Gatherings: Backyard Fiesta
Go south of the border for a colorful outdoor party
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Recipes for This Story
Fresh Ginger-Lime Margarita
Smoked Gouda Quesadillas
Mexican Steak Salad
Tres Leches Cake with Mexican Whipped Cream
Blueberry-Sage Thumbprints
Bright colors. Bold tastes. And, oh, those Ginger-Lime Margaritas! When "entertainologist" Lulu Powers puts together a Mexican-themed party, she delivers conviviality from the joyful tablescape to the flavorful cuisine.
Avoiding cultural clichés, her table is a sombrero-free zone that pays tribute to the way "Mexican culture breathes exuberance into every element of life," Lulu explains. "A fiesta is about incorporating color and unexpected casual things, not pristine appointments," she says. That is especially true in summer.
Photography: Luca Trovato
The brightly colored table she designed complements the bright flavors of the menu she developed—the margaritas, Smoked Gouda and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas, sizzling Mexican Steak Salad, and Tres Leche Cake. She draped the table with a fringed linen tablecloth of coral, yellow, turquoise, and ecru. Dark wood service plates match the tone of the outdoor wicker furniture, setting off Lulu's turquoise-rimmed salad and dinner plates. A mix of sparkling margarita glasses ranges in style from clear modern forms to textured glass, contrasting nicely with water glasses that are embellished with patterns of gold stripes and chevrons. Fun touches include inexpensive cotton-and-bead bracelets repurposed to cinch white linen napkins with embroidered monograms.
"Instead of striving for a perfect, formal table, it's easier to take a naturally casual event and give it a little bit of sophistication," says Lulu. "A fiesta stimulates all senses with vibrancy, music, and wonderful spices. It's perfect for the laid-back attitude of summer."
Basic Goes Bold
Choose white plates bordered in accent colors, like these turquoise-rimmed pieces anchored by wood chargers from Crate & Barrel. Vintage flatware from Pearle & Pierce Home boasts resin handles.
Colorful Monograms
The preppy monogram gets a salsa lesson from Nantucket Monogram, kicking up its spirited heels in bright colors. Casual bracelets Lulu found at a discount store serve as napkin rings that guests can wear home.
Orange Aid
Creating a brilliant contrast to a turquoise vase and an art glass tumbler hand-painted with gold, Lulu arranged orange ranunculus and French tulips into a simple and striking centerpiece combo.
Signature Drinks
Choose a margarita glass that has charisma, like this vintage turquoise glass with a twisted stem and textured bowl that catches candlelight. It contrasts nicely with a gold-striped old-fashioned glass from C. Wonder.
Adjust the Thermostat
Allow guests to set the flavor thermostat themselves. Tabasco sauce in miniature bottles delivers extra heat to the quesadillas and salad. Lulu turned a sterling silver wine coaster into a tray for the diminutive bottles nestled in fragrant fresh oregano.
Whet the Appetite
Lulu chose Smoked Gouda and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas for a robust appetizer. She brushed flour tortillas with butter, baked them to achieve their golden crust, then garnished with chopped jalapeños for color and taste.
Menu & Shopping List
Entertainologist Lulu Powers creates both beautiful, festive tables and delicious recipes. You'll need to shop at a specialty grocery store, and to make the experience more authentic, visit a Mexican grocery for some of the ingredients, including the flank steak for the Mexican Steak Salad.
Fresh Ginger-Lime Margarita
Smoked Gouda Quesadillas
Mexican Steak Salad
Tres Leches Cake with Mexican Whipped Cream
Blueberry-Sage Thumbprints
Shopping List
Check your pantry for these necessary items before shopping:
- Honey (need 1 teaspoon)
- Salt (need 3-1/4 teaspoons)
- Kosher salt (need 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon)
- Ground black pepper (need 1/8 teaspoon)
- Brown sugar (need 1 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (check expiration date)
- All-purpose flour (need 2 cups)
- Eggs (need 6)
- Unsalted butter (need 1 cup + 3 tablespoons or about 2-1/2 sticks)
- Whole milk (need 1 cup)
- Canola oil (need 1-1/4 cups)
- Extra-virgin olive oil (need about 1/2 cup)
- Balsamic vinegar (need 2 tablespoons)
- Nonstick cooking spray
Specialty grocery story and/or mexican grocery
- Margarita salt such as Sel Magique's margarita salt (Sel Magique is also available online at Birchbox.
- Mexican Crema (need 1 cup)
- Ground espelette chile pepper or hot paprika (need 1 tablespoon)
- Mexican-style sweet chocolate (need 1 tablet + additional for garnish)
- Limes (need 2 per cocktail + 1 additional lime for peel and juice for the steak salad
- 1 lemon
- Kumquats (about 4 for cocktail garnish, based on 8 cocktails) and/or
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves (for cocktail garnish)
- Fresh ginger
- 10 jalapeño peppers (need 1 for steak marinade plus 9 for optional garnishes)
- 2 large red onions
- 1 medium onion
- 1 bunch green onions (optional)
- 1 head garlic (need 1 clove)
- 1 bunch mint (for steak salad)
- 1 bunch cilantro (need 1-1/4 cups)
- 4 ears fresh sweet corn
- 1 jicama
- Sliced fresh pineapple
- 5 ounces mesclun mix or spring mix lettuces
- Pear-shaped cherry tomatoes (need 1/2 cup)
- 1 avocado
- 12 strawberries (optional garnish for cake)
- Blueberries (need 50 for optional garnish for cookies)
- Hot pepper sauce
- 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (need 2 tablespoons
- 1 package (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 1 package (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 (4-serving size) package vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
- 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- Agave nectar (need 1 tablespoon)
- Blueberry preserves (need 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
Bakery aisle
- Ground cumin (need 2 tablespoons)
- Ground cinnamon (need 2 teaspoons)
- Dried sage (need 1-1/2 teaspoons)
- Dried oregano (need 1 tablespoon)
- 1 package 2-layer-size yellow cake mix
- 1 (4-ounce) bottle vanilla bean paste or vanilla (Note: vanilla bean paste will yield a richer vanilla flavor)
- 2/3 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
Meat counter
- 1 pound beef skirt steak or beef flank steak
- Orange juice (need 1 cup)
- 1 quart whipping cream (need 2-3/4 cups)
- 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream (need 1/2 cup)
Cheese counter
- 6 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (1-1/2 cups)
- Tequila (need 3 tablespoons or 1-1/2 ounces)
- Orange liqueur (need 3 tablespoons or 1-1/2 ounces)
- Ruby port (need 2 tablespoons)
- Rum (need 1 tablespoon)
Fresh Ginger-Lime Margarita
• 2 limes, juiced (1/4 cup)
• Margarita salt such as Sel Magique's margarita salt*
• 1 thin slice fresh ginger
• 1-1/2 ounces tequila (3 tablespoons)
• 1-1/2 ounces orange liqueur (3 tablespoons)
• 3-1/2 ounces water (7 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon sliced fresh jalapeño pepper (optional)
• Ice cubes
• Kumquat slices and/or fresh mint leaves (optional)
Rub rim of glasses with lime before juicing lime. Dip rim of glasses in salt to coat; set aside.
In cocktail shaker or glass jar with lid, combine ginger slice, tequila, and orange liqueur. To muddle, gently crush ginger slice with muddler or back of spoon. Add lime juice, water, agave nectar, jalapeño, if using, and ice. Cover and shake until very cold. Strain liquid into prepared glasses (over ice, if desired). Garnish with kumquat slices and/or mint leaves. Makes 2 cocktails.
*Sel Magique margarita salt is a salty-sweet blend of cracked sea salt and spices. Find it at Birchbox.
Smoked Gouda Quesadillas
Mexican Crema is close to crème fraîche in texture and flavor. Crème fraîche can be substituted or you can make your own Mexican Crema by combining 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup whipping cream.
Caramelized Onions:
• 1 large red onion, cut in thin wedges (about 3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ruby port
• 1 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
Chipotle Crema:
• 1 cup Mexican Crema
• 2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (1-1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• Minced seeded fresh jalapeño pepper* (optional)
• Grilled green onions (optional)
To make Caramelized Onions, in large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion. Cook, covered, 13 to 15 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover; cook and stir over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat. Stir in balsamic vinegar, port, and bottled hot pepper sauce. Set aside.
To make Chipotle Crema, in small bowl stir together Mexican Crema, chipotle peppers, honey, and salt; set aside.
To assemble Quesadillas, spoon 1/2 cup caramelized onions over one half of each tortilla. Top with 2 tablespoons Chipotle Crema and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Fold over unfilled side to make quesadillas.
In very large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Cook quesadillas, two at a time, 6 minutes or until browned and crisp, turning once. Place cooked quesadillas on baking sheet; keep warm in 200°F oven while cooking remaining quesadilla. Cut each quesadilla in 3 wedges. Garnish with minced jalapeño and grilled green onions, if desired. Serve with remaining Chipotle Crema. Makes 9 servings.
Because hot chile peppers, such as jalapeños, contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with chiles as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water.
Mexican Steak Salad
Espelette chile pepper is a pepper popular in the Basque region of the south of France. Ground, it is mildly hot but distinguished by a slightly smoky flavor.
Seasoning Blend:
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground espelette chile pepper or hot paprika
Marinade for Steak:
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup snipped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound beef skirt steak or beef flank steak
Orange Cilantro Dressing:
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2-cup snipped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Salad:
• 4 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
• 4 (1/4 inch thick) slices jicama
• 4 (1/4 inch thick) slices red onion
• 4 (1/2 inch thick) slices pineapple
• 5 ounces mesclun mix or spring mix lettuces
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup pear-shaped cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut up
• 3 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into bite-size strips and fried
• Jalapeño peppers, sliced (optional)
To make Seasoning Blend, in small bowl combine the salt, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, and ground espelette chile pepper; set aside.
To make marinade, in small bowl combine onion, cilantro, 2 tablespoons Seasoning Blend, lime peel, lime juice, and olive oil. Spread mixture on all sides of steak. Place steak in large resealable plastic bag set in shallow dish; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator overnight, turning bag occasionally.
To make Dressing, in small saucepan bring orange juice to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until orange juice is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Let cool. In blender or food processor combine the orange juice, cilantro, olive oil, canola oil, garlic, cumin, jalapeño, salt, and ground black pepper. Cover; blend or process until smooth.
To assemble Mexican Salad, remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. For charcoal grill, grill skirt steak on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals 6 to 8 minutes (17 to 21 minutes for flank steak) for medium doneness (160°F), turning once halfway through grilling. Add corn to grill rack, grill 10 to 12 minutes, turning frequently. Add jicama, red onion, and pineapple to grill rack. Grill 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Grill as directed.) When cool enough to handle, cut corn from cob, cut pineapple and onion into bite-size pieces, and cut jicama into bite-size strips.
Let steak stand 3 to 5 minutes; thinly slice steak across the grain into bite-size strips. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon Seasoning Blend. (Save remaining Seasoning Blend for another use.)
In large mixing bowl combine salad greens, mint, cilantro, tomatoes, corn, avocado, jicama, red onion, and pineapple. Toss mixture with 2 tablespoons Dressing. Garnish with corn tortillas and, if desired, jalapeño pepper slice. Pass remaining dressing. Makes 6 servings.
Make Ahead Tip:
The Seasoning Blend can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container up to 1 month. Dressing can be made ahead, covered and chilled up to 24 hours.
Tres Leches Cake with Mexican Whipped Cream
Mexican-style sweet chocolate is sold usually sold in tablets. Some brands, such as Nestle's, might be found in your local grocery store; but you may need to go to a Mexican grocery store. In the winter, mix the tablets with just-boiling water for a rich chocolate drink.
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 package 2-layer-size yellow cake mix
• 1 (4-serving size) package vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Whole sliced fresh strawberries (optional)
• Mexican Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
Milk Syrup:
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon rum
To make Cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch baking pan generously with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, whole milk, oil, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 2 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl (batter will be thick). Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 34 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 2 hours on wire rack in pan. After cake has cooled, poke holes all over top of cake with fork or long skewer, making as many holes as possible.
To make Milk Syrup, in medium bowl whisk together the whipping cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, kosher salt and rum. Remove and reserve 1/2 cup of milk mixture. Cover; chill until ready to serve. Spoon remaining milk syrup mixture over top of the cake, stopping to allow syrup to soak in each time. Continue until all syrup has been used. It will eventually all soak in. Cover cake loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Just before serving, spoon over reserved milk syrup mixture. Top each serving with sliced strawberry, if desired, and serve with Mexican Whipped Cream. Makes 12 servings.
Mexican Whipped Cream
• 1 tablet Mexican-style sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla
• Mexican-style sweet chocolate, shaved (optional)
In small microwave-safe bowl combine finely chopped chocolate and water. Microwave on 100% (high) power 30 to 60 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring once. Cool slightly. Place cream in bowl of food processor. Cover; process 30 seconds. Add sour cream. Cover; process 1 minute more. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate mixture. Cover; process until desired consistency. (Over-processing may cause mixture to turn to butter). If desired, shave additional Mexican-style sweet chocolate over top of whipped cream.
Blueberry-Sage Thumbprints
These sage and cornmeal cookies make a delightful take-home gift for guests.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried sage, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup blueberry preserves
• Fresh blueberries (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sage, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks, lemon peel, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour mixture as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour mixture.
Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly press tip of your thumb into center of each ball. Fill centers with about 1/4 teaspoon blueberry preserves. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire rack; cool completely. Top cookies with fresh blueberries, if desired. Makes 50 cookies.


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Up until now, Summer 2012 has been all about the florals, neons, and embellished midriff blouses. That's why the crisp white dresses we're seeing on celebs and runways are such a breath of fresh air. Here's a glimpse of the white dress trend at its best, as worn by Luxemi co-founder and style maven Swathi Narra.
It's impossible to miss the flurry of white in Summer 2012 collections, with Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, Stella McCartney and Diane Von Furstenberg all taking a reprieve from neons and florals to send white-hot gowns down the runway. Celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Kristen Stewart, Emma Stone and Nicole Kidman have all rocked white dresses this summer to keep their look light and fresh, both on and off the Red Carpet.
Want to emulate the white trend? Just follow Swathi's lead. When our resident fashionista needed a summery wedding outfit, she knew exactly what to wear: Luxemi's stunning White and Silver Gota Angrakha Salwar. The salwar has a delicate pearl border and ribbon motifs that give it a definite 1920s vibe, and Swathi played up the look's flapper qualities by pairing it with layered pearl strand necklaces and floral motif earrings. To get the look, try wearing this salwar with Luxemi's Lotus with Pearl Ball Earrings, and a set or two of these Layered Pearl Necklaces by Kenneth Jay Lane.
To polish off your "less is more" look, choose a soft, neutral-tone lipstick. Luxemi's favorite is the Nars Orgasm Multiple, which has a peachy hue and a hint of gold shimmer. (Want to take the look a step further? Check out the rest of the gorgeous Nars Orgasm cosmetic line!)
Whether you're attending a wedding or want to make a soft summer statement, a simple white dress is the perfect way to reflect your fresh, sophisticated side. Want more fashion inspiration? Check out our collection of white sarees and salwars, and watch for our new accessory line, coming to our Luxe fans this summer!


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Tours & Themes
Many of our HiPoints are linked together to form self-guided tours. The sites are linked by a common theme, or they're along a pre-defined route such as the Wales Coast Path.
You can use the menu on the left to choose a long-distance tour or to click on a county name to see the local tours available there.
How to follow a HistoryPoints tour:
- When you've read the first HiPoint page in the tour, look in the bottom right corner for the name of the tour.
- Click one of the buttons to the right to go to the next HiPoint on the tour. (The button alongside will take you back along the tour in the opposite direction.)
- You'll now see the page for the next HiPoint on the tour. If you don't know where this HiPoint is, simply click on "Where is this HiPoint?" to see it on a map.
- When you reach the next HiPoint, you can go back to the text page or scan the QR barcode at the site to read the information about that HiPoint.
- Keep clicking and moving, until you reach the end of the route or you've completed the circuit.


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Stephen R. Hickman wrote:According to M Theory, there are an infinite number of membranes beyond our universe. From time to time, two or more collide or, more accurately, interract with each other in a sort of wavy fasion. The interractions result in a Big Bang within each interracting membrane. A given membrane may have experienced several, or even several trillion, interractions, thus housing just as many universes, each with a unique set of physical laws! None of the universes, however, would displace any of the other ones, as each exist in its own "dimension". Some universes are parallel, while others are skewed!
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Open your eyes to the needs around you.
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I love the spoken word, the written word, and the everlasting Word. That God would tap a misfit like me to communicate His sticky message of love to others is proof of His amazing grace. It's my joy to help you dig up, demystify, and, debunk the tech speak so together, we can #LiveSticky online—for Him. Here's a little more of my story.
I'm a child of the liberating King; soaked in grace, living to serve, and loving others along the way. I long for the utter relief of holiness and grateful I've not been left here to get there on my own. Believing whole-heartedly that He qualifies the called, I've accepted this assignment as a digital scribe for such a time as this. Here's a little more of my story.


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As I sit down to compile my interview with Vancouver designer, Kelly Deck of Kelly Deck Design, I look outside and see a rainbow. And I think it's such a perfect symbol. Kelly's designs are definitely the pot of gold, but it's her warm personality, open approach, outlook and philosophy that radiate. It's the unique layering of colours that I'm talking about here that make Kelly Deck Design the successful firm that it is, Kelly the amazing leader behind the team of ten: the colours of the rainbow within the framework of the firm.
I have been a fan of Kelly Deck for years, and had the great opportunity to interview her while attending IDSwest in Vancouver. It is my privilege to share this interview with you, so curl up and settle in, because trust me, you won't want to miss a word of what Kelly has to share…
Without further ado please allow me to introduce the lovely Kelly Deck!
Can you tell me a little about the beginning? I know you studied at Emily Carr and then spent some time in Cardiff, but how did you end up there, and what brought you back here?
I graduated from the Emily Carr Institute in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting, sculpture, and ceramics. During my studies I was at the University of Wales studying ceramics for a year, and it was there that I really fell in love with the interface: the space between design and craft. I have always been into decorating, homes, and architecture, but where I found my love of textiles and ceramics, and how that translated to modern interiors was in Wales.
After I graduated I opened a little store on Vancouver's Main Street named Simple Design Boutique. It was my hope that people would buy my homewares, but customers started asking me to design their spaces because I designed the store and would change the look of it all the time. What's so interesting is that I worked with different artisans to create everything for the look: ceramics exclusive to the store, textiles exclusive to the store… and today I still have a relationship with most of these people, and all of our businesses have grown into something much bigger than what we had dreamed of.
Simple closed in 2005, and at that point I just had a little design firm. In the same year I got the show Take It Outside, and that was when I hired staff, and we got our first big renovation. Nobody knows this, but I literally slept in my living room because my office was in the bedroom! But because I was shooting and I had a design company, everyone thought I was a well established professional, but really I was so broke and just holding on hoping it all worked out. Which it has, and I'm really glad for that. We have a big firm now with 10 employees, we're highly technical, highly professional – the opposite from where we started.
You're known for your creative approach to West Coast Style. Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration right from the landscape. It's fairly straight forward; I don't think it's anything particularly unique, but I just spend a lot of time looking at the views around a property… the textures, the lichen, the rocks, and I take a lot of photographs of that. I draw upon that to grow a look for the interior.
In one word, what would you say best defines a Kelly Deck design? What is your Kelly 'stamp' on a design?
One of my friends was making fun of me recently because in all our company's portfolio photographs there's always a pair of shoes! That seems to happen naturally, so it does have that 'stamp'. But in terms of what our stamp is, any space we do is quiet.
Do you have a favourite design icon? If so, what is it about that person's work that resonates with you?
No, I don't have a favourite design icon. I can't follow a religion, so I don't think I can follow anyone else's style! I need to drink in the best of things and reinterpret. At the moment, in terms of who I'm inspired by, it is Piet Boon.
What would you say is the most overrated trend right now? And the biggest design faux pas?
I think the idea of trend is highly overrated. It just perpetuates buying cheap garbage and putting it out to the curb 12 months later. And so the biggest design faux pas is being trendy! I am more interested in people reconnecting with their homes, than being trendy in their homes. I just feel like we can be more intelligent than that.
Is there anything you would like to see in design that isn't currently happening? Do you have a pet peeve in the industry?
I would like to see more art and artisans within residential construction. I would like to see more investment in our homes. My pet peeve is elitism. It erodes on every level. In terms of the camaraderie of professionals, elitism limits possibilities, it limits creative potential, it limits our thinking, and it limits what we're capable of – the problems that we are capable of solving.
Inside an interior is very much the same thing. If we're being elitists with our interiors, then we're limiting the particular potential of what we can create and accomplish. The heart and the mind is missing. It doesn't take a whole lot of intelligence to be an elitist.
What are your thoughts on the current economy and its impact on design? Do you see clients making different choices? Has this had any impact on your practice?
I think about the current economy every day, especially with 10 staff who are all having families, and I'm thinking about where are we going and what are we doing, what's going to happen tomorrow. I think about the economy a lot.
What I wish would happen is that this current economic condition would force us to think about longevity and investing in quality, investing in things once or twice in a lifetime. But unfortunately in terms of the way the globe is attacking the problem, for example the bailout solution and the idea that we need consumer spending to increase to solve the problem, I think we're just chasing our tail. Ultimately, it is my optimistic hope that the current situation drives people to invest in things that will last, and to want for less, and to opt for quality in what we do have.
What is the biggest challenge for Kelly Deck Design right now? How are you dealing with it?
Our biggest challenge is keeping up with the market as it constantly changes. And growing in a way that supports and enables us creatively and financially, and the dance between those two things. More than ever I am thinking about this. We are making very conscious decisions about where we're focussing our energy, and we're talking openly and plainly about what the future would look like with the best and worst of what the future could hold. And we're adapting.
If you talk to any very successful CEO, and you ask them the key to their success, many will just tell you that it's adaptability.
What is the biggest success for your business right now? And how did that come about?
My Team is the biggest success, and that's because of our willingness to have open and tough discussions, and the willingness to grow together.
The difficult discussions are key. You have to be willing to talk about the harder, tougher stuff, and I'm really grateful to have a team that can do that. As a result our firm is doing great.
We're not lacking for work at all, but we are looking at where we are going. When you have a lot of senior people you have to grow the company, or you lose them. So we're talking about what that growth looks like, for example, how fast do we grow, what markets are we going into… It's a constant development, and the problem is, the bigger you get the harder it gets. There is a point when growth can be organic and linear, hiring people one-by-one as you need to, but I remember someone telling me 2 or 3 years ago that once you get to 10 people it mushrooms. And it's true, because that's where we are now. I can see the next growth is not small. It's not as easy as adding one more person to the team. We need to restructure our whole management group, so that's what it is for us… our greatest challenge is growing in a way that is happy and successful. And to do this successfully we talk… we seek mentors, and talk to people who know more than we do. I'm very transparent, and I'm very honest, and that's all I can do… It's important to talk about the challenges, but it's just as important to talk about the possibilities.
Where do you see the future of design on the West Coast? In Canada? What is the biggest influence on that direction?
I think we have an amazingly talented design community on the West Coast, and I think the future is in a couple of places. I think it's in intelligent, timeless design, I think it's in a holistic approach to design, and I think it's in being leaders in small space design.
What about the eco side of that?
I think eco is a really complicated topic. I absolutely believe that we should be doing as much as we possibly can to build green and sustainable homes. We also have some massive challenges with that, because at a certain point in the market it's very difficult for the average consumer to have a green home. It's things like geothermal heat, you have to hit a certain price point for the value of the house to be able to justify the investment at a time when our market is turning over faster than we can recoup the cost. So we have some real challenges with that. I think developers need to be leaders.
I feel like we have a culture of entitlement. And what I mean by that is if I buy a $500,000 condo – and we expect that, because we feel we're entitled to own a home – we think that we're entitled to have that whole house furnished within 3 weeks. So because we think we're entitled to that, it justifies us going out and buying cheap garbage that we're going to bring home, and then throw away, kitchens that we're going to rip out in 18 months… all because we have our wants right now, our insatiable desire for it, instead of having a smaller space, a higher cost per square foot, and demanding a quality that will last for a long time.
Just as an example, with my Globe and Mail column I wrote a piece about small space. There are 1100 square feet in this particular space, but this couple had downsized from their larger family home, so in their mind it is small space. I also mentioned that the home owners had bought Philippe Starck chairs and I gave the price, which is about $1000 each. They invested in furniture that they will have from now until when they die. It's the last furniture they're going to buy. That's it. But it was amazing, there were like 53 comments on this one! And they were basically saying that I don't know what small space is, that I could buy a dining room chair for $150, $1000 is crazy…
For sure, you can go to SuperStore and you can buy a dining chair for $150 because you think that's OK. And of course, I have stuff that I've had to buy cheap too, but at the same time my grandmother saved for her dining set for 4 years and she still has it to this day. That's what I mean by investing in things that will last, opting for quality like these home owners did with their chairs.
And I know it's hard for people to juggle that balance, I know it really is, but as much as you can it's important. So look at key pieces, for example, Mid-Century Modern furnishings. If you buy a Wegner chair, it's so exquisite. It was exquisite 60 years ago, it's exquisite now – that's what I mean. It's about our values around our home, and about what we purchase.
How do you feel about the influence of Social Media on the design world?
I think what social media has allowed is dialogue about design to really open up, and it's allowed for a lot of inclusion rather than elitism, so I'm an advocate for it, I think it's fantastic. And it has spread knowledge of design all over the world. But you know, on the flip side there is a lot that's being talked about that's not really design, so you have to take the good with the bad.
What would an example of that be?
I just think that there's lots of content online where there's the cheap schlock that people call design, but it's all knock-offs and cheap garbage. Or there's Debbie Decorator. So, if Debbie Decorator is good, then she's good. But there are a lot of Debbie Decorators that are not. That's the beauty of their passion, that's what they're doing. I just believe that inevitably what is good will always rise to the top, and it's important for everyone to get out there and chase their heart's desire. If it's something that's good, it will connect onto the momentum of other things that it's like, so it has a natural filtering system, and so I don't really worry about it.
Which Social Media channel do you prefer?
To be honest we tweet occasionally, and we know that our firm is so poor with social media. I have a Facebook page, but it's just for my friends. I love reading blogs. I think blogs are the most inspiring, and I spend lots of evenings reading them. I love the sheer volume of amazing images, and I love the craft movement. I'm very passionate about it, so for me that whole thing is so inspiring for design and art. I can't speak enough about it, and I write about Etsy all the time.
But our firm does not use social media as much as it could. Because we have the Globe and Mail column, and I'm so in the public all the time we don't really focus on it, but if someone on my team had the time we would. That may change in our long-term vision. The truth is, we've developed a system that is so detailed that it really consumes me. Social Media is consuming, and I already do so many things that are consuming.
If you were to recommend one investment piece, what would that be?
Anything Mid-Century Modern. But if I had to choose one… oh, that's so hard… I love the big Wegner chair… but you know what I think is the perfect piece that you can put in any house, no matter how big or how small it is? The Eames walnut stool. I just feel like you can cart that thing to every single house you have, 500 square feet or 5000, and you will always find a place for it.
Can you provide us with one great décor tip for home owners?
Buy good art. Decorate with it opposed to around it, so that it's just part of the conversation. I think art is what charges up a home.
What are your future aspirations/goals? Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
I would love to do my own brand of homes. We are, right now, in the process of going into development. And, seeing my team continue to creatively flourish. One of my newest dreams: I have a team of colleagues I love to work with, an architect, a millwright… and I would love for all of us to truly collaborate in the genesis of a house and make it a work of art: a West Coast in a way that hasn't really been expressed before.
Thank you so much Kelly for this interview. I can't wait to see what you do next!
And a special thank you to organizers Victoria, Barbara, Nancy and Karla of Canadian Design & Lifestyle Bloggers West for making this opportunity possible 🙂
I hope you have enjoyed this interview as much I enjoyed the opportunity to sit down with Kelly Deck and learn more about her insights and views. As you can see, the colourful rainbow of Kelly Deck Design is only getting brighter.
Can you identify the chair Kelly is sitting in? Oh, and will you be saving for an Eames walnut stool? I know it's tempting me!
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