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Dear Readers: I am continuing my journey of giving away 100 $100 bills to strangers in 2011 and have moved my blog to a new website. Please come visit, and re-subscribe to continue receiving notification of new posts. Thank you, Jill
January 3, 2011
New Website: Hundreds of HundredsPosted by Jill Ginsberg under Choosing
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December 30, 2010
100 Hundreds in 2011Posted by Jill Ginsberg under Aftermath, Choosing, Giving | Tags: connection, generosity, Giving, gratitude, hundred, philanthropy, poverty, reflection |
[13] Comments
The other day, a mere couple of blocks from home in my affluent neighborhood, I was shocked to see two people curled up in a doorway. So covered in blankets and rags, they almost escaped my notice. Every week there are new people trolling the streets, their shopping carts piled high with recyclables. What kind of country are we becoming, really?
I have moments of cynicism when I wonder how much good any one of us can do, when it feels like the world is broken beyond repair. What will it take to make our world better? What is required of us as human beings? How do we rise to the challenge, day after day after day?
I struggle with my own brokenness as well. Miserliness was etched into my DNA long before I had anything to say about it. It's not a fatal mutation; I see that now. And it needn't keep me from living a full and generous life, although that will always be hard work.
I have found a way to make a difference. For me. For now. Every time I surprise a stranger with a gift, I look them in the eye and promise wordlessly to shoulder a tiny fraction of their burden. Whatever they'll give me for $100. Sometimes I get more than I paid for, which I normally would consider a real bargain.
In 2011, I'll be giving away 100 C-notes.
October 11, 2010
The EleventhPosted by Jill Ginsberg under Choosing | Tags: eleventh, Giving, Inspiration, Month of hundreds, random |
[11] Comments
I'm definitely smiling more at strangers since the month started. Something about giving away money puts me in a really good mood. This morning I was about to get off the bus when a man in a wheelchair got my attention. "Ma'am?", he said from behind me. I turned around. "I just want to say that you have a beautiful smile." "Thank you", I said. "You have a pretty nice smile yourself" (which was true, despite a few missing teeth). "I always like to point it out when I see a beautiful smile", he continued. "It's one thing I can do to make the world a better place, and we all have to do our part". Wow! I thought.
If I'd been quicker on the draw I would have loved to give that guy $100 but we pulled up in front of my office building and I got off. Also, I was planning to make today my random giveaway day, it being October 11th and all.
I was downtown near Pioneer Courthouse Square during the lunch hour. The farmer's market was going on and there seemed to be a lot of tourists about. People were lined up at the food carts as well as just lounging about, almost as if it were still summer. I took care of an errand and then decided to get serious about giving away $100. I was headed to a corner on the south end of the square where there was a good amount of foot traffic. On the way I passed panhandlers and people slumped in doorways, as well as a woman with a suitcase who was arguing with a couple of cops outside Peet's Coffee.
I had decided to give the money to the 11th person who walked by, so when I got to the corner I stood there expectantly. People were rushing by from all directions and it was hard to get an accurate count. OK, I told myself. The 11th person to walk by headed east. And they have to pass right in front of me.
Suddenly it was as if the lunch break was over, because the foot traffic almost completely stopped. I stood there for a long time and missed my train back to work. I finally got up to number 7 but it was taking forever. People kept veering off at the last minute and walking behind me. Number 9 eventually passed and I could see two fairly nondescript guys headed my way. They weren't together but were walking at a similar pace.
The suspense was killing me to see which one would walk past me first, blowing his chance at $100. Finally Mr. Number 11 walked by and I took a step toward him. "Excuse me", I said. "Can I talk with you for a minute?" The man froze for a split second and then started walking faster. "No!", he shouted over his shoulder.
I thought about running up to the guy and telling him I had been about to give him $100, but I thought better of it. He seemed to be having kind of a bad day as it was. So I had to start counting all over again and the traffic was still light. Two young women and a small boy of three or four walked by in the other direction. The women were both smoking and the kid was walking between them, talking and gesturing excitedly. "He's Laserman! When he takes off his glasses, lasers shoot out of his eyeballs!" He acted this out convincingly.
A few more people walked by. A man with a cat on his shoulder crossed the street and passed behind me. Then I saw the two women and little kid headed back in my direction. It looked like one of them was going to be Number 11. The first woman and the boy walked by, cigarette smoke wafting behind them. As the other woman passed in front of me, I stopped her. "Excuse me, can I talk to you for a minute?" The next train was coming, and I knew I didn't have much time. "OK", she said. "Until the train comes, anyway." I told her a quick version of what I was doing and that I had been waiting for the eleventh person to pass. "It's me?", she asked with a smile. I gave her the $100 and asked her if she knew what she was going to do with it. "I'm going to spend it on that little guy right there!" The three of them got on the train and I could see her talking and smiling.
Choosing randomly was interesting and a surprising amount of work. I get a lot of satisfaction out of making my selections based on some combination of intuition, observation and imagination. I probably never would have picked that woman otherwise, and I like how it worked out today.
October 10, 2010
In the BackgroundPosted by Jill Ginsberg under Choosing | Tags: Giving, hundred, Inspiration, Month of hundreds |
[8] Comments
I briefly considered giving $10 each to ten people today, in honor of 10.10.10, but decided to stick to my plan. So far, no one has balked at the $100 bill. I'll need to replenish my supply this week.
The President's Day sales inspired me to consider a major purchase – a couple of new pillows – and I decided to make a trip to the nearby mall this afternoon. I drove right by Goodwill on the way, and there was a parking place out front. I was feeling lucky, so I pulled up and headed in. I have found some really nice things at Goodwill, although it's hit and miss.
October makes for kind of a weird scene in there, with all the second-hand costumes and decorations. There were well-dressed college types shopping for Halloween, as well as the regulars picking through the sweaters and work clothes. I'm not really a regular but I know my way around the place and within a few minutes I had found a few nice blazers to try on.
The dressing room doors each have a punch-code combination and you have to wait for one of the staff to come and open it unless someone inside holds the door for you on their way out. I was standing and waiting alongside a rather rough-looking middle-aged woman and a young boy of six or seven. The dressing rooms are adjacent to a bunch of the Halloween stuff, so he was looking through that and kept asking the woman to buy things for him. She said she would buy him one of those orange plastic pumpkins that you can take trick-or-treating. He found something else he wanted and the woman said, "Let's just pick one thing a day instead of a whole bunch of things." The boy kept up a polite chatter, pointing out things he liked. The woman, clearly impatient, said, "Don't ask for anything else here. I'm just getting you that pumpkin. I don't know what you are going to ask for at the next store." "I know it's something you don't want me to have", said the boy. "And how do you know that?" "Because I already ask-ed you for it and you said no". "Then why are you asking me for it again?" The boy was holding the plastic pumpkin and looking around. "Because maybe you will say yes a different time."
It seemed like an innocent enough conversation but there was an ominous undertone that put me on edge. I felt sorry for this boy. I imagined that he was regularly subjected to the tyranny of the woman's impatience and borderline hostility. Someone came out of the dressing room and held the door open for the woman. "You go ahead," she said to me. "I'm waiting for my daughter." Trying my stuff on just took a few minutes and I came back out just as the daughter came out of the next room. She was the right age to be the boy's mother, but I wasn't expecting the multi-color dreadlocks and facial piercings. The door slammed shut behind her. "Why'd you close the door?", accused her mother. "Now we have to get someone to open it again." She sent the boy crawling under the door to open it from the inside.
I was standing in the checkout line when the young woman with the dreadlocks came up behind me with her selections. I had been hoping she was shopping for Halloween costumes but she had a long sweater-dress folded over her arm, and a pair of shoes in her hand. "I like your boots", she said shyly to the cashier. Her mother took the little boy outside to wait in the car.
I felt pulled to help this young woman and her boy, although there was something distasteful about the family dynamic. I finished paying and stepped outside, where I saw the boy and his grandmother heading to their car. I was still thinking about what to do when the young woman came hurrying out of the store and swept right by me, eyes downcast.
I let her go. I felt kind of crummy about it, but told myself the older woman would probably have gotten her hands on the money somehow. Or she would have punished the daughter for having it. Weird to just get a feeling like that.
Once at the mall, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. First, I picked out my pillows (buy 1, get 1 free). Then I went up to the food court. I saw a small man in a uniform sweeping the floor. He was at least 60 and was wearing a cap that said "Mexico". I said hello and he stopped, standing up straight and looking me in the eye. "Alberto", he said, smiling and revealing a broken front tooth. We talked for quite a while and then I told him, in my rusty Spanish, about my project. I gave him the $100 bill and he tucked it in his pocket. "Muchas gracias!" He said he worked very hard but was always coming up short and having to borrow money from his brother. He was grateful but didn't seem particularly surprised. Maybe where Alberto comes from the idea of a gringa handing out $100 bills is not that strange.
If you look right at the center of the photo, you can see him in the background.
October 9, 2010
Thank You, Ma'am!Posted by Jill Ginsberg under Choosing | Tags: dignity, Giving, Inspiration, Month of hundreds, surprise |
[8] Comments
It was a pretty dreary day here in Portland, with lots of drizzle. Bank robbery, teen suicides and gang violence dominate the news.
As I came out of our neighborhood grocery store this evening, a handsome young African American man in a football jersey from our local high school quietly asked for my attention. He was selling a discount coupon book and he showed me the book and all the local businesses where you could use it. "Jiffy Lube is a really popular one. You get $10 off."
I gave the kid what in retrospect seems like a real grilling, and he indulged me politely. What were they going to do with the money? He said they give it to their coach. Why do they give it to the coach? Well, the coach knows what the team needs and makes sure they get stuff. What kind of stuff? Well, like every two years they get new jerseys. And every Friday they have a team meal. The school doesn't pay for any of that so they have to raise the money. What kind of food do they eat at the meal? Spaghetti. And healthy stuff. Fruit and carrots and stuff.
He said his name was Cleon and he's a senior. He's going to college next year but hasn't yet decided where. Maybe North Carolina, or University of Oregon. He's had scholarship offers at smaller schools and he's keeping his options open. He was bright-eyed, serious and wearing just a hint of cologne.
I told Cleon I wasn't going to buy a coupon book but that I wanted to give him something, just for him. "It's not for your coach, it's for you and you can do whatever you want with it." I handed him the $100 bill and he stared at it. "Oh! Thank you, Ma'am!" He slipped it in the pocket of his shorts. "Thank you! That's very generous of you, ma'am! Thank you very much! Thank you!"
I told him I could tell that he was going places and wished him the best of luck. "Oh, I will, ma'am! Thank you, ma'am!" I couldn't resist pointing out: "Good things happen all the time, you know." "Yeah", he said. "This just made me think of that."
October 8, 2010
The Cheapskate and the Bus DriverPosted by Jill Ginsberg under Choosing | Tags: cheapskate, clueless, connection, family, Giving, Inspiration, Month of hundreds, patience |
[6] Comments
Some might be surprised to learn that I am a real cheapskate. Like, one of the worst. I don't totally blame myself and I make a big effort to abandon my contemptible habits. That's part of what this month of $100 giveaways is about for me.
As I was growing up, my mother took her role as the family economist very seriously in a world she perceived to be full of people trying to take advantage by charging too much. Anything not store brand, on sale, day old or sold in a discount store was automatically "extravagant", too expensive and off limits.
I didn't know it then, but our family's financial situation did not actually warrant this perspective. My father was a professional with a steady job and we lived in a nice home in the suburbs. And now, as a physician, there is no rational reason for me to be the cheapskate that I am. I guess that is the nature of being a cheapskate. I have noticed that most people have an easier time parting with their money than I do, even when they have less of it. While I consider myself basically frugal (and I think I do have a few sound ideas about money), the reflexive and relentless pursuit of a bargain comes from some deeply scarred place in my soul where times are truly tough.
All this to explain why I usually park 10 blocks from my office, where there are no parking meters, rather than pay $5 for parking. Paying for something that you can get for free is downright stupid and basically inexcusable where I come from.
As I was leaving the office today I realized I had time to do a quick errand downtown and revisit my random giveaway plan from yesterday. Starting my trek back to the car, I saw the bus approaching and decided to jump on for the short ride. (I have a discounted transit pass available through my employer – I would never pay $2.00 to ride 10 blocks). There were a whole bunch of people at the stop. I was lost in my own little world and didn't take in much, except for one very cute little boy of about two standing with his hands on his hips as his dad struggled to collapse his stroller.
The bus pulled up, the door opened and everyone just stood there, which seemed really strange. Okay, maybe they were waiting for a different bus or just a bunch of losers. After a split second I marched through the crowd and started up the steps. The driver immediately put his hand out as if stopping traffic and shouted, "Hold on!" Bomb scare? What? Then I noticed a tiny woman in a wheelchair on the sidewalk and realized that everyone else had been patiently waiting for the ramp to come down so she could board first. DUH. What an idiot!
I made damn sure I was the very last person to get on and squeezed into a slot up front since I was only going a few stops. The bus was packed and the driver kept imploring everyone to "move back, please step back, move on back. Please move back." It took forever and I could see his patience draining away. When we finally got moving I told him I hadn't been paying attention and felt like a fool for not noticing the woman in the chair. "Oh, don't worry about it!", he soothed. "It's the end of the day. For some."
Riders kept signaling for a stop and then changing their mind. One guy started to get off, then decided to get back on and could no longer find a place to stand. We swept right by the the next stop, and the people waiting were gesturing with disbelief and frustration. I was pressed up against the back of the driver's seat and kept catching his eye in the rear view mirror. He was keeping his cool, but clearly exasperated. "Maybe this day should be over for me!" he said, with a pained chuckle. He said his shift had just started. I imagined this kind, young handsome guy getting home late at night to his family, his kids asleep as he goes to give them a kiss. It really bothered me that his day was off to such a rough start.
As the bus pulled up to the next stop, I reached into my pocket for the $100 bill. I folded it up real small. I sidled up to the driver and slipped it into his hand, saying "I hope you have a good day after all". He exhaled with a grunt and I could feel a question rising up behind me as I skipped down the steps and out onto the sidewalk.
October 7, 2010
You Just Never KnowPosted by Jill Ginsberg under Choosing | Tags: connection, Giving, hope, Inspiration, Month of hundreds, potential |
[18] Comments
Day 7. In giving away $100 each day this month I am stumbling upon some amazing people and some fascinating stories. I've been thinking today about one of my original objectives for this project, which is to pry out and examine some of my assumptions about need, worthiness and generosity. The questions have been rolling through my head. Am I following my heart or trying to sniff out a good story? If I stay focused on the stories, will I still be able to keep my eye on myself? What would it feel like to close my observing eye? How does it feel to keep it open?
Instead of relying on my instincts to pick the recipient for today's giveaway I decided to shake it up a little. I had a plan; an errand was taking me to a part of town I don't know too well. My plan was to stand on a well-traveled street corner and stop the 10th person who walked by. Seemed pretty foolproof.
First I had to stop at Free Geek to drop off two old printers and a defunct iMac. I was pleased with myself. as this has only been on my to-do list for a couple of years. Free Geek takes donations of old equipment and refurbishes it, teaching people how to build computers in the process. They also have a program where you can volunteer there to "earn" a computer. It's very cool.
I pulled up and went inside to get a cart. The woman in charge introduced me to Patricia, one of the volunteers, and asked her to give me a hand. We went outside and unloaded the trunk as she told me a little of her story. She had gotten a laptop from Free Geek not too long ago and it recently was stolen from her apartment. Today was only her second day volunteering. She said she told her son that she was going to learn how to build her own computer and he said, "Don't get electrocuted, Mom!" She thought that was pretty funny and told me that of course he was joking. "He has a very dry wit like that."
She kept talking and I could feel my brilliant plan slipping away. Patricia's husband is a disabled veteran and they get by on Social Security. "We know how much we have, and that's what we spend. There's some banks that could stand to learn that!" She encouraged me to come back sometime to take a tour of the building and learn more about Free Geek's work. "I love it here!", she said.
I thanked Patricia, put the cart away and made a small donation at the front desk. Then I went back and asked to talk with her for another minute. She was clearly puzzled but followed me and invited me to sit down on one of the chairs stacked up outside. She listened intently as I told her about honoring my mom with this project. Even after I said that I wanted to pass a gift along to her she asked a lot more questions and showed no curiosity about what the gift might be. When I put the bill in her hand she said, "Are you serious? Wow."
Patricia asked my mom's name and said she was an artist and would make a collage in Gina's memory. She told me a little about her own mom, whose name was Anita Idaho and died when Patricia was 30. "I'm 68; four years older than she was when she died." She told me more about her three kids and her husband of 41 years, who supports her with "unconditional love". They hope to get a place with 5 acres someday so she can build big iron sculptures. She said I could take her picture and put it on the blog. I showed her the photo and she laughed. "That looks just like me!"
As we were getting ready to say goodbye, she looked me in the eye and said, "Thank you. I'm gonna put this aside and think about what I want to do with it." She smiled, shaking her head. "You just never know what's going to happen in this world."


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Say Hello to Jellystone Park™ Campground in Harrisville, PA
It's a year for Yogi Bear™ growth in 2011, as we welcome another top-notch campground into the Jellystone Park Campground™ family! The former Kozy Rest Kampground in Harrisville, PA (just one hour north of renaissance city Pittsburgh with its sports, dining and entertainment) is set in some of the prettiest countryside in western Pennsylvania. The campground, which is among the highest rated campgrounds in the country by Woodalls and Trailer Life, caters to the needs of everyone from big rig drivers to laid-back tenters. For those new to camping, they offer comfy cabins and the ever-popular yurts. There's also a special group area with 23 campsites surrounding a picnic pavilion – perfect for family reunions or church youth groups.
Amenities include a sparkling pool, horseshoes, half-court basketball, sand volleyball, playground with sandbox, 18-hole miniature golf course, a winding, wooded nature trail, and four-wheeled rental bikes. The daily activities schedule might feature bingo, ceramics, crafts, scavenger hunts, and rides on a fire truck, train or wagon. Our new Jellystone Park is also a great home base for exploring western PA; whether you enjoy activities like fishing and boating on Lake Arthur, hiking in the Clear Creek State Forest, or exploring the national natural landmark of McConnell's Mill State Park, where you'll find fantastic hiking, rock climbing and kayaking.
Jellystone Park Campground in Harrisville opens April 15 with free coffee, donuts and mini golf, and a 25% discount for all military personnel and firefighters. Other fun themed weekends include Slumber Party Weekend (May 13-15); Casino Fun Weekend (June 24-26); and Kids' Survivor Weekend (August 12-14).
Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Harrisville is located at 449 Campground Road. To find out more about the newest member of the Jellystone Park family, visit pittsburghjellystone.com or call 724.735.2417.

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Mr Panda and that Hat at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas/
Book store, Bangzo, kindly invited me to do a spot of book signing at their stand in the Ideal Home Show at Christmas. Of course, I accepted!
Sadly, I didn't get much time to shop (which was probably a good thing). But that didn't matter because I had a fantastic time meeting authors, catching up with friends and meeting lots of nice people who stopped to say hello.
I wished lots of Merry Christmas's inside copies of THE QUEEN'S HAT and PLEASE MR PANDA, and I read PLEASE MR PANDA to an audience of Christmas shoppers.
This is a super short blog post, but I just thought it'd be nice to share these photos of my afternoon.
Also, it was snowing there. Fake snow. It was amazing.


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The new Indigenous Business sub brand of Procurement Australia explores the organic shapes and symbols found within traditional Aborignal artworks.The colours injects warmth and life into the business whilst celebrating the diversity of Aboriginal culture.
2008-0837 – Defined Facilities Management Services & Products – Cleaning & Property contract
Now available to Procurement Australia members taking advantage of 2008-0837 – Defined Facilities Management Services & Products – Cleaning & Property contract, is Shining Knight Indigenous Services, established in 2014 and a division of Melbourne-based property management group, Shining Knight Facility Services, winner of the 2015 National Australian Achiever Awards for Excellence in Customer Service.
A chance phone call from Shining Knight managing director, Arthur Calcatjicos – who was looking for indigenous staff to service a WA contract – to Dean Wynne, owner/director of WA-based Noongar company, Indigenous Work About, brought the two companies together in June 2014. As Arthur explains it, "Dean had a team of indigenous people looking for work but had no business experience or history.
"I realised that Dean had the indigenous pieces and I had the company structure and history and, together, these pieces completed the jigsaw. I flew Dean over to Melbourne straight away. We clicked and realised we wanted to achieve the same outcomes so we began the joint venture."
Initially named Indigenous Commercial Services Pty Ltd,Shining Knight Indigenous Services (SKIS) is 51% owned by Dean and 49% by Arthur, and delivers high quality industrial services WA, SA, NSW and Victoria, including in rural and remote areas. In the first instance, Shining Knight's own indigenous employee, Glenn Polner, filled in for Dean for first 12 months as 51% JV partner while Dean attended to some family matters.
Services offered
Shining Knight Indigenous Services draws on the 20 years' experience of Shining Knight to provide high quality services in cleaning, maintenance, security, hygiene, waste management, recycling management, grounds and garden maintenance, and an online shop. The venture's major aim is to create sustainable opportunities for indigenous people through training, employment and encouragement, to nurture indigenous Australians along the path to achieving personal and professional success.
With the inclusion of Arthur Calcatjicos and Shining Knight, the division's total services offer is broadened to include commercial cleaning, waste management, pest control, maintenance, hygiene and washroom services, and security and enjoys, through the Shining Knight brand, associations with all major private companies as well as being a preferred supplier for local, state and federal government organisations.
In all, Shining Knight Indigenous Services engages the services of four contractors employing a total of 23 indigenous staff, and has 16 of its own indigenous employees servicing a mix of Federal Government, construction and land management contracts. Shining Knight's key target market is commercial buildings.
Its senior front-line team, directed by Dean Wynne, is composed of multi-skilled tradesmen including qualified painters and decorators, boiler makers/welders, certified and experienced asbestos management personnel, truck drivers, and HR personnel and trainers, backed by the management services of Melbourne-based Shining Knight.
These skills allow for a range of projects, including house renovations, metal fabrication and repairs to metal structures such as machinery, cyclone fencing and pipelines, and industrial and domestic painting work. The team also has experience in rural and agricultural work, including pine pruning, Blue Gum plantation management, weed eradication, and native seed collection.
All Shining Knight staff undertake a Certificate II in their professional field and all people in the company undergo training that covers indigenous people and their beliefs and history so that they can be empathetic and have an understanding when dealing with people not normally encountered in their day to day lives.
Supplier to Procurement Australia
Arthur and Dean are excited about being included as a supplier to Procurement Australia's 2008-0837 – Defined Facilities Management Services & Products – Cleaning & Property contract. "It is a mixed feeling; excitement about being a supplier but just cautious about how much work we will actually win from it. I guess only cautious until we win some work then that will turn to excitement I am sure," Arthur said.
"Our aim is to grow it in all areas possible and give an opportunity of work to areas or people who may be overlooked in normal hiring practices."
In commenting on his personal experience since joining with Dean back in 2014, Arthur elaborated, "When I first started the business I wanted to learn all about the culture and day to day lives of the people I wanted to give opportunities to.
"I came across a 7-year old boy in a community outside Bunbury, WA and asked what he did for fun, to which he replied 'chase lizards, play with my brothers in the river and listen to stories at night . Don't all boys do that where you live?' he asked.
"That's when I really felt the need to get to know the people from all countries all around Australia and not only learn from them but be able to teach them something and provide an opportunity to them as well."
To find out more contact your Relationship Manager today email@example.com or visit the Shining Knight website ww.shiningknight.com.au
Procurement Australia furniture and Indigenous employment provider supplier WINYA IN PROFILE
Established in 2015 by chairman, Debbie Barwick, supported by director, Greg Welsh, majority Indigenous-owned Winya ("sit now" in Wiradjuri dialect) is a Procurement Australia Furniture Suppliers Panel Member providing high quality commercial furniture and design and fit-out services for offices needing to accommodate up to 200.
Winya also promotes Indigenous employment in partnership with the Australian furniture industry, and works with remote communities and on prison training programs. It also has a new recycling program where wood from old furniture will be recycled into new products.
Winya has been purposely set up as a sophisticated, well-organised business able to supply large clients and to manage the workflows and communications needed on large projects.
Its business model is unique. Its furniture and other products are produced by leading Australian furniture manufacturers who, through its contracts, employ Indigenous trainees and apprentices. Also unique are Winya's relationships with remote communities, such as Arnhem Land, which provide timbers not available elsewhere, and Aboriginal artists whose designs feature on furniture fabrics.
Winya can supply both premium, craftsman-made furniture pieces and the highest quality workstations, sit stand desking and commercial furniture, and seating manufactured in each state. Full installation and fit-out are provided through its Supply Nation member partners and Indigenous owned fit-out companies.
This all adds up to Winya being a stand out supplier, a reputation bolstered in October 2017 through two sustainability awards – it won both the Banksia Foundation Sustainability Award for Indigenous Leadership and the Award for best sustainable product at the prestigious Building Industry Sustainability Awards for its Arnhem custom timber chair range.
A Supply Nation Partner, certified ISO 9001 Quality Assurance company, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System practitioner, member of the First Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FACCI) and the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, Winya has a dedicated staff of 10 with installation teams in each capital city and national capability. A fully-serviced showroom opens in Melbourne mid-2018 and its Redfern, Sydney office will move to a purpose-designed 300 sq. m. showroom in April.
A Profit for Purpose business, Winya is a Certified B Corporation using its business to solve social and environmental problems, and doesn't receive Government funding. Its projects have spanned the country from Exmouth on the west coast through Alice Springs in Central Australia, and north, east and south to Cairns, Brisbane and Geelong.
Watch SBS Small Business Secrets online HERE to find out more about Winya or visit https://winya.com.au
2102/0838 Defined Facilities Management – Maintenance Services contract
New supplier to Procurement Australia's 2102/0838 Defined Facilities Management – Maintenance Services contract is New Start, a 100% indigenous-owned national services company with a strong focus on improving indigenous employment outcomes.
Working with its proprietary DIGIT-V shared values of Diversity & Inclusion, Going the extra mile Innovation, Teamwork, Value for self & others, New Start strives to leave a sustained, positive footprint in the communities and broader economies in which it operates.
Established in 2011, rom humble beginnings but with a clear vision and focus, by ex-rugby league athlete Daniel Phillips, New Start was launched as a recruitment and labour hire company to create employment opportunities for indigenous people and communities.
"New Start works from the basis that every effort should be made to ensure indigenous people are not subject to continuing chronic under-representation in Australia's labour market, and has committed itself to making a significant difference in this vital area of economic and social equality," managing director, Daniel Phillips says.
"Our goal is to leave a sustained positive footprint in the communities in which we operate by improving indigenous social, health and employment outcomes. And, we want to be the supplier of choice for our clients, and the employer of choice for our staff, adopting a holistic approach to an inspired future," he said.
Supplier to Procurement Australia members
New Start is a now provider of maintenance services to Procurement Australia around Australia in the areas of management, plumbing, carpentry, electrical, HVAC, painting and handyman services.
Daniel said, "Our Business Services Divisions are excited about being a supplier to Procurement Australia members. This opportunity represents a wonderful platform to increase our supply of trade services and maintenance services to local governments nationally, as well as to other Procurement Australia members.
"We embrace the opportunity to increase local employment outcomes through the provision of jobs that benefit the individual communities, both indigenous and non-indigenous, as well as supporting other local businesses which provide services to those who engage us," he said.
Services and sectors
New Start has a national footprint providing services to local, state and Commonwealth government departments as well as some of Australia's largest employers and well-known brands, and has diversified and expanded its service offerings to include trade services, maintenance, construction, civil and rail services, mining & energy, oil, gas & renewables, traffic management, landscaping and cleaning services, hospitality and health.
Currently, New Start has around 450 indigenous staff as part of its national workforce, a number that is growing every year. Phillips considers this outcome would not have been possible without the genuine support and commitment of over 50 large employers – clients – Australia-wide.
New Start's specialist Indigenous Services Division's indigenous engagement team provides support to Aboriginal-identified job seekers to gain meaningful employment opportunities with Aboriginal-identified positions, and works with some of Australia's largest employers to assist them achieve RAP Targets for indigenous employment outcomes.
Community Engagement
New Start has a key focus in the area of community engagement, including partnership programs and local community-based initiatives in the areas in which operateand provide services, benefitting and supporting each community. This could be through sponsorship of junior sporting teams, provision of uniforms and footwear to local sporting clubs, local mentoring programs, supporting disadvantaged community members by paying for car registrations so they can get to work, purchasing equipment needed to perform their trade, or financial and in-kind support of local community-based organisations or groups, and not-for-profits.
"I feel grateful to the large organisations we work with, who warmly welcome me for a chat, and whose leadership team embrace our company's vision, demonstrate a genuine desire to work with New Start and genuine satisfaction for the service we deliver, and who have a true belief and commitment in what we're working towards achieving," commented Daniel.
"Before going into business, and as a professional rugby league athlete, I spent some time mentoring young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids in the juvenile justice system on the consequences of choice. This was an amazing experience as, although I have always been proud of my Aboriginal heritage, mentoring these young kids made me curious as to why the cultural wounding still existed, arriving at a new understanding and appreciation of the disadvantages and challenges Australia's indigenous people still faced.
"The result was that I wanted to help facilitate real, tangible and meaningful change in the lives of indigenous communities, positively impacting future indigenous lifecycles, and ultimately leading to an inter-generational healing of wounds," he said.
"For me, a job provides an opportunity for self-reflection. An opportunity to ask 'is what you're doing today getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow?' So, the right job for the right individual highlights strengths and not weaknesses, and will complement an organisation's culture."
New Start has strong partnerships with large organisations and Government Departments at Local, State and Commonwealth level across Australia. Its clients cover a diverse range of industries including:
- Banking & Financial Services
- Administration, Office Support & Call Centre
- Advertising, Media & Entertainment
- Construction, Civil & Rail
- Education & Training
- Engineering
- Supply Chain/Logistics
- Farming, Animals & Conservation
- Government (Local, State & Federal)
- Healthcare & Medical
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Human Resources & Recruitment
- Information & Communication Technology
- Manufacturing
- Mining, Resources & Energy
- Sales
- Trade Services
- Maintenance Services
- Landscaping
- Cleaning
- Traffic Management
- Science & Technology
To find out more contact your Relationship Manager firstname.lastname@example.com or visit the New Start website – www.newstartau.com.au
Australia's first majority Indigenous owned debt recovery enterprise
1911/0631 – Debt Collection & Legal Services
Boomerang Debt Recovery is Australia's first majority Indigenous owned and managed debt recovery enterprise and is now available to Procurement Australia members through the 1911/0631 – Debt Collection & Legal Services contract.
A member of Executive Collections, a leading debt recovery company operating successfully since 1987, and for local governments since 1991, Boomerang Debt Recovery was established in 2017 as a joint venture between James Carroll's Eaglehawk Management Group Pty Ltd and Frank Fodor's Stydall Pty Ltd, parent company of Executive Collections.
James suggested establishing Boomerang Debt Recovery under Executive Collections' umbrella after having worked in collaboration with Frank over several years as a consultant in business improvement, strategy and commercial activities.
Boomerang Debt Recovery clients are quite diverse, ranging from corporate and not for profit to local, state and commonwealth government agencies.
"We are committed to offering a fair and ethical approach to debtors whilst ensuring results for creditors," says James, a Boorooberongal man of the Darug and Boomerang Debt Recovery Managing Director, MBA graduate from the Sydney Graduate School of Management and a Master of International Business (MIB) – University of Western Sydney.
"Our vision is to be the Australian 'collection agency of choice' by exemplifying excellence and demonstrating integrity and character in our business affairs, incorporating a process of continual improvement and delivering a unique customer value proposition at the same time."
Indigenous advancement
Dedicated to Indigenous economic advancement and capacity building, James is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders (FIML) and Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and views his role in Boomerang Debt Recovery as one of economic stewardship.James is a member of Supply Nations Indigenous Advisory Group.
"The future of Australia's First Peoples advancement will be greatly benefited by applying a strategic investment and entrepreneurial mindset in addressing disadvantage, as opposed to deploying resources targeting symptoms alone," he said.
"Indigenous procurement policies of the Government and corporates are having a positive impact, accelerating growth in both the number of Indigenous business beneficiaries and the value of Indigenous goods and services transacted.
"So, programs and resources that support entrepreneurialism, governance, financial literacy and a greater emphasis on education attainment are key to betterment and we welcome the opportunity to participate across federal, state, local and commercial procurement programs targeted at closing the gap for Indigenous Australians," he said.
Australian operations
Boomerang Debt Recovery prefers to engage an Australian workforce, avoiding need to send debt recovery operations offshore across the Asia Pacific Region, a strategy that differentiates it significantly from many of its competitors.
It has developed an Indigenous employment policy with the aim to build capacity and, according to James, the Indigenous talent pipeline is growing, and an entrepreneurial investment mindset is the catalyst for sustainable change.
National recognition
Being included as a supplier on Procurement Australia's 1911/0631 – Debt Collection & Legal Services contract is a great boon for Boomerang and, since then, the company has also been successful with the Queensland Local Buy, Debt Recovery Services tender.
James said: "Winning both Procurement Australia and Local Buy tenders are key success milestones in Boomerang Debt Recovery's short history.
"Being contacted by government agencies and leading banks to enter into conversations with them is also encouraging and confirms our motivation to enter a market that is quite competitive by nature.
"These successes signify that Boomerang is recognised as being highly competitive nationally and feedback has been very positive in relation to our ability to provide a position of competitive advantage.
"Our competitive pricing, unique service offering and being Australian owned and operated business has afforded us well and will continue to deliver us successful outcomes for all stakeholders.
"We are proud that we refuse to offshore debt recovery operations in an effort to reduce costs.We provide a service that is customer centric, service orientated made management decision, not to expose client customers/debtors to offshore operations," he said.
International standards
Boomerang Debt Recovery maintains ISO 9001 and AS/NZS 4801 certifications, assuring its Quality Management and Occupational Health and Safety (WHS) systems, and is currently in the process of final certification for the ISO 27001: 2013 for the provision of debt collection, scheduling legal action, recoveries, skip tracing, scheduling process serving and credit reporting servicing local government, government agencies and commercial accounts.
Services offered by Boomerang Debt Recovery include:
- Debt Recovery – Commercial and Government
- Legal Recovery
- Skip Tracing
- Credit Reporting
- Rural Services
To find out more contact your Relationship Manager email@example.com or visit the Boomerang Debt Recovery website – www.boomerangdebtrecovery.com.au


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About Puppy Mills
Contact Us
We are a non-profit organization so all of your donations are tax
deductible. And, even more importantly, we are a volunteer run
organization, so all of your generous support will go directly
toward the health and welfare of our animals. We accept donations
through PayPal, just click here.
In the near future we will offer the ability to 'virtually adopt'
a dog of your choice for a small monthly donation.
If you have suggestions or ideas for fund raisers or other ideas
that may help our pups please contact
We will put more information here soon, please check back.


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Fourteen hours later, Eskimos announce their cuts
The Edmonton Eskimos announced their 2013 roster on Sunday, a full 14 hours after fans and media had expected them to do so.
The team sent out a press release and posted the info on its website at 10 a.m. Sunday. The Canadian Football League's deadline to finalize rosters was 8 p.m. Saturday night and while the Eskimos were able to process that information to the league ahead of that deadline, the team chose to sit on making its information — 15 player cuts and nine filled practice roster spots — available to the waiting media and its fan base.
The following players were cut: Offensive linemen Nick Cody (import), Carson Rockhill (non-import), Taylor Servais (non-import); running back Kyle Exume (non-import); import receivers Ed Gant, Terrance Lewis and Rico Wallace; non-import fullbacks Brett Haenni and Smith Wright; import defensive backs Clint Kent, Cary Harris and Michael Ricks; non-import safety Hugo Lopez; non-import kicker/punter Tomas Silva; import defensive lineman Lindsey Witten.
Quarterback Jacory Harris headlines the Eskimos' practice roster, which solidifies the backup QB spot for Jonathan Crompton. Kerry Joseph will be the Eskimos' third-string QB this year.
Non-import players on the practise roster include offensive lineman Christopher Mercer, long snapper Mike Benson, defensive tackle Gregory Alexandre, receiver Youssy Pierre and linebacker Corbin Sharun, who is still recovering from an ACL injury.
Offensive lineman Branden Curry, running back Tracy Lampley, and defensive back Bryan Williams, along with Harris, make up the imports on the practice roster.
The Eskimos made one more transaction after their roster was announced and brought import defensive back Eric Samuels back. He was initially signed on June 2 and released on June 17.
The Eskimos are off on Sunday. They host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the regular-season opener.


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There are pitfalls in trying to be objective in reviewing music, especially in the close-knit world of kindie music, where if everybody doesn't know everybody (yet), the degrees of separation are small enough that it makes Kevin Bacon look like a loner. And while I deal with that constantly here, adding a layer of "good works" on top of it all, well, consider this then your grain of salt for the two albums discussed here.
First off is Austin's Mr. Leebot, whose latest album Erratic Schematic is fundraiser for an orphanage in Ethiopia from which Mr. Leebot (AKA Lee Davila) and his wife recently adopted two babies. As I've previously mentioned, the idea of adoption is important to me, so I was predisposed to like this album from the get-go. While Mr. Leebot's sound -- think of him as DEVO's kids music side project -- may not be for everyone, he's started to ever-so-slightly fill out his sound (I like the New Wave sound of "Cleaning Theme"). As a whole, it's Leebot's best album yet. And the track at the heart of the album -- "Our Family" -- should be heard far and wide. (Listen to it here -- just scroll down the page.)
The album is most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 7. You can listen to samples here.
As for an album geared toward a slightly older crowd, how about Hamlet? That's for high schoolers, right? Well ,The Deedle Deedle Dees' Lloyd Miller would beg to differ, having helped his wife's second grade class to write a musical based on the play. Miller recruited Dog on Fleas' Dean Jones and a couple of the Dees to record the music along with kids in the class. The result, Hamlet: The Album, is alternately rockin' ("Something's Rotten!") and pensive ("Tush, Tush") -- a little bit like the play itself, no? In best Fleas/Dees fashion, the album is ragged around the edges, the Band or the Stones mixed with a Shakespeare and Sesame Street. I'd much rather listen to these kids sing than any number of auto-tuned KidzBoppers.
The album will be most appreciated by kids ages 6 to 11. And if the story behind the album isn't appealing enough, perhaps you'll be heartened to hear that all profits from the album will go to Japan earthquake relief. Listen (or order the album) below.
While neither Erratic Schematic nor Hamlet: The Musical have a broad enough appeal for me to endorse the albums unreservedly for all listeners, both are solid enough albums to merit a listen even without the totally worthy backstories. I think a lot of readers will find a lot to like here. Give 'em a spin, maybe even your ducats. Recommended.
Disclosure: I received a copy of Erratic Schematic for possible review.


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+91 8041276667
Location : Ahmedabad
Location : Regenta Central Antarim, Ahmedabad
Location : East Mohan Nagar, G T Road
Location : Old Airport Road
Location : Off M G Road
Location : Park Road, Near Indian Express Circle
Location : Bellary Road, Yelahanka
Location : Whitefield Main Road
Location : Bangalore International Airport Road
Location : Belagavi
Location : Bharatpur
Location : Near ABC Circle, Old National Highway 8
Location : GMDC House, Bhuj-Mirzapur Highway
Location : Chandigarh
Location : Near Chandigarh Airport, Zirakpur
Location : OMR Chennai
Location : Royapettah
Location : Bhensali, Taluka Vagra, Bharuch
Location : Chakrata Road, Nanda Ki Chowki
Location : Jamnagar Road, Dwarka
Location : Goa
Location : Utorda Beach Salcette, South Goa
Location : Varca, South Goa
Location : Station Road, Hospet
Location : Rishikesh Highway, Haridwar
Location : Indore
Location : Tonk Road, Durgapura
Location : Jaisingh Highway,Jaipur
Location : Opposite Jal Mahal, Amer Road, Jaipur
Location : Kalwar Road Jhotwara,Jaipur
Location : Dhikuli, Ramnagar
Location : Mall Road, Harsh Nager
Location : Prantik Pally, Kasba
Location : Biswa Bangala Road, Nowapara
Location : Opp Model Town, Link Road
Location : Old Tapola Road, Satara
Location : Manali
Location : Tara Hall Estate, Picture Palace Road
Location : Krishna Raja Sagar, Mysore
Location : Jhansi Lakshmibhai Road
Location : Nelson Mandela Road, Bannimantap
Location : Nagpur
Location : Survey No. 1, Village Ganghavare,Nashik
Location : Palm Beach Road, Vashi
Location : Marisoft Annexe Building, Kalyani Nagar
Location : Golden Nest, Opp-Cerebrum IT Park
Location : Motisar Road
Location : Everest Park, Kalawad Road
Location : Sawai Madhopur , Ranthambhore
Location : B.H. Road, Near Shimoga Bus Stand
Location : Near J&K Bank, Rajbagh
Location : Near Shivajee Circle, Mujmahuda
Location : Ved Transcube Plaza
Location : Gujarat
Bespoke Hotels
Hotel in Chennai
Chennai, known as the 'Detroit of India', is the cultural capital of Southern India. Flooded with automobile industries, it is an industrial hub witnessing a number of business travelers each year. Hotel Regenta Central Deccan, being one of the 4-star hotels in Chennai, is located at a prime locality, Royapettah, and is just 10 minutes away from Marina Beach. Popular destinations such as Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Vivekananda House, US Consulate and Kapaleswar Temple is within the 3 km radius of the hotel.
It hosts two categories of luxury suites and superior rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi and a well-stocked mini-bar in each. Regenta Central Deccan has spaces to host various corporate and social events at its spacious banquet halls and boardrooms. It has two eating outlets – Olives, a multi-cuisine restaurant and Maami Samayal- a south Indian restaurant, and a bar. Apart from quality accommodation and good food, the hotel also offers options for rejuvenation with a spa and gym.
Our Superior Rooms offer a warm and comfortable stay in 252 sq. ft. of living space. These rooms have elegant interiors and a basic workstation. Facilities such as 24-hour room service, mini bar, high-speed internet and complimentary buffet breakfast are included in this category.
True to their name, our Luxury Suites offer a great experience in a much bigger space of 425 sq. ft. These rooms are constructed with wooden floors, soft textures and ample natural light. Guests staying here can avail 24-hour room service and complimentary buffet breakfast.
These are the most spacious suites at Regenta Central Deccan with a living space of 475 sq. ft. A separate living room in the Deluxe Suites has a dining facility for multiple people and a seating area with comfortable sofa. Guests can avail 24 hour room service facilities, buffet breakfast and high-speed internet facility along with regular amenities.
Flash Sale
Maami Samayal
Hotel Regenta Central Deccan, Chennai has four venues capable of hosting events of all domains. Equipped with necessary amenities, these venues can be used to host social gatherings such as weddings or receptions as well as corporate events.
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Savannah craft beer makers, "Service Brewing" will be onsite to sample their most popular brews and Chef Ryan and Chef Peter will incorporate some into the dinner itself! We can't be more THRILLED to have the owner, Kevin Ryan, here to talk about his amazing brews! Service Brewing is a veteran-owned and operated craft brewery in Savannah, GA dedicated to honoring those that have put their lives at risk and their country and community first.
Service Brewing craft authentic American-made beers for the curious and experienced consumer, focusing on high quality and local ingredients. We brew our large scale beers year round while maintaining a busy Research and Development division that produces small batches of innovative, experimental brews. Join us for a unique dinner of local craft beer and dinner pairings. $58
1223 May River Road Bluffton SC 29910


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How to Budget for Documentary Production
The True Cost Of A Documentary
How much does a documentary cost to make? It depends a whole lot on the documentary in question. The true cost of a documentary depends on many different factors so it's hard to know how much YOUR documentary will cost until you've nailed down some of them.
Some documentaries are made for a pittance. Others cost millions to shoot, edit and distribute.
That said, let's look at the factors that go into the true cost of a documentary.
What's the Average Cost of a Documentary?
You can start with an estimate expressed in terms of cost per finished minute of video. As a rule of thumb, a lot of producers assume that a finished corporate production or high-quality YouTube video will cost about $1,000 per finished minute of footage. From there, you can extrapolate the final cost based on length. A 60-minute documentary will therefore cost $60,000.
If you're making something of higher quality, say a project that will run as a feature that will show in theaters or festivals, then you might be looking at production costs ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 per finished minute...or possibly more, depending on the various factors involved.
That said, those baseline estimates - $1,000 to $10,000 per finished video - will give you something approaching an idea of how much a documentary will cost to make. A public television documentary may cost several hundred thousand dollars, even upward of $1 million to make.
Here are some of the factors that will influence that final cost.
Shooting Costs
The first of the costs is the shooting costs. This includes the cost of the crew, which can cost $1,700 per day for a small crew to $1,700 per HOUR for a larger, more experienced crew or even more, depending on the size of the crew needed. The more cameras, lighting and so on are needed, the greater the costs.
Shooting duration will also impact the cost. The longer you're shooting, the more you're running up the tab, so to speak. As will talent costs if doing dramatizations/recreations or using on-camera talent.
Then you have location costs. Filming exterior shots and other outdoor locations can involve permits, travel and so on, which can be quite expensive depending on the specifics. Interview documentaries can be shot fairly easily, with only a studio or hotel room needing to be rented for the duration of filming.
Then you'll have the cost of any graphics if you wish to include them, which can be costly if being professionally done through a studio.
Post-Production Editing Costs
Editing, much like shooting, will increase in cost the longer it goes on as well as the greater your editing needs are. A professional editor will usually cost $1,000 to $2,500 per day, depending on the experience of the editor, the quality of the work as well as the amount of editorial control that you feel you need over the project.
Post-production expenses, such as graphics, soundtrack and any sound effects, will likewise increase cost.
Third-party material, such as music or video footage, clips and so on, will also need to be licensed should your project have any commercial intent whatsoever. This licensing can cost a lot to acquire, especially if multiple copyright holders are involved.
To manage those costs, try to find public domain images, video and music. Those from the creative commons resources, which may require credit though not payment, are also good resources for third-party content that don't require payment.
Distribution And Marketing Costs
After you've shot and cut your documentary, another component in the true cost of a documentary is going to be the costs of distribution and marketing, if applicable. Some documentaries, after all, are three- to ten-minute shorts and others are feature-length. Additionally, some are for corporate purposes, others are for other reasons entirely.
If you need to get this film distributed, into festivals and so on, you'll likely need to pay a distributor to get the film where it needs to go, and especially if producing the documentary on actual film stock.
Then you have marketing. Traditional marketing campaigns - trailers, posters and so on - have been superseded by those on YouTube, Facebook and other channels, but there are still costs for these activities, unless you plan on doing this yourself.
So, how much does it cost to make a documentary? It really depends. You could make one for a few thousand dollars, or it could cost a few million. It all really depends on the documentary in question.
If you need assistance getting a documentary created and produced, feel free to contact us.


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Does your organization value coaching? (HINT: The "correct" answer is almost always yes.)
Does your organization actually do coaching?
The common answer to that question ranges from "maybe" to "not everyone does it" to "probably not well".
So why is coaching not happening?
When we talk to VPs and Directors about why their managers don't coach, they say three "reasons" often come up:
No time.
No skills.
No structure.
Let's dig a little deeper:
No time to coach. This is the #1 reason managers give for not coaching their people as much they should. There's no question that managers today are buried by incoming texts and emails, virtual and face-to-face meetings, management and stakeholder reports, compliance and regulatory concerns, and customer problems – and sometimes the expectation that they are available 24/7 to solve them. It doesn't help that one of the reasons a top performer is promoted to manager is that they were good at doing their job – which is often defined as completing more tasks than others. As a new manager they now have even more tasks to perform; so they often respond with what they know best: a heads-down attack on completing as many tasks as possible in a day. But suddenly, the day is done and they realize they still haven't carved out some time for one of their most important new tasks: coaching their people.
No coaching skills. Why aren't managers making the time to coach? Many may not know what to do. They may be conflict adverse and delivering bad news or criticism in a constructive way is difficult and uncomfortable. But coaching is a learned skill. Once leadership trains managers, gives them the tools and holds them accountable for coaching, most managers will develop into effective coaches. And leaders often tell us that managers, with practice, often find they are more skilled at coaching than they originally thought.
No structure. Even given the time and willingness to coach, many managers say they don't have the structure or context to think from when it comes to developing their people. Leadership needs to communicate their expectations about coaching. Managers need to stop confusing weekly or monthly check-in meeting regarding the numbers, on-going projects and activities with coaching. It's not. But leaders tell us that managers don't "get it"; they insist they are coaching when in reality they are just managing the day-to-day activities of the business.
In our experience, there are two other factors that contribute to why managers don't coach:
No accountability. Many leaders mention that there are no real metrics to determine if coaching is really happening, and if it is, how effective the coaching is. Just asking direct reports about their manager's coaching skills often backfires. The direct report tends to over-report the amount and effectiveness of coaching – either out of fear of retaliation by the manager or the fear that they manager actually will start coaching and the employee has neither the time nor desire to be coached!
No way to scale. Teams today are increasing virtual, geographically distributed, and organized around projects rather than functional areas. Employee turnover is constant – often driven by Millennials who come to the workplace with very different expectations regarding coaching, work/life boundaries, and workplace tenure. Travel is expensive and time consuming. Some technical solutions for collaboration and communication are available, but most are not designed specifically for coaching and skill development.
Is there a solution to helping managers coach more and coach more effectively?
SkillFitness was founded and is staffed by a team of senior business people that have three traits in common:
We have all led large sales, product management, field technical support and customer service teams – often distributed on a global basis;
We have all worked in adult education and participated first-hand in using technology to scale education and training solutions in ways that were never before possible;
We all wanted to "scratch our own itch"! We were frustrated with our ability to coach our managers and their ability – or inability – to coach their teams.
So we decided to build a better way to coach.
SkillFitness is a video-based, mobile learning platform built to enable rapid skill development though practice and microcoaching.
Microcoaching are coaching sessions conducted in very small periods throughout the day, week or month. These brief bits of coaching increase the number of "touches" between the coach and the trainee. And that is the secret to its effectiveness.
The way SkillFitness works is by having learners view a short, bite-sized video of the concept or skill they want to master on their smart phone or tablet; use the built-in camera on their mobile device to practice and capture a video "selfie" of themselves demonstrating what they've learned; and then submit their best attempt to their manager for feedback and coaching.
How does SkillFitness help address the issues around managers not coaching?
Time. SkillFitness turns any mobile device into a powerful anytime, anywhere coaching platform. Managers tell us that using SkillFitness allows them and their teams to fit learning and coaching into spare moments in their already busy schedules.
Coaching Skills. SkillFitness breaks skill and performance development into small, bite-sized chunks that make sense to both the coach and trainee. The coach only needs to provide feedback on that specific module, making the process of coaching much less overwhelming and much more focused.
Structure. SkillFitness is designed around adult learning techniques that are focused on the proven way adults learn best, incorporate coaching and feedback, and produce outcomes and results.
Accountability. Built-in dashboards track trainee, manager and team engagement, mastery and effectiveness. You'll know who is coaching and how good they are at it.
Scale. Is SkillFitness right for every coaching situation? Of course not. But coaching can be divided into addressing two broad issues:
Personal attributes – these are individual employee issues such level of engagement, interpersonal relationships, and personality conflicts that are often best addressed though one-on-one, individualized coaching.
Professional skills – these are job and performance related skills that are often specific to a function and necessary to produce results. Every employee within that function needs to master these skills. In Sales, for example, these skills might include presenting product benefits, countering objections, and techniques for closing the sale.
Sometimes, especially for Millennial employees, coaching is less about skill development and more about aligning the employee's expectations and desires with the corporate culture. For example, when onboarding new employees, coaching might include articulating the organization's mission, exploring how the organization's values align with personal values, or outlining the employee's personal aspirations for career development.
SkillFitness allows managers to scale coaching in these areas, freeing up more time for one-on-one coaching where needed.
Microcoaching works to encourage more coaching and better coaching. For teams using SkillFitness, it's not unusual to see coaching sessions increase from once a month or a couple times a year, to daily or even several times a day. And managers report that the multiple, easily executed coaching sessions improve their coaching skills.
If your managers aren't coaching, try microcoaching. Sometimes a little coaching, delivered the right way, goes a long way.
Want to learn more about microlearning and microcoaching? Read our blog post on using microlearning and microcoaching to onboard Millennials.
Schedule your personal, one-on-one, online demo today!
Or contact us to learn more about SkillFitness.


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DEAL: Apple 27" iMac® with Retina 5K display: Core i5 (3.3GHz)/8GB RAM/1TB HD - $1,799.99 or LESS/
Bestbuy.com has the Latest May 2015 model of Apple 27" iMac® with Retina 5K display (Model MF885LL/A) on sale for $1,799.99 ($200 off) with Free Shipping or In-store pickup.
- Intel 4th Generation Core i5 (3.3GHz)
- 27" Retina 5K Display (5120 by 2880 pixels)
- 8GB DDR3 Memory
- 1TB Hard Drive
- AMD Radeon R9 M290 Graphics
- Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite
To make it an even sweeter deal.
- If you are a college student (.edu email required), you can get a $100 off coupon by following directions at this link.
- Use a 10% off coupon you can obtain at your local post office - just ask the employee for a Mover's Guide. You can also do it online here, but it'll cost $1.05.
- Either one of the above coupons can be used online at bestbuy.com but you will not be able to combine both online. For the BEST deal, go to your local Best Buy store and use both coupons.
Your purchase total can be as low as $1,799.99 - $100 (college savings) - $170 (10% movers coupon) = $1,529.99 +Tax (24% off). Great bargain on a brand new iMac that was just announced last month!
UPDATE: Bestbuy just changed their policy regarding coupon stacking. You will only be able to use 1 of the 2 coupons listed above but not both starting 6/7/2015. The best deal you'll be able to get would be $1,799 - $180 = $1,619 plus tax.


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Proper Eck® applications should follow three simple steps to provide the appropriate build with corrosion protection. Eck® should be applied 1) into and around drilled holes, 2) onto each fastener thread, and 3) in-between the surface of the two dissimilar metals. Implementing these simple yet important applications will insure superior corrosion protection for your vehicles, trailers, boats, and more!
Application Guide: Eck® Application Guide


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V about n; V that; V with quote
agree boast brag burble complain enthuse grouse grumble joke moan muse mutter read speculate wail whine
V about n; V that; V with quote
Union leaders say that they agree about the need for a market economy.
Most authorities agree that play is an essential part of a child's development.
'I don't look sixty-seven,' she added. 'No,' he agreed, 'you don't.'
He was cheeky and he loved to boast about his crimes.
The company boasts that it has 159,000 employees in 131 countries outside Germany.
'We're the toughest crew in the world,' he boasted.
The chairman grumbled about recent falls in the company's share price.
He is still grumbling that he wished he had stayed at home.
'The whole thing is becoming a circus,' Barbara grumbled.
The bomb killed five people, including a seven-month-old baby. The majority of the country's newspapers speculated about a possible terrorist link.
Officials speculated that the dolphins might have been poisoned.
'By the end of Michaelmas term, I reckon that students will be so disenchanted with the whole situation that they will just stop attending,' he speculated.
The desperate mother wails about the lack of safety for her daughter.
Primrose began to wail that she was hungry.
'Have I done wrong?' she wailed.


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+61 (0) 7 4032 3919
Monday to Friday : 8.30am to 5.30pm Saturday : 8.30am to 12.00pm
A friendly professional florist based in Cairns. We deliver fantastic floristry and cater for all occassions and requirements, on every delivery.
Beautiful flowers are perfect for any occasion and on each occasion we aim to create the perfect gift.
We take extra care to cater for your specific requirements and look forward to hearing from you soon!


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Streptopelia capicola
Gewone Tortelduif
Only registered and logged in user can submit a comment
All images are protected under copyright law and may not be downloaded for any purpose without our knowledge and consent. None of the images are within the public domain. Feel free to contact us for usage or consent.


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I love this family! I got to know them really well this year with all their photoshoots, starting with Charlene and Buddy's wedding that I photographed on 9/10/11, then this session of their family and another one to follow that I will post soon. They are such an adorable family and just full of fun and love. And I love this beach that we shot at, not crowded at all, other then a few surfers and children field trips that I had to take out of their seasaw photo but other then that really nice and calm beach with lots of great photo spots. Thanks again Ng family!
Family Session - Rodeo Beach, Marin - {San Francisco Family Photographer}
in Family


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We gather weekly on Sunday mornings at 10:00am (by 9:45am Coffee is hot and ready!) to make much of Jesus together by discovering, demonstrating, and declaring the Gospel. We encourage one another, sing together, listen to the word of God proclaimed, and experience the liberating truth of the Gospel as a community. These gatherings require the volunteer service of generous people who, like Jesus, seek not to be served, but to serve.
Kids Ministry
The ENC KIDS ministry seeks to provide a safe, clean, and nurturing environment to teach the children of ENC how to discover, demonstrate, and declare the Gospel. We also aim to encourage and equip families to disciple their children throughout the week. We want the kids at ENC to know that they can have a true understanding of the Gospel and a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. We provide age appropriate classrooms for kids 0-10 years of age.
Production & Worship Ministry
When we gather together on Sundays, we sing songs that highlight the truths of the Gospel. We're always looking for new and talented musicians to add to the band. Practice is typically on Thursday evenings, and you can set up an audition with firstname.lastname@example.com. In addition to musical talent, our worship team depends on the technical skills of people serving on the sound board and ProPresenter. To find out more about serving with the production team, email firstname.lastname@example.com
Hospitality & Connections Ministry
We have generous members who sacrifice their time to help make our church hospitable by preparing coffee, morning snacks, and communion on Sunday mornings. If this sounds like something you'd like to do, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com, and she will help you find a way to serve. Another avenue of service is helping new people to connect to a Missional Community. If you are part of a Missional Community and want to help others connect to groups, reach out to email@example.com.
Serve with Us!
Our gatherings are fueled and supported by faithful and generous volunteers. These folks show up early and stay late on Sundays and even work throughout the week to make sure that everyone who attends is taken care of.
We're always looking for people to be involved in the areas of worship, production, hospitality, connections, kids, and prayer ministries, but there are many other ways to serve the church. If you are interested in serving, please submit this form and someone will be in touch with you to help you find a way to serve with us!


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Nerdy Book Club
Brooklyn Library
Today's Parent
All The Wonders
Minh Le at Huffington Post
49th Shelf
Eric Carle
A Mighty Girl
|This is Sara & Tara celebrating Sadie
Author Sara O'Leary takes a remarkably common premise –kids have wild imaginations, and can do wondrous things with nothing more than an empty box– and weaves something incredible. Her text harkens back to a day of unforced simplicity in children's literature, when easy ideas were delivered with just a pinch of poetry to make them go down even easier. Kinderlit Canada
I don't know if it was seeing Sadie in a box, on a boat, hammering, wearing a fox mask, sleeping in a blanket fort or looking for her wings that felt most like a connection to my younger self. I do know that reading the lines – "A perfect day is spent with friends. Some of them live on her street, and some of them live in the pages of a book" – made me want to give a copy to every family I know. The Book Jam
'This is Sadie' by the formidable picture book pairing of Sara O'Leary and Julie Morstad is a celebration of creatively quirky characters and positive affirmation of a wild and wonderful imagination. Pictures Book Blogger
In "This Is Sadie" the little girl with a big imagination sees the ordinary as extraordinary. The Waterloo Record
In this story Sara O'Leary has given readers a character to cherish. Through Sara's words we see a girl who looks at her world, making it larger with her making, doing and being. Librarian's Quest
Sadie's imagination is so huge she can go anywhere, be anything, without leaving her room. With soft, whimsical illustrations and spare, lyrical text, This Is Sadie takes us on a sweet adventure and reminds us of how far and wide our own imaginations can go.Staff recommendation, Powell's
Strap on your imaginations and take a trip with Sadie (I think you are going to fall in love with her). This gentle ode to creativity will make a nice addition to storytime. Don't miss this little Canadian gem, beautifully illustrated by Julie Morstad. Valley StorytimeEarlier reviews and interviews can be found here.
|art: Julie Morstad
| Photo: Rosie Winstead
As in previous collaborations like When You Were Small and Where You Came From, O'Leary and Morstad put forth a playful, imagination-first portrait of childhood, introducing a girl named Sadie who is equally at home in the expanses of her mind as she is in the outside world. Striking an irreverent tone from the first page ("This is Sadie. No, not that. That's a box. Sadie is inside the box"), O'Leary follows her raven-haired heroine as she sets sail in the aforementioned cardboard box, spends the day with friends ("Some of them live on her street, and some live in the pages of books"), and inserts herself into the stories she reads.
This award-winning duo beautifully convey the magic that is to be found in reading or listening to a story. The appealing text is accompanied by lush drawings rendered in gouache, ink, and Photoshop that lend it a fanciful feel in the best way possible. With its leisurely pace and verdant illustrations, this book is a delight for bedtime as well as an excellent storytime choice paired with Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon and Peter Bently's King Jack and the Dragon (Dial, 2011). VERDICT A wonderful purchase for all collections.Huffington Post:
Sadie is a young girl who revels in the power of her imagination and is not limited by silly things like traditional gender constructs. The dynamic duo of O'Leary and Morstad have crafted a quiet but powerful celebration of childhood with a heroine that is a role model for boys and girls alike. Readers should be prepared to reserve a special place on their shelves -- and in their hearts -- for the incomparable Sadie.✭ Quill and Quire:
Morstad's soft-palette illustrations engage perfectly with O'leary's text creating a whimsical kid-centred picture book that will be enjoyed by both children and adults. With something new to discover upon each encounter, This is Sadie is sure to become a favourite bedtime read.
With the picture book This Is Sadie, Sara O'Leary and Julie Morstad team up to introduce us to a girl of great imagination. Rather than plotting a linear storyline for her heroine, O'Leary offers us a character sketch of a girl uninhibited by adult limitations.
Buzzfeed: "What kind of reader is it for? This is a story for those with a deep love of stories."Sadie's days are never long enough, and readers may feel the same way about this story: It doesn't overstay its welcome, and every moment is a pleasure. And don't forget to remove the book jacket to see the surprise waiting on the cover.Here's hoping for more of Sadie's adventures in the future.
This is Sadie is an irresistible book filled with a charm that entrances and a heroine that is unforgettable. Sara O'Leary's fine narrative is sublimely complemented by the exceptional and aesthetically appealing art of Julie Morstad. Don't miss this one! It is delightful.
Today is publication day for This is Sadie and to celebrate I decided to buy myself a little present....
|Atelier Caroline
|Atelier Caroline
|Atelier Caroline


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Miscellaneous stuff meme! Pretty much any question is totally fine so uh. ASK AWAY. Then I will ask a question back maybe and I can capslock at you. Yes, you. It happens!
Alternatively ask me to make you icons. Because I can sort of do that.
UNRELATEDLY ORDER OF THE STICK IS BEING AWESOME AGAIN. I suggest that someone get me War & XPs because it's been out for ages and I still don't have it. Refusals will be met with puppy eyes and a duck.
|comments: Leave a comment


text: Sameak 0 Report post Posted March 26, 2018 Heres a little bit about my political journey. I started as an Objectivist after reading Anthem and immidiately delved into her wider works. I fell in love with the philosophy and it's heroic view of man. However, after seeing the anti-white rhetoric and studying controversial historical events I began leaning to the alt-right while still holding on to my non negotiable Radical capitalist views. I just recently started leaning towards Objectivism, yet I believe there are self-evident racial differences. I would love to discuss the significance of race and the Objectivist view of it with an avid Objectivist, however, if you are going to give me a Yaron Brook tier arguement and just call anyone who wants to discuss race racist, please move on to another post. Thank you in advance to those who want to have an actual discussion. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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You searched for: Image Ethnic Information: Vietnamese Image Keyword: animals
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1. Pen pictures of Annam and its people Page 116A
New York, Christian Alliance Publishing, 1920, pg. 116A
2. The peoples and politics of the Far East : travels and studies in the British, French, Spanish and Portuguese colonies, Siberia, China, Japan, Korea, Siam and Malaya Page 82A
New York, C. Scribner, 1895, pg. 82A
3. On and off duty in Annam Page 102A
London, W. Heinemann, 1910, pg. 102A


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The former prime minister will kick off his fellowship with a formal address to students at the Institute of Politics at the Boston university.
He is also expected to hold a series of discussions groups on "topical issues" and his "experiences in public and political service," and participate in "public policy" classes with faculty and students.
Mr Brown has a doctorate in Scottish political history from Edinburgh University, where he earlier took a first class undergraduate degree in history and where he also served as rector.
While still prime minister he spoke about his interest in returning to teaching after leaving office, and he has close friends at several institutions in the United States.
A number of universities in the United Kingdom are also understood to have approached Mr Brown about taking up possible academic appointments.
Harvard is renowned for its academic excellence and was attended by eight US presidents including John Kennedy, George W Bush and Barack Obama.
Mr Brown will launch his fellowship during a short visit to the States next week, when he will deliver the Malcolm Wiener Lecture in International Political Economy.
John C Culver, the Institute's interim director, said: "We are confident our students, faculty and university community will enjoy engaging with Gordon Brown, a prominent international leader with experience at the highest levels of government and public service."
Mr Brown has maintained a low profile since losing office at the general election in May.
He is rarely seen at Westminster, and is understood to have spent much of his time at his Scottish constituency home writing an analysis of the recent financial crisis and his role in the former Labour government's response to it.
Friends say that the book will contrast starkly with Tony Blair's revelatory memoir, A Journey, which went on sale earlier this month and which paints a portrait of the man who served as his chancellor as a difficult character who spent much of his time jockeying to become prime minister.
Mr Brown has maintained a dignified silence over the disclosures, but did use the day of publication to announce his own, very different, plans for the future, saying that he would hold series of speaking engagements in order to fund his charity work.
Reports suggested he would charge up to $100,000 (£64,000) a time to deliver a number of speeches in the Middle East.
His charitable activities will focus on increasing global access to education and boosting internet use in Africa.
A spokesman said that, reflecting his interest in global public policy, Mr Brown would take on unpaid posts at the Global Campaign for Education's High Level Panel on Education for All, and the board of the World Wide Web Foundation.
Mr Blair has been criticised for accepting a number of lucrative posts with major banks and businesses on leaving office, in addition to taking on the role of Middle East envoy.
Like his successor, he also accepted an invitation from a prominent American university to deliver one of his first major lectures on leaving office, giving a three-hour course at Yale, Harvard's main Ivy League rival, in 1998.


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Luxury 3 Bedroom Apartments in Coolum
With space comes freedom. Perfect for that idyllic family holiday, this Sunshine Coast apartment provides the extra space you require to relax. You'll love coming home to comfortable lounge chairs, large modern kitchen, and ample living and dining space, including an alfresco balcony setting. Some apartments feature in-room spa baths and some have private rooftop terraces (please telephone direct for availability of these options).
- Full Kitchen with European Appliances
- Laundry
- Bath
- Shower
- Ducted Air Conditioning & Fans
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Foxtel (free)
- Secure Undercover Parking (free)
- Private Balcony
- Pool or Garden Views
- Access to all Resort facilities
This floorplan is for indicative purposes only


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Crack Filler Mortar for Orange Brickwork
Crack Filler Mortar for repairing cracks in orange-coloured brickwork . Use with syringe and nozzle to inject the repair mortar into cracks to fill and seal them. Suitable for gaps ranging from 3mm-10mm wide, this injectable mortar is brick compatible and offers superb adhesion.
- Clean cracked zone, ensuring dust, dirt and loose fragments are removed.
- Lightly moistened brickwork but do not over-saturate.
- Mix 1 part water with 4-5 parts of 'Burnt Orange'-coloured powder.
- Inject colour-stained repair mortar to fully fill cracks and crevices.
- Sand or shape for up to twelve hours following application.
- Do not inject cracks in temperatures below 5°C.
- Wash tooling and spills with clean water.
Please refer to detailed instruction on the packaging.
This crack injection mortar contains natural pigments to match a typical Burnt Orange shade of brick. It has been formulated for use only as a crack-filling adhesive for repairing and sealing fractured bricks – The 250g of coloured powder yields 175ml of ready to use crack injection mortar. Syringe and nozzle provided.
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Some days seem longer than others.
Those days when I am not the mom I want my kids to learn from.
The other night after each of my children fell asleep I went into their rooms. I felt like I didn't enjoy them that day.
It wasn't until they fell asleep, when I realized that my patience level was embarrassing to admit. I held each of their hands and watched their peaceful faces as they were sleeping. I began to cry and ask God for help. I thought about how it was the only time I had asked him for help that day.
I talked to each of my dreaming babies about how much I love them. How much I really do enjoy them but I forget about what really matters. I forget that speaking truth to their hearts is much more important than how they act on the outside.
I was reminded that I wouldn't need prayer if my life was perfect. I wouldn't need to depend on God if I never felt the guilt of my impatience. I forgot God's truth and I relied on myself. My needs and what I thought was best ruled our home—but all of it is broken.
Nothing without God.
I held their little hands and was humbled. I am reminded of the good that I don't deserve. How sweet is grace, I need it every day.
With Love,
Natalie Falls at nataliefalls.com
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Legonium is a long walk from epic poetry, but this page shares something of epic's character – the love of a good simile. Here is Peter Toohey (Reading Epic) on what defines mythological epic (emphasis mine);
narratives concerning the heroic actions of mythological heroes; a concern with the relation between these heroes and divine powers; length matched with an elevation of style; the use of the hexameter metre; an ostensible glorification of the past – often achieved by repetition of description, by catalogues, and by fixed descriptive formulas. There are, too, shared technical features such as similes, battles, set speeches, invocations of the Muses, councils of the gods and leaders, and the description of shields and other artefacts.
I will give one example from the greatest Latin mythological epic, the Aeneid. Seeing as Marcellus enters the barber shop sicut tempestas like a storm, it seems fitting to present the very first simile that appears in that work. The god Neptune is quelling a storm at sea to rescue Aeneas and his Trojan refugee sailors;
As often, when rebellion breaks out in a great nation,
and the common rabble rage with passion, and soon stones
and fiery torches fly (frenzy supplying weapons),
if they then see a man of great virtue, and weighty service,
they are silent, and stand there listening attentively:
he sways their passions with his words and soothes their hearts:
so all the uproar of the ocean died, as soon as their father,
gazing over the water, carried through the clear sky, wheeled
his horses, and gave them their head, flying behind in his chariot.
The translation is by A. S. Kline.
Marcellus flies through the door of the barber shop like a storm. "Alan! I have lost an envelope of great importance. Perhaps you have found it?'


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a wonderful headphone experience. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)
One of the nice things about writing for this blog is to occasionally receive a submission from an artist with whom I was previously unaware. Matthew Barlow is a sonic explorer from Asheville, NC. His long-form compositions represent a wonderful coalescence of minimalism, warm ambient sound, solemn tones, and profound moments of cascading aural energy. Product, a self-released tape from Matthew, encompasses the listener from the start. A listening experience characterized by immersion, subtlety and composition elements such as texture, tone and spatial awareness, these two sidelong tracks were created from processed field recordings at a local grocery store. A wonderful headphone experience, this music should be played loudly for optimum enjoyment. An outdoor setting is apt for this kind of music. The propulsive, reverberating energy that is juxtaposed to warm ambient sound mirror the encompassing azure sky. Perfect for mindful awareness, the fluctuations in tone and intensity trace the sinuous contour of the breath.
Side A commences with a soothing drone. Within a minute, a propulsive, blinding burst of noise envelops the drone. A discernible facet of this tape is the manner in which the tone vacillates in specific sections of the track. Overshadowed by the lovely noise, the soothing tones fluctuate between being more subdued at one end of the continuum, and more assertive at the other. Contrasted to the beginning, the noise transitions from being propulsive to oscillating. Soon, it combines with a burgeoning stream of tranquil energy. Even when the intensity of the track appears to climax, a gentle passage of sound pervades. Almost halfway through the first side, a heavenly moment occurs through the juxtaposition of ethereal sound and compelling noise. As the track progresses and the intensity of sound increases, it is occasionally permeated by placid tones. The ubiquitous nature of the noise at the end makes the warm tones barely perceptible. Side B is just as engaging and maybe slightly more dark in tone. There is a wonderful contrast in intensity of sound on this side, as toward the middle intense energy and ghastly tones churn before oscillating. Immediately following is a section of relative silence, which is just as beautiful as its counterpart. Approaching the end, tranquil ambient sound sits in the front of the mix and combines with swirling noise.
A lovely handcrafted release with a double-sided, color j-card, each cassette is accompanied by a handmade insert with handwritten notes on one side and a vintage ad cutout on the other side. Home-dubbed in an edition of 40, the album art of Product features original photographs by Richard Auxilio. Product may be purchased either directly from the artist or through Tomentosa.
peace and love, friends :)


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Travelling the Chao Phraya River at night, with the temples lit-up along the banks, is one of the must-do experiences in Bangkok, and the luxury of the Apsara truly is a cut above the majority of boats travelling this well-worn tourist trail. Taking time to pause in front of the famous sights, passengers are treated to a delicious Thai feast onboard a romantic converted rice-barge. Departing from River City Pier every night at 20:00, you can either embark here or take advantage of the complimentary shuttle bus from Banyan Tree Hotel in Sathorn. Although you miss the sunset, the traffic on the river is much quieter at this time of night, and the temples are lit up for that perfect night-time picture.
- Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Tour
- Banyan Tree's Apsara Dinner Cruise
- Vertigo & Moon Bar Rooftop Dining
- Ayutthaya Ancient Capital Tour with River Cruise
- Shangri-La Hotel's Buffet Dinner Cruise
- Bridge on the River Kwai & Historic Railway Tour
- Siam Niramit Dinner Show
- Calypso Bangkok Cabaret Show
- Chao Phraya River Dinner Cruise
- Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha Half-Day Tour
Interested in this tour? Book it here.
USD 91 per adult
Free cancellationBook
Getting to River City by yourself is easy, it is only 5 minutes by cab from the MRT at Hua Lamphong, or you can take the free shuttle ferry from the pier near Sapphan Taksin BTS. Although the rice barge is around 120 years old, it has been renovated into a classy floating dining room, an intimate space that can cater for up to 64 people. Outside festive periods the boat isn't particularly busy, and the majority of tables have an uninterrupted view of the river. The cruise takes an hour and 45 minutes, travelling up the river, past Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) and the Grand Palace to Rama VIII Bridge.
From the moment you board, the service is of international-standard. The captain and his crew greet you at the pier dressed in traditional Thai outfits and you are served a welcome drink; a refreshing blend of apple, lime, basil and lemongrass with a dash of lemonade. This is served with a small amuse-bouche of rice crackers with sweet, coconut dipping sauce while you browse the drinks menu, which compromises of a decent selection of wines by the bottle or glass, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks. The food menu is fixed, but the maitre d' checks any allergies and dislikes before you board, and the food is adapted accordingly. There is no live entertainment but you cruise along to the sounds of traditional Thai instruments, punctuated by a commentary of the monuments you are passing by, guaranteeing that you don't miss the sites while you enjoy your food.
The appetizer is a pretty selection of small bites, which include a blue flower shaped chicken dumpling and a delicious crunchy chilli concoction wrapped in a pepper leaf. There is enough time in between courses to wander around the two small decks at each end of the boat and enjoy the view, and the atmosphere is relaxed and convivial. The appetizer is followed by a hot and sour fish curry. Again you can let the staff know how spicy you like your food – they even double check that it suits your palate once served. The main courses take over your table in a glorious banquet: spicy, stir-fried soft shell crab, giant and juicy river prawns, seasonal vegetables and a salad of lime, pork and chilli. Throughout the journey the boat slows down, taking the routes nearest to the temples and palace, to ensure you get that perfect photo.
As you tuck into your main course the Apsara arrives in front of Wat Arun, and the boat stops completely as groups take it in turns to have their picture taken in front of the stupa. Even if you have visited Bangkok before there is something remarkable about seeing the famous temple glowing gold against the night sky. A trio of Thai desserts is served as you make your way back to the pier: mango and sticky black rice, green tea panna cotta and pink water chestnuts in coconut milk. It is almost 22:00 by the time you disembark, but the exceptional service and leisurely pace of the Apsara adds a romantic, candle lit touch to the cruise; something that is sorely missing from the neon-lit party boats of other tours. This trip along the river takes you away from the commotion of the city to enjoy Bangkok by night as you enjoy a five-star feast, and it really is a magical experience.
- Opening Hours: Cruise start 20:00 - 21:45
- Location: River City Shopping Complex 23 Trok Rongnamkhaeng, Charoen Krung 30, Si Phaya Pier, Yota Road, Sampantawong, Bangkok 10100,Thailand