Slovenia one of seven safest countries in the world

According to International SOS and Control Risks, Slovenia is one of the seven safest countries to travel to. 

Slovenia by DLCS Management

Slovenia is one of the safest places in the world, according to the 2019 Travel Risk Map issued by the International SOS and Control Risks. Only six other countries have seen their security risk classified as insignificant: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Luxembourg.

Security risks in the rest of Europe are deemed as low, and the same goes for the US, Canada and Australia, as well as China, Japan and several other countries across the globe. The risk map also provides assessments of medical risks and road safety. While Slovenia has received the best possible assessment as regards medical risk, it fares poorer in road safety.

  Quoted from the website of the government of Slovenia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes and probably not often enough, I realise how blessed I am for being born and raised in safe Europe. Happenings in the news I hear in the media occassionaly feels far away, but having many international acquaintances from all over the world, I hear stories about events that I could not imagine. Slovenia feels safe when being there. I’m looking forward to living there one day. 

Have you ever been to beautiful Slovenia? Is there a place you felt completely safe when you travelled there? 

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My search for conscious & natural shampoo ended at “Instituut Haar en Gezondheid”

Consciousness

When I started this blog, the term “consciousness” wasn’t hip yet. Luckily, conscious living and consuming became a bit of a trend. For me this process of becoming more conscious of how much waste I produce, what kind of products I use and what I consume, this awareness that almost felt natural to me, happened when I felt I was finally growing up.

The search for natural shampoo

Due to my mixed roots, my thick, dark hair is naturally curly. I’ve mistreated my hair, dyed it in many colours chemically (until I met Dianne te Mebel of Instituut Haar & Gezondheid) and used random beauty products for my hair and body. A couple of years ago I started getting rashes after showering and searched and found natural alternatives for the industrially made shower gels I used until then. The years after this though, I struggled to find good alternatives for my hair shampoos. I tried many shampoos that were advertised to be organic and natural, from many different countries, bought in local “organic shops” (“Natuurwinkels”), as well as online. The problem I had with these shampoos was, that most of them would clean my hair, but they would flatten my curls, make my hair frizzy and take away its shine. From some of the shampoos I ordered online from companies that branded as being completely organic, biological and natural, I figured out they had some chemical ingredients anyway AFTER I got them delivered at home.

Do you know what you put in your hair?

I’ve considered making my own shampoo and did some research, but you know, it’s one of those things that’s still on my To Do List for one day when I will make the time for it. For years I’ve continued my search to the perfect, natural shampoo and I occasionally tried some of the regular shampoos again as well. These actually sometimes make my curls pretty for a while, but contained chemicals and/or stuff like: Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Parabens, Sodium Chloride, Polyethylene Glycols (PEG), Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA), Dimethicone, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Triclosan, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Synthetic Fragrances, Formaldehyde and Alcohol. WHAT? You don’t know what these are, apart from one, or maybe two?? EXACTLY! That’s my point! Then why would you put them in your hair?

What if I would have remembered her sooner?

I’d never been in touch with Dianne te Mebel again since writing those blogs, when all of a sudden I remembered she KNOWS how to treat hair. She treats hair consciously and has been doing so before this became hip in Amsterdam. I decided to ask her advice about shampoos. I contacted her and she told me to pass by, so she could introduce me to her self-made natural shampoos and other natural hair products.

Instituut Haar en Gezondheid

Dianne’s salon is very centrally located next to the Amstel river that Amsterdam has been named after and it’s warm, welcoming and cozy. I don’t think she advertises much, because for sure people always come back after having visited her the first time. When I entered, I felt like all of the clients present were regulars that have been coming there for years. Dianne’s salon Instituut Haar en Gezondheid (Institute of Hair and Health) specialises in dying your hair naturally with henna (CLICK).

Instituut Haar en Gezondheid at Amstel 186, Amsterdam. Photo by DLCS Management

Natural hair products!

As soon as I entered, I was pleasantly surprised. I saw beautiful shampoo bars that looked like a piece of art, natural argan oils that Dianne brought from Morocco herself, natural apple cider vinegars that will give your hair a boost, henna brownies, hair masks that look super tasty but are for your hair, rosewater to condition your hairs and many more natural products without packaging that instantly made me happy; I knew I found what I’d been looking for.

 

Edible looking natural meringue hair masks at Instituut Haar en Gezondheid. Photo by DLCS Management

 

The shampoo bars smell like spices and weigh about 120 grams each. They’re being wrapped in some paper (with a cute ribbon) to safely take home (I’ve already reused these for a present), but other than that there is no packaging = no waste. They’re easy to take with you (Even in your hand luggage when flying!) and will last you about 50 washings. Oh and they’re vegan and only tested on humans!

 

A selection of the natural shampoo bars at Instituut Haar en Gezondheid. Photo by DLCS Management

 

Heavenly hair washing

To make my morning even better, Dianne announced that she’d be washing my hair for me, to demonstrate the shampoo bar. I love having my hair washed and she was explaining what the shampoo bar was made of and where she gets the ingredients, so this was heavenly.

Eden natural shampoo bar by Instituut Haar en Gezondheid

The Eden henna shampoo bars come in a few different “flavors” and Dianne chose me the “Henna Color shampoo Eden Red/Auburn”. Besides henna, my shampoo bar contains jojoba, rosemary, juniper and grapefruit, also cocoa butter and shea butter. Since my hair hasn’t been dyed for some time and is about black, we don’t expect that the henna will actually color my hair (apart from maybe the grey ones), but last time Dianne dyed my hair, it was revitalised and conditioned and super healthy again thanks to the henna (Read about this HERE) and this lasted for months.

 DLCS Management

Already after a minute I loved the smell. My hair felt clean. After washing my hairs twice, she also conditioned it with her “Sweet Rose Conditioner bar” enriched with sweet orange oil, shea butter and avocado oil and then sprayed in some of her apple cider vinegar (includes plants, blue malva and lemon), which made my hair shine and made the skin on my head feel fresh. Of course I had to test her rosewater and argan oil as well and this stuff smells and feels so amazing!

(I don’t like posting pictures of myself on this blog, but I just had to show you how happy Dianne’s hands & products made me)  

Conclusion?

After this visit I really stretched the time I waited until washing my hair again, just to observe the effect of Dianne’s products on my hair. After a week, my hair still felt and smelt clean. I just really couldn’t wait to try the shampoo bar myself, so I decided it was time. I figured out that you only need to make the bar a little moist to get enough shampoo on your hands and then hair. It foams a lot very easily! There is no way I’ll squirt shampoo in the shower instead of in my hands again and it’s just a tiny little bit that I need for every washing. I’m sure this bar will last for quite some time! It’s been a couple of weeks now and I’m still happy.

Institute Hair and Health, Amsterdam. Photo by DLCS Management

 

So. My conclusion? Until one day I’ll get to my To Do List and will make my own shampoo, I will never use anything else again.

 

My Eden natural shampoo bar by Dianne te Mebel . Photo DLCS Management

 

Exciting!

Oh wait, I almost forgot. I’ve got some exciting news as well.
1.:  Soon Dianne will dye my hair with her natural henna products at Instituut Haar en Gezondheid again and I’m very much looking forward to this.
2. : There’s a webshop! See:  www.hennabrownies.com . For now most of the website is only in Dutch, but Google Translate is your friend and of course you can leave me a message if you have a question. The Henna brownies come in 25 colors and there’s a step-by-step manual on the site (If you’re not confident enough to color at home with the manual AND you’re located in The Netherlands, FYI, every once in a while there are workshops in the salon where you can learn to color your own hair, how to best treat your hair and receive more tips while enjoying a healthy lunch).

 

Natural shampoo bars Eden at Instituut Haar & Gezondheid. Photo DLCS Management

Natural shampoo bars Eden at Instituut Haar & Gezondheid. Photo DLCS Management

Natural shampoo bars Eden at Instituut Haar & Gezondheid. Photo DLCS Management

 

www.instituuthaarengezondheid.nl
www.hennabrownies.com
Instituut Haar & Gezondheid
Amstel 186
1017 AG Amsterdam
(The Netherlands)

 

 

Which natural products do YOU use for your hair?

Are you as conscious about what you put in your hair as about what you put in your belly?

 

DLCS Management logo

 

Dominique is born, my sourdough starter

“Until the introduction of commercial yeast about 200 years ago, people had baked with sourdough for thousands of years. The slow fermentation of a true sourdough makes grains more digestible, boosts nutrition and produces delicious real bread. But you’ll need to make a starter before you can make the bread.”

 

An excerpt from the Zero Waste Chef, my inspiration for making my own sourdough starter baby. Thank you!

 

Dominique, DLCS sourdough starter inspired by the Zero Waste Chef – the making of

 

Have a look at the Zero waste chef’s detailed instructions on starting a starter HERE.

 

Dominique, DLCS sourdough starter inspired by the Zero Waste Chef

Dominique. Born 13-10-2018. 

 

Fingers crossed! It will take about 5-7 days to find out if she’s viable.

Am I ready to have this baby?

So.

I’m getting a day older, time has flown by and I have been mentally preparing for this big step in my life for months. I’ve been looking forward to this, but have also been putting it off, due to busy lifestyle, travels, work and being nervous for such a serious responsibility.

I’m attempting to live more conscious and healthy in any way and feel like such a different person when I read back old posts on this blog (okay, I did grow up a bit).

So.

Maybe it’s time.

I’m a big fan of The Zero Waste Chef . She’s a huge inspiration. I’d like to do a lot of things her way; from zero waste, to recycling, to shopping, to cooking, to fermenting and to having a sourdough baby. She already got me to carrying my breakfast and lunch in mason jars and she thought me it’s possible to freeze food in (glas) mason jars too (I only broke the first one, but with being more conscious and healthy comes patience, which I’m practicing since breaking that first jar)! I haven’t managed to get rid of all the old Tupperware yet, as I will not throw them, but I am slowly eliminating them in the household. Oh and did you know best way to peel ginger is with a spoon? 

I’ve been doing fine in taking care of my cat https://dlcsmanagement.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/my-1st-buzzbox/ for the last 9 years, but I feel like that’s different. The cat wakes me up for food EVERY morning. She cries when she feels sick. She tells me if her toilet is not clean enough, or if there are hairs stuck in her throat. A sourdough baby has to be taken care of a few times a day as well and keeps quiet. It has to be fed, stirred, taken care of and loved.

 

 

I think I might be ready to have this baby, but am very excited. Will I manage?

Happy National Coming Out Day!

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) Logo created and donated by Keith Haring to the Human Rights Campaign. DLCS

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is an annual LGBTQIA+ awareness day observed on October 11 and 12 in some parts of the world. Founded in the United States in 1988, the initial idea was grounded in the feminist and gay liberation spirit of the personal being political, and the emphasis on the most basic form of activism being coming out to family, friends and colleagues, and living life as an openly lesbian or gay person. They believe the foundational belief is that homophobia thrives in an atmosphere of silence and ignorance, and that once people know that they have loved ones who are lesbian or gay, they are far less likely to maintain homophobic or oppressive views.

In more recent years, the idea of the “lesbian and gay community” has been largely subsumed into the idea of the LGBT community, and the idea of “coming out” expanded to not only include the voluntary self-disclosure of a lesbian, gay, or bisexual sexual orientation, but also transgender, genderqueer, or other non-mainstream gender identity.

Coming-Out Day has (also) been held in The Netherlands since 2009. Even in a country like The Netherlands, that is incredibly safe and very tolerant and open compared to many other countries, it is necessary to pay attention to creating more awareness for this topic. 

Unlike the Gay Pride and Roze Zaterdag in The Netherlands and The Belgian Pride in Belgium, there is no big central celebration on Coming-Out Day, but in several places smaller activities are organized by local gay and youth organizations, whether or not in cooperation with heterosexual sympathizers. Some information about activities in  The Netherlands today: http://www.coc.nl/comingoutdag2018

I wish you a Happy and safe (inter-) national coming out day, because I believe it is very important that YOU can be yourself. I hope agression and ignorance will one day be minimised.

#ComingOutdag2018
#ComingOutDay2018

And.. ThX Wikipedia.

10 REASONS WHY FOODTREX LONDON IS WORTH YOUR TIME

“Food tourism is the act of traveling for a taste of place in order to get a sense of place.”
– World Food Travel Association

DLCS Management Food Travel fig fire

At FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit, we  look at the customer journey, how food and drink can serve as the cornerstone of a destination’s brand, and of course how the rapid evolution of technology is changing literally everything we do. We look at all these topics and much, much more at FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit.

If you’re a professional that needs new information and ideas to get or stay ahead in food tourism, or you simply are interested in food tourism,  we recommend you to visit FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit on November 4, 2018.

Have you seen THIS previous post about the 2018 FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit?

If you’re still not convinced why this summit is for you, please read the 10 reasons below:

1. NEW INFORMATION.
   The content is about innovation in food tourism, and NOT a repeat of what you’ve seen or heard elsewhere.
2. NEW IDEAS.
   New information helps you to think of new ideas to help you get or stay ahead. You need new ideas to grow your business.
3. QUALITY NETWORKING.
   Meet leading food travel industry influencers. Introduce yourself, present your business, create new partnerships.
4. INTIMATE SETTING.
   Our goal is quality not quantity. Ticket sales are limited. And in an intimate group, it’s easier to meet the people you want.
5. CONVENIENCE.
   Piggybacked with World Travel Market. No need to spend extra money or time on another trip.
6. FOOD TRAVEL MATTERS.
   93% of visitors engage in some kind of unique or memorable food/drink experience other than eating out. Don’t be left out.
7. FOOD TRAVEL IS CHANGING.
   You can’t just put a list of restaurants on your website or organize a food event. You need to know who to reach out to, and how to do it in order to be as effective as possible and capture more customers or visitors.
8. AFFORDABLE.
   Other single day London conferences are in the £695-795 range. We don’t think quality education and networking should have to cost that much. FoodTrex registration is only £395 (plus VAT).
9. WON’T BE RECORDED.
   If you want access to this great information, you’ll have to attend in person. We won’t be recording the sessions.
10. LOCATION.
    Centrally located in London at the Grange St. Paul hotel, accessible easily and quickly by a variety of transport options.

MORE INFO HERE

So, will I see you there?
DLCS DEE

FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit

Help us shape the Future of Food Tourism! Get connected with the right people, stimulate your business strategy with compelling food & drink beverage discussions, and much more at the 2018 FoodTreX London | Food Travel Innovation Summit.

Hear the world’s leading experts discuss innovative case studies, new technologies and unusual business processes to help you gain a competitive edge in the food/beverage tourism industry.

More information about FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit HERE

World Travel Market London (WTM)

Will you also be attending the World Travel Market London (WTM),  the leading global event for the travel industry to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals? 

FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit was purposefully scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 4, the day before WTM begins. So, you can attend both events with no additional travel cost – simply arrive one day earlier.  FoodTreX London is WTM’s strategic partner for food and beverage tourism. You will find limited food tourism content at WTM. If food/beverage tourism is important to your business, destination or organisation, then you cannot afford to miss the in-depth discussions and networking at FoodTreX London.

World Food Travel Association 

FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit, is organised by the World Food Travel Association.

“The World Food Travel Association (WFTA) was founded in 2003 as a non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO) and has become the world’s leading authority on food and beverage tourism. Today the Association serves a community of 50,000+ professionals in 139 countries. 

Our knowledge, tools and training help trade professionals and organizations to leverage their area’s food and beverage to help create a strong sense of place, which increases visitor arrivals; destination brand equity; and export demand for their area’s food and beverage products.

The World Food Travel Association is the world’s oldest and largest food tourism organization and is highly respected among food, beverage, travel and hospitality industry stakeholders.”

More information about The World Food Travel Association (WFTA) HERE

The 2018 FoodTreX London | Food Travel Innovation Summit will take place:
On Sunday, November 4,
from 8:30 am – 5 pm
at Grange St. Paul’s Hotel, 10 Godliman St, LONDON EC4V 5AJ, United Kingdom

www.foodtrex.org/

Will you also be at FoodTreX London, the Food Travel Innovation Summit ? Perhaps we can meet and exchange ideas about food tourism?

DLCS

Urban Gipsy

Oxford dictionary:

Urban:
“In, relating to, or characteristic of a town or city.”

Gipsy:
“A nomadic or free-spirited person.”

Not much of a nomad, but a city person with a free spirit that realised that nature feels most like Home. How does one balance living in a city while wanting to consume nature?

 

 

Growing up in a town which felt tiny back then, I craved for living in the big city. The capital has the worldwide reputation that everything is possible and it’s the craziest. I couldn’t wait to experience that for myself. Pretty much as soon as I was a legal adult, I head off and figured out it was true.

 

 

Besides study and work, I continuously indulged myself in to the temptations and craziness that were always available. I discovered sides of myself I had only fantasised about and explored (almost) as much as I could (Yes, almost, because I do have my limits, you know).

 

 

After some years of work and play, something started stirring. For a while I’d thought that person dancing on the dance floor in the middle of the night was me, until I was introduced to the wonders of nature. I really got to know the country I had previously passed through and finally felt at home. I decided, that’s where I want to be one day. I realised I’d spent years searching for what I’d finally found, without even knowing it.

 

 

Right now I am writing this from a village with barely 100 inhabitants. Besides a church, it seems like there’s not much more.

BUT.

There are gardens, there is fresh air, the doors don’t need to be locked, the birds are twittering (yes, twittering and not tweeting), there are bees, herbs and fruits and there is the view on the mountains.

 

BACK

Hi, it’s been a while (About 3 years and a month to be exact). Amongst others, HERE’s why. And of course there’s more, about which I’ll update you over time.

I’ve been thinking of coming back to blogging for months. I started DLCS Management back in the days when “blogging” was not a profession yet. Then, life happened and I took a break.

I’ve been doubting to continue this old blog which I’ve started in April 2011, or to start fresh, anew. The latter has been tempting, especially after reading back and seeing so many typo’s and grammar mistakes on this blog, BUT. That’s how this started, so I’ve decided to pick up where I’ve left and continue, including some changes regarding looks & design (Coming up!).

I am looking forward to learning which of you followers are still here!

Best,

DLCS

Papalosophy. A Spanish Cookbook , Needs your support TODAY!

A project I highly support, you’ve got 34 hours left to help making this work! 

I can’t wait for my own copy of this amazing “not-just-a-cookbook-piece-of-food-art”, pledge for your own copy too!

Why? Check this out:

Papalosophy. A Spanish Cookbook for the *LIFE GLUTTON* (where one serving is never enough)

Joel, together with Mexican photographer Aldo Chacon, has created a truly original cookbook that captures their passion for Spanish food and sometimes uncontrollable ‘joie de vivre’.

The recipes…
Joel was inspired to write Papalosophy by a lifetime spent seeking authentic flavors and creative preparations, with influences from his Catalan family, world travels and an obsessive study of the world of gastronomy and nutrition. The book includes Spanish and Catalan classics like Fideua with Squid Ink Allioli, Pulpo Gallego and Leche Merengada, as well as creations like Membrillo-Roasted Pumpkin with Almond Cream, Green Gazpacho with Sumac Yogurt and Saffron-Pulled Chicken with Blackened Corn. Expect almost 80 easy-to-follow and entertaining recipes that you can enjoy for the pictures, and for the stories.

The photos…
The book has a fresh creative approach to it, combining food with fashion and surrealism to result in a publication that is completely authentic and unique. hot Shot through a Aldo’s rockstar lens,Papalosophy confirms that food in Barcelona is most definitely a lifestyle choice.

With the recipes written and tested, we began the mammoth task of cooking and shooting almost 80 recipes. With both of us holding down demanding full-time jobs (Joel as EatWith Global Community Manager and Aldo as an in-demand fashion photographer), weekends and late nights were spent together in the kitchen cooking, styling and shooting every dish over and over again.

But it wasn’t just about shooting the recipe; it was also about capturing the spirit of the amazing produce and traditions that go into Spanish cooking. It was about producing a cookbook with images that make you hungry and smile at the same time, because food is fun, and no-one represents this more than us.

Papalosophy is about the food, the story and the place. And there is no place like Barcelona. We created Papalosophy in and out of the kitchen using the natural beauty and insane creativity that the city feeds you on every corner.

The campaign…
The duo has launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring their creation to the world. For anyone that loves both food and photography in equally radical measures then this is the book for you.

Get your copy here TODAY –> tiny.cc/papalosophy