Grey hairs.

When I discovered my first grey hair when I was beginning 20’s, I panicked and called my dad. He calmed me down by making me laugh with his unique sense of humour (Some of you might not get it, for that I apologise). I remember this moment clearly. I was in the bathroom at my job, looking in the mirror. I don’t remember what I was scared of. My dad then told me: “Don’t worry, when your pubic hairs start becoming grey, that’s when you are getting old.”.

Soon after this, he passed away. The only parent I had left. I trusted him, I told him everything. I was so close to him. After not being there for me when I was little, he made up to me when I was growing up, gave me a beautiful little sister and then he went. I’m grateful I’ve had those years with the better version of him while growing up, but I’ve been so angry and sad that she won’t grow up with him and his wisdom.

On other people I always find grey hairs charming. It took a while, but for this reason I learnt to accept the fact I was getting grey hairs too. Good, because I’m a dark haired person now closer to 40’s than 30’s (even though it doesn’t always feels this way) and from then on I got many more.

I’ve met a few men that dye their grey hairs and this to me shows their insecurity, makes them look weaker in my eyes. Is it a coincidence that these men always drive huge cars? Somehow I associate a man with grey hair as strong and wise, full of knowledge, not full of years. Those insecure guys that are afraid to show their grey hairs, do they not wish for more knowledge? Do they want to stay boys for ever?

This post started as an introduction on Conscious coloring with hair brownies from Instituut Haar en Gezondheid, but became a super personal post instead. On that note,

How do YOU feel about grey hairs? On yourself and on others?

Dyeing my grey hairs at Instituut Haar en Gezondheid (See my last post HERE). Curious about the result? Keep an eye on the blog! 

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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? 

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

 

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.

 

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

Sports, a way of life! – A Mumbai Smiles article

Sports, apart from being just a medium of fun, also impart life skills that come in handy throughout the journey of life. It’s a way of bringing everyone together towards a common goal. To respect this level of union, Mumbai Smiles started Life Skills Empowerment project for boys using sports as a channel to bring about a unanimous approach towards comrade and loyalty.

This project was done in collaboration with OSCAR (Organisation for Social Change, Awareness & Responsibility) Foundation and their team. The core idea behind introducing this project is to empower adolescent boys through sports.

The most important aspect of indulging these boys in sports is for them to learn ways of life while on the field. Sports teaches us how to be a good team member, to respect rules and boundaries, to have an eye towards the goal but at the same time making sure that no one is harmed in order to reach that goal. After giving them these ground rules of not pushing anybody, taking care of themselves and their team members; the games had begun.

The OSCAR Foundation divided the boys into three teams and off they were. They started off with an interactive and a lively warm up session followed by an induction on the games. The boys played dodgeball, football and handball. This is because the team of Mumbai Smiles noticed that these boys have played sports like Kabbadi, Kho Kho and Cricket but football et al, not so much. During the breaks the Field Coordinator of Mumbai Smiles made sure to check on each and every boy for if they were facing any challenges or troubles. A first aid kit is always kept in handy by the Mumbai Smiles team for in case of any injury on the field, which is sure, the fun of all the sports, but safety is also crucial.

After the games came to an end, a review was conducted to get a feedback from the boys. One of them said, “This was our first experience in playing football and it was awesome. We want to continue under Life Skills Empowerment Project and play these sports that were so new and exhilarating”.  One thing we’d like to add is that none of these activities could have been possible without the incredible support of the Animators, the community members and most importantly the parents of our beneficiaries.

Post session feedback -Mumbai Smiles

Our beneficiaries during the session-Mumbai Smiles

First round of interaction with the students -Mumbai Smiles

This was a Mumbai Smiles article. “Mumbai Smiles works closely with its beneficiaries and develops bottom up strategies in order to end the vicious cycle of poverty.”
More info: http://www.mumbaismiles.org 

Bluegrass concert@Home Of Art tonight

Last time Cousin Daddy played Bluegrass Music for us at Home Of Art, we had a beautiful sunny day and now it Seems we are lucky again! See you tonight? Music from 20.00h, but you’re welcome any time before! Oh and if you dress in Style and wear a jeans overall, Home Of Art offers you a drink on the house

Upcoming events at Home Of Art in Amsterdam

SEPT 16 Eadon @Home Of Art
JOIN THE EVENT:
https://www.facebook.com/events/131598640518411

He passed by Home Of Art and joined a spontaneous jamsession once, now he will be back and have his own concert!Eadon is a Dutch singer-songwriter from Haarlem, who studies at the Conservatory of Utrecht. In 2014 he formed a band around himself and now he entirely focuses on his own music. Preparations for the debut single are currently in full swing. Inspired by Michael Jackson, Esperanza Spalding and John Legend, he writes groovy, swinging, but always narrative songs.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eadon/920705397953798

 

SEPT 04 Opening party expo Mariana Oliveira & Jasmine Karimova

Mariana Oliveira + Jasmine Karimova by Stefania Ballero

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOIN THE EVENT:
https://www.facebook.com/events/571756589629550

About Mariana:
“The medium of printmaking enables me to explore the textures and shapes of found objects and transfer them directly into paper. Using rust to represent the process of decay, each piece evolves through disintegration, acting as an antidote to the materialism of modern industrial life.”
http://moliveira.nl

 

Mariana Oliveira Home Of Art

About Jasmine:
“Jasmine is a 17 year old artist and singer-songwriter (composing and accompanying herself on the piano) based in Amsterdam. As an artist, she works primarily with oil paints; texture, form and colour playing very important roles in her work. In both her music and her art, she draws inspiration from herself and the environment around her – working primarily with themes related to the human condition (thus the many portraits and of usage human anatomy in her art)”
https://www.facebook.com/karimovajasmine

 

Jasmine Karimova Home Of Art

 

Home Of Art is an Art Gallery in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Van Baerlestraat 39H (Museum District).
https://www.facebook.com/HomeOfArtAmsterdam
(Give us a LIKE!)