10-09-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter.
Saturn has nine rings, consisting mostly of ice particles with a smaller amount of rocky debris and dust. Sixty-two known moons orbit the planet, fifty-three are officially named. Titan, Saturn's largest and the Solar System's second largest moon (after Jupiter's Ganymede ), is larger than the planet Mercury and is the only moon in the Solar System to possess a significant atmosphere.
The average distance between Saturn and the Sun is over 1 400 000 000 km (9 AU). With an average orbital speed of 9.69 km/s, it takes Saturn 10,759 Earth days (or about 29½ years), to finish one revolution around the Sun.
This is called a Saturn return:
The Saturn Return is an astrological phenomenon that occurs at the ages of 27-30, 58-60, 86-88, etc., coinciding with the time it takes the planet Saturn to make one orbit around the sun. It is believed by astrologers that as Saturn "returns" to the degree in which it occupied at the time of birth—approximately every 29.5 years—a person crosses over a major threshold and into the next stage of life.
The first Saturn Return is famous because it represents the first test of character and the structures a person has built their life upon. According to traditions, should these structures be unsound, or if a person is living out of touch with his or her true values, the Saturn Return will be a time of upheaval and limitations as Saturn forces him or her to change old concepts and worn out patterns of living. It is not uncommon for relationships and jobs to end during this time of life restructuring and reevaluation.
But the Saturn Return is not all about painful endings. During this time goals are consolidated and people tend to gain a better vision of where they are going in life. There are added responsibilities and a person may reap the rewards from his or her hard work. Many major life milestones seem to happen around the ages of 29 and 30. This is why astrologers believe that the thirtieth birthday is such a major rite of passage because it marks the true beginning of adulthood, self-evaluation, independence, ambition, and self-actualization.
So why am I telling you this??? Because it’s my 30th birthday tomorrow!
I did not know about this phenomenon before, but when I think back over the past few years then I must totally agree! So much has changed and only for the better!
It feels like indeed I have reached another period in my life. I’m ready to turn 30 tomorrow!!! Ready for my next cycle!
source: wikipedia
10-09-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksIf you have read my blogs before, or follow me on twitter, then you’ll know that I’m such a fashionjunky!!! Seriously! I follow all fashionshows like a hawk!
Today is the start of fashion week in New York and from now on I will be addicted to my style.com app and watch all the shows in NY, London, Milan and Paris, take pictures of everything I find absolutely gorgeous, and then post it on my twitter and my fashionjunkyblog.
But since I blog for organiceyourlife I try not to get blinded by the beautiful colors, fabrics or superb tailoring and try to find other reasons to love these shows.
None of these are obvious. You can’t really tell whether the designer uses fur, fake fur or when you don’t see any if that means that they just didn’t use it or are not using it out of ideology and conviction?
Well during Amsterdam fashion week they tried to make at least that last one more clearly. furfreeffashion created a trademark for all fashion designers that actively want to show that they don’t use fur. It resulted in a logo on flyers to be placed in the goodiebags. No protests or nasty photos but just a cool and chic way to show the designers convictions.
Hopefully there will be more trademarks like these on other levels of fashion production, and I hope they are to be used by fashionweeks all around the world.
Interested? Then check out their website for more info and read this interview of djWannabeastar who started this campaign.
30-08-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksI just returned from hiking in Norway for three weeks together with my boyfriend.
It was such an AMAZING trip!
It’s incredible how free we felt together in nature!
It is also amazing when there is nobody in sight for miles and miles for sure, how much time you end up spending naked! Haha!
I cherish one day in the first week when I had bathed in the lake and was lying naked in the grass enjoying the sun. Looking through the grass straws to my boyfriend trying to chase of the mosquitoes.
I smiled because I knew I was truly happy!
I knew for sure we together were going to make this a TRIP OF A LIFETIME!!!
00-00-0000 | Posted by: Lonneke Engelwe are all in vacation mode!
That means we are not updating the blog as much as we usually do, but we will come back even bigger and better from September 1st on!
But until that day, keep checking in!
the Organice Your Life® team
p.s. what are you doing during your days off?
05-08-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksI have terrible news!!
My dear cat Frits which I had for 5 years and I loved so much died yesterday
He fell from a 4th floor balcony and probably hit his head on the way down!
I'm so devastated about this!
I miss him already!
03-08-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksHaha!!! Sorry just kidding!
Here it is for real!
At my work we had a nice lecture from Bill Jensen about simplicity.
(No! not the electronics kind but the work kind)
It was about how you should manage your time at work.
Basically he said:
DO LESS!!!
Filter all the crap you receive trough phone and email and try to perfect the art of work not done.
Work you shouldn't do or doesn't need to be done.
Every hour of meetings, calling and reading mails is only 5 minutes for you!
Of 325 pages of info only 5 you NEED!
Ask yourself what is in it for me!
Prevent information overload.
Every 550 days mails, texts and messages DOUBLES!
So pay attention during meetings!
(don't check phone and mails)
2 to 4 hours are wasted on communication
This also about respect!
Treat your collegues like you would want to be treated!
Nothing is getting simpler without someone saying it!
Find the guts!
There are only 1440 minutes a day!
You don't get any more!!!
Interesting right?
If you want to know more?
Check out Bill Jensen's Simplicity survival handbook
And for tips on his website
28-07-2010 | Posted by: Valentina ZelyaevaYesterday I went to one of my favorite raw restaurants here in New York to grab some lunch, and I noticed that they star selling Glass Straw. And I thought "WOW! this is an amazing solution for our plastic waste problem!' it is very small but still a big help!
Think about how much garbage already exists on our planet and plus every time you purchase your smoothie or juice, you use one of those plastic straws. 5 minutes later - its all in the trash. and like this everyday!
Well, now you can buy only one glass straw and carry it around with you. It's made of high quality glass and will last forever.
"- glass straws don't leach toxins into your food as you drink
- each time you use your glass straw equals one less plastic straw ending up in your landfill
-one glass straw replaces thousands of plastic straws"
see more info on the website below.
love, Val
26-07-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksMaybe you remember my blog from last week about the skin burn?
My sister (who is a doctor) saw my wound yesterday and got really angry with me! (I didn’t have it covered up and the crust was starting to peel off)
She said that if a burn is bigger than an old quarter coin (about 20mm) then you have to take extra care of it! And if it’s bigger than a 2 euro coin then you should go see a doctor! Well it was just slightly smaller than that!
My sister put some aloe vera burn relief gel on it and covered the wound with special burn bandage so it wouldn’t stick on the wound and it wouldn’t be infected. And she gave me a prescription for silversulfadiazine which is a disinfecting cream to prevent infections on open wounds like burns and to prevent scarring. And I should keep it covered up!
So therefore this update! DON’T BE A FOOL LIKE ME!
Check out burns properly! and if you have doubts?
GO SEE A DOCTOR!
22-07-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksThe day before yesterday I burnt myself during cooking.
I spilled some carrots next to my wok and tried to grab them, when reaching over I accidentally burnt myself to the pan and in reflex I pulled my hand UP (which was more towards the pan!!! Aahhhhh AUW!)
While being busy trying not to waste my meal I kind of finished with the start of the vegetables etc. Cleaned something up and THEN I started to cool my hand!
Dumbdumbdumb!
I should have stopped whatever I was doing and started to cool right away! Now it ended up hurting all the rest of the evening! I had icecubes on my hand all evening until I put a bandage on it, so I wouldn’t hurt or damage it during my sleep. Which was great! When I put the bandage on it was better instantly!
So now I have a big red spot on my hand and it still kind of hurts a little.
So but what should I have done? I looked it up and I didn’t do everything totally wrong, thank goodness:
During the process of providing first aid burn treatment, the aim must be to cool the burn, provide relief from pain, and cover the burn. Cover the burn with abundant amount of cold liquid. Do not use ice or iced water as the burn may take a longer time to heal. Dress the burn with a sterile pad or bandage. Applying oils, creams and sprays on the burn may add to the risk of infection.
OK so the icecubes weren’t a good idea! Oops! I absolutely didn’t know that! And thank goodness my boyfriend stopped me from smearing cream on it! The bandage was OK and it helped really well!
So all in all I cooled too much, too late but the rest was fortunately OK
Doing a first aid course might be something we should all do! So we all know how to treat our clumsy accidents as well as the really serious ones!
19-07-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksThough twitter I’ve met some other fashionlovers!
One of them is my fashionfriend Robin, He works for the menswear fashionbrand NÕN by KIM, and through him I was able to get a ticket for the Amsterdam Fashion week show on saturday!
This was my first time I went to a catwalkshow that was part of the official program and it was awesome!
I loved the collection!
The pants and jackets were quite sharp looking but the colors and materials made it more casual. I loved the detailing in some of the blouses, shirts and sweaters. I was constantly thinking: would I buy this for my boyfriend? I think the answers were quite a lot of yeses for sure!
After the show I talked to designer Kim Bakker to congratulate her on her new collection. To stay in line with the green fashion spirit of the day before I asked her what is her brands position towards sustainability?
And her first answer really surprised me!
She said that most of all she tries to make the style sustainable, so you don’t need to buy new looks every season but you can keep your clothes from older seasons and combine them with the new ones.
Of course! that makes sense!
It’s great to have clothes that have a style and quality that you can wear for many years!
I also asked her about the materials she used.
She said she uses recycled cotton and a cotton-like fiber called Kapok, and even her friends HAIR! (For the accessories during the show)
She tries to watch for good fabrics and materials but also said that it is quite hard to find good ones because there is a lot less choice and a lot less available.
Well, I hope she continues on this path! It would be great to have a good sustainable menswear fashion brand around!
My boyfriend is always complaining there isn’t much choice for men. So this could be something for him for sure!
Check out the video of the show below and photos on the forum.
19-07-2010 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
A few years ago I was obsessed with a book called 'Emotional Intelligence', which described how emotions play a very large role in the way we think and act, and in accomplishing personal and professional success. The writer, Daniel Goleman, has a fantastic way of writing, combining engaging anecdotes with scientific information. So...when I saw his book 'Social Intelligence' in the local bookstore, I didn't hesitate for a second. I started reading it yesterday and I'm loving it so far. 'Socal Intelligence' describes how our brains are designed to make connections with other people. We have a natural ability to do so (think of how easily we copy other people's behavior (yawning, smiling, crying, flirting, being irritated, etc.)), but we can also develop these skills in order to succeed even more in any social situation. Interesting stuff!
Daniel Goleman also wrote a book called 'Ecological Intelligence', about the environmental consequences of what we make and buy. Sounds very promising as well! Check him out in these links below:
18-07-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksToday is Mandela day!
At the London celebrations of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday at Hyde park in June 2008, Mandela said: : “It is time for the next generations to continue our struggle against social injustice and for the rights of humanity. It is in your hands.”
After this it was decided to celebrate his birthday every year with a day dedicated to his life’s work to ensure that his legacy continues forever.
So what is Mandela day?
(source)
I think Mandela is such an inspirational person!
Sometimes I feel: how can we change? How can I make a change? And whenever I think of Mandela, I think WOW! He really did it! He made such a big change, not only for himself, but for the entire world!
Hopefully people will continue feeling inspired by him and really pick up the torch from him and try to make an imprint on the world!
I‘ve put 67 ways to change your world on the forum, so everyday can be a Mandela day!
It really is in your hands!
18-07-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksFriday was the launch of the Green Fashion Competition
After speeches of Henk de Jong of the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and Lonneke Engel as an ambassador of the competition and member of the jury, the competition was officially launched.
Everybody can join the competition!
In the first round 40 contestants/teams are selected. Then all contestants are invited to participate in two workshops (themes are creation and business) that will support their submissions for the competition.
Then the participants are required to submit a business plan and two designs
Next round 8 contestants/teams are rewarded with a cash prize to be used for fabrication and production of the outfits. Those 8 contestants are to deliver their adapted business plan and fully fabricated designs
Then the final step is a fashion show during fashion week in which your designs will be shown during the 14th edition of Amsterdam International Fashion Week (24-31 January 2011).
Then the winners will be announced and a first prize of €25.000 and second prize of €15.000 will be awarded for the most promising fashion entrepreneurs.
I hope this competition will be a great success! And contributes to more awareness in the fashion industry.
Hopefully soon all shows during fashion week are GREEN!
15-07-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van DijkPrince Charles recently started a wonderful new initiative through his non-profit, "The Prince's Charities Foundation."
Start is about changing your lifestyle, the way you live. By providing simple yet insightful tips, Start gives its interested viewers the tools to start making a difference in your every day life. How? By adopting small, eco-friendly practices one step at a time that inevitably lead to big-time changes.
Geared toward the inhabitants of the UK, Start is for anyone and its educational videos can easily be accessed via their website.
The idea is to start with something simple. Something that resonnates with you : Take a look and see how you can Kick-Start your day! .......... Or should I say Life?
13-07-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksThis week it’s Amsterdam International Fashion Week (AIFW). All week all through Amsterdam there are many events and shows, some of them are open for the public but most of the fashion shows are by invitation only.
If you follow me on twitter, then you’ll know that I am such a fashion junky!
I always check all the fashion shows in New York, London, Milan and definitely in Paris! I watch them all on my style.com iPhone app. And load all the pretty ones on my twitterpage.
A few weeks ago Lonneke surprised me with an invitation for a fashion show in Amsterdam. She got invited to Ready to Fish_, a brand by Ilja Visser. Since Lonneke is still in New York she couldn’t come to the show herself and asked if I could come instead! (JEEEE thanks LONN!!!)
Well, Yesterday was the show, and it was absolutely FAB!!!
The models came from stairs down to the catwalk. And guess where I was sitting!!! Right NEXT to bottom of the stairs! So I had the absolute most fabulous view ever!
All the clothes were very light and flowy with supercute tailoring. I totally fell in love with this stained marble-like light brown silk fabric they used for jackets, pants and dresses. Overall the whole look was perfect for summer, it looked very feminine and HOT!
Check out my pictures on the forum
Next show I will go to is on Friday, then will be the launch of the Green Fashion Competition, of which Lonneke will be the ambassador and member of the jury. After the launch there is a show of a sustainable collection by Kentroy Yearwood for RANGAKU.
Can’t wait to see that!!!
07-07-2010 | Posted by: Marius HordijkI figured the title would be a good start. Hello, my name is Marius Hordijk and I will be joining the writing team of OYL.
For now, I will write about running. My 12 week training program, which started yesterday, is the toughest one I've done so far, and it will prepare me for the Utrecht Singelloop on Sunday September 26th, 2010. This is a 10 kilometer race in which I hope to break my record.
I've been running for almost two years now, and I can tell you all the cliché things you hear about it are all true: yes, it helps you relax. Yes, it helps you stay and feel healthy. And yes, running can be great for the mind. Yet most important of all: it is good fun.
I hope to be exploring these topics with you, and I hope to not bore you silly with talks of calories and minutes per kilometer. So there! I have introduced myself. Soon I'll tell you more of my training schedule, and if you feel tempted to join, don't hesitate to take your running shoes out of the closet and join in!
04-07-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelIf you live in the USA, today should be a day to celebrate!
4th of July is independence Day.
A day to commemmorate that the USA adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776, declaring independece from the Kingdom of Great Brittain.
In NYC there will be fireworks in the Hudson river to celebrate, like every year organized by Macy's.
What are you going to do to celebrate?
29-06-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van DijkTwo months ago I wrote about a great site that allows you to see whether certain ingredients in your favorite skin care products are carcinogenic. The site is called Skin Deep.
I was so impressed by their concept that I decided to become a member of the umbrella organization called Environmental Working Group.
Today, I received a number of tips to help protect yourself against environmental toxins.
Exposure to certain environmental toxins, over time, can lead to cancer. It is an under-unrecognized but very real threat. Below are a few tips from the EWG to help protect yourself against these various (daily) toxins:
1. Filter your tap water: common carcinogens include arsenic, chromium and chemical byproducts.
2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets: some are coated with an arsenic pesticide.
3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals: "Fluorochemicals" related to Teflon are dangerous to your health.
4. Stay safe in the sun: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is cancer-causing. Seek shade, wear protective clothing and use safe and effective sunscreen (visit EWG's sunscreen database)
5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products: Dioxins and PCBs accumulate in animal fat.
6. Eat EWG's Clean 15: Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Lonneke wrote a great piece about the least contaminated fruits and vegetables (See OYL post: "Dirty Dozen")
7. Cut your exposure to BPA: a synthetic estrogen found in hard plastic water bottles.
8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics: use EWG's Skin Deep cosmetic database to find out which products are harmful and which ones are safe!
9. Read the warnings: Some products actually list warnings of cancer risks - Read the label before you buy :)
10. Want to do more? Sign EWG's petition demanding congress reform the nations broken toxic chemicals policy.
29-06-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksI’m so proud!
My father has always been in commissions and organizations trying to help them in whichever way he could, either create more fundings or improving working together etc.etc.
Because of all this, last year he received a huge honor to be knighted by the Queen of the Netherland in the order of Orange-Nassau
I think this has been so far the best day of my life!! (I always joke I won’t top it until I get married or have babies) It was such an amazing day!
A lot of the charity work he did was for churches or Catholic organizations. I don’t even know any better than that my father would always go to church in the weekends to help. Me and my sisters would often help counting the church fundraisers. So much fun to make stacks of 5 cents coins, 10 cents coins, quarters, guilders and rijksdaalders.
But not only practical help:
He was in a commission to try and merge 6 churches that were in the same region. He has been in the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (an international Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need), and he was a member of the board of the museum for Religious art in Uden
And now last week my father was honored AGAIN!!!
He was appointed as knight of the order of Saint-Sylvester! This is one of five Orders of Knighthood awarded directly by the Pope
You can imagine that I’m extremely proud of my father! He is a true inspiration for me, and really taught me to spend my time as generously as much as I can.(like helping Lonneke for Organiceyourlife)
Funny thing about this order is that now he could wear a special suit and saber and could let his horse drink from the fountains on Saint Peter's square. My parents already planned to go to Rome this fall. I think I have to arrange a hobby horse for him now!!!
28-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelToday, when Eyal, Anne-Marie and me had a meeting to talk about all the fun events we are organizing coming months, we tried some really nice new drinks.
We met at Great Jones Spa, a spa that is trying to offer organic, and or healthy treatments, juices and foods. A perfect location to meet. Great Jones Spa is located-as the name shows already- On Great Jones in NYC.
The one drink I liked was Dr. Andrew Weil for Tea in Darjeeling. It was a fresh, light, refreshing little can, also called a "shot". Supposedly there are many antioxidants in one can, and no calories and 100% of daily value of Vitamin C. Dr Weil is a popular American physician, that focusses mostly on integrative medicine. He wrote many interesting books.
The other one was our all time favorite Coconut water, by Zico. Other really good brands are Vita Coco and O.N.E.. Also a very refreshing drink. low calories and sodium and high in potassium, making it an ideal sports drink.
Another new drink we tried was from the brand Alo, a drink made with aloe vera. There are different ones like "Awaken" that has wheatgrass and aloe vera, Enliven with 12 different vegetables and fruits, or Allure with mangosteen to name a few. This drink has chunks of aloe vera in it, and it comes closest (I think) to the bubble tea we all love! It is sweetened with honey and/or cane sugar. So they are not the lowest in calorie drinks, but don't have thickeners or emulsifiers in them, or other chemical ingredients. I liked the taste, but one whole bottle was too much for me!
Really nice also is to brew your own tea, and then chill it. You can sweeten it with a hint of agave syrup or honey. Or not.I think that is the best!
Cold drinks rule in the hot summer!
27-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelI just went on a short trip for a shoot to Newport. This old colonial style town I really liked, and I am sure I will visit it again sometime to see a bit more of the cultural sites, like the preserved houses and museums. Those houses and estates are enormous and amazing! Like the Breakers, a famous house once owned by the Vanderbilt family.
I could choose: Airplane or train. Since I try to fly as little as possible, I took the train. The Acela express takes you in less than 3 hours from NYC Penn Station to Providence. From there I was picked up by a car service, to get to Newport. The train was pretty nice! My business class seat was probably on par with one in an airplane. But this is so much more convenient! Free wi-fi and food shop on board. Add the lack of lines and security screening, and this made it a very convenient trip.
I stayed at Hotel Viking. A really old hotel with nice rooms in the middle of town. They have a good gym, that I used a lot, and a nice indoor pool. Although their food did not look too organice( They “Proudly serve Starbucks Coffee”) I did find some green things in this hotel.Check their environmental policy! For instance, my key card was made of recycled paper, and was recyclable too. Good choice! And they use biodegradable detergents... and more!
I always try to mix work with fun, that means either getting a massage, watch a good movie, or go around town. This time I did not have too much time, so I spent it working on Organiceyourlife.com, which is a major pleasure factor for me!
I woke up very early, and went to the gym. 15 min treadmill, 20 min bike, 15 min excercises. Unfortunately when I arrived to the shoot, they only had breakfast from Starbucks, so I ended up eating 2 bananas for breakfast. Lunch was better, and I overate on potatoes (so good!) When I get back I am going to do a cleanse or something haha!
The people I worked with were very nice. We shot at The Marble House, also a house once owned by the Vanderbilt family. As the name already shows, it had a lot of marble, and is definitely worth visiting when you get to Newport. It was a nice day and I enjoyed the sun.
When I went the train station of Providence, I noticed they put baskets out, where people could leave their unwanted newspapers and magazines, to get recycled. That’s a little thing you can do but does a lot! All that paper can be used in many new different ways… like for the production of my keycard at the hotel I told you about before!
I was hungry, and saw a lot of junk food, as you usually see at gift shops around America. Then I try to choose the thing that is the least harmful, and it became raw almonds. While there are stories out that tell us that those almonds are maybe not so raw as the company say they are, I prefer those over chips, colorful chocolates, or cookies that never go stale. Next time I pack a few more of the healthy snacks I usually bring (nuts, dried fruits, granola)
The best thing of getting back to NYC, was that I went straight to meet Anne-Marie at Purumé, the new organic restaurant on 13th street. The bokchoy dumplings are sooo good!
A great end to this fun weekend !
23-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelThese days you cannot even get through security at airports with a bottle of water. We all know that! But how annoying is that? Flying is one of the biggest things in drying out your skin! You NEED to drink a lot of water... But to bother the flight attendant the whole flight is not so nice either... And all the plastic cups you waste! I see airlines recycling those cups more and more, Like Continental's Eco Skies plan, where they try to collect and recycle all the metal and plastic cups on board. Great idea!
But what I saw a woman do, sitting in 8C on this flight from Amsterdam to NYC, was something I just always forgot to do! She brought on board a reusable bottle filled with water, that she filled up after the security check!
Smart! You can bring an empty bottle on board, and ask a flight attendant to fill it up. This way you have water to drink whenever you need it! Sometimes you can fill it up before the flight with a tap in the bathroom, but some countries the water is not so clean ( In the Netherlands the water from the tap is suitable to drink).
So now I am going to bring my reusable bottle with me on every flight!
There are many good brands, like Sigg, Klean Kanteen and Natura.
The Klean Kanteen one has a wide mouth, so it is easy to drink from it.
I have one from Natura Water and Sigg that I love! Remember last December's Pura Vida party? we gave out free reusable bottles to create awareness around all the plastic waste we have! You can find pictures in the OYL picture section above.
By the way, it's the silver one from Natura for the people who are going to look for it ;) Also, they now have a competition to win one, so go to the site and sign up!
22-06-2010 | Posted by: Valentina ZelyaevaToday I want to share another great recipe. It's super easy to make and very beneficial for your health. I have to tell, the ingredients you'll need for this recipe I'm sure you have in your fridge right now, but you never think to combine them all together. So, let's see:
- 1 or 2 bananas
- 1 apple Gala
- 2 cups of spinach
- 2 cups of fresh water
Put everything in blender and run for 30 sec or until everything blends very well. That's it! The Green Smoothie is ready:)
It's so yummy, you wouldn't believe it! Don'tt worry about spinach, you will not taste it at all. All you taste is bananas and apple! But spinach adds so much vitamins and minerals to this drink!
You can have it for breakfast or dinner or as a snack in between the meals.
If you like this recipe, later you can experiment with different greens: kale, arugula, mint, romaine etc. As well as with fruits: you can use blueberries, pear, melon, mango..
This smoothie contains so much nutritions that your body craves, that you will loose your cravings for unhealthy food.
Love, Val
20-06-2010 | Posted by: Eyal Amir
Eco Kingdom. Making our homes friendlier to the environment shouldn't take more then a few simple steps. My responsibility as a real-estate broker, who happens to love this planet, is to give you some tips to help you upgrade your apartment/home into an eco-friendly kingdom. Step One: ENERGY - we should all support renewable energy, like wind power, green power or even solar power. These days, big companies like Con Edison give us easy and affordable solutions to make this change. Go to: http://www.conedsolutions.com/residential_green_power.html to get more information. Of course, there are many different companies who offer different programs to fit our needs. Please research the web to find the program that best fits you! Step Two: RECYCLE - As citizens born into a consuming society, it is impossible for us not to create trash on a daily basis. But it doesn’t mean that we can’t do anything about it. Actually the solution is pretty simple. Get 3 trash bins and make one for paper, one for plastic and metal and one for biodegradable/compostable trash. Make sure to divide your trash into these 3 groups and always place it in the right bin. There are companies like Tiffany Carting Corps who take your trash and make sure to keep it divided until it gets to the right recycling plant. Go to http://tiffanycarting.com/index.html to get more information about it. Step Three: WATER – We must use our water resources wisely, as it is one of the most important pillars of our planet! Don’t waste water! Use it wisely and with extra care. Personally I recommend installing water filtration systems to the general pipelines of your apartment and, if it turns out to be too expensive, you should start at least with your kitchen pipeline. Go to http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.com to compare and contrast various water filtration systems. Step Four: ECO-FRIENDLY HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS – we all use many different products to ensure proper housekeeping. From cleaning products to personal hygiene products and also products to improve the lives of our favorite pets. Almost every product that we purchase can be greener and better for the environment. These days it is very common to find green solutions in almost every drugstore. You can also shop online in stores like http://www.greenhome.com. Step Five: GREEN DESIGN – Personally, whenever I see a piece of furniture that I like laying on the side walk, I take it, clean and sanitize it, and use it for my personal use. If you don’t like used or second-hand furniture pieces you can shop for eco-friendly furniture. There are many stores to choose from, http://www.eco-furniture.com is a website where you can find some great options. We can find endless ways to make our homes greener and with time I will give you more tips that I have found to be useful. As of now, you can start by applying the simple tips mentioned above. Please do, and make a difference! Eyal.
20-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelNothing feels as good as a nice warm shower! Feeling the water on your skin, relaxing after a busy day, or waking up after a good night sleep. I love taking a shower!
I don't really shower long. It is not good for your skin ( skin loses elasticity and moisture) but mostly because it is not good for the environment, or your pocket! (Wasting Water= Wasting Money). But taking a shower (shorter than 10 minutes) is better than taking a bath. A bath is about 110 liters of water, 5 minutes of showering is about 55 liters of water.
You do have to keep the shower clean to avoid nasty build up (and bacteria). I have a few tips how to make your shower look the best!
TIP1: Buy a shower squeegee to wipe off your the walls of your shower, or your shower cabin, after each shower session, to avoid build up. If you have a shower curtain, use your towel after drying off, to clean the curtain. This all will save a lot of work because if the build up dried up, it is very hard to scrub it off later.
Ecover has a great window cleaning spray that cleans glass surfaces without stripes. You can buy it at Wholefoods among other places, and is ecofriendly.
TIP2: Clean your shower and bathroom with (white distilled) vinegar! Just wipe away the dirt and stains with a damp cloth with a b it of vinegar. Et Voila! Everything is shiny clean. Environmentally friendly and cheap!
TIP3: Buy a little stool that can't slip, for in the shower. You can use it to sit if you cannot stand for long periods of time, for when you need to shave your legs you can use this to lean on, or you just put your showergel and shampoo ( preferably organic or ecofriendly ones!) It is safe!
What else do you need for a nice showering session?: bodyscrub(gloves), a file for your calluses, bodywash, shampoo, conditioner, clean razor . Make sure you have this ready before you take a shower, as it saves showertime.
Do you want to be even better for the environment? You can install a water saving shower head. Some of them can also filter the water, and prevent harsh metals and other stuff to get into your hair (which can make your hair color dull)
And to top your sustainable conscience, you pee in the shower.
Yes that's right! A brazilian campaign shows people that it is saves water! And on top of that, peeing over your feet keeps your feet healthy. (for real!)
Enough reason to take a nice, but short, shower I think!
18-06-2010 | Posted by: Valentina ZelyaevaWe should think of our body as a miracle machine that does everything to keep us healthy and happy.
While you sleeping at night, your body is going thru detox process - it is getting rid of old toxins and waste that you receive thru polluted air, unclean water, unhealthy food ... You name it.
To me , the most important meal of the day is breakfast. How you will feel the whole day is simply depends on what you have first thing in the morning.
My advise to everyone is to start your day with glass of warm water and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Lemons are very alkalizing on your body, so you will have stronger immune system. Besides, lemons are very cleansing for your intestines.
Wait 30 min and then you can have your breakfast, It is very important to have fruit as a first food entering your body. Try to keep is simple - chose one fruit that you enjoy most and have it as much as you want till the lunch time.
My favorite breakfast is melon smoothie!
I take one cantaloupe melon - split it in half - spoon out the seeds. Then I take my blender and put ripe flesh into it. I blend everything well and thats it! Sometimes I add almond milk and it tastes even better!
Love, Val
16-06-2010 | Posted by: Mallory June
I was so pleasantly surprised when my boyfriend told me that he had a surprise trip organized for me to celebrate my birthday.
He had convinced me that we were going to take his car upstate somewhere and go camping on the beach, which sounded like so much fun to me!
On the morning of our departure he called for a cab to take us to his car, which seemed alittle strange to me.
Once i got in the car he said, Take us to La Guardia airport! I was completely surprised! When we got to the airport I found out we were going to MIAMI!!
This vacation was the most perfect vacation.
We stayed at the Delano, one of the nicest hotels in Miami. The room was all in white and the pool was probably the nicest pool I've ever seen.
We spent the next four days going out to amazing dinners, laying by the pool, swimming in the ocean (which the hotel was connected to) jet skiing in the bay where we saw dolphins and walking around Miami.
It was the most relaxing, romantic time with my boyfriend.
The most amazing birthday present ever!
15-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelYesterday I celebrated my birthday!
And of course that celebration comes with some stress, of cleaning and decorating my apartment with ribbons and balloons, making sure there were enough drinks and food, and hoping everyone was gonna enjoy themselves!
Not only was it my birthday, the Dutch National Team played their first match against Denmark. They won! So it was a double celebration!
I thought to add to the fun to prepare all the food and drinks in orange, as it is the national color of Holland! Maybe with a bit of cheating with red white and blue colors of the flag, I managed to make mostly orange food. And it tasted good too! I also decorated my place all in orange with some red, white and blue flags!
I had shrimps and "whiskey cocktailsauce" which is an orange colored sauce, and I made orange pumpkin mini pies. I also made orange peppersoup ( delish!) which was easy to make, and I made orange pasta, with orange sauce! Big Hit! I wish I took a picture of that. Instead I made a picture of the snacks.... which were also orange.
Maybe for coming games, you can also cook for your friends in your countries' colors?
Funny thing is that usually the person whose birthday it is, is mostly catering to others, and missing out on fun! Well this time I could enjoy, as I prepared everything beforehand. That's the secret of a good party: thinking ahead, planning and preparation!
Also, make sure you invite all your really good friends. Don't just invite people because you are afraid that not many people will show up. Trust me it is better when you are hanging out with the people you like, no matter how many of them show up! And I was happy as most of my dear friends were there....And also Maruja and Irene who are contributors to OYL! Maruja and I go way back, and has seen a lot of birthdays... I think this one was one of my favorites!
And gifts... I never ask for gifts, I just want fun and happiness on my birthday! But my friends know what to give me.... Little things that are useful in my house! I will write a blog in the future about possible gifts you can give people that don't cost much, but do a lot.
Well, that was it.... going to clean up the mess from yesterday now!
If you have any stories of parties you organized, you want to share with us, don't hesitate and leave them in the Community, by clicking on the link below!
14-06-2010 | Posted by: Maruja RetanaThe founder of Organice Your Life, and one of my best friends in the whole world: Lonneke Engel, is celebrating her birthday today! Happy birthday Lon! Keep up the good work!
Love you :)
14-06-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksHappy Birthday Lonneke!!!
Have a nice day today!
It was great meeting you this year! and I hope next year together we can make all our organiceyourlife-dreams come true!
kissssss
Irene
12-06-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksSunday last week I went to the Dutch Environmental Film Festival Awards.
It was the last day of the film festival and as it turned out, the film festival had been a great success! Lots of people came to the theatres and the parties in Amsterdam and Rotterdam and the films got a great response from the audiences. This film festival was to give people a positive feeling about what they can do for a better environment instead of just telling them how bad everything is and make everybody feel bad.
Well organiceyourlife couldn’t agree more about that! In our blogs here we are also always trying to be positive and NICE and trying to give you tips and advice about a better youniverse
I thought it was a great honor to be at the awards. The whole evening was just so incredi bly nice!
It started with a strawberry cocktail and after some mingling we were invited to sit down on rows of long tables where we would get some amazing food and wines from the Dutch Youth Food Movement. This is an organization of students, cooks, farmers, food producers, fishermen etc that together try to promote the slow-food movement; which basically meant that all food we ate was all locally produced. And it was delicious! I had never eaten parelgort before but that was like Dutch Risotto! During the meal we were shown some videos of the festival, and some trailers of the different films that were played during the festival.
Halfway during the meal everybody had to change seats with the one sitting behind you. So this way I got to speak to many more people! I talked to a woman from Oxfam Novib, a man from one of my favorite TV shows “de keuringsdienst van waarde” (about what is really in your food), to a trendwatcher, a woman from an organization called the club van 30 (about creating solutions for sustainability) and at the bathroom I was talking to a girl and told her I was from organiceyourlife and she knew the website! She told her colleague immediately that I was from OYL! That was really awesome!
I had never met anyone that knew and liked the website before! So that made me really proud!
The girls were from Veggie in Pumps, which is an organization that promotes ecofabulousness: a lifestyle that is about awareness, sustainability, beauty, environment, animal-care, fashion and passion.
After meeting all these people I felt really inspired and enthusiastic. I got a lot of new ideas for organiceyourlife events. And hopefully they will turn out to be just as nice and that I can find people to work with just like the ones I met this evening!
12-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelYou know a baby can put a lot of pressure on the household, and also the environment. Think about all the clothes you have to wash after just one burp attack. Or all the toys you buy or get. And of course the diapers, that you use A LOT for your baby.
When I was shopping, I came across a flyer for a dutch shop: Kaatje Katoen ( "Kathy Cotton"). The flyer and website are in Dutch, but what was interesting is, that they sell washable diapers. The modern kind is much more fun than the ones my parents used for me ( Yes, I was a washable diaper baby). Those classic ones where horrible, with that cotton cloth, and plastic diaper u had to tie around the baby.... those days are over!
Because now there are different brands who offer nice diapers, that are washable. Like Itti Bitti ( see picture on the left), a diaper made of fleece or fleece velours, in many different bright colors, with buttons to close.
Or the diapers of Tots Bots, like the Bamboozle, made of sustainable bamboo. You do need a plastic wrap for on top, but these days those wraps are much nicer!
All the washable diapers have in common, that they are comfortable for the baby, but most of all: create much less waste. And that is something to keep in mind in this era of overconsumption.
I am gonna give one to my sister to try out with her baby boy. I mean, it is a colorful present!
What do you think of washable baby diapers?
10-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelThe Glammies, the Award Show organized by Dutch Glamour and Ici Paris XL, was a true happening!
I never really go to events in my home country of the Netherlands, but last Tuesday, me and my best friend Maruja (Who is also an OYL contributor) went to Paradiso in Amsterdam, the location where this event was held. Paradiso is a true Pop heaven, having bands like the Rolling Stones perform there in the past. Maruja had never seen it, so as she is about to sign a record deal, I told her she needed to see where she is gonna perform in the near future!
The pink carpet had some of Holland's most famous walk by, and even though the paparazzi is nothing like the ones in the USA, there were some, and it felt very glamourous!
Jetteke van Lexmond, a head stylist at Glamour, dressed me in this cute black dress by Carven. Her sister Lieke van Lexmond won Female Beauty Personality of the Year. ( Male Beauty Personality became dutch actor Barry Atsma)
The Glammies are a yearly award show, in which people and products are being honored. Best Fragrance for women became YSL Parisienne, and for men it was Boss Bottled (That had OYL's very own Marius play the lead in the advertising and commercial!) Tweezerman got a price, and also Lancome's Geneifique. That Glammy was accepted by Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann. ( who is also very committed to a better world by studying something like Environmental Science at a university in London. She is also a very very sweet girl!)
Performances by Paloma Faith and Jenny Lane were great!! These women truly know how to dress great, and have really good voices!
The afterparty was very nice! The cocktails were yummy (something with lemon?) and people looked amazing.
We went home with a goody box with all the winning products, and the new edition of Glamour in it.
Glammies: You rock!
10-06-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksTomorrow is the start of the World Cup in South Africa.
Are you all also so EXCITED!
I totally am!
Too bad the first game in which Holland is playing is during working hours, but yesterday we had some great news that the WHOLE building is allowed to watch the game on giant screens in the lunch restaurant.
YAY!!! Can’t wait to wear some orange!!! (Dutch team color)
Good thing about this World Cup is that the whole tournament is dedicated to the 1GOAL campaign. This campaign is based on that during the world cup games you don’t only cheer for your country and your team but also together for 1 goal:
Together support the footballers and call on all world leaders to do their part to ensure every child can go to school. To see action at the world cup and bey ond !
Story behind this campaign is:
In 2000, 164 world governments came together to create the Education for All goals, 189 governments also created the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Two of the eight goals involve ending poverty through education:
They promised to make sure there was enough money and that the policies were in place to make it a reality. Since then many countries have abolished school fees, spending was increased by $4 billion and an extra 40 million children are now going to school.
Yet progress is not fast enough. With business ‘as usual’ over 50 million children will still be without an education in 2015
1GOAL is an initiative of the football strand of the Class of 2015 and is run by the Global Campaign for Education to mobilize support to hold world leaders to these promises for 2015.
On October 6th 2009, the 1GOAL campaign was officially launched among others led by the 2010 FIFA World Cup host, South Africa President Jacob Zuma, Her Majesty Rania Al-Abdullah, Queen of Jordan, President of Ghana John Atta Mills, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of Spain, Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General and Sepp Blatter, the FIFA President.
Tonight the campaign and start of the world cup is celebrated by a huge concert. The world’s biggest superstars will come together live on www.worldcup.vevo.com from Soweto/Johannesburg, South Africa for the FIFA WORLD CUP™ KICK–OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT. Watch once in a lifetime performances from Alicia Keys, Amadou & Mariam, Angélique Kidjo, Black Eyed Peas, BLK JKS, John Legend, Juanes, Shakira, The Parlotones, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré and Vusi Mahlasela,
I think this is such a great initiative!
For the next few weeks all eyes are on South Africa. It would be great if people everywhere would learn more about the importance of education for everybody and see how this isn’t just a competition between countries but also a way to unite with each others!
So let’s all cheer together! That way we will all win!
p.s. I wanted to add a video about the launch of the campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW9JBDF3C1c
but Shakira's song made me listen to it 6 times in a row so far and really gives me the party-football mood
I LOVE world cups! They're so much FUN!!!
08-06-2010 | Posted by: Valentina ZelyaevaAll right, I am probably obsessed with tea! I just love to have my warming cup of tea every day. At home I have huge collection of herbal, green and white teas.
I recently bought super cute reusable tea container (made with glass, not plastic!) to take it with me when I go to work or when I'm traveling.
So, what I do is: before I leave my home, I pour hot water into my tea container, add few (or alot!) pieces of fresh ginger and few leaves of jasmine tea. And it seats there, brewing for an hour or so.
When I open the lid, ginger aroma is so refreshing and warming that everyone around me wants to have a sip;)
Either you are a ginger-fan or someone who looks for natural remedies to boost your immune system, you will love this recipe!
love, Val
08-06-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksAt 21st of June there will be a hilarious parade in Scheveningen, the Netherlands. Following the example in New York this year a Dutch organization will start a new fun tradition of hosting an annual Mermaid parade!
On this first day of summer the participants of the parade will not only dress up as mermaids, but also as pirates, sharks, squids, whales, starfish, SpongeBob’s or even as seaweed!
During the parade there will also be a contest for the most beautiful mermaid of Europe and after the parade there will be a mermaid race. Everybody has to run to the water and dive in and run back. Winner of this will be the fastest mermaid of Europe.
This all seems like great fun to me and I’m sure it will be!
But fun is not the only reason! This all is as a positive and fun demonstration for cleaner water and cleaner oceans.
Pollution of the ocean couldn’t be a more current topic and all benefits of this year’s parade will be donated to NWF’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund to help cleaning of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
03-06-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksYesterday I went to such a nice workshop!
My sister Agatha really likes to bake stuff, from cookies to pies to cupcakes.
And they always look and taste extra fun! They either have Hello kitty shapes or bright pink icing or glitter, harts or stars sparkles on them!
They are fun to watch and a party to eat (and a dental nightmare haha!)
She loves to make them, and I love to eat them! Perfect!
Well she asked me and some friends to join her on a princess-cake workshop. I immediately said YES! Of course that seemed super fun! No idea what it was, but hey it’d be fun anyway.
We went with four girls and we all had in mind what we were going to make.
In the end all four looked absolutely FAB!!! It’s a shame to cut them!
Hopefully they will taste as good as they look!
Check the forum for pictures!
02-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelIt starts tomorrow!
From June 3rd to 6th is when DEFF, the Dutch Environmental Film Festival, organized by Strawberry Earth is happening.
3 days of films all about environmental en climate issues!
Sounds amazing to me and I really want to go!
This year it will be in Amsterdam (Studio K) and Rotterdam ( Lantaren Venster)
Check the link below for the time schedule.
I am really interested in the film Garbage Dreams, a film by Mai Iskander, about 3 boys that try to survive in Egypt, by recycling waste. It won the Al Gore Reel Award and a lot of other prizes worldwide. I am looking forward to the film Carbon Nation by Peter Byck a film about the climate problems and SOLUTIONS ( Yes! Something positive!)
Will you come watch the movies?
On June 6th, the "GOLDEN STRAWBERRY FILM AWARD" will be awarded to the best documentary or film, in Hotel De Goudfazant.
02-06-2010 | Posted by: Valentina ZelyaevaToday I want to share a great recipe for almond milk. I always have fresh almond milk in my fridge. It stays fresh up to 5 days. Great alternative for cows, soy or rice milk. It's easy to make, super yummy and you know what's in it cause you make it YOURSELF! ( think of other nasty ingredients that you buy together with your supermarket almond milk).
You will need:
-1 cup of organic raw almonds (soaked in water over night)
-3 cups of filtered water
-1-2 dates (pits removed)
-pinch of sea salt (pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt)
-pinch of vanilla (whole dry vanilla powder or vanilla extract without alcohol)
-pinch of cinnamon
-good blender (I use Blendec)
-nut milk bag
Put everything into blender and run for 30-40 seconds. Pour the mixture into a strainer or nut milk bag to separate pulp and milk. That's it!
Use it together with granola for breakfast or make nutritious banana and strawberry smoothie. Put it in your coffee or tea. Add cacao and you've got chocolate almond milk! Variations are endless!
Enjoy!
love, Val
01-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelDo you know one of my favorite destinations ever, is a Bed & Breakfast, location to be discussed, somewhere on an amazing place on earth?
Why book a Bed & Breakfast if you want to book a holiday?
Let me give you 6 reasons why I do so:
1. it is usually much cheaper than a good hotel room. You can find nice B & B's for under 100 dollar a night.
2. The people who own the B & B are usually very friendly, and can tell you more about the city or country where you stay. This way you get the inside scoop on things. (Best places, Best restaurants etc.)
3. The owners are in my experience very hospitable, and really want to make sure you enjoy your stay to the fullest.
4. The Breakfast is better than in hotels, as it is made "with love" by the owner, and sometimes they even bake something special for their guests.
5. If you book a B & B, you almost feel like you own the whole place, and you have people to take care of the property. Because most B & B are small, they only have a few rooms (even only one) that they rent out. So it is very private.
6. It is very romantic, so perfect for a romantic getaway with your partner.
Great right?
You can find many Bed & Breakfasts in Great Britain, USA & Canada, or Europe.
31-05-2010 | Posted by: Maruja RetanaSeen any good movies lately? Well, I saw 'The imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' yesterday, AWESOME! But before that I was invited (thanks to Lonneke) to see something more serious... Beautiful Tuschinski in Amsterdam hosted the premiere of a documentary called 'Sea the truth', a film made possible by political party 'Partij voor de Dieren' and the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation. So...early in the morning a large group of people gathered in front of the cinema. Mostly politicians and activists (I felt a little bit like an oddball fashionwise) that were interested to see the sequel to 'Meat the truth'.
Sea the truth describes the alarming situation concerning the fishing industry, focussing mainly on 2 aspects: the shocking decrease of fish in the oceans caused by commercial fishing, and the incredible amount of poison that is polluting the fish. Interviews with scientists and other experts are accompanied by amazing underwater footage of diver Dos Winkel, reminding us how wonderful ocean life is.
Here are some shocking 'highlights' according to the documentary:
- if we continue overfishing, there will be no fish left around 2048. That means we have about 40 years of sushi left (if we're lucky)...
- most commercial fish (except for haring) contain an enormous amount of mercury, much higher than science advices us to eat. And mercury poisoning does not seem fun...
- In the North Pacific Ocean there is a so-called 'island of plastic', (also known as 'plastic soup') a large area of litter in the middle of the ocean. This is obviously terrible for the ocean and it's contaminating the fish that we put in our mouths...
- to make fish oil, a mere 3-5% of the fish is used. And the omega 3 doesn't even come from the fish, it comes from algae.
'Sea the truth' was a good piece of information about an important part of the food industry. Even though the tone of the documentary was slightly moralistic (which always makes me a bit rebellious), I still found it very useful to hear the facts and figures. I thought the problem was well represented, and eye-opening in a way. What I absolutely missed was a 'ray of hope'. Having done research on behavioral change, I am convinced that people will only change if they believe there is a better way. I've never seen someone change their behavior when somebody told them what's wrong without offering a better alternative. The only message I heard in this documentary was: stop eating fish. I never eat meat and very rarely eat fish, but I almost felt like my mommy was scolding me! (and yes, as a result I had a sushi-fest a few days later)
Food is fuel, and what we eat affects our bodies as well as the earth. I myself have been experimenting with my diet this last year to see what makes me feel most healthy and energized, using mainly local products that cause the least waste for our planet. Having said that, I strongly believe that even though we should absolutely take this seriously, we should also feel like this is not a restriction, but rather a choice to live a healthier life. Telling people what to do is rarely effective, but informing people how to do things better for themselves and the planet might have a shot.
But, maybe I'm doing the same exact thing in this blog... ;) So, watch 'Sea the truth' and decide for yourself!
29-05-2010 | Posted by: Valentina ZelyaevaNo, I am not trying to promote drugs! In fact, oil made with hemp seeds is the most healthy and nutritious oil you can possibly add to your diet!
Everybody knows that green salad in your diet is very important. More greens you add to your daily intake the healthier and more energetic you will feel. Chlorophyll that all greens contain in abundance alkalizes your blood which is the key to beautiful skin, nail, hair and overall health!
Before I discovered Hemp Oil, I used to add olive oil in all my salads. I love olive oil and I still use it everyday in my recipes. But I wanted something different, something extra special to add to my meals.
I went to Whole Foods and bought bottle of Hemp Oil, out of curiosity. I've read that It's a much better alternative to Fish Oil, which is obviously not vegan and until fish oil supplements get to supermarket they turn rancid and will do more harm to your body then good.
Hempseed oil contains healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids. These fatty acids considered essential because they cannot be manufactured by the body. We must receive them from special foods such as hemp oil.
I star using Hemp Oil not just a s supplement ( 1 Tspoon a day) but also to add to my recipes. To me Hemp Oil has delicious nutty flavor. If you find taste to be too strong, mix it with olive oil half and half. Sometimes I put Hemp Oil in my smoothies and juices.
Store it in the fridge and watch out for expiration date - hemp oil is very sensitive and doesn't last long. Enjoy!
love, Val
29-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksYesterday I went to a fashionshow of my old classmate Eva Anna Hekking. She has her own fashion-accessories label called EAH!
What once started out as her graduation project has developed into a great fashion label full of colorful bags, necklaces and dresses. All her pieces are always one of a kinds and that makes them super exclusive, unique and fun. (but also quite expensive)
I am the proud owner of two necklaces and one bracelet (not all bought! thank goodness!) and as a real bagjunky I always wanted to buy one of her bags, but was never able to afford. So I was very eager to see what she came up with this time!
This collection she made exclusively for Sarlini, which is an accessory brand with lots of shops and points of sale throughout Europe. This makes her designs more commercial and also better affordable. I didn’t know what to expect and hoped that the collection would still be very EAH! even though they are not exclusive or unique anymore.
And I got my wish! The show was absolutely AMAZING!!!
All the dresses, necklaces, scarves and of course bags were very EAH! even her most iconic fake fur bags looked so amazing! I wanted EVERYTHING!!! (Addict!)
The fake fur bags were designed a few years ago by Eva as a positive protest against fur. They look and feel like fur but have FAKE written on the transparent laser cut handles attached to them. No way they would look real anymore! Wearing them is a statement against fur! (and looking good while doing it!) These bags were an instant hit and probably her greatest success to date!
The bags and all the other accessories will be available in shops in September and I can’t wait! !
That grey fake fur bag with pink transparent handles is soon to be MINE!!! Hihihi!!!
Congratulations Eva! It was a GREAT success!
26-05-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelI am on vacation on Ibiza and I love it! I will write a summary blog once I am home, as it is too much to tell you!
But one thing I discovered while being here, and that matches the last blogs posted, is this new sunscreen that I discovered in NYC.
It is called UV Natural and it says it is "the future of sun protection". I use it because it has "nature's finest oils" in it, and leaves your skin soft and a bit oily, not like some of the other sunscreens. It is also preservative free, and no added fragrance. SPF 15 you have to apply a few times during the day, and I don't think it is waterproof, but it kept my skin from burning, and I actually got a nice little color!
24-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksOK if you read my last blog, then next step is…
wear sunscreen!
Sunlight contains two types of UV rays: UVA and UVB
B is the good kind which you want lots and lots of, because it helps you create Vitamin-D. And A is the bad kind because it penetrates your skin and can create skin damage, aging and could even result in skincancer!
So a good protection is vital!
There are two types of filters used in sunscreen: Mineral or chemical filters.
Mineral filters create a reflective layer on your skin with Zinc-oxide or Titanium-dioxide particles. It reflects the sunlight to not reach the skin. Benefit of this is that in high concentrations they can block the sunlight totally, it is not absorbed by the skin and therefore has less chance of creating allergic reactions and are photostable. (it works all day without loss of protection) Less positive is that they leave a white layer on your skin, they are thicker, greasier and harder to smear. Also they can block your pores. So this type of sunblock is less appropriate for dark skintypes and greasy or break-out skin types.
A chemical filter works quite differently. It penetrates the skin and there absorbs the UV rays. It doesn’t create a white layer on your skin and can be used in lighter creams, sprays or oils. That’s why they are a better option for greasier skin types and are often used in daycreams. Less positive is that they usually don’t block all UVA rays and most of them are not photostable, so re-applying is a must!
When I go on a beach vacation I make sure I use the mineral type of filter at least at the start of the vacation. I think it is easy because you only have to apply once, and you are sure you are protected all day long. But creating a nice tan, using this one, doesn’t work that well for me. So usually after a few days I switch to a different one when I feel that my skin has had time to adjust to the sunlight. But then I really have to be careful not to get sunburnt!
Most sunscreens have both types of filters at the same time. Just check the label or ingredients so you are sure you know which type of filter you are using.
24-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene Dirks
Finally it’s Sunny! I’m so happy it is finally summertime!
Most people like me that work at an office find it very hard during the long months of fall, winter and spring to catch a nice daily doses of sunlight. In the wintermonths you arrive in the dark and leave in the evening when it’s dark again! So now whenever the weather starts to clear up and the sun shines it is lovely to be able to be outside A LOT!!!
It is actually very important to catch some sunlight everyday!
Since 2002 there has been a discovery by a professor at Brown University that in your eyes there are a type of photocells that regulate your biological clock.
For example: If you work in a place where there is no natural sunlight (like a mall) then it might be possible you don’t see any sunlight all day. This could result in feely sleepy and tired during the day and can’t sleep at night, because your body doesn’t know what time it is. It’s like creating your own jetlag!
If you then would make a habit out of catching some sunlight every morning without sunglasses. (Sunglasses block the light from coming into your eyes. So if it’s too bright it’s better to wear a cap instead)
This resets your clock every day and you don't have these problems anymore!
22-05-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van DijkIn today's society everything is fast, convenient and easily disposed off.
In the process, however, certain traditions, cultural aspects and overall quality of product and production are lost.
This is especially true when it comes to food.
Nowadays alot of people do not know where their food comes from - or how their food is produced.
Slow Food is a fascinating grassroots organization that wishes to re-establish a way of living that seems to have been lost and forgotten in today's fast-paced society.
Focusing on organic, locally grown foods, family tradition and the importance of connecting through food, Slow Food seeks to counteract the culture that has been created around fast food.
With initiatives and events around the world, Slow Food is gaining momentum and worldwide recognition.
If you are inspired by food and a way of living that nurtures body and planet, make sure to check them out.
Simply put,
"Slow Food aims to be everything fast food is not"
- USA Today.
21-05-2010 | Posted by: Valentina ZelyaevaWhen you change your diet towards healthier choice, you stock up your fridge with organic, whole food products, natural and unprocessed products. But what about your bathroom?
Take a look at your shower shelves and what's behind your mirror. Let's talk about bathroom make over!
Did you know that everything you put on your skin goes into your bloodstream? Soaps, lotions, body creams, shampoo, gels - if it's not natural or organic - they are fully packed with chemicals and preservatives.
I was very happy to find out about Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. Made with only 8 ingredients (commercial shower gels got at least 20 unreadable ingredients). Dr. Bronner's Soap is pure organic essential oils! Not only this, but also the company labeled as Fair-trade and No Animal Testing.
On the label says "18-in-1" which means you can find other 18 or even more ways to use this natural soap: for every day body washing, laundry, house cleaning, for plants to keep the bugs way etc (for more info check the website).
The company also makes shaving gels, baby skin care, lip balms and lotions. My personal favorite is Eucalyptus Liquid Body Soap, and for summer days I prefer the one with refreshing Peppermint fragrance.
love, Val
19-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksOnce every year an amazing woman called Ilyana comes from Bulgaria to the Netherlands for a few weeks. Ilyana visits her sister who lives here and while she stays she goes to many houses to work as a cleaning lady.
She is actually not a cleaning lady in Bulgaria at all, but works at an office and her husband is a veterinarian. But coming here and work for 6 weeks gives her that extra bit of spendingmoney she can use the whole year.
The first time she came she saved up for buying a car, a few years later she used the money for her daughters wedding and now since last year she has become a grandmother.
Every year when my mother hears Ilyana is back in town she always immediately lets Ilyana come to clean once every week. After that her house is SUPERCLEAN!
My mother always calls her the white tornado because of that! Haha
So when I heard she was back again I asked my mother if she could arrange Ilyana to come to my house once too! So on the day before I went on holiday Ilyana the white tornado came to my house and I think she cleaned every single spot in my livingroom, kitchen, toilet and bathroom and vacuumed the bedrooms!!!
AMAZING!!!
It was so great too leave your home for two weeks knowing that it will be clean when you return!
And it really was!!
I was so happy I could just unpack, do some laundry, take a shower, and go to bed!!!
To me, this was a very good example of orgaNICE your HOME!
And worth every penny!
19-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksLast Saturday I went to a concert of Lady GAGA! It was absolutely amazing!!!
I think it was the most wonderful concert I have been to ever!!!
What I liked most about it is that I had a GREAT view from the left of the stage about 20 meters away. But also because the stage was higher than the people, and that she moved up and down on different levels. There was a car that turned into a piano and giant screens and monsters on stage. And lots and lots of great dancers!
And her clothes of course!
She wore a different outfit on EVERY song!! Sometimes only by adding a headpiece and removing a cape and vice-versa. But also sometimes by complete dresschanges, up to 15 times!!! One of her dresses even MOVED!! When I saw that I couldn’t believe my eyes and my jaw completely dropped!!! (That happened more that once!!!)
During the concert she was talking about that she had just returned from New York and had sung for a rainforest benefit, she was so happy to have sung with Sting, Elton John, Blondie and Bruce Springsteen. She sang a little bit of the song “stand by me” she sang with Sting. The audience liked it so much she made the band play it in full!
She had also heard about the plane tragedy that had happened in Libya where 70 Dutch people had died during a crash and a 9-year-old boy was the sole survivor. She sang a song dedicated to him.
While doing that a lot of people in the audience showed her harts they had cut out which said GAGA love and she was so moved by it that I think she started to cry!
She said you shouldn’t love her but love yourself!
That was the message of this concert
She said this was a party where all the freaks were kept outside haha. It had a great effect on everybody. And it was great to see the newest pop sensation was so full of spirit.
It was a great evening! And I enjoyed every second of it!
I loved seeing all the people dressed up like her.
I didn’t think that anyone would ever dress up as their idols ever again. Not since everybody dressed up like Michael Jackson and Madonna have I seen this happen ever before.
Those were my favourite artists growing up and it seems amazing to me that maybe my children later will be fans of Lady GAGA just like I was of Michael and Madonna when I grew up!
and who knows? maybe 25 years from now when GAGA turns 50 we will both still like it???
16-05-2010 | Posted by: Nancy BommelI don’t believe in coincidence, so when I meet special people, there’s always a reason for it. So was my meeting with Hetty van der Linden. An artist with a great artistic heart for disadvantaged children.
Hetty’s enthusiasm and dedication leave an indelible impression after a conversation in which her message is even more clear with all the examples and stories she uses to help you understand.
She travels around the world and asks children to paint their dreams so that one day their dreams might come true. Established and well-known artists from many different countries are inspired by the dreams the children paint and incorporate them into their own works of art. The paintings are sold and the proceeds go directly back to the child - helping to fulfill their dreams and create a better future for them and their families.
Picture: Lalaine from Madagascar She had never seen a paintbrush up till then but still painted the word Bienvenue and a buffalo. She lives in the tiny village of Beloa, three hour’s drive from the capital Antananarivo. Her school was provided with teaching materials and each the 191 families recieved a chicken, a bucket, a shovel, all kinds of seeds and various household utensils with the proceeds from this painting.
Currently Hetty is visiting Peru and who knows one day we will be travelling together to the native country of my daughters, Guatemala, where we will be painting for the future of Guatemalan disadvantaged children. If you meet her she probably comes in her fantastic, painted bus, home to all kinds of dreams. Don’t forget to watch her movie about Madagascar while visiting her site!
11-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene Dirks
I just heard really good and fun news on the radio!
This year the glass house of 3FM’s Christmas charity event for Red Cross will be in:
EINHOVEN!
Every year the Dutch radio station 3FM organizes an event in the week before Christmas.
3 DJ’s lock themselves up in a glass house where all their movements can be followed for a week and in which they have to make radio shows 24 hours a day while they do not eat! (Only juices)
All listeners can “buy” songs the DJ’s will play on the radio; you can choose yourself what song and how much money you want to donate for it.
Also there are lots of other ways to donate money like auctions or sponsorships, this all to raise money for several goals of the Red Cross foundation. Last year it was for buying Mosquito nets against Malaria.
And ever since it started it has been a HUGE success!
Last year they raised 7.113.447 EURO!
Also in other countries like Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland have started events like these, always with the same theme and charity goal in every country.
I’m so glad I’m not planning to go to my boyfriend’s parents in Switzerland for Christmas this year, so I can enjoy all the events that are here in the middle of Eindhoven. Lots of people come to the house and so many events are organized to raise money.
I’m sure it will be a lot of fun!
Can’t wait!
Maybe this is a good event for organiceyourlife to participate?
Anybody has any suggestions how we can raise money to support the Red Cross?
Please visit the forum and let us know!
10-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksYesterday for mother’s day me and my mother went to Amsterdam together. We wanted to go to a quite new museum in Amsterdam called the Hermitage.
As you may (or may not) know the Hermitage in Russia is one of the BIGGEST museums in the world. With a lot of very important pieces of art! The Hermitage in Amsterdam is linked to this museum in Russia and is able to exhibit these wonderfull pieces too.
Right now there is a exhibition called “from Mattisse to Malevich”
It’s like a tour through art history from the painters that were inspired by van Gogh, Cézanne and Gauguin and started to paint not only nature but painted for the art of painting itself.
That resulted in:
The paintings were in more wild brushstrokes and bright colors. The movement itself was called fauvism (fauve = wild in French)
A few weeks ago I saw on TV a VERY proud museum director that went to St Petersburg in Russia and was able to borrow Matisse’s “Dance” from the Russian Hermitage.(The painting voted as most important painting of the 20th century, because it is seen as the start of modern art) They had help from KLM (Dutch royal airlines) which send the biggest airplane that has ever landed in st. Petersburg before, to be able to send this HUGE painting to the Netherlands.
Immediately I texted my mother to ask her when will we go???
Yesterday was the last day that “Dance” was able for sighting and this painting will be send back to Russia early. So we were happy to be in time to see it!
But although this was the most important painting (and the biggest), I think that without this painting the exhibition is still very much worth the visit. I found it amazing to be able to see all these masterpieces all in one museum and it took me at least three hours to see them all
But not only that!
There was a complete story in the order of the paintings you had to watch them. It starts with Matisse, follows the complete story of him, Picasso, Kandinsky and other famous painters of that age like Van Dongen, De Vlaminck, Derain, Marquet etc. and ends with a painting of Malevich which is a painted black square on a white surface.
This is where the realism completely ends and abstract art starts!
Hopefully there will be an amazing exhibition like this one about that age too!
Then I’m sure I will visit it again!
09-05-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van DijkThis is a very special post, on a very special day.
Today is Mother's Day and I would like to dedicate this post to a very special organization that praises and honors motherhood around the world.
The White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) passionately works toward making pregnancy and childbirth safe in countries around the world.
Every year, according to the WRA "every minute of every day, a woman dies of pregnancy related complications."
According to Christy Turlington, who actively supports and is actively supported by the White Ribbon Alliance, 90% of those deaths are preventable.
I wish to honor all women, mothers and non-mothers alike, around the world and praise the WRA for making childbirth a little bit safer every step of the way!
~ Happy Mother's Day ~
03-05-2010 | Posted by: Eyal Amir
The other day I came across an article in New York Magazine and I found it pretty fascinating because it talks about the purity of our water in New York City.
Do you drink NYC tap water? Maybe you will after reading this article.
Basically, a group of scientists picked 14 different places in the city and checked the content of the different water samples they collected. Of course they found trace elements of certain things you would rather not have in your drinking water but these were in such small amounts that when I think about the idea of buying and drinking water from a plastic bottle that has been shipped from somewhere across the world, in which plastics have leached into the so called "pristine spring water", sucking lakes dry while then discarding the bottle in the average non-recyclable trash can, and all that in the name of drinking pure water from "infinite" sources...
I THINK TWICE.
I would rather save the planet... save my money.... and enjoy NYC Tap water!
(until the day I get Lonneke - and then myself - a NaturaWater filtering system! Haha)
04-05-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelYou know what we forgot to tell you?
OrganiceYourLife.com celebrated one year on May 1st 2010!
Last year, we started this website, to give green and healthy tips, facts and news from insiders within the fashion and entertainment industry to whoever wanted to make his or hers life a bit better!
it has been so much fun, and this website is improving everyday, with the help of you! Come sign up in the Community, and start speaking to others that are on the same path: making the world a bit more beautiful, and yourself happier everyday!
We hope to serve you, and work with you, for many more years to come!
Get Organiced®!
04-05-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelLast week I went to Ouarzazate, Morocco. You get there by flying to Casablanca, and then onwards to Ouarzazate. This is a different world than I am used to that is for sure!
Ouarzazate, is a place in Morocco known for the big blockbuster movies that are made there. A few of them: Gladiator, Alexander, Kundun and the new Prince of Persia featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, and Sex and the City 2 have all been filmed here! I saw the whole set of the Prince of Persia movie when I was there, and even sat on a horse that was used in many movies!
I was shooting for a luxury Italian designer who is mostly famous for his cashmere, with a hug crew of about 25 people... I was far away from home with people I did not know at all!
For 4 days we were there, and spent the whole day together. You suddenly are very intimate with people you have never met. I sometimes find that weird, as you act like best friends for the days you work, and most of the time, don't see the people for years after that job, and sometimes you don't even see them ever again...
But nice friendships can evolve, and you definitely experience things together, that you will not forget the rest of your live. That is why I love my work, you go to amazing places, experience things you never imagined and build interesting relationships with the people you work with.
Back to Morocco: I ate vegetarian Tajines with local and seasonal vegetables everyday.(very healthy) I saw the most beautiful sand dunes I have only seen in movies ( and the sand dunes in the movies where exactly the ones I saw now). It was simply amazing. ( even though we had to wake up every day very early to catch the first sunlight, as the early sun and late sun are the best light for pictures).
We drove to Merzouga to shoot a bit more, a drive about 6,5 hours with stops included. It was far, but so worth it. That is where I saw the sand dunes, and camels for that matter. We stayed in an amazing "sand castle" a hotel named : Kashbah Timbouktou.
Driving past all the small villages, made me realize how lucky I am. People sometimes don't even seem to have the basic necessities. they live locally, and some will probably never leave the area they live in. Like the boys who take care of the camels there , camels used to have tourists ride them. They have a very special relationship with the camels, who follow them with every step they make. Some of these young boys also sell items to tourists, like bracelets and stones and fossils, which this area is known for. They learn english, italian and even dutch from tourists... That is their life, everyday, work in the desert. But it will be very unlikely that they will travel anywhere the rest of their lives....This is their life, and that is it.
I was amazed by the contact the locals have with nature. They don't complain, they just live with the heat, the sun, the sand. They don't seem to need much. They live on the streets. Animals like dogs, cats, horses and donkeys, seem to have a much rougher life too, than our pets that get organic food and go to the groomer every few weeks...
One more thing: I did notice in the afternoon you only saw men together on terraces enjoying tea( where were the women?). I do know where this comes from... but hey, I like to drink tea too!
We did have an "Arabian Night" one night with the whole team, and danced in the middle of the desert with music by locals. It was full moon, saw many stars and we ate great food, and had an amazing time!
Morocco was definitely a great experience for me, and it opened me up to a total different world, different nature, different people I am used to, and I am very grateful to be able to do that, and share it with you :)
I will add pictures later on the community!
in the meantime: Are you just as excited as me to see Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia? And Sex and the City 2, who both coincidentally come out on the same date: May 28th 2010?
03-05-2010 | Posted by: Irene Dirks
My sister Agatha starts a new job today!
She got a job as a make-up artist for M·A·C cosmetics!
She is going to work in a new M·A·C store here in Eindhoven which will be the only one in the south of the Netherlands.
She is so thrilled and couldn’t wait to start working for this world class professional make-up label.
Since I’m no make-up artist and there was no store nearby, I own nothing of M·A·C cosmetics, and I know absolutely zero about them.
I decided to look them up and see if they are an interesting company to write about for this blog.
Well that’s definitely the case!
On their site I found out about M·A·C VIVA GLAM lipstick.
It’s a project of M·A·C that they release a few new colors of lipstick every year of which all proceeds go to the M·A·C-AIDS fund.
What a great initiative!
On their site it says that to date they have raised over 160 million US Dollar and that the M·A·C-AIDS fund is the heart and soul of the company, with its employees giving their time, energy and talent to help those affected by HIV/AIDS worldwide.
This year no one other then Lady GAGA and Cindy Lauper are the celebrity spokespeople for the VIVA GLAM lipsticks.
Please take a look at the video below in which they explain this year’s campaign and show their commitment to the cause.
I hope my sister will have a great time working for such a GREAT company, and that this is just another step into following her dreams!
01-05-2010 | Posted by: Maruja RetanaIs there anything more heartbreaking than a sick child? I don't think so... Today I found out about a very simple, yet powerful initiative called Post Pals. It's a website that invites people to reach out to sick children, 'Pals'. Every Pal has a page, where they can tell their story. You can become penpals with them and send them letters, e-mails, gifts, whatever your heart tells you. I think this is such a wonderful thing! Obviously it is no replacement for good health, but I can imagine that knowing somebody cares about you and takes the time to wish you well can literally make your day. As usual, it doesn't take much time or effort to put a smile on someone's face. Check out the Post Pals website for more info!
01-05-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van Dijk
30-04-2010 | Posted by: Mallory JuneToday its Queens day in Holland!!
The day we celebrate the Queens birthday!
Everybody is out on the streets dressed in orange (the Dutch national color) parties everywhere, live music, food stands, street fairs and lots of drinks!
Queens day is the one day in holland that everyone is aloud to sell their stuff on the streets without a permit.
Im so glad I'm in Holland now to celebrate it, its been 3 years since I've last been here for this day!
I will be celebrating in Amsterdam with my sister and her friends and a few of my friends are going to join us. We're going to be going through the canals on a boat with lots of people drinks, food and music.
Lonneke will be in Amsterdam as well this afternoon!
Last night it was Queens night, mostly for young people who like to party. Music and drinks everywhere people dressed in orange with crazy hats.
I would like to write more about today but I have to go out and enjoy it now!
27-04-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van Dijk
26-04-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van Dijk
25-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
23-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
21-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelApril 22nd 2010 is Earth Day.
On the Earth Day official Website:
"Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.
Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Earth Day Network is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to sustainability. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day."
What is your action tomorrow towards a greener, and better world?
21-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
20-04-2010 | Posted by: Mallory June
17-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
15-04-2010 | Posted by: Mallory June
15-04-2010 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van Dijk
12-04-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksI always thought that having a personal trainer wasn’t something anybody would or could do!
I thought you needed a really big bank account to be able to afford that!
And why would you need it??
But…
I’m fortunate to have a job that almost completely pays for my sportsclub membership, which is located really close to where I work.
It only cost me 10 Euro’s of my salary before taxes!
So it’s actually only 6 Euros a month!
CHEAP!!!!
So of course I took a membership there.
It’s a great sportsclub that has a really good program in supporting you to get started, they create a whole profile for you and they help you choose which gymtools you want to use.
And every 6 weeks you can do a check-up where they check your improvement.
Really great and I’m happy to sport there.
But a while ago for my birthday they gave me a present.
I could choose between:
- 15 minutes on a tanning bed = nahhhh don’t need that.
- A haircut = my sister is a hairdresser, so don’t need that either.
- Or a free lesson from a personal trainer = Well that sounded really good!
So I took the personal trainer lesson
And it was GREAT!!!
I took it on Thursday and I think I could walk normally again on Sunday!!!
Since the sportsclub membership doesn’t cost me much.
I decided to take personal trainer lessons once every month
They cost 20 euro’s which isn’t very much at all!
And it works GREAT!
Doing this once a month gives such a boost to my shape!
All the muscles that need extra attention really get a workout!
I usually don’t really have the discipline for doing many crunches, but with the teacher joining you, you need to keep up!
I enjoy it too, the teacher is really nice, and we usually end up talking about holidays or music, during the short times I get to regain my breath.
I’m actually thinking about taking it twice a month!
12-04-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksEvery year it is guessing which will be the next great big summer hit.
All it takes is just a beat that sticks in your head, lyrics that can be hummed while driving to your holiday destination, and which makes you do a silly dance you can do after lots of drinks?
According to the radio in NL the next big summerhit will be “Alors on danse” from Stromae
I thought it was so unusual that it was worth blogging about.
First of all it is in FRENCH!
But it wouldn’t be the first summersong in a language no-one understands (remember the ketchup song? Or Dragostea din tei?).
I wonder if they are right.
A little bit early in the year to say already isn’t it?
What is your favorite song so far?
Please let me know in the forum?
11-04-2010 | Posted by: Mallory JuneFor easter weekend me and a few friends decided we wanted to go on a camping trip somewhere in New York.
A few weeks before we drove my boyfriends car up to New York from Texas to explore New York and its surroundings, this would be the perfect first trip to do so.
After a bit of searching online we found a campsite in New Jersey that looked pretty great.
We split up the tasks to prepare for our adventure. The men took care of the tents and the barbeque and the ladies went to Trader Joes on the day of departure to fill the car with all sorts of goodies. Organic hotdogs, whole grain baguettes, hummus, grahams crackers, chocolate and marshmallows to make smores, lots of eggs (for easter breakfast) and much more.
After a 2 hour drive we arrived at our campsite. I was so pleasantly surprised! It was located in the woods, with the fresh breeze of the ocean and squirrels running around everywhere.
The next 2 days we spent laying out in the sun, cooking amazing meals on our little barbeque, playing basketball, taking walks at night exploring the woods ( a little scary though) and going to the beach.
On easter morning we carried on my families tradition of decorating eggs, I brought a kit that had all sorts of colors of dye and glitter in it, we each made an egg for some body. It was so much fun!
A few days earlier I found these cute little easter baskets and colorful grasses to fill them with in Williamsburg for the easter egg hunt I had planned for my friends.
After breakfast my friend and I hid the chocolate eggs all around the campsite, in the trees, behind rocks and in the grass. We made the guys hide in the tent.
I had the least eggs in the end because I wanted the guys to find them in the clever spots I hid them.
I ended up eating most of their chocolate eggs afterwards anyways ;)
The last day at sunset my boyfriend, Pierce (he's a photographer) took some pictures of all of us in this beautiful field we found filled with perfect rows of peach trees.
I felt so happy, refreshed and healthy after spending those few days in the outdoors, recharged and ready to get back to daily life in crazy New York City.
But first I needed a shower!
11-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
09-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
00-00-0000 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
08-04-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksTuesday I went to a concert of the band of Pancho Amat.
He is a famous guitar player from Cuba and he and his band performed typical Cuban Son music.
I’m so crazy about this music.
I totally love it!
A few years ago I travelled through Cuba for one month.
I saved up for a very long time to have an amazing trip on my own.
I joined a group tour which travelled through Cuba for 18 days.
And at the end everybody else went back home and I stayed in a beach resort for another 5 days in Varadero and then another 5 days in Havana before I went home.
It was truly the best trip I have ever taken!
It had everything I liked:
Culture, lots of history, beautiful nature, blue oceans, nice people, cocktails, dancing, music and of course SUNSHINE!
I remember arriving the first night so well!
I had just arrived from the airport, checked into the hotel, had some food and then with a few people went out to the Malecon (the boulevard in Havana) and sat down for some drinks.
Immediately people came up to us and started to make music.
I was so happy I finally arrived so far away from home.
The furthest away I have ever been!
I saved up for so long, listening to the music and reading books about Cuba, that being there was just thrilling!
But realizing that everything what I read about the music was actually TRUE! (That they make it on every corner and wherever you looked) was AMAZING!!!!
Couldn’t stop smiling!!
Later I realized that this was the worst band we saw on the whole trip!
But at the time it was simply the best I had ever heard!!!
So Tuesday at the concert, everything came back to me.
The whole trip flashed before my eyes.
It was amazing!
Now I definitely know for sure I will go back again one day
I <3 Cuba!!!
07-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelTomorrow is One Day Without Shoes!
Originated by TOMS, the shoe company that rules by the quote: “One for One”, this initiative makes us walk bare feet one day in a year,on April 8th, to experience what a lot of kids worldwide have to deal with every single day of there life: walking bare feet. Because of walking bare feet, these kids are susceptible to dangerous diseases that they get through walking in uneven and polluted soils, and also because they get cuts and scrapes when not wearing shoes . Most of these diseases are 100% preventable by wearing shoes. The life's fundamentals are food, clean water AND shoes. For hygiene it is so important to wear shoes.
One for One means that TOMS will supply a pair of shoes to people in need somewhere on the planet, when you buy a pair of shoes. This is a sustainable concept, as the Goodwill is paid by the profits made by selling shoes.
.
I will do a Profile on TOMS shoes and founder/ head shoe giver Blake Mycoskie, as I had the privilege to meet him in person. You will find it on organiceyourlife.com in the future!
For now: Will you walk bare feet tomorrow, Just like Kristen Bell and the Jonas Brothers?
05-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
03-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
02-04-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksOK, I’m officially a mascara junky!
Some people have a zillion types of lipglosses, eyeshadows or nailpolishes.
But for me #1 is mascara!
I ALWAYS wear it!
Won’t go out the door without it!
I think it began when I started to wear less make-up then in high-school or during my studies.
(Done with the black-black smokey-eyes look when I started to work)
On the days I would forget to put mascara on then people would always ask me if I was sleepy or told me I looked tired.
Apparently mascara makes me look awake!
So ever since then I always wear mascara.
And yesterday, when I just casually walked into a department store during my lunchbreak, it took me about 30 seconds to try and buy the new mascara EXTASE from DIOR!
I immediately loved it!
The new type of brush worked amazing!
I think every woman probably has something of a must have beauty item
What is yours?
What is your addiction??
Go to the forum and let me know!
02-04-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksLast week I asked on the forum if anyone knew a good handcream.
Since the cold this winter, I’ve had the worst dry hands ever!!
And nothing seemed to work.
My hands would itch all the time, and sometimes started to bleed too!!
Tajna was so nice to give me a good tip.
She recommended Sheabutter, and to put a lot on my hands before going to bed.
(Thanks Tajna!)
I decided to search for sheabutter in the bodyshop.
(I figured they must have it, since they have so many bodybutters, seemed logical to me)
And I was right they had a whole line of sheabutter products.
They had bodybutter, douchelotion, bodyscrub etc.etc.
So many choices so I decided to ask for some advice in the store what to take.
And there the girl gave me an even better tip!
Hemp Hand Protector!
For extremely dry skin.
She also advised me to buy these bio-cotton gloves so I could put a nice thick layer on my hands before going to bed.
(That seemed familiar to the tip from the forum!)
So I bought the cream and the gloves and tried it last night.
My boyfriend made so much fun of me wearing my white gloves, hahaha!
But I didn’t care because I was sure it was going to work.
And this morning the result was indeed a lot of improvement!
So happy about that!!
Tonight again! And tomorrow, the day after that, and then, and then…
Until my hands are supersoft!
oh can’t wait!
02-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
31-03-2010 | Posted by: Mallory June
31-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
31-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksAs you maybe have read in my bio I really like making stuff.
I’m really an arts & crafts girl.
That’s why I can really appreciate handmade materials and designs. For me that adds so much value and extra quality!
That’s why I was super happy to have found this tiny shop in Eindhoven where they sell handmade jewelry made entirely out of GLASS!
So incredible!
The jewels are designed by my old classmate Jannita van den Haak from the Design Academy. She has her own brand of handmade jewels like necklaces and bracelets etc. called Jannissima. Funny thing about that is that the first time I went to the shop I got so enthusiastic that I went back home and searched for their website online. I immediately recognized Jannita!
So then the next day I went back and bought the one golden heart long necklace I fell in love with the previous day!
It’s one with solid black glass beads and a big glass bead in the shape of a hart which is gold plated (and GORGEOUS!)
I really love it!
This was a perfect buy in every way. I bought something superpretty I totally love for myself, and at the same time I helped someone I know with her starting business.
Now I’m saving up for either a lady Josephine or Miss Printemps long necklace. Totally love those too! (ADDICT! hihi)
30-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksToday CERN has reached a HUGE milestone!
CERN is the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) and is the world largest particle physics laboratory situated near Geneva on the French-Swiss border.
CERN's main function is to provide the particle accelerators and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research.
It is noted for being the birthplace of the World Wide Web!
Most of the activities at CERN for the past years were towards building a new collider, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the experiments for studying the smallest known particles in the universe.
The LHC tunnel is located 100 metres underground, and six experiments (CMS, ATLAS, LHCb, TOTEM, LHC-forward and ALICE) run on the collider; each of them will study particle collisions from a different point of view, and with different technologies.
Construction for these experiments required an extraordinary engineering effort. Just as an example, a special crane had to be rented from Belgium in order to lower pieces of the CMS detector into its underground cavern, since each piece weighed nearly 2,000 tons.
Today they have succeeded in creating a collision of two beams of protons at the speed of 7 tera electron volts, their biggest energy record to date.
The impact has created an explosion of new particles; these particles will be researched thoroughly in the future.
And there is enough data to choose from since the machine continues to run perfectly.
This is the start of total new world of physics!
And who knows what this all could lead to!
The fundamental building blocks of all things have a whole new dimension.
Very exciting times! (sometimes it’s so cool to live in these times, it seems like endless possibilities are possible!)
As my physics teacher would end all tests.
PHYSICS IS FUN!!!
(ehhmmm didn’t agree at the time though! hahaha)
See the links for a live webcast directly from CERN. (only today)
29-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
27-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
26-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
26-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksToday international think-tank Ethisphere Institute released a list of 2010 World’s Most Ethical Companies.
They’ve made these lists since 2007, and they plan to continue to make one every year.
Creating this years’ list they kept an eye on innovation, health, safety, sustainability, control and respect.
And also important is whether the company is in their branch is a leading company, so it can create a good example for other companies to follow.
For this years’ edition about 3000 companies were researched.
For cosmetics the only company that got selected to be on the list was L’Oréal.
The brand was given this honor because of their Code of Business Ethics (2000) and appointing an ethics director in 2007 assigned to these tasks, and they are a world market leader.
Other famous brands are NIKE, GAP, Starbucks, Mattel, IKEA, Philips and Rabobank.
Check out the full list of companies on the website of Ethisphere.
Too bad there isn’t an explanation per company why they were added onto the list, it made me very curious about them.
25-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksI found these cute bracelets online today.
They are from this unique jewelry brand called JUST J.
Their dream was to create something good and positive and to help other people.
Their bracelets and necklaces are made from round symbols in different sizes that can be worn on colorful ribbons around your wrist, neck or ankle.
Each symbol has its own meaning and should help you to have a positive look at life.
The symbols stand for LOVE, JOY, SHINE, SPARKLE, GRATEFUL, FREE, FEARLESS, TURNAROUND and INNERPEACE.
All symbols are available in silver or in combination with 18K yellow, pink and white gold and diamonds
Not only would this make a very nice personal gift, but would actually be good for others as well.
JUST J donates a percentage of their profit to the JUST J Foundation. This non-profit organization is dedicated to helping disadvantaged people and children in need. The foundation’s main goal is to contribute to poverty reduction.
And JUST J strives to know the origins of all the materials they use in their designs and know that the mining companies are committed to the highest standards of social en environmental responsibility, and JUST J favours fair trade
This all made them a member of the responsible jewellery council (RJC).
Check out the links below to find out more about this.
25-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksToday I heard from a colleague about an action of Greenpeace
They are trying to move Nestlé to stop buying palm oil from manufacturers that destroy rainforest in Indonesia.
This is very threatening for the livelihoods of the local people and push Orangutans towards EXTINCTION!
After the first actions, where they asked people to send letters to Nestlé asking them to stop using palm oil from Sinar Mas (the manufacturer), there has been quite some success!
The promovideo has been watched 100.000 times and the mails send 10.000’s of times.
That same day Nestlé announced to break all contact with Sinar Mas!
That’s GREAT! (Very surprising to me, Nestlé is definitely not fair trade and doesn’t seem to have plans to become it, but hopefully that’s changing now)
But it’s only a first step.
They still use the same palm oil by buying it from other traders.
To save the Orangutans and the rainforest there is more to be done!
So if you agree, please go to their website and support this Greenpeace action.
(Be careful watching this video, it made me gross out totally and is not suitable for small children!!!)
24-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksSometimes it’s nice to remember your loved ones that have passed away.
You can by looking at photos of videos.
But what I like to do is remembering them by different experiences.
Like for instance:
My grandmother ALWAYS had Anta-Flu cough drops in her pockets.
So now whenever I eat those, I think of her.
And then I try to remember what she was like.
But not only that
She died when I was eleven years old.
So thinking back is also thinking of everything of those times:
How I was when I was little (jumpy, naughty, funny and cute (of course!)
How her house looked like.
All the family that would always be there. (What they looked like back then)
My aunt Riet. (lived there too, she died almost ten years ago too)
The cats. (that would always hide behind the curtains).
The dog. (I never owned a dog, so it was always nice to play with this one)
Sometimes I imagine if she would have lived longer would she have taught me how to knit?
You could see her with needles all the time! (and cigarettes too by the way)
She made babysocks for all her (grand-) children and whatever else she could.
And lovely knitted puppets for everybody.
She made me and my older sister puppets that looked just like us! (blond and brunette)
My sister Agatha was her youngest grandchild and was named after her.
It’s an old fashioned name but knowing where it comes from makes her wear it with pride.
(And she wears it well!)
Last year I arranged a party for my grandmothers’ hundredth birthday.
It became one big family reunion.
It was a great day where we put some flowers on her grave and then back home spend the whole afternoon catching up.
Everybody recognized the Anta-Flu cough drops I put on the table immediately!
And everybody took one to remember her!
23-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksThis Friday it’s national Pancake Day in the Netherlands!
What a nice idea!
I really love pancakes!
My favorites are pancakes with cheese.
But since I’m still on a healthfood diet …
I think I better keep them without layers of cheese and tons of sugar or syrups.
But… I think I could still eat pancakes!
They have carbohydrates, but only few are sugars.
This time I will make biological wholewheat ones with apples and cinnamon.
Delicious!!!
23-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksSpanish actor Antonio Banderas is appointed as a new Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development programme (UNDP).
He will focus on poverty and will push for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals to halve world poverty compared to 2000.
“Poverty robs us of our potential as a people, preventing us from being all that we can be,” Antonio Banderas said.
The millennium goals are 8 globally agreed targets with a 2015 deadline
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Halve the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day
- Achieve Employment for Women, Men, and Young People
- Halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
- all children can complete a full course of primary schooling, girls and boys
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
- Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005
- All men and women have the same rights by 2015
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
- Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
- Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio
- Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
- Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
- Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it
- Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmenta
l sustainability
- Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources
- Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss
- Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
- By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
- Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
- Address the Special Needs of the Least Developed Countries
- Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
- Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term
With only less than five years to go there is still a lot of work that needs to be done!
Let’s all wish Antonio Banderas good luck in his new role.
22-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksThis Saturday 27th of March it’s Earth Hour.
People around the world will turn off their lights for one hour at 20.30h (local time zones), to show their concerns about the environment.
What started as a local initiative of WWF in Sydney in 2007 has become a worldwide event and last year almost a billion people and 88 countries joined this event.
This year already a 100 countries have committed to join and will turn off the lights of prominent buildings or landscapes.
I think this is a great idea which hopefully has a great impact!
I already signed up!
'See you' in the dark on the 27th!
22-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
22-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelToday is World Water Day 2010!
That means we should appreciate today that we have access to clean water. But a lot of people in this world do not have access to clean, safe drinking water, so we should do our best to bring it to them! Clean water is becoming more to difficult to find, so we should cherish it! Please help bring safe drinking water to the ones that need it!
22-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksOk this makes it official.
I’m going on a DIET!!
Not some fancy programs or hyped superplans.
This time I’m going to eat HEALTHY!
Promises I made to myself:
I will…
…eat low-fat,
…eat no sugar,
…spread my food more across the day (instead of stuffing my face two or three times a day),
…never ever skip breakfast,
…drink lots of water (one big glass before I eat) and try to reach 3 liters a day,
…eat lots of proteins, vegetables and fibers,
…chew my food more thoroughly,
…only take a bite if my mouth is empty (haha that means I have to pay attention to what I eat),
…eat all the stuff I allow myself when I feel hungry (mental check if I’m really hungry or just bored),
So this should get me a little bit healthier!
(ok,ok, a LOT!! ---- > not in denial!!!)
This blog should keep me focused and committed!
I will write some more in the future about stuff I find about different foods or mental tips etc. that help me in my quest.
22-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
21-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
20-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksYesterday there was some good news here in Noord-Brabant (south of the Netherlands).
The plans to create megastables for the meat industry are definitely over.
There were plans to approve the meat industry to grow larger and larger again and again ( the name MEGA says enough right?).
This has serious consequences for the animals, the people and nature.
With so many animals stuffed together there are many risk for illnesses, viruses, parasites and bacteria.
These could eventually spread onto humans (remember swine flu?).
Also there is a huge and still increasing use of antibiotics, which causes the animals to become resistant, which increases the risks of creating even more illnesses that could transfer onto humans.
What’s also very damaging for the surroundings is the amount of fine particles in the air (coming from intensive stockbreeding)
Which causes many respiratory problems and even early death.
Of course there is a huge overload on manure coming from these megastables, which is terribly bad for the soil, the water and the air
And then I didn’t even mention how it’s like for the animals themselves, this is of course not pleasant for them at all!
There were plans to create many of these megastables here in Noord-Brabant.
As a response to that a lot of people have grouped together to create one big citizens initiative, in which they show their protest to the Provinciale Staten van Noord-Brabant. (the local government).
And it turned out to be very successful!
No one other than 33.000 people has signed their petition (including me), which was enough to put it on their agenda.
And thus yesterday they decided that no megastable will be approved and that all license applications are declared invalid.
This shows once again that everybody can help in creating a better environment and that this can actually have a successful effect!
Now there are also plans to have this taken national so none of these megastables will come anywhere in the Netherlands.
Hopefully this will work just as successfully as this has turned out
(next step worldwide?)
20-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksThis week I went to a sauna.
I've been very busy lately, and was very tired.
That's why I thought it was time to relax!!!
Sauna always gives me such a feeling of wellness.
I love to dip in the bubblebaths or swimmingpools, or warm up in the steamroom or calendarium.
But what I like most is just the "regular" sauna (no infrared, music or colours)
And it's also really good for you!
During a saunabath your temerature raises up to 39 °C /102 °F.
Your body responces to that by sweating.
Purpose of the sweating is to cool down the bodytemperature again, by transporting the heat out of you.
This has several positive results:
Because of the heat followed by the cool baths afterwards, the muscles relax, the bloodpressure loweres, and the bloodcirculation, digestion and respiration improve.
Sauna is also good for your skin and slows down the aging process.
During the heat the bloodvessels enlarge and improve bloodcirculation.
After cooling, the vessels become smaller again, which sort of train them.
and it also improves the structure of very dry skin (by soaking in the water and activation of the sweatcells).
So don't wait untill you go on your next holiday to a luxury Spa hotel, but take a sauna in any day-Spa nearby sometimes
YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!
16-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksMy boyfriend introduced me to this amazing website called the hungersite.
It’s a website that enables you to donate money or food etc. to different causes just by clicking on a button!
And it’s free!
You can click on the donate buttons on each different tab as many times as you like.
Right now there are 6 different tabs: (and they keep getting more)
-Hunger
-Breast Cancer
-Child Health
-Literacy
-Rainforest
-Animal Rescue
I try to go to this website every day.
And my boyfriend has it as his homepage so that makes it even easier.
They’re just little donations each time
But all little bits together make one big one!
12-03-2010 | Posted by: Irene DirksIt’s Friday afternoon and I was discussing my plans for the weekend with my colleagues.
Somehow we landed on the subject of beer.
And it reminded me of the most interesting beer I ever drank.
MONGOZO beer!
I was at a summer-festival last year and there was this stand of interesting looking drinks.
Served in half a coconut!
Apparently they were beer with five different exotic flavors:
Coconut, Quinua, Palmnut, Mango and Banana.
My favourite was Quinua flavored.
Maybe you can imagine how pleased I was walking and dancing around with my delicious beer in a coconut.
I felt on a summer holiday although it was raining almost all day!
As it turns out while looking at their website, there is a really interesting story behind these beers!
"Mongozo means ‘to your health' in the native language of Henrique Kabia, one of the founders of Mongozo beer.
The language is that of the Chokwe people who live scattered throughout Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is the Chokwe women who have been brewing the beer for their people for more than two centuries.
Before they started brewing beer, they used to make wine using palm nuts. It was one of Henrique Kabia's distant great-grandmothers who was responsible for bringing about a great change in the eighteenth century: instead of making palm wine she began making palm beer.
Over the course of the centuries her secret recipe was handed down from mother to daughter. Henrique's mother brewed palm nut
beer too, but had no daughters. She therefore decided to break with tradition and initiate her son into the mysteries of brewing beer.
That same recipe was Henrique's only possession when, in 1993, he arrived in the Netherlands as a refugee. The recipe formed the basis for a new and exotic beer line, with which a whole new dimension was added to the European beer tradition.
The five Mongozo flavors unite the ingredients, recipes and drinking traditions from corners of the world as diverse as Ghana, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Costa Rica and Brazil.
Four of the five exotic Mongozo beer bear the Max Havelaar/Fairtrade logo.
And Mongozo also uses many organically certified ingredients in its beers."
I think that makes this beer taste even better!
(source: mongozo.com)
12-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
11-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
08-03-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke EngelTODAY IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!
Every year on March 8 it’s international women’s day
The first international woman’s day was declared by Clara Zetkin at the international woman’s convention in Copenhagen in 1910. Reason for this was the massive strike on the 8th of March in 1908: 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
After that, every year on March 8th, people in several countries would hold marches and conferences about women’s issues.
Unfortunately the 1st world war ended this custom.
With the feminist movements of the sixties the interest in the Women’s day returned and in a lot of socialist countries like China, Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Vietnam it’s an official holiday and has a status equal to mother’s day.
Throughout the world there are many events today:
One of them is tonight’s premiere of the movie Desert Flower in Amsterdam
This movie is based on the biography of internationally famous supermodel Waris Dirie.
In this book she tells her story from being born into a nomad family in Somalia, about being circumcized at only 5 years old! How she escaped her family when she was to marry a very old man, and eventually moved to London and that's where she, while working as a cleaning lady in Mc Donalds, was discovered as a model.
Waris Dirie became an UN ambassador for the abolition of female genital mutilation, and since then raised her own foundation (www.waris-dirie-foundation.com)
I’ve read her book a few years ago and it moved me very much! Seeing this movie will definitely be on my list for things to do this month!
by Irene Dirks
