Casablanca

Last week I had the great fortune of being invited to attend a conference for Gender Equity in Sport for Social Change and to run a 10k called “Course Féminine” created by Moroccan Olympic Champion Nawal El Moutawakel.



On Sunday May 18th, 27,000 women took over the streets of Casablanca, stopping traffic and making jaws drop as they ran the course. I’ve never experienced anything like it. (Above: Here I am gearing up for the start with Holly who flew all the way from Portland to participate.)

To get a feeling for the awesomeness of an all woman event in Morocco please click here for video highlights of the 2007 race. At the end of the race, I had the inspiring opportunity to meet marathon pioneer Joan Benoit Samuelson who wont the first ever women’s Olympic marathon event in 1984 (you can tell which one she is in the pict below; also in the spotlight are Betty and Awista who are NGO directors for women and sports projects in South Africa and Afghanistan). Joan got me thinking I might pick up running again a bit more seriously. Step one has already happened: 2 friends of mine and I are signed up for the Nike+ Human Race in New York at the end of August.



The social change conference, which was held the 18th-21st, brought together NGO directors from North Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan to share knowledge and resources for the empowerment of women in these regions through sport. It was moving and motivating to be in their presence and the entire trip reminded me how lucky I've been to work on the Nike Women account and for WK who have taken one of the organizing NGOs (Women Win) of the conference on as thier only pro bono client.

Burgundy

In late April I completed my Mary Magdalene tour of Europe, this time heading to Burgundy to visit Vezlay where her remains were said to have been taken in 1050. Most people don’t know Mary Magdalene ended up in France and stayed until her death. History tells us that after the death of Jesus, Mary M. was exiled from Jerusalem and sent adrift on a boat with a few others and by fate landed in Marseilles. Today a complicated debate remains over exactly where Mary Magdalene’s relics really are (Saint Maximin or Vezlay) but my friend Laura and I, being the thorough pilgrims that we are, decided to cover our bases.



And while we did, we were sure to stay in some lovely chauteas (Demessey and Petit Manoir Bruyeres), visit some other medieval abbeys (Cluny, Fontenay, and Pontigny) and finally ended the trip with a night in Paris.

This trip was particularly significant, as it would be my last with my friend Laura in Europe before she enters an Abbey in Connecticut as a postulant (on her road to taking full vows).

Rites of Spring, Part I

On the tail end of a business trip to Atlanta I was able to sneak in a weekend in NYC. With that stolen time, Ofir and I were able to take advantage of the Hanami season at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. When we arrived not all the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, but there were a few trees that had graciously given way. The actual Sakura Matsuri Festival will take place May 3-4, so we perhaps we’ll go back.

After winding through the gardens, which I have to confess I truly love, we sauntered next door to check out the Murakami exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Now everyone I’ve mentioned this to has given a tepid response. Then again, this will not be the first time my tastes differ from the norm.

For me Takashi Murakami is cool because he plays with almost all the same things I do: graphic design, brands, popular culture, history and of course luxury goods! I had to restrain myself at the Louis Vuitton store in the middle of the exhibit which sold all of Muarakami’s collaborations with LV, including his latest (above) which was of particular interest to me. But if I'm really going to be honest, this wallpaper is what I really wanted to buy for my future child(ren).

Also of note on this trip was a new Mexican restaurant Ofir and I discovered in Williamsburg called Bonita. I will recommend it to anyone who is willing to endure the trustafarian culture of Williamsburg for the sake of real Mexcian-style corn on the cob and fish tacos in CORN TORTILLAS the way God intended them.

Next up: Picts and a report of my upcoming long-weekend in Burgundy to continue my Mary Magdalene pilgrimage and master the enjoyment of life the French way.

City Hall

As some of you know, Ofir and I after much discussion over the last year, decided to make our future plans legal. So we called a friend to be our witness and met up at the City Hall Municipal Building in Manhattan.

Despite our spontaneity, our previously planned vacation to Cozumel the next day became our mini-honeymoon.

The Holiday Season in New York

Even though we're well into the New Year I've decided it's not too late to take a quick look back at how I spent the holidays. Obviously I went back to NYC, a city I fell in love with when I was 9 years old on a visit with relatives on my way to summer camp in New Hamprshire. Almost 30 years later I still can't get enough. Sigh. Here's a shot from Rockefeller Center which is a must during the holidays.

After I got my fill of the city, Ofir and I took a drive upstate to spend a few days in the Catskills. Even though we stayed near Hunter Mountain, we spent most of our time in Woodstock and nearby Pheonicia . . . a route we've slowly turned into a ritual of coffee, snacks, shopping and general revelry in the beautiful scenery along the way.

We stayed at a lovely B&B called the Rosehaven Inn. It's nestled along a country road just inside the woods. As we drove in a fog had just descended on fresh snow. The rooms have fireplaces and lovely views. We were almost sad to leave after our visit, but alas we had to get back to the city to soak in more of the electric vibe and good company we both love . . . before I had to dash back to work in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Winter

Amsterdam can be a hard city in the winter especially for a Texan. But I was able to momentarily forget the suffering of dark days and cycling in miserable cold and rain this morning . . . because of the beauty of fresh snow.

So I grabbed my camera and took it with me on the ride to work so I could share the view.

More Holiday Cheer

If you're still scrambling to send your holiday cards, here are a few tips.

If your loved ones are eco-friendly then consider Seltzer totally earth friendly cards.

And if you can't be bothered to buy stamps, at least consider clicking the send button with someecards.

Both of these card companies were started by former advertising colleagues.

It's Official

I am now entering a zone some of you may fear . . . it is the Holiday spirit come upon me. You have been warned.

Anthony visits Amsterdam

My dear friend Anthony, who I met my freshmen year while studying at St. Edward's University, finally came to visit me in Amsterdam. We had a wonderful time flitting about to dinners, drinks, and finally brunch at the Dylan . . . which I highly recommend.

LA style

I recently took a business trip to LA and stayed at the Viceroy which I recommend to anyone. It is centrally located in Santa Monica, is low-key yet hip and fresh, and the staff are stellar.

At a business dinner on the trip it just so happened that Yi Jianlian of the Milwaukee Bucks stopped by our table to say hi to one of our colleagues . . . so later I shamelessly weasled my way into this picture to try and impress Ofir who loves basketball.

And at the end of the trip, I found myself with a few hours to kill before our 11 hour flight back to Amsterdam, so my colleague Josh rented a car (that only a young British man would) and took me for a cruise up the PCH and lunch in Malibu at Geoffrey’s.

New Art

For all you art lovers out there, just thought I’d remind you that Art Basel Miami was December 6-9 in Miami and will be in Basel June 4-8. To understand why I bother to share this, please check out this video from last year’s Miami event.

Assuming none of us attended the Miami event you can keep tabs on what happened by checking ArtKrush or Coolhunting. For any of you who want to see if we can swing Basel in June, just shout.

Artwork by: Cary Kwok, Plumage - Japanese (Heisei), 2007

APG Awards

On the 12th of November our planning department attended the APG Creative Strategy Awards ceremony in London.

We did incredibly well, winning one gold, one silver, one bronze, two special awards and APG Strategy Agency of the Year (joint winners with M&C Saatchi but winners all the same). Here I am above celebrating with Kerrie Finch our head of PR and Jenny Howard the lastest edition to comms planning at W+K.

Another success of the trip was discovering, by recommendation of a friend, good Mexican food in London. Wahaca is sadly mispelled for the sake of proper British pronunciation but more than makes up for it with killer tacos and margaritas.

Even in Dutch

Ages ago my friend Suzie came to visit me in Amsterdam and she FINALLY posted her picts to facebook. I've included a few here for those of you who either don't belong to facebook and/or may have forgotten where I stand politically.

Birthday in NYC

No it was not my birthday people, but Ofir's. And not just any birthday but his 30th - the age at which one can no longer pretend responsibility is something "other people" care about. Oi! To ring in his new era of late capitalist accountability we did a bit of measurable celebrating. First, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Peasant where we savoured good food and a classic celeb sigting (this guy eating with his family). The Italian food at Peasant is truly delicious and worth over-looking their irritatingly snobby (not-in-English) menu. Next we spent an afternoon shopping with total abandon in the city. Shoppers please note that on 5th Avenue around 20th one can find an American Apparel, Intermix, Agnes B., and Kenneth Cole within a block or so from one another. And last, we ended the festivities by downing a few last minute Margaritas with friends in Queens at 5 Burro Cafe.

Brussels

On the 26th of September I traveled to Brussles with colleagues to attend an awards ceremony for the 2007 Euro Effies. We were delighted to take home the Grand Prix for our Nike Women's “Tell Me I'm Not an Athlete" campaign.

Another thing we were delighted to do was discover L’archiduc where we enjoyed a lovely bottle of champagne and the most welcoming crowd of people any of us had ever encountered. If you are ever in Brussels, you know where to quench your thirst.

Hertfordshire

The second weekend in September I joined some friends in the English countryside to attend Abi’s birthday party (the birthday girl is up top sandwiched between two "friends").

I have been to London several times but never in the land beyond so I was quite excited. Abi's family home is in Hertfordshire which is about a 30 min train ride from London. Apparently the name Hertfordshire is Anglo Saxon for deer crossing and the place has a history dating back to the Stone Age. All I know is that the landscape very peaceful and charming.





The next day a group of us had brunch at a well-known area pub called the The King William IV. The place is known for winning several awards for its vegetarian food as well as for having a very unsual (self-procalimed witch) owner.

The Hood

I honestly don't know anything about the artist Boogie who took this photograph. But I do know seeing this made me homesick like nobody's business. Apparently, the photo is among several published in a book called, It's All Good.

Rome

Ofir and I just enjoyed a lovely holiday in Rome, a place that is a convenient stop over when he travels to Israel to see family. We stayed at a charming B&B near the Piazza Barberini called the Daphne Inn, and simply spent a few days eating great food and walking around this beautiful city.



We covered all the obvious must sees in Rome: The Vatican, the Trevi fountain (crowded), the Spanish steps (over-rated), and of course the Pantheon (awesome, let’s face it).


Picture Source

But two of my favorite sites were the Santa Maria sopra Minerva Basilica and the Knights of Malta keyhole (pictured above).

San Sebastian

Toward the end of July I joined two friends, Jodi and Fran, for a little R&R in San Sebastian. We all really fell in love with this place: great beaches, very laid back, lots of charm, and tapas to die for.

This is the place where Spaniards come to enjoy summertime fun in the sun. I was personally thrilled to visit San Sebastian because it’s in the Basque Country where my family name (and my mother’s family name) comes from. Note: Our family names actually come from nearby Alava, but close enough. Point being, I saw at least a handful of people that were doppelgangers of my real-life Texas relatives!

2006 vs 2007 Travel

I happened to be thumbing through picts on my computer and got the bright idea to try and compare the places I’ve traveled in the last two years . . . just to see if there are any trends or insights I can gain into my own life (other than that I work too hard).

So here is the list with a few geeky codes: (B) is for business, (P) is for pleasure, and there is an (*) for each visit. Also, for those places I highly recommend you’ll find a link.

2006
Shanghai (B), Sao Paolo (B), Aruba (P), Culebra (P), Adirondacks (P), Tokyo (B), London (B), Paris (B), Milan (B), Munich (B), Amsterdam (B***)

2007
London (B*****), Paris (B), Hamburg (***), Miami/Ft Lauderdale (P), Atlanta (B****), NYC (P*******), Munich (B**), Provence (P) , San Sebastian (P), Berlin (B), Geneva (B), Bonn (B), Rome(P), Holland: Haarlem, Zandvoort, Masstricht (P), Brussels (B), Los Angeles (B**)

My analysis: I am a geek. But to be fair, this little exercise reminds me that my work has taken me places. Now the idea that “she with the most miles wins” remains to be seen. 2007 at a glance has not been an all-out improvement on 2006. For one thing, I seem to be getting trapped in some kind of Germanic cosmic net. And I'm a bit too heavy on Euro travel, so if the travel gods are listening, Como se dice LatAm or Asia? But seriously, I think I might just need a bit more mountain air and Eastern love. So to that end, any of you regular readers out there who would like to meet up in Bali or are up for a weekend escape to Geneva, just shout. And also, anyone who wants to go with me to Africa (or anyplace on the above map shaded in green) . . . just say the word.

Amsterdam Restaurants and Sips

An e-mail went around the agency recently whereby everyone was asked to vote on their favorite restaurants in town. Since I am a vegetarian and have my own “standards” I’ve edited the list down to a few key locations and thrown in a wine bar for good measure. I will continue to edit this post if/when new candidates are born. PS – Remember in Amsterdam, reservations are required for dinner.

De Belhamel - Romantic spot with seats overlooking the canal.

Lof - One of the best restaurants in town besides De Kas. Menu changes daily.

De Kas - In a greenhouse in a park over-looking a pond and the freshest food ever.

Vyne - Wine flights on the Prinsengracht.

Koevoet - Cozy Italian in the heart of the Joordan.

De Reiger - Classic brown cafe in the Joordan.

4th of July in NYC

One of my favorite things in the world is the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks in NYC. If you ever get a chance, you should really go to New York to see them. If you can swing it try to get invited to a terrace party anywhere in the city and stand under the light show with a cool beverage because it is truly a transcendental experience.

Of course another way to go is to get reservations on a boat and float you’re way to pyrotechnic ecstasy. This is my plan for next year.

After the high of 4th of July fireworks, there were only a few more things left for me to do during my NYC holiday: eat, shop and go to the beach!

Of the many great meals Ofir and I had, the meal we had at Gobo in the West Village is worth mentioning. Only because it’s a vegetarian restaurant that non-vegetarians also love.

As for shopping, aside from our usual trip to Woodbury Commons, I took a day and wandered down to Intermix for some much needed jeans. Even though I didn’t make it, another all-in-one store for the "woman-on-the-go" is Scoop. Ladeez - you heard it here.

And lastly, this summer Ofir and I opted for Jones Beach which is only a short drive from the city. There we enjoyed lolling in the sun and sand with the beautifully diverse (and sometimes loud) people of Long Island. Perhaps it’s taken living in Europe for a while to really appreciate the intense ethnic diversity of the New York area , but believe me, I am a lifelong lover of it now.

Stay tuned for my next entry which will be about my upcoming trip to San Sebastian.

Wickedness and your Inner Diva

Since I haven't been blogging in months, I am back with a vengeance. This time to share a few more goodies with you that have come my way. The first is a Bat for Lashes video that is really wicked. I don't know about you, but I love plushies on bikes. Click here to watch it.

The second item is a little dated to be honest. But it was all the craze about 6 months or so ago in the UK, and every once in a while I watch it just to put me back in touch with my inner diva. It's the Mika video for Grace Kelly. And well worth a watch.

Now I'm off to manage my new on-line identities on LinkedIn and Facebook. I've heard the more on-line friends and contacts you have the better your place in heaven!

European Summer

Well, it was a busy Spring whereby I was mostly occupied with work. And not very much interesting to share beyond that to be honest, so do forgive the long absence.

And just as a side note, my company (as do most) has a very strict policy about discussing anything to do with our clients or activities, so I hope you can all be content with what is published on our company website and our office blog.

So now that it’s summer and things have slowed down a bit, I’ve decided to take advantage of being in Europe and travel around on weekends.


Credit: Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys. Mary Magdalene. Ca. 1860.

My first trip was in the first week of June. I went with a friend to Provence to do a bit of a pilgrimage to see some of the key sites associated with the life of Mary Magdalene.



We flew to Marseille, and rented a car, and drove to Saint Maximin-la-Baume where we stayed at a lovely converted medieval convent called the Couvent Royal. I would highly recommend St. Maximin, especially for those among you who know how to appreciate a very quiet and peaceful getaway. There, we explored the famous 13th century Basilica where the sarcophagus has been proclaimed to be the tomb of Mary Magdalene.



Then we drove to our next destination at the Hostelier just at the base of the cave in the St. Baume mountains where Mary Magdalene lived as a hermit at the end of her life.

On our way there we stopped at the Abbey de Thoronet and in a charming town called Cotignac.

And now I am off next week for NYC to catch some Fourth of July fireworks. And then a few weeks after that, I will be taking a trip with some friends to San Sebastian for a little beach action (so stay tuned for an update on the Basque country).



In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a few more pictures of my place in the Dam. Please take particular note of the guest room (below) which is affectionately known as the Anne Frank room (a sanctuary for girls . . . hint, hint).



To make up for the long absence, I thought I’d also share a few cool things I discovered this Spring that you might like:

1. Stumble – a social network of website recommenders. I have never spent so much time surfing the web!
2. The Superficial – for those of you who just might be as celebrity obsessed as I am, and get bored with tmz.com, here’s the dirt with hilarious commentary.
3. What the World Eats – a fascinating photo journal of the groceries families of the world buy.
4. Visual complexity – a collection of very cool digital information maps, for all you info maniacs out there.

Istanbul

The big event in my life this week has been a business trip to Istanbul. I was invited to attend a regional client workshop there about Ramadan for the X brand account (probably best not to mention names). There were clients from all over the Middle East in attendance. It was absolutely fascinating to learn about Ramadan and how it is perceived slightly differently in Turkey than in Pakistan. And then again, how there are quite a lot of similarities across all Islamic countries in the way it is observed. Especially the universality of Iftar.




I also had a lovely dinner with the clients that evening and sat next to the brand manager responsible for Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. He was Egyptian and when I learned that I asked him about the recent Ramadan scandal Egypt has faced. His perspective was priceless: acts of violence against women are as much a product of religious oppression as they are economic factors (ie marriage being nearly as unaffordable as housing in some parts of Egypt).



My only regret was that my trip was too short, I only had 45 mins during a lunch break to get out of the hotel and try to see a tiny bit of the city. So I dashed down the hill from the Swissotel and checked out the Dolmabahce Palace. I will look for any excuse to go back.