Dragon Sailing

This weekend I spotted one of the most beautiful designed small classic sailing boats, a wooden dragon.
The Dragon was designed by Johan Anker, Norwegian sailor and shipdesigner, in 1929. In 1948 the Dragon became an Olympic Class, a status it retained until the Munich Olympics in 1972. The Dragon's long keel and elegant metre-boat lines remain unchanged, but today Dragons are constructed using the latest technology to make the boat durable and easy to maintain. GRP construction was introduced in 1973 and the rigging has been regularly updated.

The Dragon Class is actively represented in over 26 countries in 5 Continents. There were 1444 boats registered in 2004 and the number of boats built has averaged 45 per year. There are many more which are used for day sailing or cruising. The World Championships are held in every odd year and the European Championships are held annually. The Gold Cup, which can only be held in certain specified European countries, is unique in that all six races count without discard. It is held annually and often attracts over 100 entries, usually starting in one fleet.

If you want some more info just check out the site of the Dutch Dragon Association http://www.dragonclass.nl/

Ermanno Scervino SS09 Backstage FTV

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky
Imagine all the people

Living for today

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too
Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will live as one

John Lennon

Sweet Summer

swim, surf, sail and stare at the sea

Blog vs Tweet

@ http://thefuturebuzz.com/ I just read an article by Adam Singer, which I wanted to share with you, cause I believe he's right. In my opinion there are advantages and disadvantages to both types of media. There are some pretty obvious ones for blogs:
* they require more time/effort.
* they provide more info.
* they are most likely not going anywhere, while Twitter may be hot right now, but who knows where it will be in the future?
* the more blog readers you have, the more times your posts are likely to be linked to on Twitter anyway.

There are obvious benefits to having Twitter followers too though, particularly for marketers.
* more followers is a good indication that there is demand for what you offer as a business, and that people are interested in your product(s).
* relationships easier to form


The 19 reasons, by Adam Singer, why you should blog and not just tweet:

Twitter is popular because it is easy. It is easy to setup, easy to copy-paste links into, and easy to write 140 character bits. But, having your own blog remains the strongest platform if you’re serious about sharing ideas and having a continued dialog with the world. Blogging is the antithesis of easy, however it is far more rewarding.
I’m not saying Twitter isn’t a useful and interesting service, because it certainly is. But it does not negate the real opportunity that is actually made more useful by the popularity of microblogging: having your own blog.
Are you just using Twitter but not blogging? You’re missing out. Here’s why you should make a blog your home base and consider Twitter an outpost:
1. Blogging demonstrates true commitment and passion to your industry that you really can’t fake long-term. Most won’t be able to sustain it over long periods of time with frequency, but those who do so are rewarded in spades and stand out from the crowd.
2. Old articles are valuable and still read years later, given infinite life by the engines. Old Tweets live in archive purgatory where a majority will never be seen again.
3. Remember, you’re essentially contributing to someone else’s network on Twitter - certainly there are returns, but make no mistake they profit from your attention. I know you might not have a problem with that because you gain something too, but it’s good to be conscious of that fact.
4. A compelling link in a blog entry will be clicked; links in Twitter are noise that in aggregate make up signal, but the reality is links in your stream aren’t the same as a post with a compelling link.
5. Secret everyone knows: most of Twitter is just linking to blogs and content on the open web. Being the end product people are actually interested in and focus their attention on is where your ideas will be studied carefully, not in the cacophony of Twitter.
6. You own your work in a self-hosted blog and are in total control over how it is presented.
7. Twitter is in a sense social sticky notes, or the SMS of the Internet (however you want to consider it). It’s snack-sized content. Are you or your business interesting enough to provide the full course? It’s telling who engages deeper vs. those who simply choose to engage 140 characters at a time.
8. Cumulative results over time from blogging, each post incrementally adds value to your site as a whole. Not necessarily true on Twitter.
9. Full analytics with a blog.
10. Multiple touch points to readership and interaction (email, RSS, on-site, etc.).
11. Plugins let you add pretty much anything you want, can even integrate microblogging within your blog itself.
12. Flexibility with layout.
13. 140 characters is often more than necessary - but also it is often less than necessary.
14. Everyone on Twitter is looking for the next big thing or most interesting piece of content to link to. Wouldn’t you rather be the big thing than merely another person pointing at it?
15. These are all just tools to share content and ideas, no more, no less. You need a cohesive strategy for all of them to drive conversions in one spot. A blog is the perfect place for that if you want focused attention and to build an interested community. What if any one network you don’t control falls out of favor or changes the rules? At the end of the day, self-hosted blog owners control the vertical and the horizontal, whereas on Twitter or any external network you’re at the whim of someone else.
16. I don’t even know why some people consider for a second that Twitter and FriendFeed will kill blogging, these ideas are pure linkbait and show a lack of understanding of the motivation of people on the open web.
17. Careful of how much time you devote to Twitter instead of contributing to your own channel. Spend the most time nurturing that - time spent in Twitter comes at the opportunity cost of fresh content to your blog. You can use Twitter and other micro networks to draw subscribers and interest, but the premier value is in working on your own material in a unique space.
18. RSS is alive and well - Steve Gillmor and the TC gang know how to write a great piece of linkbait, but that’s pretty much all it is. Remember, they are in the business of generating buzz, links and pageviews through opinion pieces that ruffle the feathers of tech bloggers, and they’re good at it. It’s entertainment value but I wouldn’t put too much stake in anything one person or site says, always look at the situation and landscape objectively.
19. You are in control of when your blog goes into maintenance mode - not so with Twitter or really any free service.
Don’t get me wrong, I do like Twitter. I’ve even taken the time to draft insights from using it as I think it’s a great service, however the biggest opportunity is still to develop a successful self-hosted blog. This advice isn’t new - but I just got the feeling this week that it needs to be restated. I know it’s not as “sexy” anymore but it is still far more valuable and should not be discounted merely because the early adopters have shiny new object syndrome.

Further reading to help push your blogging to the next level:
How To Successfully Integrate Blogging Into Your Busy Life
A Path To Rapid Growth: Find Your Formula
Make Your Site Known For Signal, Kill The Noise

A little crazy, but a lot of fun

Most interiors are so serious, but the products made by Frederique Morrel just make you smile every time you look at them : a lot of humour and sometimes a little bit naughty ;)

Each product is a one-of-a- kind piece of art and they are all handcrafted and made of tapestry egde leftovers, vintage needlework, lace and other materials they and their friends find. As they say themselves "we really practice the art of "decycling" we take neglected popular artifacts and put them in a whole new life-cycle.

Following just an impression of some of the things they make, want to see more check out their website: http://www.frederiquemorrel.com/

Eat, Pray, Love

I just finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" Elizabeth Gilbert’s fourth and latest book – a #1 best selling memoir about the year she spent traveling around the world in search of personal restoration after a difficult divorce. It is a very easy, enjoyable and entertaining read, with a lot of humour and self-deprecation and for sure I can recommend it :)


Actually the review of the book by Anne Lamott says it all:
"This is a wonderful book, brilliant and personal, rich in spiritual insight, filled with sorrow and a great sense of humour. Elizabeth Gilbert is everything you would love in a tour guide, of magical places she has traveled to both deep inside and across the oceans: she's wise, jaunty, human, ethereal, hilarious, heartbreaking, and God, does she pay great attention to the things that really matter."

Fig and Mascarpone Trifle

Serves four

Ingredients:
8 Fresh Figs, halved or quartered if large
Cup Cranberry Juice
Cup Port
2 Cups Crumbled Biscotti (about 2 biscuits)
1 Cup Mascarpone
Cup Sour Cream
1 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar
Cup Whipping Cream

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Place figs in a baking dish. Combine cranberry juice and Port, and toss with figs. Roast for 10 minutes, or until figs are soft.
Pour liquid from baking dish into a small pot. Bring to a boil and cook for about six minutes, or until slightly syrupy. Stir biscotti into syrup.
Combine mascarpone, sour cream and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat whipping cream in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold into mascarpone mixture.
Place a spoonful of biscotti in bottom of individual glass dishes or cups. Top with some figs and mascarpone. Repeat layers, finishing with a dab of mascarpone cream.

P.s. instead of fresh figs you can also make a short cut by using: Bonne Maman - Fig Jam and also try chaning the regular biscuits for Bastogne cookies.

Fig tart with mascarpone cream

Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes, plus chilling time
Servings: 8 to 10
Note: Adapted from "The Pie and Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Sweet nut cookie tart crust
1/2 cup pecans
3 tablespoons sugar, preferably superfine6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes3/4 cup bleached all-purpose flour1/8 teaspoon salt1 egg yolk4 teaspoons heavy cream

1. In a food processor, pulse the nuts and sugar until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse about 15 times, until no loose particles of the nut-sugar mixture remain. Add the flour and salt and pulse again, about 10 times, or until the butter is no larger than small peas. Alternatively, finely grate the nuts and place them in a medium bowl. Add the sugar, flour and salt, stirring to combine. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the yolk and cream. Add it to the mixture and pulse or mix just until incorporated, about 8 times. Knead the dough lightly, just until it holds together. Flatten it into a 6-inch disc, wrap the dough well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze it for 10 minutes, until firm enough to pat into the pan or roll.

3. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and lightly flour it on both sides. Place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently roll it out into a one-eighth-inch circle slightly more than 12 inches in diameter. At this point, if the dough feels too soft to place in the pan, place the dough, still between the plastic wrap, onto a cookie sheet and into the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up.

4. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap from the dough and use the bottom sheet to lift and invert the dough over a 10-inch-by-1-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Evenly drape the dough into the tart pan, pressing it gently into the sides. If the plastic wrap sticks, refrigerate or freeze the dough until it is firm enough to be removed easily.

5. Trim any off the top of the sides, leaving about one-eighth-inch dough over the sides to accommodate any shrinkage during baking. Use the excess dough to patch cracks. You will probably have a little dough left over.

6. Place the tart pan in the refrigerator for at least one hour to chill the dough before baking. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork. Place the tart shell in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the bottom of the crust is golden and set and the sides are a deeper golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and cool on a rack. The baked crust will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Mascarpone cream and tart assembly
· 3 egg yolks
· 4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
· 1 tablespoon sweet Marsala
· 2/3 cup mascarpone, preferably imported, at room temperature
· 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatin
· 1/3 cup heavy cream
· 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1 pre-baked sweet nut cookie tart crust
· 4 cups fresh black figs, about 20, cut lengthwise into 1/4 -inch slices
· 1 tablespoon good-quality balsamic vinegar
· 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

1. In a heat proof bowl or the top of a double-boiler, whisk the egg yolks together with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the Marsala. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the upper container. Whisk constantly until the mixture nearly triples in volume and begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the yolks or they will scramble.

2. Immediately place the bowl with the egg mixture into a larger bowl filled with ice water, and continue to whisk a couple of minutes until the mixture cools.

3. In a large bowl, whip the mascarpone over low speed until creamy, about 10 seconds. Increase the speed slightly, and gradually beat in the cooled yolk mixture until completely incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula. Set aside.

4. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a small, heat-proof measuring cup. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the water, allowing the gelatin to soften. Place the measuring cup in a small pan of lightly simmering water to allow the gelatin to dissolve and warm.

5. In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream with 2 teaspoons sugar. Beat on medium speed until the cream just begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add the warmed gelatin and the vanilla extract and beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised.

6. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream mixture into the mascarpone mixture; you should have about 2 cups. Scrape the mixture into the baked tart shell, smooth the top with the spatula, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.

7. Remove the chilled tart from the refrigerator. Starting at the outside edge, place the fig slices, pointed ends upward, in concentric circles on the filling, tilting the slices so they lean slightly toward the edge of the crust in a petal-like fashion.

8. In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch and stir until the sugar and starch are dissolved. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the mixture does not burn. Immediately remove from the heat and pour the glaze into a heat-proof glass measuring cup or bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze onto the figs. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before unmolding. The completed tart will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 days.

Perfect day

Just a perfect day
Drink sangria in the park
And then later
When it gets dark, we go home

Just a perfect day
Feed animals in the zoo
Then later
A movie, too, and then home

Oh, it’s such a perfect day
I’m glad I spent it with you
Oh, such aperfect day
You just keep me hanging on
You just keep me hanging on

Lou Reed

The power of brands

Every year the survay by Millward Brown is very interesting to read, to find out who's hot and who's not anymore :)

To view the entire 100 go to http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/wide/901385/ or check out the following report from http://adage.com :

One thing this recession hasn't knocked out is the power of brands.

Despite the pounding global business is taking, the $2 trillion value of the top 100 brands has held steady, according to Millward Brown's annual BrandZ report. "Consumers are blaming companies and leaders for the current troubles, not the brands," said Joanna Seddon, exec VP at Millward Brown, the WPP-owned research company. "Brands are emotional bonds created with consumers, and overall, brands have sustained value."

Google continued its reign as the world's most powerful brand, followed by Microsoft, Coca-Cola, IBM, McDonald's and Apple. Among the top 10 brands, General Electric lost the most ground, falling six places to No. 8, and Vodafone cracked the top 10, ending up at No. 9.

All told, the value of the top 100 brands, which ranges from the ubiquitous search engine at the top to Lowes at the bottom, was about $2 trillion and didn't suffer the decline one might expect in a recessionary environment.

There was, however, more volatility in the top 100 this year than in the past, with 15 brands dropping out. They were mostly car brands, such as Chevrolet, Ford and Volkswagen, and financial ones such as AXA, AIG and, of course, Merrill Lynch and Wachovia. They were replaced by brands such as Nintendo and Pampers.

Pampers gets serious
Pampers made its debut as the 31st-most-powerful brand by taking up a higher-minded positioning with its consumers. Once merely associated with stopping leaks, it's evolved into a brand that helps mothers. Nintendo, which came in at 32, has been associated with taking video games from teenage boys' bedrooms and making them a living-room fixture that can be enjoyed by a broader segment of consumers.

Brand value was determined by a set of calculations that includes a distillation of the earnings represented by that bond with consumers, as opposed to those created by price or other functional considerations.

One important trend this year is that both luxury brands and value brands performed well. The top 15 as ranked by brand contribution is a mix of luxury products, thanks in part to successes in Asia, and relatively inexpensive consumer goods. The list is topped by Moet, Porsche and Hennessy, but that upmarket trio gives way to Douwe Egberts, Tide, Gillette, Wrigley, Pampers and Skol.

But the squeeze was put on the brands that don't fall into either category, Ms. Seddon said, including mass-luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren, whose value plunged 20%, or Starbucks, whose storefront brand lost 43% of its value. (Its supermarket brand grew 2%, however.)

The categories that suffered most were insurance companies and automakers -- all brands in each category declined. The financial-institution category avoided that fate thanks to a few success stories, including China Merchant Bank, the top riser in this year's study. Bank of America and Citi dropped from the top of the financial list, now dominated by banks that are either headquartered in or have strong presences in emerging markets.

In the soft-drink category, Coke dominated Pepsi. Coke's brand value grew 16%, while Diet Coke grew 12%. Meanwhile, both Pepsi and Diet Pepsi declined in value. The beer category was dominated by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Bud Light was the largest brand, followed by Budweiser, and Stella Artois came in fourth behind Heineken. Miller Lite came in seventh, growing only 2% compared with double-digit growth for the A-B InBev brands.

Ermanno Scervino SS09

The Gerbera

A certain Mr. Jameson discovered the subtropical plant in Transvaal, but actually a Gerbera variety had already been discovered in 1737 by Gronovius, a botanist in Leiden who named the plant after his colleague Gerber who came from Jutland (Denmark).

Colour is the Gerbera's strong point, the wide variety of bright, fresh colours is proof of this. Gerbera also stands for spontaneity, activity, happiness, strength and sociability. In short, a very special flower that deserves a prominent place in every livingroom.

Recognizing a good Gerbera
A good Gerbera has a clear-cut, contemporary look, i.e. a well filled, bright flower and a sturdy stem. There is no need to wire the stem. If its previous history is good, the flower will stand up in the vase. However, a good start is an essential precondition.

How to best take care of a Gerbera:

• Always use clean vases and fresh water.
• If the vase holds only Gerberas a little bleach can be added to the water (3 drops per litre of water). If they are part of a mixed bouquet it is better to use cut flower food.
• Gerberas always grow upwards. Remember this when using in a vase or arrangement.
• Gerberas only need a shallow layer of water. If the water level is too high the water can creep up the stem and cause the stem to die off at the edge of the vase.
• Add a couple of drops of bleach every two days when replacing the water in the vase.
• If the Gerberas have started to droop, take them from the vase, slant cut a piece off the stems (these must be white and not brown inside) and replace them in the vase. They can now absorb water once more and will straighten up again.
• Always use a sharp knife to cut the stems of Gerbera rather than secateurs. Gerbera has a fairly soft stem. The walls of the vascular bundles are also quite soft and are easily damaged if the stem is cut with secateurs.
• Never stand Gerberas above a radiator or in direct sunlight. Also remember to avoid draughts.
• Gerbera is sensitive to ethylene. This is released by ripening fruit and found in exhaust gases.

Most popular colours
The flower comes in every conceivable colour. Nowadays even some dyed varieties are available. Flamed and blue Gerberas are particularly popular in England and France. These are also expected to become popular in some Southern European countries.

Top 15 Gerberas, large flowered
'Optima'; 'Red Explosion'; 'Serena'; Classic Fabio Orange; 'Ruby Red'; Dino; 'Bellezza'; 'Heatwave'; Pink Fantasy; 'Candela'; 'Ecco'; Classic Fabio; Classic Fabio Gold'; 'Mexx'; 'Pinky. My personal favorite is 'Popov' from Schreurs.

Relevant Internet sites
www.floristdekwakel.nl; www.gerbera.com; www.lansbergen.com; www.holsteinflowers.nl; www.preesman.nl; www.schreurs.nl; www.terranigra.com; www.jhlgroup.nl; www.gerberas.nl; www.vdsalm-gerbera.nl; www.flowerracket.nl

Tip: Preventing bacteria and fungi
Gerbera is extremely sensitive to bacteria. This is why it is essential to disinfect pails and vases before use and to add a chlorine tablet to the water. If you are using Gerberas in a mixed bouquet you should use cut flower food. This prevents the Gerberas from closing down water absorption in response to substances discharged by the other flowers in the bouquet. Fungal attack from Botrytis is best prevented by keeping the flowers cool and exposing them to a minimum of temperature fluctuation.