upward magazine #002

UPWARD MAGAZINE— PAGE 1

FAMILY A Year of World Schooling

ADVENTURE Northern Lights in Southern Vieques

PHOTO FEATUREThe work of Oranatt Pernqvist

APRIL 2016


Featured Content

43FEATURE / ADVENTURE

Northern Lights in Southern Vieques

7PHOTOGRAPHER’S SPOTLIGHT

A Photographer’sHeart

26A Year ofWorld Schooling

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Glamping Gone GoodThe Elegant Café Royal HotelFishing the Inner PassageFor Chocolate LoversPost Vacation BluesGemstones, Entrepreneurialism and Telepathy

FOUNDER

Summer Johnson

SENIOR EDITORDakota Arkin

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Sandy Anderson

CO EDITORSNicole StantonBrittany Templeton

GRAPHIC DESIGNGabriela d’AmatoMaria GonzálesIker Fernandez

WRITERSMegan Collier, Lauren Johnson, Roseanne Murray, Anne Foong, Nicole Stanton, Adam Charles, Brittany Templeton, Maya Amoah, Reese Dowley

MARKETINGAmber Hukari-Guerrero, Jenna Jackson

ADVERTISINGTaylor SherwoodJenna Jackson, Jessica Figueroa

OPERATIONSJannet Nazureno and Ilka Pandilovska

COVER PHOTOJustin Hession, page 50

UPWARD MAGAZINE ONLINE

www.upwardmagazine.com Facebook www.facebook.com/UpwardMagazine

Instagram @upwardmagazineInquires [email protected]

Upward Staff


Founder’sNote Have you ever wondered what it would be like if there were no airplanes? The thought gives insight into what made the first nomadic civilizations. I don’t know about you, but being stationed for too long makes me very uncomfortable. We all have a choice, and for us at Upward, we want to encourage you to let nothing stop you from going exactly where you want to go. In this issue we focus on luxury travel. When traveling for pleasure and leisure, those with families sometimes wonder… Should I bring the children? Well… It depends. There are some things you might want to consider when planning a lux trip with the next generation.

Do I have to bring the children?

If you have no other options, try to plan your trip at a low stress time of the year for you.

Is a sitter available?

There are services at many hotels and resorts or you can bring a trustworthy relative or your own sitter to help.

Will the trip refine the children or make them

spoiled?

Overindulgence is not a plus for anyone, and if your children lux travel too often, they can lose their

appreciation for it. My advice, if you have children and you really need to get away, that is ok. Everyone needs a break from their daily routine sometimes.You add to your family by getting the rest that you need. Taking the children with you on every vacation is not mandatory. Couples especially need time to rekindle romance and nothing can do that like time away.

Sincerely.

Summer Johnson,FOUNDER

APRIL 2016


Contributor Focus

Anne Foong@ANNEFOONG

Anne has a passion for life with a devoted heart to Christ, constantly looking out over the horizon of life and facing the challenges the world has to offer. One who loves running and really anything that is adventurous. She is a farmer by day and a freelance writer by night.

Gabriela Damato@GABRIELADAMATO

Gabriela d’Amato is a graphic designer & art director in New York City. She works with others to culturally engage in the fields of print publishing, environmental graphics, sonic recording and interactive design. She has been commissioned by a wide range of offices whilst also maintaining an individually directed design and research practice. She lives in Brooklyn enjoying a life of travel, athletics, and good times.

Brittany Templeton@BRITTANYZAE

A self-proclaimed travel junkie, double her age and that’s how many countries she’s visited. 48 and counting. Brittany spent her college years studying in Europe, while taking advantage of the culture shocks and currency conversions. She most likely can be found with a coffee, a camera, or teaching in a classroom. Brittany has learned first hand that travel makes a lasting impact on worldview, self-confidence, and maturity.

Dakota Arkin@DAKOTAARKIN

Dakota is a writer in New York. She’s lived in Paris, Berlin and Brooklyn and is marrying a Missourian. She is devoted to travel, cultural immersion and the study of languages. With a background in branding, marketing, and editorial, she collaborates with various brands and cultural institutions. She holds a MA from the American University of Paris and a BFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.


Hailing from a small town in the north of Spain, Nuria moved to London as a freshly-qualified pharmacist after a stint of travelling around Europe. Since then, she has set up a travel blog, www.travelera.es, which is making quite a splash in the travel-blogging ocean. Looking at its success, it’s hard to believe that her blog almost happened by accident: “My brother created a blog for me to advertise my apartment that I rent in a beautiful area of Turkey,” she tells me, “we were not having visits so I started to post about Turkey and places to visit.” Soon this blog expanded from articles about Turkey to include all of her travels. “I love photography as my father was professional photographer... I have always seen a camera every day since I remember.” Now the advertisement for her Turkey rental is relegated to a mere sidebar item. The blog has a huge following of hundreds

of people, attracting around a hundred comments on some of her travel posts, as well as over two and a half thousand followers on Instagram. Nuria’s Instagram certainly seems to inspire her, a place where she connected with the world of travel blogging. “I follow different blogs and I admire the ones who are full time travelers.” Her role model is Jessica Stein who runs the highly successful travel blog Tula Vintage - an Instagram phenomenon with over 2 million followers. “I share the same passion for traveling and fashion, so I have always admired the beautiful places where she travels and gorgeous clothes that she wears.” For Nuria, travel - like fashion - seems to be a thing of glamour: “I love beautiful hotels or cruises; I am not a fan of hostels!”

All photos By Nuria of @travelera.es1. Running2. Over a camel in Egypt

Fire and Fashion The Tale of an Accidental Blogger—by Adam Charles


—by Anne Foong

A Photographer’s HeartThe Work of Oranatt Pernqvist


Recently, I had the lovely opportunity to interview Oranatt Pernqvist (JJ), the sensational photographer, who has been hiding behind the lens. “It took me a year before I had the courage to post a picture of myself on Instagram!” During my interview with her, you could sense her gentle soft nature. Though she appears shy but when asked about her passion, she guards it ferociously, “I want the photos to be the thing that capture people’s attention. The photos that I take should be able to relate who I am without them knowing me. That is my ultimate goal achieved.” She is currently in Sweden, her husband’s home country spending their holiday seasons with family. Instead of snuggling down under a duvet drinking hot chocolate, she braves out into the foggy cold to explore with the hope of capturing moments of beauty in the nature. “If you see the photos, it includes me. It (the beauty) is like a part of my life, my journey. What I see is what you see and sometimes a great shot requires great effort.”

COVER: Maroon Bells BANNER: Chandrataal Lake, The Himalayas Slovenia1. Rotorua, NZ.2. Picture of JJ – Kaza, Spiti Valley, India3. Florence, Italy4. Orangutan from Kalimantan. Indonesia5. Vintgar Gorge,

The phrase on your Instagram page, all

photos represent who I am has peeked

much curiosity as to who is behind the

compelling photos. Can you reveal a bit

about yourself and your photography

perspectives? What were your favourite

moments/places?

I’m from Bangkok, Thailand. I’m 34 going on to 35 soon. I’ve worked in IBM corporate company years ago and later the Swedish company, Tetra Pak. There’s where I met my husband. During those years, I realised working in corporate companies isn’t for me. So I quit my job and found myself working with UNHCR by the Thai-Myanmar border to help refugees get resettled. I’ve learned a lot through that one year experience and it shaped the way I look at life. Every morning I awaken with gratitude knowing that I have a place where I belong. For some, they don’t even have a nationality and they have a life to live as well. It hurts, and I ask myself what can I do? If we can give anything, at the least give sympathy and understanding. That is the message I want to give in every

Instagram @jj_pernqvist


1

2


photo post alongside some captions, maybe it will help a little. That’s why I don’t like Photoshop so much. I like to photograph the real scenes of life, the real nature along with its imperfection. I like Italy specifically, and I’ve stayed their long enough to say the charms of Italy are in the suburbs; villages that are off the tourist track. Those unfamiliar places come with certain kind of exciting adventures to explore. You never know what you encounter. Maybe you’ll get invited to grandma’s house for cooking or capture local life and moments which you don’t see often. I give a lot of respect to people when I travel, regardless of their nationality, race, religion, gender, or whether they are rich or poor, none of it matters. With this attitude and understanding, comes a comprehension of what traveling is all about and you will see that the simplest things of life make your heart more full of joy. We actually need very little. This is how I see the world; by capturing moments, things that interest me. Be it people, architecture, fashion, food or nature. It’s nice as you travel, you share and exchange what you’ve seen and experienced, even as simple as sharing candies. When I travel to a remote area, I doubt if I should really take photos of children or people who live on the street. I would ask for permissions every time I photograph them but when I review them, I ask myself, “If I were them, would I want to be seen by the world in my hardships and struggles? That’s why I rarely post those photos on social media.

What camera do you use? Any extra gadgets? And

how do you pack everything into one suitcase?

I use a Nikon D810 with 3 zoom lens of 50mm f/1.4G, 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR and 80-200mm f/2.8D ED. All that and years of practise! You know, I don’t even own a tripod! I sometimes balance it on a bench or on a rock, really anything where I can put my camera on to capture the moment. I travel light. In Asia, it’s easy, but in colder countries, I pack more. If I am on a trek, I try to bring a lot of trekking gear. But most importantly, try to have comfortable shoes and extra batteries.

Starting from an amateur background, what tips can

you give to young budding photographers?

You have to practice, a lot. Try to find your own style and stick to the basics in the beginning. For the first 5 years, I used a mid-range camera and not until recently I switched to Nikon D810. You don’t need to have the most expensive gear to be a good photographer. It depends on how you see the world. It’s like art. Be creative and try as much as you can. My first 5000 photos were so crappy, I deleted most of them. Play around with the settings and do a little editing with your own style. You will find them. For an example, I took a picture in a foggy environment. At first glance, it was no good but fiddling around with a black and white feature, it turned out to be a nice one. Keep practising and be willing to go the extra mile to capture, and step out of your comfort zone.

What are your other interests besides photography?

Any ambitions in life?

Le Gordon Bleu cooking courses! My interests are very basic; cooking, travelling, running, photographing and spending time with my husband and family. We are planning to buy a house in the south of Sweden and make it a Bed & Breakfast. I would love to talk to the guests, exchange travel experiences and care them with warm hospitality. In the winter I would close my B&B and spend time traveling to new destinations like the Himalayas (I can’t get enough of these mountains). I also want to take photography courses. As our future is often unpredictable, if all plans fail , I shall work with the UN again in the country I would be staying in. As we end our conversation, she mentioned her current preparation for her next adventure – the wildest trek in the world, the Chadar Trek in Ladakh, India. “People find it hard to believe that I do tough treks. I wonder if I can do it...but others have done it before, so why can’t I? I have been training a lot, running, strength training to be fit and it requires a lot of dedication. I have to sleep in the tent in -20 to -30 degrees below! I have to equip myself as to not burden the others and come back safely.”


Finding the beauty in accidents, 27-year-old Italian, Giulia Bernardelli, certainly didn’t listen to her parents when they told her never to play with food. Always being fascinated by colors, compositions and details, Bernardelli has also acquired good manual skills through practice. By embracing what nature had to offer, she replaced her paint brush with items such as leaves and fruit skins. Everything that I needed was around me if I looked carefully, she told Upward Magazine. All these elements feature different colors and textures. I never plan my creations in advance, Bernardelli explains, I simply follow my instinct, based on the actions I perform...when I drink coffee I start thinking of the nuances it would create if I dropped it on the table. At breakfast, I imagine a cat’s paws treading on jam and leaving footprints. Her ‘what-if’ scenarios soon turned into reality less than a year ago, I accidentally knocked over a cup of coffee when suddenly a new world appeared...beautiful shades, each different from the next.

By Nicole Stanton

How One Italian TurnsAccidents into Artwork

Truly Tasty Works of Art

“Her ‘what-if’ scenarios soon turned into reality less than a year ago, I accidentally knocked over a cup of coffee when suddenly a new world appeared...beautiful shades, each different from the next.”


ALL PHOTOS: Giulia Bernardelli

Truly capturing the magic of the moment, Bernardelli creates a story with her photos. I try to catch the magic of a moment, as if the coffee created a story by toppling. Always having a knack and interest for the arts, Bernardelli basically grew up in her dad’s bookshop and art gallery. After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy, she is now employed at a museum, where she work on a multitude of projects for children. With most of her creations being eaten, they typically are temporary. This is an essential feature of my work Bernardelli explains, After I create a piece of art, I take a picture, and this becomes the perfect end result. This is how the artwork is captured at its best, in the moment of final wonder. Truly embracing the spontaneity and magic of art within nature.

Giulia Bernardellis’ artwork can be found on her Instagram @bernulia


Anyone seeking a unique holiday gift for a friend or loved one would be lucky to stumble across Vintage By Crystal, an online shop vending the strange and whimsical spun cotton creations of Skylervillebased artist Crystal Sloane.

The art of creating figures out of spun cotton was commonly practiced in

Germany leading up to the first world war. When World War I wiped out the

German cottage industry, the knowledge of spuncotton techniques began to

deteriorate along with the majority of the figurines still in circulation. However, a

handful of artists have managed to keep the art alive using techniques of their

own invention.

Crystal Sloane ranks highly among these artists. In 2010, she showcased her

craft on the Martha Stewart show. Last summer, she singlehandedly spun an

enormous display of figures ranging from four inches to fortyeight inches tall

for Bergdorf Goodman’s Manhattan location.

The success of Sloane’s craft owes largely to the charm of her style. She uses

wire and long strips of cotton to create additions to a quaint and unusual world

that is distinctly her own. Animals are a major theme in the Vintage By Crystal

universe, many of which are wearing holidaythemed clothing and holding signs

that greet the reader.

"Well I always liked the animal society type children’s books and stories and

movies and all that," explained Sloane when asked about the development of

Vintage by Crystal —by Reese Dowley

UPWARD MAGAZINE— PAGE 16UPWARD MAGAZINE— PAGE 16

her style. "...Tasha Tudor was a particular influence, not just in

artwork but also in lifestyle." Tasha Tudor was an awardwinning

author who wrote and illustrated children’s books from the late

1930’s to the early 2000’s. Her stories almost always involved

anthropomorphic animals.

Sloane’s spun cotton works are embellished with vintage

materials that she has accumulated over years of antiquing.

Many of her figuress paper faces were cut out of vintage post

cards.

"I usually go to garage sales, flea markets, anywhere there’s an

opportunity to rummage through old stuff," she explained. "I

haven’t gone that much in the last two years since my daughter

was born, but I was kind of a crazy collector in years previous,

enough to hold me over for probably another few years."

Sloane laughed when asked about the strangest thing in her

studio: "Probably one of the weirdest things I have actually was

made by another artist... it’s this girl figure, she’s made out of

masking tape, but the weird thing about her is that her head is an

old dried crab claw from the beach"

She insisted that the doll, despite its crab head, was clearly

female: "She’s wearing a dress and the artist told me she’s

anatomically correct so I peeked under her dress and he was

right."

Although spun cotton is Crystal Sloane’s speciality, she looks

forward to the opportunity to try new media: "I’ve been trying to

focus on other projects that I want to do like painting and shadow

boxes, that’s something I want to do in the future."

Top: FigurineBottom: Bird Figurine


A shadow box is a thin box that can

be mounted onto a wall like a framed

picture, but a 3D scene can be viewed

through the frame.

"I did a series of them for Bergdorf

Goodman, they were like winter

scenes, but I want to do a smaller

series and kind of go crazy with them,

put all kinds of weird stuff I’ve

collected into them."

It looks like followers of Crystal Sloane

can expect a continuous

expansion of the Vintage by Crystal

universe. If you’re interested in

entering into her world of spun cotton

owls, logs, and catpeople, you can

check out her springtime creations at

vintagebycrystal.com or follow her on

instagram @vintagebycrystal.

PHOTO: Set of figurines


The Elegant Café Royal Hotel By Brittany Templeton

The Tranquil and Trendy Refuge within Bustling London:


Beginning as a wine cellar, it was once considered to have the finest wine collection in the world. By 1890, Café Royal had become the place to see and be seen in London, the preferred haunt of the intellectual, political and artistic literati. Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Virginia Woolf, Elizabeth Taylor, Winston Churchill and Muhammad Ali were all patrons. Centrally located on the historically famous Regent Street, Cafe Royal is between exclusive shopping, fashionable nightlife, and landmarks galore. Situated near Piccadilly Circus, where throngs of tourists wander through Covent Garden, towards Buckingham Palace, and up to Regent and Oxford Street. This is beating

heart of London. Regent Street delivers retail, relaxation, diversity and style. Earning its place in the top shopping destinations of the world, Regent Street ranks alongside Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive and Champs Elysees. If the location wasn’t already a selling point, David Chipperfield Architects has sensitively restored this property in a refined style. With interiors dating from the 1860’s and 1930’s, the world renowned architect still manages to add contemporary design to create visually stunning spaces, reminiscent of Café Royals fabled past and distinctive aura. There is no place better to grab a cocktail or coffee and enjoy the vibrant space. Offering an eclectic mix of restaurants and

All photos byNestor E. Lara Baeza

Café Royal Hotel, staying true to its original glamorous spirit, has recently reopened as a 21st century contemporary and luxurious hotel in the heart of London.


bars, the glamorous Louis XVI style Grill Room may just be my personal favorites- featuring vintage Champagne and live entertainment. If you’re looking for a little more adventure, capture Café Royal’s decadent past with their Absinthe cocktails as you feel the pulse of London in the Ten Room restaurant. Unwind in the urban retreat of the in-house Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Center. The Café is a beautiful, calming space, offering a light menu of seasonal dishes alongside an espresso bar and counters overflowing with cakes, pastries and chocolates. London’s first dessert restaurant? Now if that doesn’t appeal to you, I don’t know what will. Café Royal Hotel is perfect for anyone who likes historical design with a modern twist, and of course wants to stay in the cultural and culinary hotspot of the British capital. The only thing you’ll be regretting, is that your stay was longer.


Highline Hotel NYCThe High Life at the


Beautiful in its historic background and vintage décor, the Highline offers a top notch experience in NYC. The building is set back off the Highline street giving it space for its glorious courtyard, Citroen coffee truck and seating where families and travellers alike can have a peaceful moment. In a city that never sleeps, the High Line’s quiet area is much appreciated. Conveniently located in the Chelsea neighborhood, you will want to explore the nearby Chelsea market and surrounding sites. The High Line Hotel offers sixty unique rooms that will make you feel like you have time travelled back to the hospitality of the 1920’s. There’s no shock that they have racked up many rewards: Conde Naste Traveler’s Readers choice Award of 2015, Telegraph’s Top 10 Romantic New York Hotels, and many more. Its beauty is in the details: hardwood floors, warmly lit rooms, lavish king size beds, expansive windows overlooking views of the city all contribute to making guests feel the luxury of New York. The unique combination of old-world Gothic moldings and fireplaces only highlight the touches of modernity such as Citroen bus in the courtyard where guests are encouraged to enjoy breakfast at the Cookshop with the locals and watch families relax. At night, the morning latte transforms into a glass of cabernet and guests can enjoy the feel of Paris in Manhattan. With all its splendor, the High Line Hotel is not to be missed.

All photos by Nestor E. Lara Baeza for The Highline Hotel, New York.COVER PHOTO: Highline Hotel1. Room2. Bathroom


4

Top Left: EntranceTop Right: Front BarBottom: Front Garden

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FEATURE / FAMILY

A Year of World SchoolingBy Dakota Arkin


On a late evening in Kuala Lumpur, Jo Ross is seated at a restaurant with her husband Lindsay and two daughters Ellie, 13 and Camryn, 11 to chat with me about their world travels from a mere 13 hours behind.

The Ross’ arrived to Malaysia that morning and in three days will head for Chiang Mai at the appeal of precocious Camryn who conducted a research report for the entire family on the city. After Thailand, they’re off to Vietnam: Hoi An and Hanoi, to begin with. The family sold their home in Victoria, Canada last summer but having not yet found a new house, the opportunity to be completely free thrust them into this great adventure. Lindsay and Jo, a teacher herself, decided to set off on a yearlong voyage with their two daughters, taking the approach of world schooling and online math courses to educate their absorbent minds. It is a year that has enriched young Ellie and Camryn far beyond any classroom walls. The girls

conduct and present research projects on each destination they’ve been — places as far reaching as Glasgow and Abu Dhabi. Earlier this month, Ellie taught her family about Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu New Year celebration that took place to their surprise while visiting the Indonesian island. A testament to fostering independence and empowerment, the young Ross women help plan each itinerary creating a portfolio of things to see, places to stay, information about the currency and key vocabulary — all through their own eyes and examined together as a family. They rarely secure a final itinerary more than a week out, giving each place the time to love or leave. “Travel opens up minds,” Jo aptly describes. When the family does land by plane or boat or train All photos by Jo Ross


to a new destination, Ellie and Camryn also take on the responsibility of leading the way to their local abode. While the girls admittedly miss their friends home in Victoria, they are enthralled with the adventure, chiming in with a vignette about driving around Italy in a Fiat 500, a bike tour in Ubud, or an 8 km hike to Bondi Beach.


This isn’t the first world tour for Jo and Lindsay’s family. These adventurous parents took their daughters on a three-month voyage when they were only toddlers. So with their young ones old enough to create enriching, long-lasting memories, Jo and Lindsay leapt at the opportunity to do it again. Jo’s perception of the world has changed as she has seen it through her own children’s curiosity. “Diversity is beautiful and rich,” Jo says as she describes what she hopes to instill into her daughters. They’ve learned about Islamic culture in the United Arab Emirates, partook in Hindu celebrations

and in their upcoming travels through Southeast Asia will learn about Buddhism. Lindsay adoringly recalls, “listening to them [Ellie and Camryn] explain to people what we are doing, the intonation in their voices is so positive.” Jo has a newfound sense of strength that her family can get through anything together. Independence and flexibility are just a few of the life skills they’ve earned. She hopes to not only instill a sense of adventure in her children, but also an ability to take comfort in not knowing and the courage to take a leap of faith. They’ve relied on resources like Skyscanner and Momondo to book flights, and at other


times have simply shown up at the airport on standby. Camryn quotes her mom’s adage, “Life is short,” in a sweet, yet confident voice. Each girl keeps up a travel blog — Ellie’s is Living from a Suitcase — to record their trip and stay in touch with friends and family, along with diligent postcard writing. Instagram has been a touchstone for sharing ideas and recommendations while

also forging a small world of inspiring families (Follow along with the Ross journey @joannlross). Through it they’ve made lifelong, like-minded friends. This has been especially important for the girls who, while grateful for the privilege of this adventure, crave more interaction with peers. They had even asked if they could go to the local school when they were in Australia for two months.

“Listening to them explain to people what we are doing, the intonation in their voices is so positive.”


Routine does not come easily when they may be in a destination for as little as three days, but Jo does have a formula for keeping up with familiar activities they love while also introducing themselves to the local community. Avid sportsmen, each Ross carries a tennis racquet along with a medium-sized Eddie Bauer roller bag, which Jo swears by. For the seven weeks they lived in the southern tip of Puglia, Ellie and Camryn played on the local boys’ soccer team. They have dived into everything from swimming, pottery, gymnastics and jewelry making, and through the website BookaLokal took a cooking class in Brussels. They also attended the Australian Open and are looking forward to Roland Garros and Wimbledon later in the year. Jo especially loves visiting smaller towns and says they are easier to explore with her family compared to the big cities. In St. Mawes, a small town in the English countryside of about 1,000 people, Ellie and Camryn had the freedom to go about town, taking independent trips to the local bakery. Of course, Jo could track their whereabouts but notes that in these smaller communities the children can take on more freedoms. In larger cities, Jo recommends finding centrally located accommodations. “It’s rained in every city,” Camryn giggles as she reminiscences. Early on in motherhood, Jo was told that children grow up quickly and now her eldest is due to begin high school when they return to Canada. This year brought pause to fleeting childhoods, allowing the Ross family the time to bond over unknowns and adventures that can never truly be summed up. “It’s a true gift that I get to spend every day with them and watch everything through their eyes,” Lindsay said.


Looking back at photos of Canada, Jo a self-described “proud Canadian,” realized that she has not explored her own home the way she has dedicated herself to exploring the rest of the world and looks forward to getting to know her own Province of British Columbia more deeply. While this particular trip only covers Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia, Jo asserts that this will not be the last adventure for her family. She and Lindsay are immensely grateful to explore the world through the eyes of their children. Several more months stand between the Ross’ return to North America. After Vietnam, they’ll head to Nepal and India, and eventually back through Europe where the idea of living in the south of France for six weeks is beguiling them. In the meantime, Jo is enjoying meandering the world with her family, cherishing this year of tight knit exploration before her daughters become young women and forge adventures of their own.


Green to the yachting industry, the range of wealth, the type of boat, and the itinerary are all completely random. I knew it wasn’t going to be a big glitzy super yacht, but I wasn’t expecting a 95’ Sportfisher. My interview was straightforward. Captain Chuck asked, “Do you know how to cook simple, American food? John, the owner, is 83 and very old school. He likes eating the fish we catch, do you have any experience in fishing?” “Sure. I was born and raised in the Caribbean, I’m pretty familiar with cooking

fresh fish and I can definitely do family-style food,” I said, sure of myself and eager to join a boat. “Can you filet fish?”“Yes. I definitely can do that…” Little did I know my experience with small reef fish was not fileting a 50lb king Salmon or a 100-pound halibut, and I had never even seen a lingcod before. My first job as a cook/deckhand was provisioning for the first leg of the trip. Our 500-gallon fridge was full to the brim with fruits and vegetables, in addition to a backup deep freeze with meat.

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Brittany Templeton

When entering the yachting world, one never really knows what to expect: I signed up for a job as a cook travelling the Inner Passage, but in truth, the trip turned out to be much more: I got to see a part of the world I would never have gotten to experience in that way—glaciers, fjords, mountains and wildlife—everything really is bigger in British Columbia and Alaska. I will never forget the day I caught an eighty-pound halibut, fileted it that afternoon, and served halibut cheek sliders for appetizers.

Fishing the Inner Passage:

From Seattle to Juneau, and Back AgainBy Nicole Stanton


Plus, the hope of catching lots of fish. For the first month of the trip, we did not see a single other living being—other than the whales, dolphins and sea lions—not even another boat for weeks! I know many people are not familiar with the Haida Gwaii, I surely wasn’t: they have a saying in those parts, “if you don’t like the weather, wait twenty minutes.” Completely exposed to the North Pacific breezes and strong currents, one minute there are thunderstorms and rough seas, that transform into a gorgeous sunset and calm waters with a pod of orca whales bubble feeding.

Our routine for more or less of four months: early breakfast, trolling until lunch, an afternoon session of fishing, shrimping or Dungeness crabbing, and dinner at 6. The further North we went, the more fishing we did: the more fish we caught, the happier we were, and the longer I had to stand in the cold, with numb fingers, fileting and processing hundreds of pounds of fish. Who else gets to keep a bottle of soy sauce on deck so to eat the fresh salmon sashimi right off the bones!And the food? Lingcod fish and chips, Salmon and feta cheese quiche with a pesto crust, Dungeness crab eggs benedict on

“I got to see a part of the world I would never have gotten to experience in that way—glaciers, fjords, mountains and wildlife—everything really is bigger in British Columbia and Alaska.”


homemade English muffins (quite tricky poaching an egg in rough seas), John’s saltine cracker breaded razor clams always served with a Caesar. Years later I look back on that summer and cannot appreciate enough the rare privilege I was given to cook and experiment with such amazing, freshly caught seafood.

“Little did I know my experience with small reef fish was not fileting a 50lb king Salmon or a 100-pound halibut never even seen a lingcod before.”


From early childhood Sasha had an intense love for chocolate. This passion for chocolate caught on quickly with Trent, who worked as a chef as well as the resident cook at their house. Bringing together their passions, they started a chocolate business. Many nights in the kitchen together experimenting with different chocolate recipes resulted in several flavors that they felt were the best ever.

Upon tasting their signature chocolate spread, you can immediately discern that Barefoot & Chocolate uses only all-natural ingredients with two times the nuts and 20% less sugar than other brands. Barefoot & Chocolate is fair-trade certified—using ethically sourced ingredients, their spreads are non-GMO and gluten-free. The cocoa and nut flavor are the heroes of the spread, rather than the traditional sugar and oil used by other brands. All photos by Trent & Sasha Lewis

For Chocolate LoversBy Summer Johnson

Sasha & Trent Lewis are the founders of Barefoot & Chocolate, an independent food brand with a cult-like following of its chocolate spreads.


Now only three years old, Barefoot and Chocolate is available nationwide, at select retailers, and on their website. They have gained quite a bit of interest from both Canada and the UK, and plan on bringing Barefoot & Chocolate international in the near future. Given how amazing it is, they are well on their way to sweet success!

For more information, check them out at Whole Foods Markets, or online at wwww.barefootandchocolate.com

Top RIght: Trent & Sasha LewisTop Left: PastryBottom: Barefoot & Chocolate


LEAP Global Missions

Serving the World’s Surgical Needs One Child at a TimeBy Megan Collier

In a world with so much need and so little resources

to meet them, those who have a desire to help

often struggle with knowing where or how to start

at all. Nearly 25 years ago, Dr. Craig Hobar aimed

to address that need by founding LEAP Global

Missions, where he serves as Founder and Medical

Director. What started as a single trip in 1991 to

the Dominican Republic to provide medical care

to those in need evolved into what is today, a

successful and impactful non-profit organization.

Today from the Dominican Republic to Zimbabwe,

LEAP offers ongoing care to children with otherwise

unmet surgical needs, and continue care for

those who require long-term medical treatment.

Hobar and his team are a group of compassionate

individuals dedicated to making a positive

difference worldwide.


Gemstones, Entrepreneurialism

and Telepathy

The Modern Face of Fine Jewelry

By Adam Charles

PHOTOS by Jane Taylor Jewelry


So, Cleo, did you always know you wanted to join the family business?

In fact, I did not! I was surrounded by jewelry

my whole life, wearing my mom’s creations, going

to the Manhattan Diamond District. I wasn’t one

of those kids who wanted to grow up to be ‘XYZ.’ I

wanted to travel, to use both sides of my brain, and

to take advantage of my social personality.

My mom just happened to need temporary help

with her business when I was a recent college

graduate - almoast 6 years ago!

And where does Jane draw inspiration from when designing new jewelry?

This is truly a mystery! She’s a deeply nuanced

woman and has experienced so much. I think she

has a magical power to transform all

of the bits of information and inspirations in

her brain into beautiful jewelry. Art history, pop

culture, fashion, interior design, jewelry design,

gardening, cooking, baking... UM How would you say travelling has inspired Jane’s work?

Travel has influenced our lives profoundly,

even if it isn’t always literally displayed in her

design motifs. Paris, for example, inspired her

stylistically; Thailand did so spiritu aally. I’m not

sure how to say this without sounding too hippy

dippy, but we both share a great interest in people

and what makes humans tick. She has taken me

traveling near and far ever since I was a little girl.

What do you mean by "Totally Everyday" jewelry?

My mom is always wearing jewelry. It’s a form

of adornment, of memory keeping and storytelling,

and of celebrating the beauty of life. She believes

that fine jewelry is a possession to be honored by

wearing it, everyday. So in the 90s when she started

her company, she made her first advertising slogan

"Totally Everyday" to reflect that.

Do you have a favorite piece?Oh. Man. It’s pretty much impossible to pick

a favorite. But there is one diamond and platinum

ring that she designed for herself about 15 years ago

that I just go weak in the knees over.

You’re really successful on Instagram! Has this helped you to reach younger or different audiences?

Yes, I do think that the social media explosion

has allowed us to connect with many people that

we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to. Instagram

is a place to seek beauty and innovation, cultivate

creativity, and scope out interesting objects of

desire. We’re grateful to be a little piece of the puzzle.

One last thing... on your website you mention telepathic communication?

I must have started absorbing my mom’s

business practices early on. Between experiencing

so much of the jewelry industry by my mom’s side

at a young age, and the fact that our brains operate

similarly on many levels, we often call each other to

share an idea, only to find out that the other person

had already been thinking the same exact thing!

This freaks us out in the best possible way.

Cleo Zancope runs Jane Taylor Jewelry with her mother, an award winning fine jewelry designer.


— By Rosanne G. Murray

You returned home energized and transformed by the sights, sounds and experiences of your latest travel adventure. This trip, be it your first or your fiftieth, was just what the doctor ordered to calm the itch of wanderlust.

You savored the positive brain chemistry you experienced while planning the vacation and you thoroughly enjoyed yourself. So all is well with your world, right? Well, maybe not. If you notice that you feel sad or somehow bad emotionally after a wonderful travel adventure, know that you not alone in those feelings. After the high of a very positive adventure, many people find themselves dealing with something Wikipedia defines as Post-Vacation Blues, Vacation/Holiday Blues or Post-Travel Depression (PTD). This “disorder” is described as feeling particularly stressed or experiencing a blue mood that can affect you in the period after returning from a long-awaited vacation. Whatever you call it, the struggle is real and while there is no official medical diagnosis for this condition, many travelers report feelings of mourning, sadness, dissatisfaction with the life they are returning to, a desire to change jobs, relationships, etc. Many people report tiredness, a loss of appetite, strong feelings of nostalgia and in some cases, a deeper depression. In my work as a psychotherapist, I teach my clients how to sense, sit with and gain wisdom from their feelings. If it’s really true that feelings reveal a lot about our thoughts and beliefs, then it’s also quite possibly true that understanding those feelings will decrease and help us navigate our negative stressful experiences. Here are some ways to easily manage that after travel let down. Sometimes a blue mood and even a mild depression comes to bring us information that can guide,

enhance or inform our path. You can learn a lot from these feelings by sitting with them rather than being reactive to them. Keeping a journal, learning to pray, meditate or Focus, working with a psychotherapist, life coach or spiritual teacher or joining a spiritual community are all ways to address your blue mood spiritually. Thinking about the trip gave your ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters dopamine, oxycodone, serotonin and endorphins a surge that probably did wonders for your mood. Once the trip is history, there are less of these ‘feel good’ brain chemicals around which you could experience as a blue mood or depression. Since many activities impact your neurotransmitters, this is easily rectified. Understanding that you can feel lower after a huge high can help you get along with life and not focus on your negative feeling, but just understand that they are normal. Anything in your life that is exciting: promotion, performances, parties, vacations, can be followed by sadness, because “the party is over,” and you are back to your normal life. Know this and try to enjoy the mundane! Developing and celebrating smaller, more readily achievable goals stimulates dopamine; practicing gratitude, remembering past achievement’s and victories, a walk in the sun and vitamin D stimulate serotonin; a hug or receiving a gift increases oxycodone and laughter, regular exercise, lavender and vanilla aromas, dark chocolate and spicy foods increases your endorphins.

BLUESBeating Post Vacation


FEATURE / TRAVEL

Northern Lights in Southern Vieques

By Nicole Stanton


Born and raised in the Virgin Islands, I have come to accept that I am quite spoiled when it comes to beautiful water and fantastic seafood. However, what makes Vieques so special is that it remains a bit more removed from the cruise ship itinerary. There are not copious amounts of cheesy t-shirts, shot glasses, and other paraphernalia that your grandparents bring back from their week on a ship; but, if you are looking to time travel back 30 years before there was public wifi in the parks or A/C in every room, then this is the place for you. So, how did such an amazing place remain so hidden? Vieques has an interesting history. The island was first discovered by Columbus, but remained untouched and frequently used as a pirate hideout until the US ceded it, along with

Puerto Rico, in 1898. After World War II, a large part of the island was occupied by the US Navy and used for military exercises, including bombing practice. In 2003, after many protests, the Navy departed and turned the two-thirds of the island they controlled into a wildlife refuge. “In a way it’s a good thing that the Navy was here,” says James, a local Viequense who works at one of the restaurants, “it means that Vieques was kept a secret that much longer and as a result we aren’t overdeveloped like many of the surrounding islands. The Viequense people are very laid back: they want to let nature do its thing. No want wants to control anything.”

COVER PHOTO: Nicole Stanton. Vieques Night Scape of Stars over Media Luna, Photo taken by resident photographer Karl Alexander

PHOTO ABOVE: Nicole Staton. Feral horses enjoying the empty green pastures on the North Shore of Vieques

The mind begins to race when one thinks of the ‘Caribbean.’ Scenes of riding horses down a beach, hanging one’s feet off the side of a sailboat while the sun sets, renting a scooter and exploring an unmarked nature preserve, all come to mind. However, quite often, it is hard to find any actuality in these visions of paradise. Where can we go for an authentic Caribbean experience and not feel like our dream has been packaged and sold to us?


The kindness of strangers on the island exceeds almost any island I have visited. Island mentality instills a strong sense of community; only 21 miles long, everyone looks out for one another. If you are walking to a hidden beach, like Playa Negra or Playuela, it is more than likely that someone will stop and ask if they can give you a lift. Because tourism has not exploded in the way it has on other islands, you are likely to be the only group at some of the smaller and harder to reach beaches, (not that you need to go out of the way to find beautiful white or black sand beaches). There are more than forty beaches, so by all means, pack the kids in the Jeep and go explore.

The feral Paso Fino horses, chickens, cats, and dogs roam the island, while the waters are protected from over-fishing and hurting the seafood populations. The islanders love their tranquil, carefree lifestyle and you will not find a single traffic light, movie theater, or fast food restaurant (other than the recently opened Subway). Instead of bright lights and the sounds of traffic at night, relish the glow of bioluminescence and the chirps of coqui frogs.

PHOTO: Nicole Stanton. Playa Negra, A fifteen-minute walk through the jungle will bring you out onto the only black sand beach. The dramatic views showcase the raw and untouched beauty of the island.


Did someone say the word ‘glow’? Yes, the Bioluminescent Bay or Puerto Mosquito, is one of the main attractions on the island. Claimed to be the brightest Bioluminescent Bay in the world, the government takes extra precautions to protect it, so you will need a tour guide to access its beauty. Many families and couples grab an early dinner and wait in anticipation for 9 o’clock when they will hop in a kayak or on a pontoon boat that will be followed by a neon turquoise trail. “The first time I went onto the Bio Bay, I swear I thought I had died and gone to Neverland,” said Anna, a frequent visitor to Vieques, “It might be the most magical experience you can ever

have. It’s like you’ve rediscovered your limbs, every time you touch the water, it lights up!” When visiting Vieques, the island is the attraction. There are many activities to do during the day such as snorkeling, sailing, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and surfing. You can even spend the day beach hopping or horse back riding. After all that activity, the most logical thing to do is grab a bite to eat at any of the spectacular restaurants.

PHOTO: Nicole Stanton. Abandoned US Navy Train Cart in the overgrowth near SunBay.


HOW TO GET THERE Fly into San Juan (Americans can travel with an I.D) and can take a small plane, or hire a taxi to the ferry terminal in Fajardo and catch the $2 ferry into Isabel II. As soon as you pull into the harbor and step onto the dock you are in another world. Wild horses walk the streets like dogs, smells of empanadas and mangoes fill your nostrils, and an island dialect of Viequense Spanish will have you wishing you had paid more attention in your Spanish class. (Don’t worry, a majority of the people understand and speak English). HOW TO GET AROUND If traveling with your family you can rent a jeep; the island is perfect for a scooter, or hire a golf cart! Like most Latin countries, there are carros públicos, similar to a chiva or colectivo in South America, that will take you across the island for just $3.

WHERE TO STAY There’s a big mix of accommodations starting with the most luxurious W Vieques, amazing villas, houses for rent, small boutique hotels, guesthouses, and for the

more adventurous, just pitch a tent on SunBay. Frequently, people will start their trip in a hotel and move to camping. Families rent a sailboat after staying at a guesthouse—there are many options and the locals are extremely accommodating.

WHERE TO EAT There is quite a developed restaurant niche for such a tiny island. The main strip, the Malecón, in Esperanza, boasts a broad spectrum of food. Grab a Pastelillo or Rellenos de papa from any of the food trucks by the beach or have a fine dining experience overlooking the oceanfront. Be sure to try the Puerto Rican dishes such as lechón, slowly roasted pig on a spit; or mofongo, fried green plantains, breadfruit or yucca mashed with a mortar and pestle and featuring chicharron, lobster, or pork. Every restaurant boasts freshly caught Conch, lobster, Mahi-Mahi or Swordfish, and newly added, lionfish! In Vieques chefs are more than accommodating and willing to offer vegetarian and vegan options, which can be hard to come by on other islands.

Vieques


While the island is changing, Jennifer, an eighteen-year resident and artist on the island, says “Sometimes I worry that the island is going to change too much. But thankfully, since it is a bit harder to get to, we have been lucky to have tourists who respect the beauty of pristine waters and want to come and share the island, not take it over.” The best time to visit is in “high” season, December to April, when the climate is a bit cooler. But bear in mind, “busy” is not Martha’s Vineyard in the summer; the island only has 15,000 residents, so there is never the feeling of being too crowded. During the summer months, the temperature can be very hot and the annual hurricane season does pose a threat.Next time your planning your family vacation or romantic getaway put Vieques PHOTO: Karl Alexander. Stars over

abandoned Lighthouse.

at the top of your list. With countless activities to keep you busy during the day and an abundance of restaurants to tantalize your taste buds, there’s something for every traveler on this tropical sanctuary.

For more photos of the island visit: www.karlalexander.photography

For more information about exciting cultural events in Vieques, visit the Vieques Conservation Historical and Trust at: www.vcht.org


As a college student studying on the

West Coast, Margot was constantly

fantasizing about one day becoming

a beekeeper and all of the constant

challenges that came along with such

a job. When she arrived in New York

City in 2005, colony collapse disorder

was just hitting the news and with

it, bee lovers were celebrating the

end of the band on beekeeping in the

city. Joining in on the celebrations,

Margot decided to put this dream into

action and enrolled in a free winter-

long beekeeping class taught by hive

master James Fischer through ‘NYC

Beekeeping’. It was here that she

learned the essentials of the trade and

began to get some ideas rolling on

how she could spread her innate love

for beekeeping.

Her plans were set into action

with the start of keeping her hive

in a community garden until fast

forwarding to her third year when

Margot received a grant to turn a

vacant lot near her school into a

A Tale of a Brooklyn Queen Bee & Her HiveBy Megan Collier

Most urban beekeepers face the same struggles: limited space for their hives, the fear of overcrowding other pollinators, and the stress of seemingly endless zoning issues that arise. Margot Dorn, a teacher and Brooklyn beekeeper is no stranger to these issues. Yet despite them, she has not only gone on to ensure her bees are thriving, but is also responsible for getting her 6th grade students interested and involved in the wonderful craft as well.


school garden with the proposed

purpose of starting a beekeeping

program that would involve her

students. With an optimistic principal

at her side giving her the push she

needed to implement the program,

combined with her enthusiasm and

passion for the beekeeping trade, it

helped to create the perfect platform

to what is now a successful program,

which she founded and named B’ville.

When asked what the reactions of her

students were when first introduced

to what many would seemingly deem

rather peculiar, she responded:

They thought it was strange.

They had no experience with bees.

Many of them are very afraid of

bees. I explained it to them when I

was explaining the garden we made

budgets and videos about the garden

to submit for grants.

Though initially scared and

unsure of such an idea, B’ville has

now grown into a program that allows

middle school students to foster

hives and create a business selling

hive products. As an unexpected yet

joyous result, boys who struggled with

behavioral issues in class, suddenly

became laser-focused when holding

a frame of bees. The first year saw the

works of creating a business plan and

logo, in addition to simply learning

how to keep their first bees alive. The

second year saw an increase to two

hives and before they knew it, they

began seeing the value in all of their

hard work with the result of working

their first selling event at the NYC

"As a college student studying on the West Coast, Margot was constantly fantasizing about one day becoming a beekeeper and all of the constant challenges that came along with such a job."


Honey Festival. Being able to grasp

an understanding that they could

form a business from the products

of the hive in order to gain profits

was unquestionably motivating to

her students who grew up in difficult

economic circumstances. And the

most rewarding part for Margot?

The business I have created

around the hive products and the

relationships I have developed with

people and other beekeepers.

Though despite the present

struggle of balancing a full-time

career as a 6th grade art teacher and

maintaining the ongoing work load

of beekeeping, Margot would love to

expand the program to other schools

in hopes of involving like-minded

scholars to participate as well as

the goal to begin selling the honey in

stores. With an evident passion and

true calling to beekeeping along with

her determination to continue moving

forward with the program, we have no

doubts that Margot and her hive at

B’ville will certainly do just that.

Be sure to check out and keep up to

date on what Margot and B’ville are up

to at: www.brooklyn-queen.com

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Margot Dorn

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Panthera’s Resounding Roar as Wild Cat’s ProtectorBy Anne Foong

When you think of wild cats, what kind of

image do you conjure up? A beautiful rosette

spotted jaguar pacing restlessly back and forth

from wall to wall in a clumsily constructed and

confined area with artificial forest of boulders and

man-made pond? Or would you envisage lions

prowling freely in the midst of Serengeti plains? Or

frolic orange and black striped tiger cubs rolling

around playfully amongst the trees and mangroves

of the Sumatran jungle? What do you see?

In our human-dominated world, wild cats are

heading towards extinction through illegal hunting

and poaching, mass deforestation for industrial

profits which severely damage landscapes and

causes habitat loss disrupting their food chain

and revenge killings from fear and for protection

of livestock and communities. We have lost

about 97% of wild tigers in the last 100 years. This

drastic decline of wild cats proved to have fatal

consequences to the world’s ecosystems. Unless we

do something about it, we will see grave impacts

of the loss capstone of the ecological pyramid by

allowing over-population of herbivores which will

decimate the plant population, thus producing

less oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide into

our atmosphere. This is just a small part of the

consequences.

Is anyone aware of it? And who can provide viable

solutions to this crucial declination?

Panthera’s soul mission is to save wild cats

and the ecosystem, the only global organization

that focuses on securing stable and increasing


wild cat population ... who shape landscapes and

preserves the baseline ecological processes on

which ALL life depends on. Panthera’s new model

of conservation brings global solutions through

technology and law enforcement against poaching

and illegal hunting, setting up programs to help

farmers and ranchers implement practises of

securing livestock to prevent retaliatory killings

and working directly with human development

interests and national governments to ensure their

infrastructures aren’t disrupting wild cat traversing

habitats.

Panthera is out there fighting on-site,

devoting their lives to preserve our future legacy

by showing how wild cats helps to maintain the

diversity of ecosystem, upon which humans rely

on. Through Panthera’s successful advances, we

are still able to witness leopards sleeping in trees,

tigers traversing through jungles in freedom and

lions retaining their presence of nobility - keeping

the balance of our world’s ecosystems and forming

a coexistence relationship between human beings

and wildlife.

The question is, where do we want to see our

wild cats in a decade from now? To admire these

beauties through cold steel cages and glass framed

enclosures of zoos as part of vacation, or would

you prefer to catch a glimpse of these majestic

creatures in their own natural habitat, as we

venture out into the world?

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Panthera


Photographer’s Spotlight

Justin HessionInterviewed By Nicole Stanton


In today’s society, it is not rare to look around a concert or restaurant and see numerous people attached to their phones: selfies, videos, snapchat—technology reins king. But, for photographer Justin Hession, photography started when he was backpacking around Europe Swiss twenty years ago, before the phone camera boom. Working at a Bungee Jump site in the Greek Islands, there he met a Danish photographer who let him play around with his professional camera. The next summer, when the photographer didn’t come back, Justin bought a professional camera and started earning money from photography.

When getting ready to take a shot, how

much of it is instinctual versus

planned?

In the beginning, taking photographs required a lot of thought. One must always pay attention to both the technical side and the creative side. Neither came natural for me. I studied

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY:Courtesy of Justin Hession Photography

photography in Australia and learnt to be creative by following the rules of composition. Fifteen years later, it’s now mostly instinctive. Both the technical and creative sides are shaped by experience, making mistakes, not making those same mistakes again, looking at other photographers work for inspiration. It all builds in ones sub-conscience so when out on assignment it mostly flows.

When did you know that you were a

‘photographer’?

I think I knew I was a photographer when I became a staff photographer on a newspaper in Melbourne, Australia. I was given a kit bag full of camera equipment and worked in a team of about 12 photographers. I remember it was nice having people so happy to see me as they knew that they would be in the paper the next day. It was a very positive experience.

Photographer’s Spotlight

Justin HessionInterviewed By Nicole Stanton


Do you have any long-term goals?

For the moment I am working around Europe—but I am planning to go and shoot at the Burning Man in Nevada later this year.

When traveling, do you ever put down the lens or do you always gravitate to your camera? Usually when I travel privately I don’t even take my camera. It feels too much like work. I am very aware of how intense and overpowering photography can be. It can consume you very easily so when I travel—I try to completely forget about it. I usually just take some pictures with my Iphone for memories.

How does black and white vs. color play into your

work? Do you find them to be totally separate

beasts—or complementary?

I love color photography. I probably work 90% of assignments in color, as usually that’s what magazines and corporations require. That’s not to say I don’t like Black and White. It’s beautiful to have both mediums and sometimes nature offers up the perfect lighting that lends itself to Black and White. I also like de-saturating photos in Photoshop to give a slight grungy edge to a photo.

What do you think are some clichés in street

photography you steer away from yourself?

I don’t think I steer away from any clichés in Street

Photography. I don’t however think that always the best images come from morning or evening light. I think any time of day if one pays attention to the lighting that nice images can be found.

Who are some of your favorite classic photographers,

and how did they influence you? Who is another

photographer in your collective whose work you

particularly admire?

In my early career I was influenced by the work of Salgado, Elliot Erwitt, Steve McCurry and Josef Koudelka, etc. because I was very into reportage photography. That slowly changed as I took an interest more in Portraiture. Photographers like LaChapelle, Sarah Moon, Newton. There are just so many good photographers around today. European portrait photographers are very different from Australian or even American photographers. I love discovering via Google. Today it’s the styles like Vee Speers or Jimmy Nelson, the advertising work of Patrik Giardino or Esther Haase that have been looking at lately.

What is one question nobody has ever asked you—

that you wish they asked you?

The one question I wish someone would ask me is, “would you like to shoot an assignment for us on Tropical Island of the World!!!!” I am waiting still….


T’s and TotsSuccess is in the Making for this T-Shirt Business

By Summer Johnson


When Jeremy Nguyen arrived to the U.S. in 1992, his mother couldn’t speak English and only earned a few cents per shirt as a seamstress. Now, just over two decades later, Jeremy made his own mark in the fashion industry, by scoring a deal with retailer American Apparel.

Jeremy took to YouTube to learn how to sew. He checked out tutorials for sewing, and he and his sister Joanne would practice relentlessly. His interest began to grow. Remembering how hard it was for his mom made him appreciate sewing that much more. As the demand grew, Jeremy went to Target to purchase a large batch of tee shirts but didn’t feel inspired. So he decided to make his own T-shirts from scratch. The excitement of friends and family pushed him to start selling the shirts on Ebay and things were going really well. Once Jeremy made a shirt for his nephew, and after being

posted, the public really started to notice. They started getting calls and orders and the ball was rolling. After realizing that they couldn’t keep up with demands, they decided to reach out to American Apparel, who’s now their main supplier. “The chemistry is great with American Apparel. They supply blank t-shirts and we’re able to explore new possibilities!”

You can view their website here:

www.tsandtots.com

All photos by Jeremy Nguyen

“The chemistry is great with American Apparel. They supply blank t-shirts and we’re able to explore new possibilities!”

UPWARD MAGAZINE— PAGE 64UPWARD MAGAZINE— PAGE 64

St. Tropez is usually known as a place for adults, with plenty of yachting and beach clubs to enjoy, but if you find yourself with the little ones, this option is a wonderful day at the beach that no one will forget. We brought our children to the South of France to soak in the lifestyle and after a few excursions from Barcelona to Monaco, La Boullabaise was one of our favorites. When we travel, we try to cover a broad spectrum of experiences for the children, and this one was worth the visit. This is the most “family friendly” of beaches in St. Tropez. The quiet, serene setting was the perfect get-away for us and the children for a day trip. It felt very private and the service from the restaurant was charming and attentive. We camped out on our beach chairs and had the fine dining of Provence right at our fingertips. Staying from morning till the afternoon, we filled our day with water games and visited shops for a change of atmosphere. Healthy

and kid-friendly entree’s are rare outside of the house, and here they were done in such humility that it was as if they forgot that legendary celebs have been dining there since it started over half of a century ago. Everyone is so laid back and fun. With all of the bustle of any French city but a calm charm a beach town, St. Tropez is a place full of fun and delight.

All photos by Summer Johnson

Kiddie Corner

La BoullabaiseBy Summer Johnson

“This is the most family friendly of beaches in St. Tropez. The quiet, serene setting was the perfect get-away for us and the children for a day trip.”


Fiji’s Alluring AuraBy Anne Foong


Waking up every morning to a tranquil sunrise on the beach all to yourself may seem fictitious. The surreal spectacle of swaying hammocks hanging between coconut palms, surrounded by the sound of a gentle breeze rustling the fronds, augmented with the rhythm of the rolling waves that highlight the sunny shorelines of a tropical paradise, ultimately creating the ‘picturesque’ feel.

Despite the allurement of a perfect vacationing spot, there are more refinements to Fiji than just a postcard portrayal. Amidst the vast expanse of the South Pacific Ocean, isolated by the blues and situated in between Australia and New Zealand, are some of the most secluded and unexploited “World of Islands”. It is where the sea sets the equilibrium. The Republic of Fiji consists of more than 330 islands forged within

the heat of volcanoes, and the rugged mountains are fed by Mother Nature’s occurrences. None of this beauty could remain a reality if it wasn’t for the joint efforts of the local communities and small businesses acting as the frontiers in restoring nature’s balance against the environmental changes in Fiji. Having set up 170 marine protected areas in a bid to shelter and monitor the soft coral reefs and tropical fish, individual areas are managed and protected by


coastal and local villages. The diversity of coral reefs has been an integral part of the way of life and survival of the islands. No one knows the great cultural significance of the underwater life more than the Fijians themselves. The importance of the environment upon the economy and the cultural dependence on their biological resources has influenced the local communities and tourism businesses to combine their efforts to execute the best techniques, focusing on minimizing environmental impact and maximising community benefits. Such dedication toward their islands springs from the root of strong Fijian traditional and cultural ties of community living, where family is paramount. Teaming together towards the same vision, many island vacation resorts host multiple environmental programs, endeavouring to teach and educate their guests about a sustainable future for the island’s fragile ecosystem. Through their conducts, environmental awareness will reflect the traditional Fijian customary practises and their heritage. Such resorts are the Jean-Michel Cousteau Eco Resort in Vanua Levu, which offers guided snorkelling trips with its on-site marine biologist teaching Fiji’s intricate underwater and above water ecosystems, alongside a guided tour to discover rare plants that are essential in Fiji’s traditional medicine and cultural excursions to villages. The Koro Sun Resort in the unspoilt tropical forest of SavuSavu where guests will have the opportunity to get a closer look at Fiji’s vegetation biodiversity and discover how Fiji’s nature is indispensable to the Fijians and its animals. The River Safari rafting adventures in Sigatoka gives authentic, natural and cultural experiences through well-trained

“It is this combination of community and pervasive love of life that helps visitors foster deep connections and happiness that remains long after theirtrip is over.”


Fijian guides whom provide insights of the many natural resources of the islands. The Taveuni Island, home to the National Heritage Park famous for its forests of soft coral, offers great family exploration of Fiji’s relationship with nature’s ecosystem. The approach of Musket Cove Island Resort is through the participation of village tours to learn of Fiji’s culture by gaining insights in re-discovering the ancient indigenous traditions and customs of environmental management. It is the community spirit of working together and its strong sense of family values that accentuates the beauty of life which distinct Fiji from the rest, making

it the perfect getaway vacation for families. The “Bula” greetings with enthusiastic smiles accompanied by traditional Meke music are all part of the Fijians’ cultural way of life that highlights their friendliness. As they extend their invitations to the sacred traditional Kava ceremony, it is their way of embracing you as family. This is the beauty of Fiji, which carries Fiji’s name far and wide, throughout the world.

upward magazine #002

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