How to Make a Good First Impression

You have a very narrow window of opportunity to make a first impression. Make it count.

1. Good manners are an investment in yourself.
2. When you meet someone, stand (if seated), make eye contact, shake his or her hand, smile and say hello.
3. The hand shake should end after two or three pumps from the elbow but the smile and eye contact remain until the introduction is complete.
4. At a function, wear your name tag on the right because the majority of people are right handed. When they reach to shake your hand their eyes will automatically glance at the name tag.
5. Most communication is seen and not heard. Know your personal habits and nonverbal communication gestures and learn to control them.
6. A formal event dictates that a dress jacket and tie are required.
7. Standing when you meet someone is a way of communicating that you respect them, recognize their status and are interested in the introduction. If you are seated, rise and come out from behind to greet them.
8. Look people in the eye when you speak to them. It is considered very bad manners to break eye contact during a conversation. That being said, don't stare at them, shift your view to the person's eyebrows after a few seconds. Hold eye contact long enough so you remember their eye color.
9. In a social situation/opportunity to schmooze you're far better off making a few solid memorable contacts than trying to collect as many business cards as you can. Sincerity is the key to good schmoozing.
10. You have a maximum of 60 seconds to make a first impression. Make it count.
    

How to Make Spinach Gomae

I modified this recipe from an old cook book from the 70s, (The Book of Whole Meals: A Seasonal Guide to Assembling Balanced Vegetarian Breakfasts, Lunches and Dinners). It's not a traditional Japanese Horenso Goma-ae recipe but it tastes pretty darn close to me.

INGREDIENTS
2-3 bunches spinach
1 cup tahini
1 1/2 tbsps shoyu (natural soy sauce) or to taste
1 1/2 tbsps honey
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 tbsps sesame seeds or to taste

PREP
1. spinach
Wash the spinach thoroughly (trim about 1 1/2 inches off the bottom)
Chop into coarse pieces
Place the wet spinach in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; cover and steam in its own moisture for 5 minutes or until the spinach shrinks and turns bright green
2. sesame paste
Combine the tahini, shoyu, honey, lemon and sesame seeds in a medium bowl
Place the spinach in individual serving bowls, top with a large spoonful of sesame paste and sprinkle with sesame seeds
Makes 2-4 servings

Style Inspiration - Paul Newman Clint Eastwood

Paul Newman & Clint Eastwood - 1971

Signs of Quality Tailoring - The Trench Coat

Vintage Albert Nipon

1979

I think I could work with these outfits.

Hang Up

from bottom left: Flo, junk yard find steel photo, four found photos of vintage old growth logging, Italian glass vase, black soapstone owl and beaver, and a chunk of amethyst


top left: John & Salome - Aubrey Beardsley, Tate Gallery Warhol exhibit 1971, found poodle portrait, my pretending Riopelle, Paris in reverse 2000, self portrait 1998, Ural Owls - 1910,

Over the last two weekends we've finally got around to hanging up some of our art (two years after we moved in). Our plan is to fill most of the wall behind the table - stay tuned. We have a lot that still needs to get framed. Only five pieces were done this time around, none of which are in these photos. Those will be going behind the sofa.

Style Inspiration

Pete Townshend and Paul Weller - 1980
Paolo Hewitt joined in the shot with a snazzy outfit later
© Janette Beckman

Are you an Esquire Man?

BMW ad Architectural Digest 1979

Esquire page 45 September 2011

Esquire magazine used to somewhat appeal to me until I bought this September's issue. To be honest, I actually don't ever recall buying one before, the only reason I bought this one was because Ryan Gosling was on the cover. Once I got to page 45 I'd had enough. According to Esquire, if a woman wants to attract an 'Esquire man' she should drive the 21st Century rendition of the mini van. Who would find these cars sexy? Apparently, according to Esquire's Media Kit, a 43.9 year old male who is 'affluent, educated and successful' would find these cars sexy. Obviously, I'm out of touch with people of my own demographic! What I'm really getting at is these cars are ugly and they're not cool. I hope Ryan Gosling isn't an 'Esquire man'.

Vintage Angelo Tarlazzi

1980
Tarlazzi was Creative Director for Guy Laroche from 1989-1993

Quote of the Week - George W.S. Trow

MEMBERSHIP
The middle distance fell away, so the grids (from small to large) that had supported the middle distance fell into disuse and ceased to be understandable. Two grids remained. The grid of two hundred million and the grid of intimacy. Everything else fell into disuse. There was a national life—a shimmer of national life—and intimate life. The distance between these two grids was very great. The distance was very frightening. People did not want to measure it. People began to lose a sense of what distance was and of what the usefulness of distance might be

George W.S. Trow, "Within the Context of No-context." New Yorker, November 17th 1980.

Dear TOMS Shoes

Is it still One for One when Ashley buys a pair of TOMS shoes at a department store that's already bought 500 to resell? She's confused because your trademarked slogan is, 'With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One.' When Ashley gets around to purchasing a pair of TOMS at aforementioned department store, that same pair of TOMS will have then sold twice, once at wholesale and once at retail. Who is the 'customer-philanthropist', the department store or Ashley? Two for Two?

Last Weekend

One of the best things that happened this past summer was finding a vintage waffle iron at a yard sale for $2

- a Penncrest Model 4896A

The waffles are super light - which means all the more whip cream and berries.

Whip cream with Sambuca and vanilla to be more specific.

Fresh wildberries

My two decade old juicer is still going strong.

nums

Rant Time - telecommunications

images via French Vogue, Stockholm Street Style

You make how much? Annual Salary

Well, in 1966 you could look forward to this:

Surgeon $32,000
Plastic Surgeon $35,000
OBGYN $28,500
Nurse $4,300
Hospital Administrator $7,500
Private Practice Lawyer $33,000
Federal Government Lawyer $6,300-$7,500
Engineer $7,400
Gas & Electric Engineer $7,245
Aeronautical Engineer $6,800-$7,800
Public School Teacher $6,300
School Principal (with PhD) $20,000
Assistant Professor $6,760
Professor $14,000-$24,000
HR Professional $16,500
Accountant CGA $15,000-$30,000
Internal Accountant $18,000-$28,000
Car Sales $5,000-$10,000
Real Estate Broker $5,000-$10,000
Insurance $5,000
Insurance Broker $15,000-$20,000
Stock Broker (trainee) $350-$500 monthly
Stock Broker (established) $5,000-$25,000
Retail Sales $1.25-$2 per hour
Retail Buyer $6,500-$25,000
Bank Teller $440-$525 monthly
Bank Officer $10,000-$20,000
Reporter $100-$250 per week
Technical Writer $5,000-$13,000
Media Sales Manager TV $305 weekly
Program Director $214 TV, $134 Radio weekly
Advertising Copywriter $12,800-$24,000
Account Executive $16,500-$25,000
Advertising Manager $7,000-$21,000
Social Worker $3,780-$7,350
Caseworker $7,350-$10,000
Construction Worker $4.25 per hour
Bricklayer Apprentice Stage $4.72 per hour
Carpenter $4.36 per hour
Glazier $4.08 per hour
Iron Worker $4.61 per hour
Construction Foreman $6,000
Auto Mechanic $1-$1.75 per hour
TV repairman $60-$80 per week
Airplane Mechanic $650 per month
Law Enforcement Officer $5,100 per year
Police Commissioner $35,000
Hotel Manager $50,000
Major Airline Pilot $15,600
Major International Airline Pilot $22,000
Travel Agent $90-$150 per week

I'm not an economist by any way, shape or form so I resorted to numerous inflation rate calculators to try and determine what these wages would be today. According to three different online calculators (Canadian and American) the inflation rate between 1966-2011 is between 599.2%-614%. I'm not sure how relevant these calculators are because I entered $11,000, the average price for a home in West Vancouver in the 1960s and, apparently, $11,000 in 1966 is the equivalent to about $76,000 today. However, an average home in West Vancouver today is $1.7 million. Shall we talk about over inflated real estate?

For fun, choose your career from above and enter the annual salary here:
Canadian Inflation Rate Calculator
US Inflation Rate Calculator

Source: Better Homes and Gardens, August 1966.

Quote of the Week - Audrey Hepburn

I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.