Linings and Trimmings and Buttons, oh my!


                                                                    

Rather than look back five years from now and say, "that period was a significant turning point," I will write about it on my blog in the present, only to look back in five years and say, "yes, this was a turning point."

I also hope this inspires one with a dream which seems so insurmountable that anything is possible. 

Can you believe this morning started with me waking up to a bolt of lining.  Yes, lining.  That insignificant fabric found in the INSIDE of a jacket.  There are so many kinds of linings available, I mean think about it - quilted, polyester, printed, billions and billions of colours and woven.  Yes, woven.

It was always a dream of mine to have my own linings.  You would think something as unimportant as lining would be so important to me.  But it was - back in the 1990s, when I did one of my first collections, I asked the manufacturer for Zaharoff lining only to be able to only afford the printed lining.  You see, woven lining is very expensive.  There are minimums and colours, and I wanted the fabrication to be the best - Bemberg Italian silk, it's neckwear fabric made into lining.  Bemberg is the perfect lining.

So, if I can't have what I want, I wait.  I did use the printed lining for a period of time, until the yardage ran out.

Seven years ago, when in a meeting, I asked the manufacturer of my suits if I could have my own linings - I was immediately turned down.  And as time went by, other things were turned down as well.  I was compromising....and what happens when life becomes a series of compromises? 

I was so desperate to get things going - that I settled.  But looking back I should have stood my ground.  But that is the past.  We are now in the present and looking to the future. Since last September '08, I embarked on making major llife changes, both personally and professionally.

Making a life choice is one thing, putting it into action is another.  It's scary.  It makes you doubt things.  We are creatures of habit.  But as I was going...scratch that, rewrite.  But as I GO through the stages of fear, doubt, and other mixed feelings, I keep telling myself that the "other side" is going to be better.  These changes HAVE to happen to grow.  I have big dreams and a big dreamer has to have, well, big...er, kahounas.  There's no other way.  It's a brave new world, and so many things are in flux.

So, this morning I woke up in my hotel room and looked on the desk.  It was a roll of "Zaharoff Lion" gold on gold Bemberg lining, 100% silk, made in Italy.  It arrived at the office right before I left for the airport and rather than ship it overnight to where I was going I hand carried the bolt of fabric with me on the plane. 




And so, there it was, the bolt of woven, Zaharoff, 100% Bemberg silk, made in Italy (I know I said it before but it excites me).  I stopped for a moment, looked at it and thought, really just thought about the years and years of waiting for this moment.  And I thought of you and wanting to share the moment with you, and I took the picture.

Sitting in the back seat of a black Mercedes, bolt in hand, I was looking out the window and thinking about life.  The driver had a daughter who loved dressing her pooch and I thought of my Piccolo, who I had dropped off not more than 14 hours ago at a Petshotel.  I missed him,  We both had our dogs on our telephone screens. 

Walking up the three flights of stairs, I anxiously opened the door of the sample room, and there it was - the "George" silhouette.  There were two models, one was an "inverted" lapel and the other a "peak" lapel.  There were no buttons on the jacket.  I had flown in to approve the final samples. 


                     My children - like violins.  "George Jr." - inverted lapel (left) and peak lapel (right).


They were made into a sample size 40R, and even though I am a 43L, I tried the jacket on and looked in the mirror.  I felt like...the word, I know it's dated, but I felt "chic" - it looked so modern and gentlemanly.  I felt proud.  I felt happy.  I felt content.

I picked up the phone to call my CFO, he was not able to be there with me.  I took pictures (above) and e-mailed it over.

It was exciting and the "George" model was born.  On July 1st, 2009.  

July 1st, 2014 (2014!) is five years away.  I stop typing this blog, pause for a second and wonder, and hope for new beginnings and big and better things ahead.

        

The Urbane Gent - the modern man, we are getting married later, living life as a bachelor longer.  This also means we spend time by ourselves more bringing new people into our lives....meaning dating!

I have put together a list of things,  I think every modern guy should own.  There are of course so much more.  I believe, although not on the list, we should have books around us.   From a good Atlas to a bible, philosophy and a good etiquette book.  But, I wanted a minimal list.  This is where a good laptop comes in handy.

Every man should live his life to the fullest.  This list is for a single male, however, there are many things on this list even a married gent should have.  Men seem to just not get things (I mean mentally).  I can't explain it, but I think it is the wiring in some of our brains.

I don't even get it.  For example, men will think they are taking care of their bodies by working out 3xs a week, but will not care about the callouses on their feet or the hair hanging out of their nose.  I don't understand it.  Women notice little things like good hygiene.

Not on the list is a car, because some may live in the city.  And in any case, a guy doesn't need a great deal of money to live well.  Sure, a man should have certain nicer items for a hobby like good cooking utensils or pots and pans (if you like to cook).  And then there's life's necessities, for example floss, a toothbrush, etc.  Those are a given.  Also important are little things to take care of one's "issues" like your medications, a salt stone for your sweaty palms, foot care items etc.  You get the point.

But, regardless of how much one makes, here's the list.  If you don't make a lot of cash-o-la, save up for it and wait to get the right quality.  Don't settle.





Men's personal kit - shaver                                                              

This is very very important.  In this kit should be a small scissor (for your nose hairs), a tweezer, a shaver (or electric shaver), a couple of sizes of nail clippers.  Do not go cheap - buy the best out there because you are worth it.  The above (without shaver) is USD$99.00

The best:  ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS - you can not get any better than this.  And make certain it is made in GERMANY.  It's expensive, but the best.  Did I mention the best?



                                                                                                          Ballon Bleu de Cartier.  I think my heart just skipped a beat.

Watch

Watch sales have gone down, but I think a man should have a few watches and maybe one or two really good ones.  Sure, you look at your phone for the time, but the only "jewelry" acceptable for men is a watch.

Sewing Kit

Every man, I mean EVERY man, should know how to sew a button on their shirt.  One day, right before a meeting, while you are in a hurry, you're going to be in a hotel room, put your shirt on, and a button will pop out at The Waldorf Towers one morning.  It will happen, trust me (it wasn't a Zaharoff shirt by the way). 

Picture not necessary, you get the point.  You should always have a little box, with a few common threads, safety pins, scissors, etc.



  The Bose 3-2-1 system.  The PERFECT entertainment system.  Missing: a good plasma TV.

Entertainment System

I have never met a guy who does not go nuts over an entertainment system.  Save the money and buy something nice.  Even Costco has great things.  Having a good plasma TV with an entertainment system (CD, DVD (Blueray), i-pod hookup, etc) is key to living a good life.

There's the Bang and Olufsen's of the world, but BOSE is to be reckoned with as well.  Their customer service is second to none, just incredible.  They stayed on the phone with me for two hours and set up my entire system.  HD, THX, and any other thing you can think of....



                                                                             Mattress/Bed Set (plant too!)

Everyone should have a bed that they don't want to get out.  This includes investing in a bunch a pillows, a mattress pad, and cotton bed sheets.  The best mattress?  Hands down, the Westin Heavenly Bed (above).  300 thread count sheets are the best.  Not to thin and not too thick...just right.  Buy a couple of sets and guys, wash them.  If you have company over, ahem, who wants to sleep in dirty sheets?



                                                                  
Shoes

A couple of pair of shoes is on this list.  Every guy should have at least two pair of good "suit" shoes and put them in shoe trees.  Save and buy a good pair.  A couple of casual shoes, a good pair of running shoes and then of course the old shoes you wear to paint a room.  What I want to make clear is "Quality vs. Quantity".



        

2-2-2-2 suits-shirts-ties-belts

Every guy should have 2 good suits, 2 good shirts, and 2 good neck wear.  I put this under one category because it's a package deal.  You will soon find out - one plain dark suit: black, dark blue, or dark grey.  Preferably a black suit.  Your second suit should be something that could mix and match with the black suit.  This way you will always have a dark dinner jacket and can wear it with the nice pants of the other suit.  However TWO things:  DO NOT MIX BLACK AND BLUE together.  DO NOT MIX two black fabrics together (black jacket and another shade of black pants).  DRY CLEAN you suits together even if one item is dirty, but do it sparingly. 

Two shirts that can go with either suit.  If you can only have two nice shirts, forget the French cuff (if you get more shirts, then French cuff can be mixed into your shirts).  One plain white and the other a nice striped shirt.  The stripe shirt can only be worn during the day and a white shirt can go anywhere anytime.

Two nice neck wear pieces that will go with everything.  And when you want to freshen things up, buy a new tie.

Always wear a belt with your trousers.  One black and one brown should be in every wardrobe.


                                


Underwear

Men will wear underwear with holes in them, or wear them until the fibers have lost most of it's thread so it looks almost see-through.  Also, many don't wear an undershirt underneath their suits shirts - there's nothing like seeing a man's nipples through a suit shirt in a meeting, I tell you.  How about a black "KISS" shirt underneath a white suit shirt?

Women teach your men (and men teach other men) always, ALWAYS wear a t-shirt underneath your suit shirts - underneath any full-buttoned shirt.  Not only does a nice WHITE cotton undershirt soak up the sweat, but it also makes your suit shirts last longer.  The undershirt should be hugging the body, but not too tight and long enough so when you sit it's still in your pants.

I would say the "best" cotton t-shirt is "XYZ" brand, but I won't.  As of today, I have bought a $5.00 Hanes t-shirt made here in the States and a $110.00 Hanro t-shirt made in Switzerland.  I am unhappy with either.  But things may change soon....

As for underwear, it's all about comfort.  Be it boxers or briefs, boxer-briefs, whatever the fancy.  But the best bet is cotton, since it breathes.  Any cotton-blends will affect the breathability. 



                                                                       
Apple iPhone 3Gs

Every businessman should have one.  I used to swear by my blackberry - swear.  I used to laugh at those who went crazy over their iPhone because I thought they wanted to be trendy.  Until someone gave me a 3Gs the day it came out and now I would be lost without it.  This is THE accoutrement of the modern gentleman.  I think one day we will all be carrying something between an iPhone and a Kindle in lieu of a laptop which now takes us to the next item on the list...

                                                                                    Laptop

I have an iPhone, a Kindle and a Dell laptop.  The days of having a stationary computer are over, unless you have children, and even now, my all under 10 years nephews and nieces use laptops.  Every one should have one - there they can read the news, catch up with friends, etc. 

I believe every house should have a library (with actual books) but people just don't read hard books as much, as sad as it sounds.  I do have a Kindle and have read books with it, but I prefer having the actual hard book in my possession.  The pain is carrying the books around when traveling.


There are many things I did not mention one might want to add, but I wanted to mention the basics.  I hope this will inspire someone to say, "you know I do need a new mattress" or "time for new underwear." 

        

Today I was reading a book and had Fox News in the background.  I feel better when I multi-task.  My eyes on the words of the kindle, pressing "Page Forward" every minute or so, whilst my ears listening to the news.



The book was about a chimpanzee named "Nim" and how as an infant, he was raised as a baby human male learning ASL (sign language).  When Nim became too old to handle, they sent him away to a "sanctuary."  From wearing human clothing and sleeping with a pillow, blanket and mattress, he was placed in a cage - overnight. 

Whenever his human teachers would go to Oklahoma to see him, he would sign "help", "key", "release", "run."  Awful, eh?

The reason why I open with this introduction is because I'm working on my "Project Bonobo" - and it should show my dear Reader I am a lover of animals of all kinds.

My ears took over the balance of power from my reading with "PETA wishes Obama hadn't swatted that fly..."  What?!

I looked up at the big screen and saw the President making a motion with his body, which looked like he killed a fly during an interview in the White House.  PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.


I tried to find "Catcha Bug" on Google, but this is what popped up.  I don't think this is what PETA sent to the White House.


PETA sent the White House a "Catcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher" so anyone there can humanly release a fly (or anything that flies) back into the outside world. 

I believe in cause and effect.  What would happen if the fly that was supposed to be exterminated ended up being released only to fly into the eye of someone riding a bike on Constitution Road, causing an accident?  Or even a typhoon (butterfly effect)?

                                                 Left: rendition of the "Butterfly Effect." Right: An actual scientific explaination, which I thought was really cool.


There was a small addition being put on at a Buddhist monastery in Tibet.  When the monks were digging, they came across a bunch of earthworms.  They carefully moved all the worms and then resumed the building.  To kill a pest would seem to go against "non harming" which is basic to many Eastern religions and philosophies. Not hurting others by thought word or deed is known as Ahimsa, and it is an important value in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and other faiths.  HOWEVER, if the "pest" becomes a threat to your livelihood or may spread disease, it's a different story.

But PETA, to get themselves involved is absolutely...well, stupid.  I would bet many would think the same as me.  There have been many times I have "caught" things in my room and released it outside, but there has also been times I exterminated it.  Mosquitoes for one.

PETA should pick and choose their battles.  They make themselves come across as too conservative and far-left, alienating those animal-lovers like myself.  Has their existence become so boring they have to attack someone for killing a fly.  Which incidentally has a lifespan of 15 (males) to 26 (females) days, and can DOUBLE their generation in a MONTH, leaving us with 999,999,999,999 more flies when Obama's fly is taken out of the grouping.

Never say never - a fly can be someone's pet.


Pick and choose your battles, PETA.  Or risk alienating yourselves as crazies.

To make this a little bit more balanced blog, Peta remarked to Fox:

"We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals," PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich said Wednesday. "We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals."

A fly is curious?  I'm sorry, a cat, dog, even a tarantula or a salamander, but not a fly.  Sorry.

I did manage to finish my book on Kindle shortly right after.
pick and choose your battles fly peta killing fly nim chimpanzee fox news Turbo Tagger

        

Project Bonobo

Project Bonobo is my quest to educate the plight of the Great Apes.  Please visit these sites below, even if you do not donate, send them a note telling them you appreciate what they are doing!

Herewith is a list of my preferred Great Ape sanctuaries that really are struggling financially and are out there on the front lines of the battle to save these incredible creatures.

Send them a note of solidarity and if you can, send them some money.  Every penny counts.  The best thing you can do is adopt an infant for as little as .70 cents a day!

Bonobos - adopt a baby bonobo!  Or give whatever you can give - every penny makes a difference.  The pictures on my blogs all came from Lola Ya Bonobo Sanctuary in DRCongo.

Chimpanzees - The pioneer in chimpanzee research, the Jane Goodall Foundation is an incredible charity.  The Cussins family in South Africa brings orphaned and neglected chimpanzees from all over Africa to their sanctuary and eventually releases them back to the wild.  For only USD$80.00 a year you can adopt a chimp!

Orangutans - these marvelous, smart creatures are at the point of extinction and it's because of the dependence of palm oil.  They are destroying the forest to use the land for farming.  Orangutans are only found in one little section of Indonesia.  There are a couple of sanctuaries literally existing on gas fumes and they have over 600 infant orphaned orangutans.  People kill the mother in order to sell the babies - for every 1 baby saved, three are killed or die.

Gorillas - just about all the major zoos in the United States support this sanctuary in Cameroon.  As you can imagine, having a Gorilla sanctuary is a huge undertaking.  Visit this site and see for yourself.

http://www.gorilla-haven.org/ghmission.htm



chimpanzee sanctuary pygmy chimpanzee sanctuary bonobo sanctuary gorilla sanctuary orangutan sanctuary donation great ape Turbo Tagger

        

Project Bonobo

This is to serve as an knowledge tool for people to understand the world around them and to educate others.  This entry is for mature audiences only and if my nephews and nieces are reading this, or you are under the age of 12, please don't read further.  If my dear Reader finds this offensive, I am sorry.  Again, it is only to educate.  I can't imagine anyone not finding this interesting.  Why am I doing this?  Because there is nothing in simple terms out there...try and you'll see.

"Project Bonobo" is my quest to educate people about the Great Apes:  Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Bonobos, and Orangutans (they are NOT monkeys).  The Great Apes are under extreme threat of extinction and we have the power in our hands to change things.  Knowledge is power.  I urge you to donate anything you have to facilities in Africa and Indonesia who are at the forefront of this struggle.  Here is a link to all the preservation and rehabilitation for the Great Apes.

What does a Bonobo (Pygmy Chimp) penis look like?

What does a Female Chimp's vagina/vulva looks like?

What is that white balloon (fungal infection, cheese, wart) I see at the bottom of a chimp?

What are the four stages a female goes through during her menstrual cycle?

Female Chimpanzee, Bonobo, Pygmy Chimpanzee - what am I seeing at the zoo?

 

Bonobo, Chimpanzee, Orangutan and Gorilla Females....

You have to understand how similar we are to bonobos, chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas.  It’s all about reproduction and survival of the fittest.  So you have to see this as one of the most beautiful things in nature.

ALL FEMALE human, bonobo, chimpanzee, orangutans and gorillas have a menstrual cycle once they become of a certain age.  Her first cycle is called menarche.  So, your mother, sister, spouse, wife - all females - will experience, has experienced, or is experiencing what the beginning of life is all about.

It all starts with an egg and the quest to fertilize it.  This is the beginning of life – it’s how you and I began.  And in order for life to continue itself, it needs to have healthy offspring.

The species, wanting to carry life on, has to attract the right, healthy male to mate.  Female bonobos and chimps (and other primates) do this by swelling.  In humans, this has disappeared over time (as well as orangutans and partly in gorillas).

There’s a process from the beginning to the end, or a cycle.  The cycle is called the menstrual cycle and it constantly begins and ends over and over again.  And depending on the mammal, which we are as well, this cycle can be from 30 days to 35 days.

A female goes into “estrus” the period of time the egg is released and is ready to be fertilized.  If it isn’t fertilized, it gets “washed out" or "bled out” out of her body, called menstruation or menses.  This ends the cycle.

If the egg is fertilized, the female then begins to carry a child or offspring.  No more eggs are released until the female is ready to give birth again. 

The sexual skin is the area of the “anogenital region”, or the area of the genitals and anus.   With this in mind, you'll be able to understand what you see at the zoo or in pictures.

Female Bonobos and Chimpanzee

Bonobo female vagina is located towards the FRONT of her body, a female chimpanzee the back.  But the swelling is the same.

The brain releases the estrus hormones and this region begins to fill and expand with blood.  This is why the colour is pink.  Studies have shown males respond to the colour, ALL males.  The reason is to let males know she is going to become fertile.  So what you see is just skin swelling and it happens in both bonobos and chimpanzees.  A chimp's swelling is larger than a female bonobos. 

The menarche of a bonobos or chimpanzee (their first cycle) begins slowly over two years between the ages of 6 - 11 years old.

It is NOT a fungal infection or cabbage or cauliflower.

It does not hurt her, it may be uncomfortable.  It is more exposed and sensitive, it can get sun-burnt, sometimes in the forest it becomes sore from hitting thorns or from insect bites, it bleeds easier, but it heals fast too.  It's thin because it's streached skin to about 50% of what it should be, just like any exposed skin.  Again, it’s just skin.

The process of her swelling, reaching maximum (estrus - release of the egg), inflating and finally menstruating is her cycle.   If you are at the zoo you will be able to see a female understand just by looking what part of her cycle she is in.  Rather than look at it as something ugly, you will understand what a beautiful thing this is and how important it is to the survival of the species.

Just because we wear pants and cover our parts, doesn't mean we don't have our own issues.  Imagine if we were naked for everyone to see...

The cycle begins with changes in hormones associated with estrus are released. 

Inflation or tumescence (six days) – swelling gradually enlarges, first labia/vagina then slowly anus

Maximal tumescence (ten days) – full swelling, labia and anus, egg is released (15.2–20.1 cm)

Detumescence (five-six days) – gradually becomes flabby

Flat (14 days) – Normal (9.8–16.5 cm)

Menstruation  (three days) -  9 days after start of detumescence, egg is “washed out” or she has her “period”

So, for only fourteen days will she is flat and 24 days she will have some sort of swelling in her anogenital region.  It is a beautiful wonderful process.

Now, if the swelling enlarges to 20 cm (20 cm!) the penis has to be long enough - and thin enough because it's a tight fit.  An erection grows to almost 10 - 18 cm!  It has to, so it can get close to the cervix for reproduction.  Remember, it's all adapted for nature to take its course.


Here is a picture of a bonobo with an erect penis and testicles.  The penis of a bonobo is bigger than a chimpanzee (and could rival a human males).   If humans had the same testicle size to body ratio as a bonobo or a chimp, a human male's testicles would be almost FOUR times bigger. All the pictures below were taken in the DRCongo by Vanessa Woods.

 
Close up of a bonobo males erect penis and testicles (above) and a chimpanzee (right).  Even though humans share so many similarities with bonobos and chimpanzees their penises is very different.  It has a single corpus cavernosum and fills up with blood quickly (as opposed to a human, baboon, and even a rhesus monkey, with two corpora cavernosa).  A bonobo penis is longer than a chimps (and could rival a humans), thin with a Y-shaped slit; in a chimp, it's smaller, the slit l-shaped.

The four cycles of a female bonobo or a female chimp (the chimp anogenital region swells a little bit more than a bonobo).  This is what you see at a zoo.

FIRST PHASE (pictured below)

Inflation or tumescence (six days) – swelling gradually enlarges.  Note the bonobo vagina (below left) is located in the FRONT of the body, like humans, but unlike other primates, the chimpanzee's vagina, it is located BEHIND the body (right).

 

SECOND PHASE (pictured below)

Maximal tumescence (ten days) – full swelling, egg is released.  This is when they are at their "peak" for reproduction.  The first picture, below, is of a chimpanzee the second, below, is of a bonobo.

Note the sexual skin in the area of the “anogenital region", or the area of the genitals and anus.  The reason why there are little scabs, etc. is because it gets stuck by thorns, rubbed by bushes, etc.

  

   

Sideview of female chimpanzee at full swelling (above), Chimps swell more than bonobos.

Their vagina releases oils and scents which males check to see when the female will be at their peak.  This is why sometimes you will see a male "checking" by smelling (below, left) or tasting (below, right) and other things.  Note the picture to the right, the female chimpanzee is in the fourth phase, where he vagina is "flat."

  

THIRD PHASE (pictured below)

Detumescence (five-six days) – gradually becomes flabby.  Typically the anus part becomes to lose its swelling initially and then gradually the vulva.  She's holding a sugar can in her hands.  Eventually the swelling is over and you see a pronounced genital region.

FOURTH PHASE (pictured below)

Flat (14 days) – hanging as normal.  The bonobo clitoris is more prominent than in the chimpanzee or human.  In young females, it sticks out like a little finger.  In adult bonobo females, the clitoris will look like the picture below.  In chimpanzees, it looks like it is "dangling."

CREDIT

I must give credit to where credit is due.  ALL pictures herewith of bonobos were given to me unselfishly by fellow bonobo-lover, Vanessa Woods.  The other three pictures were taken from ARKive.com and you can view them below with the photographer credits.



pygmy chimpanzee bonobo sexuality bonobo chimp biology bonobo chimp penis bonobo chimp vagina bonobo chimp estrus Turbo Tagger

        

Project Bonobo

This question came to me because I have heard all the "great apes" are afraid of water.  So, the question is:

Are Bonobos (Chimps/Orangutans/Gorillas) afraid of water?

The "great apes" have no body fat, they are all muscle, so they can't stay afloat and swim.  But...are they afraid of the water?  Let's see...read on.

Bonobos

Here's the answer, picture taken by Vanessa Woods, Research Scientist at Duke University.  Words cannot describe the feeling I had when I saw this picture.  It's unbelievable:


This is Isiro, a beautiful female bonobo, LAUNCHING herself off a log, like a child at summer camp.  Her face is turned up and sideways, showing her right profile.  Taken at Lola Ya Bonobo, DRCongo, by Vanessa Woods.

Vanessa wrote, "Isiro, a young female...flings herself off it like a dancer, twisting around and holding her arms close like a ballerina, her head thrown back. i think you would really appreciate the beauty of it."  Appreciate is an understatement...look at the beauty of this female - she is literally twisting like a ballerina.

"...bonobos love the water. They don't let their feet leave the ground underneath because of their hair. they are covered in thick hair all over, so when it becomes wet they get heavy - it would be like trying to swim in a heavy woolen coat. but they love the shallows and will splash around like kids in a bathtub," Vanessa added, then included these incredible pictures.  They are small here, but left-click to view them up close, and just imagine how incredible this is...


(r) splashing in the water, like a boy in a bathtub, (c) grabbing a stick, (below), walking across amongst the water lollies.

And this is my favourite pic (below).  Can you imagine how daring this one is to walk with only his head up for air?

Orangutan

June Rubis, Programmes Manager for the Orangutan Foundation, posted this picture, below, and wrote: "Orangutans can’t swim though they do wade...also [they] will also play with water...  She sat there for a good fifteen minutes and actually bobbed up and down so the water rose up to her chin."


Siswi, the beautiful female orangutan cooling off at Tanjung Puting National Park (TPNP)

Chimpanzees

This question was posed to Phillip Cronje from The Jane Goodall Institute in South Africa.  "They don't really like water but will go in. They don't spend as much time as Bonobos and Orangs," he stated in an e-mail to me.

Here is an excerpt from "Ape Genius" - how a young male Chimp is holding on to a tree stem, playing in the water.

Young Chimpanzee playing in swimming hole in Senegal.

Also enjoy this youtube.  Infant and young Chimps have been known though to push each other into water.

Gorillas

The first recorded gorilla sighting (by western civilization) was in the 5th century B.C. by a Roman explorer.  Can you imagine what he must have thought when he saw a beautiful silverback?!

Well, Gorillas do not drink water.  They actually get it through all the foliage they eat - over 50 lbs. a day (male).  But do they, like all their counterparts like the water?


Here you see it!  They will walk through water, play in the water, and sit and eat in the water.

This should answer all your questions!

On a sidenote, I must share this with you, Vanessa sent me a picture of male bonobo, and she wrote:



"Don't touch my hair" - Max, bonobo.

chimp water orangutan water gorilla water bonobo water pygmy chimp water afraid water Turbo Tagger

        

Project Bonobo

Mother Bonobo with her baby.

This is a project I started two months ago.  Funny enough, it started with me watching an episode of Animal Planet's, "Escape to Chimp Eden."  I was curious about chimpanzees and their behaviours - how close they are to humans.  It lead me to hundreds of hours of reading books, articles and websites.

I discovered the behaviours of a cousin of chimpanzees called bonobos, which I originally thought was a designer of trousers.  But no where near as close.  Hence, the birth "Project Bonobo" where I share with the world answers to the many questions about chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas that came about during my readings I couldn't easily find or couldn't find at all.

Here is the first entry:

How do Chimpanzees (Bonobos, Orangutans and Gorillas) trim their nails?  How clean are the chimps hands?  I have heard that some of them can get very particular with their hands being clean, is that true?

After fruitless searching in books and on the web, I went to the best - Chimp Eden's, Executive Director at The Jane Goodall Institiute in South Africa, Susan Slotar.  Susan is awesome - and she went straight to the expert, Phillip Cronje, the sanctuary manager on "Escape to Chimp Eden".  Phillip is the real deal, his life devoted to the study and care of the chimpanzee.  Phillip replies via Susan:





jane goodall phillip cronje george zaharoff bonobos chimpanzee nail chimpanzee hands Turbo Tagger

        

As some of us, living in the Northern Hemisphere, have made it to Spring and heading into Summer, now is the best time to do a quick overview for us gentleman living in the civilized world.  You can see the whole list: Being a Nobleman - 25 Points On What EVERY Man Should Know.

10. For those living in a four-climate area:  linen is worn Memorial Day through Labour Day.  NO exceptions.  Also, it's okay for linen to wrinkle.

9.  Spring weddings?  If the wedding is going to go past 5pm and way into the night, dark black or dark blue (note: DARK), NO light grey, light blue, or light brown. SOLID colour shirt.  Before 5pm: light suit/stripe shirt acceptable.

8.  Always wear a belt, even with a pair of jeans and gym shoes (in that case, wear a casual belt).

7.  Never shut yourself off from a new experience, and do it NON-JUDGEMENTALLY.

6.  Never judge another and never be embarrassed about yourself, your life, or your family.

5.  Give to those less fortunate.

4.  Life is about the day to day activities that add up to a lifetime.

3.  Give praise when it is deserved – give compliments.  Look at the best parts of someone/something and focus on that particular attribute.

2.  Pray, to whomever you believe in.  Prayer is very powerful.  The energy that is created by prayer is incredible.

1.  Love yourself.  If you don’t who will?  Believe in yourself, your accomplishments and your dreams.  It’s addicting.


You can find this top 10 (and add your own!) on www.toptentopten.com

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Playing in my Little Sandbox


Vintage Zaharoff on the Milan runway.

A couple of days ago I was going through some archived files.  I was looking for a knitting company in Italy and back in the early 90's when I was doing women's clothing I had worked with different mills.


Memories:  George sitting on the runway.  I look too serious - taken in 1994 right before Fall/Winter Milan Show.

Words can't describe how strange it was going through all the files.  Names I haven't come across in such a long time, correspondences written years ago.  I saved everything from hotel reservations, airline itineraries, sketches, etc.  The "Z" logo was born at a Wendy's in Athens, Greece.  I had to come up with a logo and what I do is let it sit in my head until something interesting comes. 

While sitting with a dear friend of mine, I asked her for a pen, and on a napkin, I was thinking, sketching, and talking to her at the same time.  And I drew the first step towards the logo you see today on my creations.  It did take several months later to actually come up with the finished product.  If, at that moment, a soap bar popped in front of me with the "Z" logo on it, I would have thought to myself, "someone has the logo already." 



My "Z" logo.  Never altered, never changed. I did it only once, it was scanned and that was it.  I could never reproduce it freehand again.

Going back to my archives, I came across letters dating back to when I was 19 years old, a Sophomore at DePaul University.  It was during my Senior year when I was working with French and Italian companies.  It brought back many memories, for certain, and it also hit home about how true "living one's dream." 


My first "business trip" in Paris.  It was my senior year at DePaul, Sept. 1992.

Everything that I do is because I love to do it, it's like a piece of me.  Since I was a child I drempt of what it would be like to share my dreams with people all over the world, and because of that dream, my vision hasn't changed.  It has refined, but hasn't changed. 

I write this entry because today I received an e-mail from a gentleman who is a fan of "Zaharoff Pour Homme."  His name is Kevin.  And he wrote

Comment:

Hi, I live in a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana called Greenwood. I found your original cologne in a trip with my wife to Chicago. I take pride in the scent that I wear. I would not appear that way. I am 50, shaved head, several tattoos, muscles from weightlifting and usually mistaken for a biker. My mother was born and raised in Paris so I believe I get many traits from her. I would love to dress better but money does not allow it. I do not hold back on fragrences though. I was so upset when you original was no longer available. I had so many compliments on it. It was the only thing that would last on me. Others would fade within the hour.
Well I just wanted to thank you for everything and I cannot wait for the new Pour Homme to be available. Hey if you need a blue collar type guy to push it I am your man ;-) If your travels happen to taken you to the Indianapolis area my wife and I would love to take you to dinner to thank you for your wonderful products. I wish you the best of luck and I will be the first to buy the new line and give you the positive feedback. Take care.
Kevin

I went to respond to Kevin and then realized what I wanted to tell him, I wanted to share it with others. 

As you can imagine, throughout the years, I have written many a business plan (many many many).  What is Zaharoff all about?  What is the vision?  What is the mission?  Who is the Zaharoff Woman?  Who is the Zaharoff Man?

The last two questions I'm asked all the time.  But the first time someone asked me I did a double-take.  I never thought of the Zaharoff Man (or woman) as this measurement, this weight, this height, etc.  I always throught of him/her as a feeling.  Of the true essence of the individual.  The physical part is secondary, of course still important, we are born with physical bodies, not spirits roaming around!

So when I heard from Kevin, and he described himself to me, it made me crack a smile.  Zaharoff isn't about a "look" it is about what's in the inside.  All I am doing doing my little thing in this great big world of ours and hearing from Kevin felt like I'm on my path.  And for that I am grateful.

Just a thought...

        

Zaharoff Pour Homme in the Production Stages
For current update visit the Zaharoff website.

                                                                              
Actual photo of prototype, Zaharoff Pour Homme!  Same fragrance new packaging

Last year, one of my first entries on this blog was the launch of Zaharoff Pour Homme.  As you can see from that blog and this blog, there have been some changes.  While going through the design stages, we ran into some issues concerning the new packaging. 

I wanted to have a gold/copper coin to be positioned on the face of the bottle.  I submitted the final design to the manufacturers.  When the coin came back to me, and I held it in my hand, I just, I don't know - I liked my original design
and wanted to keep it a little bit more simple.  Also, I wanted the product to be exceptionally well-made.  I had nitemares the coin would fall off the cap, no matter how strong the glue.  When you spray fragrance, the alcohol gets on the bottle...which would eat away any glue on the bottle.

But I wanted to show you my design process and where I find inspiration.  On a trip to Istanbul, I came across this coin, it wasn't used for currency, instead it was the centerpiece of a cross (it's St. George).  I loved this concept.  Next was a piece I found in the Middle East, which was used for incense.
                                                                          

With this concept, I came up with one of the first designs:

                                                    

The bottle I called the "pappa" bottle because it reminded me of a Byzantine bottle, with the coin, and the cap, which resembles a Byzantine priest's cap.  Not bad for taking inspiration and making it into a fragrance bottle.  But sometimes what is designed might not work out for a commercial product.  I took a picture of the actual coin and it was too thick.  But, I might use this for something in the future.  Especially the coin concept.  Very Zaharoff, though, don't you think?

This is what took so long when I kept pushing the launch further and further.  But now, I decided to go back to my original roots and focus on the most important creation: the fragrance. The Zaharoff man wants a no-frills packaging which makes a statement.  And this new packaging does the trick - and I am so excited about it.

So, the picture you see above, the first picture, is the prototype - and as of today, it is in the tooling and production stages.  If you want to know where things are at, go to the Zaharoff website for the update.  We are working on it!  So hold tight!

        

APRIL 2009: INSPIRATION JOURNAL of MARK EDGAR STEPHENS

“MY APPRECIATION TEACHER”

Things in life are good.  If I stop to count all of my blessings, I know that things in my life are great.  However, sometimes I forget.  Sometimes I focus on all I perceive to be less than satisfactory and life doesn't feel quite so wonderful.  Luckily, I have a teacher I see once a week who reminds me of what I sometimes forget.

Appreciation Step One: 

IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS THAT ENERGETICALLY LIFT YOU UP!

Marta is from El Salvador.  She comes to clean my house once a week and on the other days of the week, she cleans for friends of mine.  We all know Marta and we are blessed and fortunate to have her in our houses cleaning in a way that goes way beyond the surface.  It always feels as if she is “energetically” cleaning the house.  When I step into a home that Marta has just cleaned, it feels differently from other times of the week.  It feels inviting, warm, and cheerful. 

Appreciation Step Two: 

MODEL YOUR ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIORS ON THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS THAT LIFT YOU UP!

When Marta enters your home, she brings with her a big smile and a lot of energy.  She always has great things to share and interesting stories that we know could only happen to Marta.  She tells stories of her children and what they are doing at school, and most times they are doing very well.  Her children have the same sparkle and glow that Marta carries.  They are courteous, smart, respectful, and curious.

Appreciation Step Three: 

LET YOUR UPLIFTED ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS GUIDE YOUR ACTIONS!

With enthusiasm and sincere happiness, Marta spends her early mornings preparing breakfast for her husband and her four children.  Then, she puts in eight hours of cleaning houses in neighborhoods far away from her own and returns home to prepare dinner for her family.  On the weekends, she sometimes volunteers her time to help neighborhood, school, and church charities.  I know that sometimes she works on “surprises” for my home.  She has made curtains, slipcovers, and various other things with no expectation of additional payment.  She notices that something is needed and she sets about providing it.  Every item from my home that is no longer of use or that needs recycling or simply some tender loving care is offered to Marta.  Marta is grateful to take and fix and mend and use all that is offered to her, if not for herself, then for someone that she knows.  And, she always knows someone who can use the things that she is given.  She laughs loudly, fully, and often.  She is one of the happiest people I know.

Appreciation Step Four: 

WHEN YOU TRULY APPRECIATE WHAT REALLY MATTERS, THERE IS NO PROBLEM!

If I or someone else is not feeling well, or having a “problem,” Marta always has three questions to ask.  “Are you sick?”  If the answer is “no,” she asks, “Is someone in your family sick?”  If the answer to this second question is “no,” then she says, “So, what is the problem?”  For Marta, this is the truth.  She has made it her truth.  She is grateful for everything and appreciates life.  She finds humor during tough times.  And, she focuses her energy on helping and giving to others.  This must be the secret to her happiness.  Marta has been hired to help out with many social gatherings and events over the years, and she always seems to be the one having the best time.  I admire this about Marta.  I don’t know how much money she has in her bank account or what her life is like on days that she is not at my house, but I do know that as long as she is not sick and as long as her family remains well, she is very happy.  Everything else is truly “no problem.”  She reminds me that I am blessed and fortunate in so many regards, in so many ways that truly matter.  I am grateful for my teacher, Marta.  I am grateful to remember to appreciate life.  Thank you, Marta, for this inspiration.  You are truly appreciated. 

With gratitude,

Mark Edgar Stephens

Television Personality, Author, Life Coach, and Behavior Modification Specialist, Mark Edgar Stephens is a featured Guest Author in "The World of George Zaharoff".  This is his second Inspirational Entry on this Blog. 

Copyright December 2008

To learn more about the work that I do or about my book, log onto:

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

More inspiration in the book, "WHO ARE YOU CHOOSING TO BE ?" by Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

The Book "Who Are You Choosing To Be ?" is now available at Lulu.com

http://www.lulu.com/content/2988860

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A colleague and dear friend of mine posted on his facebook a link to Britian's equivalent to "America's Got Talent," aptly named, "Britain's Got Talent."



Susan Boyle hitting a high note on "Britain's Got Talent"

This woman, her name, Susan Boyle, from a village in Britain, walks on stage.  She is very homely looking, unassuming, someone who would blend in a crowd.  With bushy eyebrows, a pug-like face, half-brushed hair, Susan is wearing black stockings with white shoes and what appears to be a beige Sunday dress, a satin belt tied to the side.  The crowd mumbles and the viewer knows they are laughing at her, and Susan is nervous.

What the audience hasn't seen, but the viewer has, is Susan introducing herself a moment earlier.  The first shot, a trumpet playing a dumbo song in the background, shows her sitting from afar, a little bit off center, by herself, stuffing her mouth with a doughnut.  The next shot is her approaching the camera, and then back to her sitting, "I'm nearly 48," she says in a heavy British accent, and certainly not the Queen's English, "I'm unemployed, but looking."  She says she's nervous.  "I live alone with my cat called, Pebbles, "I've never been maa-reed," rolling the "r." She pauses and makes a sad sound, and as if a half-truth, she states, "I've never been kissed," then nervously laughing, "shame."  She's been singing since she was twelve.

It could not have been scripted more perfectly.   It screams stereotype, from the moment you see her with the doughnut,  and each flash is played, it is confirmed in your mind, again and again and again, and again: An old maiden, unemployed, alone, with her cat, never been kissed.  Oh, and she's going to sing for us, "I've always wanted to perform for a large audience."  Well, she is getting her wish, "I am going to make that audience, ruuck (rock)."

Simon Cowell, one of the three judges, speaks to her, a "sexy" whistle (woot-woo-oo) in the crowd can be heard, she stumbles when she answers Simon and in response to the whistle she tries to break the ice with a move as if she had a hoola hoop around her waist. Like an adolescent going through puberty, it is awkward, "and that's just one side of me," one judge rolls his eyes while the one host behind the curtains mimics her and laughs.  It for sure leaves you with a very weird feeling.

Then, Simon asks her, "What's 'The Dream'"?  It's the name of the song she is about to sing, but few know this because it is a song taken from the play Les Miserables.  She responds, "I am trying to be a professional singer."  The camera pans out to a teenage girl, and the miss sort of rolls her eyes.  It is the general feeling of the audience, and I have to admit, the viewer as well.

"And why hasn't it worked out so far, Susan?" Simon then asks her.  "I've never been given the chance before, but here's hoping it will change."  She responds with "Elaine Paige" (not Eileen Page) when Simon asks her who does she want to be as successful as, the camera pans to the shrugging audience, wondering who is ELAINE PAIGE.  Elaine Paige is an actress, singer, and producer.  She has made such a major contribution to the stage musical that her title is undisputed "First Lady of British Musical Theatre".  But those in the audience wouldn't know this unless they were in the "know."

Eileen Paige, Britian's "First Lady of British Musical Theatre"

"I'm going to sing 'I Dreamed the Dream' from Les Miserables".

And what happened next just....words can't explain.  And if you haven't watched it, you must do so now, and then read on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.


Susan Boyle went from spinster to superstar in a flash of a second.  The first thing that came to my mind was, "where did she come from?"  Then as time went on, I tried to put pieces together of her life. I would never have connected her to the theatre.  How? When? Where?  But then I finally gave up, who cares?  It's just wonderful....and magical.

Then people, newspapers, radio, and webwriters turned to another stereotype:  Never judge a book by it's cover. And if you google that old saying, the FIRST entry is Susan Boyle.  Unbelievable.  In only a couple of days!

A book and its' cover: Should be "How Susan Boyle Took Britian...and the World."

What does the future have in store for Susan Boyle?  I think if she stays the way she is, doesn't pull an Oprah when she lost all the weight and the public stopped identifying with her, she will probably win the contest. 

The way we like our Oprah (left), nice and big...and real.  The snobby Oprah (right)

I think everyone works with a Susan Boyle, has one in their family, or lives across the street from one.  But instead of being the stereotype, this one wasn't.  Everyone loves a champ, an underdog.  But there is a fine line.

Maybe she can brush her hair, pluck a little bit of her eyebrows, but stay away from the plastic surgeon.  Remember Rosanne Barr?











Susan Boyle Eileen Paige Simon Cowell Les Miserable Britain's Got Talent I Dreamed a Dream Turbo Tagger

        

On a sunny day this month, driving with Piccolo (my pooch) next to me, I was listening to NPR.  It was an interview on NPR’s Marketplace with author Michael Schaffer and his book, One Nation Under Dog.  (Listen to the interview here.)

It was a very interesting interview, and he began talking about dog owners and the current recession.  How families being evicted from their homes moving to apartments where dogs are not allowed.  Families heartbroken because they have to give up their beloved dogs. 

I ordered his book from my car on Amazon.com and enthusiastically read a couple of chapters here and there.  When I finished, I contacted Micheal Schaffer via his blog and asked him to be a guest blogger on my site.  This is the introduction:

                                                        

Everyone’s heard a zany pampered-pet story: The dog who only eats home-delivered organic meals, the cat who gets an $18,000 kidney transplants, the pet-sitter who draws a six-figure salary thanks to a neighborhood full of obsessed pet owners. But what does all of this mean, and why is it happening now? Americans spend over $40 billion a year on pets, twice what they did a decade earlier. But the dollars are only one small part of the vast changes in America’s pet kingdom: Dogs have moved from backyard doghouses to their owners’ beds; veterinary practices have evolved from neutering and de-worming factories to corporate medical chains that offer arthroscopic surgeries and prescribe animal antidepressants; simple tennis-ball chew toys have given way to high-tech learning gadgets that promise to entertain a nation of latch-key pets. Man’s best friend has become America’s ersatzchild.

One Nation Under Dog is a voyage through this new world of American pet-keeping—the absurd, the touching, the horrifying, and the comic. I visited with a Chihuahua social networking group in New York, reported on pitched political battles over dog-friendly laws in San Francisco, watched lawyers wrangle over pet lawsuits in Chicago and sat in on pet-loss bereavement sessions in Philadelphia. It turns out the pet boom is about more than plain old over-the-top consumerism. Take a peek at how your pet’s life has changed and you’ll find the modern history of our society—one that covers everything from our ideas about family to our growing social stratification to our long commutes to our endless technological wizardry. Not to mention culture wars, nutritional neuroses, and the rise of globalism. And, okay, some over-the-top consumerism, too.

One Nation Under Dog shows just how contemporary pets explain contemporary America. And with tail-wagging guides like Jade the Rottweiler, Ben the Beagle, and Murphy the Saint Bernard, the journey through modern society is also a lot of fun.

Author Michael Schaffer has a great website I recommend everyone to visit, there you'll find a link to purchase his book, "One Nation Under Dog," read his own blog, or post your own pet story.  You can even upload a picture of your pet and share it with the world.

www.michaelschaffer.net
One Nation Under Dog facebook page

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Piccolo is an Italian Greyhound I brought into my life on the 1st of January, 2009 - a great way to start a new year.  He was born on the 25th of September, 2008.  He is a purebred and AKC registered.

This is his life, through my words:  (Insert: Theme music of Law and Order: GUN-GUN)

Little Piccolo, My Little, Beautiful Piccolo

                                                                

It has been a long time since I had a dog in my life.  With work, travel, and just personal stuff, I didn’t have the time to train a dog.  I also did not have the patience of one major thing – potty training.  Images of me stepping in cold urine with my bare feet first thing in the morning would flash in front of my eyes.  Where did I get these images?  Well, all I had to do was go to my childhood.

In 1980, we didn’t have the Dog Whisperer telling us how to manage our pooches – I was in grammar school at the time, what did I know?  And we had a lassie dog, she shed all the time, it was horrible.  The thought of having one hair on my black suit let alone many, freaks me out.

Then came Piccolo.  I can’t explain it, because, he came to me and put his paw on my hand.  And he has taken this trait of his and now charms the pants out of everyone.  He loves everyone  -  and everyone loves him.

I know, I know, I’ve become one of those dog owners who is absolutely smitten with his pooch.  My pooch is the cutest, my pooch is the smartest, my pooch, my pooch, my baby.  I know, I am guilty.

But there is something to say about having an Italian Greyhound, and maybe someone who is contemplating of getting one, might read this and make a decision.  So, if I can help one person, then this entry was worth it.

     Piccolo has two little hair swirls on each "cheek."

POTTY TRAINING

This was the most challenging.  I got Piccolo on January 1^st, so I had plenty of one-on-one time with him.  He was so green, he didn’t know what to do with the stairs in the house.  The good thing was he stuck to me the whole time.  I placed the dog pads strategically in different rooms.  The moment, I mean, the moment I saw the creature squat, I picked him up and placed him on the pad.  During the month of January, the first month I had him, there were only THREE accidents.

However, the dog has a small bladder and needs to relieve himself often.  Patience (meaning the LACK of it) is usually the reason why people bring them back and eventually end up in an Italian Greyhound shelter.  It’s a sad thing, because these dogs are incredible.  Once you get over the whole relieving situation, you are good to go.  Now, he would not go poo where he pees.  This was a big issue, so I set up two stations (laughing).  Eventually he got it.  Now, three months later, if he does have an accident, it is because he doesn’t want to leave a situation and miss anything.

What do I mean?  For example, if I’m in the kitchen talking to someone, he doesn’t want to leave the room.  This has happened only twice.  Speaking about not wanting to miss anything, this dog is extremely curious.  He wants to know EVERYTHING around him.  And him being a hound, has an incredible sense of smell.

Sometimes, I will hide (play hide and seek) and he’ll go on a search for me.  I would be propped up on a counter away from his eyesight, but he would find me with his nose.  Just awesome.

Dreamcatcher:  I woke up on morning and found Piccolo sleeping on my head.

ELECTRIC BLANKET

The Italian Greyhound, and his larger cousin, the greyhound, were used in the old days as bed warmers for royalty, and boy do these creatures know how to emit heat. 

To have this dog sleep in another room would be an insult to the breed.  They give out so much heat, for having a little bit of hair, that to not use this characteristic on a cold winter's day would be a shame.  Initially I was afraid of having Piccolo sleep with me on my mattress and having a mistake.  I am so anal about my bed (my shrine) I don't even sit on it with my street clothes (forget about having anyone else sit on it).

For the entire month of January, I woke him up three or four times during the night to see if he needed to go.  Eventually, he began to lick my skin if the need arose, then he learned to hold it throughout the night.

It also helped to stop giving him water after 8 pm.

To be continued...

Little one waiting for me to take him to Starbucks...

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                Mongolia borders Russia and Mongolia (above, pictured in red).

This is a little bit longer entry on a country many don’t know about.  Mongolia enjoys maybe two months of warmth (two weeks of 100 degree weather) and then very bitter cold weather.  I found the country (and its’ capital) charming and the culture so interesting and wanted to share this with others.  The Mongols enjoy a history spanning over 5,000 years old.

There is so much about this country, I'm touching just the tip of the iceberg.  From fishing in the Northwest, The Land of The Reindeerers in the North, the Gobi Desert in the South....there's so much about this facsinating country.

 

What comes to mind when you think of Mongolia?  Somewhere far far away?  Another world?  The middle of nowhere? If that’s what comes to mind, you are very right.  But it’s also a country rich in culture, charismatic people, and unbelievable adventures.

          

MIAT Mongolian Airlines, note the horse logo.

 

Getting to Mongolia isn’t easy.   There are only a few options.  Mongolian Airlines (or MIAT) flies a once a week Berlin-Moscow-Ulaan Bataar (“UB” as the natives call their capital) route and nonstop from UB to Irkutsk, Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo.   MIAT isn’t considered a reliable airline although they are working on getting better, having renewed their fleet with an Airbus A-310 and Boeing 737.

 

Korean Airlines, Air China and Russia’s Aeroflot can be flown non-stop to UB from Seoul, Beijing, and Moscow respectively.  In my case, from Chicago, I flew into Ulaan Bataar (airport code: ULN) via an overnight stay in Beijing.  I had to get a Chinese VISA for the overnight layover in Beijing and then another Chinese VISA for the return, even though I was in transit for two hours.  I could not get a straight answer from anyone about needing a transit visa to connect through Beijing.  To be on the safe side, I bought a VISA for the return.  I did need a Mongolian VISA as well.

                 

(Both pics) Yours truly facing the hotel. (R) To the left the post office (with clock tower) to the right, The Drama Theatre (pink); (L) continuation of the Sukhbataar Square, the statue behind me (far back, right).

Finding somewhere to stay was easy enough, all the guide books and websites list them, booking though, was most challenging.  I could not find a website to book the Ulaan Bataar Hotel (listed as the “best”) and when I would call the hotel, no one spoke English.  Only when I had a friend in UB physically go to the hotel was I able to secure a room.  I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have a friend do this for me.  I asked my friend if there was an airport pick-up available from the hotel and he responded, “Oh George, I don’t know if you really know what you’re getting yourself into…”  I dropped the subject and decided to just figure it out when I got to Ulaan Baatar airport.

 

My dear friend, Rob, was the "Chief of Party" of the Mongolia Justice Sector Reform Program which was run by the National Center for State Courts and funded by USAID. He worked to help the Mongolians reform the courts, prosecutors and private lawyers thought training and institution building.  In other words, he was helping the Mongolians shed the Soviet-era type court system and start from scratch with a Western system.

 

I arrived into Beijing non-stop from Chicago on United Airlines late in the evening only to have my luggage still in Chicago.  Since I was going onto Mongolia the next morning, visions of me being reunited with my luggage started to seem grim.  Because it was past midnight, there was only one person assisting with luggage concerns from Air China and spoke very little English.  I called United Airlines in Chicago and was told the luggage was still sitting at O’Hare and they placed the luggage on the day’s flight to Beijing.  Had I not made the phone call, it would have delayed my luggage even more. 

 

I walked into the lobby of the Great Wall Sheraton at almost 2 am.  This Sheraton is closer to the airport than where I usually stay in the city center.  The flight the next day to Ulaan Baatar was at 10 am.  Keeping in mind the heavy traffic in Beijing, I had to leave very early.

        

Postcard from Mongolia (sent to myself, "Hugs and Kisses from Mongolia") of the famous Naadam Festival.

 

With no luggage to check in, I boarded a packed Air China 737 for the two-hour flight to Ulaan Baatar.  Looking out the window, all I could see was mountains and empty land, not even a road carved out.  When we were landing, what I saw was untended, uninhabited land.  It was awesome and humbling. 

 

Walking down the stairs from the plane and looking around at a desolate airport, I felt very far away.  I was in the land of the Mongols. It was also very hot and humid, my entire stay would be the hottest week of the year.  I breezed through the modern airport and found many taxis waiting.  They were tiny, and next in line was the tiniest taxi I have ever sat in.  It was a four-door and I sat sideways - my body behind the passenger side and my legs behind the driver’s side.  I could hardly move.

 

The windows open, blowing hot air, the driver had a cigarette in one hand and with the other, alternating between the steering wheel and the clutch.  It didn’t matter, I was excited.

                               

Ulaanbaatar's main square is named for Damdiny Sukhbataar, the hero of Mongolian independence from China.  The centerpiece of the Square is a statue of the man himself.  Concerts, plays, etc., are held here and during the summer months, this square is a great place to hang and relax. Picture to right courtesy of World of Stock.

 

It took about 45 minutes without traffic to get to my destination: the five-star Ullaan Bataar Hotel (also known as the “Central Hotel”).  Who gives out the stars is another topic.  It reminded me of a very old Soviet-era hotel and sits across a huge square, called Sukhbataar Square.  I was given a huge suite on the third floor (301): two bedrooms, living room, sitting room, and two bathrooms for USD$100 a night. 

My room key - who picks the "stars" in the country?!

I also got what I paid for, there was no air conditioning (why would you need it here?), so I asked for four big floor fans, opened a window on the one side of the suite and placed the fans in a way where it created a nice cool breeze throughout all the rooms.  The curtains were drawn my entire stay to keep the sun out during the day, and to keep the massive mosquitoes out during the night.

 

Being noon, my first day there, and not having my luggage, I went to the only shopping place in town - a four-story building called The State Department Store, a throw back from the Soviet days.  Did I mention it is the only place in town?  Usually anywhere outside of the States I can’t get pants my size since I am tall.  But I had no problems at all!  I managed to buy a pair of pants, socks, undershirt and some odds and ends.

The next morning I went to the lobby to see if I could get a car service back to the airport to get my luggage (fingers crossed).  My goal was to try and get a bigger car - and more legroom, but the gentleman behind the counter spoke very little English and kept saying "taxi...taxi" and pointing outside..  The lobby was filled with a rugged group unloading their Land Rovers with tons of gear and tents.   There was only one place they were coming from:  The Gobi Desert.

 

I squeezed into the back of a cab and headed to the airport and waited with the driver.  Since the airport was on the outskirts of the city, the driver just waited for me rather than drive back empty.  I sat in the sun waiting, the flight was running a little late, and I was finally able to see the Air China plane land.  I went back through customs and waited for my bag, I held my breath and there it was!  My baby, forwarded to Mongolia!

 

I got back to the hotel and immediately took a shower, napped and met with my friend, who was with his friends.  It was great to see him and be around the locals.  In Mongolia, the diet consists of meat and more meat.  Also, very popular is mare’s milk, called airag, and any bi-product made from mare’s milk, even night creams and soaps.  If you don’t know what a mare is, it is a horse (yes, a horse).  

 

The mare’s milk tastes different from family to family…because of the way the horse is taken care of, from the grass it eats to how it is treated.  A Mongolian family is proud to offer you a glass of their milk because of the tremendous effort it takes to make it.  Ferment it and it becomes a clear spirit (alcohol) called "shimii airag" or "arkhi." And everyone believes they make the best.  Dairy is a huge part of their diet.  Dairy and meat, BUT anything green is for horse, not for human.  They don’t understand why we eat salad.  I did ask how can one be “regular” without eating greens.  “By being active,” I was told.

                                                        

Sharga: Horse of Mongolia by Betty Ann Hutchens, (above left) a children's Mongolian horse story; (r) Arkhi vodka labels.

Mongolian society is based upon their nomadic past.  The horse is seen as life and a part of their lives. One survived the winters because of the milk the horse produced and one was able to move around because of their horse.  They conquered lands because of the horse.  The horse has always been a part of their history as far back as 3,000 B.C..   

 

The dairy-heavy Mongol diet makes them unique, physically, than their Asian counterparts.  Most had beautiful teeth. The women were more voluptuous.  This was odd at first because I was not used to seeing Asian women as a people, bustier.  Also, the men were a little bit taller.  It may sound strange to anyone who has not been to Asia, but having spent a lot of time in the region, it stood out to me.

                          

Horse-head fiddles at a shop, picture of Chinggis Khan in background (r) and (l) Chinggis Beer.

Children’s books told stories of horses, songs were sung about horses, and even an instrument aptly named, the "horse-head fiddle" that sounds like a horse when played.  It is truly amazing what a proud people make the Mongols, especially one will find many references to Chinggis Khan: "World conqueror, Emperor of all men, the Scourge of God."

 

Millie's, Ulaan Bataar, with the pink facade

As of this writing there are only three main places to eat out.  And as you can imagine, between the wealthier Mongolians, foreigners living in UB, and the tourists, it is a very small town and everyone knows everyone else.  Millie’s, run by a beautiful Ethiopian woman (named Millie) is the place in town for breakfast and lunch.  They also have a small bar in the lobby of the Central Hotel/Ulaanbaatar hotel.  For dinner there are not many options - a Mexican/Indian restaurant (yes, one side of the menu is Mexican, the other side is Indian) and the one I went to just about every day, a French restaurant everyone calls, “The French Restaurant.".

 

That evening, at the French restaurant,  I sat with a group of six and was curious.  The conversation went to what does one call the peoples of Mongolia.  I had actually heard of “Mongoloid” which is the correct word to describe their race, but was unfamiliar of its connotation and asked if that was appropriate.  Mongoloid is actually a derogatory term for a mentally retarded person, and was told not to use the word at all .  I never knew that until I came back to the States and did a Google search.  Mongols is perfect and acceptable.

 

One of the girls in the group invited me to this bar owned by a Mongolian rock group.  I almost never go to bars in a foreign place with someone I just met because I tend to be more cautious.  But I went, ordered a Sprite, and just sat at a table.  My company unexpectedly had to excuse herself and all of a sudden a girl asked me if I was alone.  She took me to a group of ten and introduced me to everyone.

World-Vision donating 50 gers to homeless Mongolian families.

 The group worked with World Vision and Mongolian orphanages.  It was incredible to hear their stories.  It is difficult (but possible) for non-Mongolians to adopt Mongolian children; the state takes tremendous efforts to take care of them and raise them.  They try to do everything possible to keep their people together to assure future generations.   The government also invites charities from all over the world to help with the orphans, and volunteers come from all over.

    
ABOVE: Traditional ger (l) and ger village.  Even in the city, you will find a ger next to a brick apartment building.

    

Yurts are tent dwellings, made from durable materials to protect from harsh elements.  In Mongolia, the yurt is called a ger and plays a huge part in Mongolian society, tracing its roots all the way to 2500 to 3000 B.C.  Even in the city, where Soviet style buildings are erected, you will find gers right next to a brick house.  Every Mongolian household has a centerpiece – an amour-type furniture (pictured above, right).  Apart from horses, it also shows their social standing, remember everything is moveable (for their nomadic life).

   
Roughing it in the Gobi Desert in a ger (r); the Zanabazar Museum, note the ger in front (center), and Ganden Monestary (r)

 

During the day there were a lot of things to do, from museums like The Zanabazar Museum and monasteries like the Monestary Ganden, (named after the monestary near Lhasa, Tibet.)   There are also excursions to the Gobi Desert where you could stay in a ger with a Mongolian family.

State Department Store (Ulsin Ikh Delguur) at Peace Avenue

The State Department Store sounds like a very generic name, but inside there's everything.  If I were to be blind-folded and dropped into some of the areas of the store, I would think I was in Galleries Lafayette in Paris or Harrods in London.  There’s everything you can imagine.  The top floor was filled with gorgeous handicrafts.  One thing has to be said about the Mongolian handicrafts.  The quality is exceptional  and very well-made, I was actually impressed.  

 

Also, there were some incredible galleries with very old art works, other vintage Mongolian Buddhist statues, and rare nomadic items.  There was even a spa in town where you could get a massage.

The Opera House, right in the centre of the city.

On my last night, I was invited to a home for a dinner and it was exciting for me to find myself with a group of thirty young people all living in a large apartment, all working for different charities and organizations.  They were mostly from Australia, New Zealand and Israel.   I was the only American there…actually I did not meet any fellow Americans during my entire trip.  They all got together to throw a going away party for me.  This had never happened in my life. 

 

I did stand out.  People said hello to me when I walked by them (and I would say hello back to them, of course!).  I felt like I was in the 1940s.  On one side, I was able to get a SIM card for my mobile phone but on the other, electricity would sometimes cut off hours at a time. I could also use my regular US mobile phone.

I really loved being in Mongolia and having met new friends made it all the more better.

The new Shangri-La, dwarfing the historic opera building at Sukhbaatar Square

The future:  Ulaan Bataar is one of the last of the hidden gems untouched by many Western influences.  It started with the introduction of the internet, then mobile phones, which is 3G.  Next is a slew of hotel chains coming to Mongolia such as Shangri-La, Sheraton, and others have built or are being built.  Build and they will come.

MONGOLIAN EVENTS

Naadam Festival is the biggest event of the year for Mongolia.  Held in Ulaan Bataar during the summer, between the 11th - 13th of July and the capital's Central Stadium.  Sort of like a Mongolian Olympics, it is a traditional display of Mongolian courage, strength, desterity and marksmanship.  The postcard at the beginning of this blog is from the horseracing game.  There are three major games:  Wrestling, Archery, and Horseracing.

 

 

Mongolia Ulaan Bataar Ulan Batar ger george zaharoff Mongolian travel Turbo Tagger

        

Piccolo is an Italian Greyhound I brought into my life on the 1st of January, 2009 - a great way to start a new year.  He was born on the 25th of September, 2008.  He is a purebred and AKC registered.

This is his life, through my words:  (Play theme music of Law and Order: GUN-GUN)

                            

                                                                              

Growing up, my family had a beautiful collie (like Lassie) who was with us for almost seventeen years.  This dog was more like having a human being, she was super-smart and as a child it was always awesome coming home to her.  When she passed away, I was twenty-one years old, so she was with me most of my life.  I still to this day have dreams about her.

Being a collie, she had this incredible coat of hair – lots of it – and even a daily brushing did not prevent shedding.  As a child, I didn’t care that much, but as I got older, I did not like having my clothing with little hairs stuck on the fabrics.  Actually I was so sensitive to it that I remember making sure I stayed away from the pooch in the mornings before going to school.

So, when she passed away, I told myself it would be the last animal I would ever have in my household.  I did not want to go through the whole process of training a dog to “go”, I did not want to pick up any “mishaps”, because no matter what, it would happen.  But the major thing was I would not tolerate dog hairs on my suits, especially the black ones. 

Add my hectic travel schedule, and there was no way I could have a pet of any kind. 

Over the years, I would see people talk about their dogs (and cats) as if they were human beings.  I remember my dog, but I couldn’t understand how people can get so goo-goo about their pets.   I would watch Peoples Court or Judge Judy and see people break down and cry because someone harmed their pet.  I couldn’t relate, empathize maybe, but I thought it was strange to be honest with you.

Warren, Marco, myself, and Mariana

Then in November of 2008, my sister in Old Greenwich bought a bearded collie for her son and daughter.  “Katerina, does he shed?” was my first question.  I mean, she is more neurotic than I am, she’s got a beautiful home with African Black Ebony wood floors, just magnificent.  One hair on the floor, let alone hundreds would drive her crazy.  She told me Bearded Collies, who they named “Marco” is hypo-allergenic and does NOT shed.  I did not believe it because this dog is very very hairy.

This is where I became smitten with Marco.

A visited my sister, brother-in-law and her two kids in December of 2008, and met this Marco, who I immediately fell in love with.  I did not want to leave him, I spent two days, kissing, hugging and playing with him.  Even when I would pull his hair, it would not NOT shed.  I wore black purposely (and velvet!) and not one hair on my jacket.  I was then I thought I was time for a dog of my own.

Christmas came and went, and on New Year’s Day, I had breakfast with some friends and the idea came to go to a dog show where breeders were showing their dogs.  They were all pure-breds and AKC (American Kennel Club) approved.

I didn’t think at that time I was going to come home with a dog, and being New Year’s Day, almost everything was closed so there wasn’t that many options. 

There were tons of kids with their families.  It was awesome to see a child holding a puppy begging their father or mother how badly they wanted to take them home.  Walking through the different windows of puppies they had them all, Bulldogs, German Shepards, Pitbulls, even the “boutique dogs” like  .  But then it happened.  A little Italian Greyhound, all by himself, curled up, sleeping.  When I looked, he opened up one eye, saw me, and came up to the window.  My finger touched the window and once I did that, his front paw met my finger, the window between us.  Our eyes met and it was love at first sight.  I turned to my friend and said, “I want him, find out how much he costs.”

The first five minutes I held him and this picture was taken.

As my mind was racing, I get on my Blackberry and type in “Italian Greyhound.”  The first thing that popped up with its’ real name:  Piccolo Levriero Italiano or “IG” or “IGGY”  I’m going to name him “Piccolo” (which in Italian means "small") was the first thing that came to my mind.  I went on to read that it’s hypo-allergenic, and sheds almost nothing.  That’s all I needed to hear.  I bought him (my friend took the picture of me holding him note the red name tag around it’s neck), along with toys, food, etc. and he slept the entire ride on my lap in a tiny ball.

From that moment on, this dog, born on September 25th, 2008, named “Piccolo” changed my life forever.

I will talk about my journey with Piccolo in future blogs.  Main picture above is Piccolo waiting for his owner to take him to Starbucks.

Italian Greyhound IG IGGY Zaharoff George Zaharoff Piccolo Turbo Tagger

        

        

                                                   

For the rest of the morning in the warmth of my home, a euphoric feeling moved about inside of me.  I was filled with a sense of lightness.  Later that same day, my camera-ready friend gave this photo to me.  When I looked at it, the feeling of standing before the rising sun with my arms outstretched stirred up inside of me.  It was as if I were experiencing the moment all over again. I was amazed to see my right hand turned down as something seemed to be pouring from it, something shadowy and dark emptying out of me.  Sitting in my left hand, the overflowing immensity of the sun radiated from me like a globe of pure, brilliant light.  I had held that outstretched pose only for a few brief seconds earlier that morning, but those seconds were caught forever in this photo.  And what’s more, this photo showed me something of which I was unaware when the photo was taken.  The camera acted as the “eye of the observer” capturing the very feeling I had experienced earlier in the morning.  I was emptying out even as I was filling up.

This is your mind with clutter, the broom is you clearing the space - and expect something new to fill it!

I have put the photo of me on the screensaver of my computer as a reminder that sometimes I have to clear some space --- metaphorically and literally --- in order to make space for something new in my life.