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H O M E1/ L I F E LOT TIE LIFEST YLE / ISSUE 1
HELPING YOUR BR AIN TO ADAPT
STRUCTURE IS KEY
PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP
A series of practical tips to help your brain to adapt to this new reality
When there is no longer a commute how do you create a home / work separation?
A selection of fun and easy pieces to put a little spring in your step
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s I sit down to write this we are nearing the end of week two of the ‘circuit breaker’ in S i n g a p o r e. I n o t h e r c o u n t r i e s t h i s i s b e i n g b i l l e d a s a ‘ l o c k d o w n’ - p e r h a p s o u r g ov e r n m e n t s choice of words is to make us feel better - like we are not really in lock down, we’re just breaking a circuit. Hmm. Symantics aside these global measures a m o u n t t o ‘ s t a y a t h o m e a n d d o n’ t s e e a n yo n e ’ - a big shift from our usual lives filled with individual f r e e d o m s a n d c h o i c e. S o i t g o e s w i t h o u t s a y i n g t h a t we are all united in counting down the days for when t h i s w i l l e a s e ( I d a r e n’ t e v e n c o n s i d e r t h e g l o r i o u s moment when the restrictions will lift entirely). In t h e m e a n t i m e, h o w d o w e c o p e ? I h av e i m p l e m e n t e d a couple of strategies ranging from only reading the n e w s o n c e a d a y t o h av i n g m y k i d s p a c k a s n a c k b o x at the beginning of the day so that I can get on with something for more than ten minutes (I can say without exageration that this has been a complete game c h a n g e r a s t h e i n t e r u p p t i o n s h av e s t o p p e d a l m o s t completely). At the heart though of my attempts to stay OK is my acceptance that much of this is out of my control. Switching off from the 24 hour news c yc l e h a s h e l p e d t h i s t r e m e n d o u s l y. B y n a t u r e I a m an optimistic realist. I believe that eventually solutions will be found to ease the current situation, but m y r e a l i s t s i d e d o e s n’ t b u y i n t o t h e u t o p i a n f u t u r e where we are all transfor med into more enlightened b e i n g s b e c a u s e o f t h i s a w f u l t i m e. We a r e h u m a n . We a r e f l a w e d . A n d f o r m e t h a t ’s O K . W h i l s t I d o n’ t e x p e c t m a s s e n l i g h t e n m e n t o n a g l o b a l s c a l e, n o r d o I expect this of myself. Living through a pandemic has not made me want to all of a sudden do arts and crafts or bake with my kids and similarly they are not throwing themselves with abandon into wholesome a c t i v i t i e s . Fo r m e i n t h i s t i m e i t ’s a b o u t l e t t i n g e v e r y one in our household just ‘be’. Not trying to force bonhomie or family activities but letting us all quietl y g e t o n w i t h t h e t h i n g s t h a t m a k e u s h a p py a n d b e ing there for one another when the mood strikes us.
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couple of weeks ago I had some new content ideas and decided that rather than write a b u n c h o f d i f f e r e n t b l o g p o s t s , I w o u l d h av e
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a g o a t c r e a t i n g a n o n l i n e m a g a z i n e. S o I a m s u p e r e x c i t e d t o s h a r e w i t h yo u I s s u e 1 o f t h e L o t t i e L i f e s t y l e m a g a z i n e. I a m v e r y f o r t u n a t e t o h av e h a d s o m e f a n t a s t i c c o n t r i b u t o r s t o t h i s i s s u e s o yo u will find a variety of content to hopefully interest a n d d e l i g h t yo u . M y h o p e w i t h t h i s m a g a z i n e i s t o p r ov i d e yo u w i t h s o m e p r a c t i c a l a n d i n t e r e s t i n g c o n t e n t a n d w h i l s t C ov i d 1 9 i s c l e a r l y a h u g e t o p i c i t i s n o t m y i n t e n t i o n t o h av e i t d o m i n a t e t h e s e p a g e s e n t i r e l y. T h a t b e i n g s a i d , f o r t h i s f i r s t i s s u e yo u w i l l f i n d a v a r i e t y o f a r t i c l e s t h a t t o u c h o n t h e i s s u e s w e a r e a l l c o m i n g t o t e r m s w i t h - h o w d o yo u s u c c e s s f u l l y w o r k f r o m h o m e, h o w t o k e e p f i t w i t h o u t yo u r u s u a l e x e r c i s e c l a s s e s a n d p e r h a p s m o s t importantly how to help our brains adapt in these e x t r a o r d i n a r y t i m e s . I h o p e yo u e n j o y t h i s i s s u e.
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C O N T R I BU TO R S HELEN BARKER “H elping
E d i t o rs N o t e : H u g e t h a n k s t o t h e w o n d e r f u l c o n t r i b u t o rs o f t h i s i s s u e w h o, i n a m o n g s t t h e i r d a y j o b s, w r o t e g r e a t a r t i cl e s f o r y o u t o e n j o y and helped me to make this m a g a z i n e a r e a l i t y.
our brains to adapt ”
page 12
Psychologist, coach and mum to 4 boys under the age of 10, Helen is spending lockdown finding some quality ‘me’ time by hiding in the loo
WARREN POLE “B ecome
a fitter faster runner ”
page 28
Endurance athlete and CoFounder of 33Fuel natural sports nutrtion company, Warren is practicing running on the spot in his London apartment annoying the downstairs neighbours
VICTORIA FAGAN “T ime
for a new podcast ”
CAROLYN HAMER-SMITH
page 16
“G oing
Podcast lover, avid reader, Vics is juggling work with home schooling kids and wondering whether wearing yoga clothes all day is less about the online yoga class and more about the joy of elasticated waistbands.
the distance ”
page 32
Working in international development and human rights, Carolyn is social distancing on a mountain top in the Himalaya and hoping for running water and power today.
FAZ GAFFA “5
minutes with ...”
page 41
Faz is a writer, digital marketer and bonafide hot sauce addict. At this very moment, she’s probably losing yet another argument with her twoyear-old.
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F RO N T C OV E R
S E T T H E TA B L E AT H O M E left to right Grey glasses, set of 6 $72, gingham linen napkin set of 4 in petrol $84, handmade ceramic serving bowl with servers $205, handmade ceramic ‘pebble’ side plates set of 4 $120, handmade ceramic ‘pebble’ dinner plate set of 4 $220, vintage stonewashed cutlery set of 4 $70, linen tablecloth in medium $155. w w w. s h o p l o t t i e l i f e s t y l e . c o m
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STRUCTURE IS KEY
S T RU C T U R E I S K E Y
when there is no dail y commute to se parate you from home and work
WORDS Charlie Cameron
Working from home has become a new reality for almost everyone in the past month. Once the domain of small start ups and creatives, it has now become the norm thrust upon a workforce used to leaving their home each morning, commuting to work and returning at the end of the day. For most people home is a place of family, relaxation, downtime, a place of friends and entertaining - in essence a refuge from the demands of their work life. Now the lines are blurred. This shift to working from home has been undertaken abrubtly and has been somewhat hastily considered by companies forced to ask their employees to remain at home. We are all in
unchartered waters and whilst contingency planning in case of catastrophe is a part of most large businesses, very little thought has ever been given to how you support your entire workforce to work from home. For most, there has been an expectation that all is required is to send a laptop home, set up some video conferencing and continue on as before. But this mindset only deals with the practicality of working from home and the need to stay connected and productive - and it misses a fundamental question. What happens to the home work balance that people relied on and has now been severley disrupted?
get to grips with working from home, how do you separate what is home and what is work? And how do you ensure in these particularly stressful times that home remains a refuge?
As a whole community of people
There is one lesson in my
As a small business owner I have been working from home for the past 7 years. Over this time I have had varying success with juggling the home work balance. When I started my business I had small children and school runs to fit in - a fairly time intensive challenge to anyone’s work day I can assure you - and more recently I have had a larger volume of work to overcome which I had to make sure didn’t overwhelm my life.
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experience that to me provides the answer to successfully working from home and still having a happy home life and that is the importance of structure. The structure that is inherient in your life when work and home are two separate things has to be recreated for this new work from home experience. Humans rely on routine and small things can trigger expectations. So in the morning, follow the same pattern as you would have when you went to work. We all have a different routine but I am going to assume that part of your morning ritual involved showering and getting dressed appropriately (let’s hope so anyway). How you dress in the morning is a key indicator for what you expect to be doing in the day - dress
like it’s the weekend and you will find it hard to remember that this is actually a work day. So get dressed for work. It doesn’t mean you need to put on a suit and tie or a form fitting dress and heels, but dress like one of your colleagues might be popping over (clearly they won’t be, but just pretend). At the end of your work day, take these clothes off, remove your make up and get changed as you would have done previously. It seems such a small thing but trust me it helps to create a sense of separation. Secondly, try and stick to a work day that resembles the hours you used to keep. One of the greatest traps of working from home is to just keep working. I know from experience. In recent times I have fallen into the trap of working late into the night and all weekend too. Have a
tools down time and stick to it. If you are working from a dining table or similar, pack away your work items. It might feel pointless as you will be dragging it all out again tomorrow, but it will help to shut the door figuratively on the office. Lastly, create a transition between your work day and time at home. For me, it is a run before dinner - followed by a shower and a glass of wine (OK, sometimes I skip the run). By the time I sit down for dinner with the family I feel that my work day is done and my evening of relaxing and enjoying my home can begin. There is no perfect solution to this working from home lark - all you can do is try your best to create a sense of separation. And remember - you are not working from home - rather you are at home trying to work.
3 KEY TIPS FOR WFH 1. Dress for work dress as though one of yo u r c o l l e a g u e s m i g h t b e p o p p i n g ov e r f o r a m e e t i n g. H av e a r e l a x e d w o r k w a r d r o b e f o r d u r i n g t h e w e e k t h a t i s d i f f e r e n t f r o m yo u r o f f - d u t y w e e k e n d w e a r. 2 . H a v e a n e n d t i m e j u s t b e c a u s e yo u r w o r k i s n o w c o n d u c t e d f r o m h o m e i t d o e s n’ t m e a n t h e d a y c a n’ t e n d . F i n i s h yo u r d a y a t a s i m i l a r t i m e t o yo u r u s u a l w o r k d a y. 3 . C r e a t e a t r a n s i t i o n m a k e s u r e yo u h av e a transition activity between work and the start of being at home - a run, a meditation, w a l k i n g t h e d o g. T h i s i s yo u r n e w c o m m u t e.
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It’s as if We had left our house for five minutes to mail a letter, And during that time the living room had changed places With the room behind the mirror over the fireplace . . . “FOR THE TIME BEING”, W H Auden
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H E L P I N G O U R B R A I N S TO A DA P T WORDS Helen Barker
What is happening right now is, to be honest, just all a bit hard to take in….
hard enough. That we are in the driving seat and it’s all up to us.
Yes, there are moments of joy or just plain old ‘normalcy’ punctuating our hours, there is still kindness and laughter and pleasure in small things. But there is also fear, shock, numbness, irritation, grief, tiredness, boredom, deep sadness and just about everything in between. Emotionally, we are at sea. Asked to find our way through a slightly off kilter version of the world that we haven’t encountered before. Map overboard. So if you’re feeling a bit off the charts, then you’re not alone.
So, for most of us, we have nothing in living memory, no template to draw on that tells us how to react when our lives are suddenly stripped of their structure, when our day to day choices are so radically paired down, when the existential threats to our jobs and health are thrown into such sharp relief. So how exactly do we go about the business of allowing our brains to adapt?
Yes, we have faced challenges in our lives before this. Some more extreme than others. But as a society we have not faced a collective, globalized threat of this kind in our living memories. So is it any wonder that most of us are wondering what on earth to feel? The human brain is a wonder of adaptation, we habituate to new and even extreme circumstances surprisingly fast. But our hardware bases this adaptation on similar, experienced events. Experiences that we can draw on in order to shift to our new reality. But for most people today, particularly those below the age of 60, we have never before experienced a curtailment to our freedom, a sense of pervasive, globalized threat, and such a clear indication that we are not in control of our own destinies. We have lived in a westernized world of instant availability, ‘always on’; bathed in the same media bubble bath of ‘Buzz Feed’ perpetual positivity for the soul for most of our lives. We have been fed a diet of big, audacious dreams that suggest that we can all get what we want if we try
Well, first it can help to understand a little of the mechanics of our brilliant brain. We each come equipped with a crisis system (or sympathetic nervous system) to deal with big threats that dissipate quickly – jumping out of the way of a speeding car for example. But when it comes to on-going pervasive threats which lie outside of our perceived control – such as Covid, for example, the same system is activated. This can lead our brain and body to be stuck in a state of high tension high alert, that over time becomes literally exhausting to maintain. We know that this doesn’t feel good, but our attempts to short circuit it are often ineffective. We try to control our way out of it (endless news scrolling, constantly going over the same mental ground, staying up late looking for patters in the data) or distract our way out of it (another coffee / wine / cake anyone? I better just check Instagram again hadn’t I?). But that quick hit of dopamine we get is shortlived and after it subsides the cortisol rises again. So how do we gently and kindly ease ourselves out of this and steer our brains into calmer waters?
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First we need our own ‘circuit breaker’ – something that shifts our state. This can be almost anything that gets us out of our minds and into our bodies. A breathing exercise is the simplest and most accessible, but a good laugh, a long cuddle or twenty star jumps work just as well. For those of you who are new to breathing exercises, box breathing is a great place to start. In for 5, hold for 5, out for 5, hold for 5. Repeat 20 times. This is like a lightswitch for the brain – it flicks off the sympathetic nervous system (the crisis brain) and flicks on its gentler calmer cousin the parasympathetic nervous system (the one that helps you to rest and digest). Just like that. But now comes the hard part… how do we keep it turned off? Well we need to maintain a sense of control by focusing only on that which we can control. Simple? Well yes… but like many important truths, their intuitive simplicity can hide their power. I’ve broken it down here into the 4 areas that maximise our chances of keeping our brain at its most flexible and adaptive… 1. ALLOW YOUR BRAIN TO TRUST Routines and rituals: these make us feel safe. Structure and repetition helps to free the finite energy of the brain up to concentrate on other things. So look at ways to create both rhythm and punctuation to your new days. Notice what soothes you, whether it’s a quick cup of tea whilst looking out of the window, or a call to a loved one at the same time each day, and build in more of this. Can you take your exercise / outdoor time at the same time each day? Stop every half hour to breathe for 2 minutes? These can be big or small things, and will look very different for parents of young children and healthcare workers than for those with more ability to map their own time. But the more we create routine for ourselves, the more we feel held and secure in our worlds. Minimize the ‘noise’: we all have varying needs to keep tabs on the news, but constant scroll-
ing is a surefire way to keep anxiety levels high. Try setting designated time windows 10-20 mins for news checking, perhaps twice a day, morning and afternoon (but not directly before sleep) and don’t allow yourself to check outside of these windows. If you have a radio on in the background then consider what this constant stream of news is doing to your nervous system and consider switching it to music instead. 2. ALLOW YOUR BRAIN TO FEEL JOY Comedy: Never has there been a better time for humour, dark or light, take your pick. Social media is awash with memes right now but for a longer release build your favourite comedy podcast or series into your routine every single day. Laughter illuminates our brains like the Christmas fairy lights, so however you get it, it works. Notice the small things: It’s hard to write this without sounding like a greetings card, but the little sources of pleasure right now are what our brains and our souls will feed on. Challenge yourself to see what you can notice. The soft touch of a child’s hand in yours, the smell of a good dinner cooking, the blissful release of getting to the end of the day and putting your feet up, it’s all there waiting to get your attention, but to really feel the joy you need to sink into that moment and savour it. 3. ALLOW YOUR BRAIN TO FEEL LOVE Nourishment: this starts with yourself. How can you nourish yourself today? If you have time at your disposal then make yourself something you love to eat, take a long bath, read something that absorbs and uplifts you. If you can’t even begin to imagine having time for anything right now, then use your inner words to show yourself love. Speak kindly and gently to y o u r s e l f , cut the judging, the admonishment, and be as compassionate and caring in your inner chatter as you would be to a small child. Connection: This is what we are wired for – our brains are primarily organs of relationship, we
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need to feel connected in order to feel alive. So if you are physically alone right now then the good news is that feeling connected to nature works just as well. But we really have to lean into this one – touching, sensing, listening, noticing, immersing ourselves in the outside world for whatever time we can, even from a window will do. And think about how you can connect more meaningfully each day with others. When you message or call a friend or family member can you bring something heartfelt and nourishing to them that makes them feel appreciated and loved? 4. ALLOW YOUR BRAIN TO FEEL EXCITEMENT
It is often said that in times of great suffering and challenge the most memorable and meaningful moments of our lives are created. This may not feel like that right now, but don’t discount it. They say Covid is a great leveler in the indiscriminate nature of who it takes and who it spares. There is a flip side to that. A positive, powerful reminder that we are all the same. We are all flawed human beings, struggling with the desire to control things which we ultimately cannot, but capable of showing up for ourselves and each other in beautiful, heartfelt moments along the way. If we can remember to do that, then maybe that’s enough.
Plan: It’s hard to make plans right now, but our brains thrive on having things to look forward to, so how can we build this into our worlds? Whether it is planning to cook your favourite dinner, or going for a walk to a different place tomorrow, making plans give us something to work towards. Challenge yourself: We are inherently excited by achieving things as humans, but like most people, I reel at the patronzing suggestion that this deeply challenging time proffers up the ideal opportunity to master Swahili, origami or any other elusive skill. If you are one of the few who are currently inspired to add to your list of talents and goals right now then great, but for us mere mortals, what works here? Well my challenge this week was not to drink wine until Thursday. And boy was I excited on Thursday afternoon. There has been much talk of how this situation will create more ‘kindness’, a better society that will arise from the ashes of Covid, a more reflective, compassionate, connected humanity. And I believe this can be true. But societal change is only the sum of individual change, and individual change cannot occur without our individual brains altering and adapting. So this, then, is the work that we each can do to contribute right now, whoever we are, wherever we are, whatever we are facing. Taking steps to shift our brains into a calmer, more resourceful, more connected state and so enabling us to respond to this unprecedented crisis with the best of what we have to give.
Helen Barker is a Psychologist and Coach who is passionate about helping people to unlock the insights that make a radical difference to their lives. If you’d like to find out more about working with Helen, please get in touch. helen@theilluminatedmind.com
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TIME FOR A NEW PODCAST
W O R D S V i c t o r i a Fa g a n
When do you listen to podcasts? For most of us it is usually when cooking, driving, commuting, drying our hair…. always as a background when busy doing something else. In a way it’s testament to the frantic lives we have all been leading that we feel we don’t have capacity to stop and pay full attention. However, in these strange homebound times I have discovered the joy of switching off the world and dedicating time to great podcasts. I fully appreciate that this can be hard. Like many of us I have work to do, children, a husband, meals
to cook, elderly parents abroad to check in on - but instead of defaulting to Netflix for another American drama (seriously, there is enough of that in real life at the moment) I am increasingly valuing a moment of ‘podcast peace’. One of the key differences between a podcast and watching TV with family members is the fact that it’s a solo enterprise. Just you and a storyteller. Maybe it’s this primitive joy in storytelling that is resonating at the moment – the peace of listening to another weave a narrative web. Maybe it’s the introvert in me that needs the time away from others. Either
way – I suggest you give ‘podcast peace’ a try. So, what to listen to? Maybe your devices are crammed full of unheard episodes or possibly you’re in a podcast rut. We’ve all been there. Here are a few options in different genres that you might like to try. If these aren’t for you – there are so many other options – and each week I’ll aim to bring you something different.
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T H I S W E E K S R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S Genre: Political Name: Pod Save The World An American foreign policy podcast with former White House National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor and former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes (Rhodes wrote most of Obamas most famous speeches). The format is a discussion around current US foreign policy developments. Sound boring? Not necessarily - if you care about the current developments in US government and how they affect the current geo-political landscape this is for you. Articulate, balanced commentary from those who have inside knowledge on the governmental norms. Genre: Documentary Name: Girl Taken BBC reporter (Sue Mitchell) stumbled into a real-life crime drama as she visited the refugee camps at Calais. There she met a father and young daughter trying to get into UK. What she thinks is a case of another refugee family simply trying to get into the UK becomes darker when she realizes the girl has been stolen from her mother. Moving, harrowing and desperately sad, this story is told with compassion and will leave you questioning the truth. Genre: Interviews Name: Out to Lunch Many have tried to reproduce the success of Desert Island Discs but few have succeeded. For those not tapped into British culture, Desert Island Discs is a classic British radio show (and podcast) in which the great and good are asked to nominate their top 8 tracks whilst being interviewed. If you don’t know it – try it. The premise for Out to Lunch is that people open up over great food and a glass of wine. Jay Raynor, British food critic and journalist takes celebrities out to fabulous restaurants and with
good humour, quality food and bonhomie entices them to reveal themselves. As ever with interviews the success of each episode depends upon how interesting the interviewee is, but Raynor manages to navigate with witty anecdotes and insightful questions. Start with the Richard E Grant and David Baddiel episodes. Last note on this podcast – the editors have done a good job of cutting any actual masticating noises from the audio. However much I like Jamie Dornan (hunk from The Fall and Fifty Shades), I don’t want to hear him eat.
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Fashion can be a mood changer, and now more than ever we are looking for small satorial delights to brighten our day. A lick of bold nail polish, a comfy organic cotton skirt, a little floral hair tie to disguise the fact we haven’t visited the hairdresser in a while, a stack of pinky coral bangles, an easy denim shirt, beautiful glowing skin and a comfy pair of kicks for when we step out for our one and only outing (to the supermarket). Now is not the time for fussy fashion (let’s face it, it’s unlikely to be appreciated by your kids and husband) but making zero effort also feels a bit defeatist and depressing. So put a little spring in your step...(and maybe video call a girlfriend who will appreciate your stay at home style!)
Delphine from Atelier Jacqueline wears Zara dress
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PUT A LITTLE S P R I N G I N YO U R S T E P
B OW S C RU N C H I E Libery print SGD 29.20 www.jcrew.com D E N I M S H I RT Madewell Tidal Shirt in Dottie Wash SGD 104.18 www.madewell.com
LE VERNIS NA I L C O L O U R Chanel 510-Gitane USD 28 www.shop.nordstrom.com
N O. 1 N O U R I S H I N G FAC E S E RU M Vanderohe SGD 104.18 www.shoplottielifestyle.com
C OT TO N S K I RT Poudre Organic Turmeric skirt SGD 107 www.smallable.eu
R E S I N BA N G L E S in Melon Swirl and Pink Guava AUD 55 each www.dinosaurdesigns.com.au
C A N VA S E S P L A R S E L OW S N E A K E R S Veja White and Pink SGD 160.28 www.madewell.com
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G U I D E TO RU G S
lay the foundation for a g reat room with the right size r ug
If you follow me on instagram you may have seen that each Monday I offer interior styling advice to anyone who is wanting to improve an area of their home. I have been running this for a few weeks now and there are two recurring styling issues that have emerged - one is placement, or lack, of art and the other is rugs. It's understandable, these two homeware items can be expensive to buy and they also require more consideration than say a new vase or some cushions. So I can see why there may be a resistance, in general, to figuring these elements out. In the next magazine issue I will tackle art - but today I want to help you with rugs. By and large the biggest issue facing the rooms I am consulting on is that there is either no rug, or the rug is too small for the space. T H I N K O F A RU G A S L AY I N G T H E F O U N DAT I O N F O R T H E RO O M
A correctly sized rug provides a foundation for the room. It is the one piece that will tie all of your furniture together and help to create cohesion. Without a rug, or the wrong sized rug, furniture can look disjointed and a bit plonked in place. In addition, a room without a rug can often have a temporary "only just moved in" feel. Now... this isn't always true. If, for instance, you are lucky enough to live in a home with stunning floors - think European oak herringbone floorboards, then perhaps you won't want a rug. But for the rest of us a rug can also help to hide an unattractive floor. And let's not forget that rugs provide a sense of softness underfoot which is always lovely.
Opposite page: River jute rug Armadillo & Co avail from Originals, Global Bench in Oak by MCM House $1,600, Velvet penny round cushions $89 each www.shoplottielifestyle.com
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W H I C H RU G S I Z E I S R I G H T F O R M Y RO O M ? Choosing a rug size is actually pretty easy. There are a couple of considerations, but as most rugs come in standard sizes, choosing the right one can be quite straight forward. Find the Ideal Size Living Room Look for a rug that (as a minimum) is big enough to allow the front legs of your furniture to all sit evenly on the rug. Each sofa or armchair should have it's front legs on the rug by a minimum 15cm (that is, at least 15cm of the rug is under the furniture - hopefully it's more). Generally, this will be a 3x4m rug. For a smaller rectangle shaped living room where you only have space for one sofa and an armchair, then a 2x3m rug will generally be the right size. The alternative is to have a rug large enough that all pieces of furniture sit on the rug (front and back legs). This will usually mean a custom sized rug - typically 4x4m in size. Bedroom In the bedroom, have your rug be large enough to fit 3/4 way under the bed with a 1/3 of the rug still visible at the foot of the bed. Depending on the overall size of your bedroom you can pull the rug up more or less- but use this as a general guide. What you don't want is a skinny strip of rug showing at the foot. Try and keep the rug looking in proportion and even with the furniture. For most king sized beds, a 2.5x3.5m rug is ideal. Dining Room Don't discount adding a rug into the dining room. If you have little ones (or big ones!) who might drop a lot of food perhaps it's not right for you. But as with other rooms in the house, a rug in the dining room will help to anchor the space. Look for a rug that is flat woven and won't catch when a chair is being pulled in and out, and in terms of size, go for a rug that provides enough space so that when the chairs are pulled out and sat on, the rug is still underneath all the legs.
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Consider Where the Rug will Go Now that you have determined the best rug size for your room, consider the foot traffic your rug will receive. In high foot traffic areas such as living rooms, choose a rug with a tighter weave that will not pull and shed, whereas in a bedroom that has significantly less foot traffic, choose a rug that is soft with perhaps a deeper pile. For rugs in dining rooms, choose a flat weave and consider how easy cleaning the fabric of the rug will be. You may also want to consider how the rug will be used. In a living room you may wish to be able to sit on the rug and it may be an area for little ones to play, in which case I highly recommend a thick underlay particularly if you have chosen a flatter weave rug. A good quality underlay will extend the wear of your rug and will also stop it from bunching and moving about, so it's worth investing in one. Buy one from a carpet supplier and have it cut to size.
For larger area rugs I prefer to go with a plain textured rug, or a textured rug with a subtle toneon-tone pattern (such as the Armadillo & Co ones) and save the more colourful patterned rugs as smaller occasional rugs in entrances and hallways. Choosing a plain textured rug will stand the test of time and see you through changes in the other colours you use in your room (different cushions, a change in bedlinen colour etc). Go for neutral tones in creams, greys or beiges that will always provide a solid foundation for your more interesting homeware choices.
Budget If you are not able to afford the rug size that you need, consider alternatives. One trick I often use is to place two Lohal rugs from Ikea side by side to create one larger looking rug. The Lohal rug does not have an obvious finish at it's edges which makes it perfect for disguising where one rug starts and the other rug ends. Sisal and other natural woven fibre rugs are similarly priced to wool blend rugs - with pure wool and wool silk blend rugs generally more expensive. Pattern or Plain When choosing a rug for your room you first need to decide whether you want something with a pattern or something plain. Consider using more than one rug in a large room. In this bedroom, I used a plain sierra rug for under the bed and a vintage moroccan rug as an accent. Honore Deco Croisette armchair in petrol velvet $973 and J’Jute basket round tall $210 www.shoplottielifestyle.com
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M Y FAVO U R I T E RU G S - Te x t u r e d , P l a i n , N e u t r a l
Clockwise: River jute rug from $640, Sierra wool rug in pumice from $1,210, Atlas wool rug in Natural from $1,440 all Armadillo & Co available in Singapore through Originals, Double Diamond Dhurrie from $850, The Grey House. Opposite page: River jute rug from $640, Armadillo & Co. Avail at Originals.
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M Y FAVO U R I T E RU G S - C o l o u r f u l a n d Pa t t e r n e d
Clockwise: Vintage Redbone Talsint 4x2.02m AUD$6,400, Vintage Landmarks Talsint 2.92x1.75m AUD$3,600, Vintage Deletar Boujad 2.14x1.42m AUD$2,950 all Tigmi Trading, Marmoucha Moroccan Rug 3.05x2.1m AUD$3,100 Mar-kett. Opposite page: Image Tigmi Trading..
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Image credit: Filip Mroz via Unsplash
HOME / LIFE Issue 1
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RU N YO U R WAY TO A F I T T E R , FA S T E R A N D H A P P I E R YO U I N L O C K D OW N W O R D S Wa r r e n Po l e
As runners we have hit the lockdown jackpot. Gyms, yoga studios and group fitness classes may all be closed for now, but running is still absolutely on the menu any time we like it. This makes now the perfect time to boost your running enjoyment and running performance so here are some key tips to do just that. FIX THAT FORM Good running form is the foundation for everything we do as runners and lockdown is the ideal time for running on the spot. Doing this in front of a mirror is a great way to refine technique using these basic tips. 1. Footfall: how loudly do your feet hit the ground? Quieter is better. The noisier your
footfall, the greater the impact (and injury risk) and the less efficient your run 2. Arms: swinging evenly on both sides, hands closed but relaxed, thumbs resting on top of index finger 3. Legs: pumping evenly 4. Body: upright and straight with head up and looking forwards. Shoulders, neck and jaw relaxed. Shoulders back so chest remains open for easy breathing 5. Pace: play with speeding up and slowing down while staying in place
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Bear in mind that running on the spot will impact your body slightly differently to regular running. This could lead to injury so aim for little and often for just a minute or two at a time throughout the day. This is also a great way of maintaining a good daily step count in lockdown when our regular steps in the working day can really suffer. 180 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER A running cadence of 180 beats per minute (bpm) is where good running form universally comes together, at any speed. If you don’t have a running watch that measures this a metronome app on your phone is a great substitute. Use some runs - or mirror sessions - to practice this pace (one beat per footstep). It will likely feel too fast at first so again, little and often is the way to gradually make it feel natural. Take care not to increase pace as well as cadence, the aim here is simply to speed up the turnover of your feet and maintain that turnover at your normal chosen pace. SET GOALS AND SMASH THEM All improvement needs a goal, so whether yours is to run your fastest 5km or to complete your local loop without stops, pick one and use these tips to make it reality.
(above) to prove to yourself you made it that far when you thought you couldn’t, and keep going. Repeat as many times as necessary. 4. Move the goalposts: things getting really rough? Make a deal with yourself that you can stop when you reach a set point. This will get you there, at which point you can double cross yourself and shift the ‘stop point’ further away again. Keep this up and you’ll cheat yourself to your goal in no time 5. Imagine world turning under your feet: a great mental trick, this simply involves imagining the ground you are running on as being like a treadmill passing beneath your feet while all you do is simply lift your feet as the kilometres flow past beneath you effortlessly NUTRITION - FUELING YOUR GOALS Hydration matters and helps the body avoid injury (think how inflexible a dried out piece of meat is - that’s you when you’re dehydrated) as well as helping immune function - saliva and mucus act as a first barrier against infection. No need to go crazy with this, simply drinking water throughout the day and being conscious of a little extra after a run will do it.
2. Use past success: look at how far you’ve already run, congratulate yourself and remember - if you can do that, you can easily succeed at what’s ahead for your goal
For anything under an hour of running, no food or drink is needed during your run. A good snack afterwards like a banana or some nuts is ideal, just beware of overdoing the ‘reward’ eating. A 5km run will burn 3-400 calories, and every kilometre will stoke your metabolism for a longer term benefit, but despite all that it won’t wipe out a full brunch with three lattes.
3. Break it down: make your big goal manageable by breaking it into smaller chunks. If you’re in a hard place and want to stop/slow down, focus on the next tree/bench/lampost. Even if it’s only 10 metres away. All you then have to do is get there. When you do, use #2
AVOID INJURY Lockdown gives us wonderful opportunities to indulge in our running, but just be mindful not to overdo it because now is really not the time to visit the physio or be stuck at home on the couch.
1. Visualise: see yourself completing your goal, enjoy the feeling of success you’ll experience
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Injury comes from large jumps in running distance, frequency or speed so while feeling tired and perhaps a bit sore after a run is normal, sharper pains in focused spots that don’t go away and/or get worse with running are not. If the latter strike, swap running for resting or walking depending on severity, along with stretching and strengthening work. Rest helps injuries go away, but that will only be temporary unless you take active steps to rehab the issue which, in most cases, requires no more than the right rest/stretch/ strength combination. www.kinetic-revolution. com is a brilliant resource for running form and injuries if you need help here in lockdown.
Warren Pole is the co-founder and CEO of natural sports nutrition company 33Fuel. He’s a seasoned runner who’s clocked up 35 ultramarathons including week-long races in the Sahara desert and all-night mountain races in the Alps as well as multiple marathons, halfmarathons and the occasional Ironman triathlon. He’s been an official pace runner for the London Marathon several times, and is a regular contributor to Runner’s World magazine. He lives in central London with his wife (and 33Fuel business partner) Erica www.33fuel.com Image credit: Mentatdgt via Pexels
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G O I N G T H E D I S TA N C E I feel like I’ve been social distancing since November. I know, that’s a long time but up here on our mountain top, high in the Himalaya, I’ve been feeling rather socially distant for some time. This happens when your home is 3000m above sea-level, perched on the top of a mountain and deep in a pine forest. You are unlikely to bump into a lot of people and the best way to find us is to just wind your way up and up and up until you reach…
here. Which is quite different from my previous life of coffee shops, beachside breakfasts, and fresh food markets on the weekend. I had a demanding job in Sydney as the CEO of a not-for-profit, lived in an inner city part of Sydney and caught a ferry to work. So returning to my husband’s home country of Bhutan, a small, land-locked, Himalayan kingdom, was what you might say a change. My husband’s work is in
artificial intelligence. Which doesn’t immediately bring to mind life in a remote Himalayan kingdom but there you are…or we are. His work at The Royal Bhutan Academy is researching ways AI might bring about transformational change to our education systems based on Bhutan’s philosophy of Gross National Happiness - all from a forest on a faraway mountain top.
GOING THE DISTANCE
W O R D S C a r o l y n H a m e r -S m i t h
I’ve lived in Bhutan before, so I knew it would be very different to my life in sunny Sydney but I also knew that this would be quite okay. You see I am having an all-out, straight-up, punchdrunk, unadulterated love affair with this tiny kingdom. And like any good love affair, I’m prepared to let it turn my life upside down in every way. However, combined with the dramatic change we have seen thrust upon the world since we moved here at the end of last year, change has gone from being someone I knew by name but never really had a deep and meaningful conversation with, to becoming a close, personal friend with whom I am now intimately acquainted with. So if you are struggling right now with being distant from those you love and all the things you love, I completely understand. Which is all to say that this year has found me living in a little cottage with staggering views across the snowy Himalaya from my front porch, supplies of water and power that tend to come and go as they please (and frankly they seem pleased a lot lately, skipping in and out of my house on a whim and having a jolly good time at my expense) and making long early morning walks to a distant farmhouse to collect milk to make our morning coffee. All this might sound a bit of a chore but here’s the thing, I find myself thriving here and delighting in it all. I genuinely love every moment of my long, frosty
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walk at sunrise over to the little farmhouse with the pretty cow and the farmer who plies me with fresh produce like eggs, milk-still-warm-totouch and recently the most divine asparagus. Be still my beating heart. Sautéed with a big splash of butter they are dreamy, cooked with melted cheese and fat red chillies (that’s a whole other story about Bhutan!) and mopped up with home-baked bread they are delightful but it’s the asparagus soup my husband made that has the crowd crying for more. Sadly, the season is quite short here and so I’m already wondering what on earth I will do without them? Perhaps the peach trees, now turning a deep, delicious pink with their sweet blossom signalling spring will make up for it… Our lives up here in the Himalaya have not been untouched by what is happening in the world at large. In fact, Bhutan is a tiny country sandwiched between the mega-nations of India and China and so is actually quite vulnerable in every way. But the country is blessed with strong and steady leadership, good governance, a small population and the capacity to make decisions swiftly and decisively. Which it did. Bhutan closed its borders to all foreigners on the very same day it confirmed its first identified case. That was weeks ago now. It’s been sealed off from its neighbours for quite some time and this has meant only a few cases exist here but even so, the schools are closed, we are all working from home and the population is social distancing – and not just the ‘I live on a mountain top’ kind either. So not all change comes in the form you hope it might. No doubt there is much about your new life in isolation that was not planned for 2020 but maybe, just maybe, there is a little corner of your day that has emerged as something lovely, a little moment that is new in your routine as a result of all this madness that you are rather quite enjoying (like a one-and-a-half-hour walk to get milk for your coffee)...or perhaps its just a change of heart, one that brings a new and
deep appreciation for the things we will be so very grateful to return to one day. So, like you, I too am worried about what is to come and how the rest of the year will unfold but I am also embracing this new life of mine that suddenly consists of frozen water pipes, wonderful winter vegetables and long walks through potato patches and pine forests. And amongst all this change, I’m finding more time to be grateful - grateful that I can work from anywhere, even here on this mountain top, grateful for the times when the power allows me to get through an entire Zoom meeting, grateful for good friends and family even when the world holds them at a distance and grateful for a lovely bunch of bright green asparagus. Always the asparagus.
Carolyn Hamer-Smith is a consultant for international NGO’s across the world, working to make imporvements in education, health and the environment. She lives in Bhutan where, together with her husband, she is building a small lodge in an apple orchard. Carolyn is passionate about businesses with a social purpose and has started a business that promotes traditional Bhutanese textiles while supporting livelihoods for women in nomadic communities. You can follow Carolyn’s Bhutanese adventures on instagram @sharilodgebhutan.
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A L M O N D R A S P B E R RY TA RT WORDS Charlie Cameron
Baking is the new must-do lockdown pastime. I love baking whether there is a global pandemic going on or not. We are a household that always has a cake, tart or biscuits in the pantry (actually that’s a bit of a misnomer - we don’t have a pantry - we have a kitchen side and a fridge - all culinary delights reside in one of those locations, usually the fridge). This almond raspberry tart is a big favourite at The Assembly Hall so if you have attended a workshop with us, you
may have already sampled it. Don’t let making pastry put you off this tart. I use a tried and tested short crust pastry, passed down to me from my Mum. The recipe I use is very simple and always works. There are a couple of tricks with making pastry - first, use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour (don’t try and cut corners and use a mixer - tips of fingers are always better). Secondly, try and make the pastry in a cool room
(sometimes we turn the aircon on in a bedroom and make it in there if it’s a really hot day). Lastly, add the water gradually and once you have brought it together with your hands stop touching it. The filling is super easy and you will be left with egg whites which you can make into meringues. An extra reason to love this recipe.
Opposite page: Handmade ceramic vintage lace platter $155, Garcon linen apron $69. www.shoplottielifestyle.com
FOOD
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Handmade ceramic vintage lace plate $76, handmade ceramic ‘pebble’ side plates set of 4, $120 www.shoplottielifestyle.com
FOOD
A L M O N D R A S P B E R RY TA RT RECIPE This recipe makes 2 pastry cases. Make the full recipe and use just half for this tart case and save the other half to make a quiche the next day. Or half the recipe. Up to you.
PA S T RY 12 oz plain flour 7 oz cold diced butter pinch of salt 4 tbsp ice cold water
FILLING 200g butter 160g sugar 6 e g g yo l k s 200g g round almonds pinch of salt 1 tsp of vanilla extract 2 tbsp raspberry jam
METHOD Preheat oven to 180c. Start by making the pastry. Rub the cold cubed butter into the flour and salt using your finger tips. Work quickly and lightly until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Gradually start adding the ice cold water. Don’t tip it all in at once, dribble it in bit by bit and start gathering the mixture together into a ball using your hands. Add enough water so that you have an elastic pliable dough but not a dough that feels slimey or wet. Once the dough comes together into a clean ball, cut it in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in cling film and place in the fridge to chill for 30 mins. Once chilled, place one of the pastry disks on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to a size big enough for your tart tin with extra to spare. Gently lift it over your tart tin and using your fingers, gently push the pastry into the tin so that it fits snugly to all the corners. You should have excess pastry flopping over the sides. Trim this excess off. Lay some baking paper over the pastry and fill with baking beans and blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking beans and leave to cool while you make your filling. For the filling, in a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg yolks slowly, beating as you go. Finally fold in the ground almonds, salt and vanilla extract and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Spread the raspberry jam on the base of your pastry case and then top with the almond filling. Place raspberries on the top (you don’t have to poke them all the way into the almond filling as they will sink a little when they cook). Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Once cool, dust with icing sugar.
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BEST OF THE REST M Y W E E K LY C O N T E N T RO U N D U P
THE HIGH LOW Podcast Hosted by Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes, The High Low is back after months of maternity leave. Funny, insightful and full of great book recommendations and articles. THE INQUIRY Podcast by BBC World Service A different episode each week with one question answered by 4 experts. This week I’ve listened to the episode “How do you help people stay rational in a pandemic”. The episode starts with an audio clip of a Sydney supermarket that is quite incredible/disturbing. THE EYE OF THE SHEEP Book, by Sophie Laguna A wonderful story told through the voice of Jimmy Flick, a boy not like other kids. At once
heartbreakingly sad and hopeful, it is a story that will stay with you long after you finish. TIGER KING Netflix Docu-series If you haven’t watched The Tiger King then you have no doubt heard of it. I have mixed feelings about this Netflix docu series. It has a compelling ‘carcrash’ aspect to it that initially reels you in. But after about two episodes my interest waned and I found the central subjects and their torrid lives all a bit depressing. I was also utterly dismayed by the treatment of the animals and apparent lack of awareness or care from the general public who continue to support these zoos through their patronage. In the end, I wished I hadn’t wasted my time watching this series.
THE GREAT HACK Netflix Documentary We have recently re-watched this documentary about the Cambridge Analytica scandal and more generally the pervasive manipulation and tracking of our data, with the kids. In light of the recent increase in governments around the world seeking sign up to tracking apps relating to Covid 19, this feels like a timely documentary to watch (or re-watch). THE RACHMAN REVIEW Podcast by The Financial Times Usually this podcast sits behind the FT’s paywall, however they are currently running a series of free to all episodes on how Covid is shaping our world. Rachman’s weekly discussions with writers, journalists and political commentators are short, easy to digest and very interesting.
CONTENT ROUNDUP
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5 MINUTES WITH... Fa z G a f f a Favourite online exercise site Alomoves! Best restaurant delivery All Things Delicious & Waku Waku for delish halal options. Comfort food I’m turning to My mother’s classic dishes: rendang, curries. So good! I’m learning how to cook them too. I’m emerging from this (in 2025) a multi-faceted cook. One thing that is guaranteed to give me a boost in the day Taking a nap when my toddler does. Naps are the best! What I miss the most Reformer pilates. My friends. Having time alone with my thoughts. You know, the usual. Best spotify playlist The Essentials - ‘80s/ ‘90s Hip-Hop. There’s no hip hop like ol’ school hip hop. Best netflix Can we do AppleTV+? Servant. SO GOOD. Favourite IG account My love project @mysafesphere - I run this account and I love the camaraderie and the outpouring of love I get from people who are looking to help someone else even though they might not be doing so well themselves. Gives me a little more hope for humanity.
Currently reading We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib Latest obsession Becoming a cliched Pinterest mum and planning new things to occupy my 2-yearold everyday What I am struggling with Finding time for myself. Is that even possible anymore?
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