VETTA April - May 2014

OFFICIAL FERR ARI DEALER

Ferrari of Austin Passion and innovation. They are at the heart of every vehicle that bears the Prancing Horse emblem and are the driving force behind everything we do at Ferrari of Austin. Indulging the requests of our clients is always our highest priority. Whether you are new to the Ferrari family or a devoted enthusiast, the team at Ferrari of Austin shares your appreciation for exceptional performance – on the road and on the track.

We invite you to experience the latest innovations from Maranello, born out of an unparalleled racing heritage. Among our products sure to increase your heart rate is the revolutionary FF. Featured above, the FF is the first production Ferrari to offer a four-wheel drive system and includes Ferrari’s exclusive 7-Year Genuine Maintenance Program.

For more information, contact your authorized Ferrari dealer: Ferrari of Austin 4108 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756 Telephone: +512.380.0231 www.ferrariofaustin.net ©2014 Ferrari North America, Inc. All rights reserved.

contents

50

April-May work

16 Business without

Boundaries: Technology Keeps Bridging the Gap by coral talavera

42 Style Guide body

money

44 The Paleo Diet Myth

18 Shopping for a

46 Growing an

Financial Advisor? Do it Right by pam friedman

20 Thumbs Down on

Financial Rules of Thumb by laura barnett

tech

22 Facts and Figures

about Remote Patient Monitoring Technologies by coral talavera & alana ortiz

by nathan cranford

Athlete’s Mentality by nicole renna

casa

48 Back to Basics:

Rediscovering Good Ideas in Home Architecture by peter pfeiffer

50 Ooh La La! A

Comprehensive Guide to French Antiques and Terminology by maureen stevens

moda

25 Power Play 30 Andiamo!

37 In the Garden...

4 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

42

BLACK + VERNOOY ARCHITECTURE

AND

URBAN

DESIGN

contents

April-May 64 58

68

52 explore

on the cover Sanya Richard-Ross Melissa Hervey photography: Toper Ferguson hair and makeup: The Hair Clinic, Austin wardrobe: Dress by Designer Linda Asaf; Bracelet and Ring from Fab’rik model:

styling by:

mind

52 Worth Her Weight in Gold: Q&A with Sanya Richards-Ross by coral talavera

56 Creating Flow is a Simple Choice by andrew long

58 Brains, Beauty

and Heart: Up Close with Spruce Dickerson by coral talavera

amore

61 Marriage Evolved: Unions Then and Now by ann marie jackson

6 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

62 Obrigado for Brazilian Cuisine by coral talavera

64 Off to Northern Territory, Australia by coral talavera

68 Spring into

Modern Art: Inside Some of the Best Art Shows for 2014 by coral talavera

70 Discover the Cities where Creativity is Still Thriving by ann marie jackson

72 MARKETPLACE

the faces of vetta

coral talavera

andres mattei

alana ortiz

Coral is the brains and drive-force behind VETTA. Her unswerving discipline and freakish work ethic are what keep the magazine (and everyone in it!) on a military schedule. As an eager PR and marketing pro and a sales superstar, Coral loves to meet and connect with local businesses but never loses touch with the many people from around the world that have helped her become an accomplished communicator and savvy business woman. This Puerto Rican spitfire is highly ambitious, to say the least…

A music major and surfer at heart, Andrés is one of the partners at VETTA. Pancho (as his adoring wife likes to call him) works closely with our advertisers and the nice folks at each one of VETTA’s pickup points. Andrés also takes a big part in the production process and is always making sure that everybody keeps a relaxed “Caribbean” attitude in the otherwise hectic and intricate process of creating our unique publication.

Extraordinarily gifted in design and original composition, Alana is a creative force to be reckoned with. After living and completing her Master’s Degree in Brooklyn, she has helped businesses of all shapes and sizes find their voice through strategic and engaging visual creations, including photography (one of her passions). Alana loves to work with social, cultural and environmental initiatives and this comes as no surprise to anyone who meets her; you may quickly sense her easygoing nature and free spirit… yoga and drum circles may have something to do with it.

OWNER + PUBLISHER + EDITOR IN CHIEF

PARTNER + PUBLICATION MANAGER

ART DIRECTOR

special thanks to URBANSPACE INTERIORS for inviting us to their beautiful downtown showroom to shoot Sanya for our cover.

JOSE LUIS SALON for the awesome hair and makeup for all our models.

DESIGNER LINDA ASAF for lending Sanya’s incredible outfits.

melissa hervey

topher ferguson

Melissa Hervey is a local up and coming personal and editorial wardrobe stylist. An Austin transplant, Melissa was born and raised in Sugar Land, Texas and relocated to Austin upon graduation from Texas A&M University. Her background in competitive figure skating taught her the importance of self-presentation, and the art of costuming at a very early age. In her blog, Sweet Melissa Style, you’ll get to know her take on the latest styles and upcoming trends in worldwide Fashion.

Proud father and best friend of a 9-year-old cuteness and a 2-year-old schnauzer, Topher has made a name for himself in portrait photography in and around Austin, and is solidly making his way through commercial and artistic composition. Topher is also a photography teacher and having worked with numerous local celebrities, models and designers, Topher is quickly building his empire (while still managing to catch every episode of House of Cards). He’s a lover of steak and cupcakes. Oh, and gracious acceptor of free steaks and free cupcakes.

FASHION STYLIST

8 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

PHOTOGRAPHER

connect with us

the faces of vetta

andrew long

CONTRIBUTOR FOR MIND Andrew Long is an accelerator, creator, and writer. His strategic life coach practice assists clients, in the shortest amount of time, to broaden and deepen their business, relationship, and personal life outcomes.

anne marie jackson CONTRIBUTOR FOR AMORE + EXPLORE

Austin-born, Anne Marie is a weirdo among weirdoes, and has lived and worked in Seoul, South Korea and New York City. Currently writing her second book, a satirical self-help book entitled “How to live your life (and other bullshit you’ll believe because I wear glasses)”, Anne Marie likes it when people describe her as a “mover and a shaker”.

She does both of those things. An actress and a writer, Anne Marie has a background in comedy and was trained in both improv and sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City.

nicole renna

CONTRIBUTOR FOR BODY

laura barnett CONTRIBUTOR FOR MONEY

A Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Nicole has been coaching people to success for over 9 years and her experience is extensive, ranging from boot camps, group workouts, individualized weight loss/gain programs, sports performance, corrective injury therapy, nutrition consultation, and flexibility. In addition she holds specialized certifications including Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES), Performance Exercise Specialist (PES), and Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS) from NASM.

Laura’s expertise as a financial planner is widely recognized in the industry, having been quoted in the Financial Times and The Washington Post, among others.

Laura is President of Barnett Financial and has long been an advocate for the individual investor, having a voice with the firm to address the shortcomings of the typical sales-oriented broker-client relationship. She is a NAPFAregistered advisor and a Certified Financial Planner.

maureen stevens

nathan cranford

pam friedman

peter pfeiffer

Maureen is an interior designer, decorator and stylist in Austin. From curating vignettes to designing spaces, she thrives in spotting unique finds, collecting curiosities and creating homes and spaces that may be a tad classic, definitely sophisticated, but playful, dramatic, unpretentious and full of character all at the same time. Her pastry of choice is always a French Macaron (in any flavor or hue), she won’t take coffee unless it has lots of milk (Cafe Au Lait or nothing!) and she absolutely adores courtyards.

Nathan Cranford is an accomplished science and entertainment freelance writer. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a minor in History of Science, Technology and Medicine.

During his undergraduate career, he served as a columnist and copyeditor for the Oklahoma Daily and COEUS Magazine. Post-graduation, Nathan served as a health reporter for daily Rx News and currently serves as a science writer for the Guardian Liberty Voice.

Pam has over 20 years of financial planning and investment experience, having spent time on Wall Street in both New York and London, structuring and raising capital for public and private companies. Upon her return to Texas, Friedman spent six years on the faculty of the Finance Department in the McCombs School of Business (University of Texas). As partner at Silicon Hills Wealth Management, Pam’s particular area of interest is client education, helping consumers familiarize and be comfortable with wide-ranging financial issues.

Peter is an accredited professional architect, interior designer and building scientist, who has spent over three decades developing pragmatic high-performance structures. Along with his partner at Barley & Pfeiffer, he has had work published in and out of the US, in publications such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Fine Homebuilding and Better Homes & Gardens. In 2006, Residential Architect called him one of the 10 most influential residential architects of the decade and in 2010 he was nominated for the Hanley Award for his efforts to advance green building in America.

CONTRIBUTOR FOR CASA

10 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

CONTRIBUTOR FOR BODY

CONTRIBUTOR FOR MONEY

CONTRIBUTOR FOR CASA

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letter from the publishers

W

e knew that starting VETTA was ambitious, an exciting challenge to say the least, but once we started networking, asking around and telling people about who we are, what we planned to bring to Austin and, above all, the amount of time we had set out to do it in, most people saw it as downright impossible.

With our deepest gratitude, Coral Talavera & Andres Mattei

Trying to educate the naysayers, laptop in hand and with baby number two on the way, we started knocking on doors and making phone calls to hundreds of people, in search of support towards our unique publication and eager to share our incredibly bold vision.

Without having worked at any of the local ad agencies and with no big budget to start, some people were calling us flat-out crazy.

Regardless, we were truly blessed to find support and enthusiasm in our family and friends, including our hugely talented Art Director and buddy for over fifteen years, Alana. We also made new friends along the way, and received great encouragement from the two other shining stars that made this launch issue possible: our Fashion Editor, Melissa Hervey, and Topher Ferguson, the genius behind the lens. Without them, this issue would not have been possible, asĂ­ que gracias, muchachos.

We set out on an unprecedented search for the most informative, complete and high-end content. To us, it was crucial that it reflected Austin’s unique personality and potential, but still be international-grade. In our hunt, we got in contact with some of the most brilliant minds we’ve had the pleasure to work with and as a result, came across some editorial

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gems. We are truly thankful to the talented group of contributors and writers that helped shape the magazine into the incredible product that is VETTA, as well as humbled by the extraordinary exchanges with two truly classy ladies that came on board as our guests of honor for launch.

To keep the wheels in motion, we pressingly needed the support of advertisers to ultimately bring home the bacon, but also to help us develop the sophisticated nature of the magazine and alluring marketplace that VETTA represents. Huge thanks are in order for the awesome brands and supporters that invested their time and resource in our publication. They are not only new friends and partners in this exciting venture, but to us they are equal visionaries who trust what an incredible communication tool VETTA embodies.

Lastly, we experienced brief stints of collaborations with other local voices and great minds that are anxiously awaiting our release and whose help we also want to acknowledge.

As you may have already gathered, these have been the craziest eight weeks of our lives and we are immeasurably grateful for every single minute of joy, challenges, lessons and occasional tears that producing VETTA has meant to its two owners and publishers. From the bottom of our young, eager and ridiculously hungry Puerto Rican hearts, we thank Austin, TX for opening its doors and hearts. This is only the beginning.

FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS

appunti

see you at the track!

Rev up your engines and take the ride of your life at Circuit of the Americas to benefit the children of Austin!

Take on other drivers on the Formula 1 racetrack on Saturday, March 29th at “Ride. Drive. Give”, a charity event hosted by the Center for Child Protection in kind partnership with Lexus of Austin. Right after, from April 11th to 13th Austin will go from 0 to 100mph in under 5 seconds at MotoGP’s Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. Experience one of the best racing events in the world right here in Austin, where the best motor racers will take on one of the most exhilarating and challenging courses in the GP circuit.

motogp.com

fashionweekaustin.com

what’s new for austin fashion week 2014?

For the first time in AFW, University Fashion Group will be a part of the event, kicking off the elite weeklong engagement on April 24th with an exhibition of the latest work of UFG’s senior students. AFW will also debut their Local Vendor Showcase, an opportunity for shoppers and fans to get their hands on exclusive apparel and merchandise from the best designers in Austin.

The Contemporary Austin (contemporaryaustin.org)

discover a secret affair Art lovers: The Contemporary Austin will be presenting “A Secret Affair: Selections from the Fuhrman Family Collection” this May at the Jones Center. This exhibition, featuring work from the collection of Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman, brings to Austin a group of works by exceptional artists like Ron Mueck, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Katharina Fritsch and Louise Bourgeois, and captivates the spectator in a reverie of sculpture revolving around the theme of the body and it’s absence. A must.

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editor’s picks

April-May

1

MANHATTAN CHIC Created to transport any discerning design enthusiast to a dreamy NY penthouse, Chilewich evokes the sophistication of the Big Apple and the sleekness of modern design with their Manhattan Tray Project.

This set of black and white glossy iron trays are the first in a series of high-end creations from the East Coast design studio. Customizable with over a hundred Chilewich placemats, these trays, perfect for entertaining, are sure to wow any guest. ($85; www.chilewich.com)

2 3

JETSETTING IN STYLE

HIT THE GREEN BAREFOOT Hit the golf course barefoot without fear of getting kicked out by the marshal!

Vibram FiveFingers has designed the new Speed XC Lite for the minimalist golfer who seeks the natural feel and grip of bare feet, with the protection Vibram soles offer. These peculiar, precision-engineered marvels will keep you light on your feet, relaxed and confident while practicing your stroke and showing off your skills (or at least look great while trying). Also great for regular outdoor use and casual occasions, these cool sneaks never fail to make heads turn. ($110; www. vibramfivefingers.com)

4

BUILD YOUR HOUSE OF CARDS

Setting a new standard in stylish travel, Tumi fuses bold style and cutting edge technology effortlessly for their Vapor series. This lightweight, easy-to-maneuver piece combines strength, durability and chic aesthetics in a one-of-a-kind piece of luggage. This particular item caught my eye, in part by my fascination with Jonathan Adler and his awesome design perspective. For those who favor neutrals, Vapor also comes in other designer shades and sizes. ($495; www.tumi.com)

Every season, Areaware, one of my favorites design studios, comes up with something awesomely unique and quirky. This time around, their Plywood Playing Cards inspire not only competitive gaming, but also wildly imaginative free play. The Mid-Century inspired set will look great next to your beloved Eames piece and will outlive even the wildest party, all quality-made from durable birch plywood. The set is on pre-sale, hitting e-shelves May – June 2014. (www.areaware.com)

V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

15

work

BUSINESS WITHOUT BOUNDARIES:

TECHNOLOGY KEEPS BRIDGING THE GAP by coral talavera

I

f you had tried to explain this to anyone 50 years ago, our undeniable Internet dependency and the tremendous amount of information transmitted on any given day over the worldwide web would have seemed as plausible to them as walking on Jupiter. As complex social creatures and responsive products of our environment, we have created solid routines and constantly use technology – not just the Internet – to maximize time and resources, to try to improve all our daily activities and to fill gaps in almost every aspect of our lives. Don’t feel slave to it; that’s what it’s for, since the invention of the wheel or the discovery of fire.

VETTA, my business, depends on it, so to me a Monday without Internet – and I hate to admit it – could result in collapses and / or seizures.

Modern technology shortens communication time, increases productivity and by doing so, promotes growth of your business.

In the days of old, ideas took forever to travel from one end of the country to the other, let alone the planet. Before you continue to take for granted how spoiled technology has made you, try to imagine having to send that big proposal you’ve been working on with a horseback messenger. No tracking, no confirmation, not even a computer to type it on. These astounding developments have not only sped up our everyday operations, but have also, in essence, made our world seem much smaller. Strategic communication, effective integration of diverse exchange platforms and blazin’-fast Internet have made it possible for me and my business partners to communicate effortlessly and to engage in exciting commercial relations with people not only across the US, but also in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Japan and Greece – although, of course, international business always poses a slight chance of a certain CEO’s disoriented assistant calling your personal number at 2pm, Athens time.

This shift towards what decades ago would have seemed like time-travel has created a perpetual impact on communication, which for some has rendered little old Mrs. Pen and Mr. Paper 16 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

obsolete. Nonetheless, the tools that have been made available to mainstream consumers and businesses are designed for users on their toes. Tech trends are evolving faster and faster each cycle and if you lack skills or interest to keep up, well, may the odds be ever in your favor. If you’ve postponed that intro course for way too long, procrastinated with upgrading your devices at work or neglected to update software, you my friend are not only limiting some boundless opportunities, but in the long run may be doing your business a huge disservice.

Firstly, do not underestimate the importance of that little handheld wonder that is your phone. Take some time to know it, give it maintenance when needed, and use it to it’s fullest potential. I call, email and text clients regularly, as you probably do, but also use apps to manage my clients and sales leads (through our CRM software), use folder sharing web apps to communicate with my team, search the web, review proposals, sign documents, upload blog posts, make purchases, pay vendors, take pictures and execute a chockfull of essential tasks from my phone or tablet.

Calling long distance and paying a left arm for it is a thing of the

past, so take advantage of a plethora of online tools that help reach customers, investors or whomever overseas. You may already be doing all of this and I hope that is the case; if not, you need to start with your tutorial. Commit (or don’t) to a reliable service provider and start using your phone to its fullest potential.

Meanwhile, the Internet has become the foremost source of information, so it’s important that your online presence represents your brand and speaks to the world in a way that is accurate, consistent and effective. It is appalling to some but only 44% of businesses across the US have a functional website, while an even smaller group is effectively engaging with viewers through social media, online marketing, cyber networking or achieving optimum search engine performance. To newbies, these practices are vastly complex and the choices can be overwhelming. Still, it’s important to strategically shift towards these trends, especially when countries all over the world are importing new tendencies in commerce, business and technology that are wildly foreign to even our hard-core techies.

Moreover, if you want to take that next step in relationship building and international networking, a wide selection of cyber meeting resources are available for businesses of all sizes. Remember, all new technologies may seem pricey and intimidating at first, but as with all globalized crazes, the process in which they begin to cheapen are sometimes telltale signs that more and more people are jumping on board (or that they are in decline because they suck). Research, ask around and go the extra mile to setup that first meeting (time zone permitting) with that big potential overseas. It beats the heck out of paying for a plane ticket.

In contrast, you can’t send samples of your products or the actual goods over the phone or Internet yet, so shipping and freight companies worldwide have also sped up considerably to maintain a high level of service, by developing tech for advanced tracking, delivery confirmation, logistics and impressive database management tools.

These have allowed them to innovate and continuously break their own records (reminiscent of ‘Castaway’, I know). Just shy of commemorating the FedEx brand’s tenth anniversary, the logistics mogul even stole a little bit of Santa’s thunder, since nearly half of US consumers went Christmas shopping online last year, resulting in a battle to the death between FedEx and UPS over the coveted parcels. These companies put to shame the proverbial trip around the world in 80 days; today your package can cross the Atlantic overnight, and just wait until drones come knockin’ at your door.

Long gone are the days of the telegram, no more will we wait for the mailman to bring a check and good riddance to painful long-distance bills. To my grandparents, I may seem like an impatient workaholic, constantly giving in to the hustle and bustle of an incessantly hectic work routine that firmly rests on reliable Wi-Fi. To them these are just trivial devices, but I understand that technology is one of the quintessential expressions of our evolution and trade has done its share of growing with it.

Technology is designed to enrich the lives of those who can gain access to it and exclusivity is no longer the norm. Don’t put it off any longer; start using these tools in a way that is sensible for your business and practical to you. Research, seek support and make a conscious effort to both maximize efficiency and achieve successful integration of all aspects of your business. Failing to acknowledge the convenience of technology and its awesome power is to turn your back (and you’re business’) on the rest of the world.

money

SHOPPING FOR A FINANCIAL ADVISOR? DO IT RIGHT.

IT’S TIME: Your financial situation is getting more complex and you have less time and energy to devote to it. You need some financial help. Where do you go from here?

by pam freidman

experience and qualifications matter Referrals from friends, co-workers or other professionals are a great place to start. But be sure to give each referral the weight that it deserves by carefully examining the advisor relationship. What do they like about the advisor? How long have they worked with the advisor? How often do they meet?

What topics are covered at the meetings? Who calls the meetings? Does the client request the meetings or does the advisor reach out to the client? How responsive is the advisor

to requests for service?

Next, check the firm’s website and read your prospective advisor’s biography before you call for an appointment. What designations do they have? One prominent designation is the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CPF) designation. These professionals are required to pass a rigorous two-day exam, have at least three years’ experience and complete ongoing education.

compliance matters Several governmental and professional organizations regulate the activities of financial advisors. Be sure to use the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Broker Check (you can do it online by visiting brokercheck.finra.org) or the Texas Department of

Insurance, to see if your potential advisor has any prior or pending actions. If the initial review goes well, the next step is to prepare yourself for your first meeting with the advisor.

goals and risk matter

the team matters

Be sure your advisor has a clear picture of your current financial situation, your attitude toward investment risk, and your financial goals – both the essentials, like saving for retirement or college, and the dreams, like owning your own business.

Consider whether the advisor’s approach is too conservative or too aggressive for you. If possible, try to meet other members of the advisor’s support team. Remember that you’ll be interacting with the firm as well as the advisor.

Some financial advisors work alone, while others work as part of a team. If other professionals are on that team (such as estate planning attorneys, CPAs and tax professionals or insurance agents) you’ll want to understand how these professionals are associated with the advisor and how they are compensated. You may want to get a list of their names to check their backgrounds as well.

18 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

costs and services matter Ask about the advisor’s suite of services offered and how they are compensated for their efforts. Keep in mind that compensation and service offerings vary greatly. You should be clear on the terms an advisor uses. An advisor may describe his or her service as fee only, which likely means that the advisor charges a flat or hourly fee. The advisor may also charge based on a percentage of the investments he or she will manage on your behalf, or via commissions paid by the provider of the investment sold to you. Never assume anything. If fees are not clear or transparent to you, ask more questions. While no single model is right for everyone, it is important to understand how your advisor is compensated and what services you should expect from the advisor.

timing matters Most clients seek out an advisor during or after a significant transition (e.g. job loss, career change, marriage, a new baby, children going to college, retirement or even divorce). Think about how much easier your transition will be financially and emotionally if you begin working with an advisor beforehand in order to plan for these eventualities.

transition matters Once you have decided to engage the advisor it is important to understand the steps needed to effect the transition. Will accounts need to be moved? Will existing investments have to be sold to make the transition?

What costs will you incur for making the transition? Then finally, it is important to understand your exit options. The advisor should be able to quickly walk you through both your transition to their firm, as well as a potential transition from their firm.

monitoring matters Engaging a financial advisor is not a license to ignore your financial obligations. You still need to pay attention. This is your financial future, regardless of who is playing on your team. An experienced and qualified advisor will likely have tools available to assist you in monitoring the progress of your financial plan.

Surely the financial success you’ve had so far is in great part due to careful planning in your business endeavors. Apply the same care and attention to your hunt for a financial advisor. Taking these steps will help you connect with the advisor that is right for you and your financial future.

body

money thumbs down on financial rules of thumb by laura barnett lion

O

ftentimes the simplest advice is the best. For example, it’s a good idea to not talk religion or politics in social situations. While there are some instigators out there who may enjoy stirring the pot, this simple rule of thumb is one that many people follow and benefit from.

Financial planning is an area that is rife with rules of thumb, and they sometimes serve as helpful guidelines. However, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone has a unique financial situation and a rule of thumb may not capture all the relevant details. Moreover, if a rule of thumb prevents one from doing his or her homework, it can do more harm than good. Below are just a few examples of financial planning rules of thumb that may require further clarification.

1 rule

#1: Maximize your 401(k) contributions

Yes, but…make sure you’re receiving the maximum employer match.

Most people are aware that, as a general rule, you should max out your employee retirement savings plan. Federal rules say that you can contribute up to $17,500 to a 401(k), 403(b) 457 or Thrift Savings plan in 2014, plus $5,500 if you are age 50 or older, and that’s all great.

That said, it’s important to keep in mind that corporate retirement plans vary widely, and if you’re not careful you may miss out on employermatching benefits. High-income earners who contribute aggressively are one such case. At Apple, for example, the match is calculated on a per-pay-period basis, so to maximize the match you need to contribute a minimum of 6% per pay period for all pay periods for which you are eligible. If you contribute too aggressively and hit the maximum IRS contribution limit early in the year, you may not receive the maximum match.

To make this more concrete, let’s take a look at a high-income earner named John. He is age 45, earns $250,000 per year (paid monthly), and he contributes 15% of his compensation to his 401(k).

His employer kicks in a 50% match up to 6% of income on a perpay-period basis. At this contribution rate, John would hit the limit of $17,500 by June. He would receive the employer match for only six months since he could no longer contribute for the rest of the year. By contrast, if he spread his contributions over the full 12 pay periods, (deferring 7% instead of the 15%), he would maximize his contributions and would receive a total of $7,500 in matching funds – double the original amount! It’s still early in the year. Make sure you are taking full advantage of your company’s match, especially if you are a highincome earner.

(which they usually do), the question is “when is it in my best interest to use one or the other, or a combination of the two?”

The key difference between a Roth 401(k) and a traditional 401(k) is with a Roth you pay taxes on the money you contribute today, but pay no taxes when you withdraw the money in retirement. With a traditional 401(k), you pay no taxes on the money you contribute today, but do pay taxes upon withdrawal during retirement.

Let’s look at two demographic extremes. Those who are young and just entering the workforce would generally benefit more from a Roth, since their incomes are smaller and they are not likely to benefit as much from present day tax deferrals. At the other extreme, those who are in their peak earning years and nearing retirement generally stand to benefit most from traditional 401(k) plans, since the act of contributing reduces their present day taxable income, and the withdrawals occur later in retirement when they may be in a lower tax bracket. There is obviously a wide range between these two demographic extremes, and it is not always clear-cut as to which is preferable. Indeed, in some cases it might be a good strategy to use a combination of the two as a diversification strategy. In any case, what’s clear is that this issue is complicated and a broad brush, rule of thumb strategy may not be in your best interest.

3

#3: Use a self-directed 401(k) to access more investment options. rule

Yes, but…be careful how you use this investment freedom.

An interesting development in the retirement planning world over the past several years has been the rise of “brokerage window”, or self-directed 401(k) plans. A self-directed 401(k) offers the same pre-tax savings benefits, automated payroll deductions, and standard contribution limits as a traditional 401(k). The advantage to a selfdirected 401(k) is that the investor has literally thousands of investment options rather than being limited to the dozen or so mutual funds that exist in the typical, traditional 401(k) plan. Unfortunately, many plan participants use the brokerage window to invest in unsuitable or speculative investments, hoping to win big on a tax-deferred basis.

Instead, it is better to select high-quality investments that fit within your overall portfolio objectives and personal goals.

4

#4: Rollover your 401(k) plan to an IRA at retirement. rule

Yes, but…maybe not.

Yes, but…it’s not always a clear-cut choice.

As baby boomers begin to near and enter retirement, many are choosing to roll their 401(k) into an IRA. Many do so to access a broader range of investment options or perhaps to consolidate their retirement assets into a single account. Regrettably, in many cases, individuals are pushed to do so by a commission-based broker who receives a healthy fee on the rollover. However, there are a number of good reasons to leave your funds in your current plan rather than moving them to an IRA rollover. Perhaps the most important relates to your ability to access your funds. If you retire from a company at age 55 or older, you can access the money in your 401(k) without being subject to the 10% early withdrawal penalties, while IRAs generally require you to wait until age 591/2.

Half of all employers now offer a Roth 401(k) – Dell and IBM among them – in addition to the traditional 401(k) option. In many cases, an employee is allowed to contribute to either plan, or a combination of the two. So assuming the two plans have the same investment options

Rules of thumb are great, but planning your retirement is not like knowing to avoid sensitive topics at a cocktail party. It’s important to do your homework or to talk with a qualified professional who can do it for you.

2

#2: Contribute to a Roth 401(k) instead of a traditional 401(k) to save taxes rule

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tech

FA C T S & FI GU R E S A B O U T

remote patient monitoring technologies by coral talavera

/ infographic by alana ortiz

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t’s one thing to say that a good number of Americans can’t commit to taking their vitamin as part of a regular daily regimen, but to learn that three out of four US patients fail to take their medicines as prescribed – including 80% of cancer victims nationwide – just makes our jaws drop. As if healthcare didn’t cost us enough already, the medical non-adherence crisis has grown in such an alarming way, that it’s actually made room for a billion-dollar market for tech developers and investors to jump into. So much, in fact, that Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) technologies stole the spotlight from the movie-sized TV sets and the uber-cool bots at CES 2014 in Las Vegas last January, as one of the most aggressive up and coming tech trends for the year.

Parallel to the hip wearables that are now spreading like wildfire, RPM devices and health telecommunications gadgets are gradually making their way into the mainstream playing field. Last year alone, venture capitalists put a whopping $102 million into RPM companies, partly because changes in federal requirements for doctor compensation are inevitably making hospitals invest in devices that enable patient care outside of exceedingly expensive hospital facilities. The theory is that better chronic care management will keep costs down. If patients can manage conditions such as diabetes and heart disease better outside of the hospital, costly medical episodes are less likely to occur. In sum, the need for swift implementation of these cuttingedge tracking tools is increasingly evident, as it is estimated to potentially cut up to $190 billion in yearly national healthcare expenditures between 2010 and 2035.

Although RPM technologies are not necessarily new (earliest traces of funding and prototype activity are reported as early as 2006), they have considerably picked up steam thanks to the involvement of key (well-funded) players worldwide. The market, estimated at $3.9 billion in 2007, has more than doubled since and is estimated to exhibit a share of over $20 billion within the next couple of years.

Moreover, analysts believe that RPM companies are now sprouting left and right thanks in part to low costs, and therefore, ease of entry into the market. Although wireless transmission of data and sensors to collect it are not necessarily recent innovations, venture capitalists are showing a growing interest due to the advances in 22 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

application development and mobile device integration that has been demonstrated since last year.

The basic premise seems simple enough: RMP technologies are designed to constantly monitor user activity to ensure and, in essence, dramatically elevate medical adherence levels among US patients. The basic notion behind the development of said devices is to produce the equivalent of having a doctor in each home to make sure patient X takes the required pills and follows the procedure as outlined by the MD, while tracking his or her progress. So far, RMP technologies have been applied to wide-ranging areas of study, including lifestyle tracking, such as measuring calories intake, sleep, heart rate, temperature, glucose levels, subject schedule and levels of physical activity.

Some RMP devices have been designed to closely observe and measure treatment of specific conditions, including arrhythmia, gout, arthritis and diabetes, just to name a few. For many seniors, these devices are greatly facilitating their process to age in place, granted that they receive the appropriate training to manage the gadgets and the necessary apps. Future mommies could have the luxury of in-home (or at-work) fetal monitoring and the convenience of tracking their own health patterns during pregnancy. The use for these technologies has gone so far as to help provide aid to natural disaster victims, through worldwide data reporting.

However, one of the challenges faced by RMP technologies was the resurgence of impossible user interfaces, as the first prototypes completely defeated the purpose of making healthcare – however remote and seemingly convenient – accessible or even user-friendly. Luckily, their evolution has brought on great strides in consumer integration, as RMP technologies are now mobileminded and have begun to integrate seamlessly with personal computers, tablets and smart phones.

Another hurdle is that to regulatory bodies, these monitoring apps are the equivalent of medical devices, and as such, need FDA approval for operation in clinical settings. Providers also need to figure out how to use all the data collected; standards for HIPPA compliance, as well as delineation of appropriate communication channels between physicians, patients, insurance companies and device developers still produce some gray areas that need some fine tuning.

Nonetheless, RPM gadgets now seem like proven tools for success, as controlled studies on implementation as far back as 2006 have constantly demonstrated a medical adherence rate of up to 98 percent. Funding for these projects shows no sign of slowing down, especially now that the national healthcare industry is under siege and in need of a serious jolt. As eager consumers and followers of technology, we can only hope that RPM devices fulfill the paradigm of accessible, individualized healthcare for Americans and, of course, that these innovations are always used for the proverbial ‘greater good’.

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ha ir by : j ose bui t r on | m ake up by : s ar a da l e pr o d uc t s : or ib e, wel l a & jo se lu i s m akeu p p ho to gra ph y by : j ohn c o n ro y p hot ogr ap h y mo del : r ’b onn ey n ol a mo del ( Na tu r all y F it A gen cy ): mit ch e l l m ac ti er

l oc ation s: 17 17 W. 6 t h S t . S u it e 1 23 Lama r U ni o n (o pen ing F a ll 201 4) w w w. jo s el u is s alon .com 51 2. 474 .1 1 46

moda ON DAVID: Blazer, Shirt, Tie & Pants from Billy Reid ON JORDAN: Earrings ($1,550) and Necklace ($4,850) by Zoltan David; Dress by Hemline ($33); Bag from Luxe Apothetique

POWER PLAY styling: Melissa Hervey photography: Topher Ferguson editing: Coral Talavera hair & makeup: Jose Luis Salon

A DRAMATIC MIX OF BUSINESS AND PLEASURE FOR TOP EXECUTIVES AND TRENDY SOCIALITES.

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SUITS AND TIES IN INTERESTING COLORS AND TEXTURES MEET LACE AND SEXY SEE-THROUGHS IN A SERIES OF OUTFITS DESIGNED FOR SOPHISTICATED, MODERN COUPLES.

ON DAVID: Blazer, Shirt, Tie & Pants from Billy Reid; Wacth by Michael Kors; Belt from Capra & Cavelli ON JORDAN: Earrings ($2,900) and Necklace ($2,700) by Zoltan David; Top by Luxe Apothetique ($60); Skirt from Hemline ($122)

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ON DAVID: Jacket from Capra & Cavelli; Shirt, Tie, Belt and Pants from Billy Reid, Ring by Zoltan David ($4,850) ON JORDAN: Earrings by Zoltan David ($3,520); Jacket from Hemline ($205); Dress from Luxe Apothetique ($69)

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BOLD, HEADTURNING JEWELRY COMPLIMENTS OUR COLLECTION OF DARK FABRICS AND SLEEK MATERIALS FOR A DRAMATIC TAKE ON COCKTAIL ATTIRE.

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ON JORDAN: Necklace ($22) and Jumper ($125) both from Hemline ON DAVID: Shirt and Tie from Billy Reid; Jacket from Capra & Cavelli; Ring

by Zoltan David ($2,630) and watch by Michael Kors

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moda

andiamo SOME OF THE COOLEST TRENDS IN CASUAL MENSWEAR FOR THE JET SETTER IN YOU.

styling: Melissa Hervey | photography: Topher Ferguson | editing: Coral Talavera | hair & makeup: Jose Luis Salon 30 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

o!

ON RODRIGO: T-Shirt and Shorts, both from Capra & Cavelli ON DONNIE: T-Shirt and Shorts, both from Capra & Cavelli

NOTHING MAKES A BIGGER STATEMENT THAN A STROLL ABOUT TOWN IN A RED HOT FERRARI, SO WE’VE REACHED A CLOSE SECOND WITH THESE COOL AND CASUAL TRENDS FOR MODERN MEN ON THE GO.

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ON RODRIGO: Top and Pants from Capra & Cavelli ON DONNIE: Shirt, Watch and Pants from Capra & Cavelli

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FOR THE GUYS, WE LOVE GEOMETRICS AND STRIPES IN COMPLIMENTARY COLORS AS WELL AS JEANS AND DARK SHADES.

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BUTTON DOWNS MEET HIGH-TECH DENIM FOR HANDSOME LOOKS, AND SLEEK ACCESSORIES COMPLETE THESE OUTFITS FOR FASHIONISTAS READY TO PAINT THE TOWN.

ON DONNIE: Shirt, belt, pants and Watch from Capra & Cavelli ON RODRIGO: Shirt, Belt and Jeans from Capra & Cavelli

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moda

TAKE

Treat your makeup bag to the joy of travel with these great finds from around the globe.

We’ve brought together some of today’s hottest international beauty products from our favorite lines.

FLIGHT!

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1. Fango Ferma Mud Mask

by BORGHESE, from ITALY

The Mediterranean Diet for your face! This rich mask uses mineral-rich volcanic mud sourced from Tuscany with other luscious ingredients to visibly firm your skin.

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$73; www.borghese.com

2. Rose Otto Ecorganic Facial Oil

by ESTELLE & THILDE, from SWEDEN

Turn back the clock with this unique blend of oils from rose otto, blueberry and sacha inci (the richest source of omega 3, 6 and 9) www.estellethild.com

3. Greek Yogurt Sleeping Facial

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by KORRES, from GREECE

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Sounds delicious! It’s a weightless soufflé with rich proteins that melt into your skin for intense, overnight moisturizing. $45; www.korresusa.com

4. Scandal Queen Mascara

by FAIRYDROPS, from JAPAN

Created by Japanese TV personality Aya Yasuda, Fairydrops mascaras are designed to super-size eyes and take any look to the next level. $30; www.fairydrops.com

5. Apostle Skin-Brightening Serum

by ANTIPODES, from NEW ZEALAND

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Helps target pigmentation, brighten skin and restore even tone, formulated with revolutionary bioactive ingredients from New Zealand nature. $58; www.antipodesnature.us

6. Peach Vaseline Lip Balm

by PERFUMERIA GAL, from SPAIN

Since 1870, Salvador Echeandia Gal has produced one of the best selling lines in the world. In yummy flavors and beautiful tins, Gal’s lip balms are a staple in purses across the globe. $9; www.spanishshoponline.com

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moda

In the

garden A charming and feminine collection of spring trends for modern nymphs

styling: Melissa Hervey photography: Topher Ferguson editing: Coral Talavera hair & makeup: Jose Luis Salon

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Sheer fabrics, ruffles and shimmering materials bring our girls to full bloom in this enchanted setting for our Spring Fashion story. Rose, cream and white make for an attractive and feminine pallet this season, and we must not forget the timeless elegance of gold. Meanwhile, earth tones, muted hues and neutrals contrast with a punch of burgundy and turquoise to create depth and variety. To enhance this unique mix of looks, we brought in the romance of crochet, played with lengths and incorporated sexy slits.

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ON ROSSI: Dress and Bracelets from Langford Market; Necklace from Rejected Hearts Club Jewelry ON EMILY: Dress, Blazer and Bracelet from Langord Market; Necklace from Rejected Hearts Club Jewelry ON SAMANTHA: Earring (as headpiece) by Rejected Hearts Club Jewelry; Dress from Luxe Apothetique

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ON ROSSI: Earrings and Dress from Luxe Apothetique; Bracelets from Langford Market

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ON SAMANTHA: Earcuff and Necklace from Luxe Apothetique; Top, Skirt and Bracelet from Hemline ON EMILY: Cardigan, Jumper and Necklace from Luxe Apothetique; Bracelet from Langford Market ON ROSSI: Dress, Earrings and Bracelet from Luxe Apothetique

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moda

GO BOLD Brighten up your Spring wardrobe with these pops of color.

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1. VIONETT BLOUSE ($229); YOOX.COM | 2. JENNIFER TRAP CALFSKIN TOTE BAG - Tom Ford ($1,990) NEIMANMARCUS.COM 3. BAND OF OUTSIDERS WASHED-SILK TRACK PANTS ($375) NET-A-PORTER.COM | 4. ALEXANDRA EARRINGS IN ABALONE SHELL - Kendra Scott Jewelry ($75); KENDRASCOTT.COM | 5. LEONARD ROUND HORN-PATTERN SUNGLASSES by Illesteva ($177); NEIMANMARCUS.COM | 6. KENDRA SCOTT BRADY STACKABLE RING ($65); KENDRA SCOTT.COM | 7. BELT BRACELET, PINK/GOLDEN

- Michael Kors ($42); NEIMANMARCUS.COM | 8. POINTED PUMP IN SHOCKING PINK by DIOR; DIOR.COM

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BRIGHT

SNEAKS!

Here’s a hip menswear trend to keep Austin casual and cool.

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1. RUGBY 574 ($65) NEWBALANCE.COM | 2. ADIDAS ORIGINALS ZX TR MID ($72) ZAPPOS.COM | 3. GOLA QUOTA BLUE/YELLOW ($58) STAGAUSTIN.COM | 4. CONVERSE AUCKLAND RACER X MISSONI ($200) CONVERSE.COM 5. MINIMUS 10V2 ($75) NEWBALANCE.COM

body

THE PALEO DIET MYTH by nathan cranford

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very week a major diet fab makes news headlines or is endorsed by an increasingly fragile celebrity for all the wrong reasons. Disorders such anorexia and purging, coupled with a line or a needle, are the rage these days on Hollywood Boulevard. All one needs to do is look at the likings of Miley Cyrus. Apparently, many Americans are more tuned to listen to the health advice of Jessica Simpson than say, an actual nutritionist.

As the New Year unravels, a host of sprouting diets is occupying American plates. Indeed, nearly half of the American population is reported to be on some kind of New Year’s diet resolution.

Perhaps the most prevalent diet on American plates last year was the Paleolithic (or Paleo) diet. In fact, the word “paleo” had more hits than any other diet term on Google’s search engine for 2013.

Ironically, the News and World Report ranked the paleo diet at the bottom of “Best Overall Diets of 2014.”

For those unfamiliar with the paleo diet, the reasoning is as follows: The term “paleo” is short for the Paleolithic era, a period in which human ancestors inhabited 2.6 million years ago and prior to the agricultural revolution. Since the rise of industrialized agriculture, a host of food-related maladies — from diabetes to heart disease — have plagued humanity. Contrary to contemporary culture, diabetes is a disease that scarcely, if ever, found itself present among hominids. Therefore, paleo dieters revert back to eating simpler foods that our ancestors supposedly ate, such as saturated meat. In addition, paleo dieters refrain from consuming grains. To be terse, the Paleolithic diet’s basic maxim is, “If it’s new food, it’s bad; and if it’s old food, it’s good.”

Perhaps the underlying problem with the paleo diet, as with most celebrity diets, is the term health itself. We all have an intuitive sense about what it means to be healthy. Yet health quickly becomes an increasingly complex term upon further reflection, for which there is no general consensus even amongst doctors and physicians. The term health expands across a spectrum that 44 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

includes physiological, mental, environmental, sociological and even economical wellbeing. Additionally, the output parameter for many diets is often left undefined: Is the diet intended to increase energy levels, inflate muscle mass, extend human longevity, or maintain a healthy weight?

Yet there are a variety of reasons why the paleo diet fails, other than semantic ambiguity. A diet is deemed effective if it (1) is easy to follow, (2) thwarts heart disease and diabetes, (3) is rich in nutrients and (4) influences weight-loss. The paleo diet was listed at the bottom of “Best Diets of 2014” on the grounds that the restrictiveness of the diet made it difficult for many people to follow and that the selection of food lacked essential nutrients. For example, paleo dieters abstain from drinking milk, since humans were reared to consume milk only at a young age. Furthermore, there is no scientific consensus that consuming large amounts of saturated fat is an effective measure for combating heart disease.

In fact, most scientific evidence suggests otherwise.

Another problem with the paleo diet is that it rests upon a corrupted understanding of evolution that is all too common among Americans. The fly in the ointment that lies in the paleo diet’s muddled thinking is that evolution is concerned about maximizing health, rather than gene reproduction. In reality, if there is a particular trait that is efficacious for gene reproduction at an early age, but is a ticking time bomb for a malady set to detonate at a later age, then that trait will still be naturally selected. This is, in part, why a plethora of potent maladies plague elder generations.

Thus, whatever our ancestors may have ingested, it was not

necessarily consumed because it was healthy.

To add fuel to the fire, there was no transparent diet that hunter-gatherers shared. The paleo diet is arbitrary in both time and place. Our ancestors’ diet was not static but gradually shifted depending on the terrain they found themselves in, which varied from the Arctic all the way to the tropical rainforest. The Paleolithic era spans roughly 2.3 million years; it is fantastically broad as well as contingent upon time, place and chance. Whatever our ancestors may have consumed twenty-five thousand years ago, is almost certainly not what they consumed one million years ago, and so on and so forth.

The paleo diet also purports the common myth that hunter-gatherers consumed large quantities of meat. Yet one would be hard-pressed to find a doctor that actually advised a meat-based diet (on the off-chance that one does, find another doctor). Contrary to popular myth, hunter-gatherers — whatever that term might mean — were much more likely to consume fruits and vegetables.

Meat tended to be a side dish. This is because meat, rather than being slaughtered, packaged, distributed and purchased at the expense of a drive-through window, had to be regularly salvaged. Clues to what our ancient ancestors actually ate are found in the diet of our closest living relatives—chimpanzees, orangutans and apes. If paleo dieters really want to eat what our ancestors likely ate, they would be best/ill advised to mimic the diet of our fellow primates, which generally consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, bugs and the occasional lizard.

Paleo dieters are vitriolic towards industrialized agriculture on the grounds that the rise of grains brought about the age of cavities. While it is true that agriculture was originally ominous to human health, recent evidence suggests that tooth decay actually predates the agricultural revolution. In a fascinating report by NPR, a team of researchers found the relics of approximately fifty hunter-gatherers located in a Morocco cave. The researchers report that 94 percent of the hunter-gatherers had severe tooth decay. The cave was littered with snail shells, acorns and other callous foods.

The scientists concluded that the regular consumption of hard-shelled foods coupled with a lack of dental floss led to severe tooth decay within the hunter-gatherer population.

Many crowns had been chiseled down to the root of the tooth, meaning the hunter-gatherers were likely in severe pain.

The paleo diet can be appreciated in its attempt to ground an understanding of human health within an evolutionary framework. However, once the surface is scratched and the layers are pealed, the paleo diet has a poker face that can easily be called bluff by an intensely in-depth stare. In short: Don’t swallow the paleo diet myth.

body

body

GROWING AN ATHLETE’S MENTALITY by nicole renna

What’s the difference between those who lead an active lifestyle, continually aspire for optimal physical and mental greatness and train for the sake of their long-term health, versus the New Year’s resolution crowd? It’s elementally simple, but vastly complex: mentality. We’ve heard it a million times, but I had to live through it to truly understand and assimilate that being fit and healthy is mental, rather than just physical.

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hile playing soccer in college, I suffered a career-ending leg injury called compartment syndrome. After being misdiagnosed for over a year, I endured three painful surgeries, which proved to be unsuccessful. In the end, doctors told me that I was better off taking up rowing or some other sport, because I would never run again.

I felt mentally and physically defeated.

At the time I didn’t realize it, but allowing this feeling of defeat to consume me was a choice. Accepting defeat led me to depression and my fitness slipped noticeably. As a fitness trainer, how could I truly help people, if I lacked the will to change myself and chose to be mentally beaten?

Being successful is about adopting a lifestyle that sets you up to conquer, just like an athlete prepares for the championship game.

I had to dig deep and achieve intense introspection. I grew tired of feeling like a failure and after a very loving “you’re getting fat” comment made by my grandma, the spark was suddenly ignited, and my journey back to personal glory began. I adopted an aggressive take-no-prisoners attitude and decided to try everything I could possibly think of to combat my continuous leg pain. I was enlightened; my health was once again the most important thing to me and I was motivated to do anything it took to feel better. I had clear goals to get fit, to find relief from my pain and to prove to any doctor that I could run again. I did brief stints of physical therapy and acupuncture, but massage therapy was what ultimately changed my life.

Results weren’t overnight, but each day I endured, I felt a little less pain, and each day that I got a little fitter, I grew stronger mentally. Running was a challenge (I had become so out of shape that even when my shins weren’t hurting, it was hard for me to keep a steady pace). That

struck my pride hard; I had been such a well-conditioned athlete up until this point. I chose to keep working hard and the weight started flying off. Sure, I had harder days, days when I wanted to quit.

Through this difficult personal journey, glimpses of my accomplishment made huge differences. Dealing with injury and weight gain made me a stronger person, as I applied the lessons learned to break down roadblocks in all areas of life. Ultimately, I began running again on a regular basis.

I was back to the active lifestyle that made me happy for so many years. This journey within myself led to a powerful metamorphosis; I was transformed physically and mentally.

Everyday you get up and make the choice to stay positive and focused, manifested in small things like passing up on eating your favorite unhealthy treat or scrambling to get yourself to the gym and doing things that are conducive to your wellbeing, you gain one small victory. Being successful is about adopting a lifestyle that sets you up to conquer, just like an athlete prepares for the championship game.

IT’S UP TO YOU TO IDENTIFY AND START USING THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES YOU NEED TO FEED YOUR SUCCESS:

WRITE DOWN (don’t just think up, actually write) specific, measurable goals and set a time frame. Goals are the first step to success; they serve as an initial affirmation and mark the end of that specific part of your personal journey.

Studies show that written goals are more effective than goals committed to memory.

Create a reasonable (not impossible) time frame that gives your goals relevance; losing 10 pounds in a month is much different than losing 10 pounds in a year.

STRATEGIZE your game plan. There is never only one way to reach your end goal.

Be realistic of your needs and tendencies when it comes to considering your plan.

Hire a trainer if you aren’t sure what steps to take to get fit. If you need a place to get away from work and focus on yourself, get a gym membership. Find a regular source of encouragement, like a running buddy.

BELIEVE in your goals and commit to matching up your daily life choices with them. If your goal is to lose weight, make the right food choices, get enough sleep, avoid drinking alcohol and stay hydrated.

Always think, “ Is this going to help me get where I want to be or set me back?”

SCHEDULE your workout into a daily planner. As busy as your schedule may be, dedicate an hour a day to better your health. On your off days, dedicate this time to stretch, shop for healthy food, or meditate. And don’t forget to plan “you” time, otherwise you will find yourself skipping your fitness routine to catch up on your favorite show or book.

BE CONSISTENT. Committing to be healthy and fit is a big lifestyle change. If we simply change our habits for a short time we will not guarantee continued health. It takes only 21 days to form a habit, so if you feel like giving up, keep in mind that each day it will get easier to maintain the change.

RE-ACCESS and RE-MEASURE at the end of every month period. This should be enough time to see noticeable results.

Results help us stay motivated and allow us to know what we need to change and what is working.

CELEBRATE your success and modify what isn’t working. Seeing positive change in your body helps stay motivated.

Acknowledge these changes with enthusiasm and reflect on how they play a roll in your life. Is it easier to carry the groceries from the car? Has your energy level gone up? If you still aren’t exactly were you wanted to be, remember that good results require time and effort. Be patient with yourself and remember not to get complacent in your game plan.

Make a conscious effort to regain control and be mindful of how you treat your body. It’s not only the end goal that is important; the process is just as – if not more – important. I have yet to meet a person incapable of being healthy. There is no such thing as “too old”, “too clumsy”, “too injured” or “too ignorant” for wellness.

Next time you want to whip up an excuse, Google up Jim Morris, a 78-year old vegan bodybuilder who has been making headlines for decades. If adopting a healthy lifestyle is important enough to you, you just have to identify the only person responsible for making it happen. It’s not easy, but it is as simple as that. It’s a matter of growing the athlete’s mentality deeply seeded in you.

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casa

BACK TO BASICS:

REDISCOVERING GOOD IDEAS IN HOME ARCHITECTURE by peter pfeiffer, faia

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here is one great truth about life, which could not be truer for homes in America: what goes around comes back around. Building homes are big undertakings for families, and their designs are undeniably being revisited. For two decades now, we’ve seen both the ‘super sizing’ and the ‘homogenization’ of the American home.

A house doesn’t have to be a 5500 square-foot shopping mall, and while steeply pitched roofs and puny overhangs might make sense in snowbird country, they don’t do much good against the Texas sun. Victims to misconstrued notions of design, in my 35 years here, I’ve yet to experience that heavy snowfall that will vindicate the logic behind these roofs. Also, the ever popular extruded modern boxes, or ‘old word’ styles, with their heavy masonry walls, flat or tile roofs, and little or no overhangs, are examples of home designs that just don’t make any sense in our Austin climate or, at the very least, should to be handled carefully. Keep in mind that just because something wins design awards from the builder magazines, it doesn’t mean it’s a smart thing to do in Central Texas. That’s where getting back to our roots comes in; that’s what vernacular architecture is all about.

Contrary to the mythical lore promoted by the old cowboy TV shows, much of the climate where we live in Texas is NOT the desert southwest. It’s the hot and humid south. Walls that are thick and store the daytime solar heat to keep the home warm at night wouldn’t be doing the Central Texas homeowner a big favor on a typical summer evening, not to mention the flat roofs and small overhangs that let that big bright three o’clock afternoon sun burst in. We know well that summer is not a season here; it’s an eight-month sentence.

You’re probably wondering just what type of architecture I won’t be slighting today. The answer is simple: smart home design that responds to our specific and difficult climate. Our interpretation of 48 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

vernacular style needs to address the issue of the ever-present, energy-devouring air conditioner. Probably every home in Texas has air conditioning, even though it would be fairly simple (and very smart) to do without, or at least minimize its use. Light colored roofs and exteriors will keep a home cool; so will big broad overhangs that shade windows and still let in reflected sunlight.

In the days of old, cupolas were installed on top of our old Texas courthouse buildings, usually above a central stairway, to let in daylight and vent out heat before the days of mechanical air conditioning. Even the dome above our state capitol had a heat venting function. Our forefathers used light tin roofs, and their homesteads had nice, wide porches that shaded the windows.

Nowadays, facing your home to take advantage of the prevailing Southeast breezes and shun the ever-so-hot afternoon western sun should come as simple logic. Also, the well-built vernacular homes of the past almost always had sleeping porches, often screened in, on the Southeast corner or side of the home. Walls and roof systems that are lightweight and shed heat – as opposed to storing heat – made sense then and still do. Wood was plentiful in much of Texas and still is, making light framed structural systems a sensible solution.

Sustainable harvesting is not really a new idea. It’s an old concept that is coming around and not a moment too soon. A well-programmed home design will provide superior safety and comfort, while minimizing costs of operation, not to mention our ecologic footprint. Mass produced houses hardly fill the voids in sensible design, so it’s crucial to find a talented and experienced adviser to build a home that speaks your voice and reacts smartly to its environment. When sensible design is in order, life seems just right.

casa

Ooh La La!

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO FRENCH ANTIQUES AND TERMINOLOGY by maureen stevens

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hen it comes to elegance, style and glamour, the French sure know a thing or two about très chic living. It’s no coincidence that Paris is one of the foremost fashion capitals of the world, served as a playground for the iconic Coco Chanel and was the birthplace for the decadently luscious crème brulée. The flamboyant ways of the French led to the worldwide popularization of style trends in décor and architecture pertaining to Baroque and Rococo {which I happen to think is a great baby’s name}.

With a long history enriched by their infatuation and passion for design, it comes as no surprise that French classics take the cake as the most soughtafter antiques in Texas and around the world.

If you’re nouveau to French antiques – and have had one too many doses of Pottery Barn and West Elm catalogs – you may not know the difference between an enfilade and an étagère. Maybe you’re one of those who swear that nobody could possibly store anything in a commode or perhaps the extent of your French vocabulary spans as far as the word “Cartier”. Well, just for you, I have compiled a list of the most common terms in French furniture, tailored as an articulate guide for your next antique shopping trip. You’ll be informed, savvy and très brilliant on your upcoming tours to those fancy shops you’ve been dreaming of splurging at. I caught up with the owner of Jean-Marc Fray Antiques to create this handy guide.

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What the French call a bergère is what we call in english simply an armchair

What Marie-Antoinette called a bureau we commonly refer to as a desk

What Napoleon knew as a commode we Texans know as a low chest of drawers

What in France is known as an enfilade Americans recognize as a buffet table (with connected compartments in a row)

What Molière knew as a canapé (no, not the hors d’oeuvres)

Is what we know (and love) as a sofa

And how well do you know those little details and styles that make French antiques and furniture truly stand out? Here are some manageable terms for French styles and ornamentation:

acanthus a design pattern named after this kind of leaf bombe’ the convex curve of a piece of furniture cabriole a stylized leg with an S-curve chinoiserie furniture using Chinese-style decorations gilt (or gild) covered in gold leafing marquetry a technique in which woods of different grains and colors are inlaid into the body of a piece to create an image

parquetry using marquetry to create a geometric design

trompe l’oeil art technique that uses realistic imagery to create an optical illusion

toile de juouy (

or we just call it toile) cotton or linen fabric with monochromatic designs in a light background

trumeau the space between windows or doors; we

commonly see this term used to refer to a type of mirror with a decorative top

What Coco Chanel called a demilune We know as a half-moon table

What in France is known as étagère would mean in America: stand with open shelving

French stores will sell you a guéridon which means: side table with a circular top & single leg

In French stores you will find a fauteuil

What Degas referred to as coiffeuse we would call a vanity table

What the French call a vitrine Is to us a display cabinet

which is actually an armchair with open arms

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Top by Linda Asaf; Trousers ($48) and Earrings ($24) from Fab’rik.

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mind

WORTH HER WEIGHT IN GOLD: UP-CLOSE WITH

SANYA RICHARDSROSS by coral talavera

S

he’s an Olympic gold-medalist and accomplished athlete, a successful entrepreneur, reality television star, philanthropist and superstar wife; you’d never fathom that she’s just getting started. This powerhouse track star has incessantly ventured into new and exciting projects for the past seven years and she let us know that there are many more on the way. VETTA had the great pleasure of sharing up close and personal with Sanya RichardsRoss and these are just some of the great things on this beauty’s plate.

BACK ON THE TRACK Sanya is excited and back in full training mode, preparing arduously for her next major athletic endeavors. After the tedious healing process she endured to recover from injury and surgeries (between 2012 and 2013), she’s ready to get back on the horse and compete in “at least one more Olympic”. You’d never imagine she’s coming back from injury when you see her superwoman stunts on television, but this inspiring competitor is no stranger to pain and frustration. Still, the support given by her father (and manager) and the rest of her family has always served as a major drive-force. Fierce and determined, Sanya is preparing non-stop to excel in Beijing next year and then to hit Rio in 2016. She let us know that she’s feeling good and healthy; we have no doubt that we’ll see another couple of medals in the Austinite’s trophy cabinet.

BUSINESS MATTERS Off the track, this girl is an entrepreneurial force to be reckoned with, alongside her family dream team. She co-owns the Hair Clinic on Guadalupe Street in Austin, where business has been booming. Sanya and her sister are not only grateful for the loyal clients that visit the salon, but also the new fans of their amazing work, many of which have emerged since Glam & Gold became a hit on WeTV last summer. Meanwhile, this versatile (now redhead) go-getter has also dabbed in a few other business projects and is particularly excited for the relaunch of their line of hair extensions and accessories. Formerly Gemini Strands, the hair-savvy sisters will be introducing the Rich Hair Collection in 2014. With a fresh, more upscale façade, consumers in and out of Texas can grab a little piece of Glam & Gold-chic. “Our goal is to bring a new, more sophisticated brand to our clients”, Sanya added. “We are in the process of a complete overhaul.” Additionally, Sanya has been busy with other retail beauty lines, such as the JenCare Skin Farms cosmetic collection. “It’s a brand that my mom has used (and loved!) for about 20 years, and my sister and my team have started using it as well. People are always asking us about the products we use and recommend, so we have kept the brand in our scope of business”. These women must know their beauty products, because in spite of all her running, the sweating and the constant threats to her beauty regimen, this woman’s skin is freakin’ flawless (we didn’t have to touch her face for our cover shot).

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Top and Skirt by Designer Linda Asaf (price upon request); Earrings by BouCou from Fab’rik ($38); Shoes from Fab’rik ($42).

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“THERE’S NOTHING MORE REWARDING THAN SHARING YOUR SUCCESS WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE THE MOST. I’M BLESSED TO HAVE MY DAD AS MY COACH AND MY MOM AS MY AGENT; THEY ARE MY MENTORS AND BIGGEST SUPPORTERS...”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR GLAM & GOLD The Sanya Richards-Ross (RSS) brand was pushed further onto the national media spotlight with her appearance in Glam & Gold. The hit reality show was a huge career milestone that helped catapult Sanya and her team onto the mainstream scene.

Millions of viewers watched as the family worked through some major issues, but it quickly became evident that the Richards clan means business. “We had a lot of fun on the show and we are anxiously waiting for the decision on Season 2”. The track star shared that, although at this time they are waiting for that green light for Glam & Gold’s second season, the whole family is on board.

MISSION: TAKE OVER THE WORLD Meanwhile, Sanya keeps actively growing her personal brand; we’ve seen her appear in interviews and sports event panels (no big deals, though, just small gigs like the Super Bowl). And she received one of the best birthday gifts ever: being inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame last February. She’s also planning to crossover to new horizons, including acting, engagements in the music industry and other high-profile public speaking commitments. “I want to host my own TV show or at least be part of a panel. I love public speaking and I’ve even started taking acting lessons to take this dream head-on… These are goals I’ve set for the next couple of years.”

Also, she’s launched her own mobile app, to reach fans and followers on a deeper level than throughout usual social media outlets. “I want to share with followers the keys to success and what it takes to prepare mentally and physically to be the best athlete in the world; teach them about my experience, and how to set their goals.” (You can download the app and learn all about it at srrapp.com).

FAMILY TIES About her family’s role in her many projects, Sanya expressed: “There’s nothing more rewarding than sharing your success with the people you love the most. I’m blessed to have my dad as my coach and my mom as my agent; they are my mentors and biggest supporters... I’m happy and confident that they’ll always

be there.” She also takes great pride in partnering with her sister.

“My sister and I compliment each other really well.”

ON MARRIED LIFE Aside from her relatives, Sanya enjoys the unconditional love and support of her husband, New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross. “Aaron is extremely supportive of my projects and he understands the motivation and drive behind each one. He’s my best friend and he truly understands me. He’s a wonderful sounding board and I value all his input.” At the Richards-Ross household there are no egos at battle. The couple has shared each other’s rises and downfalls. For instance, both of them were injured and have trained together to get their careers back on track, something easier said than done for any pro athlete.

On the subject of societal pressures and the challenges of balancing married life with such busy work schedules, Sanya shared: “It’s important to make your spouse a priority and to make him or her feel that way. We have lunch dates, we schedule to see each other whenever we can, and we still have our date nights.” Addressing the rising incidence of celebrity couple divorces, Sanya feels that her Christian upbringing and values will always strengthen that special bond. “Divorce is not an option, because marriage is between the three of us: Aaron, myself and God. Our devotion to each other lies in our commitment to God; every night we study the Bible together and enjoy each other’s company.”

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE SUCCESS With such an extremely ambitious agenda and high profile media attention, one can’t help but wonder how this classy gal manages to keep a relaxed, down-to-earth attitude. Regardless of the fame and success, her loud laugh and bright smile always manage to seep through. At our heart to heart with her, it was easy to grasp that Sanya’s success rests not only in her hard work and dedication, but also in the depth of her character. We expect many great things from SRR in the near future.

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mind

CREATING FLOW

IS A SIMPLE CHOICE by andrew long

D

o you ever experience a moment of synchronicity or happenstance that has an instant way of getting your attention? It doesn’t have to be connected to a momentous event; rather it could be quite simple. For instance, on a whim you call last minute for a Saturday night dinner reservation at the new restaurant everyone is talking about and are pleasantly surprised to hear the opposite of what you were expecting. “Normally you would have had to call last week, but this must be your lucky night. We just had a cancellation seconds ago and I want you to have it.”

You light up. In the back of your mind you can’t help but wonder–– “How did this line up in my favor?” Next comes the brush off, “I was just lucky.” Maybe… but when you experience this kind of thing frequently, we can call that flow. The state of flow shows up (or not) in all areas of your daily life. You effortlessly align your relationship, business, friends, and family interactions and outcomes with a connected rhythm.

Opportunities appear where they didn’t before and the frequency of easiness increases. Everything keeps lining up.

Creating flow is directly influenced by the conscious choices you make. Once you understand how to tap into your flow through these choices, you will begin to experience your life as if you finally found the jet stream. It will leave you wondering why life was cloudy before. Coaching clients initially have difficulty understanding the concept of flow because they believe their choices are limited. They are accustomed to looking out for what doesn’t work. This is part of what neuroscience calls negative bias. Essentially your brain is encoded to experience life as a series of reactive moments, seeking out what could go possibly wrong first, rather then creating possibilities that serve you positively. This genetic coding made sense for our ancestors when daily life was the survival of eat or be eaten. Fast forward to today where we are safe and secure. We now have to consciously rewire our 21st century neural pathways because neurons that fire together wire together. What we think, feel, experience, and see creates and increases more of the same.

You would be surprised how many opportunistic, healthy choices you are overlooking because you simply are not aware of them. Ever hear the expression “don’t leave money on the table” during a job interview or deal making? Well the same could be said here: Don’t leave unused choices on the table. Do so and you are greatly limiting your possibilities.

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Initially noticing your choices might seem difficult because you believe it is out of your control. It is true many things are out of one’s control (if you can affect the outcome of tomorrow’s weather, let’s talk.) With that said, you are in control of the choices you make. Doing so is a process of awareness and practice. Choices and flow are reciprocal.

Your choices influence and direct your outcomes. I have noticed that clients who consciously focus on what choices they are making increase their flow exponentially.

It is that simple. Remember, neurons that fire together wire together. The basis of turning your flow around is rooted in the words themselves – ­reactive and creative.

Being reactive is a contracted state where drama seems the norm and adrenaline is the stimulant de jour. You are constantly fatigued because all your wasted management and maneuvering efforts deplete your energy.

Inversely, the creative state increases your feel good serotonin and dopamine levels. It is an expansive state and your flow is amplified. You are clear and balanced. If you notice the words reactive and creative both have the exact same letters but each are ordered differently. This choice alone to shift your approach from reactive to creative will give you dramatically different life results. Remember you are a whole system and each part greatly influences the other. Here’s an example of cascading events: What you eat and drink affects your body, which affects your neurotransmitters. If your mood is negatively altered, that will create tension in your relationship. You will leave the house off balance and carry it to work. How do you think that will affect your businesses’ bottom line? Once you recognize how everything in your life is interlinked, you will start to make different choices in each area and doing so will increase your flow.

Everyday you have the opportunity to make different choices than you did the day before. You can step outside the narrow confines of what you do, think, act, believe, and how you show up in the world. It will take time to create a shift. You have to pay attention and nurture it. If you plant a seed and the next day you don’t see any results, does that mean nothing is happening? No. It might take ten days for the seed to germinate before it pops out of the ground, and another few months before it has a chance to blossom. All during that time you need to be mindful the seedling needs sunlight, water, and nourishment. The same could be said for you, but with a footnote – the seedling started off with a clean slate. If you are 43 years old, you’ve already had 43 years of self-created deep-grooved patterns, habits, and behaviors. Give yourself some time to turn it around and establish new pathways.

If you commit to noticing the choices you are making consciously, what is waiting for you is not only a table at the restaurant, but a technicolor seat at your table of life.

Great joy and happiness follows, not just in one area of your life, but everywhere. Knowing this, what choice are you going to make?

mind BRAINS, BEAUTY & HEART:

Q&A with SPRUCE DICKERSON by coral talavera

W

hat do you get when you mix a busy coffee shop in the middle of Downtown Austin and a couple of hours with a former beauty queen? For me it was an unforgettable sit down with Austin’s own Spruce Dickerson. With a thousand-kilowatt smile and a name so catchy that seems like taken out of a good ol’ western movie, Spruce shared with VETTA her take on overcoming adversity and fighting hard to fulfill one’s dreams.

After clinching the Miss America Plus Elite title back in 2011, Dickerson has, as she describes it, “sprung from that great springboard” that pageantry offered, onto bigger and better things.

She has found a strong voice for advocacy deep within herself and has ventured into motivational speaking. As she let me know, her purpose in life is to motivate women to love themselves and to acknowledge their own worth and beauty – inside and out.

Spruce is a dedicated model, philanthropist and actress with personality for days. I had the chance to visit with a delightful, highly contagious character, full of wisdom and depth. Spruce is no stranger to hardship, but she has not let personal stumbles and tragedy put out the great fire within her. Instead, she has channeled all those experiences into long-lasting lessons and she tries hard to transmit them to women who need to “wake up, start making what seem like tough choices and decide to LIVE!” For instance, she has started training other aspiring beauty queens and already scored a victory with her very first protégé.

FULL-FIGURED WOMEN IN A SIZE ‘0’ FASHION SCENE:

On the topic of social stereotypes on beauty and thinness, Spruce had some very interesting things to share. She firmly believes that Americans need to break down that wall and “stop referring to curvy women as plus-size models. Why not just use the word ‘model’? Why the need for the distinction?” While she is grateful for gigs in runways and editorial shoots reserved for curved beauties, she seeks integration in the industry. “I’m not opposed to being a model in the full-figure industry and I welcome those opportunities; I simply want to be a model for ALL women. I don’t want to conform to society’s ideal of beauty, but instead, to be a rebel-of-sorts, pushing societal boundaries”. Spruce’s main goal with modeling is to bring awareness of the contribution, worth and beauty of all women, regardless of size. Meanwhile, she is thrilled to witness the emergence and popularity of artists like Melissa McCarthy, Adele, Lena Dunham and other headline-making full58 V E T TA M A G A Z I N E . C O M

figured girls in music, television and film. She applauds the fun they’re having and the statements they make through their work.

GIVING TO OTHERS

Seeking wisdom in God and encouraging others to find their own drive-force, she also lets us know that giving to others is a huge part of her life. Spruce is undeniably committed to volunteerism and has her fair share of charitable endeavors, including volunteer work with Meals on Wheels, the Texas State Independent Living Council, SafePlace (a local domestic abuse shelter), as well as her involvement with the Exchange Club of Austin and many other charitable organizations. She’s also helped her community by tutoring for local literacy programs, joining Citizens on Patrol (working together with the Austin Police Department) and getting involved with other neighborhood safety initiatives.

AFRICA IS IN MY HEART

In 2012, Spruce decided to take her philanthropic mission a step further by founding Flip Flop to Nigeria, a simple yet very emotional project that provides shoe donations to impoverished African children and families. The premise, as Spruce explained, is quite basic: “I was at the dollar store and stumbled upon a pair of flip flops, and the light in my head sort of switched on!

That simple moment, that random instance made me realize that as Americans, we can afford so many luxuries that we take for granted every day; I mean, some people all over the world have to walk miles just to get clean water without even a pair of soles on their feet! I live in a place where you can get a pair of shoes for $1! I need to share this with those less fortunate.” With Flip Flops to Nigeria, anyone can donate any new pair of flip-flops and drop them off at one of Spruce’s collection barrels throughout the city.

After the collection campaign is done, each pair is packaged with a special note and a picture, dedicated to someone special in Nigeria. She trusts she’ll break her record of 937 pairs for last year, so be sure to donate your pair!

WHAT’S NEXT FOR SPRUCE?

After being featured in magazines, press and numerous fashion shows, (as well as becoming the first full-figured model to walk the Austin Fashion Week Awards Night runway), Spruce is just getting started. She has booked several speaking engagements and fashion shows, and is currently in the process of rebranding herself by leaving behind the sash and crown to make way for the entrepreneur and communicator that continues to grow inside her.

“I DON’T WANT TO CONFORM TO SOCIETY’S IDEAL OF BEAUTY, BUT INSTEAD, TO BE A REBEL-OF-SORTS, PUSHING SOCIETAL BOUNDARIES”.

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Photo by Pamela’s Beauty Secrets LLC

Photo by Krel Hartjen

Photo by Ron Parks

Photo by Karla Photographics

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amore MARRIAGE EVOLVED:

UNIONS THEN & NOW by anne marie jackson

A

s children, many of us were witness to both the inception and the demise of the quintessential fairytale wedding. Girl meets prince. Prince marries girl. Girl becomes princess.

There are warehouses full of coffee table books and gossip magazines devoted to the saga of Princess Dianna. But, as we all know, even that iconic love story ended in heartbreak and tragedy. But did it stop us from believing in true love or even marriage? No, because – for better or worse – we’re all subscribers to that rampant phenomenon called hope. Still, marriage isn’t quite what it used to be. Divorce seems as common as summer vacation. Not everyone can afford one, but “escape” is often in order.

As the US population shifts to a predominantly secular attitude on love and sex, it’s no wonder that marriage has followed suit.

Primarily a religious custom, the union of marriage was created with a traditional set of morals and ideals that most people would say are somewhat obsolete in modern day relationships. Sure, there are a handful of folks out there who are still piously awaiting marriage before engaging in sexual activity, but by and large, that’s a thing of the past.

With more women in the workforce and fewer stay at home moms in today’s society, the perceived “need” for couples to marry has diminished greatly, as well. In the past, many women were conditioned to find a husband who could provide for them. With men in the traditional bread-winner roles that shaped the male / female gender roles of the era, many women feared that they wouldn’t be able to survive, much less care for their children on their own. So although it might have been emotionally satisfying, divorce in those days was a frightening option. Not to say that many couples don’t still face the same issues, or that divorce is ever pleasant, but armed with the option of financial independence, fewer men and women stay in dysfunctional marriages these days. The shameful stigma divorce held in the past has also lessened, even to the point where it’s not out of the ordinary for men and women alike to hold “divorce parties” to celebrate the beginning of a fresh start. These simple changes in popular opinion and behavior are what shape our expectations in love and relationships, whether we’d like to admit it or not and whether or not we agree with them. Married life for modern

couples, though it still parallels the past, is vastly different because, let’s face it – so are we.

While it’s not exactly a badge of honor, marriage ending in divorce has almost become a rite of passage of sorts for adults today. Everyone knows someone who’s gone through it, and when asked “why” they got married, many couples today answer similarly. “We were in love”. But most of us have been (or think we have been) in love before. I loved my high school boyfriend, but even at 16, I had a healthy aversion to the idea of being “the old ball and chain”. It’s somehow ingrained in us to look for that incandescent, Caribbean sunset of a love these days, because it’s what we have learned to expect. How? I have no idea. Has anyone ever seen The Maury Povich show? I mean, really.

Perhaps as a result of our exposure to media inflated expectations, for most people, dating today is similar to perusing products on eBay. We’re spoiled to the availability and convenience of basically everything, including potential mates. But lovin’ didn’t always come so easy.

From the perspective of generations past, when faced with having to “hide their love away”, marriage probably looked a lot shinier and fun-filled than it would to someone who had the luxury of letting it all hang out, so to speak. The hippies were on to something, and free love made its impact. Now, in a bustling modern day of a million proverbial hats to try on for size, it’s no wonder that we’re statistically slower to settle down. When there are no lines at Disneyland, you don’t stick to one ride—unless, of course, it’s so wonderful and enchanting that it’s the only one for you. But how can you be sure? Variety has its way of seducing us.

It’s easy to love someone when you don’t have to see them every day. Perhaps because of this factor, or simply because they want to have lots and lots of convenient sex, according to various psychological studies on cohabitation, couples today are far more likely to “play house” by living together before walking down the aisle, and as a result, many of them decide NOT to get married and typically break up within a few years. A few decades ago, that sort of behavior was much less prevalent, and many couples’ first foray into cohabitation was permanent, as it was common to live apart until marriage. And bound to traditional values, many of them stuck it out,

but became bitter in the process. No wonder we’ve developed such a bad taste in our mouths for marriage. Can you imagine being legally bound to your first college roommate? At least you didn’t sleep in the same bed as that weirdo.

Despite all of the influence of the free love era, however, we’re still adhering to the traditional concepts of marriage and family, and even making strides toward a society that embraces all unions of love – gay, straight, dog, cat, etc.

Why? Because as much as we entertain the fantasies of boundless sex and lust, many of us just want love. Lasting, affectionate love.

Though it may sound trite, love is the glue that keeps humanity from falling apart entirely and marriage is just another way of solidifying that love between two people. When you’re legally bound to someone, it forces you to work through the petty arguments that you might otherwise let lead to the demise of a casual romantic relationship. That element was just as true in 1949 as it is now. Because it’s human to crave a safe harbor. Why do you think we like dogs so much? It’s because they’re loyal.

Anyone who’s ever lived with another person understands that in order to have a harmonious living environment, we have to find that perfect balance. When we see couples that have found this, it’s usually when we’re pathetically single and living off of lean cuisines, so it’s easy to feel as if it doesn’t exist. However, knowing what you want and balancing that with reality is the first step.

When we aren’t in love, ideas like the possibility of a divorce resulting in financial ruin, or dealing with screaming toddlers running buck wild in a crowded grocery store loom over us menacingly, shaping our fear of commitment and allowing us to feel safe and content in our single lives as we happily congratulate our high school buddies on their engagements while silently wondering what the hell they’re thinking. And then it happens to us. We fall in love, and suddenly, it all makes sense. Sure, trusting anyone enough not to rip your heart out of your abdomen Temple of Doom style, not to mention committing your love to law takes guts, but when you’re truly in love, that sort of trust is easy. Is it foolish? That’s what the single people say. But then again, so is jumping out of an airplane. It’s not for all of us, but if you’re up for the ride, just jump. It’s not so bad.

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explore

Obrigado for

BRAZILIAN CUISINE by coral talavera

M

any great and colorful things come to mind when we think of Brazil. To you it may be the 2016 Olympic games, the fabulous glitter and feathers of the carnaval, the majestic tropical rain forest, Pele’s incredible football legacy or maybe it’s talking CGI-animated macaws.

In this particular instance, I was enthused to write about the juicy, complex and colorful dishes this South American paradise calls its own. For most Americans, knowledge of Brazilian cuisine spans as far as what local joints allows us savor in their mainstream fare, but it stretches far beyond the picanha and the fraldihna. It’s a rich culinary experience, marked by influences from a wide array of countries – including Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain, Lebanon and even Japan – as well as rich indigenous cultural impact.

Any delicious – blissfully gluttonous – visit to mainstream churrascarias will most likely be synonymous with one thing: a yummy parade of meat. A sit down at any of these will usually translate into an obscenely decadent chow-down of beef (alcatra, mignon or maybe costela), chicken (frango) or pork (porco), along with attractive side dishes, like vegetables, cheeses, breads and sauces. These tasty, meat-stuffed affairs would tempt even the harshest vegan, as we are cleverly called to give into a latent American beef culture. You see, just like in the states, Brazilians love a good barbecue, but theirs is served with rice, potato salad, polenta (fried corn mush) or a fried banana. Also, to eat churrasco like a Brazilian, there’s no better way to marinate it than with vinegar, lemon juice and garlic. As Texans surely know, to eat beef you need cows, and where there are cows, there are cowboys; on any given day, Brazilian gaúchos will have their hefty hunk of meat, followed by a cup of maté, a traditional herbal tea.

Understandably, local corporate-cultured eateries can’t quite deliver the authentic experience and are, in part, missing the essence of the national fare. You can’t say you’ve eaten Brazilian without having a feijoada, their national dish. It’s a stew with beans, beef and pork that you’ll only find in its true form at authentic joints. Of course, it’s not by any means a fancy dish; slaves created it and it’s what everyone eats in Brazil (placed within its historic and economic context). Delicious nonetheless. Another thing that you must try at least in this lifetime is a galinhada (Brazilian paella) and I must urge you to venture into other smaller local joints and try a traditional shrimp bobo (ask for it as bobó de camarao), a yummy dish with yucca and vegetables.

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Refreshing and juicy, the Brazilian diet is also very distinct from American cuisine in its use of fruit (it may have something to do with the fact that almost every kind known to man grows there). The ample variety found is only matched by their wildly imaginative applications.

Creative and vibrant, Brazilian food truly captures fruit’s innate color and intricacy. Although the national diet is dominated by fish, seafood, rice, beans, manioc and meats, we can always expect to see some integration of fruit and alike produce thrown into the mix – whether it’s in sauces, salads or at the very least a garnish. It’s not uncommon to find plates such as pistachio-incrusted tilapia with oranges, or salmon sautéed with tomato, cilantro and coconut in some of Austin’s most quaint spots.

A staple in the Brazilian diet, the most common uses for manioc are in the farinha or the farofa (which is basically ground manioc, similar to fine breadcrumbs). It is toasted in oil and butter and sprinkled over rice, beans, meat, and fish. Farofa is still used as the Brazilians’ basic ‘flour’ to make cookies, biscuits, and bread.

Furthermore, intricate fusions don’t just end with the entrees; the flamboyant genius of Brazilian fare also carries well into the desserts.

When the Portuguese came to the coasts of Brazil in 1500, they brought on their ships their own tastes and styles of cooking, including their signature ‘sweet tooth’. A lot of recipes use eggs, fruit and spices like cinnamon and cloves to make yummy dishes such as ambrosia, cocadas or doce de espécie. To get a better picture of the varieties, try hard to stray from the apple and strawberry confections we like to munch on, and imagine plates with star fruit, papaya, passion fruit, mango and other juicy wonders. Also, the decadence of chocolate makes an appearance with brigadeiros (traditional fudge truffles) and other tasty confections.

After dessert, it’s not uncommon to find yourself tempted to cafezinho (no surprise there, Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee). Coffee is also incorporated in many unique ways, like when preparing their traditional Christmas Day dinner. Brazilians serve a turkey basted with a rich dark coffee, cream and sugar. The traditional stuffing contains farofa, pork sausage, onions, celery, and seasonings.

TRY YOUR HAND AT SOME TASTY BRAZILIAN DISHES:

AMBROSIA (SERVES: 8)

4 cups milk 2 cups sugar 9 large egg yolks 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 4 whole cloves TO MAKE: 1. Place the milk in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Remove it from the heat, and add the sugar and the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well with a wire whisk after each addition. Add the cloves and the lemon juice.

3. Cook over medium heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes golden and grainy.

4. Chill and serve cold.

FEIJOADA

(SERVES: 10-12) 3 strips of raw bacon 2 onions 3 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder) 1 pound smoked sausage 1 pound boneless beef (any cut of meat) 1 can (14-ounce) stewed tomatoes 1 cup hot water 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard 4 cups canned black beans Salt and pepper TO MAKE: 1. Cut the bacon strips into big pieces. Fry them in a large pot over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often.

2. Turn the heat down to medium. 3. Cut the onion in half. Peel off the skin and outer layer. Chop both halves into small pieces.

4. Peel the cloves of garlic. Chop them into small pieces.

5. Add the onions and garlic to the bacon in the pot. Stir until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. 6. Cut the sausage and beef into 1-inch pieces. Add them to the onions and garlic.

7. Cook until the meat is brown on all sides. 8. Add the stewed tomatoes (with juice), hot water, yellow mustard, and some salt and pepper. 9. Turn the heat down to simmer. Cover the pot.

Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring often. If it looks too thick, add more water, 1/4 cup at a time. Add the black beans (with liquid).

10. Cover the pot, and cook for 10 more minutes.

ORANGE SALAD 5 oranges 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and pepper

TO MAKE: 1. Peel the oranges and remove the inner core. 2. Cut the oranges into thin slices. Arrange the slices on a plate. 3. Sprinkle them with sugar, salt, and pepper. 4. Serve, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat.

OFF TO NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA by coral talavera

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ilderness, history and unexpected luxury; we found this and much more on our journey through Northern Territory, a region where the variety of natural wonders is only matched by the area’s timeless charm. Named one of National Geographic’s top destinations for 2014, Northern Territory is a place wealthy in aboriginal history and rugged, natural beauty.

Highlights of the wildly colorful natural landscape include the worldfamous Ayers Rock at Uluru National Park (an impressive 1,100 feet-high monolith that transforms with each sunrise from ochre to shimmering orange and intense red) and the awe-inspiring Devil’s Marbles (giant, precariously stacked granite boulders scattered across a wide, shallow valley south of Tennant Creek). These are truly breathtaking, well worth the few thousand bucks the trip will set you back. In Northern Territory there is such great natural splendor to take in, that we just had to take you on a journey into the depths of this paradise down under.

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From arid dessert, to its luscious rain forest, to crystal clear shores, Northern Territory truly does have it all. At Alice Springs, travelers can bushwalk, buggy or join a camel trek (awesome!) across the rolling sand dunes of the Simpson Desert. While you’re there, you’ll realize why hiking through Ormiston Gorge, visiting breathtaking Glen Helen Gorge and photographing rock wallabies at Simpsons Gap needed to be on your bucket list. At places like Kakadu National Park you may not only come across sublime sights of the rain forest’s natural wonder, but also encounter traces of its rich history in the authentic aboriginal rock art. Meanwhile, the scenes of exotic wildlife and impressive waterfalls will make your visit to Kakadu a truly unforgettable one. For travelers looking for new outdoor adventures, places

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like King’s Canyon and Katherine Gorge are sure to deliver exciting experiences, like hiking, spotting new and unusual fauna, or panning for gold at Tennant Creek.

Meanwhile, Darwin – with its balmy weather, quaint dining scene and hectic schedule of city festivals and outdoor market events – has become a popular melting pot of cuisines and culture, attractive to tourists worldwide. For history buffs, the museums and galleries in Darwin deliver a dramatic chronicle that spans from WW2 air raids to Cyclone Tracey (a devastating tropical tempest that tore through the city on Christmas Eve of 1974).

Additionally, visitors can sail through the harbor, walk across the monsoon forest and cruise next to crocodiles. Tiwi Islands are also a nice sight in this Top End city.

BANUBANU WILDERNESS RETREAT (BREMER ISLAND, NT)

our favorite places to stay

The perfect antidote for those looking to break out of the stress, crowds and complexities of modern life, this exclusive resort on Bremer Island is the perfect escape. The facilities at Banubanu are described by the owners as ‘simple but comprehensive’, carefully designed to maintain a minimal ecological footprint in one of Australia’s most pristine areas. This fun, laid-back resort accommodates up to 14 guests with its two cabins and five tents. For your stay, you can choose from hideaway cabins in a lush tropical setting with private decks, where breakfast can be peacefully enjoyed; or a cool stay at their beach house, the latest addition to the retreat. As part of their sunset ceremony, you’ll be invited to watch the sun sink into the Arafura Sea while sipping champagne and sampling hors d’oeuvres before dinner.

Eco-lovers rejoice! Everything about this getaway is designed for minimal impact.

The deck and dining areas are made from deadwood and recycled materials, the accommodations are basically tents, and guests share two showers and use a composting toilet (however, if that’s a little too much for you, there is one deluxe cabin with an en-suite bathroom). Banubanu is also notorious for its privacy. Just off the coast of Arnhem Land, the resort is located on Bremer Island, still one of the most undiscovered parts of Australia. However, the property is within Yolngu territory and still inhabited by their people, so you can get a first hand glimpse at the customs of the local indigenous tribes in an awesome one-on-one exchange.

Arnhem Land also offers pure white beaches and fabulous fishing, one of the premier activities at the lodge.

Lastly (and perhaps this is the property’s best selling point), the Banubanu is highly exclusive, as only one group of guests is allowed at a time. Whether you’re traveling as a couple or among a group of ten, the place is yours alone for the duration of your stay. Now that’s true luxury.

LONGITUDE 131° (ULURU, NT)

No hustle and bustle, no buildings and no worries. A stay at this resort is synonym with a one-of-kind luxury campsite experience. Facing Ayers Rock (one of NT’s most iconic natural landmarks), your stay at Longitude 131° will offer a unique immersion into the Australian outback, while still conveying the stillness and beauty of the desert landscape. Enhanced by the area’s rich cultural heritage and history, this unusual property features luxury tented pavilions that seem to float over the rust-red dunes of Uluru. Inundated with scenes of stunning flora and fauna, the luxurious and elegant lodge makes for an irresistible escape. Guests are tempted to an exquisite dining experience at Table 131° and treated to world-class service and perks. Whether you prefer dining more privately on the Dune Top or just want to relax poolside, you will be nothing short of spoiled during your visit to this outlandish spot.

BAMURRU PLAINS (KAKADU, NT)

A place to eat yummy food, sip great wine and sleep in a safari bungalow. Need I say more?

This venue is such a unique place to stay, that the owners have even come up with the concept of ‘wild bush luxury’ to describe it. Patrons can take great pleasure in the finer things, such as the small number of guests allowed at a time and the exquisite dining (thanks to their chef and the great, lasting impression he leaves on all whom he serves).

Meanwhile, Bamurru Plains is also a place for great outdoor adventure. Whether it’s taking an airboat tour along the floodplain wetlands of the Mary River, catching a river cruise down the Sampan Creek or going on a 4WD safari, these people know how to treat guests to a good

time. A fun fact for travelers: between May and October (NT’s driest season), crocodiles will love to go sunbathing to regulate their temperatures, and the Mary River system harbors one of the largest croc densities in the world. If crocodile sightings are too much for you, you’ll be best advised to steer clear of the wetlands.

Some other fun things to do include: wildlife viewing and bird watching (the property is home to over 230 species). For lodge owners, the experience is focused on the environment and making guests feel as one with their natural surroundings. It’s also a great spot to mingle, as the main lodge building serves as its social hub. Additional amenities include their library, a cascading swimming pool and the convenience of helicopter rides to greatly enjoy the fabulous scenery of the outback.

These top-notch travel spots in Northern Territory have managed to unite the luxuries that elite jetsetters expect from the world’s best leisure destinations, with the majestic natural wonders of the Australian outback. Take some time off to disconnect, allow yourself to discover and simply marvel at the new and exotic experiences you have yet to live down under.

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SPRING INTO MODERN ART: INSIDE SOME OF THE BEST ART SHOWS FOR 2014

THE 2014 WHITNEY BIENNIAL when:

Ongoing until May 25 / 2014 Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC

where:

by coral talavera

WHETHER YOU’RE A SEASONED ART ENTHUSIAST OR YOU WANT TO START INDULGING IN THE WONDERFULLY COMPLEX WORLD OF CONTEMPORARY ART, YOU MUST TAKE NOTE OF THESE FOUR INCREDIBLE UPCOMING ART ENGAGEMENTS. DUST OFF YOUR BERET AND MARK YOUR CALENDAR; HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED EXHIBITS IN AMERICA AND FOUR OF THE MOST AWESOME ART EXPERIENCES YOU NEED TO LIVE THIS YEAR.

The brilliant minds of Stuart Comer, Anthony Elms and Michelle Grabner have been blissfully summoned to create three-stories-worth of distinctive perspectives and unique voices in performance and assorted media. Stuart Comer is the Chief Curator of Media and Performance Art at MoMA (the place where I hope to go when I die), Anthony Elms is the Associate Curator at ICA Philadelphia and Michelle Grabner is an accomplished Professor in the Paint and Drawing Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. An actual floor was assigned to each one of the three connoisseurs to develop their curatorial visions, and the result is a vibrant collection of works from over 100 artists. For modern art lovers from all over, this innovative and wildly eclectic collection of contemporary expressions is a must.

Sample from one of the works by artist Jean Smith that will be featured in the 2014 Whitney Biennial (www.jeansmithpainter.com)

FÚTBOL: THE BEAUTIFUL GAME when:

Ongoing until July 20 / 2014 Los Angeles County Museum of Art , LA

where:

A long-time fan of the ‘jogo bonito’, I’m excited to see a glimpse of this awesome sport at none other than the LA County Museum of Art. Fútbol: The Beautiful Game is a colorful homage that brings together not only the energetic character of this universally loved sport, but also commemorates the celebration of the 2014 World Cup. Just as the game itself, the exhibit aims to illustrate the evident transcendence of our geographical limits and identities and to demonstrate its significance in societies around the world. This distinct exhibition features the work of thirty international artists who work in video, photography, painting and sculpture. It is anchored by two room-sized video installations, Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, by Philippe Parreno and Douglas Gordon, and Volta by Stephen Dean. The exhibit’s curatorial perspective rests on the notion that as a subject, football deeply addresses complex issues of nationalism, globalism and the phenomenon of mass spectacle, as well as the common human experience shared by viewers from an incredible array of cultures. Other works by artists including Andy Warhol, Kehinde Wiley, Miguel Calderón and Robin Rhode provide a notion of the miraculous possibilities of the sport as a universal conversation piece.

It may not yet be as huge to us Americans, but soccer is, in fact, a billion-dollar worldwide industry that encompasses an undeniable sense of global camaraderie and provokes international sportsmanship (along with its fair share of heated debate), worthy of its huge universal spotlight. This exhibit is close to my heart. Although football may seem foreign to some Texans, to me it is as familiar as any given Sunday at my Dad’s.

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Samuel Eto’o in a painting by Kehinde Wiley (www.kliptonart.com)

JEFF KOONS: A RETROSPECTIVE when:

June 27 - October 19 / 2014 Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC

where:

I can’t say that I am particularly a fan of Lady Gaga and the rave (or whatever the hell it is) message she embodies, but I must say that the girl has picked a pretty impressive artist to collaborate with and a brilliant voice to guide her artistic ventures within the wild and beautiful chaos that is pop culture. Jeff Koons, extensively regarded as one of the most influential, popular, and controversial artists of the postwar era, will be celebrated in a huge way with a giant, museumwide show that will review his most iconic works. In Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, the Whitney Museum in NY will once again display some of his most outstanding pieces and portray the contexts of his highly unique artistic perspectives.

With his awe-inspiring balloon pieces (you just have to see them in person to fully grasp the brilliance behind them) and his irreverent sculptural representations, Koons has made an ‘in-your-face’ sort of statement in response to mainstream society trends. Through his work, Koons is a true pioneer and has pushed boundaries between advanced art and its general concept among the masses. To me it comes as no surprise that the modern muse shares (and goes ga-ga) for his artistic ideals and aesthetic approaches.

Despite his groundbreaking work, this exhibition marks the first time Koons is the topic of a retrospective, and viewers will be surveying the full scope of his career.

Over 120 objects (produced between 1979 and last year) will be on display for the scrutiny of art lovers from all over the globe who will surely scramble to make the trip to the Big Apple. It will also be the Whitney Museum’s farewell show, as they shed their shell on Madison and move into the Meatpacking District. This show is simply a must for 2014.

Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Magenta), 1994-2000. www.wikipaintings.com | | Jeff Koons, Split-Rocker (Orange/ Red), 1999. www.whitney.org | Jeff Koons, Moon (Light Pink), 1995–2000. www.whitney.org

EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH when:

October 3–January 11 Menil Collection, Houston

where:

The Menil Collection in Houston will be the stage for this awe-inspiring homage to the life and legacy of Mahatma K. Gandhi. With the exhibition Experiments with Truth, named after Gandhi’s celebrated autobiographical book, a collection of worldwide classical and modern works will be artfully gathered to illustrate the ethical and philosophical principles of non-violence that Ghandi lived by. The exhibition will feature photography by Henri Cartier-Bresson, regarded as the father of photojournalism and famous for capturing the last moments of Gandhi’s life.

The show will also be enriched by images and works from other social activists that strongly influenced Gandhi’s thinking on social reform, tolerance and peace, including those of first Nobel Peace Prize, Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross and whose visionary works have never before been displayed in the US. I chose to write about this particular show because – in stark contrast with my previous recommendations – this exhibit is a highly spiritual experience that speaks very differently to our minds and souls as spectators. Instead of trying to generate a shock to mass media and society’s complex modern ideas, Experiments with Truth presents itself as a unique opportunity to learn and grow from the life and death of one truly transcendental character.

Among the themes explored in the compilation are compassion, asceticism and equality, core values of Gandhi’s philosophy. Art pieces from diverse religions and their many relations to his philosophies will not only enrich the scope of the project, but I can imagine will add something interesting to the curatorial mix. I, for one, am looking forward to the experience.

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DISCOVER THE CITIES WHERE CREATIVITY IS STILL THRIVING by anne marie jackson

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hat exactly does it mean to creatively thrive, anyhow? I’d like to say it’s as simple as just having adequate time and imagination to devote to your most recent Lego masterpiece (if you’ve deemed yourself too “grown up” for Legos, then I can’t help you), but there are several different aspects that affect the ability to reach that coveted pinnacle.

Creativity, if you’re lucky enough to be blessed with it, seeps through your pores and spills out into the world, in one form or another, be it in the way you accessorize, the ideas you come up with for your niece’s school projects or in the voices you make for your dog. It’s a constant beat within us, desperate to break free of barriers and soar. For as long as the human race has existed, creativity has moved us forward, offered solace from our struggles, and given a voice to the beauty within our souls. But unless you’re exceptionally lucky, it’s become increasingly difficult to make a decent living within an artistic field.

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In cubicles across the country sit stagnant many of the world’s would-be brilliant creators, because they were taught to learn a ‘proper skill’ rather than nurture the buds of their imaginations.

As a society we’ve equated success with money, judging the weird kids until they give up or make their first millions. But in pockets across the nation, there are still places that beat to the rhythm of callings found. Places where not only can you live at least somewhat comfortably, but also relish the creative energy of other passionate people who haven’t shoved their dreams into smart Ikea shelving.

Okay, okay, already, so where are they?? Well, go ahead and smug it up, because Austin just happens to be one of them, but if you don’t already live here, I’ve compiled a list of a few other great places where you can find the creative talents of many flourish. Unlike many lists, however, there’s no particular order categorizing these places according to statistical rank. Instead, I’ve used my own catch phrases to set them apart. Why? Because I’m creative. Go ahead, gasp.

“SNOWY NERD-TOWN: A GREAT PLACE FOR BEARDS”

“MORE THAN GOOD BISCUITS. BUT ALSO: BISCUITS.”

A city of readers, (as determined by amazon.com), Boulder is quickly climbing the list of places where creative types thrive. Sure, it’s kinda cold, but 100-degree heat is overrated anyway. Besides, with all that tech-industry innovation going on, shoveling snow ain’t nothin’.

Smart Southern kids abound in this “Kerlahna” college town. Perhaps it’s being home to Duke University what contributes to why Durham is so diversely cultural, but whatever works, right?

Those kids are probably also in at least half of the bands comprising the city’s happening music scene, too. At 48.4% of the workforce, the “creative class” in Durham is most certainly booming. And guess what else? It’s preeetty.

Boulder, CO

Durham, NC

“BICYCLE HEAVEN”

Corvallis, OR So you’ve never been to Oregon. Well, then honey, you haven’t lived. Okay, I’m pretty sure that last statement was false. You’ve probably lived at least a little bit. Maybe you’re so good at “living” that you’re reading this delightful publication in your quirky penguin underwear that you bought at that hipster store that smelled of basil and dreams. But give Oregon a chance. Corvallis has been deemed in past years not only one of the “safest” cities in the U.S., but also “most bicycle-friendly” and “most creative”. It’s no surprise. Bicycles + Safety = fun times for all. And when you’re having fun, creativity just dances. Kind of like you do every time you’re alone and hear Kanye.

“THE OREGON TRAIL. GET ON THIS WAGON, ALREADY.”

Portland, OR

They made a show about it, mmkay? It’s cool.

People do things there, like drink craft cocktails and eat organic vegetables. It’s also famously home to a stellar music scene and a host of hip local businesses, not to mention the kind of sense of community that really adds fuel to the creative fire. If you were perhaps looking to find a painter with a nose ring who also knows a thing or two about woodworking, Portland would be the place.

“WHERE BOSSES ARE MADE”

“NOT A COAT FACTORY”

Ithaca, NY

Burlington, VT

In a 2010 study, Ithaca reigned as the “brainiest city” in the U.S- and it’s no wonder. It’s home to Cornell. Ever heard of it? (It’s good enough for Carl Sagan, yo. That’s what’s up). The “creative class” comprises 44.6% of Ithaca’s workforce, making it a fine place to hone those sweet chess moves.

Vermont. It’s not just for log cabins. Boasting a diverse economy, Burlington, Vermont’s largest city, is home to plenty of Earth-lovin’ green economic development, which is just one of the reasons why its growing population of creative types have made it home.

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For more information, contact your authorized Ferrari dealer: Ferrari of Austin 4108 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756 Telephone: +512.380.0231 www.ferrariofaustin.net ©2014 Ferrari North America, Inc. All rights reserved.