The Love Sandwich

 

They don’t love you until they figure out how to make you a perfect sandwich….👀
I didn’t say it, “they” did. You know, the all knowing people of good old New York City AND OPRAH!
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m referring to a guy whose GF asked when he was going to marry her. His response was, after you’ve made me 365 sandwiches. He might have been joking, but she got right to it and made a sandwich a day.
So CLEARLY, there’s something to this sandwich.

I remember watching The Oprah show many years back and even SHE admitted to making Steadman a #LoveSandwich!! Imagine, Oprah with her staff and chefs.
Now I’m thinking this is just another way of showing love to your partner or family.

Since this topic aligns itself with my belief of doing everything to the best of your ability, I figured I’ll take a dig at this #LoveSandwich Topic.
I’m not much of a writer, I’m more of a Show You person, you know, sort of give you the basics of how to go about achieving this sandwich. In most cultures, Food is Love, people express their love for you by feeding you. So why not make this sandwich something beautiful and inviting for your loved ones.

 

First of all, THIS is not love! DO NOT DO THIS! DO NOT DO THIS! DO NOT DO THIS!

NO SHELF BREAD!!!!!!

NO MYSTERY MEAT!!!!!

NO INDIVIDUALLY PACKED CHEESE-Esque stuff! !!!!!

 

this, to me, says here, eat and get out of here..
I don’t care about you, oh! You said you’re hungry? On, great! Here! Now leave me alone. There’s no love in this! There’s no passion!

There’s no, “I hope you enjoy this so much that you come running back to me” or “I hope this makes you remember me even from deployment in the desert of Afghanistan!”
THATS what I’m talking about.

What will make your LOVE SANDWICH unique is you knowing your partners preferences. If your partner doesn’t eat pork, it wouldn’t be wise to make him a HAM sandwich now would it? So this is simply a guide that you must personalize for yours.

The Bread:

You should get to know your neighbourhood baker and make use of his artisan bread. Try different ones before you settle for the one that will become a staple to your Love Sandwich.

 

The Condiment

Do not limit yourself to Regular Mustard and Ketchup.. Hit your condiment section at your local grocery store or preferably at a gourmet grocery store because that’s where that good flavoured stuff can be found. Remember, you aren’t making this Love Sandwich everyday, its something you make once it a while or on special occasions, so don’t skimp. Condiments elevate the flavour profile of your sandwich and they are that surprise element that no one else can duplicate 🙂

 

The Protein:

Purchase REAL Protein, not that bologna/polony stuff that contains so much chemicals and mystery meats! LEAVE THAT out of the love sandwich.. Remember, this is a treat.. don’t bring your bad habits to THE LOVE SANDWICH!

The Dairy

The vegetable

Tomato Festival 2014, The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

The Herb

Rosemary herb flowering in spring

Aaron Tait Photography

The Spice

 

 

Viola! THE LOVE SANDWICH!!!

 

Oi Chef

A single bite evokes an emotion that breaks you down to tears, transporting you to places you’ve never been, he tells his life story without saying a word..

He seduces your senses.. A beautiful sight, a bewitching smell and a mouth watering bite that is guaranteed to take you to that explosive sensation….UMAMI…
Savory, sour, sweet, butter & salty, Somehow dancing their way into your soul in perfect unison..

That is the magic that Michelin Star Chefs are made of.
Passionate Artistry and dedication to their craft.

I asked my friend: Does the restaurant have a CHEF? She looked at me like I’d just grown a 3rd eye & responded, is there a restaurant that DOES NOT have one?

Let me break this down without being long winded.
To achieve the state I’ve just described in the first paragraph, one must understand that there’s a difference between cooks who are put into a kitchen to warm serve up veges & steaks loaded with sodium filled, ready made sauces, to CULINARY ARTISTS who grow their own herbs behind their restaurants and source the best ingredients from the best local farmers.
There’s a difference between a CHAIN restaurant to a MICHELIN star rated one.
Oi Chef is a dedication to those ARTISTS..

This blog post, like any other is themed around encouraging the pushing of boundaries and limits in order to be the BEST in whatever field one chooses.

Some call this a calling, I call it sheer passion & determination..

I encourage my readers to experience, at least once in their lifetime, the magic of a MICHELIN star chef…
HAUTE:

Molecular

Kiddie Staff: The Staff it series

You’re going about your day when suddenly you realize, there’s going to be a baby in the next few months & you haven’t really thought of all the help you’re going to need once the baby arrives

Lucky for you if you have family within walking distance & even better if they are willing to help you raise your bundles of joy..

More re often than not though, people find themselves in a dilemma and not really being sure who they should hire to help raise their kids

I have a list of Kiddie Staff and I hope it gives you an idea…

Baby Nurse:

Hired while the mom is still pregnant and basically takes on short term contracts between 4-8 weeks. Baby nurses come in handy while the mother is recovering from child birth They train the child and ensure that it gets on a proper sleeping schedule .

You can hire either a day or night baby nurse and if you’re lucky, you can have both.

Baby nurses are highly recommended for first time mothers.

Babysitter:

Comes to play with your kids when you’re going out to dinner. Usually a temporal position where a parent just needs a few hours away from the kids.
Some hotels provide babysitting services in order to help parents enjoy free time during their vacation.

Au Pair

Au pairs are hired eitjer straight from high school or college..They are usually of ages 19-24yrs old  they are looking for a cultural experience & adventure. They sign themselves up to “help out” with your kids while living with your family for a year. Don’t make a mistake of confusing Au Pairs for child care professionals. They are basically hoping they find a fun family that will allow them to have time off to hang out with their Au Pair friends.

Most people hire Au pairs hoping to use them for more than what they signed up for, this is where you find yourself thrust into the rematch pool, basically grabbing whatever you can get out of desperation.

Au pairs are great for stay at home parents & working parents who come home at a decent hour. Be fair to your Au Pair. If you need extra hours, offer them extra cash, they are always happy to make a bit more than their “stipend”

Nanny:

Solely responsible for the wellbeing of your kids. Takes them to park, makes sure they are fed and bathed. Capable of preparing healthy meals for the kids.
Takes care of the children’s bedrooms & clothing. Makes sure that the kids are where they need to be for their activities. Works with the governess to ensure that the child is reaching proper development milestones.

Governess:

Usually found in Royal Families. Speaks several languages and is well versed on etiquette. Governesses help encourage the children to be worldly and exposes them to proper ways of addressing people of different social standing.

Tutor:

Private teacher. Comes into a home to help children with school work. Helps teenage kids with their difficult projects and also with homework.

Children’s maid..

Cleans the kid’s rooms, changes bedding, organizes closets, cooks child friendly meals and helps clean up after the kids have eaten.
Procures the kid’s products such as shampoos, snacks, pens etc.
usually takes direction from Nanny and Governess.

Kiddie Driver

Responsible for driving kids to school, activities, play dates and everywhere in between. Kiddie drivers usually have a Security background, as most kids who have drivers usually come from very high profile families.
Kiddie driver can either be armed or simply efficient in martial arts.
They have to be child friendly but not too familiar as they can’t afford to be distracted while driving.
Mostly children don’t just ride with kids alone, there must always be a nanny/Sitter/Gov in the car with them. Driver shouldn’t be expected to provide babysitting services when his main duty is ensuring safety of the child.
Understandably, not every parent can afford to fully staff for their children, so they mostly pick a nanny. Nannies are popular since they are more versatile. But, be sure you communicate your needs and expectations to your nanny during the interview because you don’t want to throw extra demands on her down the line.
Nannies are famous for being temperamental.. They rarely come up to the principal to complain..
They are aware when they are being overworked and will quit, without notice, leaving you and your kids stranded when you need them the most.
An efficient nanny can bring much needed peace into your home.
So pay according to your expectations. Happy nanny = Happy Kids = Happy mommy = Happy home.
Whether you like it or not, it’s all relative.

If any of your kiddie staff does live in, please ensure proper accommodations.

#Nannies #Childcare #Staff #KiddieStaff #Governess

WOMAN, take care of your home!

RELAX, Feminists, put your bra’s back on!

Unless you’re planning on marrying an interior designer who moonlights as a chef, YOU ARE GOING TO
pick the house, the furniture, the wall paper, the appliances, pots, pans, bedding, the china, utensils, vases, the art on the wall, the blinds, make babies AND COOK!

You will then move on to HR…STAFFING UP..

Advertise, hire and train your household staff, according to your expectations, while the man simply says.. How much will that cost us & Yes Dear!
If he’s helpful, he might pick out the TV set, sound system and occasionally send the cars in for an oil change..

Ultimately, a woman is responsible for turning a house into a HOME. You are responsible for BRANDING your family and creating your little rituals and traditions that fit into the dynamics of your household.

Home is a feeling while a house is a foundation, walls and roof.
This is why I tell my brothers to pick a wife carefully, because depending on his choice, his house will turn into a warm home or a hell hole, leaving him to spend countless nights at bars. Pick someone with a sense of direction & a vision about how to create a pleasant lifestyle.

I’ve had the pleasure of walking into several homes, in my line of work. Each time I walk in, I can simply look around and see what kind of woman the man is married to, before I even meet her.
You can often tell this by the art on the wall or lack thereof, the furniture, the rugs on the floor, the colors & texture of the wallpaper & the type of plate and glass you get served with..

Does someone offer to take your coat at the door? Does someone offer you something to drink? Are you asked to leave the shoes at the door or offered shoe covers?
If asked to leave the shoes at the door, are they left lying around or put away neatly, are you offered house slippers?
All this, is decided and implemented by the woman of the house, whether she’s running a Fortune 500 company OR she’s an award winning brain surgeon.

I’ve seen many a successful woman, worrying about whether they are “good” at the whole “home thing”. What’s sad is that we are taught by the feminist movement to become like or demand to be equal to men. I hate to say this, but life Demands that we become way more than men.
As Marylin Monroe once said: “A woman who aspires to be like a man, lacks ambition”

Most men have the gift of tunnel vision. They see black and white, they are logical and that’s all good because it creates a balance.
Women, we see color, we are emotional, we can sense things and we are more intuitive.. This makes us perfect candidates for putting together an environment that’s relaxing and welcoming. We bring beauty, warmth & are nurturing. We are soft and generous and these are parts of ourselves that we should embrace & not seek to rid ourselves of..

These are all qualities that allow us to pick the perfect china, the rug that matches the cushions, the good china, make the cute salad & plate the meals instead of just slapping the food on the plate etc.. So why do we deny our families that which comes naturally to us?

It is ok to serve your partner his meal on a tray, it’s not demeaning in any way, it shows respect & it’s a sign of being nurturing. We’ve been conditioned to see nurture as subservience. Do not make that mistake.

You make a special mark in your partner’s life when you add those personal touches. Whether you’re putting garnished ice cubes in his drinks or simply serving his tea in a beautiful tea set with cute sugar cubes.
It just makes you a memorable individual.

Find your “thing” that separates your home from the neighbors’. Have your special touch, make your sandwich with artisan bread & use the French butter. Who cares? What do you have to lose? You’re making a sandwich anyways, it might as well look good right?

Use that good plate for that simple tomato & mozzarella salad, have that waiting for your partner while the maid/chef cooks dinner. Who said you have to be doing everything? After all, you’re the boss of this house and guiding your staff to make your home beautiful, is just as good…

Yes, it’s ok to staff up so you’re not over extended, but ensure that its not the staff who runs the home, but your personal vision that’s being implemented.

Make those corny sandwiches for your kids, they might think it’s embarrassing at first, but guess what, that’s the memory that will be forever embedded in their heads, the cute heart shaped sandwiches that mommy made for us when we were kids.

Forget burning your bra, put on the most gorgeous one you can afford, it just makes you feel good about yourself. Why not? And if that ends up making your partner happy, hey, you’ve killed 2 birds with one stone.

Anyways, I’d promised to make this blog less about writing, as I’m no gifted writer, But this is the topic I’m passionate about, so excuse my long windedness.

We all deserve to live a luxurious life and the sooner we accept our roles in our homes instead of fighting, the happier our families will be.

#lifestyleWhisperer #LuxuryLifestyle #LuxuryLiving #Simpledecadence #LuxuryConcierge #ConciergeService #Service #Hospitality #Home #BuildingAHome

Dear Tea, Can I be your Sugar?

Over a decade ago, I was at my neighbor’s house. She had just come in from visiting an old friend. The first thing she told us was how her friend had served her the best tea she’d ever had in her whole life.

We all looked at her like she was crazy.. After all, tea is tea..
But wait for it.. Apparently the old friend had placed the cups in a warmer, warmed and frothed the milk before serving the tea to my neighbor. It was the usual tea but served differently to create an experience.

For weeks to come, my neighbor would think of an excuse to show up at her friend’s house just so she could EXPERIENCE that tea.. She couldn’t come up with a good enough excuse as her friend lived way out in suburbia and it would be down right creepy for my neighbor to show up.

Where am I going with this ridiculous story.. Well, it has a point and it’s a simple one.. For over a decade, I’ve wondered about that tea & the fact that I still remember this silly story should count for something.
But I’ll tell you this, I swore that when I eventually have a home, my family will enjoy the best tea that will keep them coming back to visit me even if they’ve moved out!

Let’s get back to current day:
With teabags getting more and more glamorous by the minute, sugar has been getting worried. Wondering how it can keep up with its upgraded best friend.

But, I wouldn’t be a Lifestyle Whisperer if I didn’t match these 2 old friends up. We can’t afford to have anyone left behind.

Now, read carefully..
When your partner gets home, you’re more than welcome to slap a Lipton tea bag on the cup and roll up that ugly box of Dominoes sugar in front of them. After all, it says PREMIUM on the jarring yellow package! MY EYES!!!

Wait, or you can give them a packet of Hullets sugar, after all, they have those inspirational quotes at the back.. Perhaps your partner lacks inspiration & needs the ugly brown or white packs. They do have inspirational quotes behind them

Those of us who prefer a bit of a personal touch, you know, something to be remembered for months or years to come, here’s what we do…

Tea Cups with equally gorgeous saucers

Glammed up Tea Bags that offer a wider more authentic flavor profiles..

To match the Tea Bag Swag, we roll up our new friend… THE MADE OVER SUGAR CUBE!

If that’s not enough, we FLAVOR the sugar cube to compliment the flavor profiles of the tea..

Hey, if this is too much for you, please feel free to go back to your ways, but don’t be shocked if your friends & family start coming to my house for my sugar 👄

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

#Tea #TeaTime #SugarCubes #Luxury #Simple #Decadence #LifestyleWhisperer #LuxuryConcierge #LuxuryLiving #EstateManager #HouseHoldManager #HomeEconomica

Whiskey me away

Whether you’re facing a bad confrontation with your partner, your friend’s ex just rolled up in the room with his new partner or simply just because life is better when you’re tipsy, I suggest always keeping a bottle of fine whiskey.

Now, I understand that during the process of trying to get drunk, no one is thinking about the
-Flavor Profiles
-Single malt
-Aging Process
-Barrels
-Country or forget the family history behind the makers of the whiskey, let alone the price…
That’s just way too much integrity for someone who is fast approaching a “Drink Please” moment.

I implore you, when not under pressure, to please take a few moments to find out about the time invested in making a drink that gives such pleasure. It makes no sense at all to spend a couple of hundreds of dollars on a drink and never really know how to engage with it.

God forbid, I serve you an
-Isabella’s Isay whiskey $6Million

WHAT? THE FORK!

I have been wondering, for months now, how to start this blog, so I’m not going to bore you with the details of who I am(YET). You will, however, find out when I’ve picked the right words to flatter myself for your benefit..

For now though, why not jump right into some of life’s most embarrassing moments and see if we can solve this Fork dilemma.

We have all been thrust into situations where there seemed to be way too many utensils placed before us. IF your first reaction was, WHAT THE F**K, I am pretty sure, you’d probably showed up in shorts and flip flops at a black tie event.

Unfortunately, our generation has a bit of a short attention span and we have let a lot of grooming and culture fall by the wayside.  We are the YOLO generation that prides itself more on “doing its own thing” and are not too keen on the stuffy old habits of “those people” over there.

Be that as it may, I’m going to try and make this post as simple as possible, less writing, more pictures and straight to the point.

Upon receiving an invite, make sure you are clear what the event is about and what kind of behavior you should bring along. Yes, we all have different faces for a BBQ joint(Shisanyama) and for an event at a 5* Hotel. Your choice of clothing (another blog post) has to match the event you’re invited to.

There are several Styles of Table Settings that you will encounter.. (please see pic below)

The only simple setting that’s self explanatory, is the breakfast. Unfortunately, you won’t be invited to a breakfast event as often as you would a dinner event.

Lets break this down a bit further, using the most complex of the settings. (see below)

Ok, I’m sure you’re wondering, HOW IS THIS HELPING.. Maybe we take it down one more notch & try to acquaint ourselves with the forks, knives & spoons..

Normally, in a formal setting, they serve one course at a time. If you’re not sure whether it’s an Inside Out or Outside in type of situation, you’ll be able to figure it out IF you’ve mastered your Forks, Knives & spoons, thereby saving yourself the embarrassment of buttering the bread with the fish knife.

I’m sure at this moment you are wondering, what exactly does this have to do with you?

Your employer might want to give you a promotion & he invites you to one of these swanky restaurants that him and the other big boys/girls usually go to celebrate great milestones.

1. You don’t bother to check on the status of the restaurant (Formal/Informal) so you show up in your jeans.
2. You’re wacked with the table setting (see pic below) 

Do you really want to be embarrassed at such an important occasion?

Let’s just say you are an ENTREPRENUER.. You have the million dollar idea, the person with the money is coming to town & insists on meeting up with you. Chances are, it won’t be at McDonalds, so you’re back to having to “up” your Ettiquette game.

Proper Ettiquette isn’t about being stuffy and uncool, it’s about having manners that allow you to respect people when they invite you into their social circles.

The world is becoming smaller every day & your never know whose home you might end up in. Making the right impression to the right person might be very profitable for your business & most of those times, the impressions are made over the dinner table.

So take time to consult with an Ettiquette coach or hire a coporate Butler who will ensure that you are ready for any occasion, dressed accordingly & properly equipped on which fork to use.

#LuxuryLiving #Ettiquette #Lifestyle #Concierge #Service #Butler #HNWI #EstateManagement #FemaleButler #LeRoyalConcierge #RoyalButler #VVIP #VIPService #VIPButler #HouseManager #TheButler #USAButler #BritishButler #MiddleEastButler #AfricanButler

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