Sarah Fennel

I’ve been a carb lover my entire life. Since I was a tinier version of myself I would get giddy at the sound of the words "bread", "pasta" and "pizza" and, truly, who doesn’t!? The convenience that loaves of bread and the pocket friendliness of pasta represent in any parent’s life have made us all gluten addicts and I’m not full-blown ashamed to admit I am one of them.

It’s a tricky situation to navigate through life loving and indulging in those things you truly like and dismissing the effect that they have on your body—until you arrive at a point in your life (the exact one I’m at) and try not being so indulgent and not giving into the pleasures of entire French baguettes with butter and countless bowls of pasta topped with Parmesan—then, you arrive at the terrifying realization that while those scrumptious foods feel good in your mouth, your body feels better without them.

Yes, I’m becoming one of those people who worry about gluten... and while I truly dislike some people excusing their true motives (weight-loss and fitness) by self-labeling themselves as "gluten intolerant", I must admit my body THRIVES when I eat less of it. It’s not only my body to be honest; it’s my energy levels. It’s the way I’m able to process things mentally and even my mood.

The more I research about this topic and the more I try to go gluten free some days of the week, I realize my little pasta-loving monster aka EP, 9-year-old thinker and most recently beach volleyball athlete daughter, might just feel the same way. Thankfully we have an entire world of delicious food at our disposal and while our options might become a little more limited, our bodies will thank us in the end.

These pancakes are a testament to how wide the gluten-free world is becoming and I’m ready to expand my views and invite my daughter to jump on this train with me.

Where do you stand when it comes to gluten? Have you ever gone without it?

I’m trying to find a subtle way to express my love for the minimal greatness that are the outfits above. Where do I start? It’s not only that they are absolutely effortless and highly appropriate for this ever-sunny weather but it’s also that they have this innate attitude in them. Think about it. If these outfits were a person they'd be, let’s say, Katherine Hepburn: feisty and beautiful.

I’ve always admired people who look like they’re at peace with their clothes and that’s always what I aim to feel like myself. It’s clear when we’re not ourselves in them, even the tiniest fidgeting gives us away.

That’s why I find it quite refreshing how we become simpler and more appreciative of “less is more” as we grow older—or at least that is the case for me. I don’t think I ever painted my face with makeup or overdid my hair since I got to my 20’s. If anything, I’ve become more appreciative of things which before I saw as unfashionable or uncool… Can you tell?

I do not know and do not understand why do we do that to ourselves—why we relentlessly put makeup on to “look” more beautiful, why do we overdo it with clothes to look more “put together”—Shouldn’t we instead "be" beautiful and shouldn’t we wear clothes that make us feel comfortable with ourselves and not look like someone else? Well, that’s my two cents.

What I’m trying to say here is, man! How I wish I had these in my closet. I could wear those open-front blouses and high-waisted trousers religiously... and I have the feeling that many of you would too. As if we needed one more reason to want them, the ones above are made out of 100% raw silk.

So is this vintage-inspired trend a yes or a no for you?

Ragnar Ómarsson

Let’s all be honest—we love acquiring things . . . Whether buying gives us a sense of power, comfort, practicality or false joy. We all have reasons why to constantly buy things—but how much is enough and how much do we really need... and have you ever thought about why you need one thing or another?

Being mindful about everything material around us helps us develop a character that is more understanding, simpler and richer. It stirs up in us a power that not many of us practice. It makes us less reactive and more intentional about the things we purchase—and it significantly and gradually makes us pull away from desiring the material in the search for happiness—which means it brings us true happiness instead.

Buddhists believe that gratefulness should be a habit and that we should cultivate it independent of conditions or circumstances.

How many of the things you acquire or already own do you take for granted? How many trinkets are you stacking in your drawers? How much of what you have is truly relevant to your life and your well-being? And are you aware of those things? Are you truly satisfied with what you have? Do you have enough to be grateful?

Minimalism, mindfulness and gratitude are intertwined. It is impossible to live a life with the essentials without being fully aware of what those things bring into our lives; therefore it is also impossible not to be grateful for those things.

To cultivate gratitude, we need to be mindful and aware first of what we already have; denying ourselves of the pleasure of practicing gratefulness makes us to constantly want more . . . to worry. To always think we need more, to never desire deeper, more meaningful things, like peacefulness—and that is no way to live.

The power that comes from mindfulness is gratefulness—and the benefits of gratefulness are endless. It starts by getting us out of our heads. It helps us look at humanity as number one and not selfishly to ourselves. It connects us to our passions with more intent, it fills us with happiness, it grounds us, it makes our minds and hearts lighter. In a nutshell, it makes us happily content.

How much of what you own are you truly grateful for?

COS and H&M Home

The occasional appearance of deep wine colors in the Autumn/Winter is nothing unusual — but the past few years we have been playing with a much more neutral palette (especially in the minimalism world), a lot of nudes, ‘greyges’, taupes and the sporadic deep brown.

This year on the other hand, we are seeing colors in all their splendor. Making a statement more than an appearance. From vibrant blues, coral oranges, musky greens, deep reds all the way to my favorite color of the season, these almost moody shades of burgundy.

I’ve always loved the power of color. It's classic yet chameleonic. It's pure elegance when it’s treated with honest simplicity.

What is your favorite color of the season? Do tell.

Tom Newton

I’m soon approaching that age in life when women start feeling an urge to splash out on high-end skincare products... and when things that never mattered to me now matter. Things like Alpha Hydroxy Acids, Collagen, Propylene Glycol Hylorounic Acid and lots of other complicated jargon.

Though the thought of being forever young sounds inviting to some, what resonates a lot more with me is the chance to age gracefully and naturally.

Lines of expression are exactly that. Marks on our faces that say we’ve laughed a lot, that we’ve had a full life. That we’ve aged—therefore we’ve had the privilege to LIVE.

The “beauty” industry is there, waiting for us to start questioning how to go about flash-freezing our age (on our faces) so they can fill our minds with more doubt and more worry—making it seem glamorous and necessary to buy the most expensive “miracle” products; products that contain things we cannot even pronounce, let alone pinpoint what it really is that we are putting on our faces.

The one thing they do not tell us, though, is the most important and least glamorous secret... and that is that good skin starts from within. Literally, health starts from your gut. Isn’t that so enticing? I know it isn’t, but that is the honest truth. Your gut is the most responsible for your immune system, where detoxifying enzymes and nutrients are created—so smothering a detoxifying mask on your face every week or spending a ridiculous amount of money on masks containing rich live nutrients serves no purpose if you are not eating well.

Your skin is very telling of how well you eat and how much water you drink. So before you make an appointment with your facialist or ask your dermatologist how many creams, balms, serums etc. to buy, make sure you are battling the war from within:

1. Start your day with lemon I know coffee is a bare necessity or at least it is for me... but do not run to your coffee machine as soon as you wake up. Instead grab a tall, lukewarm cup of water and squeeze in half a lemon. This helps flush your digestive system and re-hydrate your body after your 8 hours (you better be sleeping at least eight!) of sleep.

2. Take it down a notch Have a de-stressing routine daily, whether that’s hardcore exercise, yoga, meditation, a walk through the neighborhood or time of prayer. Look for ways in your day to find balance and peace; this does very well to your soul AND gut.

3. Drink a lot of water (duh!) Like you’ve never heard this before. I know you have but, really, DO IT! Water is the best way to detoxify your system, it hydrates your skin and helps your digestive system—and who doesn’t want that, right?

4. Eat probiotics and lower your sugar intake These 2 go hand-in-hand because sugar depletes good bacteria from your gut... so while you might want to introduce yogurts and some sort of pickled vegetable to your diet in order to produce good bacteria, you may also want to make sure that those are not filled with sugar.

5. Hail to all vegetables! Make sure that the biggest portion of your meals is a good amount of vegetables (preferably steamed or sautéed). Why put a Vitamin C mask on your face when you can be eating delicious berries, tomatoes, baby spinach…

Finally, let me tell you this: Beauty products, in general, should be there to enhance your natural beauty, not to change or mask your best traits. Show off those freckles, be proud of how thin or plush your lips are. Leave those eyebrows alone and please, protect your skin from the sun and clean it with love.

Non-optional to have at your disposal: A mild cleanser, a good balm and sunscreen (always!).
How do you take care of your skin? Care to share?

Giorgos Sfakianakis

A gastronomic experience that brings the French "je ne sais quoi" and unique Greek energy and flavors together. That’s what Bon Bon Fait Maison has aimed to do in the Kythira Islands—where the Ionia, Aegean and Cretan seas meet.

The story behind this project takes place in Paris, where the founders of the place are from. They embarked on what seemed to be a run-of-the-mill trip to Greece—only to fall in love with not only the Island but also the gastronomic scene, the paradisiacal scenery and its people.

Chef, Kriton Minas Poulis, is the brains behind this operation; he embodies the gastronomic philosophy of BON BON Fait Maison—and does it with so much elegance it's hard to believe how laid back the place and its menu can be—including homemade sorbets, French galettes and buckwheat flour crepes (and much more). All made with a beautiful selection of traditional Greek products.

The Interior Design Laboratorium is responsible for the design identity and the result is an obvious home run.

Based in a traditional two-story refurbished building from the 1860's, the design evokes the Greek Summer and the slow pace of life in the Greek islands. The intention of the study was to create a space that subconsciously awakened memories of a childhood Summer vacation within their visitors.

All materials were carefully selected to add to the narrative: from its look to the table, BON BON Fait Maison is truly an emotional and gourmet experience.