Empire of Japan - House Of Coco Magazine

Empire of Japan November 9, 2023

Eight Not So Familiar Herbs You Should Think About Growing

The time has arrived to think beyond basil, parsley, and garlic and start thinking out of the box when it comes to herbs. Herbs give a lovely depth of flavor to otherwise bland food, and some of them are beneficial to our health and overall wellbeing.

Look at these ten herbs that you can utilize to expand your range and bring much joy to your garden, yourself, and the bees.

1. Sweet Bergamot (Monarda didyma)

Also referred to as Oswego tea or bee balm, this herb is originating from North America and tastes like bergamot with a touch of thyme and mint. If you are a lover of Earl Grey tea, then this bee-friendly infusion is going to tickle your fancy for sure.

2. Lettuce-Leaved Basil (Ocimum Basilicum)

Basil may not sound out of the ordinary, but this one is monstrous. A single leaf sits perfectly on a sandwich, and it tastes similar to sweet basil, just more intense. You can grow it in a pot, somewhere in a warm and sheltered corner.

3. Summer Savory (Satureja Hortensis)

If you love cooking with thyme, then you’ll enjoy summer savory. This spicy, sweet, and peppery herb is an excellent pairing with beans, and it has a pungent aroma. You can infuse it under the skin when making roast chicken, with cabbage or pork dishes. It is perfectly content in a pot exposed to sunlight in free-draining soil. Visit trottingthroughtime.com for more insightful herb-related articles.

4. Japanese Wild Parsley (Mitsuba)

Sort of a mix between celery and parsley with a touch of coriander and sorrel this herb is subtle. The sprouts can be used for salads, and the leaves resemble parsley. This herb loves shady areas and will taste bitter when grown in the sun.

5. Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

Holy basil is an excellent herb for brewing tea and gives off a heavenly aroma of liquorice, peppermint, cloves, and lemons. This herb flourishes in the sun and can be grown in a pot on the windowsill. It is easier to buy young plants since it can be tricky growing them from the seeds.

6. Korean Mint (Agastache Rugose)

A mix between basil and mint. The leaves have a distinct minty aroma with a touch of aniseed. Bees love this attractive plant that grows up to a meter. You can plant it in sunny or partially shaded areas with humus-rich soil. It is an excellent flavouring for fish stews and spicy dishes.

7. Houttuynia cordata

An excellent choice for growing in the margins of a pond. You can buy chameleon, which is white, green and pink or the more refined double white flower variety. It tastes anything between floral and fish sauce and smells like orange peel. It can be consumed raw or in a fish curry.

8. Par-Cel Cutting Celery

Par-cel is a cross between celery (not easily grown) and parsley (easily grown). These plants are produced for the leaves rather than the stems and taste sweeter than celery leaves. It is excellent for soups and stocks and very healthy. It can be planted in partial shade or sunny areas.

Beauty November 9, 2023

#WomenWorldwide : The Creative Nature of Travel with Gloria, Melon & Starfish

We love hearing stories about how travel sparks new ideas and passions. For Gloria, founder of Melon & Starfish , a ‘brave decision’ to head to Korea to sharpen her languages skills left her with a burning desire to bring the K-Beauty market to the UK…

HOC: Hey, Gloria! Tell us about your journey to being an entrepreneur?

Gloria: I guess, when people talk about their entrepreneur stories, most of the time, it starts with a passion, a dream, or an idea. For me, it’s more of a journey of discovery.

I started my career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co. in London and Singapore. During my time there, I had a real privilege to work with many people who were actually entrepreneurs. The thought of setting up my own business never occurred to me at the time but this probably planted the seed.

On weekends, I enjoyed watching Korean dramas. Initially, it was just for fun, and relaxation. Then, I thought it might be a good idea to pick up a new language skill so I began taking evening classes to learn Korean.

One thing led to another. After spending two years in Singapore, before returning to the UK, I made a ‘brave’ decision to go to Korea to sharpen my language skill and experience the Korean culture.I enrolled into a university language programme and spent 8 months in Seoul where I discovered, in addition to K-pop and K-dramas, there is this huge K-beauty industry.

After returning back to London, I started my research of K-beauty in the European market. After six-month preparation, we set up our online store with the hope to bring the Korean skin care philosophy to the UK and spark some joy in people’s skincare journeys.

HOC: Such an exciting journey! When did Melon & Starfish come into being? And what’s the meaning behind the name?

Gloria: We started preparing our online store around September 2017 and it went live in January 2018.

Our name, Melon & Starfish, symbolises our mission – to bring you high quality skincare products because we want you to have the best skin possible.

Melons are smooth, supple and resilient; Starfish are one of the only animals that can regenerate itself. We always have this imagery in mind when we select our products.

HOC: And how do you go about selecting your products, there must be tonnes of great ones out there!

Gloria: We purposefully seek out products that are natural, plant-based and packed with unique ingredients that are difficult to find anywhere else. We personally test all the products and learn what we love about these products before bringing them to our website.

HOC: I have to admit, I’m new to Korean beauty products! Where should I start?

Gloria: When I told my friends that I am now running an online K-beauty store, the first thing they reply: ah, I’ve heard of the 10-step routine! True, K-beauty made its name with the ’10-step’ routine. But the truth is, it’s much simpler than it sounds. If you ask me how many steps it should really be. I would say it’s really up you and how your skin feels. It should be adjusted to your own skin type, the climate you’re in or how busy your life is.

The essence of Korean Beauty is “skincare always comes first”. Start with taking care of your skin beforeeverything else. A classic Korean skin care routine includes: double-cleansing (both oil-based and water-based cleansers), toner, essence, moisturiser, and SPF.

The most essential steps out of all? Double-cleansing for the night and SFP for the day (and, yes! You need to wear SPF even on the rainy days).

After all, skincare should be fun; not a burden or a chore. It’s all about experimenting and finding out what’s best for you.

HOC: So interesting. As an expert, what is your favourite ingredient / product?

Gloria: My favourite product is Lan’s Tamanu Cream from the newest curation LANBELLE. It’s like a miracle cream that work for all skin types and it has the softest texture that I’ve ever encountered for a cream. The smell is quite unique, probably not for everyone’s taste but it grows on you.

The key ingredient of Lan’s Tamanu Cream is Tamanu oil (Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil). The precious Tamanu oil is extracted from the kernel of Tamanu fruit. Approximately only 5L of oil can be extracted from one tree of Tamanu.

Tamanu tree also has unique nickname: God’s tree, and Tamanu fruit is known as miraculously omnipotent fruit among natives who live in Pacific Islands area such as India, Vietnam, Southern Pacific Area, and it is known to promote wound healing and skin cell regeneration.

HOC: For our entrepreneurial readers, what advice do you have for them to start their own thing?

Gloria: I would say, just be brave and go ahead!

Many say you need to have a well-laid plan before you start. However, the reality is things always change, so does your plan. One of the most important things I learnt so far is to start with a small step, and then one step at the time. Many things can be learnt along the way.

Sometimes, the longer you wait, the less willing you become to take that first step.

HOC: What product you’ve brought to the UK means the most to you and why?

Gloria: The brand Olivarrier means the most to us. The name Olivarrier is the combination of ‘Oliva (latin for Olive)’ + ‘Skin Barrier’.

It is the very first brand we curated for our ‘clean beauty’ collection. The brand’s philosophy 100% matches with what we believe and look for in a skincare brand – i.e. with natural, plant-based ingredients, hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, vegan-certified, free of toxins, EWG-verified and cruelty-free. What more to ask?

Their star ingredients are the plant-based triple hyaluronic acid and 100% pure olive squalene. The ‘dual moist’ line is named with these two ingredients in mind.

HOC: How do you keep yourself motivated and on track?

Gloria: The Korean beauty industry is relatively fast moving – there are always new brands, new technology and innovationscoming out each year – so it never gets boring.We all love shopping.

Researching brands and products is like you get to go window shopping every day!

It is also quite fun to learn about those new, unique ingredients. For example, you probably heard of snail mucin which is great for moisturising; also, pearls for brightening, centella for soothing and calming, etc.Plus, we regularly travel to Korea to see what’s hot in their local market and, you get to eat amazing food there too!

HOC: Finally, if you ever have a creative block / funk; how do you get yourself out of it?

Gloria: Probably hit the gym or grab a coffee with my friends.

HOC:What does 2019 look like for Melon & Starfish? What plans do you have for the brand?

Gloria: In 2019 we have seen that consumers are becoming more considered when making their purchasing choices. People become more aware of topics such as climate change, food waste, etc.The once-a-niche concept of ‘clean beauty’ also has moved to the mainstream – we often hear that our customers are actively searching for skin care products that are vegan, natural, organic…

As people, we also care about this ‘one strange rock’ that we are living on. As a business, we will continue focusing on our ‘organic and natural’ collection this year – we are not only hunting for the brands/products with ‘clean’ ingredients but also ‘clean’ in packaging and manufacturing processes.

What an honourable mission!

To find out more about Melon & Starfish head over to MelonAndStarfish.com

Follow the brand on instagram @MelonAndStarfish

Australia November 9, 2023

Top five destinations for a hair transplant

If you’ve ever thought about getting a hair transplant, it’s likely you’ve looked at getting the procedure done in the UK. However, like most people, you’ve probably found that British hair transplant clinics are incredibly expensive. But there’s no need to panic as the work could still be affordable. This is because it’s far cheaper to get a hair transplant abroad, and there’s no need to worry about sacrificing quality or safety, either. With this in mind, here are the five top global destinations you can visit for a hair transplant.

#1 Turkey

Turkey is an incredibly popular destination with Brits who decide to head abroad for a hair transplant. In fact, figures from Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board suggest that the country’s hair transplant industry was worth more than US$1 billion last year.

Brits love heading to Turkey for their hair transplants because the procedure is significantly cheaper. In fact, the latest figures from GetHair claim that it’s around 80% cheaper to get a hair transplant in Turkey than in the UK. Due to this, it’s unsurprising that 68% of the world’s hair transplant procedures are performed in the country. Actually, the procedures are so popular that the country is informally known as the ‘headquarters of hair transplants in the world’.

#2 South Korea

If you don’t mind venturing a little further afield, South Korea is also a great destination to visit for your procedure.

The country is actually known as ‘the world’s plastic-surgery capital’ because Seoul alone has more than 600 clinics – and more than 50,000 foreign patients received plastic surgery in the country in 2017 alone, according to The Korea Herald.

Although figures suggest that getting a hair transplant in South Korea is slightly more expensive than in Turkey, the procedure still costs less than half of what it would cost in the UK.

However, it’s important to know that most surgeons in South Korea don’t speak English. As a result, you may need to pay to have an interpreter accompany you for your procedure.

#3 Thailand

Thailand’s a destination that’s particularly popular with Australian, American and Canadian visitors because it’s significantly cheaper to get a hair transplant here than it is in these countries. However, it’s not much cheaper to get a transplant in Thailand than it is in the UK.

But, one of the main advantages of visiting Thailand for a hair transplant is that the country is a hub of innovation and technology. As a result, it’s a location where the surgeons are highly experienced and practice new techniques regularly.

As an added bonus, it’s also a fantastic place for a holiday, so you can stay for a few days after your surgery and enjoy the stunning views.

#4 Poland

If you’d rather stay in Europe than travel all the way to Asia, Poland is a great location for a hair transplant. Plus, its close proximity to the UK means it’s really easy to get cheap flights, which also brings the overall cost of the procedure down. In fact, due to the cheap flights and the general price policy in the country, it’s actually cheaper to get a hair transplant in Poland than it is in Turkey.

Like Thailand, Poland is also a country that’s renowned for its innovative techniques. In fact, many clinics in the country use the innovative ARTAS robot to complete FUE hair transplants. These machines are so advanced that they’re even more accurate than skilled surgeons. The machines have precision-focused technology that helps them select only the highest-quality hair follicles to replenish thinning scalps. By helping the surgeon, they also make the procedure quicker and less painful.

#5 Lithuania

Finally, Lithuania takes fifth position on our list. As a real up-and-coming destination, Lithuania flies a little under the radar with potential hair transplant patients. However, its facilities are well worth investigating because they achieve excellent results and employ many of the latest technologies.

In addition to this, hair transplant prices in Lithuania are among the lowest in Europe. Plus, the cost of living over in Lithuania is also low, meaning it’s cheap to enjoy your break while you’re out there, too. Similar to this, like with Poland, the country’s close proximity to the UK also means it’s easy to get cheap flights. This brings down the cost of the operation even further.

If you choose one of these five destinations for your hair transplant, you’re likely to receive a quality service at an affordable price. However, before you commit to a clinic in another country, you should do your research – sadly, black-market operators do try to lure in customers. So, before you book your appointment, make sure you inspect the qualifications of the surgeons they use and check their independent reviews. This way, you can rest assured you’ve chosen a provider you can trust.

Empire of Japan November 9, 2023

South Korea’s Sports Broadcast in Online Platforms

Sports is one of the many things that South Korea excels in. South Korean citizens love sports so much that their country has been the perfect example of having sports nationalism. Sports nationalism is a complex social phenomenon where citizens are brought in harmony and have developed collective solidarity towards the country due to sports. Some of the most popular and loved sports in Korea include football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, and archery. These are also the sports wherein South Koreans are known to perform well.

Thanks to media and sports broadcasting, people had access through their televisions and radios to follow their favourite sports and teams through the years. They have become one of the foundations of sports nationalism in the country. It has become part of their culture. Watching through televisions in homes or tea rooms is a communal experience in South Korea. When people travel to the country, the conversation on sports will often, if not always, come up. With the advancement of technology, sports broadcasting has also innovated, grown, and reached online platforms.

Over-the-Top Media

Over-the-top pertains to any streaming service that people can access through the Internet. Without installing cables or purchasing satellite TVs, you get to watch sporting events with just your mobile device and Internet connection. The progress that the media has had over the years can also be linked to smartphones’ innovation. From communication to entertainment, smartphones have been the most useful and now the most necessary all-in-one device.

South Korean Sports Broadcasting in Over-the-Top Media

Through the years, South Koreans have followed and devotedly watched games, sporting events, and their favourite teams and players through sports broadcasting channels and giants such as Mt-Police, KBC, MBC, and more. Now online platforms such as OTTs, viewership from traditional media has declined.

Some of the reasons why people have opted to watch streams on OTT Platforms are:

There are no ads.
You don’t have to depend on cables; just your mobile device and internet connection.
Data transparency in OTT platforms is better.
The audience is more engaged.
OTT content can be enjoyed wherever and whenever.

With the steady decline of viewership in channels such as MBC, KBS, SBS, and more, some are gradually entering into a merger or partnership with OTT Platforms. This can be considered a strategic move as these broadcasting giants have already been incurring losses to OTT platforms. Not only do OTTs stream sports, but they have also gotten into news, Kdramas, and movies. This is why broadcasting channels are on a lookout for OTTs with some, as mentioned, merging with them.

There are various online platforms other than OTTs. Some websites also live stream sporting events. However, online websites and OTTs are not highly regulated by the government. These platforms can be avenues of illegal gamblings. Although South Korea has an established Sports Toto where people can bet, there are illicit and fraudulent websites run by mafias. To help you avoid these risky and dangerous platforms, websites and services like 사설토토 슈어맨 can help you identify and verify which are safe Sports Toto playgrounds. They also provide you with the latest sports information and have sports analysis experts to guide you through betting and winning.

Afternoon Tea November 9, 2023

Information About Japanese Desserts And Pancakes

When you think about Japanese food you probably think about sushi, but have you ever thought about Japanese desserts? Believe it or not, Japanese sweets have been famous since ancient times. They are not only attractive to the eye but their sweet flavor is one of the best flavors you will get when it comes to desserts. No matter the season of the year, you will always find a different Japanese dessert that represents each season.

Japanese desserts are always creatively and deliciously made. There are many types of desserts you should know about and here we can give you an idea of which would be the best desserts to try.

Momiji Manju is a dessert original from Miyajima. This dessert is a mix of dough, flour, water, sugar starch and filling that is boiled together and it gives us a result of one of the best desserts you can ever try in Japan. They are always served cold and most of the time they have a maple leaf shape. They can be filled up with different things depending on the customer´s tastes. The feelings can include cream cheese, red bean paste, chocolate or custard cream. Children love this dessert not only for its taste but also for its texture, they are soft to the touch which makes them easy to digest.

Another famous Japanese dessert is called Honey Toast. This is a curious and unique Japanese dessert made with the top end of a Japanese milk bread loaf. The process is fairly simple, which includes removing the soft part of the bread and then cut it up into small cubes which are later either fried or toasted in the oven. The shell that you have aside is toasted separately. When the cubes are ready, they are put back into the shell. Once the shell is filled with the cubes, condensed milk and honey are added on top of it. People usually put the topping they want but the most common toppings are whipped cream, fruit ice cream or candy. This is a big dessert that it’s too much just for one person. It is a tradition in Japan to share this desert between friends or family.

A dessert that you can find anywhere you go is the Mitarashi Dango. This is a delicious dessert with an unusual flavor. A Dango is a round shape dumpling made of rice flour. These dumplings are later put on a stick usually in trees, fours or fives. They can have different colors such as green, white, pink, and, orange but no matter which color they have, they will always taste the same. What makes a Mitarashi Dango different from others is that it has a soy sauce glaze coating on the outside providing a perfect balance of sweet and savory in every bite.

If you like eating bread for dessert, you will love The Melon Pan. This is a sweet bun that is original from Japan. It is called like this because it’s outer part looks like a cantaloupe. The top of the bread is crispy and it has a soft inside. Of course, it doesn’t have the flavor of melon and you can find it either with chocolate chips or nuts depending on the place where you buy it. You can also get it with flavored cream fillings.

A good dessert for kids is that Taiyaki. This is a fish-shaped cake that is usually made of pancake or waffle batter. It is made on two different molds because the filling has to be inserted in between. Once the filling is ready the two parts are closed and put to bake until it gets its golden color.

If you love eating strange desserts the Anmitsu would be the desert you have always been looking for. This dessert is usually eaten for summer and it is made of small cubes of agar jelly. This is a transparent jelly that is made from red algae. This dessert is served in a bowl and it comes with black syrup that you are supposed to pour over it. Before you eat it, can add all kinds of fruit to it such as Peaches, cherries, pineapples, or Kiwi. Most of the time, it also includes boiled peas or bean paste.

We all love ice cream and Japanese desserts have it. Kakigori is a type of shaved ice that is sweetened with artificial flavors. You can get it in strawberry, melon, grape, Lemon, Cherry or vanilla and it can be made with milk or with water. If you are the kind of person that avoids dairy, this is the perfect dessert for you. You can top this delicious dessert with different kinds of fruits such as berries, cherries, strawberries and even with sweet red beans.

At last but not least you should try the Japanese pancakes. This type of Pancakes is so soft that whenever you eat them it will be like eating a fluffy cloud. We all love pancakes. We have eatenthem for many years at Dessert restaurant in Toronto. We always keep on looking for the best pancakes now as adults. Japanese pancakes are not like the western pancakes that we know. They are not flattened and instead they are pillowing and soft. These delicious pancakes can we filled with cream cheese, chocolate or anything you want. You just have to be creative whenever you’re making a Japanese dessert.

Australia November 9, 2023

#GirlBossesofGreatBritain : Changing career paths & falling in love with whisky with Alwynne Gwilt, Brand Ambassador for Balvenie

One of the greatest joys that #TeamCoco get out of interviewing great business women is the motivation that you don’t have to have it all planned out and that following your interests and getting your hustle on can get you to amazing – and unexpected – places.

Today’s interviewee Alwynne Gwilt started out listening in to police scanners for scoops at a national newspaper in Toronto and is currently a brand ambassador for Balvenie whisky based in London. Along the way she shifted her aversion to whisky from the spirit that gave her terrible hangovers from drinking on the beach at uni (!) to a love of the beautiful, nuanced and exciting spirit she knows it is today….

HOC: Hey Alwynne! We especially love speaking with businesswomen with interesting and varied backgrounds and yours certainly is – what brought you to the UK from Canada?

Alwynne: So my background is very different to what I do today… I started working in broadcast journalism in my home country of Canada when I was 16 and then went off to study broadcast journalist. I had the full intention to sticking around the journalism industry for the rest of my career and started working for national newspapers in Toronto and then moved to the UK in 2007 with the intention of staying for just a year. I’d moved over on a freelance contract and, at that time, being paid in Canadian dollars but living in London wasn’t the smartest way to do business!

I promptly got a job in financial journalism which is not my background at all. I ended up at an Insurance Magazine just before the crash and it was crazy and lavish – it was like ‘let’s go to Paris for lunch!’ very strange and such a different journalism world to Canada where that’s DEFINITELY not allowed…

HOC: Sounds pretty crazy! And where does the whisky come in?

Alwynne: Long story short, in this insurance company, I ended up going along to a whisky tasting in Soho as so many people in the financial world drink whisky. I was very anti-whisky and thought it was this horrible, disgusting liquid and I really didn’t want anything to do with it.

At this event I was totally blown away! It’s so great to look back and remember that moment when I was really taken aback – it doesn’t happen that often in life! I left the tasting and decided I wanted to get a bottle and it kind of went from there with friends buying me interesting whiskies for my birthday, I really got into it.

A couple of years later, I decided I’d had it with the investment world and decided to go freelance. I remember going to a food blogging workshop, and this was back in 2011 when nobody really had a clue what a blog was. I didn’t want to become a blogger – I was a journalist! – but when I got chatting to a food editor at The Guardian he recommended that that I needed to start a blog, so that I could start pitching articles about whisky. So I started a test blog called ‘Gwilty Pleasures’ – a riff on my surname – all about food, drink and travel just to try it out. I took a break from work and headed to Costa Rica for a few months and while I was there I formalised this idea I’d had in my head to blog specifically about whisky. When I came back, I started Miss Whisky (MissWhisky.com) and that’s really where it all kicked off!

HOC: Is the whisky industry the boys club I’d imagine that it is?

Alwynne: Not really! When I started my blog there weren’t any females writing specifically about whisky in the UK market but there have always been females involved in the creation of whisky. Industry people always ask me if it was intimidating getting involved as a younger female and do you know what, I always found the industry so welcoming. The only reason I ended up learning so much, so quickly was because I’d meet people at a show and when I followed up with them they said ‘yeh, sure why don’t you come and visit?’ . I never felt that I wasn’t part of the club and no-one wanted to talk to me. I think, from my journalism work, I have a brain that’s interested in so many things and I love to ask questions, I think that was appreciated!

HOC: Before we go any further – I have to admit – while I enjoy a whisky cocktail from time to time – I have no idea what is the difference between a whiskey with an ‘e’ – and one without!

Alwynne: I help you with that! With an E is generally Irish and American and pretty much everybody else doesn’t use an E and there’s various debates about why that came about. One story is that, back when Dublin used to produce more whisky than Scotland, they decided to put their stamp on the spirit and add an E – clearly marking which whiskey was the spirit of Dublin.

HOC: Ah that wasn’t as complicated as I thought! What’s happening in the whisky / whiskey industry at the moment and what should we look out for?

Alwynne: We’re seeing a proliferation of start ups, like we’ve seen in gin. Now when you go to a bar you see the gin list and have no idea where to begin – I don’t even bother trying to keep up with it! But the reality is that whisky takes a lot longer than gin so it’ll take a few years for things to really change.

There’s more and more whisky companies coming through which is interesting and we’re seeing lots more family owned businesses. There’s also some great things happening in world whiskies. Like a few years ago when people got really excited about Japanese whiskies, there are loads of places to look out for. Tasmania and Tawain and India and Africa…. it could easily get a bit overwhelming!

HOC: What a dream – combining travel and interesting whiskies! Where’s the most amazing place you’ve visited in the search for great whisky?

Alwynne: It’s funny but one of the first distilleries I visited was Balvenie in Speyside when the then brand ambassador brought some bloggers to see it! It was such a memorable visit, in the heartland of the Scottish whisky industry – there’s around 50 distilleries in that area. I really fell in love with Scotland through my blog when I’d pootle around the west coast to visit distilleries. I never got to drink anything on site though, as I was driving but I’d be taking my little bottles to get samples to drink in my hotel! Scotland reminds me of Canada, it’s very open and people are super friendly – really welcoming and the landscape is incredible.

The Mackmyra distillery in Sweden is so fascinating. It’s in the woods and is gravity fed which means that no energy is used. The whisky is matured in war time bunkers underground! You drive into the distillery and there’s all these signs almost warning you about a nuclear disaster. It a former bomb creating space and now they use it to store their whisky?! They’ve also got a female master distiller – Angela D’Orazio. They are really cool.

I’m dying to go to Tasmania, there are 8 distilleries there which you wouldn’t expect and it’s like a mini Scotland in the way the land sits – lots of mountains and water… There are so many beautiful stories. For the people who work at these places, this is their way of life and they don’t always realise the impact that their work has down the line, often on a far flung country. It’s fascinating when you think about all this spirit that has been maturing in warehouses goes all around the world and all the time and history and knowledge that goes into it. It’s really quite beautiful.

HOC: I always remember that Parks & Recreation episode where Ron gets to visit the remote Lagavulin distillery on the isle of Islay and gets super emotional…

Alwynne: YES! I was so excited when I saw that episode. I’m a big fan, I bought my other half a t-shirt that said ‘This is LITERALLY the best t-shirt’! Haha!

HOC: If someone fancied themselves a Ron Swanson (!) and wanted to try getting into whisky, what advice would you have for them? I’ve found it’s too often passed off as a ‘man’s drink’, whatever that means and it can seem intimidating for women?

Alwynne: So strange, I mean why is a certain flavour thought of as ‘manly’, whatever that means?! In fact, flavours are the key to finding a whisky you like. I got two of my best friends into whisky and I had it in my head that they’d only like the lighter ones as they’d never really tried whisky before. But, after some experimenting, it was the peaty, punchy ones they loved. They’d always prefer savoury food over sweet and loved smokey flavours – why wouldn’t that be the drinks they’d prefer as well? There’s so many ways to enjoy whisky – some great cocktails out there and some great options to try at home, which is becoming more popular.

HOC: Whisky can be seen as an expensive thing to get into, do you have any tips for House of Coco readers?

Alwynne: That can be true but there’s a lot of time and work that goes into whisky as opposed to other spirits and you’re not likely to get through a bottle too quickly! Generally, independent bottlers like That Boutique-y Whisky Company will be great value and really high quality – they release great bottles with really funky cartoony artwork. In all, there’s a growing trend to drink less but drink better and people are spending a bit more on spirits.

It’s always worth keeping an eye out at Christmas on places like Aldi! Every year, they bring out old whiskies insanely cheaply. Last year, for the first time, they’d bottled an old Irish whisky… I’m usually so late to the party on new releases but, for the first time ever, I read the article on the day this whisky became available. I discovered it was available online so snapped up two bottles I was dubious as it was so reasonable priced and it was so good. Two days later I came back home, after few cocktails, and bought two more bottles online before it sold out!

HOC: It must be so strange for you, looking back on your career and where you’ve got to…?

Alwynne: Definitely! I mean, I’ve now been a full-time employee of Balvenie for a year and a half and before that spent time working across the William Grant brands. I still have my blog, Miss Whisky, which is so important to me as it’s my roots!

It’s been a very different career path than I expected. My dad has been very happy, he’s got a lot of whisky over the years! One of the best things was when I did the opening tasting at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Canadawhich is right by where my Dad lives so he got to come along. It was one of those moments of thinking – ‘this is the most random thing!’ When I left home at 17 for journalism school, this is not where I thought I was going but it was so nice to almost bring it home….see, it all makes sense now! I totally knew what I was doing the whole time!

With that inspirational thought, we went off on a tangent about in-the-know bars in Seoul in South Korea and how Netflix could commission a series like ‘Nailed It’ based on making cocktails. But it would likely be a bit too messy!

To find out more about Alwynne’s work head to her blog MissWhisky.com

Accessories November 9, 2023

GBOGB: Loveness Lee on building a jewellery brand from different timezones

Meet Loveness Lee. A jewellery designer that combines art, science, and nature to create wonderfully unique hand-crafted statement pieces that are truly out of this world. Here at House of Coco, we’re all about that laptop lifestyle, and this is exactly what Loveness Lee built her eponymous brand on. Working with creatives and buyers from all over the world, Loveness Lee has built her business on different languages and timezones making her a GirlBoss that is not only forward thinking and global minded, but is also winning at the jewellery game with her latest eclectic trans-natural collection. Young, dynamic, and absolutely inspirational, Loveness Lee is a GirlBoss that is definitely Team Coco approved.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what made you fall in love with jewellery design?

From an early age, I developed a keen interest for the natural sciences, in particular chemistry. Also, my mother is an architect, and this fostered in me a passion for art and design. For me it made sense to be a jewellery designer, because I can enjoy the best of both disciplines! I am able to research and experiment with different materials like a scientist does, and also craft beautiful objects like an artist.

Tell us about Loveness Lee – what is your aesthetic all about?

Serendipity plays a key role in my design process: I am drawn to natural shapes, colours, and textures; which are impossible to pre-determine yet remain consistently familiar. I see the ‘trans-natural’ concept at the heart of my jewellery as a collaboration between nature, science, and art — three distinct methods working in unison. My fascination with organic materials compels me to investigate the interplay between different substances in my jewellery, to understand their properties and potentials without imposing limits upon them through my designs.

Before starting your eponymous brand, you trained as a jeweller and silversmith for seven years. How have these foundations helped you with your approach to Loveness Lee?

I want to create jewellery that is art. Years of studying and training not only helped me to perfect my skills of hand-making, but also helped me discover my design style and concept. Jewellery is a channel. A way of elevating the quotidian by creating beautiful physical objects. The world through my eyes is formed of stunning shapes, amazing textures and vibrant colours. In a way, my jewellery is a small interpretation of the world as I see it. For me, this is the point of art. My life and experiences are a constant source of inspiration and intrigue. Transforming my imagination into something tangible brings me so much joy. I want to translate my passion for living into jewellery, to communicate it for the whole world to see.

Since launching Loveness Lee in 2016 – what has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a businesswoman so far?

The biggest challenge is managing the communications between the team members — essentially HR. Since I started my brand, I have been very fortunate to have international employees and work with photographers, models, makeup artists and graphic designers etc from all over the world. The advantage of having such international team members is not only easier communications with international buyers in France, Morocco, and Korea, but also to bring unique ideas from different cultures. The disadvantage is the language barrier and cultural differences.The time differences between everyone can be challenging. Everyone is artist and passionate about their creations, so sometimes communication is really the key.

Talk us through your latest collection, the inspiration behind it, and if you have a favourite piece?

Trans-natural is an eclectic collection which, as its name suggests, goes above and beyond nature, in its pursuit of daring, statement jewellery. The pieces in the collection are inspired by the unpredictable, organic processes that order the world around us. Specifically investigating the role that decay and rebirth play in the circle of life. Science, art, and nature combine once more in the pieces: coiled, undulated shapes are partially gold-plated to represent the unhurried, gradual movement of being and time. Uncompromising but contemplative designs transform the fragility of nature and the limits of traditional jewellery, into strong statement pieces. They are the ultimate accessory for modern women who possess a thoughtful and bold outlook on fashion. I have always included statement hoop earrings in every collection of mine — as they are my favourite.

What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?

The beginning of being a girl boss is hard, but don’t let this stop what you love to do. Once you get used to it, it will get easier. I feel very privileged doing what I love every day.

Loveness Lee

Canada May 24, 2022

A Foodie’s Guide to Calgary and Edmonton

Calgary and Edmonton’s food scenes are the true definition of innovative, diverse, and independent, with an emphasis on local businesses supporting each other. This collaborative approach to business seeps right down to the ingredients that are shared from restaurant to restaurant. Behind a classic, there’s always an unexpected twist. If it’s Japanese, make it American kitsch too; if it’s a punk brewery, why not whack in Vietnamese food for a playful spin? Collaboration also means that independent restaurants and other small businesses can thrive alongside each other. Plus, there’s an unusually strong sense of community amidst the restaurant owners and chefs that you might expect of a small village, not cosmopolitan cities like Calgary and Edmonton.

Calgary

Where and what to eat:

Native Tongues

Calgary’s first chef-driven taco-focused restaurant is a trendy hotspot located downtown. On entry, a large bar space looks out onto an intimate dining area of communal tables designed by Amanda Hamilton (Rodney’s, 80th and Ivy, Anejo) that screams industrial chic. Endless tequila and mezcal bottles are positioned in the backdrop, and fairy lights dangle down from the ceiling. Corn tortillas are made fresh daily, composed of all sorts of dynamic fillings ranging from beef brisket to house-made herb and grilled octopus. Sit by the bar for a hypnotic view of the talented mixologists prepping frozen ‘margs’ by the dozen.

CHIX Eggshop

Millennial pink tiles, pastel cornices and avo-salthered toasties make CHIX Eggshop a charming breakfast and brunch spot in East Village, a lively, re-generated neighbourhood that has become a prime location for brunch outings and mimosa pit-stops in between shopping and gallery visits. It’s the new kid on the block, launched by Alberta-born Connie Young who has a portfolio of renowned restaurants in and around Calgary. The coffee is bottomless and poached eggs are made with uncanny precision.

Foreign Concept

Small plates and large are part of the package at Foreign Concept, located right in the middle of the action in downtown Calgary. Crispy preserved lemon chicken garnished with sweet pepper chilli jam is an instant winner, and the charred Albertan rainbow carrots are a sensation both in flavour and presentation. For Chef Ly, who is classically trained in French cuisine, Foreign Concept is a way to bring his culture and heritage into his cooking through a modern Pan-Asian menu.

Kensington Food Tour

Kensington is a hub for independent businesses in fashion, beauty, and beyond. It’s also the spot for boutique wine bars and unique restaurant concepts, housing 270 local businesses in total. The brown stone buildings are similar to New York’s Greenwich Village. Pop on the Crave Kensington food tour for an intimate round of Calgary’s most liveable areas. Try your hand at decorating cupcakes with Crave Cookies and Cupcakes or taste goats’ cheese at Peasant cheese shop. Brasserie Kensington is also on the list, serving up what could possibly be the most delicious poutine in Alberta. You heard it here first.

Where to stay:

Hotel Arts has become a hotspot in downtown Calgary for its location and sleek ambiance. In the summer months, groups of friends’ flock to the trendy poolside to enjoy cocktails and tacos in a laid-back setting. Luxury Suites are spacious and offer spectacular city views from their balconies. The award-winning cuisine at Yellow Door Bistro makes an impromptu business lunch or dinner date all the more delightful.

Edmonton

Little Brick

A welcoming and cosy little cafe and breakfast hotspot within walking distance of Edmonton’s downtown area. The building dates back to 1903, when it was once an old brick house located in the heart of the river valley. The brickyard provided bricks for some of Edmonton’s most historic buildings and still looks like a house both inside and out today. Artisanal sandwiches and tasty baked goods can be taken out to the patio which is decked with picnic tables and custom-made fire pits.

Baijiu

A chic and sophisticated crowd can be found bopping along to old-school hip hop tracks here. They’re probably sipping tiki cocktails in pineapple-shaped glassware and eating late-night dumplings before disappearing behind a nondescript bookcase that happens to be a speakeasy. Standout dishes include the crispy mushroom bao that’s large enough to share, and the devilled tea eggs garnished with pickled chillies and crispy shallots also go down a treat.

Old Red Barn

The provincial capital of Edmonton is surrounded by miles of countryside, which is where you’ll find Old Red Barn, a former dairy farm turned restaurant. The drive from the city centre to Leduc takes around 30 minutes by car, though wine lovers may be tempted to book a cab to make the most of the experience. Local wine producers as well as native chefs are brought together at Old Red Barn to create a family-style meal with sweeping views of greenery and horses grazing just metres away. Expect Albertan root vegetables, artisan meats and a truly unique farm to fork experience.

Sea Change Brewery

A punk brewery with a Vietnamese twist is just another innovative combo to add to Edmonton’s list of alternative restaurant concepts. While the atmosphere screams punk, the food menu sits apart from what is conventionally associated with your typical brewery. Vietnamese bánh mì options are filled with pickled vegetables and slices of meat, a quirk that was added by founder Taylor Falk to set his brewery apart from the rest.

Where to stay:

Designed with the savvy traveller in mind, Metterra Hotel on Whyte is a contemporary, luxury hotel in the heart of the historic Old Strathcona District. The Library is a cosy spot away from the buzzy main road, and rooms are outfitted in splashes of Indonesian art. Enjoy cheese and wine nights alfresco or in the sophisticated dining area before exploring the multitude of restaurants and bars right on your doorstep.

Frontier Canada has seven nights in Alberta, Canada from £1,495 per person. Valid for travel in September 2022, the price includes return Air Canada flights from London Heathrow to Calgary, six nights’ accommodation including three nights at the Hotel Arts in Calgary and three nights B&B at the Metterra Hotel on Whyte in Edmonton, and car hire with extra driver, GPS and petrol. The price is based on two adults travelling and sharing accommodation.

www.travelalberta.com/uk

Empire of Japan May 6, 2022

Top Health Benefits Of Drinking Green Tea

There’s nothing better than having a relaxing drink, whether you’re at work or at leisure. That’s why people celebrate World Coffee Day with sophisticated cocktails, or check out different kinds of tea. Green tea has a distinctive taste that many people enjoy, and it’s also good for you. In this article, we’ll be discussing the top health benefits that it can provide.

What Is Green Tea?

This is a type of tea that’s made from the Camellia sinensis plant. It’s been consumed in China for centuries and its production and manufacture have spread to many other places, including Asia. It’s especially popular in countries like Japan, Korea, and India – and the west is also catching up.

The taste will depend on the quality of the leaves that are used and how they’re processed. Generally, it has a lighter taste than black tea and can range from being grassy to floral, or even slightly bitter. That’s why many people like to sweeten their green teas with honey or lemon.

It’s A Great Source Of Antioxidants

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can initiate cell damage and lead to the development of chronic diseases. Some examples include cancer, premature aging and strokes. Antioxidants are substances that can protect your cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Green tea is a good source of several antioxidants, including catechins and flavonoids.

The internet is a great place to learn more about this subject, and an easy way to make some purchases. You can buy easy to use green tea packets, and view photos, product descriptions and prices. Whether you want decaffeinated tea, bulk purchases or variety packs, you can find them online.

It Provides Protection From Heart Disease

Heart disease is a catch-all term used to describe a range of conditions that affect the heart, including coronary heart disease, congenital heart disease, and valvular heart disease.

Green tea has been shown to improve some of the main risk factors for these diseases. These effects may be due to the antioxidants and other compounds within the ingredients.

It Boosts Our Metabolism and Help Us Burn Fat

Our metabolism is the process by which our bodies convert what we eat and drink into energy. Green tea contains substances that may help speed up this process by boosting our metabolism. One of these substances is caffeine, which has been shown to increase heat production in our bodies. In turn, this helps us burn more calories and fat.

In addition to helping boost our metabolism, green tea has been shown to help reduce body fat. In one study, men who took green tea extract for several weeks lost several pounds more than those who didn’t take it. Not only did they lose weight, but they also had lower levels of body fat as a result.

It Helps With Diabetes Management

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body either can’t produce insulin or can’t properly use the insulin it does produce. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate people’s blood sugar levels. Diabetes management is all about keeping these levels within a healthy range.

Green tea may help with diabetes management because it contains components that can help regulate glucose levels in the body. One study found that green tea improved insulin sensitivity and helped lower fasting blood sugar levels in people with type II diabetes. Another study showed that green tea may help delay or prevent the development of type II diabetes in people with prediabetes.

It Can Lower Our Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a type of fat that’s found in people’s blood, and cholesterol levels are a measurement of how much a person has in their body. Too much can lead to heart disease because it can clog arteries and lead to strokes or heart attacks.

Green tea can help lower our cholesterol levels by increasing the amount of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, in our blood. It can also reduce the amount of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, in our blood. In turn, this helps keep our hearts healthy.

It May Reduce The Hardening Of The Arteries

Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from our hearts to the rest of our bodies. Over time, these vessels can become clogged with a substance called plaque. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other elements located in the blood.

When plaque builds up in our arteries, it’s called atherosclerosis. This condition narrows the arteries and makes it harder for blood to flow through them. Atherosclerosis raises our risk of heart attack and stroke because it can cause blockages that cut off the blood supply to the heart or brain. Green tea has been shown to slow the buildup of plaque in people’s arteries.

It Can Boost Our Immune System

Our immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect our body from foreign invaders (like bacteria and viruses). When these foreign invaders enter our body, they can cause infection or disease. Our immune system works to neutralize or destroy these imposters and keep us healthy. Drinking green tea on a regular basis can help to boost our immune system and protect us from diseases. It achieves this by:

Increasing the production of infection-fighting T-cells
Reducing inflammation
Helping to destroy viruses and bacteria

Green tea also contains a small amount of caffeine, which can help to increase our alertness and focus. It can also temporarily boost our immune system by increasing the production of white blood cells (which help to fight off infection).

Additional Health Benefits

Here are some further advantages to drinking green tea:

It can improve your digestion
It may help prevent cognitive decline (which can lead to dementia)

As we’ve now discovered, green tea is a beverage containing numerous health benefits. Drink it in moderation if you’re sensitive to caffeine and if you have any concerns, talk to your doctor before adding it to your diet. When it’s consumed wisely, you’ll be able to enjoy its flavor and reap the health benefits in the process.

Austria May 2, 2022

#SuccessWorldwide : The pioneers of Nordic tea culture with PLŪKT

As avid travellers here at House of Coco magazine, when we stumbled across PLŪKT tea and their tea sachets that are perfect for travel, we were hooked. Their tea is popular amongst our team which lead to intrigue, just who IS behind this brand?

The brand has introduced the world to herbal teas from the meadows and forests of Northern Europe and PLŪKT proudly call themselves the pioneers of Nordic tea culture.

We spent some time with the founder Mara Lieplapa to find out more…

Tell us about the journey that lead you to launching PLŪKT…

My family always encouraged to follow my own path, try as many things as possible and use my talents. So this entrepreneurial mindset was encouraged from early days, also in school we received lots of support to starting our own student businesses. So my first one was when I was 14 years old – I made grain pillows (all organic and from natural materials) which could be warmed up and later on used to relief joint pains and headaches. Also then the motivation and mission was quite similar to that of PLŪKT – bring joy, comfort and build something meaningful and beneficial. When I started university I was actively looking for my own business idea – attending all the conferences I could possibly attend, taking part in student competitions, trade shows, events, gatherings. All the places where I could meet entrepreneurs, have inspiration and contacts. I also used every opportunity to do exchange studies (in Sweden, Austria), so I gathered quite some international network, too. I had a chance to attend exchange trip to China where I visited their local “Silicon valley” in Beijing. I was amazed by all the startup ecosystem and innovations they are building. However, a few blocks away there was this very traditional tea market there. And suddenly all the dots and questions connected – what if I could create a Nordic tea culture by building brand which acts in a startup-like manner? It would allow me to connect my love for nature and purpose with fast-growing, innovative startup ecosystem. In fact, my mother has a wide knowledge of Northern European herbs and I thoughts that this is a resource that we already have in order to start a science-based company. After coming back, we started to create branding and design for PLŪKT. I was then 21 year old.

Also, I have always been passionate about international environment so it was my mission to build export-oriented brand. Today, PLŪKT exports 70% of products.

Being a sustainable brand is at the forefront of what you do, why was this important to you?

I grew up in a family where both parents are related to environmental sciences and nature preservation. Since we were kids, my sibling and I were always taught to take care of nature, find our peace and passion there. We spent incredible amount of time in nature. It seemed such a common sense back then, but in reality it was a privilege knowing how many people in the world have never seen such natural wilderness that we experienced from early age. Of course, this respect for nature has been within me since then and while I was looking for my business idea I had this ultimatum – I want to build something that benefits people and nature. Not to build just another thing in the world which will end up somewhere. I wanted to show the love for wilderness and nature through PLŪKT, at the same time raising awareness of biodiversity in Northern Europe and why it matters to preserve it. PLŪKT branding and design reflects exactly that. People fancy it and they are loving the message. I believe people don’t want to hurt something that they love or fancy, therefore there is a hope that they won’t harm nature either.

How do you want people to feel when they drink your tea?

First of all, joy, pure joy. I want them to feel connected with their authentic self, take it as a moment for themselves or for something that has high meaning in their lives. We are all so busy being busy that oftentimes do not prioritize enough the beautiful authenticity that lies within each and every one of us. We hope that PLŪKT tea time encourages to open up to ourselves for exploration. We love to see people taking PLŪKT with them to their favourite activities – be that a hiking trip, a travel, an on-the-go morning while living “big city life moment”, yoga class, meetup with friends and most importantly when surprising someone with this nourishing gift. Just like in nature, no two flowers or leaves are the same, so aren’t people. Wildlife inspired us to build authentic brand, therefore we hope that people feel this connection with nature while having a cuppa.

Looking back since launching the brand, is there anything you would do differently?

I would be louder (as in, less shy). Being rather an introverted person, I would oftentimes be seen as “the quite one” while in reality I had so much to say! Ultimately, it turned out into PLŪKT. As a young entrepreneur, it was always a challenge to gain recognition, gain respect and oftentimes society labeled “the loud ones” as those who are most impactful and have achieved something in their lives. Meanwhile, I was building PLŪKT in solitude and up to date am still cherishing the fact that my actions speak louder than words.

Also, I wish I have learned to ask for help and advice much more earlier. It would have saved me lots of time and some money, too.

Who’s involved in the business and what are their roles?

Co-founder Līga is responsible for all the science behind herbs and tea. She is our tea Master and holds the knowledge of benefits of herbal teas and comes up with new tea blends. She is also my mother and we make a good team, however we are not the typical family business. We encourage and are constantly looking for new talents to join our team. We have superpeople for social media, hard-working and accurate ladies working in manufacturing. And let’s not forget those over 30 family-owned farms who are supplying certified-organic herbs from wild meadows and forests.

Talk us through an average day in your life…

I wake up at 6-6:30am. I do a quick workout and stretching for about 20 minutes to get my body going. On Sunday nights I make a schedule for the upcoming week, however I am leaving Mondays as very flexible. I notice that on Mondays there are so many events suddenly coming up that can change the whole plans in instant. First part of the day is very productive for me so I work on the long-term plans at this time of the day. I have relatively late lunch, around 2pm, but I always eat wholesome and rich breakfast. Perhaps my favourite meal of the day. In the afternoon I love to change my working environment and choose to work from home, from a café or coworking space. Since I started my MBA studies in Finland, I have been traveling between Finland and Latvia quite often. And honestly, the more I am on the go, the more I get done because there is no time to overthink or expand too much in your texts. In office, it might feel otherwise. Afternoons are for meetings and lighter tasks. I would do some project visualisations, mood boards and creative activities. I end my work day around 4pm. Then I go for some hobbies – hiking, climbing, running, dancing or going for a cake with friends. Give a call or face time my family. Have a dinner and some me time, which could include reading, journaling, visualization and just thinking. I leave some room for spontaneity and if I notice a nice concert or event happening right now, chances are that I will go for it. Often I have late evening Zoom calls with business partners in US or likewise very early ones with partners located in Asia. I love this dynamics.

Do you plan on expanding the range in the future to offer more than tea?

We are already experimenting with different cold drinks where PLŪKT tea is used as a basis. Also we work on tea ware collection and development of other accessories relevant to tea.

What do you do when you are lacking creativity?

I get very active and sporty. I have always had so much energy and when I don’t feel creative I just know that my energy has been piled up for a while and just asks for release. I love climbing, hiking, running. Part of my love will always belong to dancing which was the second option of mine when I was thinking of career path. Oftentimes if I really need to come with something, but nothing amazing is coming up I go with “done is better than perfect”. The thing is, through these 3-4 years with PLŪKT I have learned to trust myself a lot and I am sure that creativity will come as soon as I start working on the task. I love what I am doing so naturally I want it to work out as good as possible. One thing I can tell for sure, tasks regarding administration, bureaucracy etc. definitely are decreasing my levels of creativity and therefore I schedule days just for these ones, so they would not interrupt creative parts of the business too much.

How much has social media played a role in the success of your brand?

A lot, most of the media has deepened their connection with our story through social media.

What is your go-to quote when lacking motivation?

“If you sell the excitement, you sell the jet.” I remember hearing this in one of the conferences about 5-6 years ago. I was thinking to myself – yeah, resource-wise, I really don’t have much to offer at the moment as a student. But I do have a time, enthusiasm and energy! Sometimes that is all it takes to go from 0 to 10, especially when lacking motivation. Getting excited for how much you have done already and enthusiastic for the upcoming journey. It is charming and this kind of energy attracts.

Our readers love to travel, what destination is on your must visit list?

Since I can remember, Nepal and hiking Everest basecamp has been on my bucket list. And fortunately this is another dream that will come true later this year! Now my next dream destinations are Cancun in Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea and Chile.

What does self care mean to you?

It means saying “no” to things that are not of use AND are not bringing me joy. These days it is easy to get lost in all the requests and needs of others. Self care is remembering to prioritizing your values and your time.

Self care is taking time off without waiting for breakdown. It is about scheduling your hobbies, quality time with friends and family just the way you schedule your daily work tasks.

One of my personal favourite self care activity is baking cakes and making pastries in combination with a hike later in day.

Where do you see the brand in the next 5 years?

Still ad the pioneers of Nordic tea culture and hosting international tea mastercups in our tea house in Madona region, Latvia. We are a recognized player in tea world. By then, Nordic Black tea – caffeine free alternative to black tea made from wild Fireweed herb – has become the thing and becoming the standard in tea world. I see that there are over 300 certified organic farms joining our supplier network in order to protect biodiversity of Northern Europe.

Where can people find out more?

Website www.plukttea.com

Our Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok @plukttea

We have retailers and distributors in 18 countries so feel free to reach out and learn where is the closest place to have a cup of PLŪKT tea.