Phelps is one of the biggest Olympians ever born. Arguably he is the best swimmer from the United States. His life is a modern-tale, but many hours are invested in self-development. Michael Phelps looks at life through the prism of success. With the desire to win and passion in swimming, he wrote his name in the Olympics books. What’s the actual process of Michael’s training? Is it a myth that Michael swims for hours every single day without a ‘rest’? With this post, we will dig deeper and find the actual process that took Michael from an average swimmer to a world-champion.
Clean water in the swimming pool
Michael’s training consists of two parts every day. He will go swimming in the morning. The second part of the daily routine starts in the evening to finish the day on a high note. There were many trainers in Michael’s career, and all of them know that crystal clear water is the basic need for every swimmer. Training gets easier for a swimmer if the water is clean. If you own a swimming pool, you’ll need swimming pool services to control water quality. When the water in the swimming pool is not controlled, it may lead to serious injuries. As a swimmer, you’ll need help from experienced people to clean water with various flirtations systems. So, Michael’s first rule was the clean water in the swimming pool.
“People underestimate the power of sleep.”
In one of the interviews with CNBC, Michael Phelps admitted that sleeping schedule helps him get better. Michael has won races in the swimming pool with just a few millimetres and milliseconds. Michael realised that he learned the power of sleep at an early age, and it was a big secret to his success. Phelps noted that he couldn’t express the importance of sleep with the words. People always underestimate and overlook the power of sleep when it comes to a proper training regime. For Michael, sleep is a time when his body can recover from daily work.
Michael Phelps was training from 3 to 5 hours a day, every day without a rest. His body required a good recovery regime, so sleep was the only option. Phelps added that the sleep regime was different. Getting 8 hours of night sleep is essential for every athlete, but if you want to go extra-mile in the marathons or swimming races, you’ll need to take 1-2 hours nap in the early afternoon.
Put pressure on him.
Olympian was an excellent swimmer from early childhood. His childhood trainer says that Michael was always the best in the school. Even the adults could not beat his time, and he was proud of any achievements. Bob Bowman admitted that Michael was a very tough guy to break; he was training a few hours a day. Once Bob asked Michael to stop swimming and go home. The trainer told Michael that his body could be tired after three hours of training. Michael looked straight into Bob’s eyes and reminded him that his body is never exhausted. At that moment, Bob knew that Michael could become the world’s first swimmer without any doubt. The trainer increased the pressure on Michael, and the swimmer was performing better and better. It’s believed that people show true potential under pressure.
Vocabulary without “CAN’T”
Bob Bowman said that Michael Phelps knew nothing about the word “CAN’T”. Trainer asked Michael to forget about that word in early childhood. Phelps knows that he can achieve everything, and he needs to focus his energy on particular tasks. Phelps admitted that he has broad thinking and knows that nothing is impossible in this world. Michael says that to achieve success in a specific space, you need to focus only on possibilities.
Give up good for a best
In the first sentence of the article, we wrote that Michael’s life is like a tale. At the same time, his life is full of rewarded risks. In the interview, Michael said that he risked his personal life, and everything worked perfectly in the end. He gave up good for the best achievements. Michael gave up late-night parties, hookups and friend reunions for the best – Olympic medals and legacy.
Phelps noted that not everyone is ready to give up on social life. Not everyone has to give up their social life because they want to live with a different perspective. Michael wanted to have a significant legacy, and swimming was his success tool. The Olympian admitted that training every day could be boring and tiring on most days, but that’s the life of a champion. If you are willing to take a risk, go all in just like Michael.
The Gold medalist knows that he has to be very silent in the pool. Michael admitted that he is getting silent when he enters the training. He noted that trash talking about others is not his cup of tea. At the same time, Michael admitted that he loves hearing people talking trash about him. Phelps loves stories when people trash talk and drag him down with absurd reasons. Swimmer said that he could use trash talk as a fuel to work harder and get better results.
Focused only on himself
Michael Phelps is focused only on himself. When it comes to achieving goals, the swimmer knows that he has to fight against his weaknesses. Michael said that he is trying to improve his weaknesses every day in the swimming pool. “I’m always staying in my lane,” said Michael, who believes that working on improvement is way better than focusing on the weaknesses of an opponent.
The Olympic winner says that he loves focusing on himself. If he wants to achieve something, it depends on his work ethic. There is one way to success – focus on you and create a better self. Michael Phelps said that he can’t control how other people act in different situations – he can control his actions and path. So, that’s why he worried about his actions and daily habits – it worked well in the end.
Today, the myth-making, chart-topping Michigan rapper NF announces his latest project and first mixtape, CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE) out March 26, 2021, which is now available for pre-order/pre-add via NF Real Music/Caroline here. NF has also released the ominous, chest-beating title track, “CLOUDS,” in tandem with a fittingly cinematic video. Listen here and watch here.
With “CLOUDS,” NF outlines his reasons for releasing this mixtape now. “Hanging onto songs this long is daunting,” he raps, matter-of-factly. He then playfully delivers clever lines in unison with a sparse violin melody before his delivery becomes more fiery, matching a thundering, industrial beat. Throughout, the technically gifted MC passionately strings together intricate rhymes about his continued ascent and the gravity of his ambitions: “It’s probable / That I might press the envelope / Ideas so astronomical / Sometimes I find them comical.”
“CLOUDS” follows NF’s last surprise single, October 2020’s “CHASING_(DEMO),” which featured 15-year-old Australian fan Mikayla Sippel. A gripping ballad about breaking down and wanting to escape the world, “CHASING (DEMO)” arrived just as calls for new music from NF’s fervent fanbase were becoming deafening. Ever since his Billboard-topping fourth album, 2019’s The Search, fans have eagerly awaited more of his emotive and brutally honest songwriting, grand production, and sharp delivery. This new single suggests that CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE) will be well worth the wait. NF will have collaborations with HOPSIN and TECH N9NE on CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE).
CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE) TRACKLIST
CLOUDS
THAT’S A JOKE
JUST LIKE YOU
STORY
PRIDEFUL
LOST (feat. HOPSIN)
LAYERS
DRIFTING
TRUST (feat. TECH N9NE)
PAID MY DUES
ABOUT NF
NF is the stage name of Michigan rapper and composer Nate Feuerstein, who emerged with his debut album, Mansion, in 2015. The raw emotion and honesty in his music continued on Therapy Session, building the foundation of an incredibly strong and loyal fan base. In 2017, Perception gave NF his first No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, and delivered the multi-platinum hit single, “Let You Down,” which reached #1 at Pop Radio. In the summer of 2019, NF released his fourth album, The Search, earning his second consecutive No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart. Now certified Platinum, The Search featured Top 10 Pop radio hit “Time” and propelled NF to the global stage, selling out 19 dates on “The Search World Tour,” including shows in Australia and Europe. With over 28 RIAA certifications and 18 billion streams, NF recently earned a spot in the Top 50 most streamed artists of 2020. His fifth album and first ever mixtape, CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE) is set to release on March 26, 2021. Fans can expect NF to take his signature blend of lyrical introspection and powerful thematic elements to the next level on this 10-track project.
Fueled By Ramen artist nothing,nowhere. has shared a brand-new single, upside down, which is featured on his widely anticipated new album TRAUMA FACTORY due out February 19th. Available now on all streaming platforms, “upside down” pulses with a duality of hypnotic rhythms as nothing,nowhere. traces the slow and painful dissolution of a relationship from his past.
nothing,nowhere. elaborated on the new track remarking, “We’ve all had our fair share of unhealthy relationships. ‘upside down’ is about a lost love and the inability to accept the new and painful circumstances.”
“upside down” arrives as nothing,nowhere’s recent single fake friend continues to climb Billboard’s “Alternative Airplay” chart, reaching Top 25 at the format this week. Also featured on TRAUMA FACTORY, “fake friend” is joined by a Mason Mercer directed official music video which spirals over nothing,nowhere.’s seamless alchemy of alternative, pop, rap, and punk.
Pre-orders for TRAUMA FACTORY are available at www.nothingnowhere.net featuring exclusive limited-edition vinyl and merch. Each pre-order will receive instant grat downloads of “upside down” and “fake friend” as well as previously released singles: lights (4444), pretend, DEATH, nightmare, and blood (Feat. KennyHoopla & JUDGE).
Over the course of 15 tracks, TRAUMA FACTORY cuts deep and finds nothing,nowhere. once again emerging from darkness, shedding external expectation, and moving forward into the glow of pure creation. Whether it be the anesthetized beats and intoxicating lull of “love or chemistry,” the cold piano-laden longing of “crave,” or the emotional immediacy of “upside down,” nothing,nowhere. paints from a wide palette of pain.
“TRAUMA FACTORY is an accumulation of songs written during a confusing time. it is about accepting the present and following your true north through the pain and suffering of human life,” nothing,nowhere. revealed He added, “I wanted to make an album that was truly genreless and inspire others to challenge themselves artistically. I believe the most inspiring art is unpredictable and unrestrictive. to me thatߣs what TRAUMA FACTORY is.”
Last year, The New York Times hailed “DEATH” as a “Scabrous, immensely satisfying emotional expurgation from Joe Mulherin that deploys early Beastie Boys drums and Rage Against the Machine bark-rapping in service of a rap-rock revival bathed in righteousness.”
Last year, he teamed up with Travis Barker for the collaborative EP, bloodlust. bloodlust was highlighted by lead single destruction, which debuted via The FADER with Kerrang! declaring “bloodlust feels like another world. From start to finish it envelops you in its hazy, muted soundscapes.” bloodlust followed a prolific string of singles from nothing,nowhere. –call back, dread, and ornament, and arrived just a year after the release of his acclaimed 2018 LP, ruiner. The sophomore LP features album standouts ruiner and rejecter, which Pigeons&Planes declared, “perfectly exemplify why nothing,nowhere.’s music is so exciting he’s crafted a world of sound that’s both fresh and recognizable.”
The FADER remarked, “The new record is a stimulating blend of singing, hip-hop, and live instrumentation, all fused together with emo and alternative stylings.” nothing,nowhere.’s 2017 debut album, reaper, was met with critical praise led by the singles hopes up (Ft. Dashboard Confessional) and skully.
The album made a massive impact upon its DCD2/Equal Vision release with The New York Times’ Jon Caramanica placing it at #1 on his list of 2017’s best. reaper “synthesizes the second-wave emo of the early to mid-2000s with the rattling hip-hop low end of the last few years,” he wrote. “(reaper) is one of the most promising pop albums of the year,” Rolling Stone declared, “reaper finds him tonally evoking the glory years of 2000s emo-punk without necessarily replicating it.”
nothing,nowhere. is the musical endeavor of Vermont songwriter, singer and guitarist Joe Mulherin. For Mulherin, nothing,nowhere. is about a connection. It’s one he finds with fans around the world, who gather to see him play on tour and to listen to his songs online. It’s that connection that urges the singer to place his fears aside and step onstage each night to share his art. He sees the potential to help, to make a change, however small it may be and that is why he brings his music out of the Vermont wildness.
Trauma Factory available February 19th:
01. trauma factory
02. lights (4444)
03. buck
04. love or chemistry
05. exile
06. upside down
07. pain place (feat. MISOGI)
08. fake friend
09. death
10. pretend
11. blood (feat. KennyHoopla & JUDGE)
12. nightmare
13. crave
14. real
15. barely breathing
Stream upside down here. Preorder Trauma Factory here.
Motown/Blacksmith Recordings artist Ted Whenhas teamed up with award-winning Canadian filmmaking collective Black Lake (Martin Garrix & Khalid, 30 Seconds To Mars, Shallou) to create a surreal series of six videos to accompany the songs from his debut solo EP, morning. In “Nothing Left”, the first video in the series, an illuminated orb leads a woman from her home into the nearby forest. As she explores the majesty of the natural world at night, she reaches a clearing and glimpses a mysterious sight in the sky. View “Nothing Left” HERE.
Subsequent videos will follow other characters, each on a personal odyssey of discovery. While they are immersed in dramatically different environments, each encounters the guiding orb other mythic images introduced in “Nothing Left.” A new video will debut every other Thursday, according to the following schedule:
3/4: “Edge Off”
3/18: “Guide Me Home”
4/1: “Good Things”
4/15: “Eyes Closed”
4/29: “Don’t Feel Like Feeling”
Born in Cedar Rapids, Tedformerly fronted the acclaimed indie band, Mansions on the Moon. The singer/songwriter/producer has toured with Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller and worked in the studio with The Neptunes. All of these elements and experiences inform his new, genre-defying solo sound.
The six-song morning EP was released in July 2020 and followed by morning FOOL’S GOLD REMIXES, which featured remixes by Nick Catchdubs, Lxury, Jubilee, High Klassified, DJ SWISHA, YehMe2 and Promnite–all members of the Fool’s Gold community of artists. Released in November, the EP evening contained two brand new songs plus stripped-down versions of four previously released tracks. The collection also included the six songs from morning. Download / stream eveningHERE.
The flurry of 2020 releases brought Tedwidespread critical acclaim. Flaunt praised his “unique energy and hybrid sound blending the genres of indie and electronic.” Wonderland hailed Tedas a “genre-defying singer, [a] superstar in the making.”
As Valentine’s Day comes to a close, there seems to be a lull in the season of gift-giving. Christmas and Valentine’s Day are two holidays focused on spreading love and the next day focused on sharing love is Mother’s Day. Although it’s still weeks away, it’s never too soon to start planning for the important women in your life.
Tea Forté
Tea Forté has a variety of exquisite teas that are the perfect gift for Mother’s Day. The company features a variety of tea collections such as the Soleil Collection, which will be available in March 2021, the Wellbeing Collection and the Tea Over Ice Collection.
Tea Forté also features a variety of gift sets so they’re ready to go as a perfect gift. Beyond tea, they feature teaware such as a steeping cup that has a double-walled cup to keep tea hot and the cup cozy to hold. Plus, enjoy free shipping on all orders over $49!
A perfect gift for Mother’s Day is skincare and OURA has products worth talking about. OURA has recently worked to create self-care products that infuse high-tech solutions into everyday life, while also doing social good by granting the wish of a childhood cancer patient for every 1,000 products sold.
The OURA Exfoliatoris self-disinfecting and rejuvenates the skin by removing dead skin cells as it cleans out pores and sweeps away debris deeply and completely using only water. The dual-textured smart fiber pad is infused with copper oxide which works naturally to improve skin texture and provide a luminous glow, while gentle enough for sensitive skin. These special cleansing cloths are anti-bacterial; ultra-plush; self-sterilizing; sustainable; hypoallergenic; and anti-aging.
Like the Exfoliator, the Hydro Glove creates a healthy glow on skin from head to toe. The Hydro Glove is antimicrobial and made of 100 percent cotton infused with copper to allow for gentle exfoliation for the entire body.
There’s finally a sensible solution to help stop stains on your favorite panties from unpredictable monthly leaks. Cutie Undies are underpants that you wear during your period and then toss into the garbage!
Each pack comes with two pairs of 100% cotton breathable briefs with built-in sanitary pads for the best day/night protection. The briefs are discreet, secure, comfortable and biodegradable. The best part? It’s only $9.99 for a pack of two! Check out their website for more information.
Mom has been working overtime for the past year, it’s only fair to give her a gift of true comfort with Barefoot Dreams’ new Spring collection featuring new colorways of fan-favorite sets and brand-new styles. Surefire items include the Crinkle Jersey Lounge Set in a beautiful new color, Waterfall Sea Salt, the Scoop Neck Short Set, and the Washed Satin Short PJ Set.
Now, with everyone staying home, loungewear is the perfect gift for any woman in your life. Barefoot Dreams features a collection of cozy, chic and comfortable clothing.
Score extra points with mom this year, by giving her a gift made just for her – salon-quality custom haircare by Gemmist. Made with coconut oil, camellia japonica seed oil and avocado oil, and by using science-based formulas from a quick hair quiz, this personalized shampoo and conditioner set, and the Scalp Balancing Bar is the endless thank you mom deserves.
With these products, women in your life will be able to bring the spa home with them. The brand also offers a Gemmist gifting subscription service to save you the hassle.
DoggieLawn was created when founder Natalie wanted to find an easy indoor dog bathroom solution to living in an apartment with dogs. It’s the perfect, natural place for your pet to relax or go potty – especially right now with cold temps, crazy storms, or even if it’s in the middle of the night and you don’t want to venture outside!
DoggieLawn is an environmentally-friendly subscription or one-time purchase that delivers a never-ending supply of fresh grass right to your door. Great for indoors, small balconies, backyards and more! Learn more on their website.
Qemp has a variety of CBD oils, the perfect Mother’s Day gift for all the stressed moms out there. Their formulas are crafted to help maintain focus, boost energy and improve rest. They also have a CBD cream to help provide relief for pain. They have formulas for nighttime and daytime use as well as an oil for beginners that don’t know where to start.
The GlassFusion VisionGuard+ with D3O and GlassFusion+ with D3O are now available for the Apple iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12/12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The formulation used by InvisibleShield is crystal clear, so it looks just like the phone’s original screen. The D3O additive makes these industry-leading screen protectors more than 20% stronger than the original GlassFusion protector. These screen protectors are perfect for the mom that can’t seem to hold on to their phone.
GlassFusion Screen Protectors – Starting at $49.99
G-SHOCK’s Gold Ingot Collection
G-SHOCK’s new Gold Ingot Collection screams luxury. The GM110SG-9A, GM5600SG-9, and GM6900SG-9, each feature stainless steel bezels and buckles with eye-catching semi-transparent bands and metallic gold dials inspired by the design of a classic Gold Ingot. The retro-inspired models each come equipped with standard G-SHOCK technology and capabilities including shock resistance, 200M water resistance, EL backlight, daily alarm, stopwatch, countdown timer, and full auto-calendar.
G-SHOCK’s Gold Ingot Collection – Starting at $220
L’OR Espresso
For the mom that loves coffee, L’OR will allow them to dive into pure espresso bliss. With L’OR you can experience the sweet aroma of the freshest Arabica and Robusta beans, hand-selected by L’OR roasters. The selection is truly exquisite and would satisfy any mom that wants to indulge.
As we move into the spring months and warmer weather, sandals are on every women’s wishlist. The Blowfish Malibu Spring Collection has a variety of cute styles to choose from. The Rylim Sandal is the perfect slide on shoe to complete your Spring look; the cushioned footbed, featuring a cactus flower sock design, allows for all day comfort without breaking the bank or compromising your chicness. The Rylim Sandal comes in five cool colors and is Vegan Registered too!
A trend in skincare is moving toward more natural and organic products, and sugar can be a key ingredient in a natural skincare regimen. Ida Body Care Founder & CEO Vicki Weaver Payne says “Our Sugar Scrub is Ida’s secret step to maximize hydration. My mother Ida created it with natural sugar and 12 essential oils including anti-aging powerhouses like Avocado oil, Evening Primrose oil and Apricot Kernel oil,” Vicki explains. “Your skin will never feel the same.”
A vegan and cruelty-free line, Ida’s Body Scrub stimulates the skin, activating and cleansing it, so you feel revived and ready. Sugar is beneficial to the skin because it is a natural humectant. A humectant draws moisture from the environment into the skin. Using sugar on the skin can help hydrate the skin and retain moisture.
PROUDis an ethically sourced collection with a mission to give back. Any purchase the customer makes from the website, 10% of gross sales will be donated to their charity of choice: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Pink Ribbon Girls, Baby2Baby, Off The Street Club, Victoria’s Victory Foundation or the Rezvan Foundation.
PROUD’s ethos is to create a brand that unifies people beyond the current political divide in America and awaken the philanthropist in each of us. The idea is no matter where you come from or what you do, we all have something to be proud of. With a variety of sizes, styles and prices, the women in your life will love PROUD.
For the mom that wants a bag that is stylish and practical, the Luli Bebé Monaco Diaper bag is the one for her. Available in two sizes—Monaco and Petit Monaco—the soft vegan faux leather texture is gorgeous and easy to care for. Worn as a backpack or a shoulder/crossbody bag, with clips provided to attach to it to a stroller, this diaper bag is versatile and beautiful.
The central satin-lined storage space is ringed by pockets for a total of nine storage spaces, to keep all of the baby’s things organized and easy to reach. The exterior design and elegant colors make this diaper bag look runway-worthy, with shades of Ebony Black, Pearl White, Stone Grey, Pastel Pink, Latte Brown and Caramel.
Mother’s deserve a good night’s sleep and FluffCo brings ultimate comfort to your bedroom. Featuring down and feather as well as down alternative pillows, bring the ultimate hotel pillow experience home with you! The pillows contain ethically sourced down & feather and pillow shells made with cooling eucalyptus.
At half the industry retail cost, your best night sleep ever is right around the corner with FluffCo. Any woman in your life will love the comfort that FluffCo can provide. After all, they deserve to relax after the busy lives they need to balance.
Coachx Champion
For the fashion-forward mom, this limited-edition collaboration brings together two American icons, combining Coach’s distinct attitude and legacy of craftsmanship with Champion’s authority in authentic athletic apparel.
Featuring leather bags, leather jogger pants, sweaters and shearling jackets printed with new branding that unites Coach’s storypatch, one of its house symbols, with Champion’s iconic C-logo, the collection reimagines the shared heritage of both brands with a fresh, modern lens.
BisouLovely Jewelry
BisouLovely is a line of high-quality ethereal jewelry that will remind you of the magical jewels in your fairytale dreams!
Inspired by magical girls, each piece is crafted with care using precious metals and sparkling stones to create the jewelry of your fairytale dreams. Choose from rings, necklaces, and earrings in celestial shades of pink, blue, rose gold, silver with sapphires, opals, cubic zirconia stones, moonstones and more.
Puro Sound Labs, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium, safe children and adult headphones, recently announced a change in ownership. Founder Dave Russell has sold the company to his daughters, Ashley Warnicki, Christina Russell and Nicole Russell, to both honor Women in the Workplace as we celebrate Women’s History Month in March, and also to continue his legacy of providing safe hearing for all.
The brand is dedicated to creating healthy, affordable, high-quality listening products for everyone. They have a variety of styles and colors beginning at just $64.99. The volume limiting headphones ensure a safe listening experience.
Malicious Women Candle Co. is a woman-owned company serving sassiness through their ethically made candles, cosmetics, apparel, jewelry and more. They have built a community of Malicious Misfits from around the world and their candles make the perfect gift.
Scents like “A Hot Mess” and “Blueberry Cobbler” will fill anyone’s home with a fabulous scent. The women in your life will love the cute candle jars that will spice up any room. The candles come with funny sayings so they can be personalized to the woman you’re shopping for.
For the mom that loves wine, Repour has the perfect way to save the bottle so every last drop stays fresh. By absorbing the oxygen from the bottle—which is what causes wine to go bad in the first place—it keeps your wine fresh from the first glass to the last.
Use Repour like you would a normal stopper or closure. One Repour will save one full bottle of wine (750 ml), even if you drink one glass a week for 5 weeks. The stopper eliminates 100% of oxygen from your wine, perfect for those who can never finish a bottle.
This Mother’s Day, make mom feel bathed in opulence with a heartfelt gift from luxury designer, Louis Vuitton. The company has an array of exotic and leather handbags so that mom can tote around all her goods in one compact, fashion-forward purse. Vuitton also features stunning springtime garment designs, like their Starboard Wedge Sandals and Stellar Sneakers, so mom can stride with style. Pair her favorite Louis Vuitton shoes with the fashionable Flounce Detail Straight-Cut Dress or the Monogrammed Jacquard Gabardine dress for a full outfit–perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch. If she can’t get enough of the accessories, add a cool new pair of sunglasses, a monogrammed shawl, or some of the company’s beautiful baubles. From earrings and rings to necklaces and watches, let mom shine in what is sure to be a gift she’ll cherish forever.
Louis Vuitton experiential gifts can make for most unforgettable Mother’s Day memories– such as their Surfboard by Alex Israel, bikes, board games, and book collections. Sharing an afternoon playing chess with mom on her new Louis Vuitton chess set might be your new, favorite Mother’s Day tradition together.
A variety of luxury home goods are available from Louis Vuitton’s Mother’s Day gift guide. From origami flowers by Atelier Oi to Marcel Wanders diamond mirror to Tokujin Yoshioka’s stunning blossom vase and more, outfit mom’s space with the glitz and glamour she deserves. Several of Vuitton’s gifts–including the Doudou Louis teddy bear and Lockit bracelets– give money back to UNICEF, so customers can feel good about simultaneously indulging in mom and contributing to a charitable cause.
GUCCI
Gucci’s Mother’s Day gift guide offerings include the Ken Scott, Off The Grid and Ouverture collections along with Gucci’s Beloved Handbags which were recently reimagined in new precious gems colorways! Gucci’s eclectic, contemporary and romantic designs are sure to leave mom swooning for more!
SKINNEY MEDSPA
Shower some of your most deserving with the gift of great skin…because there’s no better gift than giving mom a little time for herself on her very special day! SKINNEY Medspa is the latest beauty destination to debut in Miami in Bal Harbour Shops, offering all manners of cosmetic enhancements under one roof. Specializing in high-tech non-invasive skin treatments, cosmetic and body contouring procedures, SKINNEY Medspa’s Mother’s Day promo showcases some of their favorite treatments at a discounted price, available for purchase from now until Mother’s Day!
FRAXEL:
Fraxel promotes more beautiful, healthier skin. Stimulates collagen, fights aging, uneven texture, deep wrinkling, or scars. Normally valued at $1,500, the treatment will be available for $1,000 for a limited time.
THERMAGE:
Address the visible signs of aging in minutes! Thermageis non-invasive that smooths + tightens. Normally valued at $3,000, the treatment will be available for $2,400 for a limited time.
On the other hand, surprise mom with something you both want! In addition to the above treatments, SKINNEY Medspa is offering Buy 1 Gift 1 on select facials:
HYDRAFACIAL:
The HydraFacial immediately improves the look and health of skin using patented technology to cleanse, extract and hydrate while providing ongoing results. This A-list facial will leave skin looking healthy and flawless.
VENUS FREEZE FACIAL:
Venus Freeze is a non-surgical face-lift that smoothes fine lines, wrinkles and tightens skin. Its powerful cell stimulation promotes an instant glow, making the skin look plump and healthy.
The Hapuku Wedge sandal features a 3-inch heel and a faux-leather strap upper with a Velcro closure. With the Blowfish Malibu sandals signature cushioned footbed, your mom won’t have to sacrifice style or comfort!
The Marley, one of Blowfish Malibu’s best-selling sneaker, is a slip-on sneaker featuring a canvas upper with elastic for an easy on/off wear. With distressed edges and a cushioned footbed, this sneaker is perfect for everyday wear! Available in a variety of colors and prints.
If she likes simplicity, she will love this S1 MOD watch from MVMT, featuring a minimalist architecture with a sleek all-over silver steel colorway and a 32MM diameter case.
For the moms on the go, this pair of aviators will fit and flatter anyone! Designed with polished stainless steel, the Runaway is a great addition for a classic and effortless look.
This barbed wire inspired cuff is perfect for the edgy and stylish mothers. Featuring an open closure, this cuff is a fun twist to stack with other accessories or to wear by itself. Available in 4 different colored metals.
BBQGuys Outdoor Living Products
Food brings people together. This Mother’s Day, enjoying some quality time with mom over a delicious meal. With BBQGuys‘ wide range of grills, BBQs, smokers, pizza ovens, BBQ accessories, outdoor kitchen appliances, and more on their website, you’ll be cooking up a delicious meal in no time. The Blaze Electric Grill is perfect for cooking up a delicious Mother’ Day meal. With a water-resistant exterior, mom will love this new grill. Table-Top to Pedestal, or Built-In model, the Electric Grill is versatile, allowing for mom to grill anywhere in style. The newest launch that she will adore features triangular searing rods to create the perfect sear marks, stainless steel flame tamers to minimize flare-ups and add flavor, and 1500 Watt heating elements to distribute heat evenly and with a maximum grill surface temperature of 749°F.
Give back to mom, after all the years she’s spent caring for you, by showing her some love with a home-cooked meal. Or, if she’s a chef, grace her kitchen with a new appliance she’ll love to use. Either way, BBQGuys is here to make Mother’s Day even more delectable this year.
Tissot Bellissima Wristwatch
This Mother’s Day, get mom a stunning timepiece she is sure to cherish forever. Tissot’s Bellissima evening wrist watch is the perfect, elegant accessory for any look. This delicate time piece is available in several versions, which can be viewed on Tissot’s website.
Add an extra sparkles to your mom’s outfits with a gift that will remind her of you every time she glances down to check the time. This dainty watch suits all of life’s occasions, including being the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
The Bodega
On Saturday, June 12th btw 4PM-8PM, 360 Magazine will host our intimate immersive pop-up shop, which will be reminiscent of a traditional Bronx Bodega. This po-up shop is a collaborative effort to elevate our brand’s priorities in popular culture and design (PC+D). We are looking to collaborate with and highlight local businesses in the Bronx. 360 Magazine works with LGBT-friendly, community-based organizations.
This boutique and private shopping experience will be held at the #360TRAP Bronx workspace. The event will feature #AOHSOA Trunk Pieces and lifestyle choices, specifically designed for consumers to live their best PC+D lifestyle.
The pop-up will possess a carnival theme and will feature creative activities and decors compatible with this fun concept. The event’s open bar will run for four hours and feature signature spirits of mixologists, as well as festive tapas. This event will be a privileged opportunity to reinforce brand awareness and network among target audiences and sponsors.This summer event will also be the precursor for World Blood Donor Day (6/14) and Armon Hayes‘ birthday (6/16).
Many people planning for retirement anticipate those post-working years eagerly, ready to veg out after a life of toil. Others plan with greater anxiety, unsure whether they even have an identity without their jobs. But it may be that retirement these days is far different from what both points of view envision.
“We all have made decisions based on the information we had at the time, but later realized we would have planned differently if we knew then what we know now,” says Patti Hart, co-author with her husband, Milledge, of The Resolutionist: Welcome to the Anti-Retirement Movement. “That’s definitely true when it comes to planning for retirement.”
The Harts don’t even think of themselves as retirees, but as “resolutionists,” constantly challenging themselves to improve. “I’m busier now than I’ve ever been,” Milledge Hart says. “I’m using this time to be a better me than I could when my days were structured and my time was spoken for.” With that said, the Harts share five things future retirees may wish they had known sooner:
Retirement isn’t what it used to be. Most people’s vision of retirement is built on what the people around them did, but that vision is outdated. “Many of us watched our parents or grandparents settle into a quiet, nondescript life,” Milledge Hart says. “We’ve seen the stereotypical portrayal of aging and irrelevant ‘retirees’ on TV shows and in the movies.” But many retirees today are much more vibrant than those stereotypes and have no intention of sitting quietly on a front porch while the world passes them by.
People have more time in this phase of life than previous generations. Anyone who expects retirement to be a few short years tacked on to the end of their working life could be in for an awakening. In actuality, this period could last 20 to 30 years or more. The average 65-year-old man can expect to live another 18 years and the average 65-year-old woman nearly 21 more years, according to the Social Security Administration. And those, remember, are averages. “Some people could spend more years in their post-career life than they did building their career,” Patti Hart says. “Knowing and understanding what that means will help you plan better.”
It’s important to constantly prepare for the next phase. The Harts acknowledge they should have been planning earlier than they did. Instead, time slipped by. “The horizon is closer than it looks,” Milledge Hart says. So, when should you get serious about planning for those post-career years? “Right now would be a good time,” he says. “But definitely, the sooner the better.”
Retirees need to redefine their metrics. The Harts say it’s important for people to redefine how they measure success in this phase of life because it’s different from how they likely measured success in their career days. “The goals are likely to be more qualitative than quantitative,” Patti Hart says. “For example, one of our metrics one year was to enhance our celebrations. We found that many holidays and special events were filled with unnecessary stress and were too materially focused. We decided to eliminate event-driven gift giving.” That simple change, she says, improved their lives substantially.
Being a resolutionist is fun. If someone had told the Harts when they were in their 30s that their “retirement” years would be filled with so much fun, laughter, and fulfillment, they would have been skeptical. “We laugh more now than we’ve laughed at any other stage in our life,” Milledge Hart says. “This phase is instilled with so much adventure, and it’s a feeling that comes from within rather than the happiness of achieving a certain stock price.”
“I wish I had known sooner that I could say goodbye to the corporate world and still be interesting and relevant,” Patti Hart says. “I wish I had known that retirement is yours to define. I successfully defined my role in the business world, but it didn’t dawn on me that I could also reinvent retirement. I don’t know why. It seems perfectly obvious now.”
About Patti and Milledge Hart
Patti and Milledge Hart, co-authors of The Resolutionist: Welcome to the Anti-Retirement Movement, spent more than 30 years as executive leaders in numerous technology and investment banking businesses. Today, in what they refer to as the “Resolutionist” – rather than retirement – phase of their lives, they are applying their resources and skills in new ways to advance philanthropic and corporate activities around the globe.
Have you ever looked at someone and noticed what a gorgeous, natural, and confident smile they’ve got? Or looked at photos of yourself and cringed at your awkward smile? Many of us hate our smiles, covering our mouths when we laugh or choosing a more managed pose for photos. Some of us even go as far as to avoid doing it at all.
This is a shame. There are many advantages to smiling, and if anything, we should all be trying to do it more. When we smile, we send triggers to our brain that we are happy, and so our mood improves. We look confident, trustworthy, and approachable, and other people are more likely to confide in us. One of the biggest benefits of smiling is how contagious they are. When we see someone smiling naturally, we smile back, and that one smile spreads, and the benefits multiply.
But, if you’ve been ashamed of, or hidden your smile for years, it can be hard to get into the habit of smiling proudly. Fortunately, there are some easy ways that you can build a more confident smile. Here’s a look at some of them.
Straight Teeth
One of the main reasons that we hide our smiles is that we’ve got crooked teeth, overlaps, or a mismatched bite. Many of us are living with wonky teeth, instead of using night time clear aligners to correct them.
Night time aligners and invisible braces from ALIGNERCO are both excellent ways to straighten your teeth, without the expense, or discomfort of mental braces. Read more from ALIGNERCO about the difference between the two to see how clear braces could benefit you.
Good Oral Hygiene
Another reason that we avoid smiling is that our teeth are stained, cracked, or yellow. Improving your oral hygiene can help to give you a whiter and more even smile.
Straightening your teeth will be a big help, as straight teeth are much easier to clean, and fewer overlaps give bacteria much less space to hide in and grow. You should also work on brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, giving each area of your mouth plenty of attention, flossing, and using mouthwash to offer extra cleaning and protection throughout the day.
Regular Trips to the Dentist
As hard as you try to care for your teeth, good brushing can only go so far. When you visit your dentist, they’ll offer you a deep clean and scale, removing plaque and polishing your teeth. They’ll also spend time looking for signs of decay and infection so that you can do something about it before it becomes an unsightly problem.
Even if your teeth seem fine, you should see your dentist at least twice a year, as often the early signs of decay and infection are easy to miss, and we don’t always notice until it’s too late.
Good Posture
Your posture affects how you feel about yourself, and how others see you. If you are slumped, you are more likely to hide yourself away, smiling at the ground if you are smiling at all.
When you stand tall with your head high and your shoulders back, you attract the right kind of attention. People look at you differently, you are more likely to feel confident, and you are more likely to smile. If your posture is bad, getting more exercise, adjusting your sleep position, and correcting yourself throughout the day can help you to improve it.
Improved Mood
Of course, most of us smile more when we are happier, and we feel like smiling. Even with great teeth, you might not be inclined to smile if you are unhappy, or doing something that you hate.
If you don’t feel like smiling, look at why not. Is there something that’s making you unhappy? Are you worried or anxious? Or, do you just need to take better care of yourself and spend more time with people that make you smile?
Face Yoga
Not everyone finds smiling easy, especially if you are out of practice. It takes muscles and can seem like a bit of an effort. Practicing simple facial yoga stretches every day can help to tighten the muscles in your face, stretching your lips out and making smiles feel more natural. Facial yoga can also help if you’ve got a double chin or other concerns, tightening and improving its shape and position.
Look After Your Lips
Your lips, along with your teeth are the most important element of your smile. When your lips are very dry and chapped, smiling can even be painful. Look after your lips using a sugar scrub to remove dead skin, and then a moisturizing balm, especially in the winter.
If you’ve always been uncomfortable about your smile, don’t just live with it. Make some changes so that you can enjoy smiling wide.
Priority Early Actions for the Department of Transportation
COVID-19 Health Protections. In the wake of the recent mask mandate for commercial air travel, the administration should immediately issue clear, enforceable requirements for other COVID-19 protections on aircraft and in airports. Such requirements should be based on the best available science and should apply to all U.S. airlines, all foreign airlines operating to, within, and from the United States, and all U.S. airports. The protocols should include enforced social distancing in airports and onboard aircraft, including empty middle seats between strangers; requirements for consistent state-of-the-art aircraft cleaning procedures; as well as consistent, fair, and sensible policies on testing, screening, and quarantining passengers and workers.
Flight Refunds. The administration should strengthen and expand existing DOT rules on passenger flight refunds, particularly during “force majeure” situations such as a global pandemic. In addition, the DOT must vigorously enforce these refund regulations with U.S. airlines, foreign airlines, and other ticket sellers, including resolving outstanding claims that have not been settled, in some cases since March 2020.
Unfair and Deceptive Airline Practices. The Administration should promptly review the new DOT rule, rushed to approval in late November, that created procedural hurdles for unfair and deceptive practices regarding rulemaking and adjudication. Implementation should be suspended, and steps should be begun to rescind it. This ill-conceived rule is totally unnecessary; its only effect is to make it more difficult for DOT to exercise its own authority to protect the traveling public against abusive airline practices.
Further Recommendations
Revamp the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC) so that it better represents consumers. As we and other consumer advocates wrote to Secretary Chao in October 2020, the ACPAC is fundamentally broken. It is supposed to be a forum for bringing consumer interests and concerns to DOT. But in its current formulation, it does not effectively represent consumers or adequately address issues of concern to the traveling public. This Committee should be reconstituted in a way that provides a true consumer protection voice to the Department, with members who advocate on behalf of consumers.
Family Seating. The administration should issue rules to ensure that families with young children always sit together inflight without incurring additional fees or being required to purchase upgraded tickets. Congress directed DOT to issue such a rule in 2016, but left in a loophole giving the Department the ability to decline to regulate if such regulation is not “appropriate.” Consumer complaints and concerns, as well as a 2018 FBI report on inflight sexual assaults, make clear the need for such a rule.
Airfare Transparency. Implement full airline fare and fee transparency rules so that consumers are always provided “bottom line pricing” for all flights prior to selection, inclusive of both mandatory and “optional” taxes and fees. These rules should apply to all booking channels, whether the tickets are sold through airlines or third-party ticket sellers, and whether they are sold online or offline.
Passenger Bill of Rights. The administration should develop a Bill of Rights that will address the glaring inequities in U.S. airlines’ Contracts of Carriage, documents that are one-sided, binding, intentionally vague, and utterly confusing. Other nations—including Canada and the members of the European Union—have introduced simple, consistent, and easily understood passenger compensation policies for airline flight delays, flight cancellations, involuntary bumping, and mishandled baggage.
Seat Standards. Develop minimum seat size standards for all U.S. commercial aircraft, including regional aircraft operating on behalf of major U.S. carriers. Consumer Reports has documented that economy class seat pitch/legroom and seat width dimensions have diminished in recent decades. This reduces passenger comfort, but also increases dangers of blood clotting, and threatens safe emergency evacuations.
Emergency Evacuations. Conduct a fresh evaluation to revamp the FAA’s emergency evacuation standards and testing procedures for commercial aircraft. In recent years the FAA has relied on outdated computer modeling for such testing, and certain airlines and aircraft types have not been properly tested in more than two decades. These outdated testing procedures fail to account for the seismic changes that have overtaken airline travel in the last 20 years. In addition, there are valid concerns that computer modeling and even actual testing have selectively not accounted for real world demographics, including passengers with disabilities.
Federal Preemption. Work with Congress to eliminate the preemption clause of the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act, so that airline passengers gain more rights on the state and local levels, via state legislatures, state attorneys general, and private right of action.
FAA oversight of aircraft manufacturers. The Boeing 737 MAX crisis highlighted weaknesses in the FAA’s oversight of aircraft manufacturers. In particular, the FAA Inspector Designee program should be reformed so that additional FAA oversight is provided over aircraft manufacturer employees who are tasked with serving the potentially conflicting role as FAA inspectors and certifiers.
Maintenance Outsourcing. The administration should require that airline maintenance work be conducted in the United States, and the FAA should provide adequate surveillance of such maintenance work.
Experts aren’t sure why people are more likely to have a heart attack during the winter than any other time of year. If Valentine’s Day and Heart Health Month are inspiring you to take better care of your ticker, here’s big news.
A 12-month human clinical study involving 577 participants conducted in Malaysia reveals we aren’t doing our hearts any favors by eating a high-carb diet. Researchers looked at different patterns of eating, from high-fat to low-fat, high-carb to low-carb, and measured the effect each way of eating had on the risk for heart disease. Turns out, fat intake didn’t move the risk needle one way or the other. The higher carb diets, on the other hand, were associated with greater cardiovascular ris.
I wasn’t the least surprised by this study’s findings! I’ve been saying for years that fat has been wrongly demonized. If anything, it’s sugar – not fat – that’s causing us to go off the metabolic rails. In this study, low-carb diets performed considerably better than high-carb diets.
The study found that healthy adults who ate higher proportions of carbohydrates (compared with the amount of proteins or fat they consumed) tended to develop several elevated risk factors for cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure and more plaque-promoting small LDL cholesterol particles. Higher proportions of dietary fat intake were not associated with elevating these risk factors.
A hormone called insulin – and a condition called insulin resistance – are at the core of pre-diabetes, and are turning out to be early warning signs for heart disease. And the results of this study showed that insulin measures were considerably better when people ate diets with a lower amount of carbs, and that was true regardless of the amount of fat consumed.
It’s insulin resistance, not cholesterol, that is the root cause of heart disease and, according to other research, probably many other chronic underlying conditions plaguing our world.
The good news is that insulin resistance is treatable, preventable and mostly reversible by diet alone. It’s time we get off the toxic diets that are causing this condition in the first place! It’s time we understand that saturated fat and cholesterol are not the problems. When you remove that outdated thinking, the current dietary guidelines collapse like a house of cards.
What’s good for the heart is good for the brain, and vice versa. I haven’t found one exception to that case. The right diet for the heart looks exactly like the right diet for the brain. And sadly, the diet we SHOULD be eating is exactly the opposite of the diet we’ve been told is heart-healthy.
Easy, no-fail heart-healthy eating changes
Most attempts to eat healthier fail quickly because the changes are too big and unmanageable. Instead of trying to completely overhaul your diet, start by making a few small changes. Here are a few simple suggestions that may have a healthy impact on your heart:
First, remove these items from your kitchen:
Corn oil and canola oil. These seed oils are filled with omega-6 which is very pro-inflammatory.
Sugar. Let’s be realistic. I know you’re probably not going to give up your favorite sweets entirely. But be kind to your heart by restricting those goodies to just a few days a month.
Canned soups, salad dressings and pasta sauces. These are often loaded with hidden sugars and a ton of sodium. Instead of relying on these cooking shortcuts, do an internet search for simple recipes you can make from scratch.
White flour and white rice. These are heavily processed and raise your blood sugar almost as much as pure sugar. And – don’t shoot the messenger – products made with ‘whole grains” don’t do much better. Whole grains still raise blood sugar, and still contain gluten, so they may not be the solution for everyone.
Then, add these items to your fridge and pantry:
Palm oil. You can find this online and in specialty markets. Millions of people around the world use it as their everyday cooking oil. Malaysian certified sustainable palm oil is rich in nutrients such as brain- and heart-healthy vitamin E tocotrienols.
Butter. This was never bad to begin with! It was banished from our tables because of our ill-advised fear of saturated fats. So we replaced it with something much worse!
Stevia and monk fruit. These are natural sweeteners that have no effect on your blood sugar.”
Nuts: People who eat more nuts have lower BMIs. Their diets are higher in magnesium, higher in fiber, higher in poly- and monounsaturated fats, all of which can have a profound effect on your health. But nuts are also easy to overeat and contribute to weight gain, so just be careful about the amount you consume.
Egg yolks: What a relief that you don’t have to suffer through one more tasteless egg white omelet! The advice to eat egg white omelets is way past its expiration date!
Dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa on the label): Chocolate contains cocoa flavanols; beneficial plant-based phytonutrients that support cardiovascular health.
Grass-fed beef. Grass-fed beef contains anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and less inflammatory omega-6s. It’s also free of hormones, a very big plus indeed. If you follow this suggestion, you’ll never have to worry about how much marbling is in your steak, or if your hamburger is 70/30 instead of 90/10 or 80/20. It won’t matter.
Dark meat poultry: The USDA data shows that there are mere milligrams of differences in the nutritional content of white and dark meat.
Here’s more advice: Stick with the basics. I’ve always said that the only rule you really need to follow in nutrition is to eat real food, food your great-grandmother would have recognized as food. Eat from what I call the “Jonny Bowden Four Food Groups”: food you could hunt, fish, gather or pluck. Stay away from overly processed and get back to basics.
That doesn’t mean you can never snack. Get organic (non-GMO) popcorn with minimal chemical processing. Get away from that chemical soup called “butter flavoring” and look for a microwave popcorn that contains palm oil, because palm oil doesn’t burn easily so your popcorn will taste better.
This year, you can finally make commitments to a heart-healthy diet that are easy to achieve. These tips will help you take better care of your heart throughout the winter and may become heart-healthy habits you’ll want to follow all year long.
Biography: Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS
Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, (aka “The Nutrition Myth Buster”) is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health, and the best-selling author of 15 books on health. Dr. Jonny — a former professional pianist and conductor — earned six certifications in personal training and fitness, has a Master’s degree in psychology, a PhD in holistic nutrition and is board certified by the American College of Nutrition. He has written, contributed to or consulted on hundreds of articles in publications as diverse as the New York Times, People, Us, O the Oprah Magazine, In Style, Vanity Fair Online, People, GQ, Forbes Online, Clean Eating, the Huffington Post and countless others.
He is the best-selling author of 15 books, including “Living Low Carb”, “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth” and his latest, the revised and expanded version of “The Great Cholesterol Myth” (2020).
The inaugural Helsinki Biennial 2021, “The Same Sea”, will be held on the Helsinki Archipelago, Vallisaari Island, from June 12–September 26, 2021. Following a year which has challenged ways of being, indefinitely, shifted the modus operandi, and renewed perspectives, Helsinki Biennial invites the global art community to rethink how the world’s major art events are staged.
By establishing a responsible approach to exhibition making, advocating a commitment to the local whilst also promoting sustainable tourism, and working within the context of the City of Helsinki and its ambitious climate goals–recently included in the A List of leading cities of climate work in 2020–Helsinki Biennial aims to offer an alternative framework for biennials in a post-pandemic world. Based on these considerations, it announces its guiding principles and objectives for embracing a new era:
1. Helsinki Biennial has a future-orientated vision; it emphasizes a responsibility towards art, the environment, and the city’s residents.
Advocating ecological ethics and radical empathy, Helsinki Biennial urges us to rethink pre-existing patterns of behavior. The cultural history and diverse environment of Vallisaari island sets a strict framework for the biennial, which will use a bespoke program from the Finnish EcoCompass Environmental Management System to direct production and infrastructure. In addition, the carbon footprint of the inaugural biennial will be measured as accurately as possible across the categories of waste, purchases, energy consumption, and logistics and mobility, in order to define goals and build guidelines for becoming an entirely carbon neutral event (aligning with the city’s ambition to become a carbon neutral city by 2035). As a new event within a busy global art calendar, Helsinki Biennial affirms its dedication to creating a new space for art and artists, which encourages innovation and responsible action.
2. Helsinki Biennial celebrates the synthesis of art, nature, and the sea. It is committed to creating safe experiences for engaging with art, within the context of open spaces, clean air, and untamed landscapes.
Formerly in military use, Vallisaari is an uninhabited island, just a 15-minute ferry ride from the city center. Rooted in its maritime location, the Helsinki Biennial marries art with natures’ elements, asserting the importance of an exhibition’s context and environment as well as its wellbeing properties. Whilst some artworks are positioned along the cobbled, outdoor trail – enabling unrestricted viewing conditions, other installations bring to life individual historical buildings and gunpowder cellars across the island–allowing the flow of visitors to be carefully measured.
3. Helsinki Biennial is dedicated to presenting ambitious work by Finnish and international artists which respond to the world around us.
The inaugural biennial “The Same Sea” will feature majority new commissions and site-specific works, including those by Katharina Grosse, Jaakko Niemelä, Tadashi Kawamata, Dafna Maimon, and Marja Kanervo. In addition to its actual geopolitical location, cultural history and nature, Vallisaari inspires broader topical questions, including the understanding of interdependence, the relationship between ourselves and others, and the micro and macro worlds that remain outside of normal observation.
4. Collaboration with local organizations and individuals is key to being part of, and expanding, the city’s art scene.
Building upon Helsinki’s flourishing grassroots and institutional art scene, new alliances and exchanges are interwoven throughout the biennial’s exhibition and collateral events program, “Helsinki Biennial Inspired”. Both local and international artists have welcomed collaborations with the city’s communities, from Margaret and Christine Wertheim’s “Helsinki Satellite Reef” crafted alongside care home residents, to Paweł Althamer’s documentary and VR film “Seven Prisoners”, produced with the nearby Suomenlinna Open Prison.
5. The biennial should be part of the cultural fabric that provides meaningful parameters for social sustainability.
As part of the city’s ambitious cultural vision, Helsinki Biennial strives to enhance Helsinki’s social sustainability. Whilst this inherently encompasses investing in artist opportunities (significantly for those who are from, live, or work in the region), it also extends to culturally enriching the lives of its citizens through the holistic attributes of contemporary art. Leaving a lasting legacy of contemporary art on the mainland, a number of biennial artworks – including 2021 sculptures by Alicja Kwade and Laura Könönen – will become permanent features of the city’s public art collection.
6. Helsinki Biennial invites all.
Helsinki Biennial is a free event. It is based on, and promotes, democratic and inclusive principles, welcoming both cultural enthusiasts and newcomers. Whilst Vallisaari as an island is an open, public space, artworks and events will also span across the mainland, offering added accessibility to the biennial. Maintaining its international scope – “The Same Sea” features artists from Finland and Australia, Cambodia, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Poland, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, the UK and the USA – Helsinki Biennial will also respond to the pandemic’s impact on how we engage with art. It will thus drive creative (and reflective) programming with a focus on embracing local engagement to create meaningful, insightful experiences for global audiences.
For more information on the artworks and artists participating in Helsinki Biennial 2021: The Same Sea, visit the website.
Helsinki Biennial
Helsinki Biennial is an international contemporary art event which takes place on Vallisaari island. Informed by Vallisaari – a former military island fusing wild nature and urban heritage – sustainable and responsible values lie at the core of Helsinki Biennial. Free to the public, each edition will primarily comprise of major new, site-specific commissions by leading international artists. Helsinki Biennial embodies the city’s ambitious, cultural vision, committed to developing Helsinki’s art scene both on a grassroots and institutional level. A major initiative of the City of Helsinki and Helsinki Art Museum (HAM), the biennial is directed by HAM’s director Maija Tanninen-Mattila and the inaugural edition, ‘The Same Sea’, is curated by HAM’s head curators Pirkko Siitari and Taru Tappola. The biennial is further supported by an international advisory committee made up of curators and academics including Kari Conte, Director of Programs and Exhibitions at the International Studio and Curatorial Programme (ISCP), New York; Lena From, Head of Special Projects at the Public Art Agency Sweden; and Joasia Krysa, Professor of Exhibition Research at Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Biennial.
The main partners of Helsinki Biennial 2021 include Metsähallitus and Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, and it is also supported by Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, Svenska Kulturfonden, and Pro Artibus Foundation. The main corporate partner of Helsinki Biennial 2021 is Clear Channel. Other partners include Helen and Artek.
Covid-19 Planning and Scenarios
During Spring 2021, Helsinki Biennial will be constructed and the artworks installed on Vallisaari island. Throughout production the biennial team will be closely following Finnish government guidelines and acting accordingly. The biennial is being planned in line with various potential scenarios, including periods of closure and flexible openings; for example, with indoor artworks closed but outdoor artworks accessible. Helsinki Biennial will also create additional digital content and its own virtual reality experience, allowing participants to be transported to Vallisaari without actually traveling to Helsinki.
