How This CEO Broke Into The Luxury Tourism Industry

Jody Diamond never believed she would have a career in luxury tourism. As the founder and CEO of Diamond Public Relations, she now boasts twenty years of experience working in hospitality—-though that was a happy accident. She'd initially worked as a film publicist in Hollywood, and it wasn't until moving across the country from Los Angeles to Miami that the industry even crossed her radar. "I didn't realize the travel public relations world existed when I started,' says Diamond. 'I didn't really know much about travel at all."

In the year 2000, Diamond took a 70% pay-cut to shift away from the film industry and restart her career in travel. (Spoiler alert: The gamble paid off.) Seven years later, motivated by a desire for innovation, Diamond started her own company with a team of three and a single client. "Diamond PR was started based on an instinct that there were members of the travel and tourism world that wanted something different," she says. Today, the award-winning company boasts 30 clients across the US and Mexico, Southern and Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

We caught up with the entrepreneur to discuss her experience in the travel industry, and the difficulties and opportunities presented therein. (Unsurprisingly, "seeing the world is the most magnificent perk.") Though she works with magnificent villas in Tuscany, luxury cruises in the Galapagos, and romantic resorts in the West Indies, Diamond is hesitant to play favorites: "Asking a PR person to choose a favorite client is like asking a parent to choose a favorite child. My mind wanders to the blue waters of the Caribbean, the culinary brilliance of Mexico, and the long summer days of Iceland. I'm homesick for all of them."

Homesick for faraway lands is a familiar feeling for many readers in quarantine, and Diamond shares insight into how to support the tourism industry during these challenging times. In fact, our conversation is perfect for restless, would-be globetrotters hoping to satisfy a bit of wanderlust—of both the professional and personal variety. Read on for career advice on the business side of travel, and expert tips for making any flight instantly more enjoyable. Happy travels!

Australian Fashion Brands Are Scooping Up International Shoppers

Outside the United States, retail is booming. In fact, international retail sales are projected to reach $4.8 trillion USD by as soon as 2021.

But one country in particular is experiencing rapid retail growth and expansion within the apparel industry: Australia.

Currently the 10th largest ecommerce market in the world based on its $25.2 billion (USD) market share projected for 2021, Australia's online retailers are seeing major growth: Within the fashion industry alone, it's predicted Australian online fashion retailers will see a 9.7% uptick in revenue this year.

Why is that?

David Whitcroft, CFO at Full Stack Finance, says that Australian brands have an advantage in that they have to think internationally from inception (as they're launching within a small market.) If they want to effectively scale up, they'll have to connect with international shoppers outside of the country.

But that's not all. Whitcroft also explained that Australia has higher input costs (like higher wages), which forces brands to be lean and efficient.

Add to this the country's geographic location and counter-seasonality (which puts it ahead of seasons in northern hemisphere countries) and the fact that demographically and traveler-wise it's a melting pot of Asia, Europe, and the US—and you have a handful of competitive advantages.

Bonus: There's no language barrier for English-speaking shoppers.

"Don't forget the legacy global surf brands that have come out of Australia, as well as high fashion brands like Zimmerman and Colette Dinnigan," Whitcroft said. "Australia has a huge cohort of professionals who understand how to launch and scale successful apparel brands."

Australia-based fashion brand Verge Girl is one example of these retailers finding success.

Effective team-scaling and remaining direct-to-consumer have been two key components to the 2,400% online sales growth they saw between 2013 and 2016, as well as an additional 100% increase every year since 2017.

"This growth happened after we started investing more time and money into the online store and hired a team to help with execution and fulfillment," said Daniella Dionyssiou, Verge Girl's co-founder. "We moved into a larger warehouse space and gradually hired photographers, stylists, warehouse managers, an operations manager and a marketing team."

Influencer marketing has also been a major focus for the brand.

Until late 2019 influencer partnerships accounted for almost 100% of Verge Girl's marketing efforts—and they still maintain a team that focuses solely on this channel. In the past few months, however, they've also started to focus on boosting customer acquisition via Facebook and Instagram ads.

Verge Girl has also kept a wide audience: Product was available to international online shoppers from the very beginning.

That said, international sales have only recently become a major portion of the brand's revenue, now accounting for about 60% of the brand's total annual revenue.

With growth on a steady include, the brand has no plans to introduce retail partnerships (despite multiple offers), and instead plans to stick with the direct-to-consumer approach.

The reason: It allows them to focus on the consumer, to stay agile, and to maintain exclusive rights to their brand and product.

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How Retailers Can Spur Consumers To Ditch Fast Fashion

Following recent worldwide climate strikes, more and more consumers are paying greater attention to their own carbon footprints, which has spurred many environmentally conscious shoppers to rethink their affinity for fast fashion. With Forever 21's bankruptcy, talk of darker days for fast fashion has only grown louder.

But the fast fashion industry benefits from one strong selling point: price competitiveness. Shopping more sustainably is typically more expensive.

Without creative solutions that harmonize consumers' eco-consciousness and their budget-consciousness, it will be hard for many shoppers to pass up the low prices fast fashion offers. To keep shoppers from feeling torn between their wallets and the planet, retailers should take steps like supporting clothing donations, offering green shipping incentives and making greater use of recycled material, as well as financing and payment options that lower customers' upfront cost burden.

For years, consumers have flocked to fast fashion outlets to get the latest runway styles at relatively low prices, but those low prices have come at a high cost. Fossil fuel-derived synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon and acrylic now account for 60% of the fabrics in our clothes. The World Resources Institute notes that manufacturing a single T-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water, while making one pair of jeans results in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to driving a car 80 miles.

Cheaply produced and designed with the latest trends in mind, fast fashion items aren't built to last, which helps explain why consumers keep clothes for only about half as long as they did at the turn of the century, and why the average consumer purchased 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000. Keeping up with consumer demand has meant more production and more adverse environmental consequences, with 2014 marking the first year that more than 100 billion garments were manufactured worldwide.

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Don’t Buy, Rent - Why H&M Is Hiring Out Fashion

Fast fashion relies on rapid turnover and few retailers have done as much to encourage the adoption of fast fashion as H&M. This week, the Swedish retailer unveils a new concept in its flagship store in Stockholm. Only it isn't selling clothes—it's renting them.

H&M, whose brands include Cos, & Other Stories and Weekday, is introducing a limited collection of some 50 selected party dresses and skirts from H&M's 2012-2019 Conscious Exclusive collections, made from "more" sustainable materials, as well as a small number from this year's collection. Customers will book an appointment with an atelier who will help them select up to three pieces a week, for around 350 SEK ($36) for each item. Once the garment is returned, it's dry-cleaned. A repair and remake counter will also be open for damaged fashion favorites.

This is in part a recognition of growing customer concerns about the fashion industry's impact on the environment. "Fashion is about lust and impulses," admits Anna Gedda, head of sustainability at the H&M Group. "By 2030 there will be 8.5 billion of us. We will need two planets—but that doesn't mean we will all be naked, so the question is how do we make that possible? At the end of the day, we have to change how we enjoy and use fashion."

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Amazon And Its Continuing Assault On Food Retail

There were two significant stories in the past few weeks involving Amazon's incursion into the world of food retail. The first was the announcement of changes to pricing for the Amazon Fresh delivery service and the second was the recognition of what has been an oft rumored launch of a new grocery brand. I wrote about these rumors first back in March of 2019. While these are two separate stories, they really build off one another and offer clues to their future plans to dominate the grocery world.

First, Amazon announced that they will no longer charge for their Amazon Fresh service for Prime members. Amazon Fresh, launched back in 2007, offers proof that not everything Amazon touches turns to gold. This service has slowly expanded without much fanfare, and is now offered in 21 metro markets in the U.S. It has been slow to take off and shows the immense challenges associated with delivering fresh groceries to U.S. households. When launched, this service was priced at $299/year. They later changed to $14.99/month in addition to the cost of a Prime membership. Now, it's free (with a $35 minimum purchase) with Prime but the pricing strategy changes illustrate one core problem of grocery delivery—it is expensive to execute, with the costs of warehouses, trucks and drivers and the trickiness of getting fresh and frozen products into consumers' homes.

In addition to Fresh, Amazon has also been focused on growing their Prime Now program, which delivers from Whole Foods. In fact, there has been so much focus on growing this “instant” delivery service that many Whole Foods stores are becoming overrun with Prime pickers, interfering with the retail customer's shopping experience. And, of course, you can still order directly from Amazon with Pantry and Subscribe & Save. Confused? It's a good bet that consumers are as well. Nevertheless, this relentless pressure on growing delivery has implications for others who are trying to compete (and actually trying to make money) in this space.

The second story is Amazon's confirmation of their first “Amazon branded” (name unknown) grocery store that will open early next year in Southern California. The 35,000-square-foot store is in a former Toys R Us (irony is not dead) and will offer a glimpse at Amazon's latest attempt to penetrate the grocery world. The obvious question is why do they need this, given that they already own Whole Foods and have launched Amazon Go?

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Global Fashion Collective Shines At Paris Fashion Week

International fashion producer, Global Fashion Collective, presented three runway shows at Paris Fashion Week, for the first time last month. The grand Palais de la Decouverte near the Champs-Élysées provided a stunning setting to showcase nine international brands including Kirsten Ley (Canada), Annika Klaas and Madeleine Mesam (Germany) Ozlana (Australia), Faun Studio (Canada), Pariha (India), EmulEos (USA), Erxi x MrHuaMrsHua (China), Sarah Kosinski (France), Devotion Designs (Canada).

A bold collection of designs from Canadian haute couture designer Kirsten Ley provided a dramatic opening to the runway shows in Paris. A recent move to Paris by this innovative designer appears to have inspired her creative processes further, with an exciting new range of highly structured pieces in a striking palette of blues and yellows.

Each of Kirsten Ley’s hand-sewn, sculptural garments take hours to create and is a unique work of art. Silk, chiffon and leather garments combine soft, flowing fabrics and designs with strong lines and tailoring.

                                                             

Balklänningar

Meet Sylvie Millstein, A Female Founder In Fashion

Melding American sportswear and French flair, Sylvie Millstein's journey to founding the fashion brand Hellessy is anything but expected.

She launched Hellessy when she was forty years old, after a successful career at Chanel and while juggling a family with four children. Becoming a designer wasn't always the plan for Millstein, but working in fashion was—she made it her goal to work at Chanel after reading her first Vogue magazine at age thirteen.

"I became obsessed with fashion, but more precisely with the new Chanel designed by Karl Lagerfeld. I never thought I could be talented enough as a designer to join the creative team, but getting a Master [degree] from one of the top French Business Schools—known as the Grandes Écoles de Commerce in France—represents a golden ticket to enter any luxury group," the designer says. "So I made it my academic goal, graduated from HEC, and landed a marketing position in the LVMH group."

Soon after, Millstein moved to Japan where she took a position with the luxury house, Givenchy, and it was in the East Asian nation where her Chanel goals manifested. She was offered a job as a buyer with her dream company, eventually moving into a key role as the GMM for Chanel, Japan. For the company at the time, and given the size of the market, this was a career highlight.

She eventually left Chanel to relocate to New York to start a family, where Millstein found herself disillusioned with the state of the job market in fashion. "I could not find any position in the corporate fashion world that would be as exciting as what I already accomplished," she says. That was when the idea to launch Hellessy came to be. It felt like the next logical step in her career.

Evening Dresses Online

These Cocktails Are Sure To Add A Spark On Independence Day

Independence Day is often about cookouts and days at the beach, but it's also about toasting to all the freedoms Americans have fought so hard to achieve. That's something worthy of a celebratory toast! While toasting with Champagne is always a fantastic idea, these cocktails are sure to help to set the mood.A traditional frozen margarita is layered between strawberry purée and blue curacao, at Dos Caminos in New York City. "The Red, White, and Blue Margarita features our traditional frozen margarita layered between strawberry purée and blue curacao, making it a perfect festive treat to kick off the holiday weekend,” said Matthew Arrants, beverage manager.

An adult spin on a childhood classic, Chicago’s Onward serves a tall glass of sparkling Gran Passione prosecco with a floating firecracker popsicle for a festive Fourth of July treat.  “As you’re drinking sparkling wine, the popsicle slowly melts adding new layers of flavor. As you near the end when the colors gather at the bottom of the glass, the best part is the last three sips which creates a burst of the nostalgic flavors of cherry, lemon and blue raspberry from the classic summertime treat,” said assistant general manager Vicente Romero.

At Greene St. Kitchen in Las Vegas,  this cocktail is made with butterfly pea flower infused Pineapple Plantation rum, Kalani Coconut liqueur, coconut cream, soda, strawberry sorbetto and gold dusted mint leaves.  "Stars and Stripes was inspired by one of my favorite ice pops off the local ice cream truck, the Rocket Pop. It was my go-to and always reminded me of 4th of July. No matter what time of year, I enjoyed one!" says master intoxicologist Eric Hobbie for Greene St. Kitchen.

'Immeasurable' Impact Of Jean-Michel Basquiat On Exhibit At The Brant Foundation

Chances are you've seen some kid somewhere wearing a Jean-Michel Basquiat t-shirt whether you knew it at the time or not. It likely featured a crown with his name scrawled in all caps underneath.

Chances are you've also never actually seen one of his paintings in person.

And chances are you will not have another opportunity again like the one being presented now through May 15 at The Brant Foundation in New York City's East Village to see so many of his best works in one place at one time.

Basquiat began his career as a graffiti artist before rocketing to international contemporary art superstardom in the 1980s, dying of an accidental drug overdose in 1988 at 27-years-old.

An early death naturally limited his artistic output. His background with graffiti and being a black man resulted in museums turning up their noses at his work when it was still affordable. Private collectors, like Peter Brant, namesake of The Brant Foundation, however, flocked to him, driving up his prices.


By the time museums had caught on, it was too late.

As a result of these unique circumstances, Basquiat's art proves exceedingly difficult to find in public collections making this exhibit, Jean-Michael Basquiat, all the more rare.

If you've never seen a work by Basquiat in person, you are in for a treat.

"I think the experience of seeing a Basquiat work in person is immeasurable," The Art Newspaper reporter Gabriella Angeleti, who has seen the exhibit, said. "It has an immense energy that almost dwarfs the viewer. It's an emotional experience and that's something hard to translate when you view the work through a screen or a book."

In 2017, Basquiat dethroned Andy Warhol, a mentor and admirer, as the most expensive American artist at auction when a Japanese billionaire purchased his Untitled (1982) at a Sotheby's auction for $110.4 million including buyer's premium.

"It's interesting to stand in front of Untitled, (1982), for example, and reflect on what Basquiat would have made of the whole circus around his work if he were still creating today," Angeleti said.

Advance tickets for Jean-Michel Basquiat have long been sold out. A limited number of same-day tickets are available. Contact The Brant Foundation at ticketsnyc@brantfoundation.org to have your name added to a waitlist. Each day the foundation accommodates people on the waitlists for entry on a first-come, first-serve basis. Walk-ins will not be permitted.

Basquiat fever, hot as ever three decades after his passing, has had an unusual effect on the art world and art-admiring public, with a potential silver lining for fans according to Angeleti.

Joe Beef and the Excesses of Restaurant Culture

For Americans living through turbulent times, Canada can seem like a refuge. The Montreal chef David McMillan figures it doesn't hurt for Canadians to have a getaway plan, too. Since 2012, he's owned a lakeside cabin in the Laurentian Mountains, accessible only by boat. It's equipped with solar power, fishing rods and rifles, and enough dried provisions to last a year. McMillan, who has three young daughters, told me, "If anything is weird, I could grab everybody and head up there." The cabin was an inspiration for "Joe Beef: Surviving the Apocalypse," McMillan's second cookbook with Frédéric Morin, his partner in five Montreal restaurants, including Joe Beef. Published late last year, and co-written with Meredith Erickson, a cookbook author who was one of Joe Beef's first servers, the new book is in part a tongue-in-cheek survivalist's manual, with instructions for building a subterranean bunker, making hardtack, and growing endive in darkness. By "apocalypse," the authors mean a range of modern ills, from the "constant noise" of social media to the threat of nuclear war. "We don't want to just survive," Erickson writes. "We want to live it out in full Burgundy style." To that end, the book also collects more than a hundred of the chefs' recipes, including a tater-tot galette, sweetbreads cooked with charcoal and licorice, and a rendition of jambon persillé, a Burgundian charcuterie of ham suspended in parsleyed jelly.

Joe Beef, which opened in 2005, is McMillan and Morin's first and best-known restaurant. It specializes in ambitious but unfussy French cooking—no white tablecloths, no minimalist dishes sprinkled with microgreens or gold leaf. Situated in the former industrial neighborhood of Little Burgundy, near the Lachine Canal, the restaurant has the feel of a ragtag bistro, with vintage furniture and stuffed animal heads mounted on the walls. The menu, written only on chalkboards, in French, is defined by exuberant immoderation, a blend of the haute and the gluttonous. On a given night, it might include a traditional foie-gras torchon or a sandwich of foie gras on white bread; tartare of raw duck, venison, or horsemeat; and a hulking strip steak topped with cheese curds—a Québécois staple—or fat links of boudin noir. Often, it includes dishes that aren't French at all: skate schnitzel, porchetta, barbecued ribs cooked in the back-yard smoker. Diners willing to spend at least a hundred dollars apiece can forgo ordering and let the kitchen stuff them with a dozen courses of its choosing. The food writer John Birdsall once published an ecstatic piece on the site First We Feast titled "I Puked at Joe Beef and It Made Me a Better Man."

For a long time, McMillan and Morin made a point of living the experience that they were selling. McMillan was known for drinking with his customers, and then downing bottles of wine long after dinner service was over. The chefs' spirit of extravagance helped make Joe Beef a success. In 2007, they opened Liverpool House, two doors down, to accommodate Joe Beef overflow; four years later, they expanded Joe Beef into an adjacent space, doubling its capacity. And, a couple of years after that, they opened a wine bar, Le Vin Papillon, two doors down from Liverpool House. Today, they employ a hundred and fifty people. But their ethos of excess proved unsustainable. In an essay for Bon Appétit, in February, McMillan wrote, "The community of people I surrounded myself with ate and drank like Vikings. It worked well in my twenties. It worked well in my thirties. It started to unravel when I was forty. I couldn't shut it off."

Food truck fundraiser for unpaid school lunch charges

Not only were they serving fresh food, but they were helping students in the consumer and technical education program, otherwise known as CTE, learn about the food truck business.

"My favorite answer to that is always being my own boss making my own decisions," The Woodshed Mobile Wood-Fired Pizza owner Tom Babler said when asked about what he enjoys in the business.

Family and consumer sciences and the business departments at Logan Middle School made the decision to join forces and teach students about the real-world food truck opportunities.

"It’s really fun you know seeing how they run their food trucks," Eighth-grader Tyler Stevenson said. "And how they make their food."

The co-founders of Midwest Bites Food Truck worked with the school staff to turn the event into a fundraiser. "We figured that we could make it into a big fundraiser for the school lunch program in hopes that the community will come out and support that and reduce any debts that are out there for the school lunch program," Midwest Bites co-founder Mary Walleser said. "Because no kid should be hungry."

According to Feeding America, one in six children does not know where their next meal will come from.

City of Charlottetown adopts food council's charter

Charlottetown city council has voted to officially adopt the food charter established by the Charlottetown Food Council.

A food charter is a visionary guiding document that describes what a community wants its food system to look like. It is a non-binding reference document that provides guidance for developing food-related policy and projects within the community.

“The food charter is an extremely valuable tool that will be used to engage the community and incorporates the overall mission and goals of the Charlottetown Food Council,” said Coun. Terry MacLeod, chairman of the Environment and Sustainability Committee.

“Food security is an issue that has been raised by the community for years. The adoption of the food charter, which also aligns with the goals of our Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP), is an encouraging step forward.”

The Charlottetown Food Council was established in 2018 and is comprised of 13 members and two city employees. The members began developing the food charter during the group’s strategic planning sessions. It was created by reviewing various examples from other Canadian cities and considering regionally relevant goals and principles.

“The adoption of the Charlottetown food charter clearly establishes the City of Charlottetown as a leader in food policy in this province,” said Karen Murchison, chairwoman of the Charlottetown Food Council.

“Our goal as the Charlottetown Food Council is to use this as an opportunity to advance positive change in the food environment within the City.”

More than 60 other municipalities in Canada have recognized the value of making food a priority in their community and have taken on the challenge of improving the regional food system that they operate within through the establishment of a local Food Council and adoption of a Food Charter.

Clare Waight Keller triumphs at 2018 Fashion Awards

Clare Waight Keller, artistic director of Givenchy, has topped off what has already been an impressive year by winning the British designer of the year womenswear award at the 2018 Fashion Awards.

The designer, who in 2017 became the first woman to lead the house of Givenchy, was entrusted with creating the Duchess of Sussex's wedding dress in May. Meanwhile Givenchy recently opened a new flagship store on Old Bond Street.

The designer was presented with her award on Monday evening by the duchess, at a star-studded ceremony at London's Royal Albert Hall, hosted by model Alek Wek and comedian Jack Whitehall. Kate Moss, Edie Campbell, Riz Ahmed, Rita Ora and Brooke Shields were also in attendance.

Waight Keller had stiff competition for the award from Victoria Beckham, who celebrated 10 years since launching her eponymous label this year. Women were widely recognised for their contribution to the fashion industry at this year's awards, with Dame Vivienne Westwood, Miuccia Prada and Kaia Gerber all taking home Swarovski crystal trophies designed by the Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye.

Model Jerry Hall presented the Swarovski award for positive change to Westwood in recognition of her campaigning on humanitarian and environmental issues. Last year, the designer launched the Switch to Green campaign, asking for fashion brands and businesses to switch to a green energy supplier by 2020. She has also dedicated several of her shows to raising awareness of environmental initiatives, is an ambassador for Greenpeace and, in 2013, designed the official Save the Arctic logo.

Miuccia Prada, who has held the position of lead creative director of the Italian fashion brand Prada for 40 years, was the recipient of the outstanding achievement award, which was presented by actor Uma Thurman and director Steve McQueen.

The designer of the year award, for which Waight Keller had also been nominated, went to Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino, who regularly dresses A-list stars for the red carpet.

Fashion insiders will have been unsurprised to see Kim Jones, creative director at Dior Homme, honoured with the British Fashion Council's inaugural trailblazer award, presented by actor Robert Pattinson. Jones showed his first collection for Dior just six months ago, but he has already made a considerable impact on the fashion house and was last month responsible for Dior's first menswear foray outside of Paris with a show in Tokyo.

There’s more to curry night drinks than lager

Having attempted to persuade you of the virtues of drinking wine with curry on a number of occasions in the past, I'm going to give it a rest this time and stick to beer – and cider, an underrated partner for a takeaway. That doesn't just mean lager, though you'd be forgiven for thinking so, judging from the average curry house drinks list. But curry has moved on, and Indian restaurants have much more to offer these days than an eye-wateringly hot vindaloo.

Take a look at the list at Soho's Kricket, for example, which includes a lemongrass saison from Partizan Brewing and Wild Beer Co's Sourdough; or Dishoom, which lists Beavertown Gamma Ray pale ale and a Belgian wit. Hops work with spice, as do beers with a touch of fruity sweetness.

I wouldn't have picked it off the shelf, but I really loved Wild Card's Passionfruit Gose, a fruit-flavoured sour beer from brewer and TV presenter Jaega Wise and her team in Walthamstow, east London. The Danish brewery Mikkeller also has a refreshingly sharp-flavoured passionfruit Berliner weisse called Wood Will Fall Down (4.2%), which has been enterprisingly taken on by Marks & Spencer at £2.50 for a 330ml can and which would suit a mildish veggie curry. (If you're a Mikkeller fan, you may also like to know they've opened a bar – in Shoreditch, east London, of course.)

Although I'm not a big fan of fruit ciders, I have to admit that Peacock's Mango & Lime Cider, despite being bizarrely described as an Asian cider, is bang on the money. Given that it's made by Kingfisher, in collaboration with Aspall, you might even find it in your local Indian.

Hoppy pale ales, however, are my normal go-to with a curry (rather than IPAs, which are often too alcoholic). Mikkeller (again) delivers the goods with Stick a Finger in the Soil Pale Ale, which is stocked by Majestic as well as Marks & Sparks, as does Duration with its Turtles All the Way Down American Pale Ale (5.5%), brewed at Amundsen in Oslo. OK, it's not cheap (at £5.55 for 440ml from Hop, Burns & Black), but it's still brilliant value compared with most wines of that price.

Not that I'm averse to lager with a curry, but there's no more reason to drink a bog-standard one than there is to sip a flavourless pinot grigio. Just a word of warning, though: some pils I've been tasting recently are, in my opinion, too dry and bitter for Indian food and would be better with pickles than spice.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Middle Eastern recipes

Put the steaks on a board and cover with a sheet of clingfilm. Using a mallet or the base of small, heavy saucepan, bash the steaks until they are about 1.5cm thick. Cut up the steaks, fat and all, into 1.5cm cubes and put in a bowl with the ground black lime, lemon zest and juice, cumin, garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon and a half of salt and a good grind of pepper. Leave to marinate at room temperature for at least two hours (or refrigerated overnight).

For the sumac onions, mix the onion, sumac, vinegar and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, and leave to soften for at least 30 minutes.

Thread the beef on to the skewers, packing the cubes closely together. Generously grease a grill pan with sunflower oil and put on a high heat. Once smoking, lay in the skewers in batches and cook, turning as you go, for about three to four minutes in total, until charred all over but not over-cooked. Transfer to a tray and cover with foil to keep warm.

Warm the bread on a hot grill for about 30 seconds on each side.

To serve, put a flatbread on each plate and top with two beef skewers each, brushing them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkling with the chilli. Toss the parsley and mint into the sumac onions, divide the mixture between the plates and serve.

Food insecurity and mental health 'interconnected'

As food insecurity persists in the London area, it’s becoming clear it affects more than hunger.

An article published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry points to a connection between food insecurity and the use of mental health services in Ontario.

About one in eight Canadians experience food insecurity. Those who experience severe food insecurity, missing meals or even going days without eating, were much more likely to receive mental health treatment compared to food-secure adults, the article states.

"Those people struggling with mental health issues are often the ones who are food insecure," said public health dietitian Ellen Lakusiak.

The article found 20 per cent of those who visited primary care doctors for mental health reasons were food insecure and about 27 per cent of those who visited a psychiatrist were food insecure.

However, the research article also pointed to food insecurity having consequences for the health care system, outside of mental health. Food insecure adults account for about 38 per cent of those admitted to hospital and about 35 per cent of those treated in emergency departments.

Lakusiak also is the co-ordinator of the Middlesex London Food Policy Council, which works to advocate, influence policy and make a difference to the local food system. The council assessed food insecurity in the city and Middlesex County in 2015 and 2016.

"Based on the data, we’re not any worse or better compared to other communities, but we definitely have food insecurity issues," she said.

Lakusiak said dietitians are dealing with mental health concerns more frequently.

"There is a push now to work more on mental health," she said. "It’s very much interconnected."

To end food insecurity, underlying community issues like poverty must be addressed first. Poverty creates food insecurity and mental health concerns, said LifeSpin executive director Jacqueline Thompson.

"It’s a downward spiral," she said.

Those living in poverty do not have access to proper shelter and nutrition, Thompson said.

"They have no money for food and they are not eating a nice diet," she said. "Food budgets are being used to pay for housing."

Income support programs like Ontario Works do not provide enough to cover food and rent, said London Food Bank co-director Glen Pearson.

"Food is one of the things they have to sacrifice to pay rent. That’s not the way it should be," he said. "People should be able to afford their own food, but people need an income to do that."

Lack of a healthful diet also can prevent those living with food insecurity from workplace opportunities, said Thompson.

"They are not able to sustain employment because they have no nutrition to get them through the day," she said.

Thompson said London is "miles" away from addressing these issues.

"London doesn’t have a whole lot of anything," she said.

While services such as Mission Services and the Salvation Army provide meals as a short-term solution, Pearson said the ultimate goal is to have food security.

"There is no need for someone in London to go hungry," he said.

Healthy food choices are easy, even while on vacation

Vacations are a much-needed break from our daily routine but can also make it a little more challenging to eat well and stay on track with our health goals. Whether you're taking a family trip up north, heading to a new city or hitting the beach, here are my top five strategies to help you to make balanced food choices while away from home.

1. You're already planning, so don't forget to plan some meals too; it will be easier to make nutritious choices if you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. Before leaving, hit the web to research what restaurants, markets or grocery stores will be near you. Look at your daily travel plans to determine when and where you might be eating your meals. This information will help you narrow down what to pack food-wise and where to eat once you arrive. If your room has a stove, fridge or microwave, buy a few groceries to make your own healthy meals or snacks.

2. Focus on portion control. Travelling often means eating out. Whether it's at the airport, on the road or in a new town, be aware of larger portions. Restaurants are notorious for serving a meal that's two or three times the size you should eat. Aim to choose lean proteins that have been grilled, roasted or baked, and opt for extra veggies or a side salad instead of excess starches or grains. You can also try splitting a meal with a friend or family member to keep portions more reasonable. Don't forget to slow down your eating and take sips of water between bites so that you aren't rushing through your meal and filling up before you even notice you're satisfied.

3. Try to stick to a regular meal routine. When food is constantly made available — like at an all-inclusive resort or cottage — it can be tempting to graze and overeat throughout the day. On the other hand, if you've got an action-packed sightseeing agenda, it can be easy to skip out on meals and snacks. Plan to eat every three to five hours; a regular pattern will keep you energized and help prevent overeating or digestive issues.

4. Drink water to stay hydrated as much as possible; the calories in fruity drinks, fancy coffees and alcohol can add up quickly. Often, we also mistake hunger for thirst, so keeping a bottle of water nearby and drinking throughout the day can help curb overeating and reduce temptation of extra snacks or treats we may encounter on our journeys.

5. Limit your indulgences. Vacation is a time to relax and pamper yourself, but this doesn't have to mean indulging every chance you get. Work on limiting those sweet treats and calorie-laden dishes. If there is a small treat that you'd love to taste, go for it. But take the time to enjoy every bite — it's likely you will only need a couple bites to feel satisfied.

Tatar's national dessert chak-chak is a hit in Kazan

KAZAN, Russia (AP) -- There are arguably more chak-chaks for sale in Kazan's shops, cafes and restaurants than fans attending World Cup matches in the colorful city on the Volga river.

Traditionally eaten at weddings in central Asia, the sugary treat has become the national dessert of Tatarstan, the oil-rich region which promotes itself as the "Land of 1,001 Delights."

In the lively Bauman pedestrian street in downtown Kazan, vendors from the fast food chain Tubetey, which specializes in halal Tatar cuisine, are handing out the dish made from soft deep-fried dough, sugar and honey.

"When I was a kid, my parents, my relatives, used to make them at home. I grew up with chak-chaks," said Nourbek Batulla, a 30-year-old dancer told The Associated Press. "I would not say that I eat chak-chaks every day, but this is typically the kind of thing I bring when I'm invited somewhere."

Chak-chaks come in different shapes, most often in mounds, pyramids or noodles. During the World Cup, they are on display on the shelves of dozens of souvenir and food stores as Tatarstan's tourism officials use the dish to promote their region.

But it's not just for the tourists. Chak-chaks are truly loved by locals. Expensive in the ancient times because honey was a very rare commodity, chak-chaks are sold for about 30 rubles in Kazan's cafes -- the equivalent of half a dollar -- making them a very affordable pleasure. During the mild summer evenings of the World Cup, families sit at cafe terraces to enjoy the delicacy in the city located about 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of Moscow.

Chak-chaks are also very popular during Kazan's big events. In 2005, when the city celebrated its 1,000th birthday, a chak-chak weighing 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) spanning across a 13,266 square meters area -- almost twice the size of a soccer field -- was made. More recently, a four-ton chack-chak, probably the biggest ever made, was baked to celebrate the start of the World Cup.

In Kazan, one of the 11 Russian cities hosting matches, the debate over the best makers and recipes of chak-chak has yet to be settled. Batulla recommends Khlebzavot 3, a factory where customers can buy their favorite dessert directly from manufacturers.

A good place to try the sugary dish is the chak-chak museum, a private place located in a refurbished 19th century wooden mansion just a stone's throw away from the Old Tatar district, on the left bank of the picturesque Kaban Lake.

There, Lisan Yarullina is taking visitors on a tour documenting Tatar's daily life before the 1917 Revolution that culminates with a degustation of chak-chaks and tea.

"There are so many recipes," she said. "Because it used to be a family-made thing, everyone has their own recipe, they are passed down through families. But the main ingredient is love. Without a good mood, it's impossible to achieve something tasty."

American tourist James Aguirre, in Russia for the World Cup, was among the group of about 10 people attending the visit at the museum earlier this week.

"It sorts of reminds me of Rice Krispies," he said.

Family roots, international flair blend for a delicious night out

The town motto in Webster states the area is “Where Life’s Worth Living.” I can’t speak to living there, but after spending an evening in the village for a food crawl, I’d vouch that the food scene is certainly worth visiting: 

Our Wednesday early-evening arrival preceded the weekly trivia night, where we found the cozy atmosphere already flowing with guests seated at wood tables and atop plaid-covered stools. Irish music played in the background and chalkboard signage spotlighted Irish beer, cider and whiskey.  Local and seasonal brews, as well as wine and Irish coffee, are also available.
                                                   

A taste of Ireland

Customers will always find one of the Barry’s at the helm of the bar, and our visit allowed Danny to walk us through the libations.

Pleased that one member of my group expressed interest in one of the 50 Irish whiskey options, Barry explained that in Ireland, many of the counties have a different take on what an Irish whiskey can and should be.

Family recipes

As his mother predicted, Barry’s family recipes (which he calls Irish soul food) made their way onto the menu. We were taken with the flavorful bowl of potato soup ($6.) Not too heavy in texture, the broth delighted from white wine, cream, fresh chopped rosemary, thyme and plenty of hardy red bliss bobbing potatoes.

A mashed version of those potatoes served as a thick and creamy topper for the Shepherd's Pie ($14.) Layered beneath the spuds, we plunged into ground beef seasoned with Guinness, sautéed peas, carrots and onions.

As an unexpected and pleasant touch, warm slices of homemade Irish brown bread were served on the side of both dishes. The recipe, which incorporates molasses, was offered to the Barry’s from a pub they visited in Ireland, a connection they still have today.

Watch bartenders compete, try global cuisine at fun food fests in Phoenix

The 2018 Devour Culinary Classic and the Seven Chefs Dinner are sold out.
                                               

The good news: There are still tickets to two Devour Phoenix events leading up to the main event March 3-4 at the Desert Botanical Garden. One is the annual Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition on Sunday, Feb. 25. The other is the inaugural Devour the World on Thursday, March 1.

Here's what you need to know about them:

Watch talented mixologists shake, stir, muddle and pour their way to the top as they vie for the title of Arizona Star Bartender.

This year's competitors are: Shawn Campbell of the Vig; Brien Corwin of Tempe Public Market Cafe; Daniel Friedman of DeSoto Central Market; Lauren Johnson of The Gladly; Matt Minsky of Hula's Modern Tiki; Manny Peña of The Windsor; Kapono Rowe of Welcome Diner; Ryan Shinn of The Breadfruit & Rum Bar and JT Taber of Gallo Blanco. Proceeds benefit Local First Arizona Foundation.

The reigning Arizona Star Bartender is Connor Mansager of Tucson's Welcome Diner.

This new event celebrates Phoenix's international scene. Guests can enjoy the peaceful surroundings of the Japanese Friendship Garden while tasting bites from top local restaurants, food trucks and other vendors.

Claudio Urciuoli's new restaurant Pa'La and fresh-fish market and restaurant Chula Seafood are part of the diverse lineup. Satay Hut, Andreoli Italian Grocer, Hana Japanese Eatery and The Rez an Urban Eatery are among other participating restaurants. Taiko player Ken Koshio will perform.