A Peace Treaty

A Peace Treaty

A Peace Treaty Fashion Without Borders Fashion designer Dana Arbib, shares her global perspectives on life and style.   Interview by Lauri Lyons   What inspired you to start A Peace Treaty? Dana Arbib: I studied graphic design at Parson’s. I was working in a lot of different fields of design. I was consulting at Sotheby’s, and freelancing at DKNY. I always liked sketching, and I realized that I love drawing patterns, it’s so much fun, it’s so easy, it’s so creative.     What is your cultural background? I’m middle-eastern. My dad’s from Tripoli, Libya. He grew up in Tripoli, but he went to school in Italy because Libya was an Italian colony at that time. So he’s kind of a blend of Italian, and Arab, but Jewish. His generation is pretty much the last of the Libyan Jews. Once his generation passes away, it’s kind of gone. I’m from Israel. So we’re kind of like Arab Jews in a way, which is complicated.     How has your culture influenced your design aesthetic? I grew up with a lot of scarves, a lot of caftans, that kind of style. I had seen that when the company started, there was a trend in the market for kofia scarves. I realized there was a gap in the market for mid-level price scarves. That’s when I said “Let’s do a scarf company”.  I’m constantly researching textiles from all over the world. It’s kind of an obsession of mine. I have a huge database in my head of references from Africa, Asia, Scandinavia, Japan, from everywhere. I’m traveling constantly. My dad, for a living, has a humanitarian background. He does a lot of...
Eco Camp Patagonia

Eco Camp Patagonia

Eco Camp Patagonia Discover Chile’s Eco Chic by Mackenzie Lowry       EcoCamp Patagonia offers all the fun of sleeping under the stars, without the hassle of bug spray overloads and triple lined sleeping bags. In these igloo-like geodesic domes, visitors to the Torres del Paine National Park can sleep under a view of the beautiful night sky after a long day’s adventures. Although protected from the natural elements at night, visitors are out exploring the world through guided treks and wildlife excursions each day.       EcoCamp Patagonia strives to provide a fun, environmentally friendly trip for all visitors. Guests at EcoCamp can experience two story Suite Domes, or go for a community feeling by dining together, sharing communal areas, and overlapping adventures. There’s plenty to explore in the Torres del Paine National Park, from waterfalls to wildlife, to mountains and glaciers, and even ancient cave paintings. With the ever changing natural landscape, the sights of each day are more exciting than the days before.         The staff and fellow visitors at EcoCamp all encourage passionate exploration. They offer adventure packages and activities like the wildlife photo adventures, 7-day treks, multi-sports adventures, and yoga. They also offer individual activities such as kayaking, skiing, horseback riding, and surfing. When home base is right smack in the middle of the wilderness, all the beauties and excitement nature has to offer are easily accessible.     The EcoCamp models their nature respecting ways after the nomadic Kaweskar tribe that roamed the area during the 15th century. The wanderlust tribe traveled around building circular huts for shelter, wherever they camped. When the Kaweskar moved on they left no heavy footprints in the wilderness they enjoyed. The...
Never Cannes Say Goodbye

Never Cannes Say Goodbye

Never Cannes Say Goodbye The Fashion Jet Set Story & Photography by John-Paul Pietrus      The French Riviera has always retained a sweet spot in the lore of glamour and sophistication, and the City of Cannes has always been the epitome of global chic. Since 1946, the city has hosted the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and the Cannes Yachting Festival. No matter what time of year it is, people never can say goodbye to the French Riviera.  Set sail with fashion photographer John-Paul Pietrus, as he recalls the mise en scene of his luxurious photo shoot on the iconic Promenade de la Croisette.      It was my first time in Cannes, which is amazing, glamorous and beautiful. It’s everything you think the French Riviera should be. The French Riviera reminds me of a James Bond movie. It has that sort of super 70’s chic feel, with beautiful weather and beautiful light. Our team stayed very close to the waterfront, at the InterContinental Carlton hotel, where they have all the big social parties for the Cannes Film Festival.     We had a model confirmed for the shoot, but she had a problem with her visa. As a replacement, we contacted a Paris based modeling agency, and chose the gorgeous Alimata Fofana, who I love.  I knew it would be more expected to see a white, blonde or brunette, woman in a French Riviera shoot.     For the story, our fashion stylist, Loic Masi, wanted to dress the model in all red, white and blue. Since we were by the...
Hold Still

Hold Still

Hold Still Memories of the American South by Sally Mann Sally Mann is best known for her evocative landscape work in the American South and her intimate portraits of her young children. In her groundbreaking memoir ​Hold Still​ (Little Brown), Mann’s vivid, salty, and illuminating prose matches the artistry of her photographs. Her concerns about family, race, mortality, and the storied landscape of the American South ­ are revealed as almost genetically predetermined, written into her DNA by a colorful cast of characters who came before her. Sorting through boxes of family papers and yellowed photographs, Sally found a payload of Southern Gothic: deceit, scandal, alcohol, car crashes, bogeymen, clandestine affairs, disputed land, vast sums of money made and lost, and even bloody murder.  “In 1998, right after bluffing Virginia Farm Credit out of the loan for the farm, I set out on the first of my several trips down into Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.” “The Suburban was packed to the headliner with coolers of film, smaller coolers with food and booze, nearly identical cylinders of sleeping, film-changing, and tent bags, the lunchbox-sized, primitive cell phone that Larry insisted I take, folders with heavily annotated maps, and in the far back, the darkroom with stacks of frame-quality glass, silver-blackened trays, and explosive, burping bottles of ether-based chemicals. “Similar in ways to working with ortho film, I found the wet-plate collodion process could give both freedom of expression and the satisfaction of ceremonial process, as if someone had sewn Jackson Pollock’s paint slinging arm onto a body controlled by the brain of Seurat. It was the perfect technique, I now realize, for the granddaughter of that sentimental but methodical Welshman, to use on...
Transitórios

Transitórios

Transitórios Seizing the Memories of Moments Story & Photos by Diego Kuffer   When I was a kid, my father always said, “Enjoy the moment”. The idea stuck with me all these years, because it was a concept that I didn’t seem to be able to grasp. Photography was a way that I found to capture a moment, in order to understand what it was and maybe find out how to enjoy it.     After a while, I understood that photography only allowed me to capture instants. Even a long exposure photo is only a blurred instant.     So, I decided to hack photography, getting the technique behind movie making and applying it to my photos.     Photographing the same instant several times, and then slicing and dicing the results and mixing it all together chronologically. In this way, I was able to capture a moment, not showing what exactly happened, but at least showing that a moment happened.   The transitorios locations include Sao Paulo, Paris and Buenos Aires.   In another life Diego Kuffer studied business and received a postgraduate degree in psychoanalytic semiotics. He later worked in the marketing industry for ten years. Luckily, Diego finally came to his senses and gave all of that up to start a new life as a brazilian photographer. You can follow Diego on instagram @dkuffer.    Photos ©Diego Kuffer...
Katikies Santorini

Katikies Santorini

Katikies Santorini Vacation with the Greek Gods by Mackenzie Lowry     Greece is the home for Aristotle, Hercules, and all things pita. This incredible country has been called “a piece of heaven”, and “the most magical place on Earth.” With white structures spilling down hillsides towards the crystal sea, it can be argued that the views from the cliffs of Greece are some of the most breathtaking in the world. Katikies Hotel in Santorini provides an unparalleled experience of this splendor. From the spectacular views to the friendly service, Katikies Santorini  is one of the best rated hotels in the area.     As soon as they hop off the hotel’s complimentary airport shuttle, guests at Katikies Santorini  are given wine and fruit as a warm Greek welcome. After being whisked into one of the sleek, simple whitewashed suites, guests are free to sit back, relax, and let their cares fade away. Katikies Santorini offers a car rental service, 24­-hour assistance, maid service twice a day, laundry services, currency exchange, and massages to all guests. The staff strives to ensure that you do not have to lift a finger while being on Mount Olympus.     At the Kirini pool bar and restaurant, guests enjoy the luxury of an aegean meal without having to leave the glistening waterside. A wide array of cuisine and libations can be served directly to travelers in their poolside lounge chairs. During the famous Santorini sunset, Katikies Santorini  hosts a ceremonial wine tasting along the backdrop of a slowly fading sky.     At Katikies Santorini , guests can fully immerse themselves in the endless beauty and pleasures of Greece, while floating blissfully in a...
Across the Universe

Across the Universe

Across the Universe Spiritual Medium James Van Praagh Interview by Lauri Lyons The veteran spiritual medium and clairvoyant, James Van Praagh, gives us the low down on the afterlife.     What is your interpretation of the soul and how does it relate to our bodies? James Van Praagh:  A soul is separate from the human traits that we take on. The soul is the life, the part of us that will be around until the end of time. It’s our makeup, the essence of ourselves. The human part of us, this human shell, really is just that. It takes on the types of traits such as criticism and judgment, abandonment, commitment issues, things like that. Its experiences move it forward to grow. The spirit is the soul’s animation, like the breath of life.       What inspired you to start traveling to do spiritual work? I used to bring groups of people to spiritual places. The very first trip I went on was to Brazil. I wanted to bring a group of thirty people down there. Then I went to Sedona in Arizona. That’s how I first started. Then my book started selling internationally and the publishers sent me to do workshops in different countries. I went to Brazil, Japan, Australia, and Germany. I really get out there to do my work and teach people. I’m first and foremost a teacher. People know me from all over the world, so it gives them a chance to see me.   Do you think nations and borders are real? No. In the reality of everything, we are all one. We...
Expose: Mercy Ships

Expose: Mercy Ships

Expose: Mercy Ships A Nurse’s Journey of Healing Interview by Mackenzie Lowry   Mercy Ships is a global charity organization that runs a fleet of hospital ships to bring healthcare to developing nations all across the world. The organization has helped over two million individuals in need since it’s founding in 1978. Today, Mercy Ships’ biggest aid is A​frica Mercy,​ a 153 x 23.7 meter ship with over 400 crew members taking care of patients in Africa.   Nurse, Jaclyn Blievernicht   One of those crew members was Jaclyn Blievernicht. The 26 year ­old nurse is a hard working Wisconsin native, who followed in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a nurse. She was inspired to take a leap of faith to use her learned skills to help people who really needed it, by spending six months working on a medical ship in Africa. Jaclyn was away from everything and everyone she had ever known.   Before Mercy Ships, you went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic? Jaclyn Blievernicht:  That was January 2014, with a different organization and it was a week long surgical mission trip. There were two surgeons that went with us, an OBGYN and a general surgeon. We arrived and screened the patients (previously selected for surgery) the day after we got there. We did four days of long surgery – boom, boom, boom. I speak Spanish fluently. I had been to Mexico prior, not with a mission trip but with a school trip. In the Dominican Republic patients are different, healthcare is different, everything is different, except that you are both humans, you have the same general needs. It was really...
Argentina –  It’s Complicated

Argentina – It’s Complicated

Argentina –  It’s Complicated Passion, Pendejos, and Politics   Story & Photos by Elena Levon     “It’s complicated”, that would be my online relationship status with Buenos Aires. This colorful city is full of lovers, one-of-a-kind artists and a couple of pendejos. I got to experience them all. Yes, when you actually live in a city for a month or more, you will be forced outside of your box, and your rose-colored glasses will be stripped off. To really live and breathe a city, a traveler needs to actually rent his own place and walk into that old coffee shop around the corner, where the waitress will already know his or her “usual”. I chose to live in the oldest part of Buenos Aires, San Telmo. I rented my French apartment from Casa San Telmo, they are incredible and have a place for all possible budgets.     Even when a close friend visited me for a few days, he said “Wow, you’re not a traveler anymore. You really are a resident here.  It feels like you lived here for a long time”. You could see my Argentinian flag proudly waving at you from the second floor of my stunning colonial building.  The apartment didn’t cost me an arm and a leg either.  If Antiques shops had heaven, it would be San Telmo. This neighborhood is a time machine, the architecture is simply breathtaking and the graffiti is boldly unique.     I have a love/hate relationship with Buenos Aires. Life here is different.  It’s not easy.   It’s chaotic and sticky.  It fills you with all kinds of tastes, sounds and feelings.  You can not simply love or hate it, if you do, you haven’t really lived...

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