Život podle Lucie: března 2010

Elixir of youth, health and beauty: Whey milk:-)

Whey or Milk Serum is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. Original liquid whey has such a sweet-sauer taste while dried whey (which you can buy in any pharmacy) is so sweet. Almost like a baby milk:-). So dont worry about it. I can assure you your boyfriend will love it too!

How to prepare it? Easily. You mix a spoon of dried whey with hot or cold water (depends on your preferences) in the cup and just drink it. It is also very filling so it is useful to have it home in case of hungry evenings:-). But why am I writing about it?

Because it´s a secret elixir of health, youth and beauty. Something like an apple cidar vinegar, but while the vinegar can be drunk just for a few weeks on end (it´s a bit drastic, isn´t it?), whey can be drunk every day till the rest of your life.

As Wikipedia and Whey proteinInstitute say:

Liquid whey contains lactose, vitamins, protein and minerals, along with traces of fat.
Whey supplements can help regulate and reduce spikes in blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin secretion.
Provides a high concentration of BCAAs to help manufacture glutamine to fuel the immune system
Helps enhance humoral (antibody) response to support immune health
Improves intestinal tract antibody responses
Excellent source of cysteine to enhance glutathione status and maintain and/or improve immune function and optimize immunity
May help cystic fibrosis patients maintain optimal glutathione levels to help counteract the negative effects of disease related oxidative stress.

Talking from my experience – I´ve been drinking the amazingly tasteful whey for ages. If you say WHEY in front of my friends, they will associate it immediately with me:-)

It helped me with the skin problems during the puberty, now I find it as a good product to clean-up my body with, lose some weight and it´s also increadibly useful in the evening when you dont want to eat heavily.

As you might know a whey can be used also as a nutrition to your skin. I´m not kind of sure how to put it on your face, but I guess if you mix a few spoons of dried whey with little bit of cold water than you can use it as a skin mask or something.

If you have any experience with whey, I´d be delighted if you share it with me:-)

Luc.

MUST BUY in Italy

I know. Nobody likes to read about the products that are available only in one specific country on the world. BUT! Some of you might go on holidays to Italy soon. And in that case it is always good to know what to buy to heal your skin after a long sunbathing, isn´t it?

So here we go. An article about Burro di Karité by Equilibra. As you may know it is really difficult to find any organic cosmetics products in Italy. That´s why I was so happy to find this little miracle. Burro di Karité is made only of a shea butter, jojoba oil and a parfum.

So I´m so elated that I must buy it immediately. Unfortunately I realise at home that the smell of it is far too strong and bit chemical. But I´m nicely suprised when putting on my body - the fragrance is very nice, not too strong, not irritating. Simply perfect.

Yes. This is it - Burro di Karité

And it is a "real butter consistance" - kind of thick butter so you must use a little sparula that is attached and cream your body with it. After that, your skin is going to be smooth, soft, slightly oily. But it is needed when you are sunburnt, no?

So if you go to Italy, do not forget to buy it. You can find it in any bigger supermarket or profumeria for around 6euro (100ml). And you know what?

With the little sparula I feel very important. Like an alchemist or something. And I´ve such a feeling that the Burro di Karité might be the elixir of forever young skin:-)

What is your favourite product helping with sunburnt?

Luc.

PS: If you are a native speaker, don’t hesitate to give feedback where I need it. I would be delighted to improve my writing skills so feel free to correct me. It means a free English lesson for me anyway:-)
Thank you!

Girl Model: A document showing a backstage of Japanese modeling

Casting in Siberia

Yesterday I was invited to the premiere of Girl Model movie – a document about a backstage of topmodeling.

It starts with a scene showing poor city in Siberia where the casting for new faces is being taken place. A casting for being a model in Japan. Young girls around 13yrs old try to win to discover the world.
Nadya, a tiny girl with a look of angel, wins and her family – living relatively poor life – is so elated and helps her to get to the airport to...TOKYO.

And then? I wont tell you, go to the cinema and see it. It is definitely worth it. It´s completely new enviroment and busines than we are used to. I just can say what suprised me about the career in Japan most:

- Girls around 13 years old are choosen for Japanese market. They must be simply cute, innocent with a face of a child.

- Advantage of such young models? They are still children. They would never go with an older guy just for his money. Plus they are satisfied even with smaller salaries.

- In their 13 they can hardly control their fees so for the model agency is easier to get more money from them.

- The contract says they are not allowed to gain, they need to keep the same shapes like they have now (when being so young!) and there is a tolerance only of a centimeter more. (So instead of 80-58-87 they can have 81-59-88)

- The agents promise big money to model´s family, but the reality is that most of these models end up their carrer with a dept for travelling.

- Some of the older models sell their bodies as prostitutes in order to earn some extra money

- The models have to go to many castings a day instead of going for sushi (which I would prefer the opposite way...:-)

But not to be negative: go to the cinema and watch this movie. It is very well done. Nothing bad, no prostitution, just people´s lifes. Poverty in Siberia and desire to achieve something. Nadya´s dreams and Nadya´s despair. Loneliness in the big city.

Nadya with her mom after winning the casting

Have a look at the trailer:

And – eventually – happy end: In spite of Nadya´s firt despair she manages to become a successful model:-)
Looking forward to your comments,
Luc.

Van Koten like One Cotton

Česká verze zde:-)

Today´s article could also be called: „How to get attention“ or „How to book a table“.

If you want to book a table in some Italian restaurants, you will sometimes need to make an impression on the waiter you are talking to. Because he will always say „No problema, no problema,“ but it has happened to me a few times that the reservation simply wasn´t there.

So when I called to book a table in Florence´s well-known disco Manduca, I knew I had to do something, because without a reservation they would not let me in. It was my name Van Koten that caught their attention – „Are you really called One Cotton, Madam? Cotton like the material that clothes are made of?“ a waitress asked.

Of course I wanted to correct her, but why? I could hear her laughing, probably thinking „Poor girl with such a name!“

And she made the reservation.

When my husband and I arrived the other evening, we were so warmly welcomed by Manduca´s staff: „Ah, you are the One Cotton couple, aren´t you? Here is your table,“ said the nice hostess.

My advice to you? When going on holiday, change your name to get attention. If people feel sorry for how you are called, it is very likely they will offer you a drink for free:-)

Luc.

Inspiration from Florence, Italy

I know. I´m never going to be a real photographer. You cannot imagine how I suffered when trying to take these pictures. But I just have to share something with you.
Some picuters of my daily life.
Something I discovered in Italy.
The little something that makes me happy.

So if you like exploring new things, you may enjoy it.

How to travel with a style

Have a look what I found. Funny labels on the bags such as DONT TOUCH, IT IS MINE, HANDS OFF or NOT YOUR BAG. I couldn´t resist to buy one and make my luggage funny:-)

The shop assistants from the Organic shop must love me. I´ve got so many testers of creams, lotions, shampoos etc. from them. Great for travelling when you dont want to take half of your cosmetics bag:-)

Inspiration from Florence:

Blossoming tree. Isn´t it nice? Just looking at it makes you smile a bit more!

The same: Just looking at it makes you smile a little bit more. If you are not a shoppaholic, of course:-)

Red and sexy. Hard to resist. Although I can simply imagine the blisters I would get from wearing it and I dont what it anymore. I´m so smart:-)

Typical Italian markets. I dont find it attractive, but the Italians for some reason do.

We are in Italy so what else should we prepare for dinner, huh? Italian octopuses!

I know what you are going to say about the last picture. That you would never eat it.
And fine, I can take it. But do not try to criticise my cool tie on a luggage, because I find it really funny:-)
What is inspirational in your life?
Luc.

L´Occitane: Immortelle Brightening Essence

My favourite L´Occitane en Provence recently presented new products of Immortelle Brightening skin care. And I had the chance to try the Immortelle Brightening Essence. To be honest, it is such a little miracle to me.

How to use it? Easily! Every morning and evening, after having cleaned and dried your skin, apply the serum before using your daily moisturizer. I find it especially helpful when using it before going to sauna or Turkish bath, because than I have a feeling it goes deeper into my skin.

Brightening Essence serum (30ml) is mostly made of organic ingrediences and its concentrated formula also offers:

Bellis Perennis extract and Vitamin C derivative to diminish age spots and give skin a youthful glow
Garden Nasturtium extract to increase the skin’s natural ability to reflect light
Wintergreen leaf to help natural exfoliation and smooth skin micro-relief.

Althought it´s mostly made of oils, it is not oily at all. At all! It´s absorbed immediately and even after the first application you can feel the difference.

L´Occitane promises it corrects wrinkles, makes the skin more toned, immediately smoother, more luminous and brighter. And I can´t agree more.

I mean, I can´t talk about wrinkles yet, but after two months of using Brightening Essence I got rid of some skin problems. My skin is definitely much smoother and if luminous skin means a healthy skin than yes, it´s perfectly luminous:-)

After 2 monts of everyday use, I still have like half of the bottle, which means you really need only a few drops for the face.

I´m sure you can find L´Occitane wherever you live. But anyway. For further information visit UK website of L´Occitane:-)

Luc.

What only Italian girls can do

It´s a well-known fact that women can do lots of things at the same time. But there is also a special category of women who can do lots of things at the same time when calling with someone. These women are called The Italians. A few examples...

In the restaurant:
A Italian girl puts her cell phone on the table and it starts beeping immediately. First, mom is calling. Then, „The Man“ is calling, and as the last one there is a best friend calling (it might be in a different order). The Italian girl tries to hold the cell phone with her shoulder and – meanwhile – she manages to order a starter, main dish, drink, dessert and coffe. She also manages to ask you how you are doing, tell you she´s been fine and still talks to her phone...

In the bus:
Half of the Italians who are sitting in the bus are usually fully concentrated on texting someone. They manages to write the text with both thumbs almost absent-mindedly.

At the gym:
While running or excersising, an Italian girl is writing SMSes again. With such a I´m-so-in-love face that I, knowing that the only SMS I get is from my mother, feel jealous!

In the cloakroom in the gym:
And now! An Italian girl is talking to someone on the phone again. Very hot-bloodedly. Holding the phone with her shoulder, talking and at the same time:

- with one hand creaming her body

- with the other one combing her hair

- afterward putting some oil to her hair

- putting make-up on (mascara, eyeliners, blusher...)

- taking on her coat

- taking her stuff and going home

- telling her child that she is not going to tolerate more warnings from their school about not doing homework!

I truly admire this, because who else can do it? I can´t, which is the reason why I write this article. I´m simply jealous.
Everybody is calling or texting to Italian girls while my cell phone is silent.
Italians manage to do lots of things while I need my time for everything.
They are either fighting with someone or looking so in love.

And I guess I miss it all.
Whatever. Have a nice day!

Luc.

PS: If you are a native speaker, don’t hesitate to give feedback where I need it. I would be delighted to improve my writing skills so feel free to correct me. It means a free English lesson for me anyway:-)
Thank you!

Black almond spread

Mandličky na chleba: Česká verze zde:-)

How many times have you wanted to eat your hand cream or lip balm with almond or cinnamon flavor? I have 743 times.

So when I saw the Organic Almond Spread for bread, I imagined something like that. Something sweet that would remind me of Christmas gingerbread.

Plus I immediately imagined the benefits to my health. Because what do almonds contain?

- Magnesium for the health and beauty of my nails, hair, skin and maybe even theeth!

- Fiber for...what is fiber good for actually?

- Vitamines D, B, E for eternal youth and strong immunite system

- Minerals of all kinds

- Healthy fats which are helpful for my dry skin and prevent the heart from many deseases.

Who knows what almonds contain But anyway? I imagined myself with great shiny long hair (without those damn dry ends), with a radiant skin, white theeth (huh?) and a slim silhouette (because I read the almond´s fat is not going to our hips and other parts of the body, you know what I mean, right?).

The miracle called Almond Spread cost nearly 8 euro, but what? Eight euro for my health, what can be cheaper?

I came home completely excited, opened the bottle, took a spoon and tried...oh, God. It is disgusting! It is oily, tasteless and nothing that would remind me of Christmas. I also try it with bread and OK, it is not that bad. I mean, it is not peanut butter.

But it is fine. I might even like it eventually.

Actually, yeah, I like it. It is filling and healthy.

And in a few months, I´m going to be beautiful, radiant, with shiny hair and a slim body full of magnesium.

I know. I´ve always been good at being naive:-)

What about you? Do you know something tasty and healthy?

Luc.

Blog Život podle Lucie now also in English!

Blog Život podle Lucie nyní také anglicky: česká verze zde:-)

I know. Finally.

I have always preached on this blog about how important it is to DARE to take the first step toward your dreams but recently it’s been me who’s been finding new and more creative excuses not to do so. All the time.

I´m not talking about modeling now. I´m talking about English.

My English-speaking friends have been asking me for a while when the hell I was going to translate this blog to English. And I kept telling them how crazy they must be. But yesterday morning I woke up and knew there were no excuses anymore.

I make thousands of mistakes, right? But thanks to my great English teachers – Chona and Catherine – I´ve learnt a lot of grammar recently. And I have also learnt that mistakes are a normal part of life – and certainly of learning English.

I mustn´t be afraid of making mistakes. Otherwise, I won’t learn the language properly.
I musn´t be afraid to experiment.
I mustn´t be afraid that some Oxford professor would bitterly correct the mistakes I make here. What would an Oxford professor be doing here anyway, right:-)?

So. From this moment on most of the articles on this blog Život Podle Lucie (= Life according to Lucie) are going to be in English. Especially those saying that Czech girls are the most beautiful in the world:-)
To English!

Luc.

PS: If you are a native speaker, don’t hesitate to give feedback where I need it. I would be delighted to improve my writing skills so feel free to correct me. It means a free English lesson for me anyway:-)
Thank you!