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singstar234 · 4 years ago

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Day To Remeber

This is my entry for the Rochambeau Contest by the Rochambeauuniverse.

The conversation started out with Lyra talking to Usnavi about his home, Washington Heights. He told her about his little shop, his favourite customers that would come in, how Sonny was known for sneaking snacks out of the shop under his eyes. "Sounds like Lee's pick-pocketing." Lyra laughs. Usnavi smiles to her. "He still owes me a big bill from all the food and drinks he free-loaded from the store. I make sure to take a little bit off each year on his birthday though, as a little present to him." Usnavi tells the child as he takes a drink of his coffee.

"Why on his birthday?" Lyra asks.

"Well, it's his birthday, and it's a present for him." Usnavi tells her.

"So people get presents on their birthday and Christmas?" Lyra asks, making sure she was getting her facts right. Usnavi gives her a look of confusion.

"Yeah, its your birthday. Of course you get presents." Usnavi looks at her closely. "You've had birthday presents, right?"

Lyra shakes her head. "Birthdays were just normal days growing up. The scholars would lets me cut my lessons short so I could hang out with Roger but that's it. I didn't think they were a big deal."

Usnavi was almost sure his heart began to break a little at the young girls words. How could someone of never celebrated their own birthday before? What kind of world did she and Lee come from? Do people even celebrate birthdays in their world?

"Well, I guess we're just going to have to celebrate your birthday when it comes around." Usnavi tells her.

"Celebrate it how exactly?" Lyra wonders.

"Maybe we could have a little party, or go out shopping in the city," Usnavi suggests.

"Can we even go into the city?" Lyra asks.

"Once everything is over, I'm sure we'll be allowed to. We've got plenty of time." Usnavi says as he takes another drink off his coffee.

"My birthday's tomorrow."

Usnavi is only just able to control himself from spitting the coffee out of his mouth. He swallows it down and looks at Lyra with wide eyes. "You're birthday's tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Lyra says likes its no big deal. Usnavi scratches the back of his head, looking a little shocked and disappointed.

"Well, I guess there's always next year."

XxxxxX

Night began to fall on the Barracks. Everyone has just finished eating their dinner. It was Alexander's turn to wash the dishes, which Pippa was helping him with. Alvie was sat with Ruben at the table, talking quietly, while Lee as sat drinking a coffee. Usnavi had just watched as Lyra left the room to head to bed.

"Did you guys know it's Lyra's birthday tomorrow?"

Everyone turns to Usnavi simultaneously. Everyone, including Lee, looks at Usnavi with a shocked expression.

"Her birthday's tomorrow?" Pippa repeats.

"Yeah, she just told me earlier." Usnavi tells her. Alexander looks over to Lee.

"Did you know?" Alexander asks.

"I didn't actually, with everything that's been happening since we met, birthdays were kind of the last things on our minds." Lee confesses. "Wonder why she didn't tell me."

"Maybe because she didn't think it was a big deal." Usnavi says. "She told me how she's never see birthdays as a big deal, never even celebrated hers."

"She's never celebrated her birthday?" Alexander says in shock. Usnavi nods sadly.

"Then we should celebrate it!" Alvie jumps up from his chair. "We should throw her a big party, get her a big cake and lots of presents! We could get a piñata!"

"Okay calm down," Ruben stands up and places his hands on his boyfriends shoulders, a soft smile on his face, "All great ideas, but I don't think we have anything to do a party with."

"That might not be the case." Pippa mutters. "There's a small shop in the town that does some party stuff. Nothing fancy but its got some cool stuff in there."

"You think we should throw her a party?" Alexander says in a almost surprised tone. "You think we could get it done in time?"

"We can set it up all day and have it in the evening." Pippa suggests.

"A surprise party! We can surprise her!" Alvie says with excitement.

"I think that will be kind of tricky with her in the same building as us." Usnavi points out.

"Maybe not." Lee says. "I could take her out for the day through the mountains, gives you guys time to set up."

"You don't want to set up with us?" Ruben asks. Lee smiles sheepishly.

"I've never even been to a party, I wouldn't know where to begin." Lee laughs as he gestures the group in front of him. "I think I'll leave it to the experts."

"What about presents? Can we get her any?" Alvie asks.

"I'm sure we can find some stuff in the town." Pippa reassures him. She then looks at each of the men. "So, we gonna do this?"

"Let's do it. Let's give Lyra her first birthday party." Alexander tells the group.

XxxxxX

Lyra awoke from her dream to the light coming through her curtains. She moans and turns away from the light, throwing the covers her head. She was so not ready to get up just yet.

"Lyra,"

A hand softly touches her arm. Lyra lazily turns over and comes face to face with Lee's smile face.

"Happy Birthday." Lee smiles down at her. Lyra gives him a small smile.

"Thanks."

"Now, normally we all eat in the kitchen with everyone, but since today is your birthday," Lee leans down next to the bed and begins to lift something up from the floor. Lyra's mouth begins to water and the sight and smell of the toast, bacon and beans, "We thought you deserve a nice breakfast in bed."

"Really?" Lyra says with surprise.

"Of course, but don't expect this everyday." Lee jokes, making Lyra laugh. "And I was thinking, since we haven't got anything special planned, how about we go for a walk in the mountains today. Just the 2 off us?"

Lyra smiles and nods her head. "I'd like that."

"Okay, well I'll let you dig in. Take you time, we can go in a bit, whenever your ready." Lee stands up from the bed and makes his way over to the door. As he opens it he turns back to Lyra, who has already dug into her breakfast, exchanging a conversation with Pan. Lee smiles before exiting the room.

He enters the main room of the Barracks. Everyone except Alexander was at the table eating their breakfast. Alexander was stood by the counter, drinking his coffee. He looks over to the aeronaut. "She buy it?"

Lee nods his head. "She's eating her breakfast now, thanks for that by the way," Lee quickly pats Usnavi on his shoulders, who lifts a thump us as he eats his own breakfast. "Afterwards we're going to head out. Should give you guys plenty of time to get what you need and set up. How long are you going to need anyway?"

"Few hours maybe? Should be safe to bring her back around mid-afternoon." Alexander guesses.

"That long?" Lee says in a surprised way. "Parties really take that long to set up?"

"Some take longer. Some have to be set up the night before." Pippa tells the man.

"It's true. First birthday I set up for Sonny, I had the store closed for 2 days so I could get everything ready." Usnavi says with a smile. "Lost a bit of money, but it was worth it in the end with the look on his face."

"You think she's gonna like it?" Lee says to the group. Pippa smiles.

"I'm sure she will, just as long as we keep it secret from her."

XxxxxX

Lee takes in a deep breath as he and Lyra make their way up the hill. Lee walks ahead with Lyra tailing behind him, with Pan in a Lynx form.

"Were are we going Lee?" Lyra suddenly asks. Lee looks over his shoulder to the girl.

"You'll see. It's just a bit further up." Lee tells her.

"And why didn't the others come again?" Lyra asks for the second time.

"Like I said, they had to head into town to grabs some bits for the place." Lee explains.

"But all of them?" Lyra says, sounding a bit suspicious. Lee quickly begins to think.

"Pippa needed to grabs some bits, so Alex went with her. Usnavi wanted to buy some ingredients for the next few dinners and Ruben needed some stuff for the lab so Alvie went with him." Lee looks behind him, trying to read Lyra. He gives her a cheeky grin. "It almost sounds like you don't want to be alone with me.

Lyra shakes her head. "It's not that."

Lee catches her words and stops walking. "Is something bothering you?" Lyra shakes her head. "You sure?"

"I'm sure. Come on, are we going to get to this place or what?" Before Lee could say anything, Lyra speeds past him. Lee looks confused as he watches Lyra walk away in front of him.

"You think she's okay?" Hester asks.

"No clue, something is defiantly bothering her though." Lee says before walking, trying to catch up with Lyra.

Its not long before they make it up to the top of the hill. Lyra starts to slow down her walk as she takes in the view. Her eyes widen a little as she gazes at the view in front of her. There was nothing but green and trees in the distance ahead. Lyra almost believed she was looking at a picture and not the actual setting itself.

Lee smiles a little as he walks over to her. "Something, isn't it?"

"It's beautiful." Lyra comments. "I almost thought I was looking at a picture, or even looking down from the sky."

"That's what I was going for." Lee guides Lyra over to a tree, allowing them both to sick down as they lean back against the trunk. They sit in silence for a few moments. Lee looks over to Lyra, who is looking out into the distance, Pan and Hester sitting next to each other. "Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday today?"

Lyra shrugs her shoulders. "Never came up I guess. And I didn't really see the point. Birthdays aren't that specially for me."

"Didn't you ever celebrate your birthday at the college?" Lee wonders.

"Not really. The scholars would sometimes let me cut classes short so I could hand out with Roger, and the people in the kitchen would sneak me some sweets, but that about it." Lyra explains. "Did you ever celebrate your birthdays?"

Lee laughs a little. "Um, not a lot. When I was little, my mother would bake me a little cake for the morning and knit me something. We didn't have a lot of money, so she couldn't afford to buy me anything, but I didn't mind. She even," Lee trails off as he lifts up his right arm and pushes the sleeve to his coat back, showing off a braided leather bracelet, "made me this. It was the last present she made me."

"What about all of your other presents?" Lyra asks. "What happened to them?"

"I out-grew them or they got ruined. Had to leave most of them in Texas when I left my father." Lee gives Lyra a sad smile.

"But, I've still got this to remember her by." He looks up from his bracelet and back over to Lyra, who is now looking down at her hands. "Hey, you okay?"

Lyra hesitates for a moment before speaking, "Is a wrong of me to be happy that I don't have anything to remember my parents?"

Lee shakes his head. "No, not at all. Why? Is that's what's been bothering you?" Lyra shrugs her shoulders.

"A little." She mutters. "As a kid, on every one of my birthdays, I would wait by the window in the morning, waiting to see if Asriel-my father would turn up and surprise me. And every year, he would never come. Now, I just feel stupid ever thinking he would care."

"Hey," Lee places a hand on Lyra's shoulder, "you're not stupid for thinking he would come. He's your family, of course you would think he would come a surprise you."

"I just wish I could stop thinking about him, all it does is make me feel stupid." Lyra crosses her arms against her chest and pulls her knees up to her.

"Well, that can easily be sorted." Lee quickly stands up and walks over to his bag. Lyra watches him, looking confused as to what he was doing. Lee then pulls out a small black hand gun. Lyra looks at the weapon with shock and surprise. "Now, before you get excited, it's a fake. Apparently they call these nerve guns, or something."

"But they shoot like a real gun?" Lyra quickly gets up from her spot and rushes over to Lee.

"Yes, but this isn't for you to keep. I will be keeping it for now, but we can use this for practicing." Lee tells Lyra as he walks over to her. "I did promise I'd teach you, and I can't keep in using the excuse: you're to young, anymore."

Lyra smirks. "That's true."

"Come on, we can practice on the tree." Lee says as he pulls out a target sheet from the bag.

"Can I get a real gun after this?"

"Hell no!"

XxxxX

"Why are girls so hard to shop for?" Alexander receives a smack round the head from Pippa.

"Why are men so hard to shop for?" Pippa throws back at him.

"I don't mean in a bad why, there's just so much to choice from." Alexander says as he looks through the shelves of the store they were in.

"Hey guys!" Alvie comes rushing over holding a bunch of different present choices, from stuff animals, to clothing, to make-up. "Is this to much?"

"Just a tad." Pippa smiles as she approaches the young man. "Maybe skip the make-up, I think Lee will have your head that the though of Lyra wearing make-up."

"Lee will have anyone's head at the thought of anyone giving Lyra something that makes her look grown up." Alexander tells her.

"Maybe just stick with the clothes. I saw some nice t-shirts that she might like." Pippa suggests. Alvie's eyes fill with excitement as a sudden thought comes into his mind.

"I saw some cool ones in the back." Alvie rushes off before Pippa could say anymore. He runs by Ruben, who quickly calls to him.

"Put everything back where you found it Alvie!" Ruben walks over to the pair, holding a plastic bag in his hand. Alexander nods his head to it.

"You already bought some stuff?" Ruben nods his head.

"Just a couple of little bits. I just hope she likes them." Ruben says as he scratches the back of his head.

"I'm sure she will love them." Pippa tells him. She then turns to Alexander. "Do you think we should buy something from Lee?"

"That didn't even cross my mind. Do you think he's bought her anything?" Alexander wonders.

"I don't think so. Maybe we should buy some for him." Ruben says just as Usnavi comes round the corner.

"You guys wondering if Lee's bought anything for Lyra?" They all nod. "He hasn't and I've just seen something that I think will be perfect."

XxxxX

It was around 2 o'clock when Lyra asked if they could head back to the Barracks for some food. Lee agreed, praying everyone was done setting up for the party. They take a slow walk back, heading down the trail.

"You ain't done too bad for your first time shooting a gun." Lee comments. "You hit the target more times than I did my first time."

"How old were you when you started learning?" Lyra asks.

"I've been handling fire arms since I could walk." Lee tells her. Lyra gives him a look of confusion.

"And you say I'm too young to learn." Lyra rolls her eyes, causing Lee to laugh.

"Well, that was different. I grew up around guns, you grew up around responsible adults." Lee points out.

"Who were boring." Lyra moans.

"Well, you won't have to worry about life being boring anymore." Lee moves closer to her and places a arm round her shoulder. Lyra smiles up at him and leans into him.

The pair soon make it back to the Barracks, however Lyra immediately notices something off. "Why are all the curtains closed?"

"Huh, not to sure." Lee says in a innocent tone. "Maybe we should go in a find out." Lyra looks up to him, giving him a suspicious look. Lee smiles down at her, which she finds more suspicious. She then moves towards the front door. She grabs the handle, turning it enough for the door to open-

"SURPRISE!"

Lyra jumps back in shock at the sight in front of her. The Barracks has transformed from its normal everyday look, to being filled with different coloured balloons, Happy Birthday banners, a table filled with cold food and wrapped presents underneath it.

"What...what is this?" Lyra says slowly as she looks round the room more.

"Its a surprise birthday party! Your birthday party!" Alvie say before blowing a foil blower. Lyra stills looks a little unsure as she steps into the house.

"This is what a party looks like?" Lyra says as she turns around in circles.

"Yep, what do you think?" Usnavi asks. Lyra however doesn't answer him, instead she turns to Lee.

"Did you know?" Lee smiles a nods his head. "And you did all of this for me? For my birthday?"

Pippa smiles at the young girl. "Of course we did. Everyone should have a birthday party."

Lyra could feel the tears starting to fill up her eyes. Everyone quickly rushes over to her and begins to hug her. She thanks every single one of them, feeling more love than she has ever felt in her whole life. No one has ever done anything like this for her before, not because they loved her. And these people did.

"Okay, enough tears!" Alvie quickly walks over to the table and picks up a pink party hat with tinsel hanging from the end.

"Birthday girl needs a birthday hat!" Lyra laughs as she allows Alvie to put the pointy hat on her head.

"Lee needs one!" Lyra tells Alvie, who grins and rushes to grab another one.

"Nah, I'm good thanks." Lee tries to back away, but Usnavi and Pippa stop him.

"Nope, we all need to wear one. Party rules." Usnavi says with a grin. Alvie quickly returns with a blue navy party hat. He places the hat on a not so enthusiastic Lee.

"Alright, who's ready to party?!" Alvie yells, earning a cheer from everyone.

The day soon started to get more exciting after that. Alvie got music blaring through the speakers. He and Lyra soon began to dance to it, which led Lyra to pull Pippa up with her since Lee was refusing. Alvie then got Ruben to come up and dance. Usnavi quickly joined in on one of his favourite songs. Pippa then got Alexander to dance. And then every helped Lyra into getting Lee to dance with them.

Once they were finished with the dancing, Alvie brought out a Unicorn Piñata. Everyone took turns in hitting it blindfolded. Ruben and Pippa were very weak when it came to hitting it. Usnavi and Alex hit it with enough strength for the item to swing side to side. Lee kept on missing, and Alvie was swinging the stick left and right, barely hitting the target. Lyra was soon the one to hit the Piñata with enough strength for it to crack open, everyone cheering at her.

As everyone began to calm down from all the excitement, Usnavi reminded everyone about the presents.

"Hey, don't forget, you've got some presents." Usnavi tells Lyra as she picks the sweets up from the floor.

"I do?" Lyra says with surprise.

"Sure do, come on." Usnavi leads Lyra over to where all the presents were piled up by a table. Everyone takes a seat on the floor as he hands Lyra the presents, one by one.

"That's from me." Pippa tells her. Lyra rips the pink wrapping paper away, revealing some new bath and body products, including some smelly body spray and smelly soaps.

"Thanks Pippa." Lyra smiles as Pippa gives her a quick hug. Alexander passes his present over to her. Lyra takes it and rips the wrapping paper. Inside was a couple of different fiction books and note pads.

"I know you're not a big fan in reading, but these are aimed towards kids your age. I also figured since you're going to be in some education here, you could do with some equipment." Alexander explains.

"I like them, thank you." Lyra tells the man. Alexander smiles at Lyra, watching as she takes another present from Ruben. Pippa elbows him slightly, earning a smile from him.

Lyra rips the paper away, revealing a box with night-lights inside and a couple of scented candles. "I figured you haven't got a lot of stuff for your room, so maybe they could help shape up the place."

"These smell so nice. Thanks." Lyra sniffs each of the candles, loving the smells.

"Me next!" Alvie grabs his presents and passes them over to Lyra rather fast. Lyra laughs at his excitement. She quickly rips the wrapping paper away, revealing 3 different coloured t-shirts. A white one with a yellow smiley face on it, a yellow one with a brown cowboy hat on it and a light blue one with white writing saying 'Born To Be Wild'.

Lyra laughs at them, giving Alvie a smile. "I love them, thanks!"

"Yes!" Alvie punches the air, happy with her answer. Lyra holds the t-shirt with the cowboy hat on to Lee, who is shaking his head slight with his own smile on his face.

"Here you go Lyra." Usnavi passes Lyra his present. Lyra quickly unwraps it, revealing a couple of different hair clips and short denim dungarees.

"This looks comfortable." Lyra says as she observes the dungarees.

"They've very comfortable, and easy to put on in the summer. I figured with the amount of shirts Alvie got you, this could go well with them." Usnavi says.

"Thank you, I love it." Lyra smiles over to him, before looking back under the table. "Is that all of them?" Lee nods his head.

"Looks like it." Lee looks down at his hands with a disappointed look on his face, clearly feeling guilty about not getting Lyra a present.

"Nah, I think there's one more under there." Usnavi leans towards the table and pulls out a small wrapped up box. "This is from Lee."

"It is?" Both Lyra and Lee sound surprised by this. Usnavi gives Lee a wink as Lyra looks over to the man. "I mean, yeah it is." Lee quickly says.

Lyra looks back down at the box and unwraps it. She then lifts the lid up. Her eyes open wide as she looks at the charm bracelet inside. She slowly and carefully takes it out, looking at each of the charms. There was the letter 'L', a little rabbit, a hot air balloon, a ferret and a boat attached to it.

Lyra smiles as she looks up at Lee, who is looking a little surprised himself. "I love it, thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart." He places a arm round her and brings her in for a hug. They hug for a moment, everyone else watching the scene with a smile on their face. Lee then helps Lyra attach the bracelet to her wrist.

"So what do we do now?" Lyra asks as she look around at everyone.

"Food!" Alvie charges over to the table where all the food was laid out. Everyone quickly follows suit and grabs their own plate.

The rest of the day consisted of some fun games, more music and lots of food. It was around evening time when Usnavi brought the cake out. Everyone sung a very out of tune version of 'Happy Birthday' to Lyra, who was grinning like crazy. Her cake wasn't anything special. It was covered in pink icing and had 'Happy Birthday Lyra' written in blue letters. Lyra made sure to thank Usnavi for taking his time to make it for her.

After the cake, everyone gathered on the couch and began a movie marathon. Lyra could feel her eyes begin to drop during the second movie. She curled up closer to Lee, bringing the blanket over her more. She decided to close her eye for a moment, just to let them rest. No one will mind.

Lyra let out a soft sigh as she slowly opens her eyes. She surprised to see that the night had turned to day. She had slept all night. In the living room, with everyone. She looks up enough to see Lee was still next to her, his head resting on his arm while his other arm was wrapped round her. Usnavi was next to her on the couch, laying his head on the arm. Ruben and Alvie had taken the floor. Ruben was leaning against the couch while Alvie was laying on his back, using Ruben's legs as a pillow. Pippa and Alexander had also taken the floor, both laying on their backs with Pippa curled up against Alexander.

Lyra looks down at Pan, who was laying on the floor in his ferret form with Hester next to him. "What a party." He comments. Lyra smiles.

"I know, right?" She says to him. She then hears Lee begin to groan a little as he moves in his sleep. She watches a Lee slowly opens his eyes. He looks round the room before looking down at her. He gives her a small smile.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

"So, fun night?"

"The best."

#rochambeau contest #rochambeau fic #lyra belacqua #lee scoresby #usnavi de la vega #ruben marcado #alvie #alexander hamilton #his dark materials fanfic

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coopdigitalnewsletter · 5 years ago

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30 June 2020: People-first grocery. What is your data worth?

Hello, this is the Co-op Digital newsletter - it looks at what's happening in the internet/digital world and how it's relevant to the Co-op, to retail businesses, and most importantly to people, communities and society. Thank you for reading - send ideas and feedback to @rod on Twitter. Please tell a friend about it!

[Image: Which]

People-first grocery

How New Zealand supermarket chain Countdown responded to the virus:

“we took a ‘people first’ approach to everything. Our roots are as a grocer - we exist to serve our communities. We knew there would be New Zealanders at home, hungry and needing food on the table, some needing more help than others”

The keys were those values, hiring and strengthening their delivery infrastructure - ecommerce, supermarkets turned into warehouses, logistics.

Elsewhere in supermarkets:

UK supermarket numbers - sales increasing across the sector, online and local convenience doing well.

Are shoppers switching from Aldi to other supermarkets because they’re unimpressed with the store’s social distancing measures?

What is your data worth?

Compensating you for your data is a thing that should work, shouldn’t it? Here’s the latest effort to do that: Data Dividend Project - “Our data is our property, and if we allow companies to use it, we should get paid for it”.

But it generally doesn’t work, for two reasons. First, because there’s an annoying value asymmetry in personal data. If you take Facebook’s company valuation ($604bn on 29 Jun) divided by the number of Facebook users (2.6bn monthly), maybe that suggests that the average user has a value of $200-ish to Facebook’s shareholders. However, your data is worth vastly less to you because it’s really hard to commercialise it meaningfully (which is what the Data Dividend Project wants to do). Though FB would say that the value’s in the aggregation of data about many people in order to create ad-targetable slices, not in the data of any individual.

Second, there’s another, more philosophical objection to the idea: “your” data is rarely just about you. It’s usually about you interacting with someone else, or something else, or a location, or… So maybe attributing value to an individual isn’t quite as simple as people hope. Perhaps a richer “accounting of data” could look at the societal/community level instead? Data for society not individuals. Design for society not individuals.

But the wider ideas Data Dividend represents are interesting. What if Big Tech funded schemes that paid citizens? (This sounds a bit like turning users into shareholders.) Or what if organisations with high levels of consumer trust took roles as “data trusts” on behalf of people?

Being seen

IBM will no longer offer, develop, or research facial recognition technology - because facerec has been “shown to suffer from bias along lines of age, race, and ethnicity, which can make the tools unreliable for law enforcement and security and ripe for potential civil rights abuses”. Amazon and Microsoft followed suit. But critics say they’re not going far enough.

Facebook updated its policy on flagging or suppressing political posts that are harmful. This might have been because many advertisers - including Coca-Cola, Unilever and Starbucks - said they were boycotting the platform. (Or it might not: FB said plans had been in review for a while, and anyway most of FB’s revenue is from small business, not large advertisers.)

If you are optimistic, these stories are examples of Big Tech waking up to some structural problems in their services and fixing them. If you are cynical, you might say Big Tech are playing a perception game. (Some stories that support the cynical view: How big tech empowers racist police surveillance.) But either way, if the world remains more volatile (thanks to the virus, fake news, the state of politics, climate change and everything else) companies will probably have incentives to take stronger, more opinionated positions on everything.

Just Eat buys Grubhub

Meal delivery marketplace Just Eat Takeaway beat rival Uber Eats to buy Grubhub. There will probably be more consolidation because the marketplaces are currently burning VC dollars to compete with each other for the same spend.

Deliveroo and 90 restaurants asked the government for more help (rent holidays, VAT holidays, less social distancing) to avoid mass redundancies. And separately, the government asked Deliveroo to give better healthcare and job protections to its couriers.

Contact tracing apps and democratic deficits

Track and trace apps were in the news. Would the government or Google-and-Apple or third parties would do track and trace better? Was the balance between public health and privacy right?. Mistakes have been made: the Gapple APIs have some weird limitations. UKGov should probably not have said that an app would be the central piece of the strategy. But you could make an argument that underlying all of the concerns is a bigger question of governance and democracy: “Google and Apple's diktat to governments on coronavirus contact-tracing apps is a troubling display of unaccountable power”.

Responsible design

This is a very sad story: 20-year-old Robinhood customer commits suicide after seeing a $730,000 negative balance.

“a screenshot from Kearns’ mobile phone reveals that while his account had a negative $730,165 cash balance displayed in red, it may not have represented uncollateralized indebtedness at all, but rather his temporary balance until the stocks underlying his assigned options actually settled into his account.”

Perhaps the outcome wouldn’t have been so terrible if the Robinhood app’s user interface was clearer? (Leave aside whether lending money to 20-year-olds so they can trade stocks is a bad idea in the first place.) I think that popular online services have a duty of care to design responsibly.

Co-op Digital news and events

“instead of sitting within the Membership team like we used to, the 10 of us are now spread out and embedded across different product teams” - The Digital Service community: here to help you do awesome things.

Ave atque vale Pippa Wicks: Britain's John Lewis poaches Co-op's Wicks as department stores boss.

The Federation House team is running weekly drop-in chats for the community every Wednesday at 10am: Join us here. See our online events. You can also see how The Federation is planning for a safe return to the co-working floor.

Free of charge

Andy’s Man Club – Gentleman's Peer to Peer Mental Health Meet Up – Mondays 7pm

Self Care – Online Workshops – Various dates/times in June

An introduction to GitHub – Workshop – 30 June – 6.30pm

M-Postcode – Online Networking – 1 July – 2pm

Tech For Good During Covid - Online Chat – 2 July – 4pm

An introduction to Statistical Geography – Workshop – 7 July – 6.30pm

Building Resilience within your teams - Webinar – 9 July – 12.30pm

Paid for

Invisible Cities - Online Tours of Manchester or Edinburgh – Various Dates & Times

Get started in Podcasting – Webinar – 7 July - 9am

For all up-coming online events visit our Federation website.

Thank you for reading

Thank you, beloved readers and contributors. Please continue to send ideas, questions, corrections, improvements, etc to @rod on Twitter. If you have enjoyed reading, please tell a friend! If you want to find out more about Co-op Digital, follow us @CoopDigital on Twitter and read the Co-op Digital Blog. Previous newsletters.

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allenmendezsr · 5 years ago

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We have many kind, Responsible pet-loving, Live-in Housesitter members, interested in your area who would love to care for your home and pets and gardens (if applicable). Your Pets may miss you – but their environment and routines remain intact – that is why live-in Housesitters provide a perfect win-win for both sides…

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Become a housesitter?

Nominate your Areas; Preferences:- Availability; Pet Care; Location flexibility; and More. We will then send matching opportunities, and you will be found in searches. Start with a limited non-paid membership. Then to respond to messages, or apply for a housesit the full membership is US$50.00 per year.

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PlanetCeleste from Seattle, Washington says…

“Your service has helped us find a perfect match within a month of signing up. Thank you! This housesit allows us to be back near family and friends at a time when our family is growing (my niece and her husband are adopting a baby), and in a way that gives us time to think about where we want to travel next. (The assignment is for a full year.) We’re thrilled! …” Read On View all testimonials

cruzans from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands …

Happy to say we’re now in Spain to soon start a sit in Barcelona, then several in England and one in Zurich. Looking forward to an interesting summer. Housesitting allows us to get basically free accommodation, and we have made some good friends along the way. We have sat in Portugal, France, Belgium, England, Wales, Scotland, Canada, US, and now Spain. Read On View all testimonials

Rustygal2050 from Barinbridge Island near Seattle WA, USA …

We have two wonderful furkids (Purebred Norwegian Forest Cats ), that need companionship when we travel, and we always find top notch folks thru your website. It is a godsend for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you… Read On View all testimonials

WinteringGround from Grass Valley, Sacramento, Grass Valley California United States …

I am so grateful for this service. For the past eight years it has made our vagabond retirement years possible. Thanks to the wonderful people (the house sitters) we have gotten to know through this website we have been able to travel completely at ease about the care of our home, pets and garden. Read On View all testimonials

Carolyn (Wanderbird) from Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada says…

I housesit twice a year for several months each time and I love the opportunity housesitting offers to spend the time to learn about the culture and people of the area I am visiting with these extended housesits. Thanks for the service and your great customer service! Smiles Read On View all testimonials

Cottage2 from Cannonville, on the banks of the beautiful Sundays River, Denman Island BC Canada …

This is to let you know that we have chosen a house-sitter from a number of excellent applications. This is the third time we have made use of your site and we are indeed impressed with your prompt and efficient service. MANY THANKS. I have suspended and replied to all applications individually. Again, thanks for your wonderful service Regards Hilary Read On View all testimonials

dancrs from Ontario, Canada …

For 4th time, we have found the ideal housesit opportunity through Housecarers. It was, once again, well worth the US$50.00 to get the “preferred service” on your website. We will be spending Christmas in Vancouver, British Columbia. kevinalove We and they are feeling very comfortable with the match, and the timing is perfect for Christmas with our son in Vancouver. Read On View all testimonials

scalon320 from Pukerua Bay Porirua Wellington New Zealand …

Christmas Housesitter Found. We have now found a house sitter for our for Beautiful Beach Home over Christmas. What a wonderful service you provide. Read On View all testimonials

Dtonmaiyai from South East Thailand, Bang Sare Sattahip,Chon Buri 20250 Thailand …

Another big ‘Thank You’ to HouseCarers for a fantastic service. We have just returned from our annual trip ‘home’ leaving our beloved Labrador, Pippa with two great sitters. They’ve cared for everything in the most wonderful and efficient manner. HouseCarers really has the most amazingly dedicated band of homecarers and wihout their help and kindness it would be hard to return to the UK each year. Read On View all testimonials

SPOT14 from Albany, WA, Australia says…

I have been a member of HouseCarers for about 6 years and have had four very good couples over the years through your service, to mind our home and Jack Russel. The people has become good friends and I still keep in touch with them. Your service is excellent, reliable, and safe and has put me in touch with people I would never have met otherwise. Thank you once again….” Read On View all testimonials

Chiacat from Downer, ACT, Australia …

At the start of this year we were delighted with the English travelling couple we had to house-sit, and have stayed in contact since. Our chocolate Burmese cat, Chia was very pleased. Thanks for the excellent service you provide through House Carers. Read On View all testimonials

suzvz2007 from South East Thailand, Bang Sare Sattahip,Chon Buri 20250 Thailand …

I am overwhelmed by the response to my ad and the amazing people that have replied to it. What a wonderful service you offer! I was terrified at the prospect of allowing a stranger to stay in my house! I have found a lady who responded first to my ad so hopefully all will go well. Many thanks and kind regards Susan Read On View all testimonials

milliemouse from The Patch, Dandenong Ranges, Melbourne VIC Australia …

We recently had housecarers GentleCloud2012 to sit our home and our two dogs for three months. They were a terrific couple who looked after everything so beautifully and the dogs just loved them. Thankyou so much, Read On View all testimonials

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biofunmy · 5 years ago

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The More (and More) the Merrier

Never mind that old Coco Chanel chestnut about taking one thing off before walking out the door. Today, you may want to add more to the mix.

One of the current preoccupations of fine jewelry collectors is an assemblage of necklaces that is layered, personal and playfully disheveled (or artfully edited, as the case may be). It is an ideal display for items à la mode — initial necklaces, chains, coin pendants — and whatever else finds its way into the jumble.

(The look even has an Instagram nickname: the #neckmess. Coined in 2016 by the Rhode Island-based designer Jessica Kagan Cushman, the term has made it into jewelry vernacular.)

According to Lauren Kulchinsky Levison, the vice president of the East Hampton boutique Mayfair Rocks, the practice of stacking and staggering necklaces is an approach favored by clients who “want to wear jewelry in a more magical way,” rather than the blunt force of big statement pieces. “Any jewelry designer who isn’t making necklaces that can be added into someone’s daily look and combine with all the other designers out there is missing out.”

Anything goes

The London-based designer Pippa Small attributed the popularity of layered necklaces to their aesthetic flexibility. “With necklaces, you have much more versatility,” Ms. Small said. There is no need to fit something into a piercing or around a finger, so “you can wear something large, small, strangely shaped. Around the neck, anything goes.”

Her current tally of assorted necklaces totals about 10 pieces that she wears 24 hours a day. “I like the feeling of the weight and the touch of the stones,” Ms. Small said. But she admitted that, when wearing them, “it’s noisy.”

They include two hollow, gold vessels she acquired in India. In one, she stores locks of hair from her twins and in the other, their baby teeth. The array is anchored by jewelry from Ms. Small’s eponymous collection, like an 18-karat gold pendant depicting a pair of gold owls — a symbol of good luck in Myanmar, where the piece was produced in cooperation with a project that bolsters employment and promotes the country’s jewelry heritage. She also adds lengths of gemstone necklaces in her preferred color for the moment: “Right now, I’m turquoise,” Ms. Small said. “It’s quite joyful.”

Gathering individual, idiosyncratic compilations of necklaces reflects “a shift of jewelry going from a showy, statusy thing.” she said. “It’s going back to its roots as a thing that really deeply, psychically means something to us.”

Quietly reassuring

Some are so attached to their carefully assembled collections that they wear them in any setting, no matter how extreme. “I delivered my son with seven necklaces on,” said Samantha Rudd, the vintner at Rudd Winery in Oakville, Calif. “I like them to be like a second skin.”

That several of those pieces are bespoke necklaces and pendants detailing her personal history makes them particularly indispensable to her. “Designers can turn around custom pieces, and they’re more than willing to do it,” she said. “It becomes more of an expression of the customer and not just the designer.”

Ms. Rudd treasures a pendant by the Dutch jeweler Bibi van der Velden that features her family tree encrusted in emeralds, and another by Millie and Noah that has the contours of her eldest son’s face carved in crystal. Sometimes, she will combine them with whimsical necklaces of mushroom or animal motifs in custom gemstone combinations from the collections of designers like Brent Neale and Retrouvai and strands of Tahitian pearls on leather cords, purchased on repeated visits to St. Barthélemy.

She insists that the abundance of jewelry is a quietly reassuring presence, not a hindrance. “What I like about my necklaces is that I don’t even notice them,” Ms. Rudd said. “It’s like makeup. You don’t feel they’re there but other people can see it.”

Elements of storytelling

The rise of fine jewelry brands attuned to women who buy jewelry for themselves — both to accessorize and to compose a personal narrative — has contributed to the ranks of avid necklace stackers.

One of those women, Lucy Wallace Eustice, co-founder of the handbag brand MZ Wallace, met her match in two jewelry labels that have been around for less than a decade: Marla Aaron and Foundrae. Both instill elements of storytelling in their outputs.

The foundation of the Aaron collection is a range of chains and locks, hardware-inspired elements (often bejeweled or engraved) that function as pendants or charm holders, or that can be joined together to create bracelets, necklaces or other adornments. Foundrae primarily creates jewelry and medallions embellished with symbols representing themes like resilience and trust.

Ms. Wallace Eustice’s daily changing lineup of necklaces draws heavily from both lines. She also incorporates finds she has amassed over the years, like a Cartier strand of petite gold balls and a crimson bead from a Left Bank vintage boutique in Paris that she adds to other pieces. The flexibility to mix and remix different elements of a necklace — pendants and charms, chains and beads — fits neatly into current thinking about conscious consumption: buying less and buying thoughtfully.

Part of the fun of the layered necklace look is “restyling it,” Ms. Wallace Eustice said. “You get a variety of looks out of fewer things that you mix up in different ways. It’s not prescriptive.”

A crystal collection

Building a better #neckmess may not be prescriptive, but sometimes it might be curative. “We’re all at a point of searching for answers because things are so out of control,” the actress Busy Philipps said. At a moment when she was looking for what she described as “a daily reminder to stay grounded and let go,” she began collecting crystal necklaces, jewels that for millenniums have figured in mystical lore. And she said she discovered makers of “crystal and intention-based jewelry,” like Rock & Raw Jewellery, — who create pieces that are markedly more fashionable than the versions of yore.

New arrivals have joined her crystal talismans. First came a strand of opal beads (then another) from her close friend, the Los Angeles-based jeweler Irene Neuwirth. Those were followed by a zodiac pendant representing Ms. Philipps’s birth sign, Cancer, and a rainbow-colored tennis necklace from The Last Line.

The profusion of jewelry led Ms. Philipps to crack the code of a practical concern. “I was always confused by how women could wear multiple necklaces and not have them all tangle,” she said. The remedy? “I learned to go with different types of chains and types of necklaces. If your chains are different sizes and textures, they don’t get tangled.”

High and low

Rock stars have a long history of offhandedly piling on heaps of necklaces. Joe Perry, guitarist for Aerosmith and The Hollywood Vampires, is a case in point (so, too, are his bandmates Steven Tyler and Johnny Depp, for that matter).

The stories behind the pieces Mr. Perry has amassed are tenderhearted. On one strand, he wears his father’s class ring and on another, a ring his mother once wore. He is uninhibited about mixing high and low; the distinction between precious and semiprecious materials doesn’t hold much weight for him.

Mr. Perry tosses together handmade chains in fine silver from the jeweler Donna Distefano, a colorful necklace given to him by a fan from South Africa and a lapis carving resembling the monumental statues of Easter Island that he picked up in an airport gift shop, a memento of a trip to Chile with his wife, Billie.

From afar, the cascade contributes to the musician’s rakish superstar aura, but Mr. Perry considers it a wearable time capsule. “I see them when I look in the mirror. They’re a small way to collect and remember.”

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wildlyhardphilosopher-blog · 6 years ago

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puppy wont walk on leash | german shepherd puppy training

New Post has been published on https://dogtraining.dknol.com/english/puppy-wont-walk-on-leash-german-shepherd-puppy-training/?utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=Tumblr+%230+Freda+K+Pless&utm_campaign=SNAP%2Bfrom%2BBest+Dog+Training

puppy wont walk on leash | german shepherd puppy training

Getting Started Now, here are your options: Two Levels of Access for Dog Training Genesis Coton de Tulear For example, if your puppy starts barking at you, turn your back to it and take away any attention. Your dog will learn that it gets nothing from you when it behaves poorly. “He’s soiling his crate!” Dr. Burch says dogs who come from pet stores, shelters, or other situations where they have been confined for long periods and have had no other choice but to eliminate in their kennels will often soil their crates. The best approach would be to go back to square one with crate and house training. Here are the steps to follow: Where Are Our Customers? Accidents will happen For the past 16 years, I have been teaching puppy kindergarten and adolescent-dog classes at The Canine Connection, my training center in Chico, California. The number of graduates of my classes is likely more than 1,000 puppies – but it feels like I’ve answered client questions about potty training at least a million times. What’s one more time, if it helps someone live more happily and harmoniously with their new dog or puppy? Ask Smithsonian The best pooper scoopers you can buy to clean up after your dog Find a Puppy Take Our Breed Finder Quiz Where to buy Although dogs can be transitioned away from them, it makes the house-training process more complicated. I often see canines who are trained to go on pads as puppies, but they’re not allowed to do so as adults, which only leads to confusion and accidents in the home. The 2 Essential Keys To Successful House Training 31 About Us | Wholesalers/Affiliates | For Businesses | For Shelters | For Veterinarians | Privacy Policy | Contact Us 1 2 3 Next › Vaccinations Always remember that you are dealing with a very immature young animal. Be realistic, flexible, patient and always fair during puppy training sessions. Your puppy doesn’t just automatically know this stuff! It’s all new to him and he is bound to have the odd slip up and mistake along the way. Don’t worry about these mistakes, just move on and do your best to prevent them in the future. First of all, make sure you’ve spent enough time out there. 31 Share Now We offer group classes for dogs of all ages where you and your dog can learn valuable lessons while socializing with other dogs and people in a fun group setting. 0:15 Home Anxiety 7 Specialized training Use a crate when you can’t watch the dog. When you leave home or are unable to watch your puppy, using a crate can be an effective way to help potty train. Your puppy will learn to view the crate as its “home” and will be reluctant to soil their area.[12] Follow us on Facebook & Pinterest for the latest posts and updates. Bundles “Picking one spot for the dog to go potty is helpful. ” Private lessons Tell us how we can help.* See details 3.8 out of 5 stars 39 Looking for customized training solutions and one-on-one instruction? Private lessons can be tailored to you and your dog’s needs. Food Flavor CALL FOR PRICING “Evidence for Positive Reinforcement Training” Pippa Mattinson The Happy Puppy Site. After chewing a toy or bone Take your puppy outside frequently—at least every two hours—and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking. Hi-I have 2 nine month labs. Initially I didn’t crate train. like you I had a crate area as I was v uncomfortable about confinement to a small area. For weeks I was mopping out the garage where they slept every morning as they just created spaces to relieve themselves wherever they chose away from their baskets. In desperation I bought 2 large crates recommended for their breed.The garage where they sleep is attached to the side of our kitchen. It’s insulated and a great dog space. I followed the training guidelines to get them to accept the crates increasing the length of time in them with the door closed and they now go in without any problems and sleep in them from 11pm TIL 6am peacefully. The dominant dog did have a night of barking. I let him out twice to his toilet area but he didn’t relieve himself so I made it clear I was displeased with him and put him in and ignored him. He soon gave in when he realised he wouldn’t win. I would get the crates and put them inside to begin, moving them away from you when they are used to them. Good luck – hope things have improved for you. Where his bed is. Shop By Solution Consumer Electronics 8. Schedule potty breaks George Vondriska All Blog Posts While your puppy is confined to the bathroom or his pen, he is developing a habit of eliminating on paper because no matter where he goes, it will be on paper. As time goes on, he will start to show a preferred place to do his business. When this place is well established and the rest of the papers remain clean all day, then gradually reduce the area that is papered. Start removing the paper that is furthest away from his chosen location. Eventually you will only need to leave a few sheets down in that place only. If he ever misses the paper, then you’ve reduced the area too soon. Go back to papering a larger area. Then slide your hand along the ground in front of him to encourage his body to follow his head. Vitamins & Supplements Published 8 months ago Zesty Paws Stress & Anxiety Calming Bites with Suntheanine Dog Supplement, 90 count Potty training dogs is not very easy, but everyone who shares their lives with dogs must do it. How to house train a puppy is slightly different than how to house train a dog, but the tools, routines and human commitment levels required to do it well are the same. GET SOCIALIZATION AND Dental Disease in Cats Find Your Nearest Store BEGIN TODAY If you use method one, and crate train your puppy, you will make rapid progress within three to four weeks. © 2018 MasterPeace Dog Training Hi Jamie, Calendar Class Length: 6 Weeks Thank you for your feedback! our experts are available to help: Dog Training Clicker with Wrist Strap – Pet Training Clicker, Big Button Clicker Se… Andis The “Basic 5” commands will give your puppy a strong foundation for any future training. Jen Gabbard says Submit a News Tip If you get angry, shout at or punish them in any way, they might ‘look guilty’ trying to appease you, but they will have no idea what it is that’s driven you mad. They’re just trying to calm the situation. When to Start Potty Training Amazon Prime $142.90 How To Train A Puppy Yourself At Home * Copyright © 2018 Insider Inc. All rights reserved. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our This is because puppies naturally like to pee where they have peed before. And so it is better not to build up any kind of history of peeing in your home if you can avoid it.

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jessicakehoe · 6 years ago

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Everything You Want To Know About The Makeup and Hair On Fleabag

Season 2 of Fleabag dropped last month and since that time, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s series based on her one-woman play has inspired love letters, a sudden obsession with pre-mixed cans of G&Ts, and theories about the meaning behind the fox. Fans have also been searching for ways to look like Fleabag herself, from buying her black jumpsuit, to copying her haircut and trying to recreate the exact shade of her signature brick red lipstick.

Unlike the celebrity makeup artists and hairstylists who prep their clients for red carpet appearances, or the ones who work backstage creating runway looks for fashion shows, film and TV artists have a different task: using cosmetics and hairstyles to communicate something about the characters on screen, from where they shop (Boots vs. Harvey Nichols ) and what brands they use, to their imagined lifestyle and income.

We tracked down Pippa Woods, the lead makeup artist and hairstylist for both seasons of Fleabag, to ask her about everything from the meaning behind Fleabag’s different hairstyles (speaking of, we love the amazing tote Woods’ girlfriend gave her when the show wrapped) as well as the unfortunate cut her sister Claire (Sian Clifford) got to what makeup she used after the family dinner fistfight.

Did you and Phoebe talk about the overall makeup and hair profiles for Fleabag and Claire before filming, and what did you want their hair and makeup to communicate about their characters?

“Their beauty routines were briefly mentioned in Season 1 when they go to the retreat. Claire had so many products for all different parts of her face and body, while Fleabag just had one that did everything. We didn’t really follow through this theory though as there are just too many products we love to one use just one. We did try to keep Fleabag as minimal as possible though. She’s a mascara and lipstick kind of girl rather than someone who would use loads of fancy eye shadows. I think the sisters’ hair definitely reflected their personality traits. There is so much pressure on women to look a certain way because of how the media promotes beauty, that our emotions do manifest in our hairstyles. Fleabag’s hair always looks done, as we all feel the need to hold things together and promote a certain image to show that we are ok. It’s something we can actually control. I also think that’s why we make such drastic changes to our hair when we feel we need to change things in our life, just like Claire.”

Claire’s extreme hair transformation in Season 2 involved a wig. Who decided on the reference for the style she got?

“We worked closely with Sian and Phoebe on the style for The Haircut. We needed to find something that was so drastic but could actually be something that Claire would think was a good idea. That was the trickiest bit. I spent ages gathering and narrowing down a selection of styles which could look amazing on the right person (hence Claire choosing it in the first place), but would never be right for Claire. These images then bounced back and forth between Sian and Phoebe until we all agreed on the same one.”

What products did you use to create Fleabag’s look?

“Phoebe’s hair is naturally very curly so to achieve the style we blow dried it with a hot brush to lengthen out the curls a little to give them more freedom and movement. We used Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil, and the Bumble and Bumble City Swept Finish to give her hair a ruffled texture so it didn’t look too perfect.”

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I just adore this photo of Phoebe. It was one of the first continuity photos we took from Series 2 of Fleabag. Swipe to see 2 of our absolute favourite products to get Phoebes skin looking so perfect. @augustinusbader is just the most incredible moisturiser and base for makeup and we just can’t live without our Chantecaille future skin. We use it on everyone! Makeup and hair by the super talented @charlottebroadbent_mua … #fleabag #phoebewallerbridge #makeup #beauty #skincare #foundation #chantecaille @thecommsstore @chantecailleuk @chantecaille #makeupartist #hair #hairstylist #skin #glowy #glowyskin

A post shared by Pippa Woods (@pipwoods) on Apr 11, 2019 at 2:40pm PDT

Did you use anything special on The Priest and Martin?

“We used a pomade for Martin’s beard to keep it under control for the top of the series when he seems more together. It’s a high-shine pomade from the company Layrite who do fantastic men’s hair grooming products. After the family dinner scene in Season 2, we used a wax-based makeup brand called Maqpro from Paris to create the bruising around their eyes. We also use Maqpro’s foundation, concealer, blush—just about everything. It’s my go-to range for most things.”

What were some of your other go-to products on set?

“Chantecaille‘s Future Skin. And Augustinus Bader, a super hydrating cream, which worked so perfectly on Phoebe’s skin. It also has a certain gleam to it, which just makes the skin look gorgeous. We also absolutely love the Stila Convertible Color cream blush in Peony on Phoebe, but we use it on most people because it looks good on everyone.”

Can you tell us about Fleabag’s signature shade of red lipstick?

“We custom mixed her lipstick from scratch. We took oils, waxes, butters and other natural ingredients and mixed them with natural pigments to get that perfect Fleabag shade. We used it for both seasons; it was so popular in season one we thought, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’”

Did you do anything differently with Phoebe’s skin for that scene in Season 2 when everyone is complimenting Fleabag at her mum’s funeral, and she’s worried people will think she’s had a facial?

“[We used] glowy skin primers and lots of Trilogy Rose Hydrating Mist Toner. That stuff makes everyone look better.”

The post Everything You Want To Know About The Makeup and Hair On <i>Fleabag</i> appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Everything You Want To Know About The Makeup and Hair On Fleabag published first on https://borboletabags.tumblr.com/

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healthylifepage · 7 years ago

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LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST!

Under a week to go until a BIG focal day in many people’s annual calendar, and if you’re anything like me you’ve left your seasonal gift shopping perilously late! Fear not, my dear disorganised reader, for here’s my snappily-titled “Christmas Eve Emergency Health & Fitness Top 10 Present Idea List” (phew!) which I whipped up for just such an eventuality – perhaps it’s one to send your other half for those last-minute ideas! So here we go, please Santa may I have…

ITEM 1) Apple Watch Series 3

This is the ultimate fitness gift, to my mind (If you already have one, skip to item 2, you lucky thing). I’ve had an Apple Watch since day one and recently started using their third iteration of the wearable beauty! Aside from allowing me to check emails and be on top of texts/WhatsApp’s, automatically track all my fitness data (heart rate, exercise, moves, standing time, calories burnt etc.), the watch also no longer needs a phone nearby so I am both untethered and yet connected. Instead, you can go cycling up in the rural mountains or for a long jog, and not need to bring your phone whilst remaining contactable at all times.

The Apple Watch is genuinely awesome. I’ve used a lot of wearable trackers and general ‘fit kit’, but this is one I have easily woven into my daily routine. It’s the flavour of technology you want more of; super intuitive to navigate, whilst it deftly does all the ‘thinking’ for me, operating unobtrusively in the background so that I just consume the fruits of its data, eliminating all guesswork! It’s a great way to stay motivated especially for the new years’ push!

My Version is beautifully modelled by Rudolph below…

ITEM 2) Neck & wrist Cashmere warmers

If you’re struggling in this frosty weather on your power walks, there’s nothing quite as comforting or indulgent as a super soft cashmere neck and wrist warmer. Something so super soft against your skin to help keep you warm feels a little extra special and such a wonderful gift. I often think a superb gift is something you wouldn’t necessarily buy yourself, but would love to receive. This little selection below is from Somerville, and is both practical and luxurious!

Wrist warmers HERE… Neck warmer HERE…

ITEM 3) Some ‘Monreal London’ Sports Luxe

This is an evergreen appearance on my list for the brand’s unparalleled style credentials, leading functionality and super luxurious feel! I’ve followed their journey from the beginning and am constantly enchanted by the creations of master designer Stefani Grosse. Recently given the proverbial Royal ‘seals of approval’ by the gorgeous sisters Kate and Pippa Middleton, this is functional high-quality chic athleisure wear. Yes, it’s pricey but the pieces are enduring, clean-lined investment articles which will last the test of time. If like me you love sportswear and wear it all the time this is the sort of pieces that dress up your day!

Check it out HERE!

ITEM 4) Invest In Sleep – Jersey Duvet and Throw

http://ift.tt/2dAjER9

I know, I keep banging on about the importance of sleep, it’s a bit of a personal vendetta to sleep better, and more! Sheets are, surprisingly, very low-hanging fruit when it comes to upgrading the calibre of restful shuteye you get each night, so this is one way to make each night dreamier! Invest in beautiful covers to help you sleep well throughout the night as well as some beautiful and snuggly throws. These ones are from a company with strong Swedish roots, but with US West-Coast influences, and I have been loving the quality of their products for 6 months now; the jersey product is really coming into its own on these cold winters nights, delivering super softness night after night.

– Duvet Cover; http://ift.tt/2z39al2

the bedding is made of 100% combed cotton thread that is finely knitted; so-called single jersey. That material breathes better than closely woven high thread count sheets. It’s also more supple, and few materials can compare to its soft surface; Oprah once called this her ‘discovery of the year’, and if it’s good enough for her…

– Alpaca Throw; Super soft throw to snuggle up in on cold nights. http://ift.tt/2BkrGeJ

ITEM 5) Custom Clutch Bag from Bags by M

This is a personalised, one-of-a-kind, unique bag which is a total reflection of its owner. Admittedly, not fitness related in the slightest, but I wanted to include it nonetheless because I fell in love with this clutch some years ago, and think there are many people out there that might want to tell their own story with the book that means most to them. Master craftswoman Maria Caracciolo draws upon an extensive background in the history of bookbinding using traditional artisan techniques, and the results, created from scratch and delivered within a month, are extremely special, even emotional. This is a bespoke, standout piece at a reasonable price; you can get yours made HERE.

ITEM 6) Sweaty Betty Ski Layers

http://ift.tt/2BjkD5U

Despite being a Swedish lass from a country with much of its land mass in the Arctic Circle, I fundamentally struggle with the cold! Another helpful cosy investment to get you through these cold winter days are these quick-drying, super soft and ultra comfortable thermal base layers. They’re awesome under your activewear in the city on a run or in the slopes, and they look pretty ‘Tron’ chic! n.b. Yep, same picture as above!

ITEM 7) Tea Pigs! http://ift.tt/1NIIxVO

This is a proper stocking filler here – I’ve always thought this Liquorice & Mint tea is simply aaaamazing and a wonderful gift to any fitness enthusiast! Hydrating, nutritious and it satisfies any sweet tooth without delivering calories!

ITEM 8) A beautiful Yoga Mat from Soul Mat Yoga

I discovered this a while ago; these ‘eco-friendly yoga mats are designed to be beautiful enough that they can double as colourful rugs in your home or studio. They’re forged from 100% natural tree rubber, printed with water-based inks and kept completely free from nasty chemicals so they’re super kind to both your skin and our planet.’ Check it out HERE.

ITEM 9) AESOP products to luxuriate & look after your skin

The skin is our bodies’ largest single organ which, if you’re training every day, can get pretty dry in this bitter cold, and will be in need of some TLC. I recently re-discovered Aesop on my trip to Sydney (full blog posts forthcoming!) and have been obsessed since. It’s an Australian home-grown company which has branched out globally; I adore their packaging, and all the products are exceptional and differentiated… but if I could only pick one I’d suggest the utterly delicious-smelling Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm. The botanical oils and skin-softening ingredients leave my skin feeling nourished and refreshed – and there is something totally invigorating about the ingredients’ aroma, so much so that I went overboard and snapped up the whole range. Oh, and I also LOVE the packaging of that mouthwash!!

ITEM 10) Woolrich Coat – ‘W’s Military Parka’

Finally, if you really want to spoil that special someone this is a coat that will keep you warm all winter in the urban city or for apres ski purposes! It’s a little off the beaten track of Canada Goose / Moncler, but I absolutely love it’s furnace-like warmth and bold features for these frosty times of the year. Pick one up HERE.

Hope that provided a little spark of inspiration for any last minute purchases. Yes, some of them can’t be obtained NOW, and need a little lead-time, but the very delivery of an IOU should be met with bundles of festive excitement!

Happy hunting and Merry Xmas

Faya x

The post LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST! appeared first on Fitness on Toast.

LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST! posted first on yummylooksbest.blogspot.com

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rebeccaflaneus · 7 years ago

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LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST!

ITEM 1) Apple Watch Series 3

My Version is beautifully modelled by Rudolph below…

ITEM 2) Neck & wrist Cashmere warmers

Wrist warmers HERE… Neck warmer HERE…

ITEM 3) Some ‘Monreal London’ Sports Luxe

Check it out HERE!

ITEM 4) Invest In Sleep – Jersey Duvet and Throw

https://beachhousecompany.com

– Duvet Cover; https://beachhousecompany.com/product/duvet-cover-band-ivy/

– Alpaca Throw; Super soft throw to snuggle up in on cold nights. https://beachhousecompany.com/alpaca-line-throw/

ITEM 5) Custom Clutch Bag from Bags by M

ITEM 6) Sweaty Betty Ski Layers

http://www.sweatybetty.com/clothes/bottoms/leggings/beetlebluejacquard-drift-colourblock-ski-base-layer-legging/

ITEM 7) Tea Pigs! https://www.teapigs.co.uk/tea/shop_by_category/all_tea/liquorice_and_mint.htm

ITEM 8) A beautiful Yoga Mat from Soul Mat Yoga

ITEM 9) AESOP products to luxuriate & look after your skin

ITEM 10) Woolrich Coat – ‘W’s Military Parka’

Happy hunting and Merry Xmas

Faya x

The post LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST! appeared first on Fitness on Toast.

from Donald Fitness Tips http://fitnessontoast.com/2017/12/20/last-minute-top-10-wellness-gift-list-xmas/

0 notes

yolandadsims · 7 years ago

Text

LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST!

ITEM 1) Apple Watch Series 3

My Version is beautifully modelled by Rudolph below…

ITEM 2) Neck & wrist Cashmere warmers

Wrist warmers HERE… Neck warmer HERE…

ITEM 3) Some ‘Monreal London’ Sports Luxe

Check it out HERE!

ITEM 4) Invest In Sleep – Jersey Duvet and Throw

https://beachhousecompany.com

– Duvet Cover; https://beachhousecompany.com/product/duvet-cover-band-ivy/

– Alpaca Throw; Super soft throw to snuggle up in on cold nights. https://beachhousecompany.com/alpaca-line-throw/

ITEM 5) Custom Clutch Bag from Bags by M

ITEM 6) Sweaty Betty Ski Layers

http://www.sweatybetty.com/clothes/bottoms/leggings/beetlebluejacquard-drift-colourblock-ski-base-layer-legging/

ITEM 7) Tea Pigs! https://www.teapigs.co.uk/tea/shop_by_category/all_tea/liquorice_and_mint.htm

ITEM 8) A beautiful Yoga Mat from Soul Mat Yoga

ITEM 9) AESOP products to luxuriate & look after your skin

ITEM 10) Woolrich Coat – ‘W’s Military Parka’

Happy hunting and Merry Xmas

Faya x

The post LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST! appeared first on Fitness on Toast.

from Health And Fitness Updates http://fitnessontoast.com/2017/12/20/last-minute-top-10-wellness-gift-list-xmas/

0 notes

muscledemandsrespect · 7 years ago

Text

LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST!

ITEM 1) Apple Watch Series 3

My Version is beautifully modelled by Rudolph below…

ITEM 2) Neck & wrist Cashmere warmers

Wrist warmers HERE… Neck warmer HERE…

ITEM 3) Some ‘Monreal London’ Sports Luxe

Check it out HERE!

ITEM 4) Invest In Sleep – Jersey Duvet and Throw

http://ift.tt/2dAjER9

– Duvet Cover; http://ift.tt/2z39al2

– Alpaca Throw; Super soft throw to snuggle up in on cold nights. http://ift.tt/2BkrGeJ

ITEM 5) Custom Clutch Bag from Bags by M

ITEM 6) Sweaty Betty Ski Layers

http://ift.tt/2BjkD5U

ITEM 7) Tea Pigs! http://ift.tt/1NIIxVO

ITEM 8) A beautiful Yoga Mat from Soul Mat Yoga

ITEM 9) AESOP products to luxuriate & look after your skin

ITEM 10) Woolrich Coat – ‘W’s Military Parka’

Happy hunting and Merry Xmas

Faya x

The post LAST-MINUTE ‘TOP 10’ WELLNESS GIFT LIST! appeared first on Fitness on Toast.

from Fitness on Toast http://ift.tt/2BiVOqF via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Fitness on Toast

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opticien2-0 · 4 years ago

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What do the latest John Lewis store closures say about the retailer’s multichannel strategy?

John Lewis focused on new ways for customers to use its shops when it opened its Southampton store shortly before Covid-19. Image courtesy of John Lewis

The John Lewis Partnership says it’s rebalancing its store estate to reflect the way that customers now want to shop as it announces that eight more stores will not reopen from lockdown. We take a look at the development of its multichannel strategy so far – and where it goes from here.

The retailer previously closed eight stores at the end of the first Covid-19 lockdown, a year ago, taking its total from 50 to 42 shops. The current eight closures will take its total from 42 to 34, which will start to reopen from April 12. In total, 1,465 jobs are at risk as a result of this second round of closures. At the same time, the partnership is to transfer the Waitrose Distribution Centre in Leyland to XPO Logistics.

The stores that are to close are John Lewis’ four ‘at home’ format shops in Ashford, Basingstoke, Chester and Tunbridge Wells, and four department stores in Aberdeen, Peterborough, Sheffield and York. John Lewis characterises the closures as moving out of locations that can’t sustain a large store, while also closing smaller ‘at home’ format stores where other John Lewis or Waitrose branches are relatively close by. At the same time it says it will create more places where shoppers can buy John Lewis products around the UK. It has previously shown how it is testing different ways of placing Waitrose products within its stores.

Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, says: “Today’s announcement is incredibly sad news for our affected partners, for our customers and for the communities we’ve served over many years.

“The high street is going through its biggest change for a generation and we are changing with it. Customers will still be able to get the trusted service that we are known for - however and wherever they want to shop.” The retailer says it will support staff who are made redundant, following consultation, to find other roles within the business - as happened for about a third of the staff who lost their jobs when the previous eight stores closed – or support them with retraining.

John Lewis’ multichannel strategy

John Lewis’s strategy is now to “reshape our business in response to how our customers increasingly want to shop in-store and online,” – and the business now expects that up by 70% of John Lewis sales will take place online in the future. About half of its customers use both stores and online when buying. This week’s announcement is the latest step in its five-year strategy to get closer to its customers through virtual, digital and delivery services.

The news can also be considered in the context of the longer-term quest by department stores to work out how to stay relevant at a time when their customers were shifting online faster than those in other categories even before the pandemic. That shift has now accelerated as shoppers are now more likely to be working from home – a trend that is likely to outlast the pandemic – and as retailers have expanded their delivery and collection capacities, making the reality of online shopping ever more convenient for shoppers. John Lewis has expanded its own collection network beyond its own group with partnerships with traders including the Co-op. And before Covid-19, it was also experimenting with bringing shoppers into its stores through a customer experience-led strategy, demonstrated when it opened its Southampton shop in November 2019, months before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This latest announcement sees John Lewis continue to expand its click and collect service, as well as continuing its focus on in-store services and experiences. It also plans to launch still smaller, local stores, and will put more John Lewis ranges into branches of Waitrose.

Pippa Wicks, executive director for John Lewis, said: “Closing stores is the toughest thing we do as a partnership because we all own our business. If the closures are confirmed, every effort will be made to find new roles for partners and for us to continue to serve our customers by providing access to John Lewis in different ways.

“Alongside a growing online business and the expansion of next day Click & Collect, we will invest in our in-store services and experiences, as well as new, smaller neighbourhood formats and the introduction of John Lewis ranges in more Waitrose shops.”

Industry reaction

Elliott Jacobs, director, digital marketing at LiveArea EMEA, says: “The pandemic’s changes to shopping habits, and likelihood they are here to stay, have made physical stores a burden. Anyone watching will realise digital is now the key priority for the new landscape, and those companies which fail to invest in their online capabilities will not stand the test of time.

“John Lewis has long been known for its superior service and a quality selection, and the high street stalwart will need to ensure these core values are not lost in its move to digital or risk becoming an expensive Amazon.

“Recognising a reliance on bricks-and-mortar was unviable in the long-term, John Lewis should have cut its stores once and deep. Whether John Lewis’ reinvention will pay off remains to be seen, but this death by a thousand cuts approach of continuous store closures rarely saves a business.”

Melissa Minkow, retail industry lead at CI&T, says: “This is one of the first instances where reducing store footprint could be considered a sign of success. So often, the story becomes that retreating a bit from the brick-and-mortar scene is a sign of defeat or struggle. John Lewis, however, is a cornerstone retailer in British shoppers’ minds, and despite waning department store relevance, its online platform has sustained its go-to reputation.

“It is highly strategic and intelligent of John Lewis to shift focus towards digital innovation, as we know that the narrative behind the retailers that have struggled over the last few years centres around a lack of investment in digital. In this specific case, I’d urge observers to think critically about whether or not all brick-and-mortar store closures are a sign of failure. For John Lewis, this could very well be the beginning of a business model more reflective of the times and resonant with how consumers are shopping.”

And Alex Jay, head of insolvency at Stewarts law firm says many other retail and hospitality businesses are likely to reduce space even as Covid restrictions ease – inevitably leading to disputes

He says: “As the Covid restrictions ease....the change in retail and hospitality premises use, will come firmly under the microscope as we have seen here with John Lewis, and we saw also recently with Thorntons. It will be a zero sum game for many other businesses in a similar or even more challenging position, who may have to reduce space or face insolvency – this will drive more aggressive stances being taken, and inevitably disputes. The question is whether the landlord, or the tenant company, will come out on top.”

John Lewis is a Leading retailer in RXUK Top500 research.

#Retail 2.0

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krissysbookshelf · 8 years ago

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Free Ebooks (5/13/17)

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE FREE PRICING IS ONLY A SPECIAL FOR THE DIGITAL FORMAT OF THE BOOK THAT IS LISTED AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME, SO BE SURE TO PURCHASE THE E-BOOKS BEFORE THE PRICE RETURNS TO ITS NORMAL LISTING. (Unless you want to buy them at full price:)

Don't forget to check my Free Ebook page on Pinterest for more Free Ebook titles and genres not listed below!

Trouble with Zee by Gloria Repp: Pibbin the treefrog faces his hardest choice ever! It all starts the day Leeper suggests that they should go and help poor Uncle Zee with his farm. But when they get there, Zee turns out to be a hateful Captain and treats them like slaves. Pibbin works hard to figure out an escape. But . . . what about Leeper? How can he leave his pal behind?