Two radio shows designed to relax anxious pets on Bonfire Night will air next month.

Classic FM presenter Bill Turnbull will be bringing back his special Pet Sounds show on 2 and 5 November.

Animal lover Turnbull says the soothing selection of music should help keep owners and pets calm in the season of fireworks.

For years people have been raising concerns about the distress caused to animals by those having private displays, and just last week Sainsbury's announced that they had stopped selling fireworks amid concerns for pets and the elderly.

Turnbull said: "We have created two programmes specifically for pets who may be nervous or anxious around Fireworks Night.

"I call this their radio refuge. While the music on Classic FM is always relaxing, the selection we're planning is even more soothing.

"I've been presenting to humans on Classic FM for the past three-and-a-half years so I'm looking forward to some new four-legged listeners tuning in and enjoying the world's greatest music."

Love pets? So do we! Join our friendly Facebook group Edinburgh Loves Pets to chat with other pet lovers in the city.

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Radio shows designed to relax pets distressed by fireworks will air in lead up to Bonfire Night - Edinburgh Live

Musical trends are often directly antithetical to wider societys. In the late 60s, counterculture boomed against rigid political structures, so too did punk in the 70s. Grunge was a reaction to the grandiose absurdity of glam and late 80s pop, and the explosion of indie music in the 90s rejected the increasingly homogenous chokehold that a few major players had over the entertainment industry.

In contemporary society were more switched on than ever; devices in our pockets link us not only to every other person in the world, but every single piece of recorded media. The world is loud, which is precisely why more and more people are choosing to switch off by listening to environmental, minimal, or ambient music.

Image: Cover Art of Strands by Steve Hauschildt

To say a overstimulating world equals a need for relaxing pleasures is a simplification; there are more factors at play when it comes to ones taste in art. To find out exactly what has made ambient music so attractive to modern listeners, we enlisted the opinions of a few key artists in the space.

First I reached out to Alex Albrecht, half of electronic music group Albrecht LaBrooy and the head of Analogue Attic Recordings one of the few Australian labels putting out ambient music. He believed that contemporary listening habits were in line not only with increased connectivity, but a broader acknowledgement of mental well-being.

I think we are certainly more aware of personal wellness and overstimulation these days and Im sure some people actively listen to ambient music with that in mind. Id like to think so anyway! Theres also a big movement surrounding music to fall asleep to, which is something we have explored a bit recently.

The fact that we have access to more music than every before right at our fingertips means its easier for people to find something that caters to their immediate mindset.

Self-care moments are certainly on the rise, but Alex touches on another great point; the popularity of long-form audio media such as podcasts, compilation channels, or live streams. Tens of thousands of Youtube users are tuned into live channels featuring relaxing, downtempo, or ambient music streams as we speak. Theres even an upload of Radioheads Pyramid Songstretched out to 38 minutes which has clocked 1.4 million views.

Meanwhile in podcast world, this year Spotify allocated between $400 and $500 millionto invest in original podcasts, and the amount of Australians downloading podcasts each month has risen from just under one million in 2014 to 1.6 million in 2018. True, this doesnt speak to the popularity of ambient music, but the two mediums do serve a similar purpose for many.

I also wanted to ask Alex, being one of the few bastions of the ambient genre in Australia, if he thought our locale had any effect on the music his label puts out.

A laidback attitude can manifest from the time, space, and access to nature we have in Australia, and if you let it, it can come through in the music.

Nature certainly plays a large part in what contemporary ambient music has become; the latest Albrecht LaBrooy album being an example. Healesville is decorated by sample of bird trills, tractor noises, and distant voices, the perfect remedy for anyone attempting a mind-escape from the city noise.

It calls to mind a genre closely allied to new age and ambient called environmental music, which also bloomed in the 70s with a sound more rooted in natural samples as well as meditative and spiritual practices. Outside of contemporary producers calling back to these gentler sonics, a new market has also allowed for historical releases such as the wonderful Kanky Ongaku to become one of 2019s most talked about reissues.

The liner notes of Brian Enos albumAmbient 1: Music For Airports(many name this as the moment the term ambient was coined, but thats up for debate) decreed that ambient music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular, it must be as ignorable as it is interesting.

In other words, its background music. Technically any music can be background music if you listen to it in the background but in ambient musics case, often its the artists intent that you withhold your full attention. More than that, in speaking to a number of composers it has become clear that not only is it therapeutic for listeners, but for those who make it as well.

On his motivations to make this kind of music, Alex Albrecht shared:

The conduciveness to improvisation and musical conversation, as well as the gentle nature, makes it a therapeutic way to make music.

For Steve Hauschildt, a fantastic electronic producer based out of Chicago and signed to Ghostly International, the motivation to make this kind of music is more ephemeral.

Im not usually trying to implicitly adhere to the rules and expectations of a genre when Im in the studio, so if it evokes those qualities of ambient music its happening purely on a subliminal level.

However, I think theres something to be said about emphasising the practice of listening and this is intrinsic to ambient music in much more concrete ways than popular music for example. My motivation comes from an innate desire to express the ineffable via sound.

Hauschildts recordings arent purely ambient; releases such as 2013s S/H orWhere All Is Fled contain moments of thumping percussion or attention-demanding synth swells. His softer compositions are part of an output which covers a wider sonic scope and interestingly, he saw ambients recent popularity differently to Albrecht.

There is some degree of correlation between overstimulation and listening to very slow and repetitive music. Its difficult for me or anyone to quantify popularity with regards to the idea of genre within music as its a relative idea very much reliant on context. No ambient artist will ever reach the same sort of appeal or commercial success as Billie Eilish for obvious reasons. There are levels of popularity and its important to delineate between major and independent labels even though the lines have been blurred.

Fundamentally, the construct of popularity is counter-intuitive to music which seeks to be unobtrusive. But it doesnt mean that success or relative popularity doesnt exist within that small niche that we happen to be aware of just on a different scale. We are definitely seeing a blowback against the fact that we are spending a lot of time on our phones and computers so Im sure some of this seeps into the musical domain.

Where these two musicians opinions synced back up was in terms of delivery of sound; how the absurdly easy way we consume music right now relates to the rise in popularity of certain listening experiences.

I dont think the purpose [of ambient music] has changed much since its inception. The change has more to do with how its delivered to and heard by the audience. Honestly I think that the distillation of ambient into background music or wallpaper music is quite functionally congruent with people putting on algorithmic playlists and not always thinking about what to play.

Outside of this, the increasing accessibility and affordability of recording equipment and electronic instruments over the last forty years has also greatly democratised the ability to make ambient music which has shifted and fractured it in mostly positive ways.

Music streaming has changed many things, one criticism it often faces being that listeners are identifying with artists less and less. Songs become meaningless stops on a 129-track playlist, and often the very names of the artists who create these beautiful, catchy, and often hugely popular songs go completely unremembered.

But isnt that the point of this so-called background music? To morph into a state unrecognised, but to still provide a listener with the pleasure or relaxing feeling theyre seeking? Invisibility brought on by the playlist effect really isnt that different from Brian Eno or Aphex Twin titling the songs on their ambient albums with simple numbers or gibberish.

What has become clear is that the purpose of ambient music never changed, just as Hauschildt says. Rather the need for it has increased.

If this truly is the age of information and overstimulation, its no surprise that more and more listeners are yearning for something quieter, something relaxing, or something that evokes the feeling of being amongst nature. It may never be popular to the mainstream world at large but to a growing niche of humans just searching for a moments quiet? Why not.

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Ambient music's place in the age of overstimulation - Happy Mag

Germanys winemaking scene is probably less well-known than its music scene, even though the history of winemaking in Germany spans two millennia. But just because its venerable doesnt mean it isnt hip. The present generation of German winemakers are reaching beyond the Rieslings for which theyre deservedly famous, and emphasizing a style thats youthful, contemporary, and embraces a wide array of brisk, aromatic white varieties and spicy, fruit-forward reds.

Wine and music share many common elements, beyond the obvious (they are each composed of a number of individual notes). In both, there are accords and harmonies, structure and tension, color and tone, theme and variation. For that matter, finding a new wine is a little like finding a new band. We like what we like, we have our baseline preferencesbut we crave novelty. That feeling you get when you find a song that unlocks a whole series of discoveries? Wine does that too. And it shares musics uncanny ability to provoke emotional responses, or to align itself with specific memories.

On which note (see what I did there), wed like to recommend some German wine and music pairings. As with all wine pairings, its really about what you happen to like, and there are no rules. But this can get you started.

1. Sekt Perfect with: Pop Recommended listening: Aurora, Christine and the Queens, Janelle Mone

Sekt is not a varietal but a broad umbrella term for German sparkling wine-it can theoretically be made from any grape (just as pop music is a huge umbrella term). Common grape varieties used to make Sekt include the usual French subjects (the Pinot or Burgunder family) as well as native grapes like Silvaner and Riesling. When its done right, Sekt is bubblier than Colbie Caillat, and as versatile and goes-with-anything as Rihanna. Sekt has long been a staple in Germany, where theyll pop a bottle for everyday drinking and just about any occasionbeyond birthdays and celebrationsthe same way throwing on pop radio is a fail-safe way to liven up a gathering. Now wine lovers outside of Germany are taking notice, and Sekt is emerging as a significant player in the world of sophisticated bubbles (look for the term Winzersekt on the label if you want the best stuffand of course you want the best stuff).

2. Pinot Noir Perfect with: Jazz Recommended listening: Kamasi Washington, Sasha Berliner, Julius Rodriguez

One word: Obbligato. The thing without which the song is no longer the song. Essential in jazz, where repertory is the skeleton on which endless skin and flesh variants can be placed. And essential in Sptburgunder, AKA Pinot Noir, the grape with ten thousand faces. You might not think of Germany when you think of Pinot, but you should. Its a thinkers wine in many ways, but it also has the potential to be the life of the party. The grape is a wizard-grade shapeshifter and can always add another note to the riff. Think notes of cherry, wet leaves, nutmeg, plum, cedarwood, pencil shavings, black truffle, redcurrant, pepper, dark chocolate, gravel, blueberries and more. Difficult to cultivate yet perfectly poised when you get it right, this wine is all about tension. Wynton Marsalisfamously said in jazz, every moment is a crisis, and you bring all your skills to bear on that crisis. German Pinot Noir is grown and produced in a crazy diversity of altitudes, soils and climates, and this grape takes in all of that and plays it back like an old school jazz ensemble, combining seemingly irreconcilable parts and making it seem like they couldnt exist without each other.

3. Dry Riesling Perfect with: Electronica Recommended listening: Kraftwerk, Timo Maas, Ian Chang

German Riesling is something you can study and examine and experience for most of your life and never stop learning. The sine qua non of German wines has been in style for hundreds of years, and deservedly. Riesling has a wide variety of expressions that can be broadly grouped into Trocken or dry wines, Kabinett or off-dry wines and Sptlese or luscious, late-harvest wines, and even dessert-worthy wines, but modern German winemakers are offering more of the dry variety. Dry Riesling is an aromatic suckerpunch and your ideal companion for a variety of foods and some Kraftwerk, perhaps? Something venerable and classic but also forward-thinking? Honestly, a good dry Riesling will go with most things; its whole point is epic versatility. Common notes in this dry white lean toward perfumery, mixing citrus rind and peaches, beeswax and ginger. Classical and pretty, but with a slightly industrial edge and definitely electricits a study in tension. Just as Germany has been an epicenter of the world for electronica from when Kraftwerk first plugged in their synethesizers in the 1970s to the massive crowds at Parookaville this year, its been the proud home of this distinctive style.

4. Off-Dry and Sweet Riesling Perfect with: Hip Hop Recommended listening: Noname, Tierra Whack, Blackalicious

If you find a Riesling labeled Kabinett, Sptlese, or Auslese, youre looking at what probably has to be called The OG (Original German, obviously). People who arent familiar with Riesling often avoid it because they have an idea it will be sweet. In this case thats 100% true and by the way, it isnt a flaw. Sptlese Riesling has serious staying power (you can age it for years, even decades). Its complex and harmonious with a profoundly honeyed nose and characteristics that tend to demand dramatic descriptors (its acidity is keen or piercing or electric, its aromatics heady or seductive). Strong minerality and sometimes a savory salinity are also present. The power player of German wines is a viscous, molten-gold beverage with a big, big personality and impressive structure. Pair it with music thats equally about flaunting your riches, like Kanye Wests Run This Town: Im beasting off the Riseling You trippin when you aint sippin, have a refill.

5. Silvaner Perfect with: Folk Recommended listening: Im With Her, Haley Heynderickx, Justin Townes Earle

If youre looking for the wine equivalent of a Sufjan Stevenstrack, you might find it in Silvaner, an understated yet somehow extremely satisfying little will-o-the-wisp. It has a light, down-to-earth quality and a storied tradition. Silvaner and folk both value simplicity but will stay with you long after the final chord is struck or sip is taken. Its fresh and green and brisk, and it tends to invite comparisons that are not to fruits and flowers at all, but to cloudscapes and weather and Sunday mornings in spring. Crystalline, with a vein of intriguing bitterness at its core, an almost colorless Natures first green is gold kind of tone, Silvaner is a paean to the beauty of simplicity.

6. Mller-Thurgau Perfect with: R&B Recommended listening: Seratones, Frank Ocean, Kali Uchis

A wine grape born of the crossing of Riesling and an obscure grape called Madeleine Royale, Mller-Thurgau is a super vigorous vine. When handled with care, though, lovely things can come from it. From the Riesling side, it brings a bouquet of lavish flowers and peaches, and it can be a shy, sometimes wispy wine. But when made well, its a fresh, flowery, softly aromatic white wine thats close to colorless, and behind that clarity and softness there can be a surprising complexityperfect for the neo-soul and R&B of pioneering crossover acts like Kali Uchis, who draw on the best of a storied tradition and make it feel completely new. Nowhere else does the physical and spiritual collide so wonderfully as R&B, making it the perfect music for Mller-Thurgau.

7. Lemberger Perfect with: Indie Rock Recommended listening: The National, Vampire Weekend, Courtney Barnett

The grape also known as Blaufrankisch is blue with a dusty bloom, and high-yielding (if it were a band it would be putting out an album every year). It thrives in warmer sites, and creates medium-bodied wines with a fairly high tannin level (German Lemberger is by and large less tannic than Austrian Blaufrankisch) and, often, a serious spicy kick. Black peppercorn, allspice, clove and cinnamon can all be expressed, along with black cherry, blackberry or boysenberry, and cocoa. Occasionally floral notes like wild violets will also jump out. Its dark, a little brooding, but essentially put together and harmony-forward, with an individualist streak and a certain melancholy sexiness. In short, it paves its own path like the best indie rockers, never content to rest on its laurels.

8. Pinot Gris Perfect with: 80s pop Recommended listening: The Bangles, a-ha, Modern English

The German iteration of Pinot Gris, called Grauburgunder, is surprisingly complex. They are often well-structured and finely balanced, edgy with citrus notes (lime, grapefruit, lemon and tangerine can all be present), tropical fruit (especially pineapple) and a delightful hit of something like fennel pollen. German Pinot Gris can also express spice notes that dont tend to come up in Italian or American Pinot Gris (sometimes its something a bit exotic and sharp, like saffron), and a trailing salinity on the finish. Its a refined character with just a little bit of a weird side, enough to make it a charming dinner companion. And like the best 80s pop with catchy choruses and polished production, its a classic that should never go awaythose first notes will always bring an instant, recognizable joy.

9. Pinot Blanc Perfect with: Country Recommended listening: The Highwomen, Kacey Musgraves, Yola

Pinot Blanc may taste familiar, but it more than makes up for that in versatilitythis is a wine that just seems to go with everything. The single-word description of this wine is round. It has decent acidity, but the impression isnt of acids-it has a gentleness in the mouth that can come as a welcome change of pace from Pinot Gris. It can have a somewhat subdued bouquet, but a deeply pleasant one, full of apple and pear notes. In Germany (where its called Weissburgunder) it is sometimes barrel-aged, which also adds some layers, including toast, cream or vanilla characteristics. Its a delicate wine in general, and an excellent pairing for any situation where you dont know what to pour, especially when the sun is shining and you can kick back. Its the country music of wines, making every setting more casual and relaxing, and you can always find one that suits your own tastes.

Theres so much to discover when it comes to both German wines and music, and theres plenty of time to expand your palate. Pour a glass, sit back and relax with some new favorite artists.

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Nine German Wines Paired with the Perfect Music - Paste Magazine

MILLIE Bobby Brown has fought monsters in Netflix hit Stranger Things but will soon battle fiercer beasts pop stars.

I can reveal she will launch a music career in 2020, once she turns 16.

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She was in the 2016 video to Sigma song Find Me and is now in talks to join their label 3 Beat also home to Cheryl Tweedy.

A source said: Millie is brilliantly talented. She has millions of Stranger Things fans but also has a passion for singing.

"She already has at least seven songs she loves but isnt planning to release anything until after she turns 16 in February, partly as her schedule is crazy.

"They are deciding how to launch her maybe as vocalist on a dance tune, or releasing her own song. But singing is just natural for her.

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Millie stars as Eleven in sci-fi hit Stranger Things and is its break-out star, leading to roles in movie Godzilla: King Of The Monsters and the video for Drake track In My Feelings.

He is now a mentor, who Millie calls a great friend.

A No1 tune for a teen we are used to seeing with a bloody nose? Stranger Things have happened.

THE music industry was rocked yesterday as Atlantic Records chief Ben Cook stood down over allegations he had blacked up at a work fancy-dress party.

I revealed how it took the fury of Stormzy to force out the exec a full year after Atlantic first learned of the sorry episode.

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Now insiders tell me the rapper was far from alone in his outrage.

Rudimental were just as angry and members of the drum and bass outfit made it clear around the industry they felt further action was necessary.

A source tells me: There were a few artists who disapproved. Stormzy wasnt alone.

Rudimental share the view that this is simply unacceptable in this day and age. Its that growing mood music among artists and big industry players which prompted action.

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Cook, whose 12-year career at the label included signing Ed Sheeran and Stormzy, was allowed to stay in place until yesterday.

Atlantics owner Warner Music put out a typically fudged corporate line on the matter, suggesting the decision had been entirely its own and nothing to do with Stormzy.

But the rapper has done nothing to distance himself from Cooks ousting.

Warners confirmed the exit, while Cook apologised for his behaviour in a wordy statement. But its clear from Warners bid to deflect attention away from our report that bosses know they handled this badly.

bizbit

ELTON Johns favourite band The Hu have invited him to join them on their UK tour next year.

The Mongolian rock foursome have been a hit since Elt endorsed them on Beats1 radio.

Their first gig here will be in Brighton in February.

ROSE McGowan has ditched acting to move into music.

The star who was named Time magazines Person of the Year for speaking out about sexual assault and harassment in the #MeToo scandal is releasing an album in the spring called Planet 9, having worked with Daft Punk producer DJ Falcon.

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She said: Hopefully the music world wont be as treacherous as Hollywood. Ill still direct but I dont want to hide behind characters. Its ethereal, meditative music and some bangers to be released in Ibiza.

Rose also revealed she has taken up smoking to cope with stress.

She said: Its relaxing for me.

Shes been through a lot but its still a bad habit.

bizticker

KATHERINE Jenkins went full mermaid with her mosaic-like frock for the Lady Garden Gala at Claridges hotel in Londons Mayfair.

The Welsh soprano is known for belting out songs until shes blue in the face.

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And this time she wore a glittering dress to match.

Katherine was joined at the cancer charity bash by Donna Air, Joan Collins and Sarah Ferguson.

bizbit

SHAGGY has told fans It Wasnt Me after his Instagram was hacked by internet scammers.

The account had posted pleas to send him money online.

He said: I would like to make it clear that these are nothing more than an internet scam.

ALFIE Boes loyal following of mums could be in for a shock at his next concert.

The cheesy crooner is desperate to reinvent himself as a rock god in the style of Queen or Journey.

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But he is facing pushback from his label Decca Records, which wants him to stick to show tunes and jazz numbers from the 1930s.

In fact, just last month Alfie was forced to announce a new album with fellow Ooh, aint he lovely type Michael Ball, creatively titled Back Together, after their previous albums Together and Together Again.

A source said: Alfie really fancies himself as the bad boy of classical crossover and operatic pop.

He wants to express his wild side by turning his hand to rock music.

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Hes started sneaking songs by the likes of Led Zeppelin and Guns N' Roses into his setlists.

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But the label are nervous his fanbase of women of a certain age will be turned off. It has caused some frustration behind the scenes.

If Alfie gets his way, that would be the most polite mosh pit in history.

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Stranger Things Millie Bobby Brown hopes to launch career as pop star once she turns 16 - The Sun

Neuroscience recently revealed that listening to relaxing music can relieve anxiety by up to 65 percent. From the mellow-suave of jazz to the vast toll of ambient drums music has the power to transport you to acompletely different time and place, and that sounds damn near a superpower to me.

Hellenistic philosopher Epicurus believed that being relaxed was the ideal state of human nature. We constantly strive for the blissful nothingness of relaxation as anything beyond that would be a form of dissatisfaction or pain. This is alternatively why the Epicurean school of thought derived that we should not fear death as it is the ultimate state of nothingness and therefore peace.

While Im certainly not encouraging anyone to die, these five masterpieces of relaxing music will have you floating through the interstellar and beyond. Close your eyes and behold the power of peace.

Undoubtedly crowned the godfather of ambient music, rarely has a single genre been so specifically accredited to one person. Brian Eno is a musical pioneer and Ambient 1: Music For Airports is his crowning jewel. Eno himself came up with the term ambient to distance himself from the Muzak Coporation in 1978 and thus is synonymous with relaxation.

When Brian Eno was recovering from being hit by a car, a friend visiting him put on a 19th Century harp record and left the room. The speakers were at such a low setting so as to blend with the outside world and Eno was too weak to get up and change the volume; thus ambient music was born.

Easily to be confused for background music, Eno creates remarkably interesting tones and timing so as to create a complete sense of placid tranquility.

Arguably the most famous jazz record of all time, Miles DavisKind Of Bluenot only embodies the lucid nirvana of truly good jazz, but the epitome of improvisation. Davis at the time was at odds with the chordal complexity and increasingly convoluted state of jazz. Thus he desired to write an album that was a complete return to form and melody.

Scribbling out sheet music one hour before the session, Davis assembled the sextet of saxophonists John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and pianist Bill Evans. They cut two takes of each track and that was that.

Its smoky miasma and late night ambience are the exact expression of elegance. It is 46 minutes of pure improvisation and sophistication and remains to this day a true example of musical heaven and some of the most relaxing music ever recorded.

While this has mostly been selected for the third act, Clair de Lune, suite bergamasquefrom Claude Debussy is a masterpiece through and through. Debussy was a French composer from the turn of the 20th Century and is one of the most influential songwriters of the time. He is often seen as the first Impressionist composers although he fervently rejected the term.

In 1902, at the age of 40 Debussy achieved international fame with his only completed opera, Pellas et Mlisande. The suite bergamasque was Debussys most famous piano suite.Undoubtedly a mature piece of composition it is one of the most fascinating, entrancing piano works Ive ever had the pleasure of hearing and is inspired by a Paul Verlaine poem of the same name.

The post-rock giant that isSigur Ros has made some the most undeniably beautiful music of our time. Once described by a befuddled critic as sounding like god weeping tears of gold in heaven, like a glacier sweeping through the harsh icelandic landscape, their second album gtis byrjun shocked the world upon release due to its sheer originality.

Liminal Sleep is an endless Sigur Ros playlist created by Jnsi, Alex Somers and Paul Corley, reaching through their entire works to create a sensory collection of turntable crackles, ghostly choirs and transcendent strings.

We like the fact that sleep remains defiantly mysterious; something we all do all need to do but cant ever get fully inside. explains Jnsi. This playlist is a modest attempt to mirror the journey of a sleep cycle, with its curves, steady states and natural transitions.

One of the most beautiful folk-rock records of all time. The Grateful DeadsAmerican Beautyis a landmark album for song craft and aural beauty.

While it would be easy to create this entire list derived of ambient albums, American Beautyhas earned its spot due to the sheer poetic vehemence of Robert Hunter, the beautiful simplicity of Jerry Garcias musical arrangement and its enduring legacy.

The simple poignancy ofAmerican Beautyis to take life as it comes and appreciate change. These songs will cast a spell about the listener luring, them to spin about the room with a smile and embrace the day.

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Kick back to the most relaxing music that has ever been made - Happy Mag

Question: I love dinner traditions around the holidays. Do you have suggestions for how our family can make ordinary meals feel special?

Answer: While nothing quite matches a holiday dinner, we can look at what makes them special and apply the take-aways to any meal.

First, think about ambience. Invite the children to make place cards for each family member and to pick some greenery, flowers or branches from outside if possible. Play some quiet and relaxing music. Use cloth napkins, candles, and fancy glasses and real plates (not plastic).

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When my children were small and I was afraid of breakage, I purchased fancy tumblers made of real glass and mismatched china at thrift stores for a very low cost. Using real dishes, according to the Montessori approach, encourages children to treat their surroundings with care and respect. This care and respect is what we are hoping to capture in our ordinary family dinners.

Next, consider the conversation. At special dinners, we involve the entire family. The conversation is not about mom and dad catching up on their day or discussing the details of the weeks schedule. Start a tradition in your family of a question or series of questions. Some great ideas: What are you grateful for? What did you do today that was kind? What do you appreciate about each person in the family? You can Google 50 Questions To Ask Instead of How Was Your Day? These questions are an invitation. No one is forced to participate.

This brings me to attitude. At holiday meals, we are focused on warm connection with our families. With some effort, we can carry this over into our ordinary family meals. To keep dinners pleasant for everyone, try these suggestions: Keep corrections to a minimum. If you really need to remind someone to finish chewing before speaking, a gentle Ahem and a tap on your own cheek is a good-enough reminder. As children grow, their motor skills improve and eating neatly becomes easier. Children learn what is modelled for them. Gentle reminders and modelling proper table manners are more effective than nagging and keep the mood at the table positive. If you really feel they need lessons to learn, make it fun. Pretend you are dining with the Queen or at a fancy restaurant. Kids playing with their food? Dont worry! Research shows this makes them more adventurous eaters and can help their brain development.

Remember to avoid power struggles over food. I recommend that parents follow Ellyn Satters Division of Responsibility in Feeding. The parents decide what and when the children eat, the children decide if and how much they eat. Offer a variety of healthy foods you want your children to eat, including one thing you know they will eat so no one goes hungry. Enjoy your own food and take the pressure off of them to try it. Pressuring kids can actually make them more picky! If youre worried your child wont be able to sleep if theyre hungry, build the bedtime snack into your routine. Offer leftover dinner or another healthy option.

Finally, save your energy for everything above. If we are stressed at dinner, we wont be able to enjoy the meal or our children. That means, keep your dinner preparations to a minimum. Make a pot of stew on Sunday and have the leftovers for a night or two. Have breakfast for dinner and serve eggs and fruit. Use jarred pasta sauce (or make and freeze your own) and cut up some veggies. Using these suggestions, we can recreate the ambience and the warm feelings of a holiday dinner every day.

And ultimately, remember this: Be together. Try to eat as a family as much as possible. If the kids cant wait until your partner is home? Serve them dinner early or tide them over with a veggie-and-fruit platter (watch how much they eat when they are hungry!). If they have eaten the majority of their meal before you can be together, make them a fruit smoothie and have them join you for dessert.

Sarah Rosensweet is a parenting coach who lives in Toronto with her husband and three kids, aged 12, 15 and 18.

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Do you have a parenting question? Send your dilemmas to srosensweet@globeandmail.com. Please keep your submissions to 150 words and include a daytime contact number so we can follow up with any queries.

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How to make ordinary family meals feel special every time - The Globe and Mail

From high-intensity techno to get you motivated, to smoothing classical to keep you focused, we've got together the best beats to battle the business planning.

With the recent release of YouTube Music in the Middle East, there has never been a better time to put the AirPods on during your time in the office and really get into the zone. Whether you need to perk yourself up, drown out the annoying murmurs of office chit-chat, or you need to get in the zone for hours, music can act as a fabulous work companion.

Known as the 'Mozart Effect', lyric-less music like that of Mozart has shown the ability to increase short-term productivity in the brain. With this in mind, we've got together our top playlists to get those creative juices flowing at work.

No, just because you need to focus doesn't mean you need to listen to slow violins, piano masterpieces, or brass backings, sometimes what you need to get you going at work is something a bit more fun. The Pychedelic Ambient Techno playlist is exactly that, using more unconvential music choices to get you in the zone. With its greater focus on electro beats, this is the perfect playlist to get you motivated and get the creative in you raring to go. The playlist luls you into a trance with long synths and then kicks you back into action with some sharp techno.

On to more conventional work playlists, this is probably the kind of line-up you already have lurking on your phone somewhere. Full of pianos and long, relaxing jazz pieces, this playlist is the 'Mozart Effect' in full swing. When you need to relax yourself on the massive task in front of you, the soothing piano can be a trusty companion. With its soft tones, never giving you any nasty surprises like a bass drop, this playlist is perfect for when you need uninterupted focus.

With YouTube Middle East offering a wide selection of Arab-exclusive music, why not make the most of it. Full of relaxing tunes using the Arab instrument; the Oud, this playlist offers a kind of relaxation not often heard in mainstream media. Think of it as simple acoustic listening with a hint of Arab charm. The simple and soft tones are perfect for deep relaxation.

Designed to make reading those massive documents a little easier, this playlist is as uplifting as it is relaxing. Full of soul and passion, this playlist will have you unknowingly tap your foot while still being able to focus in on the work at hand. Full of old-school ballads, brass and pianos, this playlist has a bit more personality than other more classic playlists, making it a perfect choice to make the most boring of jobs a bit easier.

Full of Hans Zimmer, this playlist is a bit more epic than the rest, think back to Inception and Interstellar. With this playlist, you can take the edge of work and for a moment imagine what it would be like to be in those films. With cinematic scores comes music which is a bit more intense, perfect to add a bit of pressure to yourself if you're really crunched for time.

Now get back to work!

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The best playlists to help you focus at work and get things done - EsquireMe

Nara Colaba

Nara Colaba takes the concept of Sunday brunches to the next level with delectable Thai cuisine and a chance to unwind in its karaoke rooms. Sing your heart out (bathroom singers are welcome too), and round it off with flavoursome dishes such as spicy raw papaya salad, crispy betel leaves, and coconut and kaffir lime bar.

Where: Nara, Amarchand Mansion, 16 Madame Cama Road, Colaba

When: Every Sunday, 12pm to 2 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm

Price: INR 1850 (plus taxes, approx for one)

Call: 022 61378080

Studio Renn by Rahul Jhaveri

Studio Renn, founded by Rahul Jhaveri, is bringing an immersive artistic showcase to the city that will delight jewellery lovers and creative souls alike. Featuring unique jewellery creations, the show will also host a plethora of experiences for its audience. Musical sessions, movement art, video installations and a conceptualised photostory are just some of the highlights that are bound to captivate you.

Where: The Stands (previously Bungalow 8), Wankhede Stadium

When: October 10-13

Call: 080700 09200

Mizu Sunday brunch

Forever relying on sushi to get your Japanese cuisine fix? Mizus revamped menu, packed with alternative divine Japanese dishes, gives you the chance to explore mouth-watering hot pots and prawn tempura hotdogs. Authentic flavours paired with a relaxing ambience, while live music performances will keep you entertained while you wine and dine.

Where: Ground level, Mizu, Atria The Millennium Mall, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli

When: Sunday, 13th October, 12pm

Price: INR 4000 (approx for two)

Call: 022 24913388

Neon East Fest

Move over Sunburn, theres a new homegrown festival about to take over the entertainment scene. Neon East Fest is bringing your Spotify playlist to life this weekend by hosting popular contemporary artists in town. The two-day festival has an exciting line up which includes vocal powerhouse Fatima, Australian duo KLLO (R&B), and Phum Viphurit who is Asias neo-soul singing sensation.

Where: JioGarden, Bandra Kurla Complex

When: October 12-13

Entry: Early bird tickets INR 1500, Phase One tickets- INR 3000

Call: 09810359721

Pernias Pop-Up Show Festive 19

The festive season calls for a much needed wardrobe update and an excuse to let your inner shopaholic let loose. Pernias Pop-Up Show is all set to host your favourite luxury brands from around the country under one roof. Browse through and shop from ace designer collections including Masaba, Rohit Bal, Gala Brothers Fine Jewels and more. Fashion and beauty enthusiasts can also indulge in interactive workshops to hear from industry experts like designer Pranay Baidya and beauty expert Leena Mukhi.

Where: Dome at NSCI, Worli.

When: October 12, 12:30 pm to 8 pm

Entry: Free

Excerpt from:

The best things to do in Mumbai this weekend - ELLE India

First-ever festival at Pamplin Park draws raves from attendees, vendors; some cannot wait until next year

DINWIDDIE - For those attending a new outdoor festival spotlighting the brewing and wine industries, the only liquid came from bottles and not from the sky.

Ideal weather conditions welcomed the first-ever Breakthrough Brew & Wine Festival last weekend at Pamplin Historical Park. Festival director Jerry Desmond was especially glad to see the sunshine and comfortable temperatures.

Last year, I picked a hurricane date, so I let the staff select the day for this year, he joked.

And judging by attendee reactions, the staff picked a good date.

It was relaxing, said Becky Tilson, a McKenney resident. Its a great place to come. I wish more people would come out and enjoy it.

Butch Bales came from his home in Disputanta. While he called the food selection a little shaky, he said he was glad he attended.

It is very nice, Bales said. The weather is unbeatable, music is great, beer selection is good, and facility is marvelous.

Colin Romanick, Pamplins director of marketing and development, said first-time events are always a learning experience for future improvements.

This is a first event like this for Pamplin Historical Park and like our other new events, were seeking to bring newer and younger families to experience the park in different ways, Romanick said.

The bands Joes Day Off and the Rhythm Kings played a mix of country, folk, and Top-40 selections.

Food, drink and craft vendors were available for ticket holders to satisfy their hunger and take home a variety of locally made products, and each ticket provided five beer samples and five wine samples.

We always like to support communities with local events, said Edwin Gommers, representing Shoe Crazy Wine at the event. Well be moving to a warehouse in Petersburg soon, and were excited about it.

Little Bird Jams & Jellies vendor Marcia Williams of Dinwiddie stated, Its nice being here. Great music. Hurricane Florence made them cancel the event last year and no rain date had been scheduled.

People have been visiting my booth, but I think next year attendance will grow, added Williams.

I think todays event was a really great opportunity for Dinwiddie residents to stay local for this type of event. It offers people a chance to experience a very relaxing atmosphere, said Dinwiddie Chamber of Commerce President Meagan Wall.

Karen and Emmett Partain parted the event toting three bottles of wine and their collectible beer cups and wine glasses.

We bought a bottle of chocolate raspberry wine, mango peach prosecco, and dry red table wine. When the peach prosecco was uncorked, the aroma smelled of fresh peaches, and it was very tasty, said Karen Partain.

They had quite an array of beer on tap, also, added Emmett Partain. Were looking forward to attending again next year.

Kristi K. Higgins can be reached at khiggins@progress-index.com or 804-722-5162.

Originally posted here:

A good day for brew and wine - Jackson County Newspapers

Theres really no reason to visit Bergamo, my Italian classmates back in high school told me.

I spent my senior year in the northern Italian city of Brescia, and my friends and host family there seemed offended at my suggestion of taking a day trip to the neighboring city. I explained that I wanted to visit the hill town of the Citt Alta, the medieval high city of Bergamo, since Lombardia only had a handful of hill towns.

Whats wrong with Brescia? We have a castle and Roman ruins was the inevitable response as my loyalty was called into question. It didnt help that Brescias soccer club is mortal enemies with the Atalanta team from Bergamo.

I suggested visiting Lake Como near Bergamo, but my Bresciani friends snapped back, We have Lago di Garda, the biggest and most beautiful lake in Italy. Who needs Como?

Now, years later, a group of graduate students from St. Paul wanted me to lead them to Italy. I refused the usual itinerary of Florence, Venice and Rome. Instead, we followed my dream itinerary. Finally I had my chance to tour Bergamo without need to tell my friends and host family in Brescia that I was being a traitor.

The students and I planned a five-night stay in a beautiful hotel near the Bergamo train station to facilitate tours around the region. The first day, we went up, up, up and under the Porta SantAgostino emblazoned with a plaque of the Venetian winged lion holding an open book. This is a symbol of peace, our guide Bruno, a native Bergamasco, told us. Never mind that Venice then fortified the city with impenetrable walls that were recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In front of La Marianna Pasticceria, Bruno declared, This is where gelato alla stracciatella was invented! The confused students shrugged, so Bruno elbowed me to translate so he could get the reaction he wanted. Chocolate chip ice cream, I said and Bruno was pleased with the requisite oows and awws. We had no time to stop, however, since the old square, the Piazza Vecchia of the Citt Alta, was calling.

Unfortunately, the Civic Museum is closed on Mondays, the day we could have visited, so we couldnt see the early Ojibwe artifacts that Bergamos native son Giacomo Beltrami gathered on his trip through Minnesota in 1823 in his search for the source of the Mississippi.

We passed a store that displayed a wide range of Italian playing cards. These colorful cards a sort of 40-card tarot deck look-alike vary from city to city across Italy. Conspicuously missing from the collection, however, were cards from neighboring Brescia. Do they have their own cards? Bruno wondered. I havent really been there. He looked at me uncertainly when he found out I had lived in Brescia.

The stunning center of Bergamo was quiet, pristine, fascinating. A long sundial stretches under the arcades of the Palazzo della Ragione, marking the seasons and astrological phases. Across the cobblestones stands the Colleoni Chapel with an ornate trompe loeil facade from the 1500s. Inside, Bruno pointed out the coat of arms of Bartolomeo Colleoni: Notice the three testicles? The students suddenly paid attention. Yes, he was a man of three coglioni and so proud of his virility that he put it on his shield. Indeed, Colleoni likely had a condition of polyorchidism and boasted more than the usual two testes. His deformity became a war cry to scare off less manly neighbors.

Next door to the chapel is Bergamos giant duomo, but strangely Bruno was not impressed with his towns cathedral. Without a hint of irony, he said, Our duomo could have been a beautiful church, but they used marble from Brescia, so its really not so nice.

Aperitivo in Milano

On Day Two, we took the commuter train into Milan. The Bergamaschi refer to their big-city neighbors as ciuccia nebbia, or fog suckers, because of the dense fog during the humid winters. Most of my friends from Milan couldnt care less what their insignificant neighbor thinks of them.

Leonardo da Vinci designed the Bergamo-Milan bridge over the river Adda, but modern engineers have closed it to prevent a collapse. Instead, we clicked smoothly along on a different route into the Lambrate station of Milan. From there, we hopped on a classic tram from the 1930s that residents have insisted their city preserve.

A transportation pass allowed us to hop on and off the confusing network of trams and subways all day. Milan is a working city and not a place to relax, but still my friends Anna and Giovanni took time to show us their city. Pushing into the subway, my friend Anna from Milan pointed out, At least in New York, theyll let you get out sometimes!

The stifling heat topped 100 degrees, and the tepid Italian air conditioning couldnt compete. For the first time, I saw Italian men in shorts. Most, however, managed to wear sleek suits without a trace of perspiration. How do they do that? a student asked admiringly. Were dripping with sweat and they stay so cool?

My students looked in vain for water fountains or other springs to fill up their water bottles. My Italian friends are confused by Americans lugging around giant canteens, so I asked Anna how she stays hydrated in the heat. I really dont drink much water, she replied. Her brother, Giovanni, added, Why drink water when you can have a negroni?

We couldnt handle the heat, so we abandoned our plans to visit the Sforzesco castle and took Giovannis advice. We retreated early for the Milanese tradition of the aperitivo, or pre-dinner drink, that has become so overblown with appetizers that it has combined with dinner (or cena) for a new Italian word: apericena. Just buying a beverage entitles the drinker to a full buffet of Italian treats.

There were 13 of us for apericena and my Italian friends said, Someone will have to wait outside since this is bad luck. Instead, we just pulled up an extra chair to calm the superstitious.

We sat down next to the da Vinci-designed Navigli and these canals have small boat tours next to charming pedestrian-only streets with colorful stucco apartments. This was not the Milan I knew when I lived here in the 90s when it was a thoroughfare of exhaust-spewing cars and kids shooting up heroin in the alleys next to the sewage-filled waterways. One of my charmed students remarked, Who needs Venice when you have Milan?

The perfect ending to an apericena is a stroll through the streets with gelato. Milan has no shortage of artisanal ice cream parlors trying to outdo each other with the most natural and artistic cones. Giovanni is obsessed with his quest for the best gelato in Milano, but cant stand the pretentious lengths these gelaterie go to with their philosophy to maximize the culinary experience.

We sampled cones from a new store, Gelateria Gusto 17, near the castle and noticed the crema flavor contained signed eggs from Paolo Parisi. The thrilled ice cream scooper showed us a half-dozen eggs costing one euro each that are all personally signed by the chicken owner. She explained that If designers can put their signature on clothes, why cant farmers? Ill never understand Milan.

Into the pre-Alps

To escape the scorching heat and commercialism of the big city, we planned a mountain hike led by Chiara, a teacher from Vilminore di Scalve who has taught in Minnesota. She gave the bus driver the route as we wove up valleys by steep cliffs. I was impressed by these enormous mountains, but Chiara corrected me: Those arent mountains, theyre just pre-Alps. As the bus slowed to a crawl around treacherous switchbacks with the ends of the bus stretching out perilously over thousand-foot cliffs, Chiara finally conceded that Now these are montagnette [baby mountains]. For Minnesotans used to Buck Hill, the pre-Alps around Vilminore delle Scalve are astounding.

Chiaras friend, our mountaineering guide Maurilio, led us out of the little Alpine town through narrow stone alleyways, past chicken coops and by steep pastures into the forest. Maurilio was older than everyone in the group, but clearly in the best shape. This is the hardest thing Ive ever done, said one of the students who was used to the baby mountains of Michigans Upper Peninsula.

Once above the tree line, Maurilio pointed to the peaks in the east: Bergamo and Brescia have fought over that range for 600 years. Bergamo took it, so the people in Brescia burned down a town, kidnapped people and tortured them. We looked at the serene slopes and couldnt imagine why. Now the line is right down the middle and no one really knows exactly where.

Our goal was a three-hour tour up to the Gleno Dam, the site of another loss of life when the dam burst in 1923, sending a wall of water through the valley that killed 356 people. Now its just a ruin with giant arches that resemble an abandoned Roman aqueduct.

Despite the strenuous trek far up into the mountains a distance that is a blip on the map we found a remote little food booth at the top along a mountain stream serving fresh fontina panini with local salami, sausages and cold beer. Maurilio talked to the owner in Bergamasco dialect, and I couldnt understand a word. Chiara translated into Italian that a helicopter regularly drops off fresh supplies and solar panels provide power to this Alpine outpost. Only in Italy can you hike in remote mountains and then indulge in the best sandwich ever.

San Pellegrino Terme

The day after our mountain hike, the students were ready to relax, so we drove to the famous springs at San Pellegrino. Everyone was familiar with the beverages, but the towns fame spread originally because of the terme, or spa, where visitors from around the world relax in the waters. I mostly wanted to see the fantastic Liberty-style, art nouveau buildings.

Once in my bathrobe and flip-flops, I expected just hot tubs and pools. Instead, I pulled out my notebook to jot down all the overblown descriptions for your quest to meet your wellness. It began with the Olfactory Path of little squirt bottles of essential oils in which Each scent awakens memories, suggestions and unexpected emotions.

The fragrances continued in the Thermal Course with the Zen Bath, the Chinotto steam room, and the Linden Sauna that boasted, peppermint, lemons of Sicily, grapefruit of the Mediterranean, and elderflower in this champagne of mineral baths! I was intrigued by the Hortus Salt Room that smelled like bergamot and cedar with orange salt bricks and stacks of sticks with dripping water forming moist salt icicles. More confusing was the Hay Sauna with a bushel of hay in a rack, perhaps to cure or exacerbate hay fever.

To cool down, I stopped in the Ice Room inspired by cryotherapy principles with old wooden skis and snowshoes hung on the wall. This struck me as a Minnesotan garage, or essentially a large cooler and not even as cold as the average American grocery store.

After all these hot-cold baths and saunas, some of the students peeked into the Relaxing Wool Lounge where Fiber after fiber intertwine your wellness because of the great textile tradition of Bergamo. New Age music and French piano sonatas were piped in as visitors dozed and cuddled on wool cots and chairs. Whats with the spooning? one of the students asked. Did you see those couples half naked and those others under the blanket?

When in Rome another student shrugged.

The spa had no clocks, so we lost track of time. As I was finally wrangling the overly relaxed students out the door and onto the bus, the receptionist asked, Wait! Arent you staying for the aperitivo? She explained that the entrance fee to the spa included an aperitivo in bathrobe. I thought the terme was supposed to cure from alcohol and overindulgence, but she replied, Is that really so decadent? Why not?

We piled onto the bus anyway. Back in Bergamo when the cool evening arrived, we took the funicular up the steep train tracks back to the Citt Alta for an outdoor festival along the castle walls overlooking the entire valley. The smell of jasmine flowers filled the air and mixed in with the two-stroke exhaust of Vespas. After orange Aperol spritz drinks to beat the heat, we perused the food vendors selling local gelato alla stracciatella and casoncelli, a stuffed fresh pasta topped with butter, sage and speck.

I asked my students where theyll visit if they come back to Italy. Definitely Bergamo, John replied. I feel like we just scratched the surface.

Eric Dregni is a professor at Concordia University, St. Paul, dean of the Italian Concordia Language Village, and author of Never Trust a Thin Cook and Youre Sending Me Where? Dispatches From Summer Camp.

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After a return to Italy, finding the beauty of Bergamo - Minneapolis Star Tribune