Competition: Bad bottles and good bottles

I bet you think I’m referring to bad non-January wine bottles or super-bad big bottles of gin?  Well, I’m not.  As it turns out, those filled with no more than plain old water can be REALLY annoying. Many aren’t dishwasher proof, others are totally uncleanable and all this results in the breeding of BAD germs.

OXO's twist turn water bottle - the twisting hides the rubber straw.  VERY clean!

OXO’s Twist Top water bottle – the twisting hides the rubber straw. VERY clean!

But I have brilliant bottle news for all of you (interested). Those lovely OXO people have just launched a very GOOD water bottle and – seeing as they’re really excited about all the exercise we’re doing here at Life of Yablon this month – they’ve given us 3 of their Twist Top water bottles to keep us hydrated PLUS 3 sets of sports bottle cleaning brushes… for some extra brushing and cleaning…

I reviewed mine at Gavin's gym

I reviewed mine at Gavin’s gym

I reviewed mine yesterday and ended up using it all day long – not just while I was hot and sweaty. 

To enter this competition – all you have to do is LIKE my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter A lot less effort than doing a plank or 10 star jumps.

The 3 winners (of a water bottle with cleaning brushes – worth £18 per set) will be picked at random on 1st Feb 2014.

Chin Chin!

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an interview with Pinch

Where is your favourite place to sit and relax in your home?  Is it in a big comfy armchair? Or at the kitchen table?  Perhaps you even sneak back into bed, given half the chance?

my favourite place to sit in our house. My 40th birthday present from Him. By Pinch.

my favourite place to sit in our house. My 40th birthday present from Him. By Pinch.

I sit here.  At my Pinch desk over looking nothing spectacular.  Just a busy-ish London street.  But it’s at this beautiful desk (my 40th birthday present from Him) that I am most happy.

When I read that the very talented husband/wife Pinch team won Best British Brand at the Elle Decoration British Design awards, I was overjoyed for them.  And I promptly got in touch with Oona and Russell begging for an interview:

which was the first piece Pinch ever designed?  The wave sideboard in 2005

as a husband/wife team – how do you turn off in the evenings?  There is no turning off when the business is so demanding both operationally and creatively – but when you love what you do it’s no burden.

Brody low back armchair by Pinch

Brody low back armchair by Pinch

can your kids draw? Our kids are 4 and 6 and the first thing they do when they wake up or come in from school is to head for the ream of paper and the myriad of pencils and pens. Our elder creates geometric studies in symmetry with her ruler (a graphic designer in the making) and the younger creates wild and chaotic beasties .  Chalk and cheese but firm friends.

where do you shop for non-Pinch furniture for your home? We look for weird and wonderful to compliment our own pieces. We recently bought an excellent triangle backed chair from a market in France and a beautiful painting by Susan Shup from Rabih Hage.

Which pieces are you currently working on launching in 2014?  A much requested bedside table with drawer and a new ethereal table light ‘Defrome’….both pieces will be great additions to our range and the mood of our collection – next brief to ourselves is the bed itself.

do you clothes shop together? Yes – we hunt in a pack – not so much time for shopping these days so its all about maximum achievement in minimal time.  Decisions are made quickly and sometimes landed by what our kids think looks cool!

Clement coffee table by Pinch

Clement coffee table by Pinch

As a family – what do you love to do on a lazy Sunday?  Pancakes with bacon, strawberries and maple syrup. Swimming with kids unless we can find a decent excuse.  Making time to be an attentive audience for the dance shows the kids like to produce, direct and star in.   Making time to read- be it kids stories,  magazines, cook books or the pile of half read books that props up the bedside light.

How much of your weekends do you work? We try to keep weekends sacred (ish).  Brains work better if given some respite.

what advice would you offer for any husband/wife work team?  It helps enormously if you have different skills and that are recognised and reflected in the division of labour. Remember to laugh – it’s only table and chairs.  Trust in your other half to do their best – even if you don’t reach perfection you should always value the effort.

Goddard sofa by Pinch

Goddard sofa by Pinch

if not furniture, what?  Russell – Storm chasing farmer  Oona – restaurant critic

what did you last buy online?  A rucksack for our upcoming trip to India.

if you could be based anywhere in the world, where would you live?  San Francisco please.

Do check out the Pinch designs… and prepare to be wowed.

 

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my social rules

imagesSocial media in business still remains a mystery for most, it seems.  Often asked by those I interview or photograph how I think they might be able to use Twitter and Facebook more effectively, I’m always happy to share my ideas.  But I also thought my top 5 rules in a post might be of use to others…

Please do bear in mind, these are only MY thoughts and not everyone would necessary agree.

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Rule One:  Don’t sell sell sell.  Strike up an engaging relationship with your followers and only drop the occasion plug into conversation when you feel it’s relevant.  In short, Twitter and Facebook aren’t billboards!

Rule Two:  Tell me something I don’t know.  Try to see yourself as a broadcaster.  This is still relatively new media after all.

Rule Three:  Check out your engagement metrics.  Who and how many are liking, favouriting, retweeting etc your comments.  Understand how your tone of voice is working/not-working for you and your business.

Rule Four:  Observe others.  This is the BEST way to learn all the tricks of the trade.  Some brand are quite brilliant at social media so don’t be afraid to follow them and admire.

Rule Five:  Don’t ever be tempted to cheat in this social media world.  It only ends with egg on face and a big frown from your fans.

Follow me @yablon on Twitter /  on Facebook and on Instgram where you’ll find I often break my own rules!

Or do contact me if you would like any further advice on the online social world.

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competition: Meet & Sweat at GTC Studio

It’s January and we’re dieting.  Life is that bit too predictable but… clearly we can’t ALL be fools?  And along with dieting comes that jumping up and down thing called exercise.  We’re dead keen on that at this time of year too.

Gavin The Champ - mid training session in his GTC Studio

Gavin The Champ – mid training session in his GTC Studio

But instead of queuing for the locker room or (worse still) popping on Davina’s latest fitness DVD, I have a better option.  I have organized for 5 of my readers to win the opportunity to train with Gavin The Champ at his GTC Studio, NW6.  The hour-long bootcamp session (worth £20 each) will leave you feeling happy (those endorphins), energetic (I promise), sweaty (inevitable) and ready for the new year ahead.  And, what’s more, I’ll join in too – to make sure everyone is having fun with this kickboxing world champion.

boxing gloves ready to punch!

boxing gloves ready to punch!

To enter – all you have to do is LIKE both the GTC Studio and Life Of Yablon Facebook pages.  Nothing not to like anyway, this could be the beginning of a brand new fit you! (5 winners will be chosen on 31st Jan 2014)

All fitness abilities welcome.  GTC Studio (my Life of Yablon sponsor for this month) is quite simply the best place to train, get fit and enjoy exercise. I’m a regular at his gym and I think you might be too once you step inside….

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