By Charles Communications Staff
Each month we look back at the great food, beverage and lifestyle stories that caught our attention.
Kimberly Charles
My “must read” is the book: Practical Genius by Gina Rudan
I recently met Gina Rudan, author of Practical Genius and business consultant based in Silicon Valley. In my never ending pursuit of best practices in life and business, I love reading books and articles that are illuminating—encouraging excellence. Meeting Gina alone was an inspiration, and her book discusses the power of discovering our own native gifts and promotes ideas of surrounding ourselves consistently in our daily lives with other “genius” influences.
Jordan Carmack
My “must read” is from: Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
Article: In Defense of Natural Wine
Elaine Brown looks at the challenges, and controversies surrounding Natural Wine and gives an account of its definition. The article explains both sides of the natural wine debate in this informative post.
Alex Fondren
My “must read” is from: The New York Times
Article: The Secret Life of Passwords
It's a thoughtful and moving piece by Ian Urbina about how the passwords we use in our personal and professional lives speak volumes about the unyielding humanity in us all. By forcing a daily reminder on ourselves to pause and reflect momentarily on the personal values, relationships or ambitions encoded within them, the passwords we choose ultimately become a daily encounter with personal memories that often have no other place to be recalled. These passwords become, as the author puts it, "quiet celebrations of things we hold dear" in a culture that doesn't often allow for such sentimentality. Urbina's extensive research and thought-provoking interviews bring this notion to life, and reminds the reader just how unique—and also how hearteningly similar—she is to the all password-creators (read: humans) around her.
Natalie Hurley
My “must read” is from: Decanter Magazine
Article: World “Mother” Grape Saved From the Brink of Extinction
Who knew Gamay and Chardonnay were siblings, let alone that their ‘mother’ was nearly extinct? This simple and straightforward article by Susanna Forbes details recent efforts on the part of volunteers and scientists to save the Gouais Blanc grape. This variety has a rough history of being banned in many French vineyards (surprise, surprise!), but a half-acre vineyard dating back to the Middle Ages has been discovered in the Haut-Valais region of Switzerland. Cheers to longevity and the power of genes
Kathleen Pizzo
My “must read” is from: The New York Times
Article: Executive Women Finding (and Owning) Their Voice
This article profiles the careers of four executive-level women, from the steps they took to get to their positions and the challenges they have faced at work over the years—as women in a male-advantageous workforce. The article isn’t overtly focused on sexism in the workplace, but rather examines the differences in how men are approached in a work setting vs. how women are approached.
All the Swirl is a collections of thoughts and opinions assembled by the staff and industry friends of Charles Communications Associates, a marketing communications firm with its headquarters in San Francisco, California. We invite you to explore more about our company and clients by visiting www.charlescomm.com.