Jari Mattila – New York For Everyone

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Hi Everyone!

My name is Jari Mattila. I’m originally from Helsinki Finland, and have lived in the US since 1984. As to what/who I am, well, that’s a little more difficult to answer, except that after living in various parts of the US, I’ve discovered that, at least for me, there really is no place like NY. My favorite thing (other than traveling myself…) is to tour the city with visitors and to share my own experiences, as a European in the US, with them.

Here’s a little background:

I originally came to the U.S. as a teenager to attend high school as an exchange student in Madison, Wisconsin. Following High School, I spent the next four years studying music at William Paterson University in suburban New Jersey, as well as working as a musician in salsa and merengue bands all over the metropolitan area, most often in Queens. Like many other northerners, I’ve always had a fascination with warm weather, and soon after graduation decided to give Southern California a try and experience the year-round sunshine and the swaying palm trees. San Diego turned out to be as beautiful as everyone had said, but after living there for nearly a decade, I still missed the energy and lifestyle of New York. There simply is no other place as exciting and full of life. Not to mention the interesting (and funny!) people….

That move happened in 1998 after which I spent the next 15 years or so working with the music departments of two soap operas, Guiding Light and As The World Turns, as well as managing Procter & Gamble’s music publishing companies. P&G owned most of the soap operas since the genre began in the 30s and is actually the reason for the term “Soap Opera.” P&G originally started out as a soap manufacturing company who then created dramatic (therefore “opera”) TV shows on which they advertised their own products exclusively.

In addition to working in music publishing, and as music director for the P&G soaps, I also had some small acting gigs in a yet another soap, One Life to Live, as well as a few low budget independent movies. I’ve always enjoyed acting and continue doing it whenever an opportunity presents itself. My next project is a courtroom/suspense play titled “Second Seat,” which will have its performances in January.

After the soaps operas ended (it was about time, they were on every weekday for nearly 80 years!) I realized that this would be a chance to do something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the time, which is to put together a private tour and relocation company. I have always loved spending a day walking or driving around the city while having interesting conversations with great people so this is really the ideal job for me. And it’s rewarding work, too, as being able to enhance someone’s NY experience, whether they are from Finland, Estonia, Spain, or Wisconsin, is really what’s it’s all about for me. 🙂

All the best,

Jari Mattila
www.NYforEveryone.com
New York For Everyone

Ivana Lola – Los Angeles based Italian Singer/Songwriter

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NOTE: Ivana Lola is performing at the EuroCircle event on Thursday, Nov 12 2015 at Caffe Roma

My name is Ivana Lola, I am a singer/songwriter, dancer and a piano player.

I am originally from Italy. I have been singing since I was 8 years old.

I have been working as a singer/songwriter for many years in my country. I also did a lot of collaborations with the Italian Walt Disney, for many famous Italian singers as well as collaborated with many producers.
My last release is a song that I wrote together with one of the most famous Italian DJ/producer – Mario Fargetta.
The title of the song is ”SURVIVE” and the video is available on YouTube

I grew up listening to Queen, Michael Jackson, Beatles and many more. I can tell that Freddie Mercury inspired me a lot. I really loved the fact that he was a good singer, an amazing performer and an incredible composer and piano player. On top of that he used to wear crazy things and I am so in love with some particular outfits.

But my best teacher has been my father, who is a very talented singer and piano player. He introduced to me to pop music, Rock music and also classic music, that’s why at the age of 6. I also started classical dance, did it for 10 years and got a Diploma. Two years ago I had the pleasure to be invited to sing on stage at the Sayers Club in Hollywood while I was just visiting L.A. as tourist.

It was one of the best experiences of my life, singing here in America. That’s when I made the decision to leave Italy and move here. The truth is that I’ve always had the American Dream.

The reason why I am here to tell you a little bit about myself is because I had the pleasure to meet Sonny Sarna(EuroCircle Los Angeles team), who is a super nice person, at a Venue where I was performing with my band and it was love at first sight ( LOL 🙂 )

Please Follow me on:

Ivana Lola @ Instagram

Ivana Lola at Facebook

Ivana Lola @ Twitter

Los Angeles – Tanya Stawski helps you with all your real estate needs

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We try to do our best introducing “EC member of the month” and since Tanya Stawski is part of the team in in Los Angeles, we decided to have you all “meet” her online. Tanya Stawski is a realtor at Sotheby’s International Realty.

Where are you from and where have you lived in the USA?
I was born and raised in Germany and lived in Florida, Mid West and East Coast….

What languages do you speak?
German, English, Farsi and Spanish

What do you do?
I started a few years ago with Sotheby’s International Realty in Beverly Hills. Coming from a 18 years of international experience in business and marketing it was important to me to be a with firm that caters my client’s needs not only in LA, USA but internationally. (note: Tanya has an MBA)

Do you work with buyers or sellers only?

I work with both and help also with leases. My specialty is what my clients are looking for. My clientele varies from A-list celebrity to 1st time buyers. Local and international clients. Everyone is special to me.
Currently I have 6 listings on the market and 3 off market.

Because I have lived in different countries and different parts of the USA I have an excellent understanding of what my clients are looking for.
Describe why people have off market listings?

Off market or a lot of times it is called Pocket listings….

Some of my clients like to sell their homes privately without advertising it publically everywhere. Various reasons…Some just don’t want to attract the curious not buyers who are just interested in checking out the homes…. Sometimes it has security reasons.. In other cases the sellers hope to get a premium price before it hits the market.

How do you do that if you live in LA?

I have a big network of colleagues around the world. I travel to different cities and countries…I found a home for my client moving from LA to London, also helped another client moving from LA to Texas just to give an example. I have the network to perform!

Do you have celebrity clients and who are they?
Yes, my clientele covers from 1st time buyers, to investors to celebrities local & international as well as professional athletic and other industries. Every single client is important to me.

I prefer keeping all my clients identity confidential.

Any tips for 1st time buyers?
Yes…If you decide not to buy all cash…I think that the most important step is getting pre-qualified right before searching for your home or investment. This way you know exactly your price range and know how much of a mortgage you can get. Another tip would be to not buy based on emotions. Of course it is always exciting to buy your first home however it is very crucial that you keep the investment aspect always in mind.
Do your research…find out about the neighborhood, history of the house and get comps for the area.

What do you enjoy outside of work?
I spend time with family and friends and volunteer. My favorite spot is Pacific Palisades. I plan the monthly EuroCircle events in Los Angeles with Sonny.

What do you most love about your job?

Most of my clients become my friends. I socialize with them. We go to dinners, shows, an antique car shows together.

I help my clients not only with their local real estate needs but everywhere in the world. In addition I assist them especially if they move from out of state or country with concierge services as well. Helping them with school selections, doctors, hair dressers and so forth.

Any funny stories every happened to you?

Of course there are many interesting ones…Let me think. Well, one time I was invited for a Second interview to list this luxury mansion. The housekeeper opens up the door and directs me to meet the seller for our meeting in the bedroom. Music on, candles on….Quite funny!

CONTACT TANYA
Tanya.stawski@sothebyshomes.com or 310.801.6033
Visit my website

Paris Chansons – Ukrainian-Born Francophile Julia Kantor Made Her Dream a Reality

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I absolutely love French chansons and back in Finland still have tens of albums (yes, actual LPs) of Edith Piaf, Mireille Mathieu, Joe Dassin etc. If I lived in Los Angeles, I’d love to see these guys perform. Well, judge yourself! They are all very talented musicians.


Three years ago, Ukrainian-born Francophile singer, Julia Kantor, had a dream to start a French band.  Paris Chansons, the eight-member acoustic ensemble was born.

Julia and her Russian guitarist-singer husband recruited two other vocalists—one French, the other Moroccan-born and Israel-raised. They added a Hungarian-American violinist, a Broadway-seasoned pianist, and a pair of L.A. veterans: a drummer and an upright bass player.

Together, they perform original renditions of French favorites and add in Russian, Italian, Spanish, and other world flavors.

“Francophiles from all over the world come to see our shows. When I started this band, I had no idea there were so many people who loved French music. I never imagined the cross-cultural, international mix.  On any given night, the crowd may include Romanians, Russians, Lebanese, Israelis, Armenians, Moroccans, Persians and Francophones from all over!”

Paris Chansons just released their original song, “Bamiyan” which is a tribute to peace and hope.

Bamiyan is the place in Afghanistan where the enormous statues of the Buddha were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.  This song is about what can never be destroyed – faith and hope.

Jacob Kantor originally wrote the song in English and they recently collaborated with a French songwriter, Zera Vaughan, who re-invented the lyrics into French.

Here it is!   https://soundcloud.com/french-singers-la/bamiyan-mfinal-cdeq-3

You can hear the band performing at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, the Sofitel, Vibrato, and private and corporate events all over.

For more information, please visit:

Matt Szymanowski – Polish-American filmmaker currently based in San Francisco

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Matt Szymanowski has experienced both American and Polish lifestyles so I asked if we could interview him since he was planning to come here to Austin in November 2015. Austin premiere of his dark comedy film – greatly inspired by the Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki – will take place on Nov 14th.

Who are you?

I’m a Polish-American filmmaker currently based in San Francisco. I’m the first in my family born outside of Poland. As a child I spent many of my summers in Poland with family. I grew up with this dual cultural identity. As an adult I moved to Poland for filmschool, and it was one of the best decisions I made.

I now run a video production company called Wolves Films in San Francisco. We work with brands and artists to tell their stories in a compelling and visual way. When not making films for others I enjoy making my own stories. I recently finished my debut feature film called The Purple Onion. It’s about a struggling Chinese American comedian in San Francisco, down on his luck, who finds inspiration when he meets a mysterious older woman.

How did you end up in  San Francisco of all places?

I grew up in Cupertino, the home of Apple. It was just a suburb to me then. San Francisco, just 40 minutes to the north always had this allure. I took art classes there for a couple of summers in high school. When I was accepted into San Francisco State University for my BA I felt it was too close to home. I opted not to study there. Instead, I studied humanities in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University. After that I took up an offer from my father to work with him in his furniture business so I moved to China for half a year. My father was grooming me to be his business partner. Though I knew I wanted to pursue filmmaking more seriously.

I applied to the renowned Polish Film School, and a few months later I left the furniture biz and moved to Poland. A one year director training course turned into four years. I directed a handful of short films, made close friends and got reacquainted with my family roots. Then, on a fluke, I was accepted into the only master’s program in cinema that I applied to back in San Francisco. I missed my brother and mom back in California as well. So I left Poland. Quickly, I realized I didn’t feel right in the program, and after a month I dropped out. I began working right away. Six years later I’m still here, and I’m ready for what’s next.

How do you make your living now – and how would you like to develop that career?

I’m a video producer and director of video content. When I’m not directing commercial spots I’m producing and managing other video producers on various projects. I’m shopping my feature film around now and aim to have it distributed next year. I’m also developing my next film project as a Polish-American coproduction. And I have to tell you about this really cool project called Reach Out I created based my experiences with the amazing nonprofit Each One Reach One (EORO). Reach Out is an animated web series based on plays written by kids in jail. The original plays were created within EORO’s playwriting program for incarcerated youth. We’re working with another nonprofit, BayCat, which teaches disadvantaged kids media skills. Kids at BayCat will be handling the animation of these plays. So kids in jail are indirectly collaborating with kids outside of jail on these videos. We’re now working on two pilot episodes before we aim to professionally produce more episodes for a full season. Eventually we want to attach name talent to act the voices in these plays. Wouldn’t that be awesome? It’s really an amazing project unlike anything I’ve seen, and along with the other projects going on, I don’t get to travel enough.

Do you see the differences between nationalities easily – yours vs. Americans vs. other Europeans?

I’ve noticed Americans are more outwardly hungry for success, they’re more calculated and eager to advance and improve their positions. This is fueled by a fierce optimism that can be matched with pragmatism, too. Maybe this is a characteristic mostly of folks in the Bay Area of San Francisco, Silicon Valley. And while Poles, and in general Europeans, can also be like this, I’ve noticed that in Europe life is better balanced with a desire to have more leisure and social time and not only live to work. I miss this balance.

I’ve also noticed Poles are less cordial than Americans and less so than many other Western Europeans. Poles have fewer social barriers. If they are annoyed, you’ll likely know it. They don’t hesitate to express themselves, their social filters are less precise. At first this was off putting when I moved there as an adult, and yet, with time, I came to appreciate this more instinctual behavior in daily life.

What do you absolutely miss from your Poland …or elsewhere?

When I’m in the US, I miss easy to get fresh deli meats, a wide variety of cheeses and freshly baked breads. Living in Poland I shopped for these things daily. There are shops that have these things on every corner. Here in San Francisco I need to go to Wholefoods or specialty stores where prices are high.

And when I’m in Poland, I miss In & Out Burger. I have to have my In & Out Burger at least once a month.

What cafes or restaurants do you recommend to tourists to go to in San Francisco and why? Or to do something else.

One of the best parts of San Francisco is the food. I mentioned that Americans are less concerned with leisure and social time than Europeans. And yet in San Francisco, there’s an appreciation for food that is very apparent and maybe unmatched anywhere else in the US. It’s as if a nice meal from time to time at a well reviewed restaurant is enough to balance out the long, intense workweeks and short vacation time. And sometimes it really can be.

What would be your ideal life – with no monetary issues to make it happen!

I want to combine my love of traveling, storytelling and social justice into an international career as a mediamaker and creative strategist. I want to work with visionary people and organizations in the fields of social justice to communicate their messages. I want to tell the stories of people who have no voice, people who have been silenced by unjust systems and flawed institutions. I want to utilize art, storytelling and creativity to better express and further these aims. With two passports and having lived on three continents, I’m a citizen of the world, and I feel I’ve only just begun my journey.

Would you move to Poland fulltime –why and why not?

I read an interesting article somewhere about the experience of being a foreigner. The article mentioned an “otherness” that foreigners experience. It’s a sense of being detached from your roots, from your home. This detachment allows you to act more boldly, to do things you may not have done back in your home country. You can more easily create a version of yourself you used to only imagine as a foreigner. My parents did this, like so many others. They left Poland and they created new their lives in a new land. The irony is that having been born in the US, I have a need to feel this “otherness” that my parents experienced. I get a glimpse of this sense whenever I travel, I definitely felt this when I lived in China, and I also felt this when I lived in Poland. Now, after being back in California for six years, the need to feel that “otherness” is stronger than ever. I don’t yet know if it’s a much needed vacation that will temporarily cure this, or if relocating altogether is what’s needed. Either way, I’m looking for the next adventure.

How to connect with Matt:

Facebook: facebook.com/mattszy

Website: www.mattszy.comy

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/pub/matt-szymanowski/a/a95/313

Twitter: twitter.com/mattszy

Other: instagram.com/mattszy

Trailer to his film: https://vimeo.com/131885708
Audience response video to his film here: https://vimeo.com/90617606
Link to film poster: The Purple Onion

Eila Kopra – An Optimist Sees the Change From Finland to LA As An Opportunity

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Please introduce yourself.

Hi all! I’m Eila Kopra from Finland and I’m currently living in Los Angeles for a little over two years now. I’m originally from Loimaa, Finland, but was living in Helsinki metropolitan area for over ten years prior to my move to the US.

How did you end up in Los Angeles of all places?

This is the big adventure of my life. My husband, Santtu, was offered a job from a Santa Monica based video games studio and we decided to go for it. I moved here without ever having visited the place before. Took my husband’s word for Los Angeles being a spot I would love – and he was right – I do love it here!

What is the best and worst about Los Angeles?

After two years here it is still so exciting to learn new things and Los Angeles has so much to offer! I feel like I have only seen a fraction of it all!

And people! You always meet new people and learn something about their life. With so many different nationalities represented in LA, the life stories you hear are very fascinating.

Weather is one of the best things for me in LA, and palm trees as well! I specifically love that I can see palm trees on my way to grocery store. (Yes, sounds a bit weird, but it’s true!)

Traffic is the worst here, but it only means you need to do more advance planning and understand you might need 15 minutes to drive somewhere, but it might as well take you 40 minutes…or an hour.

How do you find the lifestyle in Los Angeles compared to your hometown where you lived before?

One of the lifestyle differences is that people seem to go out more. That could very well be explained by the weather. I did not feel like going out for a dinner all that often in the winter time when I was living in Helsinki. It was already dark when I got out from work. Here it might be dark as well, but it is warm and therefore it somehow feels easier. Summertime is of course different in Finland as well.

How is work and how would you like to develop that career?

It’s pretty exciting times for me: I just got my green card and permanent employment authorization.

I am a rare species – an evolved office angel. I am a corporate communications, project management and HR professional, with over ten years of experience in supporting C level executives in public and private companies and managing daily operations of their corporate offices.

For the past two years I have dedicated my time for finalizing my MBA studies, UCLA Human Resource Management diploma and for volunteer work here in Los Angeles. Now I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get back to work fulltime.

Tell us more about what you do?

Since January 2015 I am a member of board of Finnish American Chamber of Commerce on the Pacific Coast with overall responsibility for public relations and events. I love what I do with them and I am proud about the events we have been arranging this year. We had a Vappu party with over 150 people attending in May, and a couple of business related events in the summer and they were huge successes. This time of the year is very exciting – we are already planning 2016 and there will be some awesome events I can’t wait to tell you about!

I am also very excited about my new role as a correspondant for Amerikan Uutiset (Finnish newspaper in the US) telling westcoast stories for Finnish Americans in the US.

Workwise – how do you see Finnish being different from Americans?

Networking is something much more common here than in Finland. Other than that, I do not think there are that many differences between Finland and the US. So many companies are going global these days. This itself increases awareness of cultural differences and helps overcome them.

Do you see the differences between nationalities easily – yours vs. Americans vs. other Europeans?

Los Angeles is one big melting pot and I think it is wonderful how everyone puts up an effort to break the barriers caused by cultural differences. We have people from everywhere here and people are generally very mindful of each others. For example driving – you see as many different styles as there are different nationalities, and everyone blends in nicely despite the amount of traffic.

What is the essence of Los Angeles to you – what do you absolutely want your friends to see or feel in Los Angeles vs. Finland?

For me the essence of LA is the beautiful beach cities and Santa Monica Mountains but also the always busy downtown LA and glamorous Hollywood. I want to show all of it!

The best of Finland is the nature. I grew up in the countryside, surrounded by big forests and fields. Lappland is also a magical place. But – you haven’t seen nearly all of Finland if you haven’t seen cities and towns as well. I would warmly recommend my American friends to combine to their trip also a day or two in Helsinki, Turku or Tampere and one of the small coastal towns in southern or south-western part of Finland.

What do you absolutely miss from your country?

About food… I miss ryebread to the extent that I order it so I can eat it here as well. I also think that the food in Finland generally is very clean and you know what you are buying. Here I want to be more careful about what foods to eat. It feels like Americans use much more sugar and preservatives than Finns do. On the other hand, it is great to have delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables all year round.

What do you miss the most – and the least from your own country?

What I miss the most from Finland is my family; my parents and brother especially. I am very much looking forward to spending the Christmas time in Finland with them and seeing my friends as well. Skype and Facebook are an essential part of my life – they help me to keep in touch with my family and friends in a way that would not have been possible if I moved here 15 years ago.

I miss the snow to the extent that I would like to see some during my next visit. Anyhow, slush, coldness and darkness of the late autum is something I do not miss at all.

What is a typical day in Los Angeles for you?

During the weekdays I dedicate a lot of my time to Chamber of Commerce work and studies. My husband and I both love cooking, and we very often prepare our dinner from scratch. It is not an everyday routine, but we do it quite often.

During the weekends I try to get out of LA and see what more California has to offer. I love San Francisco that has a very welcoming and European feel, and San Diego is awesome as well. The San Diego zoo is the best zoo I have ever seen. Anyhow, weekend trips are not always something big; it could be drive up to mountains and hiking there or drive down to one of the beach cities, stroll by the beach and have a nice lunch somewhere.

What would be your ideal life – with no monetary issues to make it happen!

I have always loved travelling and seeing new places. My parents have always loved to travel and they often took my brother and I with them, so I was raised to be curious about everything new. I would love to learn how to sail, get a boat and travel around the world – and write a series of travel articles. If I won a hundred million dollars in a lottery I would not stop working, studuying and learning new things. Profound urge for self-development has driven me all through my life.

Would you move back to Finland fulltime?

Los Angeles has become what I consider home and I want to stay here for now. I still consider Loimaa and Finland my home as well, but at the moment I have no plans of moving back to Finland. You never know what your life is going to bring to you, though, and perhaps I will be living someplace else one day.

What has been the worst social issue to deal with in Los Angeles for you? After these years in Los Angeles what would bother you in Finland..

I am an idealist and I prefer all the people, no matter what is their gender, color or ethnic background, to get an equal chance. I was volunteering for over six months for Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation in their Inglewood Self Help Center drafting legal documents for their clients. Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation provides legal services for poor and low-income people in the area of Los Angeles county and often there were more people seeking for help than we could assist during the day. There is also plenty of homeless people in need of help in Los Angeles.

Looking back to my two years here, I think the process of cultural adaptation has been a very interesting journey. For example when I first came here I paid attention to how noisy it was in restaurants at the dinnertime, but today it feels just cozy that everyone is talking (and even raising their voice to get heard because it is so loud). It has also been almost overwhelming how nice, outcoming and open people are here.

What is typically American in your opinion?

What I love about Americans is that they are proud of what they have achieved, and I think they do still believe in the American dream. People are also very supportive of one another and seem genuinely happy for someone else’s success. This is something you can see everywhere in here.

How to connect with you:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/eila.kopra
Website: www.eilakopra.com
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/eilakopra
Twitter:@Eila_Kopra
Personal Website: https://www.eilakopra.com

Website for the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce on the Pacific Coast: 
faccpacific.com

Barcelona Is Jamie’s Place in the World, It’s His Life – Can You Say the Same about Yours?

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“It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.” —Mae Jemison
I am sure you have heard the quote above. I admire people who go for the life they want. It is not for everyone and it’s risky, it is so much easier to settle. And so much less rewarding. I wanted to find out from Jamie how he ended in Barcelona and why. So let’s find out together…in his unedited replies..

Please introduce yourself.

I’m Jamie and I’m from Reading, a large town outside of London. Ever since leaving college 14 year ago, I’ve always been in the finance industry. Starting off small and working my way up. I have worked for companies such as Prudential, Google and then more recently I found myself in the online gaming industry as a Risk Analysis. This gave me plenty of opportunities to travel and as such I have lived in Dublin, Gibraltar and the south of Spain.

Two years ago I got itchy feet and decided to leave the finance industry and follow my passion. I trained and qualified as a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, and decided to move to Barcelona and work for myself.

How did you end up in  Barcelona of all places?

Barcelona is my favorite city in the world, so it was a no brainer to see if it was possible to be based here. The climate is perfect for training outdoors (which is what I now specialise in), and so I moved here 2014.

What is the best and worst about Barcelona for you…what is a typical day and weekend??

Not being able to speak much Spanish, it was a real challenge for myself to move here, however I am taking lessons and slowing improving. Apart from that I can’t really fault Barcelona. Thankfully most of my current clients are expats who speak English, so while it’s been difficult finding them, most of them have now been with me since I started a year ago.

How do you find the lifestyle in Barcelona compared to your hometown in the UK?

The lifestyle in Barcelona is second to none. It has everything London has, but on a smaller scale, with better weather and we have some beautiful beaches close by. The cost of living is far lower in here too compared to London.

How do you make your living now – and how would you like to develop that career?

I’m a Personal Trainer and I train clients one on one or one on two. At the moment we do most of our training outside, although in the future I’d like to expand and eventually set up my own training studio.

Do you see the differences between nationalities easily – yours vs. Americans vs. other Europeans?

Barcelona is very diverse, and my clients are from all walks of life. Currently I have clients from Spain, the UK, France, Italy, Venezuela, Jordan, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey and Russia. Everybody is completely different which is why I love doing what I do.

What do you miss the most – and the least from your own country?

The only thing I miss from the UK is my friends and family. However, being in Barcelona I am never short of visitors. The ‘red tape’ and bureaucracy in Spain means everything takes a long time to complete, however you soon get used to it.

Knowing more about life and having lived with your decisions for a while (like work) – would you still choose to be there and why? Why not..

I wouldn’t change living in Barcelona for the world, it’s an amazing place and very central in Europe too, so easy to explore or get away for the weekend if I want to. Recently there has been a lot of press about Catalonia breaking away from Spain, I hope this doesn’t happen as I can’t really see any good coming out of it.

What cafes or restaurants do you recommend to tourists to go to in Barcelona and why? Or to do something else.

There is a great coffee shop called Federal in Gotic where you can watch the world go by. Make sure to try their cakes, they are pretty good!

What would be your ideal life – with no monetary issues to make it happen!

I love passing on my passion for health and fitness, so I would love to have my own training studios around Europe. I’d employ only those with the same passion and work ethos as mine and we’d work hard to get Europe fit!

Anything else you would like sharing with us?

If you are based in Barcelona and would like to start training, or even if you are visiting and want to try something new, be sure to look me up!

How to connect with you:
Facebook: facebook.com/jlhealthfitness
Website: www.jl-healthfitness.com
Linkedin: es.linkedin.com/pub/jamie-szymonik/17/ba3/590

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Meet Ben Rosenfeld – Russian Comedian and Author

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Meet Ben Rosenfeld a New York City Based Stand Up Comedian and Book Author who performs all over Manhattan. His next show is this week!

Please introduce yourself (name, country, where are you from and what do you do, where do you live, what did you study and why, family etc – the usual stuff)? 

My name is Ben Rosenfeld. I was born in Leningrad, USSR (aka St. Petersburg, Russia). I’m a stand up comedian and book author based out of New York City. In college (Rutgers University) I double majored in Economics and Philosophy, so I know how to make money, I just don’t see the point. Then in grad school (Caltech) I took a class in decision theory, which made me decide to quit grad school. I’m an only child of Russian-Jewish immigrants. I grew up in a frozen tundra, untouched by human kindness… Connecticut.

How did you end up in New York of all places?

I wound up in New York because I hate driving cars and most of my life has been spent within 100 miles of NYC. It also happens to be the best place to do comedy.

What is the best and worst about New York for you…what is a typical day and weekend?
Best part of NYC is not driving all the time and worrying about parking, and that the city feels alive and energetic at all hours. Worst part is the city feels alive and energetic at all hours so it’s hard to relax. And waiting for subways at 2am is annoying. And NYC is super expensive. Typical day – wake up at 9 or 10am, do emails, review my performances from last night, write, edit videos. Around 5pm go and do comedy shows and network. Home around 1am. Sleep by 2am. This is pretty much the same on a weekday and a weekend, only difference being there’s more shows to do on weekends and they go a little later.

How do you find the lifestyle in New York compared to your hometown in Leningrad (housing, food, health care, education, nature, weather?

I grew up in Stamford, CT, which is less than an hour away from NYC, so it’s pretty similar. You just pay more in rent for a smaller space, and there’s way more pedestrian traffic. Compared to Russia, NYC is warmer weather and you’re more likely to get mugged than get your organs stolen 🙂

How do you make your living now – and how would you like to develop that career? 

I make my living performing comedy and doing comedy related activities like acting, voice overs, video editing, directing, writing and designing websites for other performers. I want more writing and performing, and less of everything else. TV work would be nice.

Do you see the differences between nationalities  easily – yours vs. Americans vs. other Europeans?

Yes. Russians are more pessimistic / realistic and straight forward. Americans are more cheery and obsessed about happiness. Europeans – from when I’ve traveled – people in southern Europe (Italy, Greece, etc.) are very warm and friendly to strangers and each other, northern Europe (UK / Ireland) not as much.

What is the essence of New York to you?

NYC = energy + achievement.

What do you absolutely miss from your country/elsewhere heritage (food, culture, movies etc) … or elsewhere?

Banyas and cheap caviar.

Workwise – how do you see you’re being different from your countrymen– also culturally, what stands out in your chosen profession? 

There’s way more people in America trying to be comedians than there are in Russia.

When you think about what did you think about life in New York before you moved there – did you misconceptions that turned out to be wrong?

I’ve been around NYC since I was ten years old, so this doesn’t really apply.

Knowing more about life and having lived with your decisions for a while (like work) – would you still choose to be there and why? Why not.?

Yes – unless Los Angeles offers me a pile of money to work on a show there.

What should everyone know and understand about your country and its culture?

New Yorkers are callus and indifferent on the outside, but really nice and kindhearted once we’re certain you’re not trying to screw us somehow.

What cafes or restaurants do you recommend to tourists to go to in New York  and why? Or to do something else.

Shake shack, Rice To Riches, any good Thai and Indian restaurant.

What would be your ideal life – with no monetary issues to make it happen?

If monetary issues weren’t a thing, I’m already living my ideal life style.

Would you move back to your country full time – yes or no (why and why not)?

 No – while I speak fluent Russian, I have a terrible accent that natives notice right away, and my reading/writing skills leave a lot to be desired. Plus I barely tolerate NYC winters, I have no chance in Russia!

What has been the worst social/cultural issue to deal with in New York  for you?

When you first move to NYC and don’t know many people, you feel much lonelier than anywhere else, just because there’s this sea of humanity everywhere, and it’s all anonymous.

Anything else you would like sharing with us?

I’m recording my second comedy album this Thursday, September 24th LIVE in New York City during 2 shows. 7pm and 9:15pm.  BUY 7:00 PM SHOW Tix   OR    BUY 9:15 PM SHOW Tix  (discount gets applied after you hit proceed to checkout).

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The StroopClub – Chantal & Tako Followed Their Dream via Green Card Lottery from The Netherlands to Austin

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This story is written by Chantal and Tako in their own words. You will meet them on Saturday, Sep 26  at the Roosevelt Room – and have a chance to sample the famous StroopWafels.

You know this quote of a guy named Robert Fulghum?

“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—”

This quote has probably been used on countless wedding invitations, but for us… This is (even without the wedding invitation) just so true!

Here’s our story.

We’re Tako and Chantal and we’re originally from the Netherlands. (For y’all who don’t know where that is, it’s western Europe, with our beautiful, but cold, beaches at the North-Sea. Amsterdam will probably ring a bell.)

Tako is a senior economist specialized in anti trust. With the wish he had for years to once come to the States to experience life here, he entered the Green Card Lottery. As a miracle  – and a chance of once in 200 years – he actually won this thing! Happy and excited, he started the process to change his life and live his dream. Unexpectedly, right in the middle of that process, he met Chantal, an experienced corporate technical recruiter. Her dream was to once build her own restaurant and live in any other country to experience the rest of the world.

You see the match here? We certainly did!

We both love cooking, we love baking, we love good, real, fresh, honest food. We love to experiment, to go out for dinner, to try new joints. Some even might call us foodies.. We often get disappointed though, because our own cooking often beats the restaurant quality. So if you’re that arrogant.. Yeah, one must start his own food business! So that’s what we did. Fully indulging in Austin culture, but still cherishing our own traditions, we first took workshops at home to make these lovely Stroopwafels ourselves.

The Stroopwafel, the one and only traditional cookie of our home country. We invested in the professional baking iron and appliances and here we are. Baking and selling our delicious, home-made, hand-pressed traditional Stroopwafels! The fun part? We’re actually still in an AirBNB… 🙂

Our dream? Our very own Stroopwafel empire. Numerous coffee shops, a couple of bakery production plants, lots of national and international locations, the whole nation wearing t-shirts and caps with our logo and drinking out of our StroopClub mugs. You gotta have a vision, right 😉

Step-by-Step overcoming obstacles

BUT.. Let’s start off small.. And somewhat realistic…  Because we literally don’t know a thing about American or Texas laws and regulations and oh my… That’s not something you learn overnight. We’re guessing that foreigners in Holland might experience the same as we do here: Not knowing where to find information, the bureaucracy, the one rule that contradicts the others and an American system in which we just don’t tick the boxes.

We don’t have an address yet, but for applying for an apartment you’d need one. We don’t have an apartment yet, because you need proof of employment and income to apply for it, obviously with starting our business, we can’t proof income… We don’t have or get a credit card, because we don’t have credit history… To get your basic needs arranged, housing, transport, money…. is such a hassle! You get the point? We don’t fit in (yet) and people don’t seem to be able to work around it (yet). These are definitely things slowing us down and getting us utterly frustrated now and then…

The fantastic part about being in Austin though, is the friendliness of the people. Everyone you meet is trying to help you out, on the spot. We’re renting a room though AirBNB and the hosts, they’re our heroes at the moment. Everyone just seems nice and although we’re warned and have experienced this kindness is not permanent, it’s getting us a jump start.

The other thing.. The weather.. Oh my, how lovely it is to be walking around in your t-shirt at 1 am at night, not even feeling chilly, that’s luxury to us! And as for starting off a business, the taxes are heaven compared to those in Holland!

Delicious regards,

Tako & Chantal

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Sara Sulander – An Actress and Singer Shares Her Dreams With Us

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Sara Sulander, an actress and singer from Finland. Tell us a little more about yourself.

Hello everyone! My name is Sara Sulander, and I’m an actress and singer. So far my bigger roles have mostly been within theater, acting and singing (and dancing) in plays and musicals, and now I am transitioning into film and TV, and hopefully soon to the recording studio. I also do stage managing, and I’m interested in the assistant director’s job, which is almost equivalent to stage managing, but within film and TV. I’m originally from Finland, moved to Australia for a year in 2007, and then moved to Los Angeles, California in 2011. I lived in L.A. for four years, and since then I’ve been in Finland, working on moving back to L.A.

As a singer, what is your plan?

My immediate plan is to find songwriters that we can collaborate with. I have ideas, thoughts and themes, and together with talented songwriters I believe we can make great songs. While I’m looking for songwriters, I will record cover songs to publish on my upcoming website. My ultimate plan is to be recording songs regularly, collaborating with other artists and singers, and performing the songs around the world.

What kind of music do you sing?

I don’t like to categorize myself into one genre. I grew up listening to all sorts of music, and I would like to mix them up. I want my music to be inspired by R’n’B, Samba, Old School Rock n’ Roll, Pop, Salsa and maybe a little bit of Raggae and Reggaeton. I love real instruments and a good beat with a lot of bass. That being said, I do want to throw in the mix some emotional, slower ballads as well.

As an actress, what’s next?

Find an agent! As I mentioned before, I am transitioning into film and TV, and together with good representation, I can get opportunities to audition for roles that are equal to my skill level. I’m also working on my acting reel, which I will publish on my upcoming website.

Which do you prefer; theatre, film, TV-shows, commercials, musicals etc.?

Mainly, I want to act in films, theatre plays and musicals. I’d also like to do commercials. When it comes to TV-shows, I’d be more than happy to guest star in single episodes here and there.

What other parts of the entertainment industry are you interested in?

I’m interested in stage managing, being an assistant director and maybe one day more producing (I’ve produced couple of projects so far). I’m also interested in writing, but it is very challenging for me. I am in the process of writing a TV-show, and have some ideas for movies. But for now, I want to mainly focus on acting and singing! When those aspects of my carrier are snowballing, I can share my focus on my other interests, as well.

If you had to pick ONE, what would be your piece of advice for someone in this line of work?

Ask for help! No matter what kind of work you are in, you can’t, and you are not expected to, to do it all by yourself. This is a piece of advice that I am still working on myself. Right now, I am going to take my own advice, and ask for help from You. I am looking for songwriters, an agent, a webpage designer, any and all help to get my acting and singing carrier going full speed forward.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I see myself having a carrier as a solo performing and recording artist, as well as an actress within film and theatre. Regarding my personal life, I hope to see myself with my own family of six kids.

Email: Email Sara
Sara at Facebook
IMDb
Sara at Backstage
Website: Coming Soon!