As I sat down to write this I wondered about my title, I tossed between "Don't forget your belt" and "Drinking $200 bottles of wine". "Don't forget your belt, was a travel tip for men. If you are going to go away with your wife for the weekend, heed my advice and pack early, if not you will be like me rushing out of the house late, forgetting your belt and will spend all weekend pulling up your jeans. :) Anyway, I'm sitting here buzzing after a weekend away with Sonya where we spent two amazing days exploring a jewel in our own back yard,
Waiheke Island. As many people know I am passionate about business, and delight in coming across those that share the same values as
Queensberry. This weekend was wonderful, not just because I got to spend time with the love of my life, but because we had so much fun discovering other people doing what's important. That is, loving and being passionate about what they do, ensuring they use of the highest quality ingredients, providing outstanding service and obviously having fun. This post is a celebration of them, they should all be very proud of what they do. You see these people don't do things for the lowest price so that they can compete with McDonalds, they do everything they can to ensure you have the most wonderful experience and hopefully provide you one you will remember forever. [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top" alt="on our way to Waiheke"]tag:goingtowaiheke@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] As soon as Netball was finished yesterday, we dropped the girls at their Grandparents and took off for Waiheke. I must admit I was a little apprehensive. I've been working too hard recently, was feeling stressed and just wasn't really 100% in the mood, but no sooner had we got on the water and that changed. Crusing on the Waitemata Harbour is absolute magic, and that feeling continued all weekend.
Iluka Homestay - www.ilukahomestay.co.nz [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:iluka@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] On arrival we decided to visit Iluka where we were staying and drop off our bags. Mum and Dad had gifted us the trip as our Christmas present, so really we had no idea where we were going. We were delighted to meet Kathy and John, our hosts. They are a wonderful couple, and the place was delightful. Just the right balance between being "being part of the family", as you do at a home-stay (especially at breakfast), and being able to retire to the privacy of your part of the house. We didn't spend much time there as we spent all our time exploring, but the place was great, Kathy cooked a delicious breakfast and John made a mean (good) fruit salad. They certainly set the scene for a great weekend by sharing lots of local knowledge and Kathy organised our amazing dinner at Te Whau Vinyard.
Waiheke Island Brewery - www.waihekebrewery.co.nz [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:waihekeislandbrewery@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] We hired a car on the Island, nothing flash, but it allowed us our freedom and we took turns being the "designated driver". First stop was the Waiheke Island Brewery. We entertained ourselves, tasting wine and beer and having a look around. The beer was delicious and as hard as I tried I couldn't avoid a
Pétanque arse whopping by Sonya. The setting was very pleasant amongst the vineyard and the staff delightful.
Stonyridge Vinyard - www.stonyridge.co.nz [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:stonyridge@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] Stonyridge, which was our next stop was spectacular, in fact as we sat eating a late lunch we heard people comparing it to Tuscany; the vineyard was covered in brown leaves due to being late autumn and you sit on the edge of the lovely olive grove. This made for an awesome experience. The staff were professional and we sat for hours chatting as the sun set behind the hills. There was such a strong temptation to return today, as we had such a tasty dish of Bruschetta covered in Goats Curd, Caramelised Onions and Prosciutto. OMG so yummy, an amazing example of how good simple food can be if you use great ingredients. You would never have known there was a recession on, because as we arrived a group of women left having finished lunch at the vineyard. In itself not unusual except they left in the two helicopters they had waiting down at the Croquet club. That's what is so nice about Waiheke, there we were in our old rental, there were the two guys on their rented scooters and eight woman in their helicopters ... perfect, anything goes.
Te Whau Vinyard - www.tewhau.com [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:tewhau@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] Everything about the weekend was wonderful, but one of Sonya's and my two favourite experiences was having dinner at Te Whau Vineyard. Te Whau, according to their website, has been voted "One of the thirteen "Finest Winery Restaurants in the World" by Wine International Magazine and it is easy to see why. Not only is the food wonderful, the wine collection impressive, and the setting incredible but watching
Tony Forsyth work is an honour. He is such a gentlemen. As you observe him attend to each table in the restaurant, you know this is someone that loves their craft and is living their passion. He talks of food and wine and his wider business with a gentle excitement that really is moving. Another testament to Tony was his preparedness to recommend another winery for our lunch the following day. He didn't just rattle off a few names. He spoke of Casito Miro with real enthusiasm despite their being a competitor. People like Tony know that one great restaurant is just another great restaurant, a number of great restaurants is a destination and together they form a community. This recommendation lead to our other favourite experience.
Mudbrick Vineyard - www.mudbrick.co.nz [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:mudbrick@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] The next morning after a great breakfast at Iluka, we were on the road again continuing our exploration but with our sights set on visiting Mudbrick vineyard, probably for lunch. We had visited there years ago when Sonya was pregnant with our first daughter and had such a good time we wanted to go back. This time she was able to taste the wine and eat the cheese. What a beautiful spot, my hands still smell of lavender oil from when we picked a little from their garden. It was stunning, the gardens beautifully groomed and the view of the Waiheke coastline and back towards Auckland is breathtaking; it's easy to see why so many people choose these vineyards to get married at. The place was absolutely delightful visually, but we got there a little early. Unfortunately they were technically open but not emotionally; we had coffee served by a lovely waitress, but they were still polishing cutlery, lighting fires and preparing for lunch service and therefore dropped the ball a wee bit on service. We had intended to try a desert or maybe have lunch there but decided instead to head back to Onetangi for lunch at Casito Miro; there are no hard feelings, its a great place and we will be back.
Casito Miro - www.mirovineyard.co.nz [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:miro@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] There are experiences you have which you are unlikely to forget, and right from the moment we walked in and saw the winery dog in his splendid pair of pants, we new this was going to one of them. We were met as we entered this quaint cafe by Catherine (Cat) Vosper, co-owner and winemaker. She attended to us over lunch as we ate delicious organic European style tapas and tasted wine from their vineyard, my favourite was definitely the
Madame Rouge. Like Tony at Te Whau, watching Cat work was a delight: she's funny, knows her stuff and immediately makes you feel at home by sharing her big heart and sense of humour. She's the sort of person that's so passionate about what she is doing, she makes you want to learn about wine, maybe even go out and get your hands dirty growing your own. She describes the place as a "work in progress", names some of the wines loosely after the kids and obviously along with everyone there has an absolute focus on quality ... that in itself is inspiring. [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:waithekegoinghome@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] Sadly, all good things must came to an end and we left Waiheke for home. It's wasn't all bad; I got to sit for half an hour or so with my darling Sonya in my arms as we watched yachts out on the harbour. A perfect end to a perfect weekend. Thank you to all these wonderful people for their attention, hard work and wonderful personalities; you gave us an experience we will treasure for ever.
So here is what I got from the weekend. 1, You must take time to spend with the people you love, and especially important with the one closest to you. We are so busy, we need these times to reconnect deeply. Sonya and I decide, as we leave on these trips, what we 'won't talk about', and then leave most of the rest to chance. Like the people I've mentioned, Sonya is an inspiration to me, and it's wonderful to get away and see what's changed. 2, I often forget about Waiheke Island, but as I said it is a jewel on our doorstep and more Aucklanders should visit there. Sometimes it's easy to miss what's sitting right under your nose because you are looking into the distance. Let's all remember to enjoy what's in our own backyard. 3, And finally these people have all put their hearts into providing the most wonderful experience they can. This takes effort, it takes dedication and it takes an unwavering passion for excellence. I think we should honour that by taking the time to visit and experience what they offer. It doesn't need to cost a lot, but it is about quality over quantity. What they do is an art and I love them all for that. I hope you do too. [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:200dollarwine@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] To close, lets go back to "drinking $200 bottles of wine". There is something special about trying an expensive wine, in fact something special about doing anything a little unusual, but most people will say "I can't afford it". What however is so wonderful is that normally there are ways of experiencing these things without the big investment, if you look for the oportunity. When we were at Stonyridge I had a tasting of the "Stonyridge Larose" which has been described as
"One of the Top 100 Wines in the World" by Agricola Slow Food, Italy (the world's largest wine publication). This sells at the Celler door for about $220 per bottle, but I was able to enjoy a taste for a mere $15. You see, trying something doesn't need to be expensive, and those that appreciate it will find the means to have more if they enjoy it enough. Don't let the headline price scare you off, find a way. [flickr style="padding:2px" width="100px" valign="top"]tag:viewwaiheke@stephenbaugh(small)[/flickr] For the full size photos, click on those above. For the full
Flickr stream click here
I received this tweet a couple of days ago in responce to a tweet I wrote about Geek Bait. I must say it made my heart race momentarilly ... Was I being a Dork, I like being a Geek but am I a Nerd? OMG Who am I?
So lets start by saying I am a Geek ... no question about that, but I don't think I am a nerd. Since then it's been the topic of some office discussion ... I work in an office surrounded by software developers so there have been a few varying thoughts on the topic. Anyway, as any good Geek would do I went to Google ... Ok that's not true, I went to WolframAlpha but when their definition included under narrower definition "crackpot | fruitcake | nutter | screwball and wacko" I went to Google for a friendlier explanation. Google said ... Nerd swot: an insignificant student who is ridiculed as being affected or boringly studious. an intelligent but single-minded expert in a particular technical field or profession . wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn Nerd is a term often bearing a derogatory connotation or stereotype, that refers to a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd Geek The word geek is a slang term, noting individuals as "a peculiar or otherwise odd person", especially one who is perceived to be overly obsessed ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geek Geek is a common term for someone who is obsessed by their computer, and has achieved a high level of expertise in their chosen area. ... www.open2.net/sciencetechnologynature/computing/glossary.html A term similar to nerd, but slightly less pejorative in tone. teladesign.com/ma-thesis/glossary.html Dork jerk: a dull stupid fatuous person wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn A quirky, silly and/or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends. Often confused with nerd and geek. en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dork Ok so now I am confused ... they all sound slightly the same, but I guess my take on it is: You can be a Geeky, Dorky Nerd ... Certainly I am quite capable of it, but that's not all I am. I guess you can be a Geek, without necessarily being a nerd. If you are a little sophisticated, and socially well adjusted you would still be a Geek if you are really into computers and technology but no longer a Nerd. You can be a Nerd if you are strongly academic focused, but you aren't a Geek unless you are also fascinated with IT. This is the area when I start to think of heavy set glasses and pocket protectors. Ever since "Revenge of the Nerds", being a Nerds not all bad. It's funny ... being considered Dorky isn't something I've been that bothered by because to me it feels a little eccentric, but I don't like the description above that says being Dorky also means being stupid. Oh well, here you go .... You decide ... let me know whose who :-)
I came accross the following statement on Deborah Day Poors website tonight "Pleasers have good hearts.They are willing to give much, and all they want in return is for everyone to be nice. However, their best attempts to please and create peace backfire. They end up leading chaotic, hectic, hellish lives." It's hard to find a truer word said. In fact, I was at a Tony Robbins event, "Date With Destiny (DWD)" on the Gold Coast last month, and this concept of being a "Pleaser" was central to many peoples problems. One guy had it so bad he affectionately became known as "Pussy Boy" I certainly have spent much of my life as a "Pleaser", trying to keep everyone happy. The problem is although this is done with good intention, as your life gets bigger and more complex it becomes more and more difficult to keep anyone happy, and especially yourself. Anyway, I have been very lucky, not only have I been able to attend events like DWD, but I also received one of my greatest learnings from the Fire Service. That is that safety is an inside out responsibility me > my partner > the team > the public > the patient And so through these experiences I have discovered that what applies in business, "that you can't be all things to all people", is equally true in life ... you must first be the best, and happiest version of 'you' that you can. From there you will be in the strongest position to serve and only then will life be full of passion. Please don't get me wrong, I am not talking about being selfish or purely self serving, I am just talking about balance. Life is always more satisfying when you focus on what's outside of you, but you must also learn to look after yourself along the way. Learn to say no! I've not read the following book, but I'd suggest it's a great concept and an important issue. I have never met Deborah, and don't get any remuneration for this suggestion so please take this suggestion as being heart felt and I trust you will enjoy. 
Her book is called "Peace at Any Price: How to Overcome the Please Disease". Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below ... If you're in a hurry maybe you could "retweet" me so people on twitter get this message too. Thank you.
A few years ago while attending a Leadership course in San Diego I saw a presentation by Gary King. It was incredible, not only did he talk from the heart, but what he said was profound in it's simplicity and as he touched my soul he changed my life. At that event he issued, and I accepted, a challenge ... that challenge was called the "The 24 Hour Truth Challenge" It was hard, especially as 24 hours turned into a week, then a month and now a couple of years. I have learnt a lot about myself during that time as I did find I told some little white lies, as I think we all do. More importantly however I suddenly realised how often I didn't "say" the truth for fear of hurting people, and I kept things to myself. I kept my 'mouth closed'. Think about that, it's pretty profound when you suddenly realise how much the breaks have been on in your life because you weren't expressing yourself completely. I learnt there is no such thing as an 'inconsequential lie' and decided that starting with myself it must stop ... I had to learn to say what needed to be said, and I had to go back and say things to people that I should have been said earlier ... it's been a challenging but also an incredible and wonderful journey. Maybe I'll talk more about that more some other day, but the Power of Truth was my introduction to Gary and I don't want to get distracted. Anyway, I was at Date With Destiny as a leader last month and got the opportunity to hear him speak again and there was absolutely no way I was going to miss that, as he has become a bit of a hero to me. In that presentation he told us of an experiment he does... "He drops a piece of crumpled paper on the ground, stands back and waits for someone to pick it up." Sadly no one does, ok maybe a few per hundred do but most people look, step over it and keep walking, thinking it's someone else's problem. Now here is his suggestion ... It is, that you are either Part of the Solution, or you are Part of the Problem, stepping over the rubbish is part of the problem. I for example used to say to myself ... someone will pick it up ... it's someone's job, but Garry is right. By that simple justification I am actually making it ok to litter. I am not taking a stand and saying NO. I am not setting a high standard ... I am actually saying, although subconsciously and unintentionally, it's ok to drop rubbish, someone will pick it up. I am not doing his point justice, but this is not just about a bit of trash, the same concept applies every time we choose not to engage whether it be to stop littering, violence, abuse etc ... we immediately go from potentially being part of the solution to being part of the problem. Anyway, in perfect Gary style he leaves us with another challenge, that is for the rest of the seminar to think about his words every-time we see some rubbish. grrrrrrrr Hours, have turned into days, which have now turned into weeks :-) I used to walk Dylan (the dog) around the neighbourhood every morning and notice the birds in the trees and the sun rising, but as soon as I got back I also started to notice the trash along the road. Not a lot, but enough to not be able to ignore it. I'm embarrassed to say, I did try to. I didn't really want to be walking around picking up litter and Gary our neighbourhood has a school thrown in for good measure ... But I couldn't ignore it, as his words started to scream in my head PART OF THE SOLUTION ... OR PART OF THE PROBLEM? So I started to pick up the rubbish, not everything, but enough each day so I felt like I'd done my bit. The plastic bag I carry around for the doggy mess, has now become a garbage bag to. Actually it's started to become quite satisfying. The streets look better as the litter is all gone, it's kind of like tending to your garden as progress is made little by little ... Actually it's strangely relaxing to look after something that goes beyond the bounds of ones own front gate. So now I pass on Gary's challenge to you, are you going to be .... Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution? Good luck, have fun and of course let me know how you go below ... how about doing so even if just for a week.