Apr 8, 2016 | The Superyacht Stewardess
Mindfulness & The Superyacht Stewardess
The Superyacht industry is truly a unique place to work, and as such, you can easily get swept up in the drama that can be associated with living in a bubble.
Mindfulness seems to be the ‘buzz’ word of this generation. His Holiness the Dali Lama lives by it, Deepak Chopra teaches it and the Harvard Medical School students are writing research reports about it.
So why is mindfulness receiving so much attention these days, especially since the world is getting busier and busier.
- We make a plan for the weekend whilst watching TV and playing with the dog
- We fold the washing whilst watching the kids,
- We eat our lunch whilst sat at our desk for 8 hours without a break
- We drive our cars around on autopilot
- We “do, do, do, do, do, do,” all day long without engaging our brains into the one single activity that we are actually doing at the time.
The superyacht stewardess does all of the above, just in a different way. Her day is just as busy as the regular woman at home.
This article will explain what mindfulness is, how it comes to be and how we can master mindfulness in with our busy daily schedules.
What is Mindfulness?:
“Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgement” (Siegel 2009, Harvard Health Publications).
The History of Mindfulness:
The art of mindfulness has been around for generations with strong roots being founded in Buddhism. However, every religion, prayer group and meditation practices, teach us to be aware of the present moment and leave the preoccupying thoughts behind.
For those readers who are not religious at all then you will be pleased to know that science is now taking an interest in mindfulness as it helps to reduce the effects of stress on our bodies and minds, which results in a happier more positive outlook on life.
Mindfulness also decreases psychological symptoms, such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sleep and mood disorders.
Mastering the Art of Mindfulness:
Mindfulness is being aware at the present moment. It is being aware of your body, mind and spirit; it is paying attention to words, tasks, feelings, and atmosphere.
Mindfulness is not some new age “mumbo jumbo” nonsense created by hippies and social outcasts to shame the rest of us for living extravagant lives.
It is a way of thinking and a way of being that EVERYONE has instant access to regardless of your personal beliefs or religious followings.
We can cultivate and nurture mindfulness through various mediums, such as:
Basic mediation and mindfulness.
Sit quietly and focus on your breathing, let the thoughts come in and out, do not judge these thoughts or put any pressure on yourself at this time. Practice a mantra out loud or quietly to yourself.
The idea here is to systematically focus your attention on what you are doing and how you are feeling.
- Body sensations: Notice any subtle or strong sensations in your body, notice they don’t think about them or judge them, now let them pass.
- Sensory: Notice, smells, sounds, sights, colours, tones, taste and touch, do not judge them and let them pass.
- Emotions and urge surging: Coping with cravings can be challenging for us all; so the idea here is to notice how your body is responding to the urge. Replace the physical urge with knowledge, that in time it will pass. You are aware that nothing ever stays the same and life is a continual river of change. You have the power within you to resist the urge.
By practising mindfulness techniques, daily you will slowly be empowered to take your life into your own hands without judging yourself or placing unrealistic expectations upon your personal goals.
It is about being kind to yourself and giving yourself the tools to handle all of life’s little challenges in a calm state of awareness.
Apr 4, 2016 | Housekeeping
Now, please let me make this quite clear that the idea of cleaning up vomit is literally putting a bad taste in my mouth, and I must admit that I am feeling slightly squeamish as I write this…
However, it is one of those things that as a Superyacht stewardess you will just not be able to get around. The fact is both, guests and crew may succumb to seasickness at some point in the journey, so every Superyacht stewardess will need to know how to clean up vomit.
We protect our clothes as well as our carpets with the hope that they attract no stains. However, try as we might, accidents can happen and in a flash, we spill juice or coffee on our clothes and rugs.
There are other stains that are more difficult to remove and they include blood, grease, pet urine, and vomit, which can really stink and mess up our carpets.
How to clean vomit from carpet
Vomit falls into the category of bodily fluids, which is a protein stain. Like all protein stains the most important thing to remember is to NEVER use hot water when cleaning the stain.
As soon as you know there is a vomit mess to clean up, time really is of the essence. Especially if you want to avoid having to deal with that horrible rancid smell, or that bright orange stain on the carpet that just will not budge.
What you will need:
Gloves (for the love of god… Do not clean up vomit without gloves on)
A bucket or bowl for scraping up the chucks
A spoon or a spatula
Paper towel or a white terry cloth
Bicarbonate soda or cornstarch
A vacuum cleaner
Vinegar cleaning solution
Tepid water
Method:
Place the bowl at an angle and gently scrape the chunks and as much fluid into the bowl as you can. Be sure to do this in a gentle manner so that you avoid damaging the carpet fibres.
Make sure you pick up all the pieces first. Do not use a towel as it may spread the vomit around.
Dab the area gently with the paper towel or terry cloth to remove as much fluid as possible
Sprinkle the bicarbonate soda over the area and leave for 15 minutes
Vacuum up the bicarbonate soda and re-evaluate the stain
Should a stain remain, on a new white terry cloth, blot the area with a vinegar solution (see notes below).
Rinse the area with clean water.
Dry the carpet immediately with clean paper towel or a clean terry cloth.
Should the stain still remain, call a professional.
If you mess with the stain too much, you may be damaging the carpet fibres and a professional will they have a tougher time of not only trying to clean the original stain, but then also they will have to reverse your cleaning efforts.
(1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon clothes detergent, 2 cups of water).
May 13, 2015 | Guest Service
A good cup of coffee is like warm liquid gold, and learning how to make a great cup of coffee is like one of the many things in life that “you just have to know”.
Traditionally a great cup of coffee comes from fresh coffee beans, but I believe you can produce a fantastic cup of Joe, with whatever you have at your disposal.
History:
The name Coffee in English was a word adapted from the Dutch Koffie, who borrowed it from the Turkish Kahave, who in turn borrowed it from the Arabs Qahwa.
A possible origin of the name is the Kingdom of Kaffa in Ethiopia, where the coffee plant originated.
The History of Coffee: The history of coffee goes as far back to the 9th century, when a humble Ethiopian goat herder called Kaldi noticed that his goats became spirited after eating the berries from a certain tree.
He reported this information to the monks who in turn made a drink out of the berries and discovered that they could stay awake longer to pray. From Ethiopia it is said that coffee spread to Egypt and Yemen.
As interesting as the goat herder story is, the first credible evidence of coffee as a drink is in the middle of the fifteenth century in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen.
By the 16th century it had spread throughout the world, reaching Europe, the Americas, Persia, Turkey and North Africa.
The 10 Steps of Coffee:
According to the National Coffee Association of America, there are 10 steps to producing coffee, these are:
- Planting
- Harvesting the cherries
- Processing the cherries
- Drying the beans
- Roasting the beans
- Milling the beans
- Exporting the beans
- Grinding the coffee
- Brewing the coffee
- Tasting
- Tasting the coffee
Buy Good Coffee:
Now this is an important step, buy the best coffee that you can afford! It’s one of those things that the better quality coffee you buy, the better cup of coffee you will make.
Storing Your Coffee:
Storage is integral to maintaining your coffee’s freshness and flavour.
It is important to keep it away from excessive air, moisture, heat, and light — in that order — in order to preserve its fresh-roast flavour as long as possible.
It has been a popular myth for years now that you should always store your open bags of coffee in the fridge or freezer, however, this may lead to the deterioration of the coffee as contact with moisture is a big no-no.
Instead, buy your coffee a quality airtight ceramic or glass container and store in a cool, dry and dark place.
How to Brew Your Coffee:
OK, here is the fun part. There is no right or wrong way to making a cup of coffee… it’s up to you and how you like your coffee.
- What is important is that you get the measure of coffee to water ratio right.
- You do not recycle used coffee grind.
- Your coffee has been stored appropriately for freshness and aroma.
- Whether you are using a top of the line coffee machine or a simple kettle for instant coffee, make sure your equipment is clean.
- The coffee you use should be no older that 2 – 3 weeks old.
- Use bottled water if the water in your area is not clean.
- If you are reading this article then that means that you can afford your own or have access to a computer… whenever possible buy fair trade coffee, your conscience will thank you for it.
- Enjoy Your Coffee
Now all the hard work is done, sit back, and take a minute to smell that beautiful aroma, and taste that amazing flavour.
Serving Coffee:
When serving coffee remember that coffee drinkers are very particular about the way they drink their coffee.
There is in excess of over 36 known coffee bean types in the world, with over 60 different ways of making coffee. So it’s no wonder that many stewardesses get a little intimidated by the thought of making a double macchiato skinny latte, for example.
However, in my experience the most popular types of coffee that my guests enjoyed are as follows:
- Cappuccino: Is an Italian coffee drink, which is traditionally prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. Sprinkle chocolate or cocoa over the top for something special.
- Espresso: Is coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed by other methods.
- Café Latte: Is a coffee-based drink made primarily from espresso and steamed milk. It consists of one-third espresso, two-thirds heated milk and about 1cm of foam.
- Drip/brew/filtered Coffee: Is a method which involves pouring water over roasted, ground coffee beans contained in a filter.
- This was most popular in the mornings, where simple coffee was required.
- This should not be mistaken with Café Americano which is coffee prepared by adding hot water to espresso.
Regardless of the type of coffee you will be required to serve, you will need the following:
- A tray: ready, neat and clean
- Sugar bowl (white sugar, brown sugar, sweet’N Low and Candela)
- Coffee cup with underline and relevant coffee spoon
- Milk creamer with the coffee or tea orders as per the guest requirements
- Water glass
- Service napkins
May 1, 2015 | The Chief Stewardess, The Superyacht Stewardess
The Mediterranean season is in full swing and for many superyacht stewardesses, this means long hours, difficult guests and draining colleagues.
It’s right about this time that the stewardess is not looking out to sea or enjoying the beautiful sunshine, but rather at the mountain high pile of towels in the laundry, dirty cabins and running from one of the yacht to the other, making sure that the guests have everything that they need and want.
Everyone desires a meaningful and fulfilling professional life. When you’re happy with your work, you feel more content, purposeful, and complete.
When you’re unhappy at work, the days seem long, you miss home, friends and family, and the daily stresses and negativity can build up and up until there is little room to conceal your feelings any more.
This can lead to poor decision making, a change in your personality, poor work performance and depression. The work of a superyacht stewardess can be mundane and boring, so it is right about this time that you may be asking yourself “What am I Doing Here”?
Whatever your motivation or trigger is that has led you to the point of resignation, ask yourself the following questions before you throw in the towel.
Questions to Ask Yourself If You want to Leave the Yachting Industry
1. Why am I unhappy with this job?
Understand where your unhappiness comes from — is it specific to the type of work you do, who you work for, or is there a personality clash on board? This is a great starting point for understanding your unhappiness and a great place to make a change.
2. Do I need a job change or a life change?
Ask yourself: Is my unhappiness about my job, or life in general? Unhappiness in one part of life can have a cascading effect on the rest of what we do. Before taking action, make sure your focus is to resolve the primary cause of your discontent.
3. What are your professional goals?
What do you want to achieve professionally, and when? Are you currently on the path to achieve those goals? If not, what do you need to do or change about your current job and career path to get there?
4. What’s been missing for you professionally?
What are you lacking in your professional life? Recognition, compensation or advancement? When you know what’s missing, you can make plans to fill in the gaps, in your current position or elsewhere.
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10? 20?
Envisioning your future self is a great way to keep the bigger picture in mind. A simple envisioning exercise: close your eyes, clear the mind with a few minutes of breath awareness, meditation, and then look ahead five, 10 or 20 years.
- Where are you working?
- What have you achieved?
- What does the rest of your life look like?
When you open your eyes, jot down what you saw. You can then take action to align your present life with the future.
6. What do you feel you were put on this earth to do?
This question is hard for many people but warrants deep thought if you’re considering a career change.
- What do you feel in your heart you’re meant to do?
- What work would bring you deep happiness and meaning to your life?
This may be something you can do outside of your current job – as a hobby or part-time interest. Or it might be worth pursuing wholeheartedly as a career.
Undertaking self-exploration work will allow you to understand what you need to be more fulfilled professionally. If you have financial obligations and other considerations that preclude making a significant job change, look for ways to incorporate what you learned about yourself in other areas of life.
Take action. Move towards the activities, interests, and people that resonate with you, and fulfilment will follow.
Apr 28, 2015 | Cocktails
Cocktail Substitute Ingredients
As a superyacht stewardess, occasionally you will encounter a situation in which you do not have a particular spirit or you run out of the necessary ingredients that are required for a cocktail.
Here are some guidelines for acceptable substitution of ingredients:
Acceptable substitutions:
Gin = vodka
This is a tough one to pull off, but in general, if you are making martini-type drinks, gin can sometimes be substituted for vodka and vice versa. While these alcohols taste quite different, the texture and appearance of a cocktail are not altered by switching, and can often be just as good.
Rye = Bourbon/Blended whiskey
This is a guideline only. Whiskeys have distinct flavours, even whiskeys of the same grain. Experiment, but keep notes about what works and what doesn’t – especially if you have whiskey-loving guests.
White Tequila = Gold Tequila
Many “tropical” drinks such as Margaritas do not actually rely on the subtle distinctions between tequilas, as much as advertising would have you believe.
Gold tequilas are generally slightly sweeter than clear tequilas, as they have caramel and flavour additives.
Rum = Tequila
Exotic drinks tend to rely on spirits brewed in equatorial lands. Rum drinks often work well with tequila substitutions and vice versa, especially white rum for white tequila or gold/light rum for gold tequila.
However, the flavour will not be the same, but it is likely the drink will still be good.
Schnapps = Liqueur
Depending on where you are in the world, there may not even be a distinction between schnapps and liqueur.
Sweeter brands of schnapps are practically liqueurs and may be substituted freely. Be careful of dry schnapps, which can be closer to a vodka.
Unacceptable substitutions:
Tonic Water = Carbonated Water (Club Soda)
These are not the same. Tonic water is flavoured with quinine, which is the base for making bitters. Carbonated water (a.k.a. soda or seltzer) just has dissolved carbon gases for bubbles.
Scotch Whiskey = Any other Whiskey (19)
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