Fiat by Gucci

To celebrate both the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy and Gucci's 90th anniversary, the Fiat 500 has been reimagined as the 500byGucci.
Description:

Gucci and Fiat are proud to unveil the 500byGucci, a special edition of the iconic Fiat 500 customised by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in partnership with Fiat's Centro Stile.

This cool collaboration between two of Italy's most respected brands represents the perfect combination of craftsmanship and style. Launched on the opening day of Milan Fashion Week, the 500byGucci was also presented at the Geneva International Auto Show (3-13th March) in a dedicated Gucci pop-up store within the Fiat stand.

The black and white colours of the 500byGucci, in unique eye-catching glossy pearl glass paint complement one another: black – with detailing in shiny chrome paired with interiors that contrast sharp black and white – for a contemporary and racy feel; white – with satin chrome detailing and ivory and black interiors – for a softer, sophisticated look.

Customised by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in partnership with Fiat’s Centro Stile, the stunning 500byGucci will be available in the UK with two brilliant engines: the nimble yet economical 1.2 litre – which will cost £14,565 OTR – and the award-winning 0.9 litre TwinAir, priced at £15,765 OTR.

Initially the new car will be available exclusively online, and is another example of Fiat’s use of e-commerce to sell vehicles, having already enjoyed success with cars such as the special edition Fiat 500 Pink and Fiat 500 Matt Black. The fully automated on-line sales scheme allows customers to pay a deposit, order it directly from the factory, track the car’s progress, make a final payment and even arrange special delivery of the car to their home. Customers will be able to visit www.fiat.co.uk/500bygucci when it goes live later this month. This is also available as a link from the official www.500bygucci.com website.

“The 500byGucci will enlarge the audience for the already successful Fiat 500, reaching those fashionista customers who want to have a unique car to distinguish themselves,” says Elena Bernardelli, marketing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK. “And the online sales process adds another dimension to the individuality of this special model, creating an even greater sense of exclusivity and exceptional customer service.”

Fiat 500byGucci will be available in the UK this summer.Visit www.fiat.co.uk/500bygucci for more information.

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OurHomePlanetEarth

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Stop Fucking

I have decided to start to express myself in exact terms about issues I encounter in my life in Madrid.About a week ago my boss gathered the whole department of about 7 people in an attempt to raise the output of our department.I work in a budgeting and technical studies department and there have been complaints that reached far and wide in the company about the department's perfomance.In that meeting I got hot under the collar as I heard one or two guys fom the department making excuses about not being able to match the expectations.There were comments like "But did you tell the director that there are too many incoming petitions..","Did you tell the director that the contraction rate is low...", "Does the director know that the petitions arrive with errors".My blood started to boil reason being that I knew these individuals were the "chulos and bagos" who have always being able to evade work.I knew for a fact that the job was mentally and phsically taxing,however I made an effort so why cant they???.However,there I was in the meeting feeling frustrated that the boss was being sold excuses while myself and two other colleagues actually doing the work,were listeneng.The point of the title of this entry is not just "stop fucking around".I made it so blunt after recalling one hilarious and hysterical(arent they all?) stand up comedy session from Chris Rock.He was talking about social responsibility and family planning.His comic sketch was about people who just love getting by at the least effort and in this case Americans who depended on Federal help while assuming no personal responsibilities at all.His anecdote went like this: "A woman with two jobs hates a woman with 5 kids all on welfare collecting foodstamps.Do something!Get a job!For all I care get a job holding dicks or something,BUT for Pete's sake STOP FUCKING!!!!"So my message to anyone who shares the profile of my colleague.Lets say is name is Juan...Juan STOP FUCKING!!!And to your many excuses here are some hints punk:I push out three to four times as much work as you do.I dont take as many coffee breaks,water bottling refills,personal calls and chats with colleagues as you do.Perhaps my bladder is made of material tougher that a toro's skin to not make frequent and long trips to the loo(and I am a woman!!).However,take note because you are not pulling your weight.Moreover you keep kissing the boss's arse(which she likes because she has a banana backbone and a disgusting need to appease and to be appeased).Fucking hell,Juan,STOP FUCKING, and START WORKING.We are all tired of your MIA(Missing in Action) stunts and your day is closing in!

3 Kilos de Comida X un Partido de Estudiantes es una locura!!!

Hi everyone,

Today is our last Friday for 2009 at work.I need the break!Well,its quite early to be thinking of rest keeping in mind tonight´s departmental dinner.Here is a really funny article about the do´s and donts at a company dinner.

My real reason for writing today is to inform you about an exciting course.If you live in Madrid and either want to contribute to a good course or experience an electric basketball game or both then read on.This weekend and particularly this Sunday there will be a game between Estudiantes and Bizkaia BB.I am an Estudiantes fan and have a scarf to show for it!You could be too if you fall for the loyal Estudiantes fans aptly named ¨La demencia¨ or The dementia in English who keep the sparks in the air during all Estudiantes matches,especially on home courts!The part about doing something for the course related to this game is that if you bring 3 kilos of food to the game this Sunday you get a free entrance to this game.Now, Estudiantes have improved a lot in the last games and if you are a fan or just want to support the food campaign for the festive season,in collaboration with ¨Banco de Alimentos de Madrid¨ come along this Sunday.Here is the full article in English (google translated from Spanish:).The original article in Spanish is right here.
Three kilos of food for an entrance to an Estudiantes Match is crazy!(Imagine the English guy from the goltv ad saying this in Spanish)
Hasta el Domingo!

The art of losing stuff,again and again

Im a serial loser of stuff,especially "no-way could-you-lose-that-items" like cell phones,spectacles and clothes generally.In fact I lose stuff with such frequency that I have earlier written an article about it with the "clever idea" of technology to alleviate this disease of opportune-mind-wandering.I searched around online and found a system made up of an emitter and receiver which can be installed on high value items desired not to be lost.The idea is to attach the emitter on an object,say a laptop and then activate it while you safely keep a receiver.The receiver will constantly receive signals of proximity (while the owner doesnt lose the receiver) or while the object is within range.This system combo can be placed on keys,cellphones,you name it.

However,my worry this time is not finding a solution of whatever kind.Rather its concern that I store in my head innumerous amounts of information(okay,maybe my head is empty until I do an audit),but seriously speaking Im disappointed I recall all types of media garbage on US politics,celebrity culture,general gossip,latest whacky Youtube videos but not to put back my spectacle case in my bag after taking out my glasses.Are the two related?That is remembering to return to their place and what I put into my mind daily...or per minute.I think so.

I cannot change the world.Thats is to say...In all the cases that I lost my cellphones(5 or 6 so far...),keys,clothes,glasses and now my Prada spectacle case,I wish someone was honest enough to return them to the lost and found office.I know I would have.In Al Campo of Alcobendas,from the Spanair flight from Tenerife.However,it never happened,and I cannot bet on the fact that it would ever happen.Thats how it is...

So my solution shall be simpler than that.I will now do filters of information before I take it all in.My mantra and philosophy shall be GARBAGE IN = GARBAGE OUT. This is my formula for a peace of mind.Im not only talking about information I take in from the internet,newspapers or people around me.I am also referring to the material goods I accumulate.That is going to be key to my living and travelling lightly.I will give you a real example.In my hand luggageon my flight from Tenerife to Madrid yesterday, I had a bag with what I supposed was a minimal supply of cosmetics,then my specs,then sunglasses,cellphone,passport,wallet,keys,light jersey,book...My bag was pretty full,and in hindsight I didn't need to have so many things other than the essentials of air travel.Another real example is the fact that I lost a cardboard full of clothes in Calle del Pez after I unwittingly left it in the street,trying to quickly load everything onto the car on the busy street from my flat during my house moving.I simply didn't take it and got onto the car and only realised it the next day.What does this all mean?Apart from being despistada(absent-minded),what it means is that I didn't need all those clothes if I didn't realise until a day later I didnt have them.Guess,what,today...now,I STILL cannot tell you which clothes were in that box.I still have my winter,summer clothes as well as formal work clothes,without a problem.Then those clothes were a huge SURPLUS.Im not solely consoling myself or manufacturing happiness(see a title on TED.com about this topic)

My conclusion then...my answer then to all of this is,what I dont miss 24 hours later,I dont need...

Help Im Black!

Dear blogreader,

I have been living in Madrid now for four years.I usually praise Madrid for being generally colour-blind.Examples of my daily work and social life are evidence.During weekdays at lunchtime,I eat with colleagues in a restaurant close to work.I have not ever felt special attention,favour or disfavour just because of my race.I dont mean to totally claim that in Madrid race doesnt matter,because I would be lying.It does.If you dont belive me then be a black person or a black person from Africa or a person from Asia or a person from Eastern Europe or an Arab looking for a flat either to share or to own.Even for these groups of individuals there is a hierachy of acceptable races hence if any two indviduals from those races would be the last candidates for accomodation for example,one would fare better than the other.

Well,back to my realisation:Something happened to make me ask the following questions
a)Is it true?
b)If yes/no to the question above,does it bother me?

On Friday at work,I was having one of the lively chats and comments I usually have with colleagues about this and that,when suddenly a colleague mentioned that all Africans are the same.I was gobblesmacked to hear that umbrella statement but proceeded to ask my colleague what he meant.To the question he answered they speak loudly,dress in very bright colours and use a lot of hand gestures.He went on to say that when he sees me he has no doubt that Im African because all my mannerisms and physical attributes yell African from the highest peak of the Sierra Mountain in Madrid!Apparently,he had collected this information and evidence from being on the morning train to work.Come to think of it,I should have mentioned that Africans in the morning's workers train is a different profile to Africans in Canada going to work in their own cars to Africans in the United States going to work in far-away destinations on Air Force One!

I asked this colleague what would be his comment to the remark that all Spaniards are the same?He said there were not and I responded that the same applies to Africans on the train not being represenattive of all Africans(Blacks) on this planet.It then became a more uncomfortable discussion as he went on to assure me that all those attributes werent negative and I need not be ashamed or feel bad about them.I felt absolutely patronised and was flabbergasted.Needless to say,he was convinced I had an inferiority complex about being black and I believed he was ignorant and small minded.I even mentioned our common boss who is Spanish and has a loud laugh and dresses very elegantly every time in a combination of classic colours and bright feminine and flattering hues!

So to the 2 questions above,"Is it true,are all Africans the same?"Do we all speak in boisterous and voices?I know that for a fact to be untrue!
Secondly,how do I feel about people carrying and expressing these stereotypes,well I wish I would let it go.However,for now it bothers me...you know,expressions like to work like a black person in Spanish(Trabajar como un Negro) and many more stereotypes that people live and act out make me shriek.Truth be told,one of my best friends,an Italian girl from Sardegna who also happens to be a psychologist told me that we all carry prejudices one way or another.She also told me I have a laugh from the stomach which is lively and warm like water bubbling in a claypot on a fire (scene from africa:)).We agreed though that nowadays there are not really sweeping descriptions of races,communities and people...Like I told my colleague,apart from my boss with her loud laughing voice,Italians also use hand gestures(perhaps very particular ones,but visible hand gestures all the same)and so do Indian people to express different ideas.

For the obvious and subtle character traits in all of us,I bet we have more or less the same quantities.What do you think?

Till Soon!
Sarah

Welcome Back

Dear Reader,

I had taken such a long sabbatical from writing in my blog and consequently become ancient.I had a lot to do and Im glad I took that step.

In that time I totally took control of my finances.I even took careful note of my salary slip up to the last cent.Suprisingly,around that time my employer made a SAP related mistake reducingfrom me about 17% of my salary.Had I not being in this self-observant period,Im sure I would have missed it.

I also started to go to the gymn.A pasttime I thoroughly enjoyed though it was a trimestral contract at 68Euros per month.The story of how I joined the gymn is curious.The first time I went to ask about how it all works,the receptionist who attended me was aloof and unfriendly.Therefore though I was interested I put off the actual joining to a week later to coincide with the beginnning of the month and also to think about it all.Fortunately,the day I returned I met a friendlier receptionist who also happens to be a gymn trainer.What do you know, she even offered me a zero subscription fee so I paid for the three month's fees on the spot.My time at the BODYFACTORY gymn was enjoyable to say the least.I would arrive from work feeling fatigued with a hint of headache,and going there raised my motivation and energy levels.It was indeed a triumph.Madrid's scorching sun and bubbling heat has put me off gymn for now but Im taking part in the city races now and again.My daily lifestyle which involves taking the Metro and going up and down numerous escalators also helps.

Apart from health,vitality and finances,one of my great feat's has been recognising I have been taking massive bites off my ambitions.Its been in recognising I was approaching an escalation in stress and anxiety due to my many incomplete projects.I have now actively started to say no when I cannot and to also ask for help in my personal and professional life.

In the meantime I will get back to throwing out all trash thats filled my room in the form of daily free city newspapers like Qué,ADN(My favourite due to a columnist called Lucía Etxebarria),20 Minutos as well pamphlets about events and happenings in the city!

Till again(SOON),
Sarah

Dont be seen in this at the gymn

Dear Blogreader,

I have decided to hit the gymn.This time I was very noticeable results.Between looking for my new shared apartment and resettling October is my get in shape month.
See here for gymn fashion protocol NO-NO´s!!!

Happy muscle toning,

Till soon...

PS:I will post before and after pics.

Courtesy:www.aol.com

A dedication to Marc

Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds


Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

William Shakespeare

Why Warren Buffet is smarter than me

Dear Blogreader,

The man behind Berkshire,Mr Warren Buffet has always fascinated me for a while.Even before he overtook Bill Gates for the title of the richest man alive.


Read about Warren Buffet´s wit analysis here

Courtesy www.msn.com

Aloha,

Sarah