Sweden – Matilda Herdland, An Art Dealer from Sweden

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Matilda is an Art Dealer from Sweden that lives with her husband and children in New York. She has also modeled at some of the EuroCircle fashion shows in the past.

Tell us about yourself, please?

My name is Matilda Herdland. I am from Uppsala, Sweden. My whole family live back in Sweden these days. My father lived and worked in New York for over 10 years, but is now back in Sweden. I am married and have two wonderful daughters.

How long have you been a member of EuroCircle?

I have been a member of Eurocircle since 2007.

How long have you been in New York?

I moved to New York from San Francisco with my husband in October 2002

When did you start working as an Art Dealer?

A good friend of mine, introduced me to the Painter, Marita Killian Engelcrona 5 years ago.

What do you love the best about working in Art?

The joy of meeting interesting people everyday and being introduced to new Artists and their work.

Can you share with us any highlights, achievements you have reached during your career in Art?

I had an exhibition at the Swedish church in New York that really caught peoples eyes.

Can you tell us more about what you do in the Art World?

I do a couple of exhibitions each year. The most recent one was at Fika, a Swedish cafe in midtown.

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

The Swedish people have a high work standard but are custom to take regular coffee breaks called, fika even at some of the big companies. As an Art Dealer I think I have been able to take advantage of my International background and multiple language knowledge.

Can you share any Art tips for our members on what to look for when buying art?

Trust your personal taste if you don’t like it don’t invest just because it’s a famous piece.

Who is your favorite artist and why?

My favorite artist is by far Edgar Degas, as he captured movement in his paintings of ballet dancers and horses.
One of my favorite is “At the Races”.

Do you try to go back to Europe every year? The language and the culture are different than in New York. What is home for you outside the US, What do you miss the most – and the least?

I go back usually once a year, mostly in the summer time.
New York has become my home now after living her for 12 years.
What I miss the most about my Stockholm, Sweden is probably the lack of people sometimes if you arrive at Arlanda, (Airport outside of Stockholm) and it’s very empty. Your first thought is have something happened, like did they find a something suspicious and had to evacuate the place.

I also miss the Swedish Au Natural yoghurt with Swedish granola for breakfast. Then Swedish candy, even though you can find that now in New York

When is the best time of year to visit Sweden in your opinion and how often do you go back?

Visit Sweden in the summer and take advantage of visiting the Archipelago outside of Stockholm. The Crayfish traditions in mid August are also fun to be part of.

When you think about life in Europe vs USA before you moved to the USA – did you have misconceptions that turned out to be wrong?

As I had received a scholarship to attend a college for one year straight after high school I was familiar with the cultural. I also visited my father frequently before moving to New York.

What would you like anyone know and appreciate about your country? (food, music, culture, people, history….)

The Swedish nature and freedom to visit any beaches or old buildings that has so much history to offer.
For example the apartment where I stay in when I’m in Stockholm is over 100 years old. It doesn’t have an elevator, but there is a beautiful staircase.

The Swedish fresh fish and less sugary bread, pickled herring is something to try when visiting.
In the summer the offer a lots of free outside concerts, theater and ballet that you just have to show up for.

What places do you like best in NYC and why..any favorite cafes, restaurants?

My favorite places in the city are all the new and old rooftops lounges. VicRoy, Opia, Surrey to mention a few. Some favorite restaurants lately are: General Assembly, upscale service and excellent food, The newly renovated Boat House for brunch. Locally I like restaurant Il Melograno in Hell’s Kitchen for their excellent pasta and the owner Alberto will make you feel at home.

When I miss the Swedish cinnamon buns I go to the Swedish church. The coffee is brewed the Swedish way too = strong.

Could you share with us what are your plans for the future? What is it in life that makes you happy or content – that means different stuff for all of us.

My future immediate plans are to enjoy this city and the new people I meet everyday of life. I always find interesting people whatever I am doing and often starts a conversation because I’m curious by nature. I talk to young or old people on the bus for example. Often people initiate a contact with me too.

To be healthy and be able to feel strong both physical and mentally makes me content. I do that throw my long runs and recently also yoga.

What make me happy I think has nothing to do with what city I live in but, that I’m surrounded by family and friends that I care about and love. These circle of friends is what makes the city special to me!

Connect with Matilda:

My two Artists:

Marita Killian Engelcrona: http://www.artapple.nu
Brian Farrell: http://www.brianfarrellart.com
Email Matilda!

 

Atlanta – Oct 01 2014

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Greetings everyone;

What a great turn-out on September 10th – thanks for coming out to celebrate our September Get-together at the Palm Restaurant & Bar.

Our October event has already been confirmed and will take place on Wednesday, (October 1st) at THREE SHEETS located in Sandy Springs. Weather permitting we will be gathering upstairs on the outside patio – further details to be posted in the next few days…

Salutations,
Atlanta Eurocircle

New York – Oct 03 2014

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RSVP For No CoverWear your trendiest attire and descend into the candle lit subterranean nightclub to enjoy the most eclectic cocktails.Make sure to say EuroCircle at the doorGet your dancing shoes on and get ready to party with two DJs spinning tunes throughout the night.Hope to see you all on Friday!Best,
Alex and the EuroCircle New York Team

Los Angeles – Apr 18 2013

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Join us on Thursday, April 18th, from 8pm for our Los Angeles EuroCircle Mixer at Caffe Roma in Beverly Hills

You will be able to enjoy the fun ambience while tasting the restaurant’s fantastic menu – HAPPY HOUR

Dress Code: Summer Chic

Caffe Roma
350 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Contact me with any questions at losangeles@eurocircle(Dot)com ( or tanya(dot) stawski@sothebyshomes (dot)com)
Looking forward seeing you all.

Ciao
Tanya

San Francisco – Aug 23 2014

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You will be on the top of the world on the 21st floor of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel overlooking Union Square.
Once you step inside it will be an amazing night filled with style, music, fashion and entertainment that bring you the excitement of an era like no other.

NO COVER with RSVP (first and last name) until 11 pm (after 11 pm the hotel charges $10-$20)
Doors open at 9pm, EuroCircle mingle starts at 9.30

Models by RAE Agency
Performances by Desired Temptations

DJs Marc Van Brabant, J. Rock and Big Bad Bruce
Photography by Brandon Edward

Limited Bottle Specials / VIP Booth/Bottle Res.
415-979-3031

21+ / Street Parking / Many Parking lots around Union Sq.

Barcelona – Sara Maculé Olalde, How to Live The Life of Your Dreams

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I wanted to interview someone who is Spanish but who has lived years outside Spain – and returned to Barcelona which – like Spain in general – is a dream city for many people. It is always interesting to see how people adjust back to their own culture and country when they have have experienced the good/bad in other countries. There is always good and bad in EVERY country – there is no such thing as “perfection” in life.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Sara Maculé Olalde , I am 36 years old and I was born in Barcelona, in the Les Corts neighborhood. I have a business degree (Universidad de Barcelona ), a Master in Business Administration ( Eada) , I am a certified Life Coach (IPEC) and I am also a certified Health Coach (IIN). When I was 21 years old I moved to France, it was a wonderful experience since Paris is a beautiful city. I was very young and this experience helped me to grow up and to learn French. After 3 years there I decided to moved to London, mainly to improve my English. When I was there I met a business angel who gave me the money to set up a company in my hometown, so I moved back to Barcelona.
For 7 years I run Esendex, I opened the offices in Barcelona, France and San Francisco. It was a big challenge, a great experience and I loved living in the USA but after 7 years I needed to do something else,something different, I wanted to find my passion and purpose in life.

After quitting my job I decided to travel around the world for over 2 years visiting more than 24 countries, the best decision I have ever taken! While I was in India and thinking about my future I decided to become a Life Coach and I flew to Miami to get my certification. Since then I have been working as a life coach in Barcelona , helping people to overcome their fears,to improve their relationships,to achieve their goals and dreams, to be happier and healthier, mainly to expats who live in Barcelona and they are struggling to adapt to the new culture, to make new friends, to learn the language, to manage stress, to work on their financial strategy and any other personal and professional issues.

Being back to Barcelona was hard at the beginning , primarily because it is difficult to find clients, Spanish people are not very familiar with what coaching means, most of the people don’t even know what a coach is but little by little I have been finding clients.

So, now I am enjoying again Barcelona,which is a great city to live in. I love the weather, the food, the people, the culture and there is always something going on here and you can meet new people all the time.

Do you travel every year? Where..favorite destinations/hobbies/restaurants

While I was working in Esendex I travelled twice per year, summer and Christmas to the Caribbean and Asia mainly , my favorites destinations. Over the 2 years traveling I was in USA; South America and Asia and since I am back to Barcelona I try to do little trips,the last ones to Prague and Istanbul and I am planning to go to Mallorca and Tunisia this summer

Obviously I love traveling, I do also love going to the cinema,Icaria Yelmo cinemas (VO) offers a membership which allows you to go to the cinema for less than 4 euros. I also love watching series like Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Breaking Bad…

I like discovering new restaurants, my favorites are Cheriif (best paella in town) . Cañete, Vaso de Oro, La Cova Fumada (tapas). I love Asian food but it is very difficult to find good restaurants in Barcelona, my favorites ones are: Petit Bangkok (Thai food), Wacasa (Japanese) and Memorias de China (Chinese)

I like reading novels and I do exercise 3 times per week, All this with my work keeps me very busy!

Workwise – how do you see Spanish being different from other Europeans – also culturally, what stands out in your chosen profession?

People say Spain is different – I have always wondered if it is a good or a bad thing to say. In terms of my work as I have mentioned before it has been hard. Most of the Spanish people don’t know what a Life Coach is but
I always say that it is hard for everyone in Spain right. The unemployment rate is 25%, 1 of 4 people doesn’t have a job, how crazy is that?? And the rate goes up to 50 % for people younger than 25 years old. Young people can’t leave their parents homes – they must live with the,. And for the lucky ones who have a job the salaries are very low. I love my country but this situation is ridiculous and it does not seem to have an end. Families suffer and young people don’t know what to do, this is not good for a first world country, it is shameful.

How is the expat community in Barcelona vs. Spain in general?

I have been an expat many times but I have always tried to be part of the country and the culture. I made the effort to learn the language and make local friends in those countries. It seems to me that many expats in Barcelona and Spain don’t make much effort to learn Spanish and they have relationships with people from their own country which is easier of course, learning a new language can be very hard and we certainly take the easy way sometimes. But some of them, they want to be part of Spain and make the effort. In Barcelona there are many expats communities on facebook (and outside) and they meet regularly, there are good opportunities to meet new people from your own country and from other countries who are experiencing the same challenges of living in another country. I like these kind events, they are always fun

What are your favorite cities/places in Spain – why?

I have to recognize that every time I had the chance to travel I have chosen to travel outside Spain, I have this idea that if I get old in Spain I will travel around here then. While I am young I want to go as far as possible. But I love the south of Spain, Cadiz and Sevilla. I do love Madrid, mostly on Sundays when you go to the Latina neighborhood.

I have been in the most beautiful beaches around the world, Hawaii, Bali, Thailand…and I have to say that Formentera does not have anything to envy to any of these places. Spain is a beautiful country and I can’t wait to have a RV and travel around Spain in a few years!.

What about I gave you unlimited means and you could wherever you want and how you want?? What would you do..

I would love to keep helping people with my work and keep traveling around the world. The most important think in life to me is to have the freedom to do whatever you want and to have a job that you love.

Could you share with us what are your plans for the future personally and professionally?

My plan is to keep working as a life and health coach, keep traveling and my dream is to work with my clients on Skype to be able to live in Asia,it is just a matter of time ….

Connect with Sara:

www.saramacule.com
Sara’s Blog
Sara at LinkedIn
Like Sara at Facebook

 

New York – Aug 14 2014

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EuroCircle’s Summer Disco Rooftop Party @ Level R – No Cover when you say EuroCircle at the Door

When: Thursday, August 14th
Time: 7-11pm
Where: Level R Rooftop @ the Empire Hotel 44 West 63rd Street New York, New York 10023

Join us at this great rooftop for our Summer Disco Party! There will be a great DJ spinning tunes throughout the night.

Dress Code: 70s/Disco which is optional but encouraged

There will be $ 10 absolut drinks on special as well as $10 champagne by the glass (make sure you get a stamp at the door to get these specials)

Featured Host: Ingrid Gregus

Look forward to seeing you all on August 14th!

Best,
Alexandra and the EuroCircle NY Team

About R Level Rooftop
“A rooftop haven with stunning views.”
Located on the 12th floor of our distinctive New York City luxury hotel, Level R Rooftop & Lounge offers magnificent views of Lincoln Center as well as the Broadway & Columbus Avenue gateway to Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

New York – Ingrid Gregus, Model and Health Coach

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Ingrid is a model and health coach that lives in New York City.

Tell us about yourself, please?

I am from a small, but very beautiful country, Slovakia. (Comment by editor: Slovakia is about 5 million people. However, Slovaks are Slavic people, having a common cultural, historic and linguistic heritage with their fellow Slavs. Slavs number over 300 million and are the largest European ethnic and linguistic body.)

I lived there until my 20s with my loving parents and two older brothers. Then I continued with my studies in London, following Tokyo. I have studied Hotel Management and Leisure. My training took place @ Hotel Cumberland Marble Arch on Oxford street. After London I moved to Tokyo.

How long have you been a member of EuroCircle?

I became a member of EuroCircle this year in 2014

How long have you been in New York?

All together, it has been 6 moths. I am moving between Tokyo, Barcelona and New York.

What has been the best thing you have done so far in your career?

To be able to communicate with Japanese clients on a professional level in the international company – Global Blue.

Is there any particular story, moment, an award or an achievement throughout your career that you are particularly proud of?

Yes, I helped to solve a financial problem for client. He was so happy that he sent me a personal present. It feels wonderful to be appreciated.

Can you tell us more about your health coaching business? When did you start it?

I have started to see clients this year, during the school. I am doing my marketing plan now, focusing on people with eating disorders and lack of energy. In September I am going to participate in a school program about acknowledging young students how to care about their health with natural diet.

Any health/wellness tips for our members?

We all have our bio individuality and different things work for different people. I always start my session with Health History procedure. However, generally speaking, it is always beneficial to separate your plate into 3 parts. One is for protein, second for greens and the third one is for healthy carbohydrates or whole grains. It is always good to add little bit of healthy oils like flax seed oil, or olive oil into your diet. Lessen the consumption of salts in your diet and please, beware of using sweeteners. It is always better to use a little bit of natural sugar than harmful chemicals. If possible, try to shop only organically raised foods without added chemicals or pesticides.

In addition to your health coaching business, you are a model. How did you get into the modeling business?

One day, I obtained a business card from the model agent. I thought it was a great idea that helped me with my school payments. Than they kept extending my contract after school.

What is your favorite modeling job/campaign?

Beautiful Campaign for Tahiti Nui Airlines. We spent 7 beautiful days shooting commercial movie on Bora Bora island at the Four Seasons Resort. We flew first class from Tokyo. It was a fantastic time, breath-taking scenery and amazing team of 30 people working on this project.

Where are you originally from and what do you love about it?

I was born in Slovakia. It is a beautiful country with lovely nature, history and culture.

When is the best time of year to visit your country? How often do you go back?

I personally think summer or autumn is the best, however, as I love snowboarding, I would recommend winter, as well. It is a great place to enjoy winter sports. The High Tatras Mountains are wonderful during the snowy winter.

If someone was visiting your country, what would you recommend seeing/doing? Any special restaurants or places they have to go?

You should not miss to see some of our beautiful castles and chateaux in Slovakia. They all have a special history to tell.

Our capital, Bratislava, is really lovely. I would recommend to take a walking tour through the old part of the city. Small streets and cafes are always welcoming. I would also recommend to see our traditional dance festivals, which are taking place during summer.

What places do you like best in NYC and why..any favorite cafes, restaurants?

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan, I love to see the city from this view. As for the restaurants, there are numerous, its New York City, but one close to heart would be Ootoya. I am a Japanese food lover and I know that the taste here is really authentic. I would definitely recommend this place to any selective customer.

Connect with Ingrid: http://ingrid-gregusova.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com
Ingrid Gregus on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ingrid.gregus.5

Austin – Aug 08 2014

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Photos © Eurocircle. For privacy reasons we ask you not to copy these to Facebook or other social networks

Please dress in all white attire to attend and celebrate summer with EuroCircle!

Any shade of white will do! 🙂

Rio Rooftop will provide us some cooling drink specials such as:
$3 Beer
$5 House Red/White Wine
$5 Vodka Cocktails

We liked the white party last night – and August is the perfect time to do it.

Szilvia & EuroCircle Team
Email Us

Austin – Sergej Deutsch’s Journey from Siberia via Germany to the USA

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love talking to the smart young Europeans who have made a new life for themselves here in the USA. This interview is about someone I met recently first time at our special event at La V in East Austin. Meet Sergej..

Please introduce yourself.

I was born in Eastern Siberia – that’s why the Russian first name. My father is ethnic German and his ancestors lived outside of Germany for many generations. At some point, my family decided to move back to our roots, as we got tired of being chased by wild animals in the freezing-cold Taiga. We ended up in the Northern Germany when I was 16. There, I finished high school (Gymnasium) and then got my degree in Electrical Engineering. In the last year of my graduate program, in 2011, I was working for an Electronic Design Automation company in Leuven, Belgium, and I was looking for a place where I can continue my research. Luckily, I was introduced to my current PhD advisor who is a professor at Duke University in Durham, NC, USA. It turned out that he was looking for a new PhD student to work in the area of testing of 3D-stacked Integrated Circuits and that was exactly the topic I was working on in Belgium! I met my advisor in person in Germany and after a short talk over a cup of coffee I knew he was the mentor I wanted to work with and decided to join his research group at Duke. So, in 2012, I moved to Durham to start a PhD program in Electrical Engineering in the area of hardware test. This is the story of my journey from Siberia to the US.

How did you end up in Austin?

In our research group at Duke, many students go to summer internships. I wanted to intern too and I wanted to do it at Intel. With a little luck, I got an offer from Intel in the great city of Austin last year. This year, I started another internship with Intel to work in pre-silicon test.​ This is where I am now.

What do you enjoy most about Austin, now when you have more experience, how’s the quality of life compared to Germany, East Coast or other countries/regions you may have lived in?

Austin offers a lot of stuff to do: music shows, dancing, outdoor activities, great places to eat out. People in Austin are very laid back – it is easy to meet new people and make friends. Living in Austin is affordable (yet) – it is comparable to East Coast excluding major cities and less expensive than California; however, living here is much more fun, provided you can deal with the heat. A side-by-side comparison with Germany is difficult but for me right now, Austin would win!

Usually there are some negatives, what are the ones for Austin that really stand out for you personally? What do you miss most about home – what is your home in your heart?

There is not much I can complain about. If you live far from your work place, you will probably hate the traffic. I don’t have this problem, however. Public transportation in Austin is not very advanced, so you need a car to get around.
My home is where my family is – Germany. That’s what I miss most. I also miss the times when I could bike or walk to a bakery around the corner to get freshly baked bread (they have over 300 different kinds…). This is not possible where I live.

Do you feel Austin is a good place for you as an intern/employee/entrepreneur/freelance right now?

Absolutely. There are many tech companies here, in the “Silicon Valley” of Texas. It is not as big as the Bay Area in California but it is growing rapidly. It is a great place for engineers like me, for economic and cultural reasons.

What are the best places/suburbs to live in Austin in your opinion?

There are many good suburbs in different parts of Austin. I highly recommend to choose one which is close to your work place – otherwise you will spend hours of commute time daily. I live south from downtown next to a highway (Mopac). This is a great place to live – very green and quiet, hiking trails in walking distance, only ten minutes from downtown.

Do you go out a lot – hobbies? Or is everything about work right now?

Working full-time and continuing PhD research consumes a lot of time. Still, I find some time for socializing with friends, dancing, and paddle boarding.

What’s the cost of living compared to Germany / East Coast? What is cheap or expensive in particular?

One thing that is more expensive in Austin compared to Durham on East Cost, or places where I lived in Germany, is the rent. Gas is much cheaper than in Germany; however, you have to drive more… High-quality food seems to be more expensive in the US compared to Germany.

Did you think it is easy meeting people and making friends in Austin?? It seems like a city that would not have a huge lively European style downtown where you can access all by foot??

Yes, it is easy to meet new people in Austin. There are many social events in the downtown area which is totally walk-able – you just need to find a way to get there or live near downtown. Some good places are outside though – you need a car to reach them.

Did you have any misconceptions about USA as a place to study/work that have turned out to be super wrong….or vice versa, you thought something will be great and it is exactly the other way around?

Not really. Before I moved to the US, I talked to people who studied or worked there, so I had a good picture.

Do you think your career (business) would be the same in Germany – or does this work better for you? Either way, please explain more

I believe I made a good choice. USA offer more job opportunities in my area (semiconductor industry) compared to Germany, so, I believe, it will be easier to find a good position here.

What are your favorite restaurants/bars here in Austin (WHY) – and socially/workwise – what kind of networks do you attend to connect with people for business/personal life?

I like bars on Rainey Street. It is a good place to socialize with peers in a laid back setting. Other than that: Elephant Room in downtown is great if you like jazz. Dallas Nightclub is great for Latin dancing. For networking and meeting new people, I attend Meetup, InterNations, and EuroCircle events.

How has the Intern experience been for you? I am always curious about that. Anything you really would like to change (btw, are there many other Europeans here)

Intel is a great place to intern. I gain a lot of knowledge about current technology that is unavailable outside of industry. This will definitely help me in my future career. In addition, I expand my professional network and make new friends. I don’t think I would change anything – it is good as it is now. So far, I have not met any Europeans at Intel yet. They must be hiding somewhere…

If you can choose any job in any city in the world once you are done – what would it be and where? Why is that…

I would be a researcher, either in industry or academia – that’s what I have always wanted to do. As of now, I would probably choose Austin from all places I have seen in Europe and North America​. It offers the most for my personal needs at my age – job opportunities, lots of fun stuff to do, and nice people.​

Connect with Sergej Deutsch:

Sergej at LinkedIn
Sergej at EuroCircle Forums