DRIVEN Blog

Honk if You Drink Franc!
Wine, 2014 Deborah Goldstein Wine, 2014 Deborah Goldstein

Honk if You Drink Franc!

Michael and I have been fixated on New York State wines for quite some time, but never so acutely as we have been since 2008, when, as synchronicity would have it, while we toured the wines regions on Long Island’s east end and the Finger Lakes for the first time…

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Restaurant Watch: Tapas, Anyone?
Food, Wine, 2014 Deborah Goldstein Food, Wine, 2014 Deborah Goldstein

Restaurant Watch: Tapas, Anyone?

Running a business in NYC involves tons of fine restaurant dining (no complaints here). But once in a while, I have the chance to dine out just for the joy of eating. Recently, Michael and a dear friend from the west coast joined me at…

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Anger vs EQ: Which “You” is in Control?

Anger vs EQ: Which “You” is in Control?

If you were one of the participants at January 29th’s WAC community event Corporate Emotional Intelligence: Anger in the Workplace, presented by WAC specialist Ginny Brown, you might have found yourself with a peculiar question bouncing around in your…

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The Dining Diva: A Real Dish
Food, 2014 Deborah Goldstein Food, 2014 Deborah Goldstein

The Dining Diva: A Real Dish

In one sense, I talk about a “Dining Diva” as a professional woman who is an experienced, seasoned business diner— the master of her domain in the business meal setting (this is what I transform NYC women into with my periodical Strategic Dining℠…

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Pesto Reinterpreted: Five-Minutes to Bliss
Food, 2014 Deborah Goldstein Food, 2014 Deborah Goldstein

Pesto Reinterpreted: Five-Minutes to Bliss

I’m having a love affair with an old darling of mine: spinach pesto! I used to always have it on hand when I cooked at my old restaurant, Goldie’s by the Bridge, where it was handy in countless ways. Recently, I made a batch utilizing the modern conveniences…

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Mindful Change: The Habit-Forming Practice of Forming Habits

Mindful Change: The Habit-Forming Practice of Forming Habits

Growing up, the concept of a habit to me always assumed a negative connotation (smoking, swearing, cracking one’s knuckles). Now at age 40, I’m finally realizing the reason: in my experience, the word “habit” was, more often than not, preceded by “bad”— conceivably a…

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Self-Compassion: My Word Of The Year

Self-Compassion: My Word Of The Year

I’m savoring Olivia Fox Cabane’s book, The Charisma Myth. It’s like preaching to the converted. We totally see eye-to-eye on so many practices. My favorite: being present is a key to executive presence. Non-verbal communication is SO important…

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Auld Lang Syne Language: Let’s Talk Bubbly!
Wine, 2013 Michael Koehler Wine, 2013 Michael Koehler

Auld Lang Syne Language: Let’s Talk Bubbly!

Welcome to your year’s-end mission to celebrate in style. If you’re like me, you look forward to times like these to cast austerity aside for a few days, and treat yourself and others to the finer things. Sometimes though, there is apprehension in deciding just what those finer...

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Angry at Work: When Emotions Interfere with Progress

Angry at Work: When Emotions Interfere with Progress

The workplace can be a fascinating study in emotion, principally in relation to anger. There are those coworkers who appear void of any angry tendencies, and those who seem to be the embodiment of rage, flying off the handle on a daily basis. We’ve all witnessed the…

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