Bills Shichirigahama
Chef Bill Granger brings his famously laidback Sydney brunch scene to Japan.
This is post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.
Andra bloggar om: australien, café, restaurang, design, inredning, japan
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Old roses in Falsterbo
Every year I’m hosting a rose event called Rosor på Falsterbonäset (Roses at the Falsterbo Peninsula) in my hometown Falsterbo. I’m doing it together with the local nature preservation organisation (where I’m the vice president) and it concerns old roses, one thing I would not like to live my life without. This years event takes place June 26th at 5pm and we start in my own garden.
We will also visit a couple of other gardens which concentrates on old and English roses. The Scania Rose Society is co-organising the event and Monica Bäckström will talk about (and answering questions) concerning roses and cultivation.
If you are not able to come I’m adding some snapshots from my garden which I took this morning. Just let me know if you are in Falsterbo during the rose season (June-July) and a will happily show you my garden.
p.s My cat’s name is Måns…
Andra bloggar om: rosor, gamla rosor, trädgård, odla
The Olde Bell Inn
The essence of what Ilse Crawford and her Studioilse does is identity. They create the the big idea behind a brand its emotional values, and then make them visible and tangible through design.
The Olde Bell Inn encompasses a 16th century Tudor barn for big parties, a Malt House for medium gathering and dining rooms for a dozen or more, with parts of the building dating back to 1135.
Now The Olde Bell Inn has been gently transformed and is the first in a family of modern coaching Inns. Using locally sourced food cooked simply; eating drinking and lodgings. Ilse’s line is ‘Local chairs, local cheese’. 25 minutes drive from Heathrow and within hour of central London. You can say that Ilse is re-inventing the traditional English Inn.
Andra bloggar om: hotell, ilse crawford, design, inredning, möbler, england
Midsummer’s eve
Today it’s Midsummer’s Eve, probably the most important holiday in Sweden. So I thought I should give you some further information around it. As you probably have recognised I believe that regional traditions are supreme and important in our globalised and smoothed out world.
In modern Sweden, Midsummer’s Eve and Midsummer’s Day (Midsommarafton and Midsommardagen) are celebrated from the eve of the Friday between June 19–25. It is arguably the most important holiday of the year, and one of the most uniquely Swedish in the way it is celebrated, even if it has been influenced by other countries long ago. The main celebrations take place on the Friday, and the traditional events include raising and dancing around a huge maypole. One typical dance is the frog dance. Before the maypole is raised, greens and flowers are collected and used to cover the entire pole.
Raising and dancing around a maypole (majstång or midsommarstång) is an activity that attracts families and many others. People dancing around the pole listen to traditional music and many wear traditional folk costumes. The year’s first potatoes, pickled herring, sour creme, and possibly the first strawberries of the season are on the menu. Drinking songs are also important at this feast, and many drink heavily.
Because Midsummer was thought to be one of the times of the year when magic was strongest, it was considered a good night to perform rituals to look into the future. Traditionally, young people pick bouquets of seven or nine different flowers and put them under their pillow in the hope of dreaming about their future spouse. In the past it was believed that herbs picked at Midsummer were highly potent, and water from springs could bring good health. Greenery placed over houses and barns were supposed to bring good fortune and health to people and livestock; this old tradition of decorating with greens continues, even though most don’t take it seriously. To decorate with greens was called att maja (to “may”) and may be the origin of the word majstång, maja coming originally from the month May. Other researchers say the term came from German merchants who raised the maypole in June because the Swedish climate made it impossible to find the necessary greens and flowers in May, and continued to call it a maypole. Today, however, it is most commonly called a midsommarstång. In earlier times, small spires wrapped in greens were erected; this probably predates the maypole tradition, which is believed by many to have come from the continent in the Middle Ages. Others argue that some form of Midsummer pole occurred in Sweden during the pre-Christian times, and was a phallic fertility symbol, meant to impregnate the earth, but as there were no records from those times it cannot be proven, and this idea might just be a modern interpretation of the poles form. The earliest historical mention of the maypole in Sweden is from the Middle Ages. Midsummer was however linked to an ancient fertility festival which was adapted into St. Johans day by the church, even though it retained many pagan traditions, as the Swedes were slow to give up the old heathen customs. The connection to fertility is naturally linked to the time of year. Many young people became passionate at Midsummer, and this was accepted, probably because it resulted in more childbirths in March which was a good time for children to be born.
Midsummer is one of the only pagan holidays that are still celebrated in Europe (if not the only). In Denmark and Norway it is referred to as the eve of St. Hans but it’s only in Sweden that it has kept its original name. Midsummer rivals Christmas as the most important holiday of the year due to the copious amounts of alcohol consumed.
Text from Wikipedia.
P.s If you are unmarried, you can pick seven different flowers and put under your pillow on the night of Midsummers day. The one you will dream of will be your beloved…
Andra bloggar om: midsommar, sommar, midsommarafton, traditioner
Categories: Lifestyle
White Beach Hotel in Shimoda
There are more ways of escaping from hassle and bustle of Tokyo than ski weekends and an occasional trip to hot springs. 2.5 hours on the train from Tokyo and you are in Southern Izu, a place famous for its nature, onsens and, of course, beautiful white beaches with clear blue water and waves perfect for surfing. The White Beach is located 30 seconds away from Ohama beach, Shimoda, one of the most beautiful and picturesque beaches in Japan. Being the closest place to the beach the Clubhouse at White Beach takes care of all your needs from after-beach shower or cocktail to a fresh expresso or great meal any time of the day.
The renovated White Beach was re-opened on 14th June 2008 and the owners hope to bring back to Shimoda the optimism of the 1970’s when this hotel was built and share this Clubhouse and Hotel with everyone.
At White Beach each room has a different and unique feel. During the recent renovation of the hotel they decided to keep the period 1970’s wallpaper as each room has a different pattern - sometimes with contrasting prints on the wall and ceiling! The papers range from traditional bamboo thru stone, brick, leather, travertine, regency flock to a majestic rose print on wall and ceiling. Why don’t you try to match the room and it’s individual wallpaper to the mood of your visit!
You can also join White beach on Facebook here.
Andra bloggar om: hotell, semester, japan, resa, strand
Categories: Architecture, Design
Interview with Hussein Chalayan
Here’s an interesting interview with fashion designer and artist Hussein Chalayan about the Level Vodka tunnel that he has designed.
Andra bloggar om: reklam, marknadsföring, vodka, hussein chalayan, varumärke
Shaw + Smith wine tasting experience
Contemporary design drives the Shaw + Smith wine tasting experience.
This is post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.
Andra bloggar om: vin, vingård, arkitektur, design, provsmakning
The Level vodka tunnel
Level Vodka invited star fashion designer and artist Hussein Chalayan to create a pioneering work of art with a focus on taste. He was given completely free rein. The result is The Level Tunnel – a 15 meters long and 5 meters high travelling installation that captures the essence of Level Vodka. But the road leading there was anything but straight. Follow The Level Tunnel Team’s blog on the daily twists and turns of this spectacular project (the blog will only be updated during the tunnel events).
After the premiere in Mexico, The Level Tunnel will continue to Athens and Paris. It will visit each city for 1-2 weeks and is partly open to the general public. The visitors will experience the taste of Level Vodka with all their senses but one - sight. They wander blindfolded through the tunnel as they hear music from flutes made out of Level bottles, inhale scents of the super premium vodka, and are enclosed by the soft leather of the railing. And when they climb out, it all ends with a tasting event.
Andra bloggar om: level vodka, hussein chalayan, reklam, marknadsföring, kreativitet
Aesop by Studioilse
Studioilse’s design of the Aesop shop translates the company values through a loving restoration of the historic fabric, paired with modern and clean interventions. As in all her work Ilse Crawford with her Studioilse has added a lot of emotions to the interior. Simple and modern design.
A central ceramic sink to emphasise the ritual of cleansing.
Brass - the material of Mount st.
Fit for Mount st: a gentleman’s armchair tailored in tweed.
Original pitch pine floor - “poor man’s parquet”.
Andra bloggar om: design, arkitektur, ilse crawford, inredning, skönhet
Jurlique rebrands
Jurlique rebrands to focus on its biodynamic farming principles.
This is post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.
Andra bloggar om: ekologisk, ekologiskt, mat, livsmedel, design, varumärken, varumärke, förpackningar
