WORLD PREMIERE LAUNCH SPECTRE JAMES BOND 007

WORLD PREMIERE LAUNCH SPECTRE JAMES BOND 007

| 2. November 2015 | Lifestyle

London recently hosted the acclaimed ‘World Premier’ launch SPECTRE James Bond 007. The presentation has been the pinnacle of all the movies filled with such phenomenal power and action. As an avid Bond disciple, Mr. Moore was my initiation in my childhood. I have observed, held in intrigue as each Bond is so varied and makes the role theirs.

However, Mr. Daniel Craig is of a total superior league. A fine actor who graduated from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and initially started on stage. In his various film journeys, he submerges into the role, eats, breathes, and 'bonds 'close to his production team as they strive to deliver the best to date. He has taken his character and totally made his. He has refreshed, given depth and modernized the agent. Surely Ian Fleming would be elated. Even at one point, he made him vulnerable, aging, out of shape and not on top form from his usual nuclear-fuelled persona.

Ice blue eyes, killer instinct, toned tactile physique trained by the elite of Her Majesty's forces, Bond is the very epitome of a spy who will put his life second to Queen and country.

If the previous box hit Skyfall left audiences speechless, SPECTRE will leave them gasping for air.

Sam Mendes takes this movie to a new level of knife-edge adrenalin were visuals and stunts will leave you precariously on the edge of your seat, risking an aerial display of popcorn.

Gone is the beloved Judi Dench as M, but the slick ruthless Ralph Fiennes more than compensates such an important role. The adorable exotic chocolate Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny is candy to the eyes and her slick performance, loyalty to Bond no matter what the circumstances (despite she accidentally shot him in Skyfall),  are possible signs of a deep undercurrent of emotions.

Ben Whishaw continues as the rather preppy, geeky, cute Q who you really wouldn't want as an enemy as his talents in his field are matchless.

As the oldest Bond girl to play such an iconic role, Monica Bellucci raises the temperature up to Sahara midday heat and every red hot-blooded male will be in need of ice down.

Stunning French actress Léa Seydoux enthralls as a Bond girl.

With references to previous movies interlaced within Spectre, the highlights of a Bond saga has to be the villain. Christoph Waltz takes on the role of his cool effortless stride.

This is Daniel Craig at his very best. He has molded Bond and made his. From an aged falling to pieces agent, to a man haunted from his past, he brings the character alive, realistic and even more likable.

Buckle yourself in your chair, as you are in for one hell of a roller coaster ride, SPECTRE an explosion of uncontrolled dynamite.

Louis Mariette

DUBAI TRAVEL DIARY

DUBAI TRAVEL DIARY

| 25. October 2015 | Lifestyle

Dubai Travel Diary

Today we bring you guys, the travel diary of my friend Tanja and Sophie. The first stop in Dubai!

Sophie (my travel partner) and I arrived in Dubai with some prejudices. But nothing was like we expected it to be.

Before our journey started everybody told us to be careful concerning our clothing. As soon as we arrived we noticed that their/ our worries were for nothing. The only thing u should keep in mind is to cover your shoulders and knees but some even ignored that.

One thing you have to get used to is that men are always staring. We still haven't figured out if they gawked because we are women, white or taller than 90% of them. But after some time we got used to it. Furthermore, taxi drivers honk all the time to get your attention, which is a little annoying.

We really liked the woman-only wagons on the subway. They kept us away from the stares and you nearly always got a seat, since it was not that crowded as in the mixed wagons. If u want to make sure to always get a seat u can purchase the gold metro pass. One more thing we noticed was that it is a really clean city. There is no trash, chewing gums or cigarette butts on the ground. Everything is as shiny as u know it from tv/photos.

In Dubai moreover, everybody is really really helpful and people tried their best to help us even when they had no clue or did not understand us.

Burj Khalifa

It is the world's highest tower and a MUST see when in Dubai! But reserve the tickets at home over the Internet since you can save more than half of the local price. Also, it depends on which time you visit the Burj Khalifa. Prices vary hourly-> so make sure to check that.

The Dubai mall

Known as the biggest shopping mall in the world it contains more than 1200 shops. It took us one whole day to look around although we didn't go to that many shops there are so many attractions next to shopping. E.g. a giant aquarium with sharks and even divers, a taxi which brings you from one end to the other, a village, a souk ( which is like a market), an ice rink...

 Burj al Arab

It is the only 8-star hotel in the world... But I'm sure u have heard of it already. When you are in Dubai you need to go there for a drink or brunch. Make sure to make a reservation because if you don't you can't get in - the porters are very strict. It would be a pity to just look at it from the outside since you have to get there by taxi.

Jumeirah beach

It is one of the few public beaches in Dubai but it is really nice and the best place to go after an exhausting sightseeing day. The best way to get there is going to the Jumeirah lake towers by metro, then cross the big bridge until you see the sea. But just go there in the late afternoon otherwise it is way too hot. You can rent a sunbed and parasols there or just bring your own towel.

Waterfountainshow

The famous water fountain show which takes place in front of the Burj Khalifa starts at 6 pm and after that every 30 minutes. If you want to watch it go to one of the many restaurants (e.g. 5 guys -> order small fries, the regulars are like supersize). Otherwise, you can stand in the front with approx 6000 other people. And be there at least 45 minutes before it starts, to get a good spot.

In the end, we also would recommend you to do a desert safari. We wanted to do one but ran out of time. But if you have the possibility to do it, it's most likely an unforgettable experience.

HOLIDAYS IN BARCELONA SPAIN

HOLIDAYS IN BARCELONA SPAIN

| 25. October 2015 | Travel

Holidays in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city to get lost. Over 20 years of tantalizing, vibrant, hot Catalan rich culture, Spain seduces me back time and again to Europe's finest Mediterranean city of Barcelona, saturated in history, the arts, culture, host of the 1992 Olympics, it really doesn't get much more exciting and refined as this. So cast away the maps, iPads, iPhones. Submerge yourself by getting lost, exploring the endless possibilities of delights. Breath in deep and live at the moment.

Whether you are a single traveler, couple, family, making holidays in Barcelona is always incredible. Every day this city entices you to its leafy tree-lined boulevards and lanes festooned with fascinating cafe culture. Quirky imaginative boutiques, interiors that are refreshingly stylish and practical are abundant.

I always get amazed watching the lucky weekday business folk who take their lunch break dining at one of the many eateries overlooking the pristine Barceloneta Beach, the Frank Gehry iconic gold metallic fish sculpture, Barcelona's skyline signature shimmering and reflecting in the mid-heat sun. For those seeking refuge from the mid-heat, the cool calm interior of the Arts hotel is always a satisfying way for the discerning visitor to mop their overheated brow in plush surroundings.

This city boasts endless fascinating 'must-do's',  locals are charming, laid back, helpful and as I discovered on this trip taking out my best friend son Amine...uber child-friendly.

It is utterly impossible to list all my favorite suggestions of places to visit as the choice is utterly endless. Also, they meet such a high standard and 'spoilt for choice ' takes on a new meaning. So here are a few pointers that I hope will entice you to visit one of the world's most charismatic destinations.

Gastro delights in Barcelona

If you are like me and a foodie at heart, this region of the country will tantalize you to some of the most mouthwatering scrumptious flavors. Explore the markets and if you have self-catering facilities, then try Bacalla Salat. Salted cod, eaten locally over the centuries. Break up the fish into flakes and sprinkle over a salad using giant sun-drenched intensely flavored Montserrat tomatoes.

For the more adventurous try Tripas, pig intestines, sublime in  a Catalan traditional dish cap i pota, washed down by a local vineyard Cava such as Gran Juve y Camps Brut Grand Reserva

Cargols a la llauna an oven backed snail dish is certainly an acquired taste but the sauce is rich, full of the flavors. Secret recipes have been passed on for generations, guarded by grandmothers who keep their secret close to their bosom. Get a piece of bread and wipe clean your dish and savor the treats of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

But you don't get better at sampling such delights then having your own local chef to give you a personal demonstration. I catch up with my darling friend Daisy who educates me on local produce and cooks up a storm at her home.

For those seeking a stylish location to dressing up ( although this isn't a requirement) and savor a mix of exquisitely presented  dishes, beverages in chic surroundings, then head of to El Nacional

It's the perfect destination to impress for a client meeting, soirée with friends. Or as my outrageous best friend Moyra cheekily tells me, "A swish discreet location for Oysters and wine from the Penedes region when I am being charmed on a date by a bronzed, curly-haired, hazel eye local Spanish gentleman!". Well, you don't get a better tip then that...."Reserva para dos"!

Music in Barcelona

For Opera, the fine vocals at the Palau de la Musica are a must.  However, let your ears be enchanted to a spiritual level at the small chapel of Santa Maria del Pi that holds small concerts.

Museums in Barcelona

The list and quality match any other city globally, however for those who have a nose for keynotes in fine scents, visit Museu del Perfum. Ok, it has to be the smallest and weakest narrated museum I've ever been to, a sort of afterthought at the back of a perfume retail store with sales staff showing little enthusiasm. However, it is extraordinary as the styles of bottles from the finest Haute couture houses from Balmain to Dior and back through time to the Roman Empire. Take note the Faberge style eggs made of Mother of Pearl that open to reveal the scent bottles... a sure way to create intrigue on any ladies dressing table.

From sun drenched Monserrat tomatoes to Monserrat. This is a vertigos paradise as the monastery is perched precariously on rock faces with stomach churning sheer drops. An hour from the city, we drove there. The winding route is beyond fantastic and nature boasts mountains made of giant smooth round like boulders emerging from pine forests on a white knuckle ride road.

Friends told me that a great option is the train up the mountain. This is meant to be breathtaking. Further up from the monastery is a venicular train, literally scaling a sheer rock face. However, the last thing I would want to hear over the intercom is , "Folks, by chance has anyone got any brake fluid"?! The whole location is an exceptional example of mans achievement. Exploring the monastery, witnessing the Black Madonna surrounded in gold guilt almost hovering above the alter with an array of hanging individually crafted lanterns is humbling. The sheer scale of everything amongst the giant rocks is impressive. Yes it is full of hoards of tourists, but it is a pleasant spectacular scenic day out, well managed and not a drop of litter to be seen.

La Fiesta de Gracia

This is a city that boasts an endless array of festivals from small religious processions to this jaw dropping, visually surreal event in the Gracia district. As "travel luck" presented itself to me, coincidently it so happened to be on whilst I was visiting. What is marvelous is you can bring kids and it's a fun family dayout with a great party atmosphere, live bands, and loads of tantalizing vendors selling cocktails. But what makes this festival quite magical is the community aspect. Various neighborhood residents join forces and theme their road by decorating it to an exceptional standard. Creativity goes into overload and their imagination using recycling objects is very commendable.

This year the Japanese theme won, my favourite too.

What makes the displays remarkable is you walk through them in a tunnel-like manner and a lot of the elements float above you in a profusion of color, textures, and shapes.

My firsts visit was at night, the displays are at full force when illuminated. The next day, I decided to revisit to capture a daylight aspect. A good choice as you capture the real charm of the neighborhood. Most businesses are open and you get a true flavor of the talented local artisans. I stumbled into a shop, like an over-excited magpie, drawn to the fascinating riot of endless buttons perfect for my millinery. Most of them hand made to order for clients.

I chatted with the charming owner Victoria Ibars. On walls were framed artistic button displays, some made of cracked ceramic, wood, you name it, she will create it, for information please visit: Victoria Ibars

I walked endlessly, peeking through residential windows as I passed by. I observed the close, warm family and community spirit. From Grandma to her grandchildren. Embracing, laughing, eating, hearts endlessly giving. Yes, I feel this is what is the core of this city. The family and community are the concrete foundation to Barcelona, one of the world’s most loveable cities.

La pasion Flamenca no la puede comprender quien no la experimenta

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDENS

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDENS

| 19. October 2015 | Lifestyle

Physic Gardens, last of the summer bloom in a hidden garden

How could I resist an invitation to Chelsea’s secret hidden walled garden with Mrs. Howard, a lady of vast intelligence, charm, eccentricity and her husband being one of the key sponsors to help keep the garden in it’s current glorious state to this day.

The physic garden is a walled enclosure near the exclusive residential Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, the Thames is a “duck crumb throw away”. It is a divine pleasure to visit if ever you are coming to London. It’s a little off the beaten track and advisable to book ahead for lunch. Full of flora marvels from Quintessential British fruits to some exotic insect killers! A highly educational experience as this is a garden founded in 1673 and has been used for the education of plants for medicinal purposes. It is the second oldest botanical garden in Britain.

The plot of land has glorious greenhouses and is very informative about individuals who have been pioneers in their fields such as John Lindley.

This is a secret garden worth discovering. But alas it draws to an end as the climate cools. To save a date in your diary for spring as it comes to life in splendor.

As I was like a grasshopper taking photos from flower to tree, I hope you appreciate the images of the gardens if you miss them this year…Enjoy.

For more information please visit: Chelsea Physics Garden

 

By Louis Mariette

TIMOTHY OULTON’S ICONIC INTERIOR DESIGNER

TIMOTHY OULTON’S ICONIC INTERIOR DESIGNER

| 14. October 2015 | Lifestyle

Interior Designer Timothy Oulton

Timothy Oulton is an iconic Interior Designer. Blessed with the "Midas" touch with visionary original conceptual designs that resonate taste, style, luxury to a bionic level, sort after by a kaleidoscope of discerning clients as his inventive furniture products fall effortlessly into their homes...this is the interior designer who anyone in the known has on speed dial. Today we bring you guys an exclusive interview our partner Louis Mariette.

There must be a fine line balance when working with a client to get your vision into their home. Are you given carte Blanche or is an intense project liaising all the way until completion?

I like to think our clients are special, usually a bit daring. Some know exactly what they want and how to fit us into their home, while others just like the overall feeling or impression they get from our collections and style, but are not sure where to start. Either way, it’s important that it’s their vision – it’s their "home". One of our recent projects was the Blue Room at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, it’s a real institution in the city. The team there asked us to provide somewhere for people to meet, relax, do business, but in the context of a club with a great and storied history. We used our furniture mixed in with a whole load of vintage memorabilia we found in their basement to really pay homage to the club’s heritage. We wanted to create this piece of history, a sensory overload, it’s not like anything else in the building.

Do you get anxious unveiling your final work to a client?

Not so much nervous – we generally try to get to know our clients well through the process. Often it comes together in pieces over time, and we work on it together. So not really nervous, but we do get excited.

To date what was the most exciting project that gives you a personal sense of great pride.

We are always trying to do the "next thing", to test ourselves. So usually it’s the last thing we've done. I mentioned the LA Athletics Club as a recent highlight – such a privilege to work with them. But in the last year, we’ve also had other great projects. We refresh our stores regularly, with new layouts. We've opened stores in Auckland and Dubai, and each one is different. And we also have been working on the Dome Home. It’s really special. We built it as a sort of creative hub for our designers to come together, have some downtime, and we entertain a lot of visitors there. It’s a certified passive house, built entirely from timber, with the interior paneling in reclaimed English pine. Domes have been around for thousands of years but we wanted to do something different, modern. The concept is that we can build it and then ship it anywhere in the world. The furniture inside echoes the dome, the custom kitchen hugs the curved wall, the Shabby sofa is curved and there’s a round marble table that we all sit around and eat at together.

It is staggering the amount of outlets you have globally from Sydney, Hong Kong, Jeddah to Guatemala! Tell me more about your team.

We’d like to be in the best 50 cities in the world. Whether you’re in L.A., Amsterdam or Beirut, we want you to have the same experience walking into any of our galleries, a feeling that’s very distinctive. Our gallery ambassadors are really dynamic – they've all been to visit our workshops and see how we make things; they’ve watched the craftsmanship in action, and they’re passionate about telling those stories. They're supported by a small team zipping around the world helping with visual merchandising and styling, store development, and events.

Sourcing materials, around the world and developing your products must be an exciting process. How hands-on are you, for example, do you travel abroad to visit manufacturers/suppliers personally?

I’m very hands-on, it’s just always been the way I’ve done things. Business is all about people, and our suppliers are very important to us, to get just the effects we are trying to create. We have a pretty big network now, so I can't be everywhere. But especially for new materials and collections, I'm directly involved. It’s in my blood. I just want it to be the best it can possibly be, so I have to get involved. I have a great team, like-minded people who share that passion, and we’re all working towards the same thing. We talk about best on the planet - that’s our battle cry in everything we do.

There is a sense of British pride and of course, as a milliner, I adore your quirky vintage bowler hat that appears once in a while. How does "Britishness" get received by your global market

British heritage is really important to us. When I was working in the antique industry I fell in love with British craftsmanship, things that were built to last, built for empire, almost. It wasn't the empire that was important, it was the vision and commitment to quality, to the future, that struck me.  My dad was a major in the British Army, I was lucky enough to go to a great school in the UK – and those things stay with you. People sense that in your work. People want things that have authenticity and purpose, and that resonates with people in Moscow or New York just as much as it does with someone in London.

Finally, a bird chirped in my ear about an exciting project you have instigated regarding a dinner party project. Tell us more about what to expect for 2015/16?

We’ve been talking about this idea of hosting being a lost art, an art that we want to revive. At the end of the day, it’s about having people to your home. We’re holding a sort of global dinner party odyssey; four very different dinner parties in China, L.A, New York and Amsterdam, with each one built around our collections. After a worldwide search, we’ve appointed a Dinner Party Critic to travel to each event and review the whole experience, not just the food but the atmosphere, interior, music, and conversation. We’re also getting ready to launch the 2016 collection in January and more projects are on the near horizon, there are lots of exciting things happening right now.

“The new collections have a very distinctive energy that sort of radiates from within. The shapes and materials we’ve used are bold and dynamic, but they’re also cozy and inviting at the same time.”

To know more about this amazing designer, please visit: Timothy Oulton

 

Interview courtesy of Louis Mariette