“Sleep and dine from one to five stars” is the concept of the Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam. All 117 rooms differ in size, interior concept and furniture, a combination of modern Dutch design and timeless classics. The Lloyd Hotel is located in the heart of the Eastern Docklands only 5 minutes by bike from Central Station, with views over the water and away from the noise of the city.
The Hotel is set in a revamped 1920s building with a vibrant story: First built as an emigrant’s hotel by Evert Breman, the German occupier converted the building 1941 into a prison. After that, it became a detention centre for juveniles in the sixties, before the city of Amsterdam rented out the Lloyd Hotel to a foundation, which turned it into workshops for artists. The plan to turn the building into a cultural embassy and a one to five star Hotel came 1997 and was realized and reopened as Lloyd Hotel in 2004.
My room 401 was all about space; with walls to fold out to change the spaciousness and create room for the bath and a cosy sleep space. I liked the atmosphere, the comfort and the friendly service at Lloyds and I appreciated the bike drive along the IJ after a long day in the city.
Stephan put my attention on another nice product manufactured and designed with care and skilled craftmanship: The Shwood Eyewear: “An experiment born from the limb of a Madrone tree, a rusty pair of cabinet hinges, and lenses from a store around the corner.” As the name says, they create with wood and play with its individuality and uniqueness- they keep the wood manipulation a minimum in order to showcase the medium’s natural and unique splendor. How nice to be inspired by nature to innovate and create such a nice thing. I’m looking forward to mine The Canby…
shwood | all pictures from the website
Video Experiment Skateboard Shades
An insight about the story and production of my favorite sneakers ilmia which were featured in yesterdays TV show Galileo on Pro7. Have a look in the manufacturing process to see with what quality and care they are made…Congrats Christian!
ilmia on prosieben
www.ilmia.com
A cultural walk from the VitraHaus with it’s impressive spaces – to the Fondation Beyeler with an exhibition about Richard Serra and Constantin Brancusi – both with a refined use of lines, proportions and material.
Sorry for the bad quality of the pics – a good reason to visit and see the places yourself..
Always on the lookout for good food and special ingredients I came across the concept of LaVialla. On our way back from Italy we stopped by the Fattoria and filled the car up to the brim with penne, oil, wine and sugo.
LaVialla is a beautiful farm estate about 8km north of Arezzo and is run by three brothers of the Lo Franco family. Their commitment to biodynamic organic sustainable farming is very strict and the project of combining old farming methods with new technology is very state of the art. They use their beautiful estate to show how they produce and want the guests to understand the difference and specialty of their way of farming.
I just had the feeling that everything is a little too much staged and prepared for tourists. But on the other hand, if this concept helps to create a sensibility of sustainable production, then this way of “show production” makes sense and the success proves them right…and not to forget: the products are really good…
A long table, friends, good food and drinks, interesting talks in a nice atmosphere – that is my intention for the TAVOLATA evenings. I’m very happy that Frank gives me the opportunity to welcome my guests at freiwerk, a wonderful design and interior store in the heart of Kreis 3. So yesterday I was able to start my new project with the TAVOLATA UNO having a wonderful evening.
Thanks Christian for the delicious Pasta Bramasole and Bea for the pictures! Grazie a tutti per questa bella serata e fino alla prossima volta…
Casa Bramasole – il Paradiso. No words except: arrivederci e a presto! Booking and information on casainitalia.ch
The “Trattoria” was opened way back in 1934 by Amerigo and Agnese. The Region of Emilia Romana is the place and the market of origin, the basis of the Trattoria. They cook with the believe in the simple cuisine, in their words: “the products from the courtyard, the hen house, the vegetable patch, the fields and woods are the same today as they were back in the early days, and these things are the soul of our dishes.“
The “Locanda” offers accommodation in five different rooms located in a quiet private lane in one of the oldest houses in Savigno. I stayed at room nr2 which was very affectionate decorated. A mixture of modern and antique designs, different old woods, iron doors, windows with colorful glasses and lovely details.
The “Dispensa” is right next to the Trattoria and offers many products which are served in the Trattoria. Such a nice opportunity when you can take a little moment of this spezial culinary experience back home.
www.amerigo1934.it | Grazie Sarah and Mathis for the Tipp
Off for my summer road trip to Italy – first stop Bob Dylan in Milan…
After listening to this real Music Legend we enjoyed a midnight Snack italian style at Grand’Italia. The next day we continued the Roadtrip towards Parma and dropped by the Azienda Agricola La Tosa to buy some bottles of “La Luna Selvatica” a Red wine Claudia and I discovered in Como. In Parma we found by chance a nice Bed&Breakfast AlBattisteroDoro and had a delicious dinner at Osteria Della Gatta Matta. Before we continued in direzione Bologna we stock up on fine food like parmigiano and prosciutto di Parma. All these cities and villages have so much to offer and are worth staying several days but our destination above Lago Trasimeno was waiting – just one more quick stop (see N˚076)…
I had the chance to attend Lidewij Edelkoorts Trend Forum under the theme “Shopping 2012/2013”. Her work has pioneered trend forecasting as a profession. She presents the concepts, colors and materials, which will be in fashion two or more years in advance. She and the Trend Union Team orientate professionals in interpreting the evolution of society and the foreshadowing signals of consumer tastes to come, without forgetting economic reality, by creating innovative trend books and audiovisual lifestyle analysis.
Trendtablet.com is a new social media platform explaining how trends grow, evolve and flow. The site is designed and curated by Li Edelkoort and is a tool accessed for free, open to comments and contributions.
The Thing I like: Even it is very hard to define and foresee “Trends” I always enjoy these seminars full of wonderful pictures, new perspectives, ideas and concepts which inspire to design and create, look at Things in a new way…
trendunion
trendtablet
Shopping 2012/2013
Catering by hin&weg