48 HOURS OF EATING IN PARIS
I just returned from a fantastic weekend of eating my way through Paris (redeeming a Christmas present) filled with food, food, and more food…
First of all, special thanks to the Murano Resort in Paris which hosted me for the wkend. For anybody visiting the city of lights, I strongly urge you to check out the Murano while considering their hotel. The location is perfect on Rue de Temple near La Republique steps from the bohemian Marais district. The rooms feature vivid colors, exciting electronics (Bang and Olufsen TV´s), and fantastic bathrooms (below are images of our amazing room in the hote). The Murano really shines however during the night when the two bars and restaurant convert to one of Paris´s hotspots for locals.
Guy Savoy: When you are ranked the number one restaurant in the most famous city in the world for food (according to tripadvisor), have three Michelin stars, and are booked months in advance, it is understandable to develop a big head. However, at Guy Savoy, I experienced the kindest, most interesting, and spectacular meal of my life thanks in large part to the humility and ease of the staff and Mr. Savoy himself. We enjoyed a 5 course meal including dishes like Red Mullet with liver sauce and her beignets, Artichoke and Black Truffel Soup with homemade layered Brioche with mushrooms and truffle butter, foie gras wild pigeon pheasant mallard duck with steamed cabbage and light gravy, granny smith apple compote with candied chestnut, and a selection of incredible sweets… The service was what you expect from a restaurant of that calibre, and to top it off the staff offered a special tour of the kitchen and a introduction to the Executive Chef. This meal lasted for 4 hours and will be hurting my wallet for months to come, but for a special occasion, I cannot recommend it enough!
Favela Chic: If you find yourself in need of a good caipirinha or batida de coco, look no further than Favela Chic. The Brazilian themed restaurant and bar is known for its beautiful clientele, fantastic cuisine, and great music that has inspired many nights of table dancing… Just make sure to make reservations as the place gets packed early.
Angelina: For one of the best hot chocolates in the world, look no further than the classic spot Angelina. Don´t mind the tourists as you indulge in the thickest, richest, and most serious chocolate experiences imaginable…
Chez Marianne: For a quick and cheap lunch on the go, there is one falafel stand that rises above the rest in the Marais… Chez Marianne. 27, rue des Ecouffes, 75004, 4th Arrondissement, Paris, France (map); 01 42 71 53 72
Auberge de la Reine Blanche: For the typical cozy French experience, enjoy a dinner at Augerge de la reine Blanche. Located on the little island in the middle of the city. I had a delicious Onion soup and Boeuf Bourginon. 30, rue de St-Louis-en-l’Ile, Paris, France, 01 46 33 07 87
2010 SKI WORLD CUP IN ADELBODEN, SWITZERLAND
For all of you ski fans, the 2010 Ski World Cup will take place in Adelboden Switzerland this wkend. Adelboden is, of course, home of one of our newest spectacular hotels, The Cambrian…
Check out the World Cup site here!
FINE (ART) DINING IN NEW YORK
It would have been easy to design the Guggenheim Museum’s new Wright Restaurant, which opens to the public Friday, exactly as Frank Lloyd Wright himself would have wanted it: among the 400 drawings he made for the 1959 building, a few were devoted to a ground-floor dining space, though not one particularly suited to a contemporary audience. “The layout was very simple, almost monastic, with clusters of tables aligned with the portholes,” said the architect Andre Kikoski, who designed the restaurant. But, as he explained, “it wasn’t conducive to social interaction, and it certainly wasn’t about the integration of art.” Rather than executing Wright’s original sketches, Kikoski turned the space — most recently a generic cafeteria with brown carpeting — into a modern homage to the legendary architect, who designed the museum to harmonize with the artwork within.
The Guggenheim commissioned one of Kikoski’s friends and neighbors, the artist Liam Gillick, to develop a site-specific piece that runs around the walls and up the ceiling. Made of extruded aluminum in shades of yellow and orange, it helps museumgoers make a connection between the restaurant and what goes on in the adjacent rotunda.
But most of Kikoski’s efforts were spent attempting to evoke the movement of the building’s signature ramp — short of making diners seasick, of course — by exaggerating the arced perspective of the room and filling it with highly tactile materials. “The same way you view the art differently from different points in the spiral, what you see from across the space isn’t the same as what you see when you get closer,” he said. The wall behind the Corian bar is lined in fiber-optic wood; the metal bar front has a textured patina; and mesh stretched behind the blue leather banquettes is patterned with a tiny version of Wright’s “primitive initial,” the football-like shape of the rotunda’s columns and fountain, which formed the basis for Kikoski’s floor plan. Wright, whose many utopian fantasies were on view in the Guggenheim’s recent 50th anniversary retrospective, was never shy about embracing the future. It’s nice to see the museum thinks along the same lines. (via The Moment)
Philip Greenberg
DESIGN HOTELS CHRISTMAS PARTY
Another great year is coming quickly to a close for the Design Hotels team… After a very successful company meeting and a week full of great ideas and efforts, we celebrated the end of 2009 with a fantastic party at the hottest restaurant in Berlin- the newly opened Luchs Restaurant at the Lux 11 Berlin Mitte. Not sure what was enjoyed the most between the delicious antipasti, the ravioli, or the main courses (succulent Sea Bass and Guinea Fowl)… or was it the wine and special “Luchs” beer… or was it the restaurant itself….?
Regardless, a great time was had by all this year and we look forward to sharing the spirit of the holiday season with all of you through our Advent Calendar which is currently in progress- check it out for your chance to win vouchers, bags, books, and other special prizes!
MTV EUROPE MUSIC AWARDS, BERLIN
Last night I scored some “audience participation” tickets to the MTV EMA (Euro Music Awards) which took place here in Berlin at the O2 arena across from the Design Hotels HQ. The show was pretty entertaining and remarkably organized- I guess as their 16th EMA show, they should be pretty good by now. Some highlights via iPhone camera…
David Hasselhoff
Katy Perry
Green Day
NORTHERN UGANDA
Our Water Program Director Becky Straw recently returned from Northern Uganda, where it all began for charity: water. In 2006, donors funded the first set of wells in a refugee camp that desperately needed clean water. Today, thanks to your continued help, we have 88 clean water projects serving over 58,000 people in Uganda. I hope Becky’s story touches you as it touched many people here in our office. - Scott Harrison
Will the beautiful women of the world please stand up. Driving down a bumpy road in the middle of Northern Uganda, we’re kicking up dust as we head into the rural countryside. I was traveling with teams from two other non-profit organizations to evaluate the work of our shared local partner, Joy Drilling, who was drilling wells and training communities in sanitation and hygiene. Before piling in, I make a last minute decision to jump into the truck’s flatbed. The Ugandan drilling crew looks stunned that I’d do such a thing, but I didn’t care. I’m happy to suffer a little dust for the view.
I have a pretty incredible job. As charity: water’s Water Program Director, I travel to some of the most desperate places on earth in search of clean water. And while the landscape changes, there’s always one thing that remains the same: the women are always walking. Whether I’m trekking the mountains of Haiti, taking cover from a rainstorm in rural Liberia, or tramping through the jungles of Central African Republic, the women are always carrying water.
From my vantage point in the truck, I watch women gather up their children and move to the edge of the road to let us pass. Their feet are gnarled and calloused: a result of thousands of miles walked barefoot over rocks and mud. With babies strapped to their backs, their brightly colored skirts sway and their knees quiver and brace under the weight of water and children. Most balance pails on their heads, while some grip 80 pounds of water with sweaty palms, a bright yellow 5-gallon Jerry Can in each hand.
I’m in awe of how they manage. But of course, they have no choice. The average woman in Africa walks three miles every day for water. Often, it’s water from putrid rivers or disease-infested swamps. Worldwide, women are more than twice as likely as men to collect drinking water.
Without warning, our truck suddenly swerves off the road and up over an embankment. Dried corn stalks thump against the side of the truck as we plow through a field. My knuckles are white as I try to hold on and not bounce out.
Moments later, we find ourselves in a clearing and in the middle of a huge celebration. Esther, our photographer, pokes her head out the window, smiles, and yells back at me, “Looks like our mission’s been compromised!” I usually prefer to surprise communities by our arrival because it makes it easier to monitor how our water points are functioning without hundreds of people watching. But once you visit a few communities in the neighborhood, rumors of your presence spread like wildfire.
We jump out of the truck and walk into a party. The women meet us with exuberant cheering and dancing. Pure and loud joy rocks the village.
This is when I meet Helen Apio. While most women hung back politely, Helen jumps toward me and screams two inches from my face. Technically, it’s singing. But the high-pitched shrieking is so loud and reverberates with such energy and emotion, I know I have to talk with her.
She tells me about the new freshwater well in her village. “I am happy now,” Helen beams. “I have time to eat, my children can go to school. And I can even work in my garden, take a shower and then come back for more water if I want! I am bathing so well.”
A few of the men chuckle to hear a woman talk about bathing. But all I notice is Helen’s glowing face, the fresh flowers in her hair, and the lovely green dress she wore for special occasions. Touching her forearm, I reply, “Well, you look great.” “Yes,” she pauses. Placing both hands on my shoulders and smiling, she said, “Now, I am beautiful.”
That really hits me. My job is to focus on sustainable development, health, hygiene and sanitation; to make sure charity: water’s projects are working in 20 years. But nowhere on any of my surveys or evaluations is a place to write, “Today we made someone feel beautiful.”
How Helen became beautiful is the real story. Before she had clean water, she would wake up before dawn, take her only two 5-gallon Jerry Cans and walk almost a mile and a half to the nearest water point, which happened to be at a school. Because there simply wasn’t enough water for the area’s population, she’d wait in line with hundreds of other women who also valued clean water. Helen’s only other option was to skip the wait and collect contaminated water from a pond.
Helen spent most of her day walking and waiting. She tells me each day she’d say to herself, “How should I use this water today? Should I water my garden so we can grow food? Should I wash my children’s uniforms? Should I use it to cook a meal? Should we drink this water?” With two children, one husband and 10 gallons, Helen had to make choices.
I see the shame in her eyes when she describes how she would return from her long trek to find her two young children waiting for her. They were often sent home from school because their uniforms were dirty. Helen just never had enough water.
I see now why she is so eager to scream out her joy and gratitude. She wants me to understand that this gift from charity: water was real. With the new well in her village, her life is transformed. She now has choices. Free time. Options. Also, Helen has been chosen to be the Water Committee Treasurer, collecting nominal fees from 51 households to use for the maintenance of their well. Water Committees are often the first time women are ever elected to leadership positions in villages.
Last month, Helen was standing in line waiting for water.
This month, she’s standing up for her community. And now, she is beautiful.
- Becky Straw
photos by: Esther Havens
SKI SEASON BEGINS AT THE MAVIDA BALANCE HOTEL & SPA!
The Mavida Balance Hotel & Spa is the newest member of the Travel Diaries family. Located in beautiful Zell am See in Austria, the Mavida combines modern design, comfortable rooms and spa facilities, with a wide variety of nearby activities including Skiing, hiking, golf, and biking. I had the pleasure of spending a few nights there a while ago and had a fantastic and rejuvinating experience! (below are some pictures…)
The Mavida wanted to let us in on the latest activities taking place on the nearby Kitzsteinhorn glacier skiing area. With early snow already powdering the trails, they recommdended a visit for the “white start” or the “Kästle test tour” for ski-freaks and beginners alike! Make a long wkend out of a trip to the Mavida which is located not too far from Salzburg or Munich and enjoy the local dish, “tafelspitz” and some of the famous Grüner Veltliner wine (Mavida is featured in our recent Wine List special)!
OKTOBERFEST IN SINGAPORE!
Our Singapore office made us proud representing the best of both worlds (Singapore and Germany) during the annual Oktoberfest part in the normally conservative and pristine city state. David, our Asia Pac Director of Sales and Marketing sent this message from the middle of the party…
“End of September, 2000 people under a tent, a full cow cooking, mountains of weißtwurst, Jägermeister and of course the frauleins with the beers, does it sound like Munich? No it was Singapore last Friday, thank you Lufthansa!” Makes us proud!
While in Singapore, check out the New Majestic Hotel which is currently featured in our Sexy list.
WE´RE JUST SAYING…
Sweden is a beautiful country with a lot to offer including nature, sports, fashion, design, excellent food… the list goes on and on. However, in 1968 a little known film called “Sweden, Heaven and Hell” attempted to warn us all of Sweden´s hedonistic side that includes things like “meter maids who wear uniforms by day and nothing at night!”
While we agree the the country definitely has a number of beautiful people, we like to think that since the movie´s inauspicious debut 40 years ago, the rest of the world has opened up to the democracy and liberal attitude which can been seen in this preview.
Check out our Swedish hotels here!