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Category Archives: TRAVEL
Tokyo Drift
I may not live in Tokyo anymore after Japan was sadly hit by a natural disaster early this year. But after relocating to Hong Kong it’s great to still be able to jump on a plane and be in Tokyo in 3.5 hours. While I was in Tokyo late last week and over the weekend I caught up with one of my best mates Ume for a few Umeshu’s and some great local food. He showed me a couple of new haunts around Azabu and a mate of his who works at the fish markets took as for a private tour around the markets riding on the back of a fork-lift. Ha! Good times!
Source
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The LUMI Mask uses virtual sunrise to wake you up
If your anything like me with mornings being a struggle getting up. The LUMI Mask could be the answer. Designed by Taylor Franklin Hide, the sleep mask helps you wake up on time with a gentle simulated sunrise lighting effect embedded in the mask. You just simply set the mask to the time you want to wake up, and the mask will gradually brighten as time approaches(light unit inside the mask simulates a sunrise 30 minutes before you wake).
“If your alarm is at 7 am, the light will gradually brighten beginning at 6:30. An audible alarm sounds at the end of the sunrise sequence, letting you know it’s time to start the day.”
Dri Dri at St Martins Lane by Elips Design
A pop-up Italian ice cream stall at St Martins Lane Hotel in London was inspired by the seaside serving gelato by UK company Dri Dri from a timber cart on wheels. Designed by architects Elips Design.
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My Mobile Office in Tokyo
I’m back in Tokyo wooo!!! hoooo!!! I’m in back in town to extend my visa, catch up with a few peeps and of course check out the creative scene I miss so much. As great as it is to be back in my favourite city in the world. Work doesn’t doesn’t stop and after presenting some store front designs to a new client in Hong Kong they have now asked me to the do the brand identity for the job as well and of course they need it yesterday. I’m becoming the master of mobile offices whether it’s a cafe, apartment, hotel lobby or in this case the great guys at my hotel in Tokyo have set me up a pop-up office with an additional computer, printer, free wifi and even given me a key to use it 24hours! I love Japanese hospitality. We could all learn a thing about service from them.
My posting may be a little low over the next couple of days so bear with me and I’ll have a heap of new stuff when I get back.
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Bedtime reading thanks to Tsutaya
Tokyo has one of the best book and magazine stores in the world called TSUTAYA in Roppongi Hills. I always do a few trips there when I’m in town and when I was living in Tokyo conveniently picked an apartment almost across the road from it. One of the best magazine selections I’ve ever seen. I popped down there this evening to grab a few magazines and ended up coming out with a pile of everything from fashion, japanese illustrators, interiors, a surf dvd, skateboarding, and hat&cap magazines. Can’t wait to find time to look through them all. The only problem is they weigh a tone, so I’m not sure how I’m going to get these all back Hong Kong yet.
TSUTAYA 6-11-1, Roppongi Hills Roppongi Keyakizaka as Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
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The Nolitan Hotel NYC
Nolita — “North of Little Italy” – is your neighborhood in New York and The Nolitan Hotel is your home when you’re here.
At the corner of Kenmare and Elizabeth Streets, The Nolitan Hotel is the first luxury boutique hotel in Manhattan to open in this authentic New York City neighborhood. Arriving August 1, 2011, The Nolitan Hotel combines luxurious downtown living with luxury boutique hotel services and amenities to create a distinct New York City experience. Our NYC boutique hotel offers accommodations, intuitive service and the comforts of home. And with only 55 rooms, we will take very good care of you.
Reservations
212.925.2555
reservations@nolitanhotel.com
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The Art of FLIGHT: The Metal Trailer 2
I can’t wait for this to come out in September. The first video ‘That’s It. That’s All’ changed the way I snowboarded. I’m sure from the two trailers that this is one’s going to be even more mind blowing. Track is by Arch Enemy – “Vengeance Is Mine”.
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Clocking off for the day
The days are faster and the nights even longer in Hong Kong. It’s not unusual to finish the average day until around 10pm. That’s what’s great about this city is the fact the city never sleeps so even when you have a late one working there’s still plenty of people out and plenty of restaurants open to eat. My head is swimming at the moment with four major projects on, so it’s nice to finish the day with a great Japanese dinner at SUSHI SASE which specialise in Kaiseki cuisine accompanied by a bottle of sake and a few Sapporos.
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Fiji Surfing: Pacific Pirates
Pacific Pirates from Billabong on Vimeo.
Fiji’s Cloudbreak at it’s finest. Follow a few Aussie boys take on some of the best barrels and worst wipeouts of their surfing career.
“Some are calling it the biggest and best swell to hit Fiji in 20 years, check out Dean Bowen, Scardy, Nick Vasicek and Mikey Brennan’s journey chasing down the monster waves with some of the worlds finest.”
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Converse Rubber Tracks Recording Studio
Great time-laps video showing the creation of the Converse Rubber Tracks, a new state-of-the-art recording studio in Brooklyn, NY. The purpose is to provide artists of all genres the opportunity to record their original music in a high quality studio with a team of experienced engineers at no cost.
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Freeskiing: “Being There” CLIP
BEING THERE – FIELD PRODUCTIONS from Field Productions on Vimeo.
While I’m sweating it out everyday in Hong Kong, it’s snow time in the southern hemisphere! I’m hoping to get to Queenstown, New Zealand sometime in August for a heli-board if I can get away from work for week. I came across this clip for ‘Being There’ and even though I snowboard. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a ski or board video as long as there’s a good soundtrack over the top. It get’s me pumped! This is for all my snow pals in Australia and New Zealand.
“With some of the best skiers within all aspects of modern freeskiing, and a passionate film crew equipped with the best of HD cameras, this movie will both thrill and amaze you. Along side amazing action shots and mind blowing scenery, this movie will give you a behind the scenes look at the production itself.”
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Tree Hotel in Harads – Sweden
I love these designs and has inspired me to build my own one day or at least go to Sweden to experience the tree-top hotel room by Swedish architects Cyrén & Cyrén. You access the room via a bridge leading from the hilly forest to an entrance on the roof. The Cabin hangs from the trees and has a roof terrace overlooking the forest.This project is one of five rooms of the Tree Hotel in Harads, northern Sweden.
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Usugrow and Toshikazu Nozaka “Oriental Elements” Exhibition At Backwoods Gallery
Usugrow and Toshikazu recently debuted a new series of works at theBackwoods Gallery in Australia. Usugrow is known for his calligraphic styles and work within the Japanese punk and metal scene. Toshikazu Nozaka began as a professional skateboarder during the 90s and then into Japanese tattooing. The Oriental Elements show will remain open till July 31, 2011.
Backwoods Gallery
25 Easey St
Collingwood VIC 3066
Australia
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Lions Loungin’
This is not a retouched photo. I repeat. This is not a retouched photo.
Taken in June this year during a game drive at Nakuru National Park in Kenya. Rounding a bend on the track I came upon not one but seven of these magnificent young lions draped across the branches of an Acacia tree. What a privilege for me to have witnessed this amazing moment. Photograph by Mrs. Wai Chun Turnbull.
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What’s in my bag?
I was sitting in my usual spot where I work and was just starting to pack up for the day. When the question came to me. What do I carry around with me everyday as a designer??
So here it is –
- 17″ Macbook Pro Laptop
- Wireless Mouse
- Laptop Charger
- iPad
- Beats Headphones
- Leica ‘Safari Edition’ Camera
- Lacie External Hard Drive
- Blackberry
- iPhone
- iPod Headphones
- Monocle Notepad
- Marlboro Lights
- Lighter
- Tic Tacs
- Pen
- Sunglasses
- Magazines – Private Mag / 2 x Interior Design / Obscura
- Tap Measurer
- Watch
- Card Reader
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HUF SF
HUF is one of the top Skateboard shops started by pro skater Keith Hufnagal in San Francisco. He grew up in New York City back when I used to skate and is now bringing out some mean gears. Here’s just a few of the inspiring short commercials he brought out and visit his site for more info on the store HUF SF.
516 Hayes St(between Octavia St & Laguna St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
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Alila Villas Uluwatu – Bali
Bali has never been at the top of my list of destinations I want to visit. I’m not sure if it’s because I was lucky enough to spend most of my weekends surfing the east coast beaches of Australia or because I only knew of Kuta beach which seemed to be a dodgy hub for western tourists. Either way, over the past few years I’m seeing more and more amazing resorts and villas popping up that just make too hard to resist. Alila Villas Uluwatu is the lastest piece of paradise to lure you over to Indonesia. Looks like a great place to take a lady friend.
Overview:
Alila Villas Uluwatu is designed by award-winning Singapore architectural firm, WOHA, which has built a global reputation for innovative design for projects in tropical environments earning it the Royal Australian Institute of Architect’s (RAIA) International Award at the 2006 National Architecture Awards in Brisbane for their House on Rochalie Drive in Singapore, and Architectural Review MIPIM future projects award for The Met, a high-rise condominium in Bangkok, to name a few. Since 1989, directors Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell have been involved in the cutting edge of Asian hospitality design, having worked on many well-known hotel and villa developments.
Richard Hassell speaks of this eco-friendly project …”We are very pleased that Alila Hotels have embraced the Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles, and we are using many ESD measures including local materials, water conservation with soaks and rain gardens and recycling with grey water systems, using local plants from the special Bali Savannah ecosystem on the Bukit, which are being raised in a nursery on site to encourage local bird and animal life, heat pumps for water heating, salt water pools – among many others. The resort is registered for Green Globe certification, and will be the first hotel in Bali to get the highest level of certification for ESD. As it is built into the resort from the beginning, there will be a strong combination of the built fabric and on-going operations side working together to reduce the long-term ecological footprint of the resort.”
The design of the interiors is completely integrated with the architecture, as the design flows from inside to outside. All the materials are locally sourced. These beautiful local materials are environmentally sound and support the local communities.
For reservation or general inquiry :
Alila Villas Uluwatu
Jl Belimbing Sari
Banjar Tambiyak, Desa Pecatu 80364
Bali, Indonesia
P : +62 361 848 2166
F : +62 361 848 2188
E : uluwatu@alilahotels.com
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Maison Martin Margiela – Hotel La Masion Des Centraliens Paris, France
It seem’s all the big fashion brands are jumping on the hotel buzz. Now it’s Maison Martin Margiela’s turn. A former home to a Viennese princess, the converted townhouse is just brief stroll away from Champs Elysées.
Hotel La Maison – Champs Elysées
8, rue Jean Goujon | Map
75008 Paris France
TEL #: +33-1-40746465
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Wish I was here
Since moving to Hong Kong, the thing I miss most is going for a weekend surf. The salt water and the feeling of cleansing the soul. I’m currently doing some research on where I go duck away for a weekend to get some waves. Sigh
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Highsnobiety TV – Jacket Required
Jacket Required from Selectism on Vimeo.
Highsnobiety TV latest video feature is about the new London based tradeshow Jacket Required. Launching in August, the show was founded by Craig Ford, Andrew Parfitt and Mark Batista, who talk about the London fashion scene.