In
tech-savvy homes, kids are gaining a much more global outlook at a
younger age, according to researchers. Youngsters under the age of 11
-- the so-called "Generation We" -- are naturally adept with technology and tuned in to a world where they control media, not the other way around.
washyourhands.tv won't tell you anything you haven't heard a thousand times from your mother, but maybe this time it'll get through.
Slapping life sized decals over the door on the way out of men's bathrooms, JWT Toronto is drawing attention to hands and germs and things that spread.
Small stickers close to the doorknobs read "You washed. This guy didn't." or "92% of guys say they washed. 34% were lying." with the website name.
At washyourhands.tv, there are virable videos that should put hand sanitizers on men's must-have lists.
Created by Sean Gallagher & Steve Turnbull, JWT Toronto
Until now, the trend for themed hotel rooms has
been limited to boutique and art hotels that are strictly for
grown-ups. The recently opened Ramada Resort Karon Beach
in Phuket is one of the few that are taking the trend and making it
family friendly simply by creating fun and magical themed rooms just
for kids.
The resort features 14 rooms in three different
adventure themes such as the Outer Space Room, the Underwater Room and
the Castle Room. These themed rooms are all connected to adult rooms so
that the entire family can stay close together and enjoy the amenities
of those special rooms.
Besides the cute
themed decoration, the kids rooms feature play-stations, DVD players
and 32" TV. Games and movies are themed as well and specifically chosen
for their kid-friendly content. All deluxe rooms and suites are
equipped with Kidz-friendly toy boxes, which will keep the kids busy in
the evening and during any bad weather spells.
Other venues
in the hotel are also themed just for kids, including a 1950's style
rock & roll diner as its main restaurant, another dining venue
called the Magic Castle, which is decorated like a film-set. by Billy T.
We don't need scientific evidence to believe that
chocolate is an aphrodisiac, energy booster, mood changer,
antioxidant and all-around elixir of fabulous life. Neither did the
Olmecs, who are the mother culture of MesoAmerica predating even the
Mayans and Aztecs, and the first ones to cultivate the cacao
trees (that they called kakawa.)
But
what we do need is more cool places in which to indulge. Amazing
chocolate/candy stores are popping up all over the world and we must
visit all of them, for research purposes, of course.
Please let us know where the best are so that we can investigate them for inclusion in our print magazine. by Tuija Seipell
With so many dining and nightlife concepts
appearing in the world's most prestigious cities, it can
be difficult separating the 'flash in the pans' from
the genuinely unique establishments that are here to
stay. Singapore's, The Clinic, makes its distinction in a
most stylized manner.
Spanning over 15,000 sq ft of space,
The Clinic resembles an organized maze with pill shaped rooms
interlocking into one another for easy access. The Clinic has two
floors. The first fulfills your entertainment requirements, with a
number of bars, a dance club, and merchandise store. The entire
floor is clinic inspired, that is to say 'hospital chic' adorned.
That's where artist Damien Hirst comes in. His pop art graces the
walls of The Clinic, whilst his vision goes even further. Syringes,
drips, pills and hospital whites are the order of the day in The
Clinics decor. This satirical look at medical chic is both
stunning and entertaining.
Upstairs, The
Clinic offers a dining experience like no other. Dine from kidney
shaped surgical pans, and drink through test tubes. The avant- guard
menu is second to none and oddly enough well suited to the surroundings.
The
Clinic is ER-CASE, that is a drop of E.R meets a touch of Paul Smith.
Think Damien Hirst on Prozac turned gourmet, and you get the idea..
From wheelchair dining, through to hospital drip beverages, The Clinic
is a must see and perhaps one of the most unique concepts we have
hunted in recent times. by Billy T
Sometimes, as speakers get smaller, so does the sound. Not so with the first ever FireWire bus powered speakers by Lacie.
Designed by Neil Poulton,
these little wonders have a minimum output of 5W, producing amazingly
clear sound. The fact that they are firewire powered means that they do
not need an AC adapter, resulting in better portability and less cable
clutter.
The sleek, and simple design perfectly reflect their brilliant function - simple and clear. And for $79, its a steal. by Andy G
Adidas have always been one of the strongest
payers in the urban shoe and fashion market. Well known for their
innovative advertising campaigns presenting their equally brilliant
range, Adidas have big plans for 2007.
One of their big releases for the new year is this new model
(bottom right), which is made of premium black leather, 3M material and
infrared applications. The shoe merges the infamous retro style of
Adidas with modern materials, resulting in a very hip sneaker. The Material of the Worlds collection is also bound to be huge.
With
the muscle of a multi billion dollar company, the 2007 Adidas range is
sure to be even hotter than last years releases, and that is indeed a
hard act to follow. by Billy T
Atkin's Architecture Group recently won the first prize award for an international design
competition with this stunning entry. Set in a spectacular water filled
quarry in Songjiang, China, the 400 bed resort hotel is uniquely
constructed within the natural elements of the quarry. Underwater
public areas and guest rooms add to the uniqueness, but the resort also
boasts cafes, restaurants
and sporting facilities.
The lowest level runs with the aquatic
theme by housing a luxurious swimming pool and an extreme sports center
for activities such as rock climbing and bungee
jumping which will be cantilevered over the quarry and accessed by
special
lifts from the water. With a stunning visual presentation as shown
here, it's no wonder this project took home the first prize. This is a
fine example of an ultra modern facility co-existing amongst its
natural environment. by Andy G
Atkin's Architecture Group recently won the first prize award for an international design
competition with this stunning entry. Set in a spectacular water filled
quarry in Songjiang, China, the 400 bed resort hotel is uniquely
constructed within the natural elements of the quarry. Underwater
public areas and guest rooms add to the uniqueness, but the resort also
boasts cafes, restaurants
and sporting facilities.
The lowest level runs with the aquatic
theme by housing a luxurious swimming pool and an extreme sports center
for activities such as rock climbing and bungee
jumping which will be cantilevered over the quarry and accessed by
special
lifts from the water. With a stunning visual presentation as shown
here, it's no wonder this project took home the first prize. This is a
fine example of an ultra modern facility co-existing amongst its
natural environment. by Andy G
It's a brave concept for a hotel: modeling
the entire aesthetic on the industrial oil rigs of 1950's Mexico.
Especially for one that's "moored" at the hedonistic Caribbean
adventure playground that is Playa Del Carmen. But Hotel Basico - the chic offering from boutique hoteliers Grupo Habita pulls it off with unapologetic conviction.
The
gist is as follow. The building, perched on Playa del Carmen's
exclusive Fifth Avenue shopping and restaurant strip, references
Mexico's rustic petroleum industry, with the rooms looking out onto a
central mess hall-like restaurant area (note: best fish tacos in the
'hood). Above is a rooftop cocktail bar that features luxurious cabanas
made from the back of old trucks with inbuilt mattresses and
white-as-white cushions, two concrete petroleum tanks that serve as
swimming pools (note: from the pool you can sip old-school margaritas
and look down on the crowds below and out to the Caribbean, one block
away). Breezy house music and handsome hotel staff waft throughout the
building all day. Effortlessly surreal.
Now, I
personally go by the theory that if you're going to work with a
gimmick, be sure to go the full distance. Basico's architect, Hectar
Galvan, seemingly agreed with the sentiment when he put this project
together.
In the rooms, no detail is left un-themed. Exposed
pipes with fire hydrant-style taps run along the walls. An
industrial-strength bath and the king-sized, multi-purpose bed (perched
on an elevated palate) sit in the middle of the room. Everything is
exposed and raw; the toilet is the only thing in the room concealed.
There are rubber curtains on the floor-to-ceiling window and pulley
chain detailing throughout. The signage around the hotel references the
typography of Mexican taxis from the 1950s. Superbly
construction-worker chic!
The effect is softened, however, with
what one of the managers referred to as "nana touches". Continuing with
the retro feel, mosaic planter pots are smattered throughout and the
recycled floor tiles are straight from "a Mexican grandmother's patio".
Or so said the manager. The freight lift that takes you from the
open-air reception to the rooms and restaurant above is decorated with
succulents in red pots.
Some adventures in
life are about the journey. And some holidays are about a wild hotel
room experience. A sojourn at Basico taps into this ideal. This isn't
the romantic experience for honeymooners wanting to hide in their own
Caribbean cocoon. No, it's all about the exhibitionist couple who get
into the flirtatiousness of the concept, who want to be part of the
party that goes on up at the rooftop bar every night until 1am. And who
are open to "having lots of sex", as suggested in the hotel
introductory manual that's chained to the bed. It doesn't have to be
alone.
PS. Be sure to borrow the hotel snorkeling gear and visit the
surrounding cenotes (underwater caverns teaming with colorful fish).
PPS. While in Mexico check out the other offerings in the Grupo Habita
chain: Deseo in Playa Del Carmen and Condesa in Mexico City.. by Sarah Wilson
The V&A museum in London has a display of a new interactive audio-visual
installation in the John Madejski Garden. Volume is made of a series of
vertical light columns and will respond to visitors' movements,
triggering a display of light and sound.
The collaboration
is between lighting designers United Visual Artists (UVA) and Robert Del
Naja (aka 3D) of Massive Attack and his long-term co-writer Neil
Davidge (as part of their music production company, one point six). The installation is part of the Playstation Season, a
series of contemporary, interactive events at the BALTIC Centre for
Contemporary Arts, The English National Opera, Sadler's Wells, The
British Film Institute and the V&A. Times: Daily, 10am -5.45pm. Late night opening until 10pm on Wednesdays in 2006 and Fridays in 2007.
If you're just a kid at heart, you'll love this fairytale range of clothes, shoes and other accessories by London brand, Eley Kishimoto. The label was formed by textile design duo Mark Eley and Wakako Kishimoto, whose fabric designs have appeared in collections by Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen (to name a few). For their own the range, the team drew upon the innocent cartoon images of childhood. Now all you need is a lollipop and the look is complete. by Lisa Evans
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