Room 272 at the Edgewater hotel in Seattle seemed like most other hotel suites in the early 1960s. That is, until August of ’64. The Edgewater is perched above the waters of Elliott Bay on Pier 67, and it is steeped in rock-and-roll history.
Claudia Cusano
A Voyage of Discovery
Blue. The colour suggests vacation: bright, sunny blue skies and rippling blue waters. There are endless hues within the blue spectrum—baby, electric, midnight—yet the purest of all blues is crystal. Likewise, there are endless cruise lines, but for the most genuine and luxurious experience, the one that tops the list is Crystal.
The W Hotel Barcelona
As the National Geographic Traveler has noted, Barcelona is best absorbed by “dancing slowly with her, like an elusive mistress. You have to seduce her to find her secrets.” Layers of architectural wonders, formidable cuisine, and a buzzing nightlife are all part of the territory when visiting Barcelona—but the seven golden-sand beaches that rim its Mediterranean coastline often come as a surprise.
Alessandro Papetti
The paintings of Alessandro Papetti have such an illusionary power that one seems to detect all kinds of details that have not actually been painted.
Into the Future
BMW’s latest design and powertrain study may have a clinical-sounding name, but beneath the avant-garde skin and lab coat–tested powertrain beats the heart of an ultimate driving machine.
Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm
Clear like a balm, firm like a lipstick, Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm melts on your lips. The polymer stick looks like crystal, glides like silk, and boasts a wax-free formula that contains lipid-like molecules designed to diminish the appearance of fine lines while delivering a shiny slick of gloss.
Nikolaikirche
Upon entering Nikolaikirche—St. Nicholas Church—in Leipzig, Germany, it is not what’s in front of you that marvels, but rather, what you don’t see. You’ll hear it first. Bellowing from above is a 6,804-pipe organ. The sound is all-encompassing and voluminous.
The Hudson’s Bay Company’s Signature Collection
The Hudson’s Bay Company has rummaged through their archives and created a signature collection inspired by their 340-year Canadian history, and featuring more than 120 items including fashion, accessories, and home decor.
Shrewsbury, England
“I was born a naturalist,” Charles Darwin once said. Born on February 12, 1809, the naturalist, explorer, and inquiring mind spent the first 27 years of his life in Shrewsbury, England, a medieval town that inspired his fascination with the natural world.
The Electric Cinema
Proclaiming itself to be the oldest working cinema in Britain, the Electric Cinema is a landmark on Station Street in Birmingham.
The Oberammergau Passion Play
We wait every two years for Olympic fever, four for the World Cup tifosi, and 10 for the Bavarian town of Oberammergau in Germany to enact their passion play, the story of Christ’s life, crucifixion, and resurrection.
The World of WearableArt
Described as “Mardi Gras meets haute couture at a Peter Gabriel concert, directed by Salvador Dalí,” the World of WearableArt (WOW) is a theatrical extravaganza, a phantasmagorical two-hour runway exhibition, held every September in Wellington, New Zealand.
The Rietveld Schröder House
The Rietveld Schröder House on Prins Hendriklaan in Utrecht in the Netherlands is an architectural marvel. Eighty-five years have passed since the home was completed in 1924 by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld for the widowed Truus Schröder-Schräder and her three children, the first and only residents.
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers has a distinguished history. The 191-year-old company, one of the oldest American clothiers, has dressed nearly every American president from Lincoln to Obama.
Droog Designs
There are, en route to Staalstraat, more than a few coffee shops, myriad boutiques, galleries, and museums, and an assortment of happenings on the streets of Holland’s capital city.
NARS Portrait Book
In celebration of the 15th anniversary of NARS, the full-range cosmetics line launched in 1994 by François Nars, 1,500 15×15 books will be produced.
Hôtel de Vendôme
No. 1, Place Vendôme. Located at this prestigious address in the midst of the finest landmarks of Paris—the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, and Sainte-Chapelle—is Hôtel de Vendôme, a discreet jewel of a palace.
Van Gogh’s Letters
The Van Gogh Museum is celebrating 15 years of research into the artist’s written correspondence with the release of
Evolution Of The Mini
It has been 50 years since car one rolled off the assembly line in the old Morris plant in Cowley, Oxfordshire, on May 8, 1959. The little Brit defied all style, and won the hearts of many and the world’s most famous rally.
Dutch Craft
A short drive from the museum hub of Amsterdam is the quaint town of Enkhuizen, where a gem of a building, the Zuiderzee Museum, is located.
Chanel’s Train De Nuit
Gabrielle Chanel launched Chanel No. 5 in 1921; its success was immediate, and since its creation the fragrance has been the world’s best-selling perfume. In fact, one product from the Chanel No. 5 portfolio is sold every six seconds.
Robert Tateossian’s Rare Stones
FROM THE ARCHIVE: When it comes to accessories, men have few options; basically, the tie, the watch, the briefcase. But there’s an old favourite in the dresser drawer worth reconsidering: the cufflink.
The Hermitage Amsterdam
The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg easily holds its own among the world’s preeminent cultural institutions. It is a treasure house and a guardian of masterpieces. “The rest of the world wants what we have,” says Dr. Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the museum. Now, the institution is celebrating the opening of a new branch, the Hermitage Amsterdam, on June 20, 2009.
Bruno Pieters
You may have yet to hear of Bruno Pieters, but you should remember this Belgian fellow the next time you need a contemporary, well-tailored suit. Not for nothing he is the artistic director for HUGO, the most avant-garde line of the Hugo Boss group.
Paul Smith
Sir Paul Smith—multi-millionaire clothing impresario, avid art collector, and honorary member of the rock aristocracy (Eric Clapton, David Bowie, and Mick Jagger are friends)—occupies a place in the British fashion scene like no other.
The Adlon Kempinski
Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German emperor, was so enthralled with the Hotel Adlon Kempinski he demanded that he be the first to set foot inside, and he treated it as one of his palaces.
The BMW Art Car
The BMW Art Car idea was born in 1975. Race-car driver Hervé Poulain was interested in establishing a link between the worlds of art and racing, and approached BMW with the idea of working with an artist to alter the appearance of his BMW 480 hp 3.0 CSL.
Zeha Berlin Footwear
The crumbling of the Berlin Wall is one of the great events of world history. With barriers broken and a country no longer divided, revival in every sense burgeoned. One result of this was the unearthing of certain distinguished German brands like Zeha Berlin, a high-end designer of sport and urban footwear.
The Fazioli Sound
An Italian-made grand piano has captured the imagination of several legendary pianists, so much so that a few internationally renowned pianists, including the likes of Herbie Hancock and Louis Lortie, have declared the Fazioli to be their piano of choice.
Katie Gold’s Ceramics
Katie Gold’s striking ceramic shoes, boots and handbags are reminiscent of the opulent silk and brocade dancing slippers of the 19th century.
Time Travel
When you think art deco by the sea, you probably conjure up Miami Beach. Think again. The small city of Napier, tucked away in Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island, has one of the best collections of art deco architecture anywhere in the world.
Canadian Mountain Holidays
Gazing across a landscape of almost impossible purity and beauty, Edmund Hillary comes to mind. Glacier-specked mountains rise around me, forested at their bases, snowy at their summits.
Narciso Rodriguez
Narciso Rodriguez is widely regarded as one of the leading designers of his generation. His ready-to-wear collections for men and women are known for their clean lines, fine craftsmanship and precision tailoring. Dubbed a “minimalist with heat”, Narciso has recently launched a fragrance, for him, which follows his successful perfume, for her.
Andrea Shewchuck
Talented artisan Andrea Shewchuk has an insatiable need to make stuff; she is a master at creating one-of-a-kind hand-knit scarves.
