sophie’s gallery
wine tasting party, Nov 2007, Hong Kong
Filed under hip & stylish, hong kong, photography, art | Comments (2)The Scarlet Hotel, Singapore
I have been back from my Singapore trip, which was a rather packed and rush one.
We arrived at Singapore in midnight and then had 3-day seminars from 9:00am until 11:00pm in a roll. All we had for leisure and relax was only the last morning and the last afternoon, right before we taking flight back to Hong Kong.
Althoug we didn’t have much time for sightseeing, I am quite glad that we did choose a quite nice hotel to pamper ourselves even under such high pressure.
The Scarlet Hotel was our choice for this trip. For most people who know me well, you would probably notice that I don’t quite like the chained big hotel brands, except the large but hip Westin and W Group. The small, hip and stylish boutique hotels with design elements are always my cup of tea.
This Scarlet Hotel is a famous boutique hotel in Singapore, which was opened in Dec 2004. It is rebuilt from an ancient old building retaining most of the pretty features of the original building. It is located close to the China Town and next to the Ann Siang Street where one would find quite a number of cultural bars, hip restaurants and concepts shops. The street reminds me of the SoHo area in Hong Kong, which is also with some bars and restaurants and concept shops. I have met many trendy and cultural guys and gals in the restaurants and bars here.
The Hotel is not large, it has only 84 guest rooms in 3 floors. The lobby area is decorated mainly in the colours of red, gold and black. It’s design is elegant, glamorous, daring and bold, with lots of big and pretty crystal lamps and lights. There is one outdoor Jaccuzzi, one gym and a meeting room in the Hotel. All the guest rooms are equipped with internet access. They have an outdoor rooftop restaurant named “Breeze” which has a spectacular view over the China Town.
The size of the guest room is not big, but the interior design and the colour matching are nice and cozy. One would be able to take good rest and relax in the peaceful environment so designed.
If you are having a business trip in Singapore and you wish to try something different, you may wish to try this Scarlet Hotel.
The Scarlet Hotel
33 Erskine Road, Singapore
Tel) 65 6511 3333
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Filed under boutique hotel, Asia, hotel, hip & stylish, travelling, Blogroll | Comments (6)
sophie’s gallery
the scarlet hotel, singapore, nov 2007
Filed under Asia, hotel, hip & stylish, photography, art | Comment (1)We are now in the Scarlet Hotel, Singapore
Shine and me are now in a trip in Singapore. We left Hong Kong last night and arrived at Singapore at midnight.
We have chosen the Scarlet Hotel, the new boutique hotel, to stay for our 5 days stay.
Now is 4:00am in the morning, and we have some seminars to attend starting from 9:00am until 11:00pm. I have to go off line now and will share some more fun and insteresting parts in our trip with you all tonight. See you!
Filed under Asia, hotel, hip & stylish, travelling | Comments (10)The New Stormhoek Back Label
Being a wine lover, I can’t help but falling in love with the new Stormhoek wine series.
It so happened when I browsed the net today, I found out from gapingvoid that the Stormhoek wine series have developed new label designs for their wines. It is so obvious that the back label has caught my eyes and my attention, with the following inspiring tags:
Be Passionate
Love
Dream Big
Be Spontaneous
Celebrate
Change the World or Go Home (tag line for “microsoft”)
The tags immediately take me over, for they all align with my own believes and values, as well as the core values of a newly set up company of me and shine (for a glance of our new company, please read my business partner, shine’s another article: a possible dream).
The Stormhoek is a South African winery and since mid 2006, this winery has engaged Hugh MacLeod: the professional blogger, cartoonist and author of gapingvoid for marketing (through web 2.0) and design matters and the “sales have gone up fivefold since then”.
The new design of the front label of the wine is also stylish and eye catching.
Here is another bottle design created by Hugh for the 2008 Valentine special, lovely and pretty! I would really love to buy some as our company gifts to our most valuable business partners and clients.
To gapingvoid: really thanks for your creative work! I love it so much!
To shine: you should know what I am thinking of! Haha!
(wine photos and comic adopted from gapingvoid and stormhoek)
Filed under enjoyment, wine & beverages, hip & stylish, design | Comments (2)Dream Hotel Bangkok
We talked about Dreams for Ourselves earlier on, and this week, let me introduce a “dream comes true” real life experience to you.
Oh, don’t take me wrong, what I am going to share about is not another billionaire story or another “make a million in one month” example. Relax, what I am going to introduce to you, is a new and hip hotel in Bangkok, calling the “Dream Hotel“.
A really fancy name, right? You will be even more fascinated when you have read their self introduction:
Float upstairs to Dream’s 100 guest rooms. From the moment the elevator door opens you’re in a world dedicated to dreams…indigo blue corridors of soft washed lights that leads you to your room. Ethereal lighting seeps from the under the bed…the illusion like you are floating on a cloud.
Sweet Dreams. It’s what we’re about.
Woo, what a good script and nice tag line!
This dreamingly stylish hotel is located about 5 minutes walk from the Asoke Skytrain and Sukhumvit Subway Stations. Since its opening in late 2006, this cozzy and stylish boutique hotel has set up a new trend of hip design hotel in Bangkok. The Hotel is not large in size and thus offers its clients friendly and personal services.
From now on until March next year would be the best time to visit Bangkok, with the overall temperature lower than the peak summer season. Wanna have dreams and live in dreams? A trip to this dreaming hotel maybe a dream comes true.
Dream is actually not far away, only that we have to find the right way.
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Dream Hotel Bangkok
Location
10 Sukhumvit Soi 15
Klongtoey Nua, Wattana,
Bangkok
Phone
66(0) 2 254-8500
A Fancy Dreamland: “Asteria Land” by Alice Chan
Alice Chan, a modern, chic and fancy Hong Kong illustrator.
You may find her work quite familiar since her creations have been adopted by many big brands like Levis, Anna Sui, MTV, Sportmax, etc. Her work could also be seen in lots of trendy fashion magazines and many window decorations.
Alice’s drawings are very decorative and stylish. Those pretty girls are with big eyes, pretty faces, modern outfits and accessories. The colours she used are always fancy and cheerful. No wonder she is a favourite of so many fashion brands.
You can’t imagine how gorgeous and interesting Alice’s website could be. Do wander around Alice’s website and have fun. There are some comics drawn by Alice and I am sure you would like them.
And here is Alice’s blog, for those who are obssessed with Alice’s pretty creations, you would certainly like reading her blog and know more about her.
One more thing I wish to mention about Alice is that she herself is a very pretty girl, just like the character she has created. Let’s see a photo of her under her Levi’s project:
(Alice, on the right.)
Alice is now having an exhibition in the Stitch Tokyo of Shibuya, Japan, from 5 Oct 07 to 10 Nov 07. If you are getting around in Tokyo, do not miss her exhibition.
Omotesando Hills 表參道山
Omotesando Hills, Tokyo, Japan
If you have read my earlier post about the famous and stylish Japan Architect, the Ando Tadao (安藤忠雄) and his signature work “The Church of Light“, and that you find you also love the artistic work of Ando, then you should like this place where I am going to introduce to you, the Omotesando Hills.
The Development
The Omotesando Hills project is located in the Aoyama (青山) of Tokyo.
The street of the Omotesando in the Aoyama is very pretty, the street is wide and straight, with a mild slope and with lots of green and talk trees along the two sides of the street. The area is famous for shopping and residential (previously) in Aoyama, which is sometimes termed Tokyo’s Champs-Élysées.
The project is designed by Tadao Ando, which contains over 130 shops and 38 apartments. The Complex so built and designed is not a large and huge commercial building, but rather a humble and pretty building complex blending well with the surrounding environment and adopting every design concept and the philisophy of beauty of its creator, Tadao Ando.
One point about the Omotesando Hills project which worths noting is that the project has been marked by controversy, as the new built shopping arcade and the residential block has replaced the Bauhaus-inspired Dōjunkai Aoyama Apartments, which had been built in 1927 after the 1923 Kantō earthquake. The destruction of the original and antique apartments raised questions about Japan’s interest in preserving historic buildings.
Ando writes about the historic Dojunkai Apartments and his project:
The Dojunkai Apartments were created as a part of the Great Kanto Earthquake reform plans and they were not only important cooperative housing units but also reflected the visions of the people living there and visiting the area. How to save this vision was one of the main subjects I had to contend with in this reconstruction plan. Although restoration of the original building was physically and economically impossible, the residential apartments located on the top floors of the complex provide each resident with enough distance from the hustle and bustle of Omotesando and at the same time affords them a beautiful view of the tree-lined street. ……
I was careful to incorporate the following two subjects so that the memory of the Dojunkai Apartments would not be forgotten. First, I was careful to make sure the height of the complex was close to that of the row of Japanese zelkova trees adjacent to the complex by constructing half the complex space underground. The second was to use the slope of Omotesando Street as part of the public space of the development. The facade continues for 250 meters following the slope of Omotesando Street. Each floor is created on the gradual Omotesando slope, creating an innovative public city space. Furthermore, the rooftop is covered with greenery that integrates with the zelkova trees. What I aimed for was a ‘re-birth’ of the Dojunkai Apartments.
Tadao Ando/Tadao Ando Architect & Associates
安藤忠雄建築研究所
The Design Features & Concepts
Fair face concrete, one of the most favourite materials used by Ando, is again the main material used in the Omotesando Hills. Clean, minimal, natural and basic, are the elements that Ando would like to inspire us through his creation.
If you are familiar with Ando’s work, when you visit the Omotesando Hills, you would immediate recognise Ando’s architectual signature: the use of simple forms, the straight lines and structure, the harmonisation with and even highlighting the beauty of the surrounding environment, the invitation of large amount of natural lights and the feeling of quiet and comfort inside the building.
The height of the complex is carefully designed, it equals to that of the adjacent zelkova trees, creating a harmony between the complex and its surroundings. The complex provides the visitors with an open-air feeling which blends in with the surrounding environment.
The rooftop of the Complex is covered with trees and plants, forming a connection with the Japanese zelkova trees in the street. The Complex in fact draws visitors’ attention to the lovely and pretty trees around and it highlights the pretty of the natural colours and forms of the trees.
The inside of the shopping arcarde is built with a spiral slope winding around the center atrium, which evokes the gradual slope of Omotesando itself. The inside spiral slope serves as the entry way to numerous shops that form a continuous row, as if they were street shops. The spiral form of the Slope creates a feeling of openness and provides visitors with the excitement of walking the streets of Omotesando, giving a unique feeling unlike any in the area within the complex. It is as if the complex welcomes you with Omotesando within itself.
Let’s see another small and tricky element of Ando, using light and form: the straight lines formed by the spiral slope inside the Complex converts into a single point with natural light source. The resulted visual effect is like many light stokes coming out from the light source. A feeling of uplifting and spiritual is successfully created.
Another feature of Ando’s design is the “Re-birth Complex” which uses the walls of the Aoyama Apartments, to provide visitors with a look into history and nostalgia. Omotesando Hills was established not only as a new facility, but as a means to continue and pass on to the next generation the warm atmosphere and picturesque views of Omotesando.
The Shopping Arcarde
Apart from the artistic complex building, the luxury shops in the Omotesando Hills are also spectecular. The shops and their show windows are all artistically designed and it’s really a pleasure to walk along the slope inside the shopping arcade slowly and to do some window shopping alone. Here are some gorgeous show windows and shop design inside the Omotesando Hills.
Although there are many new and exiciting shopping malls and arcades in Tokyo, I still keep going back and visiting the Omotesando Hills. If you like something hip and well designed, the Omotesando Hills is surely your cup of tea.
Omotesando Hills:
- Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Chiyoda Line, Hanzomon Line Omotesando Station Exit A2, Two min on foot.
- Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Meiji-Jingumae Station Exit 5, Three min on foot.
- JR Yamanote Line Harajuku Station Exit Meiji-Jingu, Seven min on foot.
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Filed under hip & stylish, travelling, architecture, japan | Comment (0)Chez Patrick - a night in Paris
“It was always our intention to offer a homely experience to our guest. We very much wanted to create the atmosphere of a typical Parisian apartment in our dinning room which is very recognizable in the wooden flooring and the white walls panels.” - Chez Patrick
Chez Patrick, a luxury and yet cozy France restaurant in Hong Kong, serves not only the finest France cuisine in Hong Kong, but also the elegant Parisian atmosphere and experience. When dining in the restaurant, we would feel that we are enjoying the fine food, tasting the French wine and experiencing the prestige moments with our friends in Paris.
Patrick, the Chef, “comes from a small village near Lyon in France where people are very serious about their food. Patrick first studied in France and worked in France, but then went on to work in London for a while before making his first stay in the Caribbean’s working in one of those high end hotels.” He then went back to France in a restaurant in Provence, before going to Italy in Rome. In 1996, Patrick went to Vietnam where he worked in a fine dinning French restaurant. Then he went back to the Caribbean’s in an up-market fusion cuisine restaurant at Barbuda. Then it was back to France again in Macon in a traditional Burgundy restaurant before finally heading to Hong Kong in 2002 working in a small French restaurant on Arbuthnot road called Chez Moi.
After working some time in the Chez Moi, Partick has opened his own shop in the Soho area (always the hippest dinning place in Hong Kong) and then another shop in the Sun Street.
Signature dishes of Patrick include: foie gras terrine, pan fried lobster and black truffle, crustwarm almonds and apple tart, pan fried veal tenderloin, pan fried duck breast, poach pear in a red wine, caramelized floating island, Crème brûlée, etc. The fresh made bread is also a favorite of all customers.
For lunch, the 2 - 4 courses menus are ranging from US$20 to US$30. For dinner, the 3-5 courses menus are ranging from US$ 60 to US$80.
I have been to this restaurant for wine tasting lunch some time. The dishes are outstanding, especially for the deserts. The environment is superb and it is so “French” in every corner inside the restaurtant.
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Chez Patrick Peel Street
G/F., 26 Peel Street Central
Hong Kong
Tel) 2541 1401
Chez Patrick Sun Street
G/F., 8-9 Sun Street Wanchai
Hong Kong
Tel) 2527 1408
related post: my beloved southern france cuisine
Filed under hip & stylish, cuisine, hong kong | Comments (15)Hua Hin Evason - a holistic and refreshing holiday
If you find the tourists’ favourites like Phuket, Cebu, Langkwai and Sabah are too popular and crowded, and you are thinking of going to some place else, I would recommend the Hau Hin Evason to you.
Hau Hin, just 30 mins flight (small air plane) from Bangkok, is a famous resort town in the South East Asia. If you take a bus, the travelling time would be around 3 hours. Without the connections of international nor domestic flight, it is definitely not as crowded as other famous resort towns in the South East Asia. And yet, it could be reached very conveniently from Bangkok. There are buses and air planes going into Hau Hin direct from the Bangkok International Airport daily.
The Evason Group and the Six Senses Spa run many high quality resorts and spa centres in Phuket, Hau Hin, Maldives, etc. And the Hau Hin Evason is one of those finest resorts under this renouned Brand.
Adopting the Evason Group’s six senses philosophy of offering its guests the finest and most refreshing experiences, the Hau Hin Evason has put in place every detail in the resort for the comfortness for the guests. For six senses mean sight, sound, touch, smell, taste and spirit, the resort as well as the staff take great care of the six senses of their guests, to bring in the ambience of comfort and harmony. The design in the resort is laidback and natural, every corner in the resort is designed in simple beauty with lots of plants and ponds with water lilies. The staff members in the resort are all well trained and friendly and they provide the most satisfying services to their guests. The resort is filled with soothing music and scent of essence oils which bring calm to the mind.
The large swimming pool of the resort is just located next to the lovely beach. And the swimming pool is famous for its “infinitive” design. The pool is “seamless” and it seems that it is connected to the ocean and the sky direct. Laying on the sun bench under the shelter, reading your favourite book, listening to music, going for swimming and pouring yourself a glass of wine, nothing could be more relaxing and comfortable.
The Pool Villas in the Hau Hin Evason are most impressive. With open bath tub embedded in the water lilies pond and private swimming pool, you could enjoy the outdoor fresh air in your own private area (um…. I especially enjoy the swim and bath under the moonlight, haha!). Inside your own entity, you would give your body and mind a total rest. Although the Villas provide you with full privacy and remoteness, there are designated “buddy” in the resort to help you with everything you need. Just one press on the line, your buddy would answer the call and arragne everything for you.
The Six Senses Spa in the resort is very famous and has received many awards over the years. Other than spa treaments, I would also recommend you to take the yoga classes in the Spa Centre to work out on our bodies and minds.
The whole resort imprints a sense of quiet, comfort, wellness and refreshing to its guests. One would focus within oneself inside the resort and work on the wellness of one’s body and mind. After taking a retreat in the resort, one would surely be refreshed.
Lastly, don’t forget to take the air plane from the Bangkok Airport to the Hau Hin direct. The flight time is only about 30 mins, and you would then be received by Evason’s representative at the Hau Hin direct. You could be totally carefree for your whole trip and seems that you are flying to the Hau Hin direct (only need to change a plane at the Bangkok Airport). The cost of the air plane is around US$150 for round trips, really a good choice.
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Related post: Phuket Boutique Hotel - Sarojin
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