tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-378751932024-03-13T03:55:35.093-07:00Endless RoadA series of random postings about world travels and adventures in the luxury category, by Stanley Moss, Travel Editor for Lucire, a New Zealand-based fashion magazine.Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-85649527216234261742024-03-12T16:31:00.000-07:002024-03-13T03:54:57.480-07:00dày bük to debut in Fall 2024 - affordable notebooks from Second Guess Press<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFV0v9ItDFWYFSYMfvz_D9kX8NaN7P1uyE4yxp_eYcLTw5jimzQ2tLlVJCl9tScHsWeeQZBLrz9i1DaMjXH6e_nwKKBY_sOAkwimqauKmAZOWpfTfjB4fM3pQdGgen7AvcOczdao2yHz30JPNzxBwiqMM9nKjPV7qWDKy9zvDxm9oj4Y1uBvY-6Q/s640/IMG_7539_Gioia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFV0v9ItDFWYFSYMfvz_D9kX8NaN7P1uyE4yxp_eYcLTw5jimzQ2tLlVJCl9tScHsWeeQZBLrz9i1DaMjXH6e_nwKKBY_sOAkwimqauKmAZOWpfTfjB4fM3pQdGgen7AvcOczdao2yHz30JPNzxBwiqMM9nKjPV7qWDKy9zvDxm9oj4Y1uBvY-6Q/s320/IMG_7539_Gioia.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Gioia Meller Markovicz</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Second Guess Press is beta-testing a new line
of highly functional, affordable notebooks, designed for desktop, pocket,
handbag and backpack. The line, which will launch under the brand name <i><span style="color: #0f1111;">dày bük</span></i><span style="color: #0f1111;"> </span>in Fall 2024, features minimal graphic design,
spacious pages with elemental grids, and no superfluous messaging. The brand
and designs will be available for international license.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I never saw a notebook whose dimensions were
just right for me, which eschewed a lot of typographic confusion and was
attractively priced. Overdesign, unnecessary visual distractions and
unattractive cost was always the case. <i><span style="color: #0f1111;">dày bük</span></i> aspires to meet the everyday needs of
busy people: functional, beautiful, economic, easy to use,” said Stanley Moss,
the line’s designer and principal of DiGanZi, a brand advisory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Prototype versions are currently available on
special order, but final product is not expected until September. “Now we’re
ironing out the last details before scaling up production,” Moss says. “It will
be worth the wait.”</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNcpu3D_7reFGWIud552Mtw-yV1tABlcJIW0ljxxHi08epc24X6bzvCQ1tvTSwANagUUHvjiUitrIIcz3aSw0Rb57VbkvKHe-UkRxVtsBQihz9_NzHw0VoPMT1bSwFpZlhHlvpdviCJxq0lRPpsANxw-4X27FMQo6dPK6tPTicxOsgd-4ZBDIDA/s1052/2%20cover%20capture.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="748" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNcpu3D_7reFGWIud552Mtw-yV1tABlcJIW0ljxxHi08epc24X6bzvCQ1tvTSwANagUUHvjiUitrIIcz3aSw0Rb57VbkvKHe-UkRxVtsBQihz9_NzHw0VoPMT1bSwFpZlhHlvpdviCJxq0lRPpsANxw-4X27FMQo6dPK6tPTicxOsgd-4ZBDIDA/s320/2%20cover%20capture.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUV1heJcuCIgRLArIl2Fc2dDlZVvUrlYF37J4I7SDI6dLzkW0U7ERn3UIzbQGZ47UYDAfDB-SluwY4eLH92BBPRnZDPIYwiHX3rvDCZZGaYolcoqGpAQgeuoP2BZzegJvoYOJax2LdNOTBL_S3xxhv43OeHiXIr0bxdNCy6rtepDt_C0So-unhw/s915/DAYBUK%202024%20franklin_logo.jpg" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="805" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUV1heJcuCIgRLArIl2Fc2dDlZVvUrlYF37J4I7SDI6dLzkW0U7ERn3UIzbQGZ47UYDAfDB-SluwY4eLH92BBPRnZDPIYwiHX3rvDCZZGaYolcoqGpAQgeuoP2BZzegJvoYOJax2LdNOTBL_S3xxhv43OeHiXIr0bxdNCy6rtepDt_C0So-unhw/w107-h121/DAYBUK%202024%20franklin_logo.jpg" width="107" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /></span></p>Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-79290398723573834662024-02-12T09:44:00.000-08:002024-02-12T09:44:51.170-08:00January 2024 Global Brand Letter now available for download<p>The latest dispatches from brand-world, including a new chart, vocabulary and assorted snark.</p><p>https://www.diganzi.com/docs/2024GlobalBrandLetterJanuaryEdition.pdf</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xkdJm1g4UQENNzJHfI7MMuQunfo4IiXTJKJo55MFyzrMPueb_IrYBNOuq3rPGSCEwLtiSyer3h-iy2dFIygb74AaWCpJD0BZRDPscpoWormf2X595PfuDDaz-SYwHF4kaxRdZuceEgOew52fG4wKAXwcJJVYAxohschOOx-Tnb8O_2b5jp0dkQ/s1024/mickey%20out%20of%20copyright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1024" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xkdJm1g4UQENNzJHfI7MMuQunfo4IiXTJKJo55MFyzrMPueb_IrYBNOuq3rPGSCEwLtiSyer3h-iy2dFIygb74AaWCpJD0BZRDPscpoWormf2X595PfuDDaz-SYwHF4kaxRdZuceEgOew52fG4wKAXwcJJVYAxohschOOx-Tnb8O_2b5jp0dkQ/w284-h216/mickey%20out%20of%20copyright.jpg" width="284" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2phYrbIDT6g4x9OOznY5uG1NehD6xLyBuEnJ-AfFdXapbjFzf-_jGRHx9rLxV61IkSwQ5vCVn-7S9MoKXf1Qd2qY_EZj1YBTMq9-_BhNBz9GGq2TK3eYB9fctSbu38rmYv0cL5bC2ifXZI7oq9nr_XIYJj6RFD7XuxjYsvKJOdp_MPn1LG_XwA/s1080/P_25themorning-mug-fjqg-superJumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2phYrbIDT6g4x9OOznY5uG1NehD6xLyBuEnJ-AfFdXapbjFzf-_jGRHx9rLxV61IkSwQ5vCVn-7S9MoKXf1Qd2qY_EZj1YBTMq9-_BhNBz9GGq2TK3eYB9fctSbu38rmYv0cL5bC2ifXZI7oq9nr_XIYJj6RFD7XuxjYsvKJOdp_MPn1LG_XwA/w217-h217/P_25themorning-mug-fjqg-superJumbo.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-77829867138004728732022-06-04T04:55:00.002-07:002022-06-04T04:55:31.146-07:00June 2022 Global Brand Letter<p> Dear Friends</p><p>Welcome to the 23rd Brand Letter.</p><p>You can read the full text below, or visit http://www.diganzi.com/articles.html for a full archive of letters dating back to 2004</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2022 Global Brand Letter </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #38761d; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">June Edition</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #38761d; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">"I am losing precious days.
I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in
this trivial world of men. I must break away and get out into the mountains to
learn the news." - John Muir</span></b></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_e32wyzlkp2ev"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span></b></h1><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_52i9xmvzxxn7"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">“When
in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.” - Raymond
Chandler<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span></b></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_96kct8yytcvs"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">“A
clown car crashing into a gold mine.” - Mark Zuckerberg ca. 2013, about Twitter<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span>Smash cut to a false narrative which permabans
profit with purpose. Let’s not engage in de-platforming denialism or <span style="background: white; color: #33302e;">kratom-induced
wacktivism. A monkeypox on your houses, BAYC. You can’t get me to join </span>The
Great Resignation. Forget code-switching. I’m up to my ears in Greenium. There
will be no dimensionality, no impact investing, only integrated clienteling.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“This is the most important interview
of all time, it solves the human condition & ends all the turmoil &
suffering in the world & finally makes sense of our lives.” - internet ad
line<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Advertising</span><span lang="EN"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN">Department
of Exponential Buyer Beware: </span></i><span lang="EN">1.5bn product reviews are
received by <b>Amazon</b> each year. In
2020 the well-meaning colossus stopped more than 200 million suspected fakes. A
glut of suspicious reviews continue to regularly post in stores on eBay,
Walmart and Etsy. Amazon sued the two major review brokers who engage in overt
robotic algorithmic exploitation. Follow the money: who benefits?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">In an Egyptian tv ad for <b>Citroën</b> featuring a pop star, the driver uses his car’s camera to
photograph a woman crossing the street, without her consent. The commercial
concludes with them driving away together. Apparently the agency hadn’t read
the research available, which indicates 98% of Egyptian women reported getting
harassed at some point in their lives, or a UN study that 83% of Egyptian women
did not feel safe or secure in the streets. The ad was withdrawn, with apology.
It’s misleading to believe that taking an unsolicited picture from your car in
Cairo could lead to a date. Instead, men could face imprisonment. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">The FAA revoked the licenses of two flying
aces who attempted a daredevil switcheroo over the Arizona desert. The stunt,
live streamed on Hulu, had no spectators present, and no one was injured. <b>Red Bull Air Force</b>, a sponsored team
specializing in aerial tomfoolery, trusted that the pilots could swap cockpits
midair during synchronized nosedives at 14,000 feet. Oops, one of the Cessna
182 planes crashed, only the other returned. The FAA had earlier denied a
request to exempt the pilots from regulations, and fined the squadron leader
$4932 for abandoning his pilot seat and operating a plane in a careless and
reckless manner. Red Bull called the stunt “partially accomplished”, the
license revocations a matter between the agency and the pilots, and said the
company looked forward to its continued friendship with them. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Brand misfire, from the founder’s bio on the
website of the company who built the automatic rifle used by the Uvalde
elementary school shooter. <i>“<b>Daniel Defense </b>got its start because
Marty’s golf game sucked. He would spend most of his free time unwinding on the
golf course, until the day a friend invited him to shoot his AR. Every shot he
fired filled him with a satisfaction he’d never before experienced. Marty would
purchase his first AR this same year.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_f4oyrgyv5lj4"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span></b></h1><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_sq6ao7o96l10"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">"I
would prefer an intelligent hell to a stupid paradise." - Blaise Pascal<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_i1gelht5w1rn"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">"Can
you let me go to hell the way I want to?” - Wild Bill Hickock<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Hell is lowering your standards
and getting comfortable with it." -
Bette Davis</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_o1dpvpryfwfe"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AI<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Surveillance capitalism will soon further
enlarge its footprint in the marketplace. On track to reach 100 billion facial
photos in its database within a year, <b>Clearview
AI</b> plans a massive expansion beyond the law enforcement category into
virgin territory. Potential new intrusions into your private life: monitoring <i>the gig economy</i>; <i>gait analysis</i>, that is, identifying someone based on how they walk;
your <i>location</i>, even if not disclosed,
detected from a photo you’ve innocently posted; <i>fingerprint</i>s, scanned from afar. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">“Delusions of grandeur are especially
infectious for the semigrand.” - Walter Yetnikoff<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Celebrity<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">When Gap revealed a multi-year collaboration
with billionaire rapper <b>Kanye West</b>
in June 2020, its shares rose wildly. Ye, as he prefers to be known, contracted
to design a line of apparel. He brought a link with street wear, connections
with high fashion from his crossover deal with Balenciaga and added value with
Yeezy, his footwear partnership with Adidas. But high profile problems surfaced
as the musician’s messianic persona soon overshadowed any collaboration. He was
suspended from IG after directing a racial slur at popular talk show host
Trevor Noah, made bitter remarks concerning his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her
boyfriend, was canceled from a Grammy appearance, and a change.org petition
which received 40k signatures called for the Coachella festival to drop him as
a headliner. Gap shares slipped. The parent brand operates in the mid-market
retail apparel segment and their target consumers are already squeezed by
inflation. Proof positive that sometimes a celebrity tie-in isn’t enough to
automatically make a brand cool or profitable again. <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“This is funny.” - Doc Holliday’s last
words<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Epiphanies<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AN EXTRAORDINARY POST-PANDEMIC
INVESTIGATION INTO CONSUMER FOOD BEHAVIOR<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">In the face of a<b> global food crisis</b>, you’re witnessing a scramble in the mass food
category to build relevance, sustain and extend market share for <i>iconic brands</i>. It’s a response to
COVID-related supply chain disruptions combined with massive transformations
which appeared over the last two years in how cloistered people got their
information about brands. Hence you’ll see many unconventional, bizarre, and
incongruous collaborations and rebrandings designed to capture attention in
social media feeds. This wave of rebranding characterizes post-pandemic
reinvention in many industries. The messages combine whimsy and consumer
interest and must stand out among celebrity videos, funny memes and
eye-catching tweets. Another result is that a glut of challenger brands - that
is, smaller brands trying to disrupt existing niches - joined the fracas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">POP
QUIZ <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Guess
the extension, new product category or partner for these established iconic
brands:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">1.
Hormel Spam <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
mysterious globally-known lunch meat attached its brand to Hasbro’s Yahtzee <i>board game<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">2.
Jelly Belly Candy Co.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Provided
signature color options for 5 new Reebok <i>shoe
styles<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">3.
Oscar Mayer Bologna</span></b><span lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Partnered
with Korean skincare company Seoul Mamas to create a replica bologna <i>moisturizing face mask<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">4.
Kraft Heinz Macaroni & Cheese <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Developed
an m&c flavored <i>ice cream</i> with
Van Leeuwen <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">5.
Green Giant</span></b><span lang="EN"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Created
cauliflower-flavored marshmallow bunnies with Peeps <i>candy brand<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">6. Oreo
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lent
its name and image to Dollar General <i>branded
housewares<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">7. Grey
Poupon<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ubiquitous
mustard offered <i>wine</i> under its brand
identity<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">8. Taco
Bell<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fast
food giant launched Jalapeño Noir flavored <i>wine<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">9.
Arby’s<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Restaurant
chain introduced Curly Fry-flavored <i>vodka<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">10. Old
Bay <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Added
their proprietary food seasoning flavor to a branded <i>vodka<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">The nostalgic 81-year old <b>M&M’s</b> candy brand revamped its mascots to better appeal to a
new consumer base, Gen Z customers. The snack candy beloved in entitled rock
star dressing rooms was given a makeover to express a less anxious, less sexy,
genderless, more inclusive, welcoming and unifying brand identity. Green cast
off high-heeled go-go boots, traded them in for cool, laid-back sneakers, gained
confidence. Brown, the brainiac, put on sensible pumps. Yellow is no longer a
ditz, and Orange adopted a sunny outlook.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">Hostess
Brands</span></b><span lang="EN">, a junk food phoenix, saw resurrection thanks
to nostalgic brand advocates and new VC ownership. In its second incarnation
the producer of Twinkies and Ding-Dongs perceives increased threat from <i>better-for-you </i>food competitors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Sales growth of <b>plant-based foods </b>showed signs of slowing in 2021. While brand
awareness remains high, trends did not favor the category: the pandemic brought
along diminished focus on health-oriented eating choices. The market opted for
comfort foods. A joint venture between PepsiCo and Beyond Meat is about to
inject more promotion dollars into the category.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">With $300bn in global sales, the <b>natural foods category </b>sought unnatural
partnerships. Hoping to replicate the success of Patagonia Provisions’ line of
sustainable pantry items like smoked venison links and cacao-goji power snacks,
Reese’s Pieces and Heath Bars plan healthy brittle product launches. Cartoon
franchise SpongeBob will dive into purified water. Incredibles and Toy Story
plan to animate new trail mix brands.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">The first wave of Big Food <b>cannabis-infused beverages </b>came to
market. Pabst Blue Ribbon High Seltzer and Molson Coors ignited competition
with 10-year old natural carbonated drink brand Jones Soda Company, who
launched their new <i>Mary Jones</i> line,
get it? The emerging problem in the industry is a new flavor of brand
hijacking, cannabis-infused copycats across all categories. What resembled
commercial gummy candies made by Nestlé - actually THC candies - were
accidentally given out in food boxes to 63 people at a Utah food bank,
resulting in hospitalized children. Nobody perished from overdose. Copycat
packaging of this type (<i>Double Stuff
Stoneos</i>) caused major food brands to call on Congress to do more to prevent
proliferation of products that mimic well-known brands. Many of the
marijuana-infused products are sold online, thus harder to regulate or shut
down. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Food delivery services like Door Dash,
Deliveroo and Uber Eats were nourished during the pandemic. The popularity of
in-home dining fostered <b>ghost kitchens, </b>which
take online orders and prepare the meals in kitchen-equipped trailers. They
situate in temporary unused spaces like parking lots. It’s a made-to-order
means of brand recognition. Celebrity-based businesses rushed into the space. <b>Wendy’s</b>,<b> </b>which operates 7000 full-serve restaurants in 31 countries, plans
to open 200 mobile branded locations to fulfill orders.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AND NOW BACK TO OUR REGULAR
PROGRAMMING<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Look for more <b>counterintuitive pairings</b>, especially in fashion. Designers and
brands gravitate toward associations with celebs, crazes and causes that boast
big pre-existing fan numbers. Couture brands view content as another form of
art, and issue limited editions largely sold online that encourage a perception
of urgency among consumers. Limited quantities and choreographed product drops
create a sense of scarcity. The popular online game <i>Fortnite </i>released an eyewear line, with 2 styles featuring blue
light filter lenses that enable long-duration screen play.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">The 1997 <i>Think
Different</i> ad campaign by Chiat/Day for <b>Apple</b>
started the trend of marketing individualism, though it was intended to counter
the <i>Think</i> campaign run by competitor
IBM. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">The current, oversaturated <b>Audemars Piguet</b> <i>Icons </i>campaign continues that thread, touting humility as the prime
virtue. <b>Moncler</b> has paused the <i>Genius</i> ad program, returned strategic
focus to their main collection, planned a push into technical apparel, and will
innovate D2C retail. <i>Genius</i> is slated
for relaunch next year with a focus on Gen Z customers. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">A new interactive attraction has opened at the
<b>Legoland </b>California theme park which
enables you to build, test and race your own LEGO <b>Ferrari</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">There wasn’t a dry eye in automotive luxury
when the cargo ship <b>Felicity Ace</b>
caught fire and sank between the Azores and Portugal on March 1. Over 4000
luxury vehicles among them Porsches, Bentleys, high end VW EVs and bespoke
Lamborghinis now garage 2 miles below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s
suspected that the fire started in electric car batteries. Estimated insurance
damages $400m, but speculation that fraud is involved. The ship rests outside
Portuguese jurisdiction and underwater salvage would be costly and complicated.
Showrooms across the USA thrash about to meet demand for vehicles.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">You’ve
heard of </span><span lang="EN">Meng </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">萌</span><span lang="EN" style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"> culture? </span><span lang="EN">It
translates as “cute” in Chinese. In the West, precious, cartoon-inspired
designs are only meant for the eyes of children and not adults, who buy luxury
to feed their hungry souls. But in Meng-influenced China, cute designs have
appeal to both children and young adults. According to the Meng rhetoric,
appearing pretty and harmless is the ultimate form of sexiness. This preference
for childlike cuteness is the opposite of the typical ideals portrayed in
Western luxury advertising, which center on maturity, sophistication, and
seduction. <span style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">The
Beijing 2022 Games’ official mascot, <b>Bing
Dwen Dwen</b>, a Meng-ish panda wearing an icy body shell, went viral in China.
Alert to </span>the local preference for cuddly things, <span style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">Games organizers called for “one
Dwen at each family.” In Beijing people obeyed, and stood for 5 hours in a
slow-moving 900 foot line outside the licensed flagship store. </span>Cuteness
has become a key to local Gen Z and millennial marketing. As Meng culture
extends its influence beyond China in this interconnected world, will brands
that swap glam for cute have an edge in the Gen-Z market?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Легенда гласит, что производство началось в Ленинграде в
1943 году. В 1972-м «Столичная» стала первой водкой премиум-класса,
импортированной в США и поступившей в продажу под рекламным слоганом “Только
водка из России - настоящая русская водка!” Пациенты с Мэдисон-авеню покупали
ее по непомерной цене как обезболивающее средство, которое они предпочитали
всем прочим. После конфликта с российской властью (или олигархами, или Путиным)
– свидетельства расходятся - основатель Юрий Шефлер отправился в добровольное
изгнание и перенес производство в Латвию. После начала специальной военной
операции России в 2022 году, бренд хочет выступать за мир в Европе и
солидарность с Украиной, а в производстве использует только словацкое сырье. В
следующий раз, заказывая коктейль мартини, просто просите <b>Stoli</b>, ребрендированную в настоящую 100% нерусскую водку.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Legend
has it that production began in Leningrad in 1943. In 1972 it became the first
premium vodka to be imported to the USA, marketed under the slogan “Only vodka
from Russia is genuine Russian vodka!” Exorbitantly priced, it was the
preferred anesthetic for Madison Avenue admen. After a dispute with the Russian
state or oligarchs or Putin - accounts differ - founder Yuri Shefler
self-exiled and moved production to Latvia. Following Russia’s 2022 special
military operation, the label wishes to stand for peace in Europe, solidarity
with Ukraine, made from only Slovakian sources. The next time you order a
martini, simply ask for <b>Stoli</b>,
rebranded as the genuine 100% non-Russian vodka.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Russian translation by Dmitry
Petrov ptrpvlpetr@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_80d41apy5a1z"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></b></h1><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_1damhgfjrv9y"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">“How
about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense.” - Franz Kafka<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">IP<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Venture capitalists cite the hottest trending
business resales: <b>content companies</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">NFT
owners</span></b><span lang="EN"> now seek to attach tangible value to virtual
tokens. <i>World of Women </i>(WoW), a
metaverse space, will sell licensed products like dolls, collectibles, figures,
costumes and accessories based on its NFT designs, online and in
brick-and-mortar stores. They’re also setting up film and tv deals. <i>Bored Ape Yacht Club</i> opens a restaurant
in LA, Bored and Hungry, a pop-up location. <i>Food
Fighters Universe</i> announced the first NFT-backed restaurant group to exist
in both the Web3 digital world and in the physical world. “You’ll be able to do
things in the metaverse that you can’t do in real life,” the founder said, but
did not divulge details. In NYC, <i>The
Flyfish Club</i> requires the purchase of a $3400 NFT for membership.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Why seek out the real thing when you can have
a <b>location based experience</b>?<b> </b>Immersive exhibition spaces promise
bespoke digital art experiences and refer to themselves as <i>true cultural destinations</i>. In the Sixties we called this stuff
light shows. Since its opening, French production company Culturespaces’
original van Gogh show in <b>Paris</b> has
drawn over 1.4 million visitors annually, average admission €15/person.
Animated 30-foot images from Vincent’s most famous paintings move around,
synchronized to an original score. This month in <b>NYC</b>, their first North American spectacle opens, an immersion into
the work of Klimt, in a renovated 33,000 square foot landmark building. The
same company also owns Frieze Art Fair. In <b>Washington
DC</b>, National Geographic presents an immersive experience which allows
audiences to enter the tomb of boy king<b> </b>Tutankhamun
while seated in rows of bright red VR chairs. In <b>Las Vegas</b>, a new escape room experience themed on the highest
grossing horror movie of all time <b>“</b>IT”,
a popular novel by Stephen King, intends to scare the daylights out of you and
your wallet. In addition to 20 interactive rooms, state of the art special FX,
lighting, animatronics and live actors, a retail store features photo
opportunities and exclusive jaw-dropping merchandise.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN">rückkehrunruhe</span></i><span lang="EN"> </span></b><span lang="EN">- the feeling of returning home after an immersive trip only to find it
fading rapidly from your awareness<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">Once upon a time it was the song “White Christmas”. Now,
the world's most valuable copyright has got to be<b> Baby Shark.</b> The first video to ever reach 10 billion views on
YouTube sailed past “Despacito,” which had topped the charts in November 2020
with 7.7 billion views of its own, and now sulks in the distant #2 spot. The children’s anthem about a
juvenile </span><span lang="EN">elasmobranch, <span style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">created by Pinkfong Company of Seoul, </span>inspired<span style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;"> a viral dance
challenge, topped music charts, launched an animated series on Nickelodeon,
dominated global merchandise licensing, has a forthcoming live world tour,
stars in its own interactive games, and can be found in multiple NFT forms. And
shows no signs of going away. Irving Berlin is turning over in his grave.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">"I must also have a dark side if I am to be
whole." - Carl Jung</span></b><span lang="EN"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Metaverse<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">Garbology is a form of observational research which
studies consumption trends within a target population</span><span lang="EN">,
community or culture by analyzing its waste.<span style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;"> A researcher at the University of Oregon
has spent hours wandering around the online game Animal Crossing, looking for
things people have thrown away - in cyberspace. A feature allows exploration of
virtual towns used by other players, and this quest searched for in-game items
that people had apparently lost or discarded. A new subdiscipline, call it </span><b>meta-garbology</b>, will create useful
metrics for the decline of civilization in the <span style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">virtual rubbish space. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">In the metaverse, you’ll never be lonely again. The days
of just sitting there playing by yourself are soon to be a thing of the past. <i>Interaction </i>and <i>community </i>are the big keywords, brands are the door openers that
fans use to communicate with their friends. Game companies love loosely
regulated in-game revenues. Relationships between <b>video games </b>and the <b>metaverse
</b>deepen. Hello Kitty licensed goods are already sold on Azerion’s platform
for multiplayer games. Soon you’ll be able to connect there with your very dear
friends Tinky, Winky and Dipsy, and for a limited time you may even run into
Dr. Who.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">NFT technology has raced ahead of branding and trademark
protection. Already infringers started a <b>land
rush of trademark claims</b> in the metaverse. They are staking out homesteads
in in-game worlds, 3D virtual real estate, virtual music theme parks and
concert venues. In November two trademark applications were filed by third
parties for Gucci and Prada logos for metaverse-related graphic applications
including downloadable virtual goods, virtual worlds and clothing. A Wild West
mentality prevails.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">Hermès</span></b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">
successfully sued artist Mason Rothschild after he sold an unlicensed
Birkin-inspired NFT artwork for $23,000. A 47-page complaint was submitted to
NY District Court. Digital dupes depict fur-covered bags shaped like the iconic
totes. The MetaBirkins bags, which retail for over $10,000 in the physical
world were first offered at $42,500 but there were no takers. NFTs depicting
fashion items have sold for millions in recent months. Balenciaga and Nike
experiment with virtual fashion. Questions remain about how trademark
protections for real world items will be enforced in the digital realm. Primary
responsibility in disputes is divided between the platform, the brand, and the
service provider.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; mso-highlight: white;">Why infringe when you can simply <b>counterfeit?</b> OpenSea sells celebrity trading cards, collectibles,
other categories<b> </b>of NFTs. The
metaverse clearing house believes 80% of the items created using a tool it
offers for free were <i>plagiarized works,
fake collections or spam</i>. On OpenSea there are several variations of the
BoredApe theme using marks similar to the original, offered at significantly
lower prices and selling smaller quantities. The dubious works were created to
dodge bans from other marketplaces. Once again, legal thin ice. And uh-oh,
creation of NFTs is largely irreversible.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #0a0a0a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_t9s567vuq1kd"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">"What
people in the world think of you is really none of your business." -
Martha Graham<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #444444; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Obits<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">Tova
Borgnine, 80<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">She was the hypnotic, pitch perfect pitchwoman
who handily upstaged her chirpy co-hosts, a serial cosmetics entrepreneur and
home shopping promoter who found success with an exotic skin care line. The
fifth wife of actor Ernest Borgnine, her makeup boutique first catered to Las
Vegas showgirls. She married the Oscar-winning Borgnine in 1973, the fourth
time for her, and eventually published a book about how the marriage lasted.
She was a firm believer in pre-feminist marital values. In 1976 a syndicated
gossip columnist complimented her husband on his dewy complexion. In reply he
plugged his wife’s cactus face mask, launching Tova’s next career as a beauty
entrepreneur. Following the mention, hundreds of letters arrived requesting
product, and included checks totaling $56,000. Steve McQueen, Burt Reynolds,
Elke Sommer and Charo all endorsed her products. Eight years later her yearly
sales had reached $6 million. In 1991 she became one of the earliest superstars
of QVC, the home shopping network, hawking her beauty line and signature
perfume. Ernie died in 2012, but she kept the business going. Television was
her mainstay. By 2020 her sales averaged $15-$20 million per year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">Ron
Galella, 91<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Starlets spat at him, security men throttled
him, Marlon Brando broke his jaw. He was called a creep, a stalker and worse.
He regularly bribed doormen, limo drivers and maids. A judge referred to him as
the most flagrant of the two-bit chiselers and fixers. The dean of American
paparazzi, his photography was both intimate and aggressive. It chronicled
stardom through the lens of the ultra-outsider and suggested the dark side of
America’s love-hate relationship with fame. Galella acknowledged that his prime
motivation was mercenary. He stalked Jackie O because there was a lucrative
market for pictures of her. She said he made her life intolerable, almost
unlivable, with his constant surveillance. <i>Time,
Life, People, </i>and<i> The National
Enquirer </i>were regular customers. To his surprise, at end of his career he
exhibited widely and had achieved legitimacy, hack no more.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">Jordan
Mooney, 66<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">When she commuted by train from her parents’
home in East Sussex, her appearance often cleared entire cars. Conductors would
move the girl with the peroxide bouffant, green makeup, and belted Mackintosh
for her safety into the first-class car. First she worked as a shop girl at
Harrod’s, but then was hired by Vivienne Westwood to work in the transgressive
London boutique Sex, a retail emporiuim filled with seditionary manifestoes,
rubber and leather fetish wear. It was the store that launched the Sex Pistols
and ground zero for disaffected teenagers. Jordan performed with Sex Pistols,
was known to hurl chairs at the audience. She had an unhappy heroin-filled
marriage to the bassist with Adam and the Ants. After their divorce she
disappeared and detoxed, then reinvented herself as a breeder of Burmese cats
and a veterinary nurse. She was once upon a time the figurehead for a
generation of anarchists and anti-Christs, briefly an avatar of Punk style.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">Peter
Moore, 78<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">He was one of a group of Nike execs who worked
with Michael Jordan to create Air Jordan 1, a basketball sneaker that became a
sales phenomenon and later a valuable collectible. It was the first shoe with a
pocket of compressed air concealed in its sole. The shoes originally cost $65 a
pair; a vintage production pair today could go for $2000. Sales the first year
of 1985 totaled $126m, far beyond Nike’s expectations. In 2021 the Jordan Brand
of footwear and apparel represented $4.7bn of Nike’s revenues. Moore also
reconfigured the Adidas corporate logo, still in use as brand’s primary logo<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_ezttjfvh603l"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">“Shall
we sum up Russia’s history in one phrase? It is the land of smothered
opportunities.”<br />
-
Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, <i>The Gulag
Archipelago</i>.<s><o:p></o:p></s></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Place
Branding<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">The <b>Idaho
Potato Commission</b> created a limited-edition<i> French Fry fragrance</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Sold out in four hours.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">A new logo rebrand was intended to symbolize
the people, their passion and love for the city. <b>Florence Alabama</b>’s community’s motto is “Live For More”. But city
fathers spent $25,000 to outsource the job to a Birmingham firm. An immediate
backlash followed. Locals did not feel the new logo registered any of the
amazement, delight and pride that the design company suggested it would. The
Florence City Council apologized for the logo, “which has brought so much
disappointment to our great city.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_1qw7hfj4q7i8"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">“Tell
him I was too fucking busy - or vice versa.” - Dorothy Parker<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Privacy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">If you visit the city of <b>Houston, Texas</b>, keep a tight lasso on your personal data. The city
has rolled out the first in a series of digital interactive wayfinding kiosks,
part of a city-wide initiative to build smart city infrastructure. Y’all, it
looks a lot like what is popularly called <i>surveillance
capitalism</i>. The free and convenient interactive kiosk experience nicknamed
IKE is intended to enhance the pedestrian experience and add vibrancy to
Houston’s urban landscape. It also rustles data on every person who comes near,
id’s your bluetooth and wifi devices, its cameras record your face, examine
your choices and selections and corrals the information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><a name="_klbt9oo3q845"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">“The one who tells the stories rules the world.” - Hopi<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Social
Media<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">How does an article go <b>viral</b>? A profile of the singer Sinead O’Connor in the NYTimes by
writer Amanda Hess got millions of page views in its first week of publication.
While O’Connor isn’t completely forgotten (she once tore up a photo of the Pope
on <i>Saturday Night Live</i>), she no
longer occupies the high profile she once did in popular media. Experts weighed
in on the phenomenon. Articles which evoke high-arousal emotions like awe,
anger, surprise and anxiety are more likely to go viral. Articles which evoke
low-arousal emotions like sadness or contentment are less likely to be shared.
It turns out that value centers in the brain respond to physical rewards, like
chocolate and money. The same regions react when we make decisions about
sharing information to strengthen social bonds. The ‘share versus read’ gap
occurs somewhere in the territory between content sharing and deep engagement.
So contrary to popular belief, sharing isn’t caring. It’s chocolate.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_oei63vmbacek"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span></b></h1><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><a name="_yj6g9mowvv11"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;">"I
like those who carefully choose words not to say." - Alda Merini<span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vocabulary</span><b><span lang="EN"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN">Aesopian language</span></i><span lang="EN"> - </span></b><span lang="EN">In Russia, oblique political talk or reporting using innuendos and
hints.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #2a2a2a;">algospeak -</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: #2a2a2a;">
refers to code words or turns of phrase users have adopted in an effort to
create a brand-safe lexicon that avoids getting posts removed or down-ranked by
content moderation systems</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span lang="EN">chaos
monkey</span></b><span lang="EN"> - the name of a piece of software made by
Netflix that it called “a resiliency tool that helps applications tolerate
random instance failures.” It aims to throw content haphazardly into a system
to test its robustness.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span lang="EN">clearnet</span></b><span lang="EN"> - the part of the internet governed by attention algorithms, which
rewards poorly reasoned instant reaction and/or banal smarm</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span lang="EN">cryptic lineages -</span></b><span lang="EN"> oddball viral
fragments found in NYC wastewater</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN">fictosexual -</span></b><span lang="EN"> asexual identity
for someone who mostly is attracted to Fictional characters.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">hopium
stocks - </span></b><span lang="EN">where most of Musk’s wealth is located, and
his potential undoing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span lang="EN">normative dilution</span></b><span lang="EN"> - the concept
that it’s possible for a thing to become so normalized that we become cynical
to it, less likely to forgive, in turn rendering even an authentic apology
useless.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-highlight: white;">politainment
-</span></b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-highlight: white;"> the tendency in mass media to enliven political reports and news
coverage using elements from public relations, pop culture and journalism to
make complex information more accessible or convincing; to distract public
attention away from politically unfavorable topics. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN">Reality Distortion Field -</span></b><span lang="EN"> what
Steve Jobs was known for: <i>the ability to
change doubting minds through charisma, hyperbole and braggadocio<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN">secondary perils - </span></b><span lang="EN">industry
classification for last year’s huge winter storms in Texas, summer floods in
Germany and December tornadoes in the US midwest. All caused the insurance
sector billions of dollars in losses.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span><b><span lang="EN">sin stocks -</span></b><span lang="EN"> pariah non-ESG
securities from defense, tobacco and gambling companies</span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><a name="_cgod1mke68e9"></a><b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-highlight: white;">Broadway
producer Max Gordon told George Gershwin in 1929: "The jig is up."</span></b><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What Is A Brand?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">“Brands
are a lie we tell ourselves.” - Scott Galloway<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Shall we then proceed from the assumption that
<i>falsehood</i> is embedded in brands?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Cynicism, disillusion and doubt, all
byproducts of this era.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">A brand is an excuse for not having the right
answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">A brand is a word we use as a substitute for <i>compassion</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">See you in your prime in 2023.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p><p><br /></p>Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-51122761968184066252022-05-17T06:59:00.003-07:002022-05-17T07:00:28.315-07:00Paula Sweet debuts weekly 'Couture Comix'<p> As if fashion design, portraiture, photography and decor wasn't enough, the multi-talented Paula this week launches a weekly fashion-focused cartoon feature at www.lucire.com. Check in every Tuesday for her newest installment!</p><p>https://lucire.com/insider/20220517/couture-comix-no-1/</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt9F5uXzdQzkcmxiWW8kLVFR_-YlnrjEitFJVJpmxchl7Bt0JNiUiwvWv2-efKB7BZz2jb3yJyqqjEiEgHuZ8-wNTCD0iYtetzpPciL1V7muQNi59ww2hyM3TEhpNLiTYRUu4jDsG9Lot7mTMUj78h57n1RkEZ_NiNDs_pTB2XSgwR31rj4I/s1809/Couture%20Comiix_Page_01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1323" data-original-width="1809" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt9F5uXzdQzkcmxiWW8kLVFR_-YlnrjEitFJVJpmxchl7Bt0JNiUiwvWv2-efKB7BZz2jb3yJyqqjEiEgHuZ8-wNTCD0iYtetzpPciL1V7muQNi59ww2hyM3TEhpNLiTYRUu4jDsG9Lot7mTMUj78h57n1RkEZ_NiNDs_pTB2XSgwR31rj4I/s320/Couture%20Comiix_Page_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-45560208605989731702020-05-14T07:18:00.002-07:002020-05-14T07:21:40.174-07:00Wild style at Paula Sweet's website<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Fashion forward designs worth a browse<br />
<a href="http://www.paulasweet.com/">www.paulasweet.com</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfkQ_kpaO3UOJmRW3qSpCzmg13sO7ZP6uQvNz_-bsXqj3R2Pc4zLBqgMIGgdlVKDmyiFLjrvuPZhioEOGV27GaJeOgTjdXf5ZJzl7xxrjcSf0N7o4F6qxEyFkGjoAh5uY5MAoEw/s1600/ps+web+logo+in+square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1256" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfkQ_kpaO3UOJmRW3qSpCzmg13sO7ZP6uQvNz_-bsXqj3R2Pc4zLBqgMIGgdlVKDmyiFLjrvuPZhioEOGV27GaJeOgTjdXf5ZJzl7xxrjcSf0N7o4F6qxEyFkGjoAh5uY5MAoEw/s320/ps+web+logo+in+square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-66244628067615665372020-02-07T10:31:00.002-08:002020-05-14T07:22:32.307-07:00India reviewer loves HACK IS BACK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Many thanks today to NJKinny, a well-respected blogger, for 4 stars given to HACK IS BACK.<br />
<a href="https://www.njkinnysblog.com/2020/02/book-review-hack-is-back-by-smoss.html">https://www.njkinnysblog.com/2020/02/book-review-hack-is-back-by-smoss.html</a><br />
Much appreciated!<br />
To order your own cover t-shirt, visit espace DiGanZi printables page<br /><a href="https://diganzi.wixsite.com/espacediganzi/objets">https://diganzi.wixsite.com/espacediganzi/objets</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28X-Ph-Z0jQHAjc2XGpYu2qnPhmJkHBTPGZ1Asv1ONdcZ9t4lwytUS_qFHuBtgR1UA8H1O4qiJLG1ZReMTXuvv4d6UcK2BOzYWbJFAREFJnwSFD3EZG7HpuMYFgBDC3P1uuhTtQ/s1600/hack+cover+tshirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="455" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28X-Ph-Z0jQHAjc2XGpYu2qnPhmJkHBTPGZ1Asv1ONdcZ9t4lwytUS_qFHuBtgR1UA8H1O4qiJLG1ZReMTXuvv4d6UcK2BOzYWbJFAREFJnwSFD3EZG7HpuMYFgBDC3P1uuhTtQ/s320/hack+cover+tshirt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-89534721381066900152020-01-23T05:15:00.004-08:002020-05-14T07:22:32.596-07:00Second Guess Press and Espace DiGanZi get a mention<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Direct links to two new merch sites in this article here<br />
<a href="http://lucire.com/insider/20200122/retail-travel-ed-stanley-moss-launches-merchandising-site-net-a-porter-adds-chinese-designers-to-tmall/">http://lucire.com/insider/20200122/retail-travel-ed-stanley-moss-launches-merchandising-site-net-a-porter-adds-chinese-designers-to-tmall/</a><br />
Our first 50 book titles published under the 'HcT! imprint now featured at Second Guess Press.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJ1M3X7kutte9T3t1-MfQrTuSfUIFkvi_6eq-G1XVe2t-PQZj7DMNq0nqjoMfzcNX9rTJkbKQlIMbn5EV7dvB5aWupAO5QfRtki9mqxeG09nFoZ4e1VkuIpUf6sYfF5CSCI1IIg/s1600/second+guess+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="815" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJ1M3X7kutte9T3t1-MfQrTuSfUIFkvi_6eq-G1XVe2t-PQZj7DMNq0nqjoMfzcNX9rTJkbKQlIMbn5EV7dvB5aWupAO5QfRtki9mqxeG09nFoZ4e1VkuIpUf6sYfF5CSCI1IIg/s320/second+guess+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-57347482726667478782020-01-12T05:09:00.001-08:002020-05-14T07:22:32.015-07:00DiGanZi's new mechandise website<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello all.<br />
You're cordially invited to visit <b>espace DiGanZi</b>, a new merch site, which offers books, and printable objects<br />
<a href="https://diganzi.wixsite.com/espacediganzi">https://diganzi.wixsite.com/espacediganzi</a><br />
New items will be added to the printables page every month.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV5BSoqpAH5BPNJwNAAD-w72K80bvhsY8pO4hdbOFcZ-y8RQ7QCOLeUNGUWxYdxEi2XXOpPFPHoEQ59BZ7crLlgqwqoe2aGVWk_4d8w6PkFSmAgbN9hK3JXAjNR6Y8baJysvpJQ/s1600/espace+t-shirt+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="491" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV5BSoqpAH5BPNJwNAAD-w72K80bvhsY8pO4hdbOFcZ-y8RQ7QCOLeUNGUWxYdxEi2XXOpPFPHoEQ59BZ7crLlgqwqoe2aGVWk_4d8w6PkFSmAgbN9hK3JXAjNR6Y8baJysvpJQ/s320/espace+t-shirt+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-68792873389451172342019-07-24T08:59:00.003-07:002020-05-14T07:22:32.483-07:00Goodreads giveaway of HACK IS BACK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you're a Goodreads member, you're eligible -starting on the 27th of July - to enter in a free giveaway of Kindle versions of my new novel.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47183900" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Hack Is Back by SMoss" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563978767l/47183900._SY475_.jpg" title="Hack Is Back by SMoss" width="100" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47183900" rel="nofollow">Hack Is Back</a><br />
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by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7339073.SMoss" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;">SMoss</a><br />
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Giveaway ends August 25, 2019.<br />
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<br />
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/295629" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a><br />
at Goodreads.<br />
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<a class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink" href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_kindle_giveaway/295629" rel="nofollow">Enter Giveaway</a><br />
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<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/295629" type="text/javascript"></script>Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-62937266366541141032019-06-29T04:49:00.000-07:002020-05-14T07:22:32.131-07:003 new SMoss book titles reviewed by Jack Yan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Travel editor Stanley Moss has had his finger on the pulse of the <i>Zeitgeist</i> for a long time. Over the last 15 years, he’s circulated his <i>Global Brand Letter</i> to colleagues, friends and subscribers. In 2004, this was a two-page crib sheet, sent to clients who had asked questions about branding, and, in Stanley’s words, he found himself ‘wrestling to keep up with terminology’. These became ever-larger, ever-grander annual events, and the 2007 edition is where the familiar ingredients come together. We all looked forward to the <i>Letter</i> each year, and in 2018, Stan reduced the frequency to six-monthly but still managed to pack as much in to each one. The latest is 18 pp., a far cry from the two-pager in 2004.<br /> The branding world affects us hugely in fashion, where the difference between two labels could well come down to how their brands are perceived; but it goes deeper than that. A world traveller—as <i>Lucire</i> readers know—Stanley brought together inputs from all over the globe, including places where he worked as a branding practitioner, and for many years, the CEO of <a href="http://medinge.org/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Medinge Group</a>, the think-tank over which we first conversed some 17 years ago.<br /> This year, he’s brought 15 years’ worth of his work into a single volume, called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nuclear-Brands-History-Reflection-Prediction/dp/1075892767/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Nuclear+Brands&qid=1561639172&s=books&sr=1-2" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>Nuclear Brands: 15 Years of History, Reflections and Prediction</i></a>. As you read through, you realize Stanley’s been extremely prescient, the sort of insight you only get from an expert practitioner. In that period we’ve gone from looking at globalization and social responsibility to social media and the false promise (and premise) of influencers. He includes each of his ‘What is a brand?’ sections, bringing together different professionals’ views, proving that if you ask a dozen different people, you’re going to get a dozen different answers. It also illustrates the fluidity of the concept over the last decade and a half.<br /> Stanley has chosen to present his work in reverse chronological order, which struck me as curious initially, till I began reading, discovering that the 2019 edition gets us in a world of the familiar—nanoinfluencers, China’s social-credit system, and <a href="http://lucire.com/2019/0201ll0.shtml" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Dolce & Gabbana’s recent fallout</a>. Read through and you realize that the dates don’t always marry up with when the concepts became mainstream: he’s generally been ahead with what he’s identified, and the genius remains in how Stanley has brought disparate strands together.<br /> At 239 pp., it’s a wonderfully engaging read, but for those who prefer quicker fare, <i>Nuclear Brands</i> is released with two briefer books. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TPS5M9R/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i10" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>What Is a Brand?</i></a> is a 19 pp. volume in its fourth edition, with a preface by Fritz Gottschalk and an introduction by Michael Wolff. The book comprises Stanley’s collections of people answering the book’s central question, as well as his own ruminations. The names are familiar to those who practise in this world, many with links back to Medinge: Ian Ryder, the late Colin Morley, the late Thomas Gad, Stephen Bayley, Jasper Conran, Ava Hakim, Malcolm Allan, Simon Paterson, Manas Fuloria, Patrick Harris, Erika Uffindell, the late Massimo Vignelli, and Cristián Saracco, among many others. The next title, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-Did-You-Just-Say/dp/1076162908/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=What+Did+You+Just+Say%3F+SMoss&qid=1561639228&s=books&sr=1-2" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>What Did You Just Say?</i></a>, is a fascinating collection of branding terms. This 24 pp. volume has entries from <i>algorithmic governance</i> to <i>zero-day</i>, terminology bandied about in the industry, with some having become mainstream (<i>upcycling</i>, collected 2011), others awaiting their turn (<i>ultracrepdiarian sciolist</i> surely is a term of our times).<br /> All three are available on Amazon in paperback editions (links above), with Kindle editions for those preferring their books digital.<i>—Jack Yan, Publisher</i><br />Read more at http://lucire.com/insider/20190629/on-the-pulse-of-our-modern-world-travel-editor-stanley-moss-releases-three-books/#dEwb6upsl3TKT4LG.99</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYlDxX9eZsaCNCltOEvtQc7sHkHDoWzL2omcR_7QJgUcrZqAZBTrWcs_SroaCrh_l6yplPk608fP5muObJ0YRkKZLifdwpvyFhoUshyphenhyphenIDVrcpTfqQTjH0epXtqdxOcxW2hQf2qA/s1600/3+Covers+as+a+GIF.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1518" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYlDxX9eZsaCNCltOEvtQc7sHkHDoWzL2omcR_7QJgUcrZqAZBTrWcs_SroaCrh_l6yplPk608fP5muObJ0YRkKZLifdwpvyFhoUshyphenhyphenIDVrcpTfqQTjH0epXtqdxOcxW2hQf2qA/s320/3+Covers+as+a+GIF.gif" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Bembo, "Garamond 12", Garamond; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
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Travel editor Stanley Moss has had his finger on the pulse of the <i>Zeitgeist</i> for a long time. Over the last 15 years, he’s circulated his <i>Global Brand Letter</i> to colleagues, friends and subscribers. In 2004, this was a two-page crib sheet, sent to clients who had asked questions about branding, and, in Stanley’s words, he found himself ‘wrestling to keep up with terminology’. These became ever-larger, ever-grander annual events, and the 2007 edition is where the familiar ingredients come together. We all looked forward to the <i>Letter</i> each year, and in 2018, Stan reduced the frequency to six-monthly but still managed to pack as much in to each one. The latest is 18 pp., a far cry from the two-pager in 2004.<br /> The branding world affects us hugely in fashion, where the difference between two labels could well come down to how their brands are perceived; but it goes deeper than that. A world traveller—as <i>Lucire</i> readers know—Stanley brought together inputs from all over the globe, including places where he worked as a branding practitioner, and for many years, the CEO of <a href="http://medinge.org/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Medinge Group</a>, the think-tank over which we first conversed some 17 years ago.<br /> This year, he’s brought 15 years’ worth of his work into a single volume, called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nuclear-Brands-History-Reflection-Prediction/dp/1075892767/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Nuclear+Brands&qid=1561639172&s=books&sr=1-2" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>Nuclear Brands: 15 Years of History, Reflections and Prediction</i></a>. As you read through, you realize Stanley’s been extremely prescient, the sort of insight you only get from an expert practitioner. In that period we’ve gone from looking at globalization and social responsibility to social media and the false promise (and premise) of influencers. He includes each of his ‘What is a brand?’ sections, bringing together different professionals’ views, proving that if you ask a dozen different people, you’re going to get a dozen different answers. It also illustrates the fluidity of the concept over the last decade and a half.<br /> Stanley has chosen to present his work in reverse chronological order, which struck me as curious initially, till I began reading, discovering that the 2019 edition gets us in a world of the familiar—nanoinfluencers, China’s social-credit system, and <a href="http://lucire.com/2019/0201ll0.shtml" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Dolce & Gabbana’s recent fallout</a>. Read through and you realize that the dates don’t always marry up with when the concepts became mainstream: he’s generally been ahead with what he’s identified, and the genius remains in how Stanley has brought disparate strands together.<br /> At 239 pp., it’s a wonderfully engaging read, but for those who prefer quicker fare, <i>Nuclear Brands</i> is released with two briefer books. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TPS5M9R/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i10" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>What Is a Brand?</i></a> is a 19 pp. volume in its fourth edition, with a preface by Fritz Gottschalk and an introduction by Michael Wolff. The book comprises Stanley’s collections of people answering the book’s central question, as well as his own ruminations. The names are familiar to those who practise in this world, many with links back to Medinge: Ian Ryder, the late Colin Morley, the late Thomas Gad, Stephen Bayley, Jasper Conran, Ava Hakim, Malcolm Allan, Simon Paterson, Manas Fuloria, Patrick Harris, Erika Uffindell, the late Massimo Vignelli, and Cristián Saracco, among many others. The next title, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-Did-You-Just-Say/dp/1076162908/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=What+Did+You+Just+Say%3F+SMoss&qid=1561639228&s=books&sr=1-2" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>What Did You Just Say?</i></a>, is a fascinating collection of branding terms. This 24 pp. volume has entries from <i>algorithmic governance</i> to <i>zero-day</i>, terminology bandied about in the industry, with some having become mainstream (<i>upcycling</i>, collected 2011), others awaiting their turn (<i>ultracrepdiarian sciolist</i> surely is a term of our times).<br /> All three are available on Amazon in paperback editions (links above), with Kindle editions for those preferring their books digital.<i>—Jack Yan, Publisher</i><br />Read more at http://lucire.com/insider/20190629/on-the-pulse-of-our-modern-world-travel-editor-stanley-moss-releases-three-books/#dEwb6upsl3TKT4LG.99</div>
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<a href="http://lucire.com/insider/20190629/on-the-pulse-of-our-modern-world-travel-editor-stanley-moss-releases-three-books/#rCPMArm9wqZ13Ph3.97">http://lucire.com/insider/20190629/on-the-pulse-of-our-modern-world-travel-editor-stanley-moss-releases-three-books/#rCPMArm9wqZ13Ph3.97</a><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Bembo, Garamond 12, Garamond;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Read more at http://lucire.com/insider/20190629/on-the-pulse-of-our-modern-world-travel-editor-stanley-moss-releases-three-books/#sE0urlX9E9Ukyd3I.99</span></span></div>
Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-6622021021774205652017-12-26T13:56:00.001-08:002020-05-14T07:22:32.249-07:00Paula Sweet's new portfolio from Sicily<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Paula's posted many new frames taken in Sicily in August. Some will appear in our winter travel feature for <i>Lucire</i>. They're quite evocative views from Modica, Agrigento and other destinations.<br />
You can license them - send an email to find out more. She is also available for assignments.<br />
Here's a sampling<br />
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-14689107353214058182016-12-31T08:02:00.001-08:002020-05-14T07:22:31.381-07:00It's About Time in Italy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Baglioni chronicles </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Easter weekend and the train to Santa Maria Novella rumbles into town at 9pm after a heavy rain. The station’s nearly empty. Let’s not call it a torrent, but the cobblestone streets are still shiny in the streetlights. I opt for a cab, though I could easily walk it, and five minutes later I’m floating through the foyer of the Relais Santa Croce, up the broad stairs, back to the familiar front desk. There’s a fire roaring in the big room next to reception, and a very happy couple sit shoulder-to-shoulder on the wide couch facing it and I don’t want to disturb their moment, so I wander over to the window and stare down at the street below. By now it’s lightly misting outside, deserted. Why the heck not? The deskman hands me a big umbrella, I say I’m just going to take a short stroll, and out I go into a Firenze I have never seen, not a soul on the street, a glossy night, with the luxury to meander at my own pace. My eyes fall on stray details, the peculiar iridescence of white marble through the diffuse screen of fog, columns and facades which are heroic, opulent, ornate, towering overhead, the absence of noise, the occasional flash of a colorful neon sign in a dark window, unseen sculptures in hidden alcoves. Usually I am jockeying humans on these sidewalks, trying to avoid rear-ending somebody. Tonight I wander unencumbered into Santa Croce, swing through the Duomo, loop down to the Arno, cross the Ponte Vecchio which is empty and feels like a movie set. I lose all sense of the hour. But at 1230am, two and a half hours later, I’m back climbing the stairs at the Relais. “Had a good walk?” the deskman asks, glancing at his watch. “Far too short,” I answer. He sighs. “The restaurant is closed, but have you seen our Room Service menu? We can have something delicious up to your room in no time!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rome</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rooftops. I can’t stop staring at the rooftops. They stretch ahead of me to eternity, a thousand shapes, into infinity. From my perspective on the roof terrace of the Baglioni Hotel Regina, overlooking the Via Veneto, a swirl of recollection encompasses me, and I dream of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">La Dolce Vita</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">La Grande Bellezza</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, seasoned with a playful soundtrack by Nino Rota. Somewhere in the streets out there my every cinema dream took shape. My stomach is growling. But the rooftops are listening. Come back into the streets, they say. All that’s missing is the hearty dish of pasta and a basket overflowing with crisp </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">grissini</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which can be easily had. You can find that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">trattoria </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you liked so much last trip, order a glass of chianti, take a moment to see who’s sitting at the next table. A spontaneous rendezvous? But first, the rooftops with their thousands of stories. They stretch into eternity and now I get it: no wonder they call this city Eternal. Here you have all the time in the world, and there is no time like the present.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-npD7FgeeHCM_WdILDZMIt4WpCIM1trXW9vRhgmDDqa69zJzMEERFn-ItJOA16Yd_4p-gRBr2WyC2WVJcyAVyivceJ5o-bjhechwOyXjlff8GYYBSbce9VOKp732QAQRC-ZG5Cg/s1600/milan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-npD7FgeeHCM_WdILDZMIt4WpCIM1trXW9vRhgmDDqa69zJzMEERFn-ItJOA16Yd_4p-gRBr2WyC2WVJcyAVyivceJ5o-bjhechwOyXjlff8GYYBSbce9VOKp732QAQRC-ZG5Cg/s1600/milan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-npD7FgeeHCM_WdILDZMIt4WpCIM1trXW9vRhgmDDqa69zJzMEERFn-ItJOA16Yd_4p-gRBr2WyC2WVJcyAVyivceJ5o-bjhechwOyXjlff8GYYBSbce9VOKp732QAQRC-ZG5Cg/s320/milan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Milano</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I can never see all that there is when I’m out window shopping,” she comments. She means, perhaps, that she wants to stop in front of every display, and walk into half the stores where she pauses. She’s sitting in the bar at the Carlton, sipping her Spritz Aperol. She looks fantastic in her winter wool, in her chic sunglasses.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Did you know,” I say, “that there’s a private doorway here that leads to the Via della Spiga? You can walk out whenever you like. You can come back whenever you like.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> true they change the windows frequently,” she says. “ I can go out tomorrow and there will be new things to happen upon.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Undoubtedly,” I answer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I don’t need to get in a taxi.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You can reach most of the places you like on foot,” I say. “The Duomo’s less than ten minutes away. And that restaurant you liked, the one that published poetry books.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Then what are we waiting for?” she asks, taking a last sip, placing her glass decisively on the table next to a half-full dish of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cerignola</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> olives. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I am waiting for you,” I say. “And I have all day. I shall follow you everywhere.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You are a magnificent man,” she tells me. “To give so generously of your time.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r7wFOesyqik33Sk1sdPVt5UoA9cnepPUx3TdUqP8rI1rCQTAk5Z0YOph0_7aJJRw7PHAosRdCac56G_nrdBAP68a7yiAkBaHUZajgGo5GwjlBrPL0TPhPZ2DvdozE_hSBtk41Q/s1600/venezia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r7wFOesyqik33Sk1sdPVt5UoA9cnepPUx3TdUqP8rI1rCQTAk5Z0YOph0_7aJJRw7PHAosRdCac56G_nrdBAP68a7yiAkBaHUZajgGo5GwjlBrPL0TPhPZ2DvdozE_hSBtk41Q/s320/venezia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Real Venetians never walk fast, and here is why. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Venice is built on a foundation of tree trunks, taken from the nearby forests of the Veneto. The tree trunks were pounded into the silt of the lagoon. Atop such pilings the palaces were constructed. It took thousands of years for the forests to grow. Over the space of five centuries the Venetians built their city and their navies from the lumber they harvested.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta on the island of Torcello is the oldest church in Venice, dating to 639. Ferries to Torcello run less frequently than the usual vaporetti, leaving from the Fondamente Nuove stop. Unless you charter your own boat, a trip to Torcello, a walk around and the return to proper Venice will last a half day.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The palaces of Venice went through stylistic fads from the 13th to the 18th centuries, and many were restored in the 19th century. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Luna Hotel Baglioni palazzo, which is located just off Piazza San Marco, dates to 1118, and throughout the years has undergone transformations from a convent into an aristocratic palace and even a shelter for the Knights Templar. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A cruise down the Grand Canal will take you past Byzantine, Gothic, Baroque and Palladian examples. Popular outcry followed the destruction of many architectural treasures in the 19th century and led to the preservation mentality which no longer allows radical alterations to Venice’s historic landscape.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Which is why Venetians walk slowly. It has taken them a long time to get to this point, and hurrying will not be tolerated. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC4p6IZzCEkLGHsnviJAY6B8aBhs6vJe_7nmlmEMUymhaO-F9yTBS-myoFUXfXOgkxRTvZSJUtS_TX_m-ZJPnWkgVqQbLsvKc-T0KYRxWvd7Rtlxg53QxrrLYfniXlyPPHp8m5A/s1600/punta+ala.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC4p6IZzCEkLGHsnviJAY6B8aBhs6vJe_7nmlmEMUymhaO-F9yTBS-myoFUXfXOgkxRTvZSJUtS_TX_m-ZJPnWkgVqQbLsvKc-T0KYRxWvd7Rtlxg53QxrrLYfniXlyPPHp8m5A/s320/punta+ala.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Punta Ala</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The horizon cannot have appreciably changed since 1974, when Roberto Polito built his first establishment here in Punta Ala, facing the islands of the Tuscan archipelago.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the terrace of Hotel Cala del Porto, situated on a promontory above the marina and set among Maremma pines, distant Corsica is visible off to the left, with magnificent Elba straight ahead. To the north on the mainland reside the historic cities of Piombino and Carbonifera. This area’s historic excavations date back to Paleolithic times. Sites of iron mines established by the Romans can still be found on the island of Elba.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sea cannot be rushed, nor can a voyage under sail. Once you cast off, it could be days before you return. If you can persuade your captain to set sail, he will plot a course to Portoferraio on Elba. You cross the white-capped channel, the same steps which Napoleon Bonaparte took 200 years ago when he sailed into the tiny port on the north shore of the celebrated island. Napoleon spent almost a year of compulsive activity, building a road system, raising defenses, draining marshes, renovating palaces, plotting his escape and putting down a miners’ uprising which he caused after levying taxes on the poor fellows. A year later he left town, bound for Paris, eventual defeat at Waterloo, and final exile on the isle of St. Helena. Despite the sad end to his story, people here still gratefully remember Bonaparte, in fact a mass has been said for him daily in local churches for the two centuries since he departed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My plan is a more modest one: I shall stroll ancient lanes and seek out a table at an open air portside cafe, and sample a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">frate</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the local donut which goes so well with one of those strong Italian coffees. Less ambitious than Napoleon, but immediately, sweetly gratifying.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Il Regalo Baglioni</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a insider’s promotion, offers specialized experiences which can be gifted by internet or via an attractive package greeting. The recipient then books directly with Baglioni Hotels. Currently, several discounted selections are featured. Check out </span><a href="http://www.ilregalobaglioni.baglionihotels.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.ilregalobaglioni.baglionihotels.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the latest offers available.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-34869689897936432482016-03-24T11:01:00.001-07:002020-05-14T07:22:31.643-07:00New Meets Old on Three Continents<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LUCIRE SPRING 2016 TRAVEL SECTION</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">with photographs by Paula Sweet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Six months on the road, and much to report to you: <span style="color: red;">Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, Italy, Paris, Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains.</span> The odyssey continues, and here’s the latest:</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Mona Lisa Slept Here</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One hundred fifteen years ago Vincenzo Peruggia removed la Gioconda from her frame in the Louvre and spirited her across the Seine to Saint Germain des Pres, to a seedy, top floor apartment. There the most famous painting in history slept unmolested, secreted away from the masses, even evading a visit by Paris police. Today you can occupy the same room (‘Adorateur’) where Mona Lisa slumbered, at the marvelous </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hotel Da Vinci</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a charming Left Bank 4-star of only 24 rooms which opened in June 2014. Great location aside, steps from Cafe de Flore, ornate Belle Epoque ambience prevails, colored with blue and gold and dark wood accents. Many rooms with private terraces. Leonardo-inspired motifs drawn from his works complete the decor. Can’t take our eyes off the old style room phone, branded slippers and the classy umbrellas available at the entry! Special appreciation for the ornate breakfast room with its groovy marble floor, and the very cool round window table, perfect for people-watching as you sip your </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cafe au lait</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Through the back door you’ll find a little garden/meeting space which seats up to eight. Downstairs a spa and hammam await you, which Da Vinci includes in some romantic package offerings. Very attractive special deals can be found on the website, and a call to the property may yield even better rates. This extremely fun hotel doesn’t have the biggest rooms in the world. But you will always be happy to return to it, especially once you learn the “missing piece”, the eccentric location of the secret release button at the lower left by the entry door.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.hoteldavinciparis.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hoteldavinciparis</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.com</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Star design team does it again</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hotel de Seze</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> latest design adventure </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from architects Anne Peyroux and Emmanuèle Thisy, adds another fine lodging choice to the neighborhood near the Place de la Madeleine. As always, lush </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fabrics, sleek furnishings and modern carpets contribute to the signature gloss. Telling signs like joyful laughter from the reception area attest to the property’s general amiability, as does the very happy lady who presides over the cozy breakfast room of only 8 tables. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Comfort, texture and shopping are the keywords which describe this new boutique hotel of only 22 rooms and suites, set between the Faubourg St. Honore and the department stores of the Grands Boulevards, a stone’s throw from the Boulevard des Italiens and the Opera Garnier. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midst a symphony of calm greys, the brand spanking new 4-star exudes discretion and cool. We loved room 61, a top floor junior suite with skylit bathroom, and priceless view over typical rooftops all the way up to Sacre Coeur. Plop yourself down in the cozy sitting area and empty your shopping bags - there’s abundant space to spread out the choices for your evening’s ensemble.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.hoteldeseze.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hoteldeseze</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.com</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Theatrically Speaking</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hotel Monsieur</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a bright new lodging tribute to Sascha Guitry (Who’s he? Ask any French person!) has opened in a prime location in the 8th arrondisment, near many celebrated gastronomic institutions. A property of only 29 rooms, with 2 exceptional suites, you can get in on the first act of a comfortable entrance to the Parisian hotel scene, set in a typical residential </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quartier</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Decorated with images from Guitry’s greatest plays and productions, and walking distance from the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theatre des Mathurins (originally named Theatre de Monsieur a century ago,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from which it takes its name) you’ll find many options in decor. Impresario-grade 602, the Sascha Guitry suite and biggest in the property, takes a bow with 2 bathrooms; breakfast on its private terrace highly recommended, weather permitting. Room 605 features a flamboyant yellow bed, lovely view, and ornate tile details. The romantic 404 is a tour de force of passionate red like a proscenium, scarlet floor accented with black lacquer highlights. The ground floor breakfast room adjacent lounge, and constant coffee bar with gluten-free pastries make the public areas a pleasurable launchpad for your active day. This stylish hotel delivers great value, modern design, and dramatic flourishes well worth your standing ovation. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.hotelmonsieur.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">http://www.hotelmonsieur.com/</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Firenze</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“No does not exist.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s tough to name another hotel where, at the moment you check in under the Premium Program, you are introduced to an individual with the alluring job title of Suite Ambassador. This particular event definitely happens at Florence’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hotel Brunelleschi</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> where the polymath polyglot Paulus makes you feel instantly welcome to what he calls a “house with a heart.” At 86 rooms,10 of them suites, the Brunelleschi can’t really be described as a boutique property. Yet the hotel successfully delivers on the promise with an uncrowded and personalized vibe. It’s deceptively quiet and calm for a place of such capacity, the majority of guests from US/UK, staying an average of 2-3 nights. In operation for 35 years, the rooms are new, up-to-date and state-of-the-art. It could also explain why the Brunelleschi is a favorite destination for medium-sized corporate meetings- a spacious function room comfortably hosts up to 100, but you hardly know it’s there. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The keywords to this elegant 5-star are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">History, Service </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Location</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Built on Roman foundations, its facade preserves an Ottoman-era tower -oldest in Florence - dating from the 8th century, which integrates seamlessly with the modern wings. Many Florentine hotels celebrate the city’s connection with art, but few have such a direct attachment to the living history of the city. The Brunelleschi even maintains a subterranean museum for serious time-traveling back to the Roman era. The past, if not in the walls, is always directly under your feet. The hotel’s optimal location can’t be beat. Step out the front door, make a fast left turn and you’re on the main shopping avenue. Everything wonderful within walking distance. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paulus says that “no” does not exist at the Brunelleschi, and having tested the claim </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucire </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can vouch that the statement is a true one. Service was uniformly helpful, positive, attentive. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Kudos to the breakfast options, twists on classics at good prices- two dining rooms with opulent buffet choice, one with a striking view of the Liberty Lounge’s vintage leaded glass windows, and the amazing private dining Santa Elizabetta room for Premium Program guests in the Pagliazza Tower. The intimate space seats only 20 people, and in the evenings doubles as the hotel’s fine dining room. There you need to taste the Osteria’s flambe selections, where maitre d’ Demetrios hovers at a discreet distance, attentive to your every need. The service aspect continues throughout the Premium Program which includes champagne, macarons, private breakfast, ironing, shoeshine, packing help, flowers, finest grade linens and custom amenities. Paulus will even find you a hot air balloon. Mention needs to made about the American Bar where bar ambassador Beata mixes a picture perfect Cosmopolitan with a twist: the critical ingredient (besides utter professionalism) is spirits from Sicily: well worth a try.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Upstairs, consider the Pagliazza Tower Suite #415, 2 levels, 2 baths, circular bed, spiral stairs, facing the Duomo. It has an outdoor jacuzzi on a private terrace. We could go on with a longer list of super details, but internet search on in-room televisions lends an added window into the present day. If that sounds like a mystery out of a Dan Brown book, you can always ask your kids how it works. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Milan</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">An Ever-Reliable Beloved Friend</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no better news than to rediscover a place time and again, which upholds the standards of excellence, service and personality like Milan’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hotel Baglioni Carlton</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucire </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">checked in for an update in January 2016. What’s not to love about this delirious five-star with its always-gracious welcome, world-class team, and private portal opening onto the Via della Spiga? Walking distance from the best shopping in Milano, an easy stroll to the Duomo, surrounded by stratospheric restaurant choices, The Carlton can’t be compared to other properties. It’s a well-established watering hole whose public spaces are ideal for business meetings. The incomparable </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Il Baretto Al Baglioni remains one of the consistently great dining experiences in the city. And familiar faces like Concierge Lino and barman Maurizio make every interaction a pleasure, akin to warm reunions with old and dear friends. Familiar details abound, all reflecting the Baglioni brand’s incomparable eye for Italian style. Hot tip: room service breakfast at the Carlton always a brilliant way to ease into your day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Santa Teresa, Costa Rica</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Otherworldy escape and legendary waves</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not all surfers shall cling to the grunge fringe. That is to say, you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">could </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">live quite cheaply at the bottom of the food chain in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, sleep under palm fronds in a budget hammock, carry your board a quarter mile to the beach under your arm, brave the mosquitoes and live on grilled catch of the day at open-front food stands with American price tags. Other shredders prefer to avail themselves of the serious comfort and isolation offered at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Florblanca</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, an outstanding hideaway of 9 luxury villas ideally set on the Surf Coast beachfront, with all the amenities and privacy only a five-star property can deliver. The package includes complimentary daily visits by shimmering green iguanas, who sun themselves on the warm walls adjacent to your breakfast table. Try the signature granola and fruit for a serious power hit to begin your day. The kitchen offers flavorful twists on local produce, with exceptional seafood preparations and the most accommodating barman in the Western Hemisphere. A world-class spa nestled among the lofty overgrowth makes this resort even more of a destination. Twenty years ago Santa Teresa was a sleepy, empty, slow-paced fishing village. Today, filled with surf schools, repair shops, accessory stores and many levels of lodging, the speed of life and no-worries attitude somehow remains. A dusty, rutted main road has many small lanes leading directly to the water, as the procession of wave worshipers comes and goes with the rising tide. Florblanca, a secure, honeymoon-appropriate oasis among the jungle foliage, has all the beauty, tranquility and exclusivity the luxury traveler seeks. You walk from your villa directly to the sand undisturbed and uninterrupted. Within minutes you’ve paddled out into the swaying swells, your panoramic view encompassing one of the most awe-inspiring, lush and verdant shorelines to be found on planet earth. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Moroccan Notes</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Atlas Mountains</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A modern spa at a first class traditional resort</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An easy one hour’s drive from Marrakech, set in a wooded mountain valley, a new facility for luxury indulgence will surprise you. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">La Roseraie Spa Retrea</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t specializes in herbal remedies, all locally sourced. This marvelous discovery will delight on every level. The factor of comfort is optimal, and the setting and decor will enhance your experience. Luxurious cushions, blankets and rugs in the bright Berber palettes, cool cottons and artisan textures surround you. World class professionals operate the spa with highest standards and unique treatments, many which can be taken outdoors when weather permits.The little details like foot or hand massage in relax areas add to the welcoming environment. La Roseraie boasts the only salt table in Morocco, a therapeutic bed of local crystals used for exhilirating rubs. Best of all, there’s a VIP treatment room ideal for a couple, an exclusive wing of the spa featuring private bath and hammam, secluded balcony with seating under the boughs of ancient trees. Most of all, it’s your chance for indulgence, reconnection with body and spirit in a totally holistic setting. A fantastic discovery, highly recommended.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">La Roseraie Spa Retreat is set in the grounds of Domaine de la Roseraie, a nostalgic resort property with sprawling rose gardens and exotic plantings. You’ll find apple, quince, plum and peach trees, cactus and herb gardens, a thousand trilling birds. This is a traditional property operated in the old style, with huge suites and very comfortable accommodations. Some private villas. Many luminaries have stayed here- you would not believe the names inscribed in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">livre d’or</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Mostly UK visitors, staying an average of 2-3 nights. Two excellent restaurants and al fresco terrace dining. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucire </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will take a deeper look at this property in a later issue, so stay tuned.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Marrrakech</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Luxury Rediscovered in La Kasbah</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">You never know what you find behind closed doors and ancient walls in La Kasbah. Friends introduced us to a sparkling new property of 12 suites, Riad Almaha, a pretty amazing place. Sleeps up to 30, huge rooms, full renovation, totally modern plumbing, impeccably decorated. All the upstairs suites have private terrace access. Once you’ve passed through the secret entrance behind a display shelf of craftsman baskets you stray into a fusion of contemporary art with traditional craft in utterly beautiful, tranquil surroundings. A huge tiled courtyard surrounded by greenery allows fantastical leaps to an era of magnificent palaces and ultra luxury. You will love the library room with its folded-page book art. The Pixel Room with its massive mosaic walls of diamond shaped upholstered pieces resembles no place you have ever seen before. There’s even a private tiled pool tucked away in its own corner on the roof. Below ground level you’ll discover an elegant hammam and spa. This is definitely a discreet and private riad experience, and one whose exclusivity is meant to be enjoyed privately. We recommend taking over the whole property and inviting a group of friends. Two small downsides: it’s well-hidden in a location which requires a driver or at least a guide, even though it is no more than a 10 minute walk from the Jmaa Al Fnaa- you don’t want to be wandering the Kasbah’s labyrinthine streets in your evening wear; and though the property has an outstanding kitchen with 24-hour room service, there’s no restaurant, and the public isn’t allowed. Almaha transports you, there is no doubt, and we definitely want to stay there.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.almahamarrakech.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">www.almahamarrakech.com</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Marrakech/Essaouira</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ministers of Taste</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alessandra Lippini and Fabrizio Bizzari are an expatriated Italian power couple who have lived and worked in Morocco for the last 20 years. She’s former Style Editor of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vogue </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Italy, and he is a visionary architect. Together they have realized a group of amazing projects under their Ministero Del Gusto business banner. Their gallery in the Marrakech medina, near the Mosque Moassine is a required stop (appointment only) on the art tourism circuit, and their many residential and hotel projects are the mythological stuff you find in coffee table books with titles like “Marrakech Style” and “Elegant Moroccan Homes.” Today the duo handles a full complement of projects for both corporate and private clients. We visited a number of their works, inspired by their respect for heritage, love of materials, Italian sensibility. Their latest project, a total rebuild of a classic riad in the beach city of Essaouira demonstrates a level of virtuosity and fidelity rarely seen. It’s all about vision, and the projects of Lippini and Bizzari always transcend.</span></span></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-84758457987350370552015-03-10T06:28:00.004-07:002020-05-14T07:22:32.540-07:00Grab and Go in Goa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the sun disappears from the sky on the rare winter afternoon in the Indian province of Goa, intrepid tourists flee the legendary beaches for a day trip to the old port city of Panjim. Set on the delta of the river Panjovi, it’s a great place to explore colonial neighborhoods where classic architecture coexists with modern concept, cultural landmarks nestle side by side with bustling commerce, and fresh seafood is the name of the culinary game. Goa’s pace - slower than the madcap vitality of megacities like Bombay (an hour by air to the north) - invites leisurely meandering along the tree-lined riverfront, where casino ships wait at the shore for night to fall. The pleasing, humid afternoon air seems more appropriate for picnic-style al fresco dining rather than indoor restaurant experiences.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a recent walkabout in Panjim we stumbled upon Chicken Man, who may sound like some kind of a Marvel Comics superhero, but isn’t. A new quick-service restaurant concept for Goa, the just-opened modern storefront caught our attention, and turned out to be the flagship location and first in India under this new brand name. The menu is a simple one, but perfect for the picnic mentality: good rotisserie chicken (spicy or crispy), excellent sides, packed to go, ideal for the park bench feast. There’s fast counter service, a few window tables for those in a hurry, and -unheard of in Goa- free delivery, in case you’re staying in a Panjim hotel. The kid-friendly menu looks like a good value, too and there are free refills on the fountain drinks. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Save your seafood feast for later. Chicken Man turns out to be the ideal grab and go meal for a day of wandering. You need only locate a couple cold Kingfisher beers from any of the tiny groceries, and your outdoor banquet is complete.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chicken Man</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://share.here.com/r/mylocation/e-eyJuYW1lIjoiQ2hpY2tlbiBNYW4iLCJsYXRpdHVkZSI6MTUuNDg2NzIsImxvbmdpdHVkZSI6NzMuODIxNTksInByb3ZpZGVyTmFtZSI6ImZhY2Vib29rIiwicHJvdmlkZXJJZCI6MTU0MTI5ODYzMjc5MjM3NX0=?ref=facebook" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No. G-2, Nizmar Centre, Dr. A. B. Road, Off 18th June Road, Near EDC Complex</span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://share.here.com/r/mylocation/e-eyJuYW1lIjoiQ2hpY2tlbiBNYW4iLCJsYXRpdHVkZSI6MTUuNDg2NzIsImxvbmdpdHVkZSI6NzMuODIxNTksInByb3ZpZGVyTmFtZSI6ImZhY2Vib29rIiwicHJvdmlkZXJJZCI6MTU0MTI5ODYzMjc5MjM3NX0=?ref=facebook" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Panjim, Goa, India</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">+91 832 242 3333</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjbNDrYiSlGCrY8Q_UkSfyP5yhpGx4SJt7tUqvbIMDDTJmVLtY2c8fJZgfHBC2wJ0UJASdSmgyytVIvue-LfXIKmm4IzU3-mPvTVxQ58tPrx5FqdqvwwkfJdWJKY00i-V6HNUqg/s1600/Chicken+Man+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjbNDrYiSlGCrY8Q_UkSfyP5yhpGx4SJt7tUqvbIMDDTJmVLtY2c8fJZgfHBC2wJ0UJASdSmgyytVIvue-LfXIKmm4IzU3-mPvTVxQ58tPrx5FqdqvwwkfJdWJKY00i-V6HNUqg/s1600/Chicken+Man+2.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-65358667954460313622014-09-22T05:31:00.002-07:002020-05-14T07:22:32.190-07:00ANTONIO PIGAFETTA RETURNS TO VICENZA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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You never quite know what you’ll find happening in the city
of Vicenza. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Take, for example, a commemoration honoring the 500<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of Magellan’s voyage around the world. Why in Vicenza? Magellan
didn’t make it home from the 2-year cruise, struck down in a hail of spears on
a remote Phillippine island, after turning his canon on indigenous residents,
having chosen the wrong side during a local rebellion. But Antonio Pigafetta, a
Vicentino scholar and paying passenger on the ship, survived the attack. Upon
his return he gave the only eyewitness account of Magellan’s untimely end. Pigafetta’s
house still stands in Vicenza, the finest example of Gothic architecture in the
city, and an oft-visited destination on the architectural walking tour, which
mostly includes the finest examples of works by Palladio. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Unexpected things always appear year-round in little Vicenza,
less known than its nearby sisters Venice and Verona, both easily accessible,
about a half hour distant. A re-enactment of Pigafetta’s return home included a
procession of costumed actors followed by horn players, drummers and
flag-throwers, who stopped intermittently among Vicenza’s narrow cobbled
streets and Renaissance plazas to perform balletic routines to stirring drum
rolls. The procession ended on Pigafetta’s doorstep, where the great man
himself read from his diaries of the circumnavigation completed five centuries
ago.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the town square called the Piazza Signori, a thriving
market of delicacies was in progress, and later in the day local residents
could be seen sampling from the stalls: cheeses, salumeria, exotic honeys,
rustic breads and the first black truffles of the season.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-91638895828149650672014-09-18T03:03:00.002-07:002020-05-14T07:22:32.710-07:00A BUSY WEEK FOR PATRIZIA SANDRETTO RE REBAUDENGO<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a whirlwind week, two extraordinary events occurred in northern
Italy, both under the stewardship of Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the night of Wednesday, September 10 at the Fondazione
Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Torino, a traveling exhibition showcasing the finalists
to this year’s Prix Pictet launched. This year’s theme, <i>Consumption</i>, introduced by Pictet’s Stephen Barber at a gala
reception, themes the world’s most prestigious annual photography prize. You
can visit this important show at the Fondazione’s impressive and expansive
space, a converted factory, through October 12.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">The following Sunday, September 14, <i>Divine</i>, an installation focusing on highlights from the 20<sup>th</sup>
century costume jewelry collection of </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, opened at Ca’D’oro in
Venezia. A gathering of local luminaries and international guests witnessed the
official launch of the show. Over 400 objects notable for their history and elegance
are displayed in the Galleria Georgio Franchetti, remaining on exhibit through
January 11, 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In her exhibition notes, Sandretto re Rebaudengo says she
first developed interest in accessible costume jewelry designs because they
represent a cultural heritage that “brings us back to hard times and great
social change.” But you will find they are also remarkable for their
craftsmanship and inherent beauty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Fondazione Sandretto
Re Rebaudengo</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b><br />
</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Via Torino Modane 16</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b>, </b>Torino</span><b><br />
</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">tel.</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">+39 011 3797600<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">www.fsrr.org<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ca D’Oro Galleria
Giorgio Franchetti</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b><br />
</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Cannaregio 3932,
Venice</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b><br />
</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Tue-Sun: 8:15 to
19:15 / Monday: 8.15-14</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b><br />
</b></span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cadoro.org/">www.cadoro.org</a></span><span style="font-family: Microsoft Sans Serif, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prix Pictet reception in Torino</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Venezia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen Barber introduces the Prix Pictet exhibition in Torino</td></tr>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-30123570140795555732014-08-13T03:38:00.000-07:002020-05-14T07:22:31.527-07:00Gifts By The Sea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last dozen oysters at Drake's Bay Oyster Farm.</td></tr>
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Back in 2012, <i>Lucire</i>
reported to readers on the little luxuries to be discovered in Tomales Bay,
California, specifically the splendor of local oysters found there. In the
intervening years conditions have changed for the oysters, with a shrinking world
population.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Recently well-meaning activists forced the shutdown of the
retail store at Inverness’ <b>Drake’s Bay
Oyster Farm</b>, a fixture of the community for a half century, renowned for
succulent Pacifics, and a company which furnishes 40% of all the oysters
produced in the state of California. A strange coalition of environmentalists, the
Sierra Club, politicians and moneyed newcomers in collusion with government bureaucracies
managed to cancel the farm’s lease, a decision largely unpopular with
residents, not to mention the end of livelihood for a dozen families, and to
the disappointment of a cadre of restauranteurs and aficionados. Subsequently
an advocacy group has filed yet another lawsuit with the US Supreme Court to
protest this action. We made a visit to Drake’s Bay on the last day that their
retail store was open, sampled a dozen on the half-shell opened before our very
eyes, and exchanged a poignant hug with Nancy Lunny, a member of the family who
owns the farm. We stood at the water’s edge, staring out at the pristine
landscape, gobbling down the oysters, rich in the flavor of the sea, tender and
gelatinous, garlanded with a dash of home-made mignonette. For the slowest food
available you must seek out the source, and Drake’s Bay was just that. A rare
opportunity which may disappear, go while you can. May they remain open, may we
continue to profit from their bounty of the bay.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We had the opportunity to sleep at <b>Osprey Peak Bed & Breakfast</b>, a 3-room Zen-style inn tucked into
a cypress grove on a hillside just beyond the hamlet of Inverness. Quiet,
elemental, totally comfortable, with every modern convenience, the property
stands far away from the main road, yet accessible to all the local landmarks. On
arrival, Innkeeper Nancy set out a table in a clearing, steps from the front entrance,
with a platter of local cheeses, condiments and bread, accented by seasonal
fruits, accompanied by glasses of Beaulieu Coastal Cabernet. The simplicity and
elegance of the display and the gesture epitomize the property. This tranquil
retreat may appear austere, but the breakfast table (included in room rate)
features a bevy of fresh cut fruits, house-made granola, and other specialties,
ordered the night before from a detailed menu. During your meal you can watch
hundreds of hummingbirds zipping about the adjacent terrace sampling at
suspended feeders. Their thrumming may be the only extraneous sound you hear
beyond the whooshing of the pines close at hand. You’re guaranteed a deep sleep
in a comfortable bed, a graceful awakening, not to mention a discreet and
private refuge to return to after your day of activity. Highly recommended, but
reserve early.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nature watching, hiking, kayaking and small craft sailing
complement rich dining possibilities around Tomales Bay. We stopped back into <b>Nick’s Cove</b> in Marshall, intending to
put away a quick dozen Kumamotos, but we couldn’t stop, and next ordered
half-dozens three different ways: Mornay, BBQ and Rockefeller, washed down with
a delicious NZ Sauvignon Blanc. A wonderful interlude resulting in 30 empty
half shells, after which we remembered the Walrus and the Carpenter: “they’d
eaten every one.” Chef Austin Perkins continues to tantalize guests with
seafood offerings worthy of your attention. And <i>Lucire</i> also recommends a night in any of Nick’s eccentric cabins on
the water. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Back in Inverness we had the distinct pleasure of a
world-class meal at <b>Saltwater</b>, Luc
Chamberland’s celebrated restaurant just across the street from the southern shoreline
where the hull of a beached fishing boat can be viewed. Think Slow Food Marin
style, with a great wine list of West Coast luminaries, and outstanding French
and Italian bottles thrown in for good measure. We chose a bottle of classic Chablis,
Domaine Chantemerle, a 2010 Burgundy, which paired perfectly with our dozen Hog
Island Kumamotos shucked by the owner himself. Next we moved over to Chef Ryan
Cantwell’s rustic fare: Sweet Brentwood Corn Soup accessorized by a refreshing and
surprising mint relish. As a main course, wild Oregon Coho Salmon, set on a
foundation of white bean ragout, accompanied by a soft farm egg (genius!),
olive relish and roasted watermelon radishes. For dessert we tried the Double 8
Meyer Lemon gelato, delicate and not sweet, served with a Scottish shortbread, clairvoyantly
prefiguring our next destination. Hard to believe there is such a lively place
out at the end of the highway, but Saltwater’s a destination restaurant
deserving of its great reputation. We enjoyed the optimum of hospitality and
fine preparation, and recommend adding this establishment into your travel
plan. But again, reservations a must, and understandably so.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Several weeks later we found ourselves halfway around the
world, at the very top of the Scottish mainland in the harbor city of <b>Scrabster</b>, waiting for a ferry to take us
across to the Orkney Islands for a visit to the Ring of Brodgar. Down south in
the Edinburgh area you undoubtedly could locate some exciting culinary choices,
but off into the hinterlands the delectability quotient drops precipitously.
The one great barometer of quality might be fish and chips, the ubiquitous
equivalent to fast food in the UK. Here we were at yet another shore almost
5000 miles away from Tomales Bay, zero food miles from the source. Thus we were
fortunate to identify a compact and unmarked takeaway stand next to <b>The Captain’s Galley</b> seafood restaurant
which faces the ferry terminal. There we discovered owner Jim Cowie dipping
freshly-filleted haddock pieces in handmade batter, delicately placing the
pieces in a bubbling vat of superheated palm oil. The result was beyond
reproach: the finest fish and chips ever sampled, feathery, light, flavorful, and
for good reason. Jim’s a proponent of Slow Food, and had purchased the haddock
that very morning at the harbor, directly from the fisherman who caught it. We
learned that the adjacent restaurant he operates with wife Mary in a repurposed
ice house originally constructed in the 1700s is known for the freshest, finest
fish in the region. Scrabster is the “Gateway Port” where fishing boats land
their catches from some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. But was
this pescatory discovery evidence of a consistent experience or simply a fluke?
Several days later, on our return from Orkney we disembarked and headed
straight back to the The Captain’s Galley for a return engagement. Again we
found Jim at the same fryer, but recommending today’s catch of the day, hake:
delectable, flaky, sweet to the palate. Impossible to resist! We next ordered
battered Highland langoustines, and doused them with malt vinegar and sea salt.
They disappeared in less than 120 seconds. It proves once again that a voyage
to the source, whether here or there, pays the highest culinary dividends. Look
to the shore, traveler, and rewards always follow.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.ospreypeak.com/">www.ospreypeak.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Osprey Peak Bed & Breakfast <o:p></o:p></div>
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Nancy Beck & David Herbst, Innkeepers<o:p></o:p></div>
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10 Miwok Way, Box 923, Inverness, CA 94937<o:p></o:p></div>
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415 669-1467<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.nickscove.com/">www.nickscove.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Nick’s Cove<o:p></o:p></div>
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23240 Highway One<o:p></o:p></div>
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Marshall CA 94940<o:p></o:p></div>
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415 663-1033<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.saltwateroysterdepot.com/">http://www.saltwateroysterdepot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Saltwater Oyster Depot<o:p></o:p></div>
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12781 Sir Francis Drake <o:p></o:p></div>
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Inverness, CA 94937<o:p></o:p></div>
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415 669-1244<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.captainsgalley.co.uk/">www.captainsgalley.co.uk</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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The Captain’s Galley<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Harbour, Scrabster KW14 7UJ, UK<o:p></o:p></div>
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01847 894 999<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The delta leading to Drake's Bay</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwktnom32RS9AW8K_oCDAH_XFRNulBIdqSjdEqilCpWHYWHaJdIZrX9U-c6yJZmePc-dJQ0MjynvaPC94UqJmmFrIXe4Zs0tOxmg5deXN11qYtjuCLWHZkRFtl6J_gSkT8vvLmnw/s1600/_DSC3926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwktnom32RS9AW8K_oCDAH_XFRNulBIdqSjdEqilCpWHYWHaJdIZrX9U-c6yJZmePc-dJQ0MjynvaPC94UqJmmFrIXe4Zs0tOxmg5deXN11qYtjuCLWHZkRFtl6J_gSkT8vvLmnw/s1600/_DSC3926.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picnic table overlooking Drake's Bay</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzEV6-lMrCk/U-s8ijVi-4I/AAAAAAAAKkQ/jKbYc31ARt0/s1600/IMG_2659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzEV6-lMrCk/U-s8ijVi-4I/AAAAAAAAKkQ/jKbYc31ARt0/s1600/IMG_2659.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All that's left at Nick's Cove, after a dozen Kumamotos and a half dozen BBQ'd.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1q_yR--t_xg/U-s8eFF27vI/AAAAAAAAKkI/Se4Digu7ASg/s1600/IMG_2797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1q_yR--t_xg/U-s8eFF27vI/AAAAAAAAKkI/Se4Digu7ASg/s1600/IMG_2797.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese platter and wine <i>al fresco</i> at Osprey Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Regenerated fallen tree at Osprey Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining room in repurposed ice house- The Captain's Galley, Scrabster UK</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKYjOqBVR0Y/U-s8zgSM3gI/AAAAAAAAKko/te1fM5y8uco/s1600/IMG_3908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKYjOqBVR0Y/U-s8zgSM3gI/AAAAAAAAKko/te1fM5y8uco/s1600/IMG_3908.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Cowie, frying up the haddock at the takeaway stand next to The Captain's Galley</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E18k4Hj8oVk/U-s89roEEsI/AAAAAAAAKkw/yzmCcbyqcX8/s1600/IMG_4136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E18k4Hj8oVk/U-s89roEEsI/AAAAAAAAKkw/yzmCcbyqcX8/s1600/IMG_4136.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daily specials at the takeaway stand, The Captain's Galley, Scrabster</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrvuiOYA0Qjw8hzt1z8GY_duh5XOYJEpqHJLzsHDI5dkt5kB2PyFKe8KvppbRiBuzkpySxFRmn-rM_BrYD7Sh8vxgsiSwUYjv9_UYDHNyajvGFm2Vq-HP8bU55oGjMnQ1MVHNew/s1600/IMG_4138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrvuiOYA0Qjw8hzt1z8GY_duh5XOYJEpqHJLzsHDI5dkt5kB2PyFKe8KvppbRiBuzkpySxFRmn-rM_BrYD7Sh8vxgsiSwUYjv9_UYDHNyajvGFm2Vq-HP8bU55oGjMnQ1MVHNew/s1600/IMG_4138.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best haddock and chips in the world</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The unmarked takeaway stand at Scrabster Harbor</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NZtQvTr_-o8/U-s9RsHSxFI/AAAAAAAAKlQ/oWLZBpkMbaA/s1600/IMG_4171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NZtQvTr_-o8/U-s9RsHSxFI/AAAAAAAAKlQ/oWLZBpkMbaA/s1600/IMG_4171.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Captain's Galley, Scrabster, housed in a repurposed ice house from the 1700s</td></tr>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-55484286973628474902014-01-22T06:33:00.003-08:002020-05-14T07:22:31.902-07:00New author interview from India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow!<br />
This fantastic interview on NJKinny's blog just posted.<br />
<a href="http://njkinny.blogspot.in/2014/01/authorinterview-author-in-spotlight_22.html">http://njkinny.blogspot.in/2014/01/authorinterview-author-in-spotlight_22.html</a></div>
Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-66657400122180270242014-01-13T13:33:00.003-08:002020-05-14T07:22:32.366-07:00Another great review for The Hacker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thanks to NJKinney for a terrific piece on The Hacker:<br />
<br />
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 15px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="messageBody" style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.38;"><span class="userContent"><a href="http://njkinny.blogspot.in/2014/01/the-hacker-client-coder-chaos-by.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://njkinny.blogspot.in/2014/01/the-hacker-client-coder-chaos-by.html</a></span></span></h5>
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<span class="messageBody" style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.38;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="messageBody" style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.38;">I really appreciate your good read!</span></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-56183908296332426842013-12-28T09:42:00.000-08:002020-05-14T07:22:31.958-07:00Letter from Venice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUscvA7oOQs_mLhtOQLyeWjGtRwJpGgjiD7oI9VcINMtrbQlht_wK44RgB_R9ZEcC0BayJo_4S0fqMm0CnXNhFz7_Ztt0kqezfOB1Ui9mN37TfBrU6qqxbxUSaSFekWOBXckJBGA/s1600/IMG_0629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUscvA7oOQs_mLhtOQLyeWjGtRwJpGgjiD7oI9VcINMtrbQlht_wK44RgB_R9ZEcC0BayJo_4S0fqMm0CnXNhFz7_Ztt0kqezfOB1Ui9mN37TfBrU6qqxbxUSaSFekWOBXckJBGA/s1600/IMG_0629.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>December 28, 2013</i><br />
<br />
Greetings the week after Christmas 2013! I'm living here for the month, writing and reporting, and the city is grand. You still see huge tour groups of curious Asians- welcome, friends! But the lanes are comparatively empty now, and they will thin out next week after the New Year. It's the perfect season to visit. Just bring your warm clothes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j-sgKqRhjXeWCJYfj7SZgwHcAGloXR5GsA4TMn9mDULekpuhlegz25aND3WCUJddz2kRH_W7FUfRuHumRZdc3EgvRSuZEsK8tueT1Ap7sEWbGuwpmP7tTiDLCdTgOo91gB2i6w/s1600/IMG_9615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j-sgKqRhjXeWCJYfj7SZgwHcAGloXR5GsA4TMn9mDULekpuhlegz25aND3WCUJddz2kRH_W7FUfRuHumRZdc3EgvRSuZEsK8tueT1Ap7sEWbGuwpmP7tTiDLCdTgOo91gB2i6w/s1600/IMG_9615.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna Baglioni's Chef Cosimo</td></tr>
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I'm gearing up to write an article for www.italiantalks.com about <b>shopping with Cosimo</b> from the Luna Baglioni, one of my favorite hotels in the world. Paula and I will accompany Chef Cosimo on an odyssey to the Rialto market and observe him as he selects the best of the region for the Canova Restaurant. We'll photograph him, take some movies, and share his secret places and choices with you. Stay tuned!<br />
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This week we dropped by the Luna to finalize our appointment, and we shared a coffee with Cosimo, our old friend GM Gianmatteo Zampieri, and were expertly taken care of by the legendary Nicoletta. Cosimo sent out a dessert sampler with zabaglioni, dates and mascarpone, cheesecake, chocolate mousse, and a delicate custard. It's always great to visit the Luna, since it feels like home and family- also to consult with the world's greatest concierge, Antonio Massari about the latest insider places of interest. He always knows what's happening. The hospitality quotient is especially high at the Luna. They earn their stars every day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXZ0W_sXwLMehxcHkJ3AYl6fieDqWHntp_9b3Nc0uCvfdmFW_WcLThbNfo9WoumlHcku9TYR_w5HzNW87M4HcOlB98qmB2tGAYe4qj0iSx8uNWVNEMSUStch8daVmLjE159oLuA/s1600/IMG_9622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXZ0W_sXwLMehxcHkJ3AYl6fieDqWHntp_9b3Nc0uCvfdmFW_WcLThbNfo9WoumlHcku9TYR_w5HzNW87M4HcOlB98qmB2tGAYe4qj0iSx8uNWVNEMSUStch8daVmLjE159oLuA/s1600/IMG_9622.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Luna's GM Gianmatteo Zampieri</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnAf4ur-xl2-LTPL_Ky52BfDZsS8eKiew8OFvarI6KSa3epvozfl-9yaQ3lD_8oZZwBcET_dJ7vc0DhovkLHC-5vt08asaqlysXbvXjJ4vlK8EuXvOScE30qjNs6CM7Gb67BZ2Q/s1600/IMG_9620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnAf4ur-xl2-LTPL_Ky52BfDZsS8eKiew8OFvarI6KSa3epvozfl-9yaQ3lD_8oZZwBcET_dJ7vc0DhovkLHC-5vt08asaqlysXbvXjJ4vlK8EuXvOScE30qjNs6CM7Gb67BZ2Q/s1600/IMG_9620.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Stanley Moss and Nicoletta</td></tr>
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Later, we went wandering, due East, out to the Castello neighborhood, where a local resident pointed us to the Campo Ruga. It doesn't get much more real than this. You may
need your GPS to find it, but tucked away in this tiny square you’ll find <b>Trattoria alla Nuova Speranza</b>, where
chef Alessandro (and his Viszla dog) welcomed us for an authentic Venetian
lunch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMvx9_PYHhakDcJ_SZR08IO6dS4plzszjO1GINlbhTqNMpfPVnTiZ4IlW-FhDgNB3ekuiQXvHAGW3uvG4ySlr5z5bfK3ptLVOs42ZD6BJEOOTBEIW8e6DS50vm9bVg9amNQ9QdQ/s1600/IMG_0572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMvx9_PYHhakDcJ_SZR08IO6dS4plzszjO1GINlbhTqNMpfPVnTiZ4IlW-FhDgNB3ekuiQXvHAGW3uvG4ySlr5z5bfK3ptLVOs42ZD6BJEOOTBEIW8e6DS50vm9bVg9amNQ9QdQ/s1600/IMG_0572.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical lasagna at Trattoria alla Nuova Speranza</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnCaeLMiyvGzVLuzHvyP6eGf53vnbREfIC0W4qgXS6yiWnSItz5uhtmBFh_CkI4uQoobePzzGh56nIZO9uDlmzuil-Dy1Kdqpd4nF13DkIIMkKdo6fkRcSNeZDWJ2IZaNB66Bsw/s1600/IMG_0563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnCaeLMiyvGzVLuzHvyP6eGf53vnbREfIC0W4qgXS6yiWnSItz5uhtmBFh_CkI4uQoobePzzGh56nIZO9uDlmzuil-Dy1Kdqpd4nF13DkIIMkKdo6fkRcSNeZDWJ2IZaNB66Bsw/s1600/IMG_0563.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef Alessdandro</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu0SArtg_IRfOYAvQyZ4S51DenHVyL-pG8-stB6u0yEdYlot-6z-Idc1go5pKLukcdWwDIFGl6k3-gPCyoEavSuKSXe_vMOVLL64GPBy550nwVUOdN4G3cVngidibABmCYERWaw/s1600/IMG_0591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu0SArtg_IRfOYAvQyZ4S51DenHVyL-pG8-stB6u0yEdYlot-6z-Idc1go5pKLukcdWwDIFGl6k3-gPCyoEavSuKSXe_vMOVLL64GPBy550nwVUOdN4G3cVngidibABmCYERWaw/s1600/IMG_0591.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
A half litre of Valpolicella, traditional salad, and a lasagna which
made us cry out loud, “Mamma mia!”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgKmlWUO_xyMc8nIYHz24GqMnd5rm14SV5VhuR5hAOPs-ye-ss4D-6MjdXZBXJxxaYV4rkWciJJw4YkTcw5aWIwIZ_GOVdjTvNSyzLEc9TV5Mrk8W4FJtSuS01CA9ANVhb-M94Q/s1600/IMG_0578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgKmlWUO_xyMc8nIYHz24GqMnd5rm14SV5VhuR5hAOPs-ye-ss4D-6MjdXZBXJxxaYV4rkWciJJw4YkTcw5aWIwIZ_GOVdjTvNSyzLEc9TV5Mrk8W4FJtSuS01CA9ANVhb-M94Q/s1600/IMG_0578.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Then traditional Venetian cookies and vin
santo, followed by a <i>macchiatone, </i>a
coffee service unique to the Veneto- ask for it anywhere else and get a blank
stare. The Trattoria is one of those real experiences that can’t be
choreographed. True to custom, we had a shot of grappa before stepping back out
into the windy chill. As the winter sun set behind the Gothic silhouettes, we
strolled along Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, back to the lagoon, where fantasy lights
illuminated a temporary row of kid’s rides.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToE799ON0NcPJwQJKWn-G1pnUm2gvPZTq3cyTlua_OqepyPsnUMJupc_9ke6WTX0sdm3dKO4nRYDPjtImC-x3LlcV5IoUf7yG6by2oMSbBYbGt_OlmrmzQWzldF9zpIE6C2FMuA/s1600/IMG_0636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToE799ON0NcPJwQJKWn-G1pnUm2gvPZTq3cyTlua_OqepyPsnUMJupc_9ke6WTX0sdm3dKO4nRYDPjtImC-x3LlcV5IoUf7yG6by2oMSbBYbGt_OlmrmzQWzldF9zpIE6C2FMuA/s1600/IMG_0636.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Trattoria alla Nuova Speranza<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Campo Ruga<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Castello 145, Venezia<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Tel/fax 041 528 5225<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-91865299723629630072013-12-14T14:22:00.003-08:002020-05-14T07:22:32.766-07:00Read a sample chapter of The Hacker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Jaideep has published a sample chapter at this link:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #330099; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspot.in/2013/12/book-excerpt-hacker-by-stanley-moss.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: small;" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>pebbleinthestillwaters.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.in/2013/12/book-<wbr></wbr>excerpt-hacker-by-stanley-<wbr></wbr>moss.html</a><br />
Enjoy!</div>
Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-2670508293560763952013-11-17T11:52:00.002-08:002020-05-14T07:22:31.468-07:00Interview in 'Pebble In The Still Water"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm delighted to report a very kind interview posted today in Jaideep's book blog:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #330099; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspot.in/2013/11/author-interview-stanley-moss-founder.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: small;" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>pebbleinthestillwaters.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.in/2013/11/author-<wbr></wbr>interview-stanley-moss-<wbr></wbr>founder.html</a><br />
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-59179433742019447842013-11-15T10:49:00.000-08:002020-05-14T07:22:32.073-07:00Savouring Marrakech<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with photographs by Paula Sweet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike many other destinations in the world, central
Marrakech hasn’t changed much in the last five years. While there’s major
development on the outskirts of town, inbound traffic still proceeds somewhat
anarchically to the old medina. At least it moves. Humans meander in front of
cars, horns blat, donkeys and horses plod along ambivalently, ultimately you
reach your destination. The Jmaa Al Fnaa continues to attract droves of tourists,
while the same vendors and storytellers, musicians, souvenir-sellers and henna
ladies maintain their unique locations night after night, year after year. The
food stall greeters hawk their bills of fare in whatever language you’ll answer
to: they have expert radar in determining your nationality, largely error-free,
though their vocabulary extends only as far as their particular category of
food offering and elementary flirtation. Try and discuss the Higgs boson with
them and you probably will get a blank stare. That Marrakech can now be called
a culinary destination is the tantalizing surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moroccan cuisine is hot, and we’re not only talking about
spicy. None less than the celebrated chef <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%ABl_Robuchon"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Joël Robuchon</span></a> has placed
it among the “best cuisines in the world”. With their origins among the upper
class, the classic tastes of the Levant begin with expensive ingredients,
namely rare spices and savory accoutrements. The very best recipes need time,
some specialties requiring 12 hours in preparation. Taken in tandem with
Morocco’s legendary hospitality, the dining experience is irresistible. If
you’ve crossed Morocco off your bucket list, time for a re-think. In the words
of Amanjena’s GM, Gabriel Lousada, speaking about his near-case of traveler’s
remorse before his first visit: “I was about to commit the biggest mistake of
my life by not coming.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ten kilometers east of the city, <b>Amanjena</b> remains a dream destination: spacious, tranquil, opulent-and-elegant,
only 40 suites set among fantasy palatial passageways, straight out of the
Arabian Nights. Midst vast grounds like these you never have the sense of other
guests. Frankly, why bother to venture far from your villa, especially the ones
with private plunge pools? You could, of course, browse art books in the
library, luxuriate poolside and develop your tan, or sip Mojitos in the
extremely comfortable bar, eons away from the grime and frenzy of the <i>souk</i>. Eventually the need for sustenance
will surface. In that realm, Amanjena never disappoints, thanks to the ascent
of two Moroccans, Chef Khalid and Chef Nourddine, whose joint stewardship has gracefully
nudged the restaurant into one of Marrakech’s preferred culinary oases. (Guests
have first call on reservations, but the public can also avail themselves.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a recent visit to the property a splendor of delicacies
were sampled in the fine dining restaurant for dinner and at poolside for
luncheon. Both venues delivered world-class service, a brilliant panorama of traditional
flavors, informed by French sensibilities and artful presentations. At dinner,
a delicate <i>amuse-bouche</i> of tomato gel
and pesto garlanding fresh feta cheese gracefully preceded beef <i>tangia</i>, unique to Marrakech, accompanied
by ethereal cous-cous and seasonal vegetables which arrived at table at ideal
consistency and temperature. As the evening wound down, a dessert <i>bestia</i> with home-made cinnamon ice cream
rounded out the meal in the romantic setting, to the echoes of haunting strains
of a Gnawa vocalist. Lunch the following day proved another temptation. Sipping
ice-cold Vin Gris from the ancient Roman city of Volubilia, we sampled <i>Dlaa</i>, a traditional slow-cooked lamb
with saffron dish, which requires 1-day advance ordering. It was served on a
background of tantalizing side dishes. Mint tea and cookies capped a truly
memorable al fresco meal. (The <i>Ghoriba</i>,
a sesame cookie concocted from almond flour, sesame, honey and butter is a
must-try. Those with a sweet tooth may need to ask chef to send out a few
more.) It’s impossible to exhaust Amanjena’s menu in two meals, so the compulsion
for a return visit is powerful. For variety, Amanjena also boasts a highly
recommended Thai restaurant, to be reviewed in a future article.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those curious to unravel the secrets of Moroccan cuisine
will certainly benefit from a stay at<b> Riyad
El Cadi</b>, located in the medina. This wonderful small and authentic riad of
15 rooms not only feeds you well in local and European style, but also offers highly
personalized cooking instruction as an add-on. More like socializing, a typical
class might begin with early shopping in the souk, followed by a 2-hour on-site
adventure, moving back and forth from courtyard tables to the kitchen as Chef
Hassan demonstrates, while majordomo Ali translates. The vivid palette of foods
and spices, the buzz of energetic chopping and tasting, the aromas drifting up
from tiny earthen cooking pots mysteriously turns into the thrill of seeing
one’s handiwork transform into delectable meals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This riad takes dining seriously. Its small size permits
customizing cuisine to individual preferences; arriving guests may find
themselves happily immersed in detailed discussion about their upcoming meals. A
typical dinner of four courses might consist of soup, salad, <i>tajine</i> (the choice during our visit: fish,
chicken, veal, lamb, or artichoke and peas) and dessert, washed down with local
Casablanca beer, or a hearty Moroccan wine selection. The riad understands a
visitor’s palate must be satisfied, thus management will try and fulfill any
wish. On rare occasion guests arrive with exceptional preferences: two folks
from England who won a trip to Marrakech, their first outside the UK,
specifically wanted McDonald’s, an unusual request which innkeeper Julia
Bartels hospitably honored. Happiness is always the goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s a charming history to Riyad El Cadi, seven
interconnected houses collected by Bartels’ father, former German ambassador to
Morocco. He began the mass renovation in the year 1996, opening the riad in 2000.
A maze of courtyards, and decorated with a remarkable collection of textiles,
the riad is a refuge of quiet and space, seemingly far from the chaos only
minutes away. You get some idea of the intricacy of the property looking across
the interconnected roof terraces, with panoramic views of the surrounding
medina. Great pains were taken to preserve the original architectural details
of each house, despite the complexities of connecting the diverse structures, a
layout so organic that no architect has ever been able to draft a workable
floorplan. A bemused guest from the UK told us, “Been here 4 days, still can’t
find my room.” The riad footprint straddles two different Marrakech
municipalities, and is served by 2 different water and electricity systems. On
one notable day during renovation, workmen unwittingly broke through a wall
into a neighbor’s living room, fortunately without serious diplomatic repercussions.
It’s a peculiar joy to wander through the smooth hallways, climb narrow skylit
staircases as you encounter authentic décor rich in local tradition and culture.
There are hidden patios ideal for quiet reading (or napping), even a plunge
pool, accessed through ornate doorways and sculpted porticos. And your stay inside
the medina means the opportunity to discover firsthand the high quality of Moroccan
arts, since a wealth of museums, palaces and tombs are walking close. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riyad El Cadi occupies a special position in the mid-range
at €180-220 per night, so the value proposition is high. This may present a conundrum
for groups, due to spontaneous cases of room envy: every room is unique, and there
are multiple grades and suite configurations from which to choose. This is a
property to consider taking over in its entirety, for birthdays, weddings,
reunions. With some doubling up the riad can comfortably sleep 35. Location,
comfort, cuisine and amenities mean a great Marrakech experience. Be sure to
try out the Argan oil products in your modern bath: they are artisanal, bio,
and locally-sourced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Veteran travelers call the first meal of the day the most
important one. Tucked away among the labyrinthine lanes of the medina,<b> Riad Ilayka</b> brings a decidedly enlightened
sensibility to <i>petit-déjuner</i>. Open just
16 months, this property of only 7 rooms has been lovingly renovated by
ex-Parisians who put forth a bountiful morning table. Included in the room
rate, breakfast on the roof terrace combines splendid flavors and inspired
presentation in a classic setting. The menu: fresh orange juice, 4 breads (brown
bread, white bread, flat bread, pain au chocolat), the traditional Moroccan crèpe,
olive oil, two kinds of confiture, local butter and honey, rosewater/agar-flavored
yogurt, fresh fruit compote, omelette and pousse-café. Ilayka’s restaurant,
which is reserved only for guests, proved another bonus. Dinner at €25/person,
with wine priced at €15-30, delivered excellent value.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following a 1-year renovation, the riad’s young proprietors
brought the property back to perfect repair; it looks vintage, but everything
is new, even the room called “La Cave”, with its intricate ceiling painting.
The roof areas now feature views of a traditional <i>menzeh</i>, Jacuzzi, hammam, and an airy elevated platform appropriate for
afternoon drinks or romantic trysts. Our room with its private terrace,
featured a fantasy bathroom with overhead shower, plunge tub, artisan mosaic
work, illuminated cubbies and hammered metal sink and mirror. All rooms are
non-smoking, have A/C and safe, at the attractive rate of €95-200. This mostly tourist
hotel has an average stay of 3 nights. Local artisan soaps, abundant towels and
plush robes fill out the amenities offering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amanjena<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Route de Ouarzazate<br />
km 12, Marrakech<br />
Morocco<br />
212 524 399 000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.amanresorts.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riyad El Cadi<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">87, Derb Moulay, Abdelkader<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medina, 40000 Marrakech<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">212 524 378 655 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.riyadelcadi.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riad Ilayka<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">78 Derb El Hammam, Mouassine <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medina, 40000 Marrakech<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">212 524 390 607<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.<a href="mailto:riadilayka@yahoo.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">riadilayka.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Maria<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="il"><span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222;">Pocapalia</span></span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> of</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <b>Tzell
West Travel</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> in Los Angeles is an expert
at arranging your Marrakech adventure.</span> Her contact telephone is +1 (310)
546-5140</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-49382371755349246952013-11-12T04:07:00.002-08:002020-05-14T07:22:31.788-07:00It's official! India Goodreads Giveaway for The Hacker launches today.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div>
<div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget71787"><!-- Show static html as a placeholder in case js is not enabled -->
<div class="goodreadsGiveawayWidget" style="max-width: 350px; margin: 10px auto; padding: 10px 15px; border: 2px solid #EBE8D5; border-radius: 10px;">
<style>
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px;
font-style: normal; background: white; }
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.goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important;
text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;
border: 1px solid #6A6454; border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;
background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_button4.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596;
outline: 0; white-space: nowrap;
}
.goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_button4_hover.gif);
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<h2 style="margin: 0 0 10px !important; padding: 0 !important; font-style: italic; font-size: 20px; line-height: 20px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; color: #555;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway
</h2>
<div style="float: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165024"><img alt="The Hacker by Stanley Moss" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1356330252l/17165024.jpg" title="The Hacker by Stanley Moss" width="100" /></a>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0 0 0 110px !important; padding: 0 0 0 0 !important;">
<h3 style="margin: 0; padding: 0; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165024">The Hacker</a>
</h3>
<h4 style="margin: 0 0 10px; padding: 0; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6936569.Stanley_Moss" style="text-decoration: none;">Stanley Moss</a>
</h4>
<div class="giveaway_details">
<p>
Giveaway ends December 11, 2013.
</p>
<p>
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/71787" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
at Goodreads.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/71787" class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink">Enter to win</a>
</div>
</div><script src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/71787" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37875193.post-47810579174111608862013-11-08T04:43:00.002-08:002020-05-14T07:22:31.730-07:00Natale In Venezia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>A version of this article under my byline will appear in</i><br />
<i>www.italiantalks.com and</i><br />
<i>www.lucire.com</i><br />
<br />
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A marvelous transformation happens in Venice in the month of
December when the tourist population declines to half of the normal August
droves. Suddenly you’re able to stroll deserted quays and empty squares with
hardly a thought of stumbling headfirst into tour groups from the cruise ships.
In this time of year it’s mostly Venice for the Venetians, and you’ll quickly appreciate
the luxury of discovering art and architecture undisturbed, not to mention
sensing the spirit and beauty of La Serenissima’s elegant traditions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Christmas in Venice comes down to four main headings:
concerts, crèches, consumerism, and cuisine. A splendor of choice awaits the
traveler prepared to plan ahead, bundle up and improvise at the last minute. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The season begins on <b>December
8</b>, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a national holiday when many
businesses close in observance. Expect everything to be <i>chiuso</i> on <b>Christmas Day,
December 25</b>, the most important religious holiday of the year, as Venetians
celebrate at <a href="http://goitaly.about.com/od/thingstoseeanddo/a/saint-marks-basilica-venice.htm">Saint
Mark's Basilica</a>. <b>December 26</b>, the
feast of Santo Stefano occurs. Families venture out on this public holiday to
view nativity scenes in churches and visit Christmas markets. <i>The Frari</i> in San Polo, one of the
coldest churches in Venice, offers a free concert at about 4:00 PM.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A huge audience fills the Byzantine landmark for midnight
mass, its great doors thrown open, a combination of bracing air, haunting
melodies, a thousand candles reflecting gold-tiled mosaics, swirling incense,
crimson accents and ringing bells, set on a background of the moonlit square.
The following morning, <br />
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<b>Concerts<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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There’s no central clearing house publicizing the multitude
of concerts in Venice during the season. Experienced travelers recommend that
on arrival you study the bills and large posters all over the city which advertise
Christmas concerts held most evenings in the city's vast basilicas. Remember
that the basilicas aren't well-heated, and the seats are unpadded, so lap
blankets and portable cushions may improve the experience. Venetians favor flannels
and furs for these events. Small museums and churches schedule concerts - some
free, some charging nominal admission, some allowing advance purchase, some with
tickets available at the door. The recently restored <i>Church of San Vitale</i> in Campo San Stefano is home to a magnificent
Carpaccio which hangs over the altar. <i>La
Pieta</i> on Riva degli Schiavone is the place to hear Vivaldi, the composer’s
own church where many of his works were first performed. <i>Ca Rezzonico, Palazzo Moncenigo</i> and the <i>Scuola San Rocco</i> also offer concerts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Markets &
Shopping<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Christmas markets known as <i>Mercatini di Natale</i> pop up from mid-December until mid-January
in the different campos and around the Rialto. The largest market, in Campo
Santo Stefano, is filled with stalls selling quality Venetian handicrafts. Some
markets offer antiques, others foods from all over Italy. With little effort
you will discover nativity objects, children's toys, purses of saffron velvet, hand-made
stationery and marbled paper, Burano lace, irresistible baby clothes, hand-embroidered
linen, subtly coloured grappa glasses from Murano, cocktail stirrers and bronze
alligator wallets priced to devour a week's wages. Seasonal treats, libation,
and music add to the pageantry of these markets.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Décor<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Fantasy lights, garlands and trees are present only in the
busiest parts of the city: the Merceria, the Rialto, San Marco. But true Venetians
seek out <i>presepi</i>, Christmas crèches typically
displayed in churches and seasonal markets. Nativity scenes are essential to a
Venetian Christmas experience, a fixture of every church, often lighted and
animated. Elaborate displays figure at many Christmas markets, some showing ornate
tableaux of villages which include tradesmen, home scenes and natural wonders
arrayed around the stable, manger, Madonna and child. Every other year <i>The Church of the</i> <i>Madalena </i>in Cannaregio showcases a beautiful collection of nativity
scenes featuring the works of local and international artists. In prior years <i>The Scuola dei Carmini</i> in Dorsoduro mounted
a display of <i>presepi</i> which filled two
rooms and ranged from simple scenes made from clay and wood to an enormously
complex and delicate model formed in Murano glass. If you’re lucky enough, you
may catch sight of a huge straw nativity scene on a gondola cruising down the canal
on its way to the Rialto.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf5id6e5ekQ/UnzbmUXFnnI/AAAAAAAAKI0/UpDIXzxYf9Y/s1600/s_4004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf5id6e5ekQ/UnzbmUXFnnI/AAAAAAAAKI0/UpDIXzxYf9Y/s1600/s_4004.JPG" height="137" width="200" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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<b>Cuisine<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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At home, Venetian Christmas Eve tables abound with traditional
seafood recipes: Risotto de Pevarasse (Venetian clams risotto);
Branzino al forno (oven-cooked Seabass); Anguilla (Eel); mixed fried
fish garlanded with grilled or stewed vegetables; Capeeti or Ravioli
in Brodo di Cappone (Ravioli in Capon broth); Cappone
lesso (boiled Capon); Musetto (boiled salame). Seasonal sweets
like slices of candied orange coated in bitter chocolate are a local favourite,
as are glazed chestnuts the size of plums (and priced at over €1 each). Panettone
or pandoro with a dollop of Mascarpone round out traditional meals. These are
the specialties to look for on restaurant menus.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Dining<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The challenge is how to sample seasonal dishes outside
private homes. Many restaurants close from Christmas Eve until mid-January or
from New Year's (San Silvestro) until late January. Some may stay shuttered
until Carnevale (February 22- March 4, 2014). In Venice, you are best served to
plan your Christmas dinner location weeks ahead, book early, avoid the
last-minute rush for scarce seats. This writer’s preferred option for a holiday
feast would definitely include a visit to the restaurant at the Luna Hotel
Baglioni where Chef Cosimo proposes an amazing 4-course Christmas lunch menu featuring
prawn salad, homemade ravioli, Roquefort fondue, lamb medallions and signature
frozen nougat dessert. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A midnight walk after Christmas dinner has got to be part of
your game plan. All the ghosts and spirits will be out, drifting in the mist,
peering through the shadows, whispering along the lanes. Stop for a moment on a
secluded bridge, look around, take a moment to listen to the lapping of waves
against the ancient bricks. This is the unforgettable Venezia not everyone
knows, the stuff of fiction, the realm of fantasy, uniquely yours forever. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Insider Information<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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December 23-26th most restaurants are closed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Average December temperatures High 7C (45F), Low 1C (34F),
chance of rain 30%. Warm attire is essential.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Useful greetings: <i>Buon
Natale</i>, <i>Buon Anno</i> or <i>Auguri</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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For some event listings: <a href="http://veniceconnected.com/events">http://veniceconnected.com/events</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Hanukkah in Venezia<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The Festival of Lights comes early this year, November 27-
December 4th, 2013. Hanukkah in Venice is celebrated in the Ghetto, in the
Cannaregio Sestiere, the first segregated Jewish community in Europe. Visit the
Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, for the lighting of the Venice Public Chanukah Menorah.
In the quarter you can locate kosher food finds, like <i>Frittole di Zucca Barucca</i>. Pumpkin, which arrived in Italy after
the discovery of the Americas, proved so popular with Northern Italian Jews
that in Venice it’s called "Zucca Barucca" ("Holy Pumpkin,"
from the Hebrew "Baruch," "blessed"). It is a delicious
fried treat prepared especially for Hanukkah. Venice Ghetto Glass has several
interesting Murano glass gift items: the traditional menorah candelabrum, and a
range of glass shofars ranging in price from €29-250.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For more information, see: <a href="http://www.jewishvenice.org/">http://www.jewishvenice.org/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Stanleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685778414076134494noreply@blogger.com