BozAround


The 'architecture' tag

 

Amazing playgrounds from around the world

30 Apr
2012

Gotta be inspired to travel with the children when you see all these beautiful playgrounds from around the world.

I’ve paired them with some city guides I’ve written over time…

The Brumleby playground, Copenhagen. designed by Monstrum.

And BozAround’s post Live the hygge in Copenhagen

New York City. Designed by Tom Otterness (too bad this one seems like a private commission)

And BozAround’s 10 NY Faves with a family in 5 days

Sculptural playground in Schulberg, Germany. Designed by Annabau.

And BozAround’s Food for Thought in Berlin 

Woods of Net in Hakone, Japan at the Hakone Open-Air Museum. Designed by Toshiko Horiuchi Macadam

BozAround’s never been to Japan with the children..snif..but it’s high on the list!

Toa Payoh Lorong 6 playground, Singapore. Designed by Khor Ean Ghee.

And BozAround’ 24Hours in Singapore.

Thank you Flavorpill for this well researched article!

There’s also a great one in the city where we live, London: The Princess Diana Playground in Kensington Gardens. We’ve been there countless times with the children but I have yet to take some photos…



Category: City & Culture, Denmark, Germany, Play Time, Singapore
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April 30th, 2012 | 10:04am by BozAround
 
 

Lego bricks for future architects

25 Jul
2011

Legos are such smart toys. I’ve blogged before about Marcelo’s Star Wars legos, and also about this inspired book.. Lego now has an Architecture Serie with a few iconic buildings, a great new line of distinctive landmark building sets.

One of my very favourite is the New York Guggenheim designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. I still remember the first time I entered the Guggenheim uptown New York, looked up in the Rotonda and felt the magic of this incredible building, There was a bossa nova band playing in the ground floor and the music was flowing all the way to the sky. It was surreal for a museum experience, and the Guggenheim set the tone for a whole new generation of museums.

Did you know…that the first building ever to surpass 100 floors, the Empire State Building, houses about 1000 businesses and 21,000 employees…it´s so big it even has its own zip code.

And how about this one for a father & son summer project? The Farnsworth House, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Illinois (USA) is one of the most famous modernist examples of domestic architecture.

I’ve always secretly dreamt of being an architect. These new legos might inspire a few little ones to fulfill their dreams…



Category: Education, Inspiration, Play Time
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July 25th, 2011 | 2:10pm by BozAround
 
 

Lisboa in 3 days tete-a-tete

6 May
2011

Lisbon is a perfect city for a week end getaway tete-a-tete. It’s not too big yet it has a tremendous lot to offer in terms of art and culture. It’s full of charm yet it all comes naturally, at no big expense. And Portuguese people are just very kind. Plus they know a thing or two about good food and delicious pastries.

I am glad we were just the 2 of us though. I would not have wanted to push Amalya’s stroller on all those cobbled stone streets and narrow sidewalks, going up and down around town (the city of the seven hills!)…With children in age of walking all day long, then it’s a perfect family-destination too.

As we did not research anything prior to arriving (a first in BozAround life! a real refresher!), I don’t have a proper city guide to share here. I’ll just throw in some of my favorite souvenirs…

Being a super last minute getaway, and a holiday week end for most Europeans, we were lucky to get the last room available at Bairro Alto hotel, at a real bargained price (remember the rule: you don’t get anything without asking). And what more: they even upgraded us because they felt sad of our story of the day London-Marrakech-Lisbon. It’s very centrally located, right in front of a tram 28 stop, the line that goes all over town to the best areas. And Bairro Alto is the area of the night, where you will find all the bars late at night, a lot of fun.

In Chiado, the neighborhood below Bairro Alto, you can buy some very chic little dresses from Papo D’Anjo shop. It’s the posh English meets Portuguese children’s fashion brand from designer Catherine Monterreiro de Barros. And in the same street, a few numbers down, indulge in a delicious yet affordable 3-course meal (Eur23) at Restaurante Tagide, with the best view over the river and the city.

My favorite part of town was Alfama, a very old neighborhood with lots of winding little streets (a labyrinth, really) going from the river all the way up to the famous castle of Lisbon. I would have been happy staying there too. Lisbon is very pleasant to visit because you can very well do without a tourist guide book. There are lots of pleasant cafes and old shops and workshops, and little back streets where it’s great to get lost. It makes a stay there quite relaxed. Loved our lunch at A Morgaginha de Alfama on Beco de Alfurja, 4. But good luck finding it… (tel: 21 886 5424). Alfama is also the place to come at night to listen to Fado music.. A good address apparently is Parreirinha de Alfama (Largo Chafariz de dentro – tel 21 886 82 09) but it was closed when we tried..

Also in the heights of Alfama, we stumbled upon this little art gallery called ArteFacto – galeria de arte popoular. The owner Rosa commissions local artists who keep in the traditions of folk art, with many beautiful gifts to bring back to the children. I fell in love with the work of Cuban artist Lorenzo Lozane Rivera. Originally from Cuba, he moved to Lisbon not so long ago after marrying his Portuguese wife. And he creates little bundles of love with the remains of old women stockings. The result is very poetic. Amalya loves her little brown heart bear.

Another shop with interesting folk art was Almalusa, right near the entrance of the Castle de Sao Jorge (a worthwhile visit, if only for the stunning views over the city). You could easily miss it as it’s mixed with all the other touristy places, but it stands out once you get in. The owner is passionate about respecting old traditions whether it’s embroideries, ceramics and porcelains. Liked it quite a bit..

Lapa was another atmospheric part of town, to the west of Bairro Alto. Lots of cafes and small shops, and lots of azulejos too. Coincidentally, Monocle Magazine (issue 43) is running a feature this month about Lapa which we happened to have with us, and it’s full of good addresses. The editors argue that it’s time to look at properties in Lisbon, because prices are much lower than where they should be. But beware, on many accounts of people we’ve talked to, Portugal is on the verge of a worst crisis than it is in right now..This week the country got a bail-out package from the IMF for $78bln.The period of economic austerity has only just started it seems.

And if you have one extra day, it’s really worth taking the 45 minute train ride to the town of Sintra, a Unesco World Heritage site. It’s famous for its romantic architecture with pastel colors in shades of pinks and yellows; it’s also famous for its delicious queijadasat Sapa (21 923 0493) and its old moorish castle perched atop in the mist (don’t go without a good pair of walking shoes!).

Oh, and I was going to forget one memorable dinner place for meat lovers, Cafe Sao Bento, rua San Bento number 12. A hidden gem recommended by our Portuguese friend Antonio…hmmm..

Ps: Beware, many museums were closed due to the May 1st holiday…so we have a reason to go back one day



Category: City & Culture, Europe, Far away so close, Just the 2 of us
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May 6th, 2011 | 11:07pm by BozAround
 
 

Featuring Zid Zid Kids on Marrakech

28 Apr
2011

You’ve seen the little airplane backpack that Marcelo carries on the front page of BozAround…and you’ve asked me so many times where it’s from…Designed by the wonderfully creative husband-and-wife team behind Zid Zid Kids and proudly Made in Morocco! I have followed their work ever since we met in 2006, and I am a big fan. Their playful and colourful universe reminds me of my North African childhood (from neighboring Algeria). If only we could find their creations in more stores in Europe (any buyer reading?!), I would not have to fly to Marrakech this week end to get my Houb pillows (the very very last trip in our sabbatical, just the 2 of us). Everything they do always make for the perfect gift. Here, Julie shares her favourite addresses in Marrakech and around, a city you are better off visiting with insider’s tips if you don’t want to get lost in the Medina. Choukrane Julie!

The Zid Zid Kids family – portrait:

We are your average artistic, outdoor loving, multi-lingual, home cooked food adoring, explorer loving family! There is me Julie, I was born in Germany and raised in Ohio and NYC. There is Moulay, my graphic designer husband and business partner, born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco. There is Noor age 9, my muse and future budding playwright born in Cambridge, MA. There is Zak age 7, chief bug finder and future builder of tree houses, born in Marrakech, Morocco

We left Cambridge, MA for Marrakech, Morocco in the fall of 2002 and haven’t really looked back as there is so much to discover here.

Tell us about the philosophy of Zid Zid Kids and how Morocco inspires you:

Our philosophy is to incorporate time-tested traditions and combine them with bold modern styling while using only the best, most natural materials found locally. The spirit of our line is really blending the eclectic mix of the ancient spells of this place, marry it with rich fabrics and embody the creative spirit of each child into each piece we make. I draw much of my inspirations from Morocco as I love the handmade traditions found everywhere; whether it is knitting, pottery, metal, weaving, embroidering, sewing, candle making, tile making, word working, carving, you can find it all, thriving as it has for centuries.

Morocco is truly its own handmade nation. This always gets me incredibly inspired to join in the creative energy! I love having my own workshop, as I can tap directly into my inspirations at any time as well as have a 100% direct involvement with production from beginning to end. This is an important part of the creative process for me.

Your recommended itinerary for a family vacation in Marrakech and beyond:

If your time is short, say a week, then I recommend 3 days in the Medina or the Palmeraie…


If you love to be surrounded by old architecture, winding alleys, hustle & bustle, then a stay in the Medina is for you. There is nothing more stimulating than to have the excitement, colors, sounds, textures of the Medina around you and then step through an ancient door into the hushed luxury of a century old riad where you hear nothing but a fountain, the birds and be filled with the scent of floating jasmine and mint tea.

The kids will be dazzled by the fountains, cats, tiled floors, and interesting corners to be explored.

 

If you are more of a nature lover and prefer open spaces, then an outlying neighborhood that won’t disappoint is the Palmeraie, a very large Palm Oasis set right outside of Marrakech. Legend has it that this Oasis exists simply because centuries ago, when Moroccan soldiers had camped here, they ate many dates and from the remaining pits came the palm trees. In this oasis, you will be spoiled by incredible beauty of a Desert landscape.

And don’t let the word Desert scare you, this type of landscape is especially diverse, fascinating and surprisingly green in some areas. Stop to study the natural architecture around you and enjoy its lush setting. Here you can watch the sun set in peace surrounded by humbling palms that feel like old friends.

The kids will have non-stop fun exploring the strange bugs that can be found, climbing the palms and spending time with the camels.

Then 3 days exploring the Ourika Mountains…


After a few days getting your bearing in the city, hire a taxi to take you out towards the Atlas Mountains which the foothills are about an hour away. The Ourika Valley is filled with interesting villages, souks and you can get a feel for the real Morocco. The drive up is beautiful. You can easily hire a guide that will be able to provide you with as many mules as you need, so much fun for the kids, and tailor a hike just for you – half hour, hour and more.

Asni is a great region to explore. You can walk for 1-2 hours and make it back for a fresh lunch at any of the local rustic & charming French run hotels or catch a delicious slow cooked Berber tagine on the side of the road (where the locals eat).

Pick a little auberge at the foothills, refresh in rustic simplicity and explore the region!

These are good addresses:

- L’Oliveraie de Marigha – restaurant & piscine

- La Bergerie – lush yet rustic hotel, restaurant, piscine, mountain treks, gardens

- Or Near Toubkal, the famous Hotel Kasbah Toubkal – one of the best eco hotel in the world, sitting on an amazing site!

 

For Marrakech and beyond 15 days…

Get your fill of the Medina for 4 days and then pack yourselves for a Sahara Desert trek, with a 2 day stop in the stunning Palmeraie village of Skoura – the whole trip is kid heaven. Once in the Desert, ride the camels, scale the dunes, have couscous under the stars and tuck yourselves to sleep beautiful tents in the middle of the Desert….a trip your little ones will remember for a lifetime.

Zid Zid’ Zak drawing inspired in Marrakech

PLAY in MARRAKECH and beyond

When in town, we really love discovering fun of the Medina, le musee du Marrakech, the old palaces like le Palais du Badii for drawing, the Institute Francaise for concerts, films and books. Our favorite playground is located at Casa Botanica, the gorgeous pepiniere right outside of town. There you will find the delicious eco-friendly Café Flower Power, along with a great eco-friendly farm style park for kids.  Filled with color, light, flowers and so much more, this is a fav place to play and eat by far.

Then we love to be outdoors. Since there are little to no parks in town, we get out of town. For something not too far, Terre D’Amanar is wonderful for active kids and adults. You have a gorgeous eco landscape to play in. Situated next to 100,000 hectares of National Forest, you have zip lines, walking trails, wooden jungle gyms, art classes. It is a great way to spend the day.

Call Nourdine in the Palmeriae for Camel Rides & 4×4 Quad rentals: tel: +212 667 12 19 82

And stop at La Pause for lunch or for the day, an incredible desert spot outside of Marrakech

 

From there, we like to takes hikes in the Atlas Mountains or head south towards Agadir to a dramatic yet quiet, wild beachfront town called Mirleft.

The country of Morocco is an outdoor-centric kind of place and we love having the chance to explore so many diverse landscapes.

EAT in MARRAKECH

Café Flower Power located at the gorgeous pepiniere Casa Botanica (see description above) for fresh air and the freshest food - Route de Sidi Abdellah Ghiat (after Golf Royal), Marrakech +212 524 48 40 87

La Creperie as we loves crepes! And the kids love this little spot and its captain hook menu, small, next to school, great service and a fun parrot to keep everyone entertained. Yummy crepes are served for lunch and desert; you can have homemade apple cider on the side.  14 Petit Marche de Gueliz, Route de Targa. +212 524 43 22 08

La Bled du Grenadine is the perfect place for a chill out day next to the pool. Grenadine is a fun and funky hostess that will totally welcome you as if you’ve know her forever. You can swim the entire day, nap under her palms and then let her serve you the freshest, yummiest lunch, with almost everything coming from her garden. She is one of the best kept kid-friendly secrets in town.  Grenadine et Philippe SOUBIELLE +212 61 451 790. E-mail lebledgrenadine@gmail.com Km 5, route de l’Aeroport, Marrakech.

For just the 2 of us, definitely on the rooftop of Riad el Fenn…

SLEEP in MARRAKECH

This is very tough to choose as there are truly amazing places to stay here in Marrakech. I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite top 5, each one unique and offering something very special. I recommend choosing 1 place to stay and then hopping over to the others for their spa, boutique, lunch by the pool or for a candlelit dinner you won’t regret.

Jnane Tamsna – inside the Palmeraie.

Riad el Fenn – in the Medina.

Beldi Country Club – right outside of town

Peacock Pavilions – outside of town

La Pause – outside of town

SHOP in MARRAKECH

In the Medina

1. Lalla – great handbags & accessories, found on the first floor (French 1er étagè) of the restaurant Terrace des Epices inside the Medina. Shop here and the other great boutiques on the same floor and after head up to the terrace for a yummy lunch.

2. Souk des Epices for all your spices (a must to take home) and the classic little handmade leather camels and horses, always a hit!

3. The large flea market in Bab Khamis for crazy vintage finds at great prices

4. Riad el Fenn for gorgeous sequined wedding blankets

Outside the Medina

1. Atelier Nihal – gorgeous woven textiles with workshop on site. He is found in the design district of Sidi Ghanem, very good prices for incredible quality of work (atelier.nihal@hotmail.fr)

2. Nectarome on the Route du Ourika for essential oils, argan, great handmade soaps. If the time is right, they will serve you a nice tea and you can request a foot bath. Located on a pretty piece of land with gardens (nectarome@nectarome.com)

SMART TIPS

Tip #1: Bring the right clothes; Morocco is known as a cold country with a hot sun. Middle of the day you might be boiling, but then at night it cools down and you are searching for your sweater. Also, bring or buy light scarves, they are perfect to protect you from the dusty desert wind that kicks up, the sun, the cold and in case you end up somewhere more conservative.

Tip #2: Go with the flow! Marrakech can be a bit chaotic, just embrace and read any books/radio pieces by Tahir Shah – he will get you inspired and laughing at the same time.

Tip #3 – for shoppers, I recommend picking up this book, a perfect walking/shopping guide through the twisting Medina

And some more Reading Recommendations…

Tahir Shah , Paul Bowles, Maryam Montague  www.mymarrakesh.com, Susan Simon’s “Shopping in Marrakech”, ”TimeOut Marrakech”

 

You can find Zid Zid Kids in Marrakech in the Industrial Quarter known as Sidi Ghanem (+ 212 524 33 53 07) where they have their showroom and where they recently started a tri-lingual art classes for ages 4-6 & 7-9 (read more on their blog). You can also find them online at www.zidzid.us In New York, check out ABC Carpet & Home for the largest selection of Zid Zid products.



Category: Africa, City & Culture, Decoration, Inspiration, Just the 2 of us, Travel interviews
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April 28th, 2011 | 11:15pm by BozAround
 
 

Wine tasting in Mendoza, Argentina. Children not permitted.

19 Apr
2011

We toured the wine region of Mendoza for 3 days, leaving the kids behind in Buenos Aires under the loving care of nonna. ¡Salud!

Mendoza is the 4th largest city in Argentina, and its wines are exported all over the world, especially the Malbec, which I am a big fan of. Actually Mendoza is about a 7 hours drive from Santiago De Chile crossing over the Andes and it’s supposed to be an incredibly scenic road. That would be a nice way to get there. We flew from BA, a 1h30 easy flight from the domestic airport right downtown BA.

We made our itinerary over 3 days: 2 nights in Mendoza city & 1 night in the country side in beautiful Valle del Uco (90min from the city). I think it was the right amount of time. Actually, after 4 winery visits the first day starting at 10am with our first tasting, I was ready to go on a detox…a result of five months going around the world and living healthily.

I enjoyed these 3 days for 3 reasons:

- Great wines

- Great architecture

- Great scenery

The two main wine producing areas around Mendoza are: Lujan de Cuyo outside the city, and the Uco Valley a bit further. It’s nice to spend at least one day in the first, and one day in the 2nd.

To visit Lujan de Cuyo, we based ourselves at a homey and welcoming b&b in downtown Mendoza called Casa Lila, simple and no fuss, wonderful hosts willing to help every bits. For dinner in town, everyone raves about 1884, a restaurant by the famous Argentine chef Francis Mallman, but I think it lives on its reputation. Azafran is a better option, relaxed on the sidewalks of Mendoza.

To visit the Uco Valley, we stayed at the posada of the Salentein winery, which is definitely not worth recommending.  There is apparently a wonderful relais&chateau called Cavas Wine Lodge, for pampering times. Or there are several wineries with rooms in the region. Watch out for Bodega Atemisque when it opens its posada. I think it will be beautiful because their winery is stunning, and beautifully located too.

Everyone advises to take a driver/guide when going wine tasting in the region. And I confirm it! Not only the wineries are not always easy to find, but they also often require appointments for visits…And if you plan 4 winery visits in a day like most people do, that’s on average 3 to 4 tastings per winery..I let you do the math for the don’t drink&drive formula. Our driver/guide was good, not the most chatty and willing to get out of his way type of person but he did put together a good itinerary: Javier on javiereppens@yahoo.com.ar

In Lujan de Cuyo, our favorite wineries are:

Achaval Ferrer. A smaller winery, only 5 years old, with 2 particularly good wines tasted: the Finca Mirador, and a dolce Malbec which I loved and can only be purchased at the winery.

Carmelo Patti. A one-man show (photo below, at his winery). A legend in Mendoza! He is what they call a garagista, ie a winemaker who does it all in their garage so to speak. And he has been doing some of the best wines in the region for close to 40 years, all by himself. He talked passionately about his wines and wines in general (in Spanish) and made a great impression on us. We were pleased to leave with an autographed bottle from Mr Carmelo Patti…

We enjoyed a five-course lunch at Bodega Vistalba, at their restaurant La Bourgogne. They also have 2 rooms in b&b inside the winery supposed to be nice. It’s pleasant to face the vineyards for lunch, and the food was good paired with good wines, but nothing to go home crazy about (so says the little Frenchie..)

Everyone recommends to visit Catena Zapata winery, maybe because it’s one of the biggest. I did not like it. The place is pompous and very touristy. The architecture is a strange and rather tasteless Mayan-style pyramide. But they did have a very good Angelica Zapata Malbec…

this is Carmelo Patti and his very old -school winery:

In Valle del Uco, our favorite wineries are:

Pulenta Estate. Super high-tech and stunning architecture, especially the cellar room. It’s a relatively young winery, like many in Mendoza, which says a lot about the dynamism in the region. They had a Gran Corte, a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Atamisque. So beautiful! Such delicious wines! And no, I am not biased by the fact that the owner is French. The architecture, first, is stunning and so understated. Minimalist yet perfectly blending with the surrounding environment. From local architects Bormida y Yanzon who actually did most of the beautiful wineries in the region (see Pulenta Estate too). The Catalpa Malbec, and the Atamisque Malbec were particularly delicious. There is also a restaurant on the property where the specialty is trout as they have a trout farming. And soon a pousada…

Bodega Salentein. Another impressive architecture, very grand this time yet done by the same local architects Bormida y Yanzon. Salentein is completely geared to the visiting wine aficionado. There is a home theater showing the whole process of wine making, an in-house art gallery with Latin American artists featured. A very pleasant cafe/restaurant for lunch…Their Numina Malbec, and Primus Malbec are delicious.

Don’t waste time at the winery Andeluna in the same region. Very unpleasant staff, and the place looks like a mock-up of a provencale house. Out of place..

this is Bodega Atemisque:

this is Bodega Salentein:

BozAround tip: at Bodega Salentein, you will find cardboard boxes in their shop for 3, 6 or 12 bottles with a hard foam inside specially made to check it in the plane. And some smart bubble wrap for individual bottles, resealable. Very convenient after 3 days of wine tasting delicious Malbecs…



Category: BozAroundTheWorld, City & Culture, Just the 2 of us, My guides, South America
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April 19th, 2011 | 1:42am by BozAround
 
 

Some Sydney tips for a week with a family

12 Feb
2011

Sydney is a great place to stop and rest after our intense travelling in South East Asia. It’s a very welcoming city to the family, big enough to offer plenty to do yet relaxed and stylish, and very child-friendly. There are not that many big cities in the world that offer great beach living with cool city lifestyle. I can think of Rio, or Tel Aviv but Sydney really is in another league..Oh if it wasn’t soooo far from everything, we could easily see ourselves raising our children here.

The famous Sydney Opera House above, and the famous Bondi beach below.

The beaches of Bondi-Tamarama-Bronte-Coogee are a great base with a family, and only 15-20 min drive to downtown. We ended up in Coogee, renting the Annex which is a nice family apartment managed by the Dive Hotel. Coogee is not as cool and lively as Bondi, but it’s super child friendly with a great playground overlooking the ocean, a ladies & children pool in the sea, and a great long beach. Breakfast facing the waves from the terrass of Barzura is a must. Another wonderful brunch place is Swell on Bronte beach. With courage, there is a 3 hour cliff walk from Coogee to Bondi along the coast. We did the abbreviated version from Bronte to Bondi, 30min with a stroller and many steps. It’s highly recommended.

After the walk to Bondi beach, it’s a good idea to stop for ice creams with a view at the swim club Icebergs, or get a babysitter in order to enjoy a diner tete-a-tete in the very hip top floor restaurant. Or family dinner at North Bondi Italian, a casual and delicious noisy place facing the surfers. Or just a glass of Australian wine at The Shop a few blocks behind the beach in Bondi. This b&b in North Bondi seems like a good address to bookmark but it was full for us, or this hotel for a more established place. Or these websites also had lots of apartments to rent that seemed well located (but we planned way too late..): Rent-a-Home and Stay-z.

If the weather is warm and sunny (which it is most of the time between December and March!), it’s nice to split the day between morning visits and afternoon at the beach, with a lunch break in one of the many cool spots in town. They know a thing or two about fooding in Sydney.

Children will love taking a ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbor, and getting off to visit the Wildlife World and the exciting aquarium (best to buy the combo tickets). Lunch break at Chinta Ria for Malaysian family food is a good option afterwards, right in Cockle Bay.

Another half day can be spent starting at the incredible Sydney Opera House (we got to listen to a concert of classic music Passion with Brahms last night, a nice prelude to Valentine’s day!!), then walking through the Royal Botanical Gardens to finish at the Art Gallery NSW where there’s a good cafe with kids pack. Or the Museum of Contemporary Art right near Circular Quay. March will see Art Month in Sydney, a month-long festival of arts in the city, with family programs as well. Too bad we’ll be gone by then.

For more art, head to Danks Street in Waterloo where you will find Danks Street Depot at number 2, the David Bramley gallery and Sonoma bakery for lunch break. And for a pleasant leisure stroll, walk the streets of charming Paddington area, stopping for Italian ice cream at Alimentari on William Street.

You see those charming houses with wrought iron balconies all over in Sydney. Love them. And a reminder that this country is a rich land of iron and many other commodities. Hence 1US$=1AU$ right now…a very expensive city for the visiting tourist.

And another afternoon can be spent in the arty / trendy area of Surry Hills, where one of Sydney’s coolest kids store Kido has a new shop on Crown Street, not far from Mrs Red & Sons another shop worth a visit. We had amazing sushi at Toko for early dinner with the children (everyone eats really early in Sydney!). Or the Italian Pizza e Birra next door seemed like a deliciously stylish alternative.

I could go on and on with good spots for meals in Sydney, because we ate really well in many design-driven places. The Foodie 100 article from Travel Leisure has lots of good addresses, and I am carrying a print for every country we go to.

We have not had a chance yet to walk the Harbour Bridge, maybe on our return from the Blue Moutains. I hear there are some great climbs organized on the bridge (top ten world’s heart pounding experiences), but am I still allowed this kind of adrenaline-filled activities now that I am a mother?



Category: Australia / New Zealand, BozAroundTheWorld, City & Culture, My guides, Sea Sand Sun
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February 12th, 2011 | 12:28pm by BozAround
 
 

Carioca at heart

6 Dec
2010

Rio is one of my favorite cities in the world. I wish I could say I am a carioca so much I associate with the place. I love the energy of the people, the music that comes out from everywhere, the smiles, the Bom Dia (good morning), the Tudo Bem and Tudo Bom, the incredible light, the architecture, the protecting Corcovado, the power of nature, and the fact that this amazing beach is right here, in the heart of the city.

To recover after the long flight, we spent the day on Ipanema beach, enjoying agua de coco and misto quente (ham & cheese sandwich. Doesn’t it sound soooo much better in portuguese?!).

I am a huge fan of the mosaic-tiles sidewalks on Ipanema & Copacabana. The graphics of Amalya’s little dress from Winter Water Factory matched it quite well I thought.

And yesterday was the final of the Brazilian championship. Just imagine..One of Rio’s team, Fluminense, won! We found ourselves at Porcao Ipanema for dinner, where by chance the head coach of the team was there to celebrate. Marcelo got a little moment of glory posing on a photo with Murici Ramalho.

Will write more about our favorite places when we’re back in 10 days. Gotta head now to the Green coast…

beijos xx



Category: BozAroundTheWorld, City & Culture, South America
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December 6th, 2010 | 1:35pm by BozAround
 
 

Pop Pop Pop…Popville

30 Jul
2010

You might be familiar with the Italian publishing house Corraini for their collection of Bruno Munari and many other beautiful children books. A feast for the eyes and for the (little and older) minds. Well, Corraini has recently published the first book from French-based artists Anouck Boisrobert, Louis Rigaud and Joy Sorman: Popville.

Popville is a 14-pages pop-up book depicting every moment in a city’s development. It’s done in a simple way, with vivid colors and easy architectural shapes. It’s visually exciting and smart at the same time. Exactly what we want for our children.



Category: City & Culture, Inspiration
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July 30th, 2010 | 10:13am by BozAround
 
 

On teaching attention to details

6 Jul
2010

My favorite color is Red. Those were the words of Marcelo when interviewed on Pirouette Blog last week (thank you Pirouette for the post!). Architect Jean Nouvel might have heard my son…

The new Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London’s Hyde Park was unveiled this morning, entirely and strikingly RED, conceived by world-renowned architect Mr Nouvel. Red like the Big Red London Buses. Red like the all-over town British mailboxes. Red like those abandoned telephone cabins. Such a contrast to the Greens of the park.

I would normally recommend to pay a visit to the Serpentine Gallery whenever in town with the kids, because the exhibitions of modern art are usually worth the trip, and it’s set in the middle of Hyde Park. But right now, the Jean Nouvel pavilion is a destination-factor in itself. With only six-months from the invitation by the Serpentine to the completion of the project, Nouvel has imagined a bold contrast of lightweight materials and dramatic metal structures.

Around the pavilion, the architect has created spaces for outdoor enjoyment and play. There are red tennis tables (I caught him playing this morning, see the first photo above!), red fat boy headmocks to lounge on, draughts, chess, frisbees and even kites available for the public all throughout the summer months. Absolutely everything is Red, even the Smeg fridge behind the counter. An easy way to explain to the children what being a purist stands for. And what attention to details really means…

Past October 10th 2010,  the pavilion will be dismounted, suffering the same faith as the 9th previous pavilions from other renowned architects (Frank Gerhy, Zaha Hadid…). An ephemeral but tremendous project, not to be missed.



Category: City & Culture, Fresh air, Inspiration
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July 6th, 2010 | 7:04pm by BozAround
 
 

Istancool

30 Jun
2010

Following up on the posts Beautiful Istanbul from April and the nice interest that it generated, you might be happy to hear about this festival taking place over the week end, smartly called Istancool.

It’s organized by Liberatum, a very dynamic organization based in the U.K. and interested in promoting arts and culture between U.K. based artists and their counterparts around the world. A wonderful concept. The founder Pablo Ganguil explains it all in an interview on NinuNina.

In Istanbul, the festival kick starts tomorrow with an event in honor of architect Zaha Hadid at the Sabanci Museum. From the featured artists to the choices of  venues and the long guest list, this cross-disciplinary festival is appealing to everyone with a keen eye for the beautiful. So if you’re in town with the kids, or not, take a look at the schedule. Sadly (or not), I will be on my way to New York tomorrow (the story of my life, or any mother I am sure ie. I wish I could cut myself in 2 to squeeze more in a lifetime!)

Ps: coming up in October 2010, Keralight (love the name again!). Are Liberatum and BozAround on some sort of a similar world agenda??! Read here for more on Kerala.

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Category: City & Culture, Just the 2 of us
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June 30th, 2010 | 11:34am by BozAround