We like mixing up a bit of modern design culture with the great historic architecture. So when I heard that Hotel Josef just around the corner from Old Town Square in Prague was designed by London (though Czech nationality) architect Eva Jiricna I knew I had to stay there. The hotel had everything you would expect from a four star hotel: very helpful staff, gym, sauna, beautiful bar and breakfast — the typical amenities you can list off any given four star hotel website. But where Hotel Josef rises above the rest is in its attention to details. Beside being designed by one of the great contemporary architects of recent years, they completely cater to creative professionals: WiFi throughout the lounge and bar, high speed Internet and iPod docks in the room, and such progressive design you feel like your staying in a piece of art. If you make it to Prague we highly recommend checking out the Hotel Josef and if you are in the literary scene at all note that the Prague Writer's Festival is hosted by the hotel every year. If Hotel Josef is a little out of your budget, we wrote up the wonderfully beautiful Miss Sophie's Hostel a while back as well.
If you’re looking for a practical bag for your laptop that doesn’t skimp on style, there’s a good chance you can find something in Tom Bihn’s vast array of potent portables. His latest creation, the Checkpoint Flyer Laptop Briefcase, is the fruit of five months of some serious design labor in response to the Transit Security Authority’s challenge to create a “checkpoint friendly” case to transport your precious wares. These suave satchels remove the hassle for both you and the security guard by allowing them to get a clean shot at the contents of your carry-on by keeping your laptop in a separate protective compartment and leaving the rest of your gear undisturbed as it passes through their x-ray machine. The bag is available in sizes accommodating most Apple laptops and also many PCs.
If you saw twin beds adorned with copious plush dolls, you might think: children’s bedroom. Leave it to wacky Japanese marketing masterminds to break the stereotype with a collaboration between high-end hotelier Royal Park and San-X’s Rilakkuma (Relax Bear). In honor of the character’s fifth anniversary, Royal Park is offering guests a luxury package that includes exclusive Rilakkuma plushes, headbands with ears and pancakes decorated with a Relax Bear imprint. As the rooms are fairly doll-dominated, you might again be compelled to draw an incorrect conclusion. The campaign is not aimed at families, but rather wealthy adults — specifically women. Prices vary throughout the hotel’s six locations, but start at $275 and are expected to fetch much more on auction. Kind of makes that Holiday Inn plush comforter feel a little tired, doesn’t it?
Today, Virgin Galactic, the newest arm of the Virgin Group, rolled out the WhiteKnight II (WK2) mothership at the Mojave Air and Space Port and we had a chance to be a part of it. Guests checked in at the south hanger at LAX and were taken to the desert on a new member of the Virgin America fleet, aptly named “My Other Ride Is A Spaceship.” When we landed, we were taken into the Scaled Composites hanger where we were introduced to an all-star cast including lead engineers, Galactic pilots, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, a local Congressman, and fire and police chiefs. All of sudden a loud female voice started counting down and the hanger doors parted. The bright California sun shone through the white curtains and, as you are about to make out the shape of a plane, they dropped unveiling a large, unique looking aircraft. Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and aeronautical pioneer Burt Rutan are hanging out the windows waving at the crowd. They held a fun Q&A panel which reiterated Virgin’s goals for developing space travel — namely, advancement in space travel must be started in the private sector and Virgin hopes to be the catalyst to spur more development with the launch of Galactic. Here are some fun facts about the new spacecraft and program:
WK2 is the first 100% composite aircraft (including the control cables, using a proprietary design), which makes it lightweight, more fuel efficient, and safer. No bolts are required and fatigue is not an issue.
Though WK2 can fly and launch SpaceShipTwo (SS2) higher in the atmosphere, the air up there is so thin that it’s difficult for SpaceShipTwo to get the left it needs to reach sub-orbit. So instead, it will launch SS2 at the same altitude WK1 did, which is about 48,000 feet.
They are starting a pilot exchange program where select Virgin America pilots can enter a rigorous training program and fly for the Galactic group.
Lucky members of their frequent flier program, EleVAte, may win seats on a future Galactic flight
The main spaceport will be in New Mexico, with talks of new locations in Sweden, Spain (Barcelona), northern Scotland (British airspace), and Australasia.
The captive carry capabilities of WK2 are improved over the first iteration, theoretically allowing it to carry a pod that could launch a traveler to the moon.
The passenger cabin for SS2 is very large to allow passengers room to move around. It currently has eight seats (two pilots, six passengers) but could accommodate two additional riders.
What happens when you let a bunch of contemporary artists invent carnival games? The V&A's Village Fête of course. For those non-Brits, a Fête is what we in America call a fair, except this is so much more proper and kooky. As with most things, the V&A is giving it a modern twist by hiring contemporary artists to supply some original games and activities. They've come up with helium fueled karaoke, anarchy topiary, human pinball and a few games involving breaking ceramics (I told you it was kooky). Have a look at the full list the activities and games and go play a game or two while the weather in London is nice. The Village Fête beings tonight and runs through the weekend.
I was hopping around the LES with my pal from Zoomdoggle and we happened upon the space at 139 Norfolk called Grand Opening. Formerly famous for the DRV-IN project they did (Manhattan’s only drive-in theater), they’re now hosting Pong 2.0 sponsored by Puma. The new space has 35% more spectator seating (by the looks of it we’re guessing that means it seats 8), 12,500 BTU’s of AC (yeah, it was cool in there) and a beverage bar (Gatorade anyone?).
It’s open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Sat Sunday 12 p.m. - 10 p.m. It’s $10 for 20 minutes of play, and a summer membership costs $80. I could be wrong, but I thought you could buy a table for about that much? Question is, where would you put it? Head to Grand Opening so you can play with the onsite pro all day long.
Michael Mina’s Clock Bar is the newest collaboration between Mina and the Westin St. Francis, paying homage to the San Francisco hotel’s century-old tradition in Union Square. While the namesake — the Magneta grandfather clock — proudly stands outside the bar, the interior (designed by the Rockwell Group) is a modern throwback. Hand-woven metallic screens allude to the gold from the face of the clock, and the "speakeasy" cubby bar proudly shelves an amazing selection of premium alcohol. The aesthetic is phenomenal, but it’s the drinks that really steal the show. Head bartender, Marco "Cocktail Geek" Dionysos has created a deliciously complex cocktail menu. My favorite creation is also one of the most innovative. The refreshing "Chartreuse Swizzle" showcases the mastery of the very complicated ingredient: green chartreuse. The emphasis here is on local purveyors, with in-house preparation of the drink elements that use old school ingredients like egg whites. Marco's research spans his personal library of over 300 cocktail books, bringing classic cocktails back to their roots. Order the Aviation — a gin, maraschino liquor, lemon drink with crème de violette — and bask in its Lindberg-era glory. The Clock Bar just opened, but be certain that it’s only a matter of time until it’s the hottest spot in S.F.
Most motels across the country are unique reminders of an era in roadside elegance long gone. Their rooms are adorned by Bob Ross-esque landscape paintings and beds that vibrate for the small fee of a nickel. The Presidio Motel seeks to bring the American travel outpost up to date. Each of the recently relaunched Santa Barbara, California motel’s rooms break the cookie-cutter mold with distinct vinyl sticker art installations courtesy of Kat Trajano and Stephanie Mansolf, as well as stylish modern furnishings, adding 21st-century appeal to a mid 20th-century staple. If you happen to drive by on your way to San Francisco you may want to stop in for a stay.
One way to get the key to New York City is to get on Mayor Bloomberg’s good side. But if sucking up to politicians isn’t your style, might we suggest checking out Urban Daddy’s new Keys To The City microsite? If you really want to get the lowdown on the all of the secret nooks and hottest spots (and more than a bit of product placement) in “the city that never sleeps” from the people that know it best, then look no further. The site contains exclusive interviews from nightlife impresarios and famed restaurateurs such as David Sarner, Jeffrey Chodorow, Kyky and Uniq, who provide insight to the city as only they can. So if you’re looking for a hot evening of dancing or just the perfect place to get a clam pizza, we suggest letting Urban Daddy unlock the door.
We’ve written about plenty of travel guides, but this time we thought a) what’s one more? and b) it’s free! Whether you have a hankering for a happening lounge or a dose of architectural innovation in a distant land, Turnleft has got you covered. While their sphere of tourist influence currently only encompasses Paris, Helsinki, Amsterdam, and Berlin, the around-the-world adventure advice guides will be expanding their reach from the Americas to Scandinavia shortly. Pretty soon you’ll be able to find a tasty concept restaurant in Reykjavik or a dope design spot in Denmark. Did we mention it’s free?
I’ve been collecting the frequent flyer miles, and right now I’m in Rome for the next week (for the first time). I’m here because on Thursday I’m speaking at the TTI/Vanguard conference about the future of the social web, this new group of humans called Born Digitals, etc. The speaker lineup is pretty great, and I’m humbled to be here. But, like any good globe trotter, I’ve got some time to burn this trip (by design), and I have planned, wait for it, yep– nothing. Why would I come to Rome with nothing planned? Well, I figured a few of my faithful readers have been here and can lend a hand in recommendations. Where should I eat? What should I visit (other than the obvious city attractions?) Where should I shop? Who wants to get gelato with me? Drop me a note or leave a comment below. Ciao!
Fodor’s and Lonely Planet do an admirable job of helping first timers get around unfamiliar locales, but what about repeat visitors? After the obvious museums and landmarks, there are still plenty of cultural must sees and dos that escape our vacation radar. Le Cool publishing have found a way to bring all of the missing links of leisure to the attention of the jaded jetset. On the heels of their hometown “A Weird and Wonderful Guide To Barcelona”, the Spanish publishers have released four graphic guides: Amsterdam, Lisbon, London, and Madrid. They feature the work of top designers and insiders who find hidden gems in these Euro cities, and prove that while they may have been there, they might not necessarily have done that.
You’ve lived it up in London, found romance in Rome, and even wandered into a tourist trap in Turkey. So what’s next, you international traveler you? You could take photos of the Leaning Tower of Pisa or eat brunch in Barcelona, but that’s all been done before. Why not try a little something off the beaten path? If you’re looking for a bizarre travel suggestion that doubles as an incomparable life experience, we suggest checking in with Urbane Nomads. The self-proclaimed “travel mixologists” specialize in creating unique itineraries for those who think they’ve seen it all, but ain’t seen nothin’ yet. So if you’ve ever imagined yourself playing polo in Pakistan or at a spa in Sri Lanka, your window of opportunity is wide open.
Ada Pinkston at Current TV just sent over a video they just posted featuring their Brazilian host Rico (no last name) of the Globe Patrol show getting reacquainted with Sao Paulo after being away for a decade. You know we’ve always got the best coming from Brazil covered, but watching what’s going down will give you a different angle of how I see this awesome city. Rico jumps around town to the Munny exhibit at toy store/ art gallery Plastik, goes to venue Studio SP to catch up with long-lost friends and interviews the Brazilian Larry Flynt, aka the sleazy Oscar Maroni, who was arrested last year for running a brothel. More fun with Brazil here.
We recently had the pleasure of dining and drinking at Vanilla, a new London restaurant blending high-end design with upscale food. For those of you in the know of London restaurants, Vanilla was created from the ashes of Firevault— also known for its decor as much as its food.
Vanilla works on a color scheme of whiter than white. It takes you back the second you walk in the door. The bar feels like an eloquent bath– an eloquent bath of champagne. Which is fitting because the first thing you will see on the menu are vanilla champagne cocktails. The neat thing about a design scheme relying on white is the lighting possibilities. Vanilla runs the entire lighting system on LEDs, so the mood can be changed at the rotation of a dial letting different reds, blues, and greens bounce from the white.
Manager Matthieu Destandau has put his heart and soul into creating the restaurant from every detail of the placement of the LEDs, to the gorgeous food on the menu. If you get a chance to check it out, tell them we sent you– they’ll take good care of you. Can't make it to London anytime soon? Have a look at a few more photos after the jump.
If you’re looking for a practical bag for your laptop that doesn’t skimp on style, there’s a good chance you can find something in 
If you saw twin beds adorned with copious plush dolls, you might think: children’s bedroom. Leave it to wacky Japanese marketing masterminds to break the stereotype with a collaboration between high-end hotelier 
What happens when you let a bunch of contemporary artists invent carnival games? The 
I was hopping around the LES with my pal from 
We’ve written about plenty of travel guides, but this time we thought a) what’s one more? and b) it’s free! Whether you have a hankering for a happening lounge or a dose of architectural innovation in a distant land, 
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You’ve lived it up in London, found romance in Rome, and even wandered into a tourist trap in Turkey. So what’s next, you international traveler you? You could take photos of the Leaning Tower of Pisa or eat brunch in Barcelona, but that’s all been done before. Why not try a little something off the beaten path? If you’re looking for a bizarre travel suggestion that doubles as an incomparable life experience, we suggest checking in with 
