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10 Best Tips For Overcoming Language Barriers When Traveling

by ContributedPost
written by ContributedPost

Traveling is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences you can ever have. Visiting another country gives you the space to explore and broaden your horizons. You get to learn about the culture, history, customs, food, music, and all the other things unique to the country you’re visiting. However, language barriers can sometimes be an obstacle.

When you’re traveling to a foreign country, not everyone speaks English. There are those countries whose people speak English poorly, or not at all. In those cases, you need to walk the extra mile to overcome those barriers. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of 10 best tips for overcoming language barriers while traveling.

Let’s take a closer look.

1.     Do Some Research

Before your next trip begins, you should do some research on the country you’re about to fly to. It’s important that you learn the basics to be able to overcome language barriers.

Make sure that you know:

  • what’s the official language
  • are there any other languages spoken besides the official
  • what are the cultural differences

For example, Luxembourg is a country with three official languages. They speak French, German and Luxembourgish.

Make sure that you know what language is spoken in the part of Luxemburg you’re visiting and learn a thing or two about the people who live there.

This way, you’ll be able to prepare better for what’s waiting for you.

2.     Use Language Apps

Technology is there to help us overcome language barriers easier than ever before. Thanks to different types of language apps, we can get around a foreign country much easier.

There are two types of language apps you could use:

  • language learning app
    If you’re willing to invest some serious effort into overcoming the language barrier when traveling, you can start the preparation a couple of weeks before the trip.

You can use a free language learning app such as DuoLingo, a try to learn the basics of the language. You’ll find it easier to communicate and maybe even like the language so much you’ll continue learning after your trip.

  • translation app
    If you don’t have the time to learn the language, you can use some of the best translations apps that are a lifesaver for language barriers.


There are apps that allow voice translation. All you have to do is chose the target language, say something in English, and have the app translate it and pronounce it in the target language.

It’s like you have a translator with you at all times.

Language apps are a huge help when traveling abroad, so make sure you find the ones you like and install them before your next journey.

3.     Carry a Dictionary

You may feel like dictionaries are old school, and you’re right. But, they’re sometimes the best choice for overcoming language barriers.

The thing is, technology can fail:

  • you could lose your smartphone
  • you don’t always have access to Wi-Fi
  • your battery can run out
  • your smartphone could die

In these cases, you’ll be left with nothing.

But, a pocket dictionary could save you and help you communicate what has happened to you.

Buy a small pocket dictionary and try using it as much as you can, to establish proper communication and practice your language skills.

4.     Learn Phrases

When you’re in a foreign country, it’s nice to show respect for the locals and people who’ve welcomed you to their country.

The best way to pay respect to your hosts and everyone you run into during your trip is to learn some basic phrases by heart.

Memorize phrases such as:

  • Thank you!
  • How much is this?
  • Where can I find…?

It’s not that hard to learn these simple sentences and use them with the local people later on.

This will make your trip much more enjoyable and people will like the fact that you made an effort.

5.     Rely on Body Language

When everything else fails, you’ve still got body language and mime on your side.

Using your body to explain something will, in most cases, turn out to be a success.

Just make sure that you’re:

  • talking in English slowly
  • using your hands and facial expressions to convey a message
  • pointing at things you’re talking about
  • being patient

Also, make sure you thank the person who had the patience to listen to you and try and figure out what you wanted to say.

Body language and mime are universal and can get you out of some tricky situations, so don’t be hesitant to use it.

6.     Download Offline Maps

A map is something you need to have by your side at all times.

If you don’t want to bring a printed map with you, like an old school tourist, you can download an offline map to your phone.

This will make sure you always have a map by your side, regardless of finding a Wi-Fi connection.

An offline map will help you:

  • get around easier
  • ask for directions by pointing to a location on the map
  • not get lost
  • find everything you planned on visiting

Even if you aren’t able to read the foreign language, you’ll be able to compare the sign from the map to the ones you see on the street.

7.     Pen & Paper

Another great way to use non-verbal communication to get around in a foreign country is to use pen and paper.

When things go wrong, and you simply can’t establish the communication with a local person, take out a piece of paper and draw what you’re trying to say.

Let’s say you’re looking for the market:

  • draw a fruit stand
  • draw a question mark
  • add a bit of body language and charades
  • hand the pen and paper to the other person
  • allow them to draw the directions to the market

This type of communication might just work out in some situations, so be prepared to use it as well.

Remember, there’s nothing wrong with asking for this type of help, as long as you’re polite and nice to the people helping you.

8.     Do Mutual Teaching

Sometimes, when we travel abroad, we meet great local people who become our friends.

Whether it’s the girl working in the local bakery, or a tour guide we met at an excursion, we can make great friends while we travel.

If you’re lucky enough to find a friend on your next trip, you can do some mutual teaching:

  • teach them English
  • have them teach you their language

If you go to places together, try speaking to each other on both languages to have equal practice out of it. This could be a beneficial and rewarding experience since you’ll have a language teacher with you at all times.

9.     Know The Cultural Differences

Another super-important thing that you have to keep in mind when traveling is the cultural difference.

Non-verbal communication can differ across countries so it’s important that you know some basic rules:

  • How close can you get to a person?
  • Does this nation approve of physical contact during communication?
  • Can you interrupt them while talking?
  • Are you allowed to speak to women directly?

Find answers to these and many other similar questions, to ensure you’re communicating with them properly.

10.     Relax & Do Your Best

Finally, there’s one last piece of advice you should remember.

Wherever you go, and however poorly you speak the local language, don’t forget to relax.

The best way to communicate a message to a person who speaks a different language than you is to:

  • stay relaxed
  • do your best
  • have fun
  • not be ashamed
  • not be under too much pressure

Just go ahead and enjoy your time traveling, not putting too much pressure on yourself to speak a foreign language.

Languages are hard, and it’s perfectly understandable if you’re unable to speak a language other than English.

But, a smile and some positive energy can go a long way, so use them to turn your trip into another pleasant and adventurous episode.

Final Thoughts

Language barriers exist, but it doesn’t mean you have to be multilingual to travel. It’s a great idea to do some preparation and learn some phrases before you head out. Also, arm yourself with technology and old school language aids to make sure you’ve got it all covered.

Use the tips above to overcome the language barriers wherever you go. Communicate with an open heart and mind and enjoy all your future travel adventures.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Nicole Garrison is a self-driven specialist who is currently working as a freelance writer at Studicus and BestEssayEducation is trying to improve herself and her blogging career. She is always seeking to discover new ways for personal and professional growth. That’s why Nicole develops and improves her skills throughout the writing process to help to inspire people. Also, she writes for GrabMyEssay, rounding out her professional writing career.

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Explore Regensburg, Germany with The Design Tourist

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

In this episode of The Design Tourist, host Karen LeBlanc travels to Regensburg, Germany, a UNESCO World Heritage to explore the link between the city’s culture and creativity through its architecture, art and handicrafts. We’ll shop the city’s many artisan stores and regional handicrafts at its famous Christmas Markets and learn about Regensburg’s Bavarian history and heritage. 

 

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Artist Tim De Vries Goes Beyond The Norm & Shows What Is Hidden In Plain Sight

by ContributedPost
written by ContributedPost

Artist Tim De Vries exposes secrets with transparent epoxy resin. By hiding the items in plain sight, he questions the secretiveness of it all. 

Tim De Vries was born in a village in the Netherlands, but the limits of his provincial upbringing, combined with his childhood love of Hollywood movies like Wolf of Wall Street, Back to the Future, and Beverly Hills Cop, led to a desire for a different kind of life. He even dreamed of becoming an archaeologist, like his hero, Indiana Jones. As he grew older, he realized it was not so much archaeology, but the glamorous and exciting lifestyle of a treasure hunter that intrigued him. 

The Netherlands are known to most art enthusiasts for portrayals of idyllic landscapes, and painters like Rembrandt who reveled in the depths of light and shadow. These images were rooted in the society of the time. Like these artists, De Vries’ imagery is drawn from the society he lives in, but the world he inhabits is a radically different one from the painters of centuries ago, and his creations reflect this fact.

De Vries’ path as an artist has not been a traditional one. He studied business in Amsterdam, and went on to work in real estate in Ibiza. In Ibiza, he was able to experience the nightlife he had dreamed of as a young man, which inspires his work to this day. Through these experiences, he learned to question both his rural childhood and the big city party lifestyle he has adopted. 

Important influences on De Vries’ work include Andy Warhol and Roy Liechtenstein, along with figures like Arman and James Rosenquist. In his early career, artists like these inspired him to make his own sunglasses into a piece of art, which set him on the path he continues on today. He started off with a collection of design objects, and from there learned various sculptural techniques allowing him to manufacture these objects himself.

De Vries aims to shock and surprise, and isn’t shy about it. He uses his art to question why some things are hidden and others are left out in the open, and through this line of questioning, he reveals unspoken social norms. The phrase “hidden in plain sight” has become a touchstone for his creative work. The contradictions in his work reflect the contradictions of the world he observes.

Many of De Vries’ pieces make use of epoxy resin, a clear substance in which he embeds everyday items. These items, clearly visible but impossible to touch, embody his philosophy. What he demonstrates with these objects is that much of what we know about how the world works happens behind closed doors. Although the rules are unspoken, the unspoken is not unknown, and this is the dilemma his work brings to light.

The Hangover Table, a clear table embedded with items referencing his own life,  epitomizes De Vries’ aesthetic. Here we see what happens behind the scenes- but isn’t commented on in polite company. The objects collected here reference sex, drugs, and money, mimicking the remnants of a wild night out. A casual viewer might at first mistake it for a real scene, rather than a piece of art, reflecting how De Vries invites the everyday into his art.

Pieces like Cold Cash (2018), and Gold Rush (2018), give the viewer a window into the illicit. Both take the form of transparent briefcases, showing contents of dollar bills and gold bars. Others, like Light Saber (2019), of course a Star Wars reference, are drawn from pop culture.

Much of his work also draws from his memory of growing up in the 1980s. A 2019 piece titled Gordon Gekko Brick Phone is one such example, drawing on a retro aesthetic and Hollywood nostalgia. The bronze reproduction of the now outdated brick phone showcases his sense of humor. It is the immediately recognizable trademark of an era. 

He continues to take his inspiration from the world around him, drawing from current events, pop culture, alongside his own experiences and views of modern society, as pointed criticism comes together with nostalgia. 

De Vries objects to the unwritten rules of society. Questioning and exposing modern life is a crucial part of his conception of the role of the modern artist.

De Vries also has a message for his fellow artists: the myth of the “starving artist” is just that, a myth. We are all familiar with the stereotype of the artist who suffers for their art- many know the story, for example, of Van Gogh, who died without selling a single painting. Stories like these lead many to believe that the artist must be a lonely, penniless, misunderstood genius, but as De Vries himself will tell you, this doesn’t have to be the case.

De Vries aims to inspire other artists to look beyond the idea that you have to live in poverty to make art. Outside the studio, he enjoys skiing in the Alps, and splits his time between Amsterdam and Ibiza. The sale of his art contributes to his ability to spend time living a life many only dream of. 

Filtered through his own experiences and memories, De Vries aims to create work that is exciting and accessible, without sacrificing his conviction that art can expose society’s hypocrisy. In his world, everyday objects tell funny, flashy, and intriguing stories about the society we live in. 

To learn more about Tim he can be reached by Instagram @studiotimdevries

Author: Ian Monroe

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Emotional Collecting Emerges as Top Trend at Miami Art Week

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Collectors bring curiosity to a week of Miami art fairs making emotional connections and purchases.

The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, at PULSE Art Fair in Miami Beach during Miami Art Week.

Miami Art Week takes place Dec. 3-8, 2019 with more than 80,000 collectors, curators and art enthusiasts attending art fairs anchored around Art Basel Miami Beach. The defining trend of this art fair frenzy is the concept of emotional collecting, art purchases propelled by personal connections with works.

Kazuyuki Takishita, an artist from Tokyo, Japan brings his works to PULSE Art Fair with Gallery Art Composition. His art was a PULSE Prize Nominee.

Kazuyuki Takishita, an artist from Tokyo, Japan brings his works to PULSE Art Fair with Gallery Art Composition. His art was a PULSE Prize Nominee.

With more than two dozen satellite art fairs throughout Miami Beach and Miami, fair fatigue can set in from sensory overload. PULSE Art Fair in Miami Beach aimed to be the antidote by creating a sensory soothing backdrop for contemporary art on exhibit. “Our theme is Calm in the Palms. We want to be a destination, not an event on the checklist. PULSE is not just an art fair. It’s an experience. I want people to come here, relax, feel the PULSE environment so that they can absorb the artists here to their fullest extent,” says PULSE Art Fair Director, Cristina Salmastrelli.

PULSE Art Fair, one of the first satellite fairs to join Art Basel Miami, celebrated its 15th year with a curatorial theme that stimulates the five senses. The fair’s signature scent by Aroma 360 permeated through the aisles as an invigorating infusion for fairgoers, who were invited to touch the artwork in many of the gallery booths. A soundscape of cicadas created by PULSE Project Artist, Sandra Mohs soothed and focused attention. 

Many of the works piqued curiosity and started conversations creating connections between the art and collector.  “Emotional collecting is emerging as a strong trend in the art world. The tendency is to think of traditional collections as governed by strict rules that focus art in a certain genre or style, whether it’s emerging artists, print or photography works. In the last five years, more people are coming to our fairs with a curiosity and no rules for collecting. That has led to emotional buying where someone walks in; they are struck in some way by a piece and they buy it. That to me is very exciting,” explains Salmastrelli. 

Meguru Yamaguchi, Out of Bound No. 77, 2018 is acrylic, plastic, epoxy, and UV paint on shaped wood board, presented by GR Gallery at PULSE Art Fair

 “We must reflect the population that lives here year-round and we need to offer an international experience. We have artists from five continents here, which I’m very proud of because we need to see how creativity in all corners of the globe. When I vet the galleries and artists that apply to exhibit at PULSE, I want to make sure I’m not giving you just one point of view but all,” Salmastrelli says.

Hyperrealistic charcoal drawings presented by Galerie ALB, Paris at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week

Works with emotional resonance include the hyperrealistic charcoal drawings of Galerie ALB by French artist Nicolas Pegon. “It looks like a photo but it’s charcoal drawings from a French artist. We came here to present Nicolas who works in hyperrealism drawings for 10 years now. He takes people’s surroundings, people of his family and he does these mise-en-scene works,” says Anouk Le Bourdiec, gallerist, Galerie ALB.

The Rendon Gallery presented the Casspir Project by South African artist Ralph Zim including this outdoor installation, the SPOEK 1 covered in colorful beads at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week

The Rendon Gallery presented the Casspir Project by South African artist Ralph Zim including this outdoor installation, the SPOEK 1 covered in colorful beads at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week

South African artist Ralph Ziman makes a powerful statement about social justice and violence with The Casspir Project presented by The Rendon Gallery.  ​Ziman covered in beads a Casspir, an armored, all-terrain vehicle developed in South Africa in the 1970s. The Casspirs were used extensively by the South African Police, as well as the South African Defense Force, against civilians in urban township areas from the late ‘70s through early ‘90s during apartheid. Developers of these vehicles named them Casspirs, an anagram combining the name of the designer (the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR) and the end-user (the South African Police, SAP). 

 The Casspir Project is a multidisciplinary fine art exhibition that encompasses a variety of media including installation, photography, oral history, and documentary film in response to Apartheid’s effects on South Africa’s culture and community.

Sophie Derrick self-portrait on view during PULSE Art Fair. For more go to www.degreeart.com

Sophie Derrick self-portrait on view during PULSE Art Fair. For more go to www.degreeart.com

Artist Sophie Derrick plays with painting and portraiture using the body as both an object and subject.

Sophie Derrick self-portrait on view during PULSE Art Fair. For more go to www.degreeart.com

Sophie Derrick self-portrait on view during PULSE Art Fair. For more go to www.degreeart.com

She photographs the act of painting onto her skin then paints on top of the photographs, creating a layering of the image of paint and painted image, blurring the boundaries between the two.  

Port-O-Potty by Zeke Moores presented by Art Mur on view at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week.

Port-O-Potty by Zeke Moores presented by Art Mur on view at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week.

Port-O-Potty by Zeke Moores presented by Art Mur takes a disposable, dejected object taken from the street and places it into the artistic context of a gallery space. The artist uses metalsmith techniques to create his Port-O-Potty, usurping the traditional modes of mass production and the disposable materiality that we associate with these objects. Moores uses mechanized assembly line production and objects made to be thrown out and transforms them into a craftsman’s labor of love. 

PULSE Art Fair is my antidote to fair fatigue during the art-saturated week of shows and fairs because of its original programming, cutting-edge installations and sensory-rich experiences. I highly recommend this annual art fair during Miami Art Week.

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

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Bonnet House Museum & Gardens Celebrates its Centennial in 2020

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

 One of South Florida’s Oldest Homes Celebrates its 100th Anniversary

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Photo credit: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, an eclectic 1920s winter retreat that became a popular tourist destination in South Florida, celebrates its Centennial in 2020 with a yearlong events calendar.

The 35-acre subtropical estate in east Fort Lauderdale resides on what is one of the last examples of a native barrier island habitat in the region.

Grounds of the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Photo credit: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

The Birch/Bartlett family built the home in 1920 as an unusual amalgamation of art, architecture and ecology. Early settler Hugh Taylor Birch purchased the Bonnet House site in 1895 and gave the property as a wedding gift to his daughter Helen and her husband, Chicago artist Frederic Clay Bartlett, in 1919.

Helen and her husband, Chicago artist Frederic Clay Bartlett. Photo credit: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

The newlyweds started construction of Bonnet House in 1920. After Helen’s death from breast cancer in 1925, Frederic married Evelyn Fortune Lilly. In the 1930s, the couple embellished Bonnet House with the decorative and whimsical features that draw visitors from around the world.

Evelyn Fortune Lilly and Frederic Bartlett Photo credit: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

Frederic Bartlett was an accomplished artist producing works acquired by several respected collections. He also worked on mural projects with American architects including Howard Van Doren Shaw.  Frederic’s easel art is on display in the BonnetHouse studio and his murals and faux painting decorate the main house. 

Evelyn Fortune Bartlett began painting in 1933, and her work was featured in popular gallery exhibits in Boston, New York, and Indianapolis. Her works are today on display in Bonnet House’s Carl J. Weinhardt Gallery.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, the eastern facade of the house. Photo credit: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

The Bonnet House’s main house is based on Frederic’s interpretation of Caribbean-style architecture. He designed the principal buildings including the main house, art studio, music studio and guest house. After Frederic’s death in 1953, Evelyn returned to stay at the property each winter. In the 1980s, she donated the property so the public could enjoy it.

Grounds and gardens of Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. Photo credit: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

“Throughout its remarkable 100-year history, Bonnet House has preserved the beauty, creativity and unique style of the Bartletts and Birches, and the early 20th-century lifestyle, with incredible authenticity,” said Patrick Shavloske, CEO of Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. “Not many landmarks in Florida have reached 100 years ― it is truly amazing how this estate and property have stood the test of time. It is a pleasure to help today’s community connect with the Bartletts’ architectural, artistic and environmental legacy.”

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

Tucked away from the development along Fort Lauderdale Beach, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is today accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1984 and declared a historic landmark by the City of Fort Lauderdale in 2002. In 2004, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included Bonnet House in its Save America’s Treasures program.

The grounds have witnessed 4,000 years of Florida history with human activity on the site dating back to 2,000 B.C., evidenced by a shell midden left by the Tequesta people. Other archaeological evidence lends to the fact that the grounds were one of the first sites of Spanish contact with the New World.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

There are five distinct ecosystems are present on the lush subtropical grounds. These include the Atlantic Ocean beach and primary dune, a freshwater slough, the secondary dune which includes the house site, mangrove wetlands, and maritime forest. The grounds also are home to a Desert Garden featuring arid plantings, a hibiscus garden, and the main courtyard, which is planted with tropical vegetation. Because Evelyn Bartlett was a passionate orchid collector, the estate’s Orchid Display House includes various blooming examples which are regularly rotated.

Many migratory birds make Bonnet House their home, as well as year-round birds indigenous to Florida wetland and coastal areas. On occasion, manatees seek shelter in the estate’s Boathouse Canal; and monkeys can be spotted on the grounds.

The yearlong 100th Anniversary celebration includes a variety of events, programs, workshops, tours and classes including watercolor, calligraphy and drawing workshops among other activities that capture the spirit and history of this unique property.

The marquee event takes place on Saturday, April 25, 2020 ― the Centennial Soirée presented by The Haller Foundation, which will include live art, performances, unique photo moments, cocktails, dinner and more at the Bonnet House Estate. 

Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 and is open for tours Tuesday–Sunday from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. For more information, visit www.bonnethouse.org.

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

 

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Miami Art Week Highlights: Artist Interviews and Art Collecting Trends

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc
Join The Design Tourist Karen LeBlanc as she takes you on a whirlwind tour of Miami Art Week, hitting all the major art shows and fairs to check out the latest trends in art collecting and interview artists doing cutting edge work. From Art Basel, the marquee event, to Miami Art Week’s many satellite shows, The Design Tourist takes you along for a global dose of creative inspiration. #ArtFair#Art#ArtBasel#MiamiArtWeek#Paintings#Sculpture#ArtShow#ArtTVShow#Miami

Subscribe to The Design Tourist for a global dose of inspiration as host Karen LeBlanc brings you what’s new and what’s next in design, art, architecture and home interiors along with celebrity designer interviews, celebrity home tours and stay in style tours of boutique hotels. Subscribe to The Design Tourist for a global dose of inspiration as host Karen LeBlanc brings you what’s new and what’s next in design, art, architecture and home interiors along with celebrity designer interviews, celebrity home tours and stay in style tours of boutique hotels.

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New Times Square Art Attraction: A Curated Digital Billboard Gallery

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

ZAZ10TS Brings Art and Nature to Times Square with “ZAZ Corner”  as a Curated Digital Billboard Gallery

Visitors to Times Square in New York City can check out a new outdoor art exhibit, free and always open to the public.  “ZAZ Corner” is a new digital gallery showcasing artwork on an office building at 10 Times Square. The new LED billboard gallery presents rotating images that show a variety of stunning digital artwork.  The “Zaz Corner” billboard, located at the corner of 41st Street and 7th Avenue, is a new cultural initiative from ZAZ10TS that works to bring art to the area. 

ZAZ Corner will feature different artists and motifs on a monthly basis. ZAZ10TS kicks off the program in February with new media digital work based on a stylistic “nature” theme curated by Lightbox. The February program brings artistic greenery into the neighborhood and is designed to juxtapose the calming nature images with the surrounding concrete structures and hustle-bustle of Times Square.

“The sounds and sights of Times Square can sometimes be overwhelming to the senses,” says Tzili Charney, founder of ZAZ10TS. “We want to offer a bit of respite and serenity with beautiful artwork featuring nature and springtime colors in the middle of the often-dreary winter season.”

“Lightbox is thrilled partner with ZAZ10TS as we share a mutual interest in bringing our corner of the city to life and in turn, creating a space for talented digital artists to share their inspiring works,” adds Daphné Jouanneteau, CEO of Lightbox.

Lightbox, an experiential events venue with a digital art and tech programs, will draw upon its expertise to curate a unique editorial selection of new media digital artworks in collaboration with ZAZ10TS. Working with a mix of emerging and established digital artists, the captivating images will be brought to life on ZAZ Corner in a large LED screen.

With the launch of ZAZ corner, ZAZ10TS looks forward to working with artists, organizations, universities and cultural institutions to bring a wide selection artwork to the ZAZ corner Digital billboard and hopes to engage the public with visuals that are different from the urban environment in Times Square.

“Art brings people together and we are thrilled to work with artists and partners to bring strikingly beautiful digital artwork to a public space and see the impact on the community” continues  Limei Wang, director of ZAZ10TS.

ZAZ10TS  is the vision of  Tzili Charney that creates gallery space on the building’s façade, lobby interior, and immediate environment to showcase talent ranging from established artists to young and emerging talent, as well as special needs artists, as part of its programming. In addition, ZAZ10TS partners with other organizations nationally and internationally to support art. For more information on partnerships and submissions, please visit zaz10ts.com/zaz-corner

 

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Urban Art Destination: The Wynwood District, Miami

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

 

The Design Tourist aka Karen LeBlanc in the Wynwood District, Miami

During the week of Art Basel Miami Beach,  the city is electric with creative energy. All around the Wynwood district, street artists are at work painting buildings with new murals for Wynwood Mural Fest.

Street artists drawing the attention of TV cameras as they paint fresh murals in the Wynwood District of Miami for Mural Fest.

Wynwood Walls is like a street art museum, free and open to anyone who wants to walk around and admire the murals. The concept began as a vision for outdoor art space by developer Tony Goldman, founder of Goldman Properties.

Street artist painting a fresh mural at The Wynwood Walls

His concept started with six painted buildings that he commissioned artists to paint in the area which eventually became the core.

Mural at the Wynwood Walls in Miami

Over the next decade, the painted walls proliferated. Each year during Art Basel Miami Beach, new murals are unveiled creating a destination of urban art.

The Design Tourist videographer filming a street artist painting a fresh mural for mural fest in the Wynwood District, Miami

I met up with Zack Lawrence, production manager for Wynwood Mural Festival on opening day as vendors were setting up tents and food trucks in anticipation of huge crowds later that evening.

Street artists painting a new mural at the entrance to mural fest in the Wynwood District, Miami

A team of street artists were at work painting a mural at the entrance to the festival grounds, one of many fresh murals coloring the buildings of the Wynwood District. 

The Wynwood District in Miami

“The Wynwood arts district is an area of Miami that was founded originally by artists. They are bringing this graffiti and mirrorless culture into the city in a major way. They’ve purchased a lot of the properties in the area. They own a lot of the warehouses and they collaborate with a lot of the businesses around this area to create this ethos that exists in this neighborhood. It attracts people from all around the world every single year to paint large murals. A lot of these people are world-famous painters and muralists,” Lawerence says.

Mural in the Wynwood District in Miami

“We’re here for the art and we’re trying to plant a flag in the neighborhood that really makes us a mainstay. We want to continue to put this event on, as well as other events to represent the entire collective of artists and businesses in the neighborhood,” Lawerence says.

Mural in the Wynwood District in Miami

During Art Basel Miami, some of the biggest names in graffiti and street art come to the Wynwood District to paint walls that are divided into zones curated by art experts. I met up with one of the curators, Gleason LeRoy, who selected street artists to paint walls in his zones. “So, the zones are actually different collectives that actually have been painting their own zones every year. We came together as one for the Mural Fest to kind of take back the neighborhood from everybody else. It’s not about competing with each other, but to unify and really give it that artists feel,” LeRoy says.

Mural in the Wynwood District in Miami

Art Basel Miami, as the anchor of Miami Art Week, serves as the marketing season for street artists who travel from around the world to paint murals for Mural Fest and capture the attention of more than 200,000 visitors filling the streets.

The Wynwood Walls in Miami

“A lot of these people come with different stylistic choices in different ways that they communicate their message of art,” Lawerence adds.

The Wynwood District in Miami

Art Basel Miami brings together art in all its iterations and the Wynwood District offers that unique opportunity to experience creativity outside the bounds of traditional art fairs and galleries. It’s an outdoor art museum that is free and always open to the public.

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Art Basel Miami Beach Brings Public Art to All Corners of the City

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

After Art Basel Miami Beach is Over, Art Installations Remain as a Testament to the City’s Creative Soul

“Pieces of Me” Sunreef Yachts by artist Alexander Mijares commissioned for Miami Art Week

Art is everywhere during Miami Art Week as dozens of installations, pop-ups, parties and galleries compete for attention alongside more than two dozen satellite art fairs anchored around Art Basel Miami.  During the first week of December, more than 80,000 collectors, curators, and art aficionados converge in Miami for this A-list event that also draws celebrities looking to see and be seen. Smart marketers try to capture the attention of influencers, celebrities and other high-profile personalities with VIP events and installations that capitalize on this creative energy.

“Pieces of Me” Sunreef Yachts by artist Alexander Mijares commissioned for Miami Art Week

Sunreef Yachts collaborated with Miami Based Artist Alexander Mijares to wrap the hull of the 70 Sunreef Power catamaran in an artwork titled, “Pieces of Me.” Sunreef Yachts designs and manufactures of luxury sailing and power multihulls.

Miami-born artist Alexander Mijares

The company showcased its art yacht at the Fontainebleau Marina. Miami-born artist Alexander Mijares’ signature style is defined by culturally vibrant works from a colorful perspective. The self-taught artist finds inspiration in the dynamic energy of both Miami and his Cuban and Spanish roots.

Les Lalanne at The Raleigh Gardens Courtesy SHVO © Douglas Friedman

At the Raleigh Gardens staged the largest-ever public outdoor exhibition of works by the late French artist duo, Claude Lalanne and François-Xavier Lalanne. Architect Peter Marino designed the new beachfront tropical garden along with noted Miami landscape designer Raymond Jungles.

The Raleigh Gardens is part of a $200 million master plan for The Raleigh hotel and span throughout three properties: The Raleigh, South Seas and Richmond. The Garden is free and open to the public through late February with 32 statues on display in more than 25,000 square feet of garden space.

Les Lalanne at The Raleigh Gardens Courtesy SHVO © Douglas Friedman

Real estate developer and investor Michael Shvo and his partners commissioned the works of the late Claude Lalanne (1924-2019) and François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008), the artistic duo known together as Les Lalanne. The opening of the Raleigh Gardens marks the latest step in the restoration and renewal of the iconic Raleigh Hotel, along with adjacent properties, The Richmond and South Seas, located on Miami Beach’s famed Collins Avenue.

Pink Beasts Art Installation on view at Design Miami. The Pink Beasts and pink hammocks can be seen around the Miami Design District.

Throughout The Miami Design District, pink sisal sloths hang from trees as a public art installation, Pink Beasts, the creation of London-based Mexican designer Fernando Laposse. The Miami Design District commissioned Pink Beasts, an art installation that explores materials and techniques native to Mexico. Laposse collaborated with textile designer Angela Damman and local artisans in Sahcabá, Yucatán.

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Art that Atones South Africa’s Apartheid Past

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series

The Artist: Ralph Ziman

The Idea: Humanitarian Art That Reconciles South’s Africa’s Apartheid Past 

The Art: The Casspir Project

The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, standing in front of an 11-ton Casspir military vehicle covered in glass beads by South African artisans at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week.

An overarching theme to the creative works that intrigued me during Miami Art Week was about a hyperawareness of social issues. Artwork with a confessional quality that offered insight into the artist’s personal politics resonated deeply. 

 At the entrance to PULSE Art Fair, I encountered an armored all-terrain vehicle covered in colorful beads by South African artist Ralph Ziman. It was both disturbing and oddly beautiful—an emotionally jarring juxtaposition. The beaded tank is called a Casspir, used by the South African Police and Defense Force against civilians during apartheid. Ziman named it  ​SPOEK 1 and it weighs 11-tons and is covered in 70 million glass beads, arrayed in panels of traditional patterns​ by African artisans from Zimbabwe and the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, including women of the Ndebele tribe, known for their craftsmanship.

SPOEK 1 ​ and The Casspir Project was presented by The Rendon Gallery at Miami Art Week, December 5-8, 2019 as part of the special projects section at PULSE Art Fair.

SPOEK 1 anchors Ziman’s traveling series, The Casspir Project, presented by The Rendon Gallery. Ralph Ziman’s multidisciplinary fine art exhibition encompasses installations, photography, oral history, and documentary film, examining the human rights issues of apartheid, the over-militarization of police, and state violence. 

His art is about making amends with South Africa’s apartheid history by reframing emblems of violence and oppression into art objects. “In Africa, there’s a belief that when you touch something, you take away its power. By covering the Casspir with beads, it became non-threatening. People could come up, put their hands on the tank and by doing so, take away its power to oppress,” Ziman explains.

The Casspir has been transformed into a work of art for ​SPOEK 1, ​ its surfaces covered in 70 million, elaborate and brightly-colored glass beads, arrayed in panels of traditional patterns​.

The name “Casspir,” is an anagram combining the name of the designer (the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR) and the end-user (the South African Police, SAP). Ralph, working with African artists.

Glass beads cover AK-47s as part of The Casspir Project by South African Artist Ralph Ziman. His works were on view at PULSE Art Fair during Miami Art Week.

Ziman also embellishes weapons with colorful glass beads as social and geopolitical commentary.  “We originally started with the AK 47 as a response to the arms trade coming into Africa. I was constantly seeing photographs in the press of Somali rebels and pirates. There were AK 47’s everywhere. I thought that it would be great to do this reversal of the arms trade where we make non-lethal, beautiful weapons in South Africa and ship them to the rest of the world. The root of the project is its humanitarian mission to support the families of South African artisans. With every work that sold, the proceeds would amount to a month of living expenses for an entire family,” Ziman says.

The Casspir Project by South African Artist Ralph Ziman also comprises installation, photography and film.

He employs 10 artisans full time working out of his studio in Johannesburg. He discovered these artists selling beads and wire sculptures to tourists on the streets of the city. “They were hustling to make a living. We wanted to create an environment where we could pay everybody a living wage and pay for their kids to go to school,” Ziman explains.

 The Casspir was built during the apartheid as a vehicle for the South African police force to patrol and control neighborhoods. “When I left South Africa in the early eighties, it was the height of apartheid, policing involved a bunch of Casspirs with white cops sitting on top with automatic weapons. The Casspir was developed by like the white African military, so while it’s South African, it was very much a white invention,” Ziman remembers.

Photography that is part of The Casspir Project by South African Artist Ralph Ziman. This image shows two Casspirs covered in glass beads.

 He bought the 1981 police Casspir from a scrap yard and rebuilt it to factory standards. It took more than 100 artisans three years to cover the tank in colorful beads. “This project is about owning up to our history of apartheid and the Casspir and transforming that,” Ziman adds.

Ralph Ziman was selected for the special project section of the 2019 edition of PULSE Art Fair where he will present ​SPOEK 1, an 11-ton decommissioned, apartheid-era Casspir vehicle that has been restored and reclaimed

The South African government decommissioned Casspirs after the apartheid leaving their hulls in scrap yards as a relic of their tumultuous past. The United States bought several to use during the Iraq war years, r​ebranded as the MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected)​. ​After the war, these Casspirs were given free of charge to local United States police departments under the Pentagon’s 1033 Program. 

 “I felt an urgency to do this project because I started seeing these Casspir vehicles showing up on the streets of America, in the news, in protests such as Black Lives Matter. I wanted to tell our joint history with the Casspir,” Ziman says. 

Ziman says The Casspir Project aims to subvert the narratives of violence and oppression by celebrating South Africa’s creativity and community.

The Casspir Project was presented by The Rendon Gallery at Miami Art Week

Ralph Ziman was born in 1963 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California.

Learn more about Ralph Ziman’s work and highlights from Art Basel Miami Beach, in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed during Miami Art Week, airing soon. 

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

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Highlights from Design Miami/

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Design/Miami continues to be one of my favorite satellite shows during Miami Art Week for its immersive installations and focus on design and art objects. Located next door to Art Basel Miami Beach, the anchoring event of Miami Art Week, Design Miami/ held its 15th edition with 33 galleries and 14 Curio presentations from 13 countries. The design show is a refreshing break from the fair fatigue of white-walled booths. Instead, you’ll find works presented in conceptual spaces.

Todd Merrill Studio is an exhibition-based program representing an international group of established and emerging contemporary artists, each sharing an underlying drive to push the materials that comprise their works to their absolute aesthetic limits. Their dynamic, unique, and frequently groundbreaking pieces stand at the forefront of today’s highly coveted collectible art and design.

As a marketplace for collectible design, Design Miami/ invites international design galleries to present curated exhibitions of museum-quality furniture, lighting and objets d’art dating from advent of Modernism (circa 1900) to the present day.

Friedman Benda’s solo installation by acclaimed multidisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham breaks away from the traditional constraints of a fair to transform the space into part domestic setting and part kunstkammer. Arsham developed and realized a fictionalized environment that is in dialogue with his home’s modernist architect, Norman Jaffe.

In my opinion, the show’s standout installation comes from Friedman Benda, a living space framed by glowing walls and furnished with pieces by artist Daniel Arsham.

Daniel Arsham’s Objects for Living presented by Friedman Bena, New York in a room installation with glowing walls.

The immersive installation breaks away from the traditional art fair constraints to transform the space into an imagined domestic setting. 

Sofa by artist Daniel Arsham on view at Design Miami/

The project began when Arsham developed a collection of objects in dialogue with his Long Island home and expanded it into a fictionalized environment.  In the first hours of the fair, Friedman Benda sold its entire presentation by artist Daniel Arsham.

FENDI presents Roman Molds by Kueng Caputo

Another standout conceptual space was Roman Molds presented by FENDI, a collection from Zurich-based design studio Kueng Caputo. The conceptual space features ten architectural works crafted from Fendi’s soft leather into a structural material, giving it solidity and strength. The designers tried to push the material to look and feel different than usual expectations of leather by molding and forming it into seemingly weight-bearing materiality. 

FENDI presents Roman Molds by Kueng Caputo

Louis Vuitton presented Objets Nomades, a collection of limited-edition, collectible furniture in yet another gallery booth inviting visitors to experience the pieces in the context of a living room.

Louis Vuitton presented Objets Nomades

This ongoing series of limited-edition, collectible furniture is imagined by some of the most creative designers of our times. 

Louis Vuitton presented Objets Nomades

The show’s entrance exhibit encapsulates the overarching theme for the entire event: the creative synergy between contemporary design, traditional craft and sustainability. 

The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and show co-producer Chris Fletcher filming Pink Beasts at Design Miami/ for new episodes of The Design Tourist airing soon

I’m greeted by large pink sloths hang from the ceiling, Pink Beasts, an art installation by London-based Mexican designer Fernando Laposse. Several of his Pink Beasts were on view at Design Miami/ while many more were scattered around The Miami Design District as part of a 2019 Design Commission.

Pink Beasts, an art installation by London-based Mexican designer Fernando Laposse. The pink landscape of Pink Beasts has been achieved by dying the sisal fibers with the natural dye made from cochineals, a tiny parasitic insect that is native to central Mexico and grows on the Opuntia cactus, commonly known as the prickly pear. Cochineals produce the world’s brightest natural red dye and were used by the Aztecs to color everything from textiles to buildings. The cochineals used in Pink Beasts are from an organic farm in the mountains of Oaxaca and the dyed sisal fibers have been harvested from agave plants in the Yucatán. The entire installation was handmade by a community of Mayan weavers of Sahcabá.

With Pink Beasts, Fernando explores materials and techniques native to Mexico, collaborating with likeminded textile designer Angela Damman as well as local artisans in Sahcabá, Yucatán. The artisans worked together to create creatures crafted of thousands of long, pink sisal tassels. Through the Design District, these hairy pink slots are suspended through the trees and arches. Sculptural hammocks also hang between palm trees, created in collaboration with Damman, featuring long, unbraided sisal manes, updating an otherwise traditional Mayan design.

“The Pink Beasts Project also empowered a community of women in the Yucatan of Mexico to actually make wages off of this. It took over 70 people to make this project become a reality. It’s also about empowering the artisans, ” says Luis Concepcion, who was hosting visitors at the exhibit on behalf of the artist.

By interacting with Pink Beasts at Design Miami/ and in the Miami Design District, visitors are reminded that contemporary design and traditional craft and techniques are not mutually exclusive—there are sustainable and organic ways to produce contemporary design.

The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc with the Balenciaga Sofa by Harry Nuriev in collaboration with Balenciaga and Crosby Studios. The companies and designers teamed up to spread the message of sustainability through collectible furniture made from unused and damaged Balenciaga clothing.

Balenciaga and Crosby Studios team up to spread the message of sustainability through collectible furniture made from unused and damaged Balenciaga clothing. The Balenciaga Sofa by Harry Nuriev in collaboration with Balenciaga draws inspiration from an overstuffed recliner and is made from unsellable clothing and off-cuts from the Balenciaga warehouse.  Nuriev is the founder of Crosby Studios. A booth spokesperson tells me Nuriev was very calculated in the placement of each article of clothing in the sofa stuffing.

For Design Miami/ 2019 (December 3-8), Balenciaga has collaborated with artist, architect, and furniture designer Harry Nuriev to advocate for environmental accountability by creating a functional artwork using discarded Balenciaga clothing.

“He had a very thoughtful artistic approach to using the clothing as if drawing or painting to give the sofa a patchwork effect.  The sofa is very eco-friendly and sustainable. The cushion casing is made of a disposable polyethylene rather than vinyl or bad plastic,” she explains. 

The Balenciaga sofa is a proof of concept communicating ideals about sustainability and consumerism through art. 

The beauty of botany is the big idea captured in the resin furniture of artist Marcin Rusak.

Sarah Myerscough Gallery presents White Perma by Marcin Rusak The multidisciplinary artist Marcin Rusak continues to explore the beauty of botanical arrangements, this time bound in off-white resin in the latest variation of his Perma furniture collection.

Rusak’s White Perma collection is represented by Sarah Myerscough Gallery. To create his Perma furniture collection, Rusak bounds dried flowers in off-white resin in and slices the material lengthwise to reveal petals, stems, and buds. Their anatomical intricacies on view appear like veins in marble or cavities in fossilized stone. 

Marcin Rusak’s sculptural furniture pieces of flowers in white resin

“The pieces have a lovely narrative because Mark comes from a family of flower growers. His grandfather ran a flower business so he grew up around these wonderful greenhouses. I think his art evokes a feeling of decay or melancholy,” says Freya McLeavy, Sarah Myerscough Gallery.  Each piece is a sculptural work as well, playing with the idea of form and function.

Design finds that caught my eye and captured my imagination at Design Miami/ include a collection of sculptural chairs by Functional Art Gallery.

Functional Art Gallery’s stand will reinterpret the Abstract Gallery from Peggy Guggenheim’s groundbreaking 1942–47 gallery Art of This Century, placing contemporary artists in conversation with the historical setting.

The Berlin-based gallery was established by Benoît Wolfrom and Javier Peres in 2018 to promote young contemporary designers to an international audience.

The gallery’s mission is to help shape the discussion between art and design and to further increase the presence of cutting-edge design within the larger art world.

Functional Art Gallery works with artists and designers who push the line between aesthetics and purpose, form and function, perception and intent.

The Nalgona chair by Chris Wolston presented by The Future Perfect, made me smile for its humorous take on the human form expertly designed as functional furniture.  The woven chair is crafted of 100% Colombian Mimbre (Wicker) harvested in the Colombian Amazon.

The Nalgona chair by Chris Wolston presented by The Future Perfect

Wolston says the human form of his chair riffs on the iconic shape of the plastic Remax Chair, ubiquitous through Colombia, and the playful humanoid quality found in pre-Columbian ceramics.

Nalgona chairs/ Chris Wolston, 2019/ Colombian mimbre (wicker) and steel/ Courtesy of The Future Perfect

 

Each year, Design Miami/ commissions several art installations tied to its curatorial theme. This year’s theme was “Water” an extension of its on-going focus on the earth’s elements.

The art installation Roots called attention to “alarming changes in nature and our environment” including disappearing forests and wildlife, polluted air and oceans, rising sea levels are rising, and an increase in extreme weather phenomena. Delta Air Lines and the Sacred Space Miami presented Roots by Atelier Marko Brajovic, curated by Ximena Caminos and produced by Alberto Latorre. The idea behind the art is to stimulate cultural and artistic responses to environmental change. 

The Roots pavilion is a self-supporting aluminum branching system wrapped with fine custom-made ropes and was designed by a parametric software mimicking the natural growth of a mangrove rooting system. In the middle of the pavilion, a large deck is used as a collective space for ceremonies and for three traditional Amazonian hammocks from which visitors can experience the immersive documentary SACRED COCA.

For more on the artist and highlights from Design Miami/, stay tuned for new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed during Miami Art Week. 

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

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The iPorn Art of Michael Seri

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series

The Artist: Michael Seri

The Idea: Social Commentary on Our Addiction to Smart Devices and Social Media

The Art: iPorn Dress

Miami Art Week blurs the lines between art, design and fashion for new creative expressions that start conversations, precisely the point of provocative art. Perhaps nowhere was it more evident than in the works of artist Michael Seri and his iPorn dress on view at Art Basel Miami Beach that raises questions about our addiction to technology and social media. Michael designed and fabricated the art installation out of clear plastic embellished with broken iPhone screens and Sim cards with iPorn written in LED lights across the chest. I found Michael in an aisle at Art Basel where he was drawing a crowd with America’s Next Top Model contestant Keenyah Hill who was posing for pictures in the iPorn dress. In this marquee fair known for its blue-chip and high brow art, Michael Seri’s iPorn dress was a refreshing dose of originality and creative edge. I asked him about the big idea behind his art.

Artist Michael Seri and America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4 Keenyah Hill and The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc at Art Basel Miami

“Artists hold a mirror up to society.  I’m commenting on what I see around me. This dress is not about pornography at all. It’s about being addicted to our iPhone, Michael says.  He wants the iPorn dress to be a conversation starter about how we are addicted to social media and manipulate it for our own self-serving purposes. The shattered iPhone screens that embellish the dress are emblematic of our self-absorbed culture. 

“Society is too wrapped up in social media and this need to become famous. People are willing to do anything, no matter how cheesy it is, to sell their soul for the attention, the likes, the followers. That not art. It’s not creative,” Michael says. His gallery, Detritus Designs LLC, based in  Brooklyn (Dumbo), New York features idiosyncratic objects that reflect his life experiences and Dada philosophy merging art, design, and fashion in an ironic platform that is both vernacular and open to interpretation. 

He deconstructs and re-interprets found objects to represent the cycle of death and re-birth. His art reveals the history of the original object yet places it in a cultural context that is both vernacular and 21st century. “My art creates a distinct but unresolved dialogue that is ironic and open to interpretation,” Michael says.

Art that goes beyond an aesthetic appeal to make a statement, provoke a thought or pose a question is what captures my imagination and challenges my intellect. It’s that type of art that I’m most drawn to at a time when I believe introspection is urgent and necessary. Art forces the question, the thought, the self-examination. Michael’s iPorn dress is both social commentary and ironically Instagrammable porn, drawing countless selfies and smart device videos at Art Basel. At some point the crowds were so thick around the model, Michael commented that he might get thrown out of Art Basel for creating such a disruption. But then again, isn’t that a fundamental purpose of art? Disruption—calling attention and creating a buzz to challenge the status quo.

For more on the artist and highlights from Art Basel Miami Beach, stay tuned for new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed during Miami Art Week. 

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

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The Ceramic Scenography of Artist Andrea Mancuso

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series

The Artist: Andrea Mancuso

The Idea: Stimulate Curiosity by Juxtaposing the Familiar with the Unexpected

The Art: Metamorphosis

In my Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series from my visit to Miami Art Week, I introduce you to the work of Italian Designer Andrea Mancuso.

The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and the artist Andrea Mancuso who created the art installation Metamorphosis at Design/Miami

One of my favorite shows during Miami Art Week is Design/Miami for its immersive experiences, booths that are each a mise-en-scène, placing art objects and furniture into context. Design/Miami is the only satellite show that is laser-focused on design. There, you will find art, sculpture and themed environments such as the immersive scenography, Metamorphosis presented by Perrier-Jouët.

Metamorphosis presented by Perrier-Jouët and designed by Andrea Mancuso on view at Design/Miami

I’ve never seen anything like it—part sculpture, part art installation. The room is covered with ceramic flower blooms painted in the golden tones of the French champagne house’s vineyards. Milan-based Italian designer Andrea Mancuso created the art installation and tells me that I’m actually looking at 11,000 mounted ceramic pieces evoking the concave shape of the champagne bottles he saw maturing in the cellars of Perrier-Jouët.

Artist Andrea Mancuso, co-founder of the Analogia Project, working on his art installation Metamorphosis for Design/Miami at the Alessio Sarri Ceramic workshop.

“So of course, Champagne ages in bottles instead of barrels and they’re stacked on top of each other in the cellars, creating a beautiful pattern.  I use that pattern making irregular shapes and I use the color palette of the vineyards during the harvest,” says Mancuso. He is the co-founder of the Analogia Project, a multidisciplinary practice that uses design as a means to distort reality and to provoke emotional connections with the viewer. 

“I used ceramic for the possibilities of colors that I could achieve here. There are 11,000 pieces of ceramics in 15 different shades,” Mancuso says.

concave ceramic circles that mimic the bottoms of champagne bottles readied to be painted and installed in a landscape that evokes the Maison Perrier-Jouët vineyards at harvest time.

Metamorphosis is Maison Perrier-Jouët’s eighth collaboration with the fair and draws inspiration from the Art Nouveau movement’s unconventional observations of nature. “Loyal to the ethos of Art Nouveau, Mancuso’s work for the House unites traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and is infused with Maison Perrier-Jouët’s vision of reinvented nature”, explains Axelle de Buffévent, Style Director at Maison Perrier-Jouët.

Metamorphosis, interprets the Art Nouveau heritage of the Maison Perrier-Jouët merging art, history and design.

Mancuso created the space to evokes the Japanese concept of Engawa -a similar concept to a sunroom – that serves as a communal gathering space. His aim for all who entered the art installation was to stimulate curiosity and interaction by intercepting the familiar with the unexpected. 

Andrea Mancuso designed a collection of champagne glasses created with the Berengo Foundation in Murano – each inspired by the six characteristic Cuvée’s of Maison Perrier-Jouët and showcased at Design Miami/.

Based on conversations with Maison Perrier-Jouët Cellar Master Hervé Deschamps, Mancuso also designed six glasses, one for each cuvee that describes the notes and the characteristics of each champagne.

Andrea Mancuso designed a collection of champagne glasses created with the Berengo Foundation in Murano – each inspired by the six characteristic Cuvée’s of Maison Perrier-Jouët and showcased at Design Miami/.

The glasses were crafted by Murano-based glassblowers Fondazione Berengo using the demanding practice of lost-wax casting, an ancient technique of Art Nouveau artists. The same meticulous method was used for the champagne bowl that recalls the iconic anemone flower designed for the House in 1902 by Emile Gallé, a Master of Art Nouveau.

Italian ceramicists Alessio Sarri and Nuevoforme helped create the installation of glasses displayed in six alcoves on stands made using lost-wax casting.

The collection of glasses is displayed across six alcoves, presented on stands made using lost-wax casting. Italian ceramicists Alessio Sarri and Nuevoforme also worked on the alcove display and glasses.

“The Perrier-Jouët non-vintage cuvees are captured with the unbridled growth of blooming nature, with roots and leaves climbing up the stem to embrace the bowl of the glass. Whereas developed nature is interpreted with elegant, structured lines to evoke the Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque cuvees,” observes Hervé Deschamps.

Italian designer Andrea Mancuso, of Analogia Project, created Metamorphosis in the spirit of Art Nouveau. Mancuso’s work for the House unites traditional craftsmanship with modern technology.

Metamorphosis is one of several collaborations with designers and design institutions featured at Design/Miami, a global forum bringing together collectors, gallerists, designers, curators, and critics.  The show features the world’s top galleries presenting museum-quality exhibitions of the twentieth and twenty-first century furniture, lighting, and objets d’art. Design/Miami is held alongside the Art Basel fairs in Miami, Florida, each December and Basel, Switzerland, each June.

Learn more about the artists and art objects featured at Design/Miami in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

 

 

 

 

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Brandalism: The Art of Antonio Brasko

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series

The Artist: Antonio Brasko

The Idea: The Acculturation of Graffiti, Street Art and Fashion

The Art: Brandalism

Artist Antonio Brasko with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and videographer and show co-producer Chris Fletcher filming his Brandalism collection for a new episode of The Design Tourist show airing soon.

At the Spectrum Miami, I was drawn to the booth of artist Antonio Brasko and his collection Brandalism, a cheeky mashup of luxury labels and logos with low brow objects such as paint spray cans and boom boxes.

Chanel Boombox by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami.

Brasko is one of more than 500 leading contemporary artists who showcased their works during the five-day art show and his work stands out for its cultural statement. I asked him about his ideas behind Brandalism.

Supreme Louis Vuitton Paint Spray Cans by Antonio Brasko, part his of Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami

“Brandalism started in 2006. I started using spray cans as the canvas for my work. The collection is inspired by a study about how these fashion brands have tapped into the world of graffiti and street art and they are reappropriated. This is my commentary on these brands. I’m showcasing a different perspective,” Brasko says.  

Gucci Boxing Gloves by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism Collection on view at Spectrum Miami

Brasko reintroduces the ideology of vandalism and fashion from an experimental perspective. His fusion of style incorporates spray paint, streetwear and luxury branding. “I want Brandalism to resonate with the culture right now. It’s kind of a mashup of what’s going on in culture, art and fashion and how those cultures collide. My work is a commentary on how street art and luxury brands have intersected so they are almost like one right now,” Brasko says.

Brandalism paint spray cans by Antonio Brasko on view at Spectrum Miami

Brasko started as a graffiti artist with a background in graphic design having produced creative for brands including Adidas, Jaguar, Land Rover, Nike, Intel, Paris Saint-Germain, Wu-Tang Clan, Reigning Champ and more. He started his Brandalism collection with his Spray Paint Art Series and works from his creative design studio in Portland, Oregon.  Using classic Montana spray paint cans, Brasko covers each luxury brand logos that represent a bridge between the worlds of street art and luxury brands.

Gucci Boxing Gloves by Antonio Brasko, part of his Brandalism collection on view at Spectrum Miami

I asked him how he picks his luxury brands and objects to create his art.  “A lot of the brands have crossover into the world of street art or graffiti. That’s the first criteria when selecting mediums to work with. The second criteria is the color palette. It’s also a study on color. I create a spectrum of colors that tells the story,” Brasko says.

Brandalism Collection on view at Spectrum Miami

Brandalism is conceptual art and it strikes me as a bit of pop psychology, an examination of our cultural obsessions with brand names and attachment to logos as an expression of self-worth. Brasko’s art is provocative because it draws your own thoughts and interpretations about the current cultural moment.

He interlaces emblematic brands and their signature colors with cans and other objects as the basic means of graffiti art conveying its vandalistic ideals and the freedom that it proclaims.

Learn more about the art of Antonio Brasko in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

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Highlights From Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

With dozens of art fairs and shows Miami Art Week competing for my attention, it’s impossible to attend and experience every art, fashion and entertainment event. Shows extend from Miami Beach, anchored around Art Basel Miami, the mothership of all art fairs, and spread throughout downtown Miami and Wynwood District. My strategy is to experience a cross-section of art fairs that represent everything from blue-chip art to urban art which brings me to Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami, held inside Mana Wynwood convention center, December 4—8, 2019. 

The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, at Spectrum Miami and Red Dot Miami, filming and reporting on innovative works and trends in the art world during Miami Art Week.

I attended the Opening Night Preview Party sponsored in association with Jadot and Bulleit Bourbon where I sipped on a , inspired by the iconic Bulleit Bourbon label and whiskey.

3D printed cocktail at the Bulleit 3D Printed Frontier bar

Nearby, I admired the debut of the Bulleit Art in a Bottle Collection.

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey partnered with Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami to create an art project of 12 original works of Bulleit Art in a Bottle

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey partnered with Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami to create an art project of 12 original works of Bulleit Art in a Bottle in collaboration with south Florida artists   Jason Skeldon “SKEL” and Elidea. Both artists are known for their unique visions and use of multiple mediums to create something new.

Jason’s art depicts human-animal hybrids who are taking their vocation to new heights, such as mixologists, scientists, architects and tattoo artists. Each character is shown raising a glass of whiskey to toast achievements and their commitments to innovating in new and inspiring ways.

Jason and Elidea’s art pieces are visual representations of what the cultural frontier means to them. Elidea’s Bulleit Art in A Bottle pieces depict the Cuban influence in Miami’s culture.The Bulleit Art in A Bottle Collection is available now at Saatchi Art 

 

What I like about Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami is their commitment to showcasing Florida artists.

An Italian native and Miami resident, Elidea with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc filming her series The Design Tourist, along with videographer and co-producer Chris Fletcher at Spectrum Miami.

Artist Elidea lives in Miami and creates collages of mixed media working with gold and bronze leafing in layers with different papers and textures to create landscapes. 

The bronze and gold leaf layered collages of artist Elidea, the 2018 Spectrum Art show winner and the 2019 Spectrum Miami collaborator with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey’s Bottle Art Exhibition.

Artist Doug Powell based in Winter Park, Florida, works with recycled computer keys to create 3D sculpture and art.

Artist Doug Powell created a sculpture Gube Rubik’s crafted of 8,200 computer keys from a keyboard at ArtBlend , Spectrum

Doug creates the illusion of three-dimensional form through the use and arrangement of recycled, or up cycled, computer keyboard keys.

Florida artist Doug Powell placed his piece “Route 66,” for $16,000 at Spectrum Miami

Florida artist Paul Columbus showcased his Phantom Faces and Collaborations with Jennifer Friedland, at the Spectrum’s ArtBlend. Gator Skull, “Florida Boys” was the show stopper at his booth. The piece is a real Florida Alligator skull harvested from the waters of the Ochlockonee River in Northwest Florida and a limited release collaboration between the artist Paul Columbus and his lifelong friend and outdoorsman Justin  Rock. Both are Florida natives with a deep appreciation for native flora and fauna that define Florida landscape. 

Gator Skull, “Florida Boys” by Paul Columbus and Justin Rock at Spectrum Miami. The alligator skull is painted and coated in epoxy resin.

Columbus also presented his Phantom Faces collection, paintings of surrealistic faces blended with cubism.

The overarching theme at both shows was about creating awareness and connecting with humanity. At Spectrum Miami, I ran into two strange-looking characters clad in rags roaming the show as social sculptures. They were wearing Ghillie Suits, camouflage garb traditionally worn by snipers outdoors to blend in with their surroundings.

The Ghillie Suits by an anonymous artist in Boston who creates these suits to call attention to the opioid addiction crisis. The Design Tourist aka Karen LeBlanc with two models wearing the Ghillie Suits at Spectrum Miami.

“The Ghillie suit disrupts the silhouette and changes the figure making it invisible,” says Colin Beatty of the craft guild Unaffiliate exhibiting the Ghillie Suit Project. The Boston-based artist who designed the 10 Ghillie Suits featured at the art fair wishes to remain anonymous but says his art is a response to the opioid epidemic.  He crafted each suit from the articles of clothing from people who died from opioid addiction. “The artist took their wardrobe, shredded it and made camouflage suits of the people who died of addition to symbolize how they were hidden in plain sight. The artist is calling out the stigma attached to the disease of addiction.  The Ghillie Suit is a work of art that serves as a catharsis and recovery.”

Artist Eduardo Cabrer with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc filming her series The Design Tourist, along with videographer and co-producer Chris Fletcher at Red Dot Miami

The work of artist Eduardo Cabrer calls attention to the single-use plastics problem polluting our waterways and beaches. Cabrer suspends found trash and objects in colored resin creating thought-provoking works that raise questions about consumerism and our throw-away culture. 

Artist Eduardo Carber’s resin encased Plasticid collection on view at Red Dot Miami

“It’s about creating an awareness of the excess of plastic that is out there. I find most of the objects that I use in my art on the beaches of Puerto Rico. I found the plastic bags in the streets of New York. It’s a contrast between the process of buying something and the process of disposing of something. It’s just creating that awareness of the eternity of plastic,” Eduardo says.

New Jersey-based artist Zevi G, shared a message of kindness with his interactive art installation featuring the character sculpture Gesture, part of an imaginary world called 456 Land.

The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc posing for a photo op with the bronze sculpture “Gesture” by artist Zevi G at Red Dot Miami Art Fair

The bronze, bow-tie clad sculpture held a rose and stood in front of a wall of roses. As I approached the booth for a photo op with Gesture, someone handed me a real long stem rose and encouraged me to “share kindness.” Part performance art,  guests were invited to fill out by postcard with the address of someone they wish to send kindness and Zevi G’s staff will mail the rose to the recipient on the postcard.

Crazy Sugar Montage by artist M VILLASIERRA (Mario Villarroel)

Crazy Sugar by artist Mario Villarroel is a critical reflection of society, in this case, its addiction to junk food.  The work is part of  Villarroel’s The Second Life collection that seeks to give a new beginning to everyday objects, that lost their value due to their usage. His paintings are collages that he decorates with disruptive memes.  

Spectrum Miami featured the works of more than 200 exhibiting galleries and artists from the Florida region, the U.S. and around the globe, informed by the 2019 curatorial theme [IGNITE]. Known for its urban and upscale works of art, the five-day show attracted more than 40,000 visitors and high-net-worth collectors who interact with the specially curated programming, while celebrating the fine art experience with music, entertainment and other special events.

Red Dot Miami, a curated gallery-only contemporary art fair, presented for its 14th year, saw the highly anticipated annual presentation of leading galleries and their artists, informed by [PASSION] as the curatorial theme for 2019. Red Dot Miami featured more than 60 galleries representing over 500 leading contemporary artists from primary and secondary markets throughout the world.

Learn more about the artists featured at Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami  in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

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Plasticidad: The Plastic Trash Art of Eduardo Cabrer

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series

The Artist: Eduardo Cabrer

The Idea: Art that Calls Out Consumer Behavior

The Art: Plasticidad

Artist Eduardo Cabrer with The Design Tourist, aka Karen LeBlanc, and videographer and show co-producer Chris Fletcher filming his plastic trash art for a new episode of The Design Tourist show airing soon.

At Spectrum Miami, one of several art fairs held during Miami Art Week 2019, I was drawn to the work of Eduardo Cabrer who encases plastic trash and found objects in colored resin creating thought-provoking art that calls out consumer waste.

Plastic shopping bags that artist Eduardo found on the streets of New York City and suspended each one in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad, on view at Spectrum Miami

The collection is called Plasticidad and consists of debris and found objects suspended in resin, raising questions about the origin and purpose of each object.

Plastic cigarette lighters that artist Eduardo found as trash on the beach and suspended each one in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad on view at Spectrum Miami

Eduardo started making his resin-coated trash art after walking the beaches of his native Puerto Rico with his daughters to collect shells only to discover the beaches were covered in more trash than shells. “We started collecting plastic instead of shell shells and then I had the problem of figuring out what to do with all of this plastic to add value to it,” Eduardo says.

Plastic medicine bottles artist Eduardo Cabrer found and suspended in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad, on view at Spectrum Miami

I’m fascinated by the irony of creating a thing of beauty out of the ugliness of trash. I find Eduardo’s aesthetic haunting, as if his found objects are entombed as a shrine to the follies of humankind.

Fallen Angel by Eduardo Cabrer on view at Spectrum Miami

Middle artwork is “Dial O for Operator” by artist Eduardo Cabrer along with Fallen Angel on the lefthand side on view at Spectrum Miami.

“It’s about creating an awareness of the excess of plastic that is out there. It’s a contrast between the process of buying something and the process of disposing of something. My artwork is about creating that awareness of the eternity of plastic,” Eduardo says.

Trash that artist Eduardo Cabrer found and suspended in resin as part of his series, Plasticidad, on view at Spectrum Miami

Through his art, Eduardo hopes to create an awareness of issues caused by consumer behavior and call out our throwaway culture. “That is part of the challenge to create something that adds value out of something that has no monetary value.”

Spectrum Miami 2019, is an art fair known for its urban and upscale works of art. The show featured the works of more than 200 exhibiting galleries and artists from the Florida region, the U.S. and around the globe, informed by the 2019 curatorial theme Ignite. 

Learn more about the art of Eduardo Cabrer in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

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The Neon Art of Ilan Neuwirth

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Miami Art Week 2019 Meet the Artist: Experience the Art Series

The Artist: Ilan Neuwirth

The Idea: Spreading Joy by Illuminating the Beauty of Found Objects

The Art: Neon infused Pop Art

Miami pop artist Ilan Neuwirth and Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist. at Red Dot Miami during Miami Art Week.

At the Red Dot Miami Art Fair, the glowing, whimsical works of Miami based pop artist, Ilan Neuwirth caught my eye, piquing my curiosity. Ilan works with neon to playfully trace the silhouettes of objects, drawing the eye to key focal points that convey his sense of humor and ideas about life.

“Neon has been around since the 1930s and I think it’s a lost artform. Neon is a particle of stars and it enhances everything,” Ilan says. The artist conceptually plays with textures and neon often using found objects as the canvas.

The art objects and sculptures of Ilan Neuwirth showcased in his booth at Red Dot Miami 2019.

Neuwirth appreciates the beauty of found objects that he calls “simple, ordinary, common and immediately recognizable.” He uses a variety of techniques including powder coating or enhancing them with metal, fiberglass or epoxy to make his pop art out of those found objects. “My passion is finding unique objects. They can be antique, vintage, modern, repurposed … It doesn’t matter, because they are all so unique in their own way. Some of my objects found me, and some I found them …. Many of them are nostalgic and represent a slice from my life.”

Ilan Neuwirth’s pop art creations on exhibit at Red Dot Miami during Miami Art Week.

He taught himself how to bend glass to create his neon-infused art, often inspired by imagery from his home state of Florida. “Every piece has a story about my life. I love paddle boards and the ocean,” Ilan says. He comes from a background in water sports and decided to get serious about his neon art hobby over the past three years. Red Dot Miami marks the debut of Ilan Pop Art. The curated gallery-only contemporary art fair held during Miami Art Week inside Mana Wynwood convention center, presented works reflecting its 2019 curatorial theme: Passion.

The Sono Tree Root traced in neon lines by pop artist Ilan Neuwirth on view at Red Dot Miami. The Design Tourist aka Karen LeBlanc standing in front of it to show you the scale of the sculpture.

For me, the showstopper of Ilan’s art is a large, 200-year-old root traced in neon. The Root of Art  is the winner of the 2019 Sculpture Award at Red Dot Miami and was an Instagram and selfie magnet.  Red Dot Miami also featured Ilan Neuwirth Pop Art in the art fair’s 2019 Spotlight Program that showcases a select group of up and coming artists.  Ilan won the 2019 Spotlight Award at Red Dot as well.

Propel Ourselves by Ilan Neuwirth

Another of my favorite pieces is the neon outlined bicycle, Propel Ourselves. Ilan highlighted in neon the parts of the bicycle that do the work: the wheels that move us, the pedals that connect us to the ground closer to the cities that we live in. The piece invokes the power of the bicycle to propel ourselves.

Sunflowers Scooter by Ilan Neuwirth

The Sunflowers Scooter conjures up the 1960s iconography, flowers and peace signs as a nod to the cultural moment when revolutions around the world were powered by love. 

Neon Music Box by pop artist Ilan Neuwirth

Ilan Neuwirth was one of more than 500 leading contemporary artists from primary and secondary markets throughout the world who showcased their works during the five-day show.

Learn more about the pop art of Ilan Neuwirth in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

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Holiday Happenings in and around Orlando

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

What to See and Do During the Holiday Season Across Central Florida 

As a resident of metro-Orlando, I look forward to the holiday cheer expressed throughout the city’s distinctive neighborhoods, nearby resorts and theme parks. Thanksgiving Day traditionally kicks off the season’s festive events, all competing for my attention and monopolizing my weekends through New Year’s Day.  I’m not complaining. I love every second of the holiday season in Central Florida, celebrated in all its glory from boat parades and theme park light shows to holiday home tours and ice sculptures. Here is my list of must-see Holiday Events in Metro Orlando starting with our family tradition, a visit to the annual ICE! Exhibit at Gaylord Palms. 

ICE! at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida

This year’s theme for ICE! is The Polar Express and the event runs November 25, 2019 – January 5, 2020.  Tickets get you admission for a self-guided tour of colorful, life-sized ice sculptures and five two-story ice slides.

The Stetson Mansion in Deland, Florida

I also recommend a trip to Deland, about 20 minutes north of Orlando to tour the historic Stetson Mansion all decked out for the holidays. The Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular Tours operate 3-5 times daily Nov 15 to Jan 15 at 10:30, 1:30, 3:15, 5:00 and sometimes at 7:00

The Stetson Mansion decked out in Holiday Decor for its annual Christmas home tours in Deland, Florida

Owners Michael Solari and JT Thompson open their doors year-round to the privately owned/occupied historical landmark, built in 1886 for Florida’s first snowbird, iconic hatmaker John B. Stetson. JT is the sole event designer for all the Christmas decorations you will see. He begins decorating in mid-September in a free-form process.

The Festival of Trees at Orlando Museum of Art


The Orlando Festival of Trees is another favorite holiday happening and a great source of Christmas tree decorating ideas. The annual event is a fundraiser for the Orlando Museum of Art and takes place over ten days in mid-November.

The Festival of Trees at Orlando Museum of Art

In addition to the designer trees, area pastry chefs showcase their talents with designer gingerbread creations. 

The gingerbread houses are also for sale to raise funds for the Orlando Museum of Art and a source of inspiration for your own holiday baking projects.

Designer Gingerbread Houses on display at The Festival of Trees at Orlando Museum of Art

A life-size gingerbread house is on display at The Grand Floridian, a resort on the property of Disney World. The gingerbread house is open to the public to view free of charge in the lobby. Throughout the season, The Grand Floridan hosts a variety of events centered around the giant gingerbread house.

Life-sized Gingerbread House in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, an annual event and attraction during the holidays at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Grand Floridan’s giant Christmas tree is also a fabulous photo opp while there. 

Giant Christmas Tree in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, a great photo opp during the holidays at Walt Disney World Resort.

In south Orlando, the community of Lake Nona kicks off the holiday season with its second annual Oh What Fun! A Holiday Festival featuring a flurry of festive activities for the whole family.

Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida

From Friday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Jan. 5, Lake Nona Town Center will transform into a true winter wonderland with one of Central Florida’s only outdoor, open-air skating rinks surrounded by Christmas trees, twinkly lights, a mailbox for letters to Santa and everything we love most about the holiday season.

Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida

Lake Nona’s Oh What Fun! A Holiday Festival will be open Thursdays through Fridays 4-10 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida

Each week is packed with activities including skating, classic holiday movies, jolly appearances from Santa Claus, strolling carolers, kid’s crafts and the occasional snow fall. Skate rentals begin at $10 per person. Meet Santa and get your holiday photos each Friday night from 6-9 p.m. Complimentary digital downloads will be available. Strolling carolers from the Merry Measures will lift your holiday spirits Thursday through Saturday evenings. On Sundays at noon, Boxi Park will host activities for kids including decorating gingerbread men and making their own snow globes and snowflakes.

Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida

Boxi Park will also be serving up classic holiday treats and festive food and drinks throughout the festival. Additional food and beverage options are available from Lake Nona Town Center restaurants including Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen, Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine, and Park Pizza & Brewing Co. Complimentary parking for Oh What Fun! will be available in the five-story central parking structure. For more event information, please visit www.facebook.com/pg/learnlakenona/events/.

Images courtesy of Visit Jacksonville and Ryan Ketterman

In  Jacksonville, Fla., a 2-hour drive from Orlando, check out the city’s various eclectic neighborhoods packed with small-town charm for nonstop Christmas cheer and holiday spirit. The waterfront destination’s temperate winter weather also allows visitors to enjoy a variety of holiday traditions–sans chill– that light up the St. Johns River and its Atlantic coastline locales. Here is a list of must-see holiday events.

  • Jax Illuminations Annual Holiday Light Show, November 20 – January 4: A magical night of navigating through a mile-long display of more than a million holiday lights that are perfectly synchronized to classic holiday tunes.

  • Deck the Chairs, Images courtesy of Visit Jacksonville and Ryan Ketterman

    Deck The Chairs, November 23 – January 1: An annual lighted sculptural exhibit using 40 iconic chairs of The American Red Cross Life Saving Corps, complete with an upgraded light show and a packed lineup of weekend holiday programs in Downtown Jacksonville Beach.

  • Jacksonville Light Boat Parade, November 30: Another local tradition of more than 30 years, the boat parade takes place along the St. Johns River and features a unique roundup of festively decorated vessels and a magical firework show that incorporates the Downtown Jacksonville skyline.
  • Hemming Park Christmas Tree Lighting, December 4: New host to the city’s 33rdannual tree-lighting ceremony, the beloved local tradition features visual and live art, artisans and vendors, live music, food and drinks and the lighting of a 56-foot Christmas tree adorned with over 78,000 LED lights and 150 ornaments.
  • Additional experiences to round out the weekend include: Go Tukn’ Ugly Sweater Pub Bar Crawl, Elf The Musical, Dave Koz & Friends Tour, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens ZOOLights, First Coast Nutcracker, Beaches Polar Express and more!

For more on what’s new and next in travel and design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

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The Rise of Artisan Travel

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Six years ago, I founded The Design Tourist blog and video series on the idea that as travelers we can experience a culture through art and craft. Creativity speaks a common language. No matter what the language barrier, we can express ourselves working with our hands, which opens our hearts and our minds to a bigger world and another way of being.

As a writer, my art is expressed in words.  I’m in awe of the artisans and craftspeople who create things of beauty with their hands and imaginations.  I’ve spent the past half of this decade trying to draw attention to artists and another way to travel that immerses you into the cultural fabric of a place where its history, heritage and traditions are expressed in craft. 

As The Design Tourist, my goal is to bring you a global dose of design inspiration by exploring the links between culture and creativity.  I’m thrilled to see this idea is catching on in the form of  Artisan Travel. Several travel companies are leading the movement with programs that allow travelers to apprentice with an artisan, craftsperson or maker. 

Artisan Travel is about creating real local connections while discovering a new destination, learning a new skill and culture, history and heritage of craft.

Companies such as The Thread Caravan are helping preserve and promote lost arts, indigenous traditions and handcrafts through travel. The Thread Caravan offers trips for travelers to apprentice with an artisan practicing craft handed down for generations.  The company offers regular trips to Oaxaca, Mexico where travelers can learn natural dyes and weaving, fiber art, ceramics or hammock making.

Photo credit: The Thread Caravan

There’s also a trip to India to learn natural dyes and block printing. The Thread Caravan Founder hopes that by connecting travelers with artisans continuing ancient traditions often in marginalized communities, it can foster sustainable partnerships.

Photo credit: The Thread Caravan

“Our trips show participants firsthand the effort that goes into making the goods they purchase, allowing them to cultivate an appreciation for the intricacies of the craft. This knowledge allows consumer values to shift from quantity to quality,” says Caitlin Ahern, Founder of The Thread Caravan.

Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist

Another company at the forefront of Artisan Travel is Vacation With An Artist (VAWAA) which offers mini-apprenticeships with 69 master artists in 23 countries around the world. Travelers spend time inside a master artist’s studio making something with their hands while learning a new creative skill. VAWAA offers artist apprenticeships are around the world in a wide range of artforms from painting to leather shadow puppet making.   Each one-on-one masterclass immerses the traveler into the artist’s daily life.

Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist

One example is a trip Oaxaca to apprentice with Juana, an award-winning master of traditional Zapotec natural dyeing and weaving. Her family has been weaving in Teotitlan del Valle for hundreds of years and is dedicated to preserving this indigenous tradition.

Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist

Travelers stay with Juana in her home to learn and experience the rich cultural traditions of the indigenous Zapotec people. Some of the many ways travelers can experience a destination, reconnect with creativity, ignite a passion, and get inspired include paper mache clay sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, street art, Japanese calligraphy, bookbinding, and rattan weaving.

Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist

Trafalgar tours recently launched a travel initiative to help preserve and promote the work of artisans and support their local communities through its partnership with TreadRight and JoinTrafalgar trips. One trip that intrigued me is the Italy Bellissimo tour featuring a visit to Giuditta Brozzetti Studio in Perugia Italy, where the owner is working to preserve an ancient heritage of woven tablecloths created on jacquard wooden looms. The tour invites visitors to partake in a private demonstration of the medieval art form. It’s the perfect example of this growing movement underway that explores the craft and cultural heritage of a destination through authentic experiences that connect with local culture, cuisine, art and craft.

Photo Credit: Vacation With An Artist

Travel that explores a culture through its creativity and craftsmanship forges real connections and helps promote and preserve fading art forms and heritage craft techniques that have endured for generations.  If you are want to be a Design Tourist, I highly suggest starting with one of these Artisan Travel experiences to open your heart and inspire your imagination.

For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

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Top Two Lifestyle Movements Influencing Design in 2020:

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Buy It for Life and Biomaterials are the major lifestyle movements setting the direction of design in home and fashion as consumers rethink what they buy, what its made of, and how long they hold on to it. 

Buy It for Life Movement:

Armchair furniture sketch plan draft

Armchair furniture sketch plan draft

I recently read about the Buy It for Life Movement resonating with Millennials who are willing to pay more for products that come from socially responsible and sustainable companies. As we enter the new decade, consumers are taking more responsibility for the life cycle of the products they own.

Sewing

Hands of tailor sewing clothes

Consumer consumption habits are moving away from fast fashion that is cheap and disposable to better quality, longer-lasting items that do less harm to the environment. The Buy It For Life Movement encourages repurposing, refurbishing, and recycling products to give them new life.  

Carpenter Working in Traditional Woodworking Shop

Portrait of strong bearded carpenter shaving piece of wood with plane tool in workshop making furniture, copy space

A recent report by Nielsen, says 66% of Millennials say they’re willing to pay more for products and services that come from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact.

BioMaterials: The Next Generation of Sustainable Design

The new decade also brings to the forefront formerly fringe ideas about sustainable materials as innovators work with nature to grow materials and develop technologies for new applications in design.

Biomaterials is the next generation of sustainable design.  The 2019 London Design Festival showcased the work of pioneering designers working with Biomaterials its annual Material of the Year exhibition.  

Mexican designer Fernando Laposse makes a new veneer material from the colorful husks of Mexican heirloom corn species. The product is known as Totomoxtle, a marquetry material.

Mexican designer Fernando Laposse, creator of Totomoxtle. Photo Credit: London Design Festival

Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven in the Netherlands is a product design studio that invents new materials including PalmLeather created from the areca palm tree, found throughout southern India and other regions.

PalmLeather. Photo Credit: Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven

Palmleather is made by dipping the dry and brittle leave from the Arecae Betel Nut into a biological softening solution that makes the material permanently soft and flexible.

PalmLeather. Photo Credit: Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven

Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven invented PalmLeather as an alternative to leather that can be processed on conventional machines.

PalmLeather. Photo Credit: Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven

Chip[s] Board is an innovative biomaterial company that turns food waste into high-value circular economy material and has created several products out of potato waste including Parblex™ Plastics. The material is a translucent pure or fiber-reinforced bioplastics that can be used in fashion and interior design. 

Potatoe Waste by CHIP[S] BOARD. Photo Credit: London Design Festival

High Society an Italian company makes plant-based lighting from post-industrial waste. The waste includes hemp leftovers, pomace, the pulpy residue that remains after wine production, and the discarded leaves and stalks from tobacco cultivation. 

Light fixtures made of HEMP, TOBACCO & POMACE By High Society. Photo Credit: London Design Festival

Biomaterials derived from food waste include The Förändring Collection by Ikea, a range of interior accessories made from the discarded straw from rice production. Cooking New Material from Germany-based designer Youyang Song uses banana, orange peels, soya milk and other food wastes to create sophisticated translucent materials that behave like vinyl.

In fashion, Algiknit is a biomaterials company that creates highly durable and degradable yarns derived from a seaweed called kelp. The company aims to address the ecological damage caused by the fashion industry with the next generation of sustainable, wearable, and ethical materials, produced within a closed-loop life cycle.

photo credit:AlgiKnit

The yarns are made from plant and algae-based biopolymers, most of which come from seaweed, and negates the need for harmful chemical usage throughout the production cycle.

photo credit:AlgiKnit

Designed to fit into the existing textile ecosystem, AlgiKnit’s yarns readily absorb pigments using sustainable dye methods, reducing excess chemical and water usage.

photo credit:AlgiKnit

At Milan Design Week, Puma debuted its BioEvolution shoe that uses micro-organisms including bacteria, fungi and algae to eat material around the areas where the wearer sweats the most, creating unique ventilation patterns.

The BioEvolution Shoe by Puma. Photo Credit: Puma

The BioEvolution shoe is a collaboration with the research organization Fraunhofer Institute and debuted at the “Materials Village” exhibition held by Material ConneXion Italia at Milano Design Week 2019.

The BioEvolution Shoe by Puma. Photo Credit: Puma

It features a biologically active layer of the shoe-upper that acts like a dense nanosensor net and at a microscopic level maps the areas of the foot which produce heat and sweat. This mapping then creates a matching ventilation pattern, or in other words, living micro-organisms selectively remove material to create a unique fit.

The BioEvolution Shoe by Puma. Photo Credit: Puma

Helsinki design studio Aivan has created the Korvaa headphones from fungus and bioplastics, combining two key material innovations The 3D-printed headband is made from yeast-produced lactic acid and the padding on the ear cups is made from a foaming protein produced by fungus and plant cellulose.

Armchair furniture sketch plan draftThe faux-leather finish on the ear cups is made from fungus, and the mesh over the speakers is derived from biosynthetic spider silk produced by microbes

In interiors, innovative biomaterials include  French designer Philippe Starck’s furniture collection for Cassina upholstered with a vegan leather alternative made from waste apple cores and skins.

Apple Ten Lork is an original material made from apples. The Volage EX-S sofa designed by Philippe Starck for Cassina. Photo Credit: Philippe Starck

Propelled by efforts to reduce the impact of consumerism, The Buy It for Life and Biomaterials Movements will shape what we buy and how we buy in the coming decade.  

For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

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Visit Santa Claus’ Official Hometown: Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Legend has it that Santa Claus lives in the North Pole but in real life, Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland claims to be his official hometown. Located in the Arctic Circle, the southernmost latitude where the sun can stay below or above the horizon for 24 hours, Rovaniemi draws visitors worldwide to Santa Claus Village. 

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

The backstory of how Rovaniemi became the official hometown of Santa Claus begins during the region’s rebuilding efforts after World War II.  In 1950, Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, visited Rovaniemi and the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi officials rushed to build a cabin eight kilometers north of the city. The cabin marked the birth of Santa Claus Village and still stands today next to Santa Claus Main Post Office.

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

Santa Claus Village is populated with shops, restaurants, an igloo hotel, ice bar and offers dog sledding tours, reindeer rides, and snowmobile tours.

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

Also while visiting, be sure and mail your Christmas cards from Santa Claus Main Post Office. Since 1985, Santa Claus has received 15 million letters from 198 countries.

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

Postal elves serve customers all year round in their headquarters, which is a real post office operated by Posti, Finland’s national postal service. Every letter sent from here gets a special Arctic Circle postmark not available anywhere else.

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

Rovaniemi during the holidays is an ideal place to view the Northern Lights on clear nights as shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet dance across the skyline of the city on view from in and around the city from mid-August until early April.

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

Also known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are visible on around 150 nights a year in Finnish Lapland usually between 10 PM and 2 AM.

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

A show might last from only a couple of minutes to several hours. You can get an instant notification service  Aurora Alert Realtime alerting as soon as the Auroras are visible.

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

On 23rd of December, before departing to deliver toys around the globe, crowds gather at Arctic Circle to send off Santa Claus in a celebration.

Arctic Circle

Photo Credit: VisitRovaniemi

Santa Claus Village is open year-round and if you choose to visit during the summer months, you can experience the region’s Midnight Sun, a natural phenomenon that takes place on and above the Arctic Circle in the summer months. On the Arctic Circle, where Rovaniemi lies, the sun officially stays above the horizon for a full 24 hours on the summer solstice, 21st or 22nd June. The Midnight Sun period in Rovaniemi lasts for a month, from 6th June to 7th July.

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Places to Explore in North Hampton

by ContributedPost
written by ContributedPost

In the town of North Hampton, New Hampshire, there are around 4,460 people who call it their home. And not only that, but most of these people think of this town as one of the best places to live in New Hampshire. As it is not a very big place, you might be wondering about the places to explore in North Hampton. But before you cross this place off of your list of “Instagrammable” destinations, remember that this town has access to the Atlantic Ocean. So, let’s see what else you should visit if you happen to find yourself in this part of Rockingham County.

Places to explore in North Hampton

The town of North Hampton is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. And obviously, this makes it a huge part of the list of places to explore in North Hampton. While other places in New Hampshire are bigger, like Kingston, they don’t have access to the ocean. So, if Kingston, NH isn’t enough for you, know that, at least, Kingston can offer you some great movers. With the help of movers, you’ll be able to come to North Hampton and hit the beach anytime you want. But before that, let’s see what else is there worth exploring in this lovely small town.

The City Hall in Concord, New Hampshire.

The capital of New Hampshire, Concord, is much bigger than North Hampton, but there is more than meets the eye.

Fuller Gardens

Fuller Gardens once belonged to Alvan T. Fuller, as a part of his summer estate, hence the name. Once a summer home of this businessman from Boston, today, this oasis is full of rich vegetation. Also, it’s worth mentioning that this gem, bordered by sculpted hedges, is located just beside the ocean. If you love roses, you should definitely visit it in summer since you’ll be able to see more than 2000 kinds of roses in bloom. Also, there is a Japanese Garden here, a Koi pond, formal English perennial borders, and a tropical/desert conservatory. On top of that, there are quite breathtaking annual displays here at Fuller Gardens.

Two orange roses.

Imagine more than 2000 varieties of roses in bloom.

Have a beer at Throwback Brewery

Located at an old farm, at Throwback Brewery you’ll find drinks and food that’s homemade. With a great selection of craft beers, you’ll be able to enjoy a beer of your choice, while watching the sunset from the backyard patio. And did I say that there’s live music too? Don’t forget to have a taste of some of the most popular food here –  Korean wings and mussels. But, it’s reasonable that a good place like this is often packed, so try to get a table in advance. You will not be disappointed.

Sea Hagg Distillery

Sea Hagg Distillery is a small distillery located on Lafayette Road. You can get a tour here that’s not very long. You’ll get the explanation about how the spirits are made and you’ll get a taste of their rum. The people working here are very friendly and helpful. Also, the rum is even cheaper than in the local liquor store. While the distillery is small, the rum is very good and the tour is quite informative.

It’s not the capital, but North Hampton has something that Concord doesn’t

If you want to consider settling in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire, that’s all right. But, remember that there are some things that Concord doesn’t have, that North Hampton does:

  • the small-town feel is something you won’t be able to find in Concord – Concord has a population that is around ten times larger
  • an ocean with a beach
AltThe Atlantic Ocean in North Hampton

Don’t worry, in large part, the beach in North Hampton is wide and sandy.

North Hampton State Beach

There is North Beach here and north from it, there’s North State Hampton Beach. The latter is known for being clean, suitable for families and being more peaceful. Here you can enjoy swimming with a view on the Isles of Shoals in the distance. Other than a wide sandy beach, there’s a bathhouse with public bathrooms. While it is less crowded than North Beach, it can get quite busy here during the weekend. For this reason, it’s better to visit this spot on weekdays. Also, it’ll be much easier to find a free parking space. Swimming, fishing, camping, and whale-watching are only some of the activities you can do here. However, if you’re more of an active person, laying on the sand and enjoying the ocean breeze might not be enough for you. In this case, not too far away from here, you’ll find Little Boar’s Head Seaside Trail.

Little Boar’s Head Seaside Trail

If you go north from the parking lot of North Hampton Beach, you’ll find this lovely trail. It’s 3 miles long, and it’s a roundtrip walk. It is mostly paved, but there are larger rocks on the path as well, so be sure to have suitable shoes. Walking along the ocean, you’ll see:

  • the summer home of Ogden Nash, the poet
  • Fuller Gardens and the Isles of Shoals
  • a very charming St. Andrews-by-the-Sea Chapel with Tiffany glass windows
  • historic fish houses – used for storage by the early fisherman. Nowadays, they are available as summer rentals.

Along the trail, there are nine benches for contemplation and rest, each of them with a dedication plaque. While this might not be the most breathtaking outdoor adventure destination, this wonderful walk will still give you a feeling that it’s great to be alive, as nature usually does.

Who knows

You might consider coming here because of this list of places to explore in Nort Hampton. But, once you explore these places and experience the feeling of a small community, you might even want to stay here. So, if you decide to move, make sure to get familiar with all of the moving hacks. That way, you’ll make life easier for you and your new friendly neighbors, rushing to help you out with your boxes. Only then, you’ll see the perks of living in this small community, located by the ocean.

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Inside the Design Mind of Artist Brad Joffrion

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Meet Brad Joffrion, an artist who hails from my home state of Louisiana, known for its culture and creativity. Find out how this former Mechanical Engineer followed his passion for woodworking and turned a hobby into a bonafide brand known as Slab-Worx.

Brad Joffrion is that rare right-brained and left-brained person who achieved success for more than two decades as a Mechanical Engineer before trading in spreadsheets for woodworking tools.  After 23 years working with numbers and calculations, Brad took a leap of faith to follow his passion for creating functional art.  Brad works wood and epoxy to create eye-catching, ethereal art objects for everyday life including tables, charcuterie boards, countertops and wall art.  

To understand the evolution of an artist, I like to explore the backstory—where the seeds of creativity first sprouted. Brad Joffrion drew inspiration from his childhood growing up in  Donaldsonville, Louisiana, along the bayou and neighboring sugar cane fields.  “In high school, I was the go-to person to draw banners for different events at school. At that time, swamp scenes were sort of my specialty. I grew up fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin and was fascinated with the scenery,” says Brad, whose extended family claims several artists. 

His great Aunt Jeanne Leblanc was a painter and his Aunt Kathleen Joffrion designed the 1977 Jazz Fest poster and still teaches and paints with many of her works on display at  www.kathleenjoffrionart.com. “My Aunt Kathleen currently does amazing realistic paintings of Louisiana and it’s wildlife,” says Brad, whose artistic path took a detour in college. At Louisiana State University, Brad earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering and subsequently worked in that profession for more than two decades before returning to his artistic roots.

Artists are often faced with an existential struggle between choosing a practical career that provides financial stability versus following one’s muse. It takes courage and requires vulnerability to put a creative work out in the world in hopes one’s art will resonate. “My daily routine was to sit at a computer and fill out Excel spreadsheets and Word docs. Although the money was great, I felt confined and no creative outlet existed. I lost touch with my creative side. The analytical left brain of mine became more dominant. About a year and a half ago, my right brain creative side woke up. I had access to a fully equipped woodshop and I started piddling with band saw boxes which lead to creating cutting and charcuterie boards,” Brad explains.

Bard’s signature style infuses colorful epoxy into his woodworks— an aesthetic he developed by experimenting with the materials. “I started experimenting with epoxy which appealed to my left brain due to the precise nature of epoxy. There are a lot of variables that can affect the curing of epoxy such as environmental conditions, the accuracy of the two-part mixture, mixing speed, etc. There were many occasions where I stayed at the woodshop for 12 hours straight and alone. No music, just me and my creation speaking telepathically to each other.”

The Creative Process:

I asked to peek inside Brad’s design mind to learn about his creative process. “Regarding my design-mind, I make every effort to create something unique for my client— something that can’t be purchased anywhere else. My desire is for each piece is to invoke happy, blissful feelings when it is viewed by someone,” Brad explains. He relies on his intuition in the creative process, letting the material guide him and contemplating what it is trying to tell him.

 

“With every piece, I do my best to keep the wood in its natural shape as much as possible. Even though I may cover the piece with epoxy resin, you will still be able to see the character of the grain. When I do coat it in epoxy resin, I will normally use a subtle amount of pigment with some iridescence to enhance the viewing of the piece while still letting the character of the wood show through. I never will totally hide the grain. After all, along with its shape, the grain is what gives it character.”

“My wish is to design objects for people with them in mind. For example, the recent black walnut with black epoxy dining table I designed and created.  The base of the table tells a story of the couple who purchased it. The husband is a retired airline pilot and the wife was a boat captain for a large pleasure boat. Hence, the base resembles the vertical tail wing of a large passenger jet and there is a compass made of stainless steel accenting the center of the base.” 

Brad sources his materials globally to create creating serving boards, wall art, tables, and counter-tops. “My preference is to use live-edge wood slabs where possible. I even do my best to consume the whole piece even the off-cuts,” Brad says.

He prefers to work with black walnut, pecan, spalted wood of any type like maple or hackberry, and olive wood.

“I feel it’s important to share my creative energy with others and pass forward the energy which may inspire them to create something from their soul. There is nothing like bringing joy to people who purchase and view my work. Those reactions bring nothing but bliss to my heart and soul.”

To see more of Brad’s functional art pieces available for sale or custom order, check out his facebook page for Slab-Worx.  “I would like Slab-Worx to become go-to place for unique, functional, artistic designs from wood, epoxy, and metal. My vision is to be a stand-out with theme-based creations for my customer akin to what Orange County Choppers does for motorcycle enthusiasts.”

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J’adore L’automne: The Best Autumn Destinations in France

by Mallory Knee
written by Mallory Knee

 J’adore l’automne: a common phrase in France that goes to show how beautiful a trip would be. Check out some of the best autumn destinations in France here!

France in the fall is a sight to behold. The golden leaves, crisp air, and empty streets are just a few of the reasons why autumn is the perfect time to visit the romantic country. Whether you want to explore the French countryside or walk along the cobblestone streets and urban parks in the big cities, there are so many wonderful options to choose from for autumnal travel. The country has four different climate zones, so you’ll have a wide range of time to get to France and take in the striking color show. Below we’ve listed some of the best autumn destinations in France for you to visit during your upcoming vacation—you’ll be glad you decided to visit the breathtaking country in its off-season.

Haute-Marne

In this northeastern region of France, you’ll find one of the biggest artificial lakes in Europe, Lac de Charmes, which is surrounded by beautiful trees boasting vibrant foliage. Although it’s not too far from Paris, Haute-Marne is still off the beaten track and truly breathtaking, full of forests, fields, rivers, and ancient towns that feature some of the quaintest autumnal aesthetics.

Limoux, Occitanie

Located in Southern France, Limoux is covered in vineyards, which make for a splendid sight of varying shades of gold and burnt orange. You may have heard of the area for its invention of sparkling wine, and fall is the best time to come and drink it. Various small wine shops and bars allow for a lovely day of exploration and relaxation while you take in the fall air.

Strasbourg, Grand Est

Capital of the Grand Est region in northeastern France, Strasbourg is full of tree-lined streets—so a midday stroll will provide you with beautiful views and wonderful memories. Head to the city’s two largest public parks, Parc Palais du Rhin and Parc de l’Orangerie, for blissful views

Paris, Île-de-France

You may have doubts about this urban locale, but Paris is actually a marvelous haven for autumn-lovers. Strolling the streets is an option, but there are also plenty of opportunities for leaf-peeping in the city’s many beautiful parks. Some of our favorites are as follows: Jardin des Tuileries (or the Tuileries Garden), Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Bois de Boulogne, or—if you’re feeling spooky—Cimetière de Montmarte.

Aveyron

The charming region of Aveyron is a place full of magical villages located on high ridges, where you can get lost in the fall feel. It’s a wonderful destination for people who love painting or photography, but it also makes for a soothing vacation of long and beautiful walks where the scenery constantly changes. You’ve never seen a wider spectrum of colors than on the trees in Aveyron.

The Luberon, Provence

France’s Provence region is a beautiful place to behold. Hundreds of vineyards showcase their dazzling fall colors, and the various quaint towns offer some of the most quintessential French village vibes. We love the Luberon, a mountainous area in the region, for that reason as well—consider staying in a remote villa in the area to experience some incredibly unique views.

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Top Instagrammable Destinations and Experiences For 2019

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

‘Instagrammability’ is a crucial factor for millennials choosing where to go on holiday, more than 41% of people under the age of 33 prioritize ‘Insta-picture-worthiness’ when choosing their holidays.

London. Photo credit: Wego

London. Photo credit: Wego

Searching for the ideal “Instagrammable” travel moment to post? According to a recent survey by Wego, London and Dubai rank among the world’s most popular “Instagrammable” destinations with social-media, snap-happy millennials. The study probes destinations popular for photo ops with millennials and found that London won by a huge margin, with over 118 million hashtags, beating Paris with a margin of 17 million, #Paris’ was posted on Instagram 101 million times followed by Nice with 87 million, NewYork 83 million and Dubai coming in fifth with over 79 million hashtags.

Paris. Photo credit: The Design Tourist

Paris. Photo credit: The Design Tourist

Other popular hashtags include Istanbul, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Moscow, and Tokyo.

Barcelona. Photo credit: The Design Tourist

Barcelona. Photo credit: The Design Tourist

“Instagram is now one of the most important influencers, not only for the destinations themselves but for specific kinds of activities from adventures to wellness retreats, nature, wildlife, cityscapes, culinary experiences, art and much more. Research shows that millennials spend more on travel, life is all about experiences,” says Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego. 

Barcelona. Photo credit: The Design Tourist

Barcelona. Photo credit: The Design Tourist

Trends for 2019 show that twenty-somethings are heading to places where they can capture unusual landscapes, cultural authenticity and culinary delights. When Wego drilled down into the specifics, Dubai is the most Instaworthy place on the planet for food where 26% of all Dubai hashtags include #food.

The most popular Instaworthy experiences that millennials are looking for this year include outdoor activities in a stunning setting like stand-up paddleboarding New Zealand’s lakes or snorkeling in the crystal-clear seas of Croatia especially now that smartphones can take great photos underwater.

Chiangmai in Thailand also scores highly for Instagrammability this year, thanks to its offbeat unspoiled jungles, elephants, wellness retreats and spectacular golden, silver and even blue Buddhist temples.

Wego’s research shows millennials are loving the ‘Instaworthiness’ of the stunning lunar-like landscapes of Cappadocia in Turkey, the extraordinary volcanic landscapes and wildernesses of Iceland and Hong Kong’s Peak Tram, which gives stunning views of the entire city and bay from the top of Victoria Peak. Further afield, the Hanging Gardens Infinity Pool in Bali in Indonesia has gained huge Insta-worthiness this year, as has Cape Town’s ‘Diving Board’ rock on Table Mountain.

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Breathtaking Outdoor Adventure Vacation Destinations

by Mallory Knee
written by Mallory Knee

If you like getting out in nature and enjoying all the beauty and exhilaration it brings, you should think about going on an adventure vacation. So many places around the world offer a wealth of active pursuits, from mountain climbing to offshore fishing. Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite outdoor adventure vacation destinations to help you plan your next trip. Get ready to have an unforgettable journey!

Los Sueños, Costa Rica

When you head to Playa Herradura and the beautiful Los Sueños Resort & Marina, you’ll be smack-dab in the middle of a ton of adventurous pursuits. Their nature-driven activities are endless—from fishing to zip lining through forests. Costa Rica in general is a wonderful place to delve into nature during a vacation. The country is full of a diverse range of wildlife and landscapes, so you’re sure to have a vacation you’ll never forget.

Big Sur, California

Big Sur used to be one of California’s most remote areas, and people have long taken advantage of the Santa Lucia mountains and their famed drop into the ocean. When you plan a trip there today, you’ll find ample opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, and more. Hike to Pfeiffer Falls or Sykes Hot Springs—there are so many beautiful things for you to explore.

Patagonia, Argentina/Chile

Whether you go to Argentinian or Chilean Patagonia, you’re in for a vacation full of adventure and exploration. Go off-roading through the mountains, horse riding, cycling, or climbing. If you want to see the views of a lifetime, take the W Trek, which takes you through the Torres del Paine peaks, glistening lakes, and dense forests.

The Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Head here this winter for a holiday vacation you’ll never forget. This area is an absolute dream for active travelers. The skiing is unparalleled. Stay in one of the region’s famous chalets and enjoy the atmosphere of the Swiss Alps—it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. The summer is also a wonderful time to visit, as you can hike up the same mountains you’d ski down in the winter.

Acadia National Park, Maine

The United States has so many national parks we could have listed, and they’re all wonderful options. We chose to put Acadia on this list for a few different reasons: it’s the only national park in New England, the fall foliage is some of the best in the world, and it has stunning ocean and mountains views. You can bike, you can hike, or you can just take a drive and enjoy the views. A relaxing adventure isn’t hard to find here.

Yukon, Canada

Bigger than Germany and Belgium combined, the Yukon offers adventurous travelers some of the most pristine wilderness for exploration. Set up camp at Whitehorse, then head out for a trip full of exhilarating experiences. Glacial white water rafting has never been more exciting. Alpine climbing has never gotten you so close to wildlife. If you don’t mind heights, take a helicopter to the top of a glacier and then go for a hike—it’s an unbelievable experience.

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What You Need to Know About Visiting London

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

What I Wish I Knew About London Before Traveling:

Random Facts and Useful Travel Tips I Learned about London

Karen LeBlanc aka The Design Tourist in London

Traveling teaches me a lot about myself— the things that pique my curiosity and stir my soul and the way I handle discomfort. For many of us, being out of our comfort zone reveals much about our true selves. I get anxious and agitated with crowds and long lines, (I need to work on patience) but I power through it all to experience the history, architecture and culturally significant attractions of a destination.  I can handle the trade-off but traveling can be exhausting when you do the typical tourist/guidebook attractions on the must-see list of every other traveler.

The London Eye is a popular attraction so expect long lines to take a ride for a birdseye view of the London skyline.

I recently returned from a five-day trip to London to show my teenage children the major sights as part of their on-going “Grand Tour” before they are off to college. We visited all the major attractions to check off our own must-see list. Along the way, I learned a few things that I wish I’d known prior to planning and traveling. So, I’ll share with you my list of random insights to help you make the most of your London trip. 

On my visit to Stonehenge, there was a torrential downpour and my shoes were soaked. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a pair of flip flops or extra tennis shoes in my travel backpack so I spent the entire rest of the day in soggy shoes. What a rookie mistake! Always pack a spare pair of shoes when traveling.

Bring two pairs of comfortable shoes because it rains a lot in London and definitely pack a rain jacket. It’s inevitable that one pair of shoes will get wet. You will step in a puddle or get caught in a sudden downpour and return to your hotel with sloshing shoes that require a full day to air out even as you try to blow them dry with your in-room hairdryer. 

Download the London Tube Map app, it’s like google maps for the underground transportation system. It maps out your route from point A to point B step by step. One thing I learned the hard way: When taking the tube, oftentimes the line name flashing on the train/subway car is listed as one of the route stops instead of the line’s actual name. Be mindful of the line’s entire route so you can identify the proper train/subway to take.  For example, I took the District Line to Whitechapel but the train was labeled Tower Hill, one of the District Line’s stops. 

You will be paying with the British Pound, not Euros, thanks to Brexit. 

Oftentimes, I found Uber cheaper than a taxi ride around London. 

Splurge for a centrally located hotel because the transportation costs to get you to the main attractions from far reaches of the city where accommodations may be cheaper isn’t worth it. In the end, the amount you spend on tube rides, taxis and uber rides will eat up any cost savings on your not-centrally located hotel.

On Sundays, eat dinner early. The kitchens at most restaurants close early so finding a place for a late-night dinner can be challenging. My advice is to dine before 9 pm. 

Flat white coffee in London

When ordering coffee, the London version of a flat white tends to be much stronger than the American version of the cappuccino. That is fine by me because I love drinking rocket fuel strength coffee but the flate white didn’t go over well with my latte-drinking family members who prefer a softer, milky taste.

Many fast-casual restaurants can be a confusing hybrid of hospitality where a hostess seats you but then you are required to get up and go to the register to order. A waitress then delivers your meal to the table. We made the mistake of being seated and waiting for 45 minutes for a waitress to come take our order, much to our frustration. 

In Bath, I suggest skipping the Roman Baths tour, it’s overcrowded and underwhelming. Instead spend time shopping, dining and roam the quaint town of Bath appreciating its architecture and character.

Skip the guided day tours on buses that take you outside the city for excursions to Bath, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle. You waste a lot of time in transport and have very little time to explore each destination and are herded around like cattle.

At Windsor Castle, expect long lines to get in. Once inside the gates, the crowds thin out so you can have an enjoyable self-guided tour of the property.

I found traveling in such a large group to be limiting. I prefer the freedom of touring on my own time. Take the train to these destinations to explore on your own timeline, plus these bus tours are crazy expensive. 

The National Gallery, © National Gallery, London

Take advantage of London’s free attractions: Since 2001, the government has granted free entry to England’s national museums, which means many of Britain’s best museums such as the National History Museum, the National Gallery, and The Victoria and Albert Museum cost nothing to visit. 

The Shard, one of London’s iconic buildings, juts into the skyline like a jagged piece of glass.

Take a walking tour of London’s financial district, the downtown area populated with architectural wonders, huge skyscrapers that are works of art easily admired from the ground below. 

Twisting high above Floral Street in Covent Garden, the Bridge of Aspiration provides the dancers of the Royal Ballet School with a direct link to the Grade I listed Royal Opera House

There are guided architectural tours for a fee if you are serious about learning the backstory of each building.

Expect long lines at Buckingham Palace and plan to be there for an entire day if you intend to visit.

Most of London’s major attractions take most of the day to tour by the time you purchase tickets, stand in entrance lines and more lines to walk through.

The Tower of London is one of the city’s top attractions and very crowded. Expect to spend more than half a day touring the attraction and long lines to get in.

My advice— prioritize what you want to see. Each day pick one major attraction to tour and select a second activity or venue to visit should you end up with extra time before the 5 pm and 6 pm closing hours at most museums and attractions. 

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Holiday Decorating Trends for 2019/20

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Emerging Color and Design Trends for Christmas

As the holiday season approaches, attention turns to planning parties, events and decorations. The overarching theme for holiday decorating is authenticity and craftsmanship with a generous dose of Mother Nature. One of my favorite sources for holiday décor trends is the Christmasworld trade fair, held in Frankfurt, Germany. After reviewing their trend reports and a few of my own sources,  I bring you the holiday materials, themes and motifs trending for 2019 and 2020.

A Celebration of Craftsmanship:

Christmas tree decoration

Christmas tree decoration, wooden star with reindeer hanging on the fir tree, beautiful festive background, winter holidays decor

Holiday decorations that celebrate the essence of craftsmanship set the overarching theme for 2019 and 2020. The look curates labor-intensive, handmade decorations rather than mass-produced, disposable, destined for the landfill embellishments.  The charm comes form simplicity, a reductionist style.

Naturescapes:

Christmas tree on background

Christmas tree on light wooden background

Mother Nature decorates for the holidays with raw, organic materials paired with rough-hewn and modern surfaces such as coarse wood and veneered wood. Envision wreaths of dried flowers or twigs and leaves paired and table settings and fire mantles adorned with pine cones and sprigs, acorns, twigs and grasses. 

Sweet Traditions:

Sweet Traditions is a theme emerging from Christmasworld, a massive trade show of holiday decorations held in Germany. Christmasworld describes it as joyful and personalized with decorations of handwritten messages and hand-drawn images in fresh colors such as peach, red and berry tones.  Imagine Christmas stars in various sizes, made from paper and folded, cut, glued and painted all by hand.

Luminous Celebrations:

Christmas tree background

Christmas tree background

Chistmasworld also predicts luminous, opulent, the iridescent decor will be a trending theme for 2019/20. The look exudes elegance and glamor incorporation dark shades mixed with shimmering metallic colors, iridescent surfaces, sequins, sparkly discs, ultra-glossy finishes, lurex effects, velvet and feathers. 

The color scheme includes reds, blues and gold, accented with black, pinks and purples. 

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Top European destinations for Budget Travelers

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Some of Europe’s Most Expensive Cities are Surprisingly Cheap for Travelers

Paris, photo credit Omio

Paris, photo credit Omio

Omio, Europe’s leading booking platform for travel by train, bus, and flight, has released a ranking of Europe’s most budget friendly-cities to visit.  

photo credit Omio

The cities were ranked according to the number of free attractions, tours, events, Wi-Fi hotspots, accommodation, and drinkable tap water.  The top five budget-friendly destinations include London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid and Amsterdam for their free events and “couch-surfing” options. 

London, photo credit Omio

In London, one of my favorite free things to do is stroll around as an architectural tourist, admiring all of the landmark buildings and skyscrapers sprinkled among historic structures. I’m fascinated at how these different architectural styles and epochs exist in harmony.  One of my favorite architectural sightings is “The Gherkin” in London’s financial district. 

The Gherkin is designed by Norman Foster of the Foster and Partners architectural firm. The 40 story building is located at 30 St. Mary Axe in the St. Mary Axe area of London. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

The Gherkin is designed by Norman Foster of the Foster and Partners architectural firm. The 40 story building is located at 30 St. Mary Axe in the St. Mary Axe area of London. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

The Gherkin is an office building that looks like a stretched glass egg with its elongated, curved structure topped by a dome that serves as a type of observation deck. Another favorite is the iconic Leadenhall Building, designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.  

Leadenhall Building, designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.  

Leadenhall Building in London, designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.  photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

The glass and steel structure spans 50 and is supported by a steel frame rather than the conventional concrete core found in most skyscrapers.  The Leadenhall Building’s slender silhouette rises to 802 feet with a tapering profile to respect views of St Paul’s Cathedral and is nicknamed “The Cheesegrater.”

The Leadenhall Building in London is nicknamed "The Cheesegrater," for its tapering profile.

The Leadenhall Building in London is nicknamed “The Cheesegrater,” for its tapering profile. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

The tower’s design ensures that from this key vantage point the cathedral’s dome is still framed by a clear expanse of sky.

Entrance to the Leadenhall Building located at 122 Leadenhall Street photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

Entrance to the Leadenhall Building located at 122 Leadenhall Street photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

 

Entrance to the Leadenhall Building located at 122 Leadenhall Street photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

Entrance to the Leadenhall Building located at 122 Leadenhall Street photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

Next to the Leadehall Building is another architectural wonder, The Lloyd’s Building, home of Lloyd’s of London Insurance, on Lime Street. Architect Richard Rogers designed the office building clad in stainless steel and glass which took eight years to build.

The Lloyd's Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

The Lloyd’s Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

The Lloyd's Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Lloyd's of London

The Lloyd’s Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Lloyd’s of London

Interior view of The Lloyd's Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Lloyd's of London

Interior view of The Lloyd’s Building on Lime Street. photo credit: Lloyd’s of London

Of course, a stroll over to The Shard is a must-see on any architecture tourism list. The 95 story skyscraper juts into the skyline like a jagged piece of glass, overlooking the Thames. The Shard holds the current distinction as being the tallest building in the UK and the 4th tallest in Europe. For a fee, you can go up to the observation deck for a birdseye view of The Tower of London, the Tower Bridge and cityscape.

The Shard in London. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

The Shard in London. photo credit: Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist

London’s self-guided architectural tour is one of more than 980 complimentary events, including free admission to all national museums. (In 2001, the United Kingdom abolished admission fees to all national museums.) The Omio study also found that Amsterdam offers budget-friendly travel with more than 1,000 free attractions, tours and events.  

Amsterdam, photo credit:Omio

Another popular pastime that doesn’t cost a dime is a tour of historic churches such as those in Paris including The Sacre-Coeur, a Roman Catholic Church adorned with the largest mosaic in France.

The Sacre-Coeur in Paris. Photo credit: Omio

Since accommodations tend to be the biggest expense when booking a holiday, Omio also explored the availability of places to spend the night such as couch surfing. The study looked at 38 cities and found almost two million hosts offering their hospitality for free on the CouchSurfing platform.  For those committed to exploring Europe on a shoestring, this list of budget-friendly destinations gives savvy travelers an idea of where best to start.

For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

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Tiny Home Tourism

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

If you’re curious about living large in small spaces, why not take a vacation from your own home to stay in a tiny house?

A tiny house resort in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania offers custom-designed tiny homes as vacation rentals.

Tiny Estates rents its tiny homes in a variety of architectural and decor styles from modern or minimalist to rustic or traditional as a unique alternative to the typical hotel stay. All homes are fully equipped with a kitchen, living space, bathroom and sleeping area.

After test driving the tiny home lifestyle, if you want to learn more, I recommend a new book “The Joy of Tiny House Living” by home builder Chris Schapnick. It offers advice on the design, construction, legalities of living in a tiny home, and the challenges of downsizing.  A tiny house or micro-house is typically 500 to 550 square feet but dwellings under 1000 square feet qualify. The Tiny Home movement is sweeping the nation as people embrace living with fewer financial burdens and belongings.

Fox Chapel Publishing is offering a Tiny Home Getaway Giveaway at Tiny Estates to promote the new book. Click the link to register

For a tour of several designer tiny homes, I invite you to watch this episode of The Design Tourist featuring a trio of tiny homes decorated with the latest trends.

 

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Arizona’s Must-See Architectural Tourist Attractions

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Scottsdale, Arizona is an Architectural Treasure Trove of  Frank Lloyd Wright’s Work 

Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona

Internationally renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and studio, Taliesin West is one of eight Wright buildings recently inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, Taliesin West serves as a prime example of Wright’s organic architecture built with a deep connection to the surrounding desert. Wright established Taliesin in 1937 constructing it out of the rocks and sand of the Sonoran Desert to blend with the scenery of the lower McDowell Mountains. This new form of desert architecture and established a legacy that draws visitors worldwide to tour Taliesin West, a National Historic Landmark and the living laboratory of Wright’s ideas.

Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona

The tour takes visitors through Wright’s private living quarters, added by Wright in 1940, contain a living room, private bedroom and work space. (Wright and his wife Olgivanna’s kitchen and bedrooms were restored to their likenesses from 1959, the year Wright died) Recent transformations at Taliesin West have focused on eco-friendly practices, such as the installation of a 250-kilowatt solar power system. Eventually Taliesin West will become a net-zero facility, meaning it will produce as much or more power than it uses. Taliesin West also has a cabaret theater, music pavilion, and drafting studio. Check out this video for some of the highlights:

Frank Lloyd Wright passed away in 1959 just two months shy of his 92nd birthday in Arizona leaving an architectural legacy in Scottsdale. For more, go to  (www.franklloydwright.org),

For architecture tourists, Scottsdale has put together a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired itinerary that includes his noted design, the spire at the northwest corner of the Scottsdale Promenade (www.scottsdalepromenade.com) shopping center in North Scottsdale. Originally designed by Wright for the Arizona State Capitol building, the structure is 20 feet wide at the base and 125 feet tall. It is framed with steel, painted in a copper tone, glazed with plastic, and illuminated internally at night. Another notable Wright-designed structure is in nearby Tempe, Arizona, the auditorium at Arizona State University. Wright designed ASU Gammage(www.asugammage.com) based on earlier renderings for an opera house in Baghdad, Iraq that was never built. The auditorium features two long ramps that extend from the second level of the theater out into the parking lot. The ramps are dotted with lamp posts formed into interlocking circles and arches. These ramps were meant to be “arms” welcoming people to Arizona. The project incorporates multiple shades of terra cotta with accents of aqua and teal, and it is meant to be as acoustically perfect as possible. 

Other architectural attractions are designed by Wright’s protégées  include the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain (www.sanctuaryaz.com),  originally designed by architect Hiram Hudson Benedict, an apprentice of Wright.

Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale Arizona

The historic Hotel Valley Ho (www.hotelvalleyho.com)  is a mid-century modern architectural jewel designed by former Wright apprentice Edward L. Varney. Originally built in 1956, the hotel reflected Scottsdale’s true cosmopolitan nature with much of the original property featuring minimalist Wright-inspired design elements. 

Wright consulted on the design and construction of the famous Arizona Biltmore Resort built in 1929 working with lead designer Albert Chase McArthur. The resort has become an architectural landmark, and it is one of Arizona’s most well-known sights.  The Biltmore Sprites that greet guests as they arrive at the Arizona Biltmore were created by Wright and sculptor Alfonso Lannelli. These geometric architectural statues were conceived in 1914 for the specific purpose of adorning and watching over Midway Gardens, once a center for entertainment, dining and music on Chicago’s lakefront. Most of the Sprites met a premature and unfortunate demise during Prohibition. Years later, the remaining pieces were donated to the Arizona Biltmore, which has been their home since October 1985. Replicas of the sprites can be purchased at Taliesin West.

The Soleri Bridge and Plaza in downtown is designed by Wright student, Paolo Soleri as a piece of public art and the second pedestrian-only bridge to connect the Scottsdale Waterfront area with SouthBridge and downtown Scottsdale. 

Soleri came to the United States in 1947 from Italy and spent nearly two years in fellowship with Wright at Taliesin West and Taliesin in Wisconsin.  In December 2010, Scottsdale became the home of the first and only Soleri-designed bridge ever to be built. The bridge, framed by a 22,000-square-foot plaza that includes panels designed by Soleri and produced at Cosanti studio and houses the Goldwater Bell assembly. Visit Soleri Bridge and Plaza:.  

Soleri also established the Cosanti Foundation(www.cosanti.com), which is a not-for-profit educational organization. The Foundation’s major project is Arcosanti, a prototype town for 5,000 people designed by Soleri that has been under construction since 1970. Located at Cordes Junction in central Arizona, the project is based on Soleri’s concept of “Arcology,” architecture coherent with ecology. Arcology advocates cities designed to maximize the interaction and accessibility associated with an urban environment; minimize the use of energy, raw materials and land, reducing waste and environmental pollution; and allow interaction with the surrounding natural environment.

For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

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Healdsburg, California, The Hospitality Heart of Sonoma County Wine Country

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

In the latest episode of The Design Tourist, I travel to Healdsburg California, the Hospitality Heart of Sonoma County Wine Country. We’ll tour several Sonoma County vineyards as we sip and savor this epicurean Eden with its earth-friendly ethos and learn about the county’s efforts to have all its vineyards certified sustainable in just a few years

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Interacting with Art at ARTECHOUSE in Miami Beach

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

The desire to stimulate the senses is an instinct that defines us as humans and propels the creation of art. ARTECHOUSE in Miami Beach, Florida delivers a sensory experience through digital art, redefining the way we experience and appreciate art. The interactive museum asks visitors to touch, move, dance, blow and bodily interact to fully experience each digital art installation in its latest exhibit, XYZT: Abstract Landscapes, on view through Sept 2, 2019. I recently visited ARTECHOUSE to immerse myself in the works of French contemporary digital artists and multimedia choreographers, Adrien M and Claire B. The interactive exhibit offers an exploration physical experience through ten digital landscapes.  I enter the museum, walking on a dark pathway that lights up with each step in swirls and ripples.  In this first installation, I encounter a floor that reacts to my footsteps. 

The artists have created a virtual playground of four dimensions: X (horizontal) Y (vertical) Z (depth) and T (time). Each of the ten installations asks me to manipulate lighted lines, dots and letters by my physical actions. 

You can manipulate light particles within a giant digital cube or blow into glass boxes and watch virtual letters that assemble and disassemble. This is an immersive sensory encounter.

The museum is at the crossroads of art, science and technology bringing 21st-century art experiences as the first innovative platform for experiential, genre-bending multimedia art exhibitions and explorations. 

One of the more fascinating installations is a virtual reality book that you can “read” by downloading the free Adrien M and Claire B app that makes the pages come alive in 3D. Here’s a look at some of the augmented reality pages that I viewed on my cell phone with the app.

As a Design Tourist always on the lookout for works that ignite the creative muse within, I highly recommend a visit to ARTECHOUSE for work that is at the forefront of 21st-century art. For more, visit artechouse.com

ARTECHOUSE – Miami 736 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

The Miami Beach location is one of three, the other two are in Washington D.C. and New York. 

For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

 

 

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Silver Oak Winery and Vineyards Preserves the Earth and the Arts

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Silver Oak Winemaking Begins by Handcrafting the Barrel

Several years ago, I was introduced to Silver Oak Cabernet as the guest of a friend at a wine tasting dinner. I instantly fell in love with its bold, black fruit character with notes of spice and vanilla and the wine’s oaky finish that comes from American White Oak barrels that the wine ages in. 

Silver Oak Winery and Vineyards in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

Silver Oak Winery and Vineyards in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

I recently had the privilege of visiting one of my favorite winemakers at the source. Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley winemaking facility is just a few miles outside the town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. I was on a media tour reporting on Sonoma County’s sustainability efforts. The county wants to have all of its wineries certified sustainable by 2020 and is close to reaching that goal with more than 90 percent already certified. 

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, at the Silver Oak winemaking facility in its Alexander Valley vineyards.

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, at the Silver Oak winemaking facility in its Alexander Valley vineyards.

Silver Oak embraces sustainability in its winegrowing practices and winemaking processes and its carbon footprint. The Alexander Valley winery is anchored by a tasting room, a modern glass barn built of recycled materials down to its blue jean insulation. The building earned LEED Platinum certification for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) in 2018 when it opened for tastings and tours. 

Silver Oak's LEED Platinum Certified tasting room at its Alexander Valley vineyards.

Silver Oak’s LEED Platinum Certified tasting room at its Alexander Valley vineyards.

Silver Oak's LEED Platinum Certified tasting room at its Alexander Valley vineyards.

Silver Oak’s LEED Platinum Certified tasting room at its Alexander Valley vineyards.

Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley winery spans 113 acres with 75 acres of grapes and is focused around the production of a single wine, Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Along the tour, our guide shares details of Silver Oak’s sustainable viticulture practices that make it net positive water and net positive energy.

Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley winery spans 113 acres with 75 acres of grapes and is focused around the production of a single wine, Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley winery spans 113 acres with 75 acres of grapes and is focused around the production of a single wine, Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The winery’s state-of-the-art water reclamation technologies include a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) that treats and filters 100 percent of the water from the cellar with natural biological activity and reduces potable water needs by 37 percent. “The Membrane Bioreactor is the first of its kind so people come from all over to see how it works. We can reuse our water up to 16 times,” says Ian Leggat, my Silver Oak tour guide.  The winery is solar powered with 2,595 rooftop solar panels that produce over one megawatt of electricity a year and helps generate 105 percent of its energy needs.

Silver Oak's Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) that treats and filters 100 percent of the water from the cellar with natural biological activity.

Silver Oak’s Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) that treats and filters 100 percent of the water from the cellar with natural biological activity.

 The California winemaker also owns sustainably-managed forests of American White Oak trees in Central and Northern Missouri and its own barrel-making plant in Higbee Missouri, where craftspeople handmake each barrel. 

Silver Oak owns The Oak Cooperage in Higbee Missouri where Master Coopers handcraft American White Oak barrels.

Silver Oak owns The Oak Cooperage in Higbee Missouri where Master Coopers handcraft American White Oak barrels.

The Oak Cooperage produces 59-gallon wine barrels made of American White Oak from Central and Northern Missouri. Barrel-making is a dying art and Silver Oak is doing its part to keep it alive. A barrel-making craftsman is known as a Master Cooper and Silver Oak estimates there are less than 15 in the entire United States.  In Higbee Missouri, there is a small group of Master Coopers who possess the skills required to select ideal staves that will produce intended flavor profiles. 

The Oak Cooperage in Higbee Missouri where Master Coopers handcraft American White Oak barrels.

The Oak Cooperage in Higbee Missouri where Master Coopers handcraft American White Oak barrels.

Silver Oak says it takes 80 years to grow an American White Oak tree to maturity so that it’s suitable to be harvested for barrel-making. After the tree is harvested, it remains in the lumber yard for two years to air dry as stave wood before fire blending, a technique that makes the wood more pliable for the Master Cooper. The wood staves are then dehumidified down to 20 percent of water content. 

The barrel room at Silver Oak's Alexander Valley vineyards.

The barrel room at Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley vineyards.

Each barrel is completely toasted over a burning oak fire to “medium taste” so there is no raw oak touching the wine, using mild, slow toasting methods to keep the barrels free of char. Silver Oak winemakers believe the American oak barrels contribute less harsh tannins than French oak barrels giving its wines opulent, well-rounded flavors. 

For many wine lovers, the art of enjoyment comes from the ability to decipher and appreciate a wine’s bouquet and taste. Silver Oak achieves its subtle perfection by blending the wines prior to barreling.

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, tasting Silver Oak Cabs in the tasting room at its Alexander Vineyards.

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, tasting Silver Oak Cabs in the tasting room at its Alexander Vineyards.

“We want to taste the components of the grape right after fermentation and before they are influenced by the oak. This allows us to select those grapes that complement one another and enhance the final blend. By blending our wines before they go into the barrel to age, we get a seamless taste that defines Silver Oak wines,” explains Silver Oak Director of Sales for the Eastern US, Tom Johnson. 

Silver Oak's Alexander Valley tasting room and tours

Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley tasting room and tours

Silver Oak celebrates the release of its new wines twice a year. Release Day for the Alexander Valley Cabernet takes place each year on the 1st Saturday in August. Release Day for the Napa Valley Cabernet takes place each year on the 1st Saturday in February.

The winemaker also remains committed to the cork despite the increasing popularity of screw caps. “On release days, we open 150 cases of wine to smell the bottle and cork to check for any issues with bottling and prevent spoilage,” says Johnson. 

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, in the Silver Oak Wine Library, a circular room lined with bottles of Silver Oak in various vintages.

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, in the Silver Oak Wine Library, a circular room lined with bottles of Silver Oak in various vintages.

Silver Oak was founded in 1972 by Raymond Twomey Duncan, a Colorado entrepreneur who began investing in California vineyards in the late 1960s, and Justin Meyer, a winemaker who began in a Napa Valley dairy barn in 1972, producing only 1,100 cases of their inaugural vintage. Today the Duncan family continues to run Silver Oak with David R. Duncan serving as President and CEO and Tim Duncan as Executive Vice President. The Duncan family also owns a sister winery, Twomey Cellars, that produces Pinot Noirs, Sauvignon Blancs and Merlots at Soda Canyon Ranch in southeastern Napa Valley.  

For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

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Jordan Vineyard and Winery Expresses Terroir Beyond The Wine Glass

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

This Sonoma County culinary-focused winery cultivates estate-grown produce, herbs and olive oil to complement world-class wines. 

Jordan Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned California winery located in Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Jordan produces Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned California winery located in Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Jordan produces Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

On a recent media trip to Sonoma County, California, I visited Jordan Vineyard & Winery, located in Alexander Valley, five miles north of the town of Healdsburg to experience its symbiotic relationship between food and wine.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned California winery located in Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Jordan produces Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned California winery located in Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Jordan produces Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

Jordan was founded as a culinary-focused winery in 1972 by Tom and Sally Jordan who drew inspiration from the great wine estates of France. Today, Jordan operates under the guidance of second-generation vintner John Jordan and has built a reputation for its food-focused, restaurant-quality wines. “The Jordan family came into wine from being foodies because they loved to travel and eat. They were inspired to get into the wine business with an interest in Bordeaux-style wines,” says Lisa Mattson, Director of Marketing and Communications at Jordan Vineyard and Winery. 

Jordan sells primarily to restaurants— about 70 percent of their cabs with the remaining 30 percent available in wine stores.  Rob Davis, the winemaker, has handcrafted every vintage of Jordan since the inaugural 1976 and is the second-longest tenured winemaker in the US. He is known for a European style of winemaking that isn’t done much in California.

As I arrive up the oak tree arched driveway, Jordan’s iconic French chateau comes into view and the vista expands to reveal 1,200 acres of rolling hills, oak trees, lakes, streams, vineyards, olive trees, cattle pastures, an apiary and chef’s gardens.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Healdsburg Ca..Photo Brian Baer.

The chateau houses winemaking facilities, a kitchen, dining room, guest suites, wine tasting library, cellars, and offices. More than 80 percent of the property is preserved as natural habitat.

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, tasting Cuvee in the library of the chateau during a tour of Jordan Vineyard and Winery

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, tasting Cuvee in the library of the chateau during a tour of Jordan Vineyard and Winery

After tasting an NV Brut Jordan Cuvee by Champagne AR Lenoble in the chateau library, I tour the barrel room. One the day I visited, Jordan’s winemaker Rob Davis was preparing to master blend its 2018 vintage into French oak barrels. (The Cabernet will release in spring 2022 and the chardonnay in spring 2020.)

The selection process for master blending starts in November and December when the winemaker does blind barrel tastings to decide which grapes will make it into the master blend. Jordan recently changed its oak barrel program switching to entirely French oak barrels and released the first wine aged exclusively in French oak barrels, the new 2015 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon.

Davis notes that French oak offers a greater array of complex tannins and greater porosity producing a softer, richer taste with a longer finish, attributes found in top Bordeaux and California cabs. 

American oak is known for bringing more aggressive aromas of dill and coconut to red wines. French oak is considered more subtle, imparting spice aromas and a silky texture in part because its tannins have a strong attraction to the grape tannins.   

Jordan Vineyard and Winery Executive Chef Todd Knoll

Jordan Vineyard and Winery Executive Chef Todd Knoll

Next, I meet Executive Chef Todd Knoll who uses farm-raised, garden-grown and foraged ingredients to create dishes that reflect the property’s unique terroir.  Chef Knoll has prepared a media lunch to showcase his talents and Jordan’s wines.

I lunch in the reimagined dining room which debuted in 2019 designed by Geoffrey De Sousa of San Francisco, a top interior design firm on the West Coast. Chef Knoll wanted the decor to echo the estate’s habitats that inspire his cooking. “We wanted a more natural backdrop for the kind of cooking that we do and the flower arrangements we display in this room. The darker color palette reminds me of foraging through the forest. It has a nice, romantic feeling. It was important to us to keep the bones of the original building and its antiques,” says Knoll.

The original dining room was decorated in an 18th-century French style. De Sousa and his staff reimagined the aesthetic, retaining its best architectural features while introducing new design elements to reflect the chef’s culinary philosophy of bringing flavors of the surrounding countryside to the plate. “The Jordan dining room is now not only an homage to old-world France, it’s also a portrait of the surrounding estate and the chef’s philosophy,” notes Geoffrey De Sousa, proprietor of Geoffrey De Sousa Interior Design and De Sousa Hughes. 

Lunch starts with an amuse-bouche paired with NV Brut Jordan Cuvee by Champagne AR Lenoble.

Next, I taste a 2017 Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The grapes are hand-picked at night when the fruit is cold to lock in that acidity and flavor. The fruit is then pressed immediately and fermented in French oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks for 6 months.

Chef Knoll pairs the 2017 Chardonnay with Bisque of First Peas and Favas chilled with Maine Lobster. Next, I’m served Roasted Knights Valley Lamb.

The dish is paired with Jordan’s 2015 Cab, that first release aging in only French oak barrels.  “2015 was a cooler year yielding more of a French style of wine,” says Mattson. 

Chef Knoll makes sea salts and the estate grows olive trees to produce Jordan Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil, both of which are on the table to enhance the tasting experience. 

While dining, I can’t help but admire the visual metaphors that connect with the estate’s topography.  Deep gray walls are painted with Benjamin Moore French Beret and accented with a forest-like patterned wallpaper called Midsummer Night from Wall & Deco, created by graphic designer Lorenzo De Grandis of Milan, Italy.

The dining room’s original high-back chairs were restored and reupholstered with intricate chair embroidery by a renowned, haute-couture artist based in London. Each embroidery pattern is distinct and inspired by the vibrant, moss-carpeted rocks and lichen found across Jordan Estate.

French Beaux Arts-inspired lighting illuminates the room selected by San-Francisco based designer Jonathan Browning Studios. Floor-to-ceiling drapes in gold leaf, frame large windows that take in panoramas of the golden hills visible across Jordan’s estate. Dining tables congregate around a bronze fireplace hearth by Sonoma County metalsmith Randell Tuell of Tuell + Reynolds.

The “Piethian Apollo,” a playful statue by New York artist Stephen Antonson from his pie-faced bust series, which aligns with Jordan’s reputation for its fun culture and humorous music videos. 

The “Piethian Apollo,” a playful statue by New York artist Stephen Antonson from his pie-faced bust series, which aligns with Jordan’s reputation for its fun culture and humorous music videos.

The walls display photographs taken by Chef Knoll of the estate. A new butler’s pantry features French doors that open to a covered alcove, giving guests the opportunity to see Jordan’s culinary staff in action during outdoor events, such as Picnic Days at Jordan, Bastille Day Brunch and Bounty of Sonoma County Dinner.

I also learn more about Jordan’s sustainable and holistic practices. The vineyard uses a plant substance called Dust Off on its roads to reduce dust and a clay-based sunscreen on the grapes to prevent sunburn.

“We take into account the impact every viticultural and winemaking decision has on the native ecosystems under our care. Jordan’s electrical use is carbon neutral, with roughly 90 percent of our electricity coming from hillside solar arrays behind the winery and the rest from renewable resources through the Sonoma Clean Power program,” says Mattson.

Lunch culminates with a Tupelo Honey Baked Alaska featuring spring bee pollen from the Jordan estate apiary and several locally-made artisan cheeses plated with a 2013 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley.

The meal crystalizes a certain synergy that exists in Sonoma County between its many different artists and winemakers who share a common passion for high-quality food made to complement local wines. Jordan, like many local wineries, promotes locally made foods and products with guests.

Pete Seghesio, the proprietor of Journeyman Meat Co., produces salumi in the Italian way from heritage breeds of pork keeping an old world craft alive.

Pete Seghesio, the proprietor of Journeyman Meat Co., produces salumi in the Italian way from heritage breeds of pork keeping an old world craft alive.

Jordan partners with local artisans to bring new elements to the dining experience including a Healdsburg salumeria, Journeyman Meat Co.,  that created a custom-cured meat to pair with Jordan wines.

Guests at Jordan’s Estate Tour and Tastings can appreciate custom-made serving plates by a ceramic-making husband-wife team, Nikki and Will Callnan of NBC Pottery, who harvested clay from Jordan’s garden. 

My tour ends with a visit to one of the guest suites located in the chateau available to members of Jordan’s loyalty program, Jordan Estate Rewards.

Once a consumer spends $500 with Jordan, she/he becomes a Silver member and gains access to booking Private Tables in the dining room and at the Gold and Platinum levels, overnight stays in the guest suites. For more on booking tastings and tours, go to https://www.jordanwinery.com/

For more on what’s new and next in design, subscribe to The Design Tourist Channel and sign up for the blog email.

 

 

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Quivira Vineyard and Winery

by Karen LeBlanc
written by Karen LeBlanc

Sonoma County County is an Epicurean Eden populated with Organic Vineyards producing world-class wines. Quivira’s vineyards, farms and organic gardens beckon foodie and wine tourists.

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, touring Quivira's organic gardens in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley.

Karen LeBlanc, aka The Design Tourist, touring Quivira’s organic gardens in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley.

On a recent press tour to Sonoma County to experience its sustainable winemaking practices, I visited Quivira Vineyard and Winery  Located in Dry Creek Valley on a 110-acre estate at the confluence of Wine Creek and Dry Creek, Quivira produces Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhône varieties that embody its unique terroir: gravelly soil and sandy loam planted with 59 acres of vines.

Quivira is comprised of three separate vineyards which are located within the unique Dry Creek Valley AVA

Quivira’s name has an interesting backs