This has got to be the funniest thing I've read all day. An ancient tablet was found with a sexual curse in an old city kingdom of Amanthus, in Cyprus, Greece. Written on a lead tablet, it also shows a man holding something that looks like an hourglass in his right hand. Yes, take a guess what that is! But why it's shaped like an hourglass, I really can't say...
Anyhow, sorry for the lack of posts, but been not too excited while reading anything, except for maybe Angelina and Brad's twins, but until pics comes out for them, not even going to write about that. Been going through a series of writing doldrums. Could it be because I am turning 30 in less than 5 days?!? Argh... This is off-topic, but anyhow, more later...
It was bound to happen. Homes, built by...Chanel!!! Well, maybe not Chanel, but with Karl Lagerfeld at the helm, it will probably be very close in terms of style and quality. This is really as luxurious as one is going to get if you are into high fashion. Makes me wonder what those closets will look like; will there be specially designed niches for all of those high-end goodies?!?
Fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld has signed an exclusive deal to design 80 limited edition homes on Isla Moda, the world's first dedicated fashion island, set in the iconic development, The World. This will be an exclusive collaboration between Dubai Infinity Holdings and Karl Lagerfeld across the GCC and India.Karl Lagerfeld is the first of five designers who will contribute to this iconic property.
Isla Moda
Isla Moda is the world's first dedicated Fashion Island. A mixed use development set in the iconic development The World, Isla Moda will combine a fashion resort, haute couture residential villas, bespoke retail offerings and luxury hospitality facilities in a drive to establish Dubai as a paradise of style. World renowned fashion designers from each continent will be instrumental in designing each element of the development.
Isla Moda will include a fashion hotel and a variety of luxury residential villas. The Hotel Moda will have approximately 250 rooms and serviced apartments, along with boutiques representing the world's most prominent designers, many of them exclusively. There will also be design studios and dedicated areas to service world renowned fashion events. Each area will be designed with the needs of the fashion industry and fashion connoisseurs in mind.
Near the residential collection will be the stylish Beach, Royal and Water Villas. All villas and villettes will offer a unique living experience while the limited edition villas will offer one of kind views, private beaches, pools and other unique residential accessories. As a first-of-a-kind project in the world, fashion conscious residents will select from the world's most recognized designers to create their own couture homes.
Isla Moda will also host exclusive international events, featuring high profile-designers and attended by the fashion world's crème de la crème. Fashion shows and limited edition product launches are a few of the events that will take place on the island.
Moreover, Isla Moda will offer first-class service in the form of a personal concierge for guests and residents alike ranging from a style concierge for clothing, perfumery, personal style makeovers, as well as design concierge to create one of a kind living environments with bespoke furnishings, art, and technology. Hotel guests and residential owners will also receive VVIP access to exclusive events, services, and products globally.
This is just insane. A whole island retreat dedicated to fashion!!! Just boggles the mind how cool and funky and beautiful this place is going to be. This is like the rich man's (or woman's) Disneyland.
I don't see myself ever having the opportunity in my lifetime to live in such a fantasy land, but one never knows, I could hit the lottery tomorrow and things will be very different. Maybe I can visit the hotel, assuming it's cost prohibitive! :P I can't wait to see what the homes end up looking like once they have all been completed. Sounds completely swoon-worthy!
I'm prolly very behind in terms of these viral videos, but I love it! I couldn't stop watching them, if only because this guy, Matt, has come up w/ the cutest, coolest, and goofiest way to document his travels around the world. I like his earlier works, before the masses of ppl joined him, as it seems a bit too commercialized and takes away from the original, but they're still fun videos to watch over and over again.
I'm sooooo jealous that he's been to so many places around the world. He gives me hope that I too can one day travel the entire world. My personal fave is the video from 2006; there are some amazing locations that he dances in...!
I posted them below, from the newest video to the oldest. Just watching these videos really made me want to dance! :D
2008
2006
2004
You can learn more about how this video project started through this nice little article from the NYT. There is also a website on the videos at wherethehellismatt.com. :)
While I am anticipating the arrival of the Chanel mobile museum, another French fashion house worked on some cutting edge, unexpected marketing of their own. Louis Vuitton is working in collaboration with Soundwalk to bring to you 3 urban soundtracks designed for self-guided tours through three cities in China.
The soundtracks are an hour long, and each city is narrated by a different Chinese actress: Gong Li 鞏俐 for Beijing, Shu Qi 舒淇 for Hong Kong, and Joan Chen 陳冲 for Shanghai.
In Beijing, Gong Li re-visits the Central Academy of Drama while telling an old love story between two young students.
Shu Qi narrates the sights and sounds along the tour path starting at Luk Yu Tea House, along Stanley Street in Central, Hong Kong.
Chinese-American actress and director Joan Chen takes travelers through the quaint French Concession area in Shanghai.
Original soundtracks composed by Kubert Leung and Albert Yu. Shan Sa (”The Girl Who Played Go”) and Mei Feng (up-and-coming young Chinese author), have written these journeys much like film scripts — subtly blending reality and fiction to offer a cinematic experience in the heart of the city.
Stylish travelers can download Louis Vuitton Soundwalk for iPod, mp3 players and mobile phones on www.louisvuittonsoundwalk.com or www.louisvuitton.com. It is available in six languages, English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean. Each audio guide costs $17 and comes with a map.
While these were obviously designed to run in conjunction with the upcoming Beijing Olympics, I find this project intriguing and refreshing. Even if I can't go to Asia, to be able to listen to the soundtracks themselves sounds like a lovely blend of art, music, and travel, and because it's a product of Vuitton, there is almost a guaranteed level of sophistication in terms of the final product.
In viewing the trailers, I'm actually surprised by how well Shu Qi speaks in English; there is almost a slight British lilt in her pronunciation. Gong Li is new to English, and her voice is very harsh, so I don't know if I would enjoy listening to her. Joan Chen speaks with an American accent; no surprise there. I wonder what the other languages sound like, since the trailers are only in English; do these ladies narrate in all 6 languages?
View all three trailers below. The soundtracks sound really beautiful; I wonder if they will be available for sale outside of the Soundwalk guides?
Hello Kitty has been appointed goodwill tourism ambassador for Japan. Under the "Visit Japan Campaign," they hope to attract 10 million visitors by 2010. Hello Kitty will be focused on attracting visitors from China and Hong Kong.
I have to say, I'm a bit surprised by this little piece of marketing. Growing up as a child, I was milk-fed Sanrio products like any other Asian baby, and my most vivid memories of Hong Kong were that you couldn't escape Hello Kitty if you wanted to. Therefore, it is very strange that Japan is being so specific and exact in announcing their goal to attract more Chinese visitors.
Perhaps, due to the state of China's economic boom, they thought that this would be a friendly and unimposing way to welcome more tourism with a recognized but beloved face. However, the timing seems rather off, due to the tragedy of the Chinese earthquake that has shattered many lives. I wonder if they thought of that before they made the announcement. :p
For more info. on visiting Japan (beautiful country, I actually can't wait to go again!), visit their official site, Yokoso! Japan.
