Blue Cockatoo Traveller

Monday, February 23, 2015

Rice paper 'Boat' by Zhu Jinshi at Pearl Lam Galleries.

An 18-metre 'Boat' made from bamboo, cotton and around 10,000 sheets of rice paper.!

'Boat' by Zhu Jinshi.
Images courtesy of Pearl Lam Galleries.

Pearl Lam Galleries announced today their collaboration with Hongkong Land to bring to Hong Kong for the first time a monumental 18-metre long, 7-metre high installation, 'Boat', by Zhu Jinshi, composed of bamboo, cotton and over 10,000 sheets of xuan (rice) paper.

Zhu Jinshi is one of China’s leading contemporary artists and xuan has been a major medium in his repertoire since 1988 when, working in Berlin, he produced A Cube of Xuan Paper, which will alson be exhibited by Pearl Lam Galleries at the same time in their March exhibition Perfection of Chance - a Yi Pai Exhibition at their Pedder Building space.

The sheer size and visual impact of 'Boat' is in stark contrast to the delicate nature of the material from which it is made, and the meditative process of working with xuan paper, is testament to his belief that it is only through the contact and dialogue with his chosen materials that he can express his perception and understanding of the world.

Primarily 'Boat' addresses the concept of time, both subjective time, and time in a cultural sense; Zhu Jinshi describes the function of the Boat: “Whereas time only moves forward, the Boat can be sailed in any direction. The Boat's cultural resonance is constructed of time itself, continuously ebbing and flowing through our imagination.” The Boat can thus be seen as a vessel for the cultural implications of its materials as well as for the artist’s own journey, and the viewer’s passage through space and time. The installation is representative of the art of ‘Yi Pai’, where the artist's fascination with time is transformed into a physical manifestation.

Pearl Lam said: “Zhu Jinshi’s xuan paper Boat is characteristic of the artist’s practice which deconstructs Western theories of art and visual language by rooting them to Chinese traditions and philosophy. The work’s many layers of cultural resonance embody Zhu’s own distinctive artistic career. I am delighted to be bringing a large scale installation work by the artist to Hong Kong for the first time.”

Exhibition Dates
9 March – 31 March, 2015
Daily, 9am– 7pm
The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong

Source: Pearl Lam Galleries

Luxury in Paris – Hotel Esprit Saint Germain

Terrace at the Hotel Esprit Saint Germain

Home from home in the heart of Paris!

On the Left Bank in Saint Germain des Pres, between the Jardins du Luxembourg and the Boulevard Saint Germain, Hotel Esprit Saint Germain has 28 rooms and suites.

Takin advantage of a special promotion in 2015, you can enjoy three luxurious nights in Paris from Eur 1.680 in a superior room, double occupancy, including:

- Round-trips transfers in a private car on arrival and departure.
- Complimentary American breakfast daily.
- Complimentary bar in the lobby with champagne, wines, spirits.
- Complimentary mini bar in the room.
- Complimentary internet in all room categories - WIFI
- Complimentary access to the fitness centre (steam room and sauna).
- Complimentary access to the business centre.
- Complimentary daily newspaper of your choice.
- Complimentary flowers and fresh fruits daily.

Deluxe guestroom

- Including 10% VAT tax, other taxes and service.

Contact your travel agent for bookings
Email: contact@espritsaintgermain.com
Call +33 1 5310 5555.

(Accommodation is subject to availability and offers can't be combined with any other offer and are not valid for groups.)

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Gorgeous gardens – Bodnant in Wales.

Bodnant Gardens. Image: ©AP/BCT

Sloping down to the River Conwy with views of Snowdonia, Bodnant has plant collections from all over the world. At the height of summer the roses are fantastic, seen here on a visit with my mother, Jean.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden/

Friday, February 20, 2015

Small hotels, big ideas – incentives for Australians at two favourite London hotels.

Handy for Harrods, Harvey Nichols and the V&A!

Knightsbridge hotels The Capital and The Levin have special inclusions for Australians in 2015.

General Manager of The Capital and The Levin, Kate Levin, said Australian guests would be invited to enjoy complimentary:

• Breakfast on day of arrival before 10.00am
• Priority check-in and late check-out subject to availability
• Access to The Peak Health Club & Gym, Knightsbridge and discounts on selected treatments
• Transfers from Heathrow Airport for minimum 3-night stays in a Junior Suite

“Our properties are very popular with the Australian market for brief stopovers and long stays and we are delighted that a number of these guests have been visiting us over many years,” said Ms Levin.

The hotels are in Basil Street, Knightsbridge close to Harrods and just a few minutes from Knightsbridge Tube Station as well as Harvey Nichols, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Hyde Park and the designer shops of Sloane Street. They are beautifully appointed and offer a range of specially tailored facilities and services including complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout. Meals can be complemented by impressive wines from Mr Levin’s cellar and organic Levin Wines vineyard in France.

Levin wine.

Ms Levin oversees the operations of The Capital and The Levin, which were established in 1971 and 2007 respectively by her father, esteemed hotelier, David Levin, who has owned both properties since their opening. Few hotels in London can boast of outstanding staff loyalty, family heritage and the ability to remain true to classic British design.

The Capital’s 49 guest rooms and suites feature Luxury Temple Spa amenities whilst exceptional culinary experiences are presented at Michelin-starred seafood restaurant, Outlaw’s at The Capital - the London outpost for acclaimed Chef, Nathan Outlaw who joins with Head Chef, Pete Biggs in serving up a multitude of textures and flavours across its ever changing menu. Guests can also enjoy wonderful cocktails and one of London's best whisky collections at The Capital Bar. The Capital is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Pride of Britain – the latter a collection of 50 of the UK’s best independent hotels.

Outlaws at The Capital.

Further accommodation at The Capital is available at The Apartments next door, at which the inclusions are being extended to Australian guests, for stays in the 8 fully and partially serviced studios and one-bedroom flats with their own private entrance. The Apartments present a contemporary style, with parquet wood flooring and clean lines throughout and offers complimentary Wi-Fi.

Inspired by the elegance of the 1930s, The Levin is a charming townhouse featuring 12 rooms with sumptuous furnishings, exquisite eye catching designs and Luxury Temple Spa amenities. A flexible menu of small and large plates is available throughout the day in The Metro wine bar and bistro.

www.capitalhotel.co.uk www.thelevinhotel.co.uk
Source: Press release UTC.

David and Kate Levin.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Blue Cockatoo Traveller: Shamba Barn – shades of Wolf Hall!

Blue Cockatoo Traveller: Shamba Barn – shades of Wolf Hall!: Shamba Barn, Upton St Leonards This hideaway holiday cottage is part of the atmospheric, 400-year old Bond End Farm at Upton St Leonards...

Shamba Barn – shades of Wolf Hall!

Shamba Barn, Upton St Leonards

This hideaway holiday cottage is part of the atmospheric, 400-year old Bond End Farm at Upton St Leonards near Painswick, Gloucestershire. Dating from Tudor times, this is just the place for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in history – coinciding with the huge new wave of interest in the Tudors fuelled by the BBC's compelling new drama series, Wolf Hall. Henry V111 himself is said to have dropped in to Bond End Farm, adding yet another dimension!

http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p1611714

Monday, November 3, 2014

Wollombi's Perfect (Back) Drops! Sculpture in the Vineyards 2014

Ross Fletcher - Ponder. Image ©AP

Sculpture In The Vineyards

Monday 27 October - Sunday 30 November 2014. Wollombi, NSW.

Following Wollombi Valley's Sculpture in the Vineyards 2014 trail at the weekend was a real pleasure. From small (but ambitious) beginnings twelve years ago, the exhibition has grown to become an established highlight on the arts calendar, not only for visitors but for the entrants who spend time here installing their works.

The four major venues are the Wollombi Valley Wine Trail's vineyards – Undercliff Winery, Stonehurst Cedar Creek, Wollombi Wines and Wollombi Village Vineyard. Each winery provides its own superb setting and character for the rich diversity of mediums used by over sixty contemporary Australian sculptors.

Curated this year for the first time by Christiane Keys-Statham, Sculpture in the Vineyards is a not for-profit organisation relying on volunteers, professional pro bono support and financial sponsorship – this year from Destination New South Wales, the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, Wollombi Valley Progress Association, Cessnock Regional Art Gallery, Cessnock City Council and more.

As Christiane says of the installations: "Showcasing their [the artists'] work in the stunning and historic landscape of the Wollombi Valley is a challenging proposition: the works are at the mercy of the elements and will inevitably respond to their environments in unpredictable ways."

For the wineries and the owners who work so hard each year to make this exhibition happen, it is a chance to showcase their vineyards and wines and to help bring visitors to the region to discover the delights of Wollombi Village and the surrounding countryside. This is rewarding driving country – car companies are often seen filming along the roads here. (Find fuel and more at Laguna's Great North Trading Post.)

Wollombi is just under a two-hour drive from Sydney, but those in the know book ahead to stay to enjoy time here to explore or to take part in the events associated with Sculpture In The Vineyards. This year the Education Program includes innovative workshops for schools including postcard making - kids draw or photograph their favourite sculpture and make it into a postcard.

Director Tara Morelos has been involved with Sculpture in the Vineyards for eight years and is delighted with the way it has evolved, attracting sculptors from around Australia including Queensland and Tasmania. Now with national recognition, it is gratifying to see the exhibition become an established fixture in the arts world – a significant achievement as Tara says. Word is also spreading internationally; one of this year's impressive line-up of judges, the renowned Janet Laurence, flew in from Germany especially for the judging weekend.

Tended and nourished by the wine-makers including founders Phillipa and Daryl Heslop of Stonehurst Cedar Creek and Jane and Peter Hampshere of Undercliff Winery, Wollombi's sculpture trail is gathering significant traction with each year. With the necessary funding, Tara Morelos can see exciting new directions for the future to benefit the wineries, Wollombi village and New South Wales itself as a destination, attracting both sculptors and art lovers from far and wide.

Sculptors including Akira Kamada say they'll be back to exhibit as they love the environment and the whole installation experience at Wollombi. Meaning weightless movement or fluttering in the wind, Hira Hira is the name Akira has given to a number of hanging pieces and this year he has used fabric and hessian tape for a bold creation strung between trees, symbolising renewed energy and freedom.

For the visitor, the first thing to do is to pick up a brochure ($5.00) and then wend your way through the vineyards, taking time to discover the pieces, large and small, some obvious, some tucked away. The exhibition is designed to appeal to adults and children and includes a separate small sculpture exhibition in the Wollombi Fireshed and a night-time closing ceremony. Don't forget to vote in the People's Choice Award and to try the delicious wines and local produce as you go.

As well as inviting cellar doors, Wollombi has cafes, an iconic country pub, general store, a fascinating museum (check out the convict history) eclectic shops, plus tours to the Mount Yengo National Park with Ngurra Bu.

Undercliff Winery: Pink lines in space (Greer Taylor -Inclusion), multi-coloured flying fish (Sharon Ridsdale-Pi-ces School of the Air), a caravan full of childhood memories (Freya Jobbins - Museum of Childhood Memory) and a playful female form doing a handstand (Selena Seifert - Regeneration) are just a few of the sculptures in this beautifully designed vineyard.

Wollombi Village Vineyard: A man's love for his poodle (Kerry Cannon- Poodle Love), humble materials (Jayanto Daminik - White Seeds), a thunderbird (Mick Martin - Thunderbird Sawing) and harmonious polished lines (Larissa Smagarinsky- Achievement) are among the sculptures to discover.

Wollombi Endeavour Museum: See a glass, wood and metal work (Alison Mortiss - Once Was).

Wollombi Wines: Dogs (Belinda Clarke - Companion), happy and colourful snakes ( Emilia Krumm - Asudem), Ned kelly ( Lyndsey Hatchwell - Ned Turns A Corner), grass painting (Anthony Sawrey - Chaos Latticework) a hollow throne ( Lou Steer - Hollow Throne) and getting your head around a rasta steel band (Jannese Parkes - Rasta Steel Band) are a few of the many works.

Stonehurst Cedar Creek: Kinetic fish (Phil Relf - Leonardo's Fish), flowing lines in stainless steel, recycled copper and galvanised pipe (Bev Chalmers - Fantasia & Phantasm), a scientific voyage corroborating the indigenous Australian belief that life came from the stars (Mike Kitching - Gai-um-Garm) a phoenix (Ludwig Micek - Resurrection), a giant wine bottle (Nigel James- Claret Bottle) and delicate intricacies (DoGsWooD - Utopia) are among the sculptures not far from the the cellar door.