The endangered kakapo

© Kakapo by Janet Luxton. www.janetluxton.com.au ©

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kakapo-hope-for-a-future#/story

The Spectacular Treasures of Northern Greece

One of the World Heritage-listed Byzantine monasteries of Meteora in Greece, the Agia Triada. 

From Mount Olympus to the Aegean Sea.

Archaeological and cultural tour specialist Peter Sommer Travels will explore some of the greatest treasures of Greece this year, heading away from the island crowds to reveal the extraordinary history of the region of Macedonia.

A new 14-day expedition, From the Slopes of Mount Olympus to the Shores of the Aegean explores the region through its archaeology, food and wine, linking some of the most spectacular scenery of northern Greece with a rich history dating back thousands of years. 

Hosted by archaeologists and historians Heinrich Hall and Dr Maria Girtzi, the tour was chosen by London’s Sunday Times as one of its top 100 holidays.  It will be held from September 2 to 15, 2015, travelling through beautiful and unusually diverse landscapes, from lofty mountains to fertile plains and the blue waters of the Aegean Sea.

Catering to no more than 16 people, the tour provides a chance to explore grand archaeological sites, mighty castles, serene monasteries, labyrinthine villages and the great city of Thessaloniki, home to many different cultures during its 2300-year history.

It includes the UNESCO World Heritage site of Vergina, where Alexander the Great was proclaimed king and where visitors can view the lavish treasures of the tomb of his father, Phillip II. The tour also visits Meteora, renowned for its striking mountain landscapes in which ancient Byzantine monasteries sit precariously atop sandstone pillars.

Along the way, guests will experience the region’s culture through its food and wine, enjoying excellent meals at specially chosen venues and some of the wines that have emerged from the recent Greek winemaking revival.

From the Slopes of Mount Olympus to the Shores of the Aegean <http://www.petersommer.com/escorted-archaeological-tours/greece/macedonia-thessaloniki/>  operates from September 2 to 15, 2015, and costs £3595 per person (approx A$7220), including transport, accommodation, most meals, expert guides, airport transfers and all entrance fees. Excludes airfares.

For full details and bookings contact Peter Sommer Travels in the UK on 0011 44 1600 888 220, email info@petersommer.com <mailto:info@petersommer.com>  or visit www.petersommer.com <http://www.petersommer.com> . 
  

Source: Press release, MG Media.

http://www.bluecockatoo.com.au/video.php

Wedding Cake Tree

Wedding Cake Tree: Cornus controversa 'Variegata' ©AP

Seen today in a private garden! UK Summer 2015

The Mira Hong Kong – Tsukiji Market Theme Nights at Yamm

Tsukiji Market Theme Nights at Yamm

4 June 2015, Hong Kong: Harking back to its origin as a Japanese specialised restaurant, Yamm’s Tsukiji market-themed dinner buffet showcases cuisine from Japan on every first Friday of June, July, August and September. From jet-fresh sushi and sashimi assembled in front of your eyes to live cooking stations of teppanyaki, yakitori, ramen, the award-winning buffet restaurant of The Mira Hong Kong brings the buzz and the freshness of the world famous fish market in Tokyo with a buffet that’s all about Japanese essence and authenticity of flavor.

Among live cooking stations, chefs’ recommendations include hearty Bara Chirashi; fiery Japanese Green Chili (Shishito) yakitori; sushi of Salmon, Tuna, and Roasted Beef with Salt and Garlic; sashimi of Red Prawn (Aka Ebi), Hokkaido Scallop (Ike Hotate), Uni, Yellow Tail (Hamachi), Tilefish (Amadai) and Amberjack (Kanpachi); plus delicate and crispy tempura of shrimp, Enoki Mushrooms and Soft Shell Crab; as well as perfectly cooked teppanyaki of Wagyu Beef with Garlic and Onion, and Japanese Scallop. To complete the range of Japanese dining a choice of noodles will be served on the Udon & Ramen Station.

The myriad Japanese specialties will be complete with Yamm’s signature freshly shucked French and US oysters, fresh Boston lobsters, crab legs on ice, pan fried foie gras, international cheese and cold cuts, a choice of pan-Asian hot dishes and a decadent dessert corner with striking green Matcha White Chocolate Fountain and a full range of Japan-inspired sweets such as Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake, Cotton Japanese Cheesecake, Black Sesame Creme Brulee, Yuzu Pie and a live station of Roasted Sweet Potato Waffle. To complete the dining experience a selection of Japanese sake will be available.

Available on 5 June (Fri), 3 July (Fri), 7 August (Fri), 4 September (Fri), from 6:30pm till 10:00pm.
HK$788 (Adult) HK$498 (Child)

Yamm, G/F Lobby, The Mira Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsimshatsui

Online bookings with instant confirmation at: www.themirahotel.com <http://www.themirahotel.com>
WhatsApp instant bookings at: +852 9049 7122
For booking enquiries, please contact +852 2315 5111 or dining@themirahotel.com

Exclusive occupancy Àni Villas opening in Anguilla, Thailand and Sri Lanka ...

Àni Villas Anguilla South Villa Master Bedroom

Mine, all mine, anitime!

Àni Villas presents a totally private destination experience with guests having exclusive occupancy of the beautifully-appointed villas at each of the locations – Anguilla in the Caribbean's West Indies, Thailand's Koh Yao Noi Island and Sri Lanka.

Ani Art Academies is a global non-profit organisation supported by the Tim Reynolds Foundation, funded by Àni Villas owner, Tim Reynolds. The academies use an intensive multi-year curriculum, developed by master painter Anthony J. Waichulis, to provide oil-painting and drawing instruction to dedicated up-and-coming local artists. The villas provide a venue to expose the artists' work to guests and other people holidaying in the regions.

“Our locations are chosen for their idyllic, exotic natural beauty, as well as for the role that the accompanying Ani Art Academies can have on the surrounding communities,”said Àni Villas Chief Executive Officer, Ira Bloom.

“We aim to have our guests leave the everyday world and their worries behind – letting our team help shape memorable escapes of relaxation and adventure and introduce the best our destinations have to offer – be it local beaches, cuisine, culture, sports or other activities,”

Àni Villas destinations offer a full service team including concierge, butler, chef, housekeepers and security. Rates are inclusive of breakfast lunch and dinner each day, spirits, house wines, soft drinks, juices, daily snacks, cocktail service and mini bar. Complimentary activities also include cooking classes, daily children’s activity program, laundry, international phone calls, high-speed WiFi and unlimited movie and music streaming plus other inclusive special options at each location.

Àni Villas Anguilla
Àni Villas Anguilla in the Caribbean, West Indies presents a 4-bedroom North Villa and
6-bedroom South Villa perched on breathtaking cliffs with full ocean views overlooking Little Bay. Each villa has been designed in contemporary style by architect, Lee Skolnick and offers spacious accommodation, an enclosed kitchen and dining room, open lounge, private pool, roof deck and cliff top deck with hot tub. The South Villa also includes a ceremony platform. In addition to the standard inclusive components offered by Àni Villas, guests can enjoy complimentary paddle boarding, snorkelling, bike rides on trails by the villas and on dirt trails plus unlimited tennis and classes with the in-house professional. The majority of guests access the property flying into St Maarten and transferring via a 20-minute boat ride to Anguilla. Rates range from USD5000 per night for 4 bedrooms.

Àni Villas Thailand – Opening 1 June 2015
Àni Villas Thailand is a stunning 10-bedroom beachfront estate situated on the island of Koh Yao Noi and offering views of the dramatic limestone karst formations of Phang Nga Bay. The property’s remarkable design from Naga Concepts was inspired by the temples of Northern Thailand. In addition to the standard inclusive components offered by Àni Villas, guests can enjoy complimentary treatments in the property’s spa. The estate also offers a 30-metre oceanfront swimming pool, water slide and children’s pool, fitness centre and watersports equipment. Guests are transferred to the property from Phuket International Airport or Krabi Airport by helicopter (15 minutes) or private car and private or scheduled speedboat (50 minutes). Rates range from USD3250 per night for 6 bedrooms.

Àni Villas Sri Lanka – Opening 1 June 2015
Àni Villas Sri Lanka is a sprawling 15-bedroom beachfront compound, created by Reda Amalou and AW2 of Paris, and combining contemporary tropical architecture with the finest bespoke finishes and furnishings. Sitting atop a bluff on the central south coast of Sri Lanka, the property commands a panoramic view of an idyllic white-sand beach giving way to brilliant blue waters rolling in among headlands, reefs, and sandbars.  Àni Villas Sri Lanka offers spas with therapists on staff, oversized oceanfront pools and children’s pools with waterslides. An event pavilion and related facilities allow the property to host a wide range of events including weddings. Guests are transferred to the property from Colombo International Airport either by private car
(3 ½ hours) or charter seaplane (30 minutes). Rates range from USD2250 per night for 4 bedrooms.

For bookings at Àni Villas properties in Anguilla, Thailand and Sri Lanka contact Svetlana Jovanovic at The Unique Tourism Collection on svetlana@uniquetourism.com or
(02) 9211 6590.
www.anivillas.com
New website launching end of May 2015

Chen Zhen at Rockbund Art Museum

April 30th - This May, Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) in Shanghai will celebrate its 5th anniversary with an ambitious new exhibition “Chen Zhen: Without going to New York and Paris, life could be internationalised,” which will run from May 30 – October 7, 2015.

Purification Room, 2000-2015, Private Collection, Paris, Courtesy GALLERIA CONTINUA, San Gimignano / Beijing / Les Moulins © Chen Zhen / ADAGP, Paris - SACK, Seoul, 2015.

Daily Incantations, 1996, Courtesy de Sarthe Gallery, Hong Kong and GALLERIA CONTINUA, San Gimignano / Beijing / Les Moulins, Photo Tom Powell.

The exhibition will be displayed in RAM’s exquisite heritage Art Deco building on the Shanghai Bund district, which blends a Western architectural style (restored by David Chipperfield prior to opening in 2010) with Chinese decorative elements within Shanghai’s diverse cityscape. This blend reflects Chen Zhen’s own body of work, aiming to generate a powerful resonance and dynamic dialogue within the context of Shanghai as both a Chinese and global city. In conjunction with all of RAM’s programmes, the exhibition has been conceived and curated in close relation to the architectural and curatorial context of the Museum and highlights include Precipitous Parturition, a long sculpture made of bicycle inner tubes that will snake through the upper gallery space.

Organized by RAM, curated by international curator Hou Hanru, with Xu Min, the long-term life and work partner of Chen Zhen, as artistic consultant, the show will feature large-scale installations, as well as sketches and notes by Shanghai-born conceptual artist Chen Zhen (1955–2000). The exhibition will also include an installation from the catalogue Chen Zhen. 1991-2000 Unrealized (Ed. Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, 2007), thanks to the support of RAM in collaboration with the artist’s estate.

Largely recognized as one of the most important Chinese artists of the last two decades, Chen Zhen’s work derives from his personal experience of migrating and working across different continents and cultures.  Chen Zhen drew inspiration from his own life experience, travelling between his native city of Shanghai and Paris, responding to and engaging with contemporary social issues across different cultures.

The new exhibition will focus on Chen Zhen’s travels in and out of Shanghai during the 1990s, reflecting on the rapid changes of social reality within the city at this time. Chen Zhen frequently returned to Shanghai during this period and developed a series of new works responding to the changing social landscape as Shanghai established itself as a new global city. Large scale installations on display, such as Le Bureau de change and Daily Incantations reveal this interest in Shanghai’s urban and socio-economic developments and provide a commentary on the changing daily life Chen Zhen witnessed.

Throughout the exhibition, Chen Zhen’s keen interest in human conditions is presented, from his reflections on his own personal health, seen in the delicate alabaster and crystal sculptures of Zen Garden and Crystal Landscape of Inner Body (Coq), against the backdrop of an ever-changing economic, political and social landscape. Using a range of new and recycled materials, many of the installations include everyday objects that could be found on the streets but have been transformed into performative and site-specific assemblages. Alongside more traditional objects such as Chinese chamber pots and coins, Chen Zhen also worked with new technologies and digital media, marrying cultural heritages with contemporary innovations in order to create a synergy reflective of the contemporary world.

About the Artist
Chen Zhen was born in Shanghai, China in 1955, and died in Paris in 2000. In his home city he attended the Fine Arts and Craft School and the Drama Institute, specializing in set design. After moving to Paris, he studied at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and the Institut des Hautes Etudes en Arts Plastiques (where he later became a teacher) between 1986 and 1989. In the course of his career he received various international awards, and showed his work in about a hundred solo and group exhibitions around the world, becoming a prominent figure on the international art scene.

In 1990 he showed his first series of installations. From then on his artistic work dwelt entirely on three major periods of great importance for his own experience and his views on art: the Cultural Revolution, the reform of China and his engagement with the Western world. His work focuses on the relations between human beings, nature and objects; the incommunicability and lack of understanding between human beings; and finally on meditation and therapy. However, he was also interested in architecture and urbanization on a global scale.

About the curator
Hou Hanru is a curator and critic. Born in 1963 in Guangzhou, China, he received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and moved to Paris in 1990. He lived 16 years in France before moving to America in 2006. Based in Paris, San Francisco and Rome, he currently works as Artistic Director of MAXXI, National Museum of 21st Century Arts, Rome, Italy. He has been consultant to many international institutions. Among about twenty independent curators in the world, Hou is one of the top curators and thinkers.

For the Venice Biennale, the largest art platform in the world, Hou Hanru curated the French Pavilion in 1999, the “Zone Of Urgency” in 2003 and the Chinese Pavilion in 2007. These exhibitions brought him international recognition in the art world. He also worked as a curator at the Shanghai Biennale in 2000.

Hou Hanru co-curated "Cities on the Move" from 1997 to 2000, which involved more than 140 artists, architects and other creators, and toured seven cities around the world, receiving great global attention in the fields of art and architecture.

About RAM
For 5 years RAM has been at the fore-front of the growing contemporary art scene in China, presenting world-class programmes in a unique museum setting. A boutique Museum of the upmost quality, RAM holds a unique position within Shanghai’s continually expanding cultural scene. The Museum is located within the Bund district and housed in an exquisite heritage Art Deco building which was renovated by architect David Chipperfield before opening in 2010.

The museum’s exemplary curatorial, education and research programmes showcase acclaimed and emerging Chinese and international artists, responding to and reflecting on present and urgent challenges of society locally and internationally. RAM presents a bold and pioneering programme of 3 exhibitions per year; exploring and realising artists’ most ambitious projects and working with them to tailor exhibitions to the Museum and to the Shanghai context, often with a large proportion of works being new commissions. RAM devises, produces and curates its programme in-house, in conjunction with carefully selected international collaborations of the highest quality.


This year RAM will celebrate its 5th anniversary, reflecting on its exceptional programme over the past years; acknowledging the museum’s unique position within China’s dynamic contemporary art scene; looking ahead to continuing to develop its pioneering exhibition, education and research programmes; and pursuing its ongoing mission to engage the community to fulfil and grow the social function of the Museum. “Chen Zhen: Without going to New York and Paris, life could be internationalized” will be presented as part of RAM’s 5th anniversary celebrations.

Source: Press release.