Author Archives: wanda

The Elegant Sugar Ridge Resort, Antigua

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A resort with a name so sweet has the ability to make your mind wonder. Sugar Ridge is located on Antigua’s western shore and is intergrated in an environment characterized by palm-trees and mesmerizing beaches.

Surrounded by lush vegetation, Sugar ridge resort offers its guest a chance to combine comfort with their love for nature and outdoor activities. The rooms at the hotel are grouped into sets of four, each with its own entrance. The official website of the resort provides further information: “The upper floor rooms have a large veranda, dining deck and day bed, whilst the lower floor rooms have similar facilities plus a private plunge pool. The romantic muslin draped king sized four poster bed is the centerpiece to the room, and our interior designer has made clever use of natural tones, contemporary styles, colonial accents and rich, dark woods.”

The first floor at Sugar Club is occupied by a generously-sized Spa, with four treatment rooms. Another focal point of the retreat is an 82-foot lap pool. Aerobic classes, Pilates and a yoga studio are also there for the taking. Check out more of the facilities of the resort here.


The Shirt Shuttle by Computer Technologies

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The folks at uncrate.com brought our attention to the nifty Shirt Shuttle by Computer Technologies.

The Shirt Shuttle is designed for a ‘crease-free commute’.

The Shirt Shuttle is an ergonomically designed traveling case for your shirt – created to ensure your shirt arrives at its destination in perfect condition. The secret is a curved-edge folding board in the case that ensures your shirt remains pristine and uncreased. The case is also lightweight and water-resistant.

So don’t endure another frustrating incident when your carefully packed shirt comes out of the suitcase in less than perfect condition.

The Shirt Shuttle costs about $50.

 


Straw hat by Etro

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The classic straw hat has never been so stylish and – dare we say – cool.
This handsome version by Etro is perfect for a sunny spring or summer day. It wears well in anything from shorts to a casual jacket. It features a tonal braided brim and contrast rope detail.Made in Italy, this Etro straw hat costs about $250.

etrostrawhat2 etrostrawhat1


Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Alexa Chung at Burberry Show, London

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Actors, models, musicians, fashionistas – the front row of the London Fashion Week – never looked more attractive than during the 2012 Burberry Autumn/Winter show. From supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to TV presenter Alexa Chung and Vogue editor, Anna Wintour; the Burberry fashion show was certainly the place to be to find out the latest in celebrity trends.

Other A-listers present at the event includes Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor, Birdsong actor Eddie Redmayne, British boxer Amir Khan, Kate Bosworth and many others.

The womenswear collection presented by the British luxury brand was all about classic English tailoring. Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey mentioned he created the line merging both city style as well as country living. Hence, there were lots of tweed caps, riding jackets, trench coats and velvet quilting.

The Daily Mail reported that Bridle leather straps, shearling parkas and quilting were evocative of the horse-riding country lifestyle of the English upper class, while cute owl drawings and appliques on some of the collection’s T-shirts and sweaters, as well as gold metal fox belt buckles, were a fun and quirky take on the “country” theme.

Shades that were mainly prevalent at the show include rich autumnal colours along with hues of burgundy, mustard and forest green.


Top Chef Judge Hugh Acheson’s Take On Southern Cuisine

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What does a native of Ottawa, Canada know about the new Southern cuisine? Turns out, plenty. Hugh Acheson, the chef behind the Athens, Georgia restaurant Five and Ten and a participant in Top Chef: Masters Season 3, has a keen understanding of the traditions of Southern cuisine but enough irreverence to reinvent the classics. Not too many cookbooks feature an introduction from the manager of a rock band but it makes perfect sense to have the manager of R.E.M., the band that put Athens, Georgia on the map, laud the town’s culinary adopted son. After all, Acheson’s cookbook, A New Turn In The South, isn’t just a celebration of Southern food it is also a love note to small-town life below the Mason Dixon line.

The book is full of new twists on Southern favorites. You’ll find boiled peanuts reinvented as hummus, pickled shrimp and that picnic favorite, deviled eggs. Acheson, who can be seen taking a turn at judging on “Top Chef” this season, is one of the stars of the new Southern cuisine which relies on traditional ingredients (okra, crawfish, grits etc.) but finds new ways to tell the story of country cooking, blending in techniques used in fine cuisine. The Southern restaurant tradition of the meat and three is celebrated in this book with plenty of vegetable options including some less familiar offerings such as cardoon gratin and saffron-braised celery. Acheson sees himself as the “block parent” of some of unloved and less popular vegetables including the much-maligned okra.

Those who have embraced the current trend for canning will be particularly interested in the chapter that focuses on “put-ups” such as bread and butter pickles and tomato chutney. The desserts are rich in local tradition with offerings such as lemon chess pie, apple brown Betty and the classic peach pie. The use of sorghum as a sweetener in several recipes adds both a traditional note and added richness of flavor.

The book’s homespun design with rough drawings and a scrapbook-like style suits the plain-spoken flavors in the food offered. Acheson isn’t just showing the food here, he’s telling a story about a region and a lifestyle.   He’s painting a picture with andouille sausage, catfish, cornmeal and collards. The ramshackle style of the book, mixing illustrations, photos, handwritten notes and scrapbook-like backgrounds, gives the book a potluck-like feel and help the book’s Southern heart shine through. This food isn’t the most elegant but it is resonant with history and honors the legacy of home cooks and small restaurants alike.


Sheltering A Friendly Atmosphere: La Grelha Restaurant in Mexico

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La Grelha Restaurant is located in Guadalajara, Mexico and even though its design is based on the word “Le Grelha “, meaning “barbecue”, this place does not lack elegance. Envisioned by the architects at Hernandez Silva, the restaurant stands out due to a clever architecture plan and a welcoming atmosphere.

La Grelha Restaurant in Mexico is an open plan project, where the visit of large groups is encouraged. Red glass lighting give this place a bar-feel, while the wood inspires coziness. The city of Guadalajara has a subtropical climate, with a humid atmosphere, so designing an outdoor terrace is sure to bring in more clients. Open towards a lush vegetation, the restaurant is sure to provide an overall sense of tranquility and relaxation. Dining here in the evenings is particularly appealing, as the lights are lit one by and the only things that customers here are the soothing nature movements interrupted by friendly conversation.


Salma Hayek at Alexander McQueen, London

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Fashion house Alexander McQueen on Monday came up with its new autumn/winter collection for its McQ label at the London fashion week, two years after its founder’s suicide.

Models clad in belted trench coats with black furry neck mufflers, military great coats, leather belts, black watch tartans, thigh high laced boots and skirts covered with embroidered flowers walked the ramp on the fourth day of the weeklong fashion extravaganza held at the Old Sorting Office Building, central London.

When American supermodel Kristen McMenamy took to the stage, leaves drifted onto her and she found a white rope at her feet. She pulled the rope and the backdrop changed into a winter forest as if magic.

Actress Salma Hayek, who appeared at the show, looked stunning in a tiger print costume, with a black belt attached to her waist. Adding to it, she wore a pair of tights and black patent heels.

She came with her husband Francois-Henri Pinault, head of luxury fashion conglomerate PPR.

“The show was truly sensational – really, really amazing – not at all what I was expecting. The clothes were already unforgettable and extraordinary,” the Mail Online quoted her as saying.

Hayek also praised Alexander Mcqueen’s creative director, Sarah Burton, saying that she had set the bar really high.

“Sarah Burton set the bar really high – it makes me nervous it is so good. What is she going to do for McQueen now? She said.

The show was a success and Sarah Burton was greeted with applause when she appeared on stage. She said: “This was about a love of McQueen and everything we do,” she said.

It was first show for the fashion house after the death of its founder, Alexander McQueen, who committed suicide in 2010.


$199 Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet to enter market

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Barnes & Noble’s has Amazon’s Kindle Fire squarely in its sights with its new Nook tablet.

The new 8-gigabyte tablet is priced at $199, matching the Kindle Fire in price and memory.

The Nook segment is a growing part of B&N’s business model, but the 16GB Nook Tablet introduced last fall failed to sell well after the Kindle Fire was released at a lower price point. B&N is banking the the lower price, and the ability to sell at brick and mortar locations, will spur sales.

The new Nook tablet has a 1-gigahertz dual-core processor, and a slot for an SDMicro card. Barnes & Noble’s claims you can get 11.5 hours of reading time and nine hours of video playback.

The new Nook Tablet is available online now, and will reach retailers, such as Best Buy and Walmart, in the coming weeks.


Munch’s ‘Scream’ could fetch $80 million at auction

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Sotheby’s auction house will offer for sale the only privately owned version of Edvard Munch’s iconic “The Scream” at an auction in New York on May 2. The auction of one of world’s most recognizable paintings is expected to net more than $80 million. There are only four versions of “The Scream”. The one for auction is a pastel version, which dates back to 1895. It is currently owned by Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen, whose father was a friend and patron of Munch.

Olsen said proceeds from the sale would go towards building a new museum, art center and hotel at his farm in Norway.


Whiskey of the Gods – Highland Park Thor

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Highland Park distillery will release four limited edition single malt whiskies. Each of the whiskies included in the Valhalla Collection is named and inspired by Norse legends and gods.  The Orkney islands, where Highland Park is distilled, has a rich Norse history.

The first release in The Valhalla Collection is the Highland Park Thor, named after the Norse god of thunder – famous for his mighty hammer, Mjollnir.  In fact, the hammer is depicted on the bottle. The whiskey itself has been aged 16 years and has a natural cask strength of 52.1% ABV.

The limited edition whiskey – only 23,000 will be shipped worldwide – is presented in a stunning and unique wooden box, which represents the head piece of a Nordic long boat.

Here’s a rundown on the new Highland Park Thor

Appearance: Rich amber
Nose: Concentrated and forceful, with aromatic smoke, fresh ginger, antique copper, stewed plums, and golden syrup. With water, earthy notes emerge, like a garden after a heavy rain shower.
Palate: Initially dry, with gingerbread then vanilla, blackberries, fresh mango, peach and hints of cinnamon. As its flavors swirl around the mouth, some softer, sweeter notes develop.
Finish:Lingering notes of sweet vanilla and an intense spiciness.
The price for Highland Park Thor will be around $150. It’s not cheap, but the whiskey is good and the packaging is extraordinary.