Classic English Interiors
Monday, March 31, 2008
Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill is the daughter of the Duke of Marlborough, whose family seat is Blenheim Palace. Few people are more qualified to discuss English style than someone who grew up in a classic Georgian manor and has become a successful interior designer.
In this book, Spencer-Churchill explores the origins of English design and the influences that have created what today is considered classic English style. She takes us into the colorful rooms of Blenheim Palace as she breaks down the elements that combine to create the unstructured, eminently comfortable look that defines English style.
This is not the country cottage England of chintz and china dogs. This is, as the title suggests, classic style. The author’s text, particularly where she explains the history of English style and how to recreate it, provides an excellent blueprint for reproducing the best of the English look.
Greener, Faster
Germany Out in Front
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Modern sustainable construction owes much of its current status to developments in Germany over the past 50 years. The country is in the forefront on matters of ecology and technology, and continues to innovate in the materials, construction and maintenance of green buildings.
Germany today has gone beyond the energy efficient approach just now becoming more widespread in the U.S. The movement in Germany is towards “Bio Bau,” or organic building. This entails not just energy efficiency, but use of local, sustainable materials that contain no harmful chemicals, careful site selection to maximize light, heating and cooling, and use of technology to either enhance or mitigate natural occurrences. For example, floating houses actually rise with flood waters.
Almost every farm in Bavaria has solar panels on the roof of the barn. When American consumers catch up with that awareness, perhaps the U.S. can begin to compete in the development and production of green technology.
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It’s All About the Crema
Cappuccino Conquers the World
Monday, March 17, 2008
European kitchens have sprouted a new appliance. The cappuccino machine. Whether in city condominiums or farmhouses, grand villas or modest apartments, there’s a cappuccino maker on the counter.
Germany, Switzerland and Austria have really embraced the tradition. And even though the French have their own coffee traditions, they’ve also joined in. But unlike Italians, everyone drinks cappuccino throughout the day, not just in the morning.
Perhaps it’s part of globalization, or maybe it’s just all those George Clooney commercials-- his ads for a particular brand of espresso are ubiquitous in Europe. The Clooney coffee is a ready-to-brew version—one need only insert a small packet into the machine and presto, fresh espresso. The downside is that only that brand of coffee can be used. If you want to try a different bean or a different roast from what is offered, you’ll have to buy a different machine.
But not to worry, there are plenty to choose from!
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Egging Them On
Easter Traditions Go Oval
Monday, March 10, 2008
Have you put up your Easter tree yet?
German and other European families are visiting the Easter markets in town squares, shopping for goodies: twig baskets with feathered chicks hiding among daffodils and tulips; small wreaths holding greenery, tiny eggs and black speckled hens with bright red combs; and, of course, edible bunnies.
But the star of the show is the egg. Most families paint eggs at home, especially the children, but eggs of all sorts are available at the markets and in stores. One store in Salzburg specializes in Easter eggs—shoppers can choose from a mind-boggling assortment of offerings in two rooms. Sophisticated, traditional, glittery, appliqued, painted, patterned, freestyle, multicolored or painted to a theme, there are eggs to please everyone, each with a colored ribbon, ready to hang.
The “trees” themselves are usually small interestingly shaped twigs or some sort of catkin-bearing tree. You’ll see Easter trees in homes, bank lobbies, on stoops and in shop windows. In other words, everywhere. It’s a delightful tradition and one that deserves to travel!
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Fire in the Hole
Where You Never Expected It
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Don’t have a chimney? Have one chimney but want two fireplaces. More? No problem.
The Concept line from Planika will have flames dancing in any room you like. The secret is in an eco-friendly fuel based on ethyl alcohol. It’s smokeless and odor-free. Only water vapour and carbon dioxide are emitted - in proportions similar to those contained in the air exhaled from the lungs.
You can put a fire in your coffee table, in a wall unit, on the wall or in a sculptural form. The Coffee Fire Long is a sleek coffee table with aluminum legs into which is set a cyliner for your fire.
It’s easy to set up—the company promises that within 10 minutes, you’ll have a fire blazing!
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A Roll in the Hay
Spas Find a New Medium
Friday, February 22, 2008
Europeans are hitting the hay in greater numbers as the popularity of the “hay cure” increases.
Found most prominently in the Alpine regions, the hay cure makes use of a plentiful local resource—the flower and herb-filled grass that grows on the surrounding Alpine meadows. The hay comes from meadows between 900 and 1000 meters (it’s the same hay that the famed Alpine milk cows eat in winter—a dried version of the fresh grass and plants they graze on throughout the summer.)
These high meadows are filled with wild herbs and flowers—on average there are 85 different medicinal herbs in one square meter of meadow! The ground cannot be chemically fertilized and modern harvesting technology is banned, largely because the machines cut the grass too short and the little plants can’t grow tall enough to seed. So farmers manually reap the hay with scythes.
Light and airy, medium green in color with a marvelous aroma, the hay is sewn into natural linen cloths. The spa guest wraps herself in the cloths while moist warm air frees the aromatic oils in the hay that are absorbed through the skin. And the aromatherapy from the hay is not only good for breathing problems, but is said to be helpful with depression.
In any case, it smells wonderful and feels wonderful. No wonder European spas are making hay!
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