Guillermo Sedano Vivanco, winner of the XXII BMW Painting Award
January 28, 2008
The first prize of the twenty-second edition of the BMW Painting Award has been won by Burgos-born Guillermo Sedano Vivanco, for his painting, Nevada (Snowfall).
The award bears purse of 35,000 euros. In the opinion of the judges, “Nevada is a winter landscape, with a realist basis and impressionist touch which represents the effect of a snowfall. The whites and greys contrast with the copper-coloured rocks on a rusty, scrap metal base, in perfect harmony, creating an atmosphere that is crystal-clear and clean”.
Also, in this 22nd edition, BMW awarded to the youngest artist who reaches the final selection, the Mario Antolín Scholarship for Pictorial Research, carrying a monetary prize of 9,000 euros. The Scholarship was awardeded to Raúl Valero Barrios from Alicante, born 27 June 1980, for his work The Thyssen in the afternoon.
Bat For Lashes
January 28, 2008
“He is singing in her bat’s mouth / He is shaking and dancing…” – so sings Natasha Khan on Fur & Gold. What better way to see in Samhain than losing yourself in the tenebrous, atmospheric world of a Bat For Lashes show. According to Thom Yorke “her songs come from the world of Grimm’s fairytales.” The all-female outfit have come a long way since their first big London gig supporting CocoRosie in 2005 at the Scala – the album was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize. Having returned from a successful US tour, their gigs won’t be the best kept secrets of old so best head down to Flèche d’Or before it’s too late. They’re likely to be a different kind of show involving guest musicians and visuals so prepare for “a special, theatrical evening” says Natasha. Like a bat out of hell, she’ll be gone before the morning comes.
Flèche d’Or
102 bis rue de Bagnolet
75020 Paris
Heavy Trash
January 28, 2008
First time I saw John Spencer live was a revelation. In an era of sludgy post-grunge dullards this scruffy three-piece seemed to have broken rock ‘n’ roll down into its three most primal parts; huge slabs of grimy guitar riff, occasionally howling “Blues Explosion” at top volume, and great hair. When the JSBE went the way of all flesh I figured he’d come back all spruced up, calmed down and ready to take his place at the serious kids’ table with long-time admirers like Beck and Jack White. Nope – he did the opposite – stripped back to a two-piece, delved deeper into the roots of Americana and came up with an album of raw-hearted rockabilly and soul that’s as dumb and joyful as anything you’ll hear all year. A true original – don’t miss.
Musicdrome
Via Pier Alessandro Paravia, 59
20148 Milan
Italy
Bottega Di Gelato
January 28, 2008
While we’re steppin’ out on Via del Governo Vecchio, adjacent is Via di
Tor Millina and it would be unforgivable if we didn’t share with you
this nugget tucked away at number 15. Since 1915, so they’re doing
something right.
Serving the largest, most generous helping of gelato we’ve yet
(happily) been on the receiving end of and despite this astonishing,
though unseasonal, claim that is not what keeps us coming back.
No, sir. We come for the luxuriously fresh smoothies. Blended while you
wait, from a vast and juicy selection of local fruit. A refreshing
respite in Rome’s summer heat, but equally a healthy pick-me-up when
you have a tiring schedule and need a boost.
There’s a great friendly personal service and a rogues’ gallery of
photos to keep you entertained while you await your selection.
Milk
January 28, 2008
Chic and unpretentious, Irish-owned bar/bistro Milk has the best Sunday brunch in town and a nightly happy hour from 7pm until 9pm, when you can get an elegant cosmopolitan double the size of anywhere else in town for half the price. Ideal for that first date. Soulful music and toilet walls lined with comic strips complete the experience.
Open 6.30pm-3am Mon-Sat; noon-3am Sun.
C/Gignàs 21
08002 Barcelona
Tel: 93 268 09 22
Pivovar U Bulovky
January 28, 2008
When beer connoisseurs rave about this small brewpub in the Liben hills overlooking Prague, they do so in the quiet, feverish tones of conspirators. The uninitiated might suggest that 20 minutes on a tram is a bit far to go for a drink in a town overflowing with very good beer. They will respond with a shrug and the slightest lifting of an eyebrow, which suggests that their secret is safe from one more philistine.
The subject of the cultish devotion is the selection of small-batch beers on offer, including several excellent, German-style brews like the cloudy, top-fermented Richter Alt and a Bavarian-style Weissbier. What’s more, U Bulovky has an outstanding kitchen which turns out succulent steaks and chops as well as more traditional pub fare. Reservations recommended.
Pivovar U Bulovky
Bulovka 17, Prague 8-Liben
Tel. 284 840 650, 602 431 077
Open Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight, Saturday noon-midnight
Joaquín Cortés
January 28, 2008
Joaquín Cortés, devilishly handsome and dressed by Jean Paul Gaultier, indulges in a frenetic show of foot-stamping, sweat-spurting, shamelessly attention-seeking flamenco dance with interludes of rapturous applause from the audience. With his private clan of musicians and singers to frame him, JC attains new heights in Latino kitch in this highly theatrical performance entitled Mi Soledad (My Solitude). Leave your boyfriend at home. O-lé. Tickets are €20-€58
January 31 to February 3, 9.30pm/7pm on Sunday
Tívoli theatre
C/Casp 8-10
08010 Barcelona
Ultra deluxe honeymoon in Tulum
January 23, 2008
Enjoy 4 nights of accommodation in a Suite Deluxe Ocean View, in ALL INCLUSIVE GOURMET plan with the following facilities:
- transfer-in/out in limousine
- personal butler 24 hours a day for anything you need
- fresh flowers and tropical fruits all the time
- aromatherapy menu
- pillow menu
- I-pod music menu
- films menu
- rose petals and candles in the Jacuzzi
- pets friendly with a special food and massages menu for pets
Eurostars Hotels invites clients to enjoy reading ‘The barber of Antananarivo’.
January 23, 2008
The book, a series of adventures narrated in the first person by the physician, sportsman and diplomat, Josep A. Pujante, is distributed free in all the rooms of establishments of the chain belonging to the Hotusa Group
Eurostars Hotels has begun to distribute throughout the over 4,000 rooms belonging to their establishments, copies of the book ‘The Barber of Antananarivo’ by Josep Antoni Pujante. This piece of work has won the third edition of the Eurostars Hotels Travel Narrative Prize, the competition organized by the Hotusa Group - with the collaboration of the publishing house RBA Libros and BarcelonaUniversity - who will shortly be announcing the conditions for the fourth edition of the event.
‘The Barber of Antananarivo’ is the story of a personal challenge that the author set himself after crowning the seven highest mountains on the five continents and the two polar regions: that of climbing the peaks of the seven largest islands in the world. The winning narration of the third edition of the Eurostars Hotels Travel Narrative Prize is focused on three of his most exciting ascents, written in the first person and following the general pattern of adventure tales.
The book begins with a meeting, in
In the light of the quality of the book and as already experienced with the last winner of the competition, ‘Crónicas de Ida y Vuelta’ (Chronicles of Return Journeys), which was published in an extended edition for distribution in bookshops under the title ‘Pasajes a América’ (Voyages to America), RBA Libros will conduct a promotional launching of a book that, apart from the three stories related in the edition distributed via Eurostars Hotels establishments, will include other expeditions carried out by J.A. Pujante in different parts of the world throughout his lifetime.
This literary competition, with a monetary value of 18,000 euros, is one of the hotel chain’s firm commitments with the world of art and culture and has become a reference in travel literature. The enterprise, now fully consolidated in its third edition, is complemented with the announcement of two photographic awards: the Grand Marina Photography Prize, which in 2007 reached its seventh edition and the Eurostars Hotels Photography Prize, as well as exhibitions by local artists on show each month in establishments belonging to the chain.
The panel of judges in this latest edition of the competition, in which 36 manuscripts were presented, comprised personalities such as writers Angela Vallvey (Los estados carenciales[States of Deficiency], Nadal Award, 2002; A la caza del último salvaje[Hunting the last Savage], published in twelve different languages and which will shortly be adapted as a movie) and Alfredo Conde (Los otros días [Other Days], Nadal Award, 1991 and Xa vaio Griffin no vento, National Narrative Award, 1986); Hotusa Hotels director, Ana Sanjurjo; Head of the Department of Spanish Language of Barcelona University, Adolfo Sotelo Vázquez and General Manager of RBA LibrosS.A., Joaquim Palau.
The first two editions of the competition were won by ‘Crónicas de Ida y Vuelta’ (Chronicles of Return Journeys), the first book by journalist, Héctor Oliva, who takes stock of the adventures experienced by three travellers from Catalonia to America, at different periods but sharing a sole objective, that of furthering progress and their love of adventure; and ‘Crónicas de Selva’, by the Colombian author, Eladio de Valdenebro, the story of twenty-five days of an expedition, apparently scientific, carried out by three young Colombians in search of unknown plants in the Choco jungle.
An image of the Modern Art Museum of Vienna wins the II Eurostars Hotels Photography Prize
January 23, 2008
This annual event, organized by the Hotusa Group, received over 450 competing images sent in by clients.
The second edition of the Eurostars Hotels Photography Prize, ‘Your View is Personal’, organized by the hotel chain amongst clients to offer them the opportunity of contributing their own personal views of the destinations where the chain is present, announces its winners. The first prize goes to an avant-garde image of the entrance to the ‘Stiftung Ludwig Wien’, the Viennese contemporary art museum, photographed by Edgar Fernández. Read more
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