It's another Blue Sky Friday!
And this week, we came across a very cool and innovative idea involving an everyday (well, every-other-weekend) item.
The tent!
Why have all tents always looked pretty much the same? We customise everything else, why not tents? And even more so, why have we been satisfied with those boring, standard tent colours for so long? I mean, with tears in my eyes, two-tone is like an assault on my eye sockets ... and it's not like we're trying to camouflage ourselves at Rocking The Daisies.
Enter FieldCandy Tents. They do not give you camouflage protection in the natural setting, nor do they help you blend in with the rest of the crowd at the campsite. These babies are designed to stand out and make you want to sprout poetry, and possibly break out an interpretive dance routine of sorts.
So, through a two-year development process, Jersey, UK-based FieldCandy has created what we did not know we needed. Until now. They selected a group of 20 or so artists and designers – photographers, graphic designers, illustrators, branding and advertising designers – to create designs that were then transferred to the ultra-light, waterproof flysheet that covers the two-person tent.
To pick out your favourite from their collection, visit the FIELDCANDY WEBSITE ...
And when the tent is a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'!
We love original thought.
But even more so, we love original thought that's been smooshed through a meat grinder to produce a million offshoots of thoughts. A thought within a thought (within a thought).
We are calling this Inception-like-thought-process BRANDSROCK "BLUE SKY" FRIDAY'S, and every week it's where we share one really cool idea/notion/concept/doodle/thingamabob for no reason whatsoever, other than to inspire you to think in a different colour for a few seconds.
It may even spark an entirely new thought in your brain matter, which would be a little bit wonderful, wouldn't it just?
To kick-start the process - to "plant the thought-seed" if you will - take a look at this incredibly simple yet fun & effective idea that even your goldfish could pull off ... okay maybe keep the goldfish away from the blender.
So a touch of maintenance is involved here, but the results are totally worth it!
Okay people ... here's where you start watering your "thought-plants" (see what I did there?) and if you think you can contribute to our BLUE SKY FRIDAY's with something seriously rad, send us a smoke signal or two ...
And hope for clear skies!
Sometimes staying in a regular, run-of-the-mill, four-walls-and-a-floor hotel is just not all it's cracked up to be. I mean who needs comfort anyway!
We all know the story of Hotel California ..... "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave"
Well heck, let's hope that's not true for some of these - the frikkin' weirdest - hotels on the planet. The only thing freakier are the people who had the time, money and random thought process to build 'em.
But before we get started, allow us to educate and enlighten you with a few fun facts about l'hôtel ...
Largest : In 2006, Guinness World Records listed the First World Hotel and Resort in Genting Highlands, Malaysia as the world's largest hotel with a total of 6,118 rooms. Second in line, although not as large, is the Venetian Palazzo Complex in Las Vegas which boasts a whopping 7,117 rooms followed by MGM Grand Hotel, which contains 6,852 rooms. That's a lot of drunk, poor people in one place.
Oldest : According to the Guinness World Records, the oldest hotel still in operation is the Hoshi Ryokan, in the Awazu Onsen area of Komatsu, Japan which opened in 718. Sushi and Sake make you live longer, apparently.
Tallest : The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong is claimed to be the world's highest hotel. It is located in the top floors of Hong Kong's tallest building, the 488 meter tall International Commerce Centre. Just don't frikkin' look down!
$$$ : The Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi Hotel in Athens claims to be the most expensive hotel suite in the world. Total area is 1188 square metres, and in addition you get a heated swimming pool, steam room, private beach, butler, chef, piano (with a pianist, obviously!) ... but you'd have to fork out $47,527 per night. Ag man, that's loose change!
Okay so back to the matter at hand.
They may not be the largest, oldest or cost you your youngest child, but there is no shortage of plain ol' weird-ass hotels around the world. Okay some of them are pretty cool too.
Starting with this one ...
The Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho, USA
Sleeping in the doghouse is no bad thing at this bed & breakfast, "imaginatively" set inside a 12ft beagle. Created by a pair of "chainsaw artists" (cough cough), the lodgings benefit from a cozy alcove in the dog's muzzle. Fun! (don't ask me where those stairs go) ...
Das Park Hotel, Linz, Austria
Ah the sewerage pipe ... so many uses, so little time. And who would have thought concrete could be comfy? These renovated sewage pipes are, thankfully, clean and functional and sit on the banks of the Danube, making them a perfect post-industrial bolt hole. I wonder if the toilets have been "renovated" into handy dishwashing units?
The Old Jail, Mount Gambier, South Australia
Independently minded travellers who yawn in the face of "bright, airy and spacious" should check out this budget hostel. Inmates can expect secure lodgings and a yard to exercise in at the former prison where very little has changed – except that rooms can now be locked from the inside. The rooms apparently go for an absolute steal. Haha.
Gruft - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin
Deep sleepers should perhaps avoid the Gothic beds at this unique hotel in Berlin – or just opt for a less terrifying bed in the "labyrinth" part of the room below. Hmmmm, at least it's quiet!
Upside Down - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin
Propeller Island is sounding more and more interesting ... These rooms are created by German artist Lars Stroschen with the aim of altering guests' perceptions, something this "upside-down" room certainly achieves. Forgive me for mistaking this for the world's worst sunbed experience.
Wrapped - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin
Other rooms in this "living work of art" allow guests the chance to sleep in a padded cell, under Nordic runes, or down a mine shaft. Sounds like the ideal family holiday destination of choice, doesn't it?
The Hobbit Motel, Woodlyn Park, Waitomo, New Zealand
Put aside your preconceptions of the soulless motel – these Lord of The Rings-inspired rooms invoke homely charms suitable for the most discerning of hobbits.
Capsule Hotel, The Hague, Netherlands
Unusual but indestructible, these orange "survival pods" were previously used on oil rig platforms and can be floated in different locations. A James Bond version boasts a DVD player and a Martini-making set. Bit tight for our liking - can't exactly throw a TV set out these windows ... not very rock 'n roll.
The Poseidon Resort, Bahamas
Rooms at the Poseidon Resort lie 40 feet underwater, encased in a 4-inch acrylic outer casing, giving guests a glimpse of life under the sea. Let's just hope PG Glass is down the road.
Forest Hut Hotel, Sweden
For a nominal fee, travelers in Kolarbyn, Sweden, can be left to fend for themselves while roughing it in a rustic forest hut. Food drops are optional. Long drops, compulsory.
[source : Telegraph]
There is no denying that Steve Jobs had a 'knack' for design and aesthetics.
From the tiny iPod Shuffle to the 27-inch beauty of the iMac, Jobs spared no expense at ensuring that every piece of his gadgetry not only worked brilliantly, but looked impeccable at the same time!
So why should he do any less for the stores that sell these very products?
His Apple stores are no exception to his rule, and the stores have developed a reputation over the years for their stunning statement-making exteriors.
The globe's top cities are showing off with their innovative and beautiful architecture and design. From New York to Shanghai, these Apple stores have earned their bragging rights....
Fifth Avenue, New York
Apple's Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York has become iconic for its Lourve-like glass design and plunging glass staircase. Launched in 2006, the store is now a model for innovative design. Apple recently renovated the glass cube for an estimated cost of $6.6 million. If not, why not!
Sanlitun (Bejing)
Apple's flagship store in Bejing in its Sanlitun shopping distract made the news recently after angry customers tossed eggs at the location after it cancelled the launch of the iPhone 4S -- due to the amount of people that flocked to the store and to ensure safety in the area. Launched in 2008, this was the company's first Apple store in China.
Paris, France
The Apple Opéra Store – facing the city's famous Opera de Paris, is gorgeous and very Parisian. The location, which opened in 2010, features original décor from the bank that once occupied the space. Inside, carved wooden stairs with wrought-iron railings connect the floors, instead of Apple's signature glass and chrome steps.
Pudong (Shanghai)
Apple may have made its Lourve-like design famous in New York, but Shanghai's stunning cylindrical glass entrance is a sight to see (not that I've actually been there) ... A glass spiral staircase leads shoppers to the store below.
Covent Garden, London
The Apple Store in Covent Garden is the heart of London. It features sweeping, covered archways outside the historic store and a central see-through ceiling inside. The interior also features two glass staircases, a spiral and a square-shaped one ... (someone liked spiral staircases!)
Grand Central, New York
What sets the Grand Central Station store in New York City apart from others – in addition to its record size of 23,000 square feet, making it the largest in the world – is its location. The store overlooks and wraps around the main concourse of New York's classic commuter station from the East and North East balconies of the main concourse, which serves as a beautiful backdrop to the Apple experience. Some 750,000 people pass by the store in an average day. How's that for prime property!
IFC Mall (Hong Kong)
Apple's flagship store in Hong Kong – which launched in September 2011 – is unique in that it sits on what resembles an overpass, so cars can drive below.
.... so when do we get a fancy one? *cough cough*
~ * ~
[source : Mashable; Images : Apple]
