Zaha Hadid's Elastika in Moore Building, Design District

A walk in the Miami Design District is always a wonderful pass time! Furniture stores galore, world famous fashion designer shops.
Enjoy a great lunch at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink.
And take a look inside the Moore Building in the corner of 2nd Avenue and 40th Street and Zaha Hadids permanent installation Elastika. In 2005, Design Miami honored her as Designer of the Year and Elastika was created in response. The atrium is great for events and can accommodate 4,400 people for receptions. Also take a look at the neoclassical Buena Vista Post Office built in 1921.

Do you have enough light in your home?

Think about the function of each room, decide what mood you want to create and consider how the different lighting types will harmonize in any given room.

• Plan to use different types of lighting fixtures for different tasks
• Plan to have illumination flow in different directions
• Plan to position fixtures at different heights
• Plan for different intensity of illumination

The picture shows an old chandelier I found in one of the apartments I renovated. I fixed it, a dimmer decides the intensity, placed it over my contemporary glass dinner table and voila mood, why not romantic is created!

Zaha Hadid at Dansk Arkitektur Center, Copenhagen, Denmark

Back in Miami Beach after wonderful summer months in Sweden, some time also spent in Denmark and with so many fantastic memories to enjoy!
I had a chance to see the exhibition Zaha Hadid - World Architecture at Dansk Arkitektur Center in Copenhagen this August.
It is amazing what she and her Group has designed all over the world, incredible experiments with spatial forms, combining a mathematical approach with new digital tools. They talk about a parametric design, a new style after modernism. Zaha Hadid grew up in Bagdad, went to school in England as a child and studied mathematics at the American University of Beirut. 1972 she returned to England to study at Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.
In 2004, she became the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize. Considered to be the architectural world's Nobel Prize! And she has designed speedboats, jewelry, furniture and lamps as well! What a woman to admire!
And here in Miami Downtown we are looking forward to her creation One Thousand Museum Condo, 706 feet tall at 1000 Biscayne Boulevard. And this building will be tied into the cultural area in Downtown with the Jorge Perez Art Museum Miami and Frost Museum of Science. And with the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts close by. And the AAA sports and events arena (American Airlines Arena) not to forget.

Regalia Limited Edition Living in Sunny Isles Beach

Architecture in Miami surprise me every day! I am so thrilled just walking the beach and see all these new constructions coming up from Sunny Isles Beach to South Beach. Today I will just give you one hint what is going on. More to come! On one acre land in Golden Beach, Regalia Limited Edition Living is rising 46 floors up in the air and with 39 units.
The construction is amazing, you think about the waves, the water, serenity. And imagine you are the only one living on your floor! You have a 360 degree view, windows all around floor-to-ceiling! Do not worry, it is built for Miami weather conditions! You will enjoy the sunrise and the sunset from your own residence! Everything will be top of the line! Luxury Living!
The picture is taken on May 26, 2013.
Interested, let me know!

Regalia Limited Edition Living, Collins Ave

Colonia, Uruguay

Colonia in southwestern Uruguay and the historic quarters of town is a lovely place for a visit. The boat/ferry took us from Buenos Aires across Rio de la Plata to Colonia in one hour and the bus to Montevideo in 3 hours.
I was not so happy the last evening in Montevideo because I was robbed and had to go to the hospital for 9 stitches in a finger! It was terrible, I really felt violated and angry, and unfortunately robbery happens to many every day. I thought I was very careful, but.... I was quite lucky anyway and I am thankful for that.
Back to Colonia. The city is an old Portuguese colony and was founded 1680. Actually it is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The old city gate with its drawbridge was partially rebuilt between 1968 and 1971. The old streets paved with cobble stones were almost a challenge to walk! The lighthouse was just georgeous and the view from there was spectacular. Lots and lots of museum reminding us of times gone by.

Colonia med dess historiska kvarter var en lisa för själen att besöka tillsammans med alla andra turister skall jag säga! Men man hittar sin lilla gata som ligger där stilla och vacker och kommer runt alla turister. Colonia var en portugisisk koloni från början och grundades 1680. Nu finns den på listan över världskulturarv. Stenbelagda gator och hus som var flera hundra år gamla, plazan mitt i staden, katedralen allt bidrog till Colonias charm.
Till Colonia kom vi med båt från Buenos Aires över Rio de la Plata. Det tog 1 timme. Efter vårt besök i Colonia åkte vi till Montevideo med buss, som tog 3 timmar.
Tyvärr blev vårt besök i Montevideo fläckat av att jag blev rånad och fick åka till sjukhus och sy 9 stygn i mitt finger! Men jag är så tacksam och glad att det inte hände värre saker. Ibland brister ens uppmärksamhet, man kanske kommer ovetandes in i fel område och så händer det... och detta trots att man vet och försöker vara så försiktig som möjligt.

  

On a Sunday afternoon in Buenos Aires

Vad gör man på en söndag i Buenos Aires? Jo t ex kan man besöka San Telmo och vandra från Plaza Dorrego och längs Defensa tillsammans med alla andra. Här ligger Mercado de San Telmo som öppnade 1897 med sitt utbud av allt från antikviteter, kött, grönsaker och frukt till rena skräpet! Du kan få en god färskpressad apelsinjuce att dricka och stanna i ett gathörn och se tangodansare underhålla alla turister.
När man tröttnat på detta tar man en taxi till La Boca och vandrar runt på huvudgatan Caminito. Ja så klart jättemycket turister även här men det är så fascinernade att se alla färgglada hus. Det var en konstnär Quinquela Martin som bidrog till alla färger. Han gick ner till hamnen och bad om överbliven färg från båtarna och delade ut till de boende och voila! från trista omålade trähus till dessa glatt målade hus som är så typiska för Caminito. Och alla tangodansare och gauchos som underhåller inte att förglömma. När vi vandrade där kom ett gäng brasilianare med alla sina trummor och andra rytmiska instrument och ledde karnevalståget! Stämningen blev på topp!

What is there to do on a Sunday afternoon in Buenos Aires? Well, how about San Telmo and the nice walk from Plaza Dorrego and along Defensa together with an impressive crowd of people, shopping for antiques, meat, vegetables, fruit, clothes, jewalry, leather articles and some junk as well. The Mercado de San Telmo opened in 1897 and maintains the original Italian style facade. But hundreds of vendors seem to line the long street of Defensa both sides as well. On the way stop for a freshly squeezed orange juice and watch the tango dancers in the street corners.
When you feel this is enough take a taxi to La Boca and walk around the main street Caminito. Enjoy all the colorful houses, the tango dancers and the gaucho show, all very impressive and fun! All of a sudden you might hear the drums and rythm of Brazilian musicians and nobody can be still, it is like Carnival on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

There was an Argentinian artist Quinquela Martin that supplied paint and the ugly wooden houses could be so much more than only gray looking! He went to the harbor and the ships and asked for left over paint! Quinquela is one of the most popular Argentinian artists and his paintings pictures a lot of port motives. He was born in La Boca and lived between 1890 and 1977.

Palermo Soho in Buenos Aires

Palermo Soho, this is the neighborhood to visit if you like me, love small designer stores, cafes, book stores and charming street life! This area was named after the Soho district in New York when young designers wanted to create their own space away from big brand names. Walking on these cobblestone streets and enjoy old houses and all the small boutiques reminds me of some neighborhoods in Paris.
Palermo is divided into many areas and you can also visit Palermo Hollywood with its many television, movies, radio studios and production companies. You also find a lot of restaurants here and decoration stores. If you want you can have a Swedish herring sandwich!

Promenera i Palermo Soho och njut, bara njut! Det är så fullt av charm och små underbara boutiquer och cafeer och bokaffärer! Och tänk du kan faktiskt t o m beställa en svensk smörgås med sill!!

Pampas and San Antonio de Areco

Pampas!" Dit kom jag ridande en afton ........ för jag ville dansa tango"!
Ja, det kanske jag ville men jag var där för att njuta av vackra hästar och ett besök i en liten stad 113 kilometer utanför Buenos Aires, San Antonio de Areco. Där kan man gå in till olika hantverkare som gör helt fantastiska silverarbeten, läderarbeten och underbart god choklad som jag fick smaka på tills jag inte kunde stoppa i mig mer! Besöket i denna lilla charmiga stad från 1730 avslutades på ett gaucho-cafe med fantastiska smörgåsar och och en kall öl, som svalkade gott!

Pampas! horses, horses and horses and gauchos as well! San Antonio de Areco is a charming city 113 km from Buenos Aires and founded 1730. Each year in November they celebrate Tradition Day a gaucho celebration. You can visit stores with beautiful handicrafts made of silver and leather. There is a small lovely factory and store selling chocolate which I love! And I got to taste as much as I wanted! Paradise! The visit ended with a delicious sandwich and a cold beer at a gaucho cafe! Perfect for this hot day in January!

The Colon Theatre in Buenos Aires

Is the Colon Theatre the most beautiful of all theatres in the world? That is what Mikhail Baryshnikov thinks. And Sweden's own Birgit Nilson fell in love with this theatre as well. She said:"..the ideal acoustics and the knowing and enthusiastic public all this combined is really unique, and therefore for me the Teatro Colon is number one..."
And I myself enjoyed the tour of the theatre a lot. It is really possible to envision all the famous artists of the world that has performed here, the gala dressed audience, the whole atmosphere of this famous theatre, rated among the 5 best operahouses in the world when it comes to acoustics.
And I was so happy to hear that Gustavo Dudamel will again perform here this coming season (March to December). He is honorary conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony in Gothenburg, Sweden (my native country). And recently named Musical America's 2013 Musician of the Year!

 

Back to Colon. Upon entering the theatre I was so impressed by the beautiful staircase in white Carrara marble, the columns made in reddish Verona marble and yellow marble from Siena, all imported from Europe! The two lions that guard the staircase are made of beautiful Portuguese marble. It really was amazing, the Auditorium, the Galley with the busts of our big composers like Bethooven, Wagner, Bellini and more, the Ceilings with beautiful paintings, the Golden Hall, the Stage that is 34,50 m by 35,25 m and one of the largest in the world! And the very splendid central chandelier with 753 bulbs and weighs approximately 5 tons. If you are in Buenos Aires do not miss this beauty and maybe you are lucky to attend a concert, opera or a ballet!

 

Ett besök på El Teatro Colon är väl värt din tid! Nyligen restaurerad visar den upp sin fantastiska glans med marmor av bästa sort, statyer, kandelabrar, sammetsklädda stolar, en av världens största scener, guldplaterade marmorpelare och mycket mer. Vår Birgit Nilson ansåg detta operahus vara nummer 1 och vilka scener över hela världen har inte besökts av henne? Det är nästan med andäktighet man guidas runt i denna överdådiga byggnad som invigdes för andra gången den 25 maj 1908 med operan Aida av Giuseppe Verdi. Operahuset stod först färdigt 1857 men mot slutet av århundradet behövde man renovera, en process som tog cirka 20 år. Teatern var stängd mellan 2006 och fram till 2010 återigen p g a renovering. Besök Teatro Colon om du är i Buenos Aires, du ångrar dig inte! 

Buenos Aires, Argentina

A visit to San Isidro Horse Track is very exciting, especially when you know the owner of a horse that will race! Race after race, people cheering or cursing, happy or devastated! But what I liked the most was to watch these beautiful thoroughbreds, how they were prepared for the race, how they were displayed before the race and then the excitement when the race started. And we were behind the "scene" to see what happened after the race and this is quite an industry. We met the jockey, the veterinarian and the trainer. I do not know anything about horses but really I was intrigued to learn more!
Dinner at Don Jose in Martinez area after the race with a lot of discussions about what happened and so on! Excellent food and I had Linguado con Alcaparras. This was a dinner that lasted past midnight. And when we left the place was still filled with guests! This is Buenos Aires on a Saturday night!


Eftersom jag inget kan om hästar var ett besök på San Isidro Horse Track verkligen en spännande och intressant upplevelse för mig. Ägaren till hästen som tävlade är en god vän och därmed hade vi tillträde till så mycket runtomkring och fick så mycket information om hela denna industri som hästkapplöpning är! Att sedan avsluta kvällen med en underbar fiskrätt på restaurant Don Jose gjorde dagen perfekt. Lördag kväll i Buenos Aires och vi gick ut från restauranten vid midnatt, inget konstigt här och många gäster satt kvar och njöt av maten, sällskapet och kvällen!

San Isidro has so much more than the Race Track to offer. It is a beautiful town with old constructions of various architectural styles and the Cathedral is splendid in its neo gothic style, built in 1898. Many houses belonged to the aristocratic families of Buenos Aires and today houses a school or a hotel or a museum.

San Isidro är en charmig stad med en mycket vacker katedral i nygotisk stil. Flera av husen i staden är konstverk och visar prov på flera olika stilar. Husen ägdes av rika familjer men flera av dessa villor är idag skola, musem eller t o m hotell.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
New year, new expectations, new wishes and resolutions!
So for me this year......well, do I ever succeed to keep my list of resolutions and follow them? Not really!
This new year I will just try to live here and now and follow this wisdom words from Buddha: The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor worry about the future or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
Enjoy two of my pictures from two different parts of the world!

Gott Nytt År!
Nytt år med nya förväntningar, önskningar och nyårslöften!
Har jag någonsin lyckats hålla mina nyårslöften? Faktiskt inte och det är ok!
Men i år skall jag tänka på visdomsorden ovan!

Njut av mina två foton från två olika ställen på vår jord!