Louis Vuitton: Out of Africa

Another beautiful ad campaign..... Ready to go on a safari with the latest Louis Vuitton campaign that was shot in Africa with model Dree Hemingway (Ernest's great-granddaughter). The catalogue made for Louis Vuitton 2010 Travel Collection is simply superb with a lovely setting, tents, lion cubs, campfires and sunset..... It has it all !!

See previous post on interesting Ad Campaigns

The Chinese Temple Kitchen by Jan-Peter Westermann

The Chinese Temple Kitchen from international food photographer Jan-Peter Westermann is a beautiful book, a food inspired travelog of Westermann's journey to Buddhist monasteries throughout China. The book came out this past May from German publisher AT Verlag and includes over 100 centuries of recipes, accompanied by delightful pictures of dishes and monasteries.
In the Buddhist tradition, the dishes Westermann cites are all vegetarian, and although they may look complex, the recipes all use easily-acquired ingredients and are simply prepared.

A culinary journey through Buddhist cooking

Click to see more on The Chinese Temple Kitchen

Photographs courtesy of Westermann studios
Source Planet Magazine

The Black Magic Art of Mariana Monteagudo

 Mariana Monteagudo is a thirty-something artist from Venezuela who has been working her series of doll sculptures over the last decade. Her ceramic and mixed-media dolls are intriguing and fascinating. Her artwork shows her interest in pre-Columbian aesthetics, related to magic and taken as an important graphic expression of Latin American Culture. Her work also shows her attraction to Japanese manga and mass-market toys.
Munecas (Dolls) is the generic term Monteagudo uses to describe her creations since 1998. With them, the artist has received important awards in Venezuela, and her pieces have been featured in group shows at home and abroad. Her unusual characters have attracted the attention of many critics, and they have been linked to Tibetan Buddhism's.

Double Redhead

Buffalo

Vampire

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Images courtesy of the artist

L'Ile aux Oiseaux or Bird Island

Inspiration of the moment. L'Ile aux Oiseaux is not the latest scoop but this restful oasis is definitely worth reviewing.

I am ready to hop on a plane and immerse myself in this environment of rare beauty. The "Ile aux Oiseaux" is a magnificent suite designed by Martin Margiela, the Belgian fashion house designer for Maison Martin Margiela. The suite is part of "Les Sources de Caudalie", the 1st Vinotherapie spa retreat in the world. Near Bordeaux, the luxury boutique hotel is nestled among vineyards and forest on the ancient estate of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte.
This superb suite Ile aux Oiseaux is reserved for nature lovers. It sits apart from the hotel in an idyllic stilt-mounted cabin. The suite's decor is classic Margiela, with its minimalist palette of white, black  and grey tones, trompe l'oeil playfulness, and a splash of red in the form of a giant pair of lips, a replica of Salvador Dali's classic Mae West sofa.

Photos courtesy of Les Sources de Caudalie