Travel & Entertainment
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STOCKHOLM It’s more than just IKEA
No well-traveled urbanite should go through life without visiting Stockholm, a chic bustling city that rivals any metropolitan capital in the world. Built on 14 archipelagos, the 750-year-old capital of Sweden is one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved medieval cities surrounded by more than 24,000 islands, islets and skerries with a population of almost 9 million. With its breathtaking water views against the backdrop of cityscapes, this charming Viking metropolis will impress any jaded cosmopolitan with its cutting-edge sophistication in design, art, fashion, music and international cuisine.
Renown for their progressive social policies fostering equality for all, Sweden is an incredibly clean and efficient country with more women in parliament than any government in the world. In fact, their Speaker of the House is a woman. The country is so darn sensible that they have an airport express train that zips you right into the city in less than 20 minutes directly from the airport. No need to hassle with cabs, buses or any other type of public transportation. And just in case you’re confronted with the nightmare of losing your luggage, a UPS-type delivery service, outsourced by the airport, will locate and deliver your lost luggage right to your front door or hotel in a cool IKEA-esque chartreuse van, of course! Don’t be surprised if a Swede suddenly breaks out in English without a stutter, for English is a second-language spoken by all Swedes. Most restaurants have menus in English so go ahead and order up the quintessential Swedish meatballs or herring dishes.
Sweden has designated 2005 as the Year of Design (www.stockholmdesign2005.se) with more than 100 public design projects, both new as well as established exhibitions that have been re-conceptualized. For the fifth year in a row, FutureDesignDays, the international design festival will take place on November 12-15, focusing on Fashion & Lifestyle, Architecture & Interior, Industrial Design & Innovation and New Media & Entertainment.
GETTING THERE
SAS – Scandinavian Airlines 800-221 2350
WHERE TO STAY
Nordic Light Hotel
Tel: +46 8 50 56 30 00
Inspired by light and water, Stockholm’s Design Hotel fuses the “two elements strongly associated with Scandinavia” with its sleek and stylish décor. This chic contemporary hotel is literally a 3-minute walk from the airport express train station. Rooms were designed with lighting as the focal point, a concept that adapts to the seasons of the year. Hence, the creation of the Light Bed: A lighting system that influences the design and atmosphere of each room. Guests can “color” the bed frame according to their mood with a flip of a switch including an array of additional features such as an automatic light fade and a moving rainbow effect. Don’t skip out on breakfast (included with every reservation) without dining in the White Room under pink fluorescent lights.
Rival Hotel +46 8 545 789 00
You’ve got to be more than a dancing queen in this funky boutique hotel owned by former ABBA member Benny Andersson, who wanted to “recapture the glamour of the hotel when it originally opened as the Aston Hotel in the 1930s.” Located in the “SoHo” district of Stockholm, this 99-room hotel is ideal for the business traveler or tourist complete with its own movie theatre, bakery, bars, bistro and café, surrounded by artsy restaurants and trendy boutiques. Rooms come in four different categories and are stylishly decorated with mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Also included are wireless and wired broadband Internet access, 32-inch Sony plasma-screen TVs, DVD and CD players, not to mention the all-day breakfast that comes with every reservation.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
Eriks GondolenStadsgarden 6 Tel: +46 8 641 70 90
Do not leave Stockholm without stopping by the “Gondolen” for its stunning views of the entire city. Known to have the “best bar staff in town,” this popular restaurant bar serves traditional Swedish and international cuisine to suit every palette. It’s the perfect place to have a romantic dinner and watch the sunset.
Absolut Icebar
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Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Goodenough
Summer Forever!
It may be October, but Summer still reigns! At least that’s the way it appeared on August 26 at the former Universal Amphitheater (now Gibson), when Donna Summer lit up the stage in her first major tour in 5 years. Not only did she perform all of her hits, but also noteworthy covers of the Beatles ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’, Aretha Franklin’s ‘Natural Woman’ and Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Smile’ to which she added “If you’re only going to write one song, this is the song to write”. An unusual, yet effective, choice was ‘Nights in White Satin’ which served to reinforce her abilities to adapt to various styles and genres.
Seeming more comfortable with performing, and being noticeably touched by the audiences’ love and response, she asked, “Who would have thought you’d still be here for me?” Los Angeles for one.
Home to her ‘Live and More’ album, the former Universal Amphitheater (Now Gibson) erupted with a homecoming worthy of music royalty, as is the former ‘Queen of Disco’ (It is important to note that Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder helped usher in the era of electronic music. The early hit ‘I Feel Love’ was one of the first pop songs entirely composed and programmed on a Moog Synthesizer).
To some, the word ‘comeback’ may spring to mind, but die-hard fans claim she never left. Showing no signs of slowing down, this summer she’s released her new single ‘I Got Your Love’ (available exclusively at iTUNES), recorded ‘Power of Love’ for ‘So Amazing’, a Luther Vandross tribute CD released September 20, and ‘Are You Brave’ a track for the November release of ‘Songs from the Neighborhood – A Tribute to Mister Rogers’.
Summer thanked her loyal fans with three encores and a surprise bonus performance of ‘State of Independence’. The audience reciprocated this gesture with a thunderous response, which one could only presume to mean ‘I Love You’ and ‘I Remember Yesterday.’
-Warner Alas
CELLULOID
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Naked in Ashes
A compelling documentary on the sometimes death-defying but always uplifting lives of India's yogis is the essential art house ticket this month. Covering the lives of several yogis striving for union with the divine and taking us along on pilgrimages in the Himalayas, the famous Kumbh Mela and most unforgettably, their intimate dwellings, Naked in Ashes is a stunning ode not only to these brave and quickly vanishing mystics, but also to the land and music of spiritual India.
Opens Oct. 21 at the Nuart Theater in Los Angeles
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ABC Television Network held its annual Television Critics Association (TCA) Gala at the West Hollywood hotspot, the Abbey Food and Bar. A full galaxy of stars showed up, including Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross (R), who posed with million-dollar winner Reichen from The Amazing Race. |
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The Annual Style LA Swim and Resort Fashion Show drew 500 guests from the entertainment and fashion industry at Santa Monica’s trendy Viceroy Hotel for their 6th annual poolside runway show benefiting Stop the Violence/Face the Music. Perry Ellis, 575 Denim and Dolce Mare were part of the lineup gracing models from LA Models and Ford. |
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Fabulous boys at a fabulous pool party. Splash 3 raised over $8,000 to benefit Equality California and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. With DJ Phil B spinning the grooves, the beautiful came together at a sumptuous home to sip the libations and open…what else? Their wallets and hearts of course! |
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The Los Angeles Free Clinic, which provides high quality free medical care for the uninsured and working poor, held their tremendously successful 8th Annual Extravaganza for the Senses at 20th Century Fox Studios. Hosted by honorary chair Jason Bateman, the event attracted more than 2,000 guests sampling food and wine, participating in a silent auction, enjoying lively music under the stars and even getting a henna tattoo and palm reading! |
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