Month: January 2008

Happy Birthday Queen Beatrix!

Queen Beatrix 70
Queen Beatrix by Anton Corbijn

Today is our Queen’s 70th birthday. The official celebration will be 30 April, the date of her mother’s birthday, so declared in deference to Juliana by Beatrix when she was crowned Queen of the Netherlands.

According to Elsevier the official photos for this milestone were commissioned to famous pop photographer Anton Corbijn who recently bought a property around the corner from where I live and now even goes so far as to call himself a citizen of The Hague (Hagenaar).

I watched a TV documentary yesterday and concur with its title: Spoken of by many, but unbespoken: She steered our little country through various difficult periods and situations. I admire her.

Funny though that in the sixteenth century (between 1581 and 1795) part of The Netherlands formed the Dutch Republic of the Seven United Provinces and was a Democratic Republic and now it is a Constitutional Monarchy (since 1830). Dutch like to do things the other way around.

Edition will be the name of the new Schrager/Marriott brand

Marriott and Schrager
Marriott and Schrager, (Boyscouts?)

In a meeting today in Beverly Hills Ian Schrager and J.W. Marriott, Jr. will introduce the name Edition for their earlier announced venture. They will announce signed development deals with the first properties being opened in 2010. They have reached agreements with developers for the first nine of what eventually could be more than 100 Edition hotels in markets around the globe. Under the agreements, Edition hotels are now planned for Paris, Madrid, Costa Rica, Miami, Washington, Chicago and Scottsdale, Ariz. Two hotels are planned for Los Angeles.

They are in advanced discussions involving 20 more hotels with as many as 30 agreements in prime locations expected by the end of 2008.

Six months ago, they anticipated having only five projects announced by the end 2007, essentially half of what has actually been signed.

The hotels will have an average size of 150-200 rooms. Not exactly what I would call a Boutique Hotel Brand.

World-renowned architects and designers will be recruited to create one-of-a-kind buildings spanning the complete range of project types, from new construction, to conversions, to dramatic renovations. Mr. Schrager will be leading the Edition venture on concept, design, marketing, branding and food and beverage. Marriott will be overseeing the development process, and will operate the properties.

Source: E Hotelier.

Added:

Probably E-Hotelier cited from a press release…

Very cleverly Mr. Marriott devoted a post to it on his Marriott on the Move Blog from which I pinched the photo.
Quite funny Mr. Marriott picked this photo where he has his eyes open and Mr Schrager not so much.
There I learned that actually the meeting was on January 29, 2008.

Back from under the Rocks

Well not really under, but more on the rocks with a lot of snow:
We spent our annual holiday on the slopes of the Swiss Alps. Skiing away with nice fresh snow and gorgeous weather. I must admit I was on the verge of posting here. However, I chose to have some more quality time with the family. I even played some chess and started to remember some long forgotten openings and off course due to this rustiness lost a couple of games. I learned in the meantime of the sad early death of former World Champion Bobby Fisher who was a colorful chess player in his heydays.

The slopes were located in the vicinity of this old villa.

VC

It has an interesting history. Was built in the beginning of last century. Served as hotel for over 45 years, but has now another destination after an extensive renovation in the seventies.

I dare my readers to guess what the name of the villa is. Next week year more.

Travel Blogs Com

Travellerspoint Logo
The logo of a Scout or a Backpacker?

Another community of Travel Bloggers that I had spotted earlier but lost the url of is Travel Blogs Com “Handpicked tales from the road”. It says:

TravelBlogs.com brings the internet’s best narrative travel blogs together into one place.

The writers we feature may be well known travel writers; or they could just be your average Joe on a round-the-world trip. What matters is the quality of their writing and the way they relate their experiences.

They are related to the Australian travelers community Travellerspoint with syndicated travel blogs on Travel Blogs – Travellerspoint

Please Join

Let’s build a community!

Travel Blog Carnival Week 2 (update)

Travel Blog Carnival Venetian Logo
The Travel Blog Carnival Week 2

Darren is struggling with the huge number of Travel Blog Posts that are being submitted. But Darren very cleverly asks various Bloggers to give their reviews and also provides for a backup in case a chosen reviewer is not able to post. So he invited me to give my choice for this week (week 2) as well. Not for week 3 as I assumed earlier. “Divide et Impera” a Roman emperor said.

Here is my selection:

  • Build it and they will come – A Giant Elk, by Travel Advice and Guides in the Nordic Region about the development of a Giant Elk that will function as a restaurant and convention center in Sweden, to open in 2009;
  • Reaping Rewards by Get a Hotel Room! who discusses various guest loyalty programmes; and
  • As I ride Through the Valley in the Shadow of Snow by Clerk and Teller, about a journey on a Quad Bike over the snow. Clerk an Teller are “The Premium Gentlemen Outfitters”, who cleverly attract people to their site by maintaining a Travel Guide;