Life is Magnifique

RENATA MORALES Renata Morales is one of Montreal’s best kept...

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:56:48 -0400

RENATA MORALES

Renata Morales is one of Montreal’s best kept secrets. This multi-faceted artist, underground music aficionado, fashion designer and Montreal tastemaker will inhabit the PHI Centre in Montreal from June 5th to 12th and program it with her unique vision. During the 8 days in June the designer will be orchestrating what might seem like a art/fashion fair during the day and cabaret by night. Renata will also propose a series of music shows, film screenings and a curated pop-up shop offering exclusive fashion labels sourced from her friends, the most talented designers in Montreal, as well as limited edition items not found in Canada. A unique and not to be missed event.

ON THIS DAY IN…. Happy birthday to American painter and...

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:53:00 -0400

ON THIS DAY IN….

Happy birthday to American painter and printmaker Mary Cassatt, born May 22, 1844! Although born in America, she lived much of her adult life in France, where she first befriended Edgar Degas and later exhibited among the Impressionists. This portrait of the artist’s mother, Mrs. Robert S. Cassatt, is currently on view in Gallery 28 at the De young Museum in SF.

Image c/o De Young Museum.

“Sometimes it’s a little better to travel than to...

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:01:22 -0400

“Sometimes it’s a little better to travel than to arrive.” - Robert M. Pirsig

FRANCE COMES TO MINNEAPOLIS Although we have always considered...

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:17:38 -0400

FRANCE COMES TO MINNEAPOLIS

Although we have always considered Sofitel Minneapolis the ‘French star’ of the city, traveling to the real thing is now a lot easier with Air France today beginning a direct non-stop service from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. The new seasonal summer service will operate five times a week until June 16 and then daily from June 17 to Sept. 1. Paris was never so close! Congratulations Air France!

HAVANA IN MIAMI Sofitel Miami always produces magnifique finds....

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:07:12 -0400

HAVANA IN MIAMI

Sofitel Miami always produces magnifique finds. The recent ‘Havana in Miami’ night was no exception. We loves the hues of yellow and red don’t you?

BALLPARK GOURMET Ballpark food has come a long way since the...

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:41:00 -0400

BALLPARK GOURMET

Ballpark food has come a long way since the days of beer and hotdogs. WIth baseball season upon us, we thought we would call out some of our favorite stadium food finds in cities we call home: New York’s Citi Field stands out with some iconic Brooklyn and New York eateries delivering signature menu items including the famous Shake Shack, Blue Smoke Barbecue and a favorite of many, Brooklyn meat purveyor Pat LaFrieda. Bayside in San Francisco AT&T Park is equally as good with the “Farmer’s Market” section serving some very special wines on tap from the neighboring Napa and Sonoma valleys, while downstairs you MUST try a legendary steamed pork bun from Edsel Ford Fong’s stand while watching the Giants in action. Finally, when at the Philadelphia Phillies home ground, Citizens Bank Park, you really have to try the Campo’s Vegan Steak which is adding a new take on the iconic cheesesteak. Who ever said that gourmet and sports did not go together?

Image from baseball-heaven of Nate McLouth.

CALIFORNIA MODERN LA Architect A. Quincy Jones was an icon in...

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:15:37 -0400

CALIFORNIA MODERN

LA Architect A. Quincy Jones was an icon in the world of modern Californian architecture. This month, the Hammer Museum in LA begins a retrospective spotlighting Jones’ innovations in indoor-outdoor designs, including photographs and blueprints of a number of his notable projects - from celebrity dream homes to middle-class housing developments, all executed with his signature style.

thehammermuseum:

A. Quincy Jones | Building for Better Living, our presentation of PACIFIC STANDARD TIME PRESENTS: MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN L.A. will open on May 25!

[A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons, Architects. Milton S. Tyre House, Los Angeles, California, 1951-54. Transverse section through living room, dining room, and maid’s quarters. Courtesy Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA Library Special Collections.]

“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to...

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:01:35 -0400

“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell and taste it.” – Rudyard Kipling

Image from Sofitel Chicago Delight by Sofitel menu.

“Sometimes it’s a little better to travel than to...

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:01:17 -0400

“Sometimes it’s a little better to travel than to arrive.” - Robert M. Pirsig

Sofitel Miami.

vogueparis: Acne x Borsalino

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:40 -0400

vogueparis:

Acne x Borsalino

MUSEUM SLEEPOVERS Ever since the blockbuster movie ‘Night...

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:53:00 -0400

MUSEUM SLEEPOVERS

Ever since the blockbuster movie ‘Night at the Museum’, the idea of a sleepover experience inside the walls of normally ‘off-limits after-hours’ museum spaces has taken off. These adventures invite kids (of all ages) to experience an overnight stay that delivers few crowds and the chance to explore with some exclusive activities thrown in. Lucky for you museums in many Sofitel cities are taking part in the craze - overnight events can be booked at the American Museum of Natural History (NYC), the National Museum of Natural History (DC), Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago), International Spy Museum (DC), Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LA) and the University of Pennsylvania Museum (Philadelphia). Our concierge team would be more than happy to make arrangements on your next visit to Sofitel.

Osteology: Hall of Bones by elrina753 on Flickr.

Did you know that in our quest for perfection and magnifique...

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:01:00 -0400

Did you know that in our quest for perfection and magnifique culinary experiences our team installed a herb garden within our LA hotel?

GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING De Young in SF is the first venue in...

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:18:08 -0400

GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

De Young in SF is the first venue in the American tour of paintings from the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague. This jewel box of museum, housing one of the world’s most prestigious collections of Dutch Golden Age Paintings, has not lent a large body of works from its holdings in nearly 30 years. The exhibition features 35 paintings representing the range of subject matter and technique characteristic of the 17th-century painting in the Dutch Republic. Among the works traveling to the United States is the Mauritshuis’ celebrated masterpiece Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer and the enchanting The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius. The painting Vase of Flowers by the gifted Rachel Ruysch (one of the few female painters of the Duch Golden Age) has been restored especially for the American tour.

Today De Young is celebrating International Museum Day with free general admission all day (Friday, May 17).

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing...

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:01:17 -0400

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

George Stubbs, The Third Duke of Dorset’s Hunter with a Groom...

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:54:36 -0400

George Stubbs, The Third Duke of Dorset’s Hunter with a Groom and a Dog, 1768, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, moments from Sofitel NYC.

Stubbs’s cool and accurate portraits of wild animals, dogs, and most notably horses with their owners, trainers, riders, or stable hands, appealed to and were much sought after by prominent sporting enthusiasts. It may be seen that he was also a gifted landscape painter. Although he received little critical attention from his contemporaries, Stubbs is now regarded as one of the most innovative English artists of the eighteenth century.

ELLSWORTH KELLY On May 31 living art legend Ellsworth Kelly...

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:58:28 -0400

ELLSWORTH KELLY

On May 31 living art legend Ellsworth Kelly turns 90. To celebrate, museums around the country are paying homage to his myriad of accomplishments and vivid colors. One of our favorite places in Philadelphia, the Barnes Foundation, started the celebration earlier this month with a temporary display of his wall sculptures currently on display. In NYC the Museum of Modern Art will unveil a show dedicated to Kelly on May 22 featuring items from his iconic “Chatham” series. And finally DC will shine with a selection of panel paintings from June 22 at the National Gallery of Art. Don’t miss this magnifique art opportunity.

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is...

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:01:11 -0400

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be...

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:52:05 -0400

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” – Bill Bryson

Image from Sofitel Chicago - new take on a classic chocolate milk. Keep discovering…

COOKBOOKS The genuine culinary artistry of award-winning...

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:54:58 -0400

COOKBOOKS

The genuine culinary artistry of award-winning Executive Chef Mark Crane from Colette Bar & Bistro at Sofitel Minneapolis always produces unique gourmet experiences. But where does he go for food inspiration? Mark tells us he has always been a big fan of cookbooks even when young. “I grew to love browsing the pages to find new dishes to prepare.” So what are his favorites? “I’m a fan of Heston Blumenthal’s ‘Big Fat Duck Cookbook’ from the well-known restaurant outside of London, The Big Fat Duck. Heston is famous for his modern molecular cuisine and the book does a great job of including all of the recipes actually served at the restaurant. A close second would be chef Grant Achatz’s ALINEA from from the restaurant Gourmet magazine named one of the best in the country, a pioneer in American cuisine.” Perfect food inspiration!

ALARM YOURSELF Since 1928 the Atmos clock by chic Swiss...

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:12:14 -0400

ALARM YOURSELF

Since 1928 the Atmos clock by chic Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre has performed the seemingly impossible trick of keeping itself running without batteries or winding. The perfect travel accessory, the Atmos has now been reborn with a new look in collaboration with Hermes. It features a stunning handblown cut-crystal case and ever-so-chic French styling. Only 176 of the $38,500 clocks will be made so get moving because time is ticking.