Tag Archives: Exclusive Video

Portugal, Madeira: 24 Hours in Funchal

Posted on October 20, 2016 | Leave a comment

Funchal Express

Dinner at the Design Center Nini Andrade Silva

Arrival in Funchal: just down from the Ferry (from Porto Santo), I am facing the entrance of the Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva, located at the end of the dock (photo 1 of the photo-montage above). I’d visited the building with the interior designer Nini Andrade Silva, during the work. What a surprise to now discover the different spaces with her iconic design furnitures and items! Awesome!

I really like the outdoor café (first photo of the post and photo below) and the black and white graphic restaurant with a 360 degree view, of the ocean and Funchal (photo-montage above). The atmosphere is really nice with a tasty cuisine and friendly team. My only downside: I look like a scarecrow after my long outdoors day in Porto Santo, plus the ferry over for more than two hours (lol)!

And my camera has no more battery, bad! Fortunately I Bob (Marley) saved me! There is live music in one of the spaces (videos below) and I feel more relaxed. An island without Bob is no longer an island, right?

Breakfast at the Meliá

Oops, It’s Public Holiday!

Slow wake-up and breakfast at the Meliá Madeira Mare. I planned checking out cool shops of local designers for you (and me!). But everything is closed. So I comfortably lay near the swimming pool facing the ocean. Then I will have a lunch at The Vine and a guided tour of the historical center of Funchal.

Lunch at the Uva Restaurant

The Return

I go to The Vine, another hotel designed by Nini Andrade Silva. I’ll end up to know all of them at least in Portugal (lol)! During the Festival do Atlantico, I had dinner at the excellent Uva Restaurant & Wine Bar (with a French chef) and then we watched the beautiful fireworks on the terrace.

Once more, the restaurant kept its promises. Great lunch! The food looks like paintings! Everything is delicious and the service is impeccable. I really enjoy the soothing views of the city and harbor. It feels good. The Vine and the Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva, are my two favorite places in Funchal!

The Walk in the Historical Center

More and Less Two Hours

before leaving the city to the Cristiano Ronaldo airport. So I joined one of the guides of History Tellers (an initiative of the University of Madeira Students’ Union (AAUMa). They offer “circuits through the history of Madeira”. In addition to learn about Madeira, you will help students struggling financially.

I’ve already visited the historical center. But I have fun to rediscover it with a “documented eye”. Last time, I didn’t notice some doors and facades cafés in (or near) Santa Maria street, like the ones below. Pictured right: the famous Rainha do Fado,Amália Rodrigues. To read my previous articles on Funchal and Madeira, click HERE.

Informations

Visit Madeira, Visit Portugal, Design Centre Nini Andrade, The Vine, Meliá Madeira Mare & History Tellers

Related posts: HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

Many thanks to Visit Madeira and Visit Portugal for this beautiful invitation. Thanks also to the teams of the Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva, The Vine Hotel and Meliá Madeira Mare. As always these are my opinions.

Exhibitions: Brussels-Sintra-Lisbon

Posted on August 31, 2016 | 2 comments

Brussels, Belgium

“Remember Memory” by Dennis Meyers

This spring and summer, I really enjoyed two exhibitions and a contemporary art fair between the cities of Brussels, Sintra and Lisbon.

Early in the summer, I discovered the monumental exhibition, “Remember Souvenir” by Denis Meyers in the Solvay building, an old office building abandoned in Brussels (above: a selfie with the artist). A declension of infinitive verbs covering walls in a maze of rooms, corridors and cellars of 25000 m².

In the two short videos (below), Denis Meyers summarized the crazy adventure of his monumental exhibition:

Sintra, Portugal

“Point of View”

During My Week-end in Cascais,

I took the opportunity to visit the exhibition of contemporary art, “Point of View” (do not miss it, until May 2017). The works of ten international artists are scattered in the beautiful Parque do Palácio da Pena in Sintra (listed World Heritage by UNESCO).

Another monumental exhibition that makes you do exercise, because the park is huge! You go up and down non stop. And plan some time, to avoid running from one point to another as I did! In photos above: the “Cura / Cure” installation by Antonio Bokel.

Photos below: 1, the untitled art work in acacia wood by Bosco Sodi. 2 & 3, I really like this “painting” of Nils-Udo, “Clareira / Clearing” (composed of grass and granite), supposed to remind the Eden Garden. 4 Nespoon, The Big Picture. Looking up, you can see the magnificent Palácio da Pena.

Lisbon, Portugal

ARCOlisboa

Now Lisbon Has Its Contemporary Art Fair

The fair is not huge, so I could take the time to see everything … on ten centimeter heels (4 inches! LOL, no comment!). You’ve never seen me in an art fair or museum: I take for hours to see everything! Especially when I am excited by what I discovered.

So here are my favorites of this first edition of ARCOLisboa which included 45 Portuguese and international galleries. Photos above: 1. The fair was held in the Cordoaria Nacional (heritage monument opposite the Tagus). 2, Fantastic square bike: Nicolas Paris, Sala para o erro auta (quadrado), 2015, Galeria Luisa Strina. 3. The skate boards: Nuno da Luz, Bullroarers, 2015, Vera Cortês Art Agency.

Photos below : 1, Rita McBride, Previous Owner, 2008, Galeria Pedro Oliveira. 2, Domingos Rego, untitled, 2016, Galeria João Esteves de Oliveira. 3. The exhibition spaces. 4, Philippe Decrauzat : Flag (WV), 2015 (right) et Untitled, 2014 (left), Parra & Romero.

Informations

Denis Meyers, Point of View, ARCOlisboa

Related posts : HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

A big thank you to Patricia, my guide of the “Point of View” exhibition that I recommend you!

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Posted in "On the road again"

Tagged "Point of View" exhibition in Sintra, "Remember Memory" Exhibition in Brussels, Antonio Bokel, ARCOLisboa, Art Galleries, Artists, Belgium, Brussels, Contemporary art, Contemporary Art Fair, Culture, Denis Meyers, Europe, Exclusive Pictures, Exclusive Video, Heritage, Lisbon, Nespoon, Nils Udo, Parque do Palácio da Pena, Pientres, Portugal, Sculptors, Sintra, Unesco World Heritage

Interview of Nini Andrade Silva, Interior Designer

Posted on July 3, 2015 | Leave a comment

The interview started in the car

of Nini Andrade Silva, while we are going to one of its sites. Yes I’m in Funchal! If the famous interior designer from Madeira works with her team on several projects around the world in the same time, this one is pretty special for her.

It will be the Nini Andrade Silva Design Center, a stunning space in a heritage building, a “fortalezza” of the Funchal harbour, dedicated to her work and life (pictures above: first picture of the building facade).

– Here you will have the story of my life. There will be a shop, restaurant and my studio / atelier / office where people could dinner. The chef will do cooking classes. There will be many different things. A place where people study design too. The official opening is in October.

Being an Artist and a Designer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v49riT-udrQ

In this part of the interview, Nini Andrade Silva explains her vocation as an interior designer, vision of hotels, the “diva way” and her charitable commitment, “to give back“. On the pictures below, some of the hotels she did the interior design.

Always hotels?

– No. We are really wellknown for hotels. We do private houses too, but it’s private and we can’t talk about it. Only people who know we do it, call us.

What do you prefer?

– I really like to do hotels. You know when you do hotels, you do everything: shops, restaurants … An hotel is a city!

What’s next?

– We have lots of things in Colombia, Portugal, Singapore and Asia. We are doing hotels in Malaysia, Cambodia, Lisbon, Algarve and Azores. And we’ve just opened one in Porto.

Traveler Interior Designer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAIvTbDwWm8

Here Nini Andrade Silva speaks about her strong connection to Madeira, her inspiration and way to work abroad or not. Pictures below: the ocean and harbour from the points of view of the Nini Andrade Silva Design Center.

Many thanks to Nini Andrade Silva and her team. And special thanks to Marta : ))

Informations

Nini Andrade Silva, Visit Madeira, Visit Portugal & TAP

Related posts : INTERVIEWS, HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

Tag Archives: Exclusive Video

Portugal, Madeira: 24 Hours in Funchal

Funchal Express

Dinner at the Design Center Nini Andrade Silva

Breakfast at the Meliá

Oops, It’s Public Holiday!

Lunch at the Uva Restaurant

The Return

The Walk in the Historical Center

More and Less Two Hours

Informations

Exhibitions: Brussels-Sintra-Lisbon

Brussels, Belgium

“Remember Memory” by Dennis Meyers

Sintra, Portugal

“Point of View”

During My Week-end in Cascais,

Lisbon, Portugal

ARCOlisboa

Now Lisbon Has Its Contemporary Art Fair

Informations

Interview of Nini Andrade Silva, Interior Designer

The interview started in the car

Being an Artist and a Designer

Traveler Interior Designer

Informations

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