Archive for August, 2010
top 5 places for when you don’t have the time
our top five
Sometimes you need to get away but all you’ve got to spare is one or two left over vacation days. What’s a person to do? For those of you in the EU – a couple of hours on a plane and you can be in any of a dozen different countries. But in the States, you don’t have to leave the country to get in a few days of relaxation whether it’s west coast ease, desert days or a bit of old school American charm you need. Here’s our US team’s current top five short hops for a few days away from the daily grind.
maine is covered in small lobster fishing villages
the maine way of life
We love New England. With steamy summers, colour-drowned autumns, crisp snowy winters and breezy springs, it’s an easy, quick escape all year round. The state of Maine is the perfect example. With dozens of islands, quaint fishing villages and bustling cities, you can get just about everything here. Spend a day visiting galleries in Portland, and for the outdoorsman in you – search for moose and bald eagles in the pine forests (they outnumber humans here), climb Cadillac Mountain or swim in Echo Lake. That should get you looking out your hiking boots in no time.
good old fashioned charm in martha’s vineyard
Just off the coast of Massachusetts’ Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard is quaint, small town luxury. Spend a weekend wandering the harbours and beaches, jeans rolled up with a pastel shirt and you’ll fit right in to the ultra laid back vibe this whole island keeps. In the summer, it’s hot, salty weather and in winter, it’s a perfectly peaceful, snowy escape. Staying in the Harbor View hotel overlooking the Edgartown Lighthouse is our little finishing touch.
the vineyard and nantucket are all about classic american charm
nantucket’s not just for the juice guys
A short boat ride from the Vineyard, Nantucket is another of New England’s postcard-perfect seaside towns, and The White Elephant is one of our favourite luxury boltholes. Cycle through the small town lanes, snuggle up with a book in an overstuffed library chair, or enjoy an ice cream on a wicker lounger by the water’s side. A classic New England day in anyone’s book. And we hear the Nectar’s pretty good too…
take a mosey down this way
Looking for awe-inspiring canyons and towering plateaus? Then don your cowboy boots and head to the Southwest. In the Four Corners, where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona collide, you can escape to the Amangiri. This is easily one of the most dramatic landscapes in the country, and you can see it all from your bedroom window. Perfect.
the stunning californian coast
a west side vibe
For natural beauty, the American Pacific coast is right up there with the best. Just near Monterey, the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur is our favourite place to stay for soaking up the west coast air. Sat on your balcony on the Californian cliffs, there’s not much else you’ll need.
(3 votes, average: 3.33 out of 5)
Loading ...the end of the jogle journey…
the end of the jogle
After two weeks on two wheels, Amanda and Rich finally made it to Land’s End, England after starting way up at John O’Groats in Scotland on an epic charity ride. We’re so proud of our athlete, but glad to have her back in the office too so that we can hear all her stories first hand.
Read their thoughts on the last leg of their very long journey, and check out their profile raising money for breast cancer – it’s not too late to help them out.
at the end of lands...
Had heard that this last stretch was hard – hills and narrow lanes – but it turned out to be fine. Think that was due to our manic hill training over the past few days. We pedalled along, counting down each mile, stopping with about three miles to take a picture outside ‘The First/Last Inn in England’. The road was empty, bleak and misty and the gradients seemed out of focus. We started to feel quite emotional as we rode through the last three miles, without even being able to see the sea. We were so happy and overwhelmed.
It was a weird feeling crossing the finish line. If you’ve seen the Truman Show, and remember that bit when he heads out to sea in a boat, thinking he has miles and miles of solitary journeying ahead of him, and then all of a sudden he hits a wall in front of him, and the whole thing abruptly comes to an end… That’s sort of how it felt. We have been so used to just pedalling and pedalling, and then out of the blue, we just hit the end, and stopped. So strange. It took a few minutes for it all to sink in really.
Took the classic shots, walked around the strange tourist entity that is ‘Lands End’, looked for the Atlantic we could just make out amidst the fog, and then almost went to go and put our helmets and gloves back on before realising, no – we’re done. We went to the Lands End hotel bar for a pint of Guinness, and signed the big JOGLE/LEJOG bible.
Memories forever – WHAT A TRIP.
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...edinburgh from a model perspective
edinburgh from a local
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival has been going strong this month – an amazing cultural festival right on our British doorstep. One of the best things about the festival (except all the amazing shows and exhibitions, naturally)? The closing parties. We caught up with This is My Edinburgh and Anna Freemantle who is one of the people hosting the amazing Noir! party in two days to celebrate some amazing local talents.
model and producer, ann freemantle now runs noir!
This is My Edinburgh promotes the edge and energy of Scotland’s capital over the bustling summer months. Headed-up by some of Edinburgh’s cool-club including a Warhol-esque model and a B-boy dancer, the site features insider tips on the coolest places to go, a video compilation, exclusive celebrity interviews including Clarke Peters from The Wire , as well as an exclusive Foursquare Trail and your chance to become ‘Mayor of Edinburgh’.
Catch the fabulous Anna Freemantle below who created Noir! with her husband Jonathan as fusion of fashion, music and art and a place for Edinburgh’s hottest creative talents to collide. The forthcoming Noir! takes place on the 26 of August and promises to be the best yet.
Anna, model and producer, describes her Edinburgh:
the noir! closing party is on august 26th
Where in the city do you stay?
In the New town, Broughton Street. It’s my favourite part of town because it’s got a good buzz about it. It’s central but still has a village-type feel.
Are you from Edinburgh?
I am from Amsterdam but have lived in Paris and all over the world. I moved here 3 years ago, when we were moving back to the UK. I wanted to live somewhere other than London, then a friend of my husband suggested Edinburgh.
What’s your ideal day in the city?
My perfect day would be to spend it with my husband and our 2 year old son Max, walking along the Water of Leith, visiting art galleries, having a picnic. Just a really simple family day.
Why is summer in Edinburgh different?
There is so much light in the city, the days last so long which I love. It brings life into the street, and all of sudden people notice one another and are more open.
Any hidden gems you would recommend?
My husband and I have started a night called Noir! which is a place for emerging artists, designers and other creatives to come together and collaborate. It’s a great night that always surprises. I also love the boutiques on Victoria Street, Totty Rocks and Godiva are both really cool. Edinburgh’s range of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers are the best thing about the city. It’s the one-offs that make Edinburgh so special.
What are you working on at the moment?
Noir! is working with Africa in Motion to put on a closing party later this year at the Edinburgh College of Art. We plan to bring together young fashion designers from Africa and team them up with fashion designers from Edinburgh.
In three words, what’s your Edinburgh?
Space, Culture, Quality
(4 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5) Loading ...a different type of pencil sharpener
dalton ghetti
Some people create art with pencils. Dalton Ghetti creates pencil art. Just when all of us were here thinking that pencils could only help create – this guy’s figured out that they can be the centrepiece. Pretty cool, right? Unfortunately (for us) this is Ghetti’s hobby, which means they’re not for sale. And we’ve always wanted a pencil shaped liked Elvis’ head…
Click through the image below to see a gallery of Ghetti’s amazing sculptures
Full article via The Telegraph
ghetti hand carves every pencil himself
the full alphabet on pencils
a miniature boot
little button
a chain link made from a single pencil
one of ghetti's chairs
ghetti used the internal graphite to create a mini cross
elvis' head
a hand-held wine glass
the tiniest hammer for the tiniest nail
a hanging heart
two hearts from one pencil
a key for a graphite lock?
where's the tiny graphite postman?
pencil chainsaw
pencil screw
ghetti keeps all his broken pencils in his 'cemetary'
(5 votes, average: 3.60 out of 5) Loading ...margie’s adriatic escape
croatian cool
Margie travelled to Croatia to explore sun soaked coastlines and the hidden corners of the Adriatic
A few weeks ago that I jumped on a flight to get to this cool, coastal paradise.
search for secluded coastline
For me, it’s all about that first step off the plane. Arriving in Split, the warm air wrapped around me. There was not a cloud in the sky (and they never appeared) and smell of the seaside was everywhere. Split is fantastic: think white marble and rustic cobbled streets adorned with endless cafes and ice cream parlours, all within the ancient Roman ruins of Diocletian’s Palace. I headed straight to the harbour, put my feet up, bought myself a Maraschino (a local cherry drink) and relaxed to the panoramic view of aquamarine waters lapping Croatia’s coast. On my first night I explored the winding labyrinth of shops, bars and restaurants in Split, enjoying freshly caught squid washed down with some local wine.
The next day I took the short ferry ride over to Hvar soon arriving at the sparkling white and terracotta roof-topped harbour of Hvar Town. This is classic Adriatic splendour. Famed for luxury hotels and buzzing night-life, I decided to do a bit of exploring off the beaten track. I took a walk through lavender fields, ate the local honey on crusts of fresh bread, and perched myself on the sloping rocks along the coast line to catch some summer rays.
the bustling hvar harbour
Hvar is the kind of place you come to for a night or two and end up staying. In fact, that’s exactly what I did. I became friends with the pot-bellied waiter at my favourite restaurant tucked away in the corner of the main square (the best tuna and monkfish in town), and watched each evening’s sunset fall behind the hills aligning the town, cocktail in hand. Total bliss.
I eventually peeled myself off the beach and headed north. I wanted to see the coastal town of Pag – a place reminiscent of a 1950s Italian film set. Largely designed by Juraj Dalmatinac, a 15th century architect, Pag is an authentic Croatian city (no modern eye-sores here). It dazzles against the stark and barren landscape that surrounds it. I was eager to try the infamous Pag cheese, and, not so surprisingly, found it on almost every corner. It’s famed for its distinctively salty flavour, a result of sea winds whipping salt onto the nearby sheep-ridden hills, transmitting the flavour in the process. It was perfect with bread, ham and olives.
ancient narrow streets
Next it was onto the city of Zadar, across the footbridge (no cars allowed here) to the Roman Old Town. A smaller Split, Zadar follows the ancient Roman street plan of narrow cobbled streets and compact marble buildings, alive with a bustling array of festivals, music and markets. Every corner I turned found street performers, roasted corn vendors, and ladies weaving the intricate design of lace. The favourite church was the Romanesque Cathedral of St Anastasia.
My final days were spent along the shore in lazy-town Petrcane. I jumped from one pizzeria to another (it’s no Italy, but this is fantastic pizza), the majestic coastline to catch some more rays, and Barbarella’s beachclub for evening performances of international jazz and blues. The icing on an already fantastic trip, I was tempted to stay for a lot longer…
Croatia’s a timeless, stylish destination and barely a few hours away. The time to head is now too. Croatia has just about avoided a tourism overload with no high-rise hotels to trample such a wonderful place. Croatia’s a place not to be missed.
Black Tomato can create your own Croatian escape if you get in touch
(5 votes, average: 3.80 out of 5) Loading ...amanda powers on
john o'groats to lands end
Amanda and Rich power through on their way to Land’s End
A 91 mile day. Zonked. First 20 miles out of Fort William were just stunning as the light was reflecting off all the lochs and it felt good to be out early. It had rained all night but we got lucky today.
scotland's stunning countryside
After a quick snack stop at Glen Coe village we headed up over the Glen Coe Pass which at nearly 1200 feet was going to be one of our hardest climbs of the whole trip. We took it steady and got up there fine and the scenery going up beat anything we had seen yet. At the top was a lovely plateau and it felt very wild. We then had a nice 13 mile downhill section.
We stopped at Crianlarich for lunch then continued down to the shores of Loch Lomond which we followed all the way to Dumbarton where we are staying. The loch was amazing and kept us going through a long day on the bikes!
(link: Rich and Amanda’s JOGLE)
(2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5) Loading ...floating hotels and floating saunas…
…what will they think of next?
Salt & Sill is a little out of the way restaurant on Klädesholmen island, western Sweden. It’s famously known by the locals for cooking up herring in their own fantastic Swedish way. Food was the focus until they opened up Sweden’s first floating hotel; one for anyone looking for a stay with a difference. Set on six floating pontoons in the marina, the rooms are true to Scandinavian form with white walls, clean lines and (the best bit) open roof decks. Hello alternative seaside escape.
your skipper taking you out to sea on the floating sauna
In summertime, go for a dip, or sun yourself on the deck while taking in the stunning landscapes around. In the winter, curl up with a snug rug (seriously cosy) and a hot chocolate. Or check yourself into the floating sauna (yes, you read right) and get driven out to sea for some serious pampering. Now that’s one steamy sail away.
For more mind-blowing sailing journeys, check out what keeps our boat afloat in Mexico, Australia, Spain, Malawi, Indonesia and Mauritius.
(4 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5) Loading ...amanda and rich in middle earth
jogle
Rich tells us about his third day with Amanda cycling through Scotland on their epic two-wheeled journey for charity.
Heard a lot of people say that we’d be encountering a fair bit of rain today, but we seemed to get a bit lucky again, as we only got wet for a couple of hours. Even when it does rain, it doesn’t seem to bother us as it’s not cold and it’s actually quite peaceful in a way…
the shores of loch ness. no monsters in sight...
Anyway, the day started well with Amanda proclaiming her knees were feeling much better after some good rest, massage, stretching and nurofen gel so I was back to my old role of trying to keep up. First few miles were fine through highlands rush hour, then we turned off towards Drumnadrochit which was a beautiful quiet road which consisted of a steep climb, an ever steeper descent, and some gorgeous landscapes. Dark brown hills with bright green ferns which Amanda said made her feel like she was in middle earth. Must be that ring she carries around these days…
Afternoon was also great, sped along the shores of Lochs Ness, Oich and Lochy, kept a reasonable pace and were happy to hit 200 miles just before our B&B. Feels like we’re properly on our way now and got the post cycle routine sorted I reckon… Also amazes me to see how much kit other people we see are carrying-you literally need nothing really and it’s crazy to see what people think they need. We got some good advice from friends to bring nothing and it’s made a difference already.
Covered a solid 70 miles today, a big one tomorrow as we go over the top of Glencoe.
(link: Rich and Amanda’s JOGLE)
(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5) Loading ...amanda’s cycle tour
Our very own iron-woman is currently cycling from John O’Groats (up in Scotland) towards Lands End (South England) to raise funds for Breast Cancer Care. Along the way, Amanda and her fiancé will keeping us updated on their journey. So far, they’re on day two and making progress.
We’re having the most incredible weather, and riding past some absolutely stunning coastline. Felt like we could have been in Scando or NZ or anywhere. If only Scotland had more sun the world would be flocking here it is just SO remote and peaceful and so many beautiful beaches. Took some awesome pics, including of highland cows which Amanda got pretty close to and then sped off when it grunted…
rich and amanda stop for a pose
Met a couple of guys en route doing the same – though of course the other way with tail winds pushing them along nicely… What a cop out.
(We’re) in a cute little B&B now in Dingwall, run by a woman named Mo who is a total legend and bought us tea and lemon cake on arrival, and let us cook a big load of pasta in her kitchen.
Well stocked up for tomorrow (had a bit of peanut m&m / snickers crisis in Tesco), and bottle of red going down a treat.
Please send us more sun mañana…
(link: Rich and Amanda’s JOGLE)
(3 votes, average: 3.33 out of 5) Loading ...mcphee heads to west sweden
west sweden
McPhee headed off to West Sweden to do some island hopping RIB boat style:
our rib boat and henrik the skipper
Before I could get on the boat, I had to don my wind and waterproof coverall. I felt a bit like a balloon but then again so did everybody else, and it was actually pretty comfy. Then, after a little safety briefing by our skipper, Henrik, (it’s like riding a horse apparently), I donned my ski goggles, zipped up my marshmallow suit and climbed aboard the RIB boat. That’s Rigid Inflatable Boat. I was off for a splash (sorry) of island hopping in West Sweden.
Once upon a time, apparently, the sea was silver with herring. That’s according to the locals we meet on the islands. There was a time when you could dip buckets into the water and they’d come up brimming with the country’s national dish. The fish have come and gone from Sweden’s west coast, but now they’re back (in slightly less legendary amounts) they make for a great dish and another reason to head this way.
pater noster island and lighthouse
My first stop was Pater Noster. Small enough to throw a stone over (almost) I enjoyed a glass of bubbly at the top of an iconic 19th century red iron lighthouse to accompany the amazing 360 degree views. After exploring the island (hunting down the outdoor hot tub) and enjoying some warm fish soup, it was off again to Marstrand Island.
Marstrand is definitely a summer playground for the Swedish. The island was full of picture perfect white houses with red roofs and stunning flower gardens. Along the harbour, people were sitting out in the sun enjoying themselves at the cafés or shopping in the boutiques (I gave in to my retail addiction too…) before walking up to the fort to explore and climb the walls for sunbathing on the grass, or going down to the beaches and harbours around each corner of coast.
the small harbour of åstol
Leaving Marstrand, the RIB boat caused quite the stir as it sped between the yachts on our way to Åstol for more amazing seafood (including my first taste of herring) before heading to the lovely Salt & Sill Restaurant and Hotel for yes, more food. I lost count of how many meals I ate in one day. They served us one of their classic meals– three bite sized portions of different herring dishes, paired with three glasses of schnapps – a different flavour to match each different herring.
Then we were singing traditional schnapps songs, drinking our shots and enjoying our fish. A hot coffee on the balcony wrapped up in a blanket was the perfect unwind after all that eating. Salt & Sill is home to Sweden’s first floating sauna too which you can hire for the night. You’ll be out at sea for a night of steaming away, bubbles on the balcony and sleeping to the sound of nothing but the local seals. Pretty great, right? After my coffee I was on my way to my own hotel’s sauna…
a welcome sauna after a chilly dip
At Björholmens Marina hotel, after dropping my bags in my waterfront studio room, I got into my new swimsuit courtesy of a Marstrand boutique, wrapped up in my fluffy robe and headed down the boardwalk along the harbour’s waters to the sauna. But before I steamed away, there was one thing I had to do first. Go swimming. To make the sauna all that more welcome, I first climbed down the ladder, shut my eyes and leaped into the chilly Swedish waters. Refreshing just about covers it. But it’s all relative – the sauna is open year round, and in the heart of winter, the hotel cuts holes in the frozen water for you to jump in – so the water I was paddling in was practically balmy. I still shivered. The sauna was definitely welcome.
If you want to check out Sweden and any of the islands McPhee saw, get in touch and we’ll get your suited up for your own RIB boat in no time.
(4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5) Loading ...
