TREND TRAVEL

The Villa des Orangers in Marrakech, a riad with the Relais & Chateaux label, is an absolute delight for the eyes. Nested in the heart of the Medina, with its lap pool and fresh gardens in the scorching sun of the Red City, it is a peaceful oasis with immediate access to the souk and the monuments, for shopping and culture. The beautiful white spa is built in a traditional method with tadelakt (white plaster), as are the black bathrooms in the suites.

Each mosaic, each stucco, each tile pattern, each pottery or rug is a piece of history and aesthetic and is carefully chosen for an ensemble result of great elegance.

Great kindness in the service, which is the ultimate luxury...                                                     Text by Emmanuelle Linard

www.villadesorangers.com

Antwerp is the second home of studio Aandacht.

We don't know why, but it just feels like that. Maybe it has something to do with the extra attention for detail you find in restaurants, shops, museums and hotels.

With some of our favorite designers at a stones throw away from each other one doesn't have to step in and out of a taxi to do Xmas shopping. You just stroll along the ancient streets and visit the numerous antiques and bookshops.

Enjoy Antwerp, love from Amsterdam, Tatjana Quax

Photography by  Ben Lambers & Actionstyling by Tatjana Quax

www.studioaandacht.nl

Boulevard Leopold is the best bed and breakfast in town

Domestic, the take away around the corner

Dome the great & stylish restaurant

Labels Inc, Antwerp’s most famous vintage fashion store

The must see Concept Shop : RA

To buy the lovely products from Santa Maria di Novella

The secret store : Magazyn

Imke Klee lives and works in Germany/Berlin and France/Paris.Her passion for pictures, design, art and crafts led her to artistic studies. She is stylist, photographer and iconographic researcher.She shares with us her personal view of Berlin and a lot of secret addresses. Berlin is divided in 12 quarters , each has his own style and charm. Prenzlauer Berg is the place for young academics, artists, designers… You can find cafes, restaurants, small shops and beautiful playgrounds for children. Famous areas are: Kastanienallee, Kollwitzplatz and Helmholtzplatz." Friedrichshain " is known for  bars and nightlife, but also for a lot of interesting small shops.If you look for museums and tourist attractions, your will go to "Mitte". Special tip: the Augustusstrasse is the ultimate meeting place for artists and gallery owners.Around Bergmannstrasse and Grafekiez in Kreuzberg you find the alternative scene and the wildest nightlife. Berlin is interesting because of its little shops, ateliers and galleries and all those nice young people. Its very green, with parks and trees, a city that leaves you the space for breathing! A city that moves  and with the potential to create a lot more...

www.imkeklee.com

Find a short guide  of the city here

Nice Berlin Hotels :  Michel Berger and  Hutten Palast

A great bookshop

Best art and architect's supply store ever

Arthouse Tacheles

Nice shops: basics and well designed items are  here and "good clothings" are there

Two  good restaurants in Berlin:  Sarah Wiener and Facil

In the early 19th century the granddaughter of famous French philosopher Michel Eyquem de Montaigne took residence in this home on the hill overlooking vineyards and flower fields. And now, when you stroll in the wild flower garden you can't help having some deep thoughts yourself, maybe it has got something to do with the excellent wines that are abundant in the region.With Bordeaux just around the corner and some of the best food on the planet for sale on the shelves this is the right place for a relaxing stay with family or friends...

www.lelieuperdu.therecollection.com

www.studioaandacht.nl

Photography by  Ben Lambers

Actionstyling  by Tatjana Quax

Binichic is a blog created to discuss the life, style and beauty of the Mediterranean. Susan Unger and Ona Villier both designers have Menorca (Spain) , one of the smallest or less concurred Balearic islands in their heart: they lived there for many years, and they still call it “home”. They invite us to a visit of the vernacular architecture on this beautiful place. The architect Reagan Rice who designed and renovated houses in this island shares with us his photographs of classic Menorcan farmhouses.

Those houses represent elegant solutions using a minimum of resources. Ironically the most ancient, primitive ways of building inspire modern architecture because they both come from the same principle: form follows function. The elegance they have in common is that they do more with less. As Reagan says : "Limiting the palette is one of the secrets to success of Vernacular Architecture”.

Having only few materials on the island to construct is what gave these structures their unique character. Limestone is found in the fields as well as quarried, and white wash, it is used to protect and to coat the stones.Tiles are made from red clay and used on the roof and on the floors. Wood is only used for window frames, doors, and beams.

The Menorcan farmhouse is a response to the natural conditions of this Mediterranean island.The farmhouses are oriented to the south. Larger windows with porches and patios provide protection from the wind while taking in warmth and light. Because of the wind, the windows are small on the north façade.The drinking water used to be stored in a cistern— often provided by the stones needed to build the house.The water collection systems are always very aesthetic, while doing their job.The whitewash over the years gives the stones plasticity and rounded shapes that change continually as the sun shadows the forms. It defines the paths on the roof where the tiles are set with mortar, allowing farmers to access the entire roof.It is an economical way to manage the roof.

www.binichic.com
www.reganbice.com

Binichic 's selection of nice hotels on the island.

www.biniatram.com

www.alcaufarvell.com
www.biniarroca.com

A rustic luxury in the Moroccan mountains of the Atlas at the Kasbah du Toubkal.

Ancient citadel, the Kasbah is nested in the village of Imlil, at the foot of the Toubkal, the highest summit in North Africa culminating at 4165 meters.An overwhelming feeling of dizziness seizes us and we realize that absolutely everything necessary here for human life and leisure is made by hand; as we enjoy design, food, architecture, and all things related to lifestyles, we suddenly become aware of the time, energy and dedication of the workers involved.

From the architecture of bricks, wall tadelakt (artisanal plaster creating these beautiful rounded surfaces so appealing to the touch), local hardwood and pigment colored tiles, through the walnut furniture and Berber hand woven woolen rugs, blankets and wall coverings, all sizes of terracota containers, the black soap to oint and clean our skin in the spacious yet simple hammam, to the varied oven flat breads, the tea infused with mint leaves, lamb tajines and dips of Amlou, a traditional paste of crushed almonds and Argan oil.

The soul of craftsmanship at the Kasbah du Toubkal.Text by Emmanuelle Linard @edelkoortinc

www.kasbahdutoubkal.com

Well-Being is the new niche for luxury.
Post Ranch Inn, a resort and spa 2.5 hours South of San Francisco, is a luxury retreat perched on a cliff over the Pacific in the natural park of Big Sur, California.
Quietly healing in tree houses between the ocean and the mountains. The spa offers deep tissue massages as well as spiritual treatments with therapists seriously trained in energy channeling. Intense rebalancing of chakras and bridging your two brain halves is taking place in the fresh and intimate individual rooms on the first floor of the spa in the Butterfly tree house. Water bottled at the property source are offered in a beautiful sturdy and thick clear design packaging. Light oils are used for in depths pressure.
Enjoy breathtaking views of the meadows sloping down the ocean at the main restaurant, where a deer and her spotted fawn will graciously visit and graze in front of you.

Post Ranch Inn has also a fine food reputation with a true gourmet four course tasting menu with perfectly sized portions that lets you try everything without overwhelming your stomach. Each course gives you several preparations of the same ingredient, which makes you feel that you are trying ten courses at least. Try the lobster meat and claw with risotto, and the beef combination of rib-eye, short-rib and foie gras in such small portions that it doesn't make you gain weight. All pleasure...

The ingredients are super fresh, the breakfast chef offers you a buffet of made-to-order eggs any style, pancakes and waffles, as well as all the usual fruits, yogurts, veggies and bread and pastries; try the carrot walnut and banana bread. Each meal truly re-invigorates you. House-made chocolate chips cookies are still warm in the cookie jar in your room when you check in; all snacks and drinks are at no charge in your mini-bar: a true bliss when you come back from your one hour gorgeous hike on Billy's trail or to the secret meadow, one of the 100 acres charming outdoors settings of the property, or when you come back from your 8:30am one hour yoga class in the contemporary yurt, or from a swim in the adjacent lap pool.

Enjoy sweet dreams as you overlook the forest from your large arched room window, feeling comforted in this cosy beautiful design nest.
The resort is pricy, but frankly worth it, as even in one night and one day you will be able to get the full experience.
Located on famous California highway 1, Post Ranch Inn is  a magical outpost on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific. The perfect halt on your road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Text by Emmanuelle Linard @edelkoortinc

www.postranchinn.com

Shanghai, city like an ants nest at the meandering shores of the Bund river, where everyone seems to find his way and despite haste and stress still find time for each other... The most beautiful club ever was found by accident in the French quarters, the part where all the diplomats recide. The Yong Foo Elite is situated in a former British Embassy and it was as if the ghost of Mata Hari was roaming this imposing twenties building. Nightclubbing whilst relaxing in a vintage leather Gucci feauteuil, nipping your cocktail overlooking the garden with follies and original theatre pieces from
the Chinese opera house, you can’t help but to try the snake that’s on the menu later served by one of our five waiters. Shanghai, which means ‘by the sea’ is on the verge of eating up her own age old history by building ‘New York style’ skyscrapers, but still you can find food markets and street venders everywhere. The beautiful colours of the ceramics department in the Shanghai History Museum still dances in front of our eyes. With work from the Early 20th century, when local craftsmen started to work together with French designers.

But most of all we think back to the old man that was calligraphing on the pavement simply by using water, wise words definitally gathered in a lifetime; but mercilessly drying up in the bright sun. Since then Ben is called Ben Zen and studio Aandacht in awe.
The city that apperas to burst during the new year fireworks to scare away all the negative energy in one big bang... North-East-South-West everything thrives with a good karma.

Love from Amsterdam, Tatjana Quax

www.studioaandacht.nl

Photography by  Ben Lambers
Actionstyling  by Tatjana Quax

Marrakech, the city of 1001 nights, is the place where art director Ben Lambers had his renaissance as a photographer. Being a ‘beholder’ who sees beauty in lots of things, he surprised me with these pictures. From now on we will share our most special and colourful pictures made on different occasions and locations on Trendtablet. Since 20 years we learned to see as one but managed to keep our personal view in life and work. Marrakech brought us something that turned out to be the next level in Studio Aandacht.

 This week Studio Aandacht celebrates her 10th anniversary, that means puberty is around the corner... Still there’s a lot to learn and plenty of time to grow."

tatjana quax

http://www.studioaandacht.nl

photos by ben lambers - actionstyling by tatjana quax