Mike just posted some excellent photos of soon to be gone brownfields and industrial sites in Greenwich:

«There's a little-used but really interesting walk that runs from the Millennium Dome (or 'The O2' or whatever it's now called) along a riverside path into Greenwich. The walk breezes past acres of empty, deserted land and disused quays that will, no doubt, soon be sprouting ghastly developments galore.»

www.urban75.org

Submit your photo of your stifle kneeling at your favorite location. Your photo will be published in the «Stifles Planet Photo-Gallery» and on the «Stifles Planet Photo-Map». The best 3 photos are winning a container box of 20 stifles. Email your photo, your stifles location, your name and address to: stifles@burodestruct.net

Stifles Planet Photo-Gallery on Flickr

More on the stifles

Wanna buy some stifles?

Reconstruction of A. Ahlström Co. sawmill in Varkaus, Alvar Aalto, 1944

Alvar Aalto’s architecture is part of the history of international modern architecture. As early as 1941, the Swiss architectural historian Siegfried Giedion placed Aalto’s extensive body of work in an important position in his book on the history of architecture in the twentieth century, Space, Time and Architecture.

Alvar Aalto’s ability to synthesise rationalist architecture with an organic language of form, and his way of combining materials and making the landscape part of the building are unique. Aalto’s architecture is still discussed by students and lovers of architecture all over the world.

Most of Alvar Aalto’s architecture is situated in Finland, far away from the metropolises of Europe. His work has been published widely in a great many books and it is possible to visit many of the buildings and their surroundings

Event dates
14 June 2008 to 30 August 2008
Website
http://www.alvaraalto.fi
Telephone
354.551 7030
Address
Sturlugata 5
IS-101 Reykjavik

Congratulations to our dear friend and colleague Uwe Wittwer for landing a spot on the top 50 "most important Swiss artists" list published in today's Bilanz magazine.

Uwe Wittwer is represented by Haunch of Venison Zurich, Cohan and Leslie New York and Nolan Judin Berlin.

Uwe Wittwer: «Shepherds after Poussin», 2007, Watercolour, 179.5 x 304.5 cm

www.uwewittwer.com

Another example of great suffering caused by military governments after the great pain already inflicted by a natural disaster... Here's an extract from Avaaz.org, - they do great direct action. Makes sense to donate via Avaaz if you want to help.

«The cyclone that ripped through Burma left tens of thousands dead and a million homeless--a natural disaster made much worse by the failure of the military junta to warn or evacuate its people.

Now, the government has slowed the urgent process of providing humanitarian relief--so Avaaz is raising funds for the International Burmese Monks Organization and related groups, which will transmit funds directly to monasteries in affected areas.

In many of the worst-hit areas, the monasteries are the only source of shelter and food for Burma's poorest people. They have been on the front lines of the aid effort since the storm struck. Other forms of aid could be delayed, diverted or manipulated by the Burmese government--but the monks are the most trusted and reliable institution in the country.»

Visit Avaaz.org for more information

This is the place to go for a hang over brunch (it's quite noisy though ). In this traditional french restaurant you can everything from a seafood platter to a soft boiled organic egg. Bread and pastries (croissant, scones, pain au chocolate and so on) come from the beautiful next door balthazar bakery.

It's quite packed and sometimes you have to queue for a table.
It's also a go place for homesick europeans, c'est tres francaise.

"Balthazar serves traditional bistro meals from breakfast through late-night supper. Opened by Keith McNally in the spring of 1997, Balthazar offers a French menu prepared by chefs de cuisine Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson. Diners can also choose from an extensive wine list, a raw seafood bar, and breads and pastries from Balthazar bakery.
Balthazar is renowned for its exceptional design. The building was converted from a leather wholesaler's warehouse to an airy space that can accommodate over 200 people in the dining room and at the zinc bar. "

80, spring street, Soho New York, ny 10012


BREAKFAST Mon to Fri: 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Sat & Sun: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
BRUNCH
Sat & Sun: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
LUNCH & LATE LUNCH
Mon to Fri: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

www.balthazarny.com/

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If you want to eat some truly outstanding food go to Blue Hill.
They have to restaurants, one in New York and one where they have their farm, in pocantico hills, some 40 minutes out of town.

"with Dan Barber, chef and proprietor of Blue Hill in Manhattan and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills. Stone Barns is only 45 minutes from Manhattan, but it might as well be a whole different universe. A model of self sufficiency and environmental responsibility, Stone Barns is a working farm, ranch, and a three-michelin-star-worthy restaurant. (Note to Michelin: limiting your guide to the five boroughs means you've missed out on perhaps the most interesting and unique restaurant in all of New York.)

Dan's commitment to the environment is well known, but he is hardly a die-hard radical. He is a businessman determined to find a way to be both environmentally and economically sustainable - now that's the way of the future."

We actually wanted to go to Blue Hill farm but then we were running out of time and decided to go to the one on washington place.

Let me tell you we ate the most outstanding food.

www.bluehillnyc.com

Blue Hill Restaurant
75, Washington Place
Greenwich Village
New York

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Schiller's is a very nice restaurant in the Lower East Side. The perfect place for a brunch, a lunch, or just a latte and some good newspapers (they offer a very wide selection of nice magazines and newspapers).
It looks like an old butchery or so. We had a lovely tuna burger and a Guinness - nice!

131 Rivington Street
10002 New York
Phone:  212 260 4555

www.schillersny.com

Hours
BREAKFAST & LUNCH MON to FRI
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

BRUNCH SAT to SUN
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

LATE LUNCH MON to FRI
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

DINNER MON to SUN
6:00 PM - 12:00 AM

LATE SUPPER
MON to WED: 12:00 - 1:00 AM
THU: 12:00 – 2:00 AM
FRI and SAT: 12:00 –3:00 AM
SUN: 12:00 – 1:00 AM

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Some of the most beautiful plates from the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory are made by Hella Jongerius.
Designer Hella Jongerius (1963) has become known for the special way she fuses industry and craft, high and low tech, tradition and the contemporary.
After graduating Eindhoven Design Academy in 1993 she started her own design company, Jongeriuslab, through which she produces her own projects and projects for clients such as Maharam (New York), Royal Tichelaar Makkum (The Netherlands), Vitra (Basel) and IKEA (Sweden).
Her work has been shown at museums and galleries such as the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum (New York), MoMA (New York), the Design Museum (London), Galerie KREO (Paris) and Moss gallery (New York).

There is a whole series of animal plates - absolutely outstanding, check the fine pattern the bunny has on the belly and in his ears!

PS Jonsberg, Date: 2005, Commissioned by: IKEA, Sweden

Colored Vases, Date: 2003

Repeat, Date: 2002, Commissioned by: Maharam, New York

Soft Urn, Date: 1994

It's interesting how new passions can start out of almost nothing. I wasn't interested in ceramics or porcelain to long ago. And then a visit at linck ceramics atelier got me started. Our linck collection quickly grew from a single vase to a nice little collection.
Last year we got a beautiful vase made by Christine-Ann Richards as a present.
Last month in New York we went to Moss. The whole shop is filled with nice things. But most impressive was their porcelain and ceramic selection.
They had lot's of beautiful things from the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory.
I'd love to have one of these!

Hella Jongerius plates

Atlas  service                                                          Service Zauberwald

Service by Konstantin Cricic

Global Service by Barnaby Barford

Read more on the Nymphenburg Parcelain Manufactory on wikipedia

www.nymphenburg.com