St. Regis Hotels Debuts On Venice’s Esteemed Grand Canal

Located at The City’s Best Address, The St. Regis Venice Features Exclusive Gardens and Private Terraces with Extraordinary Views of the City’s Iconic Grand Canal

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts today announced the debut of The St. Regis Venice, located steps away from Piazza San Marco and boasting the largest waterfrontage in Venice. The opening follows a two-year, full-scale renovation, restoring the grandeur of the former Grand Hotel Britannia, which opened in 1895 – the same year as the inaugural Venice Biennale. The hotel offers 169 guestrooms and suites, many of which boast private terraces or Juliet balconies for sweeping views of Venice’s iconic landmarks. Situated across the Grand Canal from Punta della Dogana, the hotel marries its celebrated heritage with the St. Regis brand’s modern design and bespoke service throughout a unique collection of five Venetian palaces, with the oldest dating back to the 17th century. The hotel’s spacious secluded garden sets the hotel apart, making it a lifestyle destination where guests and locals alike can enjoy remarkable views of the Grand Canal. The St. Regis Venice marks the brand’s third location in Italy, joining The St. Regis Florence and The St. Regis Rome.

“Venice is one of the world’s most inimitable cities; one which has inspired royalty, artists, merchants and jet setters alike for more than fifteen centuries,” said Jenni Benzaquen, Vice President of Luxury Brands – Europe, Marriott International. “The St. Regis Venice unites the captivating spirit of the city with the timeless sophistication and service of the brand, re-interpreting Venice’s rich history through a modern lens.”

Terrace Canal View at The St. Regis Venice Hotel

From its ideal location at the mouth of the Grand Canal, The St. Regis Venice offers unparalleled vistas of some of Venice’s most celebrated landmarks, including the Santa Maria della Salute Basilica and the Punta della Dogana Museum. Behind the hotel lies Calle XXII Marzo, a street which is home to elite boutiques and contemporary art galleries, which allows for seamless access to the Grand Teatro La Fenice, the city’s temple to opera. With Piazza San Marco a four-minute walk from the hotel, guests will find Venice’s famed attractions within easy reach.

St. Regis Venice Facade

Throughout its storied history, The St. Regis Venice, in its various guises, has played host to a roster of illustrious guests, global influencers and tastemakers. The five ‘palazzi’ that make up the hotel enjoy a position of privilege overlooking the Grand Canal, with Badoer Tiepolo being the oldest palazzo, which dates back to the 17th century. By the 19th century, palazzi Tiepolo, Barozzi and Regina were converted into the Grand Hotel Britannia, more recently known as Hotel Europa & Regina. The Grand Hotel Britannia attracted notable intellectuals and socialites as well as renowned painters J.M.W. Turner, John Singer Sargent and Claude Monet, who in the autumn of 1908 was inspired by the hotel’s spectacular views during his stay as a guest and worked to capture the passage of light in his artwork. It is recorded in the book “Monet in Venice” by Philippe Piguet that Claude Monet’s wife, Alice, remarked in her daily letters to her daughter during their stay, “the views from our hotel room are the most magnificent of all Venice, and it’s all for Monet!” The hotel was also the first in Venice to have electricity in every room.

The St. Regis Venice Roof Garden Suite

St. Regis Venice View

Evolutionary and Avant-Garde: A Modern-Day Venice, by Design
Led by London-based interior design studio Sagrada, The St. Regis Venice boasts 129 guestrooms and 40 suites with a third of the rooms overlooking the hotel’s luxurious gardens, as well as the Grand Canal. Following an extensive restoration, each room has been reverently furnished to cherish the artistic and cultural heritage of the building, while also embracing the evolution of La Serenissima and the St. Regis brand’s spirit of modern glamour. The exquisitely-designed suites include a two-bedroom, art-inspired Presidential Suite – a true contemporary artist’s residence overlooking the Grand Canal – and a three-bedroom Penthouse Suitewith a wraparound furnished terrace showcasing extraordinary views over Venice from three separate viewpoints. The five Roof Garden Suitesspectacularly combine garden-inspired interiors with uninterrupted vistas and contemporary touches while furnished terraces offer a quietly seductive atmosphere. Set against twilight tones, the Venetian Suitesshowcase crafted details of modern design, influenced by the artistic heritage of the city, while the colour palette of the Monet Suitespay homage to the reflection of light across the Grand Canal. As a hallmark of the St. Regis experience, all guests have access to the signature St. Regis Butler service. Honoured to maintain a long-standing tradition of making guests feel at home, the St. Regis Butler is poised to provide an ever-present, yet unobtrusive, service attending to guests’ every need.

A Muse of the Arts
Inspired by the Venetian masterpieces of former guest and Impressionist painter Claude Monet, the interiors of the refined guestrooms showcase a distinctive colour palette that represents how light changes throughout the day from dawn to dusk. The design of the public spaces pays homage to Carlo Scarpa, one of Venice’s greatest artists and architects. Venetian styling is seen throughout the hotel in tailored fabrics and custom, handcrafted furnishings inspired by the gentle curves of gondolas, the patterns of the Doge’s Palace, the pavements of St. George’s churchyard and the water flow of the canal.

St. Regis Venice Bar

Inspired by the artistic heritage of the city, an eclectic collection of artwork and sculptures will also be curated, bringing ancient Venice to today’s luxury travellers in a modern way. Paying homage to the hotel’s tradition of welcoming famed artists, The St. Regis Venice will host artists from around the world to take residence and create unique pieces inspired by the hotel and its beloved locale. The hotel’s first resident artist, Parisian Olivier Masmonteil, has been commissioned to create original artworks for the Gran Salone and the Monet Suites. The Venetian tradition of glassmaking also lives on, celebrated through a partnership with Glasstress. This unique partnership marries contemporary art and historical glass blowing techniques, inviting world class artists of various disciplines to collaborate with Murano Maestros (masters) to create one-of-a-kind glass works of art.

Gios’s Terrace at Dusk

Cultivating the Vanguard: A Social Beacon for Contemporary Connoisseurs
Uncompromising glamour extends naturally to the hotel’s restaurants and bars, which offer a range of exquisite dining and beverage options. Authentic, modern Italian cuisine will be celebrated at Gio’s, the hotel’s signature restaurant anchored by the Grand Canal and the hotel’s private garden, and which promises to shake up Venetian and Italian traditions. Dishes will be elevated and perfected at the table, with the freshest ingredients to reflect the season. With immediate access to the inviting garden, the mood of the restaurant transitions seamlessly from a smart-casual setting during the day, to a more refined scene in the evening, as the nightly St. Regis champagne-sabering ritual begins.

The Garden Terrace at The St. Regis Venice

The Garden Terrace at Dusk

The secluded garden, with curated landscaping, reflects a modern interpretation of classic Venice, further complemented by geometric patterning, curlicue topiary, flowering plants and fluid pathways. Designed to provide a refined space for local tastemakers and guests to mingle, the garden is set to become Venice’s choice address for relaxing and socialising. With extraordinary views across the Grand Canal, the social heart of the hotel provides an opportune occasion to sample the famous Spritz from the roaming, custom-made Spritz Trolley, or enjoy the Santa Maria –the hotel’s unique twist on the brand’s signature cocktail, the Bloody Mary. Playful sculptures blend with the garden’s décor and discreet seating to offer guests a moment for introspection away from the crowds.

St. Regis Venice Arts Bar

The intimate Arts Bar is a journey of the senses, serving art-inspired modern and classic cocktails with a flourish. The collection of drinks comprised of old favourites and new creations reflect masterpieces by celebrated avant-garde artists. Notable artworks include pieces from Banksy, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, and more. Upending tradition, the mood is set by modern Jazz interpretations, live or DJ-led, with convivial service. As dusk descends, the area transforms, unfolding into the early hours as casual elegance spills onto the outdoor terrace.

St. Regis Venice Arts Bar

Advocating total relaxation, The St. Regis Venice will feature the Spa Suites, in partnership with Carita Paris. Treatments may be cultivated around time – permitting short but effective beauty lifts, or longer, more in-depth therapies and programmes. For those keen to uphold their fitness regimes, the fully equipped Exercise Room with Technogym® equipment provides an ultra-modern environment for targeted workouts.

St. Regis Venice Library

The Grand Salone at The St. Regis Venice Hotel

Social Gatherings
For larger celebrations and more formal functions, The St. Regis Venice offers a choice of areas that can be easily personalised to host guests, supported by an extensive menu of locally-sourced cuisine. Crafted occasions can be held in the Library, with its urbane atmosphere and curated selection of books and art; in the well-appointed Lounge; or in its adjacent Astor Boardroom. The Canaletto Room will embody the modern spirit of a Venetian palazzo, with its impressive ballroom making an ideal backdrop for celebrations and events. Finally, the secluded garden and private terraces lend themselves to unforgettable moments beside breath-taking views.

For more information, please visit stregisvenice.com. @stregisvenice #StRegisVenice #CultivatingTheVanguard #LiveExquisite

Combining classic sophistication with a modern sensibility, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., is committed to delivering exceptional experiences at over 40 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Since the opening of the first St. Regis hotel in New York City over a century ago by John Jacob Astor IV, the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests, delivered flawlessly by signature St. Regis Butler Service. For more information and new openings, visit stregis.com.

St. Regis is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the new name of Marriott’s travel program replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz- Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG). The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including earning points toward free hotel stays and nights toward Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com

Walker Arts Center Announces Walker Moving Image November Program Schedule

The Walker Arts Center’s Walker Moving Image program in November features Sound Unseen Opening Night Screening and Live Music, Mark Jenkin‘s Bait, Nietzchka Keene‘s The Juniper Tree, the Annual British Arrows Awards and More. (The Walker Arts Center is located at 725 Vineland Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55403.)

Bait

Bait
Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, 7pm
Walker Cinema, $10 ($8 Walker members, students, seniors)

“Stunningly shot on a vintage 16mm camera using monochrome Kodak stock, Mark Jenkin’s Bait is a timely and funny, yet poignant new film that gets to the heart of a community facing unwelcome change.”—British Film Institute

Martin Ward is a cove fisherman, without a boat. His brother Steven has re-purposed their father’s vessel as a tourist tripper, driving a wedge between the brothers. With their childhood home now a get-away for London money, Martin is displaced to the estate above the picturesque harbor. As his struggle to restore the family to their traditional place creates increasing friction with tourists and locals alike, a tragedy at the heart of the family changes his world.

British filmmaker Mark Jenkin made his surprising 2018 breakthrough experimental drama entirely with a hand-cranked Bolex camera on 16mm, black-and-white film that he processed by hand. Jenkin portrays life in an unnamed fishing village in Cornwall with unique depth and beauty. A Brexit-era portrait, rooted in the local culture and community of the southwestern United Kingdom, shows how marginalized places are facing up to a changing world in this hand crafted monochrome expression of a life under threat. 2018, UK, DCP, 89 min. —Mark Jenkin/The Festival Agency

View Trailer
Read Filmmaker Magazine on Mark Jenkin
Read The Guardian review

Nietzchka Keene, The Juniper Tree, 1990. Photo courtesy Arbelos Films.

The Juniper Tree
Wednesday, November 6 and Friday November 8 at 7pm
Saturday, November 9 at 2pm
Walker Cinema $10 ($8 Walker members, students seniors)
Students are free at Wednesday’s screening

“Distinctive, ambitious, and genuinely poetic.” —Los Angeles Times

An unsung talent in her lifetime, director, professor and Fulbright scholar Nietzchka Keene’s stark, stunning debut feature The Juniper Tree is loosely based on a Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same name, and stars Björk in her first on-screen performance. The film premiered to glowing reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991 and led Keene to further direct Heroine of Hell (1996) starring Catherine Keener and Barefoot to Jerusalem (2008), the latter completed after her tragically early death in 2004.

Set in medieval Iceland, The Juniper Tree follows Margit (Björk in a riveting performance) and her older sister Katla as they flee for safety after their mother is burned to death for witchcraft. Finding shelter and protection a handsome widower and his resentful young son, the sisters help form an impromptu family unit that’s soon strained by Katla’s burgeoning sorcery. Photographed entirely on location in the stunning landscapes of Iceland in spectacular black-and-white by Randy Sellars, The Juniper Tree is a deeply atmospheric film—evocative of Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Day of Wrath and Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring—and filled with indelible waking dream sequences (courtesy of legendary experimental filmmaker Pat O’Neill). A potent allegory for misogyny and its attendant tragedies, The Juniper Tree is a major rediscovery for art house audiences. 1990, 4K DCP, 78 min. —Arbelos Films

The new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative and magnetic soundtrack was made by the Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research and the Film Foundation, with funding provided by the George Lucas Family Foundation.

Free tickets for students are available at the box office one hour before Wednesday night’s screening.

View Trailer
Read LA Times review
Read Hyperallergic review

Seamus Murphy, A Dog Called Money, 2019. Photo courtesy Autlook Filmsales.

Sound Unseen Opening Night
Tuesday, November 12
Live Music: Katy Vernon, 6:30pm
Screening: A Dog Called Money, 7pm
Post-screening reception in the main lobby
Walker Cinema, $20 ($15 Walker members, students, and seniors)
Sound Unseen Film+Music Festival celebrates 20 years of film, music, and art in the Twin Cities. The opening night event includes a live music performance by Katy Vernon on the Walker Cinema Stage starting at 6:30 pm and a postshow reception in the main lobby. Visit Sound Unseen for the full schedule of events and locations.

Alternative-music icon PJ Harvey’s ninth studio album, 2016’s The Hope Six Demolition Project, was created through a unique process that blended travelogue, photography, performance art, and now a documentary feature. It began when Harvey, looking to develop a new set of politically tinged songs that would also evoke a tangible sense of place, decided to accompany award-winning photojournalist and filmmaker Seamus Murphy as he travelled on assignments to war-torn regions in Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as to the poor, mostly black neighborhoods of Washington, DC. As Murphy filmed, Harvey personally interacted with the members of the different communities and wrote her impressions in a diary, crafting song lyrics and melodies based on the stories she uncovered. Back in London, Harvey and her band experimented with these new songs during a live sound installation called “Recording in Progress” at the distinguished Somerset House, generating an album’s worth of material entirely within a glass-walled recording studio, with members of the public invited to watch. Chronicling the entire project, and even including a handful of songs not on the final album, A Dog Called Money is Murphy’s inspiring, expressionistic document of this unprecedented collaborative experiment. 2019, Ireland/UK, DCP, 90 min. —Clinton McClung, Seattle International Film Festival

Copresented with Sound Unseen.

View Trailer

Gregg Araki’s The Living End, 1992. Photo courtesy Strand Releasing.

Strand Releasing 30th-Anniversary Tribute
Thursday, November 21, 6pm
Walker Cinema, Free
Copresident Marcus Hu and filmmaker Gregg Araki in person

30/30 Vision: 3 Decades of Strand Releasing.

One of the leading US distributors of international and independent cinema, Strand Releasing celebrates its 30th anniversary with a special event at the Walker. The company will be exhibiting a series of 30 short films shot around the world on iPhones. Join Strand copresident Marcus Hu and one of Strand’s celebrated filmmakers, Gregg Araki, for a screening of this eclectic compilation.

Artists involved in the project include Andrew Ahn, Karim Aïnouz, Fatih Akin, Catherine Breillat, Roddy Bogawa, Alain Gomis, Alain Guiraudie, Christophe Honoré, Jon Jost, Bruce LaBruce, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Rithy Panh, João Pedro Rodrigues, Ira Sachs, James Schamus, A. B. Shawky, John Waters, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. More filmmakers to be announced shortly.

Over the past 30 years, Strand has cultivated relationships with auteurs, producers, and sales agents by closely collaborating with them on the presentation of their films in the US marketplace. Having released over 400 films since 1989, the company has maintained an exceptional group of globally recognized filmmakers, making it one of the longest running independent distributors in the United States.

Free tickets are available at the Main Lobby desk from 5 pm.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, 2010. Photo courtesy Strand Releasing

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Friday November 22 at 7 pm; Saturday, November 23 at 2 pm
Walker Cinema, Free
“Cinema is a way to create an alternate universe, and other lives.” —Apichatpong Weerasethakul

This award-winning, hypnotic tale is an homage to Thailand and the mystical power of cinema. While Uncle Boonmee spends his final days surrounded by loved ones in the countryside, the ghosts of his wife and long-lost son appear. The fluid tale follows the family as they trek through the jungle to a mysterious hilltop cave. 2010, UK/Thailand/France/Germany/Spain, 35mm, in Thai and French with English subtitles, 114 min.

This print is part of a generous donation of 35mm feature films by Strand Releasing to the Walker’s Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection.

Free tickets are available at the Main Lobby desk one hour before the screening.

View Trailer
Read National Public Radio’s review
Read Slant review

Ian Pons Jewell’s #PhonesAreGood for Three. Photo courtesy of British Arrows 2019.

British Arrows Awards 2019, November 29–December 29

Celebrate the UK’s most innovative and daring commercials from the creative world of British advertising. One of our most popular traditions, back for the 33rd year, the British Arrows showcases an eclectic mix of riveting mini-dramas, high-tech extravaganzas, wacky comedy, and vital public service announcements.

Tickets: Screenings fill up quickly. Tickets go on sale to members Tuesday, October 15, and to the general public Tuesday, October 29; available at walkerart.org/tickets.

Members Get More: Join the Walker as a new member and receive two free tickets to the British Arrows Awards. Visit walkerart.org/membership or call 612.375.7655.

Renovated in 2012, the enhanced 21st-century Walker Cinema is one of the best places to view film in the country. Cinema programs are often presented in combination with guest filmmakers through premieres and series that include the Walker Dialogues & Retrospectives, Filmmakers-in-Conversation, and Cinema of Urgency. Dive deeper at Crosscuts, where you’ll find in-depth articles, interviews, and videos about the moving images you love.

Asheville Winter Travel News: Surprisingly Cozy And Refreshing Off-Season Adventures In The Blue Ridge Mountains

S’more flights, mountaintop yoga under the winter sun, new downtown hotel and art hubs with long-range views and “Downton Abbey” at Biltmore

Often overlooked and underrated, winter in Asheville, N.C., is a bit of a secret in a Blue Ridge Mountain city world-famous for fall color and lush summer adventure. Mostly moderate winter weather means Asheville’s Art Deco Downtown remains walkable and cozy with picture-perfect long-range views of snowy peaks, romantic restaurants and easy access to hiking and walking trails. This winter brings a mix of cozy new offerings including wellness experiences to beat the winter blues, a new downtown hotel with expansive views and luxury wellness amenities, “Downton Abbey” costumes and life-sized set recreations at The Biltmore, beverages to warm the soul and new cultural offerings to tuck into. http://www.ExploreAsheville.com/winter19-20

Ashewville Convention and Visitors Bureau logo

Why Winter?

Stunning panoramic views, the best rates of the year and last-minute travel deals from an array of mountaintop retreats and inviting B&Bs—some offering private hot tubs overlooking the surrounding peaks and valleys, fireplaces in epic locales and the chance to see nationally traveling bands in intimate music venues. Find out more at www,ExploreAsheville.com/winter.

NEW HOTEL WITH EXPANSIVE VIEWS & SERENITY-THEMED AMENITIES

Just opened, the Kimpton Hotel Arras has added a new icon and four-star luxury property to Asheville’s famed Art Deco skyline. In addition to a completely new Art Deco façade for Asheville’s tallest building, the 128-room hotel offers grand views of the surrounding mountains and an extensive food focus with two restaurants by local chef Peter Pollay—Bargello, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, and District 42, a more casual spot with outdoor seating, small bites and hand-crafted cocktails. The hotel also offers an artisanal serenity cart, available upon request for guest room delivery, filled with everything from books by Asheville authors to lavender sachets and evening cordials. Wellness amenities also include a massage room and yoga area.

“DOWNTON ABBEY” AT BILTMORE

On the heels of the hit “Downton Abbey” movie, Downton Abbey: The Exhibition arrives at America’s Largest Home on Nov. 8 with set recreations and artifacts, more than 50 of the show’s costumes and exclusive multimedia elements. Housed at Biltmore‘s Amherst and Legacy locations, the exhibition will run through April 7, 2020, and will highlight the parallels between the show, the movie and Biltmore’s Vanderbilt family, friends and staff. (More info. )

COZY WINTER TOURS: TEA & TAROT, MOUNTAINTOP YOGA + ROOFTOP FIRE PITS

• Winter Blues, Bye: Check out the enlightening new Tea and Tarot offering from Asheville Wellness Tours that includes an educational, traditional Chinese tea experience and a group tarot reading at one of Asheville’s coziest tea houses.
• Warm Your Spirit on Top of a Mountain: Asheville Wellness Tours is offering the Yoga on the Mountain Hike this winter. Make your way through the forest and then warm your spirit with yoga under the winter sun. Enjoy a peaceful mountain, crisp fresh air and long-range views along the way.
• Rooftop Fire Pits & Mountain Views: Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours offer a guided tour to some of Asheville’s most scenic spots. Winter means gorgeous sunset views, crystal clear vistas of the surrounding mountains, hot toddies and fire pits.

NEW ART MUSEUM JOINS ARRAY OF FRESH, IMMERSIVE CULTURAL ADVENTURES

Views Inside & Out: Asheville Art Museum reopens this November with a new state-of-the-art building that features education facilities, an art library, a lecture and performance space, a new ArtPLAYce for families and children and the addition of a rooftop sculpture terrace and café with views of downtown architecture and the surrounding mountains. The opening exhibition “Appalachia Now!” is a survey of contemporary art in Southern Appalachia, highlighting 50 emerging artists from the region.

More NEW Cultural Experiences Downtown:

• One of Asheville’s most beloved festivals now has a brick-and-mortar location downtown. Opening to the public this winter, LEAF Global Arts Center will be a cornerstone in the continued rebirth of the city’s historical African-American business district, The Block. The Center will offer educational experiences for guests rooted in music, art, community and culture inclusivity via a mini-theater and global immersion room using virtual reality, unique musical instruments and a stage for performances and interactive artist workstations.
• Opening this November, The Center for Craft is expanding with The National Craft Innovation Hub, including new public galleries featuring local and national makers, lecture space, classrooms and a co-working space, cementing Asheville’s reputation as a force in the nation’s fine art and maker scene. To celebrate the reopening, the “Craft Futures 2099” exhibition showcases 10 local and national artists and their craft objects of the future, an exploration of what’s been and what’s to come in the world of craft. The exhibition runs until February 2020. All Center for Craft galleries are free and open to the public.

FOOD & BEVERAGE NEWS: CRAFT BEER & MAKER COLLAB, NIGHTLIFE GETS A MAKEOVER + S’MORE FLIGHTS

• New Brewery Blends National Park History and Maker Culture: Set in the buildings that once housed young forestry workers of the New Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps, Burial Beer Co.’s Forestry Camp Restaurant and Bar just opened, offering beer, wine and coffee and highlighting local makers, from bakers to artists to musicians. James Beard semifinalist Brian Canipelli, chef and owner of Cucina 24, leads the food program.
• “Beauty Academy” Pairs Drinks, Food & Live Music: This newly opened venture from Charlie Hodge (Sovereign Remedies), Asheville Beauty Academy, features cocktails, champagne and brandy menus, a small food program and live music. The iconic downtown building, built in 1913, was home to the Asheville Beauty Academy in the 1950s and more recently a beloved jazz and blues bar.
• Brewing Beyond Beer: New downtown brewery DSSOLVR opens this November with beer offerings fit for the pickiest of beer enthusiasts to the most casual of light beer drinkers, as well as their own mead, wine, cider and cold-brew coffee.
• S’more Flights: Sunshine Sammies, known for ice cream sandwiches and their gourmet takes on after-school snacks like moon pies and zebra cakes, is making winter a little warmer with s’more flights. Think house-made marshmallows, scratch-made graham crackers, dark chocolate and toppings in a variety of rotating flavors.
• Winter Teas Infuse Local Flavors: Asheville Tea Company, working with a dozen local and regional farms, is warming up spirits this winter with their Snow Day blend (utilizing French Broad Chocolate cacao nibs), Winter Wonderland (a blend of white tea, Fraser Fir, wintergreen, peppermint, birch bark and yarrow flower) and Nutcracker (black tea, cinnamon, hickory nuts and vanilla bean).

ICONIC WINTER EXPERIENCES Discover more at ExploreAsheville.com/winter.

• Unobstructed Views: Take in stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains while on a winter hike. Multiple trailhead access points remain open all year long on the Blue Ridge Parkway and across Pisgah National Forest. Find your perfect winter trail with Explore Asheville‘s NEW Asheville Hike Finder, where you can sort by difficulty, distance from Asheville and features like waterfalls or views.
• Best Deals: Winter offers the best rates of the year for travel deals + fewer crowds. Cozy travel packages include wellness opportunities and other winter adventures. Find more at ExploreAsheville.com/deals.
• Cabin Fever: Asheville’s array of mountaintop retreats and inviting B&Bs offers private hot tubs overlooking the surrounding peaks and valleys, candlelight dinners and the opportunity to get away from it all.
• Secret Season for Music: Deep-seated bluegrass roots harmonize with new talent and innovative sounds in Asheville. In winter many nationally traveling local bands come home to the region to play shows and pop in to jam sessions.
• Fireplaces with a View: From rooftops to cozy spots to imbibe, Asheville’s trend of fireplaces accompanied by spectacular vistas of downtown architecture and mountain scenery is highlighted at venues like Capella on 9 at the AC Hotel Asheville Downtown and Hemingway’s Cuba at Cambria Downtown Asheville. Other hot spots with epic fireplace offerings: Omni Grove Park Inn, Pillar Bar at the Hilton Garden Inn Asheville Downtown and Wicked Weed Brewing.
• Signature winter events in Asheville include: The Big Crafty (December), showcasing handmade art from hundreds of local artists; The Fringe Arts Festival (January), an innovative series of boundary-pushing arts performances; Big Band Dance Weekend (January) at the Omni Grove Park Inn; and Asheville Restaurant Week (January). Find more winter events at ExploreAsheville.com/events.

Leica Camera USA Grants Awards to Three Women to Support Diversity in Photography

Each recipient will receive $10,000 and a Leica Q2 to pursue a personal project relevant to today’s social and political climate, as expressed through the female perspective

Following the launch of the Leica Women Foto Project earlier this year – a platform dedicated to the expansion of diversity and inclusion in photography – Leica Camera USA is proud to announce the three recipients of the inaugural Leica Women Foto Project Award. Leica recognizes that the shape of a story is reactive to the storyteller’s perspective, often leaving out those whose point of views are underrepresented. By amplifying the female perspective in photography, Leica aims to help provide a more dynamic and diverse view of the world around us.

“This importance of diversity in visual storytelling strengthens the integrity of our collective story,” says Kiran Karnani, Director of Marketing for Leica Camera North America. “Visual expressions through myriad lenses challenge and embrace ideas that drive important conversations. We enable growth through an expansion of thought when we actively support inclusivity through the photographic medium. With the Leica Women Foto Project, we aim to embolden photographers to think outside one’s own point of view, support underrepresented voices to speak their visual languages, and celebrate new ways of seeing.“

From over 600 submissions across the United States, photographers Debi Cornwall, Yana Paskova and Eva Woolridge were selected by a prestigious panel of judges in the photography, art and entertainment industries to each receive $10,000 and a Leica Q2 to pursue a personal project that tells a story through the female viewpoint.

“Insurgent” by Debi Cornwall

Debi Cornwall was chosen for her series Necessary Fictions, which explores the staging and performance of American power in immersive, realistic military wargames. In this project, Cornwall photographs the mysterious country of “Atropia.” Though fictional, Atropia actually exists: mock Afghan and Iraqi villages have been constructed on military bases across the United States to host immersive, realistic military training exercises for troops preparing to deploy. On ten such sites around the country, Cornwall documents these mock villages, battle scenarios, and “cultural role-players,” with the goal of examining how fictions are deployed and embraced, and to invite critical inquiry among military and civilian viewers alike about a society in which war has become the rule rather than the exception. Cornwall will use the funding from the Leica Women Foto Project Award to continue the story of Necessary Fictions and to explore how fiction and reality blur within the post-9/11 “fantasy-industrial complex.”

Widows of Varanasi by Yana Paskova

Yana Paskova is a Bulgaria-born, Chicago-bred, Brooklyn-based photojournalist and writer who uses her experience as a political asylum immigrant to find a way to bridge humans’ understanding of each other. Paskova will utilize the award funds to continue developing her photographic series, Where Women Rule. She describes the project as “a visual and sociological look at what happens when cultural norms of gender are amended or removed — via the all-female societies across the world, where women gather for shelter or in matriarchy — leaving us with new notions of femininity and masculinity, human bonds, family, and the fluid boundaries of identity.”

“Empty” by Eva Woolridge

As told through her lens as a self-proclaimed African-American and Chinese-American queer woman, Eva Woolridge will round out the inaugural LWFP recipient class by bringing her personal experiences to life in her project The Size of a Grapefruit. The series is an artistic interpretation of Woolridge’s medically traumatic experiences following her diagnosis of a dermoid cyst – the size of a grapefruit – and consequential removal of her right ovary, which she believes could have been saved had medical professionals taken swifter action following their early conversations. With the assistance of the Leica Women Foto Project, Woolridge aims to bring to light more stories of black women worldwide who experience racial bias through a visual representation of their perseverance, grit and subsequent empowerment cultivated from their specific challenges.

“The Leica Women Foto Project is a keystone program for Leica Camera USA as we expand opportunities to amplify visual stories told through the lenses of underrepresented perspectives. The overwhelming response of hundreds of USA-based submissions in just our first year alone –+is indicative of the ongoing need for platforms that invite conversations that provoke new ways of seeing.” says Karnani.. “We welcome Debi, Yana, and Eva to the Leica family of storytellers and we look forward to the continued evolution of their impactful stories.“

The projects submitted by Cornwall, Paskova, and Woolridge were carefully selected by five influential women in the photography, art and entertainment industries, which included:

• Karin Kaufmann, Art Director & Chief Representative, Leica Galleries International
• Maggie Steber, VII Agency photographer and Guggenheim fellow
• Elizabeth Avedon, photography book and exhibition designer, independent curator and writer
• Laura Roumanos, executive producer and co-founder, United Photo Industries
• Deborah Willis, university professor and Chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and author of Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery

The Q2s Cornwall, Paskova and Woolridge will each receive will initially be provided as one-year loans to kickstart a legacy program helping to foster community among recipients. At the end of the term, the cameras will be passed on to the next three winners of the 2020 award. A replacement Leica camera will be offered to the initial set of recipients to continue documenting their journey through the lens of a Leica.

All three women will showcase photographs from their respective projects in a joint exhibit at Leica Gallery Boston beginning March 5, 2020 through April 26, 2020 where visitors can view the journey of their personal projects. To learn more about the Leica Women Foto Project Award and the 2019 recipients, visit http://bit.ly/Leica_Women.

Leica represents a union of craftsmanship, design and experience. It is a beautiful collision of art and engineering, and the future of form and functionality. Leica Camera, headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany, is an internationally operating, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the supreme quality and performance of cameras and lenses, and the iconic images that artists and photojournalists everywhere captured with them. For more information about Leica visit www.leicacamerausa.com,

Dennis Freedman Named Consulting Creative Director Of Surface Media

Diane Solway, Editor-in-Chief of Surface Media, announced the appointment of Dennis Freedman as Surface Media’s Consulting Creative Director, effective immediately. In his new role, Freedman will work closely with Solway as Surface Media re-imagines and expands its dynamic engagement with design, art, architecture, fashion, and travel. Freedman’s deep and far-ranging experience and creative vision will help shape the evolution of Surface Media’s magazine, digital platforms, live experiences, and strategic partnerships.

Dennis Freedman

Freedman was the founding Creative Director of W Magazine, where he and Solway collaborated for many years, and where Solway most-recently served as Features and Culture Director until the magazine was acquired by Future Media Group earlier this year. After leaving W, Freedman served as Creative Director of Barneys New York where he pioneered new ways to connect with customers, including the shopable video and collaborations with Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Baz Luhrmann, Miuccia Prada and John Galliano. Freedman also brought a new level of interactivity to its windows, working with artists and photographers, among them the Louise Bourgeois estate, Alex Katz, Juergen Teller, and Mario Sorrenti.

“Dennis’ groundbreaking creativity and influence in the visual world is legendary and I am excited to be collaborating with him again in bringing Surface’s brand and platforms to a new level of performance,” said Solway. “Design is his passion and he will be instrumental as we expand our communities and dynamically connect our audiences with the innovators featured across our platforms.”

“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Diane and, together, we have curated some of the most dynamic stories and programming that I’ve done in my career,” said Freedman. “I am looking forward to collaborating with her on the realization of her vision for Surface Media and its unparalleled ability to engage its audiences with the leading creatives of our time.”

At W, Freedman spearheaded W’s transformation from a fledging newsprint tabloid to a leading creative showcase for some of the foremost fashion photographers of the day, among them Philip Lorca di Corcia, Steven Klein, and David Sims. He is also one of the world’s foremost collectors of modern and contemporary design. In February, a show of nearly 70 pieces from Freedman’s collection of Italian radical design will open at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Titled “Radical: Italian Design 1965-1985, the Dennis Freedman Collection,” the show will subsequently travel to the Yale School of Architecture Gallery.

Future Media Group Logo

Surface Media is owned by Future Media Group (FMG), the company that recently acquired W Magazine from Condé Nast. Diane Solway was named Editor-in-Chief of Surface in September 2019.

Future Media Group, formed as the holding company during the acquisition of W from Condé Nast, also encompasses Surface and Watch Journal. It is committed to developing legacy media brands and delivering them into the future.

Since 1972, W has been an escape from the ordinary. Unbound by convention, W sees the world through the lenses of fashion, art and film. Across platforms, W celebrates the unexpected and sparks cultural conversations with provocative stories, addictive videos and distinctively curated social feeds featuring iconic celebrities such as Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett and Rihanna.

Since 1993, Surface has been the barometer for what’s new and what’s next in the worlds of contemporary global design, architecture, art, fashion, and culture. With special access to tastemakers including Thom Browne, Delphine Arnault, David Adjaye, Nobu Matsuhisa, Kanye West and more, Surface is a compass for today’s creative leaders that boasts a circulation of 100,000 with in-room distribution at top hotels including The Edition, The Nomad, and The Gramercy Park Hotel.

Since 1997, Watch Journal is the category leader in fine watches and living well, pairing a love of fine timepieces with fashion, art, travel, sports and architecture. Readers of the publication have an average net worth of $4.4 million. The magazine is distributed as the exclusive trade media outlet at over 250 private air terminals across the United States and as the only in-room American publication at Les Trois Rois in Basel, Switzerland.

New-York Historical Society Accepting Applications For 2020–2021 Fellowships

New Fellows Welcomed for the 2019–2020 Academic Year

The New-York Historical Society is now accepting applications for its prestigious fellowship program for the 2020–2021 academic year. Leveraging its rich collections that detail American history through the lens of New York City, New-York Historical’s fellowships are open to scholars at various times during their academic careers and provides them with the resources and community to develop new research and publications that illuminate complex issues of the past. The available fellowships include:

The New-York Historical Society Museum and Library

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Predoctoral Awards in Women’s History
The two recipients of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Predoctoral Awards in Women’s History should have a strong interest in women’s and public history and the applications of these fields outside the academy. Functioning as research associates and providing programmatic support for New-York Historical’s Center for Women’s History, pre-doctoral awardees will assist in the development of content for the Women’s History exhibitions, associated educational curriculum, and on-site experiences for students, scholars, and visitors. They must be currently enrolled students in good standing in a relevant Ph.D. program in the humanities. The Predoctoral Awardees, whose work at New-York Historical may not directly correspond with their dissertation research, will be in residence part time at New-York Historical for one academic year, between September 9, 2020, and August 28, 2021, and will receive a stipend of $20,000 per year. This position is not full time and will not receive full benefits.

Helen and Robert Appel Fellowship in History and Technology
This fellowship will be awarded to a candidate who has earned a Ph.D. no later than 2019. Research projects should be based on New-York Historical’s collections and explore the impact of technology on history. The fellowship will carry a stipend of $60,000, plus benefits. It begins September 9, 2020, and lasts through June 30, 2021.

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship
One fellowship for the length of an academic year is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities for the sake of research at New-York Historical. The fellowship is available to individuals who have completed their formal professional training and have received their final degree or certificate by 2019. They should have a strong record of accomplishment within their field. There is no restriction relating to age or academic status of applicants. Foreign nationals are eligible to apply if they meet visa requirements for working in the U.S. The 10-month residency will carry a stipend of $42,000, plus benefits. This fellowship will begin September 9, 2020 and will end June 30, 2021.

Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation—Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship
This fellowship will be awarded to a candidate who has earned a Ph.D. no later than 2019. Research projects should expand public understanding of New York State and City history and include research based on the collections and resources of New-York Historical. This 10-month residency will carry a stipend of $60,000, plus benefits. It begins September 9, 2020, and lasts through June 30, 2021.

Short Term Fellowships
Several short term fellowships will be awarded to scholars at any academic level working in the Library collections of New-York Historical. Research is to be conducted for two to four weeks for a stipend of between $2,000. The fellowship period will begin July 1, 2020 and end June 29, 2021.

Fellowships at the New-York Historical Society are made possible through the generous endowments of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, and Helen and Robert Appel. Major support for fellowships is provided by Bernard L. Schwartz and the Lehrman Institute. All fellows receive research stipends while in residency. Short term fellowships are made possible by support from Helen Appel, Richard Brown and Mary Jo Otsea, Causeries du Lundi, Patricia Klingenstein, Sid Lapidus, Peck Stacpoole Foundation, Pine Tree Foundation of New York, Pam and Scott Schafler, Society of Colonial Wars, and Society of Daughters of Holland Dames.

Visit nyhistory.org/library/fellowships for instructions and application checklists for each fellowship. The application deadline for all fellowships is January 3, 2020.

2019–2020 Fellows at the New-York Historical Society

New-York Historical is also pleased to announce fellows now in residence during the 2019–2020 academic year. This year’s fellows are:

Schwartz Fellows

Tejasvi Nagaraja comes to New-York Historical from the Charles Warren Center for American History at Harvard University. He is working on a major book project, Soldiers of the American Dream: War Work, Jim Crow and Freedom Movements in the Shadow of U. S. Power. With a Ph.D. from NYU, Nagaraja will continue to work on his project during his tenure at New-York Historical. Based on deep archival research, oral histories, and interviews, Nagaraja’s project documents the racism and discrimination that veterans and others in the war industry faced after WW II. This is Nagaraja’s “greatest generation,” disillusioned and angry black veterans who turned their mounting discontent into the beginnings of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s. New York is the central node in Nagaraja’s story, a hub of activists and activism, and while he is here he will be using Library materials from the era to finish up his manuscript.

Alexander Manevitz holds a Ph.D. from NYU, where he began work on the project that brings him to New-York Historical: The Rise and Fall of Seneca Village: Remaking Race and Space in 19th-Century New York City. In the centuries old story of the manifold ways in which New York City builds, demolishes, and rebuilds, Seneca Village occupies a unique place. The compelling strength of Manevitz’s project derives from its ability to recast the rise and fall of Seneca Village in terms of gentrification projects today, projects which have the effect of erasing neighborhoods and memories of those neighborhoods. According to Manevitz, Seneca Village was a unique experiment in which African Americans sought to build an experimental community in the face of racism and class tensions. Looking at that community provides a window onto African American attempts to create their own brand of capitalism and urban planning.

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow

With a Ph.D. from CUNY, Dr. Lauren Santangelo is an accomplished scholar in the field of women’s studies. Her first book, Suffrage and the City: New York Women Battle for the Ballot (Oxford), has been recently published, and some of the research for that book was done at New-York Historical, where Dr. Santangelo was a Schwartz Fellow in 2013-14. Her current project, which will draw on several recently acquired collections, focuses on Ladies Mile and the gendered consumer culture it spawned. Ladies Mile flourished during the Gilded Age, a time of retail innovation, electrification, the introduction of elevators, etc.—all of which inflected the experience of women as an important, new consumer class.

Helen and Robert Appel Fellow in History and Technology Fellow

Devin Kennedy comes out of the Harvard History of Science program, where he worked with Professor Peter Galison. Kennedy’s area of particular interest is the impact of technology on the operations of Wall Street in the 1960s and ’70s. He sees Wall Street as a site of continuous technological innovation and proposes to tell the story of the machines, computer programs, cables, and satellites that rewired Wall Street during that period. In particular, he will be examining the partnership of the NYSE with the American Stock Exchange to rewire lower Manhattan and the development by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) of an automated quotation and dealer communication system called NASDAQ. He will be making extensive use of New-York Historical’s important oral history project, Remembering Wall Street, 1950-1980.

Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation—Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow

With her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, Sarah Miller-Davenport is a Permanent Lecturer in 20th century U. S. history at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Her project seeks to address a crucial conundrum in the history of New York City: with city teetering on the brink of financial and social collapse in the 1970s how and why did New York embark on an ambitious globalist agenda symbolized by the building of the Twin Towers in 1973. Moreover, why was it so successful in this most unlikely of undertakings? Professor Miller-Davenport does not see globalization as an inevitable force with its own dynamic. Rather, the pursuit of global capital by the city was the result of conscious decisions made by politicians, business men, bureaucrats, and analysts. Her work will focus on the actors, their motives, their successes, and failures. Finally she will look at the impact of globalization on the fabric of the city, its diverse peoples, and its neighborhoods.

Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Women’s History and Public History

Anna K. Danziger Halperin completed her doctorate in history at Columbia University in 2018, focusing on comparative social policy, gender, and childhood. She has previously taught at Columbia University and St. Joseph’s College, Brooklyn. Her dissertation, “Education or Welfare? American and British Child Care Policy, 1965-2004,” analyzed child care policies in the turn to neoliberalism in both the U.S. and Britain. As the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, she will be in residence full-time at New-York Historical through 2021, assisting in the programs of the Center for Women’s History.

Andrew W. Mellon Predoctoral Fellows in Women’s History and Public History

Pamela Walker is a doctoral candidate in the Department of History at Rutgers University. She specializes in African American History and Women and Gender History. She received a B.A. in History and Journalism from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and an M.A. in History from the University of New Orleans. Pamela’s dissertation, “‘Everyone Must Think We Really Need Freedom’: Black and White Mothers, The Mississippi Box Project, and the Civil Rights Movement,” examines the relationship between motherhood, the black freedom struggle, white benevolence, and political consciousness during the long 1960s.

Caitlin Wiesner is a doctoral candidate in the Department of History at Rutgers University, specializing in the history of women, gender, and sexuality in the 20th century United States. She earned her Bachelor of the Arts with Distinguished Honors in History and Women’s & Gender Studies from the College of New Jersey in 2015. Her forthcoming dissertation, “Controlling Rape: Black Women, the Feminist Movement Against Sexual Violence, and the State, 1974-1994,” explores how black women’s anti-rape activity in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Chicago evolved in response to the state’s growing interest in punishing rape during the War on Crime. In addition to the Mellon Fellowship at New-York Historical, her research has been supported by the Graduate School of New Brunswick, the Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis, Rutgers Oral History Archives, Smith College Libraries, and the P.E.O. International.

The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s preeminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history. Among the more than 1.6 million works that comprise the museum’s art collections are all 435 preparatory watercolors for John James Audubon’s Birds of America; a preeminent collection of Hudson River School landscapes; and an exceptional collection of decorative and fine arts spanning four centuries.

The Patricia D. Klingenstein Library at the New-York Historical Society is home to over 350,000 books, nearly 20,000 linear feet of manuscripts and archives, and distinctive collections of maps, photographs, and prints, as well as ephemera and family papers documenting the history of the United States from a distinctly New York perspective. The Library’s collections are particularly rich in material pertaining to the American Revolution and the early Republic, the Civil War, and the Gilded Age. Significant holdings relate to Robert Livingston and the Livingston family, Rufus King, Horatio Gates, Albert Gallatin, Cadwallader Colden, Robert Fulton, Richard Varick, and many other notable individuals. Also well documented within the Library’s collections are major social movements in American history, especially abolitionism, temperance, and social welfare. The Library’s visual archives include some of the earliest photographs of New York; a significant collection of Civil War images; and the archives of major architectural firms of the later 19th century.

Wayfair Europe Introduces New Flagship Brand, Hykkon

New Curated Home And Living Collection Offers Exciting Design At An Affordable Price

Wayfair Inc., one of the world’s largest online destinations for the home, unveiled Hykkon, a carefully curated collection of stylish yet timeless home furnishings to help customers discover exciting design at an affordable price. Hykkon is the first flagship brand for Wayfair’s European business and launched today across Wayfair.co.uk and Wayfair.de.

The new Hykkon collection offers a curated assortment that is both sophisticated and playful, embracing modern, minimalist and unexpected elements. The brand features a retro-inspired colour palette and aesthetic across a wide range of furniture and decor that can be mixed and matched together or with existing pieces to fit any one-of-a-kind home.

Wayfair introduces new flagship brand, Hykkon (Photo: Business Wire)

“We’re thrilled to launch our first flagship brand across Wayfair Europe, which gives our customers premium access to an in demand, modern assortment at an affordable price point,” said Martin Reiter, Head of Europe, Wayfair. “Curated, personal design does not have to be expensive or hard to find. The launch of a style focused brand like Hykkon is another step forward in our mission to deliver an unparalleled customer experience in shopping for home.”

In addition to Hykkon’s carefully selected assortment, the brand is powered by Wayfair’s seamless shopping experience and delivery network that makes it so easy to shop online for home. Shoppers browsing Hykkon will have access to first class merchandising that combines high quality, unique product imagery, precise dimensions and descriptions, and customer reviews.

Available now at Wayfair in the United Kingdom and Germany, Hykkon includes more than 700 products for the living room, dining room, and bedroom as well as decor, textiles and lighting. To discover and shop the full Hykkon collection, visit: www.wayfair.co.uk/Hykkon. ollow along on social with #Hykkon #MyWayfairUK.

Wayfair is one of the world’s largest online destinations to shop for your home. Through technology and innovation, Wayfair makes it possible for shoppers to quickly and easily find exactly what they want from a selection of more than 14 million items across home furnishings, décor, housewares and more. Committed to delighting its customers every step of the way, Wayfair offers outstanding service from product discovery to final delivery. Wayfair’s logistics network catered for home allows fast and convenient delivery for products of all shapes and sizes.

Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. and with offices in Berlin, London and Galway, the company employs 14,500 people, more than 1,700 of them in Europe. Wayfair operates in the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and the U.S. The company generated $8 billion in net revenue for the twelve months ended June 30, 2019 and is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange.