Showing posts with label relaxing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relaxing. Show all posts

Saturday, July 27, 2013

On The Mark

 MOTH's making a last ditch effort finishing off the reno of our large upstairs Home Office. It's looking good, but with no heating, window or floor coverings, it's bitterly cold up there.....not a very conducive atmosphere for drying paint. A weekend away in the heat of a New York summer looks good & The Mark, on the corner of Madison Avenue & 77th St. is the place.

Designer Jacques Grange has done a pretty nifty job I reckon. Light & airy, I'll take the Mark Premier Suite thanks.

Fabulous soft furnishings in the sitting room & a custom kitchen specially designed by Piero Lissoni for Boffi with kitchen appliances from Gaggenau, Miele and Sub-Zero will do just fine.

Soft, squishy sofas just perfect for flopping into after a hard days shopping down town.

MOTH prefers a straight backed chair these days for his crook back - this one looks just right.

Breakfast in the suite please, saves having to get out of the trackie dacks for another hour.

The best mini-bar I've seen in yonks.

Couldn't ask for a nicer bedroom.

You can tell a lot about a hotel by the bedside tables they keep, this one passes with tops marks, pardon the pun!

Lots of room on this vanity bar, I do detest juggling all my stuff on a hotel bathroom cabinet meant for pygmies.

Not Port Power colours here on the bathroom floor, but I'll forgive them this one lapse.

Commodious shower - I DO love that word!

The Mark has collabored with stroller manufacturer Maclaren, to offer guests a fleet of custom-designed strollers ideal for a walk through Central Park or shopping along Madison Avenue. How thoughtful!

With Central Park a bone's throw away, The Mark would welcome puppy Lulu, who after a warm greeting from the pet-loving door staff, would have her own comfortable dog bed by Molly Mutt, signature water bowls and a custom placemat. It's a dog's life!

If ever there was time to try out my new bionic knee, it would be here. A spin on one of The Mark's Republic Bikes would definitely put it through its paces - the bikes incorporate elements of the hotel's Jacques Grange design including a striped chain case and monogrammed bells, naturally.

As MOTH's too cheap to eat out in restaurants twice a day, the Concierge can organize a picnic in Central Park, created by celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The gourmet picnic basket includes all the picnic essentials – blanket, cutlery and condiments. As a finishing touch, The Mark’s chef concierge, Isabelle Hogan, has curated an illustrated bike map to help guests navigate Central Park. As MOTH gets lost just going to the supermarket at home, this will be essential.

This place looks so good, we may never make it home to finish off the painting. It's the weekend dear Hedgies, so go enjoy!

All images: The Mark

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Book Worm


Today is the last day of my 5 day weekend. It's been busy with lots of things ticked off the To Do list, but I do feel wonderfully relaxed. Other than the morning papers, I haven't caught up with any reading, so today I plan a few indulgent Millie hours in front of the fire with Andrew Davidson's fascinating book The Gargoyle. I took a gigantic leap right out of my genre comfort zone a couple of weks ago when I purchased this on someone else's recommendation. The leap has been well worth it. This is a story of redemptive love, an historical epic with a Gothic twist & a tale of addiction all rolled into one. At times, sexually explicit & violent, this read may not be for everyone, but it certainly has me turning each page with anticipation. I've had to surrender to Davidson's narrative & just trust him to take me into a world very foreign to me. So far it's been a challenging & intense journey, the word pictures he's painted in my head have taken a lot of energy to process. But gosh, I'm looking forward to seeing where he takes me today.

Image: William Waldron

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Friday, November 27, 2009

Wreta Gestgifveri


It's been ages since I did a Weekend Retreat post, but I'm convinced the wonderful Wreta Gestgifveri Inn an hour out of Stockholm will make amends. When Owner Jim Grundstrom, one of Sweden's most accomplished interior designers, first saw the seventeenth century building it was derelict & empty. Seeing the potential he set about restoring it to a gracious boutique country hotel. Every guest room mirrors a different epoch - from 17th century baroque to Carl Larsson’s turn-of-the-century romanticism. No commentary is necessary, this is bliss! The most joyous of weekends to you my friends.



































All images: Wreta Gestgifveri
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