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December 2008
Annapolis, Maryland...
Posted by Susanna at 12:31 PM, Dec 29, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Travel
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Holiday Pictures from Kiel, Germany
Posted by Susanna at 12:09 PM, Dec 28, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Travel
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New Swedish Kafé in Manhattan
Posted by Susanna at 10:46 AM, Dec 27, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Food & Drink
WHEN YOU walk into the AQ Kafé at Columbus Circle in New York, you are greeted with an array of Swedish and other Scandinavian delicacies and typical Swedish design featuring blond wood and white, spare interior space. Right away you feel at home and hungry.
EVEN THOUGH the staff may not be Swedish or even know a single word of Swedish, they soon let you know that this place is warm and inviting.
PERHAPS THEY are reflecting the personality of one of the owners of the place, Marcus Samuelsson, who along with Håkan Swahn, is famous for the Aquavit restaurant on 55th Street in Manhattan.
OPENED last September, AQ Kafé is a delight, where you can refresh yourself with hearty soups, tasty sandwiches and great coffee. Of course, you will probably want to treat yourself to a few Swedish pastries before you leave and maybe pick up a loaf of Swedish bread to take home. Perhaps when the restaurant gets its liquor license, they will then also offer beer and other beverages to complement the fine menu.
LOCATED at 1800 Broadway, on Columbus Circle, it's a must stop in any Swede's tour of New York City.
AQ Kafé staff
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Christmas Pictures from New York
Posted by Susanna at 8:56 AM, Dec 24, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Travel
Lord & Taylor
Saks Fifth Avenue
Barney's
Disney
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New York Does Christmas the Best!
Posted by Susanna at 10:44 AM, Dec 22, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Travel
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman, Winter
Bergdorf Goodman, Spring
Bergdorf Goodman, Summer
Bergdorf Goodman, Autumn
Bloomingdale's
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Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman at the National Press Club
Posted by Susanna at 1:23 PM, Dec 20, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Events
Nobel Prize winner 2008 Paul Krugman signs books at the National Press Club.
NOBEL Laureate, Princeton economics professor and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman came to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Friday bearing bad news.
"I AM scared of 2009," he said. "In this economy, everything that can go belly up, will."
BUT HE said he was optimistic about 2010, maybe.
Princeton economics professor Paul Krugman
WITH HIS GREAT wit and characteristic good humor, he explained some of the more complex aspects of today's economy with a clarity that non-economists could understand. Unfortunately, he thinks that the country and economists don't really know what will make the economy turn around. But spending on "shovel-ready" projects is probably a good place to start.
IF YOU WANT to watch Mr. Krugman's whole speech, go to: http://npc.press.org/video/player.cfm?type=lunch&id=16709
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New York, New York...
Posted by Susanna at 9:42 AM, Dec 18, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Travel
Macy's
Empire State Building
Rockefeller Center
Time Warner Center
Plaza
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Christmas Time in Göteborg, Sweden
Posted by Susanna at 10:21 AM, Dec 16, 2008 (Comments)
Category:
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St. Lucia Ball at the House of Sweden Celebrates Holiday Tradition
Posted by Susanna at 1:31 PM, Dec 15, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Events
Nunu Wako, David Matthew and Jenny Mählqvist
A ST. LUCIA BALL to celebrate the grand Swedish holiday of Santa Lucia, the saint of lights - in the darkest time of the year -- was held Saturday night, December 13, at the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C. It was a gala evening with a traditional Lucia procession, singing of Christmas music, Swedish (Julbord) cuisine and dancing to live music.
Sofia Ruhne and Niklas Bengtsson
Tara Eliza Castillo and Erika Lucas
Robert Groshon
Anna Dahl and Suzanne Schols
Maria Ekman, Astri Kimball and Jennifer Carcich
Christina Hoffman, Linda Tocchini-Valentini and Robin Lindgren
Christine Yacoub
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Art and Fashion at Tee Party
Posted by Susanna at 6:31 PM, Dec 13, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Design & Art
Glamour Grrls at the Tee Party event
LOTS OF PEOPLE flocked to the Tee Party@Tiffany's, another great art event arranged by The Pink Line Project, which was held at the Arlington Arts Center, in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday night.
IT WAS an art-meets-fashion party created by Philippa Hughes, the art guru/glamour grrl of the Washington art scene. Philippa is the founder of The Pink Line Project.
THE PARTY'S fashion show featured T-shirt designs by Kristina Bilonick, Billy Colbert, DC51, DECOY, Cory Oberndorfer and Lisa Marie Thalhammer. There was also a presentation titled "Panel Discussion: The intersection between Art and Fashion," with Kristina Bilonick as the moderator, and panelists artist Billy Colbert, blogger Rachel Cothran from ProjectBeltway.com and Tom Pipkin of DC Source, a soon-to-be-launched Web site featuring an original line of DC influenced street gear.
Philippa Hughes from The Pink Line Project and designer Alicia Cosnahan, DECOY
Rita O'Hara and artist Evan Reed
A "sculpture in progress" by Evan Reed
A figure in wax by Evan Reed called O'tanjoobi (Japanese for birthday)
Creative Christmas outfit made of cellophane
Artist Lisa Marie Thalhammer in front of her T-shirt designs
"Intrepide Indulgence" by Monica Stroik
Arlington Arts Center, where the Tee Party @ Tiffany's event was held on Friday night
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Lucia Procession at House of Sweden in Washington
Posted by Susanna at 10:02 AM, Dec 13, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Events
ALL THE SPLENDOR and tradition of Santa Lucia was celebrated Friday night at the House of Sweden at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C. The Swedish ambassador Jonas Hafström and his wife Eva invited guests for glögg and traditional Swedish Christmas food. Guests feasted on such tasty items as herring on knäckebröd, smoked salmon on dark bread, meatballs and prinskorv (sausages) with senap (Swedish mustard).
OF COURSE, the highlight of the evening was the Lucia procession with the Santa Lucia, the beautiful young woman dressed in white with a wreath of candles on her head, along with a troup of tärnor, other young women and girls also in white, and stjärngossar, young men and boys in white wearing long, white pointy hats (that look like what Americans would call a dunce cap) and carrying wands with a star at the end.
THE tärnor and stjärngossar sang traditional Swedish Christmas songs, and Swedish tenor Mats Carlsson joined them to sing a few solos of favorites such as "Oh Holy Night" and "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas." The popular Steven Brodd, who plays the organ at Swedish Church once a month at Augustana Lutheran Church, accompanied the songfest.
Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafström and his wife Eva Hafström
Swedish tenor Mats Carlsson (left) and part of the Lucia procession
Margareta Paul, Margareta Storm and Birgitta Hay
George Blake, head of Securitas security at the House of Sweden, and Cecilia Browning, operations manager of the House of Sweden
Pianist Steven Brodd
The Lucia procession singing Christmas songs from the stairs.
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Swedish Tenor Mats Carlsson Performs at House of Sweden
Posted by Susanna at 11:47 AM, Dec 12, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Events
Peruvian pianist Myriam Avalos-Teie and Swedish tenor Mats Carlsson
SWEDISH Tenor Mats Carlsson gave an impressive concert at the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C., on Thursday evening, December 11, to the accompaniment of fabulous Peruvian pianist Myriam Avalos-Teie.
AMONG the music performed by Mr. Carlsson were: Una Furtiva Lagrima by Gaetano Donizetti, Land Du Välsignade by Swedish composer Wilhelm Peterson-Berger and Questa Quella from Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi. One of the music pieces that gave the tenor especially big applause was "E Lucevan Le Stele" by Giacomo Puccini.
MR. CARLSSON has been praised for his shimmering Nordic timbre coupled with a classic Italian style and ringing high notes, and that was very much evident to the listeners at the Thursday night performance.
TRAINED at The Royal College of Music and University College of Opera in Stockholm, Mr. Carlsson is the first recipient of the Scandinavian Jussi Björling Society Award, established in 2008.
MATS CARLSSON will be back in the United States to perform at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, May 15-17, 2009.
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Biagio Tasting Reception with Artists
Posted by Susanna at 11:00 AM, Dec 11, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Design & Art
Artists Mary Beth Ramsey and Sondra N. Arkin
BIAGIO FINE CHOCOLATE, the fantastic new chocolate shop on 18th Street in Northwest Washington, opened its back room to host a dynamic show of new contemporary art by Washington artists.
ONE OF THE featured artists was Anna U. Davis, who is from Lund, Sweden. As usual, her work dazzelled the crowd with its provocative vitality. As more than a few commented, looking at her work, you would never guess she was from Sweden.
OTHER ARTISTS with work in the show include Sondra N. Arkin, Joan Belmar, Scott G. Brooks, Tom Drymon, Mary Beth Ramsey, Kelly Towles and Ellyn Weiss.
SHOP co-owner William Knight presented four art events this month. The combination of great art, and a sampling of fine delicious chocolates and wines is hard to beat.
THE CURRENT show, titled "Rapture Ecstasy Bliss," will continue through Jan. 4. Biagio Fine Chocolate is located at 2904 18th Street, N.W. Telephone (202) 328-1506.
William Knight, co-owner of Biagio Fine Chocolate in Washington, D.C.
Peter Davis and Swedish artist Anna U. Davis
Neil Takemoto, co-founder of CreativesDC
Work by Anna U. Davis
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RTCRM Celebrates Opening of New Location in Georgetown
Posted by Susanna at 10:23 AM, Dec 11, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Design & Art
Donna Sharpe, HOK, Maureen Quattrocki, CFO, RTCRM, Katie Dufresne, HOK, and Toby Eshenauer, Turner Construction worked together on the new interior for RTCRM.
RTC Relationship Marketing, which today is one of the largest relationship marketing agencies in the world, recently celebrated the opening of its beautiful new headquarters in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. RTCRM chose the renowned architecture firm HOK to design the new working space. HOK is known for its commitment to stylish sustainable design, which meshed well with the RTCRM's concept of an energized work atmosphere.
Maria and Barry Kessel, CEO of RTCRM, and Keith Lipert, Keith Lipert Gallery
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Cyprus Embassy Night
Posted by Susanna at 1:24 AM, Dec 10, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Events
Peggy Sands Orchowski and Andreas Kakouris, the Cypriot Ambassador to the United States
CYPRUS has been at the crossroads of history for centuries, and these days its situation is no different.
THE CYPRIOT AMBASSADOR to the United States, Andreas Kakouris, presented his views on the island's current plight, caught in the geopolitical crosswinds of our day at a reception for foreign correspondents earlier this week at his residence in the Kalorama section of Northwest Washington.
THE CLASSICS say that Cyprus is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. Belying the island's current political plight, the ambassador and his wife were perfect hosts, and if they are representative of the people of Cyprus, then one can only conclude that the people of Cyprus today are just as beautiful as ever.
Hugh Grindstaff and Arshad Mahmud
George Atallah, Heather Yamour and Amanda Williams
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Africa Now! At the World Bank
Posted by Susanna at 11:54 PM, Dec 9, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Design & Art
Swedes Maria Ekman and Frida Sellman
THE WORLD BANK is famous and infamous for a lot of things. But great art usually doesn't come to mind when the subject of The World Bank comes up.
BUT THEY DID get the art thing right this week with their "Africa Now!" Exhibition. Featuring 150 artists and 10 designers from across the continent, in media that included photography, fashion, clay, prints and drawings, the show was simply wonderful, spilling across the executive 12th level of the headquarters building on H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., as well as the first and second floors.
"AFRICA NOW!" was conceived and organized by the World Bank Art Program in partnership with the World Bank Vice Presidency for the Africa Region and the Biennale of Contemporary African Art in Dakar, Senegal.
NORWEGIAN Pia Dahl was a leader on the team that brought the exhibition to fruition, and the talented photographer and filmmaker Aida Muluneh had her works included in the show. Aida has worked and given workshops in Stockholm and elsewhere in Sweden, when she is not living in her native Ethiopia and in New York.
Bruce McNeil and Pia Dahl
Richard Miller, Mimi Wolford, Rev. Joshua Kest and Elizabeth Goldston
Bruce McNeil, Diana Baird N'Diaye, Lili Iravani and Harlee Little
Melvin L. Hardy, Juanita Boyd Hardy and Victor Ekpuk
Lili Iravani and Cheryl Foster
Harlee Little and Mwandale Mwanyekwa, who studied art in Sweden.
Mwandale Mwanyekwa
Clothing designs from Africa
Artwork from Africa
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Art Basel Miami Beach
Posted by Susanna at 10:09 AM, Dec 9, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Design & Art
ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH is perhaps the most important art show in the United States. More than 250 leading art galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa exhibit 20th and 21sts century artworks by over 2,000 artists. It is the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel, the most prestigious art show worldwide for the past 39 years.
THERE WERE young galleries and old well-known names as well as performance art and video art. Not only were the artworks exceptional, diverse and stimulating, the people who participated and the attended were as well. Art lovers are a diverse crowd from the high-end, designer-appointed crowd to the edgy, provocative and even exhibitionist folk, the people at the show were almost as fascinating as the art.
ANY WAY you cut it, Art Basel Miami Beach is a wonderful excuse to head south to stylish Miami Beach during the cold, dark days of winter. The Art Basel Miami Beach ran Dec. 4-7 at the Miami Beach Convention Center and various other venues in the city's Art Deco District.
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New Art and Holiday Cheer at Washington Gallery
Posted by Susanna at 6:09 AM, Dec 5, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Design & Art
Swedes Peter Davis and wife, the artist Anna U. Davis
THE LONG VIEW GALLERY on Ninth Street in Northwest Washington celebrated the holiday season with an opening reception for an exhibition of wonderful new work by Swedish artist Anna U. Davis, as well as work by Billy Colbert, Scott Brooks, Chris Stephens, Dana Elyn, Matt Sesow and Mary Chiaramonte. Gallery owner Drew Porterfield provided the guests with refreshments.
Long View Gallery, 1302 Ninth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. (202) 232-4788. www.longviewgallery.com.
Gallery owner Drew Porterfield
Amanda Williams and Sarah Nolan
Gerhard Olsen and Elrick Hair
Georgia and John N. Nassikas III
L. Christina Waddler
Adren Zubrin
Nancy Desmond and Bill Howdershell
Work by Anna U. Davis
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Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition
Posted by Susanna at 8:49 AM, Dec 3, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Events
THE WINE & SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA gave Washingtonians one more reason to party this week when they threw a reception at the National Press Club to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition in America. Hundreds of people showed up to partake of the celebratory food, wine, spirits and specialty cocktails, courtesy of WSWA. Free food and drink will draw a crowd every time, especially at the Press Club, and the people at WSWA had a hard time getting people to leave when the scheduled party time was over.
THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB was a natural venue for the celebration. Since its founding, libations have been a central component in all of its activities. In fact, after Prohibition was made the law in 1919 with the enactment of the 18th Amendment, the Press Club maintained a room, which was called the Oasis, and which many say was one of the more popular speakeasy’s in the nation’s capital. When the 21st Amendment was ratified on Dec. 5, 1933, repealing Prohibition, the Press Club was first in line to get a liquor license and was awarded license No. 1 in Washington.
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Will there be a Swedish chef in the Obama White House?
Posted by Susanna at 11:00 PM, Dec 1, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Food & Drink
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Store Windows Come Alive with Christmas Decorations and New Displays
Posted by Susanna at 10:03 PM, Dec 1, 2008 (Comments)
Category: Design & Art
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND marked the beginning of the American Christmas shopping season. While Christmas decorations started showing up in some stores weeks ago, everybody got into the Christmas spirit during the last week of November. The bright colors were a welcome contrast to the dark days of the season. And the stores were obviously trying to lure reluctant, tight-fisted consumers back to their cash registers. Here are pictures from Georgetown, Washington, D.C., and Friendship Heights, Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
