Prague's Hotel Josef

by Max Gold

The only thing better than a laid-back stroll around Prague during the winter holidays is to be able to come back to the Hotel Josef. Set on an ancient street a short walk from the Old Town Square and on the edge of the old Jewish Quarter, it's an ideal location for exploring the city—if not for the famous statue of Kafka riding the shoulders of a headless giant staring at the hotel alone.

The basic materials used in building the hotel—glass, limestone and chrome—reflect light that dances between the surfaces, seemingly illuminating the space beyond its physical boundaries. Communist functionalism has more in common with fine design than one would think and the hotel designer, Eva Jiricna, has extracted the best elements of Prague and modernized them with a minute attention to detail. Every inch of the hotel is thought through. The rooms are well-spaced, the beds are cushy but firm (the bed was actually hard to judge because each time I began to contemplate it I fell fast asleep) and the bathrooms are modern yet comfortable. The glass shower is simple and usable without the usual leaks or design flaws that are all-too-often the consequence of such a feature.

Off-white hues accented by pinks and oranges give the hotel a bright personality. The visual contrast of the bright and bubbly Hotel Josef in the middle of Prague's dark, brooding streets says a lot about the hotel and its staff as they are eager to please. In the rooms you'll find jogging maps and a comprehensive guide to Prague's best restaurants and nightlife—or if you prefer a night in, the large DVD library and a promising room service menu. The hotel also offers a limousine service, transportation around Prague and even the whole Czech Republic, if you plan ahead.

The most common visitor to the Hotel Josef is most likely the business traveler. The weary will find the simplicity of the rooms welcoming—they are sound-proof and go pitch black. Josef also features a brand new dry heat sauna and all different styles of massage available by appointment. On the business end, the hotel is equipped with free WiFi and two conference rooms, accessible via a fantastic glass and chrome spiral staircase that is the spectacle of the lobby.

The lobby bar is also worth a visit if you are a guest over the summer. In fact, you may bump into the Czech literati who stay there during the Prague Writers' Festival. The menu options are colorful and many—everything from champagne with strawberries to cigars and fine scotch. Many rave about the hotel's specialty drink "The Josef," which is good, but in my opinion their Mojito is something to behold.

Visit Mr & Mrs Smith for more information on the Hotel Josef and other boutique hotels in and around Prague .

Backblaze Online Backup: Mac Beta Access

by Doug Black

Perhaps the most intuitive backup solution on the market, Backblaze launched last September as an online data storage center emphasizing simplicity at a reasonable—if perpetual—price. While initially drawing ease-of-use comparisons to Apple's Time Machine, they recently released their own Mac platform, currently in Beta form. Like the PC version, Backblaze continuously monitors files for changes and uploads them to an offsite server. Though the web-based upload process is far slower than external hard drives, your data is never at risk of theft, drive failure or fire (as evidenced by Backblaze's flaming computer stunt).

The first 100 Cool Hunting readers to click here and register can get access to the Mac Beta version of Backblaze. After the free trial, the service costs $5 per month or $50 for the year, and provides unlimited storage space.

Alex & Chloe Wedding Rings

by CH Contributor

by Natalia Rachlin

Elusive jewelry designers Alex & Chloe (rumor has it there's actually just one L.A.-based designer) have become known for edgy but delicate jewelry and also, recently, for launching a t-shirt line. Now, it turns out, they'll also be the perfect duo to turn to if you're in the market for a wedding ring. With their "Holding You Forever" rings, designed exclusively for Revolve Clothing, Alex & Chloe offer a beautiful, surprisingly square set of 14k gold rings to exchange when tying the knot. The women's version is bejeweled with three inverted white diamonds ($1,892), while the men's version keeps it nice and simple ($1,805). Perfect for a couple that wants to keep it chic but doesn't want to go the traditional gold band route.

Read more...

Stacey Steers: Phantom Canyon

by Jonah Samson

Stacey Steers' animated film "Phantom Canyon" was created from over four thousand handmade collages incorporating the images from Eadweard Muybridge's famous series of photographs from 1887 called "Human and Animal Locomotion." In this film, which is intended to mirror how we all find meaning in our experiences, a curious woman goes on a surrealistic journey with an alluring bat-winged man.

The process used to create this beautiful and fantastic film is incredibly labor-intensive. Steers makes a hand-painted drawing or collage for each frame, which she then photographs on an old animation stand using 35mm film. Because it takes eight frames to create each second of animation, the film ends up taking years to complete.

You can see clips from this amazing film on the artist's website. The film, along with sixty of the original collages from the film, will also be on view at ClampArt in New York through this month, see details below.

Phantom Canyon
Opening reception: 15 January 2009, 6-8pm
8 January 2009-7 February 2009
ClampArt
521-531 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10011 map
tel. +1 646 230 0020

Raf Simons Beach Towel

by Tim Yu

Furthering our jealousy of certain CH editors presently sitting on an island beach while we shiver in NYC, this beach towel from Raf Simons' recently released Spring/Summer Accessories 2009 has to be one of my favorite pieces from the collection. For those of us who prefer something a little more understated than the brightly colored varieties out there, Simons' black-and-white towel does the trick.

Featuring a quote from the Leonard Cohen song "Anthem," the towel reads "there is a crack in everything that's how the light gets in." We like the humor and provocation of the text, inviting lazy beach side interpretations of its meaning—that is if you're not too busy taking a dip to cool off from the heat absorbed by the black towel.

Available from Colette for €125.

via Selectism