Milan Design Week 2009: Tivoli Audio Cappellini

by Brian Fichtner

Tivoli Audio, purveyor of the world's finest small-scale sound systems, further cemented its dedication to quality design this week in partnering with the Italian furniture manufacturer, Cappellini. Announcing three eye-poping colors of its flagship Model One and the NetWorks global audio system, Tivoli Audio Cappellini shows some early promise in returning home audio to its former state of glory. The timing couldn't be better for the once-acclaimed Cappellini either, as the Poltrona Frau Group-owned company seeks to find new angles of relevance in an ever-expanding sea of avant-guarde manufacturers.

The Live! Show

by Jacob Resneck

The year was 1979. Cable television had just broken the big three television networks' stranglehold in America when Jaime Davidovich began appearing on boob tubes across New York City.

Appearing every week on "The Live! Show," Davidovich developed the character Dr. Videovich, a satirical television psychologist who claimed to treat TV addiction. The show featured fake advertisements for Videovich's treatments and products as well as "interviews" with guests—some real, others the product of Davidovich's absurd sense of humor.

What emerged was a regular broadcast of Davidovich's video art, which the Argentina-born artist began developing in the late 1960s.

Nearly twenty years later, Davidovich is exhibiting this retrospective of some of the highs and lows of this strange chapter of television history at London's Seventeen Gallery.

Get a taste of Davidovich's video art from that era from this 90-second YouTube clip.

The Live! Show
29 April- 3 May 2009
Seventeen Gallery
17 Kingsland Road
London E2 8AA UK map
tel. +44 (0) 20 77295777

Milan Design Week 2009: Richard Ginori

by Brian Fichtner

The esteemed porcelain manufacturer Richard Ginori, an Italian company with roots dating back to 1735, mounted the most remarkable and talked about installation in the Zona Tortona this year. Conceived by the MIlanese designer Paola Navone, she set the awe-inspiring installation within the Tortona's loftiest warehouse space, a massive volume bathed in resplendent natural light by the soaring skylights overhead.

The sweeping installation, which marries life-size images of the Ginori factory with meticulously-styled vignettes, manages to convey a deep reverence for the company without coming across conceited. At the far end of the warehouse space, Otto design, the team responsible for set up, installed a towering mosaic of hand-painted Ginori plates that suggests a cathedral's stained glass windows.

The final stroke of genius was transforming the latter half of the warehouse space into an ad-hoc cafe. The frenzy of the Tortona district faded away as we lingered amongst a grouping of lacquered dining tables (each with its own monumental Ginori centerpiece) to nibble on some biscuits, cheese and prosciutto—if this is the Ginori lifestyle, we're ready to live it.

Check out the slide show above for a full tour of the installation.

Jupiter Hotel

by CH Contributor

by Anna Chisholm

Recapturing the heady days of the '60s and '70s when groupies hit the road in hot pursuit of the latest music sensation, the Jupiter Hotel in Portland is vintage Americana incarnate. It's an unassuming roadside motel that houses one of Oregon’s premier music venues and a hub of effervescent creativity.

The Doug Fir Lounge is Jupiter's main attraction, a softly lit, mod space that also recalls a cowboy cabin and makes for the perfect spot to doctor hangovers with mountainous portions of banana-and-hazelnut pancakes, grandma's meatloaf, mac and cheese and other delights. By night, the lounge morphs into a musical hothouse, hosting live rock-fueled gigs that showcase bands from around the country. Order the Cowboy Coffee cocktail if you feel yourself waning and you'll be up until the wild wee hours with the band.

Should you make it to bed, the Dreamsuite is the hotel's most luxurious option. The joyfully retro boudoir is a place to keep the party going by mixing martinis at your very own bar. The other 80 rooms offer their own stylish sparkle with splashes of canary yellows and earthy greens amid neutral hues and an array of wallpapered photomurals, ranging from the of glammest of glam to the outright hippie. The communal areas, however, are perhaps the most vibrant spaces, giving a chance to brush shoulders with bands still rocking their almost-famous accessibility and plenty of opportunity for bourbon-sipping midnight banter with the crowd of writers, musicians and soul-searching lone rangers seeking creative inspiration.

If you stumbled upon Jupiter Hotel by accident you’d be giving yourself a pat on the back for finding something cool and original—a buzzy hotel-come-commune where you're bound to leave with a few new entries in your little black book and some great stories to share. While there are quiet corners to be found in this hotel, if you're looking for a relaxing retreat this probably isn't your place. If, however, you're after a totally casual, party palace with retro-fabulous looks and rockabilly attitude, then welcome to paradise.

View images and book this hotel (rack rates start around $110) at Mr & Mrs Smith

Jupiter Hotel
800 East Burnside Street
Portland, OR 97214
tel. +1 866 610 3867