Classy like that.

Wow, almost a month between posts. Luckily, it's likely that my lack of contributions to the Internet aren't breaking any hearts. Right? All of you? Anyone miss me?

So, moving on, here's some pictures of my mostest favourite hotel chain ever lifted from a much more talented and prolific blogger than I:

Source: Ace Hotels via SFGirlByBay.

Amsterdam bound.

Been busy trying to get work done before we jet off to visit R's family in Holland for Christmas on Saturday. I'm looking forward to stuffing myself full of sugary snacks and checking out all the fabulous design - both of which the Dutch are famous for.... in addition to the more mundane things they're known for like legal euthanasia, hookers and pot. It's bound to be a good time!







Source for beautiful pics: pia jane bijkerk

More Ace

Ace Hotel NY via Remodelista.

If I got extremely rich I'd live in this hotel like an aestheic OCD hermit... so very "New York" eh?

Previous post on the Portland Ace.

Minimalism meets hobbit.

Images of a a stunning hotel in Greece via The Style Files:

Aloft A-Go-Go.

This cruised into The Beer Store parking lot yesterday as I was escaping from work (before anyone gets smart, it's merely a convenient pick-up/drop-off spot ok? I don't have a drinking problem):

It took me a bit of digging to figure out what exactly I was looking at because I could only focus on half of the stuff on it (you can't see it all in the pics): W Hotel. Aloft. Shiny airsteam. Faux-woodie jeep. A case of over-branding maybe?

Apparently there's even a blog attached to it (though because it hasn't been updated since Feb, nothing is mentioned about visiting a Beer Store in the fine capital of our fine nation).

That is one seriously sweet ride. The hotel chain should consider letting people rent it. How much fun would it be to roadtrip in a tricked-out boutique airstream? Definite honeymoon potential.

Daydreaming in Dutch.

RW and I are hoping to be able to scrape together the credit card space to fund a trip to Holland this spring to visit his family. Having never been to Europe I'm looking forward to this tremendously. Images like this of Dutch canal townhouses only fuels my excitement.

Source: NY Times

Vacation decor.

Trolling the Internet for inspirational pictures of trailer park decor (not an oxymoron by the way) I came across the very cool Shady Dell.

Located in Brisbee, Arizona, the hotel/trailer park was started in 1927 and features vintage trailers available for over-night stays including a 1949 Airstream, 1950 Spartanette, 1950 Spartan Manor, 1954 Crown, and 1951 Royal Mansion. Shady Dell also has a vintage restaurant, Dot's Diner, located in a restored 1957 Valentine 10.

Check out these pics and tell me you don't need a little time getting in touch with your retro-trash self.

Boutique hotels for decor-loving masochists.

Alright, so apparently all of Canada is up to its' arse in snow right now and we're set to experience the worst winter in 15 years. Query: where's bloody global warming when you need it? Or: is this merely the beginning of the end?

Anyway, in honour of this lovely weather and the fact that I'm one of the only losers to drag my sorry ass (thanks for the ride R!) to work, I'm posting some pics of the decor from a couple of very stylish and undeniably cool hotels in Quebec and Sweden, hotels made entirely from ice:

As the tag-line goes: "Welcome to the most beautiful and uncomfortable night you may ever experience".

One thing is for sure, a visit here would reduce the amount I complain about the inefficiencies of forced-air heat in a 50 year old house.

Images: Eurobookings.

The quasi-elopement-honeymoon.

RW and I decided to use some money we were given as a wedding gift to fund a two night stay in Quebec City (the European vacation for those who can't afford the full plane ticket) the weekend we get married. I dug around a bit on the Internet and asked a few people who know the city and ended up taking a Frommer's recommendation for the "Best Boutique Hotel": the Auberge Saint-Antoine. It's definitely not cheap but when I saw the pics on the site I was totally smitten.

Yup, having grown-up staying in mostly Best Westerns and Motel 60s, I'll admit I'm a sucker for a pretty hotel.

It can't hurt that the Auberge is on the site of a 19th-century maritime warehouse and incorporates the historic stone walls of the old building along with artifacts dating to the 1600s into many of the rooms. We didn't go so far as to get a "thematic" room which are decorated to look like the inside of a sea captain's living quarters - opting instead for a room with a terrace, fireplace and/or soaker tub. Yum.

We also booked the "gourmet package" which includes two dinners, one at the in-house restaurant Panache and the other at L'Echaude, a classic bistro-style restaurant. Double yum. Drool.

Even though I've always thought of the idea of a honeymoon as slightly tacky, ever since I was in Quebec City for a conference last year I've wanted to go back and explore it with RW. I guess I'll just have to use marrying him as an excuse.

When I finally decide to leave the house...

I'm going here:



The Ace Hotel in Portland, Oregon via Design Boner. Pictures from Interior Design. And no, I don't think I could possibly fit in anymore decor/internet name-dropping in a single post. Oh wait, yes I can, check out the NY Times article and more brilliant pics.