Month: April 2017

OPINION: Brexit and London Architecture

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Whether Britain will continue being a key player in shaping contemporary architecture and design mainly depends on the terms it reaches with Europe.   The Shard, a glittering spike of glass soaring into the sky, the new Tate extension, a twisted, off-kilter pyramid are just a few examples of incredible architecture in London. These masterpieces are not only iconic buildings that go to the heart of British identity but they just happen to have been designed by European architects. The rise of modern architecture in the late 20th Century in the UK was greatly fuelled by the open borders. While the world was shrinking, ideas were spreading across Europe. Now it seems like Britain is doomed to travel back in time to isolate itself with thousand of copycat rows of Victorian houses and Prince Charles’ beloved ‘traditional’ architecture. There is no beating about the bush. “Leaving the EU would mean the ‘Guernseyfication’ of the UK, which would then be a little country on the world scale. It would isolate itself and become a trading post …

London Coffee Festival with Shinsaku Fukayama

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Londoners had a chance to get over-caffeinated once again in the annual London Coffee Festival which is the largest of its kind in the world. It celebrates coffee culture by gathering the best baristas and hosting coffee shops from all around the Europe under one roof. The festival invites customers to learn about the basics of cupping, how to roast, brew at home or pour a beautiful latte art. It has also featured major demonstrations from world-class baristas and latte art masterclasses. Coming all the way from Australia, Shinsaku “Shin” Fukayama is one of the most anticipated guests in this year’s London Coffee Festival. His journey in coffee industry has started four years ago in St Ali, one of the most famous specialty coffee shops in Australia, and by now he is known as a World Latte Art Champion. Shin rushed to London straight after Australian Latte Art Championship where he took the second place. In Latte Art Live shows, Shin amazed crowds by free-pouring his original latte designs – a monkey, an astronaut and …

Greeting Spring in Kew Gardens

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“Landscapes of great wonder and beauty lie under our feet and all around us. They are discovered in tunnels in the ground, the heart of flowers, the hollows of trees, fresh-water ponds, seaweed jungles between tides, and even drops of water. Life in these hidden worlds is more startling in reality than anything we can imagine. How could this earth of ours, which is only a speck in the heavens, have so much variety of life, so many curious and exciting creatures? — Walt Disney All photos were taken with Minolta XD

Curiosity’s Guide to Minimalism

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While minimalism sounds like a distant term, it is actually a fusion of ideas, from ancient times to modern days.  Here’s the list of minimalist wisdom throughout the different concepts: Epicureanism is an early example of minimalist thinking in Ancient Greece. Epicurus tells us that wisdom is the knowledge of which pleasures are good for us. Ask of each thing is it necessary. According to Epicurus, the essentials for happiness should be maintained at minimal cost, while all things beyond should be taken in moderation or avoided. Buddhism tells us how to incorporate minimalism into our life. It teaches that we shouldn’t be attached to things as everything is temporary in nature. Buddhism is also related to mindfulness which means being fully aware and not judging. Or as Rick Hanson in his book Buddha’s Brain puts it, mindfulness is the doorway to taking in good experiences and making them a part of yourself. The idea of simplicity is deeply rooted in Japanese Wabi-Sabi philosophy. It inspired the minimalist architecture in the 20th Century, such as …