Do not miss the exhibition from Mark Laita !

The Arcotel Velvet recommends the exhibition of the American photographer Mark Laita in the gallery CAMERA WORK in Kantstrasse.

Laita Mark was born in 1960 in Detroit and grew up in Chicago. Here he studied photography. After graduating he moved to Los Angeles and worked as a commercial photographer for Mercedes-Benz, VISA and addidas.
He also was responsible for ten years for the promotional shots for Apple.

The CAMERA WORK AG owns one of the world's largest photo book and photo collections. The vintage collection includes works by renowned photographers like Diane Arbus, Man Ray, Robert Frank, Louis Faurer, Paul beach, Richard Avedon, Dorothea Lange, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Peter Lindbergh. The internationally renowned gallery CAMERA WORK will present fascinating exhibitions regularly by icons of photographic history to contemporary photographers. From the 10th of February opens the CWC GALLERY, a branch of CAMERA WORK in Berlin, in the former Jewish girls' school in the Auguststraße11-13 in Berlin Mitte.

The exhibition of Mark Laita in the gallery CAMERA WORK will start on 4th of February 2012 and shows until 10th of March 2012 for the first time in Europe, the three new series "Sea," "Serpentine" and "Amaranthine" with unique photographs of the most fascinating creatures of the sea, the most impressive snakes and the most colorful and graceful birds in the world. All three series combines the special representation of animals as a still life as well as the recurring form of language.

»Sea«
The after more than ten years in 2010 completed series "Sea" is already one of the most popular photo series in the genre of nature photography.
Mark Laita succeeds in his photographs to depict the exotic creatures of the oceans as an artistic and aesthetic still life. He uses a complicated picture installation to photograph the animals by taking them in the foreground to get their special shape, colors and depict their peculiarities of character.

»Serpentine«
More than 100 of the most dangerous snakes in the world - from the milk snake, coral snake and Texas Rattlesnake to the Black Cobra - Mark Laita photographed them for his series "Serpentine" (Lat. serpens: Snake).
After seeing the pictures people are fascinated by the symbolism and mythology of snakes and also of the menacing aura of grace and elegance.

»Amaranthine«
For the series "Amaranthine" (Greek Amarantos: not passing) Mark Laita has portrayed over 100 of the rarest and most beautiful birds in the world. Unlike the other two series, but the birds are no longer alive, but were preserved for eternity, and exhibited in museums of natural history. Particularly clear here, the awareness of the ambivalence between death and eternal beauty can be experienced.

February in Zagreb

After the sleepy January we´re looking forward to the following weeks and lots of events in the Croatian capital

Zagreb´s event scene is extended by two more events in February. In the first half of February, from 10.02. to 14.02., the sweetest festival takes place - the Chocolate Festival or simply "Cochofest". As a hotel with the best chocolates in the city, ARCOTEL Allegra Zagreb participates in this manifestation. During the same period at the Joe's Bar will be offered different kinds of chocolates and cakes at discounted prices.End of the February, ARCOTEL Allegra will be part of the traditional “Restaurant Week Zagreb”. During the period of two weeks all gourmet will have the opportunity to try the best specialties at reasonable prices in different restaurants. Our restaurant Radicchio will take part for the fourth time as one of the best restaurants of Zagreb.

Herring treat at dasRESTAURANT

Fish enthusiasts and gourmets are looking forward to this pleasurable experience for weeks or even month: the traditional herring treat on Ash Wednesday at dasRESTAURANT.

Executive Chef Markus Kainberger and his crew recently revealed the detailed choice of delicacies that will be offered to our guests that evening. Our high class fish, sea food & dessert buffet leaves nothing to be desired. All guests will be welcomed with oysters and a glass of sparkling wine.

When it comes to the main course, our guests may choose à la carte from five different fish dishes - which is not that easy, since one course seems to be more palatable than the other.

Herring treat | 22nd February 2012 from 6.30 p.m.
Live piano music with Wolfgang Schnaitl
EUR 59.00 per person (excluding beverages)

Information and reservation
T +43 732 7626-1416
E info@das-restaurant.at
www.das-restaurant.at

What highlights await you in Hamburg during 2012?

Although the past year was an eventful one, the prospects for 2012 are extremely promising. A wide range of diverse events await us.

2012 will be a year of several high points for motorbike fans. Right at the start of the year, on January 27th and 28th, the engines will be running hot and humming at the Hamburger Motorrad Tage, the city’s motorbike event, and visitors will be able to look at and examine the latest motorbike models on display. The legendary bikers’ church service, held in Hamburg’s St Michaelis church, takes place on 10th June. Each year around 10,000 bikers attend this service, driving off in convoy afterwards to celebrate in Kaltenkirchen. Hamburg is again firmly in the hands of motorbike enthusiasts just a few days later as they meet up for the Harley Days, from 22nd to 24th June, to indulge in their shared hobby.

The Port of Hamburg will also be busy again in the coming year. There’s hustle and bustle with both large and small cruise ships entering the port. You’ll find a complete list (in German) of all those ships arriving under http://www.hamburg.de/kreuzfahrtschiffe/ . A particular highlight, and certainly worth a trip to the port, are the regular annual visits of the impressive Queen Mary 2. During this year’s Cruise Days, from 17th to 19th August, seven cruise ships will drop anchor in the Port of Hamburg. At night, artist Michael Batz’s Blue Port lighting production submerges the port in magical blue light, illuminating the ships to create a fascinating, all-embracing work of art. Equally to be recommended is the port’s annual birthday festivities, which will be celebrated on a large scale this year, from 11th to 13th June. This year we welcome India as our partner country.

High spirits and colourful parties are popular again this year. Laughing and dancing partygoers meet up at major events including the Schlagermove, Hamburg’s festival of Schlager, or popular, music, and the Christopher Street Day gay pride parade. Schlager music fans get out their 1970’s trousers and flower print shirts on 7th July to dance to the best Schlager songs, accompanied by 45 decorated trucks. The event starts and finishes at the Heiligengeistfeld in St. Pauli. On Saturday 4th August the Christopher Street Day Parade sets off on its procession from St. Georg. Whether leather boys, feather boas, dykes on bikes, dance groups or bikini girls – it’s going to be colourful again!

WINE, ART & CULTURE

On 10 January General Manager Sebastian Ömer welcomed around 40 guests to the first vernissage in the BAR SCALA at the ARCOTEL Camino Stuttgart. The impressive and colorful paintings from the Italian artist Schejla Massellucci can be viewed until the 2nd April 2012. Schejla Massellucci was born on 24th September 1973 in Florence. She is a graduate of the Academy Of Fine Arts and the National Cultural Institute of Florence. Since 1999 she has participated in numerous exhibitions in Italy. She had her first solo exhibition at the ARCOTEL Nike in Linz/Austria. She deals with the everyday things and world political events in an ironic and sometimes funny point if view.

As usual two wineries, each from Austria and Baden-Wuerttemberg, presented their wine specialities. Austrian specialties from Restaurant WEISSENHOF were served by our kitchen team. The next "Art & Culture" Event will take place on 3rd April 2012 with photographic art by Wolf-Peter Steinheißer. We are looking forward to welcome you on April!