Antwerp

While my girlfriend and her fiancé were in Amsterdam we couldn't help but take a train down to Antwerp for a little retail therapy. Antwerp is a great little shopping haven as it has a bunch of stores us poor Amsterdammers don't have. Such stores include Habitat, COS, and the recently opened Urban Outfitters, pics below of UO:
UO is housed in a gorgeous old building. So walk out the back and take a squiz. Cos is through to the back of the department. What I really love about Antwerp is the attention to detail and the shop window displays. With white asparagus in season, this chocolatier has made white chocolate asparagus spears. i had bought one for my sis (being a white chocolate lover) however Madam Zoe got to it before she did. BAD GIRL.
Artwork in clothing store Fish and Chips's storefront.
The Dries van Noten store below.
Lunch spot Het Dagelijks Brood (The Daily Bread) on the Steenhouwersvest 48:
Buildings are nice.Second hand store on the Nationale Straat. For other second hand clothing try Episode.
Town Square in all it's glory.
And I leave you with another great window display.

Amelia Roberts

Posters by Amelia Roberts: "Global Warming: A set of two posters commenting on how the West blame China’s carbon emissions as a main cause of Global warming. Yet the West seem unaware that they are fueling China’s industrial revolution."

To see more of the showcase of all 2008 graduates of BA(Hons) Graphic Design and BA(Hons) Illustration at the University of Brighton go here.

Nice

A nice trip to Nice.

If You Could

A break from travel today and back to the world of design. If You Could has two new prints for June. The deal is you pre-order prints then a print edition is printed, numbered and signed by the artist at the end of the month. The month of June brings Emily Forgot who would get all dressed up...with no where to go, above.
And The Designers Republic who would save Freehand. Prints are B2 (700mm x 500 mm), and £40 in the UK, €55 in the EU, plus postage.

Nimes and Aix-en-Provance

Nimes! Below is the Masion Carrée.
I'd been to Nimes a few years back, to see the obligatory amphitheatre but somehow missed the amazing water features of the city and the gorgeous Jardins de la Fontaine.
Nimes also had a very lovely tiger stencil... Then it was into the car and next stop, Aix-en-Provance. We grabbed some local fare and sat in the bustling main street watching the world go by. A lovely city to meander through the streets and pick up some of the local wares.

Marseille

Our first night we stayed in Marseille. A lovely drive up the coast and beautiful re-invigorated city.
One highlight the Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde. A beautiful golden ceiling with strings of boats hanging from the ceiling.
The main city port is beautiful and lovely to walk around or sit in the sun at one of the many bars boarding it. Try a demi-peche – beer with peach syrup, very tasty! There are also lots of seafood restaurants around the port area, try the local speciality bouillabase which cosists of fish poached in the saffron accented soup, and is topped with rouille, in a garlic, red chilies, egg yolk, olive oil and cayenne sauce.