We joined Michael George on a trip to Japan to explore nature and the bold autumn of colors of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara.
Michael had the chance to enrich his budding love for Japan and its culture last November. The experience empowered his work in creative travel and inspired him to learn more about himself, his passions, and how certain colors and aesthetics relate to his craft. Focusing on the color yellow in Japan sharpened his awareness of autumn and the impending seasonal changes; the bold colors of nature matching the intense colors of temples and shrines.
The Alphavan is built on Mercedes’ largest Sprinter, the 736-cm (290-in)-long extra-long-wheelbase variant with super-high (299-cm+) roof. For comparison, that van is nearly 1.5 m (5 ft) longer than the Sprinter 144 that underpins notable campers like the Winnebago Revel and Westfalia James Cook.
ALPHA Living Space
Spacious living room conveys home feeling
Choose from two different styles
Soft line: modern structured wooden finish combined with warm grey surfaces
Pure line: soft earthy white finish combined with warm grey surfaces
Seating covers can be exclusively individualized based on your request
Feel yourself like home with a fantastic ceiling height of 2.10m (made possible by the extra height of the base vehicle)
ALPHA Kitchen
High quality design kitchen
Single cast countertop – smooth rounded edges
Spacious drawers, feather-light movement and premium Soft-Close technology
Brushed stainless steel push locks enriching the design surfaces
Three generous compartments in the entry area allow for easy access of frequently used items
Two stowing compartments with integrated LED background lighting provide high end atmosphere while realizing superb practicability
A comfortably large 90 liters Dometic refrigerator in a central location welcomes you
The countertop blends beautifully into a flush mount two-burner Thetford induction cooker
High-end sink armatures underline the elegance of the interior
ALPHA Bathroom
Spacious and bright bathroom with outside window, style “white-pure”
100% water proof
Single cast bathroom construction
Polyurethane sealed edges
Side window with 100% waterproof frame fittings
Thetford toilet with SOG ventilation system
Additional ceiling ventilation
Space saving pull-out sink
Extractable shower head
Water-protected storage bin in the upper area for showering items
Flush mount integrated bathroom door
Premium door handle with innovative magnet lock
Additional useful built-in closet between bathroom and sleeping area
Clothes rail in upper part
Shoe compartment in lower part
ALPHA Relax Area
Sleeping space of 200x160cm
High-end mattress
Sophisticated ventilation concept:
side-windows left and right for fresh air
ceiling window allowing circulation and unforgettable star gazing during clear nights
Windows with fly screens and separate shades
ALPHA FlexPort
Alpha FlexPort 220x170x128 cm (LxWxH)
Integrated chair holders in the rear doors
Lashing system in the floor and side walls for safely securing stored equipment
Optional design storage bags for the side walls
Convenient hooks on rear doors and front wall of FlexPort
Seating and stowing capabilities on and inside the design round-edged floor cabinets left and right
Single cast closing flaps of the cabinets with integrated Soft-Close technology and warm grey design
Bucharest, in southern Romania, is the country’s capital and commercial center. Its iconic landmark is the massive, communist-era Palatul Parlamentului government building, which has 1,100 rooms. Nearby, the historic Lipscani district is home to an energetic nightlife scene as well as tiny Eastern Orthodox Stavropoleos Church and 15th-century Curtea Veche Palace, where Prince Vlad III (“The Impaler”) once ruled.
Photographer, filmmaker, and Sony Artisan Pete McBride shares this short film “Passport Home”, a glimpse of his documentary “Into the Canyon” that is nominated for Outstanding Nature Documentary at next week’s 2020 Emmy Awards.
“For years I’ve studied the world through a lens to tell the stories of others, my own, and the magic and complexity of our shared world. But after years of documenting stories I started noticing something consistent. Wherever I framed my lenses, change revealed itself before me. The places where I had ventured and worked were facing constant challenges of overuse and destruction, of being loved to a point of permanent change.”
“It was at this point that I realized my cameras were no longer just a passport for adventure, but tools to help protect the places where we adventure – those wild places we love. Now I shoot not for likes, instead I document because I want to cherish and protect the places I love…so the next person can stand in my tracks and see the magic just like I saw it. Cameras are passports to our curiosity, our creativity, our world, and they are even tools to help protect not just far away, but our own back yards.”
WALKING IN CEFALU, SICILY: Cefalù is a coastal city in northern Sicily, Italy. It’s known for its Norman cathedral, a 12th-century fortress-like structure with elaborate Byzantine mosaics and soaring twin towers. Nearby, the Mandralisca Museum is home to archaeological exhibits and a picture gallery with a portrait by Antonello da Messina. The beaches of Mazzaforno and Settefrati lie to the west.
0:00 Drone Intro & Map of the Walk 1:14 Beach Walk 5:31 Historic City Center Entrance 8:39 Medieval Wash-House 11:29 Porta Pescara 12:55 Tourist Pier 23:50 Street Walk 27:00 Scenic Viewpoint (Bastione di Capo Marchiafav) 31:00 Street Walk Toward Duomo 33:13 Piazza Duomo 38:00 Cathedral 43:37 Street Walk 50:03 Walk towards La Rocca Entrance 52:53 La Rocca Entrance 1:05:43 Scenic Viewpoint (Cross) 1:10:26 Scenic Viewpoint 1:23:00 Ruins of the Castle
Vernazza Italy is one of the 5 centuries-old villages that make up the Cinque Terre on Northwest Italy’s rugged Ligurian coast. Vernazza Italy has colorful houses surrounded by Vernazza’s small marina. Vernazza’s Doria Castle, Clinging to the rocks, Doria Castle is a medieval defensive structure with a cylindrical tower. The Belforte bastion is just below it. Top views in the Vernazza, Cinque Terre Italy in 4K includes aerial of Vernazza in Cinque Terre Italy. Vernazza, Liguria, Italy. View of the marina: in the tilt footage we see the boats moored and the main square of the village where the colorful houses overlook. Vernazza, Liguria, Italy. View on the main street of the seaside village: the houses with colored facades line the street, people walking, tilt movement.
Iceland, a Nordic island nation, is defined by its dramatic landscape with volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields. Massive glaciers are protected in Vatnajökull and Snæfellsjökull national parks. Most of the population lives in the capital, Reykjavik, which runs on geothermal power and is home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history.
Sarakiniko is a beach on Milos Island, Greece, situated on the north shore of the island. Waves driven by north winds shape the greyish-white volcanic rock into amazing shapes, and the area is often compared to a moonscape. The local people often refer to the scenic landscape of Sarakiniko as Lunar. The bone-white beach derives its unusual characteristics from the erosion of the volcanic rock by wind and wave. Sarakiniko is one of the most photographed landscapes in the Aegean.
Showcasing travel photographs by more than 150 of America’s top architects and designers, Travel by Design is an inspiring guide to the power of travel to shape and expand our world.
Travel by Design reminds us of the beauty and importance of travel, with images of more than 100 locations in 60 countries, from exotic destinations and global cities to adventure travels and all-American escapes. More than 350 photographs take readers on a global journey through cityscapes, ancient civilizations, luxurious resorts, and stunning natural wonders, all seen through the discerning and artistic eyes of today’s leading creative talents. The images are sure to inspire dreams of escape, and the 40 pages of insider resources—from favorite hotels and restaurants to secret shopping sources and must-see monuments—will make planning future trips reassuring and easy.
An inspirational and informative resource, this volume highlights the preeminence of outstanding design and its importance for every civilization.
The Design Leadership Network is an organization of more than 500 principals of design and architecture firms, media companies, and makers of products across the United States and Europe, characterized by their commitment to professional growth, positive leadership, mentorship and contributions to creative communities.
Founder of the Design Leadership Network, Peter Sallick is also the CEO of Waterworks. Editor Michael Boodro is a longtime design journalist and has served as the editor in chief of Elle Decor, Culture and Travel, Martha Stewart Living and Garden Design.
Boomers Daily 