Black Tomato Blog

the world’s first refrigerated beach

 
Is this the world’s coolest beach? Competition to please the international elite is really hotting up… or in this case, cooling down.

Already home to the world’s first seven-star hotel and with the worlds highest building in construction, you would think Dubai has had its fair share of world firsts. Evidently not. Versace is set to create the world’s first refrigerated beach. With summer temperatures reaching a skin blistering 50 degrees, the beach will be designed and controlled with underground pipes, so that top paying guests will be able to walk across the sand without scorching their feet. The swimming pool will be refrigerated and there's even proposals for giant fans, creating a refreshing light breeze while soaking up some Middle Eastern rays. Needless to say, the idea has not gone down well with environmentalists. 

A true desire of the rich, or just a creative way of spending a lot of money? This seems like another marmite moment from the intriguing bubble world of Dubai - love it or hate it, it’s hard to knock their willingness to try to please at any cost. 

JG

santa's shoreditch grotto

 I had my suspicions that something was afoot. Firstly, Claire was sneaking around the office yesterday taking surreptitious photos of us all, and there was also a fair bit of whispering, huddling in corners, and mysterious packages exchanging hands. Having said that, none of us were quite prepared for what greeted us this morning: the office was lit up in fairy lights, a big Christmas tree had been tinselled, and a layer of ‘snow’ had been sprinkled liberally over every surface – including the sofas. As you can see, we also have a Black Tomato nativity scene (Claire and Hollie’s handiwork) in which Ken the postman is tucked up in his manger, flanked by snowmen, chicks and Santas. Totally bizarre… we love it.

SSL

extreme dream

Some people’s idea of the perfect holiday involves having a beer in one hand, soft sand between the toes, close proximity to a clear blue pool of water – preferably all mixed in with a good dose of five-star pampering.

Dean Karnazes however needs only his running shoes, backpack, and the amazing landscapes he runs through. Think of a hybrid of Bear Grylls and Haile Gebrselassie – and you have something like Dean Karnazes. He has run marathons in the searing heat of the Gobi, Atacama and Sahara Deserts and also braved the -129 degree Fahrenheit temperatures of Antarctica’s ice deserts. So what’s next? 50 marathons in 50 American States in 50 days. We think this is an amazing way to see the world.

So if, like me, you are now feeling extremely lazy, and are inspired to follow in Dean’s footsteps on your next trip, we can tailor make an extreme adventure with an action packed itinerary. But if that sounds like too much hard work, you could always see the Atacama Desert in Chile from the comfort of The Explora Hotel de Larache. We like to cover every eventuality here at Black Tomato.

HP

beijing winter garden lounge nights

For an intriguing peek into Chinese art, cinema and Beijing’s beautiful Botanic Gardens, we recommend a trip to west London. The Louise Blouin Institute is featuring a solo exhibition of the renowned contemporary Chinese artist Wang Guangyi from 17 October to 1 March 2009. Part of the gallery’s ‘Culture Beyond Borders’ series, the exhibition will include an installation of life-size sculptures that depict Cold War preparedness, a large-scale twelve-panel mural and a series of watercolours. The gallery is also staging various lectures, workshops and music recitals. We are particularly keen to pop along to their dreamy ‘Beijing Winter Garden Lounge Nights’, taking place from 6-9pm on Thursday 4, 11 & 18 December. Tickets cost £5 and there will be screenings of Chinese film masterpieces, electronica music, live Guqin performances, and 1930s Chinese film and garden photography.

Inspired? We thought so. See the real thing with a trip to Beijing’s Forbidden City and Botanic Gardens, followed by a retreat to the beautiful mountainous landscapes that have inspired artists for millennia. 

SSL