Brillante Design Travel

The event is back

2009-12-10T14:47:00.001-08:00

Would you like to spend a week with me in Milan for the 2010 International Furniture Fair? (to know more about the Fair please go to I Saloni)

I will be leading a selected group of Designers or store owners of high-end furniture, with a maximum of 10 people, April 12 to 19, 2010.

It will be the most exciting week to discover new trends and a unique opportunity to be fully immersed in Interior design in the very capital of Design with the most amazing display of modern and contemporary creations.

A must for any Interior designer or high-end furniture store owner.

The city during the week will be transformed: a kaleidoscope of events, a visual and cultural stimulation that will give you inspiration for the year ahead and beyond.

Everyone in the Interior design business travel to Milan from around the world for that week, great surprises will be at every corner and it will be a tremendous opportunity to learn more about design, participate in a myriad of events all over the city, socialize and most possibly meet top international designers.

To diversify the itinerary visits to Mid-century historical houses, museums and other points of interest will also be part of the tour.

A night al La Scala can also be arranged for opera "Simon Boccanegra" by Giuseppe Verdi with Placido Domingo.

The land portion will be CAD 4,480.00 per person (7 nights double occupancy in a 4 star hotel).

The whole experience for a designer will be priceless and it will help your business for years to come!

To learn more please contact: albarosa@brillantehomedecor.com

Art, Architecture & Interiors

2009-05-31T20:12:00.001-07:00

An aesthetic experience, an intimate Tour of Milan
October 2 – 9, 2009

Live like a Milanese for a week and come home with new vision and creative inspiration.

One night will be spent at charming Como Lake where we will visit a silk museum, textile showrooms and art exhibitions. Included will be a side trip to nearby Switzerland for a blitz to a famous fashion outlet.
An evening of opera at Teatro alla Scala is not included but can be arranged.

The travelers will meet in Milan on Friday, October 2nd at 2:00 PM at the Hotel. The tour will run until Thursday, October 8th inclusive, ending with a farewell dinner at a top restaurant. Hotel check-out will be on Friday, October 9th, after breakfast. Seven days, seven nights, luxury accommodation in the heart of Milan at Grand Hotel et de Milan and at Hotel Imperiale in Moltrasio.

Payments and travel arrangements will be handled by

Personal Travel Management Ltd.
3594 West 17th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6S 1A1

To reserve a space, please contact Barbara Mitchell
Email: barbara@ptm.cc
Phone: 604-947-0222
Fax: 604 – 947-0231
Toll Free: 1800- 872-9080
www.barbslist.com/

The tour is designed and led by native-born Milanese
Albarosa Simonetti, Interior Decorator in Vancouver & Milan.

This Tour is offered for the first time and at a very special reduced price as a bonus for the successful launch of Brillante Design Travel:

Double occupancy: Canadian $ 4,560

Single Occupancy: Canadian $ 5,960

Space is very limited !

As an extra bonus the hotel has been upgraded from a 4 stars Superior Hotel to a Luxury 5 stars Hotel part of "The Leading Hotels of the world".

The price includes:
6 nights luxury accommodation in Milan at Grand Hotel et de Milan with breakfast
1 night luxury accommodation in Moltrasio at Grand Hotel Imperiale, with breakfast
Welcome cocktail
At least one private event
Private coach as per itinerary
Farewell dinner in a top restaurant
Tickets to events and museums
Taxes and gratuities

The price does not include:
Air and airport transfers
Meals (when not stated)
Incidental charges at the hotels
Insurance

Upon request Brillante Design Travel can also arrange custom designed tours in Milan for small groups (Interior design or other specific interests).

Photography by Albarosa Simonetti

Walking through centuries in Milan

2009-05-11T12:17:00.001-07:00

Art, Architecture and Interiors
An aesthetic experience, an intimate Tour of Milan
October 2 – 9, 2009

Some of the places of this multi-faceted city we will visit during the tour.

One of Milan's Universities "La Statale" (the building was founded by Francesco Sforza in 1446 to provide medical care for the city's poorest people and became home for the Statale University in 1958)

An art bookstore founded in 1775

A historic house built in 1881 for a wealthy Milanese and now transformed in a Museum but left intact with furnishing and art representing the style of that time.

A mid century apartment completed with its collection of modern art (from Futurism to Lucio Fontana, to Morandi, Severini, Piero Manzoni and so much more)

A surprising villa in the center of Milan, an example of rationalist architecture of 1930

with its Mid century furnishing and art collection.

The Pirelli Tower, the tallest building in the city at 417 feet, designed in the late 50's by famed architect Gio Ponti and soon considered another symbol of Milan and of its extraordinary economic boom. Today the head office of the Lombardy region resides here. From the top level the most amazing panoramic view of the city.

A beautiful store with the most exquisite glasses and chandeliers

Venetian lighting in via Manzoni

The brand new Fornasetti store.

A new concept store

Seven centuries of architecture, art and interiors.

To know more about the Tour please read:
Art, Architecture and Interiors

Milan, a secret city

A walk around Milan

You may also like to read my other blog on Interior Design and Art

More reading about Milan:
Patricia Gray has a great Post titled Sunday in Milan on her blog.

A walk around Milan

2009-05-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Art, Architecture and Interiors

An aesthetic experience, an intimate Tour of Milan

October 2 – 9, 2009

The symbol of Milano is Il Duomo (the cathedral) mainly in Gothic Style with more than 3,000 statues and spires. Construction started in late 1300 and it took more than five centuries to finish, hence the evident mixture of styles. We have a saying in Milan: "Like the making of the Duomo" (come la fabbrica del Duomo) to mean something that takes forever . Worth the wait!

The white marble of Il Duomo came along waterways (artificial canals) created in the 1100 and later (Leonardo da Vinci, while living in Milan, contributed also to design some of them).
Most of the canals were unfortunately covered last century but some remain as a memory of a Milan of the past and a stroll along them will reveal nice little galleries, shops, restaurants.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a magnificent set for the most elegant stores and coffe shops (in Italian called Bar) goes from Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral square)to Piazza della Scala (La Scala theatre square)

Teatro alla Scala, designed by the Neoclassical architect Piermarini opened officially in 1778. A stunning musical instrument" with exceptional acoustics.

Bar Zucca, a must for an exquisite aperitivo (before lunch or dinner).

Caffe' Trussardi, with a stunning vertical garden

via Montenapoleone with the adjacent streets (called Il quadrilatero) has some of the best stores and patisserie.

A contemporary collection of Design at a concept store

Piero Fornasetti atelier and showroom

The famed Sant Ambroeus (since 1936) which opened also in Manhattan a few years ago. A place where to find the most delicious pastries, spend an afternoon for tea or meet friends for an aperitivo standing at the counter and savoring the hors d'oeuvres.

I will soon post on other places to visit, stay tuned!

To know more about the Tour please read:
Art, Architecture and Interiors

Milan, a secret city

You may also like to read my other blog on Interior Design and Art

More reading on Milan:
Patricia Gray has a great Post titled Sunday in Milan on her blog.

Milan, a secret city

2009-05-07T12:58:00.001-07:00

Art, Architecture and Interiors
An aesthetic experience, an intimate Tour of Milan
October 2 – 9, 2009

Some Italian cities are known world wide for their monuments and art treasures ( Florence, Venice, Rome) but the beauty of Milan has been for long time neglected.

Could it be because the Milanesi themselves were always attracted by different businesses than tourism, considered maybe like something less important? or because sometimes even they think Milan is only an industrial metropolis?

Another reason could be that Milan treasures don't come toward you, but you must go find them. Same applies to the old generation of authentic Milanesi who never liked to show their wealth but cultivated more the taste for stylish understatement.

For all these reasons I consider Milan still like a "secret" city that wants to be discovered slowly.

Courtyards, hidden gardens

In Milan we can find many art treasures like the last masterpiece of Michelangelo "Pieta' Rondanini" which I personally find aesthetically superior (and timeless in its unfinished beauty) to the one in Rome.

the affresco (mural painting) by Leonardo da Vinci "The last supper"

the Leonardo da Vinci "Atlantic Code" the largest and most amazing collection of manuscripts with his drawings, projects (1,119 sheets) all with his typical "specular writing" (he used to write from right to left and to read it properly we need a mirror) is also in Milan.

Below what I consider a contemporary symbol of Milan: the sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro, born in 1926 and still working and living in Milan.

It is a huge (almost 5 meters diameter ) bronze disc rotating on an axis. I always thought it represents well Milan because the city, just like Pomodoro's sculptures, always obey to the rigorous spirit of geometry and constantly moving forward it adapts to changes.

In 2015 Milan will host Universal Expo but its history stretches back to 600 B.C. when was founded by Celtic tribes and soon conquered by the Romans. Centuries later was conquered by France, then ruled by Spain then Austria. During World War II the city was constantly bombed and half the building were heavily damaged. After the war it was rapidly rebuilt and today it is a fascinating mixture of old and new, past and present harmoniously blended.

To know more about the Tour please read:

Art, Architecture and Interiors

You may also like to read my other blog on Interior Design and Art

and Patricia Gray's Sunday in Milan

Art, Architecture and Interiors

2009-05-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

An aesthetic experience, an intimate Tour of Milan
October 2 – 9, 2009

Get to know Milan from the eye of an insider. Visit cutting-edge showrooms, concept stores and ateliers for a real sense of modern Italian design and style. Find inspiration from museums, galleries and historic houses showcasing the best of Italian art and design.
This in-depth tour, custom designed for lovers of Italian art and style, will bring 10 inquisitive people together for a luxurious excursion through Milan’s most inspiring, unusual and exciting destinations. An exclusive experience to learn, to see behind the scenes and to discover the beauty of this multi-faceted city, the center of Italian design and contemporary art.

Live like a Milanese for a week and come home with new vision and creative inspiration.

One night will be spent at charming Como Lake where we will visit a silk museum, textile showrooms and art exhibitions. Included will be a side trip to nearby Switzerland for a blitz to a famous fashion outlet.
An evening of opera at Teatro alla Scala is not included but can be arranged.

The travelers will meet in Milan on Friday, October 2nd at 2:00 PM at the Hotel. The tour will run until Thursday, October 8th inclusive, ending with a farewell dinner at a top restaurant. Hotel check-out will be on Friday, October 9th, after breakfast. Seven days, seven nights, luxury accommodation in the heart of Milan at Hotel de la Ville and at Hotel Imperiale in Moltrasio.

Payments and travel arrangements will be handled by

Personal Travel Management Ltd.
3594 West 17th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6S 1A1

To reserve a space, please contact Barbara Mitchell
Email: barbara@ptm.cc
Phone: 604-947-0222
Fax: 604 – 947-0231
Toll Free: 1800- 872-9080
www.barbslist.com/

The tour is designed and led by native-born Milanese
Albarosa Simonetti, Interior Decorator in Vancouver & Milan.

To receive more information regarding Itinerary please contact Albarosa Simonetti
Email albarosa@brillantehomedecor.com
Website www.brillantehomedecor.com/
Design Blog www.brillantehomedecor.blogspot.com/

Cost for Double occupancy: Canadian $ 5,360.00

Supplement for Single Occupancy: Canadian $ 1,600

The price includes:
6 nights luxury accommodation in Milan at Hotel de la Ville with breakfast
1 night luxury accommodation in Moltrasio at Grand Hotel Imperiale, with breakfast
Welcome cocktail
At least one private event
Private coach as per itinerary
Farewell dinner in a top restaurant
Tickets to events and museums
Taxes and gratuities

The price does not include:
Air and airport transfers
Meals (when not stated)
Incidental charges at the hotels
Insurance

Photography by Albarosa Simonetti