A visit to Beijing and a stay at the Sunrise Kempinski are now on my bucket list

Located on the shore of Yanqi Lake, the Sunrise Kempinski is housed in a bold, spherical structure that looks like a scallop from a side angle. It has 306 guest rooms and suites spread across 21 floors, and is covered with more than 10,000 glass panels which are meant to reflect the hotel's surrounding mountains, forestry and lake.

Chief designer Zhang Hai Ao of Shanghai Huadu Architect Design Company collaborated with a team of more than 60 individuals from around the world to build the luxurious hotel. Its construction took two years, and required 9,300 workers to complete.

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When chocolate meets art

I heard it's National Chocolate Day, so I thought I'd share this video about Orlando's newest and sweetest attraction.

Hand-Painted Bags That Tell Your Story

Most bags today look like they were produced by bored machines in a dimly lit factory. You can walk into any mall and find rows of identical leather (or “leather-like”) things, all claiming to express individuality. Ironically, though, they all look exactly the same. Then there’s Abby Verano . Her bags are not mere accessories; they’re declarations. Each one is hand-painted, touched by an actual human being with an imagination. Abby doesn’t just sell you something to put your wallet and smartphone in; she sells you a story, a vision, a little revolt against the tyranny of sameness. Her tools are simple — brushes, acrylic paint, bags made from pandan leaves, and creativity. No duplicates. No clones. Just one-of-a-kind art pieces you can carry.

'The Immigrant' by Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy is a master when it comes to optical illusion. His most recent work, The Immigrant , is a three-dimensional composition made of 2,300 black wooden spheres suspended with translucent fibers. When you view the sculpture from the right angle, the seemingly chaotic array of objects suddenly aligns to form an image of Michael's partner Natasha Vladimirova. The imagery was inspired by the contributions immigrants make in enriching the society and economy. Natasha is an immigrant and it is with her help that the artwork was made possible. Michael studied sculpture at Kent State University and received his masters degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The Brooklyn-based artist became famous when he created the first fine art portraits of Barack Obama during his 2007 presidential campaign. His work has been featured in various publications and websites and can be seen in numerous permanent installations around the globe.

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