What to see in Venice

The 12th Venice Architecture Biennale opens on 29 August, under the curatorial direction of Kazuyo Sejima. This Biennial features work from 56 countries and highlights 43 projects and also features debates and dialogue on the architectural work.

The 12th Venice Architecture Biennale opens on 29 August and enjoys the participation of more than 56 countries, and shows off more than 43 projects carried out by studios, architects, engineers and artists. The central theme of this edition will be a “mutual match” between architecture and society, as explained by the director of the Biennial, the Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima.

Winner of the 2010 Pritzker Prize, the highest distinction in the discipline worldwide, her curatorial notes highlight the rapid evolution that characterizes the twenty-first century, and incite attendants to “imagine the direction in which society moves And the dreams that may take place in the future ”

Sections are arranged by country, cantered around the classic halls of the Gardens of the Arsenal in the historic centre of Venice. Visitors who rent apartments in Venice may see the city of channels in a new light.

Projects displayed will be marked by what Sejima a so-called “personal interpretation” of the Biennale’s theme. Works by the Venezuelan architect Christian Kerez have been designed to interact with the public and invite reflection and meditation.

Moreover, there is an overwhelming desire to foster space for reflection on architecture, and the biennale has been organized with a full roster of parallel activities. A series of discussions and collaborations with several Italian and European universities will be conducted.

In the seminars, a space that has been titled ‘I Sabati dell’architettura’ (‘The Saturday of architecture’), gives attendants a space to meet architects, critics and personalities from the sector. Among the guests, you will find Vittorio Gregotti, Aldo Rossi, Hans Hollein and Massimiliano Fuksas. The 12th Venice Architecture Biennale runs until November 21st.

Why do we do things, why do we have sex? If you ask this question to a few people, the vast majority will reply that they do it because of pleasure. And because we know one and a million ways of having sex, we should never get bored (theoretically). But there are more reasons for having sex. One of the most astounding reasons is making love in order to “sleep”. Yes, and this is due to the fact that our bodies generate so many endorphins that the only thing they are still capable of doing after the orgasm is sleeping like a baby.

There are more reasons than the classic staple of motivations for love making like “out of love”, “in order to feel an orgasm”, “for relaxation”, “to get pregnant”, and this is “by contract”, Yes, a lot of couples are bound to have sex a number of times a week by contract. It seems crazy and only thinking about it makes me freak out. But mostly couples that travel a lot arrange things this way: when you get back home after a few days because of your work schedule, honestly, the only thing you want to do is to relax. Therefore it is not unusual that busy couples forget to take care of their love lives.

A few friends told me one of the funniest reasons for having sex. They rented wonderful apartments in Venice in the city centre so they could enjoy the Biennale. One evening they found themselves in a bar where they saw a few very famous American actresses who had been invited to the film festival. And just to be able say that they had slept with a famous movie star, both friends had sex with her. As you can see, there’s always a good reason for lovemaking, so just pick your favourite, and rent apartments in Venice.

Apart from Film Festival in Cannes, the International Film Festival in Venice (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica) is one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals. Not only that but it is the world’s oldest film festival. It was founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 and it takes place every year in late August/early September on the Island of Lido. The 67th edition of the festival will take place from the 1st until the 11th of September this year.

Also important to mention is that its part of the Venice Biennale, a major exhibition and festival for contemporary art The main awards given out are the Golden Lion (Leone d’Oro) for the best film and the Volpi Cup (Coppa Volpi) for the best actor and actress. This year American director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds) will chair the International Jury for the main competition.

When we think about the film industry, many think “Hollywood” and images of blockbuster hits, the Walk of Fame, the Oscars, mansions of famous movie stars in the Hollywood Hills come to mind. Los Angeles may be where many of today’s major movie companies have their studios and film making has its origin in Venice Beach, California. But the industry is so much more than this! Some of the amazing films which have been awarded prizes at the Venice International Filmfestival include The Wrestler by Darren Aronofsky, Monsoon Wedding by Mira Nair or Hana-bi by Takeshi Kitano: unlike the Oscars, this festival looks to award quality films from around the world, not just blockbusters.

The historic Palazzo del Cinema is the main facility and screening theatre of the Venice Film Festival. To catch a glimpse of the action hop onto a vaporetto to Lido and for a comfortable stay rent Apartments in Venice.

http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema

The Porn industry is a sector that appears to be relatively unaffected by the crisis or at the very least, demand for its products has not diminished, as perhaps might happen with films concerning weighty social issues … It is better not be reminded of hard times, so people avoid Ken Loach style movies though he might be a great director in favour of “lighter fare” Purists may not agree, but they should remember that we are all made of flesh, bone, blood, hormones and crazy sexual impulses…

The capital of the pornography industry, San Fernando Valley or “Porn Valley” in Los Angeles California, is busy vividly discussing another subject, much more important than what to watch: the use of condoms by the actors in the filming of movies porn. In the early ’80s, many of the biggest stars contracted the HIV virus and died prematurely, including John Holmes, Wade Nichols, Marc Stevens.

After these events, the Foundation for Health workers Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation (AIM) was created a with the intention of preventing the spread of STDs among actors by testing them every 30 days.

Now the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) wants to introduce the mandatory use of condoms to take concrete measures against the dissemination of STDs, especially after several cases of HIV were discovered in 2009. But many workers in this industry seem to be against these measures, despite being aware of the risks. Actor Jeremy Stell said “In this sector, there is no way to avoid risks. Making things safer does not make them safe. If you are paranoid and afraid, you should not be in this industry. ”

In other countries things are otherwise, in Brazil for example, condom use is widespread and in France it is forbidden to broadcast porn movies on TV where actors do not use condoms.

If you want to shoot your own amateur porn movie while renting apartments in Venice, you shouldn’t forget the condoms. Don’t risk your life while enjoying this enchanting city.

Let me tell you a little story…When I was younger I went to a religious school, and at my school the uniform consisted of a pleated skirt, a shirt and a bow tie. For some strange reason I never got rid of the uniform, strange because I always had to use it day after day during school, and let’s just say I wasn’t the biggest fan.

However, I later found that this outfit, paired with a good pair of stilettos, made my lover’s minds race at an unexpected speed, and let’s just say … I was fascinated.

That outfit became part of my wardrobe for special events, and I developed an unimaginable fondness for it. Getting back to the story, my mother had once told me she was going to donate clothes, so I told her that there was a basket of clothes that had been separated she could take as well. In short, when she opened up my closet, she not only took the contents of the basket but also the hallowed uniform. Obvious that to a casual observer, there was no problem, but a week later when I went to use it and couldn’t find it even after a frantic search, I asked my mother if she had taken it. Calmly immutable, she looked at me and said … well, after all what do you need it for? …

It was this uniform that led me to discover some of the practices and games that I have most experienced and enjoyed. You simply must discover ways to mix your sexual fantasies with attainable realities. Parties and holidays like Carnival or Halloween are great jumping off points to explore new games and take our sexual relationship to the next level. Moreover, these special times are wrapped up with other important implications of transgression, evil and sin: the darker side of sex that our Judeo-Christian tradition has always considered a taboo and something undesirable. That is why it is worth laughing at these taboos, it is very healthy to light-heartedly break these conventions and find the joy to be had on the other side.

Here are some outfits that can be used to get into the game:

- Nurse costume. Has your boyfriend never asked you to play Doctor?
- Costume of The Thousand and One Nights: a good belly dancing routine may just start a never-ending saga.
-Princess Leia slave costume: this is only for true connoisseurs of Star Wars…
-Pirate girl costume: because there is nothing sexier than a girl with an eye patch.

Why not rent apartments in Venice and find out what costume suits you best?

It seems the era of quirky pint-size pop stars has ended. Britney Spears was one of the last princesses of pop to be catapulted to stardom in the late 90s. However, one of the most iconic images we remember of her washer passionate attempt to break the windshield of a paparazzi’s car.

With an umbrella for a weapon, her face contorted in rage and head shaven, she seemed light years away from her fabricated sexy Lolita image of yore. Gone were the long blonde extensions and extravagantly sexy outfits that made her famous: this jarring image of tank-girl Brittany marked the end of an era in pop, a goodbye to the branded prefab stars. A moment began in popular culture which esteemed a desire to be regarded as challenging and groundbreaking. So the question is, who will be the next pop icon?

The search for that provocative new look makes starlets turn to the altar of the queen mother of pop, and the most iconoclastic of them all: Madonna. Fresh starlets like Lady Gaga, or in the case of Christina Aguilera, not so fresh, turn to her pop cultural legacy for inspiration, as the American singer Madonna has become more legend than person. Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera are both fully aware of this, and have their sights firmly fixed on the throne of the “Empress of Shock”.

Consequently, in their latest videos and public appearances, the two singers bust out the big guns: dramatic blond tresses and red lips which recall the iconic Madonna of the 80s and 90s. What follows is a stream of images that relate to the legendary video clips of the Queen Mother. Just watch the videoclip “Not Myself Tonight” by Christina Aguilera. You will see the Madonna of “Human Nature”, dressed in flirty dominatrix mode. Also, the new music video by Gaga “Alexander”, directed by none other than the photographer Steven Klein, (who in the 90´s was one of the great promoters of the distinctive image of Madonna), which has moments like the mythical clips Vogue and “Like a Prayer.” Look also at the “cone” bra designed by Galliano and used as part of one of Madonna’s best-known outfits, and its adaptation by Gaga as part of her “militaristic” aesthetic.

And surely their is no sleight of hand involved. What tricks will draw new starlets into the race to be the next Madonna? Pay attention to their upcoming appearances, and you will surely find more and more references. Decide for yourself, are they paying homage or just trying to capitalize on her fame? If you want to honour the queen of pop, rent apartments in Venice, where the legendary video “Like a Virgin” was shot

Hollywood actors, politicians, famous singers, but also shop clerks, the unemployed young and old and everybody in between eagerly await the best time of year and look forward to taking advantage of the long days of summer.

Obviously nobody cares where and how the average Joe spends the summer, but VIP vacations arouse the curiosity of the people, and we love to gossip about fabulous celeb vacations while under our own umbrellas. The umbrella in question, of course, is the one we enjoy while sunbathing on our private beach in our villas in Sardinia.

The Italian island of Sardinia, with its crystal waters and unspoiled beaches, is a major jet-set hub, but other Italian regions, are a close seconds. Tuscany for example, is much loved by the British royal family and Sting. Liam Gallagher of Oasis, on the other hand, was seen in Amalfi, while it seems that Mel Gibson fell in love with Calabria and Basilicata during the filming of The Passion of the Christ (2004) and even seems to want to buy a villa in this part of Italy. And while it’s common knowledge, I’ll repeat for the few who still haven’t heard, George Clooney is another lover of the Italian countryside and has a villa on Lake Como.

A great number of the very rich are fascinated with sea holidays and especially love to show off their huge yachts and ships like floating villas. Are you already thinking about exotic countries? No, forget about the Caribbean or Hawaii, where the Obama’s vacation.

Hawaii may be ideal for surfing, but not for island-cruising. Here in Europe, Croatia with is known for its beautiful coastline and myriad islands. This top VIP destination has hosted Tom Cruise here, and last year, Bill Gates spent his holidays here, in a town with only 3800 inhabitants, Skradin.

Where do you spend your vacation? Maybe you want to follow in the footsteps of the famous and dedicate yourself to VIP-Watching? If you can not afford a villa with staff included, don’t stress. Choose a city full of monuments and culture while you discover Italian charm, rent apartments in Venice and enjoy the summer.

1) Struck by Lightening Seven Times
Between 1942 and 1977, a forest ranger from the US was struck seven times by lightening, and survived them all. Although he has been knocked unconscious, had his hair set on fire, and been admitted to hospital with burns to his chest and stomach, Roy Sullivan seemed to be the invincible man, right up until 1983 when he took his own life with a pistol.

2) Cut in half by a train
While working at his job on the railroad, American switchman Truman Duncan was knocked from his perch at the front of the train and dragged under the moving carriages. He was severed in two, but the weight of the train held his arteries and other blood vessels closed for long enough for him to call emergency services on his mobile phone, wait forty minutes for them arrive and survive the trip to hospital. He is still alive, albeit without both legs, and a kidney.

3) Cut his own arm off to free himself from a fallen boulder
After being trapped under a large rock for five days, desperate to the point of drinking his own urine, Aron Ralston took his pocket knife out and cut through his own arm to free himself. He first had to break both bones before using the Swiss Army Knife to hack through the soft tissue before walking for another 30 hours to find help. He is still alive, and continues to hike in remote areas.

4) The luckiest, or unluckiest guy alive
Frane Selak, from Croatia, has survived a train crash that killed seventeen people, a plane whose door suddenly blew off, sucking nineteen passengers out to their death, a bus crash that killed four others, his car spontaneously catching fire, being hit by a bus when out walking, and finally, in a stroke of GOOD luck, winning a million US dollars in a Croatian lottery.

5) Crawled for three days after a 60 metre fall into a crevasse
Mountaineers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates tumbled over the lip of an ice crevasse in their attempt to scale Siula Grande. As Simpson was weighing Yates down, Yates was forced to cut the rope, and Simpson fell more than 60 metres, breaking both legs. Amazingly, he survived, crawled out of the crevasse, then three days more to get back to base camp as his astonished climber-buddies.

6) A plane exploding at 33,000 feet
After a terrorist attack in 1972, a DC-9 passenger airliner exploded when a bomb was detonated, disintegrating at more than thirty thousand feet and crashing into a mountainside. Lucky Vesna Vulovic, the only survivor, was a flight attendant on the ill-fated plane and somehow survived by ending up sitting on the tail of the plane and watching, stunned, as the wind whipped past her and the mountain loomed into view. Despite several injuries and operations, she is still alive today, and has switched careers from aviation to property, renting apartments in Venice and other cities.

This past May 31 the art world has been in mourning, having lost one of its most eclectic and original artists who expressed her inner imagination mostly through sculpture: Louise Bourgeois. The French artist had belonged to that generation of artists who had lived in the lively artistic milieu of Paris in the 30s. Despite her age (she was 98 years old) she been very active up until her last days and her home in New York was a place to meet, study and discuss; a lively salon for creative minds. Every Sunday Bourgeois welcomed young and not so young artists in to discuss and exchange views on the art world.

Despite her intense and original artistic activity, official recognition by institutions came relatively late. The MoMA (Museum of Modern Art in New York) organized a retrospective of her work in 1982, while between 2007 and 2008 the Tate Modern Gallery in London and the Pompidou Centre in Paris did as well. Among the most famous sculptures of the artist we can mention the spider “Mom” which can not go unnoticed when approaching the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum.

On June 5, Emilio and Anna Bianca Foundation of Venice opened an exhibition dedicated to this unforgettable artist and installation on which she had worked called “Louise Bourgeois. The Fabric Works.” Come to Venice to admire these little-known or never seen before last works, created with fabrics: montages, collages or assembled from pieces of clothing or underwear, all skilfully combining colour and shape. The exhibition includes a series of drawings also the period 2002-2008.

This exhibition in Venice is a unique and special opportunity to combine the visit to a fascinating city like Venice, while paying homage and rediscovering one of the most important artists of the twentieth century you have until September 19. For central economical and comfortable accommodation, rent apartments in Venice.

The festival season reaches its hottest point. Don’t miss out on the must-see dates in Italy, in the splendid city of Venice, where artists and bands like Aerosmith, The Black Eyed Peas, Massive Attack and Gossip will take the stage of San Giuliano Park from the 3rd until the 6th of July. Book as soon as possible, this festival is a goldmine of music treasures for your listening pleasure!

Four days of live music and pure quality

On July 3 the festival gears up with Escape Plan, Stereophonics, the Cranberries and Aerosmith, nothing more or less!

On July 4, The Bastard Sons of Dionysus, Rise Against, Editors, 30 Second to Mars and Green Day are waiting to heat up the crowds.

On July 5, Cypress Hill, The Black Eyed Peas and Massive Attack give you hours of pure aural pleasure.

And on 6 July, the festival will close with Wolfmother, Gossip, Skunk Anansie, Ben Harper & The Relentless, and Pearl Jam.

Be honest: it’s going to be an awesome time, and you can’t afford to miss it! Many fantastic unknown artists will be there to discover and drive the crowds wild. One day costs 50 €, three days are € 130 and for the entire festival entrance costs € 160.

An amazing festival and much more

The Heineken Jammin ‘Festival in Venice is also an event where you will find a relaxation area with hammocks, tattoos or massages, space for sports, bars, camping, a cinema, meeting areas, a giant restaurant serving local food and a special service to go on mini cruise though the waters of Venice.

While the city might be famous for its romantic and cultural charms, Venice is also a destination where people know to enjoy the most exciting pleasures.

If you are not lucky enough to have a few square to camp at the concert, check out the great deals on apartments in Venice.