Sandra‘s Closet

As promised in my previous post last week, here are all the details concerning the amazing collaboration between Dom Pérignon and Jeff Koons, which was launched during New York Fashion Week.

Personally speaking, I am crazy for this project as it involves three things I adore: champagne, the colour pink and one of my favourite artists! The limited edition ‘Balloon Venus’ is based on Jeff Koons’ work that was inspired by the Venus of Willendorf, a tiny paleolithic figurine discovered in Austria and dated to around 23 000 BC.

The Balloon Venus is part of Jeff Koons’ Antiquity series that begun in 2008, playfully exploring motifs from the History of Art with his trademark creative verve. The artist adapted the Balloon Venus sculpture for Dom Pérignon, by transforming the original statue in a smaller version which when opened, reveals a bottle of Rosé Vintage 2003. 650 will be produced, of which 20 will be sold in Switzerland for CHF 18’500.00 each.

Jeff Koons also designed better priced limited-edition gift boxes for the Dom Pérignon Rosé 2003 (CHF 449.00) and the Dom Pérignon Brut 2004 (CHF 199.00), available exclusively at Globus in Switzerland.

The launch event in NYC was held at the Stephan Weiss Studio in Greenwich Village. The berry-coloured ambiance was truly amazing, with different installations to explore the ‘Balloon Venus’ by Jeff Koons.

Born in 1955, Jeff Koons is one of the most recognised and solicited of all contemporary artists. He currently resides and works in the city of New York. Earning worldwide acclaim with his large-scale sculptures he has received numerous awards and honours in recognition of his cultural achievements. For him, “the real power behind art is to put us in contact with feelings”.

Throwing a bottle of Dom Pérignon with his wife.

Today, Dom Pierre Pérignon’s visionary mind and exceptional boldness to declare, at the end of the 17th century, to make “the best wine in the world” is in the hands of Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy who creates each vintage of Dom Pérignon with pure excellence.

Champagne is my guilty pleasure and when it comes in a package like the ‘Balloon Venus’, I feel like a kid in the candy store, being on cloud nine!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dom Pérignon, all event photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

In June 2013, the Coca-Cola Company launched in Argentina its first soda that is said to be naturally sweetened with sugar and stevia: COCA-COLA LIFE.

The product can be seen above sporting a green label and is packaged in the award-winning PlantBottle™ that is constructed of 30 percent plant material and is fully recyclable. The new drink contains 54 calories per 300ml, a 60% reduction compared to the classic Coke.

For the time being, it is only available in the South American country and it is still unknown if it will be launched elsewhere in the future.

Personally speaking, I am a Coke Zero addict and drink a lot of it. Of course, I would be over the moon to consume a “healthier” version of my favourite drink. But drinking sugar or high fructose corn syrup – even that it is less – is still kind of absurd. On the other hand, what does this new launch say about the other Coca-Cola drinks?!

What do you think about the green label? I don’t find the bottle appealing at all and prefer my Diet Coke without calories well-dressed in Marc Jacobs. Cheers!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Coca-Cola and © Sandra Bauknecht

Looking at those pictures, I have to admit that I am becoming a little homesick. Before I left for China, I was invited by a lovely friend to join a chocolate party at the LINDT factory in Kilchberg, Switzerland. You can rent the chocolate studio for 20 people and more to create some yummy treats.

The Maîtres Chocolatiers, real masters of their craft, were welcoming our group and helped us to make a LINDT chocolate bear and some amazing pralines. Every single detail counts when it comes to creating the finest chocolate and I had a real blast decorating my sweets. Bon appétit!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

In Shanghai, I stayed at the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai, a temple of luxury. Located on the banks of the Huangpu River, the hotel offers amazing views of the famous Bund. The moment you step through the door, you feel the peaceful environment and are taken by the impressive art collection. 4000 original artworks are on display throughout the public spaces and guestrooms.

In the entry hall, a gigantic mosaic by leading Chinese artist Miao Tong welcomes the distinguished guests.

On my arrival, I was warmly welcomed by the lovely team. I stayed in one of the amazing 44 suites that combine Oriental style with contemporary furniture perfectly. The gorgeous interior design can also be found in the other 318 guestrooms.

All accommodations feature a large executive desk, an espresso machine, a traditional teapot with Jing teas and a minibar.

My spacious marble bathroom was to die for. Laying in the circular bathtub, I watched TV while gazing out across the city’s iconic skyline. The amenities are by sought-after London based perfumer Ormonde Jayne that I adore.

I was also invited to view Shanghai’s largest and most expensive Presidential Suite. Spanning 788 square metres, it features two private sky gardens, separate areas for dining, entertaining, meeting and resting. In addition, the large bathroom includes a two-metre Jacuzzi and steam room, plus a private gym and spa treatment room. Famous Chinese actor Jackie Chan was one of the first guests staying in this suite.

The hotel offers many different essential dining options for business and leisure. Celebrity chefs spoil their guests in six superb restaurants and bars, all equipped with outdoor seating facilities.

The Riviera Lounge is a great place to enjoy your afternoon tea.

At Zest restaurant, breakfast is served.

Shanghai chef Tony Lu serves authentic Jiang Nan cuisine at the Yong Yi Ting restaurant.

Yong Yi Ting also offers a Chef’s Table with a show kitchen for special degustation meals and cooking demonstrations. Famous German chef Alfons Schuhbeck had just been here to learn more about this traditional Chinese cuisine.

The hotel is also a great choice for events with a versatile range of rooms including a ballroom that can seat up to 500 guests. I was very impressed by the showroom for special celebrations where all sorts of chairs, china, tableware and party themes are thoughtfully displayed.

The Mandarin Cake Shop

I spent one entire afternoon at the spa and gym of the hotel. It is the perfect place to rejuvenate your body and mind, a becalming oasis of Zen. The butterfly is the muse for the interior design, a symbol of beauty and change in Chinese culture.

The 13 treatment suites are named “butterfly” in different world languages, including Mariposa (Spanish), Papillon (French), Kupu-Kupu (Indonesian), and Euthalia (Greek).

A spectular 25-metre indoor pool along with a vitality and children’s pool is open 24 hours along with a gym featuring a large range of Technogym equipment.

I can absolutely recommend the Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai. The team did everything to make my stay unforgettable and as convenient as possible. A jewel of Shanghai!

LoL, Sandra

Photos used for the collages: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental.
All other photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday, I spent a fun afternoon at the Park Hyatt Zurich filming the short film for this year’s Il Tavolo Food Festival which will take place from June 27 -30, 2013. For more information and to get tickets, please click here.

The movie directed by Gerry Hofstetter will be presented at the opening night that will be held at the Bärengasse restaurant. I am feeling very honoured to be part of this fun event as one of the amateur chefs which might surprise some of my friends. Cooking has never belonged to my biggest passions, but I love to decorate the plates and the table. Nevertheless, you have to challenge yourself sometimes.

Frank Widmer, Executive Chef at the Park Hyatt in Zurich, took me under his wing and with his help, I managed to prepare some very yummy food yesterday. And as you can see, I had a blast and even learned how to sauté the calamari.

Enjoy those behind the scenes photos! They will surely whet your appetite…
If you like my look, click here for the previous post when we shot the ad.

LoL, Sandra

A happy team: Frank Widmer framed by Lucy Tallo (PR/TICULAR) and my humble self. 
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I love what I do and that makes me happy. If you find the thing you really enjoy doing, work will not be work anymore, it will become pleasure. Sandra’s Closet is my passion, my addiction and my daily dose of fulfillment. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy posting it.

Here you see me on my way to one of my favourite sushi places in Zurich: GINGER. I included some photos of my beloved dishes below.

My look: Trompe l’oeil dress with oversized sweater top and leather skirt by Closed, blue long sleeve top by H&M, H Hobo Grande soft off-white nubuck leather bag by Hogan, silk scarf and cross necklace, both by Gabriele Frantzen, bangles by Sal y Limon, Kate ankle boots by De Siena, Tank Americaine watch by Cartier and Mat Opaque 80 tights in black by Wolford.

LoL, Sandra

Beef filet with ponzu sauce

Salmon carpaccio with egg

Salmon aburi

Kingfish carpaccio

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

This spring, you could enjoy a special Jimmy Choo themed afternoon tea at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. This fashion afternoon tea featured tempting items such as edible miniature high heels and sandwiches made to resemble the design of the CAYLA clutch.

Cayla studded snake clutch by Jimmy Choo

Who could resist those mouth-watering savoury bites such as Foie Gras High Heels on Crispy Brioche Bread or sweet temptations like Milk Chocolate High Heels filled with Lemon and Chocolate Biscuits. For more information, please call MO Bar at +852 2132 0077.

In case that you won’t make it to Hong Kong, check out the Prêt-à-PorTea at the Berkeley Hotel in London.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong and Jimmy Choo

“Dior is this agile genius of our times whose magical name contains Dieu (God) and or (gold).”
– Jean Cocteau

When I was with Marionnaud in London for the Rodial Beautiful Awards (post coming up in the beginning of next week), I had the chance to take a glimpse at the So Dior exhibition at Harrods, showcasing artists reinterpreting some of Dior’s most famous codes.

The Brompton Road store windows are transformed into Dior’s iconic colours of grey and white, featuring the complete product palette of the French Maison.

Inside the department store, on the fourth floor, I entered “the ultimate Dior experience”, from the house’s Lady Dior handbag to its instantly recognisable scent, J’Adore.

To celebrate the exhibition, Harrods has launched a set of limited edition Dior cupcakes. If you are unable to make it to the store, then fear not, as you can purchase them online HERE.

The Harrods Dior takeover will run until April 14, 2013.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Dior

My dear readers, I am wishing you fabulous Easter weekend! I am so much looking forward to mine. After all those amazing travels, I need some rest and time to write about all my recent adventures before hitting off to new ones soon.

So how do my perfect Easter treats look like?
To get started, I love drinking coffee. At the moment, I wake up my mornings with Nespresso‘s new Grand Cru LINZIO LUNGO. A smooth and well-rounded blend with rich notes that will gradually awaken your senses. It tastes so perfect in combination with a croissant or a piece of chocolate. Yes, I love chocolate for breakfast. Personally speaking, it tastes never better than in the morning with a fresh cup of coffee. And having time to read the newspaper is heaven…

Nespresso Grand Cru LINIZO LUNGO CHF 5.20 (10 capsules)
Available in Nespresso stores and online.

Perfect and cute chocolate for Easter: LAPINS de PAQUES by Maison Cailler.
Available in two versions online for CHF 24.00 (16 pieces).

And for all fashionistas among you who wouldn’t touch a croissant or prefer doing sports instead of reading the newspaper in the morning, I have some very fun and fashionable treats:

Croissant gold-plated clutch by Charlotte Olympia

Carrying the newspaper might be more chic than reading it…

C’est La Vie embroidered printed crepe de chine clutch by Charlotte Olympia

And as there is no chocolate bag around, you might go for this version below:

Pink Scent perfume bottle perspex clutch by Charlotte Olympia

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the brands

This morning, I attended the Omega press conference in the presence of Nicole Kidman that I will show you very soon. It was freezing cold today in Vienna so that I didn’t feel like being outside for too long. In the afternoon, I took a “Fiaker”, a horse carriage, to the city’s iconic Sacher hotel to treat myself to the probably most famous chocolate cake in the world: Original Sacher-Torte.

Its story began in 1832, when it was created by a 16 year old apprentice in his second year, Franz Sacher, for Wenzel Clemens Prince Metternich, the chancellor of Austria. The head chef was ill and not able to fulfill the important order so that the teenaged Franz Sacher had to invent something on the spot. That was the day when the victorious career of the renowned Austrian dessert composition began…

The basis is a chocolate cake, thinly coated by hand with best-quality apricot jam. The chocolate icing on top of it is the crowning glory. You can order it online here.

My look: Python-print down jacket by Roberto Cavalli, red knit dress with chiffon ruffles and black scarf with gold threads, both by Gucci, boots by Balmain and my beloved leather tote by Saint Laurent.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht