Author: Igor

  • Where to Stay in Palma de Mallorca

    As Mallorca’s capital city, Palma is the island’s greatest treasure. It’s well worth visiting for its incredible beaches, charming city squares, and excellent bars and restaurants. Given its flourishing food scene, bustling waterfront, and awe-inspiring cathedral, Palma de Mallorca is an utterly compelling destination.

    If you’re planning to visit Palma de Mallorca soon and wondering where to stay, check out this list below.

    Image via Unsplash

    1. Palma Centre

     

    Also called “Distrito Centro”, Palma Centre is a beautiful neighbourhood famous for its charming seafront promenade and the Gothic cathedral called Santa Maria, which features the modernist ironwork of Gaudi. It’s one of the districts that make up Palma de Mallorca and is in the city centre.

    As the centre of Palma, it’s where you will find most of the attractions of the city. Beside the cathedral is the royal palace La Almudaina, which dates back to the 1200s. It holds paintings and tapestries alongside Moorish arches and gardens. Its narrow, cobblestone streets are lined with souvenir shops selling Mallorcan coloured glasses. The area is also home to busy taverns serving delectable rice broth and island wines.

    You’ll find lots of great accommodations here. If you want to be close to everything, stay in Palma Centre.

    2. Santa Catalina

     

    Santa Catalina is a former fishing town located on the western side of Palma’s Avenida Argentina. It’s a hip enclave centred on an ancient old market selling local produce. Exuding an ambience of a village that combines old and contemporary lifestyles, Santa Catalina is home to colourful cottages, art nouveau mansions, designer boutiques, and vintage stores.

    Located close to the sea, Santa Catalina was named after Santa Catalina of Alexandria, the patron saint of merchants and sailors. On its leafy streets are cool cafes and martini lounges sitting alongside dive bars, where a Bohemian crowd would often gather. Santa Catalina is also home to world-class restaurants serving global cuisines, occupying the squares and backstreet alleys.

    Santa Catalina’s traditional old houses are very photogenic, boasting cheerfully painted facades, small front balconies, and old wooden shutters – many of which are adorned with plants and flowers. The centre of the neighbourhood is an indoor market supplying local produce to cafes, bars, and restaurants, which makes Santa Catalina a popular area for foodies. If you want to base yourself in Santa Catalina, stay at Bordoy Continental Palma, an upscale hotel with a sauna, spa, and a deli.

    3. La Lonja

     

    La Lonja is a historical landmark in the Old Town of Palma where locals and visitors would gather after dark, as it’s home to a great selection of bars, restaurants, and clubs. A former maritime trade exchange, La Lonja is now a popular hangout spot in Mallorca.

    Nowadays, when darkness descends on Mallorca, La Lonja comes to life, and the Gothic building is superbly illuminated. However, it’s somewhat upstaged by the numerous dining areas and bars close to the area. Above the mighty portals of La Lonja, you’ll find a sculpture of the Guardian Angel of Commerce standing mightily. The sculpture is a reminder that centuries ago, this area was a significant hub for business in Mallorca.

    As the heart of Palma’s nightlife scene, La Lonja is often bustling with tourists. But its main artery is the Apuntadores. As soon as you get into the narrow thoroughfare, you’ll be bombarded with different businesses trying to get your attention. But keep your eyes peeled on small side streets branching off into the main street lined with restaurants offering delectable cuisines. Other notable hotspots in La Lonja include Hotel Tres, a beautiful hotel housed in a former 16th Century Palace. The hotel features an interesting mix of stylish contemporary design and traditional Majorcan decor.

    4. Palma’s Old Town

     

    Known in Spanish as “El Casco Antiguo”, the Old Town of Palma is where you will find a majority of the island’s most popular attractions. Some of the most notable attractions in the Old Town include the Royal Palace of Almudaina, La Seu Cathedral, and Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum. Given the many attractions in the area, wandering its medieval streets is enough to keep you entertained!

    In Old Town, you’ll never run out of interesting things to explore, making it a great place to base yourself in Palma. From pretty squares to Gothic churches and centuries-old interior patios, you’ll find many beautiful things to discover in this neighbourhood. If you are into antiques, you’ll love staying in this area even more. It’s home to antique shops, old bookshops, and even an outlet for vintage Vespa. The famous “Golden Mile” is also part of the Old Town.

    Stately homes from the 17th and 18th Centuries are some of the most significant features of this area. These homes have been beautifully restored, with some of them transformed into luxury boutique hotels. When staying in the Old Town, visit Parc de la Mar, an artificial lake that glistens amidst the walls of the Palma Cathedral.

    5. La Calatrava

     

    La Calatrava is one of Palma’s most charming neighbourhoods, attracting all kinds of people – from tourists interested in learning about the island’s history to those looking for alternative areas to stay. The neighbourhood forms part of the Old Town of Palma, stretching back from seafront Parc de la Mar and towards a warren of shaded alleys.

    At the centre of La Calatrava, you’ll find the Palace de L’Almudaina and the Gothic La Seu Cathedral. There are also 10th Century Moorish hammams contrasting with the contemporary and modern designed Teatre Municipal Xesc Forteza.

    La Calatrava is where the culture and history of the city were born, a fruit of the melting pot between Christians, Muslims, and Jews, giving rise to the unique Mallorcan roots and traditions. A few metres away is Sa Gerreria, one of Palma’s most picturesque and authentic areas.

  • Fashion Tips When Wearing Watches

    In beauty and fashion, people purchase and use products based on the market trend. So, unsurprisingly, some clothing and apparel are slowly losing their popularity because they’re not as trendy as they used to be. However, watches remain as timeless, signature pieces that can be worn during any occasion. Aside from being useful, watches are generally elegant yet simple, which made it possible for them to stay in the market since day one. Wherever you go, you’ll always find different forms of watches on people’s wrists.

    Of course, watches don’t only provide style to people as they were mainly created to observe time. Other methods and devices were already being used before to keep the time, such as water clocks and sundials, and it wasn’t until the late 12th century that the first mechanical clock was made. Eventually, this evolved into a fashion trend, and since people love to wear multiple types of watches, there are a few fashion tips that they can observe when wearing them:

    Know When to be Grand or Straightforward

    Watches come in different appearances and impressions, and there is a variety of options to choose from that could match your outfit. Owning different types and brands of watches, like Oris watches, can be to your advantage if you’re the type who wants to spice up their wardrobe. Watch straps can be made of metal, leather, fabric, or silicon, each one embodying a certain level of formality and simplicity, so be careful in using them. 

    The most general tip that you can follow when it comes to matching watches with your outfit is to observe the degree of simplicity and formality that you exude. Completely stylish and flashy outfits with multiple accessory pieces should match with a simple, narrow-strapped watch with minimal attention to detail. However, if you’re leaning towards more minimalistic fashion choices, try to add some sparkle into your ensemble by having a fairly flashy watch with attractive features that offers a contrast with your attire. Pairing flashy watches with flashy outfits shift the eye’s focus and ruins balance.

    Fundamentally speaking, watches are categorized into two types: 

    • Digital Watches: These display time in numeric form and are usually made of rubber, plastic, silicone, and other synthetic materials that look less classic and formal. This type of watch is perfect for pairing up with athletic gear and, occasionally, with casual wear. However, this type might not be the best when you’re donned in business attire. 
    • Analog Watches: These comprise of a face and hand showing a 12-hour cycle. Analog watches are more natural to pair up with different moods and styles, as they can be worn with both casual wear and formal wear.

    Avoid Leathery Straps During Summer

    As much as your favorite, go-to leather watch looks simple and classic, you can’t use it during hot summer days. During humid weather conditions, you’re more likely to get sweaty more often. Since leather isn’t water-resistant, the leather strap will absorb your sweat, which may leave an unpleasant smell that seeps into the strap and can’t be removed no matter how much you clean it.

    Also, summer means a lot of beach parties or pool parties, so it’s better to leave your leather watch dry at home. Instead, wear a sports watch with waterproof features if you’re going for a dip in the pool. These types of watches are dedicated for physical activities that involve sweating and contact with water.

    But if you don’t like the feeling of wearing digital sports watches, then you can opt to replace your leather strap with a nylon strap. During the shift of seasons to summer, the popularity of nylon straps significantly increase due to its two best features:

    • Waterproof watches with nylon straps can be submerged in water and still dry quicker than leather, which becomes damaged after drying. 
    • Nylon straps also provide a comfortable when the body expands during warm conditions. They’re not just fashionable with summer clothing, but are also as durable and versatile as any other type of watch.

    Use Interchangeable Straps

    Aside from owning various types of watches, it’s also important to own a watch with interchangeable straps. By changing your watch strap in any occasion, you can complement your outfit well without having to choose another watch that doesn’t suit your taste during that occasion. You can achieve total transformation by simply changing the straps that matches your mood and style. 

    There are watch brands and stores that offer watches with interchangeable strap options that can be bought in a set. You can use different materials depending on your aesthetic tastes, as well as their appropriateness with the attire, such as leather, nylon, and rubber.

    Conclusion

    Wearing watches is not only a fashion statement for people who love to dress up, but they represent how one values time. Watches serve as a guide for people to monitor time daily when performing their tasks. Watches don’t come with cheap price tags, but less expensive, locally made products also deserve a spotlight. In the long run, finding the perfect one can mean having a durable, long-lasting watch, provided they are treated with the proper care and handling. 

     

  • Local Heroes – Studio Visits pt.1

    Local Heroes – Studio Visits pt.1

    We’re excited to be involved in Local Heroes, a design exhibition and shop taking place at Edinburgh Airport in August during the Festival. Local Heroes redefines contemporary Scottish design by bringing together Scotland’s leading designers in an exhibition developed specially for Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.

    As Future Positive Studio, we’ve been commissioned to document the 9 designers across Scotland taking part in the exhibition. 4 designers and their products – designed exclusively for Local Heroes around the topic of travel – have already been announced and the remaining 5 will be revealed before the exhibition opens on August 1st.

    Keep on reading to find out more about the designers and their products and check Local Heroes website for more information on the project:

    www.localheroes.design

    Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-4-LowFuture-Positive-Local-Heroes-5-LowFuture-Positive-Local-Heroes-6-Low
    Edinburgh-based designer Karen Mabon, known for her silk scarves, has designed her first umbrella and sunshade taking inspiration from Scotland’s changeable weather.

    Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-1-Low Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-2-Low Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-3-Low
    Knitwear designer Hilary Grant has designed a lambswool travel blanket by rhythm, mirroring and colour theory and the knitting traditions of Scotland and its neighbouring Nordic countries.

    Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-7-Low Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-8-Low Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-9-Low
    Design studio Tom Pigeon were inspired by the colours of summer to create an exclusive necklace described by them as “a modern souvenir; a bold celebration of our skills, our environment, and of the craftspeople and makers that surround us.”

    Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-10-Low Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-11-Low Future-Positive-Local-Heroes-12-Low
    Glasgow-based Laura Spring has designed a screen printed cosmetics bag highlighting her trademark love for colour, print, pattern and process.

  • How to Practice Self-Care While Traveling

    Travelling forms an important part of everyone’s life. Hence, it is essential to make the most out of your trip. 

    In the busy world today, people hardly get any time to spend some alone time with their families away from their work. So, the time that you get away from your work and office try to utilize that to the fullest. 

    There is no guarantee that you will be getting an equal number of holidays every month. So, how to take the best advantage of your holidays? The best way is to practice some sort of self-care while you travel. 

    Most of the people take care of themselves more when they are on their vacations than in their normal lives. In fact, more than 61 percent of people travel for relaxation and taking care of themselves. 

    Self-care is being regarded as the new definition of luxury. Vacation means an escape from your usual routine. So, why not take extra care of yourself when you have all the time to yourself? It can help in reducing your stress and also to find clarity in your life. You can visit Bettertools for an informative guide to Self-Care.

    The employers need to understand the importance of vacations. For your emotional, mental and personal well-being, self-care is all that you need along with your holidays. 

    So, here are some of the most effective ways of practising self-care while you are travelling.

    • Try to plan out your self-care routine in advance

    You need to think about committing around 10-20 minutes of mindfulness every morning or night for bundling up your self-care routine as you travel. 

    You have got 24 hours in a whole day, and if you can give only 1% of that entire time to yourself, you can make your life more energized and balanced. You can easily prepare for any surprise that might come up your way.

    Travelling is no doubt an enriching experience, but it might sometimes come up with some unexpected situations such as delay, bad weather form, a missing piece of luggage or something else that can dampen the whole excitement. 

    If you practice self-care, you will be equipped in a much better way to handle such unexpected situations. 

    If you’re flying with Air Canada, then you need to follow the Air Canada manage booking rules to get your flight tickets at affordable rates. 

    A hot tip to travel by Air Canada is to consider booking your flight tickets via Faremart – An exclusive online ticket booking platform offering attractive deals and discounts, with 24*7 customer support. 

    You are not going to fly off the handle at the airline desk just because your flight got delayed by 6 hours. 

    Plan out everything that you actually want to do. Try to bundle up meditation along with your brushing habit and make this your self-care routine. 

    • Get as comfortable as you can

    Everyone cannot afford to fly in first class. So, it is essential to pack all the things that help you to practice self-care.

    Various airlines provide customers with amenity kits, which includes everything that you need, such as moisturizer, lip balm, sleeping mask, socks or anything else that you need for making your journey luxurious. 

    In case you do not get such amenities, pack them beforehand. You can make the whole trip luxurious in your own way. 

    • Minimize your stress and jet lag

    Jet lag can ruin your entire travel plan. Although it is very common, you can easily cut it off.

    Why waste a day due to jet lag, especially when you are going for a short trip? You can follow some tips which can help you sleep comfortably on your flight. 

    Try to take the time zone of the place where you are travelling to and divide it into half. Use that time frame for going to bed earlier for matching with the sleeping habit of the new place. 

    Another way by which you can cut off jet lag is by omitting all types of alcoholic drinks that you get in flights. 

    Try to stay as much hydrated as you can. If you can, try to skip aeroplane foods as most of the time, they are processed and can hamper your bowel. So, light meal with enough water can help in your process of self-caring.

    • Meditate whenever you get time

    When you get to an entirely new place, it might take some time for your body to adjust with the surroundings and the weather over there.

    It might also hamper your sleep. So, the best way to avoid all these is meditation. It can save your day from getting ruined. 

    All you need to do is to learn how to meditate correctly. With proper meditation, you can get a good night sleep, which is necessary for a tension-free trip. 

    It is quite natural for your body to be scanning for threats and other hazards while you arrive at a new place. 

    So, meditation can help you in falling asleep. You can also try out other mindfulness and breathing techniques for getting relaxed just before going to bed.

    • Put your mobile phone away.

    Image Source – cheapoair

    You are on your vacation! So, what’s the need for your phone? Try to stay detached from your working world and keep the phone away. 

    In case you are travelling alone, you can easily get indulged in various fun activities such as bike rides, river rafting, group tour or maybe a cooking class as well. 

    Put your phone away and just enjoy not being plugged into your daily life. There is a world outside your phone and social media. 

    • Always be present in the situation

    You are on your vacation; therefore try to be present and enjoy every moment. Be more aware and also mindful about everything that is happening near and around you. 

    You need to connect with yourself along with everything around you- from the food you eat to air you breathe. Attaching yourself to the new place can actually give you the meaning of your vacation. 

    If you are not into practising mindfulness meditation, it is high time that you get it done. It is not just a simple component that is essential for self-care, but it is a component that can help in making your life fulfilled. 

    • Create some memories

    Image Source – traveltriangle

    Nothing can be better than creating something for your soul. Do not overthink about anything that you are going to do. Break free! Just go and do whatever you want. 

    You can head to an antique art store or a small store filled with books that you love. The basic principle of life is very simple, get the best out of the time you have for yourself. 

    Grab an art book and start sketching while sitting beside a river, take a local cooking class or have fun with party bus rentals in Arizona! It’s all about yourself. 

    Final Words

    There’s a lot to see in this huge world. Everyone deserves a break in their busy lives to enjoy. Everyone has the right to break free and see what this world has for us to offer. 

    But, it is also essential to experience all these without getting overwhelmed or stressed. After all, you are on vacation! Self-care includes being stress-free and relaxed while being exactly you. 

    No matter wherever you go for your vacation, you are into the journey of enriching your experiences, and that is what you need and want. 

  • 5 Ways Learning Music Positively Affects You

    We all look for things in life that benefit us. Life is fairly short, but there are stretches where it can feel quite long and we need something to give us a boost. It’s not profound to suggest that this little lull in our existence needs to be filled with something that can not only kill a bit of time but genuinely benefits us from them on in.

    That’s where music can come in. We all like listening to the stuff from time to time – even those that say they aren’t really music lovers. It makes us feel some kind of way. It can take us through tough times and it can make the great times even greater. Learning how it works, however, well that’s an entirely new kettle of fish. Taking on a new activity like this can help you improve yourself significantly. Let’s take a look at how. Click here for more information on the health benefits of music.

    It Unleashes Your Creativity

    A person’s creativity is more than just that sense of being expansive with art. Creativity happens when someone’s brain is trained enough to unlock new ideas. This can then be transferred into so many aspects of life. Almost every day, people need to use problem-solving skills to get a certain issue out of the way. The more creative people are able to conjure up new ideas and get things done smoothly. 

    It Opens Your Mind

    Living your life with a closed mind is often linked with bitterness and cynicism. Not being able to open up and accept something that you don’t like isn’t a healthy way to behave. You may have taken a particular viewpoint towards, say, a certain community of musicians in the past, but you may then gain a new appreciation for their effort and skill after attempting what they do. You may not like a particular band or genre and might’ve been stubborn in the past, but changed your mind after giving a few of their songs a go yourself. Nineties Britpop might be your worst enemy, but you could end up struggling to decide which is the best oasis album this time next year.  

    It Improves Your Patience

    It’s a skill that all human beings need and, unfortunately, a lot of human beings will never have. Learning a musical instrument is a fairly simple thing to do, but for the most part, it’s basically just trial and error. You keep on making mistakes until you stop making them. That takes some patience. Some are born with it and some can develop it over time – learning an instrument a great way of doing that.

    Your Memory Is Enhanced

    You have to learn a fair bit of information and keep it locked in your head. Notes, chords, lyrics, progressions, etc. They aren’t the easiest piece of info to burn into your brain. Fortunately, as we said before, it’s a slow process, so as long as you’re constantly practicing, your memory will unconsciously improve.

    Relieves Stress

    Finally, playing the music that you’ve learned feels good. The learning process may be a little tricky at times, but then so are most of these kinds of tasks. Sitting at a piano bench or with a guitar and creating lovely sounds can really cool you down after, say, a long day of work.