Utopia is closer thank you think. 
A Croatian Island curates the perfect getaway this summer and Folk are in on it

So there’s a small island in Croatia called Obonjan, which may just change the landscape of festivals forever this summer.

Come July, Obonjan will become a place where you can book yourself into a forest lodge, hear a 25-piece orchestra in an amphitheatre, head for some yoga in the woods, explore underwater sculpture, attend workshops, sit in a hot tub, eat fresh seafood, go sea-kayaking, dance until your toes bleed at the Rum Bar and as if that wasn’t enough, word has it you can stay as long as you want.

When Sound Channel, the good people behind this “curated island” concept, bought the lease for the island, they pictured a utopian getaway. It looks like they’re well on the way to succeeding and we're excited to be part of it. Look out for Folk at Obonjan this summer. For more information check out otokobonjan.com.

 

Playing Hooky
When work takes you somewhere you can play

Recently photographer Neil Stewart, who shot Folk’s very first campaign imagery over ten years ago, travelled to snow-covered barns hidden deep in the alps in search of people living off the grid. His aim: to get away from the mundane; to have an adventure.

He found what he was looking for all right: cabins, big wood-chopping axes, wilderness… He even came across a forest sprite rolling in the snow in a Folk Face T.

See if you can spot images from the vintage Folk shoots in Cape Cod, Cornwall, Sicily and Mammoth Mountain in Neil’s film on photoneil.com.

 

Was this Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s nightcap?

Colombian Street Kitchen shows us how to make their rum slurpy Avena Colada

If you can’t make it to the Green Rooms Hotel in London this month where Folk has designed some furniture and where the Colombian Street Kitchen will have a pop-up café, we reckon you should try making an Avena Colada at home. This drink, created by Esteban Arboleda of the Colombian Street Kitchen, is like a holiday in a cup.

Inspired by a popular cold drink from Colombia called Avena, Esteban’s version contains rum. However, this is an optional ingredient as the non-alcohol version is just as slurp-able.

Ingredients (for two drinks)

Combine the following in a blender:

• 2 single shots of dark rum
• 150g pineapple chunks
• 60g of cold oats
• 60g tinned coconut milk
• 40g brown sugar
• 300ml of dairy-free milk

• Cinnamon powder to sprinkle

Instead of pineapple try it with papaya, banana, mango, raspberries or avocado if you want to be a little more adventurous.

 

Where have you taken yours?
Could these be Folk's most well-trodden boots?

If these Folk boots could talk, they’d tell you that they’ve wandered through giant Redwoods in Big Sur, they’ve trekked to the tallest water fall in Yosemite, they’ve explored the gorges of Karijini National Park in Australia, they’ve sauntered by the light of the moon in Joshua Tree and have also been to Portugal, Sri Lanka, Spain, France, Scotland and Wales in the last three years alone. And according to their owner, photographer Bobby Mills, they are getting better all the time.

Here they are having a little breather in Yosemite. Where have yours been? Send us a pic of your well-travelled boots to @Folkclothing and hashtag them #FolkOnTour.

To see pics of some of the places Bobby has been with his boots visit bobbymills.co.uk.

 

Folk Playlist May 
Bad Passion's Chris Stoker bring you a 12-track pleasure ride

Featuring Sainte Etienne, Michael Franks and Sinkane amongst others, you are bound to have some “I remember this” moments mixed with “love this tune, who is it by?” action when listening to this playlist.

Listen Here →

 

The bee's knees

Crofter and pilates guru Rhona Gemmell talks Carver and queen bees in this month’s bedside table talk

That John Donne poetry book looks a bit weathered... how did you come across that? Got a favourite poem?

I’ve had that book for 15 years and go back to it again and again. It used to travel with me. I bought it second hand, can’t remember where. The Anniversary might be my favourite.

On what occasions do you pick it up to read?

It’s a book that holds something new each time I go to it, which I do on precious moments of calm. Can’t hurry a John Donne poem.

The title of John Berger's book Hold Everything Dear sounds as if there was an 'unless' to follow... What's it about?

This is a collection of essays where he looks at big questions and the realities of modern life post 9/11, discusses and offers beautiful insights into complex situations. There’s no paranoia here, just clear humanity, I so admire his clarity of thought. It was lent to me by my neighbour, Georgina. I must give it back though it’s one of those books you dearly want to hold on to.

Everyone needs a bit of Carver in their life. What's your favourite poem from All of Us: The Collected Poems?

I don’t have the book beside me now. I can’t remember if either of these poems are in that particular book, but Happiness or Late Fragment have to be the poems of his I love most.

You recently became a proud crofter and are about to start beekeeping in Sanna Bay, Scotland. I take it the Beekeeper's Bible is your current must-read? Give us your three top bee facts.

Did you know that in the summer the Queen will lay up to 2000 eggs every day? Did you know bees might visit two million individual plants to produce one pound of honey. Did you know that bees fan their wee tiny wings to reduce the humidity in the hive??? Mind blowing.

I see you’re reading Macfarlane's Landmarks. How has your relationship to nature changed since reading the book and since being in Sanna Bay?

I certainly take more notice of the detail in the local landscape, and my appreciation of the value of language to describe the landscape we inhabit has increased hugely. Makes me want to know more. It even makes me want to learn Gaelic, never thought I’d say that.

You've got two poetry books there in a stack of five. Would you say you’re more into poetry than fiction?

Yes I’d say that’s true. I read in short bursts and prefer to concentrate on one passage and with poetry savour the music and rhythm of the language. I like the way it sounds in my head. Fiction is holiday reading for me, I love to read it but rarely make the time.

And in other news.... 
Our exclusive new capsule collection for Mr Porter and the boot that keeps on giving: