‘Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable.’ Jane Austen
Flinders Part I
If you asked Australians to list the nation’s best destinations, the Flinders Ranges would certainly be in the Top 10. The ancient plains and mountains that form this desert wonderland lie about 300 kilometres north of Adelaide. Here you will find the mythical Outback. Temperatures are ideal between April and October, and the Prairie Hotel is the suggested accommodation option. The ‘feral food’ on their menu – which includes emu, kangaroo and goat seasoned with bush herbs and spices – is a special, and award-winning, experience.
http://www.prairiehotel.com.au
Flinders Part II
Aesop’s return to Flinders Lane has always been on the cards. A new signature store will open in early 2008, offering the full range of products and expert tutelage. Once home to Melbourne’s clothing manufacturers, the lane has evolved into one of the city’s more interesting precincts. Aesop’s neighbours will include Journal Canteen and Superfino for tasty lunches, the barbershop on Degraves Street for $12 haircuts and the Centre for Adult Education to improve our French.
Aesop Flinders Lane
1C, 268 Flinders Lane
Melbourne, VIC 3000
On the Nightwatch
British writer-director Peter Greenaway is a master of the visual arts. His intense passion for painting and fine art predates his move into cinema and is evident in almost every film he makes. His latest project, Nightwatching, tells the story behind Rembrandt’s 1642 commission to portray 31 members of the Amsterdam militia. Rembrandt’s reluctance to accept the job was well founded, as his preparations led him to dark places and an end result that almost destroyed him. Nightwatching premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September, so keep an eye out for its local release.
http://www.petergreenawayevents.com
Gift Ideas for the Perplexed
It’s the time of year when our thoughts are (or should be) slowly turning to the exacting task of gift-giving. To give is indeed a pleasure, but if ideas prove elusive sleepless nights and hours of window-shopping will follow. Aesop Gift Vouchers are an excellent way to give without taking a chance on specifics and to introduce a kindred spirit to your skin, hair and body-care secrets. Your gift also includes expert advice from skilled consultants to ensure product compatibility. Vouchers are available from Australian signature stores or online. Visit http://www.aesop.net.au/shop to learn more.
Wonderful Jackie Wullschlager
Reading the weekend edition of London’s Financial Times is one of life’s better pastimes, and the uninitiated will quickly find this seemingly indulgent journal to be essential. It is home to some of the best columnists on the planet, including the wonderful Jackie Wullschlager, the FT’s literary critic and European arts correspondent. Her biography of Hans Christian Andersen, The Life of a Storyteller, is a meticulously researched account of a flawed genius and highly recommended reading. Click here to enjoy some of her previous FT columns.
Lord or Lady For a Day
English period dramas entice viewers with a small taste of the upper-crust lifestyle, and one of the best places to live the dream is Chatsworth Estate. Three hours by car from London and smack bang in the middle of England, the property is much more than a remarkable house stuffed with detail and treasure. Explore the manicured gardens, farmland, forests and streams, and the many on-site enterprises, including one of the best produce shops in Britain. With so many assets it’s no surprise that there is a full calendar of public events, including fireworks and gourmet evenings, and a range of tours.
Matthew Barney at The Serpentine
Recipients of the September update will be aware of The Serpentine Gallery in London, and until November 11th visitors will be able to see the latest installment in Matthew Barney’s Drawing Restraint series. In every project Barney pushes himself with a sportsman’s discipline and a scientific zeal for experimentation, reflecting his previous lives as a football player and a medical student. No matter how he gets there, his drawings, sculptures and films are always a revelation.
http://www.serpentinegallery.org
The Pursuit of Life and Liberty
While the goods on offer at Liberty’s luxury emporium make the store an obligatory part of any London trip, the building itself is a time capsule of London past. Beyond the striking façade lies another world, full of soaring atriums and skylights, ancient wooden beams and staircases, and magnificent crystal chandeliers. Best of all, you don’t need to spend a thing to enjoy this living museum (although this is a strategy that rarely works). The Aesop counter there stocks the full product range and Tracy and Ingrid will help you find the ideal products for your skin, hair and body.
Urban Outfitter
The Spanish-born architect Josep Lluís Sert i López (1902-1983) established himself by designing the Spanish Pavilion at the World’s Fair in Paris in 1939. In 1953 he took up the positions of Dean of the Graduate School of Design and Professor of Architecture at Harvard University, and while there established America’s first course in urban design, incorporating architecture, town planning and landscaping. Sert was mentored by Le Corbusier and inspired by compatriots Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró. Harvard University is one of the best places to see his work, including the Peabody Terrace Apartments, the Harvard Science Centre and the Holyoke Centre.
Building With Bamboo
The founders of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners are experts at defining not only the buildings they design but also the public spaces that surround them. The firm has been ameliorating urban environments around the world for decades. In recent times they have turned to bamboo as a key construction element, using the strong, flexible material in the stunning Terminal 4 at Madrid’s Barajas Airport and in the National Assembly for Wales. Fittingly, founder Richard Rogers was awarded the 2007 Pritzker Prize for his contributions to architecture.
http://www.rsh-p.com
http://www.pritzkerprize.com
Prouder and More Prejudiced
A sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice will, sadly, remain a flight of fancy for the millions of readers wanting more. Happily, the International Jane Austen Conference will be held at Melbourne’s La Trobe University on November 29th and 30th. Titled ‘I dearly love a laugh: Jane Austen and Comedy’, the conference will be a feast of activity, debate and analysis and will include an opening address from the always provocative Germaine Greer.
‘One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.’ Jane Austen
Andrew Hunting 