‘Are we to paint what’s on the face, what’s inside the face, or what’s behind it?’ Pablo Picasso
Richard Serra
MoMA is an institution that lives and dies by a self-imposed edict of continuous improvement. Creative life is assured for now as MoMA continues to represent New York at its cerebral best. The retrospective of Richard Serra, an artist whose gargantuan sculptures remind us of his metal worker beginnings, is now showing. Let your island wanderings take you to MoMA’s garden where Intersection II and Torqued Ellipse IV dominate the landscape.
Luscombe
That fruit juices have stories is perplexing, but Luscombe’s are worth exploring. We applaud their simple range of flavours (the Pear & Apple Juice is sublime) and are impressed with the attention to detail and well-considered waste disposal processes. We also like the fact that London eateries offer Luscombe’s juices in wine bottle size, thus doing away with the absurd notion of single-serve only bottled refreshments.
Vervoordt
Is anything ugly in Antwerp? We can’t find an artist, building or idea in this city that disappoints. Axel Vervoordt is the godfather of high-end interior style and delivers his refined skills from an office that has us in awe. Pour yourself a good red (Australian please, we have a stubborn glut on our hands) and devote an hour to this website. You will need to renovate by the end of it.
Brisbane
From Antwerp we move to Brisbane, where the search for buildings to love requires a little more effort. We certainly have soft spots for unrenovated Queenslander’s, the city’s proximity to good beaches and weather you can predict. Our first Brisbane store is underway, with the design overseen by the astute and ingenious architect Clare Cousins. More details to follow.
Chez Rene
Dining here is as good as eating in a discerning Parisian’s home. Unerring discretion and dishes that are the antithesis of overworked restaurant food set it apart. Unlike LA the waiters are not aspiring actors, yet they effortlessly engage and amuse while serving guests with sincerity and good humour. Both the white asparagus and white Burgundy are très bons.
14 Boulevard Saint Germain
75009 Paris
Tel +33 1 43 54 30 23
Corsica
Undoubtedly French yet defiantly aloof from the mainland, a three-day side trip from Paris to this petite Mediterranean island will stimulate your appetite for further exploration of the mountains, beaches and ancient villages. The rock formations known as Les Calanches at Piana are as dramatic as the cliff-hugging roads that take you there. Stay the night Les Roches Rouges, or at least take your apéritif on their terrace. It must be the most spectacular in France.
http://www.lesrochesrouges.com
La Trousse du Jet Set
There is very little that is ‘jet set’ about travel today. We fear the demise of Concorde has permanently lowered everyone’s expectations so take your own food, reading material and travel-sized treats for your hair and body. Our security-friendly Jet Set Kit contains four 50mL-sized products to keep hair and body in good order before, during and after take-off. Find out more here.
Taipei Film Festival
The arts are alive and well in this most cosmopolitan of cities and the programme for the Taipei Film Festival entices us more each year. This year’s focus on Danish cinema presents the classics together with more contemporary hits like Babette’s Feast. If you’re in the region it’s an inspired detour. Head to Eslite afterwards for one of the best book selections in Asia.
http://www.tiff.org.tw
http://www.eslitebooks.com (in Chinese only)
Proef
Holland is rarely cited as a culinary hotspot. For innovation and creative risk-taking, however, there are few places like it. Applying Dutch verve to edibles is Proef, a collective who really know how to enjoy their food. From sugar plates and bread cutlery to graffiti-covered vegetables, this is gastronomy of an altogether different kind.
José Antonio Méndez and Mercedes Fernández
We’re completely smitten with the Primavera album that’s now in stores. Two particular gems are track one Ese senitmiento que se llama amor and track two No puedo callar. Perfect end-of-day, stuck-in-traffic, contemplating-what’s-for-dinner music.
New Yorker
It’s most disappointing that we couldn’t get to the New Yorker Conference this year. Fortunately we can all enjoy the summary presentations at http://www.newyorker.com/promo/conference/index.html. What a magnanimous public service to offer without subscription, sign-in or sign-up! One more reason we should all be subscribing and supporting writing of this quality.
‘Do you think then that revolutions are made with rose water?’ Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort
Andrew Hunting 