Anna Varendorff‘s metal vases look like jewellery, delicate bracelets and earrings on which to perch a flower. I particularly love the ones where the flower completes the circle; those I can picture as much on a table as on a woman’s wrist. There are as many possibilities as there are flowers in the world, but this lisianthus arrangement may be my favourite. I also love the exquisite simplicity of a sprig of green. And one can never tire of the classic tulip.
Some people’s chosen métier begins to constellate as early as five or six years of age. In this poignant short film, a ten-year-old boy in rural South West France, shares his dream of becoming of professional DJ. “In the countryside you can hear almost nothing,” says Benoit. “You feel free….. In my room, I hear nothing but rain and wind.” If he doesn’t make it as a DJ, Benoit says he’ll be a horticulturalist like his Mum. “Or, um … I’ll figure it out later.” The young boy made me think of a documentary I’d watched last week on Instagram’s Ian Spalter, and how his urge to problem solve traced back to childhood. Every year, on his birthday, Spalter’s parents gave him a blank bound book to fill with drawings and ideas. “Ian gravitated towards anything technological,” said his dad. “Whatever technical issues anyone had in the building we lived in, they would come to the door and ask, ‘is Ian home?'” The documentary is one of several brilliant profiles on the Netflix series, Abstract. I’ve only watched a few –– Platon, Ilse Crawford and Tinker Hatfield –– and what I enjoy most is seeing how the dots connect, seeing how early experiences weave their way into the creative process, and into who and what a person becomes. The path is rarely linear, but if you trace it, there always is one.
Jubilant paintings by Aussie artist, CHARLOTTE ALLDIS.
Holi recipes over at Bon Appétit.
A modern country kitchen by designer, PANDORA TAYLOR.
Colourful napkins with a scalloped edge by designer, MATILDA GOAD.
CELIA DOWSON’s exquisite ceramic seascapes.
Beautiful recessed wall shelves by PAMELA SHAMSHIRI & SONIA BOYAJIAN.
Marie Eklund is a woodworker who lives between Stockholm and the Swedish countryside. Her hand carved spoons caught my eye today, mostly because they remind me of the beautiful, dried seed heads we see in Winter. Her spoons are so precious and delicate; I’d love to frame a few them in a perspex box. Have a look at Eklund’s leg series. It’s both creepy and amusing.
Sandwiches are my forte. And I’m not bad with eggs. But this kitchen would turn me into a cordon bleu chef. I tell you, I’d be whipping up soufflés and paellas thrice weekly. Don’t you just love the tiles, (wall & floor) antique island and decadent still lives? Bien sur, there is a fresh baguette and a board of soft cheeses at the ready. Who knows when company might pop in.
How amazing are these rock formations at Vermillion Cliff in Arizona. This image made me think of a Yorkshire pudding or croissants dusted with icing sugar. The thought of hiking through waves of coral rock and desert excites me no end. It’s definitely on my bucket list. Look out for me; I’ll be wearing the big straw hat.
Back in early February, when the city was covered in snow, I found Hyacinths at our corner shop and snapped up three bunches. I never see Hyacinths there, and while buying spring flowers in the depths of winter felt weird, they brought me joy. So much so, that I have bought a bunch a week, every week, since then. They’re such a fun and frilly bloom, and their scent fills the whole room. I wonder sometimes how I’ll feel about the smells and songs and tastes that came with this time. Tom Rosenthal. Bone broth and curly fries. Will Hyacinth forever be winter 2021?
I know brass isn’t everyone’s taste –– too traditional, perhaps –– but I do love the lustre and warmth it brings to an interior. I like the delicate floral frames here, and the giant pearls of light dangling from the lamp. It’s all very old fashioned, yes, and reminds me of a Parisian airbnb, but I like it.
Writer and chef, BLANCHE VAUGHAN speaks movingly about her relationship with food.
Mustard sweaters and persimmon capes over at Spanish textile brand, Babaà.
LUCIE RIE’s beautiful wartime buttons.
DAVID RUMSEY’s amazing collection of maps.
JULIA BUSUTTIL NISHIMURA’s one pot chicken roast.
JANE THOMPOSON’s beautiful dog portraits.
The South kaibab trail (Grand Canyon) to Phantom Ranch.
Soigné. What a great word. I’m not sure I’ll ever use it in a spoken sentence for fear of sounding like a ponce, but I do love it. “Possessing an aura of sophistication in dress, manner, or design; presented or prepared with an elegance attained through care for finer details.”
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