Track Star’s Jack Coyne leads a musical tour of New York
I was born and raised in the East Village, not far from the home of Track Star, the online game show I play with people on the street. It stars strangers as well as musicians: I’ve had Lily Allen, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs on. Basically, I play a song and the contestant has to identify the artist who recorded it. The prize money starts at $5 for the first song and doubles with every correct answer until my guest either gets one wrong and loses it all or decides to stop playing. (The cash “prize” is often donated to charity.) Our office is on Great Jones Street, in NoHo, because this area is perfect for casting creative, willing participants who love music trivia.
The TikTok host takes us to the jazz clubs, concert venues, bars and record stores that keep the city swinging
I was born and raised in the East Village, not far from the home of Track Star, the online game show I play with people on the street. It stars strangers as well as musicians: I’ve had Lily Allen, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs on. Basically, I play a song and the contestant has to identify the artist who recorded it. The prize money starts at $5 for the first song and doubles with every correct answer until my guest either gets one wrong and loses it all or decides to stop playing. (The cash “prize” is often donated to charity.) Our office is on Great Jones Street, in NoHo, because this area is perfect for casting creative, willing participants who love music trivia.
A Sundance insider guide to Park City, Utah
I was introduced to Park City, home to the Sundance Institute, in 2016 by Darren Walker, the former president of the Ford Foundation. I had studied film and theatre at Northwestern University and was on the board of the Steppenwolf Theatre, so with his encouragement I joined Sundance’s board of directors in 2017. I became the chair in 2021 and it has been a magical experience ever since.
Director Ebs Burnough came to Utah for the film festival and found a haven for coffee, craft beer and chicken wings
I was introduced to Park City, home to the Sundance Institute, in 2016 by Darren Walker, the former president of the Ford Foundation. I had studied film and theatre at Northwestern University and was on the board of the Steppenwolf Theatre, so with his encouragement I joined Sundance’s board of directors in 2017. I became the chair in 2021 and it has been a magical experience ever since.
There is a raw energy here, surrounded by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. It’s easy to see why Robert Redford chose this place to support diverse and unexpected voices, founding the Sundance Institute and Film Festival in the late ’70s and early ’80s. You’ll find all kinds of creatives here – from a 19-year-old first-time filmmaker from Alabama to a Ghanaian farmer-director, as well as studio heads and development executives. It’s that mix of perspectives that makes it such a powerful cultural force. The air is different in Utah, and being free from the hustle and bustle of urban centres fosters a lively exchange of ideas.
Main Street, the centre of Park City, has a special place in my heart. I love it in both summer and winter, when the snow is pristine and – unlike New York City or London, where I live – it doesn’t turn into a slushy brown mess. There are casual restaurants, theatres and shops throughout what was once a silver mining town, and the people are warm and welcoming. I’ll go to High West Saloon for burgers, The Spur Bar & Grill for chicken wings and Tekila for Tex-Mex. I like to take meetings at the latter – possibly with a secret Margarita. Everything is relaxed and casual.
Inside curator Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli’s party house in Istanbul
A former fisherman’s house with views over the Bosphorus has become a chic 1970s-inspired hub for creative exchange at an international level
A former fisherman’s house with views over the Bosphorus has become a chic 1970s-inspired hub for creative exchange at an international level
Sharing a wall with the imposing Metamorfosis Greek Orthodox Church and surrounded by simple Ottoman-era timber houses, the home of Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli and her husband Alphan Eşeli in the Istanbul neighbourhood of Kandilli looks unassuming. “Kandilli is one of those rare neighbourhoods on the Asian side of the Bosphorus that still feels untouched by time,” says Müftüoğlu-Eşeli. “It carries the soul of old Istanbul”. The name Kandilli, she says, means “with candles”, and was inspired by the palace built by the sultan Murad IV that was filled with lanterns. Also in the area is the Adile Sultan Palace, now a cultural centre. “That layered sense of history is part of daily life,” says Müftüoğlu-Eşeli. Leaning into the area’s roots, the couple have built a home that aims to spark creative exchange.
Jeremy O Harris’s guide to Williamstown Theatre Festival
I came to the Berkshires in the most millennial-Gen Z way possible. Today’s CV is an Instagram account, and the managing director of Williamstown Theatre Festival DM’d me to ask if I’d like to get involved. I’ve been working in theatre for 15 years and have never been approached by a festival, let alone Williamstown, which is legendary. Fast forward a year or so and I am spending the summer in Williamstown as the festival’s creative director, and my latest play, Spirit of the People, has its world premiere here in July.
The playwright and actor tours the event’s ‘hallowed’ Berkshires home
I came to the Berkshires in the most millennial-Gen Z way possible. Today’s CV is an Instagram account, and the managing director of Williamstown Theatre Festival DM’d me to ask if I’d like to get involved. I’ve been working in theatre for 15 years and have never been approached by a festival, let alone Williamstown, which is legendary. Fast forward a year or so and I am spending the summer in Williamstown as the festival’s creative director, and my latest play, Spirit of the People, has its world premiere here in July.
Williamstown is a hallowed space in regional theatre: James Cusati-Moyer cut his teeth here, as did Andrew Burnap. For a young theatre obsessive, this was always the gold star. Tennessee Williams visited the festival many times, and Edward Albee and Sam Shepard spent time here, too. There is such a rich artistic community in the Berkshires: you have filmmakers, musicians, dancers, painters and writers within a 30-mile radius, so there is creativity everywhere.
Met Gala maestro Andrew Bolton talks taste
The head curator of The Met’s Costume Institute loves dachshunds, The Vicar of Dibley and Villa d’Este
My personal style signifiers are pretty casual and consistent: my tortoiseshell glasses – I’ve worn various brands over the past 20 years – and a navy cashmere four-bar cardigan, chino trousers, white cotton Oxford shirts, a rep tie and classic wingtip brogues, all by my partner Thom Browne. The last thing I bought and loved was a painting by Ewa Juszkiewicz, the Surrealist Polish artist. She recreates paintings from the renaissance to the 19th century, but obscures their faces with fabrics or phantasmagoric wigs. Ours references the 17th-century portrait of Maria van Strijp by Dutch golden age artist Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck, which belongs to Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. We’d been looking for one of her paintings for a long time and were lucky to get it in a Sotheby’s evening auction.
The head curator of The Met’s Costume Institute loves dachshunds, The Vicar of Dibley and Villa d’Este
My personal style signifiers are pretty casual and consistent: my tortoiseshell glasses – I’ve worn various brands over the past 20 years – and a navy cashmere four-bar cardigan, chino trousers, white cotton Oxford shirts, a rep tie and classic wingtip brogues, all by my partner Thom Browne. The last thing I bought and loved was a painting by Ewa Juszkiewicz, the Surrealist Polish artist. She recreates paintings from the renaissance to the 19th century, but obscures their faces with fabrics or phantasmagoric wigs. Ours references the 17th-century portrait of Maria van Strijp by Dutch golden age artist Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck, which belongs to Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. We’d been looking for one of her paintings for a long time and were lucky to get it in a Sotheby’s evening auction.
The work of art that changed everything for me is Francis Bacon’s “screaming Pope”, after Diego Velázquez’s 17th-century Portrait of Pope Innocent X. It’s such a depiction of postwar existential angst and I tend to gravitate toward artists who reinterpret history in different ways. The best book I’ve read in the past year is Alan Hollinghurst’s Our Evenings, a social comedy about gay life in England from the 1960s to the pandemic. I’ve always loved his operatic writing style. It’s told through his lived experience, and I think it resonated with me because I was also reading Monica Miller’s Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity at the same time. Both examine issues of race, gender and sexuality and are rooted in history, and Miller’s book inspired our upcoming exhibition at The Met.
The place that means a lot to me is Villa d’Este in Lake Como. It was the first place Thom and I went on holiday together and we still go two or three times a year. It’s become a home from home. We tend to go right after the Met Gala in May, after the fashion shows in Milan and for three weeks at the end of August. Lake Como has such a microclimate: one day it’s sunny, one day it’s hailing, one day it’s snowy, so it’s a very biblical place in terms of the weather. We used to explore the lake more, but now we just stay put and catch up on reading.
Musician Leon Bridges: ‘There’s a specific Texas pride in Fort Worth’
I moved to Fort Worth when I was two years old, so I’m Texan through and through. I love the slower pace here and that the people are so salt-of-the-earth. I’m always on the move – to Los Angeles, to New York, on tour – and I sometimes find people a little superficial or pretentious. There is a simplicity to life here. My parents still live in Fort Worth and my inner circle – people I met on the cusp of fame, including my security – are all based here too.
The Grammy Award winner loves his hometown for its tacos, dive bars and custom-made cowboy boots
I moved to Fort Worth when I was two years old, so I’m Texan through and through. I love the slower pace here and that the people are so salt-of-the-earth. I’m always on the move – to Los Angeles, to New York, on tour – and I sometimes find people a little superficial or pretentious. There is a simplicity to life here. My parents still live in Fort Worth and my inner circle – people I met on the cusp of fame, including my security – are all based here too.
Fort Worth isn’t as progressive as Austin, but the food scene and population are both evolving. There’s a specific Texas pride here – in our roots and in our culture – and I think my music reflects that. It’s Texas twang meets R&B and the whole Western aesthetic that goes along with it.
The city has seen the addition of many cool smaller hotels recently: Bowie House is one of the best. It’s a great environment to meet people, and it’s also near Dickies Arena, so people are drawn there from all over to see musicians such as Paul McCartney and Janet Jackson. I’ve played there, too. Hotel Dryce is another cool option – it’s set in an old industrial warehouse – and I like Hotel Drover in Fort Worth Stockyards for its great bar and true Texas spirit. The Stockyards is where cowboys historically traded cattle, and it still has that classic Western vibe, right down to the rodeo. There are so many dope places to stay.
I cut my teeth on Magnolia Avenue, an artsy part of town with lots of music venues and restaurants. Sadly some of the staples have closed as musicians have moved on to Nashville and LA, but there is one dive bar – The Boiled Owl Tavern – that’s particularly significant as it’s where I was discovered. I still like to go and play impromptu shows with the original musicians from back in the day.
Annabelle Selldorf, New York, My Way
German-born, Manhattan-based architect Annabelle Selldorf shares art, design and culinary highlights in her adopted hometown.
It was an initial visit to New York City at the age of 18 that sealed the deal for a young Annabelle Selldorf. Taken by the “electrifying atmosphere that felt like a massive infusion of oxygen”, the future university student packed her bags in her native Cologne and headed for Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute to study architecture. That was the 1980s and she has called the city – uptown, downtown, SoHo, NoHo – home ever since. “It’s very different from other major European cities such as Paris and London,” explains Selldorf of the city that sometimes gets an abrasive rap. “There’s an openness and a jovial embrace that New Yorkers provide that is like nowhere else.”
German-born, Manhattan-based architect Annabelle Selldorf shares art, design and culinary highlights in her adopted hometown
It was an initial visit to New York City at the age of 18 that sealed the deal for a young Annabelle Selldorf. Taken by the “electrifying atmosphere that felt like a massive infusion of oxygen”, the future university student packed her bags in her native Cologne and headed for Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute to study architecture. That was the 1980s and she has called the city – uptown, downtown, SoHo, NoHo – home ever since. “It’s very different from other major European cities such as Paris and London,” explains Selldorf of the city that sometimes gets an abrasive rap. “There’s an openness and a jovial embrace that New Yorkers provide that is like nowhere else.”
Fuelled by the vibrant gallery scene of the day, Selldorf initially gravitated toward SoHo and Tribeca – “places full of artists and culture”, she says of the cast-iron buildings, endless exhibitions and vibrant parties that drew an eclectic mix of characters. And while she moved around the city – from the Upper West Side to a loft in SoHo to a former undertaker’s flat – it was always driven by the community and surrounding street life. “Being close to a park or nature didn’t matter to me at all; I was a total urbanite,” she says of her early cosmopolitan existence.
Fast-forward 40 years, and Selldorf is still enthralled by the city’s history, energy and boundless creativity – all of which guide her work as one of the art world’s pre-eminent architects. Her eponymous firm (Selldorf Architects, which she founded in 1988) has long been focused on bringing people to art in all its forms. From galleries and exhibition spaces for David Zwirner, Gagosian and Hauser & Wirth, to Maja Hoffmann’s sprawling cultural centre, LUMA Arles, to cultural institutions including the Neue Galerie New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, she is sought after for her exquisite restraint – a pared-down design aesthetic that is at once elegant, sensitive to the surroundings and, above all, highly functional.
Upcoming high-profile museum projects – including the expansion of New York’s storied Frick Collection and the forthcoming redesign of the British National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing, as well as the revitalisation of the Smithsonian American Art Museum – are all keeping her busy, but strolling the city streets continues to awe and inspire her. In the following pages, Selldorf offers a glimpse into her New York.
Perfect Weekends
Weekends in New York are all about walking; from the quiet West Village to the East Village and Tompkins Square Park and up to NoHo, the area north of Houston Street. This landmarked area is full of loft buildings built during the late-19th and early-20th centuries. They’re made of cast iron and brick and are so stout – and they’re juxtaposed against contemporary residential structures by Herzog & de Meuron and our own 10 Bond Street. I think this building anchors the neighbourhood a bit. The streets are wide here, and the buildings are low so you can see the sky, and the restaurants are great, too.
The Art March
I always make a list of galleries in Chelsea that I want to visit, with a mix of new and young artists and more established names as well. From Chelsea, I might head to The Whitney, or go uptown to visit the Met [Metropolitan Museum of Art], Neue Galerie and Guggenheim. This provides a structure to my day, a checklist of culture. In terms of music and theatre, Lincoln Center – and the concerts at David Geffen Hall in particular – have so much to offer. The arts programming at the Park Avenue Armory is another highlight.
Great Heights
New York is a city of skyscrapers that are in dialogue with each other. From the iconic Empire State Building to the late-1920s Art Deco Chrysler Building, to the newer 432 Park Avenue by the late Rafael Viñoly, which makes a striking figure because of its proportions, they all add to the unique mix. I do think with all the buildings popping up everywhere, more regulation might be helpful. We’re working on our first skyscraper project, One Domino Square, which is twin residential towers in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s influenced by the entire city – the nearby Williamsburg Bridge, the sky, the weather. The project features a ceramic façade that’s slightly iridescent and reflects the beautiful light from white to sky blue depending on the season and time of day.
Culinary Gems
My tastes are simple – I like food that is like the buildings that I design. I’ve been a longtime regular at [Japanese restaurant] Omen Azen [Thompson Street] in SoHo where I like both the setting and the cuisine. It’s all about the balance. I love King [King Street] for the same reasons – the atmosphere and the food. It’s like the River Café in London, which makes sense because two of the women owners/chefs trained there. Via Carota [Grove Street] and I Sodi [Bleecker Street] are other favourites; everything is so freshly cooked and so simple.
Green Spaces
People crave parks and public spaces – particularly in New York City. The Hudson River Park, which runs along the Hudson River downtown, is particularly important, as is Washington Square Park near my home; it’s always crowded. Madison Square Park is a little forbidding because the green zones are fenced in, but it’s a nice counterbalance to the urban surroundings. I am a huge fan of both Union Square Park and the Union Square Greenmarket. I buy everything here – my greens, fruit, farm-fresh eggs, milk. New Yorkers love not only the produce and the variety, but the sense of community. I love to observe vendors and locals interacting and experiencing the seasons.
The Cultural Horizon
I’m incredibly excited about The Frick, which has been seven years in the making. The galleries and spaces are finished and are being acclimatised to welcome the art back over the next few months. We designed the entire thing and added 27,000 square feet to the original 1914 building by Thomas Hastings and later, by John Russell Pope. The original garden by Russell Page is now a focal point, as is a beautifully proportioned reception hall, and we restored the art and research library on East 70th Street. In addition, we replaced skylights, changed entry sequences, education spaces, an auditorium and added a light-filled cafe. The way the museum welcomes people is much different and much more inclusive now. As an architect, you must always articulate how a building contributes and why it matters. You need to listen to why people want continuity, but you also need to understand how life and society change. I hope this building transitions seamlessly between the old Beaux-Arts architecture and the new – in terms of spaces and materials – and that everyone feels welcome. If we can change that threshold of anxiety for people who aren’t in the habit of going to museums just a little bit, then I think that’s culturally significant.
Ini Archibong’s guide to the quiet cool of Neuchâtel
The industrial designer on finding peace – and pizza – in his adopted home.
I grew up in LA and went to Singapore after school to learn about the worlds of luxury and watches. I had always wanted to see Switzerland, so in 2014 I applied for a luxury programme in Lausanne and I fell in love with the country from that very first trip. I took the train everywhere – to school, to other cities, to the lakes – and experienced my first real winter. I love the orderliness, cleanliness and the natural beauty here.
The industrial designer on finding peace – and pizza – in his adopted home
By Christina Ohly Evans
I grew up in LA and went to Singapore after school to learn about the worlds of luxury and watches. I had always wanted to see Switzerland, so in 2014 I applied for a luxury programme in Lausanne and I fell in love with the country from that very first trip. I took the train everywhere – to school, to other cities, to the lakes – and experienced my first real winter. I love the orderliness, cleanliness and the natural beauty here. I now live in the small town of Neuchâtel, which reminds me of my hometown, Pasadena.
There are many parks; everyone is either walking, cycling or hiking; and you can hear the birds sing. I love the small-town vibe. I live on Lake Neuchâtel in a flat with a private beach, and with woods and a stream nearby. The only challenge has been the language; I studied German in high school, but Neuchâtel is French-speaking. I have just enough words to get by – but I’m learning.
Author Min Jin Lee: ‘Dua Lipa and Beyoncé give me hope for the next generation’
The Korean-American author on her love for the Neue Galerie, Thom Browne and Kerrygold
My personal style signifier is a vest, or a jacket over a white dress shirt and jeans. Sometimes, I wear both a vest and a jacket. Like a lot of women, I have mild body dysmorphia. Like most writers, I live in my head, and I try to forget my body by padding it with layers. I also wear Gabriella Kiss earrings or a pair of Ted Muehling hoops.
The Korean-American author on her love for the Neue Galerie, Thom Browne and Kerrygold
My personal style signifier is a vest, or a jacket over a white dress shirt and jeans. Sometimes, I wear both a vest and a jacket. Like a lot of women, I have mild body dysmorphia. Like most writers, I live in my head, and I try to forget my body by padding it with layers. I also wear Gabriella Kiss earrings or a pair of Ted Muehling hoops.
The last thing I bought and loved was a charcoal-grey pinstripe Margaret Howell blazer. When I am in London, I buy her clothes at Liberty.
My favourite building is the Neue Galerie on the Upper East Side. What I like is the interior by Annabelle Selldorf. I can’t figure out why exactly, but what I yearn for is how I feel in that building. I live in a large, creaky old house in Harlem, which I adore. However, if I won the lottery, I wouldn’t mind having a second home designed by Selldorf, which I imagine might feel like how I feel in the Neue Galerie – calm, restrained and light.
And the best souvenir I’ve brought home is from my honeymoon in 1993. In Venice, Chris [Duffy] and I spent what seemed like a king’s ransom on Faenza-Garofano handpainted ceramics from a small shop near the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. At great expense, we had them shipped to New York. Every time I set the table and use our dishes, I remember my first trip to Italy as a newlywed.
The best book I’ve read in the past year is The Persuaders by Anand Giridharadas, which I loved. I was moved by these real-life profiles of iconoclastic individuals who were willing to cross the aisle and engage a person who seemed directly opposed to their point of view. As the world appears more frightful, I am drawn to this idea of reconciliation. The best gift I’ve given recently was a birthday pick-me-up I sent to a good friend, the Westman Atelier Lip Suede in Les Nudes with a lip brush, which I also have myself. And I like to give Vosges caramel marshmallows. Vosges Caramel Marshmallows, $34 for box of nine. Westman Atelier Lip Suede, £78, cultbeauty.co.uk
A long weekend in Los Angeles with Michael Govan
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art director has, during his 10-year tenure, propelled the museum to one of the city’s foremost arts institutions.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art director has, during his 10-year tenure, propelled the museum to one of the city’s foremost arts institutions.
The Aesthete: Bill Bensley talks more personal taste
The architect and designer concludes his list of likes with strenuous Thai massage, running with his dogs and the African/Cuban music of Seckou Keita
The architect and designer concludes his list of likes with strenuous Thai massage, running with his dogs and the African/Cuban music of Seckou Keita
My style icon is the English/Caribbean artist Kate Spencer. She divides her time between St Kitts and Sicily, but she often comes to Bangkok. I love her wild way of dressing – she even paints her own clothes – and her strong, vivacious spirit.
The last thing I bought and loved was my Jack Russell terrier Frank – named after Frank Sinatra. He is my seventh Jack Russell and he’s just enormous. He’s a real swimmer, whether it is in the rivers outside Bangkok, or in our pool.
Artist Kate Spencer | Image: Tina Papies/SceneKitts Photography
The best gift I’ve received recently is the AHEAD Asia 2019 Outstanding Contribution Award for Hospitality and Design. It’s a lifetime achievement award and voted on by my peers, so that feels particularly good.
In my fridge you’ll always find fresh fish, chillies and watermelon. We make a spicy Thai fish soup almost daily, so we always have the first two basic ingredients on hand. The watermelon is for breakfast, and no matter how old I get, it always reminds me of childhood summers.
The indulgence I would never forgo is strenuous Thai massage. Our masseuse comes to the house every night to give me a rigorous stretch from limb to limb. It’s kind of like forced yoga, but it keeps me healthy.
The last thing I added to my wardrobe was a pair of denim overalls I found in a local market – I like their utilitarian simplicity. I have an upcoming photo shoot and I am going to do the portrait in front of a giant picture of a forest. I plan to be holding an axe, and the overalls will add to the whole Paul Bunyan effect.
Shinta Mani Wild nature sanctuary in Cambodia
The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is Picasso. I love his early works in particular – in fact, I’ll take all the Blue Period. His work is inspirational and dreamy and it certainly plays into my own painting.
An object I would never part with is hard to imagine as I couldn’t care less about possessions – but I would never part with my husband of 30 years.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
My favourite room in my house is the veranda because it is the heart of our home. It’s really the magic sweet spot where the beauty of the flowering gardens outside meets the serene interior. We have a table out there that seats six people and it’s just a lovely space, full of orchids, candles and ferns.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I’d choose Chiang Mai because it is full of all kinds of wonderful stores that sell Burmese, Indian and Chinese antiques. Golden Triangle is one of my favourite places where I buy hundreds of pieces – desks, tables – at a time, and also De-Siam for furniture, decorative objects, carved marble and lighting. I recently bought 400 Indian wooden moulds at this shop. I’m not sure where these will go; I tend to buy first and think later. Prempracha’s Collection is another excellent resource. De-Siam, 132 Moo 1, Chiang Mai-Hod Road, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai 50230 (+6653-441 254; desiam-antiques.com). Golden Triangle, 82 Moo 1 Chiang Mai-Hod Road, A Hang Dong, Chiang Mai 50230 (+6653-434 700; goldentriangle.co.th). Prempracha’s Collection, 224 M3, Chiang Mai-Sankampang Road, T Tonpao, A Sankampang Chiang Mai 50130 (+6653-338 540; prempracha.com).
One of Bensley’s own paintings | Image: Adam Birkan Photography
The best book I have read in the past year is Kitchen Confidential by the late chef, writer and TV personality Anthony Bourdain. He was a seriously talented person and his behind-the-scenes writing about the world of restaurant kitchens is fascinating.
The best gift I’ve given recently was a piece of land to the Cambodian people. It’s roughly the size of Central Park and is an important conservation project. Called Shinta Mani Wild, it is a private nature sanctuary and we’ve built 15 little tents perched over the water that are rented out to help support our sustainability and anti-poaching efforts. From $1,900 per night (minimum three-night stay); shintamani.com/wild.php.
My failsafe jet lag cure is running – though it must be outside, as sunlight is key. And ideally, three hours of Thai massage to increase my energy flow.
The people I rely on for personal wellbeing are not people, but rather my five dogs. They are the best trainers as they demand a five to 10km run every day around sunset and I take them to the muddy rivers and marshes outside the city. Our cook Tuk, who was my dad’s nurse, also contributes greatly to my overall health. She is our house “mum”.
The last music I downloaded was Senegalese 22 Strings by artist Seckou Keita. This African/Cuban music is hypnotic; sometimes vocal, sometimes with jazz notes. I like Keita’s soothing sounds around the house, especially when I am painting.
The grooming product I’m never without is a generic bar of soap. I literally use it to wash, shampoo, for everything – I don’t groom.
If I weren’t doing what I’m doing, I would be a painter. I just took it up about a year ago and now I am obsessed. It’s much like fishing – I get into a happy, relaxed place when I paint. I love expressing myself through acrylics and watercolours and am particularly focused on large-scale portraiture, which is a difficult subject matter, so I love it the most.
The Aesthete: Pierre Yovanovitch talks personal taste
The interior architect designs art-filled, ultra-refined yet sensuous homes and retail and gallery spaces for global clients such as Kering
The interior architect designs art-filled, ultra-refined yet sensuous homes and retail and gallery spaces for global clients such as Kering
Pierre Yovanovitch at home in Paris | Image: Emmanuel Fradin
My personal style signifiers are my shoes by Pierre Hardy, some of which reference the work of major artists, and my mostly Dries Van Noten wardrobe. I’m a low-key person, so my clothing and accessories tend to be fashionable yet classic. My Mylon glasses by Mykita – the first item I put on in the morning – are another signature of mine: they’re ultra-light and the matte finish is in keeping with my simple aesthetic. driesvannoten.be. mykita.com. pierrehardy.com.
Pierre Hardy leather Oxfords, €795
The last thing I bought and loved was a ceramic vase by the American artist Karin Gulbran. It’s a very abstract, minimal, light-blue and brown vessel that works with the neutral colour palette I love. From $13,000; Pierre Marie Giraud, 7 Rue de Praetere, 1050 Brussels (+322-503 0351; pierremariegiraud.com).
And the thing I’m eyeing next is a “nest” seat by the South African designer Porky Hefer. His one-of-a-kind pieces are made from cane and rattan, and I’d love one for an outdoor space at my château in Provence; it would make the perfect reading nook. Fallen Nest, £11,000; animal-farm.co.za.
Ceramic vase by Karin Gulbran, pieces from $13,000
The last thing I added to my wardrobe was a half-length wool coat from Acne that I bought in New York. It’s stylish, simple and in a rich navy blue. As I get older, I think blue clothing is generally much better than black. £900; acnestudios.com.
Fallen Nest seat by Porky Hefer, £11,000
The best gift I’ve received recently was an intricate “eye” embroidery by Lesage Intérieurs, given to me by Jean-François Lesage, grandson of the maison’s founder. This astonishing piece was commissioned for L’Erotomanie de Mlle Oops, the exhibition I conceived for the Toulon Design Parade last summer. It now hangs in my office. lesageinterieurs.com.
Cotton- and wool-thread, soft-wire and chenille “eye” embroidery by Lesage Intérieurs | Image: Sudakar
The site that inspires me is the Brother Klaus Field Chapel, in Mechernich, Germany, by the architect Peter Zumthor. Set in a remote field, this striking art chapel features a poured-concrete exterior and a beautiful triangle-shaped silver door. There is no roof, so when it rains, the water is collected inside, which adds to the spiritual atmosphere. Iversheimer Strasse, 53894 Mechernich (feldkapelle.de).
Brother Klaus Field Chapel, Mechernich
The people I rely on for personal grooming are Philippe Campana and his wife, Geneviève, at Louis G, a hidden hair salon in Paris’s 7th arrondissement. It’s a very discreet, no-fuss place – no music or anything too trendy. It still has the original 1970s feel and I like the very professional stylists who keep my longish hair that way. From €60; 4 Rue du Bourgogne, 75007 Paris (+331-4551 3039).
Ligne Blanche porcelain JM Basquiat Glenn tray
My favourite room in my house is my bedroom – spacious and sparsely decorated but still warm and inviting. In the 70sq m space there is only a large bed and two pieces of meditative art, along with lots of rough-hewn oak and natural light.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I’d choose the 1st arrondissement in Paris. Galerie Eric Philippe is wonderful for Scandinavian design, while Ligne Blanche is great for tabletop finds – especially the plates. The owner is passionate about art and does collaborations with the estates of Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and many others. Hermès is always a favourite for chic clothes and scarves. After all that shopping, I like Cibus – a tiny, really authentic Italian restaurant that serves the best organic, seasonal dishes, such as homemade linguine with wild mushrooms, or octopus with haricots verts. Cibus, 5 Rue Molière, 75001 (+331-4261 5019). Galerie Eric Philippe, 25 Galerie Véro-Dodat, 75001 (+331-4221 1793; ericphilippe.com). Hermès, 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 (+331-4017 4600; hermes.com). Ligne Blanche, 18 Galerie Véro-Dodat, 75001 (+331-4482 5748; ligneblancheparis.com).
My favourite websites are all very visual. I often look at Jacksons, of Stockholm, for furnishings and Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac for inspiration. jacksons.se. ropac.net.
The Aesthete: Joseph Dirand talks personal taste
Architect and interior designer Joseph Dirand’s elegant modernist style has built an illustrious global portfolio that spans restaurants and boutiques, private homes and hotels
Architect and interior designer Joseph Dirand’s elegant modernist style has built an illustrious global portfolio that spans restaurants and boutiques, private homes and hotels
My personal style signifiers are Acne’s North jeans, which suit my skinny frame, and classic Nike trainers that work well with the jeans. I prefer a simple aesthetic, so I wear both in shades of grey, black and blue. From £170; acnestudios.com. From £61.95; nike.com.
The last thing I bought and loved was a Black Mirror Painting by Lawrence Carroll that is reminiscent of the arte povera movement of the 1960s. I love the purity of this abstract oil-on-plywood piece, which now hangs in a prominent place in my living room. Galerie Karsten Greve, 5 Rue Debelleyme, 75003 Paris (+331-4277 1937; galerie-karsten-greve.com).
From left: Acne Studios denim North jeans, from £170. Aesop A Rose By Any Other Name Body Cleanser, $25 for 6.8oz. Dirand’s JM Weston suede loafers, £465 | Image: Alex Cretey Systermans
And the thing I’m eyeing next is a cruise to Antarctica. I love travelling to really remote places such as Patagonia, or any desert, so it’s my dream destination – I am planning a trip for next winter.
The last thing I added to my wardrobe was a cashmere/cotton long-sleeve T-shirt by Parisian brand Majestic Filatures. It is practical, soft and warm for the cooler months. I’ve also rediscovered JM Weston loafers, handmade in Limoges; I bought my first pair 25 years ago. The light-soled Moc style in blue suede is elegant and incredibly comfortable. £465; jmweston.com. €100; majesticfilatures.com.
A recent “find” is Bellechasse 29 Galerie, started by gallerist Philippe Sinceux and designer and antiques dealer Alain Demachy. They stock an eclectic range of antiques and decorative objects, from 19th-century Scandinavian to French art deco – things that don’t belong together, but somehow just work. I have found some beautiful mirrors and vases there. 29 Rue de Bellechasse, 75007 Paris (+331-4533 1672; bellechasse29.fr).
An object I would never part with is a pair of bespoke tortoiseshell sunglasses from Maison Bonnet – maker of IM Pei’s and Le Corbusier’s glasses – given to me for my 40th birthday. They fit my face perfectly. 5 Rue des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris (+331‑4296 4635; maisonbonnet.com).
Antique pieces from Bellechasse 29 Galerie in Paris
The site that inspires me is Villa Malaparte on Capri. I love contemporary structures and this one is exemplary. Although built in the 1930s, it still feels current. The relationship of the minimalist house to the beautiful green landscape and the contrast between the reddish building and the blue sea are pure genius.
The grooming product I’m never without is A Rose By Any Other Name Body Cleanser by Aesop. I like everything about this natural, gentle product, including the minimalist packaging. $25 for 6.8oz; aesop.com.
The 1930s Villa Malaparte on Capri | Image: Alamy Stock Photo
An unforgettable place I’ve travelled to in the past year is the American Southwest. My wife Anne-Sophie and I did a 6,000km road trip through 10 national parks, including Zion, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. The landscapes, colours and sunsets were magnificent, as was our stay at Amangiri on Lake Powell in Utah – the perfect, relaxing end to our trek. From $1,900; +1435-675 3999; aman.com.
The last meal that truly impressed me was at Yui Edomae Sushi, a tiny Japanese haute cuisine spot in Las Vegas. The omakase [chef’s choice] menu was spectacular. Every dish, from my favourite toro [tuna belly] to the sea urchin, lobster and wagyu beef, was prepared with a magical twist. 3460 Arville St, Las Vegas, NV 89102 (+1702-202 2408; yuisushi.com).
My favourite space in my house is the entryway to our high-ceilinged 17th-century apartment in Paris, because it is both classical and warm. The Marmorino stucco walls are painted a dark grey and the conceptual artwork by Jannis Kounellis that hangs near the front door is really welcoming – it has a formal yet emotional beauty.
My favourite websites include Lecollectionist.com for holiday home rentals and Mrandmrssmith.com for travel tips. I also like the auction site Piasa.fr for art and design inspiration.
Craig Robins’ dining boltholes
The CEO and president of property development company Dacra meets fashion designers over tuna tartare in Paris and art collectors over dim sum in Hong Kong
The CEO and president of property development company Dacra meets fashion designers over tuna tartare in Paris and art collectors over dim sum in Hong Kong
Craig Robins at Mandolin | Image: Rose Cromwell
“Everything is so rushed today that it’s important to share meals with colleagues and partners: when work gets integrated with life, everything is enhanced – we’re all more productive. My business focuses on art and design – specifically, developing the Miami Design District with leading brands and restaurants – and this extends to where I choose to entertain architects, designers, lawyers or our leasing team.
A favourite Miami lunch spot is Michael’s Genuine, a foodie mecca where I recently shared a fun meal with Michael Burke, CEO of Louis Vuitton, to bring him up to speed on some public art projects. I love its huge umbrellas; you can stay outside even if there’s a tropical shower. Whoever I’m with, whether it’s Pharrell or Riccardo Tisci, I order the stracciatella for sharing – with fresh peaches or tomatoes – and the seasonal stone crab claws.
The sleek MC Kitchen, another regular in the Design District, has a bustling open kitchen and the world’s best truffle pizza; I have one slice – it’s rich – and bring the rest to the office, which goes down well. I recently shared their signature poulet rouge with caramelised onions with cult hairdresser Oribe, while discussing the possibility of a salon in the District. I don’t drink with lunch, but for special dinners here I’ll have a glass of Burly Cabernet.
At Mandolin, one of the city’s most soulful restaurants, everyone bonds in the tavern-like atmosphere. Balenciaga’s CEO Cédric Charbit and I discussed opening its next store here over a family-style meal of grilled octopus and sirloin kefte, further solidifying our relationship.
The creative magic of the District expands exponentially during Design Miami, the fair I founded. One of last year’s most memorable evenings was in a private space above a super-hip spot called OTL. During the week, it’s perfect for laidback morning meetings, brainstorming over quinoa muffins – but that night, we celebrated the Saint Laurent store opening with art dealers and curators including Larry Gagosian and Jeffrey Deitch and an abundant, experimental menu of canapés.
I also do a lot of business outside Miami. The place to be during Art Basel is the bar in Les Trois Rois, which serves excellent cocktails; while nearby Chez Donati – where I recently met Nadja Swarovski to talk about ideas for Design Miami – has excellent fillet of sole Florentine and spaghetti with clams.
In London, The Connaught is perfect for drinks meetings during Frieze. One of my favourite restaurants is The River Café. I had dinner there recently with David Adjaye to discuss exciting future projects over fantastic pasta and seabass.
Paris is important for my work with fashion houses, and visits there mean going to fabulous bistros with Christian Louboutin, who I bonded with on a research trip to South America before he opened his flagship in the District. Our last dinner, at stylish La Société in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, was a wonderful night of tuna tartare and lively conversation.
On my last trip to Hong Kong, where I’m exploring real estate concepts, I went to a fabulous dinner, full of design people, hosted by entrepreneur Alan Lo and his father Victor Lo, chairman and CEO of Gold Peak Industries. It was at the Ilse Crawford-designed Duddell’s, on top of the Shanghai Tang Mansion: the terrace garden setting is gorgeous, and Alan and I chatted about Asian art over excellent dim sum and fried lobster. In Tokyo, for the Pritzker Prize ceremony, I had delicious dinners with collectors at the Park Hyatt. Its properties are outstanding; the views from the restaurant, Kozue, are magnificent – especially accompanied by sea urchin and beef shabu-shabu and debate about the future of architecture, art and design.”
WHERE TO FIND
Chez Donati, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 48, 4056 Basel (+416-1322 0919). The Connaught, Carlos Place, London W1 (020-7499 7070; the-connaught.co.uk). Duddell’s, Level 3, Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, Central, Hong Kong (+852-2525 9191; duddells.co). Kozue, Park Hyatt, 3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo (+813-5323 3460; tokyo.park.hyatt.co.jp). La Société, 4 Place Saint-Germain des Près, 75006 Paris (+331-5363 6060; restaurantlasociete.com). Les Trois Rois, Blumenrain 8, 4001 Basel (+416-1260 5050; lestroisrois.com). Mandolin Aegean Bistro, 4312 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami (+1305-576 6066; mandolinmiami.com). MC Kitchen, 4141 NE 2nd Avenue #101a, Miami (+1305-456 9948; mckitchenmiami.com). Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, 130 NE 40th Street, Miami (+1305-573 5550; michaelsgenuine.com). OTL, 160 NE 40th Street, Miami (+1786-953 7620; otlmia.com). The River Café, Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 (020-7386 4200; rivercafe.co.uk).
A long weekend in Kuala Lumpur with Jean-Michel Gathy
The Brussels-born architect shares culinary highlights, clean green spaces and local craft troves in his adopted hometown with Christina Ohly Evans. Portrait by Ian Teh
The Brussels-born architect shares culinary highlights, clean green spaces and local craft troves in his adopted hometown with Christina Ohly Evans. Portrait by Ian Teh
What makes Kuala Lumpur special is its people. They’re a wonderful mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian, all considered equally important, so everyone is kind to each other. They are genuinely friendly and welcoming, and since everyone speaks English, a visit is very easy. The racial mix means a rich variety of foods, types of worship, ways of dressing and also, of course, different kinds of architecture. The diversity, tolerance and acceptance of everyone: these are the city’s most powerful assets.
The dramatic golden statue at Batu Caves | Image: Getty Images/EyeEm
If you like celebrations – and particularly fireworks – then this is the place, as there are holidays and festivals for the country’s myriad faiths throughout the year. Because of its variety of religions, Malaysia has earned itself the reputation of having one of the highest numbers of public holidays in the world. And in KL, there’s almost always something fun going on.
Because Malaysia was a British colony until 1957, the courts of law, the infrastructure, the police and the medical systems are all very balanced, much like you’d find in western Europe. Despite Kuala Lumpur’s lush, tropical feel – we’re basically on the equator – with the jungle that surrounds the city, you will still feel quite at home here as a foreigner.
Passage Thru India restaurant, which has a magical atmosphere and a memorable prawn masala
The city is a bit like Singapore in terms of its urban landscape, but I think of it as a more of a residential-feeling, cosy place. We have rain every day, which is good for the palm trees, the many golf courses and our public parks, and because we’re so close to the sea – it’s just 30km away – I think KL must be the world capital for incredibly dramatic lightning. I often recommend the very central Shangri-La hotel, not just because my office is there, so I gravitate towards it, but because everyone is drawn to the buzzing lobby. I’m a big fan of its Japanese restaurant, Zipangu, where the uni sushi is fantastic, but so is the hotel’s Sunday brunch in the Lemon Garden restaurant. Next to the city-centre KLCC Park, just below the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, is the Mandarin Oriental, where rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows overlook all the greenery, and there are great views from its MO Bar too. I think it’s the best location in the city – but almost as good is the Grand Hyatt, which is just 300m from the towers and has a very contemporary look.
Malacca has many ornate temples and makes for a great day trip out of Kuala Lumpur | Image: Alamy Stock Photo/Adrian Baker
KL has many suburbs, and each has a weekly market with a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indians selling goods of all kinds. In Petaling Jaya, for example, you’ll find day and night markets with every single kind of fruit and an abundance of vegetables. But the fish stalls are the stars – it’s not so much about the butcher here – and they sell everything from seabass to prawns to rock lobsters, as well as famous local dishes: nasi goreng, or fried rice, and nasi lemak, a mixture of rice with coconut milk, cucumber, chicken or seafood, and egg, which is delicious.
The lobby of the city’s Shangri-La hotel is a popular meeting place
People don’t really entertain at home in Malaysia, so restaurants with all types of cuisine to choose from are plentiful. To enjoy real Malay food, I send people to Bijan, for the nice ethnic feel – soft lighting, stone floors and wooden screens; it’s quite romantic – and the classic kerabu pucuk paku, the local fiddlehead fern salad, which is very good. The Chinese restaurants here tend to be the opposite: overlit, quite noisy and always very showy. But South Sea Seafood in Kampung Baru Subang and Hakka Restaurant in Jalan Kia Peng are both reliably good – bright and festive, and offering good versions of standards like spring rolls and stir-fried crab. The Indian restaurants here are visual feasts, always red or pink – they worship these colours! – with lots of gold decoration. The best place for prawn masala and all kinds of roti is Passage Thru India, with its magical, slightly exotic atmosphere.
One of the best go-to restaurants in general, though, is Marini’s on 57, a lively Italian spot on the 57th floor of a building next to the Petronas Twin Towers – from the terrace, it feels as if you could touch them. The cocktail bar has good music and is always full of stylish people – it’s the place to be. And the founder of the restaurant, Cavaliere Modesto Marini, has another restaurant called Marble 8 that serves the best steak in town.
There are so many cultural highlights in KL, but top of the list is the Hindu temple Sri Mahamariamman. It’s the oldest (and richest) temple in Kuala Lumpur, founded in 1873 at the edge of Chinatown, on Jalan Tun HS Lee. The Batu Caves is another Indian temple in the limestone hills near the city; it’s in a very dramatic grotto and has a tall golden statue at the base of a staircase that leads visitors up to the snug cave temple. It’s not for everyone, because it can be a messy walk, but I think it’s really worth making the trip. The city’s main mosques – Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad and the National Mosque of Malaysia – are both must-sees; the latter is set in 13 beautiful manicured acres and holds 15,000 people. And my golfing friends are always happy about the 15 courses within about a 10km radius of town, including the famous Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, where they host PGA and LPGA tournaments.
For real local immersion, I always recommend Bangsar Shopping Centre, where you’ll find a little of everything: spa and beauty products, clothes, shoes and a massive food hall. It has a very local feel – it’s not at all about big chain stores. One of my favourites to browse in is Jasons, the food hall, which has other locations in Singapore and Hong Kong and is basically a department store for all things edible. The huge selection and incredible lighting make it special, and its mangoes, my favourite fruit, are the best. For jewellery that’s influenced by Asian culture and mythology, it has to be Lotus Arts de Vivre: it makes use of raw natural materials – seeds, coconut shells, scarab wings, ebony and precious woods, sea shells, bamboo – and you’ll see wonderful examples of traditional craft techniques.
It’s well worth exploring KLCC Park in the middle of town. It isn’t Hyde Park or Central Park, but it is 20 beautiful hectares and makes the city feel so clean. It’s a wonderful place for children to play and there are running tracks too. For a city escape, take a day trip to Malacca. It’s just 120km south of KL and, since it was variously a Dutch, Portuguese and British colony, there’s an unusual mix of architecture with many ornate temples and a lovely harbour.
Kuala Lumpur is growing rapidly – we have good subways, elevated trains and everything is wired, which makes a visit here very user-friendly. But I hope it keeps its private, slightly homey feel, because when things get too urban, you lose the intimacy. Most of all, I love the genuine kindness of the people; they are what will continue to make it such a special place.
Alice Temperley’s perfect weekend in Somerset and Dorset
The British designer is a champion of artisanal craft and embellishment and celebrated for her romantic ready-to-wear and bespoke bridal gowns
The British designer is a champion of artisanal craft and embellishment and celebrated for her romantic ready-to-wear and bespoke bridal gowns
After years of working at weekends, mine are now focused on enjoying family, food and music. I grew up in Somerset, and when the skies are clear this is the English countryside at its finest, with unspoilt views in all directions and space for the children – my son Fox, eight, and my boyfriend Greg’s two – to run wild. It is where days seem longer and silence envelops you. I think of my weekends here as la dolce vita Somerset-style; it’s a breathtaking place.
Our light-filled house is beautiful, wonderfully impractical and hopelessly romantic. It was previously owned by Lord Beaverbrook, who held secret war meetings here and played host to Winston Churchill. There’s also a folly that was built on the remains of a medieval castle; it contains the ruins of a Tudor bear pit and a dungeon, which I threaten the children with on occasion.
Saturday mornings often begin in my beloved disco bath, which is freestanding, mirrored and surrounded by gigantic windows. Then I’ll cycle down to Bridport to seek creative inspiration at the antiques and vintage market – it is full of diverse vendors and is a great place for bric-à-brac and the eclectic pieces I collect for the house. The Red Brick Café there serves delicious falafel and local greens.
This small town feels old-fashioned and otherworldly compared to London. I’ll pop into Bridport Old Books, which is good for stories about bygone Somerset and classic fairytales. I also like Malabar Trading for kilims and Indian silk shirts, and Samways, a fishmonger where I buy samphire en masse when it’s in season.
After I’ve had a good look around, I’ll try my hardest to cycle up the gruelling hills from Bridport to Lyme Regis to meet Greg and the children for lunch. We are regulars at Hix Oyster & Fish House, my friend Mark Hix’s Dorset outpost, where we’ll enjoy oysters and great rosé – particularly if Mark is in residence – which gives me a very good excuse not to cycle the 12 miles home.
Afternoons are usually spent in the garden, lounging on rugs, playing kiss-catch, making bonfires and watching the sun sink. I might spend a few hours playing old records and fiddling around with a painting I never have time to finish.
Later we’ll often go to Hauser & Wirth for a cocktail and some contemporary art before returning home for an evening of good friends, great wine and a mix of music. Thankfully Greg is a brilliant cook as we usually have 20 people around the table – an eclectic bunch of family, arty friends and kids – for a whole salmon or a big roast. In an ideal world I’m in bed by 9pm, but this rarely happens.
On Sunday mornings, after a flick through the FT and Sunday Times weekend supplements, we might go to Dennis China Works [pictured] up the road for breakfast. It has an amazing array of pottery that’s popular with collectors and is my favourite place to buy bespoke pots, plates and bowls for wedding presents.
Sunday lunches tend to be long and I have implemented a policy whereby friends and family each contribute a dish. My parents bring lamb, fresh pear cider, vegetables from their garden and my father’s amarelle cherries that have been soaked in eau du vie. My sister Mary lives in a converted chapel up the road and her family piles in too. The dining room is lively and inevitably finds the children having a breakdance contest.
Sunday evening still feels like a school night to me. We’ll stay in the country as long as possible before heading back to London with the kids in their pyjamas. Weekends in Somerset are like a tonic – a time to empty my head and enjoy the people around me. I always leave longing for one more day.
Bobbi Brown talks personal taste: Part One
Bobbi Brown’s cosmetics brand brings in over 10 per cent of parent company Estée Lauder’s annual revenues
Bobbi Brown’s cosmetics brand brings in over 10 per cent of parent company Estée Lauder’s annual revenues
My personal style signifiers are dark-framed glasses of my own design worn with a black jacket – Chanel or Barneys own label – and tailored black jeans; I have more than 30 pairs and like Rag & Bone. I also always wear a watch – a sporty Cartier on a black strap or my new Apple Watch by Hermès.www.apple.com. www.barneys.com. www.chanel.com. www.hermes.com. www.rag-bone.com.
An indulgence I would never forgo is really good Casa Dragones Joven tequila [pictured]. It’s made from pure blue agave and comes in a beautiful crystal decanter – but at $275 a bottle it’s definitely an indulgence. www.casadragones.com.
Baker’s Bay, the Bahamas | Image: © The Islands of the Bahamas
The last music I downloaded was for my upbeat playlist that I listen to when I run – Pitbull’s Time Of Our Lives, Jay Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, Biggie Smalls’ Mo Money Mo Problems and Jeremih’s Don’t Tell ’Em. I love rap and hip hop.
The last thing I bought and loved was a Lanvin navy cardigan with rhinestone buttons. I found it at Jeffrey, a boutique in New York’s Meatpacking District; it was the only piece that called my name. It is one of Alber Elbaz’s last designs for Lanvin – part of design history. 449 W 14th St, New York, NY 10014 (+1212-206 1272; www.jeffreynewyork.com). www.lanvin.com.
And the thing I’m eyeing next is a red buffalo and pebble-leather tote with detachable clutch by Seattle-based Ampersand As Apostrophe. I have a bag obsession – lightweight ones without obvious logos – and like to support niche brands. $609; www.ampersandasapostrophe.com.
The site that inspires me is Baker’s Bay [pictured] in the Bahamas. We are building a home there and the peaceful surroundings, turquoise water and white sandy beaches are very calming.
A Chance in the World by Steve Pemberton
The books on my bedside table are often memoirs and currently include At Liberty: From Rehab to the Front Row by Liberty’s managing director Ed Burstell, and A Chance in the World [pictured] by Steve Pemberton, the story of a man who rose from broken foster home to Fortune 50 executive. It’s inspirational.
The best souvenir I’ve brought home is a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk [pictured] from Grays antiques in London. My husband and I bought it on the way to the airport with no time to overthink its price or practicality. It is one of my favourite pieces and serves as a coffee table in our living room. 58 Davies St, London W1 (020-7629 7034; www.graysantiques.com).
Brown’s vintage Louis Vuitton trunk | Image: Weston Wells
Objects I would never part with are framed photos of my sons – Dylan [25], Dakota [23] and Duke [17] – given to me by my husband for Mother’s Day. The beautiful silver frames hold the first picture taken of each child – they’re incredibly special.
The beauty staples I’m never without include my own Intensive Skin Serum Concealer, my “desert island cosmetic” that leaves my skin looking like I’ve had eight hours sleep; Bumble and Bumble’s Mending Shampoo and Conditioner, excellent for colour-treated hair; Tweezerman tweezers for their precision; and fragrance – one of my own, or Chanel No 5 or Cristalle, which are light and fresh. Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Concealer, £28 for 7ml; www.bobbibrown.co.uk. Bumble and Bumble Mending Shampoo, £23 for 250ml, and Conditioner, £25 for 250ml; www.bumbleandbumble.co.uk. Chanel Cristalle, £52 for 50ml EDP, and No 5, £68 for 50ml EDP; www.chanel.com. Tweezerman tweezers, £19; www.tweezerman.co.uk.
Casa Dragones Tequila, $275 for 75cl
The last meal that truly impressed me was at RL in Chicago. The decor is perfect – clubby with rich fabrics and oil paintings. We had oysters with mignonette granité, followed by incredible Dover sole; they make a mean martini too. Chicago is my hometown and I’m friends with the Lauren family, so this place is very special to me. 115 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 (+1312-475 1100; www.rlrestaurant.com).
My favourite websites include NYTimes.com, WSJ.com and FT.com for hard news, and Thecoveteur.com for the latest beauty products and trends. Twitter is my first check of the day; if any news is breaking, I’ll learn about it here. www.twitter.com.
Bobbi Brown talks personal taste: Part Two
The cosmetics doyenne concludes her compendium of passions with shopping in SoHo, her love affair with London and the wellbeing treatments she can’t live without
The cosmetics doyenne concludes her compendium of passions with shopping in SoHo, her love affair with London and the wellbeing treatments she can’t live without
My style icon is Phoebe Philo. I like her simple aesthetic: a shirt is a shirt and a pair of trousers is a pair of trousers, but with her flawless design and fabric choices these pieces become special. She carries herself beautifully too and I think she is a wonderful role model – a working mother who puts her family first. To me, she embodies effortless, timeless style.
The best gift I’ve given recently was a series of portraits by photographer Henry Leutwyler, to my friend John Demsey [group president of Estée Lauder]. Leutwyler photographed his four-year-old daughter as a surprise. www.henryleutwyler.com.
Bobbi Brown’s Flamingos suede boots, £300 | Image: Weston Wells
And the best one I’ve received recently was a pair of delicate hoop earrings with clusters of dangling pearls by my favourite jewellery designer Ted Muehling. I have an incredible collection of his things – strands of pearls in rosy pink and opalescent colours; simple brushed-gold earrings – and they often inspire my make-up colours and collections. www.tedmuehling.com.
An unforgettable place I’ve travelled to in the past year was Biarritz with my whole family, including my three grown sons and their girlfriends. There is nothing better than a beachy vacation with French food and we ate delicious seafood in atmospheric seaside restaurants like Le Surfing. It was a very relaxing, special trip. 9 Boulevard Prince de Galles, 64200 Biarritz (+3355-924 7872; www.lesurfing.fr).
The people I rely on for personal grooming and wellbeing include my osteopath, Dr Erik Steiner, whose bi-weekly sessions keep me perfectly aligned with just 45 minutes of gentle manipulation. Then there’s my manicurist, Roza Israel, who comes to our offices weekly and is available to all our staff, and my hairstylist Marissa Martoni at Marie Robinson; she’s been cutting my hair for years and I trust her completely. I also have regular Chinese massages at a small and non-descript salon near my house; I love the low-key atmosphere and the fact that I don’t have to book it in advance. Dr Erik Steiner, 41 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003 (+1212-227 6967; www.eriksteinerwellness.com). Marie Robinson Salon, 10th floor, 40 W 25th St, New York, NY 10010 (+1212- 358 7780; www.marierobinsonsalon.com). Roza Israel, rozaisrael@yahoo.com.
A recent “find” is Sant Ambroeus restaurant on Lafayette Street near our offices in New York. It’s been open for a while but is only now coming onto my radar. I love everything about the place – the warm atmosphere, the simple-yet-delicious food, the excellent people-watching. The owner is an amazing host. 265 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012 (+1212-966 2770; www.santambroeus.com).
Phoebe Philo | Image: David Sims
If I didn’t live in Montclair, New Jersey, the city I would live in is London because I am something of an Anglophile. I would love to live in Mayfair, at the Connaught, with its wonderful bar and special fresh-ginger tea. I like the beautiful architecture in this area and its proximity to Hyde Park, where I’d go running. Scott’s is one of my favourite restaurants in the world and I love the beautiful salads and grains at both The Detox Kitchen and Ottolenghi. I’m also a big fan of the theatre and living here would make seeing the latest plays much easier. The Connaught, Carlos Place (020-7499 7070; www.the-connaught.co.uk). Detox Kitchen, 10 Kingly Street (020-7439 9386; www.detoxkitchen.co.uk). Ottolenghi, 13 Motcomb Street (020-7823 2707; www.ottolenghi.co.uk). Scott’s, 20 Mount Street (020-7495 7309; www.scotts-restaurant.com).
The last thing I added to my wardrobe was a pair of black suede platform boots by Flamingos. I’m typically a sneaker girl and love comfortable footwear, but sometimes I need a bit of height. These boots have a thick rubber sole and can be worn with everything from Acne jeans to black Nili Lotan pants. £300; www.fwrd.com.
London at dusk | Image: Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery
In my fridge you’ll always find almond milk for my morning espressos and freshly squeezed lemon juice for my husband’s hot-water infusions. There’ll be eggs, all kinds of berries for smoothies and, typically, the makings of a casual dinner – a roast chicken from Whole Foods, Rao’s pasta sauce, kale for a salad – and San Pellegrino grapefruit soda, which the whole family likes mixed with sparkling water. www.raos.com. www.sanpellegrinofruitbeverages.com. www.wholefoodsmarket.com.
My favourite room in my house is my bedroom. It’s a soothing space – very open and full of serene whites and greys. I like to retreat here to read and watch TV, usually at the same time, before drifting off to sleep.
Sant Ambroeus in SoHo | Image: Bruce Buck
The artists whose work I would collect if I could include Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. I love the colour, composition and openness of pop art, and while the vibrancy isn’t in keeping with my personal aesthetic, I find their work very stirring.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I’d choose SoHo in New York; I love the street life in this area and the high-low mix of stores. There’s Acne Studios and Maison Margiela for shoes and Steven Alan for its clothing edit. The spare Céline store on Wooster Street is my go-to for timeless pieces and I like J Crew for basics such as cashmere sweaters. Equinox has an excellent selection of freshly squeezed juices and raw foods and Balthazar is the best for delicious take away salads. Acne Studios, 33 Greene Street (+1212-334 8345; www.acnestudios.com).Balthazar, 80 Spring Street (+1212-965 1414; www.balthazarny.com). Céline, 67 Wooster Street (+1212-226 8001; www.celine.com). Equinox, 69 Prince Street (+1212-334 4631; www.equinox.com). J Crew, 99 Prince Street (+1212-966 2739; www.jcrew.com). Maison Margiela, 91 Grand Street (+1646-781 7852; www.maisonmargiela.com). Steven Alan, 230 Elizabeth Street (+1212-343 7974; www.stevenalan.com).
If I weren’t doing what I do, I would be a chef. I like simple, great-tasting food that makes you look and feel good and I’d love to be able to cook on a regular basis. This is a huge area of interest for me, so much so that I’m signed up for cooking classes with Lily Kunin, founder of Clean Food, Dirty City, where I hope to learn to make delicious, plant-based meals. www.cleanfooddirtycity.com.
John Derian talks personal taste: Part One
His découpage glassware and curatorial eye for antique ephemera have established John Derian as the go-to designer for gifts and interiors
His découpage glassware and curatorial eye for antique ephemera have established John Derian as the go-to designer for gifts and interiors
My personal style signifiers are dark denim jeans and a T-shirt or casual button-down shirt – all from Double RL, Ralph Lauren’s vintage Americana line – and a gold wedding band that belonged to my grandmother. My father gave it to me 20 years ago, and as I can no longer get it off, I wear it every day. I also wear a vintage Heuer watch on a worn leather strap. Double RL, 16 Mount St, London W1 (020-7953 4120; www.ralphlauren.com). www.heuerworld.com.
Derian’s early-19th-century lichen prints | Image: Dorothy Hong
The last things I bought and loved were an antique net I found at Les Puces in Paris and a cache of rare lichen prints from the early 1800s. The net is a piece of macramé-like woven cotton that was traditionally used as decoration on a leather fisherman’s bag; the stack of prints I found through a dealer and their period and quality, as well as subtle colour, are exceptional. www.marcheauxpuces-saintouen.com. www.printscharmingsoho.com.
And the thing I’m eyeing next is a set of vibrant colour pencils from CW Pencil Enterprise in New York. A friend showed me her collection and I have been wanting my own ever since. I’m drawn to stores like this that specialise in one niche thing. 100B Forsyth St, New York, NY 10002 (+1917-734 8117; www.cwpencils.com).
A set of colour pencils from CW Pencil Enterprise
The last meal that truly impressed me was at Il Buco in New York; the scallop crudo and roasted branzino with anchovies and breadcrumbs were outstanding. I also loved the atmosphere and how tactile and authentic everything felt – the antique Italian furniture is covered in natural fabrics, there are Tuscan ceramics everywhere and the wabi-sabi walls have been left intact. 47 Bond St, New York, NY 10012 (+1212-533 1932; www.ilbuco.com).
Derian’s African necklace from Marrakech | Image: Dorothy Hong
The best gift I’ve given recently was a moss‑coloured silk-velvet throw by Anke Drechsel, to a friend for her birthday. It was made in India and features exquisite embroidery. www.ankedrechsel.com.
Il Buco restaurant, New York | Image: Michael Grimm
And the best one I’ve received recently was a powdery-blue ultra-fine cashmere scarf by designer Michèle Baconnier; it’s brilliant for travelling. Michèle and I met at a trade show in Paris many years ago and we’ve been good friends since, so this gift means a great deal. 12 Rue du Vieux Marrakchi, Gueliz, 40000 Marrakech (+212-524 449 178; www.michele-baconnier.net).
The last music I downloaded was the film soundtrack Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol 1. It includes upbeat 1970s tunes like Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede and David Bowie’s Moonage Dream that remind me of my youth. It’s a charming film and the music gave it a whole other dimension so I wanted to add it to my library.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I’d choose the East Village in Manhattan. Paula Rubenstein is incredible for beautifully curated antiques, while Filson is great for travel bags and other accessories. I like New York Central Art Supply for its wide array of papers and pens, and if shopping leaves me hungry I’ll head to Gabrielle Hamilton’s Prune. She cooks simple, delicious food, such as fried sweetbreads with capers and brown butter, and the atmosphere is warm and authentic. Filson, 40 Great Jones St (+1212-457 3121; www.filson.com). New York Central Art Supply, 62 Third Ave (+1212-473 7705; www.nycentralart.com). Paula Rubenstein, 21 Bond St (+1212-966 8954; www.paularubenstein.com). Prune, 54 E First St (+1212- 677 6221; www.prunerestaurant.com).
The best souvenir I’ve brought home is a string of pale white antique African seashells that I bartered for in the souk in Marrakech. I spend a fair bit of time in Marrakech and have had my eye on this necklace for a while; after several years I finally negotiated a good price and it now sits on a pale wooden table in my living room.
My favourite websites are Astier de Villatte for beautiful furnishings, ceramics and candles; The New York Times for news; and Massis Bakery for fresh Armenian food I get shipped to my door. Its lahmejune, kofta and stuffed vine leaves are amazing. I’m also a huge Instagram fan. www.astierdevillatte.com. www.instagram.com. www.massisbakery.com. www.nytimes.com.
John Derian talks personal taste: Part Two
The découpage glassware designer rounds up his list of likes with Cary Grant, Niman Ranch bacon and the Greek island of Patmos
My style icons include American artist and photographer Jack Pierson – whether he’s in jeans and a T-shirt or a blazer, he wears everything with confidence. And Cary Grant, who was always debonair and wore his beautifully cut suits, jackets and hats with incredible flair. He was comfortable in his own skin and it showed.
The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe was a lightweight navy raincoat from Double RL. Travis Harrison, who works at the West Broadway branch, knows my style and points me in the right direction when pieces I might like come in. 381 West Broadway, New York, NY 10012 (+1212-625 3480; www.ralphlauren.com).
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
A recent “find” is El Rey Coffee Bar & Luncheonette on New York’s Lower East Side. The super-fresh food is California-Mexico influenced and the chef offers new takes on classic dishes. I’ll have the excellent lost bread egg frittata with shaved-fennel salad and crushed avocado for breakfast and the marinated chorizo with orange zest and assorted salads for lunch. The place is tiny and there isn’t a huge amount of choice but it serves exactly the kind of delicious food I love. 100 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002 (+1212-260-3950; www.elreynyc.com).
The people I rely on for personal grooming and wellbeing are Jeff Chastain for regular haircuts because I have been going to him for so long and he knows exactly what to do, and my osteopath Monique Bureau. Her super-light touch – cranial manipulation, slight adjustments – just makes me feel better, healthier. Monique Bureau, +1212-860 6613. Parlor by Jeff Chastain, 29 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011 (+1347-204 7100; www.parlorbyjeffchastain.com).
The site that inspires me is the Beech Forest in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It’s a magical reserve full of sand dunes, ferns, beech and pine trees and wild wintergreen. There are also ponds that are full of lily pads in summer, and I watch the geese – often with their goslings – come and go throughout the seasons; in winter the ponds freeze over, making them perfect for skating.
Indulgences I would never forgo are excellent Niman Ranch uncured bacon, which is less an indulgence and more a necessity for a happy life that I associate with weekends at my home on Cape Cod, and having a good gommage at the hammam at the Beldi Country Club in Marrakech. Its version is very rigorous and I always leave feeling completely relaxed and restored. Beldi Country Club, KM6 Route du Barrage, BP 210, Marrakech 40000 (+2125-2438 3950; www.beldicountryclub.com). www.nimanranch.com.
Merci boutique, Paris
If I didn’t live in New York, the city I would live in is Paris, in the fifth arrondissement because it feels like a real neighbourhood, complete with vegetable markets. I’d explore the Luxembourg Garden and Jardin des Plantes; while I am not typically a fan of zoos, the one here is very special. I like Merci for its mix of vintage furniture and fashion from new and emerging talents, and the fact that it channels its profits into a fund providing education in Madagascar. And I love the communal feel and all kinds of weird meats at old-school bistro Chez Denise near Les Halles. Chez Denise, 5 Rue des Prouvaires (+331-4236 2182). Jardin des Plantes, 57 Rue Cuvier (+331-4079 5601; www.jardindesplantes.net). Luxembourg Garden,+331-4234 2362; www.senat.fr. Merci, 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais (+331-4277 0033; www.merci-merci.com).
The artists whose work I would collect if I could include Henri Matisse, for his use of colour and form; Gerhard Richter’s sculptural work; and Belgian artist Michel Frère’s impasto, abstract paintings. I own a few of his drawings and a sculpture but I would love to add to my collection.
Derian’s 19th-century ironstone fluted bowl | Image: Dorothy Hong
In my fridge you’ll always find flat-leaf parsley for making pasta dishes; olives; various cheeses, including sheep’s-milk feta and Parmesan, from Eataly or Il Buco Alimentari; and Scu Dò Prosecco and some sort of rosé in case I find myself entertaining. I don’t eat at home much. Eataly, 200 Fifth Avenue (+1212-229 2560; www.eataly.com). Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria, 53 Great Jones Street (+1212-837 2622; www.ilbucovineria.com).
An object I would never part with is a 19th-century ironstone wide-mouth fluted bowl from a tiny antiques shop in Cambridge that has long since closed. It isn’t the most precious or rare piece I own, but it speaks to me. It’s decorative, but I use it as much for serving pastas and salads as a sculptural centrepiece.
Cary Grant in Paris in 1956 | Image: Getty Images
The grooming staples I’m never without are my Kiehl’s moisturiser with SPF30 and its leave-in hair conditioner. Both are basic everyday products but I like that they’re lightweight and odourless. Kiehl’s Damage Repairing Leave-In Treatment, £19 for 75ml, and Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF30, £17 for 75ml; www.kiehls.co.uk.
An unforgettable place I’ve travelled to in the past year is the Greek island of Patmos. It still feels very wild and I loved the rugged topography and slower pace of life. I also adored the Monastery of St John, which sits at the top of a hill and has a museum housing exquisite treasures like woodcarvings, relics and icons. And I’ll never forget the seventysomething-year-old women standing up to their necks in the ocean and just chatting there for hours at a time. The colour of the water is so beautiful in this part of the world.
The books on my bedside table are Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ, which offers a fascinating, often funny look at the digestive system and has definitely changed the way I eat, and psychological thriller The Girl on the Train by British author Paula Hawkins; my friend is currently working on the production design for the movie so I decided it was time to read it.
My favourite room in my house is the yellow living room in my home in Provincetown. I bought this 18th-century house with yellow walls and purple-painted wood floors and left them as they were. This room is particularly comfortable – with two sofas and a coffee table that’s great for playing cards, which I do to unwind at weekends – plus it has a lot of natural light and views out to the bay.
If I weren’t doing what I do, I would be a scientist, because I’m curious about the human body, animals and nature. I’m also very interested in the past, so archaeology appeals. Or I’d be a film producer – I have something of a movie obsession and enjoy watching French noir and blockbusters.