ON SATURDAY, near the end of a three-and-a-half hour salon appointment, my stylist’s next client arrived, an half an hour early. An elderly blond English woman, after sharing hellos and niceties with us, she was content to busy herself with her phone, that is, until through the mirror, I caught her curiously appraising me. “Where are you going tonight?” she asked.
THE LATEST
It’s been 25 years since Ben Affleck became the youngest person to win the Oscar for best original screenplay at age 25 for Good Will Hunting, which he wrote with Matt Damon; 16 years since he directed his critically acclaimed first feature, Gone Baby Gone; and a decade since he won best picture for Argo, a film Affleck directed, starred in and produced. His four features as a director — all thrillers and dramas instead of the kind of franchise films that drive the modern box office — have made nearly $450 million worldwide.
IT WAS THE shell-encrusted powder room (above) belonging to art dealer William Thuillier and lampshade maker Alvaro Picardo in Pimlico featured in the World Of Interiors that first caught our eye. Somehow, after that, we began seeing them everywhere.
This week, the article that really jumped out at me was from the New York Times, titled "Americans Head to Europe for the Good Life on the Cheap". The title is obviously a bit cheeky and sensationalist, implying that Americans are flocking to Europe solely to live well for less money, however, the article touches on a broader scope of focus, including digital nomads, the appeal of a European lifestyle, and how countries like Spain, Greece and Portugal have courted foreigners and corporations, hoping to bolster their own economies. The article also raises some important points about how foreign investment into real estate can disrupt local communities inflating housing costs and upsetting local residents.
Last week, both Microsoft and Google gave demos of their new artificial intelligence–powered search assistants. Microsoft’s Bing Chat sits inside its Bing search engine and Edge web browser, while Google’s Bard chatbot will do its thing on the same page where Google’s standard search results appear.
YES, I KNOW, I introduced my new design aesthetic recently, only to change back less than a week later, but this time, I think it will take. It's not exactly White Chocolate Minimalism, but it's definitely as serene and calming, yet with enough charming details and flourishes (ceiling beams, crown moulding) to keep things from becoming too austere. There seems to be quite a bit of blacks, browns, and dark, rich woods in this iteration, but it feels earthy and not oppressive...
So far in our Moving To series, we have covered beautiful towns in both Spain and France with Toledo and Versailles respectively. This week, we are taking a look at a town in Italy. It is not an exaggeration to say that the country is spoiled for choice when it comes to stunning places. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the dramatic coastline of the Amalfi Coast, Italy offers an endless array of picturesque towns and cities that capture the country’s unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.
IT’S BEEN HAILED as a cultural phenomenon and at the moment, it’s all anyone can talk about. It’s ChatGPT, the language model created by OpenAI, a San Francisco-based artificial-intelligence company. We touched on the subject briefly before, but will take a more in-depth look today at the fastest-growing internet service ever (it reached 100 million users in January, just two months after its launch at the end of November 2022).
… And so on, until the 36th person types “Good morning,” and the work day can begin. It’s nine in the morning, and Alexia D., a graphic designer, types the final “Good morning.” No one dares skip the greeting. Not Alexia, not anyone. If she does, the team leader will log her as absent, even if 10 minutes later she is on the screen with her work completed and a smile on her face, ready to review project updates.
LAST WEEK I spoke about a need for change, to declutter and move away from maximalist tendencies and bright colours to a more subdued, neutral palette. Well, I may be changing my mind again, after seeing this bedside table (above) with its pile of books, bright pink table lamp and goldenrod-hued headboard in English Interior Designer Luke Edward Hall's Gloucestshire country home.
DESIGN
A gallery wall is a collection of artwork or photographs displayed together on a wall in a cohesive manner, often arranged in a grid or other pattern. Gallery walls can be used to display a variety of items, such as family photos, paintings, prints, or other types of art. They can be used to create a focal point in a room, or to add visual interest to a space.
The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
Pablo Picasso
ON SATURDAY, near the end of a three-and-a-half hour salon appointment, my stylist’s next client arrived, an half an hour early. An elderly blond English woman, after sharing hellos and niceties with us, she was content to busy herself with her phone, that is, until through the mirror, I caught her curiously appraising me. “Where are you going tonight?” she asked.
IT’S BEEN HAILED as a cultural phenomenon and at the moment, it’s all anyone can talk about. It’s ChatGPT, the language model created by OpenAI, a San Francisco-based artificial-intelligence company. We touched on the subject briefly before, but will take a more in-depth look today at the fastest-growing internet service ever (it reached 100 million users in January, just two months after its launch at the end of November 2022).
IT WAS THE shell-encrusted powder room (above) belonging to art dealer William Thuillier and lampshade maker Alvaro Picardo in Pimlico featured in the World Of Interiors that first caught our eye. Somehow, after that, we began seeing them everywhere.
Last week we looked at some tips to kickstart your fitness routine. This week we will look at an essential component for reaching your fitness goals: nutrition. Whatever your fitness goals might be whether you are trying to build strength, improve your cardiovascular system, lose weight, or gain muscle you will need to integrate a nutritional plan to help you reach your goals.
IT’S BEEN HAILED as a cultural phenomenon and at the moment, it’s all anyone can talk about. It’s ChatGPT, the language model created by OpenAI, a San Francisco-based artificial-intelligence company. We touched on the subject briefly before, but will take a more in-depth look today at the fastest-growing internet service ever (it reached 100 million users in January, just two months after its launch at the end of November 2022).
I am not a huge fan of aphorisms, but every once in a while I come across something that makes PERFECT SENSE and lately, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about these words: Your energy is your currency. Spend it wisely. Invest it well ...
Round-Up: Our All-Time Favourite Stories at TIG - from Atelier Brancusi in Paris, France to Il San Pietro di Positano, Italy
If you’re a longtime reader, you’ll know about our love for ornate austerity — spaces that are minimalist but not altogether cold and modern, but warm and with traditional flourishes such as chevron wood flooring, wood panelling, marble and crown moulding. This stunning house in Boston by Steven Harris Architects fits the description perfectly…
THE PAST FEW décor articles have been heavily French and English countryside-inspired because it's aesthetically where we're at in our design tastes at the moment. But before that, in July of this year, we wrote about Amber Interiors, a California-based design studio working with lots of natural textures, marble and warm rough-hewn wood. Well today, we'd like to revisit that aesthetic and introduce you to Blanc Marine Intérieurs, a Canadian design firm based in Montreal ...
THERE IS A LINE from a Bruce Springsteen song that goes: “I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face“⏤and while I don’t want to change my face, I do like to change my clothes (often), and my hair (sometimes⏤in fact, just last week). A friend once asked me if I changed my décor tastes to match where I happen to be living at the time (she was visiting us in Spain), and I realise that yes, yes I guess I do.
IT WAS THE shell-encrusted powder room (above) belonging to art dealer William Thuillier and lampshade maker Alvaro Picardo in Pimlico featured in the World Of Interiors that first caught our eye. Somehow, after that, we began seeing them everywhere.
Last week, both Microsoft and Google gave demos of their new artificial intelligence–powered search assistants. Microsoft’s Bing Chat sits inside its Bing search engine and Edge web browser, while Google’s Bard chatbot will do its thing on the same page where Google’s standard search results appear.
… And so on, until the 36th person types “Good morning,” and the work day can begin. It’s nine in the morning, and Alexia D., a graphic designer, types the final “Good morning.” No one dares skip the greeting. Not Alexia, not anyone. If she does, the team leader will log her as absent, even if 10 minutes later she is on the screen with her work completed and a smile on her face, ready to review project updates.
In September 2021, the criminologist Betsy Stanko went into the Metropolitan police force to work out why they weren’t catching rapists. The previous year, less than 3% of rapes reported to the Met had resulted in charges being brought; in 2021, that percentage almost halved.
New Series
MOVING TO
So far in our Moving To series, we have covered beautiful towns in both Spain and France with Toledo and Versailles respectively. This week, we are taking a look at a town in Italy. It is not an exaggeration to say that the country is spoiled for choice when it comes to stunning places. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the dramatic coastline of the Amalfi Coast, Italy offers an endless array of picturesque towns and cities that capture the country’s unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.
Last week, in our new series, Moving To, we looked at the charming town of Versailles, just outside of the French capital. This week, we are looking at another beautiful town, only a short distance from Spain's exciting capital, Madrid. Just 70 km south of the capital, Toledo is known as the "City of Three Cultures" due to its rich history of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian influence. Using the high-speed train, you can go from Toledo to Madrid in just over an half hour.
Technology and globalisation have made it easier to relocate anywhere in the world than ever before. In our new series Imagine Yourself In, we will be exploring new towns and off-the-beaten-path finds around the world. Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery, a slower pace of life, or just a new place to call home, there’s an endless list of destinations waiting to be discovered.
TIME AGAIN for another Life Lately, and these past few days and weeks have felt rather busy, especially following the enforced hibernation of the lockdown years, which are beginning to feel like a million lifetimes ago now. There was an early morning train ride to Edinburgh at the beginning of the month and another to Glasgow the following day; and then all the way to the south, nearly as far as Wales just last week...
HERE THEY ARE: my New Year's Resolutions, on time this time, as promised. The past three New Years were strange ones, coming out of lockdown, so this year is the first in a long time that feels relatively normal (all things considered). As this past's was the first holiday season that was open, so this new year also feels more open and hopeful as it begins ...
