New Orleans is a food town, with a dedicated population that holds on tightly to old favorite haunts, while embracing and celebrating new traditions and new faces. For our annual December list of restaurant, food and drink “bests,” our team…
In New Orleans, we have a special relationship with food and dining (and, of course, imbibing). This year, due to COVID-19, our love affair with food took on especially new meaning, as many of us turned to comfort food, take-out…
You can always tell who, in a Zoom meeting, is not wearing a bra. They are the ones you see just from the eyeballs up. My sister-in-law Gloriosa goes to a lot of them meetings, being socially active and all.…
The Cultured Traveller, December 2020-February 2021 Issue 32
Music has always had the power to heal, lift and transport us to another place. And so, embodying a spirit of optimism, issue 32 has a decidedly musical feel, led by a special feature about the legendary SHIRLEY BASSEY, who is celebrating 70 years in the music business. The only performer to have ever had an album in the UK top 40 in seven consecutive decades, Dame Shirley speaks exclusively to The Cultured Traveller.
We sit down with New Orleans-born HARRY CONNICK JR., who is globally adored for his jazz, swing and big-band numbers. And sultry songstress MELODY GARDOT talks about recording her new album during lockdown. Scratching beneath the surface of the Cypriot port city of LARNACA, we uncover a dynamic energy that pulsates through the cobbled streets and sun-drenched promenades of this cultural gem in the eastern Med. And because we are all likely to be in need of a restorative trip next year, we check into a dozen IDYLLIC ISLAND RETREATS, any of which would make for the perfect post pandemic getaway.
REVIEWS | Robert Barry on Bruce Nauman in London; Mark Evans on Prince Albert’s Raphael Collection in Woking; Imelda Barnard on Haegue Yang in St Ives; Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth on the history of European porcelain; Andrew Hussey on Isidore Isou; Thomas Marks on a collection of recipes by video artists
MARKET | Susan Moore previews December sales in New York and looks back at the autumn season; Emma Crichton-Miller on the enduring appeal of German limewood sculpture
Each issue of Liberties, the Foundation’s decidedly analog quarterly publication, will feature a combination of essays from prominent writers and introduce new talent. Contributors already signed include leading voices from this country and abroad in the worlds of culture, business, entertainment, government, politics, and technology. Each edition of Liberties will also publish new poetry from both highly awarded and up-and-coming poets.
LISTEN TO INTERVIEW WITH PUBLISHER BILL REICHBLUM:
FROM “THE STACK” (MONOCLE 24 PODCAST)
To advance independent thinking and propel new ideas, well-known figures from the worlds of arts, business, government, higher education and philanthropy today announced the formation of the Liberties Journal Foundation. Based in Washington, D.C., the Foundation is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that seeks to inform today’s cultural and political leaders, deepen the understanding of citizens, and inspire the next generation to participate in the democratic process and public service. The Foundation’s first initiative is a new quarterly journal, Liberties – A Journal of Culture and Politics, slated for October 2020 debut.
Founding members of the Foundation include the well-known Washington attorney, philanthropist, and former diplomat, Alfred H. Moses; chairman and CEO of cross-border trade company Quberu, Peter Bass; and, respected arts, education, and business leader, Bill Reichblum.
A book for the coat pocket, Liberties’ diverse voices celebrate one commonality: freedom of inquiry and thought.
Liberties’ editorial team reflects the mission of the Journal pairing acclaimed literary critic Leon Wieseltier as editor with Celeste Marcus, a new talent, as managing editor. Bill Reichblum is the publisher. The book will be available as a soft-cover edition, by subscription or single copy, in bookstores and online.
“The Foundation exists to meet the thirst in our country for ideas and serious thinking at a time when the daily news dominates the media and overwhelms our lives,” says Moses. “The Foundation will provide an outlet for world-renowned writers on culture and politics to reach a readership that is looking for stimulation and inspiration at a time when our lives are increasingly assailed by ephemeral trivia.”
“We believe there is a genuine need to take time to listen, to actively absorb in-depth thinking of both those with accomplished experience and the inventive new generation at the beginning of their careers,” says Reichblum. “Their creativity, insights, and perceptions can individually and collectively inspire culture and impact politics.”
As a landmark US election approaches, Jane Fonda, Theaster Gates and Chris Wallace offer their thoughts on where the country should go next. Change elsewhere comes in the form of city farms, the latest design finds and an art fair redux. Plus: we survey North Rhine-Westphalia, a region on the up.
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious