Tag Archives: Reviews

Art Of Gaming: Designer Alexandra Llewellyn’s “Beautifully Original” Backgammon Sets

Launched in 2010, Alexandra Llewellyn is known for creating original and Alexandra Llewellyn Backgammon Collectionbeautifully handcrafted backgammon sets, luxury games and bespoke furniture. Her designs are both games and objets d’art.

The seed was sown when Alexandra played a game of backgammon in Cairo as a child. Her opponent was ten times her age and although they had nothing in common, they were able to communicate through their shared love of the game.

Alexandra Llewellyn Backgammon Collection

Seen in some of the most exclusive locations, Alexandra’s timeless designs are played all over the world. Her creations are owned and commissioned by Royalty and VIPs including Richard Branson, Sony Music, Elle Macpherson and American Vogue.

Alexandra Llewellyn Profile
Alexandra Llewellyn

A collection of Alexandra’s signature handmade games are available online including some of her collaborations with icons such as Terry O’Neil, Alice Temperley and the estate of Milton H. Green. For the ultimate bespoke gift, Alexandra will work with you, guiding you through ideas and memories to create a one-of-a-kind  specially commissioned game.

I am forever inspired by how games bring us together and the conversations that ensue. Time is now our greatest luxury and games create a space in which we can enjoy time with our loved ones” says Alexandra.

Alexandra’s work has been published and talked about in publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, How to Spend It, Robb Report, Harper Bazaar, AD, Time Luxx, Telegraph Luxury, Tatler, Country& Town House, and Homes and Gardens.

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Top New Camper Trailers: “Carapate” From France – “Innovation, Design And Detailed Woodwork”

Whether called “teardrop” or “mini-caravan”, the Carapate is distinguished by its design, technical innovations and careful finishes.

The Carapate offers a maximum of possibilities in a minimum of space. Ingenious and comfortable, it accompanies you during your weekends and trips

canape-mini-caravane-interieur-400x267Its optimal weight, around 450kg depending on the options, allows it to be towed by most cars with just its B license in its pocket. Its optimized dimensions (3.20m / 1.90m) make it a handy vehicle, easy to move and winter. It will pass all the parking gantries and tolls at no additional cost. Its studied height (1.70m) ensures good handling and low consumption during your getaways.

The insulating qualities of its wooden structure (marine plywood) promise you great nights, summer and winter. Its carefully studied bedding is delivered with the compliments of the sandman.

Solar panel, shore socket, 220 volt sockets, USB ports, cigarette lighter; so many possibilities to enjoy the “Carapate” while traveling or at the campsite. Freedom is yours!

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Diet & Nutrition Health: Benefits Of “Turmeric And Chili Pepper” Spices (BBC)

From a BBC.com article by Jessica Brown (April 6, 2020):

Red chili, black pepper and turmeric at local market
Red chili, black pepper and turmeric.

“The major findings were that higher intake of spicy foods is related to a lower risk of mortality, particularly deaths due to cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases,” says researcher Lu Qi, professor of nutrition at Harvard’s school of public health.

Many researchers believe the health benefits of spices actually come from what we eat them with. For example, there’s a tendency to use them to replace salt, says Lipi Roy. “Spices make food delicious and flavourful, and they can be a healthier alternative to salt,” she says.

BBC Future logoSpices have been a part of our diets for thousands of years – it’s second nature to sprinkle our chips with pepper, sip on ginger tea and add chillies to our meals. But recently, some spices have been unofficially promoted from everyday culinary staples to all-healing superfoods.

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Travel & Photography: “Amalfi Coast” – “Pinnacle Of The Italian Dream” (Assouline, April 2020)

Amalfi Coast by Carlos Souza and Charlene Shorto Assouline April 2020The Amalfi Coast is the pinnacle of the Italian dream. Tucked amongst the lemon blossoms and the bougainvillea is a line of thirteen towns that comprise the Amalfi Coast. Known for its vertical landscape, the villages are only accessible via the Strada Statale 163 — a narrow, winding, cliffside route that while unsettling to traverse, offers unparalleled views.

This magical strip joins the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea below and aesthetes from around the world flock here year after year to enjoy its quaint pebbled beaches, scenic hikes, perfect climate and legendary establishments, which are not limited to storied hotels and restaurants.

Amalfi Coast by Carlos Souza and Charlene Shorto Assouline 2020

Landmarks from the Cathedral in Amalfi to Villa Rufolo in Ravello, all evoke the culture and the spirit of bygone centuries, and landmarks enjoyed by the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy, John Steinbeck, and Gore Vidal abound. With its signature limoncello, both grown and enjoyed locally, finest villas and breathtaking vistas, the Amalfi Coast is in a class of its own.

Carlos Souza is a global brand ambassador for Valentino and a contributor at Architectural Digest with over forty years of experience in the art and fashion world. His photography career began at the request of Andy Warhol, who asked him to shoot fashion shows for Interview. He has previously worked with Assouline on #Carlos’s Places (2014) and Comporta Bliss (2018).

Charlene Shorto was born in Recife, Brazil, and educated in Switzerland and Great Britain. She is wed to Carlos Souza and has two sons, Sean and Anthony. The family moved to Rome, where Charlene worked tirelessly under the fashion designer Valentino, eventually ascending to the position of director of Oliver by Valentino. Shorto also collaborated with Souza on Comporta Bliss (2018).

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Future Of Mobile Living: “HAAKS Opperland Camper” Easily Detaches From Chasis – “Open Living Area”

At the push of a button, the HAAKS camper extends its support legs, so that the car can be driven out of it; it remains available for day trips. The module self-levels and the automatically extendable roof unfolds your sleeping area.

Haaks Campers inside view

HAAKS campers offers you the freedom and flexibility  for your adventures, with a new way of  camping. A way of camping with luxury and  comfort, but also more sustainable and with natural  materials. Closer to nature.

A motorhome should feel like a second home. Building a HAAKS motorhome is a  process that we go through together. Take us  on your journey. What does your ideal adventure look like? Where have  you been and what do you want to do? Together  we design the perfect camper for all your  travels. Do you want a specific type of upholstery,  a different layout, or a different toilet? We fully adapt the camper to  your wishes. So that you feel at home in it.

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Podcast Interviews: Irish-British Author Maggie O’Farrell On Her New Novel “Hamnet” (BBC)

BBC Radio 4 Books and AuthorsBBC Radio 4 “Books And Authors” Talks To Maggie O’Farrell on her new novel, “Hamnet”

 

Hamnet Maggie O'Farrell March 31 2020On a summer’s day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?

Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London. Neither parent knows that one of the children will not survive the week.

Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright. It is a story of the bond between twins, and of a marriage pushed to the brink by grief. It is also the story of a kestrel and its mistress; flea that boards a ship in Alexandria; and a glovemaker’s son who flouts convention in pursuit of the woman he loves. Above all, it is a tender and unforgettable reimagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays ever written.

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Music Interviews: Singer John Legend Talks About Career And Songwriting

Broken RecordDuring these tough times, Rick Rubin wanted to have a chat with an artist he finds inspiring. Top of mind was John Legend. So he called him up via Zoom, while both were sheltering in place, for a quick chat about his career and the creative process behind two of his biggest songs. 

Listen to John Legend’s new single “Actions” below and check for a new album later this year.

 

Book Interviews: “Out Of Darkness, Shining Light” Author Petina Gappah

BBC Radio 4 Books and AuthorsBBC Radio 4 speaks to Petina Gappah on her new book, “Out of Darkness, Shining Light”.

 

“This is how we carried out of Africa the poor broken body of Bwana Daudi, the Doctor, David Livingstone, so that he could be borne across the sea and buried in his own land.” 

Petina Gappah Author
Author Petina Gappah

So begins Petina Gappah’s powerful novel of exploration and adventure in nineteenth-century Africa—the captivating story of the loyal men and women who carried explorer and missionary Dr. Livingstone’s body, his papers and maps, fifteen hundred miles across the continent of Africa, so his remains could be returned home to England and his work preserved there.

Narrated by Halima, the doctor’s sharp-tongued cook, and Jacob Wainwright, a rigidly pious freed slave, this is a story that encompasses all of the hypocrisy of slavery and colonization—the hypocrisy at the core of the human heart—while celebrating resilience, loyalty, and love.

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Auto Racing Nostalgia: “Targa Florio” Endurance Race In Sicily (1906 – 1977)

1951 Targa Florio PosterThe Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near the island’s capital of Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973. While the first races consisted of a whole tour of the island, the track length in the race’s last decades was limited to the 72 kilometres (45 mi) of the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, which was lapped 11 times.

After 1973, it was a national sports car event until it was discontinued in 1977 due to safety concerns. It has since been run as a rallying event, and is part of the Italian Rally Championship.

1967 Targa Florio PosterThe race was created in 1906 by the wealthy pioneer race driver and automobile enthusiast, Vincenzo Florio, who had started the Coppa Florio race in BresciaLombardy in 1900. The Targa also claimed to be a worldly event not to be missed. Renowned artists, such as Alexandre Charpentier and Leonardo Bistolfi, were commissioned to design medals. A magazine was initiated, Rapiditas, which aimed to enhance, with graphic and photographic reproductions of the race, the myth of the car and the typical character of modern life, speed.[1]

1973 Targa Florio PosterOne of the toughest competitions in Europe, the first Targa Florio covered 3 laps equalling 277 miles (446 km) through multiple hairpin curves on treacherous mountain roads, at heights where severe changes in climate frequently occurred. Alessandro Cagno won the inaugural 1906 race in nine hours, averaging 30 miles per hour (50 km/h).

By the mid-1920s, the Targa Florio had become one of Europe’s most important races, as neither the 24 Hours of Le Mans nor the Mille Miglia had been established yet. Grand Prix races were still isolated events, not a series like today’s F1.

After winning the race several times, Porsche named the hardtop convertible version of the 911 after the Targa. The name targa means plaque or plate, see targa top.

From Wikipedia