Tag Archives: Stories

Preview: History Today Magazine – July 2022

A postcard from Casablanca, with an advertisment for absinthe, undated.

FEATURE

Under the Influence

Alcohol was part of daily life in the colonial Maghreb. In 1913 the French banned alcohol in Tunisia, revealing a deep distrust of local drinks and their Jewish and Muslim makers. 

Members of the Official IRA manning a barricade, the Bogside, Derry, April 1972.

FEATURE

An Irish Cuba?

During the worst year of the Troubles, the British government became alarmed at the implications of a Soviet embassy opening in Dublin.

Previews: Times Literary Supplement – June 24, 2022

Times Literary Supplement for June 24, 2022: @TheTLS, featuring our annual Summer Books feature; Michele Pridmore-Brown on transhumanism; @zoesqwilliams on the Oxford chumocracy; a newly discovered response to the Wilde trials by George Egerton; Claire Lowdon on the new Ottessa Moshfegh – and more.

Architecture: ‘Clifftop House’ On Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

A holiday home with a dual focus, Clifftop House maximises coastal views whilst maintaining a sense of privacy. Created by Ponting Fitzgerald Architects with appliances from Fisher & Paykel, the holiday house has a surprising relationship to its context.

Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to the Holiday House 00:39 – The Client Brief 01:12 – Entering the House 02:16 – Designing the Kitchen 03:09 – The Master Bedroom 03:25 – Design Inspired by Context 04:21 – Connection to Nature 04:59 – A Unique Perspective

Settled into a coastal community on the Coromandel Peninsula, Clifftop House sits on a ledge overlooking Hahei Beach. While the holiday house has access to striking vistas, including views to Mercury Islands, the unusual topography also leaves the home within eyeshot of other properties. To foster a sense of privacy, Ponting Fitzgerald Architects purposefully restricts access to the surrounding context in some parts of the home.

The atmospheric interior of the holiday house distinctly contrasts the coastal scene outside – however, the top floor of the residence sees a large, covered deck flow out to the view, re-establishing the connection to nature in dramatic fashion. As an interior element of the design, the kitchen of Clifftop House contributes to the feeling of retreat from the outdoors. Dark American oak cabinetry establishes a modest and unimposing space, complemented by the seamless insertion of appliances by Fisher & Paykel.

The result sees the internal architecture play a dominant role in the holiday house, guiding occupants through the home and towards the view. A gentle imposition on its context, Clifftop House is defined by its architectural discretion. Ponting Fitzgerald Architects ensures that, despite having access to incredible views, the holiday house appears as a mere canopy from the perspective of the beach.

Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – June 27, 2022

Victoria Tentler-Krylov’s “Sidewalk Connoisseurs”

The artist discusses urban spaces and classic Russian children’s books.

New York may be a city where a person can, for the amount one might reasonably expect to pay for a month’s rent in many parts of this country, partake in an hours-long omakase experience featuring toro topped with osetra caviar and uni served with white truffle. Its temples of art may house some of the most renowned—and well-insured—art in the world. But it is also a city that embraces the epicure of the hot dog and the patron of the sidewalk artist. I recently spoke to this week’s cover artist, Victoria Tentler-Krylov, about city planning and sketching people on the subway.

Magazines: The Good Life France – Summer 2022

Front cover of The Good Life France Magazine Summer 2022 issue

The Good Life France Magazine Summer 2022

Discover the intoxicating island of Corsica, a well-kept secret island of beauty where 80% of visitors are from France. Head south to arty Arles, once a Roman colony, adored by artists and now a cultural hotspot, and the wetlands of the Camargue where wild white horses and pink flamingoes roam. We explore gorgeous Antibes on the Mediterranean coast, nothing like its more well known neighbours Nice and Cannes where we also go to find out more about this bucket list beauty. In the north, discover the historic department of Aisne in Picardy – the ancient cradle of France, and Agincourt, a land of glorious countryside and a super museum dedicated to its famous battle.

World Economic Forum: Top Stories Of The Week

This week The World Economic Forum are highlighting 4 top stories:

  • What is hyperinflation,
  • the impact of climate change on the Alps,
  • a record breaking super computer and
  • the world’s first autonomous ship.

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

Preview: Times Literary Supplement – June 17, 2022

This week’s Times Literary Supplement @TheTLS, featuring @muldoonpoetry on Ulysses at 100; John Fuller on Auden; @MatthewReiszTHE on science reporting; @MalikShushma on elite women in Rome; @majorjonnyd on Yorkshire – and more.

Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – June 20, 2022

Elizabeth Colomba’s “157 Years of Juneteenth”

The artist discusses Harlem and the necessity of painting Black bodies into historically white spaces.