Tag Archives: Travel

Culture, History, Homes, Magazines, Travel

Country Life Magazine – March 12, 2025 Preview

March 11, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (March 11, 2025): The cover of Country Life’s 12 March 2025 issue, featuring The Garden Hall at Pitshill House, West Sussex, as photographed by Paul Whitbread.

Water you wading for?

The village pond, once the hub around which community life revolved, is being reinvented as a ‘superpower’ habitat for rare species, finds Vicky Liddell

Sorry seems to be the easiest word

Deborah Nicholls-Lee makes no apology for asking why there is nothing more British than saying sorry (up to eight times a day, we regret to say)

Two’s company, three’s a crowd farmer

Jane Wheatley is impressed by a new European project linking farmers direct to consumers in an effort to ensure fair pricing

Peak sugar

Harry Pearson is sweet on Kendal Mint Cake, the original energy snack that is still going strong after conquering Everest and crossing the Antarctic

Arts & antiques

Nature’s beauty and vulnerability are laid bare in a new exhibition at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, as Carla Passino discovers

Josh Eggleton’s favourite painting

The chef and restaurant owner chooses a contemporary collage that keeps the viewer guessing

Like cats on a hot tin roof

A feline stand-off in a Wiltshire farmyard has echoes of tax and trade talks for Minette Batters

Gothic splendours

John Goodall hails the rebirth of Victorian gem Allerton Castle in North Yorkshire, some two decades after a devastating fire

The legacy

Kate Green lauds the brilliant, but tragically brief blooming of cello prodigy Jacqueline du Pré

The red army

Ian Morton reveals why we don’t want wood ants in our pants

The good stuff

Pretty pastels are back for spring, so think pink, says Hetty Lintell

Bring me everlasting flowers

Catriona Gray meets a man crafting blooms from coppiced hazel

If you want colour…

Picture-perfect primulas offer an easy way to festoon the garden with a kaleidoscope of colour, suggests Charles Quest-Ritson

Foraging

John Wright savours the peppery crunch and kick of black mustard, but he’ll never pick it in Yeovil

It’s a Scream

The wild work of Edvard Munch betrayed a troubled soul, but the Norwegian artist found salvation in Nature, declares Jessica Lack

Arts, Culture, Homes, Magazines, Tourism, Travel

Country Life Magazine – March 5, 2025 Preview

March 4, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (March 4, 2025): The latest issue features ‘The enfant terribile’ – Michelangelo; London’s best bakeries and why 1775 rocked; Charles Dance; Cheltenham and kitchen confidential…

The year the stars came out

A host of luminaries that were born in 1775 still shape British identity some 250 years on, as Matthew Dennison discovers

A horse walks into a bar…

Jack Watkins raises a glass to the Cheltenham superstars immortalised in the bars and restaurants at Prestbury Park

Interiors

Amelia Thorpe cooks up a real treat with the latest inspiration and innovations for the kitchen

London Life

– Amie Elizabeth White celebrates 100 years of the Dickens museum, plus Country Life’s guide to the best baked goods in the capital

Arts & antiques

Charles Dance talks to Carla Passino about Michelangelo, mentoring and why the Sistine chapel is like playing King Lear

The good, the bad and the ugly

Michael Hall delves into the genius of Michelangelo, at once the enfant prodige and enfant terribile of the Renaissance

Simon Martin’s favourite painting

The art-gallery director selects a beguiling 17th-century miniature revealing a connection to Nature

A regal renewal

John Goodall hails the revival of Restoration House in Kent, a magnificent property that welcomed Charles II in 1660

The legacy

Agnes Stamp hails the ‘British Barnum’ Charles Cruft, whose dog show is still best in class

Shiver me timbers

The once-popular black poplar could be our secret weapon in the battle against climate change, finds Vicky Liddell

The good stuff

Hetty Lintell’s top tips on what to wear to the Cheltenham Festival

And it was all yellow

Charles Quest-Ritson brightens his day with the cheerful flowers of the ever-dependable forsythia

Sharp practice

The thorny old issue of pruning roses, with Charles Quest-Ritson

Foraging

Is tapping birch-tree sap worth the bother, asks John Wright

Travel

Emma Love shares the latest cruise news, Imogen West-Knights finds everything shipshape in the South of France, John Niven follows in the wake of Mr Mississippi Mark Twain and Pamela Goodman’s birthday treats take on a life of their own

Culture, History, Homes, Magazines, Travel

Country Life Magazine – February 19, 2025 Preview

February 18, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (February 18, 2025):

The legacy

Kate Green celebrates the Revd Gilbert White, the original ecologist whose 1789 book on flora and fauna has never been out of print

Mad as a box of frogs

Our amphibious friends were once thought to possess mystical powers and they now aid the advance of medicine, as Ian Morton discovers

The ghost of golden daffodils

David Jones traces the fall and rise of the Tenby daffodil — all but extinct in the wild, but making a return as a cultivated bloom

The lure of Venice

Matthew Dennison investigates Britain’s long-standing love affair with the Italian maritime republic, fuelled by Canaletto’s enchanting, kaleidoscopic vedute

Playing the fool

Who could have foreseen the influence of tarot cards down the ages? Deborah Nicholls-Lee delves into decks and divination

Dr Ximena Fuentes Torrijo’s favourite painting

The Ambassador of Chile picks a vast, dreamlike Surrealist work that portrays a turbulent world.

A sense of delight

John Goodall marvels at the outstanding array of new and restored buildings on the grand Aldourie estate in Inverness-shire

Snakes and snails and puppy-dog tales

Matthew Dennison pays tribute to Peter and Iona Opie, who pre-served much-loved folklore and fairy tales for future generations

The good stuff

Work out in style with Hetty Lintell’s elegant exercise picks

Interiors

Amelia Thorpe shares the best of London Design Week wares, plus an elegant room with a view

Shaping the view

Tiffany Daneff admires the vista of rural Northamptonshire from the delightful Modernist garden created for a converted cart house

Foraging

Listen in as John Wright shares his thoughts on wood ears, the fungus with a gelatinous texture

Arts & antiques

Thomas Girtin’s exquisite landscapes were a match for Turner before the artist was cut down in his prime, reveals Carla Passino

History triumphs over invention

A brilliantly acted historical play conquers overproduced Greek mythology for Michael Billington

Arts & Literature, Culture, Homes, Magazines, Reviews

Country Life Magazine – February 12, 2025 Preview

February 11, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Van Gogh's bedroom on the cover of Country Life

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (February 11, 2025): ‘The Fine Art Issue’ features ‘What makes an Old Master?’….

Let the art rule the head

The UK’s status as a world leader in creative industries will be in peril if we fail to nurture art-and-design skills in our schools, argues Tristram Hunt

Let’s fall in love

Laura Parker investigates the boxing, croaking, crooning, dad dancing and even murder that passes for courtship ritual in the animal kingdom

Beauty and the blimp

Could a new airship designed in Britain deliver eco-friendly aviation, asks Charles Harris

Interiors

Amelia Thorpe picks out glass acts in world of garden rooms, greenhouses and orangeries

Soup-er charged

Tom Parker Bowles reveals how to beef up a boozy, hot-as-Hades French onion soup

A leap in the dark

The play of light and shade has long defined Western art. Michael Hall examines what Constable called ‘the chiaroscuro of nature’

The Duke of Richmond’s favourite painting

The owner of Goodwood picks a work that reflects the sporting history of the West Sussex estate

Three wishes for food and farming

Minette Batters calls for the UK to set a self-sufficiency target for producing its own food

Nature and nurture

In the final article of a three-part series, Tim Richardson ponders the innovation and imagination behind the wonderful grounds at Bramham Park, West Yorkshire

The legacy

Amie Elizabeth White applauds altruistic John Ritchie Findlay, who paved the way for Scotland’s National Portrait Gallery

The good stuff

Hetty Lintell backs a winner with a range of horseshoe jewellery

Light work

Tiffany Daneff is dazzled by the transformation of a dark London garden into a light-filled oasis

Foraging

Winter mushrooms are a rarity, but the striking velvet shank earns John Wright’s approval as a welcome addition to game pie

Arts & antiques

Carla Passino marvels at the masterpieces amassed by Swiss collector Oskar Reinhart as the works go on show in London

Wick me up before you go-go

The wick trimmer’s work was never done in candlelit times, discovers Matthew Dennison

Business, Financial, Investing, Magazines, Retirement

Barron’s Magazine — February 10, 2025 Preview

February 8, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

BARRON’S MAGAZINE (February 8, 2025): The latest issue features ‘Trump Tumult’….

Trump 2.0 Is Shock and Awe. What Wall Street Will Stand For.

President Trump is taking aim at China, DEI, wind power, and more, but he isn’t targeting mainstream business. If he goes too far, will the mark

Musk Loves Wreaking Havoc, Whatever the Cost. Trump May Have to Pay the Bill.

Elon Musk’s aggressive approach to DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts could become a liability for President Donald Trump.

6 Steps to Raising Money-Savvy Children

From preschool through adulthood, there are many opportunities to help children develop healthy financial habits.

Younger Investors Like Options and Crypto. They Might Be Sorry.

Members of Gen Z are starting their investing journey at younger ages than older generations did.Long read

Private Equity Is Booming. Does It Live Up to the Hype?

The $15 trillion market for private assets is thriving. What to know if you want to dip in.4 min read

Magazines, Tours, Travel

Traveller Magazine — March 2025 Preview

February 6, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER MAGAZINE (February 6, 2025): The latest issue features ‘The World’s Best Train Trips’….

Also inside this issue:

Greenland: Meet the communities working to preserve Inuit culture for future generations
Portugal: Roman relics and pagan festivities on a road trip through the untamed north
Kerala: A photographer’s journey among the tranquil backwaters and perfumed spice farms of Kochi
Southern Mexico: A guide to the region’s immense jungles, ancient settlements and distinct cuisine
Hong Kong: Beyond the urban sprawl, adventures abound in the form of kayaking and intrepid hikes
Glasgow: Warm yourself in the Scottish city’s art galleries and era-defining music venues
Essaouira: Myriad cultures have made this Moroccan port city a hub for art and music
Cognac: A change is under way in the French region’s restaurants and distilleries
Salzburg: Fairytale stays for every taste, from lovers of old-school luxury to fans of TheSound of Music

Plus, new travel routes for spring; fresh hiking opportunities on Australia’s Whitsunday Islands; Bradford’s year as the UK City of Culture; a taste of Amorgos, Greece; a lighthouse retreat on Italy’s Tuscan coast; an insider’s guide to Ibiza Town; island adventures in Brač, Croatia; globetrotting books about love and obsession, running essentials to put a spring in your step; and a historical getaway in the Welsh Marches.

Culture, History, Homes, Magazines, Travel

Country Life Magazine – February 5, 2025 Preview

February 5, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (February 5, 2025): The ‘Travel Issue’ features The Romance and Risk of a Big Adventure….

The inimitable Wodehouse

Roderick Easdale marvels at the ‘pure word music’ of P. G. Wodehouse, whose aristocratic comedies are still treasured as English-language classics

All I have to do is dream

Nod off with Tree Carr as she investigates what it means when our sleeping hours are filled with enchanting visions of wildlife and the natural world

London Life

· Giles Kime admires The Goring’s stylish new look

· All you need to know in the capital this month

· Arabella Youens visits the best second-hand markets

Travel

· Richard MacKichan dives into Canada

· Kate Eshelby treks across Pakistan

· Rosie Paterson takes a chance on Italy

· Adam Hay-Nicholls follows in Bond’s tyre tracks in the Swiss Alps

· Rosie Paterson ventures into the US wilderness

· Hetty Lintell selects top travel accessories

· Christopher Wallace relives a Cape Town-to-Cairo adventure

· Pamela Goodman visits a faithful old geyser

Jason Goodwin’s favourite painting

The writer and historian selects a pencil drawing alive with energy

Ruin and rebirth

In the second of three articles, John Goodall tells how Bramham Park in West Yorkshire rose from the ashes of an 1828 fire

The legacy

Octavia Pollock places David Garrick centre stage for his role in revolutionising the theatre

Interiors

The latest lamps and lighting options, with Amelia Thorpe

Pottery winners

Tiffany Daneff talks terracotta with Beth Tarling, a Cornish collector with a passion for flowerpots

Foraging

All flash and no flavour — John Wright pans the scarlet elfcup

Arts & antiques

Carla Passino reveals the tale of the Royal Academy’s Prince and ponders the identity of the sitter for a 16th-century Venus

Let there be light

Matthew Dennison enlightens us on the history of the chandelier from its origins as a candlelit ‘crown of shimmering gold’

Alright, petal

Catriona Gray meets the talented botanical illustrators celebrating 30 years of chronicling Chelsea Physic Garden’s plant collection

Architecture, Design, Home Design, Tours, Videos

Tours: ‘Te Arai Beach House’ In New Zealand

Video January 31, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

THE LOCAL PROJECT (January 31, 2025): Nestled between the forest and the ocean on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, Te Arai Beach House manifests as a contemporary cabin in the woods. “The power of the site when we first visited was in the ocean, the forest and the sand dunes.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the cabin in the woods 01:27 – The early design discussions 02:12 – Interior designers own home 03:27 – The layout of the home 04:30 – A warm material palette 06:56 – Collaborating with artists 07:38 – Rewarding Aspects 08:08 – Proud Moments

So we wanted to provide a building that doesn’t challenge or reduce the sense of beauty that’s already there,” says Tim Hay, design director and co-founder at Fearon Hay. “We instantly looked, in terms of the architecture, to references that related to those different thresholds – the ability to emerge from the forest, discover the ocean, but still have a sense of protection,” notes Hay. “So this idea of the cabin in the woods was an idea that stuck from very early on.”

From afar, Te Arai Beach House appears to be a series of simple, unambiguous silhouettes. However, as one moves closer, complexity is revealed through blurred thresholds, operable screens and considered openings. The first building is a cabin that contains a garage and guest occupation. “This sits between an open space that frames a courtyard and the main building, which is set to the ocean, and is fundamentally a pair of open suites that capture an open plan living space between them,” explains Hay.

Culture, History, Homes, Magazines, Reviews, Travel

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE – January 29, 2025 Issue

January 28, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE (January 28, 2025): The latest issue features ‘Ready, Steady, Go!’ – The wonderful thing about Springers…

Full of the joys of spring(ers)

The non-stop English springer is still our number one working spaniel, reveals Matthew Dennison, as he delves into this enthusiastic, energetic breed

Snake, rattle and roll

Rob Crossan investigates the deeply spiritual origins of that enduring family board-game favourite Snakes and Ladders

Heard it on the radio

The wireless broke new ground as the first form of home-based mass entertainment and is still going strong in the age of the smart speaker, finds Ben Lerwill

Friends with benefits

Nematodes are a natural way to halt the march of all manner of garden pests and Charles Quest-Ritson is a convert

Mould and behold

Josiah Wedgwood was a brilliant businessman with a remarkable social conscience. Tristram Hunt assesses his life and legacy

Catch us if you can

Owain Jones sizes up six of the best as he picks out the players to watch in this year’s Guinness Six Nations rugby extravaganza

Roger Morgan-Grenville’s favourite painting

The conservation campaigner selects a work that inspired his lifelong obsession with seabirds

A Palladian premonition

Richard Hewlings offers a fresh analysis of the architecture at Bramham Park, a highly original West Yorkshire country house

The legacy

Kate Green remembers Robert FitzRoy, the founder of the Met Office whose name lives on in the BBC’s Shipping Forecast

Dear country diary

Paul Fleckney flicks through The Guardian’s Country Diary, which has offered a snapshot of rural life for more than 120 years

Interiors

The best stoves and fireplaces picked by Amelia Thorpe, plus the alternatives to burning logs

Luxury

Hetty Lintell’s top timepieces and James Haskell’s favourite things

Magnificent mahonias

Charles Quest-Ritson makes the case for mahonias, arguing that their pleasantly scented flowers are a seasonal delight

Kitchen garden cook

Melanie Johnson pairs peppery horseradish with salmon fillets

Ring-dove beauteous!

John Lewis-Stempel coos over the much-maligned wood pigeon, that canny, keen-eyed and fast-flying stalwart of our countryside

Cities, Culture, History, Tours, Travel, Videos

Travel: An Historical Tour Of The Bronx, New York

Video January 26, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

SUNDAY MORNING (January 26, 2025): Comedian and actress Susie Essman was a kid from the Bronx, and maintains a devotion to this monumental, magical and, at times, maligned slice of the Big Apple.

She takes “Sunday Morning” viewers on a tour, joined by such Bronx luminaries as writer and humorist Ian Frazier, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, actor and playwright Chazz Palminteri, rapper and entrepreneur Fat Joe, and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.