Financial times how to spend it 5 august 2017

HIGH IMPACT AUGUST 2017 HTSI_402_Rolex DPS.indd 13/07/2017 14:49 HTSI_402_Rolex DPS.indd 13/07/2017 14:49 HTSI_400_Genesis DPS.indd 31/05/2017 09:45 HTSI_400_Genesis DPS.indd 31/05/2017 09:45 10/10 000 From any given harvest, the average number of eaux-de-vie with the potential to one day join this blend are a rare few: only 10 out of 10 000 Selection is not only a science It is an art made of precision P L E A S E D R I N K R E S P O N S I B L Y O V E R 18 s O N L Y how to find it AUGUST 2017 21 12 46 32 LU X U RY R E A DS R EGU L A R S 12 TALES OF WANDER Walking the world’s most dramatic landscapes has therapeutic qualities way beyond the physical, says 21 ECLECTIBLES Desirable acquirables Charlotte Sinclair – particularly when for the person and the home combined with some soothing and 22 THE SHARPENER Tom Stubbs welcomes sybaritic accommodation 11 THE AESTHETE Hakan Rosenius talks personal taste with Beatrice Aidin the return of the camp-collar shirt 32 POLKA HOT Damian Foxe 25 TRAVELISTA Maria Shollenbarger showcases new season on where to be and what to see fashion that’s dotty 30 THE E-DIT The best of recent stories for spots on Howtospendit.com 46 HOME SWEET MONOCHROME 45 TECHNOPOLIS Jonathan Nicole Swengley Margolis is our IT boy checks out 53 LOOSE CHANGE Raphaëlle Helmore’s the designers first class find for under £100 taking classic 55 PAST MASTERS Ming Liu on the playful black and white nostalgia of vintage vending machines to the max 57 WRY SOCIETY Sam Leith’s tale of 21 a Machiavellian croquet match 59 THE CULT SHOP Jemima Sissons says please to Japanese in Hackney 59 FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE A trinity of charitable channels cherry-picked by Charlotte Tottenham 61 THE GANNET Bill Knott relishes masterful Mexican cuisine in Tijuana 61 THE GOBLET Alice Lascelles savours the vibe at two new London wine bars 62 PERFECT WEEKEND Jason Basmajian’s Loire Valley haunts, by Ming Liu MOST VIE WED ON howtospendit.com · GIORGIO ARMANI A rare interview with the man behind the empire · ERDEM MORALIOGLU The fashion designer talks personal taste · A JOURNEY TO JORDAN A private tour of the country’s unearthly delights · PLUS Over 1,000 inspirational ideas in the Gift Guide, updated daily Paul Smith pocket square from the Gift Guide EDITOR GILLIAN DE BONO DEPUTY EDITOR BEATRICE HODGKIN ACTING DEPUTY EDITOR TIM AULD ASSISTANT EDITOR LUCINDA BARING ACTING ASSISTANT EDITOR MARIA FITZPATRICK DIGITAL EDITOR IAN SHINE COMMISSIONING EDITOR LAUREN HADDEN EDITORIAL RESEARCHER MARIANNA GIUSTI EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CLARA BALDOCK JUNIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS CHLOE CHEUNG, ABI MCQUATER ART DIRECTOR BEN TURNER DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR ELISABETH LIMBER PICTURE EDITOR KATIE WEBB PICTURE RESEARCHER GEMMA WALTERS CHIEF SUBEDITORS LIZ ATHERTON, KATE CHAPPLE SUBEDITOR ROBERT COOK JUNIOR SUBEDITORS CHERISH RUFUS, NATALIE TAYLOR FASHION DIRECTOR DAMIAN FOXE JUNIOR FASHION EDITOR MILLICENT SIMON FASHION ASSISTANT RAPHAELLE HELMORE ASSOCIATE EDITOR LUCIA VAN DER POST CONTRIBUTING EDITORS VIVIENNE BECKER, SIMON DE BURTON, NICK FOULKES, ALICE LASCELLES, JONATHAN MARGOLIS, MARIA SHOLLENBARGER US CORRESPONDENT CHRISTINA OHLY EVANS PUBLISHING MANAGER JO THOMPSON PRODUCTION DENISE MACKLIN ADVERTISING PRODUCTION DANIEL MACKLIN TWITTER.COM/HTSI EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES 020-7873 3203 howtospendit.com ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES 020-7873 4208 COVER IMAGE Getty Images, see page 12 How To Spend It magazine is printed by Wyndeham Peterborough Limited for, and published by, The Financial Times Ltd, Number One Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HL Origination by Dexter Premedia the aesthete Artistic director of Asprey Hakan Rosenius leads the company’s product design and curates its fine and rare books department My personal style signifier is my distinctive footwear My shoe cupboard is like a Tardis; I have no idea how many pairs I have Recently one of the racks actually collapsed I’m having some leopard-print loafers made at the moment by Belgian Shoes in New York – they’re bespoke; you can bring your own material – and I am obsessing about them arriving Price on request; belgianshoes.com The last thing I bought and loved was a 1920s double-sided screen, with a French version of chinoiserie on one side and beautiful orange and grey flowers on the other I found it at Jubilee Hall Antiques & Interiors, in the Cotswolds Oak St, Lechlade, Gloucestershire GL7 3AY (01367253 777; jubileehall.co.uk) And the thing I’m eyeing next is a set of 19th-century Chinese rice-paper paintings from Durham House Antiques to add to my collection I love the detail, and it fascinates me that the colours are still so vibrant centuries later 48 Sheep St, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire GL54 1AA (01451-870 404; durhamhousegb.com) From top: Rosenius’s Issey Miyake kimono coat, from £995 Gravlax with mustard and dill sauce, served at Aquavit The island of Nantucket, off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts Rosenius’s Meissen teapot The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe was an Issey Miyake kimono coat [pictured] based on a print by the artist Katsushika Hokusai. In March, I was in Tokyo having lunch with a friend who used to work for Miyake We went to the store, I saw this coat and I thought, “Well, this is completely impractical.” But I put it on and had to have it – I blame my friend From £995; isseymiyake.com PORTRAIT: KATE MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAMY STOCK PHOTO KATE MARTIN (2) An unforgettable place I’ve travelled to in the past year is Nantucket [pictured] We went for the Daffodil Festival in April Everyone dresses in yellow for the parade and the whole island is covered with flowers It’s beautiful We stayed at Jared Coffin House – it’s a small, traditional hotel and almost like being in someone’s home The interior is very classic, with a 19th-century feel 29 Broad St, Nantucket, MA 02554 (+1508-228 2400; jaredcoffinhouse.com) And the best souvenir I’ve brought home is a Meissen teapot [pictured] I found at the factory shop near Dresden It is decorated in the “blue onion” pattern and is a most extraordinary bulbous shape meissen.com A recent “find” is Aquavit in London The interior references midcentury Swedish design, with high ceilings that make it feel incredibly spacious I ate smoked eel with root vegetables, beef Rydberg and rosehip soup for dessert St James’s Market, 1 Carlton St, London SW1 (0207024 9848; aquavitrestaurants.com) howtospendit.com If I didn’t live in London, the city I would live in is Stockholm It is spread across 14 islands, so lends itself to walking I like to eat breakfast at Sturekatten, where the interiors haven’t changed since the 1920s, and stroll past the Royal Palace; it’s very imposing and has more than 600 rooms I buy shoes at Sneakersnstuff, which has a huge selection, and visit Svenskt Tenn for the most fabulous furniture and fabrics by Josef Frank. For summer drinks, I go to Mälarpaviljongen, a café/bar with a view of the most amazing gardens created by my friend Kristina Björk And for dining “I put the Issey Miyake kimono coat on and had to have it” on winter evenings, it has to be The Flying Elk, a gastropub run by Michelinstarred chef Björn Frantzén The Flying Elk, Mälartorget 15 (theflyingelk.se) Mälarpaviljongen, Norr Mälarstrand 64 (malarpaviljongen.se) Sneakersnstuff, Åsögatan 124 (sneakersnstuff.com) Sturekatten, Riddargatan (sturekatten.se) Svenskt Tenn, Strandvägen (svenskttenn.se) The people I rely on for personal grooming are Joelene at The Refinery for manicures and pedicures, because she spends just enough time on my nails, and Ciaran at Stannard & Slingsby who cuts my hair once a month – he knows how to maintain my style and keeps the conversation light The Refinery, 18 Grosvenor St, London W1 (020-7409 2001; the-refinery.com) Stannard & Slingsby, 211‑213 Kensington High St, London W8 (020-7937 0333; stannardandslingsby.com) My favourite websites include Bukowskis com for its Modern Art + Design auctions, where I find interesting pieces of Swedish and Finnish glass Dukes-auctions.com is a recent find – I’ve yet to buy something but always see interesting porcelain and furniture. I use Galet.com to buy their shoes; they are not easy to find in London AS TOLD TO BEATRICE AIDIN FOR MORE OF HAKAN ROSENIUS’S PERSONAL TASTE, VISIT HOWTOSPENDIT.COM 11 tales of wander From high-altitude lakes to ghostly glaciers and monasteries perched on monumental rocks, seeing the world on foot has therapeutic qualities way beyond the physical All the better when combined with soothing – and sometimes sybaritic – accommodation, says Charlotte Sinclair F our hours into my hike into the base of northern Greece’s Vikos Gorge, and a herd of grey, belligerent-looking clouds has massed overhead, blocking out the sun In an instant, the rock face turns black, a lunatic wind sends the trees into a frenzy of whipping branches, and rain begins to fall in dense, dark columns As my guide Apostolis Demertzis and I rush into our waterproof jackets, thunder cracks across the sky (Moments earlier we’d passed a stone tribute to a beloved wife, felled by lightning in this forest some years ago A fact I put firmly to the back of my mind.) We continue walking through a dripping tunnel of trees, the rain soaking every layer of clothing, because… well, why not? It’s epic and wild and fun – the great outdoors in riot (Also, Demertzis assures me, we’re too low for the lightning to find us Considering this is a man who has mapped 19,000km of trails in Greece, I trust his judgment.) Following the drenched footpath is like entering the heart of an emerald, every shade of green refracting crazily in the wind and water, from the moss-covered boulders studding the sloping undergrowth to the vivid hues of plane, fig and beech leaves Down here, several hours from civilisation, it’s easy to imagine the spectacle as the work of an angry god: Zeus having a tantrum Vikos Gorge (pictured above right), 12km long and 1,200m deep, is the work of 160 million years of geology From its heights spread the undulating peaks of the Pindos mountain range, straddling this northwest region 12 howtospendit.com howtospendit.com Main picture: dramatic clifftop monasteries are a star feature of walks in Metéora, Greece Inset: hiking through the wilderness of nearby Vikos Gorge of Epirus into neighbouring Albania, its tail eventually crumbling into the Peloponnese The canyon slices through a pristine terrain of oak forests, rivers, gulches, alpine lakes and 46 hill villages that together comprise the Zagori region Part of the Northern Pindos National Park, the area boasts Unesco Geopark status, its environmental purity preserved in part by its remoteness You can drink straight from the Voidomatis River that twists through the gorge – the water cool and hard as marble – and thriving populations of wolves, wild boar, golden eagles and bears inhabit the area Ways of life are also preserved by remoteness here: on the drive up to the village of Monodendri, marking the gorge trailhead, I spot a shepherd wielding a wooden staff, directing his flock of longhaired goats up the slopes, an image so archaic it might be a daguerreotype come to life Earlier in the day, with the sun shining, Demertzis declared: “All this nature is for you!” and swept his arms to encompass the towering limestone corridor and the dry riverbed It’s hard not to believe I have been gifted the place – especially as we encounter only a single fellow hiker all day There’s nothing but the sound of birdsong and weather The secrets of the landscape are revealed with each step, the scenery changing hour by hour as the gully drops and narrows At this speed, there’s time to study, at a crouch, the tiny butterflies decorating the lacy flowers of a stand of wild carrot, or to pause in the church dim of an overhanging rock Hiking is a slow study of a particular geography, like a conversation that unfolds over several hours Walking in nature is especially soothing to a city brain, frazzled by 13 Clockwise from left: the Annapurna Circuit consists of tranquil high-altitude trails in the Nepalese Himalayas Guests at Explora Valle Sagrado hotel, Peru, visit the Inca archaeological site of Moray Relaxing rooms await after a Kii mountain ramble at Amanemu – Aman’s new Japanese property “People want to slow down and connect with nature, and there’s no better way than walking” concrete and adrenaline “There’s no news down here, no economic crisis You can escape the world,” says Demertzis “Hiking is the only way to understand a place.” He’s perhaps more on the money than he realises, because walking is the new frontier of experiential travel Or rather, the old frontier No motorised transport, no rush, no phone signal, travelling at the speed of your own two feet – a journey of the most personal kind Tour operator Original Travel, which has organised this trip for me, has seen a surge of interest in walking journeys “We invented the Big Short Break, which was all about getting as much done in the shortest time,” co-founder Tom Barber tells me “Now we’re talking about the opposite People want to slow down and connect with nature, and there’s no better way to that than walking.” The benefits are psychological as much as physical The classical notion of solvitur ambulando, or problem solving via perambulation, was famously championed by Henry David Thoreau, Bruce Chatwin and Patrick Leigh Fermor (the latter did some ambulando here in Epirus) One’s thoughts take an equally far-reaching journey on a long walk, the brain entering the territory of impetus thinking: grand plans are formed over large distances (It was rambling in Snowdonia that apparently prompted Theresa May’s ill-fated decision to hold a general election.) Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, it is a very democratic means to adventure In the Nepalese Himalayas, a few years ago, I trekked the Annapurna Circuit (pictured top) over three weeks with my then65-year-old father, who zipped up the high-altitude trails with far more vim than did his breathless daughter As the days passed, the route inexorably ascending, the walking assumed a quasi-spiritual quality: the sweet spot between torture and the sublime (Although this could equally be credited to a lack of oxygen.) To walk in the knowledge of comfortable beds, good food and a hot bath waiting at the end of the trail is, for most of us, probably something closer to the sublime In 14 Epirus I am staying at Aristi Mountain Resort + Villas, a rustic hotel with welcoming fireplaces, delicious meals of grilled chicken and tzatziki, charming country service and a tucked-away spa in which to soothe aching limbs Elsewhere, the digs are not just comfortable but world class, as high-end hotels catch on to ambulatory pleasures, pitching walking as a fresh way for guests to engage with location, as well as a therapeutic extra to conventional hotel spa services At Amanemu (pictured above), Aman’s newest property in Japan, guests can embark upon a fourhour ramble into the Kii mountain range, visiting sacred sites along the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route Wellbeing and environmental consciousness are cornerstones of Six Senses’ hotels and resorts, so when the group opens five satellite lodges in Bhutan at the beginning of 2018, hiking promises to be a key attraction: each outpost will boast a signature trek led by experts on wildlife, geology and the country’s history and culture One such outing involves a trek up to Talakha Monastery, through fragrant forests of blue pine and rhododendrons In Europe, debuting this summer at Sibuet group’s new Terminal Neige hotel in Chamonix, intrepid guests can join a mountaineer for a trek across the Mer de Glace glacier (pictured overleaf), with a panorama of Alpine summits Down in Italy, at Monastero Santa Rosa (pictured overleaf) on the Amalfi Coast, adventurous types are guided on several iconic walks, including the Path of the Gods, the spectacular sea-and-sky route inscribing the hills far above Positano, and the Valle delle Ferriere trail, passing hidden monasteries, waterfalls and abandoned mills on the way into the lush mountain interior of the Lattari range Antonio Sersale, the owner of Le Sirenuse in Positano, grew up exploring these byways “The tremendous effort needed at the beginning of the walk, which is always upwards, brings the reward of a mesmerising view of the endless blue sea – and the aroma of rosemary and summer,” he says In some places, explorations on foot assume a sense of mission For Jamshyd Sethna, chairman and MD of Shakti Himalaya, walking is a fundamental aspect of his enchanting village houses in Ladakh (example pictured overleaf) and northern India “The slow pace, the lazy, gentle interactions with village folk one invariably encounters, the pleasure one experiences from the feeling of immersion in one’s surroundings in a nonintrusive way… all in the shadow of great mountains and in landscapes of immense beauty It has a restorative quality.” Capitalising on this therapeutic aspect, Shakti recently launched the Head in the Clouds programme Inner journeys are prioritised via silent walks led by yoga and mindfulness gurus, and, in Ladakh, a 3km hike to mountain caves chaperoned by a monk, imparting a unique insight into the region’s spiritual life The right company can make a merely good walk extraordinary Last year, I visited Explora Valle Sagrado, the impressive new hotel in Peru’s Sacred Valley (pictured above), and Explora’s first outside Chile The company is known for the quality and scope of its wilderness expeditions – and the immense comfort of its hotels Here it is intent on offering guests a complete engagement with nature via daily walks of scaled howtospendit.com EXPECT THE EXCEPTIONAL Launching central London’s finest new development between Covent Garden and the City Show apartment now open +44 (0)20 7004 0910 | lincolnsquare.co.uk Computer Generated Image Amenities designed by Patricia Urquiola, voted Europe’s best interior designer 17,000 sq ft of amenities including 25m pool, gym, library, cinema, private dining and entertainment spaces 24 hour security and concierge and private residents’ garden Exceptionally designed apartments starting from £995,000 Developer: Sales agents: Private appointments for the Show Apartment now open at: St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4JU Clockwise from below: Barn in the City wood and marble side tables, price on request Farrow & Ball Lotus wallpaper, £112 for a 10m roll Bethan Gray for Lapicida marble and brass Herringbone dining table, £30,000 ARTHUR WOODCROFT (3) BARNINTHECITY.COM KELLY WEARSTLER Monochrome has both a calming and inspiring effect It also conjures up Manhattan in the Jazz Age, or the glamour of Hollywood’s heyday monochrome’s impact The firm’s vanities, in particular, are Chanel-calibre chic: Jetset (£6,509, pictured on previous page) evokes an art deco style with its blacklacquered finish and granite top, contrasting with three white (or black) doors And Audrey (£6,112) has a blacklacquered timber structure with white borders (or vice versa), black surfaces and a black granite splashback, while its rectangular basin is available in white or black ceramic “Since classical times, architects have understood the power of the simple yet striking contrast of a monochrome palette,” says Paola “The combination speaks to our fascination with light and shadow It works so well in bathrooms because it creates a pristine feeling, while its tonal clarity keeps an often complex and challenging space from feeling cluttered Monochrome is also something of a blank canvas, so has both a calming and inspiring effect It also conjures up Manhattan in the Jazz Age, or the glamour of Hollywood’s heyday There’s nothing like the classical elegance of a traditional, grand-hotel bathroom to make you feel pampered.” London-based interior designer Tara Bernerd agrees “Monochrome schemes are a great way to create attitude and impact in bathrooms.” Bernerd employed this very effectively, using white rectangular basins on a white marble-topped console as a contrast to black marble walls and floor “A key rule when using dark colours is to allow for balance,” she adds “Finishing touches such as a great mirror, or a mirrored glass wall, prevent smaller spaces from feeling overbearing, while spothowtospendit.com lighting is essential for illuminating surfaces.” The full-height, mirrored wall she installed in a bathroom at The Hari hotel in London, which reflects three black marble walls, white sanitaryware and crisp white towels, is a look that translates well, she says, to residential interiors Marble certainly maximises monochrome’s potential, as seen in the furniture and accessories created by jewellery designer Lara Bohinc for stone specialist Lapicida Her Lunar collection, inspired by the planets and their orbits, combines white Carrara with black Nero Marquina marble to stunning effect in the Half Moon mirror (£4,740), while the Sun and Moon coffee table (£5,995) and Half Moon dining table (£22,500) exploit the colour differential explored in her earlier, rotating Solaris table (£54,000) Single-colour accessories, such as the black or white marble Constellation bowls (£480, pictured on previous page) and Stargazer candleholders (£540), underpin the theme “Contrasts define outlines and form an important frame for whatever is in a room,” says Bohinc “In my own living space, the walls are painted black, and I have a white sofa and lots of white lights and vases.” Another Lapicida collaborator, Bethan Gray, is equally mesmerised by monochrome The top of her Herringbone dining table (£30,000, pictured above) combines Carrara and Marquina marble in a crisp, eye-catching pattern, while Gray’s own collection includes the handmade Band coffee table (£4,450) in two-tone lacquered marble And her Alice collection of monochrome marble tabletop accessories – originally created as one-off pieces for the Wallpaper Handmade show in Milan in 2013 – are now available to buy bespoke (prices on request); they include a chopping board with a herringbone or striped pattern, and a cheeseboard with a clear glass dome and dartboardstyle base (both pictured left) “I fell in love with the graphic patterns of black and white marble when I visited 15th-century churches in Florence and Amalfi; I wanted to recreate that feeling on a smaller scale, which led to the Herringbone table and Alice collection,” says Gray She also cites the geometric patterns and forms found in Arabic design as inspiration “Texture and finish are key A black-and-white painted cabinet may look harsh, but if it’s made from marble with the veins coming through, or a stained wood in which the timber’s texture appears, it softens the whole aesthetic.” Versatile, glamorous and modern: monochrome’s magic is having a new moment in interior design ✦ LITTLE BLACK AND WHITE BOOK Barn in the City, barninthecity.com Bethan Gray, by appt, bethan gray.com and see Lapicida Casa Passadiỗo, casadopassadico.com Devon&Devon, 77 Westbourne Grove, London W2 (020-7221 5137; devon-devon.com) Farrow & Ball, 249 Fulham Rd, London SW3 (020‑7351 0273; farrow-ball.com) Illulian, illulian.com Kelly Wearstler, kellywearstler.com Lapicida, 533 King’s Rd, London SW10 (020-3012 1000; lapicida.com) Lara Bohnic, 60 Golborne Rd, London W10 (020-7684 1465; larabohinc.com) and see Lapicida Lee Broom, 95 Rivington St, London EC2 (020-7820 0742; leebroom com) and see Wedgwood MisuraEmme, www.misuraemme.it Natalia Miyar Atelier, info@nataliamiyar.com; nataliamiyar.com Tara Bernerd, Hans St, London SW1 (020-7245 1658; tarabernerd com) Wedgwood, wedgwood.co.uk 51 Bolshoi Theatre Metropolitan Opera Palais Garnier La Scala Prague Estates Theatre The Neverending Glory Lighting Collection Inspired by the silhouettes of historic chandeliers from world's five grandest theatres Hand-blown glass on the edge of possibilities Designed by Jan Plechac and Henry Wielgus lasvit.com loose change A first class find for under £100 ANDY BARTER Buly 1803 is a niche Parisian beauty brand beloved of its followers for its perfumes, creams, combs, brushes – and delightful scented matches Choose from lemon, blackcurrant, mint, ginger, vanilla and moss aromas (packaged in evocative vintage-style boxes), strike a light and let the match’s fragrance fill the senses RAPHAELL HELMORE   Buly 1803 scented matches, €15, from buly1803.com howtospendit.com 53 Leave the everyday behind Exceptional villas, local knowledge, personal service thethinkingtraveller.com +44 (0)20 7377 8518 S I C I LY • PUGLIA • IONIAN ISLANDS SPORADES ISLANDS • CORSICA PAST MASTERS | SECONDHAND BUT NOT SECOND BEST vending machines Vintage vending machines are increasingly sought-after in modern homes, where they add a pop of playful nostalgia, says Ming Liu C lean lines and chic functionality may be the main draws of perennially popular midcentury furniture, but the era has also thrown up a more unexpected genre for collectors: vintage vending machines Brightly coloured and branded, high-quality examples from the 1950s and ’60s that once dispensed drinks and sweets, as well as more esoteric offerings at petrol stations and grocery stores have more than doubled in price in the past decade The vending machine wasn’t actually invented in the 1950s; the first commercial coin-operated postcard vendor was introduced in London in the early 1880s, and the Thomas Adams Gum Company first brought vending machines to the US in 1888, proffering his Tutti-Frutti gum on New York subway platforms However, it’s the midcentury devices, often displaying a kitsch kind of Americana, that are adding a pop of retro-cool fun to contemporary homes, not only across the US but also Europe, Australia and Asia “They have an incredibly iconic look,” says Alexander Walder-Smith, owner of Surrey’s Games Room Company, whose father installed vending machines on US airbases in the UK after the second world Another popular location for these machines is a “man cave” war “Clients love that they take them back to a bygone era.” Perhaps most iconic are the red-and-white Coca-Cola machines, of which Walder-Smith has several versions One (£9,750) from 1957 stocks 81 bottles, while a more unusual 1968, 56-bottle Buvez (£6,850) was made for the French market in a sleeker, boxier shape All are given “mint nut-and-bolt restorations” and shiny new paint jobs; they are also rejigged to vend quarter bottles of champagne, beer and mineral water as well as soft drinks One of Walder-Smith’s restorations sits “on the side of a mountain” in the sleepy Himalayan hilltop station of Mussoorie, a town famous for its cascading waterfalls and Tibetan temples and home to Sanjay Narang, president of hospitality group Mars Enterprise “Being the age of 52 myself, I’m a big fan of Coke and all retro things,” he says “It’s a real conversation piece in our outdoor dining area.” Another popular location for these machines is a “man cave”, says dealer Bob howtospendit.com example, generally cost 10 per cent more than Coke ones, says Brown, who often ships these striking blue versions to New York and California – while Walder-Smith, who has a 1957 Vendo 81 Pepsi machine for £12,500, finds them popular with Chelsea football fans The Games Room Company has a wonderful bright-yellow 1950 Royal Crown Cola number (£12,750), and a rare 1957 Dr Pepper 81-bottler (£15,000) in a “Farrow & Ball-like green” The allure does not stop at soda vendors; vintage cigarette machines with their mechanical pull knobs are also sought-after Brown currently has a somewhat futuristic-looking American example ($2,100) from 1935, while Walder-Smith has a 1950s version (£3,600) that once dispensed John Player cigarettes in train stations for a sixpence and today functions as a drinks cabinet Sweets machines, meanwhile, can fetch as much as $9,000, especially if they light up, says Brown Red Baron recently sold an unusual 1965 piece for $2,250, while GameRoomAntiques com has a mint-green, mirrored candy machine from the 1940s-50s – the Stoner 180, for $4,495 – as well as a couple of 1940s-50s U-Select-It machines with rotating carousels for $2,995 each Across the Atlantic, Vienna’s Galerie Zeiträume carries an unusual 1960s Pez dispenser (€3,800) in an upbeat yellow that’s fully restored and operational with a schilling It hails from the collection of Rupert Wiesinger, owner of a removals company in Linz, Austria, who has collected vintage vending machines for over 30 years “I have between 50 and 80 – I’m not quite sure at the moment I have drinks machines and one for Wrigley’s chewing gum, but 90 per cent of people want Pez machines in their homes,” says Wiesinger, who has turned his collecting into a small business “I’ve even got a vending machine that tells your fortune.” Similarly esoteric machines that crop up from time to time include a 19401950 American horoscope machine with a spinning globe and astrological chart to select your zodiac sign, which recently sold for £2,807 on 1stdibs, while a gold-painted version from the 1940s with lights, a zodiac dial and fortunereading cards is for sale at $1,200 from Ohio dealer Vintage Findz Its paintwork may be in need of restoration, but its contemporary appeal is undeniable ✦ Clockwise from top left: Brown, who runs Red Baron Antiques in Atlanta, Georgia, and 1960s Austrian Pez has a fully operational late-1960s sweets dispenser, €3,800 Coca-Cola machine ($3,750) that at Galerie Zeiträume will dispense a chilled Coke – or a 1940-1950 American long-necked beer – for a dime horoscope vending “They have a nostalgic appeal that machine, sold for often attracts older clients, but £2,807 on 1stdibs 1957 they are being bought by young Vendo 81 Dr Pepper homeowners too.” Walder-Smith machine, £15,000 from suggests buyers also like the sense Games Room Company of theatre: “A host can give guests 1957 Vendo 81 Coca-Cola a dime each to have a go There’s machine, £9,750 at something pleasing about pushing Games Room Company down the handle and feeling the mechanics working before pulling out a perfectly chilled drink.” The machines were made by a number of manufacturers – top names include Vendorlator and Cavalier – and were, of course, commandeered by other soft drinks brands such as 7UP and Dr Pepper WHERE TO BUY 1STDIBS, 1STDIBS.COM GALERIE ZEITRAUME, LERCHENFELDERSTRASSE 158, 1080 VIENNA (+436-6452 55984; GALERIE-ZEITRAEUME.AT) Since these other brands were produced GAMEROOMANTIQUES.COM, DURHAM@GAMEROOMANTIQUES.COM; GAMEROOMANTIQUES.COM GAMES ROOM COMPANY, UNIT 2, RHS GATE HOUSE, HAMM MOOR LANE, WEYBRIDGE, SURREY KT15 2SD (01932-568 414; GAMESROOMCOMPANY.COM) RED BARON ANTIQUES, 8655 ROSWELL RD, SANDY SPRINGS, GA 30350 (+1770in smaller numbers than Coke, prices 640 4604; RBANTIQUES.COM) RUPERT WIESINGER, EURORAEUMUNGEN@GMAIL.COM VINTAGE FINDZ, 2650 NORTH RIDGE RD, PAINESVILLE, OH 44077 (+1440-796 can be higher PepsiCo machines, for 6223; VINTAGEFINDZ.COM) WHAT TO READ SILENT SALESMEN TOO, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COLLECTIBLE VENDING MACHINES BY BILL ENES (B & P ENES) 55 *24 months interest free credit is available on orders over £3,000 +VAT, with an upfront 30% deposit Finance is subject to status BRITISH HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE THE PERFECT INVESTMENT FREE 100 Page Brochure British Design & Craftsmanship Nationwide Design Service 10 Year Guarantee When you choose Neville Johnson you are investing in high quality bespoke furniture, attention to detail and superb customer service For over 30 years we have been using the finest materials and craftsmanship to create exquisite furniture with longevity and style, so you can sit back and relax, in the comfort of your own home visit nevillejohnson.co.uk 24 MONTHS INTEREST FREE CREDIT * or call 0161 873 8333 for our latest brochure QUOTE CODE FTWM66 STUDIES BEDROOMS LOUNGES LIBRARIES STAIRCASES all over the shop THE CULT SHOP A pleasing purveyor of quality and quirk FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE A trinity of channels for charitable urges WRY SOCIETY the croquet match With promotion the prize, an ambitious new recruit has to some fast thinking when called up for a game against his boss PHILDISLEY.COM C roquet was known throughout the company to be the Old Man’s game Sooner or later, any employee who caught his eye on their way up the ranks would get The Invitation, sometime in early summer “Purely social thing,” he’d say “But I’m having a few people down to my place in Gloucestershire for the weekend Care to come?” The only acceptable answer was yes Three would be invited to make up the party They would present themselves on Saturday in time for lunch – and to take howtospendit.com in the crunchy gravel, the ornamental lake, the vast poplar-colonnaded drive, the neoclassical frontage They’d have an awkward afternoon as the boss held forth But it was known, company-wide, that the main event took place before Sunday lunch “Anyone for a game of croquet? I’ve a bit of a lawn.” The only acceptable answer was yes New recruits were discreetly advised to brush up Careers were rumoured to have faltered over such faux pas as not knowing that Wimbledon had started as a croquet club, or swinging the mallet like a golf THE GANNET Tucker tips for the galloping gourmet THE GOBLET Raising the bar on snifters and vinous libations was torn On the one hand, he wished for only the goodwill of his employer On the other, he was quite good at croquet, and considered cheating at croquet immoral – but, mostly, like anyone who is quite good at croquet, he really hated losing at croquet So he – like anyone who is quite good at croquet – put his scruples to one side and decided to cheat When he rolled up at Poplar Hall on Saturday in his hired Daimler (his Micra, he thought, might make the wrong impression), he had a secret weapon in the boot After dinner, under cover of “a smoking break”, he unleashed it Sneaking into the croquet shed, he replaced the black ball with an identical ball – made to order, and precisely 2mm wider in diameter Game on The following morning, even the Old Man’s most accurate strokes saw his ball stall disappointingly in the hoop His bonhomie evaporated fast Ernest’s strong, confident start – propelling his partner Marjorie through the second hoop with a deftly judged croquet and re-roqueting her with the continuation shot – earned a teeth-gritted, “Played” “We used to bash about a bit at my seminary,” said Ernest, modestly By the time Ernest was on the fifth hoop – having performed roquet after roquet, efficiently banishing the Old Man and his partner to opposite ends of the lawn time after time – the swearing was audible Finally: clunk! Ernest pegged club; they were rumoured to have ended Marjorie out, added insult to injury by over putting a foot on the ball after a clonking the Old Man into the dahlias, roquet “Croquet,” the Old Man was fond and pegged himself out of saying, “reveals all human life: tactics, Ernest made a very great show of patience, skill, cunning, teamwork – and humility “Just luck, Sir,” he said, and a highly developed ruthless streak that is extended his hand for a handshake the mark of true greatness.” without the hint of a smirk The other thing that was known, The Old Man ignored company-wide, was that him He leant down the Old Man cheated and picked up his ball something rotten He’d get It was well known that the He had a frown on his his guests sloshed on face Then he picked up Bloody Mary (his own Old Man cheated yellow ball – the were rumoured to be something rotten the nearest to hand He put Virgin) He always played them side by side He the black ball (“Host’s held them up to the eccentricity”) and he light And then he put them, always played last (“Novices first!” he’d ruminatively, through the nearest hoop, boom, with a great show of generosity, as leaning down to look at the clearance if being first to play was an advantage) Ernest felt the blood drain from his He was not above discreetly tilting a face The Old Man raised himself up and hoop to ensure his ball was deemed looked at him very directly and with great “through” – nor, it was thought, nudging severity “Mr Franklin, I think we need to a ball with the side of his foot here and have a private talk,” he said He left a long there And, duly, he always won When pause “About a promotion.” SAM LEITH Ernest Franklin got The Invitation, he 57 TURNBULLANDASSER.CO.UK LONDON 71-72 JERMYN STREET | DAVIES STREET | 23 BURY STREET NEW YORK 50 EAST 57TH STREET | WORLD TRADE CENTER all over the shop THE CULT SHOP momosan Japanese-inspired ceramics, vibrant glassware and artisan jewellery rub shoulders at this hip Hackney boutique I f the elegant yet playful window displays don’t draw passers-by into this design store in the heart of Hackney, the bunches of sweetsmelling South American palo santo-wood incense might Inside, the minimal-cool boutique reveals a gallery-like collection of glorious objects – from walnut and ash salt and pepper grinders to understated made-in-London ceramics and tactile Japanese brushes – thoughtfully selected by owner Momoko Mizutani (pictured right) “The designers I feature are all ones I know I always visit their studios first to see how they work,” says Mizutani, who was born in Japan and moved to London, where she studied product design at Central Saint Martins, before working with accessories brand Ally Capellino and furniture maker Martino Gamper “But I soon realised that my future was in presenting the designs of others rather than creating my own.” She began to piece together her ideas for a boutique and three years ago opened a shop on Wilton Way – an increasingly interesting East End street also playing host to Michelinstarred, tasting-menu-only restaurant Pidgin and the perennially popular Violet Bakery, where regular queues form for the breakfast scones and Amalfi lemon cake Here form, function and craftsmanship constitute the backbone of the wares, with new designers featured regularly Take the delicate textured pottery (grey kiriko pots pictured left, from £38) of Mizuyo Yamashita, which is decorated with carvings in the Japanese shinogi style. “She uses clay from the UK, but occasionally mixes in sand from Japan,” explains Mizutani “I love her attitude towards learning new skills Pottery is very trendy at the moment, but I only want to stock pieces that show expertise With Mizuyo I am totally confident; I know her quality.” Ceramics are a Momosan strong point, as are pieces with a connection to Japan Mizutani recently showcased the work of London-based Japanese potter Yuta Segawa, whose Lilliputian vases (from £24) in muted hues look striking en masse, each holding a single flower Another recent designer focus was on German-born glassblower Jochen Holz, whose charmingly irregular-shaped water jugs (£175) and tumblers (£48) come in vibrant colour-blocked combinations, such as emerald green, pale pink and royal blue His candleholders (£55) are particularly covetable, and can be paired with natural beeswax candles (from £5.50), sourced from a honey farm in Sussex Even the most pedestrian of items are chosen with design heritage in mind, such as the cast-iron kitchenware (frying pan, £25, patterned trivets, £50) from Morioka in Japan “The town is famous for its ironwork,” says Mizutani “The studio I work with, whose wares have been in MoMA in New York, is relatively new – which means it has been going for just three generations, or around 100 years; its neighbour’s business was started 17 generations ago.” But not everything at Momosan serves a practical purpose, with organic hammered-silver loop earrings (£190) by New Zealand designer Hannah Upritchard and colourful block-printed birds (£14) stuffed with rice husks adding a delightfully decorative angle to this hip Hackney treasure trove JEMIMA SISSONS 79A Wilton Way, London E8 (020-7249 4989; momosanshop.com) FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE CULT SHOP PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDY DONOHOE Swimming for it Since 2009, Italian fashion e-tailer Yoox has included a socially and environmentally conscious arm, which has collaborated with campaigning heavyweights such as Vivienne Westwood, Amber Valletta and Livia Firth.  This year Yoox has paired with Australian brand We Are Handsome to create Yoox Loves the Reef, a six-piece swimwear capsule collection (from £87 for a T-shirt to £188 for a bikini) The vibrant blue-and-white design by Jeremy and Katinka Somers, the duo behind We Are Handsome, is inspired by the ocean and the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef.  All profits from sales of the collection go to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, which is dedicated to the protection, preservation and restoration of one of the world’s seven natural wonders through large-scale coral bleaching prevention projects barrierreef.org yoox.com.  howtospendit.com Get your skates on… I love the diversity and rich heritage of Mexican design, from the indigenous Mayans to the arrival of the Spanish For our Mexicaba bag we have turned the wild Day of the Dead motifs into happy ghosts and will donate 10 per cent of profits to the artisans who helped bring it to life Christian Louboutin, designer Mexicaba bag, £1,145, from christianlouboutin com. tallermaya.org On October 27 more than 50 Minis and classic cars will roar out of the Italian town of Imola – famed for its Formula One racetrack – to begin the seven-day journey back to the UK The Italian Job rally (from £995) is in its 28th year and is open to drivers of any vehicles featured in the 1969 film, as well as modern versions of the originals The 1,500-mile route will cross the bucolic landscape of Emilia-Romagna, stopping off for a tour of the Ferrari factory, and will also include a police-escorted parade through Turin and the chance to drive the Lingotto Fiat rooftop test track featured in the film The rally has raised £2.5m for a number of children’s charities, and this year 80 per cent of proceeds will go to Variety’s Sunshine Coaches, which provides transport and equipment for disabled and disadvantaged children, and per cent to a children’s hospital in Turin italianjob com variety.org.uk CHARLOTTE TOTTENHAM 59 Presented by Headline partner Festival Saturday September 2017 Kenwood House Gardens, London | 10:00 - 20:00 Across eight stages, our acclaimed writers, columnists and guest speakers Returning for a second year, FT Weekend’s annual festival celebrates the wit and range of enthusiasms that are our hallmark An eclectic array of the FT’s writers will debate the ideas and passions of our age, from Brexit and the rise of robots to Lucy Kellaway’s new career in teaching They and leading editors from the FT Weekend and How To Spend It will host dozens of key figures from fine art, music, literature, dance, business, food and drink, fashion and politics in the grounds of Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath The How To Spend It stage will feature speakers including: Roland Mouret Jonathan Margolis Thomas Heatherwick Lucia van der Post Damian Foxe Alice Lascelles Roja Dove Gillian de Bono John Blashford-Snell Tim Auld Sessions include: • Lucia van der Post in conversation with Thomas Heatherwick about projects past, present and future and why he is not giving up on the Garden Bridge • Legendary perfumer Roja Dove defines The Smell of Success across the ages and which perfume ingredients communicate power in 2017 • Roland Mouret, designer of the iconic Galaxy dress, describes the six pivotal moments that changed his life • John Blashford-Snell recounts his recent philanthropic expedition to a remote tribe in Colombian Amazonas and explains how to join him on future expeditions • Alice Lascelles hosts a tasting of the most sought-after whiskies, tequilas, rums and gins now setting the spirits agenda • Jonathan Margolis reveals how mobile phone photography is challenging conventional digital cameras, plus an all-day demo of the soon-to-be-released Light L16 camera To buy tickets and for more information about the day, please visit: www.ftweekendfestival.com Festival partners Standard tickets £85 inc VAT FT subscribers save £10 all over the shop THE GOBLET lifting the spirits Two new London wine bars are going against the grain, elevating their offering with a totally laid-back vibe T he day I met sommelier Xavier Rousset will always be seared into my mind, because it coincided with my first, synapse-blowing taste of 1996 Pol Roger Winston Churchill, a prestige cuvée that opened my eyes to how great really good vintage champagne could be At that time, Rousset was still at Texture, the wildly successful Mayfair restaurant he co-founded with chef Agnar Sverrisson (before that, he was head sommelier at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons) And I’ve been a fan ever since Last year, Rousset opened Blandford Comptoir, a chic wine bar just off the main drag in Marylebone that I’ve returned to many times I’ve lunched there with friends, talked shop over burrata and grower champagne with wine writer Victoria Moore (her new book The Wine Dine Dictionary is a must-read) and recently squeezed my whole family round one of its tiny tables for my mother’s birthday Rousset’s new baby is Comptoir Café & Wine in Mayfair, a parquet-floored, light-flooded affair complete with tasting room, bottle shop and a cellar of more than 2,000 bottles Champagne is THE GANNET tijuana trump Two masterful Mexican chefs are putting the border town on the culinary map, relishing the freedom to forge a new gastronomic style ILLUSTRATION: CHRIS BURKE T beadily from the walls This is the fiefdom of hat Tijuana is a border town is evident on Miguel Angel Guerrero who, when not at the leaving the city’s airport: a lofty barbed wire fence snakes bleakly into the distance, stove in his high-ceilinged restaurant, will almost certainly have a fishing rod or a shotgun in his severing the city from San Diego Once hand, and quite possibly both There are tacos, a Prohibition-fuelled playground for tostadas and burritos on the menu, but also fresh Americans, its casinos and bars thronged with pasta, salads, tartares and carpaccios: Guerrero gangsters and Hollywood stars, Tijuana is now a describes his cuisine as “Baja-Med”, blending the fast-growing industrial and cultural centre, and its chefs and restaurateurs are helping to foster a new – best of local produce with European traditions Slices of tuna, flash-grilled over mesquite wood, and thoroughly Mexican – sense of pride in the city are interleaved with avocado and doused in a perky Take Oryx Capital, Ruffo Ibarra’s cool restaurant romesco-like almond and chilli sauce (pictured); and bar in Tijuana’s lively Aviación district The venison tartare is seasoned with decor is pure Brooklyn but the menu smoked oysters and chervil, then is assertively Mexican, albeit Grilled tuna is crowned with deep-fried leeks, a with modernist flourishes Ibarra doused in a nest for a raw egg yolk; tostadas are describes it as “comfort food”, but topped with raw slices of yellowtail, the dishes that emerge from his perky almond tomato salsa and – an inspired kitchen are beautiful There is lechón and chilli sauce touch – crisp shards of venison confitado – suckling pig made into a Both Guerrero and Ibarra talk brawn-like confit – topped with a of the freedom that cooking in crisp rectangle of skin as delicate as Tijuana affords them; unlike, say, Oaxaca, Puebla the top of a crème brûlée, and a riotously coloured and Mexico City, Tijuana (apart from being the salad of nopales (prickly pear cactus) alongside birthplace of the Caesar salad: have it made Variously hued tomatoes, in stages between raw and tableside for you at Caesar’s Hotel) has no real cooked, are dressed with a citrus and ancho chile history of gastronomy, so they can cook as they liqueur foam; fish crisp-fried in squid-ink batter, please Given the recent tension between Mexico resting on a blue corn tortilla, is daubed with red and its powerful neighbour, it is gratifying to come cabbage slaw, beetroot aïoli and avocado cream across two chefs who, rather than building barriers, soothed with crème frche Craft beers and wines are engaged in breaking them down BILL KNOTT are all Mexican; cocktails are best enjoyed in Nórtico, Ibarra’s handsome adjacent speakeasy ORYX CAPITAL, BOULEVARD AGUA CALIENTE 10750, INTERIOR 85, CALETE, AVIACION Nearby, at La Querencia, wafts of woodsmoke (+5266-4686 2807) LA QUERENCIA, ESCUADRON 201, NO 3110, CENTRO 22014 (+5266‑4972 9935; LAQUERENCIATJ.COM) drift through the air and hunting trophies glare howtospendit.com Rousset’s speciality (Comptoir lists 75 producers), but it does morning coffee, croissants and lobster rolls too So there’s no excuse not to visit, even if you’re having a dry day Back in Marylebone, Château Margaux heiress Alexandra PetitMentzelopoulos has also been busying herself with the launch of her wine bar, Clarette Housed, rather incongruously, in a restored mock-Tudor pub, Clarette is setting out to fine wine in a way that’s a bit more dégagé – you can sip first-growths to the sound of reggae and vintage champagne with your fishcakes PetitMentzelopoulos – who has the alabaster skin and raven hair of an old-time movie star – is adamant that it’s not “A Château Margaux wine bar”, but there’s plenty of house juice on the menu The Margaux is bought ex-château, so prices are keen – there aren’t many places you will find a magnum of 1999 Château Margaux at just over £1,000 The Coravin list also has all sorts of gems by the glass I snuffled happily into a £30 glass of Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux 2004, a red as velvety as the dusky-rose alcove I was holed up in But Clarette bangs the drum for other houses too. I tip my hat to Emilie Sagot, the charming sommelier who urged me to try the 2013 Anjou blanc – it was a tangy delight Clarette also has a private dining room on the second floor, and the promise of tantalising tastings in the future The official line is that Château Margaux has no events planned at present – but I’d just say watch this space… ALICE LASCELLES CLARETTE, 44 BLANDFORD ST, W1 (020-3019 7750; CLARETTELONDON.COM) COMPTOIR CAFE & WINE, 21-22 WEIGHHOUSE ST, W1 (020-7499 9800; COMPTOIR-CAFE-AND-WINE.CO.UK) 61 PERFECT WEEKEND | THE LOIRE VALLEY Jason Basmajian The Boston-born chief creative officer of Cerruti has helped shape the European contemporary menswear landscape for two decades at labels including Gieves & Hawkes and Brioni G rowing up in Boston, I was always infatuated by l’art de vivre and the French idea of one’s gracious country home My house is in a very rural, unpretentious part of the Loire Valley, called Cher, and my partner Jamie and I frequently have guests; weekends here are about food, friends and family It’s where I reconnect with what’s essential Saturday morning begins with an early stop at Vailly-sur-Sauldre for Boulangerie Leclerc’s exceptional brioche Then it’s off to the farmers’ market in Aubigny-surNère, a charming town of half-timber medieval houses and cobblestone streets The market has fantastic local, fragrant produce – gariguette strawberries in summer, chanterelles in autumn and plump asparagus in spring I usually don’t know what I’m going to cook and it’s fun to be inspired The area is also known for chèvre cheese, and I always stop at Romecrot farm’s truck for a few varieties, plus its decadent crème au chocolat Before I head home, I’ll stop at Pâtisserie Prieuré, run by ex-Parisians Jean-Luc Baron and his wife, who make incredible ice cream from the mint in their garden Saturday afternoon is dedicated to lunch at home – the chèvre, with a green mustard salad and walnuts – then a wine tasting Of the region’s many options – Menetou-Salon, Pouilly-sur-Loire, Sancerre – my favourite is the family-run Vincent Pinard estate [pictured] in Bué, near Sancerre Its Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are excellent Many people overlook reds in Sancerre, but the climate is similar to nearby Burgundy Tasting is in M Pinard’s cave, where his sons Clement and Florent will happily explain the process Another favourite Bué producer is Lucien Crochet, or we may visit Vacheron Vignerons in Sancerre If we’re in Menetou-Salon, which has excellent lesser-known wines, we’ll go to the lovely 13th-century château, then stop at C’heu l’Zib for its hearty, traditional food Recently, I ordered a charlotte for dessert and the entire cake was placed on the table to serve oneself volontaire For a classic French château experience, I take guests to Château de Chambord – it has a Da Vinci-influenced double-helix staircase – or the 16th-century jewel, Château de Chenonceau, which was once a hunting refuge for the noblewoman Diane de Poitiers I love the rooms filled with fresh flowers and the formal gardens In the evening, I’ll either cook a simple dinner followed by films and games, or we’ll head to a restaurant A favourite for a light take on French classics is Les Rives des l’Oizenotte in Oizon, which has the look of a boat – we watch the ducks float by and breathe in the country air; or for fine dining, the Michelin-starred-butcosy La Tour, opposite a 14th-century tower in Sancerre; it’s particularly charming in late autumn, as it has a big stone fireplace and serves local game On Sunday morning, breakfast goes on till midday People in this house tend to sleep; a guest once said the place is like a cocoon If we’re feeling adventurous in the afternoon, we’ll canoe or kayak on the Loire Loire Nature Découverte, a friendly rental place for boats, bikes and horses, will drop you close to Pouilly We’ll finish in Saint-Satur and have a glass of wine Local stops may also include the beautifully restored Galerie Capazza, a great place for modern art and sculpture Or we’ll visit the town of La Borne, famous for its pottery, and go to see the exhibitions at the Centre of Contemporary Ceramics My favourite artist there is Nadia Pasquer, whose work is very sculptural By Sunday evening, most of my guests have left and I’ll have time to read or take a bath My bathroom is built into the house’s grenier, giving it an enveloping, cosy feel I always feel recharged afterwards MING LIU At C’heu l’Zib, recently, an entire charlotte cake was placed on the table to serve oneself à volontaire PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHANIE JAYET ADDRESS BOOK BOULANGERIE LECLERC, 28 GRANDE RUE, 18260 VAILLY-SUR-SAULDRE (+332-4873 7085) CENTRE OF CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS, LA BORNE D’EN HAUT, 18250 HENRICHEMONT (LABORNE.ORG) CHATEAU DE CHAMBORD, 41250 CHAMBORD (CHAMBORD.ORG) CHATEAU DE CHENONCEAU, 37150 CHENONCEAUX (CHENONCEAU.COM) C’HEU L’ZIB, ROUTE DES AIX, 18510 MENETOU-SALON (CHEULZIB.COM) DOMAINE LUCIEN CROCHET, PLACE DE L’EGLISE, 18300 BUE (LUCIEN-CROCHET.FR) DOMAINE VINCENT PINARD, 42 RUE SAINT-VINCENT, 18300 BUE (DOMAINE-PINARD.COM) GALERIE CAPAZZA, RUE DES FAUBOURGS, 18330 NANÇAY (GALERIECAPAZZA.COM) LA TOUR, 31 PL NOUVELLE PLACE, 18300 SANCERRE (LATOURSANCERRE.FR) LES RIVES DE L’OIZENOTTE, NOHANT, 18700 OIZON (LESRIVESDELOIZENOTTE.NET) LOIRE NATURE DECOUVERTE, QUAI DE LOIRE, 18300 SAINT-SATUR (LOIRENATUREDECOUVERTE.COM) PATISSERIE PRIEURE, 38 RUE DU PRIEURE, 18700 AUBIGNY-SUR-NERE (+332-4858 0024) VACHERON VIGNERONS, RUE DU PUITS POULTON, 18300 SANCERRE (+332-4854 0993) 62 howtospendit.com ... Paul Smith pocket square from the Gift Guide EDITOR GILLIAN DE BONO DEPUTY EDITOR BEATRICE HODGKIN ACTING DEPUTY EDITOR TIM AULD ASSISTANT EDITOR LUCINDA BARING ACTING ASSISTANT EDITOR MARIA FITZPATRICK... accommodation, meditation session from Mndfl and one Fit Tours NYC tour (a 5K run, Central Park Core Tour or Sunrise Yoga) howtospendit.com AFP/GETTY IMAGES ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (2) GETTY IMAGES... Experiences on Howtospendit.com howtospendit.com YOUR BEST DECISION TO DATE THE MATCHMAKING SERVICE Global Headquarters: 49 Charles Street  Mayfair  London  W1J 5EN  +44 (0)20 7290 958 5  WORLDWIDE