Karen Howes – författare

A striking visual homage to New York by leading interiors photographer Simon Upton In this stunning debut monograph, renowned interiors photographer Simon Upton invites readers into the private worlds of New York’s most fashionable homes. Urbane and characterful, New York Interiors unveils the photographer’s favorite interior projects in the city, among them the homes of Aerin Lauder, Hamish Bowles, Stephen Sills, Michael S. Smith, Steven Gambrel, and Cynthia Frank, intertwined with atmospheric images of the metropolis and its most stylish residents. Presented in two halves—City and Getaway—the book showcases city living from uptown to downtown, as well as the chic retreats of the Hamptons and other exclusive weekend destinations where New Yorkers head to relax. Curated by Karen Howes and introduced by Rupert Thomas, this lush, richly illustrated volume is a must-have keepsake for anyone inspired by the art of living well.

First exhibited at the Exposition Universelle (Paris, 1900) Louis XIII has embodied sophistication for over a century. Each bottle is a unique work of art, from the decanter -each of which requires eleven craftsmen to blow the crystal, apply the ornamentation and wrap the 20-K gold collar around its slender neck - tothe cognac itself. Composed of up to 1200 eaux-de-vie from the first cru of the Cognac region, Grande Champagne, Louis XIII balances notes ofmyrrh, honey, dried roses, plum, honeysuckle, cigar boxes, leather, figs and passion fruit in an unmatched, ambrosial blend.This bookis an ode to the cognac, sung by some of its earliest and most vibrant devotees. We delve into the diaries and letters of two passionate travellers aboard the America-bound cruiser Normandie, 1935; the agenda of King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth on their visit to Versailles in 1938; and the first-hand account of a young millionaire who, while on a trip to Constantinople in 1928, requested that the Orient-Express stop so that the surface of his brandy might lie still.Tracingthe history of the iconic decanter from the pewter flask found after the Battle of Jarnac to the inspired glass vessels that captivated the royal courts of Europe, Louis XIII Cognac - The Thesaurus promises an elegant and entertaining glimpse into this prestigious cognac and the characters who drank it.