Clockwise from top left: Christian Louboutin. An exhibition view of Lisa Reihana’s A Reverie (2020), which presents shifting projections of Louboutin’s works and the places he loves. A look at Louboutin’s processes in The Early Years room
WALK THIS WAY
Step into the wonderful world of Christian Louboutin at Paris’s Palais de la Porte Dorée. “L’Exhibition[niste]”, a retrospective on the celebrated French shoe designer, gives precious insight into his creative inspirations through a showcase of multi-referential work from his personal collection, loans from public collections and a never-before-exhibited selection of his shoe designs. The location of “L’Exhibition[niste]”, the Palais, was chosen for its role in inspiring Louboutin to pursue his creative journey. On till 3 January 2021.
From top: Round Blue Laser Cut Circles Hide Rug, from $975, The Cinnamon Room. Lararium porcelain vase, from $370; Lararium porcelain talismans, from $170 each, Heimat Atlantica at On Pedder. Cocktail scented candle, about $291, Fornasetti at Net-a-Porter
BAGAAR LOVES
Brighten up your home with a pop of colour—whether in the form of a sprawling new rug or accent art pieces that were designed to be conversation starters.
JUICY DETAILS
The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) goes digital with a series of video sessions featuring local and Singapore-based authors as they take the hot seat to answer kaypoh questions—in line with this edition’s theme of “Intimacy”. Expect personal takes on community-mindedness, mental health, loneliness and our need for human interaction and intimacy, as well as discussions on how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our understanding of our relationships with ourselves, others and the environment. This month, Balli Kaur Jaswal, author of The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Women, reads a letter to her son about the first home she lived in, in her SWF First Time Confession Sessions instalment, My First Home. Visit singaporewritersfestival.com.
Olia Hercules’ Summer Kitchens includes traditional pickle and jam recipes. (Below) Summer Kitchens, $43.64, bookdepository.com
IN THE KITCHEN
If you’re looking to venture beyond the standard culinary fare every celebrity chef produces, food writer Olia Hercules’ Summer Kitchens, an ode to Ukrainian food, is a breath of fresh air. She gives a modern twist to heritage recipes—think Borsch with duck and smoked pears; burnt aubergine butter and tomato toast; and sourdough garlic buns—and even delves into the art of fermentation, preserving and pickling, considered an ancient practice in Ukraine.
"The cast of Selling Sunset"
NETFLIX AND CHILL
After more than a year of waiting, fans of The Umbrella Academy can finally sink their teeth into Season Two, which premiered on Netflix on 31 July and follows the dysfunctional Hargreeves superhero family as they travel back in time to save Earth from the apocalypse caused by family member Vanya. Then, there’s Selling Sunset, the real estate reality television series that is returning for its third season come 7 August. Expect more sprawling mansions and catty in-fighting among the property agents to keep you entertained. Time to break out the popcorn.
LA LA LAND
This rom-com starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone has all the choreographed cheese of a classic movie musical, but with a modern twist that will have diehard romantics in tears.
SING ALONG
With Disney churning out live action remakes of its animated classics, you can’t blame us for waxing lyrical about the mood-boosting movie genre known as the movie musical— where icons such as Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Judy Garland have stolen hearts. Here, the three that get our vote not just for their feel-good vibes, but also for their lessons in grit and resilience.
BEGIN A GAIN
After a chance encounter, recently dumped singersongwriter Gretta James (Keira Knightley) teams up with recently fired music executive Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo) to produce an album in the most guerrilla way possible.
PATTI CAKE$
Danielle Macdonald stars as an unlikely rapper living in strip-mall suburbia, who finds her voice—and herself—through her alter-ego Patti Cake$.
"Expect luxury in the midst of wilderness at Camp Sarika"
DESERT ROSE
The new Camp Sarika, part of the Amangiri in Utah, America, is a treat for travellers who want more than the usual luxurious suite and private plunge pool. Set in dramatic North American wilderness, surrounded by stark canyons and mesas, the encampment offers more of a back-to-nature vibe than the Amangiri resort. Just a five-minute drive from the resort, it has 10 tented pavilions, and as expected from luxe hotel group Aman, no expense has been spared to keep things plush and swanky. The spacious one- and two-bedders offer unobstructed views of the surrounding desert, and include separate living and dining areas, large terraces with firepits and heated plunge pools. As the camp is surrounded by national parks and the Navajo Nation reservation, guests can also go on guided desert and mountain hikes as well as canyon expeditions. There’s even a bespoke Sarika via ferrata route to check out. Visit aman.com.
BY STACEY RODRIGUES
