I Dream of a Dacha

I‘ll never forget the first time I watched Dr. Zhivago and the chills it sent down my spine as Yuri and Lara walked into their abandoned ice palace; the winter dacha of the Varykino estate. I haven’t been to Russia yet, but I dream of it; of boarding the Trans-Siberian Railway, travelling deep into mother Russia, blanketed…

All Aboard the Ghost Ship Hotel of Koh Chang

While most sun-seekers are happy sipping cocktails on a beach while relaxing on holiday, you’re more likely find me trekking through the overgrowth in my flip flops looking for an abandoned site, courtesy of an internet tip-off, determination and a bit of explorer’s luck. Now, if I could just get myself a ticket to the island of Koh Chang in Thailand…

You’re invited to an Otherworldly Dinner Party

This seemingly infinite white table emerging from the ocean waves stopped me in my internet-scouring tracks today. I had to know. Is this real? And if so, how do I get invited? The origin of the photo was not cited but it didn’t take me long to track down its source and discover that not only is this otherworldly…

Stepping back in Time to a Jazz Age Lawn Party

Can you imagine anything more delightful than sailing from Manhattan, and heading for an uninhabited island filled with the ghostly remnants of a deserted army base; and once there, to step back in time to an authentic lawn party from the Jazz Age ? To dress in white linens, sip exquisite cocktails, and dance the…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. DLV)

1. Julie d’Aubigny, a French bisexual opera-singing sword fighter Julie d’Aubigny, aka “La Maupin” led a life so wild – complete with duels, grave-robbing and burning convents – that she had to be pardoned by the king not once, but twice. Known as one of history’s greatest rascals, she performed regularly with the Opéra, first singing as a soprano, and…

The Vault

Don’t be a Tourist in Provence: A Weekend Guide

How easily I could slip back into my sleepy Provence, to a village called Vers, next to the Roman aqueduct I used to swim under, near the medieval town of Uzès where my mother bought our vegetables, in a garden where an imagination could run wild. I’ll find my way back, with silver hair and…

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The Miserable Mansions of Montserrat

We’re following up on a previous adventure today. Do you remember visiting the AIR recording studios the other week; one of the most prolific studios in music history which is now rotting away on a Caribbean island? Urban explorer Shane Thoms took us along on his journey with him to Monserrat in the West Indies, where…

Here’s Someone Selling a Belle Epoque Chateau on the French Version of Craigslist

I‘ve been keeping a watchful eye on the monumental Château d’Aubiry since it first hit the market in 2011; a stunning 1500m2 Art Nouveau palace complete with Gustave Eiffel-designed greenhouses situated within a 12 acre park. I was taken aback this morning however, upon discovering that the property is now being peddled for nearly half the price on Le…

A Brief Compendium of the Most Excellent Walls

In my ideal home, if I had enough wall space (and enough of a budget), each and every room would probably have walls like the ones in this post. This is exactly what it says on the tin, a brief compendium of the most excellent walls, found on the internet, compiled here for my own decorating daydreams… At the Ettore…

20 Wendy Houses for the Peter Pan in You

Some of you may find this article choice a little too “twee”, but I can’t even help myself. I want a Wendy House. Better yet, I want someone to build me a Wendy House. Before we get started, let’s just be clear on what exactly a Wendy House is. Made for Wendy Darling in J. M. Barrie’s play, Peter…