Celebrity Life

Nestled in the Texas Hill Country, Lake Austin Spa is a true sanctuary for rest and renewal. Situated in the midst of green, rolling hills, beautiful lakes, and sweeping views, it is the perfect escape, whether for a weekend or weeklong getaway. It has been recognized as one of the top destination spas in the […]

The post Conscientious Cuisine at Lake Austin Spa with Chef Stéphane Beaucamp: A Thoughtful Fusion of Nutrition and Flavor appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

Gonzalo Landin never intended to stay in Singapore, but a chance meeting with a friend turned into a restaurant, a bar and counting.

The post Scions of Style: How heartbreak pushed Gonzalo Landin to run Binomio and Set of Six appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Gonzalo Landin never intended to stay in Singapore, but a chance meeting with a friend turned into a restaurant, a bar and counting.

The post Scions of Style: How heartbreak pushed Gonzalo Landin to run Binomio and Set of Six appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Gonzalo Landin never intended to stay in Singapore, but a chance meeting with a friend turned into a restaurant, a bar and counting.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

Born in Bend, Oregon on September 26, 1972, Brian Malarkey is an American celebrity chef and reality TV star. He is best known as a [...]

The post Brian Malarkey Net Worth appeared first on Most Expensive Thing.

A bronze medalist of Bangalore University in India in 2004 for the Bachelor of Hotel Management degree, Chef Avin Thaliath went on to pursue an MBA in Human Resources. An educationist at heart, he currently serves as the Director of Academics at Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts, India. Having always nursed the […]

The post Meet Chef Avin Thaliath, Judge of India’s Top 100 Home Bakers Show appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

By now, your bosses and colleagues have probably seen more of your abode than you would've ever expected to show them.

With many of us working from home these days, meetings held over video conferencing apps the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become the new normal. Inevitably, this means letting colleagues into our residences — albeit virtually — and having them catch glimpses of it via our backdrop. Depending on where your workspace is located, this view could range from a boring blank wall to windows or cluttered bookshelves.

Your makeshift office may not be the most glamorous, but there are several easy interior design tricks that you can employ to quickly jazz up the background of your Zoom calls.

Textiles and cushions

If your workstation of choice is the couch or bed, all it takes is a few snazzy throw pillows wrapped in eye-catching fabrics and prints to provide visual interest in the space behind you. Consider dressing your cushions in the Armani/Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli collection, which is inspired by modern art — specifically works by Henri Matisse, Vasilij Kandinskij and Paul Klee.

It showcases striking colour blocks embellished with embroideries, ikat details and intertwined motifs. These are available in various patterns and shades ranging from pastel to neutral hues. More details here.

Houseplants and greenery

Adding houseplants to your home office will help the space look less spartan and bland. Smaller plants like cacti, succulents and spider plants can be displayed on shelves or tables, while larger ones such as philodendrons, snake plants and ZZ plant (Zanzibar Gem) can be placed on the floor to break the monotony of blank walls.

Online plant retailer Flora Houses offers a wide variety of houseplants that will thrive indoors and are generally low-maintenance. Its range includes Japanese fir, fiddle leaf fig and Bird of Paradise. The store provides free doorstep delivery with a minimum spend.

Artworks and paintings

Perhaps houseplants may seem like too much of a commitment, or you simply don't have green fingers. This is where paintings and art pieces make an easier alternative. You can simply hang a couple of them on the wall that constantly forms your video call backdrop.

An Andy Warhol or Basquiat will certainly impress your co-workers, but your art doesn't necessarily have to be expensive or by big name artists. Consider procuring artworks instead from indie galleries such as Odd One Out, which boasts an array of creations by local and international printmakers and illustrators. We can't take our eyes off the above acrylic painting by Micke Lindebergh, which is titled 'Small Yellow Flower Pot' and features colourful blooms accented by quirky squiggles and bright hues.

Statement ornaments and furniture

Inject a dose of quirk into your meeting setup by peppering your background with assorted decorative items and statement furniture pieces. These can be anything from figurines to colourful tiles and dramatic room dividers.

Our go-to is Lala Curio, which is a whimsical wonderland of objets d'art such as brass monkey sculptures, cloisonné birds, and, one of our favourites — an adorable trio of cranes adorned with rock crystal feathers and perched on crystal balls.

Wallpaper

Why settle for one specially curated work area, when you can turn your whole room into an Instagram-worthy space? Wallpaper is a bold and easy solution — if every wall in your room is clad in beautiful prints, you can essentially park yourself in any corner and still have an envy-inducing Zoom backdrop.

Designer wallpaper has seen a resurgence in recent years, and we're obsessed with Christian Lacroix's exquisite Oiseau Fleur vinyl wallpaper, which depicts vibrant botanical and bird motifs against a silk effect embossed base. It comes in two colourways of pink and grey.

(Main image: Brina Blum/ Unsplash; Featured image: Christian Lacroix)

The post Kitchen Confidential: Aleixandre Sarrion Blesa appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Fifty metres underground — this is the depth that local winemakers chose when they decided to store 10,000 wine bottles in the Aven d'Orgnac caves, an underground tourist attraction located at the southern end of the limestone plateau of the Gorges de l'Ardèche.

The experiment began in March 2018, when a new storage facility was specially created in a disused access tunnel to allow wine to mature in what amounts to a highly stable and peaceful environment.

A living product that ages best in undisturbed darkness, the wine will have benefited from ideal conditions: A constant temperature of around 12°C and an all-year-long rate of humidity of over 95%.

On December 12, 1,000 bottles of Côtes du Vivarais "Grand Aven 2017" from this treasure trove will be passed from hand to hand by a chain of human volunteers who will bring them back to the surface after two years underground. Thereafter, they will go under the hammer with a range of other local vintages in an auction with modest reserve prices.

Lots on offer will include 150 magnums of Terra Helvorum 2017 starting at 30 euros, 350 bottles of 2015 Terra Helvorum for as little as 15 euros and 350 bottles of Grand Aven 2016 from just 10 euros.

On land and sea

These days, experiments to store wine deep underground are very much in vogue in France. On June 3 of this year, 500 bottles were placed in racks at a depth of 103 metres in caves in Padirac under the watchful eye of Serge Dubs, the Best Sommelier of the World in 1989.

The first of these to return to the surface will be brought up for an initial tasting in the spring of 2021. And let's not forget that this experiment is focused on a very particular wine: A Clos Triguedina Cahors, christened Cuvée Probus, which has been produced to honour the 130-year anniversary of the Padirac Chasm.

Surprisingly enough, this new approach to maturing wine was initially inspired by a find at sea. In 2010, divers in the Baltic discovered a wreck containing what turned out to be a cargo of champagne, which was probably on its way to 1840s Russia.

The wave of experimentation that is now ongoing began when the bubbly, which was made by such houses as Veuve Clicquot, Heidsieck and the now defunct Juglar, was discovered to still be delicious after some 170 years under water.

In Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the French Basque country, winemaker Emmanuel Poirmeur has registered a patent for a process that involves vinifying wine in special vats at a depth of 15 metres under water. For its part, Leclerc-Briant set a record when it vinified one of its champagnes at a depth of 60 meters under the Atlantic in 2012, not surprisingly the vintage was christened "Abyss."

The post A Woman’s World: A Conversation with Chef-Owner Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

As a seasoned journalist writing about fine wines, gourmet cuisine, and luxury travel, people often assume I know or have heard about everyone in these industries. I am familiar with many notable chefs and winemakers, and I have visited numerous amazing places. However, when you consider the vast number of incredible chefs, divine beverages, and […]

The post Chef Juan José Cuevas – 1919 Restaurant appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

—A window into the illustrious career of New Jersey star chef Leia Gaccione and her popular Morristown restaurant, South and Pine in NJ. My first bite of Chef Leia Gaccione’s food was met with equal parts joy and envy. Admittedly, I didn’t want to like chicken and waffles as a legitimate entrée. I was much […]

The post Chef Spotlight: Leia Gaccione of South and Pine in NJ appeared first on VUE magazine.

Just walking into the Baccarat Hotel is a tactile experience on its very own, and when paired with a visit to the Grand Salon, it’s a match made in sensory heaven. Earlier this year, Culinary Director and Two Michelin-starred Chef Gabriel Kreuther unveiled his interpretation of an Alsatian-Inspired menu to be debuted in the Grand […]

The post Chef Gabriel Kreuther appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

F&B industry players look back at 2019 and what to expect in the year to come.

The post Food, glorious food: How will we eat in 2020? appeared first on The Peak Magazine.