While not exactly inexpensive, it deserves a Nobel-style award for restoring dignity to well-designed interiors.Ħ00g chicken thighs with skin on and bones removed, cubed into 4cm piecesĢ0g ginger, finely grated with the juice squeezed out (discard the leftover pulp) For all of us who can’t bear the sight of a living or hotel room dominated by a hulking flatscreen, this clever invention is a saviour for interiors around the world.
You’ll know that I’m not the most teched-up editor at Monocle and that I rarely get too excited by gadgetry (I often write this column on a Blackberry) but LG’s Rollable TV is truly something to behold – in part because it disappears so daintily. You’ll be seeing a lot more from them in the pages of Konfekt and Monocle over the coming issues. In the market for a new attaché case or leather golf bag or easy Boston bag for weekends? Arthur & Grace is a Seoul-based bag brand that has exactly the right good looks to become a proper luxury export. In case you’re hoping to put one under the tree, for the moment they’re only available in the South Korean market. I spied an olive-green model in front of the company Motorstudio in Gangnam and was tempted to stuff it into my tote bag. Hyundai’s compact new addition to its lineup has all the right angles and cute styling it needs to turn into a cult design classic. The crowd is a handsome mix of funky locals and the odd overseas adventurer.
This tiny, cosy institution in Itaewon offers up home-made South Korean classics all inspired by the owner’s mom’s recipes. The overall experience is so sharp and smart that it’s a masterclass in branding, interior architecture, clever merchandising and superb service all under one massive roof. The newest department store from the South Korean group is a must-visit for anyone interested in where the world of retail might be heading. In the meantime, here are a few key headlines from my 72 hours in Seoul. If you manage to pass by one of our Christmas markets I’ll be more than happy to give you a special viewing. Now, onto Seoul.įor the better part of a week I’ve been offering up mini slideshows to friends and colleagues who are keen to see what’s happening on the other side of the world. If you’d like to secure a copy you can order one from The Monocle Shop later in the week, and you’ll be able to find it on newsstands in key alpine resorts and Monocle shops around the world.
At this very moment a series of files are being uploaded by our printers in Konstanz and, by the middle of the week, Monocle’s winter newspaper will be coming off the press. If you’re around Marylebone, please swing by and we’ll sign books, serve up raclette and happily enjoy a mug of Glühwein or two.Īnd item three this morning is about the return of a much-missed title from our editorial lineup.
The full Monocle crew is on hand again today in London before packing up and heading to Zürich next weekend. It was so good seeing so many readers and listeners at our London Christmas market yesterday, particularly after a two-year gap.
The second bit of business concerns Santa, reindeer and superior retail. Also, we’ve taken on board the feedback from the Americas about our competition being rigged in favour of the Apac region so next time round (next week) we’ll be taking all the correct answers and then doing a draw. By now you have probably read or heard that my travels took me to Seoul (more on this a bit further down the page) and I’m happy to report that we sent out seven signed books to the clever chaps (sorry ladies) who managed to be the first to guess that it was the South Korean capital where my Finnair aircraft touched down. We start this last Sunday of November with a few bits of essential housekeeping.