Having just come through a decade-long drought, the east coast of Australia recently endured devastating rains and flooding. Aesop Brisbane was forced to close its doors, temporarily. Our thoughts remain with our friends, colleagues and customers there, and those in all affected areas as they recover. Meanwhile, Aesop colleagues in the northern hemisphere suffered another harsh winter, with no sign of respite. We are reminded, again, of how vulnerable we are to weather, and are indebted to those who help us understand these environmental extremes. We hope you are safe in your part of the world and encourage you to donate to the flood appeal.
LOOK
Through the February edition of Books magazine. This French-language publication is to be commended for championing the cause of print, focusing on intelligent, complex and often controversial work by established and emerging writers. It offers insightful analysis about current affairs and topics of the day as expressed through books. Think of it as the French answer to the New York Review of Books, with a broader international perspective. The February issue tackles the topic of madness and how it has been explored by some of the world's leading writers.
EAT
At 10 William Street in Sydney. This petite, two-level wine bar attracted glowing reviews from the moment it opened, partly due to its lineage – the owners also run Fratelli Paradiso and have a deserved reputation for good food and well-trained staff – and partly due to the delicious Italian fare and extensive wine list, written on blackboards since wines by the glass change weekly. We would like to thank them for opening near our Paddington store, so we can regularly indulge in bruschetta, cannelloni with mushroom and ricotta, and pistachio lemon cannoli. Go early in the evening to secure a seat.
VISIT
The Chelsea Physic Garden in London, England's second oldest botanical garden, founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries (the University of Oxford claims an older garden). The garden sits on the edge of the Thames and is home to more than 5000 medicinal and aromatic trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs. Originally established to allow for the study of plants in relation to health, the gardens have attracted the attention of many botanists over the years, including Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820), who donated seeds collected during his travels.
ENJOY
The latest addition to our skin care range: Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser. Dedicated Aesop customers will know we are strong advocates for correct and thorough cleansing, since even the best hydration is wasted if applied to poorly cleaned skin. Our Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser is a clarifying gel that offers the benefits of gentle exfoliation while it washes and softens skin. This remarkable cleanser, which includes Lactic Acid, Blackcurrant Seed and Licorice Root is suitable for all skin types and can be used throughout the year.
SHARE
Salman Rushdie's Luka and the Fire of Life (2010), the sequel to Haroun and the Sea of Stories (1990). Haroun, a fairytale written for Rushdie's son Zafar, chronicles the adventures of brave Haroun as he seeks a cure for his father Rashid, a professional storyteller who has mysteriously lost his ability to tell tales. In Luka, the unfortunate Rashid has a spell cast upon him by a circus master, and the task of saving him this time falls to his younger son Luka. Like Haroun, Luka is a tale that reminds us, in the most enjoyable way, of the importance of imagination, and finding success by following your own road.
DISCOVER
Cire Trudon candles. This French company has been manufacturing wax since 1643, so we suspect you've heard of them, and not only for their longevity and calibre of their clientele (the company supplied wax to Napoleon), but also the quality of their wares designed under the discriminating eye of our friend Ramdane Touhami. Cire candles are made from soy, rice and copra, burn evenly, do not drip, and hold their provocative scents. In October 2010, Cire Trudon opened a pint-sized store in New York. We look forward to our own store opening nearby.
LEARN
About French writer Ann Scott. Scott, the daughter of a Russian photographer and a French art collector, ran away to London when she was a teenager to try life as a punk musician, then worked for three years during the 1980s as a model, being shot for The Face, I-D and Vogue, and walking in runway shows for Vivienne Westwood and Jean-Paul Gautier. In 1996, she wrote her first novel, Asphyxie, inspired by Kurt Cobain. Scott has published six books, the most famous of which is Superstars (2000), a novel influenced by the techno culture in Europe.
LISTEN
To the works of Polish composer Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki who passed away last year, aged 76. Musicians fall in and out of fashion throughout their careers, at the whim of the public. So it was for Gorecki whose avant-garde compositions of the 1950s were deemed obscure by all but an appreciative few, before he found some success with traditional works in the early 1970s, and was relegated to the fringes by the late 1970s. In 1992, Gorecki re-released his 1976 Symphony of Sorrowful Songs which became a commercial hit. Later in life, rather than try to recreate this unexpected success, Gorecki penned work for the Kronos Quartet and London Sinfonietta.
WATCH
Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927), a film set in a world where society is divided into Managers and Workers, who live in above-ground luxury and underground misery respectively. When Freder Fredersen, the son of the city's ruler, follows the beautiful Maria underground he witnesses the terrible world of the workers. He is inspired to learn more and ultimately becomes the bridge between the divided classes. Following its premiere, this 153-minute silent film was substantially cut, and much of the original footage was lost for decades. In 2008, a copy was discovered in Argentina which was longer than all restored versions. After much restoration work, Metropolis is now as close to the director's vision as it has ever been.
'It will be found, in fact, that the ingenious are always fanciful, and the truly imaginative never otherwise than analytic.' Edgar Allan Poe