Tat London Journal

When I went to Venice, I had one clear goal: to see the architecture of Carlo Scarpa. His precision, his feeling for materials, the way he connects the old and the new, it always fascinated me. And his projects in Venice did not disappoint. They are sharp, balanced, and full of beautiful details. But what I didn’t expect was that another place would completely change my focus.

I feel a dose of Christmas spirit is sorely needed. There is a distinct sense that cheer is in short supply on this island. But why, dear friend? We sit on one of the greatest pieces of land in the world and we are entirely capable of throwing a proper Christmas shindig. Several below prove the point in spades. Add to that a few excellent sales - a piece of Pinch for Christmas? What a delight. Or a slow circle around the Spotlight Market? Always a treat. And then, of course,

As you’ll have noticed, we’ve produced many a Christmas wish lists over the years. Those are ours, of course, but this season I wanted to ask a handful of women I admire what they would choose for Christmas. The obvious first call was Liz Elliot. For those not already acquainted, she is my mother, and has been at House & Garden for quite a while. I may be biased, but her CV more than bears out her reputation.