The Joy And Beauty List

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I wanted to start a new series sharing the small joys and moments of beauty I encounter throughout the week. The first day of June feels like a good time to begin.

And I’m a bit of a nerdy list lover, so a running list of 5-7 joys and beauties will be fun for me. In an ideal world, I would publish it every week. Realistically, it may be every other week, but we’ll see what happens.

The inspiration for this comes partly from the response to The Joy List, which I published earlier this year, and partly from a desire to share something smaller and more frequent. Think of this as a collection of things that caught my eye, made me smile, sparked my curiosity, or reminded me to slow down and appreciate the world around me.

Last May, I gave myself a small assignment: to look around my home and my city and photograph things I found beautiful. It became an exercise in paying attention, in learning to look more closely, and in realizing how much beauty already existed around me once I took the time to notice it.

My hope is that this series continues that practice in smaller, more digestible bites. It’s a reminder to stay curious, to keep looking, and to celebrate the little joys and beauties that make everyday life richer.

P.S. The Joie Review isn’t going anywhere. I know yall like that newsletter too. Those posts simply take a bit longer to put together, so in between them, I’ll be sharing these lists.

1. New beauties in Venice

I went to Venice for the first time in March and have been itching to return ever since. It is such a uniquely beautiful city. The history, the canals, the faded grandeur everywhere... total love at first sight.

Sadly, the day after I left, two places I desperately want to visit officially opened. Now I’m hoping I can find an excuse to squeeze in another four-day trip before autumn.

The first is the Fondazione Dries Van Noten, whose inaugural exhibition is titled The Only True Protest Is Beauty. I cannot love that phrase more. As someone who spends a lot of time thinking and writing about both beauty and joy, the title really resonated with me. I happen to think joy is a form of protest too, and beauty has a remarkable ability to lift our spirits and fill us with hope, curiosity, and wonder. For now, I’ll be living vicariously through the gorgeous photos circulating online.

The second is the newly opened Orient Express Venezia, housed in a 15th-century palazzo and designed by my friend and design Queen crush, Aline Asmar d’Amman. I have long been a fan of her work and aesthetic, but this latest project is particularly stunning. The way she layers history and contemporary design while maintaining her signature romantic, poetic sensibility is something I deeply admire. It’s glamorous, slightly theatrical, and pure perfection.

You can read about the hotel in AD here and just get lost in the beautiful photos on both their websites.

You can read this article in AD for more about it the Orient Express.

You can drool over the images of the Fondazione here on their website or on their Instagram account here.

2. A Jardin Remarquable

I was recently invited to an award ceremony at Domaine de Primard, where the gardens of Catherine Deneuve’s former country home were awarded the prestigious Jardin Remarquable distinction.

The tour of the grounds was a treat, but the highlight of the day was the head gardener’s speech. He became emotional as he spoke about his love for the garden, sharing that he is deeply sensitive to light, wind, and the changing seasons. He thanked Madame Deneuve for leaving behind a legacy he felt honored to care for and spoke about how much the garden had given him over the years.

I was really moved to hear someone speak about what the garden had given him in return. It made me think about how beauty isn’t always something we simply look at. Sometimes it changes us, comforts us, and gives us more than we expect.

As a Jardin Remarquable, the gardens are open to the public and well worth a visit.

Domaine de Primard website
Info about the day pass here
More info about the gardens here

3.Morning Rituals

As I’ve been interviewing people for my next book, I’ve started to notice a few common threads. One of them is that almost everyone seems to be fiercely protective of their morning rituals.

One woman told me that every morning she prepares breakfast for herself and serves it on a silver tray. Then she rounds up her newspapers and magazines before settling into bed or onto her sofa for a quiet moment. Another interviewee told me he must have his tea, water his plants and flowers, and spend some time reading before doing anything else. Both told me their morning rituals are non-negotiable.

Then, while flipping through House & Garden, I came across an editorial about the return of breakfast. Perhaps it’s time I got more serious about a few non-negotiable morning rituals of my own and make sure a silver platter is involved.

4. Mary Oliver Mania

Can’t wait for this documentary to drop later this Summer. I only fell in love with her poetry after she passed when my sister-in-law introduced me to her work, but I fell hard.

5. Artist or Artisan

Another thing I learned while out in the field researching my next book is there is a difference between an artist and an artisan. At least according to one gilder I met during the Journée European de Metiers d’Art (JEMA), where artisans open their studios for you to learn about their work.

This guy explained that before the nineteenth century, the distinction wasn’t so clear. Today, we tend to think of artists as people who create from their own emotions and vision, while artisans create on commission for clients. By that definition, even Leonardo da Vinci and Hyacinthe Rigaud are considered artisans. Much of their work was commissioned, and created according to a patron’s wishes rather than solely their own.

The gilder also pointed out that many of theses great masters worked with teams of assistants and apprentices.

I am sure there are many ways to debate his argument, but I found it fascinating and have been thinking about it ever since.

And if you missed JEMA, don’t worry. On June 13, the Cour de l’Industrie in the 11th arrondissement will celebrate the Fête de la Troll, opening its workshops to the public once again. This time you’ll not only get to meet the artisans, but also purchase some of their creations tax free.

6. Some beautiful words

Spotted this quote on The Moon Lists substack by Sister Corita Kent, who I am not familiar with but went on a deep dive. Wow.

Hope you enjoy these little lists and will be back with another one soon.