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Creativity or Control? It’s Up To Us..

Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

Recently we spent time with beautiful friends in Connecticut where we visited Grace Farms, an incredible sanctuary focusing on the principles of faith, nature, art, community + justice. The River Building, designed by Sanaa Architects weaves its way through the landscape like with a respect that bows ever so eloquently to the beauty of its surroundings. Experiencing such beauty amid the merging of two strongly existing worlds, that which is man made + all that is so much bigger than anything we could ever create, I couldn't help but come back to the idea of truthful creativity + what it means to me amid a world controlled so deeply by algorithmic commands.

Slower story telling where untreated vulnerability, messy kinds of beautiful along with the raw + exposing emotion of the creator is something I just love as a human; it’s something I can’t help but forever feel drawn back to as though a magnetic force is pulling me home. Expression where an over arching tale is portrayed through reflective narratives in the written word along with slower style aesthetics is something I feel protective of, especially now in this algorithmic world.

As someone who innately loves to create beautiful things + can’t help but understand the world around me + life in general through the detailed + potential beauty in the tiniest of places, the idea of algorithmic pressure is something I just can’t vibe to. I’ve been considering it more + more of late. The truth is, the way the algorithm works simply doesn’t allow for or encourage truthful storytelling but rather a specifically altered rendering of any such narrative so as to ensure the reward of further growth or recognition externally. The growth born of pleasing the algorithm is ultimately determined by this crazy (like it’s bizarrely controlling when you think about it) authoritative ‘thing’ that’s now so much bigger than us all; something I see as an aggressive discouragement of the beauty of creative processes. And while I really do get it, as certain parts of my own work very much plays into it’s now firm place in the world + actually relies on it’s power, it’s just such a sad reality that threads itself through absolutely everything now. Yet with a deep love of creativity, I seek to stop myself bowing to it’s being, for as I’ve found myself in so much self-doubt these past few years within my own creativity, always questioning myself + double checking as to whether I should share, what I should share, how, what time.. should I even share.., the self-doubt can be utterly crippling. I no longer want to feel paralysed by that incapacitating reality that the algorithm has been in some way subconsciously been controlling my creative flow. And so I stop myself. For real this time. Because the reality is, it’s here, existing with a very firm presence in our everyday world now. And it will continue to reward those who satisfy its demands; demands that, once fed + nurtured, grants itself even more control over us as individuals. Yet, in true me style, I just can’t help but question, what the actual F was I thinking letting that fear stop me from creatively expressing myself, unencumbered + with the self authority I hold in so many other parts of my being.

Creating to me is about the process not how fast it will be consumed or how many times it will be viewed. We are all creative beings, each of us communicating in various ways every single day; it’s the simple idea of bringing something into existence that wasn’t previously there. That is creation. And while I’m in no way saying that dancing on TikTok isn’t creative, as it very much is, it’s the idea that what we create + how we share it is now so strongly, however subconsciously, dictated by the algorithm + how it’s established a new ‘normal’ of the human attention span in recent years. Continuing to create to it’s demands means we are fundamentally + forever changing our natural ways of expression. What becomes of that? Something that’s yours though, shared because it brought YOU joy or simply shared because it’s the only way you know how to express yourself - the only way to connect to the world is perhaps what we could come back to again? What if we just created + shared what made us happy again? What if we respected the time it requires to read something in long format? (Like heyyyy if you’ve taken the time to click through to this page + made it through to the end of this article). What if we held ourselves accountable to retain the attention required to soak up something beautiful, whatever it’s format, even if it is past the 8.25 seconds that the algorithm has now deemed our capacity for conscious observation.

I love seeing people create beauty - whatever the form. But the truth is I’m not so much a TikTok chick. I just can’t vibe to the continued fast paced scrolling it encourages, regardless of the reverberating sound of people repeating “it’s where the growth is”. But is it where the actual attention or long term work is that translates into a sale or a lifelong customer, reader, community member? I love what now seems like an old world approach to creation : beautiful imagery + shorter video, brought to life + supported by words that mean something to me. Maybe I’m showing my age but I can’t buy into the fast paced world of the more, more, more; the pressure that threads itself through every aspect of how we live now - be that for brand, content creators or just simply humans For a long time it’s felt so confusing, I’ve felt like I don’t fit into the world of content creators as they grow from strength to strength within a world I know can often feel like a massive pressure.

But imagine if we created not for the reception it may receive or in order to place it within the workings of the authority the algorithm now commands but for what lights us up from the inside out? Imagine the world we might leave behind? I’m continuously exploring this as an individual + I hope that in reading this, we might do so together.

Visit —— GRACE FARMS

The Weekend Edit 05

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

The  PODCAST  // “The Retrievals’ is a podcast about dozens of women seeking to become mothers who all came to a fertility clinic at Yale. A (five-part) narrative series about the shocking events that unfolded there + the aftermath of a tragedy that should never have happened. Warning, it is really quite upsetting but also just feels important.

The  DOCUMENTARY  // Miss Americana. On a recent trip to the US I was indoctrinated into the world + obsession of Taylor Swift. I mean, I’d listened to her music before - her RED album - was deinfiely one of my on-repeat albums when it came out, but before this trip + seeing the concert of her ERAS tour in the movie theatre, I was simply a blazé fan from a far. NOW though, all I want is to listen to her music. Miss Americana definitely gives somewhat of an insight into her world + who she is as a person beyond the fame; a hard-working, badass, incredibly talented woman + I kiiiind of understand the hype now.

The  ARTICLE //  ‘Self-Respect: It’s Source, It’s Power’ by Joan Didion as first published in Vogue in 1961 + which was later republished as ‘On Self-Respect’ in her 1968 collection of essays, ‘Slouching Towards Bethlehem’. I’ve always loved Didion’s work + reading this piece from such an early moment in her career really solidifies how she was a talent from the start. I come back to it often.

The  MOVIE // May December. I loved this! And I must mention Priscilla, a really important portrayal of a woman’s story, especially of someone who’s truth was mostly shadowed by her husband, Elvis’s success + talent. I really love when women help other women give such far-reaching narrative to their stories, Sofia Coppola does this so excellently here. You can find my movie lists here : LIST I + LIST II

The BOOK // The Postcard by Anne Berest. One of the most recent books I finished + absolutely loved. It’s a true story but reads like fiction in the most humanly heart breaking kind of way. I absolutely recommend. You can find all the books I read in 2023 on my recent article HERE.

THE WELL-BEING PRACTICES // I’ve been getting back to my exercise really consistently lately which is something I absolutely love. Weight training is of great consequence for me, it’s the only way I ever feel truly in shape both mentally + physically.

I am also really enjoying ceremonial grade cacao most evenings at the moment. My dear friend Nichola of (athbhreith.le.nic) introduced me to the power of cacao a few years back + it’s been part of my world on + off ever since. Finding comfort in something compassionate at the end of the day can have a really impactful effect, bringing a positive moment of unwind + I often journal while sitting with my cacao. Nichola is a practitioner, trained by the OG of the ancient healing practice, Keith’s Cacao + also works as a breath-work teacher. I cannot recommend her work enough. A beautiful soul with a powerful healing touch. I also add Anima Mundi Ashwagandha to the mix - getting Ashwagandha into my routine on the regular really helps with anxiety + overall progress with my health. It acts as an adaptogenic working over time to allow the body + mind deal with stress. I get mine from Lemuria - another of my absolute favourite online wellness destinations. Think crystal paradise meets the most bliss edit of beauty + wellness brands for you to feast on.

The PLACE // Right now, it’s anywhere I can immerse myself fully in nature. I’ve been going for beautiful walks + forgot for a second of being distracted by work + life how much I just love + actually really crave time IN nature, like being fully in its embrace. Being there each day consecutively for a few, it feels like I’ve come home.

The BRAND // KOMI Studios is a London-designed + manufactured athleisure wear brand that I came across last year + is launching it’s new collection in the coming weeks which I cannot wait for. I’ve been so in love with the brands whole ethos + aesthetic, the founders integral understanding of the female body means the fit of all pieces, from the insanely slick one pieces + shorts to the tops + leggings are all just so on point, designed + created to utter perfection. The brand, until now has been on the more colourful side in it’s tone but the full new collection is all in black + I just cannot wait.

 

The Books I Read in 2023

Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

I’ve always been a big reader but in recent years I’d been fighting with myself to make it part of my world in the way it had once been so naturally the centre of my personal time. So my goal this past year was to read more books than I had done in 2022. A simple aim yet without the massively unrealistic internal strain I tend to put on myself around goals. And guess what? it worked. Without that massive pressure I made it happen by choosing to read instead of watching TV in the evenings (although I am definitely not admitting here that TV was not a part of our Winter evenings). And it’s been such a joy today to look back on what I read this year. So in no particular order of reading or most enjoyed, below is my 2023 book list..

What books did you read +/or love in 2023?

 

Gifts That Keep On Giving - A Wellness Gift Guide

Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

This isn’t your typical gift guide that people tend to share at this time year because, not to sound all righteous or holier than thou but I find the excess of Christmas + the consumerism around it to be quite upsetting. As someone who really considers what I purchase + what I use in my life, I hate the waste of things that not needed or wanted + the idea of gifting those I love with things I am only just hoping they will love or use. Also, let’s face it, most of us don’t need more ‘stuff’ so this guide is curated as I try to curate everything in my life with an evergreen approach + a conscious heart to shine light on the things I love + genuinely use in my everyday life that continue to give long after the wrapping has been recycled + the tree has been taken down for another year.


‘The Elevator’ by SISTERLY

The Elevator is a supplement I’ve been taking for several months now + can absolutely say I am feeling the benefits of. Admittedly they are a client of mine but I had started using the product prior to that becoming a reality so my love for the brand is organic. SISTERLY is a unique product, something that was created with immense consideration for what the female physiology actually need (and just as much doesn’t need) + is scientifically led. What I’ve really noticed a few months into being on it is that in coming up to my period my PMS is usually like fire, taking me down rabbit holes tittled "my life is coming to an end” + other sort of dramatics. And a few months in I’m finding the PMS isn’t PMSing so hard. I also find that my skin is clearer, my hair + nails stronger + my sleep is showing up as a deeper kind of sleep on my Oura ring which - let’s be honest, who doesn’t need a little more energy these days. SISTERLY is a female founded brand, brought to life by three incredibly intelligent, aware, progressive + kind Irish women who sought to produce the best foundational supplement that would speak to the physiology of every female body (over 18) + in working with the best of the best - Dr. Daniel Jones - they cut absolutely no corners in producing ‘The Elevator”

Subscriptions are available with many options with a 1, 3, 6 or 12 month offerings.

Give her the gift of feeling great — SISTERLYLAB.COM


A Voucher for Katie England Skin

This year while traveling over + back to London for my clients, I started seeing Katie England, the extraordinary facialist come all round beautiful human who.. let’s just say she KNOWS skin like no one else I’ve ever met. My best friend introduced me to Katie’s brilliance who, for the past number of years, has held a residency at the Nomad Hotel in Covent Garden, London. My absolute favourite hotel in the city too so it’s always even more fabulous going to see her. I’d been using various different products over the years + have always been a fan of certain brands, I was finding my skin wasn’t getting to be where I actually felt confident. And so with an openness to start all over again, I put my trust in Katie + we have been working on my skin each time I’m in London which has now become one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. As someone who has always felt incredibly uncomfortable in my skin, I am not joking when I say, I feel like that girl who actually glows when I come out of my treatment. I’ve never really truly felt that before. Thanks to BYONIK, Buccal + Katie’s mastery, I’ve been wearing no makeup some days + the progress I’m beginning to feel with my skin is all thanks to Katie + her magic hands + expert recommendations. Working with many different approaches, Katies creates bespoke treatments for each client depending on your specific needs + looks at the idea of gaining confidence in your skin with a long term strategy while giving you “homework” between sessions so that her work is even more beneficial when you’re in session with her. I cannot recommend Katie enough + for anyone you know who can book in while in London, this is the perfect gift that will continue to feel good for a long time to come.

Gift them confidence — KATIE-ENGLAND.COM


A Sound Healing Session with Audrey O’Connor of CORESTATE

You might remember I spoke about sound healing earlier this year as something that’s come into my life a lot more over the past year or so. Something that lends itself to the deeply reparative + therapeutic, this modality of healing has been around for thousands of years + is finally catching on as something of great importance + benefit when it comes to dealing with trauma + the every day levels of stress that we all tend to be under these days. My dear friend Audrey is a sound healing practitioner + has started a Monday Sound Club where each Monday evening you can connect with Auds on her virtual classes. She also hosts in person workshops in Dublin which are like enveloping your entire being into a vortex of relaxation, safety + beauty. Her energy is a stunning mirror of her soul + you cannot go wrong in gifting someone you love with a voucher for CORESTATE. It’s a soul essential + again, something that lends itself to feeling great from the inside out.

Give the gift of healing — CORESTATE.COM


 

October Musings

Life 02, Wellbeing 02Rebecca O'Byrne2 Comments

With a forward intention of beginning each month here on HAUTE so FABULOUS with an editors-style letter from me to you, a note on the theme of my thoughts, learnings, inspirations - a snapshot so to speak of each particular moment in time, I begin here today with my first monthly note in this Monthly Musings series. Thank you for being here, it is my wish that you find something that inspires you to feel less alone, something that - in whatever measure - enlivens your soul + evokes a sense of freedom to explore your own path more creatively invigorated. This is a place for me to learn + grow authentically, embracing all parts of me from the spiritually inclined to the Phoebe-Philo-launch-can't-come-fast-enough aspects of my being, in real time + where, most importantly, we can do that together.

I made it to my favourite reformer pilates class this morning + after a call with a potential new client, one whom I really hope it works out to work with as it just feels so Universally correct, I sit here writing this, cosy at home with the sound of raining pour heavily outside + my nice hot coffee (on tap) thanks to our new WILFA coffee maker which we are really loving. I might be one of a very tiny percentage of human beings alive who absolutely loves the fact that we are facing into what I consider to be the best time of year, the cosy promise of Autumn + Winter. I love this time of year + all that it represents; the assurance of restful hibernation + a nurturing safety blanket of intimate moments of home. The natural darkness or heaviness that comes with this seasonal change is something I find solace in while knowing, I guess, it will one day be brighter again. I find comfort too, perhaps, in the beginning + the end; the completion of things. Nature is confident in it’s inherently cyclical style of function + each season creates a trust with each rotation. Knowing nothing is forever is something I guess that lends itself to the ease with which we can deal with the shorter days + heavier mood of Winter. Also.. let me not forget a very serious truth too; that one little thing of the wardrobe - those who know me will know, I will take a winter coat over shorts ANY day of the year.

Something that happened me just this week was an experience I don’t know I’ve ever been even close to before. After a really positive work week where I met with new clients + continued on-going projects - both personal + professional, that dare I say.. I am incredibly proud of - I found myself, without an accustomed uncertainty that seems to permanently be fluttering around my head. Shutting my laptop on Friday post my final call of the day, it was with great calm + an internal ease I am not so familiar with that I got Winston (our fur baby) ready with his lead, popped my new BOOK into my tote (this STABLE one I’m loving) + without hesitation my legs somehow got me to the park where I seemed called to sit under a tree + actually relax to read my book. I understand this might seem incredibly basic + perhaps you’re thinking, wow this chick is so weird but for someone who’s monkey mind is in constant sh*t-chat at me that I should be doing this, that or the other, being productive at all times of the day, I found myself somewhat astonished at the level of ease with which I’d gotten there + was actually very much presently there. It was without the usual guilt or self-accusations of idleness in doing something simply for myself that I guess caught me off guard. The inner tranquility I experienced really rooted me in the moment + I found myself wondering how on earth I’d arrived at this sort of serenity on a random Friday evening. A lot of things is the answer. It’s the compilation of a whole host of varying things I’ve been doing (or working to let go of doing) that brought me to that momentary inner peace, all of which I aim to explore more openly with you here. To know this peace in the simple things, to me, is to know happiness. And it reminds me of the idea shared with me by my coach from New York around ‘blissful presence’. Isn’t that what it means to truly be alive, to be blissfully present in this moment? Friday evening definitely made me think so.

It feels as though I have to in some way round this post off in a particular way or add in some links to things I’m loving or what’s on my Wishlist but for this month, just the above alone feels correct. This series is where, as I said, I can step into my explorative self as a writer + be the person I am in whatever that looks like at any given time. And plus, this very much challenges in me my inner critic that tells me something has to be perfect for me to begin. Well here I am, imperfect but starting.

What would you begin if the illusion of perfect didn’t exist?

 

Positive Productivity or Toxic Busyness?

Wellbeing, Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

“How are you?” Is a question asked trillions of times a day, one that has absolutely nothing to do with the activities of our daily lives. In it’s literal meaning, it’s intention is to find out how the person really is, how they are doing as a person. How many times though have you (I include myself in this entirely) answered with “oh god I’m so busy”. But busy isn’t how someone is doing as a person it’s what they’re doing.. and not too effectively so.

Almost to the point of breaking out in a rash, I find myself quite allergic to the culture that celebrates busyness or hustle. Western society is fast paced by nature, that I get. Yet at a very deep level in recent decades we’ve been seduced by the association of success along with a sense of deep self worth in how “run off our feet” or how hard we work. What is that though? What does busy even mean? Is it actually a badge of honor? I think not. It reminds me of the toxicity of the hustle culture, of how it used to be silently admired to sleep as little as possible. Just look up the #5amclub on Instagram + there is an endless ‘club’ of early risers under pressure to do it all before 9am. As an early riser myself, I love my mornings too + I definitely sometimes fall for the thinking that I must achieve a certain amount before a certain time in the day but why on earth do we believe that unless we’ve written a book, cleaned the house, walked the dog, exercised AND prepped dinner for tonight (and Jesus, this is just me as someone who doesn’t even have kids so kudos to all the Mums reading this) all before others are waking then, well, what are we doing with our lives? Come on people, chop chop! And perhaps this is all just me but it seems that unless we are busy achieving or doing something - most times, just anything, regardless of how productive it may be - we fear it might equate us with the failure linked to the dreaded idea of laziness or not being triumphant on the road to greatness. Dramatic no?! And man is it tiring.

In thinking about this deeper a lot overt the past number of years, I realise busyness for me is often more about being occupied rather than, despite it’s mask of deep deception, actually getting things accomplished. It’s a lack of self-care or prioritisation of what is actually your priority + instead simple an act in itself of nothingness. Within it, I know too there’s a whole rabbit hole on a lack of boundaries which .. well for me, is definitely one of the many work-in-progress things I’m personally working on. I notice in myself though, it’s many times simply a deterrent from what I’m meant to be doing or what direction I genuinely want to be taking or the things I wish to be implementing into my life. It’s a type of procrastination. And perhaps a distraction for some of us? When I used to really believe in the idea that I should be busy all the time without really knowing why other than it seemed to be what society valued, it was me running around more than anything. Filling my time with things that must get done + letting anyone take up my valuable time because god forbid, desire how busy I was no way could I ever say no to anyone. Very conceivably too I can see it was me running away from me. But that’s a whole other article. Finding a sense of identification in the busyness is unhealthy + causes a loss of that very important connection to self that a solid, happy + successful life requires. Furthermore, I’ve found myself really finding more meaning in my days + the work I do since developing my allergy to busy; in reality, the way in which I consciously choose to spend my time, not to mention the boundaries I put in place to allow for that really put a lot into perspective of what’s important. It’s about time management in a very structural way + for most of us, the idea of work these days isn’t as linear as it once was, especially, if like me, you’re a Millennial who works for yourself or that WFH life is the new normal. You get to choose. And thankfully, time now holds more personal value these days, something I’m very much here for. I’m aware this isn’t the case for everyone but at some level we can, or at the least seek to, structure our work around our life instead of the other way around. Let the hassle of the hustle go. Let’s value efficiency over busy - like what we can actually achieve when focused within a concentrated time? Let’s value the quality of the work we do rather than the perceived time we’re stuck grinding through what needs to get done. And dare I say it, let’s value the idea of LIVING for ourselves, for what we want to do + who we want to be rather than allowing our time or lives be dictated by + dedicated to others all the time.

Let’s be real too, nobody is ever going to say on their deathbed, wow what a life, I wish I had been at my laptop more or jeez, I really should have spent more time working - it will always be about the quality of how we decided to spend our time in this life, the people we loved + the memories created within it all, the places we were lucky to experience, the connections we felt + the moments of calm that brought us deeper levels of meaning + perhaps, the mots important thing of all will be the in we hopefully made those we met feel good about themselves.

Stop glorifying the struggle. Seek to manage your time more efficiently. Get productive with a focus. Busy isn’t a thing to establish your place or your worth in this world upon. You are worthy simply because you breathe. That is all it requires. And with that, I will leave it there. Something to think about + perhaps something, I hope, to remind you that what we pack our days with, how we spend the moments, is literally what makes up a life.

 

Interested + Interesting; Podcasts I've Got On Repeat

Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

CHANEL CONNECTS

Now in it’s third season, CHANEL Connects features global thought leaders, artists, + creators in a series of eight episodes released weekly. Devoted to the profound questions + conversations that shape culture today + define its tomorrow, CHANEL Connects pairs two visionaries in each 25-minute episode for an intimate conversation that interrogates: the intersection of technology and imagination, fact + fiction in autobiography, the power of collectives, cinematic inspiration, and more. CHANEL Connects fosters unscripted exchanges between brilliant minds at the edge of innovation on universal themes that touch us all.

LISTEN on SPOTIFY OR APPLE PODCASTS


TABLE FOR TWO with BRUCE BOZZI

For decades, Bruce Bozzi worked at the highest end of the service industry, managing his family’s storied restaurant, The Palm. And if he learned one thing, it’s that the best parties always end up in the kitchen. Table for Two is based on that premise, and on the friendships Bruce has forged along the way with some of the most well-known people in Hollywood, media, and beyond. Over the romance of a meal at one of his favorite restaurants, Bruce interviews a special guest and seeks to untangle the intricate web of power and fame. Tune in for Table for Two—like all the best dinner parties, it’s intimate, a bit conspiratorial, and a whole lot of fun.

LISTEN on SPOTIFY or APPLE PODCASTS


MORE THAN ONE THING

More Than One Thing will pull back the curtain on successful creatives whose journeys appear seemingly perfect. They are not. No one, if they are being truthful, has it all figured out. I want to highlight those multi-hyphenates who are open enough to share their grit. Through a series of interviews, More than One Thing reveals how each guest broke societal norms, found a way to climb outside that perfectly packaged box of expectations and found success in not just one thing, but many. This is a place for advice on how to design your dream life.

LISTEN on SPOTIFY or APPLE PODCASTS


AIRMAIL MORNING MEETING

Morning Meeting is where AIR MAIL’s Ashley Baker and Michael Hainey take you inside the stories people are talking about this week—and tip you off to the ones the editors are talking about for next week. We cover the people shaping your world that you want to know more about (and more often the stuff they don’t want you to know about). And we talk with friends of AIR MAIL—writers, reporters, and style-setters. So listen in every Saturday as Morning Meeting brings you what’s new and exciting from the world of AIR MAIL. 

LISTEN on SPOTIFY or APPLE PODCASTS


 

The Weekend Edit 05

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

The  T H O U G H T  // “Let go or be dragged” - someone very smart said this to me recently + it’s wisdom really settled into my being. We can hold on to the things that have been but it’s a choice as it comes with the understanding that in holding on to them they can, + most likely will, continue to effect us at a very conscious + deeply subconscious level. The effects of old shit trapped in our bodies can do untold damage too, both to our physical + mental well-being. OR as another choice (however uneasy it can feel at times) we can let it go of what no longer really matters or serves us in our current direction in life so as to become a more empowered version of ourselves; living + loving with freedom of what has happened. I love the idea of holding agency over our inner world + the fact that in choosing to let go of things, we choose autonomy over every aspect of our world that we have the power to direct.

The  P O D C A S T  // “The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling’ is an audio documentary that examines some of the most contentious conflicts of our time through the life and career of the world’s most successful author. In conversation with host Megan Phelps-Roper - author of the incredible book Unfollow which I also recommend if you haven’t already read it, J.K. Rowling speaks with unprecedented candor + depth about the controversies surrounding her—from book bans to debates on gender and sex. The series also examines the forces propelling this moment in history, through interviews with Rowling’s supporters and critics, journalists, historians, clinicians + more.

The  D O C U M E N T A R Y  // Jane Fonda In Five Acts. I’ve always held such admiration for Jane Fonda. She’s lived a life of immense self-truth, resilience + embodied a remarkable fight for justice on things that might not immediately impact her world yet do the life of others in ways unimaginable. Her activist work has been unparalleled in any other celebrity in the past 100 years + this documentary really helps you get to know not just that part of her life but the story of her personal life, relationships + motherhood.

The  A R T I C L E //  ‘The fashion magazine on the front line’ by Jo Ellison of the FT who speaks of + with the newly appointed editor of Ukranian Vogue, Venya Brykalin who brings to light the reality of fashion + what it means for any given time : to tell the story + inform on the really happenings of culture at any given time; something that is often all too lost now in the age of logos, logos, logos + the tackiness of what the majority of fashion has evolved into.

The  M O V I E // War Pony. I’ve had a slight girl-crush on Riley Keogh for forever. And when she recently starred in Daisy Jones + The Six I must admit, the crush only deepened. War Pony is her directorial debut + tracks the lives of two young Indigenous men while cementing Riley Keough + her directorial partner in the project Gina Gammell, as serious talents to watch.

The B O O K // The Colony by Audrey Magee. There are few words but to say wow. I truly adored this book + highly hiiiiighly recommend. I literally can’t quite say any more than that as it left me in awe of it’s beauty + strength.

The  R E C I P E // Go Banana’s smoothie - the most simple yet incredibly nourishing + delicious smoothie I’ve got on repeat lately using Hush & Hush’s PlantYourDay Super Greens Protein Powder. You can find the recipe here at AGENCY FOURTEEN - super simply + such a delight.

The W E L L - B E I NG   P R A C T I C E // One of the things I’ve found helpful as part of my wellness routines these past few months is celery juice every day.  While I’m currently away on some summer travels, I am really missing it but when I’m home in my own environment with my juicer at hand, celery juice is a non-negotiable. It is great for reducing inflammation in the body, especially the gut, it is a great source of important vitamins + minerals + also improves digestion as a result of how cleansing it is to the gut. I absolutely love this addition to my daily routine.

The PLACE // The Hamptons. I’ve been going out to the Hamptons for nearly 20 years + I’m just back from two weeks there with family which was so much fun. I am in the process of piecing together the HAUTE so FABULOUS Hamptons guide so stay tuned.

The BRAND // Lelet, a stunning accessories brand based in New York is something of a mircale I stumbled across recently while in the city. Mainly known for their hair pieces, Lelet pieces are designed + created in the brand’s studio, all by hand, in NYC. Chic + very unique, a Lelet piece elevates the meaning of accessorising your fit whether it’s by day or by night.

 

The Weekend Edit 04

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

The P O D C A S T // ‘Brain Biohacking with Kayla Barnes’ - I’ve followed Kayla Barnes on IG for quite some time for her incredibly insight + empowering content around the human potential, biohacking + mindset tips. Her podcast is just as amazing in terms of the quality of conversation Kayla brings to the table while topped with the well-being industries masters in varying categories. I love her one with Dr. Zach Bush + another with Dave Asprey who is considered the godfather of biohacking.

The A R T I C L E // ‘ The Fall of the Success/Failure Empire’ by Sierra McDaniel of The Subliminal Shift - one of my go-to well-being reads + where I love to learn + embody more of my own wellness experience + path. This article is must for anyone in that awkward place where you know what you want + definitely what you don’t want yet you still feel the pull societal premises that work to dictate what success is. When really you get to define it for yourself. I found this an incredibly helpful read around self-doubt + feeling less alone in that realm.

The M O V I E // Aftersun. I went to see this in the movies with my Mum pre-Christmas. I’d been meaning to get to see it for quite some time + we just caught it before it finished in theatres. I knew it had gotten incredible reviews but I wasn't ready for how truly breathtaking it would be. It is the best movie I saw in 2022 - perhaps even in the past number of years. And I watch a LOT of movies. But by far it is the most raw, stunning + unembellished portrayal of depression I’ve seen yet. Simple in it’s unhurried + measured pace, the story of a father + daughter on holiday together during which time the father is experiencing a state of despair + despondency that ultimates clouds his view of every experiencing anything else - the hopelessness in those darkest of times. Beyond Paul Mescal + Frankie Corio playing father + daughter to absolute perfection, part of what I loved about it was the ease in which director, Charlotte Wells brings to life so beautifully + authentically the duality found in depression; where moments of reprieve can be found, laughter reached. Where one day can be somewhat ok + then it’s just simply not again. The misunderstanding that the existence of these types of lows is who you are at your very core is painted with unparalleled understanding. And yet, trapped in the feeling that the darkness never lifts, you become all of what it convinces you is all you’ll ever amount to. I cannot recommend this enough. I cried big time with this one.

The B O O K // ‘Nonfiction’ by Julie Myerson. This book is a stunning portrait of maternal love + the corresponding struggle as one woman’s past as a daughter + present as a mother comes under immense pressure as she + her husband work tirelessly to save their daughter who is lost in the grips of addiction + self-destruction. A beautiful yet difficult read but most definitely worth it.

The P L A Y L I S T // ‘Healing Hibernation’ by Helsinki Healing Arts Centre - a gorgeous one to have on in the evenings as you unwind or while doing one of your favourite self-care routines.

The A C C O U N T to follow // Casa Sol - a beautiful artist based in Cambridge, England, I came across her recently + am excited to work on a commission piece for our new home. Also, just a beautiful account to follow for interiors + aesthetics.

The P E R S O N // Right now it has to be Ruxandra Gheordunescu-Preda, or Rux as she is more commonly known on IG + YouTube. A dear friend of mine introduced me to Rux late last year at which point I immediately booked in for my first session. It finally occurred this week. A western Astrologer, Rux works with clients to “reconnect with their soul's intentions + understand the timeline of their lives” through the medium of Western Tropical Astrology. I am a lover of astrology in general, it is something I’m looking to delve into a lot more this year though to be ablate understand for myself. I follow certain accounts + have had readings in the past with a few other astrologers. But my reading with Rux this past week was phenomenal. So much of what she said resonated with me + made entire sense to my life + my self as a human. I cannot recommend her enough if you’re in the market for a reading. And if you’re not wanting to delve that deep on a bespoke level, Rux also has a badass YouTube channel Written in the Stars by Rux where you can find weekly astrology updates.

The R E C I P E // ‘Spicy Miso Noodles’ by Audrey O’Connor of CoreState. This one is on my list of meals to lovingly prepare for myself + my husband this week.

The W E L L - B E I NG P R A C T I C E // One of the things I’ve found helpful in my wellness routines this past year has been breath work. My favourite + the ones I seem to go deepest with are sessions with Nadia Josse. I came across Nadia about 18 months ago + I attended a few of her group sessions which she thankfully holds on Zoom as she is based in NYC.. + I quickly found a new love + understanding of the HEALING nature of breath work. I have since done 1:1 sessions with Nadia which are incredible as it of course allows you to specifically focus on what you yourself exactly need. but Nadia’s group classes on Zoom are equally just as powerful, her next one coming up is Sunday February 5th, you can book HERE to join.

 

Autumn Winter; The Best Shows To Watch

Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

It’s inevitable that Autumn evenings will begin to settle in over the coming weeks as school recommences + routine begins to take hold again for all of us after the antics of summer. With that unfolds the luxury of longer evenings for those who, like me, lean more toward the tendency for + love of hibernation mode + nights in devouring a good book, movie or TV show you can’t stop watching. As with everything on HAUTE so FABULOUS, I am not about trends or ‘what’s hot’ too much but rather things that last + so with that core viewpoint, I’ve compiled a list of shows I have loved over the years + that stand the test of time. I hope you enjoy + find something new to escape into. Let me know too if there’s anything I’ve missed..



The Weekend Edit 03

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

The P O D C A S T // ‘The Division'; New Orleans’ - The Guardian’s US southern bureau chief, Oliver Laughland, has spent the past six months following what happened when a progressive Black district attorney called Jason Williams was elected in Louisiana, the heart of the deep south. Jason had promised sweeping reforms across New Orleans, and part of that change involved opening up a civil rights division to look over old cases. Kuantay Reeder has been in Louisiana’s ‘Angola’ prison since 1995 for a murder he says he didn’t commit. Will the division be able to help him? - I ABSOLUTELY recommend this four part series.

The A R T I C L E // ‘How Collagen Actually Works’ by ARTAH

The M O V I E // CODA - I just watched it this past weekend, yes hands up I’m late to the party on this one, and WOW. It’s such a beautiful, touching, eye-opening portrayal of what it’s like, both, growing up a child of deaf parents + being deaf parents of a hearing child.

The B O O K // ‘Ruth + Pen’ by Emilie Pine. I picked this up at the airport this week en route to Italy to my bother-in-laws wedding as I loved - like REALLY loved - Pine’s previous book ‘Notes To Self’ a few years back + this another reason to love her work.

The P L A Y L I S T // Sunday Release by CORESTATE - this gorgeous relaxing playlist is a perfect vibe of night-time unwind to have on in the background as you slow-down after the day + step into the care + nurturing nature of your evening routines.

The B R A N D // Right now I’m really into (honestly, a lot of beautiful brands but today specifically) Artisan Lab. It’s a minimal sneaker brand I came across during lock-down. I’ve had two pairs myself + bought my husband some too. They are a director-to-consumer sustainable company, based in Italy that work with the most sought after Italian artisans to cut out the middleman + base their sales on a pre-order basis so as to not waste any unnecessary manufacturing. They are just as good as the Saint Laurent or Common Projects versions of minimal sneakers but without such a serious price tag. LOVE love love. Oh + side note, if you are purchasing, go down one size from what you normally wear.

The P E R S O N // This one is a personal one but my husband. We got married late last year + it still feels surreal to say “my husband”. I feel so grateful for him + his heart in my life. I am currently working on a piece about our wedding, which I’ve been super quiet about as it' just feels like such a precious moment to protect but I will share some images + a story around it all soon. Also, the moments we spend practicing gratitude for those we love bring so much joy to our days. I suggest to consider who that is in your life today.

The A C C O U N T to follow // Rachel Laxer of Rachel Laxer Interiors whom I recently connected with on a wellness retreat in Spain is a most incredible designer + her account is one of dreamy escape. Rachel’s clients span the globe + each project meets an unparalleled + arresting level of contemporary elegance + beauty, snapshots of which can be found on her IG account. Find Rachel @rlaxerinteriors

The R E C I P E // Preserved Lemon, Caper + Parsley Brown Rice Pasta dish by Phillipa Fern.

The M O V E M E N T P R A C T I C E // I recently had the opportunity to attend the most beautiful, restorative + invigorating wellness retreat, hosted by Artah. Part of the retreat was daily barre classes with Ellya Sam, the head instructor + trainer at BLOK London - a really slickmovment studio in London + Manchester. I had never done Ellya’s classes before attending the retreat but fell head over tippy-toes in love with her style of movement + her nurturing approach to the body as a whole being rather than just something to sculpt + tone. Ellya kindly shared a lot of classes as lives on IG throughout the pandemic which you can find on her own IG. If you’er in London or Manchester either, you can catch one of her in-persona classes at BLOK London or attend any barre classes at their Manchester location where she personally trainer all the in-house barre instructors. Find Ellya @ellyasam

 

Playlists,The WFH Edit

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

WFH (for those who ain’t down, that’s Working From Home) these days can be a rollercoaster of ups + downs, ins + outs + let’s be honest, time spent procrastinating on things that, no matter how long you push it out, still have to be done. Period. Also time spent hoovering, dusting + doing just about anything other than that which you’re ACTUALLY meant to be doing.. anyone else?? Yep thought so. Trust me, you’re not alone. So to help you through your days WFH style, here are some amazing playlists to carry you through from morning till cocktail, sorry, I meant 5pm. Same thing right?!


 

S P OR T Y + R I C H

Sporty + Rich is the coolest effortlessly VIBEY brand out there. Exclusive with their brand ‘drops’ - founder Emily Oberg is the ultimate IT girl + the originator of the Sporty + Rich unofficial mood board for life, something that once you’re in, you can never leave, it’s so good!

Compilation by Stella Hitsert.

Check it out here..

 
 

S I L O U L O N D O N

Silou London is a chic sustainable activewear brand based in London that I adore. Very much in the vibe of the brand, Silou’s office DJ put together some amazing playlists which the brand shares on Spotify. This one is the perfect WFH with all the chill vibes to get you in the zone..

Silou also has other amazing playlists for yoga at home, working out + cool downs..

Check them out here..

 
 

S P O R T Y + R I C H

Another great playlist from Sporty + Rich. It’s super long so can carry you through a good stint of WFH..

Compilation by Margherita Lacapra.

Check it out here..

 
 

A F T E R N O O N

Doing exactly what it says on the tin, this playlist is full of cool, chill-out jams that will take you through from lunch to cocktail o’clock without you even noticing..

Check it out here..

 
 

L O A D I N G …

A little more upbeat, LOADING.. is a VIBE in itself. Not much to say so just listen your day away + let it turn those WFH terrors into something a little more funk!

Check it out here..

 
 

M E L L O W .

Compilation by Stella Hitsert, this is exactly what it implies, MELLOW AF, giving you all the feels of good days to come.

Check it out here..

 
 

2 0 2 0

Upbeat + energising, 2020 is a cool (+ super long) compilation also by Stella Hitsert - a little bit of everything, it’s fun, fabulous + will keep you in good spirits the whole day through..

Check it out here..

 
 

D O G D A Y S

Described as ‘bike rides through the city on ht summer days’ this is a really chill one with enough beats to keep you motivated while still within the working from home zone..

Compilation by Meha Patel.

Check it out here..

 
 

1 8 0 0 H R S S P R I N G I N D O O R S

Another brilliant compilation by Meha Patel, this is the part where you can see, feel + smell that glass of rosé on the 5 o’clock horizon..

Check it out here..

 
 

S U M M E R B U M M E R

Full of Lumineers delights + those generally good summer vibes with the windows open, ice coffee mornings + feel all BOSS powering your way through your day’s work, SUMMER BUMMER is another amazing one from Meha Patel..

Check it out here..

 

Great New Reads, March 2022

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

What's Hot on Your Bookshelf, March 2022


 

‘PLEASE MISS’ BY GRACE LAVERY

A memoir of gender transition and recovery from addiction, a dance across genres, a ripping-up of the rulebook, Please Miss is unlike anything you’ve ever read before.

Grace Lavery is a reformed druggie, an unreformed omnisexual chaos Muppet, and a 100 per cent, all-natural, synthetic female hormone monster. How could her story be straightforward when she is anything but? The telling of her tale is kaleidoscopic, wild and audacious: Grace performs in a David Lynch remake of Sunset Boulevard and is reprogrammed as a 1960s femmebot; she is targeted with anonymous letters from a mysterious cabal of clowns; she writes a socialist manifesto disguised as a porn parody of QI(or is it vice versa?).

As Grace fumbles toward a new trans identity, she tries on dozens of different voices, creating a coat of many colours. The result is dazzling, unique and unforgettable. Startlingly funny and ruthlessly smart, Please Miss gives us what we came for, then slaps us in the face and orders us to come again.

Shop this title HERE


‘ANTHEM’ BY NOAH HAWLEY

America spins into chaos as the last remnants of political consensus break apart. Against a background of environmental disaster and opioid addiction, debate descends into violence and militias roam the streets - while teenagers across the world seem driven to self-destruction, communicating by memes only they can understand.

Yet the markets still tick up and the super-rich, like Ty Oliver, fly above the flames in private jets.

After the death of his daughter, Ty dispatches his son Simon to an Anxiety Abatement Center. There he encounters another boy called the Prophet. And the Prophet wants him to join a quest.

Before long, Simon is on the road with a crew of new comrades on a rescue mission as urgent as it is enigmatic. Suddenly heroes of their own story, they are crossing the country in search of a young woman held in a billionaire's retreat - and, just possibly, the only hope of escape from the apocalypse bequeathed to them by their parents' generation.


Noah Hawley's epic literary thriller, full of unforgettably vivid characters, finds unquenchable lights in the darkest corners. Uncannily topical and yet as timeless as a Grimm's fairy tale, this is a novel of excoriating power, raw emotion and narrative verve, confirming Hawley as one of the most essential writers of our time.

Shop this title HERE


‘THE HUMMINGBIRD’ BY SANDRO VERONESI

Marco Carrera is 'the hummingbird,' a man with the almost supernatural ability to stay still as the world around him continues to change. As he navigates the challenges of life - confronting the death of his sister and the absence of his brother; taking care of his parents as they approach the end of their lives; raising his granddaughter when her mother, Marco's own child, can no longer be there for her; coming to terms with his love for the enigmatic Luisa - Marco Carrera comes to represent the quiet heroism that pervades so much of our everyday existence.

A thrilling novel about the need to look to the future with hope and live with intensity to the very end.

Shop this title HERE


‘THE EMPLOYEES’ BY OLGA RAVN

The near-distant future. Millions of kilometres from Earth.

The crew of the Six-Thousand Ship consists of those who were born, and those who were made. Those who will die, and those who will not. When the ship takes on a number of strange objects from the planet New Discovery, the crew is perplexed to find itself becoming deeply attached to them, and human and humanoid employees alike start aching for the same things: warmth and intimacy. Loved ones who have passed. Shopping and child-rearing. Our shared, far-away Earth, which now only persists in memory. Gradually, the crew members come to see their work in a new light, and each employee is compelled to ask themselves whether they can carry on as before and what it means to be truly living.

Structured as a series of witness statements compiled by a workplace commission, Ravn s crackling prose is as chilling as it is moving, as exhilarating as it is foreboding. Wracked by all kinds of longing, The Employees probes into what it means to be human, emotionally and ontologically, while simultaneously delivering an overdue critique of a life governed by work and the logic of productivity.

Shop this title HERE


‘CURTAIN CALL’ BY VESNA GOLDSWORTHY

Milena is a Red Princess living in a Soviet Satellite state in the 1980s. She enjoys limitless luxury and limited freedom; the end of the Cold War seems unimaginable. When she meets Jason, a confident British poet, Milena is appalled by his political naivety and his poor choice of footwear. Still, they fall into bed together, and before long Milena is secretly planning to escape to Britain. 1980s London defies her privileged expectations. The rented flat is grim and the food is disgusting but she is with the man she loves and there are no hidden cameras to record her every move. But then Milena discovers that Jason's idea of freedom hurts even more...

With sharp wit and tender precision, Vesna Goldsworthy unpicks the failures of family and state. Iron Curtain is a sly, elegant human drama that challenges the myths we tell ourselves.

Shop this title HERE


‘FREE LOVE’ BY TESSA HADLEY

1967. While London comes alive with the new youth revolution, the suburban Fischer family seems to belong to an older world of conventional stability: pretty, dutiful homemaker Phyllis is married to Roger, a devoted father with a career in the Foreign Office. Their children are Colette, a bookish teenager, and Hugh, the golden boy. But when the twenty-something son of an old friend pays the Fischers a visit one hot summer evening, and kisses Phyllis in the dark garden after dinner, something in her catches fire. Newly awake to the world, Phyllis makes a choice that defies all expectations of her as a wife and a mother.

With scalpel-sharp insight, Tessa Hadley explores her characters' inner worlds, laying bare their fears and longings. Free Love is an irresistible exploration of romantic love, sexual freedom and living out the truest and most meaningful version of our lives.

Shop this title HERE

 

The Weekend Edit 02

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

The P O D C A S T // The Missing Crypto Queen. Dr. Ruja Ignatova led millions tojoin her “financial revolution”. Her ‘cult leader' status had people hooked. Then, she disappeared. Journalist Jamie Bartlett delves deep into the world of Dr. Ignatova’s criminally led world of greed, crime + the phenomenal mentality of herd following. I listened to this a while back + it had me hooked. This is a 9 part series.

The A R T I C L E // ‘What It Means To Be a Rebel Entrepreneur’ by Halyley at Made by Rove

The M O V I E // Swan Song. Directed by Benjamin Cleary + produced by Rebecca Bourke, both incredible Irish creatives, this is Apple’s big production of the last year + one that had me in floods of tears + deeply in love with the beautiful depth of human connections + the bravery of what it means to really love beyond anything else. Mahershala Ali delivers an astonishing performance + deserves incredible recognition for his portrayal of such depth of character. Also.. the set design + locations in this movie are literally my dream.

The B O O K // ‘To Paradise’ by Yanagihara. This is the book I am currently reading + if you loved Yanagihara’s previous masterpiece ‘A Little Life’, you’ll adore this just as much.

The P L A Y L I S T // ROADS February 22. The perfect, soulful chill to have on in the background as you get your weekend on.

The A C C O U N T to follow // Caroline Walls is an Australian artist who focused on the female silhouette in all of it’s beautiful forms. Her pieces are beautiful as in undertaking one of our personal projects in our first home right now, her work in high on my wish list.

The R E C I P E // Rhian’s Apple Crumble - This is a super delicious + nourishing delight to add into your life this weekend. Created by Rhian Stephenson of Artah

The M O V E M E N T // I have just started a five week digital masterclass with Camilla of The Practice + I’ve shared about Camilla’s energy + vibrancy before since I attended her classes in Stockholm last year but WOW.. you have got to check her out. I can’t put into words how deeply I connect with her vibe + am inspired by the energy she brings to the world.

 

Getting Married, A Personal Perspective

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

Perspective in life is something so subjective + entirely personal to each individual. It’s a unique frame of mind that forms from experience + something, that, in a heartbeat can change forever. Having recently gotten married to my Love, I’ve been reflecting quite a lot about the past few weeks + the lead-up to the day; a time that, on a personal level, brought to light the values I hold close to my heart + the deeply ingrained perspectives life has afforded me + us as a couple. Something, all these years later, I couldn’t be more grateful for.

Planning a wedding is a luxury in life yet SO many people kept saying to me in the time prior, “wow you must be so stressed”. I heard it so many times that I began to wonder, why am I not stressed? Am I supposed to be? Are we missing something?

As someone who comes from the heart on everything in life, I don’t wish to sound in any way unromantic but weddings themselves are an industry - one that thrives on placing a lot of pressure on couples to be perfect in every single way on the day. I’m not one to conform + yes people thought I was so crazily relaxed about it all but perspective kicked in big time + hey.. flowers are flowers. It didn’t matter that I only began shopping for my dress 5 weeks before the day + that it eventually arrived 48 hours prior to walking down the aisle. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful food even though we didn’t do a single tasting before. I didn’t need to book my hair + makeup a year in advance as I previously thought was mandatory for ‘bridal’. Nor did it matter that we only secured the most beautiful singer for the ceremony 36 hours before it. Things worked out; they worked because we reminded ourselves of what’s actually worth getting stressed about in life + happy times simply aren’t one of them. And while yes I’m known to love a chic aesthetic + I very much know what I like in that department - the truth is, simply being with those we love on the day was pretty much everything to us. My only one request of anyone close to me was that nobody got stressed about anything because, we all know, there are way bigger problems in the world than whether my dress fit absolutely perfectly or whether the orchids were the perfect white. Truly, I mean what a luxury it is to even consider such things at all.

There are things to get stressed about + there are things to enjoy + our wedding was one I chose, very consciously, to enjoy with all my heart.

This photo above was us heading to a family dinner the night before. In keeping a realistic perspective on the day itself + intentionally prioritizing it’s meaning - which of course is to BE married to my person in life - I found such a sense of immeasurable calm along with a deep excitement in knowing that I am actually with the person I love the most in this world, a feeling that lasts long after the 24 to 48 hours of celebrations that, no matter how perfect they were + how much we really loved every single second of it all with everyone, are just a touch in the ocean of forever with the one you love.

To all the ‘brides to be’ out there, I highly recommend letting go of any stresses you think are worth getting caught up in. It will all be beautiful. It does go fast though so grab every second with all your heart + remember, stressing about the little things means you miss the most precious moments of all.

Great New Reads, November 2021

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

What's Hot on Your Bookshelf, November 2021


 

‘MALIBU RISING’ BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID

Malibu: August 1983. It's the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over--especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva. 

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud--because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he's been inseparable since birth. 

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can't stop thinking about promised she'll be there. 

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own--including a guest she invited without consulting anyone. 

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family's generations will all come rising to the surface. 

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.
Shop this title HERE


‘THE EVERYDAY HERO MANIFESTO’ BY ROBIN SHARMA

For over twenty-five years, leadership legend and personal-mastery path-blazer Robin Sharma has mentored billionaires, business titans, professional-sports superstars and entertainment royalty via a revolutionary methodology that led them to accomplish rare-air results. Now, in this groundbreaking book, Sharma makes his transformational system available to anyone who is ready for undefeatable positivity, monumental productivity, deep spiritual freedom and a life of helping others.

In The Everyday Hero Manifesto you will discover: 

- The hidden habits used by many of the world's most creative and successful people to realize their visionary ambitions

- Original techniques to turn fear into fuel, problems into power and past troubles into triumphs

- A breakthrough blueprint to battle-proof yourself against distraction and procrastination so that you produce magic that dominates your domain

- Pioneering insights on adopting world-class routines that will lead you to achieve superhuman fitness and become the most disciplined person you know

- Unusual wisdom to operate with far more simplicity, beauty and peace

Part memoir of a life richly lived, part instruction manual for virtuoso-grade performance, and part handbook for spiritual freedom in an age of high-velocity change, The Everyday Hero Manifesto will completely transform your life. Forever.

Shop this title HERE


‘WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR A GIRL’ BY PARIS LEES

Thirteen-year-old Byron needs to get away, and doesn't care how. Sick of being beaten up by lads for "talkin' like a poof" after school. Sick of dad - the weightlifting, womanising Gaz - and Mam, who pissed off to Turkey like Shirley Valentine. Sick of all the people in Hucknall who shuffle about like the living dead, going on about kitchens they're too skint to do up and marriages they're too scared to leave.

It's a new millennium, Madonna's 'Music' is top of the charts and there's a whole world to explore - and Byron's happy to beg, steal and skank onto a rollercoaster ride of hedonism. Life explodes like a rush of ecstasy when Byron escapes into Nottingham's kinetic underworld and discovers the East Midlands' premier podium-dancer-cum-hellraiser, the mesmerising Lady Die. But when the comedown finally kicks in, Byron arrives at a shocking encounter that will change life forever.

Bold, poignant and riotously funny, What It Feels Like For a Girl is the unique, hotly-anticipated and addictively-readable debut from one of Britain's most exciting young writers.

Shop this title HERE


‘THE TRANSGENDER ISSUE’ BY SHON FAYE

Trans people in Britain today have become a culture war 'issue'. Despite making up less than one per cent of the country's population, they are the subjects of a toxic and increasingly polarized 'debate' which generates reliable controversy for newspapers and talk shows. This media frenzy conceals a simple fact: that we are having the wrong conversation, a conversation in which trans people themselves are reduced to a talking point and denied a meaningful voice.

In this powerful new book, Shon Faye reclaims the idea of the 'transgender issue' to uncover the reality of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society. In doing so, she provides a compelling, wide-ranging analysis of trans lives from youth to old age, exploring work, family, housing, healthcare, the prison system and trans participation in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities, in contemporary Britain and beyond.

The Transgender Issue is a landmark work that signals the beginning of a new, healthier conversation about trans life. It is a manifesto for change, and a call for justice and solidarity between all marginalized people and minorities. Trans liberation, as Faye sees it, goes to the root of what our society is and what it could be; it offers the possibility of a more just, free and joyful world for all of us.

Shop this title HERE


‘CULT FOLLOWING’ BY Bexy Cameron

Bexy Cameron was in her late twenties when the dark events of her past finally caught up with her.

Bexy was born into the Children of God, one of the world's most notorious cults. She was 9 years old when she experienced her first exorcism, held in a secret commune deep in the British countryside. At 10, she was placed on Silence Restriction, forced to be silent for a whole year. Even from an early age, she knew what was happening was not right. At the age of 15, she escaped, leaving behind her parents and 11 siblings.

Haunted by her past, Bexy set off on a road trip across America, embedding herself in the underbelly of religious cults, living with children who, like her, are born into the worlds their parents and cult leaders have created for them.

It is a journey of meth cooks, monks, Jesus Freaks, soap-making Armageddonists, surveillance vans and finally, confronting her parents and herself.

Shop this title HERE


‘SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE’ BY TIA WILLIAMS

Eva Mercy is a single mother and bestselling erotica writer who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning novelist, who, to everyone's surprise, shows up unexpectedly in New York.

When Shane and Eva meet at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their buried traumas, but also the eyebrows of the Black literati. What no one knows is that fifteen years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. While they may be pretending not to know each other, they can't deny their chemistry - or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books through the years.

Over the next seven days, amidst a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect - but Eva's wary of the man who broke her heart, and wants him out of the city so her life can return to normal. Before Shane disappears though, she needs a few questions answered…

Shop this title HERE


‘THE HOUSE OF GUCCI’ BY SARA GAY FORDEN

The rollercoaster fortunes of the Gucci family are chronicled in a fascinating biography of Maurizio Gucci that focuses on his murder and the sensational 1995 trial that followed.

Shop this title HERE


 

Great New Reads, August 2021

Life 02Rebecca O'Byrne

What's Hot on My Bookshelf, August 2021


 

‘EMPIRE OF PAIN’ BY PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE

The Sackler name adorns the walls of many storied institutions – Harvard; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Oxford; the Louvre. They are one of the richest families in the world, known for their lavish donations in the arts and the sciences. The source of the family fortune was vague, however, until it emerged that the Sacklers were responsible for making and marketing Oxycontin, a blockbuster painkiller that was a catalyst for the opioid crisis – an international epidemic of drug addiction which has killed nearly half a million people.

In this masterpiece of narrative reporting and writing, Patrick Radden Keefe exhaustively documents the jaw-dropping and ferociously compelling reality. Empire of Pain is the story of a dynasty: a parable of 21st century greed.

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‘ON EARTH WE’RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS’ BY OCEAN VUONG

International movie star meets the beautiful son of a millionaire. Their kisses write headlines and their fights break the internet. Nobody needs to know it's not real.

Win knows that Hollywood demands perfection - especially from a woman of colour.

Leo just wants to enjoy life, and shift press attention away from his dysfunctional family.

Together they control the narrative.

Except this time, on the shores of Saint-Tropez, Leo is hiding a secret that is about to send Win's world spinning. Now everyone's dream couple must confront the messy reality of their relationship. Just as they're starting to realise that they might actually be falling in love...

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‘SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE’ BY Tia Williams

Eva Mercy is a single mother and bestselling erotica writer who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning novelist, who, to everyone's surprise, shows up unexpectedly in New York.

When Shane and Eva meet at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their buried traumas, but also the eyebrows of the Black literati. What no one knows is that fifteen years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. While they may be pretending not to know each other, they can't deny their chemistry - or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books through the years.

Over the next seven days, amidst a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect - but Eva's wary of the man who broke her heart, and wants him out of the city so her life can return to normal. Before Shane disappears though, she needs a few questions answered . . .

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‘WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? CONVERSATIONS ON TRAUMA, RESILIENCE + HEALING’ BY BRUCE D PERRY + OPRAH WINFREY

Through wide-ranging and often deeply personal conversation, Oprah Winfrey and Dr Perry explore how what happens to us in early childhood – both good and bad - influences the people we become. They challenge us to shift from focusing on 'What’s wrong with you?' or 'Why are you behaving that way?' to asking 'What happened to you?'. This simple change in perspective can open up a new and hopeful understanding for millions about why we do the things we do, why we are the way we are, providing a road map for repairing relationships, overcoming what seems insurmountable, and ultimately living better and more fulfilling lives.

Many of us experience adversity and trauma during childhood that has lasting impact on our physical and emotional health. And as we’re beginning to understand, we are more sensitive to developmental trauma as children than we are as adults. ‘What happened to us’ in childhood is a powerful predictor of our risk for physical and mental health problems down the road, and offers scientific insights into the patterns of behaviours so many struggle to understand.

A survivor of multiple childhood challenges herself, Oprah Winfrey shares portions of her own harrowing experiences because she understands the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma at a young age. Throughout her career, Oprah has teamed up with Dr Bruce Perry, one of the world’s leading experts on childhood trauma. He has treated thousands of children, youth, and adults and has been called on for decades to support individuals and communities following high-profile traumatic events. Now, Oprah joins forces with Dr Perry to marry the power of storytelling with the science and clinical experience to better understand and overcome the effects of trauma.

In conversation throughout the book, the two focus on understanding people, behaviour, and ourselves in the context of personal experiences. They remove blame and self-shaming, and open up a space for healing and understanding. It’s a subtle but profound shift in our approach to trauma, and it’s one that allows us to understand our pasts in order to clear a path to our future - opening the door to resilience and healing in a proven, powerful way.

Grounded in the latest brain science and brought to life through compelling narratives, this book shines a light on a much-needed path to recovery – showing us our incredible capacity to transform after adversity.

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‘THE CHIEF WITNESS’ BY SAYRAGUL SAUTBAY ALEXANDRA CAVELIUS

Born in China’s north-western province, Sayragul Sauytbay trained as a doctor before being appointed a senior civil servant. But her life was upended when the Chinese authorities incarcerated her. Her crime: being Kazakh, one of China’s ethnic minorities. 

The north-western province borders the largest number of foreign nations and is the point in China that is the closest to Europe. In recent years it has become home to over 1,200 penal camps ― modern-day gulags that are estimated to house three million members of the Kazakh and Uyghur minorities. Imprisoned solely due to their ethnicity, inmates are subjected to relentless punishment and torture, including being beaten, raped, and used as subjects for medical experiments. The camps represent the greatest systematic incarceration of an entire people since the Third Reich.

In prison, Sauytbay was put to work teaching Chinese language, culture, and politics, in the course of which she gained access to secret information that revealed Beijing’s long-term plans to undermine not only its minorities, but democracies around the world. Upon her escape to Europe she was reunited with her family, but still lives under the constant threat of reprisal. This rare testimony from the biggest surveillance state in the world reveals not only the full, frightening scope of China’s tyrannical ambitions, but also the resilience and courage of its author.

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‘THE ECHO CHAMBER’ BY JOHN BOYNE

What a thing of wonder a mobile phone is. Six ounces of metal, glass and plastic, fashioned into a sleek, shiny, precious object. At once, a gateway to other worlds - and a treacherous weapon in the hands of the unwary, the unwitting, the inept.

The Cleverley family live a gilded life, little realising how precarious their privilege is, just one tweet away from disaster. George, the patriarch, is a stalwart of television interviewing, a 'national treasure' (his words), his wife Beverley, a celebrated novelist (although not as celebrated as she would like), and their children, Nelson, Elizabeth, Achilles, various degrees of catastrophe waiting to happen.

Together they will go on a journey of discovery through the Hogarthian jungle of the modern living where past presumptions count for nothing and carefully curated reputations can be destroyed in an instant. Along the way they will learn how volatile, how outraged, how unforgiving the world can be when you step from the proscribed path.

Powered by John Boyne's characteristic humour and razor-sharp observation, The Echo Chamber is a satiric helter skelter, a dizzying downward spiral of action and consequence, poised somewhere between farce, absurdity and oblivion. To err is maybe to be human but to really foul things up you only need a phone.


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‘THE PAPER PALACE’ BY MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER

Before anyone else is awake, on a perfect August morning, Elle Bishop heads out for a swim in the glorious freshwater pond below 'The Paper Palace' -- the gently decaying summer camp in the back woods of Cape Cod where her family has spent every summer for generations. As she passes the house, Elle glances through the screen porch at the uncleared table from the dinner the previous evening; empty wine glasses, candle wax on the tablecloth, echoes of laughter of family and friends. Then she dives beneath the surface of the freezing water to the shocking memory of the sudden passionate encounter she had the night before, up against the wall behind the house, as her husband and mother chatted to the guests inside.

So begins a story that unfolds over twenty-four hours and across fifty years, as decades of family legacies, love, lies, secrets, and one unspeakable incident in her childhood lead Elle to the precipice of a life-changing decision. Over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the world she has made with her much-loved husband, Peter, and the life she imagined would be hers with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn't forever changed the course of their lives.

Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace is a masterful novel that brilliantly illuminates the tensions between desire and safety; the legacy of tragedy, and the crimes and misdemeanours of families.

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The Weekend Edit 01

Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

The P O D C A S T // Fake Heiress. A partially dramatised podcast about notorious 'fake heiress' Anna Sorokin, about which I read the book: My Best Friend Anna. This is a 6 part series with 30 minute episodes.

The A R T I C L E // The Fall of Armie Hammer: A Family Saga of Sex, Money, Drugs, + Betrayal

The M O V I E // A Promising Young Woman with Carey Mulligan - I watched this this week + it is SUCH an important + brilliant movie

The B O O K // Klara + The Sun by Kazou Ishiguro. I am currently this, you can find my April book list HERE

The P L A Y L I S T // Butter. The perfect, soulful chill to have on in the background as you get your weekend on.

The B R A N D // Jennifer Chamandi. London based shoe designer Jennifer Chamandi is the ultimate in shoe chic

The A C C O U N T to follow // The Title. I’m getting married this year so this for me, is my total vibe. The perfect destination for


Great New Reads, April 2021

Life 02Rebecca O'ByrneComment

What's Hot on Your Bookshelf, April 2021


 

‘KLARA AND THE SUN’ BY KAZUO ISHIGURO

From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches carefully the behaviour of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass in the street outside. She remains hopeful a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change for ever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.

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‘ON EARTH WE’RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS’ BY OCEAN VUONG

This is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born. It tells of Vietnam, of the lasting impact of war, and of his family's struggle to forge a new future. And it serves as a doorway into parts of Little Dog's life his mother has never known - episodes of bewilderment, fear and passion - all the while moving closer to an unforgettable revelation.

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‘NOMADLAND’ BY JESSICA BRUDER

From the beetroot fields of North Dakota to the campgrounds of California to Amazon’s CamperForce program in Texas, employers have discovered a new, low-cost labour pool, made up largely of transient older adults. These invisible casualties of the Great Recession have taken to the road by the tens of thousands in RVs and modified vans, forming a growing community of nomads.

Nomadland tells a revelatory tale of the dark underbelly of the American economy – one which foreshadows the precarious future that may await many more of us. At the same time, it celebrates the exceptional resilience and creativity of people who have given up ordinary rootedness to survive, but have not given up hope.

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‘HOW TO DO THE WORK’ BY DR. NICOLE LePERA

As a clinical psychologist, Dr Nicole LePera found herself frustrated by the limitations of traditional psychotherapy. Wanting more for her patients - and for herself - she began a journey to develop a united philosophy of mental, physical and spiritual health that equips people with the tools necessary to heal themselves. After experiencing the life-changing results herself, she began to share what she'd learned with others - and The Holistic Psychologist was born.

Now Dr LePera is ready to share her much-requested protocol with the world. In How to Do the Work, she offers both a manifesto for self-healing and an essential guide to creating a more vibrant, authentic, and joyful life. Drawing on the latest research from both scientific research and healing modalities, Dr LePera helps us recognise how adverse experiences and trauma in childhood live with us, keeping us stuck engaging in patterns of codependency, emotional immaturity, and trauma bonds. Unless addressed, these self-sabotaging behaviours can quickly become cyclical, leaving people feeling unhappy, unfulfilled, and unwell.

In How to Do the Work, Dr LePera offers readers the support and tools that will allow them to break free from destructive behaviours to reclaim and recreate their lives. Nothing short of a paradigm shift, this is a celebration of empowerment that will forever change the way we approach mental wellness and self-care.

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‘GILEAD’ BY MARILYNNE ROBINSON

In 1956, toward the end of Reverend John Ames’s life, he begins a letter to his young son, a kind of last testament to his remarkable forebears. ‘It is a book of such meditative calm, such spiritual intensity that is seems miraculous that her silence was only for 23 years; such measure of wisdom is the fruit of a lifetime. Robinson’s prose, aligned with the sublime simplicity of the language of the bible, is nothing short of a benediction. Winner of 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

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‘LAS T CALL’ BY ELON GREEN

The Townhouse Bar, midtown, July 1992: The piano player seems to know every song ever written, the crowd belts out the lyrics to their favorites, and a man standing nearby is drinking a Scotch and water. The man strikes the piano player as forgettable. 

He looks bland and inconspicuous. Not at all what you think a serial killer looks like. But that's what he is, and tonight, he has his sights set on a gray haired man. He will not be his first victim. 

Nor will he be his last. 

The Last Call Killer preyed upon gay men in New York in the '80s and '90s and had all the hallmarks of the most notorious serial killers. Yet because of the sexuality of his victims, the skyhigh murder rates, and the AIDS epidemic, his murders have been almost entirely forgotten. 

This gripping true-crime narrative tells the story of the Last Call Killer and the decades-long chase to find him. And at the same time, it paints a portrait of his victims and a vibrant community navigating threat and resilience.


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‘ACTS OF DESPERATION’ BY MEGAN NOLAN

Love was the final consolation, would set ablaze the fields of my life in one go, leaving nothing behind. I thought of it as a force which would clean me and by its presence make me worthy of it. There was no religion in my life after early childhood, and a great faith in love was what I had cultivated instead. Oh, don't laugh at me for this, for being a woman who says this to you. I hear myself speak.

Even now, even after all that took place between us, I can still feel how moved I am by him. Ciaran was that downy, darkening blond of a baby just leaving its infancy. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. None of it mattered in the end; what he looked like, who he was, the things he would do to me. To make a beautiful man love and live with me had seemed - obviously, intuitively - the entire point of life. My need was greater than reality, stronger than the truth, more savage than either of us would eventually bear. How could it be true that a woman like me could need a man's love to feel like a person, to feel that I was worthy of life? And what would happen when I finally wore him down and took it?

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