An Ode to Living and Gathering in Nature A picnic on the beach. Cocktails and a snack at sunset. Sharing a potluck meal around the fire, and letting the night drift lazily along in the pleasures of roasting marshmallows and swapping stories. Getting together in nature, with food and drink, is among the most restorative rituals we can experience, fostering a kind of intimacy and ease that's rare in any other setting. Al Fresco, with its fresh, delicious recipes and unexpected ideas, its tips for exploring new ways to get outdoors, its interviews with dozens of kindred spirits, is an inspiring and beautiful playbook for anyone who wants to spend more time outside with friends and family. The credo is simple: Nature opens us up to ourselves, and the food we share opens us up to each other.

Wabi-Sabi Welcome applies the basic principles of the wabi-sabi aesthetic to modern entertaining. It's about being ! attentive to your guests (listen without being distracted; unplug), creating a welcoming environment (leave the door unlocked; make time to be together), choosing modest decor (dishes and furniture made from materials that endure, such as wood or clay), decorating with nature (with an emphasis on foraged, not store-bought, blooms), finding beauty in imperfections (wrinkled linen napkins, along with a relaxed attitude about late-coming guests), and much more. The book is organised into chapters of five locations - Japan, Denmark, California, France, and Italy - places where the approach to home decor and entertaining best reflects wabi-sabi principles. The book is complete with lush photography and practical checklists.