Stay ConnectedLife and Art from FT Weekend is the twice-weekly culture podcast of the Financial Times. On Monday, we talk about life, and how to live a good one in one-on-one conversations. On Friday, we talk about ‘art’ – in a chat show. Three FT journalists come together to discuss a new cultural release across film, TV, music and books. Hosted by Lilah Raptopoulos, together with the FT’s award-winning writers and editors, and special guests.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Copyright: © Financial Times
Welcome to the first episode in our special four-part series on design! Today, Lilah speaks with the FT’s longtime architecture and design critic Edwin Heathcote to talk about an often-forgotten element of design in cities. It’s called “street furniture,” and it describes the objects we pass every day: from phone booths and lampposts to manhole covers and park benches. Last year, Edwin published a book on this called “On the Street”, which elevates the small pieces of design that surround us on the sidewalk. He tells Lilah what he notices when he takes walks, and offers advice for how to see these details in our own cities, too.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email the show at lifeandart@ft.com.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– Edwin’s piece about street furniture for the FT: https://on.ft.com/49b0z0p
– Edwin’s book is called On the Street: In-Between Architecture: https://heni.com/publishing/on-the-street-edwin-heathcote
– Pieces from Edwin’s original series in the FT, published between 2015 and 2017: manhole covers // fire hydrants // telephone boxes // street lights // sidewalks // advertising columns // public benches
– We also recommend this recent piece by Edwin about Italian designer Enzo Mari, who hated the design industry: https://on.ft.com/4aQvWPp
-------
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
------
Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To celebrate the first signs of spring, we’re bringing you a special Easter weekend episode full of tips for spring travel. FT Globetrotter editors Rebecca Rose and Niki Blasina run our insider guides to great cities. They tell Lilah how to make the most out of a holiday in April and May: from where to go and how to pack, to tips on travelling alone, with kids, and with pets.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify etc!
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
Here are some relevant Globetrotter pieces:
– Five of Vancouver’s best ‘sea to sky’ adventures: https://on.ft.com/3PEKFVp
– A month-by-month guide to what’s on in Madrid: https://on.ft.com/49fbGFP
– The best ski resorts for a day trip from Tokyo: https://on.ft.com/43Ftito
– Lilah’s recent favourite Globetrotter piece is art critic Ariella Budick’s guide to MoMA in New York: https://on.ft.com/3VJ6FC2
– You can explore more from Globetrotter here (paywalled). They have food, drink and activity recommendations for cities around the world
– A dog-friendly hotel that Nikki recommends is the Fife Arms in Braemar, a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland
– Rebecca is on Instagram @rebeccarosegoes. Niki is @nikiblasina
-----
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today, Lilah and journalist Nadia Beard listen to two musicians play the same piece of music: one at 41 years old, and the other at 97. Nadia recently wrote about musicians who are debuting on major stages in their 80s and 90s. She came to this story after deciding to take up piano seriously in her 30s herself. She tells Lilah about the value of amateurism in adulthood: why it’s good to do hard things, and get better at them, even if it’s just for you.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email the show at lifeandart@ft.com.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– Nadia has written two pieces about this for the FT Weekend magazine. Here’s her piece about the wunderalten: https://on.ft.com/43tHZ2m
– Here’s her piece about returning to the piano in her 30s: https://on.ft.com/498oPjY
– Alexandre Tharaud’s rendition of Chopin’s Fantaisie in F Minor, Opus 49: https://open.spotify.com/track/6aZvn2GoPxfjGrbVNOG4ly
– Ruth Slenczynska’s rendition of Chopin’s Fantasie in F Minor, Opus 49: https://open.spotify.com/track/1HymJjBUGylCrHMxc9kPX9
-------
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
------
Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today we take on 3 Body Problem, the new buzzy Netflix sci-fi series from the creators of Game of Thrones. The show is based on Liu Cixin’s best-selling Chinese trilogy and is about humankind’s first contact with an alien civilisation. It spans timelines, worlds and dimensions. Lilah is joined by the FT’s AI editor Madhumita Murgia and work and careers journalist Emma Jacobs to discuss how well the show depicts our fears around advancing technology and how it fits into prestige TV right now.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify, etc!
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– 3 Body Problem is out on Netflix now
– The FT’s review by Dan Einav is here: https://on.ft.com/3vlGlTZ
– Madhu’s book is called Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI and is out this week in the UK and in June in the US. You can pre-order it here or at your retailer of choice. It’s been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non Fiction.
– You can check out Emma’s writing here. We loved this piece on the Willy Wonka experience — and how it’s reflective of the ‘overpromise and underdeliver’ mentality of the British: https://on.ft.com/49Z7xqz.
– Emma is on X @emmavj. Madhu is at @madhumita29.
More or Less:
– Madhu wants to see more writing by women on subjects including science, tech and philosophy. She recommends Doppelganger by Naomi Klein. You can check out the full Women’s Prize non-fiction longlist here.
– Emma wants to see more short TV. She recommends Mr & Mrs Smith on Amazon Prime, and Swedish-language show Tore on Netflix.
– Lilah wants more exploring the enclaves of your cities. Follow her on Instagram to read her Globetrotter piece in a few weeks.
A previous version of this podcast mentioned that an episode is set in the 10th dimension. A chapter of the trilogy is, but not an episode of the show.
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today we’re sharing an episode from a food podcast that we think you might like called The Sporkful, hosted by Dan Pashman. A few years ago, Dan invented a new pasta shape called cascatelli. It went viral and was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Inventions of the Year in 2021. Dan’s first cookbook, called Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Recipes for Saucy People, will be released on March 19. And today, we’re bringing you the first in his four-part series about the making of the book.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify etc.
-------
Links
– You can find episodes 2, 3 and 4 of The Sporkful's Anything’s Pastable series here or wherever you get your podcasts
– Dan’s book, Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Recipes for Saucy People, is out on March 19
-----
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In his new documentary High and Low, Academy-award winning director Kevin Macdonald focuses on John Galliano, the one-time enfant terrible of fashion. Known for dazzling collections and a personal penchant for wearing pirate outfits, Galliano led the House of Dior from 1997 to 2011. He then “lost it all” when a series of videos surfaced showing him making drunken racist and antisemitic remarks – though that’s just one version of the story. In fact Galliano became creative director of Margiela in 2014, just three years after his “cancellation”. Lilah is joined by HTSI’s assistant editor Louis Wise and the FT’s junior fashion editor Annachiara Biondi to talk about ‘High and Low’, and how the fashion industry handles stars that do bad things.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify etc.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– High and Low: John Galliano is out now
– Our fashion editor Carola Long’s interview with director Kevin Macdonald is here: https://on.ft.com/3wSTgx0
– The FT’s review of High and Low, by Jonathan Romney: https://on.ft.com/3Ti6B9C
– You can follow Louis Wise on X @louismwise and Instagram @louisquinze.
– Annachiara Biondi is on X @annachiara_b and on Instagram @instapini_
More or Less:
– Annachiara wants more spoken word from artists such as British-Palestinian Tasneim Zyada. You can check out Tasneim’s work on Instagram @tasneimzyada
– Louis would like to see more films that are like “extended perfume adverts”, such as Dune: Part Two. Look in our feed for our Friday culture chat about Dune Two.
-----
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
-------
Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clip courtesy of Mubi.
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We think of fashion and reading as almost polar opposites: one is about creating an image, the other a kind of internal journey. But a number of recent fashion collections have been inspired by books, including by Hanya Yanagihara, Edgar Allan Poe, and Agatha Christie. Fashion brands are producing literature podcasts and hosting salons. And in interior design, TikTok’s latest trend is bookshelf wealth. On today’s episode, writer Simon Chilvers talks us through what’s behind the rise of literary fashion.
Links:
– Simon Chilvers’ piece, ‘Fashion’s Love For Literature’: https://on.ft.com/3Iu1vlD
– And another great piece by Simon on fashion in literature: https://on.ft.com/48HiqMd
– ‘Bookshelf wealth is the oldest decorating trick in the book’: https://on.ft.com/49K2dYb
– Simon is on Instagram @schilvers3 and X @simonchilvers
– Simon also wants to see the fashion world embracing author Deborah Levy and Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux. You can read the FT’s lunch with Deborah Levy here. And an interview with Annie Ernaux here.
-----
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
-------
Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco.
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we talk about the new film Dune: Part Two. A star-studded epic featuring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and more. It’s the second instalment in the Dune franchise, based on the book by Frank Herbert and directed by Denis Villeneuve. The FT’s global business columnist Rana Foroohar, an avid Dune fan, and associate editor Stephen Bush join guest host Katya Kumkova to talk through it. Is watching the film worth its long runtime? Why has Dune endured as a franchise? And what do we want from a possible third film?
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify etc.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– Dune: Part Two is in cinemas now.
– FT critic Danny Leigh’s 4-star review of Dune: Part Two is here: https://on.ft.com/3V7rx5G
– Rana is on X @RanaForoohar and Stephen is @stephenkb.
– Rana has also written the cover story for this week’s FT Magazine – an interview with the USs’ most powerful union leaders: https://on.ft.com/3TsltU4
– For those inspired to read the Dune novels, we enjoyed this feature, ‘Sci-fi books are taking off again’: https://on.ft.com/3T9J0YE
More or Less:
– Rana wants to see more people taking weekend trips to the Catskills.
– Stephen wants to see less detail in video games such as Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. You can read the FT’s review of the game here.
– Katya wants to see better sound design in movies and cinemas. Dune: Part Two’s score was written by Hans Zimmer. You can listen to a playlist here.
-----
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
-------
Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clip by Warner Brothers.
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you’ve been to the wine shop lately you may have noticed a trend: wines marketed specifically toward younger drinkers. Many are natural, organic, or biodynamic. Others are made without special certification but boast backstories that focus on the producers, not just the region or grapes. Wine writer Hannah Crosbie joins Lilah to give us a primer on what young wine drinkers want. Why are pét nats, skin-contact wines, and chilled reds suddenly everywhere?
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify etc.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– Hannah’s article on what young wine drinkers want: https://on.ft.com/3P2v4hU
– Hannah is on X @hancrosbie. Her book Corker drops this spring.
-----
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we talk about ‘The Taste of Things’ with Tim Hayward, the FT’s restaurant critic, and our food and drink editor Harriet Fitch Little. The film is set in France in the 1880s and follows the relationship between a talented cook, played by Juliette Binoche, and the food connoisseur who employs her (Benoît Magimel). ‘The Taste of Things’ has received widespread critical acclaim – with critics claiming you can ‘taste every shot’ – and it is France’s entry into the best international film category at the Oscars. What does the film tell us about our relationship with food and pleasure? And beyond the food — what is it really about?
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify etc.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– ‘The Taste of Things’is showing in theatres now in the UK and US
– The FT’s 5 star review of The Taste of Things, by Leslie Felperin, is here: https://on.ft.com/3InhBNP
– Tim is on X and Instagram @timhayward. Harriet is @HarrietFL
– You can read Tim’s latest column here. You can also preorder his upcoming book Steak: The Whole Story here. It’s out on 24 May.
-----
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
