Tyler Brûlé has his sights set on a new habitat for the various animals in the Monocle zoo.

Art for diplomats, curbing California’s cushty canteen culture, dining cars hit the buffers and a political tussle on Chinese cinema screens.

When Milton Keynes – the UK’s biggest New Town – was built, it aspired to perfection. Nic Monisse stays the night.

New York’s whacky mystics are clinging on to real estate in a changing city. Ed Stocker tempts fate by visiting a palm reader.

Inspired and industrious – Studio Tomás Saraceno has spun quite the body of work.

The experimental book designer who isn’t afraid to push boundaries – and crack some spines along the way.

The fighting has stopped in Damascus. But despite the look of normality, this is a city of black-market deals, shortages and deep pessimism.

Georgia’s inaugural Tsinandali Festival is not merely a celebration of classical music. It’s also an attempt to bring together musicians in one orchestra from countries with fractious relations.

Bookseller James Daunt has been tasked with changing the fortunes of Barnes & Noble. We take a glimpse inside the covers.

Forget dull hotel rooms and fusty apartments: a group of architects-turned-entrepreneurs are cornering the market in well-designed rentals in South Korea – and beyond.

Far from the Marais, gallerists are settling into an edgier ’hood.

An independent publisher that’s been bringing northern European hits to Italian readers for decades is embarking on a new chapter.

Even in the digital age, texture and tactility still matter in architectural design. Little wonder then that smart firms put their faith in expert modellers to give clients a tiny taste of their big ideas.

Majestic Mas de Tanit rose up on the French Riviera in the 1970s and has been attracting glamorous – and global – holidaymakers and residents ever since. We find out who’s who.

From flexible shelving and versatile chairs to smart side tables and eye-catching lamps, we round up the benchmarks of good design that’s made to last.

Office or showroom? Danish design firm Muuto’s HQ is both– and its fluid set-up is helping staff to scratch their creative itch.

Design firm Family Brothers has defined the look of Atlanta’s culinary scene. Now it’s tucking in elsewhere.

You know about Nashville’s music scene – but what about its fashion know-how?

Andrea Panconesi took his Florentine boutique online when Google was still a new thing. Today LuisaViaRoma is a leading global player – and its founder is making plans to shake up the industry further.

This Danish island’s charm stretches as far as its sweeping sands, with cosy old-world inns, invigorating sea air and delectable food and drink making it a must-visit.

Ethiopia tackles graft, electoral reform in New Zealand and Hong Kong’s decisive next vote.

China charm offensive in El Salvador, Morocco plays peacemaker and a Davos alternative in Asia.

The UK’s buoyant boat-buying and the Canadian armed forces find new fatigues.

A mooted LA-to-Vegas rail route, Sydney’s green fringes get protection and the Big Apple’s bike rethink.

A high-speed railway in the Balkans picks up speed, a new airport in Scandinavia open ski options and a campfire-catering start-up shares tips for success.

Two Swiss openings, a recipe from our in-house team and food finds from Japan to France. Tuck in.

A Stockholm sportswear emporium, a new Milan flagship for Tod's and pulling on Portuguese socks.

His rivals refused to accept his election victory – so he went back to the polls and won again. Now Istanbul’s new mayor is ready to change the city and get rid of a web of corruption.

As our report on the experiences of Waterstones and Barnes & Noble shows, rough times are part of business. But putting the right people in charge can be the difference between sinking and swimming. We profile the firms rising from the ashes with the help of new CEOs.

Though they are the product of a director’s vision, even the most iconic film scenes are mediated by a set designer. Kris Moran is one of the industy’s best and it’s her eagle eye that helps her find the perfect props.

The Japanese fashion designer, best known for his eponymous label Kenzo, puts his success down to happenstance – but he’s being modest. Instead he should claim innovation and a sense of fun as the elements that have made him a Paris icon in his own right.

Uniqlo’s president of global creative explains why the brand is eschewing conventional marketing to create a luxury aura around products that are available to all.

This autumn, the meaning and power of love get a fresh outing on stage, TV and in music. So get ready for plenty of laughs, tears and everything in between with the help of our indispensable guide to the top cultural picks that should be on your radar.

Welcome to Monocle’s very first survey on hosting at home (don’t worry about wiping your feet on the way in). Over the coming pages you’ll learn about everything from diplomacy in the dining room to a few fail-safe recipes and tips from the food folk we admire.

Whether it’s picking the perfect mealtime music, learning how to drink a potent muscle relaxant with prime ministers or promoting parliament with regional produce, this rundown guarantees you’ll have something to talk about at even the most formal of dinner parties. And if all our help fails you can always resort to a stiff drink to encourage the chatter to flow.

A Kiwi chef, a restaurant owner in Monaco and a design-shop duo in Ontario invite you into their abodes for some home-cooked goodness – with a liberal sprinkling of hospitality advice.

Eating together is a primal pleasure but the dinner party has never been as loosely defined as it is today. We took a wholly unscientific sample from among our favourite culinary contacts to hear what’s changed and how to get the chemistry just right.

Whether you’re cooking for an intimate meal or playing host to a lively bunch of friends, the perfect recipe will ensure your table is set for a memorable evening. We’ve selected three favourites from the Monocle menu, plus some smart starter ideas to prep your guests’ palates.

We turn to Monocle’s all-knowing agony uncle – and his faithful feline sidekick, Mr Tiddly – for the lowdown on the do’s and definitely don’ts of hosting and attending a dinner party. Here our hero tackles a few reader’s questions.

Scant service in Scandinavia, obsolete kitchenware and what recipe books reveal about times past: our writers give tasty views on the topics that should matter to good hosts everywhere.

All over the world canny chefs and cooks are rethinking the formula for eating out. From changing restaurant residencies for visiting chefs to opening up farm tables to homes or backyards, such supper clubs offer intimacy, discovery and plenty of new dishes to try. We head to Arles, Rome, New York and London to meet the food folk rethinking the restaurant and the diners hankering for new experiences.

Let’s start with some advice: don’t drink a light wine with heavy food, a burgundy goes great with roast lamb and make sure your dessert wine is sweeter than the pudding you serve (or your mouth will pucker). Above all, experiment and explore. Here are a few more tips.

Expecting guests? Then you’ll want to impress them with something unique. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen: get a taste for food retail instead. Here are some shops for starters.

This subtle and spacious residence frames the surrounding sun-soaked landscape in spectacular widescreen.

Once an outlier for the wrong reasons, this home takes pride of place on a leafy street thanks to a couple’s tasteful renovation.

Retreating to nature is a common theme but Daylesford Longhouse goes one better by bringing the outside inside.

Three of architecture’s leading lights share their manifestos and methods for creating spaces that elevate the soul.

There’s a chill in the air but that doesn’t mean you should hibernate. Bright knits and luxurious layers will help you face whatever the weather throws at you.

When it comes to creating hotels, the Experimental Group quartet are always in tune. Plus: new openings from cities to the seaside.

Residents of a downtown São Paulo district have teamed up to revive the area through retail.

Furniture shop Plain Goods makes day-trippers feel at home in idyllic town New Preston.

Thinking big is all part of designing statement buildings but plenty of architects dabble in more domestically scaled pieces too. We’ve assembled the pick of those objects that bring a little structural savoir-faire to even the humblest home.

Tokyo’s architectural masterpieces continue to topple in the name of progress but with the painstakingly faithful recreation of Hotel Okura’s incomparable modernist lobby (albeit in a new skyscraper), a window to the past remains – and traditional craftsmanship has been rekindled.