
Letter From the Editor: The Art of Giving
The holiday season is synonymous with giving—of yourself, time, and mementos that will be adored for a lifetime. In our special holiday gift guide, we’ve carefully curated a collection of gift ideas for everyone on your list—from cooking aficionados to sports lovers, from revellers to travellers. Our gift guide delivers thoughtful ideas and artisanal charm.
The holidays are an especially good opportunity to spend time with friends and family. Inside this issue, Ami McKay, one of Canada’s top five interior designers, gives exclusive decorating and gift-giving tips, sharing insightful stories about meaningful personal gifts.
Finding the perfect way to complete that holiday meal is no easy task. That is unless you ask Nadège Nourian, the famed pastry chef whose inventive French desserts have delighted Toronto culinary aficionados. In an interview with Magnifissance, Nourian shares certain secrets of French cuisine—the building blocks of delicious, unforgettable pastries and desserts—so you too can be the talk of the table.
With the hustle and bustle that often accompanies the holidays, we sometimes crave a quiet moment to relax. We hope our cover story will bring harmony in your lives, filling your hearts with music, grace, and gratitude. You’ll be inspired by the tale of two of the most influential classical musicians, cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, partners in life and the co-artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York. According to Finckel, “The act of performing music is synonymous with the act of giving.”
In the world of business, virtues like giving and listening can be hard to find, but Jessie Ju, the founder of a management consulting firm, brings both profit and value to the businesses she works with. Her Confucian spirit of patience and moderation enables her to sail through high-pressure corporate negotiations with a calm spirit and a smile that spreads to everyone she does business with.
Our love for traditional craftsmanship takes us on a journey to Italy, where two luxury brands have revived exquisite artisanship, burgeoning a modern-day artisanal Renaissance. SICIS has breathed new life into the ancient art of micro-mosaics, a form of jewellery that once adorned European royals. D’ORO has resurrected the traditional art of bookmaking to preserve humankind’s contemporary history, setting a new standard of artistry with its golden books.
One of our favourite Chinese proverbs comes to mind especially during this special season: “The roses in her hand, the flavour in mine.” In other words, to give is to receive. The artists and entrepreneurs in this issue have devoted their hearts to workmanship and art, ushering the spirit of selflessness and joy that the holidays embody. We hope you take their stories and inspiration into your own hearts as we enter the new year ahead.
We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!
Inspired for a Beautiful Life
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