Amélie Pichard’s Eco-House Tour Through the American West
Monica Mendal
Amélie Pichard’s Eco-House Tour Through the American West
Known for her whimsical line of shoes and handbags, Amélie Pichard is not your run-of-the-mill Parisian designer. Her creations are wittily kitschy and completely eccentric, and her choice of travel destinations reflect this same aesthetic. While many are sourcing their inspiration from the sun-dripped elegance of the French Riviera or the chic streets of the city, Pichard finds inspiration from travels that are less well-trod, and even otherworldly.
“I wanted to try off-the-grid living, and live in an Earthship,” says Pichard. A what? “Earthships are these passive solar houses, created by architect Michael Reynolds in the ‘70s. The man is a total visionary.” The idea behind Earthship structures is that they are designed to collect and store their own energy. They rely very minimally—if at all—on public utilities and fossil fuels. Instead, they use natural resources, such as energy from sun, wind, and rain. Intrigued by this idea of living away from traditionally-powered appliances, Pichard set out to explore other forms of eco-homes in Crestone, Colorado, and Santa Fe, Abiquiu, and Taos, New Mexico.
“My favorite moment was waking up one Sunday completely snowed in. What’s more perfect than being without internet, forced to stay home with your man, firewood, good food, a good book, and champagne brought from Paris?” If you ask us, there’s nothing more perfect-sounding than that—just as long as you pack the right layers.
Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.