PALMER Vol. 8 is here and Editorial Director Stefano Tonchi gives a preview of what to expect:
Do we choose where to live or do some places choose us? Either way, a place often defines who we are and how we live—fertile opportunity for growth. Humans, like plants, no matter their origin, prosper in certain regions and in specific climates. The curious history of the bougainvillea, the plant on the cover of this issue, tells this truth: the South American native was spotted on a French naval expedition in the 18th century, and later transplanted throughout Europe. It found the perfect ground and weather, from the Mediterranean coast all the way to China. Bougainvillea is now a global symbol of vacation, sun, and good living. It’s no surprise, then, that it eventually made its way to Palm Beach, where the exuberant plant now thrives, even more than palms.
Many people have arrived in Palm Beach from different corners of the globe, finding a warm welcome, and have stayed for decades. For George “Buddy” Marucci, it was a love of golf that brought him here. Now 73 years old, after famously almost beating an up-and-coming Tiger Woods for the Havemeyer Trophy, and subsequently having played with four Presidents, the legendary amateur golfer reflects on what the game has taught him, on and off the green.
In our photography portfolio, we wanted to pay homage to some of Palm Beach’s long-standing figures—not those in the spotlight, but rather the men and women who are stalwarts of the community. This beloved group of locals includes a co-owner of Kassatly’s, store owner Mary Mahoney, the manager of the luncheonette at Green’s Pharmacy, and the greeter at the private Everglades Club, to name a few. Most have worked at the same establishment for decades. They share a dedication to their work and an emotional connection to Palm Beach.
Glimpsed when walking around town, each storefront tells a similar story, bringing to mind a bygone time while also building memories for the next generations. We wanted to capture this modern archeology: the only gas station in town, the parking lot booth, the bookshop. Documenting their existence and beauty is the best case against greed and the rapacity of time. One of these historic places, Berto’s Bait-N-Tackle in West Palm Beach, is now the nightclub Mary Lou’s. It went through a regenerative transformation, where new, wild memories are being created, with late-night dance parties and fabulous live music.
There is a deep attachment to the land that we inhabit and often an almost primordial link to the places where we roamed as children. Some people dedicate their lives to maintaining that land, and preserving it for future generations. The British have certainly known that for centuries, including the current Duke of Marlborough and his sister, Lady Henrietta. Writer James Reginato visited them at their family seat, Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire. The Spencer-Churchill clan has a long and close connection to Palm Beach, dating back to when Consuelo Vanderbilt married into the family, not so much for love as for her vast fortune. Today, the family maintains ties to the Palm Beach community, including with President Trump.
Designer, entrepreneur, and Renaissance man Brunello Cucinelli has built a global business a few miles from where he was born. From his Medieval castle in the restored village of Solomeo in Umbria, Italy, where he creates the most desirable and understated clothes, he practices what he refers to as human capitalism, a philosophy he developed that strives to balance profit with human dignity and the wellbeing of the community. He spoke at length with journalist Dana Thomas on a broad range of topics—from his hopes for artificial intelligence to his early life as the son of a bricklayer—in a rare and intimate conversation.
Artists are well known for choosing the most beautiful locations around the world for their outdoor projects. PALMER’s art writer, Linda Yablonsky, has created a unique summer itinerary of site-specific destinations for our readers: the follies of Niki de Saint Phalle in her Tarot Garden, in Tuscany; the frescoes of Jean Cocteau at Villa Santo Sospir, in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat; the moving sculpture of Jean Tinguely in the forest of Milly-la-Forêt, in France. She invites us to discover the quiet Nova Scotia landscape that serves as the background for Joan Jonas’s body of work, and the rocky beaches on the Greek Island of Syros, where Martin Kippenberger created some of his experimental performances.
As a genius artist finds a place to bloom, so too does a certain place feed genius.