December 17, 20244 min readTo Monitor Greenhouse Gas Emissions Nationwide, U.S. Enlists Passenger PlaneUnited Airlines is partnering with NOAA as part of a wider federal strategy to better keep tabs on the countrys greenhouse gas emissionsBy Chelsea Harvey & E&E NewsInformation gathered by a passenger plane can help scientists verify emissions measurements gathered in the same places by other methods, such as satellites or on-the-ground instruments. Michal Krakowiak/Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | A new partnership between NOAA and United Airlines will soon help federal scientists keep better tabs on domestic greenhouse gas emissions.The project, set to begin next year, will equip a single Boeing 737 with scientific instruments designed to monitor carbon dioxide, methane and other climate-warming gases. As the aircraft zigzags across the country, stopping in as many as five cities a day, it will collect valuable data on emissions over both rural and urban landscapes, scientists say.That information can help scientists verify emissions measurements gathered in the same places by other methods, such as satellites or on-the-ground instruments. And it can help cities and land managers pinpoint locations where they may be underestimating their own emissions.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Its a real opportunity to go to where all the action is in terms of understanding the emissions, said Colm Sweeney, associate director of science at NOAAs global monitoring laboratory and lead scientist at the labs aircraft program. Were not trying to regulate any emissions were just trying to understand what those emissions profiles look like.The project is part of a wider federal strategy to coordinate and improve greenhouse gas monitoring efforts across federal agencies. That effort is intensifying in the final weeks of the Biden administration, amid fears that the incoming Trump administration will deprioritize or dismantle the so-called national greenhouse gas monitoring strategy.The partnership between NOAA and United Airlines , which was announced at a White House super-pollutants summit in July, is known as a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. That means NOAA provides staff and equipment but no funding.NOAA already conducts a variety of data-collecting missions using research aircraft, but federal scientists say partnering with commercial airlines opens new doors for greenhouse gas monitoring efforts. Research flights are expensive, and aircraft are limited, while installing sensors on commercial aircraft enables researchers to easily gather continuous measurements from flights that would be taking place regardless."This collaboration represents a significant leap forward in U.S. efforts to monitor and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions," said Sarah Kapnick, NOAAs chief scientist, in a statement. "If we can harness the capabilities of commercial aircraft we will be poised to make rapid advancements in the understanding of greenhouse gas emissions that can inform policies."The ship is already sailingIn 2023, the Biden administration issued a road map for a new national greenhouse gas measurement, monitoring and information system.The national strategy established a data portal known as the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center, designed to consolidate emissions observations from a wide range of sources. It also included a variety of recommendations to expand, consolidate and coordinate greenhouse gas monitoring efforts across federal agencies and private sector partners.Coordination is key to improving national greenhouse gas data, experts say. Most of the federal science agencies, including NASA, NOAA and EPA, have their own initiatives for monitoring and estimating emissions in different ways across different sectors of the economy. The new NOAA project is just one example.But until recently, theres been no streamlined effort to consolidate these efforts and combine the data.We have so much information, so much diversity, sources its kind of acronym soup, said NASA climate scientist Lesley Ott. And even for scientists, that can be difficult to navigate.Thats changing now, as federal scientists work to coordinate their monitoring programs, synthesize their data and partner with private companies and NGOs to improve their data collection efforts. Theyre doubling down on these efforts even as President-elect Donald Trump who has repeatedly disavowed the science of human-caused climate change prepares to take office for his second term, calling the future of national greenhouse gas monitoring efforts into question.Trump has promised to increase oil and gas development in the U.S. and withdraw from the Paris Agreement for a second time. Project 2025, a policy plan for Trump's second term spearheaded by The Heritage Foundation, also calls for dramatic cuts and reorganizations of federal science agencies, including NOAA and EPA.While Trump has previously distanced himself from the policy blueprint, he recently named a number of the plans architects as nominees for positions within his new administration.But federal scientists say theyre committed to the mission regardless of a change in administration and theyre cautiously optimistic that a combination of economic forces and global momentum on emissions reduction efforts will continue to push their efforts forward over the next four years.I think what were all focused on is really not speculating, not getting too far out, because you dont know, Ott said. I think what were really focused on is doing the mission that we have.Riley Duren, CEO of the greenhouse gas monitoring nonprofit Carbon Mapper, added that federal regulation is just one aspect of efforts to reduce planet-warming emissions.My opinion is that to some extent the ship is already sailing on the use of data-driven regulations and market mechanisms around the world, and there's momentum behind that shift, he said. And I think a lot of policymakers if they think critically about it theyll see their motivations to get on board to support those things, because that's where industry and civil society is heading.Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2024. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: A genuine disruptorCambridge Audio's first wireless noise cancelling cans are a hit. Review by Reece Bithrey Contributor Published on Dec. 17, 2024 I don't think there's much of a finer example of a 'heritage brand' than Cambridge Audio. Founded in 1968, they've been making fantastic audio kit including amps, record decks and headphones for such a long time, and as such, are a brand I've admired from afar. Their P100s are their first run at wireless, over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, which is as competitive of a market as it gets for audio.Allow me to explain a bit further - the state of play for wireless noise cancelling headphones in the 200 to 300 price range that Cambridge Audio has targeted has been taken up by the likes of Sony and Bose for several years, with other options from the likes of Sennheiser and Bowers and Wilkins sitting around, too. We have seen more specialist brands and models such as the Focal Bathys and the Mark Levinson No. 5909s enter the fray in recent years, although they've been priced way over what the status quo has been. What the P100s represent therefore is a bit of an anomaly - a specialist hifi brand making a set of more 'affordable' cans to truly take it to Bose and Sony alike.Things are certainly positive as soon as you take the P100s out of their black packaging with a lovely woven fabric hard case for transport that features a neat compartment for braided USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to 3.5mm cables. The case features a small indented Cambridge Audio logo, and little else stylistically. After all, it is just a case. Don't these look clean? Apart from the dust, obviously. With the cans themselves, they carry the same modern, clean lines as a lot of other Cambridge Audio kit does, which looks great. The main arms, yokes and outer portion of the earcups are all aluminium, while the plush earpads are memory foam and vegan leather. It's all very thoughtfully assembled, and helps to make the P100s wonderfully comfortable. A 330g weight isn't abnormal either, while their Goldilocks clamping force makes the P100s a pair of cans that you could wear all day without much trouble. I definitely had no issues in my weeks of use, for travel, or general listening.One small but lovely detail with these cans is the addition of proper, physical controls. For me, having tactile buttons I can click and use is miles better than the myriad of touch controls that the market has become awash with. The left hand earcup contains a power and Bluetooth pairing switch, as well as one for toggling between ANC being on, or off. The right earcup has volume controls, play/pause and skip forwards/backwards. There are voice prompts whenever the left hand buttons are pressed, and in the associated Melomania Connect app, you can change the language of said prompts, including to 'Southwark', which adds in the dulcet tones of Matt Berry. I didn't know I needed Douglas Reynholm telling me about ANC modes, but here we are, and the P100s are all the richer for it. In addition, there is also a proximity sensor inside the P100s that stops whatever you're listening to when you take them off - it's a small detail, but prevents the cans playing to themselves for too long.Connectivity is handled with bang-up-to-date Bluetooth 5.3 LE, and the P100s also support a lovely quantity of codecs. To be specific, it's the usual suspects of SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive, although there's also aptX Lossless, too. Support for LDAC is absent, though. Pairing over Bluetooth to either my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for some basic Spotify consumption or my FiiO M11S DAP for more critical listening was a doddle. They can also be used wired with the included USB-C to 3.5mm jack, although don't work passively, so you'll need to ensure there's enough juice before you enjoy some wired listening. I do love me some physical controls.Making sure there's enough go-juice inside the P100 is a doddle though, given their fantastic endurance. Without the fun of ANC, they're able to last for a remarkable 100 hours before conking out, while using noise cancellation means you'll be down to zero in 60 hours. With this in mind, that's still some of the best endurance I've seen on a set of wireless cans and takes it to options that cost a fair bit more.There is active noise cancellation, or ANC, on-board, and while it isn't class-leading in the way that Bose's is, it's more than serviceable for most people. The P100s are able to block out most of the noise from around you, while its transparency mode is pleasingly natural. It blocked out most of the horrible noise of the Northern line on a recent London trip, and their Bluetooth signal held up well as I made my way through St Pancras station. No matter how hard the P100s try though, they simply can't beat Bose, but then again, it seems like no one can.Sometimes it's quite hard to quantify how a pair of headphones sounds, as a lot of them have their own character and profile that can skew music one way or another. The first words that comes to mind with the P100s is 'inoffensive'. That's not say they aren't a fun, or engaging listen, because they absolutely are. It's rather to say that they work wonderfully with all sorts of music, and will certainly please generalist folks like myself. The earcups here are also plush, and deep.Everything from the gritty rock on Rush's Working Man to the deep groove on Earth, Wind & Fire's Let's Groove is presented cleanly. The bottom end on both tracks is prevalent, but not overpowering, and handled wonderfully. There is also a lot of breathing room lended to recordings, as I found when listening to the Bee Gees' Nights On Broadway. The track's clavichord and electric piano work was far off in the distance, but could still be heard with the utmost clarity alongside the excellent vocals and synth bass line.Nights On Broadway also demonstrated a top-end that lacked harshness, with its prominent cymbal work before Barry Gibb's mellow vocal on the bridge. The P100s handled it wonderfully, as they did the constant bell hits on Ralph MacDonald's Calypso Breakdown, which felt precise and crisp.The mid-range presentation that the P100 is slick, as demonstrated on tracks such as Never Known from Jack Johnson and Gordon Lightfoot's Rainy Day People. Vocals are handled with panache and come across with wonderful consistency. In addition, James Taylor's September Grass was presented with a wonderful warmth to his fingerstyle guitar and a smooth, clean vocal. It's just lovely. The headband distributes weight nicely.A great section of music I've often used for testing headphones is the 'Discovery' section of Rush's epic 20-minute 2112 suite, given its slow build from limited electric guitar parts with ambient water noise into intermittent vocals and even harder rock when moving into the 'Presentation' and 'Oracle: The Dream' sections. The P100s served up a result that was wide and well-balanced, with a robust low end, punchy drums and excellent vocals.This well-balanced audio also helps the P100s to be a decent set of headphones for gaming, especially with a soundstage of reasonable width helping for immersion in everything from Grand Theft Auto to CS2. There is also a low-latency gaming mode available, as selectable in the Melomania Connect app, although there is still some delay when compared against comparably priced top-class gaming headsets.The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100s make for quite an easy recommendation therefore if you're looking for a set of capable wireless noise cancelling cans with engaging audio, a comfortable fit, and versatile connectivity. They hit all the right notes in my eyes.

The Horizon games on PS5 Pro feature some of the best upscaling technology we've seenHow does 'Guerrilla Super Resolution' stack up against PC's DLSS and FSR? Face-off by Alex Battaglia Video Producer, Digital Foundry Additional contributions byOliver Mackenzie, and Will JuddPublished on Dec. 17, 2024 Horizon Forbidden West has received a PS5 Pro patch and the game represents one of the best-looking and most interesting efforts we've seen on the new console. After all, developers Guerrilla Games are famous for their use of checkerboard rendering on PS4 and PS5, and they've now moved onto something new - but it's not PSSR, the upscaler introduced on PS5 Pro that has been used in so many other PS5 Pro enhanced games. Instead, it's its own solution - a kind of 'Guerilla Super Resolution', if you will, and it represents some of the cleanest reconstructed image quality we've seen on consoles. Just how good is it? We decided to find out.To refresh your memory, Horizon Forbidden West on PS5 includes performance and resolution modes, which have been combined into a performance pro mode for the new console. Since a patch in summer 2022, performance mode on base PS5 has run at a circa 1800p checkerboard with dynamic resolution scaling, trading a bit of image quality and stability for a 60fps update rate that makes the game much smoother to play. The new performance pro mode keeps that same 60fps but increases clarity substantially with an internal resolution of around 1440p. This mode boasts improved subpixel detail, better texture clarity and better anti-aliasing which is particularly noticeable on transparencies like foliage. Temporal stability is also improved, meaning the image suffers from fewer instances of artefacts or breakup. Finally, screen space reflections and depth-of-field effects are also noticeably improved, without the characteristic checkerboard pattern in SSR or shimmer in depth-of-field. Here's the full discussion between Alex and Oliver, covering how each Horizon Forbidden West mode looks and runs on PS5 Pro. Watch on YouTubeAll things combined, you can examine the image from only a few inches away without spotting any imperfections, save for some minor ghosting with foliage - it's impressive stuff. Of course, the PS5 already had a mode that boasted better image quality and stability - the resolution mode. This is limited to 30fps, of course, but how does it fare against the new performance pro mode? In short, the difference is minimised - but still exists. The old resolution mode, which was often a native 4K, is slightly sharper and has better screen-space reflections, but the performance pro mode still has its benefits in terms of image stability and anti-aliasing. There is also a resolution pro mode on the PS5 Pro, which offers the same native 4K and 30fps update rate as the old resolution mode, but with the new anti-aliasing method. This looks a touch sharper and has those better screen-space reflections, but the sacrifice of halving your frame-rate is ultimately too costly to really recommend - and as even Guerrilla's own tech director said to us at the PS5 Pro preview event, "friends don't let friends play at 30Hz". Happily, both performance pro and resolution pro run at an almost-perfect lock for their chosen frame-rates; we only managed to get the game to drop a single frame in an intense fight at 60fps, while the 30fps mode was 100 percent perfect outside of the usual frame drops on camera cuts we see in many games. You can also unlock the frame-rate in the performance pro mode by turning on 120Hz VRR support in the PS5 menus, which sees the game run into the 70s at points but also drop below 60fps on occasion. With VRR to smooth things out, you're taking fuller advantage of the power on offer with slighter higher internal resolutions or frame-rates, but it's not a huge change either way. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. The game also comes with a balanced pro mode if 120Hz is enabled, offering a 40fps update rate and settings between the resolution pro and performance pro modes. This mode feels a bit superfluous on the PS5 Pro, but provides another trade-off between fidelity and performance if you're interested. For most people though, the 60fps performance pro mode is the obvious recommendation. Given that Horizon Forbidden West has an excellent PC port with support for other upscalers, it seemed natural to compare Guerrilla's new method on PS5 Pro with Nvidia's DLSS and AMD's FSR 3, using a similar 1440p to 4K upscale. This isn't the most challenging scenario for an upscaler - typically we see greater differences between different techniques when input resolutions are much lower - but it's still an interesting point of comparison for what Guerrilla has achieved. Based on side-by-side comparisons, it has managed to deliver something extremely similar to DLSS on PC, though the chances are that machine learning is not involved (such a solution already exists - PSSR - and we have doubts that Guerrilla would have trained its own neural network). Nvidia's solution handles particle trails better, but Guerrilla's better handles reflections in water, with smoother and less aliased results. The Guerrilla upscaler also fares marginally better in terms of motion, though the tiny amount of motion blur forced on in the PS5 version does confound the comparison somewhat. The FSR versus 'GSR' comparison is more heavily in favour of what Guerrilla has managed on PS5, with FSR tending to over-accumulate, leading to blurry grass when the camera is stationary and softer results in general - but still a perfectly acceptable resolve overall. It's an impressive result for the home-grown solution and its efficacy perhaps speaks to why Guerrilla opted against using Sony's PSSR for its PS5 Pro update. The studio said that it developed the technique for its own future titles, then backported it to Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and Horizon Forbidden West, so it'll be fascinating to see whether it'll be deployed elsewhere - or even by other Sony internal studios - in the future.

Naoki Hamaguchi, the director of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, has asked PC players not to install any "offensive or inappropriate" mods once the game is released. Read more

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereIn 2024, PlayStation released two exclusive multiplayer games: the quickly-killed hero shooter Concord and Helldivers 2. While Concord failed to hit audiences due to a lack of unique value, Arrowhead Game Studios frenetic third-person co-op game rocked the world.With the arrival of The Illuminate, player numbers are ramping way back up, but the game has struggled since release. After huge nerfs caused review bombs, fans were left hungrily awaiting the arrival of the third enemy faction. Now, the studio feels like its finally in a great place, but admits that the sheer volume of player numbers took the team by storm.Helldivers 2 devs werent preparedSpeaking to GamesRadar, game director Michael Eriksson explained that the team were not prepared for this, for the amount of attention and success when the game released earlier this tear.Its definitely true that internally, some of the processes were not working as well as they should be working, he continued. We lacked some key people in some places, just because its a big beast to control when you have this massive of a hit. In that period after launch, we did make some mistakes, just because of this chaotic nature.Eriksson explained that sometimes we will fail even though were doing our best but the team is in a better place to handle the massive fanbase in a way it wasnt before. With new systems such as the Wildlife faction in the works, alongside events like the Killzone crossover, the team is more prepared to release updates at regular intervals.Its definitely true that internally, some of the processes were not working as well as they should be working, the developer explained. We lacked some key people in some places, just because its a big beast to control when you have this massive of a hit. In that period after launch, we did make some mistakes, just because of this chaotic nature.Errikson explained that the team wont be making sure every update is perfect before release. In fact, with a better team structure and the ability to quickly release hotfixes and the like, the team is prepared to keep taking risks to create a fun and engaging game.Hopefully it will be less of a bumpy road when it comes to release accuracy, but were still prepared to take risks, to deliver on everything that the players want, and hopefully, there will be a smooth ride going forward, they said.For more Helldivers coverage, read about the new destructive stratagem coming to the game as part of its Killzone crossover.Helldivers 2Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 5Genre(s):Action, Shooter, Third Person8VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereMarvel Rivals has already taken the internet by storm with NetEases free-to-play 6v6 shooter leaving top games like Overwatch 2 out in the dust. The game has included features like 6v6 lobbies, no role lock, and expansive maps and game modes that have made players of Blizzards popular shooter switch to Rivals.One Overwatch 2 pro named Flats is one of the many such users who cant get enough of Marvel Rivals and now hes found yet another reason to love the game even further. The reason is that a method that allows players to easily report cheaters and get them banned in no time. Heres how the method works in the game.Marvel Rivals feature allows players to report and ban cheaters instantlyOverwatch pro Flats shared a video clip where he stumbled upon a feature in Marvel Rivals where you can report a cheater or another player from the replay viewer. To do so, you need to launch a replay of a recent match you were a part of and once youre in the viewer, head to Settings, and under the Match tab, youll see the names of your team members and the enemy team.Flats was amazed to see the quick reporting method in Marvel Rivals. Image by FlatsOW.Then click the Exclamation Mark Triangle icon next to the player name to Report them directly. Flats wanted to report a player named kinectic who was allegedly cheating during a game. As soon as you click the icon, the Report Player screen provides you with six options Inappropriate Nickname, Text Chat Abuse, Voice Chat Abuse, Throwing, Cheating, and Inappropriate Content.Flats chose Cheating as that was his reason to get the player in question banned but you can choose your own reason for reporting. But thats not the only catch. As soon as Flats presses the Next button, the game shows another screen that tells them that the cheater they just reported already has been reported several times and is now facing a ban from the game altogether.The instant reporting and response from the dev team amazed Flats as they wished Overwatch to implement this feature for a long time. Similar players who saw the feature were amazed as well where one said, Responding to cheaters fast is going to be the savior of the game. Another one commented, The Ws keep coming with Rivals.If youre one of the players playing Marvel Rivals, check out our full tier list with the latest meta youll need to clutch epic wins in the game.Marvel RivalsPlatform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Fighting, ShooterSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereIts previously been leaked that Killzone is being resurrected from the dead through a future crossover with Helldivers 2. Guerrilla currently have no plans to work on a new game due to their focus on the Horizon series, so a collaboration with HD2 is the best were going to get for the foreseeable future. Details are not official as of writing, but a leak has revealed a devastatingly powerful stratagem that will be part of the Helldivers 2 x Killzone Warbond. Arrowhead has just released a new hotfix for HD2, so make sure to check out the patch notes to see the latest round of fixes. As for the future, the developer is working on a content roadmap for 2025, and they have also reaffirmed an upcoming MO that will allow players to permanently acquire vehicles rather than having to locate random spawns. Next year will be fantastic for Helldivers 2, and, although its not official, one of the most mouth-watering leaks concerns the crossover Warbond with the much-beloved Killzone franchise. Helldivers 2 leak reveals powerful stratagem for Killzone Warbond We previously reported leaks detailing a Helldivers 2 x Killzone crossover. It was leaked by prominent leaker, Iron_S1ghts, and it is reportedly called Righteous Revenants. Of course, the crossover is not official, but the leaked graphic from Iron_S1ghts was removed via request from copyright holder, so this possibly lends more credence to the leak being accurate. Image credit: @Iron_S1ghts on XNothing was included in the original leak other than the name and the Warbond featuring Killzone. Its unknown when the Warbond will arrive, just like another Warbond featuring old Dune weapons and armor. Following the original leak, Iron_S1ghts has shared an upcoming stratagem that they claim will be part of the Killzone Warbond. The stratagem is a StA-X3 W.A.S.P Launcher, and it comes with the following stats: Call-In Time 7.75 seconds Uses Unlimited Cooldown Time 432 sec It is also described as follows: A versatile missile launcher loaded with seven lock-on honing missiles. These can either be fired from the launcher directly or as an airburst. Includes support backpack required for reloading. Produced by Stal Arms.Image credit: @Iron_S1ghts on XImage credit: @Iron_S1ghts on XOf course, this is just leak rather than anything official as of writing. Plus, while believed to be part of the Killzone Warbond, which isnt official either, its possible plans could change and it could release at a different time instead. For more Helldivers 2, check out our guide to thebest warbonds ranked, along with thebest stratagemsandbest throwables. We have also a guide to thebest weapons, and, if youre coming back to HD2 for the first time in a long while, we have a bunch oftips and tricksto help you get reaccustomed to the battlefield.Helldivers 2Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 5Genre(s):Action, Shooter, Third Person8VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.One of the few completely fail-proof gifts is to give someone one of the best coffee table books of the seasonweighty tomes whose thick, glossy pages feature stunning photographs and illustrations, to be specific. On a superficial level, they add ambiance, whether you place them in a library or a living room. But the best ones live in your home forever, while expanding your horizons far beyond. They also come across as far more memorable and thoughtful gifts than the expected candle or bottle of champagne. Like works of fiction, there are limitless topics that can make deciding on an eye-catching hardcover (that doubles as home decor) seemingly impossible.But thats where we come in. Our team has gathered its favorite giftable recommendations for everyone from tennis enthusiasts to globe-trotters to interior design aficionados. From a book focused on hotels around the world to another that spotlights Tokyo style, there are plenty of ways to anoint the coffee tables of all the people on your holiday gift list. Most of them came out in 2024, but weve also included a few evergreen picks that make worthy gifts any year.Plus, if youre down to the wire on last-minute gifts, rest assured that most of these selections are available (and even marked down ahead of the holidays!) on Amazon.1/15"Alpine Style: Bringing Mountain Magic Home" by Kathryn OShea-EvansAprs-ski style needs no introduction in a season full of fuzzy Fair Isle sweaters, but its the cozy interiors of the chalets along the worlds most popular ski slopes that are worthy of a second look. From the wooden beams of an A-frame to the blazing fireplaces set within them, AD contributor Kathryn OShea-Evans pores over the finer details in this fun, winter-y escape.As associate digital editor Maya Ibbitson previously described it, Alpine Style is a true compendium of resort luxury, spanning spectacular chalets from Gstaad to Aspen and featuring the works of AD PRO Directory members such as Massucco Warner, Robbins Architecture, and Kara Adam Interiors.2/15"Tokyo Style" by Kyoichi TsuzukiJapans interiors are a perpetual reference for modern day designers, and whether you're a proponent of wabi-sabi principles or just looking for small space ideas, Tokyo Style will help you explore both.Originally published in 1993, it's since become a collectors item and cult classic, and was recommended by commerce writer Julia Harrison for anyone who would appreciate a more intimate glimpse of Tokyos dwellings: Apartamento, an imprint that consistently delivers on elite design, has reintroduced Tsuzukis collection for us to enjoy in its full brilliancethat is, not a fine condition original at $170 with $90 shipping from eBay.3/15"BLK MKT Vintage: Reclaiming Objects and Curiosities That Tell Black Stories" by Jannah Handy and Kiyanna StewartPrefaced with a foreword by Spike Lee, BLK MKT Vintage peers into the world of the Brooklyn antique shops endlessly curious founders Jannah Handy and Kiyanna Stewart. This monograph teems with more than 300 studies of vintage ephemera and reads like a collage with context, or an I-Spy for your inner adult archivist, writes Ibbitson of the book. For collectors, senior digital design editor Sydney Gore pinpoints it as a must-have for your rotation.4/15"Donald Judd Furniture" by Judd FoundationDonald Judds considered, minimalist approach to design has fostered its own cult of acolytes who, these days, emulate his daybeds and chairs on Instagram.For the true Juddheads, the Judd Foundation has produced a new book edited by his children Rainer and Flavin Judd that chronicles more than one hundred of his functional works produced between 1970 and 1992. Mixed in are the juiciest bits: photos from past and present of those pieces in Judd-designed spaces in New York and Marfa, Ibbitson writes.5/15"Italian Interiors: Rooms with a View" by Laura May ToddADs Milan correspondent Laura May Todd penned a delightful homage to Italian living this year, one which spans historic palaces in Venice to the homes of creatives like Luca Guadagnino along with mid-century Milanese apartments, so you can enjoy a small taste of la dolce vita on each page.It was one of the AD PRO team's favorite book releases this fall, one which should suit the person on your list who never got over their Italian study abroad, or is manifesting a Sicilian villa in their future.6/15"How They Entertain: At Home With the Tastemakers" by Pierre SauvageFor the person on your list who delights in having people over, How They Entertain, released this fall, serves as a comprehensive guide to (and celebration of) the art of hosting.Written by Pierre Sauvage, it's chock-full of inspiration for your next dinner party, from recipes to design notes on arranging a tabletop to remember, along with interviews with tastemakers like Laura Gonzalez about their particular philosophy on entertaining guests.7/15"The Tennis Court: A Journey to Discover the Worlds Greatest Tennis Courts" by Nick PachelliConsidering this year's smash summer hit Challengers and the enduring popularity of tenniscore (polos, skorts, and all), its clear that tennis is a lifestyle that has captured the imagination of many people, avid tennis players or not.This book recommended by the AD PRO team earlier this year is dedicated to a more, uh, underserved cross-section of the sport: the backdrops where athletes volley their way to tournament glory (clay, grass, asphalt, and beyond) in locales from Queens to Kenya.8/15"The Space That Keeps You: When Home Becomes a Love Story" by Jeremiah BrentAD100 designer Jeremiah Brent is no stranger to the pages of this very magazine, and his new book is a friends and family affair studded with stars like Oprah and legendary choreographer Fatima Robinson that Brent has formed close connections with over the past 20 years.We've previously described the book (layered with sentimental photos and new snapshots of contributors in their home) as more scrapbook than design manifesto, a love letter to the spaces that people have inhabited and inherited over the years. Read AD's extensive interview with Brent for more backstory behind (and tidbits from) the book.9/15"The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism" by Denise Murrell For art buffs with a fondness for the Harlem Renaissancean era synonymous with greats like Aaron Douglas, known as the father of African-American artthis new book compiled by MoMA curator Denise Murrell is an excellent title to know. Having this book is about as close as you'll ever get to owning one of the original masterpieces featured in the Harlem Renaissance exhibition at the Met, Gore says.10/15Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of StyleSelf-interested plug here, but we really couldn't publish a guide to coffee table books without mentioning our own, AD at 100: A Century of Style. For the design buff with an appetite for lush interiors and a healthy curiosity for how A-listers live, there's no more satisfying holiday treat than this tome that delves into the homes of the Obamas, David Hockney, Diana Vreeland, and beyond. It also serves as a bird's eye view of a century in design and architecture, including the works of Frank Gehry, David Hicks, Frank Lloyd Wright, and much, much more.11/15"100 Women: Architects in Practice" by Harriet Harriss, Naomi House, Monika Parrinder, & Tom Ravenscroft Architecture has a reputation for myopia when it comes to its foremost voices, but this book seeks to rectify the past with a fresh overview of some of its most brilliant underrepresented talents, including interviews with female architects around the globe such as Tatiana Bilbao, Liz Diller, and Julia Gamolina.100 Women offers a refreshing reframe of the built environment outside of the male-dominated Western canon, proving the benefits of sourcing alternative points of reference, Ibbitson wrote of it in AD PRO's guide to the best new design books out this past spring.12/15What We Keep: Advice from Artists and Designers on Living with the Things You LoveColony founder Jean Lin has mentored and platformed some of the design world's brightest rising stars, and in her first book out this year, she tapped a wide pool of creatives to explore the concept of collections that inform their work, from ceramicist Stephanie H. Shih's cache of soy sauce bottles to Mira Nakashima's stockpile of lumber inherited from her father, architect-turned-furniture-maker George Nakashima.That's just one facet of the book Ibbitson previously described as an encyclopedic, elemental study of artist studios, profiles, materials, and everything else under the design umbrella, with plenty of wisdom imparted within its pages, from how-tos to styling tips. Read our interview with Lin for more of her notes on curating a collection of your own.13/15"Luna Luna: The Art Amusement Park" by Andr HellerLuna Lunaa 1980s artist-led amusement park featuring works by icons of the art world such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Salvador Dal, and David Hockneyis experiencing a resurgence of late, what with a new retrospective at The Shed this year, along with a revival of the park itself in Los Angeles late last year.This 2023 book takes a deeper dive into Luna Luna's history blending fine art with the playful energy of a carnivalencompassing rides, interactive installations, and surreal sculptures. It comes recommended by associate visuals editor Shani Kravetz, who nods to the book's breadth of archival media within, from photos to sketches, that are accompanied by behind-the-scenes stories.14/15"Design: The Leading Hotels of the World" by Spencer BaileyFor jetsetters who love to live large on vacation, Spencer Bailey's Design: The Leading Hotels of the World (released just this month) is one sure way to sustain a sense of wanderlust. His new book takes readers on a visual journey to 80 countries around the globe, inviting them to mentally book into sumptuous spaces from The Okura in Tokyo to the Portrait Hotel in Milan. Its rounded out by notable travel and design writers like Maria Cristina Didero and Mark Ellwood, who lend us their travel tips on top of their reflections on the lodgings featured within.15/15"Brutto: A (Simple) Florentine Cookbook" by Russell NormanIf the pages of homegrown cooking resplendent with humble ingredients like tomato and anchovies don't immediately hook you, the exposed smyth sewn binding on this cookbook's spine might. Harrison calls it, a Stanley Tucciapproved gospel of Florentine cooking for those who pine for the tastes and smells ofItalyincluding recipes for roasted squash with borlotti bean and salsa verde and three-ingredient meringue hazelnut cookies.

25 years ago, Toby Rush and his friend group at Kansas State University received some valuable advice from elder mentors that would shape their entire adult lives. They gave us this thought that resonated so profoundly: Go ask any 80-year-old whos lived a good life to reflect on what really mattered, and almost every single one of them will say its not the car, its not the house, not where I live, the job title, or the amount of money I made, he recalls. Its people, the relationships. Their challenge to us was to invest often and deeply over a long period of time in the treasure were going to care the most about, and wed be the wealthiest people in the world. Today, he and his friends are all neighbors. In their enclave of the Kansas City metro area, they share a lawnmower, a pool, casual babysitting duties, a text thread for grocery borrowing dubbed Whos Got an Egg?, and effortless swaths of their lives together that would likely have been impossible if not for an intentional effort to keep in close contact by remaining close by.The world has a way of pulling at friendships forged in youth. We form easy ties with kindergarten confidants, neighborhood playmates, and college pals, but relocating for jobs, love, whatever it may be (even when its just a short distance away) can sever the strongest of bonds, over years of increasingly dry text chains and overnight with cross-country moves that shake up the world you built together. Its true that theres a normalized-to-the-point-of-somewhat-inevitable distancing that happens in friendships with regular life changes, like in the case of the stereotypical buddy who drops out of their social circle the second they marry or have a kid. But studies suggest were in more perilous times than previous generations when it comes to sustaining friendships.The loneliness epidemicFor the unfamiliar, the loneliness epidemic is not simply a term thrown around on blogs and internet forums but a broader societal issue on which even the US Surgeon General has sounded off. The phenomenon seems to have descended slowly like a fog throughout the late 2010s as our lives became increasingly digital and siloed. Its also being called a friendship recession. As one might expect, the COVID-19 pandemic made matters worse. Nearly 1 in 10 Americans reported having lost touch with most of their friends throughout COVID, per a 2021 study.Rush and his friend group felt that routine deterioration at work in the time after college when everyone starts to scatter; he moved to Houston for a few years, one friend went to Wichita, and another decamped to DC. It was the late 90s, long before Zooms and group chats, and the friends reconvened a few times a year before concluding it simply wasnt enough. We were having these conversations, like: Guys, this is just not sustainable. Well always be friends, but if we really want to invest and know each other deeply, we got to be in the same city, he remembers. So within probably a nine-month period, three or four of us moved back to Kansas City. And it was awesome.The tight proximity fortified their ties over a couple of years. And then came the children. When their individual lives were overtaken by little humans with big demands on their time, Rush and his friends sensed that familiar erosion on the horizon. We could see the trajectory that not even in the too distant future, we were going to have to schedule our friendships, and that didnt feel right, he says. At first, the concept of stepping up their commitment by moving even closerwithin walking distance of each othersounded too dreamy to be a real possibility. But it would make theirs as uncomplicated as college campus friendships are, when you can bump into your besties as you leave the dorms and catch up on the way to class. So, 18 years ago, he and his buddy bought homes on either side of their other friend. When you literally see each other as youre pulling in your driveway, or mowing your lawn, or playing with your kids in the front yard, to walk across the street is a very achievable friction point, Rush says of the arrangement.Most PopularHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessBy Lindsey MatherCelebrity Style23 Festive Photos of the White House Christmas Decor Through the DecadesBy Katie SchultzMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamBy Mayer RusIn terms of the real estate, the acquisition of properties has been smooth. Its gotten to the point now where a neighbor will come and say, Hey, were looking at moving and would rather not get a realtor. We know you like to buy the houses, would you guys want to buy our house? And were like, Sure! Well do what a realtor would do and find a bunch of comps and settle on [a price], but no one pays realtor fees and its very amicable. 14 houses are now in the fold, filled with friends, friends of friends, and their families. Rushs children and their neighborhood peers have essentially been raised togetherhe estimates that number at 34 or 35 kids, many of whom are all grown up now. The deep investment in friendship modeled by their parents is a value that is not lost on the generations that have followed.All theyve ever known is families that have open doors, Rush explains. My son was one of the oldest. There are three his age in the neighborhood and theyve all come back and said, This isnt normal, is it? My son was recently hanging out with another one of my friendsone of the cool things is when you get to mentor your friends kidsand my friend Scott asked him about his fears at this point in his life. He responded really authentically, Im afraid I wont have as good of friends as my dad, you, and the others. Your kids are going to value what you value, so it was very rewarding for me to hear my kid, unprompted, say, I see that Dad and Mom value these relationships and these friends. And I want that.Build your own MiniHoodOakland-based founder Phil Levin placed the value of friendship pretty high on his own list. About four years into intentionally residing in community with his friends on a compound they named Radish, he launched Live Near Friends in 2023 to spread the gospel. The online platform is geared toward helping interested parties arrange to live within a five or 10 minute walk of each other, which Levin notes is a very common fantasy nowadays. He hopes to be the catalyst that coaxes those fantasies out of the group chat into the real world of real estate.Most PopularHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessBy Lindsey MatherCelebrity Style23 Festive Photos of the White House Christmas Decor Through the DecadesBy Katie SchultzMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamBy Mayer RusAn illustrated layout of the spread at Levins Radish compound.Courtesy of Phil LevinThe first offering of Live Near Friends is called MiniHood, which Levin likens to a multiplayer version of Zillow. You set a radius inside of which youre trying to get everyone to move, so youre able to coordinate with them, view homessome people want to rent, some people want to buy, it allows you to [factor in] both, he says. The other option is Hot Friend Compounds, which helps friends seeking real estate set up for multiple occupants on a single plot. This is targeted to people that actually want to co-buy and own a property together, Levin explains. This might look like duplexes, triplexes, homes with granny flats, ADUs. Theres real estate out there in the wild for multiple occupants. You have your apartment, I have my apartment, but theyre right next to each other and maybe we share a yard.Levins 20 closest friends are, because of Radish, his closest friends by physical proximity. Most of them have dinner together six days a week. They put in a big Instacart order every few days and split the cost of food. Levin basically doesnt cook anymore, finding that his talents are better suited to the cleanup aspect of things. Its not been hard for others to see the appeal of such a setup. I think why were seeing a lot of interest in [Live Near Friends], partly, is the loneliness epidemic, Levin explains. Ive heard it called the National Deficit of Hanging Outpeople just not spending time together. The amount of coordination and logistics to actually spend time with people these days is a lot. But I think, on the other side of it, people are looking for better ways to start families and raise kids. Traditionally, this has been done with the support of a community. I think its a really hard thing to do alone.Most PopularHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessBy Lindsey MatherCelebrity Style23 Festive Photos of the White House Christmas Decor Through the DecadesBy Katie SchultzMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamBy Mayer RusThe alfresco dining setup at Radish.Photo: Courtesy of Phil LevinKids (or no kids) in communityOne of the initial motivators that pushed Levin to convince his friends to live nearby has been the abundant access to childcare. My wife and I were trying to create the best home for ourselves, the home that we want to have kids [in], and we were thinking, Whats the most important thing? That were around people that will support us, he insists. We canwithout planninghand someone a baby monitor and go out every single night without a babysitter, which is a radically different lifestyle than that of most new parents. Its not something that cost us a lot of money, just coordination.Relying only on our standard social unit, the nuclear family, can feel isolating for many people. Levin co-writes a blog with Gillian Morris called Supernuclear, which explores an expansion of that classic lens on domestic life via profiles on co-living houses and communities. Morris, who has resided in a number of co-living arrangements in the Bay Area and NYC, and currently runs a co-living space in Puerto Rico, is no stranger to discussions about the loneliness epidemic. She worries that an emphasis on an individualistic, independent ideal is pulling snags in a social fabric that benefits all parties mutually. In fact, shes seen this resistance firsthand when folks in her co-living spaces express hesitance about accepting babysitting help pro-bono. Theres this sense that we must do everything ourselves, and I actually think its a beautiful thing to open yourself up to help and to not turn it down when its offered, Morris says. But people just need to get over that hump.Most PopularHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessBy Lindsey MatherCelebrity Style23 Festive Photos of the White House Christmas Decor Through the DecadesBy Katie SchultzMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamBy Mayer RusFor UK-based journalist Rose Stokes, doing motherhood alongside her longtime best friend Maddie was a huge influence on the decision to trade in the hustle and bustle of London for slower-paced Bath, England. Your friendships are just as important, if not more so, than your romantic relationships. So why wouldnt I invest in a relationship thats sustained me my entire life? she says. Why wouldnt I want to move to support that relationship?Even a three hours drive or so away, Stokes and her best friend never grew apart. They stayed in touch via check-ins and goodnight texts, cheering each other from the sidelines as they celebrated major events and life updates. But now, as they each raise two children in the countryside, she echoes Rushs point about the total lack of friction in coming together. Its just so effortless, she says of the Bath era of her friendship with Maddie. When you are texting someone whos not [living] in your orbit, you have to explain loads of context. Now, I hear much more about the kind of banal details and the day-to-day. It creates a stronger sense of intimacy because it enables me to see the fullness of her life rather than just the things that she felt made the headlines.Join NowHoliday Sale: Become an AD PRO member for only $20 $12 per monthArrowHaving a network to lean on while raising children is an obvious selling point of living near friends. But the community that grows out of raising a kida circle of parents and guardians that you befriend by virtue of having a common daycare, school, and playdates or sports to coordinatecan also form through being neighbors with your best buddies. During the pandemic, Paris Smith and her partner left Brooklyn for Twin Cities, Minnesota, where a number of their pals had recently relocated, in large part because of the fact that we are child-free adults, she says. Her partners family lives about an hour away from the area, which was another incentive, but the friendship component was critical.My family is based in New Orleans. I dont know anybody else in New Orleans, and so as much as I love my family and as much as my partner and I love his family, the family wasnt enough for us, Smith explains. Were very independent and social, and so I think we would be lonely in an environment where we didnt have a lot of friends. It isnt enough to sustain my personal social battery and fulfillment; I gain a lot of joy out of being with my friends and spending time with them and their families and being spontaneous about how we hang out. I dont think there wouldve been a reason for us to leave New York without having all of those factors come together.Most PopularHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessBy Lindsey MatherCelebrity Style23 Festive Photos of the White House Christmas Decor Through the DecadesBy Katie SchultzMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamBy Mayer RusSmith and her partners Brooklyn-based buddies flocked to Minneapolis and St. Paul over the course of about seven years, either for work, grad school, jobs, or simply to return to their Midwestern roots. We suddenly had this group of six or seven people that we had known for many years that were all in this bubble, she says. Here was this little oasis where a lot of folks are within walking distance to each other and have yards and can all gather and hang out. We were able to find a house that is literally two blocks down the same street as one of our really good friends. Were a five-minute walk to another couple that were friends with, and then a seven-minute walk to another couple were friends with. We all live along the same three streets. And in this time, weve recruited friends from Colorado to come join us.Our sources named accessible babysitting, spontaneous hang outs, and sharing of common household items among the benefits of living near friends.Illustration: Lizzie SouflerisRecruiting your bestiesThis type of residential recruitment is a full-time job for Priya Rose. Fractal is my main hustle, she says of her Brooklyn-based network, which she launched shortly after the pandemic. Its a social scene with many nodes. It started as a bunch of apartments, all in the same building, of friends who just hung out all the time, did projects all the time, worked out together, et cetera. Now, its a lot of things. We have something called Fractal University, which is basically us teaching each other classes from our living rooms. And then theres all these different co-living houses that are all around New York now. Each of those is their own social center, in some ways. Rose recently moved from her spot at the original Fractal building to Fractal 2, which has a slightly more family-friendly bent to itan even more ideal setting for her after having a baby this year.Most PopularHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessBy Lindsey MatherCelebrity Style23 Festive Photos of the White House Christmas Decor Through the DecadesBy Katie SchultzMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamBy Mayer RusSimilar to Morris, Rose previously lived in the Bay Area, where the co-living scene is abuzz. In 2021, after moving into a three-bedroom New York apartment with friends, a vacancy in the unit across the hall presented an opportunity. We happened to have another friend who was trying to move from San Francisco to New York at the time, so we helped her sign that lease. It was a four-bedroom, so we helped her fill those rooms. At that point, it was like Friends. We would just leave our doors unlocked and go between them. So, Rose dug deeper and deeper into organizing the community over the next few years. Shes gone semi-viral singing the praises of living near friends and has sold numerous pals on the lifestyle. Like Rush, Stokes, and Smith, she points out the natural ease of linking up to hang out when the need to make plans is replaced by casually bumping into each other.The sense of serendipity [is a major benefit], Rose says. Before I was in this situation, it was a lot of, Lets get coffee next Tuesday at 7:00. Now thats just way less common. It feels a lot more like being in school. You just can spontaneously hang out with people As an adult, theres a lot of drudgeryyou go to the grocery store, you do your laundry. But for the last multiple years, I always go to the grocery store with a friend.Shop Open DoorLove celebrity homes? Shop some of our favorites from Sofa Vergara, Sienna Miller and more.SHOP THE EDITAccording to Rose, the Fractal organization has no religious or ideological binding agent beyond simply a desire to maximize time spent around pals. Levin, too, laughs off comparisons to a commune tinged with the darkness of every negative commune stereotypethough by definition, he admits that Radish kind of fits. They are [communes], so part of thats true, he says of such co-living arrangements. But its an urban commune. Most of us have great jobs and we all have private space. We have our own homes, which are just homes near each other rather than homes near strangers.Levin isnt promising a perfect world through Live Near Friends. No ones trying to create utopia here, he insists. What this is going to achieve is just making your life feel 30% easier and 30% more supported. It doesnt solve the worlds problems, thats not the claim. Its a better way to live, alongside a bunch of people that [you] think really matter, especially in busy, hard, or lonely periods.Most PopularHomes + Decor17 Midcentury-Modern Living Rooms That Prove Why the Style is TimelessBy Lindsey MatherCelebrity Style23 Festive Photos of the White House Christmas Decor Through the DecadesBy Katie SchultzMagazineTadao Ando Realizes a Fashion Mavens Architectural DreamBy Mayer RusThe good and bad times of life will happen anywhere, but the prospect of living in walking distance of your best friends certainly seemswell, maybe just a little bit utopian? Its like you have your own trusted network of folks that can assist and provide support to one anotherwhether thats a folding table or our friends that live seven minutes away watching our dog this weekend, Smith adds. It is a real extended family in a way that is beautiful to see. I kind of wish it for everyone.

Kelly Wearstler has expanded her content empire. Earlier this month, the AD100 Hall of Fame designer announced the launch of Wearstlerworld, a weekly Substack newsletter that will be the connective tissue between everything that is part of my world, from design and architecture to art, fashion, and travel, she shares. Becausedespite her prolific social media presence, six authored monographs, a 17-part MasterClass series, and a recurring column in Harpers Bazaar NetherlandsWeastler still has stories to tell. This week, I caught up with the industry trailblazer about her writing process, how she takes edits, and the organizational tools she swears by.Mel Studach: What attracts you to the medium of a digital newsletter, as opposed to sharing these ideas through social media or a book?Kelly Wearstler: I love Substack, and I wanted to have something a little more conversational where the messaging is the star, and the images are more supplementary. [In Wearstlerworld], each Substack ponders a theme, whereas books are so different. I love and will continue to publish books, but those take a lot of time and resources to execute. A lot of this came out of how much I enjoyed doing MasterClass, which I never thought in a million years that I would do. It showed me how rewarding it can be to let others in and to share information. There's so much sameness in the design space, so I think looking for inspiration in less obvious places enriches all of our lives.I take it youre ready to retire the notion of trade secrets?For sure. Everything's so transparent now, which I like. Somebody hires an architect or designer to get his or her point of view. We love working with so many different clients because what we do at the studio is site- and client-specificevery project looks different. We don't have a formula. Were continuing to evolve, which is the best way to learn.Whats your writing process?The Notes app on my phone is very active, with notes often driven from images. I take tons of photos, and every week I compartmentalize them into folders on my desktop of ideas. Once we've identified the theme, the ideas pour from there and it's 24/7. In the mornings, I get up super early and I like to have good quiet focus time to write before anyone's up in the house. Or when everyone goes to bed, I love that time too. I go upstairs and focus in my studio, and get some great ideas then.