Hello!
I’m Meghan McEwen, and I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been an editor and writer—mostly related to travel and design—for nearly 20 years. For publications like The World of Interiors, The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, The Guardian, Yolo, Travel + Leisure, Domino, and many more. I even started an award-winning blog many moons ago (Designtripper) about characterful places to stay.
In Hand lets me pull from those experiences, while honing in on a passion. As an avid knitter, hobby ceramicist and weaver, I have a particular interest and deep respect for traditional craft. And like so many things worth traveling for, these beautiful traditions are disappearing quickly.
Started more than two years ago with my friend and co-founder Lisa Borgnes Giramonti, this newsletter is the extension of a long-running conversation about our obsession with the old ways, the meaning of travel, and the importance of seeking out beauty.
We’ve written about our favorite eccentric travel memoirs; a pilgrimage to the heart of the Bloomsbury stomping grounds; a basketweaving village in Tinos, where one lone master weaver still plies his trade in foraged reed harvested by moonlight; advice on navigating the antique markets in Italy and the labyrinthine alleys in Fes; open-air folk museums; ceramics villages; weaving studios; small local shops where everything is made by hand; and special hotels and tucked-away places to stay. The farther off the beaten path, the better.
I’ve also started leading small group trips focused on the traditional craft and material culture of place. You can follow along here, and be the first to know about new trips.
What to expect:
—Two newsletters a month for paid subscribers (free subscribers get one abridged version a month)
—The kind of travel advice we give each other and pass along to our closest friends (from short lists jotted on napkins to long-winded love letters about our favorite discoveries)
—Design pilgrimages, traditional craft, eccentric house museums, antique markets, craft villages, vernacular architecture, historic hotels, family-run inns and the very best walks
—Interviews with writers, craftsmen, artists, designers, and aesthetes about travel that inspires their work
—Highly curated craft/design-focused guides to cities, villages and regions
—Our complete and very robust archive: we now have more than 80 In Hand newsletters full of travel intel and inspiration
—You’ll be the first to know when we announce our calendar of small group trips that explore the material culture of place.
Endless thanks to my friend and In Hand co-founder Lisa Borgnes Giramonti—artist, interior designer and author (Novel Interiors)—whose work and creative genius can be found throughout the archive. She’s currently working on a series of medieval-modern watercolors, available at Nickey Kehoe.
