Aesop's Head Office is in Melbourne, and while this doesn't always seem an entirely fabulous choice – during the Venice Biennale or when the trade winds are blowing lightly on the Galapagos, for instance – right now, it's a good place to be. Autumn is wrapping itself around us one crisp day at a time, heralding the first crop of Wilson's Wonder walnuts from Bright, new exhibitions at the Heide Museum of Modern Art, and a chance to catch up on films we've reminisced about over summer. Of course, being the dutiful lot we are, we regard autumn as an excellent season to knuckle down and work. For Aesop customers who live in Melbourne, we hope to have a new store for you soon. We've found a location that begs for an Aesop-inspired overhaul. How could we say no?

DISCOVER
Japanese architecture firm SANAA, whose founders Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa are the winners of this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. SANAA was founded in 1995 and is responsible for designing New York's New Museum of Contemporary Art, the O Museum in Nagano, the Rolex Learning Centre in Lausanne and one of the temporary Serpentine Pavilion installations in London last year. The Pritzker jury describe the work of Sejima and Nishizawa as 'simultaneously delicate and powerful, precise and fluid, ingenious but not overly or overtly clever.' We couldn't think of two more deserving winners.

DRINK
Goats in Villages Viognier. The topic of South African wine can lead to heated debate. This is no bad thing. Having long been fans of robust conversation, we propose you enjoy a hearty slug of the Goats in Villages Viognier (from the just as lyrically named Goats do Roam label, who in turn belong to the Fairview stable) and throw yourself into just such a discussion. This drop offers a perfect example of why the noise surrounding South African winemaking is entirely justified.

ENJOY
This month, we release a déodorant for everyday use into our European, Asian and American stores and outlets. Not an antiperspirant, not an aluminium-based roll-on, not a product for athletes. Aesop Déodorant is a spray containing eleven essential oils that prevent and neutralise underarm odour.

EAT
At Petrelle in Paris, a longstanding local favourite where sophisticated cuisine – made largely from locally sourced produce – is served by charming staff in a small, warmly lit salon. Be sure to book well in advance. For a more humble Parisian offer, visit Le Verre Volé, a wine shop and cafe next to the Canal St-Martin, where the razor clams served with yuzu peel are as exceptional as the wine by the glass. The hand-selected French cheeses are also worth trying.

SUPPORT
The Sydney Writers' Festival which runs from 15 to 23 May. This year, new director Chip Rolley has assembled scribes from Australia and abroad, including Peter Carey, Lionel Shriver, David Malouf and Christopher Hitchens. The nine-day long festival consists of lectures, workshops, conversations and readings on topics ranging from political writing to memoir, as well as the crafts of writing crime fiction, short stories and literature for young adults.

HEAR
Nancy Sinatra solo or with long-time collaborator Lee Hazelwood. Although she was the daughter of Frank Sinatra, Nancy initially had little success in the music business. One wonders why no parental advice was forthcoming when she named her launch single 'Cuff Links and a Tie Clip'. However, in 1966, having reconsidered her look and song titles, Nancy released 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin' to acclaim. We suggest Summer Wine and Some Velvet Morning for weekend listening.

WATCH
Louis Malle, the Nouvelle Vague director, producer, and screenwriter who received his first co-director credit on Jacques Cousteau's Le Monde du silence (The Silent World, 1956) before creating his own film, Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Elevator to the Gallows in the US, Lift to the Scaffold in the UK). Ascenseur stars Jeanne Moreau and Maurie Ronet and features a haunting score by Miles Davis. Malle had a string of successful films following this, including Au Revoir Les Enfants, Pretty Baby, and Damage.

LISTEN
To one of the absorbing, enlightening and, yes, educational, podcasts on the Australian National University website. Hear primatologist Dr Jane Goodall explain the profound similarities between humans and apes and how this affects our understanding of the nature of humanity. Learn about the solid science behind the climate change debate, post-Copenhagen. Or listen to Emeritus Professor Peter Russell discuss why the 1992 Mabo case remains a revolutionary ruling with global ramifications.

ATTEND
Glyndebourne Festival. Dress in music wear and enjoy a formal picnic on the expansive lawn before enjoying opera performances which favour Mozart but have been known to include Handel, Verdi and Wagner. While the reputation of this festival has waxed and waned, this year looks promising. The new production of Don Giovanni is sold out, but Britten's Billy Budd is receiving much attention, and the pre-performance talks are always enlightening.

'One must work and dare if one really wants to live.' Vincent Van Gogh