Have you ever looked at a restaurant’s wine list and had no idea where to begin? You’re not alone. No offense to sommeliers, but we’re not always in the mood to flag one down and process all the varietals and terroirs. Enter Ask Marcel, one of our new favorite apps. This virtual sommelier intends to take the guesswork—and the gamble—out of ordering wine. The brainchild of wine lovers (and proud Frenchmen) Greg Molin and Damien Jouvent, Marcel is an A.I.-powered wine connoisseur that has been highly programmed to identify the best-tasting and most reasonably priced bottles of the bunch. Use your phone’s camera to scan a bottle or the wine list, and Marcel will reveal its rating. A champagne toast to you, gentlemen! (apple.com) —Ashley Baker

Credit Arvind Ethan David, Ilias Kyriazis, and Cris Peter with the inspired idea to turn Raymond Chandler’s Trouble Is My Business into a graphic novel. After all, Chandler is as much about atmosphere and description as he is about plot, and this trio bring his words to vivid life. There is a slight tinkering with the opener, but that only deepens the story. And the haunting illustrations, some in color, some in what I can only describe as sepia brown, redefine what noir means. The main characters all have their own color scheme, and even the cigarette smoke seems to waft off the page. This is a triumph of teamwork, with an additional nod to Taylor Esposito, who did the lettering. Let’s hope that Chandler’s protagonist, Philip Marlowe, makes another appearance at the hands of these artists. ($29, amazon.com) —Jim Kelly

In 2003, when affordable housing was being demolished for parking-lot space in Providence, Rhode Island, a group of starving artists helmed by Michael Townsend covertly moved into the newly constructed Providence Place mall—and weren’t caught for four years. The mall apartment became an art project in and of itself for the group of seven painters, some of whom were Rhode Island School of Design alumni. Townsend was happy to work in a community because otherwise “there was no thrill in the adventure.” Find a small cinema near you and laugh along with the audience as these young artists bend the rules to create a room of one’s own. “If you make the mall your home,” Townsend asks, “how do you become that space?” (ifccenter.com) —Andie Blaine

“A parallel universe for people who are looking for a dreamy, endless summery utopian kind of world” is how German art director Frank Rocholl has described Mirage magazine. “Dream cars, dream girls, interesting architecture and interiors or objects.” Rocholl co-founded the independent fashion-and-culture publication in 2009 with photographer Henrik Purienne. Launching in Paris and quickly becoming global, the ad-free, hardbound magazine releases its issues at a pace as leisurely as its contents—sometimes taking up to two years between volumes. (Rocholl has likened his and Purienne’s partnership to that of a band, releasing an album only when creatively compelled.) The Porsche-themed Under the Sun Vol. 1 released this year might be the most leafed-through coffee-table book in our collection. ($89, miragemag.com) —Spike Carter

Michelin-star maniacs, get out your calendars. The Peninsula Hotels have tapped three of its culinary superstars to stage a globe-trotting event called Three Chefs, Three Feasts. The first dinner will take place at L’Oiseau Blanc, in Paris, with David Bizet on May 13, followed by one at Brooklands, in London, with Claude Bosi on September 30, and the last at Gallada, in Istanbul, with Fatih Tutak on October 22. Each chef will prepare a six-course tasting menu for a small group of guests, plus a box of artisanal chocolates inspired by the three Peninsula Hotels for the road. If you manage to book a hotel room at the same time, you won’t have to go very far to digest it all. (from $390 per person, sevenrooms.com) —Ashley Baker

One of the happier by-products of the coronavirus pandemic is the battery-powered table lamp. The pleasures of outdoor dining increase in proportion with how well you can see what’s on your plate. Though, in the nearly five years since al fresco dining became widespread, in the summer of 2020, we’ve learned that not all portable lamps are created equal. Lesser models give off a ghastly, hospital-like L.E.D. glare, which has the effect of making your food look like it’s still alive, and your date…well, not. Fortunately, the wizards at Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen have cracked the code with a pint-size yet powerful take on Verner Panton’s classic, dome-shaped Panthella lamp. Available in every color you could possibly want (we like the delightfully Art Deco chrome model with an opal-beige shade), the Panthella 160 has three different brightness settings that range from “Mom and Dad, you won’t be needing that flashlight to read the menu” to “Let’s make out.” And whether you’re using the light for a long, rambling outdoor dinner or when the power goes out, it lasts 8.5 hours on a charge, so you will be able to enjoy a cordless evening. ($355, louispoulsen.com) —Nathan King