Music

"You manipulate most things in art or music, I suppose at its crudest level, you manipulate everything."

You'd expect John to have eclectic music tastes. And he doesn't disappoint. Browsing through his MP3 playlist we found:

• Leonard Cohen
• Alberto Iglesias
• Sinatra
• Van Morrison
• Bob Dylan
• Perfect Day soundtrack by Soap Kills

When John's chatting to his friends about music he likes to play them clips of his latest discoveries. So the multimedia buttons on his Vaio FZ come in very handy. He can quickly access all his tunes, his latest pictures and even movies without having to boot up his PC.

Architecture

"The school I went to was in a town called Normal".

John is the least ordinary man you could ever meet. He's someone that wonders in the everyday and revels in the unique. One of John's many passions is architecture and it's obvious that he has an eye for beautiful design. Maybe that’s what attracted him to the Vaio TZ. The sleek, flat styling of its carbon fibre finish and the sensuality of its ergonomic keyboard are a triumph of form and function in harmony.

The Chrysler Building

Built between 1928 and 1930, the Chrysler Building is still the tallest brick building in the world. A magnificent art deco skyscraper, its steel-clad spire was modelled on a Chrysler radiator grill and featured numerous other nods to Chrysler car design. The 71st floor was originally a viewing gallery but was converted in the 1940s to office space, complete with its triangular windows, wall stars and Saturn-shaped lights. The "Cloud Club" was a private lounge area at the top of the building and, in the times of prohibition, had a hidden room.

Chrysler sold the building in 1957.

Guggenheim Bilbao

Like the Chrysler Building, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is also a monument to the latest advances of its time. Built in 1996 to house contemporary and modern art, the Guggenheim's organic curves and waves relied heavily on sophisticated computer-aided design, which made it possible to construct shapes that architects of earlier generations would have found impossible. The museum's curves are designed to appear random yet catch the light.

Recipes

"The thing about drinking a good wine is not to get so drunk you can’t remember the name of it."

John loves to cook. Puddings give him most satisfaction. He’s picked up recipes from around the world, from the people he’s met, from the books he’s read. But, like most good cooks, he adds his own little touches. He thinks grated lemon rind is the ideal complement to apple crumble and he insists on using brown sugar where he can.

Neutra

Born in Vienna in 1892, Richard Neutra became a modernist architect, famous for his sleek, luxurious houses in South Western USA. He gave great attention to the needs of each of his clients, designing a home around them which combined art, the landscape and practical comforts. He worked with a number of partners before opening his own practice with his wife, Dionne, in Los Angeles. He later worked with his son, Dion. He adamantly believed that modern architecture should act as a social force for the improvement of mankind.

José Maria Jujol

José Maria Jujol was a Spanish architect, painter and furniture designer. He developed his unusual architectural style through many years of close, creative collaboration with Antoni Gaudí. Jujol’s work is influenced by nature – especially the beautiful Catalonian landscape - as well as his deep religious faith, and makes very imaginative use of old and recycled materials.

Shopping

"There can be hours between work so I take my paper and pencils and draw."

One of John’s favourite shops is Magasin Sennelier, a famous artists' materials store on the Left Bank in Paris. It opened in 1887, and still occupies the same premises on the Quai Voltaire, opposite the Louvre and close to the Musée d’Orsay. It has been run by the Sennelier family for four generations. Over the years it has attracted thousands of artists including Cézanne, Gauguin, Soutine, Modigliani, Kandinsky, Bonnard, Picasso, Cocteau and many others. Although the charm and atmosphere remain, times have changed. Today there's a sister shop in Montparnasse, a website and mail order service.

Just like his sketchpad, John takes his Vaio TZ on his travels. It's a seriously stylish notebook, made from tough carbon fibre. It’s small enough to slip into his bag and tough enough to survive life on the road.