Artesian

Celebrations! I can't think of a better place than the Artesian Bar at London's Langham Hotel. It's swanky and sophisticated but very original and artistically appealing at the same time. The bar obviously has pride of place with its elegantly curved pagoda tiers that look like it could have been modelled after the forbidden palace in Beijing or the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Described as 'Chinese Chippendale', its a mix of influences that will take your breath away with its beauty and grandeur. Set against an ornate wall panelling inset with silver-leaf bevelled mirrors, you can sit at the marble bar counter and bask reflectively in its majestic shadow. Complimented with broodingly modern colours of deep mulberry and muted lilac, its the perfect place for drinks, sweet treats and harmless gossip with girlfriends. Feeling indulgent? Opt for the caviar menu brought 'round with a selection of Vodkas served crisp and cold for the ultimate in post-shopping luxury. Santé !

Langham Hotel London

Bella Italia!

Bella Italia... I don't know about you but the busier I am & the more running around I have to do, the more I look towards long lazy days of summer. A cool drink, a languid swim and a day in the sun seems to be constantly on my mind! Inevitably the scene takes us to Italy. Come and be whisked away with me...

All by talented photographers - cicos, Ilse, IRISSSVaniglia, MichaelHayes, kym(ica), BlackBoyMing, kittyninha, waxorian, giuliesa, motocchio, littleglowinglights, Bouncing Light . Please click on the photos for direct links.

Behati & Africa

Nothing's perkier than a Victoria's Secret model and I was delighted to come across this article on Behati Prinsloo's personal style and her east village digs in particular. The sweet faced beauty shows her charmingly girlish side and invites us into her private den complete with hairless cat Gollum {but more of him later}.

Freshfaced and undeniably lanky as a newborn baby giraffe, the Namibia born model recently collaborated with Victoria's Secret for a line of swimwear inspired by the scenic plains and the people of her Homeland. I've never been to Namibia but I'm incredibly fortunate to have been to Johannesburg and Capetown in South Africa which was more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. No matter how much of travelling you've done across Europe and Asia, Africa is a Continent that you have to visit at least once. Its truly a part of the world that's undeniably unique.

The famous Cape of good hope was a highlight in its majestic beauty but my very first trip to Kruger park in Johannesburg was a revelation. I have two favourite memories that just have to be shared, one hilariously funny and the other a mix of horror and comical disbelief!

To take a tour of the sprawling grounds of Kruger park and watch the animals in their natural habitat we had to take a little van with an experienced [and armed!] park ranger as our guide. In the first little episode, we felt a slight rumbling and our guide immediately drove us to the area where it was most concentrated. We arrived in time to see a herd of Rhino's stomping away. Unfortunately we were facing the wrong direction and had parked in such a way that we only had the view from behind. It was highly amusing and the only picture I managed to snap of that occasion was a shaky, blurry capture of a humongous, dust covered errr.....Behind. Quite literally.

The second sighting left me equal parts scared and stunned but a whole lot excited! As we rounded a quiet corner, I heard a shriek [I still swear it wasn't me but honestly it could have been], whipped my head around and saw standing on a hill like kings surveying their kingdom, two hyenas in all their twisted, permanently smiling glory. It was a frightening sight.

My first thought was that we were going to be eaten alive until I recalled that in Disney cartoons hyenas always seemed to have a preference for carcasses...it was the longest 2 minutes of my life. I was afraid to take phtos for fear of spooking them. They stood so still and stared at us with such haughty demeanors, a reminder that this was their domain and here we were prey. Eventually we drove off and our guide exuberantly explained that we were the lucky few as a chance sighting of these creatures were exceedingly rare. Only then did I realise I had been holding my breath the entire time! The best way I would describe the experience was to be caught in a nightmare with bobbing headed clowns, fairground music and the weirdest objects coming to life. A dream come true for a kid that grew up with the Lion King.

Did I veer too far? Ok, back to Behati but if any of you have gotten into similar travelling scrapes, I would love to know!

Refreshingly relaxed and decorated with mostly dark lulling shades rather than a hurt your eyes preppy pink, this is where you get a glimpse of her homebody facet.
NYC bohemian and subtly African inspired, her home is that of a cool teenager, the only difference being her stuffed to the gills closet that probably holds more designer treasures and one of a kind pieces than the average 20 year old! Its an environment thats conducive to having close friends around and a quiet haven to come back to after a long day of work on towering heels.




Oh yes Gollum. To see a better portrait, go here. He frankly scares me, all cats scare me but thats another story.

from refinery 29 and Victoria's secret.

Clarity and Discipline

I do my work in black and whites
I think in the realm of grey
I daydream in hopeless bursts of colour
it sometimes fills me with dismay

Never the twain shall meet you say
Oui, je sais. C'est vrai
but will reality ever meet the dream?
sincerely, I hope Someday

Its become a tradition of sorts to share some of my struggles with you whenever its 'That' time of the year when papers fly and books take precedence. A petite poem this year where its literary meaning might disguise my quiet desires. It came to me in a moment and I was surprised at how its simplicity revealed much of my inner contemplation. A contrast to my complexities.

How often do you question yourself only to think that perhaps constant questioning is good?

{Enjoy the beautiful pictures.}

image par fashionising

Comptoir des Cotonniers

These girls, they epitomise insouciance.
The kind of throw this on with that other thing, a shake of the 'i didn't do anything' but it looks perfectly tossed hair, a slick of some lip gloss and out the door looking like they stepped out of an editorial girls. You secretly want to hate them but they're funny, caring, impossibly sweet and they let you borrow their clothes...so you just can't.

Comptoir des Cotonniers has captured that essence perfectly with their latest looks, the many steps of getting ready, lounging around the house, enjoying the entire, heady, dressing up process. These kind of lookbooks are my favourites, I can't decide if I like the clothes or the really cool interiors more! I'm dying to scrutinise the chic apartment- the mirrors, the pieces of art, the little photographs leaning against the wall, the trinkets on the bureau. I guess this is the idea, the environment doesn't look too perfect, its a touch messy, its comfortable and familiar, its filled with things that could have come from thrifts stores, precious personal items, its basically like my room.

The message is this is my space, this is where I pull on my outfits in the day, where I do my work or relax, these are the clothes I want in my wardrobe. Have I actually forgotten to mention the highly covetable clothes? The boyish military inspired pieces, the classic trench, the sharp black and whites, the billowy cotton tops for spring. Yes, these are the clothes I want hanging in my wardrobe...









Comptoir des Cotonniers spring 2010