Thursday 19 February 2009

My Heart is Yearning ..... Paris is Burning.....





Je suis fous de Paris!!! Stayed in a gorgeous boutique hotel in the Sixieme. I have visited this city countless times and yet each time I visit I am bowled over by the magic of it all and become a born again Paris virgin. Equally happy wolfing down hearty Algerian fayre at Le Martel in Chateau d'eau as I am sipping Kirs at Costes: this sublime tension of opposites is what makes this city so beautiful for me. 

My favourite haunts in the city are:

Bar Croix Rouge in St Germain for mid morning open top camembert sandwiches and champagne.

The Catacombs, utterly terrifying and claustrophobic but an adrenalin kick nonetheless - 1, Avenue Henri Roi- Tanguy

La Coupole on Avenue Montparnasse for a multi tiered fruits de mer experience.

Azzedine Alaia for everything 7, Rue de Moussy

Tombees du Camions on Rue d'Abbesses in Montmatre for dismembered Dolly heads, plastic jewellery and other useless yet beautiful epehemera.

Astier de Villatte on Rue St Honore sells exquisite crockery and other maison objets.

Porte de Vanves on a Sunday morning - the best flea market in Paris for a lightweight ferret and a rummage.




Monday 9 February 2009

My Costume of the day....


This week I have set my heart on acquiring a few pieces of Rick Owens. I have invested in a washed leather biker jacket, a signature piece from his current collection and a ribbed tank top/dress or three and of course the jersey harem pants, this will make up the best part of my interseasonal uniform, can't wait to wear the jacket with a diaphanous vintage Ozzie Clarke number or an oversized tee-shirt dress by Richard Nicoll. 

Thursday 5 February 2009

D.I.Y


When I'm in New York I always stay at the Bowery Hotel, perhaps the loveliest hotel in the city! Without fail I drop in on the John Derian Store on East 2nd street, conveniently placed around the corner. Here I stock up on all manner of domestic paraphanelia namely art books, wooden Kodak frames and Italian sugar paper. 

The walls are adorned with a dizzying array of naive animal sketches. I love this notion of displaying art or photographs en masse. It's an idea so easy to incorporate into your home. Simply sketch something you love from your children to a cherished pair of shoes and mount in abundance on your walls.







Monday 2 February 2009

Fave Reclamation Joints.

www.retrouvius.com
www.fildefer.dk/
www.trainspotters.uk.com
www.castlegibson.com
www.theoldcinema.co.uk


Snow


Wandering the streets of Hampstead this morning is akin to trawling the faux Dickensian streets of some quaint model village or Disney Land. Trees, houses, cars, privet bushes and eye lashes are dusted in a bright white snow: the fairytale variety all virginal and talc like. I love the way freshly settled snow evokes the childish spirit in all of us but loathe the way it ruins the suede on my Olive, Temperley Gilet.