Wednesday, April 25, 2012

One Outfit, Six Photos









Dress Theory.
Necklace by me.
Leggings Tsumori Chisato.  (Sorry for all the photos but I want you to enjoy the beautiful jacquard details.  Oh, Tsumori.  You get me every time.)
Shoes Cos.


One Outfit, Four Photos









Sweater Cos.
Blouse H&M.
Shorts Cos.
Tights H&M.
Shoes Cos.  (Mismatched metallic laces by me.)


Monday, April 23, 2012

One Necklace, Two Photos



This beaut used to belong to Maria E.  I just love it (enough to chase the beads down a snowy Brussels street) and always get many compliments on it--from people of all walks.  I like it when random and seemingly different people like the same thing.  Unexpected likes are good.

Shirt H&M.
Necklace vintage from mom.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Stuff on Walls #239




































Musée Carnavalet

The Musée Carnavalet is a wonderful free museum in the heart of the Marais.  This is one I really should avail myself of during lunch breaks, as it's super close to my office.  And it's FREE.  I know I already said that, but emphasis is necessary.  (At the very least, it's a clean bathroom should you find yourself in need while shopping in the Marais.  You're welcome.)

The museum is dedicated to the history of Paris and dates back to the Haussmann days, having opened in 1880.  We barely scratched the surface when we wandered in last weekend.  I was especially enthralled with the collection of old signage the museum houses, and especially especially enthralled with the old time-y cat signs and carvings.



This guy was from the 18th century.


I can't remember how old this one was, but I'm guessing equally as old if not older.






View into one of the courtyards.











P and B having a sit.



Some of the lovely gardens.

Reason No. 37 Why Korea Is Rad

Even without the adorable kitty styling of their Winter '11 lookbook, I was a fan of the Korean brand O'2nd from the first time I went in their store in Xintiandi.

And now it looks like Barney's is their only US stockist.  How about that?  Adorbs. 


Leftovers from Stockholm

I'm back there again this weekend, but here are a few scraps from my last trip.  The one where it snowed over Easter and I picked up a horrid stomach bug.  Yeah, that trip.



Makeshift studio.  There's nothing like a boy painting a cat to make my heart a-flutter.




Easter, Swedish style.  Oh, also the kids dress up as witches and beg for money.  





We went to the Vasa museum, which despite sounding extremely boring was actually pretty great.  The Swedes turned one of their biggest embarrassments (an expensive, beautiful, state-of-the art ship meant to show the world the power of the Swedish navy barely makes it out of the harbor before sinking) into a window on 17c life--on and off the water.  It's a wonder to see this exquisitely preserved ship from 1628 looming large in a museum built just for it.  And the dramatic lighting (to better preserve the ship) just adds to the experience.  Well done, Vasa Museum.  Maybe next time I'll bring the fancy cams to get some better photos.  Or just come visit, and you can see for yourself!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

One Outfit, Four Photos

Some double jacket action and a spot-the-cat-hair detail shot...




Fur-collared jacket vintage.
Denim jacket Levi's (by Imogen!).
Skirt H&M.
Shirt H&M.
Necklace Marni x H&M.

What's Been Happening

Argh.  I still have many more China photos to post.  Most of them are cued up and ready, I just have to give you my shrewd yet witty commentary.  (Why else do you come here?)  But since I'm not up for that tonight, I'll tell you what the hell else has been going on.  In list form.


1.  I was in Sweden last weekend!  It snowed!  Yes, it was Easter!  OK, the snow didn't really stick, but it was the principle of it all.  And it was c-c-cold.  Certainly too cold to take my gloves off and use my touch-activated phone to take photos.  So either I'm going to have to get an old-fashioned push-button camera or there will be no outdoor photos from Sweden 9 months out of the year.


2.  I fell ill with another dastardly stomach bug.  The can't-eat-anything kind.  B tried to tell me that it could be because I was in a new country and not used to the diet there.  I dropped the First World-Westernized card on him and that was that.  It seems the cause was either the fluffy buckwheat crepe (What kind of crepe is fluffy?  This was more like a soufflé... those menu liars!) served with some caviar was not made entirely of buckwheat (a gluten glitch, if you will) or that the scallops I ate were bad.  (Also, bad on me for snarfing down the crepe-flé, but after spooning the caviar directly into my mouth, I decided it really needed a vehicle and flour be damned.)  But the stomach trouble lasted too long to be food poisoning or gluten trickery so the real reason is probably just that I have a terrible digestive system.  But that's news to no one, certainly!


3.  The only good thing about being under the digestive weather is congee.  Oh, congee.  Sometimes even just the smell of it is enough to make me feel better.  I always wrote it off as that weird bland gruel on the breakfast buffet of every Asian hotel I'd ever stayed at.  But when there is no food that wants to stay in your system but you are hungry, oh so very hungry, and you are presented with a bowl of this broken rice porridge, it is the MOST DELICIOUS THING YOU HAVE EVER TASTED EVEN MORE SO IF MADE WITH CHICKEN BROTH HOLY MOLY CHICKEN BROTH IT'S ALMOST LIKE EATING A FREAKING STEAK.

Yeah, congee is soothing and delicious and is just the trick to turn some stomach troubles around.  And, once you're feeling better, you can flavor it in so many ways--with pork or seafood or with an egg stirred in or all spicy-like.  You can doctor it up however you like!  I want to try a sweet version next.  I just need some willing American to smuggle me some maple syrup...

Anyway, you can read more about congee here.  But trust me, it's the steak of diarrhea cures.  Mmm-mmm.


4.  Two of the most darling people in the world are coming to visit tomorrow!  I keep having those little frissons of excitement knowing that they are almost here, much like a kid does before Christmas.  This weekend is going to be great.  My Santa Clauses are on their way!


5.  Cochino is acting weird and is not-so-little around the middle these days.  And her pupils are dilated way too often.  And last night she bit me--twice--and kept mewing at me like she didn't want me to sit on the bed.  (Hey cat, it's my bed.  I bought it.  And there are plenty of other humans on this earth who wouldn't let you sleep on theirs, much less up by the pillows, so shush it.)  I hope I am being hypochondriacal, but I think it wouldn't hurt to take her to a vet.  So stay tuned for a French vet adventure.  I think it might go something like this:  your cat is fine (you are crazy), please pay me 300 euros.

Oh god, please don't let it cost 300 euros.  There goes my Chanel nail polish budget.

Brooching


This beautiful pin was given to me by a very special family member, a woman whose knowledge and grace seem to cloud around her.  I always enjoy talking to her and just being around her.  She has experienced lots and has a calmness to her so that she positively affects the zen of any room she is in.*  I am lucky to share a family tree with her.

Last time I was home, she couldn't make it to a family gathering, but she sent this in her stead... and consequently taught me about gutta percha.  (I told you, she's cool like that.)  It was her grandmother's, and I just love it.

I'm serious.  Drop her in a contentious courtroom or any meeting involving North Korea--let's see what happens.

My Spring Color

I am addicted to Chanel nail lacquer.  Even though they seem to chip pretty quickly (possibly because I don't put a top coat on and possibly because, you know, those dishes aren't gonna do themselves), the colors get me every time and there I am spending another nice little nugget on some nail polish.  Look, here's the thing:  I am going to start wearing a top coat.  But also, as a 35+ year-old woman, I have earned the right to drop some dimes on little luxuries like fancy nail polish.

Yeah.


And it's my birthday month...


Thursday, April 5, 2012

One Outfit, Three Photos






Necklace Les Precieuses (from Brussels, but thanks to Keegan).
Shirt H&M.
Skirt UO.
Tights ?.
Pony boots Loeffler Randall.

One Outfit, Three Photos






Vintage ruffle blouse.
Jeans BDG.
Shoes New Kid.