exorcised the ghost of notre dame

(topshop sweater) oh my friends, i know it has been so long since i've checked in with you all. for those of you dedicated souls who still stop by once in a while, merci beaucoup! i have been so remiss in keeping up with my blogs since i returned from paris and i do apologize. you see, the thing is, so many things happened to me in paris that i still have a hard time talking about them in addition to so many other events that have happened since i have been home. i really don't know where to begin. i do feel, however, that at this point in my life, i must write a book. i'm just not ready to go there yet. so i will ask for your patience, and hopefully, get back in the swing of things toutes de suites! i do now have in my possession my beloved paris photos so i will get them on to the blog very soon. that is to be continued... so as you may know, i was in paris for work. one of the many parts of my job is to install the trade shows that we do for pendleton home. paris and the maison objet show is still relatively new for us and i was selected to work the show due to process of elimination (our designer was preggers so i lucked out and got to attend). this was THE most stressful thing i have ever done for my job. it was very last minute and i did not sleep for at least a month before i even arrived in paris. the day i saw my shipment leave portland for the show, was a huge day for me. i can't believe i was able to pull it all off so quickly. i convinced my best friend to go with me to help with the set up. i mean, why would you not want a free room in paris with very little work expected of you? ha! boy were we wrong. from the minute our feet hit parisian ground, we were off and running! we began by checking in to our super cute hotel directly across the street from notre dame. it was designed by christian lacroix and was absolutely adorable (said with a french accent). after check-in was a lunch of salad and croque monsieur at cafe de flore followed by a shopping trip to monoprix (i always have to stock up on lots of petit marseillais shampoo). the next day we met my shipment at the show and set up our booth. the following day we had a lazy start. we walked over to the right bank to run an errand, bought some things for the booth and then headed back out to the show to finish things up. we wrapped up the set-up and had a full day off ahead of us the following day. and this is when it all went wrong! on our day off, we walked all the way to the eiffel tower, which believe it or not, i had never seen...only from a distance. from there we took a taxi over to rue st. honoree and walked the shops. it began to rain on our way back to the hotel but we walked anyway. when we got back, we dressed quickly for dinner and then headed out to catch a cab to have dinner at au 35 in st. germain a few blocks a way. to say the least, the driver wasn't too keen on taking us for a drive a few blocks a way and tried to scam us by taking the long way (hey, i'm a good tipper, why so rude?). i think i was so flustered and exhausted at this point that i paid him at the restaurant, hopped out and left my purse in the cab. about two minutes later, i realized what i had done but at this point, he was long gone. let me reiterate how exhausted i was so i clearly wasn't thinking straight. because i had everything in my purse, and i mean EVERYTHING! my money, passport, credit cards, jewelry... i have never done anything like this in my life. so to say the least, it put a damper on the rest of my trip, and i still had not even begun my job at the show yet! i was so upset but my friend was such a savior and i can't even imagine what it would have been like had she not been there. i seriously would have lost my shit (figuratively AND literally). all in all, i can say i survived and it made me a stronger person. it just wasn't what i had imagined for myself on a trip to paris. after the weekend, i got my beloved credit cards back and could go on with my life for the last few days in town. i felt so much better! my coworkers and i found some really great parisian spots when we could finally sit down for dinner at about 10 o'clock every night. thank goodness all of the restaurants stay open late in paris. a few of these spots were, cafe de l'industrie, le fee verte, and le procope. not to mention all of the help from my fabulous staff at the hotel notre dame that were there for me every step of the way (even though i'm still convinced that hotel is haunted). the funny thing is, i'm going back in september, and i can't be more excited! i'm just putting everything in my safe this time and strapping my purse down for sure.

and while we were in paris, we heard firsthand the sad news that johnny and vanessa had split. it just took a while to make it to our shores. i must say, though, there definitely was something amiss in paris while we were there. rip johnny and vanessa, i really had hoped it would work out and i could come to visit you in your fabulous montmartre pad.

a doggie do

i realize i have been missing in action since my last post announcing that i would be going to paris for work. and as much as i would love to have stayed there, i didn't. i've been back home for a while now and i need to get a paris recap post up but i haven't gotten all of my pictures back yet so i am waiting until then to tell you all about my trip. let me tell you, it was quite the adventure!

but in the meantime, i just had to share this with you because it's just too awesome not to. i have been trying to figure out a way to incorporate my little lu into my brand and a possible product line and i must admit, i was a little jealous when i saw this line of paint over on decor8.


this is a paint line called murobond paints. i know, i know i die for their logo.


look at this handsome man with a bow tie. don't judge me if i sorta steal their logo idea. i've been wanting to do this for so long and this just made me more clear on my idea. and my little lucie is such an inspiration to me on a daily basis. i will do my best to keep it original, though.

i started thinking about my idea over the holidays when i went to a craft bazarre. while it was a great sale, they needed more vendors and i started thinking that i needed to come up with an idea to contribute to the fair next year. so that's what i am going to do, mark my words!


oh yeah, and back to the murobond paints. i am in love with shades of grey lately and plan on incorporating some into my house paint soon. this line appropriately named "gray scale garden" would be perfect, no?

mon dieu!

oh my gosh! has it really been over two months since i checked in with you all? i can't believe that the time has flown by so quickly and now we are at the eve of christmas eve! things have been so busy in my life that i just have barely been getting everything done that i need to but it's also been really, really great.

well, i just want to let you know that we are all doing just fine in my household. lorenzo and the girl are fabulous as always and lucie, roy and the kitty cats are all doing great as well. work is going good, just keeping me very busy. in fact i have a little bit of news for you all...in eleven days i will be heading to paris for maison objet! yes, it's true, my work is sending me to paris and i couldn't be happier. however, between now and then, i have a lot of work to do. i will be setting up and working our booth at the show in paris and then fly directly to new york to do the same at the new york gift show. whew, i'm already tired!

so while preparing to go to paris, i was sure to get a hotel in my favorite neighborhood, the latin quarter, to be close to my beloved shakespeare and company. i was so sad to hear last week that george whitman passed away at the ripe old age of 98. i was hoping to see him one last time. perhaps i will light a candle in notre dame for the old codger.


i think the best thing about this whole situation is that he had a daughter he named sylvia beach who has taken over running the store for him so i can rest easy knowing that it is in good hands (and i'm sure he can too).


if you have never been to shakespeare and company in paris, the next time you are there, you must go. it is a magical little world all its own.


and i am so excited to be staying right around the corner from the bookshop at hotel le notre dame.


this cute 26 room hotel was designed by christian lacroix and it is going to be my home away from home for ten days while i'm there. oh my gosh, i DIE!

so i promise, promise, promise that i will be better about checking in with you all-- my wonderful devoted reader friends and i will take lots and lots of pictures for you.

happy christmas to everyone and i can't wait to talk to you again soon.
XO

falling for fashion

hi everyone! how has fall been so far? i really can't believe it's already here. even though it is my favorite fashion time of year, yeah!

so yes, i have been compiling my fall 2011 must haves for the season and this is what i have come up with so far. some of these lovelies have already made it home with me. oh i can't wait to snuggle up in my new fall wardrobe.


so, number one on the agenda is a new haircut. as you all know, after years of longish hair, i cut it off this spring into a cute new bob. i am still loving my short hair but i do miss being able to put it up so i have been growing it out a little. i found this picture of kirsten and i love, love, love this haircut. of course mine will be darker but this is such a classic retro bob. i can't wait to get over to see my girl soon to start working on this cut.


and here is my latest signature lip color, chili by mac. i'm loving it. mac really does the best lipstick, don't they?


and this was the purchase of the season. i always keep a classic camel coat in my closet and when this came through our latest collection, you know i had to have it. this is pendleton's hip/young collection, the portland collection. i absolutely can't wait for it to get cool enough to wear this.


i decided that i really wanted a buffalo check shirt this year but i wanted it to have elbow patches. then i remembered this great junya watanabe shirt from two years ago and i found a pendleton version of it. i'm just going to wear it as a shirt jacket with jeans or leggings this winter.


last week i found the softest leopard print cardigan like this one at h&m. i think it will be the perfect accessory to mix in with my collection. it goes with everything.


i have been looking and looking for a classic french cuff shirt like this one and i am determined to find it this season. it is just such a staple. i must have one!


and i die for these flared camel trousers. must have! where oh where can i find these. i cannot go on without something like this in my fall collection.


my rain boots have worn out and they have been retired to the back door for taking the dogs outside. i literally had a puddle in them last week so i finally broke down and bought these pillar box red hunter wellies. of course now i'm dying to wear them and it's been nothing but sun here!


and i know that ballet flats are not the best fall footwear but i found these gabriella rocha flats on zappos and i had to have them. the bows are just the sweetest. besides, my last pair of black ballet flats wore out in new york so they needed replaced anyway.


black converse are always a staple in my closet. nothing beats these for weekend wear.


and i'm loving my new clear dome umbrella. this is going to be so cute this winter with my new boots.


and of course i can't forget my most prized fashion accessory, my girl lu. nothing goes better with my fall wardrobe better than this little piece of love.

j'adore

oh i am dying over these french sole ballet flats i saw over on rdujour. must get me some sparkly ones!

a little f. scott in paris

have you all gone to see midnight in paris yet? i was finally able to see it over the weekend and i'm pining to go see it again. it so reminded me of my time in paris 5 years ago. there really is something magical about that city, don't you think?

the scene with f. scott fitzgerald and zelda brought back such memories for me. you see, i was traveling through paris alone, on my way to visit a friend in brittany. someone had suggested i stay at the hotel st. andre des artes. so i got a room at this quaint little hotel in st. germain. the hotel is rumored to once have been a stable that the three muscateers had used as a hiding place. i don't know about the whole three muscateers thing but the hotel did resemble a stable, complete with exposed cross-beams in many of the rooms.

my room in the hotel was butter yellow and had two long french windows that opened up and looked out over rue st. andre des artes. across the hotel was a cute little alleyway that had been turned into shops all facing the cobblestone alley that was closed off to vehicles. after a long day of travel, i just wanted to relax in my hotel and get some rest. i headed over to monoprix and picked up some bread, wine and cheese and my favorite shampoo, le petit marsellaise.

when i was passing through nice, i stopped in a bookshop where they sold books in english and picked up a few for the latter part of my trip. one of the books was the great gatsby. believe it or not, i had never read it before!

i returned to my hotel and after dining on my wine and cheese, i opened up my window and sat looking out over st. germain reading the great gatsby. i guess, subconsciously, i was saving such a great book to read in a special setting. i almost read it cover to cover that night before dozing off...only to wake up in paris. no, this was not a dream.

i remember this time like it was yesterday. sometimes i can't believe i really took this trip by myself. and while paris is best to be shared with one you love, i'm happy that i took my first trip there all alone to discover it for myself. now i can go there with the one i love and show him all of the places that i visited and fell in love with. oh to be in paris...

iris season

oh iris, where have you been all my life? if i had discovered the likes of you at say 14 or 15, i truly believe things could have been so much different for me!

that's right, i have recently discovered the person that is iris apfel. a 90 something year old former interior designer and business woman from queens, new york.

remember a few weeks ago when i said that i know what i want to dress like when i am older? well this is pretty much it. i just didn't know someone was already doing it. but that's ok, i'm not disappointed, now i just have my own muse.


you know how i have also mentioned my weird frenchie/southwestern design mix? well now i see that i'm not so off the wall after all.


many days when i get dressed for work, i have a really hard time deciding whether i want to channel coco chanel or frida kahlo. usually i pick a safe version of one or the other. but now, i almost feel that i can do both. oh how freeing it is!


here is my outfit today. with my new hair, i feel like a mix of iris and anna wintour. this is my turquoise collection with my favorite tasha polizzi tijuana jacket.




and check out her house. i love it. and while i do like things a little darker and less flowery, i really like a lot of the individual items she has. i would just style them differently.


i even have a similar setee to this one. unfortunately, our big dog ripped the fabric on it and i have been completely undecided about how to recover it. but i'm loving this ikat she has used on her setee. it would work perfect in my house.

photos of iris by the boston phoenix and architectural digest

incroyable!

i'm at a loss...how incredible are these images from laduree?


a few months ago, i came across this poster of macarons from laduree on rdujour.


then last week on besotted, i came across this image of a laduree truffle box with a little frenchie on it.

oh laduree, you are killing me! first the macarons, then the cute dogs. oh what is a francophile girl to do right now when she is nowhere near paris? le sigh!

summer staples

we have now had a few nice days here in portland so i feel i can officially start planning my summer wardrobe staples now. i'm not going too crazy this year but i am stepping out a little (a very little) on my usual dress, especially since i don't really like shorts. i guess since we have had such an extremely wet winter, shorts may very well be in order this summer. and that brings me to staple number one...


yes, i will definitely be needing some bronzer, at least at the beginning of the summer. and while the lancome flash bronzer is not long lasting (i sweated it all off in bikram yoga last night), it does have a really natural look and is great if you need it for a special occasion. i swear by this one and have been using it for years.


while i am obsessed with vintage christian dior sunglasses, i have had a hard time finding just the right style for me so now i am considering some new chloe glasses. they have a retro look but are updated for today. i would take either one of these two pair.




lately i've really been wanting a pair of overalls but since they tend to be a little frumpy, i've decided overall shorts are the way to go, definitely a little more fitted than baggy, too.



and i really have turned my signature weekend look into wearing striped shirts, i love them and can dress them up or down. i would like both of these by petit bateau please!




these cute little cleo denim shorts are perfect too. i definitely will be needing some of these.


and i love the hasbeens for h&m clogs. i don't know if there are any left but i will for sure find some cute red clogs like these for the summer.


my converse sneakers are getting a little worn out so they may need replaced as well. i just can't decide on black or white. what do you think?

what are you all planning on wearing this summer?

i die!

so i'm working on a set design and i really want to go with the john derian look. i'm googling photos of his designs and lo and behold, what do i see? a john derian and repetto collaboration! how is this the first that i have heard of such a brilliant mix?

being on the shorter side, i never used to favor flats because, well, the last thing i need is to look even shorter. but a few years ago i decided i really didn't care about that any more and i began collecting ballet flats. and i loooove them! they are just so comfortable and really look great with any spring and summer outfit and they are perfect for work, too.

i have been dying for a pair of brigitte bardot's signature ballet flat, by repetto, but the price is a little much for me to handle. but oh man, look at these babies.
oh yes, i die!

available at john derian 212.677.8408 $295.00

new york style

speaking of personal style. have you seen the bill cunningham documentary yet? i haven't seen it come through town yet but i really want to see it.


and believe it or not, yours truly has been featured in his street style article. i will forever be indebted to him because now anytime lorenzo doesn't like what i'm wearing (including the coat i was wearing in the article), i instantly have "street cred". thanks bill!

my personal style file

i'm loving this new book by amanda brooks about developing your own personal style.

as a child of the '80s, i could definitely use some help when it comes to fashion...in fact, this very day i am wearing a long sweater over black leggings, clearly not much has changed since then (my hair is smaller, though). so i'm always looking for any bits of advice i can get from the fashion front, and this one is really good.

i already know how i want to look when i'm older, i have that all planned out, it's the in between years that i'm struggling with!

get your kicks

i just discovered this great band over on gretchen jones' blog. so perfect for today's mood.

old blue hair

i am loving these images of the mary katrantzou spring 2011 lookbook found on rdujour.

while the blue hair is a bit much, these images are visually beautiful and interesting. it would have been a lot of fun styling these shots.






the clothing and the sets are incredible but i actually think that the photos would look better if the model just had black hair. what do you think?