Posts from February 2017

spend a penny

February 24, 2017

Regular readers know how much thought I give to my dream guest loo. Ditch the tub, and this is just the sort of dizzyingly fun experience I think a visit to the loo should be. With its gorgeous Moroccan tiles and antique fringed hand towels, this is also a gem. And although I’m not usually one for animal print, this subtle take on dalmatian is dynamite.

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feline

February 23, 2017

The only think I like about cats are their eyes. No one does the cat eye like Sophia Loren. Here’s a good little tutorial on how to achieve ones like hers. I kind of love these supersized cat flicks and these ones, too. Also, if I did like cats, I’d have a Russian Blue, and her name would be Begonia.

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Friends

February 22, 2017

Here’s a question –– which of Bijou Karman’s painted girls would you most want as your friend? With her sweet bob and fuchsia rosette, this one tops my list. She reminds me of Margot Tenenbaum. I’d hazard that she doesn’t talk much, but has a lot to say. And that she’s brilliantly funny, in a dry, sardonic way. I’d also like to be friends with this bicorne-wearing gal. She looks serious, but I bet she’s hilarious. I also know who I wouldn’t want to be friends with — but that’s not kind to say.

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Mustard

February 21, 2017

Mustard is a favourite colour of mine. I have a wonderful oversized cardigan, and a pair of Ferragamo Varina’s, both in mustard, that I love. It’s not the prettiest colour on the palette, or as cheerful as other yellows like marigold, but it is regal. Princess moments ask for a Louis XV style sofa in mustard velvet with gold trim, don’t you agree?

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shoot for the moon

February 21, 2017

I took my daughter to see Hidden Figures, the Theodore Melfi film about a team of African-American women mathematicians at NASA, today. I spent as much time looking at Iole’s face as I did the screen. Her shock at how Katherine G. Johnson –– a genius mathematician who calculated flight trajectories for Project Mercury and other missions –– was forced to run half a mile in heels every day to get to the colored bathroom. Her delight (with tears) as Katherine’s boyfriend proposed marriage. Her awe as the space ships successfully rocketed into the sky. We had front row seats, which was unpleasant, (they really should charge less for those!) but I loved every minute of it.

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kiss the cook

February 17, 2017

I wonder if a cook’s kitchen would get me to cook? I roast the odd parsnip, sauté spinach and stir a risotto, but for the most part, I’m utterly unimaginative in the kitchen. Now, give me a kitchen like this one, and watch the marjoram fly. Hell, I may even bake my own bread and churn my own butter.

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Enchanted

February 16, 2017

Claire Basler‘s world is one that I would love to step into. The French floral artist lives and works in an old schoolhouse in Les Ormes, near Paris and spends her days immersed in beautiful flowers. She creates massive arrangements all over the house, and then photographs and paints them in her sun-drenched studio. Her home, Château de Beauvoir has been featured in many magazines, and is a work of art in itself.

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Siesta

February 15, 2017

It’s common in the Cyclades to see stone bed frames built into the design of the house. I love the look. You see it in North Africa and in parts of Italy, too. It’s so simple and chic. This one is lovely also, with bamboo sticks just waiting for white muslin curtains. No wonder the Mediterraneans take afternoon naps.

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Bloom

February 14, 2017

The snowdrops are springing up in England, a sign that Spring is on its way. In Toronto, we’ve just got lots of snow. I love it when the city is white, but flowers are a must indoors. Buy bunch loads of the same bloom and fill every room in the house with them. It’s an indulgence, I know. But what pleasure fleurs do bring.

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Wings

February 13, 2017

The Eagle Huntress tells the story of a 13-year-old girl who’s father trains her to become the first female eagle hunter. It’s a breathtaking film, with exquisite panoramic shots of Mongolia’s snowy Altai Mountains and a stunning soundtrack (including “Angel by the Wings” by Sia). I’ve read that director, Otto Bell took artistic license in parts, embellishing facts and staging shots, but only a purist would let that get in their way of his enjoyment. A true documentary it may not be, but it’s wildly uplifting and incredibly beautiful, none the less. If you think that your kids can stomach a few sacrificial scenes, take them to see this film. They’ll be awestruck.

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