On heavy rotation

A beautiful mellow song by Honduran singer and Member of Parliament, Aurelio Martinez. A great afro-caribean mix:

Lubaru Wanwa by Aurelio feat Youssou N'Dour

An oldie : 


Ascension (Don't ever wonder) by Maxwell. I actually prefer the MTV Unplugged live version whose video is sadly not available. 

And Lotus Flower by Radiohead

Help!

I need a new phone.

My battered ancient Nokia is well too beat up to be decently brought out in full day light. Plus, major reason actually,  my  phone operator cancelled my SIM card so I'm officially...unreachable. Ooh, I know, the tragedy!

I'm thinking about Blackberry. The iPhone's pretty cool too but way too expensive for a moderate phone user like me.

Thoughts? For once, that's one shopping department I have no idea what to get....

April 23rd edit:  Thanks for all the feedback! Got the iPhone. 

Can I get a window seat ?

I'm flying far away for some much needed vacations. 

See you soon!

La famille de l'année, la princesse et le petit pois

Discovered Family of the Year with "Psyche or like scope" but I can't get enough of "The Princess and the pea",  it's stuck in my head.

On heavy rotation

"Ariel" by Stateless

Mwah Mwah!

Bonne année!

I wish a Happy New Year to all the readers of this blog. May 2011 bring us health, peace, lots of love and success!

Regular postings shall be back shortly after this holiday season that we suitably name "la trève des confiseurs" in France (the sweet truce!) and for once, I had a few days off and really enjoyed the celebrations.

Thanks for all the kind messages I received!

It's the tradition in France around this time of the year so: Bises!

  

The block

It's been a few years now that I've been obsessing over the Balenciaga City. Dropping by the brand's corners to look, touch, try it on. Browsing online suppliers and admiring the proud owners of the bag all over the world.

Finally, the plan was settled and put in motion: save a little every month and by the end of the year, my Christmas gift would be the Balenciaga City at last.

I achieved the first part of the project.

Last week, I went to the Balenciaga corner of the Printemps department store with my mind set on the purchase. 

I asked for the bag, again trying it on but nothing happened. No spark, no excitation nor anticipation to own it. Instead, the hint of doubt rapidely spread and the psychological block settled in.

I couldn't see myself  buying it. No way to let go of that much money on a bag, be it even the one I dreamed of for months!
And in that precise moment, I realized the block had always prevented me to buy any fashion items above the 600 digits.

I almost laughed out loud when I had that revelation and all the tension broke off. 

I handed the bag back to the over-sollicited sales assistants and made my way out.  

I don't know why and how I set my mind to this 600 number. It could have been less or more, but that was my limit. The Balenciaga Day was 650 at the time I got it, the APC coat, my biggest splurge ever, around 690.

Though I was consciously or not, willing to overlook it, when the final step was upon me, my body and mind triggered all kinds of alarms to prevent to conclude the transaction.

Being so close to owning the bag I dreamed of for a long time and letting it go didn't leave me frustrated . 

I knew I had the means and could have bought it but  I decided not to.and gave up on that "dream bag" obsession.

(tfs, carolinesmode, justjared, littlestylebox)

Crave you

Flight Facilities feat. Giselle Rosselli - "Crave you"

I've been obsessed with that (australian) pop song lately.

La queue

(20 minutes, I Simon, Sipa)

When Uniqlo's first store opened in Paris a year ago, I had to wait a couple of months in order to get in the store without doing the queue on the street. The day I finally set foot in the store was uneventful. I left empty handed and confused not only by the red neon lighted entry stairwell but as to why anyone would wait in a queue on a cold Fall day for clothes and especially such basic ones.

A couple of weeks ago, after getting the gloves at the Eric Bompard, store I headed down Haussmann and saw a rather lenghthy queue on the sidewalk. I paused a moment and after passing down Uniqlo, came to realise that it's the day of the J+ new collection launch. Did I head back and join the queue? Non.

So November is all about les ventes presse in Paris (private/sample sales). I used to expect my invitations with such excitement but now the idea of waiting for hours in a cold street while inhaling cigarette smokes, the nervousness and possible frustration of the whole situation just to buy more clothes isn't that appealing anymore.

And of course, this month also is the Lanvin - H&M "collaboration" launch. For this one I can already imagine riots, so I'll stay out of harm's way! 

I love a good deal but I want to enjoy my purchase and I'm not willing to lose time and sanity for a piece of cloth.

Halloween

Red Riding Hood par Rouge noir

I was mentionning on Grey's blog how I kind of envied North American's Holiday season and especially the Halloween celebration. 

No matter how hard marketing and ads try to impose it in France, it just doesn't take root. I never saw or heard of children trick or treating in the neighborhood, there are no decorated homes with pumpkins, skeletons and whatnot, nor adults wearing disguises.

The American way seems so much more festive and pagan.

So if I had a Halloween party to go to tonight, I imagined this disguise (so not me but that's the point of it, non?). You notice the red obssession is still going strong... 

Happy Halloween! 

ShoeGal

A few weeks ago, I filled a game ticket at the Galeries Lafayette department store and won 10 pair of shoes. 
Yesterday, I picked up all the shoes.
Now, to my deep disappointment, the selection was not up to me, so out of the 10, I only like these 2 bellow. 

Sergio Rossi

Which leaves me with 8 pair of shoes: Paul Smith, Fratelli Rossetti, Atelier Mercadal and so on from this Fall Winter collection, that I plan on putting up to auction. 

The view from the afternoon

I took these pics from the bus back window. After a very quiet morning at the office, I took the bus to run a few errands in the city. August is so nice when most Parisians are out of town.
The city slows down and you can really enjoy the beauty around you.

Did she hire a stylist?

If she did, well done to her.
I'm not a fan (well except for her first movie "The Man in the Moon") and yet I can't help notice how stylish Reese Witherspoon has been since a few months.

Of course there were a few red carpets stand-outs, but I barely noticed her style on a daily basis as it consisted pretty much of the basic jeans and tee combination. Right now, she's been wearing lots of cute little dresses, accesorized with a fedora hat, mixing designers and cheaper brands.

The change has been subtle but it really suits her.
I was just browsing Just Jared when I saw new pics and I barely recognized her. She looks younger and more care-free but at the same time more confident.

I think that's what I like so much about fashion. Finding your style is so freeing and empowering.

(pics from Just Jared)

And the Award goes to...

Dahlia and Lin granted me with a Versatile blogger award. Thanks both of you!
According to the rules, I have to post 7 things about myself and pass the award to my favorite blogs and let them know.

1. Though I'm French, I don't like most French movies and even less tv
2. When I was a teen I appeared with my friends in tv ads and billboards in ads for a beauty brand
   
3. I was in love with Donnie Whalberg from The New Kids On the Block...Not so much now
4. My last big concert was Massive Attack... 6 years ago...
5. I hate rudeness but don't hold grudges
6. I still don't have my driver's permit
7. I'm very sensitive and cry very easily. I remember crying like a waterfall in front of Lost's "The Constant" episode...

I give the award to two Bloggers I like Emmy and MissMollCherie

New directions

I'm planning a big change of life in the months to come.

In that perspective, some of my most treasured possessions will be unnecessary in this new adventure and that's why I created a parallel blog.

In the weeks to come I'll sort out everything but have already in mind to sell my APC fur coat among other things.

But first, I'm selling my Isabel Marant blouse

(madamelefigaro)

L'objet du délit

I've reached a decision. I'll return it. I think when seeing it I caught some strange fever which made me porous to all that hype mixed with scarcity feeling. Because if I'm honest

a) I don't need it
b) It's lovely but leaves me indifferent now that it's in my possession.

Pic from Net a porter.

Now that Lost is gone

and while waiting for True Blood and Mad Men to get back on screen, my grief strategy involved finding new (good) shows FAST.

Nothing will ever compare but The Good Wife and Glee help me manage.

Funny The Good Wife received a shout-out from one of my favorite sitcom. Raj:"I tell you. This is my new Grey's Anatomy. Wait a second. The Good Wife is crying. Something is very wrong."

(pics: serieslive, onlike)

Massive Attack

I've been a MA fan since Blue Lines came out in 1991. Unfinished Sympathy was a revelation. A mix of sounds and rythmn that echoed in me. Almost 20 years later and I still love that song. Their music is magical. Soothing and uplifting, dark and melodic.

Bonne fête maman!

It's mother's day in France.

Je t'aime maman!

That issue

I used to be a magazine junkie and blow my money on foreign and local editions that I'd keep for years. I had to buy at least one per week.

Not anymore.

One, I can't stand the "psychobull"sex/relationship articles.
Second, I want inspiration but I also want to relate, i.e. no hipsters or jet/gyp-set obscene bling...
Third, it must affordable, because spending the weekly food budget on mags is out of question.

Which leaves me quite picky.

Thanks to the internet, I can check if an issue is worth buying.

Lately, I just bought the March US Bazaar and May US Vogue both of which I read cover to cover, are still on my nightstand table and I enjoy flipping through.

Pics: US Bazaar March 2010, from tfs via absinthrill.blogspot.com and majestik22.livejournal.com