Makeovers

The Museum of Natural History, a few blocks away from my New York abode, has undergone a serious makeover. Like many old art institutions around the world (the Louvre in Paris and the Covent Garden opera house in London come to mind), the building has a new appendage, in the form of a metal and steel structure. That is where visitors now enter and discover the solar system floating around, as they go up a spiraling, upwards walkway flooded with sunlight.
My ancient Mini iPod has also been revamped, with products from DCI. With those fun earphones, no more need for diamond studs from Tiffany's... As for that tiny cube, it's actually a speaker that allows me to listen to some music and NPR podcasts in my little room.
On my playlist: NPR's Fresh Air, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Bookworm, and music by Björk, Debussy, Bach. What are you listening to?

Accessorizing

I'm not much of an accessory fan, wearing very little jewelry and allergic to it bags of all kinds. However, I do need to carry my essentials, including a book (always) and some water; I always choose leather-free deigns that are as light as possible and preferably handmade. This graphic, geometrical felt bag found on Etsy fulfills all these requirements with style.

The bakelite ring I bought from Petit Oiseau and a bird necklace (from Rag Trader) I gave a friend for Christmas.

And since so many of you liked the pics of me trying hats at a Parisian department store (see them here), I thought I'd share 2 more pics from the series...

Watches

I don't usually wear a watch - do you? The two exceptions are when I'm traveling (no one wants to miss that connecting flight...) or when I'm teaching. I've recently taken up tutoring again, which is code for "having fun with little kids at France Exchange in Los Angeles," so I pulled my watches out of the drawer.
Both are very precious to me. The elegant yet sporty Tag Heuer model was given to me by my generous parents on the occasion of my 20th birthday. The other one is an Omega that is quite ancient since it goes back to the days when my father was a young man - he bought in 1965, in Dakar, Senegal, where he was then living... Unlike the Tag, this Omega is a mechanical watch, meaning that it's powered by the energy from your wrist rather than a battery; every time I use it, I just adjust the time, shake-shake-shake my wrists and it's good to go. Very environment-friendly. Magical.

Rosewood-Silver Cuff & Some Lace

For my birthday, my sister really spoiled me... We went to my favorite design store, A+R on Abbott Kinney boulevard in Venice, and I got to choose a present. (Remember the plates and the barbed wire eco-plastic skin jewelery piece I also got there?)
I went for a sleek, modern wood and silver cuff designed by Tadd Sackville-West. It has hardly left my wrist since we left the store.

I received yet another treasure of an adornment, this time from my friend and aspiring designer J Elaine, who made this headband for me with a strip of old lace. She searches the flea markets of Paris for ancient fabrics and trinkets she then transforms. This lace headband totally dresses up any simple outfit.

Style Tag

Gabbi tagged me!

Describe your style
Very sleek and casual, with a quirky detail (ideally punk/Victorian, like my memento mori cuff links)
What are the staples in your wardrobe?
Black American Apparel tees and hoodies, slim April 77 jeans (picture below), Dr Scholls, hats, stripes, black and white cashmere cardigans (2nd pic below), my Yamamoto dress that can be dressed way up or way down, white shirts I buy in London
What's your signature look?
Denim micro-skirt, Dr Scholl slides, a white shirt
What inspires you?
Trying to be myself
Who is your fashion muse?
Audrey Hepburn, 1920's flappers
Favorite purchase of all time?
The Lucien Pellat-Finet cashmere shawl my mum bought for me
Biggest splurge?
Hmmmm... Possibly my (used) Yohji Yamamoto black apron dress
What's your beauty routine?
I wash my face with Cetaphil, use Anthélios SPF 50 sunscreen every day and am still looking for the perfect moisturizer for my dry body. Any recommendations?
What jewelry do you never take off?
The De Beers diamond ring my parents, my sister and my grandma gave me for my 30th birthday.
What are you wishing for?
A huge gray sweatshirt, Atypik's Be Tough tee, this double chain ring, and more
What are your obsessions?
Leotards and warm-up gear for my ballet classes

A Few Little Things

I love this heart-shaped paperweight my friend Melinda gave me. It keeps Marie's lovely cutouts from flying away in the Santa Ana winds that have been blowing warm and strong around Los Angeles this past week.

When it comes to style, there's nothing I like more than peppering an outfit with a punk touch - that is why Chloé nicknames me Punkie. So I love this barbed wire eco-plastic skin jewelery piece, worn on my arm with a very simple tee.

Elmo went for a ride last Wednesday at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market. I wonder what he chose for his lunch... I left with flowers, whole grain bread, tangerines and crunchy Asian pears.

When I walk past the RockenWagner Bakery, I cannot resist their 5-grain scone...

My Dream Catcher

Ever since I was a little girl, my sleep has been fraught with nightmares. I am regularly awaken by my very own screams. So I was more than delighted when a friend gave me this Navajo dream catcher - pinned up above my bed, it will intercept nightmares in its net.
Its design however is so exquisite that I think I may also wear it as a pendant, on a longish and very thin silver chain...

Coincidentally, Dream Catcher is the title of a book I have just read, Margaret Salinger's memoir of her father, the recluse J.D. Salinger, author of The Catcher In The Rye among others; a moving and tender book, it also taught me much about the USA's chilling antisemitism in the early 20th century.
I am also about to finish have just finished reading the infamous At Home In The World, in which Joyce Maynard betrays a most elementary, unspoken and sacred rule of relationships, keeping what's private private. If Maynard's relationship had not been with with Salinger, I doubt anyone would be interested in this endless, blandly written account of her life. I feel guilty about having read it, and it's not even the guilty pleasure of reading a gossip column...
J.D. Salinger turned 90 on January 1.

Revolutionary Road World Premiere

A couple of days ago, my friend Melinda invited me to attend the world premiere of Sam Mendes's new film starring Kate Winslet and Leo di Caprio, Revolutionary Road, based on the novel by Richard Yates. I wore my Nina Ricci beige jacket with black pants, a delicate, shimmering seashell bracelet and MAC's Russian Red lipstick... It was nice to look good when I literally bumped into di Caprio in the lobby, as we reached for the same bag of popcorn - oops.
No movie had reached such a very intimate, personal place inside me since The Hours. More than a story about the hysteria brewing under suburbia's spick-and-span inertia, it is also a love story that takes you to the edge of madness, as the two characters are torn between a desire to take risks and live life at its most intense (Winslet) or to make do with what opportunities and soothing routines the life of a 1950's fedora-clad employee may bring (di Caprio). The emotions are raw, the dialogue is haunting.

If you want to read more about glamorous events and film, check out my coverage of the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
Or see pictures of Winslet and di Caprio at the premiere here.

A Few Wonderful Things

Marie is not only a wonderfully talented artist but also a dear friend and a very generous person - she gave me this amazing, delicate necklace...


It's fig season!


I contributed an article (in French) to an anthology of English literature that has just come out. The reason why I'm excited about this is because, to the best of my knowledge, it's the very first time that my dear Nancy Mitford is included in a comprehensive anthology of Brit lit. I hope that she ends up getting the respect her work should earn her - not as chick-lit forerunner but as supremely witty author, the granddaughter of Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde.

60, rue de Richelieu

Today I was happy to head for the showroom at 60, rue de Richelieu, to meet jewelry designer Deb from Bonbon Oiseau. Not only did I get to admire her exquisite and whimsical work, but I also got to meet her and have a chat; she's sweet and smart, a genuine artist and a wonderful woman...

I was thrilled to be around so many inspired designers, and fell in love with many brands, amongst which Warmi, a French-Colombian brand that offers the most delicate yet bold knits ever.

Thanks, my amoureux

A few days ago, I told you about my perfume, Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet. My amoureux gave me a companion present, also for my birthday: Penhaligon's exquisite sterling silver fragrance bottle, which dangles and chimes on a long chain. I carry Blenheim Bouquet everywhere, inhaling its lemon and pepper blend for a happiness boost.

Now aforementioned amoureux is making me yet another exciting gift: as he is heading for the Cannes Film Festival for work, he has invited me to tag along. We'll be staying at the supremely luxurious Martinez hotel, where many stars are just down the corridor, and will be walking the red carpet at night to attend screenings. Naturally I will cover this extraordinary event, with papparazzi snapshots, pictures of my red carpet outfits, party reports and, oh yes, film reviews.
If you can't wait for us to head for the Croisette, Cannes's sea-side boulevard leading to the Palais des Festivals, check out CannesGirl, my very own coverage of last year's Festival, where this picture was taken...

Pick Your Lipbalm

I can't live without lipbalm - I think I'm not alone... Right now I'm using a zesty Sugar balm by Fresh; this is a Boston brand and it reminds of my days in Cambridge, when I'd cross the Charles River to wander happily on Newbury Street, where Fresh has its lovely, original store.
Vaseline and Rosebud Salve are classics - don't you love their super retro designs? I've recently finished my Rosebud Salve and recycled the empty vessel: it now holds my favorite rings.


But I must confess Rosebud Salve and Vaseline are not my favorites. Indeed, like many other brands, this concoction is petroleum based; that's right, the same gooey and environment-busting oil used to make gasoline goes straight onto your skin and lips via cosmetics...
Here's my cosmetics ingredient black list:

Petroleum/Paraffin/Mineral Oil/Parrafinium Liquidum

Anything that ends in -paraben, usually towards the end of the list (parabens are known to alter hormonal functions)

Propylene Glycol (used to make anti-freeze, low oral toxicity - can poison children)

Lanolin (useless animal suffering)

If you know of any others ingredients that are best avoided, or if you'd like to recommend some products, please do mention them in the Comments section!

Recycle your magazines and books!

I just received a locket from Hoolala, the wonderfully creative Etsy shop whose Memento Mori cufflinks I featured on this blog last month; the locket came in a lovely and fun envelope (picture) that was made with a page from a discarded book. Isn't that a fabulous way to recycle books that are too outdated or in too bad a condition to be kept as reading material? (I hope I'm not going to get too much hate-mail from biblio-fundamentalists... I love and respect books too!).
For Christmas and birthdays, instead of buying wrapping paper, I always wrap my presents in magazine pages; they're glossy, colorful and can be chosen to match the gift or the person it's meant for...

Let there be stripes! (2)

Let there be stripes, and also a string of baroque pearls. I love their ruggedness and radiance.

Recycle your old typewriter!

Don't you just love the look of ancient typewriters, sewing machines and the like? While I wish my mum had kept her old Olivetti, I must admit it may be a bit bulky... What I can do however is wear this bracelet, which was made with the keys of a typewriter.

Memento Mori Cufflinks

I just love peppering my look with discreet Victorian/Punk details, so these Memento Mori cufflinks are a favorite accessory! My sister got them for me for Christmas, from the really great Etsy shop Hoolala. It's a very literature oriented shop, with Alice In Wonderland jewelry and a Tolstoy brooch that could very well end up on my wishlist...