I think I will be a lifeboat

from Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi via 2 or 3 things I know

La tropezienne bag is mine

Yesterday in cultural differences, I mentioned the 'petits changements' (small changes) I'm making to be a 'good' partner rather than a total geek the head down on my laptop...
Sometimes I feel like an ex-addict and I should really set up a support group for ALA (Anonymous Laptop Addicted or is it Laptop Addicted Anonymous??) which I would attend religiously each week to get over my blogging/twittering/facebook impulses but yesterday I didn't attend the ALA meeting and I happily twittered away which took me on the most amazing journey of discovery...
So I went from here, to here and then here and then I totally forgot what happened next but somehow I ended up here and hello mama!!!....I fell in love with.....

La Tropezienne bag (soon to be on my getting there tanned arm) designed by Clare Guerrerro Vivier, a great girl I spoke to last night who lives in LA and he is married to a French guy.

Clare designs some very sexy foldover clutches but after doing a trunk show at Taylor De Cordoba, she got an email from Adriana Caras, who used to have her own shoe/bag line and had a lot of Italian hardware and leather left over.

She asked, if she would like to come take a look at it so Clare went to meet her at her storage place in a squat, seedy bldg in West Hollywood which nonetheless serves as the office bldg for fabulous-fille Alexandra von Furstenberg and find this beautiful eco-tanned leather swatch.

This stunning bag made it to so many blogs (see here and here and here and I will stop there...) that Clare quickly ran out of leather to make enough bags. Luckily I managed to get one of the last ones and I'm super hyper excited. I was on a high last night after speaking to her but given the success, she went back to Mrs Caras who managed to put her in touch with a company that had some left over so La Tropezienne bag is back but not for long.
If you want one, email Clare now at clare@seevivier.com or enjoy her blog here

More shots of Paul Massey's gorgeous house

I blogged about Paul Massey's house last March but there is a gorgeous 9-page feature in the June issue of Living Etc which you must check out.
I love what he has done with his latest house project mixing global finds with vintage treasures from France, Spain, Cornwall to the north of England and he doesn't know it yet but I'm planning to move in with him very soon

Take a room by room tour here

Cultural differences....

Last night we had friends around for diner and with one running a strategic and advertising agency and the other a branding and design agency, we ended up discussing Twitter, Facebook and Blogs, all trying to convince Steve who is in finances of the T, F & B's purposes.

Steve who NEVER reads anything I write, happened to read my twits last night and mentioned that he didn't really like the word 'kid' I used when I was referring to Mila.
Basically since it's half-term and I'm short of baby-sitter, Mila was hanging out in the warehouse keeping herself busy, jumping on the massive bubble-wrap rolls we keep to wrap orders. She was hilarious to watch but then 2 minutes later, she fell between two rolls, cried a bit and the game was over.
So on Twitter, where one gets 140 characters to write something this became: 'half term...kid hanging out in the warehouse jumping on huge bubble-wrap rolls' then 'kid fell off the huge bubble-wrap rolls now crying...no harm done'
For Steve, the word kid was cold and remote and not a reflection of the true spirit of our little minx whereas for me it was cute and affectionate. In the end, after bickering in front of our friends (apologies to them), we let it go and put it down to New-Zealander/French cultural differences (we have a few of those :-) and for records I would like to send my apologies to Steve and to anyone else who has been offended by the word K.

Then we talked about why do I blog and now Twitter. It's pretty simple, I love it.
Running your own business is exciting, empowering and creative but it can also be time-consuming (and I'm running two), stressful and sometimes lonely (see article about the work/life balance here) and blogging makes me feel part of a community of like-minded people. I love reading about what inspire my fellow bloggers Holly, Danielle, Lily and Di for example or what make them laugh .

It also allows me to come across amazing photos taken by people from ailleurs or next door, or to fall in love with a beautiful bag designed by someone I've never met but I like already or to come across some touching, handmade jewellery that I can get made for Mila, my best friend who was going through a tough time or Steve's niece.

And why Twitter?

Well it's like a quick fix of communication. I don't like blogging for the sake of it. I blog when my heart is into it, when I genuinely like something and given that I spent the past 3 years my head in a laptop, this year my priorities are changing.
I blog less so I spend more time with Mila tequila, cook slightly more and try to be a better partner to Steve and Twitter is like a little friend that allows me to stay in touch with people I like or I want to hear about.
(C) Dujour magazine spreads via Decor8, Gorgeous bag by Clare Vivier, Photos by A view to

WhereDidYouBuyThat.com now on Twitter

Come and have fun with our sister site on Twitter here

Loft Design by...

I'm super excited....I've just found that one of my favourite French fashion brands Loft design By is opening a shop on Westbourne Grove (no 186). Loft design By is my fashion fix each time I go to Paris and want to get something for Steve.
I love the simplicity of their clothes in hues of grey, brown, white and their shops are simply gorgeous.

Loft Design by is more than clothes, it’s a way of life, a look, an art of living. It kinds of mix fashion with photography, typography, creative design.... and I'm sure one trip to the store and you will be hooked.
It's just feel right...it's simple, cool and I guess typically French. It's why I like it as much as way I like Comptoir des Cotonniers for women. The clothes don't scream look at me but they are simply tailored, basic in a neutral palette of cream, white and grey and I like that.

The luxurious, curvaceous Fin chair

A luxurious jet black-feathered Fin chair makes its debut....
Do you remember Burberry Prorsum's feathered dress....how stunning and unique it was...well the Fin chair won't be worn by Demi Moore, Agyness Deyn, Mary J Blige or Gwyneth Paltrow or French model Laetitia Casta but it will seduce a lot of discerning ladies and add amazing style to any interiors

Traditionally upholstered in a vivid turquoise velvet and decorated with sensuous jet black feathers with aqua green accents, the Fin chair is a unique, over-sized, luxurious lounge chair which will make an impact and add interest to any interiors.
Now available from BODIE and FOU here

Rosie Hardy's photography

Rosie Hardy is 18 years-old student who has just been accepted at the Glasgow School of Art. She is beautiful, and hugely talented. She is in love with Aaron Nace, a photographer and digital artist based out of Chapel Hill, NC who I believe she met on Flickr and now they work on the 365 Days project taking a photo a day for a year...

My favourite photo is this one.....I love the feeling of freedom & lightness that come out of it...
Via Ms Muse

Uber cool loft in The Netherlands

Last week, we cycled to South Ken to pick up some French books for Mila and I grabbed a copy of Marie-Claire Maison....always a delight....

I love the industrial touches and the light in this loft a few kms away from Rotterdam which belongs to Marieke Wessels, an Artistic Director and Laszlo Balog, Furniture designer & Maker. They used scafolding tubes (Keeklamp) to create the structure of the stairs and then stretch sailing clothes for the partition which softens the industrial look. Opposite the stairs, Marieke painted a massive yellow flower on the wall which makes a really beautiful statement but you can achieve something as fabulous and less time-consuming to make using wall stickers from Domestic.
On the pine low chest of drawers, there is a cute house build by Laszlo, a Wired lamp by Something from Nothing and a ceramic vase by Hella Jongerius (you can get some of her vases from Ikea). The white light is from Chris Kabel

My favourites areas are the lounge where Marieke and her sister work from.... The large painted wooden table was made by their father and if anyone has instructions to build a similar one, I would love to hear from you! The suspension above the table is the famous Gardland from Tord Boontje which you can still find in Habitat in Europe and Artecnica in the US. Marieke's sister is sitting on the 'Black Magic' by Ineke Hans.
I love this kitchen which proves that creating beautiful, inspiring corners in your home does not have to cost the earth...The kitchen units are from Ikea and so are the lack shelves on the walls (we've used ours in the kids bedroom here)

Not a big fan of green on walls so I won't comment but I do like the blue feature wall in the second bedroom and the charming Pigeon Light by Ed Carpenter
(C) Photos credits: Marie-Claire Maison

Gorgeous French house in The Gard region

This gorgeous house belongs to a New-Zealander family whose house Michael photographed in the Gard region last year for the magazine NZ Life and Leisure

I love the concrete stairs and the open-living area. It's all very beautiful and they've mixed contemporary and country touches together very nicely.

Vintage Vacations

If you're looking for something a little different for your next holidays, you can't go wrong with these fabulous, retro Airstream caravans on the Isle of Wright from Vintage Vacations
The fittings and interior decoration are all vintage, from the sixties light fittings and original crochet blankets on the bed, to the groovy Tiddlywinks game and retro magazines.
All the caravans are surprisingly comfortable and everything has been refurbished to 21st century standards so don't worry, you will get hot water and electricity.
From a design point of view, I think these Airstreams are fantastic and I would love to have one in our garden in France (featured in Grand Designs here and Junior mag here).
The owner Helen Cunnigham bought her first airstream on eBay and had it shipped over from Missouri in 2004. Now she has about 10 caravans from 1946 to 1965....

Helen rents out also some great little cottages if you think the caravan won't cut it for you, don't despair...I mean, look at this cutie called 'The Shack'

and then this one called The Mission....if this does not tempt you, then nothing will...The Mission's kitchen/diner has a beautiful fully restored 'English Rose' 1950's kitchen. All the usual suspects including dishwasher and washing machine.

Prices range from £160 for a weekend. To book call Vintage Vacations on 07802 758 113. Happy holidays