Top Seven London Shops

In my previous post, I mentioned ten places I would be seeing in Paris when I'm there in a few weeks' time. What I didn't mention was that I'll be away for 3 months altogether in France, Italy and England. I'll try and blog as often as I can while I'm away. When I'm in London, these are the Top Ten places I hope to visit:

1. Story - I want to take up where my sad story left off two years ago, when I found that the only day of the week on which it was open, I was going to be 200 miles away:

2. Rachel Riley - last time, I lusted over the beautiful childrens' clothes and what was more, they were on sale. I didn't have a little person to by them for at the time, but I think I could find one now:

3. Caravan - Last time, it was closed while it relocated, so this visit is long overdue:

Image from Caravan website

Image from Oh Joy blogspot

4. Lisa Stickley - Last trip I hadn't even heard of this shop. Now, thanks to my Jeu de Paume books, I certainly have. I might pick up one of these table napkins:

Images from A Bloomsbury Life Blogspot

5. Anthropologie - Now that this great store has a branch in London, I'll be able to get my fix here instead of in the U. S.:

Images from Enhance the Everyday blog

6. Shabby Chic - this store should be open by then:

Images from Shabby Chic Website

7. The Cross - So far the only thing I've been able to afford is a white wooden letter E. But I'm determined to find something this time:

Paris Top Ten

In a few weeks' time I'll be in Paris, and I have quite a list of places to see. Some of them I haven't been able to get out of my head since my last trip, so will be happily revisiting, such as Laduree for its gelato colours:

And a picnic on the banks of the Seine is a must:

As is a stroll along the Boulevarde St Michel, or Boul' Miche as it is known:

Then there is the Grand Colbert at 2 Rue Vivienne, a little bistro where the hot chocolate was a meal in itself last time:


I'm going to the Marches des Puces or Flea Markets at Porte de Vanves, just for these fabrics alone:

Not to mention a street market for the chicken with fat dripping down onto the potatoes, or then there's the healthier option of fruit and vegetables:

There are places where I've never been before, such as the store Merci:

Image from Tara Bradford Photography website

I can't wait to visit the Musee des Artes Decoratifs in the Rue de Rivoli:

Image from Musee website.

Then there is the Shakespeare and Company bookstore:

Image from store website

Image from Rough Luxe website

Not forgetting the Fauchon store at Place de la Madeleine, where I might pick up some madeleines or macaroons. There is sugar in these packets:

Image from French Blue

The White House

I'm so excited - I've just booked a getaway at Daylesford. But I'm not staying just anywhere. I'm staying at The White House. When I get there I'm worried I won't be able to fit everything in. I might catch up on my reading:

Or ponder the pattern on this wallpaper:

Or luxuriate in all the crisp whiteness:

Or investigate this medicine cabinet:

Or cook up a storm:

Using the thoughtfully provided organic provisions:

Or sit in this comfy chair:

If I don't fit everything in, I might have to go back for another visit. How positively inconvenient.

Images courtesy of www.lovebirds.com.au

Our Mediterranean Mother's Day

Yesterday our Greek friends arrived, bearing lots of seafood. We then began a weekend of eating. First was a barbecue lunch of lamb koftas and barbecued octopus:

Not forgetting the Moroccan lamb cutlets:

Thank you Bob for this beautifully styled photograph:

The waters of St George's Basin lapped quietly at the shore on this picture perfect day:

After lunch there was a post-prandial boat-ride for a couple of hours:

Then a seafood feast on the boatshed deck:

This morning there was brunch:

Followed by a stroll along Hyam's Beach:

It doesn't get much better!

Thanks to Chris, Katherine, Maria, Tass and Bob for a great Mother's Day weekend.

Sibella Does it Again

Yesterday was the opening of Sibella Court's new collection at her Paddington store, Society Inc. Her description of the collection reads:

"The flags that flew & tattered through strong winds, relentless storms, high seas and all the wildness of the ocean. . . A world of seashanties, sailmaking, mapping of unchartered coastlines & new lands, portlandings & pirating. . . who can resist the well-loved colours of my favourite flags: the Union Jack, Southern Cross & Tri-colour".

Regrettably, I wasn't able to be there yesterday. I had to content myself with the cover of the May 2010 Australian Country Style magazine, which Sibella styled. Sorry it's difficult to see, but it ticks all the boxes for me: pink and blue palette; beautiful blue quilt, gorgeous French furniture, rose petals, and cat:

To cheer myself up further, I pored over the eye-candy on Design Sponge's blog entry from February, which gives a sneak preview of Sibella's home above the shop. How gorgeous are this pirate flag from John Derian, the chaise and sailing-boat cushion:

The blue quilt from the Country Style shoot, and Vivienne Westwood cushion:

This amazing kitchen, with so many shapes and textures all in a neutral palette:

I want these shelves please:

This is the cabinet in the shop with, I think, the bright colours of "Seeds", her previous collection which opened in February:

I may not have been there in person yesterday, but I certainly was in spirit.

Images Courtesy of Design Sponge Blog and Australian Country Style.

Editing

I know the rule - when you buy something, you should get rid of something else. However, while I've been enthusiastically pursuing the former, I haven't done the latter for quite a while. So, having spent $23 at the Opshop the other day, and as a consequence bringing home this shoe last which will be the defining piece of a tablescape:

And a wire basket that will look great hanging in the kitchen:

A beautiful sugar bowl:

And creamer:

I had to find somewhere for them to live. The boatshed was bursting at the seams so I decided to do a little editing. But how to work out what had to go?For a while I'd been wanting a neutral palette on my dresser. So I just took off everything that was coloured. Here's what remained. It has much cleaner lines now:

And shows off similar objects in rows:

It also brings together unlike objects under the neutral colour scheme:

And the coloured bowls, dishes, glasses etc? They are now filling a large crate and bag in a safe place elsewhere, waiting till I have a market stall or shop, or decide to bring them back in from the cold after I tire of neutrals. I had such fun, now I want to edit the rest of the boatshed. Maybe I'll leave that for another day.