Friday 7 December 2012

У нас снег сегодня And We Have Snow

We have snow today and it's really coming down heavy. My town has always had scenic views but today it's far too beautiful to describe. My last post I was a little down in the dumps but it's amazing how a little iced water can cheer one up :)
I'm cooking the most delicious wholesome meal for my cheri and I and listening to festive music what a great day. Also this weekend is the fete des lumieres I advise you to check it out online plus I added some photos it's a most wonderful event that originates here in the region.


У нас снег сегодня, и это на самом деле падение тяжелой. Мой город всегда был живописным видом, но сегодня это слишком красивая, чтобы описать. Мой последний пост, я был немного вниз в свалках, но это удивительно, как мало воды со льдом могут поднять чей-то духе :)

Я готовлю самый вкусный полезную пищу для моих Чери, я и слушать праздничная музыка, что великий день.




Friday 30 November 2012

Ninties Revival

Today would you believe I've been reminiscing over an era which brought us Absolutely Fabulous, Kate Moss, Britpop and although not as sophisticated as the eighties it was so much more fun!! Being only twenty I had eight years to enjoy this decade. If anything I'd spent my teenage years emersed in music of the time not so much fashion though so I thought I'd add some videos, pictures and ... well ... just great memories.
This doesn't cover half the amount of reasons why I love this time but, what I will say is it was easy, fun, energetic and dangerously cool!
 

Between Satire and Stereotype: Gina Dirawi

Between Satire and Stereotype: Gina Dirawi

Monday 26 November 2012

Some Loves of Mine

These are some of the things that make me happy this season. The cafe "Chez Max" a French cafe in Dublin is just incredible I recommend a visit if in the city!
Also the mural in the Italian Quarter is worth seeing too and perhaps getting photos taken as such.











Play With Purple This Season

Ok it's no secret I love purple on guys and young men don't wear it enough seriously this colour is one that can really work well for anyone.

SS12 Dolce&Gabbana really had me very satisfied.

Bill Thornade's AW12/13 collection uses purple in darker shades but makes it very easy to accesorize lighter shades and maintain an elegant formal ensemble.

Its Salvatore Ferragamo who rules the colour this season for me. My sister is getting married this winter and rather than the banal safe suit I'll be touching my look up with a shade or two inspired by this collection.
 

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Dress For Success Fate and Fashion

Today I went to the local school to see perhaps if they would like an English tutor, no rendez-vous, appointment or anything just arrived at the door looking to speak with the "directeur". Little secret is that I was extremely nervous and didn't know what to expect all I had with me was my look and my charm (it doesn't go very far in the French language due to only speaking it a couple of months) my look on the other hand was carefully thought through. All went really well and low and behold I got the job.
I dressed smart a really beautiful H&M double-breasted grey coat (yes I finally got one :)) A beautiful Tom Tailor polo neck jumper and flattering jeans. Topped off with my glasses (normally don't wear them but hell with it, I needed to look intelligent).
One should never underestimate the power of smart clothing and how the world can change to your advantage with just an extra button done-up. Here's some images of the professional-not-too-wall-street-look.



P.S. The colour purple is associated with knowledge and good intuition and grey with formal and conservative luckily both go really well together and you can make yourself more attractive to possible employers.
 

Friday 16 November 2012

Savita's Story And A Need For Change

I shudder think that I'll ever be in a situation where I was about to become a father and have the horror of losing a child via miscarriage but that was the case for one man who not only lost his child but also the woman he loved. Ireland this week has been rocked by the case of Savita Halappanavar who was denied an abortion even after being told the foetus would not survive. Sunday October 21st she entered a hospital in Galway with back pains only to be told she was miscarrying. She and her husband had requested an abortion but doctors couldn't carry this through as it abortion is illegal in Ireland. Over the next three days doctors refused their requests for a termination of her foetus to combat her own surging pain and fading health.
"Savita was really in agony. She was very upset, but she accepted she was losing the baby," her husband told The Irish Times in a telephone interview from Belgaum, southwest India. "When the consultant came on the ward rounds on Monday morning, Savita asked: 'If they could not save the baby, could they induce to end the pregnancy?' The consultant said: 'As long as there is a foetal heartbeat, we can't do anything.'"
"Again on Tuesday morning ... the consultant said it was the law, that this is a Catholic country. Savita said: "I am neither Irish nor Catholic," but they said there was nothing they could do," Praveen Halappanavar was quoted as saying.
He said his wife vomited repeatedly and collapsed in a restroom that night, but doctors wouldn't terminate the foetus because its heart was still beating.
The foetus died the following day and its remains were surgically removed. Within hours, Praveen Halappanavar said, his wife was placed under sedation in intensive care with systemic blood poisoning and he was never able to speak with her again. By Saturday, her heart, kidneys and liver had stopped working and she was pronounced dead early Sunday, Oct. 28.

31 year old Savita Halappanavar .

   2,000 people protested outside Government buildings in Dublin and Cork.

Of course this is an exceptional circumstance but one person had said to me "women have no domain over their own bodies" completely true and also I must feel for the doctors who were in the care of Savita, legislation is very unclear over termination of pregnancies in Ireland and neither patient nor doctor really have any chance to do what's best in these situations. This story really affected me as a very close friend had the very same problem this summer but not in Ireland, here, in France and I dread to think of losing my dear friend and mother of two young children because legally she can't make a choice.
Mothers have the best interest for their infants and for themselves and should really be allowed to choose what to do in such cases. Savita knew what was best for her all along yet she was powerless. My message to the Dail (Irish Governement) is do not let this catastophe be in vain change and reform law for the sake of all mothers, women, girls and husband and lets not lose one more soul.

Saturday 3 November 2012

Time for Rememberance

Today I'm going to be a little serious and show you a poem I just wrote about a very important event that occurred a relatively short time ago.

You never saw it coming, little Sasha.
Oh the games you played in Pripyat.
The silence of the day,
you left and never returned.
тиха тиха , мама (quiet, quiet mama)
все равно, не плачь(still, don't cry)
I will take care of you.
The cries didn't last long.
They were erradicated.
One by one the army fell,
the world looked on in fear.
But you little Sasha,
did not grow very tall,
did not venture very far.
Your life was taken from you, so harshly.
I dream only that you have become a shining star.

It's hard to think of Chernobyl and the damage it caused but at the same time we should never forget the brave who stayed to help and the brave who still remain there.

Friday 2 November 2012

Denis Simachev Brightens my November


Today the sun is shining and the Alpes have snow and a leaf in just about every colour is decorating my street this makes a huges difference to what I normally know November as (usually cold dark and drab colours) so I decided to introduce you guys to a very well know Russian designer Denis Simachev. This guy has one of the coolest bar/cafe's in Moscow and to those who already know of Denis' work he loves print and colour.



What I really love about Simachev is that he has branched out successfully and anybody can have a little piece of his work either at home or on the go.



Friday 26 October 2012

Halloween is here FINALLY

I'm always super excited this time of year Halloween has always and I mean always been my favourite holiday however, here in France it's not really celebrated to my dismay :(. I could not let this go by so I decided I'll organise a little dinner party/soiree this weekend and let our buddies here see how we celebrate across the water.
  • I love the idea of costumes but its a little much for the French so masks would be suitable for the occasion.
  • I have to buy a lot of cider perhaps try some of the new flavours
  • A couple of party games like dunking for apples (my other half found this hilarious when I told him)
  • As for food rustic food like pork , apple sauce, root veggies the lot .
  • Desert of course has to be every kind of sweet or candy you can buy or make , normally I make caramel squares .
  • My friends here usually play poker or tarot so we play on into the night .


Really wish I could decorate like this its Georgeous


Here's a recipie for a shot which for us adults can make it a very merry celebration :)

Apple Pie Shot 2 drink recipe

Apple Pie Shot 2  recipe

Apple Pie Shot 2 drink recipe made with Apple Juice,Cinnamon,Cream,Vodka,. How to make a Apple Pie Shot 2 with all the instructions and ingredients.
Recipe Rating:3.1 stars based on 194 votes
Ingredients to use:
0.75ozApple Juice Apple Juice
1dashCinnamon Cinnamon
1 CreamwhippedCream
0.75ozVodka Vodka
Directions:
Wet tongue with juice/vodka mix, sprinkle cinnamon on tongue, put shot in mouth, do not swallow. Fill rest of mouth with whipped cream. Swish, swallow.
 
 Happy Halloween Week-end my Friends

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Homemade Chanel My Style

This week I've had a little bit of an obsession with Chanel but a couple of days ago I was inspired to create something, I had some clay that I bought and throughout the years I've tried and failed to master pottery, mainly because my heart wasn't in the projects I did but this time I had a huge interest and so I began designing.



Im very proud to show you the almost finished product( still needs a lot more varnishing) I had such fun making this that I'm sure there will be a Gucci mug, Kenzo mug and perhaps I'll try my chances at a Versace plate :)

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Lila Says Film Of My Life

I really want to share with you guys my favourite film "Lila Says" French " Lila dit ça". I found this film in 2007 after becoming a fan of the lead actress and what can I say about the film, it's just  wonderful. .
The story is very quirky without having many theatrics and the scrips is 5 years ahead of 50 Shades of Grey in it's content. I never bore watching the story unfold, parts of the film are like an adventure i'd love to go on. Mohammed Khouas & Vahina Giocante play the roles with ease and have such powerful chemistry together. Its definately a movie to keep, and rewatch, and rewatch and rewatch.

Set in Marseilles, this coming-of-age tale centres on a berautiful and outrageously flirtatious teenage girl, Lila and the poetic but shy boy Chimo on whom she focuses her attentions. Bemused but excited, Chimo is intoxicated by Lila's charms. One day, Lila dares Chimo to look up her skirt - "if he can handle it" - and by doing so, puts into motion a sequence of events that have devastating consequences, laying bare the danger of playing games.





"... it's impossible to take your eyes off Giocante..." New York Times
"As sweet as it is dirty" Washington Post
"An unabashedly erotic cross-cultural love story" Entertainment Weekly


Can't find the trailer with subtitles in but the films available online in English .













 

Monday 22 October 2012

Brad Pitt For Chanel Not For Me

I've only just seen the advertisement for Chanel No.5 with Brad Pitt and I have to say he's tainted the brand for me a little. Chanel is a fashion and beauty house that's really stood the test of time it all commenced with Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, a woman who always fascinated me. Through some research and general fascination I found her to be a strong and pretty controversial woman. Her vision was to change how women wore clothes. She tailored for women and maybe I'm just old-fashioned but as a guy of course there were times I wished Chanel was more masculine but loved the fact it's a loyal brand to women. With Brad Pitt as the face of something that to me is the absolute scent of a woman is a bit too mixed for my liking.


The Faces throughout the years who represented Chanel No.5


Sorry but it's really not for me, don't get me wrong Brad Pitt is a good actor but that's what he is. Chanel has always had the "Captivating Beauty" of the time front this campaign and that's how I see it but such a change as a man front No.5 is just bizarre .
Advice to Chanel, Vahina Giocante would have won me over in this campaign, ditch the man keep traditions as they are .