Motto

I have adopted this as my new motto. They're having another round of layoffs at work this week. So many good friends have already left. It's very stressful, but I have to believe that everything will be ok. Somehow. No matter what happens. Right?

Red

Hello everyone. It's been a very long evening of work. I'm so tired that I can't sleep. It's soothing to flip through beautiful photos. I especially love the red elements in this collage. Red roses, red dress, red pom-poms on a hat. The photo of the lights in the snow is magical...The blue china reminds me of Oscar Wilde. How does that quote go again?

So now I'm going to bed...until tomorrow....


UPDATE: Thank you Miranda! Wilde said he was "trying to live up to my blue and white china."
That must have been amazing china. I wonder if it was Burleigh or Spode.


(Photo credits at my I Heart It.)

Les Etoiles

I also found this in my files today. It's a (very large) gift tag. I think it's so cute...xo

Inside My Inspiration File

In an effort to keep magazines and newspapers from taking over my house, yard and garage, I started clipping my favorite articles and pictures for an inspiration file about five years ago. Now, the file has grown to (at least) several boxes. I wanted to give you a little look inside.

Here are some of the things I pulled out randomly today: A story from the New York Times magazine on lipstick queen Poppy King; A photograph of colored shirts (Great Gatsby, anyone?) in Real Simple; My dream desk, flanked by books and Hermes boxes; There's an Elle magazine book page, which is always excellent. The Prince of Frogtown by Rick Bragg is featured. (Bragg once asked me out on a date, many moons ago); There's a picture of Hayden Panettiere in the ultimate Burberry coat and an inspiration board featured in the April 2008 issue of Domino magazine (don't get me started on how much I already miss Domino); From Bazaar, there's a Fashionable Life profile of Isabel Toledo. And my favorite: A watercolor of a pink coat (from a review of "Drawing Fashion: The Art Kenneth Paul Block.") As usual my eye is drawn to anything pink.

If Anaïs Nin....

...had a Nikon D3 camera...

...Her photos might look a lot like Deborah Anderson's. Check out the website of the incomparable photographer, daughter of the legendary lead singer of the band Yes. Deborah's book "Paperthin" is a modern take on 1930s Parisian erotica. Sizzling.

By the way,
the second picture is of Deborah, taken by Dennis Hopper, a subject of hers.
Here's a story I did this week about her work.

Rainy Day in Malibu

My former Times colleague Veronique de Turenne blogs beautifully about Malibu and often takes photographs from her morning hike. There's a lot of wild nature left where Los Angeles meets the Pacific, and not all of it involves stars' parties. It was raining here today and Veronique's photo captures its impact on one of the world's most famous beaches. (More of her photos on Flickr).

Stairway to Heaven

Would you rather have a circular staircase built of iron and stone?


Or a staircase lit by windows?


Or a staircase lined with books? (Or all of the above!) Another beautiful dilemma.

Comment from the lovely Jonathan Gold: "As the custodian of a grand staircase lined with books, I can attest that it feels less like aesthetic triumph than it does like a major organizational failing - I wasn't sure how to react when a friend told me this afternoon how much the house reminded her of the Please Don't Eat the Daisies set, which I suppose makes me David Niven. It does photograph well, though."

(Photo credits: Urban Chill, Stewardesses and Abracadabra.)

Amelie

Here's the Amelie movie poster -- in mulit-languages. The dog wearing the cone around his head (over the bed) made me laugh. My favorite scene in the film: When Amelie finds the treasure box hidden behind a tile in the bathroom. Fantastic! It's a great date-night movie (at least on my idea of a date!)

UPDATE: The paintings in Amelie's apartment are by the German artist Michael Sowa. Thank you Clever Pup!

Did you see the movie? What's your favorite scene?

Time and Love

I love this photo (via Lolita). It says: "Time has been invented by people unable to love." (Even the taggers in Paris are romantic!)

What's the most interesting thing you've seen written on a wall? (For me: I saw "hang up" written on a stucco wall in Santa Monica, a nod to LA's cell phone addiction.)



From English Muse readers:

In the Second Street Tunnel in Los Angeles:
"The white lady on TV lies."

In a bathroom at Sarah Lawrence College in New York:
"Eve was framed."

And on a wall in Melbourne:
"/war"  between "< >"

Hearts

Hope your day is filled with everything (and everyone) you love.


(Photo credits: Here).

Valentine

You are a  jewel beyond price...Happy Valentine's Day.

(Photo credit: Here.)

The Last Domino

The last Domino magazine arrived today in the post. Very sad. 

(Photo credit: from the "Merge, Purge, Compromise" article.  Previous Domino photos here.)

Garance Doré

I'm completely addicted to Garance Doré's French fashion blog.  Her photos and illustrations  make me ache with longing. Ah, to be chic and  carefree in Paris.  Today I stumbled upon another treat:  a video (here) of Garance giving an interview outside the Paris ready-to-wear shows.  She's so funny and charming.  

Thursday Favorites

Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you some of my favorite images for this chily Thursday evening. I'm especially fond of the girls in tulle. (Top right, Kate Moss)  I love the ballet, but I can't dance. Alas.

(Photo credits: here.)

Beauty

Who is more beautiful... Monica Bellucci ?

Or Angelina Jolie?

They're both beautiful.  At the moment, though, I'm fascinated by Italian actress Bellucci.

She was mesmerizing in Malèna. (Reminds me to rent it again on Netflix.) 

What do you think?