confetti

confetti system for nanashi in paris.

what is this nanashi, why hadn't i seen this before and more importantly - when am i going to paris?

thou shalt not covet

 

i kinda like the coveted, but it does remind me a lot of the selby, and i wouldn't mind some more anecdotes about the stuff in the pictures. but that's just me.

via racked ny

maybe i should get into polaroid.

jeremy kost's favorite ny place impossible project space
via racked ny

do i dare?

book a flight to see this?

via cup of jo

#workisnotajob.

i love this.

rob

it's typical. i broke the bank on kusmi tea, the boyfriend on weird whiskey.

yes, rob's gourmet market might just be the most overpriced supermarket in belgium. and yes, shopping there you'll see more middle-aged women in couture shouting into their cell phones in a mixture of russian, french and english than attending the oscars. but it's foodie heaven.

any place that sells more than four dozen international cheeses and has three racks of colourful tea flavours is my church. oh, and did i mention the selection of exotic vegetables and fruit is constantly sprayed with a fine mist of water, in order to keep it fresh? go. now.

coffeeholic

 

 

i'd never seen this one before, but it makes me want a coffee really bad.
via eat me daily

tasted - tartinery, new york

walking around soho, nolita and the surrounding neighborhoods, choosing a place to take a break and have a drink can be a daunting task. when everything looks so cool, what do you look for to decide where to go? when we stumbled upon this restaurant/bar, tartinery had us at its name.

stats

menu # european inspired menu, lots of italian and french dishes and appetizers (and of course, the obligatory 'tartines'

what i would try next time # the choco tartine with grated dark chocolate and melted sea salt butter

food # we only had coffee here, taking a quick break from shopping, so i can't comment on the food. we did see other tables being served, and everything looked delicious (and the menu had us drooling)

atmosphere # the restaurant was packed around lunch hour, we had the impression there were lots of groups of friends. we sat at the bar, which was a nice experience, too

neighborhood # nolita, a very cosy, european inspired neighborhood (lots of shopping!)

cool touch # there are no menus: everything's written in chalk on the blackboard walls. the entire restroom can be scribbled on as well (as we did, enjoying ourselves a little too much and being chased out by patrons who actually had. to. pee. like, right! now!)

value # not cheap, but not overly expensive either

tartinery

spring two thousand eleven

in the mood for neutrals
anne valerie hash

 cacharel

chloe

 

 

 giambattista valli

 

proenza schouler ps1

 
backstage images via sonny vandevelde

slept - hotel amour, paris

my favorite sneaker brand converse took me to paris to showcase their latest collection and invite me to their (amazing!) you're here event. true to form, they chose an unusual hotel to put their guests: one that used to be a brothel and sometimes still looks like it. needless to say, i loved it.

request extra kiehl's cosmetics if you're staying longer than one night

weird art

incredible bed

huuuuuuuge shower

awesome trio

 

the sign outside is just too cool.

 stats

location # 9ième arrondissement, within walking distance of galeries lafayette (in case you were wondering)
design # lots of original, cool elements, and each room has a different style, but they're all slightly weird and cosy
bathroom # my bathroom was enormous, some of the other journalists had a smaller one (but then they were also the ones with a terrace, so i didn't hear them complaining), and gotta love the kiehl's products. if you're staying for more than one night, you can request whatever sample you need or like

connection # i think there was supposed to be free wifi, but i couldn't access it. there's no tv or phone in the room, but there's a docking station for your iphone or ipod
atmosphere # too cool for school, not always as friendly as you could hope for
  food # breakfast was too expensive, but still delicious. i really liked the terrace downstairs for a late night drink - though i can imagine the noise coming from here will have bothered the rooms that looked out on it

value # relatively not that expensive, but beware: you're not getting four star service here, you're paying for the coolness of the place

check it out # the selby was here...

hôtel amour

slept - the hoxton, london

when swedish cult brand acne presented its new collection in london, it invited me to come on over and stay at the hoxton. turns out they have an office in shoreditch, which i discovered to be a super hip neighborhood. 

twin beds

i love my hotels with a sense of humor

aveda can do no wrong

cocktails in the lobby

   stats

location # shoreditch, which is to the east of central London and the place to be for all things art, cult and hip
design # sleek but cosy
bathroom # i love me some aveda products in the bathroom!

connection # free wifi in the rooms and lobby
atmosphere # hipster crowd, lobby and downstairs restaurant is always bustling, so hang around to people watch.
  nice touch # instead of offering a breakfast buffet (yawn), the hoxton hangs a bag with yoghurt, juice and a banana on your door knob in the morning.

value # the earlier you book, the cheaper your room. small rooms + off-central location mean cheaper prices in any case, but the look and feel are worth much more than you're paying.

the hoxton

slept - the w, new york

i was invited by custo barcelona to stay at the W on lexington during new york fashion week in february 2011. i found it to be a very welcoming and comfortable hotel, though their cosy room didn't quite make me feel at home. the lighting certainly had something to do with that, and the warning sign on the electronic mini bar ('when items are lifted your account will automatically be charged') didn't help either.

their take on the 'cosy room'

loved the shower

adore the bliss products

gotta love a bit of tongue in cheek

stats

location # east of midtown, close to subway (6 train), not too many restaurants around, fairly central
design # tacky in the lobby, slightly more understated and chic in the room
bathroom # fantastic bliss products - L.O.V.E.! - super thick towels and bathrobe and a great shower

breakfast # not bad, not great; but nyc is not a city in which to have breakfast at your hotel anyway

connection # free wifi in the rooms and lobby
atmosphere # lots of city trippers, young couples, fashion folk and nice vibe in the lobby bar
nice touch # a tivoli clock radio and ipod docking station next to the bed, a sexy Jimmy Jane kit in the mini bar, bliss spa right next door, extremely helpful concierge service
value # pricy!

w new york

cooking class #1

new year's resolution: learn to cook.
lesson n°1: start simple.
i heart jamie oliver.