{tuesday musings & hello}

. . . and it has been a topsy-turvy morning with little emergencies and much drama, and in between making calls and making plans, we are drinking far too much coffee . . . but things shall return back to schedule in a bit, for there are still a few beautiful things to come before the day is through, including this week's {take me away} and, perhaps, even, the winner of last week's give-away, and so, for now, à bientôt / see you soon . . .

— roséline xo


[image : a glamorous little side project]

{style inspiration | how to : mermaid pearl hairpins at chanel}

. . . when the chanel spring 2012 ready-to-wear collection graced the runways of paris, there was a collective gasp at the magic underwater kingdom created by karl lagerfeld -- there was lightness and seashells, but most astonishingly lovely, were the iridescent pearls glistening from chignons and following the curvatures of necks and down plunging backs . . .



. . . and after happening upon a few beautiful backstage photos of the show recently, a few golden hairpins laying about on the dressing table, and some pretty pearl beads were all the inspiration necessary . . .

[how-to instructions below] x
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{late friday musings & hello}

. . . hello! . . . the week has very much gotten away, as you can imagine [where does the time go?], but as the philosophy here is always better late than never, shall still share a few last and lovely things before the weekend, even as most have already dashed off for much-anticipated after-office cocktails, but in the event there are a few moments here & there, stop by if you like, especially for the beautiful diy had mentioned earlier in the week . . .

à bientôt‎ / see you soon, —roséline xo





[images: one & two, new york, photography by eye poetry /// three, at paris fashion week, photography by phil oh for vogue.com, via studded hearts, uffs & handbag designed by niels peeraer]

{take me away № 22 | what to pack for paris}

WHAT TO PACK FOR PARIS | march twenty-twelve
concept & words by sarah klassen, editing & image compilation by roséline

Last week, we shared a few favourite places in the city of lights & love, for those with dreams and plans to summer in the Jardin du Luxembourg and the tea rooms of Ladurée, and this week, in answer to all of the requests that have been pouring in over the past few months, thought it might be lovely to include a few tips and suggestions for what to take on such an adventure, and ideas for wonderful little additions to your wardrobe, such as a new scarf you might pick up in a charming shop in Montmartre or a cocktail ring from a vintage shop on a pretty side street, or perhaps your first scent from Hermès.



The memories of your trip will surely follow you home, when your scarf is trailing behind you, as you walk along the beach, reminding you of the most romantic evening along the Seine, or while you are enjoying an evening out with your love, the scent of your new favorite perfume bringing back memories of the most beautiful picnic that the two of you shared in the gardens of Versailles.



Your journey is meant to be fun and full of exploration, discovery and culture—and very much a part of the culture of Paris is the fashion and style of Parisians, with their clever mix of elegance, sexiness and ease. My Mother once taught me, the basics are wonderful and necessary, but you must give them your own twist—your personal touch, be it a chic belt, or a re-interpreted piece of jewelry given to you by your Grandmother.



And while planning for the trip, there are a number of things to consider, from simple comforts that make all of the difference while flying, to unforeseen things that may occur while you are out & about exploring this magical city. And so, today we explore these things, to help insure that you have a most pleasant and most memorable trip . . .

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{take me away № 21 | city guides № 1 : paris}

At the very centre—the heart, soul and jewel of France, we find Paris . . . Paris in all of its overwhelming magic and allure. Paris that, perhaps of all places around the globe, of all the islands and coasts, extraordinary mountains, cities, and countrysides, might just be the most dreamed about of them all. And is it with any wonder? Enveloping the experience of l'art de vivre is a rosy hue, a hue only seen while you are there [long remembered and forever held in the heart], swept up in the magic of the city of lights. Here, for hundreds of years, thousands and thousands of visitors near and far have traveled to visit, to live, [even if just for the day] amongst all that is Paris.



Here we find perfectly imperfect cobblestone streets, many offset by poetically tilted and beautifully aged architecture, and as we walk, we quietly take in the unabashed beauty and élan, as elegant & effortlessly stylish women pass by; an older man, pedaling along on his bicyclette, en route to the barber may bring on a smile—indeed, a postcard sight; ladies immersed in each other's company, tucked in bold red chairs at a quaint café, back and forth they speak, in reverent conversation; or peek into the windows of elegantly merchandised shop windows, seductively showcasing handmade merchandise, created with skills perfected centuries ago. A host of streets may call you to stroll, looking up as you go, at the decorated facades, noticing a tiny pot with a cheerful blossom tucked into the tiniest of nooks. Not so unlike Paris, where charm abounds—charm and quality, hand in hand—be it fine foods or perfumes, fundamental manners & etiquette, or tying a scarf with flair.



Perhaps it's passion? Perhaps it's Paris. A city unlike any other, Paris calls creatives to create, lovers in love, and explores to explore . . . for those with an appetite to discover and to learn may discover a convergence of past and present, and may lose themselves forever, never to be the same. And so, today we warmly invite you to join us as we visit some of the most memorable places, and share some of best kept secrets in our address book of Paris . . .

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{travel | hotel thoumieux, paris, france}

. . . and in other exciting news : there will be a wonderful new extension to the {take me away} series, after many lovely requests, and the first installment of which, will appear a little later today, but first, a glimpse of what is come, in the form of a tiny 15-room boutique hotel in the seventh arrondissement, that also happens to include a michelin-starred restaurant, and the most fun mix of colours & patterns, brought together by designer india mahdavi; besides beautiful powder rooms enveloped in carerra [and with aesop bath products, at that], there is a view of la tour eiffel just outside the window . . .

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{take me away № 16 | valentine's inspiration for a romantic getaway}

Love is in the air, as they say, particularly as we are approaching what is, arguably, the most romantic month of the entire year: February. But romance is certainly not limited to a single day, or month for that matter, as the very words, love and romance inspire hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of sonnets and ballads, songs, paintings, and notes and declarations at any given time.



For love is entirely a matter of the heart, apart from all that is grounded and tangible, and perhaps that is why great minds, for decades, have tried to capture its very essence.



And with the lifting of the winter's cold, afresh with the promise of Spring, we may welcome romance in all its forms, be it a quick expression of appreciation, written by hand, and left on the bedside table, or a dazzling bouquet of fragrant blossoms wrapped in tissue, or the simple joy of spending time walking, in the intimacy of fresh air, talking and dreaming together . . .

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{places : at the apple store, paris}

. . . if you have been reading for a while, you will know about a longstanding love affair with vaulted, soaring and perfectly ornate ceilings, intricate crown moulding and wood panelled walls, and so, fell completely for the design of the most recent apple store, paris opéra, in the 9e arrondissement; known as the 'most un-apple apple store', the glass-and-steel of trademark elements like the staircase, have fallen away to wood and wrought iron, creating a perfect juxtaposition of old & new, traditional & modern . . .



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{a new week, a new month, and a brand new year}

. . . the first week of this new year has already been a spectacular flurry of activity, beginning with a new tiffany blue & gold-leafed daybook waiting to be filled, and on the eve of new year's day, a meeting in a hotel lobby amidst the still twinkling post-holiday fairy lights, to plot and to plan and to dream, and there is so much to tell you, including, currently, two enormously exciting projects in the works, a wedding in paris in june, and still to come, the grandest adventure of all, that may just change everything -- and so, it is wild anticipation that we begin the second week of this new year . . .

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{favourite five : owner of ladurée, elisabeth holder}

No winter evening's rendezvous on the Champs-Elysées, with its glittering shoppes and glistening holiday lights is complete without a stop at our most favourite "fabricant de douceurs & gourmandises": Ladurée, in all its gilded grandeur.



In the early 1900s, Pierre Desfontaines, cousin of Ladurée's founder, Louis Ernest Ladurée, took two almond meringue cookies and joinied them with a divine ganache filling, creating the macaron as we know it.



Prior to that, macarons were simply cookies, which were first brought to France by Catherine di Medici and her pastry chefs in 1533.



These little round cakes, which made their onscreen debut in the film, Marie Antoinette, are crisp on the outside, smooth and soft in the middle, and are made every morning by Ladurée’s pastry chefs who measure precisely, the required amounts of almonds, eggs and sugar, and a touch of magic . . .



Ladurée, which began as a tea room near the Place de la Concorde in 1862, has since expanded within Paris, then to other parts of the world, including England, Monaco, Japan, Luxembourg, Italy, the Arab Emirates, and its most recent location, in New York's Upper East Side, where we met Ladurée's owner, Elisabeth Holder, who is also the sister of the Chairman of the company.



The NYC shop, located just down the street from Dior and Chloé, is a jewel box of pastel green, displaying traditional decorative accents, busts, mirrors and classical paintings, showcasing chocolates, crystallized flower petals and of course macarons, all imported from Paris each day.



Elisabeth, who began her career working in the fashion industry for the likes of Hermès, moved to New York recently to run the affairs of the newest Ladurée boutique.



Elisabeth has said that "The macaron is a grand classique of the pastry arts -- it's not an accessory. It's an experience of pleasure." And so, during our meeting with her, we just had to ask for her:

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{how to : iphone photography & favourite apps}

. . . it has been said that the best camera is the one you have with you, and with all the running around these days, and always so many lovely things to capture while traipsing about, often the only camera on hand is my iphone, which have come to rely on more and more for so many things, but especially the camera; and since joining instagram some time ago, have been having the loveliest time sharing little glimpses here and there, of everyday life, and have been asked, time and again, about the photographs in my stream -- how to split images into frames, how to get that dreamy, romantic sparkle, and so on -- and so, thought it might be fun to share a few favourite apps along the way . . .

{p.s.} for those not using iphones & apps, you can view the photographs online with: instagrid // heroku // followgram


lyon in the rain // instagram with toaster filter





"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever . . . it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything."

~ Aaron Siskind

above, instagram filters : early bird & toaster


T W E L V E F A V O U R I T E A P P S

. . . normally only use two or three apps other than instagram, but p prefers to play around with a broader range, and so, a few of our favourites:

1. accu camera : to steady shots
2. shake it : for polaroid-like effects
3. ps express : for cropping & rotating images
4. snapspeed : a powerful app for selective photo edits & filters
5. instagram : for filters & sharing
6. pro hdr : for combining two of the same images to extend the dynamic range
7. picfx : for filters & favourite {this is glamorous} bokeh effects
8. lens flare : for a large collection of amazing lens flare effects
9. pic frame : to split images into separate frames & create collages
10. toy slr : for creating focus & blur
11. picture show : fun exposures & mirror filters
12. dramatic black & white : for converting images to black & white and adding sharpness

chandelier // apps used: instagram with toaster filter, picframe & picfx




a few favourite things // intsagram with toaster filter


light effects of image on the right, created with picfx


door in geneva // apps used: instagram, picframe & picfx




the window seat of an airplane // instagram with early bird filter, no light effects, only the magical reflection of the sun's golden rays . . .
morning latte // apps used: instagram, picframe & picfx



self-portrait: vintage necklace & french dots //instagram with toaster filter



iOS 5 : new & updated features

1. press the up volume button to take a photo
2. access the camera from the lock screen by double tapping the home screen and touching the camera icon
3. when taking a picture, touch on the screen where you want the exposure and focus to be measured from
4. turn on the grid from the options tab, which can help with composition and to keep your image straight
5. use two fingers to pinch the screen to access the zoom feature

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. . . and may have missed a few -- would love to know the favourite apps you're currently using?

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{images: all iphone photography by roséline on instagram}