. . . and it was just about this time, last year, there was a dressing room enveloped in carerra marble and accented with pretty bits of pink, here and there, and today it's a powder room, in the very same perfect combination, both of which also happen to be two very favourite things . . .
. . . lately have been thinking about the things we always come back to—the crashing waves of the ocean, a favourite fragrance or countryside road, a novel or restaurant; for some, there are the same colours, designers, or interiors . . .
. . . and for me, it is this manhattan apartment, belonging to fashion designer betsey johnson—a maximalist heaven of overflowing bouquets of roses and utterly breathtaking pink walls, beautiful chandeliers and yards upon yards of antique lace . . .
"Autumn arrives in early morning, but spring at the close of a winter day."
~ Elizabeth Bowen
. . . of all the beautiful things there to look forward to in spring -- longer days and the promise of evenings on terraces, pastel dresses with golden shoes and the first magnolia blossoms -- perhaps the most intoxicating, might be the change to begin again at winter's end, fresh and new and in extravagant shades of spring white . . .
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 . . .
. . . 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 . . .
