For many, it is the dream—the dream to travel abroad and to walk the very grounds in which were walked upon by great literary artists long ago—their words replaying in our minds and lives today. The dream to breath in the scent of the famously fragrant roses, lovingly kept and carefully maintained . . .
. . . to take tea as was traditionally planned and created, to touch upon the stones that were laid so many years ago and to gaze up to the thatch roof lines of centuries gone by.
The heart of England lies within the very threads of its culture—the language of customs, of beauty, of traditions, of arts. Indeed, the dream does not lie in sights alone, but in scents, tastes, sounds, and feelings of the heart itself—a secret that whispers about, and if we listen, we might just catch on.
And just when most life is asleep for the duration of this winter season, we might see a whole new angle to the respected art of one of the most integral parts of England: English gardens. And in truth, the lines and forms of such spectacular gardens might be most appreciated in their simplicity, draped in alabaster frost.
. . . and so, today we ask you to join us as we set along on foot, imagining a walk in and amongst some of the greatest gardens in the world there ever were . . .
An alabaster, wintry frost hardly seems like the warmest of welcomes, but the magic of the icy snow that glistens like diamonds layered upon diamonds, encompasses guests and the glow of an intoxicating combination of warm and cool lights, and the intrigue of the lines and carvings, without a doubt fades any perceptions of a cold reception.
And so it is, the gentle and hushed spell of winter has been cast, and for a short time, we see snow itself in a whole new and beautiful light . . .
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:
St.Petersburg’s rich history can be found as one strolls up and down every street, and inside every little shop and restaurant; within the grand walls of every awe-inspiring palace, painted in the past, and with every foot that touches upon every stage.
The city is, simply put, brimming with history and sprinkled with endlessly beautiful [and fortuitous] points of culture to take in; and of the endless list of possible places to visit, Peterhof (Petrodvorets), a breathtaking palace also known as the Russian Versailles, The [lavish] Winter Palace, as well as The Winter Canal, and St.Isaac’s Cathedral, are just a few of the must-see sites. Here, tradition is recognized, remembered and celebrated.
And if possible, one must take in a performance or two while visiting, as Russian ballet is known all over the world for exquisite performances, there is luckily, [and nearby] The Hermitage Theatre—just one of the lovely possibilities.
Come away with us, on an adventure in beauty and culture, as we catch a glimpse of the enchanting city of St. Petersburg, Russia . . .
. . . quite stunning, actually, how we have arrived at december so quickly, and in such a beautiful whirl of hours and days, flying at breathtaking speeds, only to arrive at the end, the very last month of an extraordinary year, and soon there will be the making of resolutions and plans for a new year, but for now, immensely looking forward to twinkling crystal & mimosas at festive brunches, holiday soirées and elegant dinners by candle & fairy light, to sequined dresses and upswept hair, and most of all, to a little time spent with those we love . . .
happy december! wishing you days filled with the utter magic of the holiday season, roséline xo
. . . there is just something about this time of year that makes everyday feel even more romantic -- perhaps it is the millions of tiny twinkling lights, or the champagne, or catching of one's breath at the sight of the first snowfall, each floating snowflake drifting soundlessly and beautifully against the window pane, whatever it may be, somehow, everything feels tinged with a little romance . . .
. . . always and eternally in love with summer, and while others are gliding gracefully down the mountain side, am normally the one sitting prettily by the fire, wrapped in cashmere and sipping brandy or hot chocolate with marshmallows, waiting for summer's return, and dreaming of warmer climates to see out the long wintry months ahead; of course, winter's chilly days would be no match if spent gazing out the enormous picture windows at the spectacular views outside of aerin lauder's aspen ski chalet among the silver birches, with its reclaimed cypress boards and wire-brushed oak, white walls and bed linens, cosy reading corners and floods and floods of light . . .
{p.s.} also interesting : the interior designer for the chalet was daniel romualdez, who also designed the tory burch boutique, on madison, featured here a few weeks ago -- interesting to compare the two vastly different styles
