Un monde à part: A world apart

A world apart. Yes, Morocco and specifically Jamaa el fna is like nothing I’ve ever seen, heard, smelled. I look at this photo taken by my sweetheart and notice so many things. The woman pushing her child, our cultures could not be more different but the beautiful thing is, is that I had the opportunity to experience hers (I’m assuming she’s Moroccan) and my life has been further enriched by what and who I experienced there. Wherever you may be in the world right now, appreciate who and what is around you. Earth is beautiful.

Bon Weekend!

Morocco vs. Paris

Hello everyone!

Just yesterday I spent another great day with my lovely friend, Catherine. We met, viewed the unforgettable exhibit: Matisse: Pairs and Sets at Centre Pompidou, to know that such beauty can exist in one person’s mind makes me happy to be alive. Get ye there if you’re in Paris! Did you know that Matisse spent time in Morocco? I also spent time there as you know and sometimes I can’t really fathom how different Paris and Morocco were and are. I have a newfound love for Morocco. I’m still in awe from all the beauty, warmth and hospitality shown to me, to us. But popping into a Bobbi Brown for a five minute makeover with Catherine (she was braver, I just tried a hot red lipstick) in our lovely city of Paris, in our favorite neighborhood, no cobras, well you know the saying: There’s no place like home.

Guess who’s coming to dinner?

Wherever I may roam, I always meet the nicest, most interesting people. After spending ten days in Morocco our last night was sheer magic as we were invited to have dinner in a Moroccan home beautifully inhabited by the sublime Valéria, our generous hostess and now new friend. She cooked an amazing Italian dinner for us and her friends. Seriously, I’m not exaggerating when I say this amazing woman and her friends had us (especially me!) hanging on her and their (all Italians! Yes!!!) every word. What is it about Italians that instantly make the world happier, louder, crazier and for God’s sake, MORE DELICIOUS than anything, ever?

How I met Valéria and later, Silvia and Giorgio was simply due to both us being free spirits. Beautiful people inside and out. La Bella Figura was what Valéria’s table was all about. She invited two strangers into her home and her hospitality, table and food made us feel like much loved family from out of town. Look at that table!!! I had to take pictures (with my sweetie’s iPhone) it was so beautiful!

The food! I love Italian food, it’s my favorite cuisine. Yes, I live in Paris and I do delight in French food but there’s something about Italian food that makes me feel all warm and taken care of, appreciated. You know?

We will never forget Valéria’s hospitality, the joyful noise of all of us made sitting around her beautiful table, eating delicious food, laughing, drinking, being merry and thankful.

I will never forget that night with Valéria, Silvia, Giorgio and my sweetie, plus Puzzola (the rock star cat)

See you all again very soon!

P.S. I love the woven mats on the wall, very clever and chic.

Dear Mom, I love you.

Dear Mom,

I just want to say thank you for everything. I know that without your positive influence on my life, without you exposing me to art, design, travel that I would not have had the courage to be the person I am now. Thank you, Mom. I love you and thank you for raising me and my brother to be good, decent, honest people.

Happy Mother’s Day everyday of our lives.

Always and forever your daughter,

Felicia

Create the life you want

You can’t get what you want, till you know what you want. What does this have to do with the photo you see above? This room has elements of the life I’m in the process of creating. I want to thank my Dane for an insightful, inspiring and “get a move on it” conversation last night. I needed it and I’m getting a move on it.

I think some characteristics of these photos make for a great summer house or studio in the city.

First Photo via here

Black Kitchens

Ahhh! It’s getting warm in Paris and today it didn’t rain. Is summer around the corner? No matter, I’m going to take you back to Morocco with me. I will talk about Moroccan ryads in the next couple of days, weeks, months, I don’t know. I’m head over heels about them as we stayed in a charming riad for five days in the Medina. I had the chance to visit several riads and saw for the first time in my life, A BLACK KITCHEN, yes a kitchen literally painted black and I thought it was so sexy, serious and well defined.

Here’s a photo I found when trying to find more of these gems and I can’t stop staring at it. I love the dark below and the light above, a true balance.

Photo via here

Prettiest Café

I just want to scream the loudest THANK YOU to God, to the Universe to the people I spent time with today.
I spent the day doing exactly what I love to do, it was work, but inspired work, it was a blessing. I photographed beautiful things, spaces and people (my gorgeous friend, Catherine) and discovered some charming French restaurants in an area few know about. I worked intently today. Véronique m’a offert un café si belle! I think it’s the prettiest café I’ve ever had. Merci Catherine, Laurent, Véronique, Jospehine, everybody that I encountered today and always, the people of Paris. Vous m’inspirez sans cesse!

Design Happens Everywhere

I was going to entitle this post “Ethnic Chic, really?” but I thought it sounded negative and that’s something I don’t believe in propagating. I’m seeing the term “ethnic chic” a lot and most of the time what I see are traditional or a modern take on traditional, usually African, textiles, in various forms or another. Sometimes the images are amazing and sometimes they turn into ideas exhausted and exalted all over the internet, in your local tony design store or worse, in your favorite déco magazines. I love great design. Period. If it excites me, teaches me about form and function, then that makes it even more beautiful and takes on a new meaning of the word functional. What I saw and still dream about in Marrakech cannot be contained in a cute little phrase. I saw craftsmanship and respect for tradition and was told about the people who made some of the products I saw and eventually carried home with me. I heard someone that I respect and admire a great deal say to a potential customer “This is NOT “ethnic chic” it’s just great design from another part of the world” This sentence really grabbed me because I found it to be true.

What are your thoughts?

Photos via Intelligent Clashing

Modern Design

Modern design unveils modern materials. I first discovered Pappelina at Caravane (my shrine) months ago but really didn’t inspect it like I usually do when I see something new. Now plastic is not a new material but Pappelina’s plastic rugs are (to me) and I am really beginning to see them in some of my favorite stores here in Paris and on my best foreign blogs. They feel warm, almost like a mixture of natural and synthetic fibers. This is not your typical plastic mat, they’re elegant, functional.

Modern.

Serge Lutens et mon ésprit.

Bonjour and Hello!

I will give you something to seek out. Do you love beautiful scents? If I’m not wearing a beautiful parfum everything seems off or not as bright as it could be. I had the honor of being invited to Serge Lutens’ exquisite salon de parfum at Palais Royale. Next week I will share with you my findings and hopefully inspire you to know more about this amazing creator of some the most enticing scents of our time.

I will relax this weekend parfumé in Ambre ,it’s the only thing that will set my mind at ease…well that AND the amazing lasagna and tiramisu my love made me yesterday.

Bon Weekend!