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!

May Day at Versailles!

I haven’t gained weight! I’m just wearing his jacket! LOL!

Hello Dear People!

I’ve been a bit focused on all the projects at my fingertips lately and haven’t had time to blog. The Dane and I were invited to a family lunch (they are from the French side of his family and very sweetly French) which turned into us getting back to Paris around 10 30 PM. We had a great time! Lunch became dinner time which led to an amazing tour of their city, immense fields of rapeseed. The golden hue of rapeseed contrasted greatly with dense green forests and the clearest blue skies I’ve seen in awhile. May Day never looked so good! Yes, it was May Day (Worker’s Day in France as well as the rest of Europe) and we were driven to Versailles to soak up the rest of a magnificent day at the beginning of sunset. It was unforgettable. The palace grounds were about to close but thank goodness the guards weren’t strict on rounding up and shooing away latecomers. It was like stepping into a glorious dream! So much opulence and serenity. It’s truly astounding to witness. We’ve promised our guests that we will return and enjoy one of the many concerts and shows (day or night) that are generously available to savor. I can hardly wait. It’s been years since I first saw Versailles and I think I appreciate more now than when I was a very young lady.

Celebrate Good Times, Come on!

I’ve had a very busy and introspective week. Will get back to sharing with you the best of design in Paris AND Morocco next week. Great things are happening and there’s reason to celebrate, so many things to be thankful and grateful for. No matter what’s going on with you, be it good or not so good, CELEBRATE!

Bon Weekend!

Image from here.