Monthly Archives: August 2012

The City of Brights

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So many posts…so little time

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Via

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Hence, here we are, almost at the end of summer (say it ain’t so!!)

and me still sitting on a stash of unfinished seasonal posts that never had their moment in the sun

Though most of you could have probably lived without seeing this shot of Gisele,

 I did, so now you have to.

Besides, it’s a great pic to leap into a little post about the preponderance of fluorescents this summer, is it not?

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Damien Hirst cufflinks

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Did you notice the brights too?

 I’m sure they were in all the magazines, but it didn’t really register until I went to Paris.

The flash of fluorescence was everywhere.

My great girlfriend, who lives there, had her nails painted like so;

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I thought it was adorable. (please forgive the poor photo- it wasn’t originally intended to be a hand shot)

Then another friend joined us from Australia- she too had little touches of fluoro in her look; a sweet combo of tiny bright enamels on chains around her neck.

Suddenly I felt terribly beige.

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Slim Paley

Furry Fluoros for fashionable kids at Colette, Paris

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Slim Paley

Butterflies on trend

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Fluorescent Fendi Fall 2012

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I could have used these sweet sandals from Net A Porter.com in Paris

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Fun, easy DIY salad bowls for a day-glow picnic perhaps?

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Net-A-Porter.com

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Slim Paley

The Louis Vuitton-Marc Jacobs exhibition in Paris

( pretty much the same consistency as my hair most of the summer so I was sort of in style)

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Peter Som designed tennis ball for the U.S. Open

Gotta say- that’s my kind of tennis

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I do have these cute little fluorescent rubber sandals-

but did I bring them to Paris?

of course not!

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The Hermes, Paris windows were gorgeous.

 Each one a different fluorescent colour, these circles slowly turned causing the sand within to create art in motion.

So clever.

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another easy DIY via Pinterest

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Upon returning to California and finally getting my hair dealt with

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What do I see?

My colourist’s adorable assistant sporting the very same trend, though slightly more embellished

Oh what fun to be a girl!

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Amber Valetta and son via Vogue

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I left Paris with a bottle of wildly fluorescent pink polish nestled in my bag

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And the reaffirmation that

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One can never visit Paris without coming away inspired, n’est ce pas?

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God I Love Being a Mom (Part II)

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So…our “Baby” or “Stretch” as he is more commonly known around home is all tucked in at college and we’re officially Empty-Nesters.

WOOO HOOO!!

 Big Rave at our digs this weekend!!!

I must laugh at the image of letting the house go to pot (er…perhaps an unfortunate turn of phrase :) ) when the kids go away instead of the parents!

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Seriously though, it’s a major turn of the page but that’s what Life does…

If Kahlil Gibran hadn’t already written “On Children” in “The Prophet” I’d continue to wax poetic, but Kahlil pretty much said it all, didn’t he?

Thanks to all those who shared their kind words and wisdom on my previous post.

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Somehow “Harry” my son’s stuffed lion since before he could talk and Bob Marley co-habited without incident these last few years.

Oh, and BTW, thanks to all my son’s childhood friends for carving their names into his leather headboard whenever they slept over!

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Packing was majorly poignant.

Only for me of course, not for Stretch.

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Pretty much all my comments were met with “Uh…Don’t think so Mom”

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If I could only share his remark when I suggested he bring ‘dress shoes’ in case he had a date…

Alas,

that could seriously jeopardize my skype-ing chances with him.

The boy IS funny, I’ll say that.

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left behind

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I’m guessing packing up boys for college is very different  (and faster) than sending off girls!?

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“God I love being a Mom (Part I)” (from 2011)

Oh, and one more PS. – Son, if you’re reading this;

YOU FORGOT YOUR HELMET!

xox

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Paintbox Skies

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Santa Fe, New Mexico

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What a beautiful place.

 That sky!

or rather those skies of New Mexico

Who could possibly capture them in watercolours??

Not me

I know-sooo lame. :(

But we had a fahbulous time and my paints were honoured just to have been brought along.

After all, it’s the thought that counts…

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Besides, a DOUBLE RAINBOW?

How cheesy would that look in a watercolour-

You’d be like  ”Slim-loosen up that turquoise choker girl. Too much Kombucha tea??  Come back to us from Dream-Catcher Land”

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These photos were taken with my iPhone because God forbid I should have the camera I carried around for 4 days when a double rainbow appears…

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It was slightly more visible on one of my Instagram settings

Please try to imagine this accompanied by the scent of rain soaked sage,

deep rolling thunder and occasional flashes of lightning

Epic.

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More on my trip to Santa Fe in an upcoming post

but now

I’m off to take my Baby Boy to college

I’ll be OK.

Really.

:)

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Watercolour Wannabe

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Slim Paley Photo

..Painter’s palette plates at Fishes Eddy NYC.

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I had such lofty plans for doing some painting this summer.

I was saving,

saving

and saving this post until I could add just one finished painting of my own.

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I’m not going to suggest it would have been anything like this

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John Singer Sargent was in Greece.

I was in Greece too!

One of us was a bit more productive.

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though I did take my watercolours to Paris

and I certainly visited Laduree…

This is not my painting. (via Pinterest)

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 even just a little bird like this would have been something

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But alas, my painting muse flew the coop

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 I did find a few pretty images of paint boxes in my travels both on land and the internet :)

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and colours blending in a water coloury fashion

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 I could certainly paint this, couldn’t I?

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Perhaps I simply spent too much time on my ‘gadgets’

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ah-D’ya think???!

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Let’s all take a collective moment to be thankful that Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso et al didn’t have an iPad.

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These sweet little slippers from Anthropology whispered;

“You never painted this summer! For shame, for shame”

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 ”Christopher Clutches” filled with watery colour goodness mocked me too

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Watercolours in every permutation floated through my days,

a spectral  reminder of broken promises to myself

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Black Crow

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Tablescapes

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Pillows

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Baboucherie

Down the runway

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…and back to the table again

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John Singer Sargent

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Images abounded to chide me;

PAINT! PAINT! What’s the matter with you? PAINT!!

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Tamara Comolli Collection

Well, actually, this image was more like “Buy me! Buy me! What’s the matter with you?? Buy me!”

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.Slim Paley photo

My little box of travel watercolours (Winsor & Newton)

and one very tightly painted pear from my class. I had to cut it out from the page because my shadowing was so bad.

Did I mention I’m a Virgo?? Albeit one that doesn’t feel the need to clean her paintbox or cut her pear particularly well?!)

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Sargent.

LOOK at this!

I could say this is why I don’t even try

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Paola Navone china

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Sargent.

He kills me.

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Wallpapers available at BLACK CROW STUDIOS

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If one were really, really brave, you could forgo the wallpaper altogether, soak the wall and just go at it with your own paints.

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Issey Miyake feeling it

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Who would think baking a cake would ever start looking like the easiest option?!

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Slim Paley photo

Fishes Eddy NY

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Sargent

I’m visiting friends in Santa Fe, New Mexico soon.

My travel paints will be going into my luggage.

Taking bets??!

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How about you? Have you been artistic this summer? 

I hope so!

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Until Rio…

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Well?

That was fun, wasn’t it?!

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So happy everything went so well in London tonight!

Cheers to all the athletes, all the competing countries

and let’s not forget  those who worked diligently to keep everyone safe and things running smoothly-God knows it must be an Olympian task.

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Congratulations to the U.S. for securing the most medals!

As for the closing ceremonies, I must say the blinged out taxi cabs did tickle my fancy

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Spice Girls seem to be holding up quite well.

It was nice to see Annie Lennox again, though didn’t love the dress and George Michael can still sing live- it’s been awhile!

Hey- just me, or did the Eric Idle bit go on a bit L O N G ??

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A perfect 70 degree evening in London- how lucky is that?!

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I love that they matched the stadium to Alexander McQueen’s iconic Britannia clutch  :)

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While we’re on bag chat,

 coveting this cute Charlotte Olympia perspex charmer

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especially love the clasp!

available on Net A Porter.com

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Slim Paley Photo

A salute to Britannia in the Penhaligon windows in Paris

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I was a little disappointed with the “Fashion” segment of the show weren’t you?

It was a bit of a nothing really and poor Ryan Seacrest didn’t know who any of the models were besides Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell

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Couldn’t someone have texted him for goodness sake?!

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Still, a fine time appeared to be had by all, including Kate and her brother-in-law

Where the heck was hubby??

Me too!

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We’ll just have to order the newest tome from Taschen for our London fix.

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It’s groovy baby, yah.

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By Kyle Bean & Victoria Ling

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Make yourselves a nice hot Horlicks and

Sleep tight Loves.

xox

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