BEYOND BELIEF

DIFFICILE A IMAGINER

image  Quirky China New/Rex Feature

This is in China. 

Workmen are constructing a path 3000ft off the ground on the side of a very flat cliff. It will be 3 feet wide and just under 2 mileslong.

With nothing to keep them from falling, NOTHING.

Their only complaint: they can't go home for months.

au revoir.

IKEA'S VAGO CHAIR

LA CHAISE VAGO D' IKEA

 You can say what you want about Ikea, their lack of quality and the annoying need to put their products together on your own if no handyman or contractor is available, etc., etc., when they find a great design they are totally right on the money.

c.f. the Vago chair: brought out again this year, sadly in a more limited number of colours, (just green black and white online ) at an unbeatable price ($25.00 in the US) it can suit a lot of design concepts like a sleek pool, a country garden, a small minimalist terrace, or even a fabulously funky and elegant Marrakesh Hotel.

images my marrakesh, skonahem, deco-design

It's comfortable, stackable, and beautifully designed with a clean 60's feel. Bravo.

SERENDIPITY

LA BELLE DECOUVERTE

When we were in the south of France 10 days ago, my sister and I made a wonderful discovery: we were wondering what to use to tile the tiny rectangular powder room under the stairs that has been out of commission for many years and made a very convenient broom closet/storage nook for a long time; it will soon be converted back into what it should have been all along: a very convenient powder room. We decided to go check out a small storage area under the terrace where we knew to be a big pile of cement tiles dating probably from the turn of the (20th) century when the house was entirely covered in them; (we suppose they were ripped up at that time to make way for the current wood floors which were no doubt considered more sophisticated and not as cold.)
There were various styles including a large number of very plain light gray ones octogonal in shape (do we have a plan for those!), as well as a few plain squares in a delightful shade of warm beige. A small number of "border"tiles were found also.
We decided on the pattern above, for which there is EXACTLY the right number of each style, including just two of the small medallion for the front corners. The result after a good cleaning and two shades of gray on the walls will be perfect.

 We are hoping none are broken during installation.

Wish us luck...

au revoir.

A SWEET FRIEND SAVES THE DAY (well, the week)

UNE AMIE FIDELE NOUS SAUVE LA VIE (presque)

We arrived in the south of France to find the garden completely in disarray, to say the least. That was expected of course as quite a big deep hole needs to be dug to fit even an average size pool, and that means big piles of stone and cement and that means large equipment. 

We get that. 

What we were not expecting was NO WATER in the house. 

Our stay became suddenly a little more complicated. 

As usual the same adorable generous dear friend came to the rescue.

And that, my friends, is always a REAL TREAT.

The grounds are divine, the house could not be more elegant and comfortable and our friend any kinder. She was far away but still managed to have everything ready for us as if we were dignitaries arriving at some exclusive private resort.

Every where an exquisite detail; lemon trees in Anduze pots, dark gray Herve Baume furniture on a large terrace paved in old stones, charming vignettes at every corner.

The view from my bedroom is green and lush and features one of my very favorite things, a vineyard.

The view from the other window is of the poolside outdoor dining area, with olive trees, ivy and potted flowers and boxwoods.

Merci chère amie.

Oh, and the other pool you may ask?:

We should be able to dive in on the 1st of August...

Hard to believe, I know.

The contractor has never been off schedule yet and his company has helped everyone in our family for years and years.

Une perle.

au revoir.

TANGIER: THE LIVE LOGO

TANGER: LE LOGO VIVANT

By now you are without a doubt wondering: what on earth does is she talking about? 

Well, this is the comment made by a good friend upon seeing this young man: "It's a Lacoste polo with a live logo."

The owner wanted to sell us the cute little green creature... 

Can you just imagine coming through customs at JFK?

au revoir.

TANGER: CHIC HOTELS AND FUN CAFE

TANGER: HOTELS CHICS ET CAFE SYMPA

Le Minzah

When in Tangier, we never fail to stop at the Minzah, a haven for tea or fresh squeezed orange juice after a long day going up and down the medina. This turn of the century (the previous one) hotel is magnificent, with its columns and fountains and a superb pool surrounded by huge rubber trees and luxurious vegetation. 
Part French colonial, part Moroccan, all luxury, each detail takes you back to the grand time when celebrities like the Agha Khan, Churchill and Hollywood big shots stayed there.

Le Barcelo

We decided to go take a swim in the Mediterranean, and as Club Med was still closed, the choice was the Barcelo, the old Sofitel, with its breathtaking grounds and turquoise water beach.

A statuesque straw light fixture caught my eye in the lobby.

Le Salon Bleu

I posted about Le Salon Bleu here before but this charming café has added to its all blue concept. This time around I noticed the large collection of blue plates on a wall and the clever use of the ubiquitous plastic shopping bag as framed art, among other things.

au revoir.

TANGIER MOROCCO: THE FUNKY JEWELRY SHOP

TANGER: LE MAGASIN DE BIJOUX MARRANT

It is always interesting to go back to Tangier relatively regularly - I am inclined to say tirelessly, but the trip is usually anything but tire-less...- and find new shops, meet new people, discover new areas. This time again, on our foray to the Librairie des Insolites (my post) to see what new books Stephanie Gaou, the owner, had brought in and what exhibit was on her walls -there was all that, of course, she is such a talent magnet- we found that a new jewelry shop had opened across the small street. A unique, minuscule, very creative shop.

For starters the entire floor was covered in a thick coat of sand. Really creative, less sandal friendly...

The concept was pure 50's Riviera, with curlicues and pastel hues and a mixture of styles that was enchanting.

Here and there touches of red and gigantic make believe "coral".

The jewelry, mostly silver , was chunky, organic, all rough surfaces and bumps. One of us, the usual one- but I won't tell- bought a "mound" of silver of a ring which suited her to perfection.

The window showcased pieces that reminded me of the underwater scenes in The Little Mermaid the Animated movie.

I am still stunned that they dared have a naked torso, be it a very stylized resin one, in a shop in Tangier, Morocco...

au revoir.

TANGIER MOROCCO: THE BRITISH FRIEND'S PRETTY HOUSE

TANGER: LA JOLIE MAISON DE L'AMIE ANGLAISE

We have a dear friend in Tangier who is a British designer from London. It is a such a delight to be invited to her wonderfully quirky house. She has a great sens of color, in a very English way; by that I mean she fearlessly uses pinks and turquoises, she mixes greens of all sorts without hesitation and has imbued her charming house with a magical (yes, that is absolutely the correct word), a magical feel. 

It is important to point out that, being British, she is also quite a green-thumbed gardener and an indefatigable and an enthusiastic one at that. Her contractor says that every time there is a free spot somewhere, in comes the pot or the plant or the potted plant.

She insisted that the palm tree out in the back be saved and included in the pool design, and well she did.

Turquoise, turquoise, turquoise. Everywhere a touch of turquoise. 

That's when there is not some pink, on it's own... 

or thrown in with the turquoise...

A white bedroom? no, of course not...

not without a touch of pink.

Red-painted needle point chairs

Melons as still life.

I said quirky! 

In the library, a vintage Mediterranean-coast-in-the-50's vignette à la Prevert.

and turquoise with greens.

Our dear friend is a lovely, soft spoken blue-eyed English rose. 

Underneath it all is determination and energy. 

Not exactly a fragile flower.

Anything but, in fact.

au revoir.