BONNE ANNÉE

WHY THIS IS THE PERFECT NEW YEAR'S SHOT

To me, it says

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Smile a lot?

Try baby shampoo?

Remember to layer your cloths?

Always think sensible shoes?

Yes, all that, and

it SCREAMS

it's 2015

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

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et

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*       BONNE ANNÉE       *

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THE BEST COOKIES IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!

LES MEILLEURS GATEAUX DE LA PLANÈTE

The BRIZELÉS are made entirely artisanally in Lebanon. (Soon they will also be produced in Dubai. Yes, Dubai.) 

They are beautiful, light and airy,  and so addictive!

Paper thin wafers with a melt in your mouth sweetness! The ones we were given are "Walnuts and Cinnamon". There are however 6 other kinds including cumin, olive and thyme.

They are the brain child of a man passionate about cooking, who started making these in his kitchen in Beirut, Lebanon a few years ago and is now selling them everywhere over there but also on line! (His charming son Omar kindly and very generously brings them back to Paris during his frequent trips to Beirut for his extremely grateful friends.)

You should not hesitate to order some for one single second. 

That's Papa Kamel Cabbabé, there, on the box.

Editor's note: I was not compensated for this post in any way…well, if you don't count the boxes of Brizelés which have delighted us so, I could not resist raving to you about them.

au revoir.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

BONNES FÊTES

au revoir.

THE LITTLE THROWS THAT KEEP ON GOING

LES PLAIDS QUI NE BAISSENT PAS LES BRAS

This is two of abanjà's best selling items. 

Simple. Graphic. Beautifully crafted.

Entirely hand made.

Available at Nickey-Kehoe in Los Angeles or online here.

Not to toot our own horn, or anything…

au revoir.

A TRANSATLANTIC SHIP IN PARIS

UN TRANSATLANTIQUE EN PLEIN PARIS 

Some friends and I have an" abonnement" - season tickets- to modern ballet at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. 
I find most of it great. Some of it is not quite my cup of tea. 
What I do find fabulous however, is the building itself with tall, tall ceilings, art deco style everywhere, and that lovely feeling of being in one of those magnificent transatlantic ships of the 40's.
There is huge difference of course:
THE EIFFEL TOWER, staring at you through every window. 
My idea of Pure Heaven!

au revoir.

TOMORROW IS THANKSGIVING; DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR TURKEY IS?

DEMAIN C'EST THANKSGIVING: SAVEZ-VOUS OU EST VOTRE DINDE?

You know what to cook and how to cook it, you know who is coming, you know  the big white tablecloth will fit and the good silver is as shiny as a new dime, you know you have enough chairs, what with the bench being dragged from the TV room for little Charlie, you know you can count on good old Aunt Mary for her casserole and Uncle Tom for the Bloody Mary's.

You know who and what you are thankful for.

But do you know where HE is? 

Tomorrow will be too late…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY AMERICAN FRIENDS!

au revoir.

THE UNIQUE MAC BOOK AIR CASE

LE PROTEGE ORDI PAS COMMUN

The Cinématèque of Tangier, Morocco is a fantastically unique place. Part movie house for the great-old-movie addicts, part cyber café, part lunch "canteen" for expats and young Moroccans alike. With its harlequin façade, vintage movie posters, bric-a-brac multicolored furniture, funky lighting and sun drenched glass roofed "diner" area, it attracts creative souls and hard-smoking (sadly) youths from neighboring streets. It is one of my favorite haunts as I go about my day in the medina working away with the weavers of our textile collection Abanjá.

On one of my trips there I could not resist acquiring this great computer case made by the Cinématèque with it's weekly movie programs covered in clear plastic sheeting and fitted with a strong zipper. 

I love it! Perfect fit, perfect job of protecting my valuable device.

And, invariably, the inevitable question: "where did you get that?". 

I love to answer.

au revoir.

COPPER AND MARBLE

CUIVRE ET MARBRE

The fire red warmth of copper on the cool clean smoothness of white marble.

Absolute beauty!

au revoir.

WAKE UP TO COLOUR

LA COULEUR REVEILLE

Once in a while you need to wake up your style. Don't be afraid of a pop of brilliant M$M shades. Try taking a risk with a bright red chair or a yellow pillow. You might soon graduate to a bright yellow wall or a fire engine red fridge.

images via pinterest

au revoir.

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY AS ART

L'ART PHOTOGRAPHIE DE MODE

The media shower us with images of, among other things, fashion. Some shots are there to inform, some to seduce, all to sell. 

When photographers find just the right awe inspiring design, the right model, the right venue and to all that, they add their own genius, the result is absolute, fascinating, breathtaking art.

images via pinterest 

Photo, yes. 

Art, yes 

Fashion? not so sure.

au revoir

WHAT HAT TO WEAR TO A FANCY WEDDING

UN BEAU CHAPEAU POUR UN BEAU MARIAGE

Black will always make a BIG statement

But how about a touch of black on a big straw hat!

Low-key elegance will work of course

Subtle color will perk up a black or neutral outfit

Maybe just wearing a big beautiful bow might work...

Just not your average good little girl bow...

au revoir.

BOHO STYLE

LE STYLE BOBO

You must have noticed, no doubt, that one of the big current trends this summer has been "Boho chic". 
Some have been right "on trend" forever...

See what i mean?

Boho this, Boho that, Boho fashion, boho interiors and boho festivals.

and it is here to stay, at least in its fall/winter incarnation.

all images Ralph Lauren and via Pinterest

So much fun!

au revoir.

BACK FROM NEW YORK CITY

DE RETOUR DE NEW YORK

We are finished with our show at the Jacob K. Javits Center in the Big Apple and I am back in the south of France to pick up my vacation where I left it…
As hard as it was to take the TGV high speed train to Paris on a beautiful, lazy, sunny day, to catch my flight to NYC 10 days ago, I was very excited to see how our collection would do this time around.
Our Kesh bed cover did not disappoint and is once again our best seller. We added a soft gray and a rich deep blue to the eggshell-white original. We hit it out of the park with all three I am delighted to say. 
And now the real fun begins. We are confirming orders and it's up to me to get things done: to go to Morocco and give the weavers their orders and to make sure everything will come in on time. 
I'll stay a few more days in wonderful Ardèche for now, and once again I'll take the road back to Paris, this time to continue on to Tangier. 
A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do….

au revoir.

SISTERLY ADMIRATION SOCIETY

ADMIRATION FRATERNELLE

My sister Joëlle has just put the final touches to her book VILLA VICTORIA. 
A while in the making, it tells the captivating story of an Englishman, his grand villa in Tangier Morocco and the crimes, intrigue and twists that come to shake up his calm existence.

She is now up there with the best of them on Amazon. If you are so inclined you should consider looking her up over there. You can download a kindle app. so as to read the novel on your device of choice.

I love her tale and I know you will. 

She is dying to get some feedback. Aaahh, the angst of the rookie author...

au revoir.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

LET'S JUST HAVE FUN!

image domino

Well, let's just say it is not quite as easy to get in the mood here in Paris. But some try their best….

au revoir.

SMALL CHANGES BIG IMPACT

LES PETITS DETAILS QUI CHANGENT TOUT

My sister and I made a few changes in her house the last time we went to Tanger. 
The lower bedroom got a spectacular head board, a Moroccan double tier wedding table was moved near the sofa, vintage wool pillows were added and the very faded Toile du Soleil on the lower terrace were replaced with bright wax fabric.
Ahhh, those little things that make a big difference.
1st world worries? yes.
And yet...

au revoir.