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The most romantic guy in Paris is 2cm tall!

Published by Sam Growdon

The other night I came across this fabulous and ingenious Instagram account, @Legocentric, and was totally amused by it. This may have something to do with our apartment being held hostage by these miniature “personage” or Lego men – Their best form of attack is crushing your bare feet in the dark!

I caught up with the creators of these cutely curated images, couple Nicolas and his girlfriend Jen who he credits to having great ideas. Nicolas has been in Paris for 14 years after growing up in France’s south-east region and declares his love for the city. By day he’s a project manager for a consulting firm and so uses his photos as a creative outlet.
He tells me that, “The original idea came to me almost 2 years ago in January 2013, a snowy day in Paris. I thought it would be funny to do a photo with mini figurine feet in the snow on my balcony. I used a mini Playmobil man but then I realized that the Lego men allow more creativity than Playmobil. From then I started collecting the mini figurines and I now have over a hundred. We almost always have a few figurines with us when we go on trips or walk in the city.” He explains that his favorite characters are those who represent him and his girlfriend, Jen. They choose the clothes, the mood on the face and the haircuts all according to the image they want to take – I can’t help but think how romantic that is which is apparent in the photos he takes.

Nicolas recommends the Lego store in So Ouest. He says, “It’s the only place in Paris where Lego figurines can find clothes in their sizes as well as the accessories they want like cameras, bicycles, bags or rollerskates.” I am totally tickled and can’t wait to see what their S/S 2015 collection will look like. Check out Nicolas and Jen’s account, you’ll not only love the images, which also takes you on a journey through Paris, but the captions are witty and super amusant and worth plugging into Google Translate for a giggle!

Now, I wonder if he can make a Lego dude do a selfie? @legocentric

The Original Bag of Bling

Published by Sam Growdon

I was first introduced to Whiting & Davis during Paris Fashion week two years ago. It’s not like I hadn’t seen these blingy meshed handbags before, in fact I had owned a gold high street version a few years back when they along with anything metallic became a huge runway trend. Little did I know that this mesh bag dates back to 1876 and is the oldest handbag company in America. Whiting & Davis was the very first company to create these uniquely crafted handbags using brass metal. It was Charles Whiting who took the ancient art of chain mail, think knights in armour, and created an exquisite fabric that became a three-inch square purse with a delicate twist closure in 1892. Whiting partnered with Edward Davis and so the house of Whiting & Davis was born. A few years later the laborious process of weaving the links and rings by hand became mechanized allowing the business to grow rapidly and it became the powerhouse for mesh fashion and jewelry. The duo continued to create luxury pieces that appealed to Hollywood starlets as well as the woman on the street. In 1922, silent film actress Catherine Calvert was quoted in a Whiting & Davis advert confessing, “I adore mesh bags… Even were they not the accepted thing among modish women, I confess to the fear that I would possess one simply to revel secretly in the fascination of its gleaming silken-textured mesh.”

Advertising campaigns since the early 1900’s

Since the early years of the 20 century these creations have been worn by the likes of Elsa Schiaparelli (who also designed for the company), Nicole Kidman on the red carpet at the 1997 Academy awards, Eva Longoria at the 2006 Cannes film festival and Lady Gaga (out and about in one of her extraordinary creations). Michael Jackson wore his infamous red leather jacket inlaid with Whiting & Davis ring mesh in the shoulders in his 1983 music video “Beat It”, and in the same year Christy Brinkley was on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine in a gold Whiting & Davis metal mesh dress. The new S/S 2015 collection of handbags is gorgeous and blingy, retaining it’s 137 year history of producing luxurious and high-quality coveted fashion objects. I especially like the Palms pouch clutch, the brass metal mesh is silk-screened with tropical palm trees – perfect for a beach getaway!

Celebs who love Whiting & Davis

Shop the S/S 2015 collection (Images courtesy of Whiting & Davis)

Christmas is a MONSTEROUSLY fun time!

Published by Sam Growdon

The department store windows are always a mini stage for visual creativeness in Paris and never more so then at Christmas time! This year my favourite favourite has to be the windows at Galleries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussman. They are freakishly fun and less outwardly commercialised than some of the others, in fact not a logo in sight. Giant luxurious red velvet curtails flank a stage of fuzzy monsters in a rainbow of bright neon colours, collosal fluffy fiends trapped in over-sized glass baubles – perfect for my little people who squealed in delight at the the one-eyed, long-eared monsters peeking out of top hats!

Seriously, you won’t believe your eye! (Okay bad Monsters, Inc movie joke).

Inside Mademoiselle Coco Chanel’s private home

Published by Sam Growdon

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s apartment on Rue Cambon is like walking through Alice’s looking glass… and I’m still pinching myself!

On first entering, the apartment it is nothing like I expected. The clean lines and black and white aesthetic that is so synonymous with Chanel doesn’t appear at all and instead, everywhere you look is filled with keepsakes and memories. Highly lacquered Chinese screens, adorned Italian mirrors, antique vases and sculptures. It’s a real scrapbook of her imagination, a dark-red, east-meets-west-inspired memory box. It has been left as if she could walk in at any moment in her iconic white bouclé jacket and sit on the sofa; I’ve since wondered what we’d talk about.

There is no bedroom, she used to sleep at the Ritz Hotel a few meters away on Place Vendôme, and only used the apartment to entertain guests, the likes of Dali, Picasso and Elizabeth Taylor. The space is deliciously decadent and opulent and would be a superb playground for my one year old who would probably be attracted to the dozens of animals that fill the space. Lions (she was a Leo), deer’s, frogs, monkeys and even Lamas and usually in pairs, which we were told was because she was very superstitious. She filled the apartment with symbols of love, longevity, luck, purity and prosperity.

I could have spent a few days there taking it all in, I would’ve loved to have paged through the numerous books lining the shelves or snooped through the bureau draws, which I’m sure is the reason the visit is kept short and sweet and reserved for press and Chanel VIP’s!

Monsieur Lagerfeld and the house of Chanel still use this apartment as inspiration and have used many of its symbols in past collections. Notice the bird cage? Remember Vanessa Paradis swinging in a gilded version in the 1992 ad campaign? The deep red and gold Chinese Coromandal screens illustrating Coco’s favourite Camellia flowers have been used in jewelry and as details on the house’s leather goods and even the stopper on the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle was inspired by the octagonal shape mirror hanging in the dining room.

My favourite piece in the apartment is the chandelier hanging in the salon, made from topaz, amethyst and crystals, the beautifully carved camellias and interlocking 5’s and double C’s twinkle in the light, a constant reminder that Mademoiselle Chanel is ever present. www.chanel.com

Watch this video for a glimpse into the life of Chanel.

Photographs courtesy of Chanel

All my favourites to primp & prime…

Published by Sam Growdon

I’ve got less time while juggling all the other stuff along with kids, so this is the stuff that sits in my bathroom cupboard to make it easy, fast and of course, pretty.

Lancôme Soleil Bronzer – it’s a sun BB cream. Pretty much a 30 SPF sunscreen, moisturizer and light foundation all in one. Easy! I love it because it doesn’t flake like some others do and it leaves the skin protected and glowing.
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt cologne – I can’t say I’m a fan of all the Jo Malone Scents, I do find some of them a little “linen spray-ish” (Febreez jumps to mind!) for my liking but this new fragrance is the perfect mix of light with an edge. I love it so much I got the big one and two travel size ones.
Clarins Shimmer Body Oil – I had orgionally bought this at the beginning of summer, imagining hot beachy evenings, my tanned body glowing with a glittering radiance, which did work of course. But I’m even finding that without the tan, the beach and the sun, sigh… it’s an awesome product for illuminating and moisturizing winter skin.
Smashbox Reflection High Gloss Lipgloss – I’ve often felt that lipgloss can look a little “teen” on me, especially one with shimmer but it seems the brand born out of a photo studio manages to get it right. It’s thick and glossy and more Milla than Miley.
Estee Lauder Re-Nutrive Ultimate Diamond Sculpting/Re-finishing Dual Infusion – Well with a name like that you’d expect a magic potion out of a fairytale that defies ageing and brings with it a very rich prince! It does come pretty close, although no Prince. It’s the coolest packaging that has two separate vials that when pressed blend together and leaves your skin feeling velvet-y soft, perhaps this is as close as it gets to that magic potion.
Tom Ford eye shadow palette – I am a huge TF fan and the eye shadows are superb, no caking in the eye crease and the pigment lasts all day.
Dior Star foundation – I have to admit that I was totally suckered by Natalie Portman’s flawless skin on the adverts here, and although it hasn’t quite delivered on that promise (perhaps a bit much to ask for) I can say that it’s a goodie. SPF 30, excellent coverage with a luminescent finish… what more could a girl want?
Tom Ford Violet Blonde – It’s a sexy, strong, modern fragrance that turns even the plainest black outfit (this is Paris after all and black is THE colour) into something glamorous and sultry.

La Petite Poche (AKA The mini Bag)

Published by Sam Growdon

Yes, the mini-bag, we’ve seen them everywhere right? The red carpet is one thing but we’re seeing celebs carrying them on their morning coffee run as they’re snapped with large shades and grande lattes in hand – damn that LA sun all year round!

But seriously, do these A-listers have a secret handler carting the rest of their stuff? Where the hell does it all go, or perhaps unlike me they aren’t having to lug the snack, the water bottle, the juice carton, the toy Transformer, the cell phone, the nude lipstick, the lip balm, the red lipstick, the lipgloss .. really I could go on. Surely all these celebs with their miniature sacks are really just dashing to the convenience store for a loaf of gluten-free bread therefore just needing a few coins in there right? Or perhaps this miniscule bag is in fact carried around in their giant-size never-full and they whip it out with their essentials while leaving the big sack in the car/with the handler?! Yup! That must be it!

Of course I’m into the trend, who wouldn’t be when my over-sized and heavy handbag is giving me back pain all day? Plus I hear that these small sac-a mains aren’t going anywhere soon, so best I buy a “honey-I-shrunk-the-kids Shrink Ray” machine so I can pint-size everything I own. Either that, or invest in a military-style over-sized trench with a gazillion pockets!

Au clair de la lune

Published by Sam Growdon

As if Paris isn’t romantic enough without a full moon, but lucky for me a saturday night stroll to see the Christmas lights and the market on the Champs Elysees surprisingly brought with it a beautiful full moon over the famous city of lights. One of my favourite walks in the french capital starts from nearby our apartment. We cross over Pont d’Alma gazing at the Louvre in the distance and the Bateaux Mouches as they hug camera flashing tourists on their decks, we walk up Avenue Montaigne while window browsing the most famous luxury stores and meet the Champs Elysees. Turning right we walk along the busy avenue watching the crazy drivers while admiring the symmetry of the Arc de Triomphe as it mirrors the Place de la Concorde. The Grand Palais greets you on the right, it’s contemporary-looking glass roof juxtaposing it’s early Beaux-Arts columns. As you get closer to the Alexandre III bridge it’s hard not to feel as if you’re in a movie – the river beneath, and the glowing lamp posts make even the coldest of nights romantic and beautiful.

It’s a walk full of history and beauty that I never get bored of.

The devil on my shoulder

Published by Sam Growdon

A lot of my email box is full of spam! Yes, I know at some point it is me that has signed up for the spa/Groupon/cosmetics/fashion/sales newsletter, but I do spend a disproportionate amount of time deleting these annoying daily mailers. However, there is THE one that gets me all tingly when I hear the “ping” noise as it pops into my inbox. As soon as it arrives, it’s bold subject line taunts me until I direct that little arrow and press click… vestiairecollective. A site dedicated to buying and selling pre-owned luxury items from Alaïa to Zadig & Voltaire. It’s my daily drug, the devil on my shoulder, the solid-sugar-covered-in-candy-lollipop to my inner child! Erm… just got to go check on those red Chloe Susanna boots – wish me luck!

Just click here… vestiairecollective.com

Move Over Choupette Lagerfeld, there’s a new Kitty in town…

Published by Sam Growdon

It’s not often I think about having a little girl, well unless I see them twirling in princess dresses with cute bows in their hair, or when a children’s book like this one comes along…
This read has it all! Style, humour, striking illustrations, a beautiful ending and best of all, stunning handbags. I loved following Coco Le Chat, written by South African born Nadine Rubin Nathan, and her fabulous wardrobe of glitzy tutus and extraordinary fascinators to my all time favourite city – New York. The pampered Parisian pussy takes you around the Big Apple dazzling the paparazzi while visiting renowned hotels, shopping the finest department stores and even lunching with a famous Editor (Psssst, can you guess?) If you’re a mama of girls (I tried very hard with my boys, but they kept asking about the one sports car that appeared on one of the pages completely missing the point!) they will love the mix of real life photography and illustration. They will revel in Coco’s outfits, the bright colours, her rhyming adventures and my best part, the feel-good ending where she finds a friend – after all, what’s the fun in shoes and bags if you have no-one to share them with? Perhaps Coco and Choupette should be besties after all!

Coco Le Chat The World’s most fashionable Feline. Words by Nadine Rubin Nathan, Photography by Paul Nathan and illustrated by Jennifer Cascino. Available on cocolechat.com and Amazon.com

Splash out on him!

Published by Sam Growdon

Move over 50 Shades of Grey – seems I’m happy with the Orlebar Brown catalogue that was just slipped through our mailbox this morning. I know what you’re thinking and yes, obviously it’s the well-tailored swim shorts in this mini-mag that got me all warm and fuzzy and not the models sans shirts! Mom jeans, ill-fitting swimwear and thick rubber-sold shoes are on my list of worst wardrobe faux pas, the others are for another day but to help with number two on my list we applaud the British brand Orlebar Brown. The creation of Adam Brown, who noticed on a holiday with friends that all the women around the pool looked great but the men didn’t (I’m guessing a smorgasbord of speedos and down-to-the-knee over-sized boardies), so he decided to create a range of shorts that you could splash in but that you needn’t change out of when heading for lunch – Thank you Adam, the female population is forever indebted. The collection is a mix of plain colours, patterns and printed photographs that are unique, practical, trendy, cool, cutting-edge … I could go on, but go see for yourself and get your guy a pair for Christmas, they come beautifully packaged too!

P.S Six-pack not included.