City Guide: London

Non era nei miei programmi andare a Londra questa estate, ma carissimi amici si sposerano il 30 luglio a Nottingham quindi faro volentieri 2/3 giorni a Londra prima del matrimonio.

Stop obbligatori:

Tate Modern - www.tate.org.uk

The Dorchester Spa -  Has reopened after a complete transformation bringing an exclusive new pampering destination to London.  Exuding 1930s Art Deco glamour combined with a contemporary edge, design is inspired by the iconic British style of The Dorchester.  Unique aspects include a chandelier of south-pacific pearls and an indulgent Spatisserie.   Signature facials are by new discovery Carol Joy London, whilst treatments are offered by European skincare brand Kerstin Florian for the first time in London alongside acclaimed British brand, Aromatherapy Associates.  The spa also features nine spacious and sound-proof treatment rooms including two double suites, a mani-pedi suite and sleek relaxation room.



Paul Smith Furniture - www.paulsmith.co.uk

Restaurant E&O
14 Blenheim Crescent, W11 (020 7229 5454; www.rickerrestaurants.com). Japanese-influenced fusion food in a fashionable setting, attracting a trendy West London set. Try the sushi, Thai curries or dim sum. Booking in advance is advised.


and The Cow Pub - http://www.thecowlondon.co.uk/  ( il pub preferito di Lore)

Hix Oyster Bar & Chophouse-    is situated a stones throw from Smithfield Market, London’s historic meat market. Originally a sausage factory and then a fish restaurant, many of its original features remain. The wooden floors, marble oyster bar, tiled walls and linen tablecloths go towards creating an elegant yet unfussy dining room. The menu reflects Mark Hix’s signature British style with seasonal and daily changing dishes featuring oysters from around the British Isles, sourced by head chef Tom Hill, and a selection of meats and steaks on the bone.  http://www.hixoysterandchophouse.co.uk/

Arbutus - “Anthony Demetre, the chef at this Michelin star establishment, is serious about seasonality. The menu changes constantly while the food remains impeccable. This is a great place for a classy pre-theatre meal in Soho. I have only ever had really delicious food here. Not so easy to get in, but if there are just two of you, it’s easy to get a seat at the small bar. It is French-style cuisine in the best sense. The duck egg with asparagus served on cast iron skillets is really delicious. The rabbit loin is also a good pick.”  http://www.arbutusrestaurant.co.uk/



 

and a very good Thai restaurant: busaba eathai   http://busaba.com/

Market Place:
La Fromagerie - has a walk-in cheese closet that makes me swoon. The guys who work here are cute and know their stuff so you can find excellent varieties from all over Europe. The cozy shop also has well-sourced gourmet foods and a small restaurant where you can take a break from shopping and have a glass of wine and a snack.  http://www.lafromagerie.co.uk/



And the best retail therapy:

TopShop
Liberty
Boutique Start - Rivington street
Manolo Blahnik
Goyard
Charlotte Olympia....

My little inexpensive tips and products

1. 

    To protect my lips, I have the Carmex reflex. A unique balm that I always carry with me in my bag and use all day long. My favorite: cherry flavor. Cherry Carmex : 6 €
   
   

   2. For girls like me, who have very dry skin, my beauty secret: oil of Argan. Ideal when you come out of the shower, I apply it all over the body, insisting on very dry elbows and knees. Once a week, I also use it as a mask on my hair - 20 minutes of pause and my mane is more supple- after each shampoo I put a little dab on my ends without rinsing. A beauty elixir, my indispensable!
   Oil of Argan : 15,75 €
   
   

   

   3. A small miracle product which I discovered just a few months ago and that I take with me everywhere : Lush « Fairy Hand» cream to moisturize cuticles and nourish nails. Two to three times during the week, I massage and push back my cuticles. An easy little tip that makes my nails grow longer and faster !
   Quite rich, I also use it on my hands in Winter when they are very chapped, as well as on my elbows and knees. It's my do-it-all cream !
   « Fairy Hand » cream for cuticles by Lush 9,95 €
   
   
   

   

   
   

   4. I cannot remove my makeup with just one single makeup remover. So I have two : soft water for the eyes to remove all the mascara ( demaquillant yeux intense Chanel) , and a lotion such as « Eau Précieuse » (12 € pump bottle at Monoprix) to eliminate powder and bag concealer while avoiding excess sebum and oily skin.
   
   
   

   

   5. The lightening shampoo with chamomile and corn flower by Christophe Robin. A treatment without ammonia nor oxydants that provides hair with highlights naturally and progressively, as though you had spend six months in the Maldives !
   For those who are not afraid of coloring and streaking, this shampoo will boost your color by eliminating residues and excess pigments. For sure, you will be dazzling!
   30 €
   
   

   

   6. It's my new make-up gesture! So fresh and quick!
   A little whiff on the nose, another on the cheekbones, a touch on the chin, in the morning after my creams for a quick touch up before a rendez-vous at the end of the afternoon, « Skinflash Primer » by Dior is a brush that gives me immediate sparkle any time of the day. Quickly rush to buy it. Its universal pink beige hue suits all the carnations and furthermore, it's beautiful !
   
   
   
   

   
   
   

Un paio di ricette molto fiorentine ..

 

 

 

 

La prima ricetta che vi consigio - visto che abbiamo in questi giorni dei bellissimi carciofi- 

 

Carciofi Fritti:

 

ingredienti per 4 persone

• 4 carciofi
• 2 uova
• farina
• sale
• 2 limoni
• olio per friggere

Pulite i carciofi: tagliate via un pezzo della parte superiore ed eliminate le foglie esterne piu dure, lasciando però un paio di centimetri di gambo.
Dividete ogni carciofo, prima a metà, poi in spicchi molto piccoli, gettandogli man mano che le tagliate, in un recipiente di acqua acidulata da succo di limone (per non farli anneririre).
Scolateli, asciugateli ed infarinateli bene, facendo poi cadere la farina in eccesso.
Un attimo prima di friggerli, passateli nelle uova sbattute e leggermente salate.
Metteteli pochi per volta in abbondante olio, non troppo bollente e quando sono dorati e croccanti, posateli ad asciugare su un foglio di carta gialla.

Salate leggermente  e serviteli caldissimi.


Biscotti di Prato

ingredienti:

• Farina bianca 00: 500gr
• Zucchero 500gr
• Mandorle 250gr
• 3 uova intere
• 2 tuorli d'uovo
• 1 cucchiaino di lievito in polvere
• 1 pizzico di zafferano
• sale

Mettete la farina sul tavolo e fate la fontana. Al centro ponete lo zucchero, 2 uova intere, 2 tuorli, il lievito, un pizzico di sale e lo zafferano ( quell giallo non è tutto uovo!!)
lavorate un po la pasta e aggiungete le mandorle non pelate e leggermente tostate in forno, poi continuate ad impastare bene, infarinandovi ogni tanto le mani se la pasta vi restasse troppo appiccicata.

Preparate tanti filoncini schiacciati larghi circa 2-3 dita e alti 1 centimetro; poneteli ben distanziati ( gonfiando si unirebbero) su di una placca imburrata e infarinatae, dopo averli spennellati con un uovo sbattutto, metteteli in forno a calore moderato (175°)

Appena saranno cotti ( ci vorrà circa 30 min) tagliateli subito.

Si conservano a lungo in scatole di latta.

Questi biscotti vengono spesso chiamati, erroneamente, cantucci, che invece sono tutt'altra cosa, in quanto preparati con pasta di pane, olio, anaci e zucchero. Per entrambi sono però d'obbligo il Vin santo o il Morellino.

 

Kate Moss per Dior Addict

Video bellissimo, Parigi poi come sfondo è sempre bello!
Kate in questa publicita è spendida, scarpe da invidiare e che dire del colore scelto del rosseto - io mio preferito!!!
Et Voila - Dior Addict  "Be Iconic"

Oggi a casa: il grigio

Grey

Adoro il grigio non solo nella moda ma anche quando parliamo di arredamento!

Tips to Organize your Closet:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clos-ette’s Melanie Fascitelli’s 8 Tips to Organize the Perfect Closet:

Take Inventory and Edit: Listen up all you pack rats: it’s time to say goodbye to those high-school jeans that don’t fit! Here are the four criteria for keeping a clothing item (and sentimental value isn’t one of them!):

1. Does the item stand the test of time? (broken-in cowboy boots may not be an everyday item, but you’ll wear them again one day)
2. Would you buy the item again today if you had the chance?
3. Have you worn it in the past 12 months?
4. Is the item in good condition? (yellow pit stains or a sweater that’s pilling are not getting you anywhere! )

Get Organized: Put all your clothes in categories and organize into subsets to help define your style and remember what you own.

5. Match separates into like items: shirts with shirts, pants with pants, skirts with skirts, and dresses with dresses.
6. Define those categories further: long sleeve shirts with long sleeve shirts, 3/4 length dresses together, long dresses together and so on and so on. Or, if your mind works differently, evening as its own section. Whichever way you categorize the sections—or find it easy for yourself to stay organized—make sure to create subsections of these sections.
7. Another trick is to color code your clothes. Organize garments light to dark, left to right (a visual merchandising trick of the trade!)
8. Always use the same hanger! In the same color! This is the easiest way if you don't have hire Clos-ette to build out your closet and design a custom system for your wardrobe to naturally fall into.

Melanie Fascitelli is the founder and captain of the organization design team at Clos-ette, a leader in holistic organizational design for closet and other inventory-challenged spaces. Based in NYC with discerning clientele from all over the world, Melanie and her team will go to your home, have a consultation, cull your wardrobe for what needs to stay and go, inventory and then design and hang your edited wardrobe in an all-new, perfectly designed space.



by goop.com 

Il trend della primavera 2011

GOOP, site di Gwyneth Paltrow, che ci porta consigli di Lauren Santo Domingo:

 

Lauren Santo Domingo’s guide to this spring’s trends:

1. Stripes: The ubiquitous sailor stripe is not going anywhere. Stella McCartney started with a shift toward bigger, bolder stripes last fall and Prada firmly staked this trend in fashion history. Big bold stripes in jarring colors are the way to go, and the really daring will wear stripes with other stripes, patterns and lots of color. (P.S., get on this trend right away, because NEXT season is all about the polka dot!)
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
2. Clutch: The It-bag is now the Was-bag. Get out your dust covers and store those big caryalls. The fashion flock this season was tucking their cellphones, Chanel lipsticks and fashion show invites into minimalist clutches for day. The bold and the beautiful are leaning towards clutches of similar description. Celine is offering cobalt blue, yelllow and orange. (Extra-credit: This Cobalt blue is THE go-to color for Spring!)
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
3. Full Skirt: Worn by day, the long skirt—whether full or pleated—is completely at ease anywhere. I like to see this silhouette paired with flats; the juxtaposition of the two make it a more casual and languid look. Wear with an oversized blazer, a belted cardigan or even a bomber jacket to complete the look.
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
4. Neon: Many fashion insiders compare Fashion Weeks to a traveling circus.... This season, the colors definitely resemble the Big Top. This trend is for the girl who does not want to wear the ubiquitous camel this season, for the girl who can just cross ‘minimalist’ off her to-do list ... only she’ll use a highlighter to do so ...
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
5. Accessories: Costume jewelry is having a moment. It seems that Coco Chanel’s old adage to “take one thing off before you leave the house” has been replaced by "put everything on before you leave the house.” And please, while you are at it, do break all the rules and mix big and small. Gold and silver. Costume with fine. House of Lavande and Eddie Borgo are great spots for costume jewelry.
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
6. Statement Sandals: Losing the platform is about as liberating as it gets. This summer will mean a vacation from those turbo, sky-high shoes that tortured feet for seasons past. This spring, one can lean towards high heel sandals with kick but without having to lean against something for balance. What a novel idea!
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
7. Red Lips: Move over stains and gloss. Lipstick is having a moment. Ditch your mother's lip liner, though. I recommend taking some time to try out the best shade for you. The red lips, like the girl who wears them, are never boring.
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
8. Power Suits: Men’s suiting does not mean wearing neutrals and tweed (although don’t get me wrong, that will NEVER go out of style) but this season’s suiting is more high voltage. Colorful pants and jackets are to be mixed and matched.
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
9. Throw Some Shade: For me, nothing signals the start of spring more than sunglasses! And if ever there was a season for sunnies this is it. And anything goes ...
   
   Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com
10. The Best Accessory: A Smile!: Just remember, you are never fully dressed without a smile!! Here, Arizona Muse, the breakout model from this season, shows us how it’s done.
    
    Tommy Ton / trunkarchive.com

Lauren Santo Domingo is a Contributing Editor to Vogue and the Co-Founder of Moda Operandi, a members-only private trunk show.