Nov 26

2012

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Snapshot: My Mantra

This quote hangs in my office. I read it every day. For me it expresses the very definition and value of inspiration. I guess I could argue that nothing inspires me more than inspiration. Sometimes I gather so much inspiration – images, photos, tear sheets, books, notes – that it overwhelms me, making me feel disorganised, unfocused and like I’ll never have enough time in my life to put it all to use. But I can’t resist it – if I see something that moves me I want to remember it, archive it, file it away for when I need it...

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Sep 17

2012

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On the Road: Inspired by Crests

This summer as I was traveling around Europe I noticed the abundance of crests – royal crests, family crests, decorative crests – nearly everywhere I went. It started in a medieval village in the Dordogne region of France called Monpazier. I brought my kids there because the town is famous for making beautiful wooden toys. But what caught my eye were the giant crest-shape flags decorated with charming animal figures in rich colors that were hanging around the village...

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Aug 20

2012

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Life in England: Gifford’s Circus

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Ever since my children were toddlers, Gifford’s Circus has been a major highlight of our summers in England. It’s a small, family run “homemade” circus that is cozy enough to feel intimate but big enough to create a festive dose of energy in the room. The beautiful sets are hand-painted, the inspired costumes are hand-sewn or plucked from vintage stores, and the acts are unique, impressive and thoughtfully curated. You simply can’t believe something this personal, charming and creative still exists in the world of global Ringling Brothers and Cirque du Soleil domination. It is the antithesis of the worldwide, mass produced, profit-seeking spectacle. Every year there is a different theme – past ones have included everything from Janis Joplin to War and Peace to Greek Mythology – that dictates the design of the tent, the characters, the costumes and the music. The stories are high-brow enough for adults to appreciate but subtle enough that they don’t get in the way of a 3 year old being able to equally enjoy the show. I have yet to find a better combination of entertainment and personal style.

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Jun 06

2012

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On the Road: Heading for Spain

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I can’t tell you how excited I am to go to Spain this summer. I’ve never been. We’re going to fly to Malaga  and drive around Andalusia for the first three days, just finding a place to stay as we go. My husband and I have always done this, and we love it – we find that over-planning for trips just leads to disappointment when you realize that you can’t fit everything in. So at least for part of our holiday, we like to feel young and free by following our instincts and seeing where the day takes us. After roughing it a bit, we’ll reward ourselves with 4 days/nights at Trasierra, a charming twenty-room home/hotel run by English beauty Charlotte Scott. This place is so up my alley. It’s exceedingly stylish, but in the most laid back way. I am not a fancy hotel kind girl – I could care less if I have a flat screen TV (or any TV for that matter) in my room or if the bathroom appliances are state-of-the-art. But I do like style, and this place has it in spades. Equally inspiring have been my daydreams about what I am going to wear in Spain, and I have been planning for months. First I flipped through Caroline Milbank’s “Resort Fashion” for inspiration – she has an amazing eye. And in the last few weeks I’ve started to lay out relevant things on the bench in my closet – two Isabel Marant peasant dresses, Castañer for JCrew espadrilles, a vintage YSL ruffled peasant blouse, and my mini-collection of minimalist Eres one pieces, all in black. Now I just need the abs for all the crop tops I’m into, and I’ll be ready to go!

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