Sunday 3 November 2013

November 2013 Instagram-y post

Full moons, eclipses, mercury retrograde, and a home renovation does not make a good combo.  
I know I usually stop at mercury retrograde but things have been quite frayed lately so this is my rationale...  

Still not very social but made a few exceptions.
Went to the new Ian Schrager hotel called Berners - Edition.
Via
This is my iPad version of the same place!

Is that a gallery wall or what??

It has a great lobby culture as well.
Won't last long because the "pros" will find out about it soon enough.
Via
The decor is exciting with a mix of modern and classic.
The cornices are insane and I have complete sofa envy...
Christian Liagre olive green velvet.


Via
Guess which shot is mine?

Had a really good meal at Cheyne Walk Brasserie.
They even toast their bread with open flame so 
it has a richness that electricity can't mimic.

London is starting to decorate for Xmas.
Oxford street with baubles. 
John Lewis with Xmas tree cones

But Charlotte Olympia didn't fail to dress their windows 
according to the appropriate holiday.

Did you have a good Halloween?
I didn't do anything - not even a pumpkin this year.
I was into Halloween last year, this was my pumpkin.

Anglican Britain doesn't properly celebrate
All Saints Day but mainland Europe takes the day off work. 
It made me think of my trip to Paris exactly one year ago with one of my besties who visited from Oz.
Notre Dame - it was packed of actual church goers which one doesn't see in London.
Firemen doing their practice drills for their patron saint and
not putting flames out on the Seine as it seems.
The Seine is not just for tourists and has functional barges too.

Went to a milliner pretending I might go to the Melbourne Cup and had a browse.  Fancy that ceiling rose hat.


I always forget the name of the decor store in Holland Street but 
I always admire their wares.

I never see anyone in there though - 
not even a shopkeeper so I have never been inside.

Do you like cushions?
Rifat Ozbek has the best store right next to the one above.

Went to see a play that one of my freighbours was in.
Read it three times when I was the same age as Anne Frank.
But the play was so good and had me in tears.
By the way, did you know the furniture designer Jean Michel Frank was a first cousin once removed with her?

We had a storm in Britain that was one of the strongest I have experienced since living here.
A lot of trees were felled by the wind.

On the home front, delivery of my terrace windows came in.

My plasterer has these stilts he bought in America.
Michelangelo could have used some.

Do as I say and not as I do people.
I am tough on the pros but I am a civilian so to allay any fears for sharing your renos with me,
here is my living room at present!



Here is to a easier and smoother November!

41 comments:

  1. is that peter jones decorated for christmas? or are they calling everything john lewis now?

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    1. Peter Jones is the "john lewis" located in sloane square and john lewis is everywhere else! PJones is sweet but the one on Oxford street has so much more range! They skip Halloween here for the most part unfortunately...

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  2. I love the look of that hotel!

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    1. Schrager always does a good job at creating a buzz!

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  3. I've seen those stilts used on commercial sites before, and am now wishing my plasterer used them, instead of the scissor lift that has been parked in the living area for the past 4 months at $250/week in rent. Which the builder assures me is a total bargain. Hmph.
    Love the hotel, and laughing at your photos, because that is 100% just like my crap photos of places. So often I take a photo and either I move as I do it, or have finger prints over the camera bit so everything is 'softened' and filtered. Love the hats, I tried on a Phillip Treacy one in Christine in melb a few weeks ago, and it reminded me of the one that Princess Beatrice wore to the wedding, except in leopard print. Honestly, it had me in stitches. But I bet someone will wear it to the cup tomorrow! xx

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    1. That scissor lift is so cool although it did seem a bit excessive! isn't inside scaffolding cheaper? or a workmen's bench ladder? That ceiling better be perfect now :) Honestly my ipad and iphone does not take good pics. But then again my iphone is the very first edition!! Philip Treacy is de rigeur but her hat in leopard??? DId you take a pic? Must see! xx

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  4. The chandelier is magnificent! So many inspiring things here!
    xo
    Sharon

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    1. The gallery wall and the cornicing alone are worth the visit Sharon! xx

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  5. Wow, that hotel is stunning!! The green accents are beautiful. Love the photo of your pumpkin from last year, very creepy. I hope your November goes smoothly too!

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    1. You could stay there on your next visit here? I do like carving pumpkins but as I am now in a flat I thought noone would see it but me so I didnt do anything. Hope you have a good month too! x

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  6. I did nothing this Halloween. But I did get a hoot out of your pumpkin on instagram. You're so clever.

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    1. I can't do anything intricate and I could manage leaving the pulp hanging out so it works out! :)

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  7. Wow! That hotel looks beautiful! If I win the lottery I will fly over and stay there!
    Your pumpkin is fantastic. My daughter loves it too - may us it for inspiration next year.
    Sending you lots of calm vibes for the renovation. Are you able to get away somewhere to re-group?

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    1. It's right by oxford circus so you are also in the thick of it. Thanks for the vibes but there is no way I can get away as we need to be here as builders without taskmasters are just tea drinkers and sandwich eaters. But also I don't have the energy to go away which is very odd for me - I just want to nest for a bit!

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  8. Fantastic hotel. Your pumpkin was cool. Amazing shopping you have there. After the spill your builder took in your staircase I cannot watch the guy on stilts. Yes, here's to an easier and smoother November!

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    1. Yes I suppose the shopping is rather good but one gets so used to it and sometimes it is overload that I hardly go shopping because it's always right there all the time!! OMG - you are so right I just thought of that while looking at the stilts - I am becoming a huge nag on site!

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  9. Wow, you've done masses, I've been to the gym and the supermarket, that's it!
    How stunning is that green sofa above, when mine eventually goes threadbare, green, is going to be in the running.

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    1. Those are two places I haven't gone in ages - I miss walking around the aisles...But haven't been to a gym in years. Yes I adore green sofas - the first one I loved was Tory Burch's olive green one in her home before she got divorced. But Liagre is just so clean!

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    2. I loathe going to the supermarket, I feel really lost and insecure in the really big ones and can only do the mini ones!

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  10. Love your instagram-y-posts; always so interesting and 'jaunty'. Such a pity you won't be at the Melbourne Cup. You would give us such a fun, instagram-y- account of it.

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    1. Ta! I am embarassed to say that in all the years I lived there I never went!! I just don't do well in huge crowds like that. I haven't been to wimbledon either!

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  11. You're so active! You seem to do so many things! When autumn arrives, I start becoming lazy :-)
    xoxo

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    1. Oh I need to be more active! yes I am starting to feel that hiberation too! xx

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  12. Love these pictures! We were dreadful as well this year - not even a pumpkin here, though in our defense, what we lack in Halloween we more than make up for at Christmas!!!!

    Yay for the windows - it is coming together!

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    1. I bet your Xmases are a humdinger! Cant wit to see how you decorate and all your festivities x

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  13. You still always manage to fit more in during an average month than I do in six! I too am lusting over that sofa....last year's pumpkin is brilliant enough for you to rest on your Hallow'een laurels for a few years to come.

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    1. I bet you get up to all sorts of things you are not admitting to Sulks! I might recycle that pumpkin for next year because it freaks out the kids ;P

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  14. oh!

    we are sending waves of sympathy for your renovation - that can't be easier - especially while mercury is retrograde.

    was it you that told us about this site? http://www.ismercuryinretrograde.com/

    love it *smiling*

    and on the mercury retrograde - probably NOT the best time to take 10 flights in 19 days en route to south africa

    on our next longer (hopefully) trip to london (tomorrow is just a day and a bit) let's have tea!

    _tg xx

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    1. Thanks TG - no that wasn't me but I am a susan miller girl and i mark dates on the diary!

      I have traveled safe and sound during MR so don't worry :)

      Yes please let me know next time you have a spare mo and we can raise pinkies and have tea xx

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  15. Oh I feel for you because of the renovation... We redid our apartment last year and I lived in dust and handymen for a month - with no doors! But those stilts are looking pretty cool, I'd wanna try those out. They can't be much worse than a really high pair of platforms.:) And I LOVE your last year's pumpkin, the throwing up is a really cool idea!

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    1. Yes I think any kind of work is intrusive and put a dent in one's routine! I can't wait to be back...

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  16. Good morning Naomi-the storm was quite bad from what I hear. Here's to speedy end of the remodel and clear skies. London is decking out for the hoidays and these images are so fun for me since I was in London and Paris for the holidays last year. Where has the time gone?
    Looks like that pumpkin could use some aspirin. ;)
    xx, Heather

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    1. I am seeing more damage as I travel around London but it seems a lot of felled trees on cars adn stuff. Yes where as the time gone indeed! xx

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  17. My pumpkin this year looked a little like yours last year- not intentionally. Just made a mess of the poor thing, so ended up making pumpkin soup out of it instead. As for your iPad photos, I have a similar result with my camera phone. I have to take a zillion photos to get one that's okay- I feel like I'm editing for National Geographic - discarding thousands of photos for one. Hope you have a fabulous November x

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    1. I was not quite as industrious and just threw the pumpkin out! Other people seem to take great ipad photos but i dont have the same knack it seems...Hope you have a great November xx

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  18. Lobby culture! Love it. And that is some gallery wall indeed. I have to get going on mine, and i only have 6 frames to do. :) Cheers to a great november. I'm going to tell my London sister to check out that hotel.

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    1. Everyone is still friendly so get her to visit soon before any ttituse sets in! ;p

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  19. What a fabulous hote! The mix of modern and classic design details works so well and I love those elaborate cornices. The giant baubles look so effective down Oxford Street too. What a clever idea to use stilts. I've not seen that before!

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    1. You must visit the place on your next visit to London!

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  20. I don't know what I'm most impressed with, that Charlotte Olympia window display, the stilts or that pumpkin that I also spotted on your Instagram!
    Happy November, I hope it all goes to plan with as little effort as possible xx

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    1. Charlotte always has such fun displays and gets in the spirit. She has got a sense of humour but I refuse to get onto a list to buy a pair of shoes...but here is to a great November! xx

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Thank you for dropping by!