Chanel cardies, Sotheby's Art Highlights, and Gardens of the Royal Academy and Shoreditch and more

I'm still going to Shoreditch once a week to babysit Millie.

I now am documenting all the fun and witty graffiti in the area because every week it seems there is a whole new batch that gets taken down and sprayed over.

This TB one above is no longer there which I am sad about.

I went to wander around the Nomadic Gardens of Shoreditch.
My brother volunteered here for a while before there was some major internal politics and egos played their hand which was odd from an outsider like myself. 
It made me think that actually Parliament isn't so bad considering all that power and money on the table.

But it is an interesting place which is sadly going to be redeveloped at the end of the year to be turned into what London is in dire need of...

Yes, you guessed it - some more over priced housing!

But in the meantime my brother has adopted a few beds ( the ones pictured are not his.)

It also is a place where people sit around at night or have coffee during the day.

It helps the local children learn about planting and gardens and basic food growing.

On Pinterest, I would have rolled my eyes at this 3 tier tire planter 
but in this setting it doesn't feel smug at all.

Back in west London, this is one of the most sculpted garden vignettes and gives respite to so many city folk.

Last year I heard rumours about a black swan in the Serpentine and did even see it in a hidden covey bit of the lake but finally saw it up close doing some bad synchronized swimming.

The tickets for the Painting the Modern Garden exhibition at the RA was ridiculously tedious to get so I became a "friend".

So glad I did because I have now seen it 3 times and got a free bag out of it.
I am happy I was a fleeting friend of the late Zaha Hadid via the RA.
I had coffee at the Serpentine cafe the day she passed.

Being a friend of the RA gives you the benefit of going to the internal courtyard that is only allowed for "friends."

Check out these 250 year old Aussie ferns they flew over!

Thing about plants is even these modest tulips hold their own.
They are my favorite kind - white with green veining and small dashes of pink.

Gosh they make shopping so easy at Chanel.

You sit while you wait while they get things out the back that aren't always on display.
They give you a Chanel leather quilted ipad case to browse without having to go to all 4 floors.

They had some actual wearable clothes other than the editorial stuff you see in magazines.

I love or as FF would say LUFF their dress coats.

But having gained weight is saving me so much money as I didn't buy this otherwise simple cardigan because I looked frumpy.
Before you say - Oh Naomi you look okay.
You weren't there and as you can see I chopped the pic.

My mother and I rarely agree on many matters but we both think the double CC's in their logo is their code for women with breasts bigger than C's need not apply.

This Fendi number will be seen for sure in the twilight hours of the passegiata peak time in Capri and St Tropez I am sure.

Speaking of window shopping...

I do love Sotheby's as regular readers can attest.
How can you not when it is so easily accessible and it like a museum with a new exhibition every few weeks!

I did a post ages ago saying that the charm of these paintings was that in most cases that this would be the last time they would be able to view as they would most likely go into the private home or offices that most of us can't access.

This Cy Twombly must be going for a ridiculous estimate.

Even for Sotheby's where estimate are in their millions, they said estimate upon request!!

This Renoir is a bit schmaltzy but interesting how one's taste change if you think if it's for your home.
My standards lower considerably and I wouldn't mind this in my bedroom.

But if it were his vernissage, 
then Monsieur Renoir - 
how very indulgent and populist of you sir!

Actually I prefer this Paul Gaugin still life below.

This is Paloma when she was little and before she was more associated with Tiffany than Picasso.

They also had a little nook with its own security for some jewels.

Gosh, hashtagging really is au fait.

I must get my act together.

It was the usual suspects of huge amazing stones.

Truth be told, I get more excited by people's engagement rings even if they are less than a carat.

But then those fiancees don't serve you truffles and macaroons while you have a look.

I just love the space and the calm to enjoy these paintings without the crowds.

I went to a talk by Ruby Wax who discussed her booked called Frazzled.

She's the one who co wrote Absolutely Fabulous and was a comedian herself.
She suffered and still does suffer from depression and in a way of handling it went to Oxford to study psychology.

She was talking about the stresses of modern life and 
how it is harder to diagnose stress as most of our stress is invisible in our modern age as opposed to the physical presence of say a mammoth ages ago.

I went to Bristol and marvel at the buildings every time.

Driving back was the consistent combination of sun and rain which miraculously results as a rainbow.

I alway marvel when I see a rainbow - especially a double rainbow.
Right Blue Booby?