I like her tattoos

I only have one tattoo, but I'm sure I'll get more. Its addictive! I like Olivia Kim's tattoos, especially the little birds on her hands. She talks about them on Into the Gloss.

you live your life like a page from the book of my fantasy

I'm listening to Warpaint's new album on Hype Machine. I can't wait until it's released next week.

thoughts?

These are nice dresses, too, from Juliettte Hogan s/s2010. 

Perm Museum XXI

Designed by Valerio Olgiati. Read about it here.

hello lovely

I'm quite pleased that The Vamoose now has an online shop. Kathryn Blackmore's blog has been a favourite in my reader for a while, partly due to the infrequent posting - I like subscribing to blogs I can actually keep up with - but mostly due to her beautifully currated collections of images, a lot of which are inspiration for her jewellery collections.

I love the simply set crystals and semi precious stones (the turquoise and coral are such beautiful colours). Some of her pieces are already sold out so if you're the type to purchase lovely things online do it now. My bank account is suffering a little at the moment but I have got my eye on some stabilised turquoise or white howlite for future reference...

i've got soft skin

Its going to be a grey and rainy weekend in Auckland, and this is a nice song to listen to while watching rain roll down your windowpane.
This weekend is going to be a bit of a melancholic marathon, though. There's Black Rebel Motorcycle Club tonight, and on Sunday I'm going to Sherlock Jnr and One Week at the Civic, which are old Buster Keaton films accompanied live by the Auckland Philharmonia. I would love to see The Red Shoes, but considering I have exactly $46.78 in my bank account, I doubt that will happen. Hopefully Saturday will be spent curled up on the couch eating something delicious.
Anyway. Have a lovely weekend. Sorry for the Han-centric week!

the vermillion discs tumble in

NOTES TAKEN WHILE WATCHING NIGELLA LAWSON:

Tangine: dark lady

Ruby droplets of pomegranate

Carmen miranda's christmas crown

The russian formalists said the purpose of literature was to make the stones stonier, this makes the nuts nuttier.

Lovely...river...of pink juice...folded together in a messy clump...

I love their...waxy richness

What you do with this beautiful amber disc, is break it up into big fat gold shards...

One meat is a meal, two meats is a feast!

Glorious porcini...expensive, but, you're worth it

There's something strange that happens when you add them to the porcini, its like they respond to the call of the wild

Look at this venison (mince), like something out of a still life

Far from dreading that recurring turkey, I live for it

Blitzed into wonderful, velvety, creamy emulsions.

Treacle: just malevolent

under things

I love this lookbook from lingerie label The Lake & Stars. I love the model's red hair, the forest setting and the cut-outs, back details, and flashes of chartreuse in the clothes. And I would like one of those zig zag body suits in the last picture.

Photography by Tom Hines, nicked from here.

and also I love this, big time

Its been a bit of a Han-heavy week, huh? But have you seen this blog? I enjoying looking at the odd personal-style-blog-by-pretty-french-girls-with-chloe-shoes-and-nice-hair but I love looking at Le Petit Echo Malade more...its probably about time that someone thought of this. They're totally cute boys too.

power couple

Did you know Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jessica Lange were a couple in the 70s? That's the kind of celebrity fact I find really interesting. Photo from life.com.

about a year late

But look...

Gracie (?) of Woolgathering and Miscellany put together a beautiful series of fashion/space images last year. I never would have known about these as I only started following her recently and am glad she reminded everyone. Photos are all from Jak & Jil and NASA. I wish I'd thought of this, they're great!
If you haven't already seen Astronomy Picture of the Day, then go see it. There's a new one, every day! And it's informative. I was following this before I even knew what an RSS feed is (I still don't really). But yeah, it was probably my first regular internet destination, and now you should make it one of yours.

orange sherbet

Hi there pretty. Karla Spetic's new collection is so sweet I want to eat it. Some of the pieces remind me of Miu Miu's AW10 which I've also been obsessing over lately, both filled with pastels, prints and cut outs to make me swoon. There's also a bit of black velvet thrown in which I always love but haven't pictured because I like the springey ice cream and macarooney-ness of these photos and didn't want to cast any shadows.

Karla is a Sydney designer originally from Dubrovnik. You can buy her clothes at a bunch of boutiques across Australia, and online if you're not here... She has some verrrry nice bathing suits on sale at the moment too!

Originally saw this here

so pretty it hurts

When I lived in Auckland Juliette Hogan's store was on the corner of my street. I tended to walk past early in the morning or late evening so actually only ever went in there once or twice, but I did obsess over various things through the window, namely the sweet floral print in Autumnal browns which she used on a lampshade and a little skirt. I really wanted both of those.

I saw some pictures from her current lookbook over at SeeSaw Designs today and have become totally enamoured with this cape/cloak/coat number. It comes in black or mauve wool, or a gorgeous coral crepe.

I've also decided that what I really want for winter, besides cable knit thigh-highs, is a very short, long sleeved dress. The fawn one below is beautiful... Also, this is yet another case of lookbook shoe envy. I want them.
Pictures are all from Juliette Hogan and Guy Coombes, who took them.

cintra

I'm feeling great! Why, you may ask?
Because I came home from one of the top five happiest weekends of my life, to find that my adorable flatmates have not only found a house for us all to live in, but found us an award winning 1930s-Art-Deco- New-Zealand-landmark-piece-of-architecture to live in.

This is a watercolour of the building by its architect, Horace Massey.

Our new apartment featured in the founding issue of Building Today, New Zealand's first architectural magazine, in 1936. They had this to say about it:

‘And so the trend towards flat-dwelling was accentuated. To this is united, in Cintra, another powerful trend – modernism. . . . Cintra is modern – modern without being revolutionary, simply the logical use of materials adapted to the sane requirements of living. . . . Cintra is a triumph of compact planning. . . . Cintra is a very fine practical home for modern living’.


After years of living in pretty, if not practical, villas, I'm slightly nervous about living in an apartment. But this is probably the best way to go about it. Could this week BE any better?

handwritten

This magic drink actually sounds delicious

There's a display next to the counter at my local post office of calligraphy kits. I assume these are intended to be purchased as gifts for the bookish, yet creative child, or bored housewife.

Jenna's incredible envelopes... I wish I could address all my mail like this

I've always loved hand drawn type, and lately have become obsessed with calligraphy and scripts. I'm a capable young woman, I have a steady hand, but seriously, is this learnable or do you have to be born with it??

The ever-blogged Anna Bond of Rifle Design is probably my idol in this department. She makes the most beautiful wedding invitations

read it

Three cheap, easy, and wholeheartedly recommended online purchases:

I Love You
Only 5 Euros! I know that it works out to a little more once you pay for postage and convert the currency, but a few days later this magical magazine will arrive on your doorstep and you'll forget all about those 3 or so coffees you could have bought.


Pie Paper
Introduced to me by (and featuring) the lovely and talented Natalie Smith. It's only US$10 including postage worldwide. I'm waiting for my copy in the mail now, weee.



Troubleshooting
'an 80-page book of stories and art which is the result of a collaboration between me [Molly Young] and the talented Christopher Luxton.' Limited run of 500, US$16 including international postage, go go go before it runs out!


Pictures all came from the websites they're linked to..... Please go buy these things, they're totally worth it and lovely and pretty and independant and international and these are all good things.
I have to admit this was all made possible by the surprise(ish) appearance of money in my paypal account - thanks ma...

pretty

Lisianthus are my favourite flowers for home at the moment. This lovely pink and white bunch is brightening up the windowsill of my freshly cleaned room.

1970s / 1900s

Darling Han is coming to visit Melbourne Very Soon and I had the best idea this morning for a fun, slightly random, away from the city but still inexpensive activity today: a Picnic at Hanging Rock!

(That's us obviously)

Tea party at hanging rock! With a man who slightly resembles a grumpy Donald

Our picnic will probably involve less tea and more quencher (pictured here as 'non-descript alcohol'), and boys in jaunty pants if we're lucky

we will take ipods

Picnic at Hanging Rock1 by Lou1 featuring Miss Selfridge

Items in this set:
VINTAGE COLLECTION Peach Crystal Pleated Dress, $185
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN KL06F04 CREAM SILK -, 540 GBP
High Neck Ruffle Top, $38
Petites Cream Crop Blouse, 28 GBP
Leather Combat Boots, 415 GBP

If you didn't already know (gasp!), Picnic at Hanging rock is the name of a book written in the 60s about a group of school girls in 1900 who vanish during a Valentine's Day picnic at the site of an enormous rock formation. The rock formation featured in the story, Hanging Rock, is an actual geological formation located in Victoria, Australia (thanks Wikipedia). The book was made into a great movie in 1970 which is full of floaty lace dresses and straw boater hats...

hanging rock2 by Lou1 featuring Opening Ceremony shoes

Items in this set:
Chloe Draped silk halterneck gown, $2,338
Stella Mccartney Sheer Organza Silk Blouse, 375 GBP
Free People - Downtown Ruffle Mini Skirt (Nude) - Apparel, $58
Opening Ceremony Suede Bow Front Wedges, 295 GBP
MYPETSQUARE boater hat, 39 AUD

I'm sorry, I just had to put this one in here for it's 'This Guy' potential

hanging rock3 by Lou1 featuring Miss Selfridge

Items in this set:
Nude Lace Crop Top, 25 GBP
Jason Wu Silk-chiffon pleat-knot skirt, $1,105
Halter neck ruched swimsuit, 250 GBP
Two tone wedged ankle boot, 490 GBP
picnic blanket

Side note: The clothesey stuff was totally inspired by this post - thanks Almie, and kind of progressed from Edwardian inspired to slightly more realistic attire for the Melbourne Summer/our tastes to Holy Hell I want those Chloe boots baddd, and that sweet crop top...

PS Thank you thank you han for the Fantastic phone call minutes ago (with operatic office caroling in the background - amazing!)

PPS This idea needs to become a reality, anyone in Melbourne with a car who wants to come/take us, let me know!