Lanvin for H&M

The Lanvin collection is to be unveiled at select H&M stores this Saturday (November 20). 

I was recently at the San Diego H&M, and they are gearing up for a huge turn-out with hours of waiting in line and detailed rules & regulations for line protocol.  This is what is in store for those who are willing to brave the crowds.

                                            

Above, are some of my favorites.  Especially that yellow dress.  I am a sucker for pretty much anything in yellow.

In addition there are shoes, accessories, & a men's line.

All images via H&M

Do you think this collection is worth the hoopla?  Will you be standing in line?

My one homage to Lanvin is a pair of shoes I acquired through a very strange circumstance, but they are too large for my feet so just sit in my closet like a roped off museum exhibit.

A Look Back at BALI

I have tried to explain to those who have asked about my trip, what made it shoot up to the top of my list of favorite places ever visited.  Here is my attempt to sum up what cannot fully be explained.


The People. 
The Balinese people had the warmest hearts, and they took a compliment to their country, as a source of personal pride.

The Culture.  

Just a snippet: the traditional Kecak dance, young kids playing soccer in Ubud, and the devout adherence to giving offerings multiple times daily.

Art.  

Art is a way of life in Bali.  There are whole towns dedicated to an art form: woodcarving, batik making, and silver making; there are sculptures and intricate carvings all around each town.  Not to mention the painters, whose work can be seen in abundance in Ubud.

The Temples/Architecture.  

Not only are there temples that are tourist attractions for their significance and beauty, but also temples abound in all towns, and they are all architecturally interesting if not stunning.

The Scenery.  

From the beaches, to the rice paddies, to the lush tropical vegetation that can be seen from around the island, the scenery is unparalleled.

The Monkeys.  

As sometimes aggressive as they are, I do enjoy seeing monkeys roaming around wild.

Tranquility.  

Despite the hustle and bustle of the streets, overflowing with motorbikes, there was an overwhelming sense of peace that we felt just being in Bali.

It is likely a mixture of all of these components with a touch of the inexplicable that made Bali so truly magical. 

HOA Blues (or Grays)

The time has come to paint the exterior of our house.

When we first purchased our home, the peeling and faded colors of the shingled exterior really spoke to me, so I became very reluctant to paint it, going so far as trying to figure out how to stain, seal, and maintain the worn/lived in, my house is a stones throw from the beach, look (more like 10 miles, minor detail).  I fashioned that my house had an Ina Garten-esque East Hampton flair.

via House Beautiful

Speaking of which, you can get lost in Ina Garten's architect, Frank Greenwald's work.

Back to reality... 

Since I don’t actually live in the Hamptons, Cape Cod, or Montauk the HOA is a calling.  I don't have much of a choice since our HOA only allows us to choose color schemes limited to our small development.  

I am picturing a mid-range gray for the shingles.


It's not technically allowed, but I was given a little wink to go ahead with it, and I can go a shade more gray than the approved "greige" color.


And painting our white door and shutters this color.

Farrow & Ball Black Blue No.95

I am still undecided on the exact gray paint color we will use, but one thing is for sure. power washing begins tomorrow...

Singapore Surprise

Although I am game to travel most anywhere, Singapore was but an afterthought--a double stopover en-route to Bali to break up the time.  It turned out to be so much more delightful than I had imagined.  Because of all of the distinct areas (Little India, Chinatown, Luxury shopping on Orchard Street), it felt like many cities wrapped up in to one delicious package (the food was out of this world).

Here is a taste of what we saw and experienced...

Little India

Famed Raffles Hotel

Hanging out in Chinatown

Burning Incense at the Temple

Chinatown Temple

Bowls for Laksa

Botanical Gardens

A Ride on the Singapore Flyer

Toasting Good-Bye with the signature drink, a Singapore Sling, at Long Bar

Pillow Fight

A couple weeks before we left, I made my first John Robshaw purchase at Hollywood at Home (read about the party that followed here).  


Is it crazy that we got off the plane after flying/traveling 24+ hours and instead of going straight home to fight off our jet lag, we made a beeline from LAX to Hollywood at Home, to pick up my John Robshaw pillow cover that just came in?  (Thanks to my husband for agreeing to the pit stop).


I think not, because it was so worth it to come home to a bed that was full of sumptuous John Robshaw pillows. 

Back from Bali (and Singapore)

We are back from our vacation and slowly back to reality, but I do have pictures to remind me that it wasn't all a dream.  Here is a peek, but there's definitely more pictures to come...

And the Cartography Continues...

I can't get enough of maps in any shape, type, or form.  I have always dreamed of spinning the globe, dropping everything, and going wherever my finger lands.  Hence, another post about maps.

via Callaghan Art Gallery on Etsy

 When on the hunt for a vintage map, I stumbled across this on etsy.  (Also featured in Apartment Therapy Maps Round-Up).

These maps come in a variety of colors, and what excites me even more, is you can also order dots to commemorate where you have been or where you are longing to go...

This sure beats the pushpins haphazardly placed on the tattered world map hung in my parent's garage.

P.S. It's not lost on me that if you look closely, you can see a dot placed on the location of where I am at right now, Bali. I think this map is meant to be on my wall too.