Une femme d'un certain age

London Style Notes And Some Rarefied Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The Venerable Fortnum & Mason

Londoners move fast! Even if it weren't for everyone wearing outwear everywhere, all the time, I would have had difficulty getting any definitive street style pics, as no one slows down for an instant, except to wait for a green crossing light. London is as ethnically and culturally diverse as any major city, defying any pigeon-holing of a dominant style aesthetic.

Even so, I observed a few common threads:

"Gussying Up." Londoners, at least in the areas we visited, tend to dress up for dinner, even just a bit more so than in Paris. I observed that women frequently wore dresses and heels (with nude or no tights), men wore blazers. I didn't see people out for dinner in jeans (even nice jeans), other than in pubs or very casual places.
Flats. During the daytime, everyone is in flats, whether ballet flats, sneakers or flat boots. I rarely saw women out in heels except in evenings.
Kitten heels. But when I did see heels, few were the vertiginous platforms and I spotted lower and kitten heels on several very stylish women, from young to mature.
Printed scarves, silk or otherwise. Saw women of all ages in printed silk scarves more so than I've observed in Paris in recent years, usually peeking out from the collar of a trench coat. Which brings me to...
Trenches. Ubiquitous. Usually some variation on the classic tan trench, though in a variety of fabrics, lengths and detailing. I also spotted brightly colored trenches, usually red or orange.

We often spend a good deal of time on vacation shopping for the perfect gifts for folks back home. We'd heard that the Harrod's Food Halls were not to be missed and as it wasn't far from our hotel, decided to make a pass though. Harrod's is sort of like the Disneyland of department stores, an attraction all on its own. People come to gawk; shopping is secondary (and from what I could determine, mostly high end). Like Disneyland, Harrod's surprisingly seemed to have absolutely no problem with people snapping pictures on the premises. No place else we tried this took as kindly to it.

Just one of what seemed like a dozen halls.

We are amused.

The Hall Of Endless Chocolate

"Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes."

Beautiful as it was, we didn't think the fish would travel well, but did pick up some very nice boxes of chocolates there. At Fortnum & Mason we found some lovely teas and biscuits. (Wish we'd had more time in that store...stumbled onto it on our way to meet le monsieur's cousin for dinner so only had time to explore the first floor before we had to rush off.)

I really hadn't planned to do any shopping for myself, but did want to scout out some brands and shops that I'd heard of but aren't readily available in the US. We browsed around Harvey Nichols, which while upscale was less steroidal (and was certainly less crowded) than Harrods. I had a chance to pop into Jigsaw and look around while over in the Charing Cross area, and found it quite style-accessible. We never made it to Selfridges. Other than a few British/European brands that aren't brick-and-mortar-available here, it seemed that style and fashion are certainly global now. I would have loved to seek out some smaller boutiques and markets, but our schedule didn't allow for that this time and so whatever shopping we did was limited to what we happened to come across as we were out and about. However the Universe did put a couple of nice things in my path, which I'll share in a subsequent post.

Do you shop much while on vacation? Do you have favorite types of gifts to bring home?
~

Blonde Ambition Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:19:00 +0000

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, nor does your monitor need adjusting.

I've hit the bottle again.

I really enjoyed the red hair, but was tiring of having visible roots just two weeks after each color application. According to my colorist, I'm about 70% "silver," more so in some spots than others.

This is the lightest I've gone yet with my color, but it's fun and I really like it!

And should that day come that I'm ready to let it go grey, it will be a lot easier starting with a lighter color.

Head to toe:

Eyewear: Both sunglasses and glasses by Barton Perreira.
Earrings: Stella and Dot, here.
Sweater: Eileen Fisher, here.
Tank: Eileen Fisher, here.
Jeans: NYDJ, here.
Shoes: J.Crew Viv Flats, here.

Have you ever done a radical change to your hair color?

Linking up to Visible Monday! Go see what the rest of the gang is up to, here.

Disclosure: actions taken from some links in this post may generate commissions for www.unefemme.net.
~

Un Petit Peu de Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:11:00 +0000

During one of our days in London, I'd arranged to meet my friend, the fabulous Tish of A Femme d'un Certain Âge, for lunch in Paris. Thanks to the Eurostar, it's a comfortable and punctual 2-hour ride. From Gare du Nord, it's a quick hop down on the #4 Metro line to St. Germain de Près....

And this was the scene that greeted me as I stepped out of the Metro into the streets of Paris! Oh, how I love Paris. (These guys were quite good too, and I purchased one of their CD's.)

We enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the covered patio of the landmark Cafe de Flore, where Tish proceeded to charm the waiters and showered me with gifts: lovely skincare samples (including the Filorga she posted about on Thursday which I've been using and will report on soon), fragrant soaps from Provence, a charming little notebook. We chatted and caught up until sadly, it was all too quickly time to go. We did a quick stop at the nearby magazine stand then I dashed off to catch my train back to London. I was back in time for dinner with le monsieur. What an adventure!

Next time I visit, it will be for a few days rather than just a few hours!
~

Resume The Regime

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

"A Proper Breakfast"

As in le regime, or the healthy eating habits I've worked so hard to establish over the last few months. I do my best to not go overboard while on vacation, however it is a vacation, so I do ease up a bit. Two weeks though of beers, breads, occasional desserts, big traditional Scottish and English breakfasts (see above, YUM, though indulged in only every 3-4 days) and less walking than we normally do while on vacation, and I'm certain I've reacquired a few pounds during our trip. C'est la vie. However the Better Angels of those healthy habits were always on the other shoulder, whispering encouragement to choose fresh fruits and veggies whenever available and to be mindful of my portion sizes, all of which probably helped to keep gains in check.

I was tempted to jest that it's back to black coffee and carrot sticks pour moi, but that isn't healthy and it isn't true. Once upon a time I would have overindulged on vacation, beat myself up about it then launched into some serious deprivation upon my return home. But sanity and moderation are a much better way to go. So it's back to packing (lunch) and tracking (intake), both far more sustainable than trying to live life as an over-caffeinated rabbit.

Do you follow your regime while on vacation, or do you give yourself a break? If the latter, how to you get back on track?
~

Over There...

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:05:00 +0000

Oops! I neglected to mention yesterday that I have a guest post up over at Already Pretty. You can read it here.
~

Home And Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:40:00 +0000

Part of Edinburgh Castle as viewed from Princes Street

As much as I enjoy traveling, it's always such a good feeling to come home. I missed our son and dogs and each time I return have a renewed appreciation for the comforts of my own turf. We arrived home early last evening, and I engaged in a flurry of unpacking right away; I knew as soon as I sat down the weariness and jet lag would kick in, and sure enough they did.

My body is still somewhat on London time, but it's back to our weekday routine today regardless. I'll resume a regular posting schedule next week, and have more bits of our trip to share (though I don't want to be that neighbor who bores everyone with an endless slideshow of vacation snaps). In the meantime, here are a few random images from the last couple of weeks.

Formal Gardens at Hampton Court

Harrod's...like Disneyland of shopping

Henry VIII and his decorator discuss improvements to Hampton Court palace

Lake Windermere, early morning

Cool and breezy day at Edinburgh Castle

Technical Difficulties

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Sun, 12 May 2013 17:50:00 +0000

Blogsy now seems to be eating my posts rather than posting them, so I'm going to save myself further frustration and wait to post any more pictures until we're back home. In the meantime, I'm updating Facebook and will tweet some snapshots. We're having an amazing time here, though have barely scratched the surface of all we'd hoped to see and do. We have one more full day in London tomorrow (Monday) then fly home on Tuesday.

Posting will resume mid-week. Thanks for your patience!

Test

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:49:00 +0000

Having a bit of trouble getting yesterday's post to upload...Testing, 1, 2...

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Images of London

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:41:00 +0000

Room With A View

Compared to our earlier stops, London is one busy joint! It's taken a bit of mental adjustment. Originally we'd planned to spend our first full day touring via the HOHO (hop-on-hop-off) busses, but yesterday The Queen was opening a session of Parliament which meant that several roads were closed off, so we thought it might not be the best day for that. We picked up our 7-day Tube/bus passes which required taking a booth photo*. I look like Bill The Cat in mine, ackkkk. No, I'm not going to show you!

After that we mostly dashed about, though did stop for a nice pub lunch...

..and checked out possible concerts to attend at St. Martin In The Fields, and browsed a bit in the National Potrait Gallery (really enjoyed the Tudors sections as that's the era I'm most familiar with). We wandered about in the Trafalgar Square area...

Preparing for the Queen's procession

I did a bit of shopping at Jigsaw, and we took a ride on the iconic double decker bus. We met up for tea with lovely Josephine of Chic At Any Age, then with a cousin for dinner across town. After dinner, he walked us by St. Paul's Cathedral so we could see it lit up at night.

Had to dodge traffic to get this snap from the middle of the road!

It was a long and full day, but didn't seem as if we'd actually seen much of the city. Getting oriented required a lot of focus, so I didn't take many snaps, but will remedy that today.

Do you have a favorite method of getting yourself oriented in a new city?

*Unlike the Oyster cards, this paper pass also provides 2-for-1 discounts on several major attractions.

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Room With A View

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Wed, 08 May 2013 06:34:00 +0000

The Lake District was so incredibly beautiful, I'll mostly let the pictures do the talking. We only had one full day there which we spent mostly touring the lake and surrounding areas, including a visit to Beatrix Potter's house.

The day started out cool and cloudy, but by early afternoon the sun was out and the day turned absolutely GORGEOUS.

Ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.

Front walk to Beatrix Potter's house

Beatrix Potter's house, known as "Hilltop," was as delightful as you'd imagine. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but the cottage has been maintained as it was when she lived there, and each room has her books open to illustrations that reflect details in the room. Interestingly, this site receives a lot of enthusiastic Japanese and Chinese visitors. On the way back, one of the ferry boat driver explained that children in these countries often learn English beginning with Beatrix Potter books, so her books and characters are very much beloved there.

Yes, there were rabbits in the garden!

View from the terrace where we enjoyed lunch,

The neighbors

We're in London now, quite a contrast to all of this bucolic splendor, but very exciting and energetic. We're off to do some sightseeing (and perhaps a bit of shopping) and have a meetup with another blogger scheduled for later today. Cheerio!

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Getting There Is Half The Fun (?) - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

With a sign like that, how can you NOT go in?

One of the questions we were frequently asked when describing our plans for this trip was "will you be renting a car?" Our answer is usually "we're going to be on vacation; we'll let someone else take care of navigation." Seriously though, when one lives in LA, not having to drive is a welcome break. Not to mention that whole left hand side of the road bit to adjust to. Traveling in Europe, it's never been an issue getting from place to place. So after we'd set our itinerary and booked our hotels, le Monsieur was dismayed to learn that on Sundays (our travel day between Oban and Windermere) that rail service was limited, and we wouldn't be able to make a necessary train connection in Glasgow. No problem...he did some research and hired a taxi service at a flat rate for the first leg of the trip from Oban to Glasgow where we'd pick up the train for the remainder.

Had we been able to take trains the full way, it would have been about a 5-6 hour trip. Not long after we set off in the taxi, our driver Jim started talking about some of the local sights, including the Inverary prison. We didn't pay much attention, until we hit the turnoff for Inverary, and he assured us that this was a more scenic route, one we wouldn't have seen from the train coming in. As we neared Inverary, he became quite insistent that we stop and visit the prison (actually a former prison, now a tourist attraction) and that we'd have plenty of time to get to Glasgow to make our train. At this point, I figured he either had family that ran the place or was getting some sort of kickback from them. So alright, how bad could this be?

See? Dogs allowed, how civilized.

The first part of the tour was the most lurid (as evidenced from the sign at top) with models and illustrations of various forms if torture and punishment. Then the tour wound through the various prison facilities with either wax models or illustrations and information in each cell and room. What became obvious and was sad was that a majority of people imprisoned became "criminals" due to poverty and mental illness. Even young children were imprisoned for crimes like stealing. (One placard made the point that for the most impoverished, prison life was an improvement over their usual circumstances.)

Many of the rooms had wax figurines to illustrate, and we were startled when we entered one cell and the "prisoner" spoke to us! Apparently there are actors in period costumes scattered about the place, including a "jailer" who kept popping around to see if we had any questions.

Outdoor "exercise" pens, one for men, one for women

When we returned to the taxi after about 30 minutes, it became apparent that what Jim had really wanted was a smoke break. But he did get us to the train station in plenty of time.

However the rest of our trip would not be straightforward either. Due to work on the rail lines, we were to be put on 2 busses, and then a train for the last short leg. What would have been a 2 hour train ride now was to be a 5 hour road trip. But the countryside was lovely, we made all of the connections despite a late start, and ultimately arrived in the Lake District, a full 10 hours after we'd set out.

Castle ruin, now a public park across street from one of our bus stops.

But the irritations of the day quickly wore off once we saw the view from our accommodations...

Have you taken journeys that didn't go quite as planned?

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Getting There Is Half The Fun - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Duart Castle as seen from ferry

One of the lessons we're learning about the kind of travel we do is that one can't see everything a region has to offer (especially with stops of only a few days). Many of the best sights can require full day trips, so advance planning is crucial.

Leaving Oban

A visit to the island of Iona had come highly recommended. It required a ferry ride, a bus ride, then a second ferry ride over rather rough water (fortunately a quick hop across a narrow channel) to get there.

Lochs in a glacial valley on Mull

The bus portion of the trip across the Isle of Mull (an hour in each direction) was actually quite interesting. Normally one sees quite a bit of wildlife and Mull is apparently a destination for naturalists and geologists, but wind and rain must have had all the beasties hunkered down. I'd really wanted to get a good picture of the shaggy Highland cows, as they are incredibly cute, but shooting from the window of a speeding bus, this was the best I could manage.

When we reached Iona the rain had let up, but a cold gusty wind dampened our desire to walk about and explore outdoors. We grabbed a Cadbury bar at the general store to fortify for a walk up to the Abbey. You can read more about the Abbey here, but the short version is that it was founded in 563 by St. Columba, was a working abbey and pilgrimage site for several centuries, was abandoned and fell into disrepair during the Reformation, then was rebuilt and restored beginning in the 1870's. Most of the structures date from that time, though there are displays of grave markers and some remaining bits of the early structures incorporated and on display.

Ruins of the nunnery which was not restored.

I believe this cross dates back from the earlier life of the abbey. The bus driver told us how the Celtic cross design (with the circle) came about: the heaviness of the stone couldn't support the horizontal pieces so the circle was added to the design to provide structural support.

There is currently an active Christian community living and working at the abbey.

After a quick peek into some of the local craft shops, we enjoyed a quick lunch, then it was time to hop back on the ferry to head home. While we enjoyed the excursion, I'm certain that had the weather been better we would have explored a bit more and enjoyed more if Iona's charms.

Next up, "The Road To Windermere." With a detour or two on the way.

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Room With A View

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:42:00 +0000

It's been raining here in Oban non-stop since we arrived. I've been very glad to have a good raincoat! We're hoping that it will clear out enough tomorrow to take the ferry over to Mull and Iona. Still, we've enjoyed a walk around town and a tour of the Oban Distillery, which was quite interesting.

And last night after dinner we did a bit of Ceilidh dancing!

It was us in a room full of rowdy college-age kids. The caller walked us through several simple dances. We had a blast and worked up a bit of a sweat.

What I'm loving about Scotland:

The electric teakettles. Boiling water in less than a minute.
Black pudding.
Mussels.
The signs in Gaelic.
"A wee whiskey." Unlike bartenders back home who pour three-finger shots, drams are carefully measured out and a manageable size. Make mine neat. I've tasted several over the last few days, and still haven't decided on a favorite, though I am partial to the Oban whiskey brewed here.
The people. Everyone we've encountered so far has been warm, helpful and charming.

If we're able to get out to the islands tomorrow I'll have some pictures to share; if not, it's on to Windermere on Sunday.

Bon weekend!

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A Wee Bit of Edinburgh

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:22:00 +0000

Looking down the hill toward Firth of Forth

Someone mentioned that you can enjoy all four seasons in one day in Edinburgh, and that certainly was the case yesterday! The day began cold and blustery; by afternoon it was almost shirtsleeves weather. We spent the morning at the National Gallery, which houses an impressive collection of art from the Early Renaissance up through the Impressionists. (The other building apparently houses modern and temporary exhibits, but we didn't visit that one.) The lighting was a bit difficult in spots, but it didn't mar our enjoyment. Right now Rodin's "The Kiss" is housed there.

We've been putting away a couple bottles of Glenlivet per day...

The wonderful bottled water from Speyside, that is! But we've also had the oppotunity to taste a few wee drams of whiskey and have learned a little about the different regions and characteristics.

Remember these guys from high school English class?

BTW, the guy in the Missoni kilt was Italian, and just a doll. He showed us around the public areas at the Hotel Missoni and found us a seat in the lounge so we could use the wi-fi on Tuesday.

More from the Royal Botanical Gardens...

And Holyrood House.

Abbey ruins

If you look carefully, you might notice that the arches on the right hand side are rounded, whereas those on the left are vaulted. That's because the nave here was constructed over three hundred years, and the construction methods had advanced in that time.

Flying buttresses

Fountain in front courtyard, which is only turned on when Her Majesty is in residence. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos inside, but it's a fascinating tour, and includes the private rooms of Mary Queen of Scots and King James VI.

We've actually just arrived in Oban, and yes, there's wi-fi! I'll have more tomorrow from Oban, but here are a couple of shots from the train ride on the way to Oban. We finally saw heery coos (hairy cows) but weren't quick enough to get picures.

Loch Lomond

Still snow on the hilltops!

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Bijoux pour maman

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Sure, there's candy and flowers and overcrowded buffet brunches. And even though she says "oh no, I don't need anything," perhaps you want to give her something special this year, something that speaks to the kind of woman she is. Something, say....bold.

Amber Bracelet

Something spirited.

Sterling Silver Bangles

Something glamorous.

Mid-Century Brooch

Something whimsical.

Keshi Pearl Necklace

Something elegant.

Double strand Black Pearls with Diamond Clasp

Something creative.

Fluorite and Diamond Earrings

Something bright.

Mid-Century Coral Necklace

Something classic.

Diamond Hoop Earrings in 18K

Something timeless.

Victorian Gold Bracelet with Heart Clasp

If you're thinking about some unique vintage jewelry for your mother, grandmother, daughter, wife or anyone who deserves something truly special for Mother's Day, Beladora and B2 have you covered. And they've asked me to pass along a special savings offer to you: if you sign in and create an account at Beladora, you'll get $150 off any item of $400 or more with code PSEU. This code will be good for the entire month of May. They ship worldwide, and have an amazing selection of jewelry from Victorian to contemporary. Go have a look, and I dare you not to drool!

Do you have a favorite period for jewelry?

Disclosure: actions taken from some links in this post may generate commissions for www.unefemme.net.
~

Flowers and Mussels and Kilts, Oh My!

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:23:00 +0000

We spent the morning touring the Royal Botanical Gardens. Since yesterday the weather's gone from cold and blustery to sunny and cool. It was perfect for strolling through the gardens, then spending the afternoon doing a bit more exploring town on foot.

Stopped in for lunch at The Doric. I had the recommended mussels and they were fabulous!

Ate every one.

This one's for Faux Fuchsia. Yes, that's a Missoni kilt! We're having drinks (and using the Internet ) at the bar at the Missoni Hotel.

We should have better Internet availability after Thursday, so will share more pictures and details at that point.

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Room With A View

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:41:00 +0000

But alas, with no wi-fi. So my updates will be limited for the next few days. Edinburgh is gorgeous! Cold, but gorgeous. Today we toured the castle and Holyrood Palace (the Queen's residence here).

This is actually our bedroom, not the Queen's! More pictures to come.
~

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Packed And Ready...

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 17:42:00 +0000

Carry-on bag packed...with room to spare!

We're off to the airport shortly. I'll be updating Instagram (follow here) and Facebook (here) with snapshots. I have some pre-scheduled posts here, and will be posting periodically during our travels in Scotland and England.

Ultimately, I decided upon a second pair of black ponte knit pants as my 12th item. Not a very wild Wild Card, I'll admit. But I think they'll come in handy (will wear these on the plane) and I'll pick up some colorful scarves as we go to refresh the look.

Do pop over to Wendy's blog today. She's chronicled our long and sordid history. I kid, but it seems I have made a good start collecting Wendy Brandes Jewelry over the past few years!
~

The 12 Piece Travel Wardrobe

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

So here it is. Perhaps a little boring, but it will get the job done. Everything goes with everything else. I went back and forth on the ivory sweater, decided to throw caution to the wind in the interest of including another lighter colored piece.

Let's go counter-clockwise from the upper left.

Tops:

3 silk jersey tees, all 3/4 sleeve (1 black, 1 grey, 1 navy)
1 linen jersey print tee (to add some color and print, layers well over other tees if needed for warmth)

Pants:

2 pair denim (1 heavier "legging jean," 1 lighter weight denim)
1 pair ponte knit jeans (we're not planning anything formal, these will dress up enough for evenings) Similar.

Sweaters:

1 navy cashmere v-neck
1 charcoal grey cashmere cardigan
1 ivory cardigan (cotton/silk blend)
1 black wool crepe long cardigan

You're right...that's only 11. I've left myself a "wild card" piece (or two) To Be Determined upon final pack.

Shoes:

Wedge ankle boots (casual)
Low-heel nubuck ankle boots (casual or dressy)

Based on current weather forecasts, I'm doubtful that it's worth my while to pack a pair of sandals or flats. I toyed with the idea of knee boots, but that felt like overkill.

Scarves:

I may throw in a wild card scarf or two, something brighter for when I'm craving some color and pattern.

Outerwear and bag. Yep, both black. Ultimately, the practicality of darker neutrals (mostly) won out over the notion of more color and light neutrals. The raincoat has a removable wool lining, making it workable for a wider range of temperatures.

Base layers for warmth not shown (and not counted in my dozen items):

silk jersey tank
Adea 3/4 sleeve tee
silk thermal tee

Also not shown/counted: underwear, socks and 1 pair pajamas.

All of the clothing items can be hand washed and line dried if necessary. I'm hoping it won't be necessary for the denim pants, but if we need to we can hunt down a fluff-n-fold service.

Having learned from past experience, I'm not bringing much jewelry. Probably a couple pairs of earrings, a watch, a necklace, a couple of bracelets. C'est tout.

I really recommend this Polyvore On The Floor method for constructing a cohesive travel wardrobe. It's so helpful to look at your capsule as a whole; each time I've done this, I've seen at least one piece that I'd planned to include that ultimately didn't fit (though it may have coordinated well with one or two other items).

One more sleep before we leave! I'll show you my Wild Card selection tomorrow.

Do you have a strategy for putting together a travel wardrobe?

Disclosure: actions taken from some links in this post may generate commissions for www.unefemme.net .

Two Things...

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:12:00 +0000

1. My serpentine footwear makes another appearance, this time at Already Pretty!

2. This thing? Genius!

How's your week going? Any cool things to share?

Disclosure: actions taken from some links in this post may generate commissions for www.unefemme.net.
~

Food and More Travel Prep

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Artichokes at the marché in Aix-en-Provence

Ever since seeing these gorgeous purple artichokes at the farmer's market in Aix-en-Provence last year, I've been on the lookout for similar artichokes here.

Last week I spotted these at one of our local grocery stores. This is the time of year when artichokes are usually abundant and at their best, but I have been disappointed so far in this year's crop. It's been late coming in, and the chokes have been a bit tough and flavorless.

I can make a meal of an artichoke, and mayonnaise sprinkled with a bit of Lawry's Seasoned Salt is the preferred dip for the leaves. Growing up in the Santa Clara Valley, we were spoiled with the artichokes from nearby Castroville; they were as big as your head and 10 for $1. Succulent and flavorful as all get out.

I'm planning to travel this time with just the iPad, rather than my laptop. I think I have the hang of the blogging app, and have downloaded a few photo editing apps to play with. The beauty of the iCloud system is that pictures I take with the phone are automatically available on the iPad. No downloading! I'll be posting here as I'm able, but will also be updating Instagram and Facebook regularly (as regularly as I have access to Wi-Fi), so do follow there for the complete travelogue.

Friday I'll share my travel wardrobe Polyvore On The Floor with you, so do check back. Any of you in the UK who may have any particular insight into weather for the next couple of weeks, please do chime in. I have only Weather Underground to rely on...
~

Un cadeau formidable!

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:10:00 +0000

Lovely blogger Rubiatonta knitted these fabulous fingerless gloves for me to take along on our trip to the UK, and judging from current weather reports, I'll be mighty glad to have them! Aren't they nifty? Byron had a good sniff and approves.
~

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With A Little Help From My Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

It's good to have reliable friends, not only the human and furry kinds, but also the ones hanging in our closets. These are some of my wardrobe BFF's that can always be counted on in a pinch: a longer jacket, a white tee with a little something extra, slim black pants and a pair of comfortable boots.

Everyone's feline friend Lars, presenting his magnificent belly for a rub.

This jacket is a few years old now, but still a favorite. I never get tired of simple black and white ensembles.

More breezy hair styling.

This linen tee has a wonderful metallic shimmer that wasn't really showing up in the pictures (you can see better here) but adds a little something extra to an otherwise very simple outfit.

Earrings: kate spade, no longer available. Similar.
Jacket: Eileen Fisher from 2010. Similar shape.
Tee: Eileen Fisher, here.
Pants: Eileen Fisher ponte knit jeans (LOVE these!!!) here.
Boots: Arche, here.
Watch: Michael Kors, here.
Bracelets: Stella and Dot, here and here.

What items are your wardrobe BFF's?

Disclosure: actions taken from some links in this post may generate commissions for www.unefemme.net.
~

Dans le jardin

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 23:12:00 +0000

We had some absolutely gorgeous Spring weather this weekend. I wasn't able to get out into the garden as much as I would have liked, as I was doing some Hardcore Prep for our trip. We leave next Saturday, with a very full work week in between, so in order to avoid last minute scrambling I helped le monsieur put together his travel wardrobe* (and packed most of it), and made sure that everything I might want to take is clean and in good order. I'll be making my final selections toward the end of the week, and will post my travel capsule Polyvore On The Floor on Friday.

Orange blossoms...fragrance is heavenly!!

I love that hint of pink on these Iceberg roses

Sandal weather! OPI "You Don't Know Jacques" on toes.

*For the sake of marital harmony and my own sanity, I've learned to give le monsieur a list and then pack his selections for him. Saves us both a boatload of anxiety.

How was your weekend? Has Spring arrived in your neighborhood?

Here And There...

noreply@blogger.com (Déjà Pseu) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:02:00 +0000

The lovely Crystal at Dressed Her Days Vintage has shared an interview with yours truly. I thought she asked great questions!

Thank you, Crystal, I'm delighted and honored!
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