Kiva changes lives

My beautician is making me switch over to Dermalogica products. My fav is the daily microfoliant which really washes off my face from all dead cells and daily dust and brightens my complexion wonderfully. I start over enjoying water on my face 4 years after I banned it over ‘micellaire’ solutions like Bioderma’s. I refilled last month and the package was overwrapped into a secondary one inviting to make a microloan to a small entrepreneur. I didn’t need to pay any more money since I already paid for it when I purchased the product (clever isn’t it?), but I needed to check in to the website, and make the donation: £1…. Hell! No one’s hurt! So did I do my charity action, clicked on Latin America and picked clothes, because it’s my thing. And forgot about it. And just today I find this email that I helped Castula buying soft drinks, costume, jewelry, bags and ladies’ accessories. How gracious she looks with her her skirt and matching handbag, that she carries with as much elegance as Bernadette [Chirac, the French First Lady before Carla Bruni Sarkozy].

The email goes on, describing who’s Castula, her family and how my £1 (yes £1) will help her strive her business.

And for £1 (yes £1), I’ve been pushed to act by myself (not give £1 to the cashier that would go to whatever charity that I would never look further into), log in to that website, voluntarily put my details and choose what was more appealing to me. And because I receive back some news of how I contributed … you know what! I feel compelled to do more. The ‘business’ model is just brilliant. It’s on Kiva‘s model which was created by a Stanford MBA, a fellow graduate of my boyfriend. It makes me feel so proud to be part of the Stanford community.

La galette des rois

I got back home tonight at 7 exhausted, angry, revolted, depressed from a f…$%*€$$%…g working day having got pressured by my workmates. I heated my vegetable soup in the microwave (pumpkin, home made … delicious), and drunk my bowl of milk reading my preferred blogs Mode Personnelle (hilarious), Just Jared (shouldn’t but so nice to gossip), Cafe Mode (educated from a French fashion journalist). Feeling still harassed, I tuned in to My Yoga Online to find some excruciating class. Started one and stopped at 30 min as I was lying face down on my mat my jaw in my hand gazing at the guy. Off to shower (10 minutes boiling water on my back …. oh god so good), got back to my computer and thought ‘If I write a post, I have million of notes and ideas on hold.’

La Galette des Rois marks epiphany and we celebrate  on the first Sunday after new year. It’s a kind of pie stuffed with an almond frangipane (almond + sugar). If you find the ‘feve’ (tiny piece of porcelain), you’re crowned the king/ queen. It’s an extended family fest, you gather with the kids and watch them adults alike pat the galette to find the feve before choosing their slice. It’s hilarious.

But … I live in London for now … no galette around (I haven’t searched hard). Not big a deal for my super boyfriend though who got one for me from Pierre Herme (the best of best), back from a business trip in Paris. Instead of frangipane, it is made of chocolate. From any other pastry, I would scream ‘Sacrilege’ but look! it’s Pierre Herme.

Chanel SS2012 campaign

opened the Elle UK of January. 30 pages! It’s quite massive as a launch isn’t it?

I like it

because the endless space make me feel free and I’ve never seen similar fashion campaign. Karl’s the boss outa there

Summer Spring 2012 trends

Can’t believe Spring collection are upon us. I just bought the Elle, and all advertising smell like warmer temperatures. I’m still layering my cashmeres to keep warm, but it feels good to look ahead!

It’s winter saaaaales

I got those at Net a Porter. 4 in heels and my feet feel as comfortable as if they slipped in 3 in’s. wooooohooooo!

For who wonder, they are made of watersnake skin. The brand is Pierre Hardy

My Sicilian road trip

I’m off relaxing in the Alps with family for one week and for once I get time to think and plan rather than rush as I’m used to do ever since I moved back to Paris and London. Taking photos (the  Alps are not bad), planning my next vacations (by end of May/ beg of June, there’s a couple of weeks off peak) and improving my blog look (which I’m struggling with for almost one year now as I’m no techie, just computing savvy) are the most cumbersome of my activities.

While touring the blogs, tourism office websites and travel guides, I bumped into those pictures of Sicily in my photos archives. It was in October 2010 one year ago, just at the end of the peak season. It was still warm and sunny while Paris was already drowning in the most freezing Autumn ever. I landed at Palermo and toured the island clockwise thru Castelbuono, Taormina, Modica, Agrigente and back at Palermo over a 10-day road trip. Unsurprisingly, I loved loved the countryside and small towns (relaxing, peaceful landscape, strong and diverse culinary traditions), and have been less than impressed with the ‘big’ cities of Palermo and Catane (too busy, too crowdy, too grey). Many places in Sicily are still peaceful and quiet. Those elderly relaxing on a bench, gazing at passers by looks the most enviable retirement to me.

My recommendation of B&B. All tidy, comfy with the most hospitable hosts:Antico Baglio at Castelbuono, Villa Sara at Taormina, L’orangerie at Modica, Agrigento’s Terrazza di Monteluza