Oscar Nilsson | Improvisation 1

To the beat.
A blast from the past.
From Hedi Slimane's Motion Diary.

{PS: Thank you Marco for first showing it to me!}

What makes me happy today!

Hokkaido Gardens Show.

Sound Garden by Invisible Designs Lab.  (Don't forget to crank up the volume!)

Hokkaido Gardens Show: Jardin du son, réalisé par Invisible Designs Lab 

What makes me happy today...

1) Rhododendron 'Catawbiense Album' exploding on my very urban but also very green balcony!
2) Starting a new notebook.

Let's Go Plant Hunting!

Casa Luis Barragán

….With the Plant Hunter; my new favourite online magazine exploring relationships between people and plants through designing, writing and thinking.

Happy 181st Birthday, Toronto!

Toronto Skyline Porn from Ryan Emond on Vimeo.

"Thank you and have a good day!"

...or when the old-fashioned (out of fashion?) rules of courtesy get twisted in the end.

Well, it happened to me this morning.

As I was enjoying a day off today, I left home with a cunning plan. All bundled up, my child and I put on our best smile to walk out there towards the subway station and face the extreme wave of cold that has been hitting Toronto over the last two months. After dropping her off at pre-school, I was all excited at the idea of going to spend a couple of hours in, what I presumed, would be a warm and cozy 'habitat'.

Delica Kitchen at Yonge & St Clair

My plan involved sipping a cup of coffee in a great place while skimming through a couple of design magazines that I had carefully selected for my coffee session. I entered the place, ordered an Americano and a banana loaf with great expectations…Their food is quite pricy but it is tasty and delicate.

I started musing and jetting down notes on my notebook for future potential blog posts. After 15 mins, I checked my watch, 10:00AM, I was the only customer sitting for coffee…Why? I didn't know. Never mind, I was happy I was the first one of a big anticipated crowd. After all, the place displays nice graphic interior decor, has good food and is conveniently located next to the subway station. There was to be more action, for sure. Well…after an hour, 3 other patrons had dropped by to quickly buy a coffee or some food, but they had come in and out in no time. Was that due to the cold? Probably. Then I felt a massive draft, this Delicatessen/Coffee house really was not too well heated, despite a super warm furry vest and a pashmina that I threw on my lap, I started to feel the cold through my bones. Not pleasant. I felt the urge to shorten my stay to a little hour.

And believe it or not, not once did the staff ask me how I was doing, after all I was the only customer there. I know the place quite well as I have come on several occasions with my friends and family, but not once have I been greeted by the staff with a simple, genuine smile of recognition. ;(

As I left, I  said: "Thank you and have a good day!" As soon as I caught myself saying it, I thought "But wait a minute, shouldn't they say that to me?" ...

Oh well, I guess it was not the warmest place to spend a freezing cold winter morning.

Has it ever happened to you? 

The gentlewoman/running club_week 5

http://thegentlewoman.co.uk/#/runningclub

For those in London. If you are looking for a good occasion to step out of the beaten tracks, to get engaged in exciting socializing while jogging in historical London, this running club is for you.
Run, gentlewoman, run!

Leafy heart/ Hearty leaf

Last October. While heading to a Cafe on the Danforth. Found this Katsura tree leaf on my way on the sidewalk. The colour caught my attention, and the pattern of the heart in it just made this special encounter very special.

Vivienne Forever!

I've brought you some flowers...

Saipua.com

To ring in the New Year 2014!

From Marco and I to you..

Here is one of our favourite websites to browse for inspiration:

http://www.freundevonfreunden.com

FvF

Saipua

Sweetwoodruff

My Luscious Backyard

Some goodies involving real flowers, but also glass, paper, metal and plaster:

http://www.saipua.com 
http://sweetwoodruff.ca
http://www.mylusciousbackyard.ca

http://www.carmenalmon.com/

http://www.papertopetal.com/

http://www.tactilestudio.co.uk/

https://www.antiquesjournal.com/pages04/monthly_pages/may08/flowers.html

Abandoned and so Beautiful!

Found on English Russia, photos by Ilya Varmalov

This is an abandoned railway station in Abkhazia, former Russian territory. It has remained  untouched since the collapse of the USSR – the railway connection of Abkhazia and Russia stopped and the railway station was left out of demand so nature could take over the left-overs of Soviet architecture.

Of Tunnels and Dreams...

« Le rêve est un tunnel qui passe sous la réalité. C'est un égout d'eau claire, mais c'est un égout. »
P. reverdy

Photographe : www.cedricroulliat.com avec l'aide de Joël

Postcard from Antwerp: Pots and Plants

Bons baisers d'Anvers!

Great Pots and Plants store ( by De Groen Droom Florists) that we enjoyed visiting last June in Antwerp.

Mode Academie students' show.

C'est la St Valentin!

by Kate Spade, New York.

À quoi ça sert l'amour ?

Pour y répondre, voici une chanson d'Edith Piaf *, sur une merveilleuse animation de Louis de Clichy.

 

* une chanson de Michel Emer (paroles et musique), interprétée par Édith Piaf et Théo Sarapo pour la première fois en 1962.

Paroles:

À quoi ça sert l'amour ?
On raconte toujours
Des histoires insensées.
À quoi ça sert d'aimer ?

L'amour ne s'explique pas !
C'est une chose comme ça,
Qui vient on ne sait d'où
Et vous prend tout à coup.

Moi, j'ai entendu dire
Que l'amour fait souffrir,
Que l'amour fait pleurer.
À quoi ça sert d'aimer ?

L'amour ça sert à quoi ?
À nous donner d' la joie
Avec des larmes aux yeux...
C'est triste et merveilleux !

Pourtant on dit souvent
Que l'amour est décevant,
Qu'il y en a un sur deux
Qui n'est jamais heureux...

Même quand on l'a perdu,
L'amour qu'on a connu
Vous laisse un goùt de miel.
L'amour c'est éternel !

Tout ça, c'est très joli,
Mais quand tout est fini,
Il ne vous reste rien
Qu'un immense chagrin...

Tout ce qui maintenant
Te semble déchirant,
Demain, sera pour toi
Un souvenir de joie !

En somme, si j'ai compris,
Sans amour dans la vie,
Sans ses joies, ses chagrins,
On a vécu pour rien ?

Mais oui ! Regarde-moi !
A chaque fois j'y crois
Et j'y croirai toujours...
Ça sert à ça, l'amour !
Mais toi, t'es le dernier,
Mais toi, t'es le premier !
Avant toi, 'y avait rien,
Avec toi je suis bien !
C'est toi que je voulais,
C'est toi qu'il me fallait !
Toi qui j'aimerai toujours...
Ça sert à ça, l'amour !...

Le bonheur est dans le pré!

Photo via Jak and Jil

-JOYEUSES PÂQUES!

HAPPY EASTER!-

Vive la francophonie en fête!

Lola & Odette Gough, Telejournal d'Ontario

@ CBC/Radio-Canada Atrium for the reception that lauched the festivities of the Week of the Francophonie in Toronto. Wednesday, March, 14th.

@ Atrium de CBC/Radio-Canada pour la réception de lancement de la semaine de francophonie à Toronto. Mercredi 14 mars.

A new Oud, Ladies and Gentlemen!

OUD - Maison Francis Kurkdjian

If in Paris on March 15th, do not miss this cocktail event, as you will be introduced to the new fragrance by Francis Kurkdjian, and chances are you will fall under the charm!

2012: on the starting blocks!

Et voilà! Nous sommes rentrés de notre petit périple de fin d'année. Après un mois de festivités en France, les bagages sont maintenant défaits et rangés au sous-sol.

Lola, Marco et moi avons bien remis nos horloges biologiques à l'heure torontoise. Toute la famille a pu bien profiter des vacances de Noël en famille et entre amis sur le vieux continent; il faut dire qu'entre la campagne iséroise, Lyon, Paris et Genève, le dépaysement a été garanti.

Il est aujourd'hui temps de dire : Bonjour 2012! Eh oui, le mois de janvier est arrivé avec sa ribambelle de bonnes résolutions et autres 'goooood vibrations'. Après 6 mois d'interruption pour congé maternité, la reprise au travail s'est faite sans trop de heurts hier pour la nouvelle maman que je suis. Bébé Lola est restée à la casa avec papa, et tous deux ont passé une journée fantastique, à rire, manger et dormir. Ah, la belle vie!

Photo Cédric Roulliat

 J'ai hâte de découvrir ce que 2012 nous réserve... Happy New Year to you all!

Get ready to be totally Magoo-ed this Christmas!

I could not resist this one. Here is my gift to you for Christmas...and there are six parts to it. Start it and you will not be able to stop!
Hope you like it ;O)

The haze of time

Photo de Miguel Jacob.

Reflections on/of the past.  
Happy recollection.
Photo d'archives retrouvée ce matin...
Tiens! J'étais drôlement amusée, le regard un peu espiègle.
Marco, adossé contre un miroir, après avoir essayé son smoking de futur marié....juin 2009.