Category: Lifestyle

Chinese ginger broth 🌶

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It is that time of year – no more winter, not yet spring (unless 10C and continuous rain seems like a spring to you). I find Chinese broth just the perfect meal for when the weather is in transition. Plus, cooking in a large quantity, you could use this as a base for other meals!

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To cook 4 litres ( full large pot ) of this delicious liquid you’ll need:

2 medium onions,
2 red chillies
bunch of spring onions
4 pearl onions – they’re such great flavour enhancers
1 whole organic chicken
4-5 garlic cloves
100g ot a few generous chunks of fresh ginger
3 tablespoons of cane sugar
a glass/300ml of Chinese cooking wine

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Add all the ingredients – except the chicken – into the water and simmer in a large saucepan over high heat. Once boiling, add the whole chicken and depending on the size of the chicken, simmer on a reduced heat for about 30-40 mins.

 Allow to cool. Skim any excess fat from the surface and discard the solids if you prefer it clear. Serve over the rice noodles with fresh chilli if you like it 🌶🌶 and garnish with yuzu pepper.

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Dior, Avedon, Fashion.

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By all means, I am delighted that this book exists. The design, paper quality, and sheer size of this album compliments perfectly what the author, Justine Picardie, has captured in its contents. A real créme de la créme for every fashion aficionado. To be precise, this multi-talented magazine Editor has compiled a rather extraordinary history of fashion. An evolution, chronologically represented by 3 influential designers from the house of Dior, and lensed through decades by the definitive Richard Avedon.

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Picardie first guides us through Dior’s postwar launch of the ‘New Look’ (and what revolution it caused on the streets of Paris). Then she explores Saint Laurent’s couture designs worn by Jacqueline de Ribes and Audrey Hepburn, and finally Marc Bohan’s designs created over 15 years, modelled on Veruschka and Lauren Hutton to name a few. All this accomplished by encyclopedic yet fascinating descriptions of collaboration between the designers and the photographer, whom owed all credits of trust and support to the legendary Editrix of Harper’s Bazaar Carmel Snow. It was Snow who encouraged Avedon to shot the Couture collection for her magazine spreads. The rest is history.

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A new chapter in fashion history. Corolle line by Christian Dior, Paris 1947.

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Dovima wearing gown designed by YSL for Dior. Legendary photo captured by Avedon in 1955 published in Harper’s Bazaar.

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Barbra Streisand gracing pages of Vogue in 1966, in Bohan’s couture dress for Dior.

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Anjelica Huston wearing Dior’s makeup and accessories. Beauty pages of Vogue US, 1973
Dior by Avedon published by Rizzoli

Justine Picardie is the author of this album. She is also the Editor of Harper’s Bazaar UK and Town and Country magazine.

Always in great company

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It happened at a meeting with an acquaintance.  We meet at my favourite bookstore, Assouline, London. After a quick tour of the interiors of the house, the spine of a book named Lee Radziwill, drew my attention immediately from a large bookshelf.

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Lee, the stylish mother with her kids.

I grabbed the hardback with no hesitation and purchased that evening. One of the reasons it hightened my curiosity was that she was married to Stanislaw Radziwill, who was a cousin of my great-grandmother. As a bonus it’s a tasteful journey through decades of great style, and an interesting historical account of a well-connected socialite during the JFK era. Flicking through the pages, you’ll discover the chronicle of Lee’s life, captured in photos from her private archives. Hanging out with her sister Jackie O., and surrounded by equally influential personalities such as Mick Jagger, Truman Capote, Rudolph Nureyev and Aristotle Onassis to name a few, helps propel Lee’s story to a truly inspirational read.

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With Stas Radziwill. He was her first huband. She was his 3rd wife.

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Young Lee hanging out with Mick Jagger in Montauk.

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Truman Capote gave her a role in ‘The Philadelphia Story’ play. Yves Saint Laurent, Lee’s friend, had designed costumes for this play.

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Aristotle Onassis. Lee’s brother in law. A very good companion.
 

 

Forever Grace

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I remember very vividly when I saw this album for the first time.
It was during the Guy Bourdin’s exhibition at Somerset House, London 2015.
It was love from the very first sight. First edition, sold out everywhere else, available to purchase in the bookshop. Sadly, this Style Bible was out of my means during this visit. £350 cover price wasn’t an impulse buy option at all. However time passed by and one day at the office I heard through the grapevine that Phaidon was reprinting an album and was to be available soon.
Thank God I was at the Condé Nast towers that day!  And thank God for my colleagues for their support in this matter! IMG_9632IMG_9607

This album is a chronicle of Grace’s significant input towards fashion, styling in particular. It is her who styled the famous grunge editorial, shot by Steven Meisel  for American Vogue with model Kristen McMenamy in 1992.
There are far too many iconic editorials to present here, so don’t waste any time and secure your copy now! IMG_9616IMG_9622IMG_9619

HRH the Boots

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We all know how desirable the recent collection of Gucci has been since Alessandro Michele took helm of the brand.
But 6 years ago, when Frida Giannini was presenting her menswear collection for the same house, I remember clearly those oh! ah! sighs of the editors after the fashion show, and the greatest gasps of all were directed towards the high black leather boots.
So, of course, I’ve got them.

I hope that Signor Michele will succeed for much longer than Ms Giannini, and his kangaroo slippers will become as iconic as Frida’s studded boots, which still provoke envious looks every time I put them on.

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A gift of Grace.

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Good things comes to those who wait, one would say; but in this particular  case it was simply a delivery delay during the Festive Season that prevented me from finding this beautiful gift under the Christmas tree.
Regardless, this wonderful album is now in my hands and I will use my time with this book very wisely. And gracefully ! IMG_9466

to tea, or not to tea?

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Tea, Thé, Herbata. Black, Green, Oolong.
You can call it what you like but it all starts as a dry, loose consistence that turns into a pleasant elixir when soaked in boiling water. Who knew that some dried leaves from a particular bush will turn into the centre piece of the famous 5 o’clock ritual.  Some say that our cities are turning into one big flat white; but Im not so sure. Who doesn’t like to make a ‘nice cup of tea’ and sit in front of their screen to work or comfortably to watch an episode of the ‘Downtown Abbey’?

I definitely consider myself  a teaholic; and moreover the tea market is having some sort of renaissance.  Im not talking of those horrible teas with artificial perfume added, pretending how posh they are. I prefer something more classic, with a modern twist. You don’t have to convince me too long to try some melange of smoky earl grey from Fortnum&Mason or vanilla rooibos de Mariage Frères.

Or herbal ones. I’ve got this ‘of Flowers’ by a small company called Postcard Teas, and the punchy design of their packaging reflects the content of the tins. Kusmi teas are specific and not all varieties convince my taste buds, but the Detox line with grapefruit – mmm, best homemade ice tea ever!

And you, my dear, how do you take your tea?

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Three colours

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 All of them in pleasant tones. Looking rather handsome. Although each Guide was published separately, placed together on the book shelf, or decorating your coffee table, the Monocle series  of these books look as interesting as their contents. Invented by Tyler Brûlé – a big believer in the  printed paper, and Andrew Tuck, editor of the magazine; this trilogy is a tasteful guidance of easy style and how to master life’s details. Why quality is above quantity and how to make a difference when it comes to making success in business.
Books that won’t go out of fashion. Pardon me, style.