I've moved on...
...to a different domain. Why, what were you thinking? The truth is, I just woke up one day and decided it's time for a change—a metamorphosis, if you will; or, in layman's terms, if Britney can shave her head, then maybe so can I? Nevertheless, it's been a rather handsome 10 years of talking to you, and thank you for putting up with all my moodswings and terrible dad jokes. Fear not! The hormonal imbalance and jokes are more terrible on CUBICLE, see you there.

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Top, Skirt, Shoes & Clutch – Alice & Olivia. Watch – Larsson & Jennings. Bangle – ASOS.

Dear skirt that hangs south of my faux-abs and forgives all sorts of dinner crime… where have you been all my life? I mean really, every meal I’ve ever had – especially in Paris – has been a two-part act of 1) arriving in jittery enthusiasm with dance moves that impress no judge, and 2) waddling out belt unbuckled and unladylike, burping the alphabet in post-meal euphoria. Alas, a maxi skirt, as pictured, means unsightly leg dance concealed within the folds of silky meringue, and the entire table worth of food – minus the plates – safely tucked into the fabric puff under the waist belt, which to curious onlookers I insist is an Alice & Olivia design feature and NOT a food baby (it is). It’s genius, and useful also in making the evening a tad more interesting because guess how many people it takes to pack a semi-drunk woman in a creampuff/ballgown skirt into a taxi?

BTW, this was the stunning Paris flat I was staying with a couple of girlfriends (Team Apartment + Reem) over Paris Fashion Week, and now that I look back I wish I’d taken more photos. Too bad we were too convinced this was our upgraded life now and that we were never going to leave, and this also explains why I kept reaching out for my ballgown get-up… 

Thank you Reem for helping with the shots!

Château de Fontainebleu

Neoprene Jacket, H&M trend. Jeans, Levi’s. Scarf, Alice & Olivia. Sunnies, Jeepers PeepersOxford Shirt, hubby’s Ralph Lauren. Chelsea Boots, Topshop

So… remember that giggle-and-titter trip to Disneyland from a few moons past with Jen, Fred & hubby? Believe it or not, there was quite a journey before we reached happily ever after in the land of dreams – no I’m not referring to the Eurostar ride. I’m talking about the shuffle into van and drive down towards the gleaming castle and towards a distant, yet still squeaky-clear, melody of ‘it’s a small world afterall’ and everyone hoots – even the boys – then driver takes sharp left and continues down 45 minutes through French countryside and passengers sulk silently type of journey. Later we found out the Vienna International Hotels team had so gracefully planned an extensive itinerary, which involved of touching four corners of the Disney experience, where three don’t sell princess dresses. Disneyland was first corner, naturally; second was Paris – an hour van-ride from the Dream Castle Hotel, where we got tipsy and watched boobies jiggle on stage. La Vallée Village was third, the outlet shopping village (think Bicester Village) two minutes from the hotel where I was denied purchasing a certain pair of Céline sandals marked £190 by hubby who pulled the leash (mostly expressing disgruntle over unfulfilled one-in-one-out policy). Fourth and last was Château de Fontainebleu, home of many, MANY Kings, Queens, Emperors and Empresses’ over the past eight centuries. Let me first apologize for the amount of photos you’ve had to scroll through and here’s a Gatorade for your fingers. (Olympic spirit!) By the third chamber I gave up with the tourguide and lagged behind, it felt a crime to simply brush by the breathtaking details of each room – the brilliant colours, intricate patterns and rich textures… Heck, I know this sounds oddly grown-up and therefore incredibly unlike moi but I’d actually like to visit Disneyland again and dedicate one whole day checking out the 9/10th of the palace we missed. Dibs on the palace if I ever become King of France.

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Popped by AA while in Berlin (I swear it’s psychological, the need to visit ZARA even if you’re in the middle of a desert) – they were handing out free pots of stockroom Nail Lacquer with every purchase. Score!
Finally, the season of roll-ups and light-coloured denim! Would love to give it a good slashing session a la Acne or do this again.
Cosy outdoor space spotted at the Breakfast Club in Islington (31 Camden Passage); imagining a sunny Sunday brunch with a blanket over your lap while the last breeze of winter pass under the table.
Instant mood-lifter and favourite silk scarf of the moment – artist Gene Meyer for Alice & Olivia SS12
Pastel pink sandals by Zara, pairs perfectly with boyfriend jeans and plain white shirt (2)
Mexicana! This and a beach-side seafood dinner please. (Tapas in Marbella sounds good!?) ASOS Mexican print skater dress
Winter sale splurge at Yoox, Missoni boots with wood-imitation metal heels. Totally Curb-to-taxi heels, unfortunately.
Pick-me-up pieces, as good as it gets: DanniJo Raffaella necklace and Samudra Shark Clutch
Maska Ellinore knitted dress – an attempt at sporty knits but falling short with flabby arms. Bottle of cider in hand clearly of no help. Yes that’s the cap on the rose…
As a light-drinker, a sniff of anything over 5% alcohol and I’m gone-o, but I find Rekordelig does a good job of merrymaking. I like to think of it as spiked juice with good brand identity, and you know what gets me buzzing, give me a well-designed label and it’s guaranteed happy-hour.