Giorgio Armani is one of the great fashion designers of the past 50 years. I think his creations are a bit repetitive but still very stylish.
I am not a huge fan of his decoration and designers skills but when I saw this picture in a magazine of the newly opened Armani hotel in Milan I immediately felt grandeur and the views of a master.
Walking through the magnificent city of Bruges, my attention is drawn by some beautiful contemporary architecture, which is integrated in the spirit of the town. Beautiful Gothic houses, Renaissance palazzos and Empire town houses and even goodlooking neo Gothic are specific for the city,
I discovered yesterday this gem of contemporary architecture. Situated on a little piazza. The architects where inspired by the shapes of buildings from the Gothic era to build this house and they used natural stone in the shape of thin columns and bronze panelling in front of the windows to accentuate the verticality of the building
Could this building have been the inspiration? For me the feeling is the same.
thank you for reading.
Couldn't believe this.
This picture was taken from the terrace of my friend Ineke’s house. Her home is on the Java island, a little bit east of Central Station in Amsterdam. It was an entrepot island and now it is a thriving living community with apartments, townhouses bording canals, restaurants, shops and what is a funny detail is that all the living rooms from the apartments on the whole island are facing south.
between the island and the central station is a docking place for gigantic cruise ships. This one pictured is quite a normal size. The view of a boat between the houses and apartment buildings has something surrealistic. The view could fit in a Hollywood super production or in one of my nightmares. lol.
The Scheepvaartmuseum
I went to Amsterdam some weeks ago and enjoyed Indian summer on the bike on the canals and visiting new parts of this ever evolving and changing city. I went to Amsterdam to visit the WOONBEURS and look after what is new on the furniture market.but first some pictures of my favourite city on a glorious day.
New developments near the Central Station.
Living on a large canal.
Leidsestraat.
boats on the canals.
The Queens Palace on the Dam viewed from '' de bijenkorf'' department store.
I went into the BIJENKORF who has been revamped over the last years and it looks like a small Selfridges with shops from Louis Vuiton, Hermes and Fendi and corners of the leading pret a porter houses. Delicious ILLY coffee on a large bench with views over the Dam and a good magazine I needed a rest from my biking…..
A watermill in Amsterdam West.
I’ve been sitting at terraces all day long. more then biking , looking at people enjoying this wonderful day as I did.
Yesterday I went to Antwerp where I had a meeting with Babs, the interior architect of MrK , as she calls me the interior architect of MrsK. Absolutely adorable, she had a present for me and one that I really coveted. it was a book about the first 20 years of architecture of my all time favourite residential architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen. Fabulous.
Babs did a folie and a beautiful one. She bought a bag that serves the purpose of a big shopping bag and trolley as it has wheels and a telescopic arm to pull it. It is created by the Dutch designer nielssmeltink. for the Dutch accessory brand www.jannissima.com.
The leather is very thick and so soft and is having a kind of suede finish, very mat and a beautiful cream colour. Me, crazy of bags fell in love immediatly. I will go to Eindhoven this week end where there is an exhibition in the old Philips factories with young designers It is called the THE TEMPORARY CONCEPT STORE and you will find info on their blog temporaryconceptstore.blogspot.com .
The ideal travel bag. even Ryanair will like it. for a quick escape to Barcelona or Pisa.
First travel to see the interior designer of MrsK. in Antwerp.
No... it is not a pump for pumping up the tyres of my bike.
I went this week to Dusseldorf with Miriam to have a look at what is new in town and to go to our favourite shops. The sales had already began in the top end shop Eickhof on the Konigsallee. It has to be said that they begin to sell the winter collection beginning of June. So it is wonderful to buy the summer clothes in may at 50 to 70 %. Givenchy, Balmain, Gucci among other brands are part of the sale.
A beautiful new shop opened some months ago on the Koningsallee: victorinox, the manufacterer of the Swiss army knife. Not only the traditional knives where on display in this grand shop but also a vast collection of travel gear, fashion, cutlery and perfumes.
We went from one shop to another and I was so busy that I forgot to take pics most of the time. But I still post the ones I like.
Victorinox on the KO pronounce KEU
Beautiful colour for a Art Deco hanger at Swarowski Crystal
Our preferred terrace between the KO and the Altstadt.
Alaia at Jades
So beautiful.
Where is me.
I loooove the colour ccombination.
Miriams ''Dolce'' moment at Zara.
Time to go home.
Saint Tropez is of course a shopping paradise and after an afternoon on the pool we went to town and went for shopping. I wanted to go first to “les galleries Tropeziennes” one of the oldest shops in St. Tropez with a choice of objects, shoes, bags, small furniture, glassware and the traditional striped transat fabrics……..
Les Galeries Tropeziennes.
Les Galeries Tropeziennes.
Les Galeries Tropeziennes.
I liked very much the brown linen bag and had a closer look, but when I saw it was made by libeco, a very famous Belgian company from the neighbourhood of Bruges I thought to go to the outlet in Meulebeke and have a look aver there.
Secondly we went to RE run by our Italian friend Rosa. Since 14 years she sells very beautiful small Italian brands and since a couple of years she also sells the collection of piazzasempione. A very chic Milanese brand with superbly cut garments with that one of a kind Italian touch.
RE in the rue Gambetta.
We went to BoutiqueMy on the rue Francois Sibilli and were welcomed by Elisabeth, the shop manager who posed in front of my camera with her Le Corbusier glasses and a Ricky bag by Ralph Lauren. In the boutique she sells the collection by the Belgian Mimi Ulens de Schooten. The collection, called MUS is casual and made from the most beautiful cashmeres and wools you could ever find. Tres chic and comfy.
Elisabeth with her Corbusier glasses.
Funny things at BOX.
mad about the colours at Faconnable
The new Home style of the TOD'S boutique.
The funny Manoush shop. Very colourful, Indian, Moroccan inspired clothing.
Tres chic fur shop of Yves Salomon. Yes some people live in very cold countries.N'est ce pas, and they are holidaying in St. Tropez.
The garden at the Vuitton shop.The champagne is ready in the fridge.
Blanc Bleu boutique, casual wear and a large selection of Vintage.
This is only a small selection that catched my eye. For the avid shopper there is much, much more. From the cheap and funny to the most expensive. Hours of fun shopping. And don’t forget to stop at brasserie Senequier for a pastis at the end of the afternoon or even better when the sun sets down on the port. Pure magic.
The days that I spend in St. Tropez were coloured by the traditional colours of the village , as they were celebrating La Bravade. All the inhabitants of the town were wearing red and white and in the most shop windows there was an assortment on display of their red and white goods for sale.
The Bravade is a fiesta that is held each year from the 16 to the 18 of May to celebrate the patron saint of the city. Every year, on Eastern Monday, there is a nomination for a new captain and the celebration takes place on these dates in the village. The mayor, in company of the mayor of Pisa, is giving the ”Pique” to the newly elected Captain. The Guards of the Saint and other participants are wearing army and Musketeer costumes and walk around the city for a whole day and evening, with the statue. The guards and the Musketeers are firing salvos of blunderbusses whilst moving in a cercle around the statue. They are making music and sounds with bells, drums, fifes, trumpets and tambourines. It is a quite noisy day but so beautiful to see the tropeziens having fun with this century old tradition
Paul Signac Port de Saint Tropez
I was invited by my great friend R. to spend a couple of days in her new beautiful house in Saint Tropez. Together with me she invited one of her best girlfriends. A very nice and attractive woman that I only met once at a party in Belgium. It was ,,dolle pret” from the first moment that I arrived at the villa. Dolle pret means happy fun in Dutch. I was in a super good mood and in the company of two beautiful and warm hearted, funny women and I was also staying in one of the most beautiful houses on the presqu’ile of St. Tropez.To keep the privacy of my friends I will show no pictures but I would like to explain in a few words the atmosphere of the house.
The situation is wonderful, not visible from the street and with views on the bay of St, Tropez.It is minimal with the feeling of being in a southern European monastery. No colours. All the floors are in sandstone and this was the base to do the complete house. All the furniture, inside and outside , ceilings and walls are in very light sandstone colour. This throughout the house. No objects and no art on the walls, only one beautiful torso on a pedestal in the living room, only amazing views through the house and onto the gardens and the sea in the background. The funny thing that R. did was to give the bedrooms the name of a colour and put the accessories in that colour in combination with the sandstone.
It was kind of amazing, as I can’t relax very easily, I wes very calm from the first moment that I entered the house. Only beautiful things surrounding me and an extreme feeling of well being. A big bravo to all of you who collaborated on this huge project and made this a masterpiece for living. You didn’t only create a house for living but also a very warm home.
Traditional fishing boats
In the summer season
Perfect Sunday.
Perfect weather. Perfect time to go out and visit one of London hotspots, Columbia Road Flower Market in Shoreditch. The street, is known by a lot of Londoners as the place to buy cheap plants and flowers and have a stroll around the antiques shops and other galleries. People are queuing to have a late breakfast at one of the coffee stands in the neighboring streets and the ambiance is amazing. All kind of people, young and old,mix together.
Classy
Flower market
Real Smart, fake grass.
In the beginning of the street, you will find a fantastic shop called ” Vintage Heaven” selling vintage home ware, glass, porcelain,old blankets and luggage and plenty of other home stuff
Vintage Heaven
Next to the shop is ”Pot Luck” with a variety of coloured pots for in and out.
A bit further down the road you will find ”Future Vintage” with second hand Gucci, Chanel, Shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood, I saw a beautiful dress by Giles Deacon and some things by Vivienne Westwood. And loads of other brands.
Future vintage.
On the corner of the street market ,a very sympatetic shop with paraphernalia,paint, cards, tiles, games, etc called Supernice.
Supernice.
In the middle of the street there are 2 shops given the most poetic name:” Our true intent is all for your delight”. They import furniture made of driftwood, sixties pottery,large mirrors, candlesticks in different materials and a lot of objects from all over the world. a very nice mix. I absolutely love the walls in corrugated iron plates.
Knitted ducks, soooo cute…..
Knitted ducks for a happy Eastern.
