Bloomin' Lovely

It's the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London this week  - an event which always lifts my spirits, and  given that I have just heard we are experiencing the coldest Spring since the 1960's, I take my hat off to all the plantsmen and women who have achieved the impossible with their stands and showgardens.

Avon Bulbs of Somerset. Photo: RHS images

 Aren't these dahlias in the Grand Pavilion stunning?

The National Dahlia Collection of Cornwall. Photo: RHS Images

WaterAid's slightly hippy, Indian-inspired showgarden full of tumbling, spice coloured marigolds.

Wateraid Garden, Chelsea Flower Show 2013. Photo: Jane Mingay

Running in tandem with the Flower Show and in association with the RHS, Chelsea in Bloom is a prestigious floral art street show whereby the Chelsea retailers compete against each other for 'Best Floral Display' transforming their shop windows and storefronts into works of art. Now in its 8th year, this year's theme is 'Decades' to tie in with the Flower Show's centenary this year:

The White Company. Photo: Chelsea in Bloom

The White Company has gone for a 1920's Gatsby feel - I'm loving the yellow floral car.

Photo: www.thewomensroomblog.com

Space NK is channelling 1930's Art Deco dressing table elegance: 

Space NK. Photo: Chelsea in Bloom

The perfume bottle and lipstick are entirely made from carnations.

Photo: www.thewomensroomblog.com

Mary Quant is a natural for the Swinging Sixties and her iconic dress and logo made from gerberas are jauntily displayed outside the shop:

Mary Quant. Photo: Chelsea in Bloom

Photo: www.womensroomblog.com

Brora is in a hippy mood with beautiful knitted flowers adorning the dress - "Make Cashmere, not War" - quite. Check out the floral afro - hilarious.

Brora. Photo: www.thewomensroomblog.com

Whilst Kate Spade has also chosen the 'Mods and Rockers' of the same decade, with beautiful use of blue and white hydrangeas.

Kate Spade. Photo: Chelsea in Bloom

With my poor garden struggling to bloom, and such plants as there are being smashed by the wind and rain, it's lovely to see so much floral colour and fun in an urban setting. Let's hope it catches on. In the meantime feeling Chelsea Flower Show inspired, I'm off to knock up some floral art - I'll let you know how it turns out.

Feel the love at Merci

Whilst I sit in my (currently very soggy) field in my small corner of France, wondering whether Summer will ever arrive, I find myself daydreaming of hot footing it to Paris for a day's shopping, sipping coffee at the Cafe de Flore, in the sunshine obvs, but then WHAM - I come back down to earth with a bump realizing that a) it's just not feasible on a school day, b) on the weekend I'd have 3 grumpy boy shoppers in tow, so c) I need to adopt a rather different approach.

Photo: www.huffingtonpost.com

Which is why I am so happy that after years of patient waiting, Merci - my favourite shop in Paris, has finally gone online - hooray! English Gent is blissfully unaware of this major development in my life and I'm going to have to be very strict about my 'browsing' vs my 'buying' but it's an excellent reason to take you on a virtual tour of this beautiful concept store. Allons-y.

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

Photo: www.hausofmoo.com

Situated in what is now called the Haut-Marais, and just slightly off the beaten track, Merci was started in 2009 by Bernard and Marie-France Cohen, founders of the oh so Parisian children's clothing label Bonpoint.  They saw an opportunity in Paris for a store combining high-end fashion with interior décor, beauty,  art, design and homeware, championing new designers, hosting art installations, alongside a bookshop, a garden, a florist, two buzzing cafés and a restaurant - in short somewhere you could happily while away several hours browsing, shopping, or just hanging out - a venue that would swiftly become the hip place to see and be seen, in a nonchalant boho Parisian kind of a way. Think Anthropologie, but well, just more French....

Second Hand Bookshop Cafe

The Merci Canteen

But on top of all this the Cohens have played a masterstroke - they have managed to make the Merci shopping experience even more satisfying for their customers by combining consumerism with philanthropy:  after operating costs, all profits from the store go to benefit women and children in south-west Madagascar, with a particular emphasis on education and learning new skills, so you can know that the money you are spending is going straight to help others. Shopping with a conscience doesn't get much better than this.

Photo: www.huffingtonpost.com

The ground floor décor changes regularly depending on which designer, artist or cause the store is showcasing and the cute red Fiat 500 - a permanent fixture in the courtyard and the store's mascot - is frequently re-vamped and is currently covered in Aurelie Mathigot's flax crochet work, as part of her art installation: "L'Art du Lin, l'intemporel".

Merci courtyard - Aurelie Mathigot "L'Art du Lin, l'intemporel"

Brands such as Isabel Marant, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney and YSL have donated exclusive pieces to the store, and along with merci-merci's own brand - a range of sophisticated basics - you can get a full dose of that elusive Parisian chic, for a considerably reduced price.

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

The menswear section in-store is very cool with an old fashioned tailor's shop vibe - Savile Row meets Serge Gainsbourg - even English Gent was impressed (yes, I managed to get the world's greatest anti-shopper inside - but he was indulging me as it was my birthday....)

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

He got happily lost in the homewares department - phew....

Photo: www.huffingtonpost.com

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

The 18th century building with its airy, loft like feel, mixes the vintage with the contemporary in an artful, laid back way. Part industrial space, part Parisian townhouse - there are sweeping staircases, cozy nooks, chandeliers, books, and wherever you look things to pick up, feel, touch, smell and discover.

Photo: www.hausofmoo.com

A really charming idea is the Annick Goutal 'laboratoire' where you can mix your own fragrance for a remarkably reasonable price given the usual cost of a bespoke fragrance, and her mainline perfumes. For obvious reasons this service is not available online but if you get the chance to visit it's a whole lot of fun.

Photo: www. merci-merci.com

I'm loving these Liberty print suitcases, which are available here, and the masking tape is so pretty.The Fiat 500 had a Liberty makeover too....

Photo:www.avecsfr.blogspot.fr

A recent collaboration between two classic French brands, Aigle x Kitsuné produced this "festival kit" of a poncho and classic Aigle wellington boots - boy do I need them here in my field - now!

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

And when did cleaning utensils ever look more chic?

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

My purchases last time I visited were a beautiful coral linen scarf, some recycled rubber bangles made by a women's co-operative in Mali, and lots of lovely notebooks for me and stationery for the boys.

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

I like the fact that you can buy little things for a few euros, as well as bigger items and they are happy to ship internationally.

Photo: www.merci-merci.com

Whilst shopping online is never going to be as exciting as visiting the actual shop, I hope this has given you a taster of the style aesthetic and raison d'être of this fabulous non-profit establishment. You can read more about Merci's endowment fund and the charity's progress here. There are so many lovely things to choose from, I hope you'll find something you like when browsing, and when you're next in Paris, be sure to put it on your list of places to visit. Either way, it's a win win scenario - actively helping others simply by treating ourselves - what's not to love?

I'm off for a spot of shopping - merci!

Ground Control to Major Tom

Sometimes we need to find a little inspiration in our lives to lift us out of the humdrum everyday routine and make us stop and realize that it's the here and now that matters and most importantly that it's those people in our here and now who matter the most.  It could just be a morning snuggle with your 6 year old, still warm and half-asleep, the simple fact that the sun is shining or mastering a yoga pose just for a fraction of a second - anything, no matter how small, can make a difference to your day and to your life.

Photo: Pinterest

And sometimes, it's the unlikeliest people who provide the inspiration, so step forward Commander Chris Hadfield and Angelina Jolie. A seemingly unlikely double act I'll admit, but both of them have shared a part of themselves with the world this week, and in totally different ways have inspired us to stop and think about about love, life and the universe.

Photo: AP/Nasa

Commander Chris Hadfield has been in charge of the International Space Station for the past 5 months and has been tweeting his experiences back to Earth whilst sharing amazing photographs from space. If ever you needed a reason for the existence of Twitter - Commander Chris is it.

South Island New Zealand Photo: Chris Hadfield/NASA

Mount Etna Photo: Chris Hadfield/NASA

But his parting shot as he finished his stint "far above the world" this week is a stroke of genius: with David Bowie's blessing he has recorded the classic track "Space Oddity" from inside the Space Station and it's moving, wonderful, lump in the throat stuff.

The lyrics "Here am I floating in my tin can" have never been more apt and as we watch the beautiful images of Earth passing Hadfield's window he reminds us just how awe-inspiring our planet and the Universe really are. My boys have always been keen on playing astronauts and never more so than having watched this video - they would both apply to NASA tomorrow if they could. (The video's gone viral not surprisingly, with all the papers and news channels commenting on it.) Inspiring stuff for Earthlings, and a slam-dunk for Bowie fans everywhere.

"The Moon rising over a bed of cloud. A constant reminder to us all of what can be achieved." 

And so to what's being called a "giant leap for womankind" (see what I did there?) Angelina Jolie announced this week in the New York Times that she has undergone a preventive double mastectomy after she discovered via genetic testing that she carried a faulty BRCA1 gene which gave her an estimated 87% risk of contracting breast cancer and a 50% risk of ovarian cancer. Her breast cancer risk now, post surgery has been reduced to under 5%.

Photo: Brad Pitt

Jolie's beloved mother died of the disease at the age of 56 and her premature death devastated the actress. Now, as a mother of 6 children, whilst Jolie found the decision to have the surgery (and subsequent breast reconstruction) a tough one, she is very happy she made it. And most importantly of all she says: "I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer."

Photo: Brad Pitt

Photo: Brad Pitt

She then states: "On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity." Way to go Angie. By speaking out about her choices, awareness for genetic testing and preventive treatment for breast cancer has already increased, and in addition to all the print article coverage, I have listened to several debates on both television and radio this week and all are in broad support of Jolie's actions, her courage and her impact on this hugely important health issue. Finally, if we needed further proof of the "Angelina effect", la Jolie is on the cover of this week's Time Magazine with Time's Jeffrey Kluger calling her revelation a "cultural and medical earthquake." Yup, this is going to be huge....

Photo: Melodie McDaniel/Trunk Archive

 
We can't cheat destiny, but Jolie is giving it her best shot.  She is brave, she is beautiful, she is a great role model and through her personal choices and actions she is doing the best to be there for her children for as long as she can be. I cannot think of a more inspiring life lesson than that. Can you hear me Major Tom?

Sounds of Summer - Laura Mvula

Do you find that sometimes a song just gets into your head and stays there?  Lana del Rey's "Video Games" did that to me - new and retro at the same time, the video was quirky and it played in my head (and in my life) on a loop.

Photo:lauramvula.com

Well this year's song for me is "Green Garden" by the exquisitely cool Laura Mvula and if you haven't heard of her yet, you will, believe me - she's going to be huge.

Photo: lauramvula.com

Her new album "Sing to the Moon" was released in the UK on March 4th and she has already been hailed as "the voice of 2013".  Aged 26 and from a musical family in Birmingham, she trained at the Birmingham Conservatoire for 3 years, and as a student was encouraged to start composing and writing her own songs. But it wasn't until she married the classical baritone Themba Mvula 3 years ago that she found the self-belief to start out on her solo career.  Mvula still seems stunned by her swift ascent into the musical stratosphere, but it only takes one listen to understand why. Her voice is soulful, orchestral, bluesy and full of those Jazz notes that make your head spin and your heart swoon.

"That's Alright" is her latest single and Neil McCormick in The Telegraph calls it "ebulliently confrontational... Billie Holiday in a Thirties flapper romp underpinned by Burundi percussion, Busby Berkley meets Adam Ant." I couldn't have put it better myself - Rockboy can't get enough of the percussion and the rhythm - just makes him wanna dance.

Mvula also has a wonderful sense of style - clean, unfussy, strong, coupled with a still kind of beauty that draws you in and keeps you listening. I think I've fallen under her spell.

Cocktail Hour

Once upon a time, cocktail hour was part of the day's raison d'être - the ice bucket, the drinks cabinet, the glasses chilled to perfection - a chance to kick your shoes off and unwind at the end of a hectic day. The whole ritual seems gloriously liberating (and if I looked like Julianne Moore in 'A Single Man' at sundown so much the better), though obviously a completely impractical one to engage in on a daily basis.  Two cocktails is usually enough to render the average person completely useless, so it beats me how anyone ever managed to do anything - make dinner, bath the kids, supervise unfinished last minute homework - it doesn't really fit in with the modern day now sadly does it?

Julianne Moore in A Single Man. Photo: Eduard Grau

That said, there will always be a time and a place for a well earned Martini - say at Harry's Bar in Venice on your birthday.  Though as Dorothy Parker once said: “Ah, the Martini Cocktail.  One has me under the influence, a second has me under the table – a third has me under the host.” Quite.... I can assure you I only had the one.

A classic Martini at Harry's Bar

Mad Men Season 6 just premiered, which is as good an excuse as any to dust off your bottles of Cointreau, polish up your cocktail shaker and get mixing. The guys and gals of Madison Avenue have sashayed into the Swinging Sixties now - cue bigger hair, cat flick eyeliner and sleeker silhouettes, and whilst we can't predict what will happen to Don, Betty, Joan et al by the end of this penultimate series, one thing's for sure, they'll have downed a fair few cocktails along the way.

Poster illustration by Creative Studio Radio

This is a show that enjoys a serious drink - Don downs Old Fashioneds like they're going, well, out of fashion,

Photo: AMCTV

Silver Fox Roger Sterling's a Vodka Martini kind of a guy,

Poster illustration by Creative Studio Radio

and Betty's been known to order a Vodka Gimlet when the going gets tough.

Photo: AMCTV

So in the name of research obvs, English Gent and I headed off into downtown Geneva in search of Le Verre A Monique - a cocktail bar that calls itself a 'speakeasy' which really piqued my interest.  Speakeasies were the bars that thrived during 1930's US Prohibition, all hidden, under the counter stuff - would we find it, would we be allowed in?

Cocktail Menu at Le Verre a Monique

 

As it turns out, it was perfectly easy to find and whilst it's not a Speakeasy in the traditional sense, the decor makes a definite nod to the 1930's with Art Deco mirrors and sofas and a laid back atmosphere that was very conducive to sipping on a Martini. Trouble was, which one to choose - Cucumber, Lychee and Rose, Butterfly?

Cucumber Martini

In the end I went for the Cucumber Martini - made with Hendricks gin, which is one of my favourite things and it didn't disappoint. English Gent had a Negroni with Aperol (as opposed to the more traditional Campari) which was equally delicious, and whilst the barman wasn't quite throwing the bottles around à la Tom Cruise in Cocktail he definitely knew what he was doing.

Cucumber Martini & Negroni

It all felt very grown up and rather classy, to be out sipping snazzy drinks in a cool retro bar (you can tell I don't get out much) and hearking back to times past.  Aah, nostalgia, I'll drink to that.