L'Heure du Thé à Paris

Eye candy on a plate, small and perfectly formed bite-sized pastries to delight the senses half-way through the afternoon, an accompaniment to tea-time as part and parcel of life's little pleasures and treasures, either solo or shared, and where calories are not given much more than a second glance and a sigh of enjoyment...

Source: Pict 1-12: All pastries featured on Marie Claire Maison (each with its own detailed recipe), as part of an article on party puddings:

1. Financiers au Thé Matcha by Anaïs Olmer, founder of Bogato      
2. Petits Choux à la Pistache by pastry chef Philippe Andrieu c/o Ladurée
3. Pandoro Gourmand by Laura Zavan, Italian cookery writer and food stylist      
4. Petits Pots de Crème à la Rose by pastry chef Philippe Andrieu c/o Ladurée     
5. Salade d'Oranges aux Epices by Gontran Cherrier
6. Pavlova aux Marrons, et Meringue Façon Mont-Blanc by Tartes Kluger
7. Fondants Pommes Caramel by Philippe Conticini c/o La Pâtisserie des Rêves
8. Cupcake à la Pistache by Cupcakes Berko
9. Cantine d'Hiver by Anaïs Olmer, founder of Bogato
10. Chocolat Chaud au Caramel by pastry chef Sébastien Gaudard
11. Affogato à la Crème, Sauce au Chocolat by frozen desserts chef Romuald Herbaux c/o Amorino
12. Cupcake à la Framboise et Cupcake à la Myrtille by Cupcakes Berko.

Man vs. Nature - Northern Corsica

From the origins of human life, the great architect of the universe has "pitted" mankind against the elements and the natural world; in our daily peregrinations we may appreciate the evidence of complementarity between man and nature, their challenges and frustrations too, for in the quest for existence is a battle of the fittest, a Darwinistic illustration of every second spent on Earth...

Source: Pict 1-6: Taken by Mirabelle (2010) in the Northern Cape area of the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, where like elsewhere man and nature fight it inch by inch, tooth and nail, for territory in sometimes harsh climatic and toponymic conditions. The indigenous vegetation has demonstrated its incredible adaptability and resilience to poor soil, rocky terrain and high temperature variations between night and day/ Summer and Winter. Some plants develop rampant networks of roots for that extra grip and quest for the precious water commodity.

Lizzard Lounge or Lounge Lizzard?

The festive season is an invitation for lounging: to laze around in good company (or solo), stretching from one cushion to the next while unwrapping presents, glancing appreciatively at the chocolate box, playing games, catching up on the telephone, day-dreaming or watching that elegant movie classic that so befits the Christmas mood!

Sources:

• Pict 1+2: Week-end French local newpaper, advertising insert by French contemporary upmarket furniture designer Roche Bobois (09/10/2010) who are celebrating their 50th anniversary with a bang. Pict 1: Part of the sofa, upholstery and storage collections produced by French couture designer Jean-Paul Gaultier for RB, with that unmissable Gaultier touch of fun sobriety, and the trademark nautical theme always close by. Pict 2: Tanagra suite By RB.
• Pict 3: Calissons d'Aix du Roy René, a Provençal after-dinner almond- and melon-based sweet created in 1454, known as one of the 13 traditional Christmas desserts of Provence. Pictured by Mirabelle.

Inspiration - La Bastide de Marie

La Bastide dde Marie Hotel in Menerbes, France

One of my new clients is inspired by the French Farmhouse and she would like to create a modern and eclectic version of this for her home. Researching French Provence-style farmhouse, I came across this hotel via Habitually Chic.

La Bastide de Marie is a hotel in a 18th Century building based in Menerbes, Provence. Surrounded by vineyards and beautiful gardens, I have taken some of the interior influences to inspire this project. Read Habitually Chic's posting on it here and see the Vogue shoot that had actress Marion Collitard posing in this very hotel.

Photographs via Habitually Chic.