An Inspired Generation

Posted on by

9

If you know me, you know that Florence is the love of my life, but London is my LOVE (Confused? Don’t worry!). And now, I love London even more than ever before (if that was even possible!). The reason? The Olympics in London 2012.

The Olympic rings on Tower Bridge, a.k.a. ‘the gates to London’.

World Peace on Regent St. (front row): Bulgaria (Europe), Burkina Faso (Africa), Burundi (Africa), Cambodia (Asia), Cameroon (Africa) and Canada (North America)

SO, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND CHECK OUT THESE HIGHLIGHTS FROM LONDON 2012:

‘Inspire a Generation‘, the 100 day countdown, The Olympic Torch here, there and everywhere to sleeping safely at The Tower of London after its dramatic arrival, The Olympic rings on Tower Bridge, a quirky and fun opening ceremony a la Danny Boyle (Beijing 2008’s will always be in a league of its own), 007 and the Queen, the  very original steel and copper Thomas Heatherwick-designed cauldron lit by the ‘next generation’, the best logo…EVER!, the hippest font on fantastic pink signage, the cutest mascots (looove Wenlock and Mandeville!), the most historic and picturesque venues, Mo Farah’s double,  Usain Bolt’s double double, Jessica Ennis’ gold at the Heptathlon, Michael Phelps as the most decorated Olympian of all time, South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius a.k.a. the fastest man with no legs running against Bolt, Tom Daley’s splash in the pool after his bronze win, the Italian swimmers lovebirds Filippo Magnini and Federica Pellegrini making out on the tube, Andy Murray‘s first championship win, Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France win to Olympic gold, Stephen Kiprotich’s marathon gold and Uganda’s first medal in 40 years, the first  ‘WOMEN’S’ Olympics (36% of medals won by Team GB were by women, Saudi Arabia’s first women delegation at the Olympics, women’s boxing debut as an Olympic event, etc.), the most user-friendly website (and that is coming from me!), empty seats and sellout crowds, free tickets to London schools, tickets ‘for all’ at £20.12…

OK, take another breath and stay with me!

Stella McCartney for Adidas‘ Team GB (individually fitted uniforms for ALL Team GB athletes, years in the making) to Giorgio Armani‘s Team Italia and Ralph Lauren‘s Team USA,  a great Athletes’ Village (the best one yet according to athletes), Aquatics Centre by Zaha Hadid, The Orbit by Anish Kapoor, the Badminton scandal, 70,000 incredible volunteers a.k.a. ‘the face of the games’, a secure and safe games with gratitude to the army, crowds moving fluidly at every event, a very friendly and fun atmosphere (GB fans cheering on even for other countries), Boris Johnson’s contagious enthusiasm, no congestion on the tube and beyond, the most environmentally-friendly Olympics ever (stadium made of previously used materials, basketball court de-assembled to be re-used, possibly in Rio), The Spice Girls’ reunion at the closing ceremony, and on and on and on. .. ‘An Inspired Generation’ indeed. Mission accomplished 007. Overall, a very priceless ‘it’.

You rock London and you did it with style! And now, the best for last: Paralympics, you are next!

What were your memorable moments of London 2012? Let me know if I missed anything!

More Flags on Regent St.: Norway (Europe), Oman (Asia), Pakistan (Asia) and Palau (Australia / Oceania)

All Photographs via Me

SPOTTED: IT Style ~ no. 4 (Jubilee Edition)

Posted on by

5

“The young need discipline and a full bookcase” (Vivienne Westwood)

Name: The Army Cadets Force

Location: St. Leonard’s Terrace, off The King’s Road – (near the National Army Museum)

Story: A slightly longer version than normal!

I was driving on The King’s Road and I spotted the cadets walking on the other side of the road, in the opposite direction.  I quickly did a U-turn (risking getting a ticket, as one cannot hide from the cameras driving in London!) and looked out for them in the busy Jubilee-weekend crowds.  I eventually spotted them walking down a side street (the ‘look’ was not hard to miss!) and luckily managed to figure out the tricky one-way system. I pulled up just past them as they were approaching around the bend.  I reversed my car back around the corner, put my hazard lights on, called out to them, and brought the whole troop back for these photos.  They said they were in London for the annual Trooping the Colour.  Traffic warden was approaching and I had to dash, going our seperate ways.  No more information was gathered. It all happened in what felt like two nanoseconds.

Wearing: National Pride

Style Inspiration: ‘Serve your country’

So young and sweet, yet so mature and committed all at the same time.   If all the youth were as disciplined as these, the future would be more promising! Ms. Westwood, you should be proud!

All Photographs taken via Me.

Do Come In To Spend The Queen

Posted on by

22

First impressions count.  And British retail got it perfectly right when designing their shop displays in honour of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Not only was ‘window shopping’ made even more  fun and exciting, but it also made it more enticing to spend the pound sterling and purchase a piece of  ‘a moment in time’.  After all, a Diamond Jubilee tea towel from Cath Kidston comes around only once every 60 years!

So enjoy some of the great window displays, as seen on and around The King’s Road and Sloane Square, for what was a very ‘it’ shopping experience.

 The fabulous L.K. Bennett, who started out with her first shoe shop in Wimbledon Village.  Kate Middleton made this shoe of Bennett’s very popular when she wore it with several outfits during the week of her wedding.

The Best of British at Space NK. I can spend hours here just browsing!

Jack Wills.  The British answer to Abercrombie & Fitch.

Probably the nicest JIGSAW location in London, at The Duke of York Square.  As we happen to be talking ‘Kate’, this was the company she worked for prior to becoming The Duchess of Cambridge. Love the clothes at Jigsaw.

With her first shop in London’s Notting Hill in 1993, Cath Kidston MBE, has made her signature  nostalgic floral patterns as iconic as the Burberry plaid.  I happen to LOVE her toiletry bags and take mine everywhere with me!

Famous for her candles, fragrances and more, the Jo Malone scent is uforgettable. Loving the hot pink  Union Jack bunting at this Sloane Street location.

The White Company, for all things ‘white’ in luxurious bathroom and bedroom linens. Would not expect anything less than a white display!

Even the Union Jack gets Orla Kiely‘s signature stem design!  Love this Irish, London-based designer.

All Photographs via Me

The Queen of Diamonds

Posted on by

5

Today is the two-week anniversary of my last post The Diamond Jubilee long weekend celebrations.  The weekend beginning June 2, 2012, marked Queen Elizabeth II‘s 60 years as the Queen of England (and beyond!).

Cover of The Times Newspaper (Saturday, June 2, 2012)

When it comes to serving one’s country from the throne, only one other British monarch has done it for longer:  Queen Victoria with her 63-year reign. No matter what one thinks of the British monarchy (I for one appreciate the tradition, rituals and history it offers), anyone doing the same job for 60 years (not to mention at 86 years of age!), deserves a celebration.  Now that is true dedication!

And celebrate London did. So for the next several posts, I shall be highlighting this once-in-a-lifetime event, which  united the commonwealth and all its people (minus the republicans of course).

Cover of The Times Newspaper (Monday, June 4, 2012)

So for reaching her Diamond Jubilee by being Queen for 60 years, I give this one a very royal ‘it’.

Photographs of newspapers via Me

The Sartorialist: A Dialogue

Posted on by

20

Something interesting happened in the blogosphere with yours truly, and I thought I would take a moment from my ‘no-blogging-this-diamond-jubilee long weekend’, to report on it.  Here it goes:

It all started with some comments I submitted to The Sartorialist regarding this particular photograph of a skateboarder.

For those of you who have not heard about  The Sartorialist (no excuses, it’s on my IT  Blogs list!), it’s the avant-garde style blog that was started by Scott Schuman in 2005.  Whether you are a design blogger, fashion student, photographer in the making, or simply a life lover, The Sartorialist should be on top of your daily blogs list.  Out of the gazillion blogs out there, he has nailed it like no other.

With loyal followers in the ‘too many to mention’ and the fashion world at his fingertips (the ‘who’s who’ of the industry checks out his daily photos for inspiration, not to mention bestowing upon him last night’s CFDA accolade), The Sartotialist is in a league of his own. 

Knowing all this, I was incredibly surprised and flattered when he took the time to re-post and interpret ‘that’ photograph in response to my very own comments! I thoroughly enjoyed reading his response, and while we may have different points of view, I was excited at the dialogue it created between myself and a blogger I greatly admire, as well as many of his followers.

You can view the entry here to read my paraphrased comments (my original comments were not published), The Sartorialist’s response, my new comment (written whilst half asleep!), and of course, to see the photograph that started it all.

Although I can write a Ph.D. thesis to clarify my original comments (insert wink here)and respond to some of the assumptions made via some readers (and another one here), reading many of the comments makes one thing clear; no matter what we each see in the photograph, its most beautiful aspect is the interpretation it leaves open to us all.

And that kind of a dialogue is an ‘it’ thing.

SPOTTED: IT Style ~ no. 3

Posted on by

10

“Fashion is architecture:  it is a matter of proportions.”  (Coco Chanel)

Name: Felipe Hecherm

Location: RAFFLES night club (present: the Prince of Brunei in the VIP area)

Story: Born in Mexico City.  Has been in London for 7 months and is studying Urbanism at the Architectural Association School of Architecture.

Wearing: Head to toe H & M and a Gin and Tonic.

Style Inspiration: ‘Buy what you like’

All Photographs via Me

LOVE IT

Posted on by

35

I love tea.

The glass teapot

Tea anyone?

Persian Rose Petal Tea (or chai as it’s called – pronounced cha-ee) to Indian Chai  (my grandmother used to make it for me  from her days living in India), relaxing Camomile Tea to healthy Green Tea, fresh Mint Tea and dates to detoxing Nettle Tea, English Breakfast Tea to Earl Grey Tea.  This tea to that tea.  Well, you get the idea.  In fact, I once thought about having a blog about ‘tea’ called…(stay tuned!)

Shall we?

A colourful treat

In particular, I love drinking it when it is pretty to look at.  Half the experience is in the eyes.  That is why I love the glass teapot.

Too steamy!

It is a simple, sensible and modern design.  It’s perfectly pleasing on the eyes, especially for drinking herbal teas (imagine the beauty of a Jasmine flower blooming in the hot water).  And it makes an ordinary experience feel like an extraordinary one.  The glass teapot, very ‘it’ indeed. Oh, and I just LOVE IT.

You can get yours here or here.

All photographs via Me

Spotted: IT Style ~ no. 2

Posted on by

14

 “The world said to conform. The world said to settle for less. The world said compromise and no one will know … so I made my own world!” (Bijan)

Shopping on the Kings Road

Name: A.A.

Location: Outside the Marks and Spencer in Chelsea (85 Kings Road)

Story: Born in Iran. Has been living in London for the past 12 years, and is working as a freelance makeup artist.

Wearing: Blazer (PINKO), jeans (Miss Sixty), boots and belt (All Saints), bag (Chanel), engagement ring (from Iran)

Style Inspiration:  ‘I always vary what I wear and like to change things up, but in one word: glamorous’.

The famous All Saints of Spitafields

Stunning eyes

All photographs via Me