Thursday 31 July 2008

Beautiful people, beautiful homes

The Greek islands. Where the golden youth of Greece turns for sunbathing and relaxing...
Mykonos is the Queen of summer fun, the playground of the rich and the wannabes.





Then there are the sophisticated few who choose the less beaten path...like the island of Patmos (the island of the Apocalypse of St. John the Apostle) , like American Interiors Architect Holly Lueders-Spizzirri.
There are the perennial favorites, of course, like Hydra, beloved of painters and artists like Suzanne Elrod,


and Aegina,a breath away from Athens,where culture always came first. For those in the know...like the artist Danae Stratou.

And finally Sifnos, the discrete one, a preferred spot of Ioanna Theocharopoulou of Columbia University and her husband the Architect Christian Hubert.
and the very stylish and graceful Niki Boutaris of Greek wine making fame.

Won't you join us?

(All photos Vogue Hellas)


Wednesday 30 July 2008

Greek Vacation Homes-Tinos

Here is a picture of the Alain de Botton book I mentioned here. Fits my other pictures perfectly. Colorwise, that is. We'll talk Greek mountains on a later date, although I love going to the mountains in the summer, when everyone heads with all the apauling summer gear to the sweaty seaside.

Nothing to put you off here. But, tourists are always treated better than locals in Greece. That is why I pull my expat ID off my sleave and head wherever and get ourselves a vacation. No chance otherwise.

Do read The Architecture of Happiness it's a great summer read that we'll have you refreshed for la rentree.


Now let's take a look at a lovely house on the island of Tinos in the Aegean Sea. The island is a popular destination for pious Greeks because of the church of Virgin Mary. The story goes that in June of 1822 at the nunnery of Kechrovounion, a nun by the name of Pelagia had a series of visions of the Holy Virgin. Mary instructed Pelagia to inform the elders of Tinos village that they were to begin excavations in an uncultivated field, where they would find a sacred icon. Excavations began and on January 30, 1823, a worker digging in the soil discovered the icon. Subsequent archaeological excavations have determined the area of the icon's discovery to have been the site of an ancient Byzantine church and, before that, the temple of Dionysos.

The icon, called Panagia Evangelistria, meaning Our Lady of Good Tidings, is a beautiful portrayal of Mary kneeling with her head bent in prayer. Regarded by scholars as being older than the Byzantine period, it is attributed to the Apostle and Evangelist St. Luke. It is assumed that the icon was a sacred object in the Byzantine church and was hidden or lost around the time of the Moslem invasions.

After the discovery of the icon, the construction of a new church begun. Before the church was completed in 1830, large numbers of pilgrims flooded to the island from every corner of Greece. Numerous reports of miracles of healing rapidly increased the fame of the Church of the Megolohari. As a result the sacred icon is the most venerated pilgrimage item of the Greek nation. Four major festival days are celebrated at the shrine: January 30, the anniversary of the finding of the icon; March 25, the Annunciation of Mary; July 23, the anniversary of the vision of the nun Pelagia; and greatest of all, August 15, the Assumption of Mary.
The house I am showing you today belongs to a Greek RISD graduate who made shop in Athens, one of the finest in town.
She and her husband worked with the Zeppos + Georgiadi office to create the light and airy house of their dreams in yet unspoilt Tinos.



Together they created a typical internal landscape of the Aegean, with traditional touches and light and modern air.

The Architecture of Happiness



Dream of a Greek vacation? Blue and white, a touch of the picturesque, yet fresh and classy? A little ethnic, a little Zen, perfectly balanced? For your eyes only?

Come along with me to some of the best houses on the Greek isles. They won't disappoint.

They belong to classy, artsy, beautiful people who hav something to say about what Greece is about. (No, it's not just gyros and mousaka).

Most of them have travelled the world, expats who settled into a holiday home they furnished like they only could.

Others have used some fine interior designers that we are going to meet together.

Summer in Greece...and The Architecture of Happiness. With clin d' oeil a mon cher Alain de Botton and his brilliant Architecture of Happiness .

Friday 25 July 2008

Etsy Love!



I have so little time or disposition to go shopping these days. But I clicked on Etsy and here is what I caught my attention. Love you crafters!

Items picked from Artish and Cherie Lester.

Thursday 24 July 2008

Greek Chic and Vintage

In previous posts, about the Mamma Mia! movie, I promised some shabby chic, the Greek way. Here is an appetiser for you. Shots of interiors (truly, originally shabby!) from the island of Folegandros in the Aegean Sea.




Talking about real shabby, I have often wondered at the amazement all sorts of vintage finds provoke. Does anyone think where they come from? What sort of life they have lived? Do people appreciate shabby when they find it in its original surroundings? Apartment Therapy has definitively created a trend there.


So, I have created a Flickr group where you can find and post your own pictures of original vintage and shabby settings and potential treasures to fuel your imagination. Do click on my sidebar and head for my True Vintage collection of throw away chic!

Hop hop

I did not win in the infamous super quilt giveaway, but the girl has humor. Look at the pictures she made up to announce the recipients. That was fun!

Wednesday 23 July 2008

Mamma Mia! Thanks for posting this!


I meant to post a shabby chic inspired interiors post, as shown in the Mamma Mia! movie. But I did not with the outlaws and all the pressure and instability at home.

But, fortunately, there are people around who can do that for me in the meantime. My Notting Hill has posted here some interesting pictures from some Greek hotels that she approximates to the film's decor. She is posting among them pictures of the Vedema in Santorini. I did their first advertisement some fifteen years ago. Go think!
And she also posts a picture of the Sonoma pillow I had posted here as well as other Grecian inspired accessories.
Do check out the Notting Hill post. I promise to do something here next week!

Tuesday 22 July 2008

Love List Giveaway & Home Tour

Hello,
The quilt giveaway will be decided tomorrow. Some 2500 entries so far. That is the mostest I've seen for an entry! Do we all really need this quilt hard enough to make fools of ourselves on video? on YouTube? Oh please! But, what can I say. I am to blame, too. I do like the colors and fabrics involved.
I have read some quite hard core comments over at Corine's of Hidden in France (thanks for acknowledging the link!) regarding the Old Red Barn Co giveaway. Things like "I hate" or "snork". So much chic-ness going around, I love it!

For those of you into tres chic stuff, here is another giveaway I just found about and just couldn't keep it all to myself. It is by uber chic blogger of The Love List whom I first mentioned on this post about Sex and the City-The Movie.


This giveaway is for a Jonathan Adler silk bamboo pillow, pictured above.
While there, do not forget to check The 2008 Blogger's Home Tour. This kind of thing is kind of sneaky, rubbing shoulders with our most Hello-ish selves, but you know, with The Love List participants it is definitively going to be done in an elegant way.

Even if you don't want to enter the giveaway, do visit Jessica who,apart from being very stylish, is, as it happens with real chic, a very nice person, too.

Thursday 17 July 2008

Fashion Photographer Tim Walker

Tim Walker is a photographer whose pictures have graced Vogue many times. His universe is fairy like, whimsical and a little scary at times, with an unseen threat looming around his fragile yet determined nymphs.


Among my favorites is the Madonna story he shot for American Vogue, where the queen of transformations plays the mummy card,
and some of his moody, theatrical shots, where he is at his best.



There is an exhibition running at the Design Museum in London, for those of you who can commute to the City,

and a book to match, called, quite evocatively, Pictures.
You may see more of Walker's work here.

Wednesday 16 July 2008

Fabulous Quilt Giveaway!


I have come across the most fantastic offer I have seen on the web and perhaps the only one that is open to international participants. Don't you just love it when people are being generous?

As I read in this post by Sandi, Old Red Barn Co, that sadly I have never heard of before, is hosting a giveaway for a beautiful, amazing, just wonderful beyond words, happy little quilt, made by Sandi Henderson's for Michael Miller juicy fabrics.

Click here to read more about the giveaway, or have a look at my sidebar.
Best of luck and keep your fingers crossed that I may win (I'll do that for you, if you do it for me!)
One more thing: Dana , I do not know you, but you rock!

Tuesday 15 July 2008

Mamma Mia! Original Shabby Chic


You say you love shabby chic. You love the original as opposed to the mass made and mass marketed. Then do not miss this film. Or the Mamma Mia!soundtrack. You are in a for a treat!

Thursday 10 July 2008

Sur un air d' ete...


Coming all the way from the Greek port of Marseille, established a couple of thousand years ago, Guy Tempier paints the freedom of travelling in the open sea. It's not just painting. It's a song. Set sail, my heart!



Guy Tempier est un artiste Marseillais qui traduit le reve de la mer et la liberte de l' ete en noir et blanc mais aussi en couleur vif, onirique. Laissez-vours transporter. Atmospherique. J' adore!


Merci, Monsieur. Ahoy!

Friday 4 July 2008

Mademoiselle Grecque




Kartell’s enhances once again the affinities between fashion and design with the much-renowned “Mademoiselle à la Mode” series. Like the women who inspired her design, Mademoiselle chair designed by Philippe Starck loves to be truly “à la mode”, well dressed for every occasion.

To satisfy the muse, Kartell turned to provide the Mademoiselle a brand new glamorous wardrobe fit, designed by the founder and creative director of .LAK, Lakis Gavalas.


.LAK donated Kartell a baby footer cotton fabric in grey colour, with an all-over windmills pattern. The result is a “100%Greek & 100% .LAK” Mademoiselle à la mode: on one side, in fact, windmills are a typical Greek icon, as well as the trademark of Mykonos island; on the other side, baby footer and the grey nuance characterize every .LAK collection since the beginning of the brand.

The new Mademoiselle à la Mode by .LAK was officially presented in May 28th, in Athens.



The chair will be showcased in the windows of all .LAK boutiques as well as Kartell flags in the country.

Mademoiselle à la Mode! is a traveling exhibit featuring a series of special editions of Kartell’s Mademoiselle armchair created and styled by an A-list of international fashion designers.


Conceived as a chair with a feminine identity by Philippe Starck, Mademoiselle has been created with unique fabrics or “pieces of wardrobe” suitable for different settings. The fashion house re-imaginations in the Mademoiselle à la Mode! Exhibit range from the elegant and romantic to the witty and eclectic. Each chair offers a glimpse into the inspirations, styles and expertise of many of the world’s top couturiers, while simultaneously translating their work to the world of design and further strengthening the relationship between the two creative fields.

(En Francais)
Kartell renforce une fois de plus les affinités entre la mode et le design avec la très célèbre série “Mademoiselle à la mode”. Les femmes ont inspiré sa conception, “Mademoiselle président” conçue par Philippe Starck est véritablement “à la mode”, bien habillées pour chaque occasion. Kartell s’est tourné vers la Mademoiselle pour fournir une toute nouvelle garde-robe glamour conçue par le fondateur et directeur créatif “LAK”, Lakis Gavalas. Le résultat est une “100% grec. La nouvelle chaise design “Mademoiselle à la mode” par LAK a été officiellement présentée le 28 Mai , à Athènes.
“Mademoiselle à la mode”est une exposition itinérante mettant en vedette une série d’éditions spéciales de fauteuils “Mademoiselle Kartell” et créée par des designers internationaux. Après une première série de mode (Valentino, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Missoni, Moschino, Trussardi et Zegna), et un deuxième tour avec les couturiers parisiens (Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, Loulou de la Falaise, Chantal Thomass, Barbara Bui et Jean Charles de Castelbajac, le moment est venu pour “Lak”.
Conçue par Philippe Starck comme une chaise avec une identité féminine, “mademoiselle” a été créée à l’aide de tissus unique ou de “morceaux de garde-robe” appropriés pour différents paramètres. Les pièces de cette gamme design sont élégantes et romantiques. Chaque chaise offre un aperçu des inspirations, des styles et des compétences des plus grands couturiers, tout en traduisant leurs travaux au monde du design.

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