FULLY ENJOY AUTUMN HUES

Autumn is a time to rejoice; not yet Winter, so time to adjust to worse weather ( rain, freezing temperatures, ice on the sidewalk, well; simple: it has a name: HELL !) but mainly time to enjoy your home; to enjoy all those chocolate and aubergine colours. In fact, a perfect time to recoil in a cool and easy way with no stress.

 All inspirations are worthwhile and a trend setter chart is a splendid way to head towards this end of year. You know why ? We've decided to make it the BEST year we've ever had. Don't ask me who "We" are but we're quite a bunch ! Just like you.

This picture was taken in a Turkish palace. A little travelling doesn't do any harm, does it ?

Hydrangeas in the old pink colours are an invocation of Fall. Dried , they make wonderful natural bouquets. It all stands in where and how you place them at home: either it sounds dreadfull and smells psychologically  like " dust" and you're almost half dead or it is wisely placed ... and it is SO  contemporary ! I will let you have all the subtlety needed; I'm sure you'll make it without my help !

I know I can't fool you, we're in a fabulous Lodge... but no one said we couldn't indulge at that time of year ! Well, that's Namibia or South Africa... Don't even bare the thought that I might give you that precious address !! I'll keep it to myself ! Just send a comment and be sure I'll give you the address and the best way to get there ... FAST !

I was just letting you in on more of warm chocolate hues for  Autumn.  Inspiration .

Back to good old Paris with its own tones of warmth for the Autumn season. Doesn't it feel cosy ?

Lazying in the sofa: a good book in hand like "The Russian Concubine" . A candlelight ( chocolate colour best) on the coffee table, lounge music as the one you're listening to right now on this "IrresistibleParis" blog and you're all set. I'll be terrible and suggest a glass of Limoux which is a great  French white wine with all the flavours of good old down Californian  Chardonnay . Irresistible of course. About 15 € the bottle...  who cares as long as it tastes like heaven ?

Inspiring ?

Forgot to set the table to the Autumn hues: that sounds quite like Fall.

Ooh ! Already bed time, no......... can't be. But we'll keep it in mind, seems quite subtle. And cosy.

Who could resist Autumn tones like those ?

Have a close look at Cindy's perfect skin and gleaming glow and keep the picture in your bathroom, or kitchen, or bed side, or well, EVERYWHERE ; I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to copy that look : warm, comfortable and fresh. No pretense. Perfect for the coutryside, perfect for that long week-end. ... I don't dare say that I like it for every day life, here, in Paris.

I'll try it; promise. I'll take pictures; promise.

And let you in on the recap. ( Ouh ! I better look good !) 

I'm sure Revlon could be of help. I'll give you more update on the fabulous Fall make up looks this week-end when I'll get through all the pages of ALLURE and other magazines. See you on Sunday for more counselling. Can't wait !

Darling GRANDE DAME wasn't in great shape this morning : slightly in her embedded dreams, Sweety. We love her nonetheless.

COUNT DOWN TO HALLOWEEN ! READY TO PARTY !

Count down to Halloween ! HALLOWEEN is this next Sunday 31st of October, whether you like it or not !
So yes, normally Halloween is all oranges and blacks.




Spooky too. Champagne glasses with a horrific writing  "poison", "caution", "warning"... Black and orange bottles and foam tombstones will do the trick.

However, this year I wanted to play it on the "chic" side. Let's have a try at it !

We'll skip the orange and stay close to blacks: rats, bats, spiders, black ravens.
Black tablecloths, white spider webs on windows, on your family frames, on book shelves, on doorways and you will re-use them next year. Build up your Halloween Collection !
Black bats of all sizes cut out from Canson paper that you glue in the most improbable places: just behing the toilet seat is awsome and very bed taste but so funny ! Black candle in the loo too... you won't stay long !


Believe me ; that's your ... stocking ! Glue it on glasses !
Black candles ! Every where; and when I say every where I mean it ! Out your hall way . Dash first to IKEA and buy everything you can in black. Big, medium and all sorts of candle holders and "photophores" in black.

Darkness will put you on the safe side. In your hall cobwebs on the lamps, paper spiders hanging from the "lustre". Find a eerie CD.



 

Black tulle bought at the Saint Pierre Market in Montmartre will be splendid !

And a cross in old wood found on the street curb with a white or black inscription somewhere half hidden with your name on it... fantastic ! Your're almost there !!!!

BLACK AND ORANGE HALLOWEEN PASTA from Epicurious.com



Courtesy of www.epicurious.com

Cooking by color might not be the surest way to devise holiday-appropriate recipes, but who can resist the lure of black linguine on Halloween?...

Ingredients :
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

2 orange bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound black linguine or spaghetti (squid or cuttlefish ink pasta)

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

Preparation :

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.

Toss squash and bell peppers with garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a 17- by 11-inch 4-sided sheet pan. Roast, stirring once, until vegetables are just tender and browned in spots, 25 to 35 minutes.

While vegetables finish roasting, cook linguine in a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return to pot.

Remove sheet pan from oven and pour reserved water over vegetables, stirring to loosen from pan. Stir in olives, then add vegetable mixture to pasta in pot and toss to combine.
http://www.epicurious.com/


DEVIL'S BLACK AND WHITE CAKE WITH SPIDER WEBS from http://www.epicurious.com/





I'll make a slight change as the recipe is far too long for me and for my tight schedule ( 7 kids, 2 moles, 3 rats, 9 guinea pigs running around my 75m2 apartment ) .

Hope Epîcurious won't mind .
Just make any black chocolate cake and work out the topping with a meringue topping :
3 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons water

All elegance as in The Decorista below :



There's another setting for Halloween as seen on http://www.thedecorista.com/ ; great website !

Don't forget "Trick or treat" and do have home a whole wheelbarrow of candies; if you can find them all in orange and black; you're the devil itself !

Enjoy your HALLOWEEN !

ART ELYSEES : MODERN ALRIGHT BUT CERTAINLY NOT CONTEMPORARY

There again a medley of what I could find as most "Contemporary" at ART ELYSEES .

Russia as you'll probably will never see it or then you have quite a problem with your eye sight.

Sorry no good ophtalmologist in my adress book. Spa adresses I have, Vintage shops too... but doctors, no fun . No use.

Collages but on thin boards all hanging from the top and  moving at the touch of your hand.

You are gulped in. So many details to look at. Good game for your kids too. Should take it with you on road trips and ask to find such and such little detail. Only a few thousands dollars Honey... What wouldn't we do for our children... to keep them out of  mischief and quarels.

Peeking inside an apartment building in 3D.

Peeking into an office building without the 3D.

How can 2 pieces of wood exude such tenderness, such love ? Tell me....

Look at her, she's desperate for that kiss, almost imploring for it .

And there my little old lady , wrinkles and all. I'd love to give her a kiss.

Well, maybe I wouldn't give HIM a kiss, just aknowledge his beauty. That's enough.

And she's my "GRANDE DAME".

A princess.

Every morning on my way to work, I see my Grande Dame, I say "Hello, good day to you !" She's like us, different every day, sometimes still quite in the limbs of sleep with her head all hazy, sometimes wide awake and seems to have already gone jogging and ready for an active day.

She's having a bit of Botox right now after the big brown lifting she had last year. You can't imagine how many people take good care of her; more than me anyway. Ask http://www.toureiffel.com/.

Wrong, it isn't Franck Gehri and his new Louis Vuitton building in the Parc d'Acclimatation.

It is from Isabelle GIROLLET . You can see more of her art work at the "Images de Fer" gallery.

SLICK 2010 : YOUNG AND DASHING AT THE PALAIS DE TOKYO

If you haven't had time to go on the Arty rat race this week and now that it is about closing time for the show here are a medley of the captivating artists : easy to guess that the choice is totally mine, totally biased but totally enjoyable !! Waow, what modesty ! Runs for free right now !

Your " havaianas do brasil" glued together as an art piece; you didn't think of it when lazying like an alligator on Ipanema beach; well, Rio is supposed to be very dangerous "thief wise" : now it is understandable the only way to collect so many havaianas is by steeeling them. So now, no problem with strolling Copacabana with your Rolex; but beware of your shoes !  

Greys and a little comunist red as we're in Beijing. Red for luck too.

Wonderful Galerie "Paris-Beijing"

Liu Bolin with his "Hide in the City"

Another of Liu Bolin's hiding men.

All cut out from a wood board.

Tom LEIGHTON and his incredible psychedelic dreamlands.

Dust, dispair, death.

Paris-Beijing Galery

More fun there; nice to see some colour !

Guido BAGINI from the The Flat - Massimo Carasi gallery

A little design

FIAC 2010 : BLING BLING !

FIAC 2010 is an excellent "cru", "belle et sexy" as says Beaux - Arts. Quite true but also very bling bling.

A little mix of this year's fun Fiac.

Sequins, colours, collages.

Out of the 640 "wannabes" only 194 actually "are", that's called skimming. Like skimmed milk. I am talking about the galeries of course.

The result, a hush along the alleys, wider spaces, less mic mac.

Anish KAPOOR

Don't even ask me for the prices. They are outrageous. No crisis on that planet.

Recognize Opie ?

This beautiful black masterpiece should be bought by Baccarat. In fact, this painting with somewhat of Soulages's inspiration  is the 2nd one in the Fiac's 1st days; one has already been sold in wee hours and it happened that the artist had another one just very freshly painted but in fact, still hardly dry: that is the one you see on the picture.

This is not a photograph; it is a painting. Very trendy for our parisian appartments.

I have to admit that I have taken the habit of enjoying VIP service ! "Coupe-file" ticket, welcomed on board the Grand Palais liner by gorgeous half Russian half French young and smiling Katia RAYMONDAUD of ARTPASHION, all clad in her blue turquoise Burberry trench and high up on her Gucci shoes,  who will glide you down the alleys of the FIAC like on a magic carpet giving you all the "inside" info you should know, saying "Hello" here and there to a few galerists, making you feel the SUPER VIP. That's the ONLY way to go about it; just try, you'll see !

No lost time, and all her flair to let you browse and all the professional advice you need to be an accurate buyer.

A last stop at the VIP Lounge with a fresh glass of champagne in hand, a few anecdotes, and you already want to follow her to Carré du Louvre and for a whole tour of the Marais galeries. Her clients come all the way  from Australia, not minding a bit the hell of a trip and the thousands of miles of flying even First Class, believe me !

http://www.artpashion.com/

or contact Katia at KR@artpashion