let it........

Overnight 20" of snow in Brooklyn
A winter wonderland
 

Photo of Prospect Park in 1904 from HERE

Wishing you a very Peaceful Christmas

This has been quite a year 

to think merely 12 months ago I was preparing for, what was, unknowingly

to be our last Christmas in our house in Ireland.

Now here we are in New York 

The adjustment for the children has been more difficult than

I anticipated but slowly, we are all finding our way.

I thought it appropriate on this Christmas eve to share with you

these beautiful photographs by someone whom I have met in my new life here in 

the big Apple

Meghan Hickey

There is such a quiet peace in her photographs

These are taken from a series called

"Sensible Longing"

They find the sacred in the Urban world

Meghan wrote this about the series

In many ways, the series Sensible Longing grew out of my budding relationship with the Rolleiflex medium-format camera I acquired a year and a half ago. I'd seen some work by another photographer on a Rollei, and I knew right away it was the tool I needed - the tone, the texture, the romance with light were all what I was looking for, plus I quite simply loved the square shape. As I began to learn more about this particular camera, its personality traits and limitations, I really began to appreciate the sensory experience it provides: looking down into the hood, half tuning out the noise around me, I steal a moment alone with the subject, and give myself permission to be present in a way that might not otherwise be possible. It's a contemplative moment, and in keeping with the spirit of the project. I will occasionally will use another medium-format camera, such as a Diana, for the series, but the Rollei is my partner in this enterprise.

Wishing you all the most peaceful and serene of

Christmas Days

x

blog blank......

Blog Blank: when you saw an image or an article on a blog

not too long ago that you now want to reference, re-read,

show someone or refer to for some other reason......

but you cannot remember where you saw it and cannot

after too many an hour trawling through familiar blogs,

find that one image/article/christmas present you were looking for

Chadwick Tyler

Haunting 

,,,,,,,, and beautiful

by

Chadwick Tyler

Breakfast Biscotti

Sometimes the morning after a day of feasting

one doesn't feel like a large slap up brunch

but more a crunchy,
yet sweet breakfast of strong coffee and Italian biscotti

I started to make these when I lived in
rural Ireland and purchasing Italian Biscotti
meant a train ride to Dublin.
Now I know these are better than any store bought ones I have tried.
The method sounds a little fiddly but really it is incredibly simple
maybe just a step more than your usual cookie
But this is what gives these their tooth breaking crunch.

RECIPE

1 large egg

4ozs sugar

1/2 tspn vanilla extract

5 ozs plain flour

1/2 tspn baking powder

1/4 tspn salt

2 ozs whole almonds

3 ozs chocolate chips

METHOD

Line a baking tray with parchment paper

Pre-heat oven to 350f/180c

Whisk the egg and sugar with an electric whisk until pale, you want it to leave ribbons when you lift the whisk

Add vanilla extract, then fold in flour, salt and baking powder

Add choc chips and almonds

Shape dough into a log approx 10" long which is tapered at each end

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes

Remove and leave to set for 5-10 mins

Slice into biscotti and lay back on the baking tray 

Pop back in oven for 10 mins then turn and cook for a further 5-10 mins

Remove and cool on a wire rack

You can store them in an airtight container for 7-10 days... but

They probably won't last that long.

Photo's by Helen James

Sometimes it's the small things....

New table and chair from

Ikea

for my budding Artist

Photo by Mark Geary

Tom Ford

Tom Ford the modern day Midas

He turned around Gucci

He was THE designer of the nineties

His first movie was oscar nominated

His scents are divine

his eyewear coveted

I have to say I never really liked his Gucci work

I admire him, but it was not to my taste

However, now he has returned to women's wear

and the pieces look exquisite

Tom created a sensation when he decided to show his capsule collection 

to a miniscule 100 selected people

shunning many press and bloggers

and going against the grain of instant gratification.

The pieces are immaculately made and meant to last 

The true future of luxury.

New collection available at his Men's stores

As seen on http://www.vogue.com/magazine/

10th collection by Eilis Boyle

10th collection from Eilis Boyle on Vimeo.

so beautiful
from the ever talented Eilis Boyle
To see photos from the launch event go
HERE
to see more beautiful clothes by Eilis
go HERE

coming up.....

Tune in tomorrow for the online launch of 

Eilis Boyle's 

10th collection

Fashion Film

I married an Irish farmer

Imen of I married an Irish Farmer

I am both humbled and flattered that the wonderful Imen of 

I married an irish Farmer

asked me to do an interview for her wonderful blog.

Her questions were truly thought provoking for me

to read it and find out what I am up to here in New York

click HERE

I look forward to the day Imen and I meet in the real world

for proper teatime

Loretta Lux

Photographs by

Loretta Lux

exhibition on now at

Galleria Carla Sozzani

in Milan

Louise's last year



incredible pictures of

Louise Bourgeois

by

Alex Van Gelder

In her final year of life

to see more go here

New collection by Eilis Boyle

 Incredible new collection by Eilis Boyle

so beautiful

Eilis talks often on her blog about 

the struggles of being creative and 

having to pay the electricity bill

This collection was all about bursting through

that struggle and trying to find her

"true identity"

through design

I believe she succeeded

to see more go here 

........ and she used a Helen James headpiece
in the shot above

never looked so good

x

commes des garcons s/s 2011

Only Rei Kawakubo 

could make a wig turned inside out

the chicest headgear on the runway 

this season

German Collins

I couldn't make it to the opening of the exhibition by

incredibly talented photographer

German Collins 

last Thursday in Dublin

but I didn't want you to  miss out on seeing these

inspiring and beautiful images

for more work by German go HERE

Irish Talent

Dais from Dais on Vimeo.

A beautiful short film 

Conceived by Sonya Lennon

and Christian Amman

what's new what's next

On Thursday

was being held at the New York Design Centre on Lexington Ave

An Emporium for Interior Designers

I went along to have a look around

I loved the organic lighting by

AQUA

These reminded me of Sea Anemones and Jellyfish

I was also captivated by the creations of
textile artist

Maki Yamamoto

Also this week all of our boxes have arrived from Ireland

I had a helper to unpack

He came prepared 

(sorry for the bad iphone pictures ..it was 6am)

 All of these strange shapes and sizes

 unwrapped to reveal treasures I already owned

Like christmas presents from a best friend who knows

just what you like

All of my cookery and design reference books

This Domino book of interiors, will be dog eared in just a few months

We are trying to make our apartment feel like home

I will keep you updated on all the changes

Marchesa inspiration

The inspiration walls of 

MARCHESA

just another weekend in New York City

Well it's been quite a weekend!

Friday night was Fashions Night Out!

I wanted to go home to bed

NO

You are in NYC! 

YOU MUST GO

said my angel/devil on my shoulder

Yes they were right I must

Decided to pick one event and then explore things in close proximity to this!

The event that was picked was 

The Olsen twins at their Elizabeth & James store

The reason?

 The Row A/W10

a) I really admire their label The Row 

b) a friend was playing a gig nearby right after (hey I was always practical)

c) my colleague who was accompanying me wanted to go

We arrived at the store at 6:50

10 mins before they were due
There were not many people around

"sorry ladies, wait here" said the man above

so we waited .....

The queue quickly snaked around the block

passing the time looking at my friends shoes.....

Eventually we entered the store
we were like 2 giddy groupies

The Olsens were looking petite and demure as they manned the cash registers

(no flash sorry)

Job done we were off to check out other things, 

We were in the meatpacking district and it was buzzing 

bands playing on the street, lots of fabulous people
shopping, chatting.
There was a carnival atmosphere

unfortunately the Alexander Mcqueen shop

was just closing as we arrived

we had to make do with looking in the windows

I will go back next week

Saturday morning I went to one of my favourite Brooklyn stores

Layla

I want everything in this store

The clothes

The jewelry

The Home collections

I settled on 2 shirts and a dress 60% off in the sale!
Then Saturday evening I met an old friend

The creator of this incredible jewelry collection

Mannin

we browsed Maryam Nassir Zadeh 

it was 7pm 

....don't you love New York

 I wanted these shoes so bad

and this scarf....... you can't believe how soft it was

Then Sunday I was off to the 

DKNY spring 2011 fashion show
It was held on Greenwich Street
in the west village
not in Lincoln centre like most of the shows this season
There were huge amounts of press/bloggers outside
photographing shoes, bags, buyers, celebrities

waiting for everyone to sit and the show to start.

Natalie Massenet from Net-a-porter was opposite me

Hilary Alexander was across the way

Oh, they were all there

The fashion crew

........and me

The show was all about the scarf

The palette was navy, dune, pink and red

You can see it tomorrow on Style.com

I'm off to bed....... I have to get up for work in the morning!