Happy Thanksgiving In The USA

This Thursday will be the Thanksgiving celebration in the USA. This is also the last time that President Barack Obama and his family will be celebrating Thanksgiving at the White House. It is quite bittersweet and sad that they are at the end of their term. The Obamas have shown style, class, inclusion, diversity, progress and peace not only in the America but in the whole world. They are a cool, intelligent and welcoming family. With the Obamas, you see love, success and joy. We are thankful for their service and sacrifice to America and the World. Now, to celebrate them, Vogue perfectly placed First Lady on their December cover. Just in time to cheer us up after that depressing November Presidential election result. For the first time, the Obamas shared their private quarters in the White House with Architectural Digest Magazine. They really have style as their interiors and art in their private quarters are so full of colour and joy. The interior was designed by Michael Smith. Unfortunately, the Presidential family and administration will change in January 2017. This time it will be a start full of uncertainty, disgust and division in the USA. As the Vogue cover stated above, we have to be thankful and get happy for now! Hopefully, the new President - elect will not destroy the world. We have to at least try to be positive, that's the most we can do for each other. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be thankful and get happy for now!

Photo credits: Vogue.com and Architectural Digest

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Life is Beautiful

A house in Gourdon with well manicured vegetable garden.

During a vacation in the South of France, I was so inspired by all of the houses that I saw in every village and city that we visited.  Stone houses has been my favourite style of house for so long. I find it so cosy and natural. The bonus here was that I got a glimpse of their wonderful gardens too. Some filled with flowers or just plants and just like the first picture above, a well organised vegetable garden. I love that the products I discovered here in Provence were mostly hand made and used the most natural products that were abundant in the region like basket weaves, kitchen wares made of wood, lavender products, french linens to name a few.  The culture, the lifestyle, the products, culinary offerings, the homes and gardens of the region of Provence and the South of France are just like the new Lancome perfume, La Vie Est Belle/Life is Beautiful. Just like the Lancome perfume, composed of so many good things that come together perfectly to make life beautiful, fragrant and happy. 

St. Paul De Vence

Tourrettes sur Loup

Tourrettes-Sur-Loup is another of the dramatic and charming villages perché in the Provence region. It is located near Gourdon in the Loup Valley. The village is also full of medieval stone buildings and houses. It is a beautiful village to explore with its stone houses with displays of plants, flowers, some fountains and secret caves and nooks to wander around. The shops are fantastic too with lots of locally made products.

Tourrettes-sur-Loup

A Roman Aqueduct which was also transformed to a roadway and a view of Provencal houses in the valley.


Luberon Valley

Viscount David and Viscountess Serena Linley.  David Linley is the son of the late Princess Margaret and a nephew of Queen Elizabeth II. David Linley owns the luxurious and bespoke Design and Furnitures shop Linley in London's Pimlico Road while Serena has established her own business called Serena Linley Provence, featuring beauty and skin products made from their own Lavender fields at their Provencal country estate.

An elegant indoor and outdoor interiors.

The Swimming pool with a glorious view of the Luberon Valley.

The lavender fields in the Linley's Provence Estate. It took them five years to cultivate these Lavender fields.
To read the article and view more pictures of Lord Linley's Provence House, The Country Life.
Photo credits of Viscount Linley's House: Architectural Digest December 2005 and Vogue UK, November 2011

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Aerin Beauty

Photographed by Claiborne Swanson Frank. 

Aerin Lauder goes out on her own to launch her new company, Aerin. Just simply Aerin, no last name required as she is already known all over the world in her own name. She has travelled the world representing the family company, Estee Lauder, as Senior Vice President and Creative Director. Now she will be launching her own company with its own line of Beauty products first then in the coming months she will gradually launch a Home line and Accessories line. Aerin will also continue to be a Consultant and Brand Ambassador for Estee Lauder. 

Aerin is one of the women that I admire and that inspires me because of her simple and effortless elegance and hard work ethic. Working hard and being in the Cosmetics business for Aerin are so natural for her. This is not surprising since she grew up with and admired her grandmother Estee Lauder. Aerin belongs to a family that values hard work, innovation, strong business sense and great style in Fashion, Arts and Culture.  Aerin's own company and products will reflect her own style, taste and business philosophy. We are looking forward to the products that she will launch through her own company, Aerin. 

Aerin Beauty Products offers two groups: On the Left is the Weekday Palette and on the Right is the Weekend Palette. The Weekday Palette offers a more deeper colour shade and then the Weekend Palette transitions to a more lighter and natural shade. Aerin gives women here an easier and more organised cosmetic choices packaged in her trademark Gold Case, as she explained to prevent thumb mark prints in the case.  These products are available in Estee Lauder Cosmetic counters in most Department Stores in the U.S.A and also at Harrods, London, UK. 

Aerin at Work.

 

Aerin's new Office and Design studio in New York City was designed by her favourite interior designer, French Jacques Grange. Aerin used the same interior designer that designed her Park Avenue apartment. As usual, her office is so stylish and reflects Aerin own style of simple elegance. 

 Main Reception area with comfortable sofas and chairs.

A 1950s mirrored table and Andre Arbus gold leaf cabinet in the Conference room. 

Aerin's inspiration table in the Design Studio.

Photo credits: Architectural Digest.

To view more pictures of Aerin's Office and Design Studio, click Aerin's Office.

Aerin at Home in Wainscott, East Hampton, New York.

Aerin inherited the East Hampton Greek Revival Estate from her grandmother, the late Estee Lauder. 

Aerin's country weekend home was a design collaboration with Victoria Borus of B Five Studio.

Inside the Pool House.

Aerin's swimming pool and pool house. 

Photo Credit: Elle Decor.

Aerin relaxing at home. 

Photo credits: Vogue.com

To view more pictures of Aerin's houses in both New York City and East Hampton, click Elle Decor's article, At Home With Stylesetter Aerin Lauder.

Enter to win my blog's  Michael Kors Bag Giveaway.

 

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