Cold outside...

When the Eiffel Tower has its head in the clouds and the trees are dripping fog, the only thing for it is a Christmas market. Followed by an afternoon on the Maxim's boat the next day, tasting wine and foie gras for Christmas. Sus à la récession!

Potentially of little interest...

...to anyone but Helen and other advent calendar design enthusiasts, but I am thrilled to have an Hotel Chocolat advent calendar in my house. In its own special sleeve like a precious book.

It is nicely designed and very grown-up, if a little on the traditional side regarding colour choices... silver, red and grey perhaps somewhat overdone this time of year, what about a lovely icy blue to match my ironing board cover?

Tastefully swirly Christmas tree on a glossy black flock print, masking chocolately delights. And very delicious indeed they are too (see below), none of your cheap pretend chocolate in sight.

Yes, number 24 has already been enjoyed, but we won't be here past the 19th, so why ever not?!

Jeff Koons Versailles

Jeff Koons Versailles will be on until January 4th. Go if you are here, it is magnificent.

Balloon Flower (Yellow) is the first piece on the art walk, which leads you past the royal chapel, through the royal appartments, down to the Orangerie. One of the world's highest-valued pieces of contemporary art.


Balloon Dog (Magenta) with my sister, coordinating nicely.

The Lobster, suspended next to a chandelier in the Salon de Mars.


The provocatively-curated exhibition saw Koons choose the setting for each piece. His Self Portrait was shown in the Sun King's throne room.


The kitsch Bouquet blended into the opulence of Marie-Antionette's bedroom, opposite the secret door from which she fled the braying hordes shortly before her death.

The Moon echoed the Hall of Mirrors, with age-old grafitti.

The Split Rocker in the Orangerie.

The exhibition caused controversy when it opened in September, with French establishment opinion divided between outrage at the perceived sullying of Versailles and the memory of the French monarchy with the work of a vulgar 21st-century pop artist, known for his self-portraits with his porn-star wife; and the desire to breath fresh artistic life into the home of Louis 14th, known for his own excesses and patronage of the arts. In the end, newness and life triumphed over history and the dead, and in a daring move which trounced letters to the president and demonstrations at the gates of Versailles, the show went on and history remained intact.

The smoothly-designed website gives a great impression with its mix and match sculptures and backgrounds, but the boldness of the art in the splendour of the surroundings are a must-see.

Go!

Phew.

Well done America for being brave and making a change.

Little victories

After weeks of horrible this:


plenty of this sort of thing:


and this:



Home is now living up a little more to its name. Today's little victory was pictures on the bedroom wall (notice the skirting boards still stacked against the wall!).


And we now have a cosy little corner to work. Still plenty to do, but a little less hell-for-leather now.


Objects of desire for the lounge include this fifties tripod lamp, from Habitat. We almost bought an original early 70s curved bowl lamp on a marble base, from a Dutch dealer at the Puces de Design, but the proportions were a little too big for the room. Unfortunately we also missed out on the reclaimed picnic design sets for 1E, too.