Far too excited

D- 3 days before two weeks off for Christmas and NY, and Kate and Dave buy their snowboarding gear.


... get so excited they try it all on at once...

... and wear their snowboots as slippers all evening.

Christmassy finds

After an evening of mulled wine and present-wrapping, a few Etsy Christmas finds... starting off with something of our own. Perfect for party dresses, Miss Lemon's dress clips:


Another party piece is the beautiful Audrey necklace by luxedeluxe, one of our favourites, who happily, is having a pre-Christmas sale. Lean prices for lean times, this is just $28.

Wrap up warm for your Christmas party in this vintage Princess coat. With the Audrey necklace, red and black have never looked better.

In the last-minute gifts department, newcomer Masquerades and Silhouettes by Joe Thomson has a range of retro canvases, featuring the urban and stylish Nightbus, great for a city loft:


Or jump on the owl trend with a vintage bowl, from Vintageworks. We love his cheeky wink:


Finally, treat someone to a cosy cuddle with a sock monkey from William & Hector, in luxe grey angora.

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!