what a w/e!

I am back!

this weekend was packed with inconveniences, some of which quite funny and all thankfully reparable. here my misadventures in chronological order:

• waiting half an hour in front of the B&B because the host (a seasoned traveller) decided to go to the chemistry instead of waiting for her guest (me). The funny aspect of this annoying circumstance is that, during this endless thirty minutes, a man stopped his car to inform me that Madam K was coming. then, another passer-by, who noticed me standing in front of her majestic door, asked me if i wanted her telephone number. all of this in french, of course. it was like i had landed into an exotic community in which Madam K and her inefficiencies were all well known to her tollerant neighbours. when she finally arrived, she did not even apologise but simply justified herself that her and her lovely little accident (see below) were sick. the room, which was not ready (as i expected), made up for the waiting time. it was gorgeous: very high ceilings (for those who saw my house, they were higher!), an original japanese fouton, a royal kimono on the wall and an ensuite bathroom designed by my design guru philip stark. everything was decorated by african and thai sculptures and masks.

• a tension headache targeted my neck and spread merciless through my head during my business dinner, making my lobster waterzooi nearly repulsive. what a waste! the pain escalated in the taxi back home and, by the time i was in my room, it was excruciating. oh dear! the landlady had gone to sleep already and i did not have painkillers of any kind with me. i resorted to several natural remedies to alleviate the pain, from self-massage to breathing into the back of my body to the chilly water on my forehead, until i just wanted to bang my head against the wall. it was pretty much a constant agony until 2am when i finally fell asleep, out of desperation. and i am not exaggerating! at least, i can say now that i did go through the pain in a stoic way, which is, incidentally, one of the highest yoga teachings. yo-ho!
• the big black bitches of the house started barking ferociously. Madam K was out and i was in charge (I, me) to welcome new guests and show them their room. when we finally found the courage to face the excited dogs, we slowly descended the first flight of stairs, and there they were, staring at us with a grinned look. steve approached them softly, she smelled his feet and calmed down. i followed. my heart was beating 300 miles a hour. she smelled me too and let me go. phewww! steve gently directed them outside and locked them out. in the meantime a neighbour arrived. apparently the dutch couple sleeping in the ground floor got really scared and locked themselves in their room until they called Madam K. the dutch man looked really shocked when he came out. that night they left.
  
• realising only at 4pm on sunday, when we found a museum closed, that the time had changed! so, 4pm was in fact 5pm. an hour gone.

• getting to the wrong train station. I got confused with paris and went to la gare du nord instead of la gare midi. Opsss…

• in the train, spilling water and champagne all over my seat.

• last but not least, coming back to london with a soar throat gained from cycling around Brussels without coat on sunday.

apart from these hic-cups, i had a fantastic time: i got to meet interesting people who inspired me to implement some of my personal plans for the future (i'll talk more about it if i find the nerves). i had fruitful meetings which lead to exciting publication ideas and was entertained (and relieved) to hear that also millionnaire lawyers can feel frustrated. i also got to interact with other travellers in the B&B and to play with nerjise, the landlady's 4-yr toddler, who caught Lofty's and my hearts. she is a fun happy child with great sense of music & dance and with an innate love for her two big black dogs. i would talk to her in english and she would reply back in flemish making our conversations really bizzarre, but interesting. i was so impressed to hear that her passive knowledge of english (she could understand everything i said) developed with the occasional exposure to english-speaking guests. she got very affectionate to us in the space of 4 (for me) and 2 days (for lofty)...

between one meeting and the other i also managed to do some shopping: i visited a fair trade shop and got a beautiful hand-made indian ring in silver with interwoven branches decorated by six squared ametysts. and i got a multi-use bag to alternate with my more rigid business bag. it is perfect to carry my yoga stuff as well as paper and would act as an over-night or travel bag, handy for my next two trips. finally, i found, at last, the nail polish shade i have been after for ages: a flamboyant orange. if you are interested in this hard to find colour, YSL is the only one to produce the perfect shade of orange: not too salmon, not too red, not too pink, not too bleached... just perfect.

we had the usual stroll around the antique shops and flea market

and we had the honour to taste a bit of european identity at the concert thrown in occasion of the 50th anniversary from the treaty of rome.

checklist

(c) spilliaert - brussels painter

passport - travel guide - city map - business bag - addresses (5!) - suit - evening dress - p. rodriguez shoes - french sole pumps - self confidence - trainers - flip flops - pijamas - creams (body & face) - coolness - face oil - shampoo - conditioner - patience - hair dryer - brusher - coats (2) - shower gel - make up - make up remover (eye & face) - two jumpers - kilt - nerves - cord trousers - t-shirts (4) - tops (2) - lingerie - mobile - etphonehome (i.e. monkey) - good spirit - toothpaste and toothbrusher - papers - mont blanc - smile - necklace - bracelet - activism - moleskine diary (2) - black bag

basically half of my house & most of my self.
it's a magic bag.

my room tomorrow:


~ HAPPY WEEKEND ~

i love that diamond...

...shape.

at 12 i was a player, at 30 i will be a viewer, for the first time... rather exciting!

oh, and a meal is included!

i'll have to refresh the infinite rules of baseball and i have only two months...

minnesota twins v oakland athletics

2 june 07, 6.05pm
@ Mcafee Coliseum

go A's go!

strumming an ukulele

ladies and gentlement, here it is my new ukulele, an unexpected surprise from my caring companion!!!

isn't it lovely?

now i am trying to figure out how to play it.
here the first C-note song i learnt:

row row

; P

OMG

my weather avatar doesn't show it, but it is snowing like crazy!

last week i could smell spring and was about to put away my winter jumpers and now we are having a snow tempest. bah...

"MARZO PAZZERELLO. ESCE IL SOLE, PRENDI L'OMBRELLO"
saggezza di nonna lina

marie antoinette

At 15 she became a bride. At 19 she became a queen. By 20 she was a legend.

year: 2006

cast:

	Kirsten Dunst	...	Marie Antoinette
	Marianne Faithfull	...	Maria Teresa
	Steve Coogan	...	Ambassador Mercy
	Clara Brajman	...	Austrian Girlfriend
	Mélodie Berenfeld	...	Austrian Girlfriend
	Judy Davis	...	Comtesse de Noailles
	Jason Schwartzman	...	Louis XVI

preface: i grew up with the myth of marie antoinette thanks to the japanese anime *lady oscar*, so i was already familiar to her persona when i rented out this DVD.

the extravagant (but unlucky) queen has played a central role in the imaginery of artists, designers and stars (see madonna's impersonification of M.A. below). her figure could not be overlooked by the stylish sophia coppola, who centred (and limited) her film to M.A.'s court life, its boring etiquette, obligations, but also frivolous and fashionable moments. far too many scenes in fact seem to have no other use than offering a nosy insight into the daily life of the austrian girl turned princess and eventually queen too young.

coppola's film is a beautiful film to look at: the photography is stunning and it is great to see versailles brought back to life. kirsten dunst (and her sweet dimples) are back in all their splendour (she has previously starred in sofia coppola's the virgins suicides), and her performance is as (deliberately) frivolous as this film.

while louis xvi comes across as an effeminate and unresoluted idiot, M.A. is depicted as the passionate woman she was with a superficiality which prevents the reader from connecting with her and her drama. so, if you look for emotions, turn somewhere else and rent out, perhaps, sissi.

there is something i enjoyed though apart from the grand outfits and decor: the funky soundtrack and M.A.'s liberal life style. sofia coppola's M.A. is a modern queen indeed, in that this is how i'd expect a queen to be if the real monarchy existed nowadays. she is rather free within the boundaries of her gold cage, is allowed to spend time on her own in her country refuge, party with her girlfriends and communicate or even *interact* with other men in her husband's absence. she is hippy, in the sense that is happy to be immerse in the nature and turns her look more "natural" as soon as she moves to the countrysude. she is girly (enjoyes dressing up and choosing her shoes with her bunnies) and is also charitable - when she doesn't spend too much for herself. all the requirements of a modern queen are thus thicked off.

i can describe this film as a box of chocolate pleasing your senses without any arousement. although loads of tragic events occurr, they seem hardly to touch M.A. who keeps smiling as if she is not completely aware of what is going on around her (and more likely she is not).

the real M.A. was goliardic, dissipator, passionate and adulteress, but proved also to be an observant woman, by doing her best to accomplish her duties of queen, and brave in resolving to stay next to her oblivious husband till their end. [to witness her decapitation in Lady O. at the age of 10 was a real shock, i can tell you!] by changing the finale from tragic to vile, coppola inevitably diminished also M.A.'s stature. i knew that the film had a *happy ending* and was intrigued to see in what grand and legendary way she concluded her story. instead it was flat and mediocre.

last harsh critique: the political and social unrest which will bring to the most astonising revolution in history could have been completely bypassed. what is the point of introducing it in the last 10 minutes of the film just to make the couple appear like vile fugitive royals?

trivia:

~ asia argento was perfect in the nasty role of the father king's speechless mistress:


~ kirsten dunst's dress at the oscars was my favourite frock:



~ and finally below the original queen:

"let them eat cakes"

style notes (part 3 - last for today)

one of the distinctive features of missoni (see above) - one of my favourite designers of all times - is that the explosion of colours is usually framed by black lines (a strap, a belt or a simple decoration) conveying boldness to the *artwork* (the price tag, if nothing else, makes missoni clothes pieces of art). below is a selection of pretty dresses and blouses designed on the same principle but definitely more affordable, a must-to-have, according to amicacarmilla, for this spring/summer 2007. [clock on the pictures to enlarge them.]

the geometrical pattern and the soft scarf used as a belt make this '50s style dress contemporary and yet retro.

this a pois dress is ethereal and yet funky thanks to its easy shape, the carnival feel and, of course, the black trimms.

this blouse's design reminds a japanese print for its flowery theme and the contrast of red and black.

this good girl top is sweet and romantic, but the black edges give character to it. great over a pair of distressed blue-jeans.

kimono style top with contrasted flowery pattern and puffy long sleeves is perfect over a pair of white jeans and flat sandals.

room with view

finished. my holiday/travel plans for this year.

next week i am going to brussels, for both work and pleasure. the first two days are packed with meetings with various sets of authors (one of which based at the EU commission - the famous four wings building, you know?) and a dinner at a traditional belgian restaurant, to inaugurate a new project. the two days as a tourist will be spent to check out the new magritte section at the musee des beaux arts, visit the recently restored atomium, the antique shops in rue haute (or hoogstraat) with a stop at brasseire ploegmanns for lunch, where last time we were too late to eat. museum horta is also in my list, since we found it closed last time.

before going to the USA in may, i shall go to italy for easter, but this time i have not arranged anything. it will be a relaxing week with my family, visiting my friend at her new house, meeting my other friend's new baby, and seeing my bride-to-be friend. on the other hand, USA required more organisation, but everything i could do from here has been now done: flight and train are booked, accommodation in chicago and san francisco reserved. the rest of week in madison we will be guests at steve's brother and his family's house. the only two outstanding items of my planning list are the car and accommodation in yosemite and lake tahoe, but we may do it at the last minute or even when we are there.

we splashed out with the hotel in chicago which was recommended by the BBC holiday programme. it will be our treat for this holiday. in san francisco we went for a homey solution: we will be staying in a gay B&B. at first, i was a bit skeptical whether to stay in a place that advertises itself as *gay*, because i found it a bit discriminatory and feared not to be accepted. but after i talked to michael (the well-travelled manager) and read some reviews, i realised that everybody is welcome, even children (the B&B offers small size dressing gowns for kids - how sweet). so, i was happy to go for it. his house is lovely, located in a very nice quarter (so the guide says), filled with cool memorabilia from travels, books, a parlor immersed in the green, and buffet brakfast served till noon. lol! the room we chose is intimate and with a charming view over the golden gate bridge. so, i believe we could not find a better place to stay. after all, we are going to san francisco, the liberal and gay city par excellence, so we had to do gay somehow! michael has been also very helpful, and in his last email asked me if we wanted him to arrange something special for us. : )

of course, now i have to think what i want to do/see, but i have already some ideas (i have been annotating things in my black notebook, including where to shop and nightclubs) and i am sure michale will assist me in finding funky *experiences*. ; )

"...all the things i carry with me
and all the things i left behind
and all the things that wait to meet me
over in the air tonight

if i can only keep on moving
and never stop and think of me
and freefall through the years and decades
terminal velocity

we hope you had a very happy pleasant flight
this is our final destination so goodnight
like a stone we are now falling from the sky
farewell from af 607105"

Charlotte Gainsbourg, af 607105, from 5:55

style notes (part 2): claire aristides

a girly magazine this month is giving away a lovely beaded bracelet by an up-coming designer: claire aristides. so, i checked her website and selected some lovely pieces for you: long earrings (so in at the moment!) in plated yellow gold and semi-precious stones, great with a short haircut or gathered up hair, the perfect decoration to frame your face and convey a touch of womanly femininity ...

the interesting thing about claire is that she runs workshops in london to make your own jewellery. my dream (well, one of my dreams) coming true! girlfriends, do let me know if you want to join me this summer at one of her jewellery-making workshop days!

style notes (part 1): botkier

inspired by frau blucher, encouraged by my forthcoming bonus, and taking advantage of the favourable dollar exchange rate, the sales and carrie's kindness in collecting it, yesterday i ordered a *botkier bombay satchel* in twilight, i.e. blue. here is the damage:

i opted for this colour because its distressed look makes it rather casual and goes well with jeans as well as with a day/evening dress. an added (ethical) bonus is that it is made of goat skin and not of baby skin (lamb) like my other bag.

below is the same model in black:

and the large version in twilight:

made of resistant italian leather, botkier bags are stylish but also extremely practical with their many pockets and recesses. frau baucher firmly states that her bag went through all sorts of adversities with praisable dignity. monica botkier adfirmed herself in the fashion panorama with her first collection in 2003. trigger bag is her classical piece. below an example in egg-shell colour:

what i like most of these bags is that they are still relatively unknown in europe.