the science of sleep

Rolande Tapiau d’Aunoy lives in an apartment in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Every room is devoted to entertaining guests. The Louis XV bishop’s-crook bed looks like a sofa. James Ivory directed Leslie Caron in a scene from Le Divorce here. Rolande does not sleep in the same bed as her husband, saying that the cypress and the reed can flourish only if there is space between them.

Nathalie Wolberg, architect. Saint-Ouen. She enjoys clearing her mind when she comes home, so each room serves a specific purpose. The hanging bed is for resting, blanking out and forgetting. Feeling as though she were levitating fulfills Nathalie’s need to connect with the cosmos.

To make her daughter happy, Nilaya’s mother gave her this caravan to travel around Italy.

Alain Passard, chef. Fillié-sur-Sarthe. A cage-bed painted with anti-rust primer does the trick when he wants to stimulate his mind. When night falls and silence is all around, Alain reflects upon his day and plans his future in the middle of his kitchen garden. Whether standing up or lying down, to him the garden is a healthy place, a haven where creativity and feelings freely flow. Naturally the bed must be in the center.

Sebastien Rinckel, architect. Aubervilliers. The bed, a human-sized cocoon that he built and attached to the front of his house, is reached from the living room and called "Alcove".

Thierry Bouet
(found here)

I don't really have any peculiar sleeping habits, other than I like to sleep on the left side. I think that my ideal bed would be a feather nest, something I used to try and emulate when I was a little girl with a few duvets and strategically placed pillows. A caravan would have been nice, too.

As for today, it's a rainy Saturday in Korea and I've woken up far too early - the perfect kind of day to tuck back into bed and hide away for at least a few more hours. I only wish I had any one of the above sleeping spaces to nestle back in to.

specs appeal

Do you like my new glasses?

Katie and I have both been cursed with less than perfect vision, and as such have been blessed with a legitimate reason to indulge in spectacular spectacles every once in a while. After an impromptu eye test at one of Kuala Lumpur's many mega malls I received the unfortunate news that I am inching closer and closer to becoming classified as 'legally blind.' Fortunately, a new pair of fabulous frames always helps me deal with my failing optical capabilities. Hopefully boys DO make passes at girls in YSL glasses.

cafe hibi

red bean cake
curry lunch set
clementine
hot air balloons
clothes-pegged bill
adorable knick knacks
=
the quintessential Korean cafe

the blues

photos from Jak & Jil and bakerby

I'm only interested in wearing black, gray, and lots of blue.

short story

I really, desperately, in a "can't stop thinking about you" kind of way want these shorts. I think they might be a bit too short though. Although topshop.com does label them as "shorts" as opposed to "hot pants."

Thoughts?

people, places, things.

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” - Tim Cahill, Travel Writer

Sometimes I think that the best things about traveling to new places are not necessarily the sites you see or the things you do but the people you meet along the way. I have met some pretty remarkable people throughout my years of travel. Most of them I remember fondly in fading photographs preserved in scrapbooks while a handful of these strangers have become some of my closest friends.

A recent travel adventure took my family on a search for long lost relatives of my great grandfather who grew up in Myanmar (or Burma back then) before moving to the UK. After several failed attempts in taxis and on foot we finally tracked down the house that my father had visited thirty years ago. Not only did I get to meet the much talked about Great Aunt Iris, who incidentally has now become a nun, (pictured at the top with my grandmother) but we connected with a number of distant cousins who were all wonderful and welcoming and miraculously fluent in English. We shared our black and white photos while sipping on watermelon juice and the world never felt so small.

Throughout the weekend I went on to meet many of the friendly faces of Myanmar. From the kind ladies who helped dress me for the temples (my wardrobe of summer dresses has become seriously problematic in the modesty department) to the taxi driver who, despite the painful language barrier, understood sign language for 'beer by the water' there were countless moments with unforgettable people. My favourite incident might have been this hilarious gang of cigar smoking ten year old boys who rushed to help me collect sand by Inya lake.

with a baby louis vuitton under her underarm

While in Bangkok one of the shop owners commented on the vintage scene in Korea, saying that it was basically nonexistent. Although there may be some truth to this, a few treasure troves are still lingering around, full of vintage gems. Some are just a little harder to find. Today, I came across the absolute best vintage store ever - by accident. A sliver of a doorway lead to a dangerously steep flight of stairs and ended in a dream world of beautifully displayed furs, handbags, and dresses. I never thought I'd say this, but a small, black Louis Vuitton bag has found its way into my wardrobe. I hate the monogrammed, flashy handbags, however, this bag is subtle and classic. I only hope Vivasell doesn't go by the way of my favorite cafe and stays open - at least for a few more months.

Address. B1F 534-20 Shinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Tel. 02-3443-6048

hang me up to dry

1. the guardian 2-4. my photos

When I think of Shanghai, I think of lush, green grass (there's no grass in Korea - at least where I live), fireworks/campari on The Bund, and hanging laundry. Lots of hanging laundry. En route from the airport to our hotel I remember being shocked by the number of high rises that were basically ensconced with curtains of hanging linens. Throughout the rest of the trip, the weather was rather uncooperative, which I think curtailed the outdoor drying - but on sunnier/drier days, I can imagine the city looking a little more like this. I love it.

hot as ice

At the risk of inducing some jealousy here I'm going to tell you that winter is the furthest thing from my mind right now. For the past few weeks I've been bronzing and sweating daily in 35 degree plus heat so it's getting a little hard to remember what it was like to have to wear layers. Truth be told I kind of miss it. Especially now that I've had some time to catch up on Chanel's Fall 2010 RTW show (ironically all of this sunshine has made me sick with a cold so I'm hibernating today and reintroducing myself to the wonderful world of style.com). Anyways, all of this latest Lagerfeld eye candy makes me pleased that my permanent home is in a climate that involves four distinct seasons (albeit not as proportionate as I'd like) rather than this year round heat and humidity. Arctic apparel may be cumbersome at times but I can't imagine a life/wardrobe without chunky scarves, leather jackets, fur vests and tweed.

strawberries and tea

There are few things more delightful than afternoon tea with scones, even better when dolloped with gluttonous amounts of homemade strawberry jam and cream. So imagine how happy I was to discover that this quintessentially British tradition is thriving just a few hours outside of Kuala Lumpur (my home for the time being). A three hour road trip takes you on a winding journey outside of the city to the picturesque countryside of the Cameron Highlands. In stark contrast to the skyscrapers and Starbucks of KL these lush green hills are a rural wonderland dotted with tea plantations, strawberry farms and plenty of wild orchids. Amongst the breathtaking landscape is a charming little English Tudor style hotel called The Smokehouse where we stopped for quite a while to enjoy the colourful rose gardens and some sweet homemade treats. I would definitely recommend a visit for anyone who finds themselves craving some colonial comforts on this side of the globe.

the books

Paul Octavious - The Book Collection

Now I want to make book stacks shaped like Godzilla, The Loch Ness Monster, and the number 26.