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Barbie House Guest
If you read my Living Like Barbie post back in April of 2010, you probably fell in love with the Barbie Malibu Dream Home by Jonathan Adler. There is a YouTube video on the post where he takes you on a tour of the home.
I would absolutely LOVE to stay in this home, but since it’s probably not likely that I’ll be invited as an overnight guest, there is now an alternative…
The Barbie Suite at the Palms Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. L.O.V.E.!!!
(note the better view of the Barbie Ghost Chair that was featured in my Barbie Style post)
(palms.com)
(palms.com)
I found a tour of the suite on YouTube, courtesy of Miss Kassandra Brooks. Here are some beautiful photos she had taken in the suite, too. It makes for a great back drop.
(kassandrabrooks.net)
Maria Evora
Do you ever buy something so special that you never actually use it? I am trying to break myself of that habit. Therefore, I busted out a special bar of soap that I’ve had sitting on my bedroom vanity/desk for quite some time now. You may remember it from my post back when I made the purchase (yes, over a year has passed).
Part of the reason that I didn’t want to use it was because the imprint on the front is so lovely. The soap comes in both black and white. My bar is black, as you can see. The image on the front looks like a cameo…it is quite possibly the most beautiful bar of soap I’ve ever seen. After two showers, this beautiful image is no longer. But, I am enjoying the silky lather of minerals, sea salts, dark fruits of the myrtle and carob trees. Don’t worry…the black turns to a light gray when in use and washes away quickly.
© My Little Boudoir
Are you wondering who Maria Evora is? Well, I looked it up and here is what I found (courtesy of bonsavon.com):
The legend of Maria Evora begins in Rias Bajas, a dazzling world of light and water, a place rich in all the beauty that is Spain. Maria was famous for her patina skin and deep black eyes in which one could always find the eternal presence of the sea. It was the sea that took her love, for whom she made mineral baths of opulent pleasure. Gathering heady sea salts and the dark fruits of the myrtle and carob trees, they would bathe together in the rich aroma of her soothing blend. Black, her chosen color of love, has become a Spanish tradition, a color so admirably fitted to emphasize beauty and grace.
© My Little Boudoir
Caron: Black and Pink
Do you remember when I told you in my Fieldtrip to Caron post about the “special order” black puff with pink ribbon? Well, I forgot that Diane, the lovely saleswoman, had emailed me a picture (when she sent the message letting me know that they had more in stock).
So, what else would I do, but share it with you?
Here is the photo she sent…
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Isn’t it dreamy? I L.O.V.E…..
Walk With a Cane
Walking with a “cane” has taken on a new meaning.
No, I am not talking about this kind of cane…
(scourjobs.com)
I am talking about these lovely cane bags from Tiffany & Co. I have always loved the look of cane lattice, whether it is on furniture, printed on fabric, or now….on a handbag.
I am sooo in love with this first bag. Wouldn’t you feel so fabulous toting this around the beach this summer?
(tiffany.com)
These hand and shoulder bags are quote beautiful, too!
(tiffany.com)
(tiffany.com)
Ralph Lauren Noir
After that last long winded post, I am going to let these images speak for themselves.
All I have to say is L.O.V.E.!!!
(ralphlaurenhome.com)
(ralphlaurenhome.com)
(ralphlaurenhome.com)
(ralphlaurenhome.com)
A Fieldtrip to Caron
I’m embarrassed to admit that three quarters of the year have passed since I originally promised this post.
On a business trip to New York back in September, I extended one extra day over the weekend to do some shopping, eating, sightseeing and visiting with family. Yes, I know, ambitious plans for having only one extra day. Needless to say, I had to let go of some of my plans. One that I was not prepared to give up though, was my trip to the Caron boutique.
I had seen a few posts on other blogs that I follow about this fabulous perfume house called Caron. When I saw the pictures of the beautiful gold gilded Baccarat urns filled with perfume and the glorious cygnet down powder puffs, I knew this was a place that I, too, had to experience.
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Since I don’t have plans of traveling to Paris anytime soon (even though I wish I did), I had to find a Caron boutique in the United States. When I began searching for the location of a store in New York (which I figured was a likely location), I found that the New York City location had been closed. Not willing to accept this answer, I kept searching, hoping that the information was incorrect. As it turns out, the store on Madison Avenue is no longer open, but that is not because it closed, it’s because it moved.
The Caron boutique is now located within Phyto Universe, a salon/spa on Lexington Avenue [UPDATE – April 30, 2016: Caron has been relocated to One Grand Central Place 60 E 42 St New York, NY 10165]. You see, the owner of Caron also owns Phyto hair products and Lierac skincare products. All three of these luxurious products (and the services to go along with them) can be found in one location at Phyto Universe.
With an agenda for the day that included the Chanel boutique, Phyto Universe, visiting my Great-Aunt in New Jersey and ending the night with Junior’s cheesecake, I had to begin early. I was staying at my Uncle’s brownstone in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, so early that morning, I hopped on the subway and made my way to the Central Park stop.
I first went to Chanel to pick up my Chanel Le Coton. If you don’t have it, purchase now! Even though some would say it’s a ridiculous price to pay for “fancy cotton balls”, it is an affordable piece of luxury that any boudoir should not be without.
After experiencing the cold noses in the air at Chanel (making me feel a little bit like Julia Roberts being snubbed on Rodeo Drive in Pretty Woman…which is not an uncommon attitude in many fine boutiques, unless you’re a socialite or celebrity), I made my way to Phyto Universe. You might pass it if you weren’t paying attention. It sits on the corner of 58th Street and Lexington Avenue, but it is not on ground level, so you must look up [UPDATE – April 30, 2016: Caron has been relocated to One Grand Central Place 60 E 42 St New York, NY 10165] There is a very small unassuming entrance on 58th. When you enter, there is a small reception desk to the left, elevator doors straight ahead and some shelves lined with product to the right. The woman behind the counter kindly greeted me and asked me what I was there for (i.e. salon service, shopping, etc.), to which I replied, “the Caron boutique”. She called upstairs to let them know to expect me, she opened the elevator door, and off I went. When the vestibule door opened, there was a woman standing there waiting to help me. She escorted me to the small breathtaking room which was the Caron boutique. Despite it’s small size, the marble, mirrors, Baccarat urns and chandeliers, cygnet down powder puffs, hand milled face powder and perfume galore, made it a boudoir dream come true!
She first explained the different perfume scents to me and made me samples of my three favorites: N’Aimez Que Moi, Pour un Femme and Sacre Intense. She placed her business card inside a tiny envelope and inserted it all into a small gold drawstring nylon bag. What a fabulous presentation just for a sample!
Then it was on to the powder puffs…the reason for my visit! I had expected that they would be luxurious, but they exceeded my expectations twenty times over. Unless you’ve been to Caron, it is probably unlikely that you’ve ever been introduced to a true cygnet down powder puff. At least I had not been, despite the many frilly and delightful powder puffs I’ve owned in my life. It feels like a soft air on your skin. In fact, it’s so soft that you might be unsure that it is even touching you. Needless to say, there wasn’t much “selling” involved, because I was sold as soon as I saw them. I decided upon the smaller size, because it can actually fit into the container of loose face powder. She also explained the different face powders to me, and sent me home with some samples (both matte and shimmer).
Selecting the color of the powder puff that I wanted was a bit challenging. While she went into the back to pull the different colors for me to view, she offered me a seat and let me look through a book about the history of Caron. She returned with a nice selection of colors. It would have been an easy choice if they had one in turquoise with a black ribbon (My Little Boudoir’s signature colors), but they don’t make turquoise (or at least didn’t then). The closest to it was mint green. She did have a lovely one that had been special ordered (yes, they do special order!) for someone else that she showed me. It was a black puff with a pink ribbon. It was sooo fabulous, but she didn’t have any others in stock. I was going to go for pink, but ultimately decided to go with Caron’s signature peach. Plus, since I intended to use this one for face powder, the color of the powder would at least blend in more with peach. That would leave me with an excuse to buy a big one in a different color at a later date, for body powdering, of course! She did offer to contact me if they had the pink/black combination in again. Not that I expected it, but she actually called and emailed me months after my visit to let me know that they had some in stock. Now that is some good service!
The woman was so very kind and walked me over to the register at Phyto Universe. The gentleman there was extremely kind, too. He gave me several samples of Phyto and Lierac products, placed it all in a Caron shopping bag, with lovely gold polka dotted tissue paper.
Thanks to the lovely team at Caron and Phyto, they made my Caron dream everything it was meant to be.
When I returned home from my trip, I placed the powder samples in a small china dish that I purchased at a garage sale for probably 75 cents. The display is lovely though. It sits upon my bedroom vanity looking absolutely stunning!
© My Little Boudoir
© My Little Boudoir
© My Little Boudoir
Thinking Outside the Boudoir: Rebecca
Of all the movie homes that I’ve shown on My Little Boudoir, this one has a boudoir that may just top them all! The home is called Manderlay and the movie is Rebecca, starring Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier. I read the book (by Daphne du Maurier) first, and then watched the movie. I loved both.
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To give you some insight as to why you are about to see two boudoirs in the photos that follow, here is a preview of what the book/movie is about:
Rebecca is a novel of mystery and passion, a dark psychological tale of secrets and betrayal, dead loves and an estate called Manderley that is as much a presence as the humans who inhabit it: “when the leaves rustle, they sound very much like the stealthy movement of a woman in evening dress, and when they shiver suddenly and fall, and scatter away along the ground, they might be the pitter, patter of a woman’s hurrying footsteps, and the mark in the gravel the imprint of a high-heeled satin shoe.” Manderley is filled with memories of the elegant and flamboyant Rebecca, the first Mrs. DeWinter; with the obsessive love of her housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who observes the young, timid second Mrs. DeWinter with sullen hostility; and with the oppressive silences of a secretive husband, Maxim. Rebecca may be physically dead, but she is a force to contend with, and the housekeeper’s evil matches that of her former mistress as a purveyor of the emotional horror thrust on the innocent Mrs. DeWinter. The tension builds as the new Mrs. DeWinter slowly grows and asserts herself, surviving the wicked deceptions of Mrs. Danvers and the silent deceits of her husband, to emerge triumphant in the midst of a surprise ending that leaves the reader with a sense of haunting justice.
Manderlay is a palace of sorts, and lets you inside of a world of pure luxury. I’ve always dreamed of having a gated entry to my home. My grandfather had one and I always thought it seemed so regal.
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An exterior view…..
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Could you imagine getting married and entering your new home to a welcome like this?
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A grand stairwell in the entrance always makes such a statement! Plus, every dream home must have a ballroom, right?
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The dining hall is enormous, with multiple chandeliers. I must say though, I would not sit at opposite ends of the table from my husband, but rather side-by-side. A fireplace in the dining room is so cozy!
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And when you’re having a smaller meal, like breakfast for example, it might be served in this manner upon fine silver and china. A spot of tea for me, please!
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When you have the space in your home for a “morning room”, you know you’re doing something right. I love the rooms that old mansions had, like a music room, drawing room, etc. I guess they had to think of a purpose for each of the many rooms. The morning room is where the new Mrs. de Winter spends her mornings writing letters, selecting the daily menu, soiree planning, and so on, all in the delight of the morning sun.
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Whether you have a desk in your boudoir, or in a magnificent morning room, lovely stationary is a must. It is even more special when it it personalized stationary. What you’re looking at below is the desk that belonged to the first Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, only to be inherited by marriage to the second Mrs. de Winter. Notice the house phone on the left. Isn’t it fun?
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The perfect home is never complete without a library (I might add that I do not have a library, but I sure would love one). This one is pretty spectacular. The fireplace is so large, you could walk right into it (not that I am suggesting such behavior).
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And now for the boudoirs! The best part of any home. First, I will show you the boudoir of the second Mrs. de Winter, played by Joan Fontaine. Notice the dressing table (with all of the exciting containers…I wonder what is inside), the canopy bed, paneled walls, and elevated seating area (see steps to the right), which are all quite charming.
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And now…the most breathtaking boudoir, the one that belongs to the late Rebecca de Winter, and remains intact thanks to Mrs. Danvers (quite possibly the only “good” thing she’s done). This is the entry way with a seating area. As you make your way through the sheer curtains you enter the boudoir.
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These floor to ceiling windows are such a dream!
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This is the built-in wardrobe. I love these pull-outs with glass knobs, where Rebecca kept her lingerie.
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Though I would prefer light marble to the dark, this bathroom is still lovely. I adore the Venetian mirror.
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Though a little ornate for my personal taste, one can’t deny that this bed is the focal point of her boudoir. I love it when a bed is elevated on a platform. Hanging wall sconces next to a bed is always perfect!
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This was a touch that I absolutely love and plan to recreate for my boudoir one day (when I learn to operate my sewing machine to the point where I don’t have to say curse words every time I use it). It is a monogrammed casing, made of silk and lace, for ones bed clothes to be set out in each afternoon during turn down. Wouldn’t it be cute in a little girl’s boudoir, too? I use to set out my daughter’s pajamas on her bed quite often. This would be such a special way to display them. I will admit though, I would select a better font for the monogram.
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Here is Mrs. Danvers taking the lingerie out of the case. You will notice that the case is only sewn along the bottom and right side, allowing you to keep the garment folded nicely when placing it inside, and also allowing for easy removal.
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Nothing less than the fanciest of lingerie for a siren of a woman like Rebecca, or any beautiful woman who lives in such luxury (for those of you, like me, who like to wear sweats to bed at times, don’t feel bad about yourself…{smile}).
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Nothing less than stunning would be acceptable for the dressing table in a boudoir of this magnitude. Topped off with a picture of the beau.
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And lastly, even the doors of the boudoir are amazing. I’ve always dreamed of having ornate double doors entering into a boudoir.
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Ralph Lauren Boudoir
I thought you might enjoy these lovely boudoir photos from Ralph Lauren. Unfortunately I waited a little too long to share them wiht you and I no longer see the collection on the RL website. I’m sure you’ll delight in the inspiration nonetheless…
(ralphlauren.com)
(ralphlauren.com)
(ralphlauren.com)
(ralphlauren.com)
(ralphlauren.com)
Special Mentions
