Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

The Grand Tome -- Goyard

Goyard, the luxurious Parisian luggage maker founded in 1853, is coming out with a limited edition book celebrating its history, and I am drooling....(sigh)

Each of the 233 numbered and limited edition books will be locked in a trunk almost entirely customizable.


Continuing the heritage of the prestigious collections from the 1920s, this extremely limited edition publication "resonates with and celebrates the golden age of luxury travel, from horse-drawn carriages to the great transatlantic ocean liners."

This magnificent art book uses traditional letterpress techniques for the text, features its own watermarks and is printed upon custom made vellum paper à la forme of Arches Mills.

From the New York Times-- "As the pages turn, with their deep-grain photographs and written passages, some are blank, except for subtle intaglio plate marks. In their natural whiteness, produced with a 500-year-old technique of hemp lightened with the petals of a desert flower, the hand-cut pages resonate with craftsmanship."

The Goyard Book features more than 200 pages featuring photographs and descriptions of all the greatest achievements by Goyard since starting in 1792.

This book took almost a decade to put together.

The book comes in a specially designed Goyard trunk available to order in any of Goyard’s standard colors.

This "work of art" retails for €6,000, and sale is by appointment only.

Now that's not too much to ask for, is it?

photo credits: Goyard

I Married Adventure: the Perfume.

Elizabeth Bauer Design

I think most of us have witnessed the popularity of the vintage zebra-print book, "I Married Adventure." Osa Johnson's 1940 memoir chronicles her marriage to Martin, their life on a houseboat in Borneo, their exploits with wild animals in Kenya, and their filming expeditions in the Congo.

O Magazine

Was I surprised to open the June issue of O Magazine to see a new line of perfumes by Byredo, inspired by I Married Adventure. I love that they're styled with the vintage book!

Byredo
Each fragrance comes in a 30 ml bottle and tells a unique story of a diverse origin remembering India, Africa and parts of Europe.

Vintage Girl

Who knew that this "cult-like" book would be published in almost every designer/shelter magazine this past decade. And, it's still going strong!

Lonny Magazine



House Beautiful

Decor Pad

Apartment 412

Osa & Martin Johnson

The Johnson's adventures are still being told. Osa's books prominently displayed on cocktail tables & bookshelves. Perfumes resting on vanity tables.

I bet that the Johnson's would be thrilled to know that their legacy still lives on.

And I Thought it Was From Aging...

Do you ever feel like you're just floating from thing to thing? Forgetting a thought in mid-stream?

Today I read (actually listened) to this interesting article on NPR about Nicolas Carr's latest book, The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. It kind of scared me actually. Carr started research for The Shallows after he noticed a change in his own ability to concentrate. Hmm...

I assumed that my bouts of forgetfulness were due to aging. I'm constantly forgetting a thought during the middle of a sentence, or on my way to do something only to forget what it was!

Whether it's the internet or simply aging, I can tell you this. Some distractions make me a bit nuts such as...

really small typeset on websites or blogs so you have to squint to read it...

Perhaps if the font was larger, we would be able to focus better.

Reading words against a black background. That kinda drives me crazy.


Ads that pop up and flash in the middle of your screen out of nowhere!


Those are just a few. We each have our own internet "pet peeves." I haven't figured out a remedy except to read more books and magazines, and of course, your wonderful blogs. And, take walks away from the computer. I refuse to get a Kindle. Ever.

Thanks for letting me vent. I was really thinking it was an age thing, which it could very well be, but the jury's still out on that one. I am off to read a book...the kind with pages that you can turn.


And speaking of books, The Shallows sounds like an interesting read. You can purchase it online here.

Have a great rest of the week!


Books: The Complete Photographer



My work will appear in The Complete Photographer by Tom Ang, which is being published by Dorling Kindersley Limited. According to Amazon, the book will be released on July 19, 2010.

I"ll be featured as a Master of Travel Photography, with a profile and work resume.

The Complete Photographer encourages photographers to explore every discipline and experiment with different approaches, and is based around tutorials on ten different genres-Portraits, Landscape and Nature, Fashion, Wildlife, Sport, Documentary, Events, Travel, Architecture, and Fine Art.

Sneak Peek: The Vintage Table

a most elegant table setting - Lucy & Tony Torres' home

Boy was I excited to receive my copy of the recently released book, "The Vintage Table," by Jacqueline de Montravel and the editors of Romantic Homes Magazine.

This book is a compilation of table and kitchen vignettes that are inspiring to say the least. Everything from old & new, to crisp & clean, family heirlooms to time-worn treasures, are compiled in such a manner that make you want to start planning a tea or dinner party just so you can set your table!

my dining room table (usually not that dressed up!)

I'm humbled to be included in this book! Better yet, to be alongside my friends Janet of FrenchBlue & Co., and Lucy Torres of My Paris Flea Market. And of course, the other amazing people with scrumptious homes and treasures!

a little more about me...

page 146 has my tips on collecting hotel silver...



I love this photo of Janet's collection of Laduree candy boxes under her gleaming chandelier...

...and Janet's prized Hotel Le Meurice cafe cup...(love it!)

How beautiful is Lucy's deck which overlooks the ocean in Southern California? The colors so soothing...the hanging grapes...so whimsical!

So, if you want to see the entire 224 pages of this book, you can purchase it here or here. Believe me... the photos are exquisite, and there are some wonderful tips on entertaining.

A BIG thank you to Jacqueline at Romantic Homes for coming here and patiently shooting my house!

photos from The Vintage Table

Who Says You Can't Judge a Book by its Cover?

Jennifer at the Peak of Chic has a wonderful series on her blog where she features people's favorite books. I was thrilled when she contacted me about featuring mine. She had an inkling that I'm drawn to books by their cover art. She's right!

I'm delighted to be featured in her blog post today. You can check it out here. Thanks so much Jennifer. I so appreciate it!

Ahhh...Luxury Gifts

I flipped when I saw these custom-made Goyard trunks specially for made for Assouline. Each trunk houses 100 of Assouline's signature Memoire books on art, fashion, design and architecture.
Price tag: $20,000
(now that's not too much for a decadent holiday gift, right? What recession?)
I wouldn't mind one in white with the red and navy stripes...and all of those books...simply gorgeous...

What? Oh my...a quilted black leather Chanel luxe slipcase adorned with a metal Chanel logo, produced exclusively for Assouline by Chanel. The slipcase includes 3 memoires celebrating her revolutionary style: Chanel Fashion, Chanel Fine Jewelry, and Chanel Perfume. price tag: $550 (a girl can dream, right?)

You can check out all of Assouline's fabulous books & gift items here.

photos from assouline.com

What do you CRAVE?

I just purchased the latest issue of "CRAVE San Francisco." CRAVE guidebooks celebrate stylish entrepreneurs by showcasing the most creative and interesting proprietors from cities all over the world. They are awesome. So fun to see some of my friends shops so beautifully showcased!



I love the fact that CRAVE focuses on local businesses, no chains. You'll find everything from top boutiques, cafes, spas and more. CRAVE showcases the dedicated women behind these enterprises.



Also, just released this Fall are guides from Portland, Chicago, Austin, Atlanta, Boston and Toronto.

These make great gifts as well! To find out where to purchase, visit CRAVE's website here.

photos from CRAVE

Glamour Dogs

Joan Collins with dyed pink poodle: photo credit: Slim Aarons

I chuckled when I saw these vintage photos of Joan Collins and Doris Day with their dyed poodles! We adorn our dogs more than ever now with fancy clothes and jewelry. Well... some do.


Doris Day and her Poodles, Paris, 1950, photo credit: John Florea

This is my toy poodle, Vito. How do you think he would look dyed? I don't think he'd be a happy camper.


If you want to see some great dog glamour shots, Catherine Ledner's book, "Glamour Dogs" is due out his week and I can't wait to see it. Ledner is a California-based photographer who has a love for animals. "Catherine Ledner brilliantly captures these doggie doyenes in all their glamorous glory as they strut their stuff on the catwalk, recline on sumptuous furniture and pose on the latest of floor and wall fashions." -Chronicle Books.

Your can purchase Glamour Dogs here. You can also purchase Catherine's whimsical animal prints on her website here.

Woof Woof!

Glamour Dogs book cover image from Chronicle books

More from the Little Bookroom...

There are so many great books from The Little Bookroom, that I had to do another post. They have so many fun titles covering major cities and aren't the covers so cute? This one above, Chic Shopping Paris, by Rebecca Magniant, shares the "creme de la creme" of her favorite Parisian shops...


In Jamie Cahill's, The Patisseries of Paris, you’ll discover what time of day Parisians in the know get items as they come out of the oven, where to find the best tea salons, chocolatiers, ice cream parlors and more!


In Paris: Made by Hand, stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk showcases more than 50 shops in Paris that embody the spirit of fait main (made by hand), where you’ll find the most original and creative clothing, jewelry, handbags, ceramics, home furnishings, and decorative objects in Paris.



The Flea Markets of France by Sandy Price is an invaluable guide for experienced and first-time flea marketers. She provides everything from tips on bargaining to where to find particular items.


If you're looking for a fabulous brasserie in Paris, Francois Thomazeau provides a wonderful guide in The Brasseries of Paris.

There are many, many great books available at The Little Bookroom! Not just on France, but Italy, the UK, New York and more.

AND during the month of May they are offering 30% off on all Paris guidebooks! I just had to share these with you. See all of the titles here.

The Best Vintage, Antique & Collectible Shops in Paris

Thanks to Courtney at Style Court for her recent post about this fabulous new book, "The Best Vintage, Antique & Collectible Shops in Paris." This small paperback book by Edith Pauly is a wonderful guide to finding the most unique vintage items in Paris. It showcases 58 eclectic shops, as well as the Porte de Vanves and Clignancourt flea markets.


Whatever you're looking for, this little book has beautiful colored photos of curiosities; garden ornaments, mid-century Scandinavian vases, Grand Tour luggage, monogrammed linen sheets, a train-station clock, textiles, silver, old postcards, child-sized Thonet furniture...

The author describes it best, "Antiques aficionados and rummagers of every stripe: call to mind dimly lit attics, trunks smelling of old leather, dusty cartons, and that indescribable tingle of suspense aroused by the idea of a hidden prize which has been lying there, biding its time, waiting for you to find it."


You can purchase the book for under $14 here on the The Little Bookroom site, who incidentally, has the cutest books. I'm off to buy a copy right now. Can't wait!