elsewhere: la mignonette

A new favourite.

tell me what you want, what you really really want

I really want this chunky wool herringbone Grandpa Dinner coat from Karen Walker. Really.

now

Sunbeams, white sheets to drape, pinned postcards and leaned guitars, Aztec fabrics, ponchos, roll your own cigarettes, cold winter mornings, record players, Stevie Nicks, Paloma pink cocktails, white dresses, Beautiful Losers, coffee, chocolate eggs, succulents, red velvet pants, Indian takeaways on the couch, babies, sleeping for hours.

watercolours-under

Under by Watercolours - isn't it beautiful? This girl is ever so clever, and I need a bike.

smalls

The Cherry Blossom Girl's collection of lingerie for French brand Etam is just beautiful, don't you think? You'd feel like a present.

pony up

It would be impossible to have a bad day wearing this stallion print, from Sydney-based label Milk From A Thistle.

when you die

“After people die, they spend a week with counselors, who help them pick one memory, the only memory they can take to eternity. They describe the memory to the staff who work with a crew to film it and screen it at week’s end; eternity follows.”

 After Life, 1998

royally obsessed

we love lisa and lisa loves...

A couple of weeks ago we were approached by Lisa, who makes some really, really cute socks. We asked her to do a top ten for us, and we got sent a huge box of the softest, cosiest socks ever - our favourites are the reindeer calf socks and they've been worn a lot since we received them and the weather has gotten a little colder. Thankyou so much for your generosity Lisa, and thankyou for sharing your favourite things with us! You can find Lisa's socks here.

1. The High Line in NYC

I just adore this place. It is the perfect melding of history, horticulture, architecture, and art. I always leave there feeling grounded and inspired. The city park was originally constructed in the 1930s to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan's streets.

 2. Degnan Ballet Center in Kingston, Pa.
We photographed our 2010 - 2011 collection with the help of the talented, dedicated students of Ballet Northeast. I will never forget the moment these beautiful young women donned our socks and took their place at the barre to begin class. It was mesmerizing. It brought me to tears and made me realize that hard work really does pay off.




3. Milk chocolate
Liquid, solid, hot, cold, frozen, filled, coating.....pretty much in any form imaginable. Hands down, I will always choose milk over dark every single time.

4. Ella Fitzgerald
She has the most perfect voice. It’s filled with joy and light. I love pretty much anything she has done. Love her singing duets with Louis Armstrong. But, my all-time favorite is her live in concert in Berlin, when she is singing “Mack the Knife” and forgets the words. She starts laughing, but just keeps on singing. You can hear the members of her band cracking up in the background. It is just one of those great moments in a live performance.

5. The Twilight Saga
Books by Stephenie Meyer and movies by David Slade. Embarrassing to admit aloud but I am a HUGE Twilight fan. I can’t wait for the next movie to be released in November.

6. A perfect Manhattan
Maker’s Mark whiskey, sweet vermouth, properly shaken, not stirred, and finished with a cherry. One of these takes the edge off oh so nicely. Two will make next morning a little rough.


7. The Row
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s clothing line. I love everything about this line. The style philosophy, the focus on creating beautifully tailored clothing pieces that work both top to toe as a whole collection and dismantled as separates. These girls are brilliant!

8. Donna Hay magazine
This magazine is so well done. It has a simple, elegant layout, gorgeous photographs, great articles and inspiring and tasty recipes.

9. “Under The Tuscan Sun”
I don’t know what to say about this movie other than that I have seen it countless times. So often in fact, my husband will say, “Again, this movie?” It just makes me feel SO good! I love nothing more than a story that ends “and they lived happily ever after.” Plus, it takes place in Tuscany. Enough said.

10. Friday nights with my lovey
After a long, hard work week I love nothing more than to stay in with my husband, Rem, the love of my life, make a great dinner together, pour some wine, cozy up under a blanket, and pop in a movie. Life just doesn’t get any better than that.

how to dress like sofia

These are Sofia Coppola's essentials, care of Self Service. What are yours?

1. Acne jeans

Hex black.

2. My SC bag by Louis Vuitton

Navy, small size, I love it for everyday.

3. Prada silk pajamas

4. Charvet shirts

I love ordering shirts there with Anne-Marie Colban. She has great taste and is a perfectionist. I like to have a bunch when I’m shooting so I don’t have to think about what I’m wearing.

5. Louis Vuitton cashmere legging pants

Super indulgent, great for the airplane or whenever you don’t want to get dressed.

6. Brora cashmere socks

7. Alaïa ballet flats

8. Céline classic navy coat

9. Marc Jacobs men’s cashmere sweaters

Crew-neck in navy or light gray.

10. Alexander Wang t-shirt dresses

I like basic ones: white, black or I have a gray with navy stripes.

11. Smythson fuschia Soho diary

I’ve been using these for years; always happy when I get a new one to start the year. I like that you can see the week and have a page for notes next to it.

12. Contax T3 camera

I always try other cameras and come back to this one. I know I should use a digital one, but these pictures always turn out the best.

13. Araks underwear

We used these for the title shot in Lost in Translation, and I’ve been ordering them ever since.

Welcome to Hotel California

A two-week roadtrip through California awaits me in May. Locals, please tell me your must-sees and dos, or comment on this post. I'm sure you can tell what I like from what I talk about on here, but top of the list are vintage shops, eating, dancing and desert adventures and nature hikes. A loose itinerary spans Los Angeles to Las Vegas then to San Francisco and back to LA. Thanks in advance!

you've got a face with a view

The best video of the best song ever.

on the town

Photos: Caleb at Honourable Mention

I visited beautiful Melbourne recently, then came home and bitched and moaned about how ugly my hometown is. It's predictable and easy to write off Auckland, the inner city especially, but I do often get the feeling that our planners don't really appreciate our heritage buildings, and don't think about the city in the long-term - it's all a bit 'let's freak out and throw something together because the rugby world cup is almost here!'. There are beautiful buildings of course, but it's easy to miss or forget about them. That's why I've been enjoying Caleb's 'Building Sites' series on his cool-as blog Honourable Mention - our city is beautiful, if you just look up.

flat out

Celine 'Bordeuax' loafers from Scotties Boutique.

well at least we tried

we love keya and keya loves...

Our friend Keya is the PR for one of our favourite labels, Lonely Hearts. She's just amazing, and any email or drink or party or range viewing with her is a delight. She also has very excellent taste and the prettiest eyelashes in town. Thankyou for sharing your favourite things...

1. Stevie Nicks
I put on Fleetwood Mac every morning before work. I think I could listen to Stevie's voice all day, every day, for the rest of my life. 

2. The North of England
Yorkshire pudding, funfairs, castles, white Christmases, Scary Spice, country pubs, football matches, childhood.

3. Lonely Hearts & Lonely lingerie
I work for Lonely Hearts which means I am surrounded by lovely things and lovely people all day. This season I'm most excited about my new Shearling Jacket, and Collection 3 of the Lonely lingerie - especially this longline bra set.

4. Mona Vale
An amazing homestead and rose garden in Christchurch. It's like being in The Secret Garden - there's even a lily pond. Apparently it got wasted in the earthquake which is heartbreaking.

5. The Young British Artists
My parents took me to see Saatchi's 'Sensation' exhibition in London when I was ten. Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin are my faves.

6. Devendra Banhart in this short film.

7. Harry Potter
Best world ever.

8. Wine
Preferably with my best friends whilst listening to Stevie Nicks. I just discovered a delicious new wine called The Supernatural. They have a really good philosophy, and the bottles are the coolest I've ever seen.

9. Godard girls.
Especially Anna Karina, Jean Seberg and Bridgette Bardot. Hotties.

10. Mums
Mums are amazing, I hope I'm more like mine when I'm older.