I love the fact that for the past couple of years it´s been allowed to use marble again. Back in the ´70 my father imported marble from Italy and we had marble and brass tables everywhere. Now it´s back and you can use it all over the house in many ways.
Yeah, Tom is back and using his patchwork like in the first years, whether you like it or not, it´s gonna be hot :-)
Tom ford´s new collection is great as ever, and reminds me of myself running around Milan feeling super trendy and hot in his patchwork jeans skirts he made for Gucci back in late ´90 ;-) Obviously now that would look a bit "funny" and I would prefer this collection anytime.
In the Projects.
Papaya Playa Projects is this wonderful eco friendly paradise we have stayed in for the past week in Tulum, Mexico. The place has a broad range of ways to stay, from tiny hut´s without plumbing, small bungalow´s to mega villa´s. Which bring in a great variety of people, because there are something for all. There is a great ambience, super DJ´s, beautiful surroundings, amazing nature with crystal clear waters, jungle, Pelican´s flying over your head and giant iguana´s stealing your fruit in the night. Definitely a place to visit.
Christina
The Corner on the corner, Il Angolo.
Just before flying to Mexico on vacation, we made a small stop over in Sicily. And obviously had to visit our favourite restaurant for lunch. Located just around the corner from our home in Sicily, you find this fantastic little exclusive restaurant called, AIl´ Angolo. My favourite place away from home. We have been coming there since Sig. Perni opened it 13 years ago. They have followed our lives since forever, and takes us in, like family. Oliver, our son, who started coming there 9 month before even being born, is perhaps one of the only children, who is really welcome at the restaurant. A little strange for an italian, BUT sig. Peri is a perfectionist. It´s usually only open for dinner, but anytime we call and ask if we can please please please come for lunch, sig. Perni, will turn his boat around in the Mediterranean sea, where he is usually spending whatever little sparetime he has, and het up the Volcano Etna, and start cooking his amazing food for us. The restaurant which is approximately 50m2 all included is full of great small cozy classic Sicilian ornaments and he does everything himself ! From bread, pasta, sotto olio to ice creme. Wine, ham, delicacies, vegetable and Grappa he will spend all of his holidays finding. My absolute favourite is "Tagliatelle con Tatufo" , his fantastic homemade pasta with truffle . It´s a MUST to visit if you should ever find your self on the escarpment of Mount Etna.
In love with the latest AJ 2015.
The 7 is now available as a special edition to celebrate it´s 60 year anniversary in a cool black with black or rose with brass. I love both, and would definitely get them again even efter promising myself never having to look at another 7 in my life. Being danish you are basically born sitting on a 7 and it can get a bit old. Great idea to give it renaissance in this way.
My absolut favourite place in Tulum.
Being on my first trip to Mexico, I have seen many nice places already in the few days we have been here, but best of all is definitely, Posada Margherita. An italian owned boutique hotel with fantastic food, the best fruit juices, amazing interior and uniq shopping. Really laid back, classy and with great atmosphere.
Translating Mexican into Danish.
Sitting here in Tulum, Mexico, for the last few hours, it´s strange to think that tomorrow we will be back in cold and grey Copehagen. But at least I can take the images and colours with me. We use colours that surround us. In Denmark obviously that would mostly be earthy colours, but why not throw a little Mexican colours in, to brighten up you life, without going all "Sombrero e Tequila".
Taxes Taxes Taxes :-(
Since I will now start working in Denmark and finally will be earning a bit of money. Off couse I must pay my taxes like everybody els. Then it´s just fantastic to have an accountant who shares an office with MADE A MANO so I can enjoy and be inspired by all this fine Italian ceramic on my way to pay my approx. 40% ;-)
Made a Mano was founded in 2001. The company produces a variety of high end ceramics such as tiles, countertops, sinks, bathtubs and a range of living items that combine traditional handicraft with modern production techniques.
The owner, NanaKi Bonfils, find inspiration from many corners of the globe fusing these influences with Scandinavian style, colour and glazing.
The most exclusive Made a Mano range is made using lava stone from Mount Etna, the vulcano I have lived on for the past 20 years, and Vesuvio. The raw and extremely resilient lava stone is transformed into long lasting beauty.
In 2013 Made a Mano has developed a new production using the latest and most advanced technologies. The new modern techniques allow Made a Mano to cut the lava stone into amazing shapes and forms and the new improved silkscreening methods enable sharper and more refined patterns.
All products are exclusively handmade, from the cutting through the glazing and free hand drawing decorations, hand printing and silkscreening. Tiles and ceramic like this is usually used for bathrooms, kitchen´s, floor´s and so forth. But now even to create a little drama in rooms as wall covers or just as cutting boards, countertops, plates.....
If you need help to get an idea for your home please contact me at ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR and check out my ceramic at CASA CERAMICA which I produce in Sicily.
Like being in Aladdin´s Cave.
It´s been raining all day :-P
When it gets to me and I just want to escape, I go for a little walk and find myself at Tage Andersen. Perhaps Denmarks best flower artist. This mystic place full of decorations, flowers, cages with live birds, caves and stairs leading to secret places draws me. Here you find such beauty, inspiration, originality and fantasy. If you have the time you can spend hours studying the details on each object. And you go out from there with lot´s of energi and a smile on your face.
When it comes to knives, I am a total chicken.
Probably because I had several serious surgical operations in my time. Not to say that I am against cosmetic surgery. Whatever makes you happy..........I am all for it! Nothing is more important than happiness :-) And I would probably have something done in the future anyway, but for now I will try something els. I love a natural, fresh and soft face. And in my age, having grown up with a bit too much sun, a few bad habits and an inherit of a delicate skin, obviously it does not sit like it used to do......gravity is starting to show. After the holidays where I may have overdone it a bit, I´ll try to get slowly back into shape and maybe even visit that famous gym I enrolled in last year :-/ But I will start at the top and work my way down. I will massage my way to a fresher face with this mineral infused Slim Cera beauty roller, I just bought. I will use it twice a day to revitalize skin quality with it´s five diamond-cut mesh rollers that stimulate my facial muscles to roll out dirt, cleanse pores and tighten the skin.
Then I apply Sisley morning and night. Unfortunately I didn´t understand the importance of a toner before 14 days ago, when I was explained that toner removes the lime ( kalk ) of all the water I splash on my face, which makes the skin super dry. And apart from the toner I use my HYDRA-GLOBAL during the day and Black rose olie for the night and let my skin work a little on its own, instead of putting heavy cremes like I used to and then the mask 1 time a week to energise the skin. Pretty simple.......just the way I like it.
Christina
Royal Smushi Cafe.
If you feel like a good piece of cake and a hot coffee or chocolate, you MUST swing by Royal Smushi Cafe near the pedestrian street "Strøget" of Copenhagen. This magnificent place feels like jumping strait into a H.C.Andersen-Candy-Floss- Sugar-Tivoli-cave. So great for both adults and children. Inside you will also find sweet decorations and books for the house.
I have always been a sucker for soft colours and soft materials.
Just as an inspiration.
Soft colours and soft materials are great, whether it´s for summer or winter. In these day´s which are grey and sad, it helps to use other than black. The big sweathers, boot´s, scarf´s or even fur in soft colours can definitely brighten up your day and help you along in this dark time of the year. If you need help please contact me at CASA CHRISTINA.
Nice lunch with a good old friend.
What I love most about being back home in Wonderful Copenhagen, after 20 years in Italy, is that I can call any old friend or family member on a spare of a moment and arrange for a coffee or a lunch. I have my favourite places, I am super traditional ! But I have sworn to see new things here from now on. Almanak, was the choice for the day. With it´s great setting by the waterfront of Copenhagen it give you that nice feeling of air and space. And it´s simplicity in decor and food, you feel light and full on energi to take on the rest of the day. Thanks for a great lunch, Old friend ;-)
Old traditions in a new way. House of Amber since 1933.
House of Amber is parting with the old ways and getting new creative designers to give a new look to something traditional. With designers like Ann Sindlev , one of my personal favourites, but also Kopenhagen Fur, Mai Manniche, Louise Sigvardt and many more on board, with their great ideas and modern way of designing, they can contribute with a look which will appeal to lots of younger women out there. Its interesting to see what brought spectrum Amber has, from an almost black colour to pure green, which most people do not know. And as a company ´House for Amber´ is amazing with their more than 40 boutiques, just i China.
Maximalism in 2015 in a more affordable manner.
I love the English way of overdoing things, in a stylish way. Mix and match colours, materials, stripes and shapes. And lot´s of it.
If it´s a little too much for your taste, you can build it up slowly and in an affordable way. Start with one key piece and quietly find smaller objects which suits you, to build further.
As an example you can get fantastic things for a good price in all the bigger comercial stores. A really good way is to go to the lesser costly places, in this case ILVA, where you can find great things for a reasonable price. And if you can´t manage by yourself, I can definitely offer my services as a personal shopper, read more....
Le Cap Horn, the best maritime place in the mountains.
The last day of our vacation we treated our self to a great lunch at Le Cap Horn. A MUST when in Courchevel ! This amazing decadent restaurant is like walking on to a movie set. You are met with loud dance music on the terrace, really glittery looking people, very nice looking staff and a 6 ft. Swarovski skull!!! Inside you are, right away, presented with the opportunity to purchase a pair of 14 ct. earrings from Moussaieff, if you should feel the need for that, after a great lunch of ousters or their famous chicken or the choice of one of their more than 600 listed wines. Or if you don´t have the ´trillions´ you would need for that, you can do what I did, ....... just dive into the best desert table, know to mankind, which has everything from home made crepes, mini ice-creme cone´s, amazing fruitcakes to the most wonderful chocolate mousse. At Le Cap Horn, the vibe is great, friendly and fun. It´s the perfect playground for grown-ups, with a "little" extra to spend :-)
Lovely skiing for New Year in Courchevel 1850.
Since forever, we have as a family been going skiing between Christmas and New Year. Usually in places like St. Moritz, Val Dísere, Meribel, Verbier, Sestriere ect. Parents, cousins, nephews, spouses, siblings, minimum 16-18 at the time. And I am sure the groupe next year will be even bigger, ......right mom? This year we chose Courchevel for the first time in many years, for its great skiing when you are a mix of good to great skiers. Brilliant slopes which are cleaned well every night, great restaurants and bars directly on the slopes, fantastic shopping, wonderful Chalet´s to rent and great hotels and spa´s. Sadly, since I had a very bad accident skiing 15 years ago in Italy, I have not been able to ski. I would stand there every morning waving goodbye to all the others who were so lucky to go up the mountain, and then I would spend the rest of the day making lunch reservations, spa bookings, drinking vin chaud, buying hot chocolate for cold kid´s, making dinner plans and so forth. Not bad, BUT still ! Finally this year I decided it was time to try skiing again. My doctor had given me the ok the year before. The weather and slopes were too good to be true. At first a little stiff but on the second day I got the rhythm back in hips and knees. And it didn't look to bad at all ;-)
Christmas at my house.
As you may have understood by now, if you have seen any of my previous blogs, I kind of loooooove x-mass. My house this year I keep white, grey and silver. Nice, clean and calm. I have been collecting christmas decor for more than 20 years and I have a bit to choose from now. Every year it will be different up to my wishes and mood.
North has a new sexy site up and running, go and see www.north.dk
My cool sister, Marie Louise, has been working long and hard to get her new site for North ready before X-mass, and she did! Check it out and shop for all your friends and family, to make sure they have great things waiting under the tree this year.
Santa Claus has come to town, -at least in our family.
In our family, Christmas has always been very important. Well, actually any type of tradition where we have a good excuse to get together is very important to us. The thing about Christmas is, that every 2nd. year we have to divide up into groups because of spouses, divorces or other. We find it very hard :-) So to get around this problem we just have as many Christmas eve´s as possible. Which means, we started this Saturday with at great full-on Christmas evening at my mothers house, with cousins and spouses flying in from Spain, Italy and France. Full dinner with Champagne, Salmon, Porc, Duck, Ris ala mande, Marzipan and Mandarines-basically a never ending story of filling ourself on fantastic food and drinks while listning to great Christmas carols in the background and having the kids every 30 minutes asking for us to leave the table, to go to the living room to start opening the presents. Just to make sure nobody is left out we will have an other Christmas again here in Cph the 24th. of Dec. in my aunt´s house and after in Sicily with my in-laws. Oliver has 23 first cousins and has the pleasure to see them all, and we make sure he does :-))))
I will never get too old for Christmas, and the more Mariah-songs I listen to, ...... the better :-)
