Last Post

I am sorry to say that this is the last post in my blog. I hope you have enjoyed it so far and I'm sorry to have to end it so soon but my life has become rather too frenetic to write interesting posts and I think you deserve better. Thank you for all your encouraging comments and your attention. I will miss you all.


*picture taken at Hyde Park, London

So Long Oxford!

I left Oxford on Sunday and I'm in London now. Although I was really stressed out and couldn't wait for the course to be over I am somehow saddened by leaving Oxford and all the people I spent all this time with behind. Nevertheless, I am very happy to be in London again and am having a great time. Here is my hommage to Paris Breakfasts (a picture of my last Oxford tea and scones at The Rose on the High Street.

Je vois Alice en Rose

Phew! I'm done filming. Sigh. That was seriously intense. It doesn't mean I'm finished though. I turned in the film for development today so hopefully I'll have it back by tomorrow and start editing it. The screening will be on Friday. That gives me a grand total of two days to edit. Hilarious. I'm also catching a cold. Can't wait to get out of here. No really, I am having a good time though. I managed to take some pics while I was directing. We all act in each other's films so the lovely girl you see here is another film student, hard to believe huh? I've also acted on three films this weekend.. so exhausting but tons of fun. This is my version of Alice in Wonderland. I searched everywhere for the right Alice dress to no avail. Finally I just decided to rent this whimsical creation... I think it works. We filmed at the Botanic Gardens and people asked if she was Alice so I guess it was rather obvious despite the pink! Loved the shoes too, wish they had my size!

Cinematic Oxford

As you all know I'm in Oxford doing a very intensive 4-week filmmaking program. I had no idea I would have absolutely no free time whatsoever as I'm in class during the week from 9am-10pm (now that we're editing too) and then we're filming on weekends... so no time at all.
Nevertheless, I am somehow really enjoying the experience. ( I had just written a longer post but my program crashed an I lost the post!). So, as I am literally falling asleep as I type this I won't elaborate on my experience. I also wanted to post some pics but my computer is not cooperating with me in that department either.

By the end of next week however, it will be over and I will then let you know all about it and about Edinburgh. No, I haven't forgotten! In the meantime, wish me luck on my last film this weekend!

Swingin' London

I'm in London!!! I promise I'll write about Edinburgh soon but I'm a little over-whelmed by the number of pictures I have. For now, I'll show you what I've done in London so far. I arrived on tuesday and will leave tomorrow so that doesn't give me as much time as I'd like to soak up the ambiance but I have stayed in London several times before including one whole summer two years ago. If everything goes well I'll be living here before the end of the year... God I hope so. London is my favorite city in the world.

I'm staying with my friend at his flat on the King's Road in Chelsea. Chelsea has to be the loveliest neighborhood in London, in my opinion. It still retains its village-like feel with the different colored houses and quiet streets (except King's Road and Fulham Road of course). I'm staying right next to the Chelsea Cinema and to my surprise as I emerged from the classic black London taxi I was greeted by another classic: the " Breakfast at Tiffany's" poster at the cinema. Unfortunately it's playing on Sunday which means I won't be here anymore but it's still wonderful to see that others appreciate this gem of a film as much as I do.

Yesterday I walked to the V&A museum. It is without a doubt one of the best museums in the world. I headed towards the garden and was pleasantly surprised by an enormous Jeff Koons pink diamond ring. The display reads " A two-metre, mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture in the shape of a cut diamond. A new work never before on public display in the UK, by the world-renowed contemporary artist Jeff Koons. " I love how the different views of the museum and sky are reflected within the cut of the diamond.

The V& A has a fantastic collection, the British Gallery in particular, is astounding. The museum spent a fortune remodeling these rooms and I can say that they are the most interactive and fun galleries I have ever visited. You can open drawers, listen to music, create your own patterns and print them, touch different fabrics,even try on crinolines! Sooo much FUN. There was also an exhibition of "60's London" with a mini movie and Mary Quant/ Twiggy galore. It's hard to imagine the King's Road full of punks and Vivienne Westwood look-alikes now but it's interesting to imagine it.
Here are some paper dresses which were all the rage back then, who knew?

There was also an exhibition on "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon" which I didn't have time to see but maybe I'll swing by there today. It was quite humurous how they posted his face all over the entrance hall and on the pavement right outside the museum.





After my V& A visit I couldn't resist a look at Ladureé at Harrod's. I had just bought the Marie-Antoinette biography by Lady Antonia Fraser, "Marie-Antoinette: The Journey" which Sofia Coppola based her screenplay on. I decided to sit, read, and have a cup o' tea, and bien sûre, des MACARONS. I have to admit that I was not too impressed by the London Ladureé. It was very busy and loud, and a bit tacky even but their macarons are still divine! I ordered the Violet tea and 4 macarons: fruit rouges, citron, pétales des roses, menthe. The only one I wasn't crazy about was the mint, it tasted too much like chewing gum!

On my way back to Chelsea I was confronted by a hint of the Swingin' London of the past. Yes, it's still there if you look hard enough.

Off to Edinburgh!

I'm leaving for Edinburgh tomorrow for a week! I have never been to this magical city before but I've only heard wonderful things about it. I really cannot wait to be there. Also, it'll be 20 degrees or less! YES PLEASE. I can't stand the heat anymore. I don't care if it rains everyday as long as it's not HOT.

I might not be posting for a while because after Edinburgh I'll take a train to London and then Oxford for the whole month of August. I'm doing a 4-week filmmaking course there. Should be lots of fun as well as very instructive. Wish me luck!


Here's a little taste of Scotland from the Alexander McQueen Fall 06 collection.

To create your own tartan go to:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/
1231_vivienne_westwood/tartan.html
(no I can't do links because I have a Mac and use Safari, blogger.com only offers me spell-check and "add a picture" yes, I know, tragic. I can't even change the font!)

An Ad, a Glass, and a Camera

The other day while waiting for my Moroccan meal at "Le Riad" in Cannes, I experimented a little with my camera. The results make me want to take a photography course really badly!




I got this ad at a bar and I really liked the photograph in it. Then, I decided to place the handblown glass on top of the images and capture the effects with the macro lens of my digital camera.







What do you think?