Pebble Mosaic
Mosaics are having a(nother) moment, from the beautiful villas of Marrakech and Greece, to high-end hotel lobbies or museum halls, and even handmade bags, this adorning technique is as old as time, but still trending on Insta. Still, I have only recently come across something I haven’t seen or noticed before, the older quirky aunt of the polished glass mosaic – pebble mosaic. Used outdoors to create beautiful garden paths, alleys, doormats and more, I’ve found countless exquisite examples that vary from floral motifs to oriental rug-type designs and even minimalist geometric patterns.
I have it in my mind now that I want to create a small rectangular one in front of our back garden door, to replace the now oh so common rubber mat. It would make for such a unique detail, don’t you think?
Semaine de la Haute Couture 2020
Last week was Haute Couture (Digital) Week and maybe for the first time in history, some of the shows and related videos are now available online for the broad public to watch and marvel, no trip to Paris needed. Dior’s is an experience in itself, worth watching for the poetry of this short movie alone.
In a few words, Haute Couture is the highest standard in fashion, garments exclusively handmade from very special and often unique materials, using fine techniques, fully customized to the sizes of the lucky buyer. Only certain ateliers de la mode have the right to call their dedicated creations haute couture and last year the total client base was estimated at only 4,000 people worldwide. The price tags are explanation enough, but for me, Haute Couture is one of the fine arts and has little to do with the actual clothes.
Spoken Memoirs
I love audiobooks for allowing me to ‘read’ when I need to face the mundane of doing the dishes, folding the laundry and so on. I have a few different types of books that I’ve come to prefer to listen to, rather than to read, and the one I want to highlight this week is autobiographies read by the authors. The best example anyone can give is Michele Obama’s Becoming. I do believe reading this book would be a less rich and immersive experience without her voice and natural storytelling gift.
Moreover, as a non-native English speaker, audiobooks help me enrich my vocabulary, perfect my pronunciation, and explore this language further.
Armchair Travelling
I’ve been dreaming of a Roman holiday for many months now and I hope Italy will be the first place I visit after this seclusion, but until then, some armchair traveling via cinema, courtesy of Vogue, if you fancy a trip to France, Greece, Mexico, and others.
Flower Power
Scientific research has shown the positive impact that fresh flowers and plants have on mental wellness and overall well being. I can but confirm, writing this while delighting in a bunch of almost dried freesias that have kept me company for the past week. They still give out a hint of their delicious smell, my absolute favorite flowers. Think of this next time you want to splurge on a lovely bouquet and indulge!
Cult Birkenstock
Having just ordered my first pair of (leopard print) Birkenstocks, I knew I am already quite late to this party, but I hadn’t realized I was some 250 years late! This is how far back the history of this German brand goes and it links to the first contoured insole for use by shoemakers in the production of custom footwear. Now it makes more sense why it has achieved its cult status and my shiny new pair can’t arrive soon enough!
Rare Word
Kenopsia – the eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet. Perfectly illustrated by this collection of photos from popular tourist attractions around the world during the pandemic.
If this letter has offered you a moment of inspiration, forward it to others who might enjoy it too. And if you have been forwarded it, write back to let me know if you would like to receive the following ones. Merci!
6 thoughts on “Miss Onion’s Exquisite Finds – No 1”