Flashback: Summer at the Villa Orsula

Villa Orsula, Dubrovnik, Croatia

I can best describe Croatians as being a rusty variety of European. 

They are tawny of hair and skin, and tend to look monochromatic because the colour of tan skin is exactly the same shade as rusty hair.

In Dubrovnik, we stay at the 1939 Villa Orsula. The room, which H and I are sharing, feels claustrophobic. But it is tenderly pretty, with rambling roses on the right of the verandah, and a stunning view of the Adriatic Sea framed by cypress trees.

The bathroom has a bidet.

The medieval town of Dubrovnik, which we can see from the window, is said to be 15 minutes’ walk from the villa seems farther in the summer heat. In fact, it proved a tedious hike, but we forget everything once we get within the walled city, which is abuzz with interesting people, rich history, and beautiful squares all connected by vast glossy-smooth marble streets and dotted with mysterious dark cafes that make H smoke non-stop, in the manner of Maggie Cheung.

We go on a tour in a taxi, which is USD 70.

Breakfast at the Villa Orsula is quite the thing to do and the guests are out in full force, bright and early, eating under grape vines hanging with grapes. Stern ancient men serve yogurt and honey silently. H is thrilled by the view of the violently blue cove and sickle moon of white pebble, where later I collect vari-coloured stones in my Pleats Please pouch, watched by an old lady in a bikini, who sits there every day with her mutt until the last light fades.

The luggage boy wears tennis shorts, and is as cute as a porn actor.

The blonde towel boy is a trouble-maker who causes the lady at the front desk to lose her cool neatness and I’m sure she goes off work each day with a headache.

Blonde towel boy has a friend, a young teen, who throws mussels at the girls on the beach, causing them to shriek.

The boat man from the Villa Orsula is a white-haired mariner with white deck-shoes, who tirelessly ferries us in his boat to and from the little island of Lokrum every day.

MY BROMANCE THE SERIES - REVIEW OF EPISODES 01-04

I'm basically watching this BL lakorn almost entirely because of Cooper Patpasit (he plays the lead role Golf). He isn't classically handsome, in fact, there's something simian about his features, but what an extremely sexy young man! And the fact that he can act actually makes the four episodes watchable; His acting holds up large swathes of this somewhat plodding drama, and his presence and charm make him a budding star.

Cooper with his lovely long, lean torso

This 20 year old isn't pretty-pretty but he makes up for it with a 20 year old's nubile, athletic build, an asset that was quickly showcased in the diving scene way up in the debut episode - and then again and again - which makes My Bromance captivating and exciting to watch - and yes, a bit more adult (than let's say Make It Right), if only marginally so.
I think this series treads the middle ground between Grey Rainbow, which was thoughtful and thought-provoking, and the pure tooth-rotting fluff of Make It Right. My Bromance doesn't have the depth of the former, no philosophical or religious basis, nor is it entirely devoid of realistic detail like the latter. What it has is plenty of family drama that at times feels totally unnecessary, and diffuses the buildup of the love between its leads.
I think the makers have mistaken a convoluted family structure for depth - it's not profound or complex, merely tedious and confusing. For instance to have Golf's mother have a twin sister who lives with Golf. Why twin? Why not just a sister who could be played by some other actress, not the same actress that doubles up as Golf's mother? Then Golf's mother is a manic depressive, who commits suicide, after fighting with her husband over a non-existent mistress. The father is also sick - there are scenes of him being attended to in hospital - overall there's a heavy sense of illness hanging in the air that forebodes tragedy - so no fluff here.
Now, the aunt also has a rather shrill daughter who lives under the same roof as Golf and acts like a sister, but isn't, She doesn't have a father. There's drama over the house which has to be sold, etc and so forth and it goes on and on. It certainly doesn't help that even the flashbacks aren't told chronologically but flash back and forth, with repeats.

Does one need to watch a tapir fall in love?

The casting of Kaii is also hugely problematic for me - firstly, Kaii is physically not as attractive as he should be. I'm trying to reach for a polite way to say that he looks like a baby tapir but I can only go so far as to say Kaii is not slim. The face isn't even agreeable, and the beaky nose and sly eyes make him look devious and scheming when he needs to look vulnerable. I don't know what he has done to deserve this plum role - but it certainly isn't his acting ability. The role cries out for Oat or Min Thitipat of Love Sick, someone with a bit of fragility and innocence.

His looks and appeal are cruelly brought into focus by having his character be a magnet to no less than three suitors - the series opens with one American suitor proposing marriage to him; Jaguar plays the student council that courts him in school; then there's Golf. All three are very attractive alpha types, making it unlikely that any of them, not to mention all of them, falling for Kaii.
And all this could be overlooked if there was even one jot of chemistry between Cooper and Kaii - alas not a quiver of chemistry. Zero. Zilch.
Cooper might as well be making love to a particularly lumpen body pillow for the total lack of electricity.

BIEBER THE BEAUTIFUL

Justin Bieber, 21, is not only talented, he's a great beauty. Bieber is also really, truly stylish - his fashion feels unforced, uncontrived and authentic, a complete antithesis of Kanye West for example, if you need a reference.

WEEKKEND READING LIST: Serious Pleasures: The Life of Stephen Tennant

My new obsession is Stephen Tennant: An artist and writer, he was also a great beauty in early youth (he was the Kate Moss of the Jazz Age!). Mostly he's that very English thing - an eccentric. The Philip Hoare biography of Tennant, Serious Pleasures is one of the best books I've read in ages - a serious, addictive pleasure. 

Young Man With A Flower

For Valentine's Day and for Chinese New Year, I give you this quite rare 1981 oil portrait by Gauguin. So pretty!

Why Smiles Are Good For You

Why are smiles important? Here we explore the power of a brilliant smile.

Let’s begin by stating the obvious, shall we? We smile when we are happy, when things are going swimmingly, when we are having a splendid time. And according to science, behind the purely expressive, smiles benefit your overall well-being in many, many ways.

Quite simply, a smile is probably the best accessory you can have! A smile can make the plainest of people more attractive. If you want to be more attractive, just smile! Research has found that we love smiling faces. Perhaps it’s the sudden flash of white teeth, but picturing the opposite, someone looking down and droopy, brings the point home. How attractive are they? Now picture them with a smile on their face. What does this do to their attractiveness?

Smiles attract because smiles are infectious. We simply gravitate towards people who are beaming a happy vibe. It’s uplifting to be around smiling people; You may not be able to heal the world, but you can calm fear, insecurity and anxiety not only in yourself, but in others just by smiling. Smiling just feels good. You actually use fewer muscles to smile than to frown, and it causes fewer wrinkles too. When you smile, you not only look happier you actually feel happier. Research has shown that smiling releases serotonin – a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of happiness and wellbeing. So even when you’re not feeling great, putting on a smiling face makes you feel instantly better.

Smiling is crucial when it comes to first impressions. Smiling offers encouragement and sympathy to the person that you are meeting. When someone is smiling at you, it means you have their attention. Smiling when you meet someone indicates that you are a positive person. These first impressions are lasting so never miss this chance to impress. One of the first things that successful sales people instinctively do is smile. Who would you rather buy something from? A salesperson who looks bored and surly or someone who’s smiling enthusiastically? Even telemarketers are told to smile when they talk, because a smile is so infectious it can be heard!

He Said She Said: Beaute

"All I need is twenty minutes on the bathroom floor with witch-hazel pads on my eyes, and I can conquer the world.” - Diana Vreeland

The leaves and bark of the witch-hazel hamamelis virginiana is used to produce an astringent, which is used medicinally. This plant extract was widely used for medicinal purposes by American Indians and is a component of various commercial healthcare products.

It's mainly used externally on sores, bruises, and swelling. Witch hazel is also used in skin care. It is a strong anti-oxidant and astringent often used as a natural remedy for psoriasis, eczema, aftershave accidents and ingrown nails, to prevent swelling, cracked or blistered skin, for treating insect bites, poison ivy stings, and as a treatment for varicose veins and hemorrhoids. 

Robert Pattinson's Halloween Special

This may not strike you as a particularly happy marriage but Robert Pattinson has reportedly (LA Times) signed on as the new face of men's fragrances for Christian Dior Parfum. The alleged deal would fetch the always greasy and unshaven Pat Pat around $12 million over three years for multiple ad campaigns.This would be the first significant endorsement for Pat Pat, as he's focused primarily on staying as white as a lump of unwashed whale fat sweating is a dank underground chamber. Let's hope Pat Pat will do a Mrs Brad Jolie in those Chanel No 5 ads and give us another good reason to turn up our noses. I can't wait.

Brad Pitt in Chanel No 5 advert

Those who are determined to be kind, or merely politically correct, will focus on the millions of dollars that Mrs Jolie has earned to make and market this commercial. I'm not one of those. I'm a fan of Chanel perfumes and their iconic commercials, of which there have been some fine ones over the years - but this one I find a right howler. Whatever Mrs Jolie's making is too, too much for something so crushingly dull and inane. It's no mean feat to be so boring in the short 30 second film (and I suppose that is a talent in itself). But unless you're an orphan waiting to join the Jolie household, you will be quite bored, click on the the video and yawn for yourself? Wasn't Mrs Jolie once the hottest cameo alive circa Thelma and Louise? At which point did he degenerate into this leaden, crusty number in the Jolie entourage? Did Jennifer Aniston have something to do with it? Not only does this commercial not add to, or explain Mrs Jolie's appeal, it hardly adds anything to the mystique of the planet's best-selling perfume. 

How I miss the signature jazz tunes of the classic Chanel ads and the iconic beauties. My all-time favourite has to be the Ridley Scott one starring Carole Bouquet.  Now that's a commercial! 

Casta! Cast Her Faster!

"Laetitia has always bewitched us with her sensual and natural charisma: she is the perfect interpretation of  the Dolce & Gabbana woman of  today." - Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana

Dolce&Gabbana Fragrances's newest face is French actress Laetitia Casta, 34, mother of three. Ms Laetitia’s unparalleled sensuality and femininity brought her to the attention of  Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who chose her to embody the Dolce&Gabbana the re-launch of their 1992 fragrance Pour Femme. She joins the long tradition of other curvy beauties favoured by Dolce & Gabbana in their iconography, va-va-voom figures like Scarlett Johansson and Monica Bellucci. 
“It’s not so much a re-edition as it is a fine-tuning. We altered the bottle a bit. The brand has evolved since the 1990s, and we’ve matured a lot since." said Mr Gabbana of the new edition of the iconic scent, which is refreshed with Neroli and Raspberry notes thrown into the classic mix.

The sensual, sun-drenched advertising campaign featuring Ms Casta was shot by the famous Mario Testino in Sicily. 

Top notes: neroli, bergamot, mandarin
Middle notes: lavender, sage, pepper
Base notes: sandalwood, tobacco, Tonka bean

Hello Again

Well, it's good to be back.
I did like the days in Amsterdam a bit, but I prefer being home, to be honest. The roses and those Tudor style houses along the canals actually reminded me of England.
I liked looking out the windows from the Okura room at the people whizzing by on bikes and the badly dressed oldies (this isn't, I must say, a fashion sort of city) walking their fluffy dogs.
The pollen was flying in the Japanese garden where I had some very early, and very delicious Japanese dinners; I was the only one wearing a sweater and jeans amidst a sea of business-suited, sleek haired businessmen.
I have to say I prefer the Okura than the creaky, winding up and down boutique Pulitzer, which is in many ways, just a really big bed and breakfast. Its heavy gloom was not enlivened by the chatter I can hear from two rooms down, nor the constant slamming of heavy doors or the clatter of guests clumping all over the place.
I read rather a lot during the week(magazines and papers), and I'd especially recommend the novel Landfalls by Tim Mackintosh-Smith, about a Moroccan traveller of the early Renaissance. This is a heavily researched book lightened by jaunty prose. It does dwell enlighteningly on Islam, which one learns is more complex and less dogmatic and not completely abstract.One learns as one goes along, doesn't one?
On the other hand, my first trip up to Bangkok in four years was spent hectically catching up with friends I'd lost contact with for a while. I didn't manage to see everyone of them, but I managed at least to collect their numbers, so next time.I also made some new friends, as I was travelling with a young group I'd never travelled with before. The meals and traffic jams were made hilarious by the constant patter of rubbish from one young man called DH. This trip will always remind me of him, and his obsession with vintage jeans, sunglasses and watches. An afternoon spent giggling with DH in the back of a sedan isn't at all dreadful, I must say, even if it was pouring in sheets outside. Also the Greek-American model, 20 year old Christian, made quite an impression, and I only wished I had more time with him under the chandeliers of the gilt and mural Edwardian ballroom of the Oriental.
I love the Oriental Hotel, don't you? The rooms are so comfy, and the service civilised. Of course the food's really great. I ate quite a lot, I'm afraid.
The traffic jams are as horrific as ever, and the city is steadily, unstoppably transforming into one gigantic, dust-coloured mall. One morning, very bored, I bought on a beauty binge:1. Olay Professional and Pro-X products, including the age-defying day moisturiser (SPF 30), wrinkle smoothing cream and a deep wrinkle complex (don't ask).
2. Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Serum.
3. Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Honey Bath.
4. Kyoku For Men Lava Masque which has mineral-rich mud, black sand and ash from Mount Fuji (don't ask, and let's not go there).
5. Tengan exfoliator which has shirasu volcanic ash, sourced from Japan's southern island of Kyushu (is it radioactive? Let's not go there). I do, in fact, have a thing for volcanoes.
But just to tell you that I'm not all vanity, my hair is all grown out of shape, and the grey is showing, but I can't be bothered to spend three hours at the salon.
Go figure, and have a lovely week ahead.
X

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit

I've just added Hermes's new fourth fragrance from the collection of garden-inspired fragrances Un Jardin, named Un Jardin Sur Le Toit (a very charming, very Hermes name "A Garden on the Roof") to my perfume closet.The inspiration: The garden on the roof of the Hermès flagship at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The new unisex fragrance is the fourth in the garden series that already includes Un Jardin en Méditerranée (2003), Un Jardin Sur Le Nil (2005) and Un Jardin Après La Mousson (2008).Like the others in the series, Jardin Sur Le Toit was developed by Hermès house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, and is sold as a fruity floral. The notes feature apple, pear, rose, green grass, basil, magnolia and ...compost.
Review by Bois de Jasmin: "There is something joyful and vivacious about this fragrance. The essentially reads as a crisp, sheer rose on the skin. The first few minutes are all about the effervescence of green and aromatic notes. Then the initial sparkling freshness of basil leaves and grass slowly turns into the juicy impression of a green apple and pear. The fruity accord is rendered as an abstract idea, rather than as the photorealistic fruit salad. I find that its fruity-floral orchestration oscillates between sheer petals and tart fruit flesh--jasmine becomes a green apricot, rose turns into a lychee and violet suggests raspberries. I find it unexciting to wear and lacking the comparatively strong character of the previous Les Jardins. Moreover, as time goes on, Un Jardin sur le Toit loses its charm. While the fragrance gives its wearer a pleasant aura, it is quite ephemeral. After a couple of hours, I cannot detect much on the skin other than a whisper of musk, moss, vetiver and tart fruit. Die-hard fans of Jean-Claude Ellena’s crystalline style will find it lovely."
Review by Now Smell This: "Jardin Sur Le Toit starts out grapefruity-citrusy and sharp — it almost recalls Jardin Sur Le Nil — but only briefly so, then it’s crisp apple and pear with plenty of green. It’s bright and tart, and the green notes add a decent bite. It’s young and spring-like and fresh. The fruit gives way to the flowers: a rosewater and magnolia blend that vaguely recalls Kelly Calèche. The base is a pale gentle musk, more vegetal than animalic, with just the slightest suggestion of warm soil.
In keeping with the rest of the series, it’s a transparent fragrance that lends itself to liberal application, and it’s probably better suited to warm rather than cool weather. I found the lasting power to be just so-so. Do I love it? I do not. I found it quite easy to wear, and there is something cheering about it; it made me smile, but it does not captivate me."
Review by 1000 Fragrances: "Like a poem written on the lightness of clouds, where the fresh colours of an aquarelle are mixed by the wind, Un Jardin sur le Toit speaks about the tender quality of fresh green fruits. The perfume opens with an explosion of green notes where apple and pear are mixed with the odor of grass, lemon and grapefruit. Jean Claude Ellena seized the ephemeral scent of the early spring magnolia flowers with their strange note of decomposing fruits, watery herbs and macerating tea. The sparkling quality of the perfume, after the short transition of the obvious fresh fruits, suggests the quality of champagne and white wine. A delicate litchi note, a bubbling butyric aspect suggesting "lie de vin", the acidic freshness of the pomegranate and delicate rose-violet notes, like those found inside the elder flower, contribute to the unusual effect. I appreciate the early moments of the scent but I would like also that it had more character, and more tenacity on the skin. After less than 2 hours, a generous splash on my skin becomes a very faint odour that could be any Roger & Gallet cologne.

Goodbye, Liz

I've been reading the tributes to the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor but I've yet come across that captured her particular magic. Sure she was an early acknowledged beauty - one of the greatest perhaps, but she was also quite stout. She was not all that stylish or elegant or refined - in fact, what I adore about her is her lusty vulgarity, and her wackiness and eccentricities through the years. She's unpretentious and humourous. I shall miss her, the last one of the greats, and a true icon.

Miss Drag Cherie

Is it just me or does Natalie Portman look just a little bit drag in the Miss Dior Cherie ad?

More Stuff You Don't Need

Victoria Beckham paired up with former Luella and Marc by Marc Jacobs accessories designer Katie Hillier to create a collection of bags with a severe edge. Two of the styles–the leather and nubuck shoulder bag and the hexagonal chain bag in crocodile (above) – went on sale yesterday at Net-a-Porter. The leather and nubuck sold out within the hour. The nearly USD14,000 crocodile bag (right) sold out by the afternoon. The collection comprises of six styles ranging in price from USD1,800 to USD13,950. The stuff will be in stores later this month.And then there's the Tom Ford line of lipsticks called (pompously) the Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color Collection. Each of the 12 scented shades is full of rich, natural ingredients, including soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil. Said to be incredibly moisturizing, and wears for hours and smooth as silk (blah blah blah). USD 45. And that looks like Jon Jon's nose and mouth doesn't it?

Now Lathering

I'm now washing my hair with the superbly gentle yet ultra cleansing Gentle Scalp Cleansing Shampoo Mild from Aesop. Formulated for chemically treated hair (that's me - three hours of chemicals to colour my hair, can you believe?), this shampoo is free from colourants, pearlising agents and foamers that dehydrate hair further. Instead, this low-foaming formulation soothes and cleanses without drying the scalp, it smells so soothingly of rosemary leaf, chamomile and lavender stem. I like this very much. I continue with their Revitalising Hair Sealing Conditioner, a botanical conditioner for all hair types. It's a creamy lotion that does not feel slimey, and again lavender-infused (and rosemary leaf and tangerine), and the best thing is it smooths without leaving a residue, which is all you can ask from a conditioner!

Cat Woman

For Beauty

He Said She Said

"The Dior customer differs worldwide. It doesn’t matter the city really, I mean what’s interesting to me is the take on Dior and how she is inspired by it and how she puts it together, and I think that’s the inspiring thing. As one can see, in New York, they are groomed and glossy and as tall as the skyscrapers — which I love." - John Galliano

Now Burning: Book Smelling Bougie

"With all the things I know, one could write a book. Although, one might also say that, considering all that I don't know, one could create a library." - Sacha Guitry
If you are like me and love candles AND books, you'll agree that it makes perfect sense (scents!) for Paris publisher Assouline to make a range of scented candles for bibliophiles called Book Scented Candles which includes Bibliothèque, Wood, Havana and Leather. They are meant to evoke the unique fragrance of a library, and the reading experience. (Price: USD 45)
Wood, for instance smells of a wood-paneled library; Leather distills the soft smell of leather, comfortable leather couches, the scent of an old manuscript. The candle glasses come inscribed with book-related sayings, such as these. "I must say that I find television very educational. The minute somebody turns it on, I go to the library and read a book." - Groucho Marx"Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other folks have left me." - Anatole FranceProsper Assouline of Assouline Books
"God is a smoker of Havana cigars. I see his grey clouds. I know that he smokes even at night." Serge Gainsbourg

Literary Nose

Frederic Malle, the French perfumer, proclaims that his latest fragrance is one of his best ever. To celebrate his company’s 10th anniversary, Mr Malle teamed up with one of his favorite noses – Dominique Ropion - to create Portrait of a Lady, a heady mix including Turkish rose, raspberry, cassis, cinnamon, patchouli heart, ambroxan and musk. Available next month for USD280 (100 ml) at Barneys New York.