What time is it? #2

Another one I like…

Baume & Mercier Classima 10039 Automatic Jumping Hour

Unfortunately I think this is a man’s watch and wouldn’t fit my wrist.  However I like the stacked look for the watch face.  

In honour of the upcoming long weekend for both Canadians and Americans I thought we might all enjoy where I'm planning on going this weekend.  Just kidding, but Baume & Mercier have a great commercial on their site that makes you want to move to the Hamptons and buy a new watch.

The Baume & Mercier site includes a great behind the scenes feature video for those who like that kind of thing.

This advertisement was filmed at the famous Kennedy House in the Hamptons which has been featured in many photo shoots and movies, including "The Nanny Diaries".  

The family showcased in this ad is an actual family - the Baldwins.

The Baume & Mercier event at the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) is apparently a hot ticket and they pull out all the stops for this.  This included a replica Hamptons cottage complete with interior and exterior - tons of sand and incredible sand sculptures.  Check out the stop motion video showing what was involved in setting up for this event.  For someone who used to plan events on a smaller scale, it always amazes me how much work goes into something like this.

Really?

Glace rare iceberg water

Every once in awhile something comes up that makes me shake my head in wonder at what people will pay to appear elite.  (My Birkin bag weakness is one exception).  Below is their explanation.

“Those who travel to the world’s rare and secret resorts have taken pleasure to a refined high art. New and rare experiences are craved by seekers of the finest, connoisseurs of the best. Yet today the most opulent settings are characterized by a serene simplicity, by organic, earth-friendly experiences. For this consumer, GLACE Rare Iceberg Water is the perfect idea. Something so ancient, yet so new, that it exists in a class by itself. As a rare single malt is to whisky, GLACE is to water.”

OK – I guess I’m not there yet.  I’m not sure this convinces me to pay the $15.00 per bottle price tag, but I must confess it is an impressive bottle design.

If you want a good laugh at the "über" rich this is a fun site to check out - Stuff Rich People Love

Dream Home

Frick Estate

I just watched The Philadelphia Story which made me think of this beautiful home.  It’s on the market for $68 million US.  Apparently Oprah Winfrey took a look at it a while ago.  Unless my good friend Oprah is planning on buying this for me as a present, I think I’ll have to pass.  The taxes alone would wipe me out. 

I love this style of classic architecture.  Vaulted ceilings, dentil trim molding, roman pillar door molding, beautiful parquet flooring and white and black marble flooring.  What's not to like?

For additional images of the Frick Estate – view here.

The Philadelphia Story, 1939

The character of Tracy Lord was inspired by Helen Hope Montgomery Scott (1905–1995), a Philadelphia socialite known for her hijinks, who married a friend of playwright Philip Barry.

Barry wrote The Philadelphia Story specifically for Katharine Hepburn, who ended up backing the play, and foregoing a salary in return for a percentage of the play's profits.  The play was a great success on Broadway, and was Hepburn's first great triumph after several movie flops had led to movie theater owners including her on a list of actors viewed as "box office poison."

Katherine Hepburn from "The Philadelphia Story"

Wardrobe Updates - Hérmes Scarf

I’ve decided I need a scarf to go along with my new Birkin…

Ever wonder why a Hérmes scarf is so expensive?  Each scarf is crafted using a multi-step process that can require up to 800 hours of engraving and thousands of colors in a single scarf.

This one in particular I love.  Look closely at the diamond patterns in the centre of the scarf. 

Hérmes

Wardrobe Updates – The Ultimate Hérmes Handbag

A timeless classic…

Hérmes Birkin 35 cm handbag Leather Black

“The bags are handmade in France by expert artisans. The company's signature saddle stitching, developed in the 1800s, is another distinctive feature. Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several days to finish. An average bag is created in 48 hours. Leathers are obtained from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match. The company justifies the cost of the Birkin bag, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity.” – quote from Wikipedia

Too expensive for me I'm afraid.  I'll just add this to the "Only In My Dreams" listing.

That said, if you’ve ever really examined their leather goods and other products you can see why Hermes consider themselves artisans.  They’re products are beautifully made with only the best materials.  They’ve developed a new style recently since bringing on Jean-Paul Gaultier whose last show was Spring 2011 ready-to-wear.  I’ve never been a huge fan of his, but I will admit that some of the new artistic looks for the ads are really amazing.   These ads pay homeage to the artisan tools it takes to create these products and have a Zorro like theme that I thought would tie in nicely with the last post.

all ads - Hérmes

There is an interesting history or profile for Hérmes on New York fashion magazine. 

California Romantic

This look reminds me of the Zoro films... 

I expect to see Catherine Zeta Jones and Antonio Bandaras walking into this room any minute now.

Ralph Lauren – California Romantic Collection

All images Ralph Lauren Home

The Mask of Zoro - 1998

 An American swashbuckler film based on the Zorro character created by Johnston McCulley. It was directed by Martin Campbell and stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stuart Wilson. In the story, the original Zorro (Hopkins) escapes from prison to find his long-lost daughter (Zeta-Jones) and avenge the death of his wife against the corrupt governor (Wilson). He is aided by his successor (Banderas), who also pursues his own vendetta.

Excerpted from Wikipedia

Catherine Zeta Jones

Rumour has it that Michael Douglas saw the film and fell in love with Catherine Zeta Jones right then and there. 

My Peonies

Aren't these beautiful?...

I couldn't resist after this mornings post. 

Peonies - Nature's Work of Art

Although these only appear in June, they always make me feel serene...

I faithfully planted a peonie bush and waited with baited breath for it to come.  And... I got one flower, but it was beautiful and worth the wait.

Peonies are my favourite flower.  I love the smell they give off and the way they can make a room seem so cheerful suddenly.  I love the delicacy of their petals and the way they open up layer upon layer.  They're a natural work of art on their own.  As such I felt they should be framed since I'm hoping to do something like this on a focal wall in my bathroom.  I got the idea to do these in black and white from Caroline Reed - she has some great suggestions on what do with your flower photos.

Peonies are quite hardy and love sunlight which is where I think I went wrong.  They are up against a fence and while it gets plenty of sunlight most of the time, this year hasn't been the best and I guess I'll just have to wait for next year. 

What time is it?

My watch battery has died and it's time to get a new one…

Rolex Submariner Date

I actually like the watch I have.  It’s a men’s watch from Levi Strauss and it looks just like this Rolex, but without the high dollar value.  Just remove a few links and it's a great casual weekend watch.  Very sporty and classy to.

Wardrobe Updates – Driving Mocs

It’s like wearing slippers everywhere you go…

  

Tod’s driving moccasins are on my wish list. I believe these are no longer available and I’ve had this image for a couple of years, but I love the look of these.  Dressy, but classic casual.   I tend to wear a lot of loafers because it’s easier to move around at work when I’m in a hurry.  I sprained my ankle badly years ago and found loafers a fashionable look to wear with my pant suits.  It’s easier when you’re running from one thing to another.  These are the Cadillac of comfort for me.  I'll take them in black and white please. 

I'm also loving this shade of royal blue for summer. 

All images Tod's - Gommino Loafers

Wardrobe Updates - Cozy Cashmere

It’s time for a whole new wardrobe to fit in with my serene life…

Ralph Lauren

Cashmere, just the mere word speaks luxury, cozy comfort and warmth.   It seems strange writing about Cashmere when summer is only beginning, but when I think of starting with wardrobe classics the first thing to come to mind is a black turtleneck.  I have a couple of cashmere turtlenecks that I purchased on sale and I found hard to care for.  And then one day walking into a fine store that sold nothing but cashmere, I discovered what really good cashmere feels like and realized why the turtlenecks I bought were so cheap.  There was no comparison. 

Cashmere comes from the extremely soft undercoat of a long-haired Kasmir goat.  It's harvested by gently combing the goats (definately something to see - they seem to love the gentle combing.)  You can only get about 250 grams from each goat per season and once they've removed the coarser outer fibers you're down to approximately 100 grams.  That is why cashmere is so precious.  Baby cashmere is even more rare.  Aren't these little guys cute?

Image from Loro Piana Cashmere

 

Image from Loro Piana Cashmere

(Considered some of the finest in the world)

I’m a turtleneck kind of girl and I think most women over a certain age appreciate them.  They’re a classic that will never go out of style.  Every fall I head out to buy new turtlenecks.  I tend to stick to Ricki’s because they’re reasonably priced, and include a selection of turtlenecks in a wide range of colours.  A black one is a must every year.  These tend to wear well throughout a season, but this year I’m thinking these cashmere turtlenecks from Ralph Lauren would be a nice addition to my virtual wardrobe – if not my real wardrobe. The colours, grey, black and white, a good basic start for any classic wardrobe.  How could I go wrong?

Designer Profile – Ralph Lauren

I’ve been admiring his designs for a very long time…

So much has been written about Ralph Lauren that I don’t think I could possibly add anything more to his profile.  I’ve read biographies, both good and bad, but even his critics cannot deny his impeccable taste and his ability to transform an idea or dream into a reality.  Either way, I am a big fan of his products as you’ll see in coming posts.

Ralph Lauren

Happy Fathers' Day

For all the fathers out there ... Happy Fathers’ Day

Photo from Ralph Lauren

Happy Fathers’ Day to my dad and #1133.



Inspiration

Sitting out on the front porch watching the neighbours go by…

Canadian House & Home

This is the inspiration photo for my front porch.  We have a bit of a wind tunnel effect here and things tend to fly off during storms so it’s always a bit of a race to get things into the house before a storm hits.  I'd need something heavy enough, but I like this peaceful look.

Actually this front porch is from the 2010 Princess Margaret Hospital Showhome located in Oakville, Ontario.  This is a wonderful lottery that benefits the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, Canada’s leading cancer research hospital. 

The 2010 showhome drew inspiration from the Something’s Gotta Give movie house of Diane Keaton’s character.    

Architectural design, Gordon Ridgely Architects

Construction, PCMnow.com

Somethings Gotta Give, 2003

An American romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers.  It stars Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton as a successful 60-something and 50-something, who find love for each other at a different time of life, despite being complete opposites. 

Excerpt from Wikipedia

      Diane Keaton in Somethings Gotta Give