ON FRIDAY NIGHT, by the golden glow of hazy street lamps, we followed the strains of jazz to a clearing in the park to discover couples swing dancing. It was unexpected and utterly perfect for a midsummer’s night, and really rather romantic. On Saturday night, again in the park, we happened upon a full jazz concert, white garden chairs set around an outdoor stage in front of the water fountain filled with late-night revelers, some with children in tow, late-arriving tourists on bicycles and circles of friends on blankets on the grass, sharing a bottle of rosé. Summertime here is the very essence of joie de vivre and we’re lucky to be a part of it. This week’s links include Living with Pink and London’s 30 Most Instagrammed Restaurants, a blue & white beach house and much, much more …
IT WAS A DRINKS on terraces kind of weekend, for all the tall, tall lilac trees in our favourite neighbourhoods have become full and lush, leaving filtered sun rays and pretty dappled patterns on asphalt and car roofs and parked scooters awaiting trips to the market or the beach. We sat on wicker chairs and talked as places filled up at the tables nearby and waiters ambled along clearing empty glasses and crumpled napkins. We also stopped by a favourite café on Saturday for late-afternoon paella and talked about the breakneck passing of days into months and of making the most of this wild and wonderful life. This week’s links include 3 Greek Island Homes with Incredible Views; rhinestone shorts and espadrilles, a hotel in Brazil and much, much more …
WE HAVE BEEN eating walnut, brie and pear grilled cheese sandwiches all week with a side salad of arugula drizzled in a light dressing and more walnuts. It has been sunny everyday, so we spent the weekend on various sun-drenched terraces around the city, sipping on cava while watching the world go by: tourists in shorts, white sneakers and overloaded backpacks; beautiful old ladies in jackets and heels on the arms of their husbands, perhaps on the way to dinner reservations nearby; and fluffy dogs excitedly pulling on leashes past ornate fountains amongst the orange groves. This week’s links include a wine bar in the newly chic place of Kingston, NY; a lovely hotel in London; our brand new and wonderful Antiques & Collectibles selection at The Shop, and much, much more …
TO SAY THAT IT WAS an eventful weekend would be a massive understatement, for it was a wild weekend of fire an fireworks, crowds and cava. Last night was the ending of the city’s famous Fallas festival, a literal festival of fire which began on the 15th of March, creating ephemeral street art museums of neighbourhoods in the city, as well as surrounding towns and villages.
IT WAS A PAELLA ON THE BACK TERRACE kind of weekend; and cheese trays and Serrano and baguettes with paté on Sunday, after spending a leisurely afternoon in the shade of a giant Moreton Bay fig tree while a fluttery wind rustled the leaves and we sipped our summery drinks and talked about life. Things can be such a whirlwind on weekdays–but weekends, weekends were made late mornings and cava nights …
This week’s links include ballet and little white dresses paired with espadrilles; photographer Jacques Henri Lartigue, the new Ned Hotel and much, much more …
THESE LINKS ARE a little late as we still try to process the terribly sad events that unfolded in Manchester earlier this week. Perhaps it would be best to sum up our feelings with Poet Tony Walsh’s ode to the city and its people, which he performed in front of thousands at a vigil of peace in Albert Square yesterday. Listen here (UK) and here (US) and read the full poem below:
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.
