Happy St Georges Day ! - FELIÇ DIA DE ST JORDI !

Ok..so today is one of those days that I wish I could be removed from my studio and transported to Barcelona for 24 hrs.. Oh how I miss this day so much !!
Not only it is St George's here in England today but also in Catalonia  where St George is also the patron.
It is also International book day and Shakespeare's Birthday. I have to say that the place to be on the 23rd of April  is in Barcelona as that is where the big celebrations are!

The streets in the centre of the city are heaving with people celebrating and strolling the streets with friends and family whilst browsing through countless book stalls. There are also a couple of  traditions that mark this day - One is that the women get given a red Rose by their 'admire/s' and the other is that books are exchanged as presents amongst loved ones !!! It is the most gorgeous day of the year !

I specially love the idea of book exchange, it is such a lovely way to give someone you love a book you think they might enjoy. Also the good thing is that at the end of the day you might end up going home with several books in your hand !

Images by Barcelonayellow.com

Ester, a lovely childhood friend tweeted me a link  in reference where Catalans have a celebration in London's Borough Market !! I was unaware of it and such a pity I couldn't make it yesterday but if next year I'm still here I shall make sure to visit! - Happy St George's day to all !

Happy Earth Day ! And How a 12 yr Old Girl Addresses a UN Meeting !

Happy Earth Day to all ! Today is a day to contemplate and reflect on how to look after our lovely home and make sure we treat it with the 'Tender Loving Care'  that it needs. We need to think about  how to get  be kind to our planet in more ways than one.

  

                            

A very good friend of mine, 'Uncle Pott's',  recently sent me  a video clip from 'You Tube' where a young girl addresses the UN with a ten minute speech on how environmental issues are important to us. The speech was so powerful that not only did she leave everyone in that room speechless but I was also in tears by the end !! Watch it and see what you think- Happy Earth Day.

Sunday at the Seaside

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We took off and went to Brighton for the day! It was so good to get away and spend time strolling in the beach, which I took the opportunity to take a few pictures for my inspiration board. I wish I lived by the sea sometimes...

Massimo Viatli London Exhibition

I fell in love with Massimo Vitalis' images years ago whilst browsing through the Photographic book section in Waterstones bookshop and I hope to own one of his prints one day! 

The images made so much of an impact on me that since then I have developed a phobia of crowded beaches and refuse to be part of a crowd following a trend! Although I must add that these images make me smile seeing the humour in them and at the same time bringing me great memories of my childhood and teen holidays. 

Massimo Viatli was born in Como, Italy 1944. He moved to London after high school to study Photography where after that his career began and hasn't looked back since. After working as a photojournalist and cinematographer for many years he then began his beach series in 1995.

Massimo Vitali's work can  be found in the collections of the Guggenheim in New York, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain and the Elton John collection. 

If you are in London over the next few weeks I'm very excited to tell you  there's currently an exhibition of his work in London  at the Brancolini Grimaldi Gallery.  For opening times check here.

Outdoor Cinema Garden Party Inspiration !

Image via Hello Friend

Having  closed a chapter of Christmas get-together's another opens with Spring and Summer gatherings ahead -I know!!  We are only in February, but is my way to get through this wintery month by dreaming up fun social events at our home with our friends and family . I just came across this image of a gorgeous Summer evening garden cinema party and I just had to share it with you ! I think I might just have to copy it ;-)

Marni for H& M Campaign by Sophia Coppola

I first fell in love with Sophia Coppola's work when I saw  Lost in Translation were she won an Oscar for best original screen play. Sophia has now directed the new Marni campaign for H& M.  I'm  loving the mood and look she has created so fantastically well.

You can see the video bellow with the soundtrack by Bryan Ferry's Avalon and Marrakesh as a backdrop. The mood is so dreamy and just perfect, so much her style.

And to see behind the scenes see bellow..