After Hours at the National Gallery

I had an unforgettable ‘after hours’ night at the National Gallery recently, which houses one of the greatest assemblies of Western European art in the world.  Being spoilt for viewing choice, I managed to catch up with some of my favourite fellas (Van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne, Degas…) before enjoying a portrait-worthy feast; Just a complete honour that left me feeling more than committed to being a culture vulture, and investing in a National Art Pass (50% off major must-see exhibitions? Yes please.)   

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Trend: Trench Coats

After the most SCORCHIO of British Summers that I can remember, I can’t say I’m not a little relieved to hanging up my slightly weathered rosé hat. During this sweet spot between balmy and baltic, it was with total Autumnal anticipation I reached for my favourite trench.

I think we all can agree that the timeless trench coat is one of those key inter-seasonal layers that everyone needs.  Possessing all the Audrey vibes one could hope for in a trench, this wee Marks and Spencer's number I got last season is set to work just as hard this year, as it did the last…  And that’s the thing with trenches, they just never go out of style.

Although this balloon-sleeved beauty is sadly no longer in stock, Marks and Spencer have just launched their new style, an affordable Trench Coat made from sustainably sourced materials, which uses clever clogs Stormwear™ technology, increasing your protection against wind and rain (remember those ol'things?!)  Chic AND practical - WE LIKE! 

Another goodie I've spotted which won't be hanging around on their digital shelves for long is Rejina Pyo's love-and-wear-forever Double Breasted Belted Trench Coat from her second collaboration with Label/Mix. Rising fashion-star Rejina Pyo's show during London Fashion Week has become one I really look forward to, and being able to purchase some of her striking designs with their signature sculptural buttons, more affordably than her mainline layers, gives me such a sweet fashwunnnn high. 

Lastly, the other trench that understandably caught my eye was Gabriella Hearst's statement Armonia Coat that debuted on her Fall '18 runway.  With its wool and cashmere-blend, this style is considerably more expensive, but as they say, a trench is for life, not just this Autumn.  Ok, 'they' don't say this - but I just did, and I feel it works, so let's go with it...

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Photography: Joseph Galvin

TLC VACATION: The Rose, Venice Beach, CA.

After much kicking and screaming, this wannabe hipster eventually managed to drag herself away from the most spoiling, sun-soaked suite and jars of flakey croissants at The Rose Hotel, Venice... It was NOT easy! 

The Rose Hotel, a little low-key Venice Beach gem, was originally designed in 1908 by Abbott Kinney, has had a recent, and most perfect, renovation by fashion photographers Glen Luchford and Doug Bruce. Once a notorious 'late night hangout' frequented by the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Jim Morrison, the hotel has maintained many of the original features, such as the reception's yellow counter slot for the working girl's keys, still in situ amongst the more recent flea market and vintage finds. 

I spoilingly stayed in the hotel's Pacific Suite, a 1500 sq ft penthouse, with a massive bay window looking across the broadwalk to the ocean, two bedrooms (both with Queen size beds), linen covered sofas and a lot of too-cool for school art.  Aesop bathroom products, the softest stripey sheets and a bottle of rosé in the fridge (thank you Mr & Mrs Smith!), all helped to make my brief two night stay in the always characterful Venice Beach perfectly chilled. 

Firstly, ALL hotels (and boyfriends) should provide designated little black make up towels to prevent the always inevitable, mascara and foundation induced 'White Towel Guilt.'  I know, a total bathroom epiphany!  Secondly, I brought some Ouai hair products with me to California to try (specifically, the hair oil and texturising spray) and HOLY MOLY they smell incredible - go get'em!

"We never set out to create the perfect hotel; our walls are thin, and the building is wonky... But its not like any other hotel. And we like it just like it is."  Glen Luchford and Doug Bruce.

Here is a little video of my stay at The Rose Hotel, Venice Beach...

Ohhhhh those Venice Beach sunsets... (*and ohhhh, those accompanying Margaritas...!)

TLC ON TOUR... VENICE BEACH SUITCASE:
(Click on the items below for their direct links)

Thanks to Mr & Mrs Smith for organising my stay. 

TLC Vacation: Los Angeles with Ingrid Goes West

To celebrate the DVD and digital release of ‘Ingrid Goes West,’ Matt Spicer’s dark comedy that satirises the modern world of social media, I was invited by Universal Pictures UK to visit some of the film’s featured hot spots, arguably some of the city’s most Instagrammable sites. 

The film follows the journey of Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza) who with an unhinged history of mistaking ‘likes’ for meaningful relationships, moves to Los Angeles in an effort to stalk down and befriend her Instagram idol, Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen.) What has been called the ‘Single White Female’ of the social media age, this film is brilliantly topical, and frequently makes for some super uncomfortable viewing (especially for those of us heavily involved in using social media… EEK!)

Aubrey and Elizabeth aside, however, another shining star of this film is undoubtedly its location… LOS ANGELES. I’ve been really lucky to spend time out in LA over the years, even moving there for a few months to work with some producers when I was younger.  It’s ridiculously spread out, but each differing area has its own remarkable character and almost pre-filtered aesthetic, and having an opportunity to explore some of these places once more, as well as smugly missing the arrival of ‘The Beast from the East,’ seemed too good to be true. 

I mean, I can’t tell you how jammy I felt to be taking off in a roomy Norwegian Air Premium seat and heading for the California sunshine, just as the first snow was beginning to fall upon the runway in my wake… #SorryNotSorry!

I spent two nights at The Kinney, a beyond colourful and quirky hotel at the heart of Venice Beach (where the oh-so-Boho Taylor Sloane lives, no less!) enjoying both a delicious dinner on the candlelit Gjelina patio (is there a better, more comforting cure for jet lag than pizza and red wine?!) and a sunny breakfast (with avocado, natch…) and much needed giant coffees at The Rose Café which set us up happily for all our sightseeing… iPhones at the ready.  

After popping into Clare V’s (the boutique Ingrid first meets Taylor) I had my my hair tousled by the lovely peeps at The Hive in Silverlake (no blonde Taylor make-over for me, this time!) I then, eyes on stalks, visited some key Instagram locations across the city, including the much-photographed Love Heart Staircase and the infamously pink Paul Smith Wall, with lunch at the Carrera Café, and dinner at Ostrich Farm in Echo Park, yet another aspirational filming location. 

With my camera roll almost as full as my stomach, we then set off on a road trip, just like the girls do in the film, for an afternoon in Palm Springs and a night in Joshua Tree.

I stayed at the Parker Palm Springs a few years back, and it remains one of my favourite hotels, so to return for a mouth-watering lunch at Norma’s (shrimp tacos, always) was a serious highlight. Originally a Holiday Inn, this mid-century mansion has been transformed by the famously eccentric designer Jonathan Adler, who’s iconic pottery I am a keen collector of. The hotel is a perfect balance of extraordinary and chic, and you’re unlikely to have seen anything like it.

A visit to the Moorten Botanical Gardens followed lunch, a garden designed by Slim and Patricia Moorten in the 1930’s, which now boasts over 3000 examples of desert cacti and other desert plants, and has become a real Palm Springs destination.  

Our next stop was a tour around the Palm Spring’s Art Museum, where brilliantly, our visit had happily coincided with their Andy Warhol retrospective. As if my senses were not on over drive enough, it was a total pleasure to see more than 250 of this artist’s works from over four decades, in person - the pop art in particular.   

After an early dinner at The King’s Highway Diner at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs (shrimp tacos on repeat, this time with Frozen Piña Coladas… Next level, just sayin’!) we headed into the desert darkness.

The Pioneertown Motel, a must-stay when exploring the Yucca Valley. The motel is rustic, and straight out of a film set, which is of course in keeping with the real life, actual Hollywood western film set that lies on its doorstep! The rooms are simple and stripped back, and if you are comfortable with the lack of light pollution, and abundance of cool desert air, a good night’s sleep is guaranteed.

Sadly we arrived at the motel on one of the two nights a week where neighbouring bar and renown rockstar/cowboy/rock climber hangout, Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneer Town Palace was closed! This, coupled with having to set off early the next morning, rendering us unable to explore the film set, has left me with valid reasons to justify a return one day…

After a stack of Cross Road’s Café pancakes (next to some dubious taxidermy), we headed towards Joshua Tree National Park, where my boyfriend had visited to rock climb only a fortnight before. With 8000 climbing routes and 2000 boulder problems, the epic landscape, fascinating variety of plants and rare opportunities to sleep under the stars, have all created a truly world-class climbing destination… Oh, and the perfect Instagram location…!  As demonstrated by Taylor and an eager Ingrid in the film, we also had our moment to capture some Coachella vibe #OOTD’s amongst the yucca trees...

There are also some vintage stores, such as ‘The End,’ worth dropping in on before leaving Joshua Tree.  Despite not finding my dream cowboy boots, I did find a vintage Italian umbrella which was too adorable not to take with me on the road. 

With Downtown LA (‘DTLA,’ for those in the know) mid-way through a real rebirth, with exciting restaurants, galleries, and hotels opening throughout, its currently a really great, buzzing place to stay, and after all that dust, and travelling, it was pretty euphoric to walk into my beyond spacious, and achingly cool studio suite at The Ace Hotel.  With a roll top bath, record player, a guitar and water provided in cardboard boxes, I became hipster by default. Cool. 

The next morning, after one giant lie-in (and hangover), armed with green juice, we hiked to the Hollywood Sign. Kidding, we took an Uber...

After obligatory photographs were taken, a spoiling lunch (of, you guessed it, shrimp tacos) at The Ivy Restaurant in West Hollywood ensued. Totally sceney, and totally worth hustling your way into for the eclectic décor and people watching-alone, but I can also thoroughly recommend the Key Lime Pie! 

Here is a little video of these fabulous few days in LA...

TLC ON TOUR... LOS ANGELES SUITCASE:
(Click on the items below for their direct links)

In collaboration with Universal Pictures (UK), Discover LA and Greater Palm Springs CVB, with thanks to Norweigan Air.

Photography: Myself and Erin Wyatt.

Nails: Sophie Gass.

OOTD: 21.02.18

On rather a bleak, grey Sunday last week, I wore my Madeleine Thompson multi-coloured dream jumper (had there been a coat available, I would have been first in line) alongside some severely bright accessories, and instantly felt brighter. Now, I've never been shy of wearing colour, but there have been many studies that actually prove that a colourful wardrobe can improve one's health and boost one's mood.  Here comes the science bit… Certain colours trigger neurological responses in your brain, causing the hypothalamus gland to release HAPPY hormones.

If truth be told, I've been feeling pretty low since returning from Africa last month.  It's nothing unusual, it just always takes me a few weeks to readjust and get back in to the 'swing of things' after enjoying a lengthy time back home with friends and family in the sunshine. 

Once upon a time, my friends and I HAD to have one of Madeleine Thompson's slouchy cashmere beanies, and now, fast-forward a few good years, we're all now hankering after her cult cashmere once more. This jumper honestly felt like a warm shield against the weather, and all my subsequent doom and gloom, especially when paired with some new slim leg Topshop dungarees, my new Big Gold Heart Blue Billie necklace, my favourite Tom Ford lipstick ('Spanish Pink'), and an afternoon of popcorn and old-school Hugh Grant in 'Notting Hill' with my buds Katherine and Haden.  

If you're resolutely attached to your neutrals and feeling a little colour-hesitant, start beating 'dem blues with some bright accessories… I can barely take a step in my new mustard Nike Air Force trainers from & Other Stories without someone asking me where they are from, and likewise, my favourite Mulberry handbag. 

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Spring Denim at Debenhams

A good pair of jeans is the ultimate addition to anyone’s wardrobe, as regardless of the weather or the occasion, some good denim is the most reliable ‘go to’ of dressing solutions. I am the ultimate jeans girl, with a day rarely spent not wearing a pair, so I leapt at the chance to style up some of Debenhams latest spring denim designs…

THE SKINNY JEANS

Last season we saw a real shift back to skinny denim, and it’s quite clear that this sorely missed style is here to stay.  Charcoal grey is always a great transitional colour jean, and the bold, playful Studio By Preen polka dot shirt, with its gorgeous wizard sleeves, really stands out when worn with together. After abandoning my socks (gloves, vest, and balaclava), I’ll be wearing this outfit as I merrily skip outttta Winter into Spring. 

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THE BOYFRIEND JEANS

Baggy, too-cool to care boyfriend jeans are a staple in my wardrobe, and it’s a style I usually contrast with slightly more feminine pieces.  This pair however, are uniquely adorned with striking floral embroidery, so I reached for my leather jacket, sneakers and more plain accessories to try and balance out the pretty.

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THE WHITE JEANS

It’s not just Liz Hurley who loves a good pair of white jeans… Regardless of the season, you’ll find my legs wrapped in gleaming white denim too. I wore this fitted pair with some white boots (a huge trend right now) and some pieces from Nine by Savannah Miller, who’s collections each season at Debenhams I look really forward to. FYI - her embellished khaki bag is a real keeper!

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THE BLACK JEANS

Worn from work and straight into play (do not pass go, do not collect 200…) nothing is worthier of investment than a good pair of skinny black jeans - they can literally do NO wrong!  I also really love this striped dress shirt, which I tied kimono style at the front, and with the addition of a strong red lip, your #OOTD would make the perfect #OOTN. 

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Shop my full Debenhams edit HERE. 

In collaboration with Debenhams
Photography: Eva Salvi
Hair: Taylor Taylor London  
Nails: Swanky

The Watamu Turtle Pouch Launch and Competition

Last week, Elizabeth Scarlett founder Elizabeth Elsey and I celebrated the launch of our ‘Watamu Turtle Pouch’ at an intimate breakfast in the festively decorated private dining room at Balthazar London in the heart of Covent Garden. 

100% of the profit from our limited edition, intricately embroidered cotton, teal pouches (RRP. £25.00) go directly to the Local Ocean Conservation, a non profit organisation based in my home village of Watamu, back in Kenya.

Local Ocean are committed to the protection of critically endangered and threatened sea turtles and the preservation of Watamu’s spectacular Marine Park and Reserve. Having been lucky enough to help with several of their turtle releases, I can tell you first hand, nothing brings more joy than watching these beautiful beings healthily return back into the wild.

It was so great to see so many of my friends there to support my second ‘Buy To Give’ collaboration, and they all received their own ‘Watamu Turtle Pouch,’ which were filled with some of my other favourite ‘travel essentials,’ spoiling gifts from Jo Malone, Caudalie, Charlotte Tilbury, Spacemasks, ASOS Africa, and Sisley Paris.

Above (L-R):  With Venetia Falconer, Niomi Smart, Rosanna Falconer and Liv Purvis.

Above (L-R):  Nutritionist Zoe Stirling, Make-up artist Charlotte Cowen, presenter Venetia Falconer, and Matthew Williamson's Business Director, Rosanna Falconer.

Above (L-R):  With documentary photographer Freya Dowson, and wellness guru Jasmine Hemsley. 

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Watch out for the #TLCComp in the above vlog, for your chance to win your own Watamu Turtle Pouch filled with all my travel favourites (below).

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Photographs: Moeez Ali

With Thanks to Balthazar London

A Boots Story with TOMS

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of TOMS, a really unique brand that has inspired much of my own ‘fashion for good’ conservation work over the years. With giving at its core, TOMS fantastically matches every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of shoes for someone in need.  To date, this brilliant ‘One for One’ mission has seen over 75 million new pairs of shoes given to those in need around the world, with over 1/3rd of those shoes being produced in the regions where they are distributed, including back in Kenya.

This season, TOMS has introduced a selection of boots, ones that not only look great (with, as I found out, EVERYTHING you pair them with), but like all other TOMS products, they also give back; It’s a win, win!

TOMS asked me to style up some of their Ella and Alpine Boots in celebration of their launch, and I found that not only were both pairs extremely comfortable and versatile, but also really stylish, which is of course, just as important…

The Ella Booties...

Instead of going dark, like the rest of my usual winter boots, I chose to wear the Ella Booties in Desert Taupe Suede Metallic (RRP. £89.00). A favourite of Queen Victoria, the timeless Chelsea Boot style, characterised by it’s high-top, slip-on design, and inherent simplicity, are the easiest of silhouettes to wear. The light colour of these boots makes them really inter-seasonal, and the inclusion of the metallic, makes the feel both modern and fresh. These boots conveniently work with every outfit I throw together and look set to be pretty hardworking additions to my wardrobe!

Not all heroes wear capes. But some do. In their TOMS. I’m never usually too far from some leopard print, and in this case Britney and Justin, I will take your Double Denim and I will RAISE YA! Yup, I went Double Leopard, all black everything else, with my Ella Booties balancing the outfit. Gloves, socks and a beanie will be merry additions as it gets colder.

I love winter whites on a bright, cold day, and the combination of my Liz Hurley’s (a.k.a. my white jeans) and sandy Ella Boots, mixed with some textured tweed and a darker polo neck led to one of my favourite looks of the day which I will certainly be replicating.

I mean, just when you thought I couldn’t possibly throw any more leopard your way… A statement coat like this can always do the talking, so I just had to rely on my neutral Ella’s to do all the walking.  And in case you were wondering, no, that teeny bag doesn’t fit a thing… But that’s not really the point now, is it?! #Fashion.

The Alpine Boots...

I also chose a pair of Toffee Suede Alpine Boots (RRP. £84.99) which literally put the fun into functional. The boots are everything you crucially need for a bitter winter, without having to sacrifice your style in exchange for keeping warm. Despite being water resistant, and promising to keep those tootsies snug-as-a-bug, the bold pattern they feature is sprightly.  These will be exactly what I need to keep myself distractedly cheerful, whilst tackling the impending street slush in the next few, darker months!

Having the sweetest tooth known to man, the whole toffee’ness of this outfit appeals hugely. Not only do the Alpine Boots stop my jacket from feeling too Frank Butcher, I love how my (*epic) bag highlights their coloured details.  This look is definitely one I’ll be enjoying during The Big Chill.

All the layers of this outfit, along with the wool of the Alpine Boots poking out, immediately makes me feel cosy and peaceful. I just need to accessorise with a hot chocolate (or mulled wine… what time is it?!) pronto.  

And there it is. The beanie. The beanie which will be attached to my head for the foreseeable future (I’ve even been known to sleep in them… Don’t judge me, I’m from Africa and I’ve never grown used to these winters!)  A coat that could double as a dressing gown, and the feet cuddles the Alpine Boots are giving me, makes the whole getting out of bed in the morning and leaving the house whilst its still pitch dark thing, a whole lot easier.

I loved styling up my new TOMS boots, but best of all, I love knowing that by wearing them, someone else less fortunate than me in the world is also now walking around in a pair of shoes that they so desperately needed. It is that thought really does put a spring in my step.

Click to see about TOM's Boot's Story...

In collaboration with TOMS.

Photography: Francis Davison

Hair: Taylor Taylor London

Nails: Sophie Gass

#OneForOne

OMEGA 'Her Time' Exhibition, Paris

There are invitations, and then there are INVITATIONS.  Last month I visited Paris with OMEGA for the latter. With an itinerary that included meeting supermodel (and all round superhuman) Cindy Crawford, a spoiling stay at Le Meurice, a sunset cruise down the Seine for dinner, and an opulent party celebrating the ‘Her Time’ exhibition where the latest brand ambassadors were to be revealed had this girl, someone who let's not forget, hasn’t moved quicker than a strut since the mid 90’s, sprinting to catch the Eurostar!!

OMEGA is recognised as one of the greatest watch brands all over the world (and even outside of it, thanks to their buddies at NASA), and since 1848, this Swiss brand has continuously redefined watchmaking, with their ground breaking and stylish watches accessorising the most glamourous and adventurous of wrists, from Olympians to presidents, and even Bond. James Bond.

It was wonderful to meet with the eye-poppingly beautiful Cindy Crawford at the Paris Peninsula (see my hotel review here) ahead of the party, and hear her talk so passionately about her relationship with the brand, one she quipped, she’d been in a marriage with longer than the one with her husband.  Cindy joined the OMEGA family in 1995, and has relished the experiences she has had with them, specifically visiting Peru to see first hand the amazing eye surgeries OMEGA funds through their charity partner Orbis International, a non-profit non-government organization of doctors who volunteer their free time to fly around the world providing life changing eye surgeries and training local doctors.  Cindy revealed she didn’t have a stand out favourite style of OMEGA as she feels attached to all her watches, and like bracelets, she likes to change up her watch style according to her outfit and mood, however, she did say she felt very connected to the Constellation design.

Above:  Here’s a great idea Kelly; How about standing next to Cindy Crawford for a photo whilst wearing flats that resemble penguin feet? Not enough filters in the goddang world…!

Above:  Le Room Service (F.Y.I. My favourite French word? Pamplemousse.)

Above: TIME to party with OMEGA…

Despite it BUCKETING it down that evening, the OMEGA Her Time exhibition and the party, held in the historic Hôtel de Sully’s courtyard, was just as stylish as you might expect, complete with many a handsome garçon holding a smart parapluie to guide you in between the differing displays.  After exploring the selection of OMEGA’s most famous and exquisite women’s watch designs, the company’s charming President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann introduced Cindy and the brand’s newest ambassadors onto the stage; Her model children, Presley Gerber and (girl du jour) Kaia Gerber. 

To celebrate the family’s sponsorship, a series of black and white family portraits of the beyond genetically blessed Gerber family, taken by renown Peter Lindberg, were presented (below). With legacy, history and family being at the core of OMEGA’s brand ethos, there couldn’t have been a more fitting reveal.  

Below:  After the After Party... Putting the French into French Fry back at Le Meurice. 

At a time where so many of us are leaning so heavily towards the digital, and can so easily read the time on our phones, there is something so reassuring and special about wearing a traditional watch, and I really enjoyed borrowing an OMEGA watch in Paris and for the week that followed, back in London-Town... 

In collaboration with OMEGA

London Photography:  Frances Davison

London Hair: Taylor Taylor London

Nails: Swanky London

Watch More Here...

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TLC Vacation: Global Day of Discovery, Paris

I was recently invited to Paris by Renaissance Hotels to celebrate their fifth annual Global Day of Discovery.  This hotel group is known for helping its travellers really experience their destination, something so frequently missed out on by those with a busy travel or work schedule, and for one day a year 170 of their hotels, across 24 countries, assist in helping you uncover the real soul of the location you’re visiting.  As Audrey Hepburn once said, “Paris is always a good idea,” so how could I miss such an exciting opportunity - one that would really immerse myself within the city, and not just within it’s bottles of wine and baskets of baguettes, as previous trips have witnessed!  This time, I was set to truly experience some authentic local culture that makes Paris unique.  

After arriving in Paris on the Eurostar (still never gets old), we were collected and taken to the Renaissance Arc de Triumph Hotel.  After a quick change and turnaround (I obviously needed to don some stripes and apply some red lipstick… ‘Cos Paris, innit?!) I was taken for the most tasty, colourful and inventive lunch at Balagan, the latest offering from the team behind the Experimental Cocktail Club.

With famous Israeli Chef Assaf Granit at its helm, this new, stylish restaurant and cocktail bar officially opens in June, in the Renaissance Vendome, and it should not be missed.  Make sure to try the amazing polenta starter and the tuna tatar wth tomatoes and tobiko yoghurt before the staff, accompanied by loud music, all join together to create you the messiest and most fun deserts… Think, chunks of cake thrown with wild abandon onto a tin foil lined counter top, followed by handfuls of watermelon and blueberries, a scattering of nuts, and giant spurts fruity syrups and lashings of cream! How very apt that Balagan means ‘Joyful Bazaar’ in Hebrew!

After a walk in the beautiful sunshine around the surrounding area, I have to admit I maaaaaay have then spent most of the afternoon in Sezane! #DésoléPasDésolé

TLC LOVES... SEZANE

(Click on the items below for their direct links)

After another quick change (so little time, so much Paris), and another quick change after that (zip issues with my dress), we were entertained by some dancers in the lobby over champagne, followed by Parisian beatboxers over more champagne, in a coach headed towards the Eiffel Tower.  Oh, did I forget to mention?!  The six Renaissance Hotels in Paris came together and threw an exclusive party a the sought-after Salon Gustave Eiffel in the Eiffel Tower and THAT’s where I was headed.

Aside from getting ABSOLUTELY SOAKED by a freak thunder storm (if you watched my InstaStories that night, you might remember my hurricane of a hair doo and complaints over my soggy Jimmy Choo’s!) the evening was what dreams were made of; incredible and rare views across Paris, the City of Light, and a fun party involving a lot of glitter, a lot of bubbles, and many, many extraordinarily good looking stubbly men. I mean… They were EVERYWHERE. If you’re single Ladies, head to Paris, that’s all I’m gonna say!!  

The next day, a Renaissance Navigator, an expert in local neighbourhood activities and local gems, took us to the Fondation Louis Vuitton. 

Not only was it as fabulous as ever, but I was able to visit the Art Afrique exhibition, which was exhibiting one of my all time favourite photographs in all its glory, 'Nuit Noël’ (below).  Captured by Malian goat herder turned photographer Malick Sidibé, in 1963, three years after Mali's independence from France, and a time of hugely euphoric cultural and social change.  I just love the vibrant intimacy of the couple jiving under an African night's sky, still both in their Parisian best (she, sweetly barefoot), surrounded by beer bottles on the concrete dance floor.  

Before heading for to catch the Eurostar home, we headed for the Place du Trocadéro. You can’t come all the way to Paris and not get the money shot, after all!

TLC ON TOUR... PARIS SUITCASE

(Click on the items below for their direct links)

When in Paris... I love French beauty products (*and pastries) and I have a lot of love for cool cat (and daughter of Serge and Jane) Charlotte Gainsbourg’s new khaki packaged NARS collaboration - the make up brushes are firmly on my Wish List. Also, if I could eat the new Sisley Paris Black Rose Cream on toast, I would.

An unforgettable journey, Merci Renaissance Hotels!