How to De-Cool your Converse

Lucy has managed quite well here (with the help of Dad when I wasn't around)....

For the birds

Adorable Christmas e-card sent out by Luke Stephenson. I love birds as it is (they've always been my favourite in the whole wide animal world), but somehow putting a Santa hat on them makes them even more delightful.

Growing

Thank goodness for stretch fabrics. This Scanlan and Theodore top has been great lately, and I don't know how but these Citizens of Humanity jeans are still hanging in there. Lucy does get quite perturbed at the sight of my torn knee though, which I have been meaning to patch for, oh, a good year. 32 weeks now, where has it gone.... Stay put, baby, just a few more garments to sew.

A Trip Down South

As Lucy and I will be staying put from Christmas until who knows when with her sister arriving in Feb, we took a quick trip down home last week to see her grandparents and her great grandmother. This is what a city girl does down on a farm...

Dons gumboots (though admittedly not particularly country-type ones, these bee-styled numbers being recently acquired from the local honey farm)

Navigates ditches with her grandpa

Eats freshly picked baby carrots

Decides she's not too keen on getting too close to doo doos (cow pats)

And of course, it wouldn't be Lucy if there weren't a few cafe trips thrown in (Bay Espresso and Hawthornes being the current favourites). We also visited the Te Mata Cheesery just out of Havelock North. They have a super outdoor area, bathed in Hawkes Bay sun, which also sports a nifty playhut (full of toys) to keep little ones very amused (not to mention parents).

I also picked up these Pantone mugs (I love the colours, and the simplistic, slightly technical-looking design), and some screen printing gear for next year (like I'll have plenty of time on my hands...).

Another Beautiful Wintergarden Visit

Wow, they even make silverbeet look amazing...

Notice in the first picture, if it weren't for Lucys hat and pants she could easily blend into the foliage.

Bill Cunningham's On the Street

Some Imagination

The last Bill Cunningham On The Street article I listened to was on bottom cleavage (well, butt crack exposure) some time back. Bill is a photographer with the NY Times and I think what makes him so amusing for me is that he covers fashion on the streets yet sounds as old as dirt. I saw this picture of him today though, and he looks far better than he sounds. And isn’t his bicycle swish?

His latest On the Street instalment (pictures with narration) is about heels, in particular the heel. Check out what the little dog in NY is wearing. Okay, I imagine it is a little cold now in NYC.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/29/fashion/20081130-street-feature/index.html

And in this clip (each of his articles are a short and sweet 2-3 or so minutes), he chuckles as he sees women removing their high heeled shoes for more sensible flats when the pain gets too much!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/13/fashion/shows/20080913-street-feature/index.html

Here’s a list of all his narrated features:

http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?query=%22on+the+street%22&srchst=m

The Search for Bensimon

To those who have been asking me if I know anything (it's a struggle I must admit), I did find this information about where to find Bensimon shoes, at least in the US:

Blog http://www.thebensimongirls.com/

A comment from the US publicist: "Bensimon shoes would be available at Bloomingdales, Tani (New York), Jumelle (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) Kick's Sole Provider (Los Angeles), Lulu's (Miami) and the Bill Hallman Boutique (Atlanta)".

And a list of stockists (as at May 08): http://thebensimongirls.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post.html

There are also a few kids options at olivejuicekids.com and shoploveyoubaby.com

Good luck!