WILL I GET BUMPED BY MICHELLE?

First, a brief backstory. Significant birthdays/ anniversaries - in other words, high days and holidays - we often celebrate with a meal at the Hotel Villa Padierna, in the hills near Marbella. A significant birthday next weekend was going, we thought, to be no different. We’d already made a reservation at La Veranda restaurant when we read in the press that the US First Lady is to spend four days at the hotel with her daughter Sasha, 9. Mrs Obama has reportedly booked 40 rooms for family and friends for the stay between August 4-8.

Now, this hotel isn’t huge, nor is La Veranda. So we’re left wondering if, probably at the very last moment, we get bumped to accommodate Mrs Obama and party. The hotel has form – three days before an important reservation we’d made two weeks in advance (a few days’ notice is usually the norm here in Andalucia!), we were informed that La Veranda was “suddenly” exclusively booked for a wedding party! Wow! A wedding suddenly arranged with just three days’ notice? Incredible!

I can hear you saying: “Why bother then?” Well, the food is extremely good (no mean feat here in Andalucia) thanks to the executive chef, Martin Berasategui, owner of a 3-star Michelin restaurant in San Sebastian, Northern Spain. So, basically, we’re in a wait and see mode but we’re not holding our breath.

If you’re curious as to what Mrs Obama can expect, here are some shots of the hotel, its exterior, interior including La Veranda – plus sample menu (not ours!) and food - spa, and one of its suites. btw Rooms at the hotel, which resembles an Italian palace vary in price from €250 (£209) for a basic double to between €2,200 and €5,000 for a villa in the gardens. The hotel - a golf and spa resort - which has a private beach alongside, is said to be popular with celebrities, businessmen and Arab sheiks. Though we’re yet to come across any sheiks, who knows, maybe we’ll strike lucky with Mrs Obama! Watch this space!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN BUMPED - APART, THAT IS, FROM FLIGHTS?!
Happy Six Word Saturday! Other posts @ Show My Face.

See you again for Ruby Tuesday!

Mwah!
XOXO LOLA:)

RED IS FOR...

Dear readers, I am participating in Alphabe-Thursday where ‘Red’ is for ooh, so many different things! But let’s start with Pillar boxes and phone boxes. And then, what about these:

Trees (acer and peony, respectively):

Roses:

Summer fruits:

Canine fashions

(Last week I featured haute couture and the previous week chain store fashion trends. So. In the interests of even-handedness, here are fashion trends especially for dogs. Though not, you understand, for Lola or any of her canine chums!) Red cape

familiar in bull rings here in Andalucia (but threatened with extinction in Cataluña which has today banned bull fights!)

And, last but not least:

The De Clerambault Code,

my psychological, suspense novel. All profits to charity (see sidebar).

For amazing reviews and further details,click HERE

ALTHOUGH I LIKE THE COLOUR RED, I’VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO “WEAR” IT SUCCESSFULLY ! IS THERE A COLOUR THAT DOESN’T SUIT YOU TOO?

Do tell me! Have a great Alphabe-Thursday! And check out other Alphabe-Thursday posts @ Jenny Matlock´s great site!

See you again for Six Word Saturday and my "brush" with Michelle Obama!
XOXO LOLA:)

IS IT EVER OK TO WEAR FANCY DRESS?

Sometimes an image says more than a thousand words.Think of Audrey Hepburn In that timeless Holly Golightly still from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Hugh Grant in that infamous LA police mugshot. Marilyn Monroe in that translucent white dress over the air vent.

But why oh why do images of those gussied up in fancy dress invariably end up making the subjects look absolutely idiotic? (With the exception of Elton John in his Madame de Pompadour outfits whom we accept as just, well, Elton...)

Here, then, are two more who look totally ridiculous. Recently released on bail after serving nearly half of his sentence for fraud, Canadian-born, ex-newspaper tycoon Conrad Black and his wife Barbara Amiel, pictured above in happier times resembling Cardinal Richelieu and Marie Antoinette at an 18th century-style ball at Kensington Palace in 2000. You can almost hear her cry to the assembled paparazzi-yokels, "Let them eat bread!”. (NB Not my photo – nor my party!)

HAVE YOU EVER WORN FANCY DRESS? WHAT WAS THE THEME & WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN? DO TELL ME!

Happy Ruby Tuesday to everyone in Australia, New Zealand and the Far East where it’s already Tuesday!
And do visit other Ruby Tuesday posts! (Links at Work of the Poet.)
Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)
PS See you again for Alphabe-Thursday!

WOOHOO! I'VE JUST HAD A BABY!

IF YOUR HOUSE WAS ON FIRE, WHAT WOULD YOU SALVAGE FIRST? YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS, YOUR JEWELLERY, YOUR COMPUTER OR... ? WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Happy Six Word Saturday! Other great posts @ Show My Face.

Have a great weekend.

btw that’s not my baby exactly but a twin nonetheless!

Mwah!
XOXO LOLA:)

VACATION WEAR 2010 ~ WITH A SLIGHTLY SHOCKING POSTSCRIPT...

‘X’ IS FOR (E)XCITING VACATION WEAR!
Dear readers, I am participating in Alphabe-Thursday where ‘X’ is for a post I missed when abroad on business. So here are some uber-glamorous examples of vacation wear if you still need any ideas for your own trip! (Here in Andalucia, it touched 36C today so less is certainly more! Sincere apologies if, in your part of the world, it’s cold and/or raining!)These all form part of Carolina Herrera’s Resort Wear 2010 collection described by her as “very light, feminine and romantic” and mainly composed of, er, cocktail dresses. What do you think? Any styles appeal?
POSTSCRIPT
The last vacation wear item is not courtesy of Herrera but of Pamela Anderson who is known as a strict vegetarian of many years. She has done a new PETA campaign to convince people not to kill animals for fashion purposes. However, the ad campaign was banned in Montreal as it was too ‘sexist’ for local businessmen. As you can see, she’s photographed in a tiny bikini and her total body divided into separate parts similar to a butcher’s division of an animal’s carcass.)

When her permit was refused, she commented, “In a city that is known for it’s exotic dancing and for being progressive and edgy, how sad that a woman would be banned from using her own body in a political protest. In some parts of the world women are forced to cover their whole bodies with burqas- is that next? I didn’t think Canada would be so puritanical.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS SHE RIGHT TO PROMOTE HER BODY FOR POLITICAL PROTEST EVEN IF IT OFFENDS OTHERS? WOULD YOU DO THE SAME? AND SHOULD SHE “REFUDIATE” HER POLITICAL VIEWS?

AND WHAT ARE YOUR OWN VIEWS ABOUT THE BAN-THE-BURQA DEBATE?

Do tell me! And do check out other Alphabe-Thursday posts @ Jenny Matlock ´s great site! See you again for Six Word Saturday!
Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)

VACATION TIME AGAIN?

You can always tell when it’s vacation time, can’t you? Strikes at airports; some family member going down with Summer ‘flu and/ or enteritis and hordes of holidaymakers (moi included!) beginning to resemble, in more ways than one, Percy Pig above…

DO YOU MANAGE TO RETURN FROM VACATION THE SAME WEIGHT AS YOU LEFT? WHAT’S YOUR SECRET? TO MANGLE OSCAR WILDE’S OBSERVATION, HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO RESIST EVERYTHING BUT TEMPTATION?

Happy Ruby Tuesday to everyone in Australia, New Zealand and the Far East where it’s already Tuesday!
And do visit other Ruby Tuesday posts! (Links at Work of the Poet.)
Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)
PS See you again for Alphabe-Thursday!

ARE YOU A FASHION FOLLOWER/ VICTIM?

“Fashion is a form of ugliness that’s so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months" said Oscar Wilde.
(Oops! That was 6x3 words...!)

DO YOU AGREE? ARE YOU A DEDICATED FOLLOWER OF FASHION? DO YOU ALTER YOUR STYLE EVERY 6 MONTHS? AND CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF WEARING CLOTHES LIKE THOSE ABOVE & BELOW – EXAMPLES OF FUTURE TRENDS?

Colour, embellishment, craftsmanship and a high-tech approach to fabric manipulation were the key to the UK´s Royal College of Art's recent MA graduate collections presented to press and industry in London (above).

The menswear collections from the RCA’s prestigious School of Fashion - the world’s only wholly postgraduate fashion department - were inspired by chavs, Spanish matadors fused with hip-hop culture, soldiers and skinheads. Womenswear collections, however, showed tunics and robes embellished with thousands of porcupine quills, hand-crocheted dresses with pom-pom hems, silken gowns decorated with handmade silk roses, and mini-dresses made from bands of fabric joined by metal rods.

Goths, warriors, a friendly xerox machine and an anatomy lesson at Middlesex University´s recent BA Graduate Fashion Week show (above):

Alberta Ferretti presented the £20,000 Gold Award to Manchester University student, Rebecca Thomson, for her Graduate Fashion Week designs (above).

ARE YOU A FASHION FOLLOWER OR VICTIM? DO TELL ME!

Happy 6x3 Word Saturday! Other great posts @ Show My Face.
Mwah!
XOXO LOLA:)

PS See you again for Ruby Tuesday!

'Z' IS FOR ZARA ~ & OTHER HIGH STREET OUTLETS FOR SUMMER/ FALL TRENDS!

Dear readers, I am participating in Alphabe-Thursday where ‘Z’ is for Zara ~ and other high-street outlets for key Summer trends that are supposed to take you right through to Fall!

KEY:
1 Zara – Tunic Dress (left)
Gladiator sandals now; leggings or leather trousers later.
2 Zara - Jumpsuit
Add heels for evening
3 Topshop – Wedge Sandals
In colder weather, team these sculpted wedges with opaque tights
4 The Cambridge Satchel Company ~ The Batchel

Part satchel/ part backpack, this is apparently becoming very popular with the heralded end of the 'It' bag.

5 Mango – Pussy-bow Blouse
Team with leather, denim or wool in the Fall
6 Whistles – The Peg Trouser
Influenced by last season’s Celine collection, this trend is continuing through Summer 2010
7 Reiss – Denim Longer Length Skirt
Wear this Stella McCartney-inspired denim skirt with T shirts now, knits and leather boots in the Fall
8 French Connection – Graphic Print Dress
Wear now with sandals; later with tights, boots and cardigans

9 Marks & Spencers – Tan Shorts
Tan is the colour of the season according to Chloé. Layer with tights and coat in Fall
10 Reiss - Cape Coat
Warm camel version from Reiss

Even if you don't have these particular outlets near you, dear readers, these designs are on-trend and apparently widely available!

WHICH TRENDS WOULD YOU WEAR AND WHICH WOULD YOU AVOID AT ALL COSTS?!

Do tell me! Have a great Alphabe-Thursday! And check out other Alphabe-Thursday posts @ Jenny Matlock´s great site! See you for Six Word Saturday!
Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)