I watched a new cookery show on BBC2 on Monday called The Little Paris Kitchen. The cutest show about ‘tiny sized life’, it focuses on Rachel Khoo who runs the smallest restaurant in Paris. Her flat is a studio set up with bedroom, dining room and kitchen in one. However the lack of space has not hindered her style or creativity in any way. Rather she seems to have been inspired by it to create something original and unique. 

Wandering around Paris, Rachel Khoo looks beautiful with a slick of red lipstick and cute polka dot dresses. Oh how we wish we were doing the same!

The recipes are inspiring and easy to follow. She makes it look easy and enjoyable. The simple act of going to the market, getting the fresh ingredients and making something from scratch is made beautiful by her attitude and the location. According to Khoo “butter makes everything better” and we couldn’t agree more! Having trained at Le Cordon Bleu, she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to French cooking.

This is a girl who is making amazing dishes and living her beautiful and stylish life in the tiniest space imaginable. Using a work top hot plate and a mini oven she can whip up French lamb stew, madelines and coq en vin as easy as that. With Edith Piaf records playing in the background we have totally fallen for Khoo and her Paris ‘dream come true’ life style.

I am definitely going to be trying the madelines this weekend and attempting to create a tiny Paris at home!

The Little Paris Kitchen Continues on BBC2 on Monday at 8:30

xMary 

Is it just me, or has spring officially sprung just this week? All of a sudden I am seeing gorgeous flowers everywhere, the sun is splitting the trees and wait, is that the faint whiff of a BBQ making my nostrils flair?

After a gorgeously sun-soaked weekend spent playing in the garden with my soon-to-be-golf-pro two year old nephew, walking with the family in the surrounding country-side, enjoying a slightly charred sausage on the barbeque and sipping gin on Mother’s Day, with heaps of ice and lime – just the way mother likes it – it really does feel like those lingering sunny evenings we have been craving all winter have finally arrived.

It makes me turn my eye to my wardrobe of course, and look to more pastel shades, turn to lighter cover ups and revisit some RRR beauties that have represented the start of spring in previous years and are still part of my most loved pieces. Embracing the pastels this weekend, I couldn’t help but fall in love all over again with the Tucker Camisole in Evelyn’s Dressing Room print, which also coincides perfectly with the blush pink Daffodils that are adorning each surface in store right now!

I’ve also purchased the Marketa Zip Clutch in Egg Shell, one must also keep the accessories seasonally correct! Porcelain’s Esmerelda Lace Tee is a complete spring treat, while I have rejoiced in reviving some T Los Angeles cover-ups and Splendid layers. Also on my spring wish list is the Loup Plaid Play Skirt, Splendid’s Boat Neck Dress and Porcelain’s Boho Top…

What’s on yours?

xJane

When a few moments come along where a little time wasting is required, browsing the endless street style blogs online is one of my favourite things to do. What’s so appealing about these blogs is the accessibility of the fashion and style. It’s free of the confines of glossy magazines and celebrity endorsement. Making something that you could see yourself achieving in your own way. Its not following trends but individuality that’s what’s so fascinating about these photos. Seeing someone living in a different city with a different life is endlessly addictive.

The creator of street style photography is Mr Bill Cunningham who started out on the streets of New York, long before more popular bloggers and photographers like The Satorialist came about. Cunningham dedicated his life to documenting the individual and exposing trends and fashions to a wider audience through the New York Times. Recently a Documentary has been made called Bill Cunningham New York  that explores the man behind the camera. I imagine going to this would be a rather fashionable way to spend your evening and an interesting conversation starter. 

As Anna Wintour herself said, ‘We all dress for Bill’

There is something more creative, more original and personal about the fashion featured in Street Style photography. I feel that street style sparks more individuality when it comes to forming your own trend identity- let alone filling in those coffee break moments! 

When hump day comes, it’s very easy to drift off into a dream world and fantasise about all the things you’d like to fall into your lap right now. Personally, I find a mid-week daydream is just what you need to get through the rest of your working days, feeling completely revitalised and with motivation on how to have your wish list right in front of you in no time at all.

Here is my top five most wanted for this week…

5. Sweets. Always sweets – my ultimate comfort food. Midget gems (not the hard, soapy kind), Haribo Starmix, American Skittles, cinema pick ‘n’ mix… Alas, I am off sweets for Lent, so this want will have to wait until Easter Sunday for me to truly indulge.

4. Sunglasses. Granted, you can wear sunnies all year round, but I always find that March is the time when I splurge on some sleek, new, aviators. So, as this is a fantasy wish list, they must be Marc Jacobs. 

3. March also makes me think it should be about the time of year when I indulge in all things nautical – sailor stripes anyone? Delighted that the new delivery of Splendid has just come in store then. Boat Neck Dress? Don’t mind if I do!

2. Ombré Hair. I cannot begin to tell you how much I want to have ombré hair, you know – the dip dye effect? I’m not sure if 1) I could pull it off, and 2) if I’d trust my current hairdresser enough to do it…

1. My ultimate wish for this week? Perfect paws! I’ve booked myself in for a manicure this weekend as I have been relentlessly pinning pastel coated nails on my Pinterest “be-you-tiful” board so now it’s time to take action. Plus, you feel complete once your nails are done, right?

xJane

I am fascinated by the new rash of concept stores that are popping up in all the major cities of the world. The idea is a cross between a high end fashion shop and an avant gard contemporary art space. The concept is to immerse the consumer in a world that is relevant to the products being sold. These stores are as much an advertisement for the designers and artists that created the space as they are for the clothing. 

I recently saw a feature on one particular shop – The LNCC, London, or The Late Night Chameleon Café. The interior is designed by the award winning Gary Card, and consists of a futuristic warehouse/spaceship/bunker feel. The store also hosts record launch parties, houses a book shop and functions as a private club. You won’t be able to drop in on a whim during a visit to London though, this is an ‘appointment only' store so ring ahead.  Designers like Balenciaga, Jil Sander, and Dries Van Noten fill the rails, so bring your credit cards...

Showcasing artists, designers, writers and musicians - this type of shop can only be a good thing, a somewhat philanthropic endeavour to support creative talent in an increasingly difficult environment. It's unfortunate however that only these larger cities have the economy and footfall of a particular clientele to be able to support such exclusive places. The concept is to challenge and inspire the customer in an intimate space, rather appealing to a mass audience. Until their reach extends out of the big smokes, I'll just have to make my appointments for next time I visit London or Paris instead.

Images:

www.Ln-cc.com

www.Ra13.be

www.hostem.co.uk

There’s been a real distraction of late – a good one, but still a distraction all the same… Pinterest. It’s the type of idea that you come across and think – how has this only come into my life now? In the past few weeks, Pinterest has spawned like Facebook only wishes it did first time round – even Yoko Ono is using Pinterest!

The premise is simple – you create boards to display whatever you want, for example, fashion, food, décor, nostalgic memories, and when you’re browsing the internet you can ‘pin’ all the little things you find to whatever board you want. It is amazing – looking for something different to cook? Check out our Yummmmm board. What about ideas for your spring wardrobe? Our Spring Inspiration, New at RRR and Designers We Love will help.

The beauty of Pinterest is that you can use it for whatever you want. If you are pulling together ideas for a new renovation project, you can pin all your inspiration to one board and follow like-minded people and ‘repin’ their likes and loves. We feel like Pinterest is one of the more grown up social networking sites, somewhere where we can all go to just indulge in all that we love, share with other people and not be subjected to any negative comments.

So, if you fancy an online creative output – get pinning!

You can follow our boards at http://pinterest.com/redrubyrouge/

xJane