Louis Vuitton: The Curated Shelf

I took a trip to Louis Vuitton's flagship store on Bond Street, not for an LV patterned leather bag, but to check out their bookshop tucked away in a far corner of the highest floor, which is also home to an artist curated book shelf. This store is one of 5 'Maisons' around the world that celebrate the local area and have a point of interest beyond the expensive designer goods. Louis Vuitton's idea is certainly fashionable, a nod to the shelfie craze - the intellectual bookshelf snap version of the selfie.

The artist curated shelf

Jergen Teller, Cindy Sherma and Mark Quin have all curated a bookshelf since it launched in 2013. Participating artists can choose whichever books they like, from the very rare to the very old. A new artists curates a shelf every few months and all the books are for sale with a price tag perhaps not as alarming as you might think. When I visited, all the books were bought in one go for a few pounds each. It was a collection of books all referencing the Ocean by an artist Tania Kovats.

The titles displayed around the rest of the book shop are chosen to reflect what's currently happening in London artistically and culturally. The Tate's current blockbuster Exhibition books sit alongside a Mr Porter guide with some rarer publications in the mix.

A word of warning: The beautifully designed selection will give you serious book envy. I wanted them all. Perhaps I'll have a go at showcasing some of my more beautiful books in this way.

The Louis Vuitton Maison
New Bond Street

Exhibition Edit: Mosse and Matisse

It's bank holiday. And it's raining. Why not pop into one of these fantastic exhibitions over the weekend? Oh, and the degree shows are kicking off too. I'm going to try and find time to see what Central St Martins final year students have been up to.

The Enclave - Richard Mosse

Richard Mosse

Captured by the fucia pink landscapes of Deutsche Börse Photography Prize winner Richard Mosses’ series The Enclave, it's too easy to mistake the photographs as fun, fluffy, fodder. But remove the rose tinted specs, read the blurb and discover how the jarring colour palette alerts the viewer to the overlooked humanitarian disaster of The Congo war.

Mosse documents The Congo’s fertile scenery which has remained unscarred by a conflict that has claimed the lives of 5.4 million people since 1998. Mosse shot the images using infrared colour film, used by the military to identify camouflaged targets by revealing infrared light reflected from green foliage in vivid shades of pink. 

The Photographers Gallery until 11th June. Free.

The Snail - Mattisse from Tate

 Matisse

So friendly and fun, Mattisse’s The Cut-Outs will warm the cockles of the most critical of these queue-for-an-hour blockbuster exhibitions popping up in London’s galleries.

A Godfather of the art world, Matisse made the Cut-Outs in the in the last 17 years of his life, swapping the paintbrush for a pair of scissors when he became less mobile.

With the help of his assistants, Matisse explored scale and composed his pieces by pinning and re-pinning directly on the wall of his studio. He drew with a piece of charcoal bound to a long stick to match the scale of the wall canvas, resulting in pure, fluid lines.

The primary colour popping shapes of marine life and dancers featuring on small paper studies to vast stained glass windows is hands down well worth the wait.

The Tate Modern until 7th September. £18.

Travel: 5 Cheap Things to do in Paris

Orangina on the boat

1. Drink an Orangina on a boat ride down the Seine

Nothing sums up the taste of France more than a pithy cold Orangina to me. I prefer it in a glass bottle. It tastes better and you can buy it from a supermarché for a tenth of what this overpriced can was in the boat shop. If your feet get tired of flaneur, (the French noun to wonder), then chug slowly down the Seine, a brilliant viewpoint to see the famous landmarks. Book online with Vedettes du Pont-Neuf and save €5 per adult ticket. Departs from Pont-Neuf every hour, and lasts an hour.

Le petit chien

2. Pat a small dog outside a Boulangerie

These fluffy woofs are everywhere and provide a bit of light entertainment while queuing for a baguette/croissant/tart. For this trip, our bakery of choice was Eric Kayser on Rue Reaumur, mainly because it was around the corner from our Air B 'n' B apartment. Their sour dough mix, which makes for a slightly chewier stick, made our mornings.

Nuxe's Reve de Miel

3. Pop into a Pharmacie

Apparently, when the French come to England, they stock up on Herbal Essences. When the Brits go to Paris, anyone who wants moisturised lips, should pop into a Phamacie and buy Nuxe's Reve de Miel. The milky coloured stick is carved like a lipstick and tastes of honeyed orange. Not at all greasy, it goes on quite thinly, allowing for a slap of lippy to go on on top - how very chic.

My Hema purchases including neon washi tape and letter stickers

4. Stock up on Stationery at Hema

Hema hasn't graced England with one of it's shops yet, which makes a trip to this multi-coloured household goods shop essential when going to a city where there is one. A bit like the market place in Ikea, the stationery department is a cheap dream for anyone with a craft box.

Ham and Cheese Cassoulette

5. Try a Cassolettes

Dunk a hunk of bread into this cheesy, potatoey, hammy hot pot and an audible mmmm will almost definitey ooze out of your lips. Our favourite lunch spot for this is Cave la Bourgogne, in the Latin Quarter (134 Rue Mouffetard).

Me and Ollie outside the Musee D'Orsay

And one last tip, if you are planning on travelling by Eurostar (by far the easiest, cheapest and most relaxed way if you live in/near London), book early for £69 returns and keep your ticket because it will get you half price entry into some major cultural attractions including The Mussee D'Orsay which had a Van Gogh exhibition on when we went.

March To Do List

So today is officially the last day of Winter... March means sunnier, longer days and here's what I plan to do with them...

Inside: A French country feel

Eat: Blanchette, D'ablay Street
Opposite one of my favourite Soho Spanish spots, Copita, this new French Bistro opened by three brothers and named after their mother. The menu? More original takes on French food are peppered with staples of charcuterie and terrines on the back drop of bare brick walls and painted tiles.
9 D'Arblay St, London W1F 8DR

Climsons Broadway Market, Picture from Timeout

Coffee: New discovery of Climpson & Sons coffee. The Ossies bought the shop on Broadway Market in 2005 and adopted the name of the previous Butchers. When the sun comes out, one of my favourite ways to spend a Saturday is wondering down Broadway Market.
67 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH

Balloons Picture: Martin Creed

Exhibition: I still need to see the Martin Creed's What's the Point exhibition at The Hayward. Pictures keep popping up on my instagram of people wading through the balloon room - art has never looked like so much fun. Tickets £11, On until 27th April.

Wes Anderson's beautiful film poster

Booking: Tickets to see Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. Starring Ralph Fiennes who plays a concierge who teams up with an employee to prove his innocence after being blamed for murder. As usual, the film's poster alone is enough to get me excited.



Paint something with Farrow & Ball's Blackened. Perhaps my bedroom? An extremely pale grey, it's softer and less harsh than white. I'm pretty it is the shade of choice on the walls at the Bailey's Stardust exhibition at the National Portrait gallery too. £39.50 for 2.5l

Exhibition: Isabella Blow Fashion Galore!

Fahsion Galore - image Somerset House

The last three exhibitions I have been to at Somerset House have all been brilliant and this one documenting the life of fashionista, Isabella Blow was no exception. She is the late, great fashion guru credited with propelling the careers of many of Britain's biggest fashion names including Alexander MacQueen and Philip Treacy.

Blow and McQueen - Pinterest

Blow was born into aristocracy, but her father spent their fortunes, forcing her to earn a living. She chose fashion and asissted fashion editors from newspapers like The Times to Anna Wintour and became known for her magpie-like talent for scouting out the next big name in fashion. She hung out at Central St. Martins and The Royal College of Art to find young designers to put on the fashion pages.

Treacy's hats - Somerset House

On show is Alexander McQueen's whole graduate collection, every piece of which, she bought, paying off £100 a week and receiving one item a month. Red lipstic wearing Blow was a fan of fun and theatrical fashion and was often seen sporting a hat, usually a Philip Treacy number, who's sculptured pieces s are another highlight of the exhibition.

The exhibition is a brilliant fashion fix that giving an insight into the creative minds of Blow, McQueen and Tracey. Somerset house top tip? Go on a purse friendly Monday, when it's half price (£6.25) and not so busy.

somersethouse.org.uk