Entertainment Archives - Page 7 of 11

Mixtape for Snuggling Up on a Winter’s Afternoon with a Mug of Cocoa and a Good Book

December 4, 2008 By Paola Leave a Comment

Mixtape for Sashaying Round the House In New Shoes

November 26, 2008 By Paola 6 Comments

Go on. You know you want to.

Felt Better

November 26, 2008 By Paola 4 Comments

Speaking of felt, I can’t wait to get my hands on this book – Alterknits Felt. How gorgeous do these projects look?

I am of course the woman who has three little bowls all knitted up and ready to felt, but is entirely lacking in courage to do so. So the chances of me making a felt footstool are probably fairly remote.

Mixtape for a Grey November Afternoon Writing Press Releases At My Desk

November 19, 2008 By Paola 4 Comments

I made you guys a mixtape!

Shamelessly plagiarised from beachbungalow8. If you like it, I might make you another.

Dirty Sexy Money

October 14, 2008 By Paola 6 Comments

This post is by way of a plea. Please, please watch this show; tell your friends about it; blog about it and somehow get the word out about it. I love it to pieces but apparently the ratings aren’t good and it probably won’t see out a second season.

What’s not to love? This everyday story of America’s favourite dysfunctional billionaires features tons of soapy over-the-top melodrama; a fabulously witty script; great acting performances from the likes of Donald Sutherland, Peter Krause and Jill Clayburgh; a vast array of male eye-candy; drop-dead gorgeous fashions; sex, murder and big business aplenty; a huge cast of deliciously amoral characters; the incredibly wonderful Natalie Zea; a banging soundtrack and the sort of interiors that only multi-billions (or a very happy set designer) can buy.

If you can imagine Dynasty meets Sex and the City with good acting then that’s DSM. Episodes 1 and 2 are currently available to view online here. You don’t need to have watched season 1 to follow season 2. Season 1 DVD is available to buy here (season 1 got a bit stymied by the writers’ strike but was still aces). Please watch it for my sake, because I’ll be DISTRAUGHT if it goes off air.

La Tour Eiffel

October 5, 2008 By Paola 5 Comments

Speaking of Atelier LZC, we got their new wholesale catalogue in last week and there’s been a bit of debate here at mirrormirror‘s intergalactic HQ. We’re buying in some new stuff for Christmas and I wondered what you all thought of their new stylised Eiffel tower motif. I’m also interested in any differences of opinion. by country. Do let me know what you think in more detail in the comments.

Here is are some of the Eiffel tower stuff they have in the catalogue.

In other Eiffel tower-related news, it seems that the paperback edition of Petite Anglaise is also going to feature a stylised Eiffel tower. Maybe they saw the poll we did earlier in the year.

Go Fug Your Room (and Yourself) – Kelly Wearstler

September 23, 2008 By Paola 43 Comments

Or, Kelly Wearstler – WTF?

I know that American design sensibilities are different from European ones. Americans seem to like more fuss, clutter and ornamentation than Europeans are used to. I think this is because minimalism was a European thing and its philosophy of clean lines, simple shapes and less clutter seems to have permeated our culture a lot more, even if we wouldn’t consider ourselves minimalists.

Having said all that, I just can’t understand the American adoration of interior designer Kelly Wearstler. An ex-topless model, champion of Hollywood Regency style, author of many books, and judge on interior design reality pogramme Top Design, she’s probably the equivalent in status to a Kelly Hoppen or Tricia Guild in the UK (though with very different design sensibilities) and very much admired.

But I. just. don’t. get. it.

Here are pictures from her recent spread in Domino magazine. Am I really the only person who thinks this looks like a wealthy Arab just ran amok in an early 80s motel? (With apologies to all wealthy Arabs with taste). Isn’t all the gold and shiny stuff and horrendous layered pattern and blocks of marble and overstuffed leather and fussy knickknackery just, well, hideous? Can someone please explain what I’m missing here?

All images from Domino

By the way, these are the ways she chooses to wear her hair, in public, nay, even on telly. There doesn’t appear to be any coercion involved. Thank goodness she’s beautiful.

Image from www.tomandlorenzo.blogspot.com (the amazing Project Rungay boys also blog Top Design).

Make It Work

September 22, 2008 By Paola 7 Comments

My life is now complete. Look who’s just appeared on my desk. My very own Tim Gunn talking bobblehead!

The Minx thinks my ‘funny man’ is quite hilarious and keeps sneaking up behind me and making him say ‘carry on’ or ‘FAB-U-LOUS’ or, of course, ‘make it work’.

His benign and smiling presence and inspirational catch phrases are actually strangely motivating. I think old age is getting to me.

Back

September 9, 2008 By Paola

this is why I haven’t been blogging

I can’t believe how long it is since I’ve blogged. I’m not sure what happened, but we’ve just been trying to make the most of the summer here in Seattle and my blogging mojo just seemed to get left on a beach somewhere. And funnily enough this is a busy time of year for mirrormirror what with all the pre-Christmas ordering and PR to work on.

Thank you so much for all your kind and concerned comments and emails – I’m sorry I just abandoned you without a word – and I’m touched (and somewhat astonished) that people have been missing my somewhat random musings.

But anyway, just to get things back on track.

Things I’ve been doing over the last month in no particular order.

– Loafing about on beaches (including another trip to Cannon Beach, still the most photogenic place on earth)

– Travelling on ferries

– Eating Dancing Deer chocolate brownies (perfect for picnics).

– Watching the Olympics (we managed to get a live stream of the BBC’s coverage to make up for the godawful coverage provided by NBC. You have to feel sorry for Americans sometimes.)

– Getting really stuck into Project Runway. And Project Rungay. Leanne is my hot, hot favourite. I just wish I’d found my way to her Etsy store before she got famous.

– Finally watching Season One of the The Tudors and realising it is much better than I thought it would be. And what a lustbunny Charles Brandon is.

– Researching my family tree. And finding out that I come from a long line of Londoners and craftspeople.

– Making aubergine (eggplant) and pistachio salad over and over again. It is SO good.

– Eating pistachio icecream. I like pistachios.

– Getting into a new school routine. The Minx is finally now going to school four days a week, although they are much shorter days, with more commuting. But finally it feels like I have time to focus on stuff.

– Photographing new stuff for the shop.

Things I have NOT been doing.

– Following my eating plan

– Exercising

– Gardening

– House stuff

– Reading and commenting on other blogs (except for Project Rungay and er, PerezHilton). Sorry fellow bloggers.

Normal blog service will now be resumed…

The Very Definition of Pleasure

July 30, 2008 By Paola 5 Comments

Well I knew they were irresistible, so I didn’t even bother resisting. Here’s what arrived in the mail the other day and they’re even more beautiful in person than they are online.

The covers are stunning and the paper inside is smooth and expensive.

There really is nothing more satisfying than a beautifully-made book, particularly when you discover that Valley of the Dolls has somehow metamorphosed from being the trashy book you read for the sex scenes as a teenager, into a great classic of feminist literature and can therefore be read without guilt.