Aaah Summer

It's Monday. The sun is rising a little later, the evenings are a few degrees chillier, green leaves are getting an orange tinge, and the days, almost imperceptibly, are getting slightly shorter. It is still summer, but only just. Here are some pics that make me wish we were still in the swing of it!

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{Yosigo via here}

{Mirage via here}

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{Jalouse via here}

{Marie Claire Italia via here}

{Vogue Germany via here}

{Mario Testino for Stefanel via here}

{Numero Tokyo via here}

Dinner party

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Flowers- check (thanks mom!), buy food- check, cook food - still to do (thanks husband)... Tonight we are having a dinner party for eight people. YIKES. It always sounds like a wonderful idea: friends over for an intimate evening at your apartment. Until the afternoon before the evening arrives. I find it a little nerve wrecking. At least I had a test run with bookclub dinner last week (I will admit I am making the exact same meal). But all that aside it will be a great way to start the weekend!

Have a good one!

I heart stripes

I am even wearing an old favourite stripey T of mine as I write this. Yes, I can't get enough of them- I do heart stripes.

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{Haper's Bazaar US Alenis Sosa by Alexi Lubomirski source}

{s/s '10 J Brand Campaign Jessica Millar by Terry Richardson via here}

{Givenchy Spring 2010 campaign preview via here}

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Frozen Israeli Triangle Cheesecake

This is one of my favourite desserts. It's old fashioned but completely delicious! And so easy to make (that is a big plus for me!). It serves about 8 people if no one has seconds.

125ml soft butter
65ml castor sugar
65ml icing sugar
1 egg yolk
5ml vanilla essence
1 carton smooth cream cottage cheese
2 packets tennis biscuits
cherries
250ml fresh cream
2 flakes
tinfoil

• Mix butter with castor sugar and icing sugar in a bowl, beat well with a wooden spoon

• Add egg yolk and beat well with a wooden spoon

• Beat in 5ml vanilla essence

• Add whole carton of cottage cheese and mix well

• Cut a big piece of tin foil and place on chopping board

• Put 12 biscuits in three rows down, 4 in each row – biscuits must be touching

• Spread half the mixture over the biscuits

• Place another 12 biscuits on top of the mixture in the same pattern as before

• Spread the other half of the mixture covering all the biscuits

• Put a flake down the middle of the biscuits

• Pull sides of the tinfoil up so biscuits form a triangle shape

• Wrap cheesecake in foil and put in freezer for 2 hours until hard and frozen

• Take out and remove foil – place on serving platter

• Whip cream and spread over whole cheesecake to cover biscuits

• Decorate with flake and cherries (or strawberries)

Enjoy!

If you go down to the woods today

{From a 1970's Home and Garden via here}

Picnics are synonymous with summer- a perfect combination of being outside and eating delicious food. On Sunday we went to De Hoek in Malgaliesberg with the Husband's family to celebrate his mom's birthday.We had a lovely picnic under the trees.

Aren't those great picnic baskets!

There's something extra delightful about picnics you prepare yourself beacuse you get to choose exactly what you want inside. Last week for thew husband's birthday I prepared a surprise picnic on the floor of our lounge (inside picnics still count!). It was quite indulgent sitting on cushions eating our favourite cheeses, fresh bread, figs and cold meats. Yum.

{Denisa Dvorakova by Karen Collins via here}

Blissfest!

My sister threw her husband a super 30th birthday party this weekend. The event was inspired by carnivals and Americana: we ate burgers and popcorn, hummed along to old classic hits, and we wore our favourite T-shirt. I wore my "I love NY" T of course!

the invitation

the drinks table

a snack table

man of the moment

ice-cream parlour- my best part of the night!

Hip hooray!

{source and more rainbow colored treats here}

It's a mid-summer Friday afternoon. The weekend is about to begin! Eventhough I am not working yet Saturdays are so much better than, say, Tuesdays. We'll be attending my brother in-law's 30th birthday bash and my mother in-law's 50th. Hip hip hooray!

Have a wonderful weekend!

A Case of Librophilia

I am hosting our bookclub dinner at my apartment tonight. In honor of this literary event I thought it appropriate to feature these beautiful libraries. Feast your eyes on book candy from the book Libraries by Candida Hofer available from here.

Biblioteca De La Real Acade

Handelingenkamer Tweede Kam

Stiftsbibliothek Klosterneu

Stiftsbibliothek St Gallen

Trinity College Library

{above images from here}

 

Strahov Theological Hall

 

Strahov Philosophical Hall

 

Herzog August Library, Germany

Biblioteca Geral University of Coimbra, Portugal

George Peabody Library, Baltimore, USA

Kremsmeunster Abbey Library, Austria

Biblioteca do Palacio e Convento de Mafra I, Portugal

Melk Monastry Libray, Austria

{above images from here}

El Ateno, Buenos Aires

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Boston Public Library, USA

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New York Public Library, USA

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I love that there are so many beautiful libraries all over the world that it would be impossible to post them all. I asked my family for their favourites that they have been to and El Ateno in Buenos Aires was suggested for its dramatic setting in an old theatre, as well as Boston Public Library for the breathtaking John Singer Sargent murals lining its walls. My favourite has to be the New York Public Library. The grandeur never failed to amaze me when I stepped inside, and I spent many an hour in the reading room (pictured above) writing my thesis.

For a more complete compendium of beautiful libraries visit this wonderful post by Curious Expeditions.

Flash Back

A couple of summers ago I interned in the editorial department of V Magazine in New York. There I met fellow intern Francesco Cominelli who is now the assistant editor of Vogue Homme in Paris. AMAZING!

Fashion blog Jak & Jil have just done a post on his favourite things which I thought I would share:

KENZO SHEARLING TOGGLE COAT, ASTRONOMY PRINTS, Z ZEGNA NAVY CABLE KNIT SWEATER, ViNTAGE AMERICAN EAGLE SNEAKERS, BEACON’S CLOSET, SANTA MARIA NOVELLA’S CANDLES, MISSONI PATCHWORK SWEATER, KENZO BLACK LEATHER RUCKSACK, CLIGNANCOURT FLEA MARKET, GREY FLANNEL EAU DE TOILETTE BY GEOFFREY BEENE, DAGOSPIA, GREY PRADA FAUX FUR VEST, NUTELLA, GALLO SOCKS, VINTAGE AMERICAN FLAG CONVERSE TRAINERS, VINTAGE NEIMAN MARCUS CHECKED BOMBER, CUSTOMIZED VINTAGE LINED DENIM JACKET, FERRARI WATCH, SINGING, H&M COBWEB KNIT SWEATER, VINTAGE SUNGLASSES AND WATCHES, NIKE CROCHETED TRAINERS, SICILY, Z ZEGNA LEATHER SUIT, FABRIC RESEARCH, YVES SAINT LAURENT GREY WOOL COAT, MISSONI KNIT HAT, DUSTIN O’ HALLORAN, MEXICAN KNITTED CARDIGAN, WALT DISNEY, CAFE HABANA, MY “I’LL BE BACK” TATTOO DEDCIATED TO NEW YORK

{Read the full piece with more pics from Jak & Jil here}

My favourite of his favourites is the "I'll be back" tattoo dedicated to New York. Wish I had thought of that! You can also read an interview with Francesco by global fashion trend setter publication, JC Report. Go Francesco!