Repetto Toes

Madame Rose Repetto made her first ballet shoes in 1947 and prima ballerinas from all over the world were soon flocking to her shop. In 1956, inspired by these ballet shoes she created her famous ballet flats – hugely popular at the time with Bridgette Bardot, they continue to be just as popular today and regularly adorn the feet of Kate Moss, Sofia Coppola – and MEEEEE.

These are my favourite pair – how could you not smile with these precious sparkles on ya tootsies?

Repetto flats are now available from Selfridges.

www.repetto.com

Betty Draperlicious

At her recent birthday party, Petrina Khashoggi, writer, channeled Mad Men's Betty Draper, wearing this sensational 1950’s silk and satin, aqua couture dress by Harvey Berin, accessorised with pearls.

The exquisite vintage dress was a birthday gift to Petrina from her great friend William Banks-Blaney (right) who was once dubbed by Vogue as ‘The Vintage King.’ His shop, ‘William Vintage,' can be found at 2 Marylebone Street and is filled with stunning haute couture and vintage clothing.

Oh so charmingly, this dress has little folds around the bust line, which typically in the 1950’s were referred to as ‘crumb catchers!’

Betty Draperlicious.

Petrina is currently working on a ‘top-secret’ biography – Watch this space!

Musical Moment - Lana Del Rey ('Video Games')

I have fallen in love with this 24-year-old former jazz singer (real name Lizzie Grant) from New York. She is a self-styled "gangster Nancy Sinatra" and has the most memorising face (those lips!) and haunting voice. Her old-school glamour reminds me of a 1960’s Priscilla Presley. I can’t wait for her album.

"It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you want to do
I heard that you like the bad girls
Honey, is that true?
It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
Baby now you do"

Lowry Baker

Yesterday my friend suggested we meet for brunch at Lowry and Baker at the end of the Portobello Road.
“Where?” I asked.
"Don’t you know it?” she replied.
No. I don’t. And I instantly get the feeling that I should. (I was right.)

Lowry and Baker, a one-roomed café with outdoor tables, near the Golborne Road, opened in 2010 and has a very loyal local fan base – who are pretty damn protective (one customer told me not to take photos… evidently incase the details of their secret sanctuary and refuge from the closeby chaos of Portobello were to ever be revealed.)

Coffees and a gorgeous menu of homemade food are served on mismatched crockery laid on wonderful, eclectic furniture (the lady next to me outside is eating some lavender shortbread off a child’s school desk.) I had the poached eggs with crushed avocado and parma ham on sourdough. Angels sang.

During my feast 3 friends of mine walked out… Errrrm… Does everyone know about this place?? Well they do now. Sorry locals - It’s time to play nicely and share.

L.K.Bennett Campaign

L.K.Bennett’s new advertisement campaign features ‘real’ women – not some A List actor, size zero model or brooding teenage musician – but real life muggles (albeit smoking hot ones) of differing ages and professions.

Their new ‘Life Is The Occasion” campaign includes, amongst others, an obstetrician, a compliance analyst, a textile designer – AND an environmentalist. Yes, the ever so gorgeous Sophia Rogge (above, whose beautiful sarongs for Coral Conservation I have previously written about) is one of L.K.Bennett’s chosen ambassadors.

A Big Apple Bite

With one day in Manhattan to spend after the festival before my return to London, after a flutter in the shops, I made sure to visit my three favourite Big Apple destinations with my sister and Jack;

1. Cafe Angelique on Bleeker Street

Founded in 2002, this little café brings a touch of Europe to New York and is one of the most relaxing and calm places to stop for coffee or lunch in the city. The menu is delicious (I had the chicken, mango and goats cheese salad) and the pastries, croissants and stuffed cupcakes (I know, who knew? Wow!) are just too tempting to ignore. The welcoming and friendly staff swirl adorable hearts on the tops of their frothy coffees (try saying that 5 times in a row…) and when my refreshing slushy iced mint lemonade arrived, served in a small carafe, my sister immediately grabbed it before I could – who could blame her?

2. The High Line - New York's 'Park In The Sky'

1.5 miles long, built 30 feet in the air in the 1930’s this structure supported the freight trains which transported meat and baking supplies from the (now very trendy) Meatpacking District in West Chelsea into the city. As no trains had run on the High Line since 1980 the structure was due to be demolished until the Friends of the Highline (including Diane Von Furstenberg and Edward Norton) formed a coalition with the City of New York in 1999 to preserve it and create an elevated public park in its place.

The High Line opened in June 2009 and every time I visit New York I love to take a stroll over the old sleepers above the city and its crazy hustle and bustle, and take a breather amongst all the lush flowers, grasses and trees that grew wild during its dormancy - this time I went at sunset - magical.

3. La Esquina - Between Kenmare & Lafayette

Hidden below the neon lit, corner taco deli, beyond the toothless, dismissive doorman, through the small door stating ‘Employees Only,’ through the kitchens, you will eventually arrive at a dungeon like, speak easyish, Mexican restaurant.

This place is great and I try to visit each time I go to NYC. Wrought iron gates, waxy candelabras, colourful Mexican tiling, great music, great food… And a selection of over 100 types of tequila… Another Margarita anyone?? Yesh Pleash…

I can sleep on the plane tomorrow…

Escape to New York

Watching the news on television last Sunday night and witnessing from afar the worse riots Britain has seen in over thirty years, I was quite relieved I had chosen that particular weekend to escape to New York. Literally. I went to the Escape To New York festival on the Shinnecock Reservation on the east end of Long Island.

Organised by Freddie Fellowes (modeled on his Cambridgeshire Secret Garden Party) and entrepreneur Rocco Gardner, New Yorkers and British aliens alike, all travelled the ninety miles outside Manhattan for a weekend of frivolous festival fun.

When I think of festivals in the UK I envisage wellies, mud and fancy dress; It is practically a prerequisite of the Secret Garden Party to attend looking as weird and wonderful as possible and my disheveled friends returning from Glastonbury this year looked like they hadn’t slept or showered in 4 days (they hadn’t.)

E2NY was NOT this kind of festival.

Attracting a much more style savvy and well groomed crowd, with a chic ‘glamping’ area consisting of rows of crisp white teepees and safari style tents, hot showers in porter-bathrooms, and delicious catering by The Fat Radish, I stealthy buried my silver latex leggings and pink wig at the bottom of my bag – Thank God I had just had a pedicure…

Aside from the usual festival staples (multi-coloured wayfarers, floral hair accessories, denim shorts, pixi boots) there was a definite nod to our Native American hosts (feathers in girl’s hair, moccasins on their feet) and an elegant trend also appeared; short shorts with long sleeved tops and bikini tops with flowing maxi skirts – a more demure way of keeping/looking cool.

Various clothes and accessory stalls were scattered around the reservation but ultimately there were three that stood out as the most popular, unique and exciting;

1. The StyleLiner

The glamorous Joey Wolfer drives all over the world in her 20 foot refurbished potato-chip truck – a veritable treasure trove filled with limited edition clothing and extraordinary accessories available to the flocks of fashionistas at private parties, social events and festivals. Starting successful ventures is in her blood (her great-great grandfather started Marks and Spencer) and I foresee the StyleLiner becoming extremely successful... After all, this is not just any StyleLiner… This is Joey Wolfer’s StyleLiner… (Sorry, I couldn’t resist…)


2. The Monocle Order

A new online member’s club for sunglasses founded by Alex Van Klaveren and Zoe Nightingale. Once you buy a pair of full priced sunglasses you will become a life-time member to the club, receive a steel membership card and be entitled to buy all subsequent pairs for half price (up to twelve per year.) The stylish sunglasses are selected from all over the world and include ranges from Karen Walker, Lotho, Cassius, Waiting For The Sun and May Fourteenth. Join up now whilst membership is still free.

3. Roarke

Designer Mignonne Gavigan and former Bergdorf Goodman buyer, Laetitia Stanfield’s exquisite collection bib necklaces, headbands and bracelets are all stop and stare striking. Each piece created is hand beaded in India and crafted from sequins. beads and costume gems, with a chiffon backing. I adored the headbands, although their bib necklaces were sensational – serious statement pieces.

As for the festival’s music?

For me, the standout acts were Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros (I wanna be in their gang!!) who’s song ‘Home’ was a serious crowd pleaser, and exciting newcomer Gary Clark Jr. - a twenty-seven year old blues guitarist reminiscent of the late Jimi Hendrix, he had the crowd blown away, worshipping him.

I look forward to escaping back to New York again next year.