Hotel Costes Vol. 10 ~ Angus and Julia Stone

Hotel Costes Vol. 10

A little information about the Hotel Costes CD series:

The ”Côstes” brand is forever linked with the ultimate in quality and is renowned with patrons as the home of luxury in Paris. After all, the overriding theme is ”all things in excess.” This is French DJ/Artist Stéphane Pompougnac’s tenth definitive set of the best tracks heard at France’s premiere club, bar & cafe and serves as a ”tastemaker” (read: trend setting) CD for the rest of the world. His penchant for choosing the very best music for this series burns bright as he incorporates tracks on this outing from de-Phazz, Laid Back, Goloka, Louie Austen, Orsten, $olal, Angus & Julie Stone, Peder (ft. Anne Trolle), DJ Disse, Deep Dive Corp., Elijah (ft Neve), Pompougnac himself with good pal Charles Schillings, all topped off with Dutchman Benny Sings. Feel free to luxuriate with the sounds and splendor of the most relaxing place in Paris with the upper crust.

Angus and Julia Stone

I bought this CD a while ago. I like the mix of music they chose for this volume. The song that I like the most is Paper Aeroplane by Angus and Julia Stone. They are a brother and sister duo from Australia. I adore their songs.

Paper Aeroplane by Angus and Julia Stone

Mango Tree by Angus and Julia Stone

Interview of Angus and Julia and live version of Mango Tree

Danita and Tollipop

Etsy Artists

Okay, so I think I’m falling for Etsy. I especially love the handmade jewelry, but the illustrators and artists are inspiring me to start drawing and painting again. Anyway, here are a couple of illustrators I found on Etsy:

danita.art

About the artist:

My name is Danita, and I’m a self taught artist.

I have a passion for art and a love for creating beautiful works of art.

If you want to know more about my art, visit:

http://danitaart.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Here is a sample of Danita’s ACEO. I like the ACEOs because they are affordable original artwork. I prefer originals over prints if they are available because they are one of a kind.

And I also adore the tollipop illustrations and prints…

About the artist:

I’m a Canadian girl living in the desert…I suppose one could say tollipop is my oasis.

Growing up, I was that kid who was always drawing, creating imaginary friends, swooning over Mr. Dress-Up’s (the Canadian Mr. Rogers) craft counter–a grown man who just happened to have fresh glue, a pair of scissors and stack of construction paper on hand whenever the mood struck? Had me at “hello.”

Beyond that, my penchant for hoarding Prismacolors, my crush on a boy who could draw like a madman, and the way I would press my nose against the art display cabinets at school are about as close as I came to formal training.

To this day, I continue to hoard art supplies. I keep wondering if airport security will ask me to explain the forty million Millenium pens rattling around my bag, but no–so far, they just keep confiscating my hand sanitizers and expensive facial creams because APPARENTLY I cannot remember the maximum amount of fluid ounces one is permitted to carry on an airplane.

Anyway, my drawings are mainly about children who are lost in thought, the kind who daydream and press their noses against the glass. Little spectators with imaginary friends and sometimes the whole world on their minds, but experiencing the magic of childhood nonetheless. I guess if you asked me to describe my art, that is what I would say.

I hope you enjoy!

A sample of her illustrations:

Etsy ~ Julie Garland Jewelry

Lovely jewelry sale at Julie Garland Jewelry Etsy shop.

Gold Briolette Necklace: $25.00 USD

This necklace features hammered gold-filled chain and a faceted gold quartz briolette that is 3/4 of an inch long.

The necklace is about 18 inches long and is fastened with a gold-filled spring ring clasp.

Gold Filled Briolette Necklace: $30.00 USD

This necklace features gold-filled chain and 9mm faceted amethyst and cubic zirconia briolettes wrapped in gold-filled wire.

The necklace is about 16.5 inches long and is fastened with a gold-filled spring ring clasp.

Aqua Chalcedony Briolette Necklace: $34.00 USD

This necklace features graduated faceted aqua chalcedony briolettes wrapped in sterling silver wire onto sterling silver chain. The largest briolette is 12mm wide while the smallest ones are 9mm wide.

The necklace is about 16 inches long and is fastened with a sterling silver spring ring clasp.

Soha

I first heard about Soha last fall at an Ayo concert. I love her sound and the fact that she sings in at least three languages continues to amaze me. There is an original biography written in French on her official website http://www.soha.fr and her myspace page http://www.myspace.com/sohamusic. I found an English translation of the biography on french-music.org. This is the intro:

SOHA : the nomad from here and elsewhere.
The desert winds course through her veins and her voice is delicately suffused with the traditional Algerian songs of her mother. It is to her mother, a native of Nubia, that she owes her love of music. Her parents are Sahrawi from the Western Sahara and members of the Ouled Soltane tribe (children of the Sultan). This background bequeathed Soha her nomadic spirit, craving for freedom and independence, and fiery temperament.
Unaffected, fresh and spontaneous, Soha embodies a mixture of cultural and ethnic roots.
Soha’s roots are here and elsewhere.

Her meeting with Celia Cruz in Cuba greatly influenced her CD D’ici et d’ailleurs.

“Her Cuban influences reminded me so much of Marseilles. Those are rhythms I know. They’ve always been inside me because they are mostly African in origin. Celia opened my ears to them.”
Soha took time out to immerse herself in afro-Cuban recordings from 1930 to 1950. She found within them a source of new energy, the trigger for a new project: her own.

Photos of her live performances:

Photo by bee.interactive.

Photos by Alter1fo

The video for Tourbillon was shot in Cuba. This is one of my favorite songs from the CD. You can view it Virgin Music Frace Channel on youtube:

and this is C’est bien mieuxe comme ca (live).

Muji Travel

Muji also has supplies to keep you organized and comfortable on the road:

Travel Organiser 14 x 19cm £9.95

Olefin Ticket Case: £1.00

Jersey Travel Neck Cushion: £5.95

Folds away neatly into it’s own cotton pouch.

Jersey Eye Mask: £3.50

Folds away neatly into it’s own cotton pouch

Credit Card Case Clock: £3.00

Credit card sized clock that folds out of its case to reveal a digital clock. Displays the hours, minutes and seconds as well as the day and date.

World Travel Plug Adapter: £24.95

One Adapter With 4 Options Of Intergrated Push Button Plugs – Covering Over 150 Countries. The Adapter Head, Also Accepts All Four Major Plug Types (Euro, UK, Australia and USA Types). Now Also Available With A USB Charger For Charging Mobile Phones, MP3 Players, PDAs, Travel Speakers and Other 5V USB Powered Devices.

Visit the MUJI website for additonal products and information about the history and philosophy of the company. In regards to the company philosophy, I find it interesting they were striving to conserve resources and reduce waste long before it was cool to be “green”.

Muji Stationary

Here are few of the stationary items I love from Muji UK:

6 Mini Highlighters Set
Comes in a tarpaulin pencil case: £2.95

Tubs of Coloured Pencils
Made of cedarwood Available in tubs of 36 and 60 colours: £7.95 – £17.95

Charcoal Notebook – 30 Sheets
Available in A4 and A5 sizes: £0.75 – £1.50

Hard Mesh Cases – A4.
Available In 3 Colours, Black, Grey and Navy: £3.95

Rooms by Delia’s

Adorable bedding is on sale at delia’s. Yes, delia’s. I didn’t know they sold bedding until yesterday. Anyway, I like the Antique Chic and Sweet Chantilly collections. I love that they come with other room accessories to match, like lighting and picture frames! Check them out.

Antique Chic

Antique Chic Comforter Cover: $40-$57 & Antique Chic Sham Set: $20

Wallpaper-print comforter cover reverses to solid blue. Comforter insert sold separately. 220-thread-count cotton sateen. Light blue-multi. Twin, full, queen. Imported. Catalog and web exclusive.

Pillow shams come in allover wallpaper print. Includes two. 220-thread-count cotton sateen. Light blue-multi. Standard. Imported. Catalog and web exclusive.

Antique Chic Sheet & Pillowcase Set: $41 – $67

Sheet set includes polka-dot flat sheet with white border, blue fitted sheet and polka-dot pillowcase with white border. Twin/dorm sheet set includes one pillowcase. Full/queen set includes two pillowcases. 220-thread-count cotton sateen. Light blue-multi. Twin, dorm, full, queen. Imported. Catalog and web exclusive.

Antique Chic Curtains: $48

Set of two. Cotton. Light blue-multi. One size. 84″ x 48″. Imported. Catalog and web exclusive.

Antique Chic Bedskirt: $33 – $50

Bedskirt comes in polka-dot print. 220-thread-count cotton sateen. Light blue-multi. Twin, full, queen. Imported. Catalog and web exclusive.

Sweet Chantilly

Sweet Chantilly Comforter Cover: $40 – $57 & Sweet Chantilly Sham Set: $28

Floral scroll-print comforter cover reverses to same. Comforter cover sold separately. 220-thread-count cotton percale. Multi. Twin, full, queen. Imported. Web exclusive.

Pillow shams come in solid purple with black pom-poms. Includes two. 220-thread-count cotton percale. Multi. Standard. Imported. Web exclusive.

Sweet Chantilly Sheet & Pillowcase Set: $41 – $67

Sheet set includes lace-print flat sheet with white border, solid purple fitted sheet and lace-print pillowcase with white border. Twin/dorm sheet set includes one pillowcase. Full/queen sheet set includes two pillowcases. 220-thread-count cotton percale. Multi. Twin, dorm, full, queen. Imported. Web exclusive.

Lace Print Curtains: $48

Set of two. Poly. Purple-multi. One size. 84″ x 42″. Imported. Web exclusive.

Pottery Barn Duvets

Changing your duvet design, and adding matching pillows throws and window treatments is an easy and affordable way to change the look of a bedroom. I found lovely sets on thePottery Barn website. I love the Tatum and Matine Toile sets, but the colorfully illustrated Olivetta Owl set is my favorite.

Matine Toile Duvet Cover & Sham – Lilac $29.00 – $169.00

Blossoms from the countryside and depictions of everyday life are backdrops to traditional French toile fabrics. Layered with white or stripes, our Matine Toile offers the versatility of a neutral. Duvet cover and sham are made of linen/cotton. Duvet cover has hidden buttons, interior ties and a 6″ flap to enclose duvet. Sham has envelope closure (insert not included). Machine wash. Imported.

Lilac is shown; also available in Powder Blue, Cranberry and Espresso.

Tatum Organic Bedding Ensemble $239.00 – $329.00

The Hollywood Regency style showcases its bold, eclectic character on pure organic Portuguese cotton. Our original collection combines an Art Nouveau poppy-print duvet cover and sham with a Provençal-inspired sheet set that’s patterned with a modernized spade design. The result is a mix that is reminiscent of decorator Billy Baldwin’s style, a unique connection between the classic and the contemporary for an entirely new look. Duvet cover has hidden buttons, interior ties and a 6″ flap to enclose duvet. Sham has envelope closure (insert not included). Machine wash. Duvet cover and sham are Pale Blue/Espresso; sheets are Espresso/Ivory. Ensemble combines a duvet cover, two standard shams (one with twin) and a sheet set. Imported.

Olivetta Owl Organic Duvet Cover & Sham $29.00 – $149.00

Our in-house designer combined the look of block-print artistry with graphic designs to create a print of owls amid pine boughs and blossoming florals. Pure organic cotton woven to a soft percale. Duvet cover has hidden buttons, interior ties and a 6″ flap to enclose duvet. Sham has envelope closure (insert not included). Machine wash. Made in Portugal.

Ruche Dresses

RUCHE

spanish peasant chiffon dress
$27.99

canvas peep toe low wedge
$22.99

rosy mauve simply organic dress
$38.99

enchanted melody necklace set
$12.99

large white hobo purse
$36.99

Ruche is a great online boutique that combines modern and vintage styles. The shop is based in California and their philosophy is simple:

You will find our items reasonably priced. RUCHE believes that you don’t have to empty out your pocketbooks to look good. We carry various small boutique brands. Chances are you probably won’t find yourself matching with the girl next door.

I totally agree.

Flats

JEFFREY CAMPBELL XSTER

Jeffrey Campbell Xster-Brown Suede $94.00

Jeffrey Campbell Xster-Black Suede $94.00

Jeffrey Campbell Xster-Pewter $94.00

MODERN VINTAGE JANETE

Modern Vintage Janete-Black Patent Flats $109.90

Modern Vintage Janete-Silver Patent Flats $109.90
I really love flats, I can never get enough of them. Anyway, I was browsing and found an amazing shop based in Chicago called Lori’s Shoes. They have an amazing selection. I love the two styles above. The Modern Vintage are elegant for day or evening and the Jeffrey Campbell would be perfect for running errands in style.