Category: Travel

February 22, 2013

Even though it’s summer – I want to show off my coat :)

This is a coat which turned heads in Paris – surprisingly so because I bought it in Shibuya in Tokyo a few weeks earlier.

When we arrived in Paris, the temperature dropped to zero degrees and I was happy that this winter purchase became useful, even though I didn’t think I’d need to pull it out earlier than another 6 months.

Having brunch in a brasserie near our hotel – Place Vendome, I started noticing people walking past and sneakily taking photos of me. This was an unexpected shock because why would Parisians pay attention to my fashion – its very different to theirs. The style you see on the streets of Paris is classic and chic in a way elegance goes hand in hand with Coco Chanel and the winter chill provides more excuses to wear elegant black waist coats and model scarves.

My coat is white, fluffy and shaped like a bell. I have big fluffy cuffs and the rim of the coat is – you guessed it, also fluffy! My love for fluffy things has led me into buying this coat in the busy mall of Shibuya with screaming Japanese girls “Kawai!” in my ear.

It was love at first sight!

So I took my coat around Paris – photos taken on all kinds of Rue(s) ……

It accompanied me in line to Laduree…(more on this amazing store later!)

We did some shopping on Champs Elysees and on the walk back from the Arc De Triumph, a girl came up to me on Champs Elysees and asked if she could take my photo, explaining that she is a fashion student. I posed with my Laduree macaroons How silly did I feel! But at the same time, what a Paris experience!

I still don’t know if the girls of Paris were taking photos of my coat so they could laugh at it, or thought it was cute! Or maybe the style is so different that it appeals to the odd fashion student browsing the streets of Paris for inspiration.

The cutest thing was that a little girl, about the age of four, as we were walking back from Notre Dame that evening, squealed with delight when she saw me, ran up to me and started patting the sleeve of my coat. I think she thought it was a fluffy animal I thought it was quite funny!

So lots of adventures for my coat in Paris! I hope it will have as much fun in Sydney when it gets a bit chilly!

Do you have a piece of clothing that has a few stories?

Boots in the photos – bought in Venice

White stretch jeans – Bebe (acquired in Dubai)

Bag – Guess (Outlet store in Sydney)

February 10, 2013

Ghibli Museum souvenirs – from Japan!

I found the souvenirs I got at the Ghibli museum, while going through a box of stuff (unpacking and trying to organise things in the new place).

Completely forgot that I bought these at the Ghibli Museum in September last year. If you are a fan of Ghibli Animation like I am, I suggest visiting this beautiful museum in Tokyo if you have a chance.

The tickets have to be pre booked in advance as there is a limit on how many people can visit the museum at any given point and time. The tickets are not expensive, around $15 (AUD). To purchase them, contact the JTB Australia office. The service desk people are very nice and will help you out with the booking. I pre-ordered my tickets a month before departing for Japan.

It’s a super fun place to visit. The whole museum is basically a big house set in a beautiful garden. There are two levels; you can climb up the metal stairs to the roof and back down. There was no photography inside the actual museum so I don’t have any photos. I do have some things to remember the museum by. I didn’t want to buy keychains, postcards or toys and was looking for something more practical. I ended up getting hand/face towels which I don’t want to use at all because they are so well made and I wouldn’t want them to fade in colour. So now I don’t really know why I bought them. I do want to show them to you because they are so cute!

“KIKI’s Delivery Service” is an animation film about a girl who can fly a broom. Ok maybe she’s a witch girl, but she has this adorable black cat who has become a popular character that people remember from this film.

Totoro! He is the Sprit of the Forest and is a big grey monster who oversees all natural elements such as trees and rain etc. If you haven’t seen “My Neighbour Totoro”, Please Do, its an amazing animation film with a beautiful plot.

Hayao Miyazaki is the man behind the creative genius of these and many more animation masterpieces. Nearly all of the movies get dubbed in English, often by well known Hollywood celebrities! If you want an authentic experience however, without Hollywood intervention and to watch these films with character voices intended by the makers, watch the originals with English subtitles.

Other beautiful award winning animation films by studio Ghibli to watch:

Howl’s Moving Castle

Spirited Away

Ponyo

Nausicaa of the Valle of the Wind

I also got this guy at the Museum, I can put him up on the fridge, but what to do with the towels which I don’t want to use?

Any ideas?

January 14, 2013

Venice – one mesmerising city

It’s magical – that’s what it feels like when you’re approaching this water city on a speed train. The buildings slowly start to emerge out of the fog and you’re in an enchanted place, an unreal place. It feels like you’re in a fairy tale or a movie. There is beauty everywhere, boats, gondolas, water. Gothic style buildings which stood in the time of Vivaldi, Paganini, Casanova. Marco Polo’s soul still haunts the city. It’s magical.

I still look at some of the shots to show in this post and don’t believe that a city like that exists in modern day and time. However it is so, and I wouldn’t pass up another opportunity to go back.