{off to greece}

yay! so excited to go to Athens for a good friend's wedding! As an Art Historian, it's embarrassing to say I've never been to Greece! I'm so looking forward to studying the great monuments of classical antiquity, eating yummy food, basking in the grecian sun & most of all, attending the wedding! The bride is my friend, Kathi, who I met in Vermont; we instantly became friends. She's brilliant--from Vienna, studied at Oxford and Princeton & just a lovely person. If you recall, we went wedding dress shopping together in Vt (that seems like a lifetime away).

{me & kathi being crazies!}

Now it's wedding time!
My present is wrapped:

I've got the invite (which is on absolutely gorgeous thick cardstock):

Even more exciting for an Art Historian, the venue is the headquarters of the Association of Greek Archaeologists, with views, apparently of the Parthenon! yipeee!!!

{travel}

{off I go}

ready for some sun...

{relaxation}

{greece!}

{fun colours}

{all packed...}

& really looking forward to a girls' afternoon at the spa with the bride:

{relax!}

où est la piscine? (wrong language I know, but it's all greek to me-ok bad joke)

{you will find me here--the pool at my hotel!}

{also the view from my pool--that'll be my flipflop soon!}

will take loads of photos--have no fear!

stay tuned, 

xo

L

{minted}

I've been drawn to the colour mint recently. Light & fresh for summer (and maybe because mint goes so well in Pimm's!)
So here's some points of minterest:

{minty pouf}

{what's not to LOVE about mint & gold?}

{mint vespa}

{minty blue pour le petit dejeuner}

{minty transport}

{mint retro tables}

{mint at work}

{minty cottage}

{mint nails}

{some mint accents--earring, shoes & cardy...& NO, I'm not pregnant--the dress is pouffy at the tummy!}

{mint happiness}

xo, 

L

{quotable thursdays}

'Wisdom begins in wonder.'

Socrates

{Carnelian gem imprint of Socrates}

Can there be anything better than wonder? Wonder, curiosity...these things lead to the pursuit of knowledge. 

As I'm headed to Greece this weekend, I thought it appropriate to quote a Greek philosopher. We owe a lot to the Greeks. Many of our fundamental ideas about living and what it is to be human come from the Greeks--government, politics, philsophy, not to mention, as an Art Historian, the importance and long lasting legacy of their art. 

it's rather timely that I'm working on a paper that deals with the collecting of antique gems and coins and their copies/replications across media in the Renaissance. I've been looking a lot at similar images to the one above of Socrates, and the role they played in disseminating interest in the classical past among early antiquarians and collectors in the fifteenth century. Somebody who has been coming up a lot in the literature, and who I find is a fascinating character, is Ciriaco d'Ancona, an Italian who travelled widely, including Greece, and recorded the ancient monuments and general history in notebooks (and who came back with a collection of antiquities): 

{the Parthenon by Ciriaco, MS Hamilton 254 f. 85r in the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek Berlin }

& I could go into the whole category of wonder for the wunderkammer and collecting culture in early modernity, but enough Art History...I'm excited to go to Greece, for the history & culture, but also to relax & enjoy a wedding (more on that soon)...
yay for wonder & curiosity...let's see what Greece has in store for me!

{some kinda wonder-ful}

{wonders}

{wonders}

{WONDERful world!}

& finally a soundtrack to the little wonders in this life...

xo,
L
ps: I took ancient Greek in undergrad in France and all that I can remember is: ton probaton (I think: Ton probaton), which means a sheep! mehhhhh....

{Audrey in Spain c 1961; I saw this recently, and couldn't resist--although it's a goat and not a sheep. Is it not life's little wonders, like baby animals and babies in general, that make us wonder at this wonderful world?}

{royal baby!}

{BABY}

Very exciting about the royal baby boy! I was glued to the news last night... As you know, I love tradition, and think the easel was such a nice touch in this time of e-everything:

{source: the telegraph}

Congratulations Kate & Will--a future king was born--what a historic moment!

{will he have a nanny?}

{royal baby}

{he will grow up in style}

{eton colours}

{let the adventure commence for this little prince!}

ideas for names??? I think Edward...James is the top in the running here in the UK. Maybe Charles even?

we'll see!

xo,
L

{vintage & antique finds}

 Those of you who follow my blog, will know that I've moved to London and just over a month ago, moved into my flat. Bit by bit I'm making the place feel like 'home.' As an Art Historian, the walls are embarrassingly without artwork, but I'm waiting until my stuff gets shipped from Canada before I put anything up, since a lot of what I have is in boxes... Absent too, are carpets etc... but I'm making do so far and also picking up amazing things at local charity shops and antique stores. There are some really good bargains out there, if you know what you're looking for and you're looking in the right places. There are loads of antique shoppes in London--central London has some great antique malls, but they are on the pricier side of things. You can find amazing things in charity shops (but be careful, as sometimes things are overpriced there as well). I've found a gem of an antique shoppe nearby in Palmer's Green--he often has a bin of stuff outside all for a pound or under. If you're prepared for a bit of tarnish or wear & tear, you can find some really great things. Here's what I've been buying so far:

{charity shops are an excellent place to find good finds--I bought the Moroccan tea glasses,(still in their box) at one}

{the gorgeous crystal sherry glasses and the silver tray I bought at a local antique shop that has AMAZING deals-the tray was 1 pound!}

{behind you'll see some gorgeous light green & 24 ct gold-plated tea cups & saucers and side plates--these I got at a charity shop (set of 5 for 6 quid!) I love the silver-plated toast rack--also from a charity shop; & a new purchase: do you not love Mr. Earl Grey?}

{my Mum inherited an amazing china set of a blue, gold & orange oriental pattern; hers are impossible to find, but these here are a close match. The dessert tray and set of cups & saucers I found at a local antique shoppe, all together under 10 pounds (which is amazing!) and the plate I found at a charity shoppe for under 5}

{this isn't old, but I fell in love with it--a curious toile. it's just too cute. can you see that the little animals are leading the other by a leash? hilarious! and how cute are the little butterflies in the interior of the bowl?}

{lovely find at a charity shop}

{crystal candlesticks from again, my local antique shop & a vintage owl piggy bank I bought on ebay (for all those 1 pound coins I need for the shuttle to the OU)}

{this old silver-plated jug I got for 1 pound at my local antique shoppe--perfect for flowers}

{not a vintage find, but I do love this little union jack pillow from Sass & belle (that actually matches my bunting)}

{the sass&belle union jack bunting in my old house in Vermont--matches union jack pillow exactly}

{an amazing find was 42 pieces of silver-plated utensils all for 12 pounds!}

{even more amazing, it almost matches exactly my new silverware (new on left; old on right)}

{I'm using some vintage cake stands for my jewellery}

{which I had mused about in my little red book}

{a little silver jug acts as a perfect vase for a rose}

& finally not new, but I've had my eye on these MATRYOSHKA measuring spoons & cups. I bought mine on Amazon but you can find them around.

{you open up the Russian dolls, and each side is a measurement (the smallest head, for example, is 1/3 cup}

stay tuned for more!

xo

L