Σελίδες

13 Σεπ 2014

THINK BIG: Books on my Nightstand


As we were casually walking down the lanes of Chania island, my sister asked me if I liked the latest book of Alki Zei, "With a Faber Pencil Number Two".




Youth, passionate love, wars, ideals, artistic concerns, a well sharpened Faber No2 pencil, friends like Dido Sotiriou, Georges Sari, Andreas Empirikos, Marios Ploritis, Manos Hadjidakis and Karolos Koun, in Athens, in the early 1940s, compose compelling stories from Alki Zei’s life, given by the writer’s distinctive writing voice and so familiar to us from her other books like "Wildcat under Glass",  "Achilles’ Fiancée", "Petro’s War", as well as many more books that have been on our childhood nightstand. We both – sisters - agreed on the simplicity of the narrative. Events from the occupation of Greece unfold with a cinematic vividness, like the stories we heard from our own grandmother. 

Of course I liked  Alki Zei’s latest book, "With a Faber Pencil Number Two". Who would not want to live such an exciting life! I look back with great nostalgia at my parents’ library to reread my well loved book "Wildcat under Glass" and I am thinking how much I miss my own grandmother….

Have a good read and a wonderful weekend!

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Στο κομοδίνο μου

Καθώς περπατάμε ανέμελα στα σοκάκια των Χανίων, η αδερφή μου με ρωτά αν μου άρεσε το τελευταίο βιβλίο της Άλκη Ζέη, "Με Μολύβι Φάμπερ Νούμερο Δύο". 

Νιάτα, παθιασμένοι έρωτες, πόλεμοι, ιδανικά, καλλιτεχνικές ανησυχίες, ένα καλά ξυσμένο μολύβι Φάμπερ Νο2,  φίλοι, όπως η Διδώ Σωτηρίου, η Ζωρζ Σαρρή, ο Ανδρέας Εμπειρίκος, ο Μάριος Πλωρίτης, ο Μάνος Χατζιδάκις και ο Κάρολος Κουν , στην Αθήνα του 40, συνθέτουν συναρπαστικές ιστορίες από τη ζωή της Άλκη Ζέη, δοσμένες με τη δική της τόσο γνώριμη γραφή, τόσο από το "Καπλάνι της Βιτρίνας", την "Αρραβωνιαστικιά του Αχιλλέα", "O Μεγάλος Περίπατος του Πέτρου", αλλά και πολλά ακόμα βιβλία της συγγραφέα, που πέρασαν πριν αρκετό καιρό από το κομοδίνο του νεανικού μας δωματίου.  Και οι δυο – αδερφές - συμφωνούμε στην απλότητα της αφήγησης, που όμως με κινηματογραφική ζωντάνια ξετυλίγει γεγονότα από την Κατοχή, σαν να τα ακούμε τα χείλη της δικιάς μας γιαγιάς. Όπως η ίδια, η Άλκη Ζέη, λέει: "Ακόμα και σήμερα τα εγγόνια μου, ο Αντουάν κι η Άννα -22 και 26 ετών-, με βάζουν να τους λέω την ιστορία με το Κουτοκούλι που ήθελε από τα δέκα του χρόνια να γίνει συγγραφέας, κι άρχισε γράφοντας γράμματα στις υπηρετριούλες της πολυκατοικίας για τους αγαπημένους τους με μολύβι φάμπερ νούμερο δύο, πάνω στο μαρμάρινο τραπέζι της κουζίνας." (σελ. 386)

Φυσικά και μου άρεσε το τελευταίο βιβλίο της Άλκη Ζέη , "Με Μολύβι Φάμπερ Νούμερο Δύο", άλλωστε ποιός δε θα ήθελε να ζήσει μία τόσο συναρπαστική ζωή! Μάλιστα, με μεγάλη νοσταλγία ανατρέχω στη βιβλιοθήκη του πατρικού μου για να ξαναδιαβάσω το αγαπημένο "Καπλάνι της Βιτρίνας" και σκέφτομαι πόσο μου λείπει η δικιά μου γιαγιά….

Καλή Ανάγνωση και Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          


11 Σεπ 2014

THINK PINK: Delicious Beauty

It’s not a dark, big secret that I have a sweet tooth. Yes, I LOVE sweets and it seems that I have recently tried and tested my fair share of sweet aroma infused lip care to start developing a sweet lips addiction….

 
Strawberry Parfait, Éclair, Peaches and Cream, Crème Brulee butter gloss…. I am at NYX beauty counter*, but it feels like a cake shop and I cannot decide if I want to wear them or eat them. And the winner is the NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel! Its buttery soft, silky smooth texture and its delicious sugar cookie aroma added to the bargain price of 8€ makes it instantly a sweet drugstore darling!

OMG! I get a Vanilla and Macadamia fix by Liposan Lip Butter. It’s cute and it’s cult in its slim, old school tin case. It’s heavenly smooth, nourishing and a delicious smelling butter for my lips!

Adding the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector by CLARINS to my beauty regimen always gives me  a sweet sugar cookies thrill. It’s lightweight with amazing moisturizing powers and low maintenance, giving my lips just the right amount of pigment to make them look naturally flashed and glamorous. Just the perfect balm-like shine!

Embracing the delicious world of dessert beauty gives me great (mouthwatering) joy!

* We are lucky to have a NYX store in Thessaloniki, Greece @Ermou 65 St.

** Τhe above photo was taken for personal use. Please just make sure to link back to my blog, if you use the above image.

3 Σεπ 2014

WISH LIST: Chain Reaction


Hey it’s fall and I am back! There is always something bittersweet about the first days of September. My summer holidays are officially over, which is kind of sad, but at the same time I am quite excited for transitioning into whatever fall will bring….
A pair of ankle booties jazzed-up by polished gold hardware and accompanied by a leather purse or a fedora hat, a thick menswear leather belt with a bit of added edge by chain-link embellishments, or even multilayered chain necklaces and chunky bracelets making anything old feel new again, are the perfect pieces to transition my summer outfits into autumnal ensembles. Happy September everyone!

 SHOP THE POST

1. TED BAKER_CARINA Felt Fedora Hat  / 2. Jules Smith_Leather and Chain Bracelet/ 3. ZARA_Crock City Bag with Chain /4. LOVE MOSHINO_Heart Clutch with Barcelet Chain Strap / 5. ASOS_ Chain Link Purse / 6. Sam Edelman_Chester Ankle Boots / 7. MANGO_Chain Mixed Belt