Parc Monceau - Sunday...

How to surrender (with delight) to the seven deadly sins...

Dear readers,

I'd love to share with you one of the pieces I wrote for the last issue of Mustique magazine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it...

I love Oscar Wilde, because of his masterpieces, but also for his devastating sense of humor. He was probable the freer spirit ever.

Of this gentleman, prisoner of his Victorian era, I take one of my favorite quotes: "I can resist everything but temptation."

It is following this wise statement that I give you the list of the places to go when in need to surrender to the deadly sins...

Sloth

Of course, sloth is the mother of all vices... But many, as myself, often dream of places where everything is luxury, calmness, volupta (Baudelaire). To all those potential sinners, here are the addresses of the best resorts in world...

One&Only Reethi Rai (Maldives). An hour away from Malé, capital city of the island, this zen sanctuary is a "paradise" in the middle of many other paradises...  In addition to the joy of a Turquoise sea, its villas with private pools, its many restaurants serving only their own produce, the resort has a 9500 m2 SPA. There you can take a detox program and a relaxing therapy based in the Buddist philosophy.

Amangiri (Utah, USA). At the gates of Arizona, right in the middle of "no man's land," this new minimalist SPA is only lit by candles and gives right to the desert. It offers all possible techniques of relaxation, hydrotherapy, watsu and, of course, yoga classes. But one can also fall into complete sloth and do nothing but stare at the majestic view of Lake Powell.

Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya (Mexico). A mythstical experience between Toltec pyramids and medicinal plants. Located just in front of the Caribbean Sea, this hotel has a number of bungalows spread in the middle of the jungle.The treatments at the SPA are a subtle mixture of Mayan rituals with Asian techniques of relaxation.

Gluttony

The first Christians considered gluttony a sin against God. Today is mainly a sin against our silouette, and thus, against glamour. However, and only if you'll be prudent, here are my addresses...

Cibreo (Firenze, Italy). The nobler cuisine is that of the poor. It is because of this that Tuscany's cuisine, rural by excellence, has become so famous. At Cibreo, hidden in one little street downtown, and next to its smaller brother (Trattoria Cibreino), simpler is better. Beans soup, filled vegetables, delicious salads, refined wines. An unforgetable spot: 
Via del Verrocchio, 8.

Kalita (Mykonos, Greece). To reach this restaurant, forget your heels. It's located in one of the stoned streets in Ora, dowtown the island.

Few tables, weak lighting, the best octopus salad in town and the best tomatos in the world, paired with a full flavour feta cheese.

31 Kalogera Street

Mykonos

Puny (Portofino, Italy). Some people go to Portofino only to try the exquisite dishes of this tiny restaurant. Only the gourmet know that they won't find better fish nor seafood around town. A family restaurant that has become sophisticated and exclusive. And so delicious...

Piazza dell’Olivetta, 5

Portofino

Lust

This is, without a doubt, the most pleasant of capital sins... So, what could be best to sin with that sexy lingerie?

Debora Marquit (New York, USA). Her lengerie line is famous for her use of color. She has been the first to design lace ensembles in yellow, apple green and violet. A must.

158 West 15th Street  

Manhattan

Carine Gilson (Paris, France). She is from Belgium but has her store on a tiny hidden street in Paris. For her designs she uses the purest silk from Lyon, with lace detailing, very refined and glamorous. Impeccable and sexy kimonos to pair with her “chemises de nuit.”

18, rue Grenelle

Paris - 7ème

Ars Rosa (Milano, Italy). It looks like a store from some other decade, few designs exposed and most of the collection stored in huge wooden cupboards. But their hand-sewn lace lingerie is unique and modern.

Envy

Who has never felt a sudden attack of envy when passing by the window of a jewelry boutique? Well, here some address to feel envious of those who can buy them...

Lydia Courteille (Paris, France). Few tourists know this Ali Babá's cave of vintage and comtemporary jewels. You can find rings with skulls, designed by the Venetian artisan Codognato. Also unique pieces by Suzanne Belperron. Not to mention Indian diamond earrings, worthy of a Maharaja.

231 rue St.Honoré

París - 1ère

Arita (Buenos Aires, Argentina). By the glorious entrance of the mythical Hotel Alvear, Arita has pieces by Van Cleef&Arpels, signed English silverware, beautiful diamonds and, sometimes, pieces that seem to be shipped directly from the Place Vendôme.

Avenida Alvear 1891

Buenos Aires

Aurelie Biedermann (Paris, France). She's the most modern and contemporary designer nowadays. She was the one to create the wide golden bracelets to wear on each arm. 

55bis rue des Saints-Peres,

París - 6ème

Greed

Is there something better than paying less for something you want? (or that we still don't know we want?) It's become almost a sport to be greedy and search for the best smart-bargains…

Mustapha Blaoui (Marrakech, Morocco). This is the place in Marrakech to find the best opportunities and prices. A true Ali Babá's cave. Lamps, antique furmiture, kitchenware, exceptional pashminas...

142-144 Bab Doukkala, en la medina.

Century 21 (New York, USA). It's everything but a secret. But I can't help mentioning it. A classic of smartbargains. Sometimes you may find a fantastic designer dress or a Judith Leiber clutch half its original price.

It has many addresses, but I go to this one:

22, Cortlandt Street

Space Outlet de Prada (Montevarchi, Italy). The Japanese share this address as a secret and the Chinese do the trip just because of it. It's in the middle of Tuscany's countryside, 40 minutes away from Firenze and some time ago it used to be a coveted address. It's still hard to find, but shoppers always find their way... 

Bags, shoes, past-seasons' suits, but still very fashionable. Excellent prices. And with great luck you may bump into a unique Miuccia Prada design that could be in any Prada store around the world.

Levanella, Strada Statale 69

Montevarchi

Pride

Those with Pride want to dominate the world. You may find them on a 70th floor in a skycraper. Although most of the time, it's enough for them to walk on sky-high heels. Here, some addresses to get arrogant... 

Christian Louboutin (Paris, France). He is the shoe Emperor. His name has become synonym of high heels and red soles. For 20 years now, women around the world, aged 15-85, have been damaging their souls to use his designs. And those who can and feel no vertigo, climb up stratospheric highs  with maximum pride.

I recommend this address, where you can command a special order, chose the fabric or leather, color and desired model.

19 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau

París - 1ère

Right beside the store, at the Galerie Vero-Didot, there's a shoe-maker that fixes and put back in shape the ruined red soles (only official address...). 

Manolo Blanhik (London, England). He's still famous because of his slingbacks, embroidered ballerinas, les mules, and his 8-cm heels, just like Carrie Bradshaw used to wear them. Manolos are for life... 

49-51 Old Church Street

London SW35 BS

Bastien González (London, England). To be able to use high heels and beautiful yet uncomfortable shoes, trust your feet to this artist of pedicure. He is worldwide famous and a unique professional. 

His last known address:

Cadogan Hotel

75 Sloane Street

SW1 London

Wrath

Nothing can trigger your wrath as bumping in a party to someone wearing your exact same dress, or same perfume or same necklace... To avoid these small dramas and sin not, some exclusive addresses...

Javoy (Paris, France). It's the embassy of unique and rare perfume. A delicious place to find the essence that describes us and makes us different...

4 rue de Castiglione,

París - 1ère

Christophe Robin (Paris, France). He is the colorist able to create a special hue for each customer. Among his devoted followers you can find from Catherine Deneuve to myself...

Hotel Meurice, suite 128-129

228 rue de Rivoli

París - 1ère

Philippeli (Paris, France). To have exclusive looks, two possible solutions only: pay Haute Couture or find a “retoucheuse” to customize whatever you buy and adapt it to your body and taste. 

My secret address is that of Estelle at Philippeli:

5,rue Colisée

París - 8ème

Christian Boltanski in Buenos Aires...

The great French artist Christian Boltanski is in Buenos Aires...

On Friday, October 12th, at 1 pm, three works he imagined for Buenos Aires were simultaneously inaugurated. Invited by the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero, Boltanski is the star of the Proyecto Boltanski BUENOS AIRES, a performance made by many works which will be in exhibition till December 15th. I went to see the exhibit at the Hotel de los Inmigrantes, in Puerto Madero, and felt quite moved... It's mainly an experience in which the visitor is surprised, while walking, by more than 200 voices whispering, simultaneously and from different sources, in their local languages, the names, ages, dates of arrival and city of origin, all data extracted from the Immigration files. These whispers, together with the foggy atmosphere, barely lighted, introduces the visitor to a new experience which will connect him with his past... 

It was unbelievable... So many feelings! I guess it's just what the artist was looking for. Boltanski lives in Paris, is a self-made artist and one of the most prestigious in the world. I was not able to go see the other two exhibitions: Flying Books, an homage to Borges at the former Biblioteca Nacional and Obras at the MUNTREF/UNTREF, in Caseros. To those who can, I strongly recommend the visit... 

Gala for the Hospital de Clínicas...

I promise: this is the last gala of the season I'll be posting about!

But I can not help telling you about the exceptional dinner that the Committee supporting the Hospital de Clínicas organizes every year to raise funds for machines or whatever the Hospital might need...

Nathalie Sielecki, who with her family has been helping the Hospital with donations and hard work for 25 years, had the courtesy of inviting me to her table. But she also had the great idea of sitting only women... we were twelve! 

All very happy, a group of full energy! Here I am with the beautiful host Nathalie, Juliana Awada (splendid!), Giorgina Alliata (alma mater of the meeting) and my sister (dressed by Oscar de la Renta).

Of course, the true aim of the evening was to give beauty and glamour in benefit of an important cause. Thanks to the precious help of the "Damas del Clínicas," there were many amazing prizes to draw among the guests, such as stays at La Prairie in Switzerland or trips to Paris, donated by Air France.

As usual, and in spite the tough times, everyone helped!

As for us, we chose our best dresses to cheer the party!

(Before you ask, I wore a Marchesa dress, a Judith Leiber clutch and Louboutin shoes. I requested to add straps to the dress to make it easier to carry, since it has many layers of fabric. The hairdo, a bit more elaborated than usual, was made by Leo Cosenza.)

I'd like to wrap up with these to pictures that show my departure from home... Just as I am... Always in a rush not to be late! María Teresa Alvarez, who was at home at the moment, took them for me...

Ready for COAS' Gala Dinner...

And the winner is...

Congratulations Mariana!!

She's the one who sent the message n°50. Her e-mail address begins like this: mariana28_99@...

We hope you enjoy the necklace and the pair of earrings from Anna dello Russo's Collection for H&M.

Carla, my producer, will send you an e-mail shortly so we can give you your prize.

Congratulations once again! And thank you very much to all the rest for participating!!

"L'Impressionnisme et la Mode"

Before heading back to Buenos Aires, I could not miss the event of the season in Paris: the exhibition "L'impressionnisme et la Mode" at the Musée d'Orsay. For such a fashion lover as myself, there can be no better chance to see the sumptuous dresses, immortalized by such artist as Monet, Renoir or Manet, next to the very same paintings they served to inspire...

And my joy was still more overwhelming since Jacqueline de Ribes, one of the most elegant ladies in the world, a true icon of Paris, and a personal friend, invited me to take part in the Committee of "Amis de le Musée d'Orsay" and organize a table of friends at the Gala dinner.

Edouard and Jacqueline de Ribes

I'm a great fan of Jacqueline, she is charming, juvenile and knows so much about fashion that I cannot help attacking her with questions all the time. 

Back to the exhibit, before dinner was served, we had the honor of a private visit to admire the incredible talent of the Impressionists, seen not only in their masterpieces but also in the way they were able to capture "l'air du temps" or, as we would put it today, "the look of the day." And what elegance! Thanks to the sponsorship of Maison Christian Dior, the dresses in exhibition were restored, as also the shoes (so tiny!) and the accessories.

Between such clothes, the set design by Robert Carsen, the paintings and the lighting, I felt an immense emotion. I will have to return several times, more relaxed and calmed, to appreciate such beauty.

The gala gathered the "tout Paris" in the splendid room on the first floor, former restaurant of the train station. Among the guests, Valentino, Bernardette Chirac and Bernard-Henry Levy...

With Bernard-Henry Levy

My favorite painting? Hard to tell, but I loved Caillebotte's "Rue de Paris, jour de pluie." It reminded me of some of my Parisian days of Fall, so rainy, grey but wonderful all the same...

Isabel Allende...

I've dreamed with La Casa de los Espíritus, I've cried with Paula, I've enjoyed with Afrodita and felt moved by Hija de la Fortuna... For years, I've never missed one of her novels!

Then I started spending more time in Europe, time flew by... But I've never forgotten her.

That's why, two weeks ago, when some French friends of mine suggested we organize a dinner in her honor at home (for she was in Paris, after having spent some time in Denmark, where she was given an award), I felt thrilled. Of course, I accepted their proposal with great joy.

And the truth is she is a charming lady, intelligent, fun, very humble. A true pleasure. With her husband, the writer William Gordon, they make a lovely couple. 

She brought me a box of chocolates from San Francisco, the city where she lives, which she herself specially chose. I tried one, with chili and cinnamon! Perfect for such a spicy woman!

We were all charmed by her and, before leaving, she greeted each one with a kiss...

Surprise, surprise... Anna dello Russo for H&M!!

Today, October 4th, as it was announced, I arrived at 9 am to get in line to enter the H&M store to see Anna dello Russo's collection.

I wasn't stopped by the rain nor the horde of fashionistas trying to get in. I love fashion and glamour and I can't resist my nature (but I can nourish it with different stimulus, although that's an argument for another day...). Of course, everything was wonderfully organized and the accessories were really beautiful, maybe a bit kitsch but fun at the same time. While I was there, it dawned on me that I had to share the privilege of taking part of such a frivolous event. So I decided to buy something for my readers and launch a new giveaway.

The prize? A necklace and a pair of earrings from Anna dello Russo's collection for H&M.

What you have to do? As usual, just leave a comment with your name and e-mail address so we can contact you.

You have time till Friday October 12th inclusive. The following day we'll announce the winner in a post in this blog.

(We'll be using the services of www.random.org to withdraw the winner. Each comment will be assigned a number according to the order of arrival...)

And when I return to Buenos Aires, I'll be taking the prize to you with me (shopping bag and all).

Good luck!!

And we have a winner...!

The giveaway of the beauty treatment with Norma Palkovska has a winner. Go to our Beauty section or click here to know her name!

And get ready for a new prize...!!

YSL's (amazing) runway show...

During this incredible Fashion week, more hectic than usual. the hottest ticket in town was Saint Laurent Paris' show. No longer YSL. And now under the lead of Hedi Slimane. Hedi Slimane came into the spotlight when he was in charge of Dior Homme, where he designed body-tight suits and super-slim pants (for Slimane?). To come and take the place once occupied by talents such as Alber Elbaz, Tom Ford and Stefano Pilati was quite a challenge. And no one wanted to miss the show...

The hot spot was one of the salons of the Grand Salon and all the Greatest of Fashion were there: from Alber Elbaz, Azzedine Ala ia (so tiny), Pucci's Peter Dundas and Pierre Bergé, to Valerie Trierwailler (she does not go out to many public events...).

But the guest of honor was Kate Moss and her husband James Hince. Face to face, Kate is much more beautiful and fresher than in pictures, if that is ever possible. Luminous, young, with a special aura around her...

Jessica Chastain, the face of the new YSL fragrance, Manifesto, was also on the front row. And, of course, Salma Hayek and Francois-Henry Pinault, owners of the label.

Lots of people, more than the usual for this kinds of shows, and all so very curious...

At 20:25 sharp, the roof opened to release the lights. Techno music started to sound and the show begun...

A collection of 66 looks which, for me, summed up the spirit of Yves Saint-Laurent, revisited 50 years later but with a much modern and updated eye. All the ingredients were in: the smoking, the white shirt with a bow, the Moroccan-inspired caftans, the 70s' hats... I loved it all, from beginning to end.

A true pleasure to see something classic but, at the same time, with such a modern twist...

Welcome Velia Lemel...

Three months for the arrival of summer... It's time to try on your swimming suits, and step in front of a mirror under natural light to see what needs extra care or fixing.

Luckily, there are many incredible places to go and take treatments to improve yourself and get ready for summer.

One of the best institutes I've visited recently is that of Dra. Velia Lemel, absolutely modern and with state-of-the-art equipment. She's amazing and always interested in everything that's new and effective.

We will soon be interviewing her to know about her best treatments. In the meantime, you can check here site by clicking here.

Welcome to our blog Velia and thank you for joining us! It's a real pleasure for us to bring you professionals like Velia to share their top-level-expertise with you...