Pastels, Again
I would never describe myself as a pastel person, but the evidence says otherwise: I’ve just searched the blog and in less than a year, I’ve written posts on pink, lilac and light blue. Similarly, there is no denying the fact that I’ve merrily worn pastels f..
A Slow Read: Richard Mabey’s The Cabaret of Plants
Among the things I promised to do in 2016 was reading longer books, as an antidote to my impatience and my growing inability to concentrate. I haven’t been doing too badly: in addition to quite a few other books, I recently finished The Silk Roads by Peter F..
Silly Stickers
Most children who grew up in Estonia during the last gasps of the Soviet Union, have a special relationship with stickers. Stickers were inherently western – unnecessary, shiny and bright – and therefore desirable. Me and my brother had an entire side of a c..
11 (French) Pharmacy Favourites
What to buy in a pharmacy in Paris seems to be one of the fundamental questions of modern times, something every blogger has to address at some point. Obviously, I swore I’d never do it. But the more I read posts that unfailingly mentioned Bioderma micellar ..
Bored with Blazers
Where I live, the question of the appropriate cover-up is ever-present. If we are lucky, there are three evenings a year warm enough to sit outside in a t-shirt. But for 362 days, you would need something to wear on top of your dress/blouse/shirt/camisole/ju..
A Year of Blogging
It’s strange to think that my blog turned one year old this week, it feels both like it should be more and less than that. Characteristically, I’m a few days late celebrating it – questionable health, increasing workload and some lovely guests have all playe..
Like a Teenager: Lancome Juicy Shakers
After all this lecturing and posturing I’ve been up to recently about national identity and proper behaviour before events, I felt like doing a frivolous little post on something very unintellectual. And I believe I’ve succeeded spectacularly in this with my..
13 Tips for a Big Event
I love big events. I love the drama, the dressing-up, the excitement. If there aren’t any sufficiently big events happening, I will invent some, so that I can wear my gowns. Or order new ones. But chatting to people at the Estonian Independence Day reception..
Queen of My Castle
The Republic of Estonia turned 98 this week, with all the trappings of the anniversary of a modern state – a parade, lots of speeches, some protests and one big and many smaller parties. Countries and nations are complex and complicated constructs (and they ..
Party & Painkillers (Back on Friday)
Dear Readers, I apologise for the silence on the blog. I’m in Estonia for work and the Independence Day celebrations, but have been experiencing serious back pain for the first time in my life. This has completely messed up my schedule and blog plans. I will..