London Fashion Week (SS16)

Most people believe that fashion week is really all about the clothes. It really isn’t. And perhaps it never was. We live in a digital age where everything seems to be about being seen: for instance, “who’s at which show” (and they have Snapshot and Instagram to prove it), or “who gets photographed” (and gets to the street style page of fashion magazines),  or “who goes backstage”, or “who is sitting on the front row” (or The Frow) of international designers like Anya Hindmarch, Christopher Bailey, Christopher Kane, Paul Smith and Viviene Westwood. Continue reading “London Fashion Week (SS16)”

Afternoon Tea at The Ritz Hotel

I’ve already taken tea at The Ritz several times and I would have saved a bit of money if I paid for all of them. But I only paid once back in 2001.  You see, I am a tea aficionado and could not say no to a visiting family or friend who’d asks me to join them for tea.  And they’re always willing to pay for the hefty price tag that comes with the eccentric experience of this quintessential British ritual. Continue reading “Afternoon Tea at The Ritz Hotel”

British Monarchy: Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II

Today, the 9th of September 2015, Queen Elizabeth II has become the longest reigning monarch in British history overtaking the record held by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Over a period of 1,500 year history of the British Monarchy, there have been 66 monarchs and only these two have celebrated their Diamond Jubilees after six decades on the throne. Looking at similarities and differences of the two reigns, neither one of them expected to ascend to the throne, yet as the result of abdications and deaths, both found themselves crowned at remarkably young ages. Continue reading “British Monarchy: Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II”

“Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents” by Curtis Roosevelt (Book Review)

I have visited the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Museum back in 2003 and I’ve watched Curtis Roosevelt on many documentaries about FDR and I was always interested to know more about his perspective on his grandfather. It is very fascinating to learn in this book some new information about the president from an intimate source. Continue reading ““Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents” by Curtis Roosevelt (Book Review)”