Japanese zen in London

London is fantastic but after a hectic day I sometimes long for a little peace and quietness. Looking for a place where there just aren't many people is rather impossible and therefore I now focus on finding a spot where people are quiet. Search results: churches, libraries and museums. I decided to choose the last option and headed to the British museum.

Mummies intrigue me, but this section of the museum is always crowded and I've been there a few times already so I decided to leave that part and focus on the quiet areas. Turns out they have an entire section devoted to the Japanese culture!

From what I've seen of this world, Asia is my favourite continent and Japan is really high on my 'Countries I want to visit Top 196'. There is a lot I admire in both nature and culture of Japan, but their traditions and beliefs are also a mystery to me.

I found the artworks truly mesmerising, and found many connections with modern and Western artworks and trends in interior design and fashion.
The landscape for example reminded me of the bomber jackets you know see everywhere, the colours of the fan (and the combination of off white and wood) can be found in every interior design store and skulls are staring at you from many earrings, necklaces, tshirts and rings.

Asian clothing is also a pretty big thing this spring, with origami-shaped dresses at Christopher Kane and Mugler (second picture from the left) and Kimono-like jackets (Etro, first photo, Prada, third photo and Haider Ackermann). The origami skirt from Zara that every blogger seems to own also has a VIP place in my closet to be honest.

Paris in contrasts

Experimenting with my new Nikon camera in Paris. What struck me most on my first day was the contrasts within this city. Extreme wealth and poverty (for a European city), love for the old yet lots of innovation and renovation and I don't even know how to describe the adorable little boy sleeping surrounded by the new Louis Vuitton collection on the Champs Elysees. His mother was cooing over a new handbag for ages and he decided just to take a nap - snoring was audible through the entire room. Just outside that enormous store filled with luxury was this begging woman, a sharp contrast.

More on paris later I think - this city provides lot of material!

The princess-experience at Ladurée

Just like any other 6-year-old I used to dress up in pink fluffy garments and pretend to be a princess. Or even: believe to be a princess. My parents are very culture-orientated people so every holiday we would visit several castles or 'vintage villas' where visitors are allowed to admire the architecture and interior. Walking around 'gracefully' (very slowly, lifting your skirt a little and bending your knees so that you bob up and down) I loved to imagine that this was actually my house. The small signs saying 'don't walk on the grass' and 'please do not sit down' were easily fantasized away, and the museum guards could serve just as well as servants.

I'm surely not the only girl who spent her days walking with her nose in the air and her skirt slightly lifted above the ground. Maybe that explains the tremendous succes of Parisian pastry shop and tea salon Ladurée. Entering the pink/mint coloured and deliciously smelling paradise really reminded me of my desire to be a princess. But not a real one of course, I don't fancy cutting ribons, I mean the Disney kind.

Ladurée Champs Elysées was bigger than expected with several rooms in different styles, all filled with a very mixed public. To get the full Ladurée experience I ordered several macarons. I don't know whether the magical environment helped, but they were truly delicious. Must say I was a little sad when the bill was paid (even princesses must pay) and I had to leave my little Versailles.