Dan Pearson.

Dan Pearson: SPIRIT Garden Inspiration.

Fuel 2009

$45

It's a good job I don't live in the UK right now because if I did, I might be tempted to find where Dan Pearson lives in South London and go and stalk him until he agreed to become my friend. Dan Pearson is one of the most important and influential landscape designers working today, according to the back of this book. This book is BANANAS. I love it. And I know I say that a lot. Especially about books. (I say "it's one of my favourites" about too many films too, but for reals, it's "The Big Lebowski" and anything else I say, I'm just lying or caught up in the moment). But this Dan Pearson book, is one I can't live without. I just bought it, along with the Olivier Theyskens that just arrived in (that I also feel I have to own or I might die).

I was thinking this week that maybe I needed a new car - I've had my trusty, rusty Honda for 7 years. I was toying with the idea of a Mini Cooper with a Union Jack on the top. But I realized I don't have the money. This is clearly because I keep feeling like I SIMPLY CAN NOT LIVE without certain books being in my house. This job is hindering my Mini Cooper and I from being together. Oh cursed books.

Ben Spriggs At Home.

Gosh! What a handsome charmer! I've been coveting that picture of the Queen to the right of his elbow for YEARS. I've dropped many a hint but to no avail. It's destined to never be mine. Sigh. You can't tell from the photo but it has tiny little glittery bits and rhinestones on it. T'is amazing. As is my brother. The article (that accompanies this photo), in last Saturday's Guardian is full of helpful tips about re-doing your home on a budget - you should click this to read it.

Bonnettstown.

Bonnettstown: A House in Ireland by Andrew Bush

Harry Abrams 1989

Andrew Bush, stumbled across the house featured in this book while he was travelling about Ireland. He met one of the four inhabitants of Bonnettstown, who invited him for dinner. At that dinner he met the 3 other house dwellers and a love affair with these characters and the house are what spawned this lovely book. (I dislike the word spawn. It makes me think of tadpoles breaking out and turning into frogs, but I couldn't think of another word.)

This is what Mr Bush has to say about these people:

"They were an unusual bunch, and their diverse stories reflected their individual natures and temperaments. One told of her escape from peasant revolutions and the Russian invasion of post-Hitler Germany, another of sailing the Mediterranean for thirty years and of commandeering rescue mission in Walruses, another of working for the Tanganyika Police and as a film extra alongside Charlie Chaplin, and another of riding horses and cultivating exotic flowers."

What?! I would like to be friends with them all. I also feel this way about Judi Dench.

Galliano Didn't Disappoint.

As mentioned in the previous post, I got up reaaaaal early this morning and subsequently I am worn out. I could lie down and go to sleep right now. I also have that twitchy eye thing. A vessel under my eyeball is intermittently throbbing and it's driving me bananas.

I am finding it hard to motivate and have spent the last hour or so perusing the out-of-print Galliano book. I think I said at the beginning of the week that I'd managed to get a copy and was just waiting for it's arrival. Well, it sure was worth the wait. There are so many images I wanted to post but I picked these. The author, Colin McDowell, is my new hero.

A car alarm has been going off outside the store for about 3 hours. Dear God, make it stop.

Thanks NPR.

Driving about at an obscenely early hour this morning, I caught an interview with Patti Smith on NPR. She's the cat's miaow. I guess she has a new book coming out at the end of the month about her time with Robert Mapplethorpe among other things. This is great news! It also reminded me that I need to re-order Mapplethorpe's Polaroid book which I sold out of over Christmas.

Thanks NPR.

Click this for a cool article about the book on the New York Magazine's blog.

Also click on this to see a great interview between the lovely Logan of Amoeba Music and Miss Smith.

Woodstock Handmade Houses.

I think I posted about this book before I got it in stock. And then I got it in stock but couldn't blog about it again because I bought a copy for a good friend for Christmas and I didn't want her to read the post and then buy it herself, because I knew she would, because she's a big ol' hippy and would fit right into any of these houses. PHEW. Then I sold out but I just got it back in stock!!!! This is a long and exceedingly convoluted way of saying: here, look at the majesty of the book called "Woodstock Handmade Houses".

CG.

Charlotte Gainsbourg's new album IRM out January 26! Go get yourself one!

Giant Owls.

I have an owl obsession. I have a small knitted one from my friend Julie. I have a couple of vintage brass ones. I have a tree ornament owl and now I am going to have these giant owls in my garden. (I found them on India Knight's blog.)

Inventive Paris Clothes 1909-1939.

Inventive Paris Clothes 1909-1939

A Photographic Essay by Irving Penn

Text by Diana Vreeland

1977

It's not the snappiest title I've come across but this book is right special. Irving Penn photographing fabulous pieces from 1909-1939 by designers including Vionnet, Chanel, Poiret and Paquin. The accompanying text by Diana Vreeland is brill and bananas.

The caption to go with the bottom image, a garment by Schiaparelli:

"What a wonderful look: a sleeveless sheath with a bit of fullness near the hem at the back to create line, worn with gigantic gloves, close fitting the hands and the going to great, wide folds and snapping at the shoulders with elastic. The print - bright turquoise-blue crepe with a carousel and animal motif in black, white, gold and shocking pink - was designed by Vertes. (1938)."

Backstage Dior

Backstage Dior by Roxanne Lowit

$125

A feast for the eyes! A veritable feast!

The Master.

I went into Skylight Books last week and spoke to the lovely Charles. Wanted to get the Colm Toibin book Brooklyn but the hardback's gone and the paperback aint available until March. So I settled on reading one of his other books while I wait. Boy oh boy. It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It's a fictionalized account of Henry James' life. I like it.

Fashion Today.

Fashion Today by Colin McDowell.

$49.95

I recently started reading Colin McDowell's fashion blog. It's erudite and intelligent but accessible. Fantastique! I stock his superb Fashion Today and just scored a copy of his out-of-print Galliano book which I'll be sure to post about once I get my grubby hands on it.

My lovely friend Kelly Dent is moving to London tomorrow to be with the man of her dreams. Last night we had a bash for her, at which I drank far too much gin. Consequently I feel a bit crispy around the edges and I'm craving pork products (I'm a pesky pescetarian).

The Beautiful People's Beauty Book.

"Flattens the tummy nicely."

"Today, the author believes in dazzle - all the tricks and flourishes that can make a woman glamorous."

The Beautiful People's Beauty Book by Princess Luciana Pignatelli

1971

"A few times every century, a great natural beauty is born. I am not one of them. But what nature skipped, I supplied - so much so that sometimes I cannot remember what is real and what is fake. More important, neither can anyone else."

I posted about this book a few months ago and I've finally managed to get my hands on a copy. It's full of deliciously inappropriate information from Princess Luciana and a variety of her beautiful friends. My favourite one is Buxy Gancia (former Chanel model), just for her name and of whom Princess Luciana says " Buxy Gancia is thirty; although she is the mother of two children, she has the body of an adolescent. Few woman than she look better in a sweater and pants."

I am a woman of 31 with no children and I certainly don't have the body of an adolescent and am therefore feverishly reading the book and noting down any helpful tips. I'll be sure to pass them along.

Margaret Kilgallen.

Last night getting my hair done (at the wonderful Lucas salon in Echo Park), I chatted to Marsea, the owner of New Image Art Gallery over on Fairfax. It's a good way to meet people when you have your head covered in red goop. I was snooping on Marsea's great blog today and spotted this shot of Margaret Kilgallen. Her work is amazeballs. I stocked her book "In The Sweet Bye & Bye" a whiles back but haven't seen one in an age. It's a goodie. It reminded me to keep my eyes peeled for it on my book travels.

Oh Hi There Mount Fuji.

Mt. Fuji by Naoki Ishikawa
$51.50

Hi Mount Fuji. I will come and visit you in 2011. See you then.
(Copenhagen, don't panic, I'll be seeing you THIS year!)

Olivier. Be Still My Beating Heart.

Just put in my order for the much-anticipated Olivier Theyskens book from Assouline. It's released February 10th. Oh happy day.

Elvis.

If Elvis hadn't popped his clogs, he would be 75 today! Happy Birthday Big Man. Ben, big brother, landed in London today and went to his local cafe because his heating wasn't working. All the waiters were dressed as Elvis. This was perplexing as he had jet-lag and felt like a nutter anyway. Here's the picture he sent. I miss brown sauce.

Hermes.

Gosh. Love the new Hermes ad campaign.

Consider Me Cheered.

I was feeling a bit blurgh today (my big brother has been visiting for two weeks from London and left today.), but then these two amazing ladies came in. CHECK OUT their fantastic attire. And they were so friendly and chatty and they loved the bookstore which always makes me feel a little warm inside. The photo is up to my usual wonky standard. Soz about that, I had to be quick.

Talking About Letter Writing.

As mentioned one of my NY resolutions is to write more letters. My brother and I have always been mad letter readers, writers and lovers of the post in general. So imagine my delight when I read this amazing post on India Knight's blog. It links to a fantastic site, called LETTERS OF NOTE which posts a letter a day. The one above is one of my favourites so far, by J. D. Salinger. The image isn't fantastic but one can get the idea.

2010

New Year = New Window! I was going for a village-fete, party, celebratory fiesta atmosphere, and then Glenn had the inspiration to add state flag penants. Oh huzzah. This takes the window to the NEXT level! Gorge. Yip. Yahooey.

Below is the obligatory night shot, because day-light sunshine reflects poorly and makes the window look crap-pants.



This is an interior shot to show some of them darned colourful flag thingies.


I know I've been dreadful at posting. In my defence the month of December is the maddest month in Ivanhoe Books land. At the end of a day of wrapping and appeasing peeps, I could barely drink a cup of tea without dribbling but now I'm BACK with a vengeance.

I always like to think I'm not much of a resolution-type person but after years of doing making the list that I am destined to fail at, I accept that I am indeed a r-t-p. So here are some of my resolutions!

1. Blog more! Yay! I'm going to try for a post-a-day.
2. Write more letters. My Mum's bereft at the dying art of letter writing. I will single handedly try and resurrect it.
3. Have a bit more motivation. I have tendencies. Tendencies that can lead me to stare into space and day-dream for hours on end. This is not productive nor does it help the business success levels.