Fashion Style @ Fashion Forward 1st Season Dubai

Photos: The Blue Chic

Blue Chic @ Fashion Forward - Dubai

At the Fashion Forward Dubai with Heritage Studio Blogger....

Photos: The Blue Chic

What the Day Owes the Night – Yasmina Khadra

“If a woman loves you, Jounes, if she truly loves you, and if you have the wisdom to appreciate this great privilege, then there is no god to touch you.”

It is the first time to read something from the best selling author Yasmina Khadra, and what a wonderful surprise!

"What the Day Owes the Night"was given to me by a good friend, I guess he thought that it would be interesting for me to read an Arab author since i'm leaving in Middle East...And yes, if so, it was a wonderful idea that leaded me to an amazing experience.

This book transports you to a incredible voyage through time, exposing you to a different culture in a turbulent  and rebellious colonial Algeria.

The story is touching, a love story that almost sounds autobiographical of a young Arab in a journey through a country in war...

I don't want to tell much about it, but i can say that its a strong and intense story where this boy called Younes is forced to move from the country side to the big city of Oran. From hopelessness and a degrading situation where he experienced weird and violent situations, Youne's father agrees in letting him live with he's prosperous pharmacist brother. 

This is a turning point on the story, where Youne's leaves behind many of he's roots and identity as an Arab Muslim, becoming Jonas, leaving among Europeans in a small town called Rio Salado. It's here that the love story starts....

Jonas finds himself in love, struggling with his own identity and the guilt of leaving behind his family...finding love and not fighting for it due to he's strong values and principles. Finally he overcomes many of he's internal conflicts and reacts...

I often felt upset, frustrated and irritated for his non reaction in many situations in the book but this is what makes this it interesting and you just feel glued to each page...

Prada - Creative Writing Contest

The world renowned Italian luxury fashion brand Prada just launch a very interesting and creative contest. Proving that fashion is not only about beautiful clothes and nice advertisements and fashion shows,  that can also be more cultural and expressive through other forms of creativity like literary ones.

It is not the first time that Prada has initiatives in the world of arts, in 1995 Miuccia Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertelli created the Fondazione Prada. This art institution was designed to promote culture and contemporary art. In 2015 a new exhibition space of the foundation (design by Rem Koolhaas) is set to open in Milan.

Teaming with the Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore, Prada is promoting an international writing contest to unveil the best, finest literary talent. The contest called Prada Journal as part as their new eyewear initiative.

The contestants must answer the following question in a short creative story: 

"What are the realities that our eyes give back to us? And how are these realities filtered through lenses?"

The competition starts April 18, with final entries until June 18. The winners will be announced on December 31, 2013 and you can enter the competition by sending your creative paper to pradajournal@prada.com.

Stories must have approximately from 4,000 to 8,000 words, or minimum of 10 pages with a maximum of 20 on a A4 sized sheets (approximately 400 words per page), written in Bodoni-DTC dim. 11 style.

All entries will be judged by Prada and Gianiacomo Feltrinelli and the winners will receive a €5,000 prize and their work will be published as an e-book and print version which will be distributed in Prada boutiques.

You can find all the details and terms of the competition on the Prada Journal site. 
Good luck! 

So put your pens in a creative mode...and get started!!!

Amélie au Théâtre - Lisbon

Located in one of the most charming and trendiest neighborhood of Lisbon, Príncipe Real is a place where you will find many exquisite stores and coffee shops.

One year ago, by the hand of Amélia Antunes, one of the cutest stores in the neighborhood the “Amelie Au Theatre” was born.

Amélia Antunes started has a jewelry designer many years ago, and this passion lead her to the opening of this fantastic space.

The store is also her own creation and design, inspired in Paris in the fabulous world of Amélie and Marie Antoinette, its has a mixed influence, from the baroque to the burlesque and Belle Époque period the store makes you travel to a different period and dimension.

Behind the counter a green vertical garden, a flower gazebo arbor in the middle of the store, beautiful retro sofas and dressing tables, luxurious antique chandeliers and exquisite paintings and marionettes give you a feeling that you are somewhere in Paris or   at the Versailles gardens.

You will find here unique and different shoes, clothes and accessories and home accessories from many Portuguese brands, vintage treats and jewelry and accessories design by Amélia.

Amelia faced many difficulties to promote her work as a start up designer, so in this store she gives the opportunity to new Portuguese artists and designers to show and promote their work. 

Her necklaces are unique, exquisite, one-of-a-kind, a talented designer with a dreamy store that promotes national artists is definitely a great place to visit and shop fantastic design pieces in the heart of Lisbon...

Adress:
Rua da Escola Politécnica, 69-71 
Principe Real
1200-457 Lisbon; Portugal

Facebook page here

Photos: The Blue Chic

Joana Vasconcelos at the Ajuda Palace - Lisbon

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and my favorite one. Not because I lived there many years but because it has a soul, a light and a charming atmosphere that makes you fall in love by it…

It’s a cultural city, where you will never feel bored, hosting many international and national cultural events for all kind of taste.

Now in the Ajuda National Palace you can find a spectacular exhibition of the renowned artist Joana Vasconcelos while visiting this Palace.

The Ajuda National Palace, a neoclassical monument built after the 1755 earthquake and tsunami.  It began to be used as a Royal Residence in 1826 when the Infanta (princess) Isabel Maria, regent of Queen Maria II, wanted to turn habitable this Palace.

This beautiful Palace is specially known as a permanent residence of the Royal Family, when it hosted the King Luis I , and his wife Queen Maria Pia of Savoy until the establishment of the Republic in 1910.

This pre-eminent Portuguese contemporary artist Joana Vasconcelos, became specially known when she exhibit at the Palace of Versailles in 2012, where she topped ranked one of the five most visited exhibitions in Paris in the last 50 years with 1.6 million visitors, also she became the first woman and youngest artist to present her work in Versailles.

Joana Vasconcelos work is different...it's ingenious, humorous, irreverent, crazy…subverting pre-existent objects and daily realities into irreverent colorful and intricate assemblages masterpieces throughout the use of traditional crafts and techniques with hand made crochet, knitted fabrics and even pre-existing materials.

She plays with her work in the different scenarios of the Palace with sense of humor and in a very teasing way.

In the exhibition you can see many of her famous gigantic pieces (objects that we can easily recognize) sculpt in interesting materials making her work ingenious, innovative, funny and fresh.

The exhibition features 38 works from the last decade produced by Joana Vasconcelos where she took inspiration from the royal family and specially Queen Maria Pia.  While visiting the Palace you will see many of her iconic pieces like “The Bride, 2001-2005”, “Red Independent heart, 2005”and Marilyn, 2011 and many others mixed with this royal atmosphere.

The Bride

Red Independent heart

Marilyn

Also some very cute and funny pieces like the Lilicoptère, 2012, the “Perruque 2012”and “War Games,2011”.

 Lilicoptère

 Perruque

War Games

If you are in Lisbon or planning to go, it’s a great opportunity to this artist work and this beautiful Palace.

The exhibition will be open until the 25^th August 2013.

Ajuda Palace
Largo Ajuda 21
1349-021 Lisbon
Phone: +351 213 637 095

Hours:
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 10:00 to 19:00
Saturday – 10:00 to 21:00
Closed on Wednesday

Photos: The Blue Chic

China....

Never missed so much to be in contact with ANY social media and off course The blue Chic....I call it China effect....

Ok... Five fun days even with a earthquake, but also five stressful days waiting to come back and be able to write and use what most of the world take as granted and normal....things like Youtube, Facebook and Blogs!

Happy to be back!

xoxo

My Blue World....#1

Istanbul and Cappadocia....

Photos: The Blue Chic

I'm back!!!!

I know, I know... I disappeared...
Now that my vacations came to an end... I will be back on track again....

XoXo

Blue Chic

Çiğdem Pastanesi: "Turkish Pastries In Sultanahmet"

Strategically located in the hearth of Sultanahmet, between Aya Sofya and the Grand Bazar just along the Divan Yolu street and rail line, you will find the most famous pastry house in Istanbul the Çiğdem.

This famous pastry shop will blow you away, in colors but especially in taste.

In the same street you will find many interesting pastry shops but none which the quality of Çiğdem.

Open since 1961 is still run by the same family and is famous for the quality and taste of the products served here. You will see many locals going there not only to take some sweets home but also to seat and drink a Turkish coffee with a sweet.

Mr. Tarik and his son received me and explained that they produce everything they sell (not like their neighbors that buy from factories) which of course makes a huge difference...

The little shop is very cozy and one of the only ones that have a room to seat inside. You can chose to 'take away 'your sweets or just seat in one of the tables and relax for a while, while indulging these sweet experience together with a cup of tea or coffee.

They serve many of the Turkish famous sweets like the Baklava, that you definitely need to try, or the Strawberry pie the Çilerli Tart (also famous) that is absolutely superb....and you mite think you will find it to sweet but no..they are not!

Just perfect! If you don't feel like sweet you can also try the börek or acma (Turkish-style bagel)

Couldn't resist either to bring an assortment box home with me...