18Apr

Amazon Will Clean Your Home For A Charge & Other Links

It’s hard to avoid mentioning Amazon at least once during the day. Amazon has become the daily supplier of everything to millions of people. Who doesn’t receive a package from the online retailer at least once a week? We get one almost every day… Now Amazon is also offering cleaning service, really… read more about it here.

Who is ready to start winding down at an outdoor restaurant terrace while enjoying good food. Food and Wine recently listed The Restaurants of the Year 2018. “The restaurants we fell in love with this year were the ones that offer a rich portrait of the people who made them. They remind us that a good meal can capture the spirit of a place as sharply as a postcard” F&W. Get to know them here.

One of my favorite authors has always been Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I have read many of his books and One Hundred Years of Solitude about three times in my life. Twice in Spanish and once in English. If you haven’t yet, you have to read it. If you don’t believe me, believe William Kennedy when declared that the novel should be required reading for the human race. It’s that good. And while you are there get to know other Latin American authors by reading one of these 7 Life-Altering Books by Latino Authors, here.

Sometimes I feel that I became an adult after giving birth to my son. After having him my whole life perspective and feelings changed for the better. I feel I have to thank him for the maturity I owned today. Claiborne Swanson Frank’s new book Mother and Child captures motherhood by photographing 70 iconic modern mothers. In this interview, she explains what motivated her to make this book.

17Apr

Five Favorites: A Brain-Boosting Oil & A Paris-Based Amazon Show

I feel I haven’t posted about my favorite things for a while. As of lately, I’ve been enjoying these five great finds…

brain-busting oil, MCT Oil

MCT Oil

I’ve been taking MCT oil in my morning espresso for over two months and I have to say that I feel super energetic and alert. I rarely get tired. I’ve been experiencing many of the benefits that have so many people swearing by it. MCT oil is Medium-chain triglycerides that are extracted from coconut pulp. This type of saturated fat is sometimes referred to as brain-boosting oil for its cognitive benefits. Among other important benefits of MCT oil is the ability to help maintain your weight as well as helping fight bacteria and viruses. Medium-chain triglycerides behave differently than other fats once consumed: rather than being broken down like regular saturated fats, they produce ketone, a source of greater fat burning potential. It’s recommended to start with a small tablespoon a day to avoid unpleasant side effects. I use this one.

The Collection, An Amazon-Original Drama

If you like Paris, haute couture, beautiful classic interiors, you have to watch The Collection on Amazon. The Collection is a post-war drama based in Paris during the immediate aftermath of post-war Europe. At the center of the drama is a family of a Fashion House who is presented with the extraordinary role of rebuilding high fashion after the war. All sounds good until secrets of possible Nazi collaboration involving the head of the fashion house come quickly to hunt the brand. The drama also gives us a hint of the beginning of street photography, and the somber condition of Paris’s immediate aftermath of World War II. My favorite episode was “The Weekend” in which the family behind the Mansion and close friends go to spend the weekend at Trouvier’s Chateau outside of Paris. Every single space of the chateau is breathtaking. This is such a beautiful production that will take your breath away. I can’t say much about the acting because I think I watched the entire season just for the magical feel of the show than anything else. One of the main characters is played by Mamie Gummer, Meryl Streep’s daughter.

The Collection, an Amazon-Original drama

Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer

I know that men and women are supposed to use different products. Different skin types, different hormones… so on. However, when I got this hand cream for my husband for Christmas and then I tried it, I kind of had to share it with him. It’s beyond hydrating and the minty smell makes me feel energized every time I put it on. My son used to get very dry hands because he keeps reapplying hand sanitizer at school, I know this germ averting society, right… I’m putting this cream on his beautiful hands and after a couple of times of reapplying it, his hands are back to normal.

peter thomas roth

Peter Thomas Roth Hungarian Thermal Water Mineral-Rich Moisturizer

Whenever I get an episode of rosacea, my cheeks get very dry. The lady at the store recommended me this cream for being super hydrating and I had to try it. I love how moisturizing it really is, but what I love the most about it is how cool and smooth it is once I start applying it on my skin. It glides on the skin so refreshingly smooth.

La Roche-Posay anthelios 60 tinted mineral ultra light sunscreen

LA ROCHE-POSAY Tinted Mineral sunscreen

Another late addition to my skin products is La Roche-Posay tinted mineral sunscreen. It’s a mineral-based sunscreen that is good for your skin. I read somewhere that mineral products don’t get absorbed by the skin so they don’t get into your bloodstream. This latter helps to avoid skin breakouts. It has a subtle tint to it so I apply it on top of the facial cream and it covers while protects against the sun just right.

16Apr

14 Summer Wreaths to Welcome Spring On Sale…

Miles Redd

After having a couple of days with temperatures over 70’s, I got so excited that on Saturday I might have overreacted and cleaned out my closet and put most of my cold weather clothes away. Today, however, the temperature is back in to the 40’s but I’m determined to embrace Spring… although I may go back and retrieve a few sweaters, you know…? I’ll say next time I’ll start welcoming Spring through the exterior of the house. These fabulous summer wreaths are one way of doing that. Wreaths are not only for Christmas and they can get you closer to Spring and Summer than you think. Especially if they are made of fresh material like lemon or lavender.

Imagine coming home every day opening your door to a scent of fresh lemon or lavender… wouldn’t that be something? A wreath can also be hung on a backyard wall and smaller ones can be used as tabletop decoration. I love an outdoor table decorated with a lemon arrangement. As a matter of fact, the color combo of lemon and purple, albeit their subtle hues, can be a great bold combination. Most of these Summer wreaths are on sale and made of faux material but I have also included others made of fresh lavender and lemon even though they are not on sale, they are so well priced that I’m going to count them as if.

By the way, Belle Vivir is randomly having some changes that reflect more on our current mood and style. We have made changes to the menu bar, added an archive link on the bottom right side and soon will be adding a customized subscription form for those of you who would like to subscribe to our posts newsletter. Stay tuned

Lemon Wreath that never goes out of style, creates a very summery feel.

13Apr

10 Modern Versions of The Classic White Shirt

The classic white shirt is a staple in every classic woman’s wardrobe. It’s always chic, enduring and it sits between the dressy and the sporty alternatives of fashion. When I think of a crisp white button-down shirt the first thought that comes to mind is Audrey Hepburn and her abiding iconic style. I also think about the other unpretentious versions of wearing the classic white shirt and everything from wicker bags, jeans, and greek sandals run through my mind as perfect matches. A fashion item that emerged from menswear, women have made them practical and feminine yet it still retains its masculine elegance especially when it’s made of a sturdy cotton fabric that helps keep them wrinkle-free or at least helps.

white shirt, Audrey Hepburn

There are probably countless ways of how to wear a white shirt or what to pair it with… For a work attire that is modern enough however still formal, a high waisted pair of pants would be an exact match. For a weekend casual look, a simple pair of jeans and loafers is a given. In this case the looser the shirt the more casual the look. And lastly but not less important, for a glamorous night, as Carolina Herrera has made the white button-down shirt her fashion signature, a ball skirt is just what’s needed and of course a pair of killer heels.

white shirt, Audrey Hepburn

As classic as a white blouse can be, it hasn’t been exempt from modernization. The white button-down shirt also wants to be in the spotlight and designers are responding. They now come with ruffles, structural cuts, cutouts and many times oversized. Granted they are a favorite of many fashionistas. Below are 10 different modern interpretations of this beloved wardrobe staple.

11Apr

Injectable Skincare, A New Director at the MET and more Fun Links

Did you ever hear of injectable skincare? Neither did I, until I read this article that indicates that the next great thing would be just that. Apparently, with this very new way of using skin care, injectable skincare, the usual skin glow from topical serum appears to come from within the skin. Read more about it here.

injectable skincare, new director at the MET

The Metropolitan Museum has gone through a few changes this year. First the $25 admission fee to out-of-towners… now it’s the rename of its new director. Get to know the Austrian born new director at the MET.

guide-to-sleuthing-antiques-in-paris-elsie-green-shop-bottles-on-dresser

I can always go to Paris and I can also always go to an antique market wherever that is. Last year I enjoyed many a flea market in the South of France. I’m ready to do the same next time in Paris. This Guide to Sleuthing Antiques and Housewares in a Paris has very great recommendations. Who doesn’t love to get to know the off-the-beaten-path special, places?

And if you thought that you loved Apple for its well-designed products, you’ll love it even more when you know that all Apple’s facilities are now using 100% renewable energy. That includes all of its retail stores, offices, data centers and partner data centers, as well as its new headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Apple Park.

10Apr

Andrew Brown Collected Allure

When I posted about the allure of painted floors a few months ago, I didn’t know that among the images one belonged to Interior Designer Andrew Brown. As it turns out allure is one of the adjectives many design connoisseurs have used to describe his collected and eclectic interiors. His talent for combining different periods and style and his ability to juxtapose the simple with the attractive has a lot to do with his childhood. Granted he spent his childhood in France and West Africa, how interesting is that.

We can see many of his exciting childhood influences in his home which was featured in Veranda a couple of years ago. “A combination of texture, patinas, layers, varying heights, order and disorder, old and new, aristocratic and tribal- that, all together, is what creates a successful space. It’s about creating the right amount of tension between everything.” AB
Andrew Brown Interiors gallery wall

It seems that Andrew Brown has traveled quite a good amount and it can be experienced throughout his interior design work. His distinctive, eclectic style has been described as a “mix of masculine glamour and brooding sensuality” Since his home appeared in Veranda, Browns’s interiors have become more restrained with a less is more approach. As Andrew says on his website “… this involved understanding our client’s wishes and personalities, so that their needs are met and their home is a reflection of them”. And that is what in essence every designer should do. Below, a few images from his beautiful portfolio.

Andrew Brown, room with brown walls