There's something so magical about being able to wander around the Chateau de Versailles after dark in black tie garb with only a handful of people around... and free flowing Dom Perignon. Actually, there's something so magical about Versailles at any time, but this was particularly surreal... and while there, i think i've discovered a new obsession. Chandeliers. From directly below! Particularly with mesmerizingly mind bending shadows and/or ridiculously opulent and stunning ceilings... and yes, there was a point where i became that girl who handed off her glass of Dom to lay on the floor in the middle of an empty room in my dress, louboutins, and clutching my massive camera to see just how much ceiling my wide angle could ingest from directly below the center of the chandelier. It's a bit dizzying at times shooting straight up and getting lost in the concentric circles ~ but it's such a fun perspective... Ami from Cool Hunting is calling them our 'chandelier mandalas' (and huge thanks for Ami for resisting iphone-pic-ing me while i was laying there on the floor!)... so take a peek at *some* of the chandeliers (and a few bonuses!) from perhaps (but hopefully not!) the most magical night i will ever spend in Versailles...

TO PAGE 2 of "Chandeliers of Versailles"! ----->

Tags: chateau - france - home - lighting - paris - travel

On stories that definitely fall under hollywood lore... here's a great one that showed up in my inbox...

Stephen Sprouse moved into Chateau Marmont in 1991 for a month but had no money to pay his bill when he was checking out. So Andre Balazs agreed to let him off if he designed some apparel for Chateau Marmont in exchange...a couple of months ago they were going through the archives stored in attic of the hotel and found 6 original sketches by Stephen by accident - all signed and dated. These are never-seen before sketches. And Andre had not seen them for years - he was really excited to be re-united with them.

AND... NOTCOT has an exclusive to show you one of those 6 sketches (as to be expected, the other 5 will be popping up around the net as well)!!! Can you just imagine living the life in a hotel for a month? Only to magically work something out bartering your craft? And it certainly does seem timely that just as the new Sprouse book and LV's Sprouse revisit pop up, that they *happened* to find these sketches... For those unfamiliar with the late Sprouse's work, i'm sure you've seen it everywhere... he's known for pioneering that classic 80's graffiti/pop/punk melded with mainstream fashion with a love of the florescent ~ who went from 70's band photographer to 80's-90's fashion designer/artist! See the full sketch on the next page!

p.s. i'll add the other sketches when possible!

TO PAGE 2 of "Lost designs of Sprouse at Chateau Marmont"! ----->

Tags: art - chateau - designers - fashion - hotels - los angeles

UPDATE!: The bathroom was so gorgeous and huge as well i've added pictures of that as well....

Ok, we're going to jump out of order a bit, but i am far too excited by the gorgeously inspiring chateau Veuve Clicquot moved us to today... imagine waking up from a jetlagged nap and feeling like you fell into a time warp? Welcome to Chateau Les Crayeres in the heart of the Champagne of France... the grounds, decor, rooms, lounge, restaurant.... it's all breath takingly stunning. Don't believe me? You have to take a look at the rest of the pictures on the next page... wow. I'm sitting on that bed in the pic right now, and i can't help staring off every few minutes discovering new details, from the paintings, to the wallpaper patterns, to how ornate the extra high ceilings are!

Basically for the ultimate escape, i can't imagine a more surreal and beautiful space to relax and catch my breath in... and the whole "room" is probably three time the size of tiny SF apts i've ended up in...

p.s.
The pics on the next page of the circular bar areas with the petticoat like curtains are so sweet!

TO PAGE 2 of "Chateau Les Crayeres"! ----->

Tags: chateau - france - hotels - luxury - travel - veuve clicquot