Diana Vreeland, Pink, Birthdays & Other Joyous Things

I've just realised, with a quiet "oh my", that it's been a year since The Library blog began. Talk about blink-and-miss.

I know others are having much more significant birthdays and anniversaries right now (Miss Faux Fuchsia for one, who's speed-blogging to reach a 1000 posts on her blog's third birthday), and a first birthday does feel very un-milestone-ish. For this reason, I thought I'd do something a little different. Instead of celebrating The Library's birthday, I thought I'd celebrate other lovely things instead.

So here, in a kind of 'reverse toast', is an ode to the things The Library loves most – starting with the wonder of Pink Champagne Cake and Caviar Pie and finishing with the beauty of books. I'll go back  into my writing hole now. {Image above via Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2011. The Library loves a bit of Dior.}

PINK CHAMPAGNE CAKE

Nothing like a little cake to celebrate and whomever invented this needs to be hailed a goddess.

(Units: US | Metric)

Ingredients

18 1/4 ounces white cake mix (must be white to taste champagne)

1/2-3/4 cup pink or white champagne, chilled.

Frosting

1 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup champagne

1 tablespoon vanilla

5 -5 1/2 cups additional powdered sugar

Directions

Use a box of white cake mix and substitute champagne for all of the liquid called for in the cake mix. So if the box says 3/4 cup water replace with 3/4 cup champagne.  Tint with red food coloring until mixture becomes a soft pink, usually 3 drops is enough. Bake cake as instructed on box. For an elegant layer cake use two round cake pans.

To make the creamy champagne frosting, beat 1 cup softened butter for 30 seconds. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar. Beat in 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup champagne, and 1 TB vanilla. Beat in 5-5 1/2 more cups powdered sugar till you can spread it or is consistency you want. Add red coloring till pink color, again slowly add a drop at a time till color you want. Frost completely cooled cake.

Cake is fantastic when refrigerated all night (so the flavours can blend) and served the next day.

{Image via the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, which makes the best Pink Champagne cakes on earth.}

DIANA VREELAND'S CAVIAR PIE

MS DV was more than a fashion guru. She was a bit of a Martha Stewart as well. Who knew? Only in DV's case, everything had a bit of a twist. Like this – Caviar Pie. Have you ever seen anything as delicious? (Pic is mine; using toasties instead.}

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups minced white onion, scallions or green onions

8 large hard-cooked eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

8 ounces caviar*, 2 or more colors if desired

Directions

Spread the onion on paper toweling to drain. Mince the eggs and combine with mayonnaise; set aside. Beat the cream cheese and sour cream together; it should be very smooth.

Lightly coat a 9" round springform pan with butter or cooking spray. Spread the egg mixture evenly over the bottom and sprinkle the onions on top. Drop the cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls atop the onion layer and spread gently with the back of a spoon. (Wet the spoon, if necessary.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Before serving, gently spread the caviar over the cream cheese layer in a decorative design. Use waxed paper or even string to outline your design. Accentuate with chopped chives, scallions or parsley, if appropriate.

Note: It's best to use inexpensive caviar in this recipe, such as Salmon, Whitefish, or Lumpfish. Some less expensive caviars do contain artificial coloring, however rinse the caviar in a strainer and drain on paper toweling before arranging and this will fix the problem.

Serve with good Champagne!

NORMAN PARKINSON & VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

I love this image of Norman Parkinson's from Vogue 1955. We have a copy of the photo (bought in London) framed in our spare room. Seems a long way from Instagram, doesn't it? Long live classic photography.

PARIS
Every time I think I've fallen for New York, I go to Paris and remember why it's still the most beautiful city in the world. {Source unknown: will try and find.}

COLOUR

Nothing lifts the spirit like colour. This new book, Colour, by Victoria Alexander charts the course of certain colours – including pink (named in the 17th century after a flower). It's beautifully photographed by Victoria, who should be applauded. A fabulous, fabulous read. (Murdoch Books)

HANDBAGS

Soft leather bags with lined insides, cute clutches, sweet straw numbers...(like this Kate Spade design, above). Nothing makes a woman feel 'put together' like a perfect handbag. Which is why we spend so much on them. I'm hoping someone comes up with a 'Swap' site eventually, so we can just pass em' round when we're finished.

INTERIOR DESIGN

I'm very fortunate to call the gorgeous Savannah designer Jane Coslick my friend. (She's running a tour of Tybee Island's famous homes in December too: see her website janecoslick.blogspot.com for details.) But really, all designers need to be applauded. It's not easy decorating a home so it looks stunning as well as comfortable. Such skill!  (janecoslick.com)

ROSES

Look at this. La Reine Victoria. Isn't it sublime? Bet it smells like Heaven, too. {Via BloomandBlossom}

TRAVEL

Essential for the soul. If you haven't gone anywhere amazing this year, make 2013 the year to do it. As Diana Vreeland (see below) once said: "A new dress doesn’t get you anywhere: it’s the life you’re living in that dress..." {Book via Assouline}

DIANA VREELAND (AGAIN)

DV is The Library's unofficial saint. I think she might even be fashion's unofficial saint?

The new film of the magnificent life of this extraordinary magazine editor and museum curator is being eagerly awaiting by DV followers everywhere. I think it's due out soon in the US but it's not out in Australia yet, so in the meantime, I'd like to post this DV treat. It was sent to me by the lovely Janie from the Bumble at Home blog (bumbleathome.blogspot.com). She, in turn, received it from one of her worldly and stylish friends. Thank goodness for her friends!

BLOGGING
Still one of the best sources of inspiration. I discovered Blair Eadie's beautiful, beautiful blog Atlantic-Pacific the other day. Her style is astonishing. So is her wardrobe budget. (atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com)

LOVELY PEOPLE
The Library loves manners, and people who are kind. Humour is also good, but nothing beats a heart of gold. (No pun intended for once.) Slim Paley (slimpaley.com) is one of the nicest bloggers in the social media world. And her eye for aesthetics is legendary. Thanks for the promotion of The Library on Twitter Slim! So humbled. Someone give this beautiful woman a book deal.

THE MITFORD SISTERS

Has there ever been a more interesting, more ambitious, more extraordinary set of sisters? 

I've been re-reading Nancy Mitford's books in preparation for a visit to Chatsworth next year. Tenuous link, I know, but Debo's next.

SHOES

Mille from The Laurel Hedge once recommended a superb site called Mandarina UK. Talk about shoe love. I've been an addict ever since. {www.mandarinashoes.co.uk}

PEONIES

If a flower can be ravishing, then surely peonies fit the description? 

The most beautiful peony garden I've ever seen was Bunny Williams' Litchfield Hills weekender, but apparently Weston's farm in Tasmania is pretty special too. If you're in Tassie, there's a tour this month on November 24. It's a once-a-year event, so very special. Email Karen Wagner on store@karenwagnergardendesign.com.au or phone the store 03 62341245) to book. 

THE QUEEN

So gorgeous. 

Nothing more needs to be said, really. The initials 'HM' pretty much sum this magnificent woman up.

VINTAGE YSL

Yves, we miss you.

DIOR

Another Parisian legend. Do you know, I think Dior's recent collections these past few years might have been better than Chanel's?

MORE DIOR

VINTAGE BOOKS 

I bought this for a pound in London last week. Let's hope Amazon doesn't kill all the wonderful secondhand bookstores of the world.

AND THREE MORE...

Blair Eadie again. Just because she's so inspirational with her colours and clothes.

Best wishes to everyone. I hope you all have a lovely week.

An Affair With Orange

Orange is one of those sneakily seductive colours. You don't notice it right away, which is strange because it's extroverted enough. But it does take a while to recognise it between all the hoopla that black, white, red, cobalt, hot pink and even yellow make. Orange is like the quiet wit of the colour party. It waits until there's a suitable pause in the conversation, and then says something so clever, or funny, or just plain charming, you wonder why you hadn't noticed it before.

2012 has been a big year for orange. Trend forecaster and colour experts Pantone nominated Tangerine Tango as the Colour of the Year For 2012. Tangerine, they said, would be the colour to watch. And it was. In fact, many of us fell in love (or back in love) with the vivacious, summery shade of ripe mandarines. {Above image via Luella}

We're now winding down the year, and Pantone is making new predictions for 2013, one of which is that Art Deco-inspired shades will become very big; a trend inspired, perhaps, by The Great Gatsby. So here, to send tangerine out in style, is a tribute to this year's unexpected hit.

So long orange. We had a great time.

Wishing you all a fun-filled weekend.

"Orange is the happiest colour." 

Frank Sinatra

170 East 78th Street, New York. {Via Curbed}

J Crew's new collection.

Hermès.

Iris Upfel's apartment. As elegant as the woman herself.

Jessica Lange, looking radiant at the Emmy Awards recently. {Hollywood Reporter}

Fabric from Black & Spiro's design studio. {Via Absolutely Beautiful Things}

A spread from Vogue China. {Via Dustjacket Attic}

A Hermès beach pareo.

A design from Artiga fabrics in France. 

(Their canvas fabrics make great deckchairs, drapes and chaise covers. They're fabrics for those who have grown tired of Les Toiles des Soleil.)

A cover-up from the beautiful Balinese fashion label Mist, widely available in Australia.

A rug design from The New York Rug Company.

A rug design from Madeline Weinrib.

Barefoot style in India. {Via Mist}

A pair of Mandarina dancing shoes.

Marimekko's New York store. Gorgeous window merchandising. This was an entire dinner party created from fabric. Just extraordinary.

The Sins of Instagram

Confession. I really, really, reallly dislike Instagram.

Sure it's quick, and it's easy, and you can share the photos with the world in seconds. And you don't need to drag an enormous camera around. You can snap life with your iPhone while on the run. But the quality of the photos is so depressing.

When there is so much colour in the world, why would somebody create something that bleaches or sepiarises life? It doesn't make sense. Even the brighter photos have a kind of washed-out feel to them. It's the filters. They're designed to make everyone look like a great photographer but the irony is that all the photos are starting to look the same.

Gauguin and Monet and Van Gogh laboured for years and cut off their ears to show us the beauty in blues, greens and bright, sunflower yellows. Yves Klein created his famous reputation by capturing the joy of the infinite in an ultramarine, lapis lazuli-style pigment now known as International Klein Blue (IKB). While Jackson Pollock spent much of his life in seclusion in the Hamptons, trying to perfect the beauty of his fantastic, multi-coloured messes canvases. So why are we resorting to filtering our life down to browns and greys? (And I bet Oscar de la Renta and Valentino didn't use Instagram to inspire them for their palettes. Why would they, when there is so much inspiration in bright shades?)

           

Instagram is a gimmick, a tease, an invention designed to make us nostalgic for old 1970's polaroids and faded happy snaps from our glory days. We're sharing our lives on it, but are the photos really doing our lives justice?

I don't know about you but I can't look at any more brown sunsets. I can take any more dull, muddy-coloured scenes. Forgive me while I go and take a photo of a spring flower in full bloom, so I can remember the heady sight of natural, unadulterated colour for once.

I suspect Instagram, like many other things, won't be around for long. And I fear for all those people who have taken photos with it. Their computer archives will be full of muted scenes that, in years to come, will seem devoid of energy and life. (NB These photos of Paris are mine; I've bleached them to make them look Instagramish for the purposes of this post. The original ones are much prettier. I don't use Instagram. It's the devil's work, as Miss Faux Fuchsia would say.)

Please don't forget the joy of real colour. Pack a tiny Leica or Panasonica DMZ in your handbag and use that instead. If you can find room for a mobile or cell phone, you can always have a camera in a spare pocket of your bag. The photos from a camera taken without a filter, without a phone, without some nifty Instagramesque influence, will look far more beautiful in years to come. Believe me.

A LITTLE STUDY IN COLOUR

As a quick PS, my niece Alex is studying styling at RMIT University in Melbourne. (Who knew there was a degree in it?) She's asked me to help her with a project this week, so I've been practising beforehand, with a 'faux project' based around the theme of colour. (Just like we did at university all those years ago.) Here are some poor attempts, which Alex will no doubt laugh at. But don't you just love the colours?