Elie Saab Fall 2014

ELIE SAAB is delighted to present the Pre-Fall 2014 Collection. 

The collection celebrates the contemporary elegance of the ELIE SAAB woman, reviving a modern classical approach to daywear and stimulating evening-wear of sheer romance. Days of geometric color blocks, streamlined silhouettes and feminine waistlines. Evenings of romantic flowing fabrics, precious embroideries and transparency cut-outs. Be it day or night, the collection gracefully reveals a discreet and refined sensuality...

xoxo V

How to make FRENCH MACARONS :) xoxo V

I am often asked why have my macarons failed?! Why are there no feet?! Why have the macaron shells cracked? And which recipe do you use for your macarons? So here it is… french macaron recipe and troubleshooting.

On a recent holiday I found a 200 year old cookbook on my mums bookshelf, it tells that King Henry VIII granted an estate in Leadenhall Street to a Mistress Cornewallies in reward for the fine puddings that she presented to him. Follow these easy steps to make macarons (pronounced macaroons) fit for a king. You will aquire such indulgence that is pleasing to the palate and if your lucky enough perhaps you too will be granted an estate.

                                                   French Macaron Recipe Ingredients

4 large egg whites (or 5 small) 140g (4.94 ounces)

1/3 cup or 70g (2.47 ounces) caster sugar [*US cups 1/3 cup plus 1 tsp]

1 1/2 cups or 230g (8.11 ounces) pure icing sugar [US cups 1 1/2 cups plus 4 tsp] OR 1 3/4 cups 230g (8.11 ounces) icing mixture [US cups 1 3/4 cups plus 4 tsp]

1 cup or 120g (4.23 ounces) almond meal [US cups 1 cup plus 3 teaspoons]

2g (0.07 ounces) salt (tiny pinch)

gel food colouring (optional)

(*cup measurements are metric cups where 1 cup=250ml in the USA cups use customary units so 1 cup = 236ml so you need to add a little bit extra as detailed in the recipe.).

Macaron Recipe Directions

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C

Place egg whites and cater sugar in a bowl and mix with electric mixer until stiff enough to turn the bowl upside down without it falling out, continue to whip for 1-2 more minutes.  How long this takes will depend on you mixer.  Add gel or powdered food colouring and continue to mix for a further 20seconds.

Sift the almond meal and icing sugar and salt twice, discarding any almond lumps that are too big to pass through the sieve. Fold into the egg white mixture. It should take roughly 30-50 folds using a rubber spatula.  The mixture should be smooth and a very viscous, not runny. Over-mix and your macarons will be flat and have no foot, under mix and they will not be smooth on top...

Pipe onto trays lined with baking paper, rap trays on the bench firmly (this prevents cracking) and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Check if one comes off the tray fairly cleanly, if not bake for a little longer (make sure you are using NON-stick baking paper or they will stick).

Wedding in STYLE

''Wedding Time'' by Zuhair Murad

                   If you take a look, you will fall in love with the new dresses of Zuhair Murad !

 

Happy fashion holidays !!!

Find out more about the insight from the sophisticated Megan Hess on her new book, interior design vs fashion, her view about modern day gentlemen and a group of 'Circle of Beautiful People', stay tuned for the upcoming article. 'The Entertaining Room' by Megan Hess, Image courtesy of Megan Hess Illustration Australia.

Mary in the Wonderland... Where dreams are in blue...

Today's star is coming from sunny and hospitable Armenia… She is a life's dancer, dreamer and such an inspiration for beauty… She is Mary Baghdasaryan. Even hot as a fire, Mary imagines her life in navy blue… The colour of her art and love… That is something unusual…Well, unusual girl… 

1. What is art for you?

- People in art are quite different… More natural... More real... They are more alive... More spiritual but at the same time they see the world the way it is... Not through the windows of skyscrapers... The life that is in the simple street... That is in the smile of children and not in signed papers and legislations... Art is the reflection of reality for me. You see yourself there easily and you find yourself there easily no matter in what psychological and physical state you are.

2. If you had a chance to change something in your life, what would be that?

- If i had a chance to change anything I would be more in the circle of dance and art , probably from my early childhood thus making it a better profession for me…

Mary is an artistic positive creature… This is how she sees herself… She is a real one in the real life and also dreamer from time to time :) '' I like my life and thanks to God for that '' she said.

3.What do you like to do in your free time?

-It is really hard to find free time nowadays, especially for people who are full with art. If I manage to find some fee time, I switch from daily life and people, to trips and journeys both within Armenia, as it is nature is really wonderful and feels good!

If you are still wondering who is that girl… Well, we do not talk about Hollywood. We talk about people from the real life, beautiful people with beautiful dreams… 

'' Dreams are the only thing in this life that are for free. I dream as much as I can… About goodness and kindness, about love of people towards each other… According this I believe my biggest gift given by God is positiveness and the kindness which I keep inside me… Being full with good energy, mary share with us: ''We are LOVE- all of us. So we must believe love is where we are ''

4.Which is the most special moment in your life?

-Every single moment in my life is remarkable and is worth remembering till the rest of my life. I do make remarkable my present life which makes my past in future rich and still alive!

5.So, what is special about dancing?

-Dance is an unique and great world of harmony… It shows what you are and who you are and you can see it by understanding the meaning of the movement and the silent emotional expression. That is the most wonderful moment in dancing- to give an inspiration, to be understood and to go back to the stage again after all…

6.When did you become a dancer?

- I am dancing since I was a child. I have been in different dance groups- national once or school dance group till my 15th year. Than, I followed my mother's advice nd I applied to cultural centre of Sophie Devoyan, who is a famous dancer in Armenia and owner of numerous awards and the art director of cultural centre. After, in a very short time I was moved to the ''Theatre of soul and dance of Sophie Devovyan'' due to my outstanding skills in dance and up to this moment I dance in the theatre. I felt so great to be part of such a magical world full with freedom of art and beauty!

I believe everybody who read tis interview would like to think about his own way and dreams… Sometimes the only thing life gives is the choice of freedom… '' Freedom is my art, the ability to show our entire souls to the people who appreciate your art, so they appreciate your freedom. My freedom in dancing ''

7.What to expect from you in the future?

-I am trying not to loose my beautiful today on thinking about tomorrow and even more far- future. I am just trying to live now, building good basis for tomorrow. I see myself one day as a wife and mother with career, but happy as I am today! 

'' You know what, looking at myself in 5 years, I see the moments wonderful as it is now and I believe the time would help me with everything to keep it that way. And I know that with every each step taken from now, we are making the world even more colourful with wonders. People have to always move on, otherwise out lives will stay grey! ''

8.What is succes?

-Everything stays on our own hand and so the success. We fight for life every day and we manage it the way which is going to makes us happy, or at least we try to do it that way. I believe that every try for wellness today is a big step for success tomorrow.

9.What about happiness :)

-Happiness is everywhere, but you need to be open inside yourself to feel and see it. Happiness is harmony. We create it with every step we are making, but the thing is that we have to believe in it…

The people in the old days said that the real happiness is hidden in the risk… ''I think there is something true about it, because risk build up confidence and strength. Even if it breaks the rules, it is a strong pillar to success, which makes us happy'' she said

Lets make an overall… Who are you Mary: '' I am someone who is proud of his familly, friends and profession. I am someone who believes that one day I will be proud of myself and my children, too. For my friends I am ''sunny lively friend'' But deep inside I see myself as an creature of art! ''

X0X0 VL