Ien Levin

(images from flickr)

Tattoos by Ien Levin at Bone House in Kiev, Ukraine

Celine Giveaway!

No, no, it's not a bag. Don't get too excited! I found not one but two of these beautiful Celine Spring 2011 cardstock catalogues kicking around my place, that I brought back from Paris last spring and I want to give them away to 2 lucky readers! Yes, it's Spring 2011, but better late then never!

You can take a glimpse inside here

All you have to do is comment below, and tell me what you would get from Celine if you were given a choice of one free item. Two winners of the Celine catalogs will be chosen randomly on December 2/11.

Myself, it would be a tough choice between the zippered horizontal Cabas bag in black, or the small box bag in leopard. Or maybe just a clutch.... hmmm....

Also, be sure to check out my sale blog for reduced prices on older items! New items posted from Brian Atwood (thigh high boots! wooh!), Rick Owens, Junya Watanabe and more!

The catalog giveaway will be open until December 2/11.

When everything runs out at once

(www.aesop.com)

This always seems to happen to me. All my skincare products always seem to run out at the same time, no matter when I purchased them. This always results in a cringing realization that I have to shell out for a few all at once, when it's much easier on my mind and my wallet to space purchases out.

I've solved my running out of products problem with my desire to try out Aesop. I wanted to pick up a few things from their store in New York when I was there, but went back and forth on wanting to check a bag for an extra charge or just carrying it on. Damn those extra fees! In the end I didn't end up getting anything from Aesop, or a new perfume (it was going to be Byredo or Le Labo), nor did I pick up a tube of Embryolisse that I desperately needed. I still had "issues" getting my bag to shut so perhaps that was a good thing.

I ended up ordering Aesop's Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream to replace my Embryolisse cream, the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum to replace my Darphin Mat Serum, and their Fabulous Face Oil to replace my dwindling supply of Darphin's Chamomile Dry Oil.







I can't wait to give them a go. If you've tried Aesop, how do you find them? Do their products do what they say they do?

back in the swing?

For the past, oh... 3+ months I've had a bit of sartorial apathy. It's been all jeans/basic sweater or jeans/t-shirt for a while now. Yesterday I decided to sort through my fall accessories (gloves, scarves, etc) and decided to put some effort into getting dressed, even if I was only going to get my roots coloured. Plus, it finally felt cold enough to pull out this puffy jacket I bought back in Jan/Feb and didn't get a chance to wear. I had bought it on ebay right before I left for Paris and once I got back to Vancouver it was spring, so it's been waiting in the wings for some cold weather. It kind of makes me feel like a beetle. The scarf is also new, a gift from J for my birthday (I love it so much!)







Elizabeth and James (?!) coat
Damir Doma draped tee
Faliero Sarti cashmere/silk scarf
Ann Demeulemeester necklace
Rick Owens sheer drop crotch shorts
Damir Doma leggings
Rick Owens wedges

11/11/11

When J and I were in Paris, we took a road trip to Normandy, Saint-Malo and Mont Saint-Michel

Juno Beach


It's pretty surreal to stand on the same ground where so much happened. I've been watching a lot of war documentaries lately, especially this past week before Remembrance Day. I used to hate watching any movies dealing with war because it was too emotional, but it's important not to forget or to avoid things that are uncomfortable to watch.





Bunker


Concrete pylons used to block tanks










Omaha Beach












Bunkers hidden in the hills


Can you spot them?




Pointe du Hoc






The ruins of destroyed concrete bunkers


are actually a play park for whippets




Pointe du Hoc was probably the most mind blowing for me.

"Before the 5th Ranger Battalion landing on Dog White sector on Omaha Beach, during the Invasion of Normandy, the 2nd Ranger Battalion scaled the 150-foot (46 m) cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, a few miles to the west, to destroy a six-gun battery of captured French Canon de 155 mm GPF guns. Under constant fire during the climb, they encountered only a small company of Germans on the cliffs and the artillery withdrawn some 500 meters. The guns were later found and destroyed, and the Rangers cut and held the main road for two days before being relieved."













In the countryside on the way to Saint-Malo






Patiently waiting for dad


The view of Mont Saint-Michel off in the distance is like something out of a fairy tale














I'm not going to lie, I may have pretended I was in Lord of the Rings in the abbey (in my head only, I swear...)