L'Ile sur La Sorgue

This year is the 89th bi-annual Ile sur La Sorgue antique fair. It is renowned for its exorbitant prices and swarming with American buyers, but ince my mother and I can never resist a good grunge, we set off, determined not to buy anything. However, things never work out as you plan, do they? We ended up buying a beautiful stack of monogrammed linen granite napkins, two linen shift dresses for my mother (actually one is cotton), and a 1920's silk nightgown for me (Pictures up soon, but the camera's screen came to an untimely end as i was cycling to Uzes on my vintage bike, lovingly fixed by my bike-wise brother). I love my nightgown, such a femmy colour. I am planning to cut off the bottom third or so, as there is some strange staining, so as to line the bodice, but keep the back, which is lace, unlined. I'll have to buy a peachy-coloured lace bra to wear underneath it. Then we have to find some more fine silk with which to line the remains of the dress, and I want to sew on fake buttons on the bodice, the small round pearl ones. I am very excited. Here are some pictures I took of the fair. This year it is on from the 12th to the 15th, so do go while you can.

My new dress!

Antique jam jars

Etched champagne glasses

Chocolate mould

Fake teeth anyone? Well, I guess there's something fo everyone, isn't there?

Enamel watch faces

Pink bucket

Mini salt and pepper sellers

This linen stall was displayed as an elegant dinner table (sort of), selling glasses, silverware, and dyed linen.

I love this shape of boot. unfortunately these were too narrow.

Spanish hair ornaments

Antique boots circa 1900

Silk and lace French knickers - imagine how comfy these must be!

Boutis quilts

Chinese slippers

Antique scooters!

Haberdasher's and linen stall

An almost-purchase: a 50's ball gown, on the knee, exactly my size. Instead I opted for the 1920's silk shift.

I'm still not exactly spot on about my antique clothing dating, but I have a strong hunch that this is in fact 18th century. Tell me if I'm wrong, but that narrow back seems to me tailored for a tiny corseted torso, and those side panels seem made to lie ver the characteristically French 18th century boxy skirts.

View of the canal

5 Things to do this Week

1. Spritz yourself with Clinique's Happy, Lancome's Benghal or Fragonard's Etoile

2. Paint your nails with Chanel's 18th shade, Rouge Noir.

3. Go to a farmer's arket and buy something truly delicious.

4.Drink a glass of Gazpacho a day

5.Outline your cheeks with Bourgeois's 16 Rose Coup de Foudre.



xo Cendrillon

Food of the Week

When we come down south I always indulge in a sensory exploration, especially with my food. My poor family have to suffer my experiments, which, though I say so myself, aren't all that bad. Well, there was the time I made those stuffed tomatoes but the rice was, how shall I say, 'al dente.' Rice isn't my forte yet. Anyway, here are just some random food-related pictures I've picked up which hopefully will get your cooking zeal going....

Dried hibiscus petals to make a tart but very refreshing tea.

Delicious figs!
I love the shape and colour of this red cabbage.

A little restaurant we stopped at on the Place Crillon before going to see Mondes Paralleles, a hip hop show performed by a small troupe of very talented dancers, I've just thrown out the flyer which would have given you their names, how annoying. This restaurant was simply called 'Restaurant Le Crillon', so there you go.

Steak Tartar with oven potatoes
A little light salad to start off the Festivities...
LOVE dried ham...

Good ol' Orangina

Theatre Culinaire au Restaurant La Mirande

Since 2008, during the Avignon Theatre Festival, La Mirande (4, Place de La Mirande, by the feet of the Papal Palace), a grand 'hotel particulier' from the 17th century, a four star restaurant and hotel; hosts what is named a 'Theatre Culinaire', culinary theatre. The chef of the Tables d'Hôtes (literally translated, Chef of the Guests' Tables) Jean-Claude Altmayer welcomes you into the restaurant's old kitchen (not the one used most of the year), to an large ring 19th century wood-burning stove where he will he will prepare your food before your very eyes, as you are sat at the, needless to say, sizeable table in the kitchen itself. All this at a well-behaved price of 20€ to 35€ for a menu or dish, and wine starting at 3,50€ a glass.

Have a nice week! For those of you who enjoy stargazing, flock to your shooting star stations on the nights of the 12th and 13th, when the Perseids are said to be peaking for the month. Be sure to make wishes!

xo Cendrillon

Keep it tight!

Choosing tights is a fine art. I think we all agree that once you hit your teens, or your mid-teens, or sometime definitely before you turn 18, that you should drop those opaque coloured, stripy, dotted or jaquard specimens that were one of the staples of your wardrobe, to be assorted with pleated snot green cord skirts. Re-wearing tights that have been laddered goes against all my natural dressing instincts and I think that for day-to-day wear semi-opaque black tights are the way to go, as they reduce the size of your legs through optical illusion, and are far more appealing than beige tights (also to - please - be forever dropped from your wardrobe). Fishnets are another touchy subject, but that's another story. Your tights can also make a loud statement, but remember to keep it tasteful. In these two cases I would suggest wearing them with flat-heeled footwear, such as boots, brogues, ankle boots, etc.

Picture 2: Worn with Andre boots, thrifted skirt, United Colours of Benetton shirt.

Picture 1: thrifted dress, vintage oxfords.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

xo Cendrillon

Time is of the essence

Hi! Sorry about the slow-down in updates, lately it's been a little hectic around here. Have some more interesting posts up my sleeve but the photographer is claiming she just doesn't have the time!

Picked up this little pocket watch in the yearly Uzes brocante on the Place des Maronniers. This year it was on on the 13th and 14th of July (I suggest doing a first tour around mid-morning, then finding a shady not too crowded place for lunch - tartines or salads are best in high summer weather like this - and then returning to finalize your decisions and make your purchases.

I love pocket watches, I'm not quite sure why. Especially since seeing Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, I have wanted to buy one and wear it as a piece of jewellery, in the form of a necklace. All I need now is a little silver chain...

This watch is silver plate and dates from the 19th century. There was another one from the Napoleon III era (about 1830's), huge with an enamel face and filigree hands, priced at 50€, but for this little guy at 20€, who can resist? Will be posting an outfit to match them soon!

xo Cendrillon