elodie's beauty diary

Magic Wands

Who would have thought that the humble mascara could generate such excitement? But over the past year mascara has become the hottest make-up category thanks to a new wave of revolutionary wands. Givenchy’s Phenomen’ Eyes has achieved cult status almost overnight thanks to its innovative ball-shaped wand, which allows you to reach the inner lashes and get a better coating on each individual lash. Other brushes are specially curved to give good curl, while the trend creating the biggest buzz is vibrating mascaras, designed to mimic the wiggling motion that professional make-up artists use when pulling the brush through the lashes. Guerlain Le 2 de Guerlain Two-Brush Mascara meanwhile, has a cleverly designed two-brush tube, which includes a tres petit brush for reaching the inner lashes.

My verdict having tried nearly all of the new launches:

1 I am not convinced by the vibrating wands, which seem a little gimmicky to me.
2 if you want amazingly thick and sooty eyelashes for evening, Givenchy’s Phenomen’ Eyes is the one to go for.
3 Clinique’s High Impact Curling Mascara gets my vote for best mascara for day. It is one of the few products to live up to its claim not to clump. Instead, it boosts your lashes in a natural way, without the unattractive tarantula-eyes effect.

Meanwhile, for truly killer lashes, a favourite trick of professionals is to use two mascaras - one for lengthening, followed by one for volumising. It seems that the days of carrying just one mascara in your make-up bag are over. Instead, I predict that soon we’re all going to have a wardrobe of mascaras - at the very least one for evening and another for day.

BlackBerry v Apple

I’m always playing catch-up when it comes to the latest mobile phone technology
and for some time now I’ve been trying to decide between a BlackBerry and the Apple iPhone. I finally opted for a BlackBerry but am now wishing I had bought an  iPhone instead. Although the BlackBerry is ideal for picking up emails on the move, I wouldn’t have the patience to use it to reply to an email as the keys are far too small and fiddly (I’m of the view that life is too short to text, let alone send emails from a phone). The iPhone by contrast, has a bigger touch screen which is much easier for sending texts and emails.

But my biggest gripe about my BlackBerry is that it only rings three times before the voicemail kicks in. There is no way of increasing the number of rings apparently -and really, who manages to pick up their phone within three rings?

Enchanted April

Last year, to coincide with the launch of its new limited-edition perfume, Escale a Portofino ['stopover in Portofino'], Christian Dior gave me a copy of The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim. This is the utterly charming and uplifting tale of four women who take themselves off to a medieval castle in Portofino for a month. I now count it among my top five favourite books. It's a blast of sunshine on a rainy April day and ideal reading for spring.

Et voila. Joyeux Printemps,




 

Primed

I’m not a fan of ‘primers’ or make-up bases. They seem to me like an unnecessary expense: an extra bottle cluttering up the bathroom shelf and an extra layer to clog up the pores. When it comes to make-up, less, in my view, is best. But I have just discovered an exception to the rule: By Terry Serum Teint Haute Lumiere (why do beauty products always have such ridiculously long names?) At £65 a bottle this highlighting primer serum is  not cheap but it contains light-reflecting particles to luminise the skin and even out the complexion. It was created by Terry Gunzberg, the French make-up artist  who created YSL’s legendary Touche Eclat, and who knows a thing or two about light reflective make-up. You can either use it as a smoothing base or in place of foundation.  

Melt

Until very recently I thought that Charbonnel & Walker’s pink champagne truffles were the summit of chocolate perfection .... and then I discovered Melt (which has in fact replaced the Charbonnel & Walker counter in Selfridges). The Maldon Sea Salt Chocolate Caramels [£17 for a box of ten], featuring ‘an oozy centre in a cracking shell’ are truly chocolate couture! www.meltchocolates.com

Perfect Present

Finally, I have found the perfect present for friends who are difficult to please - particularly  if they are health-conscious or food obsessed. Ottolenghi The Cookbook [£25, Ebury Press] is full of fabulously healthy salads and simple but unusual dishes from the (very expensive) deli in Notting Hill, in West London. Vegetarians will find it inspirational (sample dish: roast potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes with lemon and sage). And no-one does pulses quite like them. This below-radar cook is the ideal gift for those who already have Delia, Nigel, Nigella and Jamie on their book shelves.

I've just returned from a trip to Paris and here are a few of my latest 'finds':

The Dior Institute at The Hotel Plaza Athénée

Decorated in tasteful shades of Dior's signature grey the new spa is very easy on the eye. Although not normally a fan of facials - I can't bear all the putting on and taking off of hot and cold unguents - I was impressed by the new 'radiance facial' which starts with a 15 minute back massage. It incorporates lots of nice touches and attention to detail, including warm heat packs slotted under the back and special little arm rests underneath the massage couch so that your arms don't dangle down uncomfortably. My therapist Alexandra was excellent, and although sceptical about the efficacy of facials, my skin did look a little bit brighter and more relaxed afterwards.
The Dior Institute, Hotel Plaza Athénée, 25 Avenue Montaigne, 75008, Paris. Tel: (00 33) 01 53 67 65 35

Kugelhof And The Most Elegant Breakfast in Paris?

Breakfasting under the enormous crystal chandeliers of the Alain Ducasse restaurant at the Plaza Athénée has to be the most glamorous way to start the Parisian day. The highlight is the pastry platter by the world's best pastry chef Christophe Michalak. His kughelof  - a brioche scented with lemon and orange blossom, originally from Alsace - is  currently the talk of chic Parisian society. It has to be tasted to be believed....

Pillow Talk

And on the subject of the Plaza Athénee, I was impressed to find that they now offer a 'pillow menu' (yes, really!) Guests can choose from a selection that includes the Beauty pillow, 'that follows the shape of your face for a radiant awakening' and the 'Anti-Stress' pillow, which is filled with grains of millet and 'allows you to evacuate stress and muscular tensions.'

Le Chic de Chien

Grand Parisian luggage maker Goyard has recently opened a new store devoted to pets, opposite its flagship store on the Rue Faubourg St Honoré. The signature chevron pattern seems to inspire love and loathing in equal measure, but regardless of what side of the fence you are on, you cannot help but marvel at the dog collars (from €250) and leads, as well as picnic hampers (€2000) and little grooming cases for the well-travelled chien, as well as an item akin to a  jewellery roll in which to store different collars for your dog.

Et voila!

Bon Noel,

Winter Wardrobe

September and my thoughts always turn to a  wardrobe update (I much prefer winter clothes to summer.) It being the credit crunch I am keeping new purchases to a minimum but on my current wish list are the following:
•Hermes 'Silky Pop' bag - a really useful silk shopper bag, in one of Hermes signature scarf prints, that folds down to a square zip-up wallet.
•A pair of knee-boots in ox-blood coloured calf skin - unfortunately (or possibly fortunately given le crunch) I haven’t seen a pair that fits the bill anywhere.
•Jaeger London’s black cape with gold military buttons.


New York

the london hotel
Autumn always makes me think of a shopping trip to New York, where my new favourite place to stay is The London Hotel, which is home to Gordon Ramsay's New York restaurant. I wasn't in town long enough to eat there but can wholeheartedly recommend the hotel.  The rooms are unusually light and spacious and I particularly loved the ingenious 'open wardrobe' system - a rail combined with a clever series of walnut trays so that you can see (and access) all your clothes and accessories at a glance.
The London Hotel, 151 West 54th Street, NY 10019 tel 001 212 307 5000

molyvos
Finding great places to eat is never a problem in NY but on my most recent trip I was taken to Molyvos Greek restaurant by a literary editor friend. The octopus was the best I have eaten anywhere in the world, while the surroundings were very elegant - not your usual Greek taverna.
Molyvos, 871 Seventh Avenue tel 001 212 582 7500; www.thelondonnyc.com


Winter Reading

As usual my literary editor friend recommended several good books. I really enjoyed reading the following:
•Chez Moi by Agnes Sarthe - a quirky little book about a woman who finds happiness in opening a restaurant.
•Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert - a little schmalzy in places for European tastes but a bestseller in the USA and an inspirational read for anyone planning to take a year out to travel.
•Bringing Home The Birkin by Michael Toller - this lays to rest the myth of the two year waiting list for Le Birkin. Instead,  the author - who travelled the Hermes boutiques of the world snapping up bags to resell for a large profit on Ebay- discovered that he refers to as ‘The Formula’ :

1 Dress as well as possible, in recognisable designer labels.
2 Spend £1000-£2000 on other Hermes merchandise (scarves, beach towels, blankets)
3 Casually ask the sales assistant if they have any Birkins for sale (nine times out of ten, according to Toller, they will produce the coveted bag from behind the scenes, claiming it is a bag that the original purchaser failed to collect.) Et voila!  Provided you are prepared to spend several thousands of pounds - in addition to the cost of the bag - you can fast-track your way to a Birkin.


Et voila!

Happy autumn,

Feedback suggests that many readers appreciate very much my travel tips, so this month, I have decided to focus on Paris. Should you be planning to jump on the Eurostar to do your Christmas shopping, here are some of my current favourite places:

Shopping

Le Bon Marché
For one-stop, luxe Christmas shopping, I don’t think you can beat Le Bon Marché department store on the Left Bank. It is small, discreet and super-refined - and much loved by les BoBos [the Parisian bourgeois bohemians.]  In particular, I like L’Arbre de Noel - the Christmas decoration department, which has a super-chic selection of angels, Christmas fairies and baubles for the Christmas tree. In addition to all the usual luxury goods brands Le Bon Marché also has an excellent kitchen accessories department. And once you’ve made your purchases, the gift wrap service will wrap them for free.
Le Bon Marché, 24 Rue de Sevres, 75007, Paris. Nearest metro: Sevres-Babylone.

La Maison Rustique
This wonderful book shop on the Left Bank specialises in books on gardening, flowers and interiors - and is a great place to browse for inspiration or tick off someone on your Christmas shopping list who is interested in homes or gardening.
La Maison Rustique, 26 Rue Jacob, Paris. +33 (0) 1 42 34 96 60

Restaurants

Although Paris boasts many super-grand, what I call ‘white table cloth and crystal’ restaurants, I prefer places with a bustling bistro feel to them. Here are some of my favourite places of the moment:

Relais de L’Entrecote
Offering the best steak and chips in Paris, this old fashioned brasserie is also a favourite of Brazilian ubermodel Giselle Bundchen. The formula hasn’t changed in 20 years:  steak, served the restaurant’s famous mustard sauce and superb frites. There is no menu or wine-list, only the (excellent) house wine and one question when you sit down: how would you like it cooked? There are long queues for both lunch and dinner -the lunchtime line forms as early as 11.00am - but they move fairly quickly. But don’t go here if you are following on a diet, as the desserts are also fabulous and super-calorific.
Relais de L’Entrecote, 15 Rue Marbeuf, Paris tel +33 (0) 1 49 52 07 17


L’Epi Dupin
This is an excellent example of the ‘bistronomique’ trend. It has a casual, rustic, traditional bistro ambiance but serves very good food, including a €34 three-course menu du jour in the evening (although unfortunately, it is closed at weekends.) Best of all, it is just a few steps away from Le Bon Marché department store.
L’Epi Dupin, 11 Rue Dupin, Paris 75006. tel +33 (0) 1 42 22 64 56


L’Epi D’Or
A few steps from the flagship Christian Louboutin store in Paris, this traditional bistro has dark wood-lined walls and the sort of light that makes everyone look good. (It is M. Louboutin's favourite local and he can often be found lunching here). The food is super-French and very good but unfortunately, the restaurant is not open for lunch at weekends.
L’Epi D’Or, 25 Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau, Paris +33 (0) 1 42 36 38 12


Beauty Spa: L’appartement 217
This very discreet, super-elegant spa is the most fashionable place in Paris to go for a facial or massage. The ambiance is that of (a beautifully decorated) private Parisian apartment. There is neither a cash desk nor receptionist while the expansive treatment rooms, feature floor to ceiling windows or porte-fenetres and have little in common with the dimly lit boxes that one finds in most spas.
L’appartement, 217 Rue Saint Honoré, Paris. +33 (0) 1 42 96 00 96


Secret Meeting Place: Hotel Royal Monceau
With wall-to-wall chandeliers and a louche red bordello bar, this is the place to meet for a secret, power meeting in Paris. Unlike the little-bit-too-fashionable Hotel Costes, the Royal Monceau is surprisingly ‘off-radar’ for a grand Parisian hotel. This makes it the perfect place to meet -  in the bar for coffee or cocktails or lunch- among the true power brokers of the fashion and beauty worlds [hint: the headquarters are next door.]
Hotel Royal Monceau, 37 Avenue Hoch, 75008, Paris. +33 (0) 1 42 99 88 00


Weekend Away: Hotel Saluces
And finally, its not in Paris but should you fancy a little weekend away in the Auvergne, the  Hotel Saluces in Salers (one of the prettiest villages in France) is definitely one for the address book. As regular readers will know, I don’t normally recommend 2-star hotels, but this is an exception. My dear travel editor friend (who probably won’t thank me for giving away one of her personal travel secrets) says that this is the best 2-star hotel in France. It is situated in a beautiful 15th century building that used to be the old governor’s house and each room has its own simple but entirely charming decor. You can check out the different rooms on their website [below]. Prices start at €37 for a room with shower; €52 for a suite, including breakfast.
Hotel Saluces, Salers, +33 (0) 4 71 40 70 82;  www.hotel-salers.fr.


Et voila. A tres bientot,

I have just returned from a very enjoyable argan oil buying trip to Morocco. Although there are so many wonderful restaurants and shops in Marrakech it is hard to know where to start,  I thought I would share with you my very favourite places.

Les Bains de Marrakech
Top of my list of recommendations is the argan oil massage at day spa, Les Bains de Marrakech. Les Bains has an incredible menu of treatments - everything from hammam to manicures and all manner of body wraps - but I opted, tout simplement, for the argan oil lymphatic drainage massage. It was one of the best massages I have had anywhere in the world (and all for just £20, depending on exchange rates). My therapist, Maria, was quite excellent. Also recommended is Le Gommage Traditionnel (an invigorating and exfoliating scrubdown with black soap and eucalyptus). The spa is very dimly lit - I kept bumping into things - but afterwards you can relax around the pool in the open air courtyard. One word of advice: unless you are fond of extreme heat, forget the hot baths with essential oils. They sound lovely and several of my friends signed up for one, but limped out of the treatment, faces as pink as pomegranates and feeling like they were suffering from heat exhaustion. www.lesbainsdemarrackech.com; tel +221 44 38 14 28.

Casa Lalla
You practically have to beg for a booking (particularly if there are six people in your party), there is no menu - you eat what you are given - and unless you’ve trained with the special forces or have advanced skills in orienteering, you would stand not a chance of finding it unaided. But it’s worth making the effort - and in fact someone will be sent to meet you in the main city square, Place Djemaa el Fna - because tucked away in one of Marrakech’s back alleys is one of the world’s best-kept gastronomic secrets: Casa Lalla.

This is the Moroccan home of enigmatic, Michelin-starred chef Richard Neat, a British restaurateur who has even collected stars for his endeavours in France (no mean feat for a rosbif!) Behind a heavy wooden front door, in a pared-down Moroccan riad, Mr Neat cooks five nights a week for a very small number of diners. Assisted only by his charming French wife Sophie, Mr Neat, barefoot and dressed in shorts, also does the service. [And so relaxed is he, that he can be seen playing computer chess between courses.] Six intensely-flavoured but not overwhelming courses in the pared down Moroccan style of Mr Neat’s riad is pretty close to culinary heaven. [You bring your own champagne and wine].

Mr Neat himself is not so very friendly. Indeed, he looked rather appalled when I dared to say ‘bravo chef’ at dinner’s-end, but Casa Lalla is definitely a must-do experience. There is something very liberating in not having to look at a menu, allowing you to enjoy the company of your dining companion(s). Obviously, fussy eaters, vegetarians and anyone with food allergies need not apply. Casa Lalla, incidentally, also has some very elegant and tastefully decorated chambres d’hote (105-130 euros per room per night, including breakfast.) Another of Marrakech's best-kept secrets. www.casalalla.com; tel 061 08 37 13.

Dar Yacout
It’s flagged up in all the tourist guides and is probably the most famous restaurant in Marrakech (everyone from Brad Pitt to Princess Caroline of Monaco have eaten here) but don’t be deterred. Dar Yacout, which is set in a wonderfully lush old palace - complete with turquoise swimming pool, cushion strewn lounge area and roof-top terrace - feels fabulously decadent. As with Casa Lalla, it is very hard to find but they will send a guide to collect you from your hotel or the main square and guide you down the maze of narrow alleys. Although I think that live music in restaurants is a very bad idea, I loved the band from Essaouria, who performed wonderfully atmospheric but unobtrusive music all evening, while seated on cushions on the floor. [I have to admit that I even bought the CD.]

As at Casa Lalla, it is a set menu, with a selection of Moroccan salads and starters followed by lamb and chicken. The staff, who serve you with theatrical flourish, are wonderful. The exception was the  manager who told me that my credit card had been declined in a very rude and abrupt manner. (More annoyingly, it hadn’t been declined. I later discovered that Dar Yacout had not even bothered to try to debit the card.) tel: +212 44 38 29 29.

Cafe Arabe
Open from 10 until midnight, this modern cafe is a very good place to stop for a coffee. Lunch in the courtyard is also highly recommended - I had fish tagine with a selection of Moroccan salads and it was quite delicious. 184 Rue el Mouassin. tel +212 44 42 97 28; www.cafearabe.com.

Nightclub: Pasha
Pasha is the place to go dancing or drink champagne until late. Even if you don't normally visit nightclubs (I don't), it has a very civilised lounge area.

Shopping
Obviously, one must visit the souk, which is excellent for glass lanterns, spices and tassles (enormous fat ones in lots of colours, which make the most wonderful curtain tie-backs). I am useless at haggling, but am told that the secret is to bargain the vendor down by two-thirds. So if the initial asking price is 600 dirham, a fair price would be around 200 dirham.Otherwise, the place to check out is Rue de la Liberté, which is Marrakech’s version of Bond Street. And the shop not to miss (apart from L’Orientaliste) is the interior-design shop Scenes de Lin (+212 4443 6108). With cushions and linens featuring traditional Fez embroidery, fringed hammam towels (for about £15) and more of those wonderful fat, tasselled tie-backs, it is an interiors paradise. 

First of all, I would like to wish you all bonne année 2006. Secondly, I would like to thank those of you who have been very patient with us over the past few months when certain products have been out of stock.

I know that we had a lot of problems last year, meeting demand for VRAI Argan Oil in particular, and more recently (following an article by Chandler Burr in the New York Times) the Aedes de Venustas Lime Coconut Sea Exfoliator. I am hoping we have resolved these problems now, as we are holding a large amount of stock on all product lines. (Although the Aedes de Venustas is handmade in very small quantities, so it is possible that there might, on occasion, be a wait of 2-3 weeks for this product.)

Still, in 2006 we hope to be able to anticipate demand for stock more precisely and offer you a much better service.

In the meantime, here are a few of my favourite places and discoveries over the past month:

La Mirande, Avignon

Just before Christmas I spent a few days in Avignon, staying at La Mirande (www.la-mirande.fr) which has replaced the Hotel Costes in Paris as my all-time favourite hotel. Even if you are not normally a fan of pattern or floral print, I guarantee that a stay here will convert you to the joys of clashing colours and prints. Each room is different but exquisitely decorated and the overall effect is very cosy, while the service is impeccable. I always think that historic French towns are so much more romantic, not to mention chic, in the winter months when there is hardly anyone around. As one of my friends pointed out, La Mirande would also be the most perfect venue for a wedding.

Pierre Loti's house

In between Christmas and New Year I went with some very good friends to visit the writer and traveller Pierre Loti's house in Rochefort, which is about an hour from home in France. The journey there was quite magical as all the trees and fields where covered in a hoar frost. As my friend Susie said: 'It is as if the trees are wearing wedding dresses.'

I can thoroughly recommend Pierre Loti's house as a source of design inspiration, now that interior trends are moving away from minimalism towards super-opulence. Rather like Lord Leighton's house in Holland Park, West London, Pierre Lotti's house is full of of items that the owner picked up on his travels to Turkey, Arabia and the Orient.

I left feeling very inspired and am currently in the process of decorating le petit salon, chez moi in 'bordello' chic style: Turkish rugs, red silk curtains, red soft furnishings and red lampshades. Red silk lampshades incidentally, are a very good beauty tip, since they cast a flattering rosy glow on the complexion. (Make sure they are also lined in red fabric, not white, for the best effect.) It is the sort of light that makes everyone look good and creates a very convivial atmosphere.

Bircher Muesli

This being the month when energy levels and spirits hit a little bit of a low, I thought I would share with you my latest health find: Bircher muesli. I am convinced that this is the healthiest way possible to start the day since it combines porridge oats, nuts, seeds, yoghurt and fruit, all in one healthy hit.

I discovered it in my local branch of Marks & Spencer in West London, which recently opened a new café in its food hall, offering an excellent selection of healthy (and not so healthy) breakfasts. I subsequently looked up various recipes on the internet and have combined them to make my own super-healthy version of Bircher muesli. You take one cup of fruit juice, one cup of yoghurt (preferably live) and one cup of fruit juice to sweeten (I use pineapple juice, but you can use apple or orange.) You mix this up into a semi-liquid consistency and then add nuts and seeds and fruit (dried apricots, raisins or blueberries, anything you like). I recommend pumpkin seeds and walnuts which are stuffed with vitamins and minerals that are good for the skin and hair as well as enhancing your mood. Leave in the fridge overnight (it tastes even better if you leave it for two nights).

Top Truffles

It has been an excellent year for truffles here in France. According to my local newspaper, the yield has been so good that, 'you can pick up a truffle the size of a gold ball for 65 euros.' There is a special truffle market taking place in a town near me towards the end of January, which I am very excited about as one of my favourite dishes is truffle risotto.

Horoscopes

For those of you who believe in horoscopes (and with apologies to those of you who don't) I would like to recommend Susan Miller's website: astrologyzone.com. A literary friend in the US told me about this website some time ago and I have been addicted ever since (and so has virtually everyone that I have recommended it to.)

That's all for now. Happy January!

Gros bisous,

I must just begin by saying merci bien to everyone who has logged on and bought products from atelierdebeaute.com over the past two months. Following a newspaper article, we were inundated with orders in December and January, and one product in particular - the Vrai Argan oil - has sold out several times over. We were astonished by the response from all around the world, with orders from West London to Luxembourg; Yorkshire (so many delightful customers there) to Brisbane, New York and San Francisco. It was very flattering to have such interest in our little site. We have also had a lot of people wanting us to put their brands on our site but will only do so if we believe absolument in the products.

Launch in Versailles

The highlight of January for me was a trip to the Palace of Versailles - one of my favourite places in the whole world - for the launch of a special, very exclusive perfume, based on a formula worn by Marie Antoinette. It had been re-created by one of my favourite perfumers Francis Kurkdjian of Quest International - the young and charismatic perfumer who also created Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier. The perfume is based on Marie Antoinette's favourite flowers: violets and roses. Unfortunately, because it uses only natural essences - some of which, like ambergris, are now very rare - Marie Antoinette's scent will not be coming to market. It coincides with a fascinating new book on Marie Antoinette's perfumer: 'Jean-Louis Fargeon, Marie Antoinette's Perfumer' by Elisabeth de Feydeau and published by Perrin. Unfortunately, the book is only available in French at the moment but it is packed with fascinating anecdotes about the unfortunate queen.

To Biarritz for a spa break

February is the month that I traditionally head to either Biarritz or Thalgo LaBaule in Brittany for my annual stay in a thalassotherapy spa. A week or even a long weekend here works wonders for one's skin and general appearance (regular thalassotherapy is one of the reasons why Frenchwomen rarely have cellulite and manage to stay so slim). It is the most painless way to detox imaginable and, unlike most spa-stays which can make one feel very deprived and depressed, all those sea minerals work wonders on one's mood. Even in February, the resort is filled with fabulous pinky-blue-golden light. And the hotel Miramar is fabulously chic: no clinical, cold settings here. Instead, it is all modern luxe with a beautifully designed spa, featuring spectacular mosaic tiling. Hugely recommended for anyone who wants to lose a little weight or recharge the batteries. For information/bookings on both spas, call spa specialists Erna Low (020 7594 0290).

Less calorific champagne

As part of my new healthy regime, I have also been trying to reduce my consumption of champagne. If you are watching calories, a very good tip, as many Frenchwomen know, is to drink Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut, which only has 60 calories per glass as opposed to 90.

Luscious Organic

And while I am on the subject of improving one's health regime, I must mention Luscious Organic on Kensington High Street, my local organic café, when I am at my apartment in London. The staff are always wonderful and friendly and they make an amazing beetroot and carrot cocktail juice called a 'Pretty In Pink' which is excellent for the liver and skin. And although, I have to confess, that I am not normally a fan of vegetarian food, the tofu and aduki bean stew is magnificent. Luscious Organic, 240-242 Kensington High Street, W8. (020 7371 6987).

Shopping for shoes in Milan

And at some point - ideally before the fashion shows begin - I really must go to Milan to stock up on shoes. Last February I did a day's shopping trip with my charming American friend Stefanie. Unfortunately, we arrived at the end of Milan fashion week and the shops had been emptied of all the best things by all the fashion editors in town. Still a trip to Milan is always worthwhile, if only for the wonderful house pasta in Bagutta, one of my top ten favourite restaurants in the world. it's neither chi-chi nor expensive but the food and ambiance are fantastic.

Must-have shoes

And on the subject of shoes, my 'must-haves' for this season - and I fear I may already be too late for the red sequinned Miu Miu ballerinas, £149, which sold out in seconds of arriving at Harvey Nichols. Also, top of my wish-list are Jil Sander's flat, strappy sandals and Miu Miu's grey satin Mary-Janes with block heels and decorated with beading.

Macaroons in Paris

If you haven't already discovered Ladureé, the traditional French Patisserie, you are in for a huge treat the next time you visit Paris. All French women, and most fashion and beauty editors that I know, love the delicious mini-macaroons or 'gerbets', which come in such pretty colours and delicious flavours. You can choose from 20 flavours in all, including chocolate, bitter chocolate, rose petal, pistachio, vanilla and coconut. I always bring a little box back for my English friends who adore them. And they make a fantastic gift to take to lunch or dinner parties, whether you are in France or England. I recommend that, if you can, you visit the Ladurée on Rue Bonaparte on the Left Bank, as the queue at the 16 Rue Royal tearoom often winds around the shop and tails out of the door. Ladurée: 21 Rue Bonaparte, Paris; www.laduree.fr

So that's all for now. In my March diary, I will be telling you about a fabulous new spa that I have just visited in Barcelona.

À bientot,

Forgive me if what follows is a little French in emphasis. But then, I am a little biased... However, in the spirit of inclusiveness and the entente-cordiale, I have also mentioned some of my favourite English places and luxury marques.

This month, j’adore:

• Gary Burke, colourist, and Darren Regan, senior stylist at John Frieda, London, (020 7491 0840). Loathe though I am to pass on the name of my hairdressing dream team - the last time I did this, the hairdresser was deluged with new clients and I’ve been unable to get an appointment since - these two are too good to keep to myself. I’ve bobbed around many salons in London, Paris and New York in the past couple of years in my quest to find the perfect colour and cut and now, at last, I have found it. Gary’s colour is unbeatable, while Darren did the best cut I've had in ages. Boys, if you’re reading this, you had better still fit me in in the future!
• Asprey’s purple cashmere V-neck - a perfect cut in with three-quarter length sleeves and a very regal-looking purple.
• Diptyque’s new Violette candle - smells just like Parma violets. Londoners can buy it from the charming Diptyque boutique, 195 Westbourne Grove, (020 7727 8673).
• Roger Vivier’s Belle Toujours shoe - a simple, square-toed shoe with a block heel and big silver buckle. At £260 a pair, they are not cheap but they’re pure luxury, beautifully made and perfect for walking down the Rue Faubourg St Honoré. It’s worth a special trip to Paris to visit to buy them (+33 1 53 43 00 00).
• Marcela’s Manicures (020 7938 1555) - in my opinion London’s New York-style nail bar chains are overpriced, and the manicures always seem to chip very quickly. On the recommendation of my friend Caroline T (London’s coolest and most glamorous lawyer) I recently tried Marcela’s - a little, lilac-coloured salon tucked away on Holland Street, just behind Kensington High Street in West London. The manicure lasted for days and was enough to impress even the most high-maintenance Frenchwoman.
• Asprey’s pink opal ring - set in 18ct white gold. C’est tres jolie. Perfect for showing off a French manicure. (Better still, it costs hundreds rather than thousands of pounds!)
• Charbonnel Et Walker’s new Buck’s Fizz truffles (020 7493 6768) - I take small, round boxes of these wonderful chocolates with me, whenever I go back to France. They’re the ideal gift to take to a dinner party and my French friends adore them. (Tip: ask for them to be tied in purple ribbon, which looks fabulous with the orange box.)
• The lobby of the Hotel Adlon in Berlin - tres, tres elegant. While visiting Germany to attend a wedding recently, I passed a very agreable evening here with one of my oldest friends, a delightful American literary editor, who was there to attend a conference. We sat drinking the most divine Riesling (truly, I was amazed - it’s even better than champagne or my favourite Chablis). My friend introduced me to various writers and several hot-shot literary editors. And as for the rooms: all that dark wood and shiny black marble tiles in the bathrooms: absolument exquisite!
• The Cheyne Walk Brasserie (020 7376 8787) - I had dinner here for the first time with my very old friends Marina and Tim. It’s a French rotisserie in Chelsea, recently opened in a converted pub. But thanks to the high-ceilings, chandeliers and elegant, pastel green walls (and the impeccable service of the French waiters) I felt as though I was back in Paris. (And if you can keep a secret, let me tell you, the upstairs room here is chic beyond belief. A perfect place for private functions, birthday parties or clandestine meetings!)
• Sunday lunch in the Haverlock Tavern, Brook Green (020 7603 5374) - what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than in my favourite West London pub? Sitting at the neighbouring table, one rainy Sunday recently, I was delighted to find regular Alexander Chancellor, his daughter (and Ralph Lauren model) Cecilia and writer Julia Reed of American Vogue.

That’s all my news for now (don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter for latest trends, tips and product updates, from both Paris and London.)

Bisous,