Book Review: The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I am such a dedicated fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It is very rare for me to find such a talented writer, his sentences are like poetry, like lyrics to a piece of eloquent music. Following my completion of Shadow of the Wind, I immediately bought The Angel's Game and was mystically whisked into the gothic, pre-civil war settings of 1920s Barcelona. The plot line is intriguing and mysterious, but I hate to say that it was slightly hard to follow, and I found myself having to review past chapters to reaffirm characters names/past events, etc.
This story takes us into the life of David Martin, an aspiring writer orphaned at a young age following the cold blooded murder of his father before his eyes. Working at a newspaper publishing firm for a pair of idiotic publishers, Martin sets forth his writing career by creating mysterious prose under a pseudonym. It is these stories that capture the attention of a curious French publisher named Andreas Corelli. Upon meeting the secretive and enigmatic Corelli, who wears a angel pin on his lapel during every encounter, Martin is faced with a job to write a novel unlike anything he has ever written, a piece of writing introducing the creation of a new religion in exchange for 100 thousand francs- a fortune. Now all Martin must do is complete the work in a timely fashion. But as he begins to write the piece, and simultaneously, explore the mansion in which he resides, the story of Diego Marlasca- it's previous owner- begins to overlap with David's. As I look back on this novel, so many events take place that would be impossible to recap in a small paragraph.
Any true lover of reading should without a doubt read this novel, perhaps more than once (which I plan to do!) because as I finished it, I seemed to have more questions than answers. I loved this novel, and I am loving this writer more and more! Can't wait for his next release!

"A writer never forgets the first time he accepted a few coins or a word of praise in exchange for a story. He will never forget the sweet poison of vanity in his blood and the belief that, if he succeeds in not letting anyone discover his lack of talent, the dream of literature will provide him with a roof over his head, a hot meal at the end of the day, and what he covets the most: his name printed on a miserable piece of paper that surely will outlive him. A writer is condemned to remember that moment, because from then on he is doomed and his soul has a price"

"The whole of Barcelona stretched out at my feet and I wanted to believe that, when I opened those windows, its streets would whisper stories to me, secrets I could capture on paper and narrate to whoever cared to listen"

NY Times Book Review- read here

Here are some beautiful photos that instantly brightened my dreary, snow-clogged spirit.

Beautiful photos from {here}, {here}, {here} & {here}!

Movie Review: The September Issue

Fashion lovers of all kinds should definitely check out The September Issue- a documentary that introduces us to the lives of Vogue editors and the intensive procedures in developing their largest issue to date- September 2007. Weighing in at almost 5 pounds, the September
2007 issue featured gorgeous fashion editorials and spreads, and with the help of editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, the issue was one of the most successful. While watching this film, I got the immediate impression of how dedicated the Vogue staff is for what they do. It is often a misunderstood profession- and this film redefined my whole perspective of the fashion industry. What I personally got out of the movie, is the appreciation and utmost admiration for Grace Coddington, Vogue's creative director. After a successful modeling career in her youth, she became a part of the magazine following a car accident, and has been styling some of the best fashion spreads ever. I felt that the magazine and it's success is owed largely to her, and that Anna Wintour's job is slightly overrated. Grace did the entire styling of all the editorial shoots, and did a fabulous job in doing so- she was behind the fabulous 20s era-style spread which happens to be one of my all-time favorites!
In short- this film is definitely a must-see! I think it would be amazing to one day work in this type of environment, and the fashion industry is really a dog-eat-dog world!
Here is a great movie review by the Time Magazine that I enjoyed reading!

Cocktails for 2

Here are some outfits paired by me! I love browsing the expensive designer distributor sites, like Net-a-Porter and Feathers Fashion, and adding to my shopping bag everything that I desire is oddly satisfying! Try it!

But when I came across these beautiful Jason Wu cocktail dresses, and the new collection from Christian Louboutin I fell in love, and fell inspired. Paired with some fabulous jewelry from Neiman Marcus, I think these outfits are divine!







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I couldn't resist the leopard and chain Louboutins, and the dress is gorgeous! The lace is so feminine, and I love the pairing of the lace dress with the lace clutch! I think it works beautifully!

Pierre-Yves Rochon

Pierre- Yves Rochon's designs are sublimely beautiful. They whisk you to another realm of pure beauty and extravagance. His interiors are all across Europe, Asia and North America in restaurants, luxury hotels and ethereal spas worthy for the gods. Feast your eyes!











all images from {Pierre-Yves Rochon}