Aviator Adventures

As I lounge on Barbaros Beach @ The Kempinski Hotel in Bodrum writing my next installment of Luxe literature - I realized that life, luxe or not often does look better as the say 'through rose tinted glasses'

And I am lucky enough to have been spoilt by a friend who recently gifted me a rockstar pair of Rayban Polarized - Outdoorsman Aviators.

Although they may not be rose tinted, from my vantage point in the 37degree Turkish heat they make the already inspiring waterfront look as though I have set sail inside a classic scene from 'The Talented Mr Ripley .... Only thing missing being Jude Law !!

Rayban Aviators are an institution amongst a certain set, a symbol of timeless style & understated elegance that were around long before there was ever a ' frame of the season' and before Tom Cruise made them famous in Top Gun.

An iconic shape & style that suits almost any face shape and let's you do the talking rather than what is resting on the bridge of your nose.

So whilst Living Life Luxe, try viewing it through the closest thing to ‘rose tinted’ – cut out the glare & sort the men from the boys.

Luxe 4 Less - Missoni meets San Pellegrino

Everyone loves a little Luxe 4 Less & if you have seen my previous post about how much I adore Missoni, then you can imagine my fabulous flutter at the collaboration of these two iconic Italian brands !!

Missoni meets San Pellegrino = Match made in heaven

Fabulous In ..... Paris

Having spent a lot of time in Paris for work, there is nothing I love more than being in the city for pleasure & for anyone who has been you will know there is a lot of pleasure to be had !!

From the hours spent wandering the quaint side streets, lost in your own thoughts of living as a modern day Oscar Wilde , to taking champagne on the terrace of ‘Le Bristol’ …… Paris is a city that has earned it's reputation and it’s stripes as being one of the most chic destinations on the planet. Regardless of what may be said about the French attitude it is undeniable that their sense of style and ‘je ne sais quoi’ is unrivalled.

My absolute favourite place to stay whilst in the city would have to be Hotel Costes situated on Rue St Honoré – the hotel is famous for not only signature scent which envelops your senses from the moment you walk through the door, a mixture of heady sensuality and sumptuous subtlety. As you unwind on the outdoor terrace, the sunken lounge bar or on a day bed around the pool you’ll find yourself listening to sounds mixed by Stéphane Pompougnac a sound which is now instantly recognizable through ongoing collaborations with the hotel.

Also as it happens turning right or left out of Hotel Costes will put you right into one of the most desirable shopping districts in all of Paris – with every international designer name you could pluck out of the Parisian air right on your doorstep. Although the store has become some what of a tourist attraction in the past few years, I would still always recommend a visit to Colette which is a hybrid of several stores/designers and design items under one roof – perfect for picking up unique items, it is truly ‘destination’ shopping.

Once you have recreated your ‘Pretty Woman’ moment, with bag carriers in tow, and your tired Prada protected feet can take no more, head a few streets over to Angelinas’ which is the best place in all of Paris to indulge in the most exquisite hot chocolate to ever pass your lips, coupled with a mouth watering croque monsieur you will be all set for an early evening disco nap before slipping on your finest dinner suit for a late evening supper.

If there is only one place that you must dine whilst in Paris it is Le Georges, on the top of the Pompidou Centre. With views of Paris second to none you will be sat amongst the design masterpiece of Dominique Jacob and Brendan McFarlane, every table decorated with a single red rose. Even if you are dining alone it probably wouldn’t be for long, as you are carried away by a sense of elegance and romance that would melt even the most cynical heart.

Although I could recommend a million other divine suggestions of how to spend your time in Paris, discovering your very own special places in a city is a must – so slip on the Dolce, turn on your Grinder and hit the streets to go on an adventure all of your own returning home with stories hopefully not suitable for the grandchildren !!

Home is where the heart is ...... MISSONI

Maybe it’s a hangover from childhood & my mothers influence, but I do think the sayings ‘ tidy home – tidy mind’ & ‘ happy home – happy heart’ certainly ring true.

So on a recent trip to Paris nothing made my heart & home flutter more than walking up the stairs of the Missoni Boutique on Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

Missoni, a brand that certainly cemented it’s lovemark amongst the jet-set crowd in the 70’s with signature woven string bikinis & dresses that everyone from Bianca Jagger to Gisele Bundchen has been seen wearing. What sets Missoni apart for me is their timeless incredible homeware & soft furnishings.

If the kaleidoscope of bright prints and colour ways send you into too much of a spin, there are an array of pieces within their design collection which will add a touch of understated style and elegance to any home regardless of whether your decor is old world gentlemen’s club, modern minimalist or pink panther pretty.

TOM FORD - GREY VETIVER

With a feeling of summer loving in the air – Grey Vetiver is certainly making a long & lasting impression on men this season and well into the future.

Unless you have been stuck under a rock or under the disco ball for the past 20 years you would have undoubtedly come across the name Tom Ford, a man who is synonymous with designing objects of desire that are truly LUXE !!

His latest scent is no exception – with notes of sensual nutmeg, amber wood and oakmoss surrounding the vetiver extract this scent has been described by connoisseurs as the most elegant available.

Even for men for whom the thought of wearing fragrance fills them with dread of tainting their butch image - Grey Vetiver might just be the one to win them over – Tom Ford has yet again managed to bring a touch of the truly masculine to a genre of grooming that is often lacking.

'Fabulous ..... In Bodrum'

So after only a few days it’s time again to start packing the Louis, as it’s “Boys In Bodrum 2010” a trip that was conceived due to the fact we didn’t have enough time to go to Las Vegas and naturally I was lured through the promise of a 5* boutique hotel, and let me tell you I was certainly not disappointed with what Bodrum had to offer on a silver platter!! Through my Dolce & Gabanna framed eyes this relatively undiscovered part of Turkey, which has been labelled the ‘French Riviera of the South Aegean’ is a destination not to be missed.

Staying at the Mamara Hotel which rests comfortably into the hill above Bodrum town and being exceptionally well looked after by Nino the hotel’s in house guest relations/concierge who has many a fabulous attribute of a character out of ‘la cage aux folles’. There is nothing better to hear in the morning after the night before than “Welcome again boys, my angels of the Mamara” !!

Depending on where your gym toned legs want to take you, there are so many options as to how you spend a day in this fabulous city, with a multitude of private beach clubs and luxury hotels providing the perfect backdrop and sun lounges to sip cocktails and treat your palette to the local taste sensations.

Some of our favourite days were spent at the hotel’s private day club ‘My Bodrum Beach’ although you must also spend an afternoon at the Kuum Hotel with its incredible minimalist/industrial design, the most beautiful Cavalli Kaftan clad women and their delicious man candy working the jetty as if it were the haute couture runways of Paris !!

There are too many ‘Boyz In Bodrum’ moments to relive every one in this blog as it was high-octane from the minute we popped the cork on the Veuve Clicquot …..

But our pick for dining and nights out would have to be: Ku Bar/Lounge for an ambiance that is undeniably chic yet with a true local flavour that will get you onto the dance floor before you reach the bottom of your first espresso martini!

If you are still looking for somewhere to carry on the party, a short ride over to X-Large in Gumbet will take you into the daylight hours as you fill the dance floor to international house music and take in the visual feast of their dancers which are on par with any I have seen around the world.

Brompton Club - London

It’s easy to fill a few days in London with meetings round the pool at Shoreditch House, personal training/yoga and decadent dinners about town. My friends and I have most recently been dining out at the fabulous Brompton Club.

Which is looked after by the delightful Nick House, a man renowned for providing London nightlife with the crème de la crème of after dark entertainment - Brompton has quickly become THE destination in South Kensington and one of the most desired memberships to have slipped safely into ones Goyard Card Holder.

Providing a sense of intimacy that has been missing in so many of it’s competitors on the scene, Brompton has managed to carefully select a core membership that certainly appreciates the clubs opulent design and international cuisine, yet know how to leave any trace of pretence at the door and party like it’s 1999.

Pretty Woman - Polo

Touch down in London town and there is a message flashing on my blackberry which reads “Do you want to play polo this weekend?” Having been an established 3-day Event rider in the past and being quite a dab hand with a stick and ball, I jumped at the idea… immediately my mind is in overdrive selecting an outfit, tight white jeans…crisp polo shirt…brown leather boots…

So a quick jaunt out to Ascot Polo Park and suddenly we are on the field galloping along surrounded by athletic Argentinean men and I’m scoring a goal. I have since decided that polo is to become my sport of the summer season, it combines all of my favourite things: Horses / outfits / champagne / Range Rovers and let’s not forget men in rather fitting white denim.

With the polo season well and truly in full swing, there is still time to catch a chukka or two at one of the many tournaments over the summer and spend a day soaking up the sun amongst the beautiful people both on and off the field. For a touch of celeb spotting check out Hurtwood Park owned by the legendary Kenny Jones, you’ll most definitely see the likes of Ronnie Wood and other Rock n’ Roll royalty being fabulous on the bubbles.

If you’re stuck as to what to wear, I think it’s always safe to take a page out of the Royals book - think Sloane Ranger chic muted colour palettes of cream, baby blue, tan, and navy. Check out the newly opened Polistas Store on Shepards Walk - Harry and William are big fans! And of course, don’t forget the compulsory leather loafer that will take you straight past the velvet rope at Annabels come evening.

'Fabulous In ..... LA'

The last couple of months have felt like an absolute whirlwind, the Louis Vuitton luggage has barely enjoyed the comfort of its dustbags and my Dolce has had more outings than a harness at the Black and Blue ball !!

You know it’s going to be a rockstar trip when you arrive at Air New Zealand check in and are greeted with ‘Hello Mr Ashton we have been expecting you’ and are then whisked through security by personal escort to the 1^st class lounge only to bump into Victoria Beckham as you’re looking over the sandwich selection.

Landing in LA and jumping into a shiny black Lexus out to Malibu where I would spend 10 days with a wonderful friend and client ADELE who was recording her sophomore album with the legendary producer Rick Ruben, exciting times for an exceptional talent. In between applying lashes and liner I found time to pop off and visit my favourite LA haunts and discover some altogether new ones.

Always on the top of my hit list is ‘The Abby” in West Hollywood for the rather picturesque scenery, that being LA’s finest corn fed and well bred boys. The Abby is somewhat of an institution amongst most boys who live or have spent time in LA offering up somewhere a little more refined and clothed after you have had your fill of go-go dancers, further down the road at Mickey’s.

But my latest must see would have to be the recently opened Soho House, West Hollywood. With its chic yet understated décor the mix of Hollywood A-List and LA Hipsters all washed down with fantastic cocktails and decadent food that would make most of Hollywood run quick smart to their personal trainers. You can have hours of fun in the photo booth situated down the long corridor leading towards the secret garden restaurant and post your ‘close up’ on the wall alongside the likes of Beyonce and Jay-Z!

If you have the time make sure to pop into the Sky Bar at the Modrian Hotel, take champagne breakfast at the Beverley Hills Hotel and for a little bit of an adventure do head out to Malibu to go horse riding in the canyons followed by lunch at Geoffrey’s on the cliff top, for breathtaking views as you drive back to the city.

LIVING LIFE LUXE

When I was asked to start writing a blog which has now been titled ‘Living Life Luxe’ I wasn’t exactly sure where to start. Although it has always been fun documenting snippets in time through the likes of Facebook updates and Twitter feeds limited to 140 characters, the thought of actually expanding on what I do and what I believe is Living Life Luxe was a little daunting to say the least.

Having mulled it over with several glasses of the finest French champagne, I thought my life long motto was a good starting point: “I continue to aspire to make the gods and goddesses of this world sizzle with timeless elegance and raunchy luxe “

Being born and bred in small town New Zealand and always having had the big city lights on the horizon is what has lead me to travel most of the globe seeing places and meeting some of the most interesting and inspiring people I could have ever dreamed of…. Which has brought me to where I am today. Residing in London, working as a celebrity make up / hair stylist, surrounded by wonderful friends.