tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84430204649067038142012-02-01T22:46:10.345ZIntelligent food for thought for a lifestyle with attitude. A celebration of lifestyle, with a difference: content-rich, vitamin-laden intelligent food for thought for a lifestyle with attitude that is no recipe compilation - nor contest! Around, about and beyond the culinary, with an artistic inclination: from lifestyle to entertaining, via shopping, design, family legacy and current affairs.Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.comBlogger2121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-32764240034148340962012-02-01T17:57:00.010Z2012-02-01T22:46:10.352Z

Not sure whether this quiet time of year is the reason why it lends itself beautifully to an introspective mood, but lately friends and I have been discussing matters of the heart, otherwise known as the ta-da troublesome knee-jerking four-letter word starting with an L. No, just leave 'Lust' out for now, the L word in question is... (take a deep breath!) 'L-O-V-E'. Rosie Parsons wedding

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-39335015921858974532012-01-27T21:25:00.009Z2012-01-31T22:20:05.350Z

Fave #5: Singing in tune with Les Cowboys Fringants! A friend of La Baguette's recently introduced us to a French Canadian band and it was love at first sound! The song of choice is called 'Les Etoiles Filantes' (The Shooting Stars) from La Grand-Messe LP (2004) and is one of those haunting songs that you keep listening to for the words, the kind of song that makes you ponder about the poetry of

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-45894146533132630142012-01-24T20:43:00.005Z2012-02-01T22:24:10.241Z

Fave #4: Getting old gracefully with Converse! Some gentlemen age gracefully. Take George Clooney. What else? George Clooney per Nespresso: il backstage del nuovo spot from Caterina di Iorgi on Vimeo. Some products age gracefully. Take the Chuck Taylor All Star Converse sneakers that were never meant to stay prim and proper. In fact, the more they get battered with age and use, the

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-32371828971591293982012-01-21T10:48:00.004Z2012-01-21T17:20:30.564Z

Fave #3: Showing you care with a kokeshi doll! My friend Isabelle Duvignon is a Parisian artist based in Corsica. In the coming weeks I will have countless opportunities to reveal more to you about her art, either via La Baguette or Mirabelle! Meanwhile  I am really fond of those cute little kokeshi figurines that she skillfully paints on flat pebbles that she picks from the local beach. The

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-43789689539235779832012-01-20T20:44:00.005Z2012-01-21T10:50:56.852Z

Fave #2: Accessorising your portable office with a Crumpler laptop bag! The nomadic office lifestyle needn't be confined to the constraints of the box, with bog-standard tools of the trade and their one-size-fits-all laptop cases. La Baguette has long understood that the devil is in the detail and that the detail lays out the difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary, between the norm

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-72697322825917126992012-01-11T21:45:00.003Z2012-01-20T20:46:05.588Z

** NEWS FLASH ** Dear friends, we believe in all the goodness the Transit of Venus is poised to bring us in 2012! And to celebrate what's been written in the stars, we have loads of exciting brand-new lifestyle features in store, so stay tuned! Introducing our new monthly feature purely dedicated to the favourites that make us tick in the lifestyle and artistic departments at large! So sit back

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-67054425585421976912012-01-10T21:37:00.006Z2012-01-27T22:05:39.802Z

When you get caught in crossed wires situations and control - otherwise described as the grasp one has over their life and destiny to an extent - escapes you like a spagghetti down the plughole, things start playing on your mind. Things you wouldn't normally give a second thought to, as the mind has the power to cloud your judgement and make you start believing in the unbelievable. In my case,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-33507605883182369112012-01-09T20:41:00.006Z2012-01-11T21:50:25.119Z

I set off on the second leg of my journey at night fall, slightly apprehensive. Yep, some of us call it a gut feeling. It seemed that everything was too good to be true. I tried brushing off any fear or self-doubt, and just place my trust in the birthday friend who should have been wise enough to ensure his guests had the basic information they needed in order to attend his party, as in where and

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-27219822118617454962012-01-08T21:32:00.008Z2012-01-11T21:50:25.121Z

Sometimes you wonder why you bother... You'd looked forward to it, you'd got it all planned out (or so you thought at the time!), set off on your journey, and then... And then there's that last-minute glitch, that skid into the twilight zone, a forced foray into a parallel universe. A case of 'that thing' that had eluded you all the way, that you'd overlooked somehow and that was gonna bring

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-75256729512651558902012-01-02T21:49:00.008Z2012-01-02T22:42:52.652Z

The first week of January is always a mixed bag of feelings. No matter how involved or indifferent one has felt towards the holiday season, there always seems to be that lingering post-festive introspection that sticks to your shoe like a discarded piece of chewing-gum. No need to get flustered, it's only the New Year! (picture source) In the cold and somewhat harsh glare of New Year's Day,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-38768040050621782352011-12-29T22:26:00.011Z2012-02-01T22:19:59.814Z

When you had every reason to give up on me after I went awol off the blog scene for 3 months,  I resurface sheepishly, especially after churning out that last celebratory post, where I went blowing my own trumpet about clocking 200 posts to the counter... Thanks guys for hanging in there and giving La Baguette another go! I am most grateful.  Wild island in Tahiti, by Roving I, via Flickr 

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-2135856462315282382011-09-11T21:07:00.005+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.815Z

When La Baguette embarked upon the Blogger adventure in late Summer 2009, little did we know that we would one day hit landmark post #50, never mind #100! One year on and look what we've done: we've nailed another victory on the head with #200! Source: designspiration.net via Janne on Pinterest In an ideal world we'd be blogging to our hearts' contents day in day out, and celebrating as we

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-74179899064291901222011-09-11T19:45:00.001+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.815Z

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica. High jinks in the maquis: the fennel Sorry to disappoint but August was nothing but déjà-vu on the

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-90280163783515084332011-08-18T22:08:00.010+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.816Z

Take the average holidaymaker. Give them a holiday guide. The paperback kind. What do you get? A long wondering thought... A thought that says something down the lines of how was it like before the holidaymaker and the holiday guide became an item? 'The Sleeping Gypsy' by Henri Rousseau (1897), via MoMA Ninety seven percent of visitors to our garden preservation society come on their guide's

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-59420944593823697342011-08-09T21:14:00.006+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.817Z

I work in a customer-facing environment and I get to meet individuals from all walks of life on a daily basis, and especially more so right now, during the tourist season. The other day a lady tourist came down to the boutique. She was charming and she was charmed. In fact, she was entranced by Corsica, the beauty and variety of the scenery, the idyllic landscapes, the choice in places to visit

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-31516587528407368032011-08-07T19:01:00.004+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.817Z

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica. An ode to immortality: the helichrysum italicum In this part of the island July was hot, only slightly cooled

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-45030411940403694332011-08-02T21:55:00.005+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.817Z

We know what you did last Summer, La Baguette! You discovered Brax via the German mail-order upmarket fashion company Peter Hahn, and haven't looked back since! Now dear readers, you may or may not be already familiar with the brand, yet either way it is highly likely that its tailored yet incredibly comfortable casualwear will become a favourite of yours in no time. Brax does for a flattering

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-8329878014626734132011-07-17T11:35:00.005+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.818Z

If you have a soft spot for the French nautical theme but cannot afford Jean-Paul Gaultier's trademark stripey designs, then look no further than Little Marcel as the solution to your fashion dilemma. Its winning clothes range is making waves (pardon the pun!) thanks to a geometrical delight of horizontal lines and stripes presented in bold statement colours set against the candour of its

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-35753646602142433312011-07-05T20:17:00.007+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.819Z

Summer's on and it's clammy out there! I don't dare to think what it must feel like to be stuck in the city while pining away for that beach... flaunted to you by means of a desktop wallpaper... Although I have to endure Mediterranean heat, I am privileged enough to enjoy a coastal drive on my way to work, and not have to endure traffic jams, tepid malodourous whiffs from the subway and the

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-86178441465191847682011-07-03T21:01:00.006+01:002012-02-01T22:19:59.819Z

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica. Fluttering heights: the scabiosa There's no two ways about it: the heat is on! Predictably Summer has landed

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-44053041926767672082011-07-03T16:46:00.011+01:002011-07-03T18:14:21.071+01:00

My new work assignment allows me to feel blessed by the beauty of the surrounding countryside, the rambling valley encased in lush hillsides, age-old hamlets suspended in time, a nearby brook... The preservation society's gardens deserve a mention too. Although still looking neglected in places, they are set to enjoy a revival thanks to our new chairman. I too am pushing in that direction: on

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-34661941142482699282011-06-27T15:17:00.005+01:002011-07-03T16:51:07.141+01:00

I might make a few envious amongst my readership as soon as I reveal to all of you guys that I am currently working for a garden preservation society! This new chapter in my curriculum is practically a match made in Heaven as it combines personal passions and hobbies: botanics + ethnographics + ecology + interest for the island of Corsica + the more pragmatic commercial flair. Commercial flair

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-30472895556541436962011-06-13T20:13:00.008+01:002012-01-02T11:53:28.705Z

I had planned a trip to Manchester at relatively short notice and was looking to stay in the South of the city for convenience (within easy reach of the airport, and because most of my engagements would take place in South Manchester) and personal choice (historically South Manchester had been my homebase for the best part of 16 years). Mum's ready for action and The Village Hotel has it!

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-74167435706836529762011-06-10T20:06:00.004+01:002012-01-02T19:57:36.220Z

A couple of weeks ago I took my mum to Manchester (U.K.) on a four-day trip packed full with appointments and commitments, but we managed to squeeze a spot of shopping in between! The mugs are from John Lewis We visited two familiar retail haunts which also rate high as personal favourites: John Lewis (Cheadle) and Kendals (where my mum took advantage of the amazing sale to invest in Ralph

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-62606702332418597702011-06-03T17:57:00.005+01:002011-07-05T15:20:37.588+01:00

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica. Lady pleaser: the dogrose Things have been hotting up here in May, and are set to get even hotter in June and

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-1990740726446384792011-05-22T20:02:00.002+01:002011-05-24T14:28:52.902+01:00

I am so sorry guys for our regular week-end feature - A Week-End Wonderweb - being a no-show this week. Nothing to do with a lack of inspiration or some diary mishap. Simply I have been mad busy lately on a number of personal and work-related fronts, going places, meeting people, and not in the right frame of mind to just sit down and plan my blog ahead as I would normally do... Thing is, I

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-10626159775141049592011-05-20T14:32:00.009+01:002012-01-02T12:17:22.169Z

Roll forward 17 months and migrate almost a thousand miles South East of South Manchester. I've now spent enough time in a totally different countryside league to venture a disillusioned sigh before rolling up my sleeves. For this is no domesticated rambling countryside as in the Cheshire set playgrounds, nor is it the Cheshire countryside from the farming communities that spread beyond the

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-46181104476417432162011-05-16T16:39:00.011+01:002011-07-17T17:08:54.425+01:00

When you have been a hardcore urbanite all of your life - except for the last 17 months - chance is, the countryside will still hold some secrets to you and still take you by surprise. No disrespect, but my (rather remote and sedate) experience of the countryside for the 16 years preceding the last 17 months (are you still following me, btw?) erred (tottered) on the posh side, and I shall only

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-82938112187325002842011-05-14T14:33:00.000+01:002011-05-14T14:33:02.477+01:00

Some claim that you either have it or you don't, it is difficult to define but lives by the right combination in good taste, allure, balance, harmony (colour, shape and material), with a little je ne sais quoi, it also transcends the fickleness of fashion and any errors of judgement, while remaining for some of us a lifelong Graal quest: style matters! Source (from top down): SATC Wikia,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-35183312119351925542011-05-10T10:19:00.009+01:002012-01-02T12:17:22.169Z

Now I must admit, I never imagined that I would one day write a review on a random tick remover... A cult shoe brand - yes, a tub of fabulous face cream - tick, an age-defying serum - why not? A tick remover, come on! Glamour has never been so ridiculed... Yet in my defence and in this particular case, I would have probably never considered such a subject matter should I have been pleased with

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-54445599457101436592011-05-07T11:55:00.008+01:002012-01-02T19:37:43.525Z

Domestic, commercial, industrial or culture-dedicated interior/ exterior walls come to prominence with accent colours: if thought out carefully and applied strategically in order to avoid any bad taste errors, those areas of motif or brighter/ darker colour issue a bold statement of presence and modernity, by playing with natural daylight (or lack thereof) for depth, luminosity and general effect

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-24443476685985337182011-05-06T12:01:00.004+01:002011-05-07T21:24:19.026+01:00

Of all four seasons, Spring is my all-time favourite. And although each season holds it in the charm stakes, Spring holds it together better in my heart. In fact, if the four seasons made up a perfume, Spring would be its basenote. The sweet smell of (Spring) success: hawthorn For me, Spring signifies the true commencement of a new year, unlike 1st January, because it symbolises birth -

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-52342247725354857222011-05-03T19:49:00.001+01:002011-05-03T21:19:36.226+01:00

Last Sunday, 1st May, was a busy day in the diary. Firstly it is referred to as Labour (Labor) Day as a homage to 1st May 1886 when a workers strike in Chicago (USA) pledging the 48-hour working week (6 days x 8 hours a day) ended in a bloodbath when the police force fired gunshots at them. Three years later, in 1889, the Paris international socialist congress decided to symbolically dedicate 1st

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-14899832644267776282011-04-29T21:16:00.005+01:002011-05-07T13:33:03.617+01:00

A blog is a creative outlet, a personal space, a diary of sorts, an experiential window-dressing, to the writer's narratives, musings, confidences, passions, hobbies, views and impressions, shared publicly online; it is a condensate of inspirational graphics and images, and meaningful texts which altogether are the fruits of what we call a labour of love. Sources (top page down): Annaleenas Hem

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-76560706244199484442011-04-28T11:32:00.002+01:002011-07-05T14:38:24.888+01:00

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica. King of the hill: the white cistus Botanics afficionados and fans of our monthly column alike won't be

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-9320076719494498112011-04-23T09:11:00.000+01:002011-04-23T09:11:30.120+01:00

Of all the imagery associated with Easter, the most enduring one is young, fresh, light, floral, regal and Spring-like: cute little lambs, fluffy chicks and endearing bunnies, Easter eggs and chocolate delights aplenty, ribbons, bells and bows, blossoms, bird nests, set against a palette of soft greens, muted pinks, pale yellows and enchanting creams, and all singing from the same hymn sheet to

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-28021558396595876762011-04-22T16:07:00.011+01:002011-04-25T21:41:11.864+01:00

Within the wider dairy produce arena, I was also a Rachel's Organic and Yeo Valley Organic customer (two well-established UK organic dairy brands fondly remembered for their creamy yoghurts and scrumptious yet simple desserts. Obviously if I were still living in England right this moment, I wouldn't put the sentences in the past like this just isn't true anymore. If still in England I would

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-76982878862423747472011-04-20T13:06:00.013+01:002011-04-25T15:47:07.076+01:00

Here is a four-letter word that is so part of our lives that we almost forget it's there. Rest assured, that four-letter word is not offensive, it is pretty safe and friendly too, if not essential - to most of us. It is a basic food commodity, just like eggs, bread, 'tatties', pasta, rice, sugar, tea or coffee. Sweet Paul's Strawberry Shake (Spring 2011): click image for recipe It forms an

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-8971939157981984692011-04-16T09:37:00.003+01:002011-04-16T11:39:16.824+01:00

Love is in the air and Britannia is gladly putting its glad rags on to celebrate the impending royal wedding of the decade, of the millennium even; and fun-loving as we are, we certainly don't need our name down the guest list as a reason to join Prince William of Wales and Miss Kate Middleton in the celebration! Sources (top page down): John Lewis, 'The Royal Collection' official royal wedding

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-49833008058930929032011-04-14T17:03:00.004+01:002012-01-02T19:37:43.525Z

Let's carry on our quick round-off of vintage cookery photography, this time with the 1970s and 80s, typified here by two very representative examples - in my eye. As always on La Baguette, you are most welcome to join the debate, and contribute comments, photos and links. 1970s: 'Salade Hong Kong' Cut-out © 'Modes de Paris' magazine, no date available, but believed to be mid-1970s. Back then,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-36612614711099992152011-04-11T14:49:00.013+01:002012-01-02T19:38:46.140Z

Although this article is aimed at entertaining the reader as much as sharing with them some photographic evidence from 'back in the day', I need first of all to make a personal observation and give justice to our elder recipe chefs/ stylists. Today we take for granted the fact that image has become everything, thanks to the vast progress in digital arts and image manipulation. This strong visual

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-9533626172120341992011-04-08T17:58:00.005+01:002011-04-16T14:48:40.746+01:00

Quirky is a little surprising, a little different, a little extra, with a touch of originality that brings a smile and a compliment; quirky is off the beaten track on the funny side of life... and off the wall even! Sources (top page down): Biscuiteers, 'Royal Wedding Tin' (filled with handmade biscuits) Hotel Chocolat, 'You Crack Me Up' extra-thick Easter egg Graham & Green, 'Bird Cage' lamp

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-85805945251798991022011-04-07T17:44:00.002+01:002011-05-10T14:37:55.400+01:00

Last Autumn when out on a walk with Tickle, curiosity got the better of me. We stepped off the road well travelled to venture across a patch of former agricultural land that so far had been 'out of bounds' to us since it was screened off by thick brambles. The land had been cleared with a clear purpose: to make way for a residential build. That's the way things tend to go these days in Corsica.

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-56172183862139775972011-04-02T13:13:00.004+01:002011-04-03T17:59:58.452+01:00

A symbol of peace, purity and virginity, a colour traditionally associated with weddings or funerals depending upon custom, white is also a lifestyle and design choice, or a refuge even, whenever one feels coloured out ad nauseam; stylish and timeless, white is back as the new black.  Sources (top page down): Anthropologie, white porcelain tea service cookie stand Cox & Cox, glass bell jar on

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-87949046171826919442011-03-31T19:38:00.013+01:002012-02-01T22:32:19.803Z

In my Car Crash TV moments, I used to sometimes watch The Life Laundry - we're talking 5 to 8 years back. Not sure if all U.K folks remember that programme: not exactly a paragon of upbeat entertainment, culture or TV genius, more like a desperados get-together when nothing else across the 100+ digital TV channels spectrum was worth watching... And that says something. Think outside the box?

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-44410568794494753352011-03-28T12:46:00.009+01:002012-01-01T21:06:19.458Z

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica. Angelica Jolie! March was damp and rainy here in Northern Corsica, with acres of grey skies and moggy/ foggy

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-29652210248142608442011-03-26T09:21:00.010Z2012-01-02T11:41:58.509Z

Aside from good company and interesting conversations, the most enjoyable part of a dinner party is - for those of us with a sweet-tooth inclination - the anticipated dessert, prepared, shop-bought or made to order for the host(ess): from a baking classic to the decadently-laden crème de la crème, the cherry on the cake is likely to stir up more than one capital sin, and sure enough we'll even

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-12801366285515581512011-03-24T13:40:00.003Z2011-03-26T10:16:07.501Z

In 2008 and quite suddenly I started suffering from late-onset acne (adult acne that manifests itself in the thirties). It was localised on the lower-face region and became quite unsightly. It was characterised by a combination of acne spots, skin blotchiness and flakiness. I had read about the condition previously and when personally confronted to it, I put it down to a combination of stress,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-65713957396349787862011-03-21T19:48:00.003Z2011-03-22T17:41:28.013Z

Serves: 6 Preparation: 20 mins Cooking: 30 mins Cherry Pie meets Bakewell Tart and Linzer Cookies (minus the almonds!) for this easy-peasy Southern pudding! I made it for the first time last Sunday and it certainly won't be the last! Although it might not look like much on the picture, first impressions are deceptive. This unassuming little treat will be an instant hit, thanks to its gorgeously

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-56493577091880054372011-03-20T10:55:00.007Z2011-04-09T20:48:12.533+01:00

Of the four seasons, Spring is certainly the most anticipated as it heralds a resurrection in life: the drabness of Winter is put to sleep, daylight increases significantly, temperatures get milder and nature wakes up from hibernation, with catnips, blossoms and buds showing their faces, while wildlife animals are busy building homes and raising youngs. Sources (top page down): 'Genista Corsica

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-81145336536412127352011-03-15T19:40:00.008Z2011-03-24T14:58:03.488Z

Last Friday the violent earthquake striking off the shore of North East Japan set a full chain of events in motion, that have been documented on our TV screens since. The quake triggered a tsunami. And in turn the tsunami triggered a nuclear disaster. 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa', by Hokusai (1829-32). Picture source Japan was not only once but three times hit. Coastal towns like Tokai,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-73156961501957151032011-03-12T16:20:00.005Z2012-02-01T22:28:07.688Z

The devil might be in the detail, but the detail sets the tone, it sets the pace, launches trends, it gets noticed, stamps on the seal of quality and craftsmanship; detail creates art and makes that tangible difference between ordinary and extraordinary. Sources (top page down): Lee Page Hanson Ceramics (based at Manchester Craft & Design Centre), black & white square 'Doyleyesque' tile Jeremy

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-27368660898513362552011-03-11T16:42:00.011Z2011-04-28T13:40:41.370+01:00

The situation can slip out of control when you start poking your nose into the dark areas of cyberspace, and that's when we need to exert caution. Copyright may not be the ultimate physical protection against plagiarism or duplication etc. but it does give the copyright holder the appropriate jurisdiction to help them ensure their intellectual property is protected to a degree (depending on the

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-78856975373640701102011-03-09T20:29:00.012Z2011-04-11T16:30:06.054+01:00

I fancied a French moniker for my blog, with a touch of vintage. I was going through a bit of a 1950s phase at the time and La Baguette Magique (literally: 'The Magic Wand') conjured up images to me from the Bewitched TV series (which wasn't even from the 50s by the way!). Meanwhile I was also looking for a play on words (I should have known better!) with a loose connection to the culinary world

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-764462864236326642011-03-07T20:43:00.006Z2011-04-11T16:30:06.057+01:00

Here's the $10,000 question: who amongst you guys will be honest enough to admit that they have "googled" themselves at some point in their lives, preferably on a long solitary night, when confidence levels were low, or on the contrary to boost an already-boosted ego? Don't be ashamed and get closer to the screen because I can't hear you... Me? Hands up, I have... several times in fact! It's no

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-24350665408743448422011-03-05T15:28:00.047Z2011-04-22T19:22:42.379+01:00

In chronological terms, Art Déco was the next major art movement to take the world by storm after Art Nouveau; spanning post-WWI to WWII, with its aerodynamic, fluid, streamlined cruise-ship lines borrowed by architecture (from American flagship skyscrapers to Le Corbusier's modernist structures, via countless other references) and rolled out to the Applied and Graphic Arts, enchanting towns,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-19908774358585463632011-02-28T15:40:00.004Z2011-07-05T14:41:37.131+01:00

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom'. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica. An all-winter fixture: the periwinkle (vinca minor) Each monthly post dedicated to the floral cause will pay tribute to the island's rich botanic

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-50508821985378882602011-02-26T10:21:00.012Z2011-03-07T18:50:32.488Z

Towards the end of the 19th century, at the peak of industrialisation in our Western societies, artists, designers and aesthetes turned to the natural world for inspiration and solace, and this is how the Art Nouveau movement came about, as an extension of William Morris's Arts & Crafts, feminine, voluptuous, foliate, adorned, with emphasis upon the curved and linear, while fauna, flora and

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-66367712862209163622011-02-22T19:26:00.005Z2011-02-22T20:18:40.935Z

Maison Bonavita belonged to a man of the world, Paul, a relative of my grandma on her maternal side, who had made it as a high-flying civil servant, no less than Chief Administrator of the French Colonies, based in Madagascar until his retirement. As I have intimated much earlier in this blog, my ancestors on my mum/ mémé's side were truly citizens of the world and Corsica their stop-over

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-91336999393852712812011-02-21T17:41:00.007Z2011-02-22T19:28:24.094Z

This article is about architectural decay/ abnegation achieved through the devastating effects of a combination of organised and opportunistic pillage, subjected to and illustrated by one of my grandma's properties. I thought I'd share some of my knowledge and thoughts about this Corsican house with you, and how since it became uninhabited in the 1950s, my family, and then myself, have

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-86023890488060124592011-02-19T15:45:00.008Z2011-02-21T13:28:37.214Z

More than just "une montagne dans la mer" (a mountain surrounded by the sea), the aptly named "Ile de Beauté" (Beauty Island) commonly known as Corsica is multi-faceted in terms of scenery, a reminiscence of Italy, Switzerland, Côte d'Azur, Normandie, Ireland, Scotland, California and Argentina; follow the road less travelled for a discovery journey that will marvel your senses! Sources (top

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-60078803386526571032011-02-17T11:06:00.006Z2012-01-02T12:58:28.441Z

In our revisit of La Baguette's best bits in ten bites, we have more goodness in store! 6. Home Truths About What We Call a Home: With La Baguette being a lifestyle blog at large, it goes without saying that home is a key feature. On a personal note, home is even more crucially important, since I am presently living out of a suitcase, in my parents' home, while my little house back in Britain is

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-56146118218758606942011-02-16T13:59:00.015Z2011-04-11T16:31:47.487+01:00

To mark La Baguette's 150th post, why not reminisce our blog's achievements to date while revisit its best bits in ten scrumptious bites! For the purpose of the exercise, our measurement reference data tool is Blogger's in-built Google Analytics interface (although in our free time we would also refer to Sitemeter for cross-reference purposes, Sitemeter boasting much more in-depth measurement

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-13285283096967901362011-02-12T15:31:00.015Z2012-01-02T19:51:44.428Z

St. Valentine's Cupid bow has conjured up the year's most romantic day, an association of love, sugar and spice and all things pink for what is essentially a retailer's golden opportunity to cash in after the low ebbs of January; but who said romance was dead (expensive)? Sources (top page down): 'Lovey-Dovey' greetings card by Allihopa Box of Ferrero 'Mon Chéri' chocolates photographed by ©La

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-27357218975000888652011-02-08T19:17:00.002Z2011-02-10T14:13:53.309Z

... As the landmark that no-one cares to look at and acknowledge although they can see it from the corner of their eye, as they drive or dash past. It's the tree that they forgot to love. The municipal tree, the one that graces the roadside, the boulevard, street corners and the local square. It's the tree that gets no notice. Yet it adds noticeable interest to an area of town. It adds monetary

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-13244012182701109692011-02-05T11:15:00.005Z2012-01-02T19:39:15.058Z

Forget ready meals and fast-food takeaways: cooking needn't be out of bounds, convoluted, complicated, time-consuming and expensive; build up your confidence one easy recipe at at time, and soon enough you'll surprise yourself and guests, and wake up tastebuds with that party in your plate! Sources (top page down): Soupe au Pistou by David Lebovitz Normandy Fish Stew (a.k.a. Marmite Dieppoise)

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-46440101433059625392011-02-03T08:41:00.001Z2011-02-03T09:33:28.096Z

In keeping with the coastal theme from our last article, here is a captivating picture from a post that I stumbled upon while visiting the Wordpress platform, approximately three weeks ago. The post, entitled 'First Dive of 2011' by Alberto, encapsulates a collection of amazing underwater photography which, in this particular instance, was shot in Anilao, Batangas, The Philippines. I left a

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-31420561832065937352011-01-31T13:32:00.000Z2011-01-31T13:32:45.700Z

Last Friday Tickle and I went down to the local beach. I reckon that last time we were there was a good couple of months ago. Funny how you can take local curios for granted once they're part of your local scene (in our case, slightly over a year!). It's easy to get stuck in the complacency rut, especially when you live on a narrow peninsula with Blue Yonder stretching across the horizon at

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-8388464656461094422011-01-28T14:40:00.000Z2011-01-28T14:40:57.297Z

Humour is the best distraction and remedy at all times, but even more so when feeling down in the doldrums; humour works its magic by raising a smile, a laugh or fits of giggles, and therefore works wonders for mind, body and soul! Sources (top page down): The Pig of Happiness by Edward Monkton Shirtcity.com, from a selection of tee-shirt designs  Business Cartoons by U.K. cartoonist Morris BP

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-87620298168830251552011-01-24T17:03:00.012Z2011-01-26T11:15:07.669Z

My best shoe purchase of all times is likely to be shunned by fashionistas and shoe-fetish bloggers out there. I would be pleasantly surprised to find out that the fashion pack's all-time favourites include amongst their ultra-feminine Louboutins, sparkling Ginas and sky-high Manolos a pair of hard-wearing, no-nonsense, sensible, masculine flat laced leather shoes by Dr. Martens. I am a DM

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-33450919233792536362011-01-22T20:50:00.009Z2011-01-26T11:35:12.813Z

A shelter, a crash pad, a roof above your head, a family place, a haven: whatever you call it, nothing beats that fuzzy feeling, because if Home Sweet Home is where the heart is, there is nothing like home, so head home and... welcome home! Sources (top page down): Micasa: Una Antigua Pensión Convertida en un Piso Familiar (Madrid) LivingEtc gallery, open-plan living album, Modern-retro kitchen

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-59109149579577530552011-01-18T15:26:00.006Z2011-01-31T14:26:21.002Z

Hello everyone, we have reasons to be cheerful today as we are celebrating the official launch of our sister site Mirabelle and, as its proud editor I warmly invite you to join us in! Mirabelle is an ode to inspiration, harnessing the power of photography as a vehicle to stimulate and celebrate it. Mirabelle is best described as a scrapbook of inspirational images, not necessarily following a

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-41228616892033073022011-01-15T15:10:00.008Z2011-02-13T13:35:15.203Z

Gentlemen, forget diamond breakfasts at Tiffany's - chocolates are a girl's best friend (even after the Christmas binge and despite New Year's resolutions)! Sources (top page down): Scanned mailing flyer from Hotel Chocolat's The Chocolate Tasting Club (to yours truly, a long-term Hotel Chocolat customer - and confessed chocoholic!) - Click on image for higher resolution view Marc de Champagne

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-77701555105804479772011-01-15T11:08:00.012Z2011-01-16T15:30:47.605Z

TV shows - or car crash TV, like their detractors call (some of) them - tend to expose the vagaries of the human mind while tackling their core subject in a fly-on-the-wall format, which translate spontaneity into a certain rawness and grit: unplanned, controversial reactions or decisions, eccentricities, inflated egos, character flaws and weaknesses, often a direct result of limited show

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-21954889272224362992011-01-12T21:12:00.006Z2011-01-16T10:22:15.283Z

Once upon a time, when I lived in England, in the big smog (not that of London Town, but Manchester up North), I had a pretty hectic lifestyle that involved long commutes to and from work (and generally to anywhere worth its pzzazz as I lived in the deep suburban belt). Those familiar with the major British cities will also be aware of their extended (sprawling) suburbia (of course relatively

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-68658685147226734512011-01-07T22:32:00.013Z2011-01-16T10:14:03.639Z

The lady is no tramp, she is ambling pin-up art in the making, cultivates a Rock'n'Roll (Rockabilly in fact!) attitude while reinterpreting domesticity, a diminutive pie-baking Dita von Teese with technicolor skin graphics - some might see a tart with a heart from the retro comics, bad girl stylee with a vintage penchant, a film noir femme fatale, our Betty Boop/ Bettie Page character is no

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-53328587470138991512011-01-05T10:18:00.002Z2011-01-12T13:49:17.983Z

The rest falls off the wayside: the fat-cat bonuses, the hedge-funds, the back-handers, the Swiss savings accounts, the Cayman-registered business ventures, the Ponzi schemes, the extortions, the good deals and the bad deals... We are born naked and innocent, we die naked and... resigned, content, disillusioned or twistedly wickedly corrupt. Life's what we make it, and it's up to us how we

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-46560050156906007152011-01-03T14:24:00.001Z2011-01-05T10:23:44.216Z

Ladies & Gentlemen, welcome to 2011! One year older, one year wiser. In the face of adversity past, present and future, let us put things into perspective, remain positive and count our blessings. 2010 had its share of human and ecological disasters (Haïti, the BP oil disaster, Iceland volcano, and Pakistan, to name just four). It was also a year of further economic meltdown, exemplified by

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-56874109193472309102010-12-31T12:24:00.006Z2010-12-31T13:33:58.930Z

Dear all, wherever you stand in the world right now, Happy New Year! La Baguette Magique would like to take this opportunity to thank its followers from across all five continents for their continued support, in particular those from the U.S, Canada, U.K, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Russia and China (source: Blogger stats). Thanks for making the 'magique' happen, and may 2011 bless your

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-90635723844144336872010-12-26T19:35:00.012Z2012-02-01T21:03:19.709Z

Serves 8 Preparation: 25 mins Cooking: 10 mins If you decide to steer clear of chocolate in order to pre-empt any potential adverse effects it might have on your already calorie-rich Christmas menu, or to demonstrate that a Yule log dessert needn't be chocolate-based, or if you are simply on a mission to torment your chocoholic guests (for whatever reason this might be!), enters this snow-white

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-36775237590333337872010-12-23T17:44:00.003Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.963Z

Christmas is nearing, the weather is drab, my dad is ill, the news on the telly is dire, so I thought we were in serious need for cheering up. Not sure about you guys, but I am in the mood for some topical fun! While checking out the blogland 'competition' lately for my Week-End Wonderweb project, I have come across some blogs which are being ever so serious - complicated even - about

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-43135563807723586482010-12-20T14:32:00.012Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.963Z

At your leisure just go through the list I have compiled herein (I am aware that Xmas is near but you can use this list for any special occasion, including birthdays, weddings, St Valentine's Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, house-warmings, retirement dos, etc.), and you are bound to identify elements for inspiration. At first sight, it may appear as a cash gift list, but it does go beyond, towards

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-10109111721137555272010-12-18T13:21:00.006Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.963Z

Discreet, low-key, traditional, designer-cool, all sparkles, indulgently oppulent... or fashionably absent: Christmas - the star of Winter Wonderland - lends itself to a plethora of creative interpretations and combinations, what you make of it is all up to you! Sources (top page down): Sunset.com, Seven Escapes to Beauty and Solitude, Hidden Meadow Ranch in Greer, Arizona (USA), photographed

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-60782212715150672052010-12-16T17:26:00.006Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.963Z

Do I have a gift-purchasing strategy in mind that I could share with you? Well, maybe not a strategy as such, although we'll find out in Part 3... Ha! I have been known to occasionally surpass myself and be well organised, spotting a nifty item back in early September and just buying it because it had the recipient's name written on it (not literally of course). Other times, all I could manage

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-10664410154687551002010-12-15T11:06:00.003Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.963Z

Christmas is upon us, and with it comes the [delete as appropriate] heartfelt/ meaningful/ well-meaning/ obligatory/ disinterested/ pointless present-buying (and present-receiving) saga. Bah humbug, Christmas seems an excuse for over-indulgence, with entertaining and all the trimmings. In this article I will endeavour to make sense of it all and share some hints and tips to those of us who are

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-76991303500163002402010-12-11T12:56:00.009Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.964Z

Gustavian-influenced painted furniture, duck-egg, teal, egg-shell, dusky-pink and mostly snow-white in colour, fresh but never cold, clean lines, understated, unfussy, a clever easy-living encapsulation of timelessness and eternal youth, light, airy and crisp interiors, a breath of fresh air indoors, and a touch of Spring in the midst of Winter, every day is a Northern Light moment when you live

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-57123765978329296762010-12-10T15:11:00.021Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.964Z

The Castlefield area of Manchester was once upon a time the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. With the industrial times now firmly behind us, what puts 21st century Manchester on the map? What is its coolest hotspot contender: is it Chorlton or is it Didsbury? In our previous post we covered Chorlton, whose adepts praise its 'boho-chic' appeal, and describe the place as hip, trendy,

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-82878989040492778512010-12-07T17:19:00.018Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.964Z

After living in South Manchester for 16 years, I would be inclined to believe that I do know the city centre and its outskirts reasonably well. Having said that, I am not familiar with every single ward although having visited them all (and been in employment or residence in some). Certain areas - not just confined to the inner-city geographics - are virtually off limits, certainly off the

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-73540493170754916932010-12-04T15:05:00.029Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.964Z

European hub halfway between Paris and Brussels, London and Bonn, a strategic station stop on pre-TGV* international railway lines (Paris-St-Quentin-Brussels/ Aachen/ Köln/ Amsterdam/ København/ Москва), home to artists, free thinkers, formerly known as the French Manchester thanks to its strong textile manufacturing and trade legacy spanning centuries, the most Flemish of French towns is also a

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-64280537190675258072010-12-01T15:00:00.002Z2012-02-01T21:21:39.964Z

I have built up quite an impressive collection of mish-mash pieces along the years as an idled pastime, not as an avid collector as such, never really taking this seriously, only pocketing my find if and when I came across it, take it home, clean it and keep it. I would show it to mémé (who found it quite funny that I'd pick what her ancestors and the likes had thrown out as junk).

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-77485477138281045302010-11-29T20:52:00.006Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.804Z

What I am about to show you here are a few examples of what I call 'little treasures'. Now I will be straight from the outset and, in doing so, I might disappoint a few romantic expectations. The little treasures in question are no hypothetical family jewels, precious stones, gold coins, antique figurines, Ming Dynasty ware, muskets, coveted paintings or other items associated with mythical

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-79503005763086926182010-11-27T09:43:00.017Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.807Z

The fickleness of fashion, here today, gone... in 20 seconds - wallflower or no wallflower: in full bloom only to fade away later, fashion is instant visionary genius, it is of the moment for the moment, a fast fad. Sources (top page down): Chanel ice-cream cone (shoot attributed to Liz Von Hoene) featured on Nitro:licious 'Anemone 2' by Keith Scott Morton photographer Part of the Lisa Hall

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-55736160705479748532010-11-24T16:21:00.002Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.807Z

I am neither a mushroom specialist nor an enthusiast and probably wouldn't give them a second thought if it wasn't for the level of exposure they do get in the local press at this time of year, and my personal encounter with them on my current daily walks. Foraging for mushrooms is an important past-time activity for countryside Corsicans, on a par with game-hunting, fishing, wild asparagus

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-48010417388365173112010-11-23T21:39:00.007Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.808Z

When I recently praised Autumn's cornucopia as the bumper harvest time of the year that will (allegorically) see us through Winter, I meant to include this next element to the list of fruit, vegetables and grains, and then decided to dedicate a whole post just to its pleasures that encompass the delights of a treasure hunt of sorts followed by the satisfaction of a tasty dinner. But before I

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-65741999489719775782010-11-20T15:31:00.016Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.809Z

When words put their glad rags on, sprinkle the glitz (glyph) and the punctuation, they roll out of the foundry and letterpress onto the streets to become calligraphy, typography, typefaces, fonts, sans-serifs (avec-serifs), visually colourful, impactful, artistic, trendy, jolly, a recognisable brand, a roadside billboard, a neon sign, a landmark, a moment in history, a fashion statement.

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-52467885732096846852010-11-17T21:36:00.010Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.809Z

Rock solid With a heart of glass and limbs of steel A mosaic of human complexities A promised land, a magical kingdom A hive of activity, a network of new horizons The mother of all inventions, A vacuum, a pool of destitution A road to nowhere, a dead-end destination Your heartbeat - unmissable Your pace of life - quick and fast Your attraction - magnetic You are everyone, everything You make

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-51745378668741289262010-11-15T10:59:00.006Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.810Z

For approx. 8 slices Preparation: 10 mins Refrigeration: 12 hours This strong Christmas party contender is the 'tall dark stranger' of chocolate desserts: intriguing, naughty, passionate and intoxicating with flavours and high cocoa content! This incredibly sleek and easy-to-make dessert recipe was given to my mum by a family friend over 20 years ago, and is still a dinner-table winner to this

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-57185936699348598832010-11-13T14:57:00.010Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.811Z

Geographical, historical, political, sociological, ethnographical and more, on parchment, paper, card, online, spot on, plotted and mapped out for all to locate, view, figure out, analyse, dissect, compare with, save, hide, remember, discuss, dispute and distribute!   Sources (from top page down): Knack Weekend magazine cover, by Khuan + Ktron, (via Flickr and relayed by Grain Edit) XKCD's Map

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-91087405543804653682010-11-09T18:45:00.006Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.811Z

A few weeks ago, reading Tea's post from Tea & Cookies made me look at my own reality, face on. She chose to share her doubts and feelings publicly and I found her revelation strangely reassuring in itself at it echoes my own current state of limbo, where I too am stuck in a temporary situation that is at risk of dragging onto the permanent. Sharing one's state of mind is to acknowledge the

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443020464906703814.post-15536286760511019702010-11-07T16:36:00.033Z2012-02-01T21:09:19.813Z

Welcome to La Baguette Magique's brand-new and exciting week-end feature, a taster celebration of online inspiration that will complement our forthcoming blog adventure, Mirabelle, where the mostly visual homely, lifestyle and interior design scheme will be developed at leisure, mainly capitalising upon existing online resources. Meanwhile please rest assured that La Baguette Magique will carry

Nathalie Hachet @ LBM/ Mirabellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511861716989035345noreply@blogger.com0