Living

05 Nov 15

The Capsule Closet

When our friend Steph told us that she was downsizing her wardrobe to become a “capsule closet” we must admit that there may have been a few eye rolls. It seemed slightly drastic to get rid of almost your entire wardrobe in exchange for such a limited [and dare we say boring?] closet. But then Steph did it. And we noticed how put-together and at ease she was at every.single.function. Fast forward a few months, and now we’re all converted believers in the capsule closet. Here are a few photos of Steph’s current capsule, and some guidelines if you want to start one too: What is the capsule closet? It isn’t a new idea by any means. In fact my mother-in-law has had a capsule closet for over 30 years, only she calls her items “units” instead of “staples”,  huge fashion houses such as Donna Karen have been using
28 Oct 15

Open on Sunday in Lausanne – Ouvert Dimanche a Lausanne

If you’ve arrived on this page, it must be Sunday and you must be some combination of bored, under stimulated, depressed and restless. We understand; we’ve been there too. Walking around town can feel like everyone has been invited to an amazing party except for you. Where is everybody?!? So what’s the deal? The truth is that Sunday remains a day of rest and family time in the minds of many Swiss. It’s a day for hiking, eating together with family or friends, and generally recovering from the previous week and preparing for the next one. Occasionally the Swiss vote about extending store hours, and the cultural consensus seems to be that they are happy with the forced down time. And honestly, even if this used to baffle us, now we get it. And much of time, we even love it! But in our effort to survive a lonely
21 Oct 15

Baies d’Erelle

We met Erelle over three years ago when our blog was extremely new and we were still trying to navigate our way around Lausanne. Little did we know that by meeting her, we had already stumbled upon one of Lausanne’s hippest and most creative entrepreneurs. This year marked a huge step forward in Erelle’s business, as she opened up her very first physical boutique here in Lausanne–and we must say, it’s absolutely beautiful. Erelle’s pieces are bold yet graceful, daring yet subtle; using natural stones and precious metals, Erelle handcrafts each piece first before sending her designs off to Paris, where the same craftsmen who make items for Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel assembly the jewelry, and her gilder who also works for Balmains, Gucci, and Chanel, overlays select jewelry with gold. We asked Erelle to shed some light on her craft, as well as how it came to
15 Oct 15

Lausanne Life: Ashley & Luna

We started this series in some way, shape, or form last year when we got a peek into our friend Jaifa’s life. She, and our dear friend Eleni of Eleni Eyebrows fame, generously provided fashion tips for busy women. We didn’t realize then that this profile piece would pave the way for an entire series of interesting, driven, unique people right here in Lausanne. Our desire is to highlight ordinary people living an extraordinary life in this city we call home. So without further delay, we introduce to you: Ashley & Luna. We met Ashley last year after a mutual friend suggested it would be crazy for us not to know each other. Turns out that our mutual friend was right. Ashley is energetic and passionate; an advocate for women’s rights, she spends her days working for the WISH (Women in Science and Humanties) foundation at EPFL. When discussing
07 Jul 15

Weekend Getaway: Marrakech

Picture this: sitting on a rooftop of a riad in the heart of the medina, straw lanterns swaying overhead in the cool desert breeze that only visits once the sun sets. The perforated lanterns cast shadows on the floor and on the faces of the diners as they eat their tagines and bastilla and sip on the dry local white wine, chilled to perfection. Suddenly you hear the call to prayer from the nearby mosque–a hauntingly beautiful voice echoes throughout the city and even though you don’t understand the words, you understand the emotion–the sacredness of it all. The prayers last throughout dinner; a soundtrack that is perfectly juxtaposed to the gloriously chaotic one in the souk during the day. This is Marrakech: a balance of fast and slow. And it’s a perfect destination for a long weekend from Lausanne. Four days. This is the amount of time we would
25 Mar 15

Favorite Shops for Kids

Petit Toi Whimsical, practical, charming, playful. From hand-crocheted dolls and superhero cape kits to designer cribs and Swiss branded clothing, it’s all there and ready to be yours. More information here. Franz Carl Weber From wooden to plastic, Barbies to Hot Wheels, and everything in between, this multistory toy store is sure to have what it is you’re looking for. The stroller-accesible entrance is just behind, near Tribeca. Image via. Davidson This place isn’t the most stroller/pram friendly (oh, the irony), but its multistory building with narrow aisles and steep staircases is over-flowing with every type of toy imaginable, and kind of reminds us of a place that would provide inspiration for a Lemony Snicket novel. Image via. Marelle For classic and quaint and some quintessential Swiss, go to Marelle. The wooden toys in the display window are enough to make your mouth drool (and your wallet thin out
24 Feb 15

Where to shop in Lausanne: Aēsop

Reminiscent of an old apothecary, the relatively new Aēsop counter in Globus has shelves of brown glass bottles that are guaranteed to provide satisfaction to even the most particular of customers.  Started by native Australian hair stylist Dennis Phaphitis in 1987, this brand has excelled even in the most economically challenging times because of its originality as well as its intentional quality and integrity. All Aēsop products are a perfect marriage of nature and science, putting efficacy at the forefront–ensuring that each customer’s need will be met regardless of who you are, where you come from, or where you’re going. We were already big fans of Aēsop; you’ll find the Resurrection hand wash in our bathroom and Rejuvenate body balm and Ginger Flight Therapy in our purse, and we’ve had our eye on this adorable travel-size kit for our next adventure away. But we were excited to learn more about
03 Feb 15

Transformation Tuesday: Chop.It.Off.

You already know how much we adore Pedro. He’s the one who transformed our friend Steph’s look last summer, and also gave one of us a killer fringe for the fall. Well our friend Eleni, who actually introduced us to Pedro, was craving a change…a major change. So naturally she went to see Pedro and you’ll never guess what she walked out of the hair salon with. Watch her transformation below: In the midst of all of the excitement (and chasing toddlers) we didn’t manage to get a final shot of E’s hair, so we just stole one from her phone instead 😉 Obsession with E’s new haircut is an understatement. We almost had Pedro shave our heads on the spot. She automatically looked more elegant, chic, and just.plain.hot. We admire her courage, and when it’s all said and done, Eleni put it very eloquently, “It’s just hair. It grows
04 Dec 14

Winter Trends 2014 with Viva Frida

We cannot stop gushing over Barbara’s new Winter 2014 collection at Viva Frida. Seriously, we wanted almost every single piece we saw/touched/tried on (and all of her clothing/accessories are dangerously affordable). Barbara has such an eye for current trends, as well as what will flatter the female figure, so we decided it was time to pay her a visit, catch up over some tea, and ultimately play a little adult game of dress up. Here are some of our faves from the afternoon: On Sarah: MbyM t-shirt, Selected skirt, Selected kimono jacket (and she’s browsing a Selected sweater) On Sarah: Selected skirt, Becksondergäard scarf, Selected cardigan On Tanya: MbyM dress, Selected cardigan, Komono watch On Sarah: Minimum sweater, leather bag by Art Reworks, necklace by Maslo On Tanya: Teddy by Selected, Necklace by Mamazoo On Tanya: Jacket cardigan by MbyM, Leather backpack by Art Reworks On Tanya: Selected skirt,
13 Oct 14

Lausanne Lifestyle: Meet Jaifa

A special thank you to our talented friend Gabriel Garcia Marengo for taking these stunning photographs. I’m not sure about you, but every once in awhile (ok, more often than not) I start to feel a bit of a fashion lull coming on.  You know, the one where you don’t feel inspired, and frankly don’t have the energy and time to put effort into your look every.single.day. When I became a mother, I hit a new low–I remember sitting with a friend for coffee and finding a stain on the jeans I was wearing (for the fifteenth time in a row) and flicking at the stain to remove most of it. I wore those jeans four more times after that before washing them. While some of you are judging, I know there are several of you that are nodding your heads in total agreement. This post is for both
24 Jun 14

Where to Chop your Locks: Meet Pedro

  We don’t know about you, but we have been on the hunt for an English-speaking, reasonably priced, trendy, and local hair stylist for quite some time. That’s why when our friend Steph confided that she wanted to chop it all off for the summer we jumped at the chance to find one here in Lausanne. We reached out to friends, paid a few salons a visit, and finally, through our good friend Eleni, we found Pedro.   Pedro claims he doesn’t speak English, but after thirty minutes of conversation, banter, and joking all in English you realize that he’s just being modest. Originally from Portugal, Pedro made the move to Switzerland many years ago and opened up the salon,  Théâtre de la Coiffure, around nine years ago. It’s a large lofty space full of natural light with an art deco feel–magnificent mirrors line the walls with thick gaudy golden frames, the work
27 May 14

Jardins des Iris: Chateau de Vullierens

It honestly felt like we were transported into a Jane Austen novel (without the angst). The property of Chateau de Vullierens is expansive and manicured; sitting atop the rolling hills and vineyards just above Morges, boasting a panoramic view of Lake Geneva and the Alps. It’s a beautiful property in its own right, but the icing on the cake is its world-renowned gardens. Every year the public has only six weeks to enjoy the beautiful gardens; from the 10th of May until June 22nd, the flowers are at their peak–vibrant colors and vast varieties of irises, lilies, roses, and peonies all emanate the fragrances of spring and summer. Not only are these gardens for flower and nature enthusiasts, but also for admirers of art. This year, the gardens have welcomed famous French sculptor Christian Lapie, who has constructed 15 major works which are exhibited throughout the gardens. These impressive sculptures
28 Apr 14

Where to Shop in Lausanne: Petit Toi

Alejandra grew up in an environment that fostered creativity. Under the watchful eye of her grandmother, she learned to appreciate colors, patterns, textures, and methods from a young age. This upbringing led her to study design, prompting a successful career in the watchmaking industry among other professional endeavors. It wasn’t until Alejandra became pregnant with her daughter (and noticed a lack of fun and creative children’s decor and accessories), that she realized she could take ownership of her ideas and create a place that ensured her visionary upbringing come into full fruition. We give you Petit Toi. If anyone has a tasteful eye, it’s Alejandra. She has not only selected some of the finest (and cutest) children’s furniture and accessories, but she has curated a space that allows you to envision your own home or nursery.  Walking through her store, it’s hard not to be swept away with the
09 Jun 13

Where to shop in Lausanne: Monsieur Alain

Urban Gentlemen of Lausanne, this one is for you! Monsieur Alain, a new men’s boutique in the Sous-Gare neighborhood brings an interesting selection of clothing and accessories from brands as far away as Japan and as close as Sweden and the UK. While inventory is quite small, we were intrigued by so much that we saw. The discerning eye and finger print of owner Alain Dovat are on each item in the store. Ask for details about a product and he will guide you through the philosophy and origins of each brand and describe why he selected it for the boutique. Fellas, when you’re in the mood to refresh your wardrobe this season, we’d recommend swinging by Monsieur Alain for items you won’t likely find anywhere else in town!
22 Apr 12

Let’s Go For A Run: Lausanne 20 KM

In the English language we have so many different phrases that involve the word ‘run’. There’s ‘running on empty’, ‘running out of time’, ‘running with a different crowd’, or ‘running for office.’ But all of these phrases avoid the true implications of the word ‘run’. What comes to mind when we isolate the word ‘run’? It becomes central, non-negotiable, and to many, it becomes a word associated with fear, dread and of course, inevitable pain. But when you ask a Lausannois about the word ‘run’, you add an entirely new element of pain: the hills. Running on a flat path is of course, still running; you have to push yourself, find your rhythm, test your endurance, and habitually train yourself to take it one stride further every time. But when you add an incline to the mix, it changes everything. The dull burn you once felt in your thighs

Living

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