He recently opened his first store, BLUE CARREON HOME, in Manila, to great fanfare, where he is graciously hosting a KOTUR trunk show later this week. With much anticipation, Blue also just completed his fabulous coffee table book, “Conversations: Up Close and Personal with Icons of Fashion, Interior Design, and Art”.

“Conversation should touch everything, but should concentrate on nothing.” according to one of the world’s late great conversationalists, Oscar Wilde.

I admit to being completely devoted to Blue’s Huffington Post , “Conversations with…” series, hooked from the very first published piece.  Yes, the insights are inspiring, informative, and sometime amusing… but what’s more is that each  interview feels like excerpts  from the unpublished memoirs of the most stylish and  creative minds.

When Blue first asked me to participate in  “A Conversation With”, I felt thrilled, and honored… and a bit unworthy to join such prestigious creators from the worlds of interior and fashion design, art, photography, and literature.  Nevertheless, I had a ball with the questions- so seemingly simple, yet fun to answer and unquestionably insightful.  I, of course, had definite opinions for every question, from what “women should always” do (handwritten notes!) to what “men should never” do, (never go more than a week without calling your mother!), answered from as much the perspective of mother of four boys, as of designer.  I love that the questions intersected all corners of life,   and what’s more, I love reading everyone else’s responses.

Blue and I first met in Hong Kong ten years ago, through an editorial assignment when Blue was with Tatler. He has remained a dear friend, and in addition, I am his great admirer. His talents are many and diverse, as is his innate sense of style which permeates everything he touches- from his writing, to his interior design. Beyond this, I also adore and respect his soft spoken charm, the gracious way he leads his life,  and his quest for beauty in everything he does. Along with being a great journalist, perhaps it is Blue’s kind and disarming nature that allow such interesting, and even revealing answers, to reach the surface…

Perhaps the best conversations are the ones that are overheard, or seemingly that way. I remember the very first interview with Ines de la Fressange, and her cryptic but evocative answer with regard to her mother – it still has me wondering.  And how reflective of  each designer’s personal style, that Herve van der Streten believes “Nature will have the last word”, while John Varvatos says, in the end,  “it’s only rock and roll, and I like it”!

Jean Cocteau wrote, “Style is a simple way of saying complicated things”, and perhaps Blue knows this best. Revealed, through a menu of simple questions, are inspirations, and revelations… all delivered plain or spicy, but always with more than  a dash of chic.

Pre-order Blue’s book now: http://www.amazon.com/Conversations-Personal-Fashion-Interior-Design/dp/1629145475

Blue Carreon Home: http://bluecarreonhome.com/

As a one of UK’s best respected and most well known yoga teachers as well as an all round expert on a holistic

approach to health and life, Nadia Narain is a woman that the likes of Kate Moss, Liberty Ross, Rachel Weisz and Gwyneth Paltrow have all turned to when they need a bit of calm. A certified yoga maestro known for her down to earth approach, she has also recently launched her own collection of candles, designed to elicit a little calm from hectic lives. Here, she shares her five easy ways to improve our quality of life and take a little time out. 

 

Nadia Narain’s Five Easy Steps to improve your life: 

The five simple ways i keep myself feeling my best are down to:  food, gratitude, sleep, exercise and relaxation

 

Food: I love eating well. Last week I did a 3 day juice fast and although it was a bit challanging at times, it felt amazing. I cut out all sugar, caffeine and just stuck to my juice delivery every day. I felt so light and full of energy with no more 4 pm slump and now that I’m back to eating, I still haven’t had any tea or chocolate! 

 

Gratitude: I’ve been doing a practice for the last few years which is to wake up every morning and be grateful for everything I have and do the same thing every night. Sometimes when I’m down I find it more challenging, but I still do it anyway, starting with the most simple things; a warm bed, a home, friends, family and the list always grows. It’s a great way to wake up and to go to sleep every night.

 

Sleep: I love my sleep, but I do notice that if I go to bed by 11, I have a much better nights sleep and always wake up feeling good. Of course, that can’t always be the case when you go out or to dinners, but when I’m home, if I get to bed by 10.30 I’m in heaven with a book and a cup of camomile tea!

 

Exercise: As a yoga teacher I move my body often,
but one of my favourite things is going for a walk in the morning around the park. I love it, especially this summer in london…….its been so beautiful.  Now it’s getting cold and wet again, its more indoor yoga! I also go to an Xbar class once a week and that always puts me in a good mood.

 

Relaxation:  It’s hard for me to find the balance, and I’m always doing so much, so sometimes to just sit and look at a magazine or watch a show is good for me. I try and meditate every morning and one of my favourite things at the end of a day of teaching is my bath. I light my peace candles, put my oils in and soak. I usually get my best inspiration in the bath so I also keep a little piece of paper and pen on the floor to write any thoughts down.

 

 

www.nadianarain.com 

 

Portrait by Christina Wilson www.christinawilson.co.uk

 

Bonus: Mind + Body yoga video 

Barneby Gates: This design duo are known for their quirky take on British insignia and heritage chic. Classic with a twist, their designs are often humorous, come in beautiful rich colours and are particularly fabulous with metallic touches that would provide just a tweak of rock and roll to your home. www.barnebygates.com

Turner Pocock Cazalet: If you’re after standout colours and whimsical, graphic designs, then Turner Pocock Cazalet might be just the ticket for you. From cricket bats to zebras, tennis rackets to owls, their statement papers prove a talking point and deliver something fresh and new. www.turnerpocockcazalet.com

Cole and Son: This British wallpaper maker has long been the place to look for statement making prints. Their palm fronds, flamingos and collaborations with Vivienne Westwood prove firm favorites time and again – giving a modern vintage feel to the rooms they are used in.  www.cole-and-son.com

Images: 1-5 Barneby Gates, 6-10 Turner Pocock Cazalet, 11-15 Cole and Son

One of the first things Evelyn did on moving into 126 South Ocean Boulevard was to paint the hallway sunshine yellow (Estée had fashioned it in greyish beige.) As seen in these pictures, shot for Architectural Digest, a renovation in conjunction with New York interior designer Thad Hayes saw elements of the house revamped under Evelyn’s eye, whilst still keeping the spirit of both Estée’s original design and the house’s history. The candy pink chairs out on the lawn were originally Estee’s, the hand painted Chinoiserie wallpaper in the dining room is a reproduction of the original, even the stove and fridge were restored to keep the lovely retro kitchen, but the house is also littered with Evelyn’s much loved Asian artifacts and touches of Oriental design – as seen in the sun room, a vision of bamboo and blue and white Brunschwig and Fils print. Whether seen through the prism of Estée’s stewardship or Evelyn’s, the house bears testament to a bygone era of glamour and the Lauder family’s particular brand of chic. Call it retro, call it Palm Beach classic, call it old fashion opulence, call it what you will – it looked damn good then, and still does now.

Click through our gallery above for images.

Pictures:

126 Ocean Boulevard Drive

Estée Lauder in her Palm Beach Dining Room, Town & Country March 1974

The hallway, facade, Florida Room, the kitchen, the revamped dining room and oceanfront terrace all shot by Scott Frances for Architectural Digest http://www.architecturaldigest.com/AD100/2010/thad_hayes/hayes_article_112000

Evelyn Lauder in the hallway, the screening room featuring Leonard Lauder’s collection of vintage posters on the walls, Evelyn Lauder on the steps of the house, all shot by Douglas Friedman for Harpers Bazaar http://www.harpersbazaar.com/magazine/feature-articles/evelyn-lauder-interview

1. Song to get everyone Dancing: Daft Punk, Get Lucky from Random Access Memories

https://itunes.apple.com/hk/album/random-access-memories/id617154241?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

2. Songs for a beach barbeque: Searching for Sugarman Soundtrack from the movie ‘Searching for Sugarman’ by Rodriguez

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/searching-for-sugar-man-original/id538121204

3. Song to watch the sun go down to:  Young and Beautiful (off the excellent  Great Gatsby soundtrack) by Lana Del Rey

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/young-and-beautiful/id635515681?i=635515877

4. Song to listen to by the pool:  Poolside’s cover of Neil Young’s ‘harvest moon’ from their album Standard Pacific Time

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pacific-standard-time/id543346603

5. Song to drive to the beach to: The Rolling Stones’ Beast of Burden, in homage to their upcoming turn at Glastonbury

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jump-back-best-rolling-stones/id326873569

6. Song to get ready to go out to: Ladyhawke’s Back of the Van from her album Ladyhawke

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/ladyhawke/id291370087

1. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Lobster Club Salad

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

2. ʹ21ʹ Endive, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

A head red leaf lettuce, washed and dried
4 large Belgian endive heads, cut lengthwise into julienne strips
A cup shelled walnut halves, toasted at 250 degrees for 15 minutes
A cup shallot and Champagne vinaigrette (see below for recipe)
1 cup chunked Roquefort or other blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Garnish: 2 fresh, ripe tomatoes, sliced

Method:

Place several lettuce leaves on four plates. Toss the julienned endive with the toasted walnuts.

Combine the vinaigrette with the cheese, and mix with the endive and toasted walnuts.

Divide among the four plates. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon chives on each serving.

Garnish with fresh, ripe tomato slices.

Champagne Vinaigrette (makes 1 quart)

Ingredients:

1 cup shallots (peeled, hand minced)
1/4 cup honey
1 cup Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup Champagne
1 cup canola oil
1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup *fine herbs (fresh minced chervil, chive, and tarragon, equal amounts)
Salt to taste

Method:

In non‐reactive bowl, add shallots, honey, Champagne vinegar and Champagne.

Mix together and stream in oil while whisking together.

Finish with salt, cayenne and fine herbs. Serve immediately.

*Once herbs are added, this has a 15‐minute shelf life before herbs go bad. So herbs can be added in smaller batches throughout service.

Taken from The ’21′ Club Cookbook available on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385475705

1. 3. Ottolenghi’s Tomato and Pomegranate Salad with Garlic Dressing

Serves four

200g red cherry tomatoes, cut into ½cm dice
200g yellow cherry tomatoes, cut into ½cm dice
200g tiger (or plum) tomatoes, cut into ½cm dice
4 medium vine tomatoes, cut into ½cm dice (500g net)
1 red pepper, cut into ½ cm dice (120g net)
1 small red onion, finely diced (120g net)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground allspice
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
60ml olive oil, plus a little extra to drizzle at the end
1 pomegranate, seeds removed (170g of seeds)
1 tbsp picked small oregano leaves, to garnish
Salt and black pepper

In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, red pepper and onion and set aside.
In a small bowl whisk the garlic, allspice, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, and 1/3rd teaspoon of salt, until well combined. Pour this over the tomatoes and gently mix.
Arrange the tomatoes and the juices on a large flat plate. Sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and oregano and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Taken from Ottolenghi http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/tomato-and-pomegranate-salad-with-garlic-dressing

—————————

London

Hotel – I tend not to stay in hotels in London but Claridges was where I spent the first night of my honeymoon and I remember booking a room at the Savoy for Valentines Day which had been used by Monet to sketch the Thames. Both are grand, historical, sumptuous and beautiful. A surprise choice would be Shoreditch House in East London – it’s well priced, stylishly functional rooms come with access to the club for breakfast and the rooftop pool.

Shop – Aside from galleries, bookshops are places I love to spend time in and Cecil Court just off St Martin’s Lane is still the best place in the age of Amazon. My favourite shop used to be Red Snapper – I bought most of my Ballard collection from them and a whole host of Sixties psychedelic stuff. I still regret not buying an entire collection of Oz magazine, and now they’ve closed down. So instead, for well-priced modern first editions, Tindley and Chapman is the place to browse. The other really great antiquarian bookshop in London, out along the Fulham Road, is Peter Harrington.

Restaurant – Sheekeys always feels special and has a timelessness to it; St John’s remains a knock-out. The pig’s cheeks and bone-marrow are the stand-out dishes for me, but I’ll eat anything Fergus Henderson cooks, and he’s cooked pretty much all parts of most animals. My new discovery down in Bermondsey near White Cube’s new gallery is Pizzarro, a Spanish restaurant with seriously good food.

——————————————
Hong Kong

Hotel – I tend to stay at the Four Seasons because it’s right opposite the gallery and has a great view and a great pool but my favourite Hong Kong hotel is definitely the Upper House. There’s something unbelievably decadent and primal at the same time about lying in a bath looking out over a city, and every room has this possibility.

Restaurant – Sushi Sase on Hollywood Road is excellent, discreet and very accomplished, but for Cantonese food, which I have to eat in Hong Kong, the best I’ve yet encountered is the Tung Po Seafood Restaurant with it’s formica tables, plastic chairs, neon lighting, cacophanous noise verging on chaos and mountains of unbelievably tasty food. For some reason the soft shell crab sticks in my mind but not my throat – all of which makes it almost perfect.

Shop – I’ve not really done much shopping in Hong Kong, which is odd given its mercantile past. The Malls are substantial and have most of what you might need but are utterly soulless. Having said that, there’s a wonderful tailor called Jimmy who has a small outlet at Admiralty Mall who makes shirts for me that are as good as any I’ve ever bought. I’m fascinated by the cookery utensil shops but haven’t yet summoned the nerve to try and take a couple of meat machetes home in my luggage.

—————————————–

Sao Paulo

Hotel – The best hotel in the city, some say in South America, is the Fasano and I’ve enjoyed the odd night there but by some twist of fate when the Fasano had overbooked they found me a room at the Unique and that’s where I now always stay. It’s faintly ludicrous – designed by Ruy Ohtake and looking like a vast hole-filled hammock from a distance, everything about it verges on being over-designed and yet it’s light and spacious and has the most wonderful (decent-sized) rooftop pool by which you can eat breakfast looking back over the city one way and over Ibirapuera Park the other.

Restaurant – It’s got to be those three letters currently at number six on the World’s Best Restaurant list – d.o.m. – where the chef Alex Atala justifies the hype and the price. I once lost part of a filling there but that was probably through eating with too much gusto rather than any reflection on the food. At the other end of the food chain, there’s an unremarkable looking coffee shop across the road from the Unique Hotel where I always buy a milky coffee and a pastry after a run in the park. Standing out in the sun by the awning there makes me almost as happy as eating a gourmet meal.

Shop – The stalls outside the Museum of Football at the legendary Estadio do Pacaembu are a must. When in Brazil, you buy football kit for your sons and nephews … well, I pretty well always do. Better still, go to a game and watch Corinthians.

www.whitecube.com

Pictures:

LONDON: White Cube Bermondsey, Jac Leirner, Cartoon nº 2 2012 Mixed media 48 1/16 x 14 9/16 x 3 9/16 in. (122 x 37 x 9 cm) © the artist currently on show at White Cube Bermondsey and Julie Mehretu, Mogamma, A Painting in Four Parts, 2012 Ink and acrylic on canvas 180 x 144 in. (457.2 x 365.8 cm) © the artist Photo: Ben Westoby, Courtesy White Cube and currently on show at White Cube Bermondsey, Claridges Hotel, J Sheekey’s restaurant and Peter Harrington Rare Books.

HONG KONG: Jake and Dinos Chapman, The Sum of all Evil, 2012-2013 Fibreglass, plastic and mixed media in four vitrines 84 5/8 x 50 11/16 x 98 3/8 in. (215 x 128.7 x 249.8 cm) © Jake and Dinos Chapman Photo: Ben Westoby Courtesy White Cube and currently on show at White Cube Hong Kong, the Upper House Hotel.

SAO PAOLO: Mark Bradford, Thievery by Servants, 2013, Mixed media collage on wood, frame, Overall dimensions: 118 x 358 in. (299.7 x 909.3 cm) 50 panels, each: 21 5/8 x 33 7/8 in. (55 x 86 cm) © Mark Bradford, Photo: Joshua White Courtesy Mark Bradford and  White Cube and currently on show at White Cube Sao Paolo, Unique Hotel Sao Paolo, and d.o.m. restaurant.

Yardbird’s Signature Cocktail: Chu Hi

INGREDIENTS:

 - 90 milliliters Sengetsu Kawabe Kome Shochu, Measured

- 90 milliliters Squeezed Grapefruit, Squeezed

METHOD:

1. Fill 300 mL glass with ice

2. Measure 90 mL Sengetsu Kawabe Kome Shochu into glass

3. Place glass under juicer and fill with the juice of 1/2 – 1 grapefruit

Lindsay Jang Answers Kotur’s Questions:

Why do people love your Chu Hi cocktail? 

What makes a great restaurant and / or Bar?

Amazing food and great hospitality.

What are some of your favourite bars and restaurants around the world?

Yakitori Totto, Balthazar and La Esquina in NY are all excellent, and I love any brasserie in Paris. All the outdoor, healthy spots in LA are great; basically I love any establishment with good quality product and a fun environment. I like to explore and try new spots.

Growing up the youngest of six sisters (her brother, Tom, was killed in the war,) Debo had an idyllic, bucolic old fashioned English childhood in Gloucestershire. Soon, however, theirs was a family that grabbed headlines. Her sister Unity became famous for supporting Hitler during the war, the eldest, Diana, a renowned beauty, married Oswald Moseley, head of Britain’s Fascist Party, and ended up interned in prison for the duration of the conflict, whilst Nancy wrote novels closely parodying her family (The Pursuit of Love, Love in a Cold Climate,) and Jessica, (or ‘Decca’) eloped, joining the Spanish Civil war before becoming a Communist and an author. Debo followed the least shocking route, marrying the dashing Andrew Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, a man who inherited both his title and the beautiful and extremely sprawling Chatsworth Estate that went with it after his older brother Billy was killed in the war.

The Duchess and her Duke soon set about reviving Chatsworth, a neo Classical splendour perched in the middle of the Lake District, and on the edge of the River Derwent. They inherited a 297 room pile deeply in debt and struggling to survive, and transformed it into a thriving business with 600,000 visitors a year. With it’s rambling parkland, exquisite interiors and extraordinary Old Master’s collection, the house quickly became a must see in Britain, and with it’s fame, rose that of it’s Chateleine, too. Known for her wit, the circles she ran in and her English sense of style, the Duchess herself became almost as famous as the house she ran. An author of several books (her latest, Wait for Me, is her memoirs,) hers is a life full of stories. She danced with Kennedy, knows the Queen, was photographed by Cecil Beaton, has been shot for Vogue, is a huge fan of Elvis, loves keeping chickens and was painted by her good friend Lucien Freud.

Today, her son having moved into the big house following her husband’s death in 2004, The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire lives on the Chatsworth Estate, in the Old Vicarage at Edensor, about a mile down the road. Photographed for W Magazine by Simon Upton, who she also collaborated with on a beautiful book on the estate, the heavenly house is in some ways an homage to her life. Apple green hallways, a sitting room full of books, pale pink bathrooms, walls chock full of prints, a garden full of chickens and a heavenly blue and white dining room are all perfectly imperfect, full of the stories of a very full life. Stuffed full of collected artworks and nick nacks (there’s room for a picture of Elvis, her ultimate hero, on the mantlepiece in her Drawing room still today,) her nest displays colour and charm in equal and plentiful parts. Much like the lady herself.

Pictures: All photographs by Simon Upton as featured in W Magazine

http://www.wmagazine.com/artdesign/archive/home_devonshire

Find The Duchess of Devonshire’s books here:

http://www.amazon.com/Wait-Me-Memoirs-Deborah-Mitford/dp/B00969INPU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368589055&sr=8-2&keywords=duchess+of+devonshire

http://www.amazon.com/Chatsworth-House-Dowager-Duchess-Devonshire/dp/0711216754/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1368589062&sr=8-5&keywords=duchess+of+devonshire

Under the tagline of ‘Why be boring?’ hers is a curated sale full of vintage tabletop pieces, murano glass ashtrays, chinoiserie rugs, lovely prints, chandeliers and so much more that would all chic up any home any day. If eclectic is what you’re looking for, take your pick.

Check out our gallery of favourite pieces from the sale.

Shop it here https://www.onekingslane.com/sales/21179

All pictures from One Kings Lane