EYES OPEN

EYES OPEN

to every moment's bliss

discovering worlds

whirl before me, 

dances the spirit

forever young

now is changing

I am here... then... I am there, 

and all around me life,

eyes closed seeing

inwards, 

where my inner life unfolds

illuminated vision

I... see... feel... hear

reality... with eyes open. 

Pat CLEVELAND 

In The Spirit Of Grace

La Sensation des Choses

©Sarah Mahini

La sensation des choses.

Le toucher. Sa main, douce, qui prend la mienne et son épaule robuste qu’embrassent mes lèvres. Le tissu échauffé par le soleil qui, à son tour, me réchauffe la peau encore tiède. L’espace extérieur et sa lumière chaude. Ses bancs, usés, sa table repeinte et leurs surfaces dures et rugueuses contrastées par la douceur des vieux coussins. La nuit, le moelleux du plaid, et son odeur aussi. Celle du soir et de sa magie.

Par dessus tout, les choses du dehors. Les arbres, les fleurs. Les uns immortels, les autres temporelles. Chaud, le sable, dont les grains glissent sur la main, dégringolent sur le corps et se fixent sur les pieds. La texture des rochers qui se dessine sur les baigneurs aventuriers. 

La sensation de l’eau. Fraîche et salée. Les caresses de l’écume sur les chevilles, l’éclaboussure des premières vagues puis l’eau qui enserre lascivement le corps qui nage.

S. 

A Nomad Getaway ❊

Off to the woods. 

Let's go on the road for two days getaway, with family by my side. 

Driving to the Forest of Fontainebleau to find a lovely place to stay: an authentic Mongolian yurt. 

Two days of stroll, rest, joy and tranquility. Pure happiness. 

What a great experience to spend the night in such a pretty little home behind the trees. It's been a while that I haven't sleep outside ; cannot remember the last time actually. 

The yurt is kinda magical. The adorable ethnic furnitures make you feel that you are lost somewhere in the middle of vast plains, traveling for living... It creates a special atmosphere - a boho cocoon. 

Well the night wasn't so peaceful as we got a storm, but I liked it... Perfect harmony! 

We spent the days eating well, discovering some old villages, playing and making some new family souvenirs. Priceless! 

YES! I'm officially in holidays but no travel planned for this Summer. Gonna stay in the sunny Paris setting-up a new life project. We'll talk about it soon...

* * * 

Music - AARON EMBRY, Raven's Song

Food - Cannot stop drinking cider "à la rose"

Style - Feeling comfortable in my long flowery skirt by Brandy

Book - L'Ennui, Alberto Moravia

Souvenir - A fragrance "à la rose"

Surprise - Finding an unknown cat sleeping next to me ... 

* * *

prettiest herbal tea ever

Secret Dinning

"We are all wanderers on this earth; 

our hearts are full of wonder, 

and our souls are deep with dreams."

Gypsy proverb

S. 

Photos: Sarah Mahini

DAVID HAMILTON Photography

David Hamilton is a worldwide renowned photographer. Hedonist & Provocative. Inspired by painting, Renaissance mostly, his work openned a new era. 70's freedom. Now considerate as a master by his fellows, he symbolises personally, the excellence in photography. 

Purity comes close to sensuality. Romanticism flirts with eroticism. Controversial ... definitely! Here is a world where nudity is highlighted by the natural light and the vaporous atmosphere. Where the reality stopped to give way to an eternal daydream ...  Pastel colors, lace and flowery blouses dress the young ladies. Rosebud. 

Nostalgia, delicateness, innocence are some words that come to my mind when looking at Hamilton's images. 

"Endless youth lives in them all, unchangeable as truth." John Clare

Weekend Getaway, Annecy

Early Morning Flight - Wake-up at 5am. Put 1 jeans, 3 tees, 1 dress and a few basic stuff in a suitcase. Going straight to the airport. Paris still sleeping/ empty road. 8 am, breakfast in the air ... 

Lake from the Road - Green mountains/ snow-covered top/ translucent lake ... Amazed by the landscape perfection. 

Green + Blue - Fifty shades of green vs Fifty shades of blue. Wondering each one is my favorite ... Nature & Water belong together! 

Aquatic Dream 

Lake Side Walk - Timeless, it smells like holidays. Closing my eyes, let's pretend we're lost in the middle of the 70's ... 

Vacation atmosphere! 

Lake Vagabond

Old Stone Sunshine - It's all so charming ... Stop by the canal and have a glass of lemon ice tea.  Epicureanism at the most! 

Beauty under the Bridge 

Breakfast with View - Sharing fresh orange juice and salted butter toasts with the little bro. Simple happiness, surrounded by mountains with the blue lake further down! Please, stop the time ... 

Sunday Midday - Watching a swan swimming while eating some fresh raspberries and feeling very Frenchy.

"Douceur de vivre à la française."

This time. This place - Nothing more to say.

* * * 

 JOHN LENNON, Jealous Guy // The sound of this family break! 

[S.]

Weekend Getaway, Burgundy

Tranquility & Complicity

Those two words describe perfectly my Burgundy getaway. Countryside and a great friend, what a dreamy combo! 

Donia, Semur-en-Auxois

First of all, I love travelling by trains. I mean those old trains from the 80's which reach an outdated atmosphere and where is the right place for a daydream just to look at the green landscapes and secluded villages. 

Here is my own little world: a good novel with ethereal tunes in my ears. Evasion started here below ... 

Two hours later ... Welcome to a lovely train station in the middle of nowhere, far away from the parisian bustle. Deep and long breathe ... Good morning serenity! 

Grignon

Grignon, Sunday lunch 

In Burgundy, I love: 

The horizon - The sky is immensely beautiful. Endless nothingness ...

The endless meals - Taking time to sit at the table. Just enjoying amazing food and the pleasure to be together. 

The green shading - Nature overlooks everything. Calming down! 

The simplicity - A garden, a barbecue, good people. That's it! 

The stone - In love with the old and charming stone houses which seem to be there forever. Mysterious & picturesques. 

My friend, Donia - Simply beautiful, as her region. 

Donia, Semur-en-Auxois

* * * 

Music - VONDELPARK, California Analog Dream 

Food - Violet syrup

Style - First denim on the pile/ first t-shirt caught

Book - Le sermon de la chute de Rome, Jérôme Ferrari

A place - The little craggy streets of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain

Souvenir - The wild feathers gather up by Donia to complete my collection

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain

Here is some words which illustrate perfectly those days ... 

Always live for the little things in life. 

Live for 5am sunrises and 5pm sunsets, where you’ll see colors in the sky that don’t usually belong. 

Live for road trips and bike rides with music in your ears and the wind in your hair.

Live for the days when you’re surrounded by your favorite people who make you realize that the world is not a cold, hush place. 

Live for the little things because they will make you realize that this is what life is about, this is what it means to be alive. 

[S.]