My last post before Christmas and something a little bit different!
I asked the wonderful Celina of ByCelina.com if she would answer a few Christmassy questions as I am such a fan of her blog. Her style is just so chic and her blog is always so positive... it's my little escape read when the weather is miserable in the UK.
Hope you enjoy the read...
Where are the ultimate places to shop in Monaco at Christmas?
Monaco is very small so there aren't too many places to choose from. The ultimate place to shop in Monaco at Christmas is the Metropole shopping Centre where you can find a great mix of both affordable and luxury brands. Last time I went shopping there I sat next to the lovely Princess Charlene whilst having a quick lunch and they go to great lengths to decorate the store over Christmas and it really feels like being inside a
jewellery box.
jewellery box.
Depending on which doors you use to exit the shopping centre you either come out just below Boulevard des Moulins which also offer some really great boutique stores or you exit onto the casino square around which all the big fashion and luxury houses including Chanel, Céline, Hermès and Cartier have set up camp.
Favourite thing about spending Christmas in Monaco?
Favourite thing about spending Christmas in Monaco?
I have never actually spent Christmas in Monaco, but the pre Christmas period is lovely. Monaco is second to none when it comes to decorating itself and they really do all they can to get people in the Christmas spirit. The Christmas fair is pulled together from all over Europe and all the public spaces have ornate Christmas decorations alongside the palm trees.
Where do you shop online for last-minute gifts?
Where do you shop online for last-minute gifts?
I have many favourite online stores, but for last minute gift shopping I'd say Net-a-porter, MyTheresa and Mr.Porter are the best for very nice gifts. For smaller beauty gifts I always turn to FeelUnique. I have a whole page dedicated to my favourite online shops, which you can see here: http://bycelina.com/the-big-list-of-online-clothing-stores/
What would you buy for a fellow fashionista this year?
What would you buy for a fellow fashionista this year?
I would either buy something sparkly for the festive season or something metallic like a metallic clutch for the upcoming season. I actually just came across a gorgeous slouchy foil "paper bag" clutch in Nastygal which I loved!
What are you hoping for in 2013?
What are you hoping for in 2013?
We are getting a flat in London next year in which we are planning on spending the winter time, so I hope I will meet lots of lovely people and that we will be happy there. I am very excited about it, and I have a feeling it will be amazing as I've always wanted to live in a big city.
My sister will have her first child next year as well, so I hope everything will go smoothly during the birth and that I get to see them lots throughout the year. Luckily Norway is only an hour away :)
Your favourite part of the festive season?
My favourite part of the festive season is that it is the best opportunity of the year for everyone to get all dressed up and enjoy the festivities together as family and friends without work or any other distractions to get in the way. I love that!
How will you be spending Christmas Day?
How will you be spending Christmas Day?
Like last year I will be spending Christmas Day in LA which is such a cool city. We are still trying to figure out where we are going to go afterwards for New Year. So far we are looking into Vegas for New Years and then New York for the sales! We are still working on our plans though so we could end up doing something completely different. Whatever happens I think it will be a great couple of weeks!
Thanks soooo much Celina for the lovely interview. Here are a few of my favourite blog posts on ByCelina.com that you should have a read of!
Celina's makeup collection - We all love a makeup collection post and this is definitely one to drool over.
Linus' Travel Diaries - A blog post wrote by Linus.... Celina's 6 month Pomeranian puppy, of course!
Smokey Eyes - Celina has so many great eye makeup tutorials that I couldn't pick one so here is the tag to all the tutorials.
I hope you have enjoyed this different sort of post and found a lovely new blog to follow!
I wish you all a wonderful Christmas day tomorrow full of family & friends, love, food and lots of presents... Fee xo.
Thanks soooo much Celina for the lovely interview. Here are a few of my favourite blog posts on ByCelina.com that you should have a read of!
Celina's makeup collection - We all love a makeup collection post and this is definitely one to drool over.
Linus' Travel Diaries - A blog post wrote by Linus.... Celina's 6 month Pomeranian puppy, of course!
Smokey Eyes - Celina has so many great eye makeup tutorials that I couldn't pick one so here is the tag to all the tutorials.
I hope you have enjoyed this different sort of post and found a lovely new blog to follow!
I wish you all a wonderful Christmas day tomorrow full of family & friends, love, food and lots of presents... Fee xo.
This is another lady that some how manages to post upto 8 posts a day AND hold down a full time job!
But I'm not complaining as I love keeping up to date with the latest celebrity & fashion news with Fashion Foie Gras!
How will you be spending Christmas?
I'll be home in the US with my family and friends. And while there I'll be shopping like a mad woman. I am a big fan of the post-Christmas sales. I actually map out my route the morning after to hit all the best bits!
I'll be home in the US with my family and friends. And while there I'll be shopping like a mad woman. I am a big fan of the post-Christmas sales. I actually map out my route the morning after to hit all the best bits!
What do you want for Christmas this year?
Oh, there are so many items I'm wishing for this year. Let's hope I'm on Santa's nice list. If I unwrapped a Chanel 2.55 or a Yves Saint Laurent ring I wouldn't complain. I'm really hoping for a few Apple products (for blogging purposes) and a new SLR camera as well. Although I think those are treats I'll be buying myself. Anything cashmere from Ralph Lauren, Zadig & Voltaire or Stella McCartney would fill my heart with joy!
What is your best festive memory?
Sitting with my three brothers the evening we all arrived after having flown home from London, Italy, Germany and California. We all sat around drinking by the fire and catching up on what we had all been doing to cause trouble in our home countries. My mom and dad looked so happy seeing us all together again. You can't beat family on the holidays. For some it's the worst part, for me it means everything.
Who would you love to have as a Christmas-lunch guest(s)?
Well, if you could arrange for Robert Redford (c.1970) to show up at my dinner table we wouldn't really need anyone else. In all honesty, I'll have exactly who I want at my Christmas lunch this year - my family.
Gift giving is so much better than receiving. I love giving personal gifts. I used to be really into putting together elaborate photo collages of magnificent memories captured on film. Now I love giving items that will help people capture their own memories- flip cameras, digital cameras or ipads with music that takes you back to a certain place or time.
The Family Stone has become our family favourite. It is my family. It's scary how much so.
Where do you go last-minute gift shopping?
Wherever is open. If it's last minute you don't usually have a lot of options. I've been known to do emergency runs to Walmart at 1am the morning of Christmas!
Wherever is open. If it's last minute you don't usually have a lot of options. I've been known to do emergency runs to Walmart at 1am the morning of Christmas!
Christmas music (and I sometimes listen to it in the middle of June if I need a pick-me-up).
And how will you relax when it's all over?
Leftovers!
Leftovers!
I love reading Modestybrown.com
it's the polar opposite of my own blog but that why I like it!
Plus by the look of Jane's skillz in the above picture we definitely don't have to worry about her photoshopping anything!
How will you be spending Christmas?
I’m not really sure yet. We usually have to do a bit of touring around before or after Christmas as my family is not close by. I’m hoping that we will be in our own house on Christmas morning at least. There’s something quite special about waking up in your own bed on Christmas day. I have three small children and I really enjoy their excitement. I’m hoping to get some stockings for the end of their beds this year.
What do you want for Christmas this year?
World Peace? On a more selfish note, I’m hanging out my stocking for a Tom Ford Lipstick. I have a Julie Hewett palette on my list too; the Hue eyeshadow in Mystere looks beautiful and I’m rather tempted by the Cheekies.
I’d also love a bottle of Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge. As it’s £90 a go and I don’t have a Sugar Daddy, I think I’ll probably go wanting. I’ve mentioned it in my letter to Father Christmas all the same!
What is your best festive memory?
I remember when I was very small waking up to find sooty footprints from the chimney to the tree. I was so excited! I look back on it particularly fondly as it must have taken my parents ages to do it. I often wish I could recapture that feeling of magic at Christmas.
There’s also a funny story about a nativity play and a pair of stocking. Probably best kept to myself though!
Who would you love to have as a Christmas-lunch guest(s)?
My fantasy dinner guests would probably be Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. I would pump Stephen for interesting fact whilst I forced Hugh to assume his role as House. Having watched Jeeves and Wooster who would have believed Hugh could do sexy. Or is that just me?
What is your favourite gifts to give...And to receive?
I love buying beauty products. I don’t suppose that’s very surprising! Last year I made gift baskets for the ladies in the family and included lots of different toiletries and cosmetics. I really enjoyed shopping around for the best deals so that I could get as much as possible for my budget. It’s the sort of thing I would love to receive myself. I do have to remind myself frequently that not everyone is as fond of makeup and beauty products as I am though!
I really like receiving things that I feel are too decadent to buy for myself. If I keep dropping hints about Tom Ford, maybe it will happen…
Any favourite Christmas movies?
I’m secretly a big kid and I love Christmas films. Some of my favourites are The Muppets Christmas Carol and Santa Claus: The Movie. Weirdly, Flash Gordon makes me feel quite festive. This was one of our regular “Christmas” films when I was at Primary School. Interesting choice….
It’s probably a good job I love Christmas films. My children are unhindered by seasonal viewing rules and they regularly watch Christmas DVDs all year round. We’ve had Mickey’s Magical Christmas on a few times this week.
Where do you go last-minute gift shopping?
Would you be surprised if I said Boots? I love the selection of gifts in Boots. I’m especially partial to the 3 for 2 offers as they tend to include childrens’ toys as well as toiletries. It’s very handy for topping up your Advantage points too.
I also tend to head for Waterstones. Most of my family are avid readers and I love browsing for books. When I get stuck for Dad presents in particular, I think books are the way to go!
Your favourite part of the festive season.
I think my favourite part is probably the run up to Christmas. I love the dark evenings with all the festive lights on and the general buzz of excitement. I love Christmas Eve, though I’d give anything not to wrap presents. I used to get my Sister to do it for me. She makes presents look beautiful whereas my wrapping is purely functional. If you could pay someone to do it for you, I’d be all over it!
And how will you relax when it's all over?
There’s not usually much opportunity to relax as we chase around visiting friends and family. I do hope to have a nice, quiet sit down with a mince pie and a glass of wine. Maybe I’ll even get chance to paint my nails…..
Mouldy Fruit is another favourite blog that I like to read daily. Zara always seems to make me aware of products I've never tried before and I can't be help be jealousy of dark eyes and lovely skin.
She also definitely knows her stuff which I love!
How will you be spending Christmas?
Christmas is always pretty much the same for me, Christmas morning is spent opening presents in front of the fire, with some cheesy Christmas movie on in the background. We all sit around in our dressing gowns with a cuppa till around midday. In the afternoon my mums two sisters come over and then its festive fun, big Xmas lunch, lots of food and lots of laughs with my favourite people. Me and my family are all so close and Christmas is just another excuse to get together and have a good time.
What do you want for Christmas this year?
To be honest there isn't much I want, I just celebrated my birthday in November and got lots of goodies. So there's nothing on my list although I am very welcome to surprises haha!
What is your best festive memory?
It has to be from around 3 years ago when my mum and dad came in with these huge boxes and were like oh these are presents from Trevor (A family friend) me and my bro were thinking what the hell are these.. unwrapped them to find a brown box, opened the brown box to find my Macbook from my mum and dad they did the same for my bro. It was so random and very much appreciated, just remember me and my bro being so much in shock as it was unexpected.
Last year my Fiance did the same thing and disguised my gift in another shaped box and inside were a pair of Christian Louboutins! Those moments are definitely cherished and looked back on with a smile!
There was also the year that I spent Christmas in Mauritius in a hotel and father Christmas came on a speed boat, NOW that was RANDOM! It didn't really feel right being on a beach at Christmas, although I wasn't complaining!
Who would you love to have as a Christmas-lunch guest(s)?
I think my lot are loud and crazy enough that no one else would want to be a guest haha!
What is your favourite gifts to give...And to receive?
I love to give, especially presents that surprise.. I am quite thoughtful and enjoy giving really personalised presents. I think people forget how attentive I am, so it's great to see their reactions.
Any favourite Christmas movies?
It has to be Home Alone 1 and 2, me and my bro watch it every year and it NEVER gets old. Everything about it gets me in the mood for festive fun. I also love Jingle all the way these are films that we grew up to and we can sit for hours re watching them!
Where do you go last-minute gift shopping?
Lakeside shopping centre!! I remember last year I left all of my shopping till Christmas Eve, I sometimes think I work better under pressure. Well no one disliked their gifts so I must have done good ;)
Your favourite part of the festive season.
Being with loved ones, eating loads and watching cheesy TV! Then again nothing beats Christmas mornings unwrapping presents!
And how will you relax when it's all over?
Someone will always get given a DVD so probably watching movies, continuing the eating and wearing new Pyjamas (I am sure everyone receives PJs at Christmas!)
Christmas Kisses :) xx
I still haven't sussed out how Charlotte manages to post so many lovely & interesting posts on Lipglossiping.com
whilst tweeting, looking after her cute little toddler AND fixing computers!
This lady is a genius and was also kind enough to indulge in my love of Christmas and answer afew questions.
How will you be spending Christmas?
Preferably off my face on a potent mix of Baileys and Schnapps... though not at the same time, that’s just disgusting.
What do you want for Christmas this year?
Oh... gosh, everything I see at the minute. I’d really like a very posh lipstick, one of those ones that you can’t buy yourself without gut-wrenching guilt. Chanel’s Christmas stuff is lighting me up... the Ombre D’eau in Splash and the palette are calling to me. Loudly. Non makeup stuff... I’m hankering after a macro lens.
What is your best festive memory?
I grew up in a huge 9 bedroomed town house in Portsmouth, we weren’t posh – it was slowly falling apart but it provided proper Victorian-esque Christmases: open fires, grandiose staircases with proper brass stair rods and banisters to wrap with holly. We weren’t a huge family... but my Mother would take in all our friends like stray cats and the place was forever filled with commotion, laughter and arguments over what to watch on telly.
It’s since been converted into flats and I had a sneaky visit a few years back when one of the flats was put up for sale. 20 years later it’s still my dream to buy it all back and convert it into a huge family home again.
Who would you love to have as a Christmas-lunch guest(s)?
Joe Strummer, Jamie Oliver (for the cooking), Ian Brown, My Nan (when she was my age), Nick Brandt, Bill Murray, Dame Diana Rigg, Maurice Moss (Richard Ayoade won’t do), Janis Joplin and Mr. L (for the washing up).
I’m gonna need a bigger table.
What is your favourite gifts to give...And to receive?
Ones that are appreciated!
Any favourite Christmas movies?
Christmas isn’t Christmas without A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Frog Song and Gremlins. I fervently avoid A Christmas Carol (and any Scrooge-related adaptations). Bah Humbug.
Where do you go last-minute gift shopping?
If it’s too late for Amazon next day delivery then there’s only one place for it. Asda.
Your favourite part of the festive season.
The bit between opening pressies and eating Christmas Dinner. Everyone is still full of enthusiasm for the day and it’s the only time in the year you’re actually encouraged to drink alcohol before lunchtime.
And how will you relax when it's all over?
We usually go walking/geocaching in the New Forest for some quiet time after the rush is over.
Today I've got a lovely interview with the beautiful Ruth Crilly from www.amodelrecommends.com for you all!
But what's even better than that - it's about my favourite subject, Christmas!
How will you be spending Christmas?
I haven't yet decided - it's always very last minute. Ideally it would
be on a hot beach, although I've never done Christmas abroad before - I think I'd miss the atmosphere!
What do you want for Christmas this year?
Oooooh, now that's a question... I'd love some TIME! A few extra hours
in the working day?! I'm slightly obsessed with getting a cat at the moment,
although Mr AMR doesn't know that - and anyway, pets for Christmas are a bad idea!
What is your best festive memory?
The Christmas that I got a Sylvanian Families Bakery was a good one -
and that was only last year! Hahaha....
Who would you love to have as a Christmas-lunch guest(s)?
Henry VIII and all six wives - now THAT
would be a conversation stopper!
I haven't yet decided - it's always very last minute. Ideally it would
be on a hot beach, although I've never done Christmas abroad before - I think I'd miss the atmosphere!
What do you want for Christmas this year?
Oooooh, now that's a question... I'd love some TIME! A few extra hours
in the working day?! I'm slightly obsessed with getting a cat at the moment,
although Mr AMR doesn't know that - and anyway, pets for Christmas are a bad idea!
What is your best festive memory?
The Christmas that I got a Sylvanian Families Bakery was a good one -
and that was only last year! Hahaha....
Who would you love to have as a Christmas-lunch guest(s)?
Henry VIII and all six wives - now THAT
would be a conversation stopper!
What is your favourite gifts to give...And to receive?
I just like giving gifts in general, but I love it when I've found
something really special to give - I had a phase of making up photo albums
for people, but that's very time-consuming!
Any favourite Christmas movies?
Best ever Christmas Movie: Home Alone. For the soundtrack,
for that huge house, for the part where the burglars get
covered in tar and feathers, for the tear-jerking part where the parents come home.
Where do you go last-minute gift shopping?
Last year I did most of it online, but was still ordering
off Amazon on the 23rd! There's always that last-minute mad-dash to Tesco
where you buy a load of crap - this year I'm going to buy a load of Naked Orange
Blossom Body Washes and some orange ribbon and tissue to wrap them and give those as emergency
gifts! £3.99, natural, and so much better than some awful bubble bath set that's basically just
washing-up liquid!
Your favourite part of the festive season.
Christmas Eve. Without a doubt. I always get quite tipsy on Christmas Eve,
but Christmas Day everyone's always falling asleep and it's an anticlimax!
And how will you relax when it's all over?
Relax? What's that?! I'll be writing reviews and recording video by Boxing Day!
I must say a big thank you to Ruth for sharing her festive-ness with us all and ofcourse admitting she still likes Sylvanian Families!
I just like giving gifts in general, but I love it when I've found
something really special to give - I had a phase of making up photo albums
for people, but that's very time-consuming!
Any favourite Christmas movies?
Best ever Christmas Movie: Home Alone. For the soundtrack,
for that huge house, for the part where the burglars get
covered in tar and feathers, for the tear-jerking part where the parents come home.
Where do you go last-minute gift shopping?
Last year I did most of it online, but was still ordering
off Amazon on the 23rd! There's always that last-minute mad-dash to Tesco
where you buy a load of crap - this year I'm going to buy a load of Naked Orange
Blossom Body Washes and some orange ribbon and tissue to wrap them and give those as emergency
gifts! £3.99, natural, and so much better than some awful bubble bath set that's basically just
washing-up liquid!
Your favourite part of the festive season.
Christmas Eve. Without a doubt. I always get quite tipsy on Christmas Eve,
but Christmas Day everyone's always falling asleep and it's an anticlimax!
And how will you relax when it's all over?
Relax? What's that?! I'll be writing reviews and recording video by Boxing Day!
I must say a big thank you to Ruth for sharing her festive-ness with us all and ofcourse admitting she still likes Sylvanian Families!
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