Wanderlust: John Kenny and the Omo Valley

Hello chickens! It's P. from What Possessed Me - lowering the tone once again on dearest Deb's blog. I'm so happy to be here and to share with you the work of one of my favorite photographers, John Kenny.

An early source of bonding with Deb was our mutual love of travel - we've both been to some weird and wild places and share the same insatiable wanderlust that has ruined our GI tracts, wiped out our slush funds and generally consumed our waking thoughts.

Perhaps what originally drew me to John Kenny's work is that his own love of exploration and delight in undiscovered beauty come across so clearly in his photographs. Kenny often travels alone or with a guide, trekking into remote regions to shoot his portraits. He avoids using flash and gizmos, preferring instead to work with the dry earth, the sun, and the magnatism of his subjects. The effect is incredibly intimate and intense - particularly in his black and white portraits, which seem illuminated by a silvery, celestial light. If you are interested in travel photography, I'd highly recommend this article on Kenny's methods to achieve this effect with nothing other than his camera and natural sunlight. It's also an interesting commentary on what it's like to pursue photography as a passion alongside a completely unrelated career.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on Kenny's 2010 trip to the Omo Valley in Ethiopia. I'm already plotting my next trip - who's coming with me?

Cheap & Chic: dressing Deb

Hello lovelies!

Melissa here, from Melissa loves. Honored & happy to be filling in a tiny bit for darling Deb while she is living it up in Paris! :) I know Deb likes my cheap & chic posts so, I though I would take a stab at getting together something for Deb. She most definitely doesn't need my help looking chic & sharp but, I thought it would be fun!

~ top here $69.95

~ bracelet 1 here $48.00

~ bracelet 2 here $48.00

~ clutch here ( in gold ) $38.00

~ pants here $99.95

~ wicked pissah boots here $32.80

In my mind, Deb likes to be comfortable but chic. Likes black and yet, is a bit funky. Obviously she loves jewelry & has more than enough of her own beautiful baubles to wear with any outfit but, I thought I would throw in a few little things to shake things up a bit. Plus, I have seen Deb wear some really great pieces mixed in with her own and they always look amazing. So, I hope you like it, Deb! And I hope you like it too, lovely Bon Bon readers. I will be back in a week or so for another visit. Until then, be well!

xo

Melis

S.O.B.

Hey kids! Its Rachel Deb's Neighbor and blog nerd from Living Lab.

As you know Deb's south of the border right now busy grinding and roasting chiles and chocolate and hopefully sipping plenty of suero como cola de penguino.

That being said, maybe it would make more sense to do a post on something other than Mexico? Unfortunately however, I love it a liiiittle too much not to take this opportunity to gush about sensory-overload-land. How about a few nuggets from the ridiculousness of dear-to-my-heart Baja? What choice to I have really? Its February after all.

1. Marine Mammals (must listen to this)

2. Cactus Growing Next to Salt Water

3. Fish Tacos
(If a gun were put to my head and someone demanded that I only eat one dish for the rest of my life)

4. Swimming

(deep sigh)

5. The Log From the Sea of Cortez

"The sweet smell of the land blew out to us on a warm wind, a smell of sand, verbena and grass and mangrove. It is so quickly forgotten, this land smell. We know it so well on shore that the nose forgets it, but after a few days at sea the odor memory pattern is lost so that the first land smell strikes a powerful emotional nostalgia, very sharp and strangely dear." John Steinbeck

¡goce de México DEB-BEE! We miss you!

Images : 1. Steve Ryan 2. Mountain Travel Sobek 3. Relate Revolution 4. Unknown 5. Penguin

¡Buen viaje, mamacita!

Dearest blog babies, it's P. here, taking a little break from What Possessed Me to help kick off Deb's trip to Mexico. Very happy to be here, as always.

When Deb told me she was heading to Oaxaca, I threw my sombrero up in the air and exclaimed, "¡AY YAI YAI YAI! ¡ARRIBA!" while knocking back a shot of mezcal. Of course, I did this with my inside voice because not everyone understands what Oaxaca does to a girl. I didn't know either - not until I took a little road trip through Mexico last year and got my socks knocked off good and proper.

Deb, you have such delights in store for you.

Like Mexican beauties who look like Frida Kahlo. Don't you wish you dressed like this every day?

And streets lined with flowers.

Let's not forget the plethora of culinary treats. Crickets are quite tasty when you're not quite sure what you're eating.

Beware: Sometimes the mezcal can go to your head. Which is totally fine, because Oaxaca is the kind of place where you can snooze in someone's doorway with impunity.

And if you're very, very lucky, a woman selling nuts will show you how she does her hair, pulling out a single pin so that her braids tumble down her back.

Did I mention the music? And the lively atmosphere? Such a charming, vibrant city.

Just the place for a much needed midwinter break. Have a wonderful time, Deb - the first cerveza is on us!

xo,

P.

Parisian Lady

Hello dear lovelies of the Bon Bon world!

I’m Melissa (a.k.a. Simply Mel) from Reverie-Daydream. It goes without saying that I LOVE Paris, so when Deb said she was leaving for one of my favorite cities in the world and needed a few guest bloggers, I jumped on board the Bon Bon train!

So without further adieu, allow me to share a few stunning images of paintings by the French artist, Jean-Gabriel Domergue (1889-1962) who was known as the painter of the “Parisian lady”.

In the 1920’s, Domergue invented a new type of woman: “thin, airy, elegant, with a swanlike neck and wide seductive eyes which gaze upon the world with longing”.

He also played an essential role in the evolution of fashion in his era designing numerous dresses, hats and accessories for famous couturier.

Très magnifique, non?!

[via Google images]

Eye Break: Timeless French Hotties

Bonjour, bonbon babies!

It's P. here from What Possessed Me. So pleased and honored to be kicking off the week's guest posts with a little visual inspiration while Deb is knockin' 'em dead in Paris.

Deb asked us to post a little something with a French theme for this fine internet publication. Somehow in the past year, I overdosed on striped t-shirts and macarons (especially the macarons. Which is why I can no longer wear horizontal stripes). But I never grow tired of these classic French beauties - I come back to them again and again when I need an eye break, a nudge, a reminder. They seem to represent so much of what I admire about French women.

Catherine Deneuve. The freshness of a black scarf tied around the hair. The sassiness of a bow. The return of charm. The allure of a sidelong glance. The utility of a cashmere sweater. The sexiness of the demure.

(I have no idea what to say about the dog. But it's cute, non?)

Brigitte Bardot. Cigarettes as diet aides (effective, but ill-advised). That black scarf again - this time dangerous, capable, and rugged. Again, the sidelong glance - this time saying, "Your face is mace, Jean-Louis" (but in French). The badassery of kohl-rimmed eyes. The collar askew, the hair tousled - the perfection of imperfection.

Charlotte Gainsbourg. The aura of intelligence. The surprise of shyness. The coolness of menswear. The awesomeness of not caring - and still being beautiful.

Whose look inspires you?

Design on a dime.

Hello, bonbons! It's Bee from The Lil Bee, and I'm honored to be your guest host. Like you, I come here for style inspiration—jewelry, design, photography...whatever Deb's got cooking on any particular day. So, I thought I would share with you some of the things that have inspired me in my quest to decorate my not-so-new home.

The first thing I did when we moved from NYC is search for wallpaper. Beautiful, lush, delicious wallpaper. It's inconceivable to put up wallpaper in a Manhattan rental, so for the last decade I coveted the stuff. Florals, toile, ikat, abstract, Baroque... you name it, I needed it.

But there was a problem. Wallpaper is... expensive! And you have to COMMIT to a particular STYLE for a long, long time! I chickened out. I humphed and pouted in frustration. And then... then I discovered the magic of decals.

So, for you, sweet bonbons, I present some of the most darling decals I've found, to date. They can instantly spruce up any space, and they're all quite affordable. Take a look...

Wouldn't laundry day be so much sweeter with a colorful clothing line?

A gorgeous design for a Sex And The City-worthy walk-in closet.

This pretty print* would be the perfect backdrop for reading a book and sipping hot tea.

Here's a stylish substitute to a pricey chandelier.

And for the little bebe...

...or la bambina.

I do hope these designs have inspired you, as well. Thanks for indulging me and have a wonderful day!

*via Belle Maison

My Weekend at Deb's

Hi everyone, this is Aran from Cannelle Et Vanille. I am so excited to be here today in Deb's little corner of the world. I met Deb through blogging a little bit over a year ago and through emails, I came to adore her. One of those special blogging friendships that I never thought I would have.

This past weekend, I spent three amazing days in NYC to attend Sunday Suppers where I was invited as a guest chef. When she found out I would be in NYC, she called and said "if you want, my home can be yours for those three days". And so I accepted and I'm so happy I did.




When Deb asked me if I could write a guest post, I immediately thought how great it would be if I could take some photos of her home to share with you. She lives on the most beautiful and quaint street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. So quiet and peaceful that I kept forgetting I was even in NYC.




She has the most amazing garden where she grows herbs, tomatoes, flowers and I think I even saw some peas. I had coffee there every morning and I would sit outside right before bedtime at night.





Her two adorable kitties, Icky and Max kept me company and even slept with me at night. They followed me around and sat with me in the mornings while I checked the news and my emails. I appreciated the peace and quiet so much.

I love how her apartment is an extension of herself, full of memories, photos, travel mementos. It's full of character. I love her work room of Bonbon Oiseau pieces, photos and perfectly organized beads. I even spotted some pieces I had never seen before, which was a treat.




Thank you so much Deb. It was the perfect New York weekend. I miss the kitties already!

A day in the life...

I was living out my now- daily dream this summer: I spent 3 weeks living in New York.
I used to live in NY, for about 10 years. And then I decided I needed a break. So, I took one.
All the way to San Francisco.
Turns out, that break has been too big.

I looooong for NY.
*********
It sounds like a "meeting":

Hi, I'm Molly, from A Little House in the Clouds, and I love New York.

Hiiiii, Molly!

***********
Coming back to live for a few weeks really has it's little perks. One of them being seeing people and things in a whole new way.

I first met Deb when my sister and I had a shop on Crosby Street. She was getting her Bonbon on and we always had a good time talking notions, beads and bits. Years later, we re-discovered each other through blog-land.

We met up this summer and it felt like hanging out with an old friend. Turns out, another perk, is doing the Union Square farmers market with someone who gets as excited by as you do. Deb and I laughed our way through the crowds as we stopped to ahhh & ohhh over the beautiful veggies, bread and vendors!
Ah, the little things.
There were other major perks while living in that big apple that I realize more and more as things change. Over lunch, Deb and I talked about craft and art and being an "artist" and having a hard time saying that word, and the craftsmen and women who are slowly being pushed out of New York (or anywhere for that matter--with time comes change, huge change). Back in the day, (my sister and I, for many years, having a manufacturing business) one of those great perks was like going back in time when you were really just going to a vendor's warehouse.

No longer there, but still doing business, was a place called Dulken & Derrick. It was a flower making, notion warehouse, if you will. They made flowers for everyone in the business (the Sex & The City girls) and everyone not in the business (Eleanor Roosevelt). In the family for years and years, with the old filing cabinets, peeling paint and dusty boxes to prove it, this place was an absolute find. The fact that, each time we came in, we were given access to every nook and cranny just made it all the more special. The final visit, I brought my camera and shot away.
Each petal was cut and curled according to flower type. To watch the whole system for a day was incredible.


Hundreds of old flower molds, shelves and shelves of them, faced this one little "machine". After the fabric was cut into the shape of the leaf or the petal, it was placed in a 2-part mold, cranked under the block for just a moment and pressed. It's a lost art.
The other constant vendor perk was Tinsel Trading. On the surface, a gorgeous shop with more than enough to look at. But, one day, after many, many years, Marcia finally let us into the basement. Tinsel Trading was her Grandfather's shop and we came across packages from 70 years ago that had never been opened. It was a diggers' dream! It was notion heaven! And it was a another piece of New York history that continues to blow my mind. Many times, I was as taken with the basement itself as I was with the metal ribbons and sequins.

to see lots, lots more feel free to flickr

(Someday, Deb, someone's going to come poking through your new workspace, your beautiful studio, and have the same glee as they pick thru your beads and baubles and watch you work!)