Haute Couture fashion week has just ended in Paris, I was obviously very inspired for this new article.

Last week, I spoke about Jean-Paul Gaultier's exhibition Love is Love, a retrospective of these bridal outfits (Link to the Article) which started in Montreal (Canada).

Montreal which is full of fantastic museums, a city that I’ll show you soon.
However, for today, back to childhood, something that everybody knows but with a little twist.

I would like to dedicate this article to my youngest follower, Olivia, who will turn 10 years old this year.

This is the largest permanent Barbie Haute Couture collection, more than 1,000 dolls dressed by the greatest designers in the world: Barbie Expo, in the heart of Montreal.

And let's start with the brides, who knows maybe my solo wedding in Santorini will inspire Barbie one day ...

​Barbie will be celebrating her 60th birthday in March, I would like to age as well as she does. And yes since 1959, the famous doll inspired millions of children.

​She also inspired brands, Barbie, 11½-inch tall is surely the smallest fashion model in the world.

​​But also, movies, shows and celebrities inspired her.

​​Many designers have created unique outfits for her, including me and not always to her advantage hahaha.

​​This great exhibition reminds us of history and geography too:

​​Barbie is all about a magical world where imagination has no limit ...

​Note that this exhibition is completely free and that all donations are donated to the Association Make a Wish Quebec.
And to discover more, here is the website of Barbie expo: expobarbie.ca/en/

​Short story: a girlfriend offered me my first Barbie for my 6th birthday, and a very special one, Barbie Dream Glow, whose stars on her dress shine in the dark. One of my best memories. It's as if today my friends offered me a pair of Louboutin! The lesson that I learnt then, choose well your friends! Lesson I have obviously forgotten on the way, since no one offered me some Louboutin hahaha.

​No article next week, I'll be travelling to find other interesting topics for you. And for those who are not fashion fans, I promise, the next article will be on a very mouthwatering topic! But I don't tell you more ...

Have a lovely week end!
Love & Joy,
L.

Change of scenery this week, after making you travelled in Crete, I’m going to amaze you with the exceptional haute couture creations of two great French names please, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Balmain.

The French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier collaborated again in 2017 with the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, to create a remarkable exhibition, which I had the chance to visit in Montreal (Canada).

This is a retrospective of Jean-Paul Gaultier's incredible wedding outfits from 1990 to 2017, 36 dresses and wedding clothes spread over and around a gigantic wedding cake.

My solo wedding in Santorini had already taken place when I discovered this exhibition, but it definitely gives me some inspiration for a possible next time, who knows?

This exhibition called LOVE IS LOVE, inspired by the speech of Barak Obama of June 26, 2015 during the legalisation of same-sex marriage in all the American States, is a new demonstration of the commitment of Jean-Paul Gaultier in favour of marriage for all. Commitment that I share, read or reread my article on marriage and parenting for all.

In this continuity, in 2018, the Centro Cultural Kirchner of Buenos Aires (Argentina) had the chance to display this exhibition. Argentina was the first country in Latin America to recognise same-sex marriage in 2010.

Hope that in a near future this exhibition will be in your country ...

In the meantime, you will notice all the incredible details of these sartorial wonders.

​​For those who want to know more about Jean-Paul Gaultier, don’t miss Fashion Freak Show at the Folies Bergères in Paris, show imagined by the fashion designer and which traces his life. Note the exceptional participation of Dita Von Teese from 22 to 27 January 2019.

​After making women dream, another exhibition that should be more interesting to these gentlemen. The Victoria's Secret exhibition of the 2017 Punk Angel show with the collaboration of Olivier Rousteing, Artistic Director of Balmain since 2011.

To feel really good about yourself, a comfortable or a sexy lingerie (even both), is essential. And when all this is highlighted by a renowned fashion designer, we feel like an angel ...

​Here again a lot of details in the accessories. One wonders where these creators find so much inspiration ...

I hope you liked this fashion article,
​
Good weekend to all!
Love & Joy,
L

Some of my friends made me dream (and warm) with their holiday pictures (Tahiti, Maldives, Cape Verde), so I thought that a bit of sunshine and scenery would be great!

Remember in the first article about Crete, I talked about the capital city Heraklion.

If Santorini is my beloved island because of my solo wedding, Crete also has a certain charm and today we are heading to my favourite city, further west, still on the north coast, to Rethymno.

Rethymno is the third largest city in Crete with more than 55,000 inhabitants.
​
It was built during the Minoan period and as Heraklion, this city has experienced a succession of cultures and civilizations (Byzantine, Roman, Venetian, Ottoman) as evidenced by some vestige.

It’s a charming city that I particularly like because it’s very pleasant to wander through the cobbled streets of the old town. There’s a sweet life here, a mixture of ancient city and seaside resort.
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It’s a lively town with trendy shops, and for party goers, Rethymno is a student town so it provides an attractive nightlife with many bars and clubs.

​The main attraction is undoubtedly the fortress, it’s still called by its Italian name the Fortezza because it was built by the Venetians in the 16th century, but the Ottomans seized it in 1646.
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Thus the St. Catherine Chapel coexists with the mosque of Sultan Hibrahim, two monuments still preserved.

​The view from 1307 metre length of ramparts also offers a breathtaking view of the sea and the city.

After so much stroll, beach is relaxing, and if Bali is the famous name of an Indonesian island, Crete also has a beach with this name.
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It stretches between Heraklion and Rethymno and has four distinct beaches: Livadi, Vankotopos, Limani and Karavostasi.

​​A small video from the sky to enjoy this beautiful beach.

I hope you enjoyed this little Cretan getaway, there will be others this year, Crete is an island full of gems and next time we’ll talk about mythology!

Have a lovely weekend!
Love & Joy,
​L.

First article of the year and I can only be proud of last year and excited of the one to come.

Many things have happened in my life over the past two years, and I thank you for the support and love you bring to me every day.

2018 was the continuity of 2017 with the freezing of my eggs in Madrid (Article Gift from Science).

I was a finalist in a photo contest for the international art magazine 1340 (Link 1340art.com/), magazine that wants to display my photos since.

But also, a huge step in my life and my reconstruction, the creation of the blog that many of you follow now (Article Why a Blog?), and some of my readers do not fail to remind me when I'm late in my publications! Thank you for your loyalty.

Incredible surprises came out of this, like my story that went viral in the international press, with icing on the cake, the cover of Closer UK and a TV interview on Alpha TV with Eleonora Meleti (Article TV interview).

Life is surprising, and the universe keeps showing us the way, but you have to know how to open your eyes and your heart, and that's what I’m learning to do day by day ...

Journalists don’t get tired of my story and another article in a British magazine is coming soon.

2019 should also see the publication of my book that I’m finishing writing. Another dream that I intend to achieve, and which I hope will definitely change my life. Some passages will be online soon!

Thank you to my friends for sharing some of the highlights of their lives in 2018. 

Congratulations again to the happy parents: Chrisa & Kosta, Fay & Mike. Both couples have each a beautiful little girl.

But more babies coming in 2019, and many more celebrations!

One of the favourite moments of my year was certainly the wedding of my little sister in Champagne, a year after my solo wedding in Santorini.

And also, the wedding of my friends in Paris, Christophe & Arthur (Article Superwomen 3).

Not to mention all the beautiful people I met and that led to new amazing friendships.

Many trips in 2018 and many articles to read or rediscover.

Around the world: Gran Canaria, Madrid, Athens, Crete with a new article to come, Santorini, Brussels.

In France: Annecy, Albertville, Grenoble, Lyon, Reims, Paris, Versailles.

​I wish lots of new adventures in 2019, and keep dreaming, it’s the first part of the journey!

I wish you all an excellent new year, rich of good surprises, beautiful people, fantastic health, golden love and glittering joy!!

And Happy Epiphany!

Love & Joy,
L.
 
P.S: for those who are in France, please keep me a piece of Epiphany cake 😉 or send me photos!