Nineteen.

About two weeks ago, I turned nineteen.
Awkward age if you ask me. 
One more year and I will be twenty. Interesting.
For most people have a birthday, I had more of a birthweek. 
Highlight of my week was Mashrou' Leila's concert. I mean how cool is it that one of my favourite bands come to Paris during my birthweek.
The concert was at this little concert hall called La Maroquinerie in the 20eme (20th district of Paris), an area that I don't really visit that often. Ended up having some of the best fries in Paris while dinning at this restaurant.
Well, the thing about the 20eme is that it is all hipstery and cool, but just a little too dodgy for my taste . Or as I just very recently learned, it's a bit too losco for my taste. 
But this restaurant was amazing. It was HUGE. I mean you wouldn't think that by the look of it, also it had live music, a guy with a spanish guitar and all. I can't remember the name but it was right next to La Maroquinerie.
Obviously, the photo was at the concert. The lovely Hamid.
Oh. And I cut my hair. Short. Real short.

Newbie.

Fashion Week, Paris.
September 2011.

The world goes by.

Champs Elysee, Paris.
Autumn, 2011.

Helpless.

"I have hope"

Helpless.

That's how I feel, that's how I've been feeling for the past two days.

There is nothing I can do, but write.

Nothing I can write will be enough. Nothing I can say will change the facts.

Thousands of miles away from Cairo, it in no way hurts less. It maybe even hurts more. 

I know this is the beginning of the end. I know tomorrow will be better. I know.

But that doesn't make the pain go away. It doesn't stop my heart from aching. It's not good enough. I don't want tomorrow to be better. I want today to be better.

I can't take more people dying. I can't stand hearing more screams. I can't live with feeling helpless. 

I don't want this post to be about politics, because it isn't. It's about young people, twenty-something year olds killed. Twenty five of them. In one day. In a matter of hours. How can that be acceptable? if that doesn't shake the world, if that is not a wake up call for everyone, then what is? 

 How those people sleep at night, knowing that someone lost their son, their father, or the love of their lives because of them, is beyond me. 

I took this photo months ago. I had enough hope to fill a city. I still have hope, but just enough hope to keep me going through the days. 

 I am mourning the loss of some of this country's best. My heart goes out to the families. 

May all our martyrs rest in peace. And let's make sure their blood doesn't go in vain. They died for a cause, so let's keep up the fight, for them. 

Favourite blur.

This photo pretty much sums up fashion week. A blur.
Pretty girls, high heels, short dresses, big hats, and bigger egos and most importantly a big BIG blur.
Ten days of pure blur.
But I can use some blur in my life, it helps me see things clearer.
And fashion week, fashion week is my favourite blur of the year.

Taylor Tomasi Hill.

Style and accessories director for US Marie Claire, Taylor Tomasi Hill is one of those people you look for in fashion week. And with her flaming red signature hair, it's hard to miss her!
She is known for mixing pieces, like in this outfit, the most basic of tops with an edgy asymmetrical skirt, to add a certain excitement and fun to her whole look.
Photos were taken at the Grand Palais before the Chanel show.

Extremes.

I think the photo is pretty self explanatory. But hey, it's fashion week, it's your only chance to go outside of the box, or to actually forget about the existence of the box alltogether!

Faces.

Paris, October 2011.

The Colour.

You can be wearing the most basic of silhouttes, the simplest of cuts but the brightest of colour, and it will make all the difference.
Because, it's all about the colour.

The Sartorialist.

When speaking of Garance, I can't help but think of her beau, and one of my favourite photographers, Scott Schuman, The Sartorialist.
To be honest, he is one of the reasons I decided to start my own blog. I owe him for that.
Photographer, blogger, businessman, and a father, Scott really knows how to multi-task. All with a camera around his neck, and a certain Doré in his arms.
I caught Mr.Schuman infront of the Grand Palais, before the Chanel water wanderland show(where Florence Welsh sang LIVE)!

Garance, part deux!

Here we go again, Garance and I.
With her signature chignon, Garance is really the definition of effortless. You can barely see her make up, her hair is not all over the place, she is wearing a simple dress, there is nothing overdone about her, everything is just as it should be.
Garance was rocking this purple number earlier today at the Grand Palais, before the Chanel show.

Giovanna Battaglia.

Giovanna Battaglia is one of Italy's favourite fashionistas as well a photographer's sweetheart.

After styling for Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia and even L'Uomo Vogue, Battalgia recently moved to NewYork where she's working with W magazine.

Loving your foulard, Giovanna. 

Photos were taken earlier today before the Chanel show at the Grand Palais, moments before Giovanna met up with friend and Miss Moda as named by Garance Doré, Anna Dello Russo.

Caroline Issa.

I didn't know where to start, I have too many photos to share with you.

I had one of the most successful stalking-beautiful-people-at-fashion-week days ever. 

I decided to start by Caroline Issa, from TANK magazine, after today's Chanel show at the Grand Palais.

This is just the start, I am not even close to being done.

Hold your breath, for the best is yet to come ;)

Happy colours part deux!

Here we go again, more happy colours for you.
I am afraid though, the weather has been too generous and tomorrow it goes down 7 degrees. 
I am scared, I got used to the heat, it's my natural habitat and I enjoy it.
And also, tomorrow is Chanel. And Chanel days are always sunny.

Happy colours and pretty bags.

It's so sunny and bright in Paris, people are dressed in colours.
It doesn't happen often so I have to take advantage.
This bag kind of reminds of the bags you can find in Khan El Khalili (Cairo's oldest souk), which makes me happy and nostalgic.
Now, I want the bag. 

La Garance!

I've been really lucky, after Carine, Anna and Leighton, it's Garance!
Garance Doré is not only one of my favourite bloggers, but she is also permenantly on my list of top ten fashionistas.
She is simple, elegant, classy and fun!
I wanted to take more photos, but I was too busy staring at her outfit, and that baggg, and the shoessss, and her bracelets. You have to pardon me, it's a miracle I even remembered to take photos for you!
Photos were taken earlier today before the Cacheral show, Paris fashion week.

Running late!

The weather in Paris is truly surprising, it's hot, and sunny and I am not complaining here, but it makes it harder to stay longer on the streets taking photos when you feel your head is burning and you're about to faint. So, I decided to go home after an hour or so.
And then, she showed up, late and running in her 9 inch heels. 
Good things do come to those who wait.
Leighton Meester, before the Dior show, Paris fashion week.

Carine.

I think I've made it clear how much I love Vogue. It's the only magazine I've subscribed to. I love the smell of it, and how it makes me feel. 
To love French Vogue is to love Carine Roitfeld's vision and ideas, at least it was until she stepped down some months ago. 
Carine took Vogue to a whole new level, it wasn't just about the fashion, it was art. 
And that's why I love and respect her so much, for her imagination.
But today, I saw her. 
I imagined her to be a snobby editor surrounded by flocks of body guards to hide from the flashes and the masses, but she wasn't. Au contraire, she was nice and chatty, stopping for the photographers and answering the questions, she was really really nice, which made me love her a lot more.
Carine was dressed head to toe in Alaïa. Even more reason to love her!

Dello Russo.

She is fun, she is playful, she is the Anna herself.

During the previous fashion week, I never got the chance to see her, I always miss her by minutes, but non, not this time. 

Anna Dello Russo really knows how to stand out, how to shine.

Photos were taken this afternoon before the Dior show at Museé Rodin, where the weather was hot, and the fashion was even hotter.

Sigh.

God, I miss this.
Sinai, Summer 2011.

Biking away.

Hyde Park, London, Summer 2011.

Spontanity.

Victoria&Albert Musuem, London, Summer 2011.

CooLondon

There is this sense of coolness about London that I very much miss in Paris.

More London love for you!

 

These photos were taken at the beautiful Regent's Park, one of my favourite places in London. You know me, I am a sucker for parks!

London-Town.

As I mentioned earlier, I spent almost two weeks in London early August, but the lazy person that I am, I never uploaded any of the million photos I took. 
I know, I suck.
But it's all good now, I decided to be a nice person again and share with you a bit of how I saw London.
I thought it was a beautiful city. Neither sad, nor happy. But beautiful nonetheless.

It was sunny ten days out of twelve, which is practically a miracle so I really enjoyed the parks, the shopping and the walking.
I really had a good time, been to some brilliant exhibitions, had a lovely shopping experience, not so great food experience though (except for those AMAZING burgers, thanks to Magali). 

This time of the year.

Oh yeah, it's Fashion month all over again. And it's almost here. Just in a couple of days it will be Paris Fashion Week, love.
You know what that means; iron your shirts, trim your hairs, and clean your lenses. Or at least that what it means for me.
This is going to mark my second Fashion week as an almost-Parisian, running in heels around the city, trying to get a little bit closer to the source. 
Cross your fingers and hold your breath, for it's going to be a ride, indeed.

Blur.

 Cairo, Summer 2011.

It's been a while.

It's been a while.
I am back in Paris, been back for a while. 
It was sunny, very very sunny, but now it's not. It's rainy and cold.

I have a lot of photos, from Cairo, Nuweiba and London. 

I promise I will post them all, not at once though, but I will.

Let's start with...Cairo.

Doesn't feel right.

I had a lot to say, to tell, about my trip to London. But then everything went wrong, and London was burning.
It felt surreal to watch the news.
I still can't grasp on the fact that this London I am watching on TV, is the same London I left only hours earlier.
I am sad, for that I loved the city.
I have a lot to tell about my trip, a lot of photos to share, but right now it just doesn't feel right.

Thee Cairo resolutions.

For the past month, I've been acting as a tour guide for my friend who came to visit from Paris. 
You know her, Magali, my boss from Cannes.
She came to stay for 12 days, to have some business meetings and visit some pyramids. Well, let's just say she will be leaving tomorrow which marks her 25th day in thee Cairo. 
Haha, yeah. 
Also, in four days I will be leaving for London. Eleven days there then I will be back to Paree.
Two months have passed. How and when and why. I really have no idea.
But when I come to think of it, I've been to new places, met new people, tried new food. I really did have fun. 
But I am excited for London. With my best friends. I've never been to London, so it should be really really fun. I just hope the weather doesn't let us all down. I miss wearing my shorts out and about.

Oh, and I am kind of scared to go back to Paris. For when I come back two of my closest friends there will not be there. I am not sure how to react to that, but I still have some time.

#NoMilTrials

NO MILITARY TRIALS FOR CIVILIANS.
Tahrir, July 8th, 2011.

#Jul8

Tahrir.
We are back.
Tahrir is where we leave our differences at the checkpoints, and we try to find common grounds.
Some people call it home. I call it humanity.

Don't.

Cairo's post-revolution street art sending some pretty strong messages like "Don't shut me up, Don't use me, Don't lose me" and others scattered around Downtown Cairo.
This was found near the Town House Gallery (Hussein El Me'mar street).

Sarah and Salma.

My babies. 

Sarah and Salma.

The twins.

Salma and Sarah.

The salem sisters.

Sarma.

For lack of a better word.

I wouldn't call it a writer's block, since that implies me being a writer, so I will just call it a block for lack of a better word.
Today is my 20th day back in the Cairo, as I arrived here on the 2nd of the month, I posted only one single tiny post since then. I get ideas but for some reason I don't or can't write them. 
I left Cairo for three days and went to Nuweiba in Sinai. It was beautiful, but even that I couldn't write about. 
It was blogging against sexual harrassment in Egypt day, and still I couldn't get myself to write .
I don't even take as much photos as I should or would normally do.
Cairo is exhausting in itself, it's overwhelming, even if you're doing nothing, you still feel drained and tired at the end of the day. She uses you and abuses you all day, everyday,just because she can. Just because you can't do anything about it, whether you love her or hate her, you simply can't get enough of her. You get addicted to the pace of the city, to the daily struggles, to the thick air, to everything. 
Cairo becomes your opium.
But, I miss Paris. 
I miss Paris and feel bad about it. I feel like cheating on Cairo by missing Paris. I shouldn't be missing Paris because I am with Cairo; the love of my life. But then again, Paris is my favourite mistress, and I am allowed to miss her. Her and her stupid little things.
It's a love triangle here. Me and my cities. My cities and I.
So, here's to both of them, to Cairo, to Paris, to my love affairs with unknown cities, to missing Paris, to leaving Cairo, but always, to coming back.

Somewhere in the middle.

Mixed feelings is how I feel about being home.
I've been trying to write something about it but I couldn't and still can't. But I will try.
Too many things to say. Or not a thing to say. Somewhere in between.
Yeah, it's good to be home, see your friends and family, eat good food and actually move around in cars.
But there is a lot more to it now than just that.
Cairo is a mess, to be honest. I am not saying I don't like it, I am just saying it's a mess. But then again it has always been one, and somehow it works for her.
But this is a new mess, a fresh mess that none of us is used to it. 
The thing is, I can't help but feel like some kind of observer, looking at all that from some kind of distance that is living abroad. Because yeah, it's true, at the end of the day I am going back to Paris in two months, I am not staying through the whole thing, I wasn't there through the whole thing and I can't do anything about it. 
Maybe it's a good thing to have distance from the mess, to be able to see things a little bit more clearly, without being too involved in the details that can very much exhaust you and cloud your vision. But then again, I am very much involved in the details of everything, not necessarily by choice, but yeah I am very very much involved in the details. 
So, where do I stand now? Somewhere between too close and too far, somewhere between an observer and a participant, somewhere between Cairo and Paris. Somewhere in the middle. 

Spring Nights.

Spring nights on Pont des Arts with Miss Monika Samoraj will be incredibly missed.