22.03.14 - Coffee & Culture

“I’m a little too distant, I guess. I like to place myself outside.”

- Yves Saint Laurent

 To place ourselves outside was just what we did.

Today was filled with food, culture and exploring…

Firstly: Le petit déjeuner…

Stopping off at Cafe Rouge, we ordered latte’s (Vanilla and Hazelnut) and were happy to find they didn’t advertise falsely *Ahem, St*rbucks and your invisible glass cups…* when they said it was quality. To eat, there was only one option… Egg’s Royale! A warm muffin topped with lashings of smoked salmon, finished off with two perfectly poached eggs and hollandaise source. Heaven on a plate!

 

The decor inside was also amazing – instantly fell in love with this miniature Eiffel Tower! There's something about the interiors of coffee shops that makes me really excited about designing my own home / apartment one day, with the mix of bright hanging lights and dark wooden bookcases, contrasted with statement red pieces and French novels, this decor was something I can only hope to borrow sometime in the future.

 

Then… Plats principaux…

Following our taste of a French cafe breakfast, we took another walk to the cinema, as the main reason for our trip was to watch the newly released French biopic, Yves Saint Laurent -

 

Based around the life of the now world-renowned French fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent is a complete whirlwind of haute couture, drama and romance. Niney and Gallienne  in particular are superb in their portrayals of the passionate, sometimes darkly intense relationship between Laurent and Bergé. For both my sister and I, it was the first time watching a foreign film in a UK cinema – and this certainly did not disappoint!

*Review to come?*

Finalement… The Library of Birmingham

Despite being in the city so often, we both felt that we'd never really had time to explore the vast new Library of Birmingham to its full extent. It is truly a beautiful piece of modern architecture, filled with interesting activities and bustling with people -  and the views from the highest platform are breathtaking! It's always amazing to see things from a new perspective, so I hope you also enjoy these shots of the interior - the contrast between the modern, metallic escalators and the use of different shades of wood throughout the library was particularly interesting, while the sheer scale of the building makes you wonder if you could ever stop finding a new place to hide away with a book.

 

Views from the 9th floor - 

 

   

The Shakespeare room on this floor is another must-see! Housing a number of books and collections from the period, as well as some interesting artwork...