I just saw Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza under a big-top tent bordered by beach fog and the Santa Monica Pier.

I’d tell you how amazing Kooza was — the beautifully boneless contortionists, the ballet on a unicycle, the audience seamlessly woven into the theatrics –

But I may as well tell you a Porsche has four wheels, an engine, and is designed to drive.

You need to go see it…

I’m on a new diet. Every day I wake up to an hour at the gym, down matcha green tea and fresh fruit for breakfast, and eat VeginOut delivered meals for lunch and dinner — except Sunday.

On the lord’s day, while in Giuseppe blue satin slippers and Marlies Dekkers panties, I consume a bag of Uncle Eddies vegan cookies and flip through Helmut Newton’s Playboy photography.

The key is to eat the cookies until you feel sick, and to stare at Helmut Newton’s photos until those shots of long models’ legs begin to slice the “sur” out of “surreal.” Like Newton’s play of gleaming glam and subconscious camp, it’s all about balance.

And Oscar Wilde said moderation is fatal thing…

This Salvador Dali perfume bottle, if you believe its seller, looks and smells as good as when it was created in 1985. With a frosted glass nose and a Dali-signed pair of lips, the real appeal is the Salvador Dali-designed perfume bottle, though the scent is supposedly as charming, and picked by Dali: a blend of rose and jasmine, the rose celebrated Mrs. Dali’s rose garden, while Dali wore a sprig of jasmise behind his ear as he believed the flower to be a hallucinogen.

So why do I hate such a charming piece of art? I can’t figure out how to justify buying this Salvador Dali perfume bottle, since I’ve been stuck on a non-transferable perfume for years. Though for forty bucks, who cares…

Usually called the Cartier “Dali” watch, Cartier’s melted watch is really the Cartier “Crash” watch, and Salvador Dali had nothing to do with the design, though he’d appreciate the twisted story:

“A vice president from the Cartier offices in London was involved in a fatal car crash. A fire ensued and the occupant along with his watch was caught up in the flames… “melting” the watch on his wrist, a Cartier Bagnoire Alongee, which is shaped like an elongated oval. The watch being melted and mangled took on the shape of a surrealistic watch from a Dali painting… Cartier found this “watch design” inspiring, and decided to introduce is as a new design, as a tribute to their fallen colleague.”

Cartier “Crash”/”Dali” watches are rare, though they had a few runs: first in the 1960s, 300 18K gold pieces were made in 1991, a special platinum edition was made in 1993, and Cartier re-released the “Crash” watch as a ladies’ diamond dress watch. The last edition of the Cartier “Crash”/”Dali” watch comes in 18K yellow, white, or rose gold. The rose gold “Crash” watch is the most choice: it’s set with rare, rose diamonds. Even if you can find one, the rose gold Cartier “Crash” watch retailed for $73,000…

Before Murakami stamped cherry blossoms onto Louis Vuitton bags, Salvador Dali designed a “Bird In Hand” compact for compact manufacturer Elgin in 1952. Sweetly Surrealist, the bird’s wings lift to reveal powder, the tail hides a space for pills, and you tug off the bird’s head to access your tube of lipstick. Salvador Dali “Bird In Hand” compact comes in satin bronze, too, but this sterling silver version is choice, espesh with 14K overlay on its wings…

So I listen to too much Jay-Z.

Months ago, I had a pinkie ring planned: a white gold square up to my little knuckle, with a “K” lightly hand-etched on.

And then I saw this photo of Coco Chanel.

Of course…

How simply choice is a thumbprint replacing a family crest on a signet ring? But since this ring is pimped by a gallery, I wonder: is this Gerd Rothmann “Signet” ring a statement about vain individuality replacing tribal pride? Or is fingerprinting a “signet” ring — which were traditionally used to authenticate official documents — a wink at how privacy and security have dissolved? Or –

Could any other blog post better illustrate that I have a bachelors degree in Pseudo-Intellectual Masturbating?

Let’s discuss…

Wanting: Mercer Hotel Silk Robe

Somehow I never noticed how lavender is part of the Mercer hotel’s signature, probably because its use feels as organically elegant as the rest of the hotel. Soft without being saccharine, this Mercer lavender silk robe is another reason why you won’t want to leave your room…

Using: Mercer Lavender Incense

The Mercer hotel tucks this lavender incense into their minibar, and, funny enough, a tea shop near my building sells it as well. This Japanese incense freshens the air more than masking it with musk…

Hating: Mercer Lavender Cashmere Throw

1,000% cashmere from Nepal, specially woven for the Mercer in their signature lavender. Why the hate? I’m just jealous I’m without, while I know someone with one… ]]> http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/08/07/lavender-at-the-mercer-hotel-k-is/feed 0 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/28/silk-robes-k-is http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/28/silk-robes-k-is#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:48:17 +0000 Kristopher http://www.kristopherdukes.com/?p=2692

Wanting: Mercer Hotel Silk Robe

I’m knocked down with a summer cold, so I’m delaying relaying my trip to London town, and pics of my new pet, an Hermes Kelly Danse. I’m spending my day with work, watching Dangerous Beauty, and lusting for this Mercer hotel silk robe. Maybe I can pick one up next week in New York…

Wearing: Vital Silk Robe

In a nude satin, with pleated kimono sleeves and a wrap-around belt, this reversible Vital silk robe makes being sick, sick. And for you? The nude silk robe is more than half off at Saks…

Hating: Kiki de Montparnasse “Empress” Silk Robe

With black hole-wide sleeves, a trailing hemline, and an orchid embroidered on the back, what do you do in a silk robe like this? Recite lines from Sunset Blvd.? It is on sale at Gilt.com, so maybe you should just buy it, wack off the hemline, and sport it as a dress… ]]> http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/28/silk-robes-k-is/feed 1 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/15/jimmyjane-ember-candles-on-sale-k-is http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/15/jimmyjane-ember-candles-on-sale-k-is#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:03:46 +0000 Kristopher http://www.kristopherdukes.com/?p=2657

Wanting.

Jimmyjane is having a semi-annual sale that’ll make my year. I’m obsessed with Jimmyjane Ember Massage Candles — the candles cleanly burn fragrance that balances between unexpected and easily attractive, come in an Appley jar, and drip hot wax that’s spa-grade massage oil…

Wanting.

Was $55. For you? For you I give $40. See if you can beat me to the truffle and gardenia Jimmyjane candle…

Wanting.