BOMBAY SAPPHIRE'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

On Friday the 16^th of March Bombay Sapphire Gin celebrated the 250^th anniversary of the in 1761 recipe upon which their gin is based. The event's location and bites were original and tasty, the tunes were cool and – of course – the Bombay cocktails were heavenly.

For the 250^th anniversary Bombay let world's oldest jeweller house Gerrard design a limited edition bottle with a jewelled crystal stopper. One of the invitees could win this beautiful bottle through a tombola and it happened to be one of my good friends, Geoffrey de Groot, who won the bottle. The lucky bastard!

The event took place at Ten Club in Amsterdam. I had never been to Ten Club before, so I was really curious about visiting this brand new spot. The interior was raw and mysterious, yet luxurious and robust. The perfect location for an event like this!

Famous Flavours was responsible for the tasty snacks, which were all prepared with Bombay's gin as one of the ingredients. Very original! The bites were all served by the gorgeous hostesses from Showpony Productions. All of them were dressed in Bombay's colour: sapphire blue. To make it all complete the lovely DJ's Claire & Sheila Hill provided us with some nice tunes.

It was an evening with lots of panache and the perfect start for the weekend. Cheers to Bombay Sapphire!

BROGUE MEETS LUNAR

Some men live on sneakers forever. There's nothing wrong with that, sneakers are damn cool. I love a good “shoe balance” though. That means one day dressed up shoes and the other day sneakers. Keep it changing, keep it spicy!

There is actually a moment when you have to dress up. A time when you have to switch your sneakers into some brogues, oxfords or patent leathers. Nike and Cole Haan decided to collaborate and come up with a dressed up sneaker shoe: one with the sportiness of a Nike and the class of a Cole Haan. A shoe was born: Cole Haan Lunar Grand.

In February they launched the suede Cole Haan Lunar Grand line and on the 3^rd of March they launched a leather line as well.

The shoe's top is a typical Cole Haan brogue, but the bottom is a typical Nike Lunar one. So now you can walk the New York or Tokyo marathon with lots of panache. Cole Haan en Nike managed to pair a high-fashion runway look with a dash of streetwear swag. Awesomeness all over if it's up to me!

So hurry up to Cole Haan if you're in The Big Apple. You're not in New York? Ask a friend who's there to get them, beacause the shoes are probably sold out within the wink of an eye!

To visit Cole Haan virtually click here.
To visit Nike viritually click here.

SPRING'S WISH LIST

It's a never ending story: the wish list. I could add something to it almost everyday. It's good to dream though. Seeing is deceiving and dreaming is believing. Keep that in mind!

The wish list is all about your mood. Spring is really coming up right now and last week the first spring-weather-day was a fact in Holland. I immediately went to the beach with one of my best friends to live the elan life at beach club de Republiek.

The colours of the beach and the dark interior of de Republiek inspired me for my wish list. I'm totally in the mood to combine some sand colours with some darks; ton sur ton with a hint of mystery. I could perfectly match the items of my wish list with a nice Closed chino or a dark slim fit denim, which I already own. The Marc McNairy brogue shoes are definitely my favourites on the wish list. I can't wait to purchase them at one of my favourite stores in Amsterdam: 1-store. The jean jacket finishes my oufit by adding some denim to it and it's perfect when it's getting chilly at the end of a sunny spring day.

THE WISH LIST

t-shirt COS sunglasses ACNE shoes MARK MCNAIRY

suede shirt ANDREA POMPILIO bag ZARA jean jacket R13 

THE REVIVAL OF THE JEAN JACKET

It's time to dust off your jean jacket, because it's back in style. We probably all got one in the back of our closet. Celebs and fashion-people love the denim jacket. It's an all time favourite and it's getting more and more trendy at the moment. So wear this oldie with pride!

The jean jacket is highly versatile, what I love. You can wear your denim garment casual, preppy, chic and edgy. Go all the way with it. I am crazy about combining my jean jacket with a white shirt and a dandy bow-tie. The contrast between the sturdiness of the jacket and the panache of the bow-tie is perfection. I've given this particular kind of outfit the name 'Swag de Chique'. Woman could wear their jacket over a feminine look for an edgy update. Combined with sky high heels you'll bedazzle everybody. Be venturous and play with your piece of of denim just like the elan people beneath.

Jak&Jil.com

Nail the fit. The jean jacket that's trending right now is one that fits snugly. If you wear one that's too big, you will look like a Hells Angel, which is not a bad thing, it's just not the elan look I'm talking about. Get it?! The perfect jean jacket is the one with high cut armholes and where the torso hits right below your waist.

My personal favourite is the vintage jean jacket: one that looks like you've owned them for years. Please avoid the wrong ones with weird tints and washes. Acne, Wrangler, Levi's and Blue Blood have some really nice jackets in their collections.

A hard jean jacket gets grittier and better with age. My tip is to purchase your jacket at a vintage store. You'll get a slightly torn one and it's totally one of a kind. How cool is that?!

Is it sunny in the city and too warm for a jacket? Put on a denim shirt. It is almost identical to a jean jacket and your look will still have the same coolness.

The jean jacket is an addiction. It grows on you. I have a love affair going on with mine.  

Jak&Jil.com

SYDNEY'S PANACHE OPERA HOUSE

Jørn Utzon is the big man behind the design of Syndey's Opera House. The Danish architect has some real good feelings for timelessness, as he designed his masterpiece in 1957 and it's still looking temporary. It took some time to build The Opera House, as it was finally opened in 1973. Since June 2007 the building has made it to UNESCO's World Heritage List. Enough history-class for now.

I'm truly stunned by The Sydney Opera House. In May 2010 I had the privilige of seeing the building inside out. The Opera House is probably one of the most iconic buildings in the world and flares with panache. Whoever thinks of Sydney, thinks of The Opera House and the other way around.

Standing inside the iconic building you'll have a gorgeous view of The Sydney Harbour Bridge. I had the privilege to be there on a clear and sunny day, when the view was “better than ever” according to my tour guide.

Attending an opera at Sydney's Opera House is an enjoyment for your senses. The inside opera houses has been provided with special elements, making listening to an opera at The Opera House even better and purer than anywhere else according to the authorities.

Of course there is the possibility that you don't like opera music. In that case you must do a guided tour through the building. You will be amazed, I promise!

The place to be at a lovely sunset – and definitely at new year's eve – is The Opera Bar, situated next to The Opera House. With it's wide terrace overlooking Syndey's harbour, the elan Sydneysiders relish their cocktail here. Join them when you can!

To visit The Opera House virtually click here.

To visit The Opera Bar virtually click here.