The Duchess: Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart
The other night the Duchess of Alba and I
were watching Bravo together, chatting
over tapas and beer, and I go:
WE'VE GOTTA SHARE GLIMPSES INSIDE
THIS NEW BOOK ABOUT YOU AND
YOUR HOMES ON THE BLOG.
And she was all:
DUDE, I'M SOOOOO NOT SURE YOUR
AMIGOS HAVE MUCH INTEREST IN
HISTORICAL HOMES THOUGH.
And I was like:
SERIOUSLY, CAY-CAY,
(she likes it when you call her that)
THEY'RE PRETTY COOL CATS.
* * *
Fine. That exchange occurred only in my noggin
cuz I have yet to meet the eccentric lovely lady
with a zillion titles.
But today's lesson for realz?
cuz I have yet to meet the eccentric lovely lady
with a zillion titles.
But today's lesson for realz?
A new book featuring her stunning homes you likely
won't see pinned or recycled much in blogland.
won't see pinned or recycled much in blogland.
We're shakin it up, mama. Houses of Cayetana style.
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The Duchess turns 87 in a few weeks.
The Great Houses of Cayetana,
Duchess of Alba
(ACC - Ediciones El Viso, 2013)
by
Naty Abascal
(photography by
Ricardo Labougle).
The Great House of Cayetana, Duchess of Alba
The Duchess has dedicated much of her life to restoring
properties of the Alba family and generously
opened up her doors for this incredible
coffee table book.
What you can't miss about this art lover
and the properties she recovers and manages?
Strong Personality.
images via Love is Speed
An accomplished Flamenco dancer and horse jumper,
she and the houses live VERY LARGE.
A Creative Approach to Life.
A great lover of painting (an amateur herself),
she lives fully, fashionably, and artfully.
Great Passions.
Her passions are reflected vividly on the pages
of this amazing book, and the level of detail, thought,
value, and historical significance leave the reader
(okay, let's be honest, it's a picture book, so the viewer)
(okay, let's be honest, it's a picture book, so the viewer)
in awe.
220 large-format photographs—a gorgeous visual tour of the houses that belong to the Duchess of Alba in Madrid (The Liria Palace), Seville (The Palace of Las Dueñas), Salamanca
(The Palace of Monterrey), Ibiza and San Sebastián
combine in a feast of lovely.
My favorite Cayetana interior?
Her painting studio in The S'Aufabaguera House...
(see page 130).
Nothing palatial or royalbillionaire bling-y about it.
(see page 130).
Nothing palatial or royalbillionaire bling-y about it.
Rather a quiet seaside retreat for a free-spirited,
living out loud lady to create in paradise.
Peace to you right where you are.
Peace to you right where you are.
p.s.
Still gazing at that amazing first image
of the dancing Duchess like I am??????
Hello Lovely at times partners
with companies I love and think may interest you.
