Horny Cow

No wonder Julia Restoin-Roitfeld lists the Horny Cow candle by Cowshed among her favorites, the floral and spicy scent permeates the London flat of her boyfriend, ever-so-sexy model Robert Konjic. The essential oils of patchouli and cinnamon in the Horny Cow candle create an inviting environment but the ingredient that really heightens the senses for romance and passion is the rose absolute, the secret weapon for conquests. An ulterior motive you say? Well of course! Robert knows the way to Julia’s heart, and, errr, her body. Just another means of seduction for this hot couple...

Don’t you wish this page had a scratch and sniff?

Once you move past the seduction part (I know, hard to do) you will discover just how environmentally friendly Cowshed candles are. They use 100% natural wax made from GM free, organic, and certified vegan ingredients. All materials are renewably and sustainably sourced and free from chemicals, palm, paraffin, and petroleum waxes. The wick is lead-free and made from natural fibers, too. Approximate burn time is 60 hours — that’s a lot of lovemaking! Luckily for Julia those 60 hours must be pleasantly exhausting with Robert as your partner.

I’m running out to get one right now...

Horny Cow candle image courtesy of cowshedonline.com
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Robert Konjic photograph © 2011 ES London Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

How does Julia Restoin-Roitfeld maintain her beautiful skin? "I use lots of moisturizer — La Prairie Skin Caviar," responds Julia, "For everyday I prefer to go for a more natural look. I never wear foundation, just a bit of Yves Saint Laurent Touch Éclat concealer and some Shiseido Blush Stick on my cheeks. I use a lot of mascara and Chanel Ligne Extreme eyeliner in Encre Noire, and on my lips, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream." When I first read this, I was surprised, why would Julia use face cream on her lips? This product is widely used by discerning makeup artists and top models in addition to Julia's endorsement so I decided to investigate.

I understood the attraction once I saw the list of ingredients in Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. The active ingredients in the product include lanolin, vitamin E, and salicylic acid along with mineral oil, castor oil, corn oil, propylparaben, and iron oxides added to the base, 56.8% petrolatum. Lanolin is a rich source of cholesterol, an important skin lipid containing alpha hydroxy acids, derived from wool that protects against the effects of the environment. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals and prevent oxidation; it can also work to remedy skin discoloration. Salicylic acid is arguably best known as an anti-acne treatment that induces skin cells to shed more rapidly, opens pores, neutralizes bacteria, and enhances cell growth.

Devoted fans have found myriad uses for Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream: apply as a lip treatment before bed for better moisturizing and absorption than petroleum jelly; banish dry patches on hands, elbows, knees, and feet; soften cuticles and hangnails; highlight cheekbones to catch the light in a natural way (models swear by it) or mix with eye shadow for better coverage; groom your eyebrows with a small amount to tame them; reduce split ends, frizz, and static by applying sparingly to hair; soothe minor abrasions, irritations, scrapes, burns, and even insect bites with its anti-inflammatory benefits. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream — a true classic in skin care.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream product image courtesy of Amazon

Croque Madame

One of Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's favorite foods is the croque madame, a feminine version of the croque monsieur with the addditon of an egg of course. "The first thing I eat as soon as I get back to Paris," Julia declares, most likely stopping into her preferred restaurant, Café de Flore, to savor this treat known there as "Le Jockey."

This beloved French bar snack is traditionally made with melted Gruyère or Emmental cheese and ham, grilled to perfection between two slices of crusty bread perhaps dressed in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce with an egg sunny side up on top. In parts of Normandy they refer to this culinary comfort as croque-à-cheval. The decadent croque madame first appeared on menus in Paris in 1910 and in literature in Marcel Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past) in 1918.

In a pinch in France, McDonald's locations offer the "Croque McDo" sandwich. In the US, a new restaurant called Croque Madame opened recently at Kennedy Airport in New York and Chef Andrew Carmellini features the signature namesake proudly on the menu which you can order directly from the iPad attached to your booth. Located at Gates 25 and 26 in Terminal 2, Croque Madame assures the food will be delivered in ten minutes or less; in the meantime, guests can use power strips in the booth to charge electronic devices while enjoying the free wireless signal.

Croque madame or "Le Jockey" at Café de FloreEven better, try making your own croque madame at home, below is a simple recipe in both French and English. The amounts listed will make four sandwiches.

Ingrédients

8 pain de mie
4 jambon blanc
150 g de fromage râpé
60 g de beurre
4 oeufs
20 cl de crème fraîche liquide
Sel, poivre

Préparation

1. Coupez légèrement le bord des tranches de pain de mie. Tartinez-les d'un peu de beurre. Coupez de fines tranches de gruyère et disposez-les sur le pain.
2. Ajoutez la tranche de jambon pliée en deux. Recouvrez avec une autre tranche de pain de mie préablement beurrée.
3. Dans un bol, versez le fromage râpé, ajoutez la crème épaisse, une pincée de poivre et de sel. Mélangez.
4. Déposez sur les croque-madames une grosse cuillère à soupe du mélange de fromage râpé et de crème. Etalez-le délicatement sur la tranche de pain de mie et réservez. Préchauffez votre four à 180° C.
5. Au moment de servir, passez au four 3 à 4 min puis au gril.
6. Dans une poêle faites cuire les oeufs au plat. Déposez un oeuf sur chaque croque-madame et servez bien chaud.

Ingredients

8 slices of bread
4 slices of ham
150 g grated cheese
60 g butter
4 eggs
20 cl whipping cream
Salt, pepper

Preparation

1. Trim the edges of the slices of bread. Spread them with a little butter. Cut thin slices of cheese and arrange on bread.
2. Add the slice of ham folded in half. Cover with another slice of buttered bread.
3. In a bowl, add grated cheese, heavy cream, and a pinch of pepper and salt. Mix.
4. On toasted bread place a spoonful of the mixture of grated cheese and cream. Spread it gently on the slice of bread and reserve. Preheat oven to 360° F.
5. Just before serving, broil in oven 3-4 minutes.
6. In a skillet fry eggs. Place an egg on each croque madame and serve hot.

Croque madame at Croque Madame at Kennedy AirportCroque madame image courtesy of catastrophysicist.wordpress.com. Croque madame at Café de Flore photograph courtesy of foodspotting.com. Croque Madame at Kennedy Airport photograph courtesy of ultraclay.com.

Lara Bohinc

Amid her fabulous collection of jewelry, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld admits a few favorites. One of these is her Lara Bohinc bracelet given to her by Robert Konjic to celebrate their first year together. Bohinc spent her formative years in Slovenia at the Ljubljana Academy of Fine Art, deciding in 1996 to relocate to London to study at the Royal College of Art with a focus on jewelry and metalwork. When asked why she chose London, Bohinc replied: "It was the very kooky way you guys dress. No one puts things together like British women do: they're daring and accepting at the same time. In Europe if you wear anything in the least bit different they whisper about you, but in England you could walk around naked and nobody would care." Within one year, she had debuted at London Fashion Week, won the Marks & Spencer New Generation Design Award, and launched her own label, Lara Bohinc International, clearly finding her niche with her bold and feminine designs.

Bohinc uses industrial techniques such as computer aided design, photo etching, and laser cutting with materials like rose gold, polished brass, and leather to craft her coveted pieces. Known for her versatility and her passion for design, she has collaborated with a number of respected labels including Lanvin, Gucci, Costume National, and Julien McDonald; most recently the dynamic designer was engaged as a consultant by Cartier, one of the world's premier jewelers. She also finds time to write a fascinating blog for Vogue UK. Bohinc resides in London with her boyfriend, Benedict Cooper, a British advertising producer, and their daughter, Coco. I must say, Monsieur Konjic has fabulous taste in jewelry as well as women.

Lara Bohinc photograph courtesy of accessorieslounge.com
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Robert Konjic photograph © 2010 See Your World LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Nine 1/2 Weeks

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld lists Nine ½ Weeks among her favorite films, not just any erotic drama but a masterful take on manipulation, so I had to watch it. Director Adrian Lyne made his breakthrough with Flashdance in 1983 and followed up with the release of Nine ½ Weeks in 1986. Lyne cast Mickey Rourke as powerful Wall Street maven John Grey and Kim Basinger as Elizabeth McGraw, a sultry divorcée working at a Soho art gallery; Jack Nitzsche scored the film with cinematography by Peter Biziou. The screenplay is based on the eponymous novel Nine and a Half Weeks: A Memoir of a Love Affair by Elizabeth McNeill.

Nine ½ Weeks differs from the average sadomasochistic fantasy in that Rourke and Basinger create convincing characters and make their relationship believable. The electric attraction between the two from their first moment on screen together propels their impersonal affair throughout the film. The libidinal excitement is tangible as Elizabeth yields to John's need to control, permitting him to explore any number of perversions in their games, enduring his aggression and hostility, enjoying the risk. Note that the Chelsea Hotel and Bloomingdale's are both used as settings for the film, adding that authentic touch of Manhattan to this frank depiction of sexual power.

Nine ½ Weeks promotional poster image distributed by MGM.