Where I’ve Been – Loop N1

Sorry for the super long hiatus. I’ve been in another world of feeling ill and being so busy I don’t get a minute free. Also, weekends are the time I usually take some pictures and blog, however these have been all been very hectic so I’ve managed neither. I always think I must snap that for the blog and then I come home from running errands and the light has gone! I really need to re-program myself for the fading light.

So, seasonal woes aside, I’ve been learning to crochet. Now ordinarily I might share a photo of something I’ve made or created, but in this case all i would have to show you would be curly ball of wool that has been unpicked a hundred times. Needless to say, I’m not quite there yet, in fact, I’ve only had one, two hour lesson and a lot of home practise. I’m lucky, I have a mother who is incredibly talented a crochet (remember this blanket?) so I’ve been getting a few after class pointers, but for the most of it, I’m on my own.

The photos above are of the beautiful wool shop and learning space, Loop. The shop is just 15mins from my house so I do feel very lucky – it’s so beautiful and my class is taught by the very talented Bee Clinch. The shop space is lovely, all Ercol tables and stick-back chairs – with stunning knitted blankets draped over them. Wood and wool really does look so natural together – just like Ingrid always says.

Anyway, that’s a little update from me. I am also busy booking my tickets for The Country Living Christmas Fair and a swish Belle Epoque halloween party. If it’s anything like last year costumes the photos should be fun.

(All images are from Loop)

Blue Skies and Goodbyes

I’m home! After 2.5 weeks in California I am back on home turf. Well, I’ve been back about a week, but it’s only that I feel human again. Jet lag is not my friend and heading straight into work the day after you land doesn’t leave much time for photo processing and tending to blog. Anyway, explanations aside I thought I’d start sharing a few pictures of my travels, starting (in no particular order) with Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz was filled with beach, board-walks and palm trees – all so very different to England. The sun was shining and the town was buzzing, we managed a go on the 1910 big dipper that is made from wood and manages to throw you around like any ride today. Everything was so colourful and inspiring, there’s nothing like a bright blue sky to capture the colours of the fair.

The overall trip was amazing, the trip of a lifetime doesn’t even cover it. Escaping from reality and getting to spend 2.5 interrupted weeks with Miles was such a treat. We saw so much, did so much and ate so much it’s going to be really hard to do it justice in pictures and words. I feel very lucky to have had the chance to travel and saying goodbye to the blue skies and California was pretty hard. More holiday pictures to follow, I promise. I also spent the weekend revamping and changing my flat about so I need to take some snap to share. I really hope everyone has had a great start to May – have a lovely week! x

J’aime France

I’m not usually one to post personal pictures of myself and friends on my blog, but my recent trip to Port Grimaud in France was pretty good fun so I thought I’d give it a mention. Not least because I holidayed with fellow blogger LittleLjBigApple (now There and Back Again).

We ate and drink our way around the whole town and a little of Saint Tropez too. There was lots of crepes, Italian food and lots of rose (possibly a little too much on one or two occasions). We soaked up a lot of sun, I swam in the sea with a little help from my friends (this is a huge rarity as I am terrified).

All in all it was a lovely getaway, a much needed escape from London life. It was also Miles’ birthday whilst I was away, I got him a ticket to join us for two nights which was lovely, I couldn’t imagine missing his birthday, especially after 6 years of always spending our birthday’s together.

Beautiful Budapest

I have been very absent despite saying I was going to blog more. I’m finding having no camera, plus not massively creative surrounds a bit of a drag. I have been galavanting a little over the last two months, I went off to Athens with my work peeps – which was amazing! I also went on a anniversary trip to Budapest with Miles, we needed to celebrate 6 years together in some way.

We had a blast, Budapest is super pretty – with some amazing places to eat drink and chill out. Most of our time was spent at city spas, slurping goulash and drinking stupidly reasonable champagne cocktails. There were some really cute place to eat around the city, everything was so reasonably priced too. These photos are from Marvelosa, a kitch, shabby chic, tiny cafe located on the Buda side of the Danube.

We also managed to eat at the super cool, 1970′s communist inspired, Menza. The atmosphere was great, drinks were strong and the atmosphere was buzzing. If you’ve not seen the interior of the famous restaurant you need to take a peek here – so unique! Well I fell in love with Budapest, it’s similar to Paris, however a fraction of the cost and has a little less pomp. I’ve just got back from the South of France, more holiday posts to follow.

Le Chandelier

I had to share the photos and a tip about the wonder that is Le Chandelier, in East Dulwich. Not only is it a beauty but it also serves a mean cup of tea. For all tea fanatics this is a massive plus!  We opted for Silver Needle Jasmine tea – yum! 

As the name suggests this little restaurant/cafe is stuffed full with beautiful vintage, glass chandeliers. The ceiling is dripping with them and it really adds a lovely atmosphere to the place. The rest of the decor is French shabby chic meets Turkish bath house – strangely it works really well and is very  pretty.

In keeping with the real shabby feel all the china tea cups are vintage and miss matched. All very chintz and incredibly cute. They offer loads of great food from afternoon tea to yummy weekend brunch. Dulwich is bursting with great independent shops and Dulwich Park offers recumbents to hire. Miles I spent the rest of the afternoon tearing around the park on a crazy side-by-side tandem – lots of fun!

Back from the Sun

So I am back from my holiday in Mykonos Greece and I really did have the best time. It was amazingly relaxing and just what I needed (I hadn’t had a week off since Christmas). We stayed at the incredibly cool Mykonos Theoxeina, it’s a Design Hotel and boy did it live up to it. The picture above is taken from the lobby area all the inside was designed by interior designer Angelos Angelopoulos and it was all so beautiful I had to share it.

I love the colours it made me want to rush home rethink all my interiors to a blue/green scheme. It’s an amazing 1960′s hotel that was amazingly true inside to it’s exterior architecture. It was so nice to stay somewhere that not only was amazing in service but actually inspired you.

If I could have bought one thing home with me (apart from the sun) it would have been this chair. I fell in love with it, it was in our room and the fabric was so cute and shabby chic. Speaking of shabby chic I think I was the only person on the beach with a Cath Kidston ‘roses’ towel and beach ball – if only I could have got my hands on the lilo in time I could of really gone for it. I am now busy getting excited about Autumn – there are so many exciting fashion things on at the moment, I am emerged in catching up after being without the internet for a week (and during fashion week!).

Off to Barcelona!

I’m off to Barcelona with work tomorrow so I am a little bit excited. Though it suddenly dawned on me that I had done very little preparation into the best independent shops that the city has to offer. So now I am desperately looking for places. However came across this lovely and I just had to share. Dudua is a super cool handmade boutique in Barcelona, however you can purchase their wares online the website and blog is adorable – Check it out! The knitted muffins above are in the online store and are too cute for words! The Pietari Posti prints of the leaping deers are also adorable – I think I may have to make a purchase.

Anyway if anyone knows any good places to check out please let me know I would love to know your suggestions. I must get some sleep now as I have a bad cold (thanks Holly) and it needs nursing before the trip – Buenos noches . x