Wednesday 30 January 2013

Bills Bills Bills

No I'm not singing a Destinys Child song (although the title was an excuse to listen to this while writing), Lucy and I went to Bills on Sunday for a lazy day.

The weather in London on Sunday was absolutely glorious, I'm sure you all saw Instabrown pages and facebooks filled with lovely pictures of London in the sunshine. It was a clear but cold day with really lovely sunshine on our backs so we decided to trip out to enjoy this rare day in London.

We stopped off at Fire and Stone for a HUGE pizza, its quite a big chain in London now so its not exactly a well kept secret but they're incredible pizzas and not that expensive.

Once we were stuffed full we thought it best to go walk it off a little so off we trotted to Richmond to walk along the green. I would have taken a few pictures but halfway through the walk the weather decided we'd had too much of a good thing and started to downpour.

Lucy and I found the perfect place to hide from the rain for an afternoon on a perfect lazy Sunday, Bills. Again I think they've become quite the chain now but it all started in Lewes. The food is classic British food and the decor is eclectic and old fashioned. You feel like you're in a countryside produce store with shelves lined with old tins, jams, juices and loads more.

We popped in while they were quite busy just for a drink and we didn't feel pressured to eat or leave quickly. We perched, ordered our drinks and found a pile of magazines to work our way through.




Lucy ordered a pink lemonade float with a vanilla scoop of ice cream, it created this amazing fizzy foam which tasted of fizzy strawberries.



Lucy's jumper is a bargain from Urban Outfitters.




I went for an incredibly naughty chocolate brownie milkshake with loads of cream and a flake, diet who?



My denim shirt was a lucky find in Prmarni, I loved the Aztec collar and sleeves



It was such a relaxing atmosphere, the staff are lovely and don't force you to buy more, I hate it when waiters try to sell starters or nibbles or coffees on just to get more of an up sell, it's so transparent.


I couldn't recommend the place more for a lazy coffee, an unlikely place for a lazy Sunday drink and a happy find while hiding from the rain. I think we've decided it will be our new meeting point now Lucy's at university!



I came home to read this cute little letter Lucy had written me from Rifle Paper Co.

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Sister Day Out

On Saturday my lovely sister Lucy came to visit London, we had a full day of hardcore shopping planned on a clear but cold day in London. We met at Borough Market for a little wander to look in awe at all the incredible food there. I have always said and still think that Borough Market on a Saturday morning is one of the most perfect ways to spend a Saturday morning, it's just something about it relaxes you ready for a day in busy London.


Some stalls aren't for the faint hearted!




We grabbed a coffee to warm the cockles at a favourite coffee stand. The coffee is incredible but my favourite part is the cute pictures they make with the frothy milk, just makes it feel a little more special. The coffee is a stand linked to a gorgeous cafe called Notes which is right by Leicester Square, they do incredible cakes and play old films at the back. It's a perfect place for a chill and a pit stop if you're around Leicester Square (my favourite is a trip to the National Portrait Gallery and then a coffee in Notes with a magazine from the Portrait Gallery's gift shop).








Once we were ready to brave London on a Saturday we journeyed over to Notting Hill. I'd only ever been during the carnival so the place looked slightly different without thousands of people lining the streets, and if I'm honest a little less blurry!

Portobello Market is a great place to pick up random antique nick nacks, I'm on a mission to find a fur coat and a vintage Burberry trench coat but both of these items don't fit into my current budget, maybe next time! Our favourite shop was a gorgeous shop where you can buy old door knobs, beautiful old fashioned keys and any old kitchen wares dating back to the 1800s, I'm terrible and can't remember the name but you'll see it if you go!

We hid away from the madness and tucked into Gail's for a late brunch. It's a brilliant little cafe with a few spots around London, the windows are usually lined with the most decadent cakes you just want to take them all home! Lucy and I went for the fried egg on buttered muffin with a good helping of bacon and a thick hot chocolate too. It was so busy so not somewhere you can sit and relax but yummy all the same, if you see one grab a slice of the chocolate fudge cake, it's to die for.











Tired and shopped out (we managed to pack in a Shepherds Bush trip too where we both bought an amazing bargain in Urban Outfitters which features in my next post, it doesn't seem to be online!) we headed home for an evening of fajitas and Pretty Woman, not exactly rock n roll but a perfect Saturday evening spent with my favourite sister.

Monday 28 January 2013

Under the Weather

Recently I've been a little under the weather, I've been having lots of allergy tests and Friday was another evening spent in a waiting room and brightly lit rooms.



My dermatologists is at home in Tunbridge Wells though so at least I got to go home for some good old fashioned home cooked food. Mum made moussaka which she's honed into the best thing ever through many trials, it's my go to request when I come home.

Sometimes it's the home comforts you appreciate more than a wild lifestyle...





Isn't she just the cutest little thing?!

Thursday 24 January 2013

A day to appreciate vegetables...

I'm well known for my eating habits, I'm honestly always eating and my favoured choice is chucking a hell o' lot of meat in there. Yesterday my lovely friend Catherine came over for a sleepover and I had a curry all planned and ready, then I remembered she's a veggie...

So out came the recipe books, I just never think that vegetarian fills you up despite the veggies always have the nicest ingredients, sweet potato, goats cheese, spinach, pine nuts...sometimes it is nice to have a day off from meat and enjoy a vegetable once in a while.

Perfectly timed I came across The Londoner's mushroom risotto recipe, I've never been a fan of the add a bit and wait, add even more and spend an hour by the stove. This recipe is honestly the easiest thing ever and so delicious, it looked like I'd been slaving in the kitchen for ages!


Sometimes it's good to have a day appreciating a veg, but I'll never manage it as a lifestyle, I like burgers WAY too much!

Tuesday 22 January 2013

Disclosure x Alunageorge


If I was asked what my song of 2012 was, I'd be able to answer that person straight away, no hesitation, I'd probably blurt it out in excitement. It makes me smile every time I hear it and I can't help but sing it out at the top of my voice accompanied by my very own designed dance moves. The song is Disclosure 'Latch' featuring Sam Smith. 

For those who haven't heard it before, you're in for an absolute treat...



Now if anyone asked me who I was loving in 2013 at the moment I would again be able to blurt out with complete decisiveness, Alunageorge.


Given this, I'm sure you can understand when Zane Lowe announced on Radio 1 that they've done a collaboration with Aluna's vocals on a Disclosure track. 

If I'm honest, Latch is a pretty tricky song to compete with, in my eyes it has everything but this new song is most definitely stuck in my head.

During the day, Disclosure released this picture on Twitter and the music world got pretty excited.



#whitenoise (the title of the track) began trending almost instantly after the song was played exclusively on BBC Radio 1.

I am absolutely certain this will be on repeat while I work today, can't get enough.

Friday 18 January 2013

Starting to feel like home..

I recently moved into a new house in London and we've been slowly making the house ours with essentials and pretty extras. I promise to post pics once its finally there but yesterday was our big Ikea trip!

I've only really been a couple of times as its so far away at home and anything involving a motorway my Mother won't drive. However now we're London folk we can take a trip easily.

I think because I haven't been very much I think it's like it is in 500 Days of Summer which meant I subsequently attempted to re-enact this scene on our visit, exclaiming that our taps didn't work, much to the disgust of my housemates...


I will explain I only tried to re-enact the first bit in the kitchen!

We came away with a crazy number of things, mainly candles, champagne flutes and jars for me. The house is slowly becoming a home and I'm truly in love with it!




A very odd chair contraption testing how much you can jump on it, my kind of test!




Stalking Andy and Laura, stealth mode...




This weekend is set to be a chilly one so I plan on staying wrapped up warm and *fingers crossed* travelling down to Bournemouth for the weekend, my dancing shoes are aching to have a trip out! Have a lovely weekend everybody ❄

Tuesday 8 January 2013

Laudree Covent Garden

Laudree, for those who may not know, is a beautiful Parisian paradise set in the heart of Covent Garden. It also happens to be one of my favourite places to go and on Sunday I couldn't resist the pull of those macaroons!

A very good friend from university, James Rodgers, is staying with us for a while as he's just started an internship at Disney so he's working with me! So while he house hunts, he's settling into London life with the bunch of loonies that is my house. For his first proper day in London we travelled into central with a mission to get my hat from Christies and James to stock up on Lush products. However, a real treat day in London deserves a hint of Laudree.

The cafe can give off an air of being hideously expensive but for a macaroon and a hot chocolate you really don't pay much more than you would in a Starbucks. We shared a pot of molten liquid chocolate and split a few macaroons while looking over Covent Garden's entertainment.








We spent £12 between us and had a much more enjoyable pit stop than we would have at a chain coffee shop. The place is beautiful so whenever you're next in Covent Garden and dying for a coffee and a sugar dose, skip over to Laudree where Jean-Pierre or Jean-Paul would be happy to have you!

Monday 7 January 2013

Tim Walker Storyteller



On Saturday, Lucy and Mummy Springett came up for the day. Lucy and I have wanted to see the Tim Walker exhibition at Somerset House for a couple of months and Saturday was finally the day! It's sponsored by our favourite designer Mulberry so of course we knew we'd like it anyway.

It's the most beautifully and cleverly created exhibition I've ever been to. It wasn't just a usual exhibition in a gallery with pictures on the wall, every single room was stunning with a carefully thought out concept and clear themes. The words printed on the wall are interestingly placed and really cohesive with what you see in that room.

Needless to say I was in awe. The first room you walk into has a huge toy plane which then follows into the pictures shown in that room.



{All photo credits are from the New York Times, Laura Ashley blog, W Magazine, Thames & Hudson}






As you can see from the photos, ever room has a clear concept and is beautifully set out.















This doll you actually get to meet, it was one of my favourite rooms, the photography with the doll has a gorgeous look to it and the colours are stunning.

I couldn't recommend this exhibition more but hurry as it ends 27th January! If you can't catch it you can buy the book accompaniment to this exhibition with the amazing photography. 

If you do pop over to Somerset House their Christmas Arcade is still there with some lovely shops, I managed to grab a gorgeous grey floppy hat from their pop up Christie's shop which I'm sure I'll wear in many photos to come on this blog. I feel so sophisticated when I wear it!

Friday 4 January 2013

You Keep Me Running

On the theme of resolutions, last night I stuck to another one and went on my first run of 2013. I find it's a great way to run out any stresses or frustrations while pushing yourself to do more.

I use the Nike + app which I honestly couldn't recommend more, it's so useful. I have it built into my little iPod Nano which means all of the Internet bits you can get on the app, like mapping your route, I can't use but I still get a great workout from it. It's free so what have you go to lose?! You can get it from here for your iPod or iPhone.




My favourite part about it is the online hub where your runs are sent, you can set yourself goals and awards which push you to actually complete what you've set out to do. Also you can join up with friends and have a friendly bit of competition!

For a run, music is essential! My playlist is really high intensity club music but I can't stand running to just noise so here is a little selection of music I have on there.

Jessie Ware - Running


TNGHT - Higher Ground



Disclosure - Latch



Rudimental - Feel the Love



Azealia Banks - Esta Noche



Bondax - Baby I Got That



Infinity Ink - Infinity





I have a feeling running is a resolution for lots of people so if I do find anything that helps my motivation and runs I'll make sure I blog about it, there are so many mixes on Soundcloud that you can download for free.

Thursday 3 January 2013

Hello 2013!

One of my resolutions is, I'm sure you can guess, to start concentrating on updating my blog again (I'm sure you can forgive me for not blogging on New Years Day, I wasn't feeling my best!)

This year is going to be my fresh start, I've finally moved to London, details of which I'll divulge at a later date! I feel like 2013 is my time to start a new life and I hope you come along the ride with me.

My New Years Eve is, naturally, the first subject of many posts. It was a very chilled affair, I hate the expectation to have fun on NYE, last year I did the big London fireworks and while they were beautiful once you've been through those crowds once, you don't need to do it again.

So I trotted my bottom off to Bristol where Lucy and Fleur live and we decided to dress up and have a cocktail party at home and see in New Years in the warm with a glass of champers (cava, same thing!) with my lovely friends.




Lucy's dress is from Urban Outfitters




My dress is this little number from the Urban Oufitters sale













Jools Holland to bring in the new year





In the morning we went for a thoroughly necessary fry up to cure our hangovers!

I had such a lovely time and I now think staying in is the new going out for NYE, does that make me old?!

We managed to fit in a little shopping and I picked up an absolute bargain in Urban Outfitters, the dress I wore for NYE (pictured above) was a cheeky little find, originally £50 I managed to get it for £20! I've been spending a little too much time in the sales at the moment and would highly recommend the Urban Outfitters sale! Also Aubin and Wills has some great bargains, sorry if these links force you to open those purse strings but I know that I'll be glad I have that dress when I haven't got any money left!

How were your New Years Eve's? Any other Christmas sales you'd recommend?