It's snow fun anymore!

I'm having one of those weeks that can only be classed as total pants!  But as in order to get me through the next 2 months, I'm trying to focus on the fun things in life!  Steph at walkthesand has done a great post today about 10 things that she is loving about 2011!  That's the kinda positivity I need in my life right now and as I'm sure you'll agree, a little bit of sunshine can get you a long way!  So what great news to come home to this evening to find out that I'm booked with my family to go on a little mini skiing break in March!  Only 8 weeks this Saturday in fact...!  So what better to get me in the snowy mood than some of the pictures I took from December, when we all lived in a Winter wonderland.

Saturday Muchies

According to The Evening Standard there is a new London quest for the search for the perfect sandwich so yesterday O and I took a trip to Borough Market on Saturday with the aim to track down the holy grail in toasted cheese sandwich.... Unfortunately, there was just too much temptation and my belly got the better of me!  So we crumbled and went to The Guildable Manor for some slap up spicy lamb sandwiches, and jeez they really filled a corner!  But I'm already plotting our return, because the humble sandwich really is the greatest meal ever!

 Have a great week!

xx

Watcha 2011!

So how many New Year Resolutions have you broken so far!?  I'm doing ok with the usual "healthy eating" and "my body is a temple" goals but I'm guessing the test will be whether I say no to the Friday afternoon glass of white wine in the office...

However, I have planned a few other resolutions, and I'm hoping that my publishing them here will chivvy me into actually achieving them!  Rather than blandly typing them out, I treated myself to this rather lovely notebook from paperchase (how can you not go into that shop without splurging on something?) and put pen to paper and came up with 5 missions for 2011!  Here's to making them work and sharing them on the blog... as that's something I really want to spend more time on too!

What are your little missions for 2011?

Hola! It's party time!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas - I had a great time and loved being back with my family!

However, I think it's sign of age.... or just the realisation that New Years Eve is actually better spent at a house party, rather than in some overpriced bar!  So, this year I've decided to be the hostess with the mostest, and will be throwing a little soiree for my nearest and dearest!  I'm always one for a themed party and thought what better way to banish the winter blues by going for a Mexican theme!  So whilst I sink another turkey sandwich, am putting my google skills to good use, by researching all things Mexicana

It's always a fine line between kitsch and classy isn't it for a Mexican themed party, but how cool is this illustration taken from theydrawandcook? The artist is  Gennine Zlatkis  and her beautiful blog is full of wonderful colours!  I think my party inspiration starts right here!

 Image from here

Totally Enchanting...

Are you feeling festive yet?  I think I need a viewing of Love Actually whilst making mince pies and then I can officially call it Christmas!

Today to escape some of the Christmas shopping madness, I went to Kensington Palace to visit their enchanted palace exhibition and a little bit of me melted!  The curators have created something incredibly beautiful and magical and it truly allows us to be introduced to the history of the palace and it's inhabitants in a really unique and special way.

As soon as you walk into the first room you are hit with a sucker punch of sadness, what can be more emotional that a dressing table full of antique bottles used to collect the tears of Princess Mary after suffering from numerous miscarriages.

   Photo from here

The rest of the rooms were all themed around seven other Princesses that lived at some stage in the palace, and the stunning rooms are enhanced with amazing fashion and art installations along with some fabulous performance artists that really bring the palace to life!    We all had a giggle when one of the artists offered for my friend Claire to sit on a thrown and asked for her to speak her greatest wish, the palace courtiers then shouted her wish across the palace for all to hear!   Then a few rooms later we came across a beautiful type-writer and the notes stated that their was a visit from Princess Claire and again her wish was noted for all to see!

As you can probably tell, I really can't speak more highly of the place and I wish I had more photos to share, but unfortunately the exhibit restricts photography and it was stressful enough trying to sneak these photos!  We ended the day with a glass of champagne and afternoon tea in the orrangery!  How very regal!

Have a great week!

xxx

Wish you were here!

Wow!  All I can say is, thank the lord I'm not in Berlin now!  Today's temperature in Berlin during the day was -7c!  Not exactly walking tour temp is it?  Makes me feel like my experience of Berlin was positively tropical....

We had a great time in Berlin, even though I just wanted to hang out in Soho House all the time!  I created a google map to keep a track of all the places we visited and wanted to visit - so I've got everything saved for next time!

Being a bit of a history and politics geek (I did my degree in Economics and Politics), I was really excited to see the historical side of the city and one of the most interesting tours we did was of underground bunkers from WW2 and the Cold War.  The tours were run by berliner-unterwelten and I cannot recommend them enough, the tour was engaging, fascinating and really gave you a massive understanding of what it was like in Berlin during the Wars.  

We also did a walking tour and it was also a great way of learning how the various administrations of the city have impacted it in so many ways...our guide was fantastic and I'm now a big believer of being a bit of tourist geek and going on these tours!  They really allow you to learn all the important facts of the place you are visiting and also mean you don't walk around the tourist sites without learning the important facts.  Best of all, you then have more time for investigating the bars, cafes and restaurants!

Here are some pics!

 O walking through the Holocaust Memorial.

The memorial was amazing, every stone was a different height and angle and even the floor tilted.

The Christmas Market food stalls were stunning

I loved the U-Bahn - the image of the Brandenburg Gate was on every train and the gate is seen as a sign of freedom for the city.

You can't go to Germany and not eat sausages!  In fact we ate them twice, who knew that chopped sausage, curry powder and tommy k could be so delicious!?

        This was an artist commune in an old department store in the old Jewish quarter.  There was so much street art and I believe in summer there are loads of outdoor bars, so you can enjoy a German beer and some great art.

What every style blogger needs...a sense of humour!

How much fun is this!?  Found on refinery29 and I had to have a giggle!  Think my fave part is the bit about having a boyfriend with a camera, my boyfriend is getting seriously tired of me requesting him to take pictures!  His usual comment is "you don't get involved with my hobby (call of duty... blah blah blah) so why should I get involved with yours!  Ha Ha!  Nothing like a bit of relationships support is there.... so I have asked for a tripod for Christmas!  I do however want to clarify one thing and you can rest safe in the knowledge - you won't catch me in a cage skirt....!?

Thanks refinery29 for making me smile!

xxx

Berlin Baby!

I've been meaning to post since I got back from Berlin last Tuesday but I really do wonder where time actually goes!  I have the up most respect for all you bloggers that somehow manage to work/study and blog! 

Anyway...back to Berlin!  What an amazing place!  I was hooked as soon as we arrived... I was a bit nervous of my return to Germany.... a rather depressing school exchange trip was experienced aged 14 and I was keeping everything crossed this was going to be a major success!

As a treat for our 4 year anniversary we decided to lux up and booked into Soho House Berlin.  I've spent every day since we got back wishing I was still there, everything about it was just way too cool for school!  The place was just oozing style, starting from the ping pong tables in the club entrance right through to the stunning art deco bar on the top floor, that served us perfect cocktails as we watched the lights of the city twinkle away!  I was itching to get my camera out, but as the the house is a members only, they respectfully ask you to not take any photographs in the club... so disappointingly the only picture I managed to take was of our our beautiful room!

I've always kinda scorned people that up load their hotel room snaps on Facebook but I was just way to excited about this hotel to care..   The room was just too perfect, from the beautiful antique furniture, the Roberts Radio that was playing jazz as we walked into the room and and the wonderful vintage record player, you felt like you had touched down into some stunning parallel universe!  And the bed... well there are no words to describe that bed!

The hotel was a former department store in the Mitte neighborhood of Berlin and during the Cold War was occupied by the Communists until reunification, where it was handed back to the original owners.  The Soho House team have done a fantastic job in refurbing the building and creating a wonderfully stylish environment that creates a really buzzy but laid back vibe!

Image of the club from Soho House Berlin

Image of the lobby from Soho House Berlin

I'm going to try and post later this week about what we got up to, but if you get the chance to go to Berlin I can't recommend the hotel highly enough and I can't wait to go back again some day!  I'm now on the hunt to become a member in London!

Have a great a week!  My mission is to try and keep warm!

xxx

I'm having Sunday night Downton Abbey withdrawal systems!  Did you watch it...?  It was the perfect escape for a Sunday evening.  I loved settling into their Edwardian world, admiring the spectacular outfits and watching the characters relationships develop!  Unfortunately, "I'm a celeb hasn't quite cut it this evening!  From the sublime to the ridiculous....

So in honour of all the lovely ladies of Downton Abbey I treated myself to this beautiful hairband from H&M, and I wore it last night!  Unfortunately, I didn't feast on an Edwardian banquet, but instead O and I went for a warming meal at Tagine in Balham and then we hit the pool table to re-create our first date!  He beat me convincingly 3 - 0.... so either, he's a pool shark or I'm totally useless!  However, because I let him win, I thought it was only fair he took my photo and I let him have a staring roll in it!

Up until this time last year my hair was a lot shorter and I'm loving the fact that with a little extra hair there are more and more options to style things up a little!  I'm thinking of trying to back-comb my hair into a 60's bob style and try out the hairband again... any backcombing tips!?  I worried that  I'll probably end up like a scarecrow!

Have a great week!  I'm on countdown - O and I are off to Berlin next weekend!  Uber excited to say the least!

xxx

Diamond Days

Whilst everyone else was preparing for their Halloween parties, O and I were getting glammed up in deepest Surrey for his Grandparents 60th Wedding Anniversary Party!  

After spending numerous weeks sat on my sofa on a Saturday night indulging in reality TV marathons, I was mildly excited to max up the eyeliner and apply a bit of lippy and I had fully intended to try and get a few outfit shots!  However, the free flowing champagne got the better of me and I have to say by the end of the night I certainly looked a bit of a Halloween fright!  So I leave you with a few indulgent shots of  the delicious food we scoffed, the amazing Cake that O's sister made and a lovely picture of O's sweet Grandparents - they are real diamonds!

 

 

 xx