Summer Suits

Before we went on our honeymoon I bought 2 new swim suits. Since I don't live anywhere near a beach (or a sunny climate) these 2 should last me for several years. But ever since I bought those 2 suits I have been spotting adorable suits everywhere! Here's a sample.



J Crew - $88
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Asos - £28
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Agent Provocateur - £90
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Adadis by Stella McCartney - £49
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Joules - £19.50
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Jantzen Swimwear - $98
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Percy Pig: National Treasure

Percy Pig is somewhat of a celebrity in the UK. Everyone has indulged in some Percy Pigs (or Fizzy Pig Tails, my absolute favorite) at some point in their lives. To be honest, I find them very hard to resist; always right by the register. I can never seem to say no to a pack of Percy Pigs.

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I was absolutely ecstatic a few weeks back when I read on Twitter that M&S was launching Percy Pig ice cream bars. Have no fear, Colin the caterpillar (Percy's friend) will also have his own line of ice cream. I honestly can't wait to try these!



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For a bright occasion

I am absolutely loving the bright nail polish trend. I am not particularly big into accessories (although I'm trying to be) so having a bright nail color is perfect for me.


I wore an awesome orange on our honeymoon in Fiji and for a wedding this past weekend I wore a bubble gum pink. Strangely enough this nail polish is also scented like bubble gum and after several days of wear it still has a faint bubble gum scent. The jury is still out on scented nail polish.

Getting ready to throw rice as the bride and
Groom exit the church.

What other colors should I try?

Standby brownies

Whenever I am in need of a baked item that will surely be a crowd pleaser I opt for brownies. I have tried several different recipes but keep coming back to Jamie Oliver's. I generally leave out the nuts and things because I love these brownies just as plain brownies.

 

From Jamie's Little Book of Big Treats

ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter
• 200g dark Fairtrade chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken up
• optional: 75g dried sour cherries
• optional: 50g chopped nuts
• 80g cocoa powder, sifted
• 65g plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 360g caster sugar
• 4 large free-range or organic eggs
• optional: zest of 1 orange
• optional: 250ml crème fraîche     

 

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a 25cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the cherries and nuts, if you’re using them, and stir together. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add this to the chocolate, cherry and nut mixture. Stir together well. Beat the eggs and mix in until you have a silky consistency.

Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. You don’t want to overcook them so, unlike cakes, you don’t want a skewer to come out all clean. The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares. These make a fantastic dessert served with a dollop of crème fraîche mixed with some orange zest.

Go for the view

London has a beautiful skyline. Yes, it is a bit cluttered with cranes but it's beautiful none the less. I am always up for any place, be it a bar or restaurant, that has a view of London. Therefore one night I suggested the mister and I meet up for a drink at the Trafalgar Hotel for some cocktails on the their roof top terrace.   

Upon arrival I was very disappointed to find that there was a £5 entry charge. The mister and I paid, rode the elevator to the top and figured that the view and some nice cocktails would make up for it.

The rooftop is very sleek and there are many considerate touches, such as heat lamps, blankets and large comfy seating areas. However, the staff looked as though they were going to hurl themselves over the edge at any moment and the clientele was strictly tourists - a group I tend to try and stay away from.

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The cocktails were good but over priced. Considering I already paid my £5 for the view, £15 seemed a bit hefty for 1 cocktail.

But then there's the view. The particular night the mister and I visited was cold and windy but on a warm summer night this terrace would be a great place to relax and enjoy the view.

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There are plenty of other places in London with beautiful views so I wouldn't rush out to the Trafalgar Hotel but if you do end up going, go for the view.

Vintage U.S. Parks Posters

Vintage travel posters are a bit over done. Was it just me or did everyone have at least one French vintage poster (most likely purchased from Target) hanging in their college apartment?

That being said, I spotted these vintage posters over on National Geographic and thought they might be a perfect addition to a wanderlust's walls. (These specific posters don't seem to be sold but are rather archived in the Library of Congress.)

These posters, created during the New Deal era were a way for struggling artists to get work and also for America to promote its unbelievable natural beauty.

What do you think? Prefer these over the same old, same old?

 

 

 

 

 

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Dreaming of...

...a lazy weekend. Off to Taste of London, Royal Ascot and touring London with a visiting friend! Back on Monday, likely to be completely exhausted.

 

The perfect summer salad

Even though it looks like winter in London currently, the mister and I have been opting for quite a few summer salads these day, mostly due to lack of time to actually prepare a meal. One of my favorite salads, that can be whipped up in an instant, is a blackberry and prosciutto salad. Buy. Toss. Consume. Done. So easy and so scrumptious.

Enough lettuce of 2 (I usually go for a bag of mixed greens)
1 small case of blackberries, washed
Roughly 6 slices of shredded prosciutto
Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top.

 

High street shopping

The more fashion blogs I read the better I get at taking an outfit I like and finding similar things on the high street. I saw this picture of Lauren Conrad in US Weekly when I was in the US back in April and really liked the outfit.

Here's what I found to make the outfit (or at least skirt and blouse)


Blouse from ASOS

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Skirt from Top Shop

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You've got mail

Have you seen this Google Chrome ad? Part of Google's 'the Internet is what you make of it' campaign, I think it is absolutely brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

Dryer dilemma

The dryer dilemma is simple - I have never in my life not had a dryer. A dryer to me is not a luxury it is an absolutely necessity. That is, until I moved to London. Not having a dryer has been a huge adjustment. Don't get me wrong, many of my clothes benefit from being line dried, but it's the sheets and towels...I just can't. I still haul our towels and sheets down to the laundry mat every week for a spin because I absolutely hate stiff towels and sheets are so much softer when tumble dried.

I have sort of succumb to the dryer dilemma, yet part of me still holds out hope that when the mister and I finally purchase our flat there will be room for a real legit dryer (not one of those all in one jobs that only drys your clothes if you leave it on for 5 hours).

While perusing LakeLand for baking goodies I saw this heated drying rack. While it clearly would not solve my sheets and towels drying dilemma, it certainly would resolve my 7 day drying time scale in the winter. Priced at £79.99 is it worth it?

The dryer dilemma continues...

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Easy treats

A few weeks back I was incredibly pressed for time but needed to bring along some sweets to a baby shower. Not having time to bake, I opted for 2 no hassle chocolate dipped items: chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered pretzels.

 

 

I have never actually made chocolate covered strawberries and found that my chocolate (I used Green and Blacks) didn't really solidify properly. A quick Google suggested that using Green and Blacks was fine but to do it properly I should have used candy melts. Next time...

What things do you whip up in a pinch?

Finding the right gift

A little while ago I blogged about a potential (amazing!) weekend away that we were considering buying the mister's sister for her 40th birthday. Having to do all this hunting around for a present got me thinking of the things I've received that I absolutely love. One of the best presents we've received was actaully very recently, a very belated wedding present, a camel hair and wool blend throw. It is so soft; absolute heaven to wrap up in. If you're searching for a nice gift that will surely get some use, look no further.

The exact one the mister and I have is now on sale at House of Fraser for an absolute steal.

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Penelope Cruz for Vogue USA

These photos are absolutely stunning. Penelope Cruz is looking so sultry and so natural. I love the natural look on such a naturally beautiful woman.

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Summer Scents

I have worn Michael Kors perfume for about 4 years now but a recent trip to Duty Free in the US had me trying many new different scents while we waited for our flight. One of my girlfriends recently raved to me about Gucci Guilty but it was one of their signature fragrances that really drew me in. Gucci II is a sweet summery scent that at first seemed a bit too fruity but after I let it absorb into my skin, I marched back to Duty Free and bought it. Now it's a summer staple.

 

What's your favorite perfume?

Small places, small spaces

The mister and I have now been looking for a flat to buy for several months. I am constantly disappointed by how much space we can't buy with our budget. I know we'll eventually find a place to call home but in the meantime shopping around can be a bit of a bummer.

I am always on the lookout for well designed small spaces for inspiration but there just don't seem to be many documented online. Thankfully I can get a small dose of small spaces once a year with the smallest/coolest contest over on apartment therapy.

What many of this years apartments have though are excellent layouts, which unfortunately we won't have when we buy a place (hello, bathroom off the kitchen. barf.) unless we invest in some major remodeling.

I thought I'd share a few photos from this years smallest/coolest and a few others I've bookmarked for inspiration. Know of any small spaces posts, holla at a girl.

all flats should have exposed brick. period.
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