tumblers

I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to things I want to make but generally find it difficult to find the time to DIY. Luckily, once a month I can try my hand at some craft with the girls at WI. A few months ago, it was my turn to host craft night and we made confetti tumblers. This craft project involves zero skill and therefore I loved it (unlike crocheting which we tried last month and I was absolutely terrible at!)

I used this tutorial and the Anthropologie confetti tumblers as inspiration. 

Anthro confetti tumblers

Because these are supposed to be asymmetrical and a bit chaotic you really can't mess them up. Ours turned out so well and if I ever can find a free afternoon I'm planning on painting a whole bunch more. 

Bank holiday sun

Unfortunately I was a bit under the weather this bank holiday weekend. I say unfortunately because the sun was actually shining in London this weekend. On Sunday the mister and I did a short stroll around the pond in Barnes and on Monday we went over to Richmond for a movie (Iron Man 3, guess who chose the movie?) and lunch at The Boat. I wish I'd been feeling better on Monday as I would have loved to spend the afternoon in Richmond strolling on the Thames and shopping. 

Barnes Pond

Lunch at the Boat on the Thames in Richmond

View from the boat

Afternoon tea at Mari Vanna

I've mentioned before that the girls and I go to tea semi-regularly. I love having this girly time but it's also a great excuse to get out and see parts of London I wouldn't otherwise. For our last instalment of tea Vale chose the ultra cool, Mari Vanna. I had never heard of Mari Vanna, who is apparently the Martha Stewart of Russia. Her restaurant was part haberdashery, part grandma's house and part old world Russia. (And truly a gem of London!)

The food was delish, we even received a champagne cocktail to start! I liked switching up the normal scones and cream for tiramisu-like cakes and the normal cucumber sandwiches for salmon pancakes, caviar and piroshkis.

If you're looking for an interesting and off the beaten path afternoon tea, I can't recommend this one enough!

Mari Vanna
116 Knightsbridge
London 
SW1X 7PJ

home made pavlova

Pavlova is something I normally associate with Christmas and special occasions, as it's the mister's favourite dessert and therefore reserved for those occasions. But topped with summer fruit, such as kiwis and passion fruit, it's the perfect sunny day treat. 

Hawaii in photos

As you know the mister and I had a trip to Hawaii planned for May. We went out for a wedding and it was so great to catch up with old friends and feel the warm sun on my skin (god knows when we'll see the sun again in the UK!). Here are a few highlights!

Old Lahaina Luau

The best pork I've ever had. Ever.

Hula dancers

Helicopter tour

Wall of tears waterfalls in Maui

Honokohau waterfall - used in the open scene of Jurassic Park

Maui Brewing Company

Champagne breakfast at Longhi's

Strawberry macadamia nut pancakes

shaved ice - a Hawaiian tradition

The wedding site

The bride!!

meeting little Mae for the first time!

London buses

Just this morning as my bus sped around a curve and I was thrown half way across the bus, I wondered how they know these things aren't going to topple over. Then in my weekly pursue of the Lively Morgue later that morning, I saw the London bus tilt test. Simples. 

lunch with a view - sushisamba

The mister and I booked tickets to the Lichtenstein retrospective the other week at the Tate Modern and thought we'd grab lunch beforehand since our booking at the Tate wasn't until 3:30pm. We come into the centre for lunch, um, never, so thought it might be good to dine somewhere with a nice view over the city, which put SushiSamba at the top of my list. It did not disappoint. I still think about the black cod (OMG!) and yellow tail taco (YUM!). I can't wait to go back.

swapping drinks with the mister. 

Yellow tail tacos

black cod and flank steak

another shot of the cod because it was THAT good

sushi selection

the beautiful terrace

a sunny day!