Eating and drinking at the Malmaison: YUM!

At the Malmaison in Oxford we slept like babies and ate like kings. What can I say, we were utterly and definitely spoiled. The brasserie has incredible yummy food that still has me salivating. How cosy is the below dinning room? Perfect for a small dinner party!

I love  mussels but I'm always a bit skeptical but at the Malmaison they were gorgeously tasty. N had english asparagus with poached eggs and said they were cooked to perfection.

Steak and fries? uuum yes please! and delicious panacotta for desert, oh how I love panacotta!

After dinner, we had fantastic cocktails at the visitors bar and I was seriously impressed. Again very masculine but warm at the same time. There's tufted sofas!

And of course breakfast, hot, cold, anything your heart (or stomach!) wishes the Malmaison can offer. 

N and I were guests of the Malmaison Oxford

Sleeping in a Prison: Malmaison Oxford

This past weekend we took the train from London and went up to Oxford, where btw randomly met Lauren from Aspiring Kennedy and her lovely husband in the train station, such a fun surprise!

We headed towards the Oxford Castle and particularly to the old prison, the Malmaison Oxford (which actually IS the old Oxford prison). The prison closed in 1996 due to overcrowd and in 2006 the Malmaison group refurbished it all to create this stunning hotel. Each room has been created from what used to be 3 cells. N and I stayed in a cell room in the A wing, the original prison cell block. Our room overlooked what was the exercise ward, which now is a beautiful patio.
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Large, very spacious room, with a very masculine luxurious feel. A super comfy bed, with beautiful linens and glossy magazines. 

The bathroom is my dream, a large roll top bath plus walk in shower and beautiful beautiful Mal toiletries. Just perfect! Plush towels and bathrobes made us feel like never leaving.



The building is graded, so the original fixtures had to stay. This is exactly how it looked back when it was a prison. Well, plush carpet was added, and glossy white paint!

The exterior spaces are as well cared as the interior. And guests can enjoy drinks under the sun, when weather permits that is :)

And how stunning is this corner in the entrance lounge. A mix of library, and reading corners, or just a perfect spot to enjoy a calm drink.



All in all, a fantastic stay, I will post separately about the yummy food and the awesome bar. One post can't cover the incredible service and the fun time we had at this fantastic hotel!

N and I were guests of the Malmaison Oxford

Jo Malone goes Royal

Jo Malone is a Brit favorite of many and with a reason, their scents are quintessentially luxurious as are their beautifully packaged fragrances. The cream box and black ribbon is a staple nowadays and their shops are a treat to the eyes and scent of course! London has been all dolled up for tomorrow's big wedding and Jo Malone couldn't stay behind. Look at the beautiful window display in their flagship Sloane Street store. Beautifully classic, don't you think? 

The lovely ladies at Jo Malone kindly sent me their Orange Blossom Cologne which is the perfect wedding scent as the orange blossom is a symbol of love, fertility and commitment. I always wanted to get an orange blossom based perfume and I must say that this one fits my needs to perfection, sweet but not overwhelming, pure perfection.

Cambridge!

ah it was pretty, it helped of course that the weather was glorious. Cambridge is chock-full of beautiful architecture, incredible colleges with fabulous interiors yards, and pretty little secret corners. All in all a must to visit if you are around the area, can't wait to visit again soon! And spring is officially here, happy Spring all! the cherry blossom trees have sprung and they are breathtaking!








What do do you think of this INCREDIBLE tree? 

A Winter wedding

Beyond honored to be at Breakfast at toast today, if you want to learn more check it out here Thanks Danielle!
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Over my Christmas break I discovered Emma Case, a british wedding photographer extraordinaire. Her work is fun, natural and fun of little details that make every wedding a special memory. Go ahead and read how she became a wedding photographer, it's truly inspirational.

I have never thought about a winter wedding, never ever, to me a wedding is a summer affair but this one in Glasgow, could easily convert me.

They are Brits

I'm a big fan of the English countryside look. What I mean here is that I love the English traditional country way to dress. It rains yes and Brits are famous for embracing their most outdoors selves, love it! Fashion wise it is very easy to tell, wax jackets, rain boots, checks etc etc. One brand that epitomizes this look to perfection is obviously Barbour and their campaigns are a beautiful reflection of that. 

Please welcome...

...the future Princess. And it finally happened! 

And she looked amazing in a blue gorgeous Issa dress, I'm not always her biggest fan but she absolutely got it right! Wearing Princess' Diana engagement ring, fantastic.

Via: Guardian

Babington House

Remember last week I talked about the Soho House chain and I told you how their interior are beyond incredible. I was planning to do a generic post but I couldn't just pick one (or some) so I might split this. The Babington House, a members club in Somerset is probably what everyones dreams when thinking (dreaming?) of England. Warm colors, leather, big plush beds, luxurious library, acres and acres of greens. 

 And some of the bedrooms

Pure indulgence?