The weekend

I LOVE 4 day weekends! Four days off with lots of sunshine allow for some lovely moments around the city, we "discovered" new places to take our Sunday shoots, had a bike ride in a deserted almost city, enjoyed non stop the sun (amazing!) and had the chance to meet the lovely Monica from Beauty Parler among many other stuff. How was your weekend lovelies?

London is all dolled up for the big day next Friday

Fruit salad for breakfast, best way to start the long weekend

Under the rain, yes a quick shower, at Sloane Square tube station. Loved the green

Mind the Gap people. Clearly

Lusting after beautiful bridal shoes by Aruna Seth with lovely Monica from Beauty Parler

Coke and champagne? You gotta love the holidays!

and red eggs for Easter! Thanks George and Alex for having us, we had a lovely time!

Bikes, new fave!

Swedish Hasbeens for H&M, in red, very last pair in my local shop. 

Living walls

You might have heard (or seen) that one of the Anthropologie stores in London has a huge green living wall. The wall at Anthro is 150m2 and 72 metres high and spans over 3 amazing floors. A real gem, and very impressive. The wall was installed when the store first opened a couple of years ago by a Brit company called Bio Tecture. I had never heard of them and came across the other day completely randomly. I checked them out and found some other great projects that I had to share with you. Aren't these stunning? Green way to finish this working week/ Have a great weekend!

I Heart London

Firstly, happy new year to all you lovely people. I hope your night was fab and fun filled, whatever you did.

I'm a little sad that my Christmas break has whizzed by so quickly, and while it's with a heavy heart that I'll be leaving my parents and heading back to work, I am also giddy with excitement at returning to London. Despite the fact that the city drives me mad at times, it also affords the opportunity to do just about anything your imagination can conjure. So, here are just a few of the things I can't wait to do when I get back to my adopted home.

1. Sip a passion fruit and ginger caipirihna (or 5...) at Refuel in the Soho Hotel

2. For nights when too many Refuel cocktails have been consumed, stumble on stilettos to nearby Balans, where eggs benedict and many other delicious treats are served 24hrs a day: yum!

3. Saunter through the heavenly Shoe Gallery at Selfridges, which stocks everything from epic Skovgaards to the entirely more gentle Pretty Ballerinas. A place where die hard shoe-holics could easily lose a day!

4. Snuggle into the divinely comfortable leather seats at the Electric Cinema, order a bottle of wine, and enjoy the latest movies in decidedly decadent style

5. Get lost in Liberty, possibly the most beautiful and perfectly edited department store you could imagine. My favourite corners of the store are the book section - perfect for those days when you need a bit of inspiration- and the fabric floor, which I can never leave without buying some new buttons! The Tarte au Citron in the cafe is perhaps the most delicious I've ever tasted.

6. Visit Tate Modern on the South Bank. The current Turbine Hall installation, Sunflower Seeds by Ai Weiwei, is incredibly impressive and you're only a quick stroll from one of my favourite places to eat...

7. Canteen, which specialise in grown-up school dinners, with food that is immensely comforting and totally delicious. The roast chicken with fries and garlic mayonnaise, accompanied by a glass of chablis is basically irresistable to me!

8. Visit Ryantown, artist Rob Ryan's fantastic shop. For as long as I have loved Rob Ryan's work, I have still never made time to get down to his east London store. Whimsical, nostalgic and utterly romantic, his beautiful screen prints hark to a happy little world filled with love, happiness and a sprinkle of magic.

9. Although it's on every list of things to do in London, it's with good reason, as a trip to the capital wouldn't be complete with visiting Borough Market. It's basically foodie heaven, and whatever you want, it's a safe bet you'll find it there. Stock up on Pieminister Pies, grab a wild boar burger and drink as much Monmouth Coffee as you can without causing jangling nerves!

10. Take a stroll over as many of the Thames bridges as you can, some during the day, and some at night. When I first moved to London, I remember being completely awestruck at the sight of the river and the beautiful buildings that flank it, especially by night. That feeling has never left me, and I always pause for a quick glance, even if I end up late for meetings!

So, that's just a small slice of my London must-sees. What are your favourites?

Image courtesy of 7art-screensavers.com

The Weekend

We are snowed in in London! Hope you are having a  great weekend! I got my passport today (yay! home here I come!) enjoyed a lazy Saturday and lots of Two and a Half Men (oh yes, big fan!).

Do you have any exciting pre Christmas plans? 

A food affair

SO yes, as I said yesterday, the weekend was lovely, very very very cold but really lovely. And the visit to Whole Foods was well worth it. The main London store is massive with everything a food lover would love. Now, the cheese room has absolutely everything you (if you love cheese of course) could ever dream. I love how  you can try stuff (not really common in England) around the store. Oh Yummy Whole Foods, you definitely know how to please us!

Soho House(s)

The people at Soho House must be doing something very well, if not their "world domination" wouldn't be so impressive and exclusive. I'm absolutely in awe with their interiors (planning a separate post) but their exteriors and roofs are no less impressive. Pools and roof terraces are popping all over the world in these exclusive members only clubs. I want to lounge in one of these pools!

West Hoolywood, London Soho, Miami, New York, London Shoreditch

James Brown and Cath Kidtson

I'm completely enamored with these limited edition screenprints created by fantastic illustrator James Brown for super Brit Cath Kidtson. You might remember that I blogged about the V&A Cherry on the Cake collection where James Brown also created a limited edition. I absolutely adore all his work hand printed in his East London studio. oh and did you know that Cath Kidtson has a US online store, is this new?

Kate Spade in London

So yesterday I ventured it out on the first really cold weekend in London for a visit to the Kate Spade London pop up store in Covent Garden. And it was definitely worth it. The details are know by most of you, victorian house, one month, looking for a permanent location. The house Kate Spade would have in she was leaving in London. And what can I say? It is indeed fabulous, the house I would want to live in. The colors, the set up, the warmth, the textures, the art wall. Difficult to beat. 

Beautiful, right?

The Cherry on the Cake

I'm very very excited about the new paper collection at the  V&A Museum shop. The Cherry on the Cake range is a collection of designer made limited editions of the very best in the shop. This third edition is focused on paper, a much loved product by many of us and the collection is flawless. Among others there is a laser print cut print by the famed Rob Ryan, a screenprint by typographist specialist James Brown that celebrates beauty and usefulness, and an incredibly intricate hand cut print by Chisato Tamabayashi. All in all a stunning celebration of everything print and paper. As usual the V&A never ceases to impress. 

An engagement by Caught The Light

I recently discover another London based wedding photographer, Chloe Browne, and her work is incredibly gorgeous.  I spent some time browsing her galleries and pas work and this engagement shoot caught my eye. The location is incredibly gorgeous, the Petersham Nurseries in beautiful Richmond, a beautiful neighborhood in West London. Are you loving it as much as I do?