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London is so fun over Christmas, all the lights and everyone shopping. Come January everyone is on a health kick, drink free, cake free. Its so boring.
Attempting to cheer up grey January, we went to the other side of town, in search of something new.
No.1 Duke Street in Richmond, just opened and already bustling.
Heya, it feels like ages since I have written a blog. Been a very busy two months setting up everything for Spring swimwear 2015... and its almost done! I have felt like I have been hibernating and have spent far far too much time with my computer, lame I know!
Full spa days are kind of pricey, but its best if you can book just an hour treatment, which means you can use the steam room and facilities.
The spa is owned by Bamford, and located on the top floor of the hotel, with surround views of the park. Its beautiful. The pool even has a retractable roof, so in the summer you can tan and stay warm in winter.
Its a little sanctuary in the middle of London.
We had lunch and steamed and treatments. The most lazy afternoon but so so needed after the flu. Springs almost here and I can't recommend it enough to wash away that winter feeling.
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Just got back from ice skating. Its become a bit of a tradition to take my little niece, however she's not so little any more!
Raiding the Christmas decorations we all wore Reindeer antlers, kind of wish I could do this all year round, but its really only acceptable at Christmas.
We headed to the National History Museum ice rink in Kensington. Its beautiful and really festive.
Lots of almost falling over, it was a really fun girly evening. I really recommend it, such a good way to get excited for Christmas x
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Its called Kurobuta. An Aussi run Pop up style place with wooden tables and graffiti on the walls.
Its packed. no really, getting a table is close to impossible. We snuck away from working for a cheeky lunch. Kind of feeling guilty, but also not at all.
The food is INCREDIBLE. It is Japanese street food. So really just yummy unhealthy japanese food with a twist.
My favourites on the menu are the pork buns, spicy sushi roll, and the ribs. (if you do go, order a side of truffle ponzo, my boyfriend gets mad because I try and lick the bowl, apparently this isn't cool)
Its very chilled out, sharing style food, the perfect date place.
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Where has this rain come from! Literally a few weekends ago it was still warm and sunny,
and I was convinced that England was going to give winter a miss this year... I was wrong.
I find weeks in London really busy, so try to get away over the weekends.
My family have a place in Buckinghamshire on the Thames about 40 minutes drive west of London.
Late afternoon we headed to Danesfield for cocktails and to explore the grounds.
It is a big hotel, but is actually more like a old english castle.
It's so beautiful.
We wandered round the grounds and drank far too many cocktails.
We then headed home for a cosy movie night, and I decided I was going to cook...
INGREDIENTS:
1 half Pekin duck from the supermarket (Waitrose do a great one in the Chinese food section, it comes with yummy plum sauce and you just pop it in the oven)
1 avocado, sliced into cubes
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes sliced
1/4 a watermelon sliced into cubes
1 bag of rocket or lambs lettuce salad
Its been a pretty crazy busy few weeks at work, rushing around I find I go for a pack of biscuits or a cake over something healthy.
Its fine for a little while, but after a few days I really realise how important GOOD food is.
The Good Life is one of the many cafes now pushing the cold press juices trend.
This is a system that presses the juice without any heat at all, making sure it keeps all its vitamins and goodness.
Today was my favourite day in St Tropez, we knew it was going to be a busy one so grabbed the camera and managed to take lots and lots, and lots of pictures….
Breakfast on the balcony, some how managed to devour 9 croissants between us, yes 9! french croissants are the best. Full and rearing to go we headed to meet some friends at Club 55 beach club...
I found this Dalmatian puppy, I'm kind of at that stage that I really want a dog, but know I'm not quite responsible enough yet for one, so cuddle every strangers dog I pass.
Sometimes I think I have fallen in love and find it very difficult to leave. One day!
We hopped on our friends boat and speed between the big yachts out to where the waters really choppy, exploring little private coves and jumping in the water.
As the afternoon was drawing to a close, after the worlds quickest shower, we headed to the polo...
Its such a beautiful sport, the sun doesn't set here until about 9.30 so its a lovely way to spend the early evening.
We had cream and truffle spaghetti, I think the other was tomato pasta, which I really had no interest in after trying the cream one! Amazing!…. and Tuna Sashimi (yes the heathy dish you order to pretend you don't just want pasta..)
St Tropez is a little fishing town on the southern coat of France.
2am and just fell into bed, heels off and my little feet hurt soo much!
It was one of those days where we were all just a little bit silly. None of us were cool, we were just very hyper and laughing far too much.
We found a great Panama Hat stand, and all got a little carried away.
We headed to Chelsea, though the very merry crowds, all really excited and cheering us on, no ones else seemed to take bikes…
So I headed to California for a one week Holiday with a girlfriend,
6 weeks later, and I find myself still here.
We started our trip at Coachella, then headed to LA for the rest of the week. A lot of hotel hopping and getting lost, its so fun exploring a new city.
I made the most wonderful group of friends, they are gorgeous and fun and people who I want to know forever.
Saturday we headed down to a friends house in Malibu, about 30 mins down the coast from LA, right on the beach.
It was 35 degrees and the perfect way to spend a Sunny Saturday.
Lots of homemade frozen margaritas, tacos and guacamole, never was a fan of mexican food until coming to america,
where it seems to be a staple i have learnt to love.
Its amazing how a few weeks outside your comfort zone changes you, really wasn't ready to be out of London and away from home, but has actually been the best thing in the world.
Completely fell in Love with Abbot Kinney.
Starting to get in the swing of being away from home and London. Its funny, you really get to know yourself when traveling. Absolutely loving it.
PS bought this new hat - what do you think?
]]>Sun Shining, Bella and I ventured out on a health kick mission. We found a place called FitMix..
We found this awesome class, I am not a big fan of the gym,
I find I get bored and don't really understand what the machines are meant to do, so I try and ind new fun ways to work out.
This one was my weirdest find so far… I didn't plan to write about today, but the class was so crazy It needed it.
So we signed up for Pilates, this class had no similarity to Pilates at all! So it was a mix of Hip Hop, hard core Rock and a bit of Britney (yes!)
At 9 am after no sleep we walked in, saw the sticks and thought, oh no, what have we gotten ourselves in for...
Class ended, Bella and I went on a search for brunch, but the healthy kind.
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We woke up early, rented an American car and set off down the High Way.
I never really understood why people would rave about road trips around America, until now.
So today feels like the first day of Autumn. But I wont believe it :) am fighting winter coming by wearing a skirt
Sunday morning lye in I was woken up by the sunshine streaming in through the curtains.
Its really lovely waking up and having a completely free lazy day. I called my girl Rosie and we headed to Hyde Park for a bit of a wonder. Its right by my home and a really lovely chunk of green in the midst of the city.
Yes! Leaves! being a bit of a kid :)
This is going to sound kind of crazy but absolutely fell in love with this little squirrel. Yes, crazy I know :)
If I could have kept him as a pet, I would. He's awesome.
We garbed some hot chocolates. Super healthy breakfast ;) and hoped on a rowing boat.
This was completely unplanned and we were the only ones on the lake.. but just seemed like a good idea.
Neither of us could row, so it was such a giggle. Playing around and trying to push each other in I managed to drop the awe! We had to be towed back to shore! whops..
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So its day 3 and we decided to do... absolutely nothing :)
Its kind of a holiday must, isnt it?
It was fun exploring the town, Mykonos is renowned for its partying, and yes, as the night goes on the town gets crazier and crazier,
its sort of Greece's version of Ibiza.
But to be honest, we we were kind of just looking to chill.
After exploring the beaches in our Bug, we headed back to Namos...
I just got these beautiful pieces form Monica Vinader... I absoutly love gold jewellery on the beach. Check out her collection, Its really cool.
After so much fruit and juices and trying to be healthy we thought, f*** it, lets get cake!
Leaving the beach and covered in sand we headed to the one and only American bit to Mykonos, Starbucks.
I have to say It was kind of prettier than our Starbucks. It was on a hill and the sun was shining. Bit bad to be going to a Starbucks when abroad...
So we decided to try the local favourite.... COCONUT Mocha Frappachinos!
We left the beaches and headed home, back to the hotel, somehow on holiday the hotel becomes 'home'...
We arrived back barefoot and still covered in sand.
I love that just off the beach holiday feeling,
l
I used this stuff when I was younger, and I remember always being asked what my perfume was,
it was kind of my secret thing, lame i know,
I got it on Holiday in St Baths, but came across it recently in some beach shops. Gosh its AMAZING!
Its just perfume and body moisturiser,
but its a little bit more like an oil, and leaves the most beautiful sheen on the skin.
Chilling comfy clothes we watched the sun go down.
The hotel puts on outside movies by the sea in the evening, under the stars, Its incredible.
Perfect end to the holiday and back to chilly England!
]]>Good morning Mykonos! First afternoon and after a very hot day on the beach were off to find ice cream :) We rented this awesome little beetle.. and yes.. im driving! Shit!
Roof down, yes it is apparently the only barbie blue beetle on the island, music blaring we went on an explore. The roads are SO windy and small, there was even a moment I managed to roll backwards down the hill! Not cleaver.