Let the drink come to you…

The days of long twilights and barmy al fresco dinners are quickly waning. Even though I am heading straight into another summer, I am still sad to see the end of another English summer. I know I am guilty of complaining about the endless rain and cold but when the weather is good here, there is nothing quite like it. The Traveling Gin Company is the perfect example of lazy English summer days (and what drink could be more British than a gin and tonic)? Started by Ed Godden and Joe Lewis, The Travelling Gin Company consists of a pretty butcher’s bike, equipped with a laden picnic basket and a gin bottle attached to the handlebars. And call me a lush (again) but I just love the idea of the drink coming to you!

Images via

The City Revisited

I’m feeling a little fragile (again) this morning after yet another leaving party so please forgive my lack of words this morning. I am conscious of the fact that it sounds like I am a major lush but it’s less than 2 weeks (eeeeeeeeekkkkk!!!!) until we jet off to Australia and my very last week of work so celebrations are in full force. I never thought I would say this but thankfully social gatherings are now winding down and we are going to spend the weekend moseying about London just taking in the surroundings for the last time. Starting with one of my favourite places in London, The City.

Monday Snoop – Lavender Loveliness

For as long as I can remember, I have had an aversion to lavender. I’d like to think that my tolerance levels have got better over the years but I still find myself cringing at the colour or wrinkling my nose at the smell. Worst of all, I am not even sure where my totally unreasonable hatred stems from – it just exists. So I was a little perplexed when I found myself stopped dead in my tracks by a lavender beauty on Veranda. Logic dictates that I should be repelled by it, but strangely, I find it incredibly soothing and for lack of a better word, “pretty”. Of course I am fairly sure that as usual, the kitchen won me over and the rest just fell in to place.

Images via Veranda

And then there was light!

I have to admit to a wee-bit of trepidation in writing this post. In all honestly, I didn't know much about VELUX®, and what I did know, I wouldn't say it was all together enthralling.  But homework was promptly done and after a few minutes of research, I was pleasantly surprised about what I discovered. Turns out VELUX is a bit of a dark horse.

Want to know what ultimately swayed me? Attic and loft spaces! It’s no secret that I can’t resist the cozy loveliness of an attic space (Exhibit A and Exhibit B) but when it comes to the practicalities/technicalities of making the awkward spaces liveable, I have no clue. I mean how do you get a windowless sloped space filled with light and fresh air? Well this is where VELUX steps in. Way back in the early 40s, Danish born Villum Kann Rasmussen (the founder of VELUX) spotted an opportunity to develop a cheap and useful space under a sloping roof and designed and created the first VELUX window – fitted with an ingenious pivot hinge which allowed the window to be opened at 135 degrees. Suddenly attic spaces were transformed into liveable rooms. Today, their sloping windows are instantly recognisable and hugely popular here in the UK where space is at an all-time premium. It’s not just sloping and flat roof windows and skylights, they do their part for the environment too, manufacturing solar hot water systems and energy efficient blinds (which insulates the window up to 21%) but most fascinating of all is their involvement in the construction of carbon light homes. So there you have it, not just a boring window company after all…

This post is sponsored by VELUX but my opinions are my own and I wouldn’t be blogging about them if I didn’t think they were a cool company!

Click on the images to go to source

Mexican Wedding Fever

It’s easy to tell when wedding season is in full swing here in London: shelves are stocked with impractical heels, every second lady is wearing a giant sparkler on her left hand and those who usually read the Evening Standard on their tube ridge home, are now engrossed in Wedding Weekly. I know no less than 4 people who are all getting married in the next coming weeks. Now I wouldn’t exactly call me a romantic (faaaaar from it) but even I have been caught up in wedding fever this year. Even more so when I came across this beautiful Mexican wedding over the weekend. Groom, Sean and Bride, Lauren (along with their close family and friends) chose the picturesque and quaint town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to tie the knot. Apart from one of the most gorgeous wedding dresses I have ever seen and a jaw-dropping backdrop, I adored the fact that it looked like it turned into an epic party

All photos by Brandon Kidd Photography:

Just a spot of whimsy…

There is no real rhyme or reason for today’s post other than the fact that it is hump day, and well, we all need a bit of loveliness  on a Wednesday!

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