Tag Archives: England

A Family Outing to Osterley Park & House

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Osterley House 2

I know I’ve said it before, but we are lucky to have so many amazing places filled with history on our doorstep. Last Monday was a Bank Holiday so we grabbed our National Trust cards and drove down to Osterley Park and House, near Isleworth in Middlesex. A huge imposing Georgian mansion, dating back to the 1780s and surrounded by the most stunning gardens, it is one of the last surviving country estates in London. We had a quick coffee and snack in the stables tea room and then set off exploring the house and the colourful formal gardens.

It’s funny, both my husband and I can remember being dragged to visiting these places as children and while our own kids may not love all of it (the guided tour of the house springs to mind!) they do enjoy roaming the grounds, playing hide and seek and climbing trees. Hopefully, in years to come these outings will also give them some appreciation of this country’s history and culture that they in turn can share with their own children.

Osterley House 1

{I love the sweeping staircase}

Osterley Garden 4

{A beautiful summer house}

Cameron jumping

{Jumping high}

Casper jumping

{And there goes the next one}

Clemmie flowers

{Every corner of the garden was bursting with colour}

Osterley Garden1

{I seem to have developed an affinity for taking pictures of flowers – unlike the children they stay in one place!}

Osterley Garden 3

{Gorgeous tulips}

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{I wish I could have brought this flower pot back to my garden}

Osterley Garden 5

{A short rest before the next game of hide and seek}

Currently Coveting #23: Kate Moss x Topshop

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Kate Moss is the undisputed British style icon of the last two decades, topping virtually every best-dressed poll going and earning herself a legion of copycat fans. After a three-year hiatus she is back designing a collection for another British icon – high street store Topshop.

As with the pair’s previous collaborations, Kate looked to her own wardrobe for inspiration to create a collection which reflects her boho-luxe, laid-back style. The supermodel is renowned for her love of vintage so it’s no surprise that there are lots of 70s inspired pieces, from fringed suede jackets to jumpsuits and maxi dresses. Released on April 30, just in time for festival season, the collection will be available online and in Topshop stores. A small selection will also be sold by Net-A-Porter.

Working together with Topshop’s creative team, Kate has upped the luxury factor on the collection with beautiful fabrics and hand-finished detailing. While much of the collection will be sold at affordable prices, there are more expensive pieces like the scalloped blue satin maxi, which will retail for £295. The most expensive dress, a densely hand-beaded number, will be exclusive on Net-A-Porter for £600, with only 50 available.

Here are some of my favourite pieces from the collection:

We are going to a wedding in July and I think any of these dresses would be perfect:

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I am picturing this starry top worn with faded denim shorts for a laid-back vibe:

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A beaded jacket to add a luxe touch to any evening outfit:

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A Slice of History on our Doorstep

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It is very easy to take the things that are on your doorstep for granted. Although central London and all it has to offer in terms of history, culture and entertainment is only a short train ride away, there are still many places we haven’t taken the kids to see. Yesterday we decided to play tourists in our own city and visit the Tower of London as a family. I last went there as a 12-year-old on a school trip but the kids had never been and, amazingly, neither had my husband despite being born and bred in this country.

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I have lived in or around London for most of my adult life and I love this city from the bottom of my heart in all its grimy, often chaotic, but always beautiful, glory. In my eyes, what makes it so special is the way traditional and modern are juxtaposed in a way that somehow seems completely seamless. While London pushes the boundaries in edgy fashion and is at the forefront of the music scene, much of the city is still steeped in tradition, from the doormen at old school establishments like Claridges to the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. These contrasts perhaps come through most clearly in the architecture: yesterday we saw the ancient and magnificent Tower of London standing only a stone’s throw away from the glass covered ultra-modern wonder that is the Shard.

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Brimming with history, much of it dark and disturbing, the Tower of London is a must-see for every tourist visiting the city. As we picked a beautiful, sunny day in the Easter holidays to visit, the place was fairly busy and the queues for the Crown Jewels and the Bloody Tower (where prisoners were held and tortured) were too long for us to contemplate standing in with the children. But I’m sure we will back again to see the bits that we missed, although to beat the crowds, next time we may choose a rainy day in November!

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Linked In

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Linked In Collage

1. This Asparagus with Egg and Parmesan recipe is the perfect dish for spring

2. Thinking ahead to festival season and wondering what to wear? Actress AnnaSophia Robb (of The Carrie Diaries) gives the lowdown on her favourite festival looks

3.  17 Spring Projects for a Happier Kitchen, including making your own Grenadine Syrup

4. Calling all selfie aficionados and budding photographers: Find out how to look amazing in photos

5. Easter is fast approaching and as usual Pinterest is the best source of inspiration for yummy treats to make, including these cheesecake filled chocolate Easter egg

6. Or go along to Harrods and gawp at what must surely be the most luxurious chocolate egg ever, priced at an eye-watering £28,000. Made of chocolate and decorated with gold dust, inside the egg is a diamond pendant necklace by Swiss jeweller Shawish.

7. If you’re in London, don’t forget to also drop in to the Fashion Rules exhibition at Kensington Palace, showcasing dresses worn by HM Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Diana Princess of Wales

8. Ever dreamed of writing your own book? Here are some tips on how to write and pitch a book proposal

HM Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales – See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/WhatsOn/FashionRules?gclid=CPCexq7I1r0CFWoCwwodpFgAdQ#sthash.BuobJSFF.dpuf
Featuring rare and exquisite dresses from HM Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales – See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/WhatsOn/FashionRules?gclid=CPCexq7I1r0CFWoCwwodpFgAdQ#sthash.BuobJSFF.dpuf

Currently Coveting #20: Ruth Tomlinson jewellery

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Ruth Tomlinson

As someone who writes about fine jewellery for a living, being confronted with temptation on a daily basis is a hazard of the job. Most of the pieces I write about are either way beyond my budget or too ostentatious for my lifestyle  (or more often that not, they fall into both these categories) but the other week I came across a designer whose creations really speak to me. UK based jeweller Ruth Tomlinson’s unique designs are inspired by the idea of life cycles and changes in nature, from birth to decay. She launched her first collection in 2001 and has recently expanded into diamond rings and wedding bands.

With prices starting at £90 for a pair of earrings, these pieces from her Sketch collection (top row in the picture) are definitely going straight onto my birthday and Christmas wish lists. You can view all Ruth’s collections and buy online here

The Weekend in Pictures

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We had a balmy, sunny weekend here in the UK and, fingers crossed, this could be the week that I finally put away all the winter coats, hats and scarves. As usual the weekend went by in a flash but we had a lovely couple of days full of family time, which is not always possible with two (soon three!) school-age kids who often have their own activities and parties to go to.

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{Clemmie and her best friend hanging out at the bowling alley}

With three children aged 3-10 it can be hard to find activities that will please all of them but this weekend we definitely found one: bowling. The boys have already been several times, in fact Cameron had a bowling party for his ninth birthday, but it was the first time Clemmie tried it. I’m pleased to say that she loved it, even if I did wince every time she insisted on picking up the bowling ball, fearing she would drop it on her feet.

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{Cameron going in for the strike}

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{No visit to the bowling alley is complete without a slush puppy to drink}

Sunday, of course, was Mother’s Day and, after I had enjoyed leisurely breakfast in bed (or as leisurely as it can be with the kids fighting over the toast and covering the duvet in strawberry jam!), we walked up to Hampton Court Palace. After strolling around the gardens and playing a few games of hide and seek, we enjoyed some yummy cakes in the cafe.

I’m proud to tell you that some of these pictures were taken by Cameron who is developing a real interest in photography. He’s now saving up for his own camera and I think it would be great to have a hobby that we can both share.

 

Hampton Court 1

{Me and my brood}

Hampton Court 2

Hampton Court Lion

Hampton Court Statue

Hampton Court

Pink flowers

{Hampton Court gardens in bloom is one of the prettiest sights around this time of year}

Daffodils

Sorry for bombarding you with so many pictures but on the rare occasions that we remember to bring the DSLR with us, we take A LOT of photos!

Hope you’ve had a good start to the week. ‘Til the next post xxx

 

Happy Mother’s Day â™¥

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Happy Mother’s Day to all you mums out there, hope you have a fantastic day. Young or old, married or single, working or stay-at-home: remember you are all fabulous! XXX

Mother's Day Gifts

{My eldest son woke my husband up this morning at 7.30am (it was really 6.30am I suppose as the clocks moved forward today and my husband is NOT a morning person) saying “C’mon Daddy, it’s mummy’s day, we need to get organised!”}

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{And get organised they did! I had breakfast in bed – smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, my favourite – and was showered with gifts and (best of all) lots of kisses and cuddles}

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Mother's Day gifts 5

 

The Weekend in Pictures

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{I went for a walk on Saturday morning and snapped these lovely daffodils}

Isn’t it amazing what a difference a bit of sunshine can make? We have had glorious weather this weekend and somehow everything seems so much easier when the sun is out, everyone is happier (including the normally grumpy drivers in London!) and even food seems to taste better when it is eaten outside, underneath bright blue skies. I wonder if it’s just because nice weather is such a rarity on these shores. I’d love to know – if you’re lucky enough to live in sunnier climes, does it still boost your mood or do you just get used to it?

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{The outdoor furniture could do with a good clean but it was blissful to sit outside with a cup of coffee and a magazine, listening to the birds chirping in the trees and the children arguing over the football (oh well you can’t have it all!)}

Blue accessories

{Lady in blue: Me up in town this morning wearing my blue pumps from New Look (bought five years ago), a white and blue scarf (bought in Sweden), knitted jacket by Odd Molly, jeans by Paige Denim and sunglasses from Oliver Peoples}

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{We try to go up to the Swedish Church in Marylebone twice a month so the children can go to Sunday school and practice their language skills. Afterwards, there is always coffee and plenty of cakes – during Lent they serve traditional Swedish semla (cakes flavoured with cardamom and filled with almond paste and cream) – sooo yummy!}

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{It looks like it will be the perfect week to fit in a few power walks and trips to the park. No doubt the rain will return at some point so I intend to make the most of it!}

Now the kids are all in bed, the washing up is done, my blog post is written and I think we have time to squeeze in a couple of episodes of House of Cards. We’ve almost watched all of the second series so have to find another one soon…

Hope you’ve all had a great weekend. X

This Week’s Favourites

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this week's faves 16:2

Happy Sunday everyone! I’m back with my weekly roundup – I do like these posts as they’re a great reminder of what we’ve been up to during the week, sometimes it just whizzes by so fast. Tomorrow is the start of half term and it couldn’t be more welcome – a week of no school run, homework or extracurricular activities.

1. We had promised Cameron a bike for his birthday back in November and last week we finally went and bought it. A very happy boy has been cycling to and from school this week.

2. Casper was very proud that his poem about Africa made it onto the display board at school. You can’t read it in the picture but I was impressed by the rhyming he used.

3. I finally got my hands on the new Porter magazine – and it didn’t disappoint.

4. Clemmie talking to her cousin in Sweden on her ‘phone’. Sometimes it’s very hard to have your family in a different country 😦

5. My husband bought me some beautiful flowers for Valentine’s Day.

6. The kids enjoying a movie night. It was Clemmie’s turn to choose so they all watched Sofia the First – the boys would never admit it of course, but I think they quite liked it!

7. More cycling! It was a lovely sunny day today so we got the bikes out and cycled around the neighbourhood after lunch.

8. Signs of spring are popping up everywhere, like this pretty lilac blossoms. Please, please, please let this be the last of the rain and the cold!

London

And then there was today: an afternoon spent up in London with one of my oldest and best friends (who I hadn’t seen for almost a year as she lives abroad. But that’s the beauty of a really strong friendship, you can just pick up where you left off), walking along the Southbank, people watching and enjoying a glass of bubbly in the sunshine.

The perfect end to the weekend! X