My Weekend In London

Two weeks ago I had such a lovely weekend, that I wanted to pop some photos on my blog to record it.

Firstly, I managed to take an outfit photo (I'm not sure if anyone actually likes seeing my outfits?!) but I liked what I was wearing, so I took a few snaps.

I was channelling 'The Railway Children' with my cream tights and new boots that I got for Christmas. They are soo comfy, and quite pretty yet hardwearing!

I had arranged to meet the BF at Camden Town, so I got to the Tube station and waited on the platform. It was freezing! When I met him we headed off to get something to eat at The Diner. Its a great American style diner and the food is sooo yummy. Also, as you know I love anything retro, so The Diner is definitely a winner with me!

I had the Blueberry Pancakes with maple syrup and a Cherry coke!

I neeeed to learn how to make pancakes that taste and look as delicious as theses.

I love blueberries, and the blueberry compote was gorgeous! The BF went for a burger with trimmings!

After our meal we had a nice walk around the stables market area. They had some gorgeous fairy lights up left from Christmas, it looked really magical, especially as it started to get darker.

I love the markets in Camden, but the stables especially, as they have a lot of vintage goodies and some gorgeous dress shops too. I was very restrained though, only browsing and didn't buy a single thing, which makes a change for me!

On the Sunday we decided - spur of the moment - to go to the National History Museum, as there was a pop up ice rink set up in front of the museum, and so we decided to give it a whirl!

As we first walked in we saw this stunning carousel, which looked so pretty lit up in the dark.

The trees all around the ice rink were draped in fairy lights and there was Christmas music playing (a little late, but still nice none the less!) it was really lovely, and very busy! 

We were really lucky with our timing, as it was the last day before the rink closed, and as we got off the ice it just began to rain! We had been outdoor skating once before, in our first year together, at Somerset House, which was also lovely, but we both agreed this rink was nicer, and that it was good to have the museum near by to visit after the skate!

It was a lovely end to a really lovely weekend, and something I think we will make an annual tradition.

I love having this new year, for new ideas, experiences and creating memories and traditions.

:)

What are you enjoying about 2012?

xg

Baking Days

Inspired by my lovely Christmas gifts (the baking books) I decided to do a spot of baking the other day. 

I went for some simple oat cookies - I did half a batch with raisins and cinnamon, and the other half white chocolate chips and some cocoa thrown in! 

I use Lucy's easy peasy recipe and just adjusted it to suit my families tastes (some of us like raisins, some of us hate them!) I urge you to give them a go!

The other thing I baked was my Blueberry and Lime Drizzle cake (linky to my recipe) I used blueberries that had been in the freezer for a couple of weeks - its absolutely fine to just throw them in frozen :) 

It is such a lovely recipe, soo light and moist with a delicious flavour combination too.

I very much enjoyed sampling my baked goodies. My mum took some of the cake to work and it was very popular. It is a definite favourite of mine, but I can't make it too often or I'll eat the whole lot!

Lots of warming cups of tea have been enjoyed along side the baking. Well, you have to don't you? I bought this mug for my mum for Christmas, yet of an evening you will often see me sitting snuggled up in my beautiful new pyjamas drinking from it! Its good to share!

Mmmm tea and pyjamas!

Also, I have been polishing off the last of the mulled wine (oh I do love mulled wine, don't you?) I like to drink mine in a teacup all snuggled up under my quilt with something nice on TV. This week, we have watched the box set of Miranda, and been enjoying the Great Sport Relief Bake Off. Some of it was filmed at Emporium with Angela Griffin, so do check it out! 

And why not watch it, in your pyjamas, under a cosy quilt, with a teacup of something lovely?

Go on! :)

xg

P.S: yes I am championing pyjamas this week!! :)

Gifts Given & Received

 Hello lovely readers and Happy 2012 to you!

Sorry I have gotten a little behind with my posts lately, I wanted to do a big yearly round up of 2011 but it seems a bit silly to do that when we are two weeks into January now! 

Instead, I thought I would just do a little catch up post showing you my lovely Christmas gifts.

It seems appropriate to start with this diary, a gift from my sister - who knows me so well.

I love a new diary, I love love love writing! Give me a notebook and a nice pen and I could just keep writing. I love planning, making lists and jotting ideas. Thats the plan for this diary; I don't want it to be full of appointments and nothing else. It is going to me more like a journal, with notes, ideas and thoughts for each week and month. I am planning a little break in February so this will be perfect for jotting down things to do and places to see!

Another gift that was just perfect was this manicure set, which, let me tell you, is much needed at the moment. My nails are so weak, and yes I have been biting again, which is not good, but I have been stressed! So I need to give my hands and nails some TLC with this lovely set.

I got a lovely Christmas sweetie bag from the BF from Hope and Greenwood (kind of funny that we both bought each other sweets from here, we love the shop!) sadly no photos of the sweets, I left them at the BFs, but I took the bag home as it was so sweet! There is nothing nicer than an attractive bit of packaging I say!

The BF also bought me some gorgeous pyjamas (which are possibly the best present anyone could ever buy me) I LOVE pyjamas, I love buying them, wearing them and snuggling up in them. I pretty much put my PJs on as soon as I get home if I'm not going outside again. I love to be sooo cosy! Cosy socks also a bonus with me!

I used this pretty pastel green cup to display the Cath Kidston manicure goodies in my room. I like that they match well too! Who says you can't use tea cups for other purposes? 

I was lucky enough to receive this gorgeous writing set (Cath Kidston, again!) which I can't wait to use! The person who gave this to me didn't even know how much I like Cath Kidston, so it was a real surprise, but a lovely one :)

Moving away from the floral theme - I got these bright red "Converse" style shoes... I know everybody loves a pair of Converse trainers, and maybe its just me, but Converse hurt my feet soooo much! The shoes are just tooo narrow! Does anyone else have this problem? I now buy the lookalikes as they fit so much better and look practically identical anyway, so I'm not fussed! Anyway, I have been wearing these with my red spotty scarf and blue Cath Kidston handbag. I think they go quite well together.

My mum gave me this pretty sheer nude coloured shirt which I love and have been wearing non stop. I like that the collar is a slightly different colour, and that it is smart, yet pretty too!

From my mum and dad I received this beautiful smelling gift set by Philosophy. I had never taken much notice of the brand before, but when I came across this perfume I fell in love! If you haven't smelt the amazing grace range I recommend that you do, it is so clean and fresh smelling. It is certainly my new favourite, and I haven't had a new favourite for about six years so it has made an impact!

 (I still love you 'Lovely' by Sarah Jessica Parker!)

From the BF I received the Mary Berry Cakes & Bakes book, and the Leon Baking and Puddings book. His mum gave me the Vintage Tea Party book, which by the way is completely beautiful throughout.

I was soo lucky and so spoilt to receive things that were so me. I didn't make a list, yet every gift I received was lovely, and had a lot of thought behind it.

I can't wait to try some of the amazing ideas in this book, it really is beautiful. 

I am really proud of the Leon book, as I was assistant to the designer, as she was designing it! Its so nice to see the pages in real life after seeing them on her computer screen, and it really is a wonderful book too. There are soo many things I want to try - especially the breakfast pancakes!! :)

Enough about my gifts, but a little snapshot of some of the things I gave:

To the BF for his van as he always forgets to bring a drink with him! I found it in Wilkinsons if anyone was wondering where its from!

The teatowel on the right went in my mum's stocking, and the one on the left went in the BFs stocking.

I found them both in Primark, and they are really lovely!

For the BFs mum, as I know she loves the saying...

I made a little sale purchase too, just for home. This adorable tealight house!

Oh its just so sweet! Not too Christmassy, I plan on having this out for a few months yet, it was stuffed full of fudge, and only £3!

Ahh sadly, everything else in these photos has been packed away with the decorations, but I was adamant that the house stayed. Its a seasonal item I said, not a Christmas item :) I'm right aren't I?

Anyone else clinging on to Christmas, or are we all full swing, head first into 2012 and oncoming Spring?!

xg