I’d rather not be given that chance but hey ho. Those of you in the UK will be relieved to know the Eastern US is also freezing their t*ts off with you! Wrap up kids spring will be here soon – look at it as a chance to wear those winter clothes one last time:)
Yay the sun is out! After a few snow sprinkles yesterday I was worried winter may be here for a few more weeks. It’s funny as a remember leaving hospital 5 years ago with Hugh and it was snowing then too!
I’m loving my new Marks and Spencer cardigan – it’s perfect with the AllSaints Dita dress – even if I did just bloody well spill beetroot juice on it – gah! Fortunately managed to get it out with some lightning fast action! So much for staying healthy – beetroot juice – good for body – crap for clothes.
I am turning granola. Well I’m at least becoming more ‘green’ friendly and more aware of pollutants entering the temple that is my body. I suddenly realized this just the other day when Avril was telling me to stop using Bio Oil as it is a mineral oil full of rubbish stuff that will actually dry my skin out. Rosehip Oil apparently is the way to go – so I have just ordered some from Amazon to give it a whirl as a night treatment.
The other ‘treatment’ I started doing regularly just a few weeks ago may make you feel queasy – but I assure you it is fabulous and you will notice a difference too. Oral health is really important – not just to prevent tooth decay and bad breath – but gum disease has also been shown to raise the incidence of heart disease and premature birth/miscarriage. I am REALLY OCD about my teeth, especially after orthodontic treatments as a child and adult. I want to keep my teeth around forever thank you. In the past I have used a mouth wash for whitening, freshening and rinsing after brushing. Mouthwash can be really harsh and has brought tears to my eyes in the past – plus read the label – I dare you – so many chemicals! Anyway I was reading about juicing (see I am turning granola…) and stumbled across an article about oil pulling. Bear with me. Using an organic oil – I prefer coconut oil – you just swill it in your mouth, like with mouthwash, only for a bit longer, about 15mins. Coconut oil can be a bit intimidating as it is solid at room temperature – but trust me – take a tablespoon in your mouth and it will turn liquid at body temperature. It tastes fabulous – just like coconut – no surprise there really. Ok so what does swilling oil do? Well to a scientist, ah hem, like myself, it makes perfect sense. The oil ‘pulls’ toxins and bacteria from the teeth and gums. Remember hydrophilic and hydrophobic at school? Well all the rubbish stuff in your mouth is actually quite oil friendly (feel free to switch off here, but I used to use oil in my research to separate certain proteins – some liked oil and some didn’t). So the theory is that oil pulling every morning or every other day will remove all the rubbish from your mouth. Avoid swallowing it as it is now full of toxins, and spit it in the bin or down the loo as it will block your sink drains! I swear it has been beneficial – and much more pleasant than mouth wash. Others say it not only freshens breath, whitens teeth and helps oral hygiene but can also aid a more restful sleep and diminish arthritic pain – true detoxification. Give it a go and let me know what you think. It’s now part of my morning routine – and I actually ‘swill’ while showering every morning.
It’s Hugh’s birthday today so we’re both hanging out together. It’s the last time I’ll be able to take him out of school on his birthday. The new drum kit seems to have been a hit (groan – no pun intended) – at least with me and Poppy – one of us WILL tour with Jack White.
I had to nip into Zara to take a couple of things back – poor Hugh got dragged along too but he gave me 10 mins to try a couple of t-shirts that didn’t come home with me.
So apart from my weekend in London – the other highlight of my trip that I had been looking forward to for some time, took place yesterday. My sister took the day off work and left her 2 boys at daycare so we head to the Trafford Centre for a girls day out with Mum. We try to do it every time I’m back but often there are children involved – who it has to be said – can somewhat hamper the shopping experience!
We arrived as the stores were opening and had a blast. I relished every moment of it. There is something really special about spending time with your family that you take for granted when they are around all the time. Mine are not – so it was lovely watching Mum and Louise have fun and get the same thrill out of shopping as I do.
We started at M&S where Louise and I both got a couple of scarves – Mum had some 20% off vouchers so it was hard to say no:) Plus Mum got a couple of bags that she paid all of 10GBP for what with her 20% off and various vouchers she had collected!
My scarf – the Indigo Flamingo print (I also got a fabulous bicycle print scarf which isn’t on the website):
Louise’s scarf is a gorgeous silk Autograph scarf:
Looking at these simple images of scarves it is evident how different Louise and I are in our style. She gravitates towards greys, taupes and neutrals – she has very elegant, sophisticated tastes and prefers simplicity to loud eccentric prints. See the difference?:) I think it speaks volumes about our personalities!
I then had lots of fun in Ted Baker. Their store is amazing. Full of great colors and the decor is very grand and decadent. I had been wanting to try the Jupi dress since I fell in love with it in Bloomingdale’s. It’s a lot cheaper here with the exchange rate and sales tax so I knew I had to try it. Ted Baker do the 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 sizing which drives me nuts as I am always at the 3/4 end. The store only had a 4 so I tried it and even though it was fine – with my top heavy frame it felt too billowy around the hips. I put it back knowing Selfridges have a concession that I could check later. I did, however, know that there was also a t-shirt in the same print – far more practical and versatile. So I tried the 3 in the top and decided to get this instead of the dress. End of. Totally love it. The changing rooms are a lot prettier than my photos suggest!
One thing I didn’t get about Ted Baker is that they will only exchange items – not refund them – I think that is pretty rubbish these days.
So on to Zara – Mum got a fabulous quilted jacket (can’t see it on the website) and Louise picked up this gorgeous white coat. Both Mum and Louise are really petite so look amazing in everything they put on!
We then headed off for lunch – there’s a huge selection at the Trafford Center. I knew I wanted a long decadent lunch i.e. one with wine – so we chose Pizza Express. Now I remember when they were new and lovely. This one was fine – but PLEASE it is 2013 – can’t we figure out using laminated menus instead of grubby, greasy card? As a customer experience ‘expert’ I realize I may be overly judgmental, but this is the first thing your customer sees in a restaurant. Sort it out Pizza Express! It just makes the whole restaurant feel less than clean. Regardless, lunch was fabulous. I love my Mum and sister:)
So finally I had to look in Selfridges. I love this store. The whole shopping experience is immediately elevated. Now yes I had already bought the t-shirt but just for curiosity’s sake I went to the Ted Baker concession to see if they had a 3 in the dress. They did. After a couple of glasses of wine it was a no brainer:)
Here’s what I wore for the day.
See you all when I’m back in Atlanta!! England it has been a BLAST!
Enough so that I can venture out and take a photo under the bluer skies today.
Today it’s time for the Zara harem pants again worn with a Zara snakeprint blouse, Boden Limited Edition boyfriend cardigan (from a couple of seasons ago) and my Charcoal suede Newburys (sprayed with water repellent – never fear!).
I’ve found SO many items of clothing that I want right now – it’s torture. I’m trying to keep all my pennies for my UK trip, which is admittedly now less than a week away. Thankfully I think Zara is a little cheaper there too so this will hopefully make it back with me – it’s cotton too so perfect for Spring here when it gets warmer. I think it will look great with shorts, and those Bobbys that I want:) Really DISLIKE the new Zara styling on the site by the way – could the models look more masculine or miserable?
Wow, considering I packed so much in, I feel like it was actually a long, restful weekend. Friday afternoon I headed to a friend’s house for a play date for the kids and a wine date for the Moms. Lots of fun indeed. It’s a wonderful feeling when the children are old enough to play amongst themselves and the Moms can catch up…we were supervising – promise – bundled up in our puffer coats watching them play in the yard! I did feel a bit guilty as I made my friend aware of some websites that were new to her – I think she had ordered a shirt, shorts and pants within 10mins of clicking:)
Saturday night MM and I went out together. It was lovely. He is lovely. I’ve been enjoying my recent ‘girls nights out’ but there really is nothing better than a night out with the Husband, enjoying some great food, wine and conversation. As I’m off back to the UK in a couple of weeks we decided to plan a few ‘date nights’ before I abandon ship. I over indulged with oysters, shrimp and grits and a fine Rioja – perfect:)
I did, however, get a couple of jibes about my attire. MM has a very wry sense of humor:) For those of you familiar with British culture you will be more than aware of Blackadder. Anyway MM wanted to know where Lord Melchett was when he saw me – cheeky s*d:)
The dress is Converse for Target, the fabulous fur vest is Skaist Taylor for the Neiman Marcus/Target collaboration from Christmas (no longer available on the Target website), and the boots are the Rag & Bone Newburys. Really a dreadful photo but I was in a hurry – the cab had arrived!
Here’s a close up of the vest – the shoulders are fab-u-lous:
Sunday was of course Superbowl and I am thrilled the Ravens won – I’m completely crushing on Ray Lewis – he is so psyched before a game – and I will miss his pre-game dances next season. Beyoncé killed it with her half time performance – totally amazing – she certainly silenced her critics. How awesome to see Destiny’s Child back together too!
As for the ads – hmm – hated the Audi Prom ad – I thought it was totally irresponsible:
Loved the Dodge Ram Farmer ad though I’ll never buy a Dodge Ram:
I wanted to dislike the Budweiser ad as it was so sappy, but I saw it again this morning and it actually made me tear up – I think it has more to do with Stevie Nicks than the Clydesdale though.
The Doritos ads were hilarious.
Which was your favorite ad? Any that irked you or moved you?
So with school going back on Monday I was a bit worried about short tempers and bad moods in our household this week – but all in all I’m pleased to report we’ve all eased back into a routine relatively easily. So far no homework grumbles or getting out of bed complaints (I just huff and puff a bit – hate it!). I’ve started trying to plan my clothes the night before again, as at 6am I am totally lacking inspiration. The only problem is our weather is so wacky right now. It looked freezing this morning so I was planning to wear my Boden Off Duty jumper in grey that finally arrived, but on my way back from the gym I realized it was in the 50s and the forecast is now for the 60s this afternoon, climbing up to the 70s next week! It’s still January!? So back in the closet went the polo neck and out came a t-shirt and jacket.
The t-shirt and jeans are both really old, but really comfortable Gap items that have worn and washed incredibly well. It’s odd – some of my longest lasting items are from The Gap yet I never shop there these days – it just all looks a bit bland to me. The jacket is the oriental print bomber jacket from Zara (no longer online). I love this print and actually own the scarf (reduced to $20) and the trousers (reduced to $40) in it – never to be worn all together mind you! I think it’s the pink, grey and black combo that I love. The belt is Gucci – a present from MM a couple of Christmases ago – the fab news is it fits again! That spare tire is deflating! The boots are of course my Newburys that I keep harping on about…
I started the week in Zara too. Both the cardigan (reduced to $50) and the trousers (reduced to $40) are Zara, t-shirt is the same Gap one as above (washed I promise) and the boots are the Isabel Marant Dickers.
Yesterday I got the Vince Camuto boots out – I’d better wear them often before these temperatures rise! The jeans are Hudson Collin skinnies and the tunic is H&M – a bargain when I got it – I think they were on sale buy one get one free, and I got a black one too. The scarf is a REALLY old Accessorize one that I used to wear for work in The City – see I’ve always loved leopard print! The jacket is Boden‘s leather jacket from Spring 2011.
I’ve been struggling with a cold this week and there are lots of warnings on the news regarding the flu outbreak here – so better late than never I’m off to take the kids for flu shots later – dreading it…send me some good vibes!
xx
Firstly I hope Santa bought you everything you hoped for?
We have had an amazing week. Christmas Eve was filled with love and friendship on our annual family visit to Church. It’s a tradition I established a couple of years ago as I have great memories of singing carols as a child, both at Church and school. Attending a public school here though means there is very little carol singing, if any, as we have all this separation of Church and State etc. So in order for the children to appreciate the story of Christmas I have started taking them to Church on Christmas Eve. The real miracle is that even MM – a true agnostic – comes with us and belts out a couple of carols. This year we were also joined by friends and that made it really special.
For Church I wore my H&M dress, Boden chic leather biker jacket from last season and my black Isabel Marant Dicker boots. I can’t see the dress online right now but it was recently in the sale here in store for just $10 – yes it’s synthetic and I wouldn’t stand anywhere near a naked flame in it – but I think it’s really fun and can be worn for a variety of occasions.
On Christmas Day morning Santa was good to all of us – leaving us 4 tickets for a flight that lunchtime to NYC! SO exciting! Fortunately, Santa had tipped off Mom and Dad beforehand, so we had time to do a little under cover packing. Note to self: don’t try to go to Church, pack bags and wrap presents on Christmas Eve again.
Of course one of the joys of traveling Christmas Day is that there is no Christmas Dinner to cook. My little ones were thrilled with their alternative Christmas Dinner and a trip to their first NYC McDonald’s!
We anticipated that the weather was going to be colder up there but bl**dy hell it was freezing. So much for me wondering which jackets to take. In the end I made the right choice with my Patagonia Downtown Loft puffer – it was perfect for navigating the Rockefeller Center with the rest of the New York tourists.
It was crazy there and if the crowds were overwhelming for me then they must have been for Hugh and Poppy so we headed to Bryant Park instead, which was far more civilized on Christmas night. Another beautiful Christmas tree to see, ice skaters to watch and the Empire State Building lit up above us. What a perfect NYC scene.
Food featured heavily in this trip and that night we headed back to the hotel, weary from traveling and crowds, to enjoy the best Chinese takeaway ever. I see a new tradition beginning.
Boxing Day was icy again, but intent on doing some more tourist attractions for the children’s benefit, we headed Downtown. I wrapped up in the Boden Fairisle jumper, layered over an H&M vest dress, with my AllSaints Delors leather trousers, Zara scarf and Ash Bowie boots – which I have to say were the most comfortable shoes for walking up and down Manhattan – I was thrilled they’d made it into my bag! (Carnage behind me in this photo – a family of 4 in a hotel room…).
It was important for MM and I to pay our respects at the World Trade Center site, but not wanting to go into too much detail with a 4 and a 6 year old, we opted to wander slowly past Engine 10 Ladder 10 and the memorials. Very moving and hard to keep it together all these years later.
We then headed to the Staten Island Ferry. Not only the best way to see Downtown Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty – but the deck of a ferry was also the venue for MM’s proposal of marriage one day early in December, 15 years ago. After telling Poppy the story she now loves recounting the bit about me drinking a beer and eating a hotdog. 
After lunch we headed back Uptown, for a bit of culture and warmth, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We indulged the children with Egyptian Mummies then Hugh decided it was time for a bit of a meltdown – not surprising – the poor lad had walked miles. I took full advantage of his meltdown to suggest it might be an idea if I sat with him in the café (read bar) so he could snooze (and I could drink prosecco) – I always have my children’s best interests in mind you see. MM got to wander the corridors of art and Byzantine relics while I ‘parented’ – perfect for all of us I think? Plus the snow began to fall as I sat there snuggling my 4 year old. To say it felt Christmassy was an understatement – I was in heaven!
That night we headed out to dinner to the Bryant Park Grill. I wanted to take the children out for a nice Christmas dinner but obviously the location had to be child friendly and this venue worked out well. We dined on oysters, rack of lamb, and classic New York cheesecake. Don’t even think about the calories. Unfortunately the weather was ABYSMAL and we got SOAKED walking home – but renditions of ‘My Favorite Things‘ kept us buoyant:) I was very relieved that suede had not been my choice of footwear. Instead I wore my Rag & Bone Newburys (in New York what else?), with Dorothy Perkins coated jeggings (now just $29, incredibly comfortable AND they turned out to be pretty water proof!), Forever 21 earrings (similar here – LOVE how cheap they are!), and my tie dye Target Converse dress. On a side note it turns out that Rag & Bone put a lot of thought into designing the perfect boot for New York women – and they really do fit the bill perfectly. Some heel height for a bit of sass, but a block heel for walking between subway stations, and a padded footbed for comfort.
On Thursday we walked miles again. Dressed in my Off Duty Boden jumper (possibly my favorite this season), AllSaints leather Delors trousers, and Frye Phillip studded harness boots with my H&M scarf we headed off for breakfast. After pancakes we started with a bit of shopping in Soho. Bizarrely and quite worryingly I didn’t buy a thing, though I did worship for a while at the Isabel Marant and AllSaints stores. It was also fun popping in places like Uniqlo that we don’t have here in Atlanta. Fish and chips at A Salt and Battery was our reward for lunch before heading back Uptown to Dylan’s Candy Bar – Mom and Dad deserve a medal for braving those crowds.
My absolute favorite meal/experience of the trip was our visit to Balthazar restaurant on Friday morning. It made me wish we could stay and celebrate New Year’s Eve there. MM had taken me there once before as a treat on my 40th birthday trip. It was fun to go back and let the kids know we were eating at the Beckham’s favorite spot:) I bet Victoria doesn’t order what I did – it was perfect with a Mimosa.
So Christmas 2012 has been fabulous and we still have New Year’s Eve to go. I am extremely thankful though that we left NYC as the revelers arrived – I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather NOT be on December 31st than Times Square!
Glad to be back blogging – thanks for all your emails and comments – I have read them all and will reply soon I promise! What do you all have planned for Monday evening – and what are you going to wear!?
Every year we add to the list of our Family Traditions at Christmas. In recent years a tradition that has become more and more popular, is to head out for a drive after dark and take a look at all the wonderful National Lampoon style Christmas lights that adorn the houses around Atlanta. It’s a bit like our version of the Blackpool Illuminations that Mum and Dad used to take us to see years ago:) This year it seems our neighborhood has significantly upped their game. A little friendly neighborly competition maybe? There are Antebellum columns wrapped as candy canes, herds of deer lit up, and several Santa legs sticking out of chimneys. One of the easiest (if you don’t mind heights) to set up, and most fun was spotted this morning on our school run – I was in the line for the lights – don’t worry no hands free driving here…just so Santa knows where to go…
It was time for my indulgent morning at the salon again today. Five weeks comes around quickly – one of the drawbacks, or welcome pleasures, of short hair – depending on whether you focus on the money you part with, or on the relaxing pampering that you receive.
I wore my Zara leopard print khaki pants and khaki chunky sweater (not found online), with a long line H&M black vest dress layered underneath. The boots are my fabulous Newburys and the scarf is also H&M.
Given how much time I spend on the Zara website it is no surprise that the inspiration for today’s haircut came from their TRF Lookbook. I just think this girl looks stunning. Her boyish cut really appeals to me and given how difficult the red is to maintain I shared this image with both my colorist and hairdresser.
Unfortunately they were not able to provide me with her stunning, gamine features but I’m pretty pleased with the cut and color. Very happy in fact.
Now time to celebrate the new haircut with a glass of plonk. Happy weekend y’all!
I always know that I’ve had a great break when I wake up wide eyed, bushy tailed and ready to get back into a daily routine. I’m not denying that it was tough getting out of bed at 5.45am this morning but after a strong cup of java I was ready to rock and roll. Now can someone just explain to me why children sleep in when they need to get up and yet get up with the birds when they can stay in bed? My two had to be well and truly peeled off their beds this morning but I’m always thankful when there is no grouchiness – adults and children were all smiles this morning…it won’t last.
I’ve already had a very exciting morning – I’ve just bought tickets for myself – yes just me, myself and I – to head back to the UK in February. The first quarter of the year is always a great time to plan a trip as it is normally quite an uneventful time of year after all the frivolity of the Christmas period. I’ll be spending my time with family and friends and traveling between the North West and London – I cannot wait! There is something so freeing traveling alone. I love my family vacations, but traveling under my own steam, and doing what I want and when I want is very indulgent. Oh and there might be some shopping to do too! Yay!:) It’s going to take me till then to decide what to pack too as I’ll be meeting up with a bunch of very stylish ladies – more on that at a later date I promise!
On Saturday night MM and I had a lovely date night – well it started out lovely. We went to see Skyfall which I have to say was amazing – Mr. Craig with a bit of stubble was quite luuurvely and Javier Bardem was the best baddy ever! We then had plans for dinner – unfortunately a flat tire made it a tad more stressful than anticipated so my appetite had dwindled by the time we sat down to eat. The pinot noir and sticky toffee pudding made everything better though. Oh and the new Isabel Marant Dickers put a spring in my step too. I wore them with some Gap camouflage jeans bought a few years ago – but I love them as the camo print is really dark and very subtle. The sparkly jumper is the Skye jumper from Boden – perfect for a bit of snuggly bling and a night at the movies, and I layered it over an H&M t-shirt dress for warmth. The scarf is also an oldish H&M purchase. Boden, by the way, have 30% off till tonight!
Today ’tis freezing again so I opted for my coated skinny jeans, black knitted tunic dress and scarf all from H&M (and none of which I can find on the rubbish US site), with my Rag & Bone Newbury boots – yes my feet are very happy with me right now – though my pocket book not so much. Better do some work and earn some money before that trip to the UK:)
I’ve had some great emails for Cyber Monday but as I clearly don’t need any new clothes or boots I have not indulged. Have you treated yourself yet?
Poppy's Style 