Visiting Brighton In The Rain

 

 

It's not often I visit somewhere soggy and grey with the wind howling up my skirt and don't feel like running to the nearest café and bolting the door, but Brighton is different it has this strange effect, of making you feel like you are on the set of some magic show, which leaves you feeling curiouser and curiouser . Everywhere I looked smiling visitors and locals, coated in thin plastic macs were skidding around the shiny boards of Brighton Pier. Dodging in and out of amusement arcades and sitting on the shingle beach eating pale fat chips doused in vinegar,

 

 waiting to be blasted by the sound of another wave crashing onto the beach. After the frustration of trying to capture a giant one-eyed furry yellow minion with a useless/rigged metal claw, it felt like the right time for a game of mega air hockey, my winning streak back,
 Christmas shopping was next on my list. I found some leopard print soaps in Heals, a whoopee cushion in a sweet brown vintage box (there are little people in my life) pop art, cartoon ceramic cups, with phrases like Zap and Pow in pink and purple and some Choccywoccydoodah activity books.

 

 

 

 

 

 I wanted a giant felt robin and a stripy Christmas mitten, but decided to calm my Christmas shopping fever by experiencing the Zen of Brighton's eastern inspired pavilion. You're not allowed to take photographs inside, but I managed to snap it's fairy tale peaks peeping out of some trees. Whatever you do, if you ever go to Brighton, visit Brighton Royal 

Pavilion!

 

 

 

 Some people get goose bumps listening to music. I get goose bumps about unusual buildings and clothing and this place gave me a lot! It was a real Charlie and the Chocolate factory moment when I stepped into the entrance, the first things I noticed were giant chandeliers suspended by huge carved dragons, blindingly bright emerald green and yellow walls. Bamboo everywhere, including the banisters that ran up the side of the grand staircase, nodding Chinese figures and ornate hand knotted pink and gold silk rugs, but what I love most about it, none of this was taken from a real idea of the East. The Palace was never intended to last, it was created for the Prince Regent to inspire playfulness, based on the designer's brief to recreate the east and fun loving Brighton sprung up around it. If your lucky and it's not too busy you can have high tea upstairs, check out the tea pot! If you fancy freezing your bum off and sampling the delights of the Pav you can find out more here.

 

 

Halloween At Choccywoccydoodah

 

 

 

I finally got to make my long-awaited  pilgrimage to Choccywoccydoodah in Brighton the makers of all things fun-loving and chocolate. I was on a mission in my camper to pick up one of the house style birthday cakes, but first I had to try to penetrate through the thick gloopy gauze of cobwebs that had been lovingly draped over this year's Halloween display in their shop window; devotees of the Choccy series will know that nearly all the Choccy family
 (sorry these are real humans I'm referring to, not hollow chocolate figures wrapped in foil) are dog owners, so some how chocolate dogs, including my favourite Westy and French poodles with a full head of marshmallow curls always seem to feature in every window display theme alongside other shamazing creations that Dave the head designer has sculpted, such as this years chocolate graveyard.
Did you do anything fun this Halloween? 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Passport to Style | Reviews Moroccan Bazaar

 

 

 

Visiting Morocco features on my very long bucket list, so when I was invited to step into the pages of a souk by Moroccan Bazaar. I dived straight in. My own home is mish-mash of bright colours, and eclectic pieces add in a good measure of geometrical design, and the ritual of mint tea sipped in a walled court yard garden and that pretty much sums up Moroccan style. If you’re looking for a dose of mystery and excitement in your home, THIS online Bazaar has taken all the best elements of Moroccan decor and design and woven them into a sweet carpet ride that transports you to the narrow streets of artisan crafts men busy making things in the baking heat that you never knew you wanted, but now you do.

Bling Slippers And Venetion Palaces

 

 

 

 

So I have snuck back onto your screen, hoping you have not noticed that I vanished for a short time, I'm in the middle of some life changing stuff and it's been hard juggling everything so I decided to just focus on a couple of things, rather than do lots badly. I'm planning a trip to Venice on the 10th of August for five days with A, we have decided to be a bit posh and spend more on a shorter holiday, so we are staying at Palazzetto Pisani Boutique Resort an old small palace, there are quite a few palaces that have been converted to hotels in Venice. The hotel has a water door into the building which means if we want to arrive at our hotel entrance via the canal we can, I love the idea of stepping onto a boat and gliding up to the hotel door. 

 

 

 

 The first time I went to Venice was as part of our Honeymoon and even though we only stayed for three days, It really felt like more than just romantic, I liked the mix of tranquil canals and the bustle and mystery of Venice. I wore my bargain pair of silk ivory wedding slippers I picked up to go with my wedding dress, heavily embellished with beads and sequins.

 

 In Venice the concept of being over dressed doesn't really exist so me and my bling slippers blended right in and when a super stylish local Venetian women told me she loved my slippers and then wanted to know where I bought them, it made my day. I've changed my attitude to shorter holidays since my first trip to Venice, I decided I hate the whole packed itinerary of must see tourist destinations. So although I still make sure I know where the good stuff is now, I prefer to let the place I'm visiting reveal its secrets to me and then just wander aimlessly through the city streets, up and down alleys, pressing my nose against shop windows until something catches my eye.
 

 

 

 

One thing I'm not leaving to chance is where to eat, lots of visitors to Venice complain about the cost and bland nature of food, I had a laugh when when I came across a blogger that had dedicated a whole blog to her experience of breakfast in Venice, to help others avoid dodgy brioche and watery coffee, but thanks to her I can save myself hours hunting down a good coffee shop.
 

 

 I have done a little bit of research into favourite restaurant's and cafes where the locals go to eat and have discovered where you can get the best meatballs, pizza gelato (ice- cream) and Jewish pastries shaped like horns filled with a creamy almond paste. Are you off on a adventure this summer?     

 

 

 * Images courtesy of Palazzetto Pisani Boutique Resort *

 

The Making Of Harry Potter - Warner Bros Studio Tour, London

 

 

 

 I think there is one occasion when it's pretty acceptable to proclaim your a geek and confessing that your an adult fan of Harry Potter is it! I finally managed to get to see the making of Harry Potter at the Warner Studios in Leavesden, after first reading about it through Jen at Little Bird Fashion in 2012! It was worth the wait, I often get goose bumps listening to music but rarely about visual things but in this case I did!

 

 

 I liked the fact that the tour was not full of bossy tour guides and that you were free to take photos when ever something caught your eye, which was a lot!

 

 

 The detail and the talent that goes into making the Harry Potter sets is breath taking, I was a little worried the tour might take away from how special the films I have seen are, but in reality it was the exact opposite, seeing everything close up in all its detail was an incredible feeling and very magical.

Light Club Comes To Vegas

 

 

 

If ever there was the perfect excuse for me to finally visit Vegas it is probably this, club Light launches in April (which coincides with my birthday) with the help of Cirque Du Soleil and a combination of stella DJS from around the globe, we can expect amazing light shows, theatrics and beautiful costumes and makeup.Cirque Du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte describes the clubs collaboration with Light as a working laboratory in which Cirque Du Soleil can come up with new and exciting possibilties and projects.

 

credits - technabob.com

 

 

 I am a massive fan of Cirque Du Soleil, I love losing myself in the fantasy of their visually breathtaking stories and acrobatics, throw in incredible music and sci fi dazzling lighting schemes and I'm imagining possibly the best ever place to party. So I guess this is the place to wear those really over the top outfits, that your friends look at tut and say 'too much,' Man Repeller would approve of and you sadly put in the pile labeled 'in another life.' If you wondering how over the top to go, take a look at the coat below to give you a bench mark ladies.Find out more here  

 

 

 

Source - Nylon magazine

The Alternative Guide To Valentines Day



Vanilla Hearts



Valentine's day is here again and whether you fond of this tradition, find it annoying or look forward to it with anticipation we all seem to have an opinion on it. I'm not single currently but when I was, I still wanted to mark Valentine's day, because to be honest I'm a huge romantic and I think it is important to care for ourselves as much as we care for others. I find it thrilling getting flowers and hearts and chocolates and all the stuff the films say make up romance.  I don't know why I'm a big romantic, I wasn't force fed a diet of sugar plums and fairy tales where prince charming always was charming honestly!  If anything the opposite, I think the reason I love valentines day is more about what it stands for in its very broadest sense, love, sharing moments with significant others, passion for life and at times the element of surprise and oh yes I love the colour red which is an added bonus for me, but I would rather receive yellow roses than red and I have always cherished the tradition of giving and receiving cards.

I believe we should tell the friends and family who are important to us how we feel about them not wait for the right moment, however I understand that some people feel they need a  reason to be able to do that, Valentines can be that.So I have come up with a little list of alternative ways to celebrate valentines for any of you lovely gals out there that want to enjoy it either with friends or alone. we all need to take opportunities to douse ourselves in a little love every now and again or show our friends how much we love them too.

Secret Santa Plays Cupid-  If you took part in a secret santa at work last Christmas another season or red! This is a similar idea but played with your gal pals instead of work mates, (I'm loving these stylish bot slippers that are sweet without being too sickly from Etsy ) agree a budget between you to buy each other a beautiful, fun or sweet gift to give to each other, if you can get it gift wrapped beautifully and then meet for lunch and gift giving!

Homemade champagne truffles are so decadent and can be packaged prettily, organise a truffle making session at one of your gal pals houses with a big enough kitchen, charge enough to cover ingredients, the beauty of this is buying champagne to go in truffles goes a lot further then drinking it!! Tip- edible gold glitter is great for sprinkling on top of each truffle, here's the best ever recipe for those champagne truffles.

Supply some pretty pink and red boxes and ribbons so you can decorate a box to give to each other full of truffles, that's if you manage to get them home without scoffing them!  Do full on glamour with a group of friends, pool your most dazzling outfits clothes and makeup and invite gal pals that are good at photography to take pictures to frame later to mark your day.

 Mark the day by doing sweet things for yourself, swap the basic buttons on your red cardigan for some hearts shapes, order your favourite flowers to be sent to your home, M&S are great value in the UK, dress head to foot in shades of red, watch old romantic movies or funny new ones , find your perfect red lipstick, book yourself in for a pamper session. 

Emily Blunt

photo credits Etsy  & Folksy

Happy Valentines Day however you choose to spend it! xx