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  • arles :: a cobblestoned roman city

    Before we drove down to Camargue to greet the flamingos, we stopped off at Arles for a walk and some lunch. It’s a Roman city that still boasts majestic architecture like its amphitheatre and cathedral, and it’s a place where Van Gogh painted some of his most renowned works, including a childhood favourite of mine. Although it attracts many tourists, it felt like a relatively peaceful town where locals were shopping in the market and enjoying a provençal lifestyle, 

    I cannot get enough of French markets! Do you remember the one I went to in Bordeaux? It takes a lot of willpower not to grab something from every stall, and I’m pretty sure I could live off those freshly baked loaves of bread alone. Ok, maybe with a bit of cheese…

    Uncategorized
    / July 25, 2016

  • chicama

    If you like what you see in this post, be quick about it – you can eat it all with 50% off the food bill like we did, if you can snag a table by 31st July! 

    On a hot summer’s day (finally! only took until the depths of July, well done London), is there anything better than a glass of rosé and sharing fresh and flavourful dishes with friends? Chicama is the definition of a perfect summertime hangout, with its airy interiors and light, colourful menu. We had the doors thrown open and it was glorious.

    As the soft launch preview menu is a little smaller than their regular one, and we were four hungry people, we managed to order the entire menu except for one dish. I’m not sure I’ve ever managed that before!

    Uncategorized
    / July 20, 2016

  • this month :: june 2016

    After missing last month’s instalment of the Happy List series, I felt like it was time to switch it up a bit. I’m no longer sticking to the actual “list” layout, but the general idea isn’t all that different – I just wanted to have a freer way to take stock of the months that go by. Let’s see if this works?

    For me, June was a great month for me work-wise and it went by in the blink of an eye. Although I’ve been the happiest I’ve ever been on the work front since around Easter, the last few weeks have been even better. Alongside a few personal events that went well, I’ve enjoyed (nearly) every minute of my job(s) in general and I’ve felt so fortunate to love what I do, and to also learn so much from it on a daily basis. My workload eases during the summertime, and although having some more time to myself is a definite bonus, I’m actually a little sad about it!

    Uncategorized
    / July 10, 2016

  • camargue :: pink flamingo heaven

    I apologise in advance if this post takes an age to load, as it’s ridiculously photo heavy – but I’m pretty confident that you’ll think it’s worth it. 

    Camargue is a unique and fascinating region mostly made up of marshlands and lakes, and famous for their pink flamingos, horses and bulls, and red rice. Since it’s only an hour’s drive away from Aix-en-Provence, we took a day trip to Camargue and Arles with my father-in-law. Both him and E had been there multiple times before, but it was my first visit and I’m so glad we went – it was entirely different to anywhere else I’ve been in France or elsewhere, and we had a gorgeous day exploring this area in the South of France.

    Uncategorized
    / July 5, 2016

  • my daily face

    From politics to preening – isn’t that why “lifestyle” blogs are so great? Because it basically allows you to jump from one topic to the next without even a hint of a transition? 

    Today, it’s all about make up. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that I’m a fan of make up, and was a complete hoarder of every lipstick and dried up concealers that I ever possessed, before I did my huge de-cluttering. I just find it to be a lot of fun – not that I do anything particularly crazy with it, I’m quite prudish with make up, actually – and it’s never been a chore for me. I find it relaxing (unless I’m in a big rush, which is more often the case than I’d like to admit) and quite enjoyable!

    Uncategorized
    / June 30, 2016

  • i’ve never voted.

    So Brexit happened. I don’t think I really need to share my personal opinions on this matter, do I? I would only echo the 161,141,241 people who felt the same way I did. Except that I wasn’t one of the 161,141,241, because I’m not a UK citizen.

    I’ve been eligible to vote for 10 years now, and yet I’ve never cast a vote in my life. This fact fills me with a sense of guilt and helplessness, but I’m not sure how I could do things differently.

    Uncategorized
    / June 27, 2016

  • luberon :: peaceful bliss in provence

    I don’t think it would be too dramatic of me to say that I fell off the face of the blogging world, would it?! It’s been less than a month since my last post, which isn’t all that long, but it’s the longest break I’ve taken in three years so it feels like an age to me. I had an intense couple of weeks of working every spare minute (aside from being on bridesmaid duty for a hen do), but things are slowly winding down a little. 

    Before all of that, E and I spent a few days in France visiting family, which was truly lovely. So I hope you’ll forgive my absence with these gorgeous views of Luberon?

    Uncategorized
    / June 23, 2016

  • sunday coffee date :: six.

    So that was an unexpected mini hiatus! I meant to get back on track in the latter part of this past week, but I had neither the time nor energy to write – hopefully I’ll be more organised in the coming weeks, as it’s always so busy leading up to the summer months.

    The thing is, I’ve been throwing myself something of a pity party these last few days. I have no patience for moaners and groaners (I don’t mean people being anxious or down about actual problems, but more those who are constantly complaining about everything in their lives – even the good things!), so I do try hard to keep negative thoughts to myself (and to E, of course) and always know that there are people with far worse issues who live through them with grace and kindness. But sometimes, I think the only healthy thing to do is to unload, share, and acknowledge the misery!

    Uncategorized
    / May 29, 2016

  • regent’s park & first date memories

    If the forecast is anything to go by, it seems that London is as fickle as ever and thinking of retreating to that murky will-my-bones-ever-feel-warm-again winter-but-not-really season… so let’s just rewind back to that glorious Sunday two weekends ago. 

    After that delicious burger and wander in the market, we stuck to the rest of the plan and went for a walk in Regent’s Park. It’s one I don’t go to as often as I’d like, and it seemed everyone had the same idea that day and it was bustling with people. I didn’t mind though, and the blossoms were still in full swing and looking absolutely gorgeous. I got my soft serve fix (which I had to eat at lightning speed in the 27C heat! Positively tropical for the UK), E tried to educate me with weird facts of nature (he’s one of those types that absorbs endless reels of useless information from the random documentaries and articles he seems to love), and we reminisced about how one of these gems made an appearance on our first date (over 10 years ago!).

    Uncategorized
    / May 16, 2016

  • marylebone farmers’ market

    There is nothing I love more than making my way through a bustling market on a sunny day – especially in London, where we don’t take the sunshine for granted! This past Sunday, E and I had just a couple of hours free together between work and more work, so we grabbed the chance to soak up the rays and hunt down something quick and delicious to eat.

    After a bit of googling to search for markets in London that are open on Sundays, I found Marylebone Farmers’ Market. Being so close to Regent’s Park, it seemed like the ideal find – we’d grab a few bits to eat, and head to the park for a picnic. That didn’t quite happen, but you’ll see why!

    Uncategorized
    / May 12, 2016