Autumn Days

How is it here already??? It’s bloody September and soon it’ll be October (see they taught me well at school), and I’m trying to come terms with the fact that our poor excuse for a British summer is over for another year.

So there I was mooning after the sunshine and sat on a Eurostar with no wifi and I decided to take a little look through some old photos of last autumn. Photos that made me realise there are actually some good things about autumn as well. Please see below:

1.       Wrapping up warm

After the summer sun has finally vanished, there’s something quite satisfying about having to get back into your thermals. Last November Ben borrowed his dad’s incredible AC Ace and took me to Tom Kerridge’s 2 Michelin starred pub, the Hand and Flower in Marlow. A beautiful day, incredible meal and a very good reason to dig out the woollies. 

 

 

 

2.       Beautiful light

I’m not much of a photographer but I can’t help but notice that the light in autumn is just beautiful. Long walks around London are one of my favourite pastimes and I think that these snaps epitomize a sunny autumn day in West London.

 

 

 

3.       Food

Big, hearty meals are suddenly all you ever feel like eating. Stews, casseroles, cooked breakfasts all start creeping back into my diet. Ben and I usually like to try and take a day off in November just to chill out in London, get some early Christmas shopping done and eat, eat, eat. Last year this started with a hangover and a big hearty breakfast....

So, three things to be happy about for now. Plus there’s one other thing that is kinda making me think that the frost and pants weather is worth it; as of Monday, October 1^st, I will be officially training to be a chef. Amazing. I’ve been saving every penny I can for the past year to get myself in a position where I’m able to do this and, fingers crossed, it’s all just about to pay off!

Summer Update

Boy oh boy! It has been one hell of a summer and I have been none stop busy and completely unable to think straight, let alone get around to paying attention to my poor, lonely blog. Why so busy? WELL, I bought my first flat, I celebrated a birthday in the South of France, I joined the photo shoot for my mates’ new album cover, I danced the nights away at latitude festival, I planned and partied at my sister’s hen, I helped my lovely friends with the launch of their online boutique, my sister got married, I made the cake (!),   I joined in the London Olympic party spirit with gusto, I got to see blur (twice) and my sister got married again at our house in Spain...See what I mean?!

It’s been amazing but a bit of whirlwind, so here is a brief update in pictures:

First off, the flat. After months of waiting, my sister and I finally completed on the flat of our dreams in Brixton. It’s a stunner and we are the happiest little ladies in the whole of South West London. Yes, it still needs a lot of attention and new furniture  but it has such beautiful light and space and, after years of renting, we finally have a home to call our own. Hoorah!

 

 

My good buddy Alyshia took a few of us to her hotel in Cap Ferrat in the South of France to celebrate her birthday. Wow! The generosity her family showed us was beyond anything we could’ve expected and I don’t think any of us will be forgetting their yacht in a hurry...

 

 

I just happened to grow up with a few of the lovely and talented guys from Mumford & Sons so, when they needed a few pals to help them take pictures for their new album cover, I was delighted to help. The day ended in a food fight and I was digging food out of my bra for hours after, but oh what fun. I’m so tiny and blurred, I thought I’d give you a helping hand in spotting me...

 



LATITUDE. My friend Neil was running the hilarious comedy shed for Monster Comedy and we used it as a base for the whole weekend. When we weren’t laughing our heads off, we were watching some cracking music. It was also pretty cool to run into Brittany from the Alabama Shakes whilst treating myself to a late night noodle feast.

I planned a pretty awesome hen party for my sister Mary with a few of her wonderful friends and a couple of other sisters. A blast from start to finish with a suitably whopping great hangover the next day

 

 

My gorgeous friends Rachel and Lucy launched an online accessories boutique and, oh wow, it is really something special. They asked me to a bit of modelling (in the loosest sense of the word)  and I was lucky enough to get a preview of all their wonderfully cool and quirky stock. LOVE indeed. Looky looky at the beauties on my feet, hands, neck...check it out!  www.fromlondonwithlove.com

 

 

 



My bootiful sister Mary got married to the wonderful Nick from our house in Wimbledon. All five of us sisters were back together as my biggest one Katie came back from Hong Kong for the big day. It was so special and the happiest of days

Aaaand, I made the cake...

 The Olympics came to London and I totally surprised myself at how much I loved it. I didn’t have any tickets but that didn’t stop me!



My sisters and I all had tickets to see the incredible blur at the end of the Olympics, but, GET THIS, my clever friend Mei managed to also wangle two tickets to a last minute blur gig at the 100 Club on Oxford Street. That’s a capacity of 350 people. As you can imagine it was incredible, yes we nearly died and I may have broken a few ribs but to see blur with 350 people one week and 80,000 the next.

 

 

SO close!

And then so far...

 

 

My sister always wanted to get married at our house in Spain but, for admin reasons, this wasn’t really possible so she ended up having a second beautiful ceremony in the mountains followed by a big ol’ fiesta. I cried like a baby, I danced like a loca lady and I scoffed tapas and paella to my heart’s content.

 

And finally I got the time to relax for a week by the pool with some of my very bestest friends at my parents Spanish abode. Mmmmm loverly!

 

 

So what now? Well exciting times are up ahead as well, but that’s a story for another day .