Part 1: London

For 2 weeks I vacated my life and traveled to England and Italy. I explored central London and took an extended weekend getaway to Venice and Florence. I saw all the big sites and checked them off my list.  Truth is, I love being a tourist. To be able to say simply “I’ve been there” means a lot to me. You see, I’m a wildly nostalgic person. Sure, I can ‘live in the moment’, but moments are fleeting. Your only keepsake is what you remember. So, you can be sure I'll gaze a little too long at the sites and take too many pictures. Because in the end, what's left?

Top 5 (+1) London Impressions:

1. Easy getting around: It really is! Public transportation is so well mapped out and the city is well marked, so there is little question how to get from point A to B. And don’t let London’s web-like tube system scare you. Just follow the arrows, and you’re golden!
2. Quaint quarters: for all the grandeur of London’s historic sites, most pubs, restaurants and shops have low ceilings and small doors. I was overwhelmed with feelings of quaintness and comfort. I’ve concluded that London is a very cozy city.
3. Country chic: nobody does country chic quite like the Brits! The patterns, the textures, the colors, the antiques! I’ve learned that no kitchen is complete without a tea cosie from Jan Constantine or Fortnum & Mason.
4. Pie & mash: I’m not a pie person. That is, until I dined at Battersea Pie in Covent Garden. The butternut squash & goat cheese pie with mash and gravy was life altering!
5. Hot men: London is home to a ton of handsome lads. I was surprised just how many hot men I spotted on every street corner. No matter their style, they all had something going for them. My London guide book did not prepare me for this.
6. Magazine freebies: Summer is the best time to buy fashion magazines in London because most mags come with a FREE beauty product! So, I stocked up on reading materials for my flight home and snagged a Jemma Kidd lipgloss, Leighton Denny nail polish, and Benefit High Beam complexion enhancer. Sweet!

GO:
Restaurants:

• Made in Italy Group (for the pizza)
• Gordon's Wine Bar (for the atmosphere)
• Moosh Cafe (for the fruit smoothies)
• The Admiral Codrington (for the sticky toffee pudding)

Shops:

• Liberty (for the Tudor revival store exterior)
• Whistles (for the womenswear collection)
• Fortnum & Mason (for the kitchen and confectionary floors)
• Alice's (for the antiques and charming decor)

J xx

Pardon Me!

Image: We Heart It

Pardon my language, but this is exactly what I'm gonna do! After a long and tiring winter and a less than stellar Spring, I'm vacating my life for 2 weeks and heading to the UK to visit dear friends. Plus, I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday in Italy! Be jealous, you have every right to be. I'll take lots of pictures and blog about my adventures when I return. Don't miss me too much! 

J xx

Cool Britannia

What I know about Britain is mostly hearsay. As far as London is concerned, I am told that the chocolate is tastier, the rain is frequent, and the Underground is the longest metro system in the world. I have read that traditional fish & chips is a must eat, and Westminster Abbey is a must see. The red telephone boxes have become monuments in their own right, and of course there's Abbey Road made famous by four lads from Liverpool.

My friend and her husband are moving to London come Spring, which makes my first visit across the pond a more pertinent reality. For Christmas I gave her a basket of all things unique to London, containing Marks & Spencer tea and biscuits, Cadbury UK chocolates including the famed Curly Wurly bar, Frommer's Born to Shop London traveler's companion, and the movie Notting Hill starring Britain's own Hugh Grant. But after coming across these cool products, I wish I had more room in the basket!

J xx

1.  Heal's, Cool Britannia Dinnerware: Celebrate being British with the Cool Britannia Dinnerware Range, designed and manufactured in England. This range lets you dine with pride with three of Britain's famous emblems decorating each piece of the set. Includes a dinner plate, side plate, bowl, mug and an egg cup.
Click to: www.heals.co.uk

2.  Jan Constantine, Pop Art Collection Pillows: The Constantine Collection includes original, hand-embroidered designs featured on exquisite textiles and home accessories that stand alone as unique speciality products in the interiors market. The Constantine Collection is designed for today, and each speciality item is destined to be an "heirloom of the future".
Click to: www.janconstantine.com

3. Miroslav Sasek, This is London, available at Chapters Indigo: From the Czech author/ illustrator of the "This is" series of books, This is London contains vibrant illustrations and presents impressions of London with its beautiful buildings, historic monuments, bridges, parks, shops and Piccadilly Circus, black cabs, Horse Guards, and famed Underground. The delightful narrative will charm both children and their parents. This is London, first published in 1959.
Click to: www.chapters.indigo.ca