Fortnum and Mason Christmas Present

For anyone who has never encountered my obsession with fine china, I have been collecting tea sets, cups and saucers, and tea pots. I have loved china for quite some time, my first tea set was an Anne of Green Gables child sized one which I still own. 

My mother and I often spend weekends checking out consignments for our sets.

I fell in love with a Minton set a couple years ago that turned out to be incredibly rare and worth a lot more than I happened to pay for it. 

To go hand in hand with my obsession with find china there is my thing for all things traditional British.... Polo, high tea, fascinators, bunting. 

My parents very kindly got me a trip to Fortnum and Mason's for tea as a christmas present. 

I choose to wait for Crouton to visit to use it. Lucy and Jess also joined us and we had a beautiful afternoon. 

 The store front is lovely. Once inside you head all the way up to the top for tea.
The service was wonderful, and the table was lovely.

 This orange pink flower next to the light blue china was a beautiful contrast.

The tea menu is extensive and has literally every option on it. I went for a strawberry black tea, that tasted like a pop tart ... I for one loved that. Might be too sweet for some.

Jessica had the wedding tea made for Kate Middleton on the morning of her wedding.
That was also very very nice.

 The venue was perfect the decor and lighting was beyond my expectations.

The tea was there own brand and light blue to match most of the decor in the room. 

Crouton and I had the savoury tea that came with endless sandwiches and desserts. 

That egg up there was actually a hand cut egg which they then stuffed with lobster and caviar. It may be one of the best things I have ever tried.

The afternoon was summed up by spending about an hour in the china section of the store. I feel in love with a set that looks like apartment buildings. 

Check out Fortnum & Mason here

Smack Deli - LDN

Coming from The West Coast I can be a bit of a sea food snob.  We have it good in BC and especially on the Island. 

But I had seen blog posts about a lobster roll place in London so J Bar and I decided to check it out. 

Smack Deli is located right off Oxford Street about a block away from Bond Street Station... Forever 21 is on the way... just saying. 

Check out the Restaurant here 

I loved the exterior on the building, but sadly the building next door currently has a whole bunch of scaffolding and messed up my shot.

But the inside is really what I gotta show you, or at least what they cook up in there.

Check out that hunk of meat. 

The menu is super simple, Lobster rolls, or whole Lobster. 

Get your mouth watering with those rolls. 

 Jess had the Seven Samurai with the courgette (zucchini) Fries, I had the whole lobster with lemon mayo and the lobster chowder. 

 ALSO THEY SERVE WINE AND BEER AND I THINK THAT IS COOL ! 

The Bar is pretty cute too. 

The Roll was super yummy and spilling with lobster and fillings. 

I know that Lobster Rolls are a East Coast thing but I think the West coast needs to get on these things. 

My guy who we referred to as Carl, looked awesome in his box. 

For those who do not know I have an obsession with lobster shells and would some day like to start a Lobster taxidermy company called Crustacean Claw down... Don't steal my idea. I mean that is umm totally copywrited. 

I mean just look at there shells, try and get more colour full then that. 

We loved the food and the whole experience, its well worth a trip, I can not recommend this place enough. 

After dinner we wondered over to Soho, where we met my man Z Bar and my good friend James. 

After having a drink we found a place called Las Vegas, and were in to the fact that they had American pool. We wandered in wondering if it was billiards or if there was actually an underground public swimming pool in soho. 

Finding that it was in fact billiards we settled in for a couple games. This place was a very interesting arcade, and we originally only stayed for the pool but then also dipped in to a couple games of Guitar Hero and some car racing games. 

The men where the big shots and were much more involved then Jess and I . 

James and I played the siblings. 

Considering that we had a pool table when I lived in Worcester and had all the time in the world to practice I actually massively lack in pool skills. 

But with a little help from my team mate. 

We were able to win the first match... seriously with no help from me. It was all you James. 

It was a pretty fun night out, and I would be selfish if I didn't tell you about Smack deli. 

Paris for 5 hours

This isn't the most picture filled post. 
I was only in Paris for 5 hours this time and only took a couple photos while I did my best to be Nate's tour guide. 

Personally I have a deep love for the city I find it beautiful and mesmerising. I could walk around with my head not quite in the clouds but in the architecture all day.  That may be why I don't end up taking many photos when Im there. 

Thought there wasn't time for it this time my three must do's for Paris are a guided tour of the Palais Garnier info here . Free Fashion shows on Fridays at the Boulevard Haussman Galeries Lafayette info here  I would also suggest taking in the view from the roof top terrace. And The Musse de L'orangerie ( more info below) 

I first took Nate to my favourite building in Paris the Palais Garnier. 

 My apologies for the weird angle on some of the shots I was trying to get the other tourist out of the shots... I actually kinda like it on this one.

The Palais Garnier is the ballet and opera house, as well as where Phantom of the Opera is set. I think it is an incredible building, inside and out.

We headed off towards the other exciting sites, by heading down the Rue Du Opera.
Which has beautiful apartment  buildings that to put it simple make me feel great.
Case in point :

 Haussman's Renovation of the city is worth having a look at.  Very interesting and smart in-site on neighbour hood planning. 

We made it all the way down to the Jardin Des Tuileries, which houses my favourite art gallery in the whole world. Thats saying a lot cause I live in London and have amazing art at my finger tips.  The Musee de L'orangerie is in an old orange green house and has the Monet Lily painting which are my favourite paintings in the whole world. They are massive and take up full rooms. Which I hope to one day get married in.  I have this whole dream wedding in Paris cause I'm a girl and I think about that stuff. 

Here is the outside,  its not very big. 

But in a lovely spot.  Info  here 

We continued through the park which will take you one of the most visited galleries The louvre.

Personally I just like walking through the park.

We made it all the way to Notre Dame, where you can check out the sweet little/ cubby gargoyles from the Disney film. It is a big tourist spot and my mother and I found out a couple years ago that walking around to the back is almost better then the front.

Less Gargoyles in the back though.

As I said at the beginning I love Paris but I do not hold it on a big pedestal, I have had some scary run ins in the city and seen some even scarier ones. Be careful in Paris, love it but try and speak the language, that goes oh so far in this city. I can guarantee 100% better service if you even try to speak a little french.

However the positives out weight the negatives here. I have been about 5 times and still long to see more.

Lyon 2015

I lived in Lyon in 2011 for 4 months while I was at marketing school there. I went to this tiny little private school and it was perfect. I don't know who else to describe it... it was perfect !

Is that not the most beautiful  picture ever taken ! I was really happy to find that this piece is still in the city. I had a necklace with the same flowers when I was there. That was cool I guess.

Lyon is lovely as its not a big tourist place, its got all the beautiful architecture but not many tourists. So when you do go there as you will have to do once you have seen this photo check out their tourist site here 

You will find out that it has this lovely big park called Parc De La Tete D'or where there is a massive open air zoo with all the animals
Like these guys

And him

I love him

Can you spot these guys ? 

The Parc also have this lovely garden... I was too early for the roses but we did check out the carnivores plants.

These are a bit to pretty to eat live things !!
I loved the green houses.

The other thing that you really need to check out in Lyon is Cathédrale Fourviere its propped up above the old city, giving you the most beautiful view of the city and even the alps on a clear day. We went up in the evening... Im really sorry that I have yet to figure out my night time setting.

Look at the share size of that thing !

I was so happy to just be in the city even though I don't know anyone there anymore. 

But I met all these gems when I lived there last time. 

I really do love this city, and if you go check out Flanngans, the Irish pub that I spent a good chunk of my time at.

Lemon Tarts and Avignon

My first ever endeavour in to The South of France was Avignon. My mother and I went for my first trip to France when I was living in Worcester when I was 18. 

Among Paris , Bois and Aix on Provence we found our selves in Avignon. Where we literally had the worlds best lemon tart, I have talked about this tart ever since. My mom and I had 20 min to switch trains and booked it in to the walls just for these tarts. 

So naturally when traveling from Montpellier to Lyon you should stop in Avignon to eat lemon tarts. 

With this being Natters first trip to France I thought I should take him to all my fav spots. We booked our trains to give us a couple of hours in Avignon. 

The Palais De Pope is also worth the trip in to the city walls. I mean come on, just look at this 

While in University I took a couple wine courses and the wine that comes from this area is really something else. 

I thought that this building across the street was lovely. 

I have always had a thing for climbing tall buildings, maybe I wanna be Godzilla or I just like the views. I loved that you can get up to the top of the Palais de Pope. 

Who can Spot Nate ? 

Lastly a trip to Avignon is not complete with out a little trip to The Pont De Avignon. 

I need to work on my taking pictures of people skills. 

Kickin' in Britain

So my fabulous Boyfriend Z Bar has started a new You Tube channel to document his time in The UK. 

To go with Smitten in Britain he has decided to call his series Kickin' in Britain. 

I got him the Go Pro for christmas and I am very very impressed with the quality of video it takes. I also like to hold it and pretend I'm a Spy. 

Here is the link to check out the Go Pro Hero 4. 

Sorry its a small file

Click here to Check out TV Z Bar's Kickin' In Britain series, its well worth it.

Menge my Montpellier

In my last post I was so excited about Natters coming in to the UK. He has arrived and I waltzed him away to Montpelier to visit our friend Crouton, then to Lyon and finally Paris.

We loved Montpellier and the beaches that surround it. I had been there briefly in the summer when I happened to run in to London Grammar and meet there very interesting road manager.

We made the trip out to La Grand Motte to be near the sea.
Its hard being from an island and moving to a land locked area.. the river is beautiful but not quite The Pacific Ocean.

I am a sucker for French architecture and swoon over it no matter where I go in France.
I found this old hotel/ mansion and I fell hard for it.

I also really enjoyed our little walk up the Roman aqueduct, mostly this little beauty.

Its also a pretty nice view from the top.

I bought that coat when I was living in Lyon years ago but here is a link for a similar one.
Zara Coat

NATTERS IS COMING

I'am incredibly lucky to have some of the best friends ever, and extra lucky that I get to have one of my very best friends Natters come hang out in LDN with me.

Here is a nice high school throw back of the two of us.  We are off to France next week to visit an other best Crouton, and check out Lyon where I used to live.

I can not flipping wait.

Breakfest at Tiffany's

Iv been reading Breakfast at Tiffany's this week and its hard not to picture how things were in the movie. Truman Capote is a very talented writer and its hard to stop picturing the movie as I read the book.  The book how ever is much more of a satire than the movie.

I found this on Pinterest the other day and it made me think of the scene with Holly sitting on her fire escape singing Moon River.

England HELLO !

I have been in London for almost a month ! 

I have so many things to post but first I need to figure out how to use the Wifi on my camera. 

I promise many posts starting this week !