Science Museum Lates

One of the best things about London has to be the museums and what could be better than an adults only, alcohol friendly, fun-loving night at the Science Museum?? On the last Wednesday of every month the museum hosts its 'Lates' night which allows visitors to wander the floors, drink in hand, to the funky sounds of the in-house dj's. Every month has a different theme and as Wednesday's was 'the science of food' I just had to pop along. The much loved regular activities such as the silent disco (i love listening to people sing when they wear headphones) and the science based pub quiz were accompanied by themed events; musical vegetables, potato stamping, liquid nitrogen banana DIY (they make for great hammers, which the men loved!) and comedy based food shows.

This was an awesome night of fun and it was free! Can't wait to find out next months theme.

Serpentine sleepover

When I heard about this event I could barely control my excitement! The Serpentine Gallery and the V&A are hosting a sleepover in the new pavilion (designed by Jean Nouvel) in Hyde Park this Friday…wait, there’s more!

The event starts at the V&A with a Bombay Sapphire bar creating special ‘night cap cocktails’ followed by twilight tours of the museum and that’s just for starters! Revelers then make their way to The Serpentine Pavilion to enjoy a night of themed events including music performances, films, a psychoanalysts view on dreams, insomnia labs and ‘Power trifles’  - the sampling of trifles containing either calming remedies or powerful stimulants! As well as all of this, each person will receive a hand crafted book charting the nights events.

All you need is a sleeping bag, £35 and stamina - the event goes on until 5am! I was ready to put my name down when the man reminded me of all the activities we have planned for the weekend / week to come and how I am not the most productive** person when I am tired (**he used the word grumpy and he is so right!). Ah well, if you go let me know what It was like. Check out all the details here.

It's always the weather for ice cream...

So, the weather is not as sunny, but it is still really hot, therefore I decided to delay the sweaty tube journey home with a trip to Gelupo a new gelateria on Archer street, Soho – all in the name of research of course! This is from the people behind Bocca di Lupo, an Italian restaurant with a great reputation, just across the road (Note to self - I must get round to sampling their food soon).

Fresh, delicious flavours including a daily special made for a very hard decision and many a sample tested! I settled on the daily special ‘Bonet’, which was a mixture of rum, ameretti, coffee and chocolate with a second scoop of peach sorbet…to die for! I had to control my yummy noises! There is a seating area so you can eat in but if the weather is nice, a scoop (or three) is the perfect accompaniment to people watching on the streets of Soho.

Trend Alert - The Good, The Bad and the down right fashionable!

Due to the hot summer nights we have been having of late, the man and me have been trying to delay bedtime for as long as possible by having old movie marathons! It was the turn of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly this week - can you believe it was the first time we had seen it? Check out this great clip of the films finale­, that captures the super cool look and mean stares of Blondie, Tuco and Angel Eyes…

This look has really started to creep in over the last couple of years, with double denim and fringing becoming key trends and I can’t help but feel that there is still more to come. Ralph Lauren is the designer who has drawn inspiration from the Old West more than most over the years and I just love this image from his 1978 ‘Westernwear’ collection… now where can I get me one of those neck ties??

Pick me up dinner @ Polpo

The man has just returned from a draining trip to Aberdeen, so to cheer him up after an 8-hour train ride, I decided to treat him to a meal at Polpo in Soho. This is a gorgeous Venetian style bacaro on Beak Street and is definitely one of my favourite Italians in London. I also love the fact that Canaletto used to live in the building.
The menu is fantastic, with a delicious selection of mezze style dishes, which means you can order loads without feeling too greedy! My favourites today were the broad bean, ricotta and mint bruschettas and scallops with pancetta and peas...yum! The atmosphere is great, no matter what time of day and the staff are really friendly without being too in your face. Be prepared to wait for a table most evenings (especially over the weekend) as the place is very popular. But is this really a hardship when you can wait in anticipation by the bar with a glass of red wine...or two?!

Selfridges shoe lounge

Carrying on with the shoe theme... I have been lucky enough to see a preview exhibition of the eagerly anticipated shoe lounge that is due to launch in Selfridges this September. It is going to be huge, with individual salons housing everything from the best of the high street to high-end designer brands. The concept (designed by wonder architect Jamie Forbet) looks gorgeous, with juxtaposing materials representing each area, such as Alabaster and Silk, as well as lavish designer boutiques selling exclusive designs. A ready-made day out in shoe heaven… Start saving those pennies!

Red Shoes

I am currently watching Hans Christian Andersen's The Red Shoes on my commute into work (on the trusty iphone) and it has given me a real craving for a pair all of my own. Here are my pick of the bunch on the high street at the moment….

(Images, clockwise from top left: bow heels by Kurt Geiger £150, Patent clogs by Topshop £40, Cut out detail peeptoes by Next £30, Suede Courts £30 by Next, Anchor espadrille by office £15, Bunny print platforms by Kurt Geiger £130, Brogues by Pied a Terre £125)

But the pair that I have really been lusting after since the SS10 shows last October, are the Chanel red clogs... now only available on ebay for crazy money, but still a feature on my wall of want!

Hampton Court Beer and Jazz festival

If you are a beer and jazz lover or even just one of the above, then this is the perfect day out for you (27th - 30th August - bank holiday weekend baby yeah!). The man and me went to this last year and had a great time, so we decided to try out the same festival in Greenwich during May of this year. The line up was great, the beer was great, but the weather was awful! It rained incessantly and was far too cold to drink beer comfortably (but we managed!). I fashioned makeshift socks out of arm warmers and the man made us a civilised seating area out of beer crates in one of the marquees! Think we will stick to the Hampton Court August slot next year… a much safer bet. Check out the line up and the selection of 80+ beers here.

Can you see Canary Wharf in the background? Oh i love Canary Wharf!

Fashion by flowers... Dior Couture AW10

Talking of taking inspiration from flowers… have you seen the Dior Couture show images yet? Galliano, as usual, produced a spectacular show with a mouth-watering colour palette of tropical brights offset by inky contrasts. Texture was key with multi-layered chiffon, bursts of tulle and delicate ruffle detailing evoking beautiful blooms, whilst petal shaped silhouettes added movement and life to this organic, extremely covetable collection. Check out Style.com for the full collection and all the couture shows of last week.

Fashion images by Monica Feudi from Style.com

Hampton Court Flower show

I am a big flower lover! I like to draw them, design prints around them, photograph them or just generally receive them as presents! So this show is a firm favourite in my annual calendar, as it’s an opportunity to take loads of cool shots and gather inspiration. Even though I didn’t think the show was quite as good as last year (the installations and flower marquee looked a little recession hit), it was still a great day out. There was a good ‘Best of British’ vibe… I just wish they had run with it a little more. Thinking of trying out Chelsea Flower show next year… Here are a few of my favourite pics from the day.

The South Bank Show…pt 1

The South Bank is quite possibly my favourite area of London and one of my regular haunts, so this will probably be my first post of many on the area. There is always so much to see/do and is a great place for people watching (one of my favourite pass times). I am loving the faux grass living room outside the National Theatre at the moment – the perfect place to soak up the sunshine. It is great to see such an eclectic mix of people – couples in love, friends chilling out with a beer, kids playing… this is London at its best.

Lunch in Soho

I decided to forgo my measly cucumber sandwich today and wander into Soho to find something more exciting to eat for lunch. Now this can be a little intimidating as there are so many gorgeous places, but I settled on Food Secret on Broadwick Street as I have walked past a million times and never been in. 
Well I wasn't disappointed! The concept is ‘’tailor made, fresh food’’ which is healthy, nutritious and I have to say very reasonably priced. There is a grab and go area for those on the run, however I decided to take the weight off and eat in, with a trip to the 'make your own' counter. The selection is fantastic and you can tailor make your soup, salad or sandwich down to the smallest detail. You also get an itemised receipt giving you a breakdown of ingredients and the nutritional value! Very cool! Will definitely be going back again soon.

I love Canary Wharf

Since my Uni days (when I would wistfully stare out of the library window at its awe inspiring view), Canary Wharf has always held a special place in my heart. There’s a real buzz there during the week and it’s a great place for dinner and drinks on a Friday night, when all the suits come out to play! Even though I have a slight fear of tall buildings (they make me want to fall over when I look up), I can’t help but be amazed at the impressive architecture every time I go there. It’s all so shiny and new!

Plus, I love the magnetic strip outside Waitrose in Canada Place, which stops trolleys from leaving the area… so classy and cool. It makes me feel like I am passing through some kind of force field – silly, I know, but that’s me!

Vamos!

What a weekend of sport! Wimbledon final today, so excited. I am still mourning Roger’s exit in the quarters, but like the football, I'm looking forward to watching this final without the nerves. The man and me are hosting a Wimbledon party with all the trimmings… crust-less sarnies, strawberries and cream, ‘power’ pimm’s (the man boosts the usual recipe with prosecco) and a mandatory Borg headband for all!

We will be cheering on Rafa Nadal, one of the nicest men in sport, loved by all. We were lucky enough to see him in the flesh at Wimbledon two weeks ago. Believe me, it was battle to sift through the crowd to catch a glimpse of those famous biceps and the infamous 'butt munch' move…and it wasn’t just the women with their elbows out!

The beautiful game...

Since my team were knocked out of the World Cup (Italy…group stages…enough said), I have been able to enjoy the tournament a lot more, as a neutral with no expectations. So this weekend has been fantastic, with all the skill, drama and goals every sports fan wants to see. The man is rooting for Germany (due to his heritage) so we decided to theme the day… Argentinean steak and my dad’s chimichurri recipe vs. kartoffelsalat (German potato salad) and a stein of their finest beer.

Well, the German’s thrashed Argentina, in their own ruthless way (how cute were Angela Merkel’s restrained goal celebrations?), so in celebration we dug out the German liquor we had in the back of the cupboard, from a trip to Bavaria 4 years ago. The bottle is just gorgeous, as were the contents! Pear drop flavour…yum!