Happily Ever After

Jul20

The day of our wedding arrived at last and I woke on 17^th May 2014 to sun streaming through the curtains, creating dancing rainbow patterns on the ceiling as it reflected through the crystal chandelier; a sign that mine and Phil’s weather magic still reined supreme. I ate breakfast whilst reading through the marriage service and felt like I would burst with excitement; I wondered how Phil might be feeling getting ready at his parents house. The preparations all went smoothly and whilst my bridesmaids and I were made to look our best by Emma Smission, http://www.emmasmisson.com/ the adults amongst us enjoyed sipping champagne.

My maid of honour wore a Coast baby pink dress whilst my 2 flower girls (my nieces) wore Ivory dresses with a pink sash from Demigella and pink satin shoes from Marks and Spencer. Their look was finished off with a tiara each from Accessorize and a basket with ‘happily ever after’ on it and filled with pink and cream rose petals. Along with the rose petals, the florist also delivered a tear drop bouquet of pink roses and white lithianthus’, studded with pearls for me and a slightly smaller matching bouquet for my maid of honour. All the flowers were paid for out of my paternal grandmother’s inheritance as a tribute to her, being that her passion was gardening.

I have blogged about weddings before as the avid readers amongst you will recall and now I finally get to write about my own special day and share with you all the details – big and small which made it the perfect fairytale wedding!

Order of Service

A traditional rhyme, apparently originating in England in 1898 states the things a bride should wear to bring her good luck ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.’ My makeup completed and hair pinned half up with a pearl tiara; I now slipped into my wonderful Berketex gown with lace train (something new) and Mum and my maid of honour laced up the back. I then added the all important blue Manolo Blahnik shoes (my something blue) a pearl Tiffany bracelet, pearl stud earrings and my Mums pearl necklace (something borrowed). I slipped the garter onto my leg, worn by my maternal grandmother and my Mum on their wedding days (something old). As I caught my reflection – I could hardly believe it was me and I truly felt like a princess.

There was only one thing missing from my perfect day and that was my paternal grandmother but Phil being as lovely as he is, knew I would be feeling like that so left a little note saying that my Grandma would be there in spirit through a cream rose which my uncle would wear.

Mum announced that the carriage had arrived and was generating much interest from shop keepers and neighbours alike. As I stepped through the front door I felt like a star with people snapping away on cameras and mobiles and my Dad joked that they probably think I am famous, travelling in such a carriage. My maid of honour commented that it all felt like a dream. The white horses pulled away and we were off to the church – I have never seen my Dad looking as proud of me as he did that day. It was a surreal journey with cars beeping at as and more photos along the way.

My page boy (my nephew) carried the rings on a ring cushion which had the words ‘happily ever after’ on it and him and my bridesmaids followed me down the aisle. As Dad walked me towards my waiting husband to be, it felt like slow motion and it was an amazing feeling seeing so many people in the pews all filled with love for the both of us. I have never understood the concept of crying with happiness until then, when I felt myself well up. The first glimpse of my husband to be was wonderful – he looked so handsome and smart in the tails we had hired from Well Suited.

The service seemed to go by in a flash and included some beautiful readings. The priest commented on my manicure and said what a good idea it was to mark the ring finger with gems! Before I knew it, Phil was lifting my veil and we had our first kiss as husband and wife.

We then enjoyed another ride in the carriage to take us to the reception at Chatham Dockyard. Upon arrival we were handed champagne and then whisked off for photos whilst our guests enjoyed canapés. In true fairytale tradition, we were presented to our guests on the balcony of the Commissioners House and gave everyone a royal wave.

People found their seats on the table plan which I made from a mirror shaped like a fairytale mirror in Snow White. The Toastmaster then announced our arrival to the wedding breakfast as the newest Mr and Mrs Thompson. The tables had been set out more beautifully than I had dared to imagine. Each table had a tall martini glass filled with flowers and crystals draped around it. Every chair had a white cover and a baby pink bow around it courtesy of Ambiance. Each table was named something fairytale related with the top table being ‘Happily Ever After’ of course. Place cards matched the invitations and order of services with a prince and princess on, purchased from Confetti. Each person had a carriage shaped box as a favour which was filled with 5 pink sugared almonds and a note to explain the significance of them. For those who don’t know, they stand for health, wealth, happiness, long life and fertility. The meal was delicious thanks to A Form Catering with portions sizes which left no one feeling hungry. The meal was followed by speeches. My Dad, the best man and my husband all gave wonderful speeches especially given that they are all quite shy. I was truly touched by all of them.

More photos then followed and evening guests began to arrive – the day was flying past. Our cake was made by my aunty and was magnificent with a fairytale castle on the top. We had our first dance to ‘Because you Loved Me’ by Celine Dion. As we shuffled about (I say shuffled as the dance lessons never materialised) I felt like the luckiest woman on earth. I then also had a father, daughter dance to ‘Have I Told You Lately’ by Rod Stewart. Again I felt so happy to see my Dad so happy and full of pride. Later in the evening we had ‘Someone Like You’ sung by my friend which was beautiful.

It pains me to have to report that by the end of the evening my shoes had been abandoned as they weren’t that comfortable but I still loved them and being a die hard Sex and the City fan it seemed only right to wear the shoes that Carrie married Big in. I personalised the shoes with diamante saying ‘I do’. We didn’t leave until well gone midnight, ironically being that Cinderella had to leave the ball on the stroke of midnight before the spell was broken. The spell of love will never be broken for us two.

We asked for no presents as we really have all we need and just wanted people to enjoy themselves but people were so kind to us so I want to say thank you to all of them. Those who brought a card will have noticed another fairytale detail in the hallway, a card box shaped like a carriage. The guest book and pen also had ‘Happily Ever After’ on it and we greatly enjoyed reading all the messages people left for us.

People all tell you how quick the day goes and that is so true and I am only grateful that we decided to have a video of the day as that was wonderful to watch and take in things you missed the first time round.

A wedding is just one day but a marriage is for life. The wedding day is steeped in tradition but every bride aims to add an original, personal touch; I only hope I succeeded. The fairytale themed day was the best day of my life and one that I will look back fondly on until my dying day. Thank you to everyone who helped to make it so special but especially to Phil for becoming my husband. I look forward to many happy years together. “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” Mignon McLaughlin.

Heel Today, Gone Tomorrow!

May6

The countdown to the wedding has truly begun – only just under 2 weeks to go! I won’t bore you with the hours, minutes and seconds from my countdown timer!

The 12th April was my hen party. A hen party is a party given in honour of the bride-to-be and therefore is not hosted by the bride herself although she may assist in the organisation. The hen party stems from the stag party and its modern form began in 1960s and is related to gender equality. Before it meant a pre wedding party; hen party was used to describe any all female gathering and is mentioned as far back as 1897.

I cannot thank my best friend and maid of honour, Catriona, enough for the effort she put into the event which really was one of the best days of my life. I enjoyed getting ready and chose to wear my thyme Allure dress from Coast which I wore as maid of honour at Catriona’s wedding. I matched it with some silver sandals and some big silver hoops.

The party began at Hyatt Regency – The Churchill – a hotel near Hyde Park corner, awarded the Tea Guild of Excellence in 2012. I was furnished with the usual regalia – a baby pink sash with bride to be on it and my Mum bought me a flashing tiara complete with veil.

We took afternoon tea in the Montagu restaurant, named after Elizabeth Montagu – a writer who lived in Portman Square 1781-1800. We were ushered to our table by some lovely, impeccably dressed waiters and when I sat down and saw the menu – my eyes were drawn to the Sex and the City Par-tea without realising that that was exactly what was planned for me! The savoury treats were themed to New York with a mini hot dog and bagel. There was also a mini burger in honour of one of Carrie’s boyfriends in the series – ‘Jack Burger’.

Carrie and ‘Burger’

The sweet offerings included a cosmopolitan jelly, a sickly sweet iced cupcake, a mini New York cheesecake and a biscuit shaped as a shoe! We began with a Flirtini (a champagne and pineapple cocktail) which was most refreshing and then could choose a tea, each named after one of the 4 girls. I’m not a lover of tea but went for the one named Carrie of course.

After a most enjoyable catch up with friends and family alike – a few left and the remainder of us made our way to the tube to Liverpool Street. We were so packed in, you couldn’t have fallen over if you had tried. We then had quite a trek to the mixology event but it was well worth it when we arrived plus we burnt off some of the afternoon tea calories!

We were welcomed with a ginger cocktail. 3 more friends joined and the hunky teacher showed us how to make 3 different cocktails. He looked like Enrique Iglesias and the more we drunk, the more he looked like him. As he explained the method of making the cocktails he frequently dropped in a double entendre or two and before long we were all in fits of hysterics. He also punished anyone who talked whilst he did, with a shot of his choice. The class finished with each team making a cocktail and I had to choose the one which I liked the most. It was a tough call but in the end I went for the one that was the easiest to drink. He also showed us a party trick with lighting a cocktail and alcohol on the bar and then sprinkling cinnamon to make sparks. All I can say is he must have good insurance to trust drunken women with matches!

Hunky Teacher

Selecting the winning cocktail

Playing with fire

By the time we left we were all a bit worse for wear but although drunk I knew I wasn’t that drunk that I couldn’t walk properly – however I was struggling. Finally I realised that my shoe had in fact snapped and the heel was hanging off but it took me a little while to convince the others of that! The shoes were Ravel sandals which may explain why Ravel went into administration! Luckily Catriona had some flats with her so I changed into them.

We finally made it to Loop – a club near Oxford Street with a multi coloured rubix cube style dance floor. The girls treated us all to a mega large cocktail in a huge martini glass.

They then did a Mr and Mrs Quiz with me where for every wrong answer I had to drink a shot – I got more wrong than I should have done as it was too loud to hear all the questions properly. 2 more friends arrived and we all partied the night away. My fiancé picked me and his two sisters up which I am very grateful to him for as he found himself lost in London!

A truly fabulous day/eve and I am so fortunate to have such wonderful friends and family – thanks guys – you all mean the world to me.

Easter came and went, later than usual this year. It was a real challenge to not over indulge but the final weigh in showed I won the competition, losing an impressive 1 stone and 8lbs so that helps with the motivation; although the mini eggs are calling. I arranged an easter egg hunt for the kids which they greatly enjoyed complete with cute signs from Laura Ashley. Needless to say it wasn’t as big as the largest egg hunt in Guiness Book of World Records which was 501000 eggs searched by 9753 kids in Florida in 2007 which makes for over 50 eggs each – they must have been seriously hyper on all that chocolate! For more information on egg hunts and Easter bunnies please refer to my post ‘Loaded Spring’.

My Easter egg hunt

Over Easter weekend, I indulged in another afternoon tea with a friend who couldn’t make the hen. This time it was the Prêt –à-Portea tea at the Berkeley Hotel – perfect for all you fashionista’s out there! This tea started in 2005 at the infamous Berkeley Hotel. The Berkeley began as a coffee house in the 1700s on the corner of Berkely and Piccadilly, became known as a hotel 1897 and moved to its current location in Knightsbridge in 1972. In 1920s it became the first London hotel to offer air conditioning.

The treats are inspired by current catwalk trends so we enjoyed munching our way through the spring/summer collection 2014 which included Christian Louboutin pigalle spike turquoise shoe biscuit – complete with the signature red sole, a Mui Mui chocolate handbag and a wonderful representation of Dsquared mini strapless dress with hot pink lampshade hat which was essentially mango bavarois with blueberry compote. Also represented were Karla Colletto’s red swimsuit, Oscar De La Renta pistachio dress and many others. The tea was topped off with pink Laurent Perrier courture champagne. We were given a handbag shaped goodie bag when we left which included 2 of the sweet treats. A wonderful afternoon which made you feel just like an a list star at a catwalk show.

With our goodie bags in the Berkeley

Karla Colletto swimsuit

christianlouboutin-pigalle-3120159_U015_1_1200x1200

Louboutin pigalle spike shoes

Model 2nd from right wears Dsquared dress with pink lampshade hat

Designer sweet treats – Dsquared, Colletto and Louboutin

The other week, I waved goodbye to my beloved Beetle. It was sad but for the best as it was just rusting away and I didn’t use it much anymore but it’s gone to a good home and I cheered myself up with these pair of LK Bennett shoes in similar colours to the car with some of the money.

My beloved beetle

Right I am now going to continue adding to my honeymoon wardrobe – happy shopping!

Once Upon a Time…

Mar24

Hi Readers, so sorry I have been absent from the blogging world for the last 7 months or so – wedding plans seem to be consuming most of my spare time.

When we got engaged in July – we both decided we would get married in about a years time – plenty of time to plan you would think? Apparently not; as we made our way round venues and a wedding show people kept saying we had little time to plan and some venues get booked up two years in advance! We started to realise that July and August are very popular and so decided to bring our wedding forward and set the date as 17^th May 2014 – after all whenever you get married in the UK, sunshine cannot be guaranteed. After bantering some theme ideas around, we selected a fairytale theme and the colour baby pink to compliment that. My other half bought me a fairy snow globe with May written on it as a cute souvenir.

Funnily enough the first thing I booked was the horse and carriage with The Ostler, as when I made tentative enquiries with some companies, the dates were going fast. I opted for the pumpkin carriage with white horses to fit in with the fairytale theme – I thought this would be fabulous until a couple of people likened it to the one Jordan had at her wedding – that rather took the shine off it somewhat! Next we spoke to the church as it was very important to my other half to get married in the church he grew up in; it’s a shame however that most catholic churches are not very attractive from the outside it seems but at least our one is nice inside and of course it’s what it represents that is more important. We then viewed three reception venues – The Barnyard, Hempstead House and Chatham Dockyard. Hempstead House was our favourite until we saw the Dockyard and were blown away, therefore deciding it presented the best value for money and the best photo opportunities. A-Form caterers were selected from the approved ones and with our parents we enjoyed a lovely taster meal of the wedding breakfast. The chef at A-Form is a real character. We both then felt we could relax a bit, knowing the big things were sorted.

A word of advice for anyone planning a Catholic wedding – you need to visit the local registry office to apply to get married – we assumed the church sorted all this but clearly not because Catholsism is not the official religion of the country. Thankfully the Deacon mentioned it to us or the marriage wouldn’t have been legal! We went and were quizzed to check we were a proper couple and thankfully we passed, lol.

At the end of August I went to Rome and Pompeii on a girly trip with my Mum. We had a fantastic time – the weather was beautiful. We visited all the major sites – the Colosseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. We were both told off at the Trevi Fountain for putting our feet in – we were trying to recreate a picture my Mum had had back in the 70’s when she visited with friends! I threw in a coin with my right hand over my left shoulder, as is tradition and made my wish, (sorry I can’t reveal it as I want it to come true). It is estimated that approximately €3000 a day are thrown in it.

The Colosseum

The Forum

Trevi Fountain

We also visited the Vatican city where we admired the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. We were also fortunate enough to see the Pope’s address to the people.

Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

We travelled to Pompeii – it was amazing to see a preserved Roman town, which gives a wonderful historic insight. The town was buried in ash during the 79AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius and because of the lack of air; many of the artefacts had been perfectly preserved when it was first rediscovered in 1599. That same day we also walked up Mount Vesuvius – now a world heritage site. It was quite a trek and there was a distinct sulphur smell as you neared the crater. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last 100 years – it last erupted in 1944.

The ruins of Pompeii

Mum and I in Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background

We enjoyed some delicious Italian pizzas but the best meal we had by far was at ‘That’s Amouré’, a restaurant that was recommended to us, near to the Trevi Fountain. The atmosphere was amazing with pictures of many film stars adorning the walls and the food was outstanding. The restaurant was named after the 1953 hit by Dean Martin.

Once back in good old Blighty I rounded up a couple of friends and my Mum and we went in search of my perfect wedding dress. It was so much fun trying on different styles and I was amazed to find that the princess style I thought I would go for really didn’t suit at all – I felt as though I couldn’t put my arms down by my side. ‘The one’ was discovered in Berketex and genuinely made me feel like a true princess especially when the tiara was added, as after all, as my little niece says, ‘a real princess needs a tiara.’ I will say no more as I don’t want to give anything away when my partner reads this blog.

As a tribute to my very dear Grandma, we decided to buy the wedding flowers out of some money she had left for me – that way I can still feel she is part of our special day. I realised when the florist visited that I know very little about flowers but we eventually selected pink roses which are my favourite and some other complimentary flowers.

An added expensive that you don’t think about are chair covers for the reception; we sourced these from ‘Ambiance’ – white with a pink organza sash around; they are really so expensive for what they are but they do finish off the venue nicely. We are lucky enough to have my wonderful aunty who is making our cake as a wedding present and it will have a fairytale castle on it, just as I always dreamt. The photographer we are using is ‘Owens’ in Petts Wood as I have known the owner Jim for years.

It was time for me to purchase the most essential item in my eyes – my wedding shoes! I have known for some time that I wanted the blue Manolo Blahnik’s which Carrie wears in the first Sex and the City film. I located them on Barney’s New York website. When they arrived I was like a kid in a sweetshop, my hands shoke with anticipation as I opened the lid and unwrapped them from their dust bag. It was a real Cinderella moment as I slipped them on and they fitted perfectly. They were somewhat of an extravagance but shoes are my thing after all and a bride must have her something blue! My something old will be my Grandmothers garter that my Mum also wore on her wedding day and my something borrowed will be my Mum’s pearl necklace.

Christmas came and went and on 28^th December we attended my cousins wedding. I had long agonised over what was suitable attire for a winter wedding and eventually settled on a deep purple Coast dress, with a fur coat, silver sandals and a silver box clutch.

It was a crisp, sunny day and it was lovely to see the quaint church still decorated with Christmas decorations. The bride looked stunning and one thing that was so romantic and unique was that before the ceremony, a song with the bride talking about her love for my cousin over the top of the lyrics was played. Snowflake confetti was given out to add to the Christmas feel – only real snow could have made it anymore perfect. By far one of the most innovative ideas I thought were the table decorations. Each table had a set of white branches, wrapped in fairy lights with baubles on and on the baubles were the guest’s names. The Christmas theme also stretched to tables named after the reindeers and cutlery in stockings. We danced late into the night and my other half and I were the very last to leave the party, retiring to our hotel room.

January saw the start of the diet. The aim is to lose 1 ½ stones by the first dress fitting on 28^th March. This time there are no fad diets – just calorie counting, keeping to 1500 kcal per day wherever possible during the week – swapping chocolate for fruit. If I can’t lose weight for something as important as my wedding then I never will. My fiancé is also doing it so I have some support and his sister and her husband too. The winner gets £20. To date all of us are doing well but I think my weight loss is starting to slow so maybe time to incorporate some more exercise. Other important beauty preparations have also begun to try and ensure I look my best on the day. I am conditioning my hair with argan oil and using a Chanel eye cream and Clinique face moisturiser. I am also planning to start whole body moisturising and wearing cotton gloves and socks to bed on my hands and feet.

A few weekends were taken up with doing the wedding invitations. I think we were both breathing a sigh of relief when they were sorted – despite the numerous printer problems when we did the information sheets. It was such a stressful task – it was nearly divorce territory before we even made it to marriage! Lol! We chose a collection of invites named ‘once upon a time’ on the website Confetti which have a silhouette of a lady and a man. Just a few more replies to be received and then we can start on the table plan.

We went to get the groom measured for his suit a few weeks ago and after he went with the tail coat I wanted, I did let him off the top hat! The suits are being hired from a place called ‘Well Suited’ in Dartford and I highly recommend them as their prices are far more reasonable than Moss Bros. Last weekend we had the first of our 3 marriage classes with the Deacon which were quite interesting. This first one was around our family influences on our behaviours and what love means. Love is a word used so often in society but when you try to define its meaning it is actually quite difficult. The Oxford dictionary defines love as ‘a strong feeling of affection.’ CS Lewis said ‘love is not an affectionate feeling but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained’. My definition was caring for someone more than you care for yourself and I also made the point that love grows.

In the spirit of love and fairytales one can hardly resist Olympia Le-Tan’s Love Story book clutch – a limited run of just 32. If like me your budget doesn’t quite stretch to the £1050 price tag – why not opt for this black one from Aldo, a snip at £35.

My next blog will probably be after the hen night in April now so enjoy the early spring sunshine and perhaps dare to bare and get your feet into this season’s must have mules! I fell in love with these ones from Topshop.

Sparkling Sunset by the Whitby Coast

Jul26

This blog is my final entry before I turn the big 30 and begin a new chapter, leaving behind my twenties. I am happy to announce that my boyfriend and I are now engaged – something I never thought I would get to experience and write about in a blog.

The other weekend my partner and I decided to go for a long weekend in Yorkshire and we happened to have some of the best weather so far this year – must be our weather magic.

We arrived on Friday in York and began by going on a haunted tour of the city. The guide really made this tour as he took us round to the Minster, Guy Fawkes birth place and the shrine to Margaret Clitherow – the martyr of the Roman Catholic Church. He involved different people including my other half in acting out being hung drawn and quartered. I think even the tour guide jumped though as we stood in the historic street ‘The Shambles’ where he explained butchers would hang up their meat and people emptied chamber pots so blood etc would make a river down the street, when someone pulled loudly shut a window above us.

We then met up with my friend and her other half for dinner in the Mumbai Lounge. Pregnancy is really suiting her. I predict it will be a baby girl – watch this space! That night we stayed at The Golden Fleece pub. This is the oldest Inn in York – mentioned in archives as far back as 1503 and is believed to be haunted. We stayed in Lady Peckett’s room. Lady Peckett’s husband owned the Golden Fleece around 1702 and some guests have reported seeing her ghost. The pub has great charm with its uneven floors – our bed had a block of wood under one leg to make it level. Whilst we didn’t see the ghost of Lady Peckett the waiter at breakfast, we joked, seemed almost ghost like!

We met up with my Mum and Dad the following day and visited York Railway museum for the 75^th anniversary of Mallard doing the fastest speed of a steam train in the world at 125.88 on July 3^rd 1938. Little did I know that when my other half and my Dad went somewhere for a quiet chat it was for my now fiancé to ask my Dads permission for his daughters hand in marriage.

That evening the two of us travelled on to Whitby and had a most enjoyable fish and chip tea in the famous Magpie Cafe. The building itself was built in around 1750 when it began a long association with fishing and shipping. It opened as a cafe in approximately 1939 and is widely considered the best place to get fish and chips in Yorkshire.

Full from our meal, my other half suggested a walk along the beach and then as the sun was setting, colouring the sky red, and the sea was rhythmically grazing the shore; he dropped down onto one knee and produced a stunning sapphire and diamond ring.

Engagement rings go back to the 13^th century in the Western World and are worn on the second finger on the left hand as this is believed to be the shortest distance to the heart. I was so stunned – the first thing I said was are you joking before giving an enthusiastic yes. It couldn’t have been a more romantic proposal given that our first date had been fish and chips on the beach in Broadstairs. We celebrated in Wetherspoons of all places with a bottle of champagne which the staff had to dust off!

Champagne was actually discovered by mistake when the cold winters halted the fermentation process only for it to start again in the spring creating a bi product of carbon dioxide which remained trapped in the wine. It is now generally seen as the drink of choice for celebrations and in a book I am reading that I was kindly bought as an engagement present ‘How to Wear White’ it is said that the UK spends over £5million a week on champagne! There is some suggestion however that the consumer trend this year is towards people buying Prosecco over champagne to celebrate with.

The following day was spent walking round the town, playing crazy golf (where I got a hole in one) and in arcades as well as going on a boat trip. I’m sure those cuddly toy machines are rigged! I couldn’t resist this gem of a satchel – so like the ones of the Cambridge Satchel Company but far cheaper, which I discovered on a market stall.

We had a fish and chip tea down on the beach again whilst the sun set and I dipped my toe into the cool sea.

We then finished our stay with a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors railway and a visit to Goathland where Heartbeat was filmed. On arrival back at Whitby, we grabbed some freshly baked doughnuts only to be dive bombed by seagulls!

We returned home to break the good news to both sets of parents. I still can not quite believe it has happened to me – the little girl who said no one would ever marry her. I cannot stop admiring my ring and feel like I am on cloud nine. This wonderful event also ticks another box on my bucket list, so I have achieved 4 out of 10 of the items – got engaged, been to India, done the Moonwalk and started riding lessons again. The others will be carried over to my new bucket list to do before 40.

We now have around a year to plan our special day and I can’t wait to get started. Look out for lots of wedding planning themed blogs over the next few months!

Horsing Around

Jul14

Royal Ascot is Ascots most prestigious race meeting and was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne. The British love affair with horses dates back far further than this with the first believed horse race to have been in Yorkshire in 200AD. To this day horse racing remains the second most popular attended sport in Great Britain with Royal Ascot drawing around 300000. On Saturday 22^nd June myself and my Mum attended the last day of Royal Ascot. On arrival at Waterloo station, there was a rainbow display of hats and fascinators and women and men dressed to impress clutching picnic baskets with bottles of Champagne. We had our own bottle of wine but as we were in the main grandstand we were not allowed to take it in so we quickly downed it – hunched under an umbrella outside – so classy! It was a blustery and rather showery day but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits.

Ascot is of course renowned for its fashion as much as, if not more than its horses. I wore an Oasis dress and a red hat with nude stilettos and an oversized nude clutch. My Mum and I enjoyed a Pimms in the fashion bar whilst checking out the outfits of others. I was gutted to walk past someone in the same dress as me that I had thought quite unique – I am all for imitation being the most sincere form of flattery but at an event with such social standing it was rather gutting.

In total I placed 4 bets each way costing me a total of £16. I came away with £25.20 after Dandino romped in at 2^nd place and an outsider in Krypton Factor came in 4^th. As it was my other half who suggested Krypton Factor as he perused the race supplement in the morning’s paper – I treated him to a silk tie.

The Royal procession was quite wonderful and grand even if the queen was hidden under an umbrella. The procession takes place each day before races begin and the Royal Standard is raised. People were even placing bets with the bookmakers on what colour hat the queen would be wearing.

Of course horses and fashion don’t only collide at Ascot; equestrian influences on fashion are often revisited with trends such as tweed, jodhpurs, blazers and of course riding boots as well as horses often being used as props in fashion shoots. Autumn/Winter 2013 is no exception. I love these Dune riding boots, but it seems wrong to be thinking of winter when summer has only just arrived.

One of my bucket list items before hitting 30 was to take up horse riding lessons again. I learnt as a child on a pony and on a holiday in Zante, when I was 18, I went on a horse trek so I felt sure that although it would be my first time back on a horse for more than ten years that it would all come flooding back to me. How wrong I was. I arrived at Callum Park riding school to be confronted with a large white horse of 16 hands 2 – much larger than I had ever ridden before. After much struggle I got myself in the saddle. Walking around the paddock seemed fairly nice and relaxing but I had forgotten how physically demanding rising trot is. I managed a half hour lesson but ached like never before the following day, however I will be returning for a second lesson.

Did you also visit Ascot? What did you wear? Please share photos of your outfit. Until next time ……

Fly me to the Moon

May27

The Moonwalk is a marathon (full moon) or half marathon (half moon) which is walked at night, through central London where walkers wear their decorated bras to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. This was on my bucket list as something to do before I was 30 and is the second item I can now tick off after India.

The night of the walk arrived on 11^th May and as I travelled to the start location of Battersea power station for 9pm, the heavens opened and with that a feeling of dread crept over me for what I had let myself in for – the thought of walking in the rain in the middle of the night didn’t fill me with joy. I dived for cover in the large pink tent they had erected for the event (moon city). A band was playing as people tucked in to their carbohydrate full meals of pasta or rice in preparation for the walk. Balloons and bracelets were being sold and people were having temporary tattoos applied. There was a general buzz of excitement.

This year’s theme was outer space so many people had dressed as aliens and astronauts with a notable team of young girls in green onesies with 3 eyes on their bras. I designed my bra with just the pink theme in mind and adorned it with cocktails and shoes as an expression of myself. I would love to say I sewed it all myself but it is my Mum I have to thank for the impressive finished result – I was simply the design consultant.

A minutes silence was held in the tent to remember in particular 3 ladies who signed up back in November but have since unfortunately lost their lives to breast cancer. It resonated with me just how important this cause is and we were also spoken to by a lady using the new scalp cooling caps which are being funded by the charity and reduce the likelihood of hair loss during chemotherapy. Around 55,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK and just under 12,000 die from it. It can affect anyone male or female although it is far less common amongst males.

The warm up began and I thought that would be the best time to use the facilities one final time; negotiating a portaloo in a tutu with a helium balloon whilst hovering and avoiding touching anything was interesting to say the least! I was in the final start so there was an awful lot of waiting around with only the warm up (6 times over) to entertain you. I wondered at the rate we were going if I would in fact complete it by the time I was 30! I randomly bumped into a girl from work who was doing the full moon so walked most of the way with her and a cancer nurse from Oxfordshire.

At 0027 the rain had passed over and we were finally off with the first mile passing fairly swiftly. By the time the imposing chimney’s of the iconic power station was seen for the third time – I did start to wonder if we were in fact walking in circles! The volunteers were great with their smiles and words of encouragement along the way and it was nice when people we passed congratulated us and cars blew their horns as we went past. It was an enlightening experience to walk down the Kings Road glancing in the expensive shops where each rail holds only a couple of items and listening to the birds tweeting – something you would never normally hear in central London. Mile 7 to 8 was one of the longest it seemed, mainly due to it being uphill. At Hyde Park Corner and mile 10 I did briefly wonder if I would complete it being that we slowed to a stop due to congestion and I started to feel quite light headed. I soon had a new lease of life though and visibly sped up for the last mile and a bit. As I crossed the finish line at 0511 and had my medal placed around my neck, I felt an immense sense of pride at what I had achieved.

I managed to raise £678 for breast cancer care and my company will match that amount and donate it to Action for Children. I want to thank everyone who has supported me especially my colleagues at work and my Mum and boyfriend who gave up a nights sleep to come up to London and cheer me on. I also carried out a cake and shortbread sale at work to raise money which was most successful.

Will I do it all again next year and perhaps even the full moon? My immediate response afterwards was no but now I am considering it – a bit like childbirth the bad memories fade away and it looks like a good idea again! Anyone want to join me?!

Summer Time Blues

Apr28

With Easter behind us and the clocks now having moved forward an hour bringing us lighter evenings we can dare to hope that winter is finally over. The summer vibe is certainly evident on the high street and on the catwalks.

Tiffany blue is the colour to be seen in this season. Tiffany and Co established in 1837 as a stationery and fancy goods emporium, first used this blue colour on their catalogue in 1845; before its focus became jewellery in 1853. Tiffany now owns the copyright, meaning that no one knows the exact shade. Many designers have certainly been attempting to emulate it though including Oscar de la renta.

Oscar de la Renta dress

If your finances like mine don’t stretch to designer, never fear as the high street has been keen to get in on the act. Tiffany is seen as the epitome of luxury and as such often features on the silver screen. I hope wearing the colour will induce the same luxe effect and as such couldn’t resist this dress from Boohoo.

If you prefer to wear the colour more subtly, why not invest in a nail polish; Chanel do a beautiful one. Perhaps you would prefer to use the colour on your eyes; pictured shade is Mac Aquadisiac or just a flash of the colour with a fifties style pair of heels from LK Bennett.

Now whilst on the subject of Tiffany’s they collaborated with Catherine Martin to supply the jewellery for The Great Gatsby film, which is released in May. This Jazz age glamour collection allows us all to have a piece of the roaring twenties which I touched on in ‘memories of my Grandma’. The collection mainly contains pearls black onyx and my favourite the sapphire. I picture here a few of my favourites but visit their site to view the full collection.

http://www.tiffany.co.uk/Shopping/Category.aspx?cid=2605758&mcat=148206

So whether you have someone who lavishes jewellery on you or are less well off, we can all have a little something from Tiffany’s this season.

Happy shopping!

A Great Rail Journey

Apr13

At the end of February, I finally achieved an item from my 30^th Bucket List and flew out to India. It was a wonderful escape from the miserable and long drawn out winter we are having in the UK. The plane touched down in the heat of Delhi airport and we were ushered by our guides to a coach which dropped us at the Taj Hotel New Delhi; after a chaotic drive through the streets of Delhi where knowing how to use your horn appears to be the only prerequisite for a driving license! No time to relax in the beautiful, 5 star luxury of a hotel; we were whisked off to look at the Qutub Minar – the tallest minaret in India at almost 73m, which began construction in 1193 and had bits added by various Sultans. In the complex also lies the tomb of Iltukmish who was the first sultan to be succeeded by his daughter – perhaps the start of girl power!

We were taught the first lesson of survival in India; when crossing the road, whatever you do, don’t look! Curry was not dinner on the first night much to my surprise – rather a Vietnamese meal at one of the hotels restaurants. The next morning we rose early and took the Shatabdi express train from New Delhi station to Kalka. The station was a hub of activity with people carrying large amounts of luggage on their heads, stray dogs, beggars and people offering to clean your shoes for money. I couldn’t believe the way people just wander across the tracks.

Upon arrival at Kalka, we transferred to the heritage toy train which is a narrow gauge railway that winds its way around the Himalayas on its assent to Shimla.

Shimla is a small mountain town which was used by the British to shelter from the heat of the summers in India; it certainly felt cooler than the heat of Delhi and we even spotted a distant mountain with snow on the top. Shimla takes its name from the goddess Shamla Devi and was Shamla, then becoming Simla, until the compromise of Shimla was settled on. This was to be our base for the next 3 nights. We visited the Viceregal Lodge, which is the only building in Shimla to occupy its own hill. Inside were photos and artefacts from the time of British rule in India including the partition table – where Lord Mountbatten signed the partition agreement at the end of British rule in India in 1947.

Shimla is famous for monkeys and you see many of these as you wander through the streets.

We were then taken to the Sankat Monchat Hindu temple which was very beautiful and a spiritual place. Outside is a stall selling offerings relating to the 5 elements which Hindu’s offer to the gods.

Whilst in Shimla we also visited the Gaiety Theatre where the British would put on plays, scandal point where people have long met to gossip and a legacy of the British Raj; Christ Church – the second oldest church in Northern India. I lit a candle here to remember my Grandma. We even had a claim to fame as we were asked to walk down the street as extras in a Bollywood movie! I was unfortunately struck down with Delhi belly on our final day in Shimla so did not get to partake in optional activities however I did take a dip in the luxury pool of the hotel and my other half and I engaged in a few games of chess – fitting as chess was invented in India. Slowly we were then woven back down the Himalayas to Kalka on the toy train once again; through pine trees, cactus and red rhododendrons (apparently the only non poisonous form of the flower which they use in jams).

It is heartbreaking to see the poverty on that journey with people living in no more than a shack juxtapositioned against the wealth of the hotels we stayed in. People were by the line side relieving themselves because of the total lack of sanitation and washing was hung over fences to dry. Despite this all the Indian people were accepting of their lot and the friendliest and most welcoming people I had ever met.

At Kalka we rejoined the Shatabdi Express and returned late at night back to Delhi. Our next trip was into Old Delhi. This is a complete contrast from New Delhi with dusty tracks rather than newly built highways. We visited the Jama Masjid mosque which is the largest, most well known mosque in India, before boarding a rickshaw for a hair raising ride around the narrow shopping streets which engulfs all of your senses with the beautiful coloured sari shops, carts stacked with fruit and vegetables, the smell of food stalls and the glittering bangles catching the sun. The wiring is unbelievable but somehow the chaos works just as it does on the roads.

We later went to the Emperor Humayan’s tomb which is an early example of Persian influenced architecture and a precursor to the Taj Mahal. The day finished with a trip to Gandhi Smriti which is a museum dedicated to Gandhi and also where he spent the last 144 days of his life. Distressingly, his path to the place he held prayer and where he was shot is marked by footprints.

The following morning another early start saw us board the Shatabdi express train from New Delhi to Agra. We were welcomed at the hotel in the traditional way with a red spot put on our heads (symbolising God’s blessing) and a flower garland draped around us.

We indulged in breakfast at the hotel where I tried a traditional Indian breakfast delicacy before being taken to visit Agra Fort. The afternoon saw us visit the world famous Taj Mahal which some claim to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is breathtaking and pictures just don’t do it justice.

That evening back at the hotel, I couldn’t resist consulting a palmist. It was an enlightening experience in that I was told I will live until 87, get married at 30, have a boy at 32 and a girl at 35. It will be interesting to see how much of this comes true.

We only stayed the one night in Agra and we were then on the road travelling to Jaiphur – the pink city via Fatehpur Sikra – founded in 1569 by the Mughal emperor Akbar. We had 3 nights staying in Jaiphur at the luxury Taj Jai Mahal Palace Hotel. We visited the Palace of the winds built in 1780 which is just a facade from which women of the Harem could watch the town life from. Opposite this I found my own spiritual place – a shoe shop! I bought a gorgeous pair of flip flops.

We were transported up to the Amber Fort by decorated elephants which were the highlight of my trip given my fascination with the animal. I also was lucky enough that when we stopped for a photo opportunity of the palace on the lake, an elephant was passing and I got to hug its trunk.

The colours of the Saris in Jaiphur are a sight for sore eyes; legend has it that these wonderful saris are a consequence of potatoes not growing in Jaiphur and therefore women devoting their time to the textiles industry. The shopping opportunities were great in Jaiphur and I couldn’t resist some of the gorgeous bangles, not to mention a wonderful white tunic.

One evening we were treated to entertainment whilst we ate in the form of Indian folk dancing of which we were also invited to take part in at points.

My other half and I were desperate for a ride on a tuk tuk and we got this opportunity whilst in Jaiphur and the very knowledgeable, helpful driver took us to see the monument of the last King of Jaiphur.

All too soon the last day of the holiday dawned and we were taken back to Delhi airport by coach to join our flight back to the UK. On arrival back we craved fish and chips and think we will have a break from curries for the foreseeable future! A true holiday of a life time to a cultural melting pot of religions and at least 24 official languages.

A Special Grandma

Apr6

In February I had the very sad news that my paternal Grandma had died. At 87 she had lived until a good age, however I somehow always thought she would make her 90s at least. We were extremely close, not least as I was born 8 days after her husband, my Granddad passed away. This blog is dedicated to her.

Grandma was born in 1925 when George VI was on the throne and Stanley Baldwin was prime minister. She was named Joyce and never was there a more appropriate name being that Joyce means cheerful or merry. My Grandma was always smiling and such a warm person. 1925 was of course a time of prosperity in the UK, a time of peace between the two world wars and the 1920’s are often referred to as the roaring 20’s. I am looking forward to the release of the Great Gatsby film in May which is set in 1922. Fashion then was very much the drop waisted flapper dress and long strings of pearls. Shoes suddenly earned more fashion status being that they were now being mass produced and dresses were shorter so they could be seen. T-bar or Mary Jane shoes were the shoes to be seen in. Vogue magazine came to Britain in 1916 and a quote from January 1925 read

“This year the mid-season collections are concerned with subtle changes of the slender silhouette. [The mode] is much given to introducing a fluttering movement – a flowering, feminine line. Waist-lines are low. Chéruit and Chanel are also bringing forth a newer, more feminine elegance. They have launched simultaneously the combination of black and flesh-pink in afternoon or evening frocks.”

These nineteen twenties-esque shoes are on my wish list from Oasis.

During her childhood years I recall my Grandma saying that she would see a dress in a shop, her Mum would go and look at it and then make her the same thing. I wish I had such dress making skills.

Grandma would have become a teenager just prior to the start of World War 2. Through the war years, many people in the UK struggled financially and rationing was brought in. Clothes were rationed from June 1941 until March 1949 due to shortages in materials. Women still however paid attention to fashion and those who could not get silk stockings from an American troop would stain their legs and draw a black line up the back for a seam to give the allusion they were wearing them. Tea dresses were the dress of choice and shoes were often the lace up variety as they were more practical.

Make do and mend was the motto and the reason for patches on elbows of jumpers becoming fashionable. Magazines would advise on how to update existing clothes for the new season. Square shouldered jackets were popular, emulating service uniform and because many women entered jobs previously done by men often trousers and dungarees and headscarves were worn as these were more practical. In occupied France, the Germans tried, unsuccessfully to move the fashion centre to Berlin causing many couture houses to close. Coco Chanel later benefited from having a Nazi lover. In the issue of vogue (front cover of which is seen below) there was an advert from Chanel informing readers of the absence of their scent until after the War but continued production of their lipstick and powder.

Vogue cover Aug 1943

The victory roll was a popular style for hair at the time and you can see Grandma with this in the below photo aged approximately 19. The government produced strict guidelines on clothes; skirts were shorter, waistlines higher and no pleats and minimal hems and fastenings. Patterns had to conform to this too. Red lipstick was also preferred by many women and women felt it was their duty to keep men’s spirits up by still looking their best.

Grandma aged 19 approx

Movie stars in 1940s were Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland and Ingrid Bergman. 1942 saw the release of Casablanca which was an immediate hit.

This is my Grandma in the 1960s. This style of dress with the gloves was the height of fashion at the time.

I have a very similar vintage handbag to the one in the picture only in black.

Grandma was as my uncle said in his tribute ‘born to serve.’ She was of the generation of women who waited on their husband and children’s every need. In some respects however she was also a modern woman often holding down a job as well as bringing up a family.

Grandma loved her garden so I had a wreath made in the shape of a watering can. The number of people at the funeral was wonderful and showed just how loved a lady she was. I also read a tribute and the poem ‘do not stand at my grave and weep’ which Grandma had requested I read.

Grandma you were like a second Mum to me and I valued our relationship so much. You will be greatly missed. I hope you are now pain free and are with Granddad and your sister Gladys. Rest in Peace Joyce.

Reliving the 80’s and 90’s

Mar17

One of my close friends had an 80’s fancy dress party last month. I went as a Rubik cube whilst my partner went as the karate kid. The Rubik’s cube is a 3D combination puzzle originally invented in 1974 and sold to Rubik in 1980. Although the hey day of the cube was the 1980s it remains popular today and in January 2009 350 million had been sold worldwide. Often thought of as an impossible puzzle, the record for a single solving is 5.66 seconds! Solvers of the puzzle are often seen as highly intelligent hence it featuring in films in order to portray this trait in a character, for example Armageddon. Other costumes at the party included a storm trooper, Madonna, Jessica Rabbit, Prince and Disco divas. I often think of life as being a bit like a Rubik’s cube; just as one side falls into place another becomes a muddle.

I got thinking about what the 80’s mean to me. I was born in 1983 when the prime minister was Margaret Thatcher, ‘Wherever I Lay my Hat’ by Paul Young was No 1 in the singles chart, the rave culture was in full swing and a first class stamp cost less than 20p. There was still a £1 note in existence and the trains were the slam door variety. Newly released was the CD format for music as opposed to tapes. The 30 years of my life have seen a great many rapid changes not least the internet, DVDs and mobile phones. Growing up my favourite toys were the Sylvanian Families and my brothers were Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The toy to have Christmas 1983 was the cabbage patch doll. I bought my niece her first Slyvanian’s this year, hoping she would get as much enjoyment out of them as I did when they first arrived in Britain in my local toy shop in 1988. Who can forget the TV shows we watched such as Rainbow, Raggy Dolls and Wacaday?

Fashion in the 80’s was a mixture of punk, neon, shoulder pads, leggings, leotards, leg warmers, perms and crimping. Many of these fashions have seen revivals and neon continues to be a trend for this coming spring season as well as hair crimping being seen on the Moschino catwalk.

I guess though the 90s left more of an imprint on me as I was only 6 at the end of the 80s. This year as my friends and I all turn 30, I suspect there will be lots of reminiscing back to the 80s.

Last month Britain saw its first flurries of snow for this winter and March has brought more still – I’m so grateful for my Ugg boots – this is not the weather for stilettos! Snow rarely has its imagined romance unless you are a child with a sledge; cold fingers and toes along with thwarted journeys are not pleasant. It is a good excuse however to showcase some of the wonderful woollies out there at the moment; I love the woollen headbands, perfect to wear out when I am doing my training walks for Moonwalk.

Definitely time to ditch that New Year diet and relax in front of the TV enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate topped with cream and marshmallows in your cosy onsie next to an open fire. Not quite sure why grown adults have started wearing hats with animal ears on though, can anyone shed any light on this?

My Cath Kidston knitting book and supplies arrived the other week so I will be teaching myself how to knit as per my bucket list and should have a nice warm scarf at the end of it. I’m hoping to add to my list learning to crochet so I can knit a lovely blanket for my partner’s sister’s new arrival. I may even move on to quilting – all great activities to do whilst it’s cold outside. Rufus the rabbit certainly enjoyed the snow; perhaps I should knit him an ear warmer!

Despite it feeling nothing like spring outside; I have been giving some thought to spring fashions. Talking of revivals, there seems to be somewhat of a 90s feel this season with scrunches being seen on the Ashish catwalk, a Bewitched style double denim resurgence and programmes such as My Mad Fat Diary and The Reunion. Monochrome appears to be big again and I love this dress from Boohoo which I will pair with a coral belt from New Look and coral shoes from last year to give it more of a spring feel. I also couldn’t resist this fun comic strip dress.

Last month was of course Valentines Day and my partner and I went for a lovely meal at The Barn restaurant near us.

http://www.thebarnrestaurant.co.uk/

Valentines always brings a surge on the market for underwear and perhaps as fashionistas we often ignore these largely unseen items. We should give it greater attention however as like a good pair of shoes – good underwear has the power to make us feel sexy and instantly lift our mood.

Anyway I shall sign off now. Just before I go though I want to share with you another DIY makeover – our dining room. When the ceiling fell down back in the summer due to being the old Victorian lathe and plaster, we were devastated but we turned it round to a positive by using it as an opportunity to install an open fire and redecorate.

After the ceiling fell down

We have gone for a North African theme whilst incorporating a traditional Victorian feel. The fireplace whilst not original to the house, we believe to be an original from the period and the kind of style that would have appeared in our house of our type. The companion set was a vintage find given as a Christmas present and the kettle was my maternal grandmothers. Besides the usual photos the mantel piece is also adorned with a camel picked up in Morocco and a souvenir pyramid from Egypt.

The light is a Moroccan lantern from Moroccan Bazaar and conjures up fond memories of the bustling souks in Marrakech. The main canvas was purchased during our trip to Egypt. There is also a piece of papyrus with my name in hieroglyphics which was picked up in Sharm El Sheik. The smaller canvases – two are shots my paternal grandfather who I never met took when he was posted out to Egypt with the army and the third is him washing up after Christmas dinner in Jamaica.

The red adds to the North African feel as well as adding warmth to the room. If my sewing skills improve I would also like to make a window seat.

Look out for my next home feature and wrap up warm. Until next time………

blahnikgirl

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