Autumn/Winter 2014

I've been quiet for far too long here due to all the busyness that inevitably accompanies the lead up to the festive season. After that, Ed and I hopped on a plane to India to see family and that is never 'quiet'. Perfunctory blog posts aren't ideal and hence the radio silence. But I have so much share and so this post is a quick recap of the highlights of the season just gone.
Christmas in Edinburgh is quite special and I Instagrammed a lot of that loveliness before heading to India to celebrate my first hot Christmas in many years. I also managed to briefly check out the markets in Leeds, London and Glasgow in between my work-related travels; do check out my Instagram page for the complete photo coverage.

Speaking of travel, I've been seeing a lot of Leeds and London in recent months. The day job has been busy but I always try to stop and appreciate loveliness when I see it: the spectacular sunrises that accompany early morning flights, the stunning double rainbows in between grey days, London's bright lights, trying out exotic cocktails and the the majestic views of London from the air whilst taking off on late evening flights ( and even amidst the chaos of airspace closure!).

Other highlights include the New Zealand vs Scotland rugby match, visiting the Edinburgh dungeons, exploring more of Edinburgh and surrounding areas ( more blog posts on the way), and visiting our old hood down south. The most fabulous of all our recent adventures has been our road trip to the Outer Hebrides and Skye. It was amazing and I cannot wait to blog about it soon!

I hope you have all had a lovely festive season and a wonderful new year! I plan to blog more regularly in the coming weeks so do watch this space! Ann x

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Autumnal Fare and Old Spirits: An Afternoon in Stilton

 

Stilton is a sleepy little village on the old Roman road, once part of the old A1. It is famous for the eponymous  delicious blue veined Stilton cheese as well as the annual cheese rolling competition on Mayday. On a recent visit to the area, my friend Rosie suggested that we head to the Stilton Cheese Inn for lunch. The place was cool and spooky, and the food served was special enough to warrant a full blog post.

We visited the Stilton Cheese Inn on a quiet and sunny Sunday afternoon. Like other diners, we chose to eat alfresco due to the unusually pleasant weather. In between courses, I briefly wandered into the restaurant in search of the Ladies and ended up chatting with the owner of the pub. Sue filled me with stories about the Pub's history, the ghosts that frequent it and their stories. They moved up from London many years ago and were looking to invest in a pub and when they arrived at the then failing pub, they somehow felt it was right. 

The spirits that she spoke of  were 'friendly' apparently and that you just felt their presence. Their stories date back to when the building was a coaching inn and earlier in history when the area was a frequent stop for the old Romans on their way up North or travelling down to London.

The pub is filled with trinkets, old notes, copper utensils and there has been a clear effort to maintain the original feel of the place.

The owners Sue ( English) and Carlos Rosa (Portuguese) have created an exquisite seasonal menu that combines the best of Portuguese and English cuisine. Our friend Pete went for a starter of cheese fritters with mango sorbet ( which looked and apparently tasted, unusual and exquisite).

Rosie and I went for traditional Portuguese Cataplana and that was super and portions were *huge*! Ed and Pete went for a more anglicised Fish and Chips and Fish Fillet with Rice respectively for their mains and seemed very pleased with the choice.

Sue was quite the mother-figure, making sure we were eating our food the right and eating it all up! Rosie and I didn't quite finish our massive mains as there was simply no room. The boys were very full too and so there no room for hoovering up more. It's been a good few weeks since our visit but writing this post still makes my mouth water as the food was amazing!

Finally, a quick unplanned outfit shot to match an unplanned blog post! I've been living in my Zara camo trousers and Cos oversized top all of late summer/early Autumn as they seemed to go so well together and are so easy to wear, no ironing or dry-cleaning required. I'm also wearing my lovely Charolotte Olynpia Kitty Flats, bought in the Net-a-Porter sale last year and so very comfortable!

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend, and if you are ever in the area, I recommend visiting Stilton. Ann x

Wearing: Cos top, Zara camouflage trousers, Charlotte Olympia kitty flats and Longchamp neo bag.

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The Tempus Restaurant, Edinburgh George Hotel

The last couple of months have been both exciting and intense; I've been doing long hours and travelling the length of the country with work but at the same time making the most of every 'free' minute I get, both on my travels and when I'm back home in Edinburgh. That also meant I've had zilch time to blog. A few weeks ago, Ed and I were kindly invited to review the newly launched all Scottish menu at the Tempus restaurant and that was one of the highlights of our recent manic schedule.

We assumed it was going to be a private dining/tasting session but we actually ended up being part of a group of local foodies invited to the Tempus. Ed and I love meeting new people and our companions for the evening were the lovely and enterprising couple, Iain and Kate, of Citylicious. Do check out their Edinburgh restaurants blog, as well as it's offshoot blogs based on the dining scene in many other top cities.

Iain has written a fairly comprehensive review of the evening on the Citylicious blog which contains detailed account of our meal. If you fancy knowing more about Tempus's new menu, I recommend reading his review.

I will focus more on the ambience, overall dining experience and the quality of food. I somehow mistakenly expected Tempus to be quite 'pubby' but it was actually much more indulgent yet good value. The decor is new Edinburgh New Town-esque i.e. filled with a reasonable measure of old world glamour.

The food was genuinely lovely; the Loch Fyne Oysters I ordered were simply fantastic and my Orkney Sirloin Steak was pretty good too. Ed thoroughly enjoyed his Isle of Mull Crab Cake starter and the Rump of Lamb main course.

For our dessert, we ordered the Taste of Scotland to share which included Chocolate Fondant, Honey Ice-cream and Cranachan ( which Ed ordered with a side of whiskey). It was *divine*!!!

I could have also just as easily devoured Kate's Mixed Berry Cheesecake *and* Iain's Homemade Sticky Toffee Pudding! My name is Ann and I am a pudding monster.

Overall, we had a fantastic dining experience and the service was impeccable.  My only comment was that whilst I order a selection of both Loch Fyne and Carlingford Oysters, I only got the Loch Fyne ones. And as lovely as the Loch Fyne ones were, I was quite keen on understand the difference between the two! 

Finally, I had to take a quick outfit shot...I am a style blogger too! I'm wearing Roland Mouret for Banana Republic and it took me from a full day at work to a bowling session with colleagues to the dinner at Tempus. Comfy, stretchy and so versatile!!

Hope you are all having a lovely week and not working too hard! Ann x

Wearing: Roland Mouret for Banana Republic, charity shop necklace ( bought years and years ago) and Ash booties.

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A Peek Inside my Wardrobe

Friends and readers have often asked me if I have an overflowing wardrobe. The answer is no, I am constantly editing and refining my wardrobe in keeping with my evolving style. Ever since the move to Edinburgh, we've had a open wardrobe system which has helped with this editing. The first flat we rented had a floor to ceiling clothes rail so *everything* was on display. As I could *see* all my clothes, I started using my wardrobe much more effectively. Our current flat has a nicer feature, an additional room attached to our main bedroom which felt like it was crying out to be a dressing room. It is just over two months since we've moved in to the flat and the room is still a work in progress but I wanted to share what it currently looks like.

My wardrobe is an eclectic collection of good quality building blocks (white cotton shirts and t-shirts, silk shirts and t-shirts), a small collection of skirts/trousers and dresses, plus a handful of special items sourced from vintage/charity shops, designer and designer collaborations. My wardrobe choices, whilst sometimes whimsical and quirky, include good tailoring and bright colours, all put together with some moderation. I love oversized shapes, tongue-in-cheek designs, metallics and bright colours.

My clothes are a mix of high street (Cos, H&M, Zara, Uniqlo) and designer ( Isabel Marant, Alice Temperley, Theory etc.) items.  My accessories are much more widespread  with silk scarves from Moschino, Hermes, Valentino, jewellery from our travels all over the world as well as Bottica and Etsy, bags and shoes from Longchamp (I love them!) Mulberry, Ash, Bloch, Charlotte Olympia, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade and Louboutin). I am eternally grateful to Net-a-Porter sales, flash sale sites such as BrandAlley and Vente Privee, TKMaxx and charity shops (!!) for being able to afford most of my wardrobe. Most of my wardrobe was bought at over 60-80% off marked prices!!

I bought a mannequin off eBay a few years ago (for craft and sewing) and it had been a great addition to my little dressing room. It currently wears a tulle skirt and a few hats. The room also has bits of craft, art and fashion books. I am trying to create a space that inspires me in the morning and somewhere I can go to chill out after a stressful day.

I like displaying some of my favourite wardrobe items on rotation as it's a shame to have them hidden away. Brooches, a couple of bags ( currently it is my Margiela Candy Clutch and Lulu Guinness Lips Bag) and a favourite pair of shoe or two (currently vintage Vivier and Charlotte Olympia) are currently adding cheer to this space. I also use Orla Kiely and Net-a-Porter boxes to store jewellery and other accessories.

I use clear storage boxes to store most of my shoes, except those whose boxes add value ( mostly the designer ones). Also, I've used a coat rack to hang my handbags for years (in their covers) except for a couple of display/utility ones. I use a few clear plastic boxes and a couple of vacuum bags to store out of season clothing and my woolly jumpers. As an added precaution, there are a number of moth-repellent lavender sachets all over the place. 

And, I am constantly travelling and living out of a suitcase  so a nearly-ready suitcase always lives in the room. Whilst travelling, I choose multi-tasking wardrobe items that I can mix and match so i don't need to carry much more than a small suitcase even when if I'm away all week. As an aside, one of my pet peeves is seeing people put used shoes straight into their suitcases ( it drives me nuts!). I am always carrying shoes in their bags and if they don't have bags, I use canvas totes instead.

Finally, I am still on the journey to a proper capsule wardrobe so the next time I do a wardrobe update, I'm hoping there will be fewer items in there.  I'd love to hear how you manage your wardrobes and any tips you may have! Ann x

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Museum of Modern Art, Edinburgh

Edinburgh balances the old and the new, the edgy and the classic with such elegant ease. Case in point are the Galleries of Modern Art 1 and 2 in the West End. The galleries are family and fitness-folk friendly too, by virtue of the vast expanse of surrounding gardens and well stocked cafes. The  'Landform' by Charles Jencks draws you in while an anonymous 'There will be no miracles here' installation managed your expectations. I loved it even before I set foot inside the first building!

As with all modern art, the works are not necessarily to everyone's taste. However, I was surpassed by how clever and off-the-wall a lot of the pieces were. The installations ranged from room high looms, painted frescos, an entire native American village to more 'standard' abstract paintings and edited movie clips. The only bit I found distasteful was the 'breathing experiment' but even that made me think....which I think is what modern art is all about.

The Modern Art Galleries 1 and 2 are opposite each other and well worth spending entire day at. Take a picnic lunch or fill up at the cafe, and allow your mind to be blown away by local creatives.

I loved the outside so much that I had to do the blogger thing and take outfit shots. I thought I was suitably dressed for a day perused modern art....wearing my 'oh-so-now' Etre Cecile t-shirt with my favourite quirky taxi shoes from Kate Spade!

I highly recommend a visit to Edinburgh's modern art galleries, yet another place often overlooked by the tourists but with so much to offer.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend! Ann x

Wearing: MuuBaa leather jacket, Etre Cecile t-shirt, Bimba and Lola perforated skirt, Kate Spade taxi shoes and Longchamp neo bag.

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The Pineapple

Scotland is a stunning country of majestic mountains, lochs and glens. But it is also full of character and quirkiness. We recently came across The Pineapple just outside Falkirk. It is what they call a 'folly'....an expensive ornamental building with no practical purpose. I think its anything but...how many buildings can make people smile at first sight?

The Pineapple was built in 1761 by the 4th Earl of Dunmore taking inspiration from his time in Virginia. The property is now owned by the National Trust and you can actually book to stay here...I believe it houses up to four people.

The Pineapple is open all year and is a great place for a little picnic and countryside walks. As for Ed and I, we just walked around for a little, taking in the surroundings, braving the cold October air and taking silly photos, before driving on to sunny Glasgow.

Have you been to a 'folly' before? And did it amuse you too? Ann x

Wearing: H&M dress, bloch shoes, Uniqlo polo top, Lonhcamp back, Michelle Lowe-Holder cuff and Christian Dior sunglasses.

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Charity Shop Outfit for a Norfolk Wedding

Ed and I were down in our old home patch of East Anglia to celebrate the wedding of our friends. I was very excited for our friends, and wanted to make sure I had a fitting outfit for the event.  My initial choice was a Somerset by Temperley dress from the John Lewis summer sale. Then, on one of my weekly charity shop trawls around Stockbridge, I found this amazing Missoni dress plonked on a size 16 rail!

I have previously bought things I absolutely love in bigger ( and smaller) sizes before but I wasn't sure a 16 could work. Thankfully, it was actually an Italian 44 which is more a UK 12....the shop assistant wasn't sure about the sizing and summed it was a 16...my lucky day! And....it was £29!!!! I have never been so excited about a dress before! Just another reason why I love charity shopping!

My friend Pip grew up in this idyllic village called Plumstead in rural Nofolk and their wedding was in a little church right opposite the house where they lived. It was a lovely setting but the thing that made it all the more interesting was the Dutch flag flying high in front of the church.  'I wonder what UKIP would make of  this then?' Ed joked. Jerre, our friend the groom, is Dutch and they have a very interesting sense of humour!

The wedding was beautiful and our friends looked so happy! It was a lovely personal wedding in  a beautiful setting, just the sort of thing I love. The church was quaint and old worldly, and while it was cloudy and it rained, it simply added to the atmosphere of the place. I know I haven't got a picture of the lovely couple but I'd like to ask their permission first (they are currently on their amazing honeymoon) as I avoid personal photos of friends and family unless they want to be featured on the site.

Ed was taken by the painting of St. George in particularly...he reckoned the 'face' bore a remarkable resemblance to Pete Cook ( the priest in Princess Bride)?!

I  loved the little details around the church ( the brass fittings, the stained glass windows) and the wonderfully intricate embroidery on the kneelers...I love all things that have a bit of 'soul'.

Have you been to Norfolk? It is a lovely place with lots of history, beautiful beaches, great countryside and friendly folk...well worth a visit! Ann x

Wearing: Missoni dress, vintage Roger Vivier shoes, Isabel Marant cocktail jacket, Louis Vuitton purse and ASOS necklace.

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