Things I'm loving right now

Macarons

I was a lover of Laduree even before they hit the big time in England and became fashionable, and there's very little I wouldn't do for a salt caramel or blackcurrant violet piece of heaven from them, but while at the Taste of London festival this year I discovered someone else who makes them - a company called Bougie. Macarons - delicious, packaging - gorgeous.


Peonies

My two favourite flowering things in the whole world are peonies and cow parsley. Not that they really go together, but there you go. Anyway - I finally got round to buying some the other day and am loving watching the slow unfolding of them. Mother Nature really was on top form the day she made them



New shoes

Who'd have thought M & S could churn out such a beautiful, fashionable and comfortable pair of shoes? Never overlook the old favourites - they actually have a good selection in there at the moment. There was a beautiful pair, similar to these but even higher heels. Again they were wonderfully comfortable but I was getting to be "transvestite tall" in them and I don't want to tower over every man in the room. So, this pair I'm very pleased with


How cute?

Weather

This glorious weather is making me very happy indeed. The thing about living in a country with such unpredictable weather is that we're thrilled when the sun comes out for two consecutive days in summer. More please!

The lovely weather also means I'm currently walking 8 miles a day (the journey from home to work is 4 miles - I google mapped it!) which has to be a good thing and means I avoid the sweaty grimness that is the tube. Mr C has downloaded a cool app to his iPhone meaning I'm always trying to take arty photos - here's a lovely one from our walk in yesterday morning. Times like this I realise how much I love London.

What a revelation!

Confession - I sneered at skinny jeans when they first arrived on the scene. I just thought they made your legs look stumpy, they weren't elegant and I did not get it. (I am a self-confessed fashion fuddy duddy).

I finally realised I was the last girl in town clinging onto bootlegs (or so it felt) and I trotted to good old New Look to try on some black skinnies.

What do you know? They are SO flattering, it's insane. I hold my hands up and freely admit - I was wrong! Skinny jeans - I love you deeply - you make me look so tall and slim, and I don't know why I ignored you for so long!

I've always found New Look's shoes to be great - a surprising number of them are leather, or at least leather lined, and the prices are very reasonable. Let's face it - flats aren't going anywhere and New Look always has an amazing selection, from quilted to sequined to pleated to be-jewelled.....
Picked up this cute little quilted pair with patent toes and trim


And I'm deeply in love. They're also sturdy enough to stand up to a bit of bog standard english rain (I don't think they'd survive a proper downpour, but on a miserable evening like this, they did just fine).

Have you found any good bargains recently?

Loot!

I have a few weeks work starting tomorrow, so I went on a premature spending spree. Well - Primark, so that's allowed, since it's so super-cheap.

A cute pair of quilted ballet flats with patent toes. A little (and I use the term very loosely) Chanel-esque. Hey - anything quilted you can pretend is Chanel inspired, right?


I imagine they'll stay cream for about a day before they start to look slightly grubby, but I like them nevertheless. And they make my feet look tanned.

Another little Chanel inspired goody:
Tell me ladies, can you tell the difference between that and the Chanel Fil de Camelia original?
Ok, I exaggerate, but it is sweet isn't it?

This weekend I'm seeing the little birthday girl I made some presents for recently so they need to be wrapped up. I found this gorgeous wrapping paper to do the job. I feel sure I'll end up going back for another sheet as I can think of a million crafting uses for such lovliness.

Shoes. Sigh.

Having a very hastily mixed Martini (all in the name of using up the last dribble of gin before moving day on Friday) before heading out to meet Mr C for date night. Sushi by the Thames - really, it's a lot more romantic than it sounds, I promise!

I am officially the worth packer in the world. I started on the shoe collection (or at least the portion that currently lives with me and isn't out at my parents' place). Trying to pack them descended into trying them all on..admiring them..and then lining them up on the stairs...and admiring them some more.. Here are two steps' worth where some of the ones dearest to my heart are standing.


Why did I never use stairs to store shoes until 2 days before moving out? I could have left a small gangway wide enough to creep past, and wouldn't they have looked cute?