45 Hours in London

We ate. We drank. We gasped over Selfridges Shoe Hall. We walked. We saw Buckingham Palace. We dreamed over Chanel. And battled with the Tube. Thanks for the recomendations Holly and Sarah!

Halloween Weekend

Wishing you all a Happy Halloween! Do you have any plans this weekend to celebrate? It seems in the UK, that this is a holiday we are starting to celebrate more like our US counterparts. Any excuse for a special day and I'm in. Although I don't really have any special Halloween-related plans this year. Last year, the day landed on a Saturday so we hit the town. But town on a Saturday night filled with girls wearing red devil horns wasn't really my thing! I will be a little more low-key but I did manage to find this photograph I took last year of a cobweb on my car one damp and dewy morning and thought it looked quite spooky!

Avant Garde

As bloggers, we receive many an email from PR companies asking us to promote their products in some way or another. I must admit, I dismiss most of them as I hate to think that my content will be the same as other blogs. But every once in a while, something will really catch my eye that gives me the opportunity to be creative and make the post very much my own.

And so the offer of choosing a piece from the Clothing at Tesco range came my way and was one I was very ready to dismiss until I saw the "Post It On" concept behind the promotion and thought it a novel idea to both style the piece and interact with other bloggers.

I then had a quick scan of the site not expecting to find much of interest, I'm not one to pick up inexpensive pieces of clothing whilst doing my grocery shopping. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I hate grocery shopping and want to get in and out of there as quickly as possible.

Which leads me to the F+F Couture range which is only available on-line and really did surprise me. Here is a range at the top end of 'budget fashion' and with some quite remarkable pieces. Yes, there are only a few to choose from but the dress I chose was overflowing with remarkable details. Devoré fabric, long rows of button detail, an asymetric hem, it immediately made me think of designs by Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood with the amazing Rick Owens-esque shoulders. 'Avant Garde' is not a label I would associate with Tesco.

And so as part of the promotion, it is now my turn to choose a fellow blogger who may choose a piece of their own to style and to then choose another blogger... and so it goes on.

So, my blogger of choice is.........Amy from Vintage Reflection... you will receive an email very soon!

F+F Couture range at Clothing at Tesco dress ~ Top Shop lilac platform strap heels ~ Tabio black 110d tights ~ Vintage, Etsy & M&S assorted rings ~ Chanel Nouvelle Vague nail enamel

The Fox & Anchor - London

A beautifully renovated traditional pub in the heart of Clerkenwell. The Fox & Anchor originated from the late Victorian era and has been serving the traders of Smithfield Markets for years. Now lovingly restored with mahogany doors, etched glass and heavy brass, the pub serves great food and a range of real ales.

This is probably not the kind of 'hotel' I would usually think of staying in, for a weekend trip to London. But as a lover of all things quirky and vintage, it was an excellent choice. When we arrived at around three o'clock on a Friday afternoon, this traditional pub was absolutely heaving. We were shown up (several) flights of stairs to our room on the very top floor which thankfully was well worth being a little out of breath. As the door swung open, there standing in front of the window and at the foot of the bed, was my dream bath - free standing and gold footed, it was quite the show-stopper of the room. The room was fairly small but very cosy and had luxurious details which highlighted it's Victorian roots.

Once we quickly unpacked, it was out again to pay Oxford Street a (relatively) quick visit. Due to late trains, we weren't able to shop quite as much as we would have liked but we were very much looking forward to returning back to the Fox & Anchor for our evening meal. Again, the pub was bustling with night time drinkers and we were led through to a quieter restaurant area. In a traditional setting, what better way to enjoy an evening meal than with an array of traditional British Gastro Pub food to choose from. Hearty Broth and Salmon Terrine to start, Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas, Fish of the Day on a Bed of Creamy Peas,Bacon & Leek with Cauliflower Cheese & Celeriac Mash on the side and a good Apple &Cinnamon Crumble with Vanilla Ice-cream for dessert. And we both agreed (neither being wine connoisseurs), the most delicious bottle of white wine.

Breakfast was an early rise for us, determined to make the most of our only full day in London. Freshly squeezed Orange Juice, Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Eggs with a Cappuccino was quite a mild breakfast choice it would seem in amongst the early morning revellers partaking in some 'Hair of the Dog'. Perhaps what you would expect from a traditional pub such as this, but we were taken aback once again by how busy it was at nine o'clock in the morning - is the Fox & Anchor ever not busy? I'm sure the friendly and cheerful staff must have something to do with this!

The pub itself is situated in a side street, upon first glance it would appear to be fairly quiet and non-descript. But it is also home to some other pubs and bars so is actually a great area for a good night out. The only drawback to my Fox & Anchor experience was some loud music from the direction of a bar across the street until the early hours. But if you do not have OAP tendencies as I, I'm sure you would be joining in the party not listening to it from afar!