weekend, we

Hi everyone, how was your weekend?

I spent all day Saturday in a dSLR photography workshop that took us around the Tate, St. Paul's, and Borough Market. I'll share more on that later but the important thing is that it prepared me for Joe's kite flying extravaganza.

On Sunday, as we left our flat to go to this vintage furniture event I noticed that he had his backpack with him. "You've got your kite with you, don't you?" I asked. Busted. I knew that there was no way he was going to let a windy day pass him and his new kite by. So off we went to the furniture flea, bought a few small items (promise I'll share later) and when we were done, googled the nearest park.

Joe got so lucky. The park we found was perfectly spacious and the wind roared right through it. As Joe flew his kite, I practiced some new shutter speed and aperture techniques learned from the previous day's photography workshop and simply sat out and enjoyed the sun. It was such a nice afternoon.

On the way home we found ourselves at Brick Lane (it was market day!) so we stopped to eat some yummy street food and shopped for a dining table here. I wish I would have taken photos of the market and the furniture event but I was seriously spent from Saturday's six hour photography binge and the day's kite chasing session. There's always next weekend though...we'll be in Berlin!

{about town} london gets colorful with carnival

The music, colors, energy, and food of yesterday's Notting Hill Carnival were incredible.

We arrived before noon and luckily got in a few hours of parade watching and relative calm before the crowds hit. And by crowds I mean nearly every Londoner between the ages of 16 and 30 coming to drink and dance the rest of the evening. I'm all for drinking and dancing but this was the kind of thing that you had to be mentally prepared for - we definitely were not. There were DJ stages set up on streets surrounding the parade route and by the time we were ready to leave, those areas were so packed that it took us an hour and a half to find a way out of the carnival zone! There were moments where I got a little freaked out...like "crap, we're the only sober people here!" while everyone around us carried forties or home-made cocktails in large water bottles. Drunkenness in England is a whole other story...

Craziness aside, it was great to get a taste of Carnival culture without traveling too far from home. Brazil is next ... I will definitely prepare for that :)

see more photos here

happy friday + moving day!

Today is the day that we say goodbye to our first London pad but more important is that we will finally be able to stand upright to get clean. You see, we haven't taken a proper shower at home in six months because our "shower hose" doesn't have any water pressure above two feet. The little that it does have barely does the job so we've been using a plastic water pitcher to make do. Yep folks, we've been bathing like it's 1859 over here in London Town! It was funny at first, then really annoying, then I forced myself to get used to it, and then I really hated it. At least I'm a small person that can comfortably fit in a tub, Joe on the other hand...poor guy.

The only showers we've taken are when we've traveled and stayed in a hotel. Those rented waterfalls were the only saving grace for my hair as shampoo became increasingly difficult to scrub out with a pour of the pitcher.

We were all the wiser for our next flat (who would have thought that you needed to test showers, anyway?) and I'm excited to say that we have AMAZING water pressure! AND it comes down from seven feet above! To add a cherry on top, our new flat's bathroom sink has a dual temperature water faucet which means we can finally use warm water. I swear, I really don't understand why using either hot or cold is the norm here. Especially when 1) kitchens do dual so they know it exists and 2) safety laws are so crazy that electrical outlets in the bathroom and wall light switches aren't allowed (you get a pull-string or the switch is placed outside the room). But burning myself with scorching hot water is okay? So strange.

I'm beyond excited to be moving into the 21st century...my hair will be happy too.

Have a great weekend!

let's go fly a kite + {brilliant beats} jim noir

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMO3FNc-C-I?rel=0&w=480&h=25]

Jim Noir - Key of C

Two weeks ago when we went to Hampstead Heath, we sat atop Kite Hill and Joe drooled over the kites that flew high above. Flash forward to Monday, Joe had his own brand new kite - and a new friend. As we got the kite up for its first flight, a little boy ran over to us screaming "WOW!". He was too adorable for words as he jumped around and chased the kite's trail. Joe was just as excited, actually. Behind that cool facade he's a big kid...and I love him for that.

weekend, we

Hi everyone, how was your weekend?

Ours was all about doing a lot of what had to be done (chores, errands, adult duties) and throwing in some fun wants on the side.

Saturday's highlight was riding Barclay Bikes to All Star Lanes in Bayswater. What an amazing venue! Great bowling lanes, live DJ, delicious food, and a really fun ambiance. It's an American themed place but it's actually way better than any bowling venue I've ever been to in the States.

On Sunday we had the final inspection of our new flat and were given the keys. We spent a good hour or so taking measurements and seeing what we'll need to fix or modify though it's not much, thankfully. We then made our way to Marylebone for breakfast at Coco Momo (yum) and re-visited our favorite sofa at John Lewis, a major department store that's like a Target and Macy's rolled into one. Did I ever mention how relieved I was to go there when I first moved here?

A sofa purchase later and we were ready to wrap up the weekend with a movie at the Nomad Cinema in Holland Park. The film of the night was Cinema Paradiso. Has anyone seen it? It's the most beautiful movie that I have ever experienced. Seriously, it was incredible. Apparently it's a big classic here but since it's Italian I'm guessing that's why we don't hear much about it, if at all, in the States. Movie buffs may have been in the know all along but I feel really lucky to finally be introduced to it.

Now it's time for another week...we'll see what sorts of craziness/magic it brings. Have a great Monday!

new flat found...at last

Things are really starting to get busy around here for many reasons but mainly because....drumroollllll... we've found our new flat! We put our offer in on Friday and it was accepted yesterday afternoon. I didn't mention it in the weekend post because I'm slightly superstitious that way but, YAY, it's a done deal!

After spending weeks searching online and visiting derelict flats that I wouldn't even wish upon my worst enemies, we feel so lucky to have found our new home. It has two bedrooms, it's modern, spacious, is in our current neighborhood that we love, and best of all, unfurnished!

I can't tell you how excited the word "unfurnished" makes me. The norm here is that when you rent a place, you also take whatever furniture is in it. I understand that renting is temporary and that buying furniture can be quite the expense but just because I don't own the place doesn't mean that I don't care about the environment inside of it. It is still our home.

Too many of the furnished places we saw were flat out nasty. They mainly consisted of  worn out IKEA sofas, mix-matched 90's furniture, and curtains from the 1800's. We don't need to live like college students anymore and we wont. Especially at the fancy rate these places were going for!

I was starting to worry that we may not find something that felt right but luck came to us between viewing appointments on Friday. We stopped by a new (to us) pub in the neighborhood and while we ate I decided to see if anything new had been listed online that morning. Our place came right up, I gasped in excitement, called the agent, and within twenty minutes we were checking it out and drafting the offer in our heads. It felt too good to be true.

While that feeling still sort of worries me (like, what will we learn once we're actually living there), I know that it's already a thousand times better than our current place. Why? Because it has a real working shower AND a dual temperature faucet in the bathroom sink! I think I'll have to explain our current bathroom woes in another post but for now, things are looking up!

weekend, we

Hi Everyone, how was your weekend?

We took advantage of the warm temperatures to explore a bit of the east and north of the city. We spent most of our Saturday in Shoreditch at Red Market, an outdoor cocktail bar and street food market. It was the kind of place you could hang out all day just drinking, chatting, and kicking up your feet. Such a fun urban oasis. Afterwards we hit up the much talked about Pizza East. I sort of felt like we were part of the masses in LA that similarly "venture Downtown" to the area's hot spot, Bottega Louie. It always annoyed me to hear people say that they go Downtown but really, they park next door to Bottega, go in, out, and call it a day. It's such a scene. Hip-factor aside, Pizza East was seriously yummy and the ambiance was just our style. In fact, walking around the neighborhood felt very much, well...us. I love our quaint and leafy West End area of Maida Vale but before we moved here, everyone who knew us, and knew London, said that we'd love the East End.  They were right.

On Sunday, I discovered that I love the North of London too. Home to Hampstead Heath, a sprawling park that feels more like a forest at times, we spent the afternoon walking around enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. The Heath is officially my favorite park for many reasons but number one may be that it has natural swimming ponds open to the public! I really can't wait to take advantage of them. They even have a far-from-view "women's pond" where I may be able to get rid of my pesky tan lines without worrying about men's peeping eyes. Seriously, it was like a totally different world in there.

Actually, the entire park felt a world apart. Especially when we took a break on Kite Hill and sat looking out towards the east of the city, precisely where we had been the previous day. The more we explore and learn about London, the smaller it feels. Small in a good way, of course. Small can mean familiar and to me, familiarity makes a place home. London has really become our home.

{market memo} portobello road

I didn't do my homework. Rather, I listened to locals who told me that the best day to do Portobello Market is on Friday very early in the morning when the tourist crowds are minimal. So, I got there at 8am thinking I was primed for the good stuff but nope, that was still too early.

Oh well, I thought, figuring that my premature arrival gave me time to eat a proper breakfast and still be one of the first shoppers to pounce. Within an hour I was surprisingly over the urge to shop and simply began to enjoy watching the vendors set up their tables and store owners open their doors. It was like witnessing a ritual that I'm usually to preoccupied to notice. Even before the first boxes of goodies were taken out of loaded vans I was able to walk the then peaceful road totally uninterrupted. Having been to Portobello on a Saturday when the crowds of people are practically overwhelming, it was a real treat to actually be able to walk freely, chat with vendors, look up, and stop and admire the many signs, typography, and colors of the street.

I always like to do markets early in the morning but at least now I know that I can sleep in  for Portobello on Fridays.

weekend, we

Hi everyone, how was your weekend?

We kept it mellow, ate well (visit my new fave restaurant here), and did chores like mad people. On Sunday the sun graced us for a full day - a very rare thing these days - and I never knew that I could be so excited to soak in some Vitamin D. Taking full advantage of the sunshine, we laid out in the park down the street from us. It's a little patch of grass alongside the canal that is absolutely heaven on a sunny lazy afternoon.

It was a good taste of the R&R we can expect in Sicily next week where we will probably just eat, sleep, swim, lounge, and repeat. Joe decided to take some solid vacation time following his friend's wedding in Madrid this weekend and we figured Sicily was close enough to sneak off to! It'll be my first time in Italy so I better step it up with my Italian Rosetta Stone lessons ... Arrivederci!

weekend, we

Hi everyone, how was your weekend?

We stayed in London and while I love "getting away" I also love being a homebody. We got in a good mix of R&R at home and little outings around town like shopping and dining in Marylebone and walking along the canal in our neighborhood, Little Venice. We also got started on searching for a new flat to rent (or "let" here) by registering with a few local agents. No more of this living shower-less and bathing with a pitcher deal. I'll keep you posted on what we find but please keep your fingers crossed that whatever it is, it has a modern bathroom!

Here are some of the places we discovered in Marylebone this weekend in case you're in the neighborhood: Trunk Clothiers (men's shop) / Cocorino Boutique Italian Delicatessen & Espresso Room / Topkapi Mediterranean restaurant.

P.S. I sewed a little DIY project here on Sunday but I'll share the details and results later this week :)

{about town} eyes on london

Now that I'm back in London after being away for the last two weeks, I thought I'd finally share these photos from our spin on the London Eye.

I don't remember why but at some point a few weeks ago I decided to plan a surprise date night for Joe. I wanted to do something that we'd probably make excuses not to do due to crowds of tourists (we live here now so we don't count!) or the weather. So, the London Eye it was.

Our tickets were for a thirty minute ride, or one full rotation, but once we were up there it felt more like five minutes! London is an impressive city from the ground up but it was even more beautiful to see the town from a birds-eye view along the Thames. It was especially fun now that we're familiar with different areas and buildings and could spot things and places as we went up, down, and looked all around.

Post-spin, we walked to The Archduke for dinner, drinks, and live jazz. The restaurant is set underneath the railway arches of the Waterloo station and the integration is absolutely beautiful. Needless to say, Joe loved his surprise!

color, just what the doctor ordered

It's t-minus 48 hours until Spain (and one week until a visit to LA) but instead of running much needed errands I'm sitting in bed nursing a sinus infection and fever. Whhhyyy???

To cheer myself up, and perhaps you too if you've got a gloomy day ahead, I decided to share some fun "pops of color" from around London. I love all of the photos but my favorite is of the very colorful character from the fruit stand - he put on quite the juggling act for me once he saw my camera. He was also the first (and I'm sure the last) person to call my American accent "sexy." Funny but I'll take it.

{out and about} piccadilly circus

Of all of the things to see and do in London, Piccadilly Circus was almost non-existent in my book. Not only because we pass through it when going to Soho anyway but mainly because in my mind once you've seen one Times Square, you've seen them all.

I found myself at the famous landmark one night after a bus diversion forced me to get off there. I was happy to have my camera with me because however tacky and unnecessary massive digital ads may be, at that point in the evening just as the sky was about to go completely dark, the entire area felt a bit magical. I guess it's not so bad after all.

P.S. Thanks for all of the love on yesterday's post. Looks like I need to start doing more DIY-ing around here! That or bring Earl around more often.

{market memo} sunbury antiques market

Hover over each image for the caption

Last week I shared the things I bought at Sunbury Antiques Market via show & tell. Now it's time for a market memo!

Sunbury is held at Kempton Park Racecourse on the second and last Tuesday of the month and since I'm currently a quasi stay-at-home wife, I was lucky to be able to make the one and a half hour trek down there. I've always wanted to be one of those people who can go vintage hunting any ol' day of the week, or better yet, be one of those people who do it as their job. We'll see what I can come up with to make the latter a reality but for now I feel a little ridiculous getting to do this stuff mid-week. How did my desk job day-dreams actually happen?!? Oh yeah, Joe's desk job got moved overseas but I think it's safe to say that we're both winning here :)

Back to the market...Sunbury opens at 6:30am and goes until 2pm. It makes for a very early day but I'd much rather shop in the wee hours anyway when the air is crisp, my energy tank is full and I can go at a leisurely pace. As soon as I walked in I knew that the trek down there was worth it. There were more vendors within stones throw than I'd seen at any other market in London thus far. I did a little dance and carried along to see what I would find. Similar to the Rose Bowl Flea Market, vendors are spread out all over the parking lot and the outside ring of the stadium. What's nice about Sunbury is that they also have two indoor areas which came in handy when the weather turned and continued shopping required shelter from the scattered rain.

I found the market to be very easy to shop based on what you're looking for though it's still worth it to weave in and out of all of the areas if you have the time. The vendors were knowledgeable about their products, prices were fair, and the atmosphere was light-hearted. It was actually the most fun I've had photographing at a flea market since each vendor was happy to let me take a snap (very unlike Paris's Vanves Market, that was like pulling teeth!). Some vendors even joked about receiving royalties while another suggested I take photos of him wrapped in the fur coats he was selling. I should have taken him up on that. Next time.

See a few more photos + captions here!

{about town} tate modern + st. paul's

It's 6:30am and I'm off to Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park. I was exhausted last night so Joe offered to take a stab at writing today's post about our day at the Tate and St. Paul's. I love the way he writes but I'm also sharing it at the risk of making my style (and possibly grammar) look really bad!

I can't wait to share my Sunbury finds with you!

This weekend we stayed local, but it was certainly no stay-cation.  London, like Los Angeles, has so much to do that you can't possibly cover it all in a weekend, or week, or year, but at least here there is public transport which makes hitting a few city destinations in a day or two fairly easy.  But still, be ready to be overwhelmed...

First, the Tate Modern.  Housed in a massive former power plant that must have once juiced the entire electrified planet, the Tate Modern is no less than a full-body experience.  It swallowed us in, chewed us up, and spit us out after the half-tour.  We were beat.  After a few hours appreciating the masterworks here, just looking at Miro's "Ladder" paintings made us cringe and think 'ugh..ladder..climbing..let's get out of here'.

We tumbled out of the Tate to the River Thames, Millennium Bridge, and the looming landmark St. Paul's Cathedral, all three massive, imposing, and no less impressive than the museum.  Ironic though...the river has been here for millennia, and the footbridge for just a few years.  The Cathedral has dominated the City of London skyline for a few hundred years, but will soon be eclipsed by the nearby modern glass pyramid to be called "The Shard", an architect's homage to broken glass, erected of mostly glass.  Get it?  It'll be the tallest building in Europe, so you'll see it in the next Bond film or in a renegade base-jumping stunt soon.

The Sunday bells at the cathedral were in full-swing, and afternoon service was about to begin, so no photos inside were allowed.  Look it up.

After a stroll around the hallowed ground, we crossed the street to One New Change, another modern development in the City of London.  A multi-purpose commercial property, One New Change is a beautiful blend of indoor and outdoor space, glossy glass and CorTen patina.  Look for the nail; this new landmark piece of public art is a massive steel spike in the shape of a framing nail which seems driven into the concrete pavement between One New Change and the Cathedral.  There's probably not a real nail in service in either the steel-and-glass modern galleria and the giant stone church, yet this sculpture seems to fit the neighborhood.  It's driven deep, and not going anywhere soon.

All this within sight of the St. Paul's tube station on the Central Line.  Wear yourself out, and let TFL drive you home.

{about town} camden lock

I've visited Camden Lock twice now and I must say that going on a weekday is the way to do it if you can swing it. Without the crazy crowds blocking everything in sight you can fully soak in what this hub of markets has to offer: independent designers and shops, antiques, quality street food from around the world, and a unique setting.

While the majority of non-craft stalls are reminiscent of cheapy Venice Beach and Melrose Avenue merchandise, there are some gems to be found if you wind your way through The Stables. I loved seeing a leather accessories maker pounding away at his craft, finding a great little rug made in India, and of course, coming upon the antique underground hall with its selective group of vendors. Prices weren't as marked up as you'd expect for a tourist destination but the downside is that most antique stalls only open on the weekends.

During my last visit I was tempted to dig through racks of vintage clothing but ultimately felt that I didn't have the patience for it like I used to. It was a sad moment of realization but I perked up when I came across a great bin of old photos that kept me entertained for ten minutes.

I ended up taking 15 or so vintage landscape photos home with me along with a bar of natural homemade soap, and a bow tie that I have DIY plans for. Should that project turn out well you'll see a proud and glittery post about it. Should it fail...well, it may get an honorable mention somewhere. Also, I'll be sure to go back to Berty and Gerty for boots come fall (pictured above). They have an incredible selection that is very easy to comb through. Actually, no combing is necessary :)

For more photos click here!

{market memo} old spitalfields antique market

Last Thursday I spent the morning combing the aisles of the Old Spitalfields' antique market. I can't believe that it took me so long to get out to a London treasure trove! Perhaps Paris's Vanves Market was that good?

I really enjoyed hunting at Old Spitalfields despite it feeling more commercial than traditional markets. Well actually, the location is where markets (previously food) have been held since the 1800's. So it is traditional but today a modern shopping center surrounds the historical square.

What's nice is that the market was totally manageable in size for a morning visit. The vendors were super friendly and there was a little bit of everything for all curiosities. I was hoping for some more furniture since that's where my head is at but no such luck. I did however find some great pieces for future projects and a few knick knacks for the home like my first English tea cup!

I'll definitely go back soon and also take advantage of its proximity to the famed indie shopping street, Brick Lane. There is much to see and do in this town!

Descriptions + more photos here!

weekend, we

Hello, hello! How was your weekend?

We were non-stop again but even though we were exhausted at the end of each day, we were glad that we hit the town for a variety of happenings.

Here are the highlights...!

Friday -

Fish & chips lunch at Chelsea Farmer's Market. It's not really a market but the outdoor dining spaces make for a great little escape from the bustling streets.

Natural History Museum.  Loved how modern their educational exhibits were.

Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A).  What a beautiful building and courtyard. We need an entire weekend to do this place right.

Churchill War Rooms for a special late-night event. They offer a fantastic audio tour of Churchill's war council bunker from World War II. Also, I got my hair done up 1940's style by the Vintage Mafia.

Saturday -

Joe got a haircut! It's a weekend highlight because the cut turned out very well. I've witnessed too many bad ones due to barbers not knowing how to work with his beautiful curly locks. You'll see it in photos soon, I'm sure.

BBQ in Kensington. I was invited by a friend of a friend...it was so nice to meet some new people and eat yummy burgers and homemade guacamole!

Sunday -

Breakfast at Clifton Nurseries. A cute and charming cafe but with a very limited menu. Now that we know what to expect we'll avoid it when craving a big and hearty breakfast!

Mid Century Modern Furniture Show and Lords Cricket Ground in St. John's Wood. Some pieces caught our eye but unfortunately they were priced high for the show and the posh area. Oh well, the hunt for side-tables and a sofa continues...

Chiswick Bazaar, a small but quality local designer show. We stopped by since we were meeting friends for dinner and a concert in the area anyway. Bought a gorgeous alpaca wool blanket from a vendor, So Cosy. It is so cozy!

Show at George IV in Chiswick. A seemingly normal pub from the street, this place is massive and includes a separate performance venue in the back. Our friends Heidi and Jimmy from LA invited us to tag along and I'm so glad that they did. It was like being in a larger Hotel Cafe and we caught the last few songs by a new fave, Michael Kiwanuka. He is so effortlessly soulful.

So there you have it, our weekend in a nutshell. Fun can be exhausting too, right?!? No complaints but we are definitely planning on NOT planning anything for the next one :)

For more photos click here.

just a pop of pink

While winding about the narrow streets of Covent Garden we came across this little gem of a building. The bright pink clock is such a playful contrast to the traditional and neutral surroundings, don't you think?

down by the waterway

A few blocks from our flat we have a little slice of Venice, Italy via London's historic Waterways. This past weekend the canal was filled with decorative narrow boats, food and craft vendors, and lots of sunshine.

I was initially hesitant to go due to the intense winds that were (and still are) provoking my allergy attacks but I'm glad that we ventured out. It was fun to see the boats' elaborate and personal exterior details as well as the well-maintained original interiors...I'd never seen such beautiful stove pipes! The best part actually was seeing several elderly boat owners fast asleep inside their tiny spaces, paying no attention to us spectators peering in through their open doors. Oh, life on the canal...