DIY Pizza Express!

May 23, 2013

Making My Own Legera!

There’s nothing quite like a Pizza Express pizza is there? Remember those days spent with your girl friends before the film at the cinema, feeling all grown up when cutting into that thin floury base and trying not to let the topping fall off as you waffle the sweet pizzary goodness down… ahh *slobber*…

Slobbering was certainly happening when I got to make my own pizza at the Holborn restaurant along with a bunch of other Bloggy babes. Finding out how those men in monochrome stripy suits actually make those discs of joy was very exciting indeed. We’ve all ‘watched’ them over the counter, twisting and throwing the dough but actually learning how to press out the lump of stretchy (and I mean freakishly stretchy) stuff and then cutting out the hole to make the famous legera (yes they actually use a cookie cutter) was fascinating! I went for a topping of chicken, tomato and mozzarella with big glugs of garlic oil. I didn’t realise that Pizza Express hosted DIY nights but what a fun way to appreciate your pizza that bit more huh?

As we munched on the new menu of superfood salad and our legeras (under 500 calories as long as you don’t go mad on the mozzy) I discovered that Pizza Express have created a food ed competition for children by getting them to cook more at home. Round of applause from me!

Enjoying our very ‘hard work’ – nom!

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>Yummy Xmas Blogger Market!

>Glasto - Come Rain, Come Shine

>Walking in London's Winter Wonderland!

Eat Your Heart Out!

How to Dress Inappropriately for Britain

May 19, 2013

Shorts in Winter

I am a famously inappropriate dresser amongst my friends. Inappropriate in terms of dressing in accordance with the rules of England, i.e ALWAYS have a brolly and don’t even think about leaving your coat behind. Please tell me that you also often find yourself in shorts when it happens to be the coldest day of the year? Or that wearing chiffon as a coat when it’s raining seemed like a great idea when you left the house?!

My dear friend Kristabel, who shot me here at the surprisingly deserted Somerset House, is always gasping at my choice of attire, firing bemused rhetorical questions at me; “Do you NOT look at the weather forcast before you leave?!” “How have you not heard it’s going to be -5?!” Me: “ooh, um, hmm, is it? Yes I am actually freezing. Darn.” This is a lady who always gets it right, who has the talking weatherman on speedial each morning.

I’ll let you into a secret, this particular look was actually worn last year on the very day we started getting 0 degree temperatures and I was still embracing the ‘summer’. Even with the dodgy clouds, I’d probably still put this monochrome colour pop look together now none the less. I picked up this h&m jumper for a tuppence in the sale, it was the first thing I grabbed to wear for my new job and a jumper I’d gladly live in for evs.

The Topshop Boutique PVC jacket was a steal at the Topshop outlet in Edgware and the monochrome houndstooth scarf is an ASOS staple that never looks dated. The shorts however, I’ve packed them away for my hot holidays – I’m not making this mistake again! Yeah right.

Jumper and Stripe shorts- H&M / PVC and felt jacket – Topshop Outlet / Houndstooth scarf – ASOS / Brogues – Topshop / Drip socks – Migh-T / Plastic watch – Next / Crayon necklace – Hannah Makes Things / Monochrome and leather bag (turned inside out) – Rokit Vintage

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I’m currently in Marrakech where it IS hot! – come play on Instagram! @shinythoughts

Take 10 - Zalando Boots!

Calm and Quilted

The Munich Experience!

Bright and Bold in Bratislava

British, Fabulous and Floral

May 15, 2013

Not Your Average Evening!

A few weeks ago I was treated to some rather wonderful afternoons which made me feel terribly ladylike and desperate to run away to my dream cottage in country and fill my rooms with fresh blooms and pop out for afternoon tea and a natter! That won’t be happening for about 40 years/ever but recreating those activities in London is a pretty good compromise right now and a very welcome break from just commuting home from work every day. This was probably my favourite afternoon- here’s what I got up to!

Afternoon Tea at the Millennium Hotel

One standard Wednesday, I dashed from work to the Millennium Hotel, Knightsbridge where I promptly indulged in a tasty raspberry champagne and looked forward to an exciting new afternoon tea menu on offer. High on bubbles, I took a fun tour of the hotel which was fit for the most curious of snoops among us (ever wondered what incredible rooms could be behind some of those hotel doors?) and then snaked down the stairs to the little Tangerine Bar for, wait for it, the BEST (eek, I think!) afternoon tea I’ve ever had.

It. was. devine. Individual, creative and dainty sarnies and tasty scones (not to mention chocolate mouse… in chocolate cups) were a delightful feast. The sundried tomato flavour scone was top – trustez moi! Christine Pearce, who knows which order to eat your tea in and what to do with that lemon better than anyone else, came in to give tips on how exactly to take tea.

Christine is lady-making maestro from Minding Manners (Europe’s leading internationally certified Etiquette & Protocol Consultancy and Modular Finishing School Academy to be exact, actually.) and has popped some of the little facts she taught us in a neat mini history of the afternoon tea phenomena as well as very handy tips to impress your host on the Millennium Hotel blog.

Did you know it is in fact rude to stick out your pinky when drinkning?! Fascinating!

Photo by Fanni Williams Photography

Flowers flowers everywhere… and to drink!

In the evening I dashed off to another beautiful venue, BAFTA on Piccadilly where florists Hayford & Rhodes were having a shindig to launch their blooms online. With the promise of stunning bouquets of flowers to photograph and floral cocktails to try, I was rather excited!

I didn’t get past the door without a pink PowderPuff girl performing her magic on me and a few seconds later I had perfectly painted lips to go rather well with my new hair do. (Lucky I got a snap – this is a very rare occurrence!)

If like me you drool over Pinterest posts of blooms and divinely shot bouquets on Instagram then I’m sure you’ll adore these shots of the flowers from the event on the Hayford & Rhodes facebook page, I could flick through for hours! Lucky really as my camera just doesn’t do those perfectly arranged bouquets justice! Warning – you may want to Pin everything.

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P.s I’m off to Marrakech this weekend – See what I’m ‘gramming by following @shinythougths!

>The Feather Collective

>Glasto - Come Rain, Come Shine

A Fashionable Night Out

Brilliant Brunch at Bond and Brook

Show Time!

May 12, 2013

Central London City Style

Here it is – my Bratislavian mission as set by dance production group Extravadansa: To dress models for my own London city fashion show as part of the City Style series, helping to promote Bratislavas best new shopping centre – Central! I was joined by my French Bloggy pal Céline as well as Milans Evgenia and Bratislavas own Tamara Heribanová, all challenged with the task of portraying our own cities unique fashion style using just the pieces from the hundreds of stores in the center.

It turned out to be tricker than I imagined as we had to keep mental lists of the 26 different mens, womens and childs looks we wanted to create as we trotted around the shops. I barely recalled what I’d already picked up, and didn’t have a clue what we were to discover in the shops ahead! I ended up overcompensating and came backstage with twice as many mens mens clothes due to freaking out that I would be left short! Despite spending two 13 hour days inside a shopping center on 4 hours sleep, the show was great fun to put together and really rewarding to watch at the end!

Behind the Scenes!

Check out my behind the scenes and rehearsal video of the show – don’t worry it’s not too long! Then below are a couple of shots of the performance itself. Would you say it was ‘London’ enough?!

4 Cities, 4 Styles

My favourite aspect of the project was seeing the stark differences in the feel of each of our shows. Whether pretty pastel dresses in Paris, or sharp suits in Milan, each show gave you clear sense of the city you were watching, I think all the girls did brilliantly to pull each look out of the bag (or several shopping trollies!) You can see each of the shows on the Central Facebook page. I had a fantastic time with the models and staff, they were all incredibly professional yet endlessly friendly. (Model Barbi even convinced me to shave a bit of my hair off!) I always admire people who have a never ending supply of energy when working all day, even at 2am!

The weekend didn’t just include the show itself, there were interviews, a TV chat with the legends that are Fashion TV (YES I WAS DYING!!) and photoshoots for Slovakian magazines – more to come on that! It wasn’t all work in Bratislava though – if you missed my two last posts on the city itself do take a look for a view from the glorious castle and an insight into the pretty cobbled streets and fun grafitti.

See what I’m up to every day on Instagram!

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>Open Your Doors to Cellar Door!

>Childhood Dreams

>Behind the (Shop) Front

>Lucys Shiny Thoughts of Fashion Week! Part II

Happy Birthday Cath Kidston!

May 10, 2013

Cakey Makey with Lily Vanilli

Hip hip hooray! Can you believe retro print revival pioneers Cath Kidston have just turned 20 years young?! I guess the fact that I assumed the brand was way older than my own self is testament to their successful mantra – to create practical, every day useful things to make you smile. With fun and brilliantly British modern yet retro prints, it makes you wonder if they were actually designed fifty years ago!

Cath Kidston held the perfect birthday party to celebrate. They invited along one of my girl cake crushes Lily Vanilli to teach us all how to decorate her yummy, squidgy red velvet cakes. We nibbled edible flowers which we learnt how to delicately dip in egg yolk and brush with sugar to crystallize them, and we discovered how to pipe perfect roses out of icing (I’ve now realised it’s my secret hidden talent!)

After stuffing as many fruits and icing on top of each cake as possible, we popped them in pretty Cath Kidston tins and along with a copy of the celebratory 20 years story book Coming up Roses, we trotted off home. - our work would make mum proud!