Always and forever xxx
Chelsea Candy
I never knew what my ‘dream’ gardener garden looked like, until I stumbled upon him it at this year’s annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Since 1912, the best of the best from the floral/gardening worlds have been gathering in Chelsea to display their visions. Or as I call it, to display nature’s eye candy.
There were many gardens that caught my attention and deserve a special mention: The Modern Slavery Garden, The Winton Beauty of Mathematics Garden, The St. John’s Hospice – The Modern Apothecary Garden and more.
But out of the 30 show gardens on display, the Support, The Husqvarna Garden (Silver Gilt medal winner), designed by Australian Charlie Albone, was by far my favourite . From the layout, to the colours and the flowers, if I had to imagine my dream garden, this one would be right up there!
honestly – just too good!
the gardener: Mr Charlie Albone
colour therapy
one day!
when the gardener matches the garden!
stunning!
So, if you have never been to The Chelsea Flower Show and you will happen to be in or near London in May 2017, I highly recommend you arrange your plans to squeeze this incredible event in your calendar. You won’t regret it.
The annual Chelsea Flower Show…another must-see ‘it’.
P.S.: Standby Mr Albone, I might be flying you in from Australia to do my garden if I ever hit the jackpot! In the meantime, photos will have to suffice.
You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!
EEW!
At first I didn’t even believe it! But sadly, it’s true.
The FDA-approved azodicarbonamide (I’m so glad of their high standards, aren’t you?), the same chemical that is used in yoga mats and rubber soles, is also an ingredient found in ‘freshly baked’ Subway sandwich bread in North America (banned in the UK, EU and Australia)! Who says ‘plastic’ doesn’t taste good when fresh and hot out of the oven? Chew on that. And don’t forget to swallow!
This shocking revelation first got national attention thanks to food blogger Vani Hari of foodbabe.com with her petition to Subway for the removal of this sci-fi-like ingredient. The petition earned over 50,000 signatures (and counting) and subsequently, Subway decided to remove it from their breads.
Whatever the reason, whether virtuous or PR related, at least it’s on its way out. But question. WHY was it there in the first place? I’ll let you ponder over that one. But for now, let’s keep ingredients that we can’t even pronounce OUT of our mouths and on our feet!
Chemicals in bread? NO THANK YOU! So NOT ‘it’ and in fact, worse than **it.
Vani Hari’s conviction followed by action? A very we-owe-her-big-time ‘it’.
P.S. Subway, we know you are not the only one using this chemical in our foods. So thank you for being a leader and removing it, but please don’t replace it with another ingredient, that’s just as bad, down the road! Deal? Deal.
Changes
I love Autumn.
It is probably my favourite season.
I love the colours, the crunchy leaves and the cosy nights.
And it reminds me of this great quote by the wonderful C.S. Lewis:
“ISN’T IT FUNNY HOW DAY BY DAY NOTHING CHANGES, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT?”
Some ‘it’ food for thought.
Happy Thanksgiving to my ‘Eh?’ followers!
Photograph via ME.
Hola Malaga!
Why didn’t I discover you sooner, Malaga?
This is a ‘hit and run’ post folks! Let’s just say, not many words needed! Enjoy…
Playa de la Malagueta
A typical ‘local’s’ breakfast, at Café Central
Anywhere where they take their coffee this seriously, is so my kind of place!
Love it!
Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga. The Picasso Foundation’s exhibition doors.
Churros de Chocolate
Ok, so this freaked me out a little. Not a hint of clear plastic in sight! But I think I figured out how they did it. Can you?
A fish stall in the local food market
A Sangria and Tinto de Limon toast to capture the moment!
Lunch at the fish bar in the food market. Fresh off the boat. Literally.
This was very yummy! I just followed the crowd to this bar!
The architecture was something else!
A tiny hint of heaven on earth!
I wonder if you can ride this?
My new favourite bag spotted in Old Town Marbella
Puerto Banus
The Donkey Taxis in Mijas, a beautiful little village near Malaga. Can I just say that donkeys are the most undervalued animals! LOVE them!
My kind of street art!
What an entrance
Beautiful lights at a shop in Malaga
And this is how I felt after my stay in Malaga!
(Carmen en Malaga, by Mercedes Lasarte – 2011)
TE QUIERO MALAGA! Thank you for the ‘it’ memories!
All photographs via ME
M.I.A.
Sorry for being MIA…I will return soon! Please keep the faith!
P.S. Thought I would share a great find for you bloggers: the ‘Ask Emily’ editions from Cupcakes and Cashmere are the best and full of ‘it’ advice!
LOVE IT: The Cookbook Stand
I love a great find.
Enter Exhibit A: The Bamboo Panda Cookbook Stand from HABITAT.
Every great cook needs a great kitchen. And every great kitchen needs a great…cookbook stand. Would you agree Ms. naokoEats?
Think of it as a little piece of practical-design heaven on the counter. Not only is it great to look at {display your favourite cookbook as subliminal inspiration}, but it is also so clever {no more flipping through your cookbook with cookie-dough fingers on the floured counter!}.
Although there are many different ones on the market, this particular one from HABITAT ticks all the boxes for me: practical, great design, affordable {£15}.
Throw in Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook, Notes From My Kitchen Table {sold as My Father’s Daughter in North America}, and this duo is my go-to present for special friends {A, you love it, no?}.
{The front view}
{The side view}
{I wonder if Ms. Paltrow has one of these?}
So for turning ‘recipe reading’ into ‘recipease reading’, I give this one a very spot-on ‘it’. Just LOVE IT.
Here are some other examples from: John Lewis and Williams Sonoma.
All images via Me, Myself and I
Three Six Five
NOTE: the reading of this entry will be much more appreciated by first listening to the beautiful Auld Lang Syne (which one day can should have its own post) via this memorable scene from Sex and the City. Done? OK, you may now read on.
Reflecting on the year that has just been. The Queen’s annual Christmas Day speech, on the BBC (3pm local time). It’s not Christmas without it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR lovely readers!
I hope that you have all had a wonderful holiday and are feeling rejuvenated for the year ahead. Alas, the blogging world did not end on 21/12/12 and our www-dot-com friendship continues (wink, wink). I am truly grateful for each and everyone of you and your loyalty. I know that I have not been the most entry-producing of bloggers, but believe you me, I do want that to change for 2013, and it is one of my New Year’s Resolutions (NYR).
Although the ‘New Year’ is traditionally a time for resolutions, I for one have normally not been a NYR type of a gal. Mainly, because I have always associated ‘September’ as the beginning of the year. However, I heard of possibly one of the best ideas for a resolution that has left me inspired ever since, and I wanted to share it with you. It is definitely not your typical ‘eat less, exercise more’ kind of a NYR that usually fails by, say, week 2. So here it goes.
A friend of a friend decided that for his NYR, he would try something ‘new’ every day for a year. OK, re-read previous sentence. Creative, no? Well, some of the things included on his list were:
- To read a newspaper he had never read before
- To play his guitar by the river
- To take a homeless person out for lunch
- To do his weekly grocery shop in Harrods (just the once!)
These are just four out of the 365 ideas that he came up with and I can only imagine what else was on his list. I just LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this idea when I first heard about it and it made me think about the importance of trying more new things in life; even something as simple as taking a left turn, where I might normally take a right.
So for thinking outside of the NYR box and coming up with 365 new ideas, this NYR will be my first ‘it’ for 2013. Here’s to a blessed year!
The Sartorialist: A Meeting
So you all know how much I love The Sartorialist, right? (In case you don’t, this will explain it). Well, on an autumn day in mid-September, I happened to be browsing ‘the’ blog and found out that Scott Schuman, its founder, was doing a book signing for his new book CLOSER, at Harrods, that same evening.
After a quick change of plans (I was originally on my way to the opening of a certain artist’s exhibition, but I decided to go to it, post ‘a meeting’), I got in the queue alongside London’s well-dressed of the style/blog scene. I chatted with some very interesting people, before finally meeting the man behind the lense himself, along with his ‘lady’, Garance Dore, the recently-hired VOGUE Paris columnist.
Both were very warm and gracious and I was surprised that after my introduction, he in fact did remember my submitted comments which had triggered a re-post of one of his entries in response to them.
The very handsome Mr. Schuman
Funky London blogger in the queue
Spotted waiting by Harrrods’ Door 9 entrance, with CLOSER in hand
Schuman and Dore, signing away
And…the wait was worth it
The one-and-only Harrods, where it all took place
I love full-circle moments. And by meeting the man himself and going from The Sartorialist: A Dialogue to The Sartorialist: A Meeting, this one felt like a very ‘it’ one.
All photographs via Me
Spotted: IT Style ~ no. 5
“The only real elegance is in the mind; if you’ve got that, the rest really comes from it.”
The ‘day look’ at church
Name: Maral Zarrinmehr
Location: At The Dorchester, in London’s Park Lane (W1), for a family wedding.
Story: Has been living in London for about 10 years. Currently studying for a master’s degree at SOAS (University of London), and has previously studied at the University of Westminster and College of Law.
Wearing: Dress (BCBG), clutch (Topshop), shoes (‘no idea’), jewellery (jade and diamond earrings – custom made in Iran by Shadan Namazi, ring on right hand – Topshop, ring on left hand – from Iran), ‘intelligence’ (born with it).
Style Inspiration: ‘Bohemian Chic’
All images via Me
thecircleofit 