30 for 30: Trips Still to Do

I love planning holidays almost as much as I love going on them (almost). My smythson notebook is continually updated with new trip ideas, and all it takes will be overhearing someone in the lift at work talking about a recent holiday to make me furiously start googling. I don't think there are many (any?) places in the world, danger-of-death withstanding, that I wouldn't be interested to see, but there are certain places that are permanently on the list. These are the ones that if I haven't done by the time I'm on my deathbed, well, I'll be very cross with myself. In no particular order:

1) Slovenia - Maybe 3 nights in Ljubljana and 1 night in Lake Bled?

2) Texas Road Trip - Houston, San Antonio, Marfa, Dalas, Houston. Maybe Austin? Need to research this more.

3) New Orleans.

4) Mexico.

5) Boston & DC - and everywhere in between?

6) South America - Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Uspallata Pass, Los Andes, Santiago, Laguna Verde.

7) San Francisco, Portland, Hawaii - honeymoon???

8) India - incorporating the Mumbai - Goa train.

9) Inter-railing - initially planned for this year, put off due to money. Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Bratislava, Prague.

10) St Petersburg - I totally want to stay at the W there.

11) Baltic Countries - when I was younger I went on a baltic cruise with my parents and I would love to go back to all the countries we visited and explore them properly.

12) Bath - staying at The Pig, and OBVY visiting the spa.

13) Cornwall - only been as a youngster, find this weird.

14) Scotland - as remote as possible.

15) Dublin - never been, find that weird.

16) Girls only trip - Tenerife?

17) Vegas, San Diego, Palm Springs.

18) St Barths / Maldives / Mauritius / somewhere super lush. Just once in my life.

19) Rural France - house, bread, red wine, done.

20) Thailand / Cambodia / etc.

21) Fort Lauderdale / South Beach.

22) Yoga retreat - not really my thing but maybe if I went on one it would become my trip?

23) Somewhere with a plunge pool. Somewhere, anywhere!

24) Revisiting Australia and doing a proper, all-encompassing, trip round the whole place.

25) Canada - roadtrippin'.

26) Iceland - I feel like I'm the only person in the world who hasn't visited that blue lagoon.

27) NY at Christmas.

28) Belgium - it was a family hotspot when I was younger so I feel I owe it to go back and visit again as an adult.

29) Skiing. Don't care where, but I haven't been in years and would like to go again.

30) Palm Springs. I know it's on here already, but it's my absolute fave and deserves a second mention.

NOTE! I started writing this a couple of months ago and then forgot about it. I finished adding to it today, then noticed that the first trip on my list is the one I recently went on. Good motivation to visit everywhere else on it!

What would make your list?

30 for 30: Favourite Travel Memories

Next week, I will turn 30. I'm going to be on holiday when it happens (OF COURSE) but to celebrate this "milestone", here are my 30 favourite travel memories.*

* i.e. the first 30 that popped into my head.

In no particular order...

1) Being far too drunk at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood

2) Spending an entire day in Santa Monica with new friends and no plans

3) Climbing to the top of Arthur's Seat on my 29th birthday

4) Watching the sunset from the viewing point on the tallest hill in Laguna Beach

5) Dancing on the beach at Barasti Beach Bar in Dubai

6) Using the Virgin clubhouse for the first time

7) Pegging it through a ridiculous rain-storm in New York with the family

8) Having an Aroma Bath outside at the Rasa Sayang Shagri-La Hotel in Penang

9) Skiing above the clouds on my 16th birthday in France on a school trip

10) Being chosen by my school to be one of the 20 or so pupils to go to Canada on an exchange program

11) All and every minute spent by the pool at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs

12) Playing Sissy Bingo with Linda at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs

13) Forgetting what the handbrake is for, while stopped on a very steep hill in West Hollywood

14) Hanging out at the Cafe Arabe in Marrakech on a sunny afternoon

15) Indulging in a little wave machine pool time in Las Vegas

16) Enjoying the excellent water park Aqualibi in Belgium

17) Everything about the weekend I spent in Paris with a, now-ex, boyfriend

18) Visiting the stunning Santa Barbara City Hall

19) Being so much more awed by the whole Vatican experience than I thought I would be

20) Skydiving onto the beach in Australia

21) Camping in California

22) Being completely over-awed by the amazing deal we'd swung with Expedia on arriving at the Hotel Maya in Long Beach

23) Eating chips and soup for lunch whilst skiing in Austria

24) Gambling in Vegas. By gambling I mean playing Bingo...

25) Crying because I didn't want to leave Florida / Crying because I didn't want to leave a baltic cruise / Crying because I didn't want to leave Canada

26) Going to Cannes for work

27) Everything about Wales. Just, everything.

28) Relaxing in the Szechenyi thermal baths in Budapest
29) Arranging a great hen-do in Stratford-upon-Avon
30) Every single time I've booked something, ever.

12 in 12 in 2015

Project 12 Months

Aim: 12 trips in 12 months. And not running out of money by August...

January: A Food-Heavy Few Days In Wales

February: A Guide To: Rome

March: Edinburgh - Weekending: Edinburgh (March 2015)

April: New York - Planning: New York / A Week In… New York

May: Paris - I Heart Paris! Paris thinks I'm "just ok"

June: FAIL!!! 

July: Slovenia - BOOKED!

August: Camping in Walmer - BOOKED!

September: Whitstable - BOOKED!

October: TBC

November: Tenerife TBC

December: Bath TBC

Update July 13th:

Can't believe I failed in June! I had a few up-in-the-air plans and was considering a last-minute weekend away - work was far too busy to contemplate taking many days off - but then it all fell apart at the last minute when I had a boring work disaster to deal with. I did some other fun things in June though, such as visiting Field Day, and I'm not going to let it deter me continuing with the project for the rest of the year.

2015 Travel Plans

So following on from my post on my 2014 Travel and Events Round-Up, I figured I would write one detailing my plans for the rest of the year seeing as we are now at the start of it. It will be interesting to see how many of these plans actually pan out before the end of the year, and also I LOVE writing a list.

* My first trip isn't too far away - I am going to Rome for a long weekend in early February with a couple of friends. None of us have ever visited before so we are planning carefully to try and cram in all the sightseeing-y bits as well as check out some awesome restaurants and bars - I have been given the last two as my research responsibilities so if anyone has any recommendations please do let me know! We are also fitting in a six nations match - I've never been to the rugby before so I'm definitely looking forward to that. Will probably need a few thermals though I reckon?

* Not long after that my boyfriend and I are going to Edinburgh with another couple we know. We are staying in the Nira Caledonia (one of my favourite hotels) and I can't wait - I'm excited to re-visit some of the great places we ate and drink at on our last visit. As well as this I want to fit in a visit to the Camera Obscura museum as I have never been, and MOST IMPORTANTLY! Visit our dear friend who has just this week had a beautiful pair of twins. 

* In April I have a birthday. To detract from the horror of this we are going to New York for 5 nights, incorporating the dreaded day itself, and I'm so looking forward to it - I have been to New York an handful of times but not for a few years and I can't wait to get back there. I've already got a few bits planned (such as a basketball game on my birthday) and we're staying in the New York branch of the Ace, so I can't see how this is going to be anything other than awesome.

* Next on the list is our summer holiday. We've decided to have a bit of an adventure this year, and are hoping to go interrailing in June, taking in Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Bratislava and Prague. I need to really start planning this, but I've got the basic schedule down (including train times from place to place) and so the next step is looking at accommodations. I'm thinking a mix of cheap hotels and airbnbs, but any recommendations for this for any of these cities would be welcomed! I've never been to any of these cities before and am definitely excited to explore some new areas.

* In one of the blogs I read - Emma's Travel Tales - she mentioned staying in the Citizen M hotel in Glasgow. Not having Glasgow near the top of my destination list (sorry Emma!) but intrigued by the hotel I had a look at the other locations they have, and Rotterdam caught my eye. I haven't been to Holland since I was young but Amsterdam has never really appealed, and so we're thinking maybe a little weekend away later in the year may be in order?

* My school friends and I all have big birthdays this year (hence the New York trip I am taking) and so we have been talking about doing something to mark the occasion. At the moment the current favourite looks like a little weekend break to Whitstable in September before it gets too cold - beach, fish and chips, pubs and walks. Sounds right up our streets!

* At some point last year I read a post in What Joanna Ate about a stay she had at The Pig. It sounded lush so I got googling, and saw that they have a few hotels in various places. We're thinking about maybe doing a little pre-Christmas trip in December to the one in Bath, probably mid-week to avoid as many people / tourists as possible!

Now I just need to stop spending money so I can afford it all...

My 2014 Travel and Events Round-up

So, this is a bit delayed. Sorry about that.

TRAVEL

* My best friend and I travelled to Dubai to stay with a friend who was living there at the time. As this wasn't our first visit there we had a better idea of what we wanted to do and we allowed ourselves a bit more down-time this time around. We still, of course, managed to get a few of the Dubai must-dos packed into our trip such as a Friday Brunch, eating at expensive places, and drinking in nightclubs surrounded by slightly awkward people. We also spent some time this visit though meandering around, reading, and sitting on the beach. I definitely won't be visiting Dubai again any time soon (as we no longer have a free bed there!) but I will always have fond memories of our visits. I have written a bit about some hints and tips for it all in my Guide to Dubai.

* I turned 29 this year, and my boyfriend and I decided to go away for the occasion. It was our first trip away together and seeing as he had never been on a plane before (I know, ridiculous) we decided to stay in-land for this trip as I didn't want to have a nervous wreck ruining my birthday weekend!! We didn't really need much time to decide where to visit, as I was super keen to visit the Nira Caledonia in Edinburgh again after staying there for one night for a wedding about 18 months before. The hotel was just as lush as I remembered and it was just a lovely way to spend to celebrate (or not!) On my actual birthday we climbed Arthur's Seat, hung out in our room, and then went out for a super lush dinner. You can read all about it here. We're going back in March and I cannot. wait.

* So, as I mentioned, previous to 2014 my boyfriend had never been on a plane. When we got together I made it clear that this would need to be rectified, and so we decided to plan a mini-break with a short-haul flight. I, obviously, have a ridiculously large holiday list but my better half doesn't. On pressing him to a ridiculous extent he finally said that he'd quite like to visit Norway. Done! I said, furiously googling Oslo. And so it was done - we visited Oslo in June for a long weekend and had a great time. As I said in my write-up, the only reason I wouldn't put it top of my list again is just because it's so pricey. As a city it really has it all - it's clean and friendly with great restaurants and bars and loads of culture and it should definitely be on people's lists for some point in their lives.

* In July I went to Wales with my boyfriend and parents. Everyone who knows me knows how much Wales is deeply (deeply) embedded in my heart, and so a visit is of no surprise to anyone. This time we stayed at Aberglasney Gardens (my second stay there) and you can read all about it in my post on A Week in Llandeillo.

* For the first time in my life, in 2014 I travelled abroad for work. I was asked to join a couple other members of my team for a trip to Cannes, and going in September meant we had a few belated days of gorgeous sunshine. Although we were there 3 nights, most of the time was spent in non-blog-worthy meetings, and so I decided to combine the best parts of our trip into a 24-hour experience there. You can read all about it here. Fingers crossed I get asked to go again this year...

* Needing a bit of sun towards the end of the year the boy and I decided to book a November holiday. All we wanted to do was read, sleep, sunbathe and eat, and so an all inclusive seemed like the best option. We eventually decided on a Thomsons Egypt package after much deliberation and the whole holiday (staying at the Jaz Aquamarine in Hurghada) was exactly what we were looking for. I didn't write it all up in the end as most of it would be "today: I sunbathed" but there are definitely a few things you should know in advance about etiquette and visas (Sharm is one of the only two places in Egypt you don't need a visa for - Hurghada you do but purchase at the airport upon arrival) which are definitely worth googling before you leave.

* During my week in Wales earlier in the year my mum and I visited The Corran hotel. I loved it so much I told the boy that we should visit ourselves at a near point in the future. As the end of the year started to draw close we started to think about staying for new years, and as soon as the idea was in our heads it was basically booked. I only recently wrote about it so I won't go into it all again, but the trip was exactly what we needed to give ourselves a rest from the world and relax before having to go back to work. I love that part of the world so it's an easy sell for me, but for those who haven't visited before I would say: go, go go. You can read about my reasons for this in my post A Food-Heavy Few Days in Wales.

EVENTS

I am a planner. Even when I'm not planning anything I'm planning something, and this year was no exception.

* The main thing I arranged this year was a hen-do in Stratford-upon-Avon for my oldest friend. There were 14 of us and so I booked a cottage within walking distance of the town and we all had a stupendous time. This was such a big event of my year I wrote two posts about it; one on the weekend itself, and one on how to Plan the Perfect Hen-Do. It was definitely one of the best things I did last year.

* For me, summer equals planning parties and barbecues. I wrote a bit about some of my go-to BBQ recipes (simple ones, natch) here, and also wrote about The Importance of a Playlist at such events here.

* My boyfriend's birthday is two days after Christmas and, as such, he hasn't really ever got into the whole idea of a birthday party. This year I decided that was all going to change and so we had a little party. I cooked a ham (delicious, if I do say myself), whacked on a playlist (of course!), created a birthday cocktail, and welcomed too many people into my house. The perfect way to spend a birthday.

My Favourite London Burgers

Not very long ago I ate five burgers in one day. It was a really good day.

I've been meaning to write a post like this for ages, but I didn't really know how best to format it because the thing with burgers is that quite often the dirtiest ones are the best ones. There are so many superb places to get a burger in London now that just writing a list of my favourites would seem a bit redundant, so instead I thought I'd just write a few of my thoughts on some of the ones I have ended up visiting the most.

When I'm asked to recommend somewhere for a burger my first thought is always MEATliquor. I think it will always remain my favourite because it was probably one of the first dirty burgers I had, before the world exploded in a big burgery cheesy mess. The issue, though, is that the queue situation can sometimes border on ridiculous, so it's definitely one to visit at 3.30pm rather than 7pm. However! MEATmission, in Hoxton Square, takes bookings so if you don't mind getting the bus (or if you're infinitely cooler than me and live near there) then this is the perfect option as their menus mirror one another. You should make it a bucket list point to order the Dead Hippie burger, and I'm also particularly fond of the chilli cheese fries. People also rave about the monkey fingers, but I'm not so bothered. Both venues are dark and noisy, but MEATliquor is definitely the darker and noisier one of the two so I'm not sure I would take a first date there! It's also messy (obviously) so if that's the sort of thing you don't like a date to witness you navigating then, again, maybe not best for a first date. Totally delicious though.

Honest Burger is the next one on your burger to-do list. There are a few branches now, but they're all ridiculously small and so if you're going at dinner time then expect a wait of at least an hour. At least! The good thing though is that you can give them your number and then fanny around doing your own thing waiting for their call, so you don't have to stand in a queue watching the lucky ones inside stuffing their faces. The other thing to note about Honest is that the burgers come with fries, and these rosemary-salted ones are roughly 3423 times better than the average fry. 

Another good option is Patty & Bun but, unlike the queue situation at Honest, for these burgers you do have to stand in the cold salivating. It's another small place so the wait can be super-long but! I have a super tip for those people like me who don't really care about how they look in public situations - you can get takeaway here, so the best (maybe not everyone's idea of best) thing to do is place your order when you arrive, have them placed in your hand about 15 minutes later and then you can run away and scoff your delicious burger on any street of your choosing. For a first-timer I would recommend the Ari Gold cheeseburger, but make sure you also swipe as many napkins as you can carry as it's a bit of a messy one.

Shake Shack and Five Guys opened in London about the same time and at first were both, for obvious reasons, ridiculously popular. I ate at both in their first couple of months of opening, and while I didn't really care for Five Guys I still have a soft spot for Shake Shack. Now the hype has lessened somewhat, and the winter nights are drawing in (i.e., it's too cold and full of tourists to hang around in Covent Garden) the queue situation for SS is really no big deal, although finding somewhere to sit can be. SS is perfect for a quick-stop bite to eat, they do serve alcohol but I wouldn't bother - get a milkshake or lemonade and then once you've wolfed down your burger you can just take your drink with you so you have something to concentrate on whilst getting the hell out of there. I am also partial to a portion of cheese fries, but I wouldn't say they're as healthy [ahem] as everything else on the list [double ahem].

Some of the best burgers I've had are unfortunately no longer with us, such as the ones at the Brioche pop-up at Pip's Dish and Slider Bar at The Player, or are potentially only in a temporary home such as Burger Shack at The Royal Oak. For a safe no-queue option there's always Byron - with their current count of 5474280 outlets if one is busy you can always find another one less-so.

Any ones I've missed??

My Favourite London Bars

London is awash with bars, obviously. However, it's always a good idea to have a plan (and probably a back-up plan) with you, as for all the awesome ones there are some less-so ones as well. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the great ones, but here are some of my faves that I have made many return visits to.

* Bedford and Strand

I have mentioned Bedford and Strand on my blog before, but it will continually be mentioned by me as it is probably the bar I would choose as my favourite. I have taken friends here, dates here, my parents here and had a birthday here, and each time it has been a worthwhile venue choice. I love the selection of wines, I love the cocktails, I love the deli counter, and I love sitting at the bar. I love that it is hidden down some stairs and that you have no mobile reception. I love the old-school 'french wine bar' feel to it, and I love that it is super close to both my favourite restaurant and my station home. A winner in every sense of the word.

* Paramount at Centre Point

Centre Point is one of those weird buildings that looks unbelievably ordinary from the outside - a boring building slap-bang outside the permanent building site that is Tottenham Court Road station - yet the Paramount Bar on the 32nd floor seems like a world away. From this height you get a great view of London and, probably because of my earlier statement, it never seems so busy that you can't get a seat by the window for at least a portion of the night. Although the cocktails aren't cheap, the wines and bar snacks are actually not too outrageously-priced, so this would be a great option to take an out-of-towner before dinner.
UPDATE: As of January 2015, Paramount Bar is now closed. Sads!

* Red Bar at Bam-Bou

I love love love the Red Bar on the top floor of Bam-Bou. I have listed Bam-Bou as one of my favourite London restaurants, and a visit is never complete without a visit to the bar at the end of the night. Last time I was there they made me an off-menu cocktail that I love, but even if they hadn't I would still have been able to find at least enough other cocktails on the menu to choose before it was definitely time for me to go home to bed. This feels like a nice and cosy bar choice, that is a bit decadent without being over the top. Another choice that makes you look like you know all of London's hidden gems! 

* Searcy's Champagne Bar at One New Change

There are a few Searcy's bars dotted around now, but the one I have visited the most is the Champagne Bar at One New Change in St Paul's. It feels pretty fancy to sit at the round bar in the middle of the room sipping champagne (or usually for me a champagne cocktail) - you feel as though you are in the heart of the city without having to deal with the people that come with it. There are some good deals to be had if you look online, and you can also hire the whole place out for parties and events.

* Sushi Samba Sky Bar at Heron Tower

I mean, what is there to say? I don't think anyone who has visited here would be unhappy to visit again, especially in the summer when you can stand outside by the massive tree (I think this might literally be called the Tree Bar??) and take in the views. Obviously this isn't the cheapest option on the list, but is a great place for some special occasion drinks - my friend had her engagement drinks here and it was such a lovely venue for the occasion. It can get busy though - if you're visiting in the evening I would advise to ring ahead.

Special Mentions:

Bar Américain at Brasserie Zedel; The Experimental Cocktail Club (Soho); Kensington Wine Rooms; Topolski (Waterloo); Oxo Tower Bar

September and October

September has been a bit of a holding-month. I've got a really busy October and a lot of September has been prepping / planning / preparing for that. Its been a month to get things sorted, book things in, and generally try and get myself organised.

September was definitely a month where I've spent a lot of money - but this is money from my holiday-fund so it doesn't really count as actual money... First booked in September was an all-inclusive Thomsons trip to Egypt for early November. I haven't been on an all-inclusive as an adult and I cannot wait to spend a week pretty much doing nothing. Also this month I booked in a trip to Rome with a couple of friends I used to work with, and also booked flights to New York for my birthday next year! My credit card has not been super happy with me, but it all counts towards the air-miles so hey ho!

I have actually left my house a few times this month (rather than sitting inside and booking things for the future), and have had dinners at Blackfoot, Mai Sushi, Pizza Pilgrims, Burgershack, and Clockjack Oven. I spent a good 12 hours in The Rum Kitchen, went to see Dawn French with my Ma, went on a 10-mile bike ride, had brunch club at Tom's Kitchen and the Docklands Museum of London, went to Manchester for work and celebrated my sister's birthday by seeing Speed The Plow with Lindsay Lohan, and then a night out in Beach Blanket Babylon.

At the start of the month I had a bit of a blogging spark, writing about my favourite hotels, my hotel pet peeves and how much I love a playlist. I also wrote about this month's brunch club.

Of course, I did spend a lot of time indoors as well because, well, it's me, and I finally finished reading H is For Hawk. I also read Tea with Mr Rochester by Frances Towers, Smile Please by Jean Rhys and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I've now just started In A Free State by V. S. Naipaul. We also finished watching Life on Mars and will soon move on to Ashes to Ashes. I am finally on the final season of Desperate Housewives and I have also been keeping up to date with New Girl and The Mindy Project. In preparation for the second series of The Job Lot (ITV2) I also watched all of the first series on ITV Player.

So yes, a good balance in September I think? October will be busier - I've got a hen-do this weekend and then the wedding the last weekend of the month. I am also going to Cannes for work, and already have a few drinks and dinners booked in. I am also (most excitingly) getting my hair cut - I think I'm going to go for Emma Stone's current bob'n'fringe. 

Hotel Pet Peeves

We've all been there. Got to the hotel room only to find something infuriatingly amiss. Of course, there are a few perfect hotels (see some of my faves here...!) but more often that not they'll be lacking in something. These aren't the things that are deal-breakers, but when you're on your holibobs you want literally everything to be literally perfect. So, here are some of my hotel pet peeves...

* No Hairdryer!

Self-explanatory. Hairdryers in hotel rooms are one of those things that are just so expected you don't even really think to check in advance any more. It doesn't even have to be particularly good, but it sure beats walking around with damp-frizzy hair all day...

* Awkwardly-placed plug sockets

When you're in a hotel room, you want to be able to charge your phone next to your bed. That is just a fact of life. How am I supposed to comfortably snooze my alarm if I have to get out of bed and cross the room to do so?! You also need to have a plug socket near a mirror for your hair straighteners. That's just common sense.

[The same goes for lights switches not by the bedside]

* Uncomfortable pillows

I can survive in a hotel without 1000 thread count sheets (I mean, I do every other day of my life). BUT - lumpy / flat / shapeless pillows can ruin a night's sleep, which will run the next day, which will ruin your holiday. Fact.

* Extra charges for towel hire

I'm rolling my eyes as you're asking me for this.

* WiFi Charges

Not everywhere has wifi - that's fine, I guess. Your prerogative. Places that have wifi and then want you to pay extra for it? Eurgh.

* Shower plugs that don't drain as quick as the water flows

Bit of a personal pet-peeve this one, but I hate hate hate standing in my shower water. Hate it.

* No full-length mirror

How on EARTH am I supposed to know if I look human enough to leave my room if I can't see myself in full view?!

[Disclaimer: I am still totally in love with going on holiday, and always, always, will be.]

Updates!

So, during a recent hotel stay I encountered two of the above pet peeves! I thought it is time to name and shame (or, hopefully, name and fame [does that work?]) some offenders…

- Manchester Malmaison: no full-length mirror AND no plug sockets by the bed!
- Premier Inn, Angel Islington: plug socket only by one side of the bed - very inconvenient for people who don't like to clamber over each other to be able to use it!
- Park&Suites Prestige Cannes Croisette: no full-length mirror!

Feel free to add your own below…!

August and September

Although this post is brought to you from my desk at work, I am wishing it was brought to you from my bed, in my pyjamas, with a hot chocolate by my side. Having taken a day off work last Thursday to recover from a cold, I have now picked up another one and am sitting here being annoyingly-sniffy. Bring on next summer.

So! This month kicked-off with one of the most exciting things - my oldest friend's wedding. It was an awesome day; everything went as planned and everyone had a lovely time. I obviously drank too much but hey, with a free bar what did they expect. It was the perfect day after months of talking about it, and also resulted in the best selfie of all time.

Also this month I have eaten at The Port House, Brioche, the Bleeding Heart Bistro, Bianco43, Bonedaddies, Canteen (once for brunch, once for lunch), Rosa's Thai Cafe, St Bart's Brewery (for a Christmas menu tasting, obv), and MEATmission (for national burger day). I went to the Virginia Woolf exhibition and the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, the James Bond exhibition at the London Film museum, the Festival of Love at the Southbank Centre (blogged about here) and the wedding dress exhibition at the V&A. I attended a beautiful pickle's first birthday party, to which I brought a delicious and wonderfully-decorated Konditor & Cook cake. I also went to one of the Brief Encounter screenings at the Royal Festival Hall, which was accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Maybe all the above is the reason I haven't read much this month - I finished The Art of Travel and moved on to H is for Hawk. I'm struggling with it a bit though as I'm not loving it. I'll persevere though! I'm still watching Desperate Housewives (now on season 7) and we've also been watching Life on Mars.

I've been a bit slack on the blogging front though, only putting finger to keypad twice - once to write about My Favourite London Restaurants, and the second to write-up our first Brunch Club. I also joined Bloglovin', but I'm not sure I'm really making the most of it at the moment!

Next month is my sister's birthday, which will have to be celebrated with too much drinking. I'm also hoping to book a holiday or two, which I obviously can't wait for!!

As for today, I think I'm going to drag my sorry butt home at lunchtime and treat myself to some Itsu on the way. Where's this Indian Summer I've been promised?!

July and August

The best thing about this time of the year is the weather, without a doubt. It seems that everyone is a bit happier and a bit more sociable, and so July has been a bit of a busy one for me!

So, what have I been up to?

First of all, the non-sociable stuff. I am still getting through Desperate Housewives and have just started season 6. I've also been keeping up to date with New Girl and The Mindy Project (love Mindy, love love love) as well as watching a few episodes of Life on Mars. I finished reading The Jane Austen Book Club (seemed a bit pointless), read the 2008 booker winner The White Tiger; Adventures In The Rocky Mountains, which is part of the Penguins Great Journeys series; and Shopping and Fucking, which is a 90s play. I also read and adored All My Puny Sorrows - seriously, one of the best books I've read in the last couple of years. I've now started reading The Art of Travel as it seems like one of those perfect ones for me!

What else?

I've had meals at The Noodle House, Chop Shop, Uskudar, Gourmet Pizza (twice...), Elliot's, Brioche at Pip's Dish and Bam-Bou. I spent a weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon on the hen-do, and a week in Llandeillo straight after it, I visited the Matisse exhibition at the Tate with my Mum, and also hosted my annual summer party. In other super exciting news, my new dishwasher arrived.

I've also created a few playlists; one for the hen-do, one for the summer party, one of all things x factor, and one of love songs.

And that leads me to the most exciting thing happening in August... the wedding! Tomorrow I will be maid-of-honour to my oldest friend and, despite the currently forecast weather, I know it's just going to be the most amazing day.

Definitely a good month, but I think the next one is going to be even better.

June and July

This is my first time at doing a sort of round-up post but I'm not really sure why - everyone in the world knows I love a list and so I'm surprised I haven't been drafting this throughout the month anyway!

June was quite a busy (read: expensive) month in the end. I suppose that as soon as Summer comes it gets that way - you're more in the mood for socialising and less in the mood for watching boxsets at home (though I, of course, have been doing that as well - I'm ploughing through Desperate Housewives and also enjoying the new series' of New Girl and The Mindy Project). I also finished reading On The Road (didn't really enjoy it - found it indulgent), read The Fault In Our Stars (ploughed through it in Oslo) and Treasure Island (only started as it was one of the three free ebooks that came with my phone, and I found myself without a book in Oslo airport), and started The Jane Austen Book Club.

So, what has all my money gone on this month...

I've had dinners at Franco Manca, Frank's Restaurant and Mussels Bar, Gourmet Pizza, Porky's and The Buxted Inn, as well as eating as much as I could at Taste of London. I went to see Clarence Darrow at The Old Vic, had a bridesmaid dress altered, watched some football, gone to Wimbledon (finally seen Nadal play SWOON) and had one of our work events that has been months in the planning. I also FINALLY upgraded to Spotify premium, which is not a big deal to anyone else but I'm already pretty sure it's the best decision I've made so far this year.

And then of course we went to Oslo. 

Next month I'm going to be spending a week in Llandeillo and a weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon for a hen do. The hen do is one I've been organising for months and although I can't wait for it to be here I cannot lie and say I won't be relieved once it's all done with! Writing that one up will be a long one, that was probably another draft I should have had on the go for a while...!