Spring is in the Air!

Waking up everyday to sunshine in London has never felt so good! I am so happy to see the sun for the first time in a couple of months, just makes life so much better! Whats better then finally being able to trade in your rainboots for a pair of flats and lightweight jacket? Okay I admit I may jump the gun a bit on the spring clothes but I can't help it when every store is showing off all their new items in fabulous window displays! Most of which are somewhat dainty and floral...

The last couple of weeks have a been a bit hectic finishing up my internship and preparing myself for finals next week before I take off on my spring break adventure around Europe! I can not believe I am already HALF way done being here, ahh!! I have been so busy but I am really starting to feel like London is my home.

Good news! I think I finally found my niche in Notting Hill, which never seems to let me down. I always end up heading to Portobello Market lately on Saturdays because it is truly a little slice of vintage heaven!

This Saturday I stumbled across Cafe 202 which is everything I could ask for and more in a Cafe. Superb location. It is actually part of the Nicole Farhi Boutique which I have always admired her clothes from a distance but never been in one of here stores.

The Cafe is on the ground floor and was flooded with sunshine through huge windows coved with loose orange sketches of London. PERFECT. All the tables her vintage garden bistro tables with mix matched Parisian chairs and the food was to do die for!

Not to mention this was the perfect place for people watching. Everyone there was "proper", British and dressed to impressed! Even the dogs there were well behaved. "How Brilliant".

I peeped Nicole Farhi's spring line downstairs and have to say I didn't hate it one bit. Bright colors, fun prints and classic styles--what's not to love?

Oh Notting Hill, you never cease to amaze. Westbourne Grove was a similar feel to Rodeo Drive with beautiful and high end boutiques down the streets with roof top garden above. This just may be my new weekend spot!

Hope you all enjoying the start of spring, all my love from across the sea!

Trunk Show

Images: Google.com

It's about the time of year to wrap up my final studio project aka CRUNCH TIME! I am currently finishing up my Retail Design project on a local site that I am designing to work as a Non Profit Organization Foundation center. It is a multifunctional space that includes a cafe, bookshop and clothing retail, gallery, theater, Member restaurant, workshop area and a rooftop garden.

The idea is that one of these NPO groups (ie: Friends of the Earth, Green Peace, etc) can utilize this foundation area for a month or so to educate the public on their issues and help spread knoweldge out to the local community.

These images are my inspiration that are currently driving my concept of an "Urban Greenhouse", heavily relying on reclaimed materials and nature of course :)

Sneak Peak: Visual of Overall Space

SO GREEN. SO URBAN. SO LITTLE TIME TILL FINAL PRESENTATIONS NEXT WEEK!

Spring Break or Bust

Ahhhh I should be doing massive amounts of homework but all I can do is daydream about my future destinations for my spring break in 3 weeks!!

Image Courtesy of Flickr.com

I am starting out venturing to Florence for several days to meet up with some of my dearest sorority sisters for some good ol' fashioned fun, then flying to none other than Malta to visit the love of my life Sarah Landerholm and soak up some maltese sun, culture and beaches!

After several days on the island of Malta (off the tip of Italy) I will be flying into Rome for a day of sightseeing and then meeting up with a couple lovely Kappa Shmelts to finish up my holiday in the infamous city of Barcelona.

Only 3 more weeks of interning, wrapping up my studio project and numerous essays to be written. But it always gets done and before I know I will be residing with good friends, good fashion and good food!

Wish me luck on my adventure, hopefully all my flights are in order and I will make it to all my destinations without too much havoc ;)

Until next time, Ciao Bella!

Globally Eclectic

Images: Habituallychic.blogspot.com

After taking another trip over to Portobello Market in Notting Hill, this week I realized how in love I am with the 'global-ecletic' style, if that is such a thing. Lately I have been gravitating towards the look of mix and matched antiques from all different time periods and places but together it can just flow so nicely. I love plain walls and a wood floor which is such a great blank canvas to start placing all your lovely finds. This style would definitely need some perfecting over the years but it'd be so fun to be surrounded in such a lively room filled with pieces that are full of such special memories. Antique resourcing is definitely where it is at, I can not wait for the day I can have a client that will send me off, letting me pick out the perfect pieces for their space :)

I really should start on some homework but this is just way more fun, hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Delightful Fridays

Waking up on Fridays is sometimes a challenge since I have to make it to school by 8:30 for my five hour history of design class. I am always dreading the long academic day when my alarm goes off but every Friday has turned out to be my favorite day of the week. Not to mention our walk to class always cheers me up.

AIU is located on Marylebone street, which is a darling street of high end clothing, home, jewelry boutiques as well as charming cafes and bakeries sprinkled in throughout. The facade of our school literally blends right in within all the shops so it's easy to "lose" my way to class and end up in a clothing store...This happens quite often matter of fact...

Jane Packer is located right down the street from the bus stop and is probably the most beautiful flower shop I have ever laid eyes on--if you can even call it a flower shop. More like pieces of art, absolutely beautiful and creative displays. Today they had the most tasteful as well as adorable Valentine's day display. If only I had fifty pounds to drop on a sophisticated rose bouquet....

Images:Janepacker.com

Our class is only a few people and we always travel around the city to different museums or cities plus we get about an hour for a coffee break which I do not mind--at all...

Today we headed over just a few blocks from school to see the Wallace Collection; a collection of a wealthy Irish families furnishings, art, china and every other knick knack possible. All of which are incredibly beautiful and intricate pieces, many of the artwork famous renaissance pieces (today's lecture topic). The Wallace Collection is displayed in their original home (mansion) from the 19th century. I would kill for one of their brightly colored tea sets and of course a massive crystal chandelier.

Even though the interior is quite over the top glamourous, heavily inspired from France (reminded me of a smaller scale of Versailles decor), I could definitely work with a few pieces such as the gold, baroque mirrors and beautifully lavish couches.

A nice mix of traditional touches (Willamson Designs)

I ended up having a wakeup class today for studio right after so it is has been an actually quite long academic day for a day when I wasn't even supposed to have classes. It's quite quiet on Fridays since everyone else gets the day free to explore and travel...That better be me next semester :)

I am actually getting quite excited and inspired over my retail studio project now that I have a pretty set floor plan and all my materials picked out. Being in London I have endless inspiration that I so severely was lacking in Spokane. I can't get enough of it, design over here really is just top notch everywhere you look!

On the way back home I wandered into the Conran shop which is a homestore that has a mixture of modern, traditional and rustic items. It is 3 stories full of furniture, accessories, lighting and some fabulous coffee table books which always end in my downfall.

Well it is Friday night and I am off! Wishing you all a wonderful Valentines day from across the pond!

With Love, Courtesy of Marlyebone Valentine Display Windows. XOXO

A Short List of Things I am Loving Right Now

While being in the U.K. for over a month now, there are so many wonderful little things that I have a fond appreciation for--

Here are the ones I am adoring at the moment...

*Walking to work during the "Rush Hour" of pedestrians--I play a game with myself to see how many people I can pass or squeeze by before I get stuck behind someone or a light.

(I tell ya it real gets the heart rate going especially since its my only form of exercise currently since it is too cold to run outside slash I am not willing to fork over 70lbs a month for a gym pass)

*The new Corrine Bailey Rae and Norah Jones CD--such a great new addition to my ipod.

images by google.com

*The slightly frizzy hair & pale skin combo--saves money and time not having to hit up a tanning bed or the extra 10 minutes it takes to straighten my hair.

*Paperchase-It is a 3 story floor right down the street from my work that is full of beautiful cards, wrapping paper, books, journals, a majority covered in dainty and floral prints! Incredibly dangerous, because mostly every item in there is nothing I need but EVERYTHING I WANT!

papershopink.com

*Oxford shoes preferably with tights and a great floral dress or even jean shorts--so fabulous right now...a definite spring time must :)

( One of my favorite posts from the Sartorialist.com)

*Being able to buy a bottle of wine legally after a hard day at the office, I am really becoming quite the conseviur--on the cheapest four pound wine I can get haha.

*My Internship--I have been really lucky to be placed with such a great firm that is letting me do a lot of hands on tasks. They may be small but I am happy to do anything they give me. I mostly have been working on photoshop, designing textiles and organizing the materials library. All fine by me :)

*My upcoming spring break to Florence, possibly Rome and Barcelona to visit some special KD sissys. Needless to say we will be doing what we do best, sorry for partying in advance (plus shopping and sightseeing naturally)

*The rare glimpses of sun, usually between snowfall that makes me realize how happy sunshine makes me...I can not wait for spring, however it may be a while.

*Knowing that a majority of my friends have crossed the pond safely and now are on the same time zone as me! So convenient!

I could go on and on but I will update as I continue on my journey. One month down, four more to come :)

LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL, CHEERS FROM LONDONTOWN!!

Out of the City, Into the Country

A Quick Summary of my Trip to Stonehenge & Bath

On Sunday, we had a school trip out an two and a half hours out to the town to Bath, England. On the way we stopped by the infamous Stonehenge--which I had been earlier informed by my father it is not STONE-HEDGE. That was a nice fact to know prior :)

We were at the actual Stonehenge for about an hour, enough to walk around the site and say I had been there. I was given a audio player but I was a little too distracted by all the sheep near by to listen-haha.

Bath was absolutely beautiful though, its a charming town with a population of around 80,000 and architecture that dates back to the 15th century. We started out at the original Roman baths which was beautiful and then had time to go explore around the city. It was such a relaxing Sunday to just roam around this peaceful area and not be in such a hurry. A couple of us girls went to the 'Bath Tub' cafe for lunch which was right over the river that runs right down the center of the town.

We wandered up to the circus which was were a majority of the original townhouses are placed in a crescent formation facing out into the country. As usual I found some picture perfect vintage doors--I'm just waiting for the day when I snap a picture of someone's entrance and they come out right when I am doing so--oops!

I don't know what my fascination is with colored doors is but I keep finding myself taking a picture of almost every residential door around here--I think I am going to collage them all on a poster of some sort at the end of my 5 months. Just a thought...

This day trip was the perfect way to spend my Sunday after a busy week of working and catching up on schoolwork. If I had my way--I'd spend every Sunday in Bath. Just saying that makes me feel relaxed and unstressed already.

If you ever venture over this way, definitely take a day trip to the town of Bath--filled with history, sweets, darling boutiques and even home of the Jane Austen visitor centre if you are a fan :)