Tales of London, Day One & Two

I feel like everyone and their mother - or, let's not exaggerate, some Facebook friends and Belgium's blogger elite - was in London in September. So if you're feeling overwhelmed at the thought of yet another hip chick (well...) detailing her adventures in Shoreditch, do know that I feel the same way. I got back home last Friday night to a feed full of London, London and yes, more London. 

Still, please bear with me as I rave and ramble on about the likes of Islington, Primrose Hill, Saatchi Gallery, sharing a room with twenty other girls, really good guacamole, chain restaurants and all other things London.

I left for London only a couple of hours after the wedding had ended and arrived on Sunday afternoon in - quite frankly - a state of mild panic. Reason for my anxiety: hardly any of the Underground lines were operating and I had absolutely no clue how to get to my hostel otherwise. After some wrong stops and confused texts I had no other choice but to call Julie and ask her to come find me. She did, eventually and at last, Fundon 2012 was a fact!

First thing we did? Scour the floors of the Topshop mothership on Oxford Circus. This as we were swooning over the J.W. Anderson x Topshop collection and all its little trinkets. After what must have almost been two hours, we scored our first purchases. Overwhelmed by the madness at Topshop (an instore cupcake bar, really?), we headed straight to the Big Ben like just about every other proper tourist. We took in all the sights and just revelled in the fact that we were in London.

We wandered around Covent Garden for a bit, had Italian for dinner at what was unbeknownst to us just another chain restaurant. That same evening - and in the week to come - we would keep running into the same chain restaurants over and over again. The whole of London seems to be a brand of something. Finally, close to midnight, we headed back to our A+ hostel, Palmers Lodge in Swiss Cottage.

 On Monday we started off our day at the National Gallery where I treated myself to a little gift: a beautifully illustrated children's book called This is London. Julie shared some of her travel wisdom with me about lunch: just buy some French bread, sit down in a park somewhere, anywhere really, and save truckloads of money. Done. Honestly, after hours of walking around, nothing would have tasted better than our daily guacamole and houmous from Waitrose. On Monday we decided to head out all the way to Primrose Hill to have lunch. With a view. I had never been to this neighbourhood before but I couldn't help but love it, even in all of its unapologetic bourgeoisness. Primrose Hill itself was mostly deserted except for the nannies strolling around with their prams and us two, eating our lunch deliriously. 

As by sheer luck, we stumbled onto the Primrose Bakery on our way to Camden. Even though we had only finished gorging on bread and guacamole a while ago, we could not pass up on the opportunity to have a cup of coffee and a cupcake at this lovely little place. It was a quiet Monday afternoon. We sat there sipping our coffees as we observed all the schoolchildren and their mothers pass by on their way home. If there is such a thing as pure bliss, this must have been it.

Camden, on the other hand, never has been and never will be my thing. It's too loud, too in your face. The market at Camden Lock is basically one stall after another selling the exact same seven dresses and even worse, YOLO-printed leggings. I kid you not. One of the best things about this trip was that my friend Julie and I were on the exact same page all the time. She also wasn't feeling the Camden vibe at all. Needless to say, it didn't take long before we left there.


Later that evening, we dressed up a bit more sharply and headed out for delicious burgers and fries at Byron near Trafalgar Square. Another chain restaurant but every branch has its distinct own style and interior and the hamburgers were just so good that I won't fret over it too long.

Original dining tips is not something you'll get out of these London posts, I'm afraid. Still, I sincerely hope you enjoyed this one because there are two more coming up in the next week or so. Love, always - x

From Nice to London

I'm at it again with a completely gratuitious photo of myself staring all mysteriously at you through your screen, runny mascara included. I've been in a blogging stupor over the summer but as the academic year approaches again, I predict that I'll feel like updating a lot more. Every blog, even the ones with as little a following as mine, needs some serious TLC in a while. Therefore, some good ole blog TLC is pretty high on my priority list.

But you know what's higher on that list right now? My cousin Mark's wedding in a village near Cannes this Saturday. My brother and I fly over there (we leave in half an hour - squeal!) tonight and we'll be staying in Nice for some days. And you know what's almost equally awesome? After my stay in Nice I'm flying over to London where I'll meet up with Julie, who will have bravely travelled from Brussels to London on her own. I'll get to be in my favourite city for six days. Six days of exploring vintage shops, coffee bars, little markets, museums, parks and hipster hangouts with one of my best friends. Sounds pretty great, right? An epic ending to a not so epic summer on my part. Just what I needed. You'll hear from me soon enough. Thanks for sticking around, always - x

A day in Amsterdam

On Saturday, my niece, mom, grandma and I took a 5-hour train ride to Amsterdam. It probably would have saved us a lot of time had we taken the Thalys but you do sort of get the feeling as if you're in your own little novel: endless snowy fields when you look out of your window, stopping in every city: it's all terribly romantic.

Upon arrival, we explored a little before heading over to the Hermitage Museum. I had never been to Amsterdam but I knew what to expect, the infamous canals and the bikes just about everywhere. Even with this weather, people braved the snow on their bikes. I had been dreading the snow on Friday but it just made the city all the more idyllic. Besides, I wore my hiking boots. It may not have been a pretty sight to see and many UGG-wearing Dutch girls gave me the stink eye but at least my feet were warm and comfy.

After the Rubens exposition at the Hermitage, we had dinner at the Rembrandtplein and Catherine, my niece, and I decided to explore the 9 Straatjes on our own for a while. Before we had to meet up with my mom and my grandma, we grabbed coffee at Screaming Beans.

My pretty niece (can you believe she's only sixteen?) bought some great stuff at Monki and COS. I on the other hand only bought the Diana camera bag at the Lomography Store. It was on my Christmas wishlist but I got it as a little exam gift to myself. I had such a lovely day but I couldn't have been happier crawling in my bed that night, ready to sleep in for the first time in two months. - x

I am going to Stockholm and I am taking...

Tomorrow I'll be in Stockholm for my first visit ever. I've been looking forward to this for months now. Now, where should I go and what should I see? I have been making endless lists in my head but I want to know what you guys loved so much about Stockholm and maybe discover another side to Stockholm than the one I have in mind. Lots of love, Lies

London calling

Source: Google

Today I am leaving for my absolute favourite city in the world (thusfar, I may add). My dear grandmother is taking me there for my fourth time. Since I'm going with my grandmother, the only things I'm packing are sensible and warm things: my A.P.C. wool coat, cotton dresses, knits and most importantly, no heels.

I have been making a to do-list for a couple of days now. Which museums this time? Do I want to see the changing of the guards again? Will my grandma dig the Tate Modern? There are so many things that one has to keep in consideration. She has explicitly told me that we won't be doing a lot of shopping, but Topshop is non-negotiable. If you go to London but not to Topshop in Oxford Circus, which is like the mothership, you might as well not go to London at all. That's not very true, but you get what I'm aiming at. Still, I'm not giving up and I've made up lists of all the other cute stores I have to visit this time.

I plan on taking home:

- one copy of the new issue of Lula
- a box of macarons at Ladurée
- gifts for my sister, mom and friends
- a Topshop jumper
- a pleated leather skirt by Zara

That's about it. I don't plan on raiding Topshop and bringing back tons of dresses, but I'd rather bring back a lot of lovely gifts for all the lovely people in my life. I'll see you in a couple of days! To all the Belgian girls who are still in high school like me, enjoy your Autumn break! xoxo

Tomorrow, tomorrow

'My work is purely autobiographical.. It is about myself and my surroundings. I work from people that interest me and that I care about, in rooms that I know.' - Lucian Freud

Tomorrow I'm heading for Paris again, only two weeks after returning from there. We will be visiting this expositon of Lucian Freud. I'm not going to pretend like I know anything about art but I know what I like and this painter's work happens to be one of these things. The man obviously digs the naked ladies but here's a selection of some other work of him that's very beautiful.

Girl with a kitten, 1947

Reflection, 1985

       

Factory in North London, 1972

Hopefully, I'll get the chance to stop by Ladurée and Free'p'star and all those other things I missed out on two weeks ago. I should go to bed for I have to get up rather early tomorrow but I might do another post tonight so stay tuned (or not).

Rien ne se peut comparer à Paris

 

I returned from Paris a couple of days ago. Had the best time ever.  Unfortunately, no shopping was involved for alas there was no time for such activities. We visited so many museums (of which my favourite was Musée Rodin!) and explored all the little neighbourhoods. I lost my heart in Le Marais where we ate cupcakes at Berko and saw the famous DJ Bob Sinclar walking down the street. I had been to Paris many times but I had never experienced the city like I did in the past couple of days. London, you might have a contender for 'City most likely to end up in later life'. 

I'm in a blogging mojo or something, haven't got a clue what to write about.

xo