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Well, my home is ready for Christmas and so am I!
I cannot believe it is Christmas eve, eve (!) already - I am sure it has been said a thousand times already...but. where has this year gone??
Today was my last day at work before |
The pursuit of...Christmas
The pursuit of...A Winter Wonderland
I finally made it to Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland after all these years!
Every year I have aimed to get down there, but never quite
The pursuit of...Home Baking (5) (Wholemeal Chili Cheese Scone/Biscuits)
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You know those moments in the evening when you just fancy something savoury?...
Well, the other evening I had one of those cravings and as I didn't have anything in to satisfy the crave , I decided to rustle up some wholemeal chili cheese scone biscuits.
The pursuit of...Birthday Number 35!
It was my birthday on Monday!
If you follow me on instagram, you will have noticed that I was quite excited for this birthday.
I never normally am you see...
If you follow me on instagram, you will have noticed that I was quite excited for this birthday.
I never normally am you see...
The pursuit of...A Weekend Spa Break
Hellooo!
I'm writing this post in my lovely fluffy white robe, from my beautiful comfy bed at the Champneys Spa.
I'm writing this post in my lovely fluffy white robe, from my beautiful comfy bed at the Champneys Spa.
I'm here as a little pre-birthday treat to myself (birthdays on Monday - yay! 35 eeek!)
I wanted to just check in and do a little post
The pursuit of...A Signature Scent
Last Christmas, I received a 100ml bottle of Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle and
The pursuit of...A new hairstyle
I finally did it...I went for the chop!
All summer I had been 'umming' and 'ahhing' about the decision. As we all know,
The pursuit of... Mademoiselle Prive (Chanel Exhibition - Saatchi Gallery London)
Well, hello there! :)
Last week I went to the Saatchi Gallery in London where they are housing the Mademoiselle Prive exhibition.
For those of you who have read other posts on my blog, you will know
The pursuit of...Being Mary Jane
Move over Kerry Washington, there's a new girl crush in town!
Yes, Gabrielle Union, or Mary Jane Paul as we now know her in hit BET series 'Being Mary Jane' is my new, all time fave girl.
Please tell me you've been watching it too?!
Just in case you haven't, here's a little synopsis....
The pursuit of...My new bag crushes
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I've said it before on my blog, but if I ever had to choose between bags and shoes, bags would win hands down everytime for me!
This month I have I have two new bags that I am crushing on. One is high end and the other is an amazing steal.
The pursuit of...A New Arrival
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So at last, the new royal baby has arrived this bank holiday weekend...Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana!
While the UK has been revelling in the announcement of the baby girl who will be fourth in line to the throne, I have spent the weekend throwing a surprise baby shower for
The pursuit of...Jo Malone
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Hello everyone! Happy Sunday and Happy 1st March!
I have been having a right old spring clean today...changing my bedding, dusting (yes, dusting..with a feather duster!), mopping, washing...spring is fast approaching and
The pursuit of...London commuting
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So....I am back in the world of commuting via tubes and trains.
After years of sitting on the eternal carparks of the dreaded M25 or A406 I was so happy to give
The pursuit of...'Me Time'
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Thank you Liv! I haven't done one of these 'tags' before but this one is good, as it gives you more of a personal insight into the person behind the blog and a chance to get to know them better. To see FashStyleLiv's one, click here.
So here goes...10 questions about how I like to spend my very precious 'Me Time'!
1. What do you like to watch or read during Me Time?
When it comes to TV, I've never really been into soaps...if I had to choose one to watch it would be Corrie- even though I'm a Londoner I can't stand Eastenders, the acting is sooo bad!
What I really like to watch or catch up on are dramas like The Good Wife, Scandal, Real Housewives (my favourites are Atlanta, New York and Beverley Hills) and thanks to Netflix, I loooove Breaking Bad and Orange is the New Black.
If I really have lots of time on my hands and I'm having the perfect 'me time' day then it would have to be old fashioned musicals or black and white movies on the box, I'm talking Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn etc.
To read, rather than fiction, these days I love an inspiring auto-biography or health and nutrition book.
2. What do you wear during Me Time?
If you saw what I wear during my me time you probably would be shocked. I will be totally honest here by saying that it is not pretty!! It is all about comfort, so it is bra off (like most of us ladies at home!) and literally just a jumper and leggings (sometimes they're even clean..!)...My nickname from my family used to be "cinders"-because just like Cinderella I'm in rags at home but dressed like I'm going to the ball as soon as I go out!! (as long as I'm home by midnight ;)...)
3. What are your favourite Me Time Beauty Products?
If time is not a factor, I love to relax in the bath and I recently got a gorgeous product from 'Lush' as a birthday present called 'Sunnyside'. It has a lovely citrusy smell and turns my bath water bright gold with a gorgeous shimmer. A very decadent way to relax!
When it's time to really relax and tune out I like to use my Neal's Yard remedies to roll which I always keep on my bedside table. I rub the blend of natural organic oils behind my ears and temples and it really helps me to unwind and relax.
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4. What's your current favourite Nail Polish?
If I can, I will always go for a Shellac or OPI Gel manicure as I really can't deal with chips and smudges. I love a high shine finish for as long as I can and gel manicures are my favourite for the perfect finish.
If I can't get to the salon then I like Avon's Gel Finish Polishes which aspire to give you the same finish as a real gel manicure. The pigment in the colours are very superior and I do find that they last just that bit longer than 'normal' polish.
For me the colours I will always go for first are reds. Bright reds, dark reds...I love the polished, groomed look it gives and will always go with any outfit.
In the summer I like pastel nude colours.
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5. What do you eat or drink during Me Time?
Oh dear....confession time! I am a big savoury person and would quite happily get through a big bag of crisps in front of the TV! :/ Yep, it's always crisps, very rarely chocolate unless I'm hormonal and for drinks, anyone who knows me will tell you I'm a tea junkie!!
I love a good cup of tea! That satisfying feeling when you take your first sip.....ooooh! Heaven!
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6. What's your current favourite candle?
I've never really been into candles until very recently. During winter months I love the festive spiced cinnamon styles as they really make my house feel cosy, but other than than I quite like fresh clean scents.
I do not have any big name brand candles (although I'm open to gifts...!). I love the aesthetic look of grouping lots of candles in a fireplace.
7. Do you ever have outdoor Me Time?
I love long walks. I've always said that I'm not a big runner but I could walk for miles!
It's true what they say a walk really does clear the cobwebs and I often find that I can clear my mind and feel refreshed once I've had a little me time outdoors.
I have also really got into gardening and have found that I have a real knack for it! My aim is to eventually have a beautiful rose garden.
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8. Would you ever go and watch a film alone?
I would but I can't say I have.
When I was an air stewardess there was a lot of things that I used to do alone just because I wanted to go out and explore whichever city I was in without relying on people to come with me. It made me so independent and even now I would think nothing of going into a restaurant and eating alone - something that I know some people would feel under confident doing. I have been to the theatre alone though. I went to see a matinee show of something in London (can't even remember what it was now) and it was a perfectly fine experience-it probably helped that the theatre was half empty!!
9. Favourite online shop?
I love NET-A-PORTER. I often browse their website and love how sleekly it's put together - for me it feels just like I am in a luxury store.
Amazon would be next favourite as you can find just about anything on there and I also like any website that has a rating and review system for their products. It always helps me to make an informed decision before I potentially get my fingers burnt!
10. Anything to add? What else do you do during Me Time?
I love reading other blogs! I spend a bit of time on Bloglovin keeping up to date with the blogs that I follow and discovering new ones. I always check in with Instagram and Facebook too.
Again if I have lots of time on my hands I love to bake. A nice ginger cake or carrot cupcake is my favourite.
But really if I'm honest, snuggling up on the sofa with my blanket is my all time favourite me time activity!!
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Well, that's it - I hope you enjoyed finding out a little bit more about me! Would love to hear more about you so consider yourself tagged too!
Love, Ivy George x
The pursuit of...A celebratory dinner
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On friday I went out to dinner in London's Canary Wharf to a restaurant called Plateau.
Oh my goodness, it was such an amazing dining experience! The location of docklands is always a favourite for me - the skyline, the exclusivity, the electric buzz that is always in the air when it springs to life at night....
Plateau is situated on the 4th floor of Canada Place and we were sat in the main restaurant by the window which gives stunning panoramic views over Canary Wharf - the view was even more special as the ice-rink is still present in the square and it was all lit up with fairy lights...It really felt like I was in New York or Shanghai - simply stunning (see below):
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The main restaurant where we had our reservation is elegant and visually breathtaking - it also has a private dining room and an outdoor terrace which would be perfect to come back for in the summer.
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I was here to celebrate my new job and it was the perfect celebratory meal - I will definitely be going back to Plateau again.
What I ate:
Starter: House cured Scottish Salmon. heritage beetroot, Dorset crab, Oyster emulsion
Main: Suffolk Lamb canon, spiced shoulder, saffron cous cous
Dessert: Lemon cheesecake, rhubarb jelly, poached rhubarb
To find out more about Plateau see here.
Love, Ivy George x
The pursuit of...London nightlife
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I wore a gorgeous sequinned dress from TopShop that was reduced in the sale from £68 to £30 (bargain!). It has a really lovely, soft, velvety texture and is completely covered in black sequins. It felt lovely to wear and it went brilliantly with my metallic silver shoes from Zara (see The pursuit of...Shoes, Sparkle and Festive Fun).
I have been looking for a pastel powder-blue coat for absolute ages!! and I found this beautiful one (below) in TK Maxx recently. I have got so many compliments from complete strangers every time I have worn it and it was another brilliant bargain too. It is from a company called Covent Garden which I have never heard of before and it is my new favourite coat! It went fabulously with my outfit and gave it that wintery ice blue look perfect for the season.
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| Sequinned dress: Topshop, Metallic pumps: Zara, Coat: Tk Maxx |
It was my first time to Gilgamesh. I have been to Shaka Zulu before which is the club right next door to it. We were in the VIP Babylon Suite which is very decadent with wooden carvings and little table booths shrouded with red voile.
Escalators from the cobbled street entrance took us up to where the famous pan-Asian restaurant is located and we walked through this enchanting little area to the suite.
I had a great time dancing to old school R&B classics and even a little bit of Calypso at the end (I felt like I was at NottingHill Carnival!).
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| Resting my tired feet after dancing the night away! |
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| The imposing Gilgamesh in Stables Market, Camden |
Camden is such a great place in London for nightlife and for really getting that unique London vibe.
It has many great clubs to choose from including: Koko, Proud (I went to Proud Cabaret last year for dinner and a show and that was an interesting experience!), Jazz Café and Shaka Zulu.
Just beware of those pesky cobbled stones and heels ladies!!
Till next time,
Love, Ivy George x
The pursuit of...Ice Skating in the City
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The start to the New Year for me has been a busy one.
I have got a very exciting time ahead of me as I am starting a brand new job in the fashion industry very soon! It is an amazing opportunity and I hope to share it here on my blog when the time is right and I am settled in!
So the last couple of weeks, I have been super busy preparing and of course celebrating with my friends and family.
I never had a chance to visit Winter Wonderland or do any of the Christmas markets over the festive period and I really wanted to try and go Ice-Skating, so I was very pleased to discover that there was still an Ice Rink open in London at the heart of the City in Canary Wharf (above).
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I am not very graceful on the ice!!
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I haven't gone skating in a LONG TIME and was worried that I had forgotten how to skate!
The rink at Canary Wharf is set in a beautiful location. Surrounded by all the city skyscrapers, the rink is almost like it is in the middle of a metropolis.
Unlike other venues, this rink also has a skate path which is overhung by lovely fairy light trees - as I was there in the evening it felt like magical Narnia with all the lights and sparkle as I skated through it.
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The inside of the bar is really quite chic (exactly what you would expect from a location in the heart of the City) and is a great place to meet for drinks and nibbles before going on the ice.
Its a great venue - surrounded by bars and restaurants (we ate at Wahaca afterwards), I would definitely go there again. It's open until the 28th February.
Love, Ivy George x
The pursuit of...Jourdan Dunn & Vogue
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It is a good time for woman of colour in the modelling and fashion industry at the moment.
Jourdan Dunn has become the first black model to grace a solo UK cover of Vogue in 12 years!!
It is unbelievable that in this day and age we are still writing about this as a momentous occasion.
Although there have been celebrities on the front cover of British Vogue like Beyoncé and Rihanna, there has not been a single black model doing a solo cover since Naomi Campbell in August 2002...
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| A screenshot of an excited Jourdan Dunn's Instagram message to her followers. |
That is quite an eye-opener and one that I must admit I wasn't even aware of. What is apparent though is the lack of female black models on the runway and for major fashion brands.
Apparently Naomi Campbell, Iman and Bethann Hardison amongst others, penned an open letter to The British Fashion Council in 2013 raising the matter and their concerns (below).
No matter the intention, the result is racism," it read. "Not accepting another based on the colour of their skin is clearly beyond aesthetic when it is consistent with the designer's brand. Whether it's the decision of the designer, stylist or casting director, that decision to use basically all white models reveals a trait that is unbecoming to modern society.
Hopefully, things are changing though and I am so happy to see that the iconic British fashion house Burberry, has used not one but two black models to front their Spring/Summer 2015 campaign.
Naomi Campbell and the lovely Jourdan Dunn were chosen by Burberry's Christopher Bailey to fly the flag and they both look amazing (below).
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I really hope that this isn't a one-off and we will see more of this representation across the fashion world soon.
I'm off now to buy my copy of Vogue - make sure you get yours too!...Buy two or three even and give it to a friend!
Lets make this issue one of the biggest selling and show that fashion sells no matter what the skin tone of the model is!!
Love, Ivy George x
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