DIY chandelier

My home-made tree branches chandelier, inspired by this Apartment Therapy blog post. (Of course, Kevin's version is a lot more impressive.)






Shade from Habitat sale
Branches from Ikea
Cost: Under GBP25
Time: 10 minutes on a grey Saturday morning

Holland Esquire

I've always been a firm believer of tailored suits, but this off-the-rack from Holland Esquire is one of my favourites right now.

Their new website is launching soon. Can't wait.

Borough & Parliament

If you like food, architecture and history, a Borough Market/Houses of Parliament combo might be the perfect Saturday.

Borough Market

Meet at Monument Station by the foot of The Monument to the Great Fire of London. Walk across London Bridge towards Borough Market. Don't forget to have a wallet full of cash... there are two Natwest cash machines near Stoney Road.

We tried the following sequence today and it worked well:

1) Queue for Monmouth Coffee

2) Grab chorizo, Navarrico piquillo & rocket sandwich at Brindisa

3) Explore the market - my favourite shop is Turnips greengrocers. Don't miss the old schedule of rents board.

4) Grab toasted cheese sandwich from Kappacasein

5) Wash down with a cup of fresh smoothie from The Natural Smoothie Company - I recommend Paradiso, which is a blend of strawberry, mango, banana, yoghurt, gingko biloba, apple juice and orange juice

6) Explore Jubilee Market

7) For dessert, go for Cinnamon Tree Bakery chocolate brownie. Pair it with salted caramel ice cream from Real France. While you are there, stock up on Echire Butter (salted, of course!)

8) Utobeer... my favourite beer shop in London

The George Inn

You will need to sit down after all the walking, queuing and nibbling. Cross Borough High Street to The George Inn, the only surviving galleried London coaching inn. They have a house ale called George Inn Ale.

Tip: Use the upstairs loo, just so you can walk along the rickety old balcony on the first floor.

Houses of Parliament

Walk back to Monument Station and take the District/Circle line to Westminster.

Take a tour of the Houses of Parliament, which is open for visits during the summer. Check here for dates and details.

Stop by at Victoria Tower Gardens for a quick stroll before entering the Houses of Parliament. You get a great view of the building, and of London Eye across the River Thames. It's also a good spot for post-Borough picnic.

My Houses of Parliament favourites:

1) Westminster Hall - completed in 1099, it has the largest surviving single span medieval timber roof in Northern Europe.

2) The Lord Speaker's seat in the House of Lords

3) The Central Lobby chandelier

Last stop of the day: Salad and Dessert at Princi on Wardour Street.

Notting Hill Carnival

Snapshots from the biggest street festival in Europe.
Wish I could share the smell of the jerk chicken...

Italian grocery shopping

Franchi/Castroni in Prati, Rome (above), is my favourite food shop in the world.

I came across this blog post by Colorado-based travel writer Lisa Bergren (@theworldcalls), on how to grocery shop in Tuscany. My favourite tip: "If there are plastic gloves, wear them to feel the fruit! Otherwise the Italian mamas will scowl at you…"

Then Elettra Fiumi (@EFiumi) told me: "Bread in Tuscany is a religion. Know how to ask for the best ("basso e cotto bene a legna") and know where to find it."

I guess I need to make a trip to Tuscany soon.

Coming Home

All the little things that make a home feel like home.


nest of stools from the 1950s by heals london. purchased for £15 at a vintage fair


year-round deck chair - seller told me this is from the 1960s. still trying to find out who designed this. paid £95 for it at a vintage fair.

cushions from suan lum night bazaar, bangkok

repurposed shoe rack from perigot paris (lugged back to london via the eurostar), magic carpet from a market in muscat

a good clock and weather forecaster, wooden dog magazine rack... prop from a wallpaper* photo shoot)

books, plus 2005 tie diary from good friend stan

more books

black wooden vase from zara home, on 1960s chrome and glass dining table.

paula navone rug, sferra cashmere throw

ikea bedbench x2

bedside nook - tibetan singing bowl, lotus photographed at jim thompson house in bangkok

on the bathroom shelf - ratty radio, lucky triple-8 aruba car registration plate, franck sorbier candle

savon marseille - all black

room service menus, housewarming card from good friend michelle

High Hanging Fruit

Everyday, I never leave home without a fresh-blended fruit and veg smoothie. It's something my dad made us drink as we were growing up, and that habit has stuck on till today.

This morning's combo: strawberries, apple, cucumber, celery, a dried apricot, and three big scoops of fig, date and grains yogurt.







I always think it's a good idea to line the system with fruit and veg, before all the fun stuff gets eaten throughout the day.

What's your morning routine?