Hei-Hi From Oslo

I am lucky enough to travel quite a lot as part of my job. Last week I visited Norway to style an advertising campaign for a regular client. It's my sixth time in Oslo but sadly we usually just arrive, work in a photography studio then head home again. This time we were shooting on location and the weather was gorgeous (this is the first time it's been sunny when I've visited!) We were based just outside Oslo and tramped around fields and bogs to get the perfect shots.

The office for the day

The location van minus a loo...oh the glamour!

The team at work in the woods

My favourite place to eat in Oslo is The Nighthawk Diner. Great burgers (even veggie ones for me), the most attentive staff and the reason I always want to go back, the cherry and chocolate milkshake. Heaven in a glass!

The Nighthawk Diner's Milkshake

On the last morning I had about 30 minutes to wander and came across Kate Moss by Marc Quinn. 

I also found Ahlens, a great interiors store selling everything from chevron rugs, to striped straws. If I'd had more time, and suitcase space, I would have done some shopping.

Cute frogs at Ahlens

Candle sticks from Ahlens

Bye Bye Oslo! Hope to see you again soon....

Weekend Scenes

After spending the week working in Oslo (more to come on that) and then having to work on Saturday, my weekend was restricted to only one day. I still managed to cram in another open air swimming session at London Fields Lido followed by the best hot chocolate in London and the most delicious cheese and marmite rolls and nutty brownies from my favourite local cafe Albion.

Delicious baked good from Albion, plates from Anthropologie

We decided to play tourist for a few hours, heading to the super bustling Millennium Bridge to enjoy the views across the Thames.

I love London!

We then headed to Tate Modern for a wander. I studied Picasso when doing my A levels many many years ago so it was a treat to see one of my favourite paintings by him in real life.

Picasso's Three Dancers at Tate Modern

And sadly it's Monday again and back to work...

Fuggly Sliders

I love the current trend for sliders. My boyfriend doesn't understand why I'd want to wear footwear that is slightly wrong looking, but the comfort factor and being able to pick up a pair reasonably cheaply makes me want a shoe cupboard full of them for summer. 

Nike Benassi £16

My collection began with these Nike Benassi's I got a few months ago. I wear them to potter around the home, take them swimming with me and wear with a rolled up jean. Super comfy and cheap as chips.

Zara Sliders £29.99

Continuing the monochrome theme are these little beauties from Zara. They are far more elegant than my Nike's and would work well with a smart trousers or midi skirt for day.

ASOS Fracture Leather Sliders £25

Yellow and grey is one of my favourite colour combinations for interiors and now I can have it for my feet with these bargain buys from ASOS. I love the slightly sporty sole and would wear these with denim shorts and a stripe top on a summer weekend.

Calvin Klein Sliders £80

What's not to love about these sliders? The grey geometric print, the velcro fastening and the excellent price point. These are definitely in my shopping bag.

Givenchy Floral Sliders £545

If I had a money tree I would pluck off some notes and happily spend them on these Givenchy beauties. I've tried them on, they made me smile and I tried to justify buying them in a cost-per-wear way that I normally employ when purchasing a designer bag. Alas, back on the shelf they went. But if you do have a money tree I recommend these with all my slider loving heart.

Images: Zara, ASOS, The Outnet, stylecaster.com 

Weekend Scenes

Happy Easter! I trust everyone ate too much chocolate and too many hot cross buns. We didn't leave home due to the rotten weather on Sunday but thankfully we'd packed lots in the day before. In preparation for the London Triathlon with Simply Swim, Saturday morning was spent doing lengths at London Fields Lido. It wasn't as cold as I'd imagined and swimming out in the open air is quite invigorating. 

London Fields Lido

We then spent the rest of Saturday exploring the East End. First stop was The Curious Duke Gallery to see an exhibition by Roy's People. I find the situations he creates with tiny figurines cute and interesting and was fortunate to pick up a print from the exhibition, 'The Only Escape', which I can't wait to hang on my picture wall. I may have to go back and buy the hilarious 'Work's Every Time' as well.

The Only Escape by Roy's People

When I was working in Australia at the beginning of the year I was given some delicious T2 Tea as a gift, so I was very pleased to discover they have just opened their first UK store in Shoreditch. I will definitely be going back to buy some of the creamy choc chai. If you're in the area pop in for some tasters and check out the beautiful black and gold interiors as well. 

T2 Tea

Sunday was all about DIY, oh the joys of owning a home! We put the finishing touches to our loo with this retro soap dispenser from Rockett St George. Washing my hands has never felt so chic!

Soap Dispenser £62 Rockett St George

Sadly both the boyfriend and I will be working on Monday so we said goodbye to the weekend with movie night; Wes Anderson + homemade popcorn = bliss!

Images: elleuk.com

All White Everything

Grey, navy and black. That pretty much sums up the contents of my wardrobe. Sometimes a little animal print (mainly accessories), definitely some stripes. Recently however I find myself drawn to white. Not head to toe white, I'm far too messy and clumsy for that, but elements of white, just to give my outfits a nod to summer. 

It began back in January when I had a work trip to Australia and needed something to freshen up my dark wardrobe. I found this skirt that has since proved to be so wearable due to the midi length and it's ability to work well with trainers and sandals. Plus the paper-y look and feel of it draws many comments.

Skirt £65 Topshop Worn with COS sweater & Miu Miu trainers

Soon after I purchased some comfy Birkenstocks in white. Not as impractical as you'd think. I wear mine weekly, they still look fresh and make a less-than-exciting ensemble of jeans and grey sweater instantly feel more modern.

White sandals, £49.95 Birkenstock

On my weekly visit to COS I found this dress and fell in love. The fabric is subtly rippled and thick enough to hide lumps and bumps, it has pockets (yay!), a beautifully curved shoulder and is a flattering length. My perfect white summer dress.

White dress £69 COS

White nail polish has been around for a few seasons now. No, you won't look like you've painted tip-ex on your nails! It's an easy and inexpensive way to feel more summery. I think white toes look especially good and I've been painting mine with Topshop's Spilled Milk. Paint 2 coats on quite thickly and it lasts for days. 

Nail polish in Spilled Milk £5 Topshop

I found this shirt in Zara a few weeks ago. I tried it on, um-ed and ahhh-ed, didn't get it, then woke up the next morning still thinking about it so ordered it online! It's the right side of slouchy, dips down at the back and has side pockets! I've worn it twice already with skinny leather trousers, then slim jeans to balance out its oversized proportions.

White Shirt £29 Zara

I'd been searching for a simple plain white sweatshirt since my love of white began at the beginning of the year and finally found one while prepping for a job earlier this week in River Island. It's a soft brushed cotton jersey, has a slight batwing and a rolled sleeve. I went up a size as I wanted it to look like I'd stolen it from the boyfriend.

Sweatshirt £28 River Island

And finally I've been deliberating over these Mom jeans for weeks but still haven't bought them. I love the high waist, the slightly loose fit, the rips, the price tag, but something in the back of my mind is telling me 'no'. Maybe it's just because I've done too much shopping recently! I'm not sure...shall I get them???

Mom jeans £40 Topshop

Images: Zara, Topshop

Debenhams? Really?

Last week a girlfriend and I spent the afternoon wandering up and down Oxford Street in search of things to add to our wardrobes. Walking by Debenhams we did a double take as their window display was filled with lots of beautiful things for the home. Surprised, we had to take a closer look and were shocked (in a good way) by what we found. Not only has doyenne of interiors Abigail Ahern designed a range of quirky lamps, cushions, candle holders and trinkets, but they are stocking Scandinavian goodies from Bloomingville and their own brand is full of desirable bits to make you part with your money. Here's the top 10 of what we wanted.

Pineapple Pot £26

I love pointless pineapple ornaments and always check eBay for mid-century originals. This little pot will happily house some jewellery or paperclips on a desk and looks far more expensive than £26.

Bronze apples and pears £15

More pointless fruit for storing little things. These would look great in a trio on my bookshelf.

Ben de Lisi Fruit Bowl

I'm not a huge fan of the fruit bowl but this graphic orange metal one would look superb on my kitchen counter.

Bronze Candle Holder £36

What a wonderful centre piece this would make for my dining table with some pale grey candles. Both my friend and I almost bought this and I think I may have to go back this weekend to pick it up. 

Copper Lamp £206 Bloomingville

I clearly have a love affair going on with copper! These lamps are simply stunning, perfect for a desk or side table.

Copper Light £169 Bloomingville

Sadly my photo doesn't do this light fitting justice. I have a real problem with lighting for my home, finding it either cheap and nasty or crazily expensive. This beautiful piece is incredibly priced and this weekend the boyfriend will be measuring it up to go in our spare bedroom.

Tealight holders £7 Bloomingville

These tealight holders in the thinest china would make an inexpensive gift or are a simple way to add some colour to your home.

Denim Cushion £42 Bloomingville

Seeing this chic denim cushion has given me an idea of what to do with my old denim skirt!

Bison Head £75 Abigail Ahern|EDITION

Made from a rich chocolate brown felt this bison head is bonkers but in a good way!

Hare Lamp £85 Abigail Ahern|EDITION

One of these cuties made it home with my friend and now lives atop her sideboard. His giant feet and cute pink lamp make it a fun edition to any home, not just a kids bedroom.

Giraffe £18 Ben de Lisi Home

And one extra for luck! This ceramic giraffe; completely pointless but oh so cool.

And for Easter Debenhams is offering 20% off homewares, so go forth and buy!

Weekend Scenes

This weekend was all about one thing; the London Marathon. I ran this gloriously challenging event twice, before my knee cap cracked and put an end to marathon running for good. Thankfully the boyfriend picked up the baton and Sunday was his second London marathon, fifteenth overall (I'm so jealous of his healthy knee caps!) He did a PB of 3 hours 14 minutes and I couldn't have felt prouder of his achievement. 

Maybe it was the sunshine, maybe it was the prospect of seeing Olympian Mo Farah pounding the pavements, but the atmosphere was incredibly special along the route. On days like these I feel so proud to call London my home. Here are some scenes from the memorable day.

Heading to the start line in Greenwich, most of it uphill, just what you need before running a 26.2 miles!

London looking fabulous

The boyfriend pre-race giving a nervous thumbs up

The sweaty boyfriend at the finish line, wahoo!

Horse Guard's Parade in all it's glory at the finish

The medal

Well done to everyone who ran the race and to all the organisers and spectators who make the London Marathon one of the best in the world! We can't wait for next year.

In My Bag

Despite a hectic work trip to France where I consumed oodles of bread and cheese and got to hang out with cute poodles, I still managed to squeeze in a little London shopping. Here's what made it into my bag this week.

Having long hair I find it necessary to always have a hair band on my wrist, usually in an ugly shade of brown. Quite frankly it's not a good look. These perfect hair bands from COS do the trick and look chic enough for the wrist. They come in a range of colours, I was going to get yellow but played it safe with grey. 

Hair Bands £4 COS

I love & Other Stories but sometimes find the fit of their clothes a little challenging. However I struck it lucky with this versatile two tone denim pencil skirt. It sits just below the knee (so hides my knee operation scar perfectly!) and has pockets. It'll work perfectly with my Birkenstocks for summer, but equally well with ankle boots and tights come winter.

Skirt £29 & Other Stories

I first saw these bargain trousers on brilliant blog Little Spree. Being a huge fan of stripes, yet not owning any of the trouser variety, I thought I would try them out. They are super comfortable, light enough for summer days and the thick grosgrain waist tie adds a chic element. I'll wear mine now with a grey sweater and my black Miu Miu trainers, but come summer I'll pair with a grey vest and tan sandals.

Stripe Trousers £25.99 Zara

I thought I'd save the best to last. Stella McCartney had a sample sale on Wednesday and Thursday. I could only make it on Thursday and when I rocked up early I was pleasantly surprised to discover no queues. I should have known it was too good to be true. Inside there were only 4 rails of clothes and a few tables of shoes. I was so disappointed as last time I'd scored winter coats, jeans and dresses. However tucked away under some boots were these gorgeous delights. In my size! At a fraction of the price! And they are flat and comfortable! I snapped them up, happy in the knowledge that it's always worth going to a sample sale.

Sandals Stella McCartney

Drink It Up

I'll readily admit I am a sun whore. I don't smoke and I religiously apply sunscreen but oh do I love to sit under the big yellow ball in the sky getting my dose of vitamin D. Since returning from my holiday my face has been quite dry and a little flakey (blurgh!) so I thought I'd treat it to some intensive moisturising with Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Mask.

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Mask

You apply the herbal scented mask thickly then let your skin soak it up for 10 minutes. The cream doesn't harden but it's quite disturbing to see how thirsty my skin was as the product all but disappeared on certain areas of my face. The instructions say to wipe away what's left behind with a tissue and massage the final remnants into the face, but it felt too greasy so I gave mine a quick wipe with a damp muslin cloth. 

The ingredients are 99% natural with moisture trapping clary sage as the hero ingredient. It also contains mafura and tucuma butter along with coconut oil to soften and hydrate. 

My skin looked instantly fresher and plumper, the dryness improved after just one use and it's definitely softer to the touch. At £19.99 this is a well priced, does what is says on the tin product that I will be integrating into my weekly beauty routine.