Resident of Richmond - Part 2

Living the London life is incredibly hectic. Interning in a busy PR agency, coupled with the exhaustive commute on the District and Circle line (SO unreliable) make for one hell of a tiring day. Hence the last thing that either of us fancied doing when we got home after a 'day at the office' was attempting to cook dinner, and so it arguably became a totally necessary new hobby to eat out most of the time. 

I found that dining out in Richmond meant that you were spoilt for choice; the high street contains most of the typical restaurants that one recognises and would expect; there is a Bill's, Wagamamas, Prezzo, Zizzi to name but a few.

The local town is also richly populated with a number of pubs, and we spent a very sunny Sunday afternoon lying on the green before sloping into the Cricketers for some delicious pub grub.Whilst I have no complaints, I must profess that my venue of choice if I could only pick one would be an entirely different kettle of fish, so to speak.

The tiny pizzeria on the high street, Pizzeria Rustica, looked somewhat quaint from the outside.  But it was always busy when we walked past and so finally we took the plunge and were able to squeeze onto a table. I personally feel that finding an independent Italian restaurant is an increasing rarity, and luckily Pizzeria Rustica did not disappoint. 

There was a buzz in the room but the atmosphere was very relaxing. The intimate setting is rather romantic and perfectly charming, and the cosy ambience was complimented by the fuss-free wooden decor and friendly staff. 

I would definitely recommend eating here, especially if you are on a date or having a catch-up as it felt like all of the diners were keen to unwind and enjoy good food and wine. If such an environment does appeal, I would suggest trying their 'Bruschetta' to start, and the eponymous 'Rustica' stonebaked pizza as a main (although the 'Taglierini' is also on my list of things to try). 

I greedily tucked in before remembering to take a photo for you! So here is a snap of the remainder of my pizza.... Era deliziosa! 

Please note any of you who are carb-free, they also serve lighter options such as sea bass and salads dishes, and as a couple of these whizzed past our table I have to acknowledge that they did look delightful.

Simple but great. 

S x

Resident of Richmond - Part 1

Hallelujah! 

My cousin kindly allowed me and the boyf to move into her Richmond abode whilst she is away on holiday! To say that I am absolutely delighted is an understatement. Not only does it halve my travelling time to and fro from my internship, I feel like this is a taster of what grown-up/post-uni life will be like, and I am excited to have this opportunity before being thrown into the real deal this time next year. The thought of that is truly terrifying.

Anyway, after slogging a huge suitcase full of 2 weeks worth of outfits (suitable for a myriad of occasions) up the numerous flights of stairs it became very clear that life in London is totally different to living in the countryside...

1 - After lugging my case up the stairs, I discovered that there were lifts... Amazing!

2 - A flat in London means wardrobe space is severely limited. As a consequence it became quickly apparent that Rhys and I would be forced to spend our stay literally living out of our suitcases, as unpacking was not a viable option. This proved to be an interesting challenge.

3 - Living in London will make you obese and poor. The walk to the station everyday bombarded me with window displays of clothes and cakes that I found hard to resist...

In any case, the lack of space proved itself to be a blessing, as it propelled us to spend our evenings exploring what lay beyond our doorstep. My excitement at being a 'Londoner' manifested into an enthusiasm that bordered on obsessive, but I am pleased to report that I made a number of discoveries which made up for hours of seemingly aimless wandering.

Perhaps my favourite place that I discovered whilst living in Richmond was a Boutique called Feather and Stitch, situated quite literally just around the corner. The boutique stocks a variety of European designers, and has a really chic laid-back vibe. I absolutely fell in love with the brand House of Dagmar, and ended up splashing out on these cheeky lavender jeans by another great brand, Dr Denim. 

I've popped the image from their website below, as I think that my poor photography doesn't adequately capture their jazzy colour, which would be a shame.

More to come...!

S x

Winning at Wimbledon

Yesterday me and the boyf decided to fulfill my lifelong desire to go to Wimbledon. I have always been desperate to go, and was so determined to get in that I set the alarm for 5am... Ouch. Despite feeling groggy at being awake at such a hideous hour, I bounced out the door and arrived at Wimbles in good spirits (after being forced to sprint after 2 buses and walk miles to the end of the queue).

Now, if there is one lesson I learnt yesterday it is that being the early bird is always the best decision, as by half 6 the grounds -pass queue had already closed and hundreds of people were being turned away.

So we sat there gloating until we realised that we then had to spend 4-5 hours chilling in a giant queue. All I can say is thank god we are in the midst of a heat wave, as it was absolutely freezing sitting on the ground at 6am. We made the most of all the crap being touted and bought newspapers and blankets, and I sat there quite happily snuggled in a blanket sipping from our bottle of Pimms! 

Eventually we made it into the grounds, and straightaway stumbled upon Jamie Murray's doubles

match. After watching him win we wandered around before moving over to Henman Hill/Murray Mount to see Laura Robson smash her game whilst nibbling on strawberries and cream and having yet more Pimms! Heavenly.

Cheering a British female player on whilst sitting in the glorious sunshine felt like an absolutely perfect day! Yet it became even more wonderful...

WE WERE GIVEN FREE CENTRE COURT TICKETS!!

A stranger (who was clearly insane) handed them over to Rhys, and so we snagged fantastic seats for the Djokovic game!  

Djokovic played superbly and was a pleasure to watch, and he sailed into the next round. We thought we would be heading home but the best day ever wasn't over yet, as it was announced that the Serena Williams match was to be moved onto Centre Court. I smuggled in my friend Flora who had finished her shift and we all got to see the Williams match too!

Without sounding smug it is fair to say that I had such an amazing experience at Wimbledon, and was very lucky to have seen such a spectacular day of tennis. Moreover I came home with an appropriately quintessential-British souvenir - my face had been burnt bright red! 

All I have left to say is... CMON MURRAY !!!!

Samantha x 

Commuter Chaos

Apologies for being somewhat m.i.a in recent days, I have become a slave to the city slicker lifestyle and have just been too busy and quite frankly too tired to blog/do anything!

I have luckily secured an internship at a prestigious PR Agency, working as a beauty and embryo intern. (Sounds a bit weird calling it embryo, but it basically means newer brands that have been developed). Because I reside in the Home Counties, I have been up at the crack of dawn in order to drive - train - tube - walk - all the way from home to High Street Kensington, to ensure that I arrive at work on time.

Hence this post is dedicated to what I seem to be doing an awful lot of - commuting. Not only is it ridiculous hot on any train, they are also crammed hideously full of unhappy fellow-travellers. Having had a gap year, it is safe to say the London breed of travellers differs greatly from the types of people you stumble past at a Full Moon Party... 

Moreover, as a newly wise commuter, I have quickly picked up on shortcuts and typical grievances that will probably haunt me for years to come. In particular, I have developed a deep distrust of the District and Circle lines, as well as a strong hatred for the 18.18 from Paddington's platform 2. My reasoning is justfiable, as everyday so far I have had to sprint from the tube in order to catch this train. At least I am indulging in some sort of exercise!!

That's all for now folks! I am looking forward to blogging more about my internship over the weekend, including my outfits (what a great excuse to go shopping).

S x

The Oompah Brass Band

After posting about the delightful Enchanted Garden Ball, I discovered exactly who that band playing in the German Tent were - Oompah Brass. Hence it seemed only natural to follow on from my previous post by composing a little dedication to those who provided such great entertainment throughout Saturday evening.

The band's quirky music mixed up popular songs with a folky (Bavarian) sound which we all loved! My friend Olivia particularly enjoyed their rendition of "American Pie" and another fan, Maddy, got so carried away bopping along to their tunes that she fell backwards off of a bench! I think she would kill me if I posted the video so you will have to take my word for it that it was absolutely hilarious! 

As for me, I also thoroughly enjoyed their set. In fact, one of the highlights of my night was being chased by one of the musicians, which was well documented in a whole series of unflattering but highly amusing photographs. The picture below is great as it exactly summarises the fun-loving and interactive experience that the audience were treated to! 

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Oompah Brass and hope to see them perform live again soon!

S x 

The Enchanted Garden Ball

Feeling sleepy as I type, second year nostalgia has already set in. Last night was the Exeter Enchanted Garden Ball, an event which was undoubtedly the perfect way to finish off another university year.

The dress I wore to the ball was a surprising choice from Topshop; a lacey turquoise number fitted at the top with a flared skirt. The colour choice was obviously a wise one as both Emily and Rosie wore similar shades - we look a lot like bridesmaids here (I am the lady on the left).

Normally I am too scared to wear Topshop dresses to an event as I find that they are always so popular, but luckily last night I failed to spot anyone matching! As for the rest of my outfit, my earrings are from Accesorize and my wedges are again a trustworthy pair I bought ages ago in Faith.

The setting of the evening was in Shobrooke Park, which my hazy memory located at around half an hour's drive away from Exeter. The coach slot that we had all booked onto was at a painstakingly early 6.45, which  ended up having it's advantages as we arrived at the venue well in time to take lots of beautiful outdoor photos. I'm glad that we made the most of the scenic surroundings - the lush green grassy fields heightened my summery mood even more, especially since it was so wonderfully hot! Everyone signed these letters too upon entry, which I thought was a cute Bestival-esque touch.

Sadly, I failed to take any non-blurry snaps of the layout of the Ball, so I will try my best to paint you all a word picture of the evening. Once we were inside the 'arena' there were a series of different sized marquees, each boasting a unique theme and a range of entertainment. We spent the beginning of the night dancing away in the German tent, which had a very enthusiastic brass/folk band and, to my boyfriend's delight, served beer in a litre glass...

After that I spent most of the night floating around watching the croquet, sitting on a giant rubix cube and dancing in the 80s tent. The 80s tent weirdly didn't seem to play any 80s music, but I had a long bop in there anyway! My housemate Jojo was particularly reluctant to leave as she became very attached to the inflatable beach balls, and I think she might have actually ended up stealing one. I'll have to check.

The last thing that I wish to share is perhaps a little bit less refined. As the night wore on, we developed a highly advanced idea, which basically resulted in blagging free food. We quickly established that by lurking near the food stall, we could utilise our persuasive skills to the utmost advantage for our greedy gang. The consequence of this alcohol-fuelled bravado was that our table ended up collectively amassing approximately 7 burgers, 2 hog roasts, 4 portions of cheesy chips and a whole load of exuberance at our sneaky steal. In hindsight, I probably didn't need to eat quite such a large amount, but my hangover today was grateful for it.

A not quite so classy end to an otherwise wonderful evening!

My favourite photo of the Springers - I'll miss you all.

Lots of love, S x

The Joys Of Birthday Baking

Living in a house of 7 girls means that we are always planning the next birthday. As a big fan of baking, I love personalising each cake that we bake; it is one of the rare outlets of creativity that I feel fully competent (sadly art is not my forte). I am weirdly proud of our baking successes, and so I thought it would be nice to showcase a gallery of our culinary masterpieces, to perhaps inspire someone to bake me a cake... 

The cat cake.

Starting off with my best ever cake, we made this cake for my friend Olivia's birthday as she absolutely adores her two cats. This chocolate cake was surrounded by another one of her favourite foods, squirty cream! So proud of this simple but really personalised cake.

The chocolate overload. 

Being obsessed with chocolate, this cake is another one of my favourites that I always bake. The ultra rich and creamy chocolate buttercream is especially yummy, with additional chocolate melted into the mixture and a flake sprinkled on top and in the middle, and finally decorated with melted chocolate- it is the ultimate indulgence. Modelled by my housemate Leo, this cake is always quickly devoured.

Cute cupcakes.

We made these for one of my housemates who claims that she doesn't really like cake - bizarre. These are a super fun for a group of girls to bake as everyone can make their mark with different icing flavours and choice of toppings! Leo's sparkly red sugar gems are an absolute must for any cupcakes in our house.

The girly pink cake. 

We went overboard on food colouring and raspberry flavours for this cake, which we baked to celebrate Jojo's birthday and all things pink! The icing was incredibly sickly so I would definitely insist on adding jam to the centre of this cake in order to keep it moist and refreshing. 

My Easter-themed birthday cake.

My housemates baked me this for my 21st, which was on Easter Sunday. The Easter theme was perfectly achieved with the fluffy chicks and mini eggs, which I adore. I loved this cake as it was just so cute!

The dog cake.

I wanted to make my housemate Maddy a dog cake as we all call her "le chien" (an inexplicable in-joke). This was a marble effect mixing both chocolate and vanilla, and we added the little cupcakes to fend off greedy boyfriends! 

I hope you enjoyed all the different designs, I'm sure there will be many more to come!

S x