Arrivederci January...........on my wish list this month is.....a dress like this....

Alejandroooo

Anya Hindmarch

I totally feel in love with Anya Hindmarch's Spring Summer 2010 collections.....her bags and creative lookbooks are such eye candy!!!

http://www.anyahindmarch.com/Bespoke/

Alice in Wonderland

Loved the book when I was little……..once even followed a rabbit but never ended up in wonderland…then this April movie came out…..it was very different to what I imagined Alice and everybody else but it was entertaining…

Even Harrods had it as display for full 6 weeks …..The Dolls House Emporium has contributed miniature tea sets, chairs, cakes and mirrors to build a replica of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

Its sounds silly but if you listen very carefully some of the quotes actually make sense …..and even if they don’t make sense to everybody…..they make you smileJ

The Duchess
If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does.

The Mock Turtle
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.

The King
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

Alice
It would be so nice if something made sense for a change.

Doorknob
Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction.

Mad Hatter
No wonder you're late. Why, this watch is exactly two days slow.

MarcQueen of Hearts: I warn you dear child, if I lose my temper, you lose your head. Understand? ***

Hare: I have an excellent idea, LETS CHANGE THE SUBJECT.

Alice: Curiosity often leads to trouble.

Mad Hatter: Do you care for tea? Alice: Why, yes. I'm very fond of tea. March Hare: If you don't care for tea, you could at least make polite conversation! March Hare: Why don't you start at the begining? Mad Hatter: Yes and when you reach the end... Stop.

The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
[Alice checks Hatter's temperature] Alice Kingsley: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.

Albion

 You will not look the same way at Golden syrup can or marmite jarJ ever again…

Aristotle

“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”

“Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.”

“The secret to humor is surprise.”

“The soul never thinks without a picture.”

“Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.”

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”

“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”

 

ARTSIAN DU CHOCOLAT

If everybody would eat chocolate and cheese every day I believe world  would be a happier place.

http://www.artisanduchocolat.com/ArtisanduChocolatSite/category/Shop%20by%20Product/

...And a quickie hot chocolate….you just need to stir the chocolate spoon into hot milk and there are six different flavors to choose from…..salted caramel, champagne, martini, almond milk,strawberries and pepperJ

I think I'm singing for London chocolate tasting evening:)

AUTUMN...

We had some good warm days this summer! I love summer, love summer clothes, love having drinks outside, love day trips to the cold British seaside ... just love everything about the summer! But lets just be honest here, because for next……. coming up months it will be Grey, Cold, Dark and MISERABLE!!

I’m aware that’s its winter big time….but it’s still letter AJ so I might as well explore on this subject a bitJ and I’m expecting spring to come early this year!!!!! Magic magic…..i really need you nowJ

As we cannot just go into deep sleep and wake up with cherry-blossom…….we might find some good things about this gray miserable weather and enjoy it!

*Alora darkness…my winter friend!!! One Sunday we get one extra hour in bed and next six months we don’t have to feel guilty about sleeping longer…slipping into comfy leggings …fluffy big home type of uggs ( that’s how I call them )..being lazy all Sunday, or for that matter pretty much every night! Spending nights watching cheesy DVD's and all the comfort food….yes comfort food! Not exactly healthy or posh, nor sophisticated like French food…but  one thing for sure- it will not leave you hungry!!! And only the darkness is good enough excuse not to leave sofa!!…..we do not have that excuse all year.

* Shopping, because ... let’s face it!!!!  New coat new  boots…… matching scarf, gloves, hat… layering because you never know if the office will be really warm or freezing cold. Somehow they never seem to get it just about right..it's the time before Xmas for presents ……and then after Xmas sales………ok that’s winter already but anyway!!!

* Candles….time to light up candles (good excuse to buy them). Last weekend I spend few hours in TK MAXX picking candles for all sort of moods……"good night" mood.."fresh linen" mood…."bath time" mood…(that’s a whole different story here…..you might need bath oils,to “protect your skin in the winter” ).

* Xfactor, because all of Britain is watching it throughout the whole autumn! Some are just brave to say yes. I love it! Some pretend they don’t….but please…..missing out on sexy Dermot O'Leary…..Danniis and Cheryl’s outfits….or was it even more about hairstyle this year…….little comments between Simon and the “turtle”………..Wagner….:( all the drama queens this year…….Katie’s roots until she decided to change her hair completely…..and Matt….:) that was the best part!

* And of course, lets not forget about the most important and the most talkative subject in every Brit's life (u pick it up pretty fast even if your are not one).. the weather!! We all just love complaining about it so much (secretly of course ;)) that we wouldn’t know how to live without complaining about  the weather!

ALEXANDER McQUEEN

Ok wishful thinking for this gloomy Thursday…..lets say someone comes up and tells me…..”Miss L….you can pick 7 items from ALEXANDER McQUEEN collection”…….

hmmm what would I pickJ

thats one oufit:)

love love love this bag.....but if i would ever buy it i would probablly have to live in the bag for like a month or two ...hmm then i would need a drink that makes you shrink...food that gets you back into original size....need to get that from miss Alice:)

ALL THINGS SICILIAN-ARANCINA

19 Pembridge Road, London…just look for the bright orange car, you can not miss it…stepp inside and voila….the best thin based pizza and deep friend risotto ……I love Ciambella ( Italian doughnuts)….cannoli….ahhh all yummy all sicialian…..:)

http://www.arancina.co.uk/home.html

Aston Martin DBS (James Bond)

Aston Martin ...

Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire.

...If I could.....

Beethoven 5th Symphony (No. 5, graphical score animation, allegro)

Adagio & Allegro

Adagio ...this italian word is a composer's way of telling a perfomer to play their music very slowly...Adagio is slower then andante but faster then largo....Slow movements, in general are often simply called "adagios"....because so many bear this marking.
Allegro ..a speed instruction from composer to a performer. The message is to play fast-not,however, as fast as persto but faster then allegretto...
Probablly the most famous allegro of all is the ......"da...da...da...der" of Beethovens's 5th Symphony.

AFTERNOON TEA

This nation is a "tea nation"..."put the kettle on" is the best advice anyone would give you in England.
before tackling the problem, put the kettle on...to celebrate the fact that its been solved, put the kettle on....
everything always feels better once everyone had a "nice cuppa"...

I've learned over the years now that secret to brewing the perfect cup of tea is the fill the kettle with fresh water that has not previously been boiled ( reheating the water reduces the oxygen content and compromises the taste). Once water is boiled, swirl your teapot or mug with it before adding a teabag...add water and leave it to brew for few minutes....and voila...you have perfect tea....
Now I am very particular about colour of my tea..it just has to be that perfect milky but not too milky....
Recently i found out something quite interesting.
Onkar Singh Kular ( product designer) created a set of mugs in each of 128 Pantone shades of brown so that each family member or co-worker can choose the mug corresponding to their favourite colour of tea...whenever a friend or  colleague makes tea for you, they will be able to tell from the colour of the mug exactly how strong it should be and how much milk to add:))

http://designmuseum.org/__entry/4493?style=design_image_popup

http://designmuseum.org/__entry/4492?style=design_image_popup

But apart from having you afternoon office tea break amazing thing about London is .....soooo many perfect places for perfect afternoon tea...

My number one is

The Orangery at Kensignton Palace

Queen Anne built the idyllic Orangery in the grounds of Kensignton Palace in 1705. Fresh strawberries and double cream are a seasonal speciality..or try Tregothnan English tea, which comes with a glass of English Pinot Noir. Tea is served between 2.30 and 5pm.
I also had some of the best Sunday brunches there:)

Sketch

Sketch is top notch and mega fun!!!
Cakes are displayed like jewels,decor is ravishing and make sure you visit ladies room as well.......that's another adventure:)


202

Discovered by acident one sunny Saturday afternoon....
1.walk towards Westbourne Grove and get lost in the process...
2.find Westbourne Grove near Queensway
3.walk a kilometre to find 202 at a remote corner of the city..

This is where food,fashion and decor come together:)
the whole place is open and bright and the way the restaurant portion spills into the clothes area is just charming..
I had french toast with my tea and it was just perfect:)

Fortnum & Mason

In Fortnum & Mason's St James's restaurant you can enjoy a range of teas selected by Fortnum's tea taster. The afternoon tea menu includes sandwiches, scones and pastries. There is also a Champagne Afternoon Tea:) a Birthday Afternoon Tea ......

And you can always enjoy an afternoon tea in Liberty but that's the whole different story and different letter:)
what i like in Liberty are the little teacups with letters:)

Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea? Alice: Well, I haven't had any yet, so I can't very well take more. March Hare: Ah, you mean you can't very well take less. Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.