Britishette goes to Nice 1: the mommy break

So my girlfriend Christina had told me about this concept before, "the mommy break", but I wasn't sure what it meant. Still it sounded good, and after 3 months of rainy London, I was easily convinced by the idea of Nice...

Hello Nice!

So after dropping Stella off to her grandparents in Paris, we jumped on the French TGV and crossed my home country. Already taking the train without a baby was amazing (ok, yes, we indulged in first class...)

Promising...

We enjoyed our train ride with countless magazines and a lot of junk food. We decided to stay at a Youth Hostel. There, they also had no idea of the concept of mommy break. Doesn't matter. We then treated ourselves with private beaches along the Promenade des Anglais.

Heaven...

Here I am on the Cote d'Azur, for 3 days of sea and sun (yes that's all) and it was just perfect. Sure I missed my kid. But it was wonderful to just hang out on the beach and worry only about what we werer gonna eat at lunch.

Merci Nice!

Note to self: repeat the Mommy break next year, if only to make sure it is really cool (just to check it was not a one time thing...).

Read More

Britishette & mini Britishette 7

Enduring the rain...

Who's gonna believe this picture was taken in summer??

Staying in altogether...

Read More

Three cool bookshops around Broadway Market

I already spoke several time of my love for Broadway Market and its surroundings. It remains my favourite place to hang out on a Saturday morning. One thing I noticed last time I went was the bookstores. I'm a bit of a bookworm and enjoy chilling among books, old and new. Here are a couple of places dedicated to books. They are quite different from one another. 
The first one sits on a boat along Regents Canal:

I love used books and Word on the Water has a cool selection. You are more than welcome to hop on the boat as there are more books inside!

Here is the best part: there is always a musician on top of the boat! As you can see, I listened to some cello while perusing the paperbacks. But sometimes it can be a guitarist, or someone else!

The second place is the Broadway Bookshop and sits right on Broadway Market.

The Broadway Bookshop is a much more traditional bookstore but very cute and it seems each book was carefully selected to be dispayed with hand written reviews and all.

It's a pretty narrow place with two sets of stairs. There is a children's books section. I also like that they display cool paintings on the walls of the shop, usually from local artists.

The last one is also on Broadway Market, but very modern. I can't really tell you the name, probably what you can read on the photo below. But my understanding was it is an art bookstore!

The inside is very white and light and artsy. And of course full of hipsters and other too cool for school people. Still, the photography books are great and they have art magazines you can't always find easily.

Anyway, isn't that cool that bookstores can have their own style, population, presentation, decoration and all? There are probably more bookstores around but those three were fun to explore. Long live the real books, with their paper smell and heavy weight!

Read More

You name it!

I love walking in London because one way or another I always get a good laugh. People here definitely have some sense of humour. This time, it's about finding the perfect name for your restaurant. Check these out:

In Museum Street

On Essex Road

Thumbs up to the name. I would go in for that reason alone!

Read More

Surviving Bed Rest

So I've been sort of stuck in bed for 10 days. Not funny to be sick. Not funny to be stuck. I wanted to share my 2 survival tips that helped me get through it:

Yeah, it's not breaking news, everyone knows about the Hunger Games. But I needed some page turner that would keep me busy and it more than did the trick. I can't say that I learned a lot, but at least I got really distracted, and I finished them off in the 10 days!

I'm sort of a geek and a big Lord of The Rings fan, so I was told to get into Game of Thrones asap. We watched season 1 and half of the 2, and I admit it's pretty cool.

Both the Hunger Games books and Game of Thrones are quite violent and battle prone.But for me it was great as I was in pain and I had to fight that. So there you have it. An idea in case you get stuck in bed (alone that is..)

Read More

London Walls 9

In Shoreditch...

Who doesn't love pandas?

Self explanatory...

Read More

The best kept (Victoria's) secret in London

It is happening! Victoria's Secret is coming to Europe and the very first store will be in.... London! Yeah! So excited! I usually have to fly to the US to get my supply and I never regret it. But if I could just take the tube, it would be really cool!

So the main Victoria's Secret store is gonna be on New Bond Street, but here is the catch: nobody knows what the exact date of the opening is. Several reasons for that: it was supposed to be in July right for the Olympics (now that's a good reason to get excited about having the Olympics in London). Word on the street is it was supposed to be a big affair with the angels and all. But for some reason it is not happening and no explanations are provided. There will be a second store at the Olympic site at Westfield Stratford and this one is opening on July 24th, so next Tuesday. But apparently, the Angels won't be able to make it.

Well I don't care too much for the Angels. So I will definitely make the trip to Stratford, though probably after the Olympics as I am not so good with massive crowds (especially if I want to go and try undies...). As for the New Bond Street store, I am keeping my ears and eyes open. Stay tuned!

Aaaahhh the Bridal Collection....

Read More

Britishette & mini Britishette 6

We're out as soon as the sun is out!

In Columbia Road Market

At the Playground

Read More

99 with a Flake

One of the best moments when you're chilling in a London park on a hot day (yes, it happens...Sometimes...) is when you hear the little music tulululu (ok I can't really write that...). The Ice Cream Truck just showed up!

If you want to go old school, go for the 99. I remember my first trip to England at age 12, my first 99. You can never forget it. It's sort of vanilla, but a bit like milk and very creamy. And don't forget the Cadbury's Flake!

He's a fan!

The Ice Cream Truck is showing up even at the smallest squares, like the one around the corner from our house. I thought at first I would have to go to the big parks, then I heard the tulululu! It's kind of cool to see all the kids starting to run towards the old van.

Stella's very first 99 with a flake!

Oh and by the way, it does not cost 99p. (more like 1,30£). So don't show up with just a 1£ coin, or you might have to pass on the flake.

Read More

London Safari softplay

Ok London, if you're trying to make a point about the rain, I GOT IT. This is my first July in London and it doesn't stop raining. Well, sometimes it stops, but not for long. What to do, what to do?

How about a mini safari? I was told about indoor softplay, and it does the trick! I went to the Sobell Leisure Centre near Holloway Road. It is very close to the Arsenal stadium, so it's a good sell to convince Chris to take Stella there (for some reasons, he's always happy to hang out near the Emirates Stadium...). The Centre has a Safari Softplay: a big indoor room where kids can run and play (and get tired). 

The area is very safe and a shoe-free which I like better. It is divided in two zones: under 2s and over 2s, which I really like as the bigger kids sometimes scare me around Stella. 

But do not think that you let your kid loose and take a magazine, you're in for a treat too so don't wear your skinny jeans as there will be some rolling and some chasing around.

Ok, so it is not the fanciest, lightest, prettiest place (no windows). But honnestly Stella loves it there. She runs and I'm not scared if she falls, she experiments with climbing (so do I).

The safari softplay at Sobell Leisure Centre is also very cheap (3,70£ for an hour) and you don't have to book anything. Just show up. The closest train station are Holloway Road and Arsenal. It is open 7 days a week but not all day on weekends. Check out the Safari Softplay schedule here.

Read More

London Walls 8

In my beloved Islington

from Albator?

The Rider

Read More

Stella snapshots

She cracks me up the little one...

Read More

Pop Up Vintage fairs in London

It happened to me again! I was walking on the street and I saw a sign for yet another Vintage Fair. It was last sunday, and it was my lucky day!

This time, the fair was at Islington Town Hall, right on Upper Street. I already described the one in Finsbury Town Hall last month and this was just as pretty!

The lovely ladies from Darling Vintage

The Vintage Fair is not just for shopping, you can find a glamorous beauty parlor and a very classy tea salon. It's more of a state of mind, one that would say:, let's pause for a minute and take a look around. So once again I took my time to check out clothes, jewlery, hats and other accessories. It was really lovely stuff.

There was also also furniture that made me want to own a giant doll house and handmade decorative objects that made me feel like in Alicein Wonderland!

Stella dilligently helped me trying to score the perfect evening coat. We almost found it (3/4 sleeves, navy blue, no buttons) but it didn't have pockets, and as a mom, I have a very strict pockets policy. The lady said that the pockets would break the line of the coat. And she's right. But sorry, can't do. This is when pragmatism overcome my fashion sense...

Stella's checking out the goods

If you have a chance you should really try to go once, even if you don't dress vintage. Pop Up Vintage fairs are a fun thing to do in London. Here are the dates for the coming fairs this year. There is also one more on July 8th in Hampstead (see on the first picture), in case you can't wait...

Save the date!

Read More

Britishette & mini Britishette 5

Always on the move, between the raindrops!

Read More

Hampstead Heat(h)

We finally went to check out Hampstead Heath. Took us long enough as we waited for a warm day. But it came and we were ready!

Hello sunshine!

First things first: load up on food. When you get off at the Hampstead Heath Overground station, there are a lot of cute places to buy a sandwich. But if you walk down on South End Road, there is a Marks & Spencer with tons of food to go.

Great choice of picnic food @ M&S

Loaded and ready!

Then, off to the Heath. The place is huge, and we probably didn't see half of it. We basically found a nice field to crash and just relaxed. We had a ball and sunscreen and were all set. It was a perfect day!

The city of London website can provide you with information about what to do/see in Hampstead Heath.

But really, you just want to lay down!

Read More