Caroline, No.

musicMagpie

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:50:00 +0000

I first heard about musicMagpie from a friend who was about to move house. She'd decided to sell all of her CDs and DVDs so she spent a couple of hours scanning them in with her iPhone (I love technology!) and had made enough money to cover her removal costs.

Knowing I was about to move I made a massive mental note: moving stuff you know you don't even need is just soul-destroying. And then came the good news: you can now use them to sell clothes online as well!

I'm not too proud to admit that I have bags and bags of clothes that live in the attic. I've been through the stuff that is charity-shopable and still have tonnes of stuff I think friends might like, or can't bear to just give away as they were expensive. (Kurt Geiger boots worn once? A Reiss bag that was a lunch hour impulse purchase but was too expensive to just give away?)

We've been staying with a friend until our house purchase (hopefully!) goes through. We filled a small van with things to bring with us and put the rest into storage. Babies need lots of stuff, so we limited ourselves to one laundry bag of clothes each. Working out what to bring was easier than I'd imagined; what they say in those magazine articles about only wearing about 10% of your actual wardrobe is true. I grabbed the things that I constantly rotate, a few things that suit me but I don't wear enough, and my new Whistles dress, for special occasions.

A couple of bags (one everyday, one for more dressy things), a couple of pairs of heels as well as my Converse and APC Nikes and I was, as they stay in yon' United States, good to go.

I can safely say I haven't missed a thing. And when we move, I'm vowing to get rid of the lot and operate a strict one in, one out policy. Needless to say, the picture above is NOT a picture of my wardrobe.

image courtesy of finelittleday

This is a sponsored post

March madness.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:40:00 +0000

Whoa! That was a long break between posts. As you might imagine, I've been busy. Baby-wise, Arthur is a total joy. He's becoming more and more alert and interactive, he cries when Daddy leaves the room, likes sitting and banging in a high chair, and just has the best, bravest, calmest nature. He doesn't cry at bedtime he giggles. Seriously, he's the best baby, which has made my whole experience really lovely and pretty stress-free. I've been so lucky on that front.

Home-wise, we've had a bit of a crazy time. We are looking to buy a house, now that Arthur really needs a room of his own. We were renting a house in Barnet which we really liked, but our landlord wanted to sign us up to another long contract, which didn't work for us as we are hoping to buy soon. After much deliberating, and trying and failing to buy the house next door, we decided to get out and throw ourselves into buying a place. We're now staying at a friend's, have found a place and had our offer accepted. We just need to see if it sticks now! (And what the survey says.) Fingers crossed. It has been quite stressful, but also feels really good to be proactive. (And avoiding having to listen to the lovely house next door we wanted to buy being gutted and done up for the next two months. Observation: property makes even the nicest people go insane and greedy, amirite?)

Other-wise, when I get a second to think about anything other than babies and houses, I keep straying to the Zara website and filling up my basket, am obsessed with Lena Dunham, (LOVED the Girls finale!), and hoping to do some baking from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.Chocolate chip brioche pretzels, anyone? (The friend we're staying with, George, has the most space-age kitchen. Perfect for baking!)

Back to London today after a week up in Yorkshire stuffing myself with chocolate and naps. Keep your fingers crossed for the house, please!

(The South Wind print from The Old Try. Just because I like it and want it in my new hallway.)

Going mumderground.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:43:00 +0000

It's such a cliche but really, nothing prepares you for the arrival of your first baby. You can read all of the books and do all of the shopping but nothing can prepare you for how much your life will change. Completely.

Aside from the whole emotional journey of becoming a parent, practically there is an incredible change of pace. From rushing around for work, running to meet friends, cycling busy streets, pounding the gym – sometimes all in one day – you find yourself on the sofa, literally unable to move for hours on end while the baby is on you, feeding. It's nice, it's just completely different.

At first I felt as though I was in a non-stop chain of chores – nursing for hours at a time, expressing milk, sterilising bottles, all day every day. I despaired at the constant changing of tiny clothes. I read someone compare it to perpetual motion, which is exactly right. But then the feeding calms down, you become more organised, more relaxed, and settle into a routine.

It took us about six and a half weeks to find our routine, which made all the difference and made it feel less like a never-ending mill of baby admin. And topping up the baby's feeds with formula really helped: he is a hungry baby and I'd feed him for hours and he'd still be hungry. Demoralising and, for me, not worth the stress of trying to stick solely to breastfeeding. (Breastfeeding is surprisingly tricky. If you're struggling, the website kellymom has great, in-depth advice. I'd advise trying not to worry about giving them formula if you have to. They need to eat, you need to stay sane.)

Another breakthrough was realising you can just put them down. At first, I felt as though I had to constantly be in the same room as him, talking to him and keeping an eye on him. It was highly boring and stressful: I couldn't work out when to wash my hair or eat my lunch. Realising that I could leave him having a nap or bring him along with me in his bouncy chair was a breakthrough. I can eat! Tidy up the kitchen! Have a shower! It felt like freedom again.

So, nearly four months in, I find myself settled into the routine and adapting to the new way of life. I miss having the time and energy to exercise like I used to, but take him for a long walk up and down the hill, do a bit of yoga, and am going to try the local gym's crèche. I make lunch whenever I want and take my time getting ready to go out while he bounces away on his chair, playing with his toys. I missed going to the cinema, so tried a baby screening and it was great. And it can be a pain having to haul the baby with you everywhere you go, but I find my friends are loving hanging out with little Artie as well. It's a new experience for us all.

It's hard and crazy at first when your whole world changes but I found that with time you adapt and it gets easier. A friend told me she spent the first month perched anxiously on the edge of the sofa and I can totally relate. I couldn't even concentrate on Strictly. But gradually, you relax into it. I'm trying to appreciate having time to do the things I never used to have time to do.

So, today I'm listening to Tales of The City, making a huge pot of daal and enjoying the little moments, like singing West End Girls to the baby and him loving it. When the smiles and giggles come it feels like the pay-off for all the hard work and you can't wait for the next milestone. This little human you made sitting up? Crawling? It's just the beginning of one long, crazy trip...

Goodbye 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:44:00 +0000

Well, it's the end of the year, and in my little world it was a big one. We made a big decision about where to live, got pregnant, moved house, had a horrible family bereavement, nine months of feeling like poo, went through the shock of a heart scare with the baby, had the baby, the baby was fine, learnt wtf to do with the baby. It rained all year. It was actually fun to have the Olympics in town (it was hilarious how quiet the tube went). And now... breathe.

Arthur seems to be an actual superbaby – he's chilled, fun, pretty much sleeps through the night. He's never had one tantrum. We've been really lucky so far, but the last couple of years have taught me that you should never expect too much calm after the storm. Here's hoping for some mild sunshine through the rain. And the odd cocktail or two. I haven't had a strong cocktail since I can't remember when, so tonight I'm making Old Fashioneds. Wishing you all a happy and peaceful New Year.

(Oh, I'm not going to write my birth story. I'm over it.)

He is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 12:38:00 +0000

Baby arrived! His name is Arthur and he was born two weeks ago. We are overjoyed. He has got my eyes and the rest is pretty much daddy. So far, he likes:

– rootling for food
– the colour red
– stretching
– teddy bears' faces
– the Michael Kiwanuka album

I've clearly gone gaga. I'll be back with my birth story when my marbles return. (Yeah. I suffered it and so now I'm going to make you read it. It was a bit of a crazy one.) I am so fvcking glad not to be pregnant anymore!

Thoughts of a first-time pregnant.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 18:37:00 +0000

I know I should post a bump picture but I am more fascinated by this picture I found earlier today of me in Venice in March of this year. I am not a woman mountain! A relatively flat stomach, I can't even imagine it.

I've tried to write this post a few times over the last few weeks, but always had to stop halfway as it turned into too big a moan-fest. You might have noticed I haven't posted for a while. (Well, other than a sponsored post, the proceeds of which bought me a much-needed new coffee machine, OK?)

The thing is, I have been absolutely, totally kiboshed by this pregnancy. I'll admit something now that won't cast me in a particularly flattering light: I used to be one of those people who thought pregnants shouldn't moan. Like, you chose to get knocked-up, so deal with it, Bumpy. I remember reading this article about not wanting children by Polly Vernon and guiltily agreeing with a lot of what she wrote. I would always be the first to offer my tube seat to a pregnant lady, or dash to help carry their pram down the steps – well brought up, me – but a small part of me would be grudgingly thinking, 'Mehhhh, I'm tired too! I've got a hangover and I've been at work all day, we all make our choices!'

Well, I would like to publicly declare: I Was Wrong. Yeah, you might knowingly decide to get knocked up. But, if it's your first pregnancy, like me, you will not know about the insane exhaustion, constant sickness and myriad random other symptoms that you will have to deal with. Your right hand appears to have clenched into an agonising claw that you can't straighten out? Yeah. Deal. That popping noise? Oh, it was just your hip joint. You probably won't be able to walk properly now, sorry. Every time you eat the smallest morsel of food, a snake of stomach acid slithers up your throat? Ambassador, you are spoiling us.

And on top of that, you still have to deliver at work, cook, maintain friendships, clean the house. Y'know, just life as normal.

In my case, on top of the generic pregnancy symptoms, I have also managed to be the lucky one in a hundred women that develops a strange liver complaint which means I itch. Constantly. And have done since 10 weeks. I'm now 32 weeks. I haven't slept more than 3 hours in 22 weeks. Some nights I don't sleep at all. That's nearly six months of hardly any sleep. And itching. Constantly.

I mean, not to obsess about it, but I am absolutely EXHAUSTED. I've had to leave work ahead of my planned leave date which, as a self-employed person, sucks. Poor husband is knackered, as he tries to sleep through a mess of itching, scratching, wriggling, spraying of products, rubbing-in of creams and general nocturnal comings-and-goings. (Oh yeah, there's also the constant weeing, as babies love using bladders as cushions.)

I have to go to hospital three times a week, for monitoring and tests. As I progressively feel worse, they threaten progressively harder to throw me in the labour ward to be monitored until I'm ready to birth; a scenario that I am naturally keen to avoid. (As lovely as the midwives are, I'll take my perfectly calibrated home comforts and fridge access, please! Don't make me go to the labour ward!)

But. BUT! Of course it is not all bad. We get more and more excited as the due date gets closer. We had a scan at the weekend and saw a blinking eye. Another scan showed him asleep, with one hand resting on top of his head, just like his dad. We've got a huge chest full of neatly-folded onesies, mittens and bear suits, waiting for his arrival. The Bugaboo – yeah, cliché – is nestled in the corner, ready for action. I'm more excited than I have been since Christmas as a kid. Or, maybe since my first trip to New York.

I'm just amazed at the shift between where I am now and my attitude before. So yeah, if you're on the tube and a pregnant hobbles on, face as grey as the British summer sky and holding on for dear life...you know what to do.

[I'm as big as a house, and probably have about five weeks left, as I will be delivering early due to the itch sitch – it brings an increased risk of still-birth if left to go full-term. I've almost totally given up work now, with just a replacement to find and a hand-over to do. I'm learning to drive, with my test booked about a week before the arrival date! And other than that, I'm planning to do a lot of reading. In bed. Between naps. Currently loving the new Amy Sohn, Motherland- awesome Brooklyn trash-lit. And this Ruth Reichl book, Garlic And Sapphires, about being the New York Times restaurant critic, as recommended on A Cup of Jo.]

Babyproof your bathroom.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 11:51:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post, not written by me but by a babies and bathrooms expert!

When you have a baby, those dim and relaxing bathroom lighting fixtures get switched to their brightest setting, indulgent lotions replaced with no-tears shampoos, and scented candles tossed aside in order to make way for animal-shaped water squirters.

This former peaceful haven will pretty much transform beyond all recognition: from the bathroom storage cabinets you need to hide clutter, to clever products that can help make bath-time fun (for both of you), here’s a rundown on how best to baby-fy your bathroom.

Bathroom safety
You may have socket covers and child gates in other areas of your home, but what do you need to make the bathroom safe for little ones? Apart from the obvious, like putting razors, medicines and cleaning products out of reach, make sure that your child can’t get locked in there without you. Avoid a frantic call to the fire brigade by getting a lock that can be opened from the outside or by disabling the lock altogether.

A non-slip bathmat is an absolute must as soon as soon as your toddler is trying to stand, inflatable tap covers are a great idea to stop inquisitive fingers fiddling with the hot tap and toilet locks can be essential if your child is fascinated by the flush.

You can also buy bath seats for babies – a godsend if you want to give your back a rest from holding them for long periods of time.

Products to make bath-time fun-time
Bath toys have come a long way since the humble rubber duck. These days you can get everything from washable bath crayons, so your child can get creative as well as clean, to bath flutes that play a different note when water is poured into them.

Love this doll's house bathroom!

Apart from toys, there are products out there which make bath-time easier for both of you, too. A cuddle dry towel robe means less fussing when you get them out, while a step will get them at the right height to use the bathroom wall mirror all by themselves, too. And don’t forget a shampoo rinse cup to stop water going into their eyes.

Cath Kidston duck towels

Bathroom storage furniture
With all your new bathroom toys, you need to find a way to store them. A simple bath toy bag, which has suction pads that stick to the tiles is a great (and cheap) idea. To really push the boat out, you can get some fun bath toy holders that scoop the toys out of the bath, drain the water away and store the toys at the same time. Laundry bins can be a great place for toy storage but, if floor space is at a premium, look for something that keeps toys out of reach, like over-the-door storage and hooks for the bathroom or shower door.

All images from John Lewis.com

News!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:44:00 +0000

My Converse poking out from under the bump.

I've got news! Big news! We are expecting a baby! A baby boy, to be precise. Due at the end of October. I'm 23 weeks pregnant and, judging by the belly stares and people rushing to open doors for me, the bump is getting quite big. (Above photo was after lunch at Spuntino last week; I seriously thought my legs were going to buckle.)

It's all starting to feel quite real now: the baby likes Frank Sinatra and kicks when his version of Close To You comes on which is quite cute, when you consider the lyrics. (Ok, I know he doesn't understand the lyrics, just humour me.)

This morning I bought a super-cute little wooden truck from a chazza, which carries colourful little wooden blocks, so apparently I've transferred my vintage clothes hunting to toys. (Barnet's charity shops are AMAZING, 'nother blog post for 'nother day!)

The pregnancy has been quite straightforward, other than severe and weird all-over-body itching which is driving me mad. It's a total voyage of discovery, another day brings another weird symptom. Luckily my baked beans eating phase seems to have passed and now I'm addicted to granola. At least they're healthy cravings. And obviously I have a massive wine craving that is not being indulged.

So, yeah! Any tips for managing baby boys? (I've already heard all about the wee thing.) Oh, and birthing stories welcome. I'm booking into Barnet hospital, practising meditation techniques and having the word 'epidural' tattooed onto my hand. Anything I'm forgetting? Oh yes, names. Thelonious currently top of the list. (Just kidding.) (Or am I?)

Let the pregnancy oversharing begin!

Barnet.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Sat, 19 May 2012 16:34:00 +0000

My last tube outta town on moving day morning.

I'm finally getting around to posting! Shameful. Longest blog AWOL ever. We've been really busy but I've just read Jordan Ferney's blog about moving from Paris to San Francisco with two small children whilst renovating a new apartment and I feel slightly ashamed.

Skies! Telegraph poles! It's the country!

We moved in early March, from central London to the very northernmost stop on the Northern Line -- High Barnet. We had been living in Archway, which is super central and kind've inner-city-like. We were in a top floor flat with a noisy neighbour downstairs and it finally drove us to decide that we wanted a house, no more flat-living, so in order to do that we had to move OUT of town.

There is a big field full of horses behind our house.

We first thought about going all out and moving to Kent but decided that might be a bit dramatic, so started looking at the northernmost and southernmost parts of the city. It was kind've stressful as it meant either way we would be moving to a new part of town so each house we considered also meant considering whether we really wanted to live in that area or not.

Not my house but this is the vibe of my street. Sleepy cats on windowsills.

After seeing lots of houses in the south (one of which we put an offer in on but it fell through!) we went for the first house we saw in Barnet. It's a tiny little workers cottage on a lovely street that feels like a seaside town. (We saw the house separately and both thought the same thing.) It's owned by a family who lived in the house for 40 years. We'll get more of a feel for the place then maybe try to buy ourselves. (Although it's a lot more bloomin' expensive around here than I realised! It's a posh little area.)

Awesome creepy house nearby.

So, yes! Two months later and we really feel as though we're settling in. Our road is really quiet, which we're loving after hectic Archway. The neighbours are lovely; they've already donated some garden furniture to us, one of them makes honey, and there's a huge street party happening for the Jubilee.

Tom at the top of the common.

It's got a villagey feel; the nicest local pub is an ancient old coaching inn. There are ponds and a common with a huge hill to stroll up and down. And a nice bakery. But best of all is the tube station that takes you in and out into town as you fancy. Oh, and you can wait for the tube in the sun.

PS: The husbo told me this would be the most boring blog post I've ever written. He might just be right.

Venice.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:55:00 +0000

I haven't posted in so long! I've been reallly busy. Lots to tell and I'll be back to tell it soon. I've missed blogging and am going to get back on it and update more often. In the meantime, here are some pictures from a trip we took to Venice back at the beginning of February.

I've wanted to go to Venice for so long but somehow never made it. We decided we wanted to take a break from life's busy-ness in February and decided it would be the perfect time of year to go to Venice, less touristy. Which it definitely was; we had St Marks Square almost all to ourselves. But it was soooooo cooooooold.

I took this picture of the Santa Maria della Salute from a vaporetto. It looks sunny, but I was freezing to the bone. It was SO COLD. (We later went to a terrible Bach organ recital at the Santa Maria della Salute. Looking back, it was almost surreal, listening to terribly played Bach being tapped out with little consideration for rhythm or pace by the no doubt ancient head organist, whilst staring at a beautiful painting of the Madonna in a freezing church.)

These fur-clad Venetian ladies had the right idea. The Venetian winter look is sable coats and hats worn with shiny black leather boots. Lots of red lipstick.

Well, fur for the older ladies anyway. This girl stalked past, the picture of perfect elegance in her burgundy belted coat.

I loved the pale blue of the lagoon. It was so calming to always be near water; at night in bed you could imagine the water all around you, so relaxing. I kept having urges to swim in it, but it's the city's very own in-built sewage system. Although apparently Byron used to swim up and down the Grand Canal.

We visited lots of churches, all stuffed full of art; sinister dark paintings, byzantine Madonnas, incredible mosaics.

This was the ceiling in Florian, possibly the world's most expensive coffee shop. That tiny cappucino was €9, I think? Apparently this used to be a society brothel, with Casanova and his friends bawdying around upstairs.

I wish I'd brought some vintage Murano glass back home with me. Preferable a large chandelier of dangling raspberries, but these glass fruit would do.

It's such a funny city of winding backstreets. The main thoroughfares are obviously waterways, with the narrow streets off the canals just a complete tangle. You find yourself in a permanent state of being lost. We found our favourite restaurant down a really insalubrious looking alley. Ca'D'Oro, a proper Venetian osteria. I still think about the polpette, gamey meatballs coated in crispy breadcrumbs. Everyone kept re-ordering more polpette, including us.

We went to listen to some opera in an old crumbling palazzo. It was a great way to admire an original interior, really intimate. It was really special to hear the singers up close and unamplified – it felt as though we were taking part in an ancient Italian tradition. Although, guys, €50 per ticket, you could throw in a free glass of prosecco. We were GASPING. (Especially when one of the opera singers started waving a frosty fluteful around as she sang.) [More details at Musica a Palazzo.]

Venetian decor is fantastically overwrought. This was the bedroom ceiling in the palazzo where the opera was staged.

Me posing in our apartment, which was also all ornate plaster and tarnished mirrors.

One night we meant to go out but instead accidentally got stuck into a 1.5 litre bottle of wine we'd bought for €3.20 from a local shop that sold wine by the barrelful. It was REALLY nice. €3.20. I hate England, sometimes.

On our last day there carnevale started. The perfect time to leave. We availed ourselves of too many of the traditional carnevale cakes: fritelle, zabaglione filled puff pastries. I still feel sick when I think about them.

It was great to visit an empty Venice in the winter months. (It snowed! Really romantic.) But it was absolutely freezing. And I bet it would be lovely in the summer to sit outside in the sunshine, in a quiet piazza, drinking wine and watching passersby. Apparently it smells in the summer, though. And is unbearably busy. I don't know. I can't help you. I think winter might be best.

January amusements.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:04:00 +0000

How's your January going? I'm having a super quiet one, trying to be healthy and working lots, sometimes in my new local cafe, bread and bean. Really nice coffee and cakes, tea served in pots with proper china, free wi-fi, comfy seats, friendly peeps, cloth hand-towels in the bathroom…it's seriously good vibes! Highly recommend, if you're in otherwise drab Archway.

I've been doing a bit of reading. I've been meaning to read Alice Munro for a while, after hearing so many superlatives about her. Too Much Happiness is a collection of short stories; I was gasping and wide-eyed by about the third page! I love Margaret Drabble's dry and clever writing. The Radiant Way is a novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s, almost a sociological study of the decade. Interesting. Restoration is my bookclub book this month. I'd never normally pick this book up (the beauty of book clubs!) but I'm loving the character of Merivel! Next to read, this Isabel Allende novel I picked up in a chazza. I can be a bit narrow in my reading, I tend to stick with British or North American authors, so I thought I'd go South American for a change. Seems to be all about the ladies in my reading at the moment.

I've been doing some thrifty and healthy cooking! I mentioned in my last post that I love Pinterest: one of the things I'm really enjoying about it is food inspiration. I get in a food rut really quickly and end up eating the same thing over and over again. But on Pinterest there are so many tasty-looking food pictures it's easy to get inspired; I've eaten two Pinterest-inspired meals in the last week, including this yum and pretty meal. I love the tumblr the picture came from, as well. (Another bonus: you find new blogs.)

Did anyone watch Sicily Unpacked? A three part series featuring Giorgio Locatelli (swoon + yum) and Andrew Graham-Dixon (chin rub), investigating the food and art of Sicily. Perfect for dreaming of summer days surrounded by mediterranean blue. It's available for a few more days on iPlayer.

Oh, and I love this tune by Django Django. You can buy it here.

That, as they say, is me. What you all been up to?

bread and bean picture credit

The Booking Office – St Pancras International.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:26:00 +0000

I just can't get over my love for the new St Pancras station. (St Pancras International, if you will). About ten years ago, when the hotel was disused and in a state of decay, I volunteered as a guide over the Open House weekend. After hours, I was lucky enough to get a torchlit tour of the dark hotel; chilly long hallways, cobwebbed rooms of fading gilt and tarnished mirrors. It was eerie, the ghosts almost palpable along the grand corridors.

We were told that back in the 1960s, the building narrowly escaped demolition; apparently the problems of updating the hotel to accommodate modern luxuries such as running water in each room were insurmountable. The notion that this glorious building could be just another London ghost, replaced by rat-coloured concrete box-buildings like those down the street at Euston, makes visiting the glorious, painstakingly restored hotel and station all the more sweet.

I needed a place to catch up with a friend as she passed through Euston last weekend, so we grabbed the chance to admire St Panks. After a quick cup of tea and slice of Victoria sponge at Peyton & Byrne (7/10, nice cake but paper cups?), Jenny said she'd been told about an amazing bar in the old booking office. We traipsed off to find it and thank goodness we did!

Greeted by a friendly doorman, we were ushered in. It is a hugely ornate, grandly arched space, with bare stone walls and a high iron vaulted ceiling. An old station clock hangs on one wall, on another, oversized leaded lattice windows look out onto the platform. You can peek down the grand hotel hallways and into the lobby of the hotel; you can't help but stand a little straighter as the formal opulence rubs off. (Although sadly I was wearing my sunday best Converse and day after hairwash hair. Must go back in a frock soon.)

But back to the bar. Huge, low-hung simple chandeliers and oversized plush furniture help fill the space and keep it cosy. Sitting in a bare stone room of that scale should make you shiver, but not at all; the atmosphere was warm and luxurious. Jenny is a cocktail girl, so we went straight to the cocktail list. They were Victorian themed, perfectly calibrated to the surroundings. She settled for a warm arrack punch which smelled deliciously aromatic from where I was sitting. I had an orange juice and blood tonic soda which was satisfactorily sour.

The staff were lovely and friendly and even visiting the loos was a luxurious treat; you get to stroll down one of the hotel corridors, and freshen up in opulent style.

I had to tear myself away from the place and can't wait to go back for a longer visit. I was disappointed when I tried out the champagne bar when the station first reopened: I'd been looking forward to a Brief Encounter romantic low-lit and dark wood station rendezvous spot, but the reality is a chilly, modern bar next to the platforms. The Booking Office more than fits the romantic, cosy station bill.

Remember it's here if you need somewhere to meet in the area; there are snacks and a proper dinner menu of posh, comforty stuff. Or pay a special visit just to experience this stunning revitalised station. I can even find it in me to love the huge Olympic rings, hanging high above the platforms!

[I think I told Twitter a while back that a friend of a friend who lives in one of the apartments in the old hotel told me she can order cocktails from the bar in the hotel to her flat. The only thing that stops me actually dying of jealousy is that she also gets woken up at 7am by platform announcements. But still – the glamour!]

Picture credit 1 2

Happy 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Happy New Year! I can't even believe it's 2012. Such a banal thing to say but I really can't. Last year was a hectic one for me; I moved house three times (!), got together with my husband, and got married in New York. We spent our first Christmas at home in London, which was complete heaven, and did a round trip to visit all of our family in Yorkshire. (Most of T's family live up there too.) I hope you all had a fantastic break and are several pounds heavier, like me!

I don't really do formal resolutions at New Year and at the moment am trying to work out some really big decisions with T, so I don't need to pile any more pressure on myself! We're thinking hard about leaving London; both of us have lived here for years and years, and we'd like to live in a house, not a flat. We both want some absolute peace and quiet for a while, and that's not generally something you find in this crazy city. (Just before Christmas, a cannabis factory was discovered in the house next door! And we won't go into my crazy downstairs neighbour.)

So we're thinking REALLY hard about where we might move to. Tom's work is west London based, mine can be more remote. And, I'd like to be near enough to take advantage of everything in the city still and see all my friends! We have been thinking about Canterbury, where Tom grew up, and 8 miles away from Whitstable (aka London-on-Sea). The houses are stunning there, and it would certainly be quieter. But we're still not sure. Any ideas for somewhere close to London, with good travel links, or on the outskirts, where it is quiet and property isn't prohibitively expensive?

Other than working out the Big Plan, I would like to continue doing interesting, challenging work; at the moment I am doing some social media and community management for an online mentoring site, horsesmouth, where people sign up to help others – a brilliant idea.

I'd also love to try watercolour painting, like an Edwardian lady. I've got a sudden lust to learn more about fine art, something I've always been a little bit ignorant about. I'm dying to go and check out the Turners at Tate Britain (shamefully I've never been), and fancy a bit of a splosh around myself. Tell me all the other arty must-sees in London I have to check out before I – potentially – leave town!

Oh, and I've started Pinteresting. I'm immediately completely addicted; I usually just save images I like from the web on to my desktop so this is a welcome way for me to file images. Plus I get to nosy at what everyone else is looking at. Add me if you're on there, and I'll start spying on you too.

So, wishing you all a very happy 2012! May it be kind to us all. And I hope the Olympics aren't too annoying. Hehe.

(The image above is Turner's Sun Setting On A Lake. Which I'm sure you all knew, as you're not philistines like me.)

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Merry Christmas! I hope you're all having a blissful break. We're spending Christmas at home in London; eating chocolates, drinking mimosas – the perfect all day tipple – and watching films. (Best film so far, An Affair To Remember; how classy is Deborah Kerr? How strange is that storyline? And how cornball is Cary Grant? Plus he looks as though he's been creosoted.)

Talking of cornball chaps, check out these two. The guy on the right is called Red, and he was the bell captain at The Sands hotel in Vegas; this was their Christmas party in 1958. The guy on the left has got game-on eyes to spare!

Merry Christmas!

(Picture courtesy of the AWESOME roadside pictures.)

Clinique lid smoothies.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:36:00 +0000

I've been meaning to write about Clinique lid smoothies for, like, ever! (Well, since they came out in November.) I have naturally dry skin so am always attracted to cream formulations for eyes and cheeks, especially in winter months when skin is dry enough without added powders, for that Barbara Cartland effect. There's also a really clever ceramic applicator incorporated in the tube, to cool and soothe the eye as you apply. (Clinique seem to be on a roll with their innovative applicators recently, I'm a fan.)

They are definitely a keeper! The marketing claim is that they are, 'long wearing, cream shadows that deliver crease-resistant colour that stays put for eight hours'. The colours do indeed stay on the lid and resist creasing (and I have deep set eyes that are particularly prone to this). The applicator is really soothing to the lid but not perfect for smoothing out the colour; I need to use my finger to blend.

The range of colours includes muted natural and berry shades; I like Seventh Heather and Salt and Pepper for day (a warm putty and steely grey, respectively); and Lick-Orice for night (a midnighty blue-grey, which looks really good as a smoky eye base).

Definitely a great gift-to-self or stocking filler for a friend (or girlfriend, progressive mens). £17 from a Clinique counter near you or here.

Stowells Light – sponsored post

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:53:00 +0000

For those of us who like to enjoy a drink or two over the festive season, getting the balance right can sometimes be a challenge. If you are anything like me, your first Christmas morning tipple is at 11am, and continues merrily through to New Year's Day.

The worst crimes seem to happen on Christmas morning. One year, me and my mother were so busy tackling a bottle of plum wine, we forgot to switch the oven on. Another time, we greedily snaffled an expensive bottle of champagne between us, whilst everyone else was out for a walk.

So, the new Stowells Light range, with reduced alcohol and calorie content, could be an absolute godsend. The wines contain just 60 calories for a 125ml glass; about a third less than a typical glass of wine.

Stowells have a 130 year pedigree as wine merchants and, in creating Stowells Light, they have selected good quality base wines and used an innovative alcohol reduction process to retain flavour but reduce calories and take the alcohol content down to just 5.5%.

The range includes a white and rosé option. The white is a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and is very fruity, with a balance of acidity and sweetness – great on its own or with fish. The rosé is a youthful pink Shiraz, full of juicy strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit flavours. Perfect with salads, as part of a healthier New Year routine.

If, like me, you're cutting back for the New Year, this could the perfect way to still enjoy a tipple. Plenty of flavour but with a reduction in the bad stuff. I bet these would be great mixed with soda water, as well. Moderation is key after all. Chin chin!

Image with thanks to mjkjr

Paris!

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Back in September,* I was lucky enough to get whisked away to Paris, to celebrate the collaboration of Paco Rabanne Black XS with bands such as Kaiser Chiefs, CSS and Interpol. The project is called Be A Rockstar, so the mission of our trip was to be treated as rockstars. In Paris. The kind of mission I can enthusiastically get behind!

On the day of the trip we had a car pick us up and whisk us to the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras. (I absolutely love travelling from St Pancras**; the renovation of the station and hotel is stunning, and there's great food and shopping to be had on the concourse, I like Sourced Market for great coffee, pastries, and locally sourced organic bits. It's fairly priced, too.)

Before we knew it we were in a taxi zipping through the streets of Paris to Mama Shelter – of course! Where else would a rockstar stay in Paris? The hotel is Philippe Starck designed and very cool. Designed to party, really. Which we did! Love that the hotel overlooks a graffitied train track. Très urban.

But first of all I had a little look around the local area. Mama Shelter is right next to the Père-Lachaise cemetery – perfect for communing with dead rockstars.

I found a sweet little street nearby, Rue St Blaise, which was full of galleries and restaurants. Perfect if you don't feel like venturing far from the hotel.

Back to the room for a chill – they had me at Kiehl's products.

Then out on the town. Loved the mirrored hallways, with a scribbled note about the coolest local thing to go to that day; a Keith Haring exhibition, wish I could've popped along.

A quick Hemingway daiquiri in the bar. (How I prefer to view life, across the top of a cocktail glass.)

My and partner in crime Isabelle OC's clunky matching rockstar shoeboots.

Stage diving Iso. The venue for the event was the historic Parisian venue La Maroquinerie. It was fascinating getting a behind-the-scenes peek at the theatre. We hung out in the dressing rooms for a bit, observing the interesting grafitti.

Back to the hotel for a late night pizza and more beer.

The next day, after a predictably delicious breakfast at Mama Shelter, we were all completely bleary-eyed but bundled off in our cars to L'Espace Payot, a luxury day spa just off the Champs-Élysées. It felt extremely decadent to be right in the centre of Paris, whiling away the morning having a massage and soaking in a hot tub. Whilst sipping lemon infused water from my lounger I observed a very smart Parisian lady with perfectly preserved coiffure having a water aerobics class. Très chic, I want to grow up to be that lady. Afterwards I nipped off to say a quick hello to La Tour Eiffel, just around the corner.

All in all it was a blissful trip. I'm planning to return to Paris and relax into my trip by having a morning at L'Espace Payot. Also on my list for next time: try the hot chocolate at Angelina (Coco Chanel's favourite!).

* before getting whisked up into wedding and moving house, hency crazy posting time delay!

** a friend of mine lives in the apartment building at St Pancras and she can order cocktails on room service at the hotel to her flat. Living the dream, or what?

Thanks so much to to Be A Rockstar. Check out their site for exclusive footage of CSS, Kaiser Chiefs, Two Door Cinema Club, Cold War Kids.

Picture credits with thanks: St Pancras, Mama Shelter, Pizzeria

Innocent - the big knit.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:14:00 +0000

Got one of the little Innocent smoothies hats sitting on your desk? G'waan – take a picture of it and upload it to Facebook. It takes 2 minutes and every time you upload you donate 10p to Age UK, as well as being in with the chance of winning £500 worth of Amazon vouchers. Click here to upload. You've got until Friday (2 December) to take part! And, 10p might not sound like a lot, but pennies make pounds, as my grandma used to say...

Recent pictures.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:26:00 +0000

I haven't done one of these posts for ages: random pictures from my iPhone. Spans the summer, getting married, moving house...I can't believe it's nearly December. Thank goodness it has been really bright in London since the summer; it has made the onslaught of winter much more pleasurable. I'm definitely a summer person. Seeing these sunny pictures is making me feel quite sad; anyone got a lightbox I can borrow?

Parliament Hill Lido just after closing time.

Wedding photos outside The Trafalgar in Greenwich.

Ladies Day at York Races.

Train station in York. I'd been visiting my mum to steal all her jewellery for my 'something borrowed'.

From York to New York. The sunset that greeted us back in September. (Sigh.)

Pictures from a bike ride along the Thames Path between Greenwich and Woolwich.

London, from Greenwich Park.

Honky tonk pianna at the best pub in London, aka The Southampton Arms.

Dungeness by night.

Dungeness.

Tatou the dog and me, at Kenwood.

Isabelle's Cookie Monster cupcakes.

Moving day celebration at The Spaghetti House. (Must blog about this place.)

Sneak peek of new flat. Must blog about this place too! When it's all sorted. Still need shelves.

Hoops the cat. Last weekend.

Penny Dreadful Vintage.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Penny Dreadful Vintage is an online vintage shop unfailingly stocked with desirable high-end pieces. It's particularly on fire at the moment; Penny has been hard at work sourcing and updating the site. These coats would all be great sensible seasonal buys – and bargains, compared to buying a winter coat on the high street. She also does a mean line in cocktail dresses and unique pieces you never knew you wanted. Buying vintage clothes online made simple.

1. Striped wool poncho. Straight out of the 1970s, how fun are these colours? This would be so cute for a walk on the heath.

2. 1960s cream mohair coat with woven buttons. How luxurious, go-with-anything and winter-wonderland is this? Answer: VERY. Reminds me of something Rosamund Pike's character might have worn in An Education.

3. Shearling coat with mouton collar. How warm would this be? Just a gorgeous coat and so modern looking.

4. Wool mohair plaid belted coat. So au courant with that check and belted styles are always so flattering. And comforting to wrap around you on a cold winter's morn.

Winter whites and sparkles.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:52:00 +0000

It must be the double trouble Gemini in me that's loving this curious mix of garish sparkles and minimal whites. These are a few of my current favourite things.

1) I've seen this OPI polish on some fashionable fingers recently. It's as mad as a hatter but festive and fun. OPI - The Rainbow Connection.

2) Cos city charm bracelet. Buildings, a lady walking a dog, trams and cars; all dangling from your wrist.

3) Can't stop thinking about this Alexander Wang Diego bag. It's just so perfect. Thick studded pebbled black leather. Buy me it from Selfridges.

4) I tried on these Repetto shoes but the price tag was problematic to me. They are truly beautiful; softest goatskin with a low wooden heel, as worn by Serge Gainsbourg. I found similars in American Apparel; still expensive but still great quality. (And I had a giftcard, yay.)

5) Inspired by this picture. Is it Sally Singer? I love her watch. Good old fashioned Timex.

6) Sparkling gold sequins. This Zara clutch has got to be the perfect way to ward off the gloomy November Monday blues.

Beverley bonfire night.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:35:00 +0000

I went to my home town of Beverley over the weekend, to visit the fam. Happily, it was bonfire night, so we could go to see the bonfire and fireworks on the old Westwood. I've not been for years, ever since my mum's straw bag caught fire from a stray ember. A day of happy chazza shopping (only purchase was a book of Joan Baez's Christmas songs) was followed by a drink at Nellies.

Then back home to change into wellies. Borrowed of course, these city folk would've just gone along in our Converse. (Which would've been a massive fail. I was up to my calves in a mixture of mud and cow pat at one point.)

The narrow roads up to the Westwood were absolutely mobbed with welly-wearing townsfolk, trudging up for the display.

The bonfire was huge. The crowd got all excited when it was lit, but excitement gave way to a lull as everyone became transfixed by the flames.

Then the fireworks. I generally hate things that go bang, but they were at a safe distance. There were some groovy twirly ones, some that sort of sang a tune (really, it was weird) and then the big starburst ones that look as though they're coming towards you. Totally pretended I was in a scene from Melancholia. (Have you seen it? I loved it, personally. That final scene had the cinema in a stunned silence as the credits rolled!)

We walked the smoke out of our lungs the next day with a walk up to the Black Mill; a mill on the Westwood that everyone walks towards hypnotically.

We had such a nice weekend that I can't stop looking at houses for sale up in Beverley. This lovely 3 bedroom house costs £145,000, and overlooks a green and a church. I grew up right around the corner. So tempting, after years of London flat living...

Booking an airbnb apartment: our experience.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:42:00 +0000

I wanted to tell you about our experience of booking and staying in an airbnb apartment whilst we were in New York. Because it was absolutely awesome! I have done apartment swapping in the past, with amazing results. (I stayed on a private island in Miami!) So when we were looking for accommodation in New York, we decided to do a similar thing. With airbnb you actually book to stay in someone's private apartment. It works out so much cheaper than booking a hotel and, in my experience, staying in a spacious apartment is usually a much nicer and more interesting experience than staying in a hotel. (I've apartment swapped in NYC before as well and it was also a winner.)

As we were planning to get married in an out-of-the-way part of Brooklyn, so we thought it would be great if we could stay in the area, and we totally lucked out. I found this loft apartment right in the neighbourhood which was absolutely gorgeous. And, at about £100 per night, much cheaper than a New York hotel. Here are some pictures. Unbelievably, I managed to take very few of the loft. (There are a couple in my post about our wedding, I think.)

To my mind, a hotel could never match up to the experience we had there. It was a huge loft owned by a gallery director, filled with artefacts, photographs, books... even the light fittings were gorgeous. I got ready to get married using the theatrical lightbulb vanity mirror in the bathroom. (Well, I had to fight my friend Jenny for mirror access.) (Can't believe I didn't take any pictures!)

There was a kitchen with everything you might need (and it was all lovely stuff) which you obviously wouldn't get in a hotel. A huge dining area, a living space full of interesting books, and even a film projector.

The building itself was incredible, an old factory converted into lofts. The hallways and doorways and everything else about it were solid brick and over-sized. Again, like a wally, I managed to take no pictures. (I'm secretly happy about that though, because I was just enjoying it, as opposed to feeling the need to record everything.)

I also have to say, we nearly booked this place in Willamsburg before finding our Red Hook place and the host was so helpful and lovely; definitely check this place out if you want somewhere more central in Brooklyn.

To summarise: I can't recommend airbnb enough. You get better value for your money and stay in more interesting neighbourhoods. You can get a rough idea of whether the host is going to be reliable through their reviews. They also link their page to their Facebook and Twitter accounts, so you can sort of see whether they're a real person. I personally had a great experience and say go for it.

EDITED: Just had lunch with a friend who asked me a couple of questions after seeing this post. We didn't share the apartment with the host, he was away, hence him renting it out. Some apartments you do rent with the owner occupying, it is all detailed on the airbnb profile of the property. We picked up our keys at a neighbourhood bar, which was super handy. As soon as you book the apartment you get your host's email address and phone number and then just work out all the arrangements.

New York Trip, part 2.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:23:00 +0000

I've been so busy since I got back from NYC. In the last three weeks I've had a lethal mix of jet lag, a heavy cold, the sudden need to search for a flat and then moving house AGAIN. (More on this later.) I'm so behind on things I want to post about, so I'm just going to post up the rest of my New York pictures (Tom and I must've taken 1500 between us) then get back to business.

The day before the wedding we went scouting around Red Hook for a place to hold the ceremony. I love that neighbourhood! In a big old warehouse there was a place that looked like somebody's garage which was advertising key lime pie for sale; Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies. I asked Steve what kind of pies he sold. Silly question. 'Key lime pie.' Although they also sell key lime pie frozen, dipped in chocolate and on a stick; apparently it's called a swingle. Read about it here.

Loved this cheeky cat making none too discreet advances on my pie.

Just after pie the sky totally changed.

Post wedding day hangover.

I love the diner scene in the background!

Then uptown!

Obligatory picture of Bergdorf's window. There was a sensational fur coat – I wouldn't buy fur, even if I had the money – costing about $11,000. You can just see in the picture a glamorous blonde lady; she had a lap dog in her extremely handbag and looked as though she did have the money to buy it and was all like, 'Amazing, huh.' Before looking me up and down and walking off.

A massively essential lie-down in Central Park in the afternoon. So lush!

In my hungover state, this view of the lake looked like a mirage as we turned the corner and saw it spread out in front of us.

Brooklyn wanderings. Love this little cafe bar, Moto. It's probably a bit too hipster for its own good but it's decorated in really beautifully restored 1920s style and has lovely old-timey live music on in the evenings. Brooklyn is going through such a 1920s revival at the moment.

Mexico 2000 is in the same neighbhourhood, a few tables set up at the back of a bodega. It's the best mexican food I've ever had.

We went to Williamsburg just to have a poke around and caught the new East River ferry straight outta there, which was handy. I'm being a total hipster snob in this post, it seems. Dunno why, it takes one to know one.

Loved the Cobble Hill area of Brooklyn. Henry Street was such a sweet little neighbourhood street.

Coney had to be done. I don't know why I never learn about Nathan's hot dogs. They're disgusting. But my eyes are bigger than my belly, as my Grandma used to say.

The weather was lovely so it was nice to have an unexpected beach day. And there's just something so special about Coney, deserted when we went but redolent of generation upon generation of couples on dates.

Then back to Cobble Hill where we saw Drive at a cute old-fashioned cinema. (Loved Drive. Mean-faced hottie Ryan Gosling driving around LA. Didn't get Carey Mulligan in that role, though.)

This was the sign of a vintage shop called A Little Wicked in the lower East side and I have to say, it was full of awesome. You can buy online on their website. I was trying to be good but I regret several things that I didn't buy there!

Kinda love this picture of me crossing the street. (Narcissistic, yeah, that's why I've got a blog.)

How awesome is The High Line? Hanging out above the streets of downtown Manhattan, planted with scented shrubs, flowers, water features to splash in, recliners overlooking the Hudson river... such an oasis.

On a moody walk around rainy Tribeca on our final day, I stuck my head into the foyer of an old deco apartment building. How awesome is this light shade?

And our last sunset in NYC. I hate that feeling in airports when you just know you're on borrowed time.

New York trip.

noreply@blogger.com (Caroline, No.) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:45:00 +0000

I finally got around to sorting through the pictures of our New York trip. These are from the first couple of days. I've never seen NYC look as grim as when we arrived. It was really grey and rainy but I'd insisted we catch the bus to Manhattan from JFK instead of catching a taxi straight to Brooklyn; I really love the first glimpse of the city as you approach from the airport.

Unfortunately, we got stuck in really heavy traffic in the rain on a bus playing two types of really bad, tinny music. I nearly had a meltdown. Then when we arrived in NYC, it was just grim, grey and we couldn't get a cab outside Grand Central. When we did catch a cab, to take us to the ferry terminal for the ferry to Red Hook where we were staying, we drove through the grimmest part of town, under the bridges and next to the fish market.

But ne'ermind! As soon as we got on the ferry over to Red Hook, an amazing sunset broke through the clouds.

Red Hook is an industrial port area of Brooklyn, with overhead cables and wide streets that make it feel a million miles away from Manhattan. And the sunset that greeted us was absolutely stunning.

We had to get up early the next day to go to pick up our marriage license. We only had one day to do it as we arrived late on Thursday and were getting married on Sunday and we had been warned that it would be busy due to the same-sex marriage legislation.

We decided to go to Brooklyn Municipal Hall instead of Manhattan City hall; a less glamorous option, but we didn't want to mess around. Jet lag helped us, so we were almost first in the queue at 8:30am. (There were some eager beavers ahead of us though!) It was really exciting, going through the forms with the registrar. Both of us had been slightly worried that something was bound to go wrong.

But as it turned out, we had got our license and finished breakfast by 9:30am, so we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan.

We wandered around Ground Zero, where I was surprised that the 9/11 memorial isn't actually freely accessed by the public, but all fenced off out of sight. Then, up West Broadway – my favourite street in Manhattan, because I stayed there on my first visit – and through Chinatown down Canal Street.

Then into Little Italy, where the San Gennaro festival happened to be taking place. It was artery-busting food heaven. Unfortunately (or fortunately) we were still full from breakfast. Cannolis, pickles, funnel cakes, sandwiches laden with any meat you could think of...it was pretty intense.

We had a wander around the West Village and a blissful lie-down in Washington Square Park, where a full jazz band were playing. (They even played one of our songs. Ahhh.)

We were jetlagged and pretty knackered, so we caught the subway back to Brooklyn. Cobble Hill, a neighbourhood close to where we were staying, was ridiculously cutesy. This is a Brooklyn Bridge tableau, built around a tree.

One street had been dressed up to look 1950s, and they were shooting a new TV series called Pan Am, a Mad Men spin-off.

Then dinner at Prime Meats, a restaurant that the hipster foodies rave about but which I actually found quite lame. (Gorgeous corn chowder, but corn is my favourite foodstuff. A massive fail of a main course, two giant wurst with a plateful of sauerkraut does not an interesting meal make. Plus Tom's burger was ridiculously rare. And the service was crap; disinterested diva city. Don't bother.)