A couple of weeks ago I went up to Chicago for the weekend. I stayed at the Public Hotel, which had dreamy all white interiors and was located just a short walk from the water. As you might expect, the weather in Chicago this time of the year is absolutely freezing.
En Soie, Zurich
Portugal
Recently, I headed over to Portugal for a little holiday. It was my first time in the country and I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Our first stop was Lisbon where we stayed at the Heritage Avenida Liberdade Hotel. It's located right in the center of town on a street lined with lots of luxury shops (perfect for browsing on a lazy afternoon).
Nolita
I took a taxi from JFK to Manhattan, all the while fearing for my life, and landed in the lobby of the über cool Nolitan Hotel. After checking in, I was asked if I'd like a glass of champagne - to which I replied, 'YESSSS.'
Apsleys
Usually when I go to London I stay in the same place (Covent Garden) and eat at the same place (Byron). So, I thought maybe it was about time that I branch out a bit and try something different. You know, maybe venture east and take on the London Overground (I always thought it was the black hole of death but it turns out it's not so bad). This new adventure brought me to Dalston where I rested my head at the Avo Hotel. This unpretentious little gem was established in 2011, before which it was a post office, and is spread out over three floors. The rooms are compact and offer everything you could need, including dreamy views over the city's most iconic buildings. The best bit though has got to be the rainfall shower - I never wanted to step out of it. The walls are decked out in photographs by local artists and you can borrow DVD's for the hotel's ample collection. Most boutique hotels come with a hefty price tag but this isn't so with the Avo Hotel. Rooms start at just £79, so if you're looking for a well priced place to stay in London... well, look no further.
While in town I had the absolute joy of trying out Apsleys, a Heinz Beck restaurant that boasts its own Michelin Star. It's located at the grand Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge and was well worth the trek across town. We had a (wait for it) seven course menu with wine for each chosen by the sommelier. To say we rolled out would be an understatement. You'd expect, with so many courses, for each to be tiny but this wasn't the case at all. Go to Apsleys and order the Carbonara Fagotelli, it will literally blow your mind. Each little piece of pasta is filled with a liquid concoction that oozes out as soon as you bite into it. When you receive it the waiter warms you against cutting each piece open with your knife because the contents will spill out. Instead, pop it into your mouth as one piece and enjoy as it bursts open. So delicious. I would go back simply for that single course alone, although all the others were delicious as well.
Nice, France
When I was in France I spent one day in Nice. The old town is beautiful with loads of winding little roads to explore. In the morning we hung out at the market - there were tons of flowers plus lots of food and paintings. One of my favourite parts of the city was seeing all the clothes hanging outside people's windows to dry.
France
Although leather baseball hats are currently all the rage, I'd just like to say that are actually really stupid. If it's hot the last thing you want to wear is a black freaking leather hat... when I stood in the sun my head was boiling. England, this trend was made for you.
Disneyland, Paris
Cover me in bubble wrap and stick me in a box… I want to be shipped back to Disney. Some people like to launch into a philosophical discussion at the mere mention of Disney’s descent onto Europe. Would France have been a better place had Mickey and his theme park stuck to the sunny shores of the US?
Teacup Postcard
I will never get too old for the teacups or for Disney. On my first day of Kindergarten I insisted on wearing a Minnie Mouse costume to school, complete with matching ears. For some reason my parents thought this behavior was permissible. I'm glad they did.
Pilatus, Switzerland
This weekend I ran off to Lucern and spent half an hour in a cable car going up to Pilatus. I'm not normally phased by heights but it felt a little unnatural being up that high. Standing on the edge looking down, with nothing but a rickety old wooden railing standing between me and and a 7,000ft drop, was enough to get my legs shaking and my tummy feeling a little queasy.
Fielding Hotel, London
uring fashion week I got to stay at the Fielding Hotel for a week. It's tucked away between Drury Lane and Bow Street on a pedestrian only road called Broad Court. As far as central London goes, you couldn't ask for a more ideal location - it's right in the center of Covent Garden. It was perfect for fashion week and put me smack-dab in the middle of all the shows.
eBay in Stockholm
Last week I was invited out to Stockholm for eBay's autumn/winter advertising shoot. Yeah, I was surprised at first too... eBay do advertising shoots?
Rough Luxe
'A little bit of luxury in a rough part of London. A little bit of rough in a luxurious London.' The Rough Luxe Hotel, situated near St Pancras station, is an absolute gem. Not only are the rooms immaculate and enchanting, the overall experience will make you question how you think about hotels.
Keystone Crescent
Spending a week in London with LA photographer Laurel Dailey was absolute bliss. We met last year on a little project for Quiksilver and she kindly made the trip back out to the UK to shoot my friend's wedding. We discovered this little gem of a street, called Keystone Crescent, thanks to a midnight stroll with our wonderful host Leo from the Rough Luxe.
Gramercy Park
Stepping inside the Gramercy Park Hotel is akin to being transported to an entirely separate world. A world dissimilar to ones own, where all is still and grand yet rooted in a Bohemian subculture that harks back to years past. It's as if you're Alice and you've just tumbled down the rabbit hole.