MSH Backup

A few weeks ago, fully equipped with a week off of work (hurrah!) and some sunny weather in prospect, I made a trip down to the glorious Hampshire countryside- more specifically, for a visit to Marwell Zoo. It's a destination which I visited so much as a child, so is a place which holds some very special memories- not least one of seeing a giraffe being born with my nanny and granddad at the age of about 6 (perhaps the reason why I've always been so fascinated by animals!) These days I don't get to visit as often as I would like to, so having the chance to explore again as an adult was long overdue: Set in 140 acres of sprawling, wide open space, this visit was the perfect antidote to the stress of the city- and having the chance to see some of my favourite animals was an opportunity which was wonderfully welcome too. I'll never cease to be amazed at the majestic beauty of giraffes, or their ferociously inquisitive natures.  Likewise, the imposing power of the tiger (es...

With everything in full bloom in the garden at the moment, I've not only been inspired to start arranging vases upon vases of fresh blooms all over the house, but have also been having a rummage through some of my favourite botanical beauty buys. These are real treasures of mine- some of which I use on a daily basis, and some of which are usually deployed across the summer months, in an attempt to try and combat some heat-induced horrors (last week, I'm looking at you...!)  The Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash from Kiehl's is a product which I've been using since the start of the year (in tandem with the toner from the same range), and it's made such a noticeable difference to my skin that I'm convinced it's a product which I'll be repurchasing for life! The anti-inflammatory properties of Calendula have really worked wonders in terms of reducing redness and the number of breakouts which I find myself having- so a massive thumbs up from me! Jur...

As I've mentioned a few times in the past on these pages, I often tend to get stuck into something of a lunchtime rut during the week. It's all too easy to stick to the same sandwiches day after day, and, if you're strapped for time, it's often pretty tricky to proactively make time to enjoy lunch. Having said that, however, now that summer seems to be well and truly with us, I've been determined to explore some new lunchtime haunts, and recently made it along to a destination which I've been eager to try out for absolutely ages: Nestled neatly in the heart of Neal's Yard, 26 Grains has become something of a Covent Garden go-to since it opened last year, and I can't quite believe it's taken me this long to make it along! Offering lots of wholesome and healthy options, it's a small but perfectly formed destination for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering an array of freshly prepared dishes, whether you're after something on the go or to enjoy...

Final post from the South of France ahoy! If I'm being honest, I've collated these holiday style posts in a slightly back to front order, but never mind! This outfit, whilst not the most photogenic or fashion forward, was what I pulled together for the 3.45am alarm and the flight to Marseille, and combines some comfortable essentials which were perfect for a day exploring the city: Tee- Topman Jeans- ASOS  Shoes- New Look  Bag- Oliver Bonas  Sunglasses- Ray-Ban (via John Lewis) Yes, yes, this t-shirt is from Topman- sometimes shopping around takes you in the most unexpected of directions- but anything with some Stevie Nicks sass gets a big thumbs up from me! These relaxed jeans from ASOS have been a real weekend essential for me over the last few months, and proved to be a godsend on this break as they are just so comfortable. New accessories here in the shape of a freshly purchased backpack from Oliver Bonas, and some holiday skate shoes from New Look, which well and tru...

In the ever topsy-turvy world of forward planning and shifting seasons, a couple of weeks ago I found myself meandering my way along to the Cath Kidston AW17 Press Day. As is always the way with these sorts of things, I stepped from a sunny street into an autumn and winter ready wonderland- fully equipped with all of the fashions, homeware and (whisper it!) festive favourites for the coming months: As well as lots of lovely new florals carrying across the fashion offering (perfect for any winter wardrobe!), it was great to see so many eye-catching accessories on display too- from practical cross-body bags, to flower festooned trainers- which I know I'll be snapping up as soon as they arrive in store! Hero home pieces for next season are decidedly feline in theme, with a moggy motif taking pride of place across crockery collections- worth investing in purely for decorative value, don't you think? The Christmas collection is also, as ever, choc-a-bloc with treasures which are per...

With the outset of summer on the horizon, I'm sure I'm not the only one loving the longer evenings, lighter days and warmer weather. For me, one of the loveliest things about seguing between spring and summer is seeing so many of my favourite blooms bursting back into the garden, and spending the evenings watching the sun going down surrounded by so many lovely scents is one of the pursuits which I look forward to the most each year. With that in mind, I've been on the hunt for a new everyday scent which is synonymous with the summertime- I have found one in the shape of a Jo Malone classic: This Peony and Blush Suede Cologne is a fragrance which I've been eager to try for a little while now, and, after treating myself last payday, I can safely say that it's already become a firm favourite. It's lovely and lightweight, so is ideal for spritzing on long summer days, with a delicate floral heart note adding a subtlety complimented by a fruity apple twist. With hin...

As well as spending some time taking in the glorious surroundings of Marseille and Sanary-sur-Mer , our trip to France also afforded us with the opportunity to pay a visit to Hyères; more specifically the spectacular Villa Noailles. Although we'd just missed the annual International Fashion and Photography Festival, some of the displays, exhibitions and installations were still in situ, which made for a lovely Saturday afternoon of exploration:  Set on the spectacular hilltops of  Hyères, Villa Noailles is a modernist marvel which affords some seriously stunning views, as well as housing a bounty of temporary exhibitions. With installations featuring work from Chanel, Pierre Hardy, Tim Walker and Jean Cocteau on display, exploring the house felt very much like a treasure hunt, with a new surprise waiting around each corner as we wound our way through the peony-adorned corridors. Needless to say, exploring such inspiring installations against such a beautiful backdrop proved t...

One of the lovely things about heading off on holiday (or even on a mini break) is having the chance to snap up some different styles. It's been a little while since I headed off anywhere warm for a long weekend, so, in advance of my trip to France, I was keen to shop around for some summer holiday heroes. Luckily, the weather was perfectly obliging, affording plenty of opportunity to showcase a new favourite against a picture-perfect backdrop: Dress- Monki  Sunglasses- Ray-Ban (via John Lewis)  Shoes- Birkenstock  As soon as I spotted this palm print dress from Monki, I snapped it up, as I knew it would be perfect for this trip- especially as it's so lightweight and ideal for the hotter weather. I adore the print too, and it looks wonderfully at home here- amidst the gardens at the Villa Noailles in Hyères, which I'll be posting in full about towards the end of the week. Needless to say, I think that this will be a holiday essential for years to come, but I'm hoping to...

As well as taking in the glorious sights of Marseille and Sanary-sur-Mer , my recent trip to France also provided me with the perfect opportunity to snap up some much sought-after pharmacy favourites. Needless to say, I could have spent a small fortune in Sephora (couldn't we all?!), but am pleased to report that I came home with both some new beauty favourites and some leftover spending money too (which I've naturally stashed away for my next trip..!) Sheet masks have been a real game-changing discovery for me over the last eighteen months or so, and there's always something which feels really luxurious about finding the time to deploy one- especially if you're not planning on terrifying the neighbours in the process! This Tony Moly Seaweed Mask is a Sephora find which I'm yet to use but which I'm hoping to use over the next week or so- the promise of some skin purifying is much needed at the moment! Speaking of Sephora, this colour lip balm in Sweet Coral is ...

As I touched on in my post from Wednesday, having a beach break is a rare treat- and something which, until my trip to France, I hadn't done in a fair few years. Exploring Marseille was something of a whirlwind, so having a more leisurely time to explore Elodie's hometown of Sanary-sur-Mer was most welcome- especially as it's so picture postcard perfect: Our morning stroll along the seafront saw us buy nearly all of the pastries in town, indulging in them in some seriously picturesque surroundings. After a wonderfully windswept walk along the beach, we arrived at the farmer's market in the centre of town, and, needless to say, it had options on offer to satisfy every palette, including strawberries the size of saucers, freshly caught fish, and some of the freshest food you could wish to find. From there, we pottered along the harbour side, stopping off for a suitably seafood themed spot of lunch- a meal which I'm craving to repeat as soon as possible! Meandering thr...