MSH Backup

Regular perusers of these pages will be well aware of the fact that one of my favourite pursuits in life is eating. Whether it's rustling up something at home or visiting a new restaurant, there's always something lovely and relaxing about enjoying something truly tasty- especially when it's something which is for a good cause too. You might remember that I visited Spring at Somerset House for the first time about a year or so ago, shortly after it had opened. Since then, the team there have launched an evening Scratch Menu- a specifically curated selection of dishes made from ingredients which would otherwise not be used- with the aim of drawing attention to how much food is wasted around the world every year...enough to feed over 800 million people! Last week, I was lucky enough to pop along to sample the menu and enjoy the ambiance of this beautiful venue: With the dishes on offer on the Scratch Menu changing every day, you're guaranteed something unique, perfectly p...

Whilst I'm always reluctant to spend more than is strictly necessary on everyday essentials, sometimes it's really nice to take the opportunity to treat yourself to something a little bit more luxurious than the run-of-the-mill basics which are usually the order of the day. Having more or less cracked my skincare with a combination of various different basics (predominantly purchased from Kiehl's), over recent months I've diverted my energies towards shopping around for a new shampoo and conditioner combination. Having used up the remnants of every old bottle sitting at the back of the bathroom cupboard, I took the opportunity to splash out and treat myself to a classic duo from Aesop:  As I touched on in a post at the end of last year, a little while ago I started to notice that my hair was falling out in rather large handfuls in the shower- something which I put to down to stress, but which rang enough alarm bells to make me just that little bit more mindful about wha...

I don't know about you, but I can't quite believe that there's only a week left of February- and hopefully only a little while left of winter too. Whilst I've got a feeling that we haven't quite seen the last of the chilly weather just yet, it is lovely to see everything slowly springing back to life as the seasons shift, as well as lighter evenings being a brilliant energy boost too. Over the last month or so, I've amassed a collection of rather miscellaneous acquisitions, ranging from beauty to everyday essentials which have come in really handy as I've been dashing hither and thither: I posted about L'Occitane's collaboration with Rifle Paper Co. a little while ago , and since then I've been regularly reaching for this shea butter hand cream. As well as being a real handbag hero, I've also got some stashed on my bedside table to use in the evenings- perfect as it's so fast absorbing and smells heavenly. This card holder was a lovely gi...

At this time of the year, perhaps more than any other, I tend to find myself stuck in something of a style rut, especially as the chilly weather doesn't really lend itself to all that much variety or adventure. Having been living in a succession of jumpers (all with a varying itch factor!) for what feels like an eternity, over the last week or so (boosted by the sight of some sunshine!), I've been switching things up a little bit with a pop of print here and there, as well as unearthing some long neglected wardrobe heroes: Coat- & Other Stories Blouse- Vintage Trousers- Espirit (via ASOS) Shoes- c/o Boden Bag- & Other Stories This gorgeous blouse was a piece which I inherited from my beautiful grandmother, and, if I'm honest, up until now, I've really struggled in terms of knowing how to style it. It's one of those pieces which I've definitely grown in to, and over recent weeks has been something of a smart style saviour- ideal for incorporating into my ...

With the weather having taken another chilly turn of late, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is finding their skin feeling a little bit on the sensitive side. Whether it's contending with wind, rain (and everything in between!), or feeling defeated by dryness, winter always packs something of a last brutal punch before spring arrives. With some serious tlc needed, I've been rummaging through my skincare stash- and have been reaching for a selection of sheet masks: I'm a recent convert to sheet masks, and have amassed a lovely little selection over recent months- thanks mostly to Elodie bringing back a serious skincare haul from her Korean adventure! This dry mask from Charlotte Tilbury was a spur-of-the-moment purchase one lunchtime about a week or so ago, and was an instant radiance booster, as well as being really easy to deploy thanks to the handy ear hooks (seriously, what an innovation!) As well as that, it can be used up to three times, so is pretty good value...

Whether you're single, in a relationship or a confirmed cat lady for life, I'm sure the fact that it's Valentine's Day today certainly won't have passed you by. The shops are full of heart-festooned displays, and any foray into Paperchase runs the risk of being absorbed into a sinkhole of card upon card, each inscribed with messages ranging from soppy to seriously sassy. Don't get me wrong, any festivity which puts love above everything else is something to be celebrated (especially at the moment, am I right?!), but I suppose I always tend to grow a little bit weary of how singledom can feel oddly alienating at this time of the year, especially in the face of such crazy commercialisation.  Keeping up with what you're supposed to be celebrating and when- can be pretty exhausting at the best of times- is it Galentine's or Valentine's?! Can I legitimately buy a card for my cat whilst treating myself to a box of chocolates the size of a small house, dire...

With the chilly weather showing no signs of abating just yet, I'm sure I'm not the only one living on a more or less constant rotation of knitwear, speeding from washing machine to wardrobe and back again. Although I hope I'll only have need of them for a little while longer, there's something very comforting about reaching for a really snuggly woolly- especially if you, like me, are always in something of a rush first thing in the morning and find yourself more often than not grabbing the first thing to hand. With my lack of preparation in mind, I've been very pleased with a number of knitwear purchases which I've made recently- chief among them is this statement style from Marks and Spencer:  Coat- & Other Stories  Jumper- Marks and Spencer  Trousers- Espirit (via ASOS)  Bag- & Other Stories  Shoes- Vans (c/o Spartoo) Comfort is the order of the day for me at the moment, and this statement block colour knit which I picked up back in October is a real w...

As spring starts to peek tantalisingly over the horizon, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is looking forward to a little bit of a wardrobe switch-up. Having been more or less living in jumpers for the last four months or so, I'm really looking forward to being able to pack them all away again, and am already dreaming of those days of being able to leave the house without a coat..! Needless to say that, in preparation, I've been doing lots of window shopping, and Whistles in particular are proving to be top of the crop with their new season drop: Ellen Floral Shirt, £95/Black Wide Stripe Sweater, £119/Kiss Embroidered Stripe Knit, £89/Lips Print Top, £99/Cornelia Triple Clutch Bag, £150/Croissant Champagne Pin Pack, £29/Pink Mohair Knit, £119/Le Weekend Sweater, £99, all Whistles It's always really refreshing to see new season prints trickling their way into the shops, and this floral design is a great go-to new style for spring and summer- as well as being ideal fo...

As the garden lies dormant during these chilly winter months, I always find myself really missing the opportunity to get out in the fresh air and cut some fresh flowers. Whilst it's lovely to see things slowly springing back to life, it'll take a little while for everything to come into full bloom, which is why I've been filling the floral void with some other options. As well as snapping up some succulents, last week I was lucky enough to receive a very special delivery in the post: Regular readers will know that I've been a big fan of Bloom & Wild for a fair few years now, and their recent collaborations with Nikki Tibbles of Wild at Heart have set the bar for bouquets seriously high. This selection of blooms, named New Romance, features peach roses, ranunculus, scabiosa and all sorts of glorious greenery, and is perfect for bridging the gap between winter and spring- especially as the flowers are wonderfully fragrant too. As well as being a lovely weekend treat t...

Finally, the end of January for another year! I always feel bad wishing time away, but there's something about the first month of the year which just seems to last for an absolute eternity, notwithstanding the still-dark mornings and winter chill in the air. Even worse, I always seem to forget just how much of a struggle it is to get back into some semblance of a routine after Christmas- queue many a sleepy morning waking up and having to ask myself which day of the week it is..! Having said that, although January has been a bit of a slog, it has been punctuated by some lovely happenings too: Finally seeing Hamilton  and crying more or less from start to finish/ Winter wardrobin' /Lunch at the Tandoor Chop House /A new Charlotte Tilbury favourite/Winter mornings/ Recent reads /Favourite view/Weekending!/A dreamy beauty collaboration / Brunching at The Good Egg /Getting magical at The British Library/Looking ahead to spring with Oliver Bonas All in all, not too shabby- here'...

If I'm being honest, by the time Friday usually rolls around, I'm always eager to dash for the train home, avoiding a flurry of people rushing to the airport and the general chaos of central London at the end of the working week in favour of getting home and starting the weekend in a generally more relaxed fashion; bedecked in pyjamas and settled down in front of the television! However, last Friday offered an exception to this rule, as Elodie was in town! In celebration, the gang of us made our way to Homeslice in Fitzrovia for one serous pizza party: A spot of indulgence at the end of the week is always a good thing in my book, and it doesn't really get much better than ordering pizzas which are bigger than the table which you're sitting at, does it? We opted for two twenty inch offerings, each halved into different flavour options, meaning that we could try four different toppings in total. Lamb and chorizo provided some much-needed end-of-the-week sustenance for the...