Jewellery – Monica Vinader

Primrose Hill, London

Jewellery – Monica Vinader

Jewellery – Monica Vinader

Blouse – Iris & Ink. Skirt – ASOS. Heels – Gianvito Rossi (Similar here). Bag – Saint Laurent ‘Lulu’. All jewellery – Monica Vinader

You’re about to be let in on a secret that Londoners won’t openly share unless prompted and poked with a heated walking stick. I’m sharing this because I’m an inherent traitor (stems from life-long state of being an expat) and also could do with some brownie points with my readers after a month-ish long hiatus. Best burgers in London? Lucky Chip. Best toilets in Mayfair? The Connaught Hotel. < You might want to pretend you’re pregnant.

Recently I took a couple of my favourite engravable* pieces from Monica Vinader to spend a summer afternoon in North London as part of the new Jewel Coordinates campaign, which was a chance to verify: Best summer hangout? Primrose Hill.

I know, the name doesn’t ring a bell – it’s not known like Shoreditch, Notting Hill, or even Brixton – but I can guarantee you know all the residents. They say, one can’t swing a dead cat in Primrose Hill without hitting Jude Law, or Kate Moss. So picture this, midsummer afternoon, twinkling bracelets stacked up one hand, dainty stacking rings on the other, and a binocular around my neck. (I kid…) Not to say that Londoners flock up North to the little pocket of immaculate macaron-coloured townhouses to gawk at celebrities – the actual Hill itself is in fact London’s best panoramic view across the city, with the occasional squaaawk from the tropical birds that reside in ZSL (the zoo) across the road lending a feeling that you’ve successfully escaped the city. Sprinkle in a sighting of Eliza Doolittle at the florist and Gwen Stefani pushing a pram out the pub, and you got yourself a summer blockbuster. You don’t even need to be faux-pregnant to enjoy this bit of town.

*While I have my hubby’s nickname engraved on my own Esencia Friendship Bracelet, I confess that I was this close to engraving the Domino’s Pizza telephone number…

In collaboration with Monica Vinader; Photography by Park & Cube; Shots of me by Michelle Bobb Parris.

Tucked away in a dimple of land in Turkey’s southern coast lives a small secret: a bustling hillside community of savvy Istanbullus, travel aficionados and middle-European aristocrats, neatly organized into terraced suites, bikini uniforms and late-afternoon spa appointments. Officially known as Hillside Beach Club by the world, and Hillside bliss & cure to those who dwell for an average of 5 days during the high summer season.

Abi and I arrive late Wednesday afternoon, thoroughly worn out from a grubby day’s travel and one twisty car-ride from Dalaman airport closely bordering 1) the edge of hills and 2) seasickness (yes, in a car). Alas, the vehicle is sent from the mother ship and has free-Wi-Fi, for which we reward 100 brownie points. We’re ushered through the reception building as our luggage disappear on a golf buggy with a handsome Turk at the wheel. We don’t mind this at all. He could’ve been a luggage pirate from the local town.

After a breezy check-in another handsome Turk begins the tour (100 more points for Griffindor). Like all 330 rooms at Hillside, we get a full ocean frontal, the resort is built so that all rooms are treated to the money shot. Our third-floor room opens into a private terrace and is a medley of timber, sand and slate grey. The rest of the resort is a collective of buildings and beaches, punctuated with cream lounges and powder-blue fixtures. Relaxed and sophisticated, despite the flock of goggled children padding around the heated pool.

The sun melts into a golden sea as we into our duvets on the first night at Hillside. A promising day lurks behind the hills…

Yellow dress – ASOS. Cardigan – The White Company (Similar here)

Bag – L.K. Bennett Rosamund Mini

Swimsuit – Seafolly via SimplyBeach. Sunglasses – Karen Walker. Espadrilles – Next. Compact – Chanel. Sun Spray – Nuxe

Top – DIY (Find the tutorial in the Adorn book). Trousers – Zara. Clutch – Next.

Dress by ASOS. Shoes – Birkenstock Arizona. Sunglasses – Karen Walker

Burberry Fresh glow radiance No.01

Photos by Park & Cube; photos of me by Abi; Park & Cube was a guest of Hillside Beach Club as a member press

Five hours, Florence, one fidgety husband – what does one do when the universe deals you cards like these that aren’t compatible in any sense other than in an awkward alliteration (alligator)?

Last month I had a brief stint in Florence for a work trip, to which I took ze old ball and chain (hubby), and discovered later the itinerary was so jam-packed over the two days we only really had five hours to explore the city. Now, for those who have never been/planning to travel to Florence, I personally advise allocating at least four hours for gelato, PERIOD. Because ICECREAM. Then there’s the Duomo, David (by Michaelangelo – and not the ninja turtle), Boboli gardens, a slew of essential museums and galleries, shopping… none of which you should skip, and many of which that sadly require queuing (cue fidgety husband).

So we decided, over a particularly parmesan-y breakfast, to simply do none of it (except gelato, bumped down to one hour, boo) and took to the streets without a plan, turning corners ad lib and frequently ending up in dead-end court yards, where EVERY SINGLE TIME, an Italian family reunion was under way*. Turns out it’s a great way to see the city, and not bad cards afterall, considering Florence is really the Joker card. Also, you do end up grazing a lot of the important bits as the historical centre of the city is only about 45 minutes-wide on foot. (But do try to graze David properly if you have time, he sure is a looker)

Watch – Chaumet

I’ve mentioned this before, but with all travels I try to take something new with me as a ‘beacon’ of memory – typically a perfume – but instead I decided to take my unworn Chaumet Liens watch that I had saved for a special occasion. Surely enough, what with all the time constraints on this trip and diligently having to glance at my wrist where the clock-hands danced from 12 to 5pm, the watch is now my connection to this short, but gelato-sweet, Florentine adventure. And to add to the romance, this very model (Liens) – while classic and timeless in its looks – is constructed with a state-of-the-art Swiss mechanical self-winding movement that makes soft, rhythmical tickky-tickky-tickky sound when you bring it up to your ears, or in my case, whenever I brought my camera up to my face to take a snap…

Well, isn’t this sentimental. I’m going to go have a sarcasm sandwich now.

*Come to think of it, it was the afternoon of the World Cup Italy vs. Urugauy game… so probably not anything similar to a hearty (?) Italian GodFather scene as I’d thought.

Watch – Chaumet

July – August

Let me start by apologizing how I abandoned this blog like last year’s gym shorts, scrunched at the bottom of the bag, ferried back and forth daily in the hopes of reviving the once-faithful routine while letting it gradually pickle away in a salad-toss of loose change and croissant crumbs… Pickle and Cube – preserved past natural expiration date and satisfyingly (?) sour… yep, that sounds about right. Full of Vitamin A they say though, A for Asshat blogger maybe.

Truth is, adult life came knocking and I didn’t want to answer the door in my Spongebob PJ’s – or whatever hobby bloggers wear in this particular analogy. So, naturally the blog was put on the back burner while I attended to new challenges and deadlines, paying bills and saving up for boring things like new vacuum cleaners. Then it hit me, that this ‘blog’, in its overdue/sour entirety, was in fact also a great part of the so-called ‘adult life’, because during the six-ish years of dogged devotion to it, it had also grown up with me. And speaking of dogs, isn’t six dog years 37 in human life? Well then, looks like I’ve got lots to catch up.

Farfetched analogies aside, I just wanted to say that I’m back. Probably not unconditionally but 100% in thoughts. Call this a re-starting of the engine, or even a direction change, but I’m planning to take this old-timer forward one month, one theme at a time. What’s hump-month July without Travel – so let’s start with that.

stick around…

What are you doing tomorrow? Nevermind what you’re doing, you’re coming over to Aubaine Marylebone (upstairs) to hang out with me and six other babe (yes) bloggers over cake. We also will be hosting a yard sale simultaneously and may or may not swindle your hard earned ££$$ in exchange for a cute pair of Givenchy’s that you’ll love forever. It’ll be fun, I promise. Bloggers include: Charlie Girl a la Mode, Alice of Alice Point, Hedvig of Northern Light, Peony Lim, Abi of Abimarvel and Carrie of WishWishWish.

Do drop by anytime between 10:30am and 5pm, the address is 7 Moxon Street, W1U 4EP London. Theoretically it’s cash-only but as we’re children of this century and will be equipped with Paypal app too, should you be lacking a coin or ten, so if you have ATM allergies, download the app tonight! I’ll be carting over my goods (from ASOS to Alaïa + and most of this), prices start at £1. My sizes are UK8-10 for clothes, UK5-6 for shoes, but collectively we’ve got the whole spectrum covered, small to scrumptious, so not to worry! Aubaine is giving us a special breakfast menu (you know me) for early birds, and an all-day burger option for pigeons like me.

Also, for our non-UK readers & followers, I will be posting up yard-sale priced goodies throughout the day on my Depop account (find me under @parkncube) so do keep an eye out, the app is available for Apple and Android.

See you tomorrow!