Monday 2 September 2013

August 2013 Instagram-y Post

Here's my month of August in snapshots.

I was taking my usual walking route before I temporarily moved house that is...For those of you who don't live in London, 
this building is the infamous One Hyde Park.
This is where one bedroom flats that don't even have a view of the park sells for £20 million.
But what I noticed walking past is that the owners who own the flats you can see must have paid at least £30 million 
( off plan before completion price mind you) 
and yet they all were making do with the same outdoor furniture that the developers gave them! 
( sorry about the picture quality but take my word for it, 
it was the same set of furniture on the balconies!)


That's Victoria cathedral in the back.
Love the contrast of old and new. 
I visited Vienna two weeks ago (post to come).
This was one of the palaces about town.
Imagine getting the spelling wrong to this address, 
the postman might redirect the post to Prince Philip.
The one contraband photo inside Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna hence the fuzziness - this is the room where Mozart gave his first concert at the age of 6 to the Austrian royal family.
For all of you clothes lovers out there, I had to show you this
 hand stitched robe I also saw in Vienna that was made - 
wait for it...700 hundred years ago!  
Now that is quality!
These are handmade lace and tatting made by bored aristocratic women.
Even when you watch period dramas, the wenches had way more fun than the high born.

I may have found the perfect sofa.
I saw this is the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.
It's made of aluminum which means you 
never have to fluff up the cushions.
The pictures don't do them any justice.
The yellow glaze was unlike any other then when 
I saw the description they were rice bowls for the 
Chinese Emperor 500 years ago.

I went to see a play at my beloved Donmar Theatre.
It was called The Same Deep Water as Me 
with such a talented cast.
It was a fabulous play about those accident legal helplines.
I'm too scared to sit right next to the stage...

My home renovations have kicked me out of my home.
Wanna look at my new living room?
Warning to neat freaks and happy homemakers.
Scroll down quickly!

 It still looks like that 2 weeks after the move and 
will pretty much be staying that way.
I can never seem to find my Xmas ornaments and yet in August they appear out of their hiding place.

Not been very good lately - worse considering I just detoxed...
This is my new favorite combo snack.
 My builders are naughty too as they are cola addicts.
At least they recycle.
I found a great new eaterie in my new temporary neighborhood.

It's called Toasted in Lordship Lane in East Dulwich.

I kept saying to Mr CSW that I felt everything about it was so Melbournian including the most delicious coffee.

Then I read in the local neighborhood magazine that the head chef used to work in Attica which is a world renown restaurant that ranks #13 in the world and is in Melbourne!
Love coincidences like that.

They also have huge vats of wine from small French vineyards that you can go and refill bottles with and take home.

Plus they do the most delicious avocado on toast that is mixed with freshly made two day old cheese. So yummy.

I saw this old Juicy couture tracksuit in the local charity shop.
£40 quid it was sold for! 
For those of you who still have them - sell them on eBay!
But they also seem to give away stuff around here...  
We're not in Kansas anymore...
Actually, that isn't fair.  
They have amazing parks where I now enjoy my daily walks.
Gets me out of my comfort zone but 
I do feel like I have moved to a new city.
I sat on this dragonfly bench and 
had a tense staring game with a fox.
Scary stuff.

Can't believe it's September already.
But I say that every month...

36 comments:

  1. Ha! You're temporary neighbourhood is my neighbourhood!!! I see you'v ebeen checking out Peckham Rye park - there's a great, free work out class that meets at 10am on Sat mornings outside the park cafe.

    Been meaning to check out Toasted since it opened - will have to put it at the top of my list now its got such a good review!

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  2. Ha! You're temporary neighbourhood is my neighbourhood!!! I see you'v ebeen checking out Peckham Rye park - there's a great, free work out class that meets at 10am on Sat mornings outside the park cafe.

    Been meaning to check out Toasted since it opened - will have to put it at the top of my list now its got such a good review!

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    1. Wow - small world! That park has been a huge surprise with all its lovely parts like the Japanese gardens and koi ponds! You will love Toast.ed!!

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  3. Apart from decorating and arranging your new home, the next best thing about moving house is getting to know your new neighbourhood (not the neighbours just the area!).

    That quick glimpse of your new home looks lovely - appears quite airy and spacious? Looks like you are in a nice area too. Who needs One Hyde Park!

    xx

    p.s. I'm virtually slapping your fingers regarding that snack combo lol!

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    1. It gets me out of my comfort zone for sure and I am surprised at how much I like it although I am in a food rut there which is why i am eating all these combos of foods! One Hyde Park does check all your mail for any chemical residue though and I dont' have a doorman ;) xx

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  4. I worry about the comfort level of the aluminum sofa. I also I fear that the digestives might not be tasty?

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    1. It would make me do some work and not get too comfy!

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  5. That cafe looks great!
    Last year we were staying in a house in Primrose Hill, and the local cafe was highly recommended. Imagine our surprise when we discovered it was run by Melburnians!! It does seem that Aussies do a good cafe, although Sydney ones are not great at all....
    I love digestive biscuits more than any other treat. I used to practically live on them at Uni.

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    1. Yes the cafe is a lifesaver and I eat breakfast and lunch because I feel sage there! I think I know the cafe you mean in Primrose Hill as well. There is just something so comforting about digestives for sure :)

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  6. I'm dying to go to Attica, the food is supposed to be amazing. The Hyde Park apartments... could they have body corporate rules that they have to keep the same balcony furniture on their balcony for consistency? Our body corporates here always have rules about not hanging out washing etc, so it could be they're a few notches up on that one (and can you imagine if the residents moved an airing rack out onto the balcony with their laundry on it - hilarious!).
    Laughing at your comment re wenches and aristocracy. I'm sure those women tatting and lace making were having an absolute ball!!
    Enjoy your new digs (aside from the moving box situation, it looks like you're in a nice neighbourhood if there's decent coffee and food around the corner). xx

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    1. Heidi, that is hilarious, a washing line at One Hyde Park!

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    2. I agree, Heidi...As teenagers me & my BF used to tat for pleasure ...just because we could...
      even though our projects would take hundreds of hours to complete, the end product & our bonding experience was priceless...Ms CSW even modelled a tatted blouse for me once...
      Ciao

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    3. Perhaps you're right Heidi! It is the fault of the body corporate - but I would love to see laundry hanging. I will def take a picture if I see that!!
      But back then it seemed all the aristos did was plot and tat...xx

      @Anon - you are probably one of the best handicraft woman and your workmanship is superb but i see your point abut bonding :)x

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  7. this park looks really nice !

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  8. I have convinced myself that digestives are healthy- don't they use wholemeal??? Surely more healthy than a packet of timtams.

    Hard to believe these apartments are worth 30 million pounds! Perhaps they have no money left over for furniture??

    I like your new hood- the park reminds me of Mary Poppins.

    Now best be returning to my handmade lace and tatting!

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    1. Ha! ME too - plus dark chocolate is very good for you, I mean I could easily have picked milk chocolate ones...But I miss timtams OMG they are just so lush!! Yes that is for the one beds - the penthouse went for £110 and that was off plan and few years ago! Yes my new hood has gotten me out my shell and I am discovering the city from a different perspective. You could start having a handmade lace section in your shop?

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  9. I always love the all-over-the-mappedness of these posts--literally! Looking forward to hearing more about Vienna and seeing more of chez toi! :)

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    1. I am looking forward to seeing my home as well! Yes I am a bit all over the shop :)x

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  10. Love this CSW! It is so much fun to wander around with you! The boxes make me queasy, but mostly as I have so much housework to do myself...

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    1. Thanks Wendy! I am getting so used to those boxes and am learning to live on much less. Becoming very zen I am...

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  11. I love these kinda posts where you comment all of the things you see all around you!
    There's a giveaway on my blog, check it, I'm giving a nice bracelet!
    http://www.myprettyparis.com/sunny-september/

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    1. Thanks GLoria - I will be putting my name down on the giveaway x

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  12. It's what amazing about living in London though...you just get off the next tube stop or the next zone or take a different tube line, and there are you are in some place totally different from where you live! My favourite piece is the dragonfly bench. I would love to sit there and read a book.
    Can't wait to see the Vienna post. Lucky you with your stolen shots of Schonbrunn Palace interior.
    Try visiting Love Walk at Love Lane near King's College.
    Enjoy! xxx

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    1. So true about London...I haven't been there so would google this love lane and walk now - thanks for the tip xx

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  13. Naomi, Love these posts! Funny about those 30 mil apartments! They must be living on the bubble! Or that's what we say here when you are in a fancy home, but hanging by a thread. Maybe also they are just too busy to buy new things, but aren't there people for that when you have this kind of cash?

    You are so lucky that you have so many cool cafe's! I can't believe they are getting 40 pounds for a Juicy track suit. I have the same one in my closet...Couldn't part with it though I never wear it..Maybe I'll have to cash out!! Lol

    Have a wonderful September and good luck on the reno. It will be worth all the pain in the end and you'll never remember the mess!

    xxKim

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    1. Dont know how I missed this! Well I suppose we need cafes here because we don't have the same wild nature as California and need to keep busy in other ways...You know I kept mine for ages but threw it out if I had known I would have sold it for 40 quid instead! xx

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  14. so beautiful... loving following your adventures mini and large:)

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  15. To those bored aristocratic ladies defense, back then they didn't have Keeping Up with the Kardashians or Oprah.:D But to pay 30 mill for an apartment, for a roof over your head??? Are you kidding me?? Who has the money to afford that?!

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    1. Mind you they plotted a lot! It is a crazy world when a flat without a view can go for 20 mil...

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  16. 20 million pounds!!! That's enough money to float a small country!! Speaking of lace and tatting, my husband inherited a collection of handmade crochet lace from his grandmother, made by great-grandmothers, great aunts, etc. All of it is very pretty and very old, but... no idea what to do with it!! Thanks for this post, it is so much fun to wander around London!

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    1. Wow, that is an amazing thing to inherit. I hope it is stored in a proper humidity and acid free boxes? Thanks as always for coming along Louise :)

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