Recent purchases

Few purchases from Asos last month....

Asos smock dress in jacquard tree texture, navy £38

This one is useful as it's suitable for work and play, very easy to just fling on and is just as good with tights and boots (as this *spring* weather is asking for right now) as it is with bare legs and pumps (this day will come, some day...) 

Asos smock dress in diamond star print £36

Yes it is the same as the other one but a different print, but don't ask me why it is £2 less...

Asos waxed parka with knitted cuff £64

Great for country walks when its not too cold (always get too hot in my Karrimor jacket...)

Ha Long Bay - Vietnam

*This article was originally published on Environmentalgraffiti.com. 

Looking out to the vast expanse of milky water, dotted with looming, foliage covered hills, the diversity of the breathtaking country that is Vietnam hit me. Only days before I had been in the beating metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and was now on a three-day boat trip in Ha Long bay, one of the most amazing sights I have seen. The odd-shaped mountains protruding from the calm waters are reminiscent of the limestone peaks of Yanshou in China or the sun-bleached mountains in Thailand. 

The reminders are reflective of Vietnam's concoction of cultures, a meeting of modern and medieval Asia with a sprinkling of Western touches and a clash between the calm beauty of nature and the fast-moving beat of city life.

Ha Long bay, located in the north east of Vietnam is the top tourist sight for the area, but still retains an untouched charm. The three thousand or so islands looming over the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin certainly live up to the hype -- recognised in 1994 as it was made into a world heritage site.

We arrived in the bay from Hanoi and stayed on the boat over night. This would be my advice for travelers as the reputation of Ha Long city is not the best.

Our first day was spent swimming in the clear, warm waters and sunning ourselves on the deck before kayaking through the gleaming bay. This is an amazing way to see the limestone peaks and obviously if you’ve never kayaked before it was a very easy task as the water is so calm. 

Dinner on board included steaming bowls of rice with various meat, vegetables and exotic sauces (all eaten with chopsticks of course), washed down with a cool glass of beer. The bay at night is mysterious and beautiful, if not a little tainted by the many boat lights of tourist ships.

What sets Ha Long apart from the mountains of China and Thailand are the hidden treasures within and around the hills. Our second day was spent exploring the caves and grottoes, many illuminated.

Legend has it the bay was created by a great dragon that lived in the mountains and the islands were whipped up by its huge tail. Consequently, the name Ha Long means ‘where the dragon descends into the sea,' our helpful tour guide Pipi informed us.

The islands are also dotted with various beaches, one of which we visited after climbing one of the great peaks of the bay. This is a must-do activity as the view is simply breathtaking.

Unfortunately there are often downsides to tourist success and this magnificent site is no exception. The bay is under threat as many people have removed rare coral and seashells from the seabed and also taken stalactites and stalagmites from the caves. These are often taken and made into trinkets such as key rings to be sold to visiting tourists, so be wary and try not to buy.

Whether it’s a break from the bustling cities or a tourist trip you wish for, Ha Long bay is a must.

Morocco to Spain in 2 weeks

I often dream of throwing in the towel on this serious, London, commuting, flat renting, working, gym-going, rain sodden life and going gallivanting across the world for a few months. I then wake up and remember I'm not Richard Branson or marrying a Rolling Stone anytime soon (sigh). I therefore have to come up with genius ways to soften this heartache. But apparently someone had already thought of this and they're called holidays.

But I'm not really your lay-on-a-beach-reading type (although I have been known to read Jilly Cooper on a sunbed, don't knock it until you've tried it) so the 'holidays' are more 'trips' where we move from one place to the next. The most recent trip was to Morocco, with limited funds and limited time.

This limitedness (not a word, should be) is not such a problem in the vast, culture-laden North African country, as flights, accommodation and food is pretty cheap and transport is good, well, most of it.

First stop was Marrakesh. Easyjet and Ryanair -- the "worst airlines for leg room" folks -- fly here now for about £90. I thought this opening up of the city may have spoiled it a bit and, although many of the locals are clearly geared up for lost, dirham-laden tourists, it hasn't lost its charm and overwhelming unpredictability.

Warning: it is IMPOSSIBLE not to get lost in Marrakesh. If you do DO NOT let a friendly seeming local 'guide' you back to the square as they'll be asking for 100 dirham before you can say 'another orange juice for the road, please.' Just go with the flow and you'll get back to the main square, Djemaa el-Fna, eventually. Oh and try the orange juice.

The markets in and around the square are a must see, just try not to look for too long unless you are sure you want to go home with ten carpets. 

We stayed in a beautiful riad (guesthouse) with a plungepool. Most of the riads have these to cool down in, as well as a roof terrace to sunbathe in peace and get away from it all with the call to prayer echoing in the background (which was slightly out of sync with my chosen reading material but never mind.)

We traveled to Fez on a train. A simple idea, which resulted in me enduring what were possibly the worst few hours of my life. So hot. So so hot. Get a bus people.

Fez, the second largest city in Morocco, is like it's larger sister, Marrakesh, except there's no main square and the alleys are more like rabbit warrens. The walled city, a UNESCO world heritage sight, is still a great place to see as it seems as though little has changed since Delacroix's paintings. But if you're pushed for time and want to see more of the coast or mountains then it could be skipped, as long as you've been to a Moroccan city.

*note: this is not a picture of Fez. It's a painting by Eugene Delacroix.

Chefchaouen, for me, was the highlight of the trip. After the buzzing, hectic, sweaty cities the bohemiam, breezy, beautiful village nestled in the Atlas mountains was a breath of fresh air. The little houses and shops are all blue and white lime-washed and the chilled out cobbled town is a great base to walk from and take in some amazing views.

Asilah, to the south of Tangier, on the Atlantic coast, is a beach resort. The Hispano-Moorish town is very arty with lots of galleries and an assortment of markets and shops. We managed to do some body boarding but more serious surf can be found on the windy beaches of Essaouira, so I'm told.

Couple of other warnings. 1. Unless you have a stomach of steel you probably will get ill. Most of the pharmacies are used to yellow-bellied Westerners so head there and they'll give you some remedies which worked pretty well for me. 2. There are lots of cats. Everywhere. Don't feed them. 3. Dress respectfully. This means covering shoulders and knees.

After Asilah we headed to the ferry port of Tangier to get the boat to Spain. This was very easy and quick, and I recommend it if you want to see a bit of Spain, particularly Seville, before heading home.

Note - when to go
We went in September. This is a great time as it's still very hot but not unbearable and the touristy parts aren't very busy. Plus everything (including flights) is a little bit cheaper.

Lonely Planet says its best in mid-March to May or September to November, not great timing for teachers among you (or if there is anyone young enough reading my blog that still goes to school...) but end or beginning of the holidays rather than bang in the middle I would say.

I also have to note that my sister, the trend setter that she is, did this trip whilst at university and she was the one that recommended Chefchaouen, so thanks Jess. x

Who to follow on Instagram?

Myself and a couple of friends got talking recently about who we follow on Instagram. We all agreed a balance of friends, celebrities, galleries and shops are a good choice. But who's the best? It depends on your tastes, obviously, but here's my pick:

Tate Gallery, art gallery in London, Liverpool and St Ives - tategallery 

Follow the Tate for behind the scenes views of artists preparing their wares and exclusive peeks of upcoming exhibitions.

Time Out London, city guide - timeoutlondon

This feed includes random Londonisms from both the Time Out team and, if you use the hashtag #timeoutlondon they will share your snaps too.

Alexa Chung, model and presenter - chungalexa

From holiday envy (I get this from a lot of the celebs on Instagram) to clothes envy to megaLOLz, Alexa's pics are little pick me ups.

Rihanna, singer - badgalriri

When I saw what her name was I was inclined not to follow to be honest... but you have to hand it to her, Riri knows how to get attention from this little app - see one of her recent pics as a prime (rump) example...

Dawn O'Porter, journalist and writer - hotpatooties

Previously Dawn Porter before adding the O in honor of her recent marriage to Irish actor Chris O'Dowd, Dawn already has a huge twitter presence, with some 250,000 followers. She's also just written a book, Paper Aeroplanes. 

Topshop, shop - Topshop

This British institution posts new items, store openings, fashion week catwalks and food. What's not to love?

Lena Dunham, writer and actress - lenadunham

The creator of cult TV show Girls -- which, if you haven't seen is a must watch -- posts a lot of pictures of her dog. But in my book this warrants no complaints. She's funny and intelligent to boot.

Liz Matthews, PR - lizmatth

Former journalist Liz Matthews owns LMPR, which boasts a client list including Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely, Alexa Chung, Laura Bailey, Daisy Lowe, Katie Hiller and Amanda de Cadenet. Pics are of these beauties - plus Liz's adorable twins.

Zooey Deschanel, actress, writer, singer - zooeydeschanel

The lady with arguably the best fringe in the business is the star of US sitcom New Girl and has a pretty impressive music back catalogue. Her pics are of co-stars and glam goings on.

Kate

Just, I love her. That is all.

Kate Moss looking gorgeous at the party for her book launch 15th November 2012

Wedding of the century

Few pics from the most amazing day.

My bridesmaid dress (middle of 3rd photo) - Monsoon - similar one here
Mums dress (silver, far right in 3rd photo) - Miu Miu
Other bridesmaid dresses - Warehouse and Kaliko - similar here and here

Autumn purchases

Stocking up for winter, some autumnal pieces I have bought:

Zara - leather biker coat

ASOS - Athens chelsea boots

Zara - blouse with studded shoulders

Vintage faux fur collar. You can find a similar one from H&M here

Damien Hirst is Tate's most popular solo show ever

Tate Modern's Damien Hirst retrospective was the most visited solo show and second-most visited exhibition in the gallery's history, it has revealed.

The exhibition, blogged about here last month, attracted 463,087 visitors, with almost 3,000 people a day.

Hirst beat the likes of 2002's Matisse Picasso, which saw 467,166 visitors, Edward Hopper (429,909) in 2004 and Paul Gauguin (420,686) in 2010-11.

Chris Dercon, the gallery's director, said: "We are delighted that so many people came to see and discuss the Damien Hirst exhibition at Tate Modern.

"It was wonderful to see such iconic works brought together in one place and to offer our visitors a chance to experience them first-hand."

Damien Hirst at the Tate Modern

This is a little late, as I went to see Damien Hirst’s exhibition at the Tate Modern on the opening day, but it is still on (till 9 September) and I recommend it, even to the Hirst sceptics.

I was too young to remember when the artist people love to hate, Damien Hirst, first catapulted onto the scene in 1988 (just born, to be precise). But now, nearly a quarter of a century later, he is inescapable in the art world.

Damien Hirst with For Heaven's Sake 2008. Photo: The Guardian

 His large exhibition at the Tate Modern (4 April-9 September, 2012 - £14) is the first substantial survey of his work in Britain and brings together key works from over twenty years - giving those who missed it first time round a unique opportunity to see iconic works such as his Natural History series. This includes The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991, in which Hirst suspended a shark in formaldehyde. This was one of the most popular items in the exhibition - as well as Mother and Child Divided (copy 2007, original 1993), in which a cow and calf are shown in halves, again in formaldehyde. The fascination was evident - with queue to see the ill-fated mammal’s inners.

Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991 Photo: my own)

Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991 Photo: my own

This is reflective of Hirst’s popularity, the queue on the opening day was long even for members and the excitement and hype was like no other exhibition I have been to.

The queue on the opening day of the exhibition. Photo: my own

So what draws the masses to the super rich artist’s works? His obsession with death hits you immediately, as you’re greeted with a photo of a smiling young Hirst next to a human head in the anatomy department of Leeds University (Dead Head, 1991), of which Hirst was a frequent visitor.

And that is only the start, sidle past the bloody cows head surrounded by flies (A Thousand Years 1990) and you’re met with a giant, stinking ash tray (Crematorium 1996) and a room full of medical instruments (Still 1995). Yes it’s death, more death and money that attracts the masses. But I was struck by the amount of children enjoying the works. The seemingly gory installations have a beauty and interactive nature perfect for the young and old alike.

A Thousand Years (detail) 1990

Crematorium 1996

The money and beauty aspect grows from the Pharmacy (1992) to the butterfly, spin and spot paintings until you’re met with full-blown bling of the diamond-filled cabinets (Isolation 2009-10). It’s hard to find Hirst’s death-obsession here. Are the sceptics right? Has this billionaire artist cynically exploited our collective greed and stupidity?

Isolation (2009-2010) Photo: my own

He told the Telegraph: “never let money get in the way of an idea” and luckily for him, he doesn’t have to. The works, especially towards the latter part of his career, are excessive in their cost. But despite their obsessive, gory over-opulence, there is something fun and intriguing about his works. But perhaps he’s got me too.

Outside For Heaven's Sake 2008

Here comes the muddy bride at 2000 Trees

If you were one of the lucky (if not a little muddy) revellers that attended the 2000 Trees festival last weekend you may have come across a large group of over excited girls and a bride to be.

No, it wasn’t a misguided dress-up attempt - the festival’s theme was video games so I’m not sure where a bride would fit in - I was on a hen do. Being chief bridesmaid I was very aware that the thought of mud, no showers and toilets-that-have-seen-better-days might send shivers down the spine of even the most hardened gig-goers, so I decided to make sure our accommodation at least was a little more comfy than a lilo and a plastic sheet.

With this in mind, I booked three ‘bell tents’ from the lovely folks at Karma Kanvas. These consisted of three clean, large yurts each with three double airbeds, sheets and some twinkly fairy lights, between 18 of us. The festival consisted of a swamp for most of the weekend, so the grassy area around the tents was a welcome relief. We also had a nice table and chairs which is a life saver when you can’t sit on the ground. These tents are recommended if you’re more into ‘glamping’ than camping, without them I think some hens may have flown home…

Musical highlights for the festival, on Upcote Farm, Withington, Gloucestershire, included the Futureheads - I have been humming ‘Hounds of Love’ ever since - and Dog is Dead, who included a saxophonist, which always gets bonus points from me.

Although I kept away from the Cave stage (too much screaming) and preferred the chilled out vibes of the Greenhouse and the Leaf Lounge, I could see the festival caters for all tastes and most of the hens seemed happy with this. Even the pop lovers got a treat with the brilliant silent disco that took place once the music stopped.

The toilets, by festival standards, were pretty amazing - loo roll and hand sanitizer! There was a great selection of food and with a modest capacity of 4,500, you didn’t have to queue for very long. The organisers should also be commended on their green credentials, there were lots of recycling options and locally produced food.

What made the festival for me was perhaps related to the humble size. The bride to be - and the rest of us - had to do rather a lot of silly dares which I expected to be met with stony-faced snobbery. But in fact, everyone was very friendly and we even got some marital advice from a pair of festival goers that have been married 40 years.

It was: “Do lots of things together and lots of thing apart.” Sound advice I say, if one of those things includes 200 Trees Festival 2013.