Thursday, March 29, 2012

Africa, Oh Africa!

Hi Loves! Its Easter holidays now, and to make my 5 weeks off from school a bit more exciting than just essay writing, I kicked off my break with another "finding myself" solo trip... this time to Cape Town, South Afica. 

Going into the trip I had a lot of anxiety and excitement about what to expect from my first trip to Africa. If you take one part Nanado's, one part Apartheid, and one part television images (CNN stories, that silly season of America's Next Top model, and back in the day The Disney Channel movie "The Color of Friendship") that was pretty much my idea of South Africa in a nutshell. Boy oh boy how far off I was! I had the most amazing time touring the cape, talking to people and really getting a feel for what the city is all about. The trip was quite an emotional one as well. I found myself constantly checking my preconceived ideas, and yes, upon arrival I did cry. Not only for my arrival to a place I for so long have been told is the Motherland... but also for coming to what I now know is an important milestone in my life.

First image from the airport. Table Mountain in the distance.

Day one of my trip I just walked around Green Point where I was staying and downtown Cape Town to get my bearings. 




First beer in Cape Town!

Day Two: After meeting some people at my hostel I took a train from downtown Cape Town along the coast to some of the outlying beach. To say the scenery was was beautiful or gorgeous is such an understatement... the views were simply breath taking.




Fish Hook

Loved the beach houses at Jamestown beach.


The girls I met from my hostel were so cool, all in Cape Town looking for adventure and self discovery 





It may sound a bit cheesy, but the sunsets in Cape Town are second to none and quite an event. After a day at the beach I headed up to Signal Hill to watch the day fade over the city

going

going



gone


a little Kudu and live music at Mama Africa on Long Street to end my day

Day three: As you all very well know I love markets, especially food markets. Saturday morning I got up early and went to the Old Biscuit Mill market for foodie delights  




Of everything I ate my favorite treat was the tuna steak burger! I could have eaten ten of these

Next stop was Kirstenbosch to walk off some of the food and chill out in the incredible gardens









Saturday night was also Cape Town Carnival which involved a parade and then a wild and crazy street party!




Carnival Crowd



At one of the bars I went to I met this really cool Cape Town native out celebrating Carnival. Such a sweet and gangsta Granny! I hope I'm still living it up when I'm her age




Stay tuned for the second part of my trip... so much more to come xx

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Let them eat cake

London has this lovely tradition of celebrating Pancake day (also known as Shrove day) in loo of Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras. Yesterday me and friend Mallory went to the "Great Spitialfields pancake flipping race" to celebrate properly.


It was a lively crowd in Shoreditch, ready for some high speed cake flipping
Here are some picture from the race...



in a relay race each team runs back and forth up the track flipping their pancakes at the white line
sometimes not so successfully



banana pancakes



when it was all said and done the grand champs were chefs... go figure haha


afterwards Mal and I headed over to The Water Poet also in Shoreditch for a pint and a pancake!! 
I had a delicious cured ham and aged cheese pancake 




Still riding the high of pancake day but getting in the mood of Fat Tuesday the next stop was the Ten Bells... notorious for being the place where Jack the Ripper picked up his victims.


Jack??


Cheers to Pancake day and another marvelous afternoon in the London town














Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Love Antics

February in London has been pretty cold and even a bit snowy these past few weeks. But things are heating up with all this LOVE in the air! Despite being that girl that never has a Valentine, I still love the holiday.  I was up to  few antics over the weekend to spread some love to London...





Friday my darling flatmate Daniela and I went for tea at the Mercure hotel and shared lots of roomie love over some delicious treats





An English lady now??


our demolished spread!! 
Between champagne and tea; cucumber sandwiches and chocolate torts I was in love with life by the time we left.... and waddling slightly  


Saturday, my flatmates and I threw a banging Valentine's day party. "We Found Love" in flat 7!!


An aphrodisiac table to help our guests in the venture of finding love...



Ambassadors of LOVE!





Showing some love to the guests



The love flowed all night and the party was such a success! 
I am still waiting to see what my Valentine's Day proper may hold, maybe a nice dinner?? Hm, we'll see. 

Enjoy the day and Spread some LOVE!!!