OH, SO BRITISH

I am currently caught between two cities. Having recently moved back down south to Surrey, I left my love in Sheffield, and therefore find myself back there on a regular basis. Fortunately both places have my heart.

 Guildford is fabulously British, from it's cobbled high street to old English pubs and even an 11th century castle. It is everything you could wish for when dreaming of a picturesque English town. Sheffield, on the other hand, is industrial. It's fame coming from steelworks and so being named 'the steel city'. Despite this, Sheffield boasts a culture like non other. Every corner of the city is filled with independent cafes, restaurants, boutiques and flower shops, each bringing something unique to the city. The city is alive and there is a constant buzz, unlike Guildford, whose residents prefer a somewhat more relaxed take on life.

Below are some photos expressing the best of both cities, some of my favourite places to eat, drink and find inspiration.

This coffee shop is one of my favourites. On my pay day lunch I get a halloumi and aubergine sandwich, which is unbelievably good! Also the tea is delightful, a treat for even the snobbiest of tea drinkers.

Being in the heart of Surrey there's a lot of green-ness around, even though Guildford is technically a City, there are so many beautiful spots, often covered in flowers. Below is the castle grounds, where I like to go on my lunch breaks.

The restaurant featured below is my all time favourite. An interior filled with stunning decor and a menu filled with irresistible food. 

I am English, I love tea.

My favourite coffee shop in Sheffield happens to also offer free refills on tea. Could be why it's one of my favourite places to go. The walls are covered in old pages from books, scrabble boards, old postcards, it is such a good place to go to just drink lots of tea and relax.

The boutiques and charity shops are never short of perfect things to decorate your home or yourself with. In one part of town there is a whole row of antique shops, full to the brim with treasures. And not surprisingly there is also a beautiful coffee shop right next door.

I hope you enjoyed my insight into my little bit of this beautiful country!

MOONRISE KINGDOM

This week I discovered Moonrise Kingdom for the first time. SUCH  a beautiful film. I absolutely loved everything about it. I hadn't even heard of it before and therefore really didn't know what to expect, but from the moment it started until the end I couldn't take my eyes off the TV. From the costumes to the music to the filming, it is stunning. Plus I love Bruce Willis, and in this film he is such a babe. Bonus. 

25

July 20th was my 25th birthday. I took the week off work and went to Sheffield to celebrate with Tom. The 19th was his graduation so we had a lot to celebrate! Trip to Hathersage outdoor swimming pool, picnic,  Booth family BBQ, shots at midnight, photobooth, Loch Fyne, tramlines, drinks with friends, shopping, movies, the apprentice final and cafes made my birthday one of the best ones yet!

SUNDAY

Today I made the most of having a Sunday off work. I went for lunch with two of my oldest and best friends, Elle and Christina. We went to the Hand and Spear in Weybridge, such a beautiful pub. Then we went out onto the roadside to watch the professionals fly past us in the Prudential Ride London race. After I met up with two friends from college for ice cream. I love not working on Sundays!

JULY 25 1933

Yesterday we had a surprise 80th birthday party for my nan. We held the party in our house and garden, where the rain held off until everyone had left. It began with my Auntie and cousin from Canada opening the front door, to which she was obviously shocked! She was then lead into our back garden where family and friends from the past 80 years waited for her! It was a beautiful day, very emotional and overwhelming for many. Huge well done to my amazing mum who organised the whole thing. Above are a selection of the photos I managed to take throughout the day!

YELLOW AND BLUE

I have loved these jumpers from Topshop for a while now, but 30 pounds each felt like a bit too much considering it's summer and everything. So when they went into sale at 18 each, I couldn't resist. Choosing what one to keep was pretty hard, I did an instagram poll, in which the yellow won by miles. Upon reflection and looking at my bank balance, I just decided to keep both, ultimately I kind of knew that would be the outcome! Obviously unable to wear either now, as it's currently tropical temperatures!

JOEL PETER & KEZIA RACHEL BROOKE

06/07/2013

This weekend we went into the Kent countryside to attended the beautiful wedding of Joel and Kezzie, Tom's friends from uni. We stayed in an American 50's themed hotel which provided us with the most amazing breakfast for both Saturday and Sunday mornings. This was the third wedding I've been to this year and they just keep getting better! Kezzie looked completely stunning, every detail was thought out so well and the whole day was relaxed and full of so much love. We went to a BBQ today at Kezzie's family home where we watched Andy Murray win Wimbledon. Perfect ending to a perfect weekend!