Sunshine, sleep & Vogue.

A day on the beach...doing nothing except reading, eating and sleeping. If my head wasn't hiding behind Vogue it was stuck in Patti Smiths 'Just Kids' book - a great read!

Brocante in Antibes

So many things to feast my eyes on, luckily I only have a small car, so if I can't carry it it doesn't fit!
My obsession with old feed sacks and anything with a stripe really needs to go into retirement, but there's so much good stuff...the prices keep sneaking up and really 15€ for a teatowel, I walked away at that point.
Will post pics of my new finds later...

so much nicer in Nice

We've no planned vacation this summer, so we're trying to get away for a couple of days at a time and enjoy the summer as much as possible, this weekend Nice and Antibes, followed by a couple of days in Liguria just relaxing and celebrating my roomies birthday.

The weather was perfect, lots of great seafood...and a brocante on Saturday with a few new treasures for us.

Bought myself 2 lovely dresses in one of my favorite french stores...now just need excuses to wear them...

a beautiful day for a picnic

Saturday was the first opportunity we'd really had to go out for a drive since the sun started shining.
Dusted off the cool box, packed a picnic and off we went, drove up the Brennero to Torbole cut across the top of Lake Garda to pass past Lago di Ledro, continued to Lago d'Idro drove almost all the way around before finding a spot to lay out the quilt I found in new york on our last trip and then ruined by washing it but now have the perfect excuse to use it as a picnic blanket.
It was so beautiful no people, cars, noise...nothing. Relaxed watched the baby moor hens and enjoyed our picnic, used my Isahi Pentax for the first time in months, followed by a game of Bananagrams, a perfect day.

brick lane

I love this cafe, just of Brick Lane it is everything I miss about living in the UK. Upstairs is the cafe, with sweet homemade cakes and super friendly staff. Downstairs is the vintage clothes store, and great spot to find a pretty summer dresses or old canvas bags with leather trims.

I could sit here and drink tea and cake all day.

V&A quilt exhibit

I finally made it to the quilt exhibit, having been talking about it since it opened in March.

Pre-booked tickets on-line so no standing in-line.

I prepared my roomie for the mass of women & quilts he was about to walk into...The exhibit though small was full of inspiration, pattern, colour and the sense of history and craftmanship even had my roomie hooked. You can walk around in about an hour or spend hours looking at each individual fabric & pattern.

Choosing a favorite would be tough the quilt made at Wormworth Scrubs is inspiring and incredibly humbling and the quilt made at Shanghai POW camp...

Creating something as a community or family for what ever reason; escapism, desperation, the same passions is quality time we can spend together and have a wonderful sense of achievement.

After exiting you enter the shop which is full of limited addition treats (thanks to Liberty's) which you think you can't live without...we ended up buying the exhibit book and a couple postcards of our favorite quilts.

We had a wonderful morning and I have come back to Italy full of news ideas and ready to go.

It's rhubard.

Just got back from a long weekend in Somerset at my parents house, as always it's relaxing and inspiring.

This visits request was Mums Rhubard crumble with custard...Mum did not fail us, however we failed the crumble; ate too much Indian take away Saturday night and left no room for afters. 

Mums famous Pavlova and Dads Tarte Tartin was already on the menu for Sunday - strong competition for the winner... All was not lost though,  Monday before leaving we picked some rhubard from the garden to bring back to Italy, I'm gonna try Mums other speciality Rhubard pasties! We had a wonderful family get together Sunday, with a delicious meal cooked by my roomie, he insisted on bringing everything from Italy, even the rocket!

Secrets in somerset

Found: New junk shop...

  

Spent: to much.