Shoes – Adidas Energy Boost

A Skinny Latte at monmouth Coffee

27 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9EU

Coffee-connoisseurs the world around swear by Monmouth coffee – witness how proper lattes are done and don’t forget to take home your own bag of coffee beans to sniff when sad.

Trench coat – Burberry. Bag – Saint Laurent ‘Lulu’. Top – ASOS. Jeans – 7 For All Mankind. Shoes – Adidas Energy Boost

oysters at
the delaunay

55 Aldwych, WC2B 4BB

Sure, they’re known for wieners. Lots of different type of wieners. In fact, go for wieners, but the mittel European vibe at the Delaunay is not complete without oysters on ice to start.

Burgers at Shake Shack

24, Market Building, The Piazza, WC2E 8RD

Dress – StyleNanda. Denim Jacket – Pinko (Similar). Bracelet – Monica Vinader. Shoes – Adidas Energy Boost

Your search for the best burger is over. The cheeseburger topped with Niman Ranch all-natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper and ShackSauce goes famously with a side of crinkle-cut fries and a pint of Oreo shake is match made in heaven. And, as one Sheldon Cooper would say, the burgers come with a satisfying meat-to-bun-to-condiment ratio. (Avoid peak hours unless queuing is a hobby)

burberry beauty box

2A THE MARKET BUILDING WC2E 8RF

Burberry’s first stand-alone beauty store, with looks straight off the catwalk. Try the radio-frequency identification-enabled platform that matches your skin tone to a colour, preeeetty fascinating.

go for a run on victoria embankment

victoria embankment, WC2R

One of the best running routes the city has to offer, the riverside embankment. Opt for an early morning jog when the streets are bare from tourists. Up one bank and back the other, follow signage, or not. I usually follow the smell of breakfast. Beats views from any gym treadmill.

All clothing – Adidas

In collaboration with Adidas UK; Photography – KrisAtomic. Layout & Art Direction – Park & Cube

Blazer – Zara (similar). Culottes – ASOS. Shoes – Gianvito Rossi. Belt – Vintage LV

Necklace – Amulette de Cartier

Necklace – Cartier. Top & Trousers – Louis Vuitton Icon. Scarf – Zara. Bag – L.K.Bennett. Shoes – ASOS.

Necklace – Cartier.

Above: Hat – Chanel. Sweater – Zadig & Voltaire. Necklace – Cartier. Watch – Larsson & Jennings. Heels – Malone Souliers

There’s an urban myth that flight attendants look for neatly-dressed passengers in Economy to upgrade into Business class in order to balance the weight of the plane when the flight is under-booked. That, of course, is not the reason I wear heels when I travel. I am the passenger that has breadcrumbs all over her chin and sweater before take-off because I genuinely believe that I will starve and die before they bring out the food trolley. I’m also the passenger that is virtually invisible because she’s reaching under the seat for a fallen Skittle.

ANYWAY. I may have briefly touched up on this before, but the more I travel, the more I realise how much I’m addicted to the first 24 hours of a journey: the flurry of packing, pre-flight jitters, and the view out the plane/train window, then finally landing on foreign soil and cataloguing new scents and sounds into memory. From a certain point I started to dress up for it, like I would to any anticipated event, like a good show – figured I’d be sitting for hours in the plane anyway. While I don’t think I’ve yet fully mastered the art, so far these tricks have worked for me: Frothy cashmere, a great pair of heels you can easily slip out from, and single, fuss-free jewellery like the Amulette de Cartier that won’t bring down the entire airport.

In Collaboration with Cartier; photography by KrisAtomic; Location: Booking Office at the Renaissance Hotel.

Jewellery – Monica Vinader

Primrose Hill, London

Jewellery – Monica Vinader

Jewellery – Monica Vinader

Blouse – Iris & Ink. Skirt – ASOS. Heels – Gianvito Rossi (Similar here). Bag – Saint Laurent ‘Lulu’. All jewellery – Monica Vinader

You’re about to be let in on a secret that Londoners won’t openly share unless prompted and poked with a heated walking stick. I’m sharing this because I’m an inherent traitor (stems from life-long state of being an expat) and also could do with some brownie points with my readers after a month-ish long hiatus. Best burgers in London? Lucky Chip. Best toilets in Mayfair? The Connaught Hotel. < You might want to pretend you’re pregnant.

Recently I took a couple of my favourite engravable* pieces from Monica Vinader to spend a summer afternoon in North London as part of the new Jewel Coordinates campaign, which was a chance to verify: Best summer hangout? Primrose Hill.

I know, the name doesn’t ring a bell – it’s not known like Shoreditch, Notting Hill, or even Brixton – but I can guarantee you know all the residents. They say, one can’t swing a dead cat in Primrose Hill without hitting Jude Law, or Kate Moss. So picture this, midsummer afternoon, twinkling bracelets stacked up one hand, dainty stacking rings on the other, and a binocular around my neck. (I kid…) Not to say that Londoners flock up North to the little pocket of immaculate macaron-coloured townhouses to gawk at celebrities – the actual Hill itself is in fact London’s best panoramic view across the city, with the occasional squaaawk from the tropical birds that reside in ZSL (the zoo) across the road lending a feeling that you’ve successfully escaped the city. Sprinkle in a sighting of Eliza Doolittle at the florist and Gwen Stefani pushing a pram out the pub, and you got yourself a summer blockbuster. You don’t even need to be faux-pregnant to enjoy this bit of town.

*While I have my hubby’s nickname engraved on my own Esencia Friendship Bracelet, I confess that I was this close to engraving the Domino’s Pizza telephone number…

In collaboration with Monica Vinader; Photography by Park & Cube; Shots of me by Michelle Bobb Parris.

Tucked away in a dimple of land in Turkey’s southern coast lives a small secret: a bustling hillside community of savvy Istanbullus, travel aficionados and middle-European aristocrats, neatly organized into terraced suites, bikini uniforms and late-afternoon spa appointments. Officially known as Hillside Beach Club by the world, and Hillside bliss & cure to those who dwell for an average of 5 days during the high summer season.

Abi and I arrive late Wednesday afternoon, thoroughly worn out from a grubby day’s travel and one twisty car-ride from Dalaman airport closely bordering 1) the edge of hills and 2) seasickness (yes, in a car). Alas, the vehicle is sent from the mother ship and has free-Wi-Fi, for which we reward 100 brownie points. We’re ushered through the reception building as our luggage disappear on a golf buggy with a handsome Turk at the wheel. We don’t mind this at all. He could’ve been a luggage pirate from the local town.

After a breezy check-in another handsome Turk begins the tour (100 more points for Griffindor). Like all 330 rooms at Hillside, we get a full ocean frontal, the resort is built so that all rooms are treated to the money shot. Our third-floor room opens into a private terrace and is a medley of timber, sand and slate grey. The rest of the resort is a collective of buildings and beaches, punctuated with cream lounges and powder-blue fixtures. Relaxed and sophisticated, despite the flock of goggled children padding around the heated pool.

The sun melts into a golden sea as we into our duvets on the first night at Hillside. A promising day lurks behind the hills…

Yellow dress – ASOS. Cardigan – The White Company (Similar here)

Bag – L.K. Bennett Rosamund Mini

Swimsuit – Seafolly via SimplyBeach. Sunglasses – Karen Walker. Espadrilles – Next. Compact – Chanel. Sun Spray – Nuxe

Top – DIY (Find the tutorial in the Adorn book). Trousers – Zara. Clutch – Next.

Dress by ASOS. Shoes – Birkenstock Arizona. Sunglasses – Karen Walker

Burberry Fresh glow radiance No.01

Photos by Park & Cube; photos of me by Abi; Park & Cube was a guest of Hillside Beach Club as a member press