Destination Summer @ Westfield London

This post is is SPONSORED by WESTFIELD LONDON

Earlier this week I had arranged to see my friends but I really didn't know what we were going to do. We all wanted different things from a spot of shopping to straight up exploring and of course we all wanted to grab some food together. In classic British Summer Time style the weather was not on our side. A bit grey and drizzly around the edges and not the most exciting weather to be walking around London in. Saying that it’s really not been all that bad the past few weeks but it has rained more than it should do considering it’s y’know… August. 

In the end we settled on Westfield London. It’s easy to get to for all of us and pretty much had everything we were going to potentially need all under one roof.

As we all know, London is home to host of dreamy outdoor parks. But with the weather being as temperamental as it is, it isn’t always going to be park weather. None the less over in West London there is a little pocket of indoor summertime lurking in The Atrium of Westfield London. It’s a cute summer themed area with lots of fun  activities going on throughout the day as well as some fun things for all ages. 

The thing that caught my attention first was the The Disney Zorb Pool. Inspired by the new Finding Dory film (which I REALLY need to see asap) it’s a themed water based zorb pool for all ages so definitely give it a go if you’re feeling up for some fun! If I was feeling more brave then I would have definitely jumped right in and taken the zorb pool on myself. I saw so many little ones being amazed that they were on water but suspended in a little bubble not getting wet, it was very cute! There are plenty of little things going on for the littles including The Toadstool Garden for storytelling and colouring with tons of activities going on throughout the day.

Right in the centre of the park is a very swish looking Cava bar with very Instagrammable decor if I do say so myself. The Freixenet Ice Bar serves Cava cocktails and drinks by the glass or bottle - Plus there are also plenty of samples going round if you wanted to try a little tipple before going in for a glass or  even a full bottle if you're feeling up to it. I had a really refreshing cocktail made out of the Freixenet ICE, which was light refreshing sparkling wine with a slightly sweeter taste which made it perfect for cocktails. 

If Cava isn’t your thing then try the The Coco Face Kiosk for authentic refreshing Thai coconut water served out of their shells or pop by the Ice Cream Entrepeneurs Pop-up for a little cool down treat. Also throughout the day in The Park there is a Lululemon Yoga & Pilates session if you fancied doing a little workout as well a bunch of other kiosks to have fun at.

 

After a little tipple and a chill session on a deckchair, all while avoiding the dull greyness of the great outdoors we decided to do a bit of a shop. I knew I needed some new jeans. I’ve been really into the River Island Molly jeans in the short leg style so I made sure to pick those up. I picked black, obviously but I also decided to get some creamy white ones as they caught my eye. On our way we stopped by the Lola’s Cupcakes who have just started doing vegan cupcakes so I picked one of those up as well as a GF one for Jon.

For food we decided on Wahaca. I’ve talked about this place on my blog a few times before but It’s definitely one of my favourite chain returns to eat in London. While it’s rapidly expanded over the years the quality is always on point and I’ve never left feeling unsatisfied!  Really awesome Mexican Street food! Plus being in close proximity to the indoor areas of the centre we could just dash over for our meal!

Wahaca has something for everyone, from really easy modified plant based options (just make sure to ask for no dairy) to something for your carnivorous friends. Load up of the chips and guac, that’s definitely my absolute favourite. I ended up having a Super Food Salad which was so good I think I need to recreate something at home like it because it was so filling and tasty. As I was driving and already had a tipple over at the Freixenet Ice Bar I opted for the Hibiscus Fresca which was so delicious and so refreshing. I’d recommend their margaritas or Hibiscus Mojito! 

After more wandering, a lot of gossiping and filled bellies we decided to head home. It was a great little day out and so nice to catch up with some friends and have all the amenities of shops and restaurants all in the same place. It’s a bit easier to go to a shopping centre, come entertainment complex with a bunch of restaurants when you aren't really sure of what to do plus it saves you from getting rained on at the same time!

The Westfield Park is a pop up summer destination, running in Westfield Stratford City between 22nd August - 4th September Monday - Saturdays: 12-8pm & Sundays: 12 6pm

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To the Beach

GET THE LOOK

So excuse the excessive branding in these snaps, it was for a sponsored Instagram which you can see here if you're that way inclined. This post is in no way sponsored so nobody get their knickers in a twist - I thought I'd share them on my blog too as I really loved the imagery we ended up creating it was a shame to not use the ones that didn't get approved by the brand.

Jon, my long suffering photo dude and his wonderful girlfriend Marisa came down for a visit with the intention of shooting a nice onlocation set of images at the beach. We'd originally planned to do something a little bit more golden hour but the weather that evening was drizzly and less than golden. We decided to hold off until the morning and stay in the warmth eating burritos and watching stuff on TV.

I picked up a really cute picnic basket and some awesome plastic patterned plates from Lakeland. I've been longing for a picnic basket for years and I was so chuffed to see this one for less than half price. I know I wont use it all the time but it's just a really lovely thing to own. I dunno, Im weird like that.

That cutie-pie pineapple was also from Lakeland and I'm totally obsessed with it, Im trying to work out where to put it in my house because it's freaking adorable. Food Wise I packed some strawberries, falafel, crisps, hummus (is life worth living without hummus? I personally dont think so) and made some herby potatoes. It was a really lovely spread if I do say so myself! Obvious beverage branding is obvious.

All in all it made me realise I really do hardly spend any time at the beach considering it's a mere 5 minutes walk from my house and you can see it from my bedroom window. I probably should make a little bit more effort to go down there because it's such a nice place to go visit for a bit of calm and quiet.

Bit of a behind the scenes tidbit, it was actually such bad weather. Although It looks all dreamy and pretty beachy softness it was actually almost raining and blowing a right gale. By the time we got the last shot the sky was so dark it looked crazy! (Here's a non edited image of me) We scurried home for warmth and tea. But I guess that's all part of the charm of the British seaside experience though.

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PHOTOS BY JON D BARKER EDITED BY ME

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Competition: Win a luxury trip to the Hamptons

Alright folks, start packing your bags for the trip of a lifetime, thanks to Velocity. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, Velocity is a luxury app that enables you to discover some of the world's top restaurants and book them straight from your phone. Think of it as the ultimate concierge that sits in your pocket, waiting to be put into action, to give you exclusive access to everything from Michelin star classics to new and hip restaurants. And because Velocity is all about sharing the ultimate in luxury experiences, they want to send one lucky winner to "The End" (of the Hamptons), otherwise known as Montauk. If you are watching "The Affair," you'll be very familiar with this part of the world by now and know it's basically the playground for the rich, famous and culturally clued in!

For your chance to enjoy lobster rolls, beach strolls and some most serious instagram enviable moments, here are the rules of the competition. Trust me, this couldn't be easier.

1. Download the Velocity App! 

2. Between now and August 24th, book at least two tables in London, through the Velocity app. This won't be hard as they currently have access to over 300 top tables. And you have nearly two weeks of dinners that need filling...

3. The more you dine with Velocity, the more chances you have to win! So make sure you keep booking and encourage friends to book as well. The trip is for two, so the more friends that enter, the more chances you have to either be the host or the guest on the luxury adventure of a lifetime. 

4. Be ready to travel in mid-September. I say this now as I know you'll want to have your wardrobe ready! The Hamptons is THE place for Manhattanites over the summer months and I want you representing London in style! 

5. Watch your email! On August 24th, a winner will be selected at random and notified.

6. I want a shout out from the winner. Ok, this isn't mandatory for you to enter and go... but since I'm exempt from entering myself, I'm feeling a bit like I deserve some credit for putting this in front of you! PS. I love lobster roll shots!

Good luck and enjoy! And watch this space as I'll be visiting lots of Velocity London hotspots over the coming months and bringing you the best of what London has to offer for VIP treats. 

Competition T&Cs

• Competition runs until 12pm on 24th August
• Winner will be selected at random and contacted via email on 24th August
• Must book at least twice in the period to get 1 entry. For every booking after that you get another entry
• Cancelled tables will not count as a booking
• Entrants must be 18 or over
• Winner must be available to travel from Friday 16th - Monday 19th September 
• Prize includes: flights for 2 people from London to NYC, transfer from NYC to Montauk and back, 3 nights stay in Montauk, and 3 reservations at one of Velocity's treasure chest of restaurants in the Hamptons

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Styled Update: Blazered Boden

Alright ladies, here's my thing about workwear, looking back on the decade where I was chained to my desk working in PR. My summer trick was this: stock up on summer dresses and linen blazers and you're set for chic ensembles for your daily wardrobe. Then, for rooftop cocktails after work, you're stylishly setup for fun in the sun by just removing the blazer and throwing on a pair of shades. Done, dusted and deliciously easy!!

Shop the Look:

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Style Update: Gingham, spots and calf hair crossovers!

So I took some inspiration from my bag for this ensemble. The cross body I'm sporting is a hodge-podge of patterns and bold colours. It's risky with leopard prints, bright blues and blood red highlights. It throws caution to the wind and it's seriously winning at the game of style. I decided to let it act as inspiration and paired gingham and polka dots for what I'm calling my "southern roots" moment. I do, in fact, think this is just the sort of outfit I could get away with for an afternoon of sweet tea on the dock in South Carolina. Oh to be back there... 

Shop The Look:

Zara Polka Dot Top, J Crew Crossbody Calf Hair Bag, Zara Gingham Skirt, Boden Shoes

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Petty things that 20 Somethings Fear

Idk why I've titled this "...20 somethings" as that makes me cringe almost as much as "Millennial"but hey, that's the kind of contradictory person I've grown to become. I thought I'd share some of the petty things that I'm irrationally scared of in the hope people find me #relatable and make me feel like less of an awkward turtle.

Moving Back in with Their Parents

A couple of years ago between moving into new houses in London I had to put all my stuff in storage and go and live back at my parents house. 150 Miles away from all my things and my friends and not to mention being back at home with my parents put the fear of god into me. Luckily my boyfriend at the time also let me stay at his some of the time but telling people I’d had to sort-of move back home was such a bum out. It’s very strange moving back into your old childhood room and the fear of being stuck there forever is v. unsettling.

Unknown Numbers

I HATE talking on the phone to anyone I don’t know, actually I just hate talking to anyone on the phone. But nothing makes me feel worse than seeing an unknown number pop up on my phone? Who could it be? That guy you drunkenly gave your phone number to? Or the Bank asking why you still have a student overdraft even though you left university 5 years ago? 

Voicemails 

While on the subjects on phones lets talk Voicemails. Leaving one makes my palms so sweaty that it practically makes my phone slip out of my hands. The fear of messing up a message runs way too strong and I know it's' only some machine on the other end but it makes me so nervous than someone actually being on the other end of the line.  Also with that I can't stand listening to them either out of the fear of the unknown. Im pretty sure the only person has ever leaves me voicemails is my Dad but honestly there is nothing more unsettling that seeing “1 Voice Message” pop up on my phone.

Accidentally Liking something you shouldn’t 

I’ve got the art of holding my phone during a stalking session down to a tee incase I do actually hit that like button when I'm 47 weeks deep stalking your mates sisters university friend who has a feed goals and a body to die for. Sometimes you can get away with a quick reverse but once that notification has gone out there is no going back from the inevitable cringe. Same goes for adding someone on Facebook and following them on Twitter.

Making Appointments

TBH I think I’d rather just die than phone up the doctors to get an appointment or ask them what could be wrong with me. Being blissfully unaware seems like the safest option. Even if I know… end up in the morgue.

So there we go 5 little things that Im scared of but I know are the most firstworldy of first world problems imaginable. Do you have any petty things that scare the shit out of you that really shouldn't? Let me know in comments!

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