Dirty Thirty: I HAVE ARRIVED!

I'm rocking in a new decade decked out in ridiculously oversized jewelry, hot pink lips, and a few new wrinkles, while nibbling at a warm pain au chocolate and drinking a gigantic black americano.

Today I've already been spoiled with a fancy camera (!!!!!!!) and a huge cookie cake (as requested).



Instead of getting "Happy Birthday, Melissa!" he decided he'd get his name, in case I forgot who it came from.

{heart. exploding.}



Tonight I'll imbibe some fancy cocktails, have a tasty, fancy Japanese dinner, and pack my bags.

Tomorrow I'll be headed back to Boston for a week long vacation/birthday celebration with my Mama!

Stay tuned for some bad "professional" photography, by yours truly while I learn to use my new camera and some recaps of EASTER (yes. It's May. I am aware.) and that time country came to London, as I try to get back into the swing of regular blogging.

Maybe I'll have to create an "editorial calendar" like Betsy to get me going.

My 20s pretty much rocked.

I

graduated from UNC Chapel Hill...

bought my first car by myself...

totaled my first car purchased by myself...

moved to Boston...

spent a year working for my idol Hillary Clinton...

started law school...

started this here little blog...

graduated law school (with honors/a concentration)...

took a bar exam...

passed a bar exam...

met my future husband...

married my future husband...

traveled all over Europe...

met some of bestest friends ever (ahem Hops, Kiki, Richard, Lori, Michelle, Popkin, Ashely, AT, Marie)...

moved to a new country...

got my first real lawyer job...

started running and ran my first 5k and then 10k...

lost 106lbs (and counting)...

And, as cheesy as it sounds, sort of found myself.

20s were awesome but I just know...

30 is going to be the best year yet!

Anyway, I'm off to find another french pastry to eat because CALORIES DON'T COUNT ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!



Mildred's: A Review {And that time I got my meat loving husband to eat vegetarian!}

About a month ago now (I know. I am SO behind on posts) I bit the bullet and decided to get highlights. The lovely Southwest Train company had sent gold card holders 6 free train passes the week before, so I gave PB one and dragged him into the city with me. While I was highlighting he was wandering around his favorite book store and generally geeking out. Afterwards we decided to meet up at Mildred's in Soho for lunch.

Now. I previously disclosed that I've made the full conversion to being a vegetarian. PB had, being the most throughtful person in the entire world, researched the best vegetarian spots in London.

Obviously, when Mildred's came up in the top 5 he picked it.

We have a smushed faced grumpy kitty named Mildred.

If that isn't a sign I don't know what is.

We arrived at around 2PM and hopped in the queue. Pet peeve: NO RESERVATIONS. I mean, it's a tiny, super popular place and I just really hate that they don't take reservations. That said, we only had to wait about 15 minutes to get a seat so it could have been worse.

(Also? The host guy was quite possibly the most obnoxious person I've dealt with in London. But he got  us a seat fast, so whatever.)

You can't really tell here, but I HAVE HIGHLIGHTS! They look great. They are caramel/honey toned and very subtle. I think I might add in some blonde strands for summer!

(Also? Wrinkles. I smile too much.)

We started off with a crisp white organic wine from Chile (I think)... It was so good that I think I ended up ordering three.

His and hers starters:

He went with the beet salad and I went with the grilled artichoke crostini.

OMG.

That on the right? Freaking heaven on a plate. 

 His and hers mains:

He went with the mushroom and ale pie and I went with the veggie burger of the day.

Mine was ok, but PB's was delicious!

 I didn't love my veggie burger. The texture of the burger and the bread... it was just too mushy and it was huge. I only ate about 1/4 of the burger and 5 chips. I think next time I'll skip this and maybe get two starters.

Because I can NEVER say no to sticky toffee pudding...

PB even liked the vegan "cream" that came with it. SO GOOD.

We literally contemplated ordering another one to have. 

After our humongous lunch we rolled ourselves out of Mildred's and took a stroll over to Liberty.

If you've not been to Liberty, you have not lived. The flowers alone are absolutely STUNNING.

And then I may or may not have tried on a pair of hot pink Chanel specs.

I mean.

The no-make up look isn't my best, but I think I could TOTALLY rock them.

(Also? My hair looks like a bush here. I don't really know what to say about that.)

Mildred's was outstanding despite the wait to be sat and the medicore burger. If you are in London and want to try a little something different you should pop on over. The people watching was excellent, the servers were all knowledgable and responsive, and the grilled artichoke crostini is out of this world. 

Seriously.

Have you ever tried a vegetarian restuarant, even if you aren't a vegetarian?

PS: Next week I'm heading back stateside! I'll be landing in Boston on Friday evening. Anyone up for a dinner in the city with Moi? Leave a comment and we'll set something up.



Dates for your Diary: Streets of Spain Festival!

GET EXCITED, LONDONERS.

Next weekend, the Streets of Spain Festival will be coming to London's Southbank Centre for a four day event celebrating the food, wine, art and culture of Spain courtesy of the UK's favorite Spanish wine brnad, Campo Viejo.

The festival will be running from May 3rd-6th, 10:30AM to 7:00PM and promises to bring the busting energy and tastes of Spain to London by welcoming market stall owners from Barcelona's world-famous La Boqueria food market to the UK for the first time ever.

Bringing fresh produce and tapas direct from Spain, the event will be the first time people will be able to buy the famous offerings here in London. 

To top it off, Spanish wine brand Campo Viejo will be hosting wine masterclasses with their experts, as well as creating a pop-up restaurant each night led by Michelin-starred Spanish chef, Angel Pascual. The Campo Viejo pop-up experience will offer food and wine-lovers a world class Spanish menu designed by Pascual, matched with wines from Campo Viejo.



There are several masterclasses on offer:

-Blend your Own Wine {where attendees will have the chance to become a winemaker for an hour]

- Introduction of Spanish Wine {where winemakers will offer information on the Rioja region, Spanish grape varities and styles]

- Taste Experience {where attendees will look at how taste influences wine perception}

- Advanced Spanish Wine Masterclass {where attendes will be treated to a Tepranillo masterclass and immersed in the delights of the noble grape variety of Rioja}

- Spanish breakfasts {served daily from 10:45AM} 

Finally, if you're interested in the pop-up restaurant, you can reserve a table on the Campo Viejo Facebook page. They will feature a five course food and wine matched menu for £65 per person.

{Not bad for a Michelin starred meal!}

For the full line up and more details CLICK HERE.

I'm definitely hitting up a masterclass (or two) and stocking up on Spanish produce.

ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING, TOO?

If so, let me know by leaving a comment or a tweet at #streetsofspain.

I better see y'all there!

SPRING HAS ARRIVED IN LONDON!

NEWSFLASH: IT IS GOING TO BE ALMOST 70F DEGREES IN LONDON TODAY.

Therefore, I started mentally planning on ALLOFTHETHINGS I need to buy to look properly sunny and chic during this heatwave (that may or may not only last a day).

I've been fairly good at not spending money lately (with the exception of my newly developed Itsu lunch habit that I can't seem to quit) but I did snatch up the gorgeous Boden dress below on sale this week. I love the color and the 50's style cut.

Obviously I need everything below to round out the full on SPRINGTIMEISHERE look, no?

{No but seriously... The Kate Spade picnic basket and champagne tote are going to need to happen.}


Have you made any clutch spring purchases that you can't wait to show off in the sunshine!?

Spring Dreaming by beantownprepster featuring a straw sun hat

Boden dress / Jimmy Choo shoes / Kate Spade eyewear / Inverni straw sun hat, $165 / Estée Lauder glossy lipstick / KATE SPADE NEW YORK Pack A Picnic Picnic Basket, $340 / New Growth Designs Dark Pink Peony Faux Flower Arrangement / kate spade new york Pack A Picnic Champagne Box

 

Sunday Confessions

I was planning on publishing a few blog posts last week but on Monday when I was about to hit publish on my "Weekend in NUMBERS" post I logged on to Twitter to see what was up. It was then that I saw the inital tweets about the Boston marathon bombings and completely forgot about my blog.

 

I'm not going to write a huge blog post about what happened in Boston because everything that needs to be said has been said by a million different people who are far more eloquent than me. I will say this... I now understand what it feels like when tradegy strikes close to home. Thus far in my life I have watched things happen from afar. 9-11 was the geographically closest thing to ever happen to me but I didn't know anyone involved and had no ties to NYC at the time.

 

Boston hit straight to my heart. I have worked, lived, and studied in Boston since 2006 (with the exception of my brief stint working for HRC). Most of my law school friends are still living and working in the city. Many of my campaign friends are living and working in the city. Many of my high school acquaintances live and work in Boston. I lived 5 blocks from the second bomb site. This actually hit home. When we flipped to CNN International and they played the video of the explosions, I burst into tears. I couldn't stop. I cried for hours. Silently. Heartbroken. Yes. All of my friends were fine. My mom was 45 miles away in her home. I don't know any of the injured, but I do know Boston. It was injured. My city was injured. It was a terrifying week for all Bostonians, and all of those with loved ones in and around Boston. I am so estastic that they were able to find the culprits and I can't wait to see the live one standing before a Federal judge soon. Thank you all for tweeting/emailing/facebook messaging me to check on my friends and me. I don't live there now, but it will always be home in my heart and I appreciate you all for understanding.

 

So anyway, IN LIGHTER, LESS IMPORTANT NEWS, I've decided it's been FAR too long since we had a confessional post. Now... Let's 'fess up, shall we?

- CONFESSION: I love Nashville... but... I can't stand Connie Britton's character. I know she's supposed to be the good one but I can't stand her. I hate everything she says/does/wears. Why? I have no idea but it's true.

- CONFESSION: I've been an official vegetarian for over a month now!  I am still having eggs, but we get our eggs from a farm shop down the street where I can go visit with the chickens before I get the eggs. So, I'm willing to eat their eggs because I know how much space they have to frolick and I know that they are loved. (And they totally come running to say hi when we go to visit and I can't promise that one day I won't steal two for our house.) I've not ever had sushi or fish since March 13th. THAT, my friends, is a FEAT.

- CONFESSION: At least twice a week, instead of having a healthy, wholesome dinner, I'll have toast with avocado orrrrrr ryvita with hummus. While standing in the kitchen. Holding my cats. Judge away, my people. Judge away.

- CONFESSION: I recently read Gone Girl and the Great Gatsby. I hated them both. I hated Gone Girl with a fury I can't even express in words. When I finished it I wanted to hurl it against a wall. It made me see red. The Great Gatsby bored me. I fail to see the amazing in it. I have no urge at all to see the movie. In fact, I actively do not WANT to see the movie. Not my jam, at all. Am I the only one?!

- CONFESSION: I haven't had a pedicure in almost two years. I know, y'all. I KNOW.

- CONFESSION: I have a reservation booked at a fancy restaurant for my birthday, buttttt I kind of want to ring in a new decade at the decidedly unfancy restaurant know as McDonald's. I mean. THEY HAVE A VEGGIE BURGER. and French Fries. and an Apple Pie for dessert. I'll keep you all updated.

- CONFESSION: I hate bubble necklaces, arm parties, the term "jorts"/"norts", and mixing patterns. I just can't.

and finally,

- CONFESSION: I spent a whopping £5.00 on a box of Reese's puffs cereal last weekend and may or may not have had a small bowl with some vanilla rice milk for dessert last night. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Now it's YOUR turn... SPILL, BABY, SPILL!

Deux

I realize it is almost a full MONTH later, but PB and I celebrated our anniversary in style this year. By in style I mean we both took the day off of work and did absolutely nothing but hang out with each other.

Our day started off on a high note with breakfast of champions at Starbucks... and by breakfast of champions I mean a stale apple fritter and an americano for him and a sugar-free soy caramel latte for moi. I also par-took (is that a real word?) in the stale apple fritter. Then it was off to the vets with our babies. 

Norman gave me the stare of death, while Mildred preferred to play the martyr and suffer in silence while blatantly refusing to acknowledge my existence.

 After we had the babies safe and snug at home, we popped out to do some errands and I got to pick lunch.

Yes.

I opted for Subway. 

Veggie delight on wheat, extra veggies, extra mustard. 

WINNING.

Then, after lunch we went home and I decided to deep clean the kitchen before making us a celebratory anniversary cake. I had picked up some new tea towels and a pot holder-wrap-thingy (which I am currently obsessed with) a few weeks ago but I hadn't started using them.

Then I did what any sane twenty-something with cute tea towels would do...

I instagrammed the shit out of it.

And obviously I tweeted Kirstie Allsopp because a) I am borderline obsessed with her and b) because they are her brand.

If you are American you might not know who she is. She has a few TV shows over here and basically helps people find and purchase homes. She's also super crafty, pretty, wears a gigantic ruby ring and basically is the person I aspire to be.

So then I plopped down to take a break and saw THIS.

YOU GUYS.

SHE RETWEETED ME.

I pretty much started hyperventilating.

Anyway, after my life-making moment with Kirstie (who now knows I exist), I frosted our cake and then came to deliver it to PB.

Turns out he was napping.

After I stopped swooning over the cuteness that is my boy cat hanging out with his dad, we got re-dressed (i.e. I ditched the dress because a) it was freezing and b) I couldn't find nude pantyhose to keep me from freezing to death) and headed into Winchester to have dinner at the Kyoto Kitchen.

It was sooooo cute and tiny! We have been trying to find a good sushi place outside of London but it has been hard. Turns out this was a WINNER! 

The place was packed. The decor was perfect. Understated but with some kimonos hanging along the walls to give it a little ambiance. 

We ordered edamame and some tempura vegetables to start. 

THE TEMPURA VEGETABLES WERE AMAZING.

We ordered them because literally every table around us had. The coating was SO light and crispy and not the least bit greasy.

PB ordered his favorite food of all time, egg fried rice, and a spicy salmon roll (maybe?)

PB and I ordered sashimi to split, and I added on two pieces of nigiri for myself. 

Basically raw fish HEAVEN.

Scallop nigiri might be my favorite thing ever. 

Then we split an order of the something-there-pictured-beside-me-that-I-can't-remember-what-it-was-called. 

It was good. I left the sauces untouched  and mainly ate all of the fish off the top. 

Yumyumyum.

 

Since it was our anniversary, we decided to be all crazy and order dessert. 

Tempura bananas?! 

They ARE bananas!

(See what I did there?!)

It was a great meal. Winchester is only about a 10 minute train ride from our house, so I think we shall be frequenting the Kyoto Kitchen again in the future!

I really, really suggest taking a quick trip out to Winchester if you're visiting England. It is the former capital of England and it has great shopping, cute buildings, and a gorgeous cathedral.

When we got home I clearly needed to try to get a picture with Norman (I've pretty much given up on selfies with Mildred. She does NOT like being photographed. She is such a diva) and clearly I needed to take one of myself. (Insert sarcasm here.)

I had switched into my favorite outfit of the moment when we determined it was too cold for my new dress I wanted to wear. 

I'm pretty in love with that Ted Baker top and I HAVE BLACK KNEE HIGH BOOTS FOR MY TREE TRUNK CALVES YOU GUYS! 

 

Happy (belated) TWO YEAR Anniversary, PB!!!!!

 

(PS: Am I the only one who could pretty much live on sushi and edamame?!)