New Room, Old Me

I moved back to university this weekend. With third and final year comes a new, improved room as we finalists get top pick of college rooms, as well as the stress and panic of exams and coursework. Swings and roundabouts.

I thought I'd do a quick post with some pictures of how I decorated my rooms (yes, I get TWO rooms) and managed to make a pretty bare space into something that felt like home.

This is pretty much the view when you walk in through the door to my study, and one of my favourite things about the room. I love the glow that the fairy lights create, especially as I'll be sitting at my desk working an awful lot this year.

I got a new desk lamp to come back this year, this one actually from Sainsbury's home section for only £25 which I thought was great.

Speakers are also an essential for this year- the radio built in on these ones make getting up early in the morning that bit more bearable!

The fairy lights are bendable copper wire ones- I got them extra long so I could drape them all around like I have done. Find them here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Adapter-Included-Wedding-Festival/dp/B0196JNQYC/ref=pd_nav_hcs_bia_t_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QQKJ2CAG5KVWE6QC9RT3

The chairs in my room were really not that nice, in a lovely shade of green. I brought plenty of throws, blankets and scarves to drape across uglier or bare surfaces in my room, as well as this cushion, which is also from Sainsbury's.

My sister bought me this cute magnet which sits above my little tea-station- my friends come over and sit in the chairs either side of the coffee table, and it's such a nice place to catch up and relax.

Having pretty notebooks is essential for me- the two below my planner are from TK Maxx and Accessorize. The planner was an amazing birthday present from my mum- it is genuinely one of my most prized possessions. Find it here: http://www.johnlewis.com/ban-do-i-am-very-busy-academic-diary-2016-17-pink/p2437469?sku=235556349&s_kwcid=2dx92700013364821854&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CKDKvJ2ry88CFRE2cgodCSsH2A&gclsrc=ds

My noticeboard in a bit more detail- the bottom row is a collection of cards that I like the design of, as well as a little drawing I traced from one I liked online. The poster came with a bag my boyfriend got for me, and I used wrapping paper as a background to put my pictures on, the effect of which I really like. 

I bought some gingham ribbon from Tiger to decorate my room with, but so far hanging up this picture is the only use I've found for it! I think this looks really pretty though. 

This is the window of my study, where I can look out into the street below. I have a bookcase below the window, and this teacup, photo album and birthday card lined along my shelf. The album is from Urban Outfitters, about two years ago.

This is the door that leads into my bedroom. Please excuse my pyjamas. I hung an over-door mirror that I found in Matalan, because university rooms never come with a full length mirror. The little backpack on the door was also a birthday gift, from Brandy Melville. 

I feel very lucky to get a double bed this year! I don't know what the line going down the middle is, but the polka dot bedding is from Marks and Spencer, and the crochet throw is from Sainsbury's (again). I also have some plain white broderie Anglaise bedding to switch with the polka dot over term time. 

This is the little faux-fire place that sits behind my chest of drawers. I put my make up, jewellery, hair stuff and perfume on my chest of drawers, as well as storing my lipsticks in a cute John Lewis teacup.

These are the pictures I propped up above the drawers- the middle frame is from Tiger, with the prints either side of it coming from a charity shop near me. These pictures are one of my favourite things about my room!

Finally, this is my window seat where I can look out on to the courtyard where the rest of my friends live, make my phone calls or read my books. I put a couple of blankets on it to make it a bit more cosy, one of which my grandma crocheted. This little seat feels very homely.

That's pretty much a full tour of the room! I hope it gave a few of you some ideas on how to make yours feel more like 'yours', especially if you've just moved into university halls and can't seem to make your bleak student room feel a little better!

Jess x

Birthday Brunching

A few weeks ago, my sister and I wanted to take our mum out for her birthday. A natural choice was brunch- the best meal of the day, the time when anything goes and true meal freedom comes to play.

Amelia (said sister) booked us a table at Christopher's, a rather fancy brunch spot just off Covent Garden. We coupled the brunch with a day of shopping and tea and cake, which of course suited me just fine.

Christopher's is probably the grandest place I could envisage for somewhere to have brunch. It is not your typical cosy café with cushions and teapots galore- instead, the interior is something you would see Blair Waldorf elegantly gliding through in a ball gown. Spiralling staircases, marbled floors, and a cocktail bar aimed at the creme de la creme of cocktail consumers. 

We sat down to brunch and I of course opted for my favourite- Eggs Benedict. This version was ramped up slightly by being made with Parma ham, which I did not object to. 

You can see in the photos below how frothy and light the hollandaise sauce is, something I wouldn't usually expect from it. 

See that froth? See it?

The eggs were cooked perfectly as the yolk oozed out- something I didn't manage to capture on film. I was just too hungry.

Mum went for the same as me, whilst Amelia chose the healthier alternative of an egg-white, tomato and avocado omelette from the 'super-food' menu. 

A photo of me, sipping water and completely unaware of any photo being taken. 

THIS was one of the coolest things about Christopher's, and something that I very very nearly was persuaded to go for instead of the Eggs Benedict- build your own pancakes. In case you were wondering, I definitely would have gone for the buttermilk pancakes with Nutella and salted caramel ice cream. 

Aaaand the exterior, complete with columns and ornate archway. 

Christopher's really is a brunch-lover's paradise. A little on the pricey side in my opinion, so an option for a special occasion or a one-off treat, but the food really was delicious. The selection of menus meant there was something for everyone, even the super-health conscious, and the waiting staff were so eager to please. Next time, I think I'll be seated at the bar ordering from their martini menu whilst sampling each option on the pancake builder.

http://www.christophersgrill.com/

Pastels in Spring? Groundbreaking.

I took advantage of a rare glimpse of the English sunlight and broke out my new Waven jeans for the seeming arrival of spring. 

These pastel mom jeans are something I've had my eye on for ages, but being on a student budget meant that spending that £52 was not something I wanted to do.

Their baggy, cropped fit is perfect for this time of year, where no outfit seems to be appropriate for the indecisive weather that April brings.

I paired mine with a Brandy Melville t-shirt which is so sheer it needed a sporty crop-top underneath to maintain my modesty.

 Another pastel hue is added with these blue Supergas- super comfy and wearable, if very easily dirtied. 

April showers mean that no one is safe outdoors, so I also went with this ASOS raincoat with the polka dot interior. It's nice to know that a four year old could also wear this outfit and it would probably be more appropriate for them. 

Aand here are the jeans again. I really like them, in case you couldn't tell. I'm currently doing the thing where you wear them for 4 days straight but because you are seeing different people each of the days, it doesn't matter. Right?

Antwerp, City of Diamonds.

I gave tickets to Antwerp to my boyfriend for his 21st birthday. Naturally, I included myself in this present and went along too- the best kind of present is one that is also to yourself, right?

The city of Antwerp is one that has held interest for us for quite some time, despite me initially thinking it was a service station in the Midlands. It holds the glittering name of 'The City of Diamonds', something which we didn't care too much for considering our student budgets. 

I decided to book it for mid December, as the lead up to Christmas in a city that does amazing chocolate, beer and seafood seemed like a great place to be. We went for 4 days and 3 nights in total, a perfect long weekend, traveling on the Eurostar early on the Friday morning.

Day 1:

We got the train as early as possible to maximise our stay there, and arrived in Antwerp at around midday, after a change in Brussels. This was the day for pottering around we decided, and looked around the Covent Garden-esque streets. We found a little cafe, where Barney had the first of many Belgian beers, whilst I opted for a coffee to keep me awake after our early start.

Hat: Daisy Boutique

Top: Topshop

Skirt: Zara

The dinner we opted for was out of the Anterp Wallpaper guide, as most of the places we visited were, called 'Fiskebar'. Although this place was more expensive than we had anticipated, the squid was honestly one of the nicest pieces of food I have ever tasted. Well worth the price tag.

We went for both before and after dinner drinks- before, to a bar also from the guide, for aperitifs and nibbles, and afterwards to one of the famous Belgian beer houses, where the beer was delicious.

Day 2:

On the Saturday we visited one of the museums available- a huge glass structure by the port, with panoramic views on the roof and different themes exhibitions on each floor. Some of them had quirky novelty activities, such as placing a message in a glass bottle which you could put into the sand, or hanging a wish in front of a fan to float away. As museums go, this was a fun one.

Coat: Jack Wills

Jumper: Topshop

Skort: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Zara

The Saturday evening was our 'special' evening- the one we set aside for a more expensive dinner and drinks. The bill didn't end up being that far off the other nights, but the food was amazing. Above is Barney's steak tartare- something I was too scared to order, but it was so delicious I ended up getting it on the Sunday night instead. I had a ravioli dish, which didn't look as pretty as the steak, but still tasted pretty good.

Again, we went for beer afterwards, which we did every night. The honey beer was by far a favourite of mine, and I decided to bring back a bottle as a souvenir for my dad.

Day 3:

The Sunday contained a visit to a modern art gallery and a wander round a different area of the city, which was supposed to showcase some amazing architecture. We didn't quite manage to find the designs that the guide spoke of, but managed to sneak in an afternoon sitting in cafes instead.

Jumper: American Apparel 

In the evening, we went to yet another lovely restaurant, with this one being sponsored (ever so subtly) by Veuve Clicquot. We sat in the bar beforehand and I ordered this amazing rose-flavoured cocktail, complete with floating dried petals. 

Monday consisted of buying presents for the family and sipping on hot chocolate, before we made our way back to London just in time for rush hour.

As winter city breaks go, Antwerp was a great choice for us. It was the perfect amount of Christmassy wandering, coupled with a bit of culture and a lot of drinking. To be honest, I'd go back there just for that delicious squid. And maybe a cocktail or two.