{quotable thursdays}

{bubble blowers}

Dear readers, I'm ashamed, but I forgot last week's quote:( Things have been a bit hectic and last Thursday I spent the whole day in meetings...
Today, the sun is shining, I'm on study leave, and am getting lots of writing/researching done;)
This weekend, I'm hosting a Masterpiece board game party...I'll be sure to post pics from the party, but with that in mind, today's quote is about returning to an earlier state--the time when we used to play games all the time. Playing games requires imagination; they require us to do away with reality for a bit & escape into another world.

We used to play board games all the time as kids, as well as make up plays, put on performances etc... I think that's what's lacking from most adults' lives--the ability to fill one's day with imagination & creativity. if you do it too much, you appear crazy!
For Ruskin:
'It is the child's spirit, which we are most happy when we most recover; remaining wiser than children in our gratitude that we can still be pleased with a fair colour or a dancing light.'
---John Ruskin

{believe in magic!}

so with that, do something crazy this weekend--it's supposed to get up to 16C here, and the sun will be shining, so go & find that child in you!

{go crazy}

{i love holly golightly b/c she is just that bit of crazy}

{go find a niece or nephew (or your own kid) to be goofy with!}

now go, find that Madhatter inside of you!

{madhatter}

xo, 

L

{inspiration from a restaurant}

Yesterday, my cousin and I were out for coffee & cake in Chelsea. We ended up walking along King's Road and stopped into a few shops. We came across the Comptoir Libanais, which is actually a chain, but I loved the look of the pastel floral chairs outside: 

Taking the cue from the chairs, here are some images inspired by them:

{the queen of all florals, cath kidston}

{pastels}

{more pinks & greens}

{perfect palette}

{loving these colours!}

{florals on the walls!}

{some florals}

The interior of the restaurant looked really cool, with embroidered handbags from Marrakech:

{pic from eat out magazine}

I've never been in the restaurant, but would like to now...

the interiors are apparently inspired by the souk...which reminds me a bit of this blog post I did on hideous kinky years ago (& I'm aware that some of the photos are no longer visible on the post:( )

Anyway, yesterday was fab, because it really felt like spring--the blossoms are out, and so are the dafs and crocuses... I love England in the spring!

xo

L

{flat-before & afters}

{home!}

I'm finally getting around to before & afters of my flat!
As you know, I had to wait a few months for all my stuff to arrive, and finally I've got everything under one roof...and with a little cat, I finally feel 'home'!

{before}

{before}

{mid move-in}

{after}

{mid move-in!}

{moving in...}

{after}

{after}

{bar cart}

{the bar!}

{my Dad made this armoire when I was a little girl}

{black & whites of my ancestors & family}

{the hall with carpets & pictures up}

{before}

{after}

{before}

{after}

{bedroom before}

{after}

xo, 

L

{quotable thursdays}

Hello all!
it's been a crazy few weeks! I just got back from Chicago on Tuesday morning and have hit the ground running catching up on emails and work...
Chicago was great--I was there for a conference (CAA 2014) and gave a paper, but lucky for me, it's also where my bestie lives, so we got to hang out & catch up.
We attended a great Courtauld alumni party at the Museum of Contemporary Art (the Courtauld is where we both met).... & we spent loads of time just chatting and hanging out.
So today, a quote in honour of my best friend, katie:

{that sums up Katie!}

{best buds!}

{fantastic restaurants with cool architecture}

{answering questions on my panel}

{caa}

xo, 

L