Tag Archive: Weekend Fun

Mar 16 2013

Weekend Fun: A Wander Around Arundel With Friends

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Weekends are all about relaxing, doing something fun, taking a trip away and spending it with friends, well that is my goal each and every weekend *not that it always happens*. A couple of weeks back I spent the weekend with my good friends Jim and Sarah down in Chichester, just for the night, just because, and it was the most fun I have had in a long time.

What’s great about Chichester and Arundel, a town close by, is that they are literally a stone’s throw from London, perfect for a weekend away, and so far from the hustle of London that it is the perfect place to relax, wandering around the sites and do a spot of shopping.

I hadn’t been to Arundel before, but basically this market town is famous for its castle and cathedral, is filled with gorgeous architecture, quirky shops, art galleries, cute cafes, and more antique shops than any place I have ever visited.

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When one bell wont do!!!

arundel cathedral Weekend Fun: A Wander Around Arundel With Friends %tagarundel castle 1 Weekend Fun: A Wander Around Arundel With Friends %tag arundel my style 2 Weekend Fun: A Wander Around Arundel With Friends %tagPretty much like this weekend, it was cold, sorry scrap that it was freezing, a little damp, and generally very wintry, which means only one thing my Barbour parka comes off the coat hook! As we were just out for a walk, being a tourist looking at all the sites, and rummaging through dusty antique shops I kept my look simple, relaxed, comfortable and most of all warm.

Jazzing up my skinny jeans and biker boot look were my winter warmers, my fun pom-pom scarf from Bank, which is completely OTT but super warm, my matching hat that Very.co.uk gave me at their Catwalk on Ice event earlier in the year, and my new knitted multi-coloured gloves that were a gift from my friend Laura, her dad knitted them aren’t they amazing – the pink colour in them is so me!!!

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My Style: Parka, Barbour //  Dark grey skinny jeans, Uniqlo // Kimmi black studded Biker Boots (c/o Tribeca Shoes) // Black jumper, New Look // Pom pom scarf, Bank (c/o) // Hat, Very.co.uk (c/o) // Glasses, Retro54 // Gloves, gift from my friend Laura // Brown leather bag, River Island //

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As well as admiring gorgeous buildings, posing to take an outfit piccie or two, I love finding quirky shops that are filled with unusual gifts, home interior pieces, and generally pretty things.

In Arundel that shop is Sparks Yard, which had the prettiest displays in town, Easter is just so adorable – made me want to buy all the chicks and bunnies. Not only that it had the cutest pieces – like this ‘Suitcase for really short holiday’ case, ‘Owl will always love you love’ heart decoration, and the best range of quirky clocks I have ever seen – my favourite being ‘What’s red sticky & licked all over – this!’ – genius!!!

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As the town is filled with antique shops it would have been rude not to look and there are four things I always look for – vintage tea cups, you can never have too many, Singer sewing machines, I know I have one already but there are just so unique, jewellery, I love old brooches, and typewriters, the one thing I want but can never seem to find.

Well thanks to Paulie I am now the proud owner of a Royal typewriter, which is in fully working order and comes with an adorable case complete with travel stamps. I am going to do a full post on my new beauty soon but I couldn’t help sharing now – is she cute – after a clean up and a new ribbon I will be going Mad Men style and typing up letters!!!

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A fun weekend isn’t dependent on the weather, or even the location, but the people you are with, and of course I love that Sarah like me also loves to do a selfie!!!

What makes your weekend fun?

Mar 10 2013

Sunday Fun: Columbia Road Flower Market

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An area of London that I have only recently over the past year or so really started to appreciate has to be East London – the Shoreditch, Spitalfields, and Brick Lane area, I think it is because I have had more time to wander, take in the cute shops, snap pictures of the incredible architecture and street art, and mainly because I have such great friends who rave about the area.

While my mum was down I really wanted to check out the Columbia Road Flower Market that takes place every Sunday, I have seen the flower market used for many a style post location, well why not a floral backdrop is pretty, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and see all the pretty flowers.

I love flowers, I love arranging them in all my pretty vases, I love giving a great bouquet they always make friends and family smile, and I just love looking at them – whether that is in a garden, a book, or on a flower market and I just adored the eclectic mix of flowers and people at the Columbia Road flower market.

Luckily my mum and I went last week, when it was fairly mild, sunny and definitely not snowing like today, and I think the sun shining even if a little cold makes the flower market a more pleasant experience, if not a little/a lot busier.columbia road flower 6 Sunday Fun: Columbia Road Flower Market %tag columbia road flower 5 Sunday Fun: Columbia Road Flower Market %tag

The market is open from 8am until 3ish, we got there around 11am and it was busy, but if you are after a bargain or two I would suggest heading over around 2pm as the traders drop their prices and you can pick up some gorgeous flowers. The market basically has everything you could want from bucketfuls of tulips in every colour imaginable to roses and daffodils, to tropical flowers and even mini trees, shrubs, herbs and bedding plants. I basically wanted to leave with a truck load full!!!

As well as the sweet-scented market there are also a host of independent shops, galleries and vintage shops on Columbia Road alongside the market as well as on the surrounding streets – think pottery, incredible artworks, vintage clothes, jewellery, as well as a retro sweet shop called ‘Suck and Chew’ I am still working my way through my alphabet sweets.

The only thing that I wasn’t thrilled with was the lack of cafes, the ones there are tiny, were packed and I like to sit and enjoy my cup of tea – but trust me this is the tiniest of gripes. If you love flowers, have always dreamed of being a flower arranger like me, just for the inspiration you will love this market.

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The other thing I love about East London has to be the street art, there are so many talented artists that really do make the streets vibrant. I instagram a lot of pieces, so if you love street art as much as I do make sure you follow me on there – but here are a few of my favourites near Columbia Road flower market.street art east london Sunday Fun: Columbia Road Flower Market %tag street art london Sunday Fun: Columbia Road Flower Market %tag street art london  Sunday Fun: Columbia Road Flower Market %tagstreet art london dove Sunday Fun: Columbia Road Flower Market %tag**All pictures taken by me, Fashionista Barbie**

 

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