Hello, how are you? Are you settling back into life after a lovely summer? I don’t know exactly where this post is going, but I feel like you might be in for a bit of an overshare today. Strap in!

I’ve been a little quiet over on the ol’ gram. For a while now I’ve found the app a little overwhelming — the scrolling, the attention and energy it requires and, at times, the negativity. I’ve felt like this before and I know it passes, so I’m not going to panic. Perhaps I’m just feeling a little unanchored with all the changes coming my way.

The biggest — and loudest — change of all is the one happening within me, which is pretty rubbish timing because, with both girls leaving for uni this month, I could really do with feeling emotionally stable! Alas, my wildly fluctuating hormones have other ideas.

After coming off HRT and then realising I wasn’t coping particularly well without it, I’m now back on it and trying a different type. It’s early days and these things take time to settle, but if I’m completely honest, I haven’t felt much like me this summer. I’m usually a very positive person. It has always taken quite a lot to knock me down, but lately it has felt as though someone has sucked all the joy out of me. I know perimenopause/menopause is largely to blame, but knowing the reason doesn’t necessarily make the feelings any easier to cope with.

Anyway, this feels like a safe(r) space to be honest. You’ve felt like friends to me for such a long time, so here I am, oversharing exactly the way I would with a friend.

Onto other changes — let’s start with the ones I’m making at home.

HOME CHANGES

We started our kitchen improvements back in May and we’ve been really enjoying the new open shelving and the slightly warmer feel of the changes we’ve made so far. We still haven’t had the cupboards sprayed, though, which I think is going to make the biggest difference of all.

When we bought the house back in 2011, we did a complete renovation — knocking down walls and creating an open-plan kitchen/living space with a rear extension. The kitchen we put in was VERY 2011: lots of black granite and white high-gloss Magnet cabinetry. Who were we back then?!

Definitely not the people we are today, that’s for sure.

For years I’ve wanted to soften the kitchen, but as we all know, changing anything in a house tends to cost approximately nine million pounds and we were working with a fairly tight budget.

In a dream world we would have changed the black granite worktops for something lighter, but that would have cost a small fortune, so instead I decided to work with them and soften everything around them — introducing colour, swapping the wall cupboards for open shelving and removing the cooker hood and black granite splashback.

I spent many nights talking to my best friend, ChatGPT, about the vision I had swirling around in my head, which was actually a huge help. I think one of the hardest parts of any interiors project is being able to imagine what all those separate ideas will look like together in real life.

In fact, it was quite a few of you who told me to use ChatGPT to bring my ideas to life, and it was brilliant for that. The picture above was one of the mock-ups we created.

We blew most of our budget on a new cooker.

Our old Rangemaster gas cooker had really started to show its age and eventually one of the oven doors stopped closing properly, which made that oven fairly useless. We had both wanted to switch from gas to induction anyway, so we decided to splurge on the Rangemaster Estelle Deluxe.

It was, naturally, an absolute pain to fit.

It was too wide by ONE CENTIMETRE, which meant bringing in a specialist to shave a centimetre off the granite worktop — a messy job and apparently not one you want anyone having a casual go at with the wrong equipment.

Four months into living with the new induction cooker, though, and we all LOVE it. Cooking feels so much easier and the sleek, clean hob has somehow made the whole kitchen feel calmer too.

We chose the black version with brass knobs so that it would sit happily alongside the black granite rather than fighting against it, and I’m so pleased we did.

Then we had the whole kitchen painted in Rolling Fog by Little Greene, removed the wall cupboards, granite splashback and cooker hood and replaced them with open shelving, changed the tap, added some wall lights… and then lived with our changes for a bit while we saved up for the next phase: spraying the cupboards.

After a lot of research — and quite a few quotes for replacing the cabinet doors — we realised that having the existing ones professionally sprayed was by far the most cost-effective option. So that is the change happening this month. When it’s all finished, I’ll take lots of photos and share a dedicated Kitchen post with all the finer details.

In the meantime, I’ve ordered a new runner from Ruggable — the Cyprus Rose Gold Runner — to add a bit of warmth to the grey floor tiles. They’re another feature I would have loved to change, but without a particularly good reason to rip them all up, it was WAY too costly to justify.

This will actually be my third Ruggable purchase. Not only do they have some gorgeous designs, I love that you can peel the rug away from the backing and put it straight into the washing machine. The rug in our cooking/washing-up area gets a lot of heavy traffic, so being able to wash it properly is a bit of a game changer. I also have Ruggables in the bathroom and they wash beautifully. Obviously, once you start going really large it might be a bit of a mission getting one into the machine, but for runners and smaller rugs I think they’re brilliant.

And now I have a bee in my bonnet about making a few changes to our bedroom. I’m going to re-cover the headboard to bring in a little more colour and warmth, and I’m planning to paint the bedside tables too. This is my vision below.

When it’s all done — and assuming it doesn’t look awful — I’ll take lots of photos and share that with you too.

WARDROBE CHANGES

Is it just me, or does September always feel like a slightly confusing month for fashion? I’m quite happy to pack the shorts away, but I’m not ready to say goodbye to open toes just yet. I know there are months and months of jeans ahead of us, so I’m trying to resist reaching for them too soon and sticking with casual trousers (I have been living in these ) for as long as I can. If an extra layer is needed it’s open shirts, sweatshirts and light knits. I definitely don’t feel ready for jackets, though I’ll be making an exception for this one which has just arrived from Wyse London. My wardrobe also feels seasonally muddled, so I am going to have another wardrobe refresh, and make sure I put away everything that I am definitely not going to be wearing. I recently sent about a third of my wardrobe to The Second Row for resale - she currently has 30% off everything so do have a look there are some amazing bargains.

Before I rush to buy anything new this season, I’m going to think carefully about my lifestyle and how those clothes are actually going to fit into it. There’s absolutely no point in filling my wardrobe with ‘going out’ pieces when 80% of the time I’m either at home, walking the dog or popping to the shops.

I used to go to a lot more events, and I suppose I needed a slightly smarter wardrobe for that version of my life. These days, though, I’m much more selective about what I say yes to — and much more careful with my time and energy. So it makes sense that my wardrobe should reflect that too. I have been living in this sweatshirt (the best I’ve ever owned) recently, wearing it over dresses, gym kit, or my go to outfit of jeans and a tee. It’s unbelievably soft and the fit is perfectly slouchy, I know I would do well to snap it up in another colour.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

A few of the little lifestyle changes I’ve made recently seem to be making a real difference. I’ve started making sure I get outside first thing for some daylight before I even pick up my phone, and I am completely convinced it’s having a positive impact on both my sleep and my mood.

I’ve also stopped having coffee on an empty tummy, which hasn’t been quite as easy as I’d hoped. For the first week I had a thumping headache at around 10am every day— I guess my body was very used to that early caffeine hit. Now I make sure I’ve had a proper breakfast first and usually make myself a coffee at around 11am.

I’ve added strength training twice a week and I’m still getting my steps in — I aim for 10K a day — alongside my Pilates classes. I’ve also noticed that a decent hit of protein at breakfast really helps with snacking, and it’s been a good while since I properly craved sugar. In fact, it has almost completely disappeared from my diet.

When I was on holiday I’d have the odd cocktail in the evening and it completely wrecked my sleep. It also caused a pretty horrible flare-up of a chronic inflammatory condition I have, so these days sugar has rather firmly become enemy number one.

None of it is particularly groundbreaking, but I’m definitely noticing that the small things, done consistently, seem to make the biggest difference.

BEAUTY CHANGES

I’ve had quite a lot of new beauty drop through the door over the last couple of weeks — it definitely seems to be that time of year for launches.

The one I’m most excited about is the new HydroCell range from E45. They’ve launched three new products and my favourite is Glow (BUY HERE).

What I find really interesting is the science behind it. Rather than just sitting on the surface of the skin, the HydroCell technology works within the skin’s surface layers to help stimulate your skin’s own natural hyaluronic acid production — so essentially, it’s helping to hydrate from within. E45 also says the technology can hydrate up to 10 layers deep and deliver three times more hydration than hyaluronic acid alone, which is pretty impressive. I have been using it for the last ten days and my skin has never felt softer. Glow is aimed at dull skin, so it contains niacinamide and Vit C, two ingredients I am always pleased to see in body care as they help with brightness, tone and that overall healthy glow. You’ll see me working with them on some content this month, but I have no obligation to share here, I just think the product is so brilliant I feel its my duty to share it here too.

VIEVE are just about to launch a new concealer on 3rd September, designed to sit alongside their Skin Nova Complexion Balm. I’ve only used it a couple of times so far, so this is very much a first impression, but I’m impressed.

The coverage is really good, but more importantly it doesn’t seem to settle into fine lines — increasingly important round these parts. At this stage of life I basically want all of my makeup to moonlight as skincare, so I’m very happy to see that this one has skincare ingredients built in too. Find the range here.

Michael Douglas, Davina’s other half and creator of my favourite curling tool has just launched the remaining numbers in his hair styling range - which basically takes the guess work out of styling and has a numbered answer to every styling problem. You can find them all here and they cost £15 each but there is a good deal on the full range. They arrived in this swag bag from Scamp and Dude, a charity collab between Davina and the brand which you can find here.

Another little change I have made, and I am not sure if I will stick with the change, because I am a very loyal Fussy customer, but Salt and Stone sent me their deodrant and I have to say I absolutely love their fragrances. I am currently using the Rose and Oud fragrance and really enjoying it.

And I think that’s probably enough from me for today. I’d better get back to the slightly less glamorous side of September — school uniform ordering (nothing I ordered for Charlie fitted, so the whole lot had to go back 🙃) and ticking off my uni shopping list… FOR TWO.

Wish me luck.

Thanks, as always, for stopping by today. I really do appreciate you being here.

Love,

Chloe x

PS. Apologies if you’ve now got Bowie’s ‘Changes’ stuck on a loop in your head for the rest of the day. You’re welcome. 😂

We are back from our family holiday and I would love to say I feel rested, recharged and ready to take on September… but that would be a porky pie.

I’ve actually come back feeling utterly wiped out. A combination of poor sleep while we were away, perhaps a little too much partying (difficult not to when you’re away with a large group of friends and young adults!) a healthy dollop of ongoing menopause symptoms and a virus I picked up on the journey home. Whoever said you need a holiday after the holiday was absolutely correct!

There is definitely something lovely about the way holidays take you completely out of your normal routine - no alarm clocks, meals at odd times, later nights and days that unfold as they please. But I have realised that, as much as I loved the break from real life, I also really love the routines I have created within it. So it has been lovely to get back to my own comfy bed, my usual wake-up and bed times, my Pilates mat (sadly our Wifi on Paxos was not good enough to stream my usual classes) the dog walks that punctuate my days, and all the other little rituals that quietly keep me sane.

I thought I’d reflect a little on my holiday wardrobe - what worked, what didn’t and what I’d do differently next time. Let’s start with shoes. I took one pair of Archies Flip Flops, three pairs of ‘pretty’ flat sandals and a pair of trainers. The trainers never made it out of the suitcase, and the pretty sandals were put on a couple of times and swiftly taken off again in favour of the Archies, mainly because we had a 17 minute walk into town and comfort won every single time. By the end of the holiday I had made a promise to myself that on the next Summer holiday, I will simply take one pair of supportive flip flops. If you know me, you’ll know that I won’t keep that promise.

I went for a taupe pair of Archies, because I thought they would go with all my outfits, but they were REALLY hard to find in stock, so I had to settle for a pair with a little diamond on the strap. Not really my vibe, but they were as comfortable as everyone said they would be, and a godsend for my foot issues, because it was waaaay too hot to wear trainers for walking. I should say that when I first tried the Archies on, I wasn’t entirely convinced. The strap felt a little too close to the top of my foot and I wondered whether they were going to be comfortable enough. But I followed the advice on the packaging and gently stretched the thong a little, which made a huge difference. I also ended up sizing up and once I’d done both, they were ridiculously comfortable and I now want them in every colour. Pity they’re out of stock everywhere!

I knew before we went away that I wanted to take a proper break from Instagram. Time feels as though it’s galloping away from me, and with my girls heading off to university in September, I knew this family holiday was precious. I wanted to be as present as possible.

That social break had an impact on my packing too. I didn’t feel any pressure to buy anything new, I was perfectly happy to wear things more than once, and I spent most of my days in swimwear and shorts.

I still love dressing up in the evenings on holiday, though — that part will probably never change. There’s something about slipping into a pretty dress during golden hour, choosing the accessories to go with it and feeling properly dressed after a day in swimwear that I absolutely love.

The average temperature in Paxos while we were there was around 35/36 degrees, so in the evenings I found myself much more drawn to shorter dresses than anything long or floaty.

I took three pieces from DISSH — (check out their sale which has a further 20% off) my new favourite brand for summer clothes — plus a few skirts and tops that I could mix and match with shorts. This beaded mini skirt from Zara was an absolute winner for a club night with the kids. I definitely did my best impression of mum dancing in it; I believe there is footage somewhere, but it shall remain unseen. ☺️

I’d originally planned to wear it with my white linen shirt, but in that heat I would have been dripping, so I switched to my silk tank from Me+Em instead — much better.

I really loved wearing my Isabel Marant Skirt and Top which I found on Vinted this holiday- easy pieces that worked just as well dressed up as they did thrown over a swimsuit and the very light cotton was perfect in the heat.

I’ve just completed the final load of holiday washing and was rather sad to see that quite a few of our whites had come out with yellow stains in places. The culprit, it seems, is often avobenzone — a UV filter found in many chemical sunscreens which can react with minerals in water and leave those annoying yellowy, rust-like marks. Another reason I’m increasingly tempted by mineral SPF for holidays.

Which brings me neatly onto my next topic: SPF.

I was a very good girl, despite the sun’s alluring pull — let’s not forget there is still a sun worshipper living somewhere inside me — and despite watching my girls turn into deeply bronzed goddesses before my very eyes, I stayed in the shade whenever I could (unless I was swimming or we were on a boat without any shade) and wore factor 50 or 100 (Actinic Control from Eucerin) at all times.

I’ve actually come home considerably paler than I was on the day we flew out, courtesy of the lovely spray tan I had beforehand. And I won’t pretend it was easy. There is something about having a good tan that just makes me feel better, but I know the risks now and, more importantly, I can see the damage from years gone by — and that is quite a powerful deterrent.

I packed a LOT of suncream and, surprisingly, didn’t bring much of it home. When you’re applying it liberally and repeatedly to five adult-sized bodies, you really do get through the stuff.

Everyone developed their favourites. Overall, Lancaster was the family winner — you simply cannot beat that fragrance — but my new discovery was BASK which has only just launched in the UK (at Sephora) I didn’t get on quite so well with the face SPF, which I found a little greasy, but I absolutely loved the SPF for the body. Smells divine, (who doesn’t love a Pina Colada fragranced suncream? ) is water resistant for 80 minutes, feels more like a lovely body moisturiser than a traditional sun cream, and offered solid protection. My only criticism? The tube wasn’t big enough!

Charlie has very English skin that is prone to burning, so he stuck to the E45 SPF50, which is formulated for sensitive skin, and it looked after him really well. I honestly can’t fault E45 — their products are so good. He’s come home with a little colour and a few freckles, but was properly sun safe, which pleased me enormously.

I’m also still a big fan of La Roche-Posay Anthelios, and loved using their new UVAir SPF50 for the face. It’s incredibly lightweight — more like a serum than a traditional SPF — and sits beautifully on the skin. It really does feel more like skincare than sun care.

But my favourite discovery for the face has to be the Haruharu Wonder Moisture Airyfit. It’s such a great price — I bought mine from Amazon, where you get two bottles for £28 — and I’m so impressed with it. It really stands up against some of my other, far more expensive favourites. Highly recommend.

Okay, that’s probably enough about suncream, let’s move on to mozzies. ☺️

If you watched my stories before we left, you’ll know that I had high hopes for the Nenuco Spray. And I have no doubt that it really helped - I wasn’t bitten nearly as much as I usually am - but I did still get a few. They seemed to get me at really odd times of the day like first thing in the morning, in the bathroom, before I had even thought about spraying the Nenuco.

Poor Charlie was eaten alive one night after leaving his bedroom door open at dusk. I honestly have never seen so many bites on one person, poor lad. We both took a daily antihistamine, which really helped to reduce the swelling, bar one which made my arm swell up like a balloon for a day. And I used the Beurer religiously on my bites - that thing works, but my goodness it’s quite painful to use! I also swear by Anthisan to use on bites, I never travel without it now.

I went to see my osteopath yesterday and while she was working on me, she said, “I think you’re holding a lot of grief around the girls going off to university.”

At which point the floodgates opened… and then I couldn’t shut them.

She told me it was good to let it out, and that it was perfectly normal to feel so sad about them leaving. And I know that, of course I do, but it still feels enormous.

Liv had some very good news while we were away — she’s got a place at Newcastle University, which of course won’t be too far from her sister, who is starting at Edinburgh. So it means fresh starts for both of them, two separate long car journeys (hello driving passenger anxiety) and quite a bit of organisation over the next few weeks.

So if you find me a little quiet over on the gram, you know why.

I’ve already had a little taste of it this year with Liv going off to uni in Oxford, but she wasn’t far away and came home often, so somehow it felt much easier to cope with.

This feels different. This feels big.

And my emotions are HUGE.

I’m trying to remind myself that I can be incredibly proud and incredibly sad at the same time. That the sadness doesn’t mean I’m not excited for them — it’s just the price we pay for loving them so fiercely and for having loved this chapter of family life so much.

I suppose this is one of those strange bits of motherhood nobody really prepares you for: spending years raising them to become independent, capable young women, and then having to be brave enough to let them go and do exactly that.

So if you’re in the same boat this September, feeling excited for them but slightly heartbroken for yourself, I’m right there with you. Maybe we just have to let ourselves feel all of it. The pride, the worry, the sadness, the excitement — and trust that although family life is changing shape, it isn’t disappearing. ❤️

Until next time, thanks for reading…

Love Chloe x

For such a small island (about 27 miles long and 14 miles wide), Saint Lucia punches well above its weight. Nestled in the middle of the Lesser Antilles, that long curving necklace of islands sweeping down the eastern edge of the Caribbean from the Virgin Islands toward South America, its topography is extraordinary. There are imperious mountains and dramatic, dormant volcanoes. Sweeping, windswept, sandy coastlines and impenetrably thick, verdant rainforests. A bustling, metropolitan capital and a myriad of tiny, traditional fishing villages.

Before full independence in 1979, Saint Lucia had changed hands between French and British colonial rule no less than fourteen times. But it has always proudly and fiercely protected its original, true identity - that of the Kalinago (Carib) people. Their generosity, hospitality, love of culture, nature, land and sea, is the lifeblood of this place. The English seem to have left behind one language, driving on the left, and a deep love of cricket. The French left another language (Creole), Catholicism, and the fabulous cuisine. It’s a heady mix.

Our five-day visit was split between two, deliciously different parts of the island: the Wild West, and the Chic North. The western side of the island, below the capital Castries, is rural, rugged, rustic, fed by rough and ready winding roads, and feels like a proper return to nature.

Ti Kaye (Creole translation: “Little House”) is a wonderful destination for those looking to get away from it all. The resort is a cluster of 33 adults-only cottages built in the French-Creole "gingerbread" style, scattered across a hillside of tropical gardens overlooking the Caribbean. This is ‘barefoot-boho’ in the best sense — four-poster beds, private verandas with a double hammock, outdoor garden showers, and French doors that frame the sea so completely you can watch the sunset without getting out of bed. There is no glossy mega-resort sheen here; the pleasure is in the seclusion, the natural materials and the sense of having the cove almost entirely to yourself.

The cove itself, Anse Cochon, sits within a marine reserve and is widely regarded as one of the best snorkelling and diving spots on the island. Chloé and I gave up our highly successful free diving careers a few years ago, so we focused on the beach and the food instead. The beach can be reached by a famous staircase comprising 166 steps - or, interestingly, by a funicular that descends in such a royal, sedate fashion that I found myself slow-waving to the mango trees on the way down.

So you feel a bit Crusoe-esque (but fully spoiled by very good food at both Kai Manje, the main restaurant at the top overlooking the bay, and Ti Manje, the beach bar and grill which is perfect for sandy-toed lunches), and you could definitely spend a few days here without leaving. There’s a gym, a wine cave, and a cliff-top bar that also overlooks the bay and makes you feel like you’re on the top deck of a luxury cruise ship.

But, its west coast location means you’re not far from some really thrilling and worth-the-short-trip activities. First up, I give you: your first ever ‘Drive-In Volcano’. Yup - the dormant volcano actually collapsed on itself around 30,000 years ago, forming a flat crater, fed by hot sulphurous springs, into which you can drive, and then walk to the springs themselves. The various pools fed by a constant stream of new hot waters are delicious, warm, restorative, and very, very smelly. I got back to London and my swimming trunks smelled like one of those childhood memories: your over-protective aunt put three hard boiled eggs in your shorts for sports day, but you forgot about them, only to re-discover them at the back of your cupboard about six weeks later. You all had that exact experience, right?

The sulphurous, volcanic mud that you slap all over your face and body actually works. Chloé knows a thing or two about what makes your skin feel smoother, softer, and younger (I don’t), but we both agreed that this stuff has a kind of magical quality that, er, ‘Crème de la Mer’ should swiftly investigate (did I get that right, Chloé?!).

Our next adventure was sweeter-smelling. Hotel Chocolat is such a well-known worldwide brand, but we didn’t know that they have set up shop in many of the places that grow their cocoa beans. This is true of Saint Lucia, and ‘Project Chocolat’, at the Rabot Estate, is a really inspirational fusion of hotel, restaurants, bars, and chocolate museum / workshop / hands-on immersive tourist experience. We spent a surprisingly rewarding and physically demanding hour crushing cocoa ‘nibs’ (dried kernels) in a pestle and mortar, adding cocoa butter, sugar, salt, chilli etc., and then waiting for 20 minutes whilst our home-made bars were chilled. I can tell you this: Cadbury’s and Lindt ain’t got nothing on Chloe Loves to Shop’s Salty-Chilli-Chocolate-Surprise.

A special mention has to go to a man named George. The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority were generous enough to provide us with a driver for our little excursions, and we lucked out with this most charming, knowledgeable, reassuringly laid-back and generally delightful human being. I sat in the back firing random questions at him, ceaselessly, and he answered every one with patient, calm authority. Thank you, George!

Our final adventure down south was a bamboo rafting experience on the Roseau river. George dropped us off and we boarded a big, flat, hand-made raft, expertly steered downstream by our (rather handsome, as it happens) captain. It’s a kind of Creole version of punting on the River Cherwell in Oxford, but without the annoyance of any other human beings, and with the added bonus of some glorious, mangrove-meets-rainforest flora and fauna. And they have cooler boxes. With beer.

The ‘Wild West’ coast changes when you drive through Castries. To the north of the capital, things are different. The roads become wider, straighter, smoother. The buildings take on a more American / European character. You start driving past shiny malls with fancy restaurants, upmarket harbours and marinas, the boats get bigger… this is the polished, luxurious part of the island.

Cap Maison is a Saint Lucia institution. It’s a Relais & Châteaux property of around 49 rooms, suites and villas done in a Spanish-Caribbean style - hand-painted tiles, white arches, terracotta and bougainvillea. It has the look of a private, Mediterranean-Caribbean villa estate. And, like Ti Kaye, it has its own beach down another famously long staircase.

The setting catches the trade winds and looks north across the channel toward Martinique, which makes for famously good sunsets. Rooms range from elegant doubles to multi-bedroom ocean-view villas with private rooftop pools. Our villa was simply breathtaking. Two floors of spacious, cool, clean and serene living space and a rooftop terrace that looked out over the ocean. Bliss.

Two outstanding restaurants define Cap Maison’s well-deserved gourmande reputation. The Naked Fisherman, on the beach, went straight to the top of our list of favourite waterside watering-holes. The food is just great. Fresh daily catches of blue marlin, swordfish (my fave), and barracuda grilled to perfection and served with spicy butternut curry. Crispy calamari, creamy Caesar salad, ice cold Provençale rosé,… what’s not to love? And some really comfy, double mattress sunbeds on a raised wooden platform that make for the perfect post-prandial nap.

The Cliff at Cap is among the most celebrated restaurants in the region, serving a fusion of French and Caribbean cuisine from a spectacular cliff-edge perch with those Martinique-facing sunset views. Here, things kick up a gear with dishes like blue crab ravioli with rock samphire, pressed pork belly with octopus and razor clams, and some deliciously decadent desserts.

You could easily spend a week, or more, at Cap Maison without ever leaving. I would. Along with the beach, there are two delightful pools (with bar service, of course), an excellent wine cave, and a luxury spa. Chloé was very impressed with her (very) deep-tissue massage.

We did, however, venture out ‘into town’ one evening to try the celebrated steak’n’chips at the slightly uninspiringly named ‘Big Chef Steakhouse’ in Rodney Bay (a 15 minute drive from the hotel). Its reputation precedes it, and with reason. I went for the ‘Cowgirl’ Rib-eye on the bone, and it was superb. Chloé’s fillet was cooked to perfection, and also super-generous. We rolled back home vowing never to eat again.

Saint Lucia is so much more characterful and varied than many so-called ‘luxury’ beach holiday destinations. It’s got grit and attitude and personality and history. It’s got tons of things to do if you don’t want to frazzle in the sun all day. It’s got fabulous people, very fine food, music, art, and jaw-dropping landscapes. It was an honour and a privilege to spend a few days there, and not surprising to discover that many people tend to go back, year after year. We kind of have to. Apart from anything else, I have more questions for George…

Should you wish to see Chloe’s instastories from our time in St Lucia (which include two room tours) you can watch them by visiting her St Lucia Highlight here.

M&S have just dropped their Summer ‘26 collection and there are so many things that I like the look of. The good stuff sells out really quickly, and I predict the starfish (6) necklace to be one of the first things to go - lots of you loved my vintage starfish necklace that I bought from Sarah Wilson Jewellery last year, so I thought I would alert you to this one.

I have just taken delivery of two pieces from Me+Em. This shirt really caught my eye when the catalogue dropped through my door this week. It’s a colour way that I find really wearable, whether I am dressing for the city or on holiday. Thoughtfully designed (I expect nothing less from Me+Em) it’s made from a lightweight cotton voile and has two slits on either side which mean that you can knot it to wear with shorts over a bikini with ease. (see below) I prefer to keep my arms out of the sun these days, so I am always looking for lightweight pieces that I can wear over a bikini.

This silk satin tank is a bit of an investment piece - but it’s one I know I would wear again and again. I think it would look beautiful under a blazer or shirt (or my Hansine Cardigan) If you are worried about keeping it clean (!) it also comes in brown.

And finally two blouses that I thought were quite special. The one on the left is VERY me, the right, less so, but I think it’s stunning.

Moving on to another of my favourite places to shop these days, Massimo Dutti. In my 30’s and early 40’s, their clothes did not speak to me at all, but I have found that I’ve entered my Massimo phase of life and would quite happily wear most of their collection. Well, I would if I could, but at 5’4 (& the important half) I do have to be a bit selective. I did order a couple of bits from the edit below. The red suede flip flops with a tiny wedge heel- which feel and look beautiful on. They have just enough heel to make them that much more comfortable and take them from casual to ‘elegant’ flip flops. I am afraid I can’t attest to their comfort because I haven’t worn them out yet. I absolutely love a Raffia bag in the summer and the one featured below looks a great size. My raffia bag (image above) is from Etsy, and I use this insert from Amazon inside which is absolutely brilliant for keeping everything organised in my bigger bags.

I also really love the soft white linen cardi which is such a useful piece for layering in the summer. I find my temperature quite hard to get right these days - I am either freezing or boiling - and have found a thin and neat cardi that can be layered under a jacket a really useful thing to have in my wardrobe. I also LOVE the look of the scoop neck white tee which comes in an excellent grey marl too. The neckline and the length of the sleeves make it that little bit dressier, and for someone who loves jeans and a white tee, this design levels up that look. I absolutely love styling below - in fact I’ll be copying this exact look with pieces I have in my wardrobe.

Okay that’s probably enough on the fashion front, let’s move on to beauty, because I have had some great new discoveries this month. Starting with Sculpted By Aimee’s new Cream Luxe collection. I cannot stop reaching for the Cream Cushion foundation. It melts into the skin like skincare, never looks or feels heavy, and the finish is fresh and luminous with just the right amount of coverage. I have been wearing 4N but I have just placed an order for 3C as I think 4N might be a touch on the dark side. I went to an event this week for the launch of Aimee’s new Cream Luxe Collection. They are beautiful - highly pigmented so a little goes a long way and because they have added skincare ingredients, the staying power is amazing. At the end of the event I was given a bag with a blusher inside in the shade ‘Wild Rose’ - it’s really pretty, but probably a little too deep pink for me, so I have also ordered the Dusty Rose.

A fairly new discovery for me is Medicube. If you love that polished glass skin finish, their Zero pore pads are worth every bit of the hype. They use a combination of AHA (lactic acid) and BHA (Salicylic Acid) so they are exfoliate the surface of the skin and penetrate to clear congestion. They also don’t feel too harsh or stripping, the way some chemical exfoliants can.

I also bought the Pink Salmon Eye cream that everyone is talking about. It’s a peptide Eye Cream which uses salmon DNA, peptides, niacinamide and retinol to target dark circles, fine lines and dullness. I haven’t been using it long enough to say whether it’s doing any of those things - but it feels absolutely lovely to use around the eye area and I have no irritation.

We’ve officially entered the middle-aged section of this Substack because I am about to talk about laundry with real enthusiasm. Last week, I entered the phase of adulthood where I splurge on bougie laundry detergent after hearing a friend of mine rave about Tallow & Ash. Apparently it makes your washing smell like a high end fragrance and I got completely sucked in by their scents (I went for Oud and Odyssey) and placed a rather extravagant order. What’s confusing about this, is that I didn’t really think twice about placing an order for £40 on washing detergent online, yet in Lidl I’m still comparing price-per-wash like my life depends on it! Make that make sense.

My enthusiasm for doing the washing defintiely ramps up in Summer - drying your washing outside on the line is surely one of life’s great pleasures. Nothing beats climbing into bed with sheets dried by the summer sun. Another immensely pleasing laundry purchase I made this week - this fabric, collapsible laundry basket that folds down and fits very neatly in the space above the washing machine and the shelf above. I went for the natural colour which seems to be out of stock, but they do still have grey.

This weekend is looking like a lovely mix of life admin and small joys : planting my trailing lobelia, packing up and bringing Liv home from university for the summer, (eek, that went quickly!) a miso bun from our local Layla Bakery, a dog walk on the Heath with friends and carrying on with the kitchen reorganisation. The work is almost finished (just the kitchen cupboards left to be sprayed now) and I am looking forward to showing you what we have done.

Until next time - whenever I next manage to gather my thoughts into an actual post - have a wonderful weekend.

Love,

Chloe x

Chloé spent the first twenty years of her life in Cape Town. A few years later, we got married there - at Steenberg Wine Estate on a blustery but magical day in February, 2005. Her Dad still lives in Knysna, and her Mum alternates between West London and Hermanus. So it’s a home from home.

The first thing to say about South Africa is that it is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful countries on earth. It has Himalayan-style mountain ranges; infinite, sweeping grassy plains; verdant valleys where vineyards glisten in the African sun; and nearly 3,000 kilometres of breathtaking coastline which looks out upon not one, but two of the world’s great oceans.

Our Desert Island Holiday? Fly to Cape Town, hang for a while, and then drive along the Garden Route all the way to Port Elizabeth, and end up spending time at Founders Lodge (a conservation Game Reserve adjacent to the world-famous Shamwari in the Eastern Cape). It’s around 750km and is traversed by what has to be the greatest highway on the planet - the N2 (kind of like Route 66 but much, much better). I know “N2” sounds like a suppository cream or an audio file format, but trust me on this one.

After a couple of nights in Cape Town (sophistication, modernity, great restaurants, galleries, wineries and more) we would nip across to Franschhoek. The name says it all - ‘French Corner’ - founded by French Huguenot refugees and a glorious amalgamation of the finest French cuisine, architecture and ‘boutique chic’, with the very best of South African hospitality, topography, and natural resources.

From there, along the N2 to Hermanus (whale-watching, seafood, beaches, great golf if you’re into that), then Mossel Bay (shark cage diving, more beaches, kayaking). A bit further along is Knysna (‘Hi Pops!’) a stunning lagoon town with fabulous waterside restaurants, boat cruises, forest hiking and more. Then to Tsitsikamma National Park / Storms River for more hiking, zip-lining and bungee jumping (if you’re young enough) and then, just an hour or so past Port Elizabeth, we would finally arrive at Founders.

One can but dream… our reality was a little different. We flew in to Johannesburg and then onto Knysna (via George) to spend some time with Chloé’s Dad. We had a lot to achieve, and much of it was fairly heavy stuff, so we decided to break it up with an escape to ‘the Bush’ as Chloe calls it, in the middle of our stay. So we drove the four-hour trip up the N2 (hooray!) to spend three nights at Founders Lodge.

We met Paul Gardiner in the early 2000s. His father, Adrian Gardiner, is one of the most famous and respected conservationists of all time. Over the past fifty years, he has completely transformed millions of acres of African land, restoring, re-wilding, and re-introducing lion, elephant, rhino, hippos and more, while creating self-sustaining communities and redefining the essence of ‘Eco-Tourism’. Now, Paul has taken up the mantle.

Adrian created Shamwari in the 1980s and turned a dying, over-farmed, dessicated landscape into a thriving, lush, animal-packed game reserve. Having sold it in 2008, he kept hold of 800 acres of the land and turned his original family home into a boutique hotel, called Founders Lodge.

Two, slightly oxymoronic, words spring to mind: vast… and intimate. Founders looks out across the imperious and limitless African bush, but the hotel itself has just seven rooms, and feels like a family home (which it is). It’s overseen by Craig and Glynnis Turner who run a warm, friendly, impossibly elegant ship with ease and charm - and a big team of wonderful, talented, professional staff. Oh, and Craig is such a gigantic specimen that if a wild bull elephant did ever break in to the hotel, he looks like he could dispatch it, easily, with just his bare hands. Reassuring…

The flow of any space is so hard to get right. That feeling that things are all in the right place, and going from one section to another is seamlessly logical and comfortable, is every designer’s dream. It’s spot on at Founders. The rooms radiate from a central, open-air atrium with trees that house dozens of Weaverbird nests: a natural, symphonic centre-piece. Our room, which is actually more like a lodge in its own right, opens out across the lawns and down to ‘The Hide’ (more to come), and then onto the horizon, miles and miles away, without a single human construction in sight.

Enormous bed, walk-in wardrobe, double-sink bathroom with a free-standing bath, walk-in shower, and discreet patio / veranda with table and chairs feels like a kind of Feng Shui harmony to match the Weaverbirds’ chorus. Bliss.

We gaze down the gentle hill and, literally 20 metres away, at the little watering hole, three White Rhinoceros graze nonchalantly. Just pre-historic, Jurassic Park A-Listers hanging out, munching on grass, effortlessly majestic.

This is the stroke of genius at the heart of Founders. When you drive out of the main gate, you’re in Shamwari and in the company of wild elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, black rhino, buffalo and pretty much everything else under the sun. But Founders itself doesn’t have any of the potentially lethal big boys.

This means you’re sharing 800 acres with white rhino (much less aggressive than their black cousins), zebra, warthogs, birds of prey, a huge variety of glorious antelope species, and, possibly Chloé’s favourite: giraffe.

The little watering hole at the bottom of the garden has a super-discreet, very low level protective fence that lies flat on the grass. This means an inquisitive rhino can’t wander up the hill and into your bedroom (probably a good thing). But you feel like you’re sharing the space with her. And The Hide, a shipping container sunk into the earth which you reach by walking down a 20-metre underground tunnel, has a large window directly on to the watering hole itself. It means you can stand just a few inches away from these magnificent creatures as they have a cooling drink and dip their Diplodocus toes in the water. It’s breathtaking.

There are two game drives per day (morning and afternoon). You’re assigned a ranger, hop onto the back of a Land Rover that feels like it could drive vertically up to the top of Mount Everest without breaking sweat, and head off into the wilds of Shamwari.

The guide is such a key element to the experience, and we hit the jackpot with James. Eagle-eyed (how they spot a lion lying in the grass from about 3km away I will never know), informative and hugely knowledgeable about all the flora and fauna of the continent, these three-hour adventures are an absolute treat in such accomplished hands. And, to top it all off, at the end of the afternoon drive he parks up, facing the setting sun as it starts to dip behind the horizon, and serves G&Ts, beer, wine, and nibbles before dropping you back at the lodge as darkness falls.

Speaking of great guides, Chloe was also lucky enough to be taken out on a walking safari with the incredible Sikhumbuzo, Head Ranger at Founders. One of those people that knows so much about the land he’s grown up on, and the life with which he shares it, that you feel like you’re in the presence of a kind of wise, immortal elder from a timeless place. Trust me, getting Chloé to be this relaxed and comfortable with a two-ton, horned bull rhino less than five metres away is, indeed, a kind of magic.

Back at Founders and it’s time for dinner. Drinks are taken in a lovely bar with open fires and a full-sized snooker table. We had one Braai (barbecue) in the main dining room, which was excellent, and on the other two nights we enjoyed the quirky but rather wonderful thing they do which is to place couples in different rooms around the property and serve an intimate, candle-lit dinner to each couple separately. Dinner à deux in the library almost felt like our first date again. Almost.

About 2km away from the main lodge is another quirky, unique, and spell-binding touch. It’s a lodge with a difference. A converted railway carriage, sitting on a section of real track, in the middle of nowhere, with a view to die for. With its own pool, separate shower and bathroom building, and a private chef who’ll pop over to cook for you and your friends / family, it sleeps six comfortably with a sitting room and cocktail bar. It’s the opulent interior of The Orient Express with the roaring exteriors of The Lion King. The Founders Railway Carriage is another example of Adrian Gardiner’s wilful creativity and originality.

On our last morning, Paul Gardiner took us down to the N2 highway to show us something truly special. He’s part of ‘Vision 2040’, a nationwide ecological movement, which aims to open up enormous swathes of South Africa and allow nature to roam freely, once more, after hundreds and hundreds of years of human encroachment. The idea is simple, really: break down the man-made barriers that stop animals, insects, birds, everything, from travelling across the length and breadth of the land that is, after all, theirs. We saw a newly opened underpass, next to the N2, that is now a favourite walking route of, among other animals, herds of wild elephants that were previously fenced in. It’s an unashamed and unambiguous attempt to heal the land, and it’s working.

It’s so easy to sit in our little urban spaces, appreciate the odd trip to the countryside and the annual summer holiday on a European beach or island or whatever, and watch the occasional Attenborough documentary and marvel at those wonders of nature that seem to exist in another world. If you can, you should visit this other world, where it all began some 200 - 300 million years ago. There are good people fighting for it, against all the odds, and they need our support.

You will be pleased to hear that the Christmas decorations have finally made it from the dining room table to the loft - it only took me 8 days! My decluttering has come to an abrupt halt and I’m sorry to say that I have not managed to list a single thing on Vinted, despite a promise to myself that I would list 3 things a day. Life has suddenly sped up with the children back at school, various work commitments and deadlines to meet and the slower, take-it-easy days of January are over.

My outfits this week have been my usual formula of jeans as a starting point and then changing up footwear/tops and jackets. I learnt a few things from this week’s snapshot above - I often use pattern to add interest to my outfit - usually a check but sometimes a stripe, and most of the time I stick to an earthy palette. Comfort and practicality always come first, and I use handbags, sunglasses and scarves as other ways to add interest - if my outfit is feeling a tad on the boring side, I’ll add my slightly edgier (for me!) sunglasses from Kapten and Son.

I was invited to a lovely lunch with Hobbs this week to preview their Spring collection and they asked if I would like to choose something to wear. Whenever a brand asks me to choose a piece I always try to choose something that fits with my personal style, because this means that I will wear it more than just for the occasion. I have made mistakes in the past, selecting pieces that are lovely, but not quite ‘me’ or they simply don’t slot into my lifestyle beyond the occasion. I have been wearing my black Zara loafers quite a bit recently, so I knew that their chocolate brown Alana loafers would be a smart choice. I asked for my usual size (5) and when they arrived they were too tight, so I swapped them for a 6 and with a sock they are perfect. So if you are considering them, I think it would be wise to size up. I absolutely love the H insignia hardware, and I learnt from one of the Hobbs production team that they are made from a very good, well-sourced suede, so they are extremely comfortable. It was pouring with rain the day of the lunch, so I decided not to wear them because I wanted to spray them first. (I use Collonil Waterstop to spray all my suede shoes and bags)

I really liked their Valentina Ballerinas too, but I decided that the loafers would probably get more wear.

This image of Anouk Yve lives rent free in my head, and this is exactly how I would style those ballerinas. Mid blue straight leg denim and a perfect, slightly oversized, black crew neck knit. I am still loving my Uniqlo Curve Baggy Jeans, but also have a renewed love for a pair of classic straight leg jeans. I think of all the denim styles they are the easiest to style. If you are looking for a pair of straight leg jeans, I am really enjoying the new 501 90’s - I went for a 24/30 leg and I’m 5’4. Here they are on the model and on me. (In Work Yourself Selvedge- Blue')

If the Levis (£120) are a bit of a stretch for your budget, then I can also recommend the High Rise Vintage Straight Jeans from Abercrombie & Fitch which come in at £40 cheaper for £80.

Speaking of Abercrombie, I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying my brushed loungewear set that I shared on Instagram recently. Lots of you bought it, so I hope that you’ve been enjoying wearing yours too. It might just be the softest piece of clothing I own, and I am so glad that I bought the size small and not extra small in the bottoms. At 48, slightly looser waistbands are very welcome in the evenings!

Other things I’ve bought recently that have been excellent additions to my wardrobe are the Uniqlo Heat Tech with Cashmere Turtlenecks. They are such a bargain at £19.90, a perfect fit on the neck and ideal for layering in this cold weather. I have the black and the brown but would love the dark grey which is currently out of stock online. I wear an XS in case that’s helpful. I also really rate their socks. You can get 4 pairs for £12.90, they come in 29 colours and they aren’t too tight around the ankle. Colourful socks are another fun way to add interest to an outfit.

I haven’t picked this up yet, so I can’t vouch for the quality, but I bought this storage footstool/bench for my daughter’s bedroom as she needed something to store her hair tools in and I thought it could be perfect, doubling up as somewhere for friends to sit -can you believe it’s £50! I didn’t even know Primark did furniture. I have a couple of these storage pouffes and they are so handy for storage (I have one with all my pilates equipment in it) They also do a smaller round one for £25.

Well, that’s all for today. I am off to do a 25 minute pilates session before bed - I have been hunched over my laptop for most of today and my shoulders are feeling it, so a little Pilates magic to the rescue. I hope you have all had a lovely weekend and are ready to face a new week.

Until next time,

Chloe x

When, a few years ago now, we started paying more attention to the sugar content in foods we had been eating for decades, we were shocked. It’s no secret that the ‘healthy breakfast cereals’ pushed down our throats by huge multinational conglomerates are, as it happens, basically just blocks of processed sugar with a grain or two of wheat or barley thrown in for purely performative effect. Don’t even get us started on San Pellegrino’s “delicious sparkling spring water with a hint of fruit juice” (look it up if you dare!).

Sadly, the same applies to lots of ‘healthy Granola’ brands that you find everywhere these days. Oh, and they’re jaw-droppingly expensive too.

So, we make our own. And we love it. Some traditional recipes ask for slatherings of honey to be added before baking (which makes the oats ‘cluster up’ into cripsy clumps - delicious but definitely naughty) - so sometimes we just add a splash or two of Maple Syrup, and sometimes we don’t add any sugary stuff at all.

INGREDIENTS:

Every batch we make is different. But they all contain the same basic ingredients. This recipe makes enough to fill a large tupperware container with a bit left over and lasts for a couple of weeks.

• 1KG Oats

• 850g mixed nuts - the bag in the picture is from Holland & Barrett (not too pricey when they’re on the 3 for 2 offer which is most of the time) - or just throw in handfuls of almonds, brazils, hazelnuts (favourite nut in the world), cashews, walnuts, etc. etc.

• 400g (ish - doesn’t matter really) mixed seeds. Again, pre-bought mixes are great, and so are sprinklings of whatever comes to hand… we add some milled flaxseed to the mix too.

• 300g (ish) dried berries - cranberries are a must, here we’ve added a large-ish bag of Goji berries too, and you can throw in raisins, sultanas, whatever. You can also throw in dried fruits like dates, apricots, mango, etc. etc. if that takes your fancy. Just watch out for the very wet ones like prunes which can make the mixture clump up a bit in storage.

• Coconut Oil - as much or as little as you want. Tip - can be hard and wax-like in the jar and a bit annoying to scoop out. Stick jar (without metal lid!) in the microwave for 45 - 60 seconds and you’ll get a nice little pool of oil which pours straight into the oats.

• Maple Syrup - optional. Again, as much or as little as you like if you do decide to use it.

We do this in our Ninja Air Fryer. However, it’s pretty much identical in a conventional oven, just use baking trays lined with baking paper and spread things evenly.

METHOD:

• Add the coconut oil to the oats and bake - 180C for around 20 - 25 minutes stirring every now and then. We use the ‘BAKE’ mode on the air fryer (if you air fry it, the mini-tornado of hot air inside can throw the oats all over the place!) and adding a couple of pinches of salt is recommended too. If you’re doing it in a thin layer on a baking tray in the oven it might take less time to start turning nice and golden brown so keep an eye on it from 15 minutes onwards.

• If you want to add maple syrup (or even honey if you insist) then do this around 5 minutes before the oats are finished and give a good stir.

• When there’s around 10 minutes left on the oats, tip ALL the nuts into a separate fryer or roasting tin (if you’re doing it in the oven).

• Air fry or roast in oven at 180C for a few minutes, checking regularly. NB some nuts (walnuts in particular) catch quite quickly and if you leave it a few seconds too long you’ll get bitter burnt black bits which nobody wants. We have been known to cook almonds and brazils first, then add hazelnuts a bit later, and walnuts for the last couple of minutes. But you might have better things to do with your lives.

• Both oats and nuts should finish cooking around the same time. Take out and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.

• Add the dried berries / fruits (all of them) to the warm oats and give a good stir.

• Add all the seeds (except the milled flaxseed) to the nuts and stir.

• Then add the flaxseed (or chia which is also excellent (or both!) to the oat mix and stir.

  

• Once everything has cooled right down to room temperature, start pouring into your Tupperware / whatever container you’re using.

• We tend to do it in layers - so a couple of inches of oats, followed by an inch of nuts, followed by oats etc. etc. then give a good shake.

  

We like to serve with some milk, a large dollop of Greek yoghurt, and some fresh fruit like blueberries (our favourite), raspberries, sliced banana, kiwi… whatever you can get your hands on. Enjoy!

I have also been working my way around the house and tackling the drawers of doom. So far, I have done my pants, socks, bras, gym gear, makeup and my bedside drawers. I find tackling one little ‘area’ a day manageable and there’s less chance of me becoming paralysed with overwhelm!

Wearing

I’m probably in the minority, but I love January. After the intensity of November and December, its slower pace feels like a gift—clear days in the diary, fewer demands, and time to quietly put everything back in its place. I love the colder weather we’ve been having, and have been living in my Barbour/Ganni jacket that I gifted myself for Christmas. Liberty had a 15% off offer (I think I had to use a different email address to get it) which really helped because it is pricey, but I felt it was a good investment because it suits my lifestyle, and I know it’s a jacket I will be wearing in ten years from now. ‘Does this suit my lifestyle ?’ is a question that I ask myself every time I consider a purchase. I have stopped looking at ‘going out’ tops or partywear because I have realised that I can create ‘going out’ looks from my elevated basics when the need arises. You may remember me writing about looking at a Nadine Merabi dress back in November. It arrived and it was really beautiful but I realised that I would probably wear it once or twice a year max, and so it went straight back in the box. 2026 is the year for thoughtful, considered purchasing.

Reading

I have just finished reading ‘The Eights’ by Joanna Miller which I enjoyed. It’s a story about four women who attend Oxford University in 1920, the first year that women were formally allowed to receive degrees. It was lovely to delve into that period of history - both Nick and my best friend read English at Oxford and Liv is currently at Uni in Oxford - so some of it felt really familiar. I think I am ready for something with a little more pace next, so if anyone has any great recommendations, I would love to hear them. 2026 is the UK’s National Year of Reading and I intend to do as much as I can. I don’t have time to read during the day, so I have swapped the evening ‘watch’ for an evening read. It’s definitely a discipline for me, until I am really into the story, and I have found that I have to play music for concentration in my airpods to stop my brain from being distracted and reaching for my phone. Whatever it takes, right?!

Shopping For

On my shopping wishlist this month is a pair of ecru jeans - I have ordered a few pairs and none of them have been right. In an ideal world I would like my favourite Zara blue jeans in an ecru wash, but they don’t exist, so the search is on. The Zara blue jeans I refer to are a looser fit straight leg. I have the Citizens of Humanity Miro jeans in white, but they are a barrel shape and slightly too big for me in the white wash. I don’t mind spending a bit to get the right shape as I know jeans are an investment piece for me. I haven’t regretted any of my pricier denim buys. These are the two pairs I am going to try next.

Left - Ecru, High Rise Straight Leg - £115

Right - Cream (subtle) Barrel Leg with High Rise - £99

The cold snap has highlighted a need for a pair boots with a grippy sole. My beloved Dune kitten heels are pretty lethal on slippery pavements, so I have ordered this pair from Schuh. I would pair with a straight leg jean, cropped or rolled, and I would avoid wearing them with barrel or wider legged jeans. But that’s just me, you do you!

Other January Joy Givers

The Zara Home Basil Candle / Plantastic Body Wash from Beauty Pie / My little Whittard Teatime Infuser

I am really enjoying the Zara home Basilicum candle - a result of Jo Malone’s creative direction with Zara home. It’s fresh and full of January energy, a blend of soft basil, mint and eucalyptus with a significantly lower price point to compared to luxury brands. I bought the 3-wick 500g jar which is £35.99 and it’s not burning too quickly and I am impressed with the scent throw.

I am also loving the fresh scent of the Plantastic Body Wash in the shower in the morning and my little Whitard Tea infuser is working overtime- my Mum bought me a few loose leaf teas from Fortnums for Christmas and I am really enjoying the Milky Oolong. The internet tells me that Oolong ‘offers benefits like improved heart and brain health, better digestion, stress reduction, and stronger bones, thanks to its antioxidants (polyphenols), caffeine, and L-theanine. It helps protect against free radicals, boost alertness, support gut bacteria, and may lower cholesterol’ Either way, I enjoy it.

Well that’s all for today. I hope you won’t mind my rather sporadic posting on here. I shall do my best to be a more reliable and regular Substacker in 2026!

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Much love

Chloe x

With that in mind, here’s what’s on my Cosy List.

1. Watching - Ripple on Netflix. It’s feel good telly and I am racing through it.

2. Drinking - The Hotel Chocolat Espresso Martini - naughty by oh so nice!

3. Reading - The Eights by Joanna Miller - which came highly recommended by my friend Natasha. (A lovely Substack follow if you don’t already)

4. Skincare - Smothering my face in Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream - it’s a bit like cashmere for your face.

5. Cosy Feet - with these Sheepskin Slippers from Mint Velvet which are reduced from £89 to £39 - bargain!

6. Comfy bottoms - I really wanted these soft boucle bottoms from M&S, but they are out of stock in my size, so I found these cashmere bottoms which are in the sale at Sweaty Betty

7. Hydrated Lips - with the Vanilla Laneige Lip Mask - currently 15% off at Cult Beauty.

8. Sofa time needs a fur throw - this one from M&S is unbelievably soft.

9. Travel Cup for wintry walks - perfect for hot chocolate, coffee or mulled wine - I always take a cup of something hot on our dog walks. We have tried a lot of different travel cups and this one stands out.

10. Comfy shoulders with The Massager - I use this most days - it lives in the snug and I pop it on while I am watching TV. I’ve had mine a good few years and it is still going strong.

1. The Weighted Cellotape Dispenser - (£7.75) Okay, so whoever opens this on Xmas day might think you’ve lost the plot, but give them a month and they will wonder how on earth they ever lived without it. It was a gift that changed my life! Or, skip it as a gift idea and buy it for yourself to take the stress out of your present wrapping.

2. The Veg Chopper for someone that loves to cook (£19.99) Nick wasn’t convinced when we first got our veg chopper - but once he had used it a few times to dice onions he was sold.

3. The strap on Heat Pad (for anyone that suffers with lower back or period pain) - £14.99 - I have actually bought this for one of my girls, but I thought I would probably end up using it too for lower back pain.

4. The Rechargeable Candle Lighter £7.99 - One of my daughters gave this to Nick last year and it has been one of our most used gadgets at home. So useful we now own two!

5. The Quirky Coaster £15 - I discovered this fab independent business when we bought our (real) Christmas tree this weekend and I thought it would make such a cute gift for the person who has everything.

6. The Egg Boiler £16.99 - Great for a Uni student who loves their eggs. Ours gets used most days.

7. The Heated Eye Mask £25.49 - This would make a great gift for anyone that suffers with headaches or dry eyes. I use mine every night without fail. Charges up easily with an iphone charger.

8. Leather Gloves £18.99 - I share these every year because they are so good. They have a really soft fur lining and they’re touchscreen. They arrive in a rather lovely box too.

9. Popcorn Containers (Pack of 4 ) £11.95 - Perfect for the teen that has friends over to watch movies. Ours get used all the time, but especially during ‘Twixmas’

That’s all I can think of for now, I hope maybe one or two of them are useful!

Love,
Chloe x

It’s such an easy mistake to make. You’re busy people living busy lives in busy towns and cities. Heads down, working hard and saving up for that once-or-twice a year holiday that carries such a weight of expectation.

You can fall into the trap of forgetting that the UK is, as it happens, one of the most beautiful countries on earth. Our landscapes, our architecture, our traditions, our pubs and restaurants (many of which are world-beaters), and, dare I say it, some rather nice people too.

So, every now and then, throw caution to the wind and book yourself and your partner, friend, parent or offspring, just a night or two in the country. Wherever you live, there will be a glorious selection of destinations to choose from, all within easy reach and without the hassle of airport queues, delayed flights, and forgotten passports.

We’ve always admired the stamp of authority that highly respected ‘umbrella’ hotel brands give to a select number of destinations all over the world, and we were lucky enough to team up with the UK’s finest, called PoB Hotels (formerly Pride of Britain), who curate just under sixty extremely carefully selected properties up and down the country. They recommended the stunning Hartwell House and Spa for one night in December.

Here’s a cute idea for a last minute Christmas present, or a Valentine’s surprise, or just a special treat for a loved one: PoB Hotels do Gift Vouchers. Starting at £50, you can choose your hotel (they’re all over the country) and select an ‘Experience’ (like the aptly named Pampers Paradise) or simply buy a cash voucher which goes towards the entire stay.

Click here: GIFT VOUCHER

After less than an hour in the car (yup - ridiculously close to London), we arrived at this glorious Jacobean estate. It’s one of the grandest historic hotels in Great Britain. Built in 1600 (so actually late Elizabethan if you want to nit-pick), on a site that is mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) it exudes the very best of 17th Century grandeur. It’s steeped in extraordinary history and has been the seat of some of the noblest English families - and was even the official Court of King Louis XVIII of France when he was in exile.

The interior includes vast Neo-Classical and Rococo panelled drawing rooms (complete with crackling open fires), and a wide range of characterful rooms and suites. The 90-acre exterior features landscaping by Capability Brown’s business partner, Richard Woods, and a Gothic riding school which has been converted into a fabulous contemporary spa.

Walking into our extraordinary room was like stepping back in time and slipping into the life of a pampered aristocrat from centuries gone by. It was, well, just huge. The grandiose four poster bed was super-comfortable, the enormous windows looked out over endless, sweeping, unspoiled English countryside, and every last detail of decoration gave it the feel of truly authentic 17th and 18th Century ‘Englishness’.

A two-minute walk up the hill, past the gloriously Gothic St. Mary’s Church (1753) and we were at the Spa. I decided to give Chloé an early Christmas present of a full body massage and facial (yes, all fully paid for by yours truly - and something that a gift voucher would cover nicely, of course).

While she had what she said was one of the best deep tissue massages she’s had in ages, I luxuriated by the indoor pool. The whole place has a real sense of calm, meditative relaxation - enhanced by the clever, low-level lighting and the neo-classical decor. And a properly powerful Jacuzzi to boot. London felt like a million miles away.

Dinner in The Soane Room was a treat. Head Chef Daniel Richardson has created a modern British / European menu which tips its cap to some much-loved classics like Venison Paté en Croute, Beef Wellington, and Sticky Toffee Pudding.

I had the delicious Duck Liver Mousse to start, and a delightfully tender stuffed saddle of rabbit, followed by… yes… the Sticky Toffee Pudding. All delicious. Chloé loved her Tiger Prawn Raviolo starter and went, of course, for the Beef main course. Puddings were particularly notable and Chloé went for the dark chocolate Bavarois which was mischievously rich and luxurious.

After a great night’s sleep in the absolutely enormous four poster, we soaked up the view for a while, then headed down to breakfast.

Now, we’re a little bit obsessed with hotel breakfasts. They say an awful lot about the place you’re staying in. A slightly crappy breakfast means that, in all likelihood, everything else will lean towards the land of the slightly crap. Not so here. Five star pastries including an ‘am-I-in-France-because-these-croissants-are-so-damned-good’ moment, followed by a Full English that had me from the get-go because it not only included a slice of black pudding (a pre-requisite, of course) but also a slice of white pudding (a classy touch). And neither too small nor too big, which is an easy mistake to make with a Full English.

When you’re in 90 acres of prime English countryside, and you’ve just had the breakfast above, it’s definitely time for a nice brisk walk. We wandered over the bridge, past some exceptionally chilled out swans, and walked along the waterfront for a while. Even on a blustery December morning, it’s just an absolute delight.

Back in London, we pondered on how even a one-night, lightning trip like this can really recharge the batteries. Remember, if you live in this green and pleasant land… this land of hope and glory, go and revel in it. And what’s more, no passports required.

PoB Hotels

Hartwell House and Spa

It’s fair to say that my job as a content creator makes me accumulate more clothes and beauty products than I need, but like it or not, it is part of the job, so I regularly donate to charity shops and a local women’s refuge and I edit my wardrobe more often than most. It’s a good thing to do, because you get to know your wardrobe really well and you know exactly where the gaps are. My ‘wardrobe’ set up at home is basically two short rails, half a cupboard of shelves and another set of shallow shelves in our little eaves dressing room. I also have a storage bed where I keep my Summer clothes and my shoes. Space and storage are usually fairly limited in a city home, so there is a very real limit on how much I can keep, but the upside is that it makes getting dressed a lot easier. My style has also changed over the years. Not only is it evolving as I age, but I find myself saying yes to less and staying at home more. And my wardrobe reflects that. In Winter, it’s mostly jeans, knitwear and comfy loungewear. On the odd occasion that I say yes to something fancy, I can feel a bit stuck because I have shed most of my fancier clothes that I wasn’t wearing anymore. So I’ve decided that I have space for one special dress that I can wear when the occasion calls. Here are a few dresses that caught my eye, but I have ordered the Nadine Merabi one in the Black Friday sale.

Let’s do a complete 180 from Partywear to wellies and raincoats, because, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have one or two occasions that need something fancy and the rest of the time it will be dog walks in the rain. My favourite pair of city dwelling welly boots are from a brand called Merry People - they’re so comfortable and easy to get on and off. The Bobbi Ankle Wellies come in lots of different colours, so there is something to suit everyone. The pair I have are black, but I think the brown would probably suit my wardrobe better now, as I moved towards the browns and burgundies and softer earthier colours. (Btw, no Black Friday deals on Merry People - they don’t do discounts and you can read why here)

I am looking for a longer pair of wellies that I can wear when we visit our friends and family in the country - I want a pair that I can tuck my jeans into and save my bottoms being splashed with mud. My favourite pair from Aigle have seen better days (I think I bought them when Charlie was a toddler) and they probably have a family of spiders living in them, because I left them outside. These Aigle Parcour Vario boots get great reviews for comfort and warmth, and they’re currently discounted.

Next on my list, is a (properly) waterproof raincoat. I have one raincoat from Arket a few years ago, but it is very thin and I have been looking for something a little more substantial and, judging by my requests this week, so have a lot of you! So I have had a look around at these four seem to be strong contenders.

When it comes to bits for the home, I have bought a new rug from Wayfair to replace yet another rug ruined by our beloved animals. I really rate Wayfair and have bought lots of great pieces from them, so their Black Friday sale is worth checking out. (This is not an ad, in fact, I was sorry that I had to turn down an opportunity to work with Wayfair this month, but I had already taken on more than I could manage and I am learning, slowly, that I need to manage my workload carefully when there is so much life stuff going on in the background) We desperately need a new vacuum cleaner, so that might be something I will look at this week, and The White Company bedding is always a good idea during Black Friday. (Currently 20% off with the code WHITE20)

I don’t know about you, but buying gifts for my close girlfriends brings me much more joy than buying for anyone else. (Sorry family!) I have created a list of things which I think most women would love to receive (me included!) and they’re all currently 25% off, so a great time to buy. A silk pillowcase from Slip, or a Drowsy Eye Silk Mask are my favourite gifts to give, the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks or Setting Spray for the makeup lovers, both excellent products that would suit everyone, and you cannot go wrong with De Mamiel or Susanne Kaufmann for the bath.

I will be buying another tube of my favourite SPF (inexpensive and BEAUTIFUL - currently £11.63, bargain!) a couple of Vieve Eye Wands (I am keen to try out Coffee) and Medik8 Retinal (I use 10 - currently 25% off) and a new setting spray because mine finished this morning. It’s the best I’ve tried and the other night when I went out, the friend I spent the evening with messaged me the next day to ask which setting spray I had used, because, in her words ‘your makeup was still perfect at the end of the evening!’ It’s not cheap at £32, but I do think it’s worth it and the 25% off helps.

Right, I’m off to make supper. Nick (our chef!) is currently on a plane on his way to South Korea, so I suspect it’ll be cheesy beans on toast this evening. My favourite!

Happy Shopping, keep focussed, may the force be with you!

love,

Chloe x

A new Romantic City Break: Special occasion: Amsterdam. Exciting! We are thinking: canals and waterfront architectural majesty; peerless museums; beautiful, charming (and ridiculously tall) people; bicycles and boats; walking on cobbled streets lined with boutique treats; great food, surprisingly good cheese, even greater beer; and a kind of confidence - the ‘we know how to party better than you and we’ve proved that for more than 500 years’ kind of confidence. What’s not to like?

Well, Britain’s ‘favourite airline’ is what’s not to like. We were due to fly on a Thursday morning at the end of October for Chloe’s birthday. We booked the flights with British Airways months in advance, and we were very excited to be spending three nights in the legendary Hotel 717 (we also pre-paid a hefty sum for the privilege - more to come on that later).

We had booked dinner with our great friends and their extended family on the Thursday night, and we had pre-booked the world-famous Rijksmuseum for 10am Friday morning.

We woke up in London at 7am on Thursday morning to an email from BA. “Your flight to Amsterdam is cancelled”. Oh. Oh dear. Well, never mind there are dozens of flights every day so let’s not panic. Further down the email from BA: “The next available flight is 14.30 on FRIDAY afternoon.” No, no, no - that’s not going to work. It’s Chloe’s birthday and we’ve got all these things planned and paid for. Let me ring BA.

“Sorry, that’s the best we can do.”

“But… we’ve paid for all these things including a non-refundable hotel and arriving a day and a half late for a three-day trip just doesn’t work for us.”

“That’s the best we can do. If you want to apply for a refund go onto the website.”

Hmmm. British Airways. Hmmm. OK, let’s have a look at Skyscanner etc. - Ah, there’s a 3.05pm easyJet flight from Luton (quite a hike to get there, but hey) and let’s see how much…. Yikes!! £630 ONE WAY. That’s off the menu. And not a single Eurostar seat available until tomorrow night at the earliest.

So, after some (semi-) calm contemplation we decided there was nothing we could do. A quick call to the hotel and, surprise surprise: “I’m sorry but you pre-paid a non-cancellable fee on Booking.com and that means we cannot refund you any amount. We look forward to welcoming you tomorrow night.” Deep breath. Catch another episode of Traitors on the sofa in London. It’s only a 27-hour delay…

When we eventually arrived at the hotel at around 7pm on Friday night, it was raining heavily and we knew we had to squeeze a lot in to our shortened timeframe, and we were already significantly out-of-pocket on the hotel front.

Hotel 717 was a birthday indulgence for Chloe. Its reputation precedes it. Fully paid for, up front, and really rather expensive (£430 per night). This is a lot more than we would usually spend. Its location is absolutely flawless - a beautiful, tall, boutique conversion of a traditional, canal-front, brick-built property - and a maximum 15-minute walk from pretty much everything you need to do at the heart of the city.

But was the room worth the money? In short - no. We had a ‘Superior Double Room with Garden View’. Clean and nicely decorated, it was on the small side. A big ‘hit’ for one of the two main requirements (a super-comfy, huge, king size double bed which was lovely). Sadly, a big ‘miss’ for the other (a very small bathroom, no bath, and a shower that promised Amazonian-force ablutions and delivered more of a middle-of-the-night-prostate-problem trickle). The ‘view’ was disappointing and the €18 per head breakfast lacked any proper hot options (bacon, sausage, egg, etc.).

The staff were absolutely charming, by the way, but at that price we would almost certainly look elsewhere next time.

Now, onto the fun stuff. Central Amsterdam is rather beautifully laid out. If you take the ‘Centraal Train Station’ as the focal point, a series of canals spread out, in concentric semi-circles, from there, like a watery spider’s web. Each canal is 50 - 100 metres further out from the last one, and each is bedecked with stunning period town houses. Rising up in the 17th century as the city boomed, they are crammed together, delightfully narrow and bustling, but also impossibly tall and imposing. They boast a glorious variety of intricate designs: huge, multi-paned, floor-to-ceiling windows; kaleidoscopic brick, stone, marble, wood, terracotta and wrought iron façades; ornamental cornices and majestic, cloud-piercing gables. Many of them lean into each other at awkward, physics-defying angles, which adds to the charm and mystery of it all.

As ever, and even in the rain, it’s best to walk - everywhere - if you can. First up: Rijksmuseum. We managed to re-book, thankfully. It’s Le Louvre of The Netherlands, but a little bit less bonkers. A sprawling Gothic Revival palace designed by Pierre Cuypers in 1885, it’s got nearly a millennium’s worth of Dutch artistic wonders - and, crucially, it reminds you that this is the home of… wait for it… Van Dyck, Frans Hals, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. That’s a bit like saying one small country could provide Cruyff, Van Basten, Gullit, Bergkamp and Rijkaard all within a few years of each other. Oh, hang on, that’s exactly what they did too. (Apologies for the random football reference, straight back to fashion, travel and lifestyle, promise!).

There happens to be a Michelin-starred restaurant (Rijks) in the museum too, but we opted for a slightly more affordable choice: Petit Caron, just a three-minute walk from there. Laid back, modern European restaurant and wine bar with good sharing plates, excellent ceviche, and a great vibe. Recommended.

Next up - time to party. Our visit happened to coincide with something called ADE. Nope, not a neurodiversity acronym, but the Amsterdam Dance Event. Now, we are way too old to be traipsing round Europe looking for Industrial Techno Festivals, and so this was rather a delightful experience. Yes, there were some, er, Industrial Techno events going on in far-flung warehouses and football stadiums around town, but for non-intrepid, middle-aged tourists like us, what it meant was that most bars and venues in the middle of town had simply just placed a little extra party hat firmly on their heads.

So, Café Brandon is a charming, wood-panelled, intimate pub / bar just down the road from Anne Frank’s House (also a museum and worth a stop if you can). But, during ADE, they slap a DJ at the end of the room and it just means the delightful, ridiculously tall, annoyingly good-looking regular clientele happened to be dancing with their drinks rather than just chatting. And the demographic was so refreshingly diverse that we actually met a bunch of people who had children OLDER than ours. Would you believe it? Which almost made us feel young again. What a treat.

After a short sprint back to the hotel in apocalyptic monsoon conditions (but we were beyond caring by then) we melted into our comfy bed and woke up the next morning with just one thought on our minds: shopping.

‘De Negen Straatjes’ is a sexier way of saying ‘The Nine Streets’. It’s a cobbled network of boutiques, cafés and shops in the Jordaan district. If I were to hazard a guess, it’s probably got around nine streets to peruse at your leisure. Very central. It’s a great area to spend a couple of hours and we can specifically recommend Anna + Nina (excellent jewellery), Free People, Episode, RUM (where we added to the already ridiculously huge sunglasses collection) and Bij Ons Vintage. We took a little detour and popped into Bloemenmarkt (the most famous flower market in the city) afterwards. It’s delightful. For those of a certain age. We bought some Tulip bulbs. Well, when in Rome…

And after you’ve done your shopping, it’s time for a drink and some lunch, right? Well, Café Hoppe (pronounced “hopper”) is the place. Nestled on Amsterdam’s bustling Spui Square since 1670, Hoppe is the city’s oldest “brown café”, originally starting as a distillery before evolving into a cosy, old-school pub that’s now a national monument. With its traditional sand-strewn floors, dim lighting, and shelves lined with vintage bottles, it draws a mix of locals, intellectuals, and tourists for strong Dutch gins, local beers, and simple snacks like the incomparable Bitterballen.

If you’re ever in Holland, you have to eat Bitterballen. It’s the national dish. They are small, deep-fried croquettes made from a rich, savoury Ragu (beef or veal are the most traditional, but you can get chicken, cod, prawn, lobster, and a whole bunch more) simmered in stock, thickened with roux and butter, then chilled, portioned into golf-ball-sized spheres, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried until golden and crisp. Yup - they’re as good as they sound! Dunked in mustard is the recommended mode of attack.

The rain was pretty relentless, and so we ditched our plan of hiring a small boat and meandering along the network of canals that define this fabulous city. But we are reliably informed that, if the sun’s out, it’s a great way of spending an afternoon, and the environmentally minded Eco Boats Amsterdam are a nice, clean, quiet, electric option. If you’re really channelling your inner Greta Thunberg you can even go ‘Plastic Fishing’ and gain an extra Gold Star at the Pearly Gates.

In fact, we would definitely have done that - if only to offset the slightly less ‘green’ birthday dinner that I had booked for Chloé. Sagardi is another Amsterdam institution. It’s an authentic, traditional Basque grill house, and they specialise in ‘Txuleton’, the legendary dry-aged, on-the-bone ribeye steak sourced from mature Galician cattle (raised to around 6 years-old for ‘Standard’ and up to 16 years-old for Premium) and hung for at least four weeks in their on-site meat cellar, grilled over charcoal and served rare. Very rare. The four of us had one large ‘Standard’ (delicious) and one extra-large ‘Premium’ (out of this world). We didn’t feel hungry again for about a week. If you’re as greedy as us expect to pay upwards of £100 per head (with wine) but it’s worth it.

When the Birthday Girl declares that she needs a Negroni ‘digestif’, a good husband should immediately spring into action. So I did a speedy bit of research (well, I just asked our friend who happens to be Dutch) and we wandered over to Bar Oldenhof. Waiting outside under a slightly drippy canopy for twenty minutes didn’t bode that well, to be honest, but when they placed all four of us at the main bar and we saw the three smart, charming, classy, very tall (of course) Mixologists hard at work, we knew we were in for a treat. If you like cocktails, this is the place for you. And they even do super-high-end Mezcal shots for any of you that think you’re in a remake of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. One is definitely enough, by the way.

Waking up on our final morning we did feel a little bit heavier, and a little bit foggier, than usual, but we decided to try a slightly quirky, less obvious bit of culture before heading off to the airport.

Museum Van Loon is a frozen in time 17th century canal house on Amsterdam’s Keizersgracht, originally built in 1672 as the home of artist Ferdinand Bol, a pupil of Rembrandt, and later occupied by the ridiculously affluent Van Loon family from the 19th century onwards. Opened as a museum in 1973 by the last family resident, Maurits van Loon, it offers a glimpse into the opulent lives of Amsterdam’s merchant elite through restored period rooms filled with family portraits, antique furniture, Delftware, and silverware, alongside a serene English-style garden and the adjacent coach house displaying some lovely vintage carriages. It’s a quiet, elegant spot for history buffs, like stepping in to a living past, and a pretty good hangover cure, to be honest.

In the taxi on the way back to the airport, we reflected on a City Break curtailed by aeronautical incompetence, overpriced accommodation and inclement weather… but very much rescued, redeemed and revitalised by the city itself - its people, its topography, its history, its Bitterballen, its love of dancing, and its Negronis…

1. A pair of rubber flip flops

I am a flip flops girl through and through, and my favourite TKEES flip flops always come away with me, but they are made from beautifully soft Brazilian leather which should NOT go near water, so I would always pack a pair of Havaianas for the beach/pool. My favourite style are the Square Slim, which you can find here.

A note on TKEES - I order direct from their website and I have not had to pay any customs. I did pay £7 for delivery and I couldn't comment on the returns cost and process, as I have never had to return a pair. I wear a US 7 (I am a UK 5)

2. A Wide Brimmed Hat

I have just bought this large hat in the Toast Sale. I was looking for a larger-than-average brim because I wanted the shade to cover my chest as well as my face. I have a packing plan, in case you are wondering how on earth I am going to travel with this beast. It arrived with the brim flipped up, so my plan is to flip the brim, pack it first and pack clothes under and around it. We shall see. If you are looking for a hat, this one looks great and it’s packable. I have also ordered one from my edit below which might be better for travel.

3. A pair of throw on shorts

I always get excited about holiday fashion, but the truth is when it’s roasting hot, it’s often the easy throw on pieces that I end up wearing the most. I thought these little shorts from H&M would be ideal and they look great with a white linen shirt.

4. A good bronzer

There’s nothing better than that sun kissed look on holiday, but the only way I’ll achieve that is to fake it. I was recently sent a Beauty Pie PR mailer with this new Awesome Bronze which is very similar to the Chanel Bronzer (but better and a lot cheaper for members at £18) and I thought it would be helpful to demonstrate the colour ‘Goldielux’ that I was sent because it might help someone who wants to order. I think it’s a tad dark for me, so I would probably go for the Sunny Side (Warm Toned Fair Bronze)

The texture is wonderful - it’s a soft matte cream which melts into the skin. Be warned this sold out very quickly last year, so if you’re keen, don’t hang about.

5. A hammam Towel (X 5!)

I don’t like traditional towels. They take far too long to dry and get full of sand, so I always pack a hammam towel for each member of the family. They are all different so we don’t get them mixed up, and most of ours come from a brand called “Sand and Salt’

This year I fancy their new “Kos’ black stripe

6. Holiday Jewellery

Holiday jewellery is a must for me. Always a little bolder than my usual pieces, statement jewellery is an easy way to add personality to your holiday wardrobe. A simple slip dress is completely transformed by adding bold jewellery. I don’t think you need to spend a fortune, you can pick up some really fun pieces at places under £20. I have done a little edit of a few pieces that caught my eye, which you can shop below.

7. A Hair Protector/Mask

The combination of sun, pool and sea water can wreck our hair, especially if it’s colour treated like mine, so a hair protector/masque is one of the first things I pack. I tend to slick it back with a masque most days, and I really love the 3MOREINCHES range by Michael Van Clarke. You could go for a full on masque (Lifesaver) or this which is a Styling, protection & treatment in one. If you’re travelling hand luggage only the 100ml is only £11.

8. A linen shirt

A must pack item for me, linen shirts are excellent for wearing over your bikini, especially if you are having a boat day and need to keep the beating sun off your arms. I always pack a white one, but this year I am thinking of adding a colour to my neutrals holiday palette. If you are looking for a good linen shirt this one is great value. I really rate H&M for linen. I think I am going to order this one for a splash of colour. I would probably size up for a little extra length.

9. Sun Protection

A bit of an obvious one, but an opportunity for me to talk about our family favourites. We all love the SunBum spray - but, be warned, for a week’s holiday if your children are no longer little, you’ll need a bottle per body, if not more. I found that it ran out quite quickly. It’s currently down to £16.79 on Lookfantastic, and my influencer code CHLOELOVESTOSHOP should work on it too. We also really love the Vichy Solar Protective Water Spray which is really hydrating. It’s also down to £16.13 on Lookfantastic and don’t forget to add my code at checkout for a little extra off that price. A fantastic SPF that should not be overlooked is Altruist which is exclusive to Amazon. It is really affordable and good - created by dermatologist, Dr Andrew Birnie, is suitable for sensitive skin and offers 5-Star UVA protection.

10. The Basket Bag

For a Summer holiday I will always use a basket bag as my carry on. I can’t fly hand luggage only for Summer holidays because I am really fussy about my suncream and won’t buy it locally, so a checked in bag is a must for me, even if it’s only one.

I like my basket bag to have long sturdy leather handles and preferably a shorter handle too. My favourite bag is from a market in France, but if you’re looking I have done a little edit below.

I spotted this bag on my web travels today, and I thought it was such a good price - haven’t seen it in the flesh, so I can’t comment on quality/feel, but for £25.99 I thought it looked very chic and way more expensive!

Well that’s all ten, but I have left out so many things. Perhaps I’ll do a dedicated Holiday Toiletries post. Let me know if you’d like that. I am relatively new to Substack (so new it took me most of today to assemble this post!) but I *think* it helps if you like the post. If nothing else, it will make me happy to know that you have.

Until next time,

Chloe x

We didn’t really know what to expect from Copenhagen. We imagined fairytale castles and waterfront cafés, The Little Mermaid sculpture and “Hygge” (the Danish concept of cozy well-being which is what we all need these days, right?). We had heard lots about the revolutionary food scene spearheaded by Noma; we loved ‘The Killing’ (and suspected that its broody portrayal of a rainy, edgy, subversive underworld wasn’t quite the whole truth) - but little did we know that we would be spending three days in a city which has gone straight to the top of our favourite romantic destinations. It’s an absolute gem.

The fact that Copenhagen doesn’t shout from the rooftops about itself on the world stage tells you all you need to know. It’s discreet. Calm, clean, and sophisticated. It’s teeming with an understated chic that, to be frank, puts bigger, noisier, more famous European capitals to shame. It’s compact and accessible but spacious, open and airy at the same time. It’s friendly and safe, and oozes class and nobility from every cobbled street corner, leafy park, and glistening waterway.

HOTEL: 25hours Hotel, Indre By (booked with PR discount)

‘Indre By’ is Danish for ‘City Centre’ and is the beating heart of Copenhagen. 25hours is slap bang in the middle of this beating heart and is positioned so perfectly that pretty much anything and everything you should do in Copenhagen is between a five and twenty minute walk from the hotel’s front door. We had big plans to hire bicycles (which I would still recommend for the adventurous explorer) but we just didn’t need to in the end. We walked everywhere (apart from one train journey, more to come on that later).

As soon as you enter the hotel, you’re struck by character and charm. There’s a vast, vaulted, light-filled atrium with a cocktail bar as the centrepiece. On the way to reception you walk past the Vinyl Room and the Love Library - immaculately designed, quirky, seductive spaces with a real sense of personality and history. An end-of-the-evening glass of wine in the Vinyl Room was one of many highlights. The quirky charisma continues with a delightfully bonkers reception boasting a spiral book sculpture which twists from sofa to ceiling.

The rooms, too, are full of character and charm. There are two design styles - Passion and Knowledge. Room sizes range from ‘Small’ (around £170 per night) to ‘Gigantic’ (£300 ish). We stayed in a ‘Large’ which you can get for just over £200 per night and it was perfect.

Everything is just really well thought through. You might think that positioning the sink out in the main part of the room is odd, but it really works, and provides space for a huge walk-in shower which is a real treat. The addition of a little Velux window next to the main window brings a load more light in, and the open shelving is both funky and functional. Oh, and here’s something you don’t see very often… the MiniBar is FREE. Yup - drink your beer, fizzy water, whatever and then pop down to reception and they’ll re-stock everything. No money changes hands. Just imagine that.

DINNER: NENI

We look for hotels with cracking in-house restaurants because: a) a great breakfast is perhaps the most important thing of all when you’re travelling and: b) on our first night in a new destination, we like to eat delicious food which is less than three minutes away from our room so that we can collapse, happy and satiated, as quickly as possible.

NENI is now in several 25hours hotels and is spearheaded by legendary chef and entrepreneur Haya Molcho. It’s genuine, authentic Middle Eastern cuisine of the highest standard (with the occasional nod to other global influences). We started with creamy, tangy Labneh (strained yoghurt) mixed with Za’atar (dried herbs and spices) and Sumac with olives and seeded bread. A Yafo Charred Chicken Kebab was succulent, crispy and delicious. A flattened, grilled artichoke heart with more Labneh was rich and indulgent, and the grilled wild prawns with lentils, ginger, red chilli and Balsamic vinegar were perfectly balanced. A deliciously rare Flat Iron steak with Chimichurri and roasted sweet potato would have taken pride of place in New York or Buenos Aires. But the star of the show (surprising, perhaps, for someone who does not have a sweet tooth) was one of the best desserts we’ve ever had: Sesam. Homemade Muscovado ice cream, raw Tahini, date syrup, caramelised Pecans, all liberally sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Heaven.

DAY ONE: ART AND NATURE (AND 20,000 STEPS)

After an excellent breakfast of creamy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and amazing little spicy sausages, we set off on foot for what turned out to be a fabulous day.

It’s a fifteen minute walk from the hotel to our new favourite gallery - the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum. Founded in 1897 by Carl Jacobsen, the son of the Carlsberg Brewery founder, it’s a spectacular building housing spectacular art and sculpture. It’s got a bit of The Frick (NYC) about it, but it’s bigger and, frankly, better. On the ground floor there are enormous vaulted rooms, with collonaded rows of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Century Roman sculptures. These are dotted around the Winter Garden Courtyard with its palm trees, fountain and pond (good for the Hygge).

Upstairs are the permanent and temporary collections and we were lucky enough to see the ‘First Impressions’ collection of Gauguin and Kihara, and the ‘Degas’ Obsession’ collection (basically, Degas was obsessed with ballerinas… in a good way). Plenty of delightful permanent fixtures too, including little gems by Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne, Pissarro and Morisot.

Then, go upstairs again, because there’s a stunning rooftop terrace with breathtaking views across the whole city (and you get to see and hear the lunatics, up close, on the theme park rides at the Tivoli Gardens which is right next door).

From Glyptotek, it’s a lovely twenty minute walk to the Botanical Garden, part of the Natural History Museum of Denmark. If you’re fans of Kew Gardens in London, you’ll love it here. There’s even a Palm House (just like Kew) which was partially closed for refurbishment, but which houses some steamy rainforest treats and, much to our delight, a Butterfly House. There’s something magical about being in a warm, verdant space, in total silence - except for the gentle sound of fluttering butterfly wings all around you.

Another brisk, fifteen minute walk and you’re in Nyhaven, one of the most famous areas in Copenhagen. It’s the iconic, 17th Century waterfront stretching either side of a canal and lined with multi-coloured townhouses, bustling cafés, and some overly-touristy restaurants. However, walk a bit further down and you come to Judie Restaurant which is situated on the upper deck of a converted cabaret boat, and which is a great spot for lunch. They do delightful modern twists on traditional Danish ‘smørrebrød’ (open sandwiches). The only thing to be aware of (and this applies across the board in Copenhagen) is that this town isn’t cheap. So a small (and i mean small) open chicken sandwich is delicious, not quite enough for lunch for one person, and… around £17. But, if you can stomach the fiscal hit, it comes highly recommended.

Back at 25hours and, after covering several kilometres on foot, we decided to treat ourselves to a sauna at the Wellness Area on the first floor. There’s a cute little gym (we did some Pilates every morning because I’m old and have the obligatory bad back), and the sauna itself is in the middle of the outdoor courtyard and is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen. Also, thankfully, we had it all to ourselves. The ice cold shower right outside got the body temperature back to near-normal and we retreated back to the room, tired, slightly sweaty, but very happy.

MEATPACKING AND ESMÉE

I did some research and found a Barbecue and Beer Mecca in the trendy Meatpacking district, called Warpigs Brewpub (what’s not to like?). It’s an uber-trendy area, definitely grittier and earthier than others, and this is a place which, if i’m honest, is probably more for Dads and Lads than couples looking to make romantic memories. Slabs of ribs and wings and whole chickens eaten off trays on trestle tables with pitchers of lager foaming all around. It looked pretty good, but we decided to walk back towards the centre of town and ended up at Esmée, a stylish French brasserie just up from Nyhaven.

Céviche, more artichoke, stunning crispy fried chicken, delicious grilled white asparagus and… you know you’re in good hands when they say ‘French Fries’ and you get those chips that only the very best of the best know how to make. Proper Pommes Frites: thin and crispy and salty and, well, just very, very French.

DAY TWO: A LOUISIANA ADVENTURE

We had originally planned another day of walking around town - there are loads more beautiful, fascinating things to see and do including Rosenborg Castle, The King’s Garden, The Round Tower, Christiansborg Palace, Kastellet Fortress, even Tivoli Gardens (if you feel like a bit of Disneyland adrenaline fun). But several people had recommended a half-day trip to a place called Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

So we went for it. Another fifteen minute walk to Copenhagen’s main train station. Then hop on the train to Humlebaek. It’s about 40 minutes, and trains run every 15 minutes or so. I think we paid £30 for two adults, return. It’s a charming trip which curls out of Copenhagen city centre and heads north, following the coast with the sea on your right.

You guessed it, another fifteen minute walk from Humlebaek and you find yourself in a very special place. Louisiana is a large complex at the top of a hill overlooking the sea - with Sweden clearly visible across the water. It has several buildings with various exhibitions and wonderful grounds full of stunning sculptures and beautiful landscaped gardens.

Walk down the hill to the water’s edge, and then take a cheeky right turn down a path that looks like it’s going nowhere. About fifty yards further on there’s a secret little platform, up some very narrow iron steps, which, it seems, not a lot of people know about. It’s a great spot to sit down, take in the coastal views, and just, well, have a moment.

Back in the main exhibition rooms there are some dashing Danish modernist paintings, an incredible light display by Yayoi Kusama, and we were lucky enough to see the Robert Longo collection (the American photographer and filmmaker whose vast photographs of dramatic, often violent moments are breath-taking). The museum also has a permanent Giacometti collection - we love the iconic, stick-thin figures that range from a few inches tall to more than six feet. And some of his pencil sketches are fabulous too.

And, because food is never far from our minds, we decided to have lunch at the charming museum café and sat at a lovely table outside for 45 minutes. The food was excellent: we had the ‘Lunch for Two’ which included some delicious pork rillettes with white beans, and fish rillettes with fennel and trout roe, all mopped up with freshly baked sourdough rolls. I just have to take a moment to pay tribute to the Danes and their bread. Everywhere we ate, the bread was delicious - they all seem to bake on site, use the best sourdough, and get it just right. And that’s not easy.

We were back in central Copenhagen in a heartbeat, and spent the following couple of hours dipping into the incredible variety of vintage shops and boutiques (see DAY THREE for more), and I insisted, of course, on popping into Torvehallerne which is a big foodie square with two covered markets (seafood, meats, cheeses, wines, oils, pasta, fruit’n’veg, everything) and a bunch of cute pop-up food stalls.

Back to the hotel for a battery recharge and then out again to one of Copenhagen’s hottest restaurants, Vaekst, for dinner.

It’s basically a two-storey greenhouse with a vibrant kitchen at its heart. So you sit, surrounded by lush flora, fairy lights, and luminous windows, and the food is impeccable. Choose from a three or four course set menu (wine pairing optional) and while there is a proud leaning towards fresh vegetarian dishes, two of our courses (the veal tartare with smoked cream cheese and the grilled beef tenderloin with celeriac and truffle) were pretty meaty, and damned good to boot. Fried plaice with Beurre Blanc also excellent. Highly recommended and our four course set menu (without wine) was £55 per head. So good value too.

DAY THREE: SHOPPING, MORE WALKING, GOODBYES

Strøget is one of the main, pedestrianised shopping streets and it’s a stone’s throw from the hotel. Here’s where you’ll find your Zaras, H&Ms, etc., but it’s the little side streets scattered all around the heart of the capital that really inspire and delight. So put on those sensible shoes (again) and get walking. Walk down Strøget but dive left and right at every opportunity and discover all the amazing high end boutiques, vintage outlets, pre-loved gems, cute designer jewellery and homeware stores, and more. See the ‘Cheat Sheet’ we’ve put together at the end for some specific suggestions - just a few highlights that we enjoyed.

One of the many wonderful things about this town is how uncluttered it feels. We never felt hemmed in by other people, or hustled and bustled on the streets. We didn’t see a single traffic jam over the entire three days. The occasional ring of a bicycle bell politely asking you to move away from the centre of the road is, in truth, a gift rather than an insult. For a major European city in 2025 that’s one hell of an achievement.

So, with a heavy heart, we said our goodbyes to the charming staff at the impeccable 25hours Indre By, and hopped in an Uber to the airport. £28 and around a twenty minute drive, by the way. Just another ‘one in the eye’ for the likes of Charles de Gaulle, JFK, and Gatwick…

Thinking of a Romantic City Break in Europe some time soon? Copenhagen really should be at the very top of your list. Get those sensible shoes out now.

COPENHAGEN CHEAT SHEET:

Where to stay: 25hours Indre By

Where to eat: NENI, Esmée, Judie, Vaekst

Where to shop: Ganni Outlet (with a floating bar across the canal for the husband), Magasin (the ‘Selfridge’ equivalent in Copenhagen), Notre Dame (for cute interiors and gifts), By Thiim (Jewellery and brands like Sissel Delbo and Damson Madder), Collector’s Cage (vintage designer handbags)

A very cute pink ruffle dress, reminiscent of pieces on the Chloe catwalk. If you’re heading to a festival, I thought it would look amazing with a pair of western boots. If you love Farm Rio, but aren’t so keen on the price tag the print bandeau dress looks so good. I’ve included white linen pjs which could also be worn as a co-ord over a bikini, some holiday bling (love the star and sun on rope necklaces) clutch bags that would be perfect for holidays (I’ve actually ordered the little raffia bag as it looks like a great size, would go with every outfit and fits neatly under your arm) and two pairs of flip flops. One pair is leather and the other a collab between Zara and Havaiana, I really love the square toe.

And finally, a studded belt which has just dropped and is a great price (I have one from H&M which isn’t leather and I always get asked where it’s from) This one looks much the same.

To access the links on my LTK shop just tap on the image below.

Happy Shopping,

Love Chloe x

Few cities on earth boast as much historical and cultural significance as Istanbul. Founded as Byzantium by the Greeks in the 7^th Century B.C., renamed Constantinople by the eponymous Christian Roman Emperor in 330 A.D., and conquered by the Islamic Ottomans under Sultan Mehmet II in 1453, Istanbul is, and has always been, a cornerstone of civilisation.

Straddling Europe and Asia, the waters of the Bosphorus that run through its heart have seen, over thousands of years, the richest sweep of human endeavour: great empires have risen and fallen here; East and West have collided, colluded and collaborated; global trade routes have supplied the farthest corners of the planet having passed through this place. And it shows – it’s vibrant, exotic, multicultural, and captivating.

We decided on a three-day visit to celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary, having never been before. It can be quite daunting, taking on a vast, sprawling metropolis like this (somewhat against the clock). But we did our homework, lucked out on an incredible deal at the breathtaking Peninsula Hotel (more to come) and we came away feeling like we really got under the skin of the city… but also wanting more.

The key, for us, to unlocking the magic of a sprawling, buzzing, effervescent place like this is twofold: 1) Destinations – know, in advance, where you’re going. Zone in on landmarks, buildings, restaurants, bars and neighbourhoods that seem to tick your boxes and plan your routes. 2) Walk. Just walk. Walk everywhere if you can. It’s an unbeatable way to get to know the beating heart of any city. Just for the record, we notched up 33,000 steps in the two full days we were there. And the blister on my toe to show for it was a price I was more than happy to pay.

HOTEL: THE PENINSULA ISTANBUL *

We knew things were looking up as soon as we stepped off the plane. Someone from The Peninsula was waiting for us at the end of the walkway. They took our hand luggage, guided us through a private passport control area (made us feel a bit like Posh’n’Becks at JFK), picked up our suitcases, and escorted us to our car, which delivered us to the hotel within the hour.

The hotel is ideally situated bang in the middle of Istanbul, in the Karaköy district. Its four connected buildings are right on the waterfront, looking out over the Bosphorus and to the Asian side beyond. It’s a three-minute walk to the Galata Bridge and about 100 yards from the Karaköy Ferry Terminal.

Everything about the hotel is the height of refined, modern luxury. The attention to detail, and the attentiveness of the team, is second to none. We were very lucky to be allocated a stunning suite, complete with jaw-dropping views, an enormous living area, a marble-bedecked, underfloor heated bathroom with his’n’hers basins (on opposite sides of the room for added marital bliss), and some of the most advanced gadgetry we’ve ever seen. This includes multiple touch-screen tablets, in every room, which control everything from TVs (including one in the bathroom) to temperature, lighting to wireless printing. They open and close your curtains, they’ll summon you a valet if you want one (we didn’t feel grand enough), and the show-stopper has to be the one next to the loo. That one washes your “back bottom” for you at the temperature of your choice, washes your “front bottom” (if you have one), dries you off, and offers something called ‘Oscillate’ – which this correspondent, dear reader, was, frankly, too scared to try.

But it’s the personal touches that often lift a place from the ‘very good’ to the ‘truly special’. Two things: when we arrived in our room there was a bottle of champagne on ice alongside a personalised, hand-written Happy Anniversary card signed by no less than SEVEN people, with lovely messages from each of them. And perhaps my favourite moment: I brought my book (‘Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities’ by Bettany Hughes which is excellent, by the way) but have been meaning to get myself a bookmark for a while. In the meantime I’ve been using credit cards, room cards, supermarket receipts, and even contemplated the sacrilegious act of bending the corners of my pages (which I loathe doing because I am very old). When we got back from our first day’s outing, there was my book, just where I had left it… and, lying on top of it, a pristine Peninsula bookmark. That’s a classy touch.

* Booked with a PR Discount

HAGIA SOPHIA, BLUE MOSQUE, BASILICA CISTERN

With just two full days to play with, we knew we had to be relatively picky. The Galata Bridge (with a separate pedestrian walkway) crosses over from Karaköy and it’s then a twenty minute walk to the ‘big’ tourist destinations – the biggest of which is of course the Hagia Sophia. Originally built in 537 A.D. as a cathedral under Emperor Justinian I, its vast dome and intricate mosaics redefined Byzantine design. Converted to a mosque in 1453 after the Ottoman conquest, then a museum in 1935, it reverted to mosque status in 2020 and is a fully functioning place of worship today. It’s gob-smacking in scale, and mind-blowing to think it was built nearly 1500 years ago. You walk up quite a few steps and then wander around an interior perimeter walkway about half way up the building. The remnants of the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th century mosaics are particularly beautiful. We bought ‘Skip the Line’ tickets on Tiqets.com (for Hagia and Basilica Cistern) which came to around £85 in total but which were very useful and definitely recommended if you’re going at a busier, hotter time of year than February.

The Blue Mosque, a short walk from Hagia Sophia, is also stunning. We regretted only having the time to see it from the outside, but we had set our sights on the Basilica Cistern (also a short walk away). This atmospheric underground marvel was built in 532 A.D. under Emperor Justinian I to store water for the city. Known as the "Sunken Palace," its vast chamber features 336 columns reflected in shallow water, with highlights like the upside-down Medusa heads as column bases. A haunting, majestic, serene relic of Byzantine engineering, it’s a cool, shadowy escape which makes you feel a bit like you’re in the Mines of Moria (for any Lord of the Rings fans out there).

GRAND BAZAAR AND SPICE BAZAAR

It’s an easy ten-minute walk from there to the entrance to the Grand Bazaar – another iconic destination on the tourist trail that was Day One. One of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets, it sprawls across 61 streets, dating back to 1455 under Mehmed II. A vibrant maze of over 4,000 shops, it’s packed with colorful stalls selling spices, textiles, jewelry, plenty of fakes, and awesome Turkish delights. It’s somehow got the feel of a dusty street market in Morocco, but the finish of a more upmarket mall in Madrid. If that makes any sense.

The Spice Bazaar, or Egyptian Bazaar, is, again, a short walk from the Grand Bazaar and is a treasure trove of sweet treats, exotic spices, and more varieties of tea than we ever knew existed. If you don’t like Monday mornings when the skies are a little cloudy and your knees are aching a bit… they’ll have a tea for that.

TOURIST TRAPS

A little word of warning – they can see you coming a mile off, of course. While we quickly got used to smiling politely at the offers to enter every shop, stall, café and restaurant that we passed with the promise of ‘free stuff’, I have to hold my hands up to being caught out… twice. The first time was purchasing the utterly delicious Turkish Delight called Naber Lokum – not the cubes of gelatinous, sugar-dusted devilry that you find all over the world, but a kind of rolled Nougat covered in a variety of flavours including crushed pistachio, pomegranate, rose petal, etc. – highly recommended.

We entered a smart-ish looking shop and I was quoted 1,300 Turkish Lira per kilogram (about £28). I thought I’d been very clever to negotiate them down to 1,000 Lira and ended up buying a kilo of the stuff. As we walked out of the shop, I noticed that all the other places selling exactly the same thing were quoting 480 Lira per kilo – as a starting price for negotiation. Ho Hum.

Another trick we learned about too late is the ‘Shoe-Shine Shimmy’. Crossing back over Galata bridge a man in front of me seemed to drop a brush on the pavement. Being an upright citizen, I called him over and handed back his brush. Next thing we know, he’s joined by a ‘friend’ and both Chloe and myself are having our shoes (we’re both wearing trainers!) enthusiastically polished and they’re asking for £10 for the privilege. About half an hour later another man mysteriously ‘dropped’ his brush in front of us… but by then we’d learned our lesson, didn’t take the bait, and walked resolutely on.

BACK TO THE PENINSULA – SPA, BAR AND GALLADA DINNER

We were lucky enough to be able to look forward to a 90-minute massage for Chloé, and then our Anniversary dinner at the Peninsula’s signature restaurant, Gallada.

The hotel has a sumptuous, subterranean Spa and Wellness complex which boasts eight private treatment rooms – two of them for couples – as well as separate saunas, relaxation rooms, and lavish hammams – traditional Turkish baths – for men and women. It also has a state-of-the-art fitness centre and a fabulous, 25-metre heated indoor swimming pool. We had a quick dip before Chloe went off for her treatment and I snuck up to the Topside Bar, on the roof of the hotel, for a beer and to watch the sun go down over the Bosphorus. Bliss.

Dinner was a tasting menu of Turk-Asian cuisine – paired with excellent Turkish wines – and was delicious. Three starters included stunning peeled, poached and smoked cherry tomatoes and a lovely pressed, smoked aubergine with chilli jam and curd tofu. Two types of steamed dumpling (one morel mushroom and one based on doner kebab meat) were both sublime. Wok-fried crispy chicken wing balls were packed with flavour and delivered a hot punch. A whole Bosphorus Blue fish and a pressed (again) char-grilled Kofte Kebab provided the main event, and everything was rounded off with a frozen chocolate mousse with Madagascan vanilla. It was the perfect end to a wonderful day, and, of course, just a 2-minute trip back to the luxurious room.

DAY TWO: FERRY, ASIA, WALKIES

Having done many of the big touristy things on our first full day, we decided to spread our wings and get a bit more adventurous on day two. You can book all sorts of private boat tours up and down the Bosphorus (all the way up to the Black Sea if you want) but we opted to hop on a local ferry and cross over to the Asian side with the locals. Around £1.50 each way and a lovely way of seeing both sides of the city from the water.

Karaköy ferry terminal (right next to the hotel) to Kadiköy takes around 20 minutes. We possibly made a bit of a mistake by not fixing some kind of destination point (like a restaurant for lunch) and ended up just walking around Kadiköy, which is a lovely area and imbued with much more of a sense of calm and serenity than the hustle and bustle of the European side. We dived in to a café for a (delicious) Turkish coffee and ended up walking all the way back round Moda Park and along the waterfront to get us back to the ferry. The sun was shining, the temperature around 12 degrees, and the (clearly very well looked after) cats and dogs that inhabit the streets and parks of Istanbul were enjoying the weather as much as we were.

After hopping back across the water we headed up the hill from Karaköy toward the Beyoğlu district. It’s quite a steep climb, but worth it for the views looking back down the hill and out to the East. One of the main shopping drags is called İstiklal Caddesi – a pedestrianised stretch where you’ll find a lot of the big brands (Zara, Nike, Zephora etc.) if that’s the kind of thing you’re after. We nearly went for a Doner Kebab from one of the many streetside restaurants (they look so good) but resisted because it was getting late and we had a dinner reservation up our sleeves.

Back to the bliss of our hotel room, and another treatment in the Spa for Chloé – this time a facial which she rated very, very highly.

DINNER DILEMMAS:

My food plan (after the excellent hotel dinner on night one) was to book somewhere highly recommended for night two, and to go it alone on night three.

Mürver Karaköy is a lovely restaurant located on the roof of the Novotel Istanbul – less than five minutes’ walk from The Peninsula. The views across the water at night are fabulous, and the food was perfect after a long, adventurous day. Particular highlights were the Octopus in Ash with a warm Aegean salad, and the grilled Squid with tomatoes and Muammara sauce (roasted peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses).

The plan for night three was less successful. I went against my own advice which is always to have a destination of some sort in mind when you’re navigating a huge and unfamiliar place. We chose what looked like a suitable area just north of The Peninsula, lined with bars and restaurants, but ended up walking around for nearly an hour, never quite finding the right spot. When we eventually settled for something that looked just about OK, it was exactly that – just about OK. A kind of mixed grill which you can find anywhere in the world; some underwhelming wine. Lesson learned.

BREAKFAST OF KINGS:

You can tell a lot about a hotel from its breakfast. The Peninsula didn’t disappoint and all three mornings were kick-started in style. As well as the usual (very well made) omelette / avocado on toast / smoked salmon options, there was an entire Chinese breakfast menu and I opted for a particularly delicious Turkish favourite: spicy scrambled eggs with minced beef and garlic beef sausage on the side. Chloé fell in love with a mesmerising combination of Simit (a Turkish bagel with toasted sesame seeds) with clotted cream and rich, oozing honeycomb. One of those things we’ll try to recreate here in London (and it won’t be quite the same).

GOODBYES… AND NEXT TIME:

As we were driving back to the airport, we felt like we’d done the city at least some kind of justice, and our step-count meant that we’d covered a lot of good ground. I think we could have added a couple more cultural stops along the way – perhaps diving into the Topkapi Palace (next to Hagia Sophia) for some grand, imperial Ottoman splendour on Day One. Maybe an art gallery on the Asian side on Day Two. Definitely a better restaurant choice for our last night (I’ve heard good things about ‘Nicole’ in Beyoğlu and ‘Salon Galata’ in Karaköy).

All in all, and with thanks, again, to The Peninsula, Istanbul proved to be the perfect Romantic City Break to celebrate twenty years (yup! Still can’t quite believe it!) of married bliss.

Hopping on a train in central London and arriving in the heart of Paris just over two hours later is something every British couple who assert that they still love each other should think of doing as often as they can.

We did it as a birthday treat for my wife, Chloe. Forty-eight hours in one of the world’s greatest cities. Food, culture, people-watching, more food, shopping, wine, art, and a bit more food. Here’s what we did:

MONTMARTRE:

Over the years we’ve usually gravitated towards the 6thArrondisement (St. Germain) which is stunning and highly recommended – but this time we thought we’d dig a bit deeper into the 18th (Montmartre).

Montmartre, a historic hilltop district just North and West of the city centre (and a 15-minute drive from Gare du Nord Eurostar terminal), is a trendy, Bohemian, avant-garde cultural centre which rose to fame in the 19th Century. Artists who lived and worked there include Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Braque and Utrillo. Quite the team line-up. The Moulin Rouge and Le Chat Noir hail from Montmartre. It’s picture-postcard cute: winding cobblestone streets, and, because of its elevation, stunning views.

The crown at the top of the hill is the spectacular Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. The views are magnificent. But, sadly, it’s a bit of a tourist trap. So the extremely busy surrounding streets are worth walking around for a bit, but then you need to head downhill. If you take one of the several staircases that wind down from the heights of the Basilica you get to the heart of Montmartre. Rue des Abbesses is the main stretch and it’s lined with cute cafés, bistros, boulangeries, boutiques,… and a ceaseless procession of impossibly elegant Parisians.

WHERE WE STAYED - LE TERRASS HOTEL

A random choice after a bit of online research. And we hit the jackpot. *Spoiler Alert* - because it was Chloe’s birthday we splashed out on a “Studio d’Artiste Eiffel” which is one of their more pricey suites. We can’t vouch for the standard rooms but if you’re able to stretch to around €300 ish per night (not bad for a suite, right?) then you’ll be in very good hands.

Not the biggest suite on the planet, but a very comfortable King bed, a charming little living space, really spacious bathroom with double sinks and a standalone bathtub, separate walk-in shower and a separate little loo. Nice. Slightly odd cupboard arrangement which actually worked fine in the end (see picture) and the sophisticated touch of a bluetooth Marshall speaker (Xmas request for Santa sorted). But it’s the view that trumps everything else. Quite a way to wake up in the morning, and quite a way to prepare for bed – watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle with its effervescent lightshow on the hour, every hour.

Speaking of views, this hotel has a top floor that ranks as one of the most delicious spaces in which we’ve ever hung out. It’s a restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and an outdoor bar (with weather-proof awnings and windows) that just oozes confident, classy chic. Delightful staff give anyone staying in the hotel priority treatment (first access to tables etc.) and we had pre-dinner cocktails, random bowls of chips, two breakfasts, late night pick-me-up hot chocolates, and a little stint on the ‘Love Seat’. Please know that I did sit next to the love of my life on the Love Seat, but I had to get off the Love Seat to take a picture of the love of my life on the Love Seat, so I’m not in the picture of the love of my life on the Love Seat. If you see what I mean.

Chloe had a massage in the Hotel Spa (Nuxe) and was absolutely delighted with the treatment. And, trust me, she’s quite hard to please on that front. One hour bespoke massage cost €135.

You can walk from the hotel to Rue des Abbesses in around 2 minutes. 

L’ORANGERIE

I think “avoid Le Louvre” is good advice. We took a 20-minute Uber from Terrass Hotel to Musée de L’Orangerie. It’s most famous for housing a wrap-around wall of Monet’s ‘Nymphéas’ (Water-Lillies) in a beautiful, silent, white, oval room. But we got lucky because they’re currently showing a Berggruen collection which is on until end of January 2025. If you can, do it! Heinz Berggruen (1914–2007) was a German-born art collector, dealer, and patron celebrated for amassing an impressive collection of modern art, including works by Picasso, Matisse, Klee, and Giacometti. I mean, hundreds of Picassos. And we went all “weak at the Klees” to boot.

You absolutely need to book in advance. We ended up booking on Booking.com after spending a good hour or so attempting to book on the museum website which seems to be running on a 2KB ZX Spectrum computer from 1973. Try to go off-peak too, if you can.

RUE DE RIVOLI:

From L’Orangerie, walk across Jardin des Tuileries (immortalised by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro and more) and you hit the beginning of Rue de Rivoli.

This is what you need to do. Walk. Stroll all the way along Rivoli – it might take you an hour or more but it’s worth it. People, shops, bustle, atmosphere, Paris. Yes, there are too many Souvenir Shops. Yes, some of it is a bit clichéd. And yes, who cares? Take it all in – grab an espresso or an ice cream.

FOOD, BISTROS, AND LE BORÉAL:

So you don’t need us to tell you that there are literally thousands upon thousands of excellent places to eat in Paris.

If you find yourself in a good-ish area, you’re pretty much guaranteed to be able to drop in to a street-side restaurant / bistro and have a great meal. We had lunch on our last day in a random bistro on Rue des Abbasses called Le Vrai Paris. Hey – yes it’s touristy. Yes they were a bit cheeky when the bill came and asked us to put a tip on the total (not allowed in France these days). Yes the tables outside are a bit small and wafts of Gauloise occasionally drift over your lunch and put you off your stride. But you know what? We had paté (excellent), frogs’ legs (yup – also excellent!), and carpaccio of beef with a beer and a glass of Chardonnay… and it was bloody brilliant.

LE BORÉAL:

We are lucky enough to know a wonderful man named Lolo who lives in Burgundy and ran a top restaurant called Les Caves Madeleines and now runs a stunning bistro / bar calle La Dillettante in Beaune. We asked him where we should eat near-ish to Montmartre and he said: “Le Boréal”. Impossible to ignore.

So we went on the night of Chloe’s birthday. It’s really small (probably around 30 covers). Intimate, open kitchen, family atmosphere. Very simple menu (see picture). The tuna tartare with satsuma was fabulous. Such a clever addition of rind-on tiny little triangles of citrus which really lifted the fish. The mains of grilled octopus and veal were sublime. Only two dishes slightly missed the mark – the mushrooms came with a Japanese-inspired egg / omelette type thing that didn’t add much, and the mussels were dry, overcooked, and underwhelming. But the mains made up for all of that and the bill came to €180 with Negronis, a few glasses of excellent wine, and a pudding. Highly recommended but you obviously need to book.

MUSÉE DE MONTMARTRE:

So, with a heavy heart, it’s our day of departure. Terrass doesn’t ask you to check out until noon, which is lovely. After one more exceptional breakfast, we strolled up the hill to Musée de Montmartre and for €15 per adult spent a delighful hour wandering around this extraordinary property. The gardens are a little slice of paradise which seem cut off from the hustle and bustle of central Paris. The galleries are housed in ex-residential buildings and feature wonderful treasures from the post-impressionist era and a series of evocative avant-garde Cabaret poster originals. Sit and have a coffee in the gardens after you’ve done the art. Highly recommended.

EUROSTAR:

Just a note on Eurostar. We splashed out on ‘Business Premier’ on the way out, and then went all fiscally sensible on the way back with Economy (her birthday had been and gone, so no need for special treatment, I thought…) 

The sometimes huge price increase for Business Premier just isn’t worth it. You get a slighly crappy lounge with cardboard croissants and hotel-style industrial coffee machines. You get a seat which I actually thought was less comfortable than the Economy seat (maybe we got unlucky with an ancient train on the first leg?). You get a deeply mediocre meal served by slightly grumpy staff (tiny portions of cold, grey, bland food which any Parisian would chuck straight out of the window, if only you could open it). And congratulations on serving me the smallest glass of champagne I have, in 53 years of drinking champagne, ever seen.

We had a blast – if you centre yourselves in the right hotel and take short trips to the right areas, you can just walk around, take everything in, eat, drink, do a bit of culture… and partake of the sublime elixir that is the magic potion which is Paris.

There was nothing in between about the weather this week. Autumn has truly ‘fall’en - the flip flops and sandals have been boxed up and stored in the wings, the loafers, boots and trainers have taken centre stage. I really wish we had a few more weeks of sunshine, as Fitflop have just sent me a pair of their RelieFF toe-post sandals - WOW- I thought their FMODE flip flops were comfy, but these are another level. They’re biomechanist-developed for faster recovery after physical activity (designed for post run, spin, ski, hike, ballet or a day in heels) They’re so comfortable, I’ve been wearing them around the house and my feet have been very happy. I think I’ll be living in them next Summer. They also sent me a pair of their DELICATO ballet flats - I think I could walk London flat in them, made from butter soft Nappa leather, with all that hidden cushioning they do so well, if you’re a ballet flats girl, and do a lot of walking, these are worth looking at. They’re quite traditional in style, which also means they’ll be timeless classics. (Not an ad. Just genuinely impressed and have reached an age where comfort is everything)

MONDAY

I can’t remember exactly where I went in this outfit, but I am fairly sure I was in the car, because these ballet flats are lovely, but definitely not a pair I could walk very far in, yet. They’re a really lovely colour and shape and with all the warmer tones and browns in my AW wardrobe, I thought they would be a good, inexpensive addition and an alternative to trainers. I have been thinking a lot recently about what makes an outfit interesting and unique to the wearer. For me, it’s often a vintage element, something that you won’t see everyone wearing. I think there should always be an element of your personality in your outfit, call it your personal ‘style stamp’

In this outfit it was my vintage Celine bag to which I’ve added the leather rose keyring for a bit of interest and personality.

Shirt past season Arket/ cardigan Sezane/ Jeans Sezane Le Crop/ Ballet Flats H&M / Bag Vintage Celine with Zara Bag Candy.

TUESDAY

Second day of wearing the Le Crop jeans (I often wear the same pair of jeans and just change my top and shoes) paired with an old cashmere V neck knit from FreePeople. Their cashmere is so good, I wish they would bring this style back, I’ve worn it so much over the past few years. I wore my very comfy new leopard print New Look ‘Bostons’ which sparked quite the furore over on my Instagram Stories when someone commented that I would get points on my licence if I was caught driving in them. ☺️ Turns out it came from a piece that the Mirror ran a little while back, which ended up being quite a good PR piece for Birkenstock! It is NOT illegal to drive in Birkenstocks, but if you are in an accident and happen to be wearing backless shoes, flip flops, or any form of footwear that stops you from operating your car properly, you run the risk of being slapped with 9 points on your licence. I have never felt unable to operate my car in flip flops or Birkenstock Bostons. Just saying.

WEDNESDAY

This knit got a lot of love over on Instagram, it is from Essentiel Antwerp’s AW collection. Definitely a conversation starter, I had quite a few ‘I love your jumper’ comments IRL that day, and one ‘it’s a little early for a Christmas Jumper, don’t you think’ comment over on Instagram, which made me laugh. They had a point! These Massimo Dutti jeans are new- they’re £59.95 and called their Straight Jeans. I’m wearing the size 6. If barrel leg jeans are not for you, Straight jeans are a good option at the time of year to wear with ballet flats and boots.

THURSDAY

I needed to be a little smarter for a meeting in town, so I wore my old Max Mara blazer over my favourite white shirt from Withnothingunderneath and my absolute favourite Mother Denim Half Pipe Flood Jeans, with my IvyLee boots and Demellier handbag.

I love this handbag but it is big and I tend to fill it and then end up with a sore shoulder!

FRIDAY

Here is a better view of the Massimo Dutti jeans. Worn with my new chocolate brown Zara Cashmere knit which caused some confusion on Instagram. I bought it in store, and when I searched for it online, it came up as out of stock. Then it was there, and then it wasn’t. So I don’t know what was going on but there was also some confusion about the colour. I filmed it at our bathroom window with sunshine streaming in and I think it does something to the iPhone camera, because it did look a lot lighter in my reel. I can confirm it is a darker, rich, chocolate brown and it is 100% cashmere. I am linking it HERE (it’s in stock!!) and praying the link actually works! I am wearing a size small.

So that’s the week in outfits. I hadn’t realised that I spent the entire week in jeans until I put this post together, so perhaps I should challenge myself to a week of no denim next week and see what I can come up with!

I hope you all have a restful, cosy weekend. If you’re looking for something to watch, I really enjoyed ‘Back to Black’ on Netflix, the latest biopic starring the absolutely brilliant Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse. It was a great watch but it has stayed with me and I can’t shake the renewed sadness for the loss of such a brilliant person with a dangerous amount of talent. Fame and talent so often ends in tragedy. 😔

On a lighter note, we are 28 minutes in to ‘Nobody Wants This’ (also Netflix) after finishing The Perfect Couple this week. (Not something I would rave about, but it was entertaining) So far so good. It’s a light hearted romcom with a rather good script. I feel a binge coming on.

Okay, that’s all from me this week, thanks for reading,

Love Chloe x

Monday

It was a lovely sunny day and I headed into town to get my greys blonded so I wore my Lenny Sandals Sezane - the backs of my heels are covered in blisters from new trainers, and are taking an age to heal, so I’m trying to wear backless shoes for the foreseeable. The bag pictured here is

Bag &Otherstories but I ended up swapping it for my old Bottega, which I have brought out of retirement recently. It was a tenth wedding anniversary present from Nick (my husband for those that don’t know) which he chose himself, with a little help from a fashion forward colleague of his. 😉

The blouse was my most recent Vinted find - it’s a classic Isabel Marant blouse in THE softest cotton and I know I’ll enjoy wearing it for many years to come.

Tuesday

I wore my Levi’s Boyfriend Jeans with this white fitted Microfibre tee from H&M, a good one if you like a fitted tshirt , my Sezane Suede Will Jacket , my vintage Celine handbag and my FMode Fitflops which I have lived in for two Summers now. Were they the most stylish choice of footwear for this outfit? Definitely not, but it was an achey back and hips day and I needed maximum comfort.

Wednesday

I really loved this outfit, because I was the perfect temperature all day. I wore this black sleeveless tank from Arket (I bought the X small) with my current favourite style of jeans, the Mother Denim Half Pipe Flood jeans, (size down in these I wear the 23) a pair of old red flip Tkees flops and my old M&S red bag. A red bag is such a useful item to have, but it’s one that I wouldn’t splurge on, and the high street have some really great options, so if you’re looking for a red bag check out this one from H&M and this one from Mango. I am really looking forward to layering the Alpaca knitted tank over shirts and tops when it gets chillier. My belt is the sold out Khaite dupe from H&M, but if you are looking for a studded belt that doesn’t break the bank, this one from Mint Velvet is lovely.

Thursday

A much needed day at home, getting work done, sorting out my wardrobe and a few errands dotted in between, so I wore this Varley tracksuit (is that the word we use these days, it feels very dated, maybe ‘set’ is better?! 🫣) which is the softest fabric and a dream to wear. *pr gift

Still needing backless shoes, I wore my Birkenstock Bostons when I had to nip out. On the wardrobe sort out, I must share these very clever handbag holders. I have a little ledge above my under eaves hanging rail, and so I’ve used them there but they would work in a wardrobe space too.

Friday

I had an early start with an event across town, so I was a little smarter than my usual day to day, and wore this silky ‘Toteme inspired’ set from H&M (find the trousers here and the top here) with these low heeled sandals which I love because I can walk in them and I was travelling by tube across london to the Sea Containers. I broke up the black with my Burgundy bag from Kaai Bags and I wore the shirt open, jacket style, over this vest from FreePeople. This outfit made me feel good - comfortable yet stylish, pulled together but not too polished, which is something I always try to achieve with my outfits.

And that concludes the week of outfits. I hope you all have a lovely weekend, we have a 12th birthday in the house, so ours will be busy and loud. 😂

Til next time,

Chloe x