Ultimate To Do: The Royal Wedding

Most of you know about the Royal Wedding that occurred yesterday, and if you don't, get out from under that rock! I pretty much would have given a limb to be in London to enjoy the festivities of the past few months, but watching the beautiful wedding on television had to do since I couldn't be there (and since they didn't plan the wedding for when I WILL be there...). And the event didn't disappoint!! Kate was beautiful, the wedding was a tear-jerker, and the kisses were adorable (did everyone see Will blush??)! I couldn't stop thinking, she woke up a commoner and by noon she was a Duchess! So while I wasn't in London for the actual event, I'll be there this summer and will definitely pick up a souvenir from the event - and maybe I'll get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the couple! Cheers to a royally beautiful event!

Blog Spotlight: Iron-Mamas

My sister Kelly is a personal trainer, group fitness trainer, and overall health nut! Her blog, Iron-Mamas, is pretty amazing. She regularly posts workouts for at the gym or home and they're great. I plan on using some of the "no equipment necessary" workouts while I'm overseas this summer, and I know I'll still get a good workout! Take a look through the workouts - you can search, look through categories or archives (obviously she's got this whole website thing down way more than I do)! Enjoy!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! Stay tuned for a week full of fun posts!

Philip Treacy

Philip Treacy

To go along with yesterday's post on shopping, I thought I'd mention British milliner Philip Treacy. As we all are well aware by now thanks to the royal wedding coverage, British women LOVE hats and fascinators. Each summer I've been in London I've looked for a hat or fascinator of my own to buy and have never been successful - hopefully that will change this summer! Philip Treacy's creations are way over my budget, but aren't they gorgeous? If only I had somewhere fancy enough to wear one of his pieces...

To Do #6: Shopping!

Parliament and Big Ben

One of the most obvious things to do in a big city is to go shopping. The problem lies in that I'll be on a limited budget so most things will be out of reach - but a girl can dream! Below I've listed a few stores that I'll probably go into and look around, but most likely won't come out with anything (unless the summer sales are going on). And yes, a few of them were influenced by Kate Middleton!

Whistles - This store is great for it's updated classics. While a little pricey (the dollar-pound conversion doesn't help either), I think it would be a great investment to purchase something from this British fashion staple. Of course, there's always the Middleton reference.

Jigsaw - This may be the store that Middleton worked at after St. Andrews, but I've loved it for a long time! Their pieces are unique but long-lasting and I've been wanting to purchase something from here for a longtime. Before Anthropologie went across the pond, Jigsaw was the British equivalent.

V&A Bookshop/Gift shop - While working at the V&A two summers ago, I gained a strong appreciation for the gift shop and book store in the museum. Of course, I spent a little bit too much money in both places, but in the end I think it was worth it. The gift shop carries a unique range of gift options, including jewelry, paper dolls, prints, and cards among other things. I love the bookstore, as it carries unique books in categories relevant to the various collections in the museum. Right now, the gift shop is carrying a line of Royal Wedding memorabilia so hopefully I can pick up a gift!

Kings Road - A short walk from my flat and the V&A, King's Road is known for it's abundance of high-end shops in a small area. Not only is this where an Anthropologie has opened up, but also well-known British brands like Cath Kidson, All Saints, Karen Millen and a personal favorite, Orla Kiely are located here. With a Jigsaw and Whistles along the road, I think I'll be able to do most of my shopping in this area of South Kensington! And yes, Kate Middleton did just do some shopping along Kings Road...

Borough Market - Who doesn't love a good foodie market? I've been to the Borough Market once before and was instantly in love with all the local vendors selling their amazing food/drinks. From traditional British fare to Italian favorites like fresh mozzarella and bruschetta, I couldn't think of a better way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon. I'm definitely looking forward to revisiting this wonderful market!

I think this list is a pretty decent start on my shopping to-do, so I'm going to leave it at this for the day. I'm sure I'll continue to add to my shopping list and I'll be sure to update everyone along the way!

PS - the picture has nothing to do with shopping, but I thought it was time for a traditionally London photo to appear!

'Tangled'

If you haven't seen 'Tangled' yet, I highly recommend you go out and rent it...RIGHT NOW! I love this movie - it's hilarious and so adorable! I purchased the dvd/digital copy the other day so I could have the movie on my laptop this summer while I'm in London just in case I need a movie night. With the strong possibility of only 5 channels on the tv in my flat, I'm stocking up on movies and books for my nights in. But really...go see this movie!

To Do #5: Althorp Estate

Althorp

Althorp Estate is the ancestral home of the Spencer family since the 16th century. Princess Diana, being a member of the Spencer family, spent a lot of her youth at the estate. Currently, the groups are open July 1-30 each summer and all the proceeds from visitors go to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. On the grounds is the final resting place of Princess Diana as well as an exhibit which contains her wedding dress from her 1982 wedding to Prince Charles. I've wanted to go here for awhile, and I think I may find the time this summer. The estate is located north of London, so I'm sure I'll be able to hop a train to get there. It would be sort of a sad visit since Diana is no longer with us, but I think it would be a good trip. On the lands there is also a lake, stables, and gardens so there would be plenty to do. And after the big wedding in 10 days, I think it would be a great experience to see the place where Diana grew up and where William would've spent some time as well.