Attend : Woburn Coffee House

Woburn Coffee House, 21 Market Place, Woburn.

 Bank holiday weekend calls for a day out in the countryside : we visited historic Woburn, a perfect Georgian village. We were visiting to take afternoon tea at Woburn Coffee House.

 Situated in a 400 year old house on Market Place, Karen and her team have created a beautifully fresh boutique coffee house: a modern traditional interior, combining mix match crockery, and a beautiful walled garden to sip Pimms in the summer months.

 We were presented with an amazing 5 tier platter of finger sandwiches, scones, slices of cake, brandy snaps, Mille-Feuille and beautifully crafted cream profiteroles in the shape of swans.
 Whatever you can't manage can be taken home in a goody box...

Woburn Coffee Shop features a tranquil walled garden, opened up in Summer months for afternoon tea and Pimms.

 Woburn itself is a quintessentially British village - dating back to Saxon times. It's even been listed in The Sunday Times as one of the 'best places to live in Britain'
 The village has lots of cool antique shops, restaurants, gift shops, a farmers market and great scenery - all this, and only an hour from central London...

Woburn Coffee House
21 Market Place,
Woburn,
Bedfordshire.

Reservations : 01525 290050
Web : Woburn Coffee House 
Web : Woburn Village 

Observe: Alice Gabb Illustration

Alice Gabb stationary at Broadway Market

I visited Broadway Market in London's East End, it reminds me of how Portobello Road used to be - emerging craft stalls, delicious food stuffs and a great atmosphere.
 One of the stalls that stood out was Alice Gabb's stationary stall - continuing my love of re-vitalizing the art of letter writing (see Louis Vuitton's Stationary Room post)

 Alice states that her work is inspired by her love of language, British Regalia and vintage curiosities. She designs fine stationary, to try and encourage people to write more letters.
 The stationary line includes 'fine envelopes for splendid correspondence' and features hand screened monoprints of antique cartouches and frames.

 Alice is at Broadway Market every Saturday, and is also stocked at Anthropologie on Regent Street and Kings Road in London.

 Alice Gabb Illustration - Website
 Alice Gabb - Shop
 Broadway Market, London, E8 - Website

Stay : L'Hermitage Gantois, Lille, France

A unique, charming hotel 

I recently stayed at L'Hermitage Gantois in Lille, France. It's a charming hotel in a converted hospice, dating from 1664.

 More photos and full review can be seen in the 'Stay : Hotel Reviews' section of this blog, or by clicking here

20 Degres Sud : Mauritius Boutique Hotel

A boutique hotel in Mauritius : 20 Degrees Sud, Grande Baie

 Concealed behind an imposing solid oak wood carriage door, this Mauritius boutique hotel is a hidden find.
 I originally stayed here for my honeymoon in 2010. When a work trip to Mauritius was planned, this immediately was the hotel I opted for. (not in the honeymoon suite this time though!)

 Set out around an old coconut grove, on the waters edge - this definately is one of Mauritius best kept secrets - many of the different companies we were visiting hadn't been there.
 A full review will follow in the 'Stay - Hotel Reviews' section of this blog shortly...

 Interiors are by the Belgian interior designers 'Flamant Home Interiors' as well as a splattering of antiques and art, this is a unique hotel in Mauritius.

20 Degres Sud
Coastal Road, Pointe Malartic, Grande Baie - Mauritius
Website: 20degressud.com

Bedroom Interior : Wall Art

Adding a new twist to my recently decorated bedroom.

On the back wall the aqua duck egg blue color is used as a highlight against cool coloured metallics; featured in the Biba wallpaper and silver grey velvet quilted throw and cushion.
(see previous post 'Bedroom Interior')

 The opposite wall is painted a dark French grey colour. To add interest and depth I created some wall art to break the plain wall up, and to give a modern quirky vintage feel.
 An ornate frame around a chrome Antelope bust, and two vintage cherubs painted the same French grey as the wall.

Paint: Crown (Herringbone)
Frame: Oliver Bonas
Antelope Head: G C Johnson, Essex
Cherubs: eBay