The end of the road for I Heart Tunbridge Wells

I have come to the decision to hang up my newly acquired bloggers boots and end ihearttunbridgewells. Grappling with two children under the ages of two every day leaves me with precious little time that the time I do have needs to be better spent. Writing about Tunbridge Wells and what I brought isn't going to get me a book deal or my screenplays sold.

What I have discovered is that are some fantastic blogs out there, blogs that are eloquent, funny, inspirational and it has made me realize that if I am to do to this properly then my blog has to be relevant to what I am trying to accomplish.

So for now I say thank you and to paraphrase Arnie, "I'll be back". (I know, hardly original but it works.)

Signing off,

Nina

The new additions

Apologies for my recent absence from the blogosphere but any spare moment I had (which is never very much at the best of times) had me tapping away at the keyboard trying to write a brilliant synopsis. I don't know about brilliant but it is written.

As a reward for getting it done I went shopping. Here's my recent purchases.





1. Net-a-porter, Maje dark-gray camouflage stretch cotton-blend pants. £135
2. Outnet.com, Lutz & Patmos, silk-charmeuse tank. Original Price £295 Now £103.25
3. Outnet.com, Vanessa Bruno Athe, cotton single-breasted jacket. Original Price £275 Now £137.50

I wore this lot together Friday night (total nights out: 5). My sister offered to babysit so my husband and I dined at Soprano's, a Tapas bar in Tunbridge Wells (56 High St). We had 10 dishes between us and a bottle of Rioja Crianza. I had a fantastic time. Pity the morning after had to start so early - thanks to my daughter shouting mummmeee mummmeee... at 5am.

Dress for Christmas

70 high Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1YB

I know it's only October but I stumbled across these Christmas baubles in Bod & Ted, an independent clothing store in Tunbridge Wells and couldn't wait to share with you.


Bombki black cab £16
Bombki modern little london set £45

Eager to see what other Bombki baubles were out there I had a look on their website http://www.bombki.co.uk/home.php Loving these little ladies.


Milano Lady. £37.50
Florida Girl. £37.50

I did have other reasons for stepping into the Bod & Ted store. Last Thursday I attended the Tunbridge Wells Autumn/Winter Fashion Show (my fourth night out this year - yeah!). The Bod & Ted catwalk show was by far my favorite although the BooBoo Burlesque collection had me inspired: corsets, showgirl bustles, feather fans, mini top hat fascinators... http://www.boobooburlesque.com/

But it was the Duality dress by Marlene Birger that caught my eye and I wanted to take a closer look. Absolutely stunning. I LOVE IT. A wool/silk blend leopard print dress with keyhole back. Puuurrrfect. ME WANT IT.


By Malene Birger Duality dress. £238
http://www.bodandted.co.uk/shop-by-designer/by-malene-birger/

Dreaming of a Better Wardrobe

Don't get me wrong this Edwardian Mahogany Wardrobe is a vision of beauty but it is utterly useless for hanging up clothes plus it's far too small. Everything is packed in so tight that finding anything immediately to hand is exhausting. Normal hangers don't fit unless I hang them at a slant. I did buy some children hangers but my clothes have a habit of slipping off and winding up tangled and creased on the cupboard floor.



It has taken a year of gentle persuasion (I @%$%*!£!! HATE this wardrobe. I can never find anything. We need a F&*@%$£ NEW WARDROBE!!! ... something along those lines) to convince my husband that we do indeed need a new wardrobe. Not that I've found one I like and to be honest I don't think a stand-alone wardrobe is ever going to suffice. What I would really REALLY love is a walk-in-wardrobe, endless rails and shelves for my clothes and shoes. Is that too much to ask?


1. Kim Cattrall's wardrobe.

I really like this wardrobe. Not too show-offy.


2. Carrie Bradshaw's wardrobe

Oh yes please.


3. Nicky Hilton wardrobe.

If I ever have the luxury of a spare room this is it.


3. Mariah Carey's wardrobe.

One word 'obscene'. Ok so I'm a little jealous. Apparently she has about 1,000 pairs of shoes and her walk-in-wardrobe is climate controlled!

This is a very funny commercial. My brothers girlfriend showed me this video weeks ago. Thought it fitting for this blog.

In Kotiki I ♥

Kotiki Interiors, 22-24 Grove Hill Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RZ 01892 521369

Kotiki sells curtains, soft furnishing, glass and jewellery. We had Kotiki re-upholster our Victorian Ribbonback Ebay found chairs with Osborne and Little's Best in the Show and Lomond check fabric and a striking Zebra-print fabric. The lamp in the corner was another Ebay find. My husband paid £50 for it but failed to read it was pick up only from Bolton. Eight hours after leaving the house he returned with this sixties beauty.



Kotiki is an independent store in Tunbridge Wells and has been running for 43 years. This is impressive to say the least. I walk past this store most days and the days when my daughter isn't in her pushchair she will insist on putting money in the Guide Dogs box. This is fine with me because it gives me a chance to window shop. I love the Iittala birds, renowned worldwide for their colorful glass creations. The Sweet Liquorice Bird by Anu Penttinen is one of my favorites. I also have my eye on the Caithless glasswear, a steal at £75 each. I can think of a number of homes for it around the house. These are going on my Christmas list.



1. Caithless glass. £75 2. Sweet liquorice. £169.

This Season's Sweater

Keeping up a blog with a newborn in the house was never going to be easy but this week has been particularly challenging. Still I did manage to have a quick peruse on the Net-a-porter site and subsequently found these sweaters to drool over.




1. Net-a-porter, Rocha Emerald-green with gold elbow patch wool sweater. £505
2. Net-a-porter, Chinti and Parker oatmeal with gray elbow patch cashmere sweater. £285

I'm really loving this look. I adore the Rocha sweater but at £505 I know I can't have it. If only right. I'm holding out on the slim chance I might find something similar on the High Street. I am also toying with the idea of purchasing a regular sweater and adding my own elbow patches. Just need to brush up on my sewing skills or better still get Retoucherie (4 London Rd, Tunbridge Wells) to add them on for me.


3. Net-a-porter, Tory Burch, black 'Divine' logo cashmere sweater. £285
4. Net-a-porter, Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, beige Cashmere sweater with red heart at front.£300

I have adored bold logo sweaters from a far but I really think this Tory Burch sweater is... well divine. Also Sonia Rykiel's heart sweater is rather cute and sorely tempting.


5. Net-a-porter, Bella Freud, dog mohair-blend signature dog intarsia sweater. £220
6.Net-a-porter, Etoile Isabel Marant striped wool-blend sweater £205

I'm already a proud owner of a Bella Freud pink and black striped merino wool sweater but I am loving this mohair-blend sweater. I don't own a mohair-blend sweater so not sure how it will wear or if it will irritate so I did a little research. Mohair blends are:
Lustrous and silky.
Lightweight but exceptionally durable.
Drapes well.
Non-crushing, non-matting, non-pilling.
Absorbs dye well.
Does not stretch so it's easy to care for.

I am SOLD. It's gone straight on my wish list. I'm also keen on the Etoile Isabel Marant sweater, which I've seen featured in a lot of magazines. I've also seen this same sweater in Changing Rooms, 8 High Street, Tunbridge Wells. Oh decisions, decisons...

To be honest if I had my way and deep pockets I'd be buying all six!

Evening out at Thackeray's

Leaving the house after 7pm is a rare treat and aside from a night out at the cinema to see Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World last Friday evening, which incidentally I loved the last time I was out after dark was back in February for a Valentines meal. My husband booked us a table in one of the private rooms at Thackeray's; a Michelin star restaurant in Tunbridge Wells (85 London Road. Tel. 01892 511921). OMG! WOW! And all the other mind-blowing abbreviations you can think off. The food was sublime, the service excellent and I loved the broad mix of cool contemporary furniture in a historic c.1660 building. When my husband said he had booked us a table there for my birthday I couldn't wait for my third night out of the year. I wore my new Sass & Bide Black Rats leggings, my black Armani strappy sandels (last worn on my wedding day two years ago), my peach Marlene Birger blouse and my 'Foxy' cardigan.



Thackeray's occupies a Grade II listed c.1660 building, and once the home of 19th century writer and satirist William Makepeace Thackeray, author of Vanity Fair, well worth a read.

For starter I had a beautifully presented Rabbit and Ham Ballontine, oh my giddy heart, Pea and Mint Mousse, Poached Quails Eggs, Celeriac Remoulade, Home Made Picalilli For my main I plumped for the Fillet of South Coast Brill with Roasted Mallaig Langoustine washed down with a couple of glasses of Mercier Rosé, Epernay. My husband opted for the Pan Fried 'Diver Caught' Scallops followed by Roast Herb Crusted Fillet of 28 day Hung 'Herefordshire' Beef. Makes my mouth water just typing this.

I can definitely recommend Thackeray's if you're looking for somewhere special. http://www.thackerays-restaurant.co.uk. I haven't lunched there yet but I believe they are reasonably child friendly with one high-chair to squabble over! No child changing area though. But really I'd say this is a place for the adults to indulge. Can't wait to return.