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.

I♥Cardigans

It must be the geek in me but I love cardigans. I'm particularly fond of my khaki-green DKNY over-sized cardigan, which I've been wearing to death. When my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told him a Markus Lupfer cardigan he wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea, considering it a little dull for a birthday present. Wouldn't I much rather a piece of jewelry? But I wasn't about to be deterred and I did point out that it has 'Foxy' embellished on the front and you think I'm foxy, right? As for the leopard print cardigan, I saw this and thought it would be perfect to team with my new Sass & Bide liquid leggings and a t-shirt. My parents were kind enough to indulge me.


1. Net-a-porter, Markus Lupfer Foxy Linda charcoal merino wool cardigan
2. Net-a-porter, A.P.C, red and brown Leopard-print cardigan

Not to miss out my daughter has two new cardigans to add to her wardrobe and it isn't even her birthday! My parent's returned from their annual visit to Copenhagen with a beautiful Phister & Philina grey cardigan. I love the fluorescent pink buttons and the ruffle sleeves. The pink cardigan by Frugi is something I picked up from a recently opened new shop called Organ-nics in Tunbridge Wells (12 Ely Court, Royal Victoria Place.). I only had a quick browse but could instantly see that it was a shop after my own heart.


3. Phister & Phister grey cardigan.
4. Organ-nics, Frugi pink 100% organic cotton cardigan. £27.50

Legs Eleven

For someone who hasn't brought anything for the best part of the year I'm certainly making up for lost time. My latest purchase, a pair of figure-holding spray-on leggings by Sass & Bide.


1. Net-a-porter, Sass & Bide Black Rats leggings. £93

I know what you're going to say, believe me it has crossed my mind that I should possible change my blog to I♥Net-a-porter. Loving these too.


2. Net-a-porter, Alice + Olivia cherry-red sequined mesh leggings. £165
3. Net-a-porter, VPL liquid gold stretch-jersey leggings. £170

Hi-Top Fashion

I can always rely on Net-a-porter to do the hard work for me. I've been on the lookout for a pair of hi-top trainers for ages. My search is over.


Net-a-porter, Converse Hendrix denim sneaker. £80

Don't forget your ankles

I walk past Hoopers (Mount Pleasant Road) all the time but very rarely venture inside. It's just all a bit of an effort navigating a pushchair around the store. Yet every time I walked past the window these boots would catch my eye. So I took a deep breath and went inside.



1. Hooper, KG by Kurt Geiger, Sandbanks ankle boots £150

The actual experience was rather pain free, my daughter played with the shoes on the racks without too much destruction while my son remained asleep for the entire shoe purchasing experience. I even had time to try on another pair of boots, also by KG. I just love the wedge heel.


2. Hooper, KG by Kurt Keiger, Valtina Black Tassled shoe boot £150

The other day my husband was looking for a pair of casual shoe so we dropped into Office (Queen Victoria Place). He brought a pair of Ask the Missus Flapjack Desert Brogues in beige and my daughter got a pair of Converse All Stars 'Rainbow'. As for me, I didn't buy anything but I thought these looked kinda cool.


5. Office, Mickey Kingston, Tan leather ankle boots. £88

And of course my life wouldn't be the same without finding something on Net-a-porter site to get excited about. I am loving these lace-up wedge heeled boots by See By Chloe.


6. Net-a-porter, See By Chloe, lace up leather wedge boots £290

They do them in brown too. My birthday is approaching so with enough hints maybe hubby will indulge me. It's a toss up between the black tassled shoe boots, the brogue-style ankle boots or the Chloe soles. Or maybe I'll convince myself and husband I need all three!

The Great Danes

What I love about having a brother living in Copenhagen is that whenever he and his girlfriend come over to visit they always bring something from the Danish clothing brand Phister & Philina. I adore the bright colours and there's something joyfully psychedelic in their designs. Phister & Philina design for boys and girls from newborn to 10 years old.

Back to Bassike

Every morning I pull on a pair of sweatpants team it with a casual top and head downstairs to fix my daughter's breakfast. I can't even begin to consider what I might wear that day until the children have been fed and watered. You could say that sweatpants are my front line combat uniform for all messy meal times, they are also super stretchy essential when my daughter and son demand I be in two places at once. But this does not mean I have overthrown style for comfort. Sweatpants have come a long way from what was once only worn inside a gym.

Which is why I adore the Australian eco label Bassike (pronounced "basic"). Designers Deborah Sams and Mary Lou Ryan create clothes that offer easy-chic with a twist. http://www.bassike.com/about/about.html. I own these cotton-jersey pants in grey. I adore them so much that this evening I ordered a pair in black.



1. Net-a-porter, Bassike light-gray organic cotton-jersey pants. £130
2. Net-a-porter, Bassikie black organic cotton-jersey pants. £130

Check out the gorgeous Givenchy and Louboutin heels. Unfortunately they are not conducive to running around after a toddler. For that I wear Havaianas, which are far more practical and affordable and there are so many wonderful colours to choose from it makes me want a pair in every colour!