HAWT: Emily Ratajkowski in David Koma, Balmain and Maria Lucia Hohan

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

Emily Ratajkowski has once again been hitting the headlines, but this time more for what she HAS been wearing, rather than what she hasn’t!  The model-turned-actress, and ‘star’ of Robin Thicke's ‘Blurred Lines’ music video, made appearances on the red carpets at three premieres for ‘We Are Your Friends’ in the cities of London, Paris and Hollywood – all looking beyond HAWT! 


In London. Emily wore an electric blue David Koma A/W’15 dress with a Monique Lhullier ‘Stella’ clutch and Giueseppe Zanotti heels.  With her hair pulled into a ponytail, she really allowed the striking dress to do the talking and exuded high fashion.  In Paris, Emily once again pulled out all the stops and wore a shimmering jade fringed Balmain dress, which not only showed off THOSE legs in all their glory, but also brought a touch of rock’n’roll to the glamourous proceedings.  Lastly, the 24-year-old wore a show-stopping, plunging (welllll, it was bound to happen at some point) Maria Lucia Hohan Grecian style gown, Giuseppe Zanotti heels, and carried a rose gold clutch by Treesie. Red Carpet High Fives all round Emily! 

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TLC Vacation: Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya

There are many reasons as to why growing up in Kenya lead to a rather magical, privileged and enviable childhood, but one of them was almost certainly my close proximity to Giraffe Manor.  I grew up visiting it’s neighbouring Giraffe Centre, a breeding programme for the endangered Rothschild giraffe, most days after school (frequently feeding the giraffe from my mouth, driving the tourists wild, and driving my poor mother to absolute distraction!)  I would often gaze onto the Manor ahead, dreaming one day I would live there, alongside my wondrously leggy and lashy friends.

Giraffe Manor was built in 1932 by Sir David Duncan, half an hour outside Nairobi, on 12 acres of picturesque private land, next to 140 acres of forest with stunning views of the Ngong Hills.  In 1974 Jock Leslie-Melville and his American wife Betty, who founded the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), bought the Manor, bringing with them two baby Rothschild giraffe, the first of many generations to inhabit the estate.  After Jock passed away, Betty opened the house up to visitors, and to this day staying at this colonial residence, and having giraffe poking their heads into the dining room looking to share your breakfast, is one of THE most unforgettable experiences you can have in Kenya, if not Africa. 

Well, my dream of owning Giraffe Manor sadly did not come true, but I did have two wonderful recent opportunities to visit the Manor.  Before Christmas I was invited for breakfast with my sister and my niece Willow. Willow, a New York resident, was six months old and on her first trip visiting her mother and aunt’s beloved Kenya.  Sharing darling Willow’s first meeting and greeting with my giraffe pals was so unbelievably special.  Not an ounce of fear in her little body, my niece launched forward to touch Helen’s face, who seemed far more interested in the grain pellets I had in my hand than the tiny baby poking at her eye (a relief to us all as as these gentle giants have been known to give a ferocious head butt if irritated… I unfortunately, albiet amusingly, have a couple of experiences of this!... OUCH!) 

Steering clear of the warthog, hilariously funny to watch following the giraffe around in the hope of finding discarded food, but obviously less baby friendly, we ate delicious pancakes and enjoyed fresh juice and coffee to the accompanied sounds of Willow’s excited shrieks. 

Then earlier this year, I was asked, alongside some other bloggers and journalists, to stay at Giraffe Manor for the night by The Safari Collection, the latest owners of the residence and several other luxury holiday hot spots around Kenya. I know… I say it time and time again, but my job does NOT suck.  Reminiscent of the homes existing in Kenya’s colonial heyday, a time when my grandparents were living in the country, the hotel is cosy and romantic, and a little insight into a bygone era.

After a wonderful morning visiting the elephant orphans at David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, we returned for a lovely lunch (munch, drool and slurp!) on the Manor's sunny verandah.  We were then left to enjoy the Manor in it’s entirety for the afternoon. There are spa services available, a gift shop and copious wildlife photography books, and famous colonial Kenyan’s autobiographies scattered around the sitting room and library for your perusal; an entirely relaxing environment.  That is, until 4pm, when non-residents can now venture in for their afternoon tea. This is a brilliant time to explore the nearby boutiques or historical attractions (feeding giraffe, as experienced with Willow, can cause extreme excitement and squeeeeals!) 

After a delicious red wine fuelled evening dinner in the candle-lit dining room we all sat by a roaring fire (Langata, and Karen where I was raised, can be notoriously chilly at night due to their high altitude) drinking our choice of tea and sharing stories. Old-school elegance at it’s best.

Sadly, no giraffe came to my window the next morning but boy, did Ed over-compensate for that at breakfast!  One of the larger males, Ed showed no desire in waiting his turn in line, as he repeatedly lunged through the dining room windows towards our plates of pancakes and fruit – totally hilarious, and yes, like I said, an unforgettable experience that only this unique property afford you.

Yes, some of the bedrooms in the main house are a little basic and could use a minor lift… Yes, the wifi frustratingly only works in the Manor’s extension, and not in the main house… BUT, lest we forget, YOU GET TO EAT BREAKFAST WITH GIRAFFE!!  And for that amazing reason, these small details are easily forgiven.  A brilliant, and beyond special, start or end to your holiday in Kenya. 

Below:  Could my giraffe-tastic SENSO IDA XI mandals beeee anymore perfectly placed?! 

TLC ON TOUR... GIRAFFE MANOR SUITCASE:

(Click on the items below for their direct links)

Below:  Willow's experience at Giraffe Manor clearly stayed with her.  When back in New York she immediately went to kiss her giant toy giraffe, a trick her naughty Aunty maaay have taught her!  See below (and hover for links) on some of Willow's favourite 'Sophie La Girafe' toys and products.

FACT: One of the Manor's giraffe is called Kelly. A coincidence? I think not.

Thank you to Giraffe Manor and The Safari Collection.

To make a donation to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife please go HERE.

Hello There: Winser London

Alongside Emma Watson, I’ve also long been a fan of Winser London.   Not only do they have a jumper and cardigan coat named after Audrey Hepburn (was always gonna win me over!) but they also always have a multitude of classic, investment pieces available which work so well season after season.  With simple designs, made with only the very softest wools, hand-combed cashmere, silks and tweeds, Winser London is also surprisingly affordable, with prices starting at £35.00.  There are fresh pieces, in a variety of useful and chic colour ways, added to the collections each month and there is always something to spark my interest (usually the cashmere, I mean, can you really ever have too much in your life?! Non.)

This Autumn Winter, Winser London, for the fifth consecutive season, has the gorgeous Yasmin Le Bon fronting their campaign, embodying the brand perfectly with her effortless style and elegance. 

I recently popped into Fenwick of Bond Street to see their Winser London month-long pop-up (ends Aug 31st) to have a wee stock up on some of their new capsule essentials - I recommend you do also!  I am particularly excited about their cashmere hoodie and trouser travel set (below) to arrive. The idea would be for me to wear these gloriously comfy and chic pieces on an aeroplane (if you're not turning left you might as well at least FEEL like you should be!)  In reality, I think I’ll probably be wearing them for a lot more than travelling… meetings, dinner parties, doing the washing up… Just TRY and take them off me people!

BELOW:  Here are some of the other new pieces which caught my eye (all available HERE)

BELOW:  How gorgeous is this Milano Wool SB Coat? In each colour please… Please?!

BELOW:  Wearing my favourite boyfriend-style Winser London cardigan with leather pockets (past season), and like Emma Watson (below right) I also l wear an Audrey cashmere jumper to travel in. 

Credit Buy: JETS by Jessika Allen Statement Kaftan at Beach Cafe

I recently experienced some of the world’s most beautiful scenery on a road trip in the U.S.A.   The rivers and fields in Montana that I continuously stumbled upon were utterly idyllic and beyond stunning - but also, beyond hot!  I was so relieved to be wearing my JETS by Jessika Allen Statement Kaftan.  Not only is the kaftan's kaleidoscope and tassel print totally striking, but it’s light weight, soft material made this the ultimate cool choice for me to be hopping in and out of the car in (or patiently sitting on the side of a bank watching various live reenactment of 'A River Runs Through It' - Brad, eat your heart out!) 

I can’t wait to wear this colourful beauty again on my next beach holiday (which could NOT come soon enough!) as it really will be the perfect little poolside cover-up.  

Available (in the sale!) HERE at one of my favourite beachwear sites, Beach Cafe (£117.60)

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Graham and Green Design Consultation

I have long been a BIG fan of Graham and Green, and after I moved into my new flat there was very little question in my mind over who to contact for some interior inspo.  Since 1974 the company has been well known for specialising in characterful, yet contemporary, furniture and home accessories. Quirky and frequently ethnic, there are always dozens of items available at any one time that Graham and Green have available which I would very happily home all fitting in with my own eclectic style and wanderlust.

After having a Graham and Green interior stylist visit my flat and take some measurements, we soon decided the flat’s style was ‘industrial chic with a twist of romance’ (I love that!)  The stylist then went to work on creating the perfect mood board for me, recommending particular Graham and Green items that would work with for the flat.  Visiting the Graham and Green showroom, a veritable Aladdin’s cave, to view my mood boards and many of the items suggested in the flesh, was a delight.  Not only were there macaroons and Moroccan mint tea, I loved seeing so many of the brand’s gorgeous items en masse and displayed in concept rooms, guided by the ultra charming and helpful team. 

Below:  I decided to choose some stunning, and impactful, orange coral art for my blank canvas of a sitting room and a long black mirror (frequently seen on my Instagram in my outfit selfies!)  for my hallway, matching my black wooden floors.  All these items work so well in my flat and have really set the bench mark for the rest of my interiors… which is the problem; shopping at Graham and Green is addictive!

Below are some of my current Graham and Green favourites…

Above: L-R (Clockwise):  Beaded Antique Mirrors, Copper Angled Floor Lamp, Bees Wine Glass, Three Flamingos Matchbox, Antoinette Armchair and Footstool in Herringbone, Bahama Cushion, Cactus Vase, Coral Framed Prints, Set of 7 Decorative Ceiling Roses.

For a Graham and Green interior's consultation or advice contact showroom@grahamandgreen.co.uk

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#TLCComp: The London Chatter and Wahanda's #BookYourselfieFabulous

This week, I've teamed up with the lovely peeps at Wahanda to give away five of these SENSATIONAL inflatable flamingos which I had the pleasure of splashing around with recently!  Lets face it, these pink pals of mine have been THE summer accessory of 2015, so to win one of your own, AND a £50.00 Wahanda voucher, make sure to follow both of our accounts on Instagram and tag your best summer selfies with ‘#‎BookYourselfieFabulous’ for a chance to win! Good Luck everyone!

FACT:  A flock of flamingos are known as a FLAMBOYANCE!

Speaking of the summer, I am a huge advocate of fake tanning!  Not only do I loathe lying bored and baking in the sunshine, I am utterly paranoiac about sun damage and skin cancer. Having been raised on the equator, in Kenya, I annoyingly already have the inevitable brown patches on certain areas of my face, so love to arrive on holiday already tanned (accompanied by a vat of Factor 30, another of Factor 50 and a beautiful, big sun hat!)  Lots of people are nervous about fake tan, especially spray tans, worrying about the oh-so well documented ‘orange effect,’ or ruining white bed sheets, so I asked Wahanda Editorial Director Liz Hambleton to talk first time tanners through the ins and the outs of a summer leg's spray tan...

“Tanned legs look better. Fact. They also make you feel better. Another fact.  If you’ve yet to do the big summer reveal (we’re into August people so don’t leave it too much longer!) then a spray tan could be exactly what you need to get those legs out.  And yes, you could just slap on a few applications of gradual tanner in the comfort (and privacy) of your own bathroom but there’s something about a professional spray tan that goes a whole lot further. How so, you ask?  A) A professional job makes you feel slimmer, fitter and more toned – instantly. B) Clever contouring can add definition and shape to your legs and C) Your skin feels softer, smoother and way more supple.  You also don’t have to mess around with tanning mitts, wayward patches and trying to reach awkward spots that only a lifelong yogi could dream of reaching.  Interested? Then read on for the six facts you need to arm yourself with before spraying up for summer…

1)   Don’t shave or wax your legs before having a spray tan.  The colour can settle in the open pores and create a strange spotted effect.  Do it at least 48 hours beforehand to avoid any trace of dotted leg syndrome…
2)   A little Vaseline on your brows, hairline, lashes and even your nails can reduce any tan grabbing and staining on area that really don’t need a tan!
3)    Moisturise at your peril.  Turn up for your tan with clean, freshly showered (ideally) skin to allow the formula to develop as it’s designed to. Throw another product into the mix and things could get ugly!
4)   Wait at least 8 hours before showering if you can.  Many salons say you can shower sooner but in our experience the longer you leave it the longer lasting the tan.
5)   Don’t be afraid to exfoliate; a nightly buff in the shower will actually freshen your faux glow and help it wear off evenly. Most spray tan brands offer their own exfoliators that will work well with your tan. 
6)   Top up your tan and take the edge off any blemishes, marks or bruises on your legs with an illuminating, bronzing product. We love Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body, £45.”
 
Find your perfect spray tan at www.wahanda.com

And now you have your spray tan and inflatable flamingo sorted, don't forget your sun cream and sun hat!!

RIP Cilla...

There are just certain people who are synonymous with your childhood, and for me, one of those people was the ever glamorous national treasure that was Cilla Black, who sadly passed away at the weekend.  The very words that used to be spoken by ‘our Graham, "Aaand here is your host tonight... Missss Cillllaaaa Blaaaaack," would sound the klaxon to a Saturday night with my parents and sister, to all cosily watch “Blinnnnd-da-Date’ together.  Who could ever forget her little curtsey-bop upon her entrance to THAT theme tune, the ginger hurrr, the sequins, the long legs and the warm, Liverpudlian accent, “What’s your name and where d’ya come from?”  No show has really ever come close to being so authentically entertaining in a more innocent time of real personalities, before reality TV with it's falseness and ulterior motivations took over our televisions.  And don't even get me started on 'Surprise Surprise,' the show she hosted latterly that would leave a nation sobbing into their supper each weekend (all those reunited families would leave me in pieces!)  You may have helped make the 60's swing Cilla, but you also filled the 80's and 90's with a lorra lorra laughs and you will be missed. Ta-ra for now Chuck...  

A campaign has been launched to try and get Cilla Black's most famous hit back to the top of the charts. The Facebook group is urging Cilla fans to buy 'Anyone Who Had a Heart,' the Burt Bacharach and Hal David song that became the UK's biggest selling single by a female artist in the 1960s, as a tribute.  Available HERE on iTunes.

Blind Date's Greatest Hits and Unseen Bits...


The Coronation Cup with Piaget

There is nothing nicer at this time of year than a day spent with some fun fashunnnn friends, all dressed up in our finest, watching some polo in the sunshine.  I was both flattered and excited to be invited to the annual Coronation Cup by Piaget, the Swiss luxury fashion, watch and jewellery brand, which happily coincided with a visit from NYC by my sister, Claire Eastwood, which made the whole occasion even more fun, as we were driven through Windsor Great Park, with it's astounding hydrangea (my favourite!) towards Guard's Polo Club to spend a rare day, just the two of us. 

Following a delicious three course lunch where my sister and I both wore stunning Piaget Possession rings and chatted with the wonderful(s) Camila Carill and Victoria Ceridono, we briefly (thank goodness, baring in mind the height of our heels!) all stood on our chairs and saw off silver tumblers of Royal Salute, the title partner of the prestigious Coronation Cup!  Giddly, we all then headed off to watch two of the strongest international teams in polo – England vs. South America, competing for the Golden Jubilee trophy.

Now, I’m not sure why I was seated in the Royal Box alongside Prince Charles either people, but I certainly wasn’t going to ask any questions!  After some fast galloping and delicate champagne quaffing, the crowd all accessed their inner Vivian’s and Edward’s to stomp on some divots at half time (“beware the steaming divots?”) whist being entertained by a fabulously British marching band. 

England soon triumphed, and were awarded their trophy, and we soon were awarded with a delicious afternoon tea, and later, some Pimms - my first (and not the last...) of the Summer! 

Below:  With the lovely Camila (in Dior) after the match, wearing Isolda, Miu Miu and Pringle.

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Musical Moment: Walk The Moon ('Shut Up And Dance')

I still cannot help but jump for 1980’s joy when I hear this crazily catchy song by Walk The Moon.  It has definitely been one of my most played tracks of this summer.  

Inspired by when the band’s frontman, Nicholas Petricca, feeling creatively frustrated and having waited faaaar too long standing in a Los Angeles bar queue, was asked to ‘shut up and dance’ by a girl in a backless dress and beaten up red sneakers.  In an interview the singer has summarised the song's theme as "encouraging people to let go of whatever it is that’s bothering you and get into your body and out of your head."  Mission accomplished! Now, shut up and... 

"This woman is my destiny
She said, "Ooh-ooh-hoo,
Shut up and dance with me..."