One of the best things about being teacher is having a summer break (makes the very full-on term time worth it). A few years ago I had a really lazy six weeks and felt so grumpy about wasting my time, I vowed to do more during my holidays. Last week, I met up with fellow teacher Kelly and doctor buddy Becky K. for a day of fun in London. Here’s what we got up to…

OOTD

I decided to go for something bright and colourful so I wore this hot air balloon dress from Just One Look with a Vivien of Holloway cardigan. I added a green belt and my favourite Lillian Madison Designs brooch for even more colour!

Portobello Road Market

First off, we headed to Portobello Market for a mooch. The weather was lovely so we took our time strolling through the streets. Our first stop was Hirst Antiques, a stunning treasure trove of jewellery old and new. I love brooches, especially quirky creatures, so this was the perfect spot for me – only problem was there was too much to choose from! From there we grabbed some ice cream from Morellis and maybe nibbled some cake too. After a bit more shopping, we hopped on the tube to Holborn to meet Becky B.

Mirror Room Afternoon Tea

Kelly and I desperately wanted to for afternoon tea at the Mirror Room ever since we had a look round there earlier in July – a meet-up of fabulous ladies seemed like the right occasion for it. I do love the location as it’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s such a beautiful space in which to take tea.

The afternoon tea itself is based around artists, seen in the cake selection. It was also unlimited (the best kind of afternoon tea). The sandwiches were so delicious that we ended up having two rounds. I washed mine down with some fruity hibiscus and blackcurrant tea. Scones are my favourite part of any afternoon tea and these were so good – warm and perfectly baked. The clotted cream could have been a little softer as it was somewhat tricky to spread!

Finally, we got to the cakes and they really were pieces of art – so stunning to look at: Yayoi Kasuma – a yummy combo of passionfruit and chocolate; Banksy – a cube of salted caramel goodness; Damien Hirst – a pastry of unknown flavour (we’re still not sure what it was); Mark Rothko – raspberry and coconut deliciousness and Alexander Calder – a pistachio and cherry mix.

My favourites were the Kasuma, Banksy and Rothko. To be completely honest, this cake selection wasn’t really to my taste – a little too much style over substance personally. I’ve probably been spoilt by previous afternoon teas! If you love chocolate-based patisserie and interesting flavour combinations, this would be your cup of tea. The fantastic service is definitely worth a mention: all the staff we came across at the hotel were kind and welcoming – one of the reasons why we wanted to come back. Full and waddling, we said bye to Kelly and made our way to Liverpool Street.

Voodoo Vixen Party

After a faff finding buses, we met up with Tanya and set off on our way to Fontaine’s. Becky B. had kindly invited me along to Voodoo Vixen’s A/W and Miss Victory Violet Collaboration launch party and I was more than happy to tag along – thanks Becky B.! We got to peruse the new clothes and enjoy some bubbles as we chatted and mingled. Entertainment was provided by Georgia Harrup, Miss Cherry On Fire and Elle and The Pocket Belles. All I really need to say was that it was a damn good night.

Thanks again to Becky B. for inviting me out – I definitely need to return the favour. Now to research my next afternoon tea adventures!