As mentioned a couple of weeks ago (here), the past year has been the longest amount of time I've spent without a trip to London. Ever. Understandably, this has got me feeling pretty homesick and rather obsessive about all things from England (Made In Chelsea Season 4!). So this little bounty that came back from New York with me, courtesy of my family (posh tea, my favourite magazines and the prettiest Kurt Geiger ballerinas), a gorgeous Mulberry Bayswater bag (courtesy of Luisa Via Roma) and a little retail therapy (via New Look, they deliver to America), has put a big smile on my face and a spring in my step. Seriously with bright neon pink kitten heels on, what in the world can dull your shine?

p.s. The Hobnobs didn't last long enough to make it into this picture.

My weekend will consist of multiple cups of tea, reading all about the Diamond Jubilee in The Sunday Times Magazine, skipping over the TomKat saga to the good bits of Grazia, and spending some quality time with Glamour.

And while I'm talking about all great things from England, I have to give a big shout out to my bright yellow Zatchel. Best birthday present ever from my brother, his wife and the kids. They sent it full of lots of little surprises for me (more posh tea, Hob Nobs and an amazing Liz Earle cleanser that has transformed my skin). This little yellow beauty fits in my bike basket and is such a cheerful pop of colour. Love it!

I just came back from a fantastic week in New York. A whole week! It was hot as hell, and we got a proper tropical downpour, but nothing could possibly dull the shine of a great week in one of my favourite cities. Here are a handful of pictures from my week. I need to get better at taking more pictures but quite often when I'm having a good time, I'm far too distracted to remember to whip out my phone. As much as I love my D90, forget lugging that beast around on holiday!

Last weekend we hopped in the car to do a little more exploring of California. Big Sur is somewhere we'd spoken about but never quite got round to going to. It's a little under 2 hours south of San Francisco which means we got to enjoy the picturesque views from HighWay 1 which snakes along the California coast.

We stayed at Glen Oaks which was lovely. Little log cabins tucked away in the woods and the rooms were modern in a rustic way. And each room had a pair of yoga mats! I've never seen that before in a hotel, and loved it!

Post Ranch Inn, is pretty amazing. A very special occasion type of place that's a real treat to stay in if you book waaaaaaaay in advance. If your trip is a little impromptu like ours, head over for a drink around sunset. Unobstructed views of the pacific ocean at sunset is a sight that never, ever gets old.

I'd actually say head over to Big Sur Bakery for dinner. We had an excellent meal with fantastic service and were lucky enough to encounter local legend, Jack the Beekepeer who regaled us with tales of Big Sur over the past 3 decades.

Pfeiffer Beach. Beacuse I've never seen raspberry ripple sand before. It's spectacular.

Neither one of us can take credit for this little love note in the sand, but it was so touching to spot.

Sunset drinks at Post Ranch Inn.

Spectacular view from Post Ranch Inn.

Adorable log cabin at Glen Oak.

More pictures here.

Last week, we made our first trip to Maui. Maui is, quite simply magical. We had a week so made sure we explored the island as much as we could. Dear friends had invited us to their wedding in Maui and they'd visited the island a few times so gave us quite a few tips on what to see and do in our week there.

After landing, we hopped in our car and made the picturesque drive to Hana. The drive is known for being one of the most beautiful in the world and with every corner on the winding roads we took we saw natural waterfalls, blacks and beaches, rocky beaches, botanical gardens and arrived in Hana just in time to see the first of a series of spectacular sunsets. Hana is known for being the beautifully lush, wild and tropical part of Maui so I'm glad we spent our first couple of days there to truly relax.

Tedeschi Winery

More pictures and a detailed account of Maui here.

Last weekend we drove up to Bodega Bay. Its only about an hour north of San Francisco and every time we leave the city, it never ceases to amaze me just how beautiful and varied California is. The terrain was quite marshy which was a surprise. And on the way back, we stopped off at Hog Island for their famous oysters. While neither of us could be called fans of oysters, we loved them. Which makes me appreciate the value of freshness and quality of food even more than I already do.

We arrived in time for a spectacular sunset.

And woke up to a pretty phenomenal view.

We drove into the town of Bodega and visited the famous St Theresa of Avila Church. Famous for being the church in Alfred Hitchcock's film, The Birds.

Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Co. Apart from the amazing food, it such a beautiful and relaxed spot to grab lunch on one of the many picnic tables outside.

I finished this bag at the weekend, just in time for a road trip out of town. Hog Island is famous for its oysters and I'm not necessarily a fan, but these were amazing. With the distinctly relaxed vibe and much warmer temperatures, its hard to believe its only a 45 minute drive away from San Francisco.

Here are a few of the fun things that have made the festive season extra special.

Rding around on my bike. Gotta love California weather.

One of the many reasons I love Christmas is its just so pretty. All the pretty lights framing windows, decorating trees and lighting up the night.

City Hall lit up in festive colours.

Have you ever seen a more spectacularly decorated house? Ever year, they top their previous decorations and its a festive tourist attraction as you can see from all the people milling around.

Seriously.

This year, Christmas has taken on a decidedly DIY theme at home. I blame the can of glossy gold spray paint and the Martha Stewart Glitter Kit.

Merry Christmas everyone.

I sprayed the measuring beakers gold.

I sprayed the edges of pine cones gold and dusted them with glitter. Then I gave the tree a good sprinkling of glitter too.

I sprayed a large mason jar gold.

Party hats made using leftover wrapping paper.

Last week I had a brief getaway to Vancouver. It was my first trip to Canada and the first surprise was it was so hot! Heat and Canada are two things I've never associated in the same sentence so it came as a very pleasant surprise to experience temperatures much higher than in San Francisco.

Its a small city so very easy to navigate on foot. The stark contrast of the bright sun bouncing off the modern buildings, surrounded by an expanse of water with mountains on the other side, made for a very picturesque city. its very clean and seems so orderly and organised. Here are a few recommendations I'd make based on my brief, but jam packed trip.

Shopping was great, Gastown was good for independent boutiques, you'll find all the major shops and Aritzia is a must. Its a Canadian chain and its always nice to visit places on their home turf. Practically next door is Holt Renfrew. The big kahuna Canadian department store. Its a bit like Harvey Nicks or Neiman Marcus. I loved their jewellery selection as they carried quite a few designers I hadn't come across before. The shoe section was a little limited, bags were great and I have to say the women in the cosmetics section were LOVELY!

I'd recommend a trip to the pretty, tranquil Classical Chinese Gardens. Such a beautiful park in an urban landscape.

Yaletown has a great mix of waterside cafes and restaurants and cool boutiques. So go for a walk around there and see what you find while exploring. I completely fell in love with The Cross Design. Such a beautifully put together mix of furniture and home decor. At night, the action is focused around Davie Street.

Kitsilano is the boho beach town on the mainland. It might seem like a bit of a schlep if you're staying downtown but its totally worth it. The sunset there is AMAZING!

For nighttime, The Fairmont Pacific Rim is an outstanding hotel and if your wallet doesn't quite stretch to the equally outstanding room rates, do what I did and make your way over in the evening for a drink in the lounge where they have live music every night. Its a pretty special place.

I found this site superhelpful so have a look if you're heading out to Vancouver and enjoy a fun stay in a great city full of wonderful people.

Vancouver Convention Centre

Downtown Vancouver

Vancouver Art Gallery

Vancouver Library

Classical Chinese Gardens

Salt Tasting Room

I don't often write about food but Salt Tasting Room was a pretty special place. Its tucked away on a very hard to find alley in Gastown and they offer a fresh daily selection of cheese, meat and wine flights. You choose 3 options from the cheeses and meats (hams and salamis mainly), 3 condiments (which include fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, aritsan mustards) and then 3 wines. And it looks like this.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

More pictures here.