USA: PLATE | Stowe, VT

PLATE, a china dish that frequents your kitchen cupboard and dining room table, or, Jamie's latest offering in Stowe, VT, a restaurant marrying the flavours of local Vermont with her healthy Californian heritage. 

NYC: Speakeasy | Shhh! Please Don't Tell!

The Shark and the Mezcal Mule at PDT, NYC

Please Don't Tell, or PDT to those in the 'know' is one of New York City's most infamous speakeasies. So infamous that reservations are practically non-existent.  In fact my roommate tried relentlessly for months, to no avail.  I somehow miraculously managed to bag myself a table for two on my first try and so here's an account as to how you can succeed too, why you should succeed and just what you should drink during your success. #Winning.

LDN: Rooftop Bar | Golden Bee

Rooftop bars are something of the norm in NYC.  Barring Kensington Roof Gardens, I'm not sure I'd been to one previously in London but since my return to the UK I was psyched to check out Shoreditch based, Golden Bee.  Whilst there isn't much of  a skyline view, no Empire State staring back at us with pride, it still ticked a lot of boxes for me and struck me as a "poor-yorker's" version of the NYC rooftop.

With white lights twisting around trees and luxury outdoor furniture it had a cool, fun vibe that is synonymous with it's surroundings.  The atmosphere was buzzing and rumour has it that reservations are required in order to gain entry.  We had a space booked for a friend's birthday downstairs and whilst it was nice to have a base to prop our belongings, if you can get an area on the main rooftop I'd highly advise it.  That's where most of our party headed and camped out for the evening.  The weather was beautiful, which always helps and the entire venue, both inside and out, was packed with Friday night post-work drinkers.  The view that we did have, had a lower east side ambience and with a wall of graffiti art staring back at us, we could be fooled into thinking we were hanging out near 5 Pointz, Long Island City.

Whilst Golden Bee had quite an interesting cocktail menu, for some reason nothing particularly wowed me and prices were pretty standard.  I spent the evening drinking the cool cucumber martini and mimosa's.

Check it out for summer fun with a party vibe but don't expect an awe-inducing view or jaw-dropping cocktails.  It claims to be the "ultimate in cool" and that's what it delivers.  You're here for the ambience not the mixologists.

*Main Picture from Golden Bee Website www.goldenbee.co.uk

NYC: Cocktail Crushin' | The Wayland

The Wayland, a quirky bar in Alphabet City actually has a very Brooklyn vibe to me and I'm sure it wouldn't be out of place on Bedford Ave in Williamsburg.  But, down on the corner of East 9th and Ave C, sitting silently and unobtrusively is this watering hole.  The simple exterior, with little indication as to what's inside apart from a paper sign letting you know it's cash only, is the perfect cover for what is actually a rustic, candlelit, cosy and atmospheric drinking haven.  You'll often see co-owner Jason Mendenhall behind the bar and if he's the one making your drink, all the better!

Lavender Lullabies | Castle Farm, Kent and Other Purple Stories

Sat outside, awaiting our table at french restaurant, Buvette in NYC 2012, fellow blogger and North Carolina'n friend, Hayley of Tiptoes in the Kitchen, began to regale me with her dream of discovering an endless sea of purple in the form of lavender fields.  She had embarked on a European adventure with her mother the year prior and was adamant that she would be able to cast her eye wistfully on these fields in Provence.  Her search became difficult, I forget the specific reason, but nonetheless, just as she had given up they stumbled upon some purely by accident.  These Provence fragrant fields were everything she had hoped for and more and were made all the sweeter by the fact she was so certain her dream would have to be postponed for another year.  I, in hand, told her about Castle Farm in Eynsford, Kent, England.  This lavender farm is only a half hour journey from my family's home and is an annual visit for us in July amongst peak lavender season!

The White Maple Martini

When in Vermont, do as the Vermonters do and what could be more Vermont than a White Maple Martini?

I sampled this at a relatively new restaurant, Harrisons.  Probably better as an after dinner cocktail as it's a little creamy rather than through dinner, as I ordered but nonetheless it was the perfect concoction to ease me back into my home away from home, Stowe.

Compiled of Green Mountain Vodka (very apt), Maple Liquer, Frangelico and Godiva White Chocolate Liquer-YUM!

You could try your hand at mixing the above ingredients to your taste or if you need a little more structure, you could use the below recipe, a little different but I'm sure the outcome will be just as delightful.

How To..

1.5 oz Vodka

1 Tbsp Vermont Maple Syrup

1 oz Soda

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a prepared Martini glass.

 

Death by Twenty8Twelve Dress and Other Stories from London Fashion Weekend Sept'11

From Black Pepper Martini's to a Diet Coke photo shoot, I wanted to share my little jaunt to London Fashion Weekend, on Friday, with you all.

 For those that aren't aware of  London Fashion Weekend, it's essentially a very large and discounted shopping experience, following London Fashion Week.  This ticketed event, although has a focus on Fashion (obviously), also offers some fun and stylish treats to attendees in order to make it much more of an all round experience.

Firstly, the weather was beautiful in London on Friday, warm, sunny but there were already crunchy red and brown leaves on the ground.  My mum and I took a lovely stroll across London, through St James' Park all the way to Somerset House, where London Fashion Weekend and also London Fashion Week, is held.  Suffice to say we worked up an appetite so we dined at Tom's Terrace before we got stuck in .  Tom's Terrace and Tom's Kitchen are always situated at Somerset House, so this was not one of the restaurants/cafe's that LFWend put on for the event.  The Terrace was spectacular to sit at on one of the very few good weather days we've had in London this summer and I would recommend anybody drop by, even just for a cocktail.  You'll have to be quick though as the Terrace is only open between May and September!

I opted for a Black Pepper Martini, which was divinely delicate.  Sitting out on the funky terrace, the decor was very contemporary and it had some chilled out club versions of Madonna, amongst others, playing in the background.  Apparently on Friday nights they have DJ's and musicians too, so put it in your diary for next May folks.  For £25.90 my mum and I could not resist the Sea Platter, which consisted of; a very generous amount of gravalax, curried crab in lettuce leaves, potted shrimp in a chilled lemon butter, smoked mackarel pate, alioli and ciabatta bread.  Although it may not have looked massive for two, it was quite rich so actually the amount was more than enough and we both felt a little guilty over the gravalax we left behind.  We did, however, over-indulge with an extra side dish that really we should not have ordered.  Chips with truffle oil and parmesan, I dare you not to be tempted too.

After stuffing my face and evading my diet completely, I proceeded to get stuck in a Twenty8Twelve dress.  Yes folks, alone in a canvas curtain, make-shift dressing room, mother outside cooling off, I managed to get myself in a bit of a pickle.  The zip was nowhere to be seen, I proceeded to find it afterwards, so I brazenly placed it over my head forcing it down my body.  When it resisted just a little bit too much at the thighs I decided to call it quits.  Up it went and there it stopped.  Flustered, gasping for air, blinded and hands restrained I had no way of calling for help.  After what can only be described as a fairly traumatic experience I finally won the battle.  Upon finding the zip I went back for more.  After getting stuck a second time, although slightly less traumatic, I decided that maybe I wasn't built for this supposed "size 10" dress.  I blame the truffle chips.

I did manage to snag myself a couple of bargains however.  One was incredibly practical, the other a sheer desire.  Juicy Couture always has quite a large area at LFWend but a lot of it is on the more "bling" side of Juicy and not really my style but I did find a body warmer that I was drooling over last winter reduced to £75.  I can't quite recall how much the original price was when I saw it in store but I think it was around the £250 mark.

I also fell in love with this quirky clutch bag from Wilbur and Gussie which was reduced to £50 from £135.  The brand had a number of different styles and brooch clasps but this was by far the coolest and the most relevant for me.

Diet Coke were running a promotion to get a free can of coke as you wander round as well as your very own cover shoot.  Please bear in mind I did this post Twenty8Twelve-gate, so I look a bit of a hot mess!  Thought I'd include it anyway for a little bit of a chuckle.  Great fun to do with a bunch of friends!  My mums camera shy though.

Our ticket also included a goody bag which I think has improved since my last jaunt to LFWend a few years back.  It included...

Karl Lagerfield Diet Coke bottle, label m protein hair spray, Kleenex tissues, Kleenex face wipes, Johnson's baby oil, Lavazza coffee, Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules and a pair of false eyelashes that are nothing short of horrific and will be staying firmly in the bag.  There may have also been some Gu Rocky Roads *ahem*...

All in all it was a fun day and so glad I ventured back to LFWend after so many years away.  Hopefully I'll make it in February too and if you've never been before and London is feasible to get to, or you're visiting then I'd definitely recommend signing up for some tickets!

Something for the Weekend...

I'm back!  For those that follow me on twitter you'll know that actually I was back on Tuesday *Louisa shifts eyes sheepishly and makes an apologetic face*.  I had so many plans pre-Marbella for scheduled blog posts for whilst I was away and then for my return but being the last minute merch I am, neither of these things have happened and we are now sitting here on this glorious Friday 3rd June a whole four days post Marbella.  Woops!

Firstly please note that the weather has been pretty sweet in the UK since my return, which means religious statues need to be made in my honour as this can only mean that I brought the Spanish temperatures home with me.  This also means that this weekend we are all going to be manically sunbathing and wacking out those barbecues for fear that this is the only sun we will ever see in England until next year (quite feasible).

In honour of this nice weather I thought I'd do a bit of a Marbella inspired Something for the Weekend post.  So prepare for take off to our pseudo Puerto Banus...

Make sure you've packed sunscreen...

I sported this little treat available at Style Passport.  Not overly keen on the scent but it made my skin feel silky smooth and produced for the Australian sun means it's not only long lasting but also super effective for our half hearted weather. 

Invisible Zinc Face and Body Sunscreen £26

I also used this inexpensive beauty...not entirely sure that we can really call this a sunscreen but I love Palmer's Cocoa Butter and feel it's a body must have, especially for the summer months and this one does contain spf 15 so technically you are protected right???

Available at Boots for £5.10

Drag out your sunnies from the deep depths of your handbag...

I wore these Elton-esque glasses from Urban Outfitters. 

£16

They've got some seriously cool shades currently, other's I'm loving are...

£16

and these Olsen-twin-esque ones especially.



£16



When sunbathing it's basically a requirement that you read a good book, my recommendation, The Beach House by Jane Green.  I actually read this in the South of France last year so not quite a reflection of my Marbs trip but lets not split hairs.

From £6.89 at Amazon (please note from my image you cannot click to look inside-soz)

The description taken from Amazon...

"Nan, a widow whose family has flown the nest, is an independent, free-spirited woman who couldn't care less what people think about her living alone in her beloved beach house. But when she discovers that money is running out and she might lose her home, she knows it's time for a drastic change. Nan decides to rent out rooms for the summer and people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, laughter and tears. Among them is Daniel, a recently divorced father, who's struggling to find out who he really is, and Daff, the single mother of a truculent teenager who blames her mother unreservedly for her parents' divorce. As the house comes to life again, Nan finds her family growing. Her son comes home for the summer and an unexpected visitor turns up, turning all their lives upside down; Compelling, absorbing and poignant, The Beach House is a story of friendship, love and those moments that can change your life."

For some refreshing sophistication you should most definitely be sipping a Watermelon Martini as per this one I devoured at Nikki Beach on Monday.

Recipe taken from MartiniRecipe.net

60ml (or approx 2 oz) Vodka

You will need:

7.5ml sugar syrup

1 slice watermelon

Ice

How to:

Chop the flesh of the water melon.

Pour the Vodka and the sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker.

Add watermelon flesh.

Add ice.

Shake vigorously for a minute or two.

Pour and strain into a frosted martini glass.

Finish by garnishing the rim of the martini glass with a thin slice of watermelon.

And finally, if you're heading out for an ever cool night on the town then why not hit up one of the Sintillate parties in London, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Nottingham or Leeds.  Their parties were epic last weekend in Marbs, especially the Champagne Spray on Sunday but more to come on this in a later post.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

*Images taken from http://www.style-passport.com/, http://www.boots.com/, http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/, http://www.amazon.co.uk/, 

Something for the Weekend...

With the holiday looming the Bank of Louisa is looking a little sad.  I've had to book champagne parties, airport hotels, purchase bikini's and travel essentials, amongst other extravagances.  With pay day so rudely positioned at the end of my holiday I really have to make sure that my fun in the sun won't be compromised with any pre-vacation activity.  Therefore this weekend the Bank of Louisa is closed.

This is me looking pissed off

I can think of plenty of things I can occupy myself with over the coming few days...mainly involving organising and packing (my mother is reading this right now and shaking her head in sheer disbelief before she utters the words "Louisa you won't though, you'll leave it to the last minute...").  I can also think of plenty of things I could be doing in order to procrastinate from doing said organising and packing.  This scenario is far more likely.  So with no further ado I hereby re-instate Something for the Weekend...the credit busting version...

Rumour has it there's a heat wave heading to England, supposedly arriving around abouts.....now.  So ultimately I'm aiming to boost my potential tannage, especially with my colleague Molly due back in the office next week, post Thailand.  As petty and immature as this may sound, as well as kind of a health risk (don't try this at home kids) I will only be in Marbella for 5 days and I do plan on beating Molly for most enviable tan when I get back, so some "tanning revision" is required.  My first recommendation therefore is to enjoy our beautiful weather, for free!  But remember, as Baz Luhrman says..."Wear Sunscreen".

If for whatever reason the British weather has lied to us, very plausible, then here's some freebies I'm vibing this weekend...

Sky Movies is showing some of my faves...

The Sound of Music.  A feel good classic.  If you haven't seen it, you must and if you have you'll want to again.  I still desperately wish I was Julie Andrews, I still fancy Christopher Plummer in this, even though he's meant to be a meany in real life, I sill think Gretel is the most adorable child and always want to squeeze her cheeks and I STILL know all the words to all the songs.  I have such an obsession with this motion picture that I am forcing the kids I teach singing to on Saturday mornings to perform So Long Farewell for their summer show.

Housesitter.  This is laugh out loud funny.  Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin have a one night stand only for her to seek out the house he built for his ex-girlfriend.  After breaking and entering, broke Hawn, decides she needs some essentials.  One thing leads to another and before you know it Hawn's passing herself off as Martin's wife, even to his parents.  The white lie spirals out of control and suddenly they're a con double act, duping friends and family!  Although nothing like The Sound of Music or Julie Andrews, I kind of want to be Goldie Hawn too.  I'm starting to sense a theme.  Basically I'm recommending films of which I wish I was the leading lady.  Her outfits in this are cute too and who doesn't love a little fashion throw back.
 

Love Story.  Personally I'm a bit of a seasonal movie watcher, aka if the films a wintry film, viewing is limited to the winter.  Technically this deals with all seasons but it's melancholy nature and it's high volume of snow covered scenes means I can't quite imagine watching it this time of year.  That said, this film is a beautiful story about Love (no kidding Louisa) with some of the most wonderful music, I even have the theme on my ipod, talk about depressing.  I think I'll probably do a Movie Monday with this later in the year but if for nothing else, watch it for Ali McGraw's adorable tartan skirts and matching scarfs, a good cry and that famous line "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

I found a trailer with French subtitles to add a little culture to the blog...or because I couldn't find one without them.  I'll let you decide.

Alternatively you can still catch The Romantics, full trailer (without French subtitles) and review on Movie Monday here!

Instead of credit busting you could do a little credit boosting.  For £10 a class or £100 for twelve, Staples are holding business start-up classes on Saturday mornings, beginning this weekend.  I'm working on a project currently and I have many more extreme plans that potentially could benefit from having a little know how before I jump into the entrepeneurial pool. These are really reasonably priced and only last an hour each week.  That way if you decide it's not for you then you've barely made a commitment time or money wise.  Or this could be the first step to making your millions!  For more information check out http://www.startupsaturday.co.uk/

Finally, neither credit busting nor credit boosting I have a little social recommendation.  This is very location based, as in if you don't live near Rochester in Kent then this is going to be utterly useless information.  If you plan to visit some day then keep reading.  One of my favourite haunts the Rochester Coffee Company are embarking on a new venture in the form of a wine and cocktail bar, Oliver's.  This is very me.  Unfortunately my household location makes me rather provincial and us provincials get rather excited when something a little bit cosmopolitan, read London, comes our way.  The members only bar has just launched but this Saturday are opening their doors to whomever, as long as you're 21 to sample the members only life.  If it's anything like their sister company then this should be a hit.  I'll report back on the findings but you can get more information over at their facebook page here.

To cheer us credit busting types up here's a picture of one of my best friends with a toy monkey round her neck, just because.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

*Image taken from Oliver's Facebook Page

How to throw a FABULOUS Party, McNally Style, for under £200: Part One

My mother and I have always prided ourselves on our party planning skills and 2010 has seen us pull off a hat trick.  Secretly we dream of taking on this role professionally but we are both caught up with our other projects to actually seriously consider any such idea.  All three of the soiree's we have organised this year have had a trendy spin on them in some way or another and all have been hits for both ourselves and our guests so I thought I'd document in pictures our successes along with how we made them so....

Firstly we got Carrie-d away....

That's right, with SATC2 about to hit the cinemas (which by the way I still have not seen!) I couldn't think of a better theme for my 25th Birthday back in April.  A girls only event, we decked out our dining room New York style.

We went with the colour theme from the first movie, black and hot pink.  The floor was laden with balloons.  The table was laid to perfection by myself with black table cloths and hot pink and silver lip confetti (very Lulu Guinness) and hot pink table ware.  The room was adorning New York street signs also to give it that extra Carrie and co flair.  All decorations were purchased from http://www.partypacks.co.uk/ .  On first view their offerings do look somewhat tacky but they are like a really good thrift store, or TK Maxx, if you look hard enough you can find some buried treasures!

My mum's Strawberry Centre Piece

Fill a garden pot with cement and place a wooden stick in the centre. Place a whole small melon on top once dry and cover base with foil or spray paint, whilst fixing strawberries via cocktail sticks. The perfect accompaniment to a chocolate fountain!

My Magnolia Bakery-esque Cupcakes

Recipe taken from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook and decorated as per the darling SATC themed cupcakes Lola's in Selfridges were sporting back in 2008.

And finally the piece de la resistance.....

                                                

We projected the original film onto one of the walls, whilst playing some of my favourite tracks from both the soundtrack and in general as background music.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

Drinks were purchased from Sainsburys and there was a choice of either the classic Cosmopolitan or my personal fave the Margherita.  Both concoctions were premixed but surprisingly good and most importantly strong for a very reasonable price!  We also offered prosecco with a hibiscus flower on arrival, which went down a treat!

As you can see from the pictures above I chose to wear a simple black onesie with some sequin embellishment at the top.  I then blinged up the outfit Carrie style with my Ghetto Fabulous initial earrings (which were switched from two of the same letter to one of each....shhh don't tell Topshop!) and these outrageous wedges!