time out

I've some-what neglected the blog over the last week due to the fact that I'm on 'holiday'. Having taken hardly any days off this year I had quite a lot of holiday allowance to use-up before November. An actual leaving-the-country holiday wasn't feasible (ALL spare money is being saved for NYC) so Mitch and I have been mostly just chilling-out in good old Brixton. 

Last weekend I ventured out to the coast for a sort of uni housemates reunion at my friend's amazing flat in Leigh-on-Sea. As on previous visits we drank lots of wine, watched a lot of shit TV (a particular favourite is Take Me Out), chatted about everything under the sun AND set off on a 9 mile walk which included a stroll along Southend Pier (Europe's largest pleasure pier). Weekends at Lauren's are hugely relaxing - she also has the comfiest sofas in the world and the prettiest pair of bengal cats I've ever seen. Fact.

tides out at leigh-on-sea

I always feel rather deflated upon returning to the city after a break from it - but Mitch and I have been keeping busy hence the week long silence on here! As a 9-5er I massively appreciate London on those v.rare occasions where I find myself not a work on a week day, so, as you can imagine, Mitch and I have been making the most of it. On Monday we had a leisurely brunch at the Duck Egg cafe (you cannot get a seat at the weekend) followed by a good root around the most amazing secondhand bookshop. I've been living in Brixton for just over a year now and every time I walk past the bookmongers it is always, always closed, I was so happy to finally get a look inside. I was not disappointed - it's an aladdin's cave of reading material. I came away v.chuffed with 3 novels although it could've easily been more. 

secondhand finds - sci-fi overload? never!

Another place which benefits from a weekday visit is of course Oxford Street. Mitch and I are v.conscious of the fact that it can get super cold in NYC in december and that snow is a possibility (here's hoping). With that in mind we thought we should invest in some decent footwear. After a delightful bus ride into central (that's not sarcasm, it really was a nice ride on the no.3 from brixton to regent street - almost like a tour ride past loads of London's landmarks) we went boot shopping. Mitch got a pair of v.sturdy looking timberlands and I got myself a pair of DMs - they are pretty heavy and feel like I could reduce rocks to dust.

first pair of DMs

Other highlights of the holiday so far: visit to Essex to see Mitch's family including his nephews, dinner and drinks with friends, trying out the new craft beer pub in Brixton, lie-ins - so good.

Good things to come (because I'm only half way through!): theatre tonight, cinema trips (hopefully Ruby Sparks and Skyfall), family lunch, more knitting and sewing as well as a trip to Berwick Streets fabric shops. Stay at home holidays are awesome :)