Im Back from Costa Rica

Hello blog reader! I have been away for a while now but now I am back from my trip to Costa Rica. - Lucky me!  Costa Rica is an incredible country and was perfect for the type of travelling experience myself and the girls were looking for. It was action packed but had a good dose of chill out time- plenty of reading in hammocks.  Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Our flight to Costa Rica was an experience in itself- we had a 24 hour journey- London to Toronto, Canada, Toronto to Houston, then Houston to San Jose Costa Rica.  

A beautiful cow on the way up to the La Fortuna Volcano.  Moo

La Fortuna

This was in Monte Verde where the weather was not fantastic.  Being up high in the mountains, we had humid rain here.  We stayed here very shortly just to do the 'Superman Zipline' and Tarzan Swing- which, by the way, was great fun. 

One of the many beautiful flowers in Costa Rica. 

This is John, one of the guys that ran a hostel in Puerto Viejo called Lazy Mon. His tatts were crazy... as you can see. 

To go into Panama you have to fill in a few forms, pay a few dollars and walk over an old wooden bridge which is missing a few wooden slats and old rusty broken rail tracks.  Whilst watching your feet so as to not fall through the holes on the bridge, you are graced with the most beautiful view of the river and green hills. 

A nutter dressed in 80s gear that ricked up into our hostel in Bocas Del Toro in Panama. We stayed in a hostel called Hosteluego which was fantastic.  I would recommend this hostel to anyone going to Panama. 

Me and Em in Bocas Del Toro

Playa Zapatilla (paradise)

Playa Zapatilla

Me on Playa Zapatilla (which means 'beach slipper')

Laura on her way to go for a cheeky snorkel in Bocas Del Toro

A Tree in the Sea 

A house on the water in Bocas Del Toro

This was a walkway to a little restaurant again in Bocas Del Toro. 

Pointers from my experience in Costa Rica:

1) Get out of San Jose as soon as possible- it is an ugly city with over priced accommodation.

2) The best hostel we stayed in the grime city that is San Jose was Hostel Pangea.  We also stayed at Rica Backpackers and that was down right disgusting and dirty. 

3) Work out the currency before you go- there are about 500 Colon to 1$.  you may get ripped off when you first arrive if they work out you don't know what you are doing with the Colon. 

4) If you are travelling in the British Summer, go as south as possible to get the best weather. 

If you are looking for an action packed holiday or even just a chill out, with good food and friendly people, head on to costa rica.  You will be pleasantly surprised. 

Style: At Home At Home

I love blogs that give you a sneak peak into people's stylish lives. I came across this blog post on the blog 'At Home At Home' via Pinterest.  Here is Tracey Wilkinson who has recently launched her own tee-shirt line.  Find the original blog post here.   

The Coveteur: Anna Laub

"FOUNDER; CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PRISM; EDITOR OF O: WOMAN. LONDON

Anna Laub has been in the fashion industry a long time…and she’s come a long way from her days as a teen model. The girl has worked with all the key players: Hussein Chalayan,Conde Nast, The New York Times: T Magazine, The LA Times… the list goes on. The London-bred, girl-about-town has tried her hand at everything from editing mags—she founded the youth culture mag, PURE—to writing for a wide variety of notable publications. Her most recent endeavour? PRISM, her covetable line of eyewear and swimwear. After being fed-up of not being able to find “cool, optical glasses,” Laub set out to make ‘em herself. You know what they say? If you want something done right, do it yourself! 

Each pair is inspired (and named after) a different city; and we must say, we’re big fans of Tokyo and Rio! Aside for being picked up by Barney’s, Opening Ceremony, Colette and Dover Street Market, Laub recently collaborated with cult-fave Rachel Comey, providing the eyewear for her N.Y.C show. Talk about spectacle! And she’s got a damn good eye for style. Her love for leopard had us seeing spots for days… but, to be honest, we weren’t complaining. But the real pièce de résistance? Her Alaïa collection. Cher Horowitz would be mega jealous… just saying."

SOURCE

Sitting Room Inspiration

Like most of us girls, I love a bit of interior design.  Here are a few snaps I have found on Pinterest, which I like. follow my HOME pinterest board here. 

Interior: Animal Heads

I want an animal head on my wall.   I never thought I would say/ write that but there you go. The thing is is that I dont want any old animal head on my wall.  That would be cruel, ugly and wrong.  I want an Antrhopologie animal head on my wall.

Ram

Elephant

Fox

Giraffe 

Blog Loving: Tales of Endearment

This is Art Director, come blogger, come style icon, come front rower, Natalie Joos blog.  Natalie Joos is one of my style hero's and icons.  A post about her style is on its way.  for the meantime though,  here is an extract from her blog, Tales of Endearment.  If you dont know this blog, check it out.  It contains beautiful images, words and styling: it really deserves to be made into a quarterly magazine, or a coffee table book.  This post from Natalie is on the model and mother Valentine.... Enjoy. 

When I arrive at the house, Valentine is standing on her front door step in the drizzling rain, smoking a cigarette. “It’s the last one,” she mutters with visible regret. “I’m trying to enjoy it while it lasts.” Not that she’s quitting or anything – she’s French after all. The pack’s empty and the baby sitter she sent on a mission isn’t coming back for a while. “Too bad, you just missed Gigi!” she exhales. “Can you believe she’s already one?” Last time I was in London, Valentine was still pregnant, so yeah, there’s that agonizing notion of age nagging its way up to my one-year-older forehead. But I actually haven’t seen Valentine since her modeling days in New York (if you don’t count our run-in at Le Baron in Paris a week earlier). Has it really been ten years? She was always one of the happy, je-m’en-fous, sociable girls, who could hold a conversation without checking herself in the mirror every five seconds. There was never a trace of any make-up, or conceivable indication of grooming; she was natural, free-spirited, and a little bit loopy, kind of like Camille Bidault-Waddington, whom she in fact refers to as her style icon “4 ever”. And when I look at her today, as a 28-year old mom, in beat-up crocodile moccasins, and questionable posture, I realize she hasn’t changed a hair. My poor old forehead concurs.