Memory Board

I've been watching our collection of photos and holiday tickets, art and bits & bobs gather over the last couple of years and I feel uneasy knowing they're hiding away in a suitcase in the attic. My intention is to make beautiful albums filled with our wonderful memories eventually but in the meantime I'd like to be reminded of fun times every single day so I've created a pinboard for our dining room as a visual pick-me-up. Here are a few of my favourite memories...

Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x

What I Wore Today

Gold Belt & Green oversized shirt (Primark) Nude ballerina flats (Topshop) Handbag with rose-gold detailing (Zara) Leopard print/slate grey tunic (River Island) Watch (DKNY) No7 Stay Perfect Lipstick in Gay Geranium.

Love

Lorraine

Lacroix x

Window Shopping

With my relatives visiting for Sunday lunch L'Homme and I took a trip to the market town of Ormskirk to buy our fresh vegetables. While we were there we did some wonderful window shopping and refuelled in a local cafe with delicious Bacon & Brie sandwiches washed down with a lovely cuppa.

Vibrant flowers

Rhubarb (perfect for crumble) and corn on the cob

Enviromentally Friendly way of carrying home our vegetables in a canvas bag brought back from Rome

Carrotts & Parsnips, lovely combination for our roast dinner

Sweet, kitsch wedding cake in a beautifully decorated shop

Candy Jar in a lovely discount home store (a re-visit is essential!!)

In love with these chic vintage-style medicine jars (could they be added to my collection I wonder?)

L'Homme in Breton stripes in the cafe

Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x

 



What I Wore Today

Silky rust top (River Island) Floral Trousers (George) Handbag (Zara) Gladiator Sandals (H&M)

Long Cardigan (Primark) Ciate nail varnish in Dangerous Affair, No7 Moisture Drench lipstick in Rumour.

Love

Lorraine

Lacroix x

New Wardrobe Additions

I picked up this fabulous symmetrical print top in the Warehouse sale for £10! I'll be wearing it cinched at the waist with a skinny belt, pencil skirt and tanned legs in high summer.

This beautiful Zara handbag is from their Zara basic collection and looks much more expensive than its under £20 price tag with its soft leather-like material and rose gold trimmings.

These funky mustard shorts are from the mens section of H&M and are just the right length and smartness to wear in the city, I can see these being a weekend staple with converse and a preppy collared shirt.

Love

Lorraine

Lacroix x

Wine Tasting at Vinea Liverpool

I love wine but must admit to not really being that knowledgable about it so group wine tasting at Vinea Liverpool proved to be a really relaxed, accessible, fun way to learn/taste more.

Vinea opened in 2007 in the trendy Albert Dock area and the old dock warehouse building provides the perfect setting for drinking wine, it actually feels a little like you could be underground in a brick walled wine cellar in Bordeux.

L'Homme and I visited in a group of nine and specified red wine only, for 5 different varieties (a bottle per variety) the usual cost would be £75 but keep an eye out for Groupon offers as there are plenty of deals to be had.

 The atmosphere was relaxed but classy and our sommelier was wonderfully informed and really enthusiastic about the wines, production and countries he told us about.

The juicy 2011 Mont Rocher Carignan was the resounding favourite in our group which can be purchased at http://www.vinealiverpool.co.uk/ for £8.99.

I wore a gorgeous lime green organza dress from H&M with thick slate grey tights (Pull & Bear) Grey Suede Platform Court Shoes (New Look) and a gold glitter box bag (Next).

Love

Lorraine

Lacroix x

What I Wore Today...for a spot of shopping!



Over sized Envelope Bag (Zara)

White jersey blouse with knot waist (Primark)

Floral Body Con Dress (Topshop)

Jacket with epaulets and jewelled buttons (H&M)

Watch (DKNY)

Ankle Boots (Primark)

Pink Nails in Sweetie Pie (Primark)

Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x

I Want To Go There - Spotlight On Baku (Azerbaijan)

I'm a casual viewer of The Euro vision Song Contest and this year it was held in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. I am all too aware that the promotional clips of the location are specifically designed to make you want to travel there and well... I guess you could say they did their job on me this time.

Baku is on the Caspian sea and it's walled Inner City has been named a UNESCO world heritage sight, and the reason behind it's inscription...

The Walled City of Baku represents an outstanding and rare example of an historic urban ensemble and architecture with influence from Zoroastrian, Sassanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian cultures.

So If it's culture you're after then Baku should be next on your travel hit list!

SHOPPING

Carpets/rugs are the must have item of interest in Baku and if I visit I'll be keeping my eyes open for a beautifully made colourful focal attraction to warm up our cavernous loft room when we eventually get round to decorating it (big scary job...inwardly groans!)

CULTURE

I love stunning architecture and places that make me gaze, open-mouthed at how simply beautiful they are, whether man-made or naturally formed one of my favourite things to do in an unfamiliar place is just to sit and look for a while...something unheard of really in our daily lives.
So with this in mind I would without doubt be taking a trip to the Bibi-Heybat mosque which after being destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936 was rebuilt and reopened in 1997.

A PLACE TO REST YOUR HEAD

After a long days sight-seeing trying to take in as much of a new city as I can I am always pretty exhausted so a nice hotel to relax in is essential. The Sultan Inn Boutique Hotel looks amazing with it's grandiose decor and Exotic cocktails on offer at the open-air bar I am sold! The price for a standard room (double bed in all rooms) in September is around £190.

TASTY TREATS

Azerbaijan is a land of tea and the fragrant local drink is served with a mouth-watering array of jams. Many British people like to turn to a cup of Rosy Lea to sooth their worries and in Azerbaijan the giving of tea is seen as a symbol of heartfelt hospitality.

Hopefully I will get to visit Baku in the near future...it looks like an adventure waiting to be had!
Do you have any holiday memories of Baku or other places in Azerbaijan? I'd love to hear about them.

Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x