My Parisian Inspiration

If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know that I absolutely love Paris. I think I was 12 the first time I went, and I must have been 4/5 times since, but it never gets old for me. Unfortunately my boyfriend doesn't like going back to the same place several times, so it is unlikely that I'm going to be visiting again any time soon, but I through books, I can pretend I am there!

The newest book I have found about Paris is Bright Lights Paris by Angie Niles. This is a beautiful book, which I will probably leave on a side table in my living room when I have finished it (just because it's so pretty!) This book is a fantastic reference book, it contains bits of information on a variety of topics such as the best skincare, perfume, coffee shops, where to go away for a weekend and information about different districts. It is brilliant! I'm enjoying flicking through it, just picking it up for 10 minutes or so here and there.

I know that I said I'm not going to Paris anytime soon, but even so - I love the lonely planet guides, so I decided to get the Paris one - I'm sure I'll go back there one day and be able to use it! If you are going to Paris, I can definitely recommend getting this book, it is organised by area, so for example if you are going to the Eiffel Tower, it recommends nearby restaurants and top tips for when you are there. It also has maps of individual areas, so you won't miss seeing anything, although if you want a larger map, there is a pull out on in the back. Considering this is a pocket sized book, I think this contains some brilliant information, with the bonus that it doesn't weigh you down.

Anybody who has an interest in French style or fashion has probably heard of this book - Parisian Chic was written by Ines de la Fressange, is a French model, aristocrat, designer and perfumer. This is a very tongue in cheek book, which discusses all things beauty and fashion, including lots of tips and where to go in Paris for different things.

Ok, so I only photographed The Goddess Guide, but I also want to include the Goddess Experience also in this - technically neither of these books are just about Paris, but they do include bit about Paris, and it was from these books that I first discovered the wonder that is Ladurée - which in my opinion, makes the best Macarons in the world.

 This book is very different from all the others - in that it does not in any way provide tips or advice, but it does provide a beautiful background for a story of growing up. Kate Betts was the youngest ever editor of Harper's Bazaar, but to be honest for me the main story was watching her grow up and learn how to find her way as an adult, which I definitely relate too! I definitely recommend picking up this book if you have an interest in Fashion, Journalism or Paris!
I hope you have enjoyed my flavour of Paris, if there are any other books you think I need to read please let me know in the comment section below!
Lots of love

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My new hobby: Learning about Wine

Do you ever feel a bit thick when you are having dinner in a nice place and the waiter asks if you want a drink? You think "hell yes" but manage to say "yes that would lovely thank you" and ask for a glass of wine. Then they present the wine list. Crap. What on earth do you do with this? Normally my method is look for the cheapest and then go a couple up from there, however this can be a little bit hit and miss! Therefore this summer I have decided to combat this issue, and do a very grown up thing: learn about wine. I am hopeful that part of this is going to involve tasting a lot of them.
My dad knows quite a lot about wine, however in a million years I am not going to ask him, as I would only end up finding out what his favourites are - and we have very different tastes. Also his stories go on for hourssssss. And I cannot cope.
Therefore option 2, is buying a book. This seems very doable! The first book I purchased was Leith's Guide to Wine. I bought this in an actual shop (I usually amazon everything) and flicked through a couple of different options, before deciding that the cover of this one would look good in my bookcase and I liked that it was broken down a lot. After getting it home, I realised that the first few sections were really interesting, but then it talks about the different areas where wines are grown and I got a bit bored. However, I think as I learn more it will become more useful though.

After this book I decided that going on Amazon was probably a good idea, and I picked up The Wine Pocket Bible and Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2015. The former has a really cute cover, and is designed for wine idiots like me and includes how to choose wine from restaurant wine lists, how to tell if a wine is corked, characteristics of all the main grape types, what styles of wine come from the world's major wine region, classic and up-and-coming wine producers from each region and the best way to store and serve wine. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2015 is the number one bestselling wine guide, and provides information on individual bottles of wine each year.

My aim is to learn enough about wine so that when I next go out with my dad, I can order a bottle of wine and have him enjoy it. This will undoubtedly benefit him more than me, but at least I won't feel like an idiot any more!
Do any of you know about wine? Or have any other hobbies you are taking up over the summer? Let me know in the comments!
Lots of love

Book Review: My Paris Dream

In the summer I definitely read a lot more books than I do in the winter, probably because it seems really weird to sit out in the sun and knit! One of the books I have recently finished is My Paris Dream, by Kate Betts. For those of you who don't know, Kate Betts is a fashion journalist, who was one of the youngest ever editors of Harpers Bazaar.

This autobiography chronicles Kate's life, starting when she finished high school and went inter-railing around Europe, stopping in Paris for two weeks. The book is extremely well written, and unlike many autobiographies I have read, I really did not want to put it down. I think it probably helps that I love Paris, and having been their a lot can relate to some of the places she discusses, and the slang she struggles with.

Another aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was the story of growing up, finding your feet, and the realisation that you can't always have it all, as on several times in the book, Kate was working so hard on progressing her career, she let personal relationships suffer. I think this is something a lot of people can relate to, as it is often difficult balancing work and a personal life.
Overall, this book can appeal to a wide number of people, clearly if you have an interest in fashion, and want to build a career in that field the book will be of interest, as it shows an insight into the industry. Also anyone who loves Paris will definitely relate to the book, as I did - although she is American and struggled to fit into the culture, I think it is still relevant to brits, I know that I never felt anywhere near as chic as any Parisians when I was there, they definitely have that Je ne sais quoi!

I'm always after new books to read over the summer, and love autobiographies, so if there is anything similar to this that you know of, please let me know in the comments!
Lots of love

Book Review: Poems to Learn by Heart

This book is a collection of short Poems collated by Ana Sampson. It begins with a lovely Introduction talking about the beauty of poetry and how joyful it can be to commit it to memory, to be recalled at any occasion. For previous generations learning poetry was a right of passage, but it is now only done in school and even then it is usually not an enjoyable experience. However, as we get a little older with more experience, we understand more of what the poets meant, and appreciate their language.

Poems to Learn by Heart, By Ana Sampson

The book is divided into 19 chapters, splitting the poems up into collections covering topics including  magic, love, reflections, family and courage. 
I'm absolutely loving this book and have already been through it reminding myself of poems I loved years ago, and have been starting to learn them off by heart, which is a joy (although maybe not for my boyfriend who has had to put up with me reciting poetry at him!)
Anways, if you fancy buying a copy you can get it from Amazon
Lots of Love

Book Review: What A Girl Wants by Lindsey Kelk

To me, Lindsey Kelk books are the perfect holiday read. They are fun, well written, and easy to dip in and out of. What A Girl Wants is no different. However, I think a lot of people can also relate to this book, as overall the story is about a girl who struggles to make a decision between whether she should choose the safe easy life, or risk it all in a gamble and run away to Italy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not implying that everyone has had the opportunity to run away to Italy (if only!) but I think everyone has had to make a decision at some point about what path they want their life to take. This is why everyone will be able to identify with the main character, Tess, as she struggles with to make up her mind, when her heart wants to lead her somewhere else! In the words of R. Kelly "my mind is telling me no but my body, my body's telling me yes". True story.
This book is in fact a sequel to another book, About A Girl, but I didn't realise this until I finished the book and read the bit at the back which tells you about other books by the author! However, it doesn't matter (as I discovered) and the book is fantastic, whether or not you read the prequel.
If you are looking for some other Lindsey Kelk books, definitely have a look at the "I heart" series - they are fab, and were the first books of hers that I read, and continue to enjoy them.
Have you read any Lindsey Kelk books recently? Do you love them as much as I do? Let me know! 
Also I am planning a summer reading list post - so if there is anything you think I need to read (my holiday is booked for september so I have a while to go!) make sure I add it to my list!