Top 5 places to get coffee in London

Ever since I started studying at University, I began to drink coffee. Every time I drink coffee, I think back to my first year at University. I was fresh out of high school, excited to be an adult and eager to learn.  

I remember the people I met, my lecturers and the units I studied. I also remember all the coffee I drank and to this day, I can't function properly without at least one cup of coffee in my system.

I have to confess, since being in Europe I miss Australian coffee. I miss the coffee art on my morning flat white and most of all, I miss the taste of the perfected brew. I loved my time in France and I still want to return again, but the one thing I don't miss, is the coffee. 

I was excited to travel to a new country, to explore and discover new things. I have been in London for over 3 months now and I spend most of my free time finding the best coffee in London.

So, I've compiled a list of my top 5 places to get coffee in London.

1. Kaffeine in Soho. A café inspired by the coffee culture of Australia and New Zealand. Being Australian myself, this was one of the first cafés I tried in London. I loved everything about this café. My flat white was delicious and smooth and my tasty treats were indulgent.

2. The Coffee Works Project. We stumbled upon this café after walking along Southwark from the London Eye. We were tired from walking and in need of a caffeine fix! The industrial interior made it feel quirky and fun. The flat white was smooth and deliciously strong and the cakes were pretty delicious too.

3. Prufrock Coffee. After an afternoon of exploring London, it was time for some caffeination! This café was highly recommended so we decided to try it out! The people were friendly and welcoming and enjoyed a good conversation. Although, my Frenchy didn't get the coffee he ordered, we still enjoyed the experience and the coffee. With free Wifi, the modern café is a great place for an afternoon coffee or business meeting.

4. Wired Co in West Hampstead. This was one of the first coffees I had in London. I was heading to a job interview and arrived plenty early, so I had time to stop for a coffee. I stumbled passed this little café, so I decided to go in. The small café made it warm and cozy and my coffee was smooth and creamy.  The food menu looked interesting with fresh ingredients, so I'll definitely return to try!

5.  Flat White in Soho. Another Australian inspired café in London. I loved the small and intimate interior of Flat White. As soon as you walk in, you are hit with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. It's warm, cozy and the latte art is almost too nice to drink... almost!

Where is your favourite place to get coffee in London?

Head to the London Series for more tips from London.

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A day in the life...

I've wanted to start a new segment on my blog for a few years now.

Since starting my blog, I have met many savvy fashionistas, wonderful stylists and inspirational women. So I thought, why not interview and share "a day in the life..." of the people who inspire and influence me for my loyal readers!

And to kick off the series, I thought I would start with a day in the life of me.

I wanted to share some of my personal life with you, to help you understand what motivates me!

A typical day off for me, means I get a sleep in, I run some errands and then go window shopping for fashion inspiration.

A day in the life of me!

9:00 I know it's not the best way to start the day but my day doesn't begin until I scroll through my fashion Instagram page! I love checking out the latest fashion and admiring other bloggers' outfits. After I've had my fashion fix, it's time for my coffee and breakfast. A typical breakfast for me is natural oats sweetened with vanilla essence and of course...coffee!

11:00 After doing some errands, it's time for a mid morning pick me up. I've recently been enjoying home made smoothies! I've been experimenting with different ingredients but my favourite combination at the moment is mango and strawberry. The fresh produce doesn't last so long here in London so I use frozen fruits. As a benefit, your smoothie is instantly chilled and ready to drink! 

My recipe:

1/2 frozen mango

1/2 frozen strawberry

1 1/2 cup of skim milk

Vanilla essence to taste

It's such a simple recipe but oh so tasty!

12:00 Once my brain has woken up, I usually spend a couple of hours doing my blogging and networking. I come up with new post ideas and share my blog archives on my Social Media platforms.... or I get distracted and browse other fashion bloggers!

2:00 This is when I take some time for myself. After I've picked my outfit and applied my makeup, I go exploring the city. I like to find great places to go shopping and enjoy a warm beverage while I do. I enjoy studying the latest fashion and getting inspiration for blog posts or to understand the latest trends. Sometimes I'm guilty of indulging, otherwise I enjoy "window shopping" and dreaming of the day when I can buy everything I want!

6:00 After 4 months of holidays and 3 months of settling into London life... I've just started getting back into my exercise. I spend 40 - 60 minutes doing body weight exercises.

My routine:
5 minutes of warm up stretching/exercises
5 sets of 20 squats
5 sets of 20 sit ups
5 sets of 20 lunges
5 sets of 10 push ups
5 sets of 10 tricep dips
10 minutes of stretching to cool down

As I regain my strength, I will be increasing my repetitions and slowly add some weights for resistance. At the moment, I am focusing on regaining my flexibility. The strength will come back later!

8:00 Dinner time! My Frenchy and I have different food schedules. I hate eating dinner after 8:30 but he never gets hungry! So when he's working, it's dinner for one at 8:00pm! I've always been difficult with food so dinner is usually something simple and it usually consists of chicken!

After dinner, I unwind by reading or doing some more blogging... Or watching re runs of Modern Family!

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Things to do in London

My recent adventure... In a nutshell :)

London is a BIG city!

There is so much to see and do here. Behind every corner there is something new to discover.  

When you come to London, you'll definitely want to tick off the big tourist attractions, The London Eye, Big Ben, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square and of course... Buckingham Palace. 

If you are lucky, you may be there for the changing of the guards! If not, you can simply take pictures of them through the gate, like I did! After staring at the Palace and taking many pictures, it's nice to take a stroll towards St James Park.

If you are afraid of birds, this may not be the best place for you, but if you can handle them, you'll see many ducks, swans, pigeons and you'll definitely see some squirrel! I was lucky to see this cute little duckling! It made my day... Isn't he cute?

After you walk through the park, you'll end up, just a short stroll from Westminster. Here you'll find the Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and of course, the London Eye. 

Walking along the Pier during sunset is simply beautiful. There are many places you can stop for coffee and cake, or a sneaky drink. You may be lucky and hear some talented buskers!

And finally, you can't be in London and not go to the Warner Brother's Harry Potter Tour. Growing up, I loved (and still do) Harry Potter. I've read the books many, many times and watched the movies countless amounts!

You'll need many hours and comfortable shoes to explore everything this city has to offer... And I haven't even scraped the surface!

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Top 5 tips for trying to open a bank account in London

The first two months in London were difficult.

I was super excited to come to London and to explore a new city.
That was until I realised how difficult it was to open a bank account in this city! Without a bank account, it means difficulty in getting paid and without getting paid, you will be crushed and eaten alive by this expensive city! 

Until you start earning pounds, your funds will dry up quickly and you'll be left with nothing! So make sure you have plenty of time, patience and money to help you getting set up in London.

So here are my top 5 tips for trying to open a bank account in London.

1. Most importantly, ensure you have enough money to survive up to 4 weeks in London. This is the most important thing! If you plan your budget and live cheaply, you should be able to manage!

2. If you followed my Top 5 things to do BEFORE moving to London, you'll be waiting for your N.I. number and it will be arriving any day now. Once you receive this, you'll have your choice of banks to go with!

3. If you are like me and don't have proof of address, it will start to get difficult now! Without proof of address, most banks will not even look twice at you. I have been told many times, by many banks that they only accept utility bills, tenancy agreements, current UK drivers licence, tax bills or a National Insurance Number. So, if you don't have this information, don't bother with Metro Bank, Barclays, HSBS or Nat West!

4. If you don't have proof of address (like me) you can try Lloyds bank. They apparently open accounts with just your passport. I was however not so lucky with this! I made the mistake of mentioning I live at a share house and when I mentioned this, they completely shut me down. So, don't mention the share house or anything, just bring your passport!

5.  If you plan ahead before arriving to London, I was told by HSBC that you can provide proof of address from another country, they just want to prove you are who you are but they do require originals (see point 1 to see the documents they accept!) so bring these from home.

And a bonus tip, if all fails (like it did for me) ask for other payment options by your employers/Human Resources, they may be able to do something for you. They may be able to issue you with a cheque. You'll need to find a money changer and they will take a percentage of the balance but at least you'll have some money to tie you over.

Moving countries, cities or continents can be hard so don't let it get to you if they say no. I went to more then 15 banks just to be shut down by every single one of them. It's stressful, frustrating and seriously annoying. So be patient and try your best to get all the documents you need to make it easier.

Head to the London Series for more tips from London.

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The 5 shoes to avoid this Winter in London

We are definitely well into Winter now and it's sadly time to pack away some of your favourite shoes to get you through the rain, cold and snowy Winter here in London. Firstly, I haven't been in London very long but I can say from my experience... it rains a lot here. So there are many styles, materials and heels that won't make it through the season..

So, for now, it's time to pack away your trusty Autumn shoes and get prepared for Winter. Here are the 5 shoes to avoid this Winter.

1. Say goodbye to your beloved stilettos:

It pains me to write these words but it's true. Rain, snow and London, are not a very good combination! Walking in stiletto high heels in London, is a challenge in itself but add Winter elements... It's a disaster waiting to happen!

Instead, opt for a slightly chunkier, block style heel. They will be more stable and comfortable when walking around the London sights! 

2. Suede? No way!

Suede is one of my all time favourite shoe materials. The are soft, comfortable and elegant to wear, but sadly, they won't survive a second in the torrential rain London has. No matter how much waterproofing spray you put on them, I can almost guarantee, they won't survive. So leave them at home until the Spring has sprung!

Reach for your durable leather shoes, they'll hold up so much better in the weather!

3. Relaxed trainers

Since I began travelling, I have a new love for the sports luxe trend. I wore my white Armani canvas trainers with so many outfits. But they are not made for the Winter months. No matter how comfortable your canvas trainers are, I'm sorry, but they will not keep your feet dry. I remember walking home from the Tube station and completely underestimated the depth of a puddle! My poor feet were freezing cold by the time I got home. So, say goodbye to your old friend for now. They'll be waiting for when the puddles dry up!

If you can't survive without your comfortable trainers, you can find some luxe leather trainers which will have a much longer life in the Winter.

4. Sandals...

My biggest shoe weakness is suede, strappy, high heeled stiletto sandals so this post is completely crushing my soul! I'm sorry but sandals are not designed for Winter. So, if you want to keep your toes and not lose them to frostbite, it's time to let your favourite sandals rest while we endure this frightful season! Sandals shine the brightest during Spring and Summer so be patient!

If you can't survive without making a statement in sandals, opt for statement closed toes, you can wear hosiery to warm your feet up without drawing too much attention to your feet.

5. Ugh!... I mean Uggs!

I'm all for relaxed outings but please, Uggs are not boots! Leave your Uggs at home this Winter! I know they keep your feet toasty warm and comfortable but they are not proper Winter boots. Aside from the water resistant styles available, your Ugg boots will not handle the outdoor terrain, no matter how well you protect them and clean them. Keep yours Uggs fluffy and cozy for your feet to step into after a cold and busy Winter day.

As a shoe lover, it is very hard for me to say goodbye to some of my trusty shoes this Winter but, the silver lining... It's time to go shoe shopping for Winter.

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Check back next week for the must have shoes for Winter.

January: The Highlights

How was everyone's first month of 2016? Have you kickstarted your 2016 resolutions?

January has been a month of growth for me. I've settled into my new job, found time to juggle work and life, explored more of this city and I've even gone shoe shopping!

So here are the highlights if you missed them:

After an initial struggle with homesickness, I picked myself up and embraced this wonderful city.

I took some time to explore a little bit of London and visited Tower Bridge.

I went shoe shopping at Kurt Geiger and rewarded myself to some new shoes.

And I built my Winter wardrobe to help fight the London cold.

I fought the cold and explored the Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye.

Finishing up the month, I styled my Ultimate Vegas Outfit.

What were the highlights of your January?

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Coming up next: The 5 shoes to avoid this Winter in London