Turning Off, Tuning Out & Dropping Off in Cape Verde

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I got back from a fabulous sun-drenched holiday in Cape Verde, which, up until a few weeks ago, I hadn't heard of either! So you're in the know, Cape Verde is a cluster of islands just off the coast of Africa, in the Atlantic Ocean, with picture-postcard beaches of talcum-powder soft white sand stretching for miles.

Mister Ruffles and I holidayed on the island of Boa Vista, staying in the Riu Touareg, one of only 8 hotels on the island. To say that Boa Vista is in the infancy of tourism is an understatement, there's literally nothing around for as far as the eye can see! Which was perfect. It made for a great opportunity to turn off, tune out and drop off in the sunshine after a chaotic and crazy few months. We revelled in having absolutely nothing to do bar relax and spent virtually the entire time horizontal, with our heads either face down on a sunbed, or buried in a book (five read in 11 days, and yes, I read Fifty Shades of Grey, please don't judge me!) With the sea never far out of earshot I enjoyed the luxury of al fresco naps, and being lulled to sleep by the sound of waves lapping the shore, and quite possibly the after-effects of a few too many mid-afternoon cocktails!

It was a holiday of three-course breakfasts, Piña Colada-scented skin (from the suntan lotion opposed to bathing in alcoholic drinks!), eating watermelon on the beach, swim-up bars, sipping champagne in the jacuzzi pool and watching the sun set from the balcony. It was also the holiday that when playing "let's jump the wave" I lost a much-treasured holiday-hat (yep it's the one in the photos!), and Mister Ruffles lost his sunglasses for the 3rd time this year.

In a nutshell it was brilliant fun and blissfully relaxing and I've come back feeling rested, rejuvenated and with a renewed sense of vigour. And in my book, that's exactly what holidays are for.

We stayed at the Riu Touareg, for more information visit their website here.

Street Style Couples Crush

Images sourced from Pinterest

The gorgeous Sandra from 5 inch and up and her beau Janne

Image sourced from Pinterest

Images sourced from Pinterest

Image on left sourced from Trends for the Masses and image on right from 5inchandup

Image sourced from Pinterest

Imagine the scene, its a busy day in a London street; noisy, bonkers crazy and all-a-bustle with people. Completely oblivious to the madness going on around them a couple stroll down the road with only eyes for each other. He's got his arm loosely round her shoulders and she's got hers wrapped around his waist pulling him in tight for a passionate tongue-definitely-in-mouth-full-blown-French kiss, fingers linked together, eyes locked on each other .... and they're wearing matching boiler suits (yep that's right BOILER SUITS) without a care in the world. Hers is a pastel yellow, his a slate grey, and they've both styled them impeccably; rolled up at the ankle, sleeves pushed back over the elbow, and for some reason or another they just command my attention. I can't take my eyes off this gorgeous couple looking undeniably hot in their copy-cat outfits, and right then and there I was smitten. I had a serious case of Couple Crush.

Sadly I've no photo of the two exquisite folk I spied that day but instead I've scoured the tinterweb so you can feast your eyes on these lovely couples instead. This post is dedicated to the Boiler Suit Couple and couples the world over who dress alike and unabashedly kiss in the street. I salute you, your passion and your street style.

For more Couples Street Style follow my Couples Crush board on Pinterest
www.pinterest.com/PlumsPins/c-o-u-p-l-e-c-r-u-s-h/

Basket Case

  

 

 

Vintage 50s dress - Cats-eye sunglasses from ebay - Vintage basket-bag from Brooklyn Flea Market - Espadrilles from OFFICE

This really has been one hell of an epic winter. Its been long and its been hard and quite frankly I've had enough of it! I've been bored of the cold, sick of the rain and earnestly longing for some green on the trees. For many a month now I've desperately wanted to see the sky looking any other blumming shade but grey!

So a few weeks ago when the mercury began steadily creeping up and the blossom began to bloom, it felt like at long last we were leaving the single-digit biting-cold days behind us. Spring had finally deigned to join the party, seriously late mind but hey, at least she was here in all her gorgeously sunny glory. I needed no extra incentive. I 'made the switch'. By this I mean I packed away my 'winter wardrobe' full of opaque woollen tights, bobbly jumpers and suitable-for-the-Arctic coats and switched them with the little summer dresses, vintage Kaftans and bikinis (slightly ambitious I know) that I deem my 'summer wardrobe'. In hindsight this may have been slightly ambitious. This week those single-digit days have been back with a vengeance and I've grappled with myself as to whether its OKay to put the heating on in May, then caved, and had it on twice. Oh the joys of the British weather.

So as you can tell these photos weren't taken this week, nor last week. In fact they were taken a few weekends ago on a particularly glorious May Bank Holiday Monday when the weather was *gasp* a deliciously warm 20c. And when the sun comes out there's nothing better to do than grab your picnic basket(s) and a bottle of prosecco and hot-foot it to the nearest park to picnic with your friends. I'm glad I made the most of that sunny day, as who knows when we'll have one again?! I hear its meant to be nice one week in late June ....

NEON NEON

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've long had a love affair with neon and have a whole board on Pinterest dedicated to neon signs I love. Be it Tracey Emin's poignant and provocative words emblazoned in light, or the retro motel and diner signs of the 50s, everything just looks better in neon. Chris Bracey may have summed up exactly why I like it so much, "neon is only happy when it's on, when it's alive". I'm thinking of adopting this as a mantra for life.

Anyways I digress, Chris Bracey is The Neon Man and he's earned that title creating iconic art-pieces using neon for the past 37 years, including commissions for Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and David LaChapelle, and has provided installations for films such as Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Batman films. You may know him as the man behind Gods Own Junkyard, quite literally a graveyard for neon, located in Walthamstow and open to the public (its been on my list of must-get-round-to's for a while now) its where Chris's collection of salvaged fairground lights, vintage advertising signage and retired film-set pieces lives, waiting to be be repaired and resurrected to become the dazzling art-works he's renowned for.

With a strong rock n' roll aesthetic running through it his current exhibition "I've Looked Up to Heaven And Been Down to Hell" is at Scream on Eastcastle Street, coincidentally enough just round the corner from where he first made a name for himself. As its Bracey who created the neon signs that the swinging 70s Soho nightclubs were renowned for, and quite possibly why his work doesn't just ooze sex, but flashes it (pun intended), in all its glorious throbbing, pulsating technicolour. I urge you to visit Scream, the exhibition is free (always a good thing in my book!) and you'll come away bedazzled and with a serious lust for light.

Chris Bracey - "I've Looked Up to Heaven And Been Down to Hell"is at Scream on 27 - 28 Eastcastle Street W1W 8DH
www.screamlondon.com
www.GodsOwnJunkyard.com 

Out Of Season

Dress from a flea-market in Paris - shoes from Kurt Geiger - vintage fur stole bought at Standon Calling Festival. This has been worn by the lead singer of !!! two years later at the same festival (this is a true story) - vintage leather jacket

I have a confession. These photos are, in fact, a whole two seasons old, and by season I don't mean AW12 or SS13. By season I mean that they were taken in Autumn and its now technically Spring (it just doesn't feel like it, but trust me, it is Spring). Yup these photos were taken on a balmy day in November and its now March and I've only just posted them, a whopping four months later. Apologies. I'm a very bad blogger. Forgive me?