For years, Ben has talked about taking me to St. Ives in Cornwall, England. He used to live there back in the day for a couple of years. St Ives is (so far) the prettiest place I’ve seen in England and the water on the coast is so clear and blue, you wouldn’t really guess it’s in England at all.

Ben took this photo!

Ben was really excited when this year his family decided to do their holiday in St. Ives! His mom, sister (Emma), her husband (Craig), his brother (Josh), and his girlfriend (Tamsin), as well as his little bro (Max), were all there. It was a fun and boozy time as always with them!

Getting to St Ives

You can take the train to St Ives from London, no problem. I suggest downloading an app like rome2rio to find the best routes with public transportation.

You can also drive which is what Ben and I did. We rented an adorable mini cooper from Sixt (I’ve used them for my past few car rentals and like them). We drove from Ben’s hometown, Tonbridge. If you drive, you might pass Stonehenge! I had no clue we would and was really surprised to see it. Check that off the list, haha.

When to visit St Ives and How to find a hotel in St Ives

St Ives is SO popular and beautiful that it can get crowded. We went on a bank holiday weekend, like everyone else there. The crowds themselves weren’t that big of a deal. The problem we faced was trying to find a hotel online before going. There aren’t many actual “hotels” in St Ives and actually because it’s such a small town with little lanes and everything, it’s more B&Bs. The B&B’s are really cute and charming, so I recommend booking one instead of the hotels.

Ben’s family had booked a house before we knew we were going, so they stayed in a really cute place that had three bedrooms, booked through this site which has a lot of homes in St Ives listed. Ben and I got a small B&B nearby.

When you search major booking sites, these little B&B’s won’t pop up though, so what we did was search for them on Google Maps. Funnily enough, the one I found, Downlong Cottage, Ben had stayed at in the past and knew exactly where it was. We called them and made the booking on the phone and Ben did a money transfer through the bank to hold the booking. We paid 46 GBP per person, per night. This is way less expensive than a hotel room or any of the larger B&B’s we found on booking sites. A lot of the smaller B&B’s you’ll find, won’t have online booking so just call them from Skype.

Another thing to keep in mind during peak travel times to St Ives is that with it being such a small town, it can be hard to get a table at restaurants. Some take bookings, so if you have a big party, definitely call ahead. But a lot don’t and you might have to check a few places before you find a table. Thankfully, there are so many tasty restaurants here it’s unlikely you’ll end up having a bad meal.

What to do in St Ives

The best thing to do in St Ives is, of course, the beach! You might be thinking “but it’s freezing”, yes, it is – and English people don’t care. They swim in wetsuits and sit on the windy beach in jeans and sweaters. Not gonna lie, it’s totally crazy lol but we got lucky and had some sun so I actually got a tan and even burnt a little. Even in the sun, the water was way too cold for me to get in.

Some of the crew did go surfing (with wet suits) but I chickened out. For one, it was cold, and two, it was smaller white water waves which I suck at and I knew it would be annoying to probably only catch one wave while freezing my butt off. Instead, I played photographer for them. There are a few beaches in St Ives, and the best beach for surfing is Porthmeor, which is pictured here.

We also rented out little motor boats, which was Ben’s sister’s idea. You can rent them for 75 GBP for 90 minutes (I *think*). They don’t go fast and you have to stay within a zoned area; it’s great for kids. We took fishing equipment which was an absolute failure. You rent these at the Harbor.

If you like photography, there is a really great viewpoint up at the top by where the buses stop. It’s not much of a walk at all. Here are some photos from it, overlooking the harbor below.

St Ives is actually known for art, and people come here to go to the Tate Art Gallery which we didn’t make time for. You can also check out the Minack Theatre, which is an open-air theatre. A lot of people recommended I check out the Eden Project which is a big biosphere housing rainforest flowers and such. We didn’t have time for it and Ben had already visited this, so didn’t go. There are some other activities like a little theme park called Flambard’s Experience, an arcade, and a Maritime Museum.

Ben lost his phone the first night, so we had to go to nearby Penzance to get him a new one. We passed St Michael’s Mount, which is an island but it was a little gloomy so my photo didn’t turn out great:

With the rest of your time, you can DRINK cuz why not!? and you can wander around the cute little roads. There are shops, but I didn’t think anything was cute enough to go in. It was mostly knickknacks and housewares.

Food in St Ives

In St Ives, there are a few things you have to try: a Cornish Pasty, fish n chips, fudge, scones with clotted cream and jam (or cream tea). You’ll see shops for this stuff all over the place!

For drinks, you can go the Sloop but it’s sometimes too crowded because it’s the most popular, so if so, you can go to Upper Deck, just behind which has some views of the sea, too.

You definitely have to have an English breakfast while here! Our B&B (and I think most) will offer this included in your price.

The best meal we had was at Porthgwidden Beach Cafe. I got the crab linguini and it was delish – sadly, I’d already had about a bottle of wine so wasn’t focused enough on eating haha!

We also tried the Rum and Crab Shack because it had great reviews, but I thought the BBQ ribs were weird (it was an odd cut of meat, not typical ribs) and had a strange sauce. Can’t say I recommend it much!

Ben and I went to Seafood Cafe one night which was really good. You order your drinks, then go up to the counter and pick out the meat or fish you want and order your food at the counter. We had mussels, steak, and fish n chips. We wanted to go to Blas Burgerworks because Ben used to eat there when he lived here but never found the time.

St Ives has a lot to offer and it’s definitely somewhere I’d go back to. I think some days there are really nice waves as well, so it would be cool to man up a bit and try surfing here next time! Have you been to St. Ives? Tell me your favorite places there in the comments!

The post Chilling Out in St Ives With Ben’s Family (and some travel tips) first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Chilling Out in St Ives With Ben’s Family (and some travel tips) appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

If you read my last post on what’s new in my world, then you know I just headed back to Europe for a bit and my bestie, Arielle, is finally met Ben! This also means I was in England for late summer/early fall, which is very different from late summer/early fall in Goa. Here’s my full London packing list for the fall so you know what to pack for this time of year too!

London Packing List for the Fall

Quick Things to Note:

• Late summer/early fall in England is literally a toss-up. One day, in St. Ives I laid at the beach and got a sunburn BUT at the same time, you couldn’t get in the sea without a wet suit and the wind was fierce. Other days, I had on jeans, boots, a long sleeve shirt, and leather jacket and was still a bit cold walking outside. The key is *LAYERS*
• If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, I swear Kiwi always finds the best and cheapest options for getting there!
• England can be expensive, so make sure you have travel insurance just in case anything goes wrong.

Below is my luggage fully packed for England:

The Suitcase – Delsey

I’ve been using Delsey luggage for years and although I have other favorite luggages, this has always been and probably always will be my go-to. I bought it years before I started blogging and it’s still in perfect condition. It’s been through a lot.

See all my picks for stylish luggage here

I also totally swear by packing cubes for keeping myself organized! I have way too many, and they’re all from ebags. Looks how organized it made my bag! It’s so easy to get to everything when I’m traveling.

The Bags

1 bigger tote bag

My exact one is here. I live for this bag from Bali Since it was a two-week trip where I’d be lugging my luggage around a lot, it was unnecessary to take a rolling carry on. And Instead of my new favorite backpack, I took this cute tote as it could double up as a purse when I have huge days out and need to take my camera or do shopping.

1 smaller cross body bag

This one is similar to mine. This bag is the same brand as the tote, Etnika, it’s from Bali but sold on Etsy. I actually packed this purse in my luggage and only carried my tote on the plane. Since this wasn’t a “blogging” trip, I had a lot less tech equipment to take with me.

Check out all the different styles and sizes here.

The Shoes

2 pairs of mule-style sandals

Mine are Sola Sana and James Smith the Label (the tan platforms).

1 pair of UGG high top sneakers

My sneakers are actually from UGG! You wouldn’t think they have great sneakers, but I got these nearly two years ago and they are so comfortable; I’ve worn them around Morocco, Israel, and the cities – they make a boring outfit look so much cooler. I actually have them in tan, too!

1 pair of black booties

My booties are from Steve Madden. I’ve had these boots forEVER and wear them on every trip I go on that’s somewhat cold plus wear them out partying here in Goa even when it’s warm, with a little dress. They are really versatile and I actually have just bought them in dark brown because they were FINALLY on sale but I left them in Ohio because I’m weird like that.

The Tops

2 sweaters.

I packed just two cute throw over sweaters, one that is heavier and one that is lighter. Both can fit comfortably under my leather jacket, which is important.

10 tops.

This was a two-week trip where I had access to laundry, so the number of tops depends on your trip length. My favorite two tops I packed are the flowy Free People top above with lemons (even though Ben’s bro said it looked like I was wearing a picnic table cover) and the striped yellow tee shirt (which I wore in all my Howth photos) from Madewell.

Everything Else

Leather Jacket

2 Pairs of Jamie Jeans

I live in these type of jeans and think they are the BEST fitting jeans on me.

Sports Bra

Yoga/Lounge Leggings

For More Packing Posts

• 17 Travel Packing Hacks
• Packing for Finland in the Winter
• Packing for Various Regions of Long-Term Travel

Pin “London Packing List for the Fall” for later!

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Think that London just consists of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace? Think again! The city is absolutely full of hidden gems and offbeat London destinations you won’t want to miss on any trip to the Big Smoke. You just need to know where to look.

After all, once you’ve wandered along the Thames and snapped a few photos of the Houses of Parliament, you’ll want to see where the locals really hang out. Here are five offbeat London destinations you won’t want to miss on a visit to the city

Read More: Best Instagram locations in London

Wander around the Mews of London

Okay, this first one isn’t really a single destination per se but more of a collection of places to see and visit. Feel like you’re in a real-life vintage movie and wander through the mews of London. Located for the most part in areas of London such as South Kensington, Mayfair and Notting Hill the ‘mews’ of London are the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily London life.

These small streets were originally home to stables when the city of London ran on horse and cart. Today, these stables have been converted to some of the chicest properties the city has to offer. Some of my favorite mews to wander along include Dunworth Mews and Redcliffe Mews.

Visit the Monument to the Great Fire of London

One of the best ways to see a city is from above, and London is no exception. While a visit to the Sky Garden usually needs to be booked a couple of weeks in advance, a visit to the nearby Great Fire of London Monument usually consists of little more than a half hour queue.

Sure, it’s not quite as high as the Walkie Talkie building, but at 61 meters high, the monument is hardly short! Entry is priced at under a fiver (£5) and from the top, you can see the city of London’s skyline in all its glory. From the Shard to St Paul’s to Tower Bridge, the view across the Thames is truly phenomenal; particularly on a sunny day!

Go Vintage Shopping at Portobello Road Market

From offbeat finds to quirky designers, there’s a whole treasure trove (or should that be shopping basket?) worth of vintage stuff waiting to be worn, discovered and loved at Portobello Road Market.

Situated near Notting Hill every weekend hundreds of stalls pop up along Portobello Road. There’s everything from yummy food stands to antique dealers to pretty jewelry. Even if you’re not looking to buy anything, it’s still worth a look around.

Read more: Luxury guide to London & Luxury guide to Chelsea

Purchase a new read at an independent bookstore

London is not only a great place to go vintage shopping, but it’s full of independent bookstores (both vintage and modern) dotted around the city. On a rainy day, there is nothing I enjoy more than wandering into one of these stores and spending hours perusing the shelves, looking for a new read.

Bookstores I highly recommend wandering around include Hurlingham Books (91 Fulham High St, Fulham, London SW6 3JS), and Skoob Books (66 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N).

Grab a drink with friends in Camden!

In the past few years alone, cocktail culture in the Big Smoke has just grown and grown. And the place to be? Camden. Vintage stores line the canal, as well as quirky eateries and a whole host of bars and pubs to suit almost any budget.

My favourite bar in the area is probably Fifty-Five Bar (31 Jamestown Rd, Camden Town, London NW1 7DB). They serve a huge variety of delicious cocktails. Ranging from your typical Mojito to more unusual dessert concoctions, you’re sure to find something you like!

Check out a smaller museum: there are over 200 to choose from!

Sure, everyone’s heard of the British Museum and the Natural History Museum, but did you know that there are over 200 museums? Many of these are smaller, house style museums, focusing on a particular interest or topic.

From the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum where Fleming first discovered the lifesaving antibiotic that is penicillin, to the cartoon museum, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Even if you’re ‘not a museum person’, I’m sure you’ll find something you enjoy!

The museum pictured below is the Sir John Soane’s Museum (13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP).  A former architect who designed notable sites of interest around the city including the Bank of England, Sir John Soane left his house to the nation when he died.

Today, the museum is free to visit and you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside, or even keep your phone switched on! It’s the perfect place to escape busy city life, if only for a few hours…

Pop into Neal’s Yard

Located in the very heart of London’s zone one, you’ll find a small alleyway by the name of ‘Neal’s Yard’. In fact, this is not one lane, but three tiny alleyways converging in a completely adorable little enclave. And when I say ‘little’, I really mean tiny.

Make sure to arrive early in the morning, or on a weekday because even a few people here make the place seem crowded. Colorful shopfronts and independent eateries make up this small space. It’s a lovely place to enjoy a bite to eat and forget you’re in London altogether.

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Ben is basically Indian now, but actually, he’s English and since I’ve been living in India with him we’ve gone back to the UK to see his family a few times. I’ve written about Tunbridge Wells before (where he grew up), Brighton, and Hastings & Rye, a trip we took with his mom, brother and mom’s boyfriend.

Although Ben is usually unimpressed with Tunbridge Wells, as most people are with their hometowns, I think it’s a really nice town. His family doesn’t live there anymore but it’s just 20 minutes away so we went a couple of times.

Our first meal was fish n’ chips from a Chinese place down the road which coincidentally was my first meal in England EVER when I was 20. Turns out the Chinese shops are known for making pretty good fish and it was pretty tasty.

On a previous trip we went to Hever Castle, and this time Ben took me to another one called Bodium Castle. It’s from the 14th century and has a moat. It was 20 pounds for the two of us to enter (plus parking). Not bad!

As always, we spend a lot of time eating (and deciding for hours where we want to eat because Ben and his friends are literally the least decisive people on the planet). This little pub called the Little Brown Jug was really tasty! We had more fish n’ chips, ham and cheese sammie, and some mac n’ cheese.

In case you’re wondering the green goo is mushy peas and it’s really good!

We chose this time of the year to go back because it coincided with Ben’s little sister getting married. She had the most Pinterest-perfect wedding ever and designed/decorated it all herself.

It went off perfectly and was so much fun. It was in Brixton inside a chapel of an old asylum. The reception was a building that used to hold raves back in the day. Ben and his bro’s Josh and Max read a poem at the ceremony and when she walked down the aisle a friend sang and played guitar.

These two are Ben’s bro Josh and his girlfriend Tamsin on the transport arranged to get between venues- old school red English buses

We did spend some time in London. Ben’s sis generously offered her apartment to us while she was off on her honeymoon. She lives in Brixton which is the “coolest place to be” these days. We checked out the famous Brixton Market, Pop Brixton, and some other “hip” spots.

People rave about Federation coffee, so we stopped in for a cappuccino. I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t drink mine. It tasted awful. But this is coming from someone who typically drinks vanilla flavored beans, adds chocolate creamer, and caramel Hershey’s syrup, plus a scoop of sugar to her morning mocha. I’m sure real coffee drinkers will think this stuff is gold.

We went into Shoreditch too, to BoxPark another little market of sorts. These places are all so cute but when you see what they’re importing from abroad and compare prices it’s crazy expensive. Like I could actually buy these things in Asia at about 1/10th of the price.

Our reason for going to Shoreditch wasn’t because we are super trendy and love graffiti it was to eat greasy American food. I’ve corrupted Ben who claimed this meal was his favorite meal while was back in the UK.

We ate at Red Dog Saloon and strangely there are 4 big American BBQ restaurants in this area. I had wings and a root beer float (okay, okay, I had onion rings and jalepeno poppers too…) and Ben had the brisket.

Speaking of food, I did try some different restaurants this time around. Wahaca is a rip off of Chipotle but it’s pretty good if you miss Tex-mex. It’s a chain restaurant so you’ll see it all over. Tortilla is a super rip-off of it and it was pretty terrible, also a chain.

Everyone was raving about this place Franco Manca’s who has whole sourdough pizzas starting at 5 pounds. It was really tasty. They have this hipster vibe where they don’t cut the pizza to be cool or something, but I’m like seriously just cut my pizza for me. It would take them two seconds, but with my dull butter knife I destroyed the pizza over the next 5 minutes. Moving on… I always love the pizza from Pizza Express, and still, unfortunately, don’t get the appeal of sausage rolls.

We stayed at the Grazing Goat during the weekend of the wedding which is in Marylebone, near Oxford Street, and I gather a pretty fancy part of town (hint being the many Bentley’s on our road).

I have seen the touristy stuff in London before, so we didn’t do too much of that. We did go to the Tate Modern. It’s free entry to most attractions there and was nice to wander around although we got tired of it after about two hours. We probably only saw 25% of it.

We went to Borough Market but didn’t buy anything, because again London markets are cute but the novelty comes at higher pricetags.

PS the tube is about 3 pounds per journey but if you buy an Oyster card for 5 pounds and use it to tap in and out, not only is it easier, but it’s only 1.50 pounds. Same for overground train rides for which you’ll basically get 50% off. I didn’t know until part way through my trip (or for the last 4 years I’ve visited London). Ben, of course, didn’t tell me because he hates the tube and likes to use any reason to Uber instead (ha!).

We had a great two weeks in England. When we weren’t in London we were in the town his mom lives hanging out with his family and his friends. I always love going to England to see Ben’s people.

I had come from London straight from Israel. After this trip, Ben went back to India but I went on to Latvia. I came back to London for a couple of days and worked with a company called Pictrip who do photo tours of the city. I have a couple of pictures below. From there I went to Morocco, then back to London again for two days. Immigration had a few more questions on my third entry to the country within a month. Dealing with immigration, though… what else is new!?

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While in London, Ben and I usually stay with his brother or other family members. There were a couple nights we did need a hotel during the weekend of his sister’s wedding. I chose the Grazing Goat in Marylebone and area I didn’t know much about before going. The hotel seemed cute though. Here’s a review of the Grazing Goat Hotel in London.

Grazing Goat Hotel Review London

The restaurant is inside and outside and the hotel is on the floors above it. While they are famous for their Sunday roasts, we only had time for breakfast each morning as our days were fully packed. At night, the bar stayed open until around 1130 pm and it was noisy until it closed. It was extra noisy for us as we had the windows open for cool air (it was hot the nights we stayed and the hotel doesn’t have A/C as most places in England don’t).

The toiletries were from Aesop which is fun since apparently it’s the coolest new stuff! I hadn’t heard of it. Then I go to Emma’s wedding and she’s got the stuff at the reception as a special touch. My friend Tamsin was telling me it’s all the rage. Whaddyaknow!

The place definitely has a charm to it. For me, being from the states, I loved the vibe and the wooden floors, deer antler decor, and pub like feel downstairs. For Ben who is used to these things, he wanted a quiet room with A/C and as men do, complained a bit. If you’re here in the hot months it’s something to keep in mind. Luckily, the second night we came back late, so the pub was closed.

The front door locks and you get a key for that and your room. This means that the day you check in you need to check in before about 1030 pm to make sure you can get in. Most people do, but I know late check-ins are a thing. Make sure you let them know if you are checking in late so something can be sorted out.

If you have luggage, keep in mind this is a walk-up.

The first morning I had an omelette and toast as I had to fit into my dress for the wedding but the day after the wedding, nice and hungover, I had a huge English breakfast (then when to Ben’s friends Mitch’s house to have another one a couple hours later). Baked beans were the bomb. The blueberry smoothie was also perfect.

Overall, it’s a great place to stay. The area is definitely upscale. At one point there were 3 bentleys on the road outside the hotel. It’s just near Oxford Street so you can do some shopping. Click here for rates and availability.

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London has some of the most picturesque spots in the world and in this day and age of social media, it’s not just bloggers who want to get the best Instagram shots in London, but lots of travelers and even locals. A photograph from you travels is sometimes the best souvenir.

How to get the best Instagram shots in London

I teamed up with Pictrip to try out their services in London while I was there last month. They partner you up with a local photographer and you go off to explore. Before your photoshoot day, you are given the options of where you can shoot. There were a lot in London but I narrowed it down to Shoreditch (graffiti and urban vibes), Westminster (this whole area, the typical London vibe), and Notting Hill (antiques, colorful houses).

Here’s some samples of the photos that I got sent to me in a gallery just days after the shoot. There were 75 sent all together for a 3 hour shoot in 3 locations. I did the “City Trekker” package which is 420 GBP. If that’s not in your budget or you don’t need 75 photos, you can do the smallest package of 15 images for 150 pounds. You do take the tube from spot to spot so bring an Oyster card or buy a day pass. You can get some cool shots inside the stations.

People who use Pictrip are often travelers looking for that great souvenir, couples on a special trip like an anniversary or honeymoon, and even families who want a unique look on their vacation instead of the normal studio shots.

Pictrip isn’t just in London though. Elsewhere in Europe, you can find them in Paris, Venice, Dublin, Milan, Nice, Barcelona, Lake Como, Monaca, and Rome. In North America, you can do shoots in NYC, Disney (LA), LA, San Fransisco, Toronto, Boston, and Vancouver. They also are in Dubai, Sydney, and Melbourne.

Outfit Ideas

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Welcome back to the series “International Boho-Chic Designers”. I meet so many fashion designers and artists on my travels and as a shopaholic,  I love having unique items from abroad. I want to share them with you!  The designers featured here are those I really shop from and adore.

Shoop Doop hasn’t been around long, but it’s what all the guys in Goa are wearing, and the shirts are unique but at the same time you can tell where they bought it from. They all have a touch of his funky style. It’s quickly becoming the go-to shop for guys here in Goa, and taking off in London as well. As you can imagine, lots of the shopping is done by girls buying for their family or boyfriend.

Sean offered to give away THREE shirts! Girls, enter the giveaway so you can gift this to someone. I’m really resisting entering the giveaway myself so I can get one for Ben ha, but that would be breaking the rules.. I’ll let you guys win ;)

The guy behind Shoop Doop

He has such an interesting background, which is probably why his shirts are so inspired and full of color. Sean Barr moved to London from Scotland in the 80’s with a desire to sing and after lots of work, he landed a job through Mute records singing backing with Erasure and a session with Boy George’s band, Culture Club.

During his travel, he was buying nice shirts in (a then undiscovered by tourists) Turkey and selling them in Greece. His love of fashion and travel was born! He started traveling in Australia, USA, North Africa, India, more of Asia.. and doesn’t seem to be stopping even now. He played music along the way in a variety of huge name brands in the UK and Ibiza, becoming quite famous from what I gather, or “infamous possibly!” as he says.

Parties with Brit Winner, Paloma Faith in Thailand

He realized that on stage, everyone was in boring H&M shirts and wanted to make a change. He started making funky pants and shirts and people were noticing. He ended up taking his samples to London, and bam now he’s got a whole new career!

Shoop Doop, the brand.

“I decided I didn’t want to make a safe collection of shirts which sat together nicely neatly and blandly. That’s not me, and it wouldn’t work if I went down that road.”

He appreciates everyone having different tastes and styles but didn’t want to stop from using color just because Brit’s typically shy away from it. Indian of course love color. They’ve been on Goa’s Fashion week and Fashion TV here.

“I love color, I always have done in all it’s forms, which was definitely a hugely inspirational aspect of being in India and an obvious choice for me to work in creating.”

He started bold with shirts covered in flamingos, burgers, fries, and lobsters! But not everyone is into that, so he did some funky retro shirts, some vintage, and some sophisticated and meant to look more sexy. Most are for men, but he does have a range for women and even kids.

“Each shirt belongs to someone is what I have found. Sometimes, I look at what I created and wonder if I got it wrong, only for someone to come in first thing of opening and buy that particular shirt!”

This brand is very unique for dudes & girls traveling. These have been worn by LA rockers like
Cat Power & Icarus Line to the Bollywood star Kim Sharma. Something for everyone. Plus, most of his shirts are cotton, so they wear well and will look better than a t-shirt. You can go from the beach to the club and be dressed appropriately. Plus, they are affordable at 30 pounds each (2,200 Rs. or 47 USD)

Malik, the Shoop Doop tailor

Where can you buy Shoop Doop?

Online at ASOS is available for you all over the world.

If you’re in England, check out The White Horse in Brixton South London, POP Brixton at Make Do & Mend, Fashion Klicks in Norwood, and Woo Woo Boutique in the trendy Brixton Village Market.

Their main shop is located in Goa, on Ashwem, Morjim beach next to La Plage & Jade Jagger. They are stocked in other shops in Goa like Anjuna Flea Market, behind Sea Breeze, at the Arpora Saturday Night Market, near gate 1, at Cheshire Cat & Villa Blanche in Assagao, Mermaids in Anjuna, and Lamuela in both Arambol and Mandrem, and Fara Boutique in Arambol.

Night Market, Arpora

You can also find them in Delhi on the second floor Studio 417  Shapur Jat (Near Dada Jungi house). If you’re none of those places, shop online on the Shoop Doop Website (they ship internationally).

To connect, follow along their journey on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter, email at shoopdooplondon@gmail.com or ring them at +44-208-671-6397 or in Goa +91-8888-564-234.

*Shoop Doop 3 Winner giveaway!!!*

For this giveaway there will be THREE winners! As usual, I am running this giveaway through rafflecopter so the machine can choose the winner. These are the shirts up for grabs, which are his most sold shirts:

you get the shirt, not the guy ;)

All you have to do is follow the instructions below which include liking both Shoop Doop London and I on social media as linked below. You have 7 days to enter. This giveaway is open to people from all countries. You will win the 1 of 3 shirts (first pick gets first choice). which is a £30 value (about 47  bucks). These are my favorite of the whole collection. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The post International Boho-Chic Designers: Shoop Doop // London & a giveaway! first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post International Boho-Chic Designers: Shoop Doop // London & a giveaway! appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.

A Luxury Guide to London

Tell us a little about yourself and tell us why you’re an expert on luxury travel in London.

I’m Kirsten, and I’ve been born and bred in London – although at times it can be a love/hate relationship, it’s an unconditional love! I went to university in Norwich, a much smaller city in the UK (very dainty and cute). I spent some of that time at university living and studying in Melbourne, Australia, and completely fell in love with the country. After graduating, I came back to London and spend my time navigating more of my home city. Even after all this time, it never fails to surprise me with new bars, events or views.

What makes London a perfect destination for travelers seeking a glamorous trip?

London’s full of the old, historic grandeur of the past as well as innovative ideas to spice up any luxury experience. The more I see of other cities, the more I appreciate how flexible London can be: it’s the posh, traditional mother or father and it’s the gritty cool kid – but always (well, most of the time) done with a touch of sophistication.

What 5 star hotel is the best in your town?

There are a few! The complete classic is The Savoy. If you come here, you’ve hit the big time. The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel is probably the most beautiful looking hotel from the outside (and inside!) I’ve ever seen in London.

What about boutique hotels, of them all, which would you send your friends or family to stay at?

There are probably three options: two of them are Firmdale hotels, the Covent Garden Hotel and Soho Hotel. They’re boutique on the most luxury end of the scale.

For more quirk, I’d go with The Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch. It’s not as much typical boutique as part of the new breed of hip hotels with that streetwise but homely feel, with an open fireplace, exposed brick wall and books.

Are there any fun activities for the adventurous traveler?

You can climb up the Millenium Dome (now called the o2) which is near where I live, in Greenwich! Do it at sunset – you’ll get a wonderful view over London. There’s also a speedboat that’ll swing you around on the Thames with some funny music, like the James Bond theme tune. Experiencing London’s landmarks from the river gives you a bit of a different perspective. In summer, there’s a really fun trend to learn to trapeze outside in some of London’s parks. For a built up city, it’s got a lot of options.

Where are the best hang outs during the day? 

London’s parks are lovely – I’ve had many lazy, sunny afternoons in Hyde Park, Regent’s Park and St James’ Park (which looks magical in the spring with flowers everywhere and a view of the London Eye). There are even lidos you can spend the day at – I went to Brockwell Lido last summer, and even though it can’t properly take the place of a good beach, I’ll accept it as a substitute! 

London has so many markets dotted around to explore with friends or by yourself. One of my favourites is Columbia Road Flower Market – for flowers, believe it or not. It also has cafés and cute independent shops so you have somewhere to go after the hustle and bustle of all kinds of beautiful flowers being excitedly sold. I always try to pick up a bunch of sunflowers here as they’re a favourite flower of mine.

I recently went to Maltby Street Market with my sister, which left us so pleasantly surprised. Located under railway arches, it has such an authentic feel and every food stall you look at has you intrigued.

In the winter, it’s all about cafés and pubs. London loves pubs. Wilton Music Hall is perfect for some history and a pint. The worn away and exposed walls with its relaxed vibe make you feel so comfortable to settle down and cosily while away the day.

If you have a big date night, what are the most delicious restaurants in London and what are their best dishes?

I have an American boyfriend who lives in Boston, so whenever he visits London, I always try to impress him with the city’s restaurants. To be honest, it’s a challenge to pick somewhere as London has so many restaurants.

We’ve gone to Sushisamba, which has some other locations over the world, but in London it’s got a great view and their sashimi is awesome. Head outside for a cocktail by the fire, too – the mojito is a treat.

Location: Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY

In London, we get a ton of concept restaurants – the most recent I’ve been to is called Bubbledogs: all sorts of hotdogs (you can choose toppings from mac’n’cheese to caramelised lettuce), and an extensive list of champagne. It’s a genius idea to me that still manages to leave you feeling glamorous, despite eating hot dogs.

Location: 70 Charlotte St, London W1T 4QG

Village East is also great: modern European food presented so well and some killer cocktails.

Location: 171-173 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UW

Let’s talk desserts- what place makes the best?

I’m weirdly going to have to mention a brunch spot here. It’s the Cookbook Café, inside the Intercontinental Hotel. You get unlimited bellinis and an all you can eat buffet – but in a classy way – including waffles topped with popping candy, eggs benedict, sashimi, and finally, masses of dessert cakes, including little macaroons. It’s incredible and is honestly one of my favourite places to go in London. 

Tell us all the hot shopping spots; who’s carrying the trendy local designers? Are there designers we should make sure to meet?

Avoid Oxford Street like the plague! Ok, maybe an exaggeration – it does have everything you need, but only go there very early. It’s so busy and it can get pretty stressful at times (Christmas shopping here this year will definitely be a pain I must suffer!). I prefer Long Acre in Covent Garden area as it still has some of my favourite shops (like Zara, but sadly not Topshop) and is much less busy.

It’s definitely worth checking out the markets, too. Spitalfields market is great for upcoming designers and it’s a great day out.

What are a couple of the best salons and spas in London? 

Sadly my favourite spa right in the middle of London recently closed down, so I’m trying to find another! I’ve heard good things about the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s spa in Hyde Park. The Berkeley Spa has a rooftop pool with views over Hyde Park and is a hit with celebrities, or Four Seasons Spa, which is located on the tenth floor… also over Hyde Park. Basically, head to Hyde Park for all your glamorous, luxury needs. 

Time for a great sunset view… where would you go?

I think the key with a memorable London sunset is to go high. My favourite has been while having afternoon tea in Tower 42. I treated my mum for her birthday and we sipped champagne while watching the sun set right behind the view of London, with St Paul’s Cathedral in one direction and Tower Bridge another.

Otherwise, I’m always a big fan of a sunset from a park. Primrose Hill gives you a good view, and Hyde Park is gorgeous.

Now that the sun’s gone down, fill us on the best places to go for some evening drinks or a great pre-gaming spot.

This is where things get tricky – I’m not sure I can adequately express my love for cocktails, so I’m always hunting around for a new watering hole. There’s Calooh Callay, which is a bar in East London with a collection of weird and wonderful decorations. For chocolate lovers, Dirty Martini in Covent Garden has a delicious chocolate martini (chocolate swirl included). And for a really intimate setting, Bourne & Hollingsworth is like a trendy grandma’s living room, with drinks served in teacups and mason jars.

Secret bars are a big thing here too. Head to Evans & Peel Detective Agency (it really is a bar, I promise) where you need to come with a ‘case’ that proves you worthy of seeing the Detective i.e. entering the bar. If that’s not earning your drink, I’m not sure what is…

I have to mention Circus, too. It’s a bar and restaurant in Covent Garden where circus acts perform their tricks and talents (such as flamethrowing and much more) on the central table throughout the evening. On the weekends it stays open as a club where you can then dance on the tables.

You can also get drinks at the Shard which can be pricey, but a very ‘London’ experience. It also gives you pretty much the same view as at the top but without having to buy the ticket! Definitely put on your best dress/suit here, it’s the perfect excuse to dress up.

The post Luxury Guide to London first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Luxury Guide to London appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Want a chance to win a free vacation!?

I just took a quiz from a UK travel agency called Parkdean Holidays to be entered to win a prize of a 7 day stay at one of their two dozen resorts across the UK for your family- it’s worth 750 pounds.

I expect my English reader will do better than I did, although I didn’t bomb it. I got a score of 534 (I am pretty sure I missed half of them).

The quiz is right below if you want to try your chances. They’ll show you two photos at a time, one “home” aka UK, and one “away” of beaches and waterfalls. Just make your guess and see how many of the ten you get right.

Make sure after you finish the quiz, you enter you e-mail after so they can contact you if you win.

Crossing my fingers!

Did know Newquay from Nice? Let me know in the comments how you did in the Home or Away Quiz!

The only time I’ve spent beachside in the UK is when Ben took me to Brighton Pier, but I’ve always wanted to see more. I’ve explored the Brighton lanes, his hometown in Kent, and London a couple of times, but it’s the countryside I really hope to see, as well as Cornwall.

Brighton Lanes

Would you like more posts like this, with chances to win trips abroad? This post was in partnership with Parkdean Holidays.

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big purple box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

The post Want to Win a Free Vacation in the UK? first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Want to Win a Free Vacation in the UK? appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I was lucky enough to go back to England, and I am so excited to tell you about it. I wasn’t going to mess up this re-do, it was a second chance in London. I had already seen “what you’re supposed to see” years ago. London was the first city I went to in Europe. I think I have 300 photos from my 4 days there. 10 of just the train station. 5 of me in a phone booth. I was a super tourist (I still kind of am). I don’t want to bore you so I won’t tell you all of London’s castles, gardens, and monuments that will make you believe in fairy tales. When you get there, grab a tourist map and wander for a couple days, you will see it all! No problems except sore feet.

When I first went to London that’s what I did. The first day I carried my backpack all day because I didn’t have a hostel yet. Double Super Tourist. I can still remember how blown away I was by Westminster Abbey, the “sand drip castle” I call it. I love castles and forts! I got a street artist to draw it for me and hung it in my room all through University. The rest of the sites: London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, etc were awe-inspiring at the time, but they aren’t something that stuck in my memory. For me, monuments in big cities never really do. I don’t have much of an artistic eye and I don’t appreciate architecture as much as I probably should. A lot of these big tourist attractions, you can also do with the London Pass, so if it is you’re first time, see if that’s something worth buying.

On thing that did stand out: Platform 9 ¾. I mean, it’s so cool. I didn’t realize Kings Cross Station wasn’t the main one in London, but luckily that’s where you take the Eurotunnel to Paris from so I saw it on my wait out (and of course missed my train).

 Trying out London a second time around

What did I do different?

So, this time I went back to meet my boyfriend’s family and go to his best friends’ wedding. We spent half our time in London, and half in Kent.

First thing to know: you don’t have to worry about not being proper enough for an English wedding. Ben was enough of a mess that people didn’t even know I was there. Second, English families are more laid-back than American families. Perfect! There were so many things I wanted to do in England, but we balanced it out with Ben getting time with his friends and family, which was loads of fun. It’s great to go to a city that you don’t need or want to sightsee in. You are able to just wander and try new places to eat and drink.

We rented a car to see what’s just outside of London.

 8 activities in and around London

1. Hever Castle: Ann Boleyn grew up here, one of King Henry the 8^th six women. I always like shows and movies like The Tudors and The Boleyn Sisters so this was beyond exciting. While touring, I explained to Ben everything Hollywood had taught me about this crazy Queen. Not only had her sister, Mary already slept with the King, but then Ann made him divorce his wife, therefore separating the Catholic Church from the Church of England (big deal). She got what was coming to her though when her family helped vote to have her beheaded in the Tower of London for treason. In the paintings she wasn’t even very pretty and she’s kind of a sneaky skank so I’m thinking it didn’t take much to become queen back then… Anyways, just 30 miles from London, in Kent, it’s easy to get to. It’s super legit with a moat, insane gardens and so much interesting history. If you want to get tacky, you can dress up and pose for photos, you can be fancy and get married there, or if you’re rich you can stay in the guesthouses for a night. Tickets cost 14 pounds per adult to see castle and gardens. There are snacks inside, but it’s best to eat at a little pub beforehand.

2. Have a traditional Pub lunch: one of many we ate at was King Henry 8^th Inn and Restaurant. Although themed, because it is just down the road from Hever Castle, it wasn’t too over the top. The building was from the 1600’s and the authentic look got me pumped up to see the castle. We had Root Beer and sausage baguette sandwiches. You can choose to eat in the courtyard, but it is too cold in England for that nonsense.

3. Brighton: we drove here, but you can take a combination of trains and buses as well. Brighton is the colorful city that the gays love along the coast of England. This coastal town has the narrow roads that I LOVE seeing. Something about small alleyways and old buildings, and I’m hooked on a place. The Bohemian feel reminded me of Cesky Krumlov, my favorite Bohemian town. Shopping in Brighton lanes was a highlight for me. I bought American candy at Cyber Candy– score! Landmarks include the Brighton Wheel and Grand Hotel. We spent time on the pier, where there is an arcade and loads of food. If you walk along the beach, there are shacks selling delicious seafood, and some selling cockles and jellied eels (no thanks). It kind of reminded me of clips from jersey shore. There were some interesting characters tanning on the pier. It was 65 degrees and windy. Also, the birds are brave here and will steal noodles right off your plate!

4. Shop Brighton Lanes: Ok, I’m budgeting, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t look.  Just northwest of the pier, in the old fishing village are actually 5 different areas, and 2 lanes: The Lanes and North Laine. It seemed that one was higher class and lots of jewelry, and the other was alternative, bohemian, and unique clothing. FYI it isn’t just shopping; they have art galleries (check out the Alexander Gallery) and pubs as well. But I didn’t have time to appreciate art with so many cute clothes, jewels, and antiques around the corner. Some shops that I loved looking in: All That Glitters, MAC cosmetics, Papillon (for housewares, books, and gifts), Russell and Bromley, Hope and harlequin (super cute), Velvet, Wolf and Gypsy, and Beyond Retro.  It’s also a great place to buy gifts like chocolates and baked goods; check out Angel Food Bakery for scrumptious cupcakes and English tea.

5. Notting Hill: With Ben’s brother, we made it to Notting Hill. I don’t know what exactly I was expecting, but it’s a cute little town that really rich people live in. If you want to shop here, you can buy the fanciest baby clothes you’ve ever seen… and then buy more baby clothes. Easy to get to by metro, but make sure you have a plan for something you want to do there or you’ll end up at an English pub selling Thai food.

6. Seeing a West End show: We saw Wicked. I’m so torn on whether this was good or not. I LOVED being at the theatre (I’d never seen Broadway before which is why I chose Wicked), but I found the storyline boring. The other options were Book of Mormon, Viva Forever (Spice Girls), Let it Be (Beatles), Billy Elliot (Green Day), and so many more. I wanted one that was very “theatre-like” Is that even a thing? I should have seen the Spice Girls! Next time.

7. Finding a Shopping Mall like the US: Boutique and Antique stores are great, but sometimes I need a simple tank at a decent price, or to get some killer sales at a shoe store. Keep in mind, I’d come from India and hadn’t done any real shopping for a while, plus I needed a dress for the wedding. I was looking for places like Aldo, Zara, Forever 21, All Saints (where I found my awesome dress), Sephora, and Victoria’s Secret. We went to BlueWater near Dartford, which was huge and had all the good stores. We also went to a mall near Ben’s mom’s house in Tunbridge Wells, called Royal Victoria Place, which had a lot of stores and… Soft pretzels!!! I got my American fix and was a happy camper. Something I just have to mention: I had only seen River Island on ASOS online, and knew Rihanna was working with them, so was really excited to shop there… only to be disappointed. It just seemed like a Charlotte Russe. Everything looked cheap, what’s up with that?

8. Re-doing London: We went into London where Ben’s brother and sister live a few times. Did some more shopping at Westfield mall as Ben’s eyes glazed over and ate at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant. For some reason, English people are so much better dressed than Americans. During lunch they all go outside and eat at the stalls that are set up. Like food trucks, it was gourmet and fusion street food.

England was 10x better the second time around.

It’s rare that I get to go back to countries that I backpacked in, and it was great to so England with someone who is actually English. Having a car was most helpful. What would have been more helpful is if I’d had my winter wardrobe- I only had what I’d packed for Goa (so 100 degree weather). It’s seriously disappointing to be walking around England in the same outfits over and over when I had some many cute clothes back in Ohio.

After how awesome revisiting England was, I want to give all of my favorite cities a re-do so I’m determined to get another Eurail pass and do it all again! Thank God Ben is English and I will have chances to go back because we never made it to Harry Potter World.

Were you a super tourist in London? Did you get outside the city for any day trips?

The post 8 Reasons to Try London Again first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 8 Reasons to Try London Again appeared first on Hippie In Heels.