MONOTONE

AT DINNER

Following on from the Heston fever, my godmother took me to Dinner at the Mandarin Hotel during my revision period. It was so good to eat real food in the weeks filled with instant ramen noodles and Kraft mac and cheese. This was another refreshing restaurant where the atmosphere was no- fuss but still had the buzz of somewhere slightly special. The unique thing about this place is that the cuisine itself is nothing unusual but the way that it is served is just delightful.

The parfait was smooth and the 'orange peel' added a sweet, fragrant hint to the creamy middle. It was offset by a savoury, flavoured crusty bread.

The succulent cod fell apart in silky flakes and is nestled above a velvety broth of delicate, juicy mussels.

This highly recommended dessert is a heavy one. The sugar encrusted brioche is soaked in a moreish alcohol and is accompanied by a slow- roasted, caramelised pineapple.  

MIDWEEK SHOP

My best friend from school and I spent our teenage years in the throng of beautiful French mothers pushing their strollers up and down the King's Road. Except for us our precious cargo were our A- level folders in our Longchamp schoolbags. Every time she's back in London we try to keep to our traditional spot and spend a day there shopping together. One of my favourite things about this area are the abundance of florists, especially at this time of the year. I wore a simple outfit, staple black high- waisted jeans with an embellished top and chunky nude heels. The weather is still erratic so having a jacket on hand is imperative, all the better when it is fluffy and pink.

AT THE FAT DUCK

There is always something exciting about trying something new, especially a legendary restaurant that holds three Michelin stars. It is especially interesting when the novelty is in the nostalgia. Heston specializes in rejuvenating the old and most of you foodies will be familiar with his cooking methods that emphasizes a full sensory experience. The Fat Duck definitely lives up to its hype. This is the opposite of the typical stifling, obnoxious Michelin restaurant that relies on an outdated reputation and aesthetics. This was the most down- to - earth starred restaurant with an entrance so discreet at first I questioned whether I was at the right venue. The decor is incredibly understated and resembles a pub or farm- conversion. People wore what they liked and as it only houses 14 tables it lacks irritating bustle of turnovers.

For a restaurant named 'The Fat Duck' you would expect a foie gras dish and for it to be one of the best. This was perfectly done with the right balance of flavours and a tart red finish.

This was just one of the first spectacles at our table, a block of moss was set before us and water poured in to produce the scented smoke.There was a little flavoured 'film' to taste accompanying this course.

This course was a lot of fun, the waiter came with a box displaying 'pocket watches' wrapped in edible gold leaf. Once it was immersed in our individual glass tea pots, it began to dissolve and flavoured the hot water. To complete this dish the savoury liquid was poured into the teacup holding a pretty steamed egg decorated with little fairy- like mushrooms.

AMUSE BOUCHE| NITRO POACHED APERTIF (NOT PICTURED)| RED CABBAGE GAZPACHO| JELLY OF QUAIL, CRAYFISH CREAM, CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT + OAK MOSS AND TRUFFLE TOAST| SNAIL PORRIDGE| ROAST FOIE GRAS| 'MAD HATTERS TEA PARTY', MOCK TURTLE SOUP + POCKET WATCH|

Another super impressive course, that came with a conch shell and an Ipod to listen to the sound of waves. It is purely novelty, nevertheless incredibly amusing. The food was beautiful, served on a glass surface elevated above pebbles it was evocative of a Japanese style. There were layers of 'sand', ice vegetable, seaweed and perfectly cut pieces of fish all of which were so delicate and delightful that it was hard to believe they were edible.

'SOUND OF THE SEA'| SALMON POACHED IN A LIQUORICE GEL + ARTICHOKES, VANILLA MAYO, GOLDEN TROUT ROE| ANJOU PIGEON|

The Egg in Verjus/ Verjus in Egg is absolutely one of the beautiful and wonderfully constructed desserts ever, the egg shell is made of chocolate and when the 'egg white' is broken, a yolk can be be found at the core.

One of my favourite flavours is cherry and this dessert came with a thorough spritzing of kirsch scent at our table!

Little gummy sweets made from various whiskeys, stuck on a picture frame.

One of the candies in my goodie bag, a 'Queen of Hearts tart' that came in the prettiest little envelope with a wax seal.

HOT + ICED TEA (NOT PICTURED)| EGG IN VERJUS, VERJUS IN EGG| BLACK FOREST GATEAU| WHISK(E)Y WINE GUMS| TAKE- AWAY CANDY

From London Paddington to the doorstep of the restaurant in Maidenhead, it is about a 40 minute train journey and an 8 minute taxi ride. I was there for lunch which lasted around 4 hours for 14 courses.

https://www.thefatduck.co.uk/

08/05

London is really beautiful at the moment, the perfect weather for a light jacket and a summery dress. This post was taken by the birthday girl Amanda of www.wearenotlikeeveryone.com. We had a 'light' lunch at Balthazar before shooting, which for us meant a three course meal and a giant chocolate souffle. This dress is so easy to wear and it is part of my all- white collection I have been accumulating over the last few months. I love pairing it with fringed boots because of the half- sheer skirt. I can't wait to take it on holiday and style them with pretty sandals!







DRESS-MISS SELFRIDGE
JACKET-ZARA (SIMILAR ALL- PINK TWEED HERE)
BOOTS-SUPERTRASH (SIMILAR HERE)
SUNGLASSES-MIU MIU
BAG-RALPH LAUREN

INTERVIEW: MAGDA, FASHION INTERN

ABOUT THE GIRL

Blogging, studying and working in London has meant that a lot of my blogger friends are involved in the elusive world of art and fashion. Whilst some are making the transition from hobby blog to professional, others see it as a way- in to the fashion industry. I had a chat with Magda from Moda- de- Londres about her extensive fashion CV, with impressive internships at Burberry, Diane von Furtensburg and Mawi.

A: What will you be wearing this summer?

M: LOTS of whites!! T-shirts, dresses, shirts etc. I've got a slight obsession with the colour white. It just makes an outfit look clean and crisp.  A pair of printed trousers with a casual scoop neck tee, a bright blazer and some killer statement necklace. And don't forget to finish off the look with some cute sandals (for the day) or killer stilettos (in the evening)

A: Favourite places to shop?

M: The regular generic stores however, I am careful on what I buy to avoid wearing the same pieces that every Tom, Dick & Harry would buy. Zara, Asos, Reiss and Mango. Anywhere I can find a good piece of statement accessory that barely anyone has. 

A: How do you dress for London's unpredictable weather?

M: I try not to think about what I am wearing too much. Now that we are in a warmer season, I tend to incorporate blazers in most of my outfits.

A: Who would you most like to work for (and which department)?

M: I would love to work freelance as a stylist, not for any particular brand or person. So that way, I will have the ability to work on several projects.

ABOUT THE JOB:

A: What would you recommend wearing to a fashion interview?

M: When it comes to fashion interviews there isn't a wrong or right way to dress. Just make sure you convey your personal style. However, don't go over the top with it... remember it's still an interview.

A: With the experience you have now in Fashion PR, what advice would you give for people starting out?

M: For anyone who is already studying a fashion related course, I'd advise you to intern as much as you can before you graduate. That way, when you are done with studying, you won't be obliged to gain anymore experience and you would have a head start amongst your mates. For those contemplating taking up a fashion degree (Fashion PR, Marketing etc), I would say don't bother. You can gain experience from interning and work your up by building contacts. Fashion is about networking and about who you know. I never learnt anything at uni.

A: Do you think a degree in a fashion- related subject is important to landing a job?

M: No not at all. Lots of people in the industry didn't study fashion related courses. Its all about experience. Once you land your first fashion internship, you are on your way.

A: What 3 skills do you think you need to survive in the industry?

M: PATIENCE= because you will hear NO a trillion times. I applied to Burberry over twenty times just for an internship before they finally got back to me.

Interpersonal skills- You must be able to speak to people/ be friendly in an intellectual manner, (although majority of them won't speak to you as an intern) but who cares?

Great writing skills- They usually don't expect students to have impeccable writing skills. Blow their socks off with your cover letter & CV. Write like a professional. Go over your CV & CL  again and again. Start with sending them to small fashion houses or magazines (depending on what sector of fashion you'd like an internship). See how they respond, then tweak it. My very first cover letter was sent to Harper's Bazaar. This was when I had just quit engineering at uni (I had no clue about fashion). The lady emailed me back and literally dissed my writing skills LOL.

A: What do you think is the most common misconception about the fashion industry?

M: That it's glamorous- absolutely not. We lift boxes, we steam, we do all the domestic stuff you can ever imagine. Plus not all the press offices are amazing or tidy.

A: What do you think is unique to the London fashion scene?

M: I think with the London fashion scene, you can literally have your own style without following a specific trend. You don't need to be covered in expensive clothes.

A: Who is the most interesting person that you have met in the business?

M: My former boss at Burberry. I wasn't treated like just another intern. He'd actually speak to me to find out how I was getting on. It was refreshing to know that I wasn't just filling up space .