hair

For years I unfortunately thought that the only way for me to be 'pretty' was to have long hair... and to have long hair by any means necessary. I spent so much time and money buying hair, weaving hair and braiding hair to give me the long tresses I always wanted.

Today I cut my hair the shortest it has ever been.

I've never felt so beautiful in my life.

A bookish weekend

{photo via:flickr}

Happy Monday friends - How was your weekend?

Despite a nasty case of laryngitis, which I should have stayed home more and rested, my weekend was good. Had a few pints with a few friends on Friday and Saturday and one of my friends used the word, refined to describe me. {swoon} It made my night.

I stumbled across a fantastic second hand book shop in Wimbledon Saturday evening.

It was stacked with books from floor to ceiling to every cubbyhole and nook and cranny. The place was overflowing with texts and my heart fluttered a bit.  I could have stayed in there for ages, but my friend and I were meeting up with some friends at a pub around the corner. So, we stayed for a bit, I purchased a few Penguin paperbacks and then headed over to the pub and proudly walked in with books in my hand. No-shame.

I'm telling you. I could have lived in that bookshop.

One and two

{photo:A midnight view of St. Paul's Cathedral taken and edited by moi}

Two things have occurred to me:

1. I haven't taken nearly enough pictures of London since I've moved here
2. I haven't talked nearly enough about my London experiences since I've moved here

Silly, silly me.

I will do my best to take more pictures but I have to warn you that I am such a delinquent when it comes to uploading photos. Just ask any of my friends and they will absolutely cosign on this. So, I won't promise pictures everyday, because I would just be lying, but I will try and do at least one picture a week. I have put the bar a bit low on this one but trust me that it will get done.

Happy Three Kings Day and Enjoy your weekend lovelies!

perfectly fresh

{photo via:pinterest}

(apologies for the pixelated picture, but I just had to use it.)

Since we're all friends here, I'm going to let you have a peek into my personal journal. Here are my thoughts on the new year...


So many things have happened in a year and I cannot believe I find myself looking at another year. 


Another perfectly fresh start. 


What I truly want out of this year is to not live in fear. I want to live in each day, travel, learn more and more about myself and develop my passion more than I ever have before. I want to lay aside the burdens that get me down, the desires of my heart that have yet to unfold and boldly live knowing that God holds my precious little world in His more than capable and loving hands. 




And that is all friends. No resolutions to lose weight or exercise more, or go on more dates. I just want to live this year to its' absolute fullest and grand potential.

Do you have any thoughts or goals for the new year? Care to share?

a gem of truth...

{photovia:designlovefest}

Well, you are....

Sweet memories...

{photo via:Onecharmingparty}

Happy New Year my dear friends!

How were your holidays? I had such a fantastic time back home with my family. If I'm being perfectly honest it took me a few days to adjust to being back in Virginia.  I missed the busy streets of London, but found that the time with my family was very much needed. It felt so great to, 'be the little sister' as my brother stayed at my parents house for a few days as well. It felt like we were kids again, teasing each other, running around the house and eating cookies.

My mother and I spent a lot of time together as well and I just have to tell you, that woman is the best thing that ever happened to me. She's my rock and without me having to say anything, she gets me. I missed her more than I realized and made sure to get as many extra hugs as possible to hold me over until June when her and my dad come for a visit.

Perhaps the best Christmas memory this year was salsa dancing in the kitchen with my dad. We haven't done that since I was a little girl and it felt so great being twirled around by my daddy, laughing and as carefree as a seven year old me. Twenty years later, it still feels sweet.

I also spent a few days in New York with my aunt. Oh the fun we had! We went to see all of the Christmas landmarks in the city, including the handsome NYPD officers. (One even stopped me in the middle of 5th Avenue and held traffic so that I could cross the street. I'm not kidding. It was definitely a moment I'll never forget.)  My aunt also took me to dinner at Whym where I had the best calamari of my life and afterwards we went to see an Alvin Ailey performance which was amazing.  We ended the evening with cocktails on the rooftop bar of Dream hotel. New York is amazing, I will live there at some point in my life. I am sure of this.

New Year's Eve was spent in London with new friends at a private club. I danced the night away and at midnight, with champagne in hand and confetti flying in the air, I was alive, happy and hopeful for a grand year.

So many sweet, sweet memories in 2011 and so many thoughts for the New Year. The best is yet to come friends.  xx