Just before Easter, I went to London for a few days.
The weather could not have been better—sunny, bright, and beautiful. I walked everywhere, up to 17 km a day!
Tea at Number Sixteen in the gorgeous Tall Trees china.
My first stop in London is usually the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre, where all major interior design showrooms are located in one place. I love browsing the latest fabric and wallpaper collections, and am always looking for new designs for my inserts. And there is generally so much inspiration to be found.
The flower arrangements at Number Sixteen are beautiful complements to the artworks, wallpapers, fabrics, and design elements around them.
A delicious Middle Eastern feast at Bubala with DS (more dishes kept coming)
Girls' lunch with DS's GF at Daphne's
The drawing room at Number Sixteen is such a cosy and lovely place to relax after a busy day.
How gorgeous are these embroidered silk panels at Mekams on the Fulham Road?
Back home in Southern France, spring has almost turned into summer.
We had a lot of rain this year, so the wild asparagus has grown abundantly. I'd pick a big bunch when walking the dogs and steam them in the evening. I'd sprinkle them with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, parmesan shavings, ground pepper, and sea salt, and add soft-boiled eggs cut in half. Utterly delicious!
Our little lemon trees have done incredibly well and brought us a fantastic harvest in their first year.
Peony season is here again!
A new fabric for my inserts: Liberty of London Petit Fleurs, available here for most bag sizes
I am still slightly obsessed with making appliqué flowers; the latest two are in their finishing stages.
Have a wonderful remaining spring everyone xx
The places/products mentioned above (no affiliations)
Bubala
I cannot wait to explore your post more thoroughly, but I first wanted to say how glad I am to see you have a new one. Thank you, ahead of time, for shariing more colorful adventures! Kind regards, Carolyn
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the warm welcome back, dear Carolyn. I hope you enjoy the post! Warm regards, Tai
DeleteThank you for the wonderful story and beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to comment. So happy you enjoy the post, merci!
DeleteSo happy to see your post again. Beautiful photos. I look forward to more!
ReplyDeleteSo happy that you enjoyed the post! Many thanks also for the warm welcome back; it makes me feel less guilty for having not posted in a while!
DeleteAAA post - blue &. white fabrics, lemons, peonies, & yummy asparagus recipe. Hope the dachshunds are well.Thank you. Cynthia
ReplyDeleteAww ... thanks so much for the lovely words, dearest Cynthia! The dachshunds are well ... again. Poor Roley broke one of his little paw bones and wasn't allowed to go on walks for nearly two months. He still came with us but was riding in a pram, while enjoying sniffing the air. All fine now, and they are both back to chasing butterflies in the spring sunshine! Have a wonderful Sunday x
DeleteYour lovely photos give me hope that spring will indeed come and stay in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. She’s not here quite yet!!
ReplyDeleteHope spring will be with you very soon! Warmest wishes from France to Canada!
DeleteJ’adore vous lire et j’apprécie vos belles photos!
ReplyDeleteJe vous remercie pour votre gentil commentaire!
DeleteBeautiful pictures as always. The flowers and the fabrics are a feast for the eyes. I am quite taken by the upholstery method used on the Number 16 sofa. The bottom skirt is tufted to the floor and I have never see it done like that before. The decor there is interesting and elegant. Congrats on your lemons!
ReplyDeleteI love how you observe the details. Number Sixteen is rich in amazing details ... quite a feast! The photo is slightly misleading as the wooden surface is a coffee table. The sofa itself has small legs, but the bottom part is still tufted. If you like you can send me your email address and I'll send you a picture that shows the entire sofa.
DeleteHi MaiTai It’s Glen. I don’t know why my name didn’t appear.
DeleteHi Glen, - so nice to know!
DeleteThank you for lovely post and beautiful photos. We will visit the places you recommend next time we are in London.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you enjoyed the post, thanks so much for your comment. Have a wonderful time when you are in London next!
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ReplyDeleteThank you for taking us on this wonderful little journey in pictures!
So nice to hear from you, dear Bettina, and happy you like the post. Lieben Dank und herzliche Grüsse!
DeleteHow beautiful Tai! I miss your posts. You look so lovely and that food at Bubala looks amazing! I also love the tall trees China dishes! 😍
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the lovely words! DS chose Bubala because I'm vegetarian, I was so touched by this. The Tall Tree china is truly beautiful ... I could not resist and bought a few pieces. Not sure how to stop myself from wanting more 😅
DeleteSo sorry to miss you this time but you certainly had a splendid weekend and I am definitely going to try Bubala next time I'm in London. Stunning lemons by the way - I wonder whether you'll lemonade them, lemon curd them or lemon preserve them. See you very soon I hope. Melissa xxx
ReplyDeleteNext time for sure! You were on my mind, as I saw your designs everywhere I went. I had grand plans for the lemons, but their juice was so exquisite that I could not resist picking a fresh one for squeezing every morning. Bubala was great fun, you'll love it! See you soon, I hope xxx
DeleteAnd don't forget to zest the lemons before squeezing out the juice! I use lemon zest in my madeline recipe and also when preparing savory foods. Kind regards, Carolyn
DeleteThis is always a good reminder, thank you for sharing Carolyn!
DeleteWhat a pleasure to open my email and read your post and vicariously visit London. The photos are so inspiring. Have a wonderful summer.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the lovely comment; it is so nice to know that the email brought you joy. Have a wonderful summer, too!
DeleteHappy Spring and Happy Mother's day. Lovely photos. I can't resist a corner flower shop. I enjoy your artistic view. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring and Happy Mother's Day to you, too! I agree with you on corner flower shops, they are particularly enticing.
DeleteThe photos are stunning as usual. Hard to believe I have been following you long enough on various platforms for your DS to be grownup enough to have GF for you to lunch with. Where did the time go?! Regards, LadyMartin
ReplyDeleteIt is such a good question, Lady Martin. DS was only seven when I first posted online, and he's turning 25 later this year. A long time in one sense, and a blink of an eye in another. I am touched that you've been keeping in touch all this time, thank you for your lovely comment.
DeleteSuch a wonderful Spring surprise you have gifted us with on the day before YOUR birthday!
ReplyDeleteAll of the pics are a delight for the senses, and your description of the wild asparagus had me drooling!
So happy you had a wonderful time in London with DS , his GF and lots of design inspiration!
Have a most joyful birthday with your crew, dearest Tai! Will raise a glass of bubbly to you! Chin chin, T xx
P.S. Poor little Roley’s foot! Glad he is better now!
Thanks so much for the lovely words and good birthday wishes, dearest T! I had a happy special day and my beloved crew has been wonderful and loving. So blessed. The wild asparagus season is coming to an end, but it's been amazing and bountiful this year. That's the upside of all the rain we've had! We are now moving on to the regular ones (I prefer the green) from the vegetable shop. Chin chin right back and Roley sends a happy bark, T xx
DeleteDear MaiTai, I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy your posts. Receiving them is like getting a table at the best restaurant in town: very special, absolutely delicious and creatively inspiring! Thank you for posting these wonderful inspirations from your latest adventures. I remember going to Chelsea Design Centre whilst living in London many years ago - I was giddy with excitement and to be honest, a little overwhelmed with the vast array of magnificent designs. Like LadyMartin, I cannot believe how the time has flown by. I was fortunate enough to find your blog in the very early days and remember DS as a very small boy, similar in age to my DD. That photo of you and his girlfriend was such a lovely touch (and you could be mistaken for sisters!). Wishing you all the very best from Australia. With much admiration and gratitude, Rachel :)
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel, - I am very touched by your lovely words, thank you so much! Your comment brought me so much joy, particularly since I sometimes wonder if my evolving interests are worth sharing. After all, the current content is quite different from my posts in the early years. Your DD must be a young lady now and DS is turning 25 later this year. It blows the mind! We might have lived in London at the same time (1997-2003)? If so I'm sure we would crossed paths at some playgrounds or museums. Nice thought :) Warmest wishes from France to Australia, Tai x
DeleteDearest MaiTai, first of all, I would like to wish you a very happy birthday! I was really happy to see these beautiful photos and to read your post! Your experiences in pictures always make me incredibly happy. I hope you enjoy your day and may the whole year be wonderful for you! Alles Liebe von Claudia
ReplyDeleteDearest Claudia, - thanks so much for the birthday wishes and lovely comment! It makes me so happy to know that you enjoyed the post 🥰 Vielen herzlichen Dank und alles Liebe, Taina
DeleteMerci beaucoup pour ce partage du Beau !
ReplyDeleteJe vous remercie de votre gentil commentaire!
DeleteGlad to see these pics with more than a quick glance alas without that snappy audio. DS inherited great taste I see.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot to be said for blogs, I agree!
DeleteSo delighted to see your new post and the beautiful photos. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSo happy you enjoyed it, thanks so much!
DeleteDearest Tai,
ReplyDeletewhat a happy and colourful post to celebrate into your birthday! As always, your snippets from London are a feast for the eye and it’s so lovely to follow you along on your adventures. Happiest birthday wishes and all my best, with a chin chin from me to you! Katja
Thank you, dearest Katja, for the lovely birthday wishes! London has been so much fun and my birthday was happy and festive despite the dismal weather. So lucky. Chin chin right back to you and have a wonderful remaining spring! xx
DeleteAlways such a feast for the eyes and so inspiring too! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to know that you enjoyed the post, thanks so much!
DeleteDear MaiTai, I appreciate and enjoyed your update--latest post. The colors of the flowers and the patterns of the textiles are gorgeous. Take good care, Laura
ReplyDeleteMy dear Laura, - so nice to hear from you, hope all is happy and well! I loved the flowers and textiles too, such a feast for the eyes. Warmest wishes and have a wonderful remaining spring, Tai x
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