Vintage Voyages

This cold snap that's attacked England this week means I've been dreaming of spring. I finally asked Daniel to help me load some photos off my old blackberry from last year and found a jaunt my good friend Min and I took to Spitalfields Market and the flower market on Columbia Road last spring in March or May time. Here's a look of some of the gems we found that day:

Vintage Heaven

 Our true reason for visiting the flower market. Min had discovered it a few weeks earlier and demanded I visit it. It delivered the best treasure I found all year: 

Carlight Trailers, by Tuscan 1950's. Every Carlight trailer used to come with a set of china. Height of caravaning excellence if you ask me. 

Enjoying a sip in the back of the shop while I considered just how many tea cups I would purchase.

A very foxy haberdasher indeed!

Min in one of the many adorable garden shops.

Spitalfields Market

Cotswold Comforts

After 4.5 months in the US of A in the perpetually sunny state of California, Daniel decided it would be wise to remind Hilary of what she loved about England. He wooed her back by taking her on a mini-break to the land of stone cottages and quintessential English villages, the Cotswolds. In all their winter majesty:

Fantastic lunch at The George Inn (dates back to 1361). My mushrooms in Stilton sauce starter has left me with the challenge of copying it.

National Trust gift shop, where I finally bought one of their tartan woolly blankets. Only £12 and perfect for picnics in summer...when the sun is not so shy.

We were lucky to enjoy Lacock Abbey and learn of its transition from being a cloister, to becoming the home of the Talbot family and even later becoming Hogwarts. Sadly classes were not in session and only the cloisters were open during our visit.

We took a quick stop in Castle Coombe to have a hot chocolate and explore the streets. Warhorse was filmed here.

Finally, we woke up in Bibury after spending a cozy night at The Catherine Wheel. We enjoyed exploring the shops, climbing over bridges and viewing the world famous Arlington Row.