Work Travel Diaries; 48 Hours In Vienna

Our 48 hours in the Austrian capital felt like stepping onto the set of a beautifully shot old school film; elegant, charming and full of delicious food. We caught the 7am flight from London Heathrow Airport and by 10am we were already wandering the streets of Vienna, ready to make the most of every second.

There’s something so effortlessly romantic about Vienna. Grand boulevards lined with opulent architecture, hidden wine bars tucked between historic buildings and the kind of café culture that makes you want to slow down and savour every moment.

Lunch on day one was at Trattoria Martinelli and it was the perfect start to the trip.

We began with a mozzarella, pesto, basil, tomato and rocket salad which tasted so fresh and summery.

To follow was the veal ravioli and although I’m not a big meat eater, this was absolutely divine.

Later that afternoon we checked into Le Méridien hotel right in the centre of the city. The rooms were incredibly spacious and stylish with views overlooking Vienna’s vast streets below.

After an early start, a coffee from the Nespresso machine was very much needed before getting ready for dinner.

For the evening I wore the cutest pinstripe collared halter neck from Stradivarius paired with my black jeans from Zara, gold detail mule heels, and a check pattern blazer also from Stradivarius to complete the look.

Work appropriate but equally chic and stylish for an evening of wining and dining in the city.

We started with drinks at the hotel bar You, where I had my first taste of local Austrian white wine. Crisp, refreshing and dangerously easy to drink.

Dinner was at Collina am Berg, a contemporary fine dining restaurant with an effortlessly cool and classy atmosphere.

To start, we had salt baked beets with sheep’s curd and hazelnut pesto which was undeniably exquisite, everyone’s plates were clean.

For my main course, I chose the vegetarian option of confit kohlrabi with onion purée and puffed buckwheat, beautifully presented and full of flavour.

Dessert was one for the chocolate lovers, a salted caramel chocolate mousse topped with hazelnuts, absolute perfection.

From the delicious food and attentive service to the stylish interiors and vibrant ambience, everything was 10/10. Collina Am Berg is a hidden gem in the heart of Vienna.

Day two greeted us with glorious sunshine, so naturally it called for an effortlessly simple outfit formula. I wore my white linen trousers from Reserved with a simple black vest from Topshop, a black and white neck scarf from H&M, brown sandals and my Celine sunnies.

Sometimes the simplest of outfits really do make the chicest looks, the philosophy I use when curating my work wardrobe for events.

Walking the streets of Vienna in the Spring sunshine was genuinely magical. The city feels almost untouched by time with its incredible original architecture still standing proudly today.

As Vienna was not heavily bombed during the war, so much of its historic beauty remains intact, making every corner feel steeped in history and grandeur.

The buildings are so opulent and cinematic that at times it honestly felt like we were wandering through a movie set.

Our final lunch was at Zum Weissen Rauchfangkehrer, a traditional Austrian restaurant filled with fascinating interiors that made us feel as though we’d stepped back in time.

We enjoyed a traditional lunch of pork schnitzel with potatoes, followed by an apple strudel that genuinely changed my life.

I in fact opted for the vegetarian main course of a stuffed pepper served in a vegetable bean stew and it was absolutely delightful. Comforting, hearty and full of flavour.

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the airport for our 5pm flight home to London.

What a brilliant whistle-stop tour of the Austrian capital, a city and country I already know I’ll have to return to one day.

Elegant, historic, stylish and full of incredible culture and delicious food; I’ll see you again soon Vienna ❤

NYC Diaries; Times Square, The Highline & Chelsea Market

When visiting a new city we always like to book the hop-on hop-off Big Bus Tours as they’re a cheap and easy way to get around to see all of the major tourist attractions. On the third day of our trip we booked the tickets which last 24 hours so we could split the tour across two days, so here is what we saw on the second half of the bus tour.

Just around the corner from our hotel was Times Square so we had to start by hopping off here to get some shots.

As expected, Times Square is a very busy and hectic tourist trap, so we got our photos and quickly got back on the bus.

Next we made a stop on Broadway as I wanted to visit the Polene store.

I’d had my eye on the Numero Neuf mini handbag for a while and so I finally made the purchase.

I opted for the colour Sable as a neutral tone to go with lots of outfits.

I even got the strap monogrammed with my initials as a complimentary service with purchase.

From Broadway we went a few more stops on the bus down to the Financial District where the new One World Trade Center stands.

I did find it quite upsetting to see the 911 memorial site where the twin towers used to stand, but it has to be done when in New York for the first time.

We hopped back on the bus and went up the west side of town where we got off at Hudson Yards to walk along The Highline.

The Highline is a 1.45 mile long elevated park and greenway created on a former New York Central Railroad.

Along the way we saw The Vessel, an impressive honeycomb like sculpture of interconnected staircases designed by British designer Thomas Heatherwick.

It’s a brilliant way to see the city as the path weaves between buildings to provide unique views and perspectives.

Towards the end of The Highline, we came off to go to Chelsea Market for some lunch.

A bit like Borough Market in London but inside a former factory building, Chelsea Market features many restaurants and food vendors from a wide variety of cuisines.

As soon as my boyfriend saw the Currywurst, that was decision made for his lunch.

You can take the boy out of Germany, but you can’t take the German out of the boy!

After lunch we then went for a stroll around the Chelsea neighbourhood as I wanted to get some aesthetic street style pics.

The exposed fire escapes and stoops on the houses in Chelsea are what characterises this part of Manhattan, making it the perfect spot to photograph street style.

With the weather still so mild and warm for October, I wore my smart white shorts paired with a brown tank from C’est Normal, a silk Le Scarf around my neck, Dior sliders, Marc Jacobs tote bag and YSL sunnies to complete this chic, daytime city look.

It was the perfect day to walk along The Highline and it’s something I definitely recommend doing if the weather permits during your trip to NYC.

As mentioned, Times Square is not my idea of fun but a great one to tick off the bucket list.

The Chelsea neighbourhood was so trendy and cool, so I would like to explore it more on another trip to the city as we only got to see the area around the market.

As always, the Big Bus Tours didn’t disappoint in providing a relatively cheap and convenient way to get around and see the sights of New York City ❤

Parisian Style; My Weekend in Outfits

Parisian street fashion is famous for its simple yet chic approach to dressing. Sleek silhouettes and effortless basics paired with one or two statement pieces, is the fuss-free formula for that timeless French style.

For our first day strolling the streets of Paris, I wore a pair of classic white skinny jeans from Topshop, a puff sleeve floral red blouse from Abercrombie & Fitch and plaited jackfruit ASOS sliders, accessorised with a subtle pearl anklet and a white beret of course.

Saturday evening we headed to the Moulin Rouge so I dressed for the occasion in my over the knee boots, white Zara skirt-shorts, black Zara ruffle strap square-neck crop and gingham baker boy. So cliche but such a vibe for the Moulin Rouge, c’est bon!

For another day exploring Paris, I opted for comfort with my Grenson boots, camel flare smart trousers from H&M, striped bandeau and statement tortoiseshell cat eye sunnies. Blue and white stripes are such a French classic and paired perfectly with that polished camel tone, il est parfait!

Sundown drinks before dinner we headed down to our hotel courtyard for a charcuterie and vino. I wore my H&M camel flare trousers again, white bone corset bandeau and vintage Prada heels, complete with a cute silk neck scarf to finish that feminine French look.

On our final night in Paris we had to experience the Eiffel Tower lit up by night, so we headed into the centre of the city for dinner. I felt tres chic in my oversized vintage Jaeger green blazer to keep off that evening breeze.

I just love dressing up and embracing the style of the city I am visiting by taking inspiration from the locals themselves. Paris still stands to this day as one of the most classy, chicest fashion capitals of the world…tres tres chic ❤