Snippets from Summer

Here's a few shots of from our holiday in Cornwall.

We were very lucky with the weather, it had been miserable for weeks but we had blue skies for the entirety!

Port Isaac - where Doc Martin is filmed

Fresh shellfish at Port Isaac Harbour

A beautiful cove outside of Newquay called Lusty Glaze!

St Michael's Mount near Penzance

People walking along the causeway at St Michaels Mount - we got the boat!

St Ives

We stayed at a uber child friendly hotel called Sands just outside of Newquay. I had been so worried about the weather I wanted somewhere with things for kids to do just in case. It's a friendly, welcoming, great value hotel with loads of facilities and can see why it's won it's many tripadvisor awards. Their outside space for kids was amazing with zipwires, bouncy castle, swimming pool, tennis courts etc.

We've decided though that next time we want to try the Watergate Bay Hotel a few further miles up the coast. It's had a major revamp and the new decor is gorgeous - fun and fresh with lots of bold striped wallpaper, floor boards and a hit of nautical. I think it gets the balance of child friendly and chic just right.

It's right on the beach at Watergate Bay (obvs!) and across the road from Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant where we had an amazing dinner one night watching the surfers until it grew dark.

The balcony bar at Watergate Bay Hotel

Dinner at Watergate Bay Hotel

Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall

Lusty Glaze at sunset

Our last supper at Lusty Glaze, steak and seafish on hot stones

We loved it and will definitely be back next year, fingers crossed the weather is kind to us again!

Summer Holidays!

Ahh the stressful economy airline delays, the cries of 'are we there yet?', my children (and I) only taking sandals and it pouring with rain for two days - it must be our summer holiday to france!

Seriously though, we had a lovely time staying with mon mere and mon pere en france. It was the first time I have seen their 'project'  - a gite that was pretty dilapidated a year ago and now just plain pretty.

Last year we went 5* in Mauritius but it matters not to my little monkeys - sitting on the back of a sit down lawnmower late in the evening in rural france tops the charts for them which says a great deal.

 And they adored swimming in the overground pool with views over the farmland...

And exploring outside as boys do...

But we all enjoyed roaming around the weekly market and the resulting lunch so much that I won't dwell too long on the four hour delay due to lightening striking the plane and will instead look into ferry crossings...

Leanne xx

I'm in love...

...with this dream holiday villa in Nice...

Exterior

View

Fire Pit Area

Sitting Room (check out that view of Nice!)

One of the bedrooms

An Ensuite

One of the terraces *sigh*!

Outdoor Dining Area

View from Pool at Night

This luxury villa is located in a private and gated community in Nice and sleeps 6/7 lucky people. It has 4 bedrooms with breathtaking views of the sea from almost all rooms. Newly renovated, this villa is a heaven for outdoor living and relaxation. It includes a private and professional landscaped garden with century old olive trees, including a fire pit, a pizza oven, a BBQ area, a boule court, as well as a heated infinity pool and spa.

It is located 10 min drive to beaches, restaurant and shops. Just outside the gated community is a big recreational park with panoramic views over Nice and old olive trees everywhere and is a 5 minute drive to Nice town centre. Yes I'm sold! Not suitable for under 5's? Oh well - see you in a week kiddies! Only kidding, I'll keep on dreaming - for now... x

This villa can be found available for holiday rentals here

I'm in love...

...With The Grove.

The love affair started about 18 months ago when Luke whisked us away there for a wonderful 24 hour break. The hotel is in Hertfordshire which is an hour or so's drive away from us around the lovely (ahem) M25.

Ever since, whenever it is rainy and miserable outside I think 'I wish I was at The Grove..' (and dream of the lovely spa, amazing treatments, cosy cream teas and lovely log fires in the Stables, the golf club restaurant, where they do gorgeous food) and whenever it is sunny I think 'I wish I was at The Grove..' (and dream of the Walled Garden, the heated pool, the man-made beach and the stunning grounds). The Spa is stunning and the pool is stylishly tiled in black slate. The whole place has been styled really well. The potting shed (a games, cafe type conservatory) has a real bohemian vibe (they also do cookery and flower arranging lessons there at certain times during the year). The Lounge room has dark painted walls and elaborate occasional furniture and sumptuous sofas, the perfect place for a pre-dinner cocktail or two.

They have an amazing kids club, with a whole dedicated, OFSTED inspected, building of their own (enabling mums and dads to get some time to enjoy a meal or the spa), the food is amazing and oh how I am envious of those lucky people who get married there!  One thing that does make up for that though is the fact that I saw the gorgeous David Beckham there last year, hanging his jeans out on his balcony - swoon! x

I do have more photos of our own that I've been trying to upload but blogger seems to be a bit temperamental so for now I leave you with photos from The Grove's website.

Happy Holidays in the Cotswolds

We stayed in the gorgeous village of Chipping Campden, with it's warmly coloured stone buildings and faded beauty it was a lovely place to be even in the drizzly English weather!

We travelled out most days to explore the area, took the children to Warwick Castle which was great for the them. They watched jousting and Joe even tried his hand at Knights School which was hilarous (photos to follow).

Another day went to another picture perfect village - Broadway - where we did some serious shopping! We could have spent a lot of time (and money) at Cotswold Trading had it not been for two very anti-shopping children but we did manage to come away with a gorgeous glass and silver plate cake stand and dome (which is now taking pride of place on the island in my new kitchen) and a very sweet Cath Kidston digital radio (also for the kitchen)...

We also bought some gorgeous Pip Studio cups and plates. They are too pretty to hide away so I have them on show in our glass cabinet in the kitchen but they are used every day - a cup of tea tastes so much better in a pretty mug!

Images from Cath Kidston, Liberty

Sunny Holidays

The boys are currently on half-term and Joe had his friend over for the night last night - we had a bbq, they played football on the green and are now nagging me to go on a picnic (which we will as soon as little legs wakes up!). It's a beautiful day so we must make the most of it! Happy Friday! xx

Images via atticmag and summerhouse