Tally Ho!

I find that one of the hardest things about traveling is balancing the touristy stuff with the local experience.  I have a bad habit of traveling with a rigid checklist but ultimately, I know there is nothing better than spending an unexpected number of hours at the local cafe - especially as a total sucker for cafes even domestically. So, this time in London, I opted for less touristy stuff (sorry, Sherlock's home and the Tower of London) and did the following:

Start day. Wander streets.

Forego the English breakfast.  Instead, spend hours at the adorable nearby restaurant in Chelsea, No. 11 Pimlico Road, eating cured meats and drinking wine. 

Partake in cheesy touristy stuff only minimally.

Step out of my one comfort zone from the last trip (Indian restaurant Tayyabs which was the highlight of my last trip) only slightly and hit up another Indian restaurant, Dishoom, in trendy Shoreditch neighborhood.  Highly recommended by locals.  Best lamb shank. Excellent (and unlimited during the day) Chai.

End day by wandering the streets some more. 

Londontown

After deciding to leave SF, it was time to shake things up.  The question was how.  I had no answers so I figured what better place to think than my sister's new, super modern flat in London!

Having only been to London once, I did not leave loving London.  It was NYE 2012 and on a whim, I thought London would be the perfect place to ring in the new year.  As a Brit recently pointed out to me on this trip, NYE in any large city - on a whim (i.e., without plans) - is likely to be, at worst, disastrous and at best, a disappointment.  Touche. That being said, I still found the food bland, the weather too dreary and the overall feel of the city, lacking.

This time around, however, London was much kinder to me - and to top it off, my BFF from DC met me there. What made it better this go around:

Gorgeous weather (for London, at least).

My sister's amazing flat in Battersea.

My sister.

The amazing view of the Thames from her flat, during the day...

...and especially, at night. (#nofilter.)

Late night chats with the BFF and excessive amounts of wine.

Goodbye, SF.

Sorry, SF.  I tried.  After deciding that SF - as beautiful as it is - is just not the city for me, I thought it only fitting to note a few favorites:

The excellent coffee throughout the City, including my favorite, Sight Glass.

Fresh, colorful flowers at the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building every Saturday.

The City's love of raw oysters.

Boozing as a community sport, whether it's via a metal bucket or the extensive bar selections throughout the City.

The Bay Bridge, day or night, whether it be a foggy or clear day. 

Rainy Days

A belated post of SF crying.  I've been fortunate enough to avoid the rainy days but I knew they were inevitable...

Madewell sweatshirt.  Lacoste puff vest.  BCBG leggings.  Banana Republic rain boots.  Totes umbrella. 

Califor'ya

Graffiti walls. Sunshine in March. Leather dresses. Floral bomber jackets. Studded heels. The state that's untouchable like Eliot Ness.

Vince leather dress. Lark floral bomber jacket. Joe's Jeans shoes (different color here). Jewelry: Sarah Chloe heartbeat necklace. David Yurman, Gorjana, Stella + Dot, Kate Spade.