BRITAIN & IRELAND'S NEXT TOP MODEL MINI REUNION - LONDON

My friend, Rissikat, made a Vlog of our London day out for her youtube channel. 

She does so many other cool videos of natural hair tutorials and Vlogs about her life, modelling between Ibiza and London.

We met on Britain & Irelands Next Top Model Cycle 8 and she has been one of my closest friends since then. Emma and Kelly also make appearances.

Check it out below!

x o x o

FEELING FESTIVE IN THE BIG SMOKE

The lead up to Christmas is the best thing about winter.

I'm a summer girl and was not made for the cold. To me winter is just... awful. Long nights, freezing cold mornings, dry skin, self diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder aka drama kween.

But Christmas is the silver lining in the dark sky, and London is so beautiful at this time of year.

Its easy to be cheesy and write about Christmas Markets and Winter Wonderland etc. as the pinnacles of festivity in this city, but to be honest, I don't like fighting through crowds in some park in the dark all while freezing my *** off.

So this is a list of my top 5 things to keep your spirits high and happy in December.

Christmas Lights

London is a visual feast at this time of year. No matter if you're East or West there is always something to see.

Oxford Circus/Soho

If you are visiting London then it's worth facing the crowds to see these streets. 

photo from google.com/images

Duke of York Square

photo from google.com/images

Somerset House

photo from google.com/images

Natural History Museum

photo from google.com/images

A few restaurants transform their interiors into Wintery forests. You can have the experience of stepping through the wardrobe and into Narnia without the need for a big fur coat. Even if you go for just one cocktail or some small snacks its definitely worth taking a peak at these spaces. 

Hot Chocolate

Selfridges roof top

photo from google.com/images

The Dalloway Terrace

Winter Cocktails & Red wine 

Sketch

Claridges

CLardige's photos from last Christmas

Shopping

I don't mean shopping for just yourself, although I would be lying if I said I haven't bought myself a some treats this season - I mean presents for family and friends... Of course...

Comfort Food

I will be going to Jamaica in a few days, and in Jamaica every season is bikini season. So I haven't been able to exploit this one as much as I would like.

For those of you who will be wrapped up in warm, cozy layers until the sun comes out again next year - CARPE DIEM! Eat EAT EAT. (Just bare in mind you will have to burn it off next Spring, but we got plenty time till then)

Dirty Bones - if you're committed to this comfort-food-baggy-jumpers-with-leggings lifestyle you gotta get the Mac N Cheese Burger & truffle with Parmesan cheese loaded fries. You just gotta.

Flesh & Buns - Korean BBQ wings are it. My bf will order 2 plates of this plus a side and then want more wings again. 

Shoryu Ramen - Noodles, soup...chicken... sake...hungry just thinking about it

'Ochi Caribbean' Take away, Netflix, blanket & fluffy socks. Nuff said. 

All in all this post is about indulging! Because when its cold as **** and you're freezing your nuts off that's all you can really do!

BENVENUTO A PORTO CERVO

A few top feelings of boring adult life in not particular order:

i) Taking your bra off after a long day
ii) Waking up on a Saturday or Sunday without needing an alarm and no hang over
iii) Turning your out of office on during the week because its time for a HoLiDaY

Sardinia is a large island off the coast of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea.

It sunny, beautiful and glamorous - everything I needed in a get away from 'real life'. So off I went... bye bye grey London! Ciao Italia!

With a group of my friends we went to stay in the villa of our Sardinian girl friend. She works in concierge and PR for many private clients, restaurants and night clubs in London, Sardinia and Cote D'Azur- so basically, she got the hook up.

We had aperitifs at Phi Beach - I think it's one of the most beautiful venues I've been to. I promise, I had a near spiritual moment when the sun was setting on the horizon and they were playing Fleetwood Mac - Dreams ... or maybe it was the drinks. 

This summer I really discovered Aperol Spritz - a perfect summer drink with Aperol liqueur, champagne/ Prosecco, soda water, a splash of Campari, plenty ice and a slice of orange. DO try at home. 

After Phi Beach, we had dinner in Porto Cervo marina surrounded by Super Yachts. Beautiful sushi, espresso martini's and wine. I din't have my phone out at the table so there there aren't any pictures of the food, just some dessert. I ate a lot of dessert this summer... a lot. 

Then we went straight to Billionaire Porto Cervo Sardinia's exclusive night club. 

The next day, we wondered the island in the sunshine. After negotiating a painfully expensive taxi ride. We had lunch and coffee by the smaller marina in Porto Cervo and enjoyed the views of the yachts. 

Second night and it's party time! You can tell I have lived in London a long time because all my clothes are black. It was so nice to get dressed up, do my make up and hair and wear heels. I am around 6" 4 in heels, which is kind of intense for people who don't know me. The older I get the funnier I find this - if I meet someone and I am sitting they are so shocked once I stand to say hello. 

Jacket: ZARA

Top: ZARA

Shorts: Cochianna's store in Jamaica in New Kingston Business Centre. 

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik

Clutch: ASOS

My friend tried to convince me that the beaches in Sardinia were the most beautiful in Europe. Being from the Caribbean she noted I am spoilt for beaches. She's right - our sand is the whitest, our water the bluest and the most crystal clear - most days you can see your toes in the sand through the waves. I will admit I did not swim in Sardinia, the water was just too cold! But still very beautiful. 

The view was stunning, like a scene from The Talented Mister Ripley. Super yachts and beautiful young tanned Italian people, little kids playing in the sand. There were many sun beds and umbrellas for hire, as well as African immigrants hustling and selling towels and imitation designer handbags. 

Its a completely different way of beach leisure that we do not culturally have as Jamaicans. For one thing, most Jamaican's can't swim. 

Dress: Forever 21

Shoes: Same as above

This night - guys, I can't even tell you about this night. We turned all the way up. Tequila, tequila, tequila. All I know is those shoes were exchanged for flats before the clock struck midnight and I didn't get home until the sun was up. 

Not going to lie, coming back to the office was like returning from a fantasy. 

x o x o

NOTCH LONDON

This was the first summer i spent in London. Usually I go back to Jamaica to see my family.

London is beautiful in the summer. In May and June the streets are lined by roses and cherry blossom, pinks and reds and the sky is so blue. 

The days are long, with the sun setting at around 10 pm during the longest days. This means there is plenty time for lazying in parks, having picnics, or discovering new rooftop bars and finally getting to catch up with old friends. City life is so hectic, and once routine sets in its easy to go months without seeing people who live only 15 minutes away from you. 

This particular Friday I was bored at work stalking peoples snap chats and I see my friends LIT snap story and they're in London partying in Shoredtich somewhere the night before. Of course, I text them instantly. No hang overs to be used as an excuse - its summer and we are going out! 

My friend Maddy had come to visit London from Paris. I met Maddy on Britain's Next Top Model Cycle 8 (almost 4 years ago, yikes!), and have remained friends since. She was with our friends Rida and Tasha, who I met through Rissikat, another friend from BINTM. 

They were all meant to be going to Ibiza to see Rissikat but they're trip had sadly been cancelled last minute, so they were doing some partying in London instead.  

We headed over to a new pop-up bar right opposite Marble Arch tube station called Notch London

It's a roof top bar just above the busy Oxford Street, it's open air and has a really cool East London vibe. We waited in a queue for a long time (one of my pet peeves) it was so long that the people in front of us started leaving one by one. We were having a great time catching up so we waited it out. 

After that long ass wait, once we were inside we went straight for some drinks. I had a Giant Ice tea at £12 it came in a very on-trend mason jar. There were also Old Fashioned's and Negronis that came in colourful vintage tin cans. 

The music was really good, a mixture of hip-hop and electric dance music. Plus it had cool activities like Sharpie pens to draw on all the surfaces. But the best part about this place was the swing sets! After a few drinks we were playing like school kids and of course had to have an IG worthy photo shoot. 

Always have to nuff up ourselves, but the bartender didn't seem to mind being our photographer!

We were there until the place closed. It was so much fun to see these girls, we couldn't go home.

So we made our way to The Cuckoo Club, on Swallow Street. I went to university with the very glamorous girl who does the door there. She let us in though it was a private party or something. We had some of the canapés and some prosecco before any one noticed we weren't invited or dressed for the occasion. 

I think I'm getting old because the second best part of the night was taking the Night Tube home for the first time. It was awesome. Forget whatever fusion restaurant, whatever bar,  whatever new pop-up HIIT-yoga-boxing studio - the best thing to happen to London this summer is the Night Tube. 

Earrings - Bought in Jamaica

90s Choker - ASOS

Silver Necklace - Christmas Present

Bodysuit - Missguided

Denim Skirt - ASOS

Bracelets - random purchases and gifts 

xoxo