How to style the small Chloé Tess bag

It is time to introduce my third Chloé bag to the world - read all about my first baby here - and share with you how I have styled it and if I would recommend purchasing it. You are probably thinking: 'Wait what? Third bag, but where is your second?' and I will get to that in a bit, I have honestly been loving the Chloé Tess so much that I haven't worn my second bag as much, but I will introduce you all to her soon.

I purchased the small Chloé Tess bag back in April 2020 on FARFETCH. I actually got it on sale and with my staff discount it was such a steal that I couldn't resist. Fun fact: someone else bought it first and it wasn't as heavily discounted anymore, but then for some reason it was back for the original sale price and I couldn't click faster on the 'buy now' button. Safe to say I'm very happy that I did buy it as it has been my favourite bag of all time.

So why do I love it so much? For starters it's the perfect size. Despite the fact that this is the smaller version - the medium looks very bulky to me - it is quite big. All my daily essentials fit into the bag and I honestly don't need anything else. The shoulder strap makes it easy to carry around and it's the ultimate finishing touch to every outfit. It is a bag that makes a noise, so if you like quiet accessoires then this is not the one for you, but I can live with that. And it's also the perfect addition to any food photo, check exhibit A when I went for brunch at SUNDAY in Highbury, London.

My ultimate way of styling it is either over a midi dress with some Birkenstocks in the summer. Or over my kick flare jeans, oversized blouse and black trenchcoat. I probably could be dressed in the most laid back look and this bag will make it look very luxurious.

Would I recommend buying this bag? 1000 times yes! It's my most favourite designer purchase as it is such a good everyday bag and goes with every look. I have been eyeing up other colour combinations as well, but I am trying to control myself and not end up with too many Chloé bags - although how many is too many, you know?

What do you think of the Chloé Tess bag?

Follow me on Bloglovin     |     Follow me on Instagram 

The Amsterdam Food Hotspot: TOKI

Coffee was never one of my go-to drinks. Don't get me wrong I like the warm and cozy taste, but the dependence that people have on the drink wasn't something that I wanted for myself. A couple of years ago during summer I was working on my thesis and got this obsession with iced almond latte's. For three days straight I would drink about three large coffees a day - I made them in this mason jar that I had - and I felt like the typical student, sweating away over uni work and drinking coffee to keep going. On the fourth day I woke up feeling the grumpiest I have ever been and immediately stopped. I think that's the closest I have gotten to having that 'I need my morning coffee' feeling that people always say they have. Plus I felt like it didn't give me more energy at all so I switched back to water and tea.

Fast forward to me stumbling upon TOKI. A small café near the Haarlemmerdijk in Amsterdam. Usually when I am out and about I always order a chai latte, turmeric latte or green tea, but at TOKI I wanted to give it another shot - mainly because they serve the coffee with a tortoise spoon and it would look so good in pictures. I ordered an oat latte and a slice of their banana cake, and sat down in their airy space full of terrazzo tables. It was a Friday after all so I opened my laptop to do some work - it was a Covid free world back then - and observed the people around me. It's a proper local café where you can do bit of work on your own, meet friends for a chat or grab a quick coffee to go. When the latte and cake arrived I wasn't disappointed at all. I LOVED the coffee, which was surprising to me and the cake was the cherry on top. The creamy topping and moist cake go so well together and I enjoyed every single bite as I sat there typing away.

Since then - this was december 2019 - I have been back a couple more times and always go fo the same combo: an oat latte and a slice of banana cake. I know they have plenty of other baked goods and lunch foods, but once you try the banana cake you honestly don't want anything else. The staff has been super friendly and helpful every single time I've been there and even when it's busy - people in Amsterdam love coffee -they pay attention to every little detail. 

I'm very sad that I cannot visit Amsterdam as much as I used to, but when I am there I always pay TOKI a visit. On your own or with friends, I'm sure you will love this gorgeous space as much as I do. They also opened a café in Berlin which has the same kind of relaxing atmosphere as their big brother in Amsterdam. So if you are ever in Amsterdam - or Berlin - don't forget to go for a coffee and banana cake break at TOKI, I'm sure you won't regret it. 

Have you ever been to TOKI?

Follow me on Bloglovin     |     Follow me on Instagram 

The London Food Hotspot: Franks Canteen

With the lifting of some restrictions on the 12th of April coming closer in the UK - which is also my birthday, lucky me! - I want to put more focus on cafés where you can eat outside. I'm actually very excited to go out for food again and have a drink at the pub, so this will be perfect to get me - and all of you - excited. Today I want to put the spotlight on everyone's favourite: Franks Canteen.

Hidden away in Highbury is where you will find this local gem. I actually visited the café back in October 2020, right before all the restaurants had to close again. The café itself is very tiny, with only a few areas where you can sit, and all the way in the back you will find the counter with fresh cakes, chocolaty babka's and local ingredients for you to purchase.

We found a spot available outside and immediately sat down at a mint green table with matching chairs - already a plus in my books. We had a closer look at their menu, my friend had been there before and couldn't stop raving about the croissant French toast - yes you read that right - so I couldn't resist ordering that as well, accompanied with a fragrant green tea. 

Whilst chatting away and catching up, the food arrived fast. The sugary French toast is served with mascarpone, syrup, bacon and a lemon wedge - a perfect combination if you ask me. The croissant flavour was really surprising as I never even thought about creating French toast with a buttery pastry, but this definitely changed my mind. 

I demolished it as it was the first thing I ate that day and sipped my tea taking in the neighbourhood surroundings. It's not the best French toast I have eaten in London - that crown is for Burnt Toast in Brixton - but I will definitely return to Franks Canteen for the cozy vibes, good food and minty chairs.

Have you ever been to Franks Canteen?

Follow me on Bloglovin     |     Follow me on Instagram 

The Manchester Food Hotspot: Ezra & Gil

If you are doing a bit or research about where to eat in Manchester, Ezra & Gil is probably one of the most named placed on the web, and there is a good reason for that: it's bloody amazing.

On a cold Sunday morning - when eating out was still a thing - my friend and I decided to try out Ezra & Gil after a successful Saturday before at Eveline café. When I set foot in Ezra & Gil a warm, cozy feeling got over me and it immediately made me feel at home. It's a huge space with warm, brown splashes of colour, massive tables, comfy window seats, the smell of food and the sound of laughter that fills the air with so much joy.

We got our hands on a window seat and quickly had a look at the menu, sweet or savoury: they have it all. My friend and I both decided to go for the French toast and we we're happy that we did, alongside my chai latte - which was the best - I enjoyed the fluffiness of the bread and the sweetness of the mascarpone topping.

One thing I love the most about window seats is to look outside and watch all the people go by. Manchester has an interesting mix of people and it's nice to see such a different culture, compared to London and Amsterdam. We went out for dinner the night before and were honestly quite shocked with the drinking culture - 7pm looked like it was 1pm in Shoreditch haha - but that didn't spoil the fun for me as Manchester is full of cute vintage shops, red brick buildings and lots of art.

It's a perfect weekend getaway, especially from London on the train, and I'm looking forward to visit again soon when the pandemic is over to discover even more hidden gems and to pop into my new favourite café for a chai latte :).

What are your favorite spots in Manchester?

Follow me on Bloglovin     |     Follow me on Instagram 

The London Food Hotspot: Burnt Toast

Since living in London I have been on a mission to try out the best brunch places in the city and although I'm currently not able to go outside to have brunch, it wont stop me from sharing my favourite cafes in the city. The gem in today's post is without a doubt one of the winners. Of course I'm talking about Burnt Toast, a cosy café right in the heart of Brixton.

I never visited Brixton before and I was pleasantly surprised with the unique vibe and colourful atmosphere. For a Saturday afternoon the queue wasn't too bad and we waited for around 20 minutes - which for London standards is actually a steal. You are seated outside, which isn't too bad in the summer time. I haven't tried it in the colder months, but I'll do anything to eat this French toast even if it means I'll be cold for the rest of the day - that's what tea is for am I right?

Burnt Toast is famous for their French toast, so that's what we ordered. And despite the name of the café, the actual French toast is not burned. I almost chose the pancakes (which I heard is AMAZING as well), but something in me said that French toast was the way to go and boy how I was right. I went for berries, my friend went for bacon and when the plates arrived, all covered up in maple syrup and honey comb, I knew I made the right choice. Taking that first bite was something I never experienced before with French toast. The bread seemed to have caramelized whilst baking and the combination of flavors was superb. In combination with my green tea, the lovely weather, friendly staff and good company you can say it was one of my best brunch experiences.

Once this epidemic is over you know I'll be running over to support this café and eat a plate - or two - of their French toast and probably the pancakes too.

Have you been to Burnt Toast before?

Follow me on Bloglovin     |     Follow me on Instagram  

My first designer bag: the medium Chloé Faye Day

If 14 year old me knew what this blog post was about she would die and 26 year old me still kinda does, because yes you read the title right: your girl finally got herself a designer bag!

As I'm writing this I actually bought two more (do keep in mind that I bought this bag last year and I just never wrote a blog post about it. I'm not THAT crazy on spending money) but I couldn't introduce you to the newest baby in my life without writing about the other one. So here she is: my Chloé medium Faye Day bag, a gorgeous handbag made from black leather with silver and gold hardware.

For me this purchase symbolizes a lot of things. It was a treat for myself, getting my bachelor degree, moving to another country, having this amazing job and just surviving on my own in a big city. I bought it on sale and added my staff discount (one of the perks when you work for a luxury fashion company) and even though it was still a lot of money, purchasing it was one of the best decisions of my life.

I contemplated between this model and the classic Faye and although I love them both I ended up going for this version, mainly because the zippers gave it a little bit more of an edge and I thought I would get more use out of it. That's also why I picked the black colour. There are so many different colours to choose from, but for my first designer bag I wanted a classic that I would love for the rest of my life.
The bag is safely stored in the dust bag that it arrived in and I do sometimes feel a bit stupid for not wearing it enough. One time it was raining and I forgot my umbrella - you can just never trust weather reports can you? - and I was basically covering up the bag with my blazer, because I didn't want it to get wet. People probably thought I was crazy, but I was protecting my most valuable possession haha. 

One year after I'm still happy with my first ever designer purchase. My second and third designer bag - also a Chloé - will make it's appearance on the blog very soon, as I can't wait to show it to you. But for now let's appreciate this gorgeous gal, shall we?

What designer bag is on your wishlist?

Follow me on Bloglovin     |     Follow me on Instagram  

The London Food Hotspot: SUNDAY

If there is one café that I have loved during lockdown it's SUNDAY. I visited this place for the first time a couple of years ago when I wasn't even living in London and I was just visiting for a few days - even then this café was super popular, and for a good reason.

The café SUNDAY is located in Barnsbury near Highbury & Islington station, hidden away off the main road, but still a not so hidden gem. On weekends it's known that there is at least an hour waiting time to get a table - I know this, because I was in that queue - but in the end, once you take a bite full of fluffy pancake you forget all about that. The cafe is small, yet cosy and it's the friendly neighbourhood café that everyone loves and I can definitely see why. They also launched their own brunch book last year with their famous recipes and I'm very happy to have added that to my cookbook collection.

Ever since the lockdown happened, I have been craving their pancakes and since all I do is walk and go for coffees I didn't mind the exercise from Hampstead all the way to Islington. I've actually done this twice already since the first stack of pancakes only made me want it more. I ordered the pancakes with caramelized banana - obviously -, an oat chai latte and a slice of their blueberry crumble cake. The pancakes are super fluffy and remind me of the pancakes I had at Bubby's in New York City. The blueberry crumble cake was amazing too and I definitely prefer that over the coffee & walnut cake that I had last time. 

I also highly recommend the courgette fritters, which is usually the dish that I go for if I am in a savoury mood - or to share when I'm with a friend. Every time I've been there the people that work there have been super friendly, which makes me like the place even more. 

It's save to say that the pancakes from café SUNDAY are my favourite in London and I will probably go for a walk again this weekend to get some more, either in Barnsbury or here in Hampstead where they have their second location (it's currently closed because of the pandemic). In these crazy times it's important to support your local cafés and I will 100% keep doing that!

What is your favourite café in London?

Follow me on Bloglovin     |     Follow me on Instagram  

The London Diaries part 1

You are probably wondering (or not) why I abandoned my own little bubble on the internet that is my blog, and to be honest I don't really know myself either. I would like to say life got in the way and instead of being a student with lots of time on my hands, I am now an adult managing a fulltime job and enjoying everything my new home has to offer. Although I could not really consider it "new" since I've been living here for almost two years now.

Before I moved it was quite the year for me. A lot of stuff happened in my personal life but besides that, it also had some good moments in it: going to New York for the first time and loving every single pancake minute of it, finally graduating uni and now having a bachelor degree in Arts, getting a new job, moving to the city of my dreams and living on my own for the first time. Now that I think about it, it's quite a lot for such a short amount of time and I needed a breather from anything internet related and focus on my life offline. 

My time in London has been wonderful so far (if you don't count in the global pandemic). I've met so many new people that I now call my friends that I would've never met if it wasn't for my move across the pond. I'm so grateful for the progress I've made on a personal level (still not going to the gym though, but that will change in a few months - hopefully) and I feel like I'm ready to share my experiences on this platform again. I won't be committing to a certain amount of posts a week, since I think that is what killed my love for blogging in the first place, but expect some occasional posts about food, travel, fashion, beauty and anything else that pops in my head.

Thanks for staying with me and I hope you enjoy reading my posts as they come along.

X Marjolein