The Last of London.

Leaving to go on this London trip was so emotional. It was a little scary, thinking about an entire ocean being between me and my son. But you know what? He did so wonderfully (thanks to an army of family who loved on him so ridiculously well), and this trip was quite the adventure for me and Stevie. I am so grateful we got to have this British adventure together (and eat a lot of amazing Indian food!)

These are the last photos that didn't fit perfectly into any particular category, and in a way, those are probably the ones that best convey the trip - messy, sporadic, surprises of beauty around each corner, and random foliage that just wouldn't quit.

In Chelsea, there were private gardens every block or so that was just for the residents of the surrounding buildings. They looked like enchanted gardens, every last one of them. We peeked through the gates and just sighed.

Stevie wants everyone to know that he took this. He says he wants credit where credit is due.

This is actually right outside Buckingham Palace. The Queen's gardener has it on lock-down.

You just don't see buildings like this in Georgia. You just don't.

Cute man. He wore that backpack around for me, because it held all our camera gear. He's the kindest pack mule.

I really liked this outfit, because it was so comfy. And we were going to eat Italian, so, you know.

This is my chain swing.

My ride. Not.

People live here, guys.

Dinner with our sweet friends Troy and Carrie! We are standing in front of Harrods and it's lit up like Christmas. The best. I feel like London would be the greatest city at Christmas. Also, it was chilly enough to pull out my favorite item in my closet, the leather jacket, so... yeah, I was pretty happy.

See what I mean about the foliage? So intentional. And so beautiful!

Door envy.

Vine envy.

It's a toss up here, between car envy, door envy and mini tree envy. Seriously, do they just grow like that?

I told him to stop mid-walk. Because LENS FLARE.

Her majesty's!

All kinds of joy at the Palace. We didn't go in, although in the summer it is open for tours. You should have seen the lines though guys.

When will we go abroad again? I have no idea. But I've already almost run out of my Fortnum & Mason Royal Blend tea (the best tea in all the Earth), and Stevie promised me that when we run out he will go back and get some. I reminded him of that little promise this morning and he just stared at me. It's crazy pricey on Amazon so it really makes no good sense to order it that way. I guess we will just have to plan a return voyage!

Call me crazy, but I would LOVE to bring my two boys (when this babe is born), back to London and do a tour of England. There are so many quaint countryside towns that need to be explored/hiked (like Bath, where Stevie's dad is from), and the whole Cotswolds region is really beckoning me. I think we would have to throw in a bit of Scotland, too. I mean, if we're there anyway. And Paris! Because PARIS. Now I'm just having Euro turrets.

Are there any spots we visited that you want to go back and see? I'd love to hear in the comments! Thanks for traveling along with us, friends! xox

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Outfit Details:
ASOS Cold Should Maternity Top, Paige Verdugo Maternity Jeans (hand me downs from a dear friend :), color sold out, similar here ), Anthropologie Flats (sold out, similar here), Liberti Love Lariat Necklace (c/o)

ASOS Cold Shoulder Top

Paige Verdugo Maternity Jeans

Farylrobin Finn Wedges

Liberti Love Lariat

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P.S. - Missed a London post? Check out laid-back tea in the village of Hampstead Heath, a formal red dress for the wedding of the year, a Kate Middleton hat and a rolls royce for good measure, good ol' British fish and chips near Southbank, dressing up in a sari on Queen's Gate Road, and an obligatory wander through Notting Hill (with lavender lattes!). Whew. Good trip, guys. Good trip.

Fish & Chips in Neal's Yard + Wandering Southbank.

If you aren't looking, you could miss it.

Neal's Yard can barely be described as an alley. It's a cozy triangular cove, off a quiet side street near Covent Garden, with every square inch of brick, stone and window pane painted in vibrant hues of happy. It's almost hard to photograph, because it's such a tight space and the beauty is really found in looking up. There are a bevy of pizza and cocktail options (seems like the perfect place for happy hour), along with an assortment of organic skincare and spa/massage therapy joints. We would have sat to stay a while, but we were on the hunt for some good London fish and chips, and by golly, we found it.

Rock and Sole Plaice was just around the corner, boasting a long history in London's Fish & Chip hall of fame. We sat outside and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. It was so peaceful, finding a shady corner of a side street to take in our vinegar (with a side of cod, can you tell I'm pregnant?)

We wandered through Covent Garden quickly, because it was super crowded and touristy, and managed to grab a shot of the gorgeous Savoy Hotel (above), where we attended a wedding the day before (also where I pretended to dress like Kate Middleton), and kept walking until we crossed the Thames on the Waterloo Bridge. It was that delicious time of night, the twilight hour where the sun turns everything soft gold and the water looks like molten charcoal, swiftly moving along. I love this stretch of Southbank, from the London Eye to the Globe Theater. There are restaurants lining the water, offering everything from coffee and tea to cocktails and popsicles, with lots of bikers, strollers and skateboarders weaving their way through the fray. We took in a show at the Globe Theater the last time we were in London, and it was one of my all-time favorite life experiences (they offer standing-room tickets for less than $10, and those spots are the best "seats" in the house!) However, this time around, I wasn't really up for being on my feet that long, so after the sun set we cabbed over to The Wosley for a late-night treat. I heard this place had an amazing high tea, and yes it's quite fancy, but there is a special seating area for people dressed down (like, not in coat tails), so we camped out there and took in some late night eats. We were proud of ourselves, for staying out late like grownups.

I loved this evening. It was quiet and we wandered at such a laid-back pace that it really felt like a break from the real world. It was a special time, just being the two of us in this romantic city. London, I love you.

Wandering through Kensington Garden & Notting Hill.

London, I love you.

This is the loveliest of towns. Stevie and I spent last week in this polite, prestigious hamlet for a good friends' wedding and it was nothing short of exciting, invigorating and so, so inspiring. It's just the most attractive city - so clean and historic and well-maintained. There were enormous planters of cascading flowers everywhere - hanging from lanterns, peeking out from enclosed gardens, and pristinely lining the sidewalks in the most polite fashion. I've never seen such gorgeous maintenance, city-wide. The British really care about orderly fashion, and I kind of love it. Of course, I don't know any American girls who aren't fascinated with British culture, those Disney movies really did us in.

Though we were busy for most of this trip, celebrating the 3-day wedding, we managed to do a bit of exploring in between events. One of my favorite parts of the city is Notting Hill, and the last time we were there it was a bit rushed, so this time we wanted to take our time and enjoy the colorful homes (and vibrant doors!) that line these quaint streets. We took the long walk from our hotel in Chelsea, The Doubletree Kensington, through Kensington Garden, past the Kensington Palace (where I'm certain I lost my phone, RIP) up into Notting Hill.

Side note - these maternity overalls are going to be on constant rotation these next few months. They are so comfortable and actually fit incredibly well. Have I mentioned how much I love ASOS maternity? More on that later.

Kensington Palace! Where Diana lived and where Prince William and Princess Kate reside where they're in London.

I have no reason to believe that London is a soggy, cloudy town because it was like 70 degrees and sunny the entire time we were there. Also, he's cute.

A botonist's dream.

I read about Farm Girl Cafe on Portobello Road here and wanted so badly to try the famed rose latte. When we arrived, the little place was packed and the waiter warned us that the drink of our choice was "a little girly" - so of course Stevie chose something else. MISTAKE. My rose latte tasted like a floral coffee wondertreat with crispy bits of rose to munch on (the tastiest of surprises, I assure you) and Stevie kept asking for sips. I was a bit stingy though.

The beauty of this area of London is found in the wandering, and perhaps getting a bit lost along the cobbled side streets. Peeking through the wrought-iron gates into the private gardens and imagining what it would be like to have afternoon tea on the terrace and pulling open the brightly-colored front doors - the dreaming is all part of the fun. We spent the morning talking about which house would be ours (I kept changing my mind, because they're all just too pretty to choose), and what life would really be like, living in London. Does anyone else do this when they travel? We do this everywhere we go, whether it's on a road trip to the beach or a quick trip to London. We like to imagine our life and our family living in different places, just for the fun of it. I guess you could call that grown-up make believe. This fun was only the beginning, I'm excited to share more about this trip in the coming weeks!

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Denim Dungarees

Side-Ruched Maternity Tee

Michael Kors Jaryn Rose Gold Watch

Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer

Outfit Details:
ASOS Denim Dungarees, Motherhood Maternity Top, Boots (similar here and here), Michael Kors Jaryn Rose Gold Watch, Ray Ban Sunglasses
 

Off to London!

We have a dear friend getting married in jolly old London next week, and I am so excited to dive across the pond and spend time celebrating this wonderful wedding! It is a 3-day Indian wedding, so I know the festivities will be gorgeous and lively and I am just so excited to be able to experience it! While it would be a blast to bring Everett, Stevie and I are treating this as our babymoon and leaving him in good hands back home. We are also going to be in 3 days of wedding events, which doesn't really scream "toddler friendly" - though I'll admit, I am getting reeeeeeally sad about leaving him. He's just so wonderful and funny and tender and the thought of spending a few days so far away from him is a little unnerving. Say a little prayer for my mama heart :)

Even though we will be really busy on this trip, I wanted to ask all of you if you have suggestions for places to go/see/eat/do. The last time Stevie and I were in London, we did a lot of delightful touristy things, like having high tea at Fortnum & Mason, seeing A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe Theater, touring the London Natural History Museum, visiting the Tower of London, shopping (and eating!) at Borough Market, riding the London Eye, drooling at all the dresses in Harrods, lounging in Kensington Garden and trekking around Notting Hill. I would gladly do all of these wonderful things again because truly, this is a magical town, but I'm sure there are a slew of other places we should visit while we're visiting. I would love your suggestions!

Below are a few of my favorite pics from the last time we visited London. Oh, we were just babes then, living the adventurous pre-baby life and traveling like hippies around Europe with two backpacks and a Rick Steves travel guide. I wouldn't trade my life now for what we had then - but I'll admit, our Euro Trip was the best, most fantastically adventurous trip of my life.

Note our odd outfits - we were seriously running out of clean laundry.
 

I am so excited about this trip I am almost itching. I am such an anglophile (in other words, a typical American girl) and I am excited to don a Kate-Middleton-esque hat and get my tea on. Seriously friends, trip suggestions are appreciated! Thank you in advanced! XOX