Home Comforts

So, for the final time, just some reflection on the Summer season, if I may? And what a rather lovely time it was. Loaded with seeing friends, hot, hot English Summer days, strawberry picking, ice lollies, frequential dips in the local Lido, picnics in London parks, a weekend in Lisbon, days in The Algarve, a week in the South of France, birthdays and BBQ’s, novels read and there you have it, another Summer of memories made…..Okay I am sure you are all probably done with me harping on about these joys of Summer we are half way through September for Gods sake, but when you think of all it brings, you get why. But alas, I now surrender. I am no longer in denial and feel excited about what the next season will bring…..but mostly because for me the next couple of months, at least, are based on being at home, aside from galavanting round the country for work that is. But really, I’m looking forward to indulging in those comforts that even the most exciting of holidays doesn’t bring. It’s about regrouping, hunkering down and settling in for a while, and not really doing much, because time just seems to fly. So I am happy to say my Au Revoirs to Summer but may I just pause and enjoy the simplest of home comforts and just be for a while, before I properly welcome Autumn and the next chapter of the year begins ….

…..and this is how I am doing it…

Comfort Nights

There is nothing better than a comfortable pair of pyjamas and I’ve hit comfort to a ten with these floral embroidered set from Topshop. You can wear as a nightshirt or add the bottoms like me if you really wanna snuggle down. What I like about this type of sleepwear is although totally comfortable and warm, it is still oh so pretty with the Floral embroidery on cuffs and on the back of the night shirt, I can’t be doing with any type of nightwear where you have to throw something else on over the top if someone knocks the door, like what happens if you need to escape quickly in the night? Call me old, boring and even prudish but comfort comes first, the Oxford Stripe pyjama set is the best and when they are as pretty as these well. Home comforts suggest pyjamas all day long… well if you’re not leaving the house.

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Comfort TV

I’m not the first to say, but you cannot beat Autumn television! However, I rather pride myself not really being a TV person, asides for Big Bang repeats….. I rarely have it on and I just seem to waste time in other ways, but actually what I am is a binge TV watcher and I save it all up and do one big hit. So from the second season of Dr Foster, and Liar, weekly fixes for me on the regular box, then over on Netflix I’ve managed to catch up three seasons in Suits, surprisingly quickly. There is also Victoria, which I’ve still got to watch the first series before catching up on the second…. I’ve so much to do! Then the good ole American Sitcom, with both the new season of Big Bang and Modern Family to grace the screens. Consistent reruns of Friends, which for me is the epitome of chilled out sofa days, the best TV and the the best comfort in the world. Without mentioning Strictly and X-factor which I will no doubt be pulled into somewhere along the line. Settle in, make a cup of tea, light a few candles and well quite frankly why do you ever need to leave the house.

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Comfort Food

Holidays and special occasions are great for trying new foods and restaurants. We had some of the most amazing meals in Lisbon, we especially loved Cantinho Do Avillez, and ate out a lot with friends, for birthdays and BBQ’s over the Summer and those warm pain au chocolates I devoured every morning in France were pretty amazing. But even eating out and indulging this way can loose its joy (yes violins strings please) and basic and easy comfort foods are what calls me this time of year. Not great at all in the kitchen, I literally had to ask my sister how to make porridge without a microwave the other day-the shame! But that is okay, because for me the best tastes are easy, like super easy and I must be an easy lady to please, because I could not be happier than with a couple of slices of marmite on toast and a cup of coffee….To me that really is happiness right there, which is good because I can make it, without the text to my sister. Tonight is Jools’ simple chicken stew, (yes I’m cooking) last week was a vat of chilli and well beans on toast is up there too. So yes dining out and experiencing delicious meals is rather fabulous, but sometimes those home comforts can taste and feel like the absolute best!

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Comforts Rituals

Bath, baths and more baths…..A Friday night in, a Saturday morning splash about and a Sunday night soak before the week ahead, there is nothing more lovely. Add a book, add a Netflix stream, or a glass of wine but maybe not in the morning, the wine that is. I’m currently immersing in a medley of Coconut from Herbivore Botanical Coconut soak, so good you will want to eat it, coconut aromas and even a white chocolate scent filling the room as well as washing the day away with and the always favourite Cowshed product, rose and geranium in moody cow bath gel. Additional warmth and scents from Brooklyn Candle Studio, of Sweet Fig possibly one of my most favourite candles to date, paired with my Neom Happiness Candle with Neroli, mimosa & lemon and I’ll tell you at this point I’m pretty happy and put together these candles smell like a scented haven. Finally dabbing on some Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse on face, hair, body post soak …Well I tell ya by the end I smell pretty delicious and am very clean indeed!

So splashing around the tub as if I were Cleopatra, with as many lotions and potions concocting in the air, as often as I can, is rather lovely and super comforting.

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Comfort Reading

If there is one thing I am good at in life it is procrastinating, excellent in fact if I don’t say so myself. Usually this means I should be doing a load of work, but I will be mostly looking at trips to far flung places. So it is super lush when you have time to sit and flick through Condé Nast Magazine and on Flight Scanner for a good deal, I can easily while away an afternoon and whole evenings checking places out. Sofa, Netflix, laptop….comfort is there…..Although, really, while I maybe flicking through the pages of Condé Nast and scrolling through blog posts and holiday websites, I am really just enjoying the comforts of being at home…..