Monthly Favourites: May
Travel + Hotels
May was a month of travelling thanks to the two Bank Holidays framing the month. First up was Paris, one of my favourite cities for a quick city break, partly thanks to its proximity to London (and the ease of getting there), partly because of its fantastic and diverse restaurant scene (there’s way more than just French food in the capital). We stayed at the wonderful Hoxton Hotel, which is always my favourite hotel to stay in when visiting Paris, thanks to its fantastic location and slick interiors. Check out my Paris city guide for all of my recommendations.
This stay was gifted, but all opinions are my own. I do not accept and write about gifted stays unless I truly enjoy them.
At the end of the month, the sis and I visited Barcelona, a city I hadn’t travelled to in a number of years. During the trip we stayed at both Soho House Barcelona in the city centre, and Little Beach House Barcelona (Soho House’s smaller outpost right on the beach, and thirty minutes or so outside of the city).
I’ve got to admit that it was most definitely Little Beach House that I fell in love with. The interiors of the hotel are tasteful, and awash with tones of blue and green, and the relaxed atmosphere oozes the cool of a Los Angeles beach house. Oh, and its location right next to the sea, and beautiful views over the quaint town of Garraf only add to this.
Fashion
Puff-sleeve shirred tops with a square neckline (yes, very specific, I know), and similarly, puff-sleeve dresses were pretty much my obsession throughout the month of May. With their flattering and feminine silhouette, what’s not to love? I’ve put together a selection of some of my favourite pieces currently in stores below.
I’m wearing a puff-sleeve top by Asos.
Beauty
May was the month that I discovered Charlotte Tilbury’s luxury eye palettes, and wow, they’ve truly been a game-changer. These nifty eyeshadow palettes are compact (easy to carry around everywhere for quick touch-ups), and have a selection of four different shades in each palette. ‘The Sophisticate’ has the perfect quartet of muted, neutral shades that I wear for everyday use; I will probably invest in another palette with sparklier shades for evening occasions soon.
Music/Film/Culture
Music: I’ve been a fan of Vampire Weekend since I was 14, and their latest (long-awaited) album Father of the Bride is nothing short of spectacular, including a number of songs featuring Danielle Haim (aka lead singer of uber-cool sister band Haim). I’m no music critic, but the mix of punchy tunes and slower melodies on the album are gorgeous, and will have you smiling on your commute to work.
Honourable mentions also go to Canadian indie pop band Alvvays (I discovered their song ‘Dreams Tonite’ whilst in Barcelona and literally listened to it on repeat the entirety of my flight home), and Ruel’s catchy song ‘Younger’.
TV: Netflix’s latest hit series The Society is a dystopian teen drama: think American high-school combined with a Lord of the Flies situation and boom, you’ll have yourself a mix of characters that you’ll either love, or love to hate. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself binge-watching the entire series in a couple of days.
