GOTHAM

Coffee at La Colombe - Top of the Rock - High Line - West Village - Manhattan from Williamsburg - SoHo

New York is quickly becoming one of my favourite cities and it's understandable why. This visit we stayed in SoHo, my favourite borough on Manhattan and also great for shopping. Zara, J.Crew and Zimmermann are my picks. Coffee at La Colombe and Ground Support became a ritual and by the end of the week the baristas remembered my order. Ground Support was also the scene for a run-in with Paul Wesley from The Vampire Diaries. So dreamy. Frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity 3 was another highlight and also the location for one of my most loved movies. And of course no visit to New York is complete without visiting the Top of the Rock. That view gets me. Every time.

BOSTON STRONG

Newbury Street - Boutiques along Newbury - Copley Square - Acorn Street

I cannot believe it has been two months since I last posted. This year is flying by. I have been meaning to share these photos from Boston, one of my favourite cities, for a while now. Although our time there was cut short (caused by flight cancellations which ended up taking us to Houston!), I enjoyed our visit more than ever. If you read my post from last year, you'll understand my love for this city. A visit to Newbury Street was a big highlight, in particular enjoying brunch at Trident Booksellers. Their lemon and blueberry ricotta french toast is incredible. We also visited the Boston Marathon site and memorial. Only a month or so after and the affect on locals was still clearly visible. On a personal note it was incredibly moving and heartbreaking to visit again, having only been there ten months before. On our last morning we went to Charles Street, another treasure, for breakfast at The Paramount and then stopped for a danish and coffee at Cafe Vanille before snapping a photo at Acorn Street, the most photographed residential street in America. I could only dream of living there one day.

CITY OF ANGELS

The Grove - Latte at Urth Caffe - Beverly Hills - Rodeo Drive - Walk towards Venice - Santa Monica Pier - Cafe Gratitude 

The Grove brings back great memories. We spent a lot of time wandering around the shops and farmer's market during our trip last year. I also spent hours pouring over magazines in Barnes and Noble. Needless to say, it was great to visit again last month. Gordon Ramsay's restaurant, Fat Cow, has since opened too and apparently Emma Roberts is a regular costumer. I also found a few other gems this trip. Urth Caffe was a five-minute walk from our hotel in Beverly Hills. I did most of my coffee drinking there. The poached apricot oatmeal was delicious too. I also came across Cafe Gratitude from a few celebrity Instagram accounts. Alongside their cutesy plates, the desserts are incredible. Of course no trip to LA is complete without a few celebrity sightings. I spotted Tyler Posey from Teen Wolf at Urth one morning and we saw Scott Caan from Hawaii 5-0 brunching along Robertson Boulevard. And yes, I was super stoked. 

IN THE MISSION

Macy's rooftop overlooking Union Square - Bay Bridge - Pier 39 - View of Alcatraz - Painted Ladies - Bread pudding at Tartine - Mission apartments - Clarion Alley Murals

If you are on the hunt for decent coffee in San Francisco, make sure you visit Blue Bottle Coffee Co at the Ferry Building along the Embracadero. I made it my mission to find quirky espresso bars in each city we visited. Blue Bottle make flat whites so you can order without receiving the usual confused look from the barista. There is seating outside with a spectacular view of Bay Bridge and Treasure Island. My other favourite discovery is Tartine Bakery in Mission. The coffee is good and the food is incredible. Order a latte and bread pudding. We had to queue but it was definitely worth the wait. And if you love art, a visit to Clarion Alley is also a must. 

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK

Hollywood sign - Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica - Warner Bros Lot (Spencer's Guesthouse from Pretty Little Liars) - Friends Central Perk 

In celebration of my return to the US of A next week, here are a few photos taken during our last days in Los Angeles last year. My big highlight was the Warner Bros VIP tour. Gilmore Girls and Friends are two of my favourite television shows, so to walk around the old sets was incredible. They were also filming Hart of Dixie and Pretty Little Liars during our time on the lot. Needless to say I was esctatic, turned into a total nerd and bought a Rosewood High tee from the gift shop. Driving through The Hills to the Hollywood sign is another must-do, as is a stroll from Santa Monica to Venice.  

I would love your recommendations for any cafes, things to do etc in SF, LA, Boston & NYC. Apart from the tourist sights, I love to experience local haunts too so please leave any thoughts in the comments. 

FLOWER POWER

The F word. Floral. I bought this MINKPINK top last year. I adore the neckline and pretty pink print. Pair with leather shorts, ankle boots and you're ready to go.

H IS FOR HALE

I wanted to share a few photos from the December/ January '13 issue of NYLON. I had to buy a copy after seeing Lucy Hale as covergirl. I am a huge fan of Pretty Little Liars. I was late to jump on the bandwagon but after watching the first two seasons within a few weeks I was hooked. It is a perfect mix of twisting storylines, drama, mystery and wit. I love the styling of this shoot, especially the cover. The messy braid, cuffed denim shorts and blazer are relaxed and effortless. And I adore the House of Holland sweater.

CITY BY THE BAY

Pier 39 - View of Alcatraz - Oakland Bay Bridge from The Embarcadero - Coit Tower on Russian Hill - Golden Gate Bridge

After our Portland experience we jetted to San Francisco. We spent our time shopping around Union Square and exploring along The Embarcadero including Pier 39. Unfortunately tickets to Alcatraz were sold out during our visit but we were able to take photos from the pier. On our last morning, after we picked up our hire car, we drove to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was 12C, I was wearing shorts and fog covered most of the bridge. I was determined to see it though and I am so glad we got there, even though it was a quick visit. My favourite memory of SF, and maybe the whole trip, was having dinner at the Cheesecake Factory above Macy's overlooking Union Square. The thick fog weaving in between the skyscrapers made the view so magical. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo on our SLR but I will include an Instagram version in an upcoming post. We also ate almond milk pancakes at Little Griddle on Market Street. They were so incredible and I have since been on a mission to find a cafe that makes them at home. There was something special about San Fran. I loved the sea air, the fog in the early mornings and late afternoons, the hills and trams. Another city I could easily see myself moving to.

PARISIAN CHARM

Aroma's Noosa

On Saturday I took my mum and her friend to one of my favourite cafes along Hastings Street in Noosa. Aroma's has become a popular spot with its Parisian-style wicker chairs and mini marble top tables. It's also a great place to relax, enjoy an almond croissant and watch the passing parade. A tiny part of Paris right on Noosa's doorstep.

It has been a month since I began Raincheck for Timbuktu and I would like to thank all of you for your words of support and encouragement. A huge thank you also to my good friend, Aleena, for my lovely banner. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram.

SUNDAY LOVE

Surfers Paradise skyline from Coolangatta - Coffee thickshakes - Black Coffee Lyrics flat white - Big breakfast

I took these photos during our Gold Coast adventures last weekend. In between a drive to Coolangatta and incredible thickshakes, we ventured to Black Coffee Lyrics for Sunday breakfast. The cafe is in the heart of Surfers Paradise down a slightly sketchy alleyway. Don't let the location fool you though, once inside it's hard to believe you're still in Surfers. Eclectic and modern art lined the brick walls and long wooden tables filled the establishment. During the morning breakfast rush, the cafe was buzzing with energy. My camera died before I could take a photo but my brekky, the bircher muesli, was amazing and came served in a jar. If you go make sure to order the bircher and a flat white. Sunday morning perfection.

PORTLANDIA

Washington Park - International Rose Test Garden - Gardens - Apricot Rose  

PDX, P-Town, Stumptown, City of Roses. Next stop on our US trip was Portland, Oregon. Ace Hotel in the historical Pearl District was our residence for three days. Ace was a mix of modern and eclectic style, reasonable price too considering the area. There was an old school photobooth in the lobby and Stumptown Coffee Roasters next door. Needless to say, I was in love. Pearl was abundant with refurbished boutiques, cafes and art galleries. Powell’s City of Books, America’s largest independent bookstore, became my haven. We spent most of our time there and for lunch we’d head to Saint Cupcake for a salted caramel special. I discovered salted caramel in Seattle and became addicted. Voodoo Doughnut in Old Town was also a kooky place for a sweet treat and close to Portland’s trademark White Stag sign. We ventured to Washington Park’s International Rose Test Garden on our last day. The flowers were stunning and smelt incredible. From the gardens we also had a view of Mount Hood. Even in summer the peak was covered in snow. Universal was filming NBC’s Grimm during our visit too which added to my excitement. Portland certainly had its quirks but was filled with a unique vibe. It was an entertaining city and a must-do in the Pacific Northwest.