#TMBT: Paris

Another proper throwback for you this week, all the way back to 2007. Did you enjoy last week's trip to Venice? Well today we're going back to Paris, and incidentally for another 'school' trip, except this time was during University. I studied History of Art and the module at the time was focusing on French art pre-the revolution, so Paris was a natural fit.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was seeing the Palace of Versaille. I was obsessed with the Marie Antoinette film by Sofia Coppola starring Kirsten Dunst that had not long been out, so loved experiencing the grandiose rooms of the palace and seeing the little village she created for herself, among her grounds. The gardens themselves were breathtaking, but as we visited during winter lots of the sculptures were covered over. I vowed then that I'd head back one day in summer to see the gardens in all their glory; eight years later I still haven't been back!

That's the trouble with working in travel I guess; too many places keep being added to my wishlist.

Anyway, you know the 'artsy' vibe I mentioned in my Venice photos? Well it's definitely still creeping in to these pictures that were also dug up from the Flickr archive. I also want to note that my camera at the time was bloody awful. I tried to edit out some of the grainyness but to no avail, so you'll just have to go with it. Maybe it adds a certain edgyness? Ha, who am I kidding?

Spot the grainy Eiffel Tower

Shameless mirror selfie in The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles

Check out Marie's love of Leopard Print...

*Le sigh* Another one of the things I loved about Paris was the food. I've blogged before about trying to recreate the best meal I've ever eaten with a recipe for Provencal style chicken casserole with Dauphinoise potatoes and green beans which you can find here. Send me a tweet if you decide to make it! Or let me know if you've enjoyed this little nostalgique look back through my photos of Paris, I'm at @btwncandc. 

Until next Tuesday! 

Kirstie xo.

#TMBT: Venice

I think this will probably be the furthest back I'll take you in one of these #TakeMeBackTuesday posts. Today we're heading all the way back to 2005 and hopping on over to Venice, Italy. This was my first ever trip to Italy and it was an immediate love affair. I went as part of an Art trip, and at the time was really *into* photography, and probably still under the impression I'd be off to Art College to 'hone my craft'. I can't believe it's been 10 years since then.


So these are some photos from the trip that I managed to dig up from my old Flickr account. I think you can definitely tell from the tone of the photos that I was into the artsy vibe...

Bare feet on Murano

Fleeting moments in St Mark's Square

A curious little boy who I remember took imaginary photographs with his toy camera

Looking back through these photos actually makes me feel so nostalgic. Not just for Venice, which I loved, but for that feeling of ambition and pride in my photography. A moment of my life that always stands out is when I went for my interview for my foundation year at Art College, and talking through my portfolio the interviewer being really impressed with my photos. 

Turned out that I decided to go on to do History of Art instead and sort of left photography behind. It's something I've always wanted to get back into, I guess I just feel like everyone is into photography these days. Not that that should stop me, I don't know. We'll see. 

For now I hope you enjoyed this slice of Italian imagery. I've got some photographs of Rome knocking around somewhere that I'll try and dig out for another of these #TMBT posts.

What's your favourite place in Italy? I'm hoping to tick off Florence and Naples next!

#TMBT: New York

Boy oh boy are these weeks whizzing by! We're already into February and as it's such a short month it feels like spring is just around the corner. I've already been tempted to buy some cute daffodils to brighten up the kitchen (which is getting close to being finished!) but at the same time I'm not quite ready to pack away the cosy jumpers and scarves. Saying that I'm pretty sure our seasons are so messed up I'll be needing them come June.

#TMBT: Dublin

It's Tuesday. It's January. And I still haven't been paid. Wahh. Which definitely means it's time for another #TakeMeBackTuesday. Sorry I missed posting this last week, turned out to be a pretty bad week, but we're breezing over that with a generous helping of photos from my trip to Dublin last August (Apologies in advance for a likely photo heavy post!).

I'd been to Dublin once before when I was younger but couldn't really remember much of it so was a real treat getting to know the city this time around. The reason we decided to go was because my Mum really wanted to take my Grandad back to where he was born one last time; he turned 92 last Christmas, bless him. So we travelled over last summer along with my Sister and The Boyfriend to visit family and rediscover my roots.

Here are some of my favourite photographs from our little Irish getaway.

Discovering the joys of an Irish breakfast.

<3

One of the things that surprised me about Dublin that I hadn't really thought of before was how close it is to the coast. A ten minute drive from the city centre are the beaches off Bull Island which overlook Howth. It was a tad chilly for August when we were visiting but definitely worth a trip back during sunnier spells!

Messing around at Clontarf Castle near Bull Island

Other highlights of the trip were the view from the top of the Guinness Storehouse, the gorgeous campus of Trinity College, all of the moody grey buildings, having milkshakes at Eddie Rocket's Diner, having a romantic little visit to the shrine of St Valentine in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Whitefriar Street, and most of all, heading out of the city to see the stunning views from the Wicklow Mountains. Definitely try and make a trip out there if you're ever visiting Dublin.

It was always going to be a special trip for us but I really didn't expect to love Dublin so much. Will definitely be planning a visit again soon.

Leave me a comment with any recommendations of things to visit next time!

#TMBT: Dubai

Aaaandd it's Tuesday again. ALREADY. Kind of glad January is whizzing happily by as Pay Day feels like it will never come. Sob. Anyway, as promised in my #TakeMeBackTuesdays post, today I'm sharing photos with you from my trip to Dubai back in April last year.

#TakeMeBackTuesdays

Now I remember why I'm so rubbish at keeping this blog up to date. Being back at work after the Christmas and New Year break has brought it all back about how quickly the evenings go when you're back to the daily routine. By the time we've gotten home, made dinner, cleaned up, prepped the next day's lunch and cleaned up again I already feel like crawling into bed. I honestly don't know where the time goes.

Kefalonia Dreaming

What horrible, horrible weather we're having at the moment. We haven't had it as bad as the rest of the country up here in York but it's definitely sounded like my bedroom window was going to blow off these last few nights. With the gross weather combined with vowing not to travel overseas this year (we're saving up to buy a house), I really don't know why I've been torturing myself by looking through the photos of the last proper 'sun holiday' I went on; a week's stay in the Greek island of Kefalonia in 2011. Seriously, if I look at the blue waters of the sea long enough I get a little bit teary eyed.

Kefalonia was the first proper holiday the boyfriend and I had been on and with a limited budget post-Uni we stayed in a modest apartment in the small resort of Skala on the south east corner of the island. It had just the right amount of bars and restaurants dotted along the seafront but as we visited out of season, it was a tiny bit too quiet for us. The island itself had all the usual gorgeous features of a Greek island; whitewashed buildings with coloured wooden window frames in the towns and sweeping beaches with turquoise seas surrounding the coast.

Gorgeous decor outside a Skala apartment.

The highlight of the holiday was a boat cruise we took to small neighboring island of Ithaca. It was great to get out on the open water and see Kefalonia in all it's glory. We passed some beautifully picturesque looking villages and secluded coves that would have been amazing to swim up to from a private yacht (a girl can dream!)

Our first stop was at the harbour town of Vathi, where we mooched around the shops, and cooled down with the biggest ice-creams ever.

According to legend Ithaca was the home of Odysseus, and hidden down one of Vathi's side streets was the strangest museum I've ever been in which housed a heap of Odysseus memorablia, as well as an eclectic assortment of Greek homeware. Very odd but there were some lovely patterns painted on the furniture, most of which featured the inky blue swallows that flock to the island.

Later we sailed to a tiny fishing village called Kioni where we stopped and had lunch at a beautiful sea-front restaurant. We had delicious fresh calamari and pickled octopus (sounds grim but was actually really nice!) and sat watching the boats come and go. It was such a perfect afternoon.

On our way back to Skala our boat anchored near a tiny beach and we played diving into the water (after I finally plucked up the courage).

The rest of our holiday was spent alternating between lounging on the beach and next to the pool; with plenty of oggling the boy in his trunks taking place too.

Good memories. This year's holiday snaps might be a bit more grey tinted with a lot less flesh on show (can't imagine walking around The Cotswolds will call for a bikini), but at least these photos will help me remember what the sun feels like on my skin! Roll on 2015... Bahamas anyone?