Notting Hill- Four Sale

The last time I was in States,
I went shopping at a popular chain of high-end cooking stores
{who shall remain nameless}
and, in the midst of buying seasonal rubber spatulas & cake mixes
saw that they were selling serving pieces
from Notting Hill's Portobello Road Market.

I swelled with pride for my hood
and went to inspect their finds.

I was immediately shocked to see how expensive
they were selling the same pieces
that I so often see & buy myself.

I mean, $250 for a silver-plate salt & pepper set
and $150 for a small tray is ridiculous.

I decided then & there that I would
have to render this the only way I could:

By having a foursale to get these pretty pieces
to my friends in the States cheaper than they could at the mall.

***

I finally got a pretty collection of goods together
and I couldn't be more excited!

It makes me really happy to share Portobello Road with you.

Enjoy!

____________________

Sugar & Creamer Set

It only felt right to start with this pretty pair
perfect for you next tea party.

A pretty matching set 
of silver-plated sugar & creamer servers. 

Don't they make a gorgeous couple?

If Will & Kate were serving pieces,
this could very well be them.

{Editor's Note: I'm mocking myself for that joke.}

Sugar & Creamer Set | £22

SOLD

____________________

Mirrored Vanity Tray

This flower-trimmed tray is so sweet
and, amidst all the silver at the market,

a bit of a stand-out piece.

I love this delicate little tray
and think perfume & candles 
look perfect nesting on top.

Plus, I really loved the price.

Mirrored Vanity Tray | £10

SOLD

____________________

Silver-Plate Horse Jewelry Tray

This horse tray is probably my favorite piece 

that I found at the market.

It's quirky and cute
and really English...
plus, it's silver-plated 
so it's fabulous.

I especially love the idea of using the dish for a vanity jewelry tray 

and draping necklaces around the horse.

This piece gets the "Best in Show" award from me.

To be honest,
if this doesn't sell,
I'm not going to be upset in the least.

I'm also going to have a cute tray with a horse on it
 perched on my dressing table.

Silver-Plate Jewelry Tray with Horse | £25

SOLD

____________________

Five Piece Salt & Pepper Caddy Set

If I were a bride
and someone gave me this set to me as a wedding gift...
well, not only would it make center stage on my dining table,
but it might also earn them the name of my first child.

As I didn't get one of these as a wedding gift,
we were clear to name Viola after anyone we wanted...
which was in her case, my grandmother.

This little silver-plated set has five pieces:
a triangular tray,
a salt cellar,
a pepper shaker,
& a mustard pot...
complete with a tiny little spoon
to make it officially perfect.

I have two of these sets myself
so I was forced to add this to the sale...
or admit that I might have a hoarding problem.

Five Piece Salt & Pepper Caddy | £32

SOLD

____________________

Heavenly Teaspoons

There isn't much better in life 
than a hot cup of tea
with friends...

and if you don't have a friend to share it with
then you might enjoy having these little teaspoons join you for the occasion.

They have little monks on them...
and I love them.

I wish I knew the story behind them.

Are they monks or saints?

I can't tell. 

Maybe they are a both...
St. Francis of Assisi, perhaps?

Heavenly Teaspoons, Set of 5 | £7.50

SOLD

____________________

Small spaces can be made a bit more grand
when there is a base that supports the scene...
well, that's what I believe, at least.

Which is why my house has trays perched frequently throughout
framing votives, pictures & delicate items from places I love.

Having a pretty tray somehow organizes small items
into a pretty little vignette...
and who doesn't like to use the word "vignette?"

I found two trays that are pretty great.

Silver Vanity Tray, Large

This silver-plate tray has been around the block.

Where dark spots on other pieces can cloud and take away from the piece,
they somehow enhance this tray.

How great would this be by a bedside
for resting your cell phone, a small candle 
& pretty pieces of jewelry?

Silver Tray, Large | £14

SOLD

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The two trays side by side- medium on the left, large on the right. 

Silver Tray, Medium

This is the second tray that I grabbed for you.

It's slightly smaller than the one above
and has a small dent in the edge...
but it's silver-plate is really shiny and the design is gorgeous. 

I think you'll think it's a pretty great
-and affordable!-
way to dress up a small space in your home.

Silver Tray, Medium | £12

SOLD

____________________

Pearl Handle Knives

This little set of six knives is in really good condition...
in fact, I almost kept them for myself
since I haven't seen any matching sets this good.

The original box somehow even survived the years with them.

They look a bit pinker in the box than they actually are
because of the way the red box reflects off them... just so you know.

Oh, and if you look closely below, 
you can see the pretty stamping on the base of the blade.

Love!

Pearl Handle Knives, Set of 6 | £10

SOLD

____________________

Lion-Handled Serving Bowl

I hope it is obvious that all of the pieces shown here
are things that I would actually use in my own house.

In fact,
I had intended to adopt this bowl as my own
and had filled it with Reeses Peanut Butter Cup minis.

Eventually, I decided to include it with the other pieces
like I had originally intended...

Though my affinity for anything resembling a lion door knocker
made it a very hard choice.

It has an inner bowl
made of dark, blue glass
that sits inside the bowl's silver-plate exterior
making it suitable for serving out of and easy cleaning.

Lion Handled Serving Bowl | £11.25

SOLD

____________________

So there we have it...

Weekend shopping on Portobello Road 

brought to wherever it is you may be today.

This was actually really fun for me to do

and, if you like it, let me know below.

I'm a sucker for punishment

and would most likely be up for doing this again!

*all sales are final and non-refundable. please shop carefully.

*all shipping is basic, international shipping to keep costs low. please allow for 2-3 weeks for your item to arrive.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

My Baby Daddy

Often times lately, I've felt overwhelmed with love

from our friends & family

during the start of our little family.

Other times, I feel so tired from crazy newborn sleep

that the world around me seems a bit like a blur.

And, maybe more than I'd like to admit,

I feel like pulling the curtains closed

and crying my eyes out.

But amidst all the up & downs,

I'm constantly finding myself on the high 

watching Tyler become a dad to my baby girl.

Even though you've probably heard it a thousand times

from a thousand other girls, 

I'm going to say it again:

Watching your man love your baby

is one of the most attractive things he'll ever do.

Check out that sexy baby-wearing-man at the Oxford v. Cambridge Boat Race.

You heart will inflate so big

you might worry it will pop out of your body

and land on the pile of baby clothes 

sitting on the couch cushion next to you

waiting for two free hands to fold it.

Weekend stroll through Notting Hill

You'll stop & stare all googley-eyed at them

and feel like you are the luckiest girl in the world. 

Just a few days old eating dinner at the Prince Bonaparte Pub

Because even though he may be showering another person

 with his love & attention

and giving up a piece of his heart to them...

...you'll also kinda feel like 

he couldn't show his love to you in a better way.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

*instagram username: aspiringkennedy

To A Tea: Primrose Bakery

Continuing on with

in my new little journey

to find great places for tea in London

comes something a little different

that the fancy Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea

I posted about previously.

After reading about how delicious their kitschy retro bakery was,

I was set & determined to head out to Primrose Hill

to try out Primrose Bakery.

I begged asked my friend, Meg, to join me

for a little afternoon out,

and, like nice friends often do, she obliged.

Primrose Bakery

Located in the posh residential neighborhood of Primrose Hill,

this bakery is a bright cheerful spot 

to find yourself chatting away an afternoon.

The staff is sweet,

the baked goods offer plenty of variety,

and somehow, you end up getting cozy 

with those around while you're there.

***

I won't lie when I say 

it's constantly luring in a crowd of yummy mummies

and their Bugaboo-saddled offspring,

{Fortunately, most of them are so fatigued from French Nursery School,

the atmosphere remains quite serene.}

I recommend the lemon cake.

It's moist and really tart...

if that's your thing.

{It is definitely mine!}

Their cupcakes are also notable...

as they are what landed Primrose Bakery on the map

and are the most commonly requested item 

on the {cute, hand-drawn chalkboard} menu.

As the bakery is fairly cozy, 

you'll find there is limited seating, 

so going with a large group could be difficult.

Save this spot for a quiet afternoon with a friend or two.

{Their cute offspring coming is an optional, but recommended, addition.}

Prices are more than reasonable,

as you will find yourself well-off the tourist track.

My pot of tea and {cough} two sweets were under £10.

To be honest,

this original location of this bakery

 is tucked away from the typical tourist loop.

It's not necessarily difficult to get to...

but I'd have a map handy (or google maps)

when heading there,

as it's about a 10 minute walk from the tube station and bus stop.

The purist in me enjoyed the short trek to the starting place

 of the Primrose Bakery dynasty,

but for those seeking an option 

slightly more conducive to a tourist-schedule, 

you might consider their newly opened location in Covent Garden.

_________________________

So overall, who would I recommend the Primrose Bakery for?

Probably for those of us who are local to London

looking for a fun place to meet up with a friend...

or for anyone who has more than a couple of days in the city.

Otherwise, you might feel too rushed to enjoy

 the experience of getting there

and settling in with tea and a good conversation

 for the afternoon.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Moving Right Along.

It's me again,

crawling out from behind the

slew of pre-written travel posts.

I have so much to talk about,

but find myself tapping on my keyboard

with a loss at where to start...

So I'll just ramble a bit

and see where we end up.

{I can hear you ask yourself how that changes this post from any other. Touche.}

_____________

This past weekend,

we had a service for our baby girl.

It was one month, to the day, after their birthday.

I know, that's quite a bit later than normal

to have a service...

but, honestly, our heads weren't with it 

to plan anything before then

and we wanted to wait 

for our parents to be there with us.

We were so lucky to find ourselves

surrounded by such sweet friends

and being reminded that, in light of our loss,

God is still so merciful.

A few days later,

we both are doing pretty good.

We are starting to get back into work...

the flat is getting cleaner....

and, hey, I actually took a bath tonight.

It feels like life is starting to move on!

But in the midst of daily routines

and the renewal of better personal hygiene,

 I still find myself really, really sad at times.

I'm not sure how to explain

how I can miss someone 

that I never really knew...

but I do.

And I probably will for a long time to come.

As someone who lives confidently and happily,

I'm not really sure what to do with that prospect.

The good news is,

even though those moments will be here...

moments like this will be much more frequent.

And I'm so glad that they are.

Getting to have a baby is such an incredible gift...

and getting to share it with Tyler makes it all the better.

We feel a loss,

but, in spite of it all,

know that we are incredibly blessed.

_____________

Again, I feel like I can't tell you enough:

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

*all images via Instagram. Username: aspiringkennedy 

Pack Your Bags: Iceland's Glacial Lagoon

I can't believe it's been six months 

since our trip to Iceland.

That trip was one of the most surreal experiences..

Going into it, 

I really didn't know what to expect.

{Which maybe is the best way to experience things sometimes.}

I had some sort of expectation

that involved Vikings, IKEA & 

a day trip to the Blue Lagoon in my head.

I may also thought I would get to see penguins...

which I soon learned is ridiculous.

{Obviously, I didn't know much about Iceland before arriving.}

While this discovery could have left me downtrodden,

all it took was a day at the famous glacial lagoon

Jokularson

along Iceland's Southern Coast

to fulfill all my iceberg fantasies.

Well, actually...

I still dream of playing with penguins,

but this day was a pretty awesome filler.

Not only is the lagoon stunning,

but you can book a boat tour

through the glaciers

and it... well, it's just stunning.

We were lucky to be there on a beaming day

and the blue of the water and the ice

was slightly unreal...

We felt like we had stumbled upon 

one of the best kept secrets in the world...

along with a really tasty donut & hot chocolate.

It made wearing ginormous life jackets totally worth it.

If you want to visit Jokulsarlon

(which I highly recommend you doing),

I'd pair it up with a day trip along Route 1

to visit Skaftafell National Park

where you can hike to see the famous Svartifoss waterfall

and see the Skaftafellsjokull Glacier along the ring road.

You can book a tour on the lagoon here, 

and I would make sure to do this in advance

to insure your day out of Reykjavic isn't thwarted

by the heartbreak of sold-out boats upon arrival.

I hope you find yourself floating around

this lagoon sometime in your future...

it's something that is not to be missed!

For other posts on our trip to Iceland, click here.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy