For a while now, I have been feeling dissatisfied with my website and blog. Neither had done anything seriously wrong. In fact… they had both been good to me for a few years now. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that things just weren’t right.… Read More
The second I walked off the train, onto the platform at Waverley Station, I was in awe of this city. On my left stood the gloriously historical, hodge-podge skyline of Old Town, while the Georgian elegance of New Town’s Princes Street sat neatly in contrast to my right.
The architecture in Edinburgh is so varied and so wonderful. Even Waverley Station inspires! Here are some shots I took during my wanders around Old Town. The famous Victoria Street’s double layer, curve and colours house a mixture of shops from books and nick-nacks to coffee and I spent a thoughtful couple of hours walking through Greyfriar’s Churchyard.
The closes are tiny and one can get blissfully lost wandering off the Royal Mile and find gems like The Devil’s Advocate Pub, or the Writer’s Museum…
I spent my first visit to Edinburgh without a smartphone, which in hindsight was a blessing in disguise. I allowed myself to get lost, but if I needed to, I turned to paper maps and actually used my noggin for a change. I really love the city’s abundance of coffee shops, galleries, print shops, and bookshops. Creativity is everywhere and the temperamental weather, going from cloudy to warm and sunny in minutes, coupled with the lush greenery, cobbled streets and confused alleyways and striking architecture all together make me want to write, paint and photograph until the day is done. No wonder so many literary greats were based in this city.
Look up. This is so important whilst travelling. With heads down focused on phones or arbitrary conversation, we miss so much. Above you can see what I mean about the glorious hodge-podge. of buildings.
Flowers hang from most pubs and many windows and as you can see, summer really does show off in the UK.
Here you can see a good view of Scott’s Monument, and little Greyfriars Bobby. The inscription on this memorial says:
“A tribute to the affectionate fidelity of Greyfriars Bobby. In 1858 this faithful dog followed the remains of his master to Greyfriars Churchyard and lingered near the spot until his death in 1872, with permission erected by Baroness Burdett-Coutts.”
Filament Coffee on Victoria St makes a damn good flat white. The reading material is equally great. Hip, so very hip. Delightfully reminiscent of Cape Town in many ways.
It is said that the over 350 year old George Heriot’s School inspired J.K.Rowling’s Hogwarts.
I saw this quote whilst walking, during my first night in Edinburgh. Rather fitting I must say. Too true Tolkien. Who cares if I was lost at the time?
There’s something so delicious of being in a completely new place. Check in soon for more from my first visit to Scotland’s capital. Over and out.
Last Tuesday I arrived in drizzly, grey, fantastic London. Filled with anticipation and lugging heavy bags, I was excited by the mere sight of a pub or white daisies which seem to be everywhere. Later that day I felt overwhelmed by the prospect of actually going outside to explore… but I was mighty glad I did. I met a friend for lunch at a lovely little spot called Birdhouse, in Clapham Junction. Perfect flat whites and amazing sandwiches. Hello happy place.
A couple of days later, I met a good friend for lunch in St.James park. What a gorgeous place! If you stand on the bridge and look out across the water, you can see the London Eye on one end of the river, and Buckingham Palace on the other. Sipping our Starbucks coffees, we had a great chat about moving countries, and the challenges and excitement that go with it. He reminded me that while it’s not easy to leave what you know, it’s so important to keep looking up and appreciating your new surroundings, to constantly remind yourself why you chose to do it, and be positive.
I’m so grateful for this opportunity and think that challenges are so important for growth and to open our minds. I am also so lucky to have such wonderful, supportive friends and family helping me through this journey. Thanks guys 🙂
I love the stark contrasts in London; between the grungy, old textures, worn down by rain, and the clean, bright aspects against the grey sky.
Another highlight of my first week in London was a visit to Chelsea and the V&A Museum, described as being “the world’s largest museum of art and design“.
Roses seem to be commonplace in London. Beautifully British.
As you can imagine, I could spend days there. Their collection of fashion through the ages alone is incredible.
Even the cafe is exquisite (see below right):
I love that museums are a place for the old and young to connect in common interests and awe.
Next up, a visit to a wonderful breakfast spot, a touch of Covent Garden and the British Museum.
Have a great weekend all. Get out and explore your surroundings!
Designerisms, the Blog, is about appreciation. About finding beauty in the ordinary.
As a quirky, empathetic designer-type person, I have always had wanderlust. Yearning to see more than just the inside of our lounges, many of us see travelling not just as a luxury, but as an essential part of getting to know life. In this space, I will be sharing the feeling of joy we often feel when experiencing a new place… but rather than limit it to travelling to other countries, I want to encourage you all to cultivate that feeling in mini adventures. We can even feel awe when sitting on the step outside our home if we choose to be amazed by the little things. So often in life we limit our happiness to the major occurrences, but with the right outlook and by consciously living in the moment we will learn to see beauty in so much more.
I have felt overwhelmed by all the social media, the internet’s constant growth, the flood of new images every day. How does one keep up? But then I realised that there’s something really great about people taking time to take a picture of a plant, or a meal, because they are appreciating those seemingly mundane things- seeing the good, and in their own way, expressing gratitude.
And so, Designerisms follows two main themes. It’s is about celebrating creativity and inspiration. It’s about being mindful- being present in moments instead of just getting swept along by life. As a way of cultivating this attitude, I will be sharing moments with photography, articles, art and designs inspired by experiences.
If you have experiences you’d like to see shared in these ways, I’d love to hear about it 🙂 Go to the Designerisms contact page to get in touch.
This incredible new online magazine was a very pleasant surprise, as I often feel a tad dissatisfied after poring through books and magazines about travel. Rather than simply rambling on about what there is to see in this place and that, how much you will… Read More
Hello folks! Today we are looking at the newest video in the Education First ‘Live the Language’ series: Sydney. I really like this one actually, the music, the shots, the type… it is all very fitting. Note the type used for animal names, like ‘kangaroo’… Read More
Another lurvely video from Education First, this time advertising Vancouver, with its snow, maple syrup and fir trees. A reminder of their SITE
3 guys. 44 days. 11 locations. A terabyte of footage. EPIC The result is 3 compelling, beautifully edited short films, showing actor Andrew Lees experiencing the countries they visited with no apparent limits as to what they were willing to try! Divided into 3 categories:… Read More
Designerisms 