[SUITED UP AND BAREFOOT] THE PIG HOTEL, HAMPSHIRE UK

[All photos from The Pig Hotel]

What are you, a dream?

So I was browsing the web last night (as I do most nights) and found this amazing amazing amazing hotel on Kinfolk, or well, as they say, "restaurant with rooms". The restaurant sets its menu based on what's coming from the garden, which means that it could change several times during the day, and shit did you see what the place looks like? That rustic, comfy, elegant vibe is just soooo british. Let me put on my imaginary Burberry trench coat and Hunter boots and book my flight there already.

As you may know already, I'm a huge fan of boutique hotels (see my rave about The Public Chicago), and although it depends much on the location what you can do and provide with/at your establishment, this is the ultimate concept isn't it - small number of rooms, imperfectly beautiful and comfortable, providing only essential facilities but rockin' dining and entertainment. Oh when will this day come for me...

For more drooling over The Pig Hotel, click here!

Sorry for being absent for a while again, been busy busy busy at college, been at work too, but most of my free time I've been sleeping and doing nothing heaps because it's been on and off hot and cold. That must've kinda messed with my active/lazy switch - but I'm back again now! x

(Update: The Pig Hotel has extended, now running a second boutique hotel and opening a beach venue in 2013. Check their website www.thepighotel.com for the ultimate drool)

[BAREFOOT] OH TANNENBAUM

I haven't been on my blog for so long it almost feels weird already! Sorry for being MIA for the past couple of months - I had things on all the time and haven't really been taken many photos, so I got a little lazy. You know how there's always something to do but nothing really significant, you feel busy but you're not supposed to be? Anyway, that's my excuse for spending more time on tumblr instead, I guess because it requires less brain work. (See what I've been up to on that one last piece of cake and nightlightsaver)

But yesterday was our last exam, and it's finally holidays! Started it off with an extended 6-hour eating-and-drinking session from Hemingway's over to Jah Bar; more activities and festivities are lining up from today onwards and I know it's gonna be a mad pre-Christmas week. Lots to do for Christmas too - wrapping presents (I've been efficient this year and have pretty much finished my Christmas shopping, just waiting for some last deliveries!), making and writing Christmas cards, baking until my oven gives up, which reminds me that I actually have to get more baking utensils first. Some inspirations for this festive season:

• This month's Gourmet Traveller, with recipes from Bar H's Hamish Ingham and The Fat Duck's Heston Blumenthal (green tea choc truffles! Date, fig and apple chutney! Potted duck!), and Donna Hay Magazine, with this amazing Christmas cookie box

• Simple hand-drawn Christmas cards

• Summery decoration

[Sources: kraftykuka; a blog with a view; aranciata]

So, I'll be off to my favourite Manly Market now (if you read this this morning and you're around you should not miss it, because it's only once a month and super rad! See you at the primary school), but before I leave I probably should write a quick to-buy/to-do list, otherwise I'll just run around town buying stuff that don't need to be bought, doing stuff that don't need to be done (I got books from the library lying around that need to be returned, gift cards that need to be redeemed, I even bought the wrong light bulb for my night lamp yesterday because I keep forgetting to bring the blown one along). I'll be back with more christmassy things soon - enjoy your holidays x

[BAREFOOT] SOMETHING THAT'S GETTING ME OUT OF BED TODAY

Click for more of my iPhone polaroids on my tumblr!

It's my first day off since forever, so I've been lying in bed spoiling myself with some downtime. Was catching up with all the new prettiness in the blogworld when I stumbled upon tiger in a jar on Honestly WTF. I follow a selection of blogs that I find inspiring, but what Julie and Matt are posting on their adorable space (especially this, this, this and this) made me want to get on my feet and make the most of my day today, explore something new, take photos, be efficient and indulge myself with some "barefoot" time, especially as the sun is making a quick appearance again after a hundred days of rain.

Economics assignment, sorry you have to wait today.