firststreet denisse

Ah Switzerland; land of clear waters, rugged mountains and picturesque valleys.  I first came across pictures of this beautiful country as a little girl, and since then I’ve been chomping at the bit to get there. My first 4-day sojourn into the German part of the country didn’t disappoint, particularly since it was my birthday weekend so there was extra cause for celebration. Despite that fact that it was my birthday, this was a solo trip, which is actually a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine because I like being a free agent to do what I wish… I had about 24 hours in Zurich to cram in all the sights before I would be heading onto Lucerne. Challenge accepted. Sights To be honest, I hadn’t expected too much from Zurich, people had told me there wasn’t much to see or do there and I generally got an “ ehh, it’s ok ” vibe from previous visitors. Not so! I loved this city. From the picturesque church towers dotted all over the city, to the river running through the centre, it had a very ...

Ah May… Thank goodness because for us in the northern hemisphere it means it’s nearly summer (I know, I know I've been going on about it forever but it's finally nearly here!). As usual the fash’ pack has been out in force what with The Met Gala Ball, Cannes Film Festival and the BAFTAs, not to mention Dior’s amazing cruise show set in that crazy bubble house in the south of France [so jel.]. Here are the beauties whose style I’m coveting this month, can you sense a monochrome theme? Asymmetric Ribbed Knit Top by Stella McCartney £645 || Slim Crepe Trousers by New Look £18 || Tote Bag by Kurt Geiger £199 || Cat Eye Sunglasses by AJ Morgan £15 || Lipstick by MAC £15 Whether she’s channelling a gypsy queen or the mod’ squad, Sienna Miller never puts a fashion-foot wrong. Love this monochrome look she used for her transit to Cannes Film Festival. Who else could look this chic getting off a plane? Full marks for the sassy cat eye shades. Sleeveless Knit by Gentryportofino £7...

Summer Wedges by Miss Selfridge || Cat Eye Sunglasses by Tiffany & Co || Passport Holder by Rebecca Minkoff || Maxi Dress by Reiss || Gold Arrow Cuff by Wanderlust + Co || Tie Waist Shorts by Derek Lam || Stripe Pencil Skirt by River Island || Wooden Platforms by River Island || Drop Earrings by Lulu Frost || Ice-Cream Clutch Bag by House of Holland || Fringed Suede Jacket by Miss Selfridge || Sunglasses Case by Rebecca Minkoff || Suede Wedges by Gianvito Rossi || Circle Ring by Monica Vinader || Swishy Dress by Elizabeth and James || Eye Of The Tiger Ring by Samantha Wills || Swallow Wrap Bracelet by Alexander McQueen || Tribal Bum Bag by River Island || Lace Up Flats by Daniele Michetti || Laser Cut Dress by Elizabeth and James I can’t tell you how ready I am to bare a little flesh. After 8 months of being rugged/wrapped/covered up, I’m chomping at the bit to wear a summer wardrobe. All I need is some 25+ degree weather and sunshine (come on London, work wi...

Last week I had a very successful evening, not only did I have the best burger of my life to date, I also found the area of London I want to live in. Marylebone. Talk about a productive Friday night. Walking up from Bond Street towards Baker Street I fell in love with the endless restaurants and cafes, regal red brick homes, quaint little streets and vibrant bars. What a fabulous neck of the woods. Aside from my significant real estate discovery, I had a significant burger joint discovery, literally. It’s called The Joint on New Cavendish Street. [Not to be confused with Tommi’s Burger Joint around the corner, I don’t know what his burgers are like, so I can’t vouch.] Not only do they serve up 2 for 1 cocktails every night of the week until 7pm, they also serve up the best burger I’ve ever laid eyes mouth on. BBQ pulled pork. Sure's she's not the prettiest but I tell you she was delectable. Inside their warehouse-y interior is nothing fancy, in fact with its mismatched cement ...

As a self-diagnosed heliophile (read: a person adapted to and attracted to sunlight) you could say I’m a little bit overexcited for my summer holiday in Greece. [Only 68 days and counting!] So much so, that I have already mentally packed my suitcase, and anything remotely summery that I’m purchasing at the moment is with the intent to wear on the islands. Oooo that will look lovely in Greece! This one’s perfect for beach-to-bar. This is my Santorini sunset outfit. That will be ideal for the Mykonos beach parties. You get the idea. But don’t deny it, I’m sure plenty of you can relate to this level of excitement. Considering the fact that I’ve only got carry-on luggage, I’m already anticipating a slight packing problem. Between the several bikinis, dresses, sarongs and shoes; I’m not really sure it’s all going to fit… Let alone the tanning oil, beach bag, good book (or two) and the excessively large floppy hat. But who cares? I’m excited! Check out all these beauties that I’ve already...

I had wanted to visit Amsterdam for a really long time. A city known for endless canals, blooming tulips, clogs, bicycles and, of course, illicit activities… I was excited and more than a little bit intrigued… It didn't let us down. It was 'dam' good. [Get it!?] This city was everything I hoped it would be and more, with friendly people to boot. Walking along the streets and by the water, I thought to myself this is definitely somewhere I could see myself living for a little sojourn at some point in my life. So who knows, I may be back… Bag by River Island  here , shoes here  [Converse are a travel essential], trusty leather jacket here , and jeans are a Sportsgirl old faithful Sights After heading to the Keukenhof Gardens when we first arrived, we spent the rest of the first day dreamily wandering the miles and miles of canals. We walked with no real purpose or destination because we quickly figured out it was very easy to get lost, but it didn’t really matter; we were ju...

WARNING: if you’re not a fan of flowers then this post isn’t for you. Prepare for many MANY photos of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, lilies; the list goes on… Last weekend I found myself at the second largest flower garden in the world. Keukenhof ; just outside Amsterdam in the Netherlands.  This spectacular spring garden is open just 8 weeks of the year and is home to 7 million hand-planted flowers. To say I was in awe of the beauty would be a huge understatement. There were giant tulips pointy tulips multi-coloured tulips endless daffodils and a funny upside down flower that I’d never seen before. I’ve always found a bouquet of flowers to have the power to brighten up any day, so you can imagine how joyous I was feeling surrounded by all these beauties. Walking around the garden, the rows of blooms were endless. Some colour-blocked, others mixed together, all beautiful. Honestly it was like stepping into one of Shirley Barber’s fairy books – magical colours everywhere, and I’m su...