HAHA! I found another two items in my wardrobe that still fit.
Strangely enough I’m not really into (second-hand) clothes shopping at the moment, so I get very excited when I discover that I can squeeze the bump into old stuff from my closet.
Like this black & blue dotted top, bought from a second-hand shop on Edgware Road ages ago for around £10. (I’m also wearing it here in a non-pregnant state).
I’ve paired it with an old H&M zip-up skirt which fit the bump after I stretched the seams until they started popping…..woops.
I really like the puff sleeves and cheerful dots on this hand-loomed sweater and the fact that the look changes, chameleon-style, from black-on-blue to blue-on-black dots, depending on what side you’re facing.
I’ll do everything I can to give this baby a decent taste in music. As you know you have to start early, and part of my cunning plan is to bring it to as many concerts as possible “in utero”.
Lately I’ve noticed something: my taste in music has mellowed a bit and become, more folky. And I seem to love the songs coming out of the mouths of very bearded men.
I think this started a couple of years back, when I attended a brilliant concert with Fleet Foxes at the Roskilde Festival (they’re 10 times better live than on record).
So earlier this month we continued baby’s music education and went to see the always charming Band of Horses at Brixton Academy.
Here’s a few videos for those of you not familiar with Band of Horses. In the first one they’re performing my favourite song from their debut album, live at Grand Central Station in NY:
In the second video they unexpectedly turned up to perform Marry Song at a Norwegian wedding after the groom wrote to the band, explaining how he had proposed during a BOH concert:
Here they are performing another of my favourites at the amazing Amoeba record store in LA:
And next month we’re going to see the multi-talented Sam Beam of Iron & Wine when he’s performing at the Roundhouse. This reclusive, soft-voiced songwriter writes the most beautiful lyrics and is supposed to be great live.
Here’s a few videos with my favourite Iron & Wine songs. The last one, Flightless Bird, American Mouth, is by far the most famous, as it featured on the Twilight soundtrack *shudder*.
Today we went for baby’s 20 week scan. Everything looks great and it’s a little BOY!
So to celebrate we headed straight for Kopapa in Seven Dials for lunch. On our way back to Piccadilly we passed the amazing travel shop Stanfords. It’s one of those rare, specialised stores with a strong personality that I hope will survive for a long time.
Stanfords sell everything travel-related: from books to maps, toys, movies and gifts for travelling souls. And if you make your way across the atlas floor, you’ll get to the laid-back café in the back (it’s run by Kiwis = excellent coffee).
The very first thing that caught my eye was this huggable planet. It’s made by a company called Peacetoys. They also sell eco-friendly books and organic cotton toys and have won several green awards.
So Mr. Baby Bassett now has his first toy. And even though this planet isn’t made from organic cotton like the other toys, I still think its message is pretty positive: hug and love the planet you’re on.
Plus it will help this baby’s geography-dyslexic mum remember exactly where Malaysia, The Philippines, Micronesia and all those other wonderful exotic travel destinations are on the map.
The huggable planet is on sale at the moment: £25 £20!
And I probably have to go back to Stanfords flagship store again soon. We’re moving next month and our new bathroom is screaming for this world atlas shower curtain. £24.95.
What do you do when you want to dress up but your waist has disappeared alongside 99.8 % of your wardrobe?
Well, my answer is you either sit down or cry or you bling it up baby.
So yesterday when I was going to Soho for a party I decided to spice my beloved stretchy H&M dress up with a gold second-hand belt and my Chanel earrings.
The belt might be in a weird position, but who cares, it’s shiny & glittery!
Fancy a cup of some of London’s best coffee plus a yummy brunch?
Then head straight for Kopapa. This new all-day diner/cafe/restaurant is co-owned by New Zealander Peter Gordon who is also the man behind the excellent The Providores and Tapa Room in Marylebone.
Kopapa is laid-back and buzzing and the location near Covent Garden couldn’t be better as you often struggle to find quality cafés in this all too touristy area.
If you can’t get a table straight away you can always enjoy your food by the big marble counter, just as we did, while you flick through the big selection of magazines and newspapers. I actually think this particular corner of the bar is a lot cosier than the tables if it’s just the two of you.
During the weekend Kopapa has an extensive brunch menu, similar to the one at Providores, which is made up of Kiwi-inspired lovelies such as Kopapa toasted oat & dried fruit granola with Greek yoghurt & NZ rata honey (£6). Or what about a Chorizo hash with a fried egg, rocket, salsa verde & crispy shallot (£7.40)?
I chose one of my favourites: Hot-smoked salmon on toasted sourdough with spinach, 2 poached eggs & yuzu hollandaise…..omnomnomnomnom (£10.50).
Sam had the bacon fry-up, that comes with slow-roasted tomatoes and 2 eggs of your choice on buttered sourdough or granary toast (£7.80).
And don’t forget to pair you choice of food with a splendid flat white. Those Antipodeans sure know how to make a good coffee! (And if you’re in the mood for even more sublime coffee after leaving the café, you can always head straight for Monmouth Coffee further down the street).
Kopapa Café and Restaurant
32-34 Monmouth Street
Seven Dials, Covent Garden Website
So, I stopped by Topshop the other day to check out their maternity range. I left empty-handed (apart from a pair of leggings) as the collection failed to impress me, especially when you consider their pretty high prices.
Instead I stopped by always cheap and reliable H&M where I bought this cropped viscose top for £13.
I haven’t really had any weird pregnancy-related food cravings, but when it comes to clothes I don’t seem to be able to resist animal print at the moment. Very strange.
Here I’m wearing it with converse boots (bought many many years ago in India), a long viscose skirt from H&M and a wooden second-hand bracelet, found in Chiswick (notice how I’ve colour-coordinated boots w. bracelet….wohooo).
I’ve lived in London for three years, but never once have I had a proper afternoon tea. To rectify that I ventured out in the rain yesterday to meet up with a friend at Bea’s of Bloomsbury, not very far from Holborn station. I’d done a bit of research and Bea’s came with a lot of recommendations.
This tiny place looks more like a bakery shop than a tea salon/tea room. It’s quite crammed and busy, with people hurrying back and forth behind your chair in the narrow room. And you have to order in the bar.
But Bea’s easily make up for all this with their very low prices and relaxed atmosphere. Their “sweet afternoon tea“, consisting of a selection of cupcakes, mini brownies, mini scones w. clotted cream & jam etc. only cost £12. I wanted something savoury as well (on weekends you can pay £3 extra and get a few savoury mini baguettes) so had one of the cupcakes substituted for a cheese scone (which I didn’t really like, too heavy and fatty).
I’ll definitely recommend this place if you’re after a cheap and less traditional alternative to stuffy and horribly over-priced places like The Ritz (read about fellow blogger Helena Halme’s disastrous Ritz experience here). Personally this one was a bit too sweet for me and I really missed the traditional cucumber sandwiches, mini quiches etc. that normally comes with a full afternoon tea.
So I’ll make sure to come during the weekend the next time, or maybe just order a “cream tea” as the scones w. clotted cream & jam were my absolute favourite.
Another café I keep returning to when in Copenhagen is Café Dyrehaven, nestled on a quiet corner on outer Vesterbro.
This used to be an old værtshus/pub, but luckily the make-over has left behind some of the old features and it now oozes “hipster retro” with all its dark wood, bright orange lamps and antlers on the walls. Not to forget the trendy yet friendly staff behind the bar.
So retro and old pub-like is it that I know someone who went to explore this place when it first opened. After having spent half and hour or so in a dingy smoke-filled old pub 50 metres from this one they finally realised they were in the wrong place.
And the food is great. They mainly do classic Danish food with a contemporary twist. For lunch you can get everything from salads to the famous smørrebrød/open sandwiches like the one shown below.
In the evening there’s always a handful of warm dishes to choose between. When I was there in December I had medisterpølse/Danish pork sausage with potatoes and red cabbage and it was really, really good. Prices are very reasonable.
Dyrehaven
Sdr. Boulevard 72
1720 København V Website
Map
This foxy fella has magically appeared on the wall next to our flat and next to Starbucks in Maida Vale.
I think he’s kinda awesome and very appropriate in an area where foxes roam the streets at night (they sometimes wake us up with their eerie screaming).
Danish freelance journalist, translator & teacher.
I live in London Singapore and this is my place where I write about the things that I love and the things that I do: hunting flowers and butterflies with my toddler son, second-hand shopping, restaurants, rock music and scary movies, bleak books and tropic trips. And everything else that falls in-between...
Mette Bassett 
