I WEAR: Neon in Istanbul

Last Istanbul post! Most of these shots were taken around the Topkapi Palace so I suppose this post could alternatively be titled "I GO: Topkapi Palace". I have to admit that when I couldn't flip through a single fashion blog without being smacked in the face with neon articles, I was a bit skeptical of the trend. And yet, here I am now sporting neon on my neck and at my feet. Yes yes, I caved and am a sellout. But the better question is... was it worth it? 

Just realized I didn't get a good closeup shot of my necklace so it'll just have to make a reappearance on the blog. In the meantime, enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I EAT: Ottoman Empire Era Cuisine

Though my trip to Istanbul was a whirlwind of scrumptious meals, my favorite dinner was without at doubt at the Matbah restaurant. The menu's concept is adorably novel (and let's face it, touristy): all the dishes are based of original Ottoman Empire recipes. In the menu, selections are even presented with the earliest-known date of record. 

Go for the great service, calm ambiance, and if you like your food slightly on the sweeter side. Or actually, just go for the complimentary pomegranate juice. Mindblowing. Attempts at descriptive captions included. I should really start taking pictures of the money for memory's sake. Enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I GO: Istanbul Photoreel

A while ago (I've been super late on the posting, I know) I told you all that I spent a long weekend in Istanbul. It was my first time visiting the city and Turkey in general, and I came away smitten. There's something enchantingly unique about Istanbul's skyline. The historic portion of city seems to ramble on, all winding streets and narrow buildings, a flat base over which the gargantuan mosques hover. Ethereal, really.

Photoreel provides a somewhat holistic sum-up of my trip there. In any case, it captured some of my favorite sights and memories: the Hagia Sophia, bazaars, spectacular views from the Galata Tower, and of course snapshots of shisha culture from the Tophane and Ortakoy neighborhoods. Enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I WEAR: To Be Or Not To Be

After living within a stone's throw of the Shakespeare's historic Globe Theater for nearly a year now, I finally watched a play there. Though not built on the original site, the building was designed to reconstruct the original as accurately as possible. The perfect touch of authenticity to lend charm to the splendid production of Hamlet performed. Afterwards, I popped into Starbucks for my customary hot chocolate to warm up and, of course, shoot pictures for my outfit post.

Enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I WEAR: Ladies Who Tea

And the afternoon tea nom nom tales continue. This time, we trotted over to the Landmark Hotel. One of my best friends B is a celiac so we chose the spot specifically for its gluten-free afternoon tea menu. I opted for the chocolate afternoon tea menu, of course. Like many buildings in this glorious city, the Landmark Hotel has quite the historic past. The site was originally intended to house a train station but when the rail company went bankrupt, it was sold and used to develop a hotel. As was the standard for the late 19th century, the hotel is built around a central courtyard where horse-drawn carriages could deposit their guests comfortably. Nowadays, the glass-roofed atrium provides a stunning location for refreshments. Airy and light. 

But this is an outfit post so a little on that. I made the mistake of not snapping some shots of my outfit prior to stuffing my face with sandwiches and scones so the outfit shots are in fact from the day after. Sadly, the London weather gods didn't feel cooperative and we have rainy grey as the backdrop. C'est la vie. Enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I WEAR: Colors of the Wind

I'm a die-hard "5 inches and up, the taller the better, no pain no gain" heels girl, but when the weather's cool and breezy, there's nothing like busting out the flats and going for a riverside stroll. Especially down the Victoria Embankment. Hands down, my favorite views (ok, among my favorite views) of London. You've seen this skirt on me on this blog once before, but it's so perfectly casual I had to bust it out again. Named the blog post after my favorite song from Pocahontas. Felt fitting given the colors of my scarf and the abundance of wind. Or I'm just facing blogger's block and can't think of anything better to title the post.

Enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I WEAR: In the Kew Gardens

Sorry for the blogging absence. I spent the past long weekend in, drumroll please, Istanbul! It was my first time visiting Turkey, and I have so many amazing shots to share with you. But first, I thought I'd return to the blogosphere with an outfit post. 

The other day, my friends and I ventured out to the Kew Gardens, the Royal Botanic Gardens and home to the the world's largest collection of plants. Dressed in a mint jacket and green waxed jean pants, sporting ruby red lips, and amidst all the greenery, I kind of felt like Poison Ivy. But, of course, the less sexy version. No one can take Uma Thurman.

Enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I EAT: Burger and Lobster

Seeing as how my this is my last month in London, I've been trying to check off as many boxes on my restaurant bucket list as I can. One such eatery is Burger & Lobster in Mayfair. Having been forewarned that it's perpetually full-up and given that it was a Friday night, I was pleasantly surprised by how short the wait to be seated was; granted, I was seated at the counter bar. They don't accept reservations so if you're rocking up with a huge crowd and want a table, you might want to come early or on a weeknight to avoid ridiculously long waits. Even if the cocktail menu is full of interesting must-tries.

The menu options are simple. 20 pounds and you can either order a burger, a lobster roll, or lobster. Having been lobster-deprived for quite some time, my friend and I opted for the last two. Though the grilled lobster with hollandaise sauce was fantastic, the lobster roll was the night's knockout. Juicy lobster chunks in the perfect buttery "crispy on the outside, soft on the inside" roll. My god, I'm hungry all over again thinking about it. Enjoy the pictures after the jump! Sorry there weren't more, but my appetite got the better of me.

I GO: Rambling in the Cotswolds Pt. 2

As promised, here for you now are the pictures from my second day of rambling. Two of my most prevalent thoughts while combing through the footage? One, I should create a separate persona so as to ease the embarrassment I feel from realizing how horridly dressed I was. Perhaps Estherina the Explorer? Two, and more importantly, it's amazing how expansive the world feels when one is roaming the seemingly endless countryside. Living in a city, no matter how wonderful (and London IS wonderful), can often breed lazy insularism. I mean, let's face it. There are far too many days when you can't drag me to a different postcode let alone out of Zone 1. Talk about a recipe for claustrophobia.

So I suppose everyday Estherina might just have something to learn from Estherina the Explorer after all. Enjoy the pictures after the jump! 

I GO: Rambling in the Cotswolds Pt. 1

Over the weekend, my friend and I decided to head out to the Cotswolds for some rambling. If you're not familiar with the term, it's a British pastime wherein one goes walking in the countryside. More specifically, through patches of wild flowers, grassy hills and valleys, tranquil woods, quaint villages, and fields of sheep, cows, and crops. Postcard perfect. Except that, unfortunately enough, the reality of rambling through the rain armed with only a print-out mapped path was a far cry from the radiant Keira Knightley in "Pride and Prejudice". 

Nevertheless, a much more exciting cardio workout than hitting the gym. If you'd like to print out some self-guided Cotswold rambling maps, you can do so here. The two walks I did were the River Glyme Walk and the Wold to Water walk which leads from Stow on the Wold to Bourton on the Water. Pictures from the fomer are in this post, and pictures from the latter will be in the next. Enjoy the pictures after the jump!

I GO: Punting in Cambridge

Hope you all had a happy Jubilee weekend! I spent mine outside of London but made up for missing the festivities by doing quaint British activities. Like punting in Cambridge. A punt is a gondola-like boat designed for use in small rivers like the River Cam which runs through Cambridge University's "campus". But unlike a gondola, to propel and navigate the boat forward we were given a large pole. Hilarity ensued (as captured by my perpetually distraught facial expressions).

The sun wasn't completely out, but I think the cloudiness lends a lovely calm to the pictures. Even if the rain made punting even harder.  Enjoy the pictures after the jump!