POOLSIDE

After four days admiring Barcelona from the ground, wandering the markets and taking photos of endless beautiful balconies - I nearly squealed when I got up to the hotel's rooftop and was faced with this 360 degree view of the city.

Up at that height you can take in the never ending buildings and try not to freak out leaning on the ever so thin glass walls.

Wearing top - Topshop, trousers - vintage, heels - &OtherStories, sunglasses - stolen from my sister.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST LONDON FASHION WEEK

With London Fashion Week already in frantic preparation, here is a throwback to the last one. The past four LFW's I have designed Topshop's Somerset House space for the NEWGEN part of Fashion Week. February will be my fifth, as well as our UNIQUE showspace again this time round (I hope!)

Above are some details from setting up on the first morning of Fashion Week, including the beautiful Patricia - the best bit about Fashion Week for me! Can't wait to see what the next one brings...

AMSTERDAM THREE

Rijksmuseum
Address: Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM TWO

One thing I didn't expect from Amsterdam was the amount of vintage stores. The first one we stumbled across was Bij Ons Vintage - filled with racks and racks of vintage sports jackets. Fila, Kappa, Adidas, Nike, Ellesse just to name a few brands. Every colour of the rainbow, amazing condition and all priced around €12, which is a fraction of what they would be in London.

There is another Bij Ons store in Amsterdam too, with just as much sportswear. The only other vintage store that I liked was Episode, which was spread across two huge levels and I think I was too excited searching the racks of Burberry and Levi's to stop and take a photo.

Other stores worth mentioning are Patta (smaller than I thought, but with great collabs all the time). Concrete was a unique fashion store that had Opening Ceremony, Nike, Bape and lots of other amazing designers. And lastly Ben G (pictured above), which is three levels of clothes, shoes and accessories.

1. Bij Ons Vintage
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 150, 1012 SJ Amsterdam

2. Episode

Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 61, 1017 DD Amsterdam

Berenstraat 1, 1016 GG Amsterdam

3. Concrete
Spuistraat 250, 1012 VW Amsterdam

4. Patta
Zeedijk 67, 1012 AS Amsterdam

5. Ben G
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 142, 1012 SH Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM ONE

Last night I got back from five days in Amsterdam with my boyfriend. Torrentail rain and gale force winds aside, the food, vintage shopping and museums made up for it.

One thing I noticed straight away was hardly any graffiti compared to other European cities I've been to. The huge wall pictured above was the only large piece I saw, and trust me I circled every canal in the city by the end of the trip.

Being coeliac (and now my boyfriend finding out he is too!), I always do my research beforehand for good gluten free places to eat...

Bagels & Beans
As soon as I head that this bagel chain offered a gluten free option, we hunted one down. I had the proscuitto, mozrella, rocket and pesto one and Gus had a BLT with pine nuts. The food was great, but service was not so great.

B E R L I N

Berlin was one of my absolute best trips in recent years. I didn't have any expectations from it, just four days of exploring... But I fell in love with Kreuzberg's endless cafes, cocktail bars and raindbow raods of graffiti. Here are my favourites -

Gipfeltreffen

Perfect breakfast, and beatiful seating inside and out. Fills up quickly so get in early to get a good seat in the sunshine. A plate piled high with meats, cheeses and salad - the German's do breakfast right!

Salumeria Lamuri

Walking past this little Italian cafe, you wouldn't expect what awaits inside. Beautifully tiled floors, a huge counter filled with paninis and sweet treats, cosy little tables and beautiful high windows looking out. Trying to find the bathroom, this back room (above) took me by surprise - filled with wood and windows covered in plants.

Burgermeister

I don't know if I even need words about Burgermeister. Hopefully these pictures (we went three times all up over our four days) do the outdoor Kreuzberg burger cart enough justice...

New Deli Yoga

Small vegetarian cafe near Gorlitzer Park

Baraka

Amazing mix of Lebanese, Egyptian, and Moroccan food. The platter we had was so cheap and delicious.

THE GODFATHER PART TWO

After Friday night's dinner, my Grandad certainly didn't expect another surprise the following evening. What he thought was just a meal at the Hilton with himself, Nan, Dad and I to end Dad's 48 hour visit... Was in fact 150 friends and family waiting in the hired function room for a night of dancing (walking sticks were getting tossed aside after several hours of the open bar) and then most of the guests staying for a massive breakfast the next morning.

As I walked into the room with him, it took him a minute to realise that he knew every single person in there. Most people hadn't seen me since I left for Australia (I was 10), and assumed I was my mum... After the third "Did you bring the kids over with you Jane?", I wasn't sure whether I look beyond my years or the oldies just need new glasses...

So preoccupied on the night by the amazing dance moves that were coming out, I only took a few pictures. And I swear, there were other people in that photo of me apparently dancing like a mad woman that happened to have just discovered Disaronno for the first time ever at the afore-mentioned open bar.

SYDNEY FAVOURITES

I've only travelled to Sydney twice - once to visit the Monster Children studio, and once to see the Harry Potter exhibition. If I was to move back to Australia, I would be more than happy to live and work there (Surry Hills please!) There are so many places to still discover, but for now these are my favourite parts...


EAT
Sailors Thai - 106 George St, The Rocks
Canteen style upstairs with a massive wooden communal table and a dining room downstairs. The food is the best I've had outside of Thailand... My favourites have to be chicken with cashews and chilli jam followed by coconut ice cream!

Bourke Street Bakery - 633 Bourke St, Surry Hills
This is when my allergies make me want to cry. Walking into this tiny corner bakery, my mum looked at me panicked as if I were about to lie on the floor and have a tantrum. Seriously, cabinets of rhubarb almond tarts, raspberry pear butter cakes and every kind of loaf you can imagine. Worth it even just to drool at their creations!

Deus Cafe - 98/102-104 Parramatta Rd, Camperdown
Sitting alongside the Dues ex Machina store and below the Monster Children studio, you know this cafe is going to be good... Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Monday movie nights and live music through the week. Add a menu of good ol' classics and a bloody good coffee - it's a winner.

Food on Five - Westfield Pitt St Mall
Westfield's lavish food court is enough to make your jaw drop. I managed to try four places in three days. Try Rueben & Moore's massive Rueben sandwiches. Or go to Charlie & Co. for a gluten free wagyu beef burger and parmesan truffle fries... Need I say more.


SHOP
Pretty much ALL of Paddington and Surry Hills, but with a special mention of Mrs Red & Sons where my sister and I picked up the tiniest hand painted Chinese cats and the staff are just the best (polaroid above). Find it at 427 Crown St, Surry Hills.


Pictured: 1. The Rocks Market. 2. My younger brother Bon. 3. Deus Cafe. 4. My sister in the background thinking, "Seriously, he's posing for ANOTHER photo!?" 5. Aimee on the train. 6. Polaroids of the sights on the boat ride. 7. Knot and trench. 8. Aimee taking photos of her own. 9. Blue hues. 10. Taxi driver stories. 11 & 12. Ariel bookstore in Paddington. 13. Mrs Red & Sons. 14. Bonjamin.