I’ve decided to spend a couple of days in London (Knightsbridge) starting tomorrow (Sunday) through Tuesday. I’ve been to London many, many times so I am not in any hurry to rush around the city or see any particular sites. I’m actually more inclined to just take it slow (something I’ve never been good at in London) with lots of walking, some work, tea drinking and checking out the new food scene - so many gluten free places especially.

If anyone has any particular places they love or things to do, let me know as between all of you and Girls Guide to City Life, London I’m sure I’ll have things to do.

I’ll be sharing all my Irish finds hopefully this week - and there are a lot. In the meantime you can follow along via my Photos on Flickr.

Chocolate. Such a nice word, isn’t it? Dark Chocolate - even better. When it’s good it’s oh so good but when it’s bad it can turn people off forever as it did me when I was younger. It wasn’t until my early twenties when I lived in New Zealand and went to a chocolate factory I really started to appreciate chocolate. And if I thought it was good in New Zealand, you can imagine how I felt when I finally went to a chocolate shoppe in Belgium than France!

My only bit of chocolate snobbery is that it must be high-quality, junk free chocolate. This is due mostly becuase of taste preference although since I am allergic to gluten, I can’t have most chocolate that is flavoured or mixed with things.

And what are my favourites? I thought you’d never ask.

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Currently enjoying Linda Mathieu’s Blog, Frenchless in France in which her guest blogger, Emily is doing a great job of sharing Provence. I’ve only ever been to Provence in the winter (February, for my birthdays), but I actually really love it then. It’s when you get to really see the towns without fighting mobs of tourists or unhappy hosts. The smell of fireplaces going, the mistral winds, the seasonal cooking of food so thick and warm it sticks to your belly. But, I confess, I’m a little envious of those who get to see it in spring and travel the fields barefoot.

One of my favourite places to stay in Provence regardless of the seasons is the self-catered gite, le pigenonnier in Isle sur la Sorgue. The flat is beautiful, modern but still French and the breakfasts are amazing. The location is perfect (if you have a car) in which to explore the area. And the hosts? Amazing though you’ll have to learn (basic) French to speak with them.

One of my favourite things to do on my travels is to visit a bookstore for there’s something about British published books that are just spectacular. I’m not sure why there’s such a design difference since there are many fabulous designers and writers in America. Yet it seems to me as though the European counterpart is almost better looking in terms of design, style and imagery. Especially when it comes to home books.

The above books have caught my attention in more ways than one. The Gentle Art of by Jane Brocket was a very large, beautifully covered book with charming stories and ideas inside - mainly geared to those who knit, I think. It reminded me so much of my friend Alicia, that style in look and content. Jane also has a web site called Yarnstorm.

Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros literally caught my eye - the spine on this is gorgeous. It’s the same size and style of her Apples and Jam book and beautifully done inside. This seems to be better liked than the Apples and Jam (and if you’re in the US, you should note that Anthropologie put Apples and Jam on sale for something like $12!). I couldn’t eat a lot of the recipes so it isn’t a usable book for me but just having that sitting on the shelf would be enough reason for me to buy it.

Emily Chalmers, how I adore her work. I only discovered her last year when I bought the Danish version of Cheap Chic called, “Nyt og Brugt”. Her book, Table Inspirations, was beautifully laid out with wonderful photos and great ideas. I like that it’s a square paperback which makes for easier reading in bed late at night.

And lastly, Nigella. She’s everywhere in America and for the most part, her books are the same on both sides of the water. However I really liked the simplicity of the UK version of How to Eat and the fact it was also softcover. This felt less intimidating to me so I actually ended up doing a quick read through the book.

Why there’s such a difference I’ll never know but what I do know is that my suitcase becomes very heavy on the return trip home.

I’m not sure why buying a bed is so difficult in both terms of feeling comfortable owning one and then the actual process of selecting one. But despite having lived on my own since 18, I didn’t actually buy my own bed until I was 25. I literally bought on price (I couldn’t spend more than $400 at the time and needed something ASAP). I never slept well on it and when I left several months later was glad to donate it to charity.

Several years ago I had a big discussion about beds as I was determined to buy something that would help me really sleep since I average perhaps only 4 hours a night and some nights I go without. And I’m a huge bed lover sleeper girl so this just isn’t right.

In 2004 I began the search for a bed. After numerous recommendations (from friends, my chiropractor and online) I purchased a Temperpedic from Relax the Back since going in and out of mattress shops felt sleazier than buying a car. Plus, mattress shops wanted $2500 for the Temperpedic - Relax the Back sold it at a regular price plus a 10% discount when I was there.

I should have considered the source when listening to all the raves. I can see how this bed can work wonders for taller, heavier people with body heat - they can sink into it and it really will conform to the body. However, being petite with little body heat, the bed was always stiff and I would wake up even stiffer, tossing and turning every night. The elusive dream bed still kept me thinking.

When I moved into my new flat in 2007, I rang the Four Seasons, Los Angeles in desperation to order their bed (as I was currently sleeping on an Aero bed during the move). I always slept like a baby there, plus several friends had purchased from them with a great experience. However, they told me the manufacturer stopped making the bed that had been used but I was welcomed to come and try their (non flippable) version. But they were book solid for 3 weeks and then it’d be 6 weeks for delivery. I couldn’t sleep on an Aero bed for that long.

I thought of where I had my second best sleep and that was at Chateau du Sureau (in the room shown above). Their beds were Serta made especially for luxury hotels. When I called they were more than helpful with information on how to buy the bed (and bedding) however, their factory was closed for the summer so again I’d have to wait six weeks.

Then I thought about the W Hotel - always good. I did some research on mattresses and with the tips decided I’d go the W Bed Route. I found a coupon code (do a Google Search) that took $250 off so the bed, with shipping and a feather bed was less than $1000. Within three days I had the mattress delivered and was sleeping like a baby. Topped with some Shabby Chic bedding and I haven’t blinked an eye whilst sleeping in months!

Mattress shopping is a tricky, sometimes horrible business. When I looked years ago, going in and out of mattress shops was a far worse experience than car shopping. Brands have different names for different outlets and mattress salesmen will lie to you about everything. So this time, I chose to go directly to the sources of beds I had loved so that I knew exactly what I was getting. And without having to barter, haggle, or wonder, buy was easy, quick and painless.

And the sleep has been that way too.

Update: I stayed a few nights at the Four Seasons, Beverly Regent in March 2008 and just fell in love with their new beds. I think I’m going to have to go for it although they only sell theirs in King Size.

Update II: Danny Seo, the green Meister himself, has an eco-friendly bed available at JC Penny via Simmons. Sounds promising and affordable.

I’ll be heading to Paris shortly, a city I have mixed feelings about. I understand the greatness, the beauty, the history but I’m not exactly all that fond of it (although one of my favourite hotels ever, The Four Seasons Hotel George V, is there)and actually try to pass it over each time I return to France. But this time, I will find myself there for several days and will try to see it in a different light.

Yes, I think perhaps I might have been a little harsh on Paris in my previous post; it’s not that I really dislike Paris it’s just that there are so many other places I’d rather go because my interests are a little different than what most go to Paris for. But I will play local for a few days and so I have been trying to discover things to do that haven’t been done before.

Here’s a list of things I’ve come up with thus far (and welcome any suggestions):

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