2010 May — American Girl in Chelsea

Polo comes to central London!

May 31, 2010 by Christy Osborne 3 Comments

Going to a polo tournament is one of the most fun and sophisticated summer events a girl can attend. I remember my first summer in London I went with my now-husband to the Cartier Polo. It was an absolute blast. All of the ladies were dressed impeccably, and I still have not figured out how their heels didn’t get permanently wedged in the grass.

The one slight problem with the Cartier was that it was an absolute nightmare to get there and back. Unless you are really prepared and book a car service, you have to take a train to Windsor and then it’s up to you to figure out the rest of the way! And good luck because everyone plans on taking taxis, and there are not enough to go around.

Well, Polo in the Park, which starts this upcoming Friday is the solution to all of your problems! Located at the Hurlingham Club in central London (Fulham to be exact), and offering three days of food, shopping, entertainment, and of course, polo- this is an event you have to experience. My goal this year is to spend more time watching the actual polo and less time drinking Pimms with my girlfriends outside the stadium. Here’s hoping the weather this upcoming weekend is bright and sunny!

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster- here. Polo in the Park runs from Friday June 4-Sunday June 6.

{Photos via Polo in the Park}

Cheers! xx

Filed Under: Cartier Polo, Dates For Your Diary, Entertainment, fun summer events in London, Hurlingham Club, Mint Polo in the Park, Polo in the Park

Bikini season is upon us….time for a wax!

May 28, 2010 by Christy Osborne 3 Comments

One of the people I miss the most in the US (after my family and yorkshire terrier of course) is my waxer. She gives the closest thing to pain-free bikini wax that you can get, and I wish she would move here and open up a salon. That said, I was so excited when I found Strip. The waxing bar, located in Chelsea, Notting Hill and Soho, is the perfect place to get ready for bathing suit season. The waxes are fairly painless, the girls are lovely, and the rooms are all adorably decorated. They even have different flavors of waxes including, chocolate, berry and lavender!

Hang around for a minute or two after your treatment and browse the adorable lingerie boutique. I’ve snatched up some really cute nighties and cozy pajamas on my way out!

{Photos via Strip}

Cheers! xx

Filed Under: Beauty, bikini wax in London, lingerie boutiques, Strip Wax, Strip Waxing Bar, waxing in Chelsea, waxing in London

The place to go for a night-cap!

May 27, 2010 by Christy Osborne 2 Comments

One of my favorite spots to grab an after dinner drink is at The Bar at the Dorchester. I had a girlfriend in town from Los Angeles this past week, and so we planned very special dinner at Nobu, and afterwards we walked down to the Dorchester Hotel. The bartenders can pretty much make anything you can dream up, and the ambiance is fabulous. I defaulted to my french martini because there were so many choices on the menu, I simply couldn’t decide.

I’m dying to go back and try the Champagne Shimmer (Snow Queen Vodka and vanilla, Cranberry Juice, Elderflower liqueur, Champagne glittered with gold dust and (of course) accompanied with The Bar lip gloss!!) And if you are a martini lover, make a reservation for the martini masterclass where you can sample a variety of martinis that have become famous through the ages, and then learn how to make your own!

AG wants to know- where’s your late night spot?

{Photo via The Dorchester}

Cheers! xx

Filed Under: bars, best bars in London, cocktails, cocktails in London, Dorchester Bar, Eat and Drink, Nobu Restaurant, the Bar at the Dorchester

If you’re missing your favorite snacks & salad dressings…

May 25, 2010 by Christy Osborne 3 Comments

One of the greatest discoveries I have made here in London is Partridges. If you haven’t been yet, you must go. Partridges is a great gourmet market with a fantastic deli, and also has wonderful teas and other goodies from around the globe. But when I walk in I head straight for the American aisle (look for the little American flags!) where I can pick up all those food items I can’t find at Waitrose or Tesco, i.e. PAM cooking spray, Lawry’s seasoning salt, Betty Crocker Brownies, Gold Fish, Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing etc. It also has the breakfast items you may have been craving but haven’t been able to find- think Pop Tarts and Apple Jacks.

Last time I had a dinner party I headed over to Partridges and picked up all the ingredients for the Nestle Toll House cookies, and made them. The whole batch was eaten in one sitting! And although it is way to early to be thinking about Thanksgiving, Partridges also carries some of the Turkey Day essentials- Aunt Jemima corn bread, and pumpkin puree for your pies!

Partridges is located on Glocester Roadand Sloane Square, or you can shop online. There is also an outdoor café located at the Sloane Square location, which is perfect for the recent sunshine!

Cheers! xx

Filed Under: American Food in London, American snacks in London, Duke of York Square, Gourmet Deli, groceries, Partridges, Partridges in Chelsea, Practical Tid-Bits, Thanksgiving in London

For the Red Carpet, or the Kings Road…

May 24, 2010 by Christy Osborne Leave a Comment

Something very special happened last week at Cannes. A girlfriend just tipped me off to Atelier Annick, a London-based handbag designer with some killer styles. Truth be told, you have to have some serious glam-attitude to pull of some of the creations- think Gwen Stefani carrying the Waneh design or Sienna Miller clutching the Opeli (which I love!) on the red-carpet! Check out American Girl’s girl-crush, Cheryl Cole carrying the Bebe. She’s so adorable!

Annick Adjo, designer and founder of Atelier Annick, was born and brought up in Paris to parents originating from Cote-d’Ivoire, West Africa. She now lives in West London where she designs her range of handbags. Annick has used her eclectic cultural background as a stimulus when designing her distinctive collections.