Vilnius walks - Uzupis

If you ever find yourself in a beautiful place called Vilnius, then there are a couple of things I can recommend to you to make your stay more pleasant, after all I was born here. I used to walk with my mum to her work-place via that bridge in the above photo when I was a toddler (mum works in fashion so occasionally I was allowed to come in with her and disrupt everyone else's creativity).  This time Little Miss S was walking with us.

Vilnius has the most stunning Old-Town. It's full of little boutiques, cafes and restaurants dotted around narrow and quaint cobbled streets.

Start your day in Uzupis by grabbing yourself a coffee and some fresh bread or a cake.

Maybe in here?

Then begin exploring. Uzupis is known as an 'artist republic'. It even has it's own constitution (not real obviously, but I am very happy to live by it!).

A lot of architecture still hasn't been renovated in this part, so it's a real gem.

Many artists live and work here. In the daytime it's quiet and laid-back, people getting on with their work, mothers lunching and cats lounging around in the sun, but in the evenings all the 'bohemians' like to come out with their red wine and cigarettes. The atmosphere can be truly amazing, especially on the warm summer evenings that we've been having recently.

Take a seat

Wine bar

Lunch at Uzupio Klasika

River Vilnele - great place to be when it's hot

More walks to come!

On holiday

Very sorry for the lack of posts, but as you might know we are away on holiday *huge smirk on my face*. This post comes from sunny Lithuania where we have been eating, eating, more eating (even as I type this post I am eating), swimming, exploring and seeing friends and family. I haven't lived in Lithuania for nearly 15 years now (wish I could say I was a baby then...I wasn't, I'm just a tiny bit older than that...), but this is one of my favourite places to holiday (no, I am not biased, I just really like). Vilnius is a stunning city with lots of cozy little cafes, restaurants and bustling bars. Rain or shine, Lithuanians like to sit outside during summer months. If you get a little chilly by midnight (yes, having my dear mum as a babysitter gave Hubby and I a chance to have quite a few so called 'date' nights), then the waiter will happily give you a warm blanket. I love this whole 'blanket culture', it is very popular in continental Europe. We should bring it to London! Vilnius is also very cultural. From jazz bars to museums, theaters and classical music concerts. However, if the weather gets too hot and you fancy to relax by the water, then there are hundreds of lakes nearby. Trakai (photo above) is a pretty little town 20 minutes drive from Vilnius that has plenty of fresh water lakes and lots of great places to eat. You can hire a cottage for a few nights, or choose one of many fabulous hotels. You can also get a boat for the whole day or a few hours, which I highly recommend. And don't forget the sauna in the evening (followed by the swim in the lake) - something that most Lithuanians do in he summer (some crazy ones do it in the winter too).

Nap time for Little Miss S, coffee time for mum and dad

As it is Wednesday today, I am conneting to Transatlantic Blonde for What I Wore.

Heading out for drinks and dinner with Hubby and friends at the beginning of our holiday when it was a little rainy. I am wearing:

Jacket: Aquascutum
Jeans: 7 for All Mankind
Bag: Mulberry
Brolly: Burberry
Shoes: L.K. Bennett

Mama on duty. Weather is back to normal (hot!) and I am wearing:

Top: bought in Greece. Perfect for this weather as it is pretty much see-through and open at the back
Short: Ralph Lauren (extremely ancient but still great)
Sandals: from Greece (saw lots of lovely sandals here in Vilnius so might sneak off to the shops...)

Our holiday is not over yet. We are off to the seaside now. Little Miss S learnt a new word 'sea' whilst we were away in Greece and she hasn't stopped repeating it. Now it's time to see the sea again;) Till next time (I've got thousands of gorgeous photos and lots of yummy recipes to share).