Happy Weekend!

Happy weekend everybody! I hope your week has been as productive and interesting as mine! The early part of my week was all about the fun- catching up with friends and discovering a great working space with even better coffee and entertainment! The latter part of my work? Nose to the grindstone with lots of hard work! Here's what I've been reading through the long nights and between meetings!

Visions of the future from NASA: looking for some out of this world for your home office or room? Check out these free to download prints from NASA! I love the Grand Tour poster.

LFW: Designer homes we love: looking for some fashion and design inspiration? The latest post from Lorfords Antiques shares top tips on how to get the interior decor look of designers such as Ralph Lauren, Aerin Lauder and Thom Browne!

Buckingham Palace as a hotel: ever wonder how much it would cost to stay at Buckingham Palace if it became a hotel? Here's your answer.

Tory Burch Ready to Wear Autumn 2016: equestrian meets France in Burch's newest collection. I love it.

Lincoln Memorial renovations: my beloved Lincoln Memorial is about to undergo a pretty extensive renovation programme. I can't wait to see the finished result! 

White House Week

This week, President Obama welcomed Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe to Washington, D.C. for a State Visit.

The President and the Prime Minister visited the Lincoln Memorial, standing between the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s second inaugural address, to chat and reflect.

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan visit the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., April 27, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Watch the arrival ceremony below:



The First Lady spent time with the Prime Minister’s wife, First Lady Akie Abe, at Great Falls Elementary School in Great Falls, Virginia. There, the two First Ladies spoke with a group of students who are learning Japanese and studying Japanese culture.

First Lady Michelle Obama and First Lady Akie Abe of Japan students who lined the hallways at Great Falls Elementary School in Great Falls, Virginia, April 28, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

Washington DC: My Photos

Later this week I'm headed back to Washington DC! It's one of my favourite cities and where I find lots of inspiration for my blog! Here's a photographic look at some of my most treasured haunts and memories of this great city!

I love visiting the Smithsonian Museums! My favorite is the Museum of American History, where you can see items from the White House, dresses worn by the First Ladies and lots of Presidential memorabilia! The china above is from the George W Bush Administration.

I also love that you can see and experience Julia Child's kitchen- definitely a highlight!

Another great place to visit is the Newseum. It's packed full of interesting artefacts, hands on exhibitions and has a fab gift shop! You can see items such as Kennedy's debate notes, the door from Watergate and Tim Russert's desk.

I always try to visit Arlington National Cemetery when I'm in the city, and make a particular stop at the Kennedy gravesite. It's such a moving place of rest and it's a peaceful place in the heart of such a busy city.

Similarly I really like visiting the National Cathedral. It's magnificent! The circular stained glass window is so impressive and the views from the gallery are like no other!

Georgetown is my favourite area to stroll and shop. I love the houses and how unique the area feels.

The US Capitol is one of my favourite buildings and I have so many great memories from working there. I love all the history, the stories and the Rotunda is so impressive.

I like to visit the Memorials at night- I think the Lincoln Memorial is quite spooky in the dark!

All Author's Own

No trip to DC would be complete without a tour of the White House!

Check out more of my photos here.

What do you love most about DC? What are your favourite places to visit? Let me know! 

White House Week

President Obama wrote a handwritten tribute to the Gettysburg Address:

The White House

Earlier this week, Dr. Jill Biden and Labor Secretary Tom Perez visited Cleveland Community College in North Carolina and Broward College in Florida as part of their “Community College to Career” tour designed to highlight innovative workforce training partnerships.

Dr. Biden and Secretary Perez met with students, toured innovative labs and classrooms, and learned more about the Labor Department’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants. These unprecedented investments are helping leverage strong partnerships with local employers to transform community colleges into engines of economic growth across the country.

On Wednesday, the President awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 16 recipients. These included: Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Ernie Banks, Ben Bradlee, Bill Clinton, Daniel Inouye (posthumous), Daniel Kahneman, Richard Lugar, Loretta Lynn, Mario Molina, Sally Ride (posthumous), Bayard Rustin (posthumous,) Arturo Sandoval, Dean Smith, Cordy Tindell Vivian and Patricia Weld. Find out more here.

Official White House Photo

Lincoln Penny turns 100

Time.com:

Aug. 2, 2009, marks the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln penny, the longest-running U.S. coin still in circulation. The U.S. Mint had been producing one-cent coins since its founding in 1792, but the 1909 penny (which replaced the Indian-head coin) was the first coin on which a President's likeness appeared. Teddy Roosevelt commissioned the coin to celebrate the 100th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. While most people applauded the new design, former Confederate soldiers were upset at the prospect of carrying the image of Lincoln in their pockets. Today, on the occasion of Lincoln's 200th birthday, the U.S. Mint has produced four special-edition pennies with reverse-side designs that depict different periods in the famous President's life. Three of the pennies have already been released; the final design will debut on Aug. 13.