HOLIRAIN

This year I was lucky enough to get two week of holiday in August. Since I live in London all I asked for was good food and good weather. The first point was obvious, but being from Galicia the weather is always tbd... After a long weekend of sun, the rain came to us and so did the big question: what the hell do I do now!?

Day trips are a must in every Galician Summer, so my family and I visited Santiago de Compostela´s Cathedral for the who-knows-what time.

Este año tuve la suerte de irme dos semanas de vacaciones en agosto. Viviendo en Londres lo único que le pedía a esos días era buena comida y buen tiempo. Lo primero estaba asegurado, pero siendo de Galicia está claro que lo segundo siempre está en el aire... Después de disfrutar de un fin de semana largo de sol llegó el diluvio universal y con él la gran pregunta: y ahora que hago!? 

Las excursiones son un clásico en todo verano gallego, así que mi familia y yo hicimos la tradicional visita al la Catedral de Santiago de Compostela.

But this year I also add a new entertainment to my rainy Summer, which has totes become my new obsession: adult coloring books! I got a bunch of them from Amazon (other Ecommerce sites and retail business - ehem Selfridges - are available) and you can actually get lost in the gazillion options they have. I show you guys my favorites below.

Pero este año también añadí un nuevo entretenimiento a mi verano pasado por agua: libros de colorear para adultos! Me he comprado unos cuantos en Amazon (otras websites y negocios - ehem Selfridges - también están disponibles) y te puedes llegar a perder entra la amplia oferta que tienen. Debajo os enseño mis favoritos.

Lots of people say these books are a great relaxation tool, although I´ve also heard some others get anxiety from such a precise job... Here is my recommendation: get your favorite drink, a podcast on your iphone, a wide selection of pencil colors and enjoy!

Hay quien dice que estos libros son una muy buena técnica de relajación, aunque también hay quien opina que un trabajo tan meticuloso genera incluso más ansiedad... Mi recomendación es sentarse con tu bebida preferida, un podcast sonando en tu iphone, una amplia selección de lápices de colores y a disfrutar!

*** Thanks Sonja for the great idea! ***

Selfridges Manchester Exchange - New Womenswear Floor

Selfridges has recently finalized the refurbishment of its Womenswear Floor in its Exchange Square building (Manchester). The overall design is the work of Universal Design Studio which coexists with the different brands' aesthetics in an incredibly harmonized space.The floor has a series of areas: the Shoe Department, the Ready To Wear, six boutiques and a Personal Shopping space along with an existing restaurant. 

The selected materials and finishes are all very luxurious, elegant and feminine. The space has beautiful marble cash desks, dichroic glass plinths and glass & mirror walls among the wide selection. 

There are different focal points in this project. One of them are the cash desks, apart from being an interesting element themselves they all have a feature behind them (like a lighting installation or a brass sculptural screen).

There are also some special fixtures like the beacon, a circular rail located in the center of the RTW space that can display both clothing garments or accessories as well as being used as a seating element.

The different boutiques/brands are located in the perimeter, around Selfridges own bought areas. Each of them has a totem demarcating their space, covered with the brand's signature stone. The space is therefore organized in a very clear and smart way, making the customer's stroll through the floor easy and smooth.

* Balenciaga and Celine

* Valentino

* Givenchy

* Jimmy Choo

* Christian Louboutin

Definitely worth paying it a visit if you have the opportunity and enjoy beautifully designed stores!

[ Also, Northerns are so nice that any excuse is good to drive up to Manchester, isn't it? ;) ]

Basic Needs Store - Selfridges

I think at this point everyone knows I love a Selfridges campaign... And the current one, Work It, is as cool as any of the previous ones.

This new project is all about exploring how the way we work is changing, and as usual, Selfridges has created a concept store in relation to this topic.

The Basic Needs Store has everything you need to stay connected, organized, commute-ready,... Basically every tool and tech to enhance your day-to-day, displayed in the most inspiring way possible (seriously, who doesn't want to start working right away after seeing all this bright neon colours!?) 

This new campaign also involves a collaboration with The Art Room, a children's charity that provides therapeutic art classes. 

Right now you can see 90 chairs in Selfridges central atrium, each of them designed by different artists, architects, designers and key figures of the fashion world. The chairs will be sold in aid of The Art Room through an online auction.

This is an amazing and generous idea, and in the meantime the space looks great!

#SELFRIDGESXWORKIT