an affair with... temperley for filofax

***WARNING: IMAGE HEAVY POST***

So, my last written exam for my degree had been sat and on my return back to halls, I decided to check my postbox... and there, waiting for me, was a slip that said I had a parcel to collect. Thinking it was a book I had ordered for my dissertation project, I sloped to the office to collect it and there, to my surprise, was a parcel from Filofax!

I opened the envelope carefully and pulled out a white box - in which was this beautiful dustbag with the Filofax inside...

The dustbag is a nude pink colour (the lighting is pretty bad in my room unfortunately so doesn't show the true colour of it). It feels silky even though it isn't and isn't it luxurious that a Filofax has a dustbag! That's what you expect of designer bags, but a Filofax?! I suppose this is kind of a designer Filofax.

Here is The Affair in all its glory...

The black lace looks really luxurious and it feels well made. As soon as I removed it from the dustbag, I knew I had fallen in love - hook, line and sinker. The black lace, the patent leather edges and the gold button clasp closure... And I hadn't even opened it up yet for a closer look!

The clasp in more detail - you can see 'Temperley London' on it.

A size comparison with my current Filofax that is in use: the Personal Finchley in Vintage Rose.

The size of The Affair makes it look like a giant but bear in mind what's inside...

You can clearly see the Flex A5 notebook and also the compact 15mm gold rings, holding personal sized inserts.

Big news here... it lies flat out of the box dustbag! Upon opening it up, you're greeted with more of the pink satin feel fabric that the dustbag is also made out of. It definitely has a luxurious feel to it.

Seeing this Flex notebook makes me not want to use it as it can't be bought anywhere! Once it's run out of pages to write on, I'll feel sad so I may save it for something that I will love using it for - maybe when I graduate or for a major project of some kind?

Next up is the card compartment which is under the Flex notebook side. Ample slots for cards and also a yoga schedule!

A page of what appears to be Alice Temperley's own handwriting. Unfortunately, it's just a copy!

The page marker - black with green writing and detailing... I love it!

Next, you can see the dividers which have leather detailing and the words in gold.

The back cover of The Affair. There is a clear card slot as well as a slot (which can be seen near the top). It came with a credit card sized clothes size converter.

Next, the gold rings of the compact personal side of The Affair...

And finally, the card that was also in the dustbag. 

So, this is The Affair. (I also forgot to mention this, but it also came with a 2012 diary in cotton cream). Overall, although the price is extortionate, it was love at first sight for me. I'm still debating about whether or not to keep it though due to the price but I really do love it. I may have to sell a few of my other Filofaxes in order to raise funds for this if I opt to keep it - so keep your eyes peeled for a bargain!

And my theory as to why these Filofaxes are priced so high? Only women are stupid enough willing to pay such a high price for a 'fashion accessory' and I'm sad to say that I couldn't resist having this in person (even if it may only be for a week or so before I return it!) so I paid the high price for it!

Bottom line is, I love it...just not the price (after all, it's more than twice the price of the personal Deco at its RRP!).

good food review: Byron burgers!

For those of you in the UK, and more specifically in London, you may have already come across this restaurant: Byron. They do burgers in, what they say, are an American style and they have branches throughout London. The ones I've been too are in South Kensington, High Street Kensington and Westfield White City. Although the burgers do stray onto the more expensive and gourmet side, they really are the best burgers I have ever tasted. The lower cost options of Burger King and McDonald's just don't compare and the ones from Gourmet Burger Kitchen just seem too average.

My most recent visit was to the High Street Ken one with my sister as I hadn't seen her for a few weeks (even though she is at the same university as me!). And this is what we ordered and how we found it.

Fentiman's ginger beer - we loved the bottle!

If you order a drink that comes in a can or a bottle, they let you pour it yourself - which is good for us so we can pace ourselves to ensure that we have enough left for that last bite.

They have a different card for each branch - this one was the Queen of Hearts. I'm on a quest to collect them all!  

I ordered the American Cheeseburger. This is it half eaten. They lay a sheet of greaseproof paper under the burger which adds to the experience of a gourmet burger.

Rustic chips! Potato chips with the skin still on them - these were lightly salted - not overly salted like the McDonald's french fries.

Overall, my experience with Byron burgers have always been positive. The total bill including drinks came to about £25 for the two of us (we ordered a burger each, the chips to share and a drink each) which is a bit on the more expensive side but once in a while, as a treat, it is fine. Plus, we always find the burgers really filling which is another bonus!
Writing this post has made me crave another Byron visit but I had a takeaway just over a week ago so I don't think I should. Oh and that reminds me, if you don't feel like eating in, they also do takeaways. Waiting times is slightly quicker than if were to eat in but that's to be expected.

Takeaway message: If you are in or around an area that has a Byron, definitely seek it out. Although a cheaper burger alternative may seem appealing, everyone should try these burgers at least once! And not to mention the chips with the skin still on - absolutely delightful, especially with a tiny bit of ketchup!

P.S. It's my final written exam of my current degree ever today! Wish me luck :-)

Please note: all these pictures were taken by me so if you want to use them, please credit accordingly.

i was a bit naughty...

...and just placed an order for the Alice Temperley for Filofax 'The Affair'.

I'm excited... though not for checking my bank balance! It's safe to say that these two months where I've kept fashion and accessories shopping to a minimum is paying off as I can actually afford to splash out for this Filofax. Also, this Filofax will last for years to come and it's also a fashion accessory!
So... the main questions:

• Will a Flex notebook work for me?
• Will the smaller ring size (I'm used to the personal Finchley 23mm) work for me?
• Will it be worth its pricetag?

Stay tuned to find out! It should be here in a few days, in which time, I'll have finished my exams for my final year so I'll be able to blog more :D and more importantly, review this Filofax!

short hiatus

too much going on...not even enough time for sleep or relaxation so I'm going to take a short hiatus while I try to re-organise my time (using my filofax of course).

b e   b a c k   s o o n !