ms-havachat discovers Inspirations in Sunninghill

Inspirations gorgeous shopfront
54 High Street, Sunninghill Ascot, SL5 9NF

This morning I met a friend for a coffee before art class. With time to spare before class, I decided to stroll the High Street in Sunninghill and discovered INSPIRATIONS, a truly delightful gift shop.

The strange thing about where we live, indeed for most of us these days, independently owned boutique retailers are few and far between, thanks to the multi-national global branded retailers. `Just walk down any major High Street, or visit a shopping mall (ie: centre) and you'll see the same retail outlets, varying only based on the socio-demographics of the area. Trying to find a privately owned, one-off, independent retail outlet isn't easy these days.

Bricks'n'mortar shopping is struggling to compete with online retailers so things like customer service, product differentiation, product knowledge are what's able to set them apart. The gaps can be huge if bricks'n'mortar retailers invest in their staff, their physical shops and products. I throughly enjoyed training my retail staff, and the interaction with our customers, the rapport and trust that developed all of which resulted in increased sales.

Inspirations is a text-book independently owned shop. Owner/manager of 18 years, Judy and best friend Janet are warm and friendly and know their stock intimately. They take pride in sourcing the best of British made products as often as possible,  and love finding British designers whose products will sit well in the shop. Their suggestions for gift ideas was most appreciated!

Judy on the right, with Janet. 

What a little treasure trove of loveliness. Fashion accessories like hats, gloves, scarves and bags are displayed creatively amongst ornaments and photo frames, while the jewellery is set to one side. 

There's a lot of stock in a small shop, and it's lovely!

Everything is well displayed and easy to see.

There's a bespoke toy section too  that offers high quality
brands and a selection across young ages.

Janet loves stocking Sea Witch candles that are made in a small village in Cornwell, while Sam Wilson, from The Cotswolds is another very popular British range.

There's a great selection of cards and wrapping paper AND they gift wrap!

Very true!

You won't find Inspirations online. They believe in 'word of mouth' recommendation from their client base, many of whom have been with them for 'years'. They smiled when the explained how happy it makes them knowing they are serving generations of customers, from near and far. 

I'm so pleased I discovered Inspirations this morning and was 'inspired' to take a few photo's and have a chat, so I can share it with you.

If you're in the area, do pop in and say ms-havachat recommended you.

With Friendship

x

ms-havachat discovering Surrey - French Brothers Ferry Rides, Windsor

My photo, shame about the grey sky.

Windsor is an easy day trip from London. There are numerous coach tours there or you can catch the train, or hire a car for flexibility. London Waterloo train station to Windsor about 55 minutes and about the same by car (of course, this totally depends on time of day etc). Parking can be expensive and difficult to find as locals shop/live in the area.

Once there, tour of the Castle, stroll the shops, enjoy a meal, do the Hop On Hop Off Bus tour and then wander to the River Thames for a relaxing hour or so before returning to the rush of London.

The Thames River starts in the beautiful Cotswolds, flows through London and out to the North Sea for a total of 210 miles. There are 45 locks, an abundance of bird and sea life, and many opportunities to enjoy the river by boat, punt, or simply strolling on the paths alongside it. The section that flows past Windsor is pretty and offers visitors another opportunity to enjoy Mother Nature.

A few weekends ago, I went on a short cruise on the Thames from Windsor with MIL, on the boats provided by French Brothers. Despite the grey clouds, we had a pleasant 40 minutes on board one of the old fashioned boats. I just might have to do the trip again, simply to get better photos!

Google pics photo

The boats leave often enough so there's not much of a wait, tho on a sunny day, in high tourist season, I would recommend purchasing tickets when you arrive so you can plan the rest of they day around the cruise. We only waited 15 minutes for the next cruise so decided to stroll along the river. We were surprised how the pedestrian path had no fencing on the rivers edge, as we're used to that sort of public safety protection in other parts of the world. There were LOTS of swans and ducks eagerly feeding by the river edge from food bought from the ticket office by tourists. Not sure who was having more fun, the swans and ducks or the kids!

Once on board, the audio guide started and it's interesting enough, tho it did you leave you wanting more. At some points, the guide seemed to be ahead of where the boat was which was frustrating. I'm sure there's a LOT MORE history and interesting tidbits of information to be learned about this part of the river, especially when you consider Windsor Castle, Eton College and other famous places along the way.

I recall a story about this bench and concrete wall having something to do with the boys from Eton College but not the details. Thought it made a nice photo even against the grey skies.

The "Chinese Bridge"should probably be painted red for authenticity was still very pretty. I took the photo before the commentary started to explain it.

The riverbanks are home to swans and ducks and numerous other bird life, and also fish. There were several people fishing, and we had peek-a-boo sights of the Royal Windsor Race Course thru the trees.

There are 45 locks along the length of the river. While Oxford isn't that far away, we were told it would take a few days cruising to get there (a) the cruising speed on the river is slow, and (b) the number of locks you go thru. If you're interested, here's a link to The Royal River Thames website.

I loved the various boats on the river. It bought back childhood memories of holidaying on the Hawkesbury River from Bobbin Head in New South Wales as a kid with mum and dad. We'd hire Halversen boat for a week or so and cruise the river. Might suggest something similar to G for our next staycation - a few days punting on the Thames between villages.

Stock photo of a Halverson.

People live on the Thames. Sadly, in some parts of London it's causing congestion and frustration, not the sort of things one would expect an idyllic lifestyle to do. As London real estate continues to spiral out of control upwards, living on the river is proving to be a cost effective way to live IN London.

It was really enjoyable watching the changing shoreline - from overgrown trees to cycle tracks, walking paths, the racecourse and then suburbia. These houses were beautiful!

The finale photo opportunity is Windsor Castle from the river, the way it's been seen for hundreds of years.

I sincerely hope you enjoy your time on the Thames at Windsor,

With friendship
x

ms-havachat LOVES Timpanys

Shame the car was in the way ... but love the balloons

Have you ever felt that you were destined to meet someone? I've experienced this a few times since becoming an expat, and again, several weeks ago when I met Patricia from Stella and Dot at the international women' club meeting. After a bit of small talk, she kindly invited me to a Champagne Shopping Morning at Timpany's in Sunninghill on the Saturday morning and as I just so happened to be free, I went (and took MrsD with me)

So glad we went! We discovered Timpany's and met the charismatic and charming Antonia (owner/manager).

Antonia (left) with Patricia

As an expat, you relish the time when the weeks take on a normal routine and you don't need to rely on the sat nav to get you places, you breathe easier. When you realise you shop where the locals shop; you discover a few places you enjoy eating/drinking at, so they become yours too., you have a group of friends to hang out with, and you find little local gems.

Finding Timpany's is one of those lovely local experiences.

Located on Sunninghill Road, Ascot the shop is set back slightly, so be careful not to miss it (It's opposite the car dealership), Timpany's is an oasis from the normal hustle and bustle of High Street or capital city shopping.

Forget what you think you know about recycled clothes shops, or second hand fashion. Timpany's adds a whole new dimension to the concept of preloved.

Taking preloved fashion to the next level, Timpany's is a retail fashion shop first and foremost, it just happens to sell preloved lux at affordable prices. I don't really enjoy clothes shopping but Antonia made it so easy, and I found a gorgeous jacket which I've worn a few times and had loads of compliments. It's my first full on, authentic, luxury designer label item ever and I love it.

My jacket!

Like most pre-loved retail outlets, what they have for sale, is what they have .... you can't order stock in. So it's a good thing to keep popping in or keeping in contact via their social media pages and website (the links are posted below for you to simply click and follow)

Gorgeous attention to detail in every corner of the shop

Accessories, Candles. Yummy strawberries.

Antonia started Timpany's about seven years ago, mid-recession. It's the best time for clever, entrepreneurs to find a niche in the market and go for it. When I asked her what motivated her, she said she loves the idea of democratising luxury designer fashion for everyone to enjoy. Her idea was for people to be able to buy luxury designer clothes for less, without sacrificing the shopping experience/environment/service. In my humble opinion, she has absolutely succeeded.

Our chat continues:

Where do you get your beautiful stock from? 
Word of mouth.
Social media - @timpanys on Instagram has over 8,000 followers and our Facebook page is popular too. I live in London and have done a few PopUp Shops, where people simply drop their items to sell. We rank pretty highly on google search for luxury re-sale as well as our website attracts buys and sellers.

How do commissions/sales work?
Commission is generally 50%. However, on large volumes of handbags, extraordinary high value items, or Chanel and Hermes, we offer bespoke commission levels.

We invite people to come into the shop so we can meet and view the items, or send us an email introducing themselves and include photographs of the items.

You mentioned Timpany's is involved in a lot of charity work. 
I have a personal charity that is close to my heard called Mathew Elvidge Trust
Mathew was a good friend of mine who committed suicide due to depression. This amazing charity tackles the often taboo issues of mental health openly and honestly. I also sponsor an orphan thru the charity Compassion. We also have a few high profile clients who sell on behalf of charities and we like to make donations on their behalf. As well, I'm often asked to attend charity sales where a proportion of money raised from sales is donated.




If you've always wanted to own a Chanel bag or a Hermes scarf, or an Armani bag, or anything Jimmy Choo, even a Birkin bag (do you think Samantha in Sex in the City when you hear Birkin bag?) before paying full retail price, you really should come and see what's in stock at Timpany's. The stock is always changing, so it's a good idea to pop in regularly or let the girls know what you are looking for so they can scout for you.

Alternatively, if you are the fortunate owner of luxury clothing and/or accessories and for whatever reason you wish to sell them, you can be assured of confidentiality and superior customer service from Antonia and her team. Check out Timpany's Source and Sell Luxury Designer Accessories on Facebook.

Expanding the business online will ensure the Timpany's name will very quickly reach far beyond Sunninghill, UK and so it should.

Happy shopping!

When you pop into the shop, or chat with Antonia online, please mention ms-havachat.

With friendship
x

ms-havachat discovering Surrey UK - Dining at Fox and Hound

We've been here nearly 5 months as a family, and have been out for dinner just the two of us a few times, and with friends/kids a couple of times.

We've hosted a couple of lunches at home, and had people over for afternoon tea.

Far from a hectic social life, but one we are content with.

Last Saturday night we headed out for dinner with two couples and had a really lovely night out. The conversation flowed. There were lots of different topics. Everyone joined in. We laughed.

Sometimes when you're an expat, hanging out with expats, all you have in common is expat life and kids. It's the sign a real friendship is developing when you can talk about other things even if you've only known each other 6 months or so. Add to that the husbands get along and VOILA! Happy times.

We ate at the Fox and Hounds for the first time and enjoyed it.

We were seated at a lovely old fashioned table with 6 comfy high back fabric chairs and given menus. The waitress explained we should place our orders quickly as a large group booking was about 20 minutes behind us and she didn't want our orders getting held up. Appreciative of the notice, we stopped chatting and ordered.

Entree: simple grilled scallops with pretty morsels of yumminess; baked camembert with a board laden with breads, and not-so salt'n'pepper squid served in a basket with lemon.

I absolutely love Monk fish. It's a white, thick meaty fish full of flavour and for the life of me, I simply can not cook it at home, regardless of the recipe I follow. So when ever it's on the menu, that's my main meal.

Monk fish scampi was a special. Yes please.

G saw triple cooked chips on the menu. Yes please.

Mains: MrW and MrsD enjoyed their Fish'n'chips; Monk Fish scampi  (I have never seen Monk fish deep fried before, so was rather surprised to see it presented this way. Mind you, I didn't ask how it was prepared, so my bad.) MrsW's green chicken curry and rice was tasty, and G and MrD's duck with Asian greens was delicious (thanks to a mouthful G offered me to taste)

Have to say my skinny fries reminded me of the oven baked McCain's we cook at home, and they were soft; the triple cooked fries weren't crispy either. Everyone happily ate their meals but we all agreed that if the fries were crispier we would have enjoyed it even more.

Sadly the yummiest part of the meal has the worst photos. DESERT was amazing! The home made apple crumble was delicious and the cinnamon ice cream was the perfect accompaniment. G and MrD had the chocolate fondant. It oozed gooey hot chocolate as soon as they put their spoon into it. The ice cream melted into the river of chocolate. YUMMY! MrsW's raspberry tart was very tasty but the photo didn't do it justice, so I didn't include it.

The service was friendly and efficient.

The ambience was pleasant. The restaurant was fully booked, and even with the larger party you didn't feel crowded and the noise level was fine.

For the 6 of us, including drinks (one bottle of wine, one glass of Prosecco and Coke's) was just under £250. With tip, it worked out at £90 per couple. If I convert that to Aussie dollars, it's $175 (or €115) which IMHO is expensive for what it was, which was a pub meal.

The Fox and Hound has a lovely outdoor area which we'll definitely come back and try, with a meal over the warmer months. Maybe a simple burger and fries will suffice.

MrsD said there's a gate into Great Windsor Park opposite the pub. Me thinks it might be fun to drive here, go for a walk then return for lunch.

All in all a very pleasant night out with friends, and stuff the expense.

ms-havachat discovering Surrey, UK: Dining at Brickmakers, Windlesham.

Thanks for the professional photo, Google Images.

When asking friends for recommendations on where to eat, more often than not they recommend a Gastro Pub - a restaurant in a pub (at least around here)

The term Gastro Pub was coined in 1991 at the Eagle Pub in Clerkenwell, London by the owners as a means to increase business they felt they were loosing to the increasing numbers of restaurants in the area.

Many pubs were experiencing a downturn as people would pop in for a drink, then leave to eat somewhere else.

In 1980, there were 69,000 pubs in the UK, today that number has dropped to around 48,000 according to statistics. In order to keep their business going, many pub owners have converted the 'pub' into a restaurant/pub to capture the custom of 'everyone'

Traditional English pub food, fish'n'chip, steak'n'ale pies, bangers'n'mash and the Sunday roast were given facelift and a new genre, Pub Grub.

Soon, pubs were recruiting 'named' Chefs as opposed to cooks, waiting staff were more experienced and a new style of dining emerged.

We're very used to gastro pubs as they have taken Sydney and many other parts of Australia by storm. In fact, it's rather hard to find an ol' fashioned, drinking-mans-pub these days. They've all be taken over by consortiums, or Chefs and produce fantastic food.

10 Gastropubs in the UK attract the attention of Michelin. Click here for the list. You might need to book months ahead for dinner, so get cracking.

MissM and I had dinner with friends when we first arrived in Surrey and enjoyed it. The kids had burgers, chicken etc, while MrsD and I had fish'n'chips. It was a fun, fast paced meal and we didn't have to worry about shopping, preparing, cooking or cleaning up. Perfect!

G and I went for our first 'date night' since arriving in UK just before Christmas and it was enjoyable. Nothing fancy, but good food at good prices.

G's meat platter was a bit more green than he would have liked, but
he enjoyed it.
My buffalo tomato was delicious, stuffed with baked courgettes.

nom nom nom
LOVE a great steak.
Appreciate the mushroom sauce being served on the side in the little pot
so I could control the amount of sauce needed.

G's Platter of pork comprised of pork tenderloin, ribs,
pork cheek pie and veggies.

The service was friendly and attentive. You could tell the regular diners, as staff were chatting with them about their Christmas break, and commenting on the New Year. 

The restaurant was full, and the tables are close together but you don't feel squashed. 

The pub section (aka, drinkers) was buzzing. 

We're looking forward to going back in spring/summer and making use of the garden - BBQ, hamburgers - be a fun Saturday night out with friends and the kids. 

Click here for to go to Brickmasters website. 

ENJOY!

ms-havachat's discovering Surrey, UK: Longacres.

Welcome to the first (of many) ms-havachat discovering Surrey, UK series of chats.


I met a friend for coffee this morning and as a result, discovered the most amazing place.

LONGACRES is 'the UK's premier garden source of gardening supplies' with outlets across the country. There's one less than 20 minutes away from our house!

As soon as I walked inside with MrsD, my senses were aroused by the sights before me.  I just had to take photos and share them with you. If you are living in the UK you probably already know about this chain of stores, but if you are new to the UK, or visiting, you really should check them out.

I've decided it's my new favourite place to shop.

Bit too early for Christmas decorations, but one can not but be impressed with the size and range of Christmas 'stuff' on sale here.

Think of what you might want for Christmas decorations, for indoors or outdoors, any size, colour and you're bound to find it. The wall of tinsel amazed me, let alone the silk poinsettia's, gold candles, Christmas crockery, lights (indoors/outdoors) etc.

We had a coffee, and chatted for a couple of hours. MrsD had to go home and do a few chores, and I happily stayed and roamed the shop, several times before making a few purchases. By the time we left, the cafe was FULL, with a line of people waiting for a table.

The Foodhall!

The Butcher!

The Baker!

The fruit and veggies!

There's even an American Food Section!

The Clothes!

Accessories!

Shoes!

Gifts!

The Cooking section!

Of course, being the Uk's premier gardening suppliers you can well imagine the range of things here. It was raining so I didn't venture too far outside, but OMG! the nursery went for miles. I so wish we owned our own home sometimes. I'd LOVE to create a garden landscape.

And let's not forget pets.

Food.

Toys.

Beds.

Not as crazy as Japan pet stores, but a huge range none the less.


I've been looking for bird feeders. MissM LOVED feeding the cockatoos and lorikeets at her grandparents place while we were in Sydney and while we probably won't hand feed the birds in our UK garden, we can still enjoy seeing them eating from the feeders. The range of  bird feeders at Longacres is exhaustive. Will pop back with MissM so she can choose which one/s we'll pop in the garden.


I'm keeping the best til last .................

An entire SHED of flowers!

Every colour you can think of!

You simply choose the bunches you want, and take them home, or they have florists there to create bouquets or gifts; the range of vases was also impressive (and dare I say, very reasonably priced).

My Ikebana brain kicked in and I was off! Just have to find my Ikebana containers (still have several boxed to unpack) and I'll be here every single week.

There were a few people pushing trolleys overflowing with flowers. I asked one of them if they were a florist, which they were and they said how good the range/price and quality of the flowers were - sold!

£96.47 later I drove home, very content with my purchases.


Disclaimer: All photos are ms-havachat's. Longacre has no idea I'm blogging about them :)