What appeals to me the most about this whole blogging lark, is that every day and every time it teaches me something new. From choosing clear and uncluttered templates to tapping into my target audience (that is you, by the way), my every step is a trial and error. Luckily, I enjoy the process tremendously! Latest lesson: never take a reliable Internet connection for granted. Last week, before leaving for a holiday in Skiathos (Greece), I lined up a few posts bursting with pictures: Chelsea in Bloom, Budapest Opera House, Dave-the-sausage-dog in her castle, and many others. But alas, the island of Skiathos, while being inhabited by lovely people and offering world’s most beautiful scenery, had a rather slow Internet connection. Which means that this week, I will have to binge-write my backlog of posts and you, my darling reader, will have to binge-read them all! But you don’t mind, do you?

My trot around the Chelsea in Bloom Competition started on a mostly cloudy Thursday morning. I had a few work-related errands to run but as a firm believer in seeking balance in everything, I dipped in and out of shops along the way and took a few snaps. Selfridges greeted me with a slightly overfamiliar sign while heavy rain made me hide in Fortnum & Masons (where else?), behind beautifully arranged champagne hampers and baskets of fragrant soaps. To warm up, I ordered a pot of tea with a lighter variety of raspberry cheesecake – with yoghurt instead of cream cheese; though with a blob of whipped cream on the side, naturally. As I was heading home through Sloane Square and Kings Road, the sun came out to play and so did my camera! Now in its ninth year, the Chelsea in Bloom competition encourages retailers around the area to adorn their premises with artful flower arrangements and colourful displays. I too voted for my favourite! Can you guess who it was by my pictures below?

В блогерской жизни каждый день приходится учиться чему-то новому, и чаще всего на своих же ошибках. Уезжая на отдых на один из островов Греции, я запланировала несколько записей с рассказами о моих поездках в Будапешт, о конкурсе цветов в Челси и многом другом. В итоге остров оказался настолько не избалованным Интернет-связью, что я не имела возможности даже проверять новые комментарии в блоге. Поэтому сейчас приходится наверстывать упущенное, но вы ведь не против, правда? Начну с записи о конкурсе цветов в Челси, который проходит ежегодно одновременно с Королевской выставкой цветов. В честь мероприятия местные магазины и кафе соревнуются между собой, пытаясь как можно ярче и красивее украсить свои витрины и интерьер. Какая экспозиция вам нравится больше всех?