Daily Archives: September 16, 2014

We Came, We Posed and We Partied: The Blogcademy London Mixer!

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

One muggy night at The Roost in London, we threw a party. As the sun set, we mingled with friends old and new, sipped cocktails, took turns posing in themed rooms and tried on our best disguises in the photo booth.

It went a little something like this.

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Drinks were clanked, questions and answers flew back and forth at a rapid-fire pace and sparkly ears were worn.

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Everything went off without a hitch…except for one smoke bomb mishap which shall not be mentioned ever again. *cough*choke*cough*

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

The night was full of of chit-chat, macaron munching, photo snapping and canapé tasting…all while dancing to Rebbie Jackson and other long-lost 80s tunes. The three three hours went by much too fast.

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

The real action happened in the photo booth, though. Emily of Fishee Designs pulled out all the stops with custom props and my friend Amelia Arsenic stopped by to join in the fun.

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Halfway through the event, we held an open Q&A. Nothing was off-limits — we discussed everything from blogging to personal relationships to our biggest learning experiences and I felt like the candor of us collectively sharing our triumphs and struggles across that room brought us all closer together.

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

It’s hard to have a bad night when you’re in the midst of talented videographers, beautiful decor and old friends (hi, Loulou!)

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Presents were exchanged (thanks, Grace!) and many drinks were had….they were so good that I’m guilty of trying two of each.

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

As the night went on, we made our way out to a picnic table on the back patio, chatting until the sun went down. I met so many inspiring, open, thoughtful, caring women in that short window of time.

Nubby Twiglet | The Blogcademy London Mixer

As we said our goodbyes, I was reminded of the power of community. In our daily lives, we’re busy with family, careers, chores and making our dreams a reality. It’s hard to hit the brakes and make time for other things. This night allowed us to put everything else on hold and bond with like-minded women.

It’s always a gamble to put on an event in a new format for the first time…but I walked away feeling full. To the ladies who came out, thank you for being you and sharing your night with us.



Event: The Blogcademy Mixer.
Venue: The Roost.
Photographer: Lisa Jane Photography.
Videographers: Costa Sister Productions.
Photo Booth: Fishee Designs.
Music: Wedding Smashers.
Drinks: Pig’s Bladder and Petticoat and London Velvet.
Treats: Plumb and Rabbitts.
Tissue Balls: Peach Blossom.
Goodie Bags: Cheap Frills jewels, Crown and Glory ears, Abigail Warner cards, Vita Coco, Berlin Made prints and Arnis Purple canvas bags.

Out & About #2: Courier Coffee

Nubby Twiglet | Out & About: Courier Coffee, Portland

Nubby Twiglet | Out & About: Courier Coffee, Portland

A few weeks ago, my friend Vivian was in town visiting from San Francisco and after some quick research, she invited me over to Courier. The tiny downtown shopfront had been a variety of different businesses over the years and I hadn’t noticed Courier pop up…but now I’ll never forget it.

Walking up to Courier, the first thing I noticed were the sunshine-hued chairs. Before going in, I began reading the menu emblazoned on the window. As I got to the bottom, I noticed “Portland Tap Water. Sparkling or still.” Haha. A coffee shop with a sense of humor!

Nubby Twiglet | Out & About: Courier Coffee, Portland

The inside of Courier is very simple and unassuming and there’s a small, handwritten menu on a piece of cardboard. The baristas spin an eclectic mix of tunes on vinyl. Vivian had heard rave reviews about their iced vanilla lattes so we each ordered one, which were served up in Mason jars with oversized ice cubes. And I have to say, they lived up to their reputation of being some of the best in Portland.

Nubby Twiglet | Out & About: Courier Coffee, Portland

As I was ordering my coffee, I spotted some muffins fresh out of the oven and boy, have they mastered their recipe. They’re perfectly done on the outside without being burnt and moist on the inside. I love the fresh berries piled on top.

Nubby Twiglet | Out & About: Courier Coffee, Portland

If you’re looking for a nice little meet-up spot downtown, give Courier a try. I can’t wait to go back.


Featured: Courier Coffee.
Check out more Out & About columns here.