Thanks to my Mum's British Airways staff travel, we are off to visit my brother and his wife in New Jersey next month. I can't tell you how excited we are and not just because the boys are staying with Granny! The woofers are off to my in laws (they are depressed when they come home as their garden feels like a park) and we will be having 4 child free nights away, 3 in 3 different hotels and 1 on a plane!

As we have been lucky enough to visit New York before we are going to avoid all the tourist attractions and have found some super cool places to discover.

My husband has planned an "epic walk" which features stops at these new stores, markets and bars. We have 24 hours and we are going to pack in as much as possible! Then it's off to the Jersey Shore.

We just have to stop in at the West Elm Market, a modern furniture, home decor, gifts and accessories store. I love these zipped cases and these glass shadow frames, hoping they are still on sale in February and I can take one back in my hand luggage!

A browse in Top Hat selling masking tape and other stationery goodies as well as design products from Sweet Bella.

A mooch around All Good Things, a craft food and goods market in Tribeca. I want to try the best ice cream from Brooklyn!

Lunch at Marlow and Sons. A menu that features Meat and Cheese gets our votes.

I love how rustic it is, how traditional. Hoping the weather will be bright so we can sit outside like these old fellas!

A drink at the bar in The Breslin, I love how dark it is.

Before we crash out at our hotel Dream on West 55th Street. It's the same price as a Premier Travel Inn in London, and for me there is no comparison!

That is Day One! I'll post days two and three later in the week! But here is a hint.

Any suggestions for 24 hours in Manhattan?! We would love to experience the real NYC so let me know of any places you think are a must see!

We are still deciding on where to go for dinner ....

If we were taking the boys I would recommend this site Red Tricycle for everything you need to know about New York with children.

Happy Wednesday!

When you haven't been able to play outside because of the terrible miserable drizzle there is only one thing for it. Wellies, an umbrella and a handful of bottles of food colouring.

We chatted in the rain about how the colouring turns the water in the puddles different colours, just like how the rain turns the sky into a rainbow. We made magical mud potions with stirring sticks and then scurried into the house to warm up with a glass of milk!

A few months ago I met Von at a handmade fair and purchased some sweet shelves to display our glassware in the dining room. Last week our paths crossed again as she has just opened a little shop in Baker Street, Weston super Mare. The shop is bursting with everything I love. My eyes didn't know where to start!

The shop has vintage home ware, accessories and furniture. Wooden crates that can be used for all manner of things and apothecary jars waiting to be filled. Reasonable priced too, I picked up these two glass lidded jars for £10 for the pair and a crate for all our paperwork that clutters up the side of the worktop for £7.50. There is something for all budgets, so if you fancy getting lost in vintage heaven, take a trip down to 4 Baker Street!

For as long as I can remember I have lusted after a letterpress printers drawer tray to use as shelves. Vintage Von had a whole collection! I decided on a mid brown drawer, complete with handle and the original font description label. I am going to hang them in my office and display all my bobbins, twine and mini bottles of beads and bits. The bigger holes make perfect photo frames too. I'll post the finished article next week!

Just as I left the shop I saw some large wide but shallow shelves. If you don't ask you don't get is my motto, so even though they were clearly display shelves for the shop, I enquired as to whether I could take them off her hands as my first painted furniture project. (I've chosen Farrow and Ball French Gray.) Hooray the shelves were mine! Turns out we had a few more glasses than I remembered tucked away in the sideboard so I am painting these pine shelves for the extras and other bits like our cake stands and my Granny's ice bucket.

If you fancy a browse online at her goodies check out the Vintage Von Facebook page here. I will warn you it's a treasure trove!

Linking up with #MagpieMonday and A Living Space