I have immortal longings in me.

Last summer, I spent two weeks in London when I was on my way to study abroad in Paris. I've wanted to go there my whole life - I'm a voracious reader and books that formed the foundation of my childhood, like A Little Princess, Mandy, Peter Pan, and the Chronicles of Narnia (among many others) cemented my vision of the UK as this magical place where stories come to life and anything can happen. Being a big girl now, I've been able to expand my list of UK-set favorites to include Mrs. Dalloway, Freddy and Fredericka, and Outlander, and I've finally been able to make my dream to visit London a reality for the first time.

One hot Sunday, I ventured over to the charming village of Hampstead which has now been incorporated into north London. I walked the twisted cobblestoned streets, visiting romantic hero-poet John Keats' tiny home and walking across Hampstead Heath, trying to imagine C.S. Lewis's snowy walks across the tree-strewn hills which inspired The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I made my slow and winding way back to the Tube by walking through hilly residential streets. Halfway there, I stopped dead in my tracks, not quite believing my eyes:

It's a ship's figurehead! On a house. I stood around gawping before I finally took this photo, and then an elderly woman walking her dog noticed me looking and mentioned that the family who owns the house collects them. How neat is that?
Anyways, this post does have a point. I was browsing around on Elizabeth Cole's website and found this gorgeous, ultra-luxe bracelet. The figures on it look very much like ships' figureheads.

It wouldn't look out of place on Elizabeth Taylor (as Cleopatra)'s wrist,

but I would love to pair it with a comparatively subdued outfit to add that extra element of incongruity that I love.
Yes, this blog is definitely all about my immortal longings.
And yes, I know that this post is all over the place. Variety's the spice of life!