The Shopping List

After a gorgeous Sunday strolling down the high street in Broadway and browsing the selection of quirky and alternatively traditional shops, we found ourselves spending the evening browsing Cotswold Trading website to find our next purchases.

Here are just a few of our favourite items from the beautiful gift and housewares destination store Cotswold Trading in Broadway, where you can buy something for everyone and lots for yourself.  

(From top left, clockwise) 

Kitchen Aid Artisan Food Mixer in Almond Cream £389.00

Well a girl can dream! Emily spent some time swooning over this gorgeous Kitchen Aid, being a fantastic baker herself, this is the ultimate kitchen gadget.

Parlane Glass Drinking Jar with Straw £3.99

We loved this cute glass drinking jar! Perfect for picnics and parties and are just screaming out to be used to sip on summery pink lemonade.

The Middle Class ABC £14.99

A witty loo book with colourful, fun illustrations and a very british sense of humour. A great gift book! 

Magpie Abode Set of 4 Egg Cups £9.59 on SALE

We love the Magpie collection! Both having espresso cups already, these egg cups with four different geometric animal designs would make the perfect breakfast accompaniment.

Estella Bartlett You Me Oui Gold Linked Heart Necklace £10.50 on SALE

Estella Bartlett designs and makes beautifully delicate jewellery including, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. In gold or silver and in many designs, they come on a little gift card with kinds words which make them a welcomed gift for a loved one. 

Meri Mero Fancy Flowers Garland Kit £9.00

This garland kit is a fun and cheerful way of adding colour to a party, in the garden, to a child's bedroom... wherever you choose to hang this flower garland, it will put a smile on your face. 

Millie and Meg x

The Sunday Vibe | Broadway

Today we spent the afternoon in "The Jewel of Cotswolds", beautiful Broadway.

Broadway is a bustling town, famously an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs in England and Wales) mainly known for Broadway Tower, The Lygon Arms Hotel and it's picturesque high street.

What we love about Broadway is that it is visited by 1000's of tourists each week, but it still has a local feel to it, with plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants and walks to keep you busy.

You could make a whole day or weekend of visiting Broadway but here are a few places we visited on a Sunday afternoon.

Cotswold Trading is one of those shop's that you can't go into without coming out with something! It is an Aladdin's cave of all things gifty, stocking Cath Kidston, Crab Tree and Evelyn, L'Occitane, KitchenAid, Magpie and so much more! If you're a fan of NotOnTheHighStreet.com then this is the place for you! and if you can't get yourself to Broadway then order off their website.

We loved their selections of funny and thoughtful cards, gorgeous wrapping, hilarious and insightful books, Magpie crockery and little trinkets. In addition to this we were pleased that they also stocked local produce, including La De Da spoons, Cotswold Lavender products and Cotswold  Company Fair Trade Fudge.

Emily bought this lovely little songbird pot for her earrings.

Sue Parkinson is a well established long standing boutique where you will find gorgeous smelling candles and home fragrances, high fashion womenswear and as a lovely surprise a collection of Mulberry purses and bags.

All My Heart is another little shop that is almost impossible to go into without buying anything. They have a really good mix of good quality jewellery and accessories to little candles and fun trinkets. A really good shop for small gifts. Emily bought a little vase that cost £4.95 and Meg bought some Juicy Lucy note cards!

The Market Pantry has only been in Broadway for 18 months and is family owned and run by a husband and wife duo who have turned this little property into a boutique styled deli/pantry café.

All of their cakes are baked from home and all other food is made onsite from local produce. 
Megs had a delicious iced coffee and I had a flat white, which both went well with the Apricot and ginger flapjack that we shared! Yum!

Hamilton's of Broadway is an old fashioned styled sweet shop where Emily picked up some Cotswold fudge! So nice, it didn't last long.

Millie and Meg x

Summer To Do List

Now that summer is in full swing and we've all been enjoying a sunny spell of hot weather, we thought we would create our Summer To Do List. There is still plenty of time after all. 


1. Pick your own strawberries at Daylesford Farm

2. Summer body bootcamp. Has anyone tried FitFarms Cotswolds before? or could recommend another bootcamp/retreat style day for fitness, health and detox?

3. Kids day out at Cotswold Farm Park

4. Long walks in Bibury followed by lunch at The Catherine Wheel pub

5. Soaking up that view during dinner at The Feathered Nest in Nether Westcote

6. Have a relaxing spa day at Calcot Manor Spa, Tetbury 

7. Soap making masterclass with The Little Soap Company in Ebrington 

8. Summer clean the house using Mangle & Wringer natural cleaning products sold at The Applestore

9. Lots of leisurely brunches at Gusto Deli Montpellier, Cheltenham

10. Enjoy a day of good music, good food & good company at Jamie Oliver & Alex James's The Big Feastival 


Please add your suggestions in the comment box below. We'd love to know what you're up to this summer.

Millie and Meg x

Welcome!

Hi and Welcome to Millie and Meg, A Cotswold Lifestyle Blog.

We've been friends for 16 years, having both grown up and lived in various different areas of The Cotswolds. We are really passionate about where we live and this is our way of celebrating and sharing all The Cotswold's has to offer. 

The simple idea is that sometimes we feel we have epiphanies. Whether it's because we stumble across a beautiful walk and a country pub lunch with friends or discover new local handmade produce from candles to soaps, whatever it is, we have found something's make us very happy. So we decided after years of following other blogs, acting on advice, buying the latest must haves and following the new skin care routine that EVERYONE who is anyone swears by, that actually... it's the things we find ourselves, in our completely normal lives, that make us the happiest. So it's time to share.

These are our friends, they will feature heavily on this blog. Our Guest List page will showcase all of the things our friends enjoy doing in The Cotswolds. Expect book clubs to favourite hidden gems and everything else this gorgeous bunch get up to. 

Here are our chaps, not wanting to be left out, we've created them The Man Drawer which will be filled with all things man. 

We've narrowed down what we love to do into The Days Out, The Eating, The Shopping and The Experiences. Within these four categories you'll find recommendations from the whole of The Cotswolds, everything we enjoy from eating out, to nights out, exploring to a spot of DIY. 

Please note that although we do get invited to events and to sample out new experiences we only share what we love. If we do not like our experience of somewhere, we simply do not write about it.

We hope you enjoy our recommendations and encourage you to share with us your favourite spots in The Cotswolds.


#LoveWhereYouLive
 
   Millie and Meg x