A PERFECT IBIZAN HIDEAWAY...

Any of you who follow my Instagram, will know that Mr. W and I returned a week or so ago from ten days away in beautiful Ibiza.  It was our first visit to the island and it did not disappoint.

Renowned for its famous clubs and party scene mainly in the south and west, the rest of the island could not be more different we were told.  Now Mr. W and I are the first to like a good party, but for a relaxing restorative trip, we were eager to check out the quieter unspoilt parts of this beautiful Balearic island.  Our research pointed us in the direction of a small boutique hotel in the north/west called 'Es Coucons'.  Reviews were wonderful, but even they did not prepare us for quite the delight in finding somewhere so unbelieveably special!

Set within a Unesco protected valley of almond and olive groves, Es Cucons was originally a farmhouse built in 1652, which was rescued by delightful owner Maria and her family in 1997.  Working painstakingly with Spanish heritage authorities, they restored the farmhouse and outbuildings and sympathetically turned them in to the wonderful little hotel it is today.  

Welcoming just forty guests at a time, the atmosphere was calm and private.  With two suites in the main farmhouse, other lovely rooms were in the surrounding outbuildings.  Beautifully restored, keeping all original beams and mellow stone internal walls, but with all the comforts of a five star boutique hotel and little personal touches throughout with the use of antiques and local artisan objét. Understated luxury at its best.

The pretty gardens surrounding the pool had various lovely seating areas dotted around....perfect for breakfast or to sit in the shade quietly and read or snooze.  

The owner Maria certainly had a wonderful sense of style, and the interiors and exterior were beautifully put together with a mix of boho, retro and a little injection of industrial style that just seemed to work perfectly in harmony together.  I was in design heaven!  

Pretty touches everywhere....

Fresh oranges picked daily from the garden for our morning breakfast juice....

Day beds to relax on and inviting corners to sit quietly with a book...

Beautiful Bourganvillia...

Picked each day to fill pretty bottles to hang from the trees!

How lovely to discover that owner Maria had set up a small shop in the hotel and a larger one in the nearby village.  Selling beautiful clothes, art and interior accessories...let's just say that a few little bits and pieces made their way home with me!

It was hard to drag ourselves away from our perfect oasis as you can imagine, but when we did venture out, we were rewarded by breathtaking scenery as we drove along the mountain roads. We explored the fantastic hippy markets selling a huge array of beautiful things including lovely Ibizan organic cotton clothes, baskets nad handmade jewellery.  We discovered beautiful little coves, and found wonderful seafood restaurants with glorious views.

This delicious meal of Salt baked Cod with cliff top views was certainly a memorable meal....

Much of the produce on Ibiza is organic, including the wine.....the most wonderful tomato salad with burrata...my favourite!

The freshest sardines and prawns....

Yet again, overlooking the ocean.  Just idyllic!

Stunning sunsets...

Beautiful tucked away beaches without the crowds...

Beautiful architecture in Old Town Ibiza...

We explored it all!

Each evening returning to beautiful 'Es Cucons' and the magical view from our own terrace to admire the view over a pre dinner drink...

We absolutely loved Ibiza!  Such and friendly island with so much beauty in its countryside and coastline.  Overall very Spanish, but with also an interesting mix of other cultural influences, reflected especially in the wonderful food.

We certainly needed to do a few extra lengths of the pool to work some very memorable meals off!

Thank you to the wonderful friendly staff at beautiful Es Cucons (click for link) for making our stay so very special.  An absolute gem of a place, and we shall most definitely return!

Sophia xx

FOR THE LOVE OF.......A FRENCH MARKET!

I am, and always have been, a little obsessed with markets, and especially food markets.

 Since childhood, the array of interesting stalls appearing like magic in the early hours to start market day, has fascinated me.  The gathering of interested shoppers from far and near, the various stall holder characters, the smells and sights and buzzing atmosphere, have all been a curiosity and draw.

Here in the UK, my favourite destination has to be Borough Market in London for foodie heaven and on a much smaller, simpler scale, our little Friday market here in our local Kent market town is part of my favourite weekly ritual, to stock up on beautiful fresh produce, fish, meat, olives, cheese and flowers for the week ahead.   This is of course by far a more enjoyable way to shop than in the supermarket, which I use only for basic essentials, and supports the local community too.  There is a buzz in the atmosphere as everyone flocks to buy from the market, and in turn, our lovely selection of local shops and cafés are rewarded with more custom.

Market square - Aix-en-Provence

When on our travels, the local markets are a priority on my itinerary, even if I don't plan to be cooking at all.  There is so much to be gleaned from local culture by visiting them.  A feel for the people and what they are putting in their baskets tells us so much about their lifestyle. 

Followers of my Instagram @sophiahomelifestyle will know that we have recently been in Aix-en-Provence, visiting my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, at their beautiful home just outside Aix.  

Our few days there fortuitously coincided with market day....perfect timing!

Well, on my 'market barometer' I have to say that Aix's market scores highly indeed!  Stretching out across this beautiful university city, a visual feast unfolds.  A breathtaking array of the freshest produce, brought in from the surrounding Provence region, along with many wonderful local artisan products, including hand made soaps, lavender bags, biscuits, chocolates....I could go on....the list is endless!  Also many clothes and accessories stalls, of which many were selling some very nice quality things, and not just the usual tat!  My lovely neice Zöe (who was our shopping companion) and I, could not resist these fun suede and cotton 'Star' bags!

Aix's beautiful architecture...

Delicious artisan breads....

 A wonderful array of heritage tomatoes...

An amazing selection of different flavoured saucisson...

Oils, vinegars, herbs and spices...

One square alone, showcases the stunning flower market....I could have bought it all,  if my suitcase and BA would have allowed!

We ran out of time on this visit, but look forward to exploring the beautiful city of Aix more in the future.  It is the home of one of my favourite post impressionist painters 'Cezanne', and a visit to his childhood home and studio are most definitely on my list for next time.  

Do you have any favourite markets around the world?  If so, I would so love to hear from you!

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Bon journée!

Sophia xx

 FRIDAY FLOWERS...

PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

Happy Friday!

Best day of the week, don't you think?

My end of week ritual, if I can, is to visit our lovely weekly market in the nearby Georgian town of Tenterden here in Kent.

My favourite stall without a doubt, sells a fabulous array of plants and flowers….always so tempting.

Today's 'Friday flowers' that made their way home with me, were these gorgeous Autumn treats of

Heathers, Ornamental Cabbages, Pansies and Chrysanthemum…..perfect for planting and brightening our front door.

Wishing you all a very Happy Weekend!

Sophia xx

A WARM AND SUNNY BREAK...

ALL PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

 Good morning!

I do hope you are all well this Tuesday afternoon? Thank you so much to all of you, regular readers and new, who have 'popped in' this past week to read the blog, and so sorry for the lack of new posts.  Mr. 'SH' and I left work behind, and slipped off to beautiful Turkey for a week of blue skies, warm sea, sunshine and good food….very spoiling and relaxing and it went past too quickly! 

We stayed on the stunning Faralya coastline, a very unspoilt mountainous stretch on the south/west coast, away from the main tourist areas…. 'Zakros Boutique Hotel' was the perfect little retreat.  Found hidden away down a long unmade and unassuming track down from the mountain pass and built in to the mountain side with breathtaking and dramatic uninterrupted views over the Mediterranean sea.  

With swimming in the beautiful hotel infinity pool… 

Our own lovely terrace by our room with a secluded and refreshing plunge pool to dip in to cool off….

Various quiet spots to just chill and relax with a good book…

Beautifully planted terraced gardens around the ten individual Ottoman style lodges…

With beautiful Bougainvillea growing in abundance…. 

….and a view like this to wake up to each morning!  It really was a spoiling and very rejuvenating break, and definitely a hotel that I would highly recommend! 

The coastal road along this mountainous stretch takes in the 'Lycian Way', a popular destination for adventurous walkers….with break taking views down to tranquil, perfect coves such as 'Butterfly Bay' and passing through unspoilt villages which were like stepping back in time….where the local community went about their daily lives, growing vegetables, figs and pomegranates, looking after their goats and producing the delicious salty local cheeses of the area.

Dinner each night was enjoyed on the beautiful candlelit terrace of the hotel, overlooking the ocean….but in equally delicious but authentic, fascinating contrast, we took ourselves off in the day time to have lunch at one of the simple little restaurants along the mountain pass, where local villagers produced the most delicious traditional dishes….

This smiling woman and her husband welcomed us warmly on to the terrace of their home and cooked the most mouthwatering Turkish pancakes in front of us, called 'Kiyma Gozleme'…

This family's grandparents' generation had originally been Nomads, travelling between the high mountains of this area in summer and the coast in the winter with their herds of goats…

I wish I had taken more photographs, but above is just one of the fascinating family artefacts they had saved and displayed….a wooden board with flint inserted in to slots, which was originally pulled by a horse over wheat to separate the grain from the husk.  A beautiful decorative piece now in its own right I thought!  

If you are ever in this area of Turkey, I would recommend a trip in to the nearby fishing port of Fethiye, and particularly in to the old town, with its streets and alleyways of shops selling an array of traditional Turkish wares and a great choice of restaurants….this was such a pretty street with its colourful array of umbrellas, suspended up in the vine trellising overhead.

A must is a visit to the fish market….where local fishermen sell their wonderfully fresh catch of the day, surrounded by restaurants where you then take your fish for them to then cook and serve to you…..we enjoyed some of the freshest and most delicious prawns and calamari I have ever tasted.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a wonderfully scented browse around the vegetable and spice market...

And of course, a few of these made their way back home in my suitcase and I look forward to trying to recreate some of the delicious dishes we enjoyed throughout our trip...

I really do think I could live on Meze!

So there is my little snapshot of a very beautiful part of Turkey. Warm and friendly people, spectacular scenery, sunshine and fabulous food…

And as we sat on our terrace on Sunday night and had our 'sundowners' overlooking the last beautiful sunset of the holiday, we decided that it really was a very special place….

….and so I left a very special thank you to the wonderful staff of 'Zakros Boutique Hotel'

in the visitor's book and we hope to return again some day in the future….

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Have you ever visited this beautiful part of the world?  I would love to hear…

Wishing you a happy day!

Sophia xx