On the 22nd of January 2014, I started my blog SilverSpoon London with little knowledge of the blogging community and the possibilities that writing a blog could open. Four years later I’m still very much in love with my little space on the internet which remains a creative outlet for me to write about things and places that I’m passionate about and to collaborate with brands that I love. SCROLL TO THE END FOR A COMPETITION.
Since I started in 2014 blogging has changed dramatically especially with the continued rise of Instagram and YouTube and it’s been interesting to see development of the influencer culture and more and more ‘big’ brands working with bloggers. Nowadays blogging has become a big business and many people start with the intention of turning it into a career, when I started this wasn’t my intention but my little hobby ‘accidentally’ turned into my career.
As an anxious person, blogging has really helped me to escape my comfort zones, do things that I was scared of and embrace a more courageous me. It’s allowed a outlet for creativity, taken me back to my loved of writing and introduced a new passion: photography. But most of all, it’s led me to meet people who I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. Many of the bloggers I’ve met I now count as my best friends and hardly a day goes by without some form of contact via What’s App. I also have all of you to thank, many of my readers have been there since the beginning and I’m incredibly grateful to you for sticking with me. With that being said please scroll to the end for a competition to say thank you!!
Here are my top ten career highlights during my four years of blogging:
Appearing in the Vuelio rankings
For the pass three years my blog has appearing the Vuelio rankings as both a Top Ten London Lifestyle blog (No.2 in 2017) and Top Ten Luxury Travel blog (No.3 in 2017). I was also nominated for an award for London’s top lifestyle blogger.
Press Trips
Before I started my own, I was an avid reader of other people’s blogs. Always marvelling at the incredible trips that bloggers went, treated like VIPs and staying in world class hotels. When I started up on blogger with £16 blog design, I never thought that would be me. I remember my first ever press trip so vividly staying at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London and getting the Eurostar the next day to Paris to stay in the Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel.
The day saw us exploring Paris by day in a 2CV before attending a glittering party on a Paris rooftop before a champagne-fuelled limousine tour around the city stopping off in some of the best hot spots. The whole thing passed like a dream and I had to pinch myself that I was there!
Since then I’ve been on some incredible trips with out of this world pinch-my-self moments. I’ve loved my trips collaborating with hotels such as my trip to Venice staying in the Gritti Palace, a visit to Mexico and the Rosewood Mayakoba, travelling to Petit St Vincent Private Island, Berlin with the Regent Hotel, Paris with Mandarin Oriental and Santorini with Classic Collection.
I’ve also felt honoured to be invited by brands on trips such a visit to Champagne with Pernod Ricard, a gastronomic journey through Spain with Gin Mare and an Italian road trip with Ford.
Meeting World Class Chefs
Mr S always saying to me why do you get so excited about meeting chefs? I say to him well it’s a bit like if you met ‘INSERT FAMOUS FOOTBALLER’. Ok. Nuff said. Through writing this blog I’ve had the opportunity of meeting world class chefs who are celebrities in their own right. And of course getting selfies with them.
Had it not been for this blog I wouldn’t have met Raymond Blanc.
Michel Roux Jr.
Wolfgang Puck.
Theo Randall (twice!)
And the world renowned Roca brothers.
A Whirlwind trip to El Cellar de Can Roca
Speaking of which my world wind trip to Girona with The Macallan to have dinner at El Cellar de Can Roca, a three Michelin star restaurant twice voted the best in the world.
I was in Spain for less than 24 hours but every second was magical!
In the Press
Seeing your name and face in print form is a rather incredible feeling; it’s happened few times and it’s been wonderful. The first time ever was a short paragraph in the Metro, but since I had a full page interview in the Observer, a spread in Madame Figaro and I even appeared on the cover of Influence magazine.
As well as print press I’ve been so proud of my online press as I was named one of the top 25 London Influencers by Evening Standard Magazine and most recently I was name checked by the BBC website. I’ve also had multiple radio interviews, including two on BBC radio.
Collaborating with Brands the I Love
A bloggers biggest dream come true is to work with brands that you truly love and adore. For me working with companies such as Aqua, Hakkasan Group, Champagne-Laurent Perrier, The Dorchester Collection, Four Seasons, Amex and British Airways to name a few has an incredible experience and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Attending Glittering Events
Through my blog I’ve been invited to some of the most incredible events, such as a film premiere, restaurant openings and bar launches. But perhaps most exciting of all was the Glamour Awards in 2017 as a guest of Champagne Laurent-Perrier.
I’ve loved running this blog for the past four years and I still can’t believe what I’ve built up from scratch all by myself!! But the people I have to thank most of all are my wonderful readers! With that in mind, I have another competition for you and the prize is £300 to spend at Net-a-Porter.
A huge thank you to those of you who have stuck with me through the years, and those of you who are newer here. I couldn’t have done it without you.