The 1940’s was a fabulous era for hair and makeup.  Hairstyles included voluminous hair half up and half down with victory rolls.  1940s makeup enhanced natural beauty, less was better than more.  It was a stylish era for clothes and people made the best with what they had.  To celebrate International Women’s Day, here’s some portraits of fabulous friends captured at a 1940’s vintage tea party in Bethnal Green.  The bunting went up, we danced, ate fondant fancies and drank champagne in honour of our good friend Nicola who’d met her Prince and was about to get hitched.  Hair and Make-up: The Powderpuff Girls.  Photography: sarahhedges.london

Woke-up 5.30 am after a few hrs sleep by a rotund pheasant who was looking at himself in the mirror of a cigarette bin in the garden of our hotel, ’The Countryman Inn, Dorset’.   

To Weymouth.. let’s go.  A 7.30 am start at Lodmoor Country Park. Tears rolled down my cheeks thinking of my lovely mum and gorgeous family and friends affected by cancer. 

Storm clouds gathered.  Photos captured on a Canon EOS600D and 10-22 mm lens.

2,500 Mighty Hikers.. going in steep and raising money for Macmillan along they way.

Hiking through a raincloud, beside the seaside beside the sea. 

Past the Iconic Durdle Door - a natural limestone arch landmark and our 10 mile marker.

Across the beautiful white pebbly beach of Lulworth Cove and the 11.5 mile point.

Up incredibly steep steps… we were rewarded with a magnificent view.

Still hiking, though fields of sheep and blue skies at the halfway point - mile 13.

Through fields of gargantuan daisies

A Mexican stand-off with a local cow herd… 

A play list of dance floor bangers shared by friends to help us get over the 15 mile wall 

Mile 26 & the finish line #whoop #whoop.  A gargantuan thank you to the awesome support and generous donations from incredible family and friends; Jason, Alia, Dylan and Lewis, Clive, Dad, Penny, Dorothy, Lisa, Terry Tom & Sophie, Debstar, Victoria, Viv, Ilinca & family, Catherine, Lizzie, Vix, Firgas, Malph, Laura, Philip, Jane, Gemma & Woz, Anna-Marie, Alexandra, Ursula, Kellie, Alex, Zoe, Genevieve & Steve.  You lot rock - we smashed our fundraising target for Macmillan Cancer Care.  : )  A big high five to my fabulous friend and hiking co-pilot Nicola for our 29 mile adventure #feelingproud.   Thank you to the organisers, trek-masters & emergency medics for your support at mile 23.  It’s not too late to donate, please find enclosed my fundraising page.   Big love to all XXX

Paris in the Springtime… only 2.5hrs from Kings Cross and £50 return via Eurostar and a great opportunity for some Paris Street Photography.  The Eiffel Tower, an iconic landmark and one of the most visiting buildings in Europe.  I couldn’t resist this photo of the iconic Tower, a Rubbish Tip and the top of the dome from the Russian Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Centre.

The candy shaped columns of Les Deux Plateaux, more commonly known as the Colonnes de Buren provide a great space for street photography and to watch both locals and tourists interacting with the twenty polygons.  The contemporary walk in structure  is a highly controversial art installation created by the French artist Daniel Buren in 1985–1986. Located in the inner courtyard of the Palais Royal in Paris.  

The Tuileries Garden between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st Arrondissement.  A place where Parisians meet, walk and relax.

A picturesque stroll along the River Seine in the Springtime heatwave, alongside the march of the tourists #Paris parasol #streetphotography 

The Eiffel under the Eiffel!

The Eiffel Tower, an iron lattice Tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.  Did you know.. .the Eiffel Tower varies in height by around 15 cm throughout the year depending on the temperature? 

The lady in red, under the Eiffel, great spot for people watching and #streetphotography.

The colour is a red/brown/bronze, the tower has been re-painted 18 times - once every seven years.   According to stats the Eiffel Tower uses around 20,000 light bulbs.  It’s illegal to publish photos of the lit tower at night according to EU Copyright Law.  To publish, you’ll need to seek permission from the Société Nouvelle d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel.

The Paris Cityscape from the Eiffel Tower.

Yarn Bombing, Guerrilla Knitting… Paris in the Spring.

Yummy big fresh crabs at the Sunday Street food market near the Boulevard - Bonne Nouvelle.  Great for alfresco dining and watching the world go by.  

When in Rome… I mean Paris, do visit the ‘best’ Sicilian Restaurant ’Non Solo Cucina’ nestled amongst the embassies.  Be prepared to blow the budget - it’s worth it.  It has the atmosphere of a traditional Trattoria and is very popular with well heeled locals.  We scoffed a sharing platter, the chef’s special ‘every which way with Mozzarella’.  I’ve not tasted Mozzarella like that before shipped in from the motherland.  The seafood pasta was so fresh it tasted of the sea.  We polished off our dinner sharing a homemade Tiramisu.  My best advice, wear something expandable.

Whilst in town, we rested our heads at the #Hoxton - a chic hotel in a converted 18th-century rowhouse.  Planted in the 2nd arrondissement, it’s a great spot to explore this beautiful city from.  48hrs in Paris, went too quickly.  I’ll be back.  TTFN.