Holiday Rainyday

Just before I begin my new job, the Boy and I are taking a much needed break (generously bestowed upon us by his A&E rota) of 6 days away. We are going to the small island on the North Eastern coast off Wales called Anglesey, where nestles a caravan owned by family friends and thus, free! That is basically its most attractive feature.

Having said that, last year, we cliff-walked, thrifted, dined and barbequed for three days and it was very pleasant indeed. I even got me a sunburn from a three hour walk in a boob tube.

As the weather continues to persist from the heavens, something tells me that this holiday will not be quite as felicitous, weather-wise. I therefore give you:

What to pack for a week in a caravan with little hope of sunny excursions or outdoor pleasures:

1. Poker set consisting of cards, chips, instructions and green baize
2. Scrabble. Lots of scrabble. And a dictionary. To prevent the squabbles.
3. Draft dissertation (who said I was going to get it finished before the holiday?! Fools....)
4. Ipod, charger
5. Laptop, charger
6. Camera, charger ]
7. Phones, charger
8. Sweatshirts, rugs, sturdy boots
9. Cake

Any other suggestions received before Monday gratefully received.

Wish me luck!

Busy Busy, Bakey Bakey

What an eventful few weeks!

Two weeks ago, a flamenco class at the Barbican saw my excessive stamping (an attempt to impress the rather scrumptious workshop leader) give me a damaged foot that has yet to heal. A&E confirmed no bone breakage but the limp is refusing to budge for now. Needless to say, the workshop leader remained unimpressed, particularly when I failed to keep up with the introduction of arm movements to go with a footwork routine. I stayed at the back, pretending to help the little children. Remedial flamenco for one?

Then, a flurry of activity on my dissertation left me slightly winded but rather smug, right up until I hit a wall of writers' block and my tutor refused to answer emails.

Not to worry, I just baked. 

And baked.

 

And baked.

It wasn't all for the boy, although he has been attempting to make some pretty impressive dents in the leftovers.... No no, this was for the fete. A blinding success considering the noxious weather, which managed to hold off all morning until completely calling off play at the respectable time of 3.30pm, by which point we'd made over £1500. Absolutely incredible considering the fine drizzle that interrupted us on occassion... You can see more photos here, and read up on us in the local press here.

More recently, it has been a busy few days at the Barbican working on their fabulously inspiring children's poetry in schools project, culminating with the Can I Have A Word gala tomorrow. Dropped into the Panic Attack exhibition on my lunch break, to be suitably shocked, hurrying to the shop quickly after to console myself in pretty handmade cards and jewellery, picking up an engagement card for my happy friends, who have finally done the deed on their annual pilgrimage to EuroDisney. I'm sensing a themed wedding: perhaps a red and white spotty dress a la Minnie would be the way forward?

Final week of dissertation bashing until Sunday, then a week in the sunny/windy/remote/cloudy/rainy/isolated/peaceful/rural Anglesey awaits.

So in need of breathing space it's untrue. Will bake me a storm, put it in a tin and drive with the Boy for 8 hours. I can't wait.

Summer Flicks and Summer Picnics

In front of Barbican Big Screen at Liverpool Street Station.

It wasn't quite Glyndebourne and our picnic was rather impromptu, but the film was perfectly watchable, washed down with a swig of Prosecco...

Vintage Goldmine

Oh holy heck, look what I found. Paola, it's based in Seattle. Go and spend my wages on any of the following....

Each one is an exquisite example of detail, style, elegance and glamour of yesterwardobe. I want occassions, I want wealth and I want a very tight corset. 

Fashion Noir...

Apparently Literature Noir is the new name for a line from Literature Clothing. I can't find anything about either company online, but I do love a good frock. All of these are utterly delicious, sexy and a little bit dangerous, which is, after all, what Film Noir was all about...

Images from Ready to Wear Autumn/Winter 2007/8 at vogue.com

Charming & Eco

Maria Helena Spector's semi-precious stone charms necklace

Necklace made of abandoned chair pieces of wood at 'uncommonly beautiful recylced accessories'.

Two of many beautiful things available at Sunday UPmarket, on Brick Lane.

Too much prettiness, too little time.

A Weekend in the Garden of England

Or the Boy's Parent's Garden...

 ::water lilies in the pond ::

::garden centre brimming with fuschias and baskets ::

::flying over Dover and Folkestone in the Boy's Dad's microlight::

 

::Unending ball game with bonkers springer spaniel::

Ah, sweet relaxation.... 

Homemade Max

After the excitement of Friday's purchase of the yellow dress, I couldn't help myself to prove that I could have made something similar.

Well, not that similar.

It's not a patch on all those muted, sombre, sensible dresses available out there, is it??!

Ah well, at least I won't get lost in the dark.

One Hour's Makeup, One Hour's Nailbiting

Having missed E4's airing last night and terrorised by the fact that a visit to the parents on Friday night would miss the terristrial viewing, the Boy very kindly allayed my anguish and downloaded the final episode of the exquisite Ugly Betty first series.

I settled down to watch it as soon as I got home from work this afternoon, painting my nails to ensure my hands couldn't fidget with sewing or suchlike. I wanted to give her my undivided attention.

It is just as well, or my fingers would have been nibbled to shreds.

Oh Good Lord.

This series was originally my one guilty pleasure. My minnow of trivia in a sea of intellectual studentdom. How wrong can one girl be? The final episode simultaneously tied up all loose ends while leaving me shrieking at the screen three times, countless bursts of laughter and at least a few tears shed by the credits.

If you missed this, any of this, watch it now. Get popcorn, get your girlfriends, get the wine. It is brilliantly funny, cringeworthy, extraordinarily camp and fantastically catty.

And hey, when your geek is this cute, can you honestly think of a reason not to watch?

 

The title is a reference to the one hour's makeup that America Ferrera has to undergo to transform from beauty to 'ugly'. I can't actually say that I prefer her one way to the other. She does look fantastically 'healthy' though. Fingers crossed she doesn't go to the dark side of uber-waif with prolonged exposure to LA.

Beautiful Boudoir Chic, Sri Lankan style

Pretty dresses and sparkly flats are abundant at this boutique that I found through notonthehighstreet.

I think my favourite are the pyjamas: I want them for my two-years ago self to stay at the Boy's parents' house for the first time: sexy in the bedroom and suitably demure and covering for breakfast in the morning. I have since moved on to this lovely number as we've passed the time where I could claim demure or bashful as either of my qualities. Staying there next weekend. Breakfast will be interesting.

Cotton kimono pyjamas

The red dress is now firmly on my list of to-die-fors though, as it's a limited edition and seems to have sold out in my size already, I fear it will be a dream dress, never to actually enter my wardrobe.

Milly Hand-crocheted Tea Dress

Metallic green strappy sandals

Leather pewter ballet flats

Click on by and let me know what you think.

Oh, and I want the house where they've done the photoshoot. Very jealous.

My new place of employ

For those of you interested, this is a (video!) interview with my new boss with some really fabulous images of the museum and waterfront location.

Five weeks and counting. Bring on the salary.

Oh, and the responsibility, sense of worth, busy-ness. All that too...

Just make sure I get the salary.

What is it about the Dimple?

Having spent most of my hard-earned pennies on furnishing my glassware cupboard in Paola's ergonomically elegant dimple glasses, I find myself mesmerised by these beauties.

The strength of porcelain, the imprint of the designer's hands, the refined coolness of her chalky pallette.

Today I am mostly loving Linda Bloomfield.