Tag Archive | Oasis

Glamour Beauty Festival

My friend and I attended the second annual Glamour Beauty Festival at the beginning of March, which was held at Saatchi Gallery London.

I have been a dedicated subscriber to Glamour magazine for many years and when I saw this advertised I just knew this was a perfect girls day out. In case I needed further persuasion, this years festival was being sponsored by Fiat 500 and there would be an opportunity for a mock up Glamour cover shoot with the new Fiat 500 Riva. That’s it I was sold!

I got my very own Fiat 500 last October, from my old boss who had owned it from new and I have now become quite a fan of the cute iconic car which celebrates its diamond anniversary of production this year.

For the festival I wore a grey t-shirt dress with cute black tie up ribbon at the back from New Look, a denim floral jacket also from New Look and some black suede slouch boots from House of Fraser. I accessorised my hair with a Orelia cute star clip from Asos and the piece de la resistance of the outfit was a monogrammed clutch from Oasis.

First stop on arrival was of course the Fiat 500 pool party. They had a classic Fiat 500 on display and of course the new Fiat Riva. The make up artists covered us in sparkle in keeping with the fact it was the diamond jubilee year and we then got to pose in the Riva whilst a photographer snapped away. The photo was then inserted onto a Glamour mock cover and emailed to us.

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Next stop had to be to collect our goodie bags. I have to say this goody bag was something else with an estimated value of over £100, making the £45 ticket to the festival more than worth it! I have since used many of the products and particularly recommend the Garnier Micellar water, Garnier moisture bomb UV mist, Estee Edit pink peony overnight water pack and the Nars blush in Orgasm.

There were so many stands and so little time to try everything, given many of the stands had queues but we managed to fit in quite a bit.

The Garnier Ultimate Blends stand was excellent and I had some honey restore hand cream tested on me. I have incredibly dry hands and couldn’t believe the difference this cream instantly made. My friend persuaded the lady to give me a free tube too which was fantastic.

Next we visited the Eylure stand to have false eyelashes applied. I had opulent ones applied.

My favourite one was the last stand we went to which was Fresh. The brand was founded in 1991 by Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg who opened a store in Boston curating upscale natural beauty products from around the world. In 1993 they launched the iconic oval soap and the brand has grown since then with them celebrating their 25th anniversary last year. I must confess that I hadn’t heard of them before but anything that uses natural ingredients always gets my endorsement. There are 2 stores in London and Harrods also stocks their products.

The mask bar allowed you to test out some of their face masks although I had them tested on the back of my hand rather than ruin the makeup I had already had done. I also tested the sugar lip polish which was amazing – my lips had never felt so smooth afterwards. Fresh first used sugar in a body exfoliant in 1998 and it ignited an industry wide trend of using sugar in beauty products. The festival goodie bag included a Fresh soy facial cleanser and we also got some free samples of the masks from the stand along with a tinted lip treatment.

I was totally sold on these products and went on to order online after the festival the rose deep hydration face cream and the sugar lip polish. When they were delivered the products were presented in a lovely box tied with a ribbon and the box was lined with pretty vintage print tissue. You also received some free sample sachets and a small jar of vitamin nectar vibrancy boosting facemask.

Tickets to the festival are sold as morning or afternoon sessions. We purchased just the morning but some people had purchased both and that would be my only criticism of the day that those who had paid for both sessions had to leave the gallery for an hour at lunch time.

We finished our visit with prosecco from the bar there. It was a wonderful girly day of pampering that I highly recommend to any beauty product fan.

Flying through the months

Mar11

Can you believe we are already in March? I can’t believe how fast the last few months have gone, it doesn’t seem five minutes ago that we had Christmas to look forward to and now we are faced with lots of cold weather and a long wait until Summer.

Christmas countdown traditionally begins on 1^st December with an advent calendar. Advent calendars were first used by German Lutherans in the 19^th and 20^th Century. Advent calendars have moved on a lot in recent years, with children no longer content with opening a door to reveal a Christmas picture or poem. At the very least they expect a chocolate now and some calendars give toys such as the Lego calendar. Being a big kid, I have never tired of an advent calendar and thankfully I am clearly not alone as there is now a large market in adult advent calendars offering candles or beauty products. This Christmas I decided to try a beauty advent calendar. These range quite a bit in price with the Liberty one costing £250! After some research I settled on the reasonably priced House of Fraser one at £25 as this also had all 24 doors, rather than the 12 some calendars offer – presumably to represent the 12 days of Christmas. It was quite exciting to see what beauty product you would get each day and by far my favourites were a glitter eyeliner, a blusher and one of the lipsticks, all of which I have been using regularly.

What really got me in the festive mood was the Dickensian Christmas celebrations in Rochester on 3^rd December. For this I wore skinny jeans from Oasis with a white pussy bow blouse from Oasis and my trusty New Look faux leather biker jacket. I accessorised with the gorgeous blue velvet flats and handbag which are also from New Look and my subtle take on the velvet trend for Autumn/Winter 2016.

Rochester as I have mentioned many times before in my blog is one of my favourite places. It was also a favourite spot for Charles Dickens and the cobbled streets and old style lampposts make you feel you have truly been transported back in time as you watch the costume parade. We took the opportunity to watch a street performance of Miss Havisham’s story before warming up in the pub over lunch.

Santa’s reindeer even popped down!

There was a photo opportunity with Fagin.

We then made our way to the Christmas market and fun fair. The market was a bit of a let-down if I am honest as I had been expecting the Bavarian style wooden huts you see in London when instead the stalls were in marques and a lot of the items for sale were quite tacky. The funfair was good though and forever the kid I had to have a ride on the carousel.

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I have wanted another piercing ever since I had to let my nose piercing close up earlier this year after an infection so I went and got my rook pierced – part of the ear. It was quite painful after so I went and recovered with a latte and a large piece of cake in Fleur de the.

Number 12 or 13 is the rook

We ventured out into the cold and darkness just in time for the evening costume parade with lanterns. The snow machines were on and we all walked up to the castle where the carol service was held. It was a magical evening and totally set me up for the festive period. We warmed up and lubricated our tired voices with mulled wine in a local pub before heading off home.

The following weekend, my husband and I took our niece and nephew to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. This year marks ten years of Winter Wonderland and each year it seems to get bigger and bigger. It was another cold day and unfortunately turned into quite a wet day too. I had bought a new hat, gloves and scarf set from Oasis and wore a long padded coat from New Look which although less than flattering, is extremely warm – it gives you the feeling of being wrapped up in a duvet!

We visited the magical ice kingdom which this year had the theme of an Arctic Adventure. This is an awe inspiring sight whether it is your first visit or not, with incredible detail on each of the ice sculptures. There is also a slide made of ice which once again brought the kid out in me and ice thrones which of course kids love due to the connotations with Disney’s Frozen.

The boys enjoyed the bumper cars whilst my niece and I went on the swings. Later my niece wanted to go on a roller coaster. There was an extremely long queue but the wait was made slightly more entertaining by a kind of fun house along the way. The ride was a disaster as she was so scared and I felt so helpless when she asked me to make it stop. You would have thought that would have put her off rides but she still wanted another go on the swings before we left!

Putting up the Christmas decorations is always for me traditionally accompanied by listening to Now that’s what I call Christmas and sipping on snowballs. This year I finally persuaded my husband to put lights outside – something I have always wanted.

We hosted Christmas day this year for the first time and had my parents and my husband’s parents over. I wore a black lace dress from Oasis and sparkle tights also from Oasis and accessorised my hair with a flower band which I got at London Fashion week and is by Her Curious Nature.

We had a really nice day. I really enjoyed setting out the Christmas table. Dinner was lovely and I got some wonderful presents – my favourite being a shoe design course! Look out for a blog on that in the next month or so. We played Cranium which was a laugh and watched the Christmas tele and before you knew it, it was all over for another year!

Boxing day was spent at Mum’s with my brother and his family. For this day I wore an Oasis jumper with a basic black mini skirt from Asos and purple Uggs that I got in New Zealand a few years back.

Between Christmas and New Year my husband and I visited Scotney Castle and decided to become National Trust Members.

New Year was spent with friends. I always find New Year rather depressing as it is another reminder of what you have not achieved and a time to set resolutions that you invariable break way before the end of January! I guess I can at least remember 2016 as the year I finally got promoted to a PA. We also finally finished decorating our bedroom. It was so nice to get rid of the grey striped wallpaper that was there when we moved in.

As with every other new year, I once again set my usual resolution to lose weight and decided to try the milk diet which was the diet of choice for 2017. The full diet suggested you eat nothing and just drink 4 pints of full fat milk a day. That seemed rather extreme so I went for the modified version where you drink a glass of milk before each meal with the aim of then eating less. I did see some positive effect from this, loosing 3lbs in the first week but as per usual it was the same as most fad diets and I had given up within 3 weeks.

January always seems to drag so I was glad when we got to the end. The final weekend in January; Saturday evening was spent at a Fawlty Towers evening which was a great laugh. For this I wore a black pleated skirt from Asos, a gold stripped crop top from Kiss Kiss Heart in Rochester and accessorised with shoes I purchased at London Fashion Week by Alexander White and an Aldo clutch.

That Sunday we had a trip to London to see the Play that Goes Wrong. The end of January of course marks the start of the new year for the Chinese and this year is the year of the Rooster!

February saw a return to my early twenties with a night out at a club on Tottenham Court Road for a friend’s birthday. I must be getting old as I was quite taken aback that they wanted to scan our ID before letting us in and by the fact there are now bouncers on McDonald’s on the Strand! I am also way too old for the torturous 2 hour journey home on the night bus! Having said all that though it was a fun night. I reworked the outfit I wore to the Fawlty Towers evening this time accessorising with gold Oasis t-bar shoes and a gold clutch.

So now 2017 is well underway and we have certainly seen some cold weather. Easter is late this year meaning that Summer feels even further away but there are some exciting things coming up so keep looking out for future blogs.

Twinkle Twinkle

Dec29

A Star – to geometrists a type of non-convex polygon and to astrologers a luminous ball of gas. Stars have long been represented in many ways in culture and in art and the most common is a 5 pointed star. No one knows for sure the origins of this symbol; some believe it is from Egyptian hieroglyphics whilst others think it is because when you look at a star it appears to have 5 lines coming out which are diffraction spikes caused by the way light enters the eye. On the US flag the stars represent the heavens. Stars are also commonly used a symbol of fame. This is perhaps because you look up to stars in the sky and people look up to famous people.

Whatever the reasons behind the five-pointed star symbol, Autumn/Winter 2016 has seen the star become the go to print. Below I show you some of my favourite uses of this cosmic symbol in this seasons fashions.

Star blouse Zara, Jeans and shoes Oasis, Bag Aldo

Starry T-shirt New Look, faux leather metallic skirt New Look, shoes Oasis, handbag Coach

Star nose stud jewellerybox.co.uk, glitter star headband Boohoo and necklace mynamenecklace.co.uk

Sandals by Office

Pyjama top and socks by Oasis, lounge pants by New Look and slippers by Asda

Earrings Apples and Figs at London Fashion Weekend

‘Cat’ and ‘Cowie’ tie the knot!

Oct30

It was a sunny September day when we arrived at Easton Grange for the marriage of my school friend Cathleen Kobylinski to Alan Cowie. I’m not sure whether the choice of month was intentional but Polish tradition (Cat’s heritage) dictates that months containing the letter ‘r’ will bring good luck to the marriage.

The venue was a working farm up to a few years ago when the farm moved to a different site and in 2012 the buildings were renovated to create this idyllic private venue. The refurbishment has tried to pay homage to the original use of the buildings and because part of the barn which is now the bar was used as a dairy – there are many cow pictures, which unintentionally added to the word play the couple were going with. Each invitation was decorated with a cow and a cat linking tails and this theme was followed through on the order of service and place cards.

For the day I wore a pale pink and cream A-line dress from Oasis accessorized with gold sandals which were purchased some fifteen years ago in River Island and were probably the first pair of shoes which I really splashed out on. A goldy cream satin clutch finished off the outfit.

Cats wedding Outfit.jpg

The groom fidgeted nervously as we all sat and awaited arrival of the bride who was fashionably late as tradition dictates. The aisle between the chairs had been scattered with petals in pink and orange which were the colour themes with one bridesmaid in each of the colours. She glided in on the arm of her father, looking beyond stunning in a white lace number with delicate diamanté straps and a corset back which was laced with peach ribbon to match the grooms peach tie. The peach was a good choice as that can be seen as a combination of pink and orange so tied the two colours together. We also caught a glimpse of her gorgeous blue shoes.

The service was non- religious but was beautiful. I particularly liked the two readings that were picked ‘The Promise’ by Eileen Rafter and ‘I Like You’ by Sandol Stoddard.

We showered them in confetti and had all the obligatory pictures just before the sun was replaced with drizzle. Reception drinks were Kir Royale which I adore and the canapés were delicious – especially the mini fish and chips.

The table plan followed a Rugby theme as well as entwining the couple’s backgrounds – English and Australian. Our seats were swiftly located and we had a beautiful favour of traditional polish gingerbread. The centre pieces on the tables included eucalyptus to represent her Australian birth country, roses to represent England and thistle to represent Alan’s Scottish roots. From the ceiling pink, orange and white paper lanterns had been suspended.

Speeches were given with the bride’s father making the toast in Polish and a very insightful and humorous speech from the best man. Dinner was then served. I must comment on the puddings which were amazing. There were 3 mini puddings – cheesecake, chocolate brownie and fruit with shortbread.

Feeling suitably fall all the guests retired to the bar area where the bride and groom had been very generous in giving a free bar. It was a wonderful chance for me to catch up with my oldest school friend who attended too and now lives in Manchester – I could have talked all night.

Evening food was served but to be honest I had no appetite left. Instead of the usual visitors book to sign they had opted for a large Mr and Mrs in black which we wrote well wishes on in a metallic pen.

The groom’s sister was responsible for the wonderful wedding cake – mainly cupcakes with one round cake topped with a peach flower. The cake was cut and then it was time for the first dance. I always await this point as I think it is so interesting to find out what song couples feel best represents them. On this occasion, ‘Your my best friend’ by Queen was chosen.

The party was then officially started. I liked the fact that they had a live band which is somewhat unusual nowadays. The band were called Shine On and were very good, performing a variety of indie and pop music. Guests danced into the night and there was added fun with complementary glow sticks.

I’m so pleased that two lovely people have found each other. The wedding was a beautiful day and I wish them a long and happy marriage.

Cat and Alan wed.jpg

Genie Grant me a Wish

Oct30

Back in July the dreaded birthday came round again. I wish I could stop at 33, or better still be 30 again. It’s not a lie if I say I am 30 and a bit – just suggests a much smaller bit than may be the truth.

Anyway being that none of my friends had seen our new home – I decided a BBQ was in order to celebrate.

Now every year we seem to purchase a BBQ – use it once, not bother to clean it and it ends up at the tip. Now we have a garage to store it in, we decided to invest in a slightly better quality one. Turns out cheaper ones are best however as almost straight away the handle on the lid broke so guess what, once again we didn’t clean it but instead of the tip, it ended up back at Argos for an exchange!

We were blessed with nice weather on the day of the do so I wore a tropical design jumpsuit from Oasis.

Jumpsuits have been in fashion for a few seasons now and I love how flattering they can be. My favourite one is a navy one I purchased from Joy and I have accessorised this two ways to make it look like a fresh outfit.

Jumpsuit Joy, suede shoes M&S, clutch Oasis

Jumpsuit Joy, Clutch purchased in Hong Kong, Shoes LK Bennett

I was truly touched at the number of family and friends who came to my celebration, especially given some of the journeys involved. One friend travelled an amazing two hours – thanks to you all.

The key room I wanted to show off was our newly made over summer house. This was a miserable, cold, blue room when we moved in but I have taken great enjoyment in making it an ideal place to sit and relax, enjoying a glass of wine on a summer evening.

BEFORE

AFTER – Check out the homemade bunting (a joint project by my Mum and I)

On my actual birthday, my Mum and I went into Rochester which has long been my favourite town.

For my outfit on the day, I took inspiration from Fabulous Magazine and put my own twist on a denim/victoriana combination.

The Fashion Spread from Fabulous Magazine (free with the Sun on Sunday)

Shirt with bow Lookagain.co.uk, denim pinafore Oasis, white frill ankle socks and black quilted bag Asos, Shoes Faith

We enjoyed browsing the kitsch shops before relaxing over a delicious afternoon tea at Fleur de The.

I was really spoilt by everyone and got so many amazing presents that it would take far too long to list them all here.

Two presents that I feel must have a mention however were my sister in law’s inventive presentation of a wonderful cocktail set and my other sister in law’s notebook which couldn’t have been more perfect.

The evening of my day was spent with my husband and we went to see the amazing Aladdin musical in London. The best way I can describe the show is like a pantomime with a million times better costumes, props and cast. It is an absolute must for any Disney fan.

The show got me thinking, what would I do if I had a genie and could only make three wishes? This is a lot harder than one might think and definitely would take some careful consideration; assuming that is that one of the wishes couldn’t be for three more wishes! I already feel very blessed but guess I would ask for all my family and friends to remain happy and healthy as my first wish. Narrowing down the rest of my wish list might be hard although would be nice to be thin but be able to eat whatever I liked and to remain youthful!

Another fabulous birthday, courtesy of all my loved ones, thanks again.

A New York State of Mind

Jul31

New York is a city that I, like many before me, fell in love with it from the moment I first arrived.

My fourth visit to the city that never sleeps, at one point felt like it was never going to happen. Generally one leaves Heathrow airport with the feeling that better advantage could have been taken of the shopping. I can however vouch that seven and a half hours is more than enough time to explore every nook and cranny as well as being responsible for my credit card getting rather a battering. Even my husband who is usually reluctant to part with more than £15 for a shirt, treated himself to a blue checked one from Pink.

A free Pimms, a couple of glasses of champagne and many purchases later – we finally boarded the plane. We arrived at JFK in the early hours and finally rocked up at my Mums friend’s house on Long Island just in time for an early breakfast. The garden and my Mum’s friend’s hangover suggested her granddaughters graduation party the previous evening had gone off with a bang; what a shame we missed it – damn you American Airlines!

Not about to waste anymore time – sleep was abandoned for, would you believe, more shopping at Deer Park outlet mall. I couldn’t resist this Coach bag. Coach was founded in 1941 and began as a workshop in a Manhattan loft. I loved the bags long before their first flagship store was opened in London in 2011 and what a year to purchase one, as this year marks Coach’s 75th anniversary.

Coach bag.jpg

My husband must have had some sort of lobotomy on the flight over as he even purchased a number of labelled shirts! Following the shopping, refreshments were sort at, get this, a drive through Starbucks!

Leaving my Mum to catch up with her friend, my husband and I met some friends for a drink on one of Long Island’s many beaches. Later we finished our first day at a typical American diner.

The following morning, my Mum, my husband and I all boarded the train heading for Manhattan.

Being a die-hard Sex and the City fan; I was desperate to visit Carrie’s apartment on Perry Street. On a previous trip to New York, I had done the Sex and the City movie tour with a friend, but Carrie’s apartment is omitted from the tour due to complaints by residents.

T-shirt limited edition for the new release of the Jungle Book, by Kenzo, skirt Asos, shoes Oasis, bag Biba, rabbit bag charm Asos and sunglasses Gucci.

After posing for the all important Instagram picture outside the apartment, we walked to the High Line garden. This is an urban regeneration project completed in 2014 which has made a raised linear park out of a disused rail line which served the industrial Meatpacking District and Chelsea. We did it because it was listed as one of the top sites in my guide-book and was one we hadn’t seen on previous trips. I don’t think we had been missing much! It was rather a let down and appeared as though it had been neglected of late.

It was a baking hot day so we paused for refreshments at the Bus Stop Cafe in Greenwich Village. I indulged in American pancakes.

Everyone was then dragged by me on a pilgrimage to the Manolo Blahnik store, which, eventually, I had to admit defeat on after Google maps sent us on some what of a wild goose chase. I’m sure my credit card was breathing a sigh of relief!

The subway took us down to Tribeca district and we went up One World Trade Centre which stands close to the site of the original twin towers that were. It is the tallest building in the Western hemisphere with the observatory standing at 1254 feet. What a fabulous view of the city and well worth a visit.

Afterwards we reflected on the horror of 9/11, the terrorist attack of 2001, as we looked at the many names of the victims around two waterfalls which stand on the sites of the original north and south towers.

Dinner was in another diner and then we saw Mum back on her train to Long Island from Penn station.

My husband and I walked from our hotel near Madison Square Gardens down to the East River. It was raining on and off but that didn’t put off the hoards of people going to see the 40th Macy’s Independence Day fireworks display. I got into the party spirit with a celebratory headband.

American’s celebrate 4th July as Independence Day as it is the anniversary of their independence from the UK which was obtained in 1776; not to be confused with what Nigel Farage dubbed our Independence Day on 23rd June with the Brexit vote. Incidentally everyone we met was keen to discuss Brexit and how we felt about it.

The fireworks were absolutely amazing and despite the number of people, it was a great party atmosphere. Even the Empire State Building was lit up in red white and blue.

We retired to a bar where I had a Cosmo – after all what else would I order in New York City?! A cab then took us back to our hotel.

I left the city that’s ‘so good they named it twice’, wanting more. I would have loved to have experienced the boating lake in Central Park had we had the time as well as exploring the shops of 5th Avenue. Perhaps next time I’ll visit during Thanksgiving. It certainly is a city I will never tire of.

Look out for part two of my holiday blog where we join the Maple Leaf train.

Walking a different Street

Feb7

The onset of December found my emotions in turmoil as I had somewhat of a midlife crisis. The phrase ‘midlife crisis’ was the brainchild of Elliott Jaques and states it is ‘referring to a critical phase in human development during the forties to early sixties, based on the character of change points, or periods of transition’.

My so called crisis might be occurring in my early thirties but it certainly was during a period of transition. Perhaps it’s a late quarter life crisis. Suddenly I am questioning all my past choices, pondering my future options and wondering if I am missing out on things. I think half the problem is I want it all and unless you are a millionaire, it’s just not possible to have it all. The snag is that by taking one road in life, the others are left untrodden; you will never know what would have happened if you had taken one of the other roads – every action has a reaction. Life is short, often too short and death eventually comes to us all; David Bowie being a case in point. What matters though is that we enjoy the time we have and experience as many things as possible. We can hope that we leave a lasting impression on the world which there is no doubt Bowie did. I would like my writing to be my legacy and hence I have toyed with the idea of writing full time.

Flowers for Bowie outside Zizzi’s in Beckenham which used to be the Three Tuns pub where he played

My husband and I have just bought our first home together see previous blog and despite me paying towards the last one; this one feels like it is both of ours as we chose it together and my name is officially on the mortgage, so I feel like I now have responsibilities. The baby question is asked constantly as is the case as soon as you get married but as I wrote previously I flit between two camps on this decision. Marriage is something I have always wanted but I sometimes wonder if I focused too much on this when I was younger, rather than embracing dating, the single life and my ambitions more.

The lead up to Christmas was fairly busy. At the beginning of December I got one of my Christmas presents early which was a trip to the Coronation Street set. As sad as it may be, I have been watching Corrie for about the last 20 years and it’s one of the few programmes I never miss. Coronation Street first aired on 9^th December 1960 and is the world’s longest running soap opera still in production. The set moved location from central Manchester, Quay Street to Media City in Trafford in December 2013 and following the move, the Coronation Street Tour was set up at the old site. The tour was originally due to close October 2014 but was extended until 31^st December 2015 so this was my last chance to go. Despite the abysmal weather it was lovely to walk the famous cobbles and see some of the interior sets and costumes. The wardrobe department buys items in shops it believes the character would typical shop. In a month the make up department gets through 6 eyeshadows and eyeliners, 15 bases, 4 blushers and 10 lipsticks! We got to have a photo behind the bar at the Rovers and being the rebellious one of the tour group, I had to ring the bell for last orders!

corrie pic

Sometimes my life feels a bit like a soap opera, in that I feel what I do will be watched and judged by others. I guess the modern social media culture has only enhanced our knowledge of other peoples lives and to some extent is the only way I get to unleash my writing on the world.

We combined this trip North with seeing my oldest friend from school who had her baby at the end of October. My outfit for this occasion was a denim pinafore dress with a white pussy bow blouse underneath, both from Oasis and some snakeskin black ankle boots from New Look. The pinafore was a big trend for autumn 2015 and the trend looks set to continue into early 16 with a 60’s revival going on. The key to the look is layering and on Boxing Day, I wore it again with another season must have, the polo neck.

Early December I was suffering some kind of chest infection so finally got to meet my best friend’s baby boy on 16^th Dec when he was almost a month old. All these babies coming on to the scene this year within my friendship group have probably been one of the catalysts for this early mid-life crisis. I realised that the dynamics of our group had drastically changed. No longer are we the care free twenty somethings, who’s biggest worry was what bar to go to on a Saturday night; we all have responsibilities now and are perhaps what you might term as ‘fully grown up’.

The week before Christmas I went to see my favourite band, Stereophonics at the O2. I have lost count how many times I have seen them and usually they don’t disappoint, however as much as I still enjoyed this gig – it wasn’t as good as all their previous ones. I looked around the arena and everyone looked to be in their 30’s or 40’s and there was even a pensioner there. This was the other catalyst for the mid-life crisis. I suddenly realised these people were my age and how long I had been supporting the Stereophonics. Kelly, the lead singer even brought on his two daughters which finally shattered my hopes of ever going out with him (joke!).

Christmas was a family affair and spending time with my nieces and nephews again makes me question if and when I want to have children myself. My present to myself was a pair of New Look black suede, fringed heels which I wore Christmas day and Boxing Day, as well as to a gathering at one of the new neighbour’s. These sorts of treats would of course become a distant memory if I were to have children or become a full time struggling writer.

One of my nieces we treated to a fashion design tool as when I was clearing out, I found designs I had done with my fashion wheel. Unfortunately they don’t sell the fashion wheel anymore and I have to say that this is a time where the new toy is not an improvement. Instead of rubbing over the plates to get an outline and then colouring it in, you now have to trace the outline which requires much more patience.

A sign of the times was the same niece telling me that when she grows up she wants to win X Factor and her brother wants to be a You Tuber. I must be old as she then had to go on and explain to me what a You Tuber was. What happened to ambitions like being a nurse or a vet? I question whether I made the most of the opportunities I had when I was younger. I never saw myself as working as a PA as I do and whilst I did at one point fancy being a vet; my most enduring ambition was to be an air hostess. Despite once getting through the interview for British Midland, it never quite fitted in financially or relationship wise.

There’s no point ruminating over the past, it cannot be changed but the future can and that brings me on to New Year’s Eve. New Year is a chance to start afresh on a new road and reach out for what is truly important to you.

This year for the first time in ages I was invited to 3 parties! Like buses they all come at once. We went to a friend in Bromley’s house party which was enjoyable despite only knowing the hosts. I wore a gold sparkle dress from Oasis with leggings and some gorgeous suede red sandals I got in Marks and Spencer especially for the occasion.

After a quiz which my team won, they got out the game of 2015 – ‘Pie Face’. For anyone who has missed this phenomenon, you essentially put your face down on a rest and have to twist according to the number you get on the spinner. Eventually a hand is released which throws cream in your face!

There was no way I was going to have a go after the time I had spent on my makeup! It’s not often I really make an effort now but for this party I went all out. Here are the products I used to achieve my look.

Benefit Boi-ing concealer, SJP NYC Perfume, Magnifibres, Max Factor lipgloss, Max Factor Skin Luminizer foundation, No7 Pop and Glow, No7 Dramatic lift mascara, Benefit That Gal primer, OPI couture de minnie mouse nailvarnish in ministyle, Bibbidi Bobbidi blueberry lip shimmer, GHD straightners, Model Co eyeliner pencil, Max Factor creme puff and Urban Decay Naked 2 palette

After we toasted in 2016 at midnight we set off Sky Lanterns or Chinese lanterns as they are often referred to. The idea is to make a wish before you let the kind of mini hot air balloon fly away. They are not illegal in Britain but have been banned in many other countries despite them having been used for centuries. This is because there is a danger when they come down that they might cause fires or harm animals. Ours never took off which I don’t know what that says about our wish for the New Year.

So the time has come once again for resolutions. Inevitably we all make them and then promptly break them by February. I saw an interesting post on Facebook with a lady sipping a cocktail on a weight machine that said ‘I said I’d give up alcohol and go to the gym; I made it to the gym!’ One thing I am determined to do is lose weight. I’m not going to do a Bridget Jones and let on to you how much I weigh, along with an analysis of each day’s calories, but suffice to say I am heavier than ever and wearing the biggest size clothes I ever have. I need to lose around 3.5 stones and I am really serious about it this time. No more fad diets, I am just slowly going to reduce my intake of food (not alcohol – that would be an empty promise!) and try and get back into walking regularly. I love my fashion and it just doesn’t look right on me anymore. My thirties should be a time of being comfortable in my body before old age sets in and I really am not comfortable at this weight. Yes you can be confident at any weight but I am not and the time has come to really take action.

I suppose I am seeking excitement and change – perhaps like Madonna I need to reinvent myself every decade. Further hinting at the diagnosis of a mid-life crisis I am considering on one end of the scale a change of hairstyle to the other end of the scale with a tattoo and in between somewhere comes the idea of another piercing. We will just have to see what the year brings; you never know, I may even learn to be content; I wouldn’t hold your breath though!

Two Decades of Music

Sep27

V festival celebrated its 20^th year this year and despite being hailed one of the most commercial festivals (the V standing for Virgin group who sponsor it) it is also one of the safer of the music festivals. Being that it has less of a rough reputation than other festivals, I was quite surprised to see the floor littered with balloons and capsules from ‘laughing gas’ and people openly doing it. I know it is a so called ‘legal high’ and maybe it’s my old age but I was disappointed to see the popularity it has gained in our youth culture when the dangers are still largely unknown. Ok rant over!

The festival is split between two sites over the penultimate weekend in August – Hylands Park Chelmsford and Weston Park Staffordshire with bands playing alternate days at each location. The initial concept of playing two locations in one weekend was the brain child of Jarvis Cocker, lead singer of the band Pulp. As with all music festivals, camping is very much a part of it, however I have never had the full experience of festival life in a tent as I have never wanted to get muddy and be stuck with portaloos and no proper showers! Perhaps I’ve missed out, but the older I get the more I like my creature comforts. It does amaze me how well groomed some girls manage to look despite spending the night in a tent!

This year was the third time I have been to V for the day at Hylands Park. Two of these times including this one, I was motivated to go by my desire to see Stereophonics who have performed at V an impressive 8 times. This time I dragged my husband along with me.

My outfit for the event was a nod to the boho trend of the season combined with a punk/rock edge. I wore studded denim shorts from Oasis; Stereophonics latest band t-shirt and a white crochet waistcoat from Miss Selfridge. Now as you all know by now – the most important part of any outfit for me is the shoes. Rain was forecast for the day so being that it was held in a field; I went for practicality (for a change) and picked some Dr Marten lookalike boots by Joe Browns from Debenhams. These made me feel quite rocky but the flowers gave them a girly edge. The bag I used was from Asos and reminded me of Chanel’s quilted bags. In true boho style, I plaited a small piece at the front of my hair and clipped it back. Then with Fudge Urban hair art in pink ink– I gave it a punk rock edge.

After a lunch eaten whilst the Proclaimers finished their set (you’ve got to love 500 miles) we browsed some of the stalls and I couldn’t resist a pink rose flower garland for my hair which I thought set my outfit off a treat.

It began to rain so we headed for the cocktail tent and then moved on to the only stage that was undercover, the sure arena. I hadn’t heard of the band playing there although they were reasonably good and I’m sure many people including us were just there for the shelter! The rain became more of a drizzle and we headed over to V media stage to see Ella Henderson.

More drinks were consumed whilst catching bits of The Kooks and George Ezra before we made our way further forward to watch Ellie Goulding. Her performance was outstanding, the energy she put into every song was really to be admired and I’d love to go to one of her gigs in the future. After having some dinner, we moved over to the MTV stage to watch firstly Clean Bandit being that one of their songs, ‘Rather Be’ we used in our wedding video as it was so popular last year; then finally it was time for the performance I had been waiting for, the Stereophonics!

As usual the Stereophonics didn’t disappoint with a fantastic set including stuff as far back as ‘A Thousand Trees’ from the Word Gets Around album in 1997, right up to their latest single ‘C’est La Vie’ from Keep the Village Alive album. I was in my element dancing away but sadly we had to leave to catch our last train just as they were playing my favourite song Maybe Tomorrow. That’s the problem with being a headline act – it means they are on last. I will just have to wait until I see them on tour at the O2 in December, or so I thought.

Little did I know I was to get to see them far sooner than that. My friend managed to get us two tickets for their album signing at HMV Oxford Street on 11^th September when their 9^th studio album, Keep the Village Alive was released. There were probably about 200 people there and we had to queue for over an hour but it was worth it for those few minutes spent stood in front of the band I have admired since I was 16. Other bands have come and gone for me but Stereophonics are the longest enduring band for my favour. My friend and I were like soppy teenagers all over again and it was quite a surreal experience. I got to shake hands with Kelly and Richard – the bands only remaining original members. I asked Kelly what his favourite Stereophonics song was and he said maybe ‘Local Boy in the Photograph’. I once again wore my Keep the Village Alive t-shirt which they all commented on. There was a limited edition CD for sale of them live at the Royal Albert Hall which I bought.

I got the latest album signed by all four members and I got Kelly to sign a publicity photo which I bought of him on line some time back. Over the years I have lost count of the number of times I have seen them perform – the most memorable ones being a gig at the Round House in Camden where I managed to get near enough to the stage to get a good photo of Kelly and when I starred in their ‘My Friends’ video, which was followed by an intimate gig for about 250 fans. On that occasion I got to put my hand on Kelly’s shoulder.

Last week Keep the Village Alive reached number 1 in the Official album charts – their sixth album to make it to the top. Just shows that even 18 years after they first came on the music scene, they still have what it takes.

Music is such an important part of my life and it sees you through the good and the bad times. Here’s hoping Stereophonics carry on for the next twenty years!

I Believe in Pink

Aug8

One sunny Saturday in July, my Mum and I visited the National Portrait Gallery in London to see an Audrey Hepburn exhibition. Audrey was a fashion and film star and according to People’s magazine one of the top 50 most beautiful women in the world. Perhaps what made her so beautiful was her innocence, shyness and vulnerability; she never saw herself as beautiful.

Audrey Hepburn by Bud Fraker, for ‘Sabrina’, Paramount Pictures, 1954

The exhibition documents the film stars life through more than 70 images, many previously unseen – consisting of photographs, film stills and vintage magazine covers. Also displayed are a pair of her leather ballet shoes.

Audrey Hepburn on location in Africa for The Nun’s Story by Leo Fuchs, 1958 ©Leo Fuchs

Audrey died in 1993 in Switzerland with her two sons and partner by her side. Now, over 20 years later – she still remains an incredible icon; as an actress, a fasionista and a humanitarian for her work with UNICEF which she became a special ambassador of in 1988. She is a truly inspirational woman and a positive role model for women everywhere. After her death, Italian shoe designer, Salvatore Ferrugamo created a ballet pump style shoe named after her.

Audrey was born in 1929 in Belgium, although through her father she was a British Citizen. She was an accomplished ballet dancer who was dancing by the age of 5, however her ballet teachers deemed her too tall to make a profession of it.

Dance recital photograph by Manon van Suchtelen, 1942 ©Reserved

Her father abandoned the family when she was young and he and her mother later divorced in 1935. In 1937 Audrey and her mother moved to Kent where she attended a small private school in Eltham. Upon the breakout of World War 2, Audrey and her mother fled to her mother’s native country, the Netherlands; falsely believing that they would be safer there. Audrey adopted a Dutch name so as to not stand out. They lived in Arnhem which I myself have visited and seen the bridge that was the centre of the battle of Arnhem; see previous blog. Audrey danced to raise money for the Dutch resistance and couriered letters for them. Times were hard with problems with supplies getting through and Audrey suffered malnutrition as well as depression. This perhaps inspired her later work with UNICEF. After the war they moved to Amsterdam. She then travelled to London where she continued with her study of ballet and also did some modelling. In 1948 she became a chorus girl in London’s West End.

She had numerous small film roles during the early 50’s as well as becoming the face of Lux soap. The first thing people probably remember her for was her performance in Gigi on Broadway in 1951. In 1953 she landed the lead role in a film called Roman Holiday for which she received numerous awards and this could be said to have launched her career.

For me one of her most famous roles was as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s which was at the height of Audrey’s career in 1961. There were people that thought her taking this role was risky due to the characters loose morals. The film is about transformation and the American dream and of course Audrey’s own life can be seen to have followed a Cinderella theme as did many of her film roles.

Image courtesy of The Daily Mail

Her relationship with Givenchy, the Parisian courtier began with the film Sabrina, when pre-production in 1953 she visited him in Paris and used some of his samples for her character in the film. He was never given credit for Sabrina but Audrey made sure his name was always mentioned on her future films. She had a unique style and knew what features she wanted to emphasis; as Chanel says ‘Fashion changes, but style endures’. What began as a business relationship became much more than that and they remained friends right up until her death. She often described him as her psychiatrist. My favourite picture from the exhibition was this one of her in a pink Givenchy dress.

Audrey Hepburn photographed wearing Givenchy by Norman Parkinson, 1955 © Norman Parkinson Ltd/Courtesy Norman Parkinson Archive

For this day I wore a pair of wide leg trousers from Oasis. These form part of their current collection which is a collaboration with the V&A museum (a museum close to my heart since the Alexander McQueen exhibition and Shoes: Pleasure and Pain ). The museum gave Oasis some historical prints from its archives for them to bring to life in a new collection. This particular print is an 18^th century print by London-based designer, William Kilburn. I coordinated this with a simple pink vest top from Oasis as I wanted the trousers to be the stand out piece of the outfit. For shoes I matched the background navy colour with these navy, suede Mary Janes which my Mum kindly treated me to in M&S on one of our shopping trips. I like to match shoes and bag and this navy Hobo, also from Oasis is stylish as well as practical – with room for all your bits and bobs. The outfit was finished off with my tribute to Audrey Hepburn – a small tiara like the one Holly wears in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Unfortunately I didn’t quite master the beehive to match.

I wanted to also share my Mum’s outfit of the day as I thought that she looked great too. She wore some beautiful LK Bennett shoes with an M&S blue broderie anglaise dress and accessorized with a LK Bennett clutch bag.

After the exhibition; we continued the glamour and got a black cab to Doubletree by Hilton, Westminster hotel where we enjoyed a pink afternoon tea. We were greeted with pink champagne and our tea was then brought out in a wooden box which didn’t really have the same appeal as the tiered cake stands which are usually provided. Unfortunately this was not one of my favourite teas – being somewhat of an afternoon tea queen as there were only a few sandwiches and the cakes were not really to my taste. The pink theme was consistent however, as along with the usual assortment of sandwiches and scones, there was a pink cone with cream in it, a tart with a pink macaroon on and a champagne truffle sprinkled with pink sugar. I have to admit it was good value for money given that it was under £30 for the two of us.

All in all we had a lovely day as we always do when we get together.

There are many famous quotes from Audrey, my favourite being ‘nothing is impossible, even the word says I’m possible.’ My inspiration for the title of this blog came from the quote ‘I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.’ If this quote isn’t a mantra for all women to live their lives by then I don’t know what is.

The Audrey exhibition runs until 18^th October and is definitely worth a visit.

Girl’s go Greek

Jun14

Work worries seemed a distant memory as Mum and I sipped champagne on our flight out to Heraklion, Crete and any remnants of stress were washed away as we were bathed in warm sunlight stepping off the plane. We had booked this trip some 10 months previous and I couldn’t believe we were finally there. I had of course had a failed trip to Crete a few years earlier due to issues with my eye but finally I had made it. We had both left our husbands to fend for themselves for the week which I guess means Weatherspoon’s and local take away’s saw a rise in their profits!

Agios Nikolaos old harbour

Crete is one of the largest of the Greek islands and also the only one which could support itself without tourism – predominantly due to its olive harvest. Weather in early May in Crete is generally good with temperatures in the early twenties. We enjoyed unprecedented temperatures and one day the mercury hit 32 degrees; however our final two days were cooler with a north-westerly wind sweeping in.

Our hotel, the Mirabella in Agios Nikolaos was a 4* plus and it really was stunning with infinity pools; one of which had a swim up bar, a spa and a private beach area. It would have been rude not to spoil ourselves at the onsite spa. We sat in the sauna and then relaxed in the Jacuzzi. I then had a hot stones massage which I have wanted to try for ages and Mum had a neck, back and shoulder massage. Prior to going into the treatment rooms we were directed to changing rooms where we were supposed to take everything off and then put on this horrid pair of paper knickers and a towel round us. Our therapists then met us and Mum had a male therapist – I don’t think I would have been comfortable with that but she obviously was as she fell asleep during the massage! The hot stones were extremely relaxing and I felt all my tensions slip away.

At our hotel in Jane Norman dress – the chevron pattern and the shape is reminiscent of the 70’s – an era greatly influencing fashion this season

On our last morning we even had champagne for breakfast – very indulgent, whilst being serenaded by a gorgeous saxophonist. As part of our all- inclusive deal – we were entitled to one night at the a la carte restaurant. This was a 5 course meal so we were thoroughly stuffed when we left there.

We could have spent the whole time sunning ourselves but judging by my sunburn – it’s probably a good job we didn’t. We got out and about quite a bit and immersed ourselves in the island’s culture and history of which its inhabitants are extremely proud, as well as enjoying some pampering and relaxation.

Crete and indeed the Palace of Knossos which we visited, was the centre of the Minoan people who are believed to be one of the earliest European civilisations. The ruins of Knossos were discovered by a British man in 1900 and he spent time reconstructing parts of it which is the cause of controversy among historians. It was a baking hot day as we were guided around the ruins by a very knowledgeable but over talkative guide. The visit was followed by free time in Heraklion and culminated in a visit to the Archaeological museum there which was intended to cement our knowledge of the Minoan people. I’m afraid museums of this kind are not really my thing – if you’ve seen one pot, you have seen them all, and so Mum and I sneaked off shopping after showing our face at the museum – what rebels we are!

Palace of Knossos

Sunburnt at the ruins in a dress from Rocket in Rochester – bag just seen is Paul’s Boutique

One of the main reasons we had chosen Crete for our holiday was to visit the island of Spinalonga. The island was originally used as a fortress in Venetian times but was used as a leper colony from 1903-1957 and was one of the last leper colonies in Europe. It has been uninhabited ever since. This sort of history is far more interesting to me as it is relatively recent whereas it is hard to visualise Minoan history which is thousands of years ago. Spinalonga was made infamous by the author Victoria Hislop who wrote the book ‘The Island’; a novel based around a fictional family’s experience with leprosy. I reread this whilst away and having now seen the colony – the story was even more captivating for me. We also had free time in Elounda where we relaxed on the beach and enjoyed a Greek lunch.

Spinalonga

The beautiful island of Spinalonga with a dark past – top and skirt both Oasis

The highlight of the trip was a 4 x 4 jeep ride up into the mountains to the Lassithi Plateau. As we drove up the rough tracks, our driver pointed out to us herbs that grow naturally, tree climbing goats and vultures. We had a hearty BBQ lunch as part of the trip and then burnt it off with a trip to the Dikteon cave in which legend has it Zeus was born. To reach the cave we had to climb a rocky path for 800m and then descend 250 steps. You could have opted to pay for a donkey but we were warned that these animals are not terribly well cared for, so not to fund it.

Inside the cave

The driver of the jeep was an expat but so knowledgeable about the many customs of Crete and the Greek people in general. Some of the things that particularly fascinated me were the small churches left at sites of road crashes as a way of ensuring the souls of the dead go to heaven or thanking God if they survived. They are also placed by fields to thank the God for a good harvest.

Another terribly romantic custom is that if a woman loses her husband, she wears black for the rest of her life and if a man loses his wife he grows a beard as a sign of mourning. The day was finished with a visit to Krasi to see the oldest Plane Tree in Crete which is believed to be 2400 years old. It is thought to be the tree of Zeus. The tree is said to be a tree of fertility that will never die. Opposite the tree is a Venetian spring where washing would have been done.

Mum and I also visited a local olive farm which was right near our hotel. The farm had been in the owner’s family for years and he took us through the original process for making the oil and also showed us what else he produced including Raki and pottery. We then tasted the olive oil he had made by completely traditional methods apart from the grinding which was done by hand rather than by the donkey, who he keeps just as a pet. We also sampled honey and Raki. Raki is used as a bit of a cure all by Cretans and is often served at the end of a meal. Mum and I both tried it but neither of us were impressed. I purchased some olive oil from there and some sundried tomatoes.

Donkey that would have ground the olives in the past

Donkey that would have crushed the olives in the past

How they make the Raki

Not impressed by the Raki

I usually like to add to my shoe collection whilst away but sadly on this trip, this was not meant to be. The first pair I liked in Heraklion were out of stock in my size and another gorgeous pair in Agios Nikolaos were out of my price range at €265! I did however make a few fashion investments apart from buying the usual holiday toot.

Every jeweller we walked past on the island, attracted us to the window with a beautiful blue stone, which is more stunning than any I have seen before. I couldn’t resist these earrings from a jeweller in the hotel and what was even better was the guy knocked €9 off the price, however he then waved at me every time I walked past his shop for the rest of the trip – either he had a thing for me or was trying to entice me back to spend more.

I found this gorgeous blue clutch in the market at Agios Nikolaos and couldn’t resist it. I thought the gold embellishment looked vaguely similar to that of a Mulberry bag with the tree. Getting shoes in the right shade to match will most likely prove an impossible task but I think you could pair it with navy or black shoes.

An eco zoo park where they showed how they traditionally made textiles and pottery brought me to a gorgeous cream pashmina which I know I will accessorize lots with in the coming summer months being that England has slightly cooler evenings than Crete.

This bracelet which I found in a shop in Heraklion incorporates a well known Greek pattern and sets off any outfit a treat.

Of course before I went and at the airport I used the holiday as an excuse to expand my wardrobe and went a little crazy with beach wear – now I just need another holiday to get my wear out of it!

Sunbathing in style with a Biba towel my Mum got me for Christmas and in a Kelly Brook bikini from New Look

Monsoon white playsuit with Havaianas flip flops

New Look palm maxi dress with floppy 70’s style hat

The intricate back of the dress – careful of the tan marks!

Bird top from Torza boutique in Petts Wood

Ted Baker bag

I also got Mum to test out a hairstyle I had seen a video for on Facebook and I will attempt to explain how to perfect it.

Tie hair into a high ponytail
Place a pencil or chopstick through the hair above the ponytail
Split the ponytail in two
Take a piece from one section to use as the third section of the plait but pass it over the pencil/chopstick before plaiting it in
Continue taking a piece as the third piece from alternate sides each time
When you have no more hair, continue with a traditional plait and fix with a band
Clip the end of the plait beneath the pony tail with a Kirby grip
Pull the pencil/chopstick out

The week went by in a flash and before we knew it we were heading back to the cooler climate of good old England. I certainly fell in love with Crete and would love to visit again and it was so lovely to spend quality time with my Mum who is also my best friend. I only hope if I have a daughter, my bond with her will be as strong. Love you always Mum.

At the a la carte restaurant – my outfit – top Oasis and skirt Jane Norman, shoes River Island