Subliminal dressing.

Following my January moroatorium about not whingeing about the weather I have tried to set my mind on more positive things.  Admittedly, sometimes unsuccesfully, but I'm trying.  The weather has been grizzly, its true, but my trains have been on time, errr... Snowdrops! (see?).  One result of this new found positivity is that I have found myself dressing  ever more colourfully. I think my subliminal desire for Spring has been manifesting itself in my morning wardrobe decisions.  And by the looks of things, I really need Spring. (see below photo for evidence)


I very nearly wore my bright red coat with this too, but my mister gently disuaded me. "You'll look a bit crazy" was the was the silent postscript... and its true. This outfit perches perilously on the line in between colour chic and colour catastrophe, a line I do not always navigate succesfully. My boss once physically reeled backwards when he saw me, bowled over by a colour explosion, he said. Humph.  I seem to be making up for the lack of colour around me by platsreing myself in it instead, so I need to see further evidence of Spring before I fall over the fashion catastrophe edge.Spring; heed my warning!

I have been bouyed on, no doubt, by talk of this seasons clashing florals, colour blocking, neons, and confident pops of colour. Although thats just an excuse really. Bring on the rainbow I say. The crazier the better.

Anyway. I have a short week this week (hurray!) and we're seeing the in-laws this weekend which will no doubt involve lots of good food and booze, so i'm pretty excited. Have a sweet weekend cherries!
x

Weekending

Exporing new places in London, even if it is on a budget with little or no alcohol, can still be a little costly. So, to ensure further London exploring, this weekend was the polar opposite of last weekend, relaxing, calm and mostly home based.

The pub with friends on Friday, celebrating a birthday. We took turns buying rounds and talked weddings, growing old, politics and cake. It wasn't long before the toilet humour came out. With this group of friends its never far away. We were probably a bit noisy and a wee bit drunken, walking home giggling some time after midnight.

Saturday began with a long, luxurious lie in, then potato cakes and scrambled eggs, taking turns to make coffee. I spent some quality time with the camera in an attmpt to fulfil my resolution to improve my photo taking skills. Bread was baked, home made curry's were made, spice cupbaords organised (oh the excitement) and silly films watched (where we laughed far more than we should have.)

I tried a variety of methods to prevent my yellow hyacinths from toppling over, mostly unsuccessful. Any tips?

The laptop was open for most of the weekend. In one column London Fashion Week Tweets, in another UKuncut occupying Barclays and another about the political upheaval in Bahrain and Libya; a strange, conversation provoking combination.

 My mister found his old viedo camera and we watched all of the footage on it. It was us, at 17 years old hanging out with a few friends, my brother and sister. Two New Years Eve's, a summer walk, hanging out in my misters parents house circa 2002.  Sledging, squealing, kissing, cooking, and my misters version of Jackass. Terrible. Hilarious. Nostalgia flooded the living room. We laughed at our younger, zanier selves, felt mortified at how embarrassing we were,  marvelled at how different everyone is now, felt old.  It was sad at times too, we saw people that are no longer here, I shed a tear or two.

On Sunday I also popped into London fashion Week to look around the exhibition stands, but more about that later.

All in all it was lovely, the perfect antidote to a busy week, neatly rounded off with a perfect Toad in the Hole. Hurrah!

Brixton Village

As mentioned in my last post, I promised I'd write a seperate blog post about Brixton Village for a number of reasons; because it deserves it, because I took waaay too many pictures, becase I feel loyal to anything half decent South of the river and to to prevent my last post from becoming the mother of all long blog posts.

Brixton Village was a near derelict 1930's arcade, way past its prime and destined to be flattened and replaced with modern private flats. But thankfully, thanks to the local community and an 'empty shops' innitative by Lambeth Council and some other agencies, it was instead offered to community driven businesses, arts programs and pop up shops. The result is, well, wonderful. Its also an inspiring story of urban regeneration and evidence of what people can achieve when they work together, and in some cases fight together, to improve their communities.  The 1930's arcade itself is beautiful,  bright and light but with a charming patina and wear. There are brightly painted stall signs, French Vintage shops, tea rooms, a DIY tea and toast cafe, bright African fabrics, colourful meat, fish  and vegetable stalls, home made Pizza, artisan pasta....

I love the light fittings, recycled from old lamp shades.

Gorgeous French Vintage shop. Lovely assistant too.

A coffee shop with the best menu I've ever ever seen. Rad, no?

 Hurrah for decent development in South London!


Hurrah also for getting to the 200 Follower mark. Wow. Thank you, thank you. I promised a giveaway when I got to 200 followers and I will, but it happened a wee bit quicker than I thought it would, having only just posted the prize off for my last giveaway, so watch this space and I'll blog it soon. But thank you. You mean the world to me. Thanks for reading and commenting and being lovely. I mean it.

The weekend that was

I've had a lovely, full, somewhat knackering, occasionally hilarious but thoroughly satisfying weekend.

On Friday night we babysat for friends. Took turns to creep up the stairs to check on the baby; soundly sleeping.  Meanwhile we caught up with Madmen; got engrossed in the story lines, fell in love with the styling and enraged by the sexism. We had a sneaky nightcap with our friends when they got back before hopping in a taxi home, feeling very grateful for our warm carriage as we drove through the dark rainy streets of London.

Saturday was one of our London days; one of the days that we have set aside through the year to visit new places. It began with brunch at the Wapping project.

We ate with large pieces of machinery towering over us;  marvelled at the cathedral- like ceilings and the girders and pulleys.  There were delicious pancakes with quince and syrup, a hearty full English with sourdough toast, and a wonderful bookshop in a greenhouse, heated with a tiny wood burning stove.

  

Then, we walked to London Bridge, with a trip to the bank of the Thames on the way. The tide was out, we threw stones and watched the boats scudding along the murky water. The rest of the walk was lovely; bracing, bright and windy.

We stumbled across Monument and decided to climb it on a whim. £3 and 311 steps to breathtaking views across the whole of London. 

Then the tube to Brixton, to investigate Brixton Village. It was wonderful. More coffee, homemade Pizza, an accordion player, and vintage shopping (a full, separate blog post coming up). Home on the bus to ready the flat for friends coming round. More babysitting whilst we watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind, ate our favourite take away, then talked until our eyelids became heavy.

Sunday was another full day. Me and Fay met with Lisa- Marie for a blog friends meet up, and off we went to Colombia rd Flower Market. We headed straight to a cafe and sat outside, clutching our hot cups of tea before ambling around the market. It was a sensory delight; brightly coloured, highly scented flowers, jostling and bashing past other people and stall holders shouting, slashing prices and bargaining...

Then home for lunch;  the boys had cooked us Leak and Broccoli soup with crusty bread (lovely boys). Elizabeth and Ray joined us there; a full house with the boys together to brew beer and the girls together to catch up and in some cases meet each other for the first time. The best bit, however, was a comedy vom from Florence, just as the camera clicked.

(Florence mid vom. Look along the faces then look in between Fay and Lisa Marie- on the sofa.... yuck! From left to right: Fay with Flo, Lisa Marie, Ray, me and Elizabeth))

After cleaning up (!) Elizabeth, Lisa- Marie and I went for tea and cake in a lovely cafe in Greenwich to talk, talk talk... then we walked home in the rain, said bye to Elizabeth.  More friends joined us at ours for an impromptu dinner-on-laps party.  My mister and I  cooked home made Pizza, whilst David Bowie played on the record player. We drank wine and ale and talked and talked and talked until I eventually got to bed, hours later than originally intended; full, happy, slightly woozy and very, very grateful.



Oh and then it was Valentines. Happy day to you! (my Valentines thoughts here)