Just a Minute.... January

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Making: Spaghetti Bolognese! I cooked for my chef boyfriend (with his direction) for the first time in a looooong time, oh and it didn't taste horrible!! Yay.

Watching: 'Never Let Me Go', 'Black Swan' and um.....America's Next Top Model.

 Gotta keep the balance between intellectual and trash ;)

Listening: Sleigh Bells, The Decemberists and Christina Perri.

Loving: Making plans for the new year, even if they are pipe dreams in my head involving sunny holidays, gigs, mini city breaks and extravagant nights out.

Buying: Birthday presents for my boy, a pretty rust coloured dress for me and a few trips to the swimming pool for my bod :)

Black Swan

Went to see Black Swan today....

I have been looking forward to seeing this film since August last year, when my boyfriend pointed me in the direction of the trailer (I even blogged about it here) and I'm pleased to say that after months of anticipation, it totally lived up to my expectations.

I must admit, I do have quite a 'pretentious' taste in film (so I've been told anyway!) so this metaphorical twisted thing of beauty ticked all the boxes for me.

Natalie Portman is brilliant and I have fallen in love with her acting skills even more after this. The film is claustrophobic, difficult to watch and at the same time utterly beautiful. I'm sure not every one will agree, but for all those who love their movies with a healthy dose of surrealism and a side of interpretive thinking, I suggest taking a peek.

Oh and the costumes by Rodarte are simply stunning....

Anyone else seen it? What did you think?

Favourites

Just a few of my favourite things I have discovered this week....

(there are some cool things on that there interweb)

This 'How to make vinyl record bowls' DIY from Darling Disarray

This look from Ironic Fashion......

This image from Lights Drive my Soul....

This song from Love, Zsara

This book from So Much to Tell You

And finally this amazing carrot cake whoopie pie from Shell + Blossom

(Which I was lucky enough to sample in real life- delish!!)

Quite an eclectic selection, non?

What have you been discovering this week?

Song of the Week.....

This week I'm going for a band I stumbled on due to a random act of Kindness. I had written an article about discovering new music for a website and had casually mentioned that I was obsessed with a certain song I'd heard on an advert....

A week or so later I received a kindly worded email from a reader telling me who it was that sang the song and what their album was called :)

How thoroughly lovely is that? I thanked the kind stranger profusely and proceeded to buy the album and I have been in love ever since.

The band is called The Dø and their album is called 'A Mouthful' and it is BRILLIANT! so diverse.

This is the song from the advert (oxford notebooks i think?) called 'On My Shoulders'

isn't she gorgeous? Love it.

Through the eye of a Hipsta....

Now any of you that follow my 365 project may have noticed that I have a new photography related obsession....

Hipstamatic.

This brilliant App for the iphone turns any mundane image into a thing of beauty, dipped in a glorious vintage hue. And I am a woman obsessed. After geekily searching the web I discovered other Hipsta lovers submit their images to: 'Hipstamatics', a great blog full of unique photography.

This blog and its contributors are also bringing their art into the real world with a exhibition at the Orange Dot gallery.

And these aren't images taken by artists, they're taken by Hipsta geeks just like me. Brilliant.

I loooove vintage style photography and think that merging new world technology with old world beauty is simply genius.

Anyway- enough of me blabbering on- here are some of my own Hipsta pics....

Anyone else use this App??

Je t'aime

I have a new style crush.

Her name is Josephine de La Baume and she is a French actress and singer (and supposedly 'hanging out' with a certain Mr. Mark Ronson).

I love her nonchalance and her effortless style....

When I grow up can I be a French actress/singer/beauty too?

And FYI, I quite like her band too- 'Singtank'

*sigh* je t'aime

Tag....you're it

Oooh looks like I've been tagged in a little bloggers quiz by Leslie over at Strategic Skin :o

I've had a slightly rubbish day and am now relaxing in my PJ's, so I'm in a great frame of mind for an easy Q and A bog post....

1. What is your dream job?

To write about fashion- working on a high-end publication like Elle or Vogue would be the dream :)

2. What is your favourite fragrance for winter?

I tend to stick to the same fragrances- Dolce & Gabbana 'Rose the One' and DKNY 'Delicious'

3. How do you take your tea/coffee?

I don't.... I do like a cheeky mocha, frappacino or hot chocolate on occasion though!

4. What is your most important beauty secret?

Use a good quality cleanser- I use Liz Earle Polish & Cleanse, love it.

5. If you had an all-expenses paid vacation anywhere, where would you go?

Australia, my sister went a couple of years ago and it sounds like it would be my second home.

6. If a genie popped up in your lap right now and offered you three wishes, what would they be?

1. To achieve my career dreams 2. To be comfortable financially 3. To live in a hot climate!

7. If you could only have breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert foods for the rest of your life, which would you pick?

Probably lunch- Just for the variety. Saying that- could I eat chocolate for lunch??

8. If you were Hello Kitty, what colour hair bow would you wear?

Odd question- I dislike hello Kitty and bows. It would be the colour of confusion.

9. What is your biggest make-up pet peeve?

Fake Tan- just looks like you need a wash!

10. If you could wear only one piece of jewellery for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Good question. Probably one of my necklaces that my sister has given me, simple and classic. 

11. What one talent do you wish you had?

Photography skills!! I'm working on it...

12. Which product will you continue to purchase?

Probably the Liz Earle cleanser I mentioned earlier- it makes my skin happy.

13. If you could look into the future, would you? And what would you want to know?

Noooo. Your future is what you make it- nothing's written.

14. Who is your biggest celebrity crush? Include pictures 

Oh dear, so many. Has to be Johnny Depp though, that talent! That face! Nom.

15. What made you start a blog?

The need to keep my brain from turning to mush after returning from uni jobless and full of dreams.

 Here are three little beauties who i want to know more about

Is This Real Life?

Looking Glass Girl

Shy Shoegazer

(Images via here)