Monday 24 September 2012

Page One Hundred and Seventeen: Life in Lists

1.) Re-designed blog. Think I don't hate it. For now.
2.) Ate at least (if not more than) five portions of fruit/veg today.
3.) Received really positive e-mail about something I thought would be negative.
4.) Finally booked flight home.
5.) Having a much needed day of no commitments tomorrow.
6.) Loving Rachel Khoo's Little Paris Kitchen. It's somehow very soothing. I'm not sure if it's the juxtaposition of English/Frenchness or the setting of it in Paris in a neighbourhood I know. Either way I'm pretty much in love.
7.) I was wrong about Fassbinder. Reading his commentary on various Sirk films was pretty much the highlight of today. He really tells it like it is.
8.) The end of next week is going to be insanely busy!
9.) There's something to be said for sitting in front of a computer screen late at night with headphones on. It takes me back to high school. Only then the internet was slower, the AIM conversations ever present, and the M.O. Photoshop!
10.) It's nice to make lists again.

Sunday 6 March 2011

Page One Hundred and Sixteen: Inspiration and Making It Work...

Things are still as crazy as ever, but I'm really trying to blog more. My friends are putting me to shame. On that note, my friend Kaitlin's blog is amazing. Her Fashion Friday this past week (Luxury Safari) is part of the reason I decided to do my own fashion entry today. Don't get me wrong, I love clothes and my walk-in closet. To be honest though, clothing prices here are a bit ridiculous. I can't justify spending the money because to me, if it already looks like shoddy craftsmanship there's no way I can bring myself to part with my precious savings. I tend to go shopping over the summer in either America or Paris and get pieces that will last. In Glasgow, I tend to go for accessories or vintage pieces. I got a really cute equestrian-themed silk scarf back in the fall that I can't wait to wear again (once it gets a tiny bit warmer). Last year's grad ball dress was also vintage (and a complete bargain).
But back to Friday! In having run out of TV shows to watch with dinner, I ended up watch Gok's Clothes Roadshow (Channel 4, 2011-). For those of you who don't know Gok Wan, he's the host of How to Look Good Naked (Channel 4, 2006- ) and is a big supporter of fashion for real-shaped women. His Clothes Roadshow show, focuses on how to create bargain designer looks. He basically shows how high street fashion can look equal to or better than say...a lace Dolce and Gabanna dress. I'm interested in trying out the silk dressing gown (bathrobe) as a wrap dress idea (check out the other great looks as well). It got me thinking about some of the lesser worn items in my closet, some of which are on probation (if I don't wear them in spring they have to be given away). I wouldn't necessarily spend 100 GBP on two of the same skirts (as Gok did), but I was inspired by his idea of layering two skirts on top of one another for extra fullness. On Saturday I was invited over to my one of my friends for a tea party in honour of St. Piran (patron saint of Cornwall). I decided to get out of the essay/uni work slump I've been in and try out a new look. The result was a really cute party outfit. I'm pretty sure Kaitlin would come up with a better name than me so I'll leave the naming of it up to her. I've been itching to wear the tunic since summer ended but it's far too cold here to even think of wearing it on it's own. I was really pleased to be able to layer the La Redoute dress on top as it's gotten a bit to small to wear on its own buttoned up. The cuff and belt remind me of a girly shopping night with Kaitlin and some friends in L.A. The belt was on sale, the cuff was too gorgeous to pass on (and reasonably priced for Urban Outfitters actually), and there may or may not have been a bunny luggage tag purchased. Without further ado:

Black lace skirt- one size fits all (from when I was like 12); Brown tunic- from a small boutique on Westwood Boulevard in L.A.; Black button-up dress- La Redoute; Belt- Urban Outfitters; Tights- Dim;

Headband- from my mom; Cuff- Urban Outfitters; Earrings- from my Grandparents, part of a collection of vintage-inspired pieces; Tablecloth- Vintage.

Suede Heels- Minelli

Sunday 16 January 2011

Page One Hundred and Fifteen: With A Little Help...

Accomplished this week/weekend:

1.) Managed to unpack suitcase from home and tidy up room
2.) Had lovely dinner with the boy and finally exchanged Christmas gifts (except cards which will happen next time?!)
3.) Completed German translation hours before class and managed to do a decent job.
4.) Began filming for film project.
5.) Had appointments with both careers advisor and tutor to discuss different parts of post-graduate applications
6.) Exam
7.) Nearly 4 hours of viewing VHS tapes in the library for dissertation.
8.) 5 hours of filming.
9.) Extensive work on dissertation chapter.
10.) Breakfast all but one day this week!

Monday 3 January 2011

Page One Hundred and Fourteen: High and Dry...

Today was disappointing, despite the fact that I:

1.) Completed five sections on my post grad application.
2.) Started my statement of purpose.
3.) Applied for four scholarships.
4.) Renewed library books from abroad.
5.) Began the epic planning that goes into trying to get to Germany from Scotland.

I know I accomplished a lot, but it is dampened by the fact that:

6.) I should still be relaxing on vacation but am in fact working so that I won't panic upon return to Scotland.
7.) I have been ill with a vile fever/flu/cold combo and missed any festivities that were associated with the coming of 2011. Still feel like crap.
8.) I really don't understand the opposite sex sometimes.
9.) I couldn't make myself feel better, despite a delicious steak frites dinner and an overpriced imported American root beer. (Seriously, it must be a bad day when that doesn't work)
10.) I know that the next two weeks will be increasingly difficult in a sort of everything important-will-happen -between-the-10th-and-the-25th-kind-of-way. That (and the thought of trying to get all my things back to Scotland without paying loads of excess baggage) are really making it tough to focus on trying to at least try to accomplish some things now.

Monday 6 December 2010

Page One Hundred and Thirteen: I Really Want to Blog...

but I have to study.
Also, the weather is horrendous leading to the following:

1.) My aunt's flight being delayed a whopping 450 minutes. She was supposed to leave at 9 AM and didn't taxi until about 17:23.
2.) My boyfriend's flight being cancelled and
re-booked. Subsequently every flight back to Northern Ireland was cancelled and he had been waiting 1 hour and 40 minutes for his bag when we last spoke five minutes ago.
3.) Three underground stations being closed.
4.) Domino's being shut. (both because people can't get into work, let alone home from work leading to...)
5.) The university offering emergency
accommodation for stranded students and staff (The e-mail I got hilariously implored staff not to sleep in their offices).
6.) Sidewalks that are like taking your life into your own hands.
7.) Dogs in sweaters (a cute phenomenon).
8.) Empty supermarkets (as in they aren't out of food, but rather customers).
9.) Soon-to-be-empty supermarkets (everyone is running out of stock and the deliveries cannot get through).
10.) Grumpy people everywhere and exclamatory facebook status updates.

Check out that delay...

And now parcels are delayed as well...


Wednesday 17 November 2010

Page One Hundred and Sixteen: For the Sake of Positivity, Likes only...

LIKES:

Food:
-Porcini Mushrooms
-Perfectly-cooked scallops (Gleneagles, anyone?)
-Pearl barley
-Glühwein
-Sunday lunch à la Waitrose roasted chickens
-Hershey's Chocolate Syrup (T.K. Maxx, in the UK!)
-Amazing vegetable Scotch Broth recipe

Purchases:
-Lush Christmas Eve Bubble Bar
-Black Pencil Skirt (The Limited, bought in America)
-Other clothes purchased in America
-Seagull Brooch
-Amazing Christmas/Birthday presents that I can't talk about here

Television:
Dexter
The Big C
Revision
Weeds

Films:
Despicable Me (2010, Coffin, Renaud) (actually adorable)
Coco Avant Chanel (2009, Fontaine)
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (2003, Bowser)
Fly Away Home (1996, Ballard) (blast from the past, anyone?)
Priceless (2006, Salvadori)
(And of course all of my dissertation films!)

Music:
Radiohead (In Rainbows)
Phoenix
Rebuilding my California summer playlist
90's throwbacks
Film soundtracks

Other:
Cats
Christmas
Sleep
Surprises
Thanksgiving
The boy
Travel (home next week!)

Sunday 7 November 2010

Page One Hundred and Fifteen: Man With a Moon, Laurent Laveder

Laurent Laveder:


Check out his other work and read this article 'Playing with the Moon'.
Amazing, no? I'm not sure I can pick a favourite...