It was my birthday last week and as I’ve already documented my thoughts on the whole thing, it’s time to share what I actually did! My birth “day” actually spanned about 5 days as I had gigs before and after the day itself, plus a big meal/pub night with all my pals at the weekend. Continue reading
Danilo and I were in Camden for a meeting on this occasion; happily the end of the meeting coincided with our lunch-hour so we used it as an excuse to briefly run round the markets and admire the relatively new Amy Winehouse statue. I’ve not discussed it much before, but I’m a huge, huge Amy Winehouse fan; I think the statue is beautiful and it’s a wonderful way to commemorate her spirit. She really was such a part of the local community and Camden really felt her loss personally when she died. I like that she’s back and watching over all of us there.
My outfit is very standard “Laila”; short skirt, white shoes, colourful shirt, bag (my one bag…) and winter coat. Danilo (who took these photos) and James are always saying how difficult it is to take photos for me as I never shut up and lose interest after about 10 seconds, maybe you can tell..!
Here’s some photos of a supercool blogging party Bel took me to a few weeks ago. Me being me I arrived too late to meet any actual bloggers (in my defence, apparently bloggers like early nights as it was only about 9.30). We eventually moved on to the pub: three rounds of free drinks and a couple of very drunk patrons later, it was suddenly 2am on a Monday morning. The only new contact I made that night is a barman who I’ve awkwardly bumped into round Camden since. Fun times! Have you guys been to any blog events?
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Parc Guell is a huge park in the northern area of Barcelona designed by Gaudi, (who I mentioned in my earlier post here). We went to Parc Guell on the last day of my recent trip to Barcelona; we spent about an hour wandering the grounds and exploring the various terraces, staircases and passageways. The bright mosaic tiling around the main terrace and covering the houses didn’t look at all out of place with the sandy brickwork and dull green palm trees; normally I find sculptures and bright artwork to look a bit incongruous in gardens and outside areas so it was interesting to note the cohesive design of the park as a whole.
I’ve named this blog in tribute to my favourite film and also because I had so many comments on this red skirt during the holiday. It’s a fantastic skirt; it fits me perfectly and it has pockets! An old lady in Camden died quite recently and her son gave all her clothes to the charity shop so I’ve inherited at least half of her amazing wardrobe. I didn’t know her but I think of her every time I wear one of her items; they’re all brightly coloured and costume-like and you just know she must have lived a pretty fun and glamourous life with a clothes collection like that (she’s also how I came to own the amazing orange eighties suit I shared on Facebook the other week).
I’ve included some pictures of my beautiful friend Christina – when we were about 17 we worked in the same shop and people used to get us mixed up or think we were related. We’ve got similar mannerisms and speech patterns but also used to dress quite similarly; we’d often swap clothes at parties just to confuse people as well. Now we’ve basically gone in totally separate directions and look completely different, this holiday is probably the most opposite we’ve ever looked and it was a running joke between us. What do you think, can you see any similarities?
Happy New Year everyone! I came back to London on the 2nd and have been “back at work” since then. I’ve not really documented anything as I’ve been working hard on my upcoming WOLF PACK concerts, hence the lack of posts. These photos are really just to show you my new favourite necklace, and were taken during my “lunch hour” (25 minutes).
Blouse – vintage, £3.50. Necklace – Tatty Devine, gift. Dungaree pinafore dress thing – vintage, £17. Trainers – New Look, £6 (sale). Mouse ring – Camden Market, £2. Socks – ???, christmas present.
James and I had a rare Sunday off and I had all these grand plans for a jam-packed day of action and adventure. I think this is what happens when you don’t have weekends or a normal working schedule; you see a window of opportunity and go insane trying to make the most of the day! However, as it was a day off I predictably slept for hours, and by the time James and I bothered to leave the house we decided to just head ten minutes down the road to Kentish town rather than trek over to East London. I was initially annoyed at failing in my original plans but cheered up considerably following a breakfast that involved dessert and a very fruitful trek round the charity shops. You can see my purchases above (accompanied by James). The book is amazing and the polo neck is so warm!
I’m wearing one of my many, many purchases from the charity shop where I work – it’s covered in the kind of ridiculous 80s print that makes me laugh (chains, hooks, iron rods and pearls… that classic print combination) and it was a mere £1.50. £1.50! That’s cheaper than nearly everything in McDonalds! James jokes that every Friday is “New Outfit Day” as it’s the day after my shift and I invariably have new clothes. He’s got a point, but it’s hard to feel guilty when everything is secondhand recycling, incredibly cheap and contributing to a good cause. I never shop on the high street or online but if I find something I like in a charity shop I do tend to just get it (funds allowing!) because you might never see it again: too many times I’ve had the depressing “return” to a charity shop for that one singularly amazing item, only to find somebody worth more sense has snatched it away in your absence.
Hello! I have just got back from holiday so apologies if you were wondering where regular posts had gone! I tend to blog about things a day or two after they happen; I know some bloggers save photos up for weeks but I find it feels really irrelevant to do so. Something else is bound to happen and I’d rather live in the moment! However, these photos deserved to go up as I keep promising more food posts about my strange diet.
These are actually at Camden “Night Market”: essentially just Camden Market open a bit later on a Thursday, with a slight variation on stalls and a Backyard Cinema residency (including an amazing screening of one of my favourite film, Almost Famous). I don’t follow any listings or event mail outs because in my experience anything advertised or listed as “the place to be” is never the place to be (also who has the time to trawl through all the events in London?!), but presumably Night Market was quite heavily promoted as it was heaving!
So, FOOD. I’m completely obsessed with Chin Chin Labs as you can tell from my hilarious ice-cream face; the staff always have the best recommendations and flavours change every week. I was sampling Walnut Whip ice-cream with peanut brittle in the above photos. Later on we “shared” Dutch Pancakes from this adorable stall I’ve not seen before. Fresh strawberries and warm baked goods is so good! I’ve not had such tiny pancakes before; they were almost like waffles in texture. I also left with a massive bag from Cupcakes and Shhht who make the best crumbly cookies (treat breakfast).
P.S. I’m wearing the mythical cardigan of the sub header and also this new skirt – it doesn’t go but it arrived in the post this morning and I whipped off my other skirt and threw it on. As if I have the time or inclination to change clothes when I’m already wearing them! skirt – Modcloth, gift. Spiked lion cuff – Stella & Dot Limited Edition (similar), gift.
I’m not really a fan of pastel colours but this minty polka dot dress won me over, mostly because it has A CAPE. This minty turquoise colour has become a favourite of mine in recent times, I don’t know if it has been a trend recently but I seem to see lots of people wearing knitted jumpers in a similar colour. The dress is from ModCloth and was brought by my auntie last time she visited. These photos were taken by the glass building in Camden, as one passer-by commented I blended in pretty well with my dress!
I’m also wearing my new plimsolls. Plimsolls (and studded boots) are my default shoe, and most of the pairs I own are about 5 years old, inherited from my grandma (and therefore a size too small) discoloured and full of holes. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than £5 on a pair before, but this summer I decided it was time to invest in something better. That’s where these plastic plimsolls from Melissa stepped in! I purchased them for £22.99 down in Covent Garden (who are very open to haggling) and have really enjoyed having shoes that retain their colour and shape for more than a week. The red soles remind of Sonic the Hedgehog (probably my favourite game character) and being made of plastic they feel super springy as well; very different to canvas shoes! What do you guys think of plastic shoes?
TAPE PARADE 