The Frosty Tundra

As it is that Festive time of year, I thought it only right to post some rather festive looking photos. Ok, not really 'festive', more snow-filled and wintery. These were taken a couple of weeks ago up in Aberdeenshire. Frosty trees, white outs, blizzards and knee-deep snow to push the cars out of. The largest snowman (and woman) you've ever seen. Beautiful gates covered in a dusting of snow.

I am currently in the darkest (it was however exceptionally sunny today) depths of Cornwall busting out some rather fetching winter jumpers (pictures up soon), sitting by roaring log fires, going on bracing wintery walks in the fresh air and gaining gloriously rosy cheeks, and generally eating, sleeping and drinking!

I hope that everyone has a wonderfully Merry Yuletide, and is looking forward to a bright new start in 2011!

New and Exciting Things for the Autumn

A Restless Autumn of Protesting

Been a busy bee recently. And a highly pro-active political protester!

Firstly - the above song, Hope There's Someone by Anthony and the Johnsons was a gem of a tune that I heard on Radio 2 , that rather eclectic mix that has something for everyone. The song is wonderfully haunting and melancholy - perfect for the encroaching darker evenings that are now upon us.

Secondly, as those - especially in the UK - may know, on Wednesday there was a (to start with at least) peaceful protest outside No. 10 Downing Street and was supposed to continue on past the iconic structure of the House of Parliament in London. This was my first protest, and although it was an early set off from North Wales (had to get up at 3:30!!) it was most definitely worth it! The feeling of so many people being in the same place to try and change the way we learn was amazing.

However, as ever there are always a few who decide to ruin things, and so our largely peaceful protest became over shadowed by people crashing into the Conservative Head Quarters and setting fire to the protest plaques that shortly before had been for something so positive.

The press loved it.

It showed students (even though many of those who were doing the smashing were in fact not students - merely people who wanted a fight) in a tainted light.

I hope however, that the main message gets across to those who we have unfortunately entrusted power to.

Cutting the Arts is UNacceptable. It is our culture, a way of expressing ourselves, it is as important as know how to walk or talk.

Thirdly in my relaxed Sunday catch-up, is the find of the film called Restless. It stars Mia Wasikowska, the star in Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland. Yes - she has cut hair hair. Those gorgeous golden locks that made the character of Alice what it was are no more. What remains is a cute pixie hair cut that she can really pull off! I can entirely empathise with doing this; a few years ago I had over a foot of hair cut off all in one go. Liberating beyond words!

Anyway, I hope that you enjoy the look of this film as much as I do. I especially am liking her rust coloured tartan jacket with broaches attached - may have to go and scour out some charity shops....

Freezing Moustaches

Freezing Moustaches

Freeze, Facial Hair and some Tunes

My wonderful sister told me about the above artist - Benjamin Francis Leftwich. After watching this video, which I personally think is how every childhood should be remembered - in that disjointed, rose tinted way. It has also totally inspired me to make the most of my week off (ok fine, 'Reading Week').

After my birthday on Wednesday - the facial hair was most certainly a grand idea I must say - D and I went to London for the Freeze festival (my birthday present to him). It was - in the words of the highly annoying commentator - 'GNARLY', 'EPIC', 'RAD' - pretty much any stereotype word that you can possibly think of with the skiing world - insert here! It was grand though. Plenty of wonderfully retro ski outfits and shell suits - trust me - neon is ALWAYS good on the slopes!

In a free magazine Cooler I found a rather interesting and wonderful opportunity. The SKETCH BOOK PROJECT! I am trying to figure out if I have the funds to pay $25 to take part. BUT...I am thinking how fantastic it would be to have my sketch book, in a gallery, with other people looking at it and inspiring them (maybe selling it?!) all in another country! I will keep you updated.

Also - thanks to people doing what they say (plus a smidge of birthday money!) I am now in a position to buy a new camera. I adore my Canon PowerShot SX110 IS, but feel that I have reached my limits of what I can do with it. Plus, to be fair, it was going back from what I previously had (the Canon G9 - how I miss it!) So - any advice that you Bloggers out there may have - I would appreciate.

Summer Sights

Full Bloom till Spring

Here are a few (very brief) snaps from the summer. I suddenly realised that I had been horrendously slack. As They say; Life happens whilst you're making plans! Anyway, I shall shortly do a very quick summary of the summer, then head on to (in my opinion) more exciting stuff...like the autumn!

It's great for a number of reasons.

Crunchy leaves.

Red, orange and yellow rain from above.

Pumpkins! (I will see a pumpkin patch at some point!)

My birthday! (although the number 23 doesn't seem quite as young any more...)

Frosty mornings.

The air of change.

The joy of being able to dress up in cosy (or 'gemutlich' - clearly my German is coming in handy!) clothes and not feel silly in big warm knitted things and hats and scarves.

In my up-and-coming posts I will be asking for advice. As it is the season of change (in my view anyway) my trimmer waistline (yay!) and the anticipation of my belated grant coming through, a much needed trip to the Realm of Shops and Culture is needed. A few choice pieces are to be bought...but what to get?! Any ideas??? Also...hairstyles - my hair now resembles a mop even more than usual, and feel a need to do something, ANYTHING to it! Fringe? Yay? Nay? Help!

After a few months of travelling and what not....Wee Bonnie Scotland

Wee Bonnie Scotland

After a few frenetic months of being super busy, I am finally able to upload some pictures! These first ones are of my first trip to Scotland this year (others will soon be up).

(These pictures are actually digital pictures of the originals which are from a Kodak throw-away point and shoot)

I have decided that Scotland dislikes me taking a digital camera. Last time I was up (in Fort William last summer) my camera broke half way through the weekend whilst watching the downhill bike trials. This time, 20 minutes into the train journey from North Wales, I realised that I hadn't even packed my camera! I was luckily able to buy a couple of disposables.

I forgot how much I adore the anticipation of waiting for my film to be developed (second only to developing it myself in the dark room), and the techni-colour grainy feel of these pictures makes me glad that I forgot my digital camera. Plus it made me really think about what I wanted to take a picture of. I found that I've got into a habit of just taking photos for the sake of it, rather than actually thinking what I'm trying to take a picture of. Anyone else the same??

From Inverness, we travelled the long way around Loch Ness, across the Isle of Skye, caught the ferry to the Isle of Lewis and drove all the way up and along the single tracks that inhabit the island, trying to dodge the sheep.

Deserted beaches, sun (speckled with rain, but barely) and I even went into the sea...3 times! Granted, it was a short, sharp blast of icy water, but it was so worth it, and a true beach BBQ solves any shivers you may have!

OK - so this is the first in my updates - we have Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Scotland again, and probably a few more to be sprinkled up here. I hope that you will be patient - I'm trying to revise for my looming German retake on Friday...!

A film to look forward to...I think so!

Inception

Not since Sherlock Holmes have I been quite so excited to see a film in the cinema. From the director of The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan) and staring Ellen Page, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, MichaelCain & Cillian Murphy, and set inside the minds of people, it doesn't sound like it could get any better.

I have a bizarre obsession about writing down my dreams (any one else do this???) and I feel that they have great control over how I feel the next day. Sometimes I get so involved in them that I find it painfully hard to distinguish from dream and reality. This film is about the control of dreams, and blurring both aspects - everyday life and the life of when we sleep. DiCaprio has excelled himself in the last few years in terms of film - obviously the clincher was Titanic in terms of his film career, but I personally feel that films such as The Beach and Blood Diamond do far more for him in terms of showing his acting skills, and don't even get me started on What's Eating Gilbert Grape? His acting was so good, that I honestly thought that he was mentally challenged.

It also hosts Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Page is the golden child of Juno, the film that made so much sense, and makes me cry and smile in equal quantities with some of the best music for that plinky-plonky honky tonk feel of goodness; and Gordon-Leviit over the years has done so much that I adore. Not that I am a tad biased with a teen crush on him IN the slightest...but such iconic films that depicts certain periods of my life such as 10 Things I hate About You - that absolute gem that re-does Shakespeare so grungy and real with one of THE BEST soundtracks to a film that I springs to mind, as well as more up-to-date projects as The Lookout, and the Indie film, Brick, as well as (500) Days of Summer - which I have only just seen somehow and instantly fell in love with - the music, the colours, the clothes, the brutal honestness of a man's journey through love and beyond.

So yes - as you can tell, I am indeed excited to see what this film has to offer, as it also has Breakfast On Pluto and Batman Begins star, Cillan Murphy. Roll on July 16th!

Cirque du Soleil

Saltimbanco!

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went along to Liverpool (after Scotland - the photos will be up soon - they need to be developed). I haven't been to Liverpool since 2005(?!) with Foundation, and even though it's been a fair ol' while, I still utterly adore it. When we arrived (keeping in mind that we barely had time to actually sight see etc, just get to the Echo Arena) it was bright and blue and sunny. Liverpool architecture is all about the juxtaposition - old versus new, all next to each other, but all fitting together well like some giant puzzle.

The show itself was mind blowing (thanks to all the seats not having been sold, we got upgraded!) It started off a tad disjointed it seemed, but when the music started, that was when the proper show began. The gymnastics were exceptional, and the costumes (keeping in mind I started a degree in Costume, and even though I didn't complete it, doesn't hinder my love of beautiful and well made outfits) were inspiring and wacky and amusing. I managed to sneak a few photos (minus flash - as you weren't really supposed to take any - and I did get told off!) so excuse the poor quality of them - but hopefully it will give you some idea of how great it was! It was visually stunning, amusing, and just generally enjoyable. If you ever get the chance to - go and see a show!

Music to my ears

Whitley

After a bit of a strange day (I'm doing my month's placement at a butterfly / reptile / bugs / small pets place called Pili Palas), and having been crapped on by a snake (NOT something that I suggest in any shape or form) I came home to listen (AGAIN) to Whitley. I found out about him from watching Flashforward (what can I say - I got hooked!) and it was on the final episode of the first series.

So far he has totally rocked my epicentre of music, and I can't wait to listen to him whilst at a BBQ on the beach when I'm not working!

One BIG Weekend

Bangorlicious!

Wow - it's been a while! I've had a fairly busy time since having finishing my exams (yay - first year over!) The weekend before my final exam, Radio 1's Big Weekend came to Bangor, North Wales. As you can imagine, this was a fairly major event, as thins sort of thing doesn't often happen in Bangor. The sun shone (I managed to get some rather excellently sunburnt shoulders), music was played, jumping around was done, and my boyfriend and I managed to make the grand total of £46 by picking up paper cups (I strongly suggest this to anyone going to festivals this summer!)

There were many people - a variety of the hard-core 'indie' people, those that looked as if they'd been tangoed, and many, many people that fashion had apparently passed. Faithless were easily my favourite band that I saw there, MGMT were spewing out the summer vibe; but I always love it when you go to a festival and find a band that you had never heard of, and turned out to be rather great. So was the case with Bombay Bicycle Club. I guttingly missed the acoustic session, but managed to catch the main performance. The main singer had a fantastically energetic (though it did look at points that he was having some sort of fit!) way of dancing, which added to the enthusiasm of the audience. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did.

The best way to start the summer?

A free festival where the sun shines, you manage to make money by doing good for the environment, whilst seeing and hearing fantastic bands!

Vintage tent at Radio 1's Big Weekend, 2010

These two photos above are of the stall of Dolls & Molls. I brought (with my money earned from collecting paper cups!) a gorgeous pair of earings in the shape of feathers, gold in colour, and went gorgeously with my turquoise top that I was wearing. Their stuff was well priced (the earings were only £4) and had a rather nice home-made quality, as opposed to the shop brought stuff, so you know that you won't find someone with the stuff jewellery as you (unless of course their taste is as good as yours!)

Faithless

Bombay Bicycle Club

Butterflies and Hurricanes

Black and White KINKIness

When flying back from Switzerland, I picked up a fantastic (but not in English) magazine called KINKI. These are some of my favourite picture from the magazine. I especially like the photograph of the guy's face having been rubbed out.

And I am seriously wanting the big wooly jumper of the girl sitting by the window.

And here's a rather plinky track from Faithless. Enjoy :)

Music for My Love

Inspiration Needed!

Ok - seeing as how all but one of my exams are over (yay!) I have realised that I need a humungous injection of culture in my life! With the closest cinema about 30 mins away by train/walking, and over a week until I go to see Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco in Liverpool, I need to do something creative :)

I have already written and wrapped a parcel for my sister, but I wanted to make my boyfriend a music CD.

I need ideas of songs to put on! Along the lines of Faithless, Tiesto...but also wanted to put chilled out stuff on like Chicane. Any input of must-have tunes would be greatly appreciated! I will post up the final track list once I have completed it.

And whilst on the topic of music - check out Rose of Jerico by BT. I especially love the video.

Shop Till you Drop - then have an Ice-Cream

La Di Da

40 Silver Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset

Bridal wear, fabric and haberdashery

Ginger Beer

12 Broad Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset

Outdoor living - garden equipment from a sepia era

Susie Cole

15 Broad Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset

Lacey, pearly, crammed full of girly goodness

Local is Best

When I went back home for Easter, I had momentarily forgotten how quaint and unique Lyme is. There are some truly cute shops which allow you to rummage and look for yourself to come across an absolute gem. The best bit is, that all of these shops are one-offs and therefore you are more likely to have a totally individual style if you buy from places like this.

It's far better than the high street shops.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed the irony that New Look produces, but on the window in Bangor it has the phrase 'Be the Trend'. How, New Look, can everyone 'be the trend' if we all buy from your nation-wide store? We'd all look the same!

Charity shops, thrift stores and vintage all the way - mixed in of course with car boot finds and staple goods that are going to last rather than become yesterdays fashion today.