The Sunday Review

Working a full-time job as well as attempting to fit in gym sessions, running and job applications has kept me very busy indeed. Liam is currently in New Orleans, organising a conference and sampling the culinary delights of the USA, so this weekend has been a bit of a quiet one. Today definitely warranted a morning lie-in, jam on toast, Sunday Brunch on the telly and the Sunday papers beside me. Sometimes its good to be lazy. 

I have been wearing...My new ASOS Albany Chelsea Boots. Ok, so if I could, I'd wear varying colours and patterns of Chelsea boots and nothing else. These are the most perfect pair I have ever found- they go with everything. I've mainly been pairing them with floral skater skirts, tights and jumpers ready for the winter, because our office usually resembles an ice-box! 

I have been listening to...Just be by Paloma Faith. Having always been a bit of a fan of Paloma, I was looking forward to her new album Fall to Grace. I love the idea behind the album that she has treated it like a 'film of her life', with each track depicting something she has experienced. You might recognise this song as featured on the ITV drama adverts. Listen to the lyrics, they are wonderful. 

I have been reading...The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. Having only completed the first chapter of this book, there isn't much I can say about it yet. I've been meaning to read it for a very long time, so I really hope it fufils expectation. 

I've been watching...The Hunger Games. Last weekend, Liam and I sat down to watch this again. Having seen it in the cinema, it was slightly disappointing having to watch it on a small-screened portable DVD player, but it was still fantastic. If you haven't seen it, give it a chance, or even better- read the books!  Here is my review on the film.

I'm also really looking forward to the return of Downtown Abbey this evening. What can I say? I've been converted to period dramas.

Birthday cake

Although it only Thursday, this week has been nicely busy one already and with the jubilee long weekend coming up as well as seeing Coldplay tomorrow, I'm having a really lovely time at the moment. Yesterday was my 22nd birthday so I had a rather self-indulgent day shopping, reading in Starbucks and then eating Chinese with my family.

As the weather has been hotting up, I am desperate for some summer clothes so I headed to old favourite New Look for some affordable pieces I could wear in the sun. I found these high-waisted shorts as part of Kelly Brook's new summer collection, comfortable as well as very flattering. As well as these, I managed to grab myself this fail-safe floral sundress (my wardrobe is full of them) and a swallow print tee which I'm sure will serve me well for the Isle of Wight festival this summer. The best bargain, however, was this lovely red lace dress which was cut down from £26 to £12. I cannot wait to team it with a pair of black heels, leather jacket and envelope clutch for a night out in Lancaster. All in all, I spent around £50 on these pieces- a bit of a bargain I think you'll agree!

After feeling all shopped out, I headed to Starbucks for a half-price Frappuccino and to continue reading Catching Fire (the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy which I am hooked on). After a lovely chinese meal with my family, we all headed home to watch The Apprentice. A very rock n' roll birthday, I know. As I'm not a big fan of birthday cake, my Dad had the sweet idea of purchasing some ice-cream instead. I've since opened the freezer to discover four whole tubs of Ben and Jerry's that I sense will probably last us for the next few months. I'll definitely have to be doing double sessions in the gym!

Of course, as well as a lovely day I got some equally lovely presents from friends and family. Pictured below are all the amazing gifts I got. I felt completely spoilt! Liam filled a gift bag with goodies, including DVDs, The Sex and the City box set, Eclectic Eccentricity jewelry and Vera Wang perfume as well as tickets to Coldplay and Matilda the musical and some money for driving lessons and buying new clothes (since my old clothes are getting too big for me now as well as a bit tatty.) My parents also gave me some money for new things as well as the lovely blue heart necklace in the photo.

All in all, it was a lovely day and very tame indeed- I seem to be all partied out nowadays. Proof I really am getting old.

(From L-R: DVD's of Sex and the city, The Help and One Day, EE Necklace (with meteorite attached to it!), EE seahorse earrings all from Liam, Accesorize diamante cherry necklace from Lauren, River Island gold tape measure necklace from Laura, Blue heart necklace from my parents, Green 'Do not publish' notebook from Rachel with Waterstones voucher, Tickets for Coldplay and Matilda the musical from Liam, Handmade bunting from Laura, My starbucks birthday treat to myself, Vera Wang perfume from Liam.)

The Sunday Review

This week has been nicely busy. Among job applications, gym sessions and driving lessons, I managed to slot in a job interview and a few extra bits here and there. This weekend has been wonderfully relaxing and consisted mainly of reading in the sunshine, watching Eurovision and ambling through town. Here is what I've been filling life with this week...

I have been wearing...My new favourite dress from Dorothy Perkins. I purchased this dress a few weeks ago after buying the leopard print version and loving it so much, I bought it in every colour and pattern available. This dress with a pair of Ray-Ban lookalikes and tan brogues combined with the glorious weather almost made me feel like I was swanning around the French Riviera. Well, a girl can dream. 

I have been listening to...Silenced by the night by Keane. Admittedly, I have always harboured a bit of a secret love for mainstream indie music. In my early teenage years, I was a big fan of Keane and was surprised to see them making a comeback this year- a little older and a little less miserable. This song is brilliantly catchy and emotional, if not a little predictable- rhyming the words 'light' and 'night', who would've thought it? 

I have been reading...Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. After reading The Hunger Games recently, I was eager to see if the rest of the trilogy was as good as the first book. I'm not usually one to buy in to these teen franchises (Don't even mention Twilight) but I have to say I am really impressed with the originality of these novels. So far, I am a quarter of the way through and finding it hard to put down. 

I have been lusting after...This lovely dress from Glamourous UK. With the weather hotting up as well as the fact that it is my birthday on Wednesday, I'm looking to nab myself a lovely summer dress. Glamorous UK was recommended to me by a friend and after checking out the website, I have been impressed. Hopefully I'll be ordering this beautiful little number very soon.  

Finally, here is my week in true Instagram blogger style.

Soaking up the sun, Catching Fire, 

Peppermint green nails, Frappucinno happy hour, 

Farringdon station, Starbucks and The Great Gatsby.

Follow me on Instagram @bexonfire

The Sunday Review

A pleasant surprise of a short week this week. Not enough gymming and a disastrous driving lesson on Thursday but apart from that, I've been focusing on relaxing a little as I've begun to feel a bit run-down lately.
Here is what I've been filling life with this week...

I have been wearing...These lovely jeggings from Dorothy Perkins. They come in every colour under the sun but I purchased the black and grey pairs. They are incredibly flattering and an absolute bargain at just £23, so pick up a pair today.

I have been buying...a lovely Revlon lip butter. I first spotted these in this week's Company magazine and was due a new lip balm so decided I must try it! I grabbed mine in the Peach Parfait shade which goes on as a lovely shimmery pink. More importantly, the butter is very moisturising and keeps my lips soft whilst also injecting some colour.

I have been listening to...What's Up by The 4 Non-Blondes. This song was featured in one of the auditions for The Voice (yes, I'm still watching it- and enjoying it actually! Ouch!) and I'd completely forgotten just how brilliant it is. A really powerful nineties hit with a front woman with serious attitude- how refreshing! Keep an eye out for her style in the video too- a little outlandish but brilliant- making me want lace-up boots all over again.

I have been reading...The Hunger Games. Yes, quite predictably I began reading it on Liam's Kindle after seeing it at the cinema. So far, I am only a quarter of the way in but I am really enjoying it- a lot more detail than they could have squeezed into the film. I know a lot of people are making their way through the books now. I just hope the rest of the trilogy read as well as this one.

Wishing you all a very lazy Sunday afternoon.

The Hunger Games

As always, another busy week. Last week, among the usual gym sessions and driving lessons, I managed to fit in a date night with Liam. Starting off with a (ridiculously indulgent) meal at TGI Fridays, we went on to see the most talked-about film of the moment, The Hunger Games.

If I was one to believe what I read, it was apparent that The Hunger Games was a film targeted mainly at angst- ridden teenagers and the film itself had even been brandished with the label 'the new Twilight.' This description very nearly put me off- mainly due to my hatred of anything Twilight based.  It was only after reading this article in The Daily Mail that I realised I wouldn't be seeing a children's film and that perhaps it really was as gritty as the trailer had promised.

Frankly, I wasn't disappointed. My favourite thing about The Hunger Games? Katniss Everdeen. Surely there is nothing better than a powerful female heroine- and Katniss, played brilliantly by Jennifer Lawrence, had attitude in bucket loads. I found the premise of the film very interesting. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, it explored the possibility of what could happen in society if it was allowed to decline. The fictional nation of Panem, comprised of the wealthy capitol and the surrounding twelve districts, is an eerie and disturbing new world. As punishment for a rebellion against the government, the capitol has initiated The Hunger Games- a televised event in which two young people- a boy and girl- compete to fight to the death in an arena until there is one remaining victor. So far, so violent.

The film follows Katniss as she fights in the Hunger Games- running around in tight black lycra and making brooding stares at the camera. Tortured with fire, killer bees and the threat of the other contestants- Katniss is followed as she struggles to stay alive- whilst managing to keep her hair and make-up unrealistically perfect throughout. It's safe to say that my fourteen year old self was resurfacing the more I watched.

In many ways, The Hunger Games is just a very enjoyable futuristic adventure- and enjoy it I certainly did. For me, there was something reminiscent of dark and gritty television dramas, such as Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror and Liam was sure it reminded him of films from the 1980's- perhaps the camp outfits and over-dramatic performances weren't dissimilar to the old Tim Burton films. There have been good and bad reviews of The Hunger Games- and there seems to be a general consensus that it simply wasn't as good as anticipated. My opinion? It isn't very often I watch a film lasting nearly two and a half hours without looking at a clock. This one kept me captivated, entertained and longing for more- and I didn't check my watch once.