New Year

The period between Christmas and New Year is one of my favourite times of the year. Away from the stresses of daily life, it serves as a good time to reflect on the past year while making goals for the year ahead. I've never been one for new year's resolutions - there always seems something quite defeatist and impractical about making a promise you know you'll break within the first few weeks of January and I hate putting that much pressure on myself.

Instead, I like to think about achievable goals I'd like to reach during the next few years. A few years ago and fresh out of university, I made a wishlist of things I'd like to have achieved - a place of my own, a step on the career ladder and a car of my own. Fast forward three years and along with some spectacular adventures and wonderful experiences alongside a lot of hard work, I have all of these things.

Having long-term goals reminds me that while I don't need things here and now, a lot of hard work and patience will get me to where I want to be eventually. When you're a child, having a house, job and family seem like the easiest things in the world and it is only when you reach adulthood that you realise these things take a while to build up. While my first few years as a graduate were difficult, I have been fortunate enough to find some fantastic friends, embark on wonderful trips and be part of some brilliant projects. My confidence has soared, my relationships have strengthened and I have learnt a lot.

That isn't to say I haven't got anything left to do. I still want to acquire a driving licence, see more of the world and when I'm feeling brave enough, perhaps embark on my first half marathon. I have a feeling that the next three years of my life will bring a lot of change and plenty more adventures - I can't wait.

Confetti

It would appear that life has taken hold again and kept me from blogging, not that I regret not writing. My new day job has kept the creative side of my brain busy for the last few months, and sometimes it is nice to experience new things and embark on new adventures without knowing they have to be captured digitally. Nonetheless, this is a very belated post on my friend Chris' marriage to his childhood sweetheart Laura.

Set in the heart of Lancashire, The Gibbon Bridge hotel is as picturesque as you might imagine. Lush greens, stunning mountainous surroundings, and a charming bandstand where the ceremony took place. We arrived in the afternoon, just in time for the rain to clear and the sun to shine and after a few glasses of wine, settled outside to watch the ceremony unfold. From a delicious meal to heart-warming speeches, a quirky photo booth, a few too many glasses of champagne and a fantastic band - it was a beautiful wedding. The best part is that I was reunited with my best friends for the first time in around four years - my friend Rachel and her boyfriend Amir even travelled from Singapore to take part in the celebrations. A truly unforgettable day and evening. Congratulations Chris and Laura.

What Alice Forgot- A Book Review

Since reading The Husband's Secret, I've been caught up in the hype regarding Lianne Moriarty. I wasn't expecting anything too spectacular from What Alice Forgot - simply because I hadn't heard anything about it. The premise was like something out of a forgettable chick lit novel. Woman falls down and bangs her head in the gym and somehow manages to erase her memory of the last ten years of her life? So far, so predictable.

In some ways, the novel was quite predictable. While I'm a sucker for a good old-fashioned love story, as I? was reading it I could definitely work out the way it was heading, which made it very different from her previous book. That isn't to say I didn't enjoy it, though. The parallel between Alice's young, carefree life in her twenties and the stresses and strains of being in her late thirties was well executed, and there were some great characters that made it a worthwhile read.

A great page-turner that kept me captivated from beginning to end, this is a brilliant love story about the realistic expectations of marriage and how memories shape who we are. Definitely worth a read.

The Husband's Secret- A Book Review

I first picked out this book because the lovely people at Amazon kept recommending it to me via Kindle. It sounded intriguing enough, but I waited until it was on offer until I actually went ahead and bought it. This one was a rare example of a book that hooks you from the start. Beautifully written and wonderfully observant, the start of the book introduces the three main female characters - perfectionist Cecelia, anxious Tess and heart-broken Rachel. While it sounds like a bad case of chick lit, it has so much more substance. 

The book begins with Cecelia finding a mysterious letter in the house while her husband is away. She thinks she knows him inside out, so she is surprised to find a dusty envelope in the attic with the words: 'For my wife- to be opened in the event of my death.' When she casually mentions it, her husband's reaction makes it clear that the last thing he wants her to do is to open that envelope - but why? Meanwhile, Tess is still reeling from her husband's affair and Rachel is still haunted by the death of her daughter from years ago. Although starting out as very individual stories, the women's lives intersect as the central story carefully unravels. 

I won't say too much because I don't want to ruin this brilliant story as well as the twists and turns that accompany it. What I will say is that you should be prepared to give up some of your time for this book as it really is something you won't be able to put down. 

Something New

So, as the old saying goes. Out with the old and in with the new. I've been writing on my blog for over two years now and it is fair to say, it was looking a little old and tired. So when my good friend Laura of A Modern Bonnet offered to overhaul the design completely, I jumped at the chance! Although I might be a little biased, Laura is extremely talented. Blogger, crafter and creator of all things creative, she has a knack for making things look pretty - whether its making bunting out of book pages, creating birthday cards out of buttons and ribbon or in this case, making blogs look gorgeous. At the moment she has her work cut out with her own online shop A Novel Gift, focusing on all things bookish, but somehow still has the time to delve herself into the world of blog design!  Despite her own creative inclinations, Laura very much wants you to be part of the design process. She was kind enough to let me choose many of my images and ideas - from how my catergories should be set up to how my header should look. She even suggested making a mood board on Pinterest of the colours, themes and images I liked - making the process even smoother.  Overall, I'm really pleased with how mine turned out. The layout is much neater and more professional but still gives a little glimpse of my character. Thank you Laura! If you want to check out some of the work that Laura does, as well as the beautiful photography of my friend Amy, check out their website at Ardently Creative Designs. 

I never thought I'd...

A firm favourite blog of mine is that of my friend Laura. Not only is she super-talented (she makes her own hand-made crafts and sells them on Etsy) but also writes a hilarious account of her daily life. Cue: stories about A&E trips and dates that have gone spectacularly wrong. Last week, she posted "I never thought I'd...", and left me inspired to make a list of my own. For someone incredibly headstrong (read: stubborn) who likes to plan my life in great detail, this was a challenging list to make!

I never thought I'd have visited New York by now. Taking a trip to the big apple was top of my travel to-do list, so that the fact that I was lucky enough to experience it before my 23rd birthday is something quite special.

I never thought I'd still be in love. After four years with someone, I'd always assumed that love would fade and my limited attention span would have diverted me elsewhere. Living together, holidaying together and sharing our ups and downs have resulted in us being closer than ever. 

I never thought I'd stop having lie-ins at the weekend. Ask anyone that has ever lived with me and they'll tell you I am not a morning person. The big bad world of work has meant that I have had to get used to getting up every day at half past six. Every time I get out of bed at 8am on a Saturday to put the washing on, I scare myself that I'm turning into my mother.

I never thought I'd enjoy running. From the always-overweight girl that used to dread P.E lessons at school, the fact that I can now run a 5k a few times a week without wanting to be sick is something that still surprises me. I began running because I knew it would be a challenge, and whilst it still is, I am really enjoying the journey. 

I never thought I'd feel (almost) comfortable in my own skin. I was the kind of awkward teenager that deplored almost everything about myself. Nowadays, I can see my strengths and weaknesses. The older I get, the more I'm starting to accept myself for who I am- including my poor maths skills, terrible temper and the fact I'll always be a little bit fat.

New York, New York

Central Park.

The Mall in Central Park.

A view from Belvedere Castle.

Times Square.

Last week, I was lucky enough to find myself in New York for four days. One of the most beautiful cities in the world, the skyscrapers were dizzying and with our hotel room on the 31st floor, I never tired of the overwhelming view of the Manhattan skyline. It was also absolutely freezing. Still, the Big Apple in January was an amazing experience.

We flew out to JFK on the Wednesday and took the subway through to 50th street where we would be staying in a hotel opposite Times Square. A large pizza delivered to our room accompanied by the experience of American television was all we could manage before falling asleep.

The next day was mostly spent in Central Park, taking in the sights and climbing our way up the spiral staircase at Belvedere castle to see the views. Possibly my favourite thing in NYC, the contrast of the cityscape behind the trees was the only sign that we were in the midst of a busy city. In the heart of Central Park, there is a peacefulness that cannot be matched anywhere else in the city. Strawberry Fields, a memorial garden for John Lennon, really is one of the most tranquil places I have ever visited and reading the memorial plaques on the benches was eerie yet lovely.

That night, we had a quick burger and head off to nearby Broadway where we were lucky enough to see the musical of Once. Featuring the music of Glen Hansard and a cast of wonderful musicians, the production was brilliant to see on Broadway and is a wonderfully simple but feel-good story of love.

After another long sleep, we ended up the next day at the MOMA. Visiting here had been one of the main things I wanted to do in the city and I wasn't disappointed. The building itself was very impressive and had a wonderful collection of artwork and photography. My favourite part was being introduced to more of Munch's work. I  remember studying The Scream at school but there were some brilliantly haunting paintings that I had never seen before.




We also spent part of the day making our way around Grand Central Station. Having never set foot in there, it was very impressive and a lot bigger than expected. We were also lucky enough to see it on the day of it's centenary celebrations, crammed full with people. That night we decided to venture up the Empire State Building. Arriving around 7pm, there were no queues and we were shown straight up to the lifts and swiftly to the top. The view was breathtaking- at night, the city skyline just becomes a mass of lights. The heights were dizzying and although it was beautiful, I was happy when eventually back on the ground.

The following day, we had a delicious breakfast at a little place on 71st street called Alice's Teacup. A lovely little cafe, it had murals of Alice in Wonderland on the wall and sold homebaked cupcakes as well as every flavour tea you could imagine. As it was early on a Saturday morning, Liam chose eggs benedict and I went for the famous granola. I was served a large helping, topped with fresh berries and cinnamon. We then spent a morning wandering around The Met and The Gugenheim and taking in all the art followed by a brisk walk through the cold to see the Rockerfeller Centre. The tour guide was brilliant and showed us a lot of the art deco architecture that was created when the centre was first built, giving us a history of each piece. After a quick Starbucks, we also made our way up to the top of the rockerfeller to see the city from a birdseye view. It was good to see the skyline in the daytime as well as seeing the Empire State Building.

The next day was our last day and was spent hanging around the Museum of Natural History as well as having a long walk through the city. We also had a peek in some of the big department stores. The evening was the day of the Superbowl and we experienced it in an all-American restaurant eating fried chicken, drinking homemade lemonade and taking up the challenge of a delicious peanut butter pie. We fit so much into four days that our feet hardly touched the ground, but it was so worth it to be in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Well, its alright riding around in the breeze

After a week of being in bed, feeling sorry for myself and wallowing in illness and Harry Potter films, I managed to get outside today for a long walk and some fresh air. Granted, it made me feel worse- but I'm sure I'll feel better for it in the long term. I also purchased the lovely leopard print slipper shoes I have had my eye on for ages but not been able to resist. I'll blame it on the illness entirely, of course. 

I also spied this on the fridge yesterday that made me smile. Proof that he can be soppy sometimes. ♥

Electra Heart- Marina and the Diamonds

As far as feminist heroines go, I have a long list of women I admire. Sylvia Plath, the late Amy Winehouse, feminist writer Caitlin Moran and Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous to name but a few. This week, I have a new favourite. I was first introduced to Marina Diamandis around four years ago through the old social networking site Myspace. The welsh songstress with raven hair and distinctive voice captured the attention of many with original tracks such as I am not a robot and Mowgli's Road. She went on to release her debut album The Family Jewels two years later, peaking at number five on the UK albums chart in the week of it's release.

Marina's second album entitled Electra Heart was long awaited. She hinted in an interview in 2011 that it would be about female sexuality and feminism. Her previous album, although far more implicit in it's themes, spoke mainly about Marina's rejection of celebrity culture. I am not a robot was about the pressure of women in an industry obsessed with image whilst chart-topping Hollywood allowed Marina to share her controversial views about 'puking american dreams' and how Hollywood had 'infected her brain.' Surely, Electra Heart was going to break a few barriers and contain more of Marina's outspoken opinions?

It certainly doesn't disappoint. The album itself was inspired by Marilyn Monroe and Madonna, with a hint of Americana and essence of bubblegum 90's pop. This is more apparent than ever in first track Bubblegum Bitch- an infectious pop tune that I've put on repeat and put odds on being a massive chart hit. The likes of Prima donna, Homewrecker and Radioactive are similarly catchy- the kind of songs you can't help but dance in the mirror to whilst there are also softer sounds such as Lies and The State of Dreaming. 


I recently read a review of the album from NME in which they were fairly scathing of the album. In true indie hipster style, they seemed to be implying that once girl-next-door Marina Diamandis had truly sold out, totally oblivious of the fact that they were missing the point. Electra Heart isn't just an album. She is an alter-ego for Marina, dressed up in babydoll dresses, fake eyelashes and bottle-blonde hair. Electra Heart is a way  for her to satirically express the way she feels about the importance of image in our society as well as a comment on the faceless people that become celebrities for no other reason than their appearance. As well as this, it is, as Marina claims herself, 'an ode to dysfunctional love.' Reminiscient of the Hollywood gossip culture of the 1930's and 40's, Electra Heart's character is cold and hard with a resistance to being seen as vulnerable. This is not Marina's sell-out album, this is Marina's comment on her resistance to sell out and her unwillingness to be just another pop puppet. A definite listen for anyone who can maintain an open mind. 

Valentines Day

As the title of this blog suggests, I am a romantic at heart and always have been. Unfortunately, this optimism never protected me from the fickle and cruel nature of love. When I was six, I gave the boy I liked at school a homemade valentine’s card. It was made out of a folded piece of white A4 paper and on the front; I’d drawn a picture of myself and him in wedding attire. Perhaps I was a little forward, but I was sure this was the course of action to take to win his heart. I’d seen Four Weddings and a Funeral on VHS and it had taught me well. Wasn’t love all about grand gestures and walking down the aisle and getting soggy as you kissed in the rain? Of course, with my recent chickenpox scars and wobbly teeth, I was no Andie MacDowell. Still, I’d try my luck. I handed him the card in a corner of the playground and waited expectantly for his reaction. Quickly, he screwed it up into a ball and flung it into a nearby bin before walking away.

After that, I didn’t send a Valentines card for another fourteen years. The first half of my teenage years were a barren desert of love, accompanied only by the desperate tumbleweeds too tragic to find themselves someone. The later half was mainly filled with broken hearts and sharing cake. My first Valentines Day at University was spent in the dingy Student Union club with my also single friends, drinking our fair share of vodka and moaning about the couples lurking in corners that seemed to be permanently attached to one another’s faces.

By then, I had come around to the idea that Valentine’s Day was a load of rubbish. I no longer cared that I had no-one to share it with and became indifferent to the various cuddly toys and cheap cards that cluttered the shelves of our supermarkets. Yes, I was still a romantic- but surely making a special effort once a year was an insult to being in a relationship with someone? That was it. I was done with Valentine’s Day!

The next year, I barely even noticed Valentine’s arrival and instead signed myself up for a fifteen hour bar crawl with my closest friends. Half an hour in, I met a man at the bar who ordered a Guinness for his breakfast. I joked about it being a good choice. Next week, we’ll have been together two years. I might even buy him a card.