Flicking through Elle this week I came across a rather beautiful new collaboration between fashion designer Alice Temperley and retail behemoth John Lewis. Its always nice to see designers like Temperley (owner of Temperley London) doing collaborations for high street shops at more affordable prices. Having said that the new collection dubbed 'Somerset' is still not the lowest prices on the average high street however, given quality and credentials this one is possibly worth the spend.
The most attractive element of Temperley's design is its versatility. Her designs her floaty, flirty and pretty but are quite capable of being transferred to the city slick's wardrobe. As a customer in my early twenties I am in that half-way house between building my first work wardrobe and the old safe classics I have been wearing since I was either. Many of the Somerset pieces are an investment will last right through from twenties to thirties gliding effortlessly from post-adolescent to young professional.
I've always like the idea of an actual teleporter/transporter like the kind you get in Star Trek where Captain Kirk commands Montgomery Scott in his most famous phrase to 'beam me up Scotty'. That my friends was probably the most nerdy thing I have ever said on the internet but these things should not surprise you, not really. An obsession for books, law and paper can only point to a slightly 'nerdy' side in any one.
Because I am useless at physics, because I will never make it into star fleet and because I do not currently have the freedom to jet-set I have been building the next best thing; a personal library. And given that I have already ranted and raved about the importance and my love of books here and here the time can only be right to inspire your library building senses too.
Here follows my list of advice and considerations for building your personalised library of dreams:
Flicking through my favorite Men's magazine, GQ, this morning and I was drawn to a few designers' advertisements. Male models are often a little too polished and slim for me buuutt why don't more men dress like these guys?
Not that I'm saying its easy for men to look good but I am a strong believer that well fitted suit mixed with a pop of colour or some traditional accessories and any man can be well on his way to getting some serious attention. Even casual wear can be done simply if you know where to look.
I find that when life throws you a curved ball its sometimes nice to take the opportunity to grasp an entirely new activity. This year I have learnt to knit though - as I only tend to knit when I'm watching films/tv and I barely do that - my first 'project' is taking forever. I am now keen to being something new again.
Now as I am sure you are entirely aware (as I am often raving about it) I currently work in a bookshop. One of the wonderful things about this is as well as fuelling my almost unhealthy love for fiction (with the occasional dip into psychology and philosophy non-fiction titles) a bookshop is the most suitable setting for discovering a new 'hobby'. Over Christmas we had a huge amount of customers buying cookery books. Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries II was a winner, as well as the more commercialised Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals and we also sell a range of books on Indian and Italian food. There is a growing trend, however, among those who love to cook to reach out of the realms of timeless classics and explore new food cultures. 'Scandilious' by Signe Johansen has delighted cooks influenced by the current Scandinavian fascination, Phaidon's new book on Lebanese food has also generated a lot of interest, and finally the Ottolenghi series of cookery books which delve into middle eastern and more specifically Israeli food has also got a lot of attention.
And here we have my soon to be new hobby! Once I have secured ingredients and a copy of their latest book mind you... I am going to learn to cook with pulces, butternut quash, aubergines, harissa and avocados. I will experiment with new flavours and textures.. my poor flatmate has not a clue what is coming her way. For those of you who are curious, you may already know of Ottolenghi through their restaurants and delis in London or their programme on Channel 4. They have subsequently produced three cookery books; 'Ottolengi', 'Plenty' and 'Jerusalem' and frequently posts recipes on their blog or through the Guardian.
Warm Roast Chicken and Bread Salad with Pink Grapefruit and Sumac
Baked Meatballs with Burnt Aubergine plus Lentil, Bulgur and Aubergine Pilaf
Forget this 'new year, new you' business.. we're in March now anyway. Whether you're currently in your happy place or feeling a little disheartened I urge you to take up something entirely random and new. Its refreshing, exciting and there are no excuses for 'moping'. I shall report back on my successes/failures and we shall celebrate or chuckle together.
Remember, remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason, why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot.
It is only relatively recently that I have truly begun to appreciate the seasonal festivities we have, especially those that us Brits so religiously celebrate year after year. Last night, on what felt like an exceptionally cold November evening, my flatmate and a friend put on our gilets, jackets and wellingtons and stood in the local cricket field getting our footwear muddy and delighting at a beautiful firework display. Against the pitch black sky an array of glittering colours 'popped' and lit up the night. There is a collective 'ooooohh' when a particularly big or pretty firework sets off and the air smells of gunpowder mixed with hog roast and hot wine. The 5th of november has always been one of my favorite nights of the year shortly following Christmas eve its a bit of a shame the story behind it is quite gruesome!
So technically this photograph was taken at new years but seeing as I wasn't in London this year for fireworks night this picture of the lovely Big Ben will have to suffice!
Winter is not my favorite season (we usually have it wet, drizzly and windy down south) but when it is dry and frosty so that the steam is visible as your breathe out into the cold air even I have to admit its not half bad. [By the way since I was about five I've been calling such events 'fire breathing dragon days' and it never gets old]. Late October signifies piles of orange and red leaves, cosy nights wrapped up near the fireplace with a mocha in hand or dark frosty evenings wearing thick coats, fairisle knit wear and playing with sparklers. Its times like these that I must remember to remind myself that the Great British Winter isn't half bad after all.
I am a confessed aesthetic, to the point that sometimes it becomes a little OCD. My flat mate finds its hilarious that of all things its my bookshelf that has to look 'just right'. After weeks of petty debating I finally gave in and let her place her spiral bound notebooks on the third shelf rather than in her room (where there is no bookshelf). This may sound quite shocking to you but I cannot help but underline how ugly spiral bound notebooks are. They were simply not designed to be placed side on.
On the subject of spines I have recently begun a collection of classic novels to my already bustling collection of books. I figured it was justifiable to spend some extra pennies on stories that have stood the test of time alongside the dozens of paperbacks I only read once and then either get lent out of sit looking pretty on the shelf (the aesthetic shelf). The stories I have read more than once are few but they are copies of books I will never lend, these include Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist' and Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' as well as copies of original Grimms' Tales and Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. These are stories I shall never be without.
Anyway back to my original point; the Classics. This week I invested in my first 7 copies of the Penguin English Library. These books have beautiful covers and wonderfully colourful spines making them look like a very appealing read indeed when stacked in a neat collection on my bookshelf. In fact Penguin designers have even got the spines down to a fine art:
so a complete collection would look something like this:
They are SO pretty - no willpower is required to read these babies!
After having released 10 every month for the last 10 months creating a grand total of 100 beautiful classics I do hope that Penguin doesn't stop at 100.. there are so many other great novels to be included. The books I have begun with are as follows:
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Short Stories, Edgar Allen Poe
Tess of the d'Ubervilles, Thomas Hardy
Wings of the Dove, Henry James
The Picture of Dorian Grey, Oscar Wilde
Kim, Rudyard Kipling
Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
There is a minor conflict of interest at the moment in that with all this 'Skyfall' talk I'm rather keen to begin collecting and reading the vintage versions of Ian Flemming's novels starting of course with the first, Casino Royal. I guess this will have to wait until christmas.... although I may be needing a new bookcase by then.
I am broody. So very broody and it really is quite embarrassing. Every time I see a dog of any breed, size or colour my heart melts and I just have to say 'hello'. Whilst many other girls in their early twenties 'coo' over babies I am that girl who is completely obvious to the toddlers doddering around with cute grins on their chubby faces.. all I want is a puppy to cuddle. I'm not sure how normal this is.
In fact this little obsession may have got so extreme that I might have 'borrowed' someone's puppy this afternoon. With permission of course... though I think I might have worn out said permission after the little french-bulldog-pug-cross (that's a mouthful!) was still sleeping on my lap a full 30 minutes later. If only I could have stretched to taking him home for the evening!
I believe the issue is this, having grown up with dogs in a family that took on new puppies every year to train for the charity 'Guide Dogs', I have taken for granted the presence of a canine companion in the home. Last year when our German Shepherd passed away (to read his memoir see 'here') it was like losing a lifetime friend I still feel my heart wrenching a little when I meet other people with short haired German Shepherds like Kray. I shall never forget him.
Last night I was on a huge ship cruising from the ports of Sri Lanka through the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal bound for England. I have spent my time with a small group of boys taking part in their adventures and witnessing their discoveries about the passengers on board...
... Last week I was on an island somewhere in the Mothering Sunday islands in another dimension. Here a young man is trying to rebuild his community after a devastating Tsunami wave wiped out his family...
... And the week before that I was in South Africa many years ago trundling through plantations in the colony before the abolition of the slave trade.
This summer I have travelled to distant lands, different worlds and alternative dimensions. I have travelled backwards and forwards through time and met an array of complex and fascinating people. I have experimented with the mind, learnt new theories and made discoveries about myself and most of this occurred in the late evenings with a mug of hot chocolate in a dimly lit room. I feel wiser, older and more self aware and the price I paid for it was marginal.
There is something so magical about the pages of a novel. You see it in the eyes of many customers as they browse amongst shelf upon shelf in the bookshop. Their eyes brimming with opportunity, thirst for knowledge or lust for adventure. The four walls of the shop provide them with a playground for their desires.
I am not a writer, I lost my ability to create life and stories with my imagination with childhood but I love to listen to the stories of others. I'd rather eat words than food and food prepared by another is always far better than the food we cook for ourselves.
The point of this little rant is that there need not be one. Most of us have amazing opportunities in life. I have travelled to many beautiful and fascinating places in this world and I will without a doubt do so again but for those times when we cannot, for those days when we would rather be taking a few more risks or just need an escape, find yourself a bookshop and disappear into a novel. The world around you will fade away and the destination? That all depends on you.
Shortish post today as I have work in a couple of hours. I'm sure you've heard the saying you learn something new everyday - its really quite true. Here are some of the little things I have learnt this week.
Shopping at the local greengrocers: I usually make a weekly trip to Tescos to buy all my essentials but its quite small and its difficult to eat healthily if you're constantly buying the same fruits and veg - I get bored easily. This week I popped into my local greengrocers instead not only is there much more variety but its good or better value and the fruits taste so much better! Yesterday I had a nectarine, peach and strawberry fruit salad after my run and it was aammaazzing!
Excuse quality of photo - I've mislaid my camera so I'm relying on my trustee blackberry!
People in bookshops like to talk: Working in the evenings means I get 'browsers' who like to spend time gazing at the layers upon layers of books for a while before making their choice. I don't know whether its just the area but I have met some really interesting people lately; sailors, wealthy yacht owners, cooks, photographers and people from all around the world and everyone has something interesting to share.
Chilled Jasmine Tea: I discovered this by mistake only this morning. After a lovely meal and tea session with one of my friends last night, I couldn't bring myself to throw away the remaining jasmine tea I had made so I popped it in the fridge. This morning I tried it with my breakfast and it was delightful. Definitely repeating this.
Lawson: Based in London four piece band Lawson have been high on my playlists recently. They remind me of bands like The Calling and Hanson from years gone by. I have posted 'When She Was Mine' below but I am spoilt for choice so here's a link to their new single 'Taking Over Me' also :)
Grilled Mozzarella and Sundried Tomatoes on Toast or dark rye bread: I'll admit I am slightly scared of mozzarella because I feel like it will go straight around my waist, however, a little treat every now and then is acceptable. Rye bread is amazing because its nutty and heavy, just layer a slice of mozzarella on top and a sundried/sunblushed tomato and pop it under the grill. Sprinkle a little fresh basil and black pepper on top and you have a lunch of dreams.
Lauren Conrad.com: I am a blogaholic and have been for quite some time. I have a tumblr account, a we<3it account, pinterest account and a list of favorite blogs on my bookmarks menu. In fact I waste a huge amount of my free time just browsing the internet to satisfy my aesthetic tendencies. My latest little discovery laurenconrad.com has been occupying large amounts of my time and inspiring me with everything from my wardrobe choices to decorating my new sleeping space.
I am in the process of collecting images and ideas for an 'eye-candy' wall in my new flat. I have never done this before; to be frankly honest I like my interiors to be minimal (so my buzzing over-analytical mind will have some excuse to chill out and relax) so why the wall of eye candy? I am aware I'm on the the brink or perhaps have already stepped too far into the realms of superficiality - before you jump to any conclusions I would add that there are a million more things to appreciate in men other than a pretty face. Today I am simply defending my eye-candy wall I am not out to reveal the top 10 tips to finding the perfect match - I’m definitely not the right girl to write that article!
I have many reasons in defence of this little venture and I'll admit some are more amicable than others. The most superficial of all is probably the most fundamental reason why we all like to buy those glossy magazines and sigh over the air brushed faces and chizeled abs of both male and female celebrities; we like beauty. In fact I'd go as far to say as we are drawn towards beauty. Many have critized the western world for being so image focused but who truly can claim that they remain totally indifferent to a pretty face or a well-toned body after having grown up in a world plastered with the media's perspective of outward beauty? Unless you have dodgy sight like me, we cannot help but double-take as an attractive individual passes by and I'll be the first to admit that my hands reach into my purse for my glasses for a sneaky scan of the boys at the beach. And even outside the western world, men and women have always been attracted to those figures in society who are youngest, fittest, healthiest. Whilst our superficiality in society is critized as one of our greatest flaws it is also one of mankind's most fundamental traits. Consequently, I think I can justify a little eye-candy!
For many years I have 'bookmarked' my issues of Elle with my revision sticky tabs on pages with clothes and accessories I love. The idea of this little exercise is that in physically bookmarking the page I am more likely to remember that item. When I see something similar whilst out shopping I know I am buying things I really like rather than getting caught up in the shopping 'moment'. I propose here that the same approach should work with men. The phrase beauty is in the eye of the beholder is ageless and so very true. My friends and I have very different tastes in men. Whilst I go for the muscular clean-cut types such as Liam Hemsworth, Ryan Reynalds and Channing Tatum one of my good friends at university would much prefer Matthew Lewis, Douglas Booth and Matt Boomer to move in next door. There are girls who are team Edward or team Jacob, those who'd prefer Gale over Peeta and those who can't stand any generic teenage heartthrobs at all. Case in point; everyone has different tastes and in a world full of attractive men knowing your 'type' is vital to being happy with your choices rather than just getting caught up in a different kind of 'shopping moment'.
Finally, a little bit of incentive is guaranted inspiration for my own health regime. Fit and healthy men and women keep me inspired to exercise and eat well thus the importance of having my collection in my kitchen! Barring the fact that most are air-brushed, photoshopped and covered in fake tan the bare potential is very much present and whoever likes to shoot for the stars will achieve much more than those who settle at nothing. You see, there is nothing wrong or immoral in appreciating beauty and hard work. I will press on towards the eye-candy wall with a clear conscience!
See below for a list of contenders for my wall. Ten of the best:
