Monday 29 March 2010

Red Velvet and a few Wallies


Still no proper internet at the new flat but I miss writing here so much that I put some pictures onto a memory stick and brought it in to work so I could write a little in my lunch break.

A Where's Wally?* themed birthday party on Saturday night at M's brother's house. I made Red Velvet cupcakes (from my trusty Hummingbird Bakery cookbook) to take, as I thought the red and white colouring would be appropriate. They turned out rather well actually, much better than the first time I tried and made the mistake of using natural food colouring instead of artificial, resulting in a pale imitation rather than the deep, deep red the sponge is supposed to be.

Two buses to Dalston, with four of us dressed in red and white stripes. Glasses made of pipe cleaners and the awkward feeling of walking into a room and finding that someone is wearing the same outfit, but magnified because everyone was. Flowing mojitos. Dancing and dancing in the ground floor living room. Fingers stained until the following evening by melting Space-Invader shaped ice cubes that had been dyed with food colouring (oh the randomness of the memories that come back to you the following day). Trying to be cool, because we were the younger sibling's friends at the older one's party, failing so so miserably. One pair of red Hobbs heels splatted with cocktail, one pair of treasured vintage earrings lost in the midst of discarded plastic cups and empty bottles. Waking up and berating myself for being so careless. Two taxis home as we had to leave the first down the side of St Pancras Station whilst two of the passengers got out for air. Finally crawling into bed at 6am (cursing the British Summer Time clocks going forward), and not emerging until 1pm Sunday afternoon, which I hate, because then half the day is gone.

But all absolutely worth it, because it was a fantastic party.




* I believe our Wally may be a Waldo to all you American readers

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Still here

I am still here, I haven't emigrated to Gutemala or been struck with amnesia...just without internet (yes, still) in the new flat and tricky to blog at work, but will be back shortly, promise!

Monday 8 March 2010

A couple of new beginnings


Paris was wonderful, as always. Lots of photos and tales to share, but you'll have to bear with me - this weekend I am moving house and everything is going to be a little hectic for the next few days whilst I sort and wrap and pack and clean and in amongst it all fit in a full time job.

In the meantime, and as a nod to International Women's Day, get yourselves on down to Fat Quarter where the lovely Katie is now selling the very first issue of her fabulous feminist magazine, here. Mine was ordered today, and I can't wait to have a read!

Thursday 4 March 2010

Paris in springtime


Spring has not quite sprung here in London (though the days are drawing out and the green daffodil shoots are growing taller every day in the city's Royal parks) so it is perhaps optimistic to think that things will be much different in the only marginally more southern capital of France, but I can hope.

Tomorrow I am heading there for the weekend with M and some friends, most of whom are taking part in the Paris half marathon on Sunday. M, Anna and I will not be running, being of the opinion that there are better things to do in Paris than run - for example sip chocolat chaud on the finish line, leaving the huffing and puffing and sore feet to other people.

We don't have any firm plans*, and I am very much looking forward to just strolling round the city with Anna who hasn't been before, M who has, and my two cameras (DSLR and Polaroid) who I'm sure are almost as excited as I am to have a weekend away in the daylight after what has felt like a very long winter.

*though hoping to head to the Paris half of this, visited Merci last September and loved it, so it combined with Liberty can only be a good thing.

Monday 1 March 2010

Friends who blog


I get a text message from V:

'Finally finally put my first blog post up, and just for you it's a photography post :p

Worth checking out, especially if you are lucky enough to have an iphone. I don't understand the technical stuff (!), but the photos are more than a little bit cool, doesn't the one above that he took look exactly like something off the Thomas the Tank Engine set? Real life in miniature.