Wednesday 26 May 2010

simple suppers

simple suppers all eaten from the same bowl.

{miso soup with poached salmon, leeks and soba noodles}

{salmon penne with spinach, olives, tomatoes and sundried tomatoes}

{sesame turkey stirfry with babycorn and coriander}

{roasted sweet potatoes with peas and sundried tomatoes}

{spaghetti with salmon and spinach in cream sauce}

♥ xo

Saturday 22 May 2010

this weekend i'm obsessed with these blogs:

bleubird vintage - a beautiful lady (called james!), her adorable kids, and her family awaiting the arrival of their 'baby bird' with vintage inspired pregnancy portraits.

blushing ambition - a sweet girl and her love of food and fashion. love this.

♥ xo

Tuesday 18 May 2010

i've always had a thing for rob ryan's exquisite paper cuts, but i think i've actually found something i love even more - typography paper cuts by made by julene. they are beautiful and simple with a few words that say it all, and you can even commission your own. wouldn't this make the most wonderful first anniversary present (the first year is paper), a mementoe from a special event, or scanned and printed to use as perfect invitation covers.


♥ xo

Sunday 16 May 2010

london in may

the weather in london has decided to go mental! it is raining loads and really quite chilly. this time last year i remember taking my exams in a stifling hot exam hall and coming out feeling wonderful and being able to sit out on the grass and get a tan. no such luck this year, perhaps down to the volcano!

a day like today is perfect for snuggling up and catching up on my favourite blogs - which is what i've been doing instead of revising - so here's a couple of my favourite features this week!
{9 by design via a cup of jo}
i really love this tv show! unfortunately i've only managed to watch a couple episodes but i love the mother's accent - could listen to her talk all day, which is lucky because she talks a lot in this programme! the kids are called wolfie, breaker, bellamy, talulah, five, holleder and major (yes, there are seven of them!!) and while they sound ridiculous in theory, the names are actually as adorable as the kids are!

{this beautiful bride's style via once wed}

i'm so excited to see this wedding feature next week! what girl can pull off a straw hat on her wedding? so beautiful



{marina and the diamonds via rockstar diaries}

i saw this video a while back but was reminded by it today on naomi's blog. i am simultaneously enchanted and freaked out by this video, the black glittery paint and the way here mouth moves when she sings, especially.

{art deco cinema wedding via the rock n roll bride}

just so so cool!

♥ xo

Thursday 13 May 2010

style crush

while i'm obsessively refreshing bunny with fangs, hoping in vain that the new episodes of the hills and the city are going to be up soon, i thought i'd post some photos of my new style crush - olivia pallermo. i have to say, i sort of hate her. she is a wiley sneak and with each minute that she's on screen i get angrier and angrier (how does she think she can get away with all the things she says...she's on camera!!) but i can't help loving her style. she's so wispy, with a hint of a hunchback, but her reserved smile and saucer eyes are always perfectly off-set with a wardrobe full of luxe pieces, simple workwear separates and girly interludes. i'm also happy to see that whenever she's featured in magazines, she's often wearing a mixture of pieces from h&m and zara. in fact, while i don't know the origin the beautiful red rose jacket she was sporting at an anna sui show, it sure is a dead ringer for one of the pieces from h&m's garden collection.


{images from a selection at glamour.com}
gotta love a girl who wears a dress on the red carpet twice!

the hills is now up, so look out for my olivia inspired mood board tomorrow!

♥ xo

isn't this the cutest bunny you ever see?

apart from totally driving me crazy by wanting to play whenever i need to study, and wanting to nap whenever i'm ready to play, i am completely in love with my little bun. he is completely cheeky and now can't be left alone since he can now jump up on the bed and the windowsill by himself, but lucky for him i am home all day studying for finals. in three weeks i will be finished and it will be time to party again! also, some exciting things coming up at work that i'll definitely be blogging about. yippee!

scampi trying to blend in

♥ xo

Wednesday 12 May 2010

getting somewhere

i now have 2 internships lined up for the next couple of months! they're both in pr, so hopefully i'll get to decide if it's what i want to do..otherwise, it's back to square one!

♥ xo

Monday 10 May 2010

sweet love

i'm so smitten with this gorgeous new york backyard wedding featured on once wed. i love the groom's style and the bride's dress is absolutely to die for.how did they get the guests to coordinate!

♥ xo

Saturday 8 May 2010

in years to come

i finally got my hands on a one line a day five-year memory book. the first time i went to order it they were out of stock for months, so a few weeks ago i ordered one that never came, and i really wanted to start it for my birthday, so ended up ordering a second one that came in the post today. while i love the idea and am continuously amused about the fact that i will be 26 when i finish this thing (!!) and that i'm assuming there are going to be a lot of big changes during the next five years, i'm kind of disappointed the book isn't as pretty as i thought it was going to be. it's a bit more teal than i expected, instead of being a more charming baby blue, but it's what's going inside it that is going to be really important.


♥ xo

Friday 7 May 2010

storming through

i wasn't planning on already racking up another notch on my to do list, but i might have found my new favourite bar last night - barrio north. just off islington upper street which is crammed with bars, this little number is cosy with a south american vibe, complete with a booth in the middle for parties that is a hollowed out vintage caravan! with friendly bartenders who call you sweetheart, a truly extensive and beautifull put together cocktail menu, and 12 free tequila shots because it was my friend's birthday, what's not to like! although the cocktails were pertty pricy, i've discovered a new favourite - the paloma, a mix of tequila, ice and lemons and limes.

♥ xo

Thursday 6 May 2010

good ol' abe lincoln

i love this print from 3LambsGraphics that i just bought for my friend's birthday. the red and blue combination is uplifting and fresh and what a sweet and motivational quote by abraham lincoln himself.


these reasonably priced prints marry vintage inspiration with modern colour combinations and cheeky or romantic words of wisdom. thumbs up from me!

♥ xo

Wednesday 5 May 2010

vegetable of the month - may

last night i made salmon en croute for my boyfriend, but stuffed it with boursin cheese and this month's vegetable - artichokes. after being certain that i didn't like them, i had artichoke hearts with cous cous at home last week and decided they're my new favourite vegetable. i got this recipe from a waitrose magazine and it couldn't have been easier...or more delicious as leftovers for my lunch today!

the first picture is a little out of focus because we were so excited to cut it open and see what it looked like inside!

recipe:
2 salmon fillets (or a large one sliced in half)
artichoke hearts
boursin cheese (the recipe suggested goats cheese, but i'm really not a fan)
ready made puff pastry
beaten egg yolk, to glaze

1. lay out one of the salmon fillets and spread generously with cheese and layered artichoke hearts
2. place the other salmon fillet on top and tie together with string like a parcel, so that none of the filling is spilling out
3. seal in a frying pan until it starts to crisp on each side
4. place on a sheet of puff pastry and wrap, tucking in the edges and sealing with a fork
5. brush with the egg yolk glaze and score the top with lines or any design you want! don't be scared to score deeply, i didn't think i was supposed to, so it didn't work all the well
6. bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 220C

♥ xo

Tuesday 4 May 2010

21 for a 21

so i completely forgot that my goal for turning 21 was to make a list of 21 wonderful things i'm going to do before my 22nd birthday. i've only missed out on a week or so of time (i'm sure 50 weeks will be plenty of time), so without further ado, here's the shortlist:

1. visit greece
2. get at least one internship to help me decide what i want to do in the future
3. make a double-tiered cake
4. try a new vegetable every month
5. do something new in london every month
6. take at least one picture a month with my beau
7. learn how to use my camera in manual mode
8. cook a three course meal
9. enter a competition
10. have an adventurous cocktail night
11. declutter my student bedroom and home bedroom
12. move out of home (i.e. the decluttering, as i'm going to have to condense 2 rooms into 1!)
13. try new hairstyles more often
14. keep a potted plant alive
15. fit back into my favourite jeans
16. party like i'm still a student
17. write letters to people i don't see often
18. write letters to people i do see often
19. make an art installation
20. learn a craft
21. read at least one book a month

♥ xo

Monday 3 May 2010

oh i do like to be beside the sea

{blissful day on the beach in perfectly cut swimsuits, via the rockstar diaries}

♥ xo