Charlotte Tilbury: Dolce Vita

Charlotte Tilbury has got to be the one counter that I have to visit every time I go to the Selfridges beauty hall. I'm like a moth to a flame. The girls on the counter are stunning (and their make up is beautiful, most importantly) and the displays and products just scream luxury. Unfortunately, so does the price tag.

 

However, I was lucky enough to have been gifted a Selfridges voucher for my birthday, and I knew immediately I had to buy something from CT. The only question was what.

Likya

My Mum's company have recently opened up a new pharmacy in Golders Green, and recently they had an event where high end make up products were heavily discounted (more on those at a later date). We went along to the event after work, and then had to find somewhere to grab a bite to eat having spent ALL our money at the pharmacy (we were like children in a sweet shop).

Smack Lobster

 When I heard that a sister restaurant to the infamous Burger and Lobster was opening up in London I planned my trip faster than you can say lobster.

Signature Scent: Elie Saab

Every girl has a 'signature scent.' That one smell that you hope that people associate with you. I personally think smells have the greatest power to evoke memories and reminders of people. Too many times I've smelt someone's aftershave and done a double take because it's the same one an ex-boyfriend used to wear.

BOBO Social - Experimental Burger Society

A few weeks ago the girls and I did something a little different for my pre-birthday dinner and went to BOBO Social on Charlotte Street. On normal nights, the restaurant is a burger/cocktail restaurant, but on Mondays they hold the 'Experimental Burger Society.' For £25 you get a night with the restaurant's head chef, you make and eat your own burger, and a cocktail is also thrown in. Sound good? Read on.

NARS Laser Cut palette

A few posts ago I wrote about a beautiful NARS palette which had stolen my heart. Well it turns out that my nearest and dearest know me very well, and another very special someone bought me this baby for my birthday…

 

Enter the Laser Cut palette.

RECIPE: Mac and Cheese

Now I don't know about you, but in the cold Winter months I love comfort food. I think it's in the knowledge that you don't have to bear all in a bikini, and surely it's a crime not to take advantage of all the Christmas food offerings in the supermarkets? With that in mind, I had a craving last week for mac and cheese. I did a little bit of research online at recipes, and decided that rather than copy something I was going to freestyle it. Mac and cheese a la Ellie. I didn't really just want plain mac and cheese – I fancied some extra ingredients. The beauty of this is that you can pretty much add whatever you have in your fridge at the time – if you like mushrooms they'd be great with this.

NARS Virtual Domination Palette

Last week I turned 24, and unfortunately I had to spend the day at work (boo). However, on my lunch break my friend Alice from work took me on a little trip to Space NK and bought me the most beautiful present imaginable in the make-up world. This.

Monochrome: Part Two

I've got some slightly warmer outfits for you as part of my 'monochrome' themed fashion posts. Now we're almost in November (where has 2014 gone?!) it's time to get out the layers and textures and make sure we're toasty at all times.

Monochrome: Part One

I've been shopping lately. A LOT.

I'm not sure whether it's due to the change in season, or because I've been feeling a bit down lately, but I've found myself wanting to treat myself to some new wardrobe additions. And that is exactly what I've done.

There is a running theme through my new clothes – monochrome. It's chic, elegant, and fuss-free. Even my new trainers are monochrome (post to follow). I've become a bit of a 'lazy dresser' of late (blame it on the long hours at work) and so I like pieces that I can team together and create multiple different outfits which require minimal effort and thought. I thought I'd do a little two part series showing some of the monochrome pieces I'm currently loving.

My Holiday Face

One of the things I love most about going on holiday is that I can give my face a break from wearing make up. No man will ever understand the pleasure that taking off our make up at the end of a long day gives us will they? I tend to wear foundation and eye make up to work every day, so a holiday is the perfect chance to let my skin breathe and get back its glow. Plus, I find you don't need so much coverage when you're rocking a bit of a tan.

With that in mind, these are the products I wear during the evenings on holiday when I want to make a little bit of effort.

Thoughtful Thursday: Is unlimited holiday a thing of the future?

Recently I stumbled across an article stating that Virgin, Richard Branson's company, are offering its employees unlimited holiday. An employee of Virgin will be able to request as many days off as they so wish within the calendar year.

Sorry, what?

Thoughtful Thursday: Coping with Change

                       

I will admit that before a few years ago I wasn't the best at dealing with change. I found it hard when we moved towns, changed schools, went to University or even changed my morning cereal (ok, too far). However, 2 and a half years ago I went through an extremely difficult break up during my Finals at Oxford. I lost my best friend and someone who had been a constant in my life for many years, and whilst it was extremely difficult it taught me so much about myself and coping with these big changes in our lives.

Without getting too personal, I have also gone through a break up and the loss of my Gran, which has left me feeling very contemplative. I wasn't sure whether to talk about these things on my blog, but when I started this at the end of last year I promised it would be like a personal diary for me to look back on. Therefore I want to be real and talk about real things. Life isn't all burgers, new clothes and adventures around the world! Adjusting to a new life where a big change has happened, such as a break up, a lost loved one, or a geographical move can be quite difficult, but during many hours of thinking time I've come to the following conclusions...

1. Change doesn't have to be negative. Every cloud has a silver lining. Since ending my relationship I have found I have more time to dedicate to others in my life. I have gained a good balance of being a good daughter, sister, friend and work colleague and I'm feeling very content with life. It's always sad when you lose something you had before, but there's also so much to be gained and I have some wonderful people in my life that deserve so much attention and love.

2. Which brings me onto my next point, and that is to 'just say yes.' I am trying to make a conscious effort to grab every opportunity with two hands, and stop saying no to things that may be outside my comfort zone. I am taking two trips abroad in the next month, hosting a big fancy dress birthday party  and fulfilling one of my life long goals (more to be revealed at a later date!)

3. Work on you. Often I find it's very easy to get wrapped up in caring for those around you that you forget your own self-esteem and confidence and personality needs some love too. Being on your own means you have to do more for yourself. That power cut at 12am needs YOU. It's so cliche, but if change means falling in love with yourself a little bit more, that can never be so bad thing.

4. Treat yourself. Whenever I'm going through a hard time I know exactly what will cheer me up. Some retail therapy, a pamper session, my best girl friends and a night on the town. It's perfectly acceptable to be a little indulgent when you've had a rough time, and it's the little things that bring a smile to your face that are so important.

I know none of this advice is ground-breaking, but it is definitely things I've learnt from some tough few weeks! Just remember, good things often fall apart so better things can come together. And without giving too much away, some great things seem to be coming together over here on LBL...

Autumn Fashion Wishlist

For the first time ever in my life, I am getting excited about Autumn. I am usually a Summer girl through and through; I love the beach and the sun and holidays and ice creams, and I absolutely dread the onslaught of cold, wet weather. However, this year, I'm surprisingly excited for it, and I genuinely think that has to do with AW14 fashion trends.

Last year I found it quite difficult to adapt the AW trends to my personal style. It involved really chunky boots and lots of dull colours and really baggy, oversized things. However this year, every time I go to the shops I have to physically restrain myself from buying everything in sight. That's why I thought I'd put together a few things on my September fashion wish list to tempt you too!

I wanted a camel coloured coat last year, but couldn't find the perfect one. However now I think I have - I like simple, unfussy coats, and this one from Dorothy Perkins is classic and also looks really snuggly. I also think because it's so versatile you can wear it with loads of different styles.

I have been craving some leopard print pumps for a while, and these ones from Dune are gorgeous, albeit a bit on the pricey side. I'm not one to wear a lot of prints, so I think these will add the perfect 'edge' to any casual weekend outfit.

Every Winter a girl needs a new pair of boots. I've already bought some beautiful black ones from H&M for £24.99 (bargain) but wanted some beige/brown coloured ones for wearing with blue jeans. I love the shape of these ones from H by Hudson, and they're an alternative to the Ash Jalouse boots which I can't seem to find in stock anywhere!

I live in Topshop jeans and am always adding to my collection. Next on my list are the vintage blue ripped Jamie jeans. Classic, but with a modern edge. Plus they fit like a dream.

Even on days when I'm not at work, I still love to dress smartly. Therefore, I love blouses which can be paired with smart trousers/skirts for work, but look equally as chic with jeans and boots. Perfect.

Lastly, I've had my eye on this Larsson and Jennings gold watch for a while. I absolutely adore my Daniel Wellington, but I quite fancy an all metal watch (gold all the way). I don't think the price is too unreasonable, and I quite like that the brand isn't ridiculously well-known.

What's on your wishlist? I'd love to know!

Thoughtful Thursday: SEXISM - It's A Two Way Street

This week, Emma Watson (or the 'silly little Harry Potter girl' as she called herself) took to the podium at a UN conference to present the 'Heforshe' campaign. The campaign aims to target men, and encourages them to support and advocate feminism. Not feminism in a form which is pro-woman and anti-man, but feminism which recognizes that all humans are equal, and therefore all women should be treated equally, with no gender perceived better than the other. Rather than most campaigns of its kind, it targets men to make the difference, rather than only aiming to evoke 'empowerment' in women. It's revolutionary; aiming to address and resolve the problem of gender inequality, rather than only helping women to 'cope' with the problem.

Long time no speak...

Slap on the wrist, I've done it again. I've managed to go well over a month without one single post on LBL. My apologies for that, but I promise that usual habits will (hopefully) resume from now and everything will be back up and running a little more regularly.

Best Burger Award goes to...

Anyone who knows me or follows me on Instagram will know that I am a BIG burger lover. And when I say big, I mean I am practically obsessed. But who doesn't love chowing down on a burger? Over the past year I have made it my mission to try all the different burger joints in London and I have mentally ranked them accordingly. I thought I'd share my thoughts with you so next time you fancy some burger goodness you know where to head to. You can thank me after (or take me with you. Either will do).

Thoughtful Thursday: Female Role Models

A couple of days ago I ended up in a heated debate with a colleague of mine about Beyoncé. Who knew Queen B could cause such massive arguments (other than her sister assaulting her husband in a lift)? She was arguing that the world famous popstar couldn't sing, had no talent, and whilst she was a great performer she was nothing of a role model for young women, and that parading around on a stage in very small underwear was nothing to be proud of. We moved onto the pop industry in general and other names were thrown up: Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga. All of these women attract constant media attention for their outrageously sexy outfits, as well as their latest love, sex or drugs scandals.

SKINCARE SAVIOURS

Now I know the title of this post may seem a little dramatic, but I am bursting with so much love for my skincare routine this week that I felt the huge urge to write a detailed post about it. Seriously.

Thoughtful Thursday: Imperial War Museum

Outfit: Zara dress (S/S 2014), Topshop sandals, Zara bag and sunglasses from T K Maxx by the brand 'Marilyn Monroe'

Today's Thoughtful Thursday post is a little bit different, as I felt urged to write it after my weekend antics. Anyone who knows me will know that I'm a self-confessed nerd. I don't try to hide it; my parents have photos of me at the age of 4 or 5 sitting butt-naked on our patio in Lanzarote with a Maths Letts book rather than playing with a light saber like my brother. My favourite make-believe game was playing a teacher so I could 'mark' the student's (also me) spellings and maths sums. At the age of 11 or 12 my favourite part of the weekend was going to the library and stocking up on 5 books, and then staying awake, using my phone as a light, reading into the night. That's right, I'm a nerd.

How To Prevent / Cure the Dreaded Holiday Peel

Whilst Morocco was amazing, and being a sun-worshipper I absolutely loved a week in the hot sun, my skin didn't thank me. Despite being careful with sun cream and lathering on body moisturiser after my shower every night, I ended up with an awful case of the holiday peel. And I mean awful. Unfortunately Katie didn't escape it either. I think it was a combination of having the hammam, which meant all the skin exposed was fresh, new skin, and also the high level of aircon that we had to have which really dried our skin out.

Graduation

Despite finishing my degree and getting my results back in the Summer of 2012, I still hadn't got around to graduating. For most that seems bizarre, as usually graduation is a set day a few weeks after results, organized by the University, and everyone plans for it realy far in advance and everyone attends. Oxford works slightly differently, as it is the student's responsibility to book a day, and you can graduate up to 10 years after finishing your course. My friends and I are very disorganized, and so didn't get around to booking our ceremony until this year, on July 12th.

The Modern Pantry

A few weekends ago on a Saturday, I booked a little surprise for Katie as a post-birthday treat – a table at The Modern Pantry for brunch. I’d only heard good things about the place, and it came on Time Out’s top 10 places for brunch in London. I LOVE Time Out; they rarely get it wrong when it comes to food places.

So on the sunny Saturday morning we hopped on the tube to Farringdon and walked to Clerkenwell. I have to say, there isn’t much in the area and it’s absolutely dead at the weekend, but The Modern Pantry is set back a little bit from a main road. It’s got tables outside which would have been perfect for the sunny weather, but we got a table upstairs by the window. It was lovely and cool, and nice and bright and airy. So far so good.

Thoughtful Thursday: Coz I'm happy...

The other day, I came across an article where the journalist was set a challenge not to complain for a whole week about anything. The weather, her colleagues, her partner, her annoying mother, her tight friend, being hungover...anything. The journalist found it incredibly difficult, but found that after a week of not complaining she felt so much better about the world, and almost 'refreshed'. It made me conscious of the amount I found myself complaining...and I realised it's actually rather a lot. However, aren't we all guilty of it - that little bitch about an annoying, lazy colleague, or the crappy July weather, or the train being delayed? Sometimes I found I was even bored and I just wanted to rant about the latest thing to annoy me! Therefore, in the last couple of weeks I've tried very hard to ensure that 90% of the things that come out of my mouth are positive. Here are the things I've learnt...

Morocco Part Two

Katie and I decided that we couldn't visit Morocco without doing ANY sight-seeing, and despite being sun-worshippers, there is only so much sunbathing in 38 degree heat you can do (read as: we started peeling very badly). Therefore, one morning we got up a little earlier to avoid the midday sun and headed into the centre for a little bit of culture.

First up we visited the Jardin Majorelle, otherwise known as the Yves Saint Laurent garden (as he bought it many years ago and reformed it to its beautiful state). It is full of plants and flowers of every different colour and shape, from all around the world. You didn't know where to look!

Currently Loving: Swedish street style

One of the biggest things I love about London is the street fashion. You don't need magazines, or even blogs, to find out what's 'in', all you need to do is stand outside Oxford Circus Topshop and it's like your own free fashion show. London fashion is like nowhere else in the UK in my opinion; it's very fashion forward and people are much more daring – there is much less of a 'copycat' attitude in the way people dress (I'm sorry but when are leggings, crop tops, Nike Air Maxes and frilly socks going to die?) and people are more experimental. One minute you'll see someone in head to toe black leather; draped in silver jewellery, the next you'll see a pastel pink playsuit with heeled sandals. In London, fashion never gets boring.

Morocco Part One

Since mid-April, I've had the 'holiday itch'. You all know what I mean – when life all gets a little bit much and you spend your days day-dreaming about lying on a sun lounger, margarita in hand, soaking up the rays. These thoughts were becoming a daily occurrence (oops) and so Katie and I decided to book a week getaway to Morocco.

Morocco…probably not your usual holiday destination? When I told people that's where we were heading, we got the usual 'be careful' and 'their culture is so different' and 'make sure you do this that, the other etc.' However, Katie and I are both travellers and it's a part of the world we hadn't yet explored. Add that to the fact it was GUARANTEED hot weather and we found an incredibly good deal, we went right ahead and booked it.

And I loved EVERY minute of it. We arrived on a Saturday evening to the hotel called La Maison des Oliviers (after a 3.5 hour flight catching up on the latest Glamour mag) and BOY was it beautiful. There were flowers and water features everywhere you looked…

Ohh, I wanna dance with somebody...

Last week was a bit of a treat and something I don’t do all that often but wish I did – a trip to the theatre. My parents and I went to see The Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End. They had actually been to watch the show back in October 2013, but that was when Beverley Knight played the lead role. Now, (as of Monday 2nd June) Alexandra Burke plays the leading star (called Rachel Matton) and will do until her contract ends at the end of August.

Thoughtful Thursday: Are we positive about positive discrimination?

Having gone to Oxford, I find when I get into discussion with people they often want to ask the same question: whether Oxford lives up to its reputation of being full of hoity-toity Eton-ites, with not a coloured person or state-school educated student in sight. There's certainly enough stories in the press about the crazy high percentage of privately educated versus the grammar school/state school, about the lack of coloured and ethnic students and the stories of 'Oxford lessons' in certain private schools, coaching 17 and 18 year olds on how to get into Oxford.

A Best Friend Day

Sometimes life just seems to pass by. You have a busy spell, and before you know it, 3 weeks have gone and you’ve barely had time to breathe. It’s definitely been like that recently, which is why my best friend and I decided we needed to have a day just the two of us (plus it was her birthday a couple of weeks ago and anyone who knows her will know she is a BIG birthday person).

You know those people that just come into your life, and after a few weeks you wonder what you ever did without them? The people that you know you could call at 3am and they’d be round in an hour with chocolate and a shoulder to cry on, even if they had a hot date with Ryan Gosling? Well that’s Nikita.

On Saturday we decided to embark on round 3 of our burger mission and head to Shake Shack in Covent Garden. I’d heard great things so I was pretty excited. The queue was nowhere near as bad as I imagined, and we managed to grab a table straight away. After you’ve made your order they give you a pager which goes off when your food is ready, so you don’t have to stand around like a lemon (do lemons stand?) waiting.







I went for the cheeseburger, cheese fries (because Nikita said we had to) and a caramel shake. I have to say the beef was tender and tasty, although I didn’t feel like it was very big, and I expected something more for the money. Am I a total fattie? The cheese fries were also not what I was expecting as I thought it would be actual cheese, but instead was a cheese sauce. It was nice, but nothing to write home about. The caramel shake, on the other hand, was by far the best part of the meal. It wasn’t too sickly or sweet, or too thick, which is often the downfall of many shakes. I recommend picking one up if you’re in the area; they also have loads of other flavours which I’m dying to try out!

We then went for a little mooch around the shops (I bought another clutch bag – standard unnecessary purchase) and decided to do SOMETHING cultural with our day and headed to the Momentum exhibition at the Barbican. Well, it was an experience…



Basically, you walk into a dark room, which curves round, and from the ceiling are poles with lights on the end that change, and there are funny noises. Basically, you’re in a black room with lights and sounds. Whilst it was certainly surreal, a little eerie in parts, and interesting, I can’t say I’m completely convinced that the hours of ‘research’ and ‘experimentation’ that will have gone into this are completely worth it, but it’s well worth a visit (and it’s free). Plus, Nikita and I had a right giggle at a girl in a floppy hat doing a photoshoot for her (tired-looking) boyfriend in the small bits of light she could get. Hilarious.

After the Barbican we were thirsty. Not for water…for cocktails. So Nikita suggested we go to South Place Hotel in Moorgate. It doesn’t look like anything at all from the outside, but the inside is really cool and the cocktails were AMAZING. Pricey, but amazing. It took me about half an hour to choose...



Nikita went for the From Russia With Love and I had the Black Out Fizz. They also gave us some salted popcorn which offset the sweet drinks perfectly. We had a good natter and a giggle and I could have stayed for 5 more…plus how cool is the decor?



The night ended with Lebanese takeaway on the sofa watching The Ugly Truth. I recommend Delila’s takeaway if you’re in the SW area – it was DELISH and really inexpensive. All in all, a perfect day with one of the best friends a girl could ask for.

Thoughtful Thursday: HUMAN RIGHTS - A right to be forgotten?

So I decided, this blog really wouldn't be complete without a 'law' related post every now and then. But I'm not talking leases, facility agreements or resulting trusts. I want to talk about REAL things that we can all relate to...

Back when I was 17/18 and I was making my big life plans, it was human rights which made me decide to pursue a career in law, and in particular to apply to Exeter College, Oxford where the tutors specialized in criminal and family, and human rights law. Now I know I work in a large London commercial law firm, but I still follow news articles and campaigns run by groups such as Liberty and am fascinated by the hugely ethical debates such as the acceptable period for detaining a suspected terrorist or whether free movement of people, and in particularly asylum seekers, should necessarily mean no/minimal border control or regulation. I find the relationship between the law and 'fundamental' human rights so interesting (I say 'fundamental' because you could write 2000 words on what that means in this context). I know, call me a geek.

Five Things I'd Tell Sixteen Year Old Me...

Currently Loving: River Island

It's not very often that I walk into one shop and I just want EVERYTHING. Even with my beloved Zara I still think they have a few misses, or things that aren't worth the price tag. However, when I went into River Island on Oxford Street this week I had to stop myself from doing a 'supermarket sweep' of the shop floor. Everything in there is so gorgeous! Now I don't know about you but in the last year I have really noticed a change in the clothes in River Island, and they have TOTALLY stepped up their game - they are fast becomine one of my favourite high street stores! So I thought I'd share with you some things I've been loving just in time for pay day. Apologize to your bank balance in advance...


I absolutely love this style of crop top, and the palm print on this one is beautiful - I think it looks so much more expensive than £12. I want some new 'sandal-esque' shoes, but which are closed toe as walking around in London in sandals can make for dirty feet! I absolutely loathe the jelly shoes, but I think these are a great, smarter, alternative. Plus white is so cute and a great Summer alternative to black.

This pale pink leather skirt is adorable and so up my street - plus another bargain for only £25! You can wear it both casually in the day with sandals and a white tee (and accessorize with these hot animal print sunnies), and then slip on some heels (like these gold block heel sandals) and a silk cami and you're good to go for the evening.

I love the River Island camis - I have this style in black and I wear it all the time, it makes your boobs look great! I love the colour lime green, and I think this with a pair of jeans and some cute flats make for the easiest, but still stylish, outfit.

Lastly are these pale blue shorts. There is a matching blazer which I am also dying to get - I LOVE the shade of blue. Also, as I'm getting older I'd rather not wear butt-skimming shorts, and these look like the perfect length. Plus again, you can wear them casually with a white cropped jumper, and then at night with a white cami and nude stilettos. Perfection!

What do you think? Are you a River Island lover?

Thoughtful Thursday: It's All About Confidence

For secondary school, I went to an all girls grammar school. Aside from suffering as a result of being surrounded by 1000 other teenager girls every day (read as: lots of bitching, fights over boys and peer pressure) I would say it was a great school and it gave me a great education. There were a few teachers whose teaching skills were a little questionable, but on the whole I really enjoyed school and I felt that we were overall taught at a very high standard. I would also say that all my peers were extremely bright, shown in the school's average examination results.

However, there was one big problem at the school, which I have reflected on ever since leaving back when I was 18, and that was the huge lack of confidence in the students in their intellect and ability. Despite the fact that it was extremely common for a large percentage of the year to get all A*s and As every year, when you asked someone whether they did well their answer generally went something like 'yeah, it was ok.' Now you might say that was modesty. I think it goes far deeper; to a genuine lack of confidence in performance.

I have numerous friends who attained more than 5 A*s and the rest As at GCSE, yet when they were asked whether they were going to apply to Oxbridge their answer was 'oh no, I'm definitely not good enough for that.' Of course for some people, the way of teaching and learning was just not for them, but that answer was a far more common one. And why did they feel that? They'd shown their capability, and had all the raw materials to make it.

Let me tell you a little story that will never leave me. Back in my AS year I lost myself a bit. I just didn't have it together like I did in other years, and as a result I fluffed up my French listening exam and ended up getting a B. I know, shocker (I've told you I'm a geek.) Well, I remember going into my Head of Year's office to talk about it, and another teacher was in there. She actually told me that it was a waste of time applying to Oxford with a B, and I was much better not even applying to any Universities that wanted all As, and should aim for Universities from around the 25th in the country. I was absolutely heartbroken. Needless to say I ignored her moronic advice and thank God I did.

With teachers like that, I suppose it's not a surprise that girls at my school weren't confident in their own ability. Added to peer pressure to be 'cool' (to drink, smoke and spend every waking moment with boys from the boys' grammar) and parents who may not be as supportive as mine, it all makes sense. Even as I've gone through life, I've noticed how the really bright, clever ones are often the ones to sit and look nervous and constantly apologize for anything they've said wrong, yet the slightly less intelligent in life are very happy to get up, voice their views and aren't afraid of the consequences.

If you look at celebrities, there are so many great examples of both kinds of people. I am going to focus on two females: J K Rowling, and Katie Hopkins.

I recently went to a talk by J K Rowling in Oxford, and despite the fact she came across as incredibly smart and as a result witty, she was also extremely shy and seemed very overwhelmed at the reception she received. Yes. A woman who has sold between 400 and 450 million books worldwide and has made over $13 million dollars seemed to lack confidence and belief that she deserved the huge applause and admiration from the audience. During the talk she actually explained how she lacked huge confidence in her book writing skills before Harry Potter, and she still doesn't seem to understand how brilliant she is now. Mad huh?

An example of the other kind of person, in my opinion, is Katie Hopkins. If you don't know who I mean from the name, you will when you read these things that actually came out of her mouth:

"Suicidal prisoners should just kill themselves."
"Ginger babies. Like a baby, just harder to love."
On girls called Charmaine: "'Hi, this is my daughter Charmaine.' I hear 'Hi, I am thick and ignorant."
"Personally I hate mobility scooters. I find their owners intolerable."

I rest my case. If you still don't know who I mean, but hopefully agree with me that the above opinions are disgusting and immoral, she was a failed contestant on The Apprentice and has actually made a job out of sitting on This Morning saying and sitting on Twitter tweeting these awful things. Whilst some of her quotes are almost funny because of the shock value, this woman is INCREDIBLY rude, attention-seeking and above all just plain WRONG/STUPID. How can someone hold these views? And more to the point how can she get the air-time that she does expressing such idiotic views? It's her confidence in her own opinions that means she has made her mark, even if that's for all the wrong reasons.

So there you have it. It's definitely not true to say that all clever people lack confidence, or that the 'stupid' ones have heaps of it, but all too often you see examples of it. If only my friends at school, writers like J K Rowling and every other intelligent, confidence-lacking person all had the confidence that Katie Hopkins does, perhaps idiots like Katie wouldn't even get the air time. Wouldn't that be great? I'm holding out for it one day, and I'm sure that's what Charles Bukowski was getting at.

Making a House (Flat) a Home

Katie and I have now lived in our flat for 5 months. How time flies! We were actually very good at buying everything and sorting everything in the flat quite early on when we moved in. We knew it was important to do all the little things that are so easy to forget/miss, but which make the place you live in your home, rather than just, well, the place you live in. I thought I'd share a few of them with you, so if you're wanting to spruce your place up a little bit, or have just moved into somewhere and want to add that little 'je ne sais quoi', you have a few ideas.



PICTURES - I am huge fan of putting things up on the walls. I think that's the thing that people often get lazy about doing, and either don't buy any pictures, or they sit on the surfaces rather than actually being put up on the wall. Katie and I were a bit guilty of that, but eventually we bought some Command Strips (which are the best inventions as they allow you to stick things to the walls without damaging them) and eventually put them up. Our favourite is the photo we got printed onto a canvas in our lounge which reminds us of our time in Thailand.



I also love this cute little trio of canvases from Argos though. We have a red theme running through the open plan kitchen/living room in our flat, so they fitted perfectly. And did I mention they were only £6.99? What a steal.



FRESH FLOWERS - Now if you've read my other posts, you'll know one of my NY resolutions was to buy fresh flowers. Whilst I haven't bought them as often as I should do, we have had quite a few bunches and I've absolutely loved it. These ones lasted absolutely AGES and they really brightened up the place.



I have also had some gorgeous tulips and roses and lilies in my bedroom. They just make me so happy to look at. I know, I am officially a Granny.



CUSHIONS - This one is so simple, but so effective in my opinion. Cushions are so cheap, but they just dress up a bed or a sofa. I am a huge fan of the colour pink (as if you didn't already know) so these ones from IKEA were perfect. The cream heart one was from Primark for £3. How cute? I love how they look on all my different duvet covers. We also have a big mix of different ones on our sofa, from a sheepskin one, to plain bright red or orange ones, to a patterned cream and black one. I love how they all look together.



PHOTOS - Everyone knows that having photos of your loved ones around makes your home feel more 'yours.' When I'm missing my parents and brother back home I love looking at the photos of them, and I also love looking at the photos of all the crazy times I've had with my girls. Not to mention the boy. Plus, I have a bit of an obsession with 'cute' photo frames. Especially the pretty, ornate silver ones.



THE LAST LITTLE BITS - I have to admit I probably have some slightly unnecessary decorative bits in my room, including these 'L O V E' letters. They sit on my dresser, and despite the fact they have absolutely NO purpose, I just think they look pretty and cute. Plus, no man is ever going to let me have them in a bedroom with them, so I'm enjoying them whilst I can!

So there you have it. A few little house-y bits. What else do you love decorating your home with? Katie and I are always on the look out for things for the flat (yes, we have a problem.)

Thoughtful Thursday: Cheating in Chelsea

On Monday night, my flatmate and I found ourselves screaming, cursing and sighing deeply at our TV screen. Why? Not because the TV was playing up. No, it was because of Alex Mytton and the latest cheating scandal to break on the hit TV show, Made in Chelsea.

Now don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of TOWIE and MIC; in fact Mondays at work are now so much more bearable knowing I get to come home to an hour of my favourite love-to-hate characters on Made in Chelsea. However recently the scales have tipped and what used to be a 'love-to-hate Louise Thompson's incessant crying, Cheska's meddling and Lucy's 'gangsta' attitude' thing has now turned into hate-to-hate. Now don't get me wrong, I still love the show (anyone who watched Monday's episode will have witnessed Mark Francis's comedy gold 'I thought Nandos was a wine bar' moment) and I won't stop watching. However, there is one thing that I can't stand watching on both MIC and The Only Way is Essex, and that is the portrayal of relationships.

Tell me…how many of the Chelsea men have been faithful? It has to be less than 25%. The same goes for the TOWIE men (in fact, I think that percentage is even less.) Whilst there's no denying that watching the relationships unfold and seeing how the men and women interact on the show is fascinating, I can't help but feel sad when time and time again we inevitably watch everything fall apart. And why DOES it fall apart?

You could say it's the fame. Unfortunately with appearing on the show comes quite a lot of publicity, and many of the stars thus make personal appearances at clubs and bars across the country. That seems to be where, for most of the men, the temptation becomes too much. Unfortunately with all the fame, it appears it would seem to go to the heads of some of the 'stars' and they, quite literally, believe they are God's gift to man (Spencer Matthews, I am looking at you).

You could say it's the alcohol. At these personal appearances it seems the stars get drunk, girls throw themselves at them, and they just can't say no. At least that was Alex's excuse to Binky for kissing two girls on two separate occasions during their pretty short term relationship. Now aside from his other ridiculous excuse that he drunk so much he couldn't actually remember having sex with someone (put so eloquently by Rosie/Lucy – 'you don't just forget putting your dick in someone') is getting too drunk a good excuse? Not really.

You could say it's the result of our generation's heavy reliance on social media and technology. How many celebrities are now caught 'sexting' or tweeting members of the opposite sex behind their partner's back? Answer: A LOT. It's become far too easy to do naughty things behind your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband'wife's back and never get found out. Again however, this is no excuse.

You could say it's all a publicity stunt. I definitely think to a certain extent that the producers make the situations on these reality TV shows play out a certain way to ensure maximum scandal. None of us are completely stupid. However, if you witnessed the aftermath of Binky finding out about Alex's antics, I'm sure you'll agree with me that her tears seemed 100% genuine. The same goes for Louise's non-stop crying, and Stephanie Pratt's confrontation of Spencer this season. Whilst perhaps things are exaggerated or played out to full dramatic effect, I'm sure the events did genuinely happen.

What makes me most sad about all of this, and I guess the reason why I wanted to write (rant) about it, was the potential effect I think this has on society, and in particular my generation. I hardly know anyone who doesn't watch the shows, or at least who doesn't vaguely know the storylines and characters. It has (almost) got to the stage where a relationship in which a man doesn't cheat is a huge achievement, and the man should be congratulated/rewarded for staying faithful. Why has monogamy become a praised thing, rather than merely expected? Can we blame it on the fame, the alcohol or technology? Can there EVER truly be a justification?

And it's not only the men on the programmes who cheat which infuriates me, but it's also the girls that ALWAYS seem to take them back. Louise and Spencer, Ferne and Charlie. Lockie and Danielle, Mario and Lucy, Jamie and Tara and now Binky and Alex (from Twitter pictures and current public appearances together it is clear they are still an item.) Why do these girls always seem to go running back? Why can't they realise what a complete douchebag their arsehole ex-boyfriend is, and move on to bigger and brighter?

I know more than anyone that when you love someone, you are prepared to forgive things that perhaps you shouldn't. However, cheating? Really? It made me incredibly angry when Binky was arguing with Lucy, and attempted to defend her forgiving Alex by saying 'well I'm just not as strong as you.' Well Binks, I love ya, but sorry I don't buy that. You are as strong as you want to be, and being 'weak' is no excuse for letting a man lie and cheat on you multiple times.

My whole article is summed up in a Twitter status (haha) of one of my guy friends after the Danielle and Lockie debacle, which read 'All this proves is that a guy can do anything and a girl will always take him back LOL.' Firstly, we need to change the current status quo so that faithfulness is portrayed as a given, not a bonus. And secondly, is that REALLY the impression us girls want to give men? Come on ladies.

Four Restaurant Finds in SW London...

It is fair to say that I LOVE eating out. During the week, my flatmate and I work long hours and when we're not eating dinner at work we tend to rustle something up at home (recipe posts are on the way.) However, whilst I love eating out, I don't like eating at ridiculously expensive places. The way I see it is that there is SO much choice in London, that you don't always need to spend £100 on a dinner to have a delicious meal. Therefore, I've done the hard work for you and found you some great places to eat out on a tight-medium budget if you live in the SW area, or if you fancy a change of scenery and heading down here for the evening.

Brixton Village

I heard so many good things about Brixton Village before I decided to go and see what the fuss is about; and every time I've visited I haven't been disappointed. It's hard to describe, but it's in two separate parts and is basically an indoor arcade with winding little pathways, with little independent restaurants lining them. It's certainly not 'Michelin star' food, and it's not the kind of place you dress up for, but every time I've been I've loved my food and it really is dirt cheap. Plus, the atmosphere and the vibe is so cool, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. However word of warning - it can get very busy on the weekend so prepare for a wait for the best places!



Honest Burger - My best friend and I had wanted to go here for AGES. I am a burger addict. One Saturday we were both ridiculously hungover and decided the only cure was Honest. We weren't disappointed. We both had the homemade lemonade which came in the cutest little glass jars with green and white striped straws. It was delicious, but the only criticism was that it needed ice because it was a little warm.

I went for the cheese (cheddar) beef burger which is served medium rare. The meat was incredible, the bun was soft, the fillings were so tasty, and what's more the rosemary salted chips are delicious (and plentiful!) My best friend doesn't eat beef so she had a chicken burger with the toppings of a beef burger, and she assured me her's was delicious too. Best bit? It was only £11 each. Bargain. I have to admit, the Patty and Bun burgers still topped it, but only just.

Franco Mancas - If you are looking for the best pizza in SW London, look no further. The menu is quite small, but everything I saw looked incredible. The pizzas are absolutely MASSIVE, and only around £6-7! How crazy is that? The best thing about this is that they use sourdough, so the crusts are incredible. I don't know about you, but I usually end up eating the middle of my pizza and leaving the crunchy dry crusts. Well these are soft and tasty. I managed to eat the whole thing; it was just too good. There are no airs and graces with this place; the wine was served in glass tumblers and the turnover is quite quick. However for under £30 for 2 pizzas, a bottle of wine and side salad you can't really go wrong.

Clapham



Osteria - This was another recommendation, and again it didn't disappoint. It's on Clapham High Street, and if I'm honest from the outside doesn't look like anything too special. However what makes this place amazing is it's Italian authenticity; it seems to be family run, all the staff are Italian, and it's decorated so you genuinely feel like you could have just walked in off a street in Rome. I had pizza (my Dad called me a pleb) which was goat's cheese and spicy sausage - delicious. The nice thing was it wasn't only pizza and pasta; the mains all looked really delicious too. A definite one to try.



The Bobbin - I'd never heard of this before, but it's a small gastro-pub in Old Town Clapham. It's a little walk from the main high street past The Jam Tree, and outside it's covered in fairy lights. Sold already. Now I'm not a huge fan of restaurants serving British food; I like a lot of spice to my dinners, and I always tend to want to try cuisines that I wouldn't usually make myself. However this really didn't disappoint. We went for the lamb (which was SO tender) with herbed potatoes and garlic cabbage and I can honestly say it's one of the best meals I've had in weeks, and the leg of duck which was also delicious. This is a bit of a secret, but a VERY good one.

So, have I got your mouth watering? Is there anywhere else you'd recommend? Like I said, I'm a big fan of eating out...